advantage of your unremitting labours, of your ripening experience, of your friendly solicitude, and that we can still jointly bear each other up in our prayers before the throne of the same Saviour. May the blessing of the Great Head of the Church ever attend you: may your heart ever realize the presence of the Holy Spirit: may your future labours be eminently successful in winning souls to Christ: may your path ever be that of the just, "shining more and more unto the perfect day," and "when heart and flesh fail, may God be the strength of your heart and your portion for ever." May your dear children also faithfully serve their father and mother's God, and with the people of your charge richly share the blessings of the new and better coven ant. And, dear sir, may we and you and they at last be found amongst those who "have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and serve him day and night in his temple above." We are, dear Sir, yours affectionately in Christ, JNO. RIDGWAY. ing, June 9th, 1858. } Mr. Hulme, evidently labouring under deep emotion, rose to reply. He stated that he was not worthy of those expressions of their kind regard. He was conscious of much feebleness, of many shortcomings. On looking back, he saw many things which were calculated profoundly to humble him in the sight of God; but he was gratified that they had been pleased to accept gratefully his imperfect services, and tendered to them his warmest thanks for that unexpected expression of their regard for him personally, and their appreciation of his labours amongst them, as embodied in that document. Addresses, expressive of regard to Mr. Hulme and regret at his removal, and on other topics, were delivered by Mr. G. Yearsley, Mr. E. Curzon, Mr. J. Hawley (Bucknall), Rev. E. J. Baxter, Rev. C. Bootman, and Mr. J. Rathbone. Thanks to the chairman were passed by acclamation on the motion of the Rev. S. Hulme, seconded by Mr. W. Wear; and the meeting, which was throughout of a most interesting and catholic character, terminated near ten o'clock. PRESENTATION TO THE REV. W. DUNKERLEY.-My dear Mr. Cooke,-It is with great pleasure that I forward you an account of a meeting held on Monday, May 24th, for the purpose of taking leave of our beloved minister, the Rev. William Dunkerley, who has laboured among us for the last two years. The attendance was numerous and respectable. Tea being over, our esteemed friend, Mr. Thomas Swanwick, was called to the chair, and in a very interesting manner referred to the object of the meeting, the trial of parting with endeared associates, and the blessed hope of joining the congregation where minister and people never say farewell. Mr. John Lawley, one of our oldest local preachers, next addressed the meeting at considerable length. He referred to the faithful and efficient manner in which Mr. Dunkerley had discharged his pulpit and pastoral duties, and the number of souls God had given him as seals to his ministry. He showed that not only had the church been the object of our pastor's solicitude, but that the Sunday school had also shared his labours, and amply rewarded his toil, the scholars being double the number than when he came into the circuit. He also dwelt upon the improved condition of the society and trust funds. Then turning to the rev. gentleman, and personally thanking him for his strenuous efforts in the Redeemer's cause, presented to him, in the name of the society, teachers, and friends, a purse containing thirteen guineas, as a token of their sincerest attachment and esteem. Master Thomas Nixon next came forward, and, after some touching remarks, presented him with a very handsome Bible, bearing the following inscription:-"Presented to the Rev. William Dunkerley, by the young men in the Select Class, who are desirous of offering a small acknowledgment for the valuable instruction and kind advice they have received from their much-loved and respected pastor." Mr. Dunkerley then rose, evidently under the deepest emotion, and referred to the kindness and the cooperation he had enjoyed during his sojourn in Stafford, and urged upon each member to cherish that unanimity and cordial affection which they then exhibited, and without which the soulsaving influence of God's Spirit could never be retained. He thanked them warmly for the noble and unexpected tokens of respect they had presented to him, and assured them of a continued interest in his sympathies and prayers. He then turned to the young men of his Select Class, seven of whom had just given their hearts to God, and very affectionately entreated them to cultivate a watchful and prayerful spirit, and to consecrate themselves wholly to the service of Jesus. Other addresses of an interesting character were delivered by Messrs. W. Freakley, C. Mycock, W. Halkon, W. Miller, and J. Bleby. The meeting closed under the deepest Christian feeling. "Here we have no abiding city, but we seek one to come." I am, dear Sir, yours truly, MOSSLEY CIRCUIT BENEFICENT FUND.-The following list of subscriptions ought to have appeared in the Minutes of Conference. A correct account of the subscriptions was placed by the superintendent of Mossley amongst the papers of Mr. Baggaly, but, by some means, it was lost. The Editor kindly wrote to Mr. Gilton for the list, but Mr. G. being in Dorsetshire at the time when the letter arrived in Mossley, he could not reply in time to secure the publication of the names of the subscribers in the Minutes of the Hull Conference of 1858. P. T. GILTON. J. Buckley, Esq., £1 10s.; Mr. M. Andrew, £1; Mr. J. Andrew, £1; Mr. R. Buckley, £1; Mr. W. Halliwell, £1; Mr. J. Kershaw, 10s.; Mr. J. Mills, 10s.; Mr. R. Lawton, 10s. ; Mr. J. Shaw, 10s,; Mr. H. Atherton, 10s.; Mr. G. Atkins, 10s. 6d. ; Mr. A. H. Lawton, 10s.; Mr. A. Halliwell, 78. 