are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform every office of real kindness towards them. 4. If it be said, 'But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them;' I answer, That which never existed cannot be destroyed. But the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it cannot be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any such fellowship with these? Who watched over them in love? Who marked their growth in grace? Who advised and exhorted them from time to time? Who prayed with them and for them, as they had need? This, and this alone, is Christian fellowship; but, alas! where is it to be found? Look east or west, north or south; name what parish you please: is this Christian fellowship there? Rather, are not the bulk of the parishioners a mere rope of sand? What Christian connection is there between them? What intercourse in spiritual things? What watching over each other's souls? What bearing of one another's burdens? What a mere jest is it, then, to talk so gravely of destroying what never was! The real truth is just the reverse of this: we introduce Christian fellowship where it was utterly destroyed. And the fruits of it have been peace, joy, love, and zeal for every good word and work."*

(7.) It was said above that the disciplinary departure of Methodists from the Church of England was not a departure from the discipline authorized or enjoined by the New Testament, and therefore such a departure could not be schism. Only just attend to a few things which the Methodists rejected. We enumerate the following: The sovereign ecclesiastical authority of the British parliament in all ecclesiastical matters; the supremacy of the king; the doctrine of the three orders, embracing succession, &c.; some of the canons and the canon law; the authority of the ecclesiastical courts; the patronage of churches, &c. Was it, or is it schism to reject these as unscriptural, to say nothing of many other things connected with these, or growing out of them? It is perfectly useless to reason with any man at this age of the world who would seriously maintain these as sound Scriptural ecclesiastical constitutions; and it is for rejecting these that Methodists are denominated schismatics. If this entitles us to the name of schismatics, then let us wear it as a badge of victory for having rejected abominable doctrines and practices.

(8.) Furthermore, what are those disciplinary regulations adopted by the Methodists, though not found to any profitable extent in the Church of England, on account of which the charge of innovation and schism is brought against us? To this we answer, That they are pure Scriptural principles of church polity, and nothing else. A few of these may be mentioned here. The following are named, viz.: That wicked persons are not to be admitted as members of the church of Christ, or continued in it;-that wicked men are not eligible to the ministerial office;-that ministers of Christ are to possess true experimental religion, and manifest it in their practice; and that they ought to possess, in some degree, ministerial qualifications;-that the precepts of holy living are to be enjoined and enforced on members of the church;-that the faithful ought

* Wesley's Works, vol. v, p. 178.

to have the privilege of approval, or of recommending their spiritual pastors; that the body of presbyters, elders, pastors, preachers, or by whatever name they are called, possess the supreme ecclesiastical power to regulate church matters, whether that power may be inherent in their office, or received from the people, or both. These, and the like principles, the Methodists have adopted from the Holy Scripture; and they have carried them out practically in their excellent discipline, both in Europe and America. And the carrying out into effect of these principles is more than one half of their schism.

We must draw this discussion to a conclusion for the present by making an observation or two.

Our first remark is, that the Church of England, and her professed successor in America, compel us to enter upon the topic here discussed by their repeated and pressing attempts to present us with their system for adoption, in the place of the Scriptural one already in our possession. It would, therefore, have more than the appearance of treachery to what we esteem peculiarly God's own cause, to permit these attacks to be continually repeated without a proper resistance on our part by argument, Scripture, and historical testimony.

Our next observation is, that heretofore the defenders of Methodism have generally contented themselves with simply defending their own cause; and they have therefore rarely, except incidentally, exposed the nakedness of the ecclesiastical system of the Anglican Church. A fundamental moral principle of Methodism is, not to speak evil of magistrates and ministers. Though this is an excellent precept, yet it is susceptible of being carried too far, so that the faults and defects of unworthy men pass without just rebuke. This has been the case with the English clergy and establishment. The Methodists, through an excessive charity, tolerance, or outstretched deference, have not properly exposed the deformities and errors of the established church of Britain. For more than one hundred years this course of excessive deference has been shown, and now it is made use of as an acknowledged concession on the part of Wesleyanism. But it is now fully time to add the offensive attack to the defensive protection, and show that there is enough of weak places in the fortification of the Church of England, though built by kings, and parliaments, and prelates, (not properly bishops,) and supported at the expense of dissenters of every description.

