tendency of the new publication being such as to demonstrate that the change of its name is not connected with any material change in its tone or temper, or in the objects to which it is devoted.

We think it worth while, also, to direct attention to the past history of the attempts which have been made to establish what have been so strangely called Liberal Wesleyan Newspapers. First appeared the "Christian Advocate,"―quite as bland in its professions as anything that has since issued from the so-called Liberals, and so plausible in its proceedings for a time, that it secured the avowed support and countenance of several leading men in our Connexion, both ministers and laymen. But the paper being supposed by its projectors to be fairly established, its true design was speedily apparent. And, the better part of those who had supported it in its commencement, having withdrawn their countenance, it soon became notorious as the organ of the disaffected of all classes, and was one of the main engines of the agitation and disruption which affected the Methodist societies in this kingdom during the year 1834-5, and of which the sad effects remain in many places, even to the present day—in the decayed piety and the extinguished zeal of many who were once consistent and valuable members of the Church of Christ. The "Christian Advocate" having been abandoned in name, it has since reappeared, in spirit, under the various designations of the "Wesleyan Record," the "Wesleyan Chronicle," and the "Wesleyan"-and having now become bankrupt, alike in its finances and in its reputation, under the last mentioned title, it has, by the magic effect of a few days' plunge under the waters of a Lethe of its own creation, been metamorphosed into the "Wesleyan Times." This modern Proteus has, under some of its manifestations, been the property of men who were altogether unconnected with the society in any form, and who engaged in it as a purely commercial speculation. They were given to understand by somebody, that the Wesleyans were a widely-extended and prosperous people; that the majority of them were inclined to Liberal views; and that a Liberal newspaper, which should represent this alleged majority, was greatly desired and would be amply supported. Such statements as these could hardly be believed; but they appeared sufficiently plausible to encourage an experiment, and at the commencement of the voyage all was promising, but such was the haste and indiscretion with which the disappointed and the disaffected crowded the vessel, that it was ultimately swamped by the excessive cargo of calumny and slander which it was employed to carry. So it was with the "Wesleyan." In its outset it professed to have a Liberal object; and it had a Liberal proprietary, and a Liberal editor; and there were Ministers who supplied Liberal reports of Conference proceedings, and Liberal articles and letters. But the pecuniary proceeds were discouraging, and the better minded amongst the proprietors and supporters, were disgusted and grieved at the course which was pursued, and in several instances declared that they could not allow their children to read it. Under these circumstances a desperate effort was made to retrieve its character and to recal the forfeited support. In some instances, formal meetings were held; in others, friends were called more quietly together; and in York and Huddersfield, especially, very strenuous endeavours were exerted to raise supplies

for the redemption and maintenance of the paper-five hundred pounds being required to be raised in one of these places for these important purposes. But, with all the zeal put forth by the editor and his friends, the subscription list advanced so slowly, and exhibited results so scanty, that its promoters, though they engaged to do so, were ashamed to publish it; and after a struggle for existence, continued for a few weeks, upon the strength of promises of future good behaviour, the paper, true to its own instinct, almost immediately returned, "like the dog to his vomit; and, like the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire," until it was eventually choked by the garbage in which it was its nature to revel. He must needs be a dull student in the school of history who has not learned by this time, that any renewal of the attempt, under whatever name, or in whatever form, must needs be a failure, —at least, in the hands of its present directors and supporters; and that the Wesleyans, as a body, to whatever extent they may be liberal in politics, will never, until their character shall have been utterly subverted, give patronage to Chartism in religion.