6d.; C. M. G., 5s.; Mr. J. Taylor, 5s.; Mr. M. Wrigley, 5s.; Mr. M. Bean, 5s.; Mr. E. Mills, 5s. ; Mr. T. Whitehead, 5s.; Mr. T. Noton, 5s.; Mr. J. H. Lawton, 5s.; Mr. S. Halliwell, 58. ; a Friend (Lees), 5s.; Mr. J. Halliwell, 5s. ; Mr. J. Suthers, 5s.; Mr. S. Cooper, 2s. 6d. ; Mr. S. Crompton, 2s. 6d.; Mr. Smith, 28. 6d.; Mr. Spencer, 2s. 6d.; Mrs. Ashworth, 2s. 6d.; Mrs. Marland, 2s. 6d.; Mrs. Coupe, 2s.; Mrs. Moore, 1s.; Mrs. Wild, 1s.; Mrs. Cooke, 3s. Total, £13 10s. MACHYNLLETH.-Dear Sir,-There is nothing gives me more pleasure than reading the Connexional Department in our magazine from month to month, especially the accounts of progress and improvements. I read of some im provements at Bury and Rochdale in your magazine for November last, page 628, where the writer expresses a wish that they might become able to keep a minister for themselves. Your correspondent wants to make Bury what it ought to be, the head of a circuit; and I will say it ought to have been such many years back, but not "to keep a minister to themselves." Now, sir, if I am correct, the first Methodists had two things in view when they made some town the head of a circuit: the first thing was to lessen the labour of the preachers; the second thing in view was to extend the Connexion. Now, the last result cannot be accomplished by keeping a minister to ourselves. There are some circuits that have kept a minister to themselves for many, many years. But what have they done? There is B--, which has been the head of a circuit thirty years, but even yet has only one chapel and one society -keeping one minister and six local preachers to themselves. From such lukewarmness good Lord deliver us. I shall only name one circuit more, that is another B--, which was the head of a circuit in 1798, and numbered 298 members; but it made no progress in thirty-six years, the numbers being in 1834 only 285. If the people in these places had one half of the zeal which the Mormon impostors manifest, there would not be at this day a town or a village in their respective counties where our Connexion would not have an interest. Sir, I need not tell you that this is not a time in which to stand still. I know the English think themselves far before us Welch people; but it is a great mistake. Take, for instance, London, with her two millions and a half of population. There were only 17,078 Wesleyans in 1852, including Deptford and Hammersmith; while there was Wales, with her one million of population, upwards of eighteen thousand Methodists. Now, the Wesleyans are the smallest body of Christians (except Roman Catholics and Unitarians) in Wales. The Calvinist Methodists number no less than seventy thousand, and the Independents somewhere about sixty thousand, besides the Baptists. Sir, I could hardly make you believe how many members of the Methodist New Connexion I have met with in this part of Wales who are lost to the Connexion. At Dolgelly, I have seen some (but now grown up) that were baptized by a Manners and a Waterhouse. I believe about two years back, a letter was sent from Dolgelly to Mr. Fowler, of Liverpool, applying for a Welsh missionary. Now, sir, if so many are to be found in Wales lost to the Connexion, how many thousands are there in England? As I have said before, this is not a time in which to stand still, nor to keep ministers to ourselves, but to be taking up fresh ground and earnestly labouring for God. I remain, yours truly, DEATH OF THE REV. JABEZ BUNTING, D.D. This distinguished man, after a lingering illness, expired on Wednesday, the 17th of June, in the eightieth year of his age, and the fifty-ninth of his ministry. Doctor Bunting was a great man, but distinguished rather by clearness of perception, comprehensiveness of vision, power of generalization, and soundness of judgment, than by brilliant oratory, or poetic imagination. well understood his own powers, and wisely applied them as nature and Providence directed-neither assuming to be what he was not, nor trenching on those departments for which others were more eminently adapted. Commentaries, institutes, and languages he left for others, and devoted himself He pre-eminently to the pulpit, and to the polity and the administration of Methodism. Here he shone as a star of the first magnitude. Though dissenting from his principles of Church government, and from some parts of his administration, we readily accord to him the integrity of the Christian, and the courtesy of the gentleman. Both in our correspondence and personal intercourse we always found him kind, affable, and obliging. Though not an eminent scholar, he was an able theologian, and sound as he was able. He loved the truth, and encouraged no novelties in doctrine. Methodism owes much to his consistent and thorough adherence to simple evangelical truth. He was a shield to orthodoxy, and a power which blasted the nascent errors of "rationalism as fast as they appeared. Though reduced to extreme feebleness of body, his strong intellect retained its vigour to the last; and though the subject of much pain, he was meekly resigned to the Divine will. The great doctrines he had preached for more than half a century sustained him in his dying hour. Among his last sayings were these-"I have fought a good fight." "I have peace." "I am in the hands of God." His mighty spirit is now gathered to the hosts above, where Wesley and Kilham, Bramwell and Waller, and all the sanctified unite in one anthem, "Worthy is the Lamb." THE METHODIST NEW CONNEXION MAGAZINE. AUGUST, 1858. ESSAYS, &c., ON THEOLOGY AND GENERAL LITERATURE. