successful; but they have succeeded as well as could reasonably be hoped. Many societies continue, as yet, in an unformed, disturbed, or transition state; and from their peculiar position, it is not easy to distinguish the members of Conference classes and those of Reform classes. So far as our returns enable us to state, there are in direct fellowship with the Reformers 47,598 members of society, and on trial 1,547. The number of preaching places returned is 1,481, which are supplied by the services of 2,588 preachers, and 45 paid circuit missionaries. There are 3,139 leaders of classes; and 610 Sunday-schools, containing 11,012 teachers, and 61,734 scholars; and there are also 100 tract societies, with 1,088 distributors; and 59 benevolent societies.

"Encouraging as these returns are, your Committee would just remark, that they do not fully represent the strength of the Reform Movement. From some places the schedules have not been forwarded; and it has been ascertained that multitudes, in some cases almost whole circuits, sympathize with our Movement, though they have not yet taken any very decided action in opposition to the Conference.

"During the year several important events have occurred which have indirectly given an impetus to the Reform Movement. The Committee on the Memorials and the President's Lay Consultation Committee have held their sittings, and various modifications in Methodistic law were suggested, which have substantially been adopted by the Conference now assembled. These changes, we have every reason to think, will increase the dissatisfaction of the people, and lead many to revolt against the usurped authority of the Conference who have hitherto remained quiet and silent.

"A movement has also arisen which has received the designation of the Moderate, or Mediation Movement. We cannot but hail the promoters of this movement as co-workers in the great cause of Reform. Their principles are at one with ours, though the plan of operation they have deemed it expedient to follow is somewhat different. Their application to the Conference has been rejected; and, after this ungracious rebuke, there seems to be no course so practicable as that which Reformers before them have found it necessary to adopt. Your Committee is hardly able to explain the title Mediation,' which seems to indicate intervention between two parties at variance. The Conference has certainly been addressed, but between the Mediationists and the General Reform Committee no official communication has yet passed.

"Your Committee cannot but congratulate themselves and you upon the hopeful position of the Movement. The Conference societies have suffered a large decrease this year, and the Reform societies have proportionately increased. Hence, we cannot look upon what some call the unhappy state of the Methodist Zion with feelings of regret and sorrow. Those who have been severed from the old societies are not lost to religion and to God; and, so far as-Methodism is religious and Divine, they are not lost to Methodism. Indeed, it would seem that severance from the Conference has become necessary to the conservation of the spirit, and the furtherance of the work of Methodism, as it originally was. Hence, we hail this yearly diminution with delight. They must decrease, but the cause of truth, liberty, and religion-the cause of God-that must increase.'

kr

Dr. BURROWES, of Liverpool, moved, and Mr. WHITELY, of Leeds, seconded the following resolution: That the Report now read be adopted, printed, and circulated, under the direction of the General Reform Committee."

Mr. CARTER, of Sowerby Bridge, suggested that the following words should be added and a copy presented to each delegate."

Mr. KAY said the Report, he apprehended, would be printed and circulated through the country by thousands. (Hear, hear.)

Che CHAIRMAN intimated that it would also appear in the Wesleyan Times and the Reformer.

The motion was then put, and carried unanimously.

THE CONFERENCE AND THE DELEGATES.

Mr. W. L. HORTON said: It may be proper, Sir, at this stage of the procedings, to lay before the brethren the communications which have passed between the Wesleyan Conference and the General Reform Committee in London. (Hear, hear.) At a recent meeting of our Committee, the following note was addressed to the Conference:

"General Wesleyan Reform Committee, 11, Exeter Hall, London, July 23rd, 1852..

"DEAR BRETHREN,-We beg respectfully to inform you, that the General Meeting of Delegates from the Wesleyan Societies will be held at Sheffield, on August 13th, and that this Committee will be prepared to receive any communication to lay before the Delegates, if the Conference will forward the same to this office,

"By order of the Committee,

"W. M. MOXON, Chairman.

T

"To the President, Secretary, and Members of the Wesleyan Conference." To this communication we received the following reply:

"Wesleyan Conference, Sheffield, July 30, 1852.0 "SIR,-I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd inst., and to inform you, in reply, that the Conference has no communication to forward.

I am, Sir, yours obediently,

"Mr. W. M. Moxon, 11, Exeter Hall,"

J. BEDFORD..

Mr. TAYOR, of York, then moved,—

"That this Meeting do address a remonstrance to the Conference on the conduct they have pursued, and the position they are now occupying."

