ers' 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.”

But it would be improper in a work of this kind, to pass over this Deed without making an observation or two upon it. Now the first thing that strikes me, is the title itself. "A Declaration and establishment of the Conference of the People called Metho dists." This surely is a most incongruous title. It is well known that the people called Methodists, never held a Conference since Methodism existed. The Conference is an assembly of itinerant preachers only;* and its members are not assembled by any authority derived from the people. When sitting, it exercises powers which are neither derived from the people, nor under any control by them. It elects members into its own body, or excludes them at pleasure: it makes regulations, or laws, not only for the itinerant preachers, but for all ranks and orders of persons in the societies: and while these things are transacted, neither local preachers, trustees of chapels, stewards, leaders, or any of the people, have a single voice, or a single representative in the assembly. The people have no check, no balance of power, against any regulation or law the Conference may choose to decree. It is difficult therefore to conceive, why this assembly of a few preachers, was called, "The Conference of the people called Methodists; " unless it was to give the people a hint, that they ought to have some representatives in an assembly where laws are made, by which they, as Methodists, are to be governed.

The second observation shall be upon the words of the Deed in which it states that the one hundred preachers therein named, "Have been, now are, and do on the day of the date hereof continue the members of the said Conference, according to the true intent and meaning of the said gifts and conveyances wherein the words Conference, &c. are mentioned and contained." That is, these preachers had been the Conference before the Deed of Declaration existed; and did actually continue it, on the day this Deed was executed: that the word Conference, in the old Trust Deeds of all the Chapels, meant neither more nor less, than the hundred preachers mentioned by name in this Deed of Declaration! Now, every one of these assertions is a notorious falsehood: there is not even the shadow of truth in any one of them. But it seems there was a necessity for stating the matter thus, however false, in order to give some color of justice and validity to this new deed. For had it appeared on the face of it, that Deeds of Trust already existed, in which the words Conference, &c. meant either more or less than the hundred preachers in this Deed named; it wonld have been evident at first sight, that the Deed itself was nugatory and void to all intents and purposes; as it conld not possibly annul, or do away the legality of deeds already existing and duly executed, without the consent of the several parties concerned, first had and obtained under their respective signatures. Thus we

* Except two or three clergymen.

see, that this famous Deed of Declaration and Establishment of the Conference, is founded on as gross a misrepresentation of facts, as ever disgraced any public instrument.

This Deed affords ample scope for many other observations: but having shown that it is altogether built on a mis-statement of facts, I shall stop; as nothing more seems necessary to be said upon it at present: except perhaps, that Mr. Wesley, in all probability did not understand the import of the several clauses of it, as he never had patience to attend to any paper drawn up in the common forms of the law. In these cases he trusted to those about him who had examined it.

The Deed of Declaration affected only the itinerant preachers: but when Mr. Wesley ordained some of the itinerants, a foundation was laid for a change in the ancient constitution of Methodism, of much more extensive influence; and which in the end is likely to affect every member of the society. It has already appeared in this history, that Mr. Wesley claimed the power or right of ordaining to the ministry, but said, it was not probable that he should ever exercise it. We have likewise seen, how steadily for a long course of years, he resisted every measure which tended to alter the relative situation of the societies to the established church, and to the various denominations of Dissenters to which any of the members might belong. It is not easy to assign a sufficient reason why Mr. Wesley, in the eighty-second year of his age, should depart from a line of conduct he had hitherto so strictly observed; especially if he acted according to his own judgment, and of his own free choice. However this may be, a plan was proposed in private, to a few clergymen who attended the Conference this year at Leeds, that Mr. Wesley should ordain one or two preachers for the societies in America. But the clergymen opposed it. Mr. Fletcher was consulted by letter; who advised, that a bishop should be prevailed upon, if possible, to ordain them, and then Mr. Wesley might appoint them to such offices in the societies as he thought proper, and give them letters testimonial of the appointments he had given them. Mr. Wesley well knew, that no bishop would ordain them at his recommendation, and therefore seemed inclined to do it himself. In this purpose, however, he appeared so languid, if not wavering, that Dr. Coke thought it necessary to use some further means to urge him to the performance of it. Accordingly, August 9, Mr. Wesley being then in Wales on his way to Bristol, the doctor sent him the following letter:

