OBJECTIONS

     As in our own time, so in Wesley's, there were many in the church who were grievously afflicted by the adoption of any new measures for carrying on the work of God. Had Wesley listened to and been governed by this class among the early Methodists, class-meetings would never have found a place in the societies he organized. Objections against their introduction were numerous and strong, and not a few of the same objections are felt, if not urged, by those who disbelieve in class-meetings today. It may be profitable, therefore, to let Mr. Wesley speak for himself regarding the objections he met, and the way he treated them. He says:

     "But notwithstanding all these advantages [derived from the institution of class-meetings], many were at first extremely averse to meeting thus. Some, viewing it in a wrong point of light, not as a privilege (indeed an invaluable one), but rather a restraint, disliked it on that account, because they did not love to be restrained in anything. Some were ashamed to speak before company. Others honestly said, 'I do not know why; but I do not like it.'

     "Some objected, 'There were no such meetings when I came into the society first: and why should there be now? I do not understand these things, and this changing one thing after another continually.' It was easily answered: It is pity but they had been at first. [It seems as if this sentence should read: "It is a pity they had not been at the first." However, it is rendered here just the way it reads in the printed book. -- DVM] But we knew not then the need or the benefit of them. Why we use them, you will readily understand, if you read over the rules of the society. That with these little prudential helps we are continually changing one thing after another, is not a weakness or fault, as you imagine, but a peculiar advantage which we enjoy. By this means we declare them all to be merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution. We prevent, so far as in us lies, their growing formal or dead. We are always open to instruction; willing to be wiser every day than we were before, and to change whatever we can change for the better.

     "Another objection was, 'There is no scripture for this, for classes and I know not what.' I answer, (1) There is no scripture against it. You cannot show one text that forbids them. (2) There is much scripture for it, even all those texts which enjoin the substance of those various duties whereof this is only an indifferent circumstance, to be determined by reason and experience. (3) You seem not to have observed, that the scripture, in most points, gives only general rules; and leaves the particular circumstances to be adjusted by the common sense of mankind. The scripture, for instance, gives that general rule, 'Let all things be done decently and in order.' But common sense is to determine, on particular occasions, what order and decency require. So, in another instance, the scripture lays it down as a general, standing direction, 'Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' But it is common prudence which is to make the application of this, in a thousand particular cases.

     "'But these,' said another, 'are all man's inventions.' This is but the same objection in another form. And the same answer will suffice for any reasonable person. These are man's inventions. And what then? That is, they are methods which men have found, by reason and common sense, for the more effectually applying several scripture rules, couched in general terms, to so many particular occasions.

     "They spoke far more plausibly than these, who said, 'The thing is well enough in itself. But the leaders are insufficient for the work: they have neither gifts nor graces for such employment.' I answer, (1) Yet such leaders as they are, it is plain that God has blessed their labor. (2) If any of these is remarkably wanting in gifts or grace, he is soon taken notice of and removed. (3) If you know any such, tell it to me, not to others, and I will endeavor to exchange him for a better. (4) It may be hoped they will all be better than they are, both by experience and observation, and by the advices given them by the minister every Tuesday night, and the prayers (then in particular) offered up for them." ^[1]

     In spite of all objections urged against them at the time of their introduction, class-meetings became an established, if not an essential, part of the primitive economy of Methodism, and such a relation they have continued to hold to it unto the present time. There seems to have been no period in Methodist history when they did not have to contend for their place and for their very existence, against much of indifference, apathy, inward dislike and outward opposition; and yet they have so far found acceptance and favor that they are still integral and highly valued parts of every branch of Methodism with which the writer is acquainted.

     Objections to them, and the manifest tendency of our time to underestimate their value, are no new things under the sun; but they are evil things, nevertheless. As a rule those who are spiritual in the church love the class-meeting. Spiritual and loyal Methodists, in all branches of the Methodist family, will declare with one voice the debt they owe under God to this particular means of grace, for spiritual instruction, guidance, comfort, quickening, strengthening and development, as also for innumerable benefits derived more directly from that sweet fellowship of saints to which the class-meeting ministers more effectively than any other social means of grace. Whenever the members of Methodist churches become worldly-minded, aristocratic, cold in heart and backslidden in life, they naturally lose their relish for spiritual things in general, and for all places and religious exercises in particular in which the fervor of devotion glows at red heat, and deep and thorough heart-searching is the order of the hour. This is why they are conspicuous for their absence from the class-meeting, and this also the ground of the objections they urge against it.

     Whatever objections any within or without the family of universal Methodism may urge against them, class-meetings have stood the test of more than a hundred and fifty years, and in doing so have fully justified their right to be regarded as second to no other as prudential means of grace. For Methodists they take, or should take, the precedence over all others, inasmuch as, besides that which peculiarly distinguishes and commends them as class-meetings, they combine practically all the helpful features of every other prudential means for culturing the spiritual life.

     As a fitting close to the present chapter, the following, from the "Episcopal Address to Class-Leaders," prepared by the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as directed by the general conference of 1884, and read before the general conference of 1888, is eminently appropriate:

     "The necessity for class-meetings, or for some similar means of grace, is deeply imbedded in human nature. The social principle must have exercise in religious matters. All evangelical Christians in times of religious quickening feel this, and various means of grace akin to the class-meeting have been devised to meet this deep-seated want, such as 'inquiry meetings,' 'conference meetings,' 'young converts' meetings,' and 'experience meetings.' In the class-meeting we have, and have always had, the very thing which can best secure all the ends thus sought, and we look to our class-leaders to restore it to far more than its old-time power."

1 Works, Vol. V. pp. 580-581.