200 Years of United Methodism
An Illustrated History

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Foreword to the 1984 edition

The history of United Methodism in America is a human story. The story of people who followed the witness of John Wesley. In many ways what they did was right for the times and especially for those in the new nation, the United States of America. It is a story that affirmed the worth of all and announced that all could be happy and holy, to use Mr. Wesley's terms. It is a story of courage, commitment, confidence, and conviction. The people called United Methodists believed that they were serving God and God would use their service. Like all human stories it has had its moments of failure, frustration, and futility. People were not always obedient to the message of either the Gospel or of the church's founder, John Wesley.

It is also a divine story. The story of God using strengths and weaknesses, faith and unfaith, vision and blindness to accomplish a divine purpose. Sometimes this was done through the efforts of those who served under the banner of United Methodism and sometimes in spite of them. Therefore, what has mattered most to United Methodists over their history is not to record what they have done as much as to discern what God was doing in their history.

The purpose, therefore, of telling this story is to commend God's trustworthiness to others. This volume is shaped by that commitment. It tells a story too seldom told and too little known. However, those who explore these pages are asked to remember that the secret of this story is to be found between the lines. It is a commission from God as well as the promise of God that sent the people called United Methodist "to spread scriptural holiness across the land and to reform the continent".

Many have made it possible to tell this story, most of whom are unknown. They are the ones who cared about the records of events, who saved the pictures, articles, and mementoes that symbolically tell this story. They fulfilled the mandate of the Psalmist, "let this be written down, so that generations yet unborn will praise the Lord" (Psalm 102:18).

There are, however, some who have made a significant contribution so that this volume could be completed. The Rev. John McEllhenney accepted the task of telling this story within the limited space that could be made available, and then told the story in a way to bring it to life and make it a joy to read. Dr. Charles Yrigoyen, Jr. not only relates the history and mission of the United Methodist Archives and History Center, but he made many valuable contributions to the text and in the selection of the items to be photographed.

The Rev. William C. Beal, Jr., the United Methodist Archivist, and Dr. Kenneth E. Rowe, the Drew Methodist Librarian, were primarily responsible for the work of exploring the extensive United Methodist and Drew University holdings in the archives and history center. Their extensive knowledge and commitment made it possible to have the illustrations for this book.

Four people worked tirelessly to insure that the quality of the photographs and printing would help this book become an historical treasure. Judi Benvenuti and George Goodwin used their artistic skills to insure that the pictures of the holdings would do justice to the real article. John R. Murray was extremely conscientious to insure that the finished volume would have a quality that would commend its content to those who encounter it and reflect the significance of the history, while the text was enhanced by Joann Bush's typographic skills.

A word of appreciation needs to be given to Cindy Moran and William G. Wehner who provided guidance and support for this undertaking. Many of the necessary details for preparing the text of this work were performed by Dawn McDermott in a tireless and competent way.

The extent to which this work will inform, instruct, and inspire owes as much to these who have worked to share this story as to those who made this story of United Methodism possible by their faith and their lives.

The Forest - Drew University
Madison, N.J.
April 1984

Stanley J. Menking
General Editor

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