METER 206 METHXJEN tion of the results to aeronautics. There Branches. Ministers, churches. Members. was established in July, 1919, in Brus- Other white (5 sels, an International Union of Geodesy African Meihodist and Geophysics, one section of which is Episcopal 8,i75 6,454 552,265 devoted to meteorology. New meteoro- African Methodist logical instruments include an improved coforeT'^Mefhodist ^'^^^ ^^^ ^^^'^^^ pole star recorder, used for registering Episcopal 3,402 2,62i 245,749 cloudiness of night. An improved snow other colored (6 sampler was also devised, as well as a bodies) .^ ^ 598 256 16,875 new continuous recorder of atmospheric The ministry is itinerant, the term of pollution. See Weather Bureau. incumbency being limited, and the ap- pointments made by the bishops and METER. See METRIC SYSTEM. their councils (composed of presiding ,,_,mTxrt-rwxc-i,/r 4? i-i- 1 J- clders or sub-bishops). In doctrinal METHODISM, one of the leading re- j^^^ ^^ coincide with the Wesleyan hgious systems of English-speaking ghurch, with but few minor differences. races. A religious society existed at Ox- ^^^ properly be regarded as an in- ford m the year 1727 among the mem- t ^al part of the great body of Wes- bers of which were John and Charles ]evans Wesley and George Whitefield, young j^ {rj^^^ j^^^ ^^^1 ^^^ executed a men studying for orders.. ,They and their ^eed poll in Chancery, which, reserving associates were half derisively called the ^-^ ^^^^^ ^„^ ^^^^^ -^^ ^j^ brother, pro- Godly, or the Sacramentanan Club" ^^i^ed that on his death his place should (because they went through a mocking ^ supplied by a permanent body of 100 '^r,TL^?i ^m ll"'!!- f %^* ^k ^^It^l' ministers, meeting at the conference, and and, finally, Methodists, from the method- ^^^^^^ ^y^^ Legal Hundred. They still ical way m which they performed their constitute the supreme governing body religious duties. The first Methodist ^f the Wesleyan Methodists. When it meeting house was built m Bristol Eng- ^leets, it fills up by co-optation all va- land, m 1740; later the Foundry in Moor- ^^^^-^^ ^^^^-^^ y^^^e arisen during fields, London, hired for a temi of years, ^^^ ^he annual conference, during 7^^^ li^^ ^"^ ^^^ a preaching house In the consideration of spiritual questions, 1744 the first conference was held; it ^g composed of ministers only; but dur- was attended by six persons all clergy- ^ the discussion of financial matters it "^^^h-K X^^ conference held at Leeds consists of 240 ministers and 240 laymen, m 17o5, the separation between itinerant and local preachers was made broader; METHT7EN, a town of Essex CO., the former were to be supported by the Mass., 30 miles N. of Boston, on the contributions of the societies; the latter Spicket river, Boston and Maine railroad, to support themselves by their ordinary Has handsome buildings, including li- callmgs, preaching during hours of brary and schools, and home of a2:ed leisure. By 1767 there were 32 of the incurables. Cottons, woolens, knitted former and some hundreds of the latter; goods, chief manufactures. Town meet- 'A '^91„tl^e former numbered 312. ing form of city government. Pop. Charles Wesley, who had rendered the (1910) 11,448; (1920) 15,189. Methodists, and the English Churches / y , ' ^, generally, great service by his hymns, METHXJEN, PATTL SANFORD, 3d died in 1788, and John, at the age of BARON, an English military officer; nearly 88, on March 2, 1791. In the ^^^^ Sept. 1, 1845, was educated at Eton United States the government of the and in 1864 became lieutenant of the churches is generally Episcopal though Scots Guards. He served in Ireland, some of the bodies adhere to the prim- Egypt, Bechuanaland, was rnilitary at- itive method of control. The two domi- tache at Berlin, and saw active service nant bodies are the Methodist Episcopal m the Ashanti, Egyptian, and Boer wars. Church and the Methodist Episcopal In the latter he was made commander of Church, South, which formerly composed t^^e 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, in but one connection, but in 1844 divided 1899, and rendered signal service under on the question of slavery. Lords Kitchener and Roberts. On March The following shows the strength of "7. 1902. while leading a force of 1,200 the principal Methodist bodies in the men to Lichtenburg, he was attacked by United States in 1919: the Boers under General De la Rey. The Branches. Ministers. Churches. Members, f^^^^^^ ^^^^ '""'V^vl^^^i^./'"!^*^-'. ^tfn"oS Methodist E p 1 8 - four guns, several hundred men m killed copal 18,642 29,377 3.718,396 and captured, among the latter being Methodist E p i s - t __j MpflinfTi who wa<? however re- copal. South. .. . 7,498 19,122 2.108,061 T j tCt iT 1 o uU ^^ol ^IC, « vo ^ Methodist P rotes- "o,uoi leased on March 13. He was general tant 1,340 2,464 186,873 officer commanding-in-chief in South
