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It may also be asked, Who are the persons whom the Methodists have alienated from the church? In this too, the church writers have labored under great mistakes. They have " alienated" those, for the most part, who never were, in any substantial sense, and never would have been of the church. Very few of her pious members have at any time been separated from her communion by a connection with us; and many who became serious through the Methodist ministry, continued attendants on her services, and observers of her sacraments. This was the case during the life of Mr. Wesley, and in many instances is so still; and when an actual separation of a few persons has occurred, it has been much more than compensated by a re turn of others from us to the church, especially of opulent persons, or their children, in consequence of that superior influence which an established church must always exert upon people of that class. For the rest, they have been brought chiefly from the ranks of the ignorant and the careless; persons who had little knowledge, and no experience of the power of religion; negligent of religious worship of every kind, and many of whom, but for the agency of Methodism, would have swelled the ranks of those who are equally disaffected to church and state. If such persons are not now churchmen, they are influenced by no feelings hostile to the institutions of their country.

restless desire of political change on every pinching | church, but it has disposed the great body of reliof the times, and its constant concomitant, an aver- gious pecple, not of the church, to admire and resion to the national establishment, partly as the re- spect those numerous members of the establishment, sult of ill-digested theories, and partly because this both clergymen and laics, whose eminent piety. feeling was encouraged by the negligent habits of talents, and usefulness, have done more to abate t many of the clergy, and the absence of that influ- prejudices arising from different views of chur ence which they might have acquired in their pa- government, than a thousand treatises could ave rishes by careful pastoral attentions. To all this is effected, however eloquently written, or ably arto be added the diffusion of infidel principles, both gued. of foreign and home growth, which, from the studies of the learned, descended into the shop of the mechanic, and, embodied in cheap and popular works, found their way into every part of the empire. To counteract agencies and principles so active and so pernicious, it is granted that no means have yet been applied of complete adequacy. This is the reason why their effects are so rife in the present day, and that we are now in the midst of a state of things which no considerate man can contemplate without some anxiety. These circumstances, so devastating to morals and good principles, could only have been fully neutralized by the ardent exertions of every clergyman in his parish, of every dissenting minister in his congregation, of every Methodist preacher in his circuit, of every private Christian in his own circle, or in the place which useful and pious institutions of various kinds would have assigned him; and even then the special blessing of God would have been nesessary to give effect to the whole. But had no correctives been applied what had been the present state of the nation and of the church? The labors of the founders of Methodism were, from the beginning, directly counteractive of the evils just mentioned; and those have little reason to stigmatize them who deplore such evils most, and yet have done least for their correction and restraint. Wherever these men went, they planted the principles of religion in the minds of the multitudes who heard them; they acted on the offensive against immorality, infidelity, and error; the societies they raised were employed in doing good to all; the persons they associated with them in the work of national reformation were always engaged in diffusing piety; and though great multitudes were beyond their reach, they spread themselves into every part of the land, turning the attention of men to religious concerns, calming their passions, guarding them against the strifes of the world, enjoining the scriptural principles of "obedience to magistrates," and a sober, temperate, peaceable, and benevolent conduct. The direct effect of their exertions was great; and it increased in energy and extent as the demoralizing causes before-mentioned acquired also greater activity; and when their indirect influence began to appear more fully in the national church, and in other religious bodies, remedies more commensurate with the evils existing in the country began to be applied. I shall not affect to say what would have been the state of the church of England under the uncontrolled operation of all the causes of moral deterioration, and civil strife, to which I have adverted; or what hold that church would have had upon the people at this day, if the spirit of religion had not been revived in the country, and if, when ancient prejudices were destroyed or weakened by the general spread of information among men, no new bond between it and the nation at large had been created. But if, as I am happy to believe, the national church has much more influence and much more respect now than formerly; and if its influence and the respect due to it are increasing with the increase of its evangelical clergy, all this is owing to the existence of a stronger spirit of piety: and in producing that, the first great instruments were the men whose labors have been mentioned in the preceding pages. Not only has the spirit which they excited improved the religious state of the

