Decline of Wesle anism

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 67, 14 November 1885, Page 3

Decline of Wesle anism

" ; ■ The Banner says that in the pastoral address of the President of the Wes4feyan Conference, which . was read ; bef ore all the leading Wesleyan'congregations in. Great Britain, "atte'utiW is~ called; to the disproporlipn^ibetVeeii the 49,554 new members ,xeceiyaii during 4he year, and the net' increase of ,2797 reported at its close, and it. is remarked that, "after inak,ing aU>aUowances for losses that may be regarded as natuml and unavoid- ■ aJ>l§i t fK'*e: figures .disclose «i state of things." that •causes., grave, .concern." l^'Thepßtesident suggests that .inquiry be mafle as tb tMs 1 apparent failure to retain ''iirCaiistiaTi 'fellow-ship thos'e 1 thaffiave' teen won, and reijpinmends; 'more :elß.cJ6iit v .p.afetpra':' bver^ight, and epecj^eflp^s'.for &c instruction., and , ' traiixjng'j.oii converts. jZ 'Possibly., the virtual decadence of Wesleyanism as a; sect, to .Mjhjch thes^ figures and the mourjnl til reflecHohs of the president! ,so plainly ppjnt, «iay be idue, npt, M he suggestflj' to :tha inefficiency of the: pastoral 1 oversight, iut to the 'gradual absorptiptt'of^ mib^^ ybunger "W^aleyaas,! whdy6arn I '-f6r som«Mng ; more than 'Wesleyanism, as a'sectahdas a schism, can give in that Church '.'~bt lehich: the Wesleys were ordained ministers deyoijsd sons. ' ° ' .""