% w *■} 'n e. fi ^. > > > ^ '-^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) !.0 ■-IIM ■ 50 '""=^ I.I 1^ 1^ M 2.0 1.8 1.25 U ill 1.6 Pk)tDgaphic Sciences Corporation /. {./ >' «'x 2^ i^ ^V 'V . (3.) Though the Canada Conference had reserved its full right to act according to its own judgment and discretion on the question of a Cliurch establishment in Canada, as admitted and con- cuiTpd in by the Representatives of the British Conference from 1833 to 1839; yet, for the sake of peace, and out of respect for the British Conference, the abstract principle of religious EstablishmenU had not been interfered with, but had even been admitted on the part of our Conference and by its official organ, which had gone so far as to say, and to repeat at different times—" We have not a word to say on tha expediency and wisdom of the Ecclesiastical Establishment of England ; nor on the subject of Imperial Parliamentary appropriations in aid of Colonial Clergy. We aro not an advocate for the subversion of the English National Church Establishment, interwoven as it is by the operations of a thousand years with the entire civil and social institu- tions of England, however opposed we may be, upon the most weighty con- siderations, to its introduction into anew and difierently constituted state of society." " Nor have we any thing to say in objection to the right or proprie- ty of any people or country legislating for the encouragement of a particular form of religion when the great majority of them are agreed in its belief and profession, and in the expediency of adopting such a method to inculcate it. We do not feel it necessary to express an opinion on either of the^e points ; but we concede them in the present discussion." Adding again-—" All civil laws and legislation ought to be based on the Christian Religion ; we believe that civillegislation will be amongst the trophies of Christian triumph— that the collective homage of irations will be the inheritance of the Son of God, as well as the love and obedience of individuals." Indeed, our large conces- sions on this subject have given offence to many sincere and esteemed fiiends of our Church in Canada ; and so narrow, and entirely local and practical was the ground we occupied on this subject, that we consented to an equitable division of the interest of the proceeds of the sales of the Clergy Reserves amongst the different Christian denominations recognized by the laws of Upper Canada ; only insisting that that division should be upon terms equally accessible to them— that while some churches could apply the proportion al- lotted to them for the support of their Clergy, others should have equal liberty to apply their proportion to the building of chapels and parsonages and the chrisUan education of their youth. (4.) But even under such circumstances, and after the acknowledged reservation of the Clergy Reserve Question to the discretionary consideration and action of our Conference, did the Wesloyan Missionary Secretaries in London commence an interference with the question, and deputed Mr. Alder on a Church Establishment Mission to Upper Canada. (5.) And let it be observed lastly, that the entire ground of avowed objection and interference related, not to any secular matter, but to the question of a Church Establishment in Upper Canada, and that this was the ground and T \ T ¥■ 1 solely avowed object of Mr. Aldei'tt Mission to ilu» riovitice in respect to ih« proceedings of o. Conteroncu and its otlicitil organ. But on Mr. Alder's arrival in Upper Canada, he found the views and feel- ings of our Coaference — of the Members of our Church, whether emigrants from Great Biitain and Ireland or natives of the country — indeed of the inha- bitants generally — so strong and almost unanimous against the letter and inter- ference of the Missionary Secretaries and his own published communications,* that he deemed it expedient at our ConffrcL'^e assembled at Hamilton in June 1839, to avoid the introduction of the primary and real object of his mission, and directed his objections chiefly to the then recently expressed views of the Editor of the Guardian respecting Lord Durban' and his Report — a Report which did not reach Canada until six days after Mr. Alder sailed from England ; and which could not therefore by any po.ssibility have formed any part of his appointed Mission. Our brethren in the Ministry will recollect that the Secretary had to read the official letters above referred to, in order to put the Conference in possession of tho real objects of Mr. Alder's Mission ; and not only did the Conference maintain its position and rights on the ques- tion of the Clergy Reserves; but such were the facts elicited by the discussion, ">' . Alder did not even request tho Conference to rescind several reaolu- "h it had unanimously adopted on that subject in 1837 j (of which however, the late British Conference state, in its proceeding!, it troves ;) and even at length assented to a resolution in which our terated its previously expressed sentiments on the question of a C- ishment in Canada, and our constitutioiiui rights, and our deter- minaticn to maintain them. It became perfectly evident that tho Missionary Secretaries in London could not acquire the absolute asccnde., ,y over the affairs of Methodism in Uppei' * Note by E. Ryerson.