preached and the sacraments duly administered. They also decided that a member of the Church of England was a believer who heard the pure word of God preached, and partook of the sacraments duly administered in that church. From the minutes we learn, 1. That they considered the Methodists to be a part of the Church of England. 2. That by keeping to the church at large, they meant extending the service and sacrament.* In the year 1768 the following regulation was passed:-"Keep close to the church; i. e., go to church, and exhort the people to go there also; for this reason, which we have learned from long experience : they that leave the church, leave the Methodists. The clergy cannot separate us from our brethren; the dissenting ministers can, and do."+ At this time there was no service, in the forenoon, in any Methodist chapel, except in London. To attend the church service and the sacrament, was all that was required to constitute members of the establishment; therefore there was no discipline in the English Church by which the Methodists could be expelled from her communion. There was no formal test of admission or of continuance; as no sinner was ever rebuked, and no saint among them particularly encouraged. In brief, there was no moral discipline in the church, and none could be exercised in excluding Methodists. Indeed, there was no inclosure where church members were protected, no fence to shut out: all was a perfect commons, sacraments and all; and, therefore, discipline was out of the question. What few regulations were in force in the church, regarded the clergy principally; and these were only in reference to making bishops, which was reserved to the king alone, or to bestow livings or benefices which belonged to patrons of various descriptions. As to shutting people out of the church, it was unprovided for and unpractised; except for certain political offences of rare occurrence, and of rarer cognizance. But we must refer our readers, for ampler details on the relation in which the Methodists stood to the English Church, to the writings of Wesley and others, where this point is frequently referred to, and treated under every aspect. We refer the reader especially, however, to Mr. Wesley's sermon on the Foundation of the City-Road Chapel, Works, vol. i, p. 496. Also, the act of the conference on Dissent, in 1766, in Miles, pp. 100-101. (8.) Some of the regular clergy, who had embraced Mr. Wesley's leading doctrines, generally disapproved of lay preachers, as they were improperly called; as if preachers, wholly devoted to preaching and pastoral duties, could be laymen. These, with the other clergy, feared lest a large rent should be made in the established church. Some clergymen of the church stood by Mr. Wesley under all circumstances; while others, whose interests were confteted with the establishment, forsook or opposed him. Mr. Walker, of Truro, was one of those who really insisted that Mr. Wesley would give up his itinerant plan by having some of his preachers ordained, others made into mere readers, and others dismissed. We must refer to the strong and convincing letter which Mr. Wesley returned in reply to this gentleman, which shows he held the cause of God in greater estimation than any thing in the universe.‡ Such was the connection of the clergymen with the + Miles, p. 120. For the minutes, see Wesley's Works, vol. v, p. 198. emoluments of the church, who were convinced of the justness of Mr. Wesley's cause, that when they were called upon formally to act, they were a mere rope of sand; and they left Mr. Wesley to struggle on in the cause of truth, which he had espoused. The same, we believe, is the character of the clergy now in the English Church who are called by themselves evangelical. We have yet to be convinced that they are much better than their time-serving predecessors in the days of Mr. Wesley. Be this as it may, those who promoted the cause of religion in connection with him, were the preachers (slanderously nicknamed lay preachers by those whom they could teach) who were called of God; as was Aaron, and as were the apostles and primitive ministers of Jesus Christ in the first churches. These modern evangelists, renegades from Methodism, and feebly attached to principle and self-sacrifice, may easily adopt some shades of genuine Methodism and pass it for the whole; taking care to mix abundance of worldly policy, and yet to discover their want of sound principle. They are children of expediency; have adopted the very article in the English Church which, as a bait, was thrown out to their forefathers. Still the preachers so called are the strength of religion in Great Britain; while very great abatements must be made to the soundness and piety of those who now cleave to a still corrupt establishment. (9.) The power which Mr. Wesley exercised over his preachers has frequently been objected to by those who did not consider the nature or kind of power which he used, the circumstances in which this was done, the manner in which it was obtained, the object for which it was used, and the final transfer which Mr. Wesley made of it. From the account of this authority, as explained in the larger minutes, we will make an extract, as the entire piece would be too long for insertion here. "What is