PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
McClintock & Strong Cyclopaedia — Volume 6
John McClintock & James Strong · 1,371,720 words · 1335 reading sections
Section 181
Messer, Asa, D.D., LL.D., a noted American edu- cator and Baptist minister, was born in Methuen,Mass., in 17G9. He studied at Brown University, where he graduated in 1790. The next year he became a tutor in that institution ; a professor of languages in 179G, of mathematics and natural philosophy in 1799, and president…
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he had plenarily received at his recent baptism (ver. 1), and by which he was subsequently led into the wil- derness (ver. 1). This anointing of our Lord to his Mes- sianic functiotis is referred to in a general sense in such passages as Isa. xi, 2 and Acts x, 38. But from the more specific statement of Peter (Acts ii,…
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man (on which see bishop lliii>l(\ , .S' n/niu xvi, p. 234, 235, comp. with Faber's Pnqilidii-al Jtissirt. vii, 4 and o), additional light was given, after the deluge, to the second father of the human race. (2.) To Noah was vouchsafed a special reservation bj' no means certain. (2.) Tlie prophecy of Moses (Deut. xv…
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sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from j promise of an everlasting throne (2 Sam. xxiii). I'as- between his feet, until Shiloh come" ((Jen. xlix, 8, 10; | sages in the Psalms are numerous which are ajiplied to see Pcrowue's J'Jssai/, p. 20, 188 ; Delitzscli, ad loc. ; bishop the Messiah in the N, T. :…
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" shining more and more unto the perfect day" (Prov. iv, 18), it is yet enough to suggest to us how great must have been the longing for their Deliverer which such persistent and progressive promises were likely to ex- cite in the hearts of faithful men and women. The expectation of a golden age that should return upo…
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with this eminent feature, which is expressly attributed to one of them, " waiting for the consolation of Israel" (comp. Luke i, G with ii, '25, and 37, 38). Such hopes, stimulated by a profound and far-sighted faith, were exhibited at the birtli and infancy of the Jlessiah Jesus by these expectant Jews; and they were …
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1. Karly Jevisk Opininns. — The portrait of an af- flicted and suffering Messiah is too minutely sketched by the Psalmist (Psa. xxii, xlii, xliii, Ixix », by Isaiah (ch. liii), l)y Zechariah (ch. xi-xiii), and Daniel (ix, 24- 27), to be ignored even by reluctant Jews; and strange is the embarrassment observable in Talm…
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2. Modern Jewish Vieivs. — The hope of a Messiah — the bounteous benefactor and inaugurator of a glorious reign on earth, firmly establishing forever and ever the greatness of Abraham's descendants — had prevailed even among the cliildren of Israel, but it required the days of trial and tribulation, such as came in the…
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As is well known, the Jews looked for a Messiah in the days of our Saviour. For centuries after the wliqle nation -n'as incessantly on the watch : their prosperity seemed the harbinger of his coming; their darkest ca- lamities, they believed, gathered them only to display, with the force of stronger contrast, the mercy…
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I 1. The promised Messiah has already come. To prove , this assertion, we shall contine our remarks to three j prophecies. (1.) The first is the passage above com- mented on, occurring in Gen. xlix, 8, 10, where Jacob is giving his sons his parting benediction, etc. ^^■hen he comes to Judah, he says : "The sceptre shal…
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(3.) We can only barely allude to one remarkable prediction more, which fixes the time of the Messiah's advent, viz. Hag. ii, 7-9 : '• I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come : and I will fiU this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the L…
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MESSIAHS, False. Jesus warned his disciples that false Christs should arise (Matt, xxiv, 24), and the event has verified the prediction. No less than twenty- four such impostors have been enumerated as having appeared in different places and at different times; and even this does not exhaust the list. One by the name o…
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ple, and brought the Jews into great tribulation (see Maimonides, Kjnstol. ad Judaeos in MassiUa agentes). Another of these impostors, a great cabalist, arose, A.D. 1 170, in Jloravia, who was called Darid A Imasser. He pretended he could make himself invisible ; but he was soon taken and put to death, and a heavy fine…
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The Messiah-hope still lingered, however fainth^, in the heart of the Jew, jiarticularly in the Iberian penin- sula, where he now suffered most ; and it was not long before a new impostor arose to abuse the confidence of his much dejected brethren. This time the pretender played his part more acutely, and it was some t…
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MESSIAH 144 MESSINA was to unite together all religions, sects, and confessions. Among the paradoxical opinions he is said to have ad- vanced was the idea that the Lord Jesus Christ is still upon earth, and that he would soon again send forth ^■elve apostles to publish the (iospel. All that now remains of the Franki…
