REASONS
FOR
BECOMING A METHODIST.
BY REV. I. SMITH,
FOR SOME YEARS A MEMBER OF THE CLOSE-COMMUNION CALVINIST
BAPTIST CHURCH.
INOLUDING
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE UP TO THE TIME OF HIS BECOMING A
METHODIST.
TWENTY-FIRST EDITION.
XMtu-Vrk:
PUBLISHED BY CARLTON & PORTER,
200 MULBERRY-STREET.




CONTEN TS.
CHAPTER 2.
TAGM
SKETCH OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE...........               5
- CHAPTER  I.
COMPiREHENSIVE VIEW OF TIE DOCTRINIES OF IIE
METIODIST EPISCOPAL CHUCTCII............             2
CIIAPTER III.
TBE SAC AME- TS....................                     6
CHAPTER IV.
MODE OF BAPTISM......................                 80s
CHAPTER  V.
OPEN C OMiMUNION.................,.......,            9
CHAPTER VI.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL CULTURE AND FOR
XUSEFULNESS..                        o...........   8
CHAPTER VII.
FRUITS OF METHODISM....................   147
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, in the UlekTs
Office of the District CouTt of the District of Massachusetts.




PREFACE.
THns unpretending volume is designed, in the first
place, to answer the question so frequently asked the
writer, -"  How  came you to be a Methodist?"
Secondly, it is intended to supply a place which is
not filled by any other book, by presenting, at one
view, and in a brief and comprehensive manner, the
distinguishing features and excellences of Methodism,
both in its doctrines and economy; and also some of
the evidences of their Scriptural character and great
efficiency. Nothing is more evident than the fact,
that Methodism  still suffers greatly'from  the ignorance that quite generally prevails in regard to the
true character of its distinguishing doctrines and
usages, as well as from the misrepresentations of its
enemies, To aid in removing the former and refuting the latter is the design of this work.
Should any of our Baptist friends object to the
title by which we have designated them, we would




4                   PREFACE.
merely say, that our former worthy pastor, the mos
able and influential man in his Association, was accustomed to say, that he would be willing to have
it written in large capitals on the front of his hat,
"Close- Communion Calvinistic Baptist."  For his
manly, Christian frankness in declaring his sentiments we respected him, and for his earnest piety
we loved him while living, and cherish his memory
since he has gone to his reward in heaven.
In submitting his manuscript to the press, the
writer yields to the judgment of those  in whose
opinions he places great confidence.
May all be brought at last, however we may differ
in opinion here, to join the general church above, is
the humble, but earnest, prayer of the
AUTHORp.




REASONS
FOR
BECOMING A METHODIST.
CHAPTER I.
SKETCH OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.
AT the age of fifteen I received my first
serious impressions in regard to my true condition, as a sinner before God; and while attending a series of meetings held in the Methcdist
Church in the neighborhood of my father's residence, I obtained the pardon of my sins, through
the atonement of Christ. Had I, at that time,
been  brought under the watch-care of the
Church, I think it would have saved me from
that fearful state of backsliding  into which I
subsequently fell. But at that time my parents,
though professedly pious, (and I doubt not really
so at heart,) were neither of them members of
any particular church; nor were any of the family save one sister, who was a member of the




6               REASONS FOR
Freewill Baptist Church in the adjoining town,
where the family had attended meeting for some
years.  Having, therefore, no settled place of
worship, and being left without the watch-care
and restraining influences which every Christian church exercises over its members; and,
also, being at a period of life when, above all
others, I most needed them, I soon grew negligent of duty, sacrificed my peace of mind,
indulged in the follies of youth, lost my confidence before the world, and in the presence of
my Saviour refused to bear the cross, and
" walked again in the counsel of the ungodly,
stood in the way of sinners, and sat in the seat
of the scornful."  So hardened did I become
in sin, that I approached to the very verge of
infidelity; but, through the infinite mercy and
compassion of the Redeemer, I was not left to
make the dreadful plunge into the dark abyss.
To this day, when I reflect upon my situation
at that time, I shudder at the thought of my
near approach to the pit of destruction, and can
never feel sufficiently grateful to God for my
happy deliverance through grace.
When about eighteen years of age I was




BECOMING A METHODIST.            7
partially reclaimed from  my backslidings, but
still neglecting my duty to confess Christ before
the world, and identify myself with the people
of God, I soon relapsed in a measure, though
never, I think, to the extent in sin to which I
had previously gone.  I was far, however, from
living the life of a Christian.  At this time I
sincerely endeavored to persuade myself that
Universalism  was true; I read several books
advocating this doctrine, went to hear ministers
of this order preach; but I soon found that in
exact proportion to my interest and confidence
in their sentiments, was my entire indifference
to all experimental godliness; and  also that
their sentiments were directly at war with the
entire Scriptures.
At the age of twenty God was pleased to
call after me again, in a special manner, during
a revival of religion in the town where I resided, and at that time I fully resolved to devote myself to the service of God, and no more
trample upon his mercy and grace.  This resolution I have been enabled by his grace, in
some good degree, I trust, to keep until this
time, and I still have a strong confidence that I




8               REASONS FOR
shall, by the same grace, be enabled to continue
in his service to the end of life. At that time
my oldest brother and wife were members of
the close-communion Calvinist Baptist Church;
the only members of the family'then living,
(the sister referred to having died in peace
some years before,) connected with any church.
I subsequently united with the same church,
though not until some months had passed, and
I had read to some extent on the subject of
baptism, &c. I do not however recollect of
having seen a single book in defence of the
views of the Pedo-Baptists; for such works
were not as abundant and accessible in that
vicinity, as those in favor of the exclusive views
of the Baptists; neither do I recollect ever
hearing a sermon on the subject of baptism up
to that time, or for some years after, except
those preached by Baptists.  The latter, however, were neither few nor far between.  I am
confident that my experience, in this particular,
is not unlike most others.  The truth is, that
nearly all that is said on the subject of baptism, is said by Baptists, and of course all or
one side.




BECOMING A METHODIST.            9
I remained a member of that church about
three years. During that time I was strongly
urged by a celebrated Baptist evangelist, who
held a protracted meeting in the church, to
enter the ministry, but I had not then any expectations of ever filling so responsible an office.
I felt it, however, my duty to be more active
in the cause of religion than I had hitherto
been.  With this conviction. I went West, intending to teach,  an  occupation I had followed during the winter seasons for several
years.   I hoped by this means to enlarge my
field of usefulness, in thus placing myself in
direct communication with the rising generation
-one of the most hopeful fields of Christian
effort.
While engaged in teaching in Ohio I providentially fell in with President Mahan's Leetures on Christian Perfection, and was greatly
interested in that (to me) new subject. About
this time I became deeply impressed by the
Spirit, and the leadings of Divine Providence,
that it was my duty to preach the gospel.  But
to yield my mind to these convictions was a
most difficult task. I pleaded my age, my want




10              REASONS FOR
of  preparation, and many other circumstances
in excuse; still I felt that "woe is me if I
preach not the Gospel." I often returned from
the place of worship to weep and pray  all
night; sometimes waking from  my sleep in
distress, and sometimes dreaming of my duty.
Finding no rest, I yielded to my convictions,
and promised the Lord I would submit to his
will.
Having closed my school I went to Oberlin,
in the winter of 1841, and commenced my
studies for the ministry. There my mind was
still more deeply interested in the subject of
Christian holiness, and more fully enlightened
inl-regard to its natture, both by the preaching I
heard, and the opportunity I had of associating
with those who stood as living witnesses of its
truth, confirming their testimony by their daily
walk and conversation.
After much reflection and prayer, and as
thorough an investigation of the Scriptures and
other writings as I was able to make, I became
fully satisfied that the doctrine was true. That
what God requires, what the prophets, apostles,
and the Saviour himself prayed for, ani that




BECOMTING A METiODIST.          1
what God has promised to give, might be ohtained. That I-that every. Christian  might
love God with all his heart, and his neighbor as
himself;   be made perfect in LOVE.
I commenced seeking to obtain so desirable a
blessing as that of a pure heart, or, in the language of the pious psalmist, "a clean heart
and a right spirit." I was attentive to all the
spiritual opportunities that I enjoyed, but I was
yet ignorant of many things in regard to the
means of obtaining the blessing I desired; and,
like the sinner oftentimes when seeking pardon,
I was laboring to make myself better, to get
ready to receive it, instead of carefully examining my heart, that I might know its deformity,
and making, in the strength of grace, an entire
consecration of all to God, for time and for
eternity, in faith relying -upon his promise and
faithfulness, to accept, "' and cleanse me from
all unrighteousness." But the Lord was leading me by his Spirit and providence in a way I
knew not. I continued thus for some months,
during which I enjoyed the clearest evidence
of my acceptance with God, and of his presence with me daily.  But I saw clearly that it




12         oREASONS FOR
was his pleasure'that I should live near the
throne.  I had not that strong  faith I witnessed in others, and saw promised to all in the
Bible.  I found, in the hour of temptation, that
there were enemies within, propensities to evil,
rising up and combining their influence with the
enemy from without, in order to bring me into
captivity to the law of sin.  These were only
kept down by constant watching, while it was
the will of God that they should be cast out.
I had not that perfect love which I saw plainly
that the Bible required.  I felt a burning zeal
to do good, but I felt most sensibly the imperfections of my armor.
While in this frame of mind I went one evening to a prayer meeting.  The spirit of the
Master was there, and at the close a fellow
btudent, who was a backslider, taking me by
the hand, said,'" Brother S -, you must go
with me to my room.  I cannot live so."  I
saw that he was in great distress of mind, and
without hesitation accompanied him to his room.
He seemed at times almost in despair, yet constantly crying for mercy, and entreating me to
pray for him.  This I endeavored to do, but he




BECOMING A METIODIST.            13
foaund no comfort.  It was there I saw  and felt
my want of faith; and I went from that room
fully resolved never to rest until I obtained
that faith which claims the promise, and which
can be exercised only when " our heart condemns us not."  Nothing less than that " perfect love that casteth out fear," could inspire
me with that faith; and without it I was but
poorly qualified to labor for the salvation of
souls.
That night a most glorious revival of religion
commenced in the Institution; one of the most
powerful I ever witnessed.  It pervaded the
entire Institution, then composed of nearly six
hundred students, and the appropriate number
of officers and teachers. I entered into a solemn covenant with a fellow  student, to spend
all the time, save that necessary for sleep, our
meals, and attending meeting, in earnest and
united prayer for the attainment of the blessing we so earnestly desired, until our efforts
should be crowned with success.  Many were
the hours we spent in our rooms, in the fields,
and wherever we could find a retired spot, earnestly pleading for " a clean heart and a right




14              REASONS FOR
spirit." Oftentimes we seemed almost to grasp
the prize, when the tempter, taking advantage
of our ignorance and inexperience, would divert
our minds from Christ and his promise, to looking to our feelings, comparing our state of mind
with others, &c., and by these means lead us
again into darkness.
After having labored in this way about a
week, we were enabled, through the counsels of
one of the tutors in college, and the grace of
God, to commit' ourselves entirely upon the
promise and faithfulness of God our Saviour,
believing, according to the divine assurance,
that he accepted in the present tense. And
although this exercise of faith was not attended
at the time with any particular emotions of joy,
or any other than a consciousness of having
given all for Christ, and of relying implicitly
and unwaveringly on his promise to save to the
uttermost, or from all sin, I at once felt a degree of confidence in prayer, a strength of
faith  I never realized before.  I could pray
directly to God through Christ. I seemed suspended by the single  cord of God's love, revealed in his promise, holding on by the hand




BECOMING A METHODIST.          15
of faith, every prop, by way of works and
every thing else, but the love of God in Christ,
being removed from beneath me; and there I
hung, perfectly safe, a sinner saved by grace,
through faith. Satan buffeted me, but I held
on as for my life; yea, for eternal life. I was
fully resolved never to let go my hold of the
promise, come joy or sorrow.
Having remained in this state of mind about
twenty-four hours, I received such a baptism of
the Spirit, as I had never:before known or anticipated; my soul was filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory.  It was enough; my
heart was overflowing with love, peace,and joy
in the Holy Ghost.  Of the reality of my experience at this time I have no more'doubt
~than I have of my personal existence. But it
was all of grace, through faith; and to the
honor of that grace, in the Saviour provided,
and in the gospel promised, it ever has been
and ever shall be declared.
Up to this time I had never had the least
doubt of the correctness of my position as a
close-communion Baptist. Indeed, so absorbed
had I been in the pursuit of the ruling desire




16              REASONS FOR
of my heart, that I had scarcely thought upon
the subject at all.  But a great change had
taken place in my feelings toward the members
of other churches. I had lost entirely, though
almost insensibly, all those uncharitable feelings
which are the natural and almost necessary re
suit of holding and advocating the exclusive
views of the Baptist Church.  I found my con
fidence, love, and sympathy flowing out to mem
bers of other churches with the same ardor with
which they were extended to members of the
Baptist Church. I had come to love Christians
in the ratio of their likeness to Christ, and not
according to the name they bore.
About this time the sacrament of tue Lord's
Supper was administered in the church.  It
was a season of great interest; a deep solemnity pervaded the entire congregation.  The
people of God were greatly refreshed and humbled; backsliders were tremblingly alive to a
sense of their ingratitude, and the impenitent
were awed into a solemn reverence.  All felt
that' God was there of a truth  to bless and
sanction his ordinance, and to comfort and sanctify his people in the performance of their most




BECOMING A METHODIST.          17
solemn duty.  In accordance with my principles of close communion I sat one side, a silent
looker on, but not an idle spectator; few, if any
such, could be found in that large audience, for
God was in the midst of them.
It was a combination of such circumstances
and influences that first led me to question
the correctness of my principles in regard to
the communion. This being a Congregational
Church, few if any of the members had ever
been immersed, and they were, therefore, in my
view, unbaptized, and had no right to come to
the table of the Lord; and in truth, upon such
principles there was no table of the Lord there,
and no Church, and no authorized administrator
of the sacrament. None of the persons having
been baptized, they were none of them in the
Church; as baptism is, according to the Baptists' doctrine, the only door into the Church;
and as neither ministers nor members belonged
to the Church, it was impossible for them to
administer or receive her exclusive privileges.
Yet many of those communicants I personally
knew, and knew them  to be deeply pious, to
enjoy the presence, communion, and fellowship




18             REASONS FOR
of God by his Spirit in an eminent degree; and
I now perceived that the Lord not only owned
and blessed them, as Christians, extending to
them what a Baptist would call Christian fellowship, but that he owned and blessed them in a
remarkable manner, in the very act of administering and receiving the sacrament-in administering and receiving that which my principles pronounced them  without authority to
administer, and unqualified to receive. I was
as well satisfied that many, at least, of those
persons were Christians, and enjoyed communion
with God our Saviour, as I was that religion
was to be found in the world. I was as sensible
of the presence and blessing of God among the
people at that sacrament, as I was that God
ever owns and blesses his children.
I began to inquire into the propriety of my
being more particular and exclusive in my fekl
lowship than my Master! I reasoned thus:If God owns, blesses, and communes with them
at the sacrament, why should I refuse to participate with them in the blessings of our common Lord and Saviour? Many of them I knew
enjoyed much more of God's presence and grace




BECOMING A METHODIST.           19
than myself, and if the mere fact that they had
not been baptized according to the decisions of
my fallible judgment, was a good reason why I
should admonish them, by withholding my fellowship, why did not the Lord, the Great
Teacher and Master in Israel, withhold his
blessing, and rebuke them, by refusing to commune with them?  He declares himself a God
jealous of his honor. Was I to be more jealous
than he?  Was I more holy, or was my sanction more dangerous? These reflections led me
to my Bible- to carefully examine and review
this whole subject. For most surely, thought
I, nothing less than the most positive scriptural
authority, can justify a practice so inconsistent
with every noble, generous, Christian feeling or
sentiment, as is that of close-communion. But
after a careful examination of the Scriptures,
and much prayer, I came to the settled conviction, that the Scriptures nowhere authorize us
to exclude all unbaptized, much less all unimmersed  persons  from  the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper.  That although it is desirable
as a matter of order, that baptism should precede the Lord's Supper, yet I am fully satisfied




20             REASONS FOR
that there is no authority in the Bible for making it a universal rule. There plainly, both from
reason and the Scriptures, must be many exceptions. The proof of this, if any be needed, I
shall have occasion to present hereafter.
But although the principle was established in
my mind, yet the most difficult and unpleasant
task remained.  A greater cross was yet to
be borne-to make known my views to my
old friends, and especially to my brother,whom
I loved as Jonathan loved David, and whom I
knew to be a strong Baptist. I feared the loss
of his warm friendship, knowing very well that
persons who for any cause left the Baptist
Church were regarded with any other than a
friendly feeling. I hesitated for a time, but
finally yielded to my convictions of duty, and
communicated to him my views on the subject
of the communion, and was not a little surprised to learn from  him  that his mind had
undergone the same change, and that he had
been afflicted with similar apprehensions of losing that ardent affection and sympathy which
had hitherto existed between us.
On the subject of Calvinism  my mind had




BECOMING A METHODIST.          21
never been fully settled, although I had been
enabled to assent to it, so far as was necessary
to be received into the Baptist Church.  But
the more I heard and studied upon the subject,
the more I was convinced that it was dangerous
in its tendency, and contrary to the experience
and common sense of all men, and without
foundation in the Scriptures.  About this time
my health failing me, I returned to the East, to
my native town.
Here I must be allowed to digress from my
main purpose, to pay a tribute of respect to an
institution and a class of Christians, whom I
have every reason to esteem, both for their faith
and practice.  Though I do not embrace every
sentiment held and advocated by them, I can
most cheerfully say, that during my stay at
Oberlin I witnessed, both in the institution and
among the people generally, as much deep and
practical piety as I have ever seen among any
people whatever.  And I think if those who
have spent so much time in endeavoring to
overthrow their sentiments, would have labored
more to imitate their earnest piety, it would
have been much better for them  and for the