— It is worthy of remark that the Old Country part of the Members of our Church were the most forward and ardent in the expression of their views and feelings on this subject. The Editor of the Guardian received communicalionr, from Hamilton, Guelph, Toronto (Township) Circuit, Yonge Street, Bytown, &c., condemning tho interference of the London Missionary Secretaries, and strongly appi-oving of the course w*hich he had pursued. In these places the ofEcial memuers of our church were almost entirely emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland, This was especially the case in regard to Hamilton, Guelph, and Bytown, where the official members were unanimous and strong in the expression of their sentiments on the occasion. Motives of delicacy induced the Editor to withhold those communications from the readers of the Guardian, though they are still in his posses.sion, and he still jetains a giatt al recollection of the principles and feelings which dictated them. Natives of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as natives of Canada, with very few exceptions, know how to appreciate their rights and privileges on the Western, as well as on the Eastern side of the Atlantic, and prefer guarding their own rights and managing their own affairs to leaving them to be disposed of by the Missionary Secretaries in London. Their interests, themselves and [losterity, are located in Canada, not in London ; and the place of residence is the most appropriate place of management ; and in our Conference, the President, Secre- tary, Editor, Book-Steward, and all the principal Committees, are elected annually by ballot, by the suffrages of all the Members of the Conference. Hundreds of Emigrants have been sought in the wilderness and gathered into the Church, and supplied with the ordinances of the Sanctuary ; and some have been raised up to be Ministers of the Word. Il' . I s Canada which ihoy h.id c..Mk-.i.,.|Hi,..l ai.JcIaimt'd, w.ihouladoptinii aihc, nioao. than thogo wi.ich iht-y hud hiiheiio employed, h wa» alsi, clear, from the «tute ot feeling ihroushuui our Connexion, that the breaking up of the Union ai that time would offcctuQlly defeat their o-.vn objects. Claiming th- P^ission. in Upper Canada us their exclunive properly, and assuming the right to send what Missionaries, and station them n'lien and where they pleased,— making iho line of distinction between the Mhnonary and regvlar Circv.it work as marked as possible-and securing to t» « British Conference a control over the disposal ol the Methodist portion of tv. Clergy Reserves, in the event of a division of them— stems to have been considered a co-ordinate and now the only means of weakening and ultimately ove -powering the distinctive influence and energies of the Canada Connexion on iie one hand, and of attaining the earnestly desired supremacy o*" the London Committee on the other. Hence, as the members of our Conference will remember, the claims which Mr. Alder made to the entire j roperty in our Miss' is, and his most strenuous efforts to procure the erasure of a certain note in our Discipline, and to get the assent of our Conference, in some form or another, t^ the right of the London Missionary Committee to send Missionaries at their discretion into any part of Upper Canada , also his reluctance and peculiar remarks at the appointment of a Committee to guard our rights on the Clergy Reserves— the appointment of which Committee, in his statements at the late Engiiih Conference, Mr. Alder termed " an innovation." It is clear, that the Lieutenant Governor had been induced and was determined to employ his influence to have whatever part of the proceeds of the Reserves the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada might be entitled to, on the settlement of that question, placed at th« disposal of the British Wesleyan Conference ; and we havo been informed from private sources,— but have no official authoritv for the statement— that it was understood between Mr. Alder and the Lieu.enant Governor, that, in adjusting the titles of Indian Lands, the Mission premises at the various sta- tions should be secured to the Wesleyan Missionary Committee in London, independent of the Canada Conference, notwithstanding the establishment of all those Missions, but one, by our Conference. At this critical juncture of our alfa^rs, and of the affairs of the Province- by the good providence of God, the Governor General assumed the Government of Upper Canada. It has come to our knowledge, (but not from any person connected with the Government) that the Governor General was advised from high quarters to confer with the Agent of the London Missionary Committee on the question of the Clergy Reserves, and by no means to consult Mr. E. Ryerson-the appointed repreaentative of the Canada Conference ; but His Excellency, wit", that discernment and sense of justics which becomes a wise and impartial Governor of a country, determined to hear all parties and then judge for himself. Accordingly, he sent for Messrs. Stioson and Richey on the part of the London Missionary Committee, and for Mr. E. Ryerson on the part of the Canada Conference. The differing views of the parties on some points, and the important interests involved, induced His Excellency to inves- tigate the relations of the English and Canada Connexions, and all the cireum- atanccs connected with the Grant to the Wesleyan Missionary Committee out ! ! ' i! I.i ^WIH^KHW»**awi';n?fiM^»ag*y>j ol ttie Casual and lerntoriai Kevo;,ua — knowing sonit thing pernonally lettpacl- inj the design and objects of the original Cira;:t iitclf, as he was a Member ol His late Majesty's Governm>.nt in 1832, when the Grant was made. The conclusions of His lOxcollency weru in cl.aruclor vith the just and noble feeling which dictated his inquiries. Thoy have already called forth the grateful acknowledgments of our Conference, and secured liio aft'ectionate esteem of the members and friends of our Church generally, as far as thoy have been understood, and will do so to a still greater extent as they will now bo more widely and more fully made known. One of the two letters addressed by Mr. E. Ilyerson to the Governor General on the subject r I'v rtnanciiil relations of the Conferences in England