We are also willing to travel with them through the Greek and Latin fathers of the first four centuries; and from them we are prepared to show that the Methodist Episcopal Church can claim a closer alliance with the primitive church than those who put in for exclusive claims.

ART. II.-REVIEW OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LATE GENERAL CONFERENCE, HELD IN CINCINNATI, OHIO, MAY 1, 1836. THE assemblage of any body of men possessing legislative powers constitutes an interesting spectacle, to those especially who are likely to be affected by their doings in either their temporal, civil, or reli.

gious circumstances. Hence a knowledge of their proceedings is generally sought with avidity, and they are watched with a jealous vigilance; and in our own country more particularly, with not a little of that intensity of feeling which evinces a just concern for the preservation of our religious and civil liberties. It is doubtless this feeling which gives origin to the freedom with which the acts and doings of all public bodies, but more especially deliberative bodies, are examined, criticised, censured, or praised. Nor is this to be regretted. The only cause of regret is that any thing should be said or done by those who take an active part in these deliberations deserving of censure, or that those who take it upon themselves to report the proceedings should fail to report them correctly. Self-respect, as well as a sense of responsibility, should guard the actors themselves from any undue excitement, from improper words and sentiments, as well as from all decisions incompatible with the principles which should guide the mind in its deliberations, or with the welfare of that community for whom they act; and a respect for others as well as themselves should teach those who report their proceedings the necessity of adhering strictly to truth, and manifesting a suitable deference to the opinions of others.

If these remarks apply with any degree of force and propriety to deliberative bodies in general, they do much more so to those which are purely of a religious character. Here, if any where, we should look for that wisdom in counsel, that moderation of feeling, and that striet regard to truth and integrity, which should correspond to the high and holy objects they have in view. In deliberating upon those prudential measures which are considered expedient to promote "peace on earth and good will among men," we have a right to expect that a portion of that same peace and good will should preside in the breasts of those to whom these sacred trusts are committed, and guide them in their final decisions. Much more should those who volunteer, unasked, to represent their transactions to the public, be careful to state things as they took place, and not to color them with their own prejudices, or falsify them for the purpose of gratifying either a malevolent feeling, or of sustaining a favorite theory.

It was expected by many that the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1836 would have some subjects presented to them not only of an important character in themselves, but highly calculated to excite a deep interest. This expectation, founded upon the known facts which existed, was not disappointed. They assem. bled in the city of Cincinnati, May 1, 1836, and were organized in the usual way, with the presence of 149 delegates and the four sur viving bishops, having to witness the melancholy fact that since the preceding Conference, the senior bishop, M'KENDREE, and the junior bishop, EMORY, had taken their departure to another world.

As this mournful fact was immediately recognized, the first resolutions which passed the Conference, after appointing the secretary and his assistant, was to request the bishops, at their own convenience, during the session of the Conference, to preach funeral discourses on the death of these departed men of God, which, at proper times, was attended to; Bishop Soule fulfilling this duty in behalf of Bishop M'Kendree, and Bishop Roberts in behalf of Bishop VOL. IX.-January, 1838. 5

Emory, both of which discourses the Conference requested for publication.

The next thing was the passage of a resolution setting apart the succeeding Friday as a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, on which solemn occasion two of the bishops addressed the Conference These two on the general state of the work throughout our bounds.

acts were certainly calculated to solemnize the mind, and to attune it to that tranquil frame which is desirable for correct judgment and equitable decisions.

After the appointment of the usual standing committees, viz.: on the Episcopacy, the Itinerancy, the Boundaries of Conferences, and on the Book Concern, the Conference proceeded to business.

It is not our intention to follow the Conference through its entire proceedings, but to notice those parts only which may be considered of most importance to the welfare of the church. In the first place we shall bring into view those parts of the Discipline which were so far amended as to affect, in some degree, the administration: and, secondly, those acts which have been animadverted upon, as we conceive, with unjust severity, and even misrepresented to the public; and we wish to apprize the reader, at the outset, that the chief design of this article is to correct those erroneous representations which have been made respecting the doings of the General Conference in reference to slavery, abolition, and temperance; and, as we shall make our appeal to documentary testimony, we hope to escape the charge of partiality, or of misrepresentation.

