Summary
“Thomas Benjamin Neely (1841-1925) of Philadelphia was a prominent bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a traveling missionary, and a noted author and editor of religious books.” [Source]
Overview
Theological Tradition of the Author:
Methodist Episcopal
Topic:
Episcopacy in the Methodist Tradition, Apostolic Succession
Links:
[Source]
Quotes
“Doubtless he [Mr. Ward] will admit that the Methodists have presbyterial ordination, for Bishop Seabury, the first Protestant Episcopal bishop in the United States, admitted that long ago; and, by the way, the consecration of Bishop Seabury was not from the regular and lawful English bishops, but irregularly from Scotch non-juring bishops.” p. 656
“As, therefore, the New Testament teaches that presbyters and bishops were the same order, Wesley, as a presbyter, had a right to ordain, and on that ground Methodist orders are valid; and it is worthy of note that the Church of England never challenged his assertion of this right.” p. 657
“[The Rev. John Wesley] believed that bishop meant overseer, but, probably owing to the abuse of the title bishop, he preferred the title superintendent, which was perhaps deemed simpler and more suggestive; but the word do not determine the nature of the office so much as its functions, and no one can doubt that the functions of that superintendency were episcopal.” p. 657
episcopi ecclesiarum protestantium 