The "Wesleyan Times" has already sufficiently betrayed its true principles and objects in the remarks which it contains on our " Papers," and on the first number of the "Wesley Banner." We can afford to smile at their remarks on the character of our first number, having good reason to be satisfied with the reception it has met with, and with the impression it is making. As to the "Wesley Banner," we may just say that the composition of its name, as indicating its affinity to the spirit of the "Wesleyan" on the one hand, and to that of the "British Banner" on the other, is peculiarly descriptive of the true objects of its promoters. And as to the "cover," to which the reviewer in the Wesleyan Times" would appear to attach so much importance, as a distinction which shows its superiority to our "Papers" without covers, it appears to us that the main use of the said cover is to advertise "The Works! of the Rev. Samuel Dunn," as it may hereafter prove to be one main use of the "Wesleyan Times," to advertise the "Pills" to which its "sole Proprietor" is chiefly indebted for the celebrity which he enjoys. We have read the sermon on brotherly love, which constitutes the first article in the "Banner," and which the editor of the "Wesleyan Times" has described as “a powerful and characteristic sermon, studded with the gems of "Dr. Beaumont's sparkling style." But we have failed to perceive what its reviewer professes to have discovered; and as to the "sparkling gems" in particular, if they be in the sermon at all, they must surely be of that class of "gems" of which the poet says,

"Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
"The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear."

Our own impression is, that the sermon was not furnished by the Doctor himself, and that it is the work of some unskilled reporter. The articles which follow, excepting those on Revivals, and the Renewal of the Covenant, are not of sufficient interest to engage our attention; and even these more weighty articles are damaged in their effect by the connection in which they unfortunately stand, if not also by the sources from which they have been furnished.

THE DANGER OF WESLEYAN ANTINOMIANISM.

To the Editors of Papers on Wesleyan Matters.

Dear Sirs,-There is an evil in the present day most emphatically condemned by the word of God, and highly perilous to the interests of religion, which is, nevertheless, sustained and advocated by some of the professed friends of Methodism; and which, in my judgment, needs public exposure and reprobation. It is that of ministers and members of the Methodist Societies giving their countenance to what they acknowledge to be sinful in itself, and yet attempting to justify themselves for doing so, on the ground, that they were not the original perpetra. tors of the wickedness they support. No person, I think, can have attentively observed what has been passing, of late years, in the conduct of a certain party, whose avowed object is to liberalise Methodism, without perceiving that, in this respect, their liberalism has run into licentiousness. Take, for instance, the proceedings of Conference, and you find men who profess, at times, to have no sympathy with those who make such gross personal attacks upon venerable and beloved ministers, and upon disinterested and honourable laymen, as were made at Hull, in July last, and yet, supporting generally, the individuals who make the attacks -hastening to shield them when they have justly exposed themselves to censure and rebuke, and even proceeding so far as to eulogise their character and deeds. Do the persons who act so inconsistent a part, and who, whether they intend it or not, give countenance and support to malevolent wickedness, deserve honour from their brethren? Most assuredly not. They ought to perform the manly part of not only denouncing the evil deeds themselves, and that at all times, and in all places, when reference is made to them, but also the men who perform them. The Great Teacher has supplied us with an infallible rule of judgment, which we ought faithfully to apply. "By their fruits," says he, "ye shall know them." Let this rule be applied in all cases; and let not ministerial office, nor ministerial gifts prevent its application; for it admits of no exceptions. It is notorious that some persons are very desirous to have it believed that they do not approve of the unjustifiable attacks complained of, and yet, how is that they are found associating with the parties that make them—are heard describing them as "eloquent" and "honourable ;" and, whenever practicable and convenient, are found their apologists and supporters? Is this, I would ask, the conduct that ought to distinguish the ministers that should be followed and honoured in the Church of Christ?

Take another example of the evil of which I now write. It is well known that some envious and malicious men, who have lately been masking themselves under the profession of deep concern for the honour of Methodism; and assassin-like, have struck at those they would destroy in the dark, so that nothing appeared but the daggers they weilded for destruction. Such conduct is almost uniformly acknowledged to be mean and diabolical; and yet some individuals, who, on certain occasions, have been heard to make such an acknowledgment, have, at other times, and in more private companies, when the "Fly-Sheets" have been referred to, been seen to shake the head and draw the mouth most significantly, and have been heard to say "The manner of publishing them is bad, but there are some truths in them." As if any cunning man would be likely to spread his net for destruction without scattering some seed within it.

