DECLINE

     The questions we are forced to consider today relative to the decline and revival of the class-meeting are not by any means new problems in Methodism. One hundred and forty-seven years ago the same problems were subjects of serious discussion, and in a Methodist conference over which John Wesley himself presided the question was raised, "Can anything be done to make the classes more lively and profitable?" "More than fifty years ago John Miley lamented the disposition of the church to turn from the class-meeting and the failure to appreciate its advantages." ^[1] Near thirty years ago Daniel Wise wrote: "That there is a tendency, more or less decided, throughout Methodism to suffer the class-meeting to sink into neglect, it were folly to deny." ^[2]

     "The class-meeting, like the church itself," says Mr. Goodell, "has had its revival and declension; but in spite of all efforts to abolish it or to provide for it a substitute it still holds its place, second to none, as a means of grace in the development of noble Christian character."

     The decline of the class-meeting always indicates the decline of the church in spiritual life, power and fruitfulness. Whenever the church's pulse beats high with revival intensity you will always find the class-meeting well attended. Whenever the ecclesiastical pulse is spiritually feeble, interest in the class-meeting will be found at ebbtide.

     That the class-meeting as now known has seriously declined in the chief body of American Methodism is acknowledged by the Bishops of that body in their "Episcopal Address to Class-Leaders," delivered at the General Conference of 1892, in which they say:

     "We cannot look upon the decline of class-meetings without profound concern ... We sadly admit that no such proportion of our people are regular class-goers as formerly, and that in some places class-meetings have entirely died out or have been displaced by other forms of service, which cannot accomplish the purposes in view. To this fact, in large part, we attribute the increase in the numbers of unspiritual church members, the presence of worldliness in the church, and the lack of more numerous, searching and sweeping revivals. We do not forget that circumstances change, and that incidental phenomena of religious awakening and reformation may be expected to differ from age to age; but it seems to us certain that if the great mass of the members of our churches should meet once a week in class-meetings under competent leaders, who should, as the Discipline directs, '(1) inquire how their souls prosper; (2) advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as the occasion may require,' the essential glory of early Methodism would burst forth anew on every hand; and awe-struck communities would be constrained to say, 'Surely the Lord hath visited His people.'"

     Nor is this decline of the class-meeting confined to the foregoing branch of Methodism alone; it appears to be in greater or less degree, true of all the lesser divisions of Methodism as well. That decline has undoubtedly been exaggerated by some, but it is nevertheless true that the Methodisms of today differ much from Methodism of the primitive type in respect to the life, power, and effectiveness of their class-meetings. This is an evil omen, and it is well that the more thoughtful and influential among the leaders of universal Methodism are awaking to its significance, sounding the alarm, and endeavoring to recall their people to a loftier estimate of and a more faithful attendance upon this precious but much neglected means of grace.

     "Neglect of Christian fellowship is an unfailing symptom of the loss of Christian zeal," says Dr. Fitzgerald. "The empty seats at the weekly prayer-meeting are a valid indictment against the absentees. The class-meeting, as it is more directly a searcher of the heart and a revealer of its tendency, while it will be sought by the spiritually-minded, will more surely be shunned by the backslidden and the backsliding. Coetaneous with the decline of the class-meeting there was visible increase of worldliness in the church and laxity in its discipline. The doctrinal standard was lowered, and the practice of the church sunk with it. A cloud of witnesses, living and dead, testify to this fact. When the theater, the ball, and the card-table came in, the class-meeting went out. When the world filled the thoughts of the people they could not be expected to meet to talk about religion.

     "As the class-meeting was the normal outgrowth of revived New Testament Christianity, so when that revival ebbed it was left stranded on the sands of worldliness. The day of elegant, written pulpit essays, quartet choirs, and frigid gentility had come, and that of the class-meeting was past. A heaven-kindled light was smothered. The voice of a witnessing church was hushed. But not wholly was the light quenched, or the voice silenced. The holy fire still continued to burn here and there, and living voices, refusing to be gagged, testified of the grace of God, and exhorted, comforted, and edified His people. The class-meeting did not die. It never will die. But it has had a long sickness, and has suffered at the hands of its friends as well as its enemies."

     If Methodism in any of its branches would see a genuine revival of religion, would awaken her membership to renew their consecration vows, put on the beautiful garments of holiness, and go forth "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners," to fight the battles of their King and make this sin-cursed world radiant with "the beauty of holiness," then let her class-meeting fires be kindled to a white heat as in the former times, and her class-meeting services made jubilant as in days of yore with songs and shouts of holy victory. Here is the hiding of her power.

1 Quoted by Charles Goodell in "The Drill-Master of Methodism."

2 "The Drill-Master of Methodism."