God in his public ordinances, we bowed at altars built by the generous piety of persons precedent to ourselves in religious experience; and who, having lived not to themselves, but to God, and his cause on earth, have passed through the courts of earthly temples into the mansions of rest and glory in heaven. It would ill become us to take the fruits of their piety, without being also the imitators of their zeal.— The work which they begun is not completed. The want of places of worship in this country, though so eminent in its religious character, is by all parties of Christians acknowledged. The population has greatly enlarged beyond the measure of the accommodation for the public services of religion; and as the preaching of the Gospel is made successful in bringing men under the influence of holy and devotional habits, the erection and enlargement of places of worship will be still demanded by the necessity of the case. It is a charity inseparably connected with the existence, the exercise, and the extension of religion.

"The great work which God has been pleased to perform in this land by the instrumentality of the body to which we belong has naturally led to the erection of numerous places of worship. Religious societies have been formed of persons fearing God, and working righteousness; the ministry by which their conversion at first took place has been continued and enlarged by Him who alone can perpetuate a spiritual and true administration of his word; a disposition to hear the word of God, and to hallow his Sabbaths by acts of public devotion, has been greatly diffused in places where no such inclination existed; and a very great number of chapels have, in consequence, been rendered necessary. The exclamation of the prophet, What hath God wrought was often appropriately used by the great founder of our societies, when reflecting upon the progress of true religion in this land by his instrumentality, and by those who served him as sons in the Gospel. It may be used now with greater emphasis, and with stronger emotion. In by far the greater number of towns in this kingdom, large and commodious chapels have been erected, and are statedly filled with hearers; while innumerable villages, regularly visited by the preachers, are the seats of pious societies, bearing their constant testimony for God among their neighbours, in which the accommodations for worship are various,-dwelling houses and rooms chiefly,— but in many are chapels, of dimensions varying with the population, and the good effected. These are facts which call for no ordinary feelings of joy and gratitude, connected as they are with the cause of Christ, and the salvation of souls. In these religious societies and houses of prayer, how many have been trained and disciplined for heaven, and have already entered into the joy of their Lord, shall be known in the day of the revelation of Jesus Christ; but in all a 'truth according to godliness' is constantly preached, a spiritual worship is offered, and wanderers from peace and righteousness are constantly reclaiming from the error of their way. In many of them are conducted various institutions, schools, benevolent societies, &c,-connected with the present and future interests of men; and thus religious truth and influence are preserved and extended in society. These are reflections equally cheering to piety, to philanthropy, and to patriotism: to piety, as the cause of true religion is upheld and promoted; to philanthropy,

as vice and misery are counteracted and assuaged; and to patriotism, as morality, industry, probity, and peace are the necessary results of this spread of true religion, and the inculcation of a holy doctrine in our native land.

"When the immense number of chapels belonging to the Methodist societies is considered, all of which have been in part raised by voluntary subscriptions, it is not easy to do justice to the liberality of a people who, notwithstanding such exertions, are far from affluent.— But with so much success to encourage them, and animated as they are, generally, with no ordinary degree of zeal for the extension of the cause of Christ, it is not surprising that in several instances this high and holy principle should have gone somewhat beyond the bounds of prudent expenditure in the erection of chapels, and involved some of the societies in embarrassments. This is the fact; and it has arisen from various causes. The usual method of erecting chapels among us, by raising part of the money by private subscription, and borrowing the remainder on the security of the trustees, the interest being left to be provided for by the pew rents and collections, has been favourable to the increase of chapels; but is a system which, with all its excellencies, requires calculations as to the future, which zeal is apt to overlook. In some cases, therefore, the chapels have been built too large; in others a want of judgment has led to an unanticipated expense; and in some the trustees have been misled, by builders and others, into expenditures, the extent of which they only became acquainted with when too late. Embarrassments have also arisen, in many cases, from causes over which human power has no control; from decay of trade, from diminution of population, from the death or removal of principal friends, or from that interruption in the growth of societies to which all religious bodies are in some degree subject. It has followed, therefore, that, though by the blessing of God upon the connection generally, the majority of its chapels are in prosperous, in easy, or in tolerable circumstances, a considerable number of them have been, for several years, in difficulties equally alarming to the trustees, and distressing to the societies and the preachers. To relief the trustees were entitled. The responsibilities they had entered into were not in the view of any private interest. They had been influenced only by their regard for the cause of God, to place themselves under the burden. The societies, as parts of the whole connection, were equally entitled to have that pressure relieved, as far as it had become excessive, which necessarily fell upon them in the form of extra subscriptions and collections, most generously offered, and persevered in with great constancy, without, however, in many instances, conquering or reducing the distress.

