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"The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to Salvation: so that what3ver (8 not read therein^ nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of nisn, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation "— fV/tA Jirticle of FattA in (Jie Doctrines and Diteipline of the WeiUyan . Mithodist Church. '■-^'' "7. \,^ ' ' "'^'"' TORONTO: ' Brewer, Mi[;rHAiL &, Co., Piunters, 46, King-Street East. 1854, 3rf. each ; 2«. Cfi^. per tloz. ; 10*. per hundred. v»: ?;i'iioi,n' JAfr'T'^TMi")'^ -..I-' \ ' •■ / ;■: ■' '! " /ii>rrA' ' {: .V I* ' "■! ■ S^.^ ■ '.''«: -^ . ■ ? " •» ^ la£t-t . ^'" :"}■{.>*; y a "! iii ^-i.fj 1 ^^> ifci:i:^ .J*. r 'yi'i ■,-•'' : 4il •'! EX5UNAT0RY PREFACE. The present parr phlet would not have appeared, had the request con* tained in the following note been complied with — ii note addressed to the President, and read by him to the Conference : — (Copy) ■ . • Tuesday MoRNiNo, June ISthi 1864. My dear Sib, — I herewith enclose you the draft of an Address to the Gorernor General in favour of Victoria College. In regard to the publication in the Quardian of the documents which were read to the Conference yesterday, I do not intend to discuss the questions to which they refer, or to reply to anything that may be said on the subject— having done what I believe to be my duty in regard to it. But I should wish the Church to know the reasons which have influenced me on this occasion — especially as I believe them to be both Wesleyan and Scriptural. As I have for tiiirty years contributed to ail the funds of the preachers and Church, without receiving or expecting to receive a farthing from them, and from the period and kinds of labours I have performed in the Church, and from my wish to live in connexion with it, I thi.ik my letters of resignation might at least not be withheld from the members of our Church. If any expense attend the publication of the correspond- ence between ns, I will defray every farthing of it. ■^'■- > • - ■ -■ I do not think any other member of the Conference is called upon to do as I have done — my circumstances being peculiar. But I do not wish to be wronged.and blackened by misrepresentations ; I only desire that my brethren and old friend^'i through, the land maybe permitted and enabled Jo read pny own reasons and views on this the last occasion of my official intercourse with them. ii' Titrt:%, Ki:--: VW ." ' ' Yours very truly, "• :- •*' ••^^ • ,-• ^ (Signed) . t. RYERSON. The Reverend Enoch Wood, vc..;;^ ?. ,;? , » o ' Presidmtuf the Conference. >«H/Ht ,^«i'.r> »•> ..;., Cvfr tl i have been informed that a majority of the Conference decided that I was not entitled to any such consideration,* nor the members of the Church to any such information, as la referred to in the fore- going note, although (as I iiave been told) the President, the Rev. William Ryerson and other members maintained that it was only just to me and due to the members of the Church, that the correspond- ence in question should be laid before them. The present Editor of the Christian Guardian has shown much Beal of late against the priesthood of the Church of Rome, because, among other things, it dreads free discussion — refuses to its followers the right and means of reading both sides of a question, and judging for themselves — and rules by its own decrees, and not by reason or revelation. But how promptly, though strangely, does the Editor of the Guardian and others cherishing the same feelings in regard to myself and the subjects of the following correspondence, imitate the deprecated Papal example in respect to what involves the scriptural rights and privileges of the baptiz 'd youth of the Wesleyan Metho* dist Church, as well as of her adult members and devout adherents ! * I have understood, nevertheless, that a resolution was adopted ex- pressing the sense of the Conf';rence as to my past labours in the Church ; but the publication of it has been suppressed in the official Organ, as also in the printed Minutes, of the Confeience. The Correspondence in the subsequent pages shows with what feelings and sentiments I retired from the councils of the Conference ; and I could not have supposed that any members of that body were capable of excluding from the public records o( its proceedings what the Con- ference had deemed a bare act of justice to an individual who had laboured neprly thirty years in connexion with it, and often performed most difficult services and labours in its behaif. Such a proceeding vill reflect more dishonour upon its authors than upon me, in the judgment of every honourable and Christian mind in Upper Canada, of whatever persuasion or pariy. I am happy to believe that this poor imitation of the system of the " Index Expurgatorius" cannot blot from the memories of an older generation in the Church recollections of labours and strug- gles of which the expurgators know nothing but the fruits — among which are the civil and religious privileges they enjoy. I have also been credibly informed that, while the real grounds of rny resignation and the judgment of the Conference upon my conduct and labours during many years connexion with it, are withheld from the Wesleyaa pubhc, insinuations are circulated, that my resignation has been ifictated Ijy ulterior political objects an idea which I have never for one moment entertertained, and which is foreign, as far as I know> to the thoughts of every public man in Canada. .^ -^s-iHiv^M A more vitally important and deeply affecting subject can scarcely be laid before the Weslyan community ; but in order to present it to the pious judgment of that body at large, I have had no other alter- native than to assume the position I now subiain — otherwise being compelled to obs>erve, as in past years, a strict silence beyond the walls of the Conference Room. But from what I have witnessed and heard in that room, I appeal to the calm consideration of the intel- ligent and devout members of the Wesleyan Church, either in their closets with their Bible before them, or at their firesides with their children around them. Whether I have or have not overrated the importance of the question, 1 leave every one to decide, after reading the following correspondence. It will be seen that the question is not one of a personal nature — is not one which ought to excite any unkind feeling between persons who may take different views of it. The question is as to whether, on the Wesleyan Conference assuming the position and functions of a distinct and independent Church, a condition of membership has not been imposed which is a departure from the principles of Mr. Wesley and the doctrine and practice of the Apostolic and Primitive Church — a condition which ignores the church relation, rights and privileges of the baptized children of the Wesleyan body, and excludes thousands from its membership upon un-scriptural and un- Wesleyan grounds. It will be seen by an extract en page 20, that Mr. Wesley's disciplinary object in giving quarterly tickets, was " to separate the precious from the iji/e," " to remove any disorderly member ;" but iti vain have I sought for an instance of Mr. Wesley ever excluding, even from his private societies in a Church, an upright and orderly member for mere non-attendance at class-meeting. That, how- ever, he might have consistently done in a society in a church, if he had thought it expedient to do so, as it would not have affected the membership of any parties in the Church to which they belonged. The three paragraphs of our Discipline, containing three sentences, against which I protest, had no place in the large Minutes of Conference finally revised and printed by Mr. Wesley the year of his death ; nor do they exist in the Minutes of the British Conference to this dav. From what is therefore modern and unau- , thorized by Scripture, by the practice of the primitive Church, or by^ Mr. Wesley^ I go back to first principles, and say, as did Mr. Wes* ley to Dr. Coke and Mr. Asibury, when he »crit then» lo organize the Societies in America into a church, lot ns "dimply follow the Scrip- tures and the Primitive Ohiirch." It is often said that " nobody objects lo attending class-meetingf except those who have no rolii^ioii." Persona who thus judge of others show more of the Pharisaical, than of the Christian, spirit, and evince but little ot the " wisdom that cometh from above," in thus '* measuring others by themselves." The following corres- pondence shows that I am second to none in my appreciation of the value and