22             REASONS FOR
world at large.  The Lord bless the brethren
at Oberlin, has ever been the language of
my heart since I made their acquaintance. I
have been greatly benefited by their writings
and their preaching, as well as by their godly
examples.
No longer satisfied with being confined in my
sympathies and fellowship to the limits of the
Baptist Church; believing it also my duty,
as well as privilege, to extend the hand of
fellowship to all God's children, members of
the household of faith; and no longer, believing
the doctrines of> Calvinism, and regarding it as
highly improper) to practice or profess, what I
did not believe, I went before the church and
stated to them my views on communion, and my
intention of putting them in practice. This I
had not yet done, nor did I feel at liberty to do
so until I had made my position known to the
church.  Whereupon the church voted to withdraw fellowship from me, on the account of my
heretical sentiments in regard to the communion. But finally it was concluded, as a matter
of policy, to withdraw that action, and wait till
I had violated some rule of the church, at the




LECOMING A METHODIST.          23
same time expressing an unwillmgness to receive me at their table.  The next day being
the Sabbath, I received the sacrament in the
Congregational Church, and a short time after
I had the privilege of communing in the Methodist Church, and I could not perceive but that
I was as much profited and blessed as I ever
had been when communing with my Baptist
brethren. A committee was very soon appointed by the church to visit and labor with me
on this account, and I was notified to appear
before the church for trial, on charge of embracing and practicing open-communion principles.  The appointed day arrived, and I
presented myself, with Bible in hand, to see
the end and abide the consequences. During
the trial it was distinctly and repeatedly declared, by the elder, deacons, and others, that
they had nothing against me except my principles and practice in regard to the communion;
that as a Christian they fellowshipped me, and as
cordially extended to me the hand of Christian
fellowship as they ever did; but they could not
extend to me the hand of Church fellowship,
because I did net walk orderly.  There was




24              REASONS FOR
a great difference, they said, between Chris.
tian and Church fellowship; the first they still
had for me, but not the latter.
I urged, in my defence, the absence of any
Scriptural authority for excluding  from  the
Supper all unbaptized persons, or any true'Christian; that the Scriptures represented all
true Christians as one in Christ, members of his
body, and entitled to the same privileges; that
the examples left on record by the apostles, of
church discipline, were either in cases of immorality, or a wilful neglect of a plain duty, or
a perversion of the fundamental principles of
the Gospel, thereby endangering the salvation
of souls; that the-: New Testament drew the
line of distinction between saints and sinnersthose who obeyed and those who disobeyed,
those who loved God, and those who loved him
not, but nowhere between the baptized and the
unbaptized; and finally, that many good Christians, holy men and eminent for talent, who had
studied the Bible prayerfully  to know their
duty, as sincerely believed they had been validly baptized by sprinkling, as they did that
they had been by immersion.  Although I was




BECOMING A METHODIST.           25
not prepared, at that time, to advocate their
views of baptism, yet if the Lord was so far
satisfied with their baptism as not only to commune with them by his Spirit, but to own and
bless them in the act of partaking of the Supper, which he evidently did in an especial manner, I could no longer refuse to give them my
hand in fellowship.   Those that were good
enough for the Lord to fellowship were good
enough for me.  I dared not claim to be either
better or wiser than my Master.  Whom the
Lord received, I received.  Those He fellowshipped, I must fellowship.
The church then proceeded, without making
any reply to my positions, (though an elder said
they could be answered without any trouble,) to
vote upon the question of expulsion, and I was
declared expelled from the church. The question being decided, I requested the church to
give me a letter, recommending me to the
Christian  fellowship  of the  Lord's people,
wherever my lot might be cast.  Some objections being made, such as want of precedent,
&c., I gave them these reasons for making the
request:  I was expecting to go immediately




26             REASONS FOR
among entire-strangers, and should in all probability go before uniting with any church, and
I might be placed in circumstances where the
fact of my having been turned out of the
church would prove a serious embarrassment
to me, and where a letter of the kind I suggested would not only prevent any such difficulty, but also give me an introduction to the
Lord's children.
My second reason was, I wished to test the
truth of a sentiment prevailing among all Baptists, and which they had so frequently avowed
during the trial, viz., that they had Christian
fellowship for me and others, for whom  they
could not have CHURCH fellowship.  If they
had it, as they said, I wished them to put it in
black and white, and show that it was a reality,
and not mere talk. But they refused to do it,
thereby proving to a demonstration the correct.
ness of an opinion I had entertained, and in
which I have since been confirmed, viz., that
their distinction between Christian and Church
fellowship is a distinction without a difference;
and that just in proportion to their confidence
in, and zeal for, their exclusive views of baptism




BECOMING A METHODIST.               27
and the communion, will be found their want of
charity for, and sympathy with, all who think
differently from themselves in this matter -  or
are not Baptists.' That the course pursued in
my case  is in accordance with their general
practice, may be seen from  the fact that an
influential Baptist Church recently expelled one
of her oldest members, on the charge of heresy,
for merely holding the opinion that it was her
privilege to commune with other Christians besides Baptists, though she had never even expressed the intention of doing it.  Elder M., a
popular preacher, and one of their strong men,
was asked this question: " Do you believe that
any who are not immersed will be saved? "  le
evaded a direct reply; but being pressed to
answer, he said in substance, if not in these
very words,' I do not profess to be wise above
what is written. The Bible says none will be
saved who do not obey the gospel.  And none
obey the gospel, who are not immersed."
* The clerk of the church subsequently gave me a certified copy of the record of my connection with the church,
and stating that -at such a time I embraced and practiced
open-communion principles, " and for this and this only I was
labored with, and cut off from the church."




28              REASONS FOR
That Baptists do at times, and in some indi.
vidual instances habitually, have charity for
and fellowship with other denominations, is evident.  But it is only when they lay aside their
views on baptism  and the communion, for the
time, and give their attention to the great and
fundamental principles of the gospel, laboring
to save souls.  While they have this fellowship
in exercise they would gladly commune with all
God's children but for the rule, and when the
spirit of Church fellowship disappears, we look
in vain for Christian fellowship. Where one exists, the other is sure to be found, and when one
ceases, the other ceases also. The moment you
touch the subject of baptism, every zealous Baptist invariably loses all his Christian fellowship.
Who has not seen an exhibition of these things
in a revival?  It is indeed inconsistent with
their principles for them to recognize any other
church or ministry than their own. For, according to their views of baptism, and its relation to
the church, there can be no other church or
ministry. Their principles are no less exclusive
and bigoted than the High Churchman's and the
Romanist's. And the fact that they utterly re



BECOMING A METHODIST.            29
fuse to give their members letters to any other
church save a Baptist, proves conclusively that
they so regard it.
A man who had belonged to the Methodist
Church became a Baptist; he was asked if he
had called for a letter, or said any thing to
them of his intention of leaving?  He replied;
" No, nor do I intend to, for I do not consider
that they have any church, or any right to give
a letter."   This he had learned in his new
school, and it is in perfect keeping with their
general practice; though they are generally
careful to tell it as publicly as possible after
they have fairly secured one from another fold!
But it is inquired, if they hold such sentiments
why do their ministers exchange  with other
denominations, thereby  virtually  recognizing
their ministry and church membership?  We
answer, it is, in many instances, because their
religion predominates over their exclusive sentiments, while in others it is undoubtedly a mere
matter of policy.  It would be any thing but
popular, or policy, for them to refuse such intercourse.  It would be obnoxious to the sentiments of Christian people generally.  But we




30              REASONS FOR
are well aware that many who belong to the
Baptist Church have no sympathy for these
bigoted sentiments.  But being in favor of immersion, they have joined the Baptists as one
branch of Christ's Church, not considering the,
exclusive character of their sentiments; while
others saw, and revolted at first at the thought
of their excluding from their fellowship all other
Christians, and adopting such narrow and big
oted sentiments. But believing that immersion
is the only mode of baptism, and assuming as
true what they were falsely told by Baptists,
that all denominations believed, viz., that no
person, however pious, ought to come to the
communion if he had not been baptized, they
have, though reluctantly, embraced these sentiments in view of all their necessary conclusions,
and set themselves to defend them.  As a natural consequence, they soon find their feelings in
agreement with the exclusiveness of their sentiments, which, as we have seen, are nearly allied
to the intolerance of Romanism, as says their
great apostle, Rev. Robert Hall, himself a Baptist, but rejecting close communion.  "I am
fully persuaded," he says, " that few of our




BECOMING A METHODIST.          31
brethren have duly reflected on the strong resemblance which subsists between the pretensions of the Church of Rome and the principles implied in strict communion; both equally
intolerant; the one armed with pains and penalties, the other, I trust, disdaining such aid:
the one the intolerance of power, the other of
weakness."   He also says in another place,
that "the close-communion Baptists make the
door into their church narrower than the gate
to Heaven."




82             REASONS FOR
CHAPTER II.
COMPREHENSIVE VIEW  OF THE DOCTRINES OP
THE M. E. CHURCH.
BEING now fully separated from the Baptist
Church, and believing it my duty, as well as
privilege, to belong to and enjoy the spiritual
aids of some branch of Christ's Church, I began
carefully to examine the doctrines and usages
of the different evangelical communions. Having no prepossessions in favor of any one in
particular, I trusted, with divine assistance,'that
I might form at least an impartial judgment
in my choice.  But I would not intimate that
others had not been as impartial in their choice,
and yet chosen differently. I shall endeavcr to
give, as briefly as possible, the reason for preferring the Methodist Episcopal Church, without reflecting in the least on those who are of a
different opinion.
Three things demand the prayerful consideration of every person in determining with what




BECOMING A METHODIST.           33
branch of the Christian church he shall uniteviz., purity and simplicity of doctrine, the
means afforded for spiritual improvement, and
facilities for doing good, or of fulfilling the great
design and commission of the church, to convert
the world.  After about six months' diligent
and prayerful investigation, and in view of
these considerations, I deliberately, and from
a solemn conviction of duty, united with the
M. E. Church, because I sincerely believed her
doctrines to be purer, more like the simplicity
of the gospel, and in greater harmony with
each other; that her usages afforded better
opportunities for my spiritual improvement and
growth in grace, also greater advantages for
doing good, than any of the other churches with
which I was acquainted. My reasons for this
opinion will be found in the following brief
statement of some of the most important doctrines and usages of Methodism.
Methodists hold, in common with other evangelical churches, the doctrine of the Trinity,
the depravity of man's nature, the vicarious
atonement of Christ, the immortality of the
soul, and a future state of everlasting rewards
3




84              REASONS FOR
and punishments.  They believe that man was
created holy, A" in.the image of God," possessing the power of choice, or the ability to choose
between good and evil; that he did, of his own
free will, choose evil, thereby incurring the penalty which God had denounced against him  in
case of such disobedience.  This was death.
"In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die." They believe on that day he died;
his body became as dead in the eyes of the
law; for its sentence was pronounced against
him, "Dust thou art, and unto the dust shalt
thou return;" and he at once entered into a
state of spiritual death, losing God's image from
his heart, which consisted in 1 righteousness
and true holiness." In this state of death, both
body and soul were involved; all ability to do
good was lost, and man would have been for
ever dead in sin, (and consequently the whole
prospective race in him;) for this must of necessity have remained to all eternity, unless it can
be shown that death will sometime bring forth
life. This must have been the end of the race,
but for the promise of a Redeemer,'" the seed
of the woman."   Through this gracious pro



BECOMING A METHODIST.          35
vision, there was secured to man another state
of probation, in which he might regain what he
had lost by sin, viz., the image and favor of
God.  This provision, or the atonement of
Christ, is an unconditional and universal remedy
for sinful man.  He was' a Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world," "not for our sins
only, but for the sins of the whole world." The
benefits of the atonement are in part unconditional, and in part conditional. Among the
unconditional benefits we notice the resurrection of the body, " both of the just and of the
unjust;" the removing of the guilt of original
sin, so that we are not held accountable for it;
and restoring to man the ability to turn from
his sins and seek the grace and mercy of Go-d,
through Christ -"that grace of God which
bringeth salvation (and) hath appeared to all
men," "that light which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world."  Among the conditional benefits of the atonement are the pardon of our sins, the renewing or regeneration
of our hearts by the Holy Ghost, the sanctification of our spirits; in short the present and
eternal salvation of our souls is offered to us on




36             REASONS FOR
condition of our faith in Christ; that we repent
of our sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and bring forth the fruits of obedience. Hence
we believe "in God the Saviour of all men,
(and) the speciak.Saviour of them  that believe."  "That Christ gave himself a ransom
for all," yet "he that believeth not shall be
damned."
These views of the atonement, though adopted
by some others, are nevertheless peculiarities of
Methodism, distinguishing it from the doctrine
of the high Calvinists, who hold that Christ
died only for the elect. Methodists believe, in
accordance with the whole tenor of the Scriptures, that life and salvation are freely offered
to every man, and that God gives to every
intelligent, accountable being, grace sufficient to
enable him to receive the offer of life and be
saved, and then calls upon every individual to
choose for himself whom he will serve; persuading and entreating him to choose life, but
leaving him free to choose death. They believe
that God never did, and never will bring any
irresistible influences to bear upon any person,




BECOMING A METHODIST.               37
to insure their salvation," but that there is one
universal offer and invitation made to all, which
all are alike free to accept, and all alike free to
reject.   With  propriety, then, may  God  say,' Are not my ways equal?"   And Paul may
assert that " He is no respecter of persons," a
God " without partiality."
Thus does Methodism, give all the praise and
glory of man's salvation to God's grace, while;t casts all the blame of the sinner's neglect
and consequent destruction upon himself. They
might have come but they " would not."'" They
knew  their duty but did it not."  In this, the
Methodist Church differs materially from all Calvinistic churches; from the old school Calvinists,
who hold with Calvin that God decreed from
all eternity whom he would save, without any
regard to their faith or obedience, and, also,
whom  he would damn, without any regard to
their unbelief and disobedience," and that   the
number of the elect, and also of the reprobates,
* The case of Saul is said to be an instance of irresistible
conversion. But he was miraculously convicted of the truth
of Christianity, and no farther, for he says, " I was not disobedient to the leeavenly  vison," showing that obedience was
wholly voluntary on his part.




38              REASONS FOR
was so definitely fixed that it could not be in.
creased or diminished."  "No wonder Calvin
called it " a horrible decree."  Yet most Calvinists in past ages have believed it; in some
form or other it is found in their creeds. They
differ no less in reality, though some less in appearance, from the modern Calvinists, who hold
that God has foreordained whatsoever comes to
pass; so that not only nothing comes to pass
without his knowledge and permission, but " not
without his foreordaining it," sin not excepted.
Also they teach that God gives to all men common grace, or a common call which none ever
obey, and which they have not the moral power
necessary to obey; and then that he gives to
the elect a special call, or effectual grace, as,
they term it, and all such will necessarily be
brought in, by a kind of irresistible influence.
Those that receive the special call, they teach,
are no less sinful and ill-deserving than others
who only have a common call.  I once asked a
Calvinist minister if he believed that if God
had been pleased to give the same grace to
those who are now in hell, that he did give
unconditionally to those who are in heaven, that




BECOMING A METHODIST.          39
they would have been saved?  He replied, " I
have no doubt but they would." How then can
he be what Paul declares him to be, " a God
without partiality, " and " no respecter of persons?"  Are such "ways equal?"  Is it said,
he was under no obligation to any? That does
not help the matter in the least. If a man had
three sons, all equally unworthy, and equally
needy, and should bestow large favors upon two,
and none on the other, would he not be partial?
And how can God punish men eternally for not
obeying the gospel, when they never had the
power to obey it?  Is it said that their wicked
hearts are all that render it morally impossible
for them  to obey?  But did they not bring
those very wicked hearts into the world wvith
them? and have they ever had the power or
grace necessary to change them, on their own
principles?  If not, are they in fault?  Some,
pressed with these monstrous absurdities, have
taken the opposite extreme, and deny the doo.
trine of depravity, and assert that man has a
natural ability, independent of the Spirit or
grace of God, to change his heart, and live a
holy life. So one extreme begets its opposite,




40               REASONS FOR
Who can help admiring the simplicity and consistency of Methodism, especially when contrasted with these mysteries mystified?   We
confess it looks to us like a beautiful and harmonious system of gospel truth.
But it is said, Calvinist ministers preach free
salvation, free grace, and free will, as well as
Methodists! JThis reminds me of the remarks
of a worthy and influential Baptist minister,
who was unusually frank and outspoken in all
his sentiments, for which we respect and honor
him. " They say," said he, "6 that Elder B ~
preaches election  and predestination  in the
morning, and free will and free salvation in the
afternoon, and that one contradicts the other.
Well, I find (Calvinian) election and predestination in the Bible, and I preach it; I find
free will and free salvation in the Bible, and I
preach it; it is not my business to reconcile the
Scriptures, but to preach them!"  This was
a most commendable  acknowledgment, viz.,
that Calvinian election and free salvation are
irreconcilable.
Methodists believe it the privilege of every
Christian to enjoy the witness of the Spirit  to




BECOMING A METHODIST.           41
have. " the Spirit witnessing with their spirits
that they are born of God."  That they may
know their acceptance with God, having the
witness in their hearts crying Abba Father;
and be able to say with the Apostle John, " And
hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the
Spirit which he hath given us.' This is one of
the peculiarities of Methodism; and although it
is at the present day admitted, and sometimes
advocated, by others, yet it should be remembered that within fifty years, yea a much less
time, Methodists were regarded and represented
as a band of wild fanatics, who pretended to
know their acceptance with God; and were accused by all Calvinist churches of boasting of
their piety, being self-righteous because they
preached and professed to enjoy the witness of
the Spirit. These contended that no one could
know whether he was a Christian or not; he might
have a faint hope; but he must wait in uncertainty till after death, or until the Judgment;
and then, if he was one of the elect, well; if not,
his hopes would perish; that just in proportion
to a person's confidence that he had religion, was
the probability that he was deceived, and if he




42              REASONS'FO
knew he had it, he was certainly without it.
But we are thankful that a better sentiment is
prevailing at the present day, and we hope to
see the leaven work until the whole lump is
leavened.  Let it not, however, be forgotten
that the Methodists. were the first in modern
times to advocate the doctrine that we might
know our acceptance with God, and that they
did it at the sacrifice of their reputation among
other denominations. Who would wish to travel
all his days in a state of awful uncertainty, not
knowing whether he was going in the way to
Heaven  or direct to hell?  No wonder that
those who believed this considered religion a
gloomy subject, an awfuvl mystery; but " I show
unto you a more excellent way."
The doctrine of Christian perfection, or holiness of heart, is another distinguishing doctrine
of Methodism, and one that first drew my attention to it.  There is, to me, and to every
true Methodist, a peculiar excellence and importance in the doctrine of perfect love; and it is
a great privilege to sit under the preaching of
those who not only teach, but live in the enjoyment of this blessing; and especially to be a




44              REASONS FOR
and that they may pray with Paul, (not in unbe.
lief, but in faith, nothing wavering,) that " the
very God of peace (would) sanctify (them)
wholly, and preserve (them) blameless unto the
coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
Methodists believe it the privilege of all Christians to enjoy the blessing of holiness,or perfect
love, in this life, for the following reasons:
1st. God is infinitely benevolent, and wills or
desires for man the highest possible degree of
happiness.  But man can only enjoy such happiness when he is holy, or freed from his enemy,
sin, and restored to the image of God, which
consists " in righteousness and true holiness."
2d. Salvation has God for its author, Jesus
Christ its sacrifice for sin, the Holy Ghost its
sanctifier; and who dare say, that a salvation
provided by the combined efforts of the whole
Trinity will still be insufficient to save from all
sin?   that the infinitely wise and holy Redeemer has undertaken to save man, and has
failed to provide for him a complete or perfect
salvation from sin  3d. The word of God requires it.' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heartand thy neighhor as thyself."'




