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good cheer, I have one whole side yet; for

the skin is off but on one side.'"

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Vol. II. pp. 52-54.

Augustan age, except certain selections from Juvenal, Persius, and Martial." The bounty of Lady Maxwell, one of his converts in high life, enabled him to establish this school. She was of the Brisbanes in Ayrshire, was married to Sir Walter Maxwell at the age of 17; at 19 was left a widow; and six weeks after the death of her husband, lost her son and only child. This lady gave Wesley L. 500 to build his school; and when she understood that a debt of L. 300 had been incurred, she gave him that sum also. It need scarcely be added that the strict rules of discipline were found almost impracticable, and had afterwards to be somewhat relaxed.

Mr Southey has devoted three chapters of his book to notices and anecdotes of Wesley's lay-coadjutors, most of whom were very singular characters. Along with many other eccentricities, they were men who literally took no thought for to-morrow. To remedy this evil, it was at length agreed, that every circuit should allow its preacher three pounds a quarter, to provide himself with clothing and books." It afterwards became necessary to make some provision for the wives of itinerants. For many years the stated allowance was four shillings a week; an additional twenty shillings a quarter was afterwards granted for every child; and when a preacher was at home, the wife was entitled to eighteenpence a-day for his board. The education of the children of preachers next claimed the attention of the founder. "Ought not the Society," said Wesley, to supply what the parent could not, because of his labours in the gospel?" A school was accordingly built in the middle of Kingswood, three miles from Bristol. It was of a size to contain fifty children, besides masters and servants, with a room and a study for Wesley's own use. The children were to rise at four, summer and winter; to spend the time till five in private, in reading, singing, prayer, self-examination, and meditation. "From five till seven they breakfasted and walked, or worked, the master being with them, for the master was constantly to be present; and there were no holidays, and no play on any day." "The school hours were from seven to eleven, and from one to five: eight was the hour of going to bed; they slept in one dormitory, each in a separate bed; a master lay in the same room, and a lamp was kept burning there. Their food was as simple as possible, and two days in the week no meat was allowed. The things to be taught there make a formidable catalogue in the founder's plan; reading, writing, arithmetic; Enged, a Christian could not submit to any lish, French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew; history, geography, chronology, rhetoric, logic, ethics; geometry, algebra, natural philosophy, and metaphysics. No Roman author was to be read, who had lived later than the

that

"Provision had thus been made for the maintenance of the preachers' families, and the education of their sons. A Conference, his brother Charles, four other clergymen, to which Wesley, in the year 1744, invited who co-operated with him, and four of his lay preachers, was from that time held annually, and became the general assembly, in which the affairs of the Society were examined and determined. They began their first meeting by recording their desire, that all things might be considered as in the immediate presence of God; that they' might meet with a single eye, and as little children who had every thing to learn; be examined to the foundation; that every every point which was proposed might person might speak freely whatever was in his heart; and that every question which might arise should be thoroughly debated and settled.' There was no reason, they said, to be afraid of doing this, lest they should overturn their first principles: for, if they were false, the sooner they were overturned the better; if they were true, they would bear the strictest examination. of this Conference, to visit none but the They determined, in the intermediate hours sick, and to spend all the time that remained in retirement; giving themselves to prayer for one another, and for a blessing upon this their labour. With regard to the judgment of the majority, they agreed that, in speculative things, each could only submit so far as his judgment should be convinced; and that, in every practical point, each would submit, so far as he could, without wounding his conscience. Farther than this, they maintain

to council, bishop, or convocation. And man or number of men upon earth; either this was that grand principle of private judgment on which all the reformers proceeded. Every man must judge for himself; because every man must give an account for himself to God.' But this prin

ciple, if followed to its full extent, is as unsafe and as untenable as the opposite extreme of the Romanists. The design of this meeting was to consider what to teach, how to teach, and what to do; in other words, how to regulate their doctrines, discipline, and practice. Here, therefore, it will be convenient to present a connected account of each." Vol. II. pp. 164, 165.

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"The power, which I have," said Wesley, "I never sought." But his biographer says, "however he may have deceived himself, the love of power was the ruling passion in his mind." The societies, the time and place of their meetings, and the admission or expulsion of their members, were wholly under his direction. The people wished to subscribe, and were allowed. The collection of the money required stewards, and stewards were appointed. His authority over the lay-preachers, and over the Conference, also originated in himself. The first of the preachers offered to serve him as sons," as he should direct. The case continued the same when their number increased. "They," said he, “ did not desire the meeting," (of Conference,) "but I did, knowing, that in a multitude of counsellors there is safety."