Take another example. The attempt made by a contributor to the "slanderous and wicked" publication, to justify himself on the ground that he did not write anything inserted in No. I., and was no party in the commencement of the acknowledged evil. Take another. The employment of men in public and honourable services, who are generally suspected of having almost exclusively employed themselves, in late years, in maligning and slandering their brethren, and who, though they know that they are thus suspected, refuse to answer interrogations, or to employ any means that would remove the suspicions so extensively entertained. Take another instance of the evil under consideration. The editor of a newspaper who is responsible to the public for what he inserts in the weekly publication confided to him; and who has the power to reject any article sent to him, yet endeavouring to excuse himself to a complaining proprietary, and to an indignant public, by saying he has been abused by his correspondents; and that readers ought to distinguish between what is written by the editor of a paper, and what is written by others, and merely inserted by him.

I give another instance, and shall specify no more at present-though several others might be named,—and that is, a number of professedly religious men associating together, and contributing weekly and monthly-(some on the ground of curiosity, to know what is passing, and others on the ground of liberal politics)—to support instruments of evil to religion and to Methodism. The heart sickens at the recital of instances of participation in acknow.. ledged wickedness; but faithfulness requires that they should be held forth for public reprobation. I greatly fear that practical antinomianism, so vigorously withstood by our forefathers, is spreading among the Methodists of the present generation; and it is very desirable that there should be preaching of such "Morning Exercises" as were delivered at St. Giles's, Cripplegate, London, in the seventeenth century, for the solving of "Cases of Conscience;" and that a minister should again stand forth in public, as did the Rev. John Kitchin, and cry aloud, "Neither be partaker of other men's sins."

It is painfully evident to my mind that, with many Methodists of the present day, a higher standard of morals and religion needs to be set up than that by which they now try their character and conduct. It is so with some in the ministry; and if improvement is to be made, in this respect, it must commence here. "Like priest-like people is a true proverb. Christian churches are what their ministers make them by their spirit and conduct. Almost every evil that has appeared in Methodism, of late years, and which has rent and torn it asunder, by divisions, has begun with its ministers: and if a considerable number of Methodist ministers of the present day should be found sanctioning and employing evil instruments for the accomplishment of party purposes, the people will soon imitate them; and ministers will speedily find parties and contentions in their circuits, such as will require all their energies, and not only distress but eventually destroy them. My belief is, that there are not many ministers in Methodism that would subscribe to the popish declaration, "The end justifies the means." The men who scheme and plot to misrepresent ministerial character,-to spread calumny and slander abroad respecting the most honoured individuals in Methodism-and who labour to fill the minds of brethren with dark suspicions of one another, are few. Let the many sincere and watchful shepherds give no countenance to designing wickedness. Let them not allow themselves to be divided into parties, and ranked in columns, under the names of "DESPOTS" and "LIBERALS:" "BUNTINGONIANS," and "FOWLERIANS." Let not the pastors divide the flocks by their contentions; and let them not be the instruments of deteriorating moral and religious principle, by sanctioning, in any measure, the acknowledged wickedness of others. I am, yours respectfully and gratefully,

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

AN OBSERVER.

Our correspondents are respectfully informed that the success of our First Number has been highly encourag. ing, not only as to the extent to which it has been circulated, but also as to the testimonials and promises of countenance and support, which we have received from several of the leading and most influential ministers and friends of our Connexion. We cannot at present answer in detail, all the communications with which we have been favoured. But in reply to several of them we may observe that, we do not act as the organs of a party, but, on the contrary, deprecate most earnestly all merely party-movements. But having some knowledge of the party-schemes and plots of others, who have too long been suffered to write and publish what they please, without rebuke, we are resolved to correct their misrepresentations, and to contradict their falsehoods. We have adopted this determination with great reluctance and with unfeigned regret. But the path of a plain duty is now set before us; as it is not to be allowed that men shall cabal together to traduce the character of some of the most eminent and justly beloved amongst us, and to organize schemes for revolutionizing Methodism, and yet no effort be exerted to withstand them. Especially, when it is well known that more than nine-tenths of our Ministers are not only sound in their principles, but willing to subscribe a "Declaration of their being so. Wisdom, Prudence, Religion and Methodism-all demand, in these times, united effort; and, though constrained by circumstances to make it in a way not very congenial to our feelings, yet we must needs persevere. Our justification of the course we have adopted is found in the example of an inspired Apostle, who, when called to contend against evils like those which we deplore, did not scruple to advise those who were imperilled by those evils to "beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision."