BECOMING A METHODIST.           43
fellow laborer with them in such a work; viz.,
"in spreading scriptural holiness over these
lands."  A  work delightful to perform, and
glorious to contemplate.
Methodists do not believe in anv absolute
perfection. They believe that men will of necessity be imperfect in many things.  They
must be imperfect in knowledge, and consequently liable to many mistakes, both in thought
and action.  But God judgeth the heart - the
motive-and that being pure, he accepts, and
imputes to us no sin, though our acts be imperfe;t, and even sinful in themselves, provided
we improve all the means we have to gain light
and a knowledge of our duty.  They believe
that men, while in the b'ody, -wiii be liable to sin,
and subject to temptation; for- they read that
" Christ was tempted, yet without sin."  But
they believe that it is the privilege of all to
secure the blessing promised by Christ to " the
pure in heart; " that they may with David pray
for a' clean heart and a right spirit," expecting to receive it; that they may be made perfect in love — loving God with all the heart, and
their neighbor as themnselves, as God requires,




BECOMING A METHODIST.           45
"Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy."
" Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in Heaven is perfect." The connection shows this to be a perfection in love, that is
required.  They do not believe that God requires more of man than his grace will enable
him to perform; for he says, " it is required
according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not." 4th. But as much
holiness is promised through Christ as is required by his word: 1' And the Lord thy God
shall circumcise thy heart, that thou mayest love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart."  "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. A new heart
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put
within you: and I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a
heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within
you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and
ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."
"And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."  Again, " If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us




46               REASONS FOR
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  And the apostle declares that it was for
this very purpose, viz., that he might sanctify
his people, that the Saviour gave himself a ransom  for our sins; " as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it, that he might
sanctify  and cleanse it with the washing of
water by the word.  That he might present it
to himself, a glorious church, not having spot
or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should
be holy and without blemish."   5th. For this the
Saviour, the apostles, and the prophets prayed.
The Saviour, in his last prayer on earth, prayed
for his disciples, saying, "' Sanctify them through
thy truth, thy word is truth." Paul prayed in
behalf of the Thessalonians:' May the very
God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray
God your whole spirit, and soul, and body be
preserved blameless, unto (not after) the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
The apostle here prays for the blessing of entire
sanctification in this life in the most positive
terms, and then adds, "Faithful is he that call$Isa. i. 18, 25; Jer. xxxiii. 8; Ps. lxxiii. 1; cxix. 136;
Titus ii. 14; 1 John iv. 16-18.




BECOMING A METHODIST.           47
eth you,who also will do it."  In his letter to
the Ephesians, he says: " For-this cause I bow
my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened
with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be
able to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and
to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness
of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in
us, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ
Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen."  In his epistle to the Hebrews he says:
"Now the God of peace, that brought again
from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of.the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every
good work to do his will, working in you that
which is well-pleasing in his sight, trough Jesus




48               REASONS FOR
Christ; to whom  be glory for ever and ever.
Amen."      Now  who will dare say, that the
Saviour, or that Paul did not pray in faith,
or that their prayers were never answered?
6th. The apostles and many of the early Christians enjoyed it. Paul says, " The law of the
spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death."'6 I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I,
but Christ liveth in me."  And again, "' Ye are
witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly
and unblamably we behaved ourselves among
you that believe." t A cloud of witnesses have
arisen up in the church who have borne witness
to the truth of this doctrine; both testifying with
their lips, to the glory of- God's grace, and
showing by their godly lives, that the blood of
Christ cleansed them from all sin. They have
lived rejoicing in a "free and full salvation,"
and when called to die, they have departed in
the triumphs of faith, leaving their dying testimony in favor of the truth and blessedness of
this doctrine of holiness.  "Every man that
4 Matt. vi, 10; Ps. li. 2, 7, 10.
t Job i 1; Luke i. 6; Phil. iii. 15; Ps. xxxvii. 37; Matt. v. 8




BECOMING A METHODIST.           49
hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as
he is pure." This is the doctrine of Methodism,
in distinction from  other denominations, who
make the seventh of Romans the standard of
Christian attainments. In this chapter Paul is
evidently describing the state of the convicted
Jew, seeking in vain for justification by the
deeds of the law, in distinction from the grace
of the gospel. No language can be found more
fitly and fully to describe the state of the
unregenerate, unbelieving heart, than that used
by the apostle in the fourteenth verse of this
chapter, viz.,' I am carnal, SOLD UNDER SIN."
There is not a passage in the Bible which represents the condition of the sinner as more
wretched and lost than this.  How unlike Paul
the Christian, in the following chapter:'4 There
is,'therefore, now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of
the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me
free from the law of sin and death."  He then
gives the reason: " For what the law could not
do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinul
4




5G              REASONS FOR
flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after
the Spirit."  But it is said by the opposers of
this doctrine, that no man lives a single moment
without being guilty of sin. i Now  what more,
we ask, can the veriest sinner do, than sin every
moment?  But it is said, "the Bible says,"
that " no man liveth and sinneth not!     The
Bible nowhere says this, but it does say that'" There is no man that sinneth not."  And the
Apostle John has repeated the same sentiment,
saying, " if we say we have no sin we deceive
ourselves;" and he has explained both in the
same chapter in which the last is found, saying,
" If we say we have not sinned, we make him a
liar, and the truth is not in us."  That is, if we
say we have no sins to be forgiven, no need of
pardon, we deceive ourselves, and make him  a
liar who has declared that " all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God."
Thus, while they are leaning upon this broken
reed as an excuse for living in sin, and mourning over their barrenness, the Methodist is exclaiming with glorious hope, "' If we confess our




BECOMING A METHODIST.           51
sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from  all unrighteousness;'or
with the same apostle, declaring in triumph, and
to the glory of God's grace, " The blood of
Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin."
Who can hesitate as to which of these doctrines
he shall embrace, when he considers, either the
authority on which they rest, or the nature of the
doctrines themselves? Which is best adapted to
the wants of men? which best accords with the
character of the divine Author of salvation, in
whom  dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily?  Would he undertake to save man, to
make provision for his salvation, and leave the
work imperfect, to be completed by death or
some other agency?  No! no! we have a perfect Saviour, a perfect atonement for sin, a perfect salvation provided for the souls of men, and
offered to us in the present tense, without money
and without price.
But while Methodists believe it to be the
privilege of all to enjoy that " holiness without
which no man shall see the Lord," they believe,
and constantly teach, that it is all of grace, free,
unmerited grace, through faith in Christ Jesus.




52              REASONS FOR
They believe also that it can only be retained
by a continual exercise of the same grace, the
grao3 of "faith that works by love." They continually proclaim to all, "Let him that standeth
take heed lest he fall!"  " For the just shall
live by faith," as well as be justified and sanctified by faith.
They believe, also, that it is possible for the
Christian to fall from  any degree of grace to
which he may attain in this world, and so fall
as to be finally lost, or "be a castaway."  In
this theiy differ from all Calvinists, who hold the
doctrine that " once in grace, always in grace,"
or that a person once converted is as sure of
heaven as the glorified saints on high.  But
Methodists believe that Christians may fall, because they are yet in a state of probation, which
could not be, if there was no possibility of their
being lost.
The Christian lives by faith, and faith is a
voluntary exercise of mind, -that is, the act of
believing.  The power to believe is the gift of
God, but the exercise of that power or gracious
ability is a voluntary act of ours; and as the
Christian may cease to believe, so he may cease




BECOMING A METIODIST.            53
to live spiritually, and dying in this state of
unbelief and disobedience, as he is certainly
liable to, he is as sure to be lost as any other
unbeliever.  But "no! " said a Baptist minister; " God will never suffer a backslider to die
in that state."  Now if this is true, all a backslider has to do in order to live for ever, is to
take care not to be redaimed.  An army of
such would conquer the world, for powder and
lead could not touch them.
But the Bible expressly says there is danger,
and in every part its warning voice is raised,
admonishing us to beware lest we fall.  The
Scriptures tell us of the angels " who kept not
their first estate," but fell from  their high and
holy position; of Adam and Eve, who fell in
Paradise; and the apostles point us to the case
of the rebellious Jews, who fell in the wilderness,
saying, " Moreover, brethren, I would not that
ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers
were under the cloud, and all passed through
the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the
cloud, and in the sea; and did all eat the same
spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual




54              REASONS FOR
rock that followed them: and that Rock was
Christ.  But with many of them  God was not
well pleased; for they were overthrown in the
wilderness.  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil
things, as they also lusted.  Now  all these
things happened unto them for ensamples (or
types:) and they are written, for our admonition,
upon whom  the ends of the world are come.
Wherefore let him  that thinketh he standeth
take heed lest he fall."  He that never stodd,
could never be in danger of falling. The Evangelists tell us of Judas, one of the twelve," who
by transgression fell from his apostleship, and
went and hanged himself." Ezekiel says, " When
a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in
them, for his iniquity that he hath done shall he
die. All his righteousness that he hath done
shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he
hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath
sinned, in them shall he die." And this is not,
as has been said, a righteousness by the law,
and not of Grace; for it is added, " Again,
when the wicked man turneth away from his




BECOMING A METHODIST. 
wickedness that he hath committed, and doetl
that which is lawful and right, he shall save his
soul alive."  Now the law never pardons, but
here is pardon promised, therefore it is of grace,
and not a righteousness by the law.  The Saviour says,~; If a man abide 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.'  Paul writing to Timothy
speaks of some who " concerning faith have
made shipwreck:" of others, as "having damnation, because they have cast off  their first
faith.  And to the Hebrews he says, " 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, (or falling away,as the original has it,) to
renew them again to repentance, seeing they
crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to
an open shame."  The persons here spoken of
are evidently those who have been converted,
and made partakers of the high privileges of the
gospel, and have apostatized from  Christianity,




56              REASONS FOR
of whom there is no hope, seeing they reject the
only Saviour.  Again, " If we sin wilfully after
that we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for
am," &c.  And again, " The just shall live by
faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him."   And the apostle
says of himself, "But I keep under my body,
and bring it into subjection; lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."  Peter also says,
^'-Brethren, give diligence to make your calling
and election sure, for if ye do these things (see
the context preceding) ye shall never fall."
Here are those called and elected, yet their
calling and election can only be made finally
sure, by their continuing in faithful obedience.
To say there is no real danger of a Christian's
falling, in view of these Scriptures, is to charge
God with endeavoring to frighten his children
when there is no danger or harm to be feared.
Who, in the face of these facts and Scriptures,
dare say that no person once a Christian will
ever be lost?  Is it not a pity, that when men'
are so prone to backsliding, that they should be




BECOMING A METIODIST.            57
encouraged in it, by being told there is no dan.
ger,   once in, always in."  And, as I heard a
Baptist milister say, in preaching on this subject, that " He believed that Christians in a
backslidden state often glorified God as much
as when heartily engaged in religion, for at such
times they showed their decision and principle."
And why not, if they are only carrying out God's
will or decree?  What is this but encouraging
men to backslide?  But, it is replied, no man
can know, for a certainty, whether he is " in,"
or a Christian, and therefore if he backslides it
is an evidence that he has been deceived.  But
this is a positive denial of the Scriptural doctrine of the "witness of the Spirit."  To such
miserable shifts does Calvinism  drive its advocates.  How unlike the simplicity of the gospel,
which is so plain " that he may run that readeth
it," " and the wayfaring men, though fools, shall
not err therein."
Nothing is more evident to us, than that the
direct tendency of the whole system of Calvinism, of which this is a part, is to confuse and
bewilder the mind of the serious inquirer after
truth; that it greatly weakens, and tends to




58              REASONS FOR
destroy all sense of personal responsibility in
the minds of both saint and sinner.  The sinner
very naturally reasons, " If I am to be saved,
or to have an effectual call, I shall be brought
in, as all who have it are; and if not, then it is
of no use to try; for none without it ever were
or ever will be saved; and as this grace is wholly
unconditional, or given to whom He will, I may
as well wait till it comes, if indeed it is to come
at all. The Christian stands on the same ground,
believing there is no. danger -"  once in, always
in." It greatly hinders the zeal and faithfulness of Christians; and tends directly to the
doctrine of fatality, and consequently to Univer.salism  and open infidelity.  This statement is'not only confirmed by the history of a multitude
of individuals, who have been driven by the
ultra opinions of Calvinism  into Unitarianism,
Universalism, and in many instances to open
infidelity; but the religious history of New
England is a demonstration of the truth of our
position.  For where have the ultra views of
Calvinism so generally prevailed, as in New
England?  And nowhere has Universalism and
its kindred errors made such progress as here.




BECOMING A METHODIST.           59
We have no doubt but they would have continued to have spread, until they would have covered the whole country occupied by the descend.
ants of the " pilgrim fathers," but for the timely
introduction of a purer doctrine-the leaven of
truth and consistency, which is not only found
among Methodists, but has been infused by them
more or less into all the different evangelical
churches of New England. It has accomplished
a moral revolution, no less real, because it has
not always been realized, and scarcely ever
acknowledged, by those who have been thus
signally benefited.  Who does not know that
the preaching of even Calvinist churches, how.
ever Calvinistic their creed, is entirely different
from what it was thirty or fifty years ago? We
write not these things in malice or unkindness;
far from it.  Great good has been accomplished
by Calvinist churches, and they are doing a
great work at the present day, in spreading the
gospel through the world   Among them are a
host of noble, talented men, who are laboring
sincerely, and in many cases successfully,for the
conversion of the world to Christ.  And we
cheerfully bid them a hearty God speed, one




60              REASONS FOR
and all; we have none of that spirit that would
forbid any man or class of men from casting out
devils, because he followeth not us.  But as
Methodists we believe that the good they accomplish is the fruit of the great and funda.
mental truths of the gospel which they hold,
and advocate with a most commendable zeal;
and rather in spite of their Calvinism than by
means of it.  And the fact, that in all cases of
revival among them (so far as our knowledge
extends) the peculiar doctrines of Calvinism are
entirely laid aside for the time being, and a
purer and simpler doctrine is preached, not unlike that taught by Methodists, is a strong evidence of the correctness of the opinion.
It may be proper to introduce here a brief
statement of the doctrine of election, as held
by the Methodist Church.  It is often said that
Methodists do not believe in election; but it is
a mistake. They believe in what they consider
Bible election, but not in Calvinistic election.
They believe that God has foreordained and
decreed, not " whatsoever comes to pass," but
certain things, such as-that he would make
man a moral agent, and in all things treat him




BECOMING A METHODIST.            61
as such; that he would provide a full and free
salvation for all men, and offer it to all, without
partiality; that he that believed and obeyed the
gospel, should be saved, ahd he that believed
not should be damned.
There are three kinds of election spoken of
in the Bible, viz., persons elected or chosen
to perform  some particular work, or fill some
particular office, as Cyrus was God's elect or
God's chosen, to rebuild the temple; Paul was
elected to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. A
second kind of election spoken of, is the election of nations or classes of men to certain privileges, as the Jews, or the posterity of Jacob,
were elected in preference to the posterity of
Esau, to enjoy the peculiar privileges conferred
on that people, such as receiving the Law, preserving the knowledge of the true God, and his
word, and " of whom, as concerning the flesh,
Christ came, who is God over all."  This is a
collective election, and does not necessarily affect the final salvation of the soul; for we are
taught that many of these elect Jews perished
on account of their sins. (See 1 Cor., chap. x.)
Another instance of this kind of election is the




