Doctrinal Standards of Methodism, Including the Methodist Episcopal Churches

Richard Watson's views on the system of Arminius-The
Arminians or Remonstrants-Simon Episcopius-Wesley
against Calvinism-The Arminianism of Wesley varied
from the Arminianism of Holland-Dean Tillett's comments
-Wesley's Arminianism-Wesley's stamp on Methodist doc-
trine-Dr. Anson West on Wesley and his doctrines-The
peculiar newness of Methodistic doctrine-Wesley's state-
ment-Professor Tillett-Bishop Holland N. McTyeire-
Dean Tillett's estimate of Methodist doctrine.

IX. EARLY AMERICAN METHODISM AND ITS DOC-

TRINES

Early Methodism in America was an offshoot from British Wes-

leyanism in the early part of the second half of the eight-

eenth century-Beginning in British colonial times, it was

itself British-It was under the same government as British

Methodism and had the same local organization-Being

under the same government, it recognized the same theology

and had the same standards of doctrine-These standards

were specified in the early deeds to Methodist property, as

in Philadelphia and New York-The early American Con-

ferences recognized the same doctrines and standards, as in

the Conferences of 1773, 1781, and 1784-The doctrines of

Wesleyan Methodism were everywhere the same.

X. AMERICAN METHODISM REORGANIZED THE

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Methodism took root in America and rapidly spread, but needed

an ordained ministry-There was a demand by the people

for the sacraments from their own preachers-Appeals were

made to the Reverend John Wesley to bring this about-

The independence of the United States of America enabled

Wesley to plan the reorganization of American Methodism

into a complete and independent Church-He arranged for

this reorganization in 1784-It was not a withdrawal from

the Church of England-The Established Church of Eng-

land never controlled Wesley's Societies-American Method-

ism had a right to reorganize itself-The Protestant Epis-

copal Prayer Book of 1789-Wesley's letter to his American

followers, September 10, 1784-Wesley "a Scriptural epis-

copus," or bishop-Ordains Richard Whatcoat and Thomas

Vasey for America-Set apart Thomas Coke, D. C. L., to

oversee the work in America-Francis Asbury to have joint

authority with Doctor Coke-Meeting of Coke and Asbury

at Barratt's Chapel in the State of Delaware-The Method-

ist Episcopal Church in America organized in December,

1784, at the "Christmas Conference" in Baltimore.

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142

XI. HAD THE NEW CHURCH STANDARDS OF DOC-

. 151

TRINE?

To be a complete Church it must have had doctrines and a com-

mon agreement as to some doctrines-That it had standards

of doctrine is a necessary presumption-If it had such

standards what are they, and where can they be found?—

Its preachers and people had doctrines and doctrinal stand-

ards before and just before they were reorganized into a

Church-They had Wesley's Fifty-two Sermons, Wesley's

Notes on the New Testament and the Minutes, and also the

General Rules-In the reorganization they continued and

carried over into the new Church the same standards they

had the moment before the church organization was formed

-They did not need to formally readopt the doctrinal stand-

ards they had any more than they needed to readopt the

General Rules-No change was made in their doctrines but

there was an added formulary-"The Sunday Service"-

Wesley's Twenty-four Articles of Religion-Wesley's right

to prepare these Articles-The old standards with these

Articles of Religion were the new Church's standards of

doctrine, and the church law continues to speak of "our

standards of doctrine."

