Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/419

* METHODISM. 383 METHODISM. other churplips. In the Methodist Episcopal Church the pastoral limit was placed at two years in 1804. at three in 1804. at five in 1888, and in IHOO the limit was removed entirely. Preachers arc now' reappointed from year to year hy the bishop. TiiKOLoiiY. Few Churches have had less doc- trinal disturbances than the Methotlist, and this because the main lines of belief have always been accepted with Tuiauimity, and because the stress of evan^jelism to which she has been called has not given opportunity for speculative dis- cussions. No one has expressed more briefly and admirably the doctrines received by all Metho- dists than I'.ishiip .Tiihn H. Vincent: "I. I be- lieve all men are sinners. II. I believe that God the Father loves all men and bates all sin. ITT. I believe that Jesus Christ died for all men to mal<e possible their salvation from sin, and to make sure the salvation of all who be- lieve in II im. IV. I believe the Holy .Spirit is given to all men to enlighten and to incline them to rei)ent of their sins and to believe on the Lord .Jesus Clirist. V. I believe that all wlio re- pent of their sins and believe on the Lord .Testis Christ receive the forgiveness of sin. This is JHstitication. VI. I believe that all who re- ceive the forgiveness of sin are at the same time made new creatures in Christ Jesus. This is regeneration. A'll. I believe that all who are made new creatures in Christ Jesus are adopted as the children of C4od. This is adop- tion. VllT. I believe that all wdio are accepted as the children of find may receive the inward assurance of the Holy Spirit to that fact. This is the witness of the Spirit. IX. I believe that all who trvily desire and seek it may love God with all their heart and soul, mind and strength, and their neighbors as themselves. This is entire sanctification. X. I believe that all who perse- vere to the end, and only those, shall be saved in heaven forever." As to the sacraments Jletlio- dism liolds that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death for the spiritual feeding on Him, that He is really present only in the hearts of those who receive Him. and that baptism is a sign of a regeneration already accomplished by faith, and as to adults should be given only to believers. As to infants, baptism is allowed, but not required, and when given is on the ground that the child is alrea<ly a member of the Kingdom of God. .As to atonement. .Mcthodist.s universally hold to the fact, but ari' not agreed as to theory. In Eng- land the penal substitutionan' theory has been held, at least until recently, and that was the common view in America until Professor Miley. of Drew Theological Seminary, published his book on the .tonement in 1879. advocating the govern- mental theory. But it has been the universal conviction of Methodists that a real atonement was ])aid to God for the sins of the world, though in moo Professor Bowne of Boston advocated the view that it was an act of love to influence men. .s to depravity. Methodists hold that it is total in the sense that no man is saved except through God's inciting and enabling grace, but not total in the sense of the Reformation creeds. In eschatology opinions differ. Unlike the older Methodists, many hold now to an intermediate state, and to processes of salvation there for those who never heard of Christ. Dr. Pope pre- sented this view in his Theology (1875-76), and his hook was placed on the course of study for preachers. The natviral immortality of the soul has always been maintained, the first dissentient being Professor Bi'et in his The Ln.it Things (1897; 3d ed., enl., 1899) and more explicitly in his hnmortalitij of the Houl: A I'rotcut (1901). Eternal punishment in some' sense is a cardinal tenet. Etuics. Wesley- always retained some of the ascetic fervor of his High Church days, and set forth in his "General Rules for the United So- cieties" (1743) a standard of conduct of a strict and self-denying type. These rules forbade soft- ness and needless self-indulgence, the using of many words in buying or selling, the use of in- toxicants as a beverage, and the reading of books or the taking of diversions that could not be indulged in in the name of Jesus. The early Methodists were accordingly noted for their Qua- ker-like strictness of life, this even showing it- self in regard to dress and jewelry. Amusements like theatre-going, dancing, and card-playing were looked upon, as by the Puritans, with whom Methodists had many points of contact, with abhorrence. Worship. Wesley was attached to the liturgy of the Church of England, and drew- up for the societies at home and in America a service based on the Prayer-Book, which he abridged and changed remorselessly. This was not adapted to American needs and was never used in this country to any extent until re- cently. It was republished by the Rev. Charles S. narrower in 1891, and the I'esponsive parts have been widely adopte<l. But the spirit of Methodism seems opposed to read prayers, and though a modest liturgical service was suggested by the General Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church in 1890, it goes no further than a responsive reading, the Gloria, and the recitation of the Apostles' Creed, and even this is too rit- ualistic for some churches. In special rites, how- ever, like baptism, marriage, and burial, all ^lethodists use a prepared service. History and jSIethodi.st Denominationalism. England. (For the so-called Calvinistic Metho- dists, see Calvini.stic Methodists ; and for the "Calvinistic Methodist Church" of Wales, see PRE.SByTERlANlSM.) The paternal absolutism which Wesley exercised he left to his legal suc- cessors — the Hundred Ministers — but the control which he had exercised as father of the move- ment could not be held by his successors. Swung loose from Wesley's hand it was inevitable thaf; the societies would assert their liberties. These liberties had reference to (1) holding service in church hours, which ^'esley bad opposed out of regard for the Established Church ; (2) receiving the sacraments in their own chapels from their own ministers; (3) lay representation in the conferences; and (4) the right of the local church to have a voice in the reception and ex- pulsion of members, in the' choice of local olhcers, and in the calling out of candidates for the min- istry. All these principles except the last have lieen incorporated into all types of Methodism, but the honor of being the first to found a so- cietv upon them belongs to .Xlexander Kilham (17'62-98). In 1795 Kilham published a pam- phlet. The Progress of Liberty, which is a land- mark in Jlethodism, as it is the first systematic presentation of the rights of ministers and lay- men. For this book and for statements which