usefulness of class-moelings; but I have hud too much experience not to know, that the be«t talkers in a class-meeting are not always the best livers in the world; and I attach les^ importance to what a person may say of himself in a class-meeting, than to uprightnesa in his dealings, integrity in his word, meekness in his temper, charity in his, spirit, liberality in his contributions, blame- lessness in his life. Doings, rather than sayings, are the rule of Divine judgment. A few years since, a poor woman in Edinburgh applied to the Rev. Dr. B. for a token of admission to the Lord's Supper. Dr. B. ommenced examining her as to her knowledge and fitness for the holy sacrament, by proposing severa' theological questions, not one of which the poor woman, in her fear and trembling, could answer. She was informed that she was not qualified for admission to such, an ordinance ; but on going out of the door, she turned, her eyes filled with tears, and with a look that language cannot describe, she said, " Sir, if I canna' talk for my Saviour, I can die for Him." The learned and pious divine, struck with the unreasonableness of hia own test and mode of procedure, recalled the poor woman, gave her the desired token, blessing her in the name of the Lor^J. The moat trustworthy, the most considerate, the most deaply impressed and afiEected with religious truth, are often the mot^t retiring, the most diffident of themselves, the least willing to speak of themselvea, though willing to do and suffer for Christ, if not to die for him; y€t, if they cannot stand the talking teat of the class-^meeting, they ; must be rejected from the visible Church of Christ ! This is one of the Biamy instances recorded in history, of that which is good in its prudential design and place, being gradually perverted from its origioal purpose and application, and at length invested with more tfaAArthe mithority of a papal decreo-^ia made aa absolute conditioii. of membership in the visible Body of Christ, though pretending to nothing of the lyers what was essential to membership in ihfi Christian Church, as well as what was essential to its existence and prosperity, I may also observe, that if the existence of class-meetings cannot be maintained e^ept by the terror of the scorpiop-whip, or rather executioner's 8 w-r. ewor^, of exjjutsfon from iho church, it shys littfo for ihfm rs h privilege^ or placo of ileliprhlful and joyous renort. My own convic- tion 18, that \i clart3-meellng.s, likt love-feasts, wero maintained and recommended as a privilege and UHoful meauH of relii^ious odificntion , and not aa a law, th^ observance of which i» necessary fo member- ship in the visil)lo church of Christ, but made voluntary, like joining the Missionary l^ociety, ciass-meotings w(/uld be moro efficient and useful than they arc now, and attendance at them would be more cordial and profitable, if not as, or even more, general. But what might be or not bo in any supposed case, is foroi[;ii to a question as to what is enjoined in the law and testimony of the Holy Scriptures as essential to discipleship with Christ. It is well known that meeting in class by a largo portion of the members of the Wesleyan Church, is very irregular — that their absence from class-meeting is the general rule of their practice, and their attendance the exception. Yet, such persons are not excluded, as it would involve the expulsion of the greater part of the members of the body, including several of its mini ters. It is, therefore, so much the m'^'e objectionable, and so much the more wrong, to have a rule which ignores at one sweep the membership of all the baptized children of the body, which sends and keeps away the conscientious and straightforward, who would not think of joining a religious com- munity without intending habitually to observe all its rules, and yet after all, habitually disregarded by a large portion of both preac ers and people, and is made, as far as my observatioii goes, an instru- ment of gratifying individual hostility, rather than a means ot pro- moting the religious and moral ends of Christian discipline. ' It is, however, the bearing of this question upon the relationship and destinies of the youth of the Wesleyan body that has most deeply impressed and affected my own mind, as may be inferred from the following correspondence. It requires less scriptural zeal and an inferior order of qualificalions, and it is much more exciting and easy, to minister or attend at special meetings and in the ordinary public services of the church, than to pursue " in season and out of seasf " the less conspicuous and more detailed labour of teaching and training up children and youth in the knowledge and experience of the doctrines of Christ, and thus secure them to the church, and to the Saviour, and secure to them the " godliness whk': has the 1 n« ti convic- ind nrul icntion , embor- y, like ? nioro t them fencral. n to a of iho of the It their ice, and :cludeil, lomhera fore, so > imve a mptized eniious us com- and yet leac ers instru- ot pro- lionship \s most inferred ral zeal exciting jrdinary I out of caching )erience rch, and has the pfTomise of the life that now Ih, and of iha» wliich in to come.''* And what \h the result of the general adoption (with a few fine exceptions,) of the former in preference to the latter — inntead of the * Of the utter insufficiency of pubUc niinibtraiionH alone, even for grown up ChristinnH, much more for chihlren. Mr. Wesley thus spenks in his large and authorized Minutes of Conference : — " For what uvaija public preaching alone, though we could preach like angelu? We must, yea, every travelling preacher must, instruct ihem from houfe to houste. Till this is done, nnd that in good earnest, the Methodi.siH will bo little belter than other people. Our religion is not deep, univerani, uniform ; but superficial, i»nrtial, uneven. It will be po, till we npi-nd half as much time in this visiting, as we now do in talking useleesly.'' •* Kor, after nil our preaching, mnny of our people are almost as ignornnt na if they had never heard the gofipei. I epeak as plain as 1 can, yet 1 frequently meei wiih those who have been my hearers many years, who know not whether Chrift be God or r. in. And how few are there who know the nature of repentance, faith nnd holiness. Most of them have a sort of confidence that God will save them, while the world has their heartd. I have found by experience, that one of these has learned more from one hour's close discourse, than from ten years' public preaching." *' Let every preacher having a catalogue of those in each society, go to each house. Deal gently with them, that the report of it may move others to desire your coming. Give the children the instructions for children, and encouraee them to get them by heart. Indeed, you will find it no easy mattei to teach the ignorant the principles of religion. So true is the remark of Archbishop Usher — ' Great scholars mny think tiiis work beneath them. But they should consider, the laying the foundation skilfully, as it is of the greatest importance, so it is the masterpiece of the wisest builder. And let the wisest of us all try, whenever we please, we shall find that to lay this ground-work rightly,, to make the ignorant understand the grounds of religion, will put us to all our skill.' " " Unless we take care of he rising generation, the present revival will be tea uniua aetatis [a thing of one generation ;] it will last only the age of a man." There are several ministers who earnestly labour in the spirit of the.se extracts from Mr. Wesley's Minute.'^ of Conference — printed the year of his death. But their labours are the promptings of individual zeal and intelligence, and not dictated or backed by the authoritative example of the ministry and church at large, or the recognition of iho church relations of the interesting subjects of their instructions. The effect of the general disuse or neglect of systematic individual instruction of children, not speaking of such instruction of adult members, and reliance upon public ministraiionsand meetings alone, must be, instability of .eligious profession, want of clear and accurate views of the grounds, doctrines, nature, institutions and duties of religion, indifference to all religion, or wandering from denomination to denomination according to circumstances or caprice ; but in all cases the loss to the Wesleyan Church of the g.- eater part of the hanrest which she should and might gather into the garner 01 Christ. '" ♦--•-,.; ■ j* ,- > . :- . 