and Caiada, was trai-.nitted by His Excellency to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in illustration of view* stated at lar;^o in an accompanying despatch of his own. The circumstances under which that letter was written not being known to the Secretary of State for tho Colonies, a copy of it was sent to the Missionary Secretaries. A favourable opportunity seemed now to present itself lor them tc put down the individual memijer of the Canada Conference who had in the fulfilment of his ofliciai relations and duties, opposed the principal obstacles to their views of Miitical and ecclesiastical power in Canada, and also for them to put forth those assumptions of power which they had l.ilherto attempted in vain to sbcure. Hence, instead of trausmitling a copy of that letter to our Conference for investigation, and for explanation or condeiT'.afion, as the case might require, a few London Members of a Special Committee were called together, who adopted a series of Resolutions, containing assump- tions of prerogative and power, accusations, and sentences of condemnation against the author of that letter, and calling upon our Conference to carry them into execution on pain of a dissolution of the Union. Our Conference entered into a careful and thorough investigation of the whole matter; and whilst it maintained, in the most inotlbnsive and respectful lan''uage, its own rights and privileges, it more than disclaimed the slightest imputatibn upon the motives of the London Committee ; and concluded its proceedings on tlie subject by appointing two of its own Members to proceed to England, to explain the whole matter, and to do all in their power to maintain the Articles of the Union inviolate. Tho circumstances which wo 'tave th.'s narrated are, for the most parf, familiar to the members of the Conference ; but we have deemed this brief sketch of them essential to a correct understanding of tho whole ca^e by out bretiiren and friends generally throughout tho" Province. We received our appointment as Reprcspntatives of the Conference, by tlio ballot votes of our Brethren, on tho 20th of .June ; and on the 1st of July wo embarked at New York for Liverpool, where we arrived after a pleasant pas- sage of 21 days. We entered upon our mission deeply sensible of the difficul- ties and responsibilities involved in it; but with a full determination, in hum- ble dependence upon Divine aid and blessing, to represent most truly the views and feelings of our constituen s — to concede, if necessary for the sake of peace, any thing except what was essen'^il to iheir rights and interests — and to uso our best endeavours to presetve inviulato the articles of the Union between the C 10 two Connexions. On the same rloy that we embarkeii on board of a packet ship for Liverpool, Messrs. Stinson and Rioliey embarked on board of iho " Great Wescern" for London, where they arriveu eight days before us. On our arrival in London, we found that an impression and feeling derogatory and unfriendly to the Canada Conference had been widely diffused ; and, on our arrival at Hewcastle-upon-Tyne, Thursday the 30th of July, we found the same impression and feeling prevalent amongst the members of the English Confer- ence. We learnt, on arriving in England, that the Bill for the sale of the Clergy Reserves of Upper Canada and the appropriation of the proceeds thereof was »8till before Parliament, and that Lord .lolui Russell, in deference to the Bish- ops in the House of Lords, had admitted amendments into that Bill which rendered it materially different in its character and provisions from what it was when his Lordship brought it into the House of Commons. We had an inter- view with his Lordship on the subject of the Bill; stated verbally, and after- wards in writmg, various objections to the amended or altered Bill. We also applied to and obtained from his Lordship -i copy of a very long letter which, as we had been informed, Mr. Alder had addressed to his Lordship in April last on the subject of the Government Grant to t|^^ Missionary Committee out ot the Casual and Territorial Revenue, and the financial relations of the Eng- ish and Canada Conferences. Mr. Alder's letter purported to be a reply to the letter of Mr. E. Ryerson to the Governor General, dated 17th Janua4 last, and contained many incorrect statements, and some unbecoming reflections both upon the American Connexion in the United States and the Conference of the Weslnyan Methodist Church in Canada. We improved the earliest ShT'^An '"^^'"'" ^°"^ •^°^" ^"^^''" " '■"" ^^P'y '^ ^'^- Alder's letter. Both Mr. Alder s letter and our reply will be found amongst the documents accompanying this Report. On arriving at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, we went to the chapel in which the Conference was assembled, and sent in a card with our names. Mr. Marsden came out and received us Idn> e aro, Rev. Sir, your very obedient humble servants. The Rev. R. Newton, ^!