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■-*1»««»»1 
 
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 .. THE 
 
 ■METHODIST U¥IO]^: 
 
 
 BKINO ▲ 
 
 J^iitbiration of t\t €Mh\rmi of a Mmn 
 
 BETWEEN THE 
 
 METHODIST BENOMINATIONS IN 
 
 CANADA; 
 
 .^■•' 
 
 SHBwiira THE oiuoiir op Methodism and its schisms in England; irsKisB, 
 
 FBOaBESS, AND SCHISMS IN THE UNITED STATES ; THE POBMATION OV THB 
 
 CHVBCH IN CANADA, AND ITS SCHISMS; THE EVIM OF CHTBCH 
 
 DIVISIONS; IN WHAT TKUB CHBI8TIAN UNION CONSISTS ; 
 
 WHEN TENETS SHOULD BE CHANGED; HINDBANCE8 
 
 10 UNION ; HOW IT CAN BE BVFBCTBD ; 
 
 MOT. TBS TO UNION. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. DANIEL POMEROY. 
 
 ttu|5. 
 
 "Together let us sweetly live- 
 Together let us die; 
 And each a starry crown receive. 
 And reign above the sky I" 
 
 BEIOHTON: 
 PUBLISHED BY H. SPENCER. 
 
 1862. 
 
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' ■ . r 
 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Dear Eeadeb, 
 
 Belieying that the great object of life 
 should be to glorify God in doing good; and 
 feeling the conviction that the subject of Metho- 
 dist Union in Canada is equal in importance to 
 any other to which the Canadian public has been 
 called, by either theological, moral, or political 
 writers, is my apology for presenting you with 
 this treatise. No other consideration could have 
 brought it before the public. 
 
 I have for some time been convinced of the 
 sinfulness of our divisions, and the necessity of 
 healing them. But 1 have contented myself by 
 impressing the truths of the subject on a few 
 persons in public assemblies and in friendly cir- 
 cles, in my ordinary pulpit and private ministra- 
 tions. But evidently this does not meet the 
 demand. If an union is brought about, not only 
 the hundreds, but the thousands and the tens of 
 thousands, must be reached, not only in public 
 but in their retirement. 
 
 With the hope of widening the circles of agita- 
 tion on this subject, I decided to publish this 
 work. I have no private or party interests to 
 subserve : but have boldly done what I, in the 
 providence of Qtod, felt called upon to do for the 
 honour of Christ and the advancement of His 
 cause on earth, to which I have devoted my life. 
 
iy 
 
 How you may receive this work is not for me to 
 say ; but I cheerfully submit it for your consi- 
 deration, being conscious that I have fearlessly 
 written the truth, and that the truth must live 
 and all error must die. 
 
 Some of the principles laid down in these pages 
 have been advanced by other writers of various 
 denominations of Cliristians. Thank God ! their 
 noble movements, which have not proved alto- 
 gether unsuccessful, bespeak a brighter day for 
 the Christian Church; and it is generally con- 
 ceded among Christians, that that day is fast 
 
 approaching. . , : .r_ :. „ r.- \, r V. r: , 
 
 But that others agree with the sentiments in- 
 culcated in this volume, would afford me but little 
 satisfaction if 1 did not believe that they are in 
 accordance with the Word of God. 
 
 During the short time in which I have been 
 preparing this work, it has been my duty to 
 preach on my circuit every day, and not unfre- 
 quently twice and even three times a-day ; conse- 
 quently, it has been written at different places 
 and under a variety of circumstances. Hence it 
 will be nothing strange if many painful defects 
 in the style and mechanical arrangements are 
 discovered : for such, I ask that indulgence which 
 the reader would wish under similar circum- 
 stances. 
 
 May the great Head of the Church bless both 
 writer and reader, and bring them to that realm 
 where there are no denoniinational lines or sec- 
 tarian tenets dividing the children of God ! 
 
 ^fli lo nr'MiPJosuuhfi f.ffi Jm: /the AUTHOR. 
 
 MMNN 
 
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 CONTENTS. 
 
 ji't 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Tha object and importance of thii work— The nge wa live in~It3 science — 
 Tlie effects of the march of truth — The friendly intercourse of Chris- 
 tians — Denorainatioiial names not of Qoi — War an evil — It arises 
 from the worst passions of men— Reiigioug disputes arise from tl»e 
 same source — The causes of strife neaer^sary to he understood — The 
 great design of the religion of Jesus Christ — His Title — The marks by 
 which all men were to know His disciples — All men of one family 
 naturally — All Christiana spiritually — Paul's opinion of the origin of 
 strife — Its real cause — By whom divisio»i in pevpatuated — A desire to 
 be properly understood — How a union can be consummated — A blusii 
 for the Methodiiits — A reference to tbo Weslejans — The distinct object 
 of this work. v. . , . 
 
 .' _. $., ,.ir CHAPTER II. 
 
 '" ' Schi&ms of the Methodist Church. 
 
 Section 1. — The orsauization of the Methodise Church in England — The 
 nature of the first general rules — ifiisi schism — First Confer nee — 
 Second schism, its causes, &o. — Other schisms. 
 
 Section 2.— Introduction of Methodism into the United States — An officer 
 in the pulpit — Organization of the M. E. Church — The O'Kelley 
 secession — The Republican Methodists — The Reform Methodists — TIk- 
 Protestant Methodists — ITie M. E. Church, oouth and North. 
 
 Seotion 3.— The organization of the Methodist Church in Canada and the 
 
 Fchisins that have taken place in it — Methndlstm in Quebec — Its rise iu 
 
 Upper Canada — Mr. MoCarty— Organization cf the M. E. Church— 
 
 The war of 1812 — Mr. Ryan— Bishop Asbury ia Canada — First En;,'- 
 
 lish Missionary in Quebec — Altercation betwueu the American and 
 
 English Conferences — The diinpute settled — Opf;;anization of an inde- 
 
 pendant M. E. Church in Gauada — Division in tho M. E. Church — 
 
 *■' Division in the British Wesleyans — A re-uni. n rormed— The Loyalty 
 
 ', of the Methodists suspected — They reeei^'o «n admonition from Sir 
 
 • John Colbornc — They come to an undcrstatidinij with the Qovernrnt-nt 
 
 and receive Government money — True benevolance — ^The good Samar> 
 
 < itan — The motives which influenced the iJiiUah Missionaries to visit 
 
 Canada— Rer. R. Alder's lettei>— Closing recaika. 
 
iNMHM 
 
 ▼i 
 
 OHAPTER m. 
 
 Nature and Binfalneu of Ohuroh dirinoDs — Thej are dishooouraUe to the 
 Oharoh— Their cauie— The leal of rebela — Oreeda eatabliihed by men 
 — Separations alwayado harm — Mobamedaniam^Mormaniim— •Booteh 
 broils — Oru^ades-'Agitation of the slare qneation — Religioua schiams 
 eTentuated in rebellion in Canada in 188*7 — ^Theae divisions oontrary 
 to the Word of God. 
 
 OHAPTER IV. 
 
 Christian Union, privilege and duty — Various opinions enoountered — ^The 
 Bible doctrine, " Be ye all of one mind" — F^th baa a moral charaoter— 
 Causes of various opinions — Oneness of mind may exist with variety 
 of opinion — Causes of denominationalism — A quotation from Dr. Clark 
 not to be iufidels — Impossibility for converted and unconverted men to 
 unite — In what real Christian union consists — A quotation from Lord 
 Bacon— From Gumall — From Howe —Closing remarks. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 When Church tenets should be changed — Our common ethnology — What 
 prudence dictates— The Divine law of love — ^The rights of man— Man 
 dependant in his associated capacity — Despots produce a competition 
 of interest— A remedy discovered— A bond of union — Divine govern* 
 ment cannot be at variance with itself— A quotation from Wataon— 
 From Campbell — Tlie Divine right of civil or eooleaiastical govern- 
 ment — Summary of human rights, by H. Basoom — Examples : Peter* 
 Paul, Luther, and Wealey — Closing remarks. 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 Objections and hindrances to a complete Methodist union — The questioD has 
 not been properly discussed — Wrong to compromise truth— An exam- 
 ination of Church polity— A three>fold order of Ministers : Deacons, 
 Elders, Bishops — Episcopal form of Church Government corresponds 
 with the civil administration of the British Empire— Methodist Epis- 
 copacy not spurious — Church polity should be based on the Scriptures— 
 Dr. Coke's ordination — Canadian Episcopacy — The Wealeyans opinion 
 of Episcopal ordination— Presiding Elders — Lay delegation privil^ea 
 of the Quarterly Meetings of the Methodist Epiaoopal Church— A lay 
 delegation to Conference without an object — ^The union of the Wesleyan 
 Methodists with the British Conference — Denominational pride- 
 Worst rules — Worst men — Names — Ministers — Hopelessness of 
 
 Union. 
 
 ~VJi}:. - 7Jli/~ 
 
 .1 — ,-.i.'Su8 .' 
 
vu 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 How A UoioD can b« ooniummated— The philoiopby of polemica— Better to 
 have faith in God— How w« know (he eflReots of caoaca — The greatest 
 bleMio^— Paganism— Dr. Ohalmera — What Christianity would have 
 done— What aectarianisin haa doce^What we may hope from the 
 liberal apirita of thia age— Who moat effectually promote a Union— Oo 
 whom we may not depend— On whom we maj depend — The meana to 
 be naed — Organization — Plan — Prayer — Cooventiona — Sabbath 
 Sehoola— Cloaing remarka. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Motivea to Uiuoo— The feelinga of true Chriatiana— General reflections— The 
 trifling canaea of diyiaion— The value of Union to Society— The honour 
 of God requirea it— The intereat of hia oauae requirea i^— Hia word 
 denianda it— A glimpse of eternity— Olodog remarka. 
 
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 CHAPTER r. 
 
 THE OBJECT AND IMPORTANCE OP THB WORK. '.' 
 
 n 
 
 That we live in a very evemful period of the world*s 
 history, is generally adnitted, especially by the Christian 
 communitv. It vvuuld be uniust unthankful, nnri nntniA., 
 
 •BRIiATA TO FIRST EDITION 
 
 Page 27, Line 12, for dosp:){i.sin re.-nl clcposltiou, 
 iJ7, " 25, flir helu<nies read .^eljisius. 
 1(>, Ic/r iirai.M read aims, 
 j|, for <<inipartf.l nu] compacted, 
 l.'J, for -kcins read loins 
 34, lor wilH read n.iid. 
 9, lo. i. J been road li.is not been. 
 4, for Lr. l»youd read Dr. Bo»d. 
 
 " 77, 
 
 " 7S, 
 
 *• 95, 
 
 ^- 114, 
 
 ** 125, 
 
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 .wTut, spirKuaiiy, moraiiy, luicucutuauj, auu pnysicaiiy. 
 
 One of the most happy offsets of the march of truth is, 
 the weakening, and the breaking down of the thorny 
 hedges of sectarian prejudice and jealously, so that the 
 different denominations of Christians are often found in 
 each other's fold, and partaking of their respective pas- 
 tures ; and the pure stream of which the flock drinks, 
 instead of being claimed as the exclusive right of one, 
 is considered, like the literal sea, the common property of 
 all Christians. , , 
 
 This friendly intercourse hot only proves thatihein- 
 
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 CHAPTER I. 
 
 .-... -1 
 
 THE OBJECT AND IMPORTANCE OP THE WORK. 
 
 That we live in a very eventful period of the world's , 
 history, is generally admitted, especially by the Christian 
 community. It would be unjust, unthankful, and untrue, . 
 not to adm't this. Discoveries have been made in the 
 provinces of knowledge, unreached by our predecessors. 
 The literature of this day is wider in its range, higher in 
 its aim, and more real and solid in its character than in 
 any former day. Astronomers search the heavens more 
 extensively, geologists pierce the earth more deeply, phil- 
 osophers reason more profoundly thin heretofore. And 
 law after law in the universe is being brought to light, for 
 which praise is due to him in whom dwells all wisdom 
 and knowledge. 
 
 And while the horizon of true science is becoming more 
 and more harmonious, the Sun of Righteousness is emit- 
 ting His quickening and renovating rays over the provia. 
 ces of the moral world. The united light of science and 
 religion is overpowering the shadows of scepticism, pan- 
 theism and atheism, and raising our race to a higher 
 level, spiritually, morally, intellectually, and physically. 
 
 One of the most happy effects of the march of truth is, 
 the weakening, and the breaking down of the thorny 
 hedges of sectarian prejudice and jealously, so that the 
 different denominations of Christians are often found in 
 each other's fold, and partaking of their respective pas- 
 tures ; and the pure stream of which the flock drinks, 
 instead of being claimed as the exclusive right of one, 
 is considered, like the literal sea, the common property of 
 
 all Christians. 
 
 • - • I - • ..... i .J 
 
 This friendly intercourse hot only proves iiiat tHe in- 
 
 B 
 
10 
 
 fluence of divine light and grace will so soften denomina- 
 tional asperity, (ever destructive to brotherly love and 
 harmony), that this child of God need not be put in one 
 cage, aiid thai in another, like carniverous animals who 
 would bile and devour each other unless kept apart ; but 
 that all who are truly converted to God, as sheep, may 
 safely associate together in one fold^ aid under one shep- 
 herd. It also proves that sectarian peculiariticH without 
 "which the various denominational names could have no 
 existence, and all Christians would be one, are not essen- 
 tial to Christianity, consequently not of God ; and sheds a 
 pdwJBiful influence over the sceptical mind, favourable to ' 
 the success of Christian union. All honest men, of sober 
 reflection, will acknowledge that war with all its black' 
 progeny of concomitant crimes, is an unmitigated evil. • 
 /• And that its propjgators overlook the domestip, spiritual 
 ^^ 'ancTetefnal interests of mankind. 
 
 The field of slaughter is black with guilt ; and if there 
 is a scehe above all others delightful to devils, it must be 
 where two Christian armies are engaged in mulunl havoc 
 and destruction. ' ' c: ' ' ' v.. / 
 
 Such a scene is unpopular, disgraceful and abhorent to 
 the feelings of every Christian ; and is contrary to the 
 Christian obligation to love God with all the heart, 
 and their neighbour as themselves. ' • ' . w... i . 
 
 God made man unarmed, hut anger prompts him to lay 
 hold of hell invented weapons ; and even Christians have 
 attacked Christians, with engines of destruction fabricated 
 by the devil ; and sacrificed human beings to the shrine . 
 of anibition, pride, revenge, and other abominable lusts and 
 passions. But while public war, with carnal weapons, is 
 generally admitted by all Christians, to be the curse and , 
 scourge of nations— the source of the most extended, 
 miseries^of the human race— jmbittering the cup of life 
 witll' worm wood ihd gall, and adding tenfold horrors to 
 the ravages of death ; it must also be admitted that the 
 effects of a spirit of strife, (which is the spirit of war), • 
 between individuals and families, between contending 
 sects and denominations, and between members of the 
 
 mmmM 
 
11 
 
 same sect, and professors of the same creed, are the bane 
 of civil and domestic society. 
 
 The indulgence of the contentious passions of man, the 
 lusts thfit war in the members, from which all strife pro- 
 ceeds is the scourge of the church. Contentions here 
 differ little from the quarrels of nations except in the ex- 
 tent and fatality of their ravages ; — they arise from the 
 same depraved principles or passions, are urged on simi- 
 lar pretences, justified on the same grounds, and are often 
 destiuctive to the welfare, happiness, property and hopes 
 of thosj engaged in the contest. As all strife springs 
 from the worst passions of men, justly, therefore, should 
 it he regarded in all its forms as a monster in nature 
 cruel, sensual, and devilish. / "" 
 
 Only let the depraved appetites, and virulent passions 
 of man be suhdued by the renovating influences of the 
 peaceful spirit of the meek and lowly Jesus, and no man 
 will any longer doubt that the true children of God are 
 capable cf dwelling together in Christ, in harmony and 
 peace. ! ■ ■ r .. 'i •, .. ,•,,..!,!-!. 
 
 That the causes of strife cannot be too well understood 
 
 t 
 
 and that too much importance cannot be attached to the 
 pure gospel principles of Christian union, is evident from 
 the fact, that all spiritual blessings for time and eternity 
 are embraced in it. • ' u • Ii ; 'V - lun- -.; ,< . ! i . n 
 
 The great end and design of the holy religion of Jesus 
 Christ, next to reconciling men to God, was to reconcile 
 them to one another. While it enjoins on men to love 
 God with all the heart, it requires them to love their 
 neighbours as themselves. It subdues in them all those 
 unfriendly dispositions which unfit them for the social en- 
 joyment of those many blessings, spiritual and temporal, 
 of which God has made them the happy recipients. 
 Christianity exalts human nature by the subjugution of 
 ambition, pride, envy, malice, insatiate lust, and every 
 other unfriendly passion, and plants in the room thereof 
 humane and benevolent affections which in imitation of 
 the Lord and Saviour, disposes men to extend their love 
 and goodness i<j their fellow-men. The prophet Isaiah, 
 
 
iUiSiiiiiJil iSiitMiSiiii ; a 
 
 .?' 
 
 12^ 
 
 ii 
 
 f : 
 
 M 
 
 styled him the Prince of Peace, long before he came into 
 the world. For ihis very reason, peace is spoken of as 
 the great nnd comprehensive blessing which includes all 
 manner of happiness. Heaven itself is the region as 
 well as the recompense of peace, and we find this the 
 disHnguishing mark and characteristic by which all men 
 were to know who were the disciples of Christ, i. e., if 
 they loved one another — and love thiiiketh nd ill to his 
 neighbour. As all men are allied together in the natural 
 p^ bond of brotherhood so spiritually all are members one 
 u ~-.„.,jii«ft another. God in his wisdom has so arranged their 
 spiritual interests and the advancement of his cause as to 
 ma*ke a social intercourse indispensable. This the 
 Apostle hath elegantly illustrated by the familiar resem- 
 blance of the natural body, wherein there are many mem- 
 bers and all have not the same office, but the different 
 faculties and operations of each are for the benefit of the 
 whole. The eyes see not for themselves but for the other 
 members, the feet seem to support and carry about the other 
 parts, and the hands labour for them all, yet each labors ' 
 in its respective functions and employments, which if 
 peaceably discharged, arc for the harmony of the whole. 
 Therefore, let beloved brethren in the bowels of mercy 
 put' away anger and malice and evil speaking. Let them 
 flee all clamour and strife, let them be kindly afTectiuned 
 one to another, following peace with all men, and 
 holiness that they may see the Lord. 
 
 Again we may remark that Paul represented a tenden- 
 cy to strife and division, as proceeding from carnality, 
 and in as much as to be carnally minded is death, so ^ 
 divisions and strife among religionTsts, will be attended 
 with ruin and de{ith,unles9 they are changed andbecomo 
 spiritually minded, which is life and peace. But not-' 
 withstanding all the Bible says about the sinfulness of 
 schisms and divisions in the Church of God, and the 
 necessity of unity among brethren, and notwithstanding 
 the churches now profess the true spirit of Christianity^ 
 which is meekness and candor, love and courtesy, for- 
 bearance atCkd forgiveness. Yet with feelings of regreil 
 
 ■tyimHtmi 
 
1 
 
 13 
 
 and humility we must confess that the church is divided 
 into numerous spiritually proud, disobedient, intractable, 
 nncourteous, disorderly and sell-conceited religious cor- 
 poralions, each proclaiming their own orthodoxy, and the 
 heterodoxy of all others. And with a blush of shame we 
 acknowledge that these divisions contiected with the 
 almost invincible depravity of human nature, have formed 
 insuperable impediments to the progress of the cause of 
 Christ. It is still more abasing to confess that these de- 
 plorable schisms or divisions are in the main based upon 
 some non-essential controverted tenet, which has been 
 unduly magnified by designing men, who have fallen far 
 below the true standard of Christian charity, and who, 
 perhaps, for some trivial occurrence have become offended 
 with their brethren. Prompted by a spirit of revenge, 
 pride and desire for power, or to immortalize their names 
 by being the founders of a new religion, they ensaged 
 sharply in a controversial war and finding sympathy 
 among the credulous they succeeded in dividing the 
 Church. These divisions are principally perpetuated by 
 men of the same character, who professfdly equip 
 themselves as champions of orthodoxy. They labour 
 with great self-r?omplacency to demolish rrror, and to 
 make these tenets, they have set up such fountains 
 of light and vivicity as will quicken and multiply 
 the vnergies of every ameliorating enterprist , fnd (he 
 proper boundaries of Christian fellowship and com- 
 munion. 
 
 But, notwithstanding all the pretences of partizans, and 
 all they may say about a unity of spirit being the only 
 unity that God's word requires— and all that we can at- 
 tain unto, is a unity of spirit, and all they can say about 
 the Great Head of the Church, overruling evil lor j^ood ; 
 and on the whole thesa schisms are necessary : we 
 assert unequivocally that they ure of the Devil, and that 
 a Holy God must abhor them, and we dare not paliale 
 the evil or rest silently under it. 
 
 Everv candid man who is trulv born of God, overlooks 
 all petty distinctions and feels a IVatrrnal sympathy — an 
 
 hi«*f)nri« 
 
JB 
 
 U 
 
 1 .. 
 
 invisible glorious bond of divine brotherhood — a union 
 and fellowship of hearts, existing between himself and 
 all others who have been visited by the dove-like spirit 
 from on high ; and he must be fully persuaded that the 
 multitude of religious corporations, into which the 
 Christian Church is divided, is contrary to the revealed 
 will of God — antagonistic to the conversion of the world 
 and a sinful waste of our Lord's money. 
 
 And shall this war continue ? Shall the rising genera- 
 tion come forward with their hands and feet fettered, and 
 their hearts burdened with the disputes of their fathers. 
 Then will the tide of civil, social and religious improve- 
 ment be stayed, to the disgrace of their predecessors. 
 The Church is now barely able to ndvance to the small- 
 est triumphs against the march of evil. It has barely 
 enough moral power to resist the pr* ssure from without, 
 and maintain a bare existence. Each sect apparently 
 striving more to maintain their respective positions, and 
 to hold on to their adherents thiin to destroy sin, and ad- 
 vance the general cause of Christ. Let us go where we 
 will, and we come mor: or less in collision with each 
 other's interest, and in exact proportion our affections 
 are alienated from each other, and our influence lessened 
 upon the world. , ... . ,*,..;.. 
 
 . But let us emerge from our divisions and overlook each 
 other's imaginary defects, and adapt each other's excel- 
 lencies as a band of brethren united in one holy fellow- 
 ship in Christ. And mirching as a united phalanx 
 against the powers of darkness, we will give such an 
 impetus to the cause of religion, and humanity and spirit 
 to the Church, as would secure victory and triumph over 
 opposing obstacles. Then a new era would dawn, the 
 dead receive new life, and hi tory recognize this age as 
 one of noble concepri(»n and Cliristian charity, j (.y i,fi|} 
 
 We would not wish to be understood here as pleading 
 for an association with the blaspherni( s of Socinianism, 
 or with the formalities of tlie Papacy. .Neither would we 
 recommend an amalgamation with any religion which 
 does not bring us jnt(> a close union with Joho\ ah him- 
 
 
 .'- :—- ar 
 
 wBiWrfflTin mmmmmmumm 
 
15 
 
 self; we advocate no connection with a hollow religion 
 which merely exists in imagination, but has no place in 
 the conscience. Such a religion may have a fair exter- 
 ior but an aching heart. It may be popular in the 
 world but it does not purge from dead works. 
 
 It has no peace or union with God, no elevation, no 
 all-constraining love. We could form no union with 
 such, because of their discordant natures. But we do 
 plead for that which our Lord pleaded in his prayer on the 
 mountain, whon his sorrowful omniscient eye seemed to 
 see our many dissensions, and their unhappy effects upon 
 the world, — that all might he one, that the world might 
 have incontrovertible evidence that the Father sent him. 
 
 The desirableness and necessity of such a union is felt 
 by every Christian; but that any practicable scheme can 
 be devised to bring it about tew believe. It is generally 
 supposed that an attempt to promote Christian union 
 would only lead to the formation of new sects. Perhaps 
 this might be the result if such an attempt were made 
 under sectarian influence, and clogged with too many re- 
 ligious dogma!:. 
 
 Let me say here that to succeed in consummating a 
 union it is our opinion that we must first unite those 
 branches of the Christian Church, which fully and cor- 
 dially recognise each other's doctrines, discipline, mode 
 of worship, ministry and sacraments, so that the sacrifice 
 made will be one of feeling merely, and not of con- 
 science, toward God. That there are various sects who 
 come as near to each other as this cannot be denied. 
 
 There are various Presbyterian denominations, occupy- 
 ing in many places the same village, neighbourhood or 
 town, bearing expenses of erecting and maintaining dif- 
 ferent churches, and supporting different ministers, while 
 the points of disagreement are altogether trifling or ima- 
 ginary, especially in Canada. The same might be said 
 of the Baptists. 
 
 For the Methodists we blush to state that our celebrity 
 for schism is spread throughout Protestant Christendom. 
 The pertinacity with which we cling to bair-t^plitting 
 
16 
 
 111 
 
 it' 
 
 ll 
 
 distinctions, even to the sacrifice of the welfare of the 
 church, and of brotherly love and harmony, have disting- 
 uished us more than the self-denying efforts we have made 
 or the peace of the Church ; and the self-importance of 
 some of our ministers, has been more flattered by being the 
 Paul or ApoUos of our party, than by their success in the 
 conversion of men's souls, and the advancement of the 
 Saviour's Kingdom. 
 
 The inconsistency of these disagreements is apparent, 
 when we state that on all doctrinal and practical ques- 
 tions there is an exact agreement. 
 
 In preparing this work the object of the author is to 
 remove those unhappy divisions which have so long 
 estranged the children of God, and especially to pro- 
 mote a union among the various Methodist denominations 
 in Canada upon equitable and Christian principles, be- 
 lieving that he who does it really serves the cause of 
 God and of the Church. 
 
 When a writer vindicates a popular custom or opinion, 
 his work will be universally read and his ))remises and 
 conclusions will be readily admitted. Or, if a celebrated 
 writer presents new opinions, almost everything will pass 
 for solid argument. 
 
 But if a person of moderate talent summons fortitude 
 enough to assail an evil or popular custom, his work, if it 
 obtains the eye of the public, vvill not obtain credit with- 
 out a careful investigation. Fortunately for the Metho- 
 dist union, it will bear such an investigation, for the 
 author purposes, in the development of the great princi- 
 ples of Christian charity and frugality, to present evi- 
 ence and answer objections in a manner becoming the 
 great subject he discusses, hopmg to move all who love 
 God supremely, and their fellow christians affectionately, 
 to awake to Christian duty, to arrise superior to party 
 spirit and sectarian feeling, and cordially to unite in the ad- 
 vancement of the common cause of our Redeemer ; and 
 so approve himself to every man's conscience in the sight 
 
 of God. ,...,.. I ... .1^. ...,. r ,..:.... _.i 
 
 !>n ^® know not how this work will be received. It may 
 
 wj mi <'» 'w i*«»*' »' ^ "" 'ii» n> < F ' f'i i W ii w 
 
 fc HW ii4.»U»**^ t***»**-l,»:-* ^. ^ '■-< 
 
17 
 
 |e 
 le 
 
 '!l: 
 
 bC) however, proper to state here, that with regard to the 
 particular subject conNidered in the following pages, that 
 soine of our readers may be unduly influenced by preju- 
 ) dice, arising from education association, or other causes. 
 No man can properly investigate a subject until his 
 mind is free from all selfish prelerences. Prejudice will 
 ,exert a fatal power over all our researches. How noble 
 ; the man who completely frees himself of the tyrant, and 
 fiincerely and truly opens his mind and heart to the re- 
 ception of unbiassed truth. Allowing the importance of 
 the subject, and its urgency at the present time, some will 
 say-— where is the necessity of the present work? 
 
 Correspondents of the C C. Advocate have agitated 
 the subject of a union of the United Brethren, Bible 
 Christians, New Connexion, Primitive and Episcopal 
 Methodists ; and other periodicals have deplored the un- 
 necessary waste of means, of men, of labor, and have, 
 therefore, recommended a union. Bat in most of those 
 communications, more or less sectarian spirit has been 
 manifested ; and an evident delicacy to propose a union 
 with the Wesleyan Methodists. But this delicacy need 
 no longer exist, as resolutions favourable to union have 
 been passed by business commitlceb;, and communica- 
 tions have been published in the Guardian on the subject. 
 We rejoice to know that our brethren have taken the 
 initiative in this matter, and we congratulate them on the 
 moral eminence it has given ihem. It is a glory of no 
 mean order to rise above all sectarian feeling and inter- 
 est, and say let us be at peace, and dwell henceforth in 
 holy fraternity. The necessity for Ihis work is just this, 
 after all that has been said and written, the work is not 
 done. The various denominations are still separate in 
 sectarian interest in all things. So long as this state of 
 things exist, there will continue a demand for additional 
 effort. 
 
 The subject upon which we have entered is one of 
 great magnitude. To do it justice requires elaborate 
 discussions— discussions embracing a wide range of 
 topics ; reaching to the cause or causes that have efftcted 
 
•MtMIMM 
 
 18 
 
 these existing divisions ; their nature and effects ; in what 
 ; true union exacts the objections and hindrances to its 
 
 • consummation ; how it can be effected, and the motives 
 that sliould induce every child of God to labour to effect 
 
 -it, ,! .. I -..I . 1 * .. . 
 
 In the discussion of this subject many things might 
 
 • be said that would accord with our own personal preferen- 
 ces and be pleasing to a portion of our readers, but would 
 rather defeat our purposes. We shall therefore recognise 
 no particular tenets or name as the basis of union. But 
 give prominence to the excellencies of the various socie- 
 ties, leaving it for others, whose tastes prepare them for 
 such a work, to expose their defects. If we shall in the 
 least degree bringj God's people info closer fellowship, 
 though we may not succeed to the utmost of our wishes, 
 we shall feel that we have not laboured in vain. Fully 
 awake to the importance of our work, praying to God for 
 divine guidance we proceed. Looking f irward for our 
 reward to the day, when, having droped, with our clay, 
 the names and badges that sundered us, we will ffow to- 
 gether and be one in heaven. 
 
 i:. . :. '. 
 
 1 .-■ 
 
 ■'■ -l' 
 
 ni; :'r -s.k.. ■ ■-. ■ i-' ■. V ;> aiv-.r 
 
 ( 
 
 
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 ; I 
 
 » i '- 1 1.' 
 
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 •1 fi, j . Ill < I'li I ' 
 
 
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 CHAP TEll II. 
 , J ; Section 1. 
 
 . SCHISMS IN THE METHODIST CHURCH IN ENGLAND. 
 
 It is genprally known that the denomination called 
 Methodists was founded in the latter j)art ol" the year 
 1729, by an association of four persons, at Oxford 
 University, viz,: Messrs. Merton and Morgan, and John 
 and Chnrles Wesley, who met together for the purpose 
 of reading the Greek Testament, and engaging in mutual 
 prayer. Subsequently they were joined by the celebrated 
 Whitfield and others; so that in the year 17S6, the num- 
 ber arose to fonrleen, all of one heart and mind. On the 
 evening of the first of January, 1739, John and Charles 
 Wesley and Georsre Whitfield, with about sixty others, 
 attended a lovefeast, held in London. This meeting is 
 said to have continued all night. Here the power of God 
 came down mijjhtily upon them, as in the days of Pentecost, 
 and the people broke out in one voicp, " We will praise 
 Thee, O God ; We acknowledge Thee to be the Lord%'* 
 From thLs meeting the Wesleys and Whitfield went forth 
 to labour unitedly in chapels, and in the open fields, as 
 occasion might require ; at London, Biis'.ol, Balh, and 
 other places, and thousands sang a new song, even 
 praisps to the Lord. ,,.^<i;Mic. • i;-!). ». >,i ,. j },> ,; L 
 
 In this year the first Methodist class, s were formed, 
 and Mr. John Wesley drew up a few general rules for 
 ^admitted and continued membership in the Methodist 
 Societies. ^ -n.iil 
 
 These rules waived all tenets and dogmas, only em- 
 bracing moral intention .!)d conduct. Foradmi.ssion, the 
 only oondiiion was a desire to flee from the wrath to 
 
20 
 
 come, and to be saved from sin. For continued member- 
 ship, it was only required to give evidence of that desire, 
 by doing no harm, by doing good of every jpossible sort, 
 to the bodies and souls of men, and by attending on all 
 the ordinances of God. Upon this truly catholic plajform, 
 Protestant and Papist, Cnlvinist and Armenian, having 
 the form, and seeking the power of godliness, could unite 
 with one heart and mind. Each being le'"t to enjoy his 
 own private opinions relative to theoretic and speculative 
 theological questions ; only prohibited from disturbing 
 the peace and harmony of the Church by intruding into 
 the Societies those peculiar opinions which would cause 
 doubtful speculations. Unanimity of opinion in points 
 of speculative theology, formed no part of the constitution, 
 of the Primitive Methodist Church. But error, or heresy, 
 or whatever it may be termed, for it is difficult to appro- 
 priately name it — that fatal destroyer of brotherly love, 
 the refining of confessions of faith — was commenced by 
 Mr. Whitfield, by declaring his full assent to the doctrines 
 of Calvin. Mr. Wesley on the contrary, wrote and spoke 
 very strongly against them. The one taught that a man 
 believes because he is elected, the other taught that he 
 is elected because he believes. Tliese two great men, 
 forgetting that honest differences of opinion are no sins 
 because of those differences of sentiment separated. One 
 preaching in one place, the other in another, each having 
 his respective friends. The Methodists therefore were 
 divided, one part following Mr. Wesley, and the other 
 part following Mr. Whitfield. 
 