62              REASONS FOR
calling or election of the. Gentiles, in the time
of Christ and his apostles, to the enjoyment of
equal privileges with the Jews under the gospel.
Of this election the apostle treats in his lettei
to the Romans, and to the Ephesians, as one
may plainly see, by reading them with this fact
before the mind; and it will afford a ready and
satisfactory explanation to all those passages
which have been considered the stronghold of
Calvinism.  Paul in his letter to Rome is writing to Jews who were greatly displeased with
the idea that the Gentiles were to be put on an
equality with them  through the gospel, and
especially that they were to be " broken off,"
and the Gentiles grafted in.  Paul labors to
show them that they were broken off or rejected
because of their unbelief, and that the election
of the Gentiles was not only reasonable and
right, but that it was according to the foreordination and purpose of God, and  in perfect
keeping with God's dealings with the Jews, in
calling or electing them in preference to the
descendants of Esau.  He treats not of individuals, but of nations.  In the reference to
Jacob and Esau, you will see, by noticing the




BECOMING A METHODIST.           63
context and the passage in Malachi from which
the apostle quotes, that he is speaking of their
posterity.  He says, " It was said unto her, the
elder shall serve the younger." Now it is not
true that Esau ever did serve Jacob in person:
but the posterity of Esau did serve the. posterity
of Jacob.  In Malachi it is said,   And I hated
Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage
waste for the dragons of the wilderness." This
was not spoken or fulfilled concerning the heritage of Esau personally, but concerning his posterity, the Edomites.' Let it be remembered,
1. That there is not a word spoken here concerning the eternal state of either Jacob or
Esau. 2. That what is spoken concerns merely
their earthly possessions. And, 3. That it does
not concern the two brothers at all, but the posterity of each." (See Dr. A. Clarke's comments
on these passages and the subject generally.)
Another, and the only kind of personal election
to eternal life, found in the Bible, is the election
through grace of all that believe and obey the
gospel.  Or as Peter has it, " elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through
sanctification of the spirit, unto obedience, and




64              REASONS FOR
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."  Mr.
Wesley says, " Strictly speaking, there is no
foreknowledge, no more than afterknowledge,
with God; but all things are known to him as
present, from  eternity to eternity.  Election, in
the Scriptural sense, is God's doing any thing
that our merit or power has no part in.  The
true predestination or fore appointment of God,
is, 1. He that believeth shall be saved from the
guilt and power of sin.  2. He that endureth
to the end shall be saved eternally. 3. They
who receive the precious gift of faith thereby
become the sons of God; and being sons, they
shall receive the spirit of holiness, to walk as
Christ also walked.  Throughout every part of
this appointment of God, promise and duty go
hand in hand.  All is free gift; and yet, such
is the gift, that it depends in the final issue on
our future obedience to the heavenly call.  But
other predestination  than this, either to life or
death eternal, the Scripture knows not of: moreover, 1. It is a cruel respect of persons; an unjust regard of one, and an unjust disregard of
another: it is mere creature partiality, and not
infinite justice.  2. It is not plain Scripture




BECOMING A METHODIST.            65
doctrine, (if true,) but rather inconsistent with
the express written word that speaks of God's
universal offers of grace; his invitations, promises, threatenings, being all general.  3. We
are bid to choose life, and reprehended for not
doing it. 4. It is inconsistent with a state of
probation in those that must be saved, or must
be lost.  5. It is of fatal consequence."
5




66              REASONS rOi
CHAPTER  III.
THE SACRAMENTS.
WE shall next notice the sentiments of the
Methodist Church in reference to the Sacraments-Baptism, and the Lord's Supper.
On the subject of baptism, Methodists are
Pedo-Baptists. And although they do not make
these views of the proper subjects or mode of
baptism  a test of communion or church membership, yet as a church they believe that baptism is both a sign and seal; an external and
visible sign of an internal and invisible work
of grace, accomplished in  the heart by the
Spirit purifying the soul. It is a sign of the
righteousness we have through the covenant of
grace.  It is also a sign and seal of that covenant between God and our souls; a solemn
and public acknowledgment on our part of this
covenant relation, and consequently of its obligations.  It is a public profession of our faith
n Christ the only Saviour




BECOMING A METHODIST.            67
That believers and their infant children are
the proper subjects of baptism, they think is
evident from the following considerations:
1. Baptism  was manifestly considered by
Christ and the apostles as succeeding the rite of
circumcision, as the Lord's Supper is admitted
to have succeeded that of the Passover. As the
former rite was to be administered to believers
and their children, so it would be expected that
the one succeeding it would be extended to
them,unless prohibited, and no such prohibition
is to be found. If the infant children of believers were then entitled to the covenant benefits
of circumcision, so they are now entitled to the
covenant benefits of baptism.  Here let it be
remembered, that the covenant of which circumcision was the seal is in all essential points the
same as that of which baptism is the seal. It is
not, therefore, as some say, a rite of the old
covenant, and consequently no longer in use;
it is the rite or seal of the Abrahamic covenant
of faith. Abraham received the sign of circumcision as 1" a seal of the righteousness he then
had, which was a righteousness of faith."'Abraham Lelieved God, and it was accounted to hin




68              REASONS FOR
for righteousness."   The church is therefore
essentially the same now as then; only its principles have been more fully developed, perfected,
and brought to light through the gospel, and in
all things adapted to the present stage of the
church under the fulness of the gospel dispensation.  Consequently either one of the prominent rites of the church has been entirely lost,
or the more reasonable conclusion follows, viz.,
that baptism takes the place of circumcision.
Therefore, as the original rite was extended to
to.the child, so (unless prohibited, which is
not even pretended) should the substitute be.
These words of Paul in his letter to the Colossians settle the relation between baptism  and
circumcision: "In whom  also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh,
by the circumcision of Christ; buried with him
in baptism."   Does any one teach you to be
circumcised? This is our circumcision, even baptism. This was the sentiment of the primitive
church.  Justin Martyr, who lived forty years
after the apostles, says: "'We, who by him
(Christ) have had access to God, have not




BECOMING A METHODIST.            69
received this carnal circumcision, but spiritual,
and we have received it by baptism."  Again
he says, " We are circumcised by baptism, with
Christ's circumcision."
2. Children are declared by Christ to be
members of his kingdom.  "Suffer the little
children to come unto me and forbid them not,
for of such is the kingdom of heaven." If they
are included in the covenant of grace, as nearly
all at the present day profess to believe, why
deny them  the rite and seal of that covenant?
3. The Saviour commanded his disciples to
" go and teach (make proselytes of) all nations,
baptizing them," &c. Now these disciples were
familiar with the manner of making proselytes
to the Jewish religion, and they would naturally
understand that they were to go forth and make
proselytes to Christ's religion in the same way,
as they were directed to use the same ceremony,
unless told to the contrary, of which there is no
intimation; and the Jews' custom was to receive
parents and their children by baptism as proselytes.  They would naturally, therefore, pursue
the same course with those who became proselytes to the Christian religion.




70              REASONS FOR
4. It is said in the Scriptures that the apostles
baptized the households of them that believed.
The cases of Lydia and the jailer are instances.
These facts are recorded in a way which would
naturally lead the reader to believe that children
were baptized.  This, though not absolutely
certain, is yet highly probable, as families are
generally made up in part of children. Peter's
language on the day of Pentecost has the same
tendency. Addressing himself to the Jews,who
had always considered their children as included
in the covenant privileges, he says, "For the
promise is to you, and your children," &c.
Who can believe that the Jews would have given
up, without the least controversy or objection, a
privilege and ordinance for which they had ever
had the most sacred and affectionate regard?
Yet no controversy existed between the believing Jews and the primitive church on this subject.  I see a company of Jewish parents, who
have embraced Christianity, and in accordance
with their custom and.duty in all past ages of
the church, they come to present their children
before God, but the disciples, for some cause,
object.  They appeal to the Master.  Now an




BECOMING A METHODIST.           71
important question is to be settled, one of infinite interest to every Jew, viz., whether their
children are to be recognized, in the initiatory
ordinance of the Christian church, or not? The
Saviour replies, " Suffer little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the
kingdom of Heaven."  The question is settled,
and the Jew  is satisfied; their children are
recognized.   No controversy existed on the
subject for eleven hundred years.
5. That the whole primitive church practiced
infant baptism, is evident from the following
quotations from the early fathers.  Justin Martyr, who lived forty years after the apostles,
speaking of members of the church, says, "a
part of these were sixty or seventy years of
age, who were made disciples of Christ from
their infancy."  Consequently they must have
been so made (that is baptized) in the time of
the apostles. Thus the practice of infant baptism  in the age of the apostles, is proved by
one of the earliest and most credible Christian
writers.  Ireneus, who was a disciple of Poly.
carp, who was himself a disciple of St. John,
says, "Christ came to save all persons who by




72             REASONS FOR
him are baptized under God; infants and little
ones, children, youth and elder persons."  Origen, who was born in the second century, says,
" The church hath received the tradition from the
apostles, that baptism ought to be administered
to infants." Tertullian also bears his testimony
to the practice of infant baptism. Cyprian, who
was also born in the second century, says that
" sixty-six bishops being convened at Carthage,
having the question referred to them, whether
infants might be baptized  before they were
eight days old, decided unanimously  that no
infant isto be prohibited the benefit of baptism."
Gregory Nazianzen, of the fourth century, says,
" The whole church practices infant baptism; it
was not instituted by councils, but was always
in use." Pellagias declared that he had " never
heard even an impious heretic  who asserted
that infants are not to be baptized." Ambrose
and Augustine, the great luminaries of the age,
bear their positive testimony to the practice of
infant baptism from the first. Augustine says,
" It came not by any council, or by any authority later or less than that of the apostles."
The antiquity of infant baptism, as proved by




BECOMING A METHODIST.            73
these quotations from the early fathers, furnishes
evidence of its divine authority that cannot be
successfully controverted.  If the infant children of believers were not baptized in the days
of the apostles, when did the practice commence?
If introduced after the apostolic age, it must
have been a great innovation. But no mention
is made by any writer of its introduction, nor
of any controversy, which must necessarly have
grown out of such an innovation; nor does it
appear that any one ever questioned its propriety or validity until the twelfth century, when
it was started by Peter Bruis, a Frenchman,
whose followers were called Peter Brusians.
And then in the fifteenth century, by the AnaBaptists, in Germany. Only about two hundred
years after Christ we see sixty-six pastors convened in a council, having the subject of infant
baptism distinctly before them, and not one even
intimates that he has a doubt of the validity of
the practice, but, on the contrary, they unanimously resolve that no infant, however young,
shall be prohibited from this rite. Certainly, if
the apostles and their converts were all Baptists,




74             REASONS FOR
as we are told, they had lost ground strangely
to have become extinct in so short a time; and
they must have been a different kind of Baptists
from those of the present day, to have given up
without controversy.  But we cannot believe
this to have been the case, but must believe with
Origen, that the church received this practice
from the apostles.
6. We close the argument by presenting the
statements of two individuals, whose testimony
ought to have an influence with every Christian.' Mr. Wolff, the celebrated converted Jew, and
missionary among that people, informs us, that
in his wanderings in the interior of Asia he
found, in a retired spot, a small village of Christians surrounded by Mohammedans. They have
remained there from time immemorial, undisturbed amid the changes which have been going
on around them in the distant parts of the earth.
Mr. Wolff, among other questions which he put
to them, asked them if they baptized their children; they answered, " Yes, always.' " How
do you do it?" "' We take them to the water,
hold them over it, and sprinkle water upon them
in the name of the Father and the Son and the




BECOMING A METHODIST.          75
Holy Ghost." And they aver this to have been
their practice from the time of John the Baptist.
The other witnhes's':is the Nestorian Bishop, Mari
Yohanan, who canLe to this country in company
with Mr. Perkins from  the interior of Asia.
The church over which he was set had preserved
their primitive simplicity, and the form of church
government which had universally prevailed in
the times immediately following the days of the
apostles; they had no connection with the Roman or Greek churches. In a' conversation with
some gentlemen in New York, Mar Yohanan
was asked, "- Do you baptize infants? "  "Yes,
always; every child is baptized."  l"How do
you baptize adults?  " We have none to baptize; every child as soon as possible is baptized."
No modern Baptist can say that with them this
practice is of Popish origin, inasmuch as they
have had no connection with that hierarchy.
When asked, "How do you regard the Roman
and Greek churches?" Mar Yohanan replied,
" We love them not; no good; we from the apostles; we pray not to the Virgin Mary; we have
no relics, no images, in our churches; one simple wooden cross, that's all." These recently




~76    ~   REASONS FOR
developed facts, are strong evidences of both the
antiquity and validity of infant baptism.
7. But we are asked, and it is a very common
objection, " What good will it do infants to baptize them?"  Abraham might have inquired of
Jehovah, by way of objection," What good will
it do to circumcise my children?" with equal if
not greater propriety.  What do you think
would have been the result?  But his faith was
so strong in the Lord that he did not stop to
question the utility of obedience for a moment.
We would suggest to such inquirers the propriety of imitating the faith of Abraham. But we
might ask in return, what good does it do any one
to be baptized? Does the mere act of applying
water to the person, though they be entirely
covered with it, do them any good? But it is
our duty! Very well, so we believe this to be.
Thus this objection is equally valid in one case
as in the other.  But you say you do not believe it is a duty to baptize infants; and so the
Friend Quaker says of all baptisms by water.
But it does the parents good. They feel that
" the vows of God are upon them.' They will
feel more sensibly their obligatior to train up




BECOMING A METHODIST.          77
their children for God, having consecrated them
to him in this public and solemn manner.  It
will do the child good, if the parents are faithful in admonishing and instructing him in regard to it. -It will hold a restraining influence
over him in after life; he will not forget it; it
will give interest and weight to the obligation
urged upon him  to early dedicate himself to
God.  Says Matthew Henry, the learned and
pious commentator upon the bible, "I cannot
but take occasion to express my gratitude to
God for my infant baptism; not only as it was
an early admission into the visible body of
Christ, but as it furnished my parents with a
good argument, and I trust through grace a
prevailing argument, for an early dedication of
myself to God. If God has wrought any good
work upon my soul, I desire with humble thankfulness to acknowledge the influence of my infant baptism upon it."
8. But it is said, " If we have our children
baptized, they may be dissatisfied with it when
they come to years of understanding."  This
would never be the case, we confidently believe,
if parents would do their duty. If they would




78              REASONS FOR
take half the pains to instruct their children in
the nature and validity of their baptism, that
Baptists do to make them  dissatisfied with it,
there would be few if any who would be in the
least dissatisfied with their baptism. The trouble
is, we leave the mind wholly uninformed on this
subject, and the Baptists are diligent in storing
it with their objections and peculiar sentiments.
Let us but do our duty, and God will take care
of the result. " But the Bible says,Believe and
be baptized."  So the Bible says, "he that believeth not, shall be damned."   Now if the
former excludes infants from baptism, the latter
excludes them from heaven.  But Baptists are
shocked at the thought of this, and some even
deny (what every one may know to be true )
that they ever believed in the damnation of a
portion of those dying in infancy. Though few
if any at the present day believe this, Methodism has made them ashamed of it, in teaching
a better way.
But it is objected finally," There is no positive precept or Bible for infant baptism." No
more is there for female communion, or the observance of the first day of the week for the




BECOMIN G A METHODIST.           79
Sabbath; and it is contended that the latter rests
on precisely the same kind of testimony as the
practice of infant baptism, viz., an original-institution; the practice of the apostles, as inferred from the Scriptures; and the sanction of the
whole primitive church.  Hence it appears that
the only consistent Baptists are those who reject
the first-day Sabbath, and keep the seventh,
called Seventh-day Baptists.
But, as we remarked at the commencement
of this subject, though as a body Methodists
believe in infant baptism, yet as they do not
purpose to exclude any true Christians from the
church, and considering the present excited state
of this controversy on the side of the opposers
of infant baptism, it is to be expected that many
will be undecided in regard to their duty, while
others will be strongly prejudiced against infant
baptism, they do not require their members to
practice infant baptism. They place the subject
in what they regard as the true light before
them, and leave them  to act according to their
convictions of duty, to answer their own consciences before God, as in other matters not
essential to salvation.