Such considerations may tend to convey more sober views on a subject often taken up in heat:that they will quite disarm the feeling against which they are levelled is more than can be hoped for, considering the effects of party spirit, and the many forms of virtue which it simulates. However, it is nothing new for the Methodists to endure reproach, and to be subject to misrepresentations. Perhaps something of an exclusive spirit may have grown up amongst us in consequence; but, if so, it has this palliation, that we are quite as expansive as the circumstances in which we have ever been placed could lead any reasonable man to anticipate. It might almost be said of us, "Lo, the people shall dwell alone." The high churchman has persecuted us because we are separatists; the high Dissenter has often looked upon us with hostility, because we would not see that an establishment necessarily, and in se, involved a sin against the supremacy of Christ; the rigid Calvinist has disliked us, because we hold the redemption of all men; the Pelagianized Arminian, because we contend for salvation by grace; the Antinomian, because we insist upon the perpetual obligation of the moral law; the moralist, because we exalt faith; the disaffected, because we hold that loyalty and religion are inseparable; the political tory, because he cannot think that separatists from the church can be loyal to the throne; the philosopher, because he deems us fanatics; whilst semi-infidel liberals generally exclude us from all share in their liberality, except it be in their liberality of abuse. In the mean time, we have occasionally been favored with a smile, though somewhat of a condescending one, from the lofty churchman; and often with a fraternal embrace from pious and liberal Dissenters: and if we act upon the principles left us by our great founder, we shall make a meek and lowly temper an essen. tial part of our religion: and, after his example

move onward in the path of doing good, through concerning it." He met with those relations in "honor and dishonor, through evil report and good reading, or received them from persons deemed by report," remembering that one fundamental princi-him credible, and he put them on record as facts ple of Wesleyan Methodism is ANTI-SECTARIANISM

AND A CATHOLIC SPIRIT.

To return, however, to Mr. Wesley: Among the censures which have been frequently directed against him, are his alleged love of power, and his credulity. The first is a vice; the second but a weakness; and they stand therefore upon different grounds.

reported to have happened. Now, as to an unbeliever, one sees not what sound objection he can make to that being recorded which has commanded the faith of others; for as a part of the history of human opinions, such accounts are curious, and have their use. It neither followed, that the editor of the work believed every account, nor that his readers should consider it true because it was printed. It was for them to judge of the evidence on which the relation stood. Many of these accounts, however, Mr. Wesley did credit, because he thought that they stood on credible testimony; and he published them for that very purpose, for which he believed they were permitted to occur-to confirm the faith of men in an invisible state, and in the immortality of the soul. These were his motives for inserting such articles in his magazine; and to the censure which has been passed upon him on this account, may be opposed the words of the learned Dr. Henry More, in his letter to Glanville, the author of Sadducismus Triumphatus: "Wherefore let the small philosophic Sir Toplings of this present age deride as much as they will, those that lay out their pains in committing to writing certain well-attested stories of apparitions, do real service to true religion and sound philosophy; and they most effectually contribute to the confounding of infidelity and Atheism, even in the judgment of the Atheists themselves, who are as much afraid of the truth of these stories as an ape is of a whip, and therefore force themselves with might and main to disbelieve them, by reason of the dreadful conse quence of them, as to themselves." It is sensibly observed by Jortin, in his remarks on the diabolical possessions in the age of our Lord, that “one reason for which Divine Providence should suffer evil spirits to exert their malignant powers at that time, might be to save a check to Sadducism among the Jews, and Atheism among the Gentiles, and to remove in some measure these two great impediments to the reception of the gospel." For moral uses, supernatural visitations may have been allowed in subsequent ages; and he who believes in them, only spreads their moral the farther by giving them publicity. Before such a person can be fairly censured, the ground of his faith ought to be disproved, for he only acts consistently with that faith. This task would, however, prove somewhat difficult.