 Thus for a trivial cause, the first schism took place in 
 the Methodist Church in the year 1741, and men who 
 doubted not the genuine conversion of each other, became 
 separate in labour, separate in enterprize, separate in 
 houses of worship, separate in schools, separate in 
 societies, separate in denominational interests in all 
 things. 
 
 After the year 1744, Mr. Wesley called a Conference 
 annually of those preachers and clergymen, who by his 
 
 h 
 
n 
 
 permission and direction, w^'nt out to preach and form 
 RocielieN. 
 
 The design of those Conferences \ras to bring the 
 itinerancy under some fixed <ml«*r and regulations, to 
 legislate in regard to doctrine and di^iiriplinp, and to 
 examine the moral character and conduct of those who 
 administered in lioly thingt). 
 
 Mr. Wesley claiming the right of superintending the 
 preachers and sucieties, presided himself at forty-seven 
 Conferences, and in the latter part of his life ordained 
 some priests and bishops for America and Scotland, two 
 of whom, however, never left England. Since Mr. 
 Wesley's death, the Methodist people have been grevously 
 divided. But these divisions respect discipline more than 
 doctrine. 
 
 Mir. Wesley's course of legislation and government not 
 being intrinsically consonant with the liberal spirit of 
 Christianity, by no means gave general satisfaction to the 
 people and preachers. And no sooner did the first Con- 
 ference, after his death, publish a declaration of their 
 intention to pnrsne the plan he had left, than a spirit of 
 inquiry was aroused in regard to the arbitrary power of 
 the preachers, when to many it appeared consistent 
 both with reason and the customs of the primitive Church, 
 that the people should have a voice in the temporal con- 
 cerns of the Church, and give their suffrages in spiritual 
 m«tters. Accordingly many societies sent delegates to 
 the Conference, held at Leeds in the year 1797, requesting 
 thmt the people might have a voice in the formation of 
 ihlert own laws, in the choice of their own officers, and in 
 the distribution of their own property. Two questions- 
 were proposed to the Conference: 1st, Shall delegates 
 from the circuits be admitted into the Conference 7 2ndv 
 Shall circuit stewards be admitted into the district 
 meetings? Men being more lovers of power, than of peace 
 aiid justice, both motions were negatived. The friends' 
 of religious liberty precipitately giving up all hope of a 
 compromise between the parties, proceeded to frame a 
 plan for a new Itinerancy; Thus by despotism on th» 
 
g&%cwbiK^t^H iitVHMr'i^iiftiri***^*-?- 
 
 22^ 
 
 one hand, and haste on the other, another schism took 
 place in the Methodist Church, which resultiid in the 
 formation of the Methodist New Connexion. It is not 
 necessary in this connection to notice that many other 
 schisms have taken place in England, for causes of as 
 little significance, and many Methodist congregations are 
 supplitd with ministers who are not in connection with 
 either the Whitfield, Wesleyan, or New Connexion 
 Methodists. .,'..,: 
 
 ! ' ) I . 
 
 
 I 
 
 ' I 
 
 -.1 
 
 Section 2. 
 
 
 THE DISSENSIONS IN THE METHODIST CHURCH IN THE UNITED 
 
 ■■ STATES. .•'" ■ '.■■'. 
 
 Although Messrs. John and Charles Wesley visited 
 America as early as the year 1736, and formed societies 
 at Savannah, N. C, in the year 1736, and were shortly 
 atferward succeeded by the celebrated Whitfield, yet it 
 cannot be said with propriety that Methodism was per- : 
 manently established on this continent, until thirty years 
 afterwards, when Mr. Philip Embury, prompted by an i 
 elderly lady, commenced preaching in his own house, ^ 
 situated in Augustus street, in the city of New York. 
 Shortly afterwards he was joined by Captain Webb, an 
 officer of the British Army, who in his regimental dress, ; 
 with a burning zeal, and holy boldness, preached the 
 gospel to his fellow colonists, in a bold and animated 
 manner. : tw i i 
 
 The strange anomaly of an officer in the pulpit, attired 
 in military apparel, attracted increasingly large congrega<<i 1 
 tions, who not only listened to the solemn and deeply : 
 searching truths which irresistibly fell from the holy lips 
 of that soldier of the cross; but became terrified and 
 alarmed at their dangerous position, and in many cases 
 were truly converted to God, and societies were formed. > 
 in the city of New York, in the year 1766. vv;n i; lo! u li 
 
23 
 
 n took 
 in the 
 is not 
 ' other 
 of a» ' 
 >ns are 
 a with 
 nexion 
 
 ^►;/. lo 
 
 JNITED 
 
 I > I f 1 . ■ / • 
 . . . I . i^ 
 
 vrisited ' 
 cieties j 
 hortly t 
 yet it i! 
 8 per- f 
 years ' 
 )y an* J 
 iouse, ir 
 York. > 
 b, an .' 
 
 ress, I J 
 the r 
 
 lated .' 
 > • ii; 
 
 tired / 
 rega- 1 
 
 eply > 
 
 lips . 
 
 and i; 
 
 ases.i 
 
 med ) 
 
 ■' '•■» 
 
 In consequence of the increase in the congrogation it 
 was not only necessary to change the place of worship > 
 for one more commodious, but to erect a chapel, which 
 was courageously undertnken and completed, and on the 
 SOlth day of October, 1765, it was de'i'>ated to the worship J 
 of God, a sermon being delivered in it Ly Mr. Embury, • 
 from a pulpit erected with his own hand^. 
 
 Nor does the work stop here. While Mr. Embury i 
 attended to the societies in New York, Captain Webb : 
 visited Long Island and Philadelphia, to preach Jesus > 
 Christ and Him crucified, and many through his instru-.i 
 metitaiity were brought to the knowledge of the truth, and'* 
 could testify that Christ had power on earth to forgive ^' 
 sinis. n, ..■ ! • f, ': '■• ■•■' ^. '• !■ - |..:.;*..v;! ■■.-•■,o',| 
 While Mr. Embury and his associates were being the <' 
 fonpdatioii of such peimanent good in New York, another 
 Methodist Society was organized in Maryland, through t 
 th^, instrumentality of Mr. Robert Strawbridge, unolher;! 
 local preacher from Ireland, and througU his influence > 
 another Methodist .Chapel was erected. About this / 
 perijc^d the necessity for more ministerial aid was obvious,'-' 
 andia desire was felt on the part of the Methodist societies.' 
 to place themselves more directly under the supervision > 
 of i Mr. Wesley. Accordingly a letter was addressed to ! 
 him OIL the subject, soliciting his walchcare, and asking! 
 for a preacher from England who would be a man of 
 wisdom, sound in the faith^ and a good disciplinarian. ;; 
 Oft the reception of the letter by Mr. Wesley, the subjeeti 
 waslaid before the Conference, when Messrs. Richard! : 
 BoHrdman and Joseph Pilmore volunteered their services ;; 
 for, Atnerica. They landed on this bontinent, October, J 
 24th, 1769, with several others not deputed by Mr. I 
 Wesley, among whom Was Robert Williams and John 
 King. There was yet a great dem«ind for more preachers 
 and accordingly, in 177!, Mr< Wesley sent out Messrswu 
 Francisi Asbury and Richard Wright, > as Methodist mis- 
 sidniiries to the New World. > Ji ii mm; n, >. ,, i i h 
 
 Fiom this time the work of God went on with increas- 
 ing power tod success, until the political strife whicli 
 
Ri8StaB3^Ui^»-af;a4-.<- 
 
 24 
 
 lO! 
 
 :.■( 
 
 eventuated in the declaration of the Independence of the 
 Colonies, rendered it expedient for those who espoused 
 the royal cause to return to England. • i. 
 
 The political revolution of 1776 resulted in throwing 
 all the American societies into confusion, and occasioned 
 a necessity for a change in the relation between the 
 American and English Methodists. There was no min- 
 ister of the Church of England in America who was 
 authorized to ordain others. Methodism was without an^ 
 ordained minister, and viithout ordinances. American 
 ministers could not obtain ordination from the Bishops of 
 the Established Church unless hey would take the oath 
 of allegiance. The American Methodist preachers, 
 becoming dissatisfied with this state of things, began to 
 ordain one another and to administer the ordinances. 
 
 Against these irregularities Mr. Asbury, who had 
 remained in Ameiica during the war, protested, and- 
 referred the matter to Mr. Wesley. The latter felt fully* 
 convinced by Lord King^s account of the Primitive^' 
 Church, that in the original constitution of the Churchy^> 
 elder and bishop were the same oiHce. The only di»^^ 
 tinction being conferred on the bishops by manor tHtf*' 
 common usage of the age. In accordance with this view 
 he remarked : ** I firmly believe that I am as scriptural a ' 
 bishop as any man in En>;land or Europe.*' He thereforei 
 averted his right as elder or bishop to ordain others t» 
 administer the ordinances. These providential cireum^' 
 stances^ the necessity of the case, and the importunity of<> 
 all concerned, led Mr. Wesley, in the year lio4. to adopt 
 measures for the independence of Methodist societies' in*' 
 the United States. Accordingly on the 2nd of September^' 
 1764, assisted by the Rev. Thomas Coke, LL.D., ai 
 superintendent of the contemplated Methodist Obureh iw 
 America, and the ilev. Mr. Creightonj both regular elders ' 
 in the Church of Englaiid^Mr. Wesley ordained Riohafd 
 -4- IVhacoat and Thomas Vasey elders over the MMhodist' ' 
 societies in America. Dr. Coke and thetwo elders- sailed: 
 at once for America. Immediately on arriving, a oonfb- 
 leiea was convened ai> Baltimore in December <of the sams< 
 
25 
 
 year, when the Method isl Episcopal Church was estab- 
 lished, which is a limited clerical aristocracy of the 
 Episcopal order. The legislative, executive, and judica- 
 tive powers are held in the hands of the ministry, at 
 whose pleasure the whole system of ecclesiastical polity 
 and usages can be modified or changed, except the 
 restrictive rules. The term bishop was substituted for 
 svperintendeni. The Bishops arrogated to themselves 
 the right to superintend the temporal and spiritual affairs 
 of the Church, to consecrate to orders, and to appoint the 
 preachers to their several circuits and stations. 
 
 In the year 1792, James O'Keliey, a presiding elder, 
 objected to the absolute power of the bishops in appoint- 
 ing the preachers to their work, and contended for an 
 appeal to the Conference. Not succeeding in his attempt 
 to limit the doubtful authority of these dignitaries, with 
 the flattering assurance of becoming an ecclesiastical 
 chief, he seceded and formed a Church called Republican 
 Methodists. In the year 1804 another attempt was made 
 to effect a change in the economy of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church, so that the power of the one class of 
 its members be reslricted by increasing the power of 
 another class. But this also failed, and resulted in 
 another schism, and the formation of the Reformed 
 Methodist Church. « .^ ..//..; k.v,. ;,;- .. , ,x^<i. 
 
 Similar causes originated another secession, and the 
 organization, in the year 1820, of a fourth Methodist 
 Church, known as the Methodist Society. ^ 'f^ '• • "'i 
 
 But the spirit of radicalism on the one hand, and of 
 despotism on the other, were not extinguished, but were 
 spreading like leaven through the whole lump, producing 
 suspicion and alienation of feeling in the Church, and 
 preparing the way for a more serious secession from it.. 
 
 Animated discussions on Church polity were introdu- 
 ced intu a periodical called the Wesleyan Repository, in 
 which ministerial equality was argued — the episcopacy 
 was objected to as spurious — the Lord Jesus Christ 
 being the only head of the Church — the equal rights of 
 ministers and laymen claimed and defended — and the 
 
 
 
**rw"r!W"" "•!»? ■»»'VTM7s » 
 
 rtWtn^lBtTjl* 
 
 wtrntrtttaM^tK* 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 i 
 
 orfgin of power defined. This discussion attracted gene- 
 ral altentioii, The conseqneneo was tiiC public mind '.vas 
 disturbed, and inany pople were intent upon future 
 chan<^es under the indefinite namr of ref >rm, without 
 knowlnrr or car iig whul their re.il grievances were, or to 
 what iheir course would ultimately lead. Societies were 
 formed fur the purpose of concentrating strength. This 
 liberal enthnsias^m aroused the fears and ire of the au- 
 ihorllies (f the Churcli .igainst those who dared to ques- 
 tion either their theological erudition or the justice of 
 their ecclesiastical power, and to free the Church from 
 heretics, the work of excommunication was resorted to 
 under the charge of inveighing against our discipline, &c. 
 The reformers memorialized the general corifercnce of 
 1828, setting forth their grievances, rights, and claims. 
 But that clerical body, jealous of its dignified supremacy 
 and and jurisdiction, refused redress. A convention of 
 the expelled and their friends was called. Secession 
 followed, which resulted in the organization of the 
 Methodist Protestant Church. 
 
 With the progress of chrlstiai civilizatio!i slavery 
 began to stand forth before the v orld in shape a mon'> 
 8ter, in nature despotic, cfuel, sensual, devilish. And 
 the opinion has obtained that while God proclaims all men 
 equally responsible, the principle that man can be a mere 
 article of property is a libellous absurdity. As early as 
 1835, the majority of the New England, New York, and 
 New Hampshire conferences were decided abolitionists. 
 But instead of treating the subject in a tone of christian 
 kindness, and charitably making use of every feasible 
 means for the universal emancipation of the descendants 
 of Ham, an angry and exciting controversy was com- 
 menced, harsh expressions and denunciations were used, 
 and ultra measures were adopted. Speeches, harangues, 
 lectures, and pamphlets were brought to baar upon the 
 public mind until, regardless of the consequences of 
 
 ^y<;n 
 
 ^i1*if'fr)/ 
 
27 
 
 such feverish excitement and ultra measares, they rushed 
 forward as they supposed t/o the extirpation of ihe great 
 evil. These excilemcnts continued to convulse the Church 
 until the General Conference of 1844, when the subject 
 presented itself in a t\0^ form. It was at this conference 
 made known that Bishop Andrews was connected with 
 slavery. This brought the whole matter to an issue. On 
 the one hand for the ministers of the north to allow the 
 episcopacy to be polluted with slavery would be deeply 
 humiliating, and an unmitigated sacrifice of moral prin- 
 ciple. On the other hand for the ministers of the south 
 to yield to the despotiswi of a bishop because he was a 
 slaveholder would be to acknowledge its anli-christian 
 character. The motion that Bishop Andrew should desist 
 from the duties of his office as long as his connection with 
 slavery remained, l>eing carried by vote of one hundred 
 and ten to sixty-eight, the southern ministers severed their 
 ecclesiastical connection with the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church and organized a Methodist Episcopal Church 
 south. 
 
 / /• 
 
 1: '1 
 
 )>< 
 
 Section 3. 
 
 DIVISIONS IN THE METHODIST CHURCH IN CANADA. 
 
 The object of this work being more particularly to pro- 
 mote a union of all branches of the Methudist family in 
 Canada, we come now to speak of the introduction, 
 progress and schemes of the Methodist church in this 
 province. And in order that we may not compromise 
 with evil or be charged with partiality towards any par- 
 ticular branch of the Methodist fraternity which may 
 have our personal preferences, we deem it most expedi- 
 ent to give the essential historic facts connected with this 
 topic in the language of the most approved authors of 
 Methodist history, viz. — Meacham, 0. P.Xrorrie, andjthe 
 Official Reports and Public Papers of this provin^ei^" 
 
1- 1^.(41 v.if.iviiilui.ta4kUt;.^t«««^hk : 
 
 P^SBfflBS 
 
 1 
 
 II! 
 
 98 
 
 • " The first accounts indeed, which we have of Metho- 
 dism in Canada, was in the year 1780: when it was 
 brouglit into Quebec by the arrival of the British troops, 
 in time of the American revolutionary war. A number 
 of the soldiery there were, who belonged to the Wesleyan 
 connection in England and Ireland. Among these also, 
 was a gentleman by the name of Tuffey, who had been 
 an occasional helper with Mr. Wesley, and who officiated 
 as commissary of the 44lh regiment. Upon their arrival, 
 Mr. Tuffey, being zealous for the glory of God, com- 
 menced a course, which he pursued during nearly the 
 three years stay he made in that place : which was that 
 of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ as he had oppor- 
 tunity, to such of the soldiery and citizens as were dis- 
 posed to hear. Although he had not that success which 
 followed the labors of the pious Haime on the continent 
 of Europe, and although no particular society was formed, 
 yet the preaching of Mr. Tufl'ey, no doubt, as an inciden- 
 tal occurrence, proved the introduction of this wide- 
 soreading and evangelical comniunity, which has since, 
 and still continues to emit the radiant splendors of the 
 ^n of Righteousness throughout the Canadian populace. 
 After the treaty of peace between Great Britain and the 
 American colonies was ratified, the army at Quebec was 
 disbanded — many of the officers and soldiers returned to 
 England, and others proceeded into the Upper country, 
 where they began to form settlements in divers parts. 
 Mr. Tuffey returned home ; but the most part, if not all, 
 of his Methodist associates emigrated to this country ; 
 where mingling with the general population, they soon 
 became scattered abroad. 
 
 " The tide of emigration from England and Ireland 
 commencing the same year, [1783] bore along its current 
 now and then, a few of the Methodists belonging to Mr. 
 Wesley's connection, in those countries. Their number 
 being quite inconsiderable compared with the multitude 
 that swarmed into these regions at that time, they conse- 
 quently became isolated, remote from each others' residence, 
 which rendered social intercourse, and the public means 
 of grace, a subject of utter impracticability. 
 
 " Having neither religious institutions or religious 
 teachers in the land, the profligacy of its inhabitants in 
 general, waxed more and more ; and those who had pro- 
 
 •muivoiit i:i: 
 
 ?>'! ' 'Uj' '{ i;Mf- . f 
 
 « .'), 
 
29 
 
 fessed to follow a better course, growing cold and indif- 
 ferent in their enjoyments, soon turned, most of tliRm, to 
 follies of the world. Our Saviour's prediction indeed, 
 seemed most strikiui^ly fulfilled, that Because iniquity 
 shall abound, the love of many shall vmx cold. It has 
 likewise but recently been observed, by one of those first 
 settlers, that, * For some years together, it appeared as 
 though there were neither law nor religion in all the coun- 
 try.' 
 
 *' The low ebb of the religion of the cross, even for 
 some lime after this, is obvious, from the conduct of some 
 of the clergymen of the Established Church, and the only 
 religious teachers in the country, excepting Mr, Lyons 
 and Mr. McCarty, of whom we shall speak presently. A 
 person who was a faithful advocate of experimental 
 religion, and an opposer of carnal amusements and mirth, 
 happening to meet with the clergymen of his vicinity, 
 was abruptly accosted, with ' You are a going to hell!' 
 * And how do you know that } ' was the reply. * Ah ! I'm 
 sure of it,' vociferated the clergyman : * for you run out 
 against dancing, card playing, horse-racing, &c., and 
 you'll go to hell for it.' If such indeed was the principle 
 and practice of their teachers in religion, what therefore 
 must have been the general character of the people ? 
 
 " But notwithstanding the corrupted state and profli- 
 gacy of the generality of the population, a few there were, 
 loho bowed not the knee to the image of Baal, and who 
 still maintained their character and dignity as christians, 
 and as avowed votaries of the hallowed cross. 
 
 " Being so long deprived of the preaching of the gospel 
 and the social means of grace, they becume exceedingly 
 hungry for the word of life. But residing in a new settled 
 country, and subject to many hardships, privations a d 
 toils, and separated withal from their mother country by 
 the Atlantic, and from the population of the United States, 
 by the Ontario, the St. Lawrence, and a vast and trackless 
 wilderness, the hopes they entertained of spiritual assist- 
 ance were but small, not knowing which way to look, or 
 where to apply for relief. But the God of the faithful, 
 who is ever mindful of his people, and who delighteth 
 not in the death of the ungodly, in commiseration to 
 their forlorn condition, soon opened a door whereby they 
 received a supply of their spiritual needs; and from 
 which time and circumstance arose that wide extended 
 community which to this day continues to hold forth the 
 
it, ...uiHsmmmrnfHf- 
 
 !i 
 
 l\ 
 
 ffolden sceptre to many thousands of the Canadian popu- 
 lace. 
 
 ♦* Sometime in the year 1788 commenced the emigration 
 from the United States to Canada ; which consequently 
 opened a communication between the two countries. And 
 in the latter part of that or the fore part of the following 
 year, a young man, Mr. Lyons, who was an cxhorter in 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, 
 repaired to Canada and enga<j;ed in a school in the town- 
 ship of Adolphustown. 
 
 " Possessing a deep desire f r the salvation of his 
 fellow-men, and sympathising the wretched state of those 
 about him, he ventured forward in the name of his Divine 
 Master, and calling the people together in various 
 neighbourhoods, zealously exhorted them to flee the 
 wrath to come, and lav hold on eternal life through Jesus 
 
 Christ. * - . • :■ . T.- ,-. ,r. ipi.i 
 
 *' While the attention of some was excited by novelty 
 or curiosity to attend his meetings, the mnre serious and 
 religious portion were cooperating with him by faith and 
 pra\er, for a revival < f the work of God among the people. 
 The verity of that Divine promise, therefore, was soon 
 realized, ' that when Zinn tiLvails^ she shall brinfr Jorth.* 
 A few profligate sinners were turned to the Lord, back- 
 sliders were reclaimed, and declining professors were 
 aroused to a diligent application to christian duty. The 
 aspect of religious affairs was visibly changed, though no 
 classes or societies were formed. Mr. Lyons may there- 
 fore be considered as making the first introduction of 
 Episcopal Methodism into Canada. 
 
 *' In course of the same year Mr. James McCarty 
 repaired to Canada and settled in Ernestown. He was 
 formerly from Ireland; but remaining some time in the 
 United Slates, and having frequent opportunities of hear- 
 ing the celebrated Whitfield, when on his last mission to 
 America, he became a convert to the Whilfieldian cause, 
 and a zealous promoter of experimental religion. He 
 made no pretension of any union with the Methodist 
 connection, either in Europe or the United States ; but 
 professedly avowed himself one of Whitfield's followers.* 
 
 " Soon after his arrival, he began to warn sinners to 
 flee from the wrath to come, and to encourage such as 
 had tasted the comforts of religion in former days. He 
 preached Christ to the people of the various neighbour. 
 
 * Tliin mirrntiou we have from Mr. Robert Perry, 8«^n'i*., wlio \vn8 pcr» 
 ■ooally kiinwiug to nil the facta here recorded lespectiug 31 r. McCariy. 
 
 f»!gmHye^*^S^g^lj 
 
31 
 
 no 
 
 hnods, who grncrally a! tended h s rneeiings in large 
 numbers. Being accustonird to the inaiiners of ihe 
 Church of England, he read his sermons, but wilh that 
 deep feeling and enjjagednesp, that they produced a 
 happy Hnd lasting eflect on the; minds of bis hearers. 
 Convictions were muliiplieci, wliicii were succecdeii by 
 conversions ; and nuiubcrs of Meihodists that were in 
 the country before him, joining! l\e;j«'t and hand with him 
 in the work of the Lord, a jealousy was soon excited 
 amon|r those who were advocates fijc the lifeless forms of 
 the Church of Enjiland. Feaiinfj ihat Mi'tlodlsm might 
 become est ibli^lictl, they so n rai^e(i a persecution Hgamst 
 Mr. McCarty, in order to e>;tingii:sh the flame of pure 
 religion which had already begun to spread. There' were 
 three individuals who ranked arnons.^ the oflicials and 
 leading characters, that were by far the most active in 
 thai inlamous and wicked scheme. Of these were the 
 
 sheriff, Mr. L , a miliiii Captain, Mr. C , 
 
 and I he chief engineer. Mr. L , the sheriff, often 
 
 declared boldly, itiat there should be no rdigious worship 
 esiah'.ishetl^ but (hat of the Church of England. But yet 
 the people would assemMe in private houses, and Mr. 
 Mcv/arly, true to liis Masti'v's w^ork, would meet with 
 them and preach. Greatly enraged at this, his enemies 
 could fix on no other allernaiive ior its abolition, than 
 that of b.vnishing Mr, McCarly to the United h'tates. 
 
 " An edict had been issued from the government, that 
 all vagabond characters slionld be banished from the 
 country. They therefore seized upon this advantage to 
 effect the expulsion of Mr. McCariy with that groundless 
 pretext. 
 
 '' As he was preacliing one Sanday, therefore, at the 
 house of Mr. Robert Perry, seni(.r, four men armed with 
 muskets, came to appreiiend him and take him to the jail 
 
 at Kingston. 
 
 Being conscience smitten doubtless for 
 
 jcr- 
 
 their attrocious dcsi.^n upon the Sabbath d ly, they how- 
 ever left their arms at the house of Mr. Percy, a ^hort 
 distance from the place of worship. Upon the bail of 
 Mr. Perry, lor Mr. McCarty's appearance at Kingston on 
 the following day, the men lefi him and returned. On 
 their arrival at Kingston the next day, Mr. P. presented 
 Mr McCarty to the sheriff, and demanded his bond given 
 the day before. But the shLr.lf relused ahsoluiely t) lake 
 any charge concerning him. Tney therefuri3 bid hira 
 good bye, and retired. The enemies of Mr. McCarty, 
 however, rallied the same daj' and llrust him intopris n; 
 
::i * 
 
 iM -i 
 
 32 
 
 but lui was again liberated by Mr. Porry's Jntil. When 
 the tiln^! had expired for wiiich he had bi on hailt d, he, 
 wilh Mr. Perry repaired i\gi\\\\ to Kingi^toii to receive his 
 destiny; where, by the orders o( the ciiid" enginrer, lie 
 was put on board of a hoar inanaged by four French men, 
 who were directed to leave him on a dej<oiate island in 
 the St. Lawrence. This they attempted to do, but through 
 Mr. McCarty's resistance, they were induced to land him 
 on the main'shore, from whence he returned home to his 
 family and friends. ' ' 
 
 " Prior to this, however, he had procured the friendship 
 of Sir John Johnson, who had furnished him with money 
 for the purpose of entering into prosecution against his 
 
 Kersecutors. An attorney at Montreal, likewise warranted 
 im a successful process, and offered his assistance in 
 carrying on the suit. But while on his way to Montreal, 
 or on his return, (it i» not ascertained which) he was 
 strangely and suddenly missing and has never been 
 heard of since. It seems improbable, also, that he should 
 have repaired to the United States, from the circumstance 
 that he had a wilie and four children, whom he dearly 
 loved, and who have never heard of him to this day. 
 The place where he was last seen was at Long Sault; 
 but what ever befel him or from what cause he disappeared, 
 is left a subject of conjecture until the great day wherein 
 the secrets of all hearts shall be revaleJ^ and all the hidden 
 things of dishonesty brought to light. 
 ''' "The singular phenomena which eventually followed 
 this affair seem to denote that an overruling and inter- 
 posing providence was invisibly connected with the 
 whole transaction from first to last. On the one hand we 
 see the preaching: of Mr. McCarty rendered effective in 
 arousing the attention of the people to a subject of pure 
 religion, and preparing the way lor the establi>*hment of 
 a durable and evangelical Chnich : a?* also, the violence 
 and malice of his persecutors, which, instead of answer- 
 ing their design, only served to develop the iniquity of 
 their cause, and to confirm the public mind in favor of 
 Mr. McCarty, and the course he pursued. At the time of 
 his commitment to prison, indeed, Mr. Perry said to Mr. 
 L. the Sheriflf, * You may kill McCarty, but a hundred 
 more will rise at his burial, whom you and your party 
 cannot kill.' How fully indeed has this been exemplified, 
 and how striking its eventful scenes, which crowd around 
 us even to the present day. "' ' ' ' " ' ■'*' " ' "^ 
 
 "In 1795 the Kev, Sylvanus Keeler arrived in Canada, 
 
33 
 
 and travellofi tlio Hay Quinto circuit with rlir Rpv. E. 
 Woolspy, whili^ Mr Durham was traversing forests about 
 Niagara, proclaiming life and salvaiiun lo the people of 
 those part'^. 
 
 " At this time the societies had increased to 474 : the 
 Bay of Quinte circuit numbering 270, the Oswcgotchie 
 140, and the Niagara 64. This, indeed, was the fruit of 
 only about four years' labour among that scattered popu- 
 lation ! Nor was it other thnn a mere introduction to the 
 far greater prosperity of snccee(iing years : The next 
 ensuing, indeed, aspired to the amount of 793 ! making 
 an aunrmentalion of 218 souls. The Niagara alone num- 
 bered 140. 
 
 " From this time until the year 1800 the march of these 
 circuits might the belter compare with the gliding stream, 
 rising by moderate degrees, than with the impetuosity of 
 the torrent hurried onward by an overswellinij; abundance 
 of its watery element. Gradual and progiessive in its 
 course, and surmounting every barrier as it approached 
 in view, increasing additions to the communion of the 
 church, crowned the endeavours of each succeeding year. 
 
 ♦* It would doubtless impart a sati>faction to many, 
 were a notice of those itinerant preachers who have 
 repaired to these climes, brought in this account as we 
 pass along. 
 
 " It was in the year 1796, that the friends of Zion, in 
 the Bay of Quinte circuit, were first favoured with ministry 
 of that admirable young ni;m, and eminent christian, the 
 Rev. S. Coate. Although a youth at that time, and having 
 been but two years in the itinerant work, he was an able 
 minister of the New Testament, and his celebrity, eventu- 
 ally, became surprisingly great. For three successive 
 years, he tarried among his Canadian friends, holding 
 forth the excellences of the gospel of Christ with great 
 zeal, universal acceptance, and glorious success. 
 
 *' No less a shining light or an example of holy emula- 
 tion, however, was his contemporary the Rev. Hezekiah C. 
 Wooster. This holy man was appointed to the Oswegot- 
 chie, where he laboured with great zeal and usefulness, 
 enduring many fatigues, reproaches and persecutions, 
 and where, by excessive toiling for the recovery of lost 
 souls, he laid the foundation of that disorder which 
 terminated his useful life. He remained in the country 
 till 1798, a part of which time he was in the Bay of Quinte 
 circuit, and a part of which, also, he was confined and 
 wasting away with the consumption. 
 
 II 
 
 r-^^ 
 '. t 
 
u 
 
 " In Jiim*, 179^, he returned to his father's house, 
 where he termiualcd his tourse, on \\\vi 6lh of Xovmiber 
 following, filled svith love, and an unshaken coniidence 
 of entering into eicrnal j«)yH. To devout minds, how 
 prt'fitahly |)Ioa>in<^ the. conlempiation of I he triumphant 
 exit of iho departed saint! The rhjilfousy s;iyH tlie wise 
 man, hath hopt; in his ileilh ! 
 
 " But to return : The lie v. Michael Coate repaired to 
 Canada in 1793, iind the ilev. Jot^cph Jew 11 in 1799. 
 The former tarried but one yenr; hut the latter, who 
 received the charj^e of Pn-siditig Elder of the district, 
 continued in that olUee until the ye.ir 1803 ; when lie 
 was succeeded by the iiev. John Kobini'on, and rt tired 
 to the United States 
 
 "Prior to 1800, luur preaciiers were the inosit thit had 
 bern employed in the tiuee existing circuits, u hicli hud 
 aflTorded a competent f<upply. But this year seems to 
 have ft)rme(l an era in the history of Canadmn [Methodism: 
 Ttie population of the pountrv ha I so far .idvanced as to 
 admit the formation of an additiouid circuit, as al>o, to 
 require more labourers in those that had been of some 
 years standing. The i'ev. Daniel Pickett proceeded to 
 the settlements upon the bonli'rs of the Grau<l River, 
 where his labors proved somewhat successful, in gather- 
 ing souls to the communion of the church. The Ilev, 
 William Anson repaired to the Bay of Quinte circuit with 
 the Rev. S. Keelcr, Rev. James H<M'ruii to Oswegotchie, 
 accompanied with the presiding elder of the district, and 
 the Rev. Joseph Sawer entered in charge upon the 
 Niagara. 
 
 "Six preachers were now moving round in these 
 circuits, who were ardently striving to build up the 
 Redeemer's Kingdom. 
 
 " The appendages to the former territory occupied bv 
 the itinerant ministry, formed but one part of the ad- 
 vantages which at this time seemed gathering around 
 this thriving community. The public mind indeed was 
 yielding to her institutions, and her sublime docrinefi 
 were becoming more and more established and under- 
 stood, among those who professed no attachment to the 
 
 cause. >•■ ft,; .Ml^r '. r\,'-. . ■ V'.' ) i\ 
 
 ^' Revivals progressing in divers places, were likewise 
 gathering into the arms of tl.e church, large numbers of 
 worthy members, which served in an adequate pioporlion 
 to build up and strengthen her spiritual wads. 
 
 ■»»wn)i»M^ffiia 
 
 f,W«'«irffil5Iira»iE5?' 
 
1 
 
 35 
 
 *' At this period ihe state of Methorlism lliroughout the 
 Province of Uppi r Canada, stood as follows : 
 
 " Niagara Circuit 
 
 *' Bay oi Quinte - 
 
 '* Ostvvo^otchie ... 
 
 " ()lta\v'a (alias Grand River) 
 
 Total - 
 
 320 
 
 4G4 
 
 330 
 
 45 
 
 1,150 
 
 '1 1 :j 
 
 " We liave thus far scon in an epitomized view of a 
 christian cornmunily rising from ihe inosl inconsiderable 
 events, to become, as it were, a far famed ciiy, ( ievaied 
 on an eminence where ihe world cannot but behuld its 
 grandeur and transcendant excellencrs. 
 
 " The lapse of ten ye.irs indeeil luis thus spread these 
 apostolic doctrines and institutions throughout the Can- 
 adian populace. What hath God wrought by the weakness 
 of human instruments ! 
 