80              REASONS FOR
CHAPTER IV.
THE MODE OF BAPTISM.
As Methodists believe that baptism is an outward visible sign  of an inward and invisible
work of grace, as well as a covenant seal of our
consecration to God, so they believe that the
application of water (without regard to quantity) to a proper candidate, by a proper administrator, in the name of the Trinity, is valid
baptism.  They give, therefore, to every person
desiring the ordinance at their hands, the choice
as to the mode.  If immersion is desired, they
immerse; if sprinkling is preferred, or pouring,
they regard it equally valid and no less acceptable to God.
It is not, therefore, necessary for Methodists
or any Pedo-Baptist to disprove the practice or
validity of immersion, nor have they any desire
to do it, but simply to disprove exclusive immersion, or the sentiment of the Baptists that




BECOMING A METHODIST.           81
immersion is the only mode of baptism. The
labor therefore is all on their side, and it only
remains for us to refute their arguments.
They confidently assert that the literal and
only meaning of the word baptize, is to immerse;
and that the translators of the Scriptures are
verily guilty for not having so translated the
original "baptizo,"  to which, they say, they
only gave an English ending, to please the king,
or somebody else.  Hence their Baptist Bible
was prepared, a few years since, to finish what
the translators left imperfect; but it proved a
splendid failure.  What are the facts in reference to the translation of this word? Simply
these; the translators found in the Scriptures a
number of words in the original, each one of
which were used in a variety of different senses;
and also others, the meaning of which could
not be expressed by any one English word.
This every Greek scholar knows to be the case
in that language.  Among these words was
"baptizo, " which, though it might admit of
the term  immersion in English, in many instanees,:yet in others it was altogether improper,
and inconsistent both with the Scriptures and
6




82              REASONS FOR
matter of fact. Take the following as examples.
" I indeed (immerse) you with water, &c.,
but there cometh one, who shall (immerse)
you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."  What
an idea! Again, notice the Saviour's promise:
" For John indeed (immersed) with water, but
ye shall be (immersed) with the Holy Ghost
not many days hence."  Now, besides this being
monstrously absurd in itself, it does not agree
with the manner of the fulfilment of the promise,
for it is said, " And they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost," not immersed with it.  The
apostle, speaking of the children of Israel, says,
" they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud
and in the sea."  To say they were immersed
unto Moses would be to testify falsely, as the
Bible says they went through   dry shod."
But says the Baptist,' They were surrounded
with water, and were therefore immersed."
But he should remember that the Holy Ghost
saith that the " pillar of cloud " was behind
them  at this time, to screeh them  from  their
enemies; and as there was no water above, beneath, or before them, and the Scriptures assert
that they went through'A dry shod," they could




BECOMING A METHODIST.           83
not in any proper sense be said to be immersed.
It is very easy to prove that the Egyptians
were immersed, but not the children of Israel.
These were some of the many difficulties which
presented themselves to the minds of the translators, in regard to this and other words of the
same character. Hence they agreed to leave all
such words untranslated, merely giving them an
English form; and who does not see the wisdom
of such a course?  It is much easier to find
fault with a piece of work, than it is to improve
it.  So we conclude our Baptist brethren found
it, as they seem themselves little pleased with
their new Baptist Bible.  It may do to give
such to the poor heathen who have seen no other,
but it will never succeed among enlightened,:
Christian people.  That the word baptize means
to immerse, we admit, but that it never means
any thing else we deny.  We read in one of
the classical writers, of "baptizing the sea with
the blood of a mouse."  Now we do not think
that even the Baptists' faith would be strong
enough here, to enable him to believe that the
sea was immersed in the blood of the mouse.
The meaning is plain, the sea was sprinkled




84              REASONS FOR
with the blood, but the Greek writer uses the
term  baptizo.   Numerous are the instances
where the word is used by the best Greek
writers with the above meaning, and also to
pour, to wash, to purify, cleanse, &c.  Greek
lexicons give to this word the following meanings, " to dip, immerse, to wash, cleanse, purify,
sprinkle," &c. Bapto, from which it is derived,
has the following meanings: "to dip, plunge,
immerse, wash, to wet, moisten, sprinkle, to
steep, imbue, to dye, stain, color."
It is very common for words to so change
their signification, as to come to signify that for
which the thing originally signified was used.
Thus bapto originally signified to dip, but as
things were generally dyed by dipping, it came
in process of time to signify to dye, to stain, &c.
So with the word baptizo, its derivative; as
things were dipped, plunged, washed, &c., to
cleanse, or to purify, it was used in this sense as
we have seen.  The ground we advocate, is,
that baptize, when used in a ritual sense in the
New  Testament, signifies to purify or cleanse,
without any reference to the mode of purification, save it be by water, as an emblem.




BECOMING A METHODIST.           85
We believe this for the following reasons:
1. Nothing less than this would have been sufficiently definite and significant. The title or
command should give some definite idea as to
the nature or design of the rite enjoined. But
suppose the Saviour to have commanded his
disciples to go teach, and immerse, that is, place
the disciples under water, what signification
would the command have had?  What clue to
the thing signified would have been given by
this? Persons are put into the water for various
purposes.  But oppose we understand the Saviour as saying' Go teach (make disciples of)
all nations, purifying them," &c.  This would
make the design evident; baptizo, the title, would
then signify the grand object of the rite, the
intention of the ceremonial use of water, namely,
to represent the purification of the heart by the
Holy Ghost.
2. The Jews expected that the Messiah would
purify, when he came, for this had been foretold
of him; but nowhere was it said he should immerse.  Malachi said,   He shall purify the
sons of Levi," &c.  John reiterates it, saying,
"6 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and




86              REASONS FOR
with fire," using the term baptizo in tie sense
of to purify.  The inquiry of the Jews,'" Why
baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ?"
shows that they used it in this sense. It had
been foretold of the Messiah that he should
purify; they understood all this literally; and
when a great purifier appears, as John the Baptist, they at once go out to see him; and he says
"I am not the Christ."  They inquire at once,
" Why baptizest (purifiest) thou then, if thou
art not the Christ?"
3. The contrast made by John between his
baptism and that of Christ, sustains and illustrates this view of baptizo.  He says,   I indeed baptize you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire." Now
whatever baptize means in one sentence, it
means in the other.  Hence if we say it means
immerse, then we read, I indeed immerse you
with water, but he shall immerse or dip you
with the Holy Ghost and fire. How unmeaning!
How much more natural and intelligent to read,
I indeed purify or cleanse you with water,
but he shall purify you with the Holy Ghost
and fire.




BECOMTNG A METHODIST.            87
4. The analogy between water and spiritua
baptism  is another proof of this view.  We
have seen that John represents them as closely
connected. The Scriptures speak of the Spirit's
purifying us," " cleansing our hearts,  of
its being    o poured upon us," our hearts are
said to be   filled'    with it, "sprinkled from
an evil conscience,'&c., but never of immersing us in the Spirit, or dipping us in the Holy
chost and fire.  Yet this must be the reading
of many passages if baptize invariably means
mt immerse or dip.
5. The Scriptures also sustain this signification: Mark vii 4;' And when they came from
the market, except they baptizontai (in Englishg
wash or purify,) they eat not."  Luke xi. 38;
"4 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled
that he had not ebaptisthe (in English, washed
or been purified) before dinner."  Their manner of washing was for the servant to pour
water on their hands.  They also baptizontai,
purified or washed their tables, beds, or couches,
&c.  That they did not immerse themselves
before every meal is evident.  Still more so
that they did not immerse their tables, couches,




88             REASONS FOR
&c., but they purified them with water. The
Saviour's reply to the Pharisee shows that he
understood the term  in the sense of purify.
The Pharisee marvelled that he had not ebap
tisthe before dinner.  The  Saviour replied,
" Now do ye Pharisees katharizete, make clean,
or purify the outside," &c., interpreting baptizo with katharizo, which invariably means to
purify.  John iii. 25, 26; " Then there arose
a question between some of John's disciples
and the  Jews about (katharismon,) purifying.  And they came to John and said, Rabbi,
he that was with us beyond Jordan, to whom
thou bearest witness, the same baptizeth, and all
men come to him."  Here is the clearest possible evidence that baptizo is used in the New
Testament, in the sense of katharizo, to purify.
A question arose about purifying, and to settle
it, they come to John and present the question,
but use the term baptize, or baptizeth.  This
shows that they used the two words, baptize and
katharizo in the same sense, that is, to purify.
With this signification the command to baptize, in
all its varied connections, will be found plain and
intelligible, while with the sense of immerse, it




BECOMING' A METHODIST.          89
is not only unmeaning but often contradictorye
But it is said the apostles immersed, and their
example is sufficient. This may have been the
case, but there is no positive proof of it. There
is not an instance mentioned in the Bible but
which admits of a reasonable explanation without involving the practice of immersion. Philip
and the Eunuch went down into the water, but
that does not prove that Philip immersed him.
Besides, there are many difficulties in the way of
such interpretation; such as changing raiment
under those circumstances, by a man on a journey, and receiving the ordinance by the side of
the highway; besides, no intimation is given of
such preparation.  The scarcity of water in
that country sufficient to immerse, presents
another obstacle.  The Saviour went into the
mountain, but we do not suppose he went under
the mountain.  It is a well known fact that the
prepositions into and out of may, and often do
signify merely to and from, and might have
been so translated with perfect propriety.  But
if it be admitted that the apostles did baptize
by immersion, in this and many other instances
where it is contended for, yet it proves nothing




90              REASONS FOR
for exclusive immersion. There are many other
instances recorded where it is at least as evident
that they were not immersed: the day of Pentecost,when three thousand were baptized; the
jailer and his house, baptized by a prisoner at
the dead of night; and even the case of John,
of whom it is said, " And there went out to him
all Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region
round about Jordan, and were baptized of him."
Can any one suppose that he immersed this multitude during his short ministry? Some writers
suppose as many as two million were baptized by
him; and some Baptist writers have supposed
that as many as five hundred thousand were
immersed.  Now  his ministry continued one
year and a half. Allowing one minute for each
person, to baptize that number he must have
stood in the water sixteen hours per day for the
entire time of his ministry!  But it is said,'John did no miracle."   Certainly then he
could not have done this, or baptized this number by immersion.
The children of Israel though not baptized
by the apostles, yet Paul the apostle says they
were baptized; and yet, as we have seen, they




BECOMING A METHODIST.           91
could not as a  matter of fact have been
immersed, neither in the "sea" nor in the
"cloud."   Nothing, therefore, can be determined by the example of the apostles in this
matter.  But it is said the early Christian
church practiced immersion.  They also baptized the candidate in a state of nudity, but
they did not even pretend that immersion was
essential to the validity of the ordinance, but
merely as preferable to other modes which they
regarded as valid.
But there is no positive proof of the practice
of sprinkling in the Bible, says the Baptist.
Where is your thus saith the Lord?  Can you
put your finger on the passage that proves it?
they confidently exclaim. To all this we reply,
where is your thus saith the Lord for immersion? Can you put your finger on the passage
that proves it? No! For it is not in the Bible,
not even the word immerse. But baptizo means
to immerse and nothing else. That is not only
denied, but we have already proved it false by
the Bible itself.  Well, says the Baptist, it is
plain enough! But that is only your inference,
not a positive precept.  Others think it is plain




92              REASONS FOR
enough that sprinkling is baptism, and that it
was practiced in the apostles' times.
There is another argument much used by
Baptists, and one by means of which they have
induced more young converts to be immersed
than by all others, viz.,  Christ was immersed,
and we ought to follow his example, for he was
baptized as an example for us."  Now the first
premise is assumed. That Christ was immersed
cannot be proved.  He came up out of the
water, but that does not prove his immersion;
besides,as we have noticed, the preposition which
is translated' out of" Jas a variety of meanings, and might be rendered from with equal
propriety.  So if the translators (with whom
the Baptists find so much fault for not doing
their work better) had translated it thus, He
went up straightway from the water, then there
would have been no appearance of immersion.
But there is not the least evidence that he was
baptized as an example for us.  And the fact
that he could not be. baptized in the name of
the Trinity, which is essential to Christian baptism, that he could not. be baptized upcn a profession of his faith in himself, nor for washing




BECOMING A MET.iODIST.          93
away his-sins, emblematically, nor unto repentance to prepare the way for his own coming,
according to the practice and design of John's
baptism, is conclusive evidence that his baptism
was essentially different from all other Christian
baptisms, and could not have been intended as
an example for us. But if the mode of his baptism be an example for us to follow, then the
time of his baptism is also an example for us.
But he was not baptized till about thirty years
of age; therefore, if we must follow his example,
we must wait till we arrive at the same age or
have been pious as long.  But who believes
that? Methinks I hear the Baptist say, " Why
tarriest thou? arise and be baptized."
Again, if he was baptized as an example for
us, why did he not partake of the sacrament of
the supper for the same end?  But this he did
not do. Nor is there the least possible evidence
that he is our example in baptism.  He was
baptized "' to fulfil all righteousness." The Law
required that every priest should be washed or
baptized with water, and in obedience to that
law, he being about to fulfil the great work of
the priest in making atonement for the sins of




94              REASONS FOR
the people, submitted to that ordinance of the
law.  But it is said, " He was not in the regular line of the priesthood."  But this no more
released or excluded him from  the ceremonies
of that office, than it excluded him from the
office, or prevented his making atonement for
sin as our high priest.
Another favorite argument with the Baptists
is this: "Baptism is designed to represent the
death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; and
this can only be done by our being buried in,
and raised up out of the water."   But the
Scriptures nowhere represent this to be the
design of baptism.  And how, we ask, does
immersion represent the death of Christ?  He
died on the cross, suspended between the heavens and the earth, and who ever heard of a
person being immersed in that manner?  This
would be quite as bad as sprinkling, which
causes such horror to the Baptists. The candidate's being raised out of the water represents
his coming forth from the tomb about as truly.
There are passages of Scripture on which this
opinion is founded which we will examine. Rom.
vi. 2, &c.  "How shall we that are dead to sin




BECOMING A METHODIST.          95
live any longer therein: know ye not that so
many of us as were (are) baptized into Jesus
Christ (into or to faith in Christ) were 6aptized
into (or to a faith in) his death? therefore we
are buried with him by baptism into his death,
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so also we
should walk in newness of life."  Now here is
no reference to the mode of baptism at all, but
the idea is simply this: As Christ died for
sin, (and buried simply denotes death,) so we
should reckon ourselves dead with him, unto
sin, and baptism is a sign of that death or separation from sin.  Now unless Christ had been
put to death by being buried alive, there can be
traced no resemblance between immersion and
his death.  Much is said of "Christ's liquid
grave," but we have never' seen it, or found it
in the Bible.  Men ought to blush, and would,
but for the hardening influences of bigotry and
fanaticism, to be heard exhorting converts' to
follow  "their.Saviour down into his liquid
grave."  But the apostle uses two other metaphors here to express the connection of a re
deemed sinner with the Saviour; "for if we




96              REASONS FOR
have been planted together in the likeness of
his death, (if we are dead to sin, as he was for
sin,) we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection;" that is, we shall be raised from a
death of sin to a life of holiness.
Again: " Knowing this, that our old man
(carnal nature) is crucified with him,- that
henceforth we should not serve sin."  The passage in Col. ii. 12, is of similar import, and
admits of the same explanation.
The practice of immersion in cold climates,
and especially at the cold season of the year, is
altogether inconsistent with the mild and merciful economy of the gospel.  Go to Greenland,
and in the midst of the almost everlasting ice,
with the streams frozen to the bottom, and their
huts encased in ice formed from the breath of
the inmates, and there proclaim to the people,
"Believe and be immersed," and you would
truly bind a " yoke upon them which neither we
nor our fathers were able to bear," a duty which
they could not possibly perform.' Only have
faith and there is no danger," says the Baptist.
We answer that it is not faith that is wanting,
but caloric, or heat.




BECOMING A METHODIST.            97
It is not only inconsistent with the economy
of grace, but it renders obedience in many instances actually impossible. It is frequently the
case that persons who have neglected religion in
health, or having sought the Lord  have for
some reason neglected baptism, when they are
brought to the gate of death  wish to confess the Saviour and receive the sacrament before they die.  But they cannot be immersed;
sickness renders it absolutely impossible; must
they be denied this privilege? To tell them that
baptism is not their duty, would be to contradict
the Bible. We could no more refuse the sacrament to such, and let them die in grief, than we
could break the Sabbath, or profane God's holy
name. If the Baptists can, they are welcome to
their consciences and their faith.  But these
difficulties are often too much even for them.
A little boy of a neighboring State, the son of
a Baptist mother, became a happy Christian.
He bore the pains of a lingering sickness with
the utmost patience, rejoicing in the hope of a
glorious immortality. A little before his death
lie desired to be baptized and receive the sacrament.  Said the mother, You are so sick you
7




98              REASONS FOR
cannot be taken up to be baptized. I know it,
mother, said he, but I can be baptized in my
cradle.  Could the mother refuse? The AMethodist minister was sent for, but being unordained,
he called to his aid an Episcopalian, and repaired to the place, and little Robert was baptized.?:Arrangements were now made for the
communion. The agitation of the anxious mother,
and her Baptist friends may easily be imagined.
What could they do?  Thank God, prejudice
and sectarian proscription gave way, and they
all knelt around the cradle, Episcopalians, Methodists, and Baptists, and with the dying saint
solemnized the holy sacrament. Was this wrong?
Let those believe it who can! We cannot.
It was in view  of the foregoing reasons,
scriptures, and facts, that my mind, after a long
and hard struggle between these and previous
opinions, yielded to the force of conviction, and
I wholly renounced the doctrine of exclusive
immerson.




BECOMING A METHODS1T.          99
CHAPTER V.
OPEN COMMUNION.
METHODISTS regard the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper as an ordinance appointed by the
Lord, to be repeated in the church till his
coming again at the last day.  "Do this in
remembrance of me," "till I come."  It is a
commemoration of the sufferings and death of
Christ; but it is more than a mere commemoration, for God has taught us to expect his special
presence and blessing in the observance of this
institution, and that faith is necessary in order
to a proper observance of the same, for we must
" discern the Lord's body," which we can do
only through faith.  Every person coming to
the table of the Lord should expect to meet the
Saviour and receive spiritual profit; to go away
a better Christian than when he came, more
heavenly minded, more like Christ. In order
to be prepared to approach the table of the
Lord, a person must be a practical believer in




100             REASONS FOR
the doctrine of the vicarious atonement by
Christ; in " Christ our sacrifice for sin," and
the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ
Jesus.  By receiving the sacrament he says to
the world that he believes these Gospel truths,
and rests his hope of heaven on this foundation,
and this alone.  Every person possessing this
qualification, and giving evidence of the same,
has a right to come to the Lord's table.  So
Methodists believe and so they practice.  It is
the Lord's table, let none of his children be forbidden to approach it.  They do not therefore
regard baptism as an indispensable prerequisite
to the communion-:C Though a desirable order,
yet it is not an indispensable one. In accordance with these principles, they invite to the table
of the Lord with them all persons in regular
standing in any of the evangelical churches.
But it is sometimes asked, why not invite all
Christians, and say nothing about church membership?  We answer: When a person is a
member of a Christian church he is supposed to
be a Christian; the church vouches for his
Christian character, by receiving and retaining
him within its pale; and on this their recom



BECOMIING A METHODIST.          101
mendation, or testimony, we welcome him to the
communion, though he be a stranger to us. But
to invite persons for whom no one is responsible,
and of whom we know nothing, save that he
says he is a Christian, would be to expose ourselves to imposition from those who claim to be
Christians, though they give no evidence of it
to others. There are not a few of this class at
the present day.  Hence the impropriety of a
more general invitation.  But those who are
personally  known  as  Christians  are  made
welcome.  There are persons who have experienced religion, but have not as yet been able to
satisfy their minds in regard to the subject of
baptism, (no strange occurrence in the midst of
the conflicting sentiments of Baptists and others,
and.having no divinely inspired men as in the
days of the apostles, to determine infallibly for
us,) and wishing to act understandingly in all
things, they have as yet deferred being baptized,
or uniting with the church.  Or they may have
delayed it from some peculiarity in their circumstances, or for want of a convenient opportunity
to be baptized, yet giving evidence to all that
they are true disciples of Christ; such persons




102             REASONS FOR
are welcome to the table of the Lord among
Methodists.  That this is the sentiment of the
Methodist church as a body, (though some individuals may hold differently,) is evident not only
from  her practice and the writings of some
of her most prominent men, but from the recent
unanimous decision of the Bishops or Superintendents, viz.: " That baptism is not a Scriptural, and therefore not an indispensable, prerequisite to the communion." This, coming from
the  highest authority  in  the  church, and
approved by all, or at least nearly all of the
ministry and membership, shows that it is the
doctrine of the church.
And in perfect accordance with this is the
language of the Discipline, as seen in its ritual.
" Ye that do truly and earnestly repent of your
sins, and are in love and charity with your
neighbors, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of God, and walking
henceforth in his holy ways, draw near with
faith, and take this holy sacrament to your
comfort; and make your humble confession to
Almighty God, meekly kneeling  upon your
knees."'