66

'Perhaps it is not easy to fix upon a case more truly worthy of Christian sympathy and kind assistance, than that of a chapel deeply involved in debt. The anxiety of trustees for themselves and families, -the burdens constantly laid upon societies and congregations, preventing often the increase of both, and thereby pressing down the growth of that natural aid which every chapel is supposed to contain within itself, the perplexities and complaints in which ministers are involved, rendering the places of their labour irksome to them during their stay, and abating that satisfied and home feeling which is so essential to the

spiritual and vigorous discharge of their duties,—and, to crown all, the debates, and want of union and attention to the spiritual concerns of societies, which are produced among the leading friends and officers of a society so circumstanced: these evils will be amply and effectually removed by the maintenance of the chapel fund, and the relief it will afford. Opportunity will be given to infant societies to strengthen themselves; the confidence of trustees will be felt by congregations; union will be promoted; the ministry exercised with much greater comfort and success; and hope, the animating principle of exertion, be then a rational and salutary feeling, and spread an enlivening influence over ministers and trustees, over societies and congregations.

"To any exceptions which may be taken, as to the imprudence with which some chapels have been erected, and the expensiveness of others, we may say, that these objections lie not against the majority of the cases; and that where they do lie, there is the plea of the best intentions, though there have been mistakes of judgment. Let us not in these considerations forget that we are brethren; that the connection is but one; and if it has suffered in some instances by too sanguine a spirit of enterprise, in many more has the blessed work of our Redeemer among men been enlarged by it. If it has involved some few places in temporary difficulties, it has in great numbers created congregations which had never been otherwise collected, and given unnumbered souls to the Church and to the Saviour. In the cases of those of our chapels most embarrassed, there is much to expect. They are in large towns, in populous neighbourhoods, several of them have increasing congregations; and we doubt not but that many whose zeal outstepped a little the bounds of prudence, in the magnitude given to them, will live to forget the anxieties that circumstance has caused them, in the permanent good which will ultimately be effected.

"Very reasonable expectations of the increase of the chapel fund by legacies have been indulged. A number of benevolent friends have, at different times, left legacies to individual chapels; and it is hoped that a general fund, whose object is to keep open many places of worship which, but for such aid, múst be disposed of, will be a sufficient motive to induce such pious remembrances and cares for the work of God on earth, by many who shall, from time to time, pass from the earthly dwellings of the Lord of hosts into his celestial temple."

Such were the generous sentiments entertained.and promulgated by Mr. Watson in regard to the relief of embarrassed chapels. They are as applicable in the present day as they were when first committed to the press; and are happily now more widely diffused in the Methodist connection, and more fully carried into practical effect, than at any former period. Mr. Watson did not live to see the splendid arrangements now in operation for the removal of that hinderance to the work of God which arises from the pressure of pecuniary burdens upon places of worship; but no man was more deeply interested in this branch of Christian charity than he. When requested to lend the aid of his talents, by preaching at the anniversaries of embarrassed chapels, he generally yielded a willing compliance whenever his health and other engagements would allow; and he became a subscriber to the chapel fund as soon as it was instituted, and cheerfully continued his contributions to the end of his life.

CHAPTER XIII.

Missionary Report for the Year 1819-Letter to Mr. Garbutt-Mr. Watson visits Cornwall, accompanied by Mr. Bunting-Mission in Southern AfricaAnniversary of the Missionary Society in the Year 1820-Letter to Mr. Walton -Conference of 1820-Visit of Mr. Emory, from America-Pastoral Address to the Methodist Societies-Mr. Watson's Appointment a third Year to the London West Circuit-His Correspondence with the Missionaries-Letter to the Rev. William D. Goy.

