bership and fellowship? "There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies,-a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins ;"-it being understood that this "desire" is evinced by the appropriate fruits.

Now, it cannot be said, it is true, that there is nothing like a creed here. There are the implicated notions of sin, of wrath to come, of salvation from both, as well as an appropriate effort toward such salvation. Yet these are not to be ranked with what we call human symbols, or dogmas. The terms are all from the Scriptures; while the proposition into which they enter, and which forms the platform of Methodist membership, may be viewed as a mere Scriptural quotation, rather than as a sentence of uninspired rhetoric. He who will take the pains to look, will not fail to discern that before he has traversed the first three chapters of his New Testament, he has found, and in only two texts of Matthew, not merely the ideas, but the very language, which this platform submits to his belief. Wesley saw, in the preaching of the Baptist, that there was such a thing, in so many words, as "fleeing from the wrath to come;" and saw, likewise, in the angel-message to Joseph, that there was such a thing, in so many words, as "to be saved from their sins;" and these two Scripture things, in their veritable Scripture dress, and embracing, as they do, the world's great want, these he adopted as his proposition or motto, and on this foundation invited the world-all, of whatever creed or party, tribe or nation-to join him in the pursuit of eternal life.

"Mind the one thing needful," was an admonition that seemed for ever sounding in the ears of John Wesley. He was observant as any other man of nonessentials. None had a keener sensibility of tastes and preferences. But he sternly and religiously held all these to their place. They must remain subordinate. His solemn eye was fixed, like the apostle's, steadily upon the everlasting life of a world. This was his goal, this was the centre of all his multifarious plans and varied energies, and the interpreter of all his apparent irregularities. To compass this he rose early, laid his grasp upon time's smallest fragments, expanded every day into a life, laid all learning and genius under contribution, broke loose from human disabilities and burdens; laid open the great Gospel enterprise; retired from human formulas deeply within the Scriptures; became a little child; laid his hand implicitly within the hand of the great and everlasting Father, and yielded to walk where he led the way; saw theories inwrought and long cherished in his heart's strongest sympathies fading gradually into trifles; and stood forth the man of his age, who was to exhibit a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men, of true catholicism as well as of indomitable zeal. "I have thought I am a creature of a day passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit, come from God, and returning to God, just hovering over the great gulf, till a few moments hence, I am no more seen: I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing,the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore." There stands Wesley. There, in that extract of such transcendent simplicity and sublimity, may be

:

seen the man. Immortal life was in his eye; and when another might be found of a like spirit and longing, he asked no more. Such a one was welcome to his Christian embrace, and fellowship, and society. Satisfied of an effective desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from sin, he thought it not worth his while to inquire or dispute about anything else. Each one might have his own views of predestination, free-grace, perseverance, baptism, as well as a multitude of other points of speculation and differing opinions. Every earnest seeker of salvation was welcome to his society, and dear to his heart. It was thus that he commenced, and here he stood to the last. "But whether ye will hear," he writes in the last of his life, year or whether ye will forbear, we, by the grace of God, hold on our way; being ourselves still members of the Church of England, as we were from the beginning, but receiving all that love God, in every church, as our brethren, and sister, and mother. And, in order to their union with us, we require no unity in opinions or in modes of worship; but barely that they fear God and work righteousness." They (Methodists) are themselves no particular sect or party; but they receive those, of all parties, who endeavour to do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with their God."

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One or two extracts, already recited, may suggest to us that the catholicism of Wesley may be read,

IN DIVERS EXPRESS SENTIMENTS WHICH HE UTTERED, AS WELL AS IN THE GENERAL TENOR OF HIS WRITINGS. Will the reader take the trouble to review a few brief specimens which we here venture to spread before his eye ?—

"I dare not exclude from the Church Catholic all those congregations in which any unscriptural doctrines, which cannot be affirmed to be the pure word of God,' are sometimes, yea, frequently, preached; neither all those congregations in which the sacraments are not duly administered.' Certainly, if these things are so, the Church of Rome is not so much as a part of the Catholic Church; seeing therein neither is 'the pure word of God' preached, nor the sacraments 'duly administered.' Whoever they are that have one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of all,' I can easily bear with their holding wrong opinions, yea, and superstitious modes of worship; nor would I, on these accounts, scruple still to include them within the pale of the Catholic Church."-Sermon on the Church.

If any one should be startled because the charity of the above extract appears to look kindly even upon the Roman communion, yet all this will not, in the least degree, interfere with the design of this article. And should the following extract be esteemed as having an original and appropriate application to a single society or denomination, yet the internal evidence will be seen to be sufficient to mark it as being the mind of its author toward all that profess the Christian name :—

"O beware, I will not say of forming, but of countenancing or abetting any parties in a Christian society! Never encourage, much less cause, either by word or action, any division therein. In the nature of things, there must be heresies [divisions] among you ;' but keep thyself pure, leave off contention before it be meddled with; shun the very beginning of strife. Meddle not with them that are given to dispute, -with them that love contention. I never knew that remark to fail:- He that loves to dispute does not love God.' Follow peace with all men, without which you cannot effectually follow holiness. Not only 'seek peace,' but ensue it ;'-if it

seem to flee from you, pursue it nevertheless.

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.' Happy is he that attains the character of a peace-maker in the Church of God." -Sermon on Schism.

The religious partisan, of any denomination, would do well to read carefully the whole sermon against bigotry; but he should deeply ponder and inwardly digest such sentiments especially as the following:

"Every one is either on God's side, or on Satan's. Are you on God's side? Then you will not only not forbid any man that casts out devils, but you will labour, to the uttermost of your power, to forward him in the work. You will readily acknowledge the work of God, and confess the greatness of it. You will remove all difficulties and objections, as far as may be, out of his way. You will strengthen his hands by speaking honourably of him before all men, and avowing the things which you have seen and heard. You will encourage others to attend upon his word, to hear him whom God hath sent. And you will omit no actual proof of tender love which God gives you an opportunity of showing him. If we willingly fail in any one of these points, if we either directly or indirectly forbid him because he followeth not us,' then we are bigots."

"Am I not sorry that God should thus own and bless a man that holds such erroneous opinions? Do I not discourage him, because he is not of my church, by disputing with him concerning it, by raising objections, and by perplexing his mind with distant consequences? Do I show no anger, contempt, or unkindness of any sort, either in my words or actions? Do I not mention behind his back his (real or supposed) faults, his defects, or infirmities? Do not I hinder sinners from hearing his word? If you do any of these things, you are a bigot to this day."

"O stand clear of this! But be not content with not forbidding any that cast out devils. It is well to go thus far, but do not stop here. If you will avoid all bigotry, go on.