members 71,668.. So far back as the year 1769, Wesley had issued directions how the connection should proceed, whenever that event should take place; "perhaps," he said, "you might take "some such steps as these: On notice "of my death, let all the preachers in "England and Ireland repair to London "within six weeks; let them seek God "by solemn fasting and prayer; let "them draw up articles of agreement, "to be signed by those who chuse to "act in concert; let those be dismissed, "who do not chuse it, in the most "friendly manner possible; let the re"mainder chuse by votes, a committee "of three, five, or seven, each of whom "is to be moderator in his turn; let the "committee do what I do now."

It had been expected, that the death of Wesley would shake and dislocate the connection, but every thing went on as before. The conclave elected no new pope. Instead of having a perpetual president, the conference were now an nually to elect one, and this was all the difference. The political fact is curious. The power of Wesley was actually monarchical or papal while he lived, and yet his death occasioned no more change or difficulty to the society, than would have been produced at Berne by the loss of the national bears. He had been regarded as the head of their body politic, but in fact was only the hat, crown, or tiara.

Under this republican hierarchy, the society has increased even more rapidly than at any former period. Some improvements and alterations have been made in the organization and discipline; the circuits have been formed into districts; each district containing from eight to three circuits, upon the average five. "The districts have authority, 1. To try and suspend preachers who are found immoral, erroneous in doctrine, or deficient in abilities. 2. To decide concerning the building of chapels. 3. To examine the demands from the circuits respecting the support of the preachers, and of their families. 4. To elect a representative to attend and form a committee four days before the meeting of the conference, in order to prepare a draft of the stations for the ensuing year. Three things the district assemblies cannot do:1. They cannot make any rule. 2. They cannot expel a preacher. 3. They cannot station the preachers. An appeal to the conference is allowed in all cases."

They have separated somewhat more widely from the church. Wesley, hav

ing been regularly ordained, used in lis annual visits to administer the Lord's supper. The societies petitioned that they might still enjoy this privilege; on the other hand, many who, like Wesley, were for keeping up appearances with the church which they undermined, insisted that the privilege should not be granted. The conference being divided in opinion, decided it by lot for that year, and the lot was against the admi nistration; it has since been permitted upon certain conditions, and is now ad. ministered in above two hundred of the societies. Gowns, cassocks, and bands, which Wesley wore, have been prohibited upon the plea of avoiding offence; the title of reverend forbidden to be used by them toward each other; and the distinction between ordained and unordained preachers dropt. These have been the chief alterations since the founder's death. The state of the connection in 1800 was as follows: 940 chapels in the united kingdoms; 417 preachers, and 109,961 members; so that in ten years, the addition to their force consists of 38,393. It must be remembered, that these are only the Arminian methodists, only one of the combined armies against the church of England. Let the church look to it! This is the History of the Rise and Progress of Methodism. Let the church look to it, or the sequel will be the History of her Decline and Fall.

The organization of this connection, as they denominate themselves, has been skilfully constructed: it is a system of compleat subordination; the members to the helpers; the helpers to the superintendants; the superintendants to the conference The whole commonwealth is divided into districts; districts into circuits; circuits iuto societies; and so cieties into classes and bands. So watchful an eye is kept upon the subjects of this hierarchy, that no one can remove from one society to another, without a certificate from his superintendant, o which notice must be given to every so ciety. Any member who shall yok himself or herself to an unbeliever, i expelled; for as the Mohammedans ex press their scorn and hatred of the Chris tians by this contemptuous appellation in like manner do these schismatics in sult the members of the establishe church of their country. The preache and superintendants act as bookselle for the conference, being charged to r commend frequently and earnestly ti

Happy are they who can obtain the preacher for their guest, that they may enjoy his gift in private, and that he may bless the feast which they provide for him; to this may be added, without illiberality or scandal, the opportunities afforded him of marrying to advantage. When it is considered, that the men who are thus honoured, thus flattered, thus caressed and courted, would have been tradesmen of the lowest order, bakers, barbers and taylors, perhaps servants or labourers, if they had remained in that rank for which, by birth, education, knowledge and intellect, they are fitted, it will be seen, that the wordly inducements to become a methodist preacher are neither few nor trifling; and the ultimate object held in view by this ecclesiastical society must never be forgotten. -They profess an entire conformity in doctrinals with the church, and subscribe to her discipline. Whensoever, therefore, they shall have become the majority, whensoever they shall have succeeded in emptying the churches and cathedrals, they are ready to fill them; to take possession of the seats, stalls, and thrones; to translate society into parish; helper into priest; superintendant into bishop; circuit into diocese; conference into convocation; from which revolution God preserve the church of England! from which triumph of ignorance, craft and fanaticism, from which renewal of intolerance and persecution, God preserve the people of England!

