The history of what is commonly called the Christian Church, commences with the Gospel dispensation, and continues down through the intervening ages to the present time. God in all ages has had a church; that is, a body of faithful believers, a collective body of Christians who unite together for his worship, read his word, unite in Christian song and prayer, and have his word expounded. There are many branches of God's Church, all differing and possessing different tenets of religious notions and doctrinal codes, but all, or nearly all, centering in Christ.

Says he, St. John xiv. 1-2, "I am the true Vine, and my Father is the husbandman," etc, Each of the many branchers draw sustinance, support, and life from the Vine. We may find much comfort and encouragement in the many difficulties, perils, deliverances and promises 001919made of God in his word, for and concern his church. The same God who saved Noah and his family in the ark, and Lot from the flames of Sodom, and the congregation of Israel in the midst of the sea, will never leave nor forsake his Church.

Says he of us, "I will not forsake thee: I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." We should again rejoice because, as rational and intelligent beings, we may worship him according to the dictates of our own conscience. He has provided his Church with the Holy Spirit, his word read and expounded, and thrown around it all protection necessary, and has left its government, doctrines, and polity in our hands as faithful legates and stewards to provide for its temporal management.

He has sealed his interest in by declaring, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Now, there are two particular forms of Church Government Viz: Congregational and Episcopal. Under the congregational form, there are two classes of ministers 002020namely: pastor and licentiate. The Episcopal has also two--local and itinerant.

The one is a sovereign in itself, managing and controlling its ministry and people by the voice of the congregation; while the other is controlled by Episcopal superentendance; that is to say, Bishops and Elders.

In my opinion, the Episcopal form is the best. It preserves the unity of the Church and the Church is never possessed with pastorless flocks, and flockless pastors, it seems to be more in touch with the spirit of the great Commission--"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" etc. It is liberal and full of the missionary spirit and zeal, to spread and propagate the gospel of the Son of God.

Thus as we before time have spoken, all organized churches have the right to arrange their own modes of worship, and their articles of faith under the gospel of Christ; this privilege is granted to all believers; so in exercise of this privilege, we have organizations all over this land of 002121ours.

The Episcopal form of Government seems to be best suited to meet the wishes of the greatest number of people.

A Church without a head, in my humble judgement, is a poor Church. But with courts and powers to appeal to, there is internal and external safety.

There are two sacraments adhered to believed in, and observed by the Methodist: "Baptism and the Lord's Supper."

Now since it is the prerogative of each distinct church to establish her mode of administration, the Methodist is no exception to this rule, and to their view I fully subscribe my faith. The Christian liberalism held out by them in their invitation suits me beyond all others, best. See its extent--"Ye that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins and are in love and charity with your neighbor, and intend to lead a new life, following in the commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in His holy ways, draw near with faith and take this holy sacrament to your comfort and make your humble confession to Almighty God., meekly kneeling upon your knees." "Not all that 002323is of our faith and order, as some would have it." Since there is one God the Father of all, one Christ the Saviour of mankind; one heaven, the home of all faithful believers; one Church and one family, dwelling, abiding, and believing in Christ our federal head, we think there should be no mark of distinction in the children who constitute the family. Now, as to baptism, and the mode of administering it, we shall not dwell at length. Since Jesus Christ, nor none of his disciples ever attempted to establish any mode, it would be useless for me to do what they did not; and besides which, since there is no particular virtue in the mode, its inadequacy will be readily seen. As to the subject of baptism, there are two classes, viz: infant and adult. First, all believers that have been converted, or have saving faith are proper subjects; all infants who have Godly parents or Christian guardians, who will take the obligations to train up the child in the way it should go, teach it the doctrines of the Church, and take the sacred 002424vows before God and the minister, are also proper subjects.

