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Robert W. Woodruff
Library
Gift of
Randall K.Burkett
EMORY UNIVERSITY
Special Collections & Archives
The African Methodist Shield
(IMPROVED)
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE MEMBERS, SUNDAY
SCHOOLS, AI.LEN CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR
LEAGUE AND MISSIONARY SOCIETIES
OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
A Companion to
THE GIBSON HAND BOOK
THE GIBSON CATECHISM
By Rf.v. A. B. B. GIBSON, D.D.
State Superintendent of the Allen Christian Endeavor
League and Sunday School, Sixth Episcopal District,
A. M. E. Church.
AUTHOR OF "A SYLLABUS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF SUN¬
DAY SCHOOLS," "NUGGETS OF GOLD" AND
"THE AFRICAN METHODIST PULPIT."
132 Grant Avenue, - - - Macon, Georgia.
1919
FOREWORD.
To the Bishop, Presiding Elders, Members, Ministers, Allen
Christian Endeavor Leagues and Sunday Schools of
the Sixth Episcopal District, A. M. E. Church:
In 1911 the Convention of the Allen Christian Endeavor
League, seeing the need of a Guide for the Leagues through¬
out the State, whereby the League work could be more
thoroughly understood, requested me as State Superintend¬
ent, to publish a book that would explain the work of the
organization. And accordingly in May, 1912, the first
issue of the book was published and designated "The Afri¬
can Methodist Shield." It was a very humble effort, but
met with such a hearty approval by the Leagues, Sunday
Schools and Ministry that the request was made for a larger
and more comprehensive volume.
In this revision and improvement of the Shield it will
be seen that the book is more elaborate than the first vol¬
ume, and again I send it forth to the many thousands of
the members of our beloved Zion.
The object of "The Shield" is to serve as a key to un¬
lock the mysteries of the curriculum of the A. C. E. League,
as they are sealed up in the thirteen books belonging to and
prescribed in the course of studies. (See Cat., p. 14). Its
aim is to make each book so plain that the humblest Leaguer
can understand them.
"The Shield," as its name indicates, is intended as a shield
for every member of the Methodist Church, no matter how
young or old, rich or poor; and if read, studied and thor¬
oughly' digested with a prayerful heart, there is no reason
why every person that peruses these pages should not be
stronger in his faith and love for his Church, that he should
love dearer than all other institutions in the world.'
The great improvement will be seen in the History of
Methodism in general and African Methodism in particular,
the General Rules or Constitution with Scriptural proofs
and notes, also the Articles of Religion and such themes as
"Apostolic Succession," and Validity of Methodist Ordina¬
tion.
For help on the General History of Methodism, the
General Rules, the Articles of Religion, I am indebted to
Revs. G. G. Smith, Hudson, Drs. McCosh, Wakefield, Ray¬
mond, and Bishop Arnett, for the History of African
Methodism.
The Shield is the only one of its kind throughout the
entire connection, and is sent forth with the prayer that it
may serve a long-felt want in the Church, to strengthen the
thousands of our wavering and weak members, and when
the writer shall finish his career and be gathered with the
fathers, the many thousands who peruse its pages may utter
in loudest acclaim—Gone, but not forgotten.
The Author.
132 Grant Avenue, Macon, Ga.
THE AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD,
CHAPTER I.
Leaguers: Mr. Superintendent, we were reading "The
Gibson Catechism of the Allen Christian Endeavor Leagues,
and we were well pleased with all we read and learned about
the League and its history, also the object. We did splen¬
didly until we came to the Curriculum. The author said it
was entirely necessary that all true Leaguers to be good
members (not only of the League, but of the Church as
well, and to be able to defend their Church and League in
every way), to know and study the Curriculum. We have
selected one of our Leaguers to ask you some question or,
in other words, to define the Curriculum for us and make
it plain so we can understand it.
Superintendent: I am glad, dear Leaguers, that you
came, desiring that I should define the Curriculum of our
organization, because so much has been said as to what the
League is, some saying one thing and some saying another.
But to know what the League is and to be a true Leaguer
you must become a scholar in the University of the League,
and you must know the contents of every book that belongs
to the organization or in the Curriculum. I am willing to
take up a little time with you, but I cannot and will not talk
to all of you at once, so many asking me questions at the
same time. However, since you have delegated one of your
members to ask me questions (I trust for information, and
not through sheer curiosity), I will oblige you. Now I am
ready.
Leaguer: Mr. Superintendent, how many books are in
the Curriculum?
Superintendent: Thirteen.
Leaguer: Will you name them?
Superintendent: I will. I. Bible,Study Among the Peo¬
ple. (2. Church Loyalty. 3. Denominational Fellowship.
6
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
4. Systematic Giving. 5. Social Service. 6. Indoctrina¬
tion. 7. Missionary Zeal. 8. Church Pride. 9. Church
Polity. 10. The Peculiar Usages of the Church. 11.
Church Customs. 12. The Constitution. 13. Orders of
the Ministry.
Leaguer: Good. Now, Mr. Superintendent, you say
this is the Shield of the African Methodist Church?
Superintendent: It is.
Leaguer: What may we understand by the term Shield?
Superintendent: I mean the weapon by which you can
defend yourself in any battle in which you may become en¬
gaged about the Church or your organization.
Leaguer: Do you mean I can take the Shield and ans¬
wer any question that may be put or asked me concerning
my Church, its rules, laws, regulations, its doctrines, cus¬
toms, peculiar usages or what not?
Superintendent: Well, I don't mean all the laws, because
they will be changed every four years, but I do mean the
regulations, doctrines, customs, and the peculiar usages of
the Church and the order of its ministry.
Leaguer: Ah, thank you. And then, too, Mr. Superin¬
tendent, I am glad you made that point about the laws of
our Church being changed every four years plain. You see,
all our members and young people don't know that.
Superintendent: Yes, they are changed every four years;
that's why we have a General Conference.
Leaguer: Well, are you ready to answer any question I
can ask you about the League or Church?
Superintendent: Any question? No, for there are so
many nonsensical questions you could ask me that nobody
but the Lord could answer. But I will try to answer any
question on the Curriculum if I can.
Leaguer: Mr. Superintendent, how is the work of the
Shield divided ?
Superintendent: There are five chapters, and thirteen
books. Thus: Chapter II. Book One.
Leaguer: According to your plan, the Bible would come
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
7
within the first chapter and the first book, would it not?
Superintendent: It would.
Leaguer: Well, now tell us about the Bible.
Superintendent: I will. Book one, The Bible.
Superintendent: Before we enter fully into the discus¬
sion of this book, it is best that I should answer the question
that has been asked all the ages. Thus: Why should men
study the Bible? To this we reply: The real questions and
the hardest that the world is asking, but can only be solved
by the Bible: Is God my Father, and can I trust Him? Is
man my brother or my enemy? Am I an immortal spirit?
What think ye of Christ. These questions must be answer¬
ed, regardless of race, nationality, or belief, whether a man
is a Confucianist or Buddhist, or Brahman, or Jew, or Chris¬
tian. These are his greatest problems, for they are the prob¬
lems of humanity—the problems of life.
Thus there is sufficient reason for the study of the Bible,
because—
1. A working knowledge of it furnishes a proper per¬
spective, relative to choosing any vocation.
2. It clarifies our vision, regarding the things that are
really worth while to spend time and thought upon.
3. Bible study corrects our individual standards and
measurements, in that it helps men to put first things first,
to see big things big, and small things small.
4. The Bible is the first book on ethics, for the moral
code of the Christian Scriptures have worn well for more
than six thousand years, and are still operative. Righteous¬
ness, which continues to be the eternal foundation of nations,
is the ground-work of the Bible.
5. The Bible assists in character forming, because it
reveals us to ourselves as we really are; it makes character
by helping men to fight their moral battles; it shows men
their real battle-ground, which is not always one of dollars
for it is by giving added force to the will that the Bible es¬
pecially strengthens character.
6. It is the only book that has proven Infidelity to be a
8
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
huge negation. The Infidel says the Bible is a forgery,
Christianity a failure, hell a fable, and heaven itself a mere
fascination to lure us away from the pleasures of this world.
Infidel sages teach that our life is the through line and na¬
tural death its hopeless terminus.
7. The Bible is the only book today that remains sure
and steadfast, unchanged and unchanging. It is the bed¬
rock of society.
It is but fitting and right that I should here give a few
testimonies on the Bible from men who had much to do in
making our civilization what it is.
Andrew Johnson: "The Bible, sir, is the rock on which
our Republic rests."
Thomas Jefferson: "I have always said that the studious
perusal of the Sacred volume will make better citizens, bet-
rter fathers, better husbands."
Daniel Webster: "I have read the Bible through many
times; I now make a practice of going through it once a
year. It is the Book of all Books."
Patrick Henry: "There is a Book worth all others which
were ever printed."
Milton: "There are no songs comparable to the songs
of Zion; no orations equal to those of the Prophets, and no
politics like those which the Scriptures teach."
Gladstone: "Constantly I study the Word. The Holy
Scriptures is an impregnable rock."
U. S. Grant: "Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor
of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts and prac¬
tice them in your lives. To the influence of this Book we are
indebted for all the progress made in our true civilization,
and to this we must look as our guide in the future."
Lincoln, sad, patient, kindly Lincoln who, after bearing
upon his shoulders for four years a greater burden than any
man of the Nineteenth century, buili up his entire reading
upon his early study of the Bible, said: "I plead not merely
foe the training of the mind, but for the moral and spiritual
training of thp home and church; the moral and spiritual
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
9
training that have always accompanied this Book; this Book
which in almost every civilized tongue can be described as
the Book."
The Bible has been the Magna-Charta of the poor and
of the oppressed; it is the most democratic Book in the
world. And President Harper, of Chicago University, has
said: We should study the Bible—
First—Because it is well known.
Second—Because of what it is as history.
Third—Because of what it is as literature.
Fourth—-Because it contains the fundamental principles
of national life.
Fifth—Because it alone furnishes a true conception of
God. (See John 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
I close with the suggestions of an anonymous author, in
his lofty thoughts on the "Deathless Book." Said he:
"Keep these tributes to the Bible.
"This Book contains the mind of God, the state of man,
the way of salvation, doom of sinners, and happiness of
believers.
"Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its his¬
tories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to
be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.
It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and com¬
fort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's
staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Chris¬
tian's charter.
"Christ its grand subject, our good its design, and the
glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the
heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, pray¬
erfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a
river of pleasure. It is given in life, will be opened at the
judgment, and be remembered forever.
It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest
labor, and condemns all who trifle with its holy contents."
Leaguer: Mr. Superintendent, your views on the Bible
were simply grand. I now promise you that I shall read
10
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
the Bible more than I ever have. But let us take up the
next book. What did you say it was?
Superintendent: Book TWO, Church Loyalty.
Leaguer: What do you mean by Church loyalty ?
Superintendent: Mr. Webster defines it as fidelity, or
faithfulness. But this word should be rendered Church hon¬
esty, since every member that is received into the African
Methodist Church takes upon him or her two obligations,
viz : The Baptismal and Confirmation. Thus the Baptismal
obligation compels the member to abstain from all forms of
worldly amusements (A. M. E. Discipline, page 107).
Now for fear that you Leaguers have forgotten, I will take
the questions that were asked by every Methodist preacher,
living or dead, to every member, living or dead, that ever
joined the Methodist Church, except he came from the
Baptist Church.
Leaguers (All) : Hold! What do you mean by "except
those who came from the Baptist Church?" We thought
persons coming from the Baptist Church must be re-
obligated.
Superintendent: That is the law and custom governing
our church, but of late years Methodist preachers and Meth¬
odist-Baptist preachers are so eager to get a person out of
the Baptist Church that they are afraid to re-obligate as
the law directs. Thus there are hundreds and thousands in
the Methodist Church today who have never sworn allegi¬
ance to the flag of African Methodism, nor have they be¬
lieved in the doctrines of the Methodist Church.
Leaguers (All) : You have told the truth, but you must
tell us more on that very point further on.
Superintendent: I am ready.
Leaguer: Now all of you get out of the way, and let
me ask the Superintendent to take up the Baptismal ques¬
tions and answers.
Leaguer: Mr. Superintendent, what is the first question
asked me when I applied for baptism, and what was my
answer ? I've forgotten.
Superintendent: It was this question: Dost thou re-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
11
nounce the devil and all his works (theatres, shows, card
playing, dancing, the social games, whiskey drinking, the
punch bowl, reading unclean books, magazines, dirty pa¬
pers, singing those songs and using unchristian words or
slang that do not tend to the knowledge or love of God),
the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous
desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow nor be led
by them? Your answer was: I renounce them all. Now,
any member taking this obligation and will engage in any
of the sinful amusements enumerated, is not loyal or true to
his church. But to the next. Question: Dost thou believe
in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; and
that He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Vir¬
gin Mary; that He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cru¬
cified, dead and buried; that He rose again the third day;
that He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of
God the Father Almighty; and from thence shall come again
at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead?
And dost thou belieev in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic
Church,*the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sin,
the resurrection of the1 body, and everlasting life after
death: Your answer was: All this I steadfastly believe.
Question: Wilt thou be baptized in this faith? viz.:
(In the belief of everything recited in the creed and belief
in which only could they be baptized and admitted into the
Methodist Church, and it must be remembered when the
person agrees to be baptized in this faith, he means in the
faith of the Methodist Church; he means everything or be¬
lief that goes to make a Methodist or a Methodist mem¬
ber) . Your answer was: This is my desire. Having taken
this obligation he means that he is duty bound and willing
to protect the Methodist Church, its laws, its doctrines, its
customs, its usages, its constitution and, if need be, die for
his Church. The next—
♦The Church Universal, and not the Papal Church of Rome.
12
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
Question: Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy
will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days
of thy life? Your answer was: I will endeavor to do so,
God being my helper. By this answer the baptized person
means to go to the theatre, show, or card game no more,
nor will he or she dance or drink whiskey, get drunk or en¬
gage in no game or diversion that cannot be carried on in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Leaguer: Well done for the Baptismal obligation. But,
Mr. Superintendent, is this the only obligation we are to
take before we can get in the Methodist Church? It seems
to me, if my memory serves me right, you said there were
two.
Superintendent: You are right. There is another obli¬
gation to which all Methodists subscribe, and are duty bound
to observe, if they are loyal and honest to their church, and
this is the vow taken when they are received into the Church
as full members, better known as the Confirmation vow.
Here they are:
Question i. Do you here in the presence of God and
this congregation renew the solemn promise contained in
the Baptismal Covenant, ratifying and confirming the' same,
and asknowledging yourself bound faithfully to observe and
keep that covenant, and all things contained therein? Your
answer was : I do.
Question 2. Have you saving faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ? Your answer was: I trust I have.
Question 3. Do you entertain friendly feeling toward all
the members of this Church. Your answer was: I do.
Question 4: Do you believe in the doctrine of the Holy
Scriptures as set forth in the articles of religion of the Afri¬
can Methodist Episcopal Church? Your answer was: I do.
Question 5. Will you cheerfully be governed by the Dis¬
cipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, hold
sacred the Ordinances of God, and endeavor as much as in
you lies, to promote the welfare of your brethren and the
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
13
advancement of the Redeemer's Kingdom? Your answer
was: I will.
Question 6. Will you contribute of your earthly sub¬
stance according to your ability, to the support of the gos¬
pel, church, and poor, and the various benevolent enter¬
prises of the Church? Your answer was: I will. Now,
dear Leaguers, these obligations are as inviolate and as
binding upon the member to observe and obey one hundred
years—yes, a thousand—as the day he took them. Observe:
Any member failing to yield to the just government of his
Church will not obey its rules, laws and regulations, its
mandates; will not obey the laws of his church as enacted
by his General Conference, or Annual Conference, of his
District or Quarterly Conference of his Church Conference
or even his Official Board; will not yield to the government
of his Church as handed down by his Bishop, Presiding
Elder, or Pastor, is not loyal, faithful or honest, and there¬
fore have no just claim to any of the immunities of the
Church, guaranteed to any true member. (See John 13:17,
14:15; Mat. 3:8).
Leaguer : That book was well defined. All of us under¬
stand what is Church loyalty. Now, what is the next book
in the Curriculum?
Superintendent: Book THREE, Denominational Fellow¬
ship (or rather, Denominational Companionship). This
term, however, is too tame for the subject under discussion;
it is not broad enough in its scope, but suppose we substitute
instead Denominational Brotherhood. And here we will
have a term broad enough to take in every African Meth¬
odist wherever scattered throughout the known world. De¬
nominational Brotherhood, from a Church relation is the
same, and should be as binding as that of the civic organ¬
izations of the world, and more so. To be a member of
the A. M. E. Church should obtain for me friends at home,
in sickness and health, abroad and among strangers; it
should obtain me loving brothers and sisters; if without
food, raiment or money, should find them among African
14
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
Methodists wherever I go in any city, town or hamlet.
Wherever the banner of African Methodism waves, an Af¬
rican Methodist ought to come in touch with this, one of
the sweetest words of our denominational escutcheon, De¬
nominational Brotherhood.
He should be a stranger in name only, but .when they meet
it should be here are two African Methodists. One in aim,
one in purpose, one in practice and doctrine. And, there¬
fore, he is my brother, she is my sister, in poverty and
plenty. Do we not stand too far apart?
Leaguer: Well, Mr. Superintendent, we have sat pa¬
tiently and listened to you explain to our spokesman De¬
nominational Brotherhood. We must confess that all the
civic organizations have got it on us as African Methodist
members. We are far behind the Masons, the Odd Fel¬
lows, the Knights and many other little fraternal societies,
but from now on we are going to do better. But is there
another book you can instruct us in?
Superintendent} Yes. Book FOUR, Systematic Giving.
And here I want you young people to pay strict attention to
what I am going to say on this point. For more than fifty
years the members of our Church, and all colored churches
for that matter, have been contributing to the support of
the Gospel, and the building of churches and other religious
organizations, but it has been in such a harum-scarum way
till the better nature of every intelligent person revolts at
their method. The reason for this is, they have no system,
no method. Giving by a system has fallen to the Allen
Christian Endeavor Leagues and Sunday Schools to inaug¬
urate, the young people who must shape the destiny of the
Church spiritually, must change the old way of giving for
the Lord's cause in a financial way, viz: Wait for singing
and pandemonium—into the new way. Thus, as soon as
the collection is announced let them give at once—give at
the seat, give in the collection basket, or give at home as
freely as though at the church. I would suggest the envel¬
ope, with name and amount on same. Our General Con-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
15
ference has a splendid way to collect its Dollar Money. I
believe the young people can and will work out a system for
the local Church.
Leaguer: Mr. Superintendent, suppose you give us a
little time to work out a system.
Superintendent: All right, for I'am sure the local church
needs a system for giving far different to the way now in
vogue, and I yet believe the young people are going to break
up all this pandemonium in our churches during the collec¬
tions.
Leaguers (All) : Yes, we are.
Superintendent: Any other question ?
Leaguer: Yes, Mr. Superintendent. Take up the next
book.
Superintendent: Book FIVE, Social Service. I am going
to talk now on a great subject that affects the social life of
the church, and it is called in our Curriculum, Social Ser¬
vice.
Leaguer : Hold on, Mr. Superintendent. What do you
mean by Social Service? You have struck a hard nut now,
for it is this very thing that is keeping so many young peo¬
ple out of the Church. The preachers, stewards and class
leaders don't want us to have any pleasure, and because we
belong to the church we must sit around and appear as
though we were a corpse, which is contrary to the nature of
young people. Tell us in plain words, so we can understand
for all time to come.
(
Superintendent: My dear Leaguer, I now see why you
were selected as the spokesman of your fellow Leaguers.
You are indeed a smart interrogator, but I guess I can
handle you. First, to be social is to be fond of society.
^Second, it means to be companionable. The Methodist
churches does not and has never objected to young people
having their society. It has never objected to her young
members being companionable, but it does object to the kind
of social service rendered by the younger set at their social
functions in these latter days, it is a fact that our young
16
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
members, when they meet in. their social gatherings, have
no regard for the rights of the church, nor do they regard
the obligations made or taken when they joined the Church.
The Church wants her young members to be social. She
wants them to be companionable. But the social service that
is rendered by them now is unbecoming to Christians. The
social side of the League and Sunday School is the main
features of both organizations. The Church wants its young
members to be more social than the elder ones. She wants
them to meet often and have their social meetings, their
harmless plays and pleasure. Yet there are many ways in
which these social gatherings could be held and good ac¬
complished as well as pr-ofit to the young people from the
standpoint of pleasure, amusement and recreation. If the
social committee is wise it will always arrange a good pro¬
gram for the organization when it is to spend a social eve¬
ning with its members. Aside from the other plays, my
dear Leaguers, just the warm hand-shake between Leaguer
and Leaguer goes a long way toward making the organiza¬
tion and Church stronger. Suppose the League or Sunday
School spend an evening in Conundrums, another with the
plan P-o-p-i-f-f-e-o. Another, let the League have a Magic
Supper, thus:
THE MENU.
Thus: Means:
1—A Chilly Reception .Frozen Fruit
2—A Link from Friendship Weinerwurst
3—Symptoms of Love Pickles
4—Splinters of Fun Toothpicks
5—Adam's Ale Water
6—A Magic Circle Doughnuts
7—A Piece of the Moon Cheese
8—Forbidden Fruit Apple
9—Preacher's Delight Chicken
io—A Hot Time Coffee
Leaguer: Mr. Superintendent, you have explained the
play, UA Magic Supper," and it is grand. We can have all
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
17
th£ fun we want in that play, but now explain P-o-p-i-f-f-e-o.
\ Superintendent: I will, with pleasure. P-o-p-i-f-f-e-o
xneans "Plenty of pure, innocent fun for every one." It is
a, fish pond, an art gallery, a jungle, a palace of electricity,
aWiggle alley, a Blarney stone, a village post office, a for¬
tune teller, a fat lady, a midget and a palace of sweets. So
yoi^see the Leaguers can have plenty of fun without play¬
ing ^ards, dancing and other sinful plays, and so on.
Leaguer: Mr. uperintendent, you have done well ex¬
plaining the five books in the first chapter. We are satis¬
fied. )
Superintendent: I am proud to know it. If I have help¬
ed you to be a stronger Leaguer in any one of the books
explained I feel I have accomplished much.
CHAPTER II.
BOOK SIX.
INDOCTRINATION.
Leaguer: Indoctrination? Mr. Superintendent, what
may we little insignificant creatures understand by the big
word—Indoctrination? Boil it down so we can understand
it.
Superintendent: If you will give me time I will. This
word is used more or less by scholars, but especially preach¬
ers and theological students, but I can tell you what it means.
To indoctrinate means.to instruct in principles.
Leaguer: Thank you, but what principles?
Superintendent: Well, it can be applied to governments,
politics or religion, but here I am dealing with the Meth¬
odist Church and Methodist members.
Leaguers (All) : Ho, ho! Tell us about the Methodist
Church, and then you may tell about its doctrines.
Superintendent: All right, I will, with pleasure.
I. Origin of Methodism in England.—The history of
Methodism began :n the year 1729. It was born in the
18
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
University of Oxford, England. While at College John
Wesley, Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, and a few
others banded themselves together for the purpose of in¬
tellectual and spiritual improvement. So systematic were
these young men in their habits of religious duty that the
gayer students in derision called them Methodists.
So the disciples of Christ were first called "Christians" at
Antioch by a deriding world; yet the name was so appro¬
priate that they gloried in it, and since Methodism has
wrought out such a glorious history none of her followers
are ashamed of her name.
I739-—The First Methodist Society was organized in
London by Mr. Wesley. It began with about ten persons
and soon swelled up to hundreds. A great revival soon
began to spread over the British realm. It was a work of
great depth and duration.
"It came sweeping along like the wind which God had let
loose from His fists, swaying devout souls, breaking down
the stubborn sinners, overturning hopes built on false foun¬
dations, but quenching not the smoking flax, nor breaking
the bruised reed. It was heaven's bountiful gift to the silent
prayer of the world's sorrow by reason of its great sin. In
the midst of this spiritual darkness, God raised up a Bishop,
a preacher, a poet; three men the equals of whom have
probably never been seen in the world at once since the
Apostolic days. The Bishop was John Wesley, the preacher
was George Whitefield, the poet was Charles Wesley. To
these three men, and those whom they gathered to their
standard, did the Lord commit the precious work of awaken¬
ing the British Kingdom to a sense of God and duty, and
by them He wrought a reformation which stands alone as a
spiritual revival without admixture of State-craft or patron¬
age of Parliament or King.",
Methodism began with experimental religion in the heart,
and by spontaneous energies from within projected itself
out into organic forms of life. Such as class-meetings, love-
feasts, Conferences, the itinerancy and Church polity. This
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
is the philosophy of the Methodist economy. It is the
\ power of divine life clothing itself with such organic func¬
tions as are necessary to perpetuate and spread itself
through the world. In ten years the outlines of the coming
Church were already prepared. Societies were formed,
quarterly meetings held, Annual Conferences assembled,
and preachers exchanged, and Methodism began her glori¬
ous career.
Rev. John Wesley, the Founder—The illustrious founder
. of Methodism was born June 14, 1703, in the Parish of
Epworth, Lincolnshire. He was descended from a long line
of able ministers. "When God sets out to make a great
man, He first makes a great woman." This is eminently
true in the case of John Wesley. His mother, Susannah
Wesley, was a woman of strong intellect, fine culture, deep
piety, and rare domestic qualities. John Wesley came of
good stock. His father was a preacher before him. He
entered college at the age of seventeen, and came out a dis¬
tinguished graduate of one of the most famous universities
of the world. His intellectual training was of the highest
order. A happy and thorough conversion marked his re¬
ligious experience. He says: "I felt my heart strangely
warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation; an
assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins,
even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."
Before, he knew what religion was theologically; now he
knows what it is experimentally. From this time on he is a
new man, full of power and the Holy Ghost. His intel¬
lectual faculties kindled up into a luminous condition, and
his spiritual vision was clear and comprehensive. The en¬
thusiasm growing out of his experience went with him, and
caught material everywhere for new plans and fervor. The
torch of Mr. Wesley's experience set the world on fire,
which has glowed and spread from that day till now. The
celestial fire which warmed his heart is the light of the
world.
20
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
John Wesley died in 1791, exclaiming, "The best of all
it—God is with us."
As beautiful as the summer sunset in a cloudless sky was
the death of Mr. Wesley. The sun of his long life, beauti¬
ful in the morning of youth, radiant at the noon of man¬
hood, after shining almost a century to enlighten and make
fruitful the earth, went down in full-orbed glory, gilding
the world left behind with the reflected splendor of its de¬
parting rays. "I consider him as the most influential mind
of the last century, the man who will have produced the
greatest results centuries hence," said Southey. "No man has
risen in the Methodist Society equal to their founder, John
Wesley," said Dean Stanley. "A greater poet may arise
than Homer 01* Milton, a greater theologian than Calvin,
a greater philosopher than Bacon, a dramatist than any of
ancient or modern fame, a greater revivalist of the
churches than John Wesley—never!" said Dr. Dobbins, of
the Church of England. "As Mount Everet lifts its tall
head from not only above every other peak of the Hima¬
layas, but above the tallest peak of every other mountain
in the wide world, so John Wesley, as a revivalist and re¬
former, towers not only above the other great men of
Methodism, but above the greatest in all other churches of
Christendom," said J. O. A. Clark. Though not a century
and a half have elapsed since he founded the Methodist
Church, yet no less than forty millions of persons, including
communicants and adherents to his systems, are his fol¬
lowers. »
II. Origin of Methodism in America.—The Method¬
ism which swept through England as a spreading fire over
a field of dry stubble soon crossed the Atlantic and began
to glow and burn in America.
1766. The First Methodist Society.—It was organized
by Philip Embury, a local preacher in the city of New York.
Barbara Heck, a Christian woman, has the honor of being
the prime mover in the work. Embury and Barbara Heck
were immigrants from Ireland—originally of German stock.
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
21
Robert Strawbridge, from Ireland also, organized a Meth¬
odist Society in Maryland about the same time. These two
local preachers were greatly assisted in their work by a
British officer named Captain Webb. The first Methodist
Church was built in John Street, New York, 1768. The
society consisted of but five members. As green forests
sleep in the tiny cup of acorns, so grand possibilities slum¬
bered in this mustard seed of vital religion.
l1^9-—Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore, sent out
by Mr. Wesley as the first itinerant preachers, arrived in
America; the former was stationed at John Street Church,
New York, and the latter as pastor in Philadelphia.