that power? It is a power of admitting into, and excluding from, the societies under my care; of choosing and removing stewards; of receiving or not receiving helpers; of appointing them when, where, and how to help me, and of desiring any of them to confer with me when I see good. And as it was merely in obedience to the providence of God, and for the good of the people, that I at first accepted this power, which I never sought; so it is on the same consideration, not for profit, honor, or pleasure, that I use it at this day. "But 'several gentlemen are offended at your having so much power.' I did not seek any part of it. But when it was come unawares, not daring to 'bury that talent,' I used it to the best of my judgment. Yet I never was fond of it. I always did, and do now, bear it as my burden;-the burden which God lays upon me, and therefore I dare not lay it down. "But if you can tell me any one, or any five men, to whom I may transfer this burden, who can and will do just what I do now, I will heartily thank both them and you."* It must be acknowledged that the powers exercised by Mr. Wesley were very extensive; but it is evident from the above extract, and from the whole tenor of his life, that he received it providen tially, used it to edification, and finally made such a division of it as to be distributed among the people and ministry; in a manner that admirably comports with the New Testament, and promotes good order and secures the liberties and privileges of all concerned. It was finally and aggregately vested in the whole body of presbyters, in the European and American Methodists. It was also provided to have it duly distributed in an efficient episcopacy, (composed of bishops, as in America; of a president and council, as in Europe,) deriving their powers from the presbytery, and accountable to it; and other portions of it were divided among annual conferences, quarterly conferences, district meetings, leaders' meetings and congregations, boards of trustees and of stewards. Perhaps no ecclesiastical bodies in the world can compare with Wesleyan Methodism, both in Europe and America, for regularity of system and order; guards against encroachments, and the securing of privileges and liberty. The Church of England can pretend to no such ecclesiastical polity as Methodism presents. (10.) Charles Wesley did not possess an equal share of authority with John Wesley in the government of the Methodist societies. The following minute of the conference of 1745 proves this:"Q. Should not my brother follow me step by step, and Mr. Meriton (another clergyman) him? A. As far as possible." It is an entire mistake to suppose that Charles Wesley maintained the original principles of Methodism or those of Scripture when he opposed his brother in ordaining preachers for America, and other things connected therewith. It was Charles, and not John, that departed from the original principles on which they both set out.* (11.) Although Mr. Wesley, at first, had no expectation or design that the Methodists would ever separate from the church, and though he always did every thing to prevent it which he could do with a clear conscience, he nevertheless foresaw that a separation would be inevitable in the end. For this result he accordingly provided. The first formal step towards a future union, or church organization, was contained in an Address to the Travelling Preachers, dated August 4th, 1769. In this address he states that he had frequently attempted to unite the clergy who were favorable to his views, but to no purpose; for, out of fifty or sixty to whom he wrote, only three vouchsafed an answer. He said, with great truth, that the clergy were a rope of sand ;" and such they would continue. He acknowledges, however, that the travelling preachers were very different men; were one body, acted in concert with each other, and by united counsels. In order to preserve a firm union among these, he proposed the following plan: Perhaps you might take some such steps as these : "On notice of my death, let all the preachers in England and Ireland repair to London within six weeks. "Let them seek God by solemn fasting and prayer. "Let them draw up articles of agreement, to be signed by those who choose to act in concert. "Let those be dismissed who do not choose it in the most friendly manner possible. * See Watson's Wesley, pp. 139, 175, 183-187. "Let them choose, by votes, a committee of three, five, or seven, each of whom is to be moderator in his turn. "Let the committee do what I do now; propose preachers to be tried, admitted, or excluded; fix the place of each preacher for the ensuing year, and the time of the next conference. "5. Can any thing be done now, in order to lay a foundation for this future union? Would it not be well, for any that are willing, to sign some articles of agreement before God calls me hence? Suppose something like these: "We, whose names are underwritten, being thoroughly convinced of the necessity of a close union between those whom God is pleased to use as instruments in this glorious work, in order to preserve this union between ourselves, are resolved, God being our helper, "I. To devote ourselves entirely to God; denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, steadily aiming at one thing,-to save our own souls, and them that hear us. "II. To preach the old Methodist doctrines, and no other, contained in the minutes of the conferences. "III. To observe and enforce the whole Methodist discipline laid down in the said minutes.'"