10 union of both? It is the humiUating and most painful fact that the great majority of Methodist youtli are lost to the Church, if not lost to Christ ap'I to heavon — '.hat in a large proportion of instances, Methodism is Lot perpetuated to the second generation of the same family— that in the great majority of instances it is only so perpe- tuated very partially, and in very few instances to all the children of Methodist parents ; while there is each year the conversion of only a few hundreds, or thousands, mostly from without. The return of prodigals, and the accession of strangers and aliens to the body, are indeed causes of thankfulness and rejoicing ; but prevention is better than cure — piety from childhood is better than reformation in manhood. The juugment of the Apostle upon him " who neglects to provide for his own house," even in temporal matters, is well Known; and must there not be a radical defect and wrong in any religious organization which looses the great majority of its own youth, and depends largely on infusions from wiihout for the recruit of its numbers ? Sucii an organization may do much good, and widely extend in many places for the time being, especially in a new and uuRettled state of society ; but the vital element of permanent strength an 1 lasting prosperity is wanting, where, by its repulsion or neglect, the great majority of its baptized youth are alienated from, and lost to its communion. It is not in the promise of God, or in the genius of Scriptural Christianity, that " children trained up in the way that they should go," will, in many instances, much less generally, depart from it in after years, '<>:; ! "' ■ ' , I confess and bear my full share of responsibility and shame for the facts thus referred to. I have repeatedly addressed the Con- ference on the subject. In June, 1852, 1 proposed the adoption of a catechism which I thought calculated to assist in arresting the progress of the evil, it was not asse^jted to. In June, l'^53, I again submitted to the Conference a series of resolutions recognizing the church relationship and privileges of baptized children and the duties of the church to them, and submitted a draft of catechism designed to give practical effect to ihc rights and obligations thus acknowledged. The resolutions were t'^reed to; Uie draft of catechism was referred to a committee, ::nd approved of by it, and was reported to the Conference; but the Conference refused to adopt it, partly upon the ground that Wesleyan ministers in Lower 11 Canada would in 1864 be connected with those in Upper Canada, apd ought to have a voice in respect to it; yet ordered it to be printed for consideration at the next Conference. Upon the same ground I thought it advisable to forego until this year, what I had intended and prepared to do in June 1863 — namely, to bring before the Conference for final decision, the principal subject of the following correspondence. On the first day of the Conference in June of the current year, the printed draft of the proposed catechism was put into the hands of the members, and notice was given of the resolutions on pages 24, 26; the resolutions were rejected, and I understand the proposed catechism has been dropt in silence. The religious hopes of parents and the prospects of the children and youth of the Wesleyan body, are thus little, if at all improved. But if the publication of these pages shall prove the occasion of arresting or checking this retrograde and patricidal course of things, and of awakening the ministry and member^i of the Wesleyan Chufch, in^ any degree, to a sense of the relationship and claims of her children, I shall feel myself amply compensated for the sacrifice and obloquy I have incurred, and shall be among the first to hail the ushering in of a new era, and to do what I can to difi'use its blessings and triumphs. In conclusion, I will add a word or two of explanation of a per- sonal nature, altjiough I hope tho subjects referred to in the following correspondence will be considered without respect to persons, Im- pressed with the magnitude of the wrongs and evils above referred to, dreading personal collision in the Conference, anticipating but liUle success from it, and feeling uncertain as to how i'b'jv were likeb' to be the days of my earthly career, and believing that a special duty was ipposed upon me in this respect by Providential circumstances, I addressed to the President of the Conference, the 2nd of January, the first lelior of the following correspondence: as the most likely means, without collision with any person or body, to draw practical attention to the subject^ on the part of both the ministry and laity of the Church: In deference to the views and recommendations of ihe President, I consented to supend my resignation, and bring the subject once more before the Conference. But the fears and appre- hensions 1 exprea "n January last, have been fully realized, and he Co nference (^rgan has suppressed even the sl^prt resojutiqna 12 which I proposed, or the slightest mention of the grounds of my resignation, while rapid private misrepre. itation has gone forth far and wide among the members of the body, as to my views, motives, and intentions. This, however, )ias been the course adopted in all ages and countries by persons who have ass rted the sufficiency of clerical authority and things as they are, resisted the reform of abuses and the correction of evils, and dreaded and opposed free discussion. I have, howevet, the satisfaction of knowing that, if the first efforts of my pen, after joining the Conference in 1826, were to advocate the right of the members of the Church to liold a bit of ground in which to bury their dead, and the right of its ministers to perform the marriage service for the members of their congregations, my last efforts in connexion with the Conference have been directed to obtain the rights of Christian citizenship to ihe baptized children and exemplary adherents of the Church. While I maintain that each child in the land has a right to such an education as will fit him for his duties as a citizen of the state, and that the obligations of the state correspond to the rights of the child, so I maintain, upon still stronger and higher grounds, that each child baptized by the Church is thereby enfianchised with the rights and privileges of citizenship in it, until he forfeits them by personal misconduct and exclusion, and that the obligations of the Church correspond to the rights of the child. I also maintain that each member of Christ*s visible Church, has u scriptural right to his membership in it as long as he keeps the "commandments and ordinances of God,** whether He attends or does not attend a meeting which Mr. Wesley, (who instituted it,) declared to be " merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution," and for not attending which he never excluded, or presumed to authorise excluding, a person from church mem- bership. It is a principle of St. Paul, in the 14th chapter of Romans, of all true Protestantism, as well as of the writings of Mr. Wesley, " in necessary things unity ^ in non-essentidls liberty ^ in alt things charity** Toronto, July 6, 1864: ^' 'J;, " ^'!-^''^^ E*,RTERS0iJ. P. S. It is proper to state, that the letters of the Peesideiit of the Conlerence contained in the following correspondence, are pnblkhed with his consent; and it is a gratifyintj duty lor me to acknowledge his Christian and gentlemanly treatment ot me in both his othcial and private capacity. ^ "-^^ i*nisi(t3v-v,u^ *4fi ^^.i-K *-.*,; .j»j, ji^ ■; ii' .^::/' ■■■■ } H.' I . I. •< . » .