1771.—Francis Asbury and Richard Wright came. The
latter soon returned to England, but Mr. Asbury remained
and became the most memorable and influential man in
American Methodism.
I773-—The First Annual Conference was held in Phila¬
delphia. The roll of names : Thomas Rankin, R. Board-
man, J. Pilmore, Francis Asbury, R. Wright, George Shad-
ford, Thomas Webb, John King, A. Whit-worth, Joseph
Yearby. Thomas Rankin presided. The business was
simple and brief. It consisted mainly in the preachers
to abide by the doctrines and disciplines of Mr. Wesley.
There was then but ten traveling preachers, six Circuits, and
eleven hundred and sixty members.
1774.—Robert Williams began to form societies in Vir¬
ginia.
1776.—The first was organized in North Carolina, and
called the "Carolina" Circuit. Robert Williams came from
England; landed in America, 1769. To him belongs the
honor of introducing Methodism into Virgin-a and North
Carolina. He was a rousing preacher, and instrumental in
the salvation of many souls.
1777-78.—The whole country was seething and boiling
over with the war spirit of the Revolution, yet great re¬
vivals prevailed in the Southeastern part of Virginia and
in the counties of Halifax and Warren in North Carolina.
22
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
Eighteen hundred souls were added to the Societies in one
year.
1784.—-The Organization of the Church. "The Meth¬
odist Episcopal Church" was formally organized at a Con¬
ference of Methodist ministers, called by Thomas Coke,
LL.D., an assistant of Mr. Wesley n England and sent over
by the latter for the purpose of consummating such organ¬
ization. The first Bishops, Coke and Asbury, were elected
by the Conference (called the Christmas Conference) which
met in Baltimore, December 25, 1784, and continued its
session until January 2, 1785.
• HISTORICAL STATEMENT.
The organization constituted it a valid Christian Church.
The associations formed by Mr. Wesley and his preachers
were originally called Societies. They were voluntary as¬
sociations of persons for mutual improvement in experi¬
mental and vital piety. They were still members of the
Church of England; they attended its regular services and
received the sacraments at its altars. Mr. Wesley himself
continued during life a regular presbyter in that church.
The same state of things arose in America, and continued
during the existence of the Colonial government. Soon
after the close of the Revolution most of the clergy of the
English church, many of whom were Tories, returned to
England. This left the Methodist people without sacra¬
ments. The preachers did not think themselves authorized
to administer them, and appealed to Mr. Wesley for relief.
He regarded the Societies as sheep in a wilderness without
a shepherd, and felt himself providentially called upon to
provide for them proper pastoral care. Accordingly he
ordained Dr. Coke, a presbyter of the Church of England,
giving authority to exercise the office of a Bishop, calling
him a Superintendent, which is only another name for the
same thing. Mr. Wesley sent Dr. Coke to America, direct¬
ing him to ordain Francis Asbury to the same episcopal of¬
fice. These two were to have a general superintendency
of all the Methodist Societies in America; they were to
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
23
travel at large through the length and breadth of the land,
and were to ordain Elders, whose services were required
by the exigencies of the people.
Mr. Wesley prepared a form of Discipline for the use
of the Methodists, which contained the Articles of Religion,
the General Rules, a Ritual for Ordination and other ser¬
vices of the church. As already stated, the preachers as¬
sembled in General Conference, received Dr. Coke in his
office as Bishop, and elected Francis Asbury to the same
office in accordance with Mr. Wesley's direction. The Con¬
ference adopted the Discipline as their ecclesiastical Con¬
stitution, and thus became a regularly and a fully organized
Christian Church.
The Methodist of America were no longer Societies with¬
in the pale of the English Church, but were themselves a
properly constituted gospel church of God. They are now
"a congregation of faithful men in which the pure word of
God is preached and the sacraments are duly administered
according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of
necessity are requisite to the same."
It is a Methodist Episcopal Church, not a Congrega¬
tional nor a Presbyterian Church. It is a church governed
and superintended by Bishops, who are elected and ordained
to the work of the episcopacy.
It is sometimes said that Mr. Wesley did not intend to
authorize the establishment of a Methodist Episcopal
Church, and the proof alleged is that he called Dr. Coke
and Asbury Superintendents and rebuked them for allowing
themselves to be called Bishops. The facts are, Mr. Wes¬
ley, in the beginning of his ministry, was a high-churchman,
but the reading of. Stillingfleet's "Irenicum" cured him of
that belief. He entirely changed his views on this subject.
He said: "I still believe the episcopal form of church gov¬
ernment to agree with the practice and writings of the
Apostles, but that it is prescribed in Scripture I do not be¬
lieve." He intended to give, and did give, the episcopal
form of church government to the Methodist Church in
24
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
America. Mr. Wesley shunned the term of Bishop, and
rebuked Mr. Asbury for wearing It, because of the worldly
pride, pomp, and ostentation with which that word was
connected in the English Church. But the thing intended
by the term when properly applied he approved by giving
the same when he ordained Coke and sent him to ordain
Asbury and organize the Methodist Church under the gov¬
ernment of the episcopacy.
VALIDITY OF METHODIST ORDINATION.
1. The presbyters, or elders of the New Testament
exercised the power of ordination. Timothy was ordained
by "the laying on of the hands of the presbytery," or body
of elders. (I Tim. IV, 7 <). To deny that elders have the
right to ordain is to run directly against the express declara¬
tion of the Bible. Of his power to ordain Mr. Wesley had
no doubt. He says : "Lord King's account of the primitive
church convinced me, many years ago, that Bishops and
presbyters are the same order, and consequently have the
same right to ordain. ... I have accordingly ap¬
pointed Dr. Coke and Francis Asbury to be joint Superin¬
tendents; as also Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey
to act as elders among them in North America, by baptiz¬
ing and administering the Lord's Supper." In 1780 he said:
"I verily believe I have as good a right to ordain as to
administer the Lord's Supper." Luther, Calvin, Melanch-
ton, as well as Mr. Wesley, believed in the validity of pres-
byterial ordination.
2. There are two ordinations, a divine and a human.
The divine is the call of God to preach the gospel. The
Saviour c^l.-ed and sent the Apostles out to preach. "Go
ye into all the world and preach the gospel." Their or¬
dination was the unction of the Holy Ghost. Human or¬
dination recognizes the essential one of the Holy Ghost.
When you can get the two, well and good; but if not, give
us the divine, let who will have the human. The churches,
properly enough for the sake of order, license and ordain
men to the work of the ministry, but no ecclesiastical au-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
25
thority can make ministers. They urtly recognize the call
of God. The chief and essential ordination then is of God;
. and wherever this exists it matters but little what human
ordination is. Mr. Wesley, called of God, and eminently
qualified by intellectual and spiritual endowment, had, by
reason of these endowments and as being a founder of a
great church, as much right to ordain a minister as any
Pope, patriarch, Bishop, or Archbishop that ever performed
that function. The true validity of the Methodist ministry
is derived from Mr. Wesley, who was not only a presbyter
in the English Church, but under God became an illustrious
founder of a great evangelical church of Christ. Richard
Watson says: The Reformed Churches held the call of the
people the only essential thing to the validity of the min¬
istry, and teach that ordination is only a ceremony which
renders the call the more august and authentic. Accord¬
ingly, the protestant churches of Scotland, France, Holland,
Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, etc.,
have no episcopal ordination; for Luther, Calvin, Bucer
Melanchton, and all the first reformers and founders of
these churches, who ordained ministers among them, were
themselves presbyters, and no other." Thus it appears
that all these churches had no other ministry than such as
were ordained by the presbytery. Mr. Watson goes on to
say: "In opposition to episcopal ordination, they (pro-
test^nts) urge that Timothy was ordained by the laying on
of the hands of the presbytery; that Paul and Barnabas
were ordained by certain prophets and teachers in the
Church of Antioch, and not by bishops presiding in that
city. (Acts XIII. 1-3). Furthermore, it is a well known
fact that presbyters in the Church of Alexandria ordained
even their own Bishops for more than two hundred years
in the earliest ages of Christianity. They further argue
;hat Bishops and presbyters are in Scripture the same, and
therefore episcopal ordination means nothing more than
presbyterial ordination. They are but two names for one
and the same thing.
26
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
3. The theory of High-churchism affirms that the right
of ordination is derived from an episcopal ordination trans¬
mitted in an unbroken succession from the Apostles, and that
without this so-called apostolic succession there can be no
church or lawful ministry. Consequently the Episcopalians
claim to be the only true church.
The alleged succession is not historically true. I mean
that there has been no such unbroken sucession of ordina¬
tion in the past. Such a succession cannot be proved, and
it is morally certain that such an unbroken chain never ex¬
isted. The world recently saw that the champions of popery
could not even prove that St. Peter was ever at Rome, to say
nothing of his ordination. The facts already mentioned,
that in the primitive church several pastors took part in the
ordination, and that the modern popish view of ordination
was unknown, would naturally render it impossible to trace
each ordination to any one Bishop or presbyter. The
church curate who comes with a printed list of his eccles¬
iastical pedigree up to the Apostles must have wonderful
confidence in the ignorance of those whom he expects to
accept his list with unquestioning faith. Many eminent min¬
isters and laymen of the English Church who have made
this subject a special study, have confessed that the his¬
torical succession is utterly untenable. Chillingworth said:
"I am fully persuaded that there has been no succession."
Lord Macauley says: "Even if it were possible, which assur¬
edly it was not, to prove that the church had the Apostolic
orders in the third century, it would be impossible to prove
that those orders were not in the twelfth century so far
lost that no ecclesiastic could be certain of the legitimate
descent of his own spiritual character. . . . We see
no satisfactory proof that the Church of England possesses
apostolical succession."
Bishop Hoadley says: "It hath pleased God in His
providence to keep any proof of the least probability, or
moral possibility, of a regular uninterrupted succession, but
there is a great appearance and, humanly speaking, a cer-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
27
tainty to the contrary, that the succession hath often been
interrupted." Dr. Comber, as quoted by Mr. Bleby, says:
"There is neither truth nor certainty in the pretended suc¬
cession of the first popes." Bishop Stillingfleet says: "Come,
we therefore, to Rome and here the succession is as muddy
as the Tiber itself. . . . The succession so much plead¬
ed by the writers of the primitive church was not a succes¬
sion of persons in apostolic power, but a succession of per¬
sons in apostolic doctrine." Archbishop Whateley says:
"There is not a minister in all Christendom who is able to
trace up, with approach to certainty, his spiritual pedigree."
John Wesley, whom churchmen are so fond of quoting for
the benefit of Methodists, says: "The uninterrupted suc¬
cession I know to be a fable, which no man ever did or ever
can prove." Let it be remembered that all these testimonies
are from churchmen whom it would naturally gratify to find
evidence of an unbroken succession, whatever might be their
estimate of its value. Yet this is the dogma on the strength
of which High-churchmen disfranchise non-episcopal
churches of their Christian birthrights.
III. The African Methodist Episcopal Church.—1787.
Richard Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal
Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mr. Allen was
formerly a member of the old St. George's Church, but on
account of the unkind treatment he and his colored brethren
received from the white members he left this church. Says
he in his history: "A number of us usually attended St.
George's Church, on Fourth Street, and when the colored
people began to be numerous in attending the church, they'
moved us from the seats we usually sat in and placed us
around the wall and on the Sabbath morning we went to
church, the sexton stood at the door and told us to go in
the gallery. He told us to go and we would see where to
sit. We expected to take the seats over those which we
formerly occupied, and not knowing any better we took
those seats. Meeting had begun, and they were nearly done
singing. Just as we got to the seats the Elder said, 'Let
28
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
us pray.' We had not been long on our knees before I heard
a considerable scuffling and low talking. I raised my head
and saw one of the Trustees having hold of the Rev. Ab-
solom Jones, pulling him off his knees and saying, 'You
must get up ! You must not kneel here.' Mr. Jones replied,
'Wait until prayer is over.' 'No, you must get up now, or
I will" call for aid and force you away.' Mr. Jones said,
'Wait until prayer is over, and I will get out and trouble
you no more.' When the prayer was over we all went out
of the church in a body and they were no more plagued
with us in the church."
He and his followers in 1787 bought a lot at Sixth and
Lombard Streets and, securing an old blacksmith shop,
moved it thereon and called it "Bethel," which is now the
Mother Church of the connection.
1816.—Many of the colored people in other places were
in a situation nearly like those of Philadelphia, and Balti¬
more, which induced them in April, 1816, to call a general
meeting by way of conference, delegates from Baltimore
and other places met those of Philadelphia, and taking into
consideration their grievances, and in order to secure the
privileges, promote union and harmony among themselves,
it was resolved that the people of Philadelphia, Baltimore,
and other places should become one body, under the name
African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Allen and his followers were twenty-nine years try¬
ing to get their charter. Mr. Allen was once a slave, was
born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 14, 1760.
Was converted at the age of twenty years. He was ordained
a Bishop the nth day of April, 1816. The motto of the
church, "God our Father, Man our Brother, Christ our
Redeemer." Under the motto given it by Richard Allen,
and with firm faith in Almighty God the church has grown,
thrived and multiplied, until today it has sixteen living'
Bishops, 6,387 pastors, 7,931 churches, and membership
with adherents of over two million. The A. M. E. Church
supports twenty-five schools and colleges, and operates mis-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
29
sionary activities in Hayti, San Domingo, the Isles of the
Sea, Demarara and has two Bishops, one in South Africa,
and one on the West Coast of Africa. She has general of¬
ficers representing the general departments of the church,
namely: Publication, Church Extension, Missionary, Fi¬
nancial, Sunday School, Allen Christian Endeavor League,
and publications as follows: The Christian Recorder, the
oldest Negro paper published in this country. The Southern
Christian Recorder, The Voice of Missions, The Woman's
Missionary Recorder, The A. M. E. Review, the oldest
quarterly magazine published in this country.
IV. Other Methodist Bodies. 1820.—The A. M. E.
Zion Church was organized in New York. 1844.—The
M. E. Church, South, separated from the M. E. Church
on account of slavery. 1845.—The M. E. Church, South,
was organized. 1846.—The first General Conference of
the M. E. Church, South, was held. 1870.—The C. M. E.
Church was organized in Jackson, Tenn. The colored
Methodist bodies are nearly all Episcopal. There are, how¬
ever, a number of churches which are truly Methodist in
doctrine, which are not Episcopal, but have some other form
of church governments, and they are recognized as a part
of the great family.
This is an outline of the history of Methodism. The
whole story is rich in almost romantic detail, and it will do
you good to read it. It is nowhere more charmingly told
than in the seven volumes of Abel Stevens, "The History of
Methodism," and the "History of the Methodist Episcopal
Church."
Leaguer: Thank you, Mr. Superintendent. You have
given us a beautiful outline of Methodism and the Meth¬
odist Church. Now, what do the Methodist people believe,
and what does Methodism forbid, and wThat is the doctrine
of the Methodist Church?
Superintendent: All right. I believe in God, the Father
Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, etc. This, you know,
is. the Apostle's creed. It is the only formula of faith which
30
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
is obligatory upon all Methodists. No man can become a
member of the church who does not subscribe to it and no
man who afterwards repudiates it can retain his place in
the church. They believe there are two sacraments—Bap¬
tism and the Lord's Supper. They hold to the Baptism of
infants and generally baptize by pouring, but do not believe
in baptismal regeneration. They consider baptism valid by
pouring, sprinkling or immersion, if administered with the
proper object by a proper person. They believe in fre¬
quent communion—at least monthly. The Lord's Supper is
administered among Methodists by ordained men. They
believe, with regard to the church, that it is a Christian so¬
ciety.
Now, dear Leaguer, I have told you what the Methodist
believes. Does that satisfy you?
Leaguer; Yes, only you failed to state what Methodism
forbids.
Superintendent: That is true, but I will later on.
Leaguer: All right, but there is another thing I want to
know about the Methodist people. What is their doctrine ?
Superintendent: I am glad you called my attention to
this point, for I was about to forget it. You remember in a
previous conversation you asked me what was Indoctrina¬
tion, and I answered by saying: To indoctrinate means to
instruct in principles. Now, there are nine principal points
in the Methodist doctrine and these every Methodist must
believe and subscribe to. And their belief relative to each
is different to all Calvinists. Now pay close attention while
I tell you about them.
THE DOCTRINES OF THE METHODIST CHURCH.
I. Universal Redemption, or Free Salvation.—Method¬
ism teaches that the atonement of Christ is universal in its
extent—that it is broad ^nough to cover all the sins of all
the children of Adam from the beginning to the end of time.
It teaches that the sacrifice of Christ derived infinite value
from the divinity of His person, and is therefore intrinsically
sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole human race, and
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
31
was really so intended. This is Arminianism. Calvinism
teaches that "Christ died exclusively for the elect, and pur¬
chased redemption for them alone, and in no sense did He
die for the rest of the race." , "That the atonement of Christ
is specific and limited, that it is neither universal nor in¬
definite, but restricted to the elect alone."
According to Calvinism, the salvation or the non-salva¬
tion of each human being depends absolutely and solely on
the eternal, irresistible decree of God, made "without any
foresight of faith or good works in the creature, as condi¬
tions or causes moving him thereto." According to this
system, God has elected to eternal life a certain, definite,
unalterable number and passed the rest of mankind by un¬
redeemed to perish in their sins. Hence it teaches a partial
atonement, irresistible grace, and final perseverance as flow¬
ing out from the decrees. Arminianism teaches that "Christ
died for all men," for "the whole world," and that the sal¬
vation or non-salvation depends not on an arbitrary decree,
but upon the willingness or unwillingness of each man to
comply with the gospel conditions of salvation.
i. That Jesus Christ died for all men is clearly and
expressly taught in the following Scriptures:
Proofs—"That He, by the grace of God, should taste
death for every man." (Heb. II. 9). "He is the propitiation
for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of
the whole world." (2 John II. 2). "The grace of God
that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared." (Titus
ii:ii). "God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life." (John iii:i6). "That
was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world." (John i 19). "God our Saviour . . .
will have all men to be saved." (1 Tim. ii=3). "For the
love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that
if one died for all, then were all dead." (2 Cor. V:i4).
NOTES.
1. If Christ died for all men, then are all placed in a
32
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
salvable condition. The sins of every man are atoned for,
a pardon for every man is purchasable and every man is
welcome to the favor of God and everlasting life. It fol¬
lows that a decree of reprobation, absolutely predestinating
any human being to eternal damnation, is impossible. In
harmony with the doctrine that Christ died for all men, the
duty to believe in Him as a Saviour is enjoined upon all.
Proofs—"He that believeth shall be saved, but he that
believeth not shall be damned." (Mark xvi. 16). "He that
believeth is not condemned, but he that believeth not is con¬
demned already, because he hath not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God." (John iii:8).
2. In harmony with the scheme of universal redemption,
gospel ministers are authorized to preach free salvation to
all men.
Proofs—"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature." (Mark xvi:i5). "And the Spirit and
the Bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, come.
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let
him take the water of life freely." (Rev. xxii. 17). "Come
unto me all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will
give you rest. (Matt. xi. 28). "And him that cometh unto
me, I will in nowise cast out. (John).
3. In accord with this doctrine are many precious prom¬
ises and tender expostulations.
Proofs—"Come now, and let. us reason together, saith
the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall
be as wool." (Isa. i. 18).
4. Then, men are constantly charged with their own
ruin. "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that
dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves, and
live ye." (Ezek. xviii. 32). We might quote every chap¬
ter in the Prophets to show that the Israelites were blamed
as the cause of their own ruin. But it is needless to enlarge.
The whole Bible testifies that men are truly the authors of
their own destruction. God often complains that He has
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
33
striven to save men, but they would not let Him. "O, Jeru¬
salem, Jerusalem . . . how often would I have gathered
thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings, and ye would not." (Matt, xxiii. 37). He
"will have all men saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth." (I Tim. i. 4).
5. Furthermore, the argument is as definite and con¬
clusive. Does not every man's own conscience tell him that
he is the author of his own sins, and consequently of the
punishment flowing from them? Does not conscience ac¬
cuse us, holding that we alone are to blame for them? Thus,
the testimony of conscience sustains the Arminian doctrine.
Yet Calvinism teaches that God, "for the sake of his own
glory," created man to be lost—created pain and stamped it
with immortality—that "God did create a race, large por¬
tions of whom, not being elected, would go on to eternal
punishment, suffering forever and ever hopelessly—all "for
His own glory." Can there be any glory in creating and
dooming millions of the human race to perdition, just for
the sake of seeing them suffer? Is there "glory" in a gov¬
ernment over this universe in which there is suffering with¬
out any other end than suffering? Can there be any better
definition of satanic malignity given than that it is a volun¬
tary creation of suffering merely for the sake of suffering?
Finally, the salvation of every human being is possible, or
it is not possible. If it is possible, then the possibility is
based on the universality of the atonement, for none can be
saved outside of the atonement. If the salvation of every
man is not possible, then men are damned for not perform¬
ing an impossibility, which is too monstrous for any sane
man to believe. But, as Methodists, we glory in the full,
free, and universal redemption of Christ. Christ says, "I
am the light of the world." The candle is the light of a
little room; the lamp is the light of the street, but the sun,
standing on the high arch of the heavens, says "I am the
light of the world." He fills the blue heavens above full
of light, and clothes the rolling seas, the earth, its hills,
34
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
dales, fields and mountains with the beautiful robe of radi¬
ance. Who owns the sun? Everybody. He is made for
the world. The modest spire of grass can look up and say,
"Thou art my sun." The spreading oaks, the blooming
flowers, the ripening grain in a thousand fields, can look up
and say, "Yes, and he is no less our sun." The sun shines
not for the few, but for the teeming millions of earth. So
Christ is the light of the world. "He is the Sun of righte¬
ousness." The cross is the flaming orb of moral day, spread¬
ing impartially glorious light from pole to pole. Its power
changes the winter of heathendom into the green and fruit¬
ful summer of Christian civilization.
The Psalmist says: "As the heaven is high above the
earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him."
The boundless extent of heaven's blue field is an emblem
of redeeming grace. The vast circular tent of the broad
firmament incloses the whole race of man. None can go
beyond and outside of its sapphire walls. Wherever man
may stray on the remote frontier and far-off corners of the
earth, the deep blue heavens bend over him. So the bound¬
less blue sky of Christ's love bends over the human race,
beaming with the stars of promise and hope.
As there is room in the broad ocean for all the ships of
the world to float and never crowd each other, so there is
ample room in the Kingdom of Christ for all men. As all
the armies of the world can wash, bathe, and cleanse them¬
selves in the ocean, so in the red sea of Christ's blood the
world's vast population may be purified.
"He tasted death for every man." "He gave himself a
ransom for all." "He is a propitiation for the sins of the
whole world." That all are not saved is no objection. It
is suggested by a popular expositor that in a material nature
much goodness seems wasted. Rain and dew descend upon
flinty rocks and sterile sands; floods of genial light come
tiding down every morning from the sun on scenes where
no human foot has trod; flowers bloom in beauty, and emit
their fragrance; trees rise in majesty and throw away their
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
35
clustering fruit on spots as yet there has never been a man;
wealth sufficient to enrich whole nations is buried beneath
the mountains and the seas, while millions are in want; med^
icine for half the ills of life is shut up in minerals and plants,
while generations die without knowing the remedy which
nature has provided. It is no objection, therefore, to the
universality of the atonement that all are not benefited by
it. Its benefits one day will be universally enjoyed. There
are men coming after us who shall live in these solitary
wastes, enjoy the beauty and the light which now seems
wasted, appropriate the fruits, wealth, the medicine which
for ages have been of no avail. It will be even so with the
death of Christ. There are men coming after us who shall
participate in the blessings of that atonemnet which genera¬
tions have either ignorantly rejected or wickedly despised.
2. Repentance.—Personal repentance toward God and
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ are always united in the
Bible. Repentance implies a certain kind of pre-existing
faith, and faith implies a pre-existing repentance. Both are
-produced by the preliminary grace of the Holy Spirit, but
not perfected without the co-operation of man.
Repentance is a means and faith a condition of salvation.
The broken and contrite heart; a godly sorrow of soul, a
keen sense of sin, prepare the soul to accept Christ as the
only Saviour. Such a state of mind leads to a free and
candid confession of sin, and this leads to reformation. This
reformation implies two things, viz.: a turning from sin,
and a serious effort at obedience. The Bible commands the
penitent, "Cease to do evil, and learn to do well." Re¬
pentance is pre-eminently a personal obligation. It is a
duty laid upon all men.
Proofs—"God now commands all men everywhere to
repent." (Acts xvii. 30). "Repent ye for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand." (Matt. ii. 2). Repent and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remis¬
sion of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
-(Acts ii. 38). "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un-
36
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
righteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the
Lord and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God,
for he will abundantly pardon." (Isa. IV. 7). "Repent
and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity
shall not be your ruin. (Ezek. xviii. 30). "Except ye repent
ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke xiii. 5).
NOTE.
1. True repentance must be thorough; forsaking all sin.
If a ship have three leaks, the stoppage of two of them is
not sufficient; the third one left unstopped will sink it. All
must be closed up. Or, if a man have two dangerous wounds,
the curing of one is not enough. Both must be cured. A
tree, fallen upon the bosom of a river, sways up and down
on the stream, but does not float off down stream, because
it is anchored by some hidden root reaching into the bank.
So one secret sin, not given up, will keep the soul from float¬
ing on the stream of grace into the kingdom of life.
2. Gospel repentance makes self-sacrifice. A certain
liquor-seller showed sincere repentance by piling up his
liquor barrels and burning them. Sins, dear as right eyes
and hands, must be given up.
3. True repentance asks pardon, and trust in Christ
alone for salvation.
4. Gospel repentance leads to an open and full confes¬
sion of sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us." The benefit of confession is illustrated in
the following story: A German prince visited the Arsenal
at London, where the galleys were kept. The commandant,
as a compliment to his rank, offered to set at liberty any
slave whom he selected. The prince went the round of the
prison, and conversed with the prisoners. He inquired into
the reason of their confinement, and met only with universal
complaints of injustice, oppression, and false accusation. At
last he came to one man who admitted his imprisonment to
be just. "My Lord," said he, "I have no reason to com¬
plain. I have been a wicked, desperate wretch; I have often
deserved to be broken upon the wheel and it is a mercy that
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
37
I am here." The prince selected him, saying, "This is the
man whom I wish released." The application is easy.
3. Justification.—"Justification is the divine judicial act
which applies to the sinner believing in Christ the benefit
of the atonement, delivering him from the condemnation of
his sin, introducing him into a state of favor, and treating
him as a righteous person." "To be justified is to be par¬
doned and received into God's favor; into such a state that
if we continue therein we shall be finally saved."—Meth¬
odist Discipline. Justification, pardon, forgiveness of sins,
are substantially the same in Methodist theology. This par¬
don extends to all sins in the past, little and great. "All
manner of sin" is forgiven; so "there is no condemnation to
them who are in Christ Jesus." The originating cause is
the love of God; the meritorious cause is the personal faith
of the believer.
Proofs—"God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life." (John iii. 16). "Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness (or justification) to
every one that believeth." (Rom. x. 4). "Being justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ." (Rom. v. 1). "By Him (Christ) all that believe
are justified from all things, from which they could not be
justified by the law of Moses." (Acts xiii. 30). "To him
that worketh not, but believeth in him that justified the un¬
godly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness (or jus¬
tification)." (Rom. iv. 5). "Therefore we conclude that
a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
(Rom. iii. 28).
We must have that faith that relies on Christ as our sub¬
stitute. A farmer was seen kneeling at a soldier's grave
near Nashville. Some one said unto him: "Why do you pay
so much attention to this grave? Was your son buried
here?" "No," said he. "During the war my family were
sick. I knew not how to leave them. I was drafted. One
of my neighbors came over and said, 'I will go for you; I
38
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
have no family.' He went off. He was wounded at Chic-
amauga. He was carried to the hospital and died. And,
sir, I have come a great many miles that I might write over
his grave these words, 'He died for me.' " So Christ was
our substitute; He died for us. He was wounded for our
transgression.
"When the Son of God was made of woman, and made
under the law, then was heard the most awlul voice that
ever was heard in this universe yet: 'Awake, O sword!
