rages were continued; and if justice were not to be found in Jamaica, they were sure, he said, of obtaining it at home.

The affairs of Methodism in the West Indies were in this state at the time of Mr. Wesley's death. Fourteen preachers were stationed there, of whom two came from the American branch. The number of persons enrolled in the connexion then amounted to about six thousand, of whom two-thirds were negroes, and the number of white persons did not exceed two hundred. A more determined spirit of opposition was arising than they had ever experienced in Europe, but they were sure of protection from the home-government, and knew that by perseverance they should make their cause good.

CHAPTER XXIX.

SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFERENCE.-MANNERS AND EFFECTS OF METHODISM.

THE year 1784 has been called the grand climacterical year of Methodism, because Wesley then first arrogated to himself an episcopal power; and because in that year the legal settlement of the Conference was effected. whereby provision was made for the government of the society after his death, as long as it should continue.

The Methodist chapels, with the preachers' houses annexed to them, had all been conveyed to trustees for the use of such persons as should be appointed from time to time by John or Charles Wesley, during their lives; by the survivor, and after the death of both, by the yearly Conference of the people called Methodists, in London, Bristol, or Leeds. A legal opinion was taken, whether the law would recognise the Conference, unless the precise meaning of the word were defined; the lawyers were of opinion that

it would not, and therefore at the next meeting of that body, Mr. Wesley was unanimously desired to draw up a deed which should give a legal specification of the term; the mode of doing it being left entirely to his discretion. The necessity for this was obvious. "Without some authentic deed fixing the meaning of the term, the moment I died," says he, "the Conference had been nothing: therefore any of the proprietors of land on which our preaching houses had been built might have seized them for their own use, and there would have been none to hinder them; for the Conference would have been nobody-a mere empty name."

His first thought was to name some ten or twelve persons. On further consideration he appointed one hundred, believing, he says, "there would be more safety in a greater number of counsellors, and judging these were as many as could meet without too great an expense, and without leaving any circuit deprived of preachers while the Conference was assembled. The hundred persons thus nominated "being preachers and expounders of God's holy Word, under the care of, and in connexion with, the said John Wesley," were declared to constitute the Conference, according to the true intent and meaning of the various deeds in which that term was used; and provision was now made for continuing the succession and identity of this body, wherein the administration of the Methodist Connexion was to be vested after the founder's death. They were to assemble yearly at London, Bristol, or Leeds, or any other place which they might think proper to appoint; and their first act was to be to fill up all vacancies occasioned by death or other circumstances. No act was to be valid unless forty members were present, provided the whole body had not been reduced below that number by death, or other causes. The duration of the assembly should not be less than five days, nor more than three weeks, but any time between those limits at their discretion. They were to elect a president and secretary from their own number, and the president should have a double

vote. Any member absenting himself without leave from two successive conferences, and not appearing on the first day of the third, forfeited his seat by that absence. They had power to admit preachers and expounders upon trial, to receive them into full connexion, and to expel any person for sufficient cause; but no person might be elected a member of their body, till he had been twelve months in full connexion as a preacher. They might not appoint any one to preach in any of their chapels who was not a member of the Connexion, nor might they appoint any preacher for more than three years to one place, except ordained ministers of the Church of England. They might delegate any member or members of their own body to act with full power in Ireland, or any other parts out of the kingdom of Great Britain. Whenever the Conference should be reduced below the number of forty members, and continue so reduced for three years, or whenever it should neglect to meet for three successive years, in either of such cases the Conference should be extinguished; and the chapels and other premises should vest in the trustees for the time being, in trust that they should appoint persons to preach therein. The deed concluded with a provision that nothing which it contained should be construed so as to extinguish, lessen, or abridge the life estate of John and Charles Wesley in any of the chapels and premises.

At the time when this settlement was made, there were one hundred and ninety-one preachers in full connexion; they who were omitted in the list of the Hundred were offended as well as disappointed; and they imputed their exclusion to Dr. Coke, whom many of them regarded with jealousy because of the place which he deservedly held in Mr. Wesley's opi nion, and the conspicuous rank which he filled in the society. He was grievously wronged by this suspi cion; for he has declared, and there can be no possible grounds for doubting his veracity, that his opinion at the time was, that every preacher in full connexion should be a member of the Conference.Wesley acted upon his own judgment; and the rea

sons which he assigned for determining the number were satisfactory. Five of the excluded preachers, who thought themselves most aggrieved, sent circular letters to those who were in the same case with themselves, inviting them to canvass the business in the ensuing Conference, and, in fact, to form a regular opposition to Mr. Wesley. They had reason to expect that they should be powerfully supported; but when the assembly met, Wesley explained his motives in a manner that carried conviction with it, reproved the persons who had issued the circular letters with great severity, and called upon all those who agreed with him in opinion to stand up; upon which the whole Conference rose, with the exception of the five malcontents. Mr. Fletcher interfered in their behalf, and by his means they were induced to acknowledge that they had sinned; and a verbal promise, according to their own account, was given them, that Mr. Wesley would take measures for putting them on a footing with the rest. He could only mean that they would be appointed members of the Conference as vacancies occurred; and it appears by their own statement also, that they had not patience to wait for this, but, in the course of the year, withdrew from the Connexion, complaining of their wrongs, talking of their indisputable rights, and appealing to an original compact which had no existence. On the contrary, Wesley had always taken especial care to assert, as well as to exercise, his authority over the society which he had raised, and the preachers, whom he received as his assistants, not his equals; still less as persons who might oppose and control him.

Wesley prided himself upon the economy of his society, and upon his management of it. It was the peculiar talent, he said, which God had given him. He possessed that talent beyond all doubt, in a remarkable degree. The constitution of Methodism, like most forms of government, had arisen out of accidents and circumstances: but Wesley had availed himself of these with great skill, and made them subservient to his views and purposes as they arose:

whatever power of mind was displayed in the formation of Methodism was his own. In this respect he differs from those monastic patriarchs, with whom he may most obviously be compared. St. Benedict compiled his rule from elder statutes, modifying them, and adapting them to his own time and country. St. Francis seems to have become the tool of his artful and ambitious disciples; and Loyola was not the architect of the admirable structure which he founded. But the system of Methodism was Wesley's own work. The task of directing it was not so difficult as might at first appear. His rank, his attainments, his abilities, and his reputation, secured for him so decided a superiority, that no person in his own community could, with the slightest prospect of success, dispute it; and in the latter years of his life, that superiority was still further increased by his venerable age, and the respect which he had then obtained even among strangers. Those who were weary acting under his direction as preachers, or of observing his rules as members, either withdrew, or were easily dismissed. This is the great advantage which all sects enjoy. They get rid of troublesome spirits and bad subjects; and general society is ready to receive the outcasts.

of

The quarterly renewal of the band and class tickets afforded a ready means of ejecting unworthy and disobedient members. The terms of admission, therefore, might well be made comprehensive; while these means of cutting short all discordance were in the preacher's hands. Upon this facility of admission Wesley prided himself. "One circumstance," says he, "is quite peculiar to the Methodists: the terms upon which any person may be admitted into their society. They do not impose, in order to their admission, any opinions whatever. Let them hold particular or general redemption, absolute or conditional decrees; let them be Churchmen or Dissenters, Presbyterians or Independents, it is no obstacle. Let them choose one mode of worship or another, it is no bar to their admission. The Presbyterian may be a Presbyterian still; the Independent or Anabap