has proved so great and distinguished an ornament to the church, was sent thither by Mr. Wesley and the Conference.” Mr. Crowther adds, in 1814, "He now presides, under the character of Bishop, over all the Methodists in the United States; a country not less than 1,300 miles in length, and 500 in breadth. May he not be said to have the largest see of any bishop in the world? Yet many curates have larger salaries *." "Minutes of Conference" being now published by the Wesleyan Methodists, their decisions were made known to the public; and their statements of doctrine in 1770, expressed as if salvation were to be obtained by human works, gave serious offence to the Countess of Huntingdon and her chaplains, as being, in their opinion, "injurious to the very fundamental principles of Christianity." Circulars were issued, calling upon the principal Calvinists, both clergy and laity, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, "to insist upon a formal recantation of the said Minutes, or in case of refusal to sign and publish their protest against them †." The late Hon. and Rev. Walter Shirley was the most active clergyman in this affair, aided by the Rev. Rowland Hill, and his brother Sir Richard Hill, with several eminent men, both clergy and laymen. Mr. Shirley went to the conference, with nine or ten of his friends; on which Mr. Wesley remarks, "We conversed freely for about two hours. And I believe they were satisfied, that we were not such dreadful heretics as they imagined, but were tolerably sound in the faith t." Notwithstanding, for several years a controversy was carried on between Mr. Wesley's vindicators and opposers, distinguished by a lamentable degree of bitterness on both sides. Mr. Wesley's most able defender was Mr. Fletcher, a clergyman of Madely: his "Checks to Antinomianism," and several other works, remain as monuments of his amiable spirit and apostolic piety. Periodical literature was seen to have an incalculable influence on the nation; and Mr. Wesley began to employ this means for the advantage and the strengthening of his religious societies: * Portraiture of Methodism, p. 69, 70. Ibid. p. 72. Ibid. p. 74. to promote their edification, and to represent Methodism to the world, he published, January 1, 1778, the first number of the Arminian Magazine. He continued to publish a number every month until his death; and the work has been carried on ever since by the Conference, under the title of the Methodist Magazine. Methodism in 1784 was distinguished by two remarkable measures being adopted, by which the Wesleyan body became strengthened and enlarged: one was the execution of the "Deed of Declaration," and the other was the "Origin of Foreign Missions." Dr. Coke originated "THE DEED OF DECLARATION," which was signed by Mr. Wesley, Feb. 28, 1784; constituting One Hundred preachers, mentioned by name, "The Conference of the people called Methodists: " this instrument being enrolled in Chancery, secures their chapels as the perpetual property of the Conference. Methodist Missions to foreign countries were projected in 1784, in the conference held that year at Leeds, when Mr. Wesley announced his intention of sending Dr. Coke, and some other preachers, to the United States of America, after the acknowledgment of their "Independence" by the British Government. 66 Messrs. Pillmoor, Boardman, and Asbury, had eminently succeeded in their labours in America; and the latter having sent a full account of the state of things in that great country, announcing "the extreme uneasiness of the people's minds for want of the sacraments," Mr. Wesley then formed the design of drawing up a plan of church government, and of establishing an ordination for his American societies;" and at Bristol he ordained several, besides Dr. Coke, giving him letters of ordination under his hand and seal, and at the same time a letter to be printed as a circular in America. A few paragraphs from this document, dated Bristol, September 10, 1784, will be most appropriate here, as showing the opinions of a great mind in ecclesiastical affairs. Mr. Wesley says:"Lord King's account of the primitive church convinced me many years ago, that bishops and presbyters are the same order, and consequently have the same right to ordain. For many years I have been importuned from time to time, to exercise this right, by ordaining part of our travelling preachers. But I have still refused: not only for peace' sake, but because I was determined as little as possible to violate the established order of the national church to which I belonged. "But the case is widely different between England and North America. Here there are bishops who have a legal jurisdiction. In America there are none, neither any parish ministers. So that for a hundred miles together there is none either to baptize or to administer the Lord's Supper. Here therefore my scruples are at an end: and I conceive myself at full liberty, as I violate no order, and invade no man's right, by appointing and sending labourers into the harvest. "I have accordingly appointed Dr. Coke and Mr. Francis Asbury, to be joint Superintendents over our brethren in North America: as also Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, to act as Elders among them, by baptizing and administering the Lord's Supper. And I have prepared a Liturgy, little differing from that of the church of England, (I think the best constituted national church in the world) which I advise all the travelling preachers to use on the Lord's day, in all the congregations, reading the Litany only on Wednesdays and Fridays, and praying extempore on all other days. I also advise the elders to administer the Supper of the Lord on every Lord's day Prosperity continued to attend the laborious ministry of the Methodist preachers until the death of their venerable father in the Gospel, who closed his devoted life of usefulness in a manner worthy of his Christian philanthropy and diligence. His frequently repeated acknowledgment, after all his eminent services to mankind, was, "I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me." John Wesley entered his eternal rest, March 2, 1791, aged * Life of Wesley by Coke and More, p. 459-461. 88 years but his brother Charles Wesley finished his mortal course March 29, 1788, aged 80 years, leaving the character of a devoted minister of Jesus Christ. Wesleyan Methodism, forming a most consolidated fraterternity, bound together by the wisest system of polity, presented a most astonishing multitude united in " Society," at the time of the death of its founder, the numbers of which are here given, as the most important illustration of his wise arrangement and persevering zeal. There were in Prosperity still attended the Methodists, as will be manifest from the following enumeration of the numbers of circuits, preachers, and members in 1799, at the close of the eighteenth century. CHAPTER XVI. CALVINISTIC METHODISTS TO THE CLOSE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. Whitefield's Connection. Calvinistic Methodists after the decease of Mr. Whitefield Mr. Rowland Hill, his successor - - His itinerant labours - Refused ordination by six bishops - His marriage and ordination —Vindicates his itinerant ministry—Mr. Jay's testimony to his labours-Surrey Chapel built-Its connection with the revival of religion Dr. Haweis concerning the Calvinistic Methodists. MR. WHITEFIELD's attached personal friends, who had been converted to the faith of Christ, or greatly edified, by his ministry, were exceedingly numerous, at the time of his decease, through England, Wales, and Scotland. His "Tabernacles" in London, Bristol, and other places, were supplied by some of the most popular preachers, both of the episcopal clergy and Dissenters, and the congregations continued very large. They were not, however, formed into a united body like those who were followers of Mr. Wesley: there was not, therefore, a systematic and disciplined increase in this denomination, in the same manner, and to an equal extent, as among the Wesleyan branch of Methodists. Mr. Whitefield's death was felt as a most grievous loss to his friends for though his chapels had been placed in the hands of trustess, scarcely any provision had been made by him for a successor in his extraordinary ministry. His mantle, however, was regarded as having fallen on Mr. Rowland Hill, a son of Sir Rowland Hill, Bart. This young collegian possessed astonishing powers of oratory, sanctified with the sincerest piety, and inflamed with zeal for God his Saviour and love to the souls of men; and even while at the university he warmly espoused the cause of Mr. Whitefield, entering into many of his itinerating preaching labours and evangelical practices. Before completing his collegiate course he preached in the fields, through many parts of the country, to thousands, and in the chapels of Mr. Whitefield, the Tabernacle, and at Tottenham Court Road, London, by which he was identified with the cause of Calvinistic Methodism. Mr. Hill was firmly resolved on this uncanonical course of |