Nor are the means which they pursue less mischievous than the end at which they aim. True it is, that they preach against vice and discourage it; the profession of morality is common to all sects and all religions, nor can religion be professed without it. The methodists may, perhaps, be as sober as the mahometans; so far they have produced some contingent good among the ruder ranks of society; for it is the wise order of things that some good should be educed from every thing; but with what evil is this accompanied? Let us examine their practice, its dissocializing character, its inevitable tendency to darken the understanding, and defile the imagina tion. Be serious, says the edict of the conference; avoid all lightness as you would avoid hell-fire, and trifling as you would cursing and swearing; fix the end of each conversation before you begin; watch and pray during the time; rarely spend above an hour at a time in

conversing with any one; if you stay above an hour at any place, take out a book and read; the children at Kings wood school must never play, and a master must be always present with them. In this precious seminary, the most mongrel medley of studies is pursued, that ever could be planned by ig norant fanaticism, and stupid bigotry. Methodism and mysticism are mingled with the classics, materials as heteroge neous as the ingredients of Ezekiel's cake; with Cæsar and Sallust, they are to study Bengel and Bunyan; Law's Christian Perfection; the Life of Mr. De Renty; and the Life of Mr. Haliburton. Homer, and Virgil, and Shakespeare, and Spenser, are to be read, and their effects worked off by plentiful doses of Thomas à Kempis, and John Wesley. "Whoever carefully goes through this course, say they, will be a better scholar than nine in ten of the graduates at Oxford or Cambridge." On Sunday they eat cold meat; a diet which, it will be remembered, certain methodist legislators once attempted to enforce upon the people of England by law; on Wednesdays and Fridays they are allowed no animal food, and on Fridays they fast, if they chuse it, till three in the afternoon, a practice which hath been found greatly condu cive to health! Oh! if superstition is again to triumph and to reign, let us rather be harlot-tempted than hag ridden; let her not come in dirty linen and dingy black, with sallow face and greasy locks, but in purple and in scarlet, decked in gold and precious stones and pearls! if we are to be made drunk with the cup of her abominations, instead of being drenched with the dregs of small beer from an ale-house mug, let us quaff wine from the golden goblet; if another twilight and night of human reason is to come upon us, let us build up our monasteries again, let us re-establish the benedictines and revive the jesuits, that there may be at least lights shining in the darkness.

Wear no needless ornaments, says the conference, such as rings, earrings, necklaces, laces or ruffles. The preachers are not to give band tickets to any who dress in the fashion, not even to married women, who may plead that they dress thus to please their husbands; sometimes the father of a family is their dupe, woe then to the children! the sen shall be turned out of doors as unrege nerate; and while the fattened calf is

killed for the preacher, they shall make the daughter of the house kneel, and insult her by praying for that unconverted and hardened sinner. More frequently the woman takes their bait; no sooner then is her husband gone from home, than the dear helper is apprised, that he may come and solace her in private with comfortable prayer. Pestilent insects! thus it is that they canker the fair flower of domestic peace; whatever they touch they fly-blow, and leave it to ferment and fester.

An unbeliever, it must be remembered, signifies, in the methodist nomenclature, every person who is not a methodist. We shall copy a part of the minutes of the third conference, showing how they are to be dealt with, in order to conversion.

"Q. Can an unbeliever (whatever he be in other respects) challenge any thing of God's justice? A. Absolutely nothing but hell; and this is a point which we cannot too

much insist on.

"Q. Do we empty men of their own right eousness, as we did at first? do we sufliciently labour, when they begin to be convinced of sin, to take away all they lean upon? should we not then endeavour, with all our might, to overturn their false foundations?-A. This was at first one of our principal points, and it ought to be so still; for till all other foun lations are overturned, they cannot build upon Christ.

Q. Did we not then purposely throw them into convictions? into strong sorrow and fear? nay, did we not strive to make them inconsolable? refusing to be comforted.-A. We did, and so we should do still, for the stronger the conviction, the speedier is the deliverance; and none so soon receive the peace of God, as those who steadily refase all other comfort.

"Q. Let us consider a particular case:--Was you, Jonathan Reeves, before you received the peace of God, convinced, that notwithstanding all you did, or could do, you was in a state of damnation?-J. R. I was convinced of it, as fully as that I am now alive.

"Q Are you sure that conviction was from God?-J.R. I can have no doubt but

it was.

"Q. What do you mean by a state of dannation?-J. R. A state, wherein if a man dies, he perisheth for ever."

It would be needless to detail their mode of practice upon this plan; every person who has once entered their meeting-houses, must know how their sermons are seasoned with brimstone, and glowing with hell fire. So fright

"And hellish anguish did his soul assaile,) "To drive him to despair, and quite to quaile,

66

"He shew'd him, painted in a table plaine, "The damned ghosts that do in torments "waile,

"And thousand feends that doe them end"less paine

"With fire and brimstone, which for ever "shall remaine."

