the Church generally looked upon his efforts with aversion; from them he could expect no aid, even if he escaped their decided opposition. He saw the impossibility of supplying instruction to his numerous and scattered converts himself, and hence arose the idea of choosing from among them some who were best fitted for the purpose to assist him in preaching to the people. But preaching, it is to be observed, was the only ministerial act they were to perform. He had too great a reverence for the sacred office of the priesthood, too deep a sense of the awful rites which it alone was authorized to perform, to allow his followers rashly to intrude upon them. The course, therefore, which he di-ize the Methodist societies as an Episcopal rected them to pursue was to preach to the people at different hours from those in which the services of the Church were held, but to repair constantly to the latter, and there to receive the Holy Sacraments. And this practice continued not only during the life of Mr. Wesley, but for nearly half a century after his death. He always regarded his followers as a portion of the English Church of which he himself was a priest, always spoke of that Church in terms of the strong- be a fair statement of the origin of Methodest affection, and predicted the most awfulism. judgments upon his people in case they deserted her.

the new States. He accordingly appointed, by the laying on of hands, the Rev. Dr. Coke, a Priest of the English Church, as a superintendant of the Methodist societies in America; and he, on his arrival in this country, appointed, in the same way, Mr. Asbury to the same office. What precise powers he intended to confer, it is difficult to say. Certainly, one who had never received episcopal authority himself could not confer it upon others; and he, indeed, himself always disclaimed the intention of making them Bishops. They, however, assumed in this country, the Episcopal office, and proceeded to organ

Church. But, as if conscious of the invalidity of their assumed character, they applied to Bishop White, who had just been consecrated by English Bishops to the Episcopate of Pennsylvania, for consecration. This, for obvious reasons, could not be granted. They, however, continued to exercise their usurped prerogatives, and from them the Methodist Episcopacy has derived all the authority it possesses. This is believed to

If such a statement of facts, accompanied by documentary evidence, did not at once Meanwhile his doctrines had spread to the produce entire conviction, it must be rememother side of the Atlantic, and Methodist bered that the subject of this narrative had societies had been formed in the American to combat the prejudices which she had colonies, conducted upon much the same acquired during a whole lifetime under the principles as those in the mother country. very church organization whose authority But as the war of revolution separated the was now flatly denied. And though it was two countries politically, it was generally apparent that a deep impression had been supposed that religious bodies in them must made upon her mind, yet one cannot deny henceforth assume new relations. Mr. Wes-that it was reasonable for her to consider the ley, therefore, thought it necessary that some matter thoroughly before coming to a decisprovision should be made for his people in (ion.

(To be continued.)

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, LONDON.-This structure was thirty-five years in building, and cost seven hundred and thirty-six thousand seven hundred and twenty-two pounds

sterling. It is five hundred feet long, and two hundred and fifty feet wide. The summit of the dome is three hundred and forty feet high.

of the boisterous elements, both "the winds and the sea," during a night passage across the Lake of Gennesaret.

HE miracles of our Lord are usually interesting in themselves and in the lessons they afford. And while prompting us to benevolence and all good works, they show His divine power, and stamp the Gospel with the seal of truth, proving that it is authenticated" by God. They are further valuable, in encouraging our souls to confidence in that mighty Being whose omnipotence is thus broadly manifested. One of the most astonishing of these miracles was the controlling

In its long and tortuous course, the river Jordan expands more than once; its principal enlargement being called the Sea of Tiberias, or Sea of Gallilee, that region bounding it on the west, or Lake of Gennesaret, the garden of a prince," part of its western boundary having also that name. It is described as nearly twenty miles long, and from five to eight broad. On the shores of this lake, our Saviour, in His journeys to Gallilee, had chosen several of the apostles,

Peter and others, who had here practised the resources continue, the heart is prone to foremployment of fishermen. get the supreme care and dominion of ProviMuch of the early ministry of the Re-dence. So it appears to have been with the deemer was discharged in Gallilee. Being disciples. We read not (compare the case followed thither by multitudes from every of Jonah) of any petition to the Almighty; part of the Holy Land, He preached to the and had any been offered, they would natugreat assemblage the sermon on the mount.rally have awaked their Master, that He When He came down thence into Caperna- who had taught them how to pray might um, the city where He lodged, other works now be the chief supplicant. Even as hope of benevolence awaited Him, the healing of began to fail they did not recover promptly sick persons, and the expulsion of demons. their pious recollection; and they probably Soon after, He was again occupied in the knew as yet little of His exalted character labor of instruction,-by the shore of the and power; for, having seen almost no miraSea of Galilee; where, the multitude throng-cles but cures, they knew not that the mighty ing, He went into a "ship," or boat, and de-elements were under His control. It was in livered parables from a position near the their last extremity that they came to Jesus, shore, where the hearers remained.--Such-their boat strained to the very point of were the vocation and the works of the Re-severance,-" covered with the waves." deemer.