Against the man that is my fellow, and smite the shepherd'
—Smite him! When there was a man in the world that
was Jehovah's fellow, then there was one that could mag¬
nify the law, in smiting whom justice could obtain its de¬
mands. The sword of justice smote him, struck him, cut
him. The sword of justice had a commission to smite the
man that was Jehovah's fellow; it smote him in Bethle¬
hem ; it smote all along the highway of his life even to Cal¬
vary. On Calvary the stroke of the sword fell heavy; the
glances of that sword then darkened the sun; the stroke of
the sword shook the earth, shook hell; it kept smiting and
smiting the Man that was God's fellow, till at last He cried,
'It is finished!' Then the sword fell down at the foot of
the cross, hushed, lulled, pacified; and it lay there till the
third hallowed morning, when it was found changed into a
Scepter of Mercy; and that Scepter of Mercy has been a
warning among mankind ever since."
Without Works.r—Faith without works renounces every
other dependence than the atonement. As an instrument it
embraces Christ, rests upon him as a house upon a rock
foundation, enters into his righteousness for safety, as Noah
entered the Ark for protection from the flood., It ac¬
knowledges the utter impossibility of being saved by per¬
sonal obedience to the law. To become righteous in that
way is forever out of the question. It confesses past sins,
present weakness and the impossibility of conceding past
transgressions by future obedience. Justifying faith is then
the trust of the soul in Christ as the only hope of salvation.
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
39.
It is the forsaking the sinking ship of self-righteousness, and
taking refuge in the ark of Christ's atonement. The gen¬
uineness of this saving faith is proved by evangelical works
of righteousness without which the state of justification can¬
not be retained, The works of faith declare, manifest the
life and reality of saving faith. The tree of justifying faith
is known by the fruits of good works. The substance of
faith will project the shadow of good works. Hence there
is a justification by faith without the merit of works; and a
justification by faith on the evidence of works, but in both
cases justification is based on the grace of the atonement.
"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also."
In conclusion, note the following particulars:
1. Importance of Justification.—Justification is the very
king and pillar of Christianity, and an error about justifica¬
tion is dangerous, like a crack in the foundation. Justifica¬
tion by Christ is a spring of the water of life, and to have
the poison of corrupt doctrine cast into this spring is damn¬
able."—T. Watson. •
2. Lt Is By Faith.—Luther sought rest for his troubled
breast in self-denial and retirement as a monk, but did not
find it. In 151 o he started as a delegate for Rome, hoping
to find relief from his burden there. As he came in sight
of the city, he fell on his knees, exclaiming, "Holy Rome,
I salute thee." He was shocked at the wickedness which he
found there. The people said to him, 'If there is a hell,
Rome is built over it.' At last he turned to ascend Pilate's
staircase upon his knees. He toiled from step to step, re¬
peating prayers at every one, till a voice of thunder seemed
to cry within him, "The just shall live by faith!" Instantly
he rose; saw the folly of his hope of relief through works
of merit. New life followed his new light. Seven years
after, he nailed his 'theses' to the doors of the Wittenburg
Church, and inaugurated the Reformation." — Foster's
Cyclopedia.
3. Only By the Merit of Christ.—Some harbors have
40
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
bars of sand which lie across the entrance and prohibit the
access of ships at low water. There is a bar, not of sand,
but of adamantine rock—the bar of divine justice—which
lies between the sinner and heaven. Christ's righteousness
is the high water that carries a believing penitent over this
bar and transmits him safely to the land of eternal rest."—
Salter.
4. Justification and regeneration are coincident as to
time, though distant as to nature. The first is what God „
does for us in heaven—granting pardon for all past sins;
the latter is what He does in us in regenerating the heart.
Like two streams which unite their separate waters to form
one river, Justification and Regeneration are combined in
the work of Salvation.
4. Regeneration.—Regeneration is the new birth; that
work of the Holy Spirit by which we experience a change
of heart. It is expressed in the Scripture by being born
again, by being quickened; by our partaking of the divine
nature. "The efficient cause of regeneration is the Divine
Spirit."—R. Watson.
Proofs—"Except a man be born again he cannot see the
Kingdom of God." (John iii. 3.). "That ye put on the
new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness." (Eph. iv. 24). "If any man he in Christ,
he is a new creature." (2 Cor. v. 17).
NOTES.
1. Justification is the removal of guilt, while regenera¬
tion is the removal of the pollution of sin. Justification is
an act taking place in the court of heaven while regenera¬
tion is a work performed by the Holy Spirit in and upon
the soul of the believer. Justification, therefore, is objec¬
tive, while regeneration is always subjective. Regeneration
is the birth of a new-born babe. The infant born into the
world is the man in miniature. All the parts of the body,
and all the faculties of the mind are there in embryo. So
the regenerated person is a saint in embryo. The new prin¬
ciples are there, the new affections are there, the saint is
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
41
there, but in infancy. The young twig two feet high is an
oak, yet there is a vast difference in its diminutive size and
the full-grown oak, covering with its wide-spreading
branches an acre of ground. "The Kingdom of God is like
a grain of mustard-seed, which, when it is sown in the earth,
is less than all the seeds that be in the earth; but when it is
sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs,
and shooteth out great branches."
2. Regeneration is More Than Outward Reformation
—"Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me
from my sin." Mark the thoroughness of this desire.
Not only must sin be blotted out, but the sinner himself
must be washed and cleansed. There must be not merely a
change of state, but a change of nature. Not only must the
debt be forgiven, but all disposition to contract further debt
be eradicated. Outward reformation is cutting the bird's
wings, but leaving it with the propensity to fly. It is pull¬
ing out the lion's teeth, but not changing the lion's nature.
A vicious horse is none the better tempered because the
kicking straps prevent his dashing the carriage to pieces.
Regenerating grace, like a lump of sugar in a cup of tea,
sweetens the heart of man. It makes the tree good to get
good fruit. It purifies the fountain of the heart, and then
the practical stream of life will be pure.
3. The scriptural images setting forth the nature of the
new birth are many. The first is the new birth. "So is
every one that is born of the spirit." "Christians are born
of God; they are the children of God." "That which is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit
is spirit." Everything in generation produces its own pecu¬
liar kind. This is a universal law. The oak is born out of the
acorn; the eagle comes out of the egg of the eagle; serpents
beget serpents; corn produces corn; wheat generates wheat;
so fallen human beings will generate children of impure
fleshly nature. And as the child bears the image of the
parent, so those born of God bear the image of God. They
have the spirit of Christ. "To as many as received him to
42
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
them he gave power to become the sons of God." Secondly,
regeneration is composed of a new creation. "If any man
he in Christ he is a new creature, or a new creation. He is
created in Christ Jesus unto good works. This spiritual
creation refers to the creation of the world at the beginning.
There were two stages of creation; first the creation of
matter then the fashioning the chaotic matter into a beauti¬
ful world of order. The latter illustrates spiritual creation.
The soul in sin is the chaotic "earth without form and void,
and darkness upon the face of it." And as the creative
spirit moved over the huge bulk of matter to bring light
out of darkness, beauty out of deformity, life out of death,
so must that same efficient and powerful spirit shed light
upon the darkened understanding, fashion the dilapidated
soul into the beauty of the divine image, and imbue it with
the moving energy of spiritual life. Thirdly, regeneration
is likened to a resurrection from a state of death. The
regenerated are "those that are alive from the dead."
"You hath he quickened who were dead in trespass and
sins." The regenerated man is the same man who was
dead in sin. has the same body, the same intellectual
faculties and personal peculiarities. The convert is the same
man, but leavened with a new spirit. Christ did not give
the blind man new eyes, but a new sight to the old ones.
He did not give Lazarus a new body, but imparted life to
the old one. The body of Christ was not destroyed, but
remained the same body and was made glorious by the
Transfiguration; so the spiritual man is made glorious by
grace.
4. The Evidence of Regeneration.—Regeneration is
never without certain effects which evidence its existence.
We have seen that the Bible describes it as "life from the
dead" and as "a new creation." All life manifests itself.
All nature seems dead in winter. When spring comes, we
know it by the sign of vegetable life. The buds open in new
bloom,in new foliage, new verdure, new fruit. The evidence
of life is abundant in all departments of nature. So in the
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
43
work of the Spirit there is new light shining upon the mind.
The sun of righteousness pours its beams upon the darkened
soul. There is new love shed abroad in the heart. "We
know that we have passed from death unto life, because
we love the brethren." Mr. Wesley said, when converted,
"I felt my heart strangely warmed." There is a new direc¬
tion given to the will. The convert will ask, "Lord, what
wilt thou have me to do?"
5. Its Necessity.—None can go to heaven unless they
are made holy. "Except a man be born of water and of
the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Purity
is a necessary qualification to enjoy heaven. If a sinner were
lifted to heaven, he would be blind to its beauties, deaf to
its songs, and dead to its joys. While malice remains in
the devil's nature, were he admitted into heaven, it would
b& a place of torment. So a wicked man would meet hell
in the midst of heaven so long as he carries within him sin,
for sin kindles the fires of hell in the soul. "The Kingdom
of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
5. Witness of The Spirit.—"By the witness of the spirit
I mean an inward impression on the soul, whereby the spirit
of God immediately and directly witnesses to my spirit that
I am a child of God; that Jesus Christ hath loved me and
given himself for me; that all my sins are blotted out and
I, even I, am reconciled to God."—John Wesley.
Proofs—"The spirit beareth witness with our spirit that
we are the children of God." (Rom. viii. 16). "He that
believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself."
(I John v. 10). "Because ye are saved, God hath sent the
Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
(Gal. IV. 6). "The love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost." (Rom. v. 5). "The fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, good¬
ness, faith, meekness, temperance." (Gal. V. 22, 23.)
NOTES.
Can a man know that he is a Christian? Methodist
teaching answers, Yes. Mr. Wesley says: "The soul in-
44
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
timately and evidently perceives when it loves, delights and
rejoices in God, as when it loves and delights in anything.
I love and delight in God, therefore I am a child of God."
The Bible furnishes certain marks of being a Christian.
First, there is the love of God "shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost." The believer feels, knows, is con¬
scious that he loves God; "therefore," he says, "I am a
child of God." Mr. Wesley says when he was converted
he "felt his heart strangely warmed." We are just as con¬
scious of the warming influence of love as we are of a fire
in a room, or of the genial beams of the sun breaking
through the clouds on a cold day, and shining upon us.
Love is likened to fire, and fire is something that can be
sensibly felt. Secondly, fraternal love is a mark of a Chris¬
tian. The believer feels that he loves_ all who love the
Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; therefore he concludes, "I
am a child of God." We know that we have passed from
death unto life, because we love the brethrenBrotherly
love is adduced as a proof of havfing passed from death to
life. Again, he that loveth his brother abideth in the light.
Now, there are some things that we know. When a man
is enraged, he knows it, and other people generally know
it too. When a man is full of the Spirit, he usually knows
it. Wher\ a man has the inspiration of ambition, and he is
a fiery and energetic man, he knows that. A man knows
whether he is in distress; he knows whether he is eager; he
knows whether he is forceful or mild. A man knows
whether it is his pleasure to do good, or whether he does
it graciously. These things are within the sphere of positive
knowledge. A man knows whether he rejoices or whether
he sorrows. A man knows whether he loves or not; for if
he does not know that he loves, he does not love, and he
may be sure of it. There are some things that are like fire;
and what would you say of one who should put his hand in
the fire, and take it out slowly, look at it deliberately and
say, "on the whole, I think it burns?" Men know what is
evil. They know what is good. All the recognized things
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
45
within the sphere of knowledge they know with positive-
ness—with all the positiveness that is required; nor does it
necessarily infer conceit. "Take notice, then, in regard to
this witness, that light is thrown upon the method of it.
We do not have this witness borne in upon us in consequence
of any actions of our own, standing upon which we reason
to it ourselves. It is not the result of retrospect. It is not
from any estimate that we form of our moral worth. The
soul's spontaneous affinity for God being disclosed in us
becomes itself the evidence. We find ourselves possessed
of a certain enthusiasm. We are lifted up, fired with an
unusual experience; not a superhuman experience, and yet
an experience transcending all ordinary experience, and the
nature o£ it is that of love. It is an experience which, acting
in love, draws us by elective affinities to the great source
and fountain of love, as well as of wisdom and power. God
and this condition of the soul, which produces filial love, is
the sign of God's influence upon it. It is the witness of the
Spirit."
6. Sanctification.—"Sanctification is the work of God's
grace by which we are renewed after the image of God,
set apart for his service, and enabled to die unto sin and
live unto righteousness. It comprehends all the graces of
knowledge, faith., repentance, love, humility, zeal, and pa¬
tience, and the exercise of them toward God and man."—
R. Watson.
Proofs—"The very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be
preserved blameless." (I Thess. v. 23). "This is the will
of God, even your sanctification." (I Thess. iv. 3). "As he
who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of
conversation." (I Ret. i. 15). "Who gave himself for us
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Tit.
ii. 14). "We are sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ." (Heb. x. 10). "Herein is our love
made perfect." (I John iv. 17).
46
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
NOTES.
1. The Nature of Holiness.—It is the conformity of the
heart and life to the law of God. The casting out of these
inbred sins, the purification of the moral nature, and the
restoration of the image of God so that the soul is all glori¬
ous within, having the fruit of the Spirit—"love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, tem¬
perance." It implies the consecration of the whole body,
the whole heart, the whole spirit, the whole mind, property,
influence, family—all to the service of God. Sanctification
brings the intellect of the Christian into captivity to Christ,
so that he thinks for him; puts the love of God in his heart,
so that he is unselfish and beneficent; the life of righteous¬
ness into his conscience, so that the law of right is his rule;
the life of obedience into his will, so that it is his meat and
drink to do the will of the Father.
2. When Is It Attainable?—It is a work commencing
in and carried on after conversion. It is a second blessing
in harmony with, yet separate from and subsequent to, the
work of conversion. There may be rare exceptions to this
statement. The Catholic church teaches that sanctification
with some is attained after death through the fires of pur¬
gatory. The Calvinists, that it can be attained only in the
article of death. The Methodists maintain that it may be
attained soon after conversion and enjoyed through life.
All agree that holiness—perfect love, sanctification—is ab¬
solutely necessary as a qualification for heaven. The dif¬
ference is simply in the time of its attainment. The Ar-
minian view is unquestionably correct and scriptural. Our
doctrine hereby elevates the plane of Christian experience
immeasurably higher than the other view. The Catholic
doctrine that men are sanctified in purgatory is simply ab¬
surd. To send a soul to hell to purify it, how ridiculous!
Why is not the devil purified? He has been in hell long
enough to be very pure, if that be the place of purification.
The Calvinistic theory has no scriptural foundation. There
is no virtue in the mere act of dying to sanctify the sojul.
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
47
3- That sanctification is attainable during life will be
seen: (1) Because God wills it. "For this is the will of
God, even your sanctification. God wills our sanctification
just as truly and sincerely as he wills the salvation of sinners;
or any other desirable thing. There can be no higher law
than the will of God. (2) Because God commands it. "J$e
ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven
is perfect." uBe perfect"—not in knowledge or power as
God, but in love and holiness. Be perfect—not in degree as
God, but in quality and kind. (3) Because this great bless-
ina is promised. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon
you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from
all your idols, will I cleanse you." (Ezek. xxxvi. 25). "If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I
John i. 9). "The very God of peace sanctify you whnllv."
Does not this passage mean entire sanctification? Do we
have to wait for death for this ? Then, why does the apostle
pray that your "body be preserved blameless?" (4.) Be¬
cause the possession of holiness is eminently desirable. Holi¬
ness makes us like God. It enables us to enjoy much of
heaven while on earth. It makes us more useful. It gives
us meetness for heaven. The Methodist Church was raised
up to spread holiness over the land. For this the precious
blood of Christ streamed from the Cross. For this the
Holy Spirit is sent into the world. For this the lamp of
the Bible shines. For this the gospel is preached. For the
world stands, the sun shines, the earth yields her increase,
and judgment is delayed. For this God employs the various
agencies of the church. For He gave some apostles, and
some prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors, and
teachers, for the perfecting of the saints."
4. How is this blessed state to be attained? (0 It is
manifest that there must be a deep and abiding conviction
of its need. No one will seek it till he feels it to be a duty
and a great blessing. Reflect upon the reasonableness and
glory of such a state. Can anything less than the whole
48
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
heart satisfy God? Supreme love to God is the glory of
man. (2) There must be a definite and fixed purpose to
seek it perseveringly, and by all possible means. (3) It
must be sought by entire consecration of yourself and all
you have to God. Consecrating the hands to work for God,
the feet to walk in the paths of obedience, the tongue to
speak truthfully and lovingly, the ears to hear what is good
and pure, the eyes to see what is best in men, the heart
to be a vessel full of Christian love, the mind to reflect the
glory of God as the moon the light of the sun, the property
possessed to advance the cause of God. (4) It must be
sought in the exercise of implicit faith—faith steadily be¬
lieving is the ample ability, willingness, and readiness of
God, to hasten sanctifying grace. Nothing is hard with the
Omnipotent God. He that, through the sun, fills the earth
with the glory of summer and the wealth of autumn, can
fill your heart with the summer of divine grace. The ocean
floats magnificent ships as easily as the fisherman's cork;
the earth carries massive mountains as easily as mole-hills.
It is as easy for God to give sanctifying as justifying grace.
Throw yourself into the ocean of divine love, and be filled
with all the fullness of God.
7. Final Apostasy.—The Statement of the Argument.
—It is possible for a person who has been truly regenerated
to pass away from such a gracious state and be finally lost.
This doctrine is clearly taught in the Old Testament Scrip¬
tures.
Proofs—"But when the righteous turneth away from his
righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according
to all the abomination that the wicked man doeth, shall he
live ? All the righteousness that he done shall not be men¬
tioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his
sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. . . . When
a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, and die in them; for the iniquity that
he hath done, shall he die." (Ezek. xxxiii. 12-20).
Let the reader observe: 1. The persons referred to in
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
49
this passage are truly righteous men. Mr. Edwards con¬
cedes that a righteous man in scripture phrase denotes a
"godly man." 2. The drift of the whole passage shows
that these righeous persons may totally turn away and perish
in their sins. 3. Man's life on earth is a period of trial.
He has all the endowments necessary to make him a free
and responsible agent. In this character there is no time
on earth when he is not subject to change of moral charac¬
ter. As a sinner, he may repent, reform, and become a good
man all along the path of his probation. There is no point
along this probationary road up to the hour of death where
he may not repent and believe; or, being goody may relapse
into sin and perish. If this be not true, then it must follow
that man ceases to be a free agent.
Second Proposition.—The possibility of total and final
apostasy is expressly declared in the New Testament.
Proofs.—"For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were
made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the
good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put Him to an open shame." (Heb. vi. 4-8).
Let the reader observe, these persons were Christians of
deep experience. 1. They were "enlightened." 2. "Tasted
of the heavenly gift." This may mean the experience of a
gracious pardon. 3. "Made partakers of the Holy Ghost"
This includes the work of regeneration, the witness of the
Holy Spirit, and his indwelling influence. 4. "Tasted of
the good word of God." This means the Christian's relish
and comfort in reading the scriptures. 5. "Tasted of the
powers of the world to come." By this we understand the
delightful anticipation of heaven. Here are all the marks
and fruits of experienced Christians. But these persons
may fall away and finally perish. The whole drift of the
passage teaches this. The Greek scholars agree that the
term "if" is not in the original passage. Mr. Wesley proves
50
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
that it is not there, and says it should read: "It is im¬
possible to renew again unto repentance those who have
been once enlightened and have turned away and renounced
the Saviour—the only refuge for sinners." The fall con¬
templated is total and final. And the possibility of such a
fall is borne on the very face of the passage.
The same doctrine is taught by our Saviour.
Proof.—"I am the true vine, and my Father is the hus¬
bandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he
taketh it away. ... I am the vine, ye are the branches.
If a man abideth not in me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast
them into the fire, and they are burned." (John xv. I-6).
Observe: i. The persons here spoken of were branches
in the vine—that is, in Christ. 2. Some of these branches
were cut of because they did not bear fruit. 3. And being
severed from the vine—the only source of life—they hope¬
lessly died, withered, dried up. For further proof-text see
Luke xi. 12 ; Heb. x. 26.
Third Proposition.—The possibility of final apostasy ap¬
pears from the repeated warnings against such danger, and
the earnest exhortations to Christian faithfulness.
Proofs.—"Because of unbelief they were broken off, and
thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear, for if
God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest He
also spare not thee." (Rom. xi. 20, 21). "Take heed,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of un¬
belief in departing from the living God. But exhort one
another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are
made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our
confidence sure and steadfast unto the end." (Heb. iii. 12,
14). "Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us
of entering into his rest any of you should seem to come
short of it." (Heb. iv. 1).
Observe: 1. All these are exhortations to fear, to be
diligent, to put forth effort, undoubtedly imply the possi-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
51
bility of failure. It is a palpable absurdity to exhort men
to hold on to that which it is impossible for them to lose.
A Christian can or he cannot fall from grace. If he can¬
not fall, then the exhortation not to fall is absurd and sense¬
less. Suppose a man on some high mountain is chained to
a rock with iron fetters that could not be broken; and an¬
other should stand off shouting, "Take heed lest you fall!"
Would not the exhortation be ridiculous nonsense? The
application is easy.
Fourth Proposition.—The possibility 0/ falling from
grace is evident from examples contained in the Scriptures.
Proof.—"Holding faith, and a good conscience: which
some having put away, concerning faith have made ship¬
wreck of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have
delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blas¬
pheme." (I Tim. i. 19, 20).
Observe: 1. These persons once had faith and a good
conscience, else they could not have wrecked or cast away
what they never had. 2. They made shipwreck of this
saving faith. 3. What is shipwrecked is entirely lost. A
wrecked vessel is totally ruined. Angels fell from their
original state of celestial holiness. Our first parents fell
from their original purity. Judas fell from his apostleship
by transgression. King Saul was once a good man. "God
gave him another heart," but he fatally backslid, and "died
for his transgression which he committed against the Lord."
Solomon was clearly, at one time, a saintly man, but he evi¬
dently apostatized and died, said Josephus, "ingloriously."
The dogma, "once in grace, always in grace," is a very
fatal error. A man gets a ticket, sits down in the cars, folds
his hands and says to himself: "Well, I bought my ticket;
I am in the train, and now I will go to sleep. It is the
engineer's business to run the train and watch out for dan¬
ger. It is the business of the conductor to land me safely
at my journey's end. I have nothing to do but to sleep."
This is the way men reason who believe in final persever¬
ance. And any one can see the deadening and sleep-produc-
52
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
ing influence the doctrine has upon the human heart. But
the Bible, instead of encouraging such a state, commands
us to watch—work out your own salvation—give all dili¬
gence to make your calling and election sure. Hundreds
of warnings stand all through the Bible like mountains with
a gloomy grandeur—stern, portentious, awful, and sublime,
as Mount Sinai when the Lord descended upon it in fire,
storm clouds and thunders, that shook the hills of the earth,
"that the fear of God may be upon us, and that we sin
not." They sternly rebuke the folly of supposing that be¬
cause God has delivered us from former sins we need have
no anxiety about our final salvation.
8. Adoption.—Adopt, to take as one's own. Armin-
ians hold that adoption can come by repentance, regenera¬
tion, justification, sanctification. And, having passed through
these stages we are accepted in the family of God and made
heirs of God and joint heirs with His Son Jesus Christ.
9. Baptism.—The essential elements of baptism are—
1. It must be administered in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
2. It must be performed by a gospel minister. No
others are commissioned to baptize but ministers of Christ.
3. The element to be used must be water only. This
only is mentioned in Scripture.
4. The person baptized must be a proper subject.
We conclude, then, that water applied in the name of the
Trinity, by a gospel minister to a proper candidate, is Chris¬
tian baptism. "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, bap¬
tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii. 19).
It will be seen that the mode of baptism from the above
definition is not one of its essential elements; that all the
essentials of baptism will be preserved when administered
by pouring, sprinkling, or immersion. Therefore, the Meth¬
odist Church holds that the three modes are equally valid,
3ut that the weight of the evidence is in favor ef pouring or
sprinkling. Pouring and sprinkling are really one mode,
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
53
they being alike as to mode; the difference being the freer
use of water in pouring. The terms are borrowed from
the Bible. "I will pour out my spirit; and then will I
sprinkle clean water upon you."
We remarked that the weight of evidence is in favor of
pouring or sprinkling. Real baptism is the regenerating
influence of the Holy Spirit in the heart; water baptism
is the sign of this grace in the heart. That mode which is
most like the mode of the Spirit's operation is the true one.
How does the Spirit come upon the soul? Scripture teaches
us on this point. "I will pour water upon him that is
thirsty." (Isa. xliv. 3). "Then will I sprinkle clean water
upon you, and ye shall be clean." (Ezek. xxxvi. 25). Thus
when Peter was addressing the company of Cornelius, "the
Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard," and on the Gen¬
tiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."
(Acts x. 44, 47). Then Peter baptized those on whom the
Holy Spirit was poured out.
Now, as the Holy Spirit was poured upon the people, it
is almost certain that Peter poured water upon them as the
most fitting mode of baptism. The sign as to mode would be
like the thing signified, and the thing signified was poured
out. Again, it is said in reference to Christ's baptism, "The
heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the spirit of
God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." When
God shows how he baptizes the element descends upon the
subject. But immersion requires that the subject descend
—fail upon—the element. The mode of the Holy Ghost
baptism is pouring, applying the Spirit to the soul; and
water baptism, as a sign of this, should be poured, so as to
make the sign correspond with the thing signified. But there
is no resemblance between immersion, applying the candi¬
date to water and covering him up in it, and the pouring
out the Spirit upon the soul. The Spirit is shed upon us as
rain upon the earth.
Dr. Pope, a Wesleyan minister of England, says: "There
are many considerations which lead us to regard effusion, or
54
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
sprinkling, as the ordained form of the rite. The Catholic
design of the gospel suggests that the simplest and most uni¬
versally practicable ordinance would be appointed. Again,
the most important realities, of which baptism is only the
sign, are such as sprinkling or effusion, indicates. The
blood of the atonement was sprinkled on the people and on
the mercy-seat; and the gifts of the Holy Ghost are gen¬
erally illustrated by the pouring of water and the anointing."
Richard Watson, in his Institutes, says: "It is satisfac¬
tory to discover that all attempts made to impose upon
Christians a practice (immersion) repulsive to the feeling,
dangerous to the health, and offensive to delicacy, is desti¬
tute of all scriptural authority and of really primitive prac¬
tice." Nevertheless our church, believing that the "essence
of the rite" consists in applying water to the body in the
name of the Trinity, says: "Let every adult person, and
the parents of every child to be baptized, have the choice
either of immersion, sprinkling or pouring." Dr. Raymond
says: "No church, as such, except the Baptists, requires
any particular form of baptism as a sine qua non condition
of membership." So it will be seen that Methodists are
not alone in allowing the choice of modes. There is no
command to baptize by immersion. The duty of baptizing
with water is commanded but, like the Lord's Supper, the
mode of its administration is left undecided by any positive
precept. The following Bible examples lead us to believe
that the Apostles administered it by pouring or sprinkling.
i. Baptism or Paul.—"And Annanias went his way, and
entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said:
Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee
in the way as thou comest, hath sent me, that thou mightest
receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And
immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales;
and he received sight forthwith and arose, and was bap¬
tized." (Acts ix. 17, 88).
NOTES.
1. Note that the rising up and baptizing are closely con-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
55
nected. Dr. Armstrong says: "In the original the lan¬
guage is much more definite than it appears in the English
version." On the expressions "arise and be baptized"
(literally, standing up, be baptized) and "he arose and was
baptized" (literally, standing up he was baptized). Dr.
J. H. Rice remarks correctly, "According to the idiom of
the Greek language, these two words do not make two dif¬
ferent commands, as the English reader would suppose,
when he reads (i) 'arise,' (2) 'be baptized,' but the par¬
ticiple (arise, literally standing) simply modifies the signific¬
ation of the verb; or rather is used to complete the action of
the verb; and therefore, instead of warranting the opinion
that Paul rose up, went out, and was immersed, it definitely
and precisely expresses his posture when he received bap¬
tism.