One of the chief mistakes the anti-pedobaptist make in charging ignorance of the child is, in failing to find outside of their prejudices, the fact that we do not obligate the child, but its parents or guardian. Then, too, its tangible bearing or good it does, is largely, as we see it, due to carelessness and slackness on the part of first the Church in providing for its protection more elaborately, and the same as applied to parents. In my opinion, every child thus baptized ought to be provided with a souvenir card with its name, the names of its parents, when and by whom baptized, and it ought to be sacredly kept, and its parents should constantly keep before the child the sacredness of the obligation and its relation to the Church. There should be, in my judgment, as much care and painstaking in shaping a child's religious ideas as in teaching it the sciences.

In teaching it its relation to the Church, its knowledge will become as thorough0025

MRS BISHOP ISAAC LANE.

Having briefly treated the subjects, let us briefly note the position of the Methodists. The word "baptize" as regarded by us, is a generic word, and all generic words may have more than one meaning. Specific words can have but one meaning. Let us note, if baptism means dip, plunge and burial, then it is not specific; because these three are entirely different words, meaning different things. Then we have it sprinkle, pour, or affusion; so the Methodist decide no mode, but leave it to the wishes of the subjects. With us, it is not so much the how we are baptized as it is the following of the command. "be baptized." If this idea was properly seen and carried out, it would largely settle the spirit of unrest in the Church about mode and subjects. This doctrine should be taught more impressively and explained in simplicity, so as the careless young and the indifferent old would be interestingly inclined to know and love the Methodist 002726doctrine. They would love the Church more as they know more about it. If we do not know much about a thing we can not love it much. We believe baptism to be the application of water to proper subjects, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and yet admitting the several modes properly administered to be baptism, thus we apply the water to the subject by sprinkling and pouring, and some times we apply the subject to the water, and plunge and dip him. For Scriptural reasons see Ezekiel xxxvi. 25, 26; Joel ii. 28, 29.

The Church is a divine institution. It is the body of Christ, Christ himself being the head, and therefore those who inter in sacred ministry will be chosen by Christ for that work. The ministry is not a business; it is a mere profession; it is a sacred calling. "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, in the voice of Christ and the Church." "No one taketh this honor to himself but he that is called of God." From him cometh the authority to preach; he sets apart and anoints men for the work. The principle underlying the Levitical priesthood is the same today as in former times. His spirit gives men to feel that they are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost "to take upon them the sacred office." The scriptures plainly teach that doctrine. See Nun xviii. 20; 002928Isaiah vi. 8; Jer. i. 4-19; Matt. iv. 18; Eze. xiii. 3; Acts xiii. 2; Rom, i. 1; Heb. v. 4. "And no man taketh this honor to himself but he that is called as was Aaron." Candidates for the ministry in the Church of England and in the Methodist Church are required to answer affirmatively the following: "Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you the office of the ministry in the Church of Christ, to serve God for the promotion of his glory and the edification of his people?" The call may come to us in various ways. It may be external, internal, and ecclesiastical. It may come as a conviction of duty, as with the apostle Paul who said, "Necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is me if I preach not the gospel." It is no mere sentiment or emotion, but a deep abiding conviction in the heart and mind of the man, abiding as a sacred impulse.

There are three classes of qualification necessary, viz.: qualification of the heart, qualification of the mind, and consecration 003029for the work. Success in any business or profession in life requires special gifts and qualifications. The ministry is no exception to this rule. God wants men, and the best men. The Discipline asks, "Have they gifts, as well as grace, for the work? Have they, in some tolerable degree, a clear, sound understanding, a right and just conception of salvation by faith? Do they speak justly, readily, and clearly? etc." The minister must be, above all else, a converted man. This radical change is necessary for a true foundation. An unrenewed heart cannot experience supernatural truths, and therefore cannot teach them to others. "For if the blind be leaders of the blind, both will fall into the pit." He should be consecrated, set apart and dedicated to one work, with his every talent and power devoted to it.

He should be a gifted man. The Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to "stir up the gift that is in me." By this we mean a good understanding, powers attention and memory, ability to learn, to think, 003130and teach. Bishop Simpson once said, "What we want is not more ministers, but better trained ministers." Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and therefore was mighty in words and deeds. Acts viii. 22. If it requires years of sacrifice and toil in the preparation of the doctor to practice medicine, the lawyer to practice law, why not in the ministry who pleads for both soul and body of man?