Some of the communications we have received require particular notice.

1-A personal and highly esteemed friend, who writes us a long and friendly letter from Lancashire, may rest fully assured of the correctness of the two facts to which he refers. 2-The communication of our correspondent in York, on the subject of the York Quarterly Meeting, is not substantially contradicted by the explanation that has been given. The business referred to was introduced and spoken to at some length,-and in that sense, if not also in others, it was entertained. We should not, however, have noticed it particularly but that, complaints from other quarters, from parties having some reason to complain, have been addressed to us.

3-The letter from H. S. is gratefully acknowledged.

4- We agree with the friend in Derbyshire, as to the vulgar letter, in which a correspondent of the "Wesleyan has condemned the decision of the case of J. R. Stephens. But we must leave it to be dealt with by the proper authorities.

5-To" H. N."--We have seen the notice to the correspondent signed “Q," in the" Wesleyan Times," and smiled when we read it; for the supposed Editor of the "Papers" knows no more of our doings than the writer of that notice. He has had nothing to do with them, nor do we suppose it was really thought he had. The writer evidently expected their continuance, notwithstanding the loss of the supposed Editor; and to save himself from speedy exposure, as to his false suggestion, he added-" No. II. will probably be confided to other hands."

6-TO AN ENQUIRER.-There can be no doubt as to the writer, who in the "Wesleyan Times" so greatly abuses the name of Andrew Marvell. He showed, by the very flattering character he once gave of himself, in a book without a printer's name, that he is fond of placing himself among the antique.

Communications on subjects connected with Wesleyan Methodism are respectfully solicited from parties concurring in the general views of the Preface,-to be addressed

66 TO THE EDITORS OF PAPERS ON WESLEYAN MATTERS,'

66

CARE OF MESSRS. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL AND CO. "LONDON."

Wolverhampton: Printed by JOSEPH BRIDGEN, Darlington-street, and Published by Messrs. SIMPKIN, MARSHALL and Co., Stationers' Hall Court, London; and may be had through any respectable Bookseller in any part of Great Britain.

PAPERS

ON

WESLEYAN MATTERS

MARCH 1, 1849.

METHODISM AS IT IS, AND NOT AS IT IS MISREPRESENTED TO BE, BY ITS ENEMIES, AND BY SOME OF ITS PROFESSED FRIENDS.

REASONS FOR SIGNING A PROTEST AGAINST THE "FLY-SHEETS."

To the Editors of Papers on Wesleyan Matters.

The Wesleyan Conference of 1847 adopted the following Resolution, and published it in their printed Minutes, under the head of " Anonymous Slanders" :

"Certain anonymous papers, bearing no name, either of the authors or printers, having been circulated in our Connexion during the last year, which contain many serious imputations on the integrity and disinterestedness of several of our senior ministers, and other official members of the Conference, we feel it our duty to express our solemn conviction that the spirit in which such publications originate is entirely at variance with the law of Christ; and that the brethren, thus wickedly and slanderously attacked, deserve our sympathy and unabated confidence. And with reference to the Rev. Dr. Bunting and the Rev. Dr. Newton, in particular, the Conference gladly takes this opportunity of re-asserting those sentiments of affectionate respect which it has already more than once expressed in its published Resolutions, particularly in the Minutes of 1833 and 1835."

In consequence of the intimate connexion which subsists between the various members of a religious community, when any scandal occurs among them, they all share in the disgrace; and those of them who connive at the guilty party are partakers of his sin. When incest was committed by a member of the Corinthian church, and the rest of the people were disposed to pass the matter over in silence, St. Paul administered to them a cutting rebuke, on account of their criminal indifference. His reproof was felt to be just. It was therefore productive of "godly sorrow," the effects of which he thus describes :"Behold this self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!" 2 Cor. vii. 11.

Human nature is the same, truth and religion are the same, that they were in the apostolic times and hence, when the Conference had passed its Resolution respecting the "Fly-Sheets," and it was understood that some of the