WHILE Mr. Watson was ready for every good work, it was to the missionary department that his attention was specially directed; and its regular advancement was to him a source of solid gratification.At the conclusion of the year 1819 he sent forth into the world his fourth missionary report, the details of which possessed an increased interest; and the appeals at the conclusion were equal in eloquence and power to any of his former addresses to the subscribers. In the course of the year seventeen missionaries were sent abroad; seven of whom were appointed to the West Indies, one to Gibraltar, two to Western Africa, one to Southern Africa, five to Ceylon, and one to Bombay. The total number of missionaries actually employed under the direction of the conference was then one hundred and twenty; and the report stated that, to fill up the places of some missionaries who had returned home, and of others who had died in the work, to supply additional labourers where the cause was extending, and new stations to which pressing invitations had been given, the committee were about to send six missionaries to Asia, ten to the West Indies, two to Africa, and six to the British American colonies; making the whole number of Wesleyan missionaries, including three assistant missionaries in Ceylon, and one in Southern Africa, one hundred and forty-four. To meet so large an expenditure as these extended operations required, the sum of £22,913. 9s. 1§d. had been transmitted to the treasurers in the course of the year; exceeding the income of the society in any preceding year by £4,479. 18s. 6d.

With respect to the state of the funds, and the obligations and prospects of the society, the report says, "For the support of so large a missionary establishment, persevering exertions are evidently necessary; and when it is considered that the extension of this great work has been engaged in by the committee in consequence of the most pressing solicitations from different parts of the earth, where opportunities have been providentially afforded to apply the great remedy of evangelical truth to the moral disorders of a wretched world, the committee cannot but depend with confidence upon the sympathy and piety of the public to enable them to meet an expenditure which has been induced by considerations so urgent, and which is enlarging beyond the receipts of the year, though so honourable to Christian benevolence, and by far the most productive year we have witnessed. Can we see the immortal souls of men in danger of eternal death, and not attempt their rescue? Can we contemplate regions where Christ is not named, and not attempt to make him known? Can we hear the voice of misery pleading for help, and refuse the boon? Animated by past success, and encouraged by the promises of Hea

ven, it is not possible, as long as pity for men, love for Christ, and jealousy for the honours of God, are the energetic principles of a heart influenced by the everlasting love of Jesus our Redeemer, to refuse any sacrifice in order to afford the aid by which a cause so glorious, so connected with the happiness of the world, and the exaltation of the Church, can be promoted. The field widens before us; but, wherever it is cultivated, it yields abundant fruit, and will encourage the toil of future labour. The first fruits are reaped; the ' wave offering' is already presented before the Lord of the harvest,' in his sanctuary; but the full blessing is yet ungathered. The field is the world;' and already the zeal and love of Christians spread, in delightful anticipation, into all its length and breath. To the great and growing but encouraging work we are again summoned. It brings its present reward in the miseries it assuages or removes; in the elements of order and happiness it creates and combines; in the personal and social felicities it confers. But it runs on to a sublimer consummation. It is connected with purposes which the wisdom of God has arranged, which his goodness has nurtured and upheld, and which his power will ultimately execute to the height of the sublime idea: purposes, whose accomplishment supported the Saviour in his agony and bloody sweat, in his cross and passion; on which the eye of prophets, ranging through the scenes of the future, fixed with greatest intensity of observation; and the prospect of which has supported the hopes of martyrs and confessors, of ministers and missionaries, of the wise and good in all ages. And the end cometh.' The astonishing operations of God, both in providence, and in the administration of the kingdom of Christ, display the signs of the glory of the latter day. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.'"

6

It is added, in reference to the increase of the contributions: "For this encouraging increase the society is indebted to the efforts of many individuals throughout the kingdom, who have laboured with most creditable perseverance to bring the cause of missions before the public, and to excite its liberality. Its interests have been very eminently promoted by the zeal of many excellent ladies, who, both in connection with general societies, and in ladies' associations, have consecrated their time and influence to this sacred cause. The funds have also received great assistance from several very active and efficient juvenile societies, where the energy of youth, and the sympathy of hearts early imbued with Christian philanthropy and piety, have united to produce and support a very successful activity in behalf of missions to the heathen. The committee offer their most cordial thanks to all those individuals and societies; and while they congratulate them on their past successes, they earnestly solicit from them the aid of their continued exertions. It has already been stated, that the missions are now so numerous, that the present contributions, though so much enlarged, will be unequal to their full support; and this consideration the committee trust will be felt as a powerful call to perseverance and activity. In numerous places missionary societies may yet be established with success; and in others they are capable of an extended operation. Where active collectors can be engaged,