My opinion is that every itinerant minister should, for the good of himself and work, take his family with him to whatever charge he is assigned. Some preachers meet with the sad misfortune to marry a woman unfit in temperament, heart, and disposition for the ministry. In such cases we recommend location; but if he can not get the consent of his mind to do so, let him leave her at home. If among his people they will learn to love him more, his work will better prosper, and he will most likely get his own salary and the claims of the Church. When once the preacher 003231gets the confidence of his people, he should learn to cultivate it with all frugality and vigilance, that the gospel be not blamed.

Now as to those who are to minister the temporal concerns of the Church, great care and painstaking should be used in the selection of suitable men to serve in the Official Board. They should be converted men, possessed of solid piety, truly devoted to God; men who both know and love the Methodist Doctrine and Church. From the official board we get the class of ministers we have, and for a set of ignorant, unlearned, and many times, disloyal men to lay the foundation of the Church. We cannot expect much of those whom they send. In my opinion, the quarterly conference should recommend suitable persons to the district conference to be licenced to preach, and recommended to the annual conference for admittance into the itinerant ranks. In my opinion, this would save the Church of much trouble arrising out of the incompetency of preachers.

BISHOP LANE'S NUGGETS.

The Colored M. E. Church, in the past twenty-nine years of its separate existence has outrivaled the prejudiced antagonism of its foes and the expectations of its founders and propagators. No branch of the Methodist family can boast of better results, or show more glowing statistics.

Now, in my opinion, we have a work to do that no other church can do for us.

Upon the stage of ecclesiasticisms we must play our part. Ours is a work that the A. M. Es., A. M. E. Zs., nor the M. Es. can do. We are out on our own responsibilities and merits, to work out our own salvation. Each minister of this branch of God's Church have their own work to do. We are a branch from the great Methodist vine, and it is expected of us that we bring forth our yield in proportion to our strength.

WOMEN OF THE CHURCH AND THEIR WORK.I do not believe any married woman 003433of the Church should be elected stewardess without the consent of her husband, neither appointed traveling missionary without his consent. I further do not believe any woman, and especially a married woman should ride a bicycle. It not only appears disgraceful in what is known as "the new woman," but produces, as we see it, physical demoralization.

My opinion is, that during the sessions of all our district and annual conferences, there should be held lovefeast and spiritual meetings, instead of festivals and banquets. More time and importance should be given these annual gatherings of ministers and delegates to the spiritual part of our work, and thus accomplish the end of our design.

I think the General Board ought to meet in January of each year instead of May, for the reason our missions and missionaries need most of their appropriations in winter. And again I think one representative from each annual conference is extravagant, since seven men can do the 003534work equally as well, as the bishops will associate these seven elect, thus saving the Church at least two-thirds of its expense. Surely the bishops ought to be able to represent their own especial field! I think the General Funds ought to be forty-cents instead of thirty-five as now, and should be divided this wise:--

For Bishops, 10 cents; for Missions, 10 cents; for Publishing Interest, 10 cents; for Education, 10 cents; and when we shall have paid for the Publishing House, then have 20 cents for Missions and the appropriations remain as above stated.

I think the General Funds ought to be divided by figures, by the joint Board, and appropriated to the several interests as per directed, so as to show upon the journal of each annual conference; and each claimant, with the amounts thus placed, would know their respective appropriations; letting each claimant with amount appropriated or assessed, and the amount paid appear, and each interest would show for itself the amount appropriated 003635and paid.

I further think no preacher should be transferred when there is any thing against his moral character, going to his new field with a clear record, when there are smutty things behind him. Let him stay in his home conference until he can set himself properly before the Church and the world.

We send this little volume forth upon its mission for good, hoping it to bring sunshine, help, and strength to every life with which it may come in contact. That it may inspire new thoughts and aspirations upon the several subjects herein treated, is the sincere wish of its Author.