^' R^^RScn, Presidr.nl of tkc Conference, l'>- Kvkrson. n 11 In answer to ihe t'orcgoiiig nolo, ilie PresiJeiu ol' ilie ConftToncc loturiicd a verlml niessawc — " presenting h\i coini'linients to thj Messrs. Rycrson — acknowledging the receipt of their n(jte — stating that as soon as convenient he would give way for the reading of their documents, when a Committee would be appointed to take them into consideration. In the mean time he hoped they were comfortably situated.' During tiie same evening, as we afterwards learnt, the Committee which had been appointed at the Conference of 1839 met. It appeared, that the resolu- tions which had been adopted in Inndon, April 29, 1840, and sent out to Canada, and which gave rise to our mission to England, had been adopted only by those members of that Committee who resided in London,— there being no time, as it was stated, to give notice to the "country members," who were now called together with their London brethren to hear rcsolulions which had been adopted by the few in London in April last. Those resolutions were now read to the whole Committee and re-affirmed. The following day this Com- mittee reportefl to the Conference in a few words — stating that thev had met the previous evening and re-atlirmcd the resolutions which had been adopted by the London members of the Committee the 29th of April last on Canadian affairs, and recommending the Conference to appoint and refer the whole affair to a larger Committee. On Saturday afternoon, the 1st of August, our names were mentioned to the Conference by the President as the Representatives of the Canada Conference ; and we were invited — not to take our seats on the platform, (a courtesy inva- riably extended hitherto to the Representatives of other Conferences through- out the Methodist world,) where th 3 Representatives of the American and Irish Conferences had always been invited to sit — where the Representatives of the Irish Conference were then sitting — where the Representative of the Canada Conference had sat on two former occasions — but we were invited to take our seats in the body of the chapel— receiving intimation thereby, as well as from various other circumstances, that the Canada Conference must not presume to consider itself of equal standing with other Conferences of Methodism, espe- cially with the Conference in England On this introduction to the Conference, we presented to the President the Address and Resolutions of the Conference we represented ; but they were not read in Conference until thirteen days afterwards. During the subsequent days we urged, by notes to the President, and in conversation with such leading members of the Conference as we had access to, the early consideration of the Canadian business ; but it wr3 not until Thursday afternoon, tho Gth of August, just beforo the adjournment, that any movement was made in it. It was then proposed to appoint a large Committee to investigate the whole matter and report thereon. To this mode of proceed- ing we objected in tho present stage of the business. (1.) Because neither the Resolutions nor Address of the Canada Conference had been rend ; and we knew of no example of referring documents of that nature to a Committee before they had been read by tho Body to whom they were addressed. (2.) We stood before them in behalf of the Canada Conference, as Appellants or Complainants against the encroachments and proceedings of a Committee of flmt Conference ; niul it was at variance* -vith Methodistic mage when, even an individual member of the Conference, complained or appealed against the proceedings of a District Meeting, or any Conference Committee, to refer him back to the same Meeting or Committee, perhaps with the* addition of a few other members— that, in judicial proceedings, it was never known that an ap- peal from the decision of a Judge of the Assizes was referred by the Judges of the Queen's Bench to the same Judge whose decision had been appealed from. (3.) We were representatives of the Canada Conference to that Con- ference, and not to a Committee ; and we desired to lay the whole matter be- fore the Members of the Conference at large, from a full conviction that when they were made acquainted with all the facts of the case, they would not justi- fy the proceedings of the London Committee, but would coincide with the Canada Conference. But Dr. Bunting contended, on the contrary, that they were the complain- ants and we were the defendants, and that proceeding by Committee was the only proper mode of considering and disposing of the business. There was, however, a strong and general feeling amongst the Preachers to have the case investigated in Conference ; and the President at length assured them ind us, that a full opportunity should be given of stating and hearing the whole case in Conference. We replied, that with that assurance and under- standing we had no objection to go before a Committee. A large Committee was then appointed, consisting of the Members of the Canada Commitlee of the previous year with about as many more additional Members. The first meeting of the Committee did not take place until Saturday the 8th of August; when Mr. Alder appeared on behalf of the London Commit- tee, and made a very lengthened statement, giving a history (in part) of the origin and design and progress of the Union from 1832 to the present time; introducing his above-mentioned voluminous letter (which was read) to Lord John Russell. Mr. Alder was followed in continuation and confirmation by Mr. Stinson ; after which we were called upon to reply. At almost every stage of our reply, we were mot by objections, explana ' -ns and rejoinders, which very greatly protracted the discussion, and put it out of our power to do justice to some of the points at issue. It is unnecessary for us to state tho order or features of the discussions which ensueri during three ensuing even- ings. On Thursday evening the 13th of August, the Committee made a re- port to the Conference. The Report was read, but was not taken into con- sideration that evening on account of the lateness of the hour. Wo requested a copy and then the perusal of the Report, but were not allowed either. The Conference having now been in Session upwards of a fortnight, more than three-fourths of the Members had left for their Circuits ; so that there were leas than eighty preseni, Hiring the consideration of the subject of our Mission. Consequently mora than three-fourths of the Members of the English Conference are ignorant to this day of the nature of the articles of Union (as they have never been printed in England) and of all the