BECOMING A METBODIST.            103
It may be proper here to take a little notice
of a tract written by Rev. S. Remington, a Baptist minister, (formerly a Methodist clergyman,)
and circulated quite extensively by the Baptist
church, styled a " Defence of restricted communion," in which  there are several things
deserving of attention; not on account of the
ability or candor manifested by the writer, but
for the misrepresentations it contains, and the
fat thast fhey are endorsed and circulated by
the Baptist church,
The author first assumes what is wholly void
of truth, viz.: That Congregationalists, Methodists, and all others, agree perfectly with the
Baptists, that baptism  is an indispensable prerequisite to the communion; and then on this
false assumption as a foundation, he proceeds
to erect his building, the materials of which are
of the same character.  He says, " We agree
that it (baptism) is one of the essential requisites
of an'admission to the Lord's table, and that
none, however pious, oght to be permitted to
enjoy this holy ordinance previous to a compliance with this Christian rite."  This he thinks
so'"obvious" as to need no proof.  He even




104             REASONS FOR
intimates that it has never been " affirmed to the
contrary," which it seems that he must have
known to be untrue, especially as in the same
woik, page 27, he mentions, by way of reproach,
that a certain prominent Methodist minister had
approved the contrary.  And we have shown
that not only one prominent man, but the
church as a body, hold and practice the opposite.  But he has condescended to attempt to
furnish some proof of his position. His reference
to the practice of the apostles will be answered
in another place. He then quotes a number
of authors, but not a Methodist writer is found
in the whole list.  Suppose we should affirm
that all denominations agree that infants should
be baptized, and quote a long list'of Presbyterian
and Congregationalist writers in proof; then
assume the point as settled? What would the
Baptists say to such proof?  Yet we might do
it with equal propriety! Still this false assumption is reiterated so frequently, that one is
reminded of the saying that men generally in
defending a weak point, make up what is wanting
in argument by confident and unqualified assertions.  But we are told, on page 36, that " The




BECOMING A METHODIST.          105
Methodist E. Church, by a fair construction of
her discipline, is far from being open in her
communion."  Now there is not a word in the
Discipline to justify such a statement.  The
only argument which has the semblance oi
plausibility in it, is a quotation from a previous
edition of our Discipline which was as follows.
"c Let no person that is not a member of our
church be admitted to the communion without
examination, and some token given by an elder
or deacon.  No person shall be admitted to the
Lord's Supper among us, who is guilty of any
practice for which we would exclude a member
of our church."
Now this rule was adopted when some of the
other denominations, with which we were associated in many places, did not make practical
piety a condition of church membership; but
Methodists, believing  then as now  that no
impenitent or ungodly person should come to the
communion, it was necessary to adopt some rule
by which such  persons, though  they might
belong to the church, could be prevented from
coming to our communion.  But the circumnstances having so changed in this respect as to




106             REASONS FOR
render this rule no longer necessary, or of any
practical uses it remained on the statute book of
the church as a dead letter until the last Gen
eral Conference, when it was stricken out. Let
the reader of this work of our Baptist friend
keep this fact in mind. This quotation forms an
essential part of every succeeding argument
against Methodism, and yet in every instance is
this and every other quotation from the Discipline, most manifestly, and it would seem
wilfully perverted from the design and use of
the same -as when he quotes the rule in
reference to giving tickets for love-feasts, &c.,
an institution peculiar to Methodism, and applies
it to the communion, to which he knew it had
no reference whatever.  He next quotes from
the Discipline where it is stated that ministers
and. members who hold and disseminate doctrines
contrary to those of our church, endeavoring to
sow dissension in our societies, &c., shall be
treated as in cases of gross immorality, or be
expelled.   He  then attempts to prove that
because we expel those ministers and members
who, having in the most solemn manner professed their faith in the doctrines of the church,




BECOMING A METHODIST.           107
and promised to observe its usages, violate all
their obligations, and acting the part of traitors,
makes use of their hypocritical profession, or
connection with the church, in order to injure it,
that, therefore, we have no right to commune
with those ministers and  members of other
churches (differing in some points of doctrine
from us ) who have always acted in perfect consistency with their profession.  Wonderful logc
this!  Here we find the erased rule dragged in
to meet a case entirely remote from  that for
which it was designed.
Another instance of perversion is found on
page 41, where, to make out his point against
the Methodists, he professes to quote the rule
relating to members set aside for a breach of our
rules; but quotes the one referring to those
expelled fronr the church for immorality. Now
we cannot suppose him  so ignorant as not to
know that this was an utter perversion of the
Discipline, which contains two distinct rules for
the trial of these different classes of persons.
But he entirely disregards this distinction, and
applies what is said of persons expelled for.
immorality to those set aside for breach of rules.




108             REASONS FOR
On the next page we find him repeating this
manifest and strange perversion of the Discipline, and adding again the expunged rule,
and professing with the help of these, to prove
that because the Methodist Church requires her
members to attend class-meetings, she has no
right to commune with members of other denominations, who do not regularly attend class,
though no such institution exists among them!
Yes, he says: " Their rule says that they shall
not be admitted." Now we do not like to say
that he knew that was false; but we are constrained to exclaim, Poor human nature, how
strangely will preudice and bigotry blind thine
eyes! The man who resorts to such reasoning to sustain his position, must have a bad
cause to support, to say the least; but this
is the sum  of his arguments to prove that
Methodists do not hold to open: communion.
Yet he has the audacity to affirm, in opposition
to reason and facts, that " The Methodist Episcopal Church is close communion."  Ile is also
very liberal in dealing out his charges of inconsistency, " violation of conscience," &c.  Now
all this will pass for sense and logic with bigoted




BECOMING A METHODIST.           109
sectarians; but all other minds will form a very
different opinion. It is a strong argument in
favor of Methodism, that a man who seems
determined, even at the sacrifice of logic and
sense, to find something against it, can find
nothing more reasonable than these manifest
perversions and misrepresentations.  But the
writer informs his readers in his preface, with
an air of self-consequence, that he has been' stationed in eight different cities," and therefore must know all about Methodism; as though
his having been stationed in that number of
cities was an important fact to prove his knowledge of Methodism!  We know  that some
restless spirits do manage to go (or be sent)
from city to city, stopping only a year perhaps
in a place; but we are not aware that such
persons have any more correct knowledge of
Methodism than others; and such a reputation
is by no means enviable.  The ability and standing of Methodist ministers is not to be determined by the fact of their having been stationed
in one or a dozen cities, or over wealthy.churches.
They are stationed according to the wants of
the people, not according to their fulness.




110             REASONS FOR
As the question, Is baptism an indispensable
prerequisite to the communion? is an important
one; for the only hope of the Baptists is in
sustaining this point; therefore in order to lay
the subject fully before the reader, with the
arguments for and against, and at the same time
answering the Scripture argument of Mr. Remington, we here present an extract from  a
"Review of Rev. Jacob Knapp's sermon on
restricted and mixed communion, by Rev. J.
Porter."  The circumstances, it appears, were
these: Elder Knapp, a celebrated Baptist revivalist, visited Boston, and in perfect accordance
with the practice of his colleagues, Andrews
and others, represented himself, and was represented by his friends, as the decided antagonist
of narrow sectarianism, and immediately began
to denounce the " sectarian devil" as the powerful enemy (to the progress) of pure Christianity; and threatened to drive him from the
city.  By such  professions he  secured  the
co-operation of most of the Evangelical churches
to aid and sustain him and his meetings. The
result was, that a large number professed conversion.  But when about to leave, Mr. Knapp




BECOMING A METHODIST.          Il1
had the notice circulated, that he would preach
at such a time his farewell sermon to the young
converts.  The plot thus artfully laid, he, in
accordance with his exclusive sentiments, and
as Baptists are wont to do, improved, by preaching a sermon in favor of restricted, and against
open or mixed communion.
His Baptist friends regarding it as a triumph,
caught at once the zeal of their leader, and had
the sermon published, and distributed it gratuitously among the young converts.  This, others
thought, looked  a little  like  inviting "his
Majesty," the " Sectarian Devil,' back, but
perhaps it was merely uncovering his "foot,"
which had been concealed for a time as a matter
of policy.  Elder Knapp being one of their
strong men, and not a man who deals in weak
arguments, where better are to be obtained,
we may properly regard his arguments in favor
of baptism  as a necessary prerequisite to the
communion, the strongest, if not the only ones,
to be found. "Mr. K. takes the position' that
no person, however pious, has a right to participate at the Lord's Supper until baptized.'  In
proof of this he refers to the apostolic example




112             REASONS FOR
as indubitable evidence, and exhibits that exam.
ple in several Scriptures, of which the following
is a specimen:'Then Peter said unto them,
repent and be baptized, every one of you. Then
they that gladly received his word were baptized,
and the same day there were added unto them
about 3000 souls.'  Not to question here what
is intended to be proved by these Scriptures,
viz.: that the practice of the apostles was, first
to baptize their converts and then administer
the sacrament, I remark, to constitute their
examples into a valid and sufficient argument, it
must be shown,
"1. That it has the force of a divine precept.
2. That they regarded baptism an indispensable
prerequisite to  the communion, so that. the
communion could not be administered properly
without it. And 3. That circumstances in the
constitution of the church have not so altered,
that some persons may properly receive the
communion who have not been baptized. 
"The right or wrong of partaking of the communion before baptism, depends entirely on the
will of God.  Now  the question is, was the
example of the apostles in the premises designed




BECOMING A METHODIST.           113
as an expression of the will of God concerning
us?  Mr. K. assumes the affirmative; we deny
it, and call for proof. If God designed by these
historical references to teach us the duty of
receiving and administering baptism before we;
do the communion, he designed that we should
be baptized and join the church the same day
we believe, and do every thing else in the waythe apostles did.  For if apostolic history has.
the authority of law in one particular, where it
is not attended by express precept, it has the
same authority in every other particular. Hence
we are under the same obligation to have all
things common, to have the sacrament in the
night, and in an upper room, that we are to be
baptized before partaking of it. Admitting for
argument's sake, that the example attributed to
the apostles, has the authority of law, the next
point for Mr. K. to prove is, that they administered baptism  as a prerequisite to the communion, so that without receiving the first the
latter could not be properly administered. This
is the main point in the discussion -the hinge
upon which the whole turns.  But where is the
proof?  Not the least particle is offered, neither
8




114             REASONS FOR
can it be produced.  Hence, says (the Baptist)
Mr. (Robert) Hall,' We affirm that in no part
of the Scripture is it (baptism) inculcated as a
preparative to the Lord's Supper, and that this
view of it is a mere fiction of the imagination!'
But had he proved this point, he must have
shown one thing more before apostolic example
would have met the necessities of his case, viz.:
that the circumstances of the church have not
so altered that some may properly receive the
sacrament who have not been baptized.  This
he has not attempted.   The  apostles were
inspired. They knew the will of God and had
power to demonstrate their knowledge  and
authority by working miracles. To have refused
to be baptized as they required, was to disobey
God wilfully, and show a determination not to
be governed by divine commands.  That such
ought to be debarred from the communion there
is no doubt. For this, free communionists have
ample provision.  But what is the state of the
case now?  It is very different.  Ministers are
now, like other men, dependent on the Bible for
all their knowledge of divine things.  Hence
after doing their best to ascertain what the will




BECOMING A METHODIST.          115
of the Lord is, they differ as also do the people;
at best, they only believe, whereas the apostles
knew.
"One believes immersion is the only mode of
baptism, another believes in sprinkling.  Both
have read and studied the Bible, watched and
prayed, to know the truth, and are equally sincere and honest. Their earnest desire is to do the
whole will of God.  And God owns and blesses
one equally with the other.  Now admitting
that the apostles, having definite knowledge on
the subject, did refuse the communion to those
who would not be baptized, does it follow that
ministers, or people, at the present time, who at
least but believe, are authorized to refuse the
communion to those who are equally good with
themselves, but happen to differ from them on a
disputed point? (one, too, of which they have
no positive knowledge.)  No reasonable man,
who is not blinded either by bigotry or prejudice,
can believe it.  Thus Mr. K.'s argument from
apostolic example falls to the ground, and it
being the only one deduced worthy of consideration, his main proposition falls with it.
"Apparently fearing for his cause, after all,




116             REASONS FOR
Mr. K. makes another attempt at its defence,
more singular than any which has gone before.
He says, that,'when Christ took the twelve
apostles into an upper room  and brake the
bread to them, there were many other true
Christians in Jerusalem, who were not invited
to participate with them, because not regularly
admitted into the church.'
"It may be thought rude, but it is important
for me to inquire of Mr. K. where he obtained
this information.  That it is revealed in our
common Bible, no one will pretend. Whether it
is in the new Baptist Bible, from which I understand the word baptize is expunged, and immerse
put in its place, or whether it is what is sometimes termed home-made scripture, I am utterly
at a loss to know. At all events it makes sad
work with the gospel. It is said in St. Matthew,
that all Jerusalem went out and' were baptized
of John in Jordan.'  Is it not strange that no
more of them happened to be in Jerusalem at
that time?  But I will not dwell here.  The
young convert ought not to be influenced by
assertions, unless accompanied with proof. The
declaration, that' God does require in his word




BECOMING A METHODIST.          1117
that all persons should be baptized before they
come to the communion table,' is equally unfounded.  Where, it may be asked, is the requisition recorded?  Or when -did the primitive
church comply with any such requisition?  We
have demanded the record, but it has not yet
appeared. The truth is, the idea that because
a man has neglected baptism we must not allow
him to remember his Saviour, is absurd. What
would be said should we teach that because a
man had neglected to watch, therefore he must
not pray?  While this theory commands conformity to what is thought to have been apostolic
example, it compels disobedience to the (known)
command of Christ,' Do this in remembrance
of me.'  Thus, while it accuses us of sin in the
one case, it demands'that we sin m the other
also."-Porter's Review of Elder Knapp.




118             REASONS FOR
CHAPTER VI.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL CULTURE
AND FOR USEFULNESS.
THE second fact that we were to consider is,
the opportunity afforded for spiritual profiting,
or growth in grace, by the church of my choice.
I find in the Methodist church all those means
of grace which are common to other branches
of Christ's church; and several others peculiar
to  Methodism, such as class-meetings, lovefeasts, &c.
Class-meetings are eminently calculated to revive and improve the spirituality, and strengthen
the faith of the Christian. They are also preeminently adapted to develope the different gifts
and talents in the church, and at the same time
strengthen the confidence and improve the ability
of all.  It is there the inexperienced learn
wisdom, and the experienced become wiser.
There the weak become strong, and. the strong
renew their strength. It is there the tempted




BECOMING A METHODIST.           119
find deliverance, and  the delivered  become
established.  There the indifferent are made to
feel their responsibility, and those feeling it are
moved to action.  The timid are encouraged,
and the self-confident humbled.  In short, every
advantage which can result from  a friendly
Christian intercourse among believers, in holy
conference and communion with each other and
with their common Lord, is secured in the classroom.  Who has not felt the importance of such
a privilege to obtain light and instruction, and
receive lessons for their own profit in listening
to the experience of others?  We were made to
bless each other in a thousand ways; and we
are influenced by the experience as well as
example of other Christians.
Class-meetings are a perfect copy of the
example of those who, in the days of Malachi,
the Prophet, " feared the Lord, and spake often
one to another, and the Lord hearkened and
heard it, and a book of remembrance was
written," &c.  s If you are sincere, the classmeeting will neither be dreaded nor disliked.
There is, perhaps, no religious ordinance more
delightful and salutary in its influence on the




120             REASONS FOR
minds of those who diligently seek God, and
who endeavor faithfully to serve him. As they
have no motive for concealing their actual state
and character, they can sustain the test to
which the class-meeting subjects them.  They
can, with frankness, humility and gratitude,
describe their religious experience; and in the
utterance of their own feelings, in listening to the
statements of their fellow-members, and in receiving the admonitions of their leader, they
find themselves stimulated, strengthened, and
encouraged; they are blessed with the manifestations of the divine presence and favor, and
return to their homes cleaving unto the Lord
with increased confidence, attachment, and devotedness.  Such  are the advantages which
class-meetings are the means of conferring on
those who resort to them in sincerity. But to
the unwatchful, cold-hearted, and worldly professor class-meetings are an unwelcome ordeal.
His false pretensions, his superficial experience,
shrink from the searching investigation."  And
while a few have shown a lamentable spirit of
bigotry and malice toward this institution, merely
because it was found among the Methodists, (,a




BECOMING A METHODIST.         121
in the case of the author of " The Great Iron
Wheel," of whom it was fitly said by one of his
own denominational brethren, that "his, faith
evidently worked by malice instead of love,")
a much larger portion of other denominations
generously and frankly admit the fitness and
wisdom of this means of grace.  An influential
member of the Congregational church, who was
strdngly attached to that people, and had been
as strongly opposed to the Methodists until an
acquaintance with them removed his prejudices,
said to me, "I admire your social meetings,
especially your class-meetings; by that means
you become acquainted with each other's spiritual
state, which not only prepares you to sympathize
with, and labor for, each other, but also cultivates
bretherly love, and affords an opportunity to
encourage and' exhort one another,' as the
Bible commands."  And said he, " I tell my
brethren that we greatly need some such social
means of grace, for we know nothing of the
spiritual state of the members of the church,
except that we see them at church and the communion; and how can we labor tcgether; it is
impossible."




