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consent to the necessary measure of setting up a new one. Even then, Otterbein never formally or
of his own accord withdrew from the Reformed Church, nor did Wesley sever his connection with
the Church of England.
But though the broken English of the early United Brethren gave the early Methodists some
trouble in carrying on a conversation, each band of Christians recognized from the first that the
other was made up of fellow laborers in an identical cause. The difference in language in fact made
for friendship by removing a ground for one sect to interfere with what the other was doing. In a
period of denominational narrowness and prejudice, it is therefore pleasant to note the
exceptionally cordial relations between the United Brethren and the Methodists during the
formative period in the history of each.
Between Otterbein, the senior founder of the United Brethren, and Asbury, the pioneer
Methodist bishop, there was an attachment that was intimate and affectionate. The latter
considered the former to be the foremost theologian in America. Asbury was instrumental in
causing Otterbein to go to Baltimore. Otterbein assisted in the ordination of Asbury, and at the
special request of the latter. It was Asbury who preached the sermon at the funeral of Otterbein.
And as we might suppose, Otterbein had a high opinion of Wesley and the Methodists.
A union of the two churches was thought of at an early day. But until the close of 1784, the
Methodists were a society within the Church of England. To the fathers of the United Brethren this
was an obstacle. Another objection was the adherence of the early Methodists to the doctrine of
apostolic succession. They held that it was wrong for any preacher to presume to administer the
sacraments unless he had been regularly ordained by a bishop of the established church, and the
doctrine assumes that there has been an unbroken line of ordination ever since the days of the
apostles. Both objections came to lose all their force in consequence of the great unlikeness which
has developed between the Methodist Church and the Church of England.
A friendly correspondence looking toward union was begun by the Methodist conference of
1809, held in Harrisonburg. This is spoken of in our extracts from Newcomer's Journal. A close
cooperation with the Methodists was given much attention in the United Brethren conferences of
1809 and 1810. By an agreement of 1812, any meeting-house of either church was open to the
other when the church in possession was not using it. Members of either church were freely
admitted to the class-meetings, prayer meetings, and love-feasts of the other. German converts
usually went into the United Brethren Church and English-speaking converts into the Methodist. In
1813 an address signed by Asbury was received from the Methodist conference, and a reply was
ordered so as "more and more to effect a union between the two churches." In 1814 a letter from
the Baltimore Conference of the Methodists expressed its gratification at the friendly relations with
the United Brethren, and hoped these relations might continue.
But organic union does not seem to have been strongly favored on either side. By the word
"union" in the United Brethren letter of 1813 was meant no more than friendly cooperation. Asbury
was a very efficient superintendent, but did not bring Methodism into direct touch with those
inhabitants of America who did not speak English. America was not then a polyglot country.
German was the only other tongue spoken by any considerable number of white Americans. Even
in that day the stubbornness with which the German element clung to the German speech was
deemed unreasonable and anti-American. And on the side of the United Brethren it may have been
felt that in consequence of the temperamental and other differences between these two groups of
Christians, it might be better if each were to retain its separate organization. But this failure to
unite did not lead to a sundering of fraternal relations. Methodist ministers often visited the
conferences of the United Brethren, and United Brethren ministers often visited the conferences of
the Methodists. During the war for American Independence the Methodists began to grow rapidly,
and it was then that Methodist preachers began to appear in the German settlements of Maryland
and its neighboring states. These "English brethren," as they were styled, were gladly received.
Even the wife of Bishop Boehm joined the Methodists and so did some of her sons.
Asbury died in 1816. A Methodist presiding elder, in an excess of denominational zeal
suspended the working arrangement with the United Brethren, and insisted that Wesley's rules be
strictly followed. One of these rules prescribed who should and who should not be admitted to
social meetings. It had been necessary in England, because such meetings, if open, were subject to
interruption by gangs of outlaws. In the America of 1816 no such caution was necessary and the
Chapter XIV 55 Movements Toward Union with Other
Churches
of his own accord withdrew from the Reformed Church, nor did Wesley sever his connection with
the Church of England.