As to the love of power, it may be granted that, like many minds who seem born to direct, he desired to acquire influence; and, when he attained it, he employed his one talent so as to make it gain more talents. If he had loved power for its own sake, or to minister to selfish purposes, or to injure others, this would have been a great blemish; but he sacrificed no principle of his own, and no interest or right of others, for its gratification. He gained power as all great and good men gain it, by the very greatness and goodness with which they are endowed, and of which others are always more sensible than themselves. It devolved upon him without any contrivance; and when he knew he possessed it, no instance is on record of his having abused it. This is surely virtue, not vice, and virtue of the highest order. The only proof attempted to be given that he loved power, is, that he never devolved his authority over the societies upon others: but this is capable of an easy explanation. He could not have shared his power among many, without drawing up a formal constitution of church-government for his societies, which would have amounted to a formal separation from the church; and it would have been an insane action had he devolved it upon one, and placed himself, and the work he had effected, under the management of any individual to whom his societies could not stand in the same filial relation as to himself. He, however, exercised his influence by aid of the counsel of others; and allowed the free discussion of all prudential matters in the conference. Had he been armed with legal power to inflict pains and penalties, he ought to have distrusted himself, as every wise and good man would do, and to have voluntarily put himself beyond the reach of temptation to abuse what mere man, without check, can seldom use aright. This I grant; but the control to which he was subject was, that the union of his societies with him was perfectly voluntary, so that over them he could have no influence at all but Mr. Wesley was a voluminous writer; and as he what was founded upon character, and public spirit, was one of the great instruments in reviving the and fatherly affection. The power which he exer- spirit of religion in these lands, so he led the way cised has descended to the conference of preachers; in those praiseworthy attempts which have been and, as in this case, his has been often very absurd-made to diffuse useful information of every kind, ly complained of, as though it were parallel to the power of civil government, or to that of an established church, supported by statutes and the civil arm. But this power, like his, is moral influence only, founded upon the pastoral character, and can exist only upon the basis of the confidence inspired by the fact of its generally just and salutary exercise among a people who neither are nor can be un-important works. der any compulsion.

On the charge of credulity, it may be observed, that Mr. Wesley lived in an age in which he thought men in danger of believing too little, rather than too much, and his belief in apparitions is at least no proof of a credulousness peculiar to himself. With respect to the "strange accounts" which he inserted in his magazine, and strange indeed some of them were, it has been falsely assumed that he himself believed them entire. This is not true. He frequently remarks, that he gives no opinion, or that he knows not what to make of the account," or that "he leaves every one to form his own judgment

and to smooth the path of knowledge to the middle and lower ranks of society. Besides books on religious subjects, he published many small and cheap treatises on various branches of science; plain and excellent grammars of the dead languages; expurgated editions of the classic authors; histories, civil and ecclesiastical; and numerous abridgments of

Mr. Wesley's principal writings are, his translations of the New Testament, with Explanatory Notes, quarlumes duodecimo; his Appeal to Men of Reason and to; his Journals, 6 vols. duodecimo; his Sermons, 9 voReligion; his Defence of the Doctrine of Original Sin, in Answer to Dr. Taylor; his answers to Mr. Church, and Bishops Lavington and Warburton; and his Predestination calmly considered, besides many smaller tracts on various important subjects. His works were published by himself in thirty-two volumes, duodecimo, in the year 1771. An edition of them in fourteen large octavo volumes has just been completed; with his work on the New Testament in two volumes of the same size. In addition to his original compositions, Mr

It is his especial praise, that he took an early part in denouncing the iniquities of the African slave trade, and in arousing the conscience of the nation on the subject. In Bristol, at that time a dark den of slave-traders, he courageously preached openly against it, defying the rage of the slave-merchants and the mob; and his spirited and ably reasoned tract on slavery continues to be admired and quoted to the present time. It may be added, that one of the last letters he ever wrote was to Mr. Wilberforce, exhorting him to perseverance in a work, of which he was one of the leading instruments-the effecting the abolition of the traffic in the nerves and blood of man.

At the time of Mr. Wesley's death, the number of members in connection with him in Europe, America, and the West India Islands, was 80,000. At the last conference, 1830, the numbers returned were, in Great Britain, 249,278; in Ireland, 22,897; in foreign missions 41,186; total 313,360, exclusive of near half a million of persons in the societies in the states of America. As to the field of labor at home, the number of circuits in the United Kingdom, was, at the time of his death, 115. At present they are 399. The number of mission stations was 8 in the West Indies, and 8 in British America: at present there are 150. The number of preachers left by him was 312. It is now 993, in the United Kingdom; and 193 in the foreign missions. In the United States of America the number of preachers is about 2,000.

Such have been the results of the labors of this

Wesley published upwards of a hundred and twenty different works, mostly abridged from other authors; among which are Grammars in five different languages; the Christian Library, in fifty duodecimo volumes; thirteen volumes of the Arminian Magazine; a History of England, and a general Ecclesiastical History, in four volumes each; a Compendium of Natural Philosophy, in five volumes; and an Exposition of the Old Testament, in three quarto volumes.