 "Assuming an aspect far more auspicious than any 
 previous year, the interests of the cause bep^iin to elicit a 
 a recruit of gospel labourers, and the vi<i;ilant indusilry 
 of its friends and votaries. And fron^i this period until 
 the year 1812, each succeeding year, like the returning 
 wave, wafted the cause of Zion onward in a mnniier 
 which exceeded the expectations of th.^ most sanguine. 
 The following year, however, m:\dt5 no acquisitions in 
 point of numbers, but, as* behind a frowning providence, 
 is sometimes concealed a smiling face,' which emits the 
 brighter splendors when the cloui is passed, so, when 
 the transient gloom was o'erspreading t ha church, num- 
 berless blessings were gathering around to break in all 
 her borders. The growing prosperity indeed was such 
 that the returns of the ensuing year exhibiteil an amount 
 of 1,600 souls. 
 
 ♦' It was in the year 1801, that Messrs. Samuel Draper, 
 Sefh Crowell, James Aikens, John Robinson, and Caleb 
 Morris were appoined by the New York Conference to 
 labor in the Canada District. And in 1S02, the Rev. 
 Thomas Madden repaired to the Long Point circuit, 
 which was now distinct from the Niagara, and which 
 numbered the fifth circuit in the Canada District. 
 
 " Besides Mr. Madden, were likewise three others, who 
 had not previously travelled in the province of Canada, 
 which were Messrs. Peter Vannest, Nathan Bangs, and 
 Nehemiah U. Tompkins. 
 
7 T^»^ ti-;|?M-»fc^-»^y|-j|jj>^s«fM' ..-^fi^ >'?f^'3^*1f3r4| 
 
 36 
 
 i',! 
 
 "The follovviriir year, 1803, the numl)er of circuits was 
 reduced to four; which were supplied with eight preachers 
 and the Presiding Elder of the district. Four of those 
 in the former year had retired, and the vacancies of three 
 of whom were supplied by the appointment of Samuel 
 How, Reuben Harris, and Luiher Bisliop. A moderate 
 increase was witnessed in some of the circuits, though 
 the growth of Methodism in this year would in nowise 
 compare with that in some years subsequent to that period. 
 
 " In 1804 but one new preacher was appointed to labor 
 in Canada, which was the IJev. Martin Ruter, who 
 received his station at Montreal. Until this time the 
 Methodists had extended their borders no farther down 
 the St, Lawrence than the lower boundaries of the Os- 
 "wegotchie circuit. 
 
 " But not satisfied with a confinement to the precincts 
 of one Province, so long as a probability existed of their 
 winning souls to the church of Christ in other parts, they 
 received the stations of Montreal, and River Le French, 
 into the field of itinerancy, and to which latter station 
 was appointed the Rev. Nathan Bangs. Meeting with 
 little encouragement, after toiling for a year at these 
 stations, the preachers repaired to a more fruitful soil, 
 and abandoned them from their account till 1806. At 
 this time they were re-assumed with an appendage of the 
 Ottawa circuit, which together were constituted a 
 Presiding Folder's district, and superintended by the Rev, 
 Samuel Coate. From this time to 1812, Upper and 
 Lower Canada consisted of two separate districts, and 
 were both embraced within the precincts of the New 
 York Conference, until the organization of the Genesee, 
 which transpired in 1810. The district in the Upper 
 Province, was included therefore in the last-mentioned 
 conference, and that in the Lower. Province in the former. 
 The city of Quebec having been attached in 1806, the 
 Three Rivers in 1809, and St. Francis in 1810, the 
 aspect would at first sight appear somewhat promising 
 to the success of those missionaries who were toiling 
 for the prosperity of religion in those several stations. 
 But, notwithstanding the constant efforts for some years, 
 even of those who were renowned for their piety and 
 zeal, as well as splended abilities, a darkening cloud 
 seemed to hang about them, and their final success 
 proved quite inconsiderable when compared with the 
 population and the rapidity with which the work had 
 progressed in other parts. After a succession of six 
 
 ■0? 
 
 I 
 
SIX 
 
 37 
 
 years labor to establish Methodism and raise up a people 
 in those places, 57 souls W( re the greatest number at any 
 one station. The whole number of Methodists in the 
 Lower Province was 295, including those in the Ottawa, 
 which consisted of 97. 
 
 Nineteen years after the planting of Methodism in this 
 country, a pleasing spectacle, indeed, is present to the 
 mind : all that stretch of cf)untry bordering on the St. 
 Lawrence and the lakes Ontario and Erie, from the 
 capital of British America to the city of Detroit, is en- 
 circled in the arms of this flourishing branch of the 
 christian church. 
 
 " The Rev. William Case having made a missionary 
 excursion to the latter place in the year 1809, met with 
 a cheering prospect for the reception of the gospel, and a 
 revival of the work of God among the destitute popula- 
 tion. Having reared the standard of the cross, and held 
 forth the sceptre of mercy to such as were perishing with- 
 out hope, an encouraging number cast in their lots and 
 decidedly espoused the christian cause. Meanwhile the 
 work was rising in various other sections, in a degree 
 which augmented the number of christian communicants 
 to 3,495. The mission at Detroit likewise, in the follow- 
 ing year had so far prospered as to require an additional 
 labourer, and to admit of the formation of a four weeks' 
 circuit, which was accordingly done, and supplied by the 
 Rev. N. Holmes, and Rev. ISilas Hopkins. By this time 
 the societies had arrived to 130 in number. The wilder- 
 ness indeed was blossoming like the rose." , 
 
 "In the year 1812, the last war between Great Britain 
 and the United States commenced, and in consequence 
 thereof the c *use of Methodism in these provinces suf- 
 fered greatly. At this time the work in the Canadas 
 was divided into two districts, namely, the Upper and 
 Lowe^ Canada districts, the former of which was attach- 
 ed to the Genesee Conference recently formed, and the 
 latter to the New York Conference. From each of these 
 conferences the annual supplies of preachers were sent to 
 the respective portions of the work. At the session of 
 the General Conference in 1812, the preachers were 
 appointed, as usual to the Upper Canada district. Be- 
 fore the formal declaration of war, some of the preachers 
 reached their appointments in safety, others, however, 
 after the announcement was made, abandoned the de- 
 sign of going to Canada, and some of those who had 
 
1 
 
 88 
 
 already mch»cl their circuits returned to the United 
 Sta's. The Rev. Henry Ryan, presiding elder of the 
 Upper Canada district, with a few other brethren, remain- 
 ed at his post, and was, during the continuance of the 
 war, the sole director and superintendent of this part of 
 the work. He attended reafularly all his quarterly meet- 
 ings, and cal etl the preachers together each year and 
 stationed them as he judged best from time to time until 
 1815, when peace was declared to the joy of every pious 
 heart. Ths authority and power invested in Mr. Ryan 
 by the nccesp-ties of the case, no doubt laid the founda- 
 tion of the many troubles and dissensions which existed 
 for many years subsequently, in which Mr. Ryan was a 
 chief actor, and which finally led to his abandonment of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1827, and the organi- 
 zation of an independent body of Methodists in Canada 
 known by the name of " Ryanites." 
 
 *' After the close of the war of 1812-15, intercourse be- 
 tween the people on both sides of the line was resumed. 
 Preachers from the United States were again appointed 
 to the Canadas, and were permitted to mingle freely with 
 the inhabitants and preach wherever they could collect a 
 congregation, and as the work had suffered materially 
 during the continuance of the war, these preachers and 
 the members saw the necessity of labouring zealously to 
 recover what had bsen lost, and their labours were 
 crowned with abundant success throughout different 
 parts of the provinces. 
 
 " Previous to the commencement of hostilities, Bishop 
 Asbury in 1811, made a short visit to Canada. He, after 
 attending the session of the New England Conference in 
 Barnard, Vt., crossed the Green Mountains and Lake 
 Champlain, and from Plattsburgh made his way through 
 the wilderness known as the *' Chateauguay Woods,'' and 
 passing through " French Mills," (Fort Covington) reach- 
 ed the Indian village of St. R§gis. He, from this place, 
 crossed the St. Lawrence to Cornwall, and passed along 
 up the banks of the latter river, stopping and preaching 
 in different places as he went on his journey, until at 
 length he arrived at Kingston, where he tarried several 
 day* and preached in the new chapel recently erected in 
 that place, with great acceptability to the people. From 
 Kingston he crossed to Sackelt's harbour, having made a 
 flying visit to a colony then and since under the protec- 
 tion of the flag of his native country. It was fortunate 
 that this \iBit was made at this time, as hostilities soon 
 
 f- 
 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 "4 
 
 -if 
 
 ..i*' 
 
39 
 
 nee in 
 Lake 
 rough 
 '» and 
 each- 
 place, 
 along 
 ehing 
 ntil at 
 everal 
 ted in 
 From 
 ade a 
 irotec- 
 unate 
 soon 
 
 after conirricncecl and bc'fore the cessation of the same 
 ihe vennable bisliop was called to his rest in heaven. 
 
 " While ihi war was raging, and the Societies in Canada 
 were, some of them, left without ministers, the Society 
 in Quebec sent a request to the Mission Committee in 
 London to be supplied with English preachers ; accord- 
 ingly, in 1814, a missionary from England was sent to 
 them, and Quebec, in fu ure was left off from the Amer- 
 ican Minutes. For the same or a similar reasiin that an 
 English preacher was sent to Quebec, it was thought 
 best by Ihe Wesleyan Miss'on Committee to send Engiish 
 preachers to other points in the |)rovinces; accordingly, 
 Montreal. Kingston, and other prominent places were 
 soon occupied in part by Eng'ish missionaries, while at 
 the same time American preachers were duly stationed 
 among them. This siate of things induced jealousy and 
 bickerings, not tu\y between the niembers in the Socie- 
 ties in these places who favoured the ministrations of the 
 one or the other, but b?tween tlie preachers also, who, 
 unfortunately for themselves, were required to occupy 
 common ground. Complaints and remonstrances to the 
 Wesleyan Committee on the one hand, and to the Ameri- 
 can Conferences on the other, were m tde for a redress of 
 grievances. But as in the large s<>ci('tie8, especially the 
 one in Montreal, there were two distinrt C5lasses «.f Me- 
 odi sts (the English Wesleyan and th«^ American Epis- 
 copal), it was not an easy maitcr to effect an atljustment 
 of existing difficulties under these circumstances, as one 
 party preferred their own countrymen to preach the gos- 
 pel to them, and the other as tenaciously insisted for the 
 same reason, on having their old pastors remain among 
 them. At the General Conference of the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church in 1816, an affectionate letter written 
 by thi Wesleyan Committee was received at the hands 
 of the Rev. Messrs. Black and Bennett, who were ap- 
 pointed delegates to effect an adjustment of difficulties. 
 In this ielter a request was made that the Methodist 
 Episcopal Church should withdraw her preachers from 
 those places occupied in whole or in part by the English 
 missionaries. The General Conference, however, could 
 not see the way clear to relinquish ground which had 
 been so long occupied by them, and wrote an answer to 
 the committee, in which they respectfully state that they 
 could not consistently give up any part of the Societies 
 or chapels in tlio Canadas to the superintendence of the 
 British connection. The result of this refusal was that 
 
.a^!i, 
 
 those Societies circumslaneed as above described were 
 supplied with both British and American preachers for 
 a number of years. This was particularly the case -with 
 Montreal. At the succeeding General Conference of 
 1820, numerous memorials and petitions were presented 
 from several circuits in Upper Canada, protesting against 
 the occupancy of the ground by the British missijnaries, 
 and praying for the supply of preachers t>om the United 
 Stales. The conference jiassed a resolution to the effect 
 that the bishops still continue to exercise their Episcopal 
 charge over the Societies in the Canadas, all except 
 Quebec. 
 
 •* At this conference also, was received another address 
 from the General Secretaries of the Missionary Society 
 in London, in which they respectfully express their re- 
 gret that any misunderstanding had taken p!ace between 
 the two bodies in relation to the above matter, and also 
 state that it never was the design of the committee to 
 have their missionaries interfere with those preachers 
 sent by the American Conferences. The committee, in 
 connection with the above, sent a copy of the instructions 
 given to each of their missionaries in relation to their acts 
 when brought in contact with the American preachers. 
 This document was sufficiently explicit to convince the 
 General Conference that, however any of the missionaries 
 or preachers had erred in judgment, the designs of the 
 committee and c' the British Conference were of the 
 most friendly and |: ; jific character, and in order that all 
 cause for future misunderstanding might be removed, 
 the Rev. John Emory was appointed by the General Con- 
 ference as a delegate to attend the ensuing session of the 
 English Conference, with full powers to negotiate a set- 
 tlement of all existing difficulties. In accordance wil6fci 
 his instructions, Mr. Emory sailed imnriediately for Eng<- 
 land, and attended the session of the latter body, held in 
 Liverpool in August, 1820. He was received with great 
 respect and cordiality by his English brethren, and after 
 due consultation, and on the recommendation of Mr. 
 Emory, it was resolved that all the Societies and chapels in 
 Upper Canada should be given up to the exclusive charge 
 of the American preachers, and that all the Societies and 
 chapels in Lower Canada should be resigned to the caro^ 
 of the British missionaries. For the purpose of carrying 
 out the provisions of this plan, three ministers or preach- 
 ers from each conterence were appointed to meet when 
 and where convenient, and make the necessary transfers, 
 
 
41 
 
 >argo 
 and 
 care- 
 ying 
 ach- 
 
 fers. 
 
 ^c. The settlement of these difficulties in the above 
 manner gave very general satisfaction to both preachers 
 and people in the Canadas, and has been productive of 
 great, and we trust, permanent good, while it affords an 
 evidence of the Christian desire of both connections to 
 maintain peace and unity between the two great bodies 
 of Methodists. 
 
 " The number of travelling and local preachers in the 
 Upper Province having become considerable, a strong 
 desire began to be expressed on the part of many, that a 
 separate Canada Conference should be organized, with 
 authority to elect a bishop of their own, who should re- 
 side among them, and superintend their affairs. A peti- 
 tion to this effect was presented to the General Confer- 
 ence of 1824, and the conference so far granted the pray- 
 ers of the petitioners, as to erect a separate conference 
 for Canada, but retaining the same under the supervi- 
 sion of the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
 This disposition of the case was not, however, satisfac- 
 tory to all, and especially to Mr. Ryan, before alluded to, 
 who speedily began the work of fomenting divisions and 
 discord among the preachers, and especially among the 
 local preachers in the Canadian department of the work. 
 Through his agency, a convention of local preachers was 
 called, a conference organized, and a plan of future ope- 
 rations adopted. On the assembling of the conference, 
 however, in Hallowell, U. C, peace was measurably 
 restored for the time being, through the instrumentality of 
 Bishops George and Hedding, who pledged themselves to 
 sanction measures in the future for the organization of an 
 Independent Canada Conference. >■" ' c; > v ? .; ? 
 
 " Accordingly, in 1828, the matter having again come 
 before the General Conference at its Quadrennial Session 
 in Pittsburgh, resolutions were adopted dissolving the 
 compact existing between the Canada Annual Conference, 
 and the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, 
 and authorizing the bishops to ordain a superintendent or 
 bishop for the Canada Conference, whenever elected by 
 the latter. At the next session of the Canada Conference 
 held the same year in Earnestown, U. C, the proceed- 
 ings of the General Conference in respect to the separa- 
 tion having been read and explained, it was resolved that 
 the Canada Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church " do now organize itself into an independent 
 Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada." The separa- 
 tion was thus rendered complete ; so much so, that as 
 
I'i 
 
 42 
 
 soon as the resolution passed, the presiding bishop rose, 
 and declared that he no longer had any jurisdiction over 
 them, and that they must elect a president before they 
 could proceed to farther business ; accordingly, the Rev. 
 William Case was elected General Superintendent pro 
 iem. 
 
 "The Canada Conference, although claiming to be a 
 Methodist Episcopal Church, (ji(t not succeed in electing 
 a permanent superintendent or bishop in the interim of 
 the sessions of the General Conference of 1828-1833, so 
 that at the latter period resolutions were passed, allowing 
 the bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the 
 United States to ordain a'ly such superintendent wiihin 
 the ensuing four years, should one be elected, but for rea- 
 sons which will hereafter be apparent, no such officer was 
 ever elected. , . t ! „ ^ i, . , ., 
 
 .. " The province of Canada being subject fo the British 
 crown, a jealousy had long existed on the part of its 
 statesmen in relation to the institutions of the United 
 Slates. This jealousy ripened into hatred during the war 
 of 1812-16, and although ni the close of the same actual 
 hostilities ceased, feelings of animosity still remained. 
 This rendered the situation of the American preachers an 
 unpleasant one, and led, as we have just stated, to the 
 final separation of the Canada Conference from the pa- 
 rent body. A desire to be identified with whatever is 
 British in its nature and origin, led the members of the 
 Canada Conference to seek a union with their brethren in 
 the English Conference. Such an^ union was formed in 
 1833, the Canada Conferenoe changing its title of Me- 
 thodist Episcopal Church, to that of the Wesleyan Metho- 
 dist Church in Canada In chringing their title, they 
 also ch mged their church polity in several respects, and 
 in fonninuj the union with the British Conference, they 
 consenied to receive their president annually from the 
 latter body. 
 
 " Although this union gave satisfaction to the majority of 
 the travelling preachers and rnernbers of the Methodist 
 Ctiuroh in Canada, it produced much uneasiness and dis- 
 satisf icfion in the breasts of many who were ardently 
 attached to the us iges an 1 ecclesiastical government of 
 the Me-tho list Ejiiscopal Church. While proposals for a 
 union were beng made, several conventions were held 
 in which it was resoK-ed, on the pari of those dissatisfied 
 wiih th3 contemplated arrangements, not to consent to 
 the union, if it should bj efiecled. The most prominent 
 
 I 
 
it 
 
 rity of 
 lodist 
 d dis- 
 ently 
 nt of 
 for a 
 held 
 isfied 
 nt to 
 linent 
 
 dppo^er of the union Was the Rev. Joseph Gatchel, a 
 superannuated member of the Canada Conference, who, 
 with numerous local preachers and members, resolved to 
 ddhere as far as possible to the discipline and polity of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church, Accordingly, in June, 
 
 1834, or about eight months after the union, Mr. Gatchel, 
 who refused to consent to it, and retained his name of 
 Methodist Episcopal minister, called an annual conference 
 to be held in Yonge Street. In answer to the call, seve- 
 ral located and local preachers met together, but no 
 rriember of the Wesley an Conference obeyed the sum- 
 mons to attend. Mr. Gatchel, claiming that the main 
 body had seceded from the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
 atid that he only constituted the Conference of the Metho- 
 dist Episcopail Church in Canada, proceeded in due form 
 to re-admit several located preachers, and receive other' 
 preaic hers on trial The lime and place of the next an-'. 
 nual conference was fixed upon, ^nd a special General 
 Conference was appointe I to meet in Belleville, Feb., 12, 
 
 1835, for the purpose of electing a General Superinten- 
 dent, /?ro <f»w/)«re. At the General Conference thus ap- 
 pointed, the Rev. John Keyuolds was elected to this 
 office, and at a subsequent General Conference, held in 
 June of the same year, he was elected a bishop, and or- 
 dained by the elders present Since the above period^ 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada has gained 
 many adherents and member?, so that at the present time 
 it may be said to be in a flourishing state, having a large 
 number of chapels and Societies embraced in severail 
 presiding elders' districts, and two stnnual conferences. 
 
 " In the meanwhile, the Wesleyan Methodist Conference 
 in Canada, while repudiating the afetion of the " Episco- 
 pals," proceeded, acording to the plan of union, in hold- 
 ing her annual conferences, and administering her disci- 
 pline, for several years, until at length dissatisfaction 
 arose on the part of the British Confefence, in' relation to 
 some of the acts of the Canadian brethren, and the ^ction 
 of the Canada Conference in relation thereto, which led 
 to a disruption betweeri the two b.)dies. In consequence 
 of this disruption the British Cotilerence included the ter- 
 ritory in the upper province within her field of miss'onary 
 operations, and appointed preachers to the mast impor- 
 tant places in Canada. This state of things could not 
 long continue \vithout producing the most unpleasant and 
 sometimes violent altercations between the adherents of 
 the one dr the other conferenC3, s>o that With the Canaidiati 
 
I 
 
 44 
 
 « 
 
 II 
 
 Wesleyans, tlie British Wesleyans, the Methodist Episco- 
 palians, and the remains of the " Ryanite *' secession, all 
 in operation at one and the same time, all presenting con- 
 flictini? claims, all having friends and supporters, and each 
 branch having its bitter foes, a long-continued scene of 
 turmoil, contention, and strife, characterized the proceed- 
 ings of our Methodist brethren in Canada, which stale of 
 things they no doubt all deplored, but had no remedy to 
 heal the wounds thus made. After enduring this state 
 of things for some tiine, overtures were made by the 
 Canada Wesleyan Con erence to the British Wesleyan 
 Conference, for a cessation of ecclesiastical hostilities, 
 and the re-union of the two bodies, and in 1847 an ami- 
 cable arrangement was effected in London, through the 
 instrumentality of Messrs. Ryerson and Green, on the 
 part of the Canadian, and a Committee of the British Con- 
 ference. This arrangement re-united the two branches, 
 and since the period referred to, the Canadian Conference 
 has been presided over by a president annually appointed 
 by the English body." i 
 
 In addition to the above we may remark that the Me- 
 thodist Societies in Upper Canada, rigidly opposed 
 Church and State connection in the Province, and argued 
 that such a Connection would make Christianity a pen- 
 sioner upon political benevolence rather than the power 
 of God unto salvation — a tool of the state rather than a 
 bright emanation from heaven— which subjected them 
 to misrepresentation by the favoured clergy of the would 
 be dominant Church, and brought upon them the follow- 
 ing rebuke from His Excellency Sir John Colbome, in 
 answer to an address of the Conference, requesting him 
 to transmit to His Majesty, their address on the subject of 
 the Clergy Reserves. •: M .vi/U r',- ' .! 
 
 " Address of the Canada Conference of the Methodists 
 to Sir John Colborne.— Dated, September 8lh, 1831, as 
 published in the Conference Paper. 
 
 *' To His Excellency Sir John Colbome, K.C.B., Lieu- 
 tenant Governor of the Province of Upper Canada, 
 Major -Genera^ commanding His Majesty^ s Forces 
 therein, Sfc, Sfc, fyc. 
 
 *'May it please Youb Excellency :- -We, His 
 
jpisco- 
 on, all 
 g con- 
 j each 
 Bne of 
 Dceed- 
 tale of 
 edy to 
 3 state 
 by the 
 sleyan 
 tilitieSy 
 m ami- 
 gh the 
 on the 
 ih Con- 
 anches, 
 fere nee 
 pointed 
 
 he Me- 
 )pposed 
 argued 
 a pen- 
 power 
 than a 
 ] them 
 ; would 
 follow- 
 t)me, in 
 ng him 
 bject of 
 
 thodists 
 831, as 
 
 Lieu- 
 lanaday 
 Forces 
 
 'e, His 
 
 45 
 
 Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjpc's the Conference of 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada^ take the 
 liberty to enclose to Your Excellency an address to 
 His Majesty with accompanying documents^ most re- 
 speclfi lly requesting Your Excellency to transmit them to 
 His Majesty'' s Principal Secretary of State for the Col- 
 onies, to he laid at the foot of the Throne. 
 
 " Permit us to avail o'trsetves of this opportunity to 
 express our best %oish<'s for Your Excellency's spiritval 
 and temporal prosperity^ and to assure Your Excellency 
 of our sincere desire and firm determination to second 
 Your Excellency'* s exertions for the public srood, by doing 
 all in our power to promote the interests of morality and 
 pure religio?i^ the essential precepts of which are^ Fear 
 God and honor the King. 
 
 " By order of ihe Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church in Canada. 
 
 '* (Signed) W. CASE, President. 
 " (Signed) JAMES RICHARDSON, Secretary, 
 York, Sept. 8, 1831. 
 
 To which His Excellency was pleased to reply : — 
 
 "Gentlemen: — I shall not fail to transmit to the 
 Secretary of State your memorial addressed to the King. 
 
 " In returning my best thanks for your good wishes, 
 I may venture to affirm that the assurances of your desire 
 and determination to promote the interests of pure re- 
 ligion, will afford general satisfaction ; because- a very 
 unfavorable impression has been made from one end of 
 the Province to the other as regards an imputed secular 
 interference on the part of your preachers : an impression 
 I am afraid, that must tend to counteract the salutary 
 effects that ought to result from the active piety and zeal 
 of your Society. I refer with reluctance to the public 
 opinion formed of the doctrines inculcated by ministers 
 of every denomination of Christians, or the principles 
 which they are said to espouse : but oio this occasion I 
 think it right to acquaint you that alihough the character 
 of your ministers is probably aspersed, and although they 
 may not as is said, take advantage of the influence ac- 
 quired by their sacred office, to conduct the political 
 concerns of the people committed to llieir care, to be 
 instructed only in the words of eternal life, yet, / cannot 
 imagine that tf there were not some ground /or the impu- 
 tation, of their inconvenient attention tu secular concerns^ 
 a desire for the return of the Wesleyan Missionaries to 
 
46 
 
 r.?5ume their pastoral labors in thi% Province would not 
 have been generally expressed. This conclusion may be 
 erroneous, but 1 am in some measure ltd to il from the* 
 reports which I have received of the absurd advice offer- 
 ed by your Missionaries to the Indians, and their officious 
 interference ; if any reliance can be placed on the stale" 
 ments of the Indians themselves, the civilization of whom 
 the Superintendents of the Indian Department arc endea- 
 voring to accomplish. 
 
 " With our excellent Constitution in this Province, I 
 trust we shall always find a sufficient number of sup- 
 porters of Civil and Religious freedom, without the 
 interference of the ministers of the Gospel. Your preach- 
 ers^ whether they are brought from the United Stales, or 
 any other foreign country, will, 1 hope experience^ while 
 they act honestly and respect British Institutions, the same 
 protection and encouragement^ and freedom^ which all 
 Americans ev.joy, who have found an asylum among us^ 
 and chcose to live under the British Government in this 
 Province, and securely enjoy the rights cf our own 
 Colonists — which are assured to every dcnominatlun, 
 party, sect or persuasion. 
 
 " Your dislike to any Church Establishment, or to the 
 particular form of Christianity which is denominated the 
 Church of England, may be the natural consequence of 
 the constant success of your own efficacious orgar^ised 
 system. The small number ff our Church is to be re- 
 gretted^ as ivell as that the organization of its Ministry is 
 not adapted to supply the present wants (f the dispersed 
 population in this new country: but you will readily ad- 
 mit that the sober-minded of the Province are disgusted 
 with the accounts of the disgraceful dissensions of the 
 Episcopal Methodist Church and its separatists — recrim- 
 inating memorials, and the warfare of one Church with 
 another. The utility of an Establishment depends en- 
 tirely on the piety ^ assiduity, and devoted zeal of its 
 Ministers^ and on their abstaining from a secular inter- 
 ference^ which may involve them in political disputes. 
 The labours of the Clergy of Established Churches in 
 defence of moral and religious truth, will always be re- 
 membered by you who have access to their writings, and 
 benefit by them in common with other Christian societies. 
 You will allowy I have no doubt, on reflection, that it 
 would indeed (with the inconsiderable population of the 
 Province) be imprudent to admit the rights of societies to 
 dictate on account of their present numerical strength, in 
 
 w 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 Hi 
 
 • i'V.Wi I'"''-' 5 ?S ■■' •>'• "'m' > '*< 
 
 W' 
 
 ■^i! " >' Si 
 
47 
 
 what way the lands spI apart as a provision for the Clergy 
 shall be disposed of. Ample information on the question 
 has been laid before llie Imperial Parliament, and no 
 inconvenience while it is pendiiiif cin arise in re5«pect to 
 the occupation of these lands: for there are more acres 
 now offered for sale than purchasers can be found for 
 them. 
 
 " /w a few years (he Province loill he peopled by millions 
 of our own covntrymen, and many of the arrangements of 
 His Majesty\s Government will have reference naturally to 
 tha population of th^ Mother Country^ destined to occupy 
 the Waste Lands of the Crown. 
 
 " The system of Education which has produced the 
 best and ablest men in the United Kingdom, will not be 
 abandoned liere^ to suit the limited mews of the leaders of 
 Societies^ who perhaps have neither experience nor jvdiiment 
 to appreciate the value or advantages of a liberal Education* 
 But the British Government will, I am confident, with 
 the aid of the Provincial Legisiatur?, establish respectable 
 schools in every part of the Province, und encourage all 
 societies to follow their example. 
 
 ** A Seminary f I hope, will not be termed exclusioe^ 
 which is open to every one, merely because the classical 
 masters are brought from our own Universities. 
 
 "It may be mentioned, without giving offence to the 
 members of any church or persuasion, that there are few 
 individuals who think that Ministers of the Gospel can 
 conduct political journals, and keep themselves unspotted 
 from the world, and put away all bitterness and wrath, 
 and clamour and evil speaking, which the attacks of their 
 adversaries may engender, or that their avocation will 
 not force them to spend their time like the Athenians in 
 their decline, in nothing but * either to tell or to hear some 
 new thing,' 1 am persuaded that the friends of religion 
 will strongly recommend ministers of the Gospel to 
 labour to increase the number of christians, rather than 
 the number of their own sects or persuasions, to close 
 their churches and chapals against all political meetings, 
 and indeed all meetings for the transaction of secular 
 business, and never to permit their consecrated places to 
 be profaned by the party spirit of the hour." 
 
 In separating from the M. E. Church, the Wesleyans 
 abandoned those principles which were displeasing to 
 the ecclesiastical dependants of the Church of England, 
 
■"■!.X-T« 'V'J '■I t?(» 
 
 q CK V* ■!•»•*■«•■»"**"'■' ' 
 
 1 
 
 48 
 
 and the crafty politicians composing the corrupt family 
 compact; and such a mutual good understanding estab* 
 Ushed between those liberal purchasers and those minis* 
 ters who were ambitious for government patronage, that 
 a share of government money was extended to and 
 received by them, as early as 1833, as is proved by the 
 following extract from the seventh report of the Commit- 
 tee of the House of Assembly on grievance, 1835. 
 
 *' The ministers of these Ecclesiastical establishments 
 derive their ofKcial pensions entirely from the public 
 revenue raised within the Province, and receive besides 
 an income from their congregations; England pays no 
 part. \. 
 
 " There were paid out of the Provincial chest, without 
 any vote of the Legislature, in 1832, 1833, and 1834, to 
 the four Established Churches, £40,441, of which £16,- 
 284 were paid in 1834.'' 
 
 r 
 
 r 
 
 METHODISTS. , , • 
 
 "The ' Canadian Wesleyan Methodist Conference* re- 
 ceived £800 in 1833, and £380 in 1834 ; these sums were 
 to be applied to the building of Chapels, 4^c. 
 
 *• The * British Wesleyan Methodist Conference ' for- 
 merly the Methodist Episcopal Church, received £1,000 
 in 1833, and £611 in 1834, to be applied (as is stated to 
 the Lieutenant Governor by the Rev. Joseph Stinson,) 
 * to the erection or repairing Chapels and School-houses, 
 and defraying the general expenses of the various Mis- 
 sions in our charge. " 
 
 ** Your Committee were unable to obtain an account of 
 the expenditure of these monies in detail. It appears in- 
 seed that no such accounts had been transmitted to the 
 Government Office in either of these years." 
 
 « 'ff-- *• 
 
 irr 
 
 4; :. 
 
 " Government House^ Ibth March, 1833. 
 " Gentlemen : — I am directed to acquaint you, with 
 reftirence to the applications to His Majesty's Govern- 
 
 * £15,284 paid to the Clergy of 4 particular denominations in one year, 
 is rather at variance with a portion of Viscount Goderich's despatch, that 
 shewing undue preference to the Church of Eugland was at variance with 
 his whole course of policy, more especially as £9,602 of that sum was 
 given to that denomination. 
 
 i-« 
 
 J 
 
49 
 
 ment from several religious denominations for assistance 
 in the present state of the Province to enable them to 
 build churches or chapels. The Lieutenant Governor has 
 been authorized to place at the disposal, this year, of 
 the British Wesleyan Conference the sum of £900, and 
 £600 at the disposal of the Canadian Wesleyan Confer- 
 ence, to be applied in erecting such churches or chapels 
 as may be required ; and I am to inform you, that on 
 your stating the manner in which the grunt is to be 
 applied, His Excellency will order the amount to be 
 placed at your disposal. 
 
 '* I am, &c., 
 
 «Wm. rowan. 
 
 " The British Wesleyan Conference and ) 
 the Canadian Wesleyan Conference." 3 
 
 Copy. 
 
 " Oovernment House ^ Toronto, 
 4th July, 1834. 
 
 " Gentlemen : — I am directed to acquaint you, with 
 reference to the applications of His Majesty's Government 
 from several religious denominations for assistance in the 
 present state of the Province to enable them to build 
 churches or chapels. The Lieutenant Governor has been 
 authorized to place at the disposal, this year, of the 
 British Wesleyan Conference the sum of £550, to be 
 applied in erecting such churches or chapels as may be 
 required ; and I am to inform you, that on your stating 
 the manner in which the grant is to be applied, His 
 Excelliency will order the amount to be placed at your 
 disposal. 
 
 " I have, &c., 
 
 " Wm. rowan. 
 
 " The Wesleyan 
 Methodist Conference." 
 
 To His Excellency Sir John Colborne^ Lieutenant Gov- 
 ernor of the Province of Upper Canada j Commander of 
 His Majesty's forces therein, Sfc, Sfc.^ 8fc. 
 