2. Three days had he been sunk in feebleness and fast-
ing, when he "arose and was baptized," and then "received
meat and was strengthened," strange that where every
movement is detailed with wonderful minuteness, no going
forth in his weakness to a river could have been mentioned.
The whole air of it is that he just stood up from his pros¬
tration in order to be baptized while upon his feet."—Dr.
Whedon.
II. Baptism of the Jailer.—"And they spake unto him
the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed
their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."
(Acts xvi. 32, 33).
NOTES.
1. Notice a few points in this case. The jailer and his
family were baptized at the hour of midnight in the prison.
"And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed
their stripes, and was baptized, he and his, straight-way."
2. The baptism took place in the prison. We have the
authority of the Apostles that they did not go out of the
prison. Paul refused to leave the prison privily. He de¬
manded that the magistrates themselves should take them
56
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
out as publicly as they had put them in. Now, who can
believe that Paul had gone out to some river at midnight
—gone privily, secretly—and immersed the parties and then
slipped back into the prison, and demanded a public and
honorable discharge from the prison after he had been
already out? Can any one believe that Paul was capable
of such deception as this? The refusal of the Apostles to
go out privily expressly implied that they had not been out,
was based on concealment and equivocation. The magis¬
trates might have fairly replied: "With what face can these
men pretend that they will not go out without formal and
public dismissal, when they have already gone out of their
own accord, and are now in prison only by voluntarily im¬
prisoning themselves?" No such hypocrisy can be charged
against them; the conclusion is inevitable that they had not
been out of prison bounds.
i 3. Now, observe another fact: There was no cistern
or tank in the prison where immersion could be performed.
There is not the slightest ground for the wild supposition
that a Roman prison was provided with anything like a
baptistry. The public authority that could thrust the in¬
nocent Apostles, all bloody with stripes, into the irons of
a dark dungeon would not likely provide baths for the com¬
fort of their victims. The Romans were too cruel to miti¬
gate the sufferings of their prisoners. Besides, Philippi
was located in the very latitude of "Snowy Thrace," where
such things would not be needed. A bath or tank in a
Roman prison! As well expect to find a piano in the wig¬
wam of a flat-headed Indian. There was a baptism in the
prison, but most clearly it was not by immersion. To sup¬
pose that the jailer took his wife and family out of bed at
midnight, and went in search of a river to find some suitable
place to have them immersed, is simply absurd. There¬
fore, the jailer and his family were baptized in the prison,
and hence by sprinkling or pouring, as immersion would
have been impossible under the circumstances.
III. Baptism of Cornelius.—"While Peter yet spake
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
57
these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard
the words. And they of the circumcision which believed
were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that
on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy
Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues and mag¬
nify God. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water,
that these should not be baptized, which have received the
Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he commanded them to be
baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him
to tarry certain days." (Acts x. 44, 48).
NOTES.
The clear inference is that Cornelius and his household
were baptized by pouring. The circumstances prove this.
"They went-to the river; they are not said to go down to
any water, nor are we told that they had a bath adapted
for such a purpose in their house. Peter's remark about
forbidding water indicates that it was to be brought to him
for the purpose of administering this rite. And, above all,
it should be noticed that when the apostle saw the Holy
Spirit descending upon him, he was reminded of what Christ
had said of John's baptizing with water. (Acts xi. 10).
Whence this instantaneous recollection and association of
ideas, but from the fact that the mode of water baptism
was in form the same as that of the descent of the Holy
Ghost? Had either John or Peter baptized by dipping,
the narrative and the allusion would have been grossly in¬
consistent and calculated to mislead the most devout and
clear-headed student of inspiration."—Rev. W. Thorn.
IV. The Baptism of the Three Thousand.—"Then
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one o.f
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." "Then
they that gladly received his words were baptized; and
the same day there were added unto them about three thous¬
and souls." (Acts ii. 38, 41).
NOTES.
1. That they were all actually baptized on this day is
58
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
evident; and it is admitted by our opponents, who assure us
that baptism always preceded admission into the visible
church. Now, supposing that twelve Apostles to have been
engaged in this work, and supposing immersion to have been
the mode, it must have been a most laborious, disagreeable,
if not an impracticable undertaking to be accomplished in
the course of five or six hours. It should be taken into the
account, moreover, that at least twenty-four robing rooms
and a dozen dipping places must have been obtained for the
purpose. And if more agents assisted, and lightened the
labor of each, a proportionate increase of both kinds of con¬
veniences must have been provided.
2. Now, in Jerusalem itself there was neither a river
nor a fountain of water. Kedron was little better than the
common sewer of the city, and was dry except during the
early and latter rains. Siloam was only a spring without
the walls, not always flowing, the contents of which were
sometimes sold to the people by measure; and the pools sup¬
plied by its puny streams were either used for washing the
sheep and similar purposes, rendering them unfit for cere¬
monial lustrations, or they were the property of persons not
likely to lend them for washing apostate strangers in. The
water used for domestic purposes was obtained from the
rains of heaven and preserved in household tanks, and, of
course, was guarded with utmost care and used with a rigid
economy—it raining there at only two seasons of the year.
It may be further mentioned that the fountain of Siloam
"is the only place in the environs of Jerusalem where the
traveler can moisten his finger, quench his thirst, and rest
his head under the shadow of the cool rock, and On two or
three tufts of verdure." (Lamartime). That the case was
precisely similar in the time of the Apostles may be clearly
proved by reference to the writings of Josephus, their coun¬
tryman and contemporary.
OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
1. Buried With Him in Baptism.—"Know ye not that
as many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
59
into His death? Therefore, we are buried with Him by
baptism into death." (Rom. vi. 3, 4; Col. ii. 12). Our
Baptist friends falsely assume that the baptism referred to
here means ritual or water baptism, whereas it clearly refers
to a spiritual baptism.
"Baptized into Christ" and "baptized in the name of
Christ" are very distinct things. The former means to be
in the spirit of Christ, to be like Christ, to be in Christ as
the branch is in the vine. As, "For by one spirit we are all
baptized into one body;" "For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." These expres¬
sions means spiritual baptism—and not ritual or water bap¬
tism. Whenever water baptism is meant the form of ex¬
pression is, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost." And so the passage under con¬
sideration says, "Baptized into Christ," and not in the name
of Christ.
The Apostle argues that renunciation of sin is death to
sin; that as Christ died on the cross, so the old Adam in
man is crucified by renouncing sin. As Christ was buried
from the scenes of external nature in the rock-tomb, so the
Christians, in baptismal dedication, is buried from the world
in Christ's body—the church. As Christ rose into a new
life, so the Christian rises into a new life of holiness. No
reference whatever to the mode of baptism is found here.
It is the sound more than the sense that strikes our Baptist
brethren.
The Rev. W. Thorn says: "Mr. Robinson, the Baptist
historian, gives up the passage, justly observing that Paul
could not have reference to anything like an ordinary Eng¬
lish interment, as the persons to whom he wrote did not
bury their dead, but burned them to ashes. Other leading
Baptist writers have admitted that the original idea of bury¬
ing is not the lowering of a corpse into the grave, but cast¬
ing earth upon it, and thereby raising a barrow over it.
Hence the entire argument founded on these passages in
favor of dipping vanishes in a moment."
60
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
But supposing the reference had been to the entombing
of Christ, the analogy is essentially defective. His precious
body was carried into a room hewn out of a rock, and laid
upon a side bench; a stone being rolled not upon, but against
the door, which was low and small. In this process there
was not the slightest resemblance to dipping a person under
water, no more than when the body of Dorcas was carried
up~stairs and laid upon a bed. And he must be sadly at a
loss for valid evidence in aid of immersion who seizes on
this allusion to uphold his practice.
As a Spiritual resurrection, or a rising to newness of life,
is avowedly the result of this baptism, so unquestionably, a
spiritual interment must be supposed to precede it. In the
same connection we are said to be crucified with Christ, and
planted together in the likeness of his death. Surely, this
can refer only to a spiritual work in the soul, and therefore
the burial cannot be consistently regarded as an exception.
Mr. Maclean, a leading Baptist, says that in consequence of
our covenant union to Christ, "We are so comprehended in
and counted one with Him as to have died in his death,
been buried in his burial, and raised again in his resurrec¬
tion." Here a physical similitude is quite out of the ques¬
tion. Indeed, the passage literally translated conveys not
the least idea of such a resemblance. "As many of us as
were baptized unto Christ Jesus were baptized unto his
death; therefore, we are buried with him through baptism
unto death." Besides, those who regard this gracious reno¬
vation of soul as necessarily taking place at the fount, or
being the legitimate result of water baptism, and not as
affected by the Holy Ghost, independent of that ordinance,
will find it difficult to repel the charge of advocating the
doctrine of baptismal regeneration."
II. The Baptism of Christ.—"Following Christ into the
water," "Going down into the liquid grave," "Being buried
with the Saviour beneath Jordan's rolling waves," all clap¬
trap words of much sound, but of little sense. If you follow
Christ strictly in baptism you must wait till you are thirty
years old, for he was not baptized until he had reached that
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
61
age. What was the design of Christ's baptism? Christ
furnishes the answer: "It becometh us to fulfill all right¬
eousness." To fulfill righteousness is to be obedient to law.
This was not the moral law, but the law respecting the high-
priesthood. The baptism of Christ was the public, formal
inauguration and consecration of him to his priestly ministry.
He was just entering on the age of thirty—the age at which
the Levites began their ministry and the rabbis their course
of teaching. The consecration of Aaron to the high-priest¬
hood was by washing, anointing, and consecration. Observe
how this typical law was completely fulfilled by Christ: (I)
He was washed by baptism; (2) He was anointed by the
Holy Ghost; (3) and then consecrated to the priestly office.
Thus we see that Christ was a "High-priest;" that he was
"called of God" to this office as was Aaron; that he was
ordained and consecrated to the office of High-priest for-
evermore, that he might offer both gifts and sacrifices for
sins."
III. John Baptizing in Jordan.—1. It is believed that
immersing persons in Jordan was altogether impracticable.
The Rev. W. Thorn says: "The baptizing spot has been
visited and minutely examined by many intelligent and cred¬
ible travelers, who tell us that here 'the river Jordan is of
considerable width, the water turbulent, the bottom rocky,
the edges of the bank abrupt, and the depth about six or
seven feet close to the shore.' " Volney says: "Its breadth
between the two principal lakes, in few places, exceed sixty
or eighty feet, but its depth is about ten or twelve." Mon¬
ro says: "The river here, at the baptizing spot, forms an
angle, etc.; the width of it might be thirty-five yards, and
the stream was running with the precipitous fury of a rapid;
the bank was steep, shelving off abruptly into deep water."
Thompson says: "It is exceeding deep even at the edge of
the inner bank." Dr. Shaw computes it "about thirty yards
broad, and three yards in depth." Chateaubriand found
the Jordan to be six or seven feet deep close to the shore.
2. Judging then, from the places chosen, and the founts
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
constructed for immersion by our opponents, and indeed
from the nature of the case (unless men and women in
John's time were twice as tall as at the present day!) 1 con¬
tend that dipping persons in the Jordan was altogether im¬
practicable, and unhesitatingly conclude that they were only
affused or sprinkled with the water of it.
3. That John's baptism was not by immersion is clear
from the vast number baptized by him. Dr. Hibbard
proves that the population of Palestine at the time of John's
ministry could not be less than six millions. Now, the Bible
says: "Then went out unto him all the land of Judea, and
they of Jerusalem, and all the region round about Jordan,
and were all baptized of him in the river Jordan, confess¬
ing their sins." Dr. Hibbard contends that "Jerusalem, all
Judea, and the region round about Jordan" must mean the
larger part of the population—and puts the number bap¬
tized at three million—half of the population. John's min¬
istry lasted only about ten months. He allows six hours a
day and six days in the week for baptizing, and upon this
calculation shows that John had to baptize two thousand
and two hundred each hour. And this calculation shows the
utter impossibility of it being done by immersion.
Whatever may have been the mode of John's baptism,
one thing is certain—that is, John's baptism was not the
Christian baptism.
1. He did not baptize in the name of the Holy Trinity.
And this is essential to Christian baptism. "Go ye, there¬
fore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
2. John's baptism was not initiatory into the church. It
did not admit them into the Old Testament Church, since
those who received it (being Jews) were already members
of that church by circumcision. It did not admit them into
the Christian Church, since that church had not been estab¬
lished. Just before the day of Pentecost the members of the
Christian Church numbered only "about one hundred and
twenty." Now, of course, John had baptized thousands be-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
63
fore this, and if his baptism had admitted them into the
Christian Church, the count would have been tens of thou¬
sands instead of "one hundred and twenty." The fact is, the
Christian Church was not instituted till after John's death.
3. It is rendered still more evident from the fact that
Paul re-baptized certain persons at Ephesus, who had re¬
ceived John's baptism. (Acts XIX 5.)
IV. Bapto and Baptidzo.—The argument of the im-
mersionists is: "My position is that baptidzo always signifies
to dip, never expressing anything but mode."—Dr. Carson.
The hinge on which the whole argument turns is that the
classic meaning of the terms bapto and baptidzo is always
but one thing—to dip, immerse. Can this be established?
No. Let us see. "Dr. Dale (a learned divine of England)
renders bapto dip fourteen times; dye, fourteen times; im¬
bue, seven times; temper, one time, stain, one time; wash,
four times; moisten, two times; wet, one time—forty-seven.
Of these forty-seven cases, as rendered by him, we have: (1)
thirty-three against fourteen for dip; (2) in no case was
there an immersion, i. e., sinking."—Dr. Ditzler.
Dr. Ditzler, in his new work on Baptism, gives the fol¬
lowing cases:
1. Of a frog pierced and slain, Homer says: "He fell
without even looking upward, and the lake (ebapteto) was
tinged with blood." Anybody knows that the lake could
not possibly be immersed in the blood of a frog, but that
the blood of the frog tinged the water with a red color.
2. Hippocrates, a Greek scholar, says of a dyeing sub¬
stance: "When it drops upon garments they are (baptetai)
dyed, or stained." Here we see that immersion is out of the
question.
3. Aristophanes, speaking of an old comic writer, says:
"Smearing himself (baptomenos) with frog colored paint."
Then the term cannot mean dip or plunge.
4. Aristotle, speaking of a coloring substance, says:
"Being pressed, it moistens (baptei) and dyes the hand."
No immersion here,
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
5. Plutarch says: "Thou mayest be bathed (baptized),
but it is not permitted thee to go under the water."
6. Clemens Alexandrinus says of a penitent: "He was
baptized a second time with tears." Could a man be im¬
mersed literally in his own tears ? An utter impossibility.
We see now, without quoting more instances, that bapto
and baptidzo do not always and uniformly mean to dip,
plunge, or immerse; and therefore the immersional theory
breaks down completely.
Let the reader observe the distinction between sacred and
secular meaning of words. Words change their meaning
in the course of time. In the Greek language the word
presbyter meant simply "an old man;" in the Bible the same
word means a preacher, old or young. Timothy, though
young in age, was a presbyter in the church. In the old
Greek language a pastor meant "a keeper of sheepin the
Bible it signifies a man in charge of a church. Deipnon in
Greek meant a sumptuous and royal feast; in the Bible it
signifies the Lord's Supper, Ekklesia in Greek meant a
political assembly; in the Bible it is translated a church. It
follows conclusively that if baptidzo did mean in the Greek
classics to dip, or immerse, it proves nothing unless it can
be shown that it means the same thing in the New Testament.
The conclusion of the whole matter, to which we come, is:
1. There is nothing in the history of John's baptism,
nothing in the practice of the Apostles, nothing in the mis¬
cellaneous allusion to baptism in the Epistles, nothing in the
meaning of the word baptize, to authorize the belief that
any particular mode of baptism is essential to the validity
of this rite.
2. While it cannot be determined with absolute certain¬
ty whether sprinkling, pouring, or immersion was the mode
of baptism practiced by the apostles, immersion is the least
probable of the three, most inconvenient, and the least ex¬
pressive of Holy Ghost baptism.
3. To require immersion in order to admission into the
church is contrary to the teaching of the Bible, and to "teach
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
for doctrine the commandments of men," and to exclude
pious Christians from the Lord's table because they have not
been immersed is narrow-hearted bigotry.
4. Baptism is enjoined upon all nations, and pouring
is adapted to all climates, but immersion is not. How could
immersion be performed in those countries where, for six
months in the year, every pond, river and ocean is converted
into solid ice?
5. Baptism by sprinkling can be performed on persons
who profess religion on a dying-bed, but immersion cannot.
6. Baptism by pouring comports with decency and pro¬
priety, but does immersion?
INFANT BAPTISM.
I. Infant Baptism as Taught in the Old Testament.—
In tracing back the history of the Jewish Church, we find
that infants were members of that church.
1. This right of infant membership was established
when that church was organized. 4'Every man-child among
you shall be circumcised." "He that is eight days old shall
be circumcised." "The uncircumcised shall be cut off from
his people."
2. The door through which children entered into the Old
Testament Church was circumcision.
3. The visible Church of God has always been the same.
The Christian Church today is the Old Testament Church
purged from the apostate Jews. And around this purged
Old Testament Church, as a nucleus, the New Testament
Church was formed. John the Baptist said of Christ:
"Whose fan is in his hand he will thoroughly purge his floor
(the old church) and gather the wheat (those remaining
true) into the garner."
The good olive tree representing the church of the Jews
was not plucked up and a new one planted in its place.
Proof.—Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast,
thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say
then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and
thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear; for
if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he
also spare not thee * * * * for it thou wert cut out of the
olive-tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted con¬
trary to nature into a good olive-tree; how much more shall
these which be natural branches, be grafted into their own
olive-tree?" (Rom. xi, 18-21, 24.)
Remarks.—By the "good olive-tree" Paul can mean noth¬
ing but the Jewish Church. And what does he say about it?
Was this good olive-tree plucked up by the roots? No. He
asserts the continuance of the good olive-tree in life and
vigor. The unbelieving Jews as worthless branches were
cut off, while the believing Gentiles are being grafted into
the fatness of the tree. But mark that the trunk of the
good old olive-tree remains the same. The ingrafted Gen¬
tile partakes of the root and fatness of the olive-tree. It
certainly was not cut down, nor rooted up, but is still flour¬
ishing in great beauty and fruitfulness. But furthemore the
apostle, in the light of prophecy, foresees the restoration of
the Jews. "These," says he, "the natural branches, shall
be grafted in again—shall be grafted into their own olive-
tree." When the Jews come into the Christian Church now
existing, they will come into their own church. But how
could this be unless the church be essentially the same under
the old and new dispensation?
4. The right of infant membership existing in the church
has never been repealed, it stands intact today. No change
has occurred. No proclamation has been made repealing
the law of infant membership. And it is a well known fact
that a law once passed remains in force until formally re¬
pealed.
Now, as infants were members of the Jewish Church, and
as the gospel church is a continuation of the Jewish, and no
repeal of this law of infant membership having taken place,
the conclusion is inevitable that the right of infant member¬
ship remains intact.
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
67
5. Circumcision, with other forms of the Jewish Church,
gave way to Baptism in the Christian Church. Baptism like
circumcision, is an initiatory rite of admission into the visi¬
ble church. As circumcision was the. gate for the Jew and
the Gentile proselyte into the Jewish Church, so baptism is
the door into the Christian Church. Again, Baptism, like
circumcision, is a solemn dedication to God's service. Once
more, Baptism, like circumcision, is a sign and seal of God's
covenant. The children of believers hold a similar relation
to the Christian Church, as the Jewish children did to the
Jewish Church; the former entering the church by baptism,
the latter by circumcision.
II. Christ's Recognition of Infant Membership.—
Proofs.—"Then were there brought unto him little children,
that he should put his hands on them, and pray; and the
disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little chil¬
dren, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is
the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them and
departed thence." (Matt, xix, 13, 15.) "And they brought
unto him also infants, that he would touch them; but when
his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called
them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto
me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say uto you, whosoever shall not receive the king¬
dom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein."
(Luke xxiii, 15-17.)
"Suffer little children to come unto me, * * * * for of such
is the kingdom of God." What is the meaning of kingdom
of God ? The kingdom is sometimes used to signify the visi¬
ble church on earth. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a
net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind."
(Matt, xiii, 47.) Then again, it is used to mean the Church
of God in a state of glory. "Now this I say, brethren, that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." If
we take the first meaning, then the passage would read: For
of such is the visible church, or, Such belong to the church
on earth. The church was then the Old Testament Church.
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
The day of Pentecost had not come when the Christian
Church came of the old into the new. These children being
the children of Jewish parents had been introduced into that
church, by circumcision. They were then members of that
Jewish Church. Hence he says such are members of the
church—of the kingdom of God. Or, let us take the other
meaning—that the kingdom of God means the heavenly
state. Then, it teaches that all children are born in a sava-
ble state. The atonement of Christ puts them in a state of
salvation. All believe that children dying in infancy are
saved. They are then in a salvable state. If they have
then the moral state of salvation, we think it is right to give
them the sign of that state. Baptism is an outward sign of
an inward grace. You say when a man is born of the Spirit
he is in a state of salvation, and is a fit subject for baptism.
Having saving grace, the thing signified, you give him the
sign of it. That is your reason for baptizing adults. For
the same reason we baptize children. The Bible authorizes
us to baptize all persons who are fit subjects, be they infants
or adults. The moral state decides the question of baptism,
and not ages or classes of persons. If a grown person: be a
fit subject, or if a child be a fit subject, baptize him. And
for this reason it is not necessary to have an express com¬
mand to baptize infants. There is no command to baptize
persons ten, twenty, fifty, or one year old. The authority
is to baptize all who are fit subjects of the kingdom, young
or old.
III. The Apostles Preached the Doctrine of Infant
Church-Membership.—Peter in his Pentecostal sermon de¬
clared : "The promise is uto you and your children." The
promise referred to is that which is contained in the Abra-
hamic covenant. Never was there a better time for Peter
to declare the repeal of the law requiring the children to be
brought into the church than this. If this law had been re¬
pealed, now that they were passing out of the old into the
new church, Peter, it seems to me, would have said: "Re*
pent and be baptized * * * * for the promise is unto you,
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
69
but your children are excluded under the new dispensation."
But he said, "The promise is unto you and your children."
Christ had commanded him before, "Feed my lambs," and
he knew what he was talking about.
IV. Family Baptism.—Proofs.—And a certain woman
named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira*
which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken
of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household,
she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful
to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there." And
she constrained us." (Acts xvii, 14, 15.)
Notice, nothing is said about her family exercising any
religious duty, but it is said of her* "The Lord opened her
heart, and she attended to the things spoken by Paul." As
an adult person, she repented and believed. And as nothing
is said about her family repenting and believing, but they
were baptized, the inference is that her family consisted of
children too young to believe, and that they were baptized
on the faith of the mother.
the jailer's family.
"And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto
him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed
their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."
(Acts xvi, 31-33-)
The term "household," in the ordinary sense, includes
all the children of a family. When it is said, "Joseph nour¬
ished his father and his brethren, and all his father's house¬
hold, with bread, according to their families," little children
are included. When the industrious mother is described
as "looking well to the ways of her household," the term in¬
cludes her children; for it is said, "Her children rise up and
call her blessed."
Many attempts have been made to prove that there were
no children in these families, but all such attempts are vain.
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
The probabilities are against all such reasoning. Besides
these families, Paul baptized "the household" of Stephanus.
As households or families generally include children, we have
no right to exclude them from those mentioned in the Bible.
"Who can believe that not one infant was found in all these
families, and that Jews accustomed to the circumcision, and
Gentiles accustomed to the lustration of infants, should not
have also brought them to baptism."—Bengel. "The prac¬
tice of infant baptism does not rest on inference, but on the
continuity and identity of the covenant of grace to Jew and
Gentile, the sign only of admission being altered."—Alford.
The apostolic practice was that of baptizing entire families.
That is certain. Now, if modern preachers follow them,
they will baptize entire families; and if they go on in doing
so, it is certain that they will baptize infants, for the con¬
tinued practice of baptizing entire families will necessarily
result in the baptism of infants. To follow apostolic ex¬
ample is to baptize entire families, and the continued prac¬
tice of baptizing entire families is to baptize infants.
HISTORICAL STATEMENT.
"From the year 400 A. D. to 1150 no society of men in
all the period of seven hundred and fifty years ever pre¬
tended to say that it was unlawful to baptize infants. Irenae-
nus, who lived in the second century, declares expressly that
the church learned from the apostles to baptize children."—
Watson. So far as history affords any light, the baptism
of children was practiced down to the eleventh century.
About 1150, a body of Christians called Waldenses enter¬
tained the idea that infants were incapable of salvation, and
therefore rejected infant baptism. About 1520, the Ana¬
baptists renewed this objection, which the Baptists took up
and stoutly maintain.
Since the Reformation of Luther, by far the greater por¬
tion of Christians have believed and practiced the baptism
of infants. The number of Christians in the whole world is
put down by Prof. Schem at four hundred and eighteen mil¬
lions. All of these—except about a million belonging mainly
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
71
to the Baptist Church—believe in and practice infant bap¬
tism.
OBJECTIONS.
It is asked, "What is the benefit of baptism to children?"
"What does the child know about it?" But don't you see
that those objections bear just as hard against circumcision
instituted by God as against infant baptism ? What was the
benefit of circumcision to children only eight days old?
What did these infants know about it? We answer, God
saw benefit in it, else he would not have commanded it.
Again, the stale and standing objection is, "There is no ex¬
press command for infant baptism." But there is a com¬
mand for circumcision in the Old Testament, and baptism
takes the place of circumcision. But waiving this point, will
you show an express command for admitting women to the
communion-table? There is none. There is no command
requiring baptism as a pre-requisite to the communion, yet
a certain church acts as though there was. There is not a re¬
mote hint—much less a command—in the Bible authorizing
the practice of close communion, yet the very church that
objects to infant baptism because there is no express "Thus
saith the Lord," rigidly enforces the law of close commun¬
ion without a single hint of Bible authority for so doing.
Remark—Now, relative to immersion. There is not a
person, since the world began, who has been immersed, un¬
less they were sick, helpless or of very early years. There
is not a Paedo Baptist in the world that has immersed one
person in water. Observe: To immerse in water, the can¬
didate must be taken by the minister and put in the water
wholly. This has never been done, and besides, it is a phys¬
ical impossibility. I know our Paedo Baptist brethren claim
that they immerse. But this is a mistake, for this reason:
All persons pretending to be baptized by immersion are led
into the water, to their knees or above, and the preacher
simply buries the part above and particularly the head. They
strive by their utmost to put the head under the water, if
not, they are not baptized. In this they do not differ from
72
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
the Methodist, when they perform the rite by pouring or
sprinkling. By these modes the Methodist apply the wa¬
ter on the head, the Paedo Baptist or All Immersionists
plunge the head under the water.
Therefore, the truest mode of baptism is performed by
the Methodists when they baptize by pouring and sprinkling.
It cannot be proven that any person has ever been baptized
by immersion, and, besides, there is no command in the Scrip¬
tures for any man to baptize himself, nor half of himself, if
so, it is not gospel baptism, for the usual announcement pre¬
ceding the act must be said (viz.) : In the name of the Fath¬
er, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, etc. And then,
for a person to baptize half of himself or the minister either,
would be Homi-Baptism, a term not found in the Bible.
On the other hand, all persons baptized must have the
rite performed by a duly accredited minister of the gospel,
but when a person is forced to go into the water to the knees,
waist or shoulder, they baptize (or immerse) part of them¬
selves, which is contrary to the Holy Scriptures.
Leaguer—Mr. Superintendent, your definition of the
Methodist Church and its doctrines are certainly plain, and
we thoroughly understand it now. We thank you, and we
young Leaguers can defend our doctrines and views better
than ever before.
Superintendent—My dear Leaguers, I hope you young
people will study our doctrine, closer than many older mem¬
bers of the Methodist Church. So you will be able to de¬
fend the church in the after years to come. But let us take
the next.
BOOK SEVEN.
MISSIONARY ZEAL.
Leaguer—Now, Mr. Superintendent, another
missionary zeal! What is that?
Superintendent—Well, you already know who
ary is.
big word,
a mission-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
73
Leaguer—Yes; one who is sent, but you said missionary
zeal. What is meant by that term?
Superintendent—Before we can define this book thor¬
oughly, we must find out what is meant by zeal.