-,, r rK ', 1 • ' r. ■ I . f 'V CORRESPONDENCE. •4 -<■■•> — 1 hereby resign into your hands, my membership in the Con- ference, and my office as a Minister of the Wesley an Methodist Church-Therewith enclosing in^ parchments of ordination, thus taking my place among the Laity of the Church — retaining no longer any other right to the designation of reverend^ than do those gentlemen to the designation of honorable^ who have once been members of the Executive or Legislative Council. ... , I ha ve> resolved to take this step after long and.serious deliberation, but without consulting any human being. I take this step, not because I do not believe that the Weslcyan Ministry is as fully authorised as the Ministry of any other branch of the universal Church, to exercise all the functions of the Chris- tian Priesthood; not because I do not as unfeignedly as ever sub- scribe, to all t^e doctrines of the Wesieyan Church ; not because I do not profoundly honor the integrity and devotedness of the Wes- ieyan Miniiitry; not because I do not think that Christian Discipline is as strictly^ if not more strictly, maintained in the Wesleyan Church than in any other Christian Church in the world. But I resign, (not my connection with, -but)' my miniiterial office in, the Wesleyan Church, because I believe a condition of member- jship 10 exa'cted In it which has no warrant in Scripture, nor in the practice of the Primitive Church, nor in the writings of Mr. Wes- ley; and in consequence of which condition, great numbers of exemplary heads of families and young people are excluded from all u recognition and rights of membership in the Church, t refer to attendance upon class-meetiiig — without ^ittendance at which no person is aciinbwledged as a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, however sincerely and cordially he may believe her doc* trineS) prefer her ministry, and support her institutions, and however exemplary he may be in his life. I believe that class-meetings as well as love-feasts, have been and are a means of immense good in the Wesleyan Church, and that both should be employed and recommended aa prudential and useful, means of religious edification to all who may be willing to avail them- selves of them. But as attendance at love-feast is known to be volun- tary and not to be a condition of membership in the Church ; so I think that attendance at cinss-meeting should also be voluntary, and ought not to be exalted into an indispensable condition of mem- bership in the Church. I am persuaded that every person who believes the doctrines, and observes the precepts and ordinances enjoined by our Lord and His Apostles, is eligible to membership in the Church of Christ, and cannot, on Scriptural or Wesleyan grounds, be excluded from its rights and privileges upon the mere ground of his br her being unable to reconcile it to their Views to take a pan in the conversations of class-meetings. The views thus stated, I have entertained many years. After Hav- ing rovolved the subject in my mind for some time, I expressed my views on it 1840 ; and in 1841, the Rev. John C. Davidson assigned my remarks on this subject as one of his reasons for leaving the Canadian Conference and uniting with another branch of the Wes- leyan Church. The affairs of the Church not being in a settled state during several years subsequent to 1840, 1 thought it inopportune to introduce the question; and as I had no pastoral chiirge, I endieav- red to divert my mind from it. But since my more direct connection with the youth of the country af large, and hiving met with num- bers of exemplary persons who' prefer the Methodist Church to any other, but are Excluded from it by the required (iohdition of attending class-meeting, be^id^S thouJfands of young people of Wesleyan parent's' and' congre|al!6ns, I have bec^mie tndfe deeply tb'ari ever impressed with the importance of the question, — to wHich, you are aWare, I referred in remarks made at the last and preceding Cohference. I had intended until within' a si1t)rt time, to deter any 1^ refer to hich no Lethodist ler doc- | fio waver i leen and and that \ useful, lil tliem- }e Yolun- ch ; so I tary, and of mem- soh who dinances ership in grounds, 3 ground o take a fter hav- issed my assigned ving the ho Wea- led state Drtunc to cndeav- ihnection h num- hurch to Condition )eople^ of e deeply o which, receding ieter any decision on the step I now take until the neitt antinal Conferetici^, and until after bringing the question in the form of distinct proposi- tions before the Conference j but, after the best consideration in my power, I have thought it advisable to resign my office in the Church at the present time— fearing the revival and results of unpleasant- nesses from my bringing the question foriiittlly before the Conference, from a conscious uncertainty as to what moment I may " cease at once to work and live,'* on account of frequent and dreadful attacks in my head, and from a deep conviction that I should no longer delay taking the most effectual means in my power to draw the attention of the ministry and members of the Wesleyan Church to this ano* maly in her Disciplinary regulations, and secure, if possible, to tens of thousands of persons the rights and privileges of membership in that branch of the Church of Christ which they prefer — rights and privileges to which I am persuaded they are justly entitled upon both Scriptural and Wesleyan grounds. I do not think it is honest or right for a man to hold the office of a minister in a Church, all whose essential regulations, as well as docti'ines, he cannot justify and recommend. I say essential regu- lirtiun.s ; for there may be many regulations and practices in a Church of which a minister mny not approve, and the existence ot which he may deplore, but which would not prevent him from maintaining, &s usual, his relations and course of labour. An enlightened Christian mind can and will, without any compromise ot principle, allow a wide latitude in modes of proceeding, and in matters of opinion, taste, and prudence. But a regulation which determines Who shall and who shall not be recognised as members I the Church of Christ, involves a vital question, the importance of which cannot be overrated, and which must be determined by Divine Revelation, and not bv mere conventional rules. ^'''•' ^C' --i " Now, while as an individual I may value and wish to attend, as far as possible, iall prudential as weH as instituted means of gra-ce in our Church, I cannot as a teacher, by word or office, declare that all persons who will not attend class-rneetfngs, in additidrt to'bbAferving all the ordinances of Christ, should be rejected and excluded from the Christian Church. I cannot say so — I cannot think so — I cannot believe it Scriptural or right, in respect to great numbers of esti- mable persons, and of the sons and daughters of bur people, who w believe Wesleyan doetrinos, who respect and love the Wesleyan ministry, support Wesleyan institutions, are exemplary in their lives, and who v/ish to be members of the Wesleyan Church, but who, from education, or mental constitution, or oiher circumstances, can- not face, much less enjoy, the developments and peculiarities of the clasK-meetiflg. I have met and sympathised with many who have sought to reconcile their views and feelings to the personal speak- ings and communications of class-meetings, but wiio could not succeed ; and not being allowed otherwise to enjoy the privileges of membership i:) the Wesleyan Church, were driven to seek admission into some other Christian communion. ..-: f. ^ ■, ; .;.) , , r,, Our Lord and His Apostles have prescribed no form of religious communion but the Lord's Supper. The New Testament meetings of Chiistian fellowstiip, in which the early Christians edified one another, are appropriately adduced as the exemplars of Wesleyan Love-feasts — that voluntary and useful means of religious edification. But it is remarkable that a person may neither attend Love-feast nor the Lord's Supper, and yet retain his membership in the Wesleyan Church, while he is excluded from it if he does not attend class- meeting, though he may attend both the Lord's Supper and Love- feast, as well as the preaching of the word and meetings for prayer. Nay, I find in the latter part of the section of our Discipline on " Class Meetings," that the Minister in charge of a circuit is required to exclude all " those members of the Church who wilfully and repeatedly neglect to meet their class," but to state at the time of their '* exclusion," "that they are laid aside for a breach of our rules of Discipline, and not for immoral conduct." I know of no Scrip- tural authority to exclude any person from the Church of Christ on earth, except for thai which would exclude him from the kingdom of glory, namely "immoral conc'uct." But here is an express requireijjent for the exclusion of persons from the Wesleyan Church for that which it is admitted is not " immoral <*:.meeling, and the ministrations of his preachers, should regularly attend the services and sacraments of the Church of England. In his sermon "on attending church service," Mr. Wesley says, " it was one of our original rules, that every member of our society should attend the church and sacrament, unless be had been bred among christians of another denomination." In his Tractj entitled " Principles of a Methodist Further Explained,** (written in reply to the Rev. Mr. Church,) Mr. Wesley says, " The United Society was originally so called, because it consisted of several smaller societies united together. When any members of these, or ot the United Society, are proved to live in known sin, we then mark and avoid them ; we separate ourselves from every one that walks disorderly. Sometimes if the case be judged infectious, (though rarely) this is decided openly ; but this you style * exconimunication,' and say, ' does not every one see a separate ecclesiastical conimu' nion ?' " Mr. Wesley replies, " No. This society does not separate from the rest of the Church of England. They continue steadfast with them both in the apostolical doctrine, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." And in further reply to the charge, that in excluding disorderly persons from his society, he was usurping a power committed to the higher order of the clergy, Mr. Wesl«y says " No ; not in the power of excluding members from a private societ^f unless on the supposition of some such rule as ours is, viz. : * Thtit if a man separate from the church, he is nc longer a member of our society.'" -- .;.,,■•-': ■ ::--\-.