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 time, with their effects.
1. Pioneer Work. — "Methodism presented itself to the new nation," says Stevens, "an Ejiiscopal Churcli, with all the necessary functions and functionaries of sucli a body; the only one, of Protestant denomination, now in the nation, for the ccdonial fragments of the Kng- lish Establishment had not yet been reorganized." l^d by Coke and Asl)iiry, the little band of itinerants went forth to their self-sacrilicing toils with a new sense of consolidation and certainty, and feeling in their souls, as they saiil, that they were "raised up to reform the continent, and to spread scri])tural holiness over these lands." Under the new .system, the eucharist was im- mediately administered to thousands of disciples who had never partaken of it, and large numbers of both adidts and children were baptized, scores of the latter re- ceiving the rite at a single meeting. The work ex-
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tended in every direction. The post of hardship and severity was the post of honor. Going in the true spirit of evangelists, with the conviction that they had "noth- ing to do but to save souls," they not only held and strengthened the fields already won, but pressed on to the regions beyond, continually forming new circuits, and proclaiming their message wherever men would
hear in churches, in barns and log-cabins, in the forest
and highway. They crossed the mountains, and Icept pace with the constantly-advancing frontier; they pen- etrated Canada, and established themselves in New England and Nova Scotia, (iown, and band, and prayer- book were too cumbersome for their use, and were soon laid aside. The system was providentialh' adapted to self-propagation. " Its class and prayer meetings train- ed most, if not all, the laity to practical missionary la- bor, and three or four of them, meeting in anj"- distant part of the earth by the emigrations of these times, were prepared immediately to become the nucleus of a Church. The lay or local ministry, borne on by the tide of popu- lation, were almost everywhere found, prior to the arri- val of regular preachers, ready to sustain religious serv- ices— the pioneers of the Church in every new tield." Such was their success that in sixteen years, at the end of the century, their 15,000 members had become 64,894, and the 84 itinerants had increased to 287, not counting the scores who had fallen out of their ranks from pure physical inability to endure the terrible severit}"^ of the system, but were still working nobly in their local sphere. Bishop Coke's stay in the country at his tirst visit was but five months, a fair type of his subsequent visits. After 1787 his Episcopal work was limited to ordinations, presiding in Conference when present, itin- erating tlirough the country, and preaching, the sta- tioning of the preachers being left with bishop As- bury.
Cokethrew himself with zeal into the work of raising funds for the college at Abingdon, Md., whose corner- stone Asbury laid tliree days after his first departure for Euro])e. In 1789 he stood Avith Asbury in the presence of ^\'ashington, presenting to him, in behalf of the Church, a congratulatory address upon his inauguration as president, approving the recently -adopted Federal Constitution, and professing allegiance to the govern- ment. The Methodist Episcopal Church was the first ecclesiastical body to recognise the Constitution of the United States, and, in its article afterwards adopted, it declared its faith that they are a " sovereign and inde- pendent nation," rather than a confederacy of sovereign states. Coke's indefatigable labors in travelling and preaching in behalf of the cause of education, and for the emancipation of slaves, sliow him worthy of his high position. Yet Asbury was the chief apostle of the Church, giving it his entire energies, becoming an ex- ample to his brethren in labors and sacrifices, and care- fully attending to even the most minute and local details, meeting classes, trustees, and often visiting pastorally from house to house. He instituted in 1786, in Vir- ginia, the first Sunday-school in America, and four years later the Conference ordered Sunday-schools to be es- tablished for the instruction of poor children, white and black, in " learning and piety," being the first American Church to recognise this institution. Official attention was given as early as 1788 to the publication of books, a "book steward" being appointed; and a borrowed capital of six hundred dollars became the foiuidation of the future " Book Concern." Additional legislation from time to time, as necessity demanded, gave greater efficiency and solidity to the body, but innovations upon weU-tried methods found no favor.
2. Early Secessions. — As early as 1792, .James O'Kelly introduced into the Conference a resolution permitting a preacher who might feel aggrieved by the ajjpoint- ment assigned him, to " appeal to the Conference and state his objections," and requiring the bishop, if his objections were found valid, to appoint him to another circuit. The proposition was lost by a large majority;
but the defeat cost the Church the secession of the mover with a few other preachers and a large number of members, who ultimately styled themselves " the Christian Church."