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See Biixtorf, Lex. C/uikl. Talm. et Rabbin. (Basle, 1G40, fol.), coll. 1267 sq. ; id. Stpiofioga Juduka, ch. i; Hulsius, Tlieol. .fiid. (Bredw, 1053, 4to) ; Pocock, Theol. Works, i, 159 sq. ; Johannes i\ Lent, Hist, of False Messiahs (in Ugolini's Thesaurus, entitled De Pseudo-Messiis') ; Eisenmenger, Kntdecktes Judenl…
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Mestrezat, Philippe, a Reformed theologian, son of Jean, was born at Geneva. In 1641 he was a professor of pliilosophy in his native city; in 1644 the pastor of a church; and in 1649 a professor of theology. He acquired the reputation of being an original think- er and a good preacher. He died at Geneva in 1690. He pub…
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IVIETAL 14G METAL there can be but little doubt that by t/XiKrpov the Sept. | translators intended, not the fossil resin known by that name to the (ireeks and to us as " amber," but the i metal so called, which consisted of a mixture of four parts of gold with one of silver, described by Pliny (xxxiii, 23) as more b…
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the idol of the Ammonites at Kabbah, weighed a talent of gold, that is, 125 lbs. troy, a weiglit so great that it coidd not have been worn by David among the ordinary insignia of royalty (2 Sam. xii, 30). The great abun- dance of gold in early times is indicated by its entering into the composition of every article of …
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From a comparison of the different amounts of gold and silver collected by David, it appears that the pro- portion of the former to the latter was 1 to 9 nearly. Three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold were demanded of Hezekiah by Sennacherib (2 Kings xviii, 14 ) : but later, when Pharaoh-nechoh took…
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III. As "above stated, the invention of the metallurgic arts is in Scripture ascribed to Tubal-cain (Gen. iv, 22). In later times the manufacture of useful utensils and im- plements in metals seems to have been carried on to a considerable extent among the Israelites, if we may judge from the frequent allusions to them…
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Metaphor ((Jr. /(tm^oprr, a tran.iference), a fig- ure of speech by means of which one thing is ])Ut for another which it only resembles. It differs from other comparisons, e. g. simile, etc., iu consisting of a sinr/le tcoi-d. Thus the Psalmist speaks of (iod's law as being "a light to his feet and a lani]) to his pat…
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Metaphysics, in its strictest sense, is applied, as a term, to that department of philosopkt/ which has for its object the investigation of existences out of our- selves— " that knowledge of causes and principles which we should carry with us into every department of in- ([uiry." Liasmuch as mind cannot properly know w…
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"Fate and metaphysical nid doth seem To have thee crowned." — Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3. Clemens Alexandrinus (^Strom. i) considered metapihys- ical as equivalent to sup>ernatural ; and is supported by the Greek commentator Philoponus. But if //tra be interpreted, as it may, to mean along with, then meta- physics, or me…
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of the original members of the American " Vegetarian Society," and was one of its most earnest supporters. On the death of Dr. William A. Alcott, the tirst presi- dent of the society, in 1859, Dr. ^letcalfe was elected his successor. He rendered efficient service also in the cause of temperance, and may be termed one o…
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Mether. See Mithrite. Methoar. See Remmox-jietiioar. Methodism, as a distinctive form of Church life and polity, dates from the revival of religion in England under the labors of the brothers Wesley and of White- field. See these names respectively. I. Oriffin. — in November, 1729, the Wesleys, White- field, and the…
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METHODISM 152 METHODISM against them. Many dignitaries of the Church were above measure enraged at this new wat/. and zealous in opposing it. '' Some clergymen," says Wesley, '• ob- jected to this "new doctrine.' salvation by laith; and, because of my unfashionable doctrine, I was excluded from one and another churc…
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"The taking such diversions as cannot be used in name of the Lord Jesus ; "The singing those songs or reading those hooks which do not leuil lo tlie knowledge or love of God ; " Softness, and needless self-indulgence; " Laying up treasure upon earth ; "Dorr()\yiiej without a probability of paying; or taking up good…
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" Qvettt. How shall we try those who profess to he moved by the Holy Ghost to preach ? " A ii.s.'l. Let tlie following questions be asked, namely : Do they know God as a pardoning God? Have they the love of God avoiding in them ? Dolhey desire nothing but God ? And are thev holv in all manner of conversation ? "■-'. …
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II. The theological doctrines of Wesleyan IMethodism are, with perhaps two or three modifications, the same aa those which, by common consent, are at present deemed ' evangelical. 'I'he articles of religion drawit up by Wes- ley for his immediate followers, and substantially adopted by all Methodist bodies since, are b…