XII. THE ARTICLES OF RELIGION

Importance of Wesley's new Articles of Religion-Gave com-

pleteness to Church-Linked with general Protestantism

and historic Christianity-Based on the Anglican Articles

but with variations-Made them say less and more-Pro-

fessor Shaw's observation-Calvinism, Antinomianism, and

Sacramentarianism eliminated—Wesley did not change the

Articles of the State Church, but constructed Articles of Re-

ligion for a new Church-These were comprehensive of

fundamental doctrines-Wesley had a right to make them—

The reorganized body on a new basis had its rights which it

exercised in adopting the new Articles-They then existed

by double authority, and were binding upon the Church and

those therein-These Articles were printed in "The Sunday

Service" of 1784-Calvinistic influence in the XXXIX

Articles of the Church of England-The ancient may be

true-Fundamental doctrines must have the element of per-

manence-The authors of the XXXIX did not make Wes-

ley's Articles of Religion-Wesley made the XXIV-An

illustration of the changes Wesley made—“ Original or Birth

Sin "-The adequacy of the new Articles-Doctor Tillett's

remark-Not necessary to put everything in the Articles-

Certain doctrines in the other standards-The Anti-Romish

attitude-Methodism always had the substance of the XXIV

Articles-Principal Shaw's remark upon the linking of these

Articles with the “Catholic faith” of the general Christian

Church.

159

XIII. THE ADDED ARTICLE

An additional article in the Service Book of 1786, but adopted

by the organizing Conference of 1784-Made the Twenty-

third Article and made twenty-five articles instead of

twenty-four-So the Church really started out with Twenty-

five Articles-The new article related to the recognition of

the national government of "The United States of America"

-Observations by Doctor John Emory and Doctor David

Sherman-Wesley in his Service Book had prayers for " the

Supreme Rulers" of the new Republic-Another prayer in

Sunday Service in 1786-Doctor Robert Emory's note-

The Anglican Article "Of the Civil Magistrates "-The

added article "Of the Rulers of the United States of Amer-

ica"-The Articles taken over by the "Wesleyan Method-

ist Church" in Great Britain-Its modification of Article

XXIII-The Methodist Church of Canada adopted the

Twenty-five Articles but modified the Twenty-third

Article The Thirty-seventh Article of the Protestant Epis-

copal Church-The title of the nation not the United States

but "The United States of America "-The country is

America and the people Americans-The new Church

recognized "The United States of America" and the Church

itself was "The Methodist Episcopal Church in America,"

or, as later, "The Methodist Episcopal Church in the

United States of America," for they were equivalent titles in

their minds but the latter was more accurate-Asbury's

certificate of consecration had "The Methodist Episcopal

Church in America "—General Conference Journals had the

full title "The Methodist Episcopal Church in the United

States of America "—So legal documents-The Church was

in the United States of America and was an American

Church.

XIV. THE TWENTY-FIVE ARTICLES

Their titles and scope-Their principal teachings-The full text

of the Articles-Not intended to cover everything but certain

basal principles-An added series of beliefs-Other doc-

trines in other standards-The Articles go down to the

foundations of Christian faith, such as God, Christ, the Holy

Scriptures, etc.-Coke and Asbury's "Notes to the Dis-

cipline"-Doctor Robert Emory's observations-Actions of

General Conferences of 1796 and 1800-Discipline of 1798

-The Bishops' Annotations on the Twenty-five Articles of

Religion.

XV. RELATED FORMULARIES

Certain ascertained facts should be grouped together and their

relation should be seen-First was the preached doc-

trines; second, these doctrines in the conversation and

thought of the people; and, third, these doctrines written,

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186

202

printed, and circulated-There were the printed documents:
the General Rules, the Conference Minutes, Wesley's Fifty-
two Sermons, and Wesley's Notes on the New Testament,
all of which had appeared before Wesleyan Methodism
reached America-They were always recognized by Amer-
ican Methodism and were carried into the Methodist Epis-
copal Church-Those who acknowledged these standards
and held these doctrines made the new Church-The
Church was an evolution but the same life continued-
Various features continued without any reenactment-The
Articles of Religion were added-The organizing confer-
ence adopted "The Sunday Service. With other Occa-
sional Services," with its new formularies-But it was not
intended that the old doctrines should be given up and the
Conference did not give up the old standards-The deed of
the Ebenezer Church of Philadelphia, in 1790-The Articles
of Religion were added standards of doctrine.