circumstan- ees which have transpired between the two Connexions. When the Report was taken up next day, Friday the 14th of August, th« t 13 Jasl ilay of the Session, wo mlvcrtPil to tho inconvenience wo experiencctl iti speaking to the Report of the Committee, as we had not been favoured with a copy or with the perusal of it. It was then frankly admitted, that we hftd a right to a copy of the .oport and time to examine it before we were called upon to express our views respecting it. Having obtained a copy of the Report as first presented by the Comniittee, we retired and examined it. That Report (which »ve afterwards returned by request,) did not contain such an enumeration of statements and synopsis ot certain documents as are contained in the published Report of the Committee; but the leading sentiments of the Repoit in both stages »nd forms are the same. That Report, which, together with the decision of the English Con- ference, will be found amongst the documents appended to this Report, con- tained, amongst other things, — 1 . A repetition and confirmation of the allegations, and assumptions of power, and decisions, which had been embodied in the Resolutions of the Loadon Committee, dated April 29, 1840; and also a vote of thanks to that Committee. 2. A declaration against any interference on the part of the " Christian Guardian" with " party political reasonings and discussions." 3. The admission and maintenance by the Christian Guardian of " the duty of civil Governments to employ their influence, and a portion of their resources, for the support of the Christian religion." 4. The advocacy by Mr. E. Rycrson, and " by the Upper Canada brethren," of the right of the London Missionary Committee to the Government Grant " even if its payment should bo transferred to the Clergy Reserve Fund.'' 5. A vote of "hearty esteem and approbation" to Messrs. Stinson and Richey for " the ability, fidelity, and diligence" with which they had " per- formed the duties officially confided to them." 6. A declaration that the English Conference could not be identified " with any Body, however respected, over whose public proceedings it is denied the right and power of exerting any official influence, so as to secure a reasonable and necessary co-ordinate but efficient direction, during the continuance of the Union :" (of the natvre and extent of which " efficient direction" the English Conference was, of course, to be the Judge.) 7. A recommendation that " the Conference now remit the whole affair to the management of a Special Committee, whose duty it shall be to draw up a statement, in a more detailed manner, of the points on which full satisfaction will be expected from the Conference of Upper Canada, and to make such a report of the Resolutions of that body thereupon, as may enable our 7text Con- .'(srence, assembling in Manchester, (in 1841,) to determine, finally, the course which, in reference to this Union, it may then be proper to adopt in the settle- ment of the whole affair." Such were the leading sentiments and positions of the Report, from the beginning to the end of which there was not the slightest inclination expressed to aid the institutions or interests of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada in any way whatever— but only a wish to rule over it, to employ its name and influence to obtain tlie patronage of Government, and to use it for the advance- 14 tiiPJit of ilio vievvj niul pLiri-A «{ tlio :\2;otit3 i.t' the Missiaiinry Socrotaries of il.f Englisli CoiifcnMnjo. Indfod, ilirougliout tlie wliolo of tlif proceodinffH, the idea (lid not appear to he .idmiiicil by a siiiglo inemlipr of the London Com- mittee, that any Ciiniidian Treacher should stand upon similar footing with the Members of tho Englisli ConfcTencc. To the above poiiions and reqiiiremcntd of the Committee we replied, in substance, as follows :* 1. With respect to the alleijations, and assumptions, and proceedings of the London Committee, dated 2.9th April last, our Conference had expressed all the views we had to state. The ilesolulions of our Conference, which" had been adopted with unusual unanimity, after the most mature deliberation, we had no authority to amiul or modify. Ncr did wo see any reason to desire to do so, as we believed they were just, and expressed views and feelings by which our Brethren would abide. 2, With respect to the Christian Guardian, wo were prepared, as we had been from the beginning, to go with them all lengths in making it a strictly religious and literary Journal— such it had already been made by its conductor and by order of the Conference ; and the exigencies which had given rise to its departure, on some occasions, from strict neutrality in certain questions of civil polity, existed no longer.! 3. As to advocating the duly of civil Governments to support Religion, — the views of our Conference and People on that subject had been adopted and avowed long betore the Union— were explicitly stated at the time of the Union — Iiad been officially expressed and advocated for years since the Union, and with the concurrence of their own Representatives, and without the slightest I * Note. — We would rot wish to convey the idea, tliat we employed in the Conference the identical words which are used in the following paragraphs ; or that our remarks were made in tiie order in wiiicli they arc here inserted ; or that they were all made in that connexion. We spoke after a few moments' examination of the Report of the Committee. On some points we expatiated at considerable length ; on other points we referred to what we had stated in the course of previous disci.'fjsions. The following puragraphs, therefore, contain a mere summary or brief outline of wiiat we stated during the investigation of the affair, on the several points referred to. t Note by E. R.