^..-jJ u. -d;;..}.i.. j^u..A These passages (from scores of similar ones in Mr. Wes\ej/*t Works), are sufficient to shew what Mr. Wesley understood and intended by admission into, or esclusion from any one of his societies — that it did not in the least affect the relations of any person to tbo ebarch of which he was a member. Now, tbt' nilt - H UM • i^aujifgp 11 A 1/ 19 which Mr. Wesley imposed as a cono'ition of fnemboruhip in ■ private society in a church, we itnpcwe aa a condition of meipberahip in the church itaelf. ,: - . ' f^ It i« also worthy of remark, that ottendance at class-meeting ft» liot required of members in the general rvlea of the society-^ihoue very rules which our ministers arc required to give to persons |HfoposiDg to join the Wesleyan Church. r In those rules no mention is made of class-meetin^, nor is it there required that each member shall meet the leader^ much less meet him in a clas8-mee*iog, in the presence of many olhors ; but that the leader shall see each person in his class, and meet the minister and stewards once a week. Yet, by constant and universal practice we have transferred the obligation from the leader to the member, and made it the duty of the latter, (on pain of excommuni- cation,) to meet the former in class-meeting ; an obligation which is no where enjoined in the general rules. In those rules it is said, '* There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies — a desire to fise from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins." The rules then truly state, that wherever this desire is really fixed in the soul, it will be known by its fruits. These fruits are briefly but fully set forth under three beads. (1) By doing, no harm. (2) By doing good. (3) " By attending all the ordinances of God. Such, the public worship o) God ; the ministry of the word, either read or expounded ; the Supper of the Lord; family and private prayer; searching the scriptures, and fasting or ab^ti^nce. Thet>e ore the general rules of our societies, all of which we are taught of God to observe, even in I lis written word, which is the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both of faith and practice." Now, neither class-meeting nor love-feust is mentioned among the " ordinances of God," enumerated in the general rules of the society; nor is it mentioned in Mr. We-sley's Large Minutes of Conference among the instituted means of ^race. So far as the general rules themselves are concerned, there is .nothing which makes attendance at clt^ss-meeting a condition of memberabip, even in Mr. Wesley's societies as he originally instituted them ; nor did the idea of holding class-meetings at all, .^Oftur to Mr. Wesley until after the general ruleawere drawn up and 19 "P "I ■ I and published.* But what was not required by the general rules * Note on the origin of the office of class-leader and class-meetings • Mr. Wesley's own account of the origin of the office of class-leader and clasa-meetings, illustrates the accuracy of what I have stated. The office was first created at Bristol, 15th February, 1742, for financial pur- poses alone. A few weeks afterwards, it was instituted for religious purposes also ; and for the twofold object of religion and finance, it was embodied in the General Rules, which were drawn up and signed by Mr. Wesley, 1st May, 1743 ; but in which there is no mention made of class - meeting, or of the duty of any member to meet in class. In his " Plain Account of the People called Methodists," Mr. Wesley thus slates the origin of the office of class-leader and the institution of class-meetings : "At length (says he,) while we were thinking of quite another thing, we struck upon a method for which we have had cause to bless God ever since. I was talking with several of the Society in Bristol [Feb. 15, 1742] concerning the means of paying the debts there; when one ptood up, and said, ' Let every member of the Society give a penny a week till all are paid.' Another said, " But many of them are poor, and cannot afford to do it.* ' Then,' said the other, ' put eleven of the poorest with me, and if they can give any thing, well: 1 will see them weekly ; and if they can give nothing, I will give for them as well as for myself. And tach of you call upon eleven of your neighbours weekly, receive what they give, and make up what is wanting. It was done. In a little while some of these informed me, they found such and such an one did live as he ought. It struck me immediately. This is the very thing we have wanted so long ] I called together the Leaders of the classes (so we used to term them and their companies,) and desired that each would make particular inquiry into the behaviour of those whom he saw weekly. They did so. Many disorderly walkers were detected. Some turned from the evil of their ways. Some were put away from us. Many saw it with fear, and rejoiced in God with reverence. As soon as possible, the same method was used in London, and in all other places." The following is Mr. Wesley's account of the first appointment of class- leaders in London, extracted from his Jaurnal, Thursday, March 25, 1742, "I appointed several earnest and sensible men to meet me, to whom I showed the great difficulty I had long found of knoioing the peo' pie who desired to be under my care. After much discourse, they all agreed there could be no better way to come to a sure, thorough know^ ledge of each person, than to divide them into classes, like those at Bristol, under the inspection of those in whom I could confide. This was the origin of our classes at London, for which I can never suffi- ciently praise God ; the unspeakable usefulness of the institution having ever since been more and more manifest." Jn his "Plain account of the People called Methodists," Mr. Wesley says,'' At first they [the Leaders] visited each person at his own house ; l)Ut this was soon found not so expedient; and that on many accounts." Mr. Wesley assigns several reasons for this change, and proceeds to answer several objections to class meetings. The foUowiog passage shows the exact ground on which Mr. Wesley based the institution of class-meetings: 20 Bdon became a cundiiion of memberrihip in another way — this wm by the system of civing licketa. Mr. Webloy says in his plain accoun of tlie people called Methodiats — "As the society ijicreased, I found it required still greater care to separate the precious from the vile. In order to this, I determined, at least once in three months, to teilk with every member myself, and to inquire at their own mouth, aa well as of their leaders and neighbours, whether they grew in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To each of those whoso seriousness and good conversation I had no reason to doubt, I gave a testimony under my own hand, by writing their name on a ticket prepared for that purpose Those who bore these tickets, wherever they came, were acknowledged by their brethren, and were received with all cheerfulness. These tickets also supplied us with a quiet and inoffensive method of removing anv disorderly member. He has no ticket at the quarterly visitation (for so often "Some objected, ' There were no such meetings when I came into the society first: and why should there be now? I do not understand these things, and this changing one thing after another continually.' It was easily answered: It is a pity but they had been from the first. But we knew not then, either the need or the benefit of them. Why we Use them, you will easily understand, if you will read over the Rules of the Society. That with regard to these little prudential kelps, we are continually chang^ing one thing after another, is not a weakness or fault as you imagine, but is a pi-culinr privilege which we enjoy, By this means we declare them all to be merely prudential, nut essential, not of divine institution." Now, while it is proper for each person, as far as may be consistent with his circumstances and views of duty, to use every prudential means of doing and getting good, yet the observance of nothing but what is Divinely instituted should be imposed as a condition of mem'jership in the CWurch of God. To make attendance at class-meeting that condi- tion, is to require what the Lord hnth not commanded, and to change essentially the character and objects of a means of good which Mr. Wesley (with whom it originated) declared to be" merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution." ,, , ...