But though the broken English of the early United Brethren gave the early Methodists some
trouble in carrying on a conversation, each band of Christians recognized from the first that the
other was made up of fellow laborers in an identical cause. The difference in language in fact made
for friendship by removing a ground for one sect to interfere with what the other was doing. In a
period of denominational narrowness and prejudice, it is therefore pleasant to note the
exceptionally cordial relations between the United Brethren and the Methodists during the
formative period in the history of each.
Between Otterbein, the senior founder of the United Brethren, and Asbury, the pioneer
Methodist bishop, there was an attachment that was intimate and affectionate. The latter
considered the former to be the foremost theologian in America. Asbury was instrumental in
causing Otterbein to go to Baltimore. Otterbein assisted in the ordination of Asbury, and at the
special request of the latter. It was Asbury who preached the sermon at the funeral of Otterbein.
And as we might suppose, Otterbein had a high opinion of Wesley and the Methodists.
A union of the two churches was thought of at an early day. But until the close of 1784, the
Methodists were a society within the Church of England. To the fathers of the United Brethren this
was an obstacle. Another objection was the adherence of the early Methodists to the doctrine of
apostolic succession. They held that it was wrong for any preacher to presume to administer the
sacraments unless he had been regularly ordained by a bishop of the established church, and the
doctrine assumes that there has been an unbroken line of ordination ever since the days of the
apostles. Both objections came to lose all their force in consequence of the great unlikeness which
has developed between the Methodist Church and the Church of England.
A friendly correspondence looking toward union was begun by the Methodist conference of
1809, held in Harrisonburg. This is spoken of in our extracts from Newcomer's Journal. A close
cooperation with the Methodists was given much attention in the United Brethren conferences of
1809 and 1810. By an agreement of 1812, any meeting-house of either church was open to the
other when the church in possession was not using it. Members of either church were freely
admitted to the class-meetings, prayer meetings, and love-feasts of the other. German converts
usually went into the United Brethren Church and English-speaking converts into the Methodist. In
1813 an address signed by Asbury was received from the Methodist conference, and a reply was
ordered so as "more and more to effect a union between the two churches." In 1814 a letter from
the Baltimore Conference of the Methodists expressed its gratification at the friendly relations with
the United Brethren, and hoped these relations might continue.
But organic union does not seem to have been strongly favored on either side. By the word
"union" in the United Brethren letter of 1813 was meant no more than friendly cooperation. Asbury
was a very efficient superintendent, but did not bring Methodism into direct touch with those
inhabitants of America who did not speak English. America was not then a polyglot country.
German was the only other tongue spoken by any considerable number of white Americans. Even
in that day the stubbornness with which the German element clung to the German speech was
deemed unreasonable and anti-American. And on the side of the United Brethren it may have been
felt that in consequence of the temperamental and other differences between these two groups of
Christians, it might be better if each were to retain its separate organization. But this failure to
unite did not lead to a sundering of fraternal relations. Methodist ministers often visited the
conferences of the United Brethren, and United Brethren ministers often visited the conferences of
the Methodists. During the war for American Independence the Methodists began to grow rapidly,
and it was then that Methodist preachers began to appear in the German settlements of Maryland
and its neighboring states. These "English brethren," as they were styled, were gladly received.
Even the wife of Bishop Boehm joined the Methodists and so did some of her sons.
Asbury died in 1816. A Methodist presiding elder, in an excess of denominational zeal
suspended the working arrangement with the United Brethren, and insisted that Wesley's rules be
strictly followed. One of these rules prescribed who should and who should not be admitted to
social meetings. It had been necessary in England, because such meetings, if open, were subject to
interruption by gangs of outlaws. In the America of 1816 no such caution was necessary and the
Chapter XIV 55 Movements Toward Union with Other
Churches