He said Although we have met with so many rebuffs, I think we still owe a duty to that Body. (Hear, hear.) They certainly have sinned very grievously in this matter; and if we can by any means bring them to repentance, I think we ought to do it. (Hear, hear.) I believe that as likely a way to effect that object is to remonstrate with them on their conduct; at least we shall show thereby a disposition and desire for reconciliation, whether they possess any or not.

The resolution was adopted.

Mr. LANGRIDGE said, a remonstrance had been prepared by a committee appointed for that purpose on the previous evening, which he was prepared now to submit.

"Wesleyan Delegate Meeting, "Mount Zion Chapel, Sheffield, Aug. 13, 1852.

"TO THE MINISTERS OF THE WESLEYAN CONFERENCE ASSEMBLED IN CARVER-STREET CHAPEL, SH FFIELD.

"DEAR BRETHREN,-Your letter of the 30th ult., in reply to the communication of the Wesleyan Reform Committee, has been laid before us, and we take the earliest opportunity to express our deep and unfeigned regret that the Conference now assembled in Sheffield has no communication to make to us. We would with all affection remind you, that during the disastrous agitation which has now prevailed for so long a time, repeated but unsuccessful attempts have been made to obtain an interview with you, and that memorials embodying conciliatory overtures from thousands of office-bearers, and tens of thousands of members, have been rejected.

"If, under the influence of excited feelings, and a consciousness of the deep wrong we have suffered, we have been betrayed into a spirit and conduct unworthy of those who 'profess and call themselves Christians,' we entreat the forgiveness of a merciful God; but before Him, and the Protestant Churches of this land, we solemnly avow, that our object has been, and still is, the restoration of peace to our distracted Zion,-a peace in harmony with our rights as Christians and the authority of our common Lord, as the Great Head of his Church. "And now, in the exercise of Christian faithfulness, we venture to expostulate with you on the course which you are pursuing. Whatever allowance might be made for you at the commencement of this struggle, the disastrous results which have attended your policy incontestibly prove its unrighteousness. In every part of our once happy Connexion we behold Zion a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation, and all our pleasant things laid waste; and, in the name of Him who hath purchased the Church with His own blood, we ask, how long is this state of things to continue? We seek not for concession from you; we desire not the relinquishment of any right appertaining to you as Christian ministers; we are prepared to esteem you very highly in love for your work's sake; but we demand that you take the position, and be satisfied with the privileges, and those alone, to which Methodism, Protestantism, and Christianity alike entitle you.

"Be assured, that in this communication we do not approach you as petitioners, but in the fear of God we remonstrate with you as brethren; although exiled for a while from the church of our fathers and of our choice, we are still deeply concerned for its welfare. Within its hallowed enclosure not a few of us have spent a large portion of our lives; to the promotion of its welfare we have consecrated our time, our property, and our strength; its interests are identified with our own, and to all its privileges we deem ourselves fully entitled. Though separated, we have not seceded, and we solemnly avow our unfaltering determination never to cease this great struggle till we have secured our inalienable rights. Our principles may be impugned, and our motives misrepresented by men, but we appeal from man to God, at whose bar both ministers and people must shortly appear. For Zion's sake we will not hold our peace, and for Jerusalem's sake we will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.'-Signed on behalf of the meeting, ROBERT SWAN STANLEY, Chairman." (Loud applause.)

After some further conversation the remonstrance was unanimously agreed to. Messrs. RICHARDS and KAY, two of the delegate secretaries, were then appointed to deliver the remonstrance at the earliest opportunity.

AFTERNOON SITTING.

The Delegates re-assembled at 2 o'clock.

The 492nd Hymn, commencing "What shall we offer our good Lord?" &c., was

sung, and

Mr. JOSEPH YOUNGMAN engaged in prayer.

Mr. JOSEPH CHIPCHASE, of the 3rd London Circuit, was then elected Cha'rman, in the place of Mr. Stanley, who pleaded indisposition as an excuse for not resuming his post.

The CHAIRMAN said: I feel very sincerely the honour you have put upon me by placing