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"In reference to himself, as the person in whom the whole and sole authority was vested, Wesley called his preachers by the name of helpers; and designated as assistants those among them who, for the duties which they discharge, have since been denominated superintendents. It soon be came expedient to divide the country into circuits. There were, in the year 1749, twenty in England, two in Wales, two in Scotland, and seven in Ireland. In 1791, the year of Mr Wesley's death, they had increased to seventy-two in England, three in Wales, seven in Scotland, and twentycight in Ireland. Every circuit had a certain number of preachers appointed to it, more or less, according to its extent, under an assistant, whose office it was to admit or expel members, take lists of the societies at Easter, hold quarterly meetings, visit the classes quarterly, keep watch-nights and love-feasts, superintend the other preachers, and regulate the whole business of the circuit, spiritual and temporal."

Vol. II. p. 201. "The rules of a helper are strikingly characteristic of Wesley, both in their manner and their spirit.

1. Be diligent. Never be unemployed a moment: never be triflingly employed. Never while away time; neither

spend any more time at any place than is strictly necessary.

2. Be serious. Let your motto be, Holiness to the Lord. Avoid all lightness, jesting, and foolish talking.

"3. Converse sparingly and cautiously with women; particularly with young women in private.

4. Take no step towards marriage without first acquainting us with your design.

5. Believe evil of no one; unless you see it done, take heed how you credit it. Put the best construction on every thing: you know the judge is always supposed to be on the prisoner's side.

"6. Speak evil of no one; else your word, especially, would eat as doth a canker. Keep your thoughts within your own breast, till you come to the person concern

ed.

7. Tell every one what you think soon as may be, else it will fester in your wrong in him, and that plainly, and as heart. Make all haste to cast the fire out of your bosom.

8. Do not affect the gentleman. You have no more to do with this character than with that of a dancing-master. A preacher of the gospel is the servant of all."

9. Be ashamed of nothing but sin; not of fetching wood (if time permit) or of drawing water; not of cleaning your own shoes, or your neighbour's.

10. Be punctual. Do every thing exactly at the time: and, in general, do not mend our rules, but keep them; not for wrath, but for conscience sake.

11. You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go always, not only to those who want you, but to those who want you most.

12. Act in all things, not according to your own will, but as a son in the gos pel. As such, it is your part to employ your time in the manner which we direct; partly in preaching and visiting the flock from house to house; partly in reading, meditation, and prayer. Above all, if you labour with us in our Lord's vineyard, it is needful that you should do that part of the work which we advise, at those times and places which we judge most for his glory.'" Vol. II. pp. 202-204.

The preachers were restrained by the Conference from entering into trade,-from publishing any thing in verse or prose till it was corrected and sanctioned by Wesley, and from making or vending drops, pills, balsams, or medicines of any kind. They were not to preach oftener than twice on a week-day, or three times on the Sabbath; and they were advised to begin

and end precisely at the time appointed. An itinerant was previously exercised as a local preacher, and some remained contentedly in that humbler office.

The leaders of classes are to Methodism, what the non-commissioned officers are in an army. A leader was appointed by the assistant, convened the members of the class weekly, visited those who absented themselves, and received the contributions of the class. The men, the women, the married, and the single, met also in separate bands, at least once a week, to confess their faults to each other. Unreserved openness was required; and such questions as these were asked-What known sin have you com mitted since our last meeting? What temptations have you met with? How was you delivered? What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not? It is marvellous," says Southey, "that any man should have permitted his wife, or daughter, to enter into these bands, where it is not possible for innocence to escape contamination." The Select Society, or band, composed of those only" who continually walked in the light of God's countenance, having fellowship with the Father, and the Son," as well as the "nightwatch," were also objectionable institutions. The night-watch originated with the reclaimed colliers of Kingswood, who transferred their late sederunts at the ale-house to the schoolhouse, and spent them in praying and singing hymns. They were appointed to be held once a month, near the time of the full moon.

"He also appointed three love-feasts in a quarter; one for the men, a second for the women, and a third for both together, that we might together eat bread,' he says, as the ancient Christians did, with gladness and singleness of heart.' A travelling preacher presides at these meetings; any one who chooses may speak; and the time is chiefly employed in relating what they call their Christian experience." Wesley complained of the want of family religion among his people, not reflecting, it seems, that his class-meetings, band-meetings, love-feasts, and midnight assemblies, were calculated to take away both the time and the inclination for its exercise. He took care that every new chapel should be

settled upon the Methodist plan, in order that he might preserve his own influence, and insure the continuance of itinerant preaching. A collection of hymns, composed chiefly by Charles, was published for the use of the Society, and he prided himself upon the singing in his meeting-houses. The preachers were forbidden to introduce any hymns of their own composing; in other respects they had great lati tude allowed them. "The service was not long: Wesley generally concluded it within the hour."