 May it please Your Excellency : — I had this day 
 the honor of receiving through the Rev. James Richard- 
 
50 
 
 son, a communication from Your Excellency, respecting 
 a grant of £550 to the Bnlish Wesleyan Methodist Con- 
 ference ; the order for which Your Excellency is pleased: 
 to say you will give on being made acquainted with the 
 manner in which the above sum is to be appropriated 
 during the ensuing year. While on behalf of the Britisli 
 Wesleyan Methodist Conference and Missionary Society, 
 which I have the honor to represent in this Province, I 
 gratefully acknowledge this pecuniary assistance, I beg 
 permission to inform Your Excellency, that it will be 
 applied to the erection or repairing of chapels and school 
 houses, and defraying the general expenses of the various 
 mission stations in our charge. 
 
 *•! have the honor to be, ' ' >^ u.v ."' 
 
 " Your Excellency's very obedient .• : J < ;•; 
 " Humble servant, 
 
 "JOSEPH STINSON. 
 *' City of Toronto, July 1, 1834." 
 
 /u.. \ 
 
 ..I 
 
 'J: ■ .. '-. rt 
 
 Copt, u . r. ■r^--i] _ :\it i IW'U.! 
 
 ,. u .t / :, t "Government HopsE, 
 
 " Toronto, Uh Julyi 1834 , 
 " Gentlemen : — I am directed to acquaint you with 
 reference to the applications to His Majesty's Government 
 from several religious denominations, for assistance in the 
 present state of the Province, to enable them to build 
 churches or chapels. The Lieutenant Governor has been 
 authorized to place at the disposal, this year, of the 
 Canadian Wesleyan Conference the sum of £350, to be 
 applied in erecting such churches or chapels as may be 
 required ; and I am to inform you, that on your stating, 
 the manner in which the grant is to be applied, His 
 Excellency will order the amount to be placed at your 
 disposal. 
 
 "lam, &c., •■'" . *-' 
 
 " Wm. rowan. 
 
 " The Canadian Wesleyan 
 Conference." 
 
 
 
 .• r 
 
 " Resolutions oj the Canadian Wesleyan Conference. 
 
 " Resolved :— That should His Majesty's Government 
 be pleased to grant pecuniary aid to the Canadian 
 
■f 
 
 i'jl 
 
 .• V* 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 51 
 
 We?leyan Methodists, according to the application that 
 has been made to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, 
 Sir John Colborne, for that purpose. 
 
 *' If such aid shtill be restricted to the building or 
 affording aid in building chnpels and houses of worship, 
 or in paying for such as have been built and not wholly 
 paid for, the same is hereby directed to be applied in th^ 
 following manner, that is to say: — 
 
 " Towards the building a house in the town of Peter- 
 borough — Peterborough Circuit, Newcastle District. 
 
 " For the Brick Chapel in Grantham at the Ten Mile 
 Creek, in ihe District of Niagara. 
 
 " For the chapel of 30 Mile Creek in Clinton, District 
 of Niagara. 
 
 *' Towards the building a house on the Lansdown 
 Circuit, in the Johnstown District, in the township of 
 South Crosby or Bastard. 
 
 " For a chapel in the Town of London, in the London 
 District, ^ , 
 
 " To one in St. Thomas, District of London. 
 
 "To one in Vienna Village, same District. 
 
 " To one in the Town of Hallowell, Prince Edward 
 District. i 
 
 *' To paying for the sum due on a chapel building in 
 the Township of Yonge, in the Johnstown District. 
 
 " To paying for the sum due on a chapel in the City 
 of Toronto, if circumstances should make it necessary. 
 
 " Resolved : — That John Willson, Esquire, is hereby 
 fully authorized to apply to His Excellency the Lieutenant 
 Governor for any aid that may be granted to this Con- 
 ference, and receive the same, and to sign any ac- 
 quittances or give any receipts that may be necessary 
 in the premises, and to distribute the same in the manner 
 hereinbefore directed, and to prepare and lay before the 
 next annual Conference a true and faithful account of all 
 monies by him received on the grounds of the aforesaid 
 resolutions. ■ -^ 
 
 " By order of the Conference, 
 
 ii. 
 
 i)j. p 
 
 ;i 
 
 " A. K. McKENZIE, 
 "JOHN FLANAGAN, Sec'y. 
 
 *' Hq^minouy Newcastle District, \9th June, 1834." 
 
 t ;.-,,' 
 
62 
 
 1 
 
 True philanthropy and universal kindness is the basis 
 of Christianity. While men love God supremely, they 
 are bound to love their neighbours as themselves. Sel- 
 fishness has no place in the religion of Jesus Christ, and 
 what the broad principles of true benevolence are the 
 Saviour of the world beautifully illustrated to an imper- 
 tinent lawyer, who maliciously proposed ensnaring ques- 
 tions to him, by relating an instance of a man falling 
 among thieves and left in distress, which condition call- 
 ed for sympathy and generosity abstracted from all self- 
 ish considerations. In connection with this narative 
 Jesus introduces two disgraceful instances of unmitigated 
 selfishness, and insensibility to the welfare of others, and 
 one example of unselfish tenderness, generosity, and 
 compassion. The want of humanity was found in a 
 Priest and a Levite, whose pretences and teachings were 
 a religion of love, and in v^'hose practice there was a to- 
 tal disregard to its sacred principles. And this is no fic- 
 titious character. We often find selfishness wrapped up 
 in the garb of religion which noae but the truly bene- 
 volent should wear ; could that Priest and Levite have 
 secured to themselves gain and power, could they have 
 monopolized a large and plentiful estate, and the liber- 
 ties of the family of the distressed, doubtless in view of 
 personal interest, they would not have passed by on the 
 other side, but in their sanctity would have graciously 
 stooped to his misfortunes and relieved his distresses. 
 True benevolence would prompt gratuitous assistance 
 and not monopoly. And behold says the Saviour a Sa- 
 maritan passes that way, one who on the account of 
 national or religious difFerences held himself discharged 
 from all acts of kindness toward a Jew, for the Jews had 
 no dealings with the Samaritans. This Samaritan, free 
 from all thirst for power, or ^ain, or monopoly, influenced 
 by the noble feelings of benevolent generosity, had com- 
 passion on him, went to him, bound up his wounds, set 
 him on his own beast, took him to an inn, took care of 
 him, and paid the sixpence gratuitously. To drop this 
 narative and make an application of it to this subject. 
 
 I 
 
 •I 
 
 m 
 
 I 
 
 •I 
 
 
53 
 
 i 
 
 We remark that it is apparent from all that has been said, 
 that in Canada there existed a truly legal, orthodox, and 
 independent Methodist Episcopal Church before the 
 Wesleyan missionaries visited its shores. It is aiso evi- 
 dent that Mr. Wesley designed that the Methodist Church 
 in America should be free from all subjection to the Eng- 
 lish Conference, otherwise he would not have ordained 
 an independent Bishop for this continent. And we are 
 not left to mere inference on this point, for Mr. Wesley's 
 intention relative to the independency of the American 
 Methodists is plainly expressed in a letter written by 
 him and addressed to Dr. Coke, Mr. Asbury, and the 
 brethren in North America, dated Bristol, September 10th 
 1784, in which he declared that no one either claitped or 
 exercised any ecclesiastical authority over them at all, 
 and as the An. iican brethren were disentangled he dare 
 not entangle ^^ and he further remarked that they 
 were now at i \'. iberty to follow the Scriptures and the 
 primitive Church, and that he judged it best that they 
 should stand fast in the liberty wherewith God had made 
 them free. And although he sent them money and men 
 like the generous Samaritan, having no thirst for mono- 
 poly, did not. ask them for the titles of their vineyards, 
 dwellings and temples. But a more priestly and Levi- 
 tical spirit influenced the minds of his Ecclesiastical 
 grandsons, who visited Canada. And allow us to say 
 here, that, although we, in the most charitable language, 
 touch with reluctance, and despatch with impatience, 
 this delicate part of our subject, yet our conscience is 
 not so timorous as to provoke the censures of posterity 
 by shrinking from a faithful discharge of that duty we 
 owe to mankind, in order to shelter ourselves from the ire 
 of narrow-minded spiritual tyrants, and those whose reli- 
 gious superstitions will not allow them to think for them- 
 selves. In Upper Canada there was prospective wealth, a 
 rich and prosperous people, much property already accu- 
 mulated, in addition to which there was one-seventh of the 
 broad acres of Canadian soil, set apart by the Imperial 
 Government for the maintenance of a Protestant Clergy 
 
: '■TK'ssriTaTrrsrTrR ftWiTintmiS*?? w*iiiBS Wfi 
 
 «*i»i»i!.»t{i' 
 
 64 
 
 in the Province. The Legislative Assembly of Upper 
 Canada, supported by the liberal populace, among whom 
 were the Methodist Ministers and members', were taking 
 meglsures for the secularization of the funds arising from 
 the sale of these lands. The mercenary Priests of the 
 Church of England, assiduous to retain their emoluments 
 in order to secure themselves against the demands and 
 clamours of the people, obsequiously surrendered their 
 exclusive claim to the benefit of the Clergy Reserve fund, 
 and in order to secure the assistance of all who w^ould 
 ignominiously sacrifice civil and religious principle and 
 freedom to avarice, consented that not only the Presbyte- 
 rians and Methodists but also the Roman Catholics should 
 share with them in these government endowments, 
 against which the Methodists had so earnestly remon- 
 strated. It also became necessary for the corrupt artd 
 crafty politicioiis forming the " Family Compact " who 
 were held in public abhorrence, to shelter themselves 
 from the indignation of a dissatisfied people, and to coun- 
 terbalance the power exerted against them by the liberal 
 part of the community, they opened the prospect of ex- 
 haustless treasures to those whose ruling passion was 
 avarice, by offering to the Wesleyanr of England pecuni- 
 ary aid from the Clergy reserve fund, if they would send 
 missionaries to this Province. To establish this assertion 
 to the satisfaction of our readers we quote the following 
 from a letter addressed by the Rev. R. Alder to Lord John 
 Russell, dated, Wesleyan Mission House, Hatton Garden, 
 London, 29th of April, 1840. 
 
 ** In consequence of proposals which were made in 
 the yfear 1832, by the Earl of Rippon, then Prittci^al Se- 
 cretary of State for the Colonies, to the Wesleyan Mis- 
 sionary Committee, to induce them to extend their Mis- 
 sionary operations in Upper Canada, they resolved to do 
 so, and arrangements were immediately made for carry- 
 ing that resolution into eflfect. My Lord, the Govern- 
 ment of Earl Grey was induced to make this offer to 
 the Wesleyan Missionary Committee by patriotic as well 
 as by religious considerations ; and if the testimony of 
 
9|^ 
 
 'BE 
 
 
 m 
 
 Lord Seaton* and other distinguished individuals were to 
 be depended upon, a wiser arrangement could not have 
 been proposed. On ihe grounds of this arrangement an 
 annual grant is secured, on the faith of the Royal word, 
 to the Wesleyan Missionary Committee, to assist them in 
 meeting the expense which it necessarily involves." And 
 further : 
 
 " The union which now exists between the British 
 Conference and the Conference in Upper Canada, took 
 place about a year after I had — as the representative of 
 the Wesleyan Missionary Committee— completed, at To- 
 ronto, with Lord Seaton, all the arrangements connected 
 with the offer made by Lord Goderich to the Committee, 
 having proceeded Irom England to Canada for that pur- 
 pose.*' ' ' ' •' .1 !>' 
 
 With these strong assurances of g£^in and monopoly, 
 the British Conference sent to Canada the Rev. Robert 
 Alder, whose insatiable avarice and peculiar appetites pre- 
 pared him for the work, who being abetted by the Messrs. 
 Ryerson, men of like character and disposition, succeed- 
 ed in inducing the majority of the Methodist EpijscopEil 
 Conference to sece.ie and become a dependant branch of 
 the British Wesl yan Societies, carrying with them all 
 who were accustomed to reverence the counsels of the 
 Synod more than their own dignity and freedom. In se- 
 parating from the M. E. Church and uniting with the 
 Wesleyans, they submitted their former principles and 
 liberties to the following humiliating conditions 
 
 1st. They were to renounce Episcopacy, and that form 
 of Church Government to which they had so tenaciously 
 adhered. 
 
 2nd. They were to give up their independence as a 
 Church, which they had secured in the year 1828, 
 and receive a President from the British Conference. 
 
 Srd. They were to give up the control of the Indian 
 missions to the British Missionary Committee. 
 
 4th. They were to concede to the British Missionaries 
 
 * K own in Upper Canada in 1832 as Sir Jotin Oolborne, Clovernor of 
 
KJ*rt»*r?n*i ^'rfti- 
 
 m 
 
 the rifrht of saying who should be members of Confer- 
 
 encc^ 
 
 6th. They were ;o change the scriptural usage of di- 
 vers orders in the ministry to that of one. "' > 
 
 6th. They were to suppress the office of Local Preacher 
 to a merely nominal existence, and deprive the worthy 
 body bearing that office of ordination and the privileges 
 of administering the sacraments. <' << !' I - 
 
 The reader will perhaps be better satisfied in relation 
 to the correctness of the foregoing statements by reading 
 the following letter addressed by the Rev. R. Alder, first 
 President of the Wesleyan Conference in Upper Canada, 
 to the Lieutenant Governor, Sir John Colborne, dated, 
 
 Montreal, 27th August, 1832. . , 
 
 " Sir, — I beg permission to inform your Excellency 
 that I have attended the Conference of the Methodist 
 Church of Upper Canada, and to state confidentially for 
 your information, the result of the interview with that 
 body — a result much more favourable than I allowed 
 myself to anticipate. 
 
 " They have resolved that their disciplinary system 
 shall be so altered as that it may be made to agree in all 
 its parts with British Methodism, as speedily as prudence^ 
 and a due regard to the safety of their chapel property , will 
 allow. The Conference has already agreed to the aboli- 
 tion of Episcopacy, which was a great barrier in the way 
 of the entire union. They have consented to place the 
 whole of their Indian Missions under the exclusive man- 
 agement of our Missionary Committee. In addition to 
 these, and other concessions of importance, I have 
 required that no man who continues to pursue any secu- 
 lar calling shall be ordained to the office of the ministry ; 
 that the British Conference shall send to Canada such 
 ministers as it may seem fit to appoint ; tliat no preachers 
 shall be taken out in Canada without the consent of that 
 body; that Kingston shall be exclusively occupied by a 
 Missionary from the British Conference, as it is a central 
 station between the two Provinces ; that the propriety of 
 continuing Camp Meetings shall be seriously considered, 
 and that the Christian Gmrdian shall, for the future, be 
 an exclusively religious journal. The Canada Confer- 
 ence has appointed a representative to proceed to England, 
 
 it 
 
 
 
57 
 
 where the whole matter will be finally settled. Rev. E. 
 Ryerson has been appointed to this office. This, your 
 Excellency, was done at my earnest request, as he and 
 his brothers were the most eloquent advocates for the 
 proposed alterations. 
 
 " From these statements your Excellency will perceive 
 that I have rigidly adhered to those great principles to 
 which I had occasion to advert during the several inter- 
 views with which you were pleased to honour me^ and it is 
 only an act of justice to the Canadian Conference to 
 sta'e that my frankness in stating my sentiments and 
 principles, and my firm adherence to them^ contributed to 
 procure for me, in no small degree, the confidence of a 
 large portion of that body, of which a strong proof is 
 furnished in the fact, that an unanimous request has been 
 addressed to the British Conference, that in the event of 
 the proposed arrangements being carried into effect, I may 
 be appointed as their first President, with the understand- 
 ing that 1 shall remain for two or three years, and exercise 
 a general superintendence over the Methodist societies in 
 both Provinces. 
 
 •* I feel a strong conviction that for many reasons I 
 should accept of such an appointment, especially as I 
 possess a degree of local knowledge and influence which 
 it would require a stranger some time to obtain. May I 
 venture to ask your Excellency's opinion of such an 
 arrangement, as it would have ^eat weight with our Mis- 
 six)nary Committee, as well as with myself. 
 
 " I shall return to England by the way of Halifax, in 
 which place I shall remain till the middle of September ; 
 after which my address will be, 8 Portland Street, Kings- 
 down, Bristol. 
 
 " I remain, &c., • , 
 
 ' « (Signed,) *' R. ALDER. 
 
 ** His Excellency Sir John Colborne, 
 
 "K.C.B., &c. &c. &c." <>' > ' 
 
 ».'•■' !• 
 
 From the above statements we infer that the English 
 Missionaries did not visit our shores and insidiously guiii 
 authority over the Methodist community, merely to ex- 
 tend their Mission operations and the cause of Christ, but 
 becau^^e there were vineyards planted, dwellings and 
 temples erected, and honours and emoluments promised. 
 Had they sought for truly missionary fields, Lower Cana- 
 da was quietly surrendered, and the Hudson Bay Territory 
 
 £ 
 
'T 
 
 i 
 
 
 58 
 
 was before them, and numerous Papist and Pagan coun- 
 tries in the boundaries of the Eastern Hemisphere. It 
 cannot be argued with the least shade of truth, that Up- 
 per Canada is more properly missionary ground in the 
 common acceptation of that term than England itself. 
 Neither can it be said that there are not in Upper Cana- 
 da ministers enough to supply the demand. Nor can the 
 superior talent of the English Missionaries be pleaded, in 
 order to palliate the intrusion. Upper Canadians are not 
 a barbarous people. They have schools, colleges, semi- 
 naries, and academies, which will compare favourably 
 with those of England, and the rose of Sharon has 
 bloomed-with equal fragrance and beauty in Canadian 
 soil. Canadian ministers stand as high in the scale of 
 intelligence, l)eneficence, strength and dignity, and every 
 other qualification for the work on this Continent as 
 their English brethren, their race, language, and govern- 
 ment being the same. Nor is it a mitigation of the sa- 
 crifice of Christian charity, honesty, and liberty; which 
 wa«» made in the unrighteous monopoly which we have 
 sparingly glanced at, connected with the schism now un- 
 der consideration, that some emigrants from England 
 had connected themselves with the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, and, preferring English usage and Old Country 
 preachers, were favourable to the movement. Others 
 (with more justice) tenaciously preferred Canadian pas. 
 tors and usages, a. 1 their freedom. And it accords with 
 reason that strangers coming to our country should re- 
 linquish their national preferences in religious forms as 
 well as in other matters, and assimilate to the peculiari- 
 ties of Canada. • . >^ •■ ■.■ . A , t / V 
 
 But the question now arises, shall the present ministers 
 of the various Methodist Churches perpetuate division 
 and strife, engendered by the perfidious intrigues of men 
 whose disgraceful departure from the ministry has already 
 afforded a sufficient evidence of their lack of disinterest- 
 ed zeal for the advancement of the cause of God, and a 
 satisfactory proof of their perverted appetites and unsa- 
 tiable thirst for government emoluments and honours. 
 
.4 
 -J. 
 ■■i 
 
 59 
 
 an coun- 
 •here. It 
 that Up- 
 d in the 
 nd itself. 
 9r Cana- 
 r can the 
 eaded, in 
 9 are not 
 es, semi- 
 vourably 
 iron has 
 !^anadian 
 scale of 
 nd every 
 inent as 
 govern- 
 f the aa- 
 r; which 
 we have 
 now un- 
 England 
 piscopal 
 Country 
 Others 
 lan pas. 
 rds with 
 ould re- 
 brms as 
 eculiari- 
 
 linisters 
 division 
 of men 
 already 
 nterest- 
 , and a 
 ) unsa- 
 lonours. 
 
 I 
 
 Many of the present acting ministers of Methodist 
 Churches were not bom at the time of these deplorable 
 separations, and many others were of tender age and have 
 been brought into their respective Churcises more by ac- 
 cident than by choice, and they cannot m any sense be 
 accountable for the guilt or shame of thf:s«$ schisms. They 
 now ail occupy in one point of liberty and justice equal 
 ground, and they are positively all one, that is, if they are 
 born of the Spirit. And shall they attach each to them- 
 selves the guilt and responsibility of schism by perpetu- 
 ating it ? In closing this chapter we pray that all unholy 
 thoughts and suggestions, all unhallowed reasoning and 
 clamour, and unsanctified desires and confusion of ton- 
 gues, which is hurtful and unprofitable may cease, and 
 that all who truly desire the highest religious results, may 
 learn to recognize their relationship as brethren, being 
 the true sons of God, and commence to live in peace, so 
 that as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, the 
 God of peace may be rqund about his people. 
 
 . i 
 
 ■I .-• 
 
 ■iji- 
 
 
 /I' . 
 
 
 ■ .i; 
 
 
 /. 
 
 '■"3 . ■ -5!:. ■■"•-• !■■ '!■ Vlki 
 
 
 
 i'l t i'-. 
 
 ■ iJ •daii'Ci 
 
 ■Mil •Mfl:i,";;;r!«^J Vt. ■•'.:^ 
 
i;>it^2iiisLl. 
 
 '.M 
 
 I; I i; 
 
 . i .- . ■ 
 
 ■r .i\ 
 
 
 I. 
 
 .i'V 
 
 •/• , i '1.1' ;i.*» 
 
 7 ''ll 1 '.'-^ .'.'.V 
 
 ,'. 
 
 >(, 
 
 ii. 
 
 -' ■.'Ii 'i* . 
 
 '>' ' • -^ CHAPTER m. ' c;-^'>'> •' 
 
 NATURE AND SINFULNESS OF CHURCH DIVISIONS 
 
 n 
 
 ''■' In our calm mortieilts of reflection we behold with 
 mingled feelings of horror, indignation, pity and shame, 
 the various branches of the church of Christ Who acknow- 
 ledge each other to be evangelical, having the sarhe God, 
 the same spirit, the same worship, divided by distinctions 
 of such inconsiderable significance ! And it is truly pain- 
 ful for us to Confess the real cause of our strange and 
 fatal divisions, which are contrary to the trUe principles 
 of our holy religion, dishonourable to Christianity, and 
 form insuperable impediments to the conversion of the 
 world. No man can candidly examine the origin of all 
 the various schisms of the evangelical Church, but he 
 must be convinced that they have been provoked on the 
 one hand — 
 
 First, By an attempt of the authorities of the Church to 
 deprive its members of the rights of intellectual freedom 
 and private judgment, and to confining them to creeds 
 and confessions established by the wisdom of the synods. 
 
 Secondly, By the despotism exercised by the clerical 
 dignitaries of the Church, according to their ecclesiastical 
 rank. 
 
 Thirdly, By an attempt to amalgamate Church and 
 State, and ministers reaching, both in Church and 
 State, after honours and emoluments to satiate their 
 rapacious ambition and avarice. 
 
 Fourthly, By the authorities of the Church (instead 
 of healing differences in the spirit of Christianity) mak- 
 ing their severest censures rest on those who presumed 
 to follow the dictates of conscience far enough to 
 deviate from their superior wisdom, which censures 
 
 SS- 
 
 
 ( 
 
I. 
 
 Id with 
 shame, 
 icknow- 
 rhe God, 
 tinctionw 
 ily paih- 
 nge and 
 'inciples 
 ity, and 
 ti of the 
 in of all 
 but he 
 1 on the 
 
 lurch to 
 reedom 
 creeds 
 synods, 
 clerical 
 liastical 
 
 ch and 
 ih. and 
 e their 
 
 instead 
 f) mak- 
 esumed 
 ugh to 
 ensures 
 
 i 
 
 only produced a spirit of discord and inconsistency. 
 On the other hand, these divisions were provoked 
 by the loose wandering imagination of ciedulous 
 aspirants and spiritual rebels, whose zsalous obsti- 
 nacy was prompted by motives of ambition or avar- 
 ice. The actions of this class of men being more 
 controlled by passion than subjected to reason, their 
 enthusiasm is always indefatigable in the cause they 
 espouse, and finding themselves soon supported by men 
 of like disposition of mind, whose stern fanaticism prepare 
 them to second any measure supposed to be hostile to 
 imaginary oppression, they rush forward courageously, 
 frequently taking the advantage of the ambiguity of 
 words, not to reconcile differences, but to enflame the 
 minds of the people. And it is impossible for us to de- 
 termine how far the zeal of such prevail over their good 
 sense and love for the cause of Christ. Systems of 
 religion and Church government established by men, 
 whatever their excellences, and with however great 
 complacency they may be regarded by their adherents, 
 are always imperfect. These defects being discovered 
 by the designing and taken as specimens, the whole 
 system is judged and pronounced upon accordingly. 
 Hence the establishment and rigid enforcement of exten- 
 sive ecclesiastical laws and restrictions, although pro- 
 fessedly designed as securities against error and schism, 
 have rather created it and caused divisions. And when 
 we turn over to history to find the fruit of these discords, 
 we have to lament over the well-attested evils and dis- 
 orders which thicken and multiply on the pages, that are 
 the natural effects of religious divisions, and which have 
 disturbed the peace and dishonoured the triumph of the 
 Church. Oh how humiliating to confess that the Church 
 which should be the representation of heaven on earth 
 has been converted by discord into the image of hell 
 itself ! The apparent enmity that existed between pro- 
 fessing christians has surpassed, at times, their enmity 
 against sin ; each claiming all virtue and orthodoxy for 
 himself, and ascribing all guilt and heresy to his brother, 
 
 tfk-^ 
 
,< i KHafiiSCui&SiKiu. 
 
 fiiiiiKjuiiiiiiJirr.ijkt 
 
 who professed the same pure and peaceable religion. 
 The philosophic tendency of snch a course of conduct, 
 on the part of those who are styled by the gospel the 
 lights of the world, is to lead unregenerate men to 
 regard them as monsters, while they profess sanctity, 
 and to drive the world to infidelity. 
 
 These separations among christians have never done 
 any good but much evil. No one can deny that a very 
 fruitful source of apathetic indifference, scepticism and 
 infidelity is the wrangling and strife among the pro- 
 fessed followers of Christ. Numerous cases might be 
 given of those who have turned from the authority of the 
 Scriptures, avowedly in consequence of the acrimonious 
 contentions engendered by party strife, and the mot-t 
 potent truths and eloquent appeals fail to dissipate that 
 apathetic indifierence, scepticism and infidelity, which is 
 the natural fruit of the animosities and disunion among 
 those who should co-operate in their opposition to sin and 
 advocacy of virtue. 
 
 Men are the same, God's word is the same, and His 
 spirit is the same now, as they were when hundreds 
 yielded to Jesus Christ from the influence of a single 
 sermon. But God's people are not the same. Then 
 they were altogether and all spake the same thing. Now 
 every man " seeks his own," and contradicts his brother 
 to keep his peculiar views of difficult questions before 
 the people. The religious views of the ungodly are 
 generally drawn from such exhibitions of religion as 
 force themselves upon them, and when the unconverted 
 see those who profess religion repelling others who 
 equally profess it, declaring them to be entirely wrong, 
 while they in turn vociferate the same arrogance to their 
 assailants, it is no marvel if they should turn from all 
 these controversialists, and philosophically resolve to eat, 
 drink, and be merry in this life, and take the chances for 
 the next. And it may be safely affirmed that Omnipo- 
 tence itself cannot bring so much good out of these 
 divisions that prevail among christians, as would natu- 
 rally arise from the exhibition of that union and love 
 
 
1 
 
 68 
 
 religion, 
 conduct, 
 3spel tiie 
 men to 
 sanctity, 
 
 ver done 
 at a very 
 ism and 
 the pro- 
 night be 
 fy of the 
 imonious 
 he tnohi 
 >ate that 
 nrhich is 
 n among 
 > sin and 
 
 and His 
 lundreds 
 a single 
 Then 
 Now 
 3 brother 
 s before 
 )dly are 
 gion as 
 onverted 
 rs who 
 ' wrong, 
 to their 
 Vom all 
 e to eat, 
 ices for 
 )mnipo- 
 of these 
 Id natu- 
 md love 
 
 which the word of God enjoins, and which christians 
 pretend to cherish. Again, divisions among Protestants 
 is a great bulwark to Popery. The votaries of the Papacy, 
 whose minds are not in a proper condition to form 
 clear views about the finely spun theories which divide 
 Protestants, conclude that Protestantism cannot be the 
 true religion, because its contentions and divisions 
 demonstrate it rather to be of the devil than of God. And 
 how can we expect the world to be converted by such a 
 disjointed instrumentality ? Oh that Protestant Churches 
 who denominate each other evangelical w^uld remove 
 the non-essential, denominational lines v/hich divicie 
 them ! Oh that they would not allow their prejudices to 
 gain so complete a mastery over their judgment and love 
 of Christ, as is manifested in that sectarianism which has 
 excluded a large portion of the christian world ^rom 
 Christianity ! Oh that they would cultivate humili'/ Ai\d 
 be willing to allow that they may themselves be guilty of 
 as great errors as those of which they accuse their 
 brethren, or of an error even of a nature more heinous in 
 the sight of God ! Oh that christians would fee' the 
 weight of responsibility which rests upon them to cultivate 
 the spirit of Christ ! , . ; i w , 
 
 We mourn over the superstitions of Mahommedism, 
 but what created them? Mahommed discovered the 
 divisions, corruptions, and superstitions v'iichtheJews 
 had introduced into their religion. And being satisfied 
 that a religion emanating from one God should be one 
 body and one spirit ; he formed the scheme of founding a 
 new religion, or, as he expresses it, of replanting the only 
 true and ancient one, which consists chiefly in the wor- 
 ship of one God. 
 
 With sorrow we have witnessed the rapid advance- 
 ment of Mormonism. Its founder tells us that when he 
 examined into the claims of the various religious denomi- 
 nations, and discovered such confusion and contradictions 
 among them, that he turned from all of them in disgust. 
 Then, he adds, he determined to put into practice the 
 advice of St. James, ** If any man lack wisdom let him 
 
 iS00 
 
64 
 
 ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth 
 not, and it shall be given to him." In the fulfilment of 
 his resolution he declared that he was visited by two 
 glorious personages, who informed him that all the 
 existing sects were in error and had wandered from the 
 truth. ."'i::,.^ t,ii-\A\ ■ '!<'■ >ui'; : '^i'' '>-y ,'/-,■'> '^r 
 Whoever may have been in the right or in the wrong 
 in the theological controversies which have convulsed the 
 Christian Church, ^or however harmless or monstrous 
 the errors combatted, it is to be doubted whether the 
 complete history of the infernal spirits could contain any 
 thing more to be deplored or more abominable thanhas been 
 connected with these religious discords. They have, 
 during the last fifteen centuries, given rise to some of 
 the most dreadful scenes of slaughter that devils ever 
 delighted in. Our limits will not allow us to speak in 
 detail of the bloody Crusades to the Holy Land, where 
 the numbers slain are computed at more than six hundred 
 thousand Moslems, and one hundred thousand christians I 
 And of the savage cruelties of Popish or Mormon wars, 
 where thousands have fallen as if they were brutes, blind 
 to death, judgment and eternal] happiness, agitated by 
 infernal passions and covered with blood, to settle the 
 disputes of priests to whom was commiited the care of 
 their souls. But we turn to Protestant countries and 
 churches. We see in Scotland two enlightened, reason- 
 ing, patriotic Protestant Christian armies so deluded as 
 mutually to offer prayers to the same benevolent God for 
 success in their attempts to butcher each other. Mobs 
 were raised, worshipping assemblies were attacked, 
 racks, thumb-screws, and instruments of torture were 
 used by these austere fanatics to settle a religious con- 
 troversy of the most trifling weight. Merely because the 
 Scotch held holidays in disgust, and hated Episcopacy* 
 and the English observed the one and loved the other. 
 Though they were ready to compromise their political 
 differences, their ecclesiastical diffierences admitted of no 
 compromise, and armies would have met armies for 
 successive generations, and to this day the fields of 
 
65 
 
 eason- 
 ed as 
 od for 
 VIobs 
 eked, 
 were 
 con- 
 3e the 
 pacy» 
 other, 
 itical 
 of no 
 9 for 
 ds of 
 
 Scotland would have remained barren moors and sheep 
 walks drowned with human blood, and her seaports, 
 fishing hamlets to this day, had not the irrevocable doom 
 been pronounced of those religious institutions which they 
 regarded with religious aversion and abhorrence. The 
 feverish discussions of the clergy on the slave question, 
 and the separation between the Methodist Church, South 
 and North, was a prelude to the bloody work now going 
 on in the United States, which is enough to make heaven 
 weep and hell triumph. Both southern and northern 
 pulpits have been filled by sacred orators haranguing the 
 masses and indiscriminately bestowing epithets, invokin<? 
 heroism, patriotism and piety, until every human and 
 christian feeling is so blended with pride, ambition, hatred 
 and revenge, that it is almost regarded by American 
 christians as a religious merit not to value the lives of 
 their adversaries, and they measure each other more by 
 the standard of worldly honour than by that Christian 
 charity that worketh no ill to our neighbour. 
 