"HONORED And dear Sir,

"The more maturely I consider the subject, the more expedient it appears to me, that the power of ordaining others, should be received by me from you, by the imposition of your hands; and that you should lay hands on brother Whatcoat, and brother Vasey, for the following reasons: 1. It seems to me the most scriptural way, and most agreeable to the practice of the primitive churches: 2. I may want all the influence in America, which you can throw into my scale. Mr. Brackenbury informed me at Leeds, that he saw a letter in London from Mr. Asbury, in which he observed, that he would not receive any person deputed by you with any

part of the superintendency of the work invested in him: or words which evidently implied so much. I do not find any, the least degree of prejudice in my mind against Mr. Asbury, on the contrary, a very great love and esteem; and an determined not to stir a finger without his consent, unless mere sheer necessity obliges me; but rather to lie at his feet in all things. But as the journey is long, and you cannot spare me often, and it is well to provide against all events, and an authority formally received from you will (I am conscious of it) be fully admitted by the people, and my exercising the office of Ordination without that formal author ity may be disputed, if there be any opposition on any other account: I could therefore earnestly wish you would exercise that power, in this instance, which I have not the shadow of a doubt but God hath invested you with for the good of our connexion. I think you have tried me too often to doubt, whether I will in any degree use the power you are pleased to invest me with, farther than I believe absolutely necessary for the prosperity of the work. 3. In respect of my brethren (brother Whatcoat and Vasey) it is very uncertain indeed, whether any of the clergy mentioned by brother Rankin, will stir a step with me in the work, except Mr. Jarrit; and it is by no means certain that even he will choose to join me in ordaining: and propriety and universal practice make it expedient that I should have two presbyters with me in this work. In short, it appears to me that every thing should be prepared, and every thing proper be done, that can possibly be done this side the water. You can do all this in Mr. Cn's house, in your chamber; and afterwards (according to Mr. Fletcher's advice) give us letters testimonial of the different offices with which you have been pleased to invest us. For the purpose of laying hands on brothers Whatcoat and Vasey, I can bring Mr. C- down with me, by which you will have two presbyters with you. In respect to brother Rankin's argument, that you will escape a great deal of odium by omitting this, it is nothing. Either it will be known, or not known; if not known, then no odium will arise: but if known, you will be obliged to acknowledge that I acted under your direction, or suffer me to sink under the weight of my enemies, with perhaps your brother at the head of them. I shall entreat you to ponder these things.

Your most dutiful,

T. COKE."*

This letter affords matter for several observations, both of the serious and comic kind: but I shall not indulge myself on the occasion it so fairly offers. The attentive reader who examines every part of it, will be at no loss to conjecture to whose influence we inust impute Mr. Wesley's conduct in the present business. That Mr. Wesley should suffer himself to be so far influenced, in a matter of the utmost importance both to his own character and to the societies, by a man of whose judgment in advising, and talents in conducting any affair he had no very high opinion, is truly aston

*This letter is taken from an attested copy of the doctor's letter, in Mr. Charles Wesley's handwriting.

ishing: but so it was!-Mr. Wesley came to Bristol, and September 1, every thing being prepared as proposed above, he complied with the doctor's earnest wish, by consecrating him one of the bishops, and Mr. Whatcoat and Vasey presbyters of the new Methodist Episcopal Church in America. No doubt the three

gentlemen were highly gratified with their new titles; as we often see, both young and old children gratified with gilded toys, though clumsily made, and of no real worth or valuable use, except to quiet the cries of those for whom they are prepared.

The difficulties on the first entrance into this new path being now overcome, and the opening prospects being highly flattering to the human mind tutored under certain circumstances, some further progress became natural and easy. Accordingly, it was not long before three more preachers were ordained for Scotland; and afterwards at different periods, several others were ordained: but all of them at first, were laid under a restriction not to exercise their ministerial functions in England. Since the death of Mr. Wesley, still further progress has been made, not only in the practice of ordaining, but in the exercise of their new functions, in various societies in this kingdom. But hitherto this new order of things has produced the most lamentable effects, having caused contention, and kindled the flames of party zeal.