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for the government of the body. This power is, how- ever, restricted within certain limits prescribed in v.hat is known as "the deed of declaration," executed by John Wesley a little while before his death, and enrolled in the archives of the high court of chancer}- in 1794. IJy the provisions of this deed, the Confere…
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The duties of a Methodist minister were thus defined by Mr. Wesley, and they have since remained substan- tially in all branches of the denomination (see Disci- pline, etc., § 138 sq.) : " Q. What is the ofHce of a Chris- tian minister ? A . To watch over souls, as he that must give an account. To feed and guide the tl…
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IV. Subdivisions.— The different branches of the great Methodistic body are as follows : 1. The Wesleyan Methodists, or main and original body of the Methodists in Great Britain, often spoken of above. See Wesleyans. METHODISM 156 METHODISM 2. The Calvin'istic Methodists date from a dis- pute between Wliitefield a…
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7. The Primitivi. Mi i srs of Irelaxd. This body of Primitive 31ei hodi-is is cif later origin than that of England, and is eniin ly imU pendent of the other or- ganization of like name. The Primitiue Methodists of Ireland date from 1810. The English Conference in 1 795 granted to the members the privilege of receivin…
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the ratification with entire unanimity of Coke's ordi- nation, and the election of one of their own number, Francis Asbury, to the same office. The Conference also received Wesley's abridgment of the Articles of the Church of England, which continue to be their standard of doctrine to the present day, and also an abrid…
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13. The Wesleyan Methodist Church was formed by a convention of clerical and lay delegates which met in the city of Utica, N. Y., m 1843. The principal part of the delegates in attendance were ministers or mem- bers of the :Methodist Episcopal Church, and the main reason for the establishment of the new body was their …
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There are a few other minor subdivisions of the Jlethodist family, e. g. the Independent (or Congrega- tional) ^lethodist Church, the names and statistics of which are given in the talndar summary below. In connection with one or other of the larger bodies, ^Melh- odists are found not only in England and North Amer- ic…
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Wesleyan Methodists 1T39 ITOT ISIO 1S1C> 1S15 lS-iS-i9 1849 3,1.57 207 2G0 943 S5 2.'>4 312 20 557,995 5S.577 35; 706 161,229 14,247 20,241 68,063 9.393 776,522 about 80,000 about 50,000 258,857 about 20,000 44, •.'■21 152,315 18.475 New- Connection Methodists Primitive Methodists Pi-i luiti ve (Iiehu…
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Methodist missions may, however, be said to have had their origin long before the founding of a society for the specific purpose of spreading its doctrines in for- eign parts. "From its very beginning," says Stevens (//i.</. of Methodism, iii, 312), " jNIethodism was charac- terized by a zealous spirit of propagandism.…
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denomination closed the last century, after more than thirty years of labors and struggles." 2. Methodism among the French. — In the year 1790 Methodism was introduced among the French by Eng- lish Wesleyan preachers, and in 1791 Dr. Coke ordained in a small village of Normandy the first French Methodist preacher. The…
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The (Jcrman Methodists now possess two colleges — one in Berca. Oiiio, and one in Warrenton, !Mo. ; one Normal Scliool in (ialena. 111.; and a "I\Iission House" at New York. They have also two orphan asylums — one in Berea, Ohio, with sixty-five orphans, and one in Warrenton, Mo., with thirty-five orphans; the running…
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This work was strengthened by the establishment of a mission from the Wesleyans of England. A German layman of the name of Muller had been converted in London, and had become an exhorter and class-leader. Upon his return to Wiirtemberg, his native place, after an absence of fourteen years, he could not conceal from his…
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6. Methoilisiii in the West Indies. — \n no other mis- sionary Held has Methodism met with greater success than among this i)i)rti<>n of the globe's inhabitants. The West Indies was, moreover, the tirst foreign lield sought by the \\'esleyans, and its history is closely linkeil to that (tf the founder, John Wesley, and…
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liam Taylor, at Bombay, have added Western India to the missionary field of the Methodist Episcopia Church, No statistics "have been published authoritatively, but accounts have appeared in the newspajiers of the re- markable revival at Bombay, Poonah, and vicinity. Six itinerants are describing the Bombay circuit, and…
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The influx of Chinese on our Pacific coast aroused the interest of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 1867 a home mission was inaugurated for their con- version. The present status of this field of labor is as follows: Missionaries, 2; members, 9; 1 church, value $20,000; 1 parsonage, value $1000; missionary collec…
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12. In Biil;iariu the Methodist Episcopal Church es- tablished a mission in 1857. Connected with it are two ordained ])reaehers, one at Constantinople and the other at Tultcha. These missionaries are engageil in preach- ing the (Josiiel, scattering religious reading, and trans- lating the New Testament into the Bulgari…