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Whitefield preceded Wesley in Scotland, and it is well known what wonderful effects were produced by his preaching, especially at Cambuslang and Kilsyth. But Wesley could make no impression. "I admire the people," he said, so decent, so serious, and so perfectly unconcerned.” Thomas Taylor, a preacher, was appointed to Glasgow. He had previously been employed in Wales, where he had suffered much fatigue, and been exposed to some danger; but found his new situation, which he describes with much characteristic solemnity, still more discouraging than any thing he had hitherto experienced.

"There were no Methodists here, no place of entertainment, no place to preach in, no friend with whom to communicate; it was a hard winter, and he was in a strange land. Having, however, taken a lodging, he gave out that he should preach on the Green. A table was carried to the place, and, going there at the appointed time, he found-two barbers' boys and two old women waiting. My very soul,' he says, 'sunk within me. I had travelled by land

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and by water near six hundred miles to this place, and behold my congregation! None but they who have experienced it can tell what a task it is to stand out in the open air to preach to nobody, especially in such a place as Glasgow! Nevertheless, he mounted his table, and began to sing; the singing he had entirely to himself; but perseverance brought about him some two hundred poor people; and continuing, day after day, he collected at last large audiences. One evening, the largest congre gation that he had ever seen was assembled; his table was too low; and, even when a chair was placed upon it, the rostruh was still not sufficiently elevated for the multitudes who surrounded him; so he mounted upon a high wall, and cried aloud, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live!'

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They were still as the dead; and he conceived great hope, from the profound attention with which they listened: but, when he had done, he says, they made a lane for me to walk through the huge multitude, while they stood staring at me, but no one said, Where dwellest thou?'

"This reception brought with it double mortification to the body as well as the mind: An itinerant always counted upon the hospitality of his flock, and stood, indeed, in need of it. Taylor had every thing to pay for: his room, fire, and attendance cost him three shillings per week; his fare was poor in proportion to his lodging; and, to keep up his credit with his landlady, he often committed the pious fraud of dressing himself as if he were going out to dinner, and, after a dry walk, returned home hungry. He never, in all the rest of his life, kept so many fast days. He sold his horse: this resource, however, could not maintain him long; and, in the

midst of his distress, a demand was made upon him by one of his hearers, which was not likely to give him a favourable opinion of the national character. This man, perceiving that Taylor was a bad singer, and frequently embarrassed by being obliged to sing the Scotch version, (because the people knew nothing of the Methodist hymns,) offered his services to act as precentor, and lead off the psalms. This did excellently well, till he brought in a bill of thirteen and fourpence for his work, which was just fourpence a time. The poor preacher paid the demand, and dismissed him and the Scotch psalms together. Taylor's perseverance was not, however, wholly lost. Some dissenters from the kirk were then building what is called in Glasgow a Kirk of Relief, for the purpose of choosing their own minister. One of the leading men had become intimate with him, and offered to secure him a majority of the voters. This was no ordinary temptation: comfort, honour, and credit, with L. 140 a-year, in exchange for hunger and contempt: but there was honour also on the other side. The preacher, though he was alone in Glasgow, belonged to a well-organized and increasing society, where he had all the encouragement of co-operation, friendship, sympathy, and applause. He rejected the offer; and, before the spring, he formed a regular society of about forty persons, who procured a place to meet in, and furnished it with a pulpit and seats. When they had thus housed him, they began to inquire how he was maintained, if he had an estate, or what supplies from England. He then explained to them his own circumstances, and the manner in which the preachers were supported, by small contributions. This necessary part of the Methodist economy was cheerfully established among them; and, when he

departed, he left a certain provision for his successor, and a flock of seventy souls. But, even in this populous city, Wesley, upon his last visit to Scotland, when his venerable age alone might have made him an object of curiosity and reasonable wonder, attracted few hearers. The congre gation,' he 6 says, was miserably small, verifying what I had often heard before, that the Scotch dearly love the word of the Lord-on the Lord's day. If I live to come again, I will take care to spend only the Lord's day at Glasgow.""

Vol. II. pp. 252-255.