CHAPTER V.

OPINIONS AND DEBATES, &c. ON THE NEW PLAN OF ORDINATION: SEVERAL PARTICULARS OF THE LAST YEARS OF MR. WESLEY'S LIFE; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF HIS DEATH IN MARCH, 1791. HIS LAST WILL, &c.

THE following is part of a letter from one preacher to another, when the report that Mr. Wesley had ordained some of the preachers, first began to be circulated in the societies. It may serve to show us what opinion the uninfected itinerants entertained of this strange business. "Ordination-among Methodists! Amazing indeed! I could not force myself to credit the report which spread here, having not then seen the minutes; but now I can doubt it no longer. And so, we have Methodist parsons of our own! And a new mode of ordination, to be sure-on the Presbyterian plan?-In spite of a million of declarations to the contrary! I am fairly confounded. Now the ice is broke, let us conjecture a little the probable issue of this new thing in the earth. You say, we must reason and debate the matter.-Alas! it is too late. Surely it never began in the midst of a multitude of counsellors; and I greatly fear the Son of man was not secretary of state, or not present when the business was brought on and carried, I suppose, with very few dissentient voices. Who could imagine that this important matter would have stole into being, and be obtruded upon the body, without their being so much as apprized of it, or con

sulted on so weighty a point? Who is the father of this monster, so long dreaded by the father of his people, and by most of his sons? Whoever he be, time will prove him a felon to Methodism, and discover his assassinating knife sticking fast in the vitals of its body. This has been my steadfast opinion for years past; and years to come will speak in groans the opprobrious anniversary of our religious madness for gowns and bands. Will it not sting a man that has been honored by his Lord and Master for many years as a lay-preacher, to have a black-robed boy, flirting away in the exercise of his sacred office, set over him? If not all, but only a few favorites are to be honored, will it not raise a dust, that will go nigh to blind the eyes of the whole body?"-Another old preacher, writing to his friend, delivers his opinion to the following purpose -I wish they had been asleep when they began this business of ordination: it is neither Episcopal nor Presbyterian: but a mere hodge-podge of inconsistencies-though it must be allowed, that Mr. Wesley acted under the influence of others, yet he had some reasons for the step he took, which at the moment appeared to hin sufficient to justify it. Perhaps they may not appear in the same light to others, and probably would not to himself, had he not been biassed by persuasion. A part of the reasons of his conduct in this affair, are detailed in the letter testimonial, which Dr. Coke carried over with him to the American Conference. It is addressed "To Dr. Coke, Mr. Asbury, and our brethren in North America: " and is conceived in the following terms:

"By a very uncommon train of providences, many of the provinces of North America, are totally disjoined from their mothercountry, and erected into independent states. The English government has no authority over them either civil or ecclesiastical, any more than over the states of Holland. A civil authority is exercised over them, partly by the Congress, partly by the provincial assemblies. But no one either claims any ecclesiastical authority at all. In this peculiar situation, some thousands of the inhabitants of these states desire my advice; and in compliance with their desire, I have drawn up a little sketch.

"Lord King's* account of the primitive church convinced me

* King (Peter,) Lord High Chancellor of England, was descended of a good family of that name in Somersetshire, and son of an eminent grocer and salter in the city of Exeter in Devonshire. He was born at Exeter in 1669, and bred up for some years to his father's business. But his inclination to learning was so great, that he laid out all the money he could spare in books, and devoted every moment of his leisure hours to study; so that he became an excellent scholar before the world suspected any such thing: and gave the public a proof of his skill in church history, in his Inquiry into the Constitution, Discipline, Unity, and Worship of the Primitive Church, that flourished within the first three hundred years after Christ. London, 1691, and 1713, in 8vo. This was written with a view to promote the scheme of a comprehension of the Dissenters. His acquaintance with Mr. Locke, to whom he was related, and who left him his library at his death, was of great advantage to him. By his advice, after he had studied some time in Holland, he applied himself to the study of the law; in which profession, his learning and diligence made him soon taken notice of. In the two last parliaments during the reign of King William, and in five parliaments during the reign of Queen Anne, he served as Burgess for Beer Alston in Devonshire. In 1702, he published, without his name, the History of the