—lla.d the Agents of the London Missionary Committee represented to the local Government the views and feelings of the Conference and Members of the Wesloyan Metliodist Church in Canada, instead of the opposite views and feelings of the Missionary Secretaries in London, there is reason to believe that the late Executive would not have been prompted and encouraged to pursue the policy which rendered so strong a discussion of some points necessary in the columns of the Guardian. While the Executive looked to the Agents of the London Committee, and not to the Guardian, as the inter- preter of the riglits, and interests, and views of the Wcslcyan Body in Canada, it pursued a pa lial and unjust course of policy. The Governor General satisfied himself that the Editor of the Guardian, and not the Agents of the London Committee, was the true Representative of the interests and sentiments of our Church. His Excellency has therefore acquired the confidence and support^of our People generally, though he has been denounced liy the Agent* of the London Committee. The Guardian lias ceased from the discussion of any political questions ; and the adherents of the London Missionary Secretaries cherish, in our judgment, stronger political party feelings than any other portion of the Methodist community in Canada. 15 . objeciion on llicir part before 1831) ; that wc Ir.ul no inclination to oppose that principle, nor had we done so ; but wc could not regard the principle itself, much less the advocacy of it, as any part of IValcyan Mc/kodium, however it might have been adopted by tho British Conference, as it was not contained in Mr. Wesley's Four Volumes of Sermons or Notes on tho New Testament ; that we fully agreed wfth Mr. V/osloy that a Cjuirch Establishment was a human institution, (and not of Divine appointment,) and therefore liable to the modifications and contingencies of all other human institutions, which might be suitable in some cases but not in others ; that wc saw no occasion at the present time in Upper Canada to discuss the question at all on either side; that we thought the attention and fe-lings of our reople might now be directed to more profitable subjects ; and that we could not assent to such a proposition which formed an entirely new and very remarkable Article of Union. 4. In regard to the Government Grcml—ihey had alleged a fact, tliat the Secretary of the Canada Conference had applied for that Grant in behalf of his Conference. We had answered to that ollegcd fad, and proved, by the tes- timony of tho Governor General himself, that the Secretary of the Canada Conference had made no such application. Further than this wc could not be reasonably required, nor were wc prepared, to gc ; that we, as well as they, had undoubtedly a right to our opinions on the subject; and we were not prepared to array ourselves in opposition to the views of tho Governor General on the subject; that when it came, not to a matter oi fact, but a matter of opinion, we fully concurred in the opinions of the Governor General, as did our Conference ; and we felt the more grateful to His Excellency, and the more fully satisfied of tho correctness of his views, because they had been adopted without any influence from without,— because he was' personally knowing to the intentions of Government in making that Grant,— was con- fessedly competent to investigate all the circumstances connected with it, and vas unquestionably a disinterested Judge. With H is Excellency the Governor- General of Canada, we objected to their having claim to any portion of the Clergy Reserve Fund. All the claims which Methodism had acquired to B participation in that Fund, had been acquired by our exertions— that they had opposed our advocacy on that question, and their Representatives had expressed their belief that that fund was intended for the Church of England alone, and that they had no objection to its enjoyment of the whole of that Fand ; it was therefore most unreasonable, now that our views had prevailed and their views had been set aside, that they should come forward even as first claimants upon that very Fund, and insist upon our advocating their claim* as a condition of continuing the Union. We adverted to the fact, that they had large pecuniary resources for tho support of their Institutions in England —that they had large funds for the education of their children ; whilst the brethren in Canada, who had endured toils and privations such as no Preacher* in England of the present day had endured, had no such means at their dis- posal in that new country. We likewise mentioned tho circumstance, that the Clergy Reserve Fund was a provincial revenue, and intended to aid tho funds of Christian denominations in Upper Canada, and not the funds of Christian denommaiions in England ; that this was the case with each of tlio Churches .16 in Upper OanuJa who loceivcd a pi^iii(.'n of liiu proiet'ds ol tho Clergy Reserves, with the exception of the Church of England ; in respect to which the Propagation Society had assumed tlie responsibility of supporting the Episcopal Clergy in that Province ; that if the Wesleyan Conference in England would assume tho same responsibility in re^gard to the support of the Ministers of our Church in Upper Canada that the Propagation Society sustained in regard to the support of the ICpiscopal Clergy, we would very readily give our consent and support to their claims upon the Clergy ileserve Fund. 5. In regard to Messrs. Stinson and Richey, such was the course of proceed- ing which they had thought proper to pursue, that we should feel it our duty to make a statement of it for the information of our brethren, many of whom would feel not a little astonished and grieved to learn, that notwithstanding the marked attentions which had been paid to them by their brethren both in the ministry and amongst the laity of our churcli in Canada, Messrs. Stinson and Richey had been, during the last two years, writing letters to London of a disparaging and calumnious character against their fellow labourers in Canada ; that Mr. Stinson had stated in letter dated as laie as the 20lh of last March that it was a " degradation" for the Committee in London to con- tinue a union with " such men ;"" that Mr. Richey had stated that, during his four years' residence in Upper Canada, he had been " treated as a stranger, tL foreigner, and a.n alien;" and that during this whole proceeding both Messrs. Stinson and Richey had done every thing in their power against the Canada Conference. 