security is, as long as this point is secured, we are safe from innovations, and free from the distractions which have been the lot of other Churches. Would any man, besides himself, have advanced a powerful reason for the policy of the measure, without a reply? It is a mark of weakness; and is more deserving of censure than applause. But hear him out: "The examination of Preachers' characters in Conference can be nothing more than a mere form.' Has he, it may be inquired, found out a method of doing things without forms? Perhaps his next discovery will be to articulate without words, having given such proof of the possibility of writing without sense. Again, when we consider the extent of their Connexion, the Preachers must know very little of each others' conduct.' And yet, from the same page, it appears, that its extent does not preclude a knowledge of each others' abilities; since the question 'Has any one any thing to say against this brother? only gives the Preachers an opportunity of telling one another what wonderful men they are.' How is this knowledge obtained? Doubtless from report. And why are not their evil deeds reported? Either because there are none to bring forward, or because the spirits watching those particular districts are not true to their charge: and are trusty servants to be thus impeached by this ignoramus? "His courage and art, it is true, have been adverted to during this sitting, respecting the act of worming himself, like the order of the Jesuits, into different companies; particularly the meeting at Mil *Meth. Cond. 7. + Ibid. 7, 8. The absurdity of this remark will appear at once, if we only take into view the union and economy of Methodism. The Preachers on the same Circuit must know each other. Their characters are separately examined at the District Meeting. Every thing worthy of the notice of Conference is noted down on the District Minutes, and forwarded to the Conference, where one Preacher, at least, is found from every Circuit; or generally so.-Does it follow, that, because of the distance of Tarragona from England, Sir John Murray's conduct, whose trial is at present pending, could not be known to the British government? The subject may be illustrated by a thousand similar cases. Is there any absolute necessity for a man to say what he has in favour of a person, when he is asked whether he has any thing against him? Christian prudence dictates the simple answer-No; an answer employed by the Preachers, in all cases of innocence. burn Place. But, alas! in this we only have to deplore his want of fortitude. Instead of pleading the privilege of a freeman, in unison with his levelling system,† he no sooner met with a slight rebuff, than, like one of those domestic animals used in the other world, he decamped with his tail betwixt his legs. The bare noticing of a rule, by a blind man, who could not possibly see his way to him, operated upon him like electricity. True, he says, I intended to move,' and move he did. But (to use the language of an honorable gentleman, in the House of Commons, upon earth, when endeavouring to * Meth. Cond. 11, 12. + From Mr. D.'s pamphlets at large, together with particular expressions, such as " keep your Preachers in their proper place," &c. &c. one would imagine that he was for having all things common. The levelling system, both in religious and civil society, seems, in these latter times, to have taken its rise about the same period. To enter fully into the subject would require a separate treatise. We shall therefore satisfy ourselves with a short extract from a conversation between Dr. Johnson and another person. "Sir," said the Doctor, "there is one Mrs. Macauly in this town [London], a great republican. One day when I was at her house, I put on a very grave countenance, and said to her, Madam, I am now become a convert to your way of thinking. I am convinced that all mankind are upon an equal footing; and to give you an unquestionable proof, Madam, that I am in earnest, here is a very sensible, civil, well-behaved fellow-citizen, your footman; I desire that he may be allowed to sit down and dine with us.' I thus, Sir, shewed her the absurdity of the levelling doctrine. She has never liked me since. Sir, your levellers wish to level down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves. They would all have some people under them; why not, then, have some people above them?-Suppose a shoemaker should claim an equality with him [a certain author alluded to], as he does with a Lord, how he would stare? Why, Sir,' says the shoemaker, do you stare? I do great service to society. 'Tis true, I am paid for doing it; but so are you, Sir: and, I am sorry to say it, better paid than I am, for doing something not so necessary. For mankind could do better without your books than without my shoes.' Thus, Sir, there would be a perpetual struggle for precedence, were there no fixed invariable rules for the distinction of rank, which creates no jealousy, as it is allowed to be accidental." Boswell's Life of Johnson, vol. 1. 420-5. Does it not appear from this, that the forbearance of the Kilhamites, noticed in Meth. Cond. 23, resembles the forbearance of those who have had quite sufficient of a man, and to give him up as incurable? Let the reader judge for himself, by reading the whole of what transpired at Milburn Place. palliate the DISASTROUS RETREAT of a British Commander,) it was 'to take up a less advanced position." "He observes,' about seven years ago 1 gave sixpence for my ticket, on account of which the Preacher gave me a severe reprimand.' * The omission of this would have been of essential service to our cause. People will perceive at once, that his failure could not possibly be occasioned by Methodism, and that the Methodists do not insist upon money, particularly the one shilling per quarter, to the expulsion of any member; but will suffer a master shoemaker (for such he then was, and his circumstances were unknown,) to continue in Society at the expence of sixpence per quarter, that is, the expence of about a ball of wax and a bunch of bristles in the week. It is his ardent desire to bring the Methodists into contempt relative to their financial affairs, for which he will, unquestionably, be applauded by the whole of us; but what he does with the one hand, he takes away with the other. He tells us, it must