Leaguer—Zeal means passionate ardor; again, it means
earnestness.
Superintendent—That is right. Now, when we say that
the true Leaguer must have a great deal of missionary zeal
about him or her to do effective work and to push on the
missionary endeavors of the A. M. E. Church, that is ex¬
actly what is meant. He must have plenty of passionate
ardor for the work. He must have the same amount of
earnestness for the missionary work of his church as our
Saviour had for his Father's kingdom, when he said, The
zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. Let me make this
plainer just here. Just what the consumptive germs are to
the human system, that is what this zeal is to the true mis¬
sionary worker. Just as a consumptive, filled with the germs
of that dreadful malady is eaten up, and just as they transmit
the germs of consumption to others, so must every mission¬
ary worker; so must every member of the A. M. E. Church;
every Leaguer must have the missionary consumption so
that he will transmit the desire to others.
Leaguer—That is a fine thought. Now we see what you
mean by missionary zeal. We shall profit by it. But the
next.
BOOK EIGHT.
CHURCH PRIDE.
Leaguer—rMr. Supernitendent, I think I can tell our
Leaguers what this book means.
Superintendent—All right, blaze ahead.
Leaguer—To have church pride means (oh, I guess I had
better tell them what is pride first. Pride is inordinate self-
esteem ; generous elation of heart; dignity, to indulge in self-
esteem) that I must be proud of my church, and do all I can
74
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
for my church. That as a Christian I am to think highly
of all Christian Churches, but I am to be especially proud
of my church above them all, and I am to put nothing be¬
fore my church, for fear I may hinder its progress in some
way. I am to see grandeur and glory in no church beyond
the A. M. E. Church. We are to be proud of our church,
all of its departments; all of its officers, from the Bishop
to the humblest officer; every member, from the richest to
the poorest.
Leaguer—Is that right, Mr. Superintendent?
Superintendent—Yes, but you forgot all of us should be
proud of the A. M. E. Church, because of what it stands
for. It is the only church of color that fired the first gun
for Negro manhood in this country; .the first to build a Ne¬
gro church in this country; published the first Negro news¬
paper; published the first Quarterly Review in this country;
had the first Negro Bishop; owned the first Negro publish¬
ing house; the first Negro Sunday School Union; the first
Negro university in this country; and the Lord only knows
what the A. M. E. Church has done. I could go on to gen¬
eralize, but what is the use. Yes, we should be proud of our
church. But the next.
CHAPTER III.
BOOK NINE.
CHURCH POLITY.
Leaguer—You have another big word, polity. What do
you mean by that?
Superintendent—In speaking of church polity I refer to
the form of church government among them, or in the
Methodist Church.
I. The Official Board.—This body of church officials is
to meet once a week in stations and once every two weeks
on circuits. It is composed of the pastor as chairman; the
stewards, class leaders, exhorters, stewardesses and local
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
15
preachers as honorary members. Here the class leaders
make a report for the work done the week previous, and
such other duties and work that will require the attention of
the Board and the work of the whole church will be looked
after.
II. The Church Conference.—Is an assembly of the
whole local church and is expected to meet once a month or
as often as the pastor and the officials deem best for the
welfare of the church. It is intended to provide an oppor¬
tunity for conferring with reference to all the general in¬
terests of the church, such as missions, Sunday Schools, pray¬
er meetings, the poor. The church roll is here revised, and
the Conference has power to drop from the roll all who
have been lost sight of for twelve months; nor can they be
restored without its permission.
III. The Quarterly Conference.—This is an official
meeting which is held every three months. The Presiding
Elder is the President of the Conference, as the preacher
in charge is of the Church Conference. The members of it
are the traveling preachers, the local preachers, the trustees,
stewards, class leaders, stewardesses, Sunday School Super¬
intendent and the President of the Allen Christian Endeavor
League. This Conference takes the whole church work un¬
der its review. It licenses those who desire to preach or ex¬
hort; it looks after the Sunday School interests; it examines
into the condition of the church generally and looks after
all its departments, its finances; confirms the stewards once
a year; and passes upon the moral, religious and official
character of its members; and hears reports from the va¬
rious departments of the church.
IV. The District Conference.-—This Conference is com¬
posed also of traveling preachers, local preachers, and dele¬
gates elected from each Quarterly Conference, and meets
partly for conferring about general church matters in the
district, but has no legislative power only but what may be
agreed upon, providing it does not conflict with the general
law of the church.
7ft
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
V. The Annual Conference.—Is composed of all trav¬
eling preachers in a defined boundary, itinerant deacons,
local elders and deacons and of two delegates from each
Presiding Elder's district. This is the Conference at which
the various charges are selected, and pastors are assigned
by- the Bishop, with the assistance of his cabinet (the Pre¬
siding Elders). In some instances, after the Presiding El¬
ders make their recommendations the Bishop changes it
when he deems it best for the man and the charge. It ad¬
mits new men into the family of preachers; passes others
into the ranks of the superannuated, supernumerary and lo¬
cal preachers. It examines into the way in which the work
has been done the past twelve months, makes new plans,
if need be, for educational or benevolent purposes, and does
a vast amount of other work. It also passes upon the char¬
acter of the preachers. It is an executive and not a legisla¬
tive body.
VI. The General Conference.—'The General Confer¬
ence meets every four years, and is composed of a select
body of preachers and laymen, two elected from each Annual
Conference. All are elected but the Bishops, general offi¬
cers, Presidents of Colleges, and the Deans of Theological
Seminaries. It elects Bishops, editors and secretaries of
boards, known as general officers, and receives reports of
all the work which belongs to the connection. It makes,
amends and repeals all laws. It is a very large and impor¬
tant body, and when it goes into session it remains for nearly
a month. Over it the Bishops preside alternately, and upon
its decisions depend largely the welfare of the general
church, as this may be affected by anything human. To it
the most gifted and intelligent laymen are sent: lawyers,
doctors, editors, college presidents, they are generally the
most earnest workers on the various committees. These are
the Conferences in which the work is laid out. The preach¬
ers are sent to districts as Presiding Elders and to stations
and circuits and missions. The class leader watches over his
class; the stewards see to the finances; the trustees attend to
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
77
the church property; the Sunday School Superintendent over¬
looks the Sunday School and sees after the children; the
President of the Allen Christian Endeavor League looks
after the young people; the ladies of the church have their
Missionary Society and other female boards.
BOOK TEN.
THE PECULIAR USAGES OF METHODISM.
I. Class-Meeting.—Leaguer—Mr. Superintendent, why
is the class-meeting rated as a peculiar feature in the Meth¬
odist Church?
Superintendent—Because no church that we know of ob¬
serves the service.
Leaguer—Well, how is this service observed!?
Superintendent—One member, the most experienced is
appointed leader and he, after expressing his thanksgiving
to our Heavenly Father to be permitted to meet his class,
asks each member to rise and tell his determination for heav¬
en, and asks the prayer of the leader for his or her soul's
welfare. And this is to be done for each week in the year.
So you see this is done by no other church—they claim that
when they have told their determination and experience on
the day they applied for admission into the church that is
sufficient.
Leaguer—Mr. Superintendent, is there any passage in
the Bible I can find class meeting? i
Superintendent—While we do not find class-meetings in
the Bible in the same form that Methodists hold them, still
they are substantially recognized in the word of inspiration.
David (in Psa. ixvi, 16) says: "Come and hear, all ye that
fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul."
i. Here we see that the godly man is anxious to impart
to others his experience. "Come and hear." This expe¬
rience is related to congenial hearers. "All ye that fear the
Lord." These were the spiritual brethren of the Psalmist.
Spiritual men only comprehend the experience of godly men,
78
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
and are therefore greatly benefited by it. They are con¬
firmed and refreshed in their own experience. No man evef
related a good experience that did not benefit others. It
falls as dew upon the grass. It often disperses the clouds of
doubts as the sun clears the skies of clouds. Paul often told
the experience of his conversion to the edification of thou¬
sands. Wesley's experience, when he states, "I felt my heart
strangely warmed," has been a lamp to the feet of thousands.
The experience then of godly men is one of the most power¬
ful elements in Christianity. Now, class-meetings afford a
constant opportunity for the wielding of this power.
2. Again, the man who relates his experience is perhaps
more benefited than the hearers. It makes religion intense¬
ly a personal matter. "Come, hear what he hath done for
my soul." In this matter we talk about ourselves without
egotism. It puts a man to thinking about the dealings of
God with his soul. It leads a man to obey the apostolic in¬
junction, "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith."
Self-examination is very important. The lack of it swamped
the foolish builder spoken of in the sermon of Christ. It
shut the door against the foolish virgins. These meetings
are then especially valuable in leading persons to frequent
personal examinations.
3. The class-meeting promotes the spirit of fraternal
sympathy—the communion of saints. "I believe in the com¬
munion of saints." It is a spirit feast. It is a foretaste of
heaven. The fragrance of the blooming garden is not so
sweet and refreshing. It is more genial than the beaming
of a warm sun after a season of cold, cloudy weather. "Be¬
hold how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity.
4. Class-meetings accomplish great good in leading men
to a confession of their faith. There is nothing here like
the Romish confessional. The confession is voluntary, not
enforced. Voluntary confession is good for the health of the
soul. So James thought, "Confess your faults one to anoth¬
er, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." It
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
79
leads a man to abandon his faults, it enlists the prayers of
his brethren, and thus has healing and curing effects. When
the prodigal son confessed—"I have sinned," he arose and
came to his father.
5. Class-meetings are eminently pleasing to God. "Then
they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and
the Lord hearkened and heard it; and a book of remem¬
brance was written before him for them that feared the
Lord and thought upon his name. And they shall be mine,
saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jew¬
els." The eloquent speeches of legislative halls and kingly
parliaments may be written down by ten thousand editors of
political journals, but they are not written in the book of
God; but class-meeting talks of God's children are. God
thinks so much of these meetings as to have angel reporters
there to take down every word, and have it put in the celes¬
tial journals.
6. These meetings serve to kindle religious feelings. In
such a meeting the heart is drawn out in sympathy, prayer,
and desire, and thus a warmer, purer flame is kindled; a
fresher love toward God and man is aroused. When Christ
held a kind of class-meeting with his disciples on their way
to Emmaus, they said one to another, "Did not our hearts
burn within us while he talked with us by the way?" These
disciples were in the gloom of spiritual winter, but their feel¬
ings soon began to kindle, burn, and flame as Christ talked
with them. Their clouds were gone, the winter was over,
the life of spring began to bud and blossom—balmy air,
clear skies, and the warm sun of righteousness were now
pouring a tide of gladness into their souls. How many have
gone to these meetings with the darkness of spiritual winter
upon them, and have come out with the brightness and beau¬
ty of spring all around them!
II. The Love Feast.—Leaguer—Mr. Superintendent,
why is the lovefeast rated as a peculiar feature of the Meth¬
odist Church?
Superintendent—Because the service is observed in no
80
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIEU5
church, nor is the obligation as strong in any other church as
in the Methodists. For no true Methodist will habitually
nor repeatedly neglect his lovefeast.
Leaguer—Why do Methodists require the observance
of this service once a month?
Superintendent—Because it is the service of preparation
for the Lord's Supper.
Leaguer—How is it observed?
Superintendent—In the lovefeast bread and water is
handed to each one present. After which, as the members
approach each other they shake hands and then break the
bread. They first take a sip of water. The bread is held
between the thumb and index (or first) finger of the left
hand and then it is broken with the right hand.
Leaguer—Why do they drink water first, then shake
hands and lastly break the bread?
Superintendent—The water and bread is from the Greek
"agape," and means love, therefore, the water and bread
combined, the shaking of hands and expressing the determi¬
nation to continue the journey to heaven, is called by the
Methodists the lovefeast. The members show, by drink¬
ing water with each other, breaking bread, and shaking
hands that there is no animosity between them. It is sim¬
ply as we said, the preparation for the Lord's Supper, and is
held in very high esteem by every true Methodist. Further¬
more, the design of the lovefeast is to cultivate and exercise
fraternal love and good fellowship. The members to speak
together of religious experience for the purpose of strength¬
ening each other's faith and magnifying the goodness of the
Lord. The feasts of charity were held by the primitive
Christians very much as Moravians and Methodists now
hold them. Dr. Neander, in his "Life of Christ," says, "At
the agape, or love-feast, all distinctions of earthly condition
and rank were to disappear in Christ." Turtullian says,
"Our supper shows its character by its name; it bears th'e
Greek name of love." The following Scriptures allude to
it: "And they continued steadfastly in breaking of bread
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
81
and in prayers." (Acts ii, 42.) "Upon the first day of the
week, when the disciples came together to break bread," etc.
(Acts xx, 7.) "These are spots in your feast of charity,
when they feast with you." (Jude 12). The love-feast in
the Apostolic Church preceded immediately the commun¬
ion of the Lord's Supper. Bread and water is used in token
of brotherly love.
III. The Itinerancy.—Leaguer—Now, Mr. Superin¬
tendent, another big word. What do you mean by that?
Superintendent—By the Itinerancy is meant the moving
of the preachers from one point to another after having
served a given time at a place.
Leaguer—Good; I did not know what it was called, but
I see it is a good way.
Superintendent—Certainly it is, for when a preacher has
lost his influence for good, or his usefulness has waned at
one point he is moved and sent to a new people; he is new
and his congregation is new; they renew the battle and push
it to a glorious success. Then, besides, the Methodist
Church cannot do away with its class-meeting, love-feast
and the -itinerant system and flourish and grow. These are
its life, and nothing has contributed more to the great
growth and development and progress made by the Method¬
ist Church than these.
The shifting of Methodist preachers from one field of la¬
bor to another requires three things:
1. That the congregations give up their right to choose
their pastors.
2. That the ministers surrender their right to select
their own field of labor.
3. That the appointment be referred to a competent,
impartial, untrammelled, but responsible authority arranged
by the law of the church. Both the people and ministers,
however, are at liberty to make known their peculiar con¬
ditions, wishes, and circumstances to the appointing power.
And thus, under this elastic system, all parties have their
own choice, when it is clear that the good of the work will
82
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
be served. While the Bishops have the sole authority of
making the appointments, yet they always do so under the
advice of the Presiding Elders. They are eyes and ears for
the Bishop and mouth for the people and preachers. Hav¬
ing traveled through all the work, and being intimately ac¬
quainted with the wants of the people and the peculiar quali¬
fications of the preachers, they rarely fail in so advising
the appointing power as to secure the best disposition to be
made of the ministers. Under this system a minister is
liable to be moved after one year's service, yet he may re¬
main for four or five years, if all the parties concerned think
it best; but beyond this term he can not go.
The theory of the Methodist itinerary is based upon the
fact that "the world is the parish" of Methodism—all men
everywhere must be called to repentance. It is based upon
the great commission: "Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature." "Go ye," not wait till the peo¬
ple come to you. In the settled ministry, the people call the
preacher; in the itinerant system, the minister seeks the lost
sheep. Jesus himself was an itinerant preacher. His cir¬
cuit embraced Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. The apos¬
tles were commanded "to go to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel ;" the seventy were sent forth, two and two, "into
every city and place." "Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go
again, and visit our brethren in every city where we have
preached the word of the Lord." Philip traveled the new
circuit of Samaria, which embraced Cesarea, Gaza, Azotus,
and all the cities on toward Cesarea; and on the first round
he had a great revival at Samaria, and was instrumental in
the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch in the, south part of
his circuit.
Peculiar Advantages of the System.—i. It keeps all the
churches constantly supplied with pastors. The weak and
poor churches are as regularly supplied as rich ones. Though
such churches be out of the way, and able to pay but little,
yet they always have a pastor. Consequently we never have
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
83
what is so frequently found in other denominations, viz.,
vacant churches.
2. No effective preacher in this system is ever found
without a pastoral charge. We have no unemployed min¬
isters waiting, year after year, for some congregation to call
them. The ministerial waste of time in other denominations
is enormous. We noticed in a paper not long since that
some eight hundred ministers of the Presbyterian Church
in the United States were without regular pastorates.
3. It furnishes our people with a great variety of min¬
isterial talent. One year they have a logician to defend the
doctrines of the church, next they have a son of thunder to
awaken and arouse the sleepers; this year a revivalist to get
the people converted, the next an experienced disciplinarian
to train thm.
4. It readjusts annually the whole machinery of pastoral
relations so as to secure the greatest efficiency possible.
5. It takes out and puts into pastoral charges ministers
without that violence and strife which attend the dissolution
of pastoral relations in the other denominations.
6. Finally, it is well known that the changes in the set¬
tled ministry, on an average, are quite as frequent as among
the Methodists, but without the harmony and efficiency of
the itinerant system. We believe the plan to be providen¬
tial; it has worked wonders, and we expect to adhere to it
till the trump of the judgment sounds. The next.
BOOK ELEVEN.
CHURCH CUSTOMS.
i. The Chancel Service.—Leaguer—Now, Mr. Super¬
intendent, I am at sea again; what is meant by the Chancel
Service ?
Superintendent—Oh, I mean the Chancel is called by
most Methodists an altar, and when sinners or Christians
are called upon to approach it they are said to be invited to
the altar, the other churches use seats, chairs, etc.; and great
84
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
good has been done by the altar service in the Methodist
Church.
2. The Communion Service.—Leaguer—What is the
custom of communing in the Methodist Church?
Superintendent—While a hymn is being sung all preach¬
ers are invited inside the chancel, while all other officers
gather on the outside. The elder reads the invitation, at the
close of which all kneel, and the confession (or prayer) is
made by all together. Commencing with the words, "Al¬
mighty God," etc. Methodists believe that none but or¬
dained ministers are eligible to consecrate and give the
Lord's Supper. They take it kneeling, while others take it
sitting,—and it is also given by their church officers.
Leaguer—I like the Methodist way the best, don't you?
Superintendent—I do.
3. The Prayer-Meeting.—Leaguer—Mr. Superinten¬
dent, what can you tell me new about the prayer-meeting I
did not know?
Superintendent—I don't know that I can tell you anything
new. But I can tell you this much, dear Leaguer. The
prayer-meeting is a universal feature of Methodism. For
wherever a body of Methodists are found, there a prayer-
meeting is a possibility and a necessity, and in this meeting
all are expected to take a part.
4. Family Worship.—Leaguer—Mr. Superinteadent,
what can you tell me about Family Worship?
Superintendent—Well, all I can say is this: The good
Methodist prays in his family and with them, because it is
absolutely necessary to family religion. And there is no one
of ordinary intelligence who cannot direct family worship.
It matters not how unlettered he may be, he can at least
repeat the Lord's Prayer and make his simple petition to the
Giver of all good. The best time is before breakfast and
retiring at night.
5. Fasting.—Leaguer—But, Mr. Superintendent, can I
not grow strong spiritually without fasting or abstaining
from my meals?
* AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD 85
Superintendent—No, you cannot.
Leaguer—Why ?
Superintendent—Because, as Christians, we need to bring
the body under subjection by refusing to it the luxuries it de¬
mands. We need often to withhold from our physical man
its tribute, that we may reach toward the higher or spiritual.
The Bible does not say how much we must fast, nor when.
Neither can we. But four fasts are ordered in the Meth¬
odist Church—one before each Quarterly Conference, and
it would be well to follow the primitive custom and have
a season of prayer and fasting before each Monthly Sacra¬
ment. All would be stronger, both pastor and members.
6. The Prayer of the Pew.—Leaguer—Now, Mr. Su¬
perintendent, are you not carrying this thing of church cus¬
toms too far?
Superintendent—I am not. Why, the prayer of the pew
(or at the pew) is as old as Methodism. Why, I have seen
my mother and other old Christians as soon as they entered
the church before taking their seats, would kneel and pray—
and I have seen my father and other Methodist preachers
as they entered the pulpit, before sitting down, would kneel
and pray.
Leaguer—I should think that was too old and fogish.
Superintendent—Yes, that is our trouble as a church to¬
day. We are trying to get away from the first principles of
the church and are losing.
Leaguer—Pray, tell me what good did that kind of pray¬
ing do, and what was accomplished by it?
Superintendent—Why, bless your soul, those people
thanked the Lord for sparing them to meet at his house
again, and asked for his continued guidance and the pres¬
ence of the Holy Spirit in the church and to bless the serv¬
ice, and for the preacher to proclaim the word of God with
such power that sinners could not help from coming to God.
Those were days when men and women would shout, sing
and pray with power. People would join the church, sin¬
ners would join on probation, and they came in the church
86
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
by the thousands and were baptized. Oh, for the prayer
of the Pew!
7. Revivals.—Leaguer—And .what do you mean by
Revivals ?
Superintendent—I mean seasons of refreshing, when the
members are revived and refreshed, when the church
awakes from a state of lethargy and coldness, and awakes
to a new life and activity. When cold and lukewarm mem¬
bers renew their vows and sinners are converted and
brought into the church. And, besides, revivals are as old
as the Methodist Church. Her ever-living revivals have
always been the means of strengthening the army and family.
BOOK TWELVE.
THE CONSTITUTION OF METHODISM.
Leaguer—Mr. Superintendent, what do you mean by the
Constitution of Methodism ? I did not know the Methodist
Church had a constitution.
Superintendent—By the Constitution of Methodism I
mean the General Rules. Yes, the Methodist Church has a
constitution the same as the United States or the State of
Georgia, or any other great commonwealth. If they did
not the church as an organization would have gone to pieces
long ago; disruption would have been its fate before now.
Leaguer—Well, sense me into the reason why you call
the General Rules the Constitution?
Superintendent—Because the General Conference of no
Episcopal body of Methodists can change them without an.
understanding with all the Methodists of the world or a
fair proportion of them. They have not been changed since
Mr. Wesley gave them to the church over a hundred years
ago and are not very likely to be.
Leaguer—I thank you for this understanding. Now I
can say the General Rules or the Constitution when speaking
of the basic principles of Methodism, may I not?
Superintendent—Yes.
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
87
Leaguer—Well, what are some of the things in the Gen'
eral Rules or Constitution?
Superintendent—The General Rules or Constitution of
Methodism are like all Constitutions, filled with "Thou
Shalt Nots" and "Thou Shalts." In the General Rules you
will see what the church forbids and requires.
Leaguer—I declare this thing is getting finer and finer.
Well! Now tell us young people what does the Methodist
Church forbid ?
Superintendent—I will with pleasure. You will see, that
there are twenty-seven rules in the Constitution—but from
rule first to fifteenth are distinct and express prohibitions or
the "Thou Shalt Nots" of the Constitution, and upon which
the church is built.
They are arranged, classified and numbered with the Bible
proofs on which they are founded. It will be seen that there
is not one rule which is not based on Bible truth.
There is only one condition previously required of
those who desire admission into these societies, a "desire to
flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their
sins." But wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will
be shown by its fruits. It is therefore expected of all who
continue therein, that they should continue to evidence their
desire of salvation by observing the following rules:
THE EVILS AND SINS TO BE AVOIDED.
Rule i. By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every
kind, especially that which is most generally practiced.
Bible—"Abstain from all appearance of evil." (i Thess.
v, 22.) "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as
doves." (Matt, x, 16.) "Abhor that which is evil; cleave
to that which is good." (Rom. xii, 9.)
NOTE.
"Avoiding evil." You must keep at a distance from evil;
go wide of it, and thus escape its snaring temptation. "Go
not in the way of ev,il men." Avoid it; pass not by it; turn
from it." "Stand in awe, and sin not." "Watch and pray,
that ye enter not into temptaticm." Carry not sparks of fire
88
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
into a magazine of gunpowder. Sleep not in the dizzy
heights of seductive enticement. Pass not through a field,
though it be decked with blooming flowers, where poisonous
adders lurk. Let the beauty of harmlessness deck thy whole
life as flowers deck the garden.
Rule 2. (Must avoid) The taking of the name of God
jln vain.
Bible—"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy
God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain."
NOTE.
"Irreverence for sacred things; playing the animal with
sanctities; the degradation of that which is higher than or¬
dinary life, and which should lead men up from the lower
depths of experience—that is as accursed as it would be to
go to a gallery of art and slime the noblest paintings with
mud, and deface or destroy the most magnificent marbles.
No man would permit that. The whole world would cry
out against the desecration of beauty in art under such cir¬
cumstances. But men think themselves justified in drawing
down the sanctities of heaven—those thoughts and feelings
which have in them inspiration and elevation—and defiling
them; and yet, here stands this commandment which covers
the whole ground of vulgaring things that are high, and that
are necessary to lift men up from low associations. "Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain' includes
the whole latitude and longitude of the realm of thought
and feeling in which there is the desecration of whatever is
sacred."
Rule 3. (Must avoid) The profaning the day of the
Lord, either by doing ordinary work therein, or by buying
or selling.
Bible.^'Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. Six
days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh
day is the Sabbath day of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt
not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor
thy manservant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
89
thy stranger that is within thy gates, * * * * wherefore, the
Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it." (Ex. xx>
8-11.)
NOTE,
Keep the Sabbaths holy, and they will be to you as green
and refreshing oases blooming in the desert of your earthly
pilgrimage. Our Sabbaths should be hills of light and joy
in God's presence; and so, as time rolls on, we shall go on
from mountain-top to mountain-top, till at last we catch the
glory of the shining gate, and enter into the eternal Sab¬
bath of perfect joy and rest. Let the Sabbath be a day of
sweet rest and warm devotion; and the sacred influences
generated by attendance on public worship will be a river
flowing down through the secular days of the week, spread¬
ing freshness and fertility along its course. A world with¬
out a Sabbath is a summer without its green lap full of flow¬
ers and fruits.
Rule 4. (Must avoid) Drunkenness, or the drinking
of spirituous liquors unless in cases of necessity. (Bible—
"Be not among wine-bibbers; for the drunkard and glutton
shall come to poverty." (Prov. xxxiii, 20.) "Wine is a
mocker, and strong drink is raging; and whosoever is de¬
ceived thereby is not wise. Look not thou upon the wine
when it is red * * * * at the last it biteth like a serpent and
stingeth like an adder." (Prov. xxxiii, 31.) "Woe to him
that giveth his neighbor drink, that putteh thy bottle to him,
and maketh him drunk." (Hab. ii, 5.)
NOTES.
1. There are two kinds of wine mentioned in the Bible—
one, makes men drunk, is condemned everywhere; the oth¬
er; meaning sweet wine, not intoxicating, is spoken of as a
blessing. Keeping this fact in view it will not be hard to
reconcile the seeming contradiction in the Bible where wine
is sometimes condemned, and then again commended.
2; Our discipline requires "our members to abstain
from the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors as a
beverage." It will be seen that the Methodist Church is
90
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
squarely opposed to intemperance. It is a total abstinence
church, and it can be rated as the "First Temperance So¬
ciety" in the world. The making and selling liquor is class¬
ed with the sin of drunkenness. There is good reason for it.
The making and selling have a close connection with the
evils of intemperance. The origin is in making and selling.
The still-houses make the poison; the grog-shops distribute
it broadly over the land. The first is the deadly fountain,
the latter is the channel circulating the liquid poison. The
production and circulation of liquor is closely connected.
The distillers are busy in loading the Satanic battery; the re¬
tail and wholesale dealers are busy in firing it off. The
consequence is the battle-field of life runs red with the blood
of the slain. Every still and grog-shop is a battery of death.
Think of the appalling number of them! There are in
the United States more than ten thousand distilleries and
breweries and more than two hundred thousand grog-shops
and liquor saloons! And these batteries, under the general¬
ship of Satan, loaded and fired day and night the year round,
pouring bursting bombs, grape-shot and other missiles of
death into the ranks of our people, what wide-spread de¬
struction is wrought!
Rule 5. (Must avoid) Fighting, quarreling, brawling,
brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil,
or railing for railing; the using of many words in buying
and selling.
Bible.—"From whence come wars and fighting among
you ? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in
your members ?" (James iv, 1.) "The works of the flesh
are manifest, which are these: hatred, variance, emulations,
strife, seditions, heresies." (Gal. v, 19.) "Dare any of
you, having a matter against another, go to the law before
the unjust and not before the saints." (1 Cor. vi, 1-6.)
"Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but con¬
trariwise blessing." (1 Pet. iii, 9.) "Let your conversa¬
tion be without covetousness." (Heb. xiii, 5.) "Let your
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
91
yea be yea, and your nay, nay, lest ye fall into temptation."
(James v, 12,)
NOTES.
