bishops who have a legal jurisdiction; in America there are none, neither any parish ministers: so that for some hundred miles together there is none either to baptise or to administer the Lord's Supper. Here therefore my scruples are at an end; and I conceive myself at full liberty, as I violate no order and invade no man's right, by appointing and sending labourers into the harvest.

4. I have accordingly appointed Dr. Coke and Mr. Francis Asbury, to be joint superintendents over our brethren in North America: as also Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, to act as elders among them, by baptizing and administering the Lord's Supper. And I have prepared a liturgy, little differing from that of the church of England, (I think, the best constituted national church in the world) which I advise all the travelling preachers to use on the Lord's-day, in all the congregations, reading the Litany only on Wednesdays and Fridays, and praying extempore on all other days. I also advise the elders to administer the Supper of the Lord on every Lord'sday.

5. If any one will point out a more rational and scriptural way of feeding and guiding those poor sheep in the wilderness, I will gladly embrace it. At present I cannot see any better method than that I have taken.

6. It has indeed been proposed, to desire the English bishops to ordain part of our preachers for America. But to this I object, 1. I desired the Bishop of London to ordain only one, but could not prevail. 2. If they consented, we know the slowness of their proceedings; but the matter admits of no delay. 3. If they would ordain them now, they would likewise expect to govern them; and how grievously would this intangle us? 4. As our American brethren are now totally

disentangled, both from the state, and from the English hierarchy, we dare not intangle them again, either with the one or the other. They are now at full liberty, simply to follow the scriptures and the primitive church. And we judge it best that they should stand fast in that liberty, wherewith God has so strangely made them free. JOHN WESLEY.

Possessed of this letter, and every other credential and direction that was thought necessary, the Doctor and his companions embarked and crossed the Atlantic.

Upon looking over his Journal, an extract of which was published by him, it struck me that I should defraud the reader of both pleasure and profit, if I did not insert what he wrote on his voyage, and when he landed in America. It gives a very interesting view of his manner of spending his time, while confined week after week upon the mighty waters, as well as manifests great piety, ardent zeal, and a sweet and comfortable state of mind. And we see in this journal, that his chief studies in the ship were such as more immediately related to the business upon which he was going, namely, the propagation of the gospel, and more especially the formation of a new episcopal church. Hence we find him reading the lives of those most eminent missionaries Francis Xavier and David Brainerd, and Bishop Hoadley's Treatises on Conformity and Episcopacy; and we find him making some use of his observations on the Bishop's Treatises, when he preached at the ordination or consecration of Mr. Asbury to the office of superintendent or bishop of the Methodist episcopal church in America. And in the latter part of that sermon, when he gives the picture of a true christian bishop, he seems to have taken some of

his ideas from the characters of Xavier and Brainerd. Occasionally, however, we see he unbent his mind, by reading the works of Virgil. But while he thus followed his studies, as if at home and in his chamber, we find that he and his companions diligently exercised the ministerial functions among those on board, during the whole of the voyage. And I am the more disposed to insert his Journal, and to make these observations upon it, as it may be considered as a specimen of the way in which he employed himself, and the spirit which he manifested in the many long voyages which he took in more than thirty years. But I will detain the reader no longer from hearing the Doctor tell his own tale.

AN EXTRACT

OF

DR. COKE'S FIRST JOURNAL

ΤΟ

NORTH AMERICA.

September 18, 1784.

AT ten in the morning we sailed from KingRoad for New-York. A breeze soon sprung up, which carried us, with the help of the tides, about a hundred leagues from Bristol by Monday morning. St. Austin's Meditations were this day made no small blessing to my soul.

Sunday, 19. This day we intended to give two

sermons to the company, but all was sickness: we were disabled from doing any thing but casting God.

our care upon

Wednesday, 22. I passed a night of trial. The storm was high: the sea frequently washed the deck. My thirst was excessive, and all the sailors were at work upon deck, except a few that were gone to rest sleep had forsaken me, but my trust was truly in the Lord.

Thursday, 23. This and the three former days we lost several leagues, being now nearer Bristol considerably than on Monday morning. The storms were high and frequent, and the ship obliged to tack backwards and forwards every four hours between the coasts of England and France. It appeared doubtful some time, whether we should not be obliged to take refuge in the port of Brest. For the five last days, my brethren and myself tasted no flesh, nor hardly any kind of meat or drink that would stay upon our stomachs.

Friday, 24. This morning I was hungry, and breakfasted on water gruel. I now begin to recover my strength, and employ myself in reading the life of Francis Xavier. O for a soul like his! But, glory be to God, there is nothing impossible with him. I seem to want the wings of an eagle, and the voice of a trumpet, that I may proclaim the gospel through the east and the west and the north and the south.

The wind has veered from north-west to southwest, and our ship sails from three to five miles an hour towards America.

I enjoy one peculiar blessing-a place of retirement, a little secret corner in the ship, which I shall hereafter call my study. It is so small that I have hardly room to roll about, and there is a window in it which opens to the sea, and makes it the most delightful place under deck. Here, God

willing, I shall spend the greatest part of my

time.

Saturday, 25. We have now sailed one hundred and fifty leagues towards America. My brethren and myself are tolerably recovered. May we improve this time of rest to the profit of our souls and the preparation of them for the work of God. A sailor dangerously ill, affords us an opportunity of visiting the crew in the steerage, and preaching to them, through him, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Captain of our ship, I believe, never swears, nor does he suffer any of his men, as far as he can prevent it, to game or get drunk. And though the men are, I find, like the rest of their brethren, prophane to the last degree, yet when we are on deck, there is seldom an oath to be heard.

Sunday, 26. This day we performed divine service, both morning and afternoon, and the sailors, except those on immediate duty, attended. A French ship passed us with her colours hoisted, and of course expecting the same compliment from ours, whilst I was enforcing the history and example of the trembling jailor converted by Paul and Silas; which much interrupted us. The little congregation appeared, indeed, to give close attention to brother Whatcoat, in the afternoon, while he explained to them the wages of sin, and the gift of God. But alas! I am ready to despair of doing them any essential good.

Tuesday, 28. For the two last days the winds were contrary, and we hardly gained a league; but they are again favourable, and we are come two hundred and fifty leagues from Bristol. The sailors now attend us daily at morning-prayer. For these few days past I have been reading the life of David Brainerd. O that I may follow him as he followed Christ. His humility, his self