* This plan contained all the leading principles of a Scriptural form of church polity. 1. It placed the chief power in the pastors, or body of elders or presbyters. 2. It recognized an episcopacy of three, five, or seven, &c. 3. The rights and privileges of the people were secured by the discipline which it included, the doctrines to be taught, and the services of an efficient ministry, who solemnly vowed to devote themselves entirely to God. The paper of which the foregoing is an extract was read to the conference in 1769, and referred to them for consideration, that they might maturely consider its contents. It was again brought forward at the conferences in 1773, 1774, and 1775; at each of which all the preachers present signed it. At the first of these conferences there were forty-eight preachers present. At the second, twenty-five who were not at the former conference. At the third conference in 1774, there were present twenty-eight who were at neither of the former These articles of union were signed by one hundred and one preachers. This plan was, in substance, established afterwards; having undergone several modifications by the "Deed of Declaration," which constituted one hundred of the preachers the legal conference. Thus matters stood in the Wesleyan body till the execution of the deed. ones. On February 28th, 1784, Mr. Wesley executed the Deed of Declaration, constituting one hundred of the travelling preachers "The Conference of the People called Methodists." The design of the deed was to give a legal specification to this phrase, which is inserted in all the deeds of the Wesleyan chapels. By virtue of this deed, the conference possesses the power of appointing preachers to preach in those chapels. The deed was approved, and signed by all the preachers present at the conference of 1784, amounting to thirtynine. It was farther confirmed by the conference of July 30th, 1785, * Wesley's Works, vol. vii, p. 306. + Miles, p. 125. by the preachers present, being thirty.* Mr. Wesley, at first, had thoughts of naming only ten or twelve persons; but, on second thoughts, he believed there would be more safety in a greater number, and he therefore named a hundred, because this number could meet without too great expense, and without leaving any circuit naked of preachers during conference. In remarking on this deed, under date of March 3d, 1785, Mr. Wesley concludes thus :-"You see, then, in all the pains I have taken about this absolutely necessary deed, I have been laboring, not for myself, (I have no interest therein,) but for the whole body of Methodists; in order to fix them on such a foundation as is likely to stand as long as the sun and moon endure. That is, if they continue to walk by faith, and to show forth their faith by their works; otherwise, I pray God to root out the memorial of them from the earth." Mr. Wesley's love and care for such preachers as feared they might suffer from this deed, is evident from the following letter, which he wrote at Chester, April 7th, 1785; and committed it to Joseph Bradford, to be presented to the first conference to be held after his death. Accordingly, Mr. Bradford, who used to travel with Mr. Wesley, delivered it to the president of the conference in 1791. On reading this letter, the conference unanimously resolved, "That all the preachers who were in full connection with them should enjoy every privilege which the members of the conference enjoy, agreeably to the letter of their venerable father in the gospel, and consistent with the Deed of Declaration." LETTER TO THE METHODIST CONFERENCE. "Chester, April 7, 1785. "MY DEAR BRETHREN,-Some of our travelling preachers have expressed a fear that, after my decease, you would exclude them either from preaching in connection with you, or from some other privileges which they now enjoy. I know no other way to prevent such inconvenience than to leave these my last words with you. "I beseech you, by the mercies of God, that you never avail yourselves of the Deed of Declaration to assume any superiority over your brethren; but let all things go on, among those itinerants who choose to remain together, exactly in the same manner as when I was with you, so far as circumstances will permit. "In particular, I beseech you, if you ever loved me, and if you now love God and your brethren, to have no respect of persons in stationing the preachers, in choosing children for Kingswood school, in disposing of the yearly contribution, and the preachers' fund, or any other public money; but do all things with a single eye, as I have done from the beginning. Go on thus, doing all things without prejudice or partiality, and God will be with you even to the end. "JOHN WESLEY." From what is brought before the reader, it must appear clear that Mr. Wesley and the Methodists took Scripture for their guide; and, though they continued in a certain connection with the established See Miles, p. 144. Whitehead, vol. ii, p. 384. Wesley's Works, vol. vii, p. 309; iv, p. 753. + Wesley's Works, vol. vii, p. 310. |