great and good man. Whether they are still to diffuse a hallowing influence through the country, and convey the blessings of Christianity to heathen lands with the same rapidity and with the same vigor, will, under the Divine blessing, depend upon those who have received from him the trust of a system of religious agency, to be employed with the same singleness of heart, the same benevolent zeal for the spiritual benefit of mankind, and the same dependance upon the Holy Spirit. I know not that it bears upon it any marks of decay, although it may require to be accommodated in a few particulars to the new circumstances with which it is surrounded. The doctrinal views which Mr. Wesley held were probably never better understood or more accurately stated in the discourses of the preachers; and the moral discipline of the body, in all its essential parts, was never more cordially approved by the people generally, or enforced with greater faithfulness by their pastors. Very numerous are the converts who are every year won from the world, brought under religious influence, and placed in the enjoyment of means and ordinances favorable to their growth in religious knowledge, and holy habits; and many are constantly passing into eternity, of whose "good hope through grace," the testimony is in the highest degree satisfactory. If Methodism continue in vigor and purity to future ages, it will still be associated with the name of its founder, and encircle his memory with increasing lustre; and if it should fall into the formality and decays which have proved the lot of many other religious bodies, he will not lose his reward. Still a glorious harvest of saved souls is laid up in the heavenly garner, which will be his " rejoicing in the day of the Lord;" whilst the indirect influence of his labors upon the other religious bodies and institutions of the country will justly entitle him to be considered as one of the most honored instruments of reviving and extending the influence of religion, that, since the time of the apostles have been raised up by the providence of God.

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VI.

Pages 19-23.

The Wesleys at Oxford-Their efforts to do good-
Opposition-Correspondence with Mr. Wesley,
sen-Mr. Samuel Wesley, and Mrs. Wesley-Effect of the Labors of the Messrs. Wesley, and Mr.
Mr. John Wesley refuses to settle at Epworth-
Remarks-Death of Mr. Wesley, sen.-The
Wesleys engage to go out to Georgia-Letter of
Mr. Gambold.
Pages 6-11.

III.

The Wesleys on their voyage-Intercourse with the Moravians-Conduct, Troubles, and Sufferings in Georgia-Affair of Miss Hopkey-Mr. Wesley returns to England. . . . Pages 11-15.

IV.

Whitefield at Kingswood-Mr. Wesley at Bath -Statement of his doctrinal views-Separates from the Moravians in London-Formation of the Methodist Society-Mr. Wesley's MotherCorrespondence between Mr. John and Mr. Samuel Wesley on Extraordinary Emotions, and the doctrine of Assurance-Remarks-Enthusiasm-Divine Influence-Difference between Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitefield-Their Reconciliation-Mr. Maxfield-Mr. Wesley's defence of his calling out Preachers to assist him in his work-Remarks. Pages 23-30.

VII.

Mr. Wesley's review of his religious Experience-
Trouble of mind-Interview with Peter Bohler
Receives the doctrine of justification by Faith Persecution in London-Institution of Classes-Mr.

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VIII.

Mr. Charles Wesley's Labors in Cornwall, Kent,
Staffordshire, and the North of England-Perse-
cution at Devizes-Remarks-Mr. Wesley at
Newcastle-His Statement of the case between
the Clergy and the Methodists-Remarks-La-
bors in Lincolnshire, &c.-Persecutions in Corn-
wall-Count Zinzendorf-Dr. Doddridge-Mr.
Wesley a writer of Tracts-His sentiments on
Church Government-Extracts from the Minutes
of the early Conferences-Remarks-Mr, Wes-
ley's Labors in different parts of the Kingdom-
His zeal to diffuse useful knowledge-Mobs in
Devonshire-Visits Ireland-Succeeded there by
his brother-Persecutions in Dublin.

Ear.y List of Circuits-Mr. Charles Wesley in
London-Earthquake there-Differences between
Mr. Charles Wesley and the Preachers-Re-
marks Respective views of the Brothers-Mr.
Wesley's marriage-Mr. Perronet-Kingswood
School-Remarks-Mr. Wesley visits Scotland-
Letters-Sickness-Mr. Whitefield's Letter to
bim in anticipation of his Death-Mr. Wesley's

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REMARKS ON HIS WRITINGS, AND ON THE PECULIARITIES OF HIS INTERESTING CHARACTER,

NEVFR BEFORE PUBLISHED.

BY THOMAS TAYLOR.

"Untainted with the blandishments of vice,
Which mark the manners of the present age,
He sought and found the pearl of precious price
Which stands recorded in the sacred page.
Yet, spite of all that wisdom could impart,
And all the fervor of religious flame,

Grief poured a tide of anguish through his heart,
And shook the fabric of his mental frame."

CHRISTIAN LIBRARY EDITION.

NEW YORK:

THOMAS GEORGE, JR. 162 NASSAU STREET

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