''The Probationer's Catechism'', also called ''The Probationer's Handbook'', is a catechism authored by

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...

divine S. Olin Garrison for probationary members of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

seeking full membership. First published in 1883, it has been the most used probationer's manual in the

history of Methodism History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was widely used in the thirty years since it was first printed, with over a half-million sold. Several editions of ''The Probationer's Handbook'' have been released, including those of "1885, 1887, 1896, 1904, and 1909." The period of probationary membership in Methodist connexions normatively lasts six months. As such, the text provides a "topic and resources for each of the six months for the prescribed probationary period." ''The Probationer's Catechism'' teaches Methodist history, doctrine and

polity A polity is an identifiable political entity – a group of people with a collective identity, who are organized by some form of institutionalized social relations, and have a capacity to mobilize resources. A polity can be any other group of p ...

; it includes the Articles of Religion, General Rules, as well as holiness standards on "amusements, dress marriage, temperance, and tobacco". The Baptismal Covenant,

Apostles' Creed The Apostles' Creed (Latin: ''Symbolum Apostolorum'' or ''Symbolum Apostolicum''), sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith". The creed most likely originated in 5th-century ...

General Confession The General Confession is a prayer of contrition in various Christian denominations, including Anglicanism, Methodism, and Roman Catholicism. Anglicanism and Methodism In Anglicanism, the "General Confession" is the act of contrition in Thoma ...

Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments ( Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ ...

, as well as the rite for baptism, the rite for the reception of probationary members, and the rite for receiving probationers as full members are contained in ''The Probationer's Catechism'', along with a prayer of consecration. The book includes lectures that would be important to Methodist probationers, such as "Duty of Church Membership" by Bostwick Hawley.

References

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External links

''The Probationer's Handbook'' by S. Olin Garrison (1887)
Catechisms Methodist texts