 Every man acquainted with the history of Canada 
 must be convinced that the clergy come in for a share of 
 the shame and guilt of the Canadian civil war of 1837. 
 The establishment of rectories was deeply humiliating to 
 a large portion of the Canadian populace. Religious 
 periodicals had diffused. a spirit of enquiry in relation to 
 the exclusive right of the Church of England to the 
 advantages of the Clergy Reserve fund. Ministers of 
 the other churches (the Methodist Church not excepted) 
 sought for an increase of funds and repeated government 
 donations. This provoked a quarrel between the mer- 
 cenary clergy and the aspirants to the same emoluments, 
 and in a degree efi^ected the separation between the 
 Wesleyans and the M. E. Church. This thirst for riches 
 and power seduced many ministers of the Methodist 
 Church to prostrate the dignity and sanctity of their 
 office to interference in politics and elections.* Hand 
 
 * Political preachers neither convert souls, nor build up believers in 
 their most holy faith. One may pique himself on his loyalty, the other 
 on his liberality and popular notions of government ; but in the sight of 
 
 .M 
 
 „.-M 
 
66 
 
 bills were circulated by thom, and in the pulpit and at 
 firesides, affectionate requests were made to the people to 
 waive conscience and cast their votes for candidates 
 pledged to support their respective church endowments. 
 This course of conduct disgusted a people distinguished 
 for conscientiousness, and a spirit of religious and civil 
 liberry. They therefore resented this unholy interfer- 
 ence of government sycophants who would fawn where 
 thrift will follow fawning, and their zeal being a little 
 embittered by persecution, an appeal was unwisely made 
 to arms. And though men may plead their pure inten- 
 tions to support the institutions of the Church, and thereby 
 try to dignify their avarice with the specious names of 
 piety and patriotism, yet in their calm retirement they 
 must deplore the effusion of Canadian bio >d, and secretly, 
 if not openly, confess that that sin and scandal are in 
 part to be imputed to their account. ' -: ' ;• .h 
 
 And when with interested vigilance we examine the 
 statistics of the various churciies which demonstrate the 
 expenses attending these ecclesiastical divisions, the 
 question assumes a grave importance, not lesis political 
 than moral. Our limits will not allow us to notice all the 
 countless facts which we could collect from all directions ; 
 but briefly to examine the expenses attending Methodist 
 divisions in Canada. We find .in towns, villages and 
 country places, where the Methodist congregations could 
 all conveniently assemble in one house, and attend the 
 ministrations of one clergyman, two, three, and four lean, 
 scattered, and jealous groups, vyhose points of disagree- 
 ment could scarce be discovered by a strong polemical 
 microscope, bearing the expense and outlay of erecting, 
 repairing, warming and lighting churches for themselves. 
 
 the great Head of the Church, the first is a sounding brass, the second a 
 tinkling symbal, 
 
 Both stubborn Htatesmen, both with skill inspired 
 
 To scold or bluster as their cause required. 
 When preachers of the gospel become parties in party politics, religion 
 mourns, the Church is unedified, and religious disputes agitate even the 
 faithful of the land ; such preachers, no matter which side they take, 
 are no longer the messengers of glad tidings, but the seedsmen of 
 confusion and the wasters of the heritage of Christ.— j^r. Adam Clarke. 
 
67 
 
 :oiid a 
 
 ligion 
 m the 
 take, 
 ■len of 
 'larke. 
 
 The Methodist Episcopal Church alone, since the 
 separation of 1832, huir accumulated Church property- 
 amounting to more than two hundred and fifty thousand 
 dollars, the yearly interest of that sum is fifteen thousand 
 dollars, to which we may add ten thousand dollars for 
 incidentals, such as fuel, light, &c., and add still to that 
 amount the seventy-five thousand dollars paid annually 
 to our ministers. And allowing that the Methodist New 
 Connexion, Primitive Methodists, and Bible Christians 
 combined, would in expense equal the Meihodist Episco- 
 pal Church, there is in Canada an annual waste of wo 
 hundred thousand dollars. We admit that there may be 
 some places occupied by some of these ministers not 
 occupied by others, but there are other places occupied 
 by three and four preachers to counterbalance these soli- 
 tary cases, and the people would as readily receive the 
 truth from one class of Methodist ministers as another, if 
 there were no other ministers to fsed their jealousies. 
 Had we space to examine more particularly into unques- 
 tionable evidence, these facts would stand out in bolder 
 relief. Thus on all sides we are supported in the assertion, 
 that two hundred thousand dollars annually is wasted, 
 worse than wasted, by the several Methodist societies in 
 Canada, thereby the personal aggrandisement and ambition 
 of a few of our clergy is maintained at a dear rate. 
 With the same money ministers could be supported and 
 edifices for the worship of God could be erected among 
 the heathen where they are pressingly needed. If there 
 was no demand upon the Church beyond the hmils of 
 Canada, its guilt in bearing this useless expense, so 
 contrary to christian economy, might be palliated, but the 
 conviction forces itself upon the mind of every Bible 
 reader that the true ambition and duty of the Church is 
 not to employ her ministers in kindling the embers of 
 controversy by the breath of passion, prejudice and pride, 
 by magnifying the absurd conclusions that might be 
 extorted from the principles or creeds of their fellows, but 
 to plant the standard of the cross in all lands and to 
 evangelize the world. And if ever there was a period in 
 
 .^*#;wM«»n«rtI#(^t|r.7tj;H'jp4|*j|i^jiJjg 
 
68 
 
 the world's history when chrisiians should employ all 
 their means and powers it is the present. ' '" 
 
 The superstitions of Brahminism with its reformation 
 in Buddhism are now shaking from centre to circumfer- 
 ence, and their idols, who made not the heavens and the 
 earth, could easily be swept from under these heavens 
 and off this earth by the pure and unpolluted breath of 
 the gospel of Christ, if a united effort were made by the 
 Churches. Mahommedism has lost its power of exciting 
 and interesting its adherents, and the wise and learned of 
 those nations acknowledge that the religion of Christ is 
 superior to that of Mahoinmed. Romanism, the scourge 
 of earth and spawn of hell, has come to a place where 
 it is impossible to recede — dangerous to stand — ruinous 
 to fall ; it is tottering and must crumble into dust. In 
 every direction millions of hands are stretched out, and 
 voices raised, asking for the bread of life and the way to 
 heaven. • . ■; iv.' ->; nn- ' .i -. ••'•.' ^-i-^jr. 
 
 And now we ask who can tell the guilt of wasting the 
 means of the Church while these auspicious signals loom 
 up in the distance ? And instead of going in at once to 
 possess the land from which God is driving out the enemy 
 fromhisstrongholds, is it not intensely culpable, aye, sinful, 
 to spend the energies of the ministry, and the wealth of the 
 Church, in setting up denominational tenets and dogmas, 
 which are the legitimate offspring of arrogance and folly ? 
 
 Would it not be more worthy of the profession of the 
 Church to employ its benevolence in maintaining mis- 
 sionaries in heathen lands, than in supporting ministers 
 in establishing doubtful church politics or in eradicating 
 or silencing the adherents of an obnoxious sect ? With 
 the money that is wickedly wasted in Canada^ without the 
 additional liberality which such an enterprise would 
 secure, fifty ministers could be maintained in China, fifty 
 in India, and fifty in Turkey. Let the various branches 
 of the Methodtst Church give to the liberal people of 
 Canada unmistakeable evidence that all spiritual hos- 
 tility should now cease, and that those men who were 
 not needed in Canada would " count not their lives dear," 
 
69 
 
 and were ready to brave all dangers to establish the 
 standard of the cross in any and every land where the 
 hand of God would open the door, and donations would 
 be found to flow into the treasury of the Church in an 
 astonishing and gloriously overpowering abundance. 
 We weaken our own energies by divisions and discords. 
 Unity of faith produces unity of action. The amounis 
 received at present by our benevolent insiitutions, fall far 
 short of what they would be if there was a union 
 amongst our contributors. This would give life, activity 
 and interest to our relations to one another, and to the 
 world, and would show the superiority of the christian 
 faith over that selfishness which is nurtured in all false 
 religions. And that these divisions are contrary to the 
 Word of God and sinful is apparent when we consider 
 the following scriptures ; " Every kingdom divided against 
 itself is brought to desolation ; and every house divided 
 against itself shall not stand," Mai. xii. 23. *' If a king- 
 dom be divided against itself l!)at kingdom cannot stand,' 
 Mark iii. 25. " For as we have many members in one 
 body, and all members have not the same office ; so we, 
 being many, are one in Christ and every one members 
 of one another," Rom. xii. 4, 5. " Now we beseech you 
 brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye 
 all speak the same thing, and that there "be no divisions 
 among you ; but that ye be perfectly joined together in 
 the same mind and judgment," 1st Cor. i. 10. " For 
 whereas there is among you envying and strife and 
 divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men ? for while 
 one saith, I am of Paul and I of ApoUos, are ye not 
 carnal?" 1st Cor. iii. 3, 4. " Endeavouring to keep the 
 unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace .?" Ephes. iv. 3. 
 " There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called 
 in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one 
 baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all, and 
 through all, and in you all," Ephes. iv. 4, 6. " Stand 
 fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the 
 faith of the gospel," Phil. j. 27. These declarations of 
 
toj:^«'iH 
 
 70 
 
 God's Word are so plain that they need no comment, and 
 they clearly prove that the present prevailing systems of 
 denominationalism are repugnant to the revealed will of 
 God. >..: 
 
 * - • > J 1 1 
 
 •■'i ■ V 
 
 «t. 
 
 '* ?,r^ 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CHRISTIAN UNION A PRIVILEGE AND DUTY. 
 
 The subject indicated by the heading of this chapter 
 is obviously important, contemplated in whatever light it 
 may be viewed. To every lover of Christ, it muAt be 
 invested with peculiar interest. 
 
 In the discussion of this subject of all-engrossing mo- 
 ment we may encounter various opinions whose errors 
 and differences we will discriminate, as in our opinion, 
 will most contribute a satisfactory discovery of the 
 truth. •^'-. ^' ' I--.:. :..-'-. n ■ ^ ' 
 
 , Some suppose that Christian union consists in having 
 the same views and opinions on every subject connected 
 with religion, and therefore egotistically separate from all 
 whose religious sentiments might happen to differ from 
 their own. - - . '' ' 
 
 Now we grant that the Bible teaches, ** Be ye all of 
 one mind." But we do not understand that injunction to 
 signify that the impressions received by all ninds from 
 all Divine communications should be identical. Is it not 
 rather with spiritual manifestations as it is with natural. 
 A few obvious truths of essential importance stand out 
 so plain that even the way-faring man can discover them 
 while there is ample room for the speculation and con- 
 jecture of the highest mind. 
 
 We do not wish here to be understood as denying to 
 faith moral character, because upon a man's faith de- 
 pends the actings of the will and affections, hence with- 
 out a proper faith, the man is without a due guidance 
 and direction. 
 
 But the faith in the gospel, for which we hold such a 
 
|*«j--wwi-rTiT'jitrfl*ii? *<*fWT*TT?'^'*»f^if'rt5'i^^,****r***r 
 
 p«nr<&r xcn-Frt-.wiTci 
 
 72 
 
 fearful respoosibility, relates to those first unequivocal 
 iruihs in relerence to wliicli tiie various Methodist deno- 
 minations have always substantially agreed, such as the 
 Divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. The right of 
 private judgment in the interpretation of the Scriptures. 
 '1 he unity of the Gol-head, and Trinity of Persons there- 
 in. The utter depravity of man by the fall. The atone- 
 ment by the incarnation of the Son of God and his me- 
 diatorial intercession and reign. The freedom of the 
 human will to choose good or evi). The justification of 
 the sinner by faith alone. The regeneration and sanctifi- 
 callon of the soul through the spirit. The immortality 
 of the soul, the resurrection of the body. The judgment 
 of eternal life to the righteous, and eternal damnation to 
 the wicked. These essential principles of the gospel 
 stand out so plain, that all see them alike. Still, seen 
 from different stand points, and viewed under varied 
 angles of vision, they produce mental variety. Hence 
 a difference of opinion in non-essential speculative theo- 
 locrical questions with essential sameness is a natural re- 
 sult — a privilege and a blessing. 
 
 It is however easy to see, that the injunction to be all 
 of one mind refers to something vastly of more impor- 
 tance than exact unity of opinion on every religious sub- 
 ject. The oneness of mind in the exhortation, may 
 exist with great variety of opinion. In Phil. II., 2, we 
 have with the command to be of one mind the explana- 
 tion " Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 
 Jesus." Now the mind which as o him was a lowly 
 condescending mind, a mind emptied of self and devoted 
 to the glory of God. This lowly condescending mind, 
 filled with zeal for the glory of God and overflowing with 
 benevolence toward man is doubtless the mind which the 
 Bible enjoins. Accordingly the Apostle Paul remarks, 
 Rom. VIII., 9, "Now if any man have not the spirit of 
 Christ, he is none of His." Supposing allj who profess 
 Christianity to have the spirit of Christ, they must be all 
 of one mind, that is, the mind of Christ. Where this 
 
 i:.l ti*< IVjfiS;/ "ttir 
 
 ■;*'' {h i^uzl i>\''' i }ti 
 
mind is, there must be unity. Color, ia!)guage, creed, 
 mode of wor.shi|), will not, cannot prBvent it. 
 
 It is asked, why then the prevalence of denominalion- 
 alism ? 
 
 Without giving the full answer lo this question we 
 reply, that it exists more in depravity Uian in ignorance. 
 Sin is the essential element in discord. It not only 
 makes man hostile to God, but arms ( le man against 
 another. It divides, separates, confusa.i, distresses ihe 
 whole human family. Pride, strife, revuuire, hatred, and 
 avarice, are the roots of bitterness from which spring up 
 all the quarrelling among cliildren, to discoru among fa- 
 milies, the broils among neighbour?, ihp boxing among 
 bullies, the dudlingsamong modern gentlemen, ihe wars 
 among nations, and the rancorous contentions which con- 
 tinue to distract the Church. The Gospel dispensation 
 is one of peace. Its great author is called the Prince of 
 peace. His Kingdom is called a Kingdom of righteous- 
 ness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Its grand 
 law is love, and the Scriptures represent the man who 
 hates his brother as a murderer, because that spirit of en- 
 mity is in his heart which tends to murder, so wherever 
 and in whomsoever enmity or strife shews itself there is a 
 spirit of murder, which is the spirit of the devil, who is 
 called a murderer. And however covered and sophisti- 
 cated by figures of speech and softened by Christian titles, 
 it is in direct opposition to the true spirit of Christianity, 
 which is essential to the salvation of the soul. And 
 shall Christians put on the garments of the devil to serve 
 God in, or rather shall we drive out of our hearts the 
 spirit of Christ by acting under the influence of the spirit 
 of the devil. The spirit of Christ which is a spirit of 
 unity, can no more exist with the spirit of the devil 
 which is a spirit of discord, than light and darkness can 
 exist together, the one must give place to the other. 
 ** Give not place to the devil." While we preach a gos- 
 pel of peace and indulge in or practise discord and dis" 
 union, we may deceive ourselves and our fellow-men but 
 we cannot deceive God, who searcheth the heart, or the 
 
 HH(i«iii<« i'.m ?; w ft iiy«' 
 
74. 
 
 devil who knows too well how to suit his temptations to 
 our lusts whf-ncft come strife and tumult amonp^ men. If 
 we atlhcro to Christ as the light, th « truth, and ihe way, 
 let us valk as he aI.»o walked, and lovo ono itnothor 
 as he also loved us. And Paul cxhorls in writing to tho 
 Ephesians, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit 
 in the bonds of prace, irom which we learn that if there 
 are diflerences of op'niun existing between Christians, 
 even in important matters, that instead of separating they 
 should strive to heal those differonccs, which cannot be 
 done by division or schism. Separation invariably mag- 
 nifies diff( rences of opinion, each of the separated parties 
 naturally augments the import;ince of his peculiar view 
 of the question, and walking on the stilts of their own 
 pre-conceivcd superior excellence, the breach necessarily 
 and rapidly widens. How different would be the pre* 
 sent slate of the Church if disputing Christians had 
 treated each other in the true spirit of humility, forbear* 
 ance and love, and thereby endeavoured to keep the unity 
 of the spirit in the bond of peace. " • • 
 
 With the foregoing sentiments Mr. Wesley fully agreed; 
 the first division which took place in the Methodist So- 
 cieties to him'Svere truly painful, and regarded by him 
 as unnecessary and sinful. When asked by Mr. Arcourt 
 whether his people held that a certain number were selec- 
 •ted from all eternity, and that these must and shall be 
 saved, and that the rest ot mankind must and shall be 
 damned. Mr. Wesley replied, I never asked them whe- 
 ther they held it or not ! We proscribe no man foi 
 his opinions. Only let him not trouble us by disputing 
 about them. He was reluctanr, to separate from Mr. 
 Whitfield, and subsequently attempted a reunion with 
 him. He proposed a Conference at London, between 
 himself, his brother Charles, and Mr. John Nelson, on tho 
 part of the Armenians, and Mr. Whitfield and such of 
 his friends as he might invite on the part of the Calvin- 
 ists. That a reunion might be eff"erted he was will'.ng to 
 go to the utmost extent of liberaHty. In the concessions 
 he made to Mr. Whitfield thei^e appears an approach to 
 
75 
 
 Calvinism. But liis libTal propo<<'fions wrr* not nccnpt- 
 ed by tlit* other ))i»rly, const qufiitly no r()nr«T(Mioo was 
 held. The Christian standard with Mr. VVenley was real 
 piety. 
 
 If iho heart wns cbans:ed he reqnirod not n, chanj^e of 
 opinions of ;iny man befor." ho Wduld give him his hand 
 of fcih)W9hip. Dr. Adam Ciiirk toachcs, that it is dan- 
 gerous lor youii;^ converts to go into the oo ii|);:ny, not 
 cnly of the ungodly, but of iho-'c who are f^iven to doubt- 
 ful disputatitns. And it is generally admitted lliut no 
 eel of religions dorjmas or opin'ons were rnado the 
 boundaries of Christ inn fellowshij) and commnniDn dur- 
 ing the first three centuries of thi; Christian Church, dur- 
 ing which period <^reater inroads were made- on th.» king- 
 dom of darkness than in all the fifteen centuries that have 
 since elap'^ed. 
 
 Variety is the law of the universe, and quite accords 
 with general unity. The rays of light are formed of 
 every colour of ttie rainbow. The various stars all pre- 
 sent the splendor of one firmamcmt. The various gases 
 all combine in one atmosphere. Various o'.jects are 
 to be discovered in the landscape. And several features 
 are displayed in the same countenance, yet there is unity 
 in all. And what two minds can look out upon any of 
 these and not receive a few essential truths a'ike, and a 
 variety of impressions different from each other. Now 
 come suppose bee \us3 thir? is the case, and because Paul 
 has said '* Let every one be fully satisfied in his own 
 mind." That Christians should make extra liberal con- 
 cessions and be willing to forego any view of truth, and 
 in their liberality associate with all classes of men even 
 infidels for the sake of visible harmony. But they forget 
 that the spirit that makes men one is one spirit and a 
 spirit of truth. Latitudinirianism cannot produce a 
 unity, because of its diversified elements. Neither can 
 the Holy Spirit produce an indiffi^rence to error unless it 
 can be shewn that it is Latitudinarian and equally indif- 
 ferent to error. 
 
 It is strange that men with the Bible in their hands, 
 
^haonia 
 
 16 
 
 cannot see that while the text quoted will aIlo^\' . iLe 
 Christian Church variety with unity, that it does r/ ;r3- 
 ▼ent its separation from the world. 
 
 To huddle unrec;cneraled men into the Churcli would 
 n«)t make them one with Christians or one with one an- 
 other, but wou!d afford them an opportunity to more 
 fiercely bite and devour each other. Having no invisible 
 union with such characters the Church should vis*ibly se- 
 parate froa) them. In accordance with this sentiment 
 Paul, in writing to Titus, commands that Christians 
 should " avoid foolish questions, genealogies and conten- 
 tions and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable 
 and vain ;'* at the same time he adds ** A man that is a 
 heretic after the first and second admonition, reject,** 
 and in Thess. ii. 3, 6, we read ** Now we command you, 
 brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye 
 withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh 
 disorderly, and not after the tradition that he received 
 from UP,*' verses 14 and 16, "And if any man obey not 
 our word by this epistle, note that man and have no com- 
 pany with him that he may be ashamed, yet count 
 him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.*' 
 
 The plain lessons which we learn from these scriptures 
 are, 1st. That it is not only preposterous and unreason- 
 able but sinful, for Christians to repel each other and 
 visibly separate, because they differ in judgment respect- 
 ing Church polity, or how some thing should be done, or 
 on some other point of as little significance, while invi^- 
 bly their unanimity and agreement is complete. fn -u 
 
 2ndly. That no man has a right to claim the privileges 
 and immunities of Church fellowship without furnishing 
 ample satisfactory proof to its members that God has re- 
 ceived him. This God demands, and the Church that 
 accepts of less is recreant to its trust, dishonours God and 
 our holy religion, eternity will reveal the immense injury 
 Churches have entailed upon themselves and upon the 
 Christian world by tolerating the membership of uncon- 
 verted men. (-,■> iwii't: 
 A We come now to contrider in what real Christian union 
 
77 
 
 iUtf 
 
 i 
 
 ould 
 ) an- 
 more 
 isible 
 \f se- 
 ment 
 3lians 
 >nten- 
 liable 
 t is a 
 jecl," 
 d you, 
 hat ye 
 alketh 
 ceived 
 ►ey not 
 o com- 
 t count 
 roth^r." 
 ripture» 
 ireason- 
 ler and 
 respect- 
 done, or 
 e invisi- 
 
 ivileges 
 rnishing 
 i has re- 
 iTch that 
 God and 
 se injury 
 upon the 
 if uncon- 
 
 lian union 
 
 cons>iflts. And as we have advanced in the contempla- 
 tion of the theme every step becomes more and still more 
 important and interesting. No lonq^r is the reader a 
 mere querist but a serious nnti concerned party. Oh 
 may we be led to right conclusions, that we m;»y put up 
 our sword of controversy. 
 
 Christian union is not an abstract principle as some 
 have supposed, not a mera cessation of quarrelling, and 
 formally bidding each other God speed, but a living, holy 
 active, operative, indwelling principle in the soul of man, 
 a divine regoneratin<,' and soul-transforming cha ige, em- 
 bracing H union with God the fountain of all happiness, 
 life and felicity. When this union is effected belweeii 
 God and the soul, the soul knows but one object and that 
 is God, an;! has but one feeling, and that is love. All 
 natural and unsanctified desires, arms and purposes biding 
 alienated, the conversation U with God, and after God's 
 manner, and not after the manner of men. Thero is a 
 constant flowing and reflovving of affection, love going 
 op and love coming down. Then the soul can say em- 
 phatically, his left hand is under my head and his right 
 hand doth embrace me. He brought me to his banquet- 
 ing house and his banner over me is love. Selfvvill, the 
 great evil of fallen nature, being eradicated and subdued 
 the soul forms a union with the Divine will by a subjec- 
 tion of the human will. Tlien the human will ceasing 
 from all its rebellion, constantly harmonizes with God's 
 purposes. The Spirit of God producing in the heart, 
 God-like, heavenly, forgiving atid benevolent disposi- 
 tions — love to God and love to man, and an utter detesta- 
 tion of all strife, variance and contention — a desire to 
 promote mutual good will among men, especially among 
 the children of God, becouse he is U!iited to God and 
 transformed to the Divine nature, and he that is joined 
 to God is one spirit, 1st Cor. vi., 17, " Hence all who 
 are one with God, are one with one another: and all 
 who are at peace with God are at peace wiih one an- 
 other. 
 
 The Spirit of God effects this work, and where it 
 
S?0ii»S 
 
 78 
 
 dwells among Chrislianstlipre cannot but bo union. They 
 havintj all coiu'^ as Ijv iiig slones to the living and chief 
 corner st'-nr;, find comparted into an liabilaiion for God 
 ihroneh ilie vSpirii, ail such are one in Chrii^t Jesus. And 
 the fundaiDcnial argument for Christians being one, is 
 the oiirnes:^ of the Spirit who dwells everywhere in them 
 they having been made to drink into one spirit. Hence 
 the A])o.'ile ye are inlo one body. The Spirit of God 
 alone can knii the hejirts and minds of men togetherunto 
 permanent peace and love. 
 
 Of this the Prophet speaks distinctly. And righteous- 
 ness '/nail be the girJle of his loins and f;^ithfulness the 
 girdle of his veins. The wolf also shall dwell wiih the 
 Iamb and iho leopard s'lall lie down with the kid, and 
 the calf ami the youni; lion and the f:i ling together, and 
 a little child shall lead them. They shall not hurt or des- 
 troy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full 
 of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the 
 sea. 'V. ,•-.''..., 
 
 An() Jrsns especially designed to accomplish this that 
 is to turn the people to the J^ord their God, and at the 
 game lime to turn the hearts of the fathers to the cUldren, 
 to make them friends to God and friends to one ano- 
 ther. ■ . ; ^ s "c ; , ' ■ . - 
 
 The whole scriptnies propounds a redundancy of 
 poweifnl arguments in favour of this idea of Christian 
 peace and union, whieh must appear evident to any 
 man who seriously considers the following passages. 
 That they may be one even as we are one, I in them 
 and thou in me, that they may be made per ect in one, 
 that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast 
 loved them as thou hast loved niie, John xvii., 22, 23. 
 As we have many members in our body, and all the 
 rnembers have not the same oflif'e, so we being tnany are 
 one body in Christ, and every one members of one an- 
 other, Hom. xii., 4, 5. For as the body is one and hath 
 many members in one body, so also is Christ. For by 
 one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we 
 be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, ^nd 
 
 ^tifM^' 
 
79 
 
 have been all made to drink inio one spirit even as ye 
 are called in one hope of your calling. One God and 
 Father of all who is above all, and through all, and in 
 you all. From whom the whole body fitly joined toge- 
 ther and compacted by that which every joint snpplielh, 
 according to the effectual working in the measure of 
 every part, makoih increase of the body u.ito the edify- 
 ing of itself in love. And be ye kind one to another, 
 tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as God, for 
 Christ's sake forgave you, for ye are members of his body, 
 of his flesh, and his bones, Ephesians, iv., 3, G, 16, and 
 v., 30. The phiin doctrine taught by these scriptures is 
 Istly, One body, 2ndly, One spirit— the same Holy spirit 
 that quickens all saints, and is to the whole what the 
 natural sun is to the solar system, the centre, the light, 
 and the life. But, notvvithsrandmg all that the revela- 
 tion of the great will of the Eternal expresses in relation 
 to the oneness of God's people and their unity as a body, 
 or on schisms, and divisions, it is humiliating to confess 
 that the grievous and sinlul schisms which are found in 
 ihe Church in this enlightened day, are popular, and are 
 pleaded for by many as necessary. But with such a re- 
 ligion we cannot see what is to prevent the union of all 
 Christians. Allowing that creed of our brethren more 
 erroneous than our own, does it make paramount the 
 vital truth we have been considering. Let the question 
 do they breathe the spiritual life of love? be answered 
 in the affirmative, and we cannot refuse to love what 
 God has made lovely. If despite the errors in tlK^ tenets or 
 notions of Church polity of our sister Churches, G( d has 
 regenerated iheirmembers, shall we in the strait- jacket of 
 sectarianism say, " Not so, L )rd, f >r I have never eaten 
 anything common or unclean." The truth is, th.it all 
 who have the Holy spirit dwelling in them, have a bond 
 of union slrong^r than the walls round about Jerusalem. 
 And having the invisible why not the visible union. 
 Having a spiritual union, why weaken by sectarian tech- 
 nicalilies and denominational jealousies. 
 
 The same sentiments are eloquently expressed in the 
 
■*<^t■»ht^pT.■ 
 
 SO 
 
 following paragraph from the pen of that strong thinker 
 Lord Bacon : 
 
 " Religion being the chief bond of human society, it 
 is a happy thing when itself is well contained within the 
 true bond of unity. The quarrels and divisions about 
 religion were evils unknown to the heathen. The reason 
 was, because the religion of the heathen consisted rather 
 in rites and ceremonies, than in any constant belief ; for 
 you may imagine what kind of faith theirs was, when the 
 chief doctors and fathers of their church were the poets. 
 But the true God hath this attribute, that he is a jealous 
 God ; and therefore his worship and religion will endure 
 no mixture nor partner. We shall therefore speak a few 
 words concei ning the unity of the church ; what are the 
 fruits thereof; what the bonds; and what the means. 
 
 " The fruits of unity (next unto the well-pleasing of 
 God, which is all in all) are two; the one towards those 
 that are without the Church, the other towards those 
 that are within. For the former, it is certain that here- 
 sies and schisms are of all others the greatest scandals, 
 yea, more than corruption of manners ; for as in the 
 natural body a wound or solution of continuity is worse 
 than a corrupt humor, so in the spiritual : so that nothing 
 doth so much keep men out of the church, and drive men 
 out of the church, as breach of unity ; and, therefore, 
 whensoever it comelh to that pass that one saith, ' Ecce 
 in deserto' — ['Lo! it is in the desert'] another saith, 
 * Ecce in penetralibus '— [' Lo I it is in the sanctuary '] — 
 that is, when some men seek Christ in the conventicles 
 of heretics, and others in an outward face of a church, 
 that voice had need continually to sound in men's ears, 
 ' Nolite exire * [' Go not out.'] The Doctor of the Gen- 
 tiles (the propriety of whose vocation drew him to have 
 a special care of those without) saith, 'If a heathen come 
 in, and hear you speak with several tongues, will he not 
 »ny that you are mad V and certainly, it is little better : 
 wiien atheists and profane persons do hear of so many 
 discordant and contrary opinions in religion, it doth avert 
 them from the church, and maketh them 'to sit down in 
 the chair of the sorners.' It is but a light thing to be 
 vouched in so serious a matter, but yet it expresselh well 
 the deformity. There is a master of scoffing, that in his 
 catalogue of books of a feigned library, sets down this 
 title of a book, 'The Morris-Dance of Heretics:' for, 
 indeed, everv seel of them hath a diverse 
 
 every 
 
 posture 
 
81 
 
 it 
 
 cringe, by themselves, which cannot but move derision in 
 worldlings and depraved politics, who are apt to con- 
 demn holy things. 
 
 " As for the fruit towards those that are within, it is 
 peace, which containeth infinite biessinjjs ; it establisheth 
 iailh ; it Uindleth charity ; the outward peace of the 
 church distilleth into peace of conscience, and it turneth 
 the labours of writing and readiniij controversies into 
 treatises of mortification and devotion. 
 
 " Concerning the bonds of unity, the true placing of 
 them imporfeth exceedingly. There appear to be two 
 extremes; for to certain zealots all speech of pacification 
 is odious. Ms it peace, Jehu ?' ' VVhat hast thou to do 
 with peace ? turn thee behind me.' Peace is not the mat- 
 ter, but following and party. Crnirariwise, certain 
 Laodj^.eans and lukewarm persons ihinic they may 
 ac .oinmodate points of religion by middle ways, and 
 taking part of both, and witty reconcilements, as if they 
 would make an arbitrament between God and man. 
 Both these extremes art^ to be avoided ; which will be 
 done if the league of Christians, penned by onr Saviour 
 himself, were in the two cross clauses thereof soundly 
 and plainly expounded : ' He that is not with us is against 
 us ;' and njzain, ' He that is not against us is with us ;' 
 that is, if the points fundamental, and of substance in 
 religion, were truly discerned and distinguished from 
 points UDt merely of faith, but of opinion, order, or good 
 intention. This is a thing may seem to many a matter 
 trivial, and done already ; but if it were done less par- 
 tially, it would be embraced more generally. 
 
 " Of this I may give only this advice, .jiccording to my 
 small model. Men ousfht to take heed of rending G d's 
 church by two kinds of controversies ; the one is, when 
 '^e matter of the point controverted is too snail and 
 lignt, not worth the heat and strife about it, kindled only 
 by contradiction ; for, as it is noted by one ot the fathers, 
 Christ's coat indeed had no seam, but the church'v^ vesture 
 was of divers colours ; whereupon he saith, ' in veste 
 varietas sit, scis^ura non sit ' — [' In the garment let there 
 be .variety, but no rent '] they be two things, unity and 
 uniformity; the other is, when the matter of the point 
 controverted is great, but it is driven to an over-great 
 subtilty and obscurity, so that it heeotneth a thing rather 
 ingenious than substantial. A man that is of judgment 
 and understanding shall sometimes hear ignorant men 
 differ, and know well within himself, that those which 
 
HiSiiistJisii; 
 
 WW. 
 
 mmmm 
 
 ism 
 
 82 
 
 so differ mean one ihing an;] yet they themselvps vvouW 
 never agree : and if it come so topai«s in that distance of 
 jud^nnent which is between man and man, shall we not 
 think ihat God above, that knows the heart, doili not 
 discern that frail men, in some of their contradictions, 
 intend the same thing and Mccepted of both ? The nature 
 of such controversies is excellenlly expressed by St. Paul, 
 in the warning and precept that he giveth concerning the 
 Same, ' Devitu jjrofanas voc;um novitates, et oppositiones 
 Jaisi nominis scienlia) ' — ['Avoid prof no and vain bab- 
 blings, and oppo-ilions of science falsely so called.'] 
 Men create oppositions which are not, and pnt them into 
 new terms so iix«'d ; as whereas the meaning ought to 
 govern the term, the term inelfect governelh tiie meaning. 
 There be al>o two TmIsc peaces, or unities: the one, 
 when the peace is geounded but upon an implicit igno- 
 rince ; for all colours will agree in the dark: theoiher, 
 when ir, is pieced np upon a direct admission of contraries 
 in fundamental points ; for truth tmtl falsehoo;! in such 
 things are like the iron and clay in the toes of Nebu- 
 chadnezzar's image — they may cleave, but they will not 
 incorporate. 
 
 " Concerning the means of procuring: unity, men must 
 beware that, in the procurini; or munitmg of religious 
 unity, they do not diss<,lve and deface the laws of charity 
 and of human society. There b; two swords amongst 
 Christians, the spiritual and the temporal, and both have 
 their due oflice and place m the maintenance of religion; 
 but we may not take up the third sword, which is Maho- 
 met's sword, or like unto it — that is, to propagate religion 
 by wars, or by sanguinary persecutions to lorce consviences 
 — except it be in cases of overt scandal, bliispliemy, or 
 intermixture of piactice against the state ; much less to 
 nourish seditions ; to ;uilhorize conspiracies and rebel- 
 lions ; to put, the sword into llie people's hands, and the 
 like, tending to the subversion of all government, which 
 is the ordinance of God ; for this is but to d'";!i the first 
 table, against the second; and so to consider men as 
 Christians, as we forgit that they are men. Lucretius, 
 the poet, when he beheld the act of Agimemnon, that 
 could endure the sacrificing of his own daughter, ex 
 claimed : 
 
 " ' Tantiirn religio potuit suadcre malorum.* 
 *• ['So many evils could religion cause.'] 
 
