CHAPTER V. ITS PRACTICAL SYSTEM. THE historical answer to the question, What is Methodism is not complete without a more precise account of its practical or "Disciplinary" system. The first organic form which the new movement took was that of the "United Society," founded by Wesley in connection with the "Old Foundry," London. The model of this elementary organization was before him in the Fetter Lane and other societies to which he had resorted in the metropolis. These Societies rapidly multiplied throughout the country. In their maturer form, they were composed of members, and probationers (six months on trial), divided into classes of twelve or more persons, and meeting weekly, under the care of a Class-leader, for religious counsel and the contribution of money for the support of the Church according to the General Rules. The leaders were met at first weekly, afterward monthly, by the preacher. The Class Meeting became one of the most importtant institutions of Methodism: the basis of its financial economy and the germ of almost every new Society formed in its rapid progress. The two Wesleys prepared the document, known now throughout the Methodist world as "The General Rules," and prescribing the "only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these Societies." * It is distinguished by its practical thoroughness, and, equally, by the absence of any dogmatic requisitions. As presenting the " only" terms of membership in the Church, it is a striking proof of what we have assumed to be the stand-point, the providential design of Methodism, namely, the revival and propagation of spiritual religion; not of sectarian ecclesiasticism, or sectarian theology. Each Society has its Trustees, holding the chapel property; its Stewards, having charge of its other finances; and, in many cases, its licensed Exhorters and Local Preachers, men who pursue secular vocations, but labor as public teachers whenever they find opportunity. The Exhorters usually graduate to the office of Local Preacher, and thence to the traveling ministry; this, in fine, is the recruiting process of the Annual Conference. Each Society also has its "Prayer Meetings," in which its lay talents, without respect to sex, are brought into exercise, and thereby developed and made subservient to the common cause; its Love-Feasts, derived through the Moravians, from the primitive Agapæ, and held usually *See it in Appendix No. I. once a quarter; its Watch-nights, generally celebrated on the last night of the year. A group of these Societies form a Circuit, extending in some cases five hundred miles, requiring from two to six or more weeks to travel around it, and supplied by a preacher "in charge," and two or three assistants, who are aided by the Local Preachers; the Class-Leaders maintaining a minute pastoral oversight of the Societies during the absence of the itinerants. A group of circuits constitute a District, superintended by a Presiding Elder, who incessantly travels his extensive territory, preaching, counseling the traveling and Local Preachers and Exhorters, meeting the official members of the circuit Societies, and promoting the interest of the Church in every possible way. The Quarterly Conference is held by the Presiding Elder, in accordance with its title, once in three months, on each circuit, and is composed of the preachers of the circuit, its local preachers, exhorters, leaders, stewards, and Sunday-school superintendents. It has, subordinately to the Annual Conference, jurisdiction over all the local interests of the circuit: its finances, the authorization of its local preachers and exhorters, a class of judicial appeals, and the recommendation of candidates for the Annual Conferences. Formerly its exercises were largely, mostly indeed, spiritual. It continued about two days, during which there were almost continual sessions, sermons, prayer-meetings, or love-feasts. The Methodist families of the circuit, often from the distance of many miles, assembled at it, making it a great religious festival. A number of districts (with their Quarterly Conferences) constitute the Annual Conference, composed of the traveling preachers of the given territory. These annual assemblies became imposing occasions. A bishop presided; the preachers, from many miles around, usually including several states, were present; hosts of laymen were spectators. There was preaching in the early morning, in the afternoon, and at night. The daily proceedings were introduced with religious services, and were characterized by an impressive religious spirit. They continued usually a week, and it was a festal season, gathering the warworn heroes of many distant and hard-fought fields, renewing the intimacies of preachers and people, and crowned alike by social hospitalities and joyous devotions. They have their particular regulations prescribed in the Discipline. All the Annual Conferences are represented by delegates in the General Conference, which meets once in four years, and is the supreme assembly of the denomination, making its "rules and regulations," under certain Restrictive Rules, and revising its whole work and interests. Its session usually lasts about four weeks; it is the great jubilee of the denomination, and has unquestionably become one of the most important ecclesiastical occasions of the Christian world. Such is a mere glance at the "economy" or practical system of Methodism, not altogether as it was under Wesley in England, but as it developed and enlarged itself in America at and after the Christmas General Conference of 1784, when the Church assumed an organic form with its series of synodal bodies, extending from the fourth of a year to four years, from the local circuit to the whole nation; its series of pastoral functionaries, Class-leaders, Exhorters, Local Preachers, Circuit Preachers, District Preachers or Presiding Elders, and Bishops whose common diocese was the entire country; its Prayer-meetings, Band-meetings, Love-feasts, and incessant preaching; its Ritual, Articles of Religion, Psalmody, and singularly minute moral discipline, as prescribed in its "General Rules" and ministerial regimen. Its system was remarkably precise and consecutive, and, as seen in our day by its results, as remarkably effective. Time has proved it to be the most efficient of all modern religious organizations, not only among the dispersed population of a new country, but also in the dense communities of an ancient people; on the American frontier, and in the English city, it is found efficacious beyond all other ecclesiastical plans, stimu |