6. Respecting the general and undefined claim of "efficient direction" over llie " public proceedings" of the Canada Conference, it should be observed — (1) That the articles of union already gave thorn very great power— every thing indeed that we conceived could be reasonably desired ; (2) That if they demanded an "efficient direction" over the " public proceedings" of tho Canada Conference generally, they ought to assume the responsibility of sup- porting the institutions generally of the Wesleyan Methodist Churf h in Cana- da. How could a father be responsible for the support even of his own chil- dren, if he were not the master of his own talents and energies and resources — if he were the property, as to "efficient direction," of another? The pro- prietor was, of course, the properly responsible person for the support of both the slave and his children. How could they therefore insist upon " an efficient direction over the public proceedings" of the Canada Conference, and yet actually maintain at the same time, as a written article of agreement, that the Canada Conference should have "mo claim upoti the funds of the English Conference ?" If the Canada Connexion was responsible, and entirely depend- ing upon its own " proceedings" for the support of its own institutions, it must be the judge and director of those proceedings. The contrary pnnciple is an absurdity in all tho civil and religious and social relations of life. Not even a father claims an " efficient direction" over the proceedings of his children when * Note by E. R. — The Editor of the Guardian and his friends supported, at this eventful crisis, the administration of the Governor General ; this Mr. Stinsoa lepresents as -a, " degradaiioti." 17 ^ tliey are thrown upon dieir own resources for ilieii own Bujipoit; inucli IdSA ought one community to claim such a direction over another sell'-sustaincd and eelf-gupported community on an opposite »ido of the Atlantic. 7. And even upon theso terms they did not propose a permanent contimia- tion of the Union, but only until the next Conference to be assembled in Man- chester, July, 1841, when they would " determine finally the course which, in reference to this Union, it may then be proper to adopt in the settlement of the whole afl'air" — thus insisting upon the use of the nn le ar d influence and advocacy of " the Upper Canada Brethren" in order to secure tlie claims of the Committee in London upon the patronage and support of the Government; requiring the Canada Conference \jo divest itself of the attributes essential to any Body responsible for its own proceedings and the support of its own mem- bers and institutions, and oven calling upon the Canada Conference ''to admit and MAINTAIN," in its official organ, the principle that it is the " duty n[ civil governments to apply a portion of their resources for the support of the Christian rehgion ;" and after all, by a solemn act of their Conference, making the Union a question of agitation and electioneering for twelve months to come ; at the end of which they would decide whether their own purposes could be best promoted by continuing or discontinuing the Union ! Moreover, wo sUted to the Committee at different times, and adverted to it more particularly in our concluding observations to the Conference, that the whole of their views and proceedings seemed to bo founded upon the suppo- sition and assumption, that the Brethren in Canada were but mere children, comparatively ignorant of the principles of Wesleyan Methodism, incompetent and unfit to judge and act for themselves ; .whereas, the Connexion in that Pro- vince, in relation to the Ministry or Laity, ought not to be treated as mere children. For, (I) in no part of the world, did wo think the Ecclesiastical polity of Methodism was so well understood by the members of the Church generally as in Upper Canada; the reason of which was obvious from the facts, that, in addition to the ordinary means and inducements for information on tlie various branches of that great system, a vigorous attempt was made in 1828 to introduce lay delegation and other essential changes in the economy of Meiho dism in that Province, which led to an elaborate discussion of all its essential and distinctive principles, and resulted in its more permanent establishment in its purity and integrity. In 1833-4, in consequence of the Union, every part of the polity of Methodism underwent a second rigid scrutiny and thorou-^h discussion. Subsequently, in 1836-7, in consecpience of legal proceedings affecting our title to chapel property which iiad been instituted against us, our whole poli;y in relation to the civil law, the powers of ihe Conference, Sec, was elaborately and fully discussed by the .fudges of the land, and several pub- lic writers. During the last twelve years, therefore. Upper Canada has been a sort of manual labour scliool for the study of Methodist Church polity ; and the leading features of it wnro as familiar as household words to the members of our church generally. They ought