122              REASONS FOR
Love-feasts are of less fre, uent occurrence,
generally connected with Quarterly Meetings,
and are composed of all the members in the
society or circuit, as far as it is convenient for
them to meet on the occasion. The nature of the
meeting is similar to class-meetings, though different in some respects.  Those present on these
occasions, partake of bread and water, in token
of their love and friendship, and then speak
freely of their present or past experience, as
they may be led by the Spirit's influence.  This
means of grace is much loved by all genuine
Methodists; and it is a service of peculiar
interest and profit to the young convert, and a
season of great refreshing to the whole church;' a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees well
refined," a blessed foretaste of Heaven above.
Many are the testimonials which have  been
received in favor of this institution from members
of other churches, who have been present at
these feasts of love.  Said a venerable man and
an influential deacon in a sister church, previous
to going to a love-feast, with his friends who
were Methodists, "' I think you would do well
to change the rame of your meeting; the design




BECOMING A METHODIST.          123
is undoubtedly a good Dne, but some object to
the name'Love-Feast, as not a Scriptural
one."  But after he had witnessed the exercise,
and partook of the spirit of love and holy joy
that prevailed, as he came out of the meeting
he said, "I will recall my suggestion to alter
the name of your meeting; I am  satisfied now
you could not get a more appropriate one; you
do well to call it a Love-Feast, for so it is in
reality."  Then there is something peculiar in
Methodist prayer-meetings.  Not only that they
are held more frequently than among most other
denominations, but there is a degree of spirit,
life, and ENERGY in them, found in no other.
This is attributable to two causes, viz.: their
faith or sentiment, and the advantages of class
meetings.  They believe that the Christian life
is one of constant, vigorous action.  So they
understand the Scriptures to teach. Paul cries
to the armies of God's Israel, " Fight the good
fight of faith," "run the race."  They listen
again, and they hear the Great Captain of our
salvation saying, " Strive to enter in at the
strait gate."'" Work while the day lasts."
"Be zealous."  And again James encourages




124              REASONS FOR
them  with the assurance that, "the effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much."  In view of these and a countless number of similar Scriptures, they believe it the duty
of every Christian to stand as a bold witness for
God and his cause, a valiant active soldier of
Christ.  They believe also that it is the Christ
ian's privilege to "' be joyful in the house of
prayer," as well as deeply earnest in their supplications in behalf of the world's conversion;
to enjoy such a measure of the divine presence
and power as to fill the soul with holy comfort,
perfect peace, and joy unspeakable.  C According to thy faith, so be it unto thee."  Hence
the great and lamented Dr. Chalmers, a Presbyterian, was led to  exclaim, "' Methodism  is
Christianity in earnest."
Then they have become accustomed to bearing
the cross in their class-meetings, where there
were none to criticise, but all to pray; hence the
ready and cheerful manner in which they bear
testimony for God, both in prayer and exhortation; and " God loveth the cheerful giver."
It is here you find that solemn earnestness combined with cheerful holy delight, which is found




BECOMING A METHODIST.           125
no where else.  In addition to these privileges,
the plain, practical, extemporaneous, and pointed
manner of preaching among Methodists is much
better calculated to reach the heart and improve
the spirituality, than the written essays which
too often take the -place of preaching.
The third and last question is,Where can I
do the most good? What church is best adapted
to fulfil the great commission, " Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creture," to convert the world?
That is the best system  of church polity,
which, while it conforms to the Bible in all
things therein  defined, affords  the  greatest
advantages for doing good, both to its own members and to the world at large. The great distinguishing feature of Methodist polity is her
system of an itinerant ministry, in connection
with extemporaneous preaching. To an itinerant
ministry many object, not because it is not
useful, but because it is unpleasant, requires
great sacrifice  and self-denial, &c.  But the
object of the ministry is to save men, not to
gratify their wishes or please their tastes,only
so far as they accord with the best interests




126             REASONS FOR
of Christ's cause.  Benevolence, not selfishness,
is the appropriate princip)e of action in the
ministry as well as in all: religion.  We are
bound to support that system  which is most
efficient in securing the objects of the ministry.
This is very generally overlooked, and the fact
that nearly every objection brought against the
itinerancy is based on the principle of selfishness,
is a strong argument in its favor: for instance,
as the oft repeated expression,' when we get
a good minister we want to keep him! "  Now
he is not your minister, but God's minister to
the world, and he belongs to the world; and if
you have been favored with an able and successful minister two years, why not be willing
others should have the same privilege?  But
"'we pay a large salary, and we must have a
talented (or smart) man."' How  perfectly
selfish!  " But it is so unpleasant to leave one's
friends, to move so often," &c.  Who, then,
would go to carry the gospel to the heathen?
When would the Saviour have left the Father's
throne to come to earth, if he had waited till it
was a pleasant task? Besides, it is much pleasanter to leave those we love, than to be driven




BECOMING A METHODIST.          127
away by those who hate us.  But it affords too
short a time to become acquainted with tle
people, - is another popular objection. A short
time only will be found necessary for a faithful
pastor to become sufficiently acquainted for all
practical purposes connected with his ministry,
and any farther acquaintance is not only unnecessary, but a decided disadvantage.  A too
familiar acquaintance with all the matters in the
community is a great embarrassment to the
preacher of the Gospel.  But it i s said, " the
pastoral relation should be permanent."  But
it should be remembered that Methodist churches
are never without a pastor, nor the minister
without a charge.  Whereas all other churches
are frequently left " destitute  for a long time,
and are always liable to be; the same is true of
their ministers.  While the Methodist itinerancy
secures to every church a pastor and to every
pastor a charge, so that the term "' destitute  is
not known among them, except in cases of death
or suspension from the ministry - and then they
are sure to be at once supplied.
But is an itinerating ministry Scriptural, and
is it the most efficient? These are the only




128              REASONS FOR
proper questions. That it is Scriptural is evident
from the following Scriptural facts. Christ was
himself an itinerant.  He'" went about doing
good," from  town to town, and from  city to
city;" preaching in the country waste, and in
the city full.  Matthew says, "He went about
all Galilee, teaching in their'synagogues, and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom."' He
went about all the cities and villages." Neither
the unbelief and persecutions of his enemies
could prevent his giving them the offer of life,
nor the affection or flattery of his friends detain
him, or prevent his leaving them  to go and
preach to others.  And when he called Peter
and Andrew his brother to the ministry, he
said, " Follow me, and I will make you fishers
of men."   And they did so; so of the other
disciples.  " They followed him."  When he
sent out the twelve to preach, he said to them,
" As ye go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven
is at hand." The history of the labors of the
apostles is a demonstration of their itinerating
character. The travels of St. Paul are proverbial. Three years is the longest time we have
any account of their ever stopping in one place.




BECOMING A METHODIST.          129
Nothing is more evident from the Scriptures
than that the apostles were itinerant ministers.
That it is more efficient than a settled ministry, is also evident from the following considerations:
Men are differently constituted; and they
probably differ more mentally and morally than
than they do physically.  Some have logical,
reasoning minds, and no preaching interests o:r
benefits them but the argumentative. Sermons
made up of sound, logical argument, are the
only sermons for them.  Let Paul reason of
righteousness, temperance, and a judgment to
come, and their minds are interested and their
hearts moved.  Others seem never to reason
logically or to take any interest in such preaching; they want plain, pointed, matter of fact
preaching, that comes warm from the heartland
with power. Let Peter utter his thunders and
they are pleased and profited.  While others
are charmed by the chaste and eloquent strains
of Apollos. *Others again have a mind very
susceptible of the plaintive and the sympathetic;
with them  it is all the same whether Paul
reasons, Peter thunders, or Apollos charms; but
9




130             REASONS FOR
let the son of consolation or the loving John
pour forth his pathetic strains, and. they cry,
" I yield, I yield; I can hold out no more."
While to others it would be like pouring water
on a rock; it might wear it, but never break it;
nothing but the fire and the hammer will do
that.  And the Lord chooses his ministers in
view of these facts. Hence we find not only in
the days of the apostles, but in every age, men
of all these different constitutional peculiarities
and tastes in the ministry; men with gifts and
grades of talent adapted to all the different
minds in the world.  We find more or less of
all these different classes in every'community,
consequently in every congregation the itinerancy is perfectly adapted to meet this state of
things.  This year they have a successor of
Paul with his logical sermons, and an important
class of minds are especially benefited, the unbelieving converted, and the saints built up.
He is removed and is followed by a plain,matter
of fact, hortatory preacher, who, Bbanerges-like,
utters his thunders in their ears, and another
class are reached, gathered into the church, and
built up in the faith.  He is followed by an




BECOMING A METHODIST.            131
eloquent Apollos, a loving John, or a weeping
Barnabas, and so all the different classes are
blessed with a minister whose gift is adapted to
their peculiar character. Whereas on the principle of a settled ministry only one class of
minds would be especially profited, and the
remainder, though they "liked what the minister said well enough," yet they would feel no
very great interest in it, and would not be
materially benefited.   To say that every minister should possess all these gifts, is to say that
they should be more perfect than the apostles.
That these are important truths, and not mere
speculations, is evident from the history of the
church in all ages.  Where will you look for as
frequent revivals of religion as are seen among
itinerant ministers?  The great proportion of
revivals among the settled ministry have been
through the labors of itinerating evangelists;
yet, including these, they have been very few
when compared with the number among the
regular Methodist itinerants, as the history of
the church plainly shows. Said a deacon of one
of the oldest as well as one of the most influential Congregational churches in his county, "I




132             REASONS FOR
have been a member of our church ever since
its organization. We have had so many ministers; some for one year, and others for a number
of years in succession, and in every instance of
a change of ministers we have been blessed with
some revival, but none of them have ever been
favored with but one season of revival while
with us;"    and, said he,' I have thought of
it much, why it was so." The mystery is easily
solved by the preceding statements. This accounts also for the frequent removals, where
men are settled for an indefinite number of years,
or hired from year to year; for recently they
move about as often on the whole as Methodists;
but while we move by system  they move by
constraint, or from necessity, (for it would be
uncharitable to suppose that it is to obtain larger
salaries.)  The fact is, that unless one class of
minds have the controlling influence, a portion
of the hearers to whom the preaching, though
ever so good, is not adapted, will, after two or
three years at most, become dissatisfied, and
want a change, and either the minister will ask
a dismission to prevent what is worse, and go
out to hunt up another field, leaving the church




BECOMING A METHODIST.            133
" destitute, or he will remain, and discord and
division will be the consequence.  Dislike it as
we may, it is impossible for one minisier to suit
every body; and yet all classes of men are
represented in almost every community.
The defence of the, gospel is an important
work, but one for which many good ministers
have little taste or capacity. Yet error is widespread over the earth, and God has called some
logical clear-sighted men, who, like Paul, are
able to analyze error, and undermine its foundations, exposing the sophistical reasoning of
its advocates. But how shall the comparatively
few  who are blessed with this gift perform this
work, unless they itinerate as did the great
Apostle? Some ministers have a peculiar ability
to explain the doctrines and institutions of the
church;- enforcing their obligations, while others
have not that gift. But every church needs to
have them explained and enforced.
2. The itinerancy has a powerful influence on
the ministry to preserve its purity and piety.
In view of the apparent ease, honor, and wealth
connected with a settled ministry with large
salaries, there is some inducement for men to




134              REASONS FOR
choose the office from worldly motives, and also
tendencies to backsliding, by fostering' pride or
love of the world in those who have entered the
ministry from better motives. But such are the
sacrifices of an itinerant minister, both of ease
and the prospect of worldly gain, that no man
would ever enter its ranks unless he felt as did
Paul, that " woe is me if I preach not the gospel;" unless it was through a mistaken idea, and
then he would very soon find it convenient to
leave for some other field.  The labor and sacrifice also, connected with it, tends to keep them
humble, and drive them to a throne of grace for
kelp.
3. It avoids the temptation to preach to
please the people, so necessarily connected with
preaching as candidates for a " call," (a most
unpleasant task certainly,) and it enables their
minister to speak the truth fearlessly, as he does
not see the rod of dismission held over his head,'to be let fall if his plain and pointed manner
should offend some sinner in or out of the
church.
4. It has the advantage of a natural love of
novelty.  Disguise it as we may, men do love




BECOMING A METHODIST.           135
new things.  It is true of all men; and many
will be attracted to the house of God by the
charm of a new minister, who would not go to
hear the old one, be he ever so able. And if
men are to be saved by the foolishness ot
preaching, they must be induced to hear it.
5. It supplies a large number of feeble societies with constant preaching, which could never
be supplied on the principle of a settled ministry.  A  preacher is sent them  this year, and
they pay him  what little they can, and he by
economy lives through the year, and perhaps
two, and then goes to an abler appointment and
another takes his place.  Thus thousands of
feeble societies are supplied until God adds to
their strength.  Or a number of these feeble
societies are joined together, forming a circuit,
including many destitute places where there are
no societies. This circuit is travelled by one or
more preachers, who visit the several places at
stated intervals, not only supplying the feeble
but also carrying the gospel where there are no
religious privileges. In this way Methodism has
supplied the frontier of the great West for fifty
years, by whih4 means a pure religion has been




136             REASONS FOR
able to keep pace with emigration in that important field. In this way nine tenths of the Methodist churches have been built up. The preacher
has gone uncalled, and called the people; some
have obeyed the call; a society has been formed,
and finally a church erected, and the gospel
with its institutions established.  It has been
fitly said, that "the usual stationary ministry
waits for the call of the people, while the Methodist ministry goes forth to call the people.
This is one of its strongest points of contrast.
Christianity is essentially missionary in its character; unlike Judaism, local and confined to one
nation, it is aggressive, and takes in the world.
To this character agrees the system of Methodist itinerancy. It is calculated to encompass
the world with one band -of itinerant missionaries; for every Methodist itinerant is a missionary, either home or foreign.  Indeed, the
Methodist Church is one great missionary society, sending out her missionaries to preach the
gospel to the poor and destitute at home, and
to the heathen abroad. It is her glory that by
her means, more than every other, "the poor
have the gospel preached to them."  The fact




BECOMING A METHODIST.           137
that she includes within her pale a larger portion
of the poor in this world's goods, both in Europe
and America, than any other church, has been
considered by some as a reproach; but such
should remember that our Saviour included the
fact that " the poor have the gospel preached
to them," among the proofs of his Messiahship.
Thus speaks Rev. Abel Stevens on this subject:
"' Much of what was our frontier, but since has
become the most important states of the Union,
would have passed through the forming period of
its character destitute, to a great extent, of the
influence of Christian institutions.   But the
Vethodist itinerancy has borne the cross, not
o ly in the midst, but in the van of the hosts of
emigration.   Methodist itinerants are found
with their horses and saddle-bags, threading the
trail of the savage, cheering and blessing with
their visits the loneliest cottage on the farthest
frontier. They have gone to aboriginal tribes,
and have gathered into the pale of the church
more of the children of the forest than any
other sect; they have scaled the Rocky Mountains, and are building up Christianity and civilization on the shores of the Columbia; they are




138             REASONS FOR
hastening down towards the capitol of Montczuma, (which they have now  reached,) while,
throughout the length and breadth of our older
states, they have been spreading a healthful influence which has affected all classes, so that
their cause includes not only a larger aggregate
population than any other sect, but, especially,
a larger proportion of those classes whose moral
elevation ls the most difficult and the most important."  Dr. Baird, (a Presbyterian) in his
late invaluable work on Religion in America,
speaking of difficult portions of our moral field,
exclaims, "Blessed be God, there is a way, as
I shall show hereafter, by which some of the
evils here spoken of may be mitigated, and thot
is by the system of itinerant preaching employed
so extensively and usefully by the Methodists."
And again he says: " It has been said vith
truth, that the Methodist church is in its very
structure emphatically missionary, and it is an
inexpressible blessing that it is so, as the United
States strikingly prove.  The whole country is
embraced in one General Conference; it is
again subdivided into annual conferences, each
including a large extent of territory, and divided




B]COMING A METHODIST.          139
into districts. Each district comprehends several
circuits, (and stations,) and within each circuit
there are from five or six to above'twenty
preaching places."  He then describes the manner in which the circuit preacher visits and
conducts regular service in each of these places,
either in " a church, school-room, or dwelling
house," on the Sabbath in the larger places,
and on a week day, or evening, in others.  Ie
adds, "Thus the gospel is carried into thousands
of remote spots, in which it never would be
preached upon the plan of having a permanent
clergy, planted  in  particular districts  and
parishes." It was a remark, I believe, of the
celebrated Dr. Witherspoon, that " he needed
no other evidence that the Rev. John Wesley
was a great man, than what the system of itinerating preaching presented to his mind, and of
which that wonderful man was the author."
The observation was a just one.  It is a system
of vast importance in every point of view, capable of being made to send its ramifications into
almost every corner of the country, and to carry
the glad tidings of salvation into the most remote
and secluded settlements, as well as to the more




