In South Carolina. 423 



of men were but men at the best,' and who could 

 vouch that to change his circumstances might not 

 change the man, so that the same man in a better coat 

 should not preach a worse sermon ? And then when 

 such points were not presented as for an equal discus- 

 sion of both sides of the question, but with the full 

 tide and current of opinion setting one way, what 

 might it avail for this or that individual, or even this 

 or that society, to oppose it? Might they not expose 

 themselves to the imputation of being unmethodistical 

 and worldly-minded, lowering the standard of Method- 

 ism to suit their own carnal tastes? 



" I remember that not long ago, when the present 

 Trinity Church in Charleston had just been completed, 

 happening to step into it with two or three gentlemen 

 of friendly feelings, who were not Methodists, one of 

 them said, as in tones of regret, shaking his head as 

 he spoke: 'Ah, this does not look like Methodism. 

 Too fine, too fine! Give me the old Cumberland 

 Street blue-meeting.' And this was a gentleman of 

 the Protestant Episcopal Church, and a pretty decided 

 Churchman besides. He seemed to think that even 

 a High-churchman coming to a Methodist meeting 

 might hardly get the good of it unless he found there 

 low, dusky walls and seats with open backs, and such 

 like assistances of godly worship. 



"But to return to my brethren of the board of 

 stewards. It could not have been without a struggle 

 that such men as they were, as to worldly position 

 and circumstances, had identified themselves with the 

 Methodists in that community at the time when they 

 had done so. In doing this, they must have felt 

 strongly the poverty of the world without the riches 

 of grace, and the riches of poverty ennobled by 