not to be i-egarded, there- fore, as untutored children. (2) Whilst we admitted many advantages in England for tho improvement of the Ministry which wo did not possess in Cftoada, we must say that our examinationb of candidates for the ministry were D 18 - 1 alreinly more extensive nnd thorough than tuoirs. Tlieir cxaminaiiona were wholly conliiiod to Divinity — ilid not oven embrace the Evidences of Chris- tianity — a circumslunco which had been regretted by several members of the British Conleronce in their remarks a day or two before; while, on the contrary, the examinations of candidates for the ministry imder the direction of our Con- ference were quite as extensive and as minute as their even on the various doC' trinea in Divinity ; in addition to which, a general course of study, with the proper books, was proscribed to them during their four years of probation ; and they were examined on the Evidences of Ckrislianily, Moral Philosophy, Mental Philosophy, Natural Theology, Logic, Rhetoric, Ancient and Modern History, Ecclesiastical History, and Wesley an Church Polity, including the pretensions to the Divine Episcopal Succession, the authority and functions of the Ministry, the Administration and Rules of the Discipline. At this point the President interposed, intimiting that he thought these observations did not relate to the subject before tho Conference, and could not bo admitted at that advanced hour after so much time had been occupied in the investigation of thia affair. It was then observed on our part, in conclusion, that we considered the adoption of that Report by the Conference as equivalent to a relinquishment of the Articles of Union, which it was our duty and object to maintain inviolate ; that while we had felt disposed, and again and again expressed a willingness, to concede any thing that was not unjust to our constituents and our country, and to consult in the most amicable and liberal spirit for the promotion of tho great objects and interests of religion there by the agency of Methodism, we could not, on the part of the Conference we represented, nor did we believe the Canada Conference ever would, accede to the demands and new conditions embodied in the Report of their Committee. We were then requested to retire ; but at that juncture the Rev. Dr. Beau- mont rose, to move a dissolution of the Union, ol)3erving — " there is just as much reason in the Canada Conference sending Presidents to us as for us to send Presidents to them ; and they are just as competent to manage their own affairs, as we are to manage our affairs." Tho Rev. Dr. Bunting said he thought so too — that ho respected the Canada Conference; and what had just been stated (resjjecting the acquaintance of the Methodists in Upper Canada with their Church polity and the examinations of Candidates for the Ministry) confirmed him (Dr. B.) in the opinion which he had long entertained, that the Union had been wrong from tho beginning. He (Dr. B.) believed it had been a great evil to the Canada Conference, and no good to the British Conference. It was in his (Dr. B's) opinion a weil-intended, but an ill-advised measure. Wo then retired ; and were infer in the course of the evening, that quite a majority of the Conference had voted against that clause of the ReporJ which recommended the continuation of the Union, but had adapted with one or two verbal alterations, the other parts of the Report. We were informedj indeed, that 13 to 17 of the Committee voted against the adoption of that clause of the Report. It is however, deserving of remark, that at Manches- ter, 1833, upwards of three hundred Preachers adopted the Articles of Union hy V. unanimous \oic-, but that at Ncwcastlc-upon-Tyno, 1840, those Articles ■were relinquished on ilin pnrt of the IkitisJi (.'oiift'ience l-y tho votf of a ma- jority of seventy two Preachers. The following mo-nin?, Aiiifust If,, wo loft Newcastle-upon-Tyne for Lon- don ; and ien days nftorwanls, 'J5th of August, wo received an official copy of the R sport of the Committee and of the proceedings of the Conference. During the early part of thc3 proceedings of the Committee of tho British Confernce, but upon our non-compliance with demands and conditions which amount to so many new Articles of Union. All contracts are binding upon each of the contracting par- ties. Articles of contract or agreement can only be dissolved by mutual ^con- sent of the parties concerned, by death, or by legal process. The act of the British Conference, therefore, under the circumstances referred to, is no diaso- lutioa of the Union ; but a Secession, fr jm it, and involves all the consequen- ces of a secession to the Seceder, p,nd corresponding advantages to the party seceded from. A party seceding from a contract incurs, at least, the loss of all that he had acquired under the contract. The Articles of Union remain effective to our Conference until it agrees to the dissolution. Our connexion is therefore secure in the legal possession of all the Missions, the appointment of the Missionaries, and the election of the President ; we have not to alter a single line of our Discipline ; the position of our Conference is unchanged, though the position of the English Conference is essentially changed. "We have only to proceed onward in our work of faith and labour of love, mmding the same thing, and perfectly joined together in the same judgment and m the same heart-redoubling our united exertions in support of the cause of Missions as well as the cause of personal piety and of pure religion generally-trusting in the name and promises of Him who hath always caused us to " tnumph in every place," and the days of peace, of joy, and success will return upon u« with more than former splendour. WltLlAM RtKKSOK, EOERTON RtKBSON. Toronto, Sept. 23, 1840.