Then they cry out, as with dying frenzy, "Master, carest thou not that we perish!"

A reproof to the disciples is added, for their want of faith in the power of Christ, and for their oblivion of His kindness and humanity. But they, with the other "men," uttered their mutual amazement; they "marvelled, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

Having closed a day given to this heavenly toil, and the crowd being very large, He The sequel was perfectly void of ostentapreferred crossing to the other side of the tion, of pomp, of display, of ambition,lake. Accordingly, the boat He had used, tranquil as had been the sunset on the placid and some others, launched out into the deep lake. Our Saviour, whose weary slumber water, and urged their course, as the twi- the tempest had not assailed, awoke at the light was yielding to darkness, under the cry of misery. He rebuked the wind,-He mild presage of a southern sky. Fatigued commanded the waves, "Peace, be still!" with the exertions of the day, our Lord wel-And both wind and waves sank into a comed the refreshment of sleep in this calm "calm." This was all His intervention: season. His mild spirit felt the harmony of and all this was the marvellous result. the tranquil scene; and the gentle breathing of the air, and the placid slumber of the waters, soothed Him into a kindred repose.But before the vessel had proceeded far, darkness and storm began. The quiet expanse was driven in tumultuous billows; the serene atmosphere was convulsed with a furious tempest; the elements roared loudly their contention. All this peril, above, below, From this miraculous event may be drawn around, required mature skill in the manage- a clear demonstration of the Christian faith. ment of the little ship": and we are cer- Receiving the gospel history as not an absotain of complete veteran experience in this lute forgery or tale, merely as correct as emergency, for, besides the nautical owners other books professing to be true, it is of the bark, several of the apostles had waxed indubitable that Jesus, after pronouncing old as fishermen on the lake. This, howev-some parables, embarked on the lake er, was no common storm; and their un-in the evening, with His disciples and flagging toil was in vain. To reach the the boatmen, and in company with other shore was impossible, for the vessel was vessels, and that they narrowly escaped filling" as the waves overmastered their destruction by a severe storm. This escape exhausted strength. the relation declares to have been miraculous,

While firmness of mind and confidence in effected by the supernatural power of Jesus.

But may not peril from a sudden tempest, not fatally violent, have been magnified by the narrators into a foundering just not completed? and the rescue, into a great miracle? Let us examine the evidence:

that stamped the event as indisputably a miracle, and thus extorted the admiration of the veterans, "what manner of man is this!"

Without amplifying the argument, therefore, and without need of amplification, we conclude that a great and undoubted miracle was performed by the Redeemer.

Consider now the argumental result of, connecting a miracle with the gospel religion and its acknowledged scriptures. A miracle is a palpable deviation from a law of nature, and can be effected only through His power who gave to nature its laws, its rule and course. But that Being, whose power controls and for a time suspends the course of nature, is likewise the God of truth; “it is impossible for God to lie." When therefore a revelation is bestowed upon the world, and a miracle is performed to give it proof and authority, HE who permits (i.e. effects) the miracle most emphatically declares that the revelation is true. God hath set to it His own seal. The matter is settled.-Further: When a historical narrative records an un

Had the terror of the storm been misrepresented, the "men" with the disciples and in the other boats could easily have contradicted the imposture. The gospels (those of St. Matthew particularly and of St. Mark*) were published in the holy land soon enough to compare the written account of the tempest with the memory of witnesses too deeply impressed by the occurrence for memory to fail them. And there were thousands, both of Jews and heathen, who would gladly have caught and promulgated any disparagement of the founders of Christianity. The storm, then, must have been extremely severe, and the situation of the vessel most critical. But, granting this, may not the Lord have been wakened at the moment when the wind was dying away, the apostles, though honest and truthful, having erroneously accounted it a miracle? This would make Jesus Him-doubted miracle, entwining it with a code of self an imposter, without the shelter of a mistake, pretending to command the furious elements: a counterplea that requires, yet will never obtain, the most unequivocal proof. But we repel the entire objection, by an appeal to the ample experience of the fishermen and watermen in the little fleet, that the storm and its cessation were not such as they were accustomed to on that lake. Nay, there is a stronger confirmation of the supernatural view of the case. Do the waves of a sea-criticism having ascertained the genuine text tempest become tranquil as soon as the wind hath left raging? It is well known that the “swell” which immediately follows the remission of a violent gale is much heavier than before. A "great calm" in the air only would have given the boat to the high waves, unbalanced by the requisite breeze; and the danger would not have been removed. We learn however that the sea obeyed" its Lord as well as the "wind." And it was the instantaneous quiet of both the elements

revealed doctrine, we unavoidably argue, from the supreme providence of the same God who revealed the doctrine and gave it supernatural authentication, that the historical book or body of record is substantially accurate, is unmingled truth. For, He who ratifies truth only will not allow injurious error to encroach upon these scriptures,— such error as would defeat the very purpose for which the truth was revealed. Sound

of the sacred writings, they being very ancient, that text hath the attestation of miracles, the broad seal of Heaven.