What therefore was to be expected from such a system, has actually resulted. The increase of madness, in England, has been proportioned to the increase of methodism. This is not lightly hazarded, nor ignorantly affirmed. Positively and knowingly we assert, that the increase of madness, melancholy madness, religious madness, the worst form of the worst calamity which flesh is heir to, has been proportioned to, and occasioned by the growth of methodism. In Moorfields itinerant preaching began, and in Moorfields is its consummation; there the first seed was sown, and there the fruit may be seen,- Bedlam is the granary.

Such are the effects of their denunciations of damnation, and of that tremendous blasphemy, their yearly covenant with Almighty God! Thus it is, that they foster and force the seeds of insanity wherever they exist: minds predisposed to madness, being prone to methodism, as the dropsical sufferer craves for the draught which aggra vates his disease. Upon those of a happier temperament, who escape its physical effects, it acts as a moral poison. Even in the first freshness, in the heat and vigour of their sanctification, they become liars and systematic hypocrites; they call themselves the vilest of sinners, and believe themselves the elect of God; they profess the utmost humility and self abasement, the deepest conviction of their own unworthiness and wretchedness; and they groan and lift up their eyes in contemptuous compassion for their kinsman and their neighbour, the master of the family, and the parish priest, their brother, and perhaps their

very parents, as for the rejected, the vessels of dishonour, the children of wrath, who are to lie howling, while they themselves shall be ministering angels. They humble themselves to each other that they may be exalted, baiting with self accusation for flattery, each pampering the other's spiritual pride. For a while this miserable self-delusion continues in full force; every lucid interval is the devil's work; and the devil hath the credit of every thought akin to common sense. But when these intervals grow longer, and recur more frequent, when these thoughts or temptations, as they are called, come upon them thick and thronging, still they continue the same exterior, the same face of formality, the same lip-righteousness; the smoke is kept up, though the fire hath cooled; they have enlisted, and are ashamed to desert; they are fettered by habit, by vanity, by interest.

Their separation of the sexes is even more mischievous than all the impure precautions of popery. Touch no woman, says the conference; be as loving as you will, but the custom of the country is nothing to us. Every preacher is charged to see that the men and women sit apart in their chapels; they are also to meet men and women, the married and the single apart. In their bands, sex is separated from sex, husbands from batchelors, and maids from matrons. In these societies, each is to confess to all; to confess, in the strict and popish sense of the term, "to speak freely and plainly the faults they have committed in thought, word, or deed, and the temptations they have been exercised with since their last meeting." They are to be asked as many and as searching questions as can be, concerning their sins and temptations. Have you been guilty of any known sin since our last meeting? What temptations have you met with? How were you delivered? What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be a sin or

not?"

Englishmen, who have happily been delivered from the bondage of the Romish church, are well aware of the evils which inevitably result from auricular confession. Our fathers witnessed those evils, and bore testimony against them; they bore their testimony against them in danger and in suffering, in prison, in torments, in the flames; but the confession of the catholics is modest and innocent,

when compared with that which these schismatics have introduced. Of what nature it must chiefly be, is evident from this separation of man from woman, of maid from matron, in the bands, and when they are visited by the helper, the priest, the father confessor. We must touch lightly on this abominable subject. Is it possible, that they who devised this confession, could be ignorant of its consequences? Every incipient feeling, every lighter thought that would have past over the maiden's mind and been forgotten, is to be remarked and remem bered, that it may be renewed, and ri vetted and burnt-in to the heart by the pain and shame of confession! of con fession, not to one whom, from his age and character, she has ever from her infancy been taught to regard with fa therly, or more than fatherly reverence, and who, by the holiest oaths, and the severest penalties, is bound to inviolable secrecy, but to companions of her own sex and age, who will make it their tea table talk; and each of whom is, by a similar confession, to renew and sear her shame! Either from natural and sacred modesty, the thought will be con cealed, and made more intense by the imagined sinfulness of that concealment; or it will be confessed, and that action will strengthen the idea, and the idea will recur more frequently, because it is thus strengthened; and thus confession will be again and again required, til a sinful pleasure be at length extracted from confession itself, the atonement will partake of the nature of the sin, and all inodesty and all shame be utterly destroyed.

We have now detailed the History of Methodism, explained its organization, and exposed its tendency. Whoever reasons and understands the nature of the human mind, will perceive that it is a system which must necessarily darken the understanding, deaden the moral feeling, and defile the imagination; its ultimate object is to destroy the church establishment. No, say they, we would not destroy it, we are no enemies to the establishment! Neither was the Pre tender an enemy to the throne of Great Britain, he had no design to destroy it all that he meant was to eject the reign ing prince, and seat himself in his stead

The church of Ergland is in danger; an her clergy will be ousted from their be nefices, unless some effectual remedy b speedily applied. The Arminian me