1. "Of all things to be met with here on earth there is
nothing which can give such continual, such cutting, such
useless pain as an undisciplined temper. The touchy and
sensitive temper, which finds offense in everything, wheth¬
er intended or not; the violent temper, which breaks through
all bounds of reason when once aroused; the jealous or sul-
leji temper, which wears a cloud on the face all day, and
never utters a word of complaint; the discontented temper,
which always looks at the worst side of whatever is done ;
the severe temper, brooding over its own wrongs; the will¬
ful temper, which overrides every scruple to gratify a whim
—what an amount of pain have these caused in the hearts
of men, if we could sum up their results! How many a
soul have they strived to evil impulses; how many a prayer
have they stifled; how many an emotion of true affection
have they turned to bitterness! How hard they make all
duties! How they kill the sweetest and warmest of domes¬
tic charities! Ill-temper is a sin requiring long and care¬
ful discipline."—Bishop Temple.
2. A quarrel is stopped by letting the angry person have
all the quarrel to himself. A soft answer will extinguish a
quarrel as water a fire. Turn away from a querulous man
as you would from the path of a roaring lion. When men
carry magazines of powder in their temper, better not let
the spark of your anger fall upon them. It is too late to
avoid disaster when the explosion takes place. Nothing can
prevent red ruin then. You must guard beforehand, or not
at all. Watch and pray.
Rule 6. (Must avoid) The buying and selling goods
that have not paid duty.
Bible.—"Provide things honest in the sight of all men."
(Rom. xii, 17.) "Render therefore unto Caesar the things
which are Caesar's." {Matt, xxii, 21.) "Render therefore
to all their dues." (Rom. xiii, 7.)
92
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
NOTE.
To smuggle goods into a country in violation of the reve¬
nue laws of the Government is the sin forbidden by this rule.
To buy or sell goods known to be contraband is considered
lawless robbery. This rule condemns also the practice of
cheating the Government of its just taxes, or revenues laid
on the manufacture of liquors or tobacco,, or any other ar¬
ticle. Religion requires men to be as just to governments as
they are to individuals. As the Government gives us the
protection of liberty, life, property, and the pursuit of hap¬
piness, every man should obey its laws and cheerfully pay
the taxes and revenue demanded.
Rule 7. (Must avoid) The giving or taking things on
usury, i. e., unlawful interest.
Bible.—"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who
shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that putteth not his money
to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent." (Ps. xv,
1-5.) "That no man go beyond and defraud his brother."
(1 Thess. ix, 6.)
NOTE.
The Hebrew word for usury means exorbitant interest.
It means greediness, sharpness, rapacity, which takes ad¬
vantage of the oppressed. The practice forbidden is re¬
ceiving more for the loan of money than it is really worth,
and nfore than the law allows.
Rule 8. (Must avoid) Uncharitable or unprofitable con¬
versation, particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of
ministers.
Bible.—"Let all clamor and evil-speaking be put away
from you, with all malice." (Eph. iv, 31.) "Every idle
word that men speak, they shall give account thereof in the
day of judgment." (Matt, xii, 36.) "Let no corrupt com¬
munication proceed out of your mouth." (Eph. iv, 29.)
"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers,
to obey magistrates * * * * to speak evil of no man." (Titus
iii, 1, 2.)
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
93
JNOTES.
Reasons for observing this Rule are:
1. It prevents much evil. "The tongue is a fire, a world
of iniquity," when not governed. Like a swollen river
whose embankments have given way, it spreads destruction
through the country. "It is set on fire of hell," says the
apostle. The Indians in the West sometimes set the dry
grass afire, and it spreads and roars. The smoke darkens
the sun. The running flame, caught up and fanned by the
wind, circles far and wide, towering up almost mountain-
high. Man and beast have to flee for their lives. It is a
world of fire coming from a spark. So unruly tongues set
whole, neighborhoods to burn and flame with evil.
2. The practice of tale-bearing is disgraceful. To be
known as a tale-bearer, a tattler, a gossip, a busy-body in
everybody's business, a backbiter, how mean and low I A
backbiter reminds one of a sneaking dog that makes the at¬
tack when your face is turned the other way. Backbiting is
a doggish trick. It is said of Domitian that he, though a
Roman emperor, "employed his leisure moments in catching
and tormenting flies." Such work showed meanness and
cruelty combined. And how much better are you employed
in catching up and exposing all the little, dirty rumors that
buzz through your neighborhood?
3. It is a violation of the Golden Rule: "Whatsoever
ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."
Do you wish men to speak well of you behind your back?
Yes, of course, you do. Then speak well of your neighbors.
Dr. South said that the tale-bearer and listener ought both
to be hanged—one by the tongue, the other by the ear.
Rule 9. (Must avoid) Doing to others as we would not
they should do unto us.
Bible.—"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the
law and the prophets." (Matt, vii, 12.)
NOTE.
' Whatsoever is disagreeable to thyself do not to thy neigh-
94
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
bor. Treat your neighbor as you would have him treat you.
Regard him as your other self. Make his case your own,
put yourself into his place; divest yourself of that selfishness
which would injure another. Every man desires to be es¬
teemed as his merit deserves—desires his neighbor to be ten¬
der with his reputation, not to slander his good name, not
to put harsh construction on his conduct, to be kindly dis¬
posed toward him, to deal justly, honestly, truthfully, can¬
didly with him, to be faithful as a friend and polite and hon¬
orable as an acquaintance; and as you desire such treatment
from others, be sure to give it to them. "As you would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to them." How en¬
nobling and beautiful the observance of this Golden Rule
would make the characters of men!
Rule 10. (Must avoid) Doing what we know is not
for the glory of God; as the putting on of gold and costly ap¬
parel.
Bible.—"Whose adorning, let it not be that outward
adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold or of
putting on of apparel." (i Pet. iii, 3.) "I will that women
adorn themselves in modest apparel, * * * * not with braid¬
ed hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." (1 Tim. ii, 8,
9-)
NOTE.
This Rule forbids needless extravagance in dress0 and
useless and showy ornaments. The taste for the beautiful
must be carefully limited by economical and religious con¬
siderations. The text quoted in support of the Rule is a
standing rebuke to all ostentation in dress, and reminds
every Christian woman that nothing can so adorn a woman
as a beautiful character, fruitful of good works. Paul re¬
buked this extravagance of dress in his day, and it needs to
be in our day.
Rule 11. (Must avoid) The taking such diversions as
cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Bible.—"Whereupon come out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
AifKlUAN METHODIST SHIELD
95
and I will receive you, and be a father unto you, and ye shall
be my sons and daughters." (2 Cor. vi, 17, 18.) "Be not
conformed to this world." (Rom. xii, 2.) "Know ye not
that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?"
(James iv, 4.)
NOTE.
"Diversions" include those popular amusements, such a*
dancing, theaters, circuses, etc., which divert or turn the
heart away from God to be fascinated by wordly things.
The above Rule forbids indulgence in the modern dance,
and attending theaters and circuses.
Dancing—The African Methodist Episcopal Church
stands squarely and firmly opposed to the modern dance.
Even the Roman Catholic Church says: "We consider it to
be our duty to warn our people against the fashionable
dances, which are revolting to every feeling of delicacy, and
fraught with the greatest danger to morals." Bishop Hop¬
kins, of the Episcopal Church, says: "I have shown that
dancing is chargeable with waste of time, the interruption
of useful study, the indulgence of personal vanity, and the
premature incitement of the passions." Dr. Robinson, of
the Presbyterian Church, says: "It is simply impossible that
this question of indulgence in such worldly pleasures as the
theater, the masquerade, the card-table, and the dance, can
be a doubtful or debatable question." It is well known
that most of the Baptist Churches expel their members for
the continued indulgence of dancing. So we see that all
these churches stand side by side with the Methodist Chupeh
in opposition to dancing.
Its practice tends to ruin the virtue of woman. A New
York paper says: "Three-fourths of the abandoned girls of
this city were ruined by dancing. Young ladies allow gen¬
tlemen privileges in dancing which, taken under any other
circumstance, would be considered improper. It requires
neither brains nor good morals to be a good dancer. As the
love of dancing increases, the love of religion decreases.
Parlor dancing is dangerous. Tippling leads to drunken-
96
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
ness, and parlor dancing leads to ungodly balls. Tippling
and parlor dancing sow to the winds and both reap the
whirlwind. Put dancing in the crucible, apply the acids,
weigh it, and the verdict of reason, morality, and religion is,
weighed in the balance and found wanting."
Its practice destroys the Christian's influence. "But the
wreck of Christian influence will be as complete as that of
character. What good can a member of the church, who
is a participator in social dances and a frequenter of balls,
do ? Is he disposed to exhort, or pray, or sing, who will be
disposed to hear him? Can the Spirit of God accompany
his message ? Will the wicked feel its power? Will not re¬
ligion seem to them a mockery when presented, if such should
be the case, by such an advocate ? It cannot be otherwise.
Says Dr. Wilson, in a sermon to which we have already al¬
luded, and we wish especially to call the attention of Chris¬
tian young ladies to it; I cannot well imagine a more speedy
method of teaching a careless young man to despise the
Christian name, than for some female acquaintance whom
he has seen at the communion-table to become his partner in
the dance. Nor is anything probably more usual in such a~
case than for those who look on quietly to pass the ungra¬
cious whisper, "See that pious dancer! Why, she waltzes as
though she had been accustomed to it. She seems to love it
as much as any of us poor sinners. A pretty Christian, to
be sure." This is no fancy sketch; they know little of the
world who suppose it to be so.
Theaters and Circuses. Much of the argument against
dancing bears equally strong against theaters and circuses.
Plato said, "Public theaters are dangerous to morality;"
"Aristotle, "They should be entirely forbidden to young peo¬
ple as unsafe;" Ovid, that they were "a grand source of cor¬
ruption." Arch-bishop Tillotson found them in England
to be "a nursery of vice," and called them "the devil's cha¬
pel." To the theater, the ball, the circus, the race-course,
the gambling-table, go all the idle, the dissipated, the rogues,
the licentious, the gluttons, the artful jades, the immodest
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
prudes, the worthless, the refuse, the very atmosphere of
whose association is defiling and corrupting. The whole in¬
fluence of such people is to destroy the good morals of the
country. They breed corruption as naturally as putrefying
carcasses breed vermin, and fatten on the corruption which
they produce. Yet people call these things innocent amuse¬
ments, but hell is populated with their victims. The man¬
agers of these amusements are the devils recruiting officers,
whose business is to strew the way to hell with flowers,
charm it with music, and deck it with gorgeous pictures.
Rule 12. (Must avoid) The singing those songs and the
reading those books which do not tend to the knowledge or
love of God.
Bible.—"Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt
good manners." (i Cor. xv, 33.) "Speaking to yourselves
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord." (Eph. v, 19.) "I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus, my Lord." (PhiL iii, 8.)
NOTE.
The evils of corrupt literature are very great. Dr. Tal-
mage says: "The assassin of Sir William Russell declared
he got the inspiration for his crime by reading what was
then a new and popular novel, 'Jack Sheppard.' Homer's
'Iliad' made Alexander the warrior. Alexander said so. The
story of Alexander made Julius Caesar and Charles XII
both men of blood. Have you in your pocket, or in your
trunk, or in your desk at business, a bad book, a bad pic¬
ture, a bad pamphlet? In God's name I warn you to de¬
stroy it. Why are fifty per cent of the criminals in the jails
and penitentiaries of the United States today under twenty-
one years of age—many of them under seventeen, under
sixteen, under fifteen, under fourteen, under thirteen? Walk
along the corridors of the tombs—prison in our cosmopoli¬
tan cities and look for yourselves. Bad books, bad newspa¬
pers, bewitched them as soon as they got out of the cradle.
Beware of all those stories which end wrong. Beware of
98
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
all those books which make the road that ends in perdition
seem to end in paradise. Do not glorify the dirk and pistol.
Do not call the desperado brave, or the libertine gallant.
Teach our young people that if they go down into the
swamps and marshes to watch their Jacks-with-a-lantern
dance on decay and rottenness, they will catch malaria and
death. 'Oh,' says the same man, 'I am a business man, and
I have no time to inspect the books that come into my house¬
hold.' If your children were threatened with typhoid fever,
would you have time to go for the doctor?"
Rule 13. (Must avoid) Softness, or needless self, in¬
dulgence.
Bible.—"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man
would come after me let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me." (Matt, xvi, 24.)
NOTE.
Self-denial is reasonable. The men of the world practice
it when seeking earthly things. Even the brutal prizefighter
will deny himself of all effeminate pleasures when being
trained for a pugilistic combat, or a foot-race. Military
men submit to all sorts of self-denial to win the faded lau¬
rels of earth. "Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown,
but we an incorruptible."
These illustrations are enough, I think, to satisfy you that
the principle of self-denial and of self-control not only is
not impossible to human nature, but is one of the common¬
est, one of the most universal principles to exercise, and that
when the Christian religion introduces self-denial, symboliz¬
ing it by the cross, it does not introduce a new principle, and
does not introduce a different one. If no man is worthy to
be a disciple of Christ unless he take up his cross, and deny,
himself, and follow the Saviour, he is only saying in regard
to himself, and to the world eternal, what this world says
in regard to every man that follows it. There is no trade
that does not say to every applicant that comes to it, "If you
will take up your cross and follow me, you shall have my
remuneration." There is no profession that does not say to
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
99
every applicant, "If you will take up your cross and follow
me, I will reward you." There is no pleasure, there is no
ambition, there is no cause that men pursue, from the lowest
to the highest in the horizon of secular things, that does
not say to every man, "Unless you take up your cross and
follow me, you shall have none of me." Now, the Lord
Jesus Christ, standing like the angel in the sun, with the
eternal world for a back-ground, clothed in garments white
as snow, as no fuller on earth could whiten them, and calling
us to honor and glory and immortality, says only in behalf
of these higher things what the whole world says of its poor,
groveling, and miserable things: "Take up your cross and
follow me."
Rule 14. (Must avoid) Laying up treasure upon earth.
Bible.—"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth
where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break
through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where
your treasure is there will your heart be also." (Matt, vi,
19, 21.)
NOTE.
"Hoarding for one's self accompanies poverty toward
God. Not all accumulation is condemnable: Joseph accumu¬
lated, but for others, not for himself. Not all desire for
wealth is condemnable; but the desire for wealth above my
neighbor; the eager, insatiable desire; the selfish, dishonest
desire; the desire which puts wealth above honesty, benev¬
olence, piety.
"This is illustrated by the story of King Midas. To him
was given the magic power that everything he touched
should turn into gold. It proved a fatal gift. The flowers
lost their fragrance and bloom, and became golden; the food
turned to metal when it touched his lips, and left him to
hunger; finally his daughter turned to a statue of gold when
she ran to kiss him, and the poor king cried to be rescued
from the horrible gift which he had besought. A glass of
100
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
water, a crust of bread, a fragrant rose, above all a loving
heart, he discovered to be worth more than all golden treas¬
ures." The spirit of the Rule would be met if men bestow¬
ed their charities while living. "Let men be the living ex¬
ecutors of their benevolence. Not a few are beginning to
do this. Mr. Vassar, of Poughkeepsie, while living, built
and saw in operation a very noble monument of his benev¬
olence. He lived to enjoy it. Peter Cooper lived beyond a
score of years to have the enjoyment of a wisely disposed
charity from out of his large property. Late in life Mr.
Vanderbilt founded and organized the University of Nash¬
ville, which is open and in full prosperity. Mr. Durant has
built the great college for women at Wellesley in Massa¬
chusetts, and he lives to see to it that his charity is wisely
employed. The man who earns money is far more apt to
organize it into an institution wisely than any set of trustees
into whose hands he can put it. It is a good thing, therefore,
for a man who means to give when he dies to consider that
he is likely to die tomorrow, and give today.
Rule 15. (Must avoid) Borrowing without a probabil¬
ity of paying, or taking up goods without a probability of
paying for them.
Bible.—"The wicked borroweth and payeth not again."
(Ps. xxxvii, 21.) "Render unto all their dues." (Rom.
xiii, 7.) "Owe no man anything. Provide things honest
in the sight of all men." (Rom. xii, 17.)
NOTE.
The Rule forbids the incurring of pecuniary obligations
when there is no reasonable ground for supposing it can be
paid. To do so is to practice a cheat, to be guilty of fraud.
Our people are to be taught that to borro,w without a rea¬
sonable probability of paying back, or to purchase goods
without a probability of paying for them, is to stand before
the church and their own conscience convicted of fraud. We
cannot be too careful and conscientious in reference to bor¬
rowed property. They should not allow such property to
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
101
be injured while in their possession, nor return an inferior
article for the one borrowed.
Superintendent—Now, dear Leaguer, I have dwelt at
length on the first and fifteenth Rules—as you will see these
are some of the "Thou Shalt Nots" of the General Rules
or Constitution. Can you keep them?
Leaguer—Well done! Now, can you tell us some of the
"Thou Shalts" of the General Rules or Constitution?
Superintendent—I can, say, from Rule sixteenth to nine¬
teenth, we have the Rules enjoining the doing of good. And
from the twentieth to twenty-seventh, we have the Rules
enforcing the use of the means of grace. Nevertheless under
the two divisions they come under the title as the "Thou
Shalts" of the Constitution. Thus:
It is expected of all who continue in these societies that
they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation:
Rule 16. By doing good, by being in everything merciful
according to their power, as they have opportunity; doing
good of every possible sort and, as far as is possible to all
men.
Bible.—"Trust in the Lord, and do good." (Ps. xxxvii,
3.) "To do good and to communicate forget not." (Heb.
iii, 16.) "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy." (Matt, v, 7.) "To him that knoweth to do good
and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James iv, 17.) "As
we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men." (Gal.
vii, 10.)
NOTES.
1. "The opportunity for doing good are continuous and
occasional. The continuous are those that belong to the or¬
dinary course and duties of the life of the individual and of
society; the occasional are those instances of special emer¬
gencies that arise from time to time. And all these may be
generalized under the heads of the prevention, the educa¬
tional, and the retormatory agencies of society. That is,
evil is to be prevented, good is to be developed, and the vi¬
cious are to be reformed. And in each of these yye may
102
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
class all the good agencies of the world as workers, such as
the home, the school, the church, the press, the state, and all
benevolent institutions, with all the common industries of
life that go to sustain each of these."
2. Doing good is made a test question in the Bible.
"The rich young ruler is tested by the command, 'Go sell
that thou hast and give to the poor;' the inquiring lawyer
by the story cJt the Good Samaritan, with the added direc¬
tion, Go, and do likewisePaul by the command to preach
the gospel to the Gentiles. Where is there an instance in
the New Testament in which any man is accepted because
he accepts a creed, or a ceremony, or a covenant, or is re¬
jected because he does not? To every professed Christian,
to every worshipping church, to every revival with its hosan-
nas, Christ comes seeking if haply he may find fruits. The
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentle¬
ness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Does the pro¬
fessing Christian, with his orthodox creed and his water-
baptism—-does the church, with its sound doctrine and its
devout worship; does the revival, with its enthusiastic ho-
sannas—bea.r this kind of fruit ? The tree that bears no fruit
dies, for the fruit is the seed-protector; and in the fruit is
the promise of reproduction, and so the assurance of im¬
mortality. The unfruitful tree lives only long enough to af¬
ford a generous opportunity for it to bring forth fruit?
'Wilt thou bring forth fruit?' Leaves cannot save it; for
leaves do not reproduce life. The unfruitful professor dies
of his own unfruitfulness. Men sometimes ask, almost
querulously, 'What have I done that I should be condemned
to death?' The New Testament retorts, 'What have you
done that you should be preserved unto life eternal?' Who
is richer, wiser, better, happier, for your existence? Why
should any man live who lives to no useful purpose? Cut
him down; why cumbereth he the ground ? Give his vacant
place to a better man."
Rule 17. (Doing good) To their bodies, of the ability
which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing,
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
103
the naked,'by visiting or helping them that are sick or in
prison.
Bible.-—"Then shall the King say unto them on his right
hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I
was a-hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye
gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked,
and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in
prison, and ye came unto me; * * * * Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have
done it unto me." (Matt, xxv, 34, 40.)
NOTE.
Christians are morally obligated to administer to the
wants and necessities of the poor, the helpless, the sick, the
fatherless, the widow. The beautiful story of the Good
Samaritan strikingly illustrates the spirit of Christian philan¬
thropy.
"True Christian philanthropy is a self-denying service.
The God Samaritan put the wounded man on his own beast.
He, therefore, had to walk, was delayed in his journey, ran
the risk of assault himself. His benevolence cost him some¬
thing. We are always trying to do good to our fellow-men
without bearing any burdens ourselves. But Christ bore
our burdens and carried our sorrows; he took them on him¬
self. The mother carries in her own person the sins and
sorrows of her children. True Christian philanthropy takes
up its cross to follow Christ in going about doing good.
There is very little charity in giving cold victuals which you
cannot eat, cast-off clothing which you cannot wear, old
books for which you have no room on your shelves, money
which you will not miss from your purse. The benevolence
which costs nothing is worth—what it costs. The paring
from your apple may be eagerly eaten up by your pigs, but
there is no charity in giving it to them. No man shows love
for his fellow-men except he who puts himself to some in¬
convenience for their sake.
- "To his personal service the Good Samaritan added a
104
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
money contribution. It was not very great—about equal
to two dollars of our day. But the giver added the pledge
whatever was necessary he would pay; at all events, he paid
something. To do good to the moneyless is of all tasks of
benevolence the most difficult. How to give to poverty with¬
out increasing pauperism is a perpetual and ever unsolved
problem. But he who cannot part with money to do good to
others is no follower of Him who, though he was rich, for
our sakes became poor. To give service without money,
or to give money without service—neither of these givings
is true Christian philanthropy. Two pence personally given
is worth more than twenty given through paid agents. The
love that reaches the pocket is often deeper than that which
reaches only the heart.
The Good Samaritan had compassion, went to the suf¬
ferer, rendered him personal service, at cost of inconven¬
ience to himself, and accompanied it with a gift of money."
"Go thou and do likewise."
Rule 18. (Doing good) To their souls, by instructing, re¬
proving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; tram¬
pling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, that we are not
to do good unless we feel our hearts free to do it.
Bible.—"Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering
and doctrine." (2 Tim. iv, 2.) "Exhort one another
daily." (Heb. iii, 13.) "Them that sin rebuke before all
that others also may fear." (1 Tim. v, 20.) "Ye are the
salt of the earth, and the light of the world." (Matt, v,
13-16.)
NOTES.
1. As Christians Be Instructors.—Be a teacher of di¬
vine truths in the home-circle and at your Sunday School.
Let your light shine. The candle can enlighten the room,
the lamp the street, the light-house the darkness of the
stormy sea, the moon the night, the sun the world. Be ye
a luminous light in your sphere of life.
2. Reprove Sin.—The reproof of sin is a Christian's
duty. When you see your neighbor living in a dangerous
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
sin, have the moral courage to rebuke him. Would it not
be cruel to see your neighbor's house on fire, and pass on
and give no warning? Why? Because his life is in dan¬
ger. But if your neighbor is living in a deadly sin, then
his immortal soul is in danger of hell-fire. Timely reproof
may save him. Your silence may leave him to perish in his
sins. But let your rebuke be bathed in the spirit of Chris¬
tian love. "Thou shalt rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer
sin upon him,"
Rule 19. (By doing good) Especially to them that are
of the household of faith, or groaning so to be; employing
them preferably to others, buying one of anotherf helping
each other in business; and so much the more because the
world will love its own and them only.
Bible.—"As we have opportunity let us do good unto all
men, especially unto them who are of the househlod of
faith." (Gal. vi, 10.) "Be kindly affectioned one to an¬
other with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."
(Rom. xii, 10, 13.) "If ye were of the world, the world
would love his own." (John xv, 19.)
NOTE.
Christian fellowship and mutual helpfulness are two lead¬
ing duties taught in the gospel.
"What is fellowship ? It is more than sympathy, although
that is the core of it. It is sympathy expressed or manifest¬
ed in such a way as to draw others toward you in the bonds
of brotherhood. Fellowship is making men feel that they
are fellows with you; that they are your brethren; that they
are related to you; are a part of your person, as it were."
"In the New Testament the church is considered as a fam¬
ily: 'Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is nam¬
ed.' But I will not dwell at length on this Rule touching
Christian Fellowship, since we have discussed it in the third
book in our curriculum (viz.), Denominational Fellowship.
Superintendent—Now* dear Leaguer, I have discussed
the rules enjoining the doing of good. Now to the end, say,
106
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
from Rule twenty to twenty-seven, I will discuss those en¬
joining the use of the means of grace. Thus:
Rule 20. (Must so live) By all possible diligence and fru¬
gality, that the gospel be not blamed.
Bible.—"Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serv¬
ing the Lord." (Rom. xii, 11.) "If a man provide not for
his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath
denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (1 Tim.
v, 8.)
NOTE.
The true Methodist will be a diligent and frugal man; he
will be diligent in business, fervent in spirit and live inside his
means.
Rule 21. (Must live) By running with patience the race
which is set before them, denying themselves and taking up
their cross daily, submitting to hear the reproach of Christ,
to be as the filth and off-scouring of the world, and looking
that men should say all manner of evil of them falsely for
the Lord's sake.
Bible.—"Seeing we also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us." (Heb. xii, 1.) "If
any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross and follow me." (Matt, xvi, 24.) "We are
made as the filth of the earth, and are offscouring of all
things unto this day." (1 Cor. iv, 13.) "Blessed are ye
when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say
all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." (Matt,
v, 11.) '
NOTE.
This rule requires patience. Patience is self-control and
forbearance under provocation. The true Methodist ex¬
pects to be misunderstood and perhaps to be persecuted, but
he has added to his faith courage, and so he goes on his way
of duty.
It is expected of all who desire to continue in these so-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
107
cieties that they should continue to evidence their desire of
salvation.
Rule 22. (By attending) Upon all the ordinances of
God, such as the public worship of God.
Bible.—"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will
I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of Lord all the
days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to
enquire in his temple." (Ps. xxvii, 4.) "Not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is."
(Heb. x, 25.)
NOTE.
The true Methodist must attend the public worship of
God; this means the Sunday service at the church.
Rule 23. The ministry of the word either read or ex¬
pounded.
Bible.—Christ instituted the ministry and said: "Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations * * * * teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
(Matt, xxviii, 19, 20.) "So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. x, 17.) "But
whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, he being not
a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be
blessed in his deeds." (James i, 25.)
NOTE.
Every absence from public worship, when it is possible to
be there, is a spiritual loss. Therefore, everyone must at¬
tend the preached word, either read or expounded. This
means the social meetings of the church, the prayer and
class meetings.
Rule 24. (Must not neglect) The Supper of the Lord.
Bible.—"And he took bread, and gave thanks and break
it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is
given for you, this do in remembrance of me. Likewise the
cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in
my blood, which is shed for you." (Luke xxii, 19, 20.)
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
NOTE.
The Holy Sacrament is a divinely ordained as well as an
efficient means of grace. The true Methodist will partake
of the sacrament whenever administered. Because, just as
bread and wine—the common food of the people in that
day—nourish the living body, supplying the daily waste of
that body, and providing material for its growth, so the
believing with the heart in Christ crucified will nourish the
new man.
Rule 25. (Must not neglect) Family and private prayer.
Bible.—"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."
(Josh, xxiv, 15.) "Pour xout thy fury upon the heathen
that know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon
thy name." (Jer. x, 25.) "When thou prayest, enter into
thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
Father, which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in
secret will reward thee openly." (Matt, vi, 6.)
NOTE.
Family and private prayer is another duty urged by the
Methodist, because prayerless families are like the Egyptian
houses on whose doorposts there was no protecting blood of
the Paschal lamb. They are unsheltered by the shield of\
prayer, exposed to the destroying angel. The altar of fam¬
ily prayer should be erected for the benefit of the children.
"It is the molding hand that shapes our souls for time and
eternity. Many a young man has gone down to a premature
death simply because in his cradle, in his infancy, he was not
prayed for or, what was better still, prayed with. "Prayer
is the rope up in the belfry; we pull it, and it rings the bell
up in heaven." Said Mary, Queen of Scotland, "I fear
John Knox's prayer more than an army of ten thousand
men." Prayer moves the arm that moves the world.
Rule 26. (Must not neglect) Searching the Scriptures.