be acknowledged, that the Preacher' nearly talked him out of another sixpence :' but when we consider, that he was permitted to stand a considerable length of time, with his hand, perhaps, in his breeches pocket, hunting through a whole thicket of other coins, for the sixpence-the sixpence, which, as if conscious that it was not the period for its appearance, had hid itself; and when we consider, that he was suffered to decamp with paying sixpence only, for all the privileges of a member of the Methodist body, it argues patience and forbearance on the part of the Preacher, and voluntary contribution on the part of the Member. For whatever the Preachers may ask or expect, they can only receive what the people please to give. "The manner of raising monies is strongly censured:† and to the utter extirpation of Methodist Parsons from the face of the earth, none of us can have the smallest objection. But our emissaries, to do their work effectually, must aim at a part more vulnerable than this. Persons reading the paragraph to which I refer, will maintain, that the Apostle declares the labourer is worthy of his hire;-that all other Sects, as the Roman Catholics, the Establishment, the Calvinists, the Baptists, &c. support their Ministers by tithes, seat-rents, or, like + Ibid. 13. * Meth. Cond. 14. the Methodists, by voluntary contributions;-and that the author himself, as a recompence for his paltry services when a Local Preacher, frequently picked bare the bones procured by the sweat of the poor colliers. Hence, they will be ready to conclude, that the only difference between the Methodists and others, in raising monies, is, not in the fact or principle itself, but in the manner of doing it. 6 "Here I cannot but notice part of the Speech delivered by Lord Aspondos, where we find the business of the HOTEL mentioned in high terms of praise. By viewing the subject in a proper light, it will be found that we lose more by it than we gain. The author publishes to the world, that, even in the Hotel, the Preachers could not desist from 'going through their religious performances.'* Notwithstanding his attempts to underrate the piety of these men, it plainly appears that their piety is such, that they carry it about with them wherever they go. They will suffer neither time, place, nor company to divert them from the discharge of religious duties. It is to be feared, that the multitude, instead of viewing them as money-catchers,' will be more inclined to compare them to Daniel, who, in spite of opposition, raillery, or whatever else, threw up his window, and kept close to his God. Had the Preachers been represented in such a state of intoxication, as to render them incapable of praying or transacting the business of the District, the honour of Devilism would have been maintained. To crown the whole, having been but just touched on the snout by 'Speak-Truth,' he, like a snail, contracts his horns, and says, it is true the whole of the business was not transacted at the Hotel.'+ We may judge from this, the credit which will be given to his testimony by mortals. "The Philippic against Mission-Meetings, noticed by Lord Asebes, has met with loud applause. Pardon me in asserting, that there is no occasion for such triumph. The long-headed ones in the regions we have lately left must know, that the missionary business' can 'open' no 'bright prospect for an increase of property in different parts of the world.' It is a fact clearly ascertained by them, that, in many of the heathen nations, there are neither pockets nor pence. From such necessitous poor there can be but a slender return to their * Meth. Cond. 17. Syst. Meth. Exp. 23, 24. Meth. Cond. 18. G coffers; `all must be pure outlay. The work, too, of evangelization and civilization is known to be slow-progressive; the men, therefore, at present employed can expect no return in their day: and hence the undesigned eulogium of philanthropy and disinterestedness, merely through the inadvertency of the author. Thus their 'prospects' are so' bright,' that they are unable to see them to the end of life. Recollect, also, they are exhibited to the world as giving present pay and present labour only for 'prospects'—' prospects' without the certainty of enjoyment.-He then proceeds to exhort them to follow the example of the Apostle, who went not in the line of other men's things, but went among the heathen;' an example they are actually imitating, seeing the collections are chiefly for the heathen. "Such, indeed, are the talents of the author, that he commits himself, and, of conséquence, our cause, page after page. [Loud cries of "proof! proof!" from two or three voices.] Very good; the noble Lords shall be instantly indulged with facts. Hear him speak for himself: 'You know I was always an advocate for the reform begun by the memorable Kilham.'* If ALWAYS, consequently he was an advocate for it when a member of the Old Connexion. Is not this an open avowal of his hypocrisy? Like the waterman, we behold him looking one way and rowing another. Fidelity to our cause, and the tribute due to his own character, ought to have enjoined secrecy. But neither he nor I are to stop here. He takes care to blab it out, that he was a Local Preacher in the Old Connexion, and charges those zealots with an aptness to forget his former services.' Thus he evi dently regrets a want of remuneration for personal services. What were those services? He could only serve them by aiding their designs. What are their designs? Read his own exposure of them :-catching money§—stealing chapels—robbing churches-devouring men's sub * Meth. Cond. 23. + Ibid. 14. Syst. Meth. Expos. 24. § So desirous is Mr. D. that money should be thought the principal thing, he asserts" that cash matters are first attended to" in District Meetings, (Meth. Cond. 17.) and that it is not till "after the fatigue of money. matters is over, they sit down to investigate each others' characters." (ibid. 18.) Instead of being the first, money-matters are nearly the last things attended to. When they come on at a more early stage of the meeting, it is merely to accommodate the Circuit Stewards, who are requested to be present, and who, instead of having their "pockets emptied," attend to see, not how their own, but the Society's money is disposed of.— Query; should not the word fatigue be rendered " delight" to keep up |