-,!. v>",ftAt *. »? ^fs That Mr. Wesley conceived the basis of a church should be much more comprehensive than the rules he drew up and recommended in regard to the " little prudential helps" which were suggested to him from time to lime , is obvious from the eighth of his twelve reasons against organising a new Church — reasons pujlished many years after the pre- paration and adoption of all his society rules. His words are as follows : '* Because to form the plan of a new church would require infinite time and care, with much more wisdom and greater depth and extensiveness of thought than any of us are mastert of." •?«*-' v i^*-* ♦■ . 4r<.. ««»-• 31 this wai I accoun I found the vile. i, to teilk outh, as n grace of thoao doubt, ne on a tickets, en, and iplied ua sorderly BO often ime into deratand lily.' It rst. But Why we Rules of t, we are ) or fault By this il, not of onsistent al means t what is erehip in \t condi- o change hich Mr. rudential, the tickets are changed) ; and hereby it is imrrediately known that he is no longer of the community." It was at length required by a minute of Conference, (as our own discipline enjoins,) that a preacher should not give a ticket of membership to any person who did not meet in class. In our own discipline, in the section on class-meetings, will also be found the following question and answer : — '* Question — What shall be done with those members of our church who wilfully and repeatedly neglect their class? "Answer. — 1. Let the chairman, or one of the preachers, visit them whenever it is practicable, and explain to them the consequence if they continue to neglect, viz., exclusion. " 2. If they do not attend, let him who has charge of the circuit exclude them, (in the church,) showing that they are laid aside for a breach of our rules of discipline, and not for immoral conduct^ By this added ministerial authority and duty, a condition of membership in the society is imposed which is not contained in the General Rules, and which subjects a member to exclusion^ for that which is acknowledged to be " not immoral conduct." This appears a strange regulation in even a private religious society within a church ; but no objection could be reasonably made to any such regulation in such a society, if its members desired it, and as it would not affect their church membership. But the case is essentially different, when such society in a church becomes a church, and exercises the authority of admitting into, and excluding from the church itself, and not merely a society in the church. '> In England, and especially in the United States and Canada, the Wesleyan Societies have become a church. I have repeatedly shewn in past years, that they have become organized into a church ttpon both Wesleyan and scriptural grounds. I believe the Wes- leyan Church in Canada is second to no other in the scriptural authority of its ministry and organization. Believing this, I believe that exclusion from the Wesleyan Church, (eillier by expulsion or refusal of admission) is exclusion from a branch of the Church of God — is an act the most solemn and eventful in the history and relations of any human being — an act which should never take place except upon the clear and express authority of the word of God*- — • Far be it from me to say one word other than in favour of every 22 kind of religious exerniso and commnDion which tends to promotd the 6piritnal mindednesa, brotherly love ami fervent zeal of pro- fessing chriHtiana. That clasH-moetinga (nolwithHtonding oceaaional improprieties and abuses ottending them,) have been a valuable means in promolinj,' the splriiualily and usefulness of the Wea- leyan Church, no one acquainted with her history can for a mo- ment doubt; and I believe that myriads on earth and in heaven have, and will ever have, reason for devout thnnkfulneaa and praise for the benefits derived from class-meetings, as well as from love- feasts and meetings for prayer. But attendance upon the two latter is voluntary on the part of the members of the Wesleyan Church; and what authority is there for suspending their very membership in the Church of God on their attendance upon the former ? The celebration of the Lord's Supper, and not class-meeting, was the binding characteristic institution upon the members of the Primitive Church. So I am persuaded it should be now ; and that christian faith and practice alone (and not the addition of attendance upon class-meeting,) should be the test of worthiness for its communioo and privileges. While, therefore, as an individual [ seek to secure and enjoy all the benefits of the faithful mirastrations and scriptural ordinances of the Wesleyan Church, I cannot occupy a position which in itself, and by its duties requires me to enforce or justify the imposition of a condition of membership in the Church of Christ, which I believe is not required by the holy scriptures, and the exclusion of thousands of persons from church mombership and priviliges, to which I believe they have as «alid a right as I have, and that upon the aole ground of their non-attendance at a meeting, the neglect of which our own discipline admits, does not involve " immoral conduct," and which Mr. Wesley himself, in his Plain Account of the People called Methodists, has decl'i d " to be merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution." ,< > aa-n' It is passing strange, that while the Wesleyan Church !&> the avowed " friend of all and enemy oi none'* — is the moat Catholic of any Protestiat body towards other religious communions — she should close the door of admission into her own fold even to attendance upon class-meeting. I regard it as the misfortune rather than the dishoooui of the Wesleyan Church, that she repels thovaands that seek her eonuuujuon xather than relax this term of admisaion. i •v * ». 23 ff her sneecss has been so great r.hder disadvanfagefl ?npara11e1e J '• •'<-^"'' Your affectionate brother, '■^'-'•"^ **''"'"' ■'•;; •• ^ '.r.>^ - . And faithful servant, ^^ uH''-* (Signed) E. RYERSON. .: The Rev. Enoch Wood, '-^ President ff Ike Wesleytm Conference.'^' • P.S. — It may be proper to state that the principal part of this letter was written several weeks since, but was laid aside for further consideration until now. ►...vai-.j ^gigned) E. E. (''<«: y>j IL— REPLY TO THE FdREGOING LETTBiL - ^' ■i'j-^'or'''^r" ,. I ,;•'•/?:?.* '" r^'-'^n^ (Copt) .... ^ Toronto, January 4/A, 1854. Revelend and Dear Doctor, — To accept the enclosed documents would be assamingf i'Majfon- aibility at variance with my judgment and affectiona. If the propoaal \i.i 24 y&u make of withdrawing from the Methodist ministry be eter received, it must be with the concurrence of the collective conference; or should the question require immediate attention, ^bat of its executive committee. I shall be glad to see the enact- ment of any regulation which will promote the usefulness of our cbnrch to the benefit of a large and intelligent class of adherents now re(^eiving no recognition beyond their contributions to our institutions ; and ulso tha adoption of practical measures by which the youth baptized by Wesleyan Ministers may be more personally eared fcr, and affiliated to our ordinances. Your distinguished ability and matured experience emirently qualify you as a safe legislator and councillor on such grave questions, which by some cannot be separated from ancient usages greatly ble.