Bible.—"I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect
unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes; I will
not forget thy word." Ps. cxix, 15, 16.) "Search the Scrip¬
tures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and these
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
109
are they which testify of me." (John v, 39.)
NOTES.
Another duty of the young Methodist is he should search
the Scriptures, read and study the Bible, because the Bible
is a rock of diamonds, a chain of pearls, the sword of the
Spirit; a chart by which the Christian sails to eternity; the
map by which he daily walks, the sun-dial by which he sets
his life; the balances by which he weighs his action."—T.
Watson.
Rule 27. (Must not neglect) Fasting or abstinence.
Bible.—"When ye fast, be not as the hypocrite, of a sad
countenance; * * * but thou, when thou fasteth, anoint
thine head, and wash they face, that thou appear not unto
men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret." (Matt,
vi, 16-18.)
NOTE.
Observe:—Christ did not condemn fasting, but the hypo¬
critical manner of doing it. The church requires its mem¬
bers to fast as a means of grace. These are the General
Rules of our societies; all of which we are taught of God to
observe, even in his written word, which is the only rule, and
„ the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. Obedience
to them is possible.
BOOK THIRTEEN.
ORDERS IN THE MINISTRY.
I. Deacons.—Leaguer—Mr. Superintendent, pray tell
us the difference in the deacon in the Methodist Church
and that of the Baptist Church?
Superintendent—The deacon in the Methodist Church is
an ordained minister of the gospel, that has traveled two
full years as a licentiate, completed the course of studies re¬
quired of him, and by recommendation of the committee
that examined him is ordained. This is his first ordination,
and it entitles him or makes him eligible to assist the elder
in the administration of the Lord's Supper.
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
Leaguer—Why has he to assist the elder in the perform¬
ance of this rite?
Superintendent—Because he must receive another ordi¬
nation before he can consecrate the sacrament; whereas the
Baptist deacon is only a church officer. True, he is or¬
dained, yet he is the same as the Methodist steward.
Leaguer—Thank you. I see it very plainly.
Superintendent—Observe, however, the Methodist dea¬
con can perform all the duties in the church that an ordained
elder can, except the consecration of the sacrament. Meth¬
odism recognizes but two orders in her ministry—the dea¬
con and presbyter. It also recognizes a third, office—that
of Bishop—which is presbyterial in order* but episcopal in
office. Methodism occupies medium ground between pre¬
lacy on the one hand and parity of the ministry on the other.
Roman Catholics and the Episcopalians believe in three or¬
ders: those of Bishop, presbyter, and deacon. Presbyte¬
rians, Baptists and Congregationalists maintain one order
only—that of presbyter. We believe that two orders are
recognized in the Bible.
The deaconship is a subordinate grade and order of the
ministry. Deacons among Presbyterians and Baptists are
simply lay-officers, but among Methodists they are a subor¬
dinate order of ministers. Methodism here is on Scriptural
ground. Stephen was a deacon, one of the first seven. He
was a proverbial preacher, "being full of the Holy Ghost."
When the Jews heard his sermon which is recorded in Acts
vii, "they were cut to the heart." He was duly ordained
by the apostles. Philip was another deacon, and a preach¬
er. "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and
preached Christ unto them." (Acts viii, 5.) He had a
great revival at that place. "But when they believed Philip,
preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and
the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men
and women." "And there was great joy in that city." Philip
expounded the Scriptures to the Ethiopian eunuch, and ad¬
ministered to him the rite of baptism. The point we make
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
111
is that deacons are ministers, which is clearly proved by the
citations of Scripture.
II. Elder.—Leaguer—What is the difference be¬
tween an elder in the Methodist Church and that of the
Presbyterian Church ?
Superintendent—It is the same as in the Baptist Church.
An elder in the Presbyterian Church is an officer, the same
as the Methodist steward; whereas, the elder in the Meth¬
odist Church is the highest ministerial position in the church,
except the Bishop. When a minister becomes an elder in
the Methodist Church he has completed the four-year course
of studies, required of him, and upon the recommendation
of the committee that examined him, he is dismissed from
the class and ordained an elder. This is as high as he can
go unless he becomes a Bishop, while the Presbyterian el¬
ders are not preachers.
Leaguer—You have scored another point. We did not
know the difference, but nobody can fool us now on these
points.
Superintendent—I am glad your eyes are open. Observe:
1. The presbyter, or elder, is a higher order and office
of the ministry. It designates an order of men whose du¬
ties are to preach, to administer the ordinances, and watch
over the church. "The elders which are among you I ex¬
hort, who am also an elder. Feed the flock of God which
is among you, taking the oversight thereof." (i Pet. v, 1,2.)
2. Elders have authority of governing the churches.
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double
honor." (1 Tim. v, 17.) The people are exhorted to obey
them, and submit themselves. (Heb. xiii, 17.)
3. Elders Have the Power of Ordination.—Timothy was
ordained by "the laying on of hands of the presbytery," or
body of elder^. (1 Tim. iv, 14.) They were associates
of ecclesiastical authority with the apostles. The decrees
passed at Jerusalem to regulate the churches were ordained
of the apostles and elders." (See Acts xv, 2-6, 22, 23; xvi,
4; 1 Tim. v, 17.)
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All churches agree that the eldership is an ecclesiastical
order.
III. Bishops.—Leaguer—Now tell us the difference be¬
tween the deacons, elders and Bishops, since they are all
preachers.
Superintendent—The Bishop is the head officer in the
Methodist Church. The chief among all the preachers, or
is known as the chief pastor. Observe:
"Bishops are not a distinct order, but officers, elected by
the body of elders for general superintendency, and for
greater conveniences in regard to ordination, and to secure
unity and greater efficiency in administration; and this was
unquestioned for hundreds of years. Now, Methodism
conforms to this primitive arrangement." "Bishops and
presbyters, or elders, were originally the same, but as Je¬
rome says, one of the elders was chosen as a president, and
called Bishop by way of distinction, and some of the func¬
tions pertaining to the whole body of the presbyters—as or¬
dination, for example—were committed to him, and, like
the same, confined to him. Thus he became primus inter
panes, first among equals."—Bishop McTyeire.
For the duties of the deacons, elders and Bishop I refer
you to the discipline of the A. M. E. Church. This com¬
pletes the curriculum of the A. C. E. League. (See the
Catechism for the League, page 14.) I cannot give further
space and time to the curriculum. But let us note—
CHAPTER IV.
THE A. M. E. CHURCH, IN PARTICULAR.
i. Period. Heroic—Leaguer—We have spent a great
deal of time on the curriculum, especially that part that
deals with Methodism in general, its history and doctrine
and the peculiar usages of the church. In connection with
this phase of our study you mention "The periods in discuss¬
ing the A. M. E. Church in particular." What may we un¬
derstand by this term?
Superintendent—I mean, the revolutions or epochs, or
series of years through which the church has come. In plain
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
113
words, the changes through which the church has passed
from its incipiency to the present. For instance, the A. M.
E. Church has passed through four periods. Thus:
First. The Heroic Period—Reaching from 1787 to
1816, 29 years.
Leaguer—That's true. Now sense us into the reason
why these twenty-nine years is called the Heroic Period of
the church?
Superintendent—Because no man nor set of men but Mr.
Allen, and the crowd that labored with him would have
combatted the power, the brain, the influence and the mil¬
lions of money that was in the possession of the Methodist
Church. None but a hero and none but a band of heroes
would have undertaken the task to hand down to the Negro
race a church on whose masthead are engraved in large
letters of a glorious achievement, "The Church of Man■>
hood Christianity."
2. The Organic—1816-1868.—Leaguer—Explain this
period.
Superintendent—I will. You see, from 1816 to 1868 is
fifty-two years—during those fifty-two years Mr. Allen
and his crowd were organizing the church everywhere they
could, especially on the other side of the Mason and Dixon
line.
Leaguer—Mr. Superintendent, why is it that Mr. Allen
and his crowd did not organize their church in the South
till 1867 or thereabouts?
Superintendent—Because slavery and its baneful influ¬
ence was stronger in the South than in the North.
Leaguer—Then as soon as freedom was declared in the
United States the South as well as North, East and West,
the organization of the church throughout every section be¬
gan, did it not?
Superintendent—Yes.
Leaguer—What city and church is the mother of African
Methodism in Georgia?
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
. Superintendent—St. Philip's Monumental, Savannah,
Georgia.
Leaguer—Now tell us what city and church is the mother
of African Methodism in the entire connection?
Superintendent—Bethel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Leaguer—So, it has taken fifty-two years to organize the
church in every section, I see.
Superintendent—It did.
Leaguer—What was next done?
3. Developing—1868-1892.—Leaguer—What may we
understand by this period?
Superintendent—Well, what the term admits. For you
readily know to develop is to unfold; to lay open to view.
Thus the ministers and all friends of the church set about
to show to the world what was the aim and purpose of the
church not only through its church edifices, schools and col¬
leges, but through its publications and all its several depart¬
ments.
Leaguer—Then it took twenty-four years to do this, did
it?
Superintendent—Yes, and I don't suppose I would make
a mistake if I said one hundred and five years.
Leaguer—Ho; the church isn't that old, is it?
Superintendent—No, not from its organization, but from
its incipiency—1787-1892.
Leaguer-^Ah! I see you. Good work.
Leaguer—But you have another period, have you not?
Superintendent—Y es.
4. Expansion—1892-1916.—Twenty-four years. And
this is the one hundredth year of the organic life of the
church, its borders having extended to the uttermost parts
of the earth. (Arnett.) Also the "History of the A. M. E.
Church," by Bishop D. A. Payne.
5. Training—1916-1966j—Leaguer—Mr. Superinten¬
dent, I see you are not through with the periods of the
church. Any more?
Superintendent—Yes; four more.
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
US
Leaguer—What are they?
Superintendent—Let us take the church through another
hundred years, beginning with the training period from 1916
to 1966, fifty years.
Leaguer—Then you mean to tell us young people that
it will take fifty years of training for us to do the work
required of us and to more thoroughly understand the doc¬
trines, polity, usages and customs of the church, so that we
can complete the work began by the fathers?
Superintendent—That is exactly what I mean. And more.
For during this time more and better training must be done
by the Sunday Schools and Allen Christian Endeavor
Leagues than ever before if the church would keep pace
with the other denominations and the onward march of
progress.
Leaguer—Then you seem to indicate that mere papers
and speeches alone won't do the work?
Superintendent—They will not.
Leaguer—Then how can the ends of which you speak
be best subserved?
Superintendent—I believe the Sunday School Superinten¬
dent, officers and teachers, and all officers of the Allen
Christian Endeavor Leagues, should be required to go
through a course of studies for four years, as are required
for our ministers.
Leaguer—Really, do you?
Superintendent—I do, for it is the safest way out, the
safest course.
Leaguer—I never thought of that, but can you give us a
course of studies that would suit both the Sunday School and
League, and all our church workers?
Superintendent—I can, thus—
First year: 1. The Bible, Historical; 2, A. M. E. Dis¬
cipline; 3, Church Polity, Turner; 4, History of the A. M.
E. Church, Jennifer; 5, History of Methodism, Stevens;
6, Hand Book, A. C. E. League, Gibson; 7, Catechism, A.
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
C. E. League, Gibson; 8, African Methodist Shield, Gib¬
son.
Second year: i. The Bible, Prophetical; 2, A. M. E.
Discipline; 3, Church Polity, Turner; 4, History A. M. E.
Church, Jenifer; 5, History of Methodism, Stevens; 6,
Hand Book, A. C. E. League, Gibson; 7, Catechism, A. C.
E. League, Gibson; 8, The African Methodist Shield, Gib¬
son-
Third year: 1. The Bible, Poetical; 2, History of the
A. M. E. Church, Jenifer, continued; 3, Manual on the Dis¬
cipline, Wayman; 4, History of Methodism, continued; 5,
The African Methodist Shield, Gibson; 6, Missionaries; 7,
Missionaries of the A. M. E. Church.
Fourth year: 1. TheBible, Epistolary; 2, History of A.
M. E. Church, concluded; 3, History of Methodism, con¬
cluded; 4, Hand Book, A. C. E. League, concluded; 5,
Church Polity, concluded; 6, Manual on the Discipline, con¬
cluded; 7, Catechism of the A. C. E. League, concluded; 8,
The African Methodist Shield, concluded; 9, Missionaries;
10, Missionaries of the A. M. E. Church.
Leaguer—Pretty good. Now, upon the completion of
this course what would be your next step?
Superintendent—Why, at the annual State meeting or in¬
stitute, upon the recommendation of the committee or fac¬
ulty conducting the examination, let the Bishop issue a let¬
ter or certificate of graduation. Thus, you see, these grad¬
uates would be able to teach others and would be of untold
good to their local church and the entire connection. Then
what would we have? Accomplished teachers, preachers,
and members who would know the Methodist Church and
its doctrines.
Leaguer—What is the next period?
6. Resultant—1966-1991—Leaguer—Resultant?
Superintendent—Yes, Resultant.
Leaguer—What do you mean by this period?
Superintendent—I mean that after the children have pass¬
ed through or completed this course and have been trained
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
117
for. fifty years, then the church naturally looks for the re¬
sults that should come to her for all this labor and trouble
expended upon her children. And she would get it.
Leaguer—Sense us into the next period.
7. Comparative—1991-2016—Leaguer—Pray, tell us
what is meant by this period?
Superintendent—I mean that the church when it shall as¬
semble in the General Conference in 2016, through its his¬
torian, will compare the progress made by the church from
1916 to 2016, they will see whether the children made bet¬
ter progress than the fathers, having had greater advan¬
tages every way. Since their hindrances and obstacles were
lesser in degree and kind.
Leaguer—Ah, me! It is going to be a mighty task, don't
you think so ?
Superintendent—I know it. And I'll tell you the pro¬
moters of the church are not going to have it as easy as
might be supposed. But the next:
8. Completion—2016.—To the final consummation of
all things earthly and will reach its ultimate culmination in
the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, whose right it will be
to reign.
Leaguer—I see you have mapped out the work for the
children of the A. M. E. Church for the next one hundred
years to come, beginning from the General Conference of
1916.
Superintendent—I have. And remember, I won't be
here in body, but I will in the spirit. We have given you
the church; it is up to you children as to what you will do
with it.
CHAPTER V.
ARTICLES OF RELIGION.
The church being regularly organized and officered, the
Articles of Religion were adopted as her standard of faith.
The Twenty-five Articles of Religion were extracted by Mr.
Wesley from the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of Eng¬
land. We give these Articles, with Scripture quotations and
118
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
such notes as tend to explain the meaning and importance^
of them.
I. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity.—There is but one liv¬
ing and true God, everlasting, without body or parts; of
infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and pre¬
server of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity
of this Godhead, there are three persons of one substance,,
power, and eternity—the Father, the Son* and the Holy
Ghost.
Proofs.—"Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one
Lord." (Deut. vi, 4.) "One God and Father of all." (Eph.
iv, 6.) "But the Lord is the true God. He is the living;
God." (Jer. x, 10.) "From everlasting to everlasting thou
art God." (Ps. xc, 2.) "God is a Spirit." (John iv, 24.)
*'The Lord God omnipotent reigneth." (Rev. xix, 6.) "To
God only wise, be glory." (Rom. xvi, 27.) "The Lord is
good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works."
(Ps. cxlv, 9.) "There are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost." (1 John v, 7.)
NOTE.
The Creating Power of God.—"In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth." The Bible assumes the
existence of God. "The Architect is simply named in the de¬
scription of the building." It is left to the reader to see
the eternal cause in the stupendous effect before him. There
can be no effect without an adequate cause. This is a self-
evident truth. Common sense leads men to believe that the
existence of a house implies a builder; the picture implies
a painter; a watch implies a watch-maker. So the existence
of the world, the earth, the sun, moon, and stars, implies
an eternal creator. This universe could not have built itself;
such a supposition is a bold contradiction, because it implies
the existence of a thing possessed of creative powers before
it did exist.
II. Of the Word, or Son of God, Who Was Made Very
Mpn.—The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very'
and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
119
Irian's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, so that two
whole and perfect natures—that is to say, the Godhead and
Manhood—were joined together in one person, never to
be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man,
who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to recon¬
cile the Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for orig¬
inal guilt, but also for actual sins ot men.
Proofs.—"There is one God, and one Mediator between
God and men, the man, Christ Jesus." (i Tim. ii, 5.) "In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God." (John i, 1.) "The Word was
mg,de flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth." (John i, 14.) "Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also, himself
likewise took part of the same." (Heb. ii, 14.) "The Holy
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest
shall overshadow thee." (Luke i, 35.)
NOTE.
Jesus Christ Is God, Being the Word, or Logos.—"In the
beginning was the Word." "For in him dwelleth all the full¬
ness of the Godhead bodily." "For by him were all things
created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible whether they be thrones, or dominions, or princi¬
palities or powers: All things were made, were created by
him, and for him. He is before all things, and by him all
things consist. * * * * For it pleased the Father that in him
should all fullness dwell." (Cor. i, 16-19.) If Christ cre¬
ated the world, then it follows necessarily that he is older
than the world. The builder of a house must be older than
the house. His pre-existence is thus established. Christ is
greater than the universe.. The maker is necessarily grander
than the thing made. He is greater in extent, greater in
power. His omnipotence stretches out far beyond the out¬
skirts of this almost immeasurable universe. His omnipo¬
tence is greater than all the forces of nature. He calmed
the winds that sweep in the wild rush of the tornado; he
120
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
controls the lightning that shivers in splinters the sturdy
oak. The earthquake, lifting a continent on its gigantic
shoulders, he wielded to liberate Paul and Silas from im¬
prisonment. He is owner of all things. Creation gives the
most valid title to all things made. "For him all things were
createdAll temporal things are but as a scaffold used
to build up the great temple of salvation among men.
III. Of the Resurrection of Christ.—Christ did truly
rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with
all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature,
wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth until
he return to judge all at the last day.
Proofs.—"Go quickly and tell his disciples that he is
risen from the dead." (xxviii, 7.) "But he, whom God
raised again, saw corruption." (Acts xiii, 37.) "To this
end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might
be Lord both of the dead and living; for we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of Christ." (Rom. xiv, 9, 10.)
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first
fruits of them that slept." (1 Cor. xv, 20.)
NOTES.
1. The Resurrection of Christ Was His Glorification
and Seal of His Atoning Work.—It demonstrated his di¬
vinity. Jt established the truth of his own prediction, "de¬
stroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it again. I
lay down my life, that I may take it again. * * * * I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."
The resurrection was the infallible proof of his true Mes-
siahship. For either he arose by his own power, and if he
did then he was divine, or he was raised up by the power
of the Father, and if this be so, then God sets the seal to his
work, for God would not raise from the dead an impostor.
2. His Resurrection is a Pledge of the Future Life of
His People—On it depended the gift of the Spirit of life,
the fruit of the ascension. The Lord rose again as the first-
fruits of them that slept. "If we be dead with him, we
shall also live with him." "Because I live, ye shall live also.'*
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121
3. The Proofs of Christ's Resurrection Are Abundant.
'—Five times he showed himself alive on the day of his res¬
urrection—to Mary Magdalene, to another company of
women, to Peter, to two disciples on their way to Emmaus,
to the eleven; to St. Thomas in the prayer-meeting; then
in Galilee; to seven and to five hundred. They knew him
by many infallible proofs. He showed them the marks of
his hands and feet, even eating and drinking with his dis¬
ciples, thus proving the verity of his body. The Holy Spirit
confirmed their faith, for while Peter preached the risen
Christ, "The Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the
Word.''
IV. Of the Holy Ghost.—The Holy Ghost, proceeding
from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty,
and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal
God.
Proofs.—"Baptizing them in the name of the Father^
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii, 19.)
"When he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth." (John xvi, 13.) "The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."
(Rom. viii, 16.) "The Eternal Spirit." (Heb. ix, 14.)
"Holy men of God spake as they Were moved by the Holy
Ghost." (2 Pet. i, 21.)
NOTES.
1. "The Christian creed receives and adores the mys¬
tery that one essence exists in a trinity of co-equal personal
substances, related as the Father, the Eternal Son of the
Father, and the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the
Father and Son."
2. The personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit are
set forth in the Old Testament Scriptures. As, "Let us
make man in our image." "And the Spirit of God moved
upon the face of the waters." The Spirit of God is crea¬
tive : "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of
the Almighty hath given me life." He is no less active in
providence: "My Spirit shall not always strive with man."
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He is omnipresent: "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?"
3. The Holy Ghost is a divine person, distinct from the
Father and the Son. He proceeds from the Father and the
Son, and therefore can be neither; yet he is associated with
the Father and the Son in the divine work of creating and
preserving all things. The personal pronoun he is applied
to one who is another Comforter, "When the Comforter is
come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the
Spirit of Truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall
testify of me."
V". The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation.
—The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salva¬
tion; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be
proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it
should be believed as an article of faith, or be requisite or
necessary to salvation.1 In the name of the Holy Scriptures,
we do understand those cannonical books of the Old and
New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt
in the church. The names of the canonical books are Gene¬
sis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua,
Judges, Ruth, The First Book of Samuel, The Second Book
of Samuel, The First Book of Kings, The Second Book of
Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The Second Book of
Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The
Book of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Pro¬
verbs, Ecclesiates or the Preacher, Cantica or Songs of Sol¬
omon, Four Prophets the Greater, Twelve Prophets thfe
Less—all the books of the New Testament, as they are
commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.
Proofs.—"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the-
.soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the sim¬
ple." (Ps. xix, 7.) "Search the Scriptures: for in them ye
think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify
of me." (John v, 39.) "From a child thou hast known the
Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salva¬
tion." (2 Tim. iii, 15.) "All Scripture is given by inspira^
tion of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
123
correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Tim. iii,
16.) "And receive with meekness the engrafted word,
which is able to save your souls." (James i, 21.)
NOTES.
1. This Article teaches that the Bible is to be appealed
to in the final settlement of all questions of faith and prac¬
tice. It is the rule of faith and practice. "The Bible, the
Bible is the religion of Protestants." But the Catholic
Church teaches that "Scripture and tradition, and these ex-i
plained by the Catholic clergy, are the rule of faith." The
bulls of popes, filling eight volumes; the decretals, acts of
councils, the acts sanctum, making ninety volumes, are un¬
limited masses of unwritten traditions, which have been
accumulating like driftwood on a river, from the commence¬
ment of the Christian era up to the present time—all these
cumbrous human inventions, added to the Bible, constitute
the Catholic rule of faith. The Council of Trent decreed
that these traditions, both written and unwritten, are of
equal authority with the Bible, and he that denies this shall
be accursed. But Methodism* in common with all Protes¬
tants, teaches that "The Holy Scriptures contain all things
necessary to salvation."
2. The Romanists oppose the private reading of the
Bible as a sin. But we hold the truths of the Bible are ad¬
dressed to all, and are comprehensible by all, and therefore
tfre command, ''Search the Scriptures," is equally binding
upon all. "The word of God is the book of the common
people; it is the workman's book; it is the child's book; it
is the slave's book; it is the book of every creature that is
downtrodden; it is the book that carries with it the leaven
of God's soul; it is a book that tends to make men larger,
and better, and sweeter, and that succors them all through
life. And do you suppose it is going to be lost out of the
World? When the Bible is lost out of the world, it will be
because there are no men in it who are in trouble and need
succoring, no men who are oppressed and need release, no
men who sire in darkness and need light, no men who are
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hungry and need food, no men who are sinning and need
mercy, no men who are lost and need the salvation of God.
Let us therefore take the Word of God as our friend, and
hold it to our heart and make it the man of our counsel,
our guide, the lamp to our feet, the light to our path. Use
it, as God meant for it to be used, as the soul's food and the
soul's joy, and it shall be your life's rest."
VI. Of the Old Testament.—The Old Testament is not
contrary to the New; for both in the Old Testament and
New everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is
the only Mediator between God and man, being God and
man. Wherefore they are not to be heard who feign that
the old fathers did look only for transitory promises. Al¬
though the law given from God by Moses, as touching cere¬
monies and rites, doth not bind Christians, nor ought the
civil precepts thereof of necessity to be received in any com¬
monwealth, yet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever
is free from the obedience of the commandments which are
called moral.
Proofs.—"Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he
expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things con¬
cerning himself. And he said unto them, These are the
words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that
all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law
of Moses, and in all the prophets, and in the Psalms con¬
cerning me." (Luke xxiv, 27-45.) "Think not that I am
come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfill." (Matt, v, 17.)
NOTE.
The harmony of the Old and New Testaments is clearly
seen in the fact that Christ and the apostles made frequent
quotations from the former. Some writer has shown that
about ninety quotations from the Old Testament are found
in the teaching of Christ. To establish the resurrection
against the Sadducees, Christ quotes from Ex. iii, 6; to es¬
tablish the primitive institution of marriage quotes from
Gen. i, 27; to answer the question as to the great command-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
125
ment, quotes from Deut. vi, 5; to show that David's son
was David's Lord, from Ps. cx, 1; to preach a sermon from
Is. lxi, 1. Besides these, and many more, there are refer¬
ences in our Lord's discourses to Jonah as a type of the res¬
urrection; to the brazen serpent, to the living water, and
manna in the desert, to Abel, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Solo¬
mon, Moses, Elijah, and Daniel. When tempted by the
devil, his great weapon of defense was, "It is written." It
is clear that Christ studied the Old Scriptures with devoted
care, and made constant use of their truths in his teachings.
The two Testaments, Old and New, like two breasts of the
same person, give the same milk." The river of salvation
took its rise in the mountains of Judea, and descended into
tfye plain of the gospel, and, like the Nile, spread beauty
and fertility along its deepening and widening course.
VII. Of Original or Birth Sin.—Original Sin standeth
not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly
talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man that
naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby
man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of
his own nature inclined to evil and that continually.
Proofs.—"By one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned." (Rom. v, 1,2.) "By one man's disobedience
many were made sinners." (Rom. v, 19.) "Behold I was
shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."
(Ps. li, 5.) "And were by nature the children of wrath,
even as others." (Eph. ii, 3.)
NOTES.
1. The doctrine of the Pelagians was that children are
born pure and innocent, and that they became corrupt by
outside influences, by imitating or following evil examples,
by vicious education and society.
2. "The orthodox view is that this native corruption is
derived from a sinful ancestry, in whose loss of purity their
whole posterity is involved. This view represents the de¬
pravity of human nature as coming from the laws of natural
126
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
descent, the child inheriting from the parents a corrupt na¬
ture, prone to evil, in consequence of which he runs easily
into open sin. 'Adam begat a son in his own likeness.' (Gen.
iv, 3.) 'Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did
my mother conceive me.' (Ps. li, 5.) 'From within, out of
the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts.' (Mark vn, 21.)
On these passages, and others, the doctrine of Original Sin
is based. There is nothing unreasonable in this doctrine.
For it is well known that men do transmit bodily ailments
and mental peculiarities to their children. Dishonest men
tend to have dishonest children; thieves tend to breed thieves;
murderers, murderers; drunkards, drunkards; insane men
propagate insanity. 'He that soweth to the flesh, shall of
the flesh reap corruption.' Man, when he comes into the
world, has seeds in his very nature—tendencies to act, and
this in a particular way. Some of these are for good; and
some are decidedly toward evil. There is certainly an Orig¬
inal Sin—otherwise there would not be universal actual sin
■—among children as soon as they begin to act for themselves,
and among men of all ages and countries. My view of this
Original Sin is that it is very much like that tendency toward
evil which is produced by a course of wickedness. Let a
man go on in intemperance for a length of time, and this
creates a craving for drink. It is said that when the father
has been an habitual drunkard the son is apt to have an in¬
clination toward bodily stimulants. This tendency of evil
to propagate itself is inherited from the first transgressors,
and has become hereditary."—Dr. McCosh.
3. The Moral Status of Children.—"The benefits of
Christ's death are co-extensive with the sin of Adam." (Rom.
v, 18.) Hence all children dying in infancy partake of the
free gift." "Infants are not indeed born justified nor are
they capable of that voluntary acceptance of the benefits
of the free gift which is necessary in the case of adults; bu,t
on the other hand, they cannot reject it, and it is by the re¬
jection of it that adults perish. The process by which grace
is communicated to infants is not revealed; the manner
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
127
doubtless differs from that employed toward adults."—-Wat¬
son.