A mind regulated by just thinking will perceive this whole result to flow from even a single miraculous proof. The multiplication of them in numerous prodigies is indeed more impressive, and more awfully commands our acquiesence in the instruction connected with them; and the very awe after duly examining them, (not ignorant terror, or conventional or self-imposed examination,) is an unanalysed submission of reason.

But

A. D. 38, 61: see Dr. Coit.-Jerusalem, as predicted, the ground on which it submits is as com

was destroyed nine years later, before 'that generation had passed away.'

plete in one well-established miracle as in a

Some further reflections are not unworthy of notice, in aid of practical piety.

thousand. To us indeed, so remote from the scended to impart it to His groping creatures, gospel era, long past all contemporary scruti-and to stamp it with the token of His unerrny, the record of frequent miracles removes ing verification. the vague distrust that there may have been collusion or favoring circumstances, which we have not penetration or opportunity to Never may we forget the omnipotent discover. Healing was one department of guardianship of Providence. The emergenpreternatural potency; ejecting demons, an-cy may be of great pressure, and our fear other; changing water into wine, and making may discover no escape; but God is present, a large supply of food out of a very small though He seem to sleep. Disease and pain one, another; and controlling the boisterous approach; or we are beguiled of health withelements, yet another. Each class of won- out bodily suffering; and our bark appears ders intercommunicates power of evidence to be sinking: but we remember that ONE with the rest. And this whole advantage is not far from us who orders life and death, belongs to the miracle before us. Viewed and who can "heal all our infirmities." also by itself, it is incontrovertible that, in Perplexity in affairs darkens our worldly the calming of winds and waves by a rebuke, prospect; riches are taking wing,' and posthere could be no collusion; and the obe- sessions find new masters; or a moderate dience of both the elements at once, contrary and happy competence may be scattered, to the rule of nature, precludes the suspicion and the blasts of poverty burst on a contentof taking advantage of an accident or favor- ment serene as the calm lake or the evening ing circumstances. of the south:-yet if we trust in the Saviour The miracle before us, then, is one on who is ever with us, we shall hear, in even which the Gospel might be rested. The the impending wreck of hope, the rebuke of more fully it is considered, the more encouragement, "why are ye so fearful, O completely do we separate from it all mis- ye of litte faith?" still is with you the trust, and regard it as a clear interposition providence which feedeth the sparrows and of Divine power, an unimpeachable authen-clothes the grass of the field.' Bereavetication of Divine truth. And, of course, we ments more, appalling tear from us dear yield entire belief to every declaration, of friends, with whose heart-strings ours were whatever kind, thus attested from on high. entwined; and the waters of desolation We ask not, what are the doctrines or pre-rush into our souls, whelming them in the cepts revealed? but only,—is the miracle deep: but the benign "Friend" is near proved? If so, then, be the doctrines or who is " closer than a brother," and who precepts what they may, they have the seal should occupy more of our love than father, of God. Were there but one miracle and one mother, wife, children, the fondest idols of doctrine, the latter commands our faith on the passionate affection. authority of the former. But as the miracles are unnumbered, and the doctrine a wide and fundamental system, the whole was obviously intended by the Almighty to form and to 'build up" both the intellect and the heart, -to re-form and create them anew, in their moral and spiritual qualities, in all that is comprehensively termed Religion. And hence, not only faith must accept the code of doctrine, but the understanding must frame itself in subordination to the Divine system of truth. The mind and the affections, with- the body follows it not. out any reserve, are claimed for His revela-that controls the fierce elements of the earth tion by the Supreme Intelligence who conde-bears the heart through and beyond them

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And we look not on this miracle for mere encouragement in the present power of God, but as an earnest likewise of His everlasting goodness. Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him," is the confiding joy of faith,— of faith in its loftiest "walk." Stronger than death is the holy "affection," which, thus mounting towards heaven, leaves worldly matters so far below that the "things above" are alone seen, the soul being, as it were, 'translated and walking with God," though The Omnipotence

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