-^sed to the growing spirituality of true believers, without injury to the v' al character of the church. After so long and useful a career, your separation from oui- conference and work would bo a connexional calamity. You stand among the few in Canada to whom the present independent and legal position of the Wesleyau Church stands deeply indebted. Future generations of ministers and people will partake, imperceptibly to themselves, of the advantages a few of the more gifted and noble-minded brethren struggled and contended for against so many obstacles. You are as capable of remedying any- thing wrong, or supplying anything wanting unihin the Church, as you were many years ago, to overcome impediments to her usetnlness without. " '?"-' ^-,^ -^^[ nyt^rr I am. Reverend and Dear Doctor, -^' ..-.KH M;;^': f^i'tl Htti your afTectionate Brother ^.fJv <* *:i (Signed) And Fellow-labourer, ENOCH WOOD. Rev. E. Rterson, D. D., &c., Slc. .y. III.— COPY OF RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED BY Dki. RY- ERSON, AND NEGAT4 7ED BY THE CONFERENCE— ^ Ju:?E, 1854. Resolvedi — OT/i «f l«-M*TI)at no human anthority h<»« a right to impose any condition of membenbip in the visible church of Christ, which is not enjoined 25 ■ by, or may be concluded from the Holy Scrfptures. r 2. — That the General Rules of tht) United Societies of the Wesleyan Methodist Church being formed upon the holy scriptures, and requiring nothing of any member which is not necessary for admission into the kingdom ot grace and glory, ought to be main* tained inviolate as the religious and moral standard of profession, conduct and character, in regard to all who are admitted or continued members of our church. 3. — That the power, therefore, of expelling persons from the visible Church of Christ, for other than a cause sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom of giace and glory, which the fourth question, and answers to it, contained in the second section of tbo second chapter of our discipline, confer and enjoin upon our ministers, is unauthorized by the holy scriptures, is inconsistent with the scriptural rights of the members of Christ's Church, and ought not to be assumed or exercised by any minister of our church. 4.— -That the anomalous question and answers referred to in the foreeoing resolution, be, and are hereby expunged from our discipline and are required to be omitted in printing the. next edition of it.'*' ,^.r':>V V'r- ■iijort^ iy.^LBTTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THJJ CON- •^i'.vKijaiit J^fifl-.V;!:;-.". r'y.iii F|iRENCE.,j4,>n liuw. 'rA -^bos 't«^rf'.^'q , (Copy) ^.•j,-^>^',^-^'y_j^'ii^f'^^u'^X'A ■■.. ..- j-.^ .,.-.•,!;. ,,-,--« iIk":!?* vr '• "Belleville, June lOi^, 1864. ' \ ' Reverend AND Dear Sir, — The decision of the Co iference this afternoon on the scriptural rights of the members of our church and the power of our minioters in respect to them, makes it at length my painful duty to request * NoTE,-;-Thc following are the Question and Answers referred to : — *'' Qti€9. 4, What shall we do with those members of our Church who wilfully and repeatedly neglect ti meet their class? 'Mn». 1. Let -the Chairman, or one of the Preachers, visit them when- ever it w practicable, and expfain to them the consequence, if they con- tinue to neglect, viz : — E:icki8ion. " 2. If they do not amend, let him who has th< charge of the circuit, exclude them, (in the church) showing that they are laid aside for a breach of our rules of Discipline, and not for immoral conduct.". .-x.^- 9.6 I you to lay befoi^ the Conference the letter which I addressed to you the 2nd of last January, and (hat you will consider that letter as now addressed to the Conference through you. The kind and too flattering answer (dated 4th January,) which you were pleased to make to that letter, the hopes you therein expressed, and the willingness which you subnequently expressed to assume the responsibility of my retaining for the time being, my official po.sition in the Conference after so explicit an avowal of my convictions, induced me to defer any further action on the subject until the Conference. I have done so, and have, after due notice, brought the subject before the Conference ; but the hopes which you expressed in your letter of the 4th January, have, in no respect, been realized. I am, however, thankful that the discussion ot the subject has terminated without any asperity or unkindness of feeling on either side. I trust you and the Conference will do me the justice to allow the publication of the Resolutions which I have proposed and the cor- respohdence Which has taken place between us on this subject, that my views and conduct may not be misapprehended by that large reli. gious community among whom I have labored nearly thirty years, and with whom I hope, as ever, to be connected. I herewith again enclose you my patchments of ordination. I purpose to do all in my power to promote thos . important measures in regard to the college and means for the regular training of received candidates for the ministry which have been recommended by the Conference. I cannot attempt to add anything more to what is con- tained in my letter of the 2nd January, expressive of what I feel on the present occasion, except to say that, although I gave no intimaion during the discussion of the result of the decision on this subject upon my own official relations to the Conference, I retire from it with feelings of undiminished respect and affection for my Reverend Brethren, and my earnest prayer for their welf&re and usefulneis. , , 1 remain. Reverend and dear Sir, .4. ., V .ji , . , Your faithful Secvjint and Brother, (Signed) •'-- E. RYERSON. Ths Reveeend Enoch Wood, ,.,,,^ (B'r^mU ud? .-.f} ic'-sf -^hm-y--- Presukni of the Cortferenc&, kka ,sijii(|m£(l.Tio nW- ".ha ■•. 'i 'J5.jyi. 27 hi'jt f.rr-.-sRV- '.■■ ''' ••• •■ ? ii - v.— REPLY TO THE FOREGOING LETTBR. ^ ' '' (pan.) ■■ '* • u •.■■•;.;: iJ-^.^'W mi . /-Hja Rbt. ARD Dear Doctor, — Tiie parpoM yon aim to tccomplish can be efTeettially secured by a diflBBfeat reaoiation to that introduced yesterday ; if you will stay andi hoar what the brethren may say abotrt t!^e appointment of a large committee to take op this subject before I lay your resigfnation before tham, I shall feel much gratified. I again say, I look upon yoor proposed withdrawal with deep sorrow, and must say, I cannot briog myseif to believe tiiat on such grounds you can be justified in taking so aerioas a step. If the separation cannot be avoided, you will bo kind enough to send the letter teferred to, as you remember t handed it to yon since coming to Belleville. Again, I entreat you, my dear friend, to withdfftw your resignation. Excuse this scrawl, as 1 write in the midst of Cooferenee business. Very respectfully^ -'—•:•••- v- <;•, -a; ;- And aflffectionately yonrsi *''''**' '''^ ' r i (Signedi) ENOCH WdOD; Fi S.'^-'llitad I have the letter; but wouM> atili wish^ yoa would atteadf and heat what the Cbnforehce mav -ay. '' ■ * '"^ -S- '^''^^^ ■'fi-'*'!' '■'■>i >i'»ss«'« \i.v -(Signed,) -^'^ '''^ iH-h\h\n>tj -^^ W, Jktn$ I9ihf I9b4, •^i'i"^-^ v;?.-:s-n» fbiiiv^ ;/;..; i.i-i;^ .hHu>i'i\/ ^u'm\ VLr-I^ETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE CON- . Ji..'»;tr'fl; JOi^ii iDr »il<'^'?.^ ., FERENCE. .^, (Cow) ,^ MONDAT MOBKING, Bellivills, June 12^ 1864. RiVERERD ARD DeAE SiB, — In seoordance with the request contained in your afi^ctionate note of S^aturday, I attended the Conference, instead of pressing tha Ttading to it of tha letter which I had addreaaed to you on Saturday francln»e thousands of children of divinely chartered rights and privileges. Mr. Wesley, in his Treatise on Baptism, in stating the third benefit of baptism, remarks — " By baptism we are admitted into the Church, and con* sequently made members of Christ, its Head. The Jews were admitted into the Church by circumcision, so are the Christians by baptism." Then Mr. Wesley, speaking of the proper subjects, of baptism, says— »^ '^'»-i >».;••••- J ^-i -^ v^ '^' J-J* «f; ' • •?-;«'>^ wo;i " If infants are capable of making a covenant, and were and still are under the evangelical covenant, then they have a right to baptistn, which is the entering ^eal thereof. But' infants ard capable of making a covenant, and were and still aire under the evangelical covenant. ''"''' ** The custom of nations and common reason of mankind prove that infants may enter into a covenant, and may be obiiered by com* pacts made by others in their name, and receive advantage by them. But we have stronger proof than this, even God's own word : " Ye stand this day aU of you before the Lord,— your captains, with all the men of (srael; your little ones, your wives and the stranger, — that thou shouldest enter into covenant wi(h the Lord thy God," Deut. xxix, 10-12. Now, God would never have made a covenant with little ones, if they had not been capable of it. It is not said children only, but little children, the Hebrew word properly signifying Infants. And these niay be still, as they were of old, obliged to perforin, in ' af\eniine, what they af-e not capable of performing at the time of their entering into tliat obligatian. " The infants of believero, the true children of faithful Abraham, a1 ffByn were under t!be Uospel covenant. They were included in it, they had a right to it and to the seal of it ; as an infant heir has a right to his estate, though he cannot yet have actual possession."