140              REASONS FOR
accessible and populous towns and neighborhoods."
6. It avoids all those difficulties which naturally, if not necessarily, grow out of the practice
of settling ministers for an indefinite number of
years.  As a very natural result, one part of
the society will become dissatisfied, and call for
a change, and begin to agitate the matter; this
excites those of an opposite opinion, and they
become aroused, and division of the society in
feeling, and often in fact, takes place. If the
minister remains, his usefulness is at an end, and
if he goes, it will be almost certain that his successor will not please his particular friends; and
so the church is rent, and the cause of Christ
is wounded in the house of his friends.  But not
unfrequently the minister becomes one of the
party, and a prosecution perhaps is the result,
and in some instances as many as half a dozen
lawsuits have resulted from an effort to dismiss
a settled minister.  There is scarcely a society
of long standing among the settled order, but
has seen more or less of these troubles, and not
a few have been nearly or quite ruined by them.
The ecclesiastical history of New England is




BECOMING A METHODIST.          141
full of these minister and society controversies.
The practice of hiring by the year is but little
less liable to these difficulties.  It leaves the
minister in constant suspense as to the time of
his stay, being liable to dismissal at the end of
every year, with no place to which he can go
until he has time to find one, and in cases of
removal, which are frequent when left at the
option of the people, some months will ordinarily intervene before he will find another location, or the church he left another pastor.  He
and his family are all the time on expense, and
the church is destitute.  Nothing is more common in looking over the minutes of their associations, than to see a large number of churches
marked' destitute."  We do not wonder that
they are becoming weary of this kind of itinerancy, for it possesses all the disadvantages with
all insupportable addition, and scarcely any of
the advantages of our system.  I was interested
in reading the pastoral address of two Baptist
associations to their members, urging several
reasons against so frequent removals, most of
which were really valid objections, and applicable to their way of doing it, but had not the




142             REASONS FOR
least bearing upon our systematic itineraricy.
We will conclude this topic with a short extract
from a distinguished writer in the " Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge," and one of
the settled order.  He says: "Notwithstanding
the prejudices of mankind, and the indiscretions
of some individuals, an itinerant teacher is one
of the most honorable and useful characters to
be found upon earth; and there needs no other
proof than the experience of the church in all
ages, that where this work is done properly
and with  perseverance, it forms the grand
method of spreading wide, and rendering efficacious, religious knowledge; for great reformations and revivals of religion have uniformly
been thus affected; and it has been especially
sanctioned by the example of Christ and his
apostles, and recommended as the divine method
of spreading the gospel through the nations of
the earth."
Intimately connected with the Methodist itinerancy is the practice of extemporaneous preaching. While nearly all others at the present day
are in the habit of reading sermons, Methodist
ministers preach them.  In  this respect at




BECOMING A METHODIST.'         143
least, they are in the true 6 Apostolical succession," or in the practice of the course pursued
by the Saviour and his apostles, as well as the
whole primitive church, in which such an anomaly
as reading sermons was not known. But Methodists do not justify it on this ground merely,
but because it is the more effectual mode of
preaching; not but that men do good that read
their sermons, but who ever heard of a man
who was wholly confined to his notes, having a
powerful revival of religion under his preaching?
The fact that all denominations who make special
efforts for revivals lay aside their note books at
such times, and address themselves direct to the
people, shows that reading sermons, though it
may enable the minister to exhibit his talent as
a writer, and to please and astonish the hearer,
yet it does not " convert the sinner from the
error of his way."  Few souls, comparatively,
we apprehend, were ever brought to Christ by
hearing sermons read, though we do not doubt
but some have, as others have been by reading
good books at home.
Rev. J. Porter, in his recent and deservedly
popular work on revivals, says: " Preaching




144              REASONS FOR
should be extempore.  If the, business of the
ministry was only to announce the truth, the
case would be different. But an effect is to be
secured which requires the soul's deepest sympathy, and the fullest manifestation of it, in
treating with sinners; a sympathy arising from
Christian affection, and aroused by the present
discovery of the ruinous results of continued
impenitence, rather than by reading the conceptions of other days, and perhaps of other
minds.  It is not enough for the hearer to see
his minister weeping over the touching language
of a studied manuscript, written -he knows not
when!  He wishes to hear him speak in the
expressive language of his present emotions.
There is always a sort of distrust connected with
the sight of a manuscript, chilling to the sensibilities. Besides, it is impossible for a minister
to read with as much emphasis and power as
he may speak.  He needs to see his hearers,
and have them  see him.  The maker of the'human face divine,' gave a tongue to every
feature.  Reading deranges the whole, so that
no one speaks naturally.  There is power also
in gesture, but reading destroys it. In fact it




BECOMING A METHODIST.           145
mars the whole performance.  The heart is
cimparatively stupified, the hands tied, the feet
fettered, the body often transfixed, and every
expression of the countenance perverted. Extemporary preaching has equal advantage as a
mode of instruction.  By universal consent and
approval, professors and teachers generally extemporize. -Readers, if such an anomaly were
to appear would find no patronage.  Parents
wish their children to be taken  under close
and familiar tuition, and holden to the work till
they are compelled to understand. The children
of God, and sinners too, need a similar training.
But why do not the judge and the advocate read?
What would a client say, even a sermon-reading
minister, were his lawyer to read  a plea?
Would he be pleased with the idea?  Is it not
nearly certain that such a lawyer would get no
business?   Or why is it that sermon-reading
ministers often lay aside their notes in times of
revival?  The answer is one -  extemporary
speaking is the more effective.  So we believe,
and so we teach, and the history of preaching
sustains us in our position.
" But aside from all these considerations, ex10




146             REASONS FOR
temporary preaching  was the  model style
Jesus Christ we think was never suspected of
preaching a written sermon.  He spake from
other influences than that of a manuscript.
The message was in his heart and mind, and he
preached from the intensity of his love for a perishing world. And so did the apostles, who testified of his resurrection. Reading sermons is a
modern invention, owing its origin to political
jealousy.  With that jealousy it should have
passed away into everlasting disuse."




BECOMING A METHODIST.          147
CHAPTER VII.
FRUITS OF  METHODISM.
IN concluding  this subject we will notice
briefly some of the fruits of Methodism; for
our Saviour has told us that, " by their fruits
ye shall know them."  Let us apply this rule
to the history and present state of the Methodist
church in comparison with  other churches.
Methodism had its beginning as an organization
in England, and is known there by the name of
Wesleyan Methodism. It commenced but about
one hundred years ago; yet there are now
16,226 preachers, travelling and local; 459,454
members; equalling in numbers all the other
dissenting churches.  But their usefulness is
seen still more in their missionary operations.
They have 295 missionary stations, 417 mission.
aries, with 106,445 members. The amountraised
by them last year for missions was $508,800.
Then there are 100,000 of other Methodist




148             REASONS FOR
bodies not reckoned in  the above number.
Methodism is much younger in England than
most of the other dissenting churches, yet now
she outnumbers them all counted together, and
excels them all in the missionary work. May
we not learn something from these facts in reference to her advantages for doing good? Also
with reference to the estimation in which she is
held by the Great Head of the church?
But how is it in this country?  Methodism
has existed here as an organized body a little
more than sixty years; and including the different branches of the Methodist family, who
all hold the same  faith, they now  number
1,243,649 members. The northern portion of the
Methodist Episcopal church has seven colleges,
thirty-eight seminaries,and one Theological or
Biblical Institution.  The Baptist denomination is more than one hundred years older in
this country, and claims to be the only people
who obey God, in keeping the ordinances as he
requires, and in reality the only church in existence, -as baptism, they say, is the only door
into the church, and they are the only consistent baptized believers; yet, including all the




BECOMING A METHODIST.         149
different denominations of Baptists, a large
portion of whom  hold nothing in common, ex~cept immersion, they have 921,073 members,
about 300,000 less than the Methodists; while
in England they are less than half their number.
The Congregationalist church, whose history is
as old as the country, possessing every earthly
advantage, has a little short of 200,000 members, not quite one sixth as many as the Methodist. The Protestant Episcopal church, which
arrogates to itself the title of " the church," in
the most exclusive sense, has 72,099 members;
about one-seventeenth of the number of the
Methodist.   Surely, whom  doth  the Lord
delight to honor?  We have made these comparisons simply to show the great efficiency of
Methodism, and for no other purpose.  And
what do we see?  We see a denomination commencing long after the field was occupied by
others, and contending at every step with the
popular feeling in favor of previously existing
churches, and the strong prejudices of the
people against its doctrines and usages.  Most
of its members are poor in this world's goods,
its ministry is for the most part unlearned in the




150            REASONS FOR
wislom of the schools, yet in about fifty years
it outnumbers  all.  But, is it said great increase of numbers is no proof of great useful.
ness?  We admit that it is not where evidence
of pieuy is not made a test of membership; but
who will say that the members of the Methodist
church are not as. uniformly pious as any other
denomination?  No candid man will say this:
for it is not true.  Therefore, in this and all
similar cases, increase of numbers during a series
of years is a proper test of usefulness.  But
not where people are converted by force of
arms, or received into the church without being
made any better, as in the case of the Romanists.
" H-ad Methodists been rich in this world's
goods, their success might have been attributed
to this cause; but like the Saviour and his early
disciples, they have generally been poor. They
could not appeal to the pride and vanity of the
world by erecting splendid churches, and otherwise making a great display, if they were
disposed.  They have had to preach in private
dwellings, school-houses, barns, and in the open
air, till they could erect churches.  And many




BECOMING A METHODIST.          151
of these, for the want of means, have had to be
small, anl often out of place and uninviting.
And the world has looked on and mocked, and
professors of religion have not unfrequently
joined in the sport. This same cause has been
an occasion of reproach to preachers, who have
often had to live in a style directly calculated
to lessen the respect of community for them,
and also for their enterprise.  But God has
prospered their work, nevertheless, and their
word has been with power.' Yes, in spite of all these disadvantages - in
the face of popular scorn - of open and violent
persecution -of oppressive legislation, and of
aregular settled ministry, they have been'able
to outstrip all other sects, and to stand first in
numbers and in efficiency, in converting sinners
to God, which is the principal work of the
clhurch and ministry, and the proper test of
their usefulness."
The following tribute to the Methodist Episcopal church, from the pen of Dr. Baird, a
Presbyterian, was written before the separation
of the Southern Conferences.
Since its organization in 1784, though not




152             REASONS FOR
without its share of difficulties, its career, upon
the whole, has been remarkably prosperous, and
God has enabled it to overcome every hindrance
with wonderful success.  We have seen the
numerical amount of its members sixty years
ago, to be 15,000; in 1843, it was 1,068,525
communicants.  And the probable proportion
of the community under the influence of this
church's ministry, is 5,000,000.  Surely we
may well exclaim,  What hath God wrought!'
It covers the whole land with its net-work system
of stations and circuits, and carries the gospel
into thousands of the most remote as well as the
most secluded and thinly peopled neighborhoods.
This denomination has made great exertions to
increase the number of its church edifices within
the last few years.  But its itinerating ministers
preach in thousands of places where no such
buildings are yet erected, or at least none belonging to that denomination.  In these cases
they hold their meetings in school houses, court
houses, and private houses.  No  American
Christian who takes a comprehensive view of the
progress of religion in this country, and considers how wonderfully the means and instru



BECOMING A METHODIST.             153
mentalities employed are adapted to the wants
of that country, can hesitate for a moment to
bless God for having, in  his mercy, provided
them all. Nor will he fail to recognize in the
Methodist economy, as well as in the zeal, the
devoted piety, and the efficiency of its ministry,
one of the most powerful elements in the religious prosperity of the United States, as well
as one of the firmest pillars of their civil and
political institutions."
" But this is only a partial view of the success
of Methodism.  We must look to the records
of other churches if we will have any adequate
conception  of what it has done.  There are
thousands and tens of thousands among them
who were awakened and converted through the
instrumentality  of Methodists.  Many  things
have contributed to draw them away from their
spiritual relations, and they have settled down
in church fellowship with those who never' travailed in birth' for them.*
* For however much they may complain of "noisy Meth
odist meetings," or be shocked at their' excitement and want
of order," they are ever ready to receive the fruits of revivals
among Methodists, making no objection to the convert'
hope," though it was obtained at a camp-meeting.




154            REASONS FOR' But these churches have been more especially
benfited by Methodism in another way. It has'provoked' them  to love and good works.
Their ministers are better preachers, better
pastors, and better Christians - they have more
zeal and enterprize -preach less error and
more truth, and otherwise labor more appropriately than when Methodism was first introduced among them.  And their people have
improved in the same ratio.  Where the family
altar was entirely neglected, it now smokes with
acceptable incense. Where there were but two
meetings in a week, and those in the parish
church, there are now several, in various places,
to accommodate the people. Where there were
pride and worldly amusement, with little piety
and enterprise, there are now to be found Christian activity and devotion to God.  Such has
been the effect of Methodism upon them, that
churches which feared and trembled at the
approach of the itinerant, have become firmer,
more united and spiritual than they ever were
before, and have reason to bless God for the
Providence which brought so useful an agency
among them. Had we not succeeded in forming




BECOMING A METHODIST.           155
a single church, or in doing any other good, the
influence we have exerted on surrounding denominations is an abundant compensation for all
oux sacrifices."  Such are some of tlie fruits of
Methodism.
We have now given our principal reasons for
becoming a Methodist.  It was not, therefore,
because we consider the Methodist Episcopal
church the only true or Christian church. We
had become fully satisfied that there was no one
of the different churches which could with the
least propriety claim  to be "the church," in
that exclusive sense in which this phrase is
used by Episcopalians, and no less claimed by
the principles of the Baptist church in regard
to baptism  and the communion, for this would
imply an exclusive right to the Divine blessing.
Nothing is more manifest than that no one
church can, without making themselves ridiculous-in the eyes of all sober men, lay any claim
to such exclusive honor; much less those who
are far behind their neighbors in usefulness.
The most that can be said of any church in this
respect is, that its doctrines are freer from error,
that its economy is better adapted to strengthen




156              REASONS FOR
the Christian in the graces of the spirit, convert sinners from  the error of their ways, and
that greater success has attended its labors,
more sinners having been saved through its instrumentality.  This we think we have shown
to be true of Methodism. Let the reader judge.
I found much to admire and love in the Congregationalist church - the evangelical character
of her doctrines, the manifest piety of her
members, their zeal and liberality in supporting
the benevolent institutions of the church, as well
as the truly Catholic spirit which at the present
day quite generally prevails among both her
ministry and membership.  For these noble,
praiseworthy, and most important traits of char.
acter I respect and love her, and rejoice to be
found laboring in fellowship with such a people.
But not believing in the doctrines of Calvinism,
and finding them, on examination, interwoven
with every part of her system  of theology, I
could not believe it my duty to seek a home
within her pale, and thereby adopt her senti
ments, and place myself under an obligation t~
defend them, especially when the Methodist
church afforded me all these -advantages and




BECOMING A METHODIST.          157
even more, and was perfectly free from the
influence of Calvinism.
The Calvinist Baptist church I respect and
love for her evangelical character. I admire
her zeal in laboring to convert sinners at home,
and to carry the gospel to the heathen abroad.
But as she is equally Calvinistic with Congregationalists and presbyterians, I could not consists
ently embrace her doctrines -much less adopt
her exclusive and bigoted sentiments in regard
to baptism and the communion.  And there is a
strong resemblance between her sentiments on
this subject and the unfounded and ridiculous
pretensions of Episcopalians to "Apostolical
succession." This was strikingly illustrated by
the following circumstance.  Two young men,
class-mates in college, both entered the ministry.  One became an Episcopalian, the other
a Close-Communion Baptist. The Episcopalian,
on a visit to his old class-mate, spent the Sabbath with him, and preached for him  in the
morning; —during recess the Baptist brother
seemed quite troubled about something, and
just before the commencement of the service he
remarked, "Brother, we were highly pleased




158            REASONS FOR
with your sermon, but I am sorry it happens so,
we have our communion this afternoon, and I
really wish we could invite you to commune
with us, but you know we don't think you have
been baptized, and so I suppose we could not
do it."  " Very well," replied the Episcopalian,
"I could not receive the sacrament at your
hands, for I don't think you have been ordained."
This striking similarity between their views
and the intolerant claims of the Episcopal church,
has led the Baptists in England to give up their
close communion in very many places, and many
of her ablest men have renounced it altogether;
and although the Baptists here seem to cling the
closer to their intolerant principles, yet we believe
the time will come when such an anomaly as
close communion will not be known; when all
God's family will sit down at the same table,
when "Ephraim  shall not envy Judah, and
Judah shall not vex Ephraim."  But so long
as these intolerant claims are held by Episcopalians and Baptists, so long will that proselyting
and uncharitable spirit which is now so frequently witnessed, (and greatly to the disa(t



BECOMING A MIETHODIST.         159
vantage of pure religion,) be seen as the natural
and almost necessary fruits of these exclusive
principles.  But, says Mr. Remington, " The
practice of close communion does not lead to
bigotry; if it did, the Baptists would have been
persecutors." But he should remember that the
spirit of persecution is often seen in other forms
than in imprisonments, racks, and tortures, and
that it will be quite in time for Baptists to boast in
this matter when they have once had the whip
in their hands and refused to use it.  He would
do well also to remember the saying of their
great apostle, Robert Hall, viz.: That their
views of the communion were equally intolerant
with the bigoted principles of Romanism, that
the one was "s the intolerance of power, the
other of weakness."   That they do lead to
bigotry, he (Mr. Remington) has himself shown,
as any one may see by reading his two pamphlets, the first, "Reasons for Becoming a Bap
tist," written when he had just embraced these
sentiments; the other, " Defence of Restricted
Communion," when he had not only embraced
the theory, but the spirit also, the fruits of
which are seen in the gross perversions and




160             REASONS, ETC.
misrepresentations of the discipline of a church
to which he owed, under God, the salvation of
his soul.
In conclusion we remark, that although it was
at a sacrifice of worldly influence, or popularity, that we joined the Methodist church, yet
we bless the day when we entered its pale.
The longer we live in the church, and the more
we see of its true character and usefulness, the
more we admire, love, and venerate it.  May
God preserve her primitive simplicity of doctrine,
the wisdom of her economy, and the deep piety
and earnest burning zeal of her ministry and
membership.
THE END.