 What would he have said, if he had known of the mas- 
 
m 
 
 sacre in France, or the powder treason of England ? He 
 would have been seven limes more epicure and atheist 
 then he was ; for as ihe temporal sword is to be drawn 
 wiih great circumspection in cases of religion, so it is a 
 thing monstrous to |)ut it into liie hands of the common 
 people; let ihat be left unto the Hn^haplists, and other 
 furies. It was great blasphemy when the devil said, * I 
 will ascend and he like the hiuhesl;' but it is greater 
 blasphemy to personate God, and bring him in saying, ' I 
 will descend, and be like the prince of darkness:' and 
 what is it better, to make the cause of religion to descend 
 to the cruel an;l execrable actions ot' murdering princes, 
 butchery of people, and subversion of states jmd govern- 
 ments? Suiely this is to bring down the Holy Ghost, 
 instead ol the likeness of a dove, in the shape of a vul- 
 ture or raven ; and to set out ol the bark of a Christian 
 church, a flag of a bark of pirates and assass'ns: there- 
 fore it is most necessary that the church, by doctrine and 
 decree, princes by their sword, and all learnings, both 
 (^hri^tian and moral, as by their mercury rod to damn and 
 send to hell forever, those facts and opinion-; tending to 
 the support of the same, as hath been aheady in good 
 part done Surely in councils C( ncerning leligion, that 
 counsel of the apostle would be prefixed, 'Ira hoininis non 
 implet juslitiam Dei ' — [' Man's an<.rer satisfies not the 
 justice of Gild]'; and it was a notable observation of a 
 wise father, and no less ingenuously confessed, thai those 
 which held and persuaded pressure of coiscienees, were 
 commonly interested therein themselves lor iheir own 
 ends." 
 
 In perfect accordance wiih the foregoing views, wc 
 quote the following from Gurnall, who wrote about two 
 hundred years ago : 
 
 ** Now the Gospel is a Gospel of Peace if taken in 
 this notion also, which we shall- briefly speak to, viz.; 
 The Gospel and only the Gospei can knit the hx^arts and 
 minds «)f rnen together, In a s lid peace and love, tnis next 
 to reconciling us to God, is especially designed hy Christ 
 in the Gospel, and truly without this the saint's ha|'piness 
 would be sndly defective, except God shoidd make a 
 Heaven for every one to live b; himself in. John Bap- 
 tist's ministry wjii! the preface lo the Gospel divided into 
 these two heads, — I. To turn many of the children of 
 Israel to the Lord their God ; and 2. To turn the hearts of 
 
up 
 
 PiiiP 
 
 84 
 
 the fathers to the chil Iran, to n:ake ihem friends with God 
 and one another ; this is its natural effect, to unite and 
 render the hearts of men and women in love and peace ; 
 this is tiie strange metamorphosis of which the prophet 
 speaks, Isa. xi. v. 8., ' The wolf shall dwell with the 
 lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, &c.' 
 And how is all this, see v. 9, * for the earth shall be full 
 of the knowledge of the Lord.' Indeed it is in the dark 
 that men fight and draw upon one another in wrath and 
 fury ; if gngppj light comes savingly in, the sword will 
 soon be put up, the sweet spirit of love will not suffer 
 these doings where he dwells, and so peculiar is this bless- 
 ing to the Gospel, that Christ has made it the badge by 
 which the\ should not only know one another, but should 
 be knovvn ay strangers from all others, John xiii. 3.^, If 
 we would see the effects of this love, U-t us gaze with 
 ndmiiaiion on the display of it in the case of those who 
 tjrv< embraced and professed the Gospel in sincerity, and 
 I'hcn glance by the eyc^ of faith at this beauteous flower 
 full i;>*ovvn and diffusing its celestial fragrance in an 
 unchani;i=ig atmosphere of love. Among the primitive 
 saints how sweet was the harmony and peace; those who 
 had been enemies now living and loved as if each one's 
 heart had forsaken its former abode to creepinto his brother's 
 bosom; they parted with their estates to keep their love 
 entire, wit' the bread out cf their own mouths to feed 
 their brethren in want — were more merry in emptying 
 their bai-s in charity than in filling them with gain — and 
 did eat their bread with gladness and singleness of heart ; 
 and if we look at the state of things in heaven when the 
 hearts of saints sh-ill be fully GospelizeU and all the 
 promises be accomplished, then above all the peacd of 
 the G ispel will appear ; here it is put out and in like a 
 budding flowe ■ in the spring ;if a warm day opens it, a 
 cold one follows, an I it's soon (dosed again. The silence 
 in this lower heaven is but for the space of half an hour. 
 Rev. viil. 1. 
 
 '•• But this Gospel propounds powerful arguments for 
 peace and unity such as are found no where else; cords 
 of love that were never wove in nature's loom, being all 
 supernatural and of divine revelation, Eph. iv. 3 ; and 
 how does the Apostle persuade them to keep the unity of 
 the Spirit in the bond of peace: P'irst, one body, such a 
 one as philosophy tieals not of; again, one spirit, the 
 same holy Spirit which quickens all true saints, and is to 
 the whole, number of them what the; soul is to the whole 
 
man, and is as it were a prodigious violence to the law of 
 Nature, for the members by iniestine war among them- 
 selves to drive the soul out of the body, so much more is 
 it lor Christians to force the Holy Spirit from them by their 
 contentions ; and hov^r can they open a wider door for him 
 to depart. But again he presseth unity from the one hope 
 of our calling ; there is a day coming when we shall meet 
 lovingly in heaven and sit at one feast without grudging 
 what lies on another's trencher. Full fruition of God 
 shall be the feast and peace and love the sweet music that 
 shall for ever accompany and augment the harmony and 
 the blessedness." 
 
 With the subjoined from the able pen of John Howe, 
 We dismiss this chapter, feeling that any farther argument 
 to prove the positiveness of the invisible connexion and 
 oneness of all Christians, and the necessity of visible 
 union would be a mockery, a taunt, to aggravate the 
 shame of those who perpetuate sectarianism : 
 
 " That it is the work of God's own Spirit to eflfect 
 such a union, and consequently that when it shall be 
 generally poured forth such a union must be realized ; 
 this is typically represented by the precious ointment 
 shed upon Aaron, diffused upon his jrarments ; referring 
 doubtless to the anointing of the Holy Ghost eminently, 
 and in the first place upon our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 thence diffused to all the members of his Body — the 
 Church.. Hence also the unity in what degree soever it 
 doth obtain is called the unity of the Spirit ; and Christ- 
 ians also because of its unspeakable importance, and the 
 dangers attending the breach of it are admonished to 
 endeavour to maintain it in the bond of peace. That 
 also which is the subject of such a union is the habita- 
 tion of the indwelling Spirit, which implies that it hath 
 great influence on this union, that where it dwells 
 among all living Christians there cannot but be some 
 union in the main and principal things, they having all 
 come as lively stones unto the living and chief corner 
 stone, and compacted into an habitation of God through 
 the Spirit ; all such are of the Church of God, and there- 
 fore should be recognized as such, for we are all one in 
 Christ Jesus : and iurther, the very cause of this union 
 amongst Christians, so far as it does prevail, is the one- 
 ness of the Spirit who dwells everywhere in them all for 
 this very end and purpose ; for there is one Body and one 
 

 8G 
 
 Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. 
 The reason why tlie members of the Body, thf)Ui>;h many 
 are yet bnr one Body, is, beojiuse by the one Spirit they 
 are all baptized inio one Body, and have been made to 
 drink into ono Spirit; as il it had been said yon are so 
 little one iipiin any other account, that only as one Spirit 
 hath dillusod itself among you and cemented you toge- 
 ther will this desirable object be ohtainfd — without; this 
 the Body of Christ would be no more one than a rope of 
 sand; there would b^ no cohesion of par s ; for the parts 
 of a man's body, as the prirts of the Church, are a con- 
 tinual ilux ; there is a continual wear and waste, a con- 
 stant succession of new |)arts to make up for those which 
 have passed aw<iy, and yet there is but one man still, 
 because he hath still but one soul. So also is the Church 
 one and the same thing because it hath one Spirit; and 
 as it is the office and business of the soul to iinimate and 
 enliven the body in its several parts, which it can only 
 do by retain inn them in union with itself and one ano- 
 ther ; the case is manifestly so here as the members of 
 the body share its privileges in community, as for instance 
 that of peace, and the communion which it includes. 
 So aaith the Apostle, ye are called into one Body; or 
 speaking of the peace of God he says — to which also ye 
 are called in one B idy, the Spirit doth not animate, but 
 as it unites this plaiidy argues it to be the work of the 
 Spirit to effect and maintain this union; you know the 
 rest of the world are divided about blessedness, or where- 
 in the chief good consists; there are no less than two 
 hundred and eighty-three opinions among the- heathens 
 about it now, how came all sincere Christians to agreein 
 this — to hope for blessrdness all in one thing in that state 
 of life and glory that is hereafter to be enjoyed, and that 
 they all, in all times of the world, should have met in 
 the same one hope of their calling ; all this must be ow- 
 ing to one cause — must proceed from one principle; they 
 have all one faith, are all of one religion ; as to its essen- 
 tials all come under one title, all give up and denote 
 themselves under the bond of God's covenant — are the 
 children of God by faith, arid the one God and Father of 
 all; in this all sincere Christians meet, and how come 
 they so to meet ? By chance ? No, certainly not. But 
 by one designing cause that worked them all one way. 
 How else should such numbers agree in one thing, and 
 design to be all for God in a world that is revolted and 
 apostatized from him, it must be the result of one com- 
 
 f !' Iff •^Iff ' 
 
 ■..'t| 
 

 87 
 
 mon nnitive principle, ihe efTcct of his j»iacions influen- 
 ces, who is ihe Spirit of holirioss, poacv, and lovo ; our 
 divisions ;ire indeed n sad indicittion Ihat ihe Spiiit is in 
 a grejil measure withdrawn, and th^il but liiiie of his 
 work is to ha seen among Christians in our dny in com- 
 parison to whnt has been ;ind what may be lioped for in 
 time to come, to which we may revert more particularly 
 hereafier. 
 
 "There arc two further inquiries deserving special no- 
 tice relating to this important subJRct. 
 
 " 1st, What kind of union this s!inll be wbi -It wo mav 
 expect the Spirit poured forth to accomplish. 
 
 '• 2nd, In what way we may expect it to he accomplish- 
 ed. As to its nature, it will be such a union as shall 
 combine within itself the duty, and much of the hiippi- 
 ness of the Church : such a one as will contribute fnuch 
 to its felicity ; such as will beautifully illustrate the faith- 
 fulness of God to His promise, and the Church's obedi- 
 ence to h(^r Divine f^ord. But as we neither expect the 
 Church of God on earth to be perfectly sinless or perfect- 
 ly happy, we cannot expect this union to be p;^rrcct. Nor 
 shoulil it be thought requisite, in order to this union, that 
 the spirit should be, as thus poured out, an infallible 
 spirit, thus as some have thought necessary, conferring on 
 men a Sj)iril of Infalibility, in onler to union, whilst the 
 question as to the seat of it would still remain unsettled. 
 Besides, as a union in holiness is as necessaiy for th« 
 Church of God, as in truth we might as reasonably ex- 
 pect an impeccable as an infiillible spirit, the pretenders 
 to which have been so notoriously vicious and vile that 
 we may justly say that if such a spirit had indeed exist- 
 ed among them it was unfitly lodged in the midst of such 
 horrid impurities, and did no more become them than a 
 jewel of gold in a swine's snout. But we pass on to in- 
 quire, — Isr, what a union we are not to expect, — 2nd, 
 what union actually exists among all living Christians, — 
 3rd, what union are we further to look and hope for. 1st, 
 We are n'»t to expect that all shall agree in the same 
 measure of knowledge, and, as the consequence, an iden- 
 tity of apprehcD ion. Every man that thinks difTerently 
 from another, does so either truly or falsely ; and on 
 which side soever the error lies, there lies so much igno- 
 rance ; and whilst here we all know but in part. Nor 
 can we reasonably expect that all will attain to the same 
 pitch in holiness, no one more spiritual and heavenly 
 than another ; nor will all feel the same sensations of di- 
 
88 
 
 vine pleasurp, the sumo iiialli)ns of holy and spiritual 
 aftrolion-!. (K'lii,'lit and Joy, mnoli of vvliicli may depend 
 on t)odiIy tempiTanifint, in which it is obviously in vain 
 to seek for unilbrmity, as it is also in rank, order, station, 
 and work — where, if indeed it existed, it would not bo the 
 perfection of union, but the union of imperfection. 8ijch 
 a union then, we are not to expect. But, 2nd, Ceri;iinly 
 there is amonu: all sincf^re and living Christians such a 
 unon as that vvhereof I am now discoursing— a union n 
 those great and substantial things referred to in Kph. 4 : 
 8, 4, which, having been noticed before, may be briefly 
 summed up as follows : Christ is the head of his body, the 
 Church : all the members of this b )dy do from him par- 
 take of that one and the same spirit; it is He who has 
 opened heaven to ihem — who has brought life and immor- 
 tality to light before their eyes ; they are called by him in 
 that one hope ot their calling. He is the Mt;di-itor of 
 that covenant of redemption which comprehends them 
 all. It is He that reduces and restores and re-unites them 
 to God, and sets all things right between Him and them; 
 herein is the sum of their unions. Great has been the 
 controversy about the distinction of the essentials and 
 extra essentials of Chri.-tianity. But let men cavil as 
 long as they will, it would manifestly be a most absurd 
 thing to deny the distinction, for to such a one I would 
 say, what part of the distinction would you deny, — that 
 Christianity iias essential parts or that it has extra essen- 
 tial parts ? If it has no essential parts, it has no being, 
 or certainly that is nothing to which nothing is essential, 
 and to say that there are no extra essential parts is to say 
 that a man cannot be a Christian unless he knows every 
 thing of truth, and punctually performs every thing of 
 duty, whether he understands it or not ; which is like 
 saying he could not be a Christian unless he certainly 
 did know the meaning of the number six hundred and 
 sixty-six, and a thousand difficult passages of scripture 
 besides. This then is in effect to deny the existence both 
 of Christianity itself and of Christians themselves; for 
 it must be obvious that if the system has nothing essen- 
 tial it has no being, and also that no Christian knows 
 and does every thing that belongs to the Christian reli- 
 gion. The Apostle gives us a summary of Christian doc- 
 trine and practice, 1 Cor. viii., 6: — "To us there is but 
 one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in 
 him ; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, and we by him," — 
 where we have the gi ;at object upon which religion le> 
 
of 
 
 ike 
 
 inly 
 
 and 
 
 but 
 
 in 
 
 > 
 
 ler- 
 
 89 
 
 minates— God considered as the end ond Christ the Me- 
 diator, the way to that end, whiUt in Mat. xxviii., 19, 
 we are pointed to the Father as the end, the Son as the 
 way, and the Spirit as the great principle ot life and en- 
 ergy, moving souls towards that end through ihnt way. 
 In these things all sincere Christians unite and agree. 
 Yet, 3rdly, it should be lamented that with this union, 
 there is still much disunion — such as is high'y dishonour^ 
 able to God, scandalous before the world, and a most 
 grievous obstacle to the happiness and prosperity of the 
 Church, as might be the case in a living man, — the soul 
 and body still united, and the several parts, but all in a 
 most languishing condition, and nigh unto death, and it 
 may be, one member falling foul of 'her. The union 
 we should expect, pray for, and aim , is that for which 
 the Lord Je^U8 so earnestly prayed, and it is also pro- 
 mised in Jer. xxxii. and xxxix; to t^ffect which there 
 must be a pouring forth of the Spirit copiously, to subdue 
 and attemper the i<ouls of men to the mind of Christ, 
 raising their minds to higher and nobler aims in seeking 
 to know and do his will, so that self-will and the mere 
 love of party be not as it now is amon*^ professing Christ- 
 ians, the common rule ; but each aiming to walk in the 
 steps and imbibe the spirit that was in the Lord Jesus, 
 endeavoring to walk by the same rule, and raind the 
 same things, may be assured that if any thing they be 
 otherwise minded (or still deficient, which is here impli- 
 ed) God shall reveal even this unto them. 
 
 " We proceed now to inquire in what way the Spirit of 
 God poured forth, may be expected to effect ithis union, 
 and there is no doubt but it will be by the same means by 
 which religion itself shall be revived and recovered, of 
 which we have so largely spoken, for that which makes 
 the Christian Church a living Church, iwill make it One, 
 that is, in that higher and more eminent degree, whereof 
 we have been speaking. It is but one and the same 
 thing, or is done by the same operation, the making the 
 Church more holy and the making one, that which brings 
 Christians nearer to God, and Christ will infallibly and 
 at once bring them nearer to each other, whensoever the 
 Spirit of God poured forth shall make men agree in hav- 
 ing the Lord for their God, saying, this God is our God 
 Cor ever and ever. When men shall become more sin- 
 cere and thorough Christians, they will certainly find 
 that the things in which they are agreed are far more 
 momentous than any about which they may differ, to 
 
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 90 
 
 t|iis effect is the promise in Jer. xxxii., 38-3d. '* They 
 sh/tU be my people, and I will be their God ; and 1 will 
 give thpm one heart and one way." We are told that 
 God is Light, and also, that he is Love. Were the image 
 of God in these two things more generally and vividly 
 impressed upon men, this would do the whole business, 
 this would make them all one. How blessed then would 
 the union of Christians be. The effect of such a pouring 
 out of the Spirit it may be oxpected will be — 1st, an in- 
 crease of light and knowledge among Christians generally, 
 as to things necessary to union ; 2nd, greater measures 
 of grace, rendering them more patient and forbearing 
 towards each other; and 1st, By an increase of light and 
 knowledge, I mean such as lies in the next immediate 
 tendency to holiness, the knowledge of the truth which 
 is after godliness, and which doth attemper and dispose 
 the minds of men for the reception of truth as sanctify- 
 ing, truth as it is the transformative of the sOul into d 
 holy and godly frame ; otherwise there wants the cemenl 
 that should hold hearts together. Whenever the Spirit 
 of God doth that blessed work in the world, to revive 
 true Religion, it will unite Christians, by curing the ma- 
 ladies and distempers of mind, which prevent them from 
 receiving sound gospel knowledge ; for if this be not 
 done it will be impossible there should be union, unless 
 men should agree only in being diseased, or which would 
 be equally absurd, agree all to be in one disease, which 
 surely would be a most unhappy union. But, when the 
 Spirit of the living God, shall create the Christian world 
 a region of light, then shall be realized the happy union of 
 which we have spoken. 3rd, By making Christians more 
 patient of dissent from one another in less necessary 
 things^ for then there will be a greater ability to distin- 
 guish between troths that are of Scripture revelation and 
 those that are not, and to judge more correctly of theif 
 relative importance; and also, among revealed trntbs 
 men will be enabled to distinguish between those which 
 are more or less necessary, and being also more spiritual, 
 they will be more apt to be taken up with the great things 
 of religion. Be more holy, less opinionative and humoolr- 
 some, and have less of the knowledge that pnffeth up. 
 Then Christians will maintain a reverential subjection to 
 God'g own prescribed roles of, and terms of Christian 
 Communion, not daring to make terms, limiting the com- 
 munion of Christians, as such, which Christ never an- 
 tfaoriied and will never own, under this devout sobjection, 
 
 a 
 
«H>*ttfit 
 
 91 
 
 to the authority of Christ, and influenced bv a due regard 
 to his new commandment, Christians will extend their 
 communion to all those to whom he extends his, for this 
 IS the import of the Apostle's words, Romans xiv., I 10 
 and a so chap, xv., 7 ; here is a principle more broad 
 and solid, and better adapted as a basis of Christian com- 
 munion, and as a specific to cure the diseases of the 
 Church than any squaring op adjusting of the external 
 lorms whilst the internal conformity of the minds of its 
 members to the mind of Christ in meekness, gentleness, 
 and love, are lost sight of." ' 
 
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 CHAPTER v.. 
 
 
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 ' " "WHEN CHURCH TENETS SHOULD BE CnANGEp.,!^J'j,*"" 
 
 The plain doctrine of the last chapter, that all men 
 who are united to God in love, are united to one another 
 in sympathy, which strictly signifies harmony, or union of 
 feeling. There must be two or more person* who are 
 the subjects of this common feeling, and some common 
 object, in reference to which this common feeling is exer- 
 cised, hence the commandment " That he who loveth 
 God, love his brother also, for love is of God, and every 
 one that loveth, is born of God and knoweth God," and, 
 "If any man say he loveth God and hateth his brother, 
 he is a liar," 1st John iv., 7, 20. 
 
 Love then is the basis of all true religion. If Chris- 
 tians then truly love one another, h follows as a necessa- 
 ry result that they harmonize with every thing which con- 
 cerns each others interest. This doctrine leads us to 
 believe that our common ethnology would naturally pro- 
 duce a removal of all those denominational badges and 
 sectarian lines which prevent an amalgamation of those 
 between whose characteristic peculiarities there is so 
 complete an assimilation, and Parthians, and Medes, and 
 Elamites would meet together with one accord in the 
 same temple, to declare the wonderful works of God. 
 
 Prudence will dictate that Church tenets long estab- 
 lished, should not be changed or discarded for light and 
 trivial causes. But when it is made evident that such 
 tenets have divided the Church into sects, some things 
 cut off separated some things incompatible with the body 
 of Christ, and the prayer of our Redeemer, that all his 
 people should be one, and productive of infidelity, and 
 
93 
 
 unauthorized by GoiVs word, it is right, it becomes duty 
 to change or give up such tenets. 
 
 And that such is the nature and tendency of the dog- 
 mas that now divide the Church of Christ has been abun- 
 dantly proved in the preceding pages by God's word 
 and the history of the Church to which we have ap» 
 pealed. 
 
 There are soms aspects of the subject now before us 
 which cannot be fully appreciated without bearing in 
 mind the perpetual harmony of the requirements and pro- 
 hibitions of God. What he now requires and prohibits 
 he required and prohibited in the past, and will in the 
 future. And every thing which is intermediate, corres- 
 ponds with the beginning and the end. And he cannot 
 be discordant with himself, and we read, God is love» 
 Jehovah is the only supreme unoriginaled being, every 
 thing else is a dependency. From him all things come, 
 and to him, as the originator and governor, all things are 
 in subjection. Prior to any human compact or law, there 
 was a compact and law, which is the Divine law of lovip, 
 existing in the universe, which cannot be dissolved or 
 altered by any human legislation either ecclesiastical or 
 civil. Man, as a created being, can take no other posi- 
 tion but that of a recipient, and in that position he is 
 bound to submit to the supreme guidance. His right we 
 humbly conceive to be the privileges bestowed on him in 
 his probationary state by the moral governor of the uni- 
 'verse. But as a God of Love, to be consistent with him- 
 self, can only give man the privilege of doing what is 
 consistent with that principle. And no human jurisdic- 
 tion, either civil or ecclesiastical, has a right to interfere 
 with any preclusion or obligation enjoined. ' 
 '• Privileges bestowed implies gifts. The rights of man 
 are the gifts of the God of Love, and designed by him to 
 answer a purpose worthy of himself. To treat those pri- 
 vileges with indifference, is to undervalue them, to un- 
 dervalue the gift, is to undervalue the giver and to trewi 
 him with a degree of contempt, and to prevent man from 
 accomplishing the noble purposes for which he was de- 
 
mmmm 
 
 ■ 1 
 
 94 
 
 signed by his Creator, and to violate nls moral obligations 
 to the Most High, who, as righteous Judge, will call him 
 to an account and reward him according to the deeds 
 done in the body. The giver of every good and perfect 
 gift has made man free and independent in his individual 
 capacity to enjoy life, liberty, property, private judgment 
 and happiness, and the exercise of that freedom is enjoin- 
 ed upon him. Consequently one man is not accountable 
 for another. 3ut in his associated capacity he is bound 
 by his Creator to yield conformity to the moral law of 
 love, which would prohibit any course of conduct hurt- 
 ful to society, and requires what would promote the hap- 
 piness of others. Hence we conclude that all law, civil 
 or ecclesiastical, enacted by man, ought in justice to ba 
 made in conformity to this pre-existing moral law of love 
 otherwise it encroaches on the rights ol others and causes 
 confusion in society by creating animosities, strife, and 
 contentions among the lapsed and fallen family of Adam, 
 God made all nations of one blood to dwell upon the face 
 of the earth, their distinctions of colour, language, and 
 manners notwithstanding ; yet, the cold, cheerless spirit of 
 selfishness, in ambitious princes, has disturbed the gene- 
 ral harmony of nations, by the enactment of laws which 
 produced a competition of interest, thence provoking 
 pride, bitterness, hatred, and enmity. Enmity, which is 
 continually bursting in storms of venejeance upon each 
 other, laying cities in ashes and covering fields with hu- 
 ;: er hlyid, onderr.ivliig Yiitii io loruives aLd despotically 
 .£ ijslaving the offspring of God. In this view of the per- 
 nicious laws of rjuiers, and practice of the inhabitants of 
 the earth, deep gloom oettles upon the societies of men, 
 and apparanlly a long rneiancligiy nigh over spreads the 
 world, and we dijspairingiy ask, shall the fetters ever fall 
 from the hands oi' the bounn, shall liberty and joy ever 
 .entej the poor man's dwelling and the mother cease to 
 weep for her children, torn from her arms to swell the 
 jhosts of a tyrant and be '' sacrificed to the blood-thirsty 
 jMoloch of war m the valley of slaughter.'' But whijo 
 .W9 asliy these questions we hear voices from the upper 
 
*9%¥%*%*%rw fm^nvm^ntt 
 
 96 
 
 sanctuary which break tho silence of night—*' Glory to 
 God on high, peace on earth, and good will to all men." 
 The gloom of this moral night is dispelled by the gloriouR 
 rays of tho sun of Righteousness, aud a bright prospect, 
 and animating consolation is revealed to the wretched 
 sons of Adam. 
 
 By this light a remedy is discovered equal to the dis- 
 order.— The great truth that all men are brethren, and 
 that God, as the great Parent of the family, confers his 
 favours on the whole ; causing his sun to rise and his 
 rain to descend equally on the just and unjust, and that 
 man should imitate this universal benevolence by love- 
 like universal. In the exercise of this divine principle 
 be should suffer injury without resistance, and return 
 good for evil, blessing for cursing— forgiving those who 
 trespass against him, as he wishes his father who is in 
 heaven to forgive him. And that law, civil or ecclesias- 
 tical, which is not based on this Divine universal law of 
 love, is impious and should be repealed. 
 
 And those ecclesiastical authorities who establish dog- 
 mas or tenets, which are calculated to produce a compe- 
 tition of interest or separation between the true children 
 of God, dry up the fountains of greatness in the human 
 90ul. They disolve all the obligations and charities of 
 life, and extinguish the majesty and sanctity of the reli- 
 gion of Jesus Christ. They raise a pestilential vapour, 
 more appalling to mankind than the arms of the usurper. 
 Their guilt is not the common guilt of tyrants, against 
 the wealth or liberties of men, but against all that man 
 holds dear, sacred and holy; not only against the bodies 
 but against the souls of the enslaved, not qply against 
 the oppressed but against the altar at which wretched hu- 
 man nature weeps and is comforted, and wrings again 
 the wild but thrilling cry from heaven " I am Jesus whom 
 thou persecutest." One of the peculiarities of the child- 
 yen of God, is to follow their great example Jesus, in ex- 
 tending benevolence to all beings. They have been 
 made partakers of the Divine nature, namely, love. The 
 law of love, which is the eternal rule of moral rectitude 
 and right, is written on their hearts. This law in its 
 
96 
 
 mighty power works out the problem of universal har- 
 !nony, constituting a bond of union reaching all, encir- 
 cling all, beautifying all, reviving faith, awakening hope, 
 iind unfettering charity, which will hasten the day " when 
 all nations shall rest in secure habitation and in quiet 
 resting-placrs. and when there shall ba wars no more,'' 
 and, " they shall b.^ my people and I will be their God. 
 And I will ^ive them one heart, and one way, that they 
 may fear me for ever, for the good of them and their 
 children afier them.'' We bend in thankfulness before 
 the promises of our faith, and with warm emotion to the 
 God who gave them, and pray *"■ Thy Kingdom come, 
 Thy will be done on earlh, as it is done in heaven." 
 
 It nmst be admitted that if any particular set of tenets 
 or mode of Church government is of Divine prescription, 
 it cannot be determined by the word of God. Hence we 
 c(»nclnde that the government of the Church is left to its 
 own discretion, and the exigencies of attending circum- 
 stances. But any rule, law% or organization, which in 
 the least is calculated to narrow down the benevolence 
 of Christians to a select few, is egregiously inconsistent 
 with the Divine law of love, as revealed in the sacred 
 8cri})tures, and who that has seeing eyes can fail to dis- 
 cover that the dividing the Christian Church into sects, 
 by professions of faith, and exact external ceremonies, 
 not essential to salvation, but fabricated by designing 
 men and based upon priestly pride and usurpation, will 
 produce mortifying uncharitableness towards all who 
 dissent from them. The adherents of each particular 
 creed being convinced of the orthodoxy of their own 
 dogmas and the Divine right of their Church polity, they 
 regard it important for others to embrace precisely their 
 opinions and to support their associations in order to be 
 Christians, worthy of their fellowship and sympathy, 
 otherwise they esteem them as strangers and aliens, 
 however distinguished by piety, ability, and usefulness. 
 The doctrine that these external ceremonies and usages* 
 which have created controversies are of God, represents 
 the Divine Government to be at variance with itself, con- 
 founds good and evil, discord and harmony, strife and 
 
97 
 
 peace, enmity and lovo togellier, and God as the indis. 
 criminate author of all. A doctrine involving such con- 
 sequences and contradictions, however excusable in the 
 dark ages is a disgrace to the ninjteenlh century, the li- 
 dicule of sensible men, an-l needs few remarks, as it 
 contains its own refutation within itself. 
 
 In thrse opinions we are sustained by many eminent 
 authorities of various sections of the Christian Church. 
 Mr. Watson, in his theological Institutes, Vol. 2, p. 585, 
 quotes the following language of Bishop Tomline, " No 
 Church can exist without some fiovernment ; but though 
 there must bo rules and orders, for the proper dischame 
 of the offices of public worship, though there must be 
 fixed regulations concerning the appointment of ministers 
 and though a subordination is expedient in the highest 
 degree, yet it does not follow that all these things must 
 be precisely the same in every Christian country; they 
 vary with the other varying circumstances of human so- 
 ciety, with the extent of a country, the manners of its 
 inhabitants, the nature of its civil government, and many 
 other peculiarities which might be Jr'pecified. As it has 
 not pleased our Almighty Fnther to prescribe any parii- 
 cuhir form of civil government for the security of tempo- 
 ral comforts to his rational creatures, so neither has he 
 prescribed any particular form of ecclesiastic -il polity as 
 absolutely necessary to the attainment of eternal happi- 
 ness." In keeping with the foregoing. Dr. Campbell 
 forcibly remarks "That no Ibrm of polity can plead 
 Buch an exclusive charier as that phrase, [Divine Right] 
 in its present acceptation, is understood to imply ; that 
 the claim is clearly the offspring of sectarian bigotry and 
 ignorance. This we may say with freedom, that if any 
 particular form of polity had been es'^ential to the Church 
 it would have been laid down in a different manner in 
 the sacred book. 
 
 Again ; Dr. Bangs says : " No specific form of Church 
 government is prescribed in scripture, and therefore it is 
 left to the discretion of the Church to regulate these mat- 
 ters as the exigencies of time, and place, and circum- 
 
IMHH 
 
 mmmm 
 
 98 
 
 stance, shall diclale to be most expedient, and likely to 
 accomplish the greatest amount of good ; always avoid- 
 ii^g any and every thing which God has prohibited. Mr. 
 Wesley, a ver;^ prudent person, and one careful to avoid 
 innovation, and one not ignorant of the doctrines of the 
 Bible or afraid to defend them, remarks, ''This opinion 
 which I once zealously espoused, I have been heartily 
 ashamed of, ever since I read Bishop Stillingfleet's Iten- 
 tcum I think he has unanswerably proved that neither 
 Christ nor his Apostles prescribe any particular form of 
 Church Government." The doctrine thus supported by 
 good authority, namely, that no particular forms of Church, 
 government or dogmas, is prescribed in the scriptures, 
 but are Icfi to the discretion of the Church ai\d the exi- 
 gencies of circumstances, must be obvious to all who are 
 familiar with the New Testament. 
 
 The doctrine of Divine Right, either of civil or eccle- 
 siastical jurisdiction, to interfere, either to restrain or to- 
 lerate Church polities, the exercise of devotion, or the 
 performance of any moral duty, either to God or man is 
 contrary to the germs of Christianity and perniciously 
 retards its progress. What the Divine right of both civil 
 and ecclesiastical rulers and subjects is, H. B. Bascom, 
 D.D., of the M. E. Church, beautifully sets forth in the 
 following summary of human rights explanatory of the 
 reasons and principles of government : 
 
 '^Article \st. God, as the common Father of mankind, 
 has created all men free and equal, and the proper equality 
 and social freedom of the great brotherhood of the human 
 race, in view of the gifts and grants of the Creator, are to 
 he inferred from all his dispensations to men. Every man 
 by the charter, of his creation, is the equal of his contem- 
 poraries ; — the essential rights of every generation are 
 the same. Man, as the child of God's creation, continues 
 man immutably, under all circumstances ; — and the rights 
 of ancestry are those of posterity. Man has claims, 
 which it becomes his duty to assert, in right of his exist- 
 ence, such as the infeasible right of thinking and acting 
 lor himself, when thought and action do not infringe the 
 right of another, as they never will, when truth and 
 justice are made the basis of human intercourse. These 
 
 I 
 
09 
 
 rights common to llio great family of mnn, cannot be 
 abolished by concession, statnt^, precedent, or positive 
 institution ; and vviien wrested or withheld from the 
 jnultitude of mankind, by their rulers, may be reclaimed 
 by the people, whenever they see proper to do it. 
 