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Sources for the history of the jNIethodist Episcopal Church especially: Jonrnnl.^ if tin' Hir. Francis Asbury, Bishop of the Methodist l-:/iisi;>ji,i/ Church (new ed., N. Y'. 1854. 3 vols. 12mo) ; J/;,/,//,,s- „/■ /lie Annual Confer- ences ofih,' MHl„>dhl l-.pi.^cnpnU'hnrch (N.Y. 29 vols. 8vo); Jnnrnith of ihr (;,n,ndC…
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METHODISM 168 METHODIST EPISC. CHURCH histon', doctrine, government, and peculiar ceremonies (Bremen, 1«53, l"imo) ; Thomas Jackson, Wesleyan Meth- odism a lievivul o/ Apostolical Chi-istianity, a centenary- sermon (Lond. and N. Y. 1839) ; Dixon, Methodism in its Orif/in, Economy, and present Position (Lond. and N. y…
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Tlie first Conference, held in 1773. presided over by Rankin as superintendent, consisted of ten members, all Fairopeans, with an aggregate in the societies of 1160. In May, 1784. eleven years later, notwithstanding all the adverse influences of the war, they numbered 14,988 members, several hundred local preachers and…
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" But the case is widely different between England and North America. Here there are bishops who have a lesjal jurisdiction. In America there are none, neither any parish ministers ; so that for some hundred miles togeth- er there is none either to baptize or to administer the Lord's Supper. Here, therefore, my scruple…
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METHODIST EPISC. CHURCH 170 METHODIST EPISC. CHURCH Wesley had believed that bishops and presbj-ters consti- tuted but one order, with the same right to ordain. He know that for two centuries the succession of Ijishops in the Church of Alexandria was preserved throu>j;h ordi- nation by jiresbyters alone. '• I iirmly b…
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I were so one order that the 7)o«e/- constituting an F^pisco- i ])al order inhered in the eldership; but he did not be- lieve that there lay in the eldership a 7-ir//it to exercise that power without a true providential and divine call. Hence, in his Episcopal diploma given to Coke, he an- [ iiouiices, ' I, John Wesl…
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"I. The General Conference shall not alter, revoke, or change our Articles of Religion, nor establish any new standards or rules of doctrine contrary to our present ex- isting and established standards of doctrine. "II. They shall not allow of niore than one ministerial representative for every fDurtcen niCTnljers of …
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7. The legislation of 178-1 gave new force to the es- sential features which Kankin and Asbury, who had been trained iu the school and under the eye of Wesley, had stamped upon the American societies. I-^vangelization and suijervision, the former to extend the work, the lat- ter to secure and build up what had been won…
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IV. I/is/ori/ and J'ror/ress. — LTnder this head we pro- pose to give a rafiid sketch of the work performed by the Methodist Kjjiscopal Church and its gradual growth, noting, as we pass, its relations to public questions, its changes of internal economy, and the principal contro- versies that have grown up from time to…
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Attempts were made in 1800 to make the presiding fcJilership elective in the Annual Conferences, to intro- duce the English method of making the appointments by requiring them to be read in open session, " to hear what the Conference may have to say on each station," and to aid the bishop in making the appointments by …
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To the relief of worn-out and needy preachers, and the widows and orphans of preachers, the der.omination has always been attentive. At first, in 1784, the preach- ers themselves instituted a '• Treachcrs' Fund," each paying out of his poverty a specilied sum aninially into its treasury. It was afterwards merged in the…
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METHODIST EPISC. CHURCH 175 METHODIST EPISC. CHURCH their libraries. It reports also 77 academies, with 556 instructors, and 17,7G1 students, 10,402 of whom are fe- males, making an aggregate of 102 institutions, with 71-4 instructors, and 23,100 students. Tlie Southern division of the denomination [the Methodist Epis…
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METHODIST EPISC. CHURCH ITG METHODIST EPISC. CHURCH as necessary to free themselves from the giiilt of con- nection with it. Others, who had been prominent in the anti-slavery ranks, and had advocated such modifi- cations in the law of the Church as would prevent the holduig of slaves as chattels, maintained that the …
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"Wherean, The Discipline of our Church forbids the do- ing anything calculsitcd to destroy our itinerant general suijeriutciuicnty ; and whereas bishop Andrew has be- come coiiiieiied with slavery by marriage and otherwise, ami tills ;u'. li;iviiig drawn after it circninstances which, iu the e>tini;iiinn of theCicneral…
1,036 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain 19th-century biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical reference work; OCR text from Internet Archive. Historical scholarship and terminology reflect its era; OCR may contain errors. Verify quotations and current scholarly claims independently.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.