I. As it respects those parts of the Discipline which go to affect, in some degree at least, the administration, we notice the following:

1. The first that we shall mention is that which relates to the man. ner of dealing with those who neglect meeting their classes. Formerly the rule was so framed that it admitted such to be "laid aside" without a formal trial. The rule was so changed as to make it obligatory on him who has the charge of a circuit to bring the delinquent, after private reproof and exhortation have proved ineffectual, "before the society or a select number," to show cause for such delinquency, and, if found guilty of wilful neglect by the decision of a majority of the members before whom his case is laid,” the administrator has authority" to lay him aside for a breach of our rules." This prudent regulation not only relieves the executive officer from the responsibility of acting in his own individual judgment, and prevents a too rigorous exercise of discipline, which might arise from partiality, but it also cuts off all cause of just complaint on the part of those who may be supposed guilty in this respect. See Dis., p. 82.

2. The second material alteration is the section relating to local preachers. This is simply restored to the state in which it stood before the Local Preachers' Conference was instituted, and therefore needs not any specific notification-any farther than to remark that the restoration of the rule to its former standing arose chiefly, if not indeed wholly, from the fact that the old rule was but seldom attended to, and that our local brethren themselves preferred having their affairs managed in the Quarterly Meeting Conferences. Expe. rience indeed had abundantly demonstrated that the institution of the

Local Preachers' Conference was at best but a troublesome affair. Dis., p. 67.

3. After it was determined by the Conference to continue the location of the Book Concern in the city of New-York, it was resolved to discontinue the depository in New-Orleans, which, after four years' experiment, was found not to answer the design of its establishment. In the meantime some alterations were made in respect to the manner of conducting the business in Cincinnati, which may be seen by a reference to the Discipline.

4. Another thing which claimed the attention of the Conference was the missionary department of our work. On the recommendation of the board of managers, a new article was introduced into the constitution, providing for the appointment of a resident correspondent secretary by the General Conference, "who shall be exclusively employed in conducting the correspondence of the Society, and, under the direction of the board, in promoting its general interests by travelling or otherwise, whose salary shall be fixed and paid by the board of managers." Hitherto the duties of corresponding_secretary had been performed by one of the agents or editors of the Book Concern, in connection with his other duties, without fee or reward. It was strongly felt, however, that these duties had become too important and onerous to be discharged by other than one who should devote himself exclusively to this work, and hence the adoption of the above rule.

With a view to facilitate the interesting mission at Liberia, in Africa, the following rule was introduced into the first section of the Discipline, on the temporal economy of the church :

"There shall be an Annual Conference on the western coast of Africa, to be denominated The Liberia Mission Annual Conference, possessing all the rights, powers, and privileges of other annual conferences, except that of sending delegates to the General Conference, and of drawing its annual dividend from the avails of the Book Concern and Chartered Fund."

The reason of these restrictions is to be found in the fact that this is a mission properly so called, deriving its support from the Missionary Society, and hence it will not need to be supplied from the ordinary avails of the Book Concern and Chartered Fund, nor therefore to be represented in the General Conference. It seems quite evident, however, that to remove all objections from the minds of those who are connected with this mission, the Liberia Conference must be allowed either to draw its proportionate share from these funds of the church, in behalf of those missionaries who may become supernumerary or superannuated, or an express provision must be made in the constitution of the Missionary Society for the support of such worn-out missionaries. Either of these provisions would, we apprehend, remove all objections to the above regulation, and give satisfaction to all concerned; and there can be no doubt that a future General Conference will adjust and settle all this to mutual satisfaction.

The following regulations were adopted in respect to missionaries and their duties:

"Whenever a preacher on trial is selected by the bishop for a mission, he may, if elected by an annual conference, ordain him a deacon before his probation ends, and a missionary employed on a foreign