 '* Art, 2nd. Man was created for society, his natural 
 rights are adapted to the social slate, and under every 
 form of society, constitute properly, the founduiion of his 
 civil rights. When man becomes a member of civil 
 society, he submits to a modification of some of his 
 natural rights, but he never does, he never can, relin(|ui>-h 
 them. He concedes the exercise of these rights, for his 
 own and the general good, but does not, cannot, cast 
 them off. His rights receive a new direction, but Ho not 
 terminate ; and that government which deprives man of 
 rights, justy claimed in virtue of his creation, and inter- 
 woven with the constitution of his nature, and the 
 interests of society, denies to him the gifts of his Creator, 
 and must be unjust. God can be the author of no 
 government, contravening the wisdom of his arrangement*, 
 in the creation of men, 
 
 " Art. Srd. In every community there is a power, which 
 receives the denomination of sovreignty, a power not 
 subject to control, and that controls ail subordinate powers 
 in the government. Now, whether this power be in the 
 hands of many or a few, it is indubitably certain, that 
 those members only of the community are free, in whom 
 the sovereign power resides. The power of a community 
 is essential to its freedom, and if this power be confined 
 to a few, freedom is necessarily confined to the same 
 number. All just goverment mu>t be founded upon the 
 nature of man, and should consult alike the natural 
 rights, civil wants, and moral interests of his being. All 
 rightful authority is founded in powt r and law; all just 
 power is founded in right, and as one man's natural right 
 to the character of a lawgiver, is to all intents as good 
 'as another's, it lollows, that all legitimate law must have 
 its origin in the expressed will of the many. 
 
 " Art. 4th. As all men are essentially equal in their 
 rights, wants, and interests, it follows trom these, that 
 representative government is the only legitimate human 
 rule, to which any people can submit. It is the only kind 
 of government that can possibly reconcile, in any consist- 
 ent way, the claims of authority, with the advantages of 
 liberty. A prescriptive legislative body, making laws 
 without the knowledge or consent of the people to b? 
 
100 
 
 ffovcrnod by llieni, is despotism. LofjfislatDia without 
 conslituenls, or poers and fellowH depuling ihern, as tlieir 
 rei)rei»ent.'itiv('.s and nctors — thus constitulin^ thcrnseivos 
 a lefjislaluro beyond tiu; control of the people, U an 
 exiiibilion of tyranny in one of its most dan^fM-ous forms. 
 In ill*' momentous aifairs of government, nothing should 
 be made the exclusive property «d* a few, wliich, by 
 right, behmgs to all, and may be safely and advantageous- 
 ly used by the righlfui proprietors. The justice of every 
 government depends essentially upon the original con- 
 sent of the people;— this privileize belongs to every 
 community, in right of the law of nature ; and no man 
 or multitude of men, can alter, limit, or diminish it 
 Conslilutifinal law is an expression of the will of the 
 .))eople, and their concurrence in its formation, either 
 jiersonally, or by reprcj^entation, is essential to its legiti- 
 mate authority. 
 
 'Mr/. 5th, No community can be said, without mockery' 
 to have a constitution where there is a eonsolidatif>n of 
 the difitMent powers of government in the hands of the 
 same men, and the remaining portion are left, of course, 
 without any security for their rights. Such a case pre- 
 sents an absolute government; a government of men, 
 not principles. A constitution is not the creature of 
 government ; the nature of things renders it impossible 
 that it should be an act of government. In strict propriety, 
 it exists anterior to government ; — government is based 
 npon, proceeds from, and is the creature of the constilii- 
 tio!i. A constitution contains the elements ^nd principles 
 of government, and fixes the natiire and limits of its form 
 Hnd operations, but is an instrument distinct from gov- 
 ernment, and by which government is controlled. It is a 
 preliminary act of the people, in the creation of govern- 
 ment. It ^ustains to government the same relation that 
 laws do to the judiciary ; the latter is not the source of 
 of law, cannot make laws, or annul them, but is subject t6, 
 and governed by law. A constitution recognizes tho 
 rights of the people, and provides for their assertion and 
 niaintenance. It settles the principles and maxims of 
 government. It fixes the land-marks of legislation. It 
 is the sovereign voice of the people, giving law and 
 limit to themselves and their representatives. 
 
 *' Art. Qlh. A government uniting the legislative, judi- 
 cial, and executive powers in the hands of the same men, 
 is an absurdity in theory, and in practice, tyranny. The 
 executive power, in every government, should be sub- 
 
 I i 
 
101 
 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 ordinate to tho ler»i,slalivp, and llie jndicirtl iiidcporidfiit 
 of both. Whcnover, lliLTclorc, il litppons. lli it ilursn 
 throe departincnis of ^ovcrninciit aro in the h;ui(ls of the 
 Siinie body of iiu-n, and lliesir idimi iii*t the ro|)p scniativcs 
 if the people, HimI uiidviiiu; I lie hiws, then cxrciUmg tlinn, 
 Hiid finally tiio Hide judgi s of tiipir own acts, ther«? is n«> 
 liberty, the people are virtually tH.-^laved, atnl liable to bo 
 ruined at any time. In a governtneut, civil or erelt siasti- 
 cal, vvhere the same men are icf^islutors, adininis'ti* .tors, 
 and judges, in rehilion to all the laws, nnd every po>.sil)lo 
 application of them, the peofde, whether well or ill- 
 liealed, arc in fact slaves; for the oaly remedy against 
 .«i>uch a despotism is revolt. i\o eonstiiutiori can be pre- 
 ftunmed a good one, embodying the principles of correct 
 government, which does not siutliciently p^uard .T^jainv-; 
 tiie ciances and possibility of nial-adminislrarioii. All 
 absolute governments owe tl.eir chantcter to the manner 
 in which they are administered, whereas, in n representa- 
 tive government, with proper checks and balances, ,t is 
 the interest, even if the vicious, to j)rumote the general 
 welfare by conforming to the laws. The greater the 
 equality established among men by governments, the 
 more virtue and happiness will prevail; for where the 
 voluntary consent of the governeii is the basis of govern- 
 ment, jnterest and duty combine to promote the common 
 we a!. 
 
 " Aii. 1th. Every community should be the asserter 
 and guaidian of its own rights. No government can be 
 administered to the advantage of the governed for any 
 considerable length of time, unless the people retain sut- 
 licient power in their own hands to compel their rulers 
 to act correctly. When a government is so constructed 
 that its acts are final, and preclude remedy by appeal to 
 the people, its principles are unjust, and its administra- 
 tion cannot fail to be injurious; a virtuous administration 
 can never change or redeem the vicious principles of u 
 government. And whenever the subjects of a govern- 
 ment, whose legislative, executive, and judicial functions 
 pertain to a few, independent of the choice of the people, 
 ,find themselves aggrieved and oppressed by the conduct 
 of their rulers, without any constitutional remedy for the 
 iedressof existing evils, it then becomes the duty, and is 
 the imprescriptable right of that people to control their 
 rulers by exlra-judicial measures. ' .. .* 
 
 ** Art. Slh. Where all the power and forms of govern- 
 ment are held and managed by a few, who act without 
 
102 
 
 delegated right by consent of the people, the authority of 
 the rulers is absolute, and the people are enfranchised of 
 all right in the various relations existing between them, 
 as subjects, and those who hold the reins of government. 
 Such a government must always lead to mental debility, 
 will depress the moral vigour of the people, and necessarily* 
 abridge the liberty of reasoning and investigation. In alf 
 governments of this kind, right is the creature of fortune,' 
 and the slave of caprice. Those who live under a gov- 
 ernment which denies to the people the right of repre- 
 sentation, bli'-ily engage to submit to the will of others, 
 right or wrong, and must continue to do so, or else 
 deprive themselves of all the advantages of the com- 
 munity in which they live, in order to get rid of its evils. 
 The enactment of all laws and rules, therefore, should be 
 with and by the consent of the people, and their executiori 
 strictly under their control. 
 
 " Art 9th. The right to be represented, where law iii 
 made to govern, is not only essential to civil freedom, but 
 is equally the basis of retigious liberty. Civil and reli- 
 gious liberty are intimately connected, they usually live 
 and die together ; and he who is the friend of the one, 
 cannot consistently be the enemy of the other. If liberty, 
 as is admitted on all hands, is the perfection of civil 
 society, by what right can religious society bfeqonie 
 despoiled of this crowning excellence of the social state ? 
 The New Testament furnishes the principles, but not the 
 forms of church government ; and in the adaptation of 
 forms to these principles, Christian bodies should be gov- 
 erned mainly by the few facts and precedents furnished 
 in the apostolic writings. The will and mind of the 
 Great Head of the church, on this subject, so far as 
 clearly revealed, whether by express statute, or fair 
 implication, cannot be contravened without impiety; 
 but in relation to the variety of topics connected with the 
 internal police, and external relations of the church, on 
 which the Scriptures are silent, it is left to every Christian 
 community to adopt its own regulations, and the same is 
 true of nations. Ministers and private Christians, ac- 
 cording to the New Testament, are entitled to equal rightii 
 and privileges — an indentity of interests implies an 
 equality of rights. A monopoly of power, therefore, by 
 the ministry, is a usurpation ot the rights of the people. 
 No power on the part of the ministry, call deprive the 
 people legitimately of their elective and representative 
 rights; as the ministry cannot think and act for the 
 
103 
 
 ! 
 
 people, in matters of principle and conviction, so neither 
 can they legislate for them, except as their authorized- 
 representatives. 
 
 ^^ Art. XOth. The government of every Christian church 
 should be strictly a government of principle, in relation 
 to the governed ; and every private Christian is as 
 deeply and reasonably interested^asthe ministry. Domin- 
 ion over conscience is the most absurd of ail human 
 pretensions. The assumption that absolute power in 
 the affairs of church government, is a sacred deposit in 
 the hands of the ministry, libels the genius and charities 
 of the New Testament. Whenever a Christian people 
 place themselves under a ministry, who claim the right 
 of thinking and deciding for them, in matters of faith 
 and morality, they are guilty of impiety, however uniil- 
 teniional, to the Great Head of the church, inasmuch as 
 it is required of every Christian to reflect and determine 
 for himself, in all such cases, and the duty cannot be 
 performed by another. And those ministers who aim at 
 a principality of this kind, in the personal concerns of 
 faith and practice, are plainly guilty of usurped dominion 
 over the rights and consciences of the people. 
 
 " Art. Wth. Expedience and right are different things. 
 Nothing is expedient that is unjust. Necessity and con- 
 venience may render a form of government useful and 
 effective for a time, which afterward, under a change of 
 circumstances, and an accumulation of responsibility, 
 may become oppressive and intolerable. That system of 
 things, which cannot be justified by the word of God, 
 and the common sense of mankind, can never be expedi- 
 ent. Subm^ission to power, gradually and insidiously 
 usurped, should seldom or never be received as proof of 
 the legitimate consent of the people to the peculiar form 
 of government by which they are oppressed ; as such 
 submission may be the result of principles, attachments, 
 and energies, which owe their existence to causes foreign 
 from the government, which is supposed to produce them. 
 Peaceable submission by the people to a system of gov- 
 ernment, can^never be construed into a proper approval 
 of it, as one of their own choice ; for as men by birth and 
 education, may become the subject of a form of civil 
 government they do not approve, so thousands may be 
 born into the kingdom or God, and nurtured in his 
 family, under forms of ecclesiastical polity, materially 
 inconsistent with the lights and notices of revelation on 
 this subject. The continued sufferance and submission 
 
i^mmamtimui' 
 
 104. 
 
 of the people, so far from proving the divine ri»iht of 
 those who govern^ does not even furnish proof of any 
 ri«ht at all, except the claim which arises from mere 
 fofbearance. 
 
 " Art. \2lh. Without insisting upon these portions of 
 the New Testament, which go direcHy against the right 
 of the ministry, to exclusive rule, the well-known in- 
 definileness of its language, on the subject of church 
 f»overnment, should admonish the cla'mants of such power 
 jhat their pretensions cannot bo sustained. Nevertheless, 
 in all ages since the apostolic, and in all parls of the 
 world, with but few exceptions, a large majority of those 
 calling themselves Christian ministers, have shown a 
 disposition, both in ecclesiastical and civil affairs, to 
 maintain an influence in matiers of government, indepen- 
 dent ot the people, and to suppress the right of inquiry, 
 and freedom of discussion. And this is readily accounted 
 for, by adverting to the fact, that the liberty of thinking 
 and acting, and especially the free expression of opinion, 
 have always lessened the influence of ministerial preten- 
 sions, and abridged the claims of an aspiring ministry, 
 to irresponsible domination. It is lamentabiy true, that 
 in a thousand instances, in the various divisions of papal 
 and protestanl Christendom, oppression has been exercised 
 under pretence of duty, and professed veneration for the 
 dead ; and their doings, and an earnest contention for 
 pre-existing customs, have been urged as sufficient reasons 
 for withholding the rights of the people, and lording it 
 over God's heritage. 
 
 *• Art. \3th. It is true, to a great extent, that through- 
 out all the divisions of the Christian world, intellect has 
 taken but comparatively little hold of the subject of 
 religion, and still less of the subject of church govern- 
 ment ; and this affords the ministry an opportunity of 
 misleading the people on the subject of their rights, and 
 in but too many instances, they resign themselves the 
 passive subjects of their religious teachers, without once 
 inquiring whether in doing so they do not dishonour the 
 Great Head of the church, in his members. Christian 
 ministers are men of like passions with other men, they 
 are equally liable to err, and become depraved ; they 
 should not be watched with an eye of malignant jealousy, 
 i;>ut their errors, oppressions and usurpations, should be 
 met and resisted by the people with confidence and 
 firmness. The people should teach their rulers, that they 
 will find them alike free from the spirit of faction and the 
 
•u4n)(n raAVttwiKHjij* 
 
 106 
 
 lameness of servility. They should let them know that 
 witli every disposition to render proper obedience, they 
 are determined not to be oppressed. 
 
 ** Ari. Mth. Whenever the memb?rs of a church resign 
 the right of suffrage, and of discussing freely and fear- 
 lessly the conduct of their rulers, whether it be done by 
 direct concession, or indirectly by attaching themselves 
 to, and continuing within, the pale of a church where 
 such a system of polity obtains, they renounce to a fearful 
 extent one of the first principles of the Protestant religion, 
 and bring dishonour upon its name. Whenever spiritual 
 rulers attempt to check a perfectly free communication of 
 thoughts and feelings among the people, — when the lips 
 and the pensof the laity are interdicted, without their over- 
 sight and license ; when they attempt to repress honest 
 convictions and free enquiry ; when their disapprobation is 
 shewn to all who do not support them, and their displeasure 
 incurred by the diffusion of intelligence among the people, 
 not calculated to increase their power and reputation ; 
 then it becomes the duty of the people to decline their 
 oversight, as men unworthy to rule the church of God. 
 The rock on which the church has split for ages, is that 
 the sovereign power to regulate all ecclesiastical matters, 
 (not decided by the Scriptures, and which of right belongs 
 10 a Christian community, as such,) has by a most mis- 
 chievous and unnatural policy, misnamed expediency, 
 been transferred to the hands of a few ministers, who 
 have been in part the patricians of the ministry, and the 
 aristocracy of the church. . > . « .i^ i 
 
 " Art. \5th. Government, as a fixed and stable cause 
 in the progress of human affairs, is finally productive of 
 a large amount of good or evil ; it is strictly in its 
 operation, a moral cause, in the formation of character ; 
 for it necessarily presents circumstances and considera- 
 tions in the light of reasons and motives which lead to 
 results in trie formation of character, that become habitual 
 and permanent. The good of all concerned, therefore, 
 should be the object proposed in the adoption of any form 
 of government ; and when a system of government is 
 adopted which calls the attention of the governed from 
 the general welfare, by depriving them of all control in 
 the enactment and execution of the laws, the natural and 
 unavoidable tendency of a government of this descrip- 
 tion, is vicious and demoralizing ; and such are the 
 character and influence of all non-elective governments. 
 The members of a community, who place themselves 
 
..utaMttii 
 
 106 
 
 under the exclasive control of a few irresponsible persons, 
 as their sole masters in matters of government, thus 
 tamely depriving themselves of the right of representation, 
 and even of existence, except by expatriation, betray a 
 criminal negligence of their best interests, and great in- 
 attention to the general welfare; and all governments 
 recognizing such a distinction, contravene necessarily 
 the influence of enlightened conviction and independent 
 inquiry. 
 
 "ilr<. 16//<. Any government that does not allow the 
 people to meet, deliberate, and decide upon matters that 
 concern themselves, is evidently oppressive. For those 
 who are not the representatives of the people, to make 
 laws for them, and then deny them the freedom of candid 
 inquiry and honest animadversion, is a measure, as ir- 
 rational as it is unjust. The maxim which assumes that 
 the ministry have a right to rule and dictate exclusively 
 in the great concerns of religion, is the fruitful source of 
 implicit faith, which tamely and without inquiry receives 
 instruction at the hands of men, as authoritative and final 
 — impiously receiving * for doctrines the commandments 
 of men, and perverting the oracles of God.' When the 
 ministry judge and determine for the people, without 
 their legitimate concurrence, as matter of right, con- 
 formity becomes a question of policy, instead of resulting 
 from conscience and principle. A government which 
 denies to the governed the right to inquine, remonstrate, 
 and demand withheld justice — which from its structure 
 and operation is calculated to darken the understanding 
 and mislead the judgment — and thus compel obedience to 
 its measures, in the g/eat interests of right and wrong, 
 must be essentially unjust, and ought not to be submitted 
 to. 
 
 " Art. nth. No power possesses so fatal a principle of 
 increase and accumulation in itself as ecclesiastical power. 
 Its facilities for reproduction and multiplication are many 
 and fearful, and should be vigilantly guarded against' bv 
 all who consider the image of God as closely oonnectecl 
 with the rights of man. And whenever the growth and 
 manifestation of this power, in any of its innumerable 
 loims and modes of operation, shall clearly amount to 
 an invasion of christian rights, the injured and oppressed 
 should resist the encroachment with manly decision and 
 unyielding remonstrance. In every church, where the 
 principle of representation is excluded, in the affairs of 
 its govexnmcnt, t^e right of private judgment becomes a 
 
•;i»irrj«n*rt'sr-4Trjsr'"i: '!'"*■"?•■ 
 
 «ij*^<4««»«.4,-,,%^^, ^.ift^tHX^-^j-iJl 
 
 107 
 
 nullity, and faith and practice are, necessarily, to a great 
 extent, the offspring of prescription. The right of deciding 
 what are the will and mind of God in n.atters of faith 
 and discipline, by prescriptive interpretation, is conceded 
 in the scriptures to no man or body of men exclusively: 
 of course, the right of judgment belongs to all, equally 
 and inalienably ; and when the ministry avail themselves 
 of the indifference, inattention, or ignorance of the people, 
 brought under their charge from time to time, to constitute 
 themselves their legislative masters and executive guard- 
 ians, they usurp the dominion of conscience, and, although 
 never complained of, are de facto religious tyrants, because 
 they assume and exercise rights that do not, and cannot 
 in the nature of things, belong to them. It should not 
 be overlooked, moreover, that when the ministry are 
 considered by the laity, as the sole judges and deposi- 
 tories of faith and discipline, the people lose the only 
 powerful motive, the only direct incentive they can 
 possibly have, to inquire and decide for themselves, in 
 the infinitely momentous concerns of truth and duty. 
 Such a monopoly of power by the ministry, tends directly 
 to mental debasement, consequent indecision of character, 
 insincerity, and misguided zeal. 
 
 " Art. \^th. That form of ecclesiastical polity, under 
 which the revenues of the church proceed from the 
 people, when they have no participation in the enact- 
 ment of its laws, furnishes no proper constitutional 
 balance of power ; for the legislative council of the 
 church, consisting of the ministry alone, have it in their 
 power at any time, to render the contributions of the 
 people to an amount sufficient for their competent supply 
 and even their affluence, not a voluntary service, but a 
 condition of membership, when such government ceases 
 to be free, and necessarily becomes tyrannical. Any 
 government which places the public property of the gov- 
 erned in the hands of its rulers, so that it must proceed 
 from their gift exclusively, without any constitutional 
 negative in its approbation on the part of the people, is 
 unjust and vicious in its nature. Property is dominion 
 held in right of power, and if in the hands of a few, the 
 balance of government is destroyed, by enabling them to 
 control the destiny of the whole. As it is the duty of 
 every community to support those who are only called to 
 the administration of its affairs, so it is plainly a matter 
 of right that the will of the people should determine the 
 
 .««' 
 
 » •. ' 
 
ii^mmi. 
 
 m 
 
 it ^~ii 
 
 108 
 
 necessary amount of supplies and the mode of their 
 assessment and colleclion. 
 
 f ^^ Art. ^9th. Punishments should never be inflicted in 
 any community, except when strictly necessary, and 
 plainly called for by the public good ; and, in all cases, 
 the infliction should be according to law. All punish- 
 ments proceeding from the regular administration of 
 constitutional law, should be submitted to without resist- 
 ance. 
 
 •* Art, 20th. The subjects of all governments, have a 
 right td know the official acts and doings of their agents 
 and officers, and to demand their publication accordingly. 
 
 " Art. 21s^ The vindication of an injured people, in 
 a contention for their rights, is furnished by the shameful 
 denial of their existence. ; ; , , 
 
 " Art. 22nd. Any movement by the oppressed, to recover 
 Jheir lights, wiil be resisted by tnoa-e who have oppressed 
 them ; but suffering and persecution, in a cause which 
 the love of God and man requi»'es, should bo fearlessly 
 met and resolutely borne." ,..•,, 
 
 The Divine liight of Ecclesiastical legislatures is evl 
 denlly to adopt and establis^h those Chiirch polities which 
 will secure the nriu.lual rights of the ministers and mem- 
 bers of the Church, and will diffuse and strengthen th© 
 true spirit of tht Christian religion, which is to love all 
 men, and live peaceably with them, and a& will produce 
 a perfectly free communication of thoughts and feelings 
 among the brethren. And whenever the legislature be- 
 comes insensible to that tranquility and peace which 
 should pitvail dtrcug rhn,4ian^', wb^ should be the most 
 pacific people in the world, and for the purpose of secu- 
 ring a kind of sovereignty for themselves, establish 
 Church polities which interfere with the social freedom, 
 or disturb the peace of the great brotherhood of the 
 Christian Church, by producing a proud and haughty 
 spirit of denominational superiority, which prompts 
 Christian belligerents, who should be brethren, to envy 
 and revile each other in different ways — assailing each 
 other with words, as with darts and spears — ministers in- 
 veighing against ministers — people rising up against peo- 
 ple — mutually inflaming each other with strife, quarrels, 
 
f*Tft»^w»fFmW»«Jri»«'»3Sii'"'*r?'^T*i'w 
 
 '^ •« « wTvt'^inH ^ r«r^ i'^vfi • v^**** ^ < 
 
 109 
 
 threats, rivalship, hypocrisy, and dissimulation, to the 
 greatest height of malignity so common amongst the 
 Methodist Churches, those polities should not be submit- 
 ted to. But by all who respect the image of God they 
 should be with manly determination remonstrated against 
 as impious, until so corrected that the following of the 
 mild and gentle Jesus shall bo as brethren assembled in 
 the same house of worship, without distinction. '' 
 
 Let us take a few examples as illustrations of this po- 
 sition. Although the doctrine of salvation was no new 
 or strange doctrine to those who were familiar with the 
 literature, piety, and righteousness of the Hebrew nation, 
 the learned in Hebrew doctrines obviously knew the 
 anointed of God, as he appeared unto Abraham, com- 
 muned with Isaac, spoke to Jacob, and the prophets after 
 them. But it is evident that there were many things 
 connected with the benevolent diffusion of tho gospel, 
 which appeared as new and contrary to the polity of the 
 Jewish Church. 
 
 God in, the fulfilr.ient of his gracious pfomise, that, 
 " When he shall become a great and mighty nation, in 
 him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed," gave 
 a divine vision to Cornelius of Cesarea, commanding him 
 to send for Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, which 
 would render him obnoxious to the superstitions of his 
 country. This was something new. For a Roman sol- 
 dier to send fur one who regarded him as unclean, a man 
 of violence and plunder, and the murderer of Jesus 
 Christ, who lately had been crucified. Surely it is an 
 unpardonable innovation upon established usages. But 
 Cornelius, though entangled by circumstances from 
 which it was not easy to free himself, was a man of 
 piety and benevolence. Hence a suitable associate for 
 all the benevolent. But Peter, who so tenaciously ad- 
 hered to the usages of the Jewish Church, as " to be 
 blamed," needed instruction on this subject. He regard- 
 ed it as sinful for an Apostle of Jesus Christ to associate 
 with a sinner of the Gentiles — and still more criminal to 
 worship with a Roman soldier, who had enslaved his 
 
mmmmmmmmmmm 
 
 „a-ju 
 
 110 
 
 country, whom he had been taught to esteem no better 
 than a dog. And when he went to pray, he " saw hea- 
 ven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, 
 as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners and 
 let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of four- 
 footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping 
 things, and fowls of the air, and there came a voice to 
 him. Rise Peter, kill, and eat. But Peter said, not so. 
 Lord ; for I have never eaten any thing common or un- 
 clean. And the voice spake unto him again the second 
 time. What God has cleaned call not thou common. 
 According to the Jewish customs, it was unlawful for a 
 Jew to associate with one of any other nation ; but in 
 this vision God taught Peter not to call any man common 
 or unclean whom he had cleansed. Peter changed his 
 dogmas of exclusive privilege, and went over to a con- 
 gregation of unoircumcised Gentiles, and preached wi^h 
 boldness — That God is no respecter of persons, but in 
 every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteous- 
 ness is accepted of Him. And when his conduct was 
 suspected as a violation of the law of God, he justified 
 himself in a manner so perfectly satisfactory to the other 
 disciples and brethren, that they rejoiced and magnified 
 the grace of God, that had granted repentance unto life 
 to the Gentiles also. • • < 
 
 Again we may speak of the Apostle Paul, who in re- 
 gard to faith was a rigid Pharisee, and confined salvation 
 to the Jews alone, and proselytes to their faith, and that 
 salvation was siscured to them meritoriously by the ob- 
 servance of Jewish rites, traditions, and ceremonies. He 
 utterly rejected Jesus Christ as an impostor, believing 
 that his crucifixion was but a righteous retribution of his 
 blasphemy, and that his followers deserved a similar fate 
 for the same cause. And he ** verily thought that he 
 ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus* 
 of Nazareth, and believing that it would be more meri- 
 torious service to God and his fellow men, to rid the 
 world of this pestilential heresy of the Nazarenes, he 
 
Ill 
 
 consented to their death, and persecuted them into ntrange 
 cities. And having obtained letters from the high priest 
 to go to Damascus, where many had fled toshelter them- 
 selves from persecution, in the blindness of his zeal, 
 under the influence of a bigoted religion, Paul, distin- 
 guished for great powers of intellect and unbending re- 
 gard for integrity, with all good conscience towards God, 
 commenced his journey to that famous city, said to be 
 founded by Abraham himself, on a mission of cruel per- 
 secution. He probably had arrived within sight of the 
 city, and was flattering himself with a speedy opportu- 
 nity to display his infatuated zeal for God, when he was 
 arrested by a light from heaven, similar to that of the 
 Shechinah or sacred glory, which generally accompanied 
 the Divine presence. At the same time a voice from 
 heaven " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me." He in- 
 stantly fell to the earth and trembling said, *^ Lord who 
 art thou ?" — ** I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest," was 
 the reply. Paul being convicted of his wrong, did not 
 confer with flesh and blood, and delay for a moment, but 
 obeyed with a practical faith. His submission was not 
 only a humiliating defeat of his most sanguine plans and 
 purposes, but perfectly mortifying to his ambition and 
 pride. To be led a suppliant to the feet of one of those 
 he came to persecute, in that very city where he had ex- 
 pected to enter by authority, and spread terror and dis- 
 may among the disciples of that Lord whose mercy he 
 now implored. But Paul being convinced, changed bis 
 faith, renouncing Judaism, he received Christ without 
 delay, and, instead of persecuting the Christians, he 
 confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, proving 
 Jesus was the very Christ — the true Messiah. - 
 
 > With the history of the Reformation before us, we see 
 the atrocious superstitious vices and usurpation of«the 
 Roman Church — religion aggrandized — a theocracy es- 
 tablished, of which the Pope, as Christ's vicegerent on 
 earth, was the head — society a prey to whatever he judg- 
 ed necessary to his policy, without any regenerating or 
 preserving principles, and Martin Luther, a holy and 
 
^mmm 
 
 112 
 
 irreproachable monk bending to papist maxims. But 
 one day in particular, wishing to obtain an indulgence 
 pron^ised by the Pope to any one who should on his 
 icnees ascend what is called Pilate's staircase, the poor 
 Saxon monk was slowly climbing those steps, which 
 ihey told him had been miraculously transported from Je- 
 rusalem to Rome. But while he was going through this 
 meritorious work, he thought he heard a voice like thun- 
 der speaking to his heart ; The just shall live h\j faith. 
 These words which already on two occasions had struck 
 upon his ear, as the voice of the angel of God, resound- 
 ed instantaneously and powerfully within him. He 
 started up in terror on the steps on which he had been 
 crawling; he was horrified at himself; and, struck with 
 shame for the degradation to which superstition had de- 
 based him, he fled from the scene of his folly. This was 
 the decisive epoch in the life of Luther. From that hour 
 he gave up his former religious tenets and dogmas. He 
 left Rome and returned to VVittemburgh, full of grief and 
 indignation. Turning away from the superstitions of 
 Popery he embraced the light and liberty which the Holy 
 Scriptures offers to the human family. 
 
 And now, instead of submittmg to all the vain practi- 
 ces which the superstitious Church enjoined, in order o 
 purchase the remission of sins, he put Christ in the 
 place the priest had usurped, and felt himself born again 
 as a new free man, and introduced into the paradise of 
 God. Allow us to introduce one more example on this 
 point.-' ' ] ■<' ^ fr*'^''" • • • •■ ' ^ —■ '<•*''■ ..rii ,.,.ww; .-I .;mo» 
 
 A little more than a century ago, a relaxation of pure 
 and undefiled religion apparently threatened to impede 
 the progress of future ages. A desolating torrent of 
 worldly honours, ease, and pleasure, was overwhelming 
 the Church. An element of corruption lay hidden in 
 its bosom, almo:<t as if it had returned to the faith of 
 Rome. The torch of Christianity, which emits from its 
 flame light and life, was going out in darkness. At the 
 period of which we are speaking, when a revival of re- 
 ligion was so pressingly needed in one of the most aria- 
 
HPiWil!»P''*ttKIIJ»!l'f raipHwiniTni 
 
 113 
 
 tocratio universities in the world, might have been found 
 a young man named John Wesley, iinbihing rigid hi;j;h 
 Church principles and superstitions, of which subsequent- 
 ly he was '' heartily ashamed." This may S3em strange 
 to some, who are not familiar with his life, hut is histori- 
 cally true. Divine Providence, liovvever, opened his eyes 
 to see that if sinners were saved they must be saved by 
 grace, not in form only'but in power, whether in the 
 Church or in the open field ; an I that the doctrine of 
 Apostolic succession, as claimed by high Churchmen 
 was contrary to the genus of Christianity, the succes- 
 sion depending, not upon any personal transmitted virtue 
 or authority, hut upon divine aud inward call, and the 
 appointment of his providence. This change in his sen- 
 timents provoked a fierce persecution against him. The 
 pulpit of the established Church to which he belonged 
 was closed and guarded. But the unflinching Wesley, 
 contrary to his former dogmas, resorted to the fields nnd 
 commons, to the highways and hedges, to preach un- 
 shackled the gospel of Christ, which sanctifies and en- 
 nobles men, and raises them to a holy oneness, by the new 
 and living principle it communicates to them, and as his 
 field of usefulness extended to Scotland and America, be- 
 yond the means of supplying it by the few ordained men 
 at his command, he ordained assistants from among those 
 of his brethren whom persecution and bigotry had left 
 him. If then there be any force in the sentiments we 
 have ventured to express and the examples produced, it 
 is evident that if the trifling tenets which at present di- 
 vide the Methodist Church have originated in ecclesiasti- 
 cal tyranny and ecclesiastical corruption, and engendered 
 ruinous animosities, contrary to the law of love, it is 
 not only our privilege but imperative duty to make such 
 alterations as are indispensable to secure the peace, har- 
 mony, and welfare of tiie Church, by bringing together 
 in the closest bonds of brotherly fellowship, all living be- 
 lievers who seek above all things else the glory of God, 
 and the spiritual welfare of one another. '■ ^ ^ ^ 
 
 b'-nV-JvyMnO'' i\ Ki ' >'LUU <",; rj;-<M. ■<;••<;. 
 
 viivi'- 
 
 ii-;u.f M 
 
)»<\]',]i> ■■■»^H"■ 
 
 : • r 
 
 I .■ ■ 
 
 CHAPTER \I. 
 