me in this chair, though I very much regret my incompetency for the office. I always think one of the chief qualifications in a chairman, is a disposition not to say much; but, perhaps you will allow me, seeing that the subject for consideration this afternoon, is the course of action for the ensuing year, grounded upon our present position, to make a remark or two. (Hear, hear.) As to the general aspect of our movement, it is, to my own mind, exceedingly encouraging. (Hear.) As it regards the circuit to which I belong, I am happy to say things are in a state of prosperity. We have no regular constitution-a matter very much desired by persons in various parts of the kingdom; and we think we can, from the experience of the past, work the circuit better without being tied by any formal rules and orders. (Hear.) There are some three or four great principles for which we, as Reformers, contend, which we endeavour constantly to keep in view, and to apply in the regulation of our Society affairs. The first of these is the independency of each separate church. (Hear, hear.) Each church has the management of its own affairs, bears its own burdens (as far as practicable), and is, as much as possible, self-supporting. It elects its own officers, and exercises its own discipline, and no other church in the circuit has anything to do with its peculiar local affairs. Then, as we are anxious to retain the Connexional principle-not as it is understood and practised by the Conference, but as we believe it ought to be understood and practised, and in the way in which it may be made to serve the interests of the church, and assist in extending the work of God-our simple regulation is, that while each separate church takes the management and control of its local affairs, all matters which are connected with circuit business, are brought to the circuit quarterly meeting, which assumes the entire supervision and control of them. (Hear, hear.) The constitution of our quarterly meeting is, that not only all the office-bearers in the circuit, but all the private members also form a part of it. (Hear, hear.) In order to make our quarterly meetings something more than a shadow, it is required that all the weekly and quarterly contributions in the classes shall be brought to the quarter-board, and employed as circuit funds, in extending the cause of Christ throughout our different localities. If any needy society applies for assistance, they obtain it, on the principle that the stronger should help the weaker, and that we ought to bear one another's burdens. Another matter which is of great importance to my mind is this, that no member is allowed to become "a preaching brother" on our own plan, unless it is with the unanimous approval of the quarterly meeting. (Hear.) We do not recognise the Divine right of preachers to appoint preachers any more than we do the right of leaders to elect leaders; and the friends will allow me, I hope, the liberty of speaking on this point; for I confess that, as a local preacher, am very jealous of my brethren. I have sometimes met with brethren who are exceedingly anxious to maintain their rights as preachers, as they call them. I believe the authority which is wanted to preach the Gospel of the grace of God, in any given place, is the call of the church there. As a Connexion, we cannot do as Independent churches do-elect our own minister, and engage him to preach to us for a given period; but we can in our circuit quarterly meeting appoint those who shall preach in our pulpits within the limits of a certain district; and we have decided that no brother shall appear on our plans, without he is so appointed to officé, as a local preacher. (Hear.) I look upon this question as one of considerable importance, because I am very much afraid, lest we, as local or unpaid preachers should, without such a definite call of the church, begin to assume a degree of importance which does not belong to us; and the time might come when our people would have only to choose between the lordship of a paid or of an unpaid ministry. (Hear, hear.) As Reformers, I trust we shall ever bear in mind that all power in the church emanates from the church; that the appointment to all local offices belongs to the local societies, and all circuit appointments to the circuit quarterly meetings. (Hear, hear.) Acting on these principles, the cause of God, in the 3rd London circuit, progresses favourably. We all work in harmony, with little or no friction in the management of our Connexional machinery. (Hear.) At the present time we have nearly eleven hundred members in society, with the most encouraging indications of future success. Our great want is chapel accommodation, our existing places of worship being inconveniently crowded; but I have no doubt the funds which are and will be at our disposal, will shortly relieve us from this pressing necessity. All we in our circuits, and the Reformers generally, have to do is, I am persuaded, to go on as we have done. I will not now say anything about secession or no secession: I fancy the minds of the brethren are pretty well made up on that subject. (Hear, hear.) Having adopted the appropriate remonstrance, which I suppose by this time is now before the Conference, you are committed to the work of carrying out the great movement as you have begun, and in which, up to the present time, you have so manifestly been blessed of God. (Cheers.)

THE GENERAL REFORM FUND.

Alderman SCHOFIELD said, the auditors had gone carefully over the whole of the accounts, which were now ready to be submitted to the delegates. He proposed that this be the first business to be attended to. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. CHILD, one of the general treasurers, then read the statement of receipts and expenditure under the various heads.

"August 13, 1852.-We, the undersigned, being appointed Auditors by the Delegates assembled in Mount Zion Chapel, in Sheffield, having examined the above Accounts, and found them to be correct, allow of and pass the same, the balance in favour of the Reform Fund being One Thousand, Six Hundred, and Forty-two Pounds, Nine Shillings, and sevenpence.

N.B. The above Balance includes the sum of £156 8s. 8d., the Balance of the Holt Chapel Case and Trustee Funds.

Mr., BLENKHORN inquired how it was that many circuits represented by delegates in the present meeting had not contributed a single penny to the General Reform Fund? (Hear.)

Mr. CHILD: That is a question I should very much like to be able to answer. ("Hear," and a laugh.)

Mr. Low, of Burton-on-Trent, said, as the circuit which he represented had had very much to do with local affairs during the past year, they had been utterly unable to con tribute anything to the general fund. They had felt much inconvenience for want of a suitable place of worship, and had just erected one at an expense of 5007. The building