— Vol. X, English Edition, pp. 193, 194. Vol. vi, American Edition, •pp. 16, lTt«.-.;;.„v::i:.i. j.i:u U-;i.u..J ■(.!<; s-^i;.-.-- ■ . * ,. .-^ --^-.ji 30 1^ ■ ■;! Again, Mr. Wesley** third argument on thia thia anbject ia ao clear, eo touching, nnd ao conclusive, that I will quota it without abridgement, at* foUowa :— >* " If infants ought to come to Christ, if they are capable of admia* aion into the Church of God, and conse(}uently of aolemn sacramental dedication to him, then they are proper subjects of baptism. But infants are capable of coming to Christ, of admisaion into the Church, and solemn dedication lo God. . '■ ^i -- ^- A ** That infanta ought to come to Christ, appears from hia own words : * They brought little children to Christ, and the disciples rebuked them. And Jesus said, Suffe; little children to come unto me, and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of heaven,' Matt, xix, 13, 14. St. Luke expresses it still more strongly : * They brought unto him even infants, that he might touch them,' xviii, 16. These children were so little, that they were brought to him ; yet ha aays, ' Suffer them to come unto me :' so little, tlwt he * took them up in his arms ;** yet he rebukes those who would have hindered their coming to him. And his command respected the future as well as the present. Therefore his disciples or ministers arc still to suffer infanta to come, that is, to be brought, unto Christ. But they cannot now come to him, unless by being brought into the Church ; which cannot be but by baptism. Yea, and * of auch,' aava our Lord, *ia the kingdom of heaven ;' not of such only as were like theae infanta. For if they themselvea were not fit to be subjects of that kingdom, how could others be so, because thev were like them ? Infants, therefore, are camible of being admitted into the Church, and have a right thereto. Even under the Old Testament they were admitted into it by circumcision. And can we suppose they are in a worae condition under the Gospel, than they were under the law ? and that our Lord would take away any privilegea which they then en- joyed ? Would he not rather make additions to them 7 This, then is a third ground. Infants ought to come to Christ, and no man ought to forbid them. They are capable of admission into the Church of God. Therefore, they are proper subjects of baptism." — Vol. X., English Edition, pp. 195, 196. Vol. vi., American Edition pp.17,18. ^..'i ^'^ ••■'•■;•';* •;•* ■•■ '^'C-- > ..^c«u..:si..,: ;.iw- Upon these Wesleyan and Scriptural grounds, I believe that the promise and privileges of membership in the Church belong to the baptized children of our people as well as to their parents ; that the parenta have a right to claim this relationship and its privileges for their children until such children are excluded from the Church by the lawful acts of its executive authorities. Oiherwiae, the yc>uth baptized by our ministry are in the most pitiful and degrading reli- gioua position of the youth of any Church that recognizes the dod- H'f ^fW- wm '•■' -'•I.*, 11 trine of infant baptism ; and it appears to me that we ought rather not to baptize infanta at all, or recommend their parents to take them to other churches for baptism, than thus to treat the feelings ot such parenis, and to regard their children as having no more mem* bership and privileges in our Chorch than the rest of the youth of the land, or even the world at large. It it happily true, that many of the children of our people, as well as those of other people, are converted and brought into the Church under the faithful ministrations of the Word ; jut how many ten thousand more of them would never wander from the Church, would more easily and more certainly be led to experience all the power of inward religion and the blessings of Christian fellowship, were they acknowledged in their true position and rights, and taught the signi- ficancy, and obligation, and privilege of all that the outward ordi- nances and their risible relations involved were intended to confer. It ought to make a Christian heart bleed to think that our largest increase of members, according to returns over which we are dis- posed to congratulate ourselves, falls vastly short of the natural increase of population in our own community, apart from the increase of the population of the country at large, and therefore that perhaps five or more persons are sent out into the world, at world' lings, from the families of our Church, while one is retained or brought into it from the world by all our ministrations and agencies. The prophets did not deny to a Jew his membership in the Jewish Chuich, in order to make him a Jew inwardly. Mr. Wesley did not un-church ihe tens of thousands of baptized members of the Church of England to whom he successfully preached salvation by faith : he made their state, and duties, and privileges, as baptized members of the Church of Christ, the grounds of his appeals : and this vantage ground was one great means of his wonderful success. But I will not enlarge. I will only add, that as in former years, I, with others, maintained what we believed to be the rights of Canada and of our Canadian Church against pretensions which have long since been withdrawn, and the erroneous information and impres- sions connected with which have long since been removed ; sd, 1 now feel it my duty to do what I can to secure and maintain ihe Scriptural and Wesleyan rights of members of oar Church agaiaat ; I the exercise of ministerial autnonty which haa no warrant m Scrip* ture nor in the writings of Mr. Wesley ; and I feel myself specially cai^ upon by my position in respect to the youth of the country, aa weilj^s by my strong convictions, to claim and insist upon the Scriptural and Wesleyan rights of church membership in behalf of the many thousands of children baptized by our ministry^-believing upon botH Scriptural and Wesleyan grounds, it is due to such chil- dren and to their parents. v . .- j '- - , . -' { mi. . .. i- Under nuch circumstances, I have no other alternative tHah to request you again to lay before the Conference the correspondence which has taken place between us on these subjects. X Of your pergonal courtesy and kindness towards nn6,'T Hl^all ever retain r grateful recollection.'" ' • ,' ^ % 7? . " ' " ^,' '•' - * I have no object in view, beyond what is avowed In this corres- pondence. If I have had any personal ambition, it has been more ihan satisfied both in the Church and in the country at large. I have nothing more to seek or desire, than to employ the short and uncer- tain time ifiat remains to me in striving to become more and more meet'for the intercourse of the saints in light, to mature and promote fdr my native, country the great educational system in which I am engaged, and to secure to all members of our Church, and to all parents and children baptized into it, what I am persuaded are their sacred rights and privileges. I am satisfied that Scriptural and Wesleyan truth will, as heretofore, prevail, end that the Conference and the Church will yet rejoice in it, however it may, for the mo- ment, be clouded by error and misrepresentation, or impeded by personal feelings, groundless fears, or mistaken prejudice. e, Reverend and dear Sir, ^ ^ Your faithful friend and servant, .« - ..* ^Believe me. Reverend and dear Sir. \ u ^3B : r,'fe:tif{» #^ 1 ».i»°»c IMC, *vcTci^i« «iiu uwi K^w, ^^ fct^wiHi Ifhs^DDMit lifTtykiu-W thi'Ur^H. (Signed) E. RYERSON. ^Tb^ Reverend Enoch Wood, , U'V ) Prtnimt cfthe Conference* ^-HttN^^!^^5^«ft^ t«??»ft«t*«H: ^*Li«r$fi^-i ,^i-^h^; ^fmf^^m^ m&i oq;rU ■t. - , ^^ t in Scrip- f specially sountry, at upon the t behalf of -believing such chil- e than to Bpondencd i . ■' a., ,-• I', ill ktiall ever . ...A lis corres- )een more B. I have nd uncer- and more d promote iich I am and to all are their )tural and onference r the mo- ipeded by 'isid :&:m asoN. Mm) dim