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY: ITS SCRIPTURALNESS SHOWN, OBJECTIONS AGAINST IT ANSWERED, &c. BY L. SAXTON. THE doctrine of the Trinity is confessedly one of very great moment. By all who entertain orthodox views it is regarded as sustaining a character strictly fundamental. It lies at the basis of the Christian scheme, and cannot be removed without overturning the entire superstructure. As this doctrine is of such vast importance, and as it is strenuously denied and opposed by many, it is needful occasionally to discuss and defend it. In the present paper we propose to show its scriptural character, to answer some objections which have been brought against it, and to close with some practical reflections. We shall observe as much brevity as is compatible with clearness and propriety. I. ITS SCRIPTURAL CHARACTER. Our present controversy is not with those who reject the Scriptures, but with those who profess to subscribe to their truth, and yet repudiate the doctrine of the Trinity. With those who belong to the former class an entirely different course would have to be pursued. Is the doctrine of the Trinity, then, taught in the Scriptures? We unhesitatingly and unreservedly answer in the affirmative. There is, according to our views, no truth more clearly revealed and affirmed in the sacred oracles. Before, however, we proceed to refer to those passages on which we place reliance, as teaching the doctrine in question, some preliminary observations will be both proper and requisite. When we contend for the doctrine of the Trinity it is not to be understood that we believe in a plurality of Gods. We believe in the unity of the Divine Being as firmly and as fully as any of those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity. All statements to the contrary, whether given in the form of broad assertion, or in the shape of innuendo and obscure intimation, are slanderous and false. We believe, in accordance with what is taught in the Scriptures, that there is one God, and only one; but we also believe, in harmony with the teachings of the same Scriptures, that in the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. We think it is equally evident from the divine C C oracles that there is a plurality of persons in the Godhead, as that there is but one God. The point in dispute between us and those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity is not whether there be more Gods than one, but whether there be three persons in the Godhead. The word trinity, we admit, does not occur in the Scriptures. It is not, however, for the word but for the doctrine that we contend. The word is employed as a matter of convenience, for the purpose of avoiding circumlocution, and is, we think, quite unobjectionable. If the doctrine be taught in the Scriptures, as we maintain is the case, it is unnecessary to dispute about the term employed to designate it. Moreover, the word in question is a very expressive one, and a better cannot be found. The same may be said respecting the application of the term persons to the three in the Godhead. Some have substituted the word subsistences for the word persons, but we can discover no valid reason for giving it the preference. The Scriptures speak of three possessing the Divine nature, to each of whom personal acts and properties are ascribed, which we think fully justifies us in the use of the term persons in the manner and sense indicated. We may also observe, that when we speak of the doctrine of the Trinity, we do not mean certain human explications of this doctrine, as given by uninspired men. With such explications we have nothing whatever to do. We undertake to defend no fanciful theories-no human dogmas. What we hold is simply this, that there are three in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are in all respects equal. This is what we mean by the doctrine of the Trinity, and nothing beyond this do we hold ourselves responsible to stand by or defend. That this doctrine is taught sufficiently and fully in the Bible we shall now endeavour to show. In prosecuting our design we shall in the first place cite some passages which prove the existence of a plurality of persons in the Godhead. This course will be regarded as perfectly relevant, inasmuch as by those who reject the doctrine of the Trinity all plurality in the Deity is denied. In giving a history of the creation, Moses employs, in a considerable number of instances, the expression, "God created;" and it is well known that in every instance the term God is plural. He also represents the Divine Being as saying, "Let us make man in OUR own image, after OUR likeness." When man had sinned by partaking of the forbidden fruit, "the Lord said, Behold the man is become as ONE OF US." And on the occasion of the building of Babel, the Almighty is introduced as saying, "Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." Particular references to the passages now cited need not be given, as every one is acquainted with them. Now we ask, What impression could any individual, reading these passages with a mind free from prejudice, receive, other than that they clearly indicate and teach a plurality of persons in the Godhead? To give a rational explanation of them on any other principle is, we contend, altogether impossible. We are not unaware that, by the advocates of Anti-trinitarianism, several methods of interpretation have been suggested, in order to give to them another meaning;—or, rather, we might say, to evade their force and explain away their true sense. It has been suggested, in the |