"Children are born into the world sustaining, through
the atonement, such k relation to the moral kingdom of God
as that they are proper subjects of God's regenerating
grace, and those dying in infancy come into actual possession
of all these blessings. They may now be prepared for and
admitted into the kingdom by the grace of God. This is
sufficiently evident from our Lord's words, 'Suffer the little
children to come unto me, and forbid therri not, for of such
is the kingdom of heaven.' "—Dr. Raymond.
4. How Soon Can JVe Look for the Conversion of Our
Children f—"There is absolutely no authority whatever in
Scripture for the popular notion that a certain degree of
mental and moral development is necessary before this gift
of divine life can be imparted. We should pray for our
children that, like John the Baptist, they may be filled with
the Holy Ghost from their mother's womb. We should
expect that, like Isaiah and Jeremiah, they will be sanctified
from the cradle. How old must a rosebud be before it re¬
ceives that life that enables it to blossom ? It may be stunted,
and dwarf and die—the blossom may never come. But the
moral law of God is rosebud and blossom on every bush.
Converted! Christ says, 'Except ye be converted, and be¬
come as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom
of heaven.' We reverse this saying. Our reading to the
children is, Except ye become as grown men, and be con¬
verted. The vine need not trail on the ground till it is ten
years old, and then be trained on the trellis. The only way
to insure a good peach is to cut back the stubble that grows
from the stone, and put on a new graft. In God's kingdom
the best fruit grows from the stone. The son need not wan¬
der off from his father's home, spend his substance in riot¬
ous living, and eat the husks that the swine do feed on, in
order to be acceptable to his father, and have the best robe,
and the ring, and the fatted calf. The immeasurable love of
God gives this infinite grace, not because of our wanderings,
128
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
but in spite of them. The church will never make its best
progress until it gets rid of the un-Scriptural idea—that the
child must grow up recreant and be converted in maturity,
that it must grow up outside the kingdom of God and be
brought in late in life. What progress should we make in
the common virtues if we were to proceed in the same phil¬
osophy?"
VIII. Of Free-Will.—The condition of man after the
fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare him¬
self, by his own natural strength and works, to faith, arid
calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good
works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace
of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good
will, and working with us, when we have that good will.
Proofs.—"I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that
abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit, for without me ye can do nothing." (John xiv, 5.)
"For when ye were without strength, in due time Christ died
for the ungodly." (Rom. v, 6.) "You hath he quickened,
who were dead in trespasses and sin." (Eph. ii, 1.)
NOTES.
1. The term "preventing" has here the old English
meaning of "going before and helping."
2. Man is convicted and converted by the power of the
Holy Ghost, but the will of man must co-operate in the work.
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his
good pleasure."
The Divine Spirit is atmospheric, and becomes personal
whenever any person appropriates it. The sunlight has in
it all harvests; but we do not reap a single thing until that
sunlight is appropriated by some root, or some leaf, or some
blossom, or something in the ground. The sunlight on the
Sahara has neither wheat nor corn. These are only to be
had in the field where seeds are planted, where the nature
of the seeds works with the sunlight, and where the soil
is quickened and stimulated by the heat and moisture that
AFKKJAN METHODIST SHIELD
129
go with them. The divine influence works in men both to
will and to do by their nature, by their very law of organiza¬
tion; and when a man becomes converted, it is by both the
divine influence and the exercise of his own energies; that is
to say, they cooperate. It is aunitary, although a complete
work.
"Some say that you must wait for the Spirit. Wait for
the Spirit! How long must a man lie in bed waiting for the
Siitnrise? The sun is up, and has been up an hour. It is
ribonday, and the sluggard lies waiting for the sun to bring
Mm out! How foolish it is when you apply it to anything
except a technically religious matter? The Divine Spirit
iS'like the mother's heart. It is universal and infinite. It
IS the mother-soul of the universe, with infinite power, and
sweetness, and beauty, and glory shining down upon all
men, good and bad, high and low, ignorant and educated,
and stimulating them to be better, to be nobler, to be higher;
and what time any man accepts the influence of the Divine
Spirit, and co-operates with it, that moment the work is done
by the stimulus of God acting with the practical energy and
will of the human soul."
IX. Of the Justification of Man.—We are accounted
righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings;
wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most
wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.
Proofs.—"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works,
lest any man should boast." (Eph. ii, 8-9.) "Therefore we
Conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds
of the law." (Rom. iii, 28.) "Being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(Rom. v, r.)
NOTES.
I. „ Doctrine.—The originating cause of justification is
the free spontaneous love of God. "God so loved the world
130
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
2. The meritorious ground of pardon is the atonement
of Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus Christ. We are "justi¬
fied by his blood." "Reconciled to God by the death of his
Son." "Christ once offered for sins."
. 3. Personal faith is the instrumental cause of justifica'
tion. It is through faith. "Being justified by faith." Saving
faith excludes works as a ground of justification. It is not
by the merit of faith itself, but only by faith, as that which
embraces and appropriates the merit of Christ. Faith is
the hand receiving the gift of salvation.
Results: First, restoration to divine favor. We have
peace with God; second, adoption into the family of God.
"If children, then heirs, heirs of God." "Whom he justi¬
fies, them he also glorifies."
X. Of Good Works.—Although good works, which are
the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put
away our sins and endure the severity of God's judgment;
yet are they pleasing and accepted to God in Christ, ana
spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them
a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is dis¬
cerned by its fruits.
Proofs.—"By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh
be justified in his sight." (Rom. iii, 20.) "Not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us." (Titus iii, 5.)
NOTES.
1. The Bible clearly teaches that faith in Christ is the
ground of salvation, but that good works are the measure
of our reward. Saved by faith, but preserved by good works,
is the true doctrine.
2. The above Article also levels its force against the
Catholic doctrine of good works as having an atoning merit
in them. Thus it was taught thai when men made pilgrim¬
ages, went through a course of fasting, gave donations, re¬
peated the credo, the ave, the paternoster, these were set
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
131
down to their credit as so much over against wrongdoing.
They falsely assumed religion to be a mere business, con¬
ducted as the transactions of a man's store where books of
debit and credit were kept.
3. While the Article cautions us as to the two particu¬
lars mentioned, it at the same time, in harmony with the
teaching of the Scriptures, urges the necessity of maintain¬
ing good works as the evidence and fruits of regeneration.
C^ood works may be defined to be right motives flowing out
unto right actions. Good works are the outward expres¬
sions of good feelings. Grace in the heart is the fountain,
the good works are the streams flowing from it. Love and
good works are fountain and stream. And in proportion to
the fullness of the lake of grace in the heart will be the
greatness, beauty, and fertility of the rivers of good works
flowing from it. A feeble fountain will produce a feeble
stream.
XI. Of Works of Supererogation.—Voluntary works
over and above God's commandments, which are called
Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arro-
gancy and impiety. For by them men do declare that they
do not only render unto God as much as they aj-e bound to
do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty
is required; whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done
all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable serv¬
ants.
Proofs.—"Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou
art righteous? Or is it gain to him ,that thou makest thy
ways perfect?" (Job xxii, 3.) "So likewise ye, when ye
shall have done all those things which are commanded you,
say, We are unprofitable servants. We have done that which
was our duty to do." (Luke xvii, 10.)
NOTE.
The error of the Catholic Church against which this Ar¬
ticle is directed teaches that "there is an immense treasure
of merit, composed of the pious deeds of the saints, which
they have performed beyond what was necessary for their
132
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
own salvation, and which were applicable to the benefit of
others." But the Bible teaches that the circle of duty takes
in the entire ability of man, and therefore leaves no room
for the works of Supererogation. Out of the doctrine of
Supererogation came the wicked system of selling indulg¬
ences to commit sin, which so shocked Luther as moved him
to begin and carry on the great work of the German Re¬
formation. t
XII. Of Sin After Justification.—Not every sin willingly
committed after justification is the sin against the Holy
Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of re¬
pentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after jus¬
tification : After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may
depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace
of God, rise again and amend our lives. And, therefore,
they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as
long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to
such as do repent.
Proofs.—"Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal
your backslidings." (Jer. iii, 22.) "If any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right¬
eous," (1 John ii, 1.) "If we confess our sins, he is faith¬
ful and just to forgive us our sins." (1 John 1, 9.) "Re¬
member therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent,
and do the first works." (Rev. ii, 5.)
1
NOTE.
This Article denies the dogma anciently taught by some,
that every sin committed after justification is the sin against
the Holy Ghost. The sin against the Holy Ghost is ascrib¬
ing the miraculous works of Christ to the agency of tht
devil. The scribes said, "He (Christ) has Beelzebub, and
by the prince of devils casteth he out devils." And Christ,
commenting on this charge, says: "But he that shall blas¬
pheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness.
* * * * Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." This'
unpardonable sin is that grade of wickedness and settled
malignity, that hardening of the heart, which is not the re¬
sult of ignorance, but of a deliberate, systematic, and per-
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
133
severing opposition to clearly demonstrated and unmistak¬
able truth. It is not arrived at all at once, but is approached
by a long series of willful resistances to the known truth, and
is unpardonable, not because God withholds mercy to any
truly penitent, but because all such have reached»such a
state of moral desperation that they will not ask or receive
pardon on the conditions of the gospel. The unpardonable
State is in the man, not in the unwillingness of God to for¬
give. The sign of this condition is utter moral insensibility.
Wherever there is spiritual sensibility enough to make a
man fear he has committed it, it is certain proof that he has
not.
XIII. Of the Church.—The visible Church of Christ
is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of
God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered, ac¬
cording to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of
necessity are requisite to the same.
Proof.—-"Unto the Church of God * * * * to those that
are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all
that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our
Lord, both theirs and ours." "i Cor. i, 2.) "And he gave
some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists,
and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the
'saints for the work, of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ." Eph. iv, 11, 12.)
NOTES.
1. The definition of a church given in the above Arti¬
cle is broad and comprehensive. In the analysis we have*;
(1) A congregation of faithful men. (2) The recogni¬
tion of the Bible, or the pure Word of God, as the rule of
faith and practice. (3) The recognition of the living min¬
istry to preach and expound this Word. (4) The sacra¬
ments (baptism and the Lord's Supper) properly adminis¬
tered. These are the four cornerstones of the church which
Christ founded on the rock—his own divine character. The
definition harmonizes perfectly with the elements found in
the Apostolic Church as described in the Acts of the Apos-
134
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
ties! and allows all Methodists to recognize all other de¬
nominations as being gospel churches that come in the scope
of the above definition.
2. Denominational exclusiveness grows out of a false
definition of what a gospel church is. To illustrate, the
Romish authority defines a church thus: "The company
of Christians knit together by the profession of the same
faith, and communion of the same sacraments, under the
government of lawful pastors, and especially of the Roman
Bishop as the only Vicar of Christ on earth." Thus it
makes the supremacy of the Pope an essential element of a
gospel church. Consequently, it would logically follow that
the Catholic ia the only church. Hence Romish bigotry. The
Baptists define: "A visible Church of Christ is a congrega¬
tion of baptized (immersed) believers," etc. This defini¬
tion cuts off all churches whose members are not immersed.
Hence their exclusiveness.
XIV. Of Purgatory.—The Romish doctrine concerning
purgatory, pardon, worshipping and adoration, as well of
images as of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond
thing, vainly invented, and grounded on no warrant of Scrip¬
ture, but repugnant to the Word of God.
Proofs.—"Who can forgive sins but God only." (Mark
ii, 7.) "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image."
(Ex. xx, 4.) "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and
him only shalt thou serve." (Matt, iv, 10.)
NOTE.
This Article condemns a cluster of Romish errors. The
first is that of purgatory. The doctrine of the Romish pur*
gatory implies a second probation for certain men. But the
Bible teaches that there is no second probation after death.
"In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall lie." Eccl.
xi, 3.) "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he
which is filthy, let him be filthy still." (Rev. xxii, 11.)
"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he ialso reap." We
are cleansed from sin, not by purgatorial fires, but by the
blood of Christ. There is not a single passage of Scripture,
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
135
properly expounded, favoring this doctrine. The second
error is priestly absolution. God alone exercises the right
to pardon sin. "Who can forgive sins but God only." (Mark
ii, 7.)
The third error is image-worship, which is positively for¬
bidden. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image," etc. "I fell down to worship before the feet of the
angel which showed me these things. Then saith he unto
me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant. * * * *
Worship God." (Rev. xxii, 8-9.)
The fourth error is praying to departed saints to inter¬
cede in behalf of men on earth. This doctrine makes saints
sub-mediators between God and men, whereas the Word
teaches, "There is one God, and one Mediator between God
and men, the man, Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. ii, 5.)
XV. Of Speaking in the Congregation in Such a Tongue
as the People Understandeth.—It is a thing plainly repugn¬
ant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive
Church, to have public prayer in the church, or to minister
the Sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people.
Proofs.—"He that speaketh in an unknown tongue,
speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man under-
standeth him,. In the church I had rather speak five words
with my understanding * * * * than ten thousand words in
an unknown tongue." (1 Cor. xiv, 2, 19.)
NOTE.
This Article justly condemns the Roman Catholic prac¬
tice of reading the service in the Latin language to English
congregations. It is "plainly repugnant to the Word of
God." To conduct the public prayers of the church in an
unknown tongue is not only contrary to common sense, but
to tie custom of the primitive church. In 202 A. D., Origen
says: "The Grecians pray to God in the Greek, the Rom¬
ans, in the Roman, and every one in his own tongue." "The
modern practice of intoning prayers and other parts of re¬
ligious worship is also unintelligible, and opposed to reason¬
able service."
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AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
XVI. Of the Sacraments.—Sacraments, ordained of
Christ, are not only badges or tokens of Christian men's
profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace, and
God's good will toward us, by which he doth work invis¬
ibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and
confirm our faith in him.
There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord
in the gospel; that is to say, Baptism and the Supper of the
Lord.
Those five commonly called Sacraments—that is to say,
confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony and extreme unc¬
tion—are not to be counted for Sacraments of the gospel*
being such as have grown out of the corrupt following of the
apostles; and partly are states of life allowed in the-Scrip¬
tures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism and the
Lord's Supper, because they have not any visible sign or
ceremony ordained of God.
The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed
upon, or to be carried about; but that we should duly use
them. And in such only as worthily receive the same they
have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive
them unworthily purchase to themselves condemnation, as
St. Paul saith (i Cor. xi, 29.)
Proofs.—Christ ordained but two positive Sacraments—
Baptism and the Lord's Supper. (See Matt, xxviii, 1.9;
Matt, xxvi, 26; 1 Cor.'xi, *23.)
NOTE.
The five Sacraments of the Catholic Church are confirma¬
tion, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction. Con¬
firmation in the Roman Church is a service by which t;hose
baptized in infancy publicly take upon themselves the obli¬
gations of the baptismal covenant, and voluntarily confirm
and recognize their church-membership. The service in it¬
self is proper enough, but not such in solemn dignity as to
entitle it to be placed in the same rank with Baptism and the
Lord's Supper. The same may be said of "orders," or the
ordination ceremony of the ministry, and of matrimony.
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
137
Roman penance is a service by which a penitent having sinned
and made auricular confession, the priest grants pardon for
sins committed after baptism. This so-called Sacrament is
founded upon the assumption that the priest has power to
forgive sin, which Protestantism regards as blasphemous.
Extreme unction is a service consisting in anointing with holy
oil persons at the point of death, by which sins are forgiven
and grace imparted.
XVII. Of Baptism.—Baptism is not only a sign of pro¬
fession and mark of difference whereby Christians are dis¬
tinguished from others that are not baptized, but it is also a
sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The baptism of
young children is to be retained in the church.
Proofs.—"Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts xxii, 16.)
"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God." (John iii, 5.) "He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark xvi, 16.)
NOTES.
A brief argument in favor of infant baptism will be found
in another place. This Article defines baptism to be:
' 1. A Sign of Profession.—It is a profession of faith in
Jesus Christ as the Son of God. When a person makes a
profession of faith, baptism is a sign of that profession and
a pledge of loyalty to God and the church. It is a profes¬
sion of faith in all the fundamental doctrines of salvation
as taught by Christ. "See here is water; what doth hinder
me to be baptized? And Philip said, "If thou believeth
with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and
said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God * * * *
and he baptized him." (Acts viii, 36.)
2. Baptism is "A Mark of Difference Whereby Chris¬
tians Are Distinguished From Others That Are Not Bap¬
tized."—The Jew was distinguished from the Gentile by
the significant mark or sign of circumcision. In the Chris¬
tian Church, baptism in the name of the Trinity takes the
place of circumcision. By circumcision the Jew entered into
138
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
the Jewish Church; by baptism we enter into the Christian
Church.
3. "It is Also a Sign of Regeneration—The cleansing
water is a fit sign of the cleansing power of the Holy Ghost.
XVIII. Of the Lord's Supper.—The Supper of the
Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to
have among themselves one to another, but rather is a
Sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death; insomuch
that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the
same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body
of Christ, and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of
the blood of Christ.
Trans-substantiation, or the change of the substance of
bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved
by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scrip¬
ture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath
given occasion to many superstitions. The body of Christ
is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper only after an heav¬
enly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the body
of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is faith.
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's
ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped.
Proofs.—"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and
brake it and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which
is given for you; this do in remembrance of me. Likewise
the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament
in my blood, which is shed for you." (Luke xxii, 19, 20.)
NOTES.
1. Names.—It is called the "Lord's Supper" because
it was first instituted in the evening, and at the close of the
Passover Supper. It is called a "Sacrament," which means
an oath of renewed allegiance to Christ. It is called the
"Eucharist," which means the giving of thanks. "He took
bread and gave thanks." A "communion" to express Chris¬
tian fellowship.
2. The Import of the Supper is a Commemoration.—
"This do in remembrance of me." It took the place of the
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
139
Passover, which commemorated the deliverance of the Is¬
raelites from Egyptian bondage. The suffering of Christ
delivers the world from Satanic bondage. A father once
kept a canceled bond for his family to look upon, and see
how he had paid a heavy debt, through much self-sacrifice
to make them happy. So Christ has canceled the claim of
justice against us, "nailing it to his cross." In the Lord's
Supper his family look upon this bond.
3. Trans-substantiation is a Romish Absurdity.—Being
in bodily person in heaven, and at the right hand of the
throne of the Father, Christ cannot at the same time be vis¬
ible and bodily in the hands of the priest, nor on hundreds
of altars at once. The expression, "This is my body," is a
Hebraism for "This represents my body." It is clearly a
figure, as "I am the vine," "I am the door," "I am the way,"
"The seven good kine and seven years." Besides, if the
bread and wine be actually changed into the real flesh and
blood of Christ, how could these material things nourish and
feed the soul, which is a spiritual substance ? "It is the Spir¬
it that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing" in feeding
the soul. While the Lutherans renounce the doctrine of
. trans-substantiation, they affirm a consubstantiation, which
is akin to the real presence of the Catholics. But in the light
of common sense both the tran and the con are alike contrary
to truth. The true doctrine is, a Sacrament is a holy ordi¬
nance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ
and the benefit of the new covenant are represented, sealed,
and applied to believers. The Sacrament is to be taken after
a heavenly and spiritual manner. Its benefit depends upon
the faith of the communicant. The astronomer does not
worship the telescope, but looks through it out and beyond
to the stars in the heavens. So the bread and wine are as a
telescope through which the eye of faith looks to Christ dy¬
ing on the cross for the sins of the world. "This do in re¬
membrance of me"
XIX. Of Both Kinds.—The cup of the Lord is not to
be denied to the lay people, for both the parts of the Lord's
140
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
Supper, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to
be administered to all Christians alike.
Proofs.—"He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it
to them (the disciples), saying, Drink ye all of it." (Matt,
xxvi, 27.) "For as often as ye (believers in common) eat
this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death
till he come. * * * * But let a man (the believer) examine
himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that
cup." (1 Cor. xi, 26, 28 )
: NOTE.
1 Both the bread and the wine were originally administered
iby our Lord to the apostles, and both elements were ordered
to be given to the lay people until the coming of Christ. The
command is, Drink, all of you. Surely Paul was not ad¬
dressing the clergy when he wrote his Epistle to the Corin¬
thian Church, in which he said, "Let a man examine him¬
self, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."
This Romish error grows out of the greater one of trans-
substantiation. The popists teach that after the bread and
wine are changed into the flesh and blood of Christ, he is
whole or entire in either bread or wine, and so, whatever
part the communicant may receive, he receives the whole
Christ. Therefore that church has decreed to give "the
laity only in one kind." And whoever does not believe with,
that church, it says, "Let him be accursed."
XX. Of the One Obligation of Christ Finished Upon
the Cross.—The offering of Christ, once made, is that per¬
fect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the
sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there
is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore
the sacrifice of masses in which it is commonly said that the
priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have
remission of pain or- guilt, is a blasphemous fable, and dan-
gerous deceit.
Proofs.—"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of
many." (Heb. ix, 28.) "Knowing that Christ being raised
from the dead dieth no more" ***** * jror in that he
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
141
died, he died unto sin once." (Rom. vi, 9, 10.) "Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
(Acts iv, 12.) "There remaineth no more sacrifice for
sins." (Heh. x, 26.) "After he had offered one sacrifice
for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; for by
one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sancti¬
fied." (Heb. x, 12, 14.)
NOTE.
This article condemns as a blashphemous fable the dogma
of the Catholic Church which affirms that Christ is offered
afresh for sin every time the mass is celebrated, and teaches
the Protestant doctrine that Christ made but one offering of
himself for sin, and that this offering is perfect, complete in
every respect, and forever final. Therefore "the Romanist
sacrifice of the mass has no sanction, but is utterly Con¬
demned in the epistle to the Hebrews."
XXI. Of the Marriage of Ministers.—The ministers
of Christ are not commanded by God's law either to vow
the estate of single life or to abstain from marriage; there¬
fore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, to
marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same
to serve best to godliness.
Proofs.—The Apostle Peter was a married man. "When
Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother
laid, and sick of a fever." (Matt, viii, 14.) Philip the
evangelist "had four daughters, virgins, which did proph¬
esy." (Acts xxi, 9.) Paul says "A bishop then must be
blameless, the husband of one wife." (I Tim. iii, 2.) "Let
the deacons be the husband of one wife." (I Tim. iii, 12.)
"Have we not power to lead about * * * * a wife, as well
as other apostles?" (I Cor. ix, 5.)
NOTE.
But the church of Rome has commanded her ministers
not to marry, which command they strictly obey. And for¬
bidding to marry is a sign of an apostate church (I Tim.
iv, 1-3.) But the Roman Church not only forbids marriage
to her clergy, but has exalted the marriage of the laity to
142
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
the unscriptural dignity of a Sacrament. What bold ab¬
surdities and gross errors!
XXII. Of the Rites and Ceremonies of Churches.—-
It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all
places be the same, or exactly alike, for they have been al¬
ways different, and may be changed according to the diver¬
sity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing
be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever, through his
private judgment, willingly and purposely, doth openly
break the rites and ceremonies of the church to which he
belongs, which are not repugnant to the Word of God, and
are ordained and approved by common authority, ought to
be rebuked openly, that others may fear to do the like, as
one that offendeth against the common order of the church,
and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren. Every
particular church may ordain, change, or abolish rites and
ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification.
Proofs.—"As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak
of maliciousness, but as the servants of God." (I Pet. ii,
16.) "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."
Rom. xiv, 5.) "Let all things be done unto edification."
(I Cor. xiv, 26.) "The Kingdom of God is not meat and
drink." (Rom. xiv, 17.)
NOTES.
1. The doctrines and institutions of the Christian religion
are positive and unchangeable, while her rites and ceremon¬
ies are circumstantial. Baptism may be administered by
pouring or immersion; the elements of the Lord's Supper
may be received sitting or kneeling: prayers may be offered
in public kneeling or standing; we may stand or sit in sing¬
ing, etc.
2. This article opposes the Catholics, who maintain that
the authority of the church is supreme, and whatsoever rite
she may ordain, though it becomes obsolete and useless, is
of supreme endless obligation. It teaches that whenever a
ceremony becomes a hinderance to the real progress of the
church, it is to be laid aside. When new ones are needed
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
143
they are to be used. The law of expediency is to reign as
to these matters.
' J* This article also teaches that when rites and ceremon¬
ies "are ordained and approved" by the proper authorities
of the church, they are not to be tampered with by private
individuals. No person is allowed, "through his private
judgment to set them aside."
XXIII. Of the Rulers of the United States of America.
—The President, the Congress, the General Assembly, the
Governors, and the Councils of State, as the delegates, of
the people, are the rulers of the United States of America,
according to the division of power made to them by the
Constitution of the United States, and by the Constitution
of the respective States. And the said States are a sover¬
eign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject
to any foreign jurisdiction.
Proofs.—"Let every soul be subject unto the higher pow¬
ers, for there is no power but of God; the powers that be
are ordained of God. For rulers are not a terror to good
works, but to the evil. For he is the minister of God to thee
for good." (Rom. xiii, 1-4.)
NOTES.
"As far as it represents civil affairs, we believe it the duty
of Christians, and especially Christian ministers, to be sub¬
ject to the supreme authority of the country where they may
reside, and to use all laudable means to enjoin obedience to
the powers that be; and, therefore, it is expected that all our
preachers and people, who may be under any foreign gov¬
ernment, will behave themselves as peaceable and orderly
subjects."
XXIV. Of Christian Men's Goods.—The riches and
goods of Christians are not common as touching the right,
title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast.
Notwithstanding, every man ought of such things as he pos¬
sessed liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his
ability.
Proofs.—"Thou shalt not steal." (Ex. xx, 15.) Steal-
144
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
ing implies ownership of property. "Give to him that ask-
eth thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not
thou away." (Matt, v, 42.) Giving and lending necessar¬
ily, imply the personal ownership of property. "But whoso
hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother hath need,
and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of God in him." (I John iii, 17.)
NOTES.
1. This article was drawn up to counteract the teachings
of the Anabaptists, who, soon after the Lutheran Reforma¬
tion, preached "that all things ought to be common among
the faithful."
2. The instance of community of goods mentioned in
Acts ii, 44 was not such as modern communists advocate.
That of the early Christians was voluntary, local, and tem¬
porary. There was no forcible division of property. Peter
said to Ananias, "While it remained, was it not thine own?
And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?" All
of which shows that the common fund for benevolent pur¬
poses was made by voluntary contributions. Besides, this
instance was not general, but confined to the church at Jeru¬
salem. No mention is made of any similar arrangement in
the future history of the church.
XXV. Of a Christian Man's Oath.-—As we confess that
vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our
Lord Jesus Christ and James his apostle, so we judge that
the Christian religion doth not prohibit but that a man may
swear when the magistrates requireth in a cause of faith and
charity, so it be done according to the prophet's teaching, in
justice, judgment, and truth. *
Proofs.—"And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in
truth, in judgment, and in righteousness." (Jer. iv, 2.)
"Men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirma¬
tion is to them an end of all strife." (Heb. vi, 16.) "And
Jonathan caused David to swear again," (I Sam. xx, 17.)
"I call God for a.record upon my soul." (II Cor. i, 23.)
AFRICAN METHODIST SHIELD
145
NOTE.
Judicial oaths are believed to be lawful by all Christians
except the Anabaptists, who flourished about the time this
article was originally drawn up, and the Quakers; and some
minor sects. "Though it be said we shall not swear, yet I
do not remember it is anywhere read that we should not
receive or take an oath from another."—St. Augustine.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
Pages
Introduction 5- 7
Book One—The Bible I.-.' 7- 10
Book Two—Church Loyalty 10* 13
Book Three—Denominational Fellowship 13-14
Book Four—Systematic Giving 14-15
Book Five—Social Service 15- 17
CHAPTER II.
Book Six—Indoctrination—Origin and History
of Methodism—Doctrine of the Metho¬
dist Church 17-72
Book Seven—Missionary Zeal 72-73
Book Eight—Church Pride 73- 74
CH APTER HI. V
Book Nine—Church Polity 74-77
Book Ten—The Peculiar Usages of the Church. 77- 83
Book Eleven—Church Customs 83- 86
Book Twelve—The Constitution 86-109
Book Thirteen—Orders of the Ministry ......109-112
CHAPTER IV.
The A. M. E. Church in Particular 112-117
CHAPTER V. '
Articles of Religion . 117-145