We cannot accompany the preachers to Ireland, to America, or to the West Indies; or give the details of the establishment of Methodism in these far distant and widely separated parts of the world; but before Wesley's death, he had the satisfaction of knowing that his system had taken root in all these places.

abominable

ceased to itinerate, married, became a After a while, Charles Wesley settled man, and was contented to perform the duties, and enjoy the comforts, of domestic life. John also married; but it was previously agreed, that he should not preach one sermon, nor travel one mile the less on that account. The lady was a widow, with four children; and she so tormented him by her outrageous jealousy, and to be classed in a triad with Xantiptemper, that she deserves pe, and the wife of Job, as one of the three bad wives. Wesley, indeed, was neither so submissive as Socrates, nor so patient as the man of Uz. And after a period spent in discord, she left him, no more to return. On this event, he says, in his journal, "Non eam reliqui, non dimisi, non revocabo. I did not forsake her, I did not dismiss her, I will not recall her."

It is natural to suppose that Wesley would be involved in controversy. He, indeed, provoked a host of opponents, the most formidable of whom were Warburton and Toplady; but he had also some powerful assistants. The leaders and the mob chose different sides. Whitefield and Wesley differed about the doctrines of the Gospel, the former adhering to those of Calvin, and the latter to those of Arminius; and thus arose the division of the Methodists into Calvinistic and Arminian. Lady Huntingdon, who, on the death of her husband, devoted her income to the establishment of

schools and chapels, is generally re- by Faith. In Adam he maintained garded as the head of the Calvinistic branch. Mr Fletcher, a native of Swisserland, sided with Wesley, and became, by his preaching and writings, one of the main supporters of his cause.

In 1784, Wesley arrogated to himself the Episcopal power, and obtained the settlement of the Conference on a legal foundation. An hundred preachers of his own connection were nominated to constitute this body, and provision was made to continue its succession, and preserve its identity. They were to assemble yearly at London, Bristol, or Leeds, or any other place they might be pleased to appoint; and had power to administer all the affairs of the Methodist con

all died. "From that time every man who is born into the world bears the image of the Devil, in pride and selfwill,-the image of the beast in sensual appetites and desires;" and in consequence inherits, as his portion, "error, guilt, sorrow, fear, pain, disease, and death." Hence, the necessity of the new birth,-a metaphor which he pursued through all its bearings with a wantonness of ill-directed fancy. Faith he described "the eye of the new born soul, whereby every true believer seeth Him who is invisible'-the ear of the soul, whereby the sinner hears the voice of the Son of God, and lives'-the palate of the soul, whereby a believer

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tastes the good word and the powers nection. Having thus settled matters, of the world to come-the feeling of he declared he had no cares, no anx- the soul, whereby he feels the love ieties, no sorrows. His manner of of God shed abroad in his heart.' life was favourable for longevity, and is the internal evidence of Christianihe was blessed with a vigorous con- ty-a perpetual revelation equally stitution and a cheerful temper. "I strong, equally new through all cencommonly read on horseback," said turies which have elapsed since the he, having other employment at incarnation, and passing now, even as other times." And in this way he it has done from the beginning, distudied history, poetry, and philoso- rectly from God, into the believing phy. In his seventy-second year, and soul." Faith implies besides, soon after a painful operation, he ex- and firm confidence in the individual claimed, "How is this that I find believer, that Christ died for his sins, just the same strength as I did thirty loved him, and gave his life for him." years ago?" He felt no decay in writ- Repentance, indeed, is previously iming sermons, and believed he did it as parted; but it signifies nothing more well as ever. But upon his eighty-than a deep sense of the want of all sixth birth-day, he said, "I now find good, and the presence of all evil." that I grow old ;" and complained Perfection he defined to be 66 a conthat his sight, strength, and memory, stant communion with God, which had decayed. On the 17th of Febru- fills the heart with humble love." ary he caught cold after preaching, "Why, Mr Wesley," said Bishop which increased to fever, and proved Gibson to him, " if this is what you fatal on the 2d of March, being the mean by perfection, who can be a88th year of his life. He gave orders gainst it?” "The true Gospel,” that he should be buried in woollen, said he, " touches the very edge both and at the desire of many of his of Calvinism and Antinomianism;" friends his body was carried to the and many of his associates and followchapel in London, and there lay in a ers fell into both. He believed in a kind of state. The crowds that flock- chain of beings-from an atom of uned to see him were so great, that it organized matter to the highest of became prudent to accelerate the fu- archangels. His notions of diabolical neral to prevent accidents. agency were very extensive-he imputed to it disease, bodily hurts, storms and earthquakes, night-mare, epilepsy, and madness. A belief in witchcraft naturally followed from these premises. He thought the day of judgment would last several thousand years; he considered the evils to which the brute creation are subject as the consequence of the Fall; and

Wesley's doctrine of " sinless perfection" has been repeatedly alluded to in the course of the preceding summary. This, with his notions of "full assurance," was the most dangerous of his opinions. He exhorted his disciples to insist, with all boldness, at all times, and in all places, on the New Birth and Justification

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