 7 ;: 
 
 " . \ 
 
 A 
 
 OBJECTIONS AND HINDRANCES TO A COMPLETE METHODIST 
 
 UNION. , , . 'I 
 
 . To the doctrine taught in this work there are some 
 seeming ohjections, which we propose to notice in this 
 chapter. These objections are apparently weighty and 
 serious, and however logical and scriptural our reasoning 
 upon this subject may appear to us, the work is not done 
 until these objections are clearly, candidly, and complete- 
 ly answered. And one cause of objection to a union of 
 the various Methodist denominations, is that the ques- 
 tion has been heretofore discussed in a practical aspect, 
 proportioned to its importance. A union has been as- 
 sumed unattainable, and no practical scheme has been 
 devised and submitted for the consideration of the Me- 
 thodist community. And antagonists to this scheme, of 
 respectable numbers, talents, and piety, have presented 
 opposite argumentative proofs. They regard it as impos- 
 sible for the various Methodist denominations so fully' 
 to understand each other as to harmoniously co-operate in 
 the advancement of the cause of God in the earth. It is 
 due to our opponents, it is due to our readers, it is due 
 to the Church of Christ, that we give some attention to 
 these objections. And although they are of sufficient 
 importance to demand attention, they are not sufficiently 
 invincible to cause us to abandon our purpose, or leave 
 our opposers with excuse. 
 
 A trivial objection, yet one that has no little weight 
 with some against all such efforts as we now advocate 
 is this : That the union of the various Methodist deno- 
 minations into one incorporation might be accomplished 
 
115 
 
 without promoting the object for which such union i» de- 
 sirable ; and that such an nmnlganialion mli^ht be pro- 
 ductive of evils, more than counffrbalau^Mi t? any good 
 results that might flow from i! It in afg^'ied, that if all 
 the Methodist denominalions in C^mada were nniied into 
 one vast Church there would be set up in Canada as in 
 Roman countries, an ecclesiastical despotism in com- 
 parison with which our present divisions would be toler- 
 able. And therefore our divisions are necessary to keep 
 Christians from corrupting themselves with the world, 
 and that God blesses ihem to that end. Hut we ask is it 
 necessary for God to adopt the policy of the corrupt poli- 
 ticians ot Canada, who create conflicting interests 
 among their constituents, so that they can play oflf one 
 against the other in order to preserve their own rule. 
 Do we find any such policy tnught in the word of God. 
 Was Israel more pure when the tribes separated, or was 
 the primitive Church, when all were united, more worldly 
 than in these days of divisions. God needs no schisms 
 which are sinful, to preserve His Church from corruption. 
 These jealous rivalries ralher create world ly-mindedness, 
 corruption, and usurpation, than holy love to God and to 
 one another. 
 
 We do not say that Church organizations cannot be 
 fearfully used as worldly engines to advance the usurpa- 
 tion of either spiritual or political scheming despots. 
 We frankly acknowledge that worldly men, seeking 
 worldly advancement, have bribed the leaders of eccle- 
 siastical bodies in Canada, and thereby have produced 
 more disastrous political dissensions in our country, and 
 vital godliness declined in exact proportion. We know 
 that when the primitive Church forgot that Christ's king- 
 dom was not of this world, political and ecclesiastical 
 corruption and tyranny grew up side by side, and Christ- 
 ianity was left with but the name. But the Methodist 
 denominations are composed in the main of living belie- 
 vers, having a common faith, and whose differences are 
 regarded by each other as non-essential. They all agree 
 in this important point, that the Church should not as- 
 

 116 
 
 sume the bad^j^e of any political party, and if she does so, 
 in order lo secure government favours, she, like Judas, 
 betrays her Lord and master for pieces of silver. t r •►. 
 
 Hence the union for which we plead, is not to unite 
 the cold and hot — the enlightened and the bigoted — the 
 saint and the sinner — the worldly and spiritual, but to 
 unite living believers, who desire above all things else, 
 the jjflory of God and the welfare of their fellow-men. 
 The evils we have referred to, could not arise from such 
 a union, but on the contrary, it would be a powerful an- 
 tidote by wiiich they would be destroyed. Never again 
 let our separations be mentioned as a political advantage 
 when they should humble us in the dust, n;; . . .• - 
 
 A second objection is that it is wrong to compromise 
 what we hold lo be truth. 
 
 We answer, we do not advocate such a compromise, 
 but we urge as duty on all, for the sake of peace, a sacri- 
 fice of those prejudices which are not conscientiously 
 held as of Divine obligatton. If one denomination re- 
 gards some thing of Divine authority, and the others do 
 not, and can give no .'-criplural objections against receiv- 
 ing it, they would commit sin, if for peace sake, they 
 would not make the sacrifice. Now with these views 
 before us let us examine the essential difference of Church 
 polity, which divide the Methodist denominations. 
 With regard lo the articles of religion, there is no differ- 
 ence in the various disciplines. The only real difHculty 
 in the way of union seems lo be in the order of ihe min- 
 istry. The Episcopal Methodist hold to a three-fold 
 order of ministry. But they do not undertake to pro- 
 nounce on the validity of any other, form of ordination. 
 That God in His word has expressed no certain form of 
 Church Government our ablest writers have admitted. 
 The lowest sacred office in the Methodist Episcopal is 
 that of deacon. There is none but readily admit that 
 this ofHce existed in the primitive Church, but the ques- 
 tion arises, was the office lay or clerical. In giving th*» 
 true answer to this question allow us to quote the fol- 
 
 .!f(,>i»C 
 
 xinji 
 
117 
 
 lowing paTagraph from Wa1son^s Institutes. " Much 
 light is thrown upon the conslitulion of the primitive 
 Churches by recollecting that they were formed very 
 much upon the model of the Jewish synacroguc .s." The 
 officers of the synagogue were rulers, elders or presby- 
 ters, and ministers or servants. The office of deacon 
 corresponils with lliat of servants or deputy to the elders. 
 It was the duty of the deputy to nourish and support the 
 congregation, and to take charge of the sacred books. 
 The scriptural references to the ofllce of deacon we think 
 sustain the position that it was a subordinate part of the 
 regular ministry. 
 
 The mode of their appointment is proof in point. They 
 were set apart to their office by prayer and the imposition 
 of hands. Their qualification for ofHce implies the same 
 thing. The} were not only to be men of honest report, 
 BO necessary for the faithful discharge of responsible tem- 
 poral duties ; but they were to be men full of the Holy 
 Ghost and wisdom, a qualification for preaching the 
 gospel. 
 
 Accordingly we find Stephen, one of the seven deacons, 
 being full ot faith and the Holy Ghost, preaching the 
 truth, not only before the council, but disputing with the 
 Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and Silicians, for which he 
 suffered martyrdom. These primitive deacons adminis- 
 tered baptism, and cast out devils. Philip "went down 
 to Jerusalem, and preached Christ even to them," and 
 *' the people with one accord gave heed unto the things 
 which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the things which 
 he did, for many unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice 
 came out of many which were possessed of them.*' And 
 •* When they believed, Philip, preaching the things con- 
 cerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus 
 Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." 
 Again we read of his baptiaing the Ethiopian eunuch. 
 That they were a different order and inferior in rank to 
 that of elders, is evident from the instructions relative to 
 their ordination given by Paul to Timothy. That having 
 
■:■■:; ■«;fe;ii ; ;; nttnjJ ras-Mi f 
 
 118 
 
 *' used the office of a deacon well, they purchase to them- 
 selves a good degree," That is most probably the office 
 of an elder. That the primitive Church sets us the ex^- 
 ample of such an office, our sister Churches do not deny. 
 That it is not enjoined by the scriptures we admit. We 
 have the office, copying the example of the primitive 
 Church and as an expedient means of good order in the 
 administration of ecclesiastical business. Other Metho- 
 dist denominations have no deacons, not deeming the 
 office necessary. Any Church can have them or not, 
 particular forms of Church government not being essen- 
 tial to the validity of the Church. Hence no one branch 
 of the Methodist Church can have conscientious scru- 
 ples with regard to this office ; we are satisfied with it;, 
 but we should sacrifice it if the concession would relieve 
 the Church from the fearlul sin and evils of disunion. 
 With regard to the office of elder, presbyter, or minister, 
 there is no disagreement. 
 
 But whether the office of Bishop was a distinct and 
 superior order of ministers to that of elders, holding by 
 Divine right the exclusive powers of government and or- 
 dinatidD, so that no man has a right to execute any of 
 the functions of the ministry, except he hath had Episco- 
 pal consecration and ordination, has been sharply conr 
 .tested since the reformation. 
 
 As far as the Bible, which must be the great arbiter 
 in all matters of religious controversy, gives us informa- 
 tion, there is no exclusive power given to Bishops over 
 elders. The terms elder, presbyter, and Bishop are ap- 
 plied in scripture to the same individual. This position 
 is clearly proved by Watson in the following quotation 
 from his Institutes. '* When St. Paul, for instance, sends 
 for the ' elders,' or presbyters of the Church of Ephesus 
 to meet him at Miletus, he thus charges them, ' Take 
 heed to yourselves, to all llie flock over the which the 
 Holy Ghost hath made you overseers," or Bishops. That 
 here the elders or presbyters are called Bishops cannot be 
 denied, and the very office assigned to them, to feed the 
 
119 
 
 ". » . . . 
 
 Church of God, and the injunctions to " take heed to the 
 flocit " shew that the office of elder, or presbyter, is the 
 same as that of pastor in the passage just quoted from the 
 Epistle to the Ephesians. St. Paul directs Titus to " or- 
 dain elders (presbyters) in every city," and then adds, as 
 a directory of ordination " a Bishop must be blameless," 
 &c., plainly marking the same office by these two con. 
 vertible appellations. Bishops and deacons are the only 
 classes of ministers addressed in the Epistle to the Philip- 
 pians ; and if the presbyters were not understood to be 
 included under the term Bishops, the omission of any no- 
 tice of this order of ministers is not to be accounted for. 
 As the Apostles, when not engaged in their own extraor- 
 dinary vocation, appear to have filled the office of stated 
 ministers in those Churches in which they occasionally 
 resided for considerable periods of time, they sometimes 
 called themselves presbyters. "The elder" (presby- 
 ter) " unto the elect lady, 2nd John i., 1. "The elders," 
 (presbyters) *' which are among you I exhort, who am 
 also an elder, (presbyter) and from what follows, the 
 highest offices of teaching and government in the Church 
 are represented as vested in the presbyters." Mr. Wat- 
 son here proves, that presbyter and bishop is identical in 
 order, although the intrinsic power of order, and conse- 
 quently of ordination, was equally in presbyters and 
 bishops, yet by mutual consent, to prevent confusion, it 
 could be intrusted to a bishop, president, or superinten- 
 dent, not of Divine right, but by the delegation of power 
 from the body of elders. Mr. Wesley remarks on this 
 subject, that the plea of the Divine right of episcopacy 
 was never heard of in the primitive church. And we 
 have already established that there can be no intrinsic 
 importance to any form of Church government, only as 
 the times, places, and circumstances would justify. And 
 it seems reasonable that the external form of Church 
 government in any country, should approach as much as 
 possible to the form of the civil administration of that 
 country. In British dominions we have combined in 
 
120 
 
 our civil governmen< a limited monarchy, a limited ar- 
 ismcracy, and a limited democracy, the three forms ol 
 government blended, without the abuses of either ; a 
 tbree-fold cord that is not easily broken. And u'hen we 
 compare our permanency as a nation with the divided 
 stale of the savage tribes where there is unlimited demo- 
 cracy, every man meeting around the council fire, or with 
 the constant convulsions of republics, (as seen at the 
 present in the United States,) where there is an attempt 
 to blend democracy and aristocracy without the third ce- 
 menting element, we must express the conviction, that 
 the episcopal form of Church government being copied 
 from the primitive Church and corresponding with our 
 civil administration, h most suited to Methodists in Bri- 
 tish dominions. And we might with safety add, that a 
 large portion of the protestant world is either nominally 
 or really episcopal. Many of our Wesleyan brethren 
 with whom we have conversed, approve of that form of 
 government. And probably corrupt churches could best 
 be approached, having that church policy and ordination 
 which they, in common with ourselves, retain, and which 
 corresponds with the civil administration to which they 
 are attached. 
 
 If our brethren adopt the episcopal form of Church 
 government, however modified, the only hindrance to 
 complete union, so far as we are concerned, would, we 
 think, be removed. It is argued, how«ver, that the Me- 
 thodistEpiscopacyis a spurious episcopacy. In answering 
 this objection it should be remembered, that Church 
 government, though it may be modelled after that of the 
 state, should be neither monarchical, aristocratic, or de- 
 mocratic, but based upon the scriptures and the actual 
 wants of the times. The Methodist Episcopacy was the 
 result of providential circumstances. Mr. Wesley, as 
 we have shewn in the second chapter of this work, went 
 out preaching to the masses in the high-ways, private 
 houses, and open fields. Multitudes were converted to 
 God, whom he formed into classes or bands, and provi* 
 
as 
 
 121 
 
 ded such helps as persecution and providence had left 
 at his command, not knowing what form of consistence 
 the societies he was collecting would assume, only con- 
 sulting llie openings of present duty ; some of those as- 
 sistants proved to be men of deep piety, sound sense, 
 and strong natural powers. As the field of their opera- 
 tions enlarged, it became necessary for these assistants to 
 supply a plurality of appointments, and then arose the 
 itinerancy. When Methodists who had emigrated to 
 America applied to Mr. Wesley for preachers he sent se- 
 veral, among whom was Francis Asbury, who acted as 
 superintendent in America, performing the same func- 
 tions that Mr. Wesley did in England, but not without 
 the concurrence of his brethren. In the minutes for 
 1782, is the following item : 
 
 Question 19. — ^"Do the brethren in Conference unani- 
 mously choose brother Asbury to act according to Mr. 
 Wesley's original appointment, and preside over the 
 American Conferences, and the whole work? 
 Answer. — Yes." 
 
 But was Mr. John Wesley an Episcopalian ? We give 
 the answer in his own words, in a letter to Clarke, 
 Works, vol. 7, p. 285. As to my own judgment, I still 
 believe the episcopal form of Church government to be 
 scriptural and apostolic. Did he establish our episco- 
 pacy ? He most assuredly established the methodist 
 Episcopal Church of the United States. If we examine 
 the minutes of 1785, we will find the following item. 
 " Following the counsel of Mr. John Wesley, who re- 
 commended the episcopal mode of Church government, 
 we thought it best to become an episcopal Church." 
 These minutes were published in London under Mr. 
 Wesley's eye, without any disapprobation. 
 
 But did Mr. Wesley ordain Dr. Coke to the episcopal 
 office ? Let the following facts answer. We learn from" 
 Drew's life of Coke that Mr. Wesley proposed to Dr. 
 Coke his ordination to this office six or seven months be- 
 fore he received it. The Doctor was startled at the pro- 
 
— — •^"■wW^uHnrtRT ■■ 
 
 122 
 
 position, doubting Mr. Wesley's authority to ordain him, 
 as he was not a bishop. Mr. Wesley recommended him 
 to read Lord King's Primitive Church, and gave him 
 time to reflect. Subsequently, the Doctor accepted the 
 appointment, and was ordained to the office of Bishop by 
 the imposition of hands, by John Wesley and other pres- 
 byters of the Church of England. Now if Coke was 
 not ordained bishop, what was the nature of his office, 
 he being a presbyter of the Church of England previous 
 to this ordination. A little light will be thrown on this 
 subject, by the following extract from Mr. Wesley's cir- 
 cular letter on Dr. Coke's appointment, ** For many 
 years I have been importuned from time to time to exer- 
 cise this right, by ordaining part of our travelling preach- 
 ers ; but I have still refused, not only for peace sake, but 
 because I was determined, as little as possible, to violate 
 the established order of the national Church to which I 
 belonged. But the case is widely different between 
 England and America. Here there are Bishops who 
 have a legal jurisdiction. In America there are none, 
 neither any parish ministers, so that for some hundred 
 miles together there are none, either to baptize or admin- 
 ister the sacrament. Here therefore my scruples are at an 
 end. Now if Coke's ordination was not to some sacred 
 office, it could not have been regarded as an interference 
 with the established usages of the established Church. 
 Again, when Wesley was charged with impropriety, he 
 defended himself by appealing to Lord King and the 
 Alexandrian Church. And further, when his brother 
 Charles, who was a high Churchman, remonstrated 
 against Dr. Coke's ambition and rashness, John Wesley 
 in his reply utters not a word of denial in relation, either 
 to the titles used or the form of government, but sim- 
 ply vindicated the necessity of the course and the char- 
 acter 01 Coiie in iheji. \701Js : " I bcli'jve Dr. Coke as 
 free from ambition as covetousness. He has done no- 
 thing rashly that I know." Again, Charles Wesley in 
 hi? letter to Dr. Chandler speaks of his brother having 
 
123 
 
 he 
 
 " assumed the character, ordained elders, and consecra- 
 ted a bishop." 
 
 Hence the episcopacy of the United Stales may be con- 
 sidered as expedient, providential and scriptural, and by 
 the eader referring again to the 3rd section of the 2nd 
 chapter of this work he will be convinced that an inde- 
 pendent Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 
 Canada, equally providential, expedient, and scriptural. 
 Now if there be no conscientious hindrances on the part 
 of our brethren with regard to the validity of Episcopal 
 ordination, why not embrace it. But if they conscien- 
 tiously regard Episcopal ordination as utterly opposed to 
 the mind and will of Christ, and in no shape to be re- 
 ceived, on pain of his displeasure, then of course we 
 should not ask them to receive it. The opinion, however, 
 of the Wesleyan Conference we have on this point. They 
 receive ministers, having received Episcopal ordination 
 without re-ordination. 
 
 , But should our brethren conscientiously regard a mo- 
 derate Episcopacy as sinful, so that by no means they 
 would receive it, it remains for us todccide if we will re- 
 ceive their ordination, which we acknowledge to he 
 scriptural. Now if our brethren cannot receive our 
 Church polity we can receive theirs without any sacrifice 
 of conscience. And we ought to do it, if it will restore 
 what God requires, the unity of the Church. 
 
 But it may be objected that we should not disparage 
 our own ordination by receiving another. We say that 
 it can be received hypothetically. In this way we can 
 respect our ordination and yet satisfy the scruples of our 
 brethren. Like as a duplicate check of the one is re. 
 ceived the other adds nothing to it or takes nothing from 
 it. While no one would object to receiving both, wheite 
 pecuniary interests are involved no Christian should ob- 
 ject to a similar course where a greater treasure, the 
 unity of the Church, is concerned. Another supposed 
 hindrance to a union is the office of presiding Elder. 
 We just remark, in short, that many of our own minis- 
 
■^ii^AsmoA 
 
 12di 
 
 ters question the propriety of any part of our ministers 
 remaining for a period of four years, or less, without 
 pastoral care. And although it is urged by some, espe- 
 cially these SUB-BISHOPS, that the management of the va- 
 rious circuits in their respective districts, with their tra- 
 velling and local preachers, exhorters and stewards, with 
 all financial and other interests, come under their quar- 
 terly examination, yet by every thinking man the office, 
 in its present shape, must be regarded as worse than use- 
 less. There is no circuit business but can be managed 
 by the stationed minister, and it is properly his work as 
 pastor. And these quarterly examinations of the presi- 
 ding Elder are an unrigiiteous interference or meddling 
 with other men's matters. And it is not uncommonly 
 the case that the presiding Elder, who preaches but 
 twice in three months, and sometimes not that, will sap 
 out of the quarterly Conference an amount nearly equal 
 to that paid to the travelling preacher, who, perhaps, has 
 preached every day, and not unfrequently oftener during 
 the whole quarter. 
 
 Hence that office could readily be substituted by a 
 chairman as is the present usage in our sister Methodist 
 Churches. In relation to our practice of ordaining local 
 preachers, we should remark that it would be necessary 
 to allow those already ordained to retain their office, and 
 no wrong would be done to any man by refusing to or- 
 dain him to sacred orders while he pursues a secular call- 
 ing. '• ' ' '. • '.ti'l >■' :, ':■ .?.M-,' ■,■ . ■;,,.. 
 
 Another hindrance to a complete union, is the lay de- 
 legation of the Methodist New Connexion Church. The 
 only question of difference on this point is not whether 
 the laity should have any voice in the control of the 
 Church, for the Methodist Episcopal and Wesleyan 
 Churches concede this at once, but whether this control 
 shall be put into a representative form by a lay delega- 
 tion to the Conference. ^^;' ;;. ii !< ; : ' / d 
 
 We know that some Methodist writers take very high 
 despotic ground in this matter, and say that " the Metho- 
 
125 
 
 dist polity is based on a surrender of all personal riglits " 
 because a connexion with the Methodist Church is vo- 
 luntary. This sentiment is taught in the following quo- 
 tation from Dr. Poond. 
 
 *'The rights which a Methodist possesses, as such, are 
 purely conventional. They are not natural, but acquir- 
 ed rights, and they are determined by the articles of as- 
 sociation, contained in our book of Discipline. The 
 Church is a voluntary association, entered into for reli- 
 gious purposes. Whoever enters into its communion is 
 entitled to all the immunities which the articles of asso- 
 ciation hold out to him and no more. If he finds, upon 
 experiment, that the religious advantages he acquires do 
 not compensate him for the sacrifices he is required to 
 make, he has an indefeasible right to withdraw from the 
 community ; but he has no right to demand of the Church 
 to change her economy for his accommodation.*' 
 
 Now if the Methodist Church is the Church of men, 
 there would be some plausibility in the Doctor's argu- 
 ment. But if the Methodist Church is the Church of 
 God, which she professes to be, then the rights of its 
 members are natural, and not acquired. God has made 
 it man's imperative duty to connect himself with the 
 Church, for *• the Lord added to the Church daily, such 
 as should be saved.'' It is therefore evident that it i» 
 the will of God that men should be united to the Church 
 hence obligatory. Our connexion with, and privileges in 
 the Church, or our obedience to its laws, does not depend 
 upon our own choice, advantage, or immunities, bu 
 upon the will of God. And we cannot throw off the 
 obligations he lays upon us by voluntarily dissolving our 
 connexion with the Church. Nor are our rights as 
 Church members based upon any certain human rules or 
 human compact, but on the relation we hold to God and 
 his people. There arises therefore, from the nature 
 that relation and its necessary obligations, a right as 
 members of the Church to participate in the enactment 
 of those laws by which we are to be governed. And that 
 
iiCtViA 
 
 126 
 
 class of ecclesiastics who would deprive the members of 
 the Church of their natural and scriptural privileges by 
 attempting to bind them to any set of rules they have es- 
 tablished or may in their wisdom establish, truly merit 
 the charge of usurpation and tyranny ; and that tyranny 
 is more aggravating when it is remembered that the 
 membership is constantly investing large amounts oi 
 money in the erection of churches, parsonages and schools, 
 and according to the scriptures is depended upon for the 
 maintenance of the ministry ; and although such invest- 
 ments and support are free and voluntary benefactions, 
 and does not secure to the donors legal property, or are 
 not made the terms of membership, yet righteously they 
 do secure to the givers a right to legislate in reference to 
 the distribution or control of such property. 
 
 But allowing the right, we question the necessity, ex- 
 pediency, or practibility of a lay delegation in either the 
 General or Annual Conferences. In order to come to a 
 proper understanding of this subject, we should consider 
 on what particular questions the laity should have a 
 voice. 
 
 . 1st, They have no right to legislate on the articles of 
 religion. That these are based on the word of God, all 
 agree, therefore should not be changed either by ministers 
 or by members, 
 
 2nd, They have no right to legislate on the general 
 rules ; for these we are taught of God to observe, even 
 in his written word, which is the only rule and the suffi- 
 cient rule both of our faith and practice. And all these 
 we know his spirit writes on truly awakened hearts. 
 These being in accordance with the gospel, the Church 
 did not make, and therefore should not alter. 
 
 3rd, They have no right to legislate on the forms of 
 receiving or ordaining ministers, because according to 
 the scriptures this pertains to the ministerial office. 
 
 Laymen can claim no right to legislate in the Church 
 only in reference to the temporal economy, and matters 
 which concern themselves. And not one-tenth of the 
 
 ^} 
 
127 
 
 business of either of the Conferences of this nature. And 
 further, the quarterly meeting Conferences of the Metho- 
 dist Episcopal Church, which are composed almost en- 
 tirely of laymen, limit the action of the Annual and 
 General Conferences in these respects, by the following 
 restrictions. " They " the general conference *' shall not 
 do away the privileges of our ministers or preachers, of 
 trial by a committee and of appeal. Neither shall they 
 do away the privileges of our members, of trial before 
 the society or by a committee, and of appeal. 
 
 They shall not appropriate the produce of the Book 
 Concern to any purpose other than for the benefit of the 
 travelling, supernumerary, superannuated, and worn-out 
 preachers, their wives, widows, and children ; provided 
 nevertheless, that upon the joint recommendation of 
 three-fourths of the Quarterly Meeting Conferences 
 throughout our Church, (Mission stations excepted,) the 
 question being carried in each by a majority of three- 
 fourths of the members present, then the General Con- 
 ference shall have power, by a majority of three-fourths, 
 to alter any matter or point embraced in the foregoing 
 restrictions, according as the same may have been recom- 
 mended afore-mentioned. No new rule or regulation, or 
 alteration of any rule or regulation, now in force, res- 
 pecting our temporal economy : such as the building of 
 meeting-houses, the order to be observed therein, the 
 allowance to the ministers and preachers, their widows, 
 and children, the raising annual supplies for the propa- 
 gation of the gospel, (the missions excepted,) or the 
 making up the allowance of the preachers, &c., shall be 
 considered of any force or authority until such rule, re- 
 gulation, or alteration shall have been approved of by 
 three-fourths of all the Quarterly Meeting Conferences 
 throughout the connexion. Nor shall any new rule, re- 
 gulation, or alteration respecting the doctrines of our 
 Church, the rights and privileges of our local preachers 
 and members — such as the receiving persons on trial 
 and into full connexion ; the conditions on which they 
 
128 
 
 shall retain their membership; the manner of bringing 
 to trial, finding {:?uilty, and reproving, suspending, or 
 excluding disorderly persons from society and Church 
 privileges ; have any force or authority until laid before 
 the Quarterly Conferences and approved as aforesaid. 
 
 We see therefore from the above quotation from our 
 Book of Discipline, that the General Conference cannot 
 authoritatively levy taxes upon the laity, or make any 
 pecuniary contribution the condition of Membership in 
 the Church, or interfere in temporal matters. The larg- 
 est amount of the business of the conference is to make 
 rules and regulations tor the more cfTectual prosecution of 
 the great work of the evangelization of the world, which 
 scripturally belongs to the ministerial office. Perhaps 
 the following extract from the Report of the General 
 Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the 
 United States for 1828 will give some light on this sub- 
 ject, it says: — *' We arrogate no authority to enact any 
 laws of our own, either of moral or civil force. Our 
 commission is to preach the gospel and to enforce the 
 moral discipline, established by the one lawgiver by those 
 spiritual powers vested in us, as subordinate pastors, 
 who watch over souls as they that must give an account 
 to the Chief Shepherd. We claim no strictly legislative 
 power, although we grant the terms legislature and legis- 
 lation have been used, even among ourselves. In a pro- 
 per sense, however, they are not strictly applicable to 
 our General Conference. A mistake on this point has 
 probably been the source of much erroneous reasoning, 
 and some consequent dissatisfaction. Did we claim any 
 authority to enact laws to affect either life or limb, to touch 
 the persons or to tax the property of our members y they ought 
 unquestionably to be directly represented among us. But 
 they know we do not. We certainly, then, exercise no 
 civil legislation. As to the moral code, we are subject, 
 equally with themselves, to one Lord. We have no 
 power to add to, or take from, to alter, or to modtfy a 
 single item of his statutes. Whether laymen or minis- 
 
 
129 
 
 lers be llio anlhori?:*»ff expounders and adtninislratora of 
 those laws, wncaii confijlently rely on the trood Christian 
 sense of the y^rcixt body of our brethren to Jiul«Tfe. These 
 •well know, also, thitt whatever exposition of ihern wo 
 apply lo o'.iicrs, \hr same are applied ('([nally to oursel- 
 vef, and, in sonne Listances, with peculiar slricUness. 
 
 Again, hiy representation is not needed in the annual 
 conference of the Methodist Epi.^copal Church, at least 
 for its business, except a few judical itenis relating alone 
 lo travelling and local preachers, is entirely executive 
 and concerns no class of Church members, cxcej)! the 
 preachers." 
 
 It is obvious from the foregoing remarks, that a lay 
 representation, for which some are very tenacious, is 
 almost without an object. Thero is certainly no obji^et 
 sufliclent to compensate for the inconvenience, trouble, 
 and extra expense. If delegates are sent, some one must 
 hear the expense, either the delegate or his constituents. 
 If the delegate bears his own expense they must be men 
 of wealth and leisure, for no business man, either far- 
 mer, tradesman, physician, merchant, or lawyer, can be 
 found who can give that attention to the duties of a de 
 legale which the office requires. This would make ricli 
 idle men necessary to us, and idle men would not be the 
 best representatives to the Church Legislature. If the 
 constituents pay the expense they must provide a fund 
 for that purpose. This would require a tax in some way. 
 To levy a tax is to suppose a law which will enforce it, 
 and no other law could enforce it but such as would ex- 
 communicate those that would not comply with the re- 
 quisition : this would make a pecuniary consideration, 
 the condition of membership, which is contrary to the 
 word of God. Again, if such tax is levied, it must 
 either be by an assessment on property or by a poll-tax. 
 The first would be attended with trouble, and endless 
 disputes and vexations ; the last would be unjust and 
 oppressive ; either appears absurd and impracticable. 
 Perhaps it may be raised by subscription in some divi- 
 
130 
 
 sions, but in others again it would fail, perhaps for the 
 want of means. Then poor districts would be deprived, 
 by poverty, of the privileges of the Church which would 
 be enjoyed by their wealthier brethren. This scheme 
 would be equally absurd and impracticable ; so far then 
 from there being advantages derived from a lay delegation 
 in the Conference there would be a sacrifice of many pri- 
 vileges which the members of the Church now enjoy. 
 And it is to be feared that such a representation would 
 speedily bring about a dismemberment of any ecclesias- 
 tical union, there being an impossibility to have a pro- 
 portionate number of ministers and laymen, or a general 
 representation of laymen from the remote districts with- 
 in the boundaries of the various Annual Conferences. 
 One of the leading ministers in the Proleslant Metho- 
 dist Church in the United States in an admonitory letter 
 to his brethren on this subject, declared that "they had 
 no little difficulty in keeping their denomination from 
 being scattered to the winds by a loose and deplorable 
 spirit of anarchy. But for the purpose of meeting the 
 feelings of all, in the promotion of a union we could have 
 no objection to, having a limited business Committee to 
 be appointed by the various Quarterly Meetings on some 
 practical plan, whose duty it should be to make sugges- 
 tions to the Conference relative to temporal matters, allow- 
 ing still the prerogatives of the Quarterly Meeting Con- 
 ferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church." 
 
 Another trivial hindrance to a complete Methodist 
 amalgamation, is the connexion of the Wesleyan Metho- 
 dist with the English Conference. And on this subject 
 we shall guard against stultifying ourselves by allowing 
 our prejudices to gain so complete a mastery over our 
 judgment and love of unions as to say that that union is 
 an insurmountable barrier in the way of complete Me- 
 thodist union. Whatever may be said of the origin of 
 that connexion or its present humiliating subjection to a 
 foreign body, all must confess that the Wesleyan Church 
 is composed of truly converted men and evangelical 
 
131 
 
 the 
 ived, 
 ould 
 leme 
 then 
 ation 
 ypri- 
 
 7oUld 
 esias- 
 i pro- 
 meral 
 with- 
 ences. 
 ^etho- 
 f letter 
 y had 
 [1 from 
 llorable 
 ng the 
 Id have 
 ittee to 
 m some 
 sugges- 
 i, allow- 
 ig Con- 
 
 ethodist 
 
 Metho- 
 
 subject 
 
 llowing 
 
 iver our 
 
 [inion is 
 
 ete Me- 
 
 irigin of 
 
 ion to a 
 
 Church 
 
 mgelical 
 
 
 i 
 
 ministers, who are our brethren. And what some call a 
 foreign yoke is more tolerable than our present divisions. 
 The one or the other we must have. Now which ; of 
 the two evils choose the least. But, perhaps, what ap- 
 pears to some to be monstrous despotism, is far less op- 
 pressive and injurious than their prejudices will allow 
 them to believe. Considering the growing wealth of our 
 (iounlry and the intelligent character of its inhabitants, 
 we unequivocally say, that if Canadian Methodists 
 would cease their domestic broils and unite as a mighty 
 phalanx against the powers of darkness, they would need 
 wider fields of labour than Canada can afford. Then a 
 connexion with our English Methodist brethren, who are 
 establishing Missions in almost every part of the world, 
 would be an advantage. Our limits will not allow us to 
 multiply argument here, but we will candidly express 
 the conviction that if we believe that our brethren in 
 England are true followers of Christ, that no spirit but 
 an evil one could influence us to refuse a connexion with 
 them on the pain ot those sinful divisions which are pro- 
 ductive of incalculable evils to the Church, and dishonor- 
 able to the very name of Christianity. 
 
 And if we, as Christians, would cultivate the humble 
 Spirit of Christ, and as assiduously examine our own de- 
 fects as we watch the defects of other denominations, 
 these little differences in Church polity would not long di- 
 vide the Methodist societies, between whom, in all doc- 
 trine and practical points, there is almost an exact agree- 
 ment. Oh may the day soon come when true Christians 
 will give this subject, which involves consequences 
 affecting the highest interests of the Redeemer's Kingdom, 
 a prayerful consideration. Oh may that glad hour soon 
 arrive, when the Methodist family, instead of glorying in 
 separate organization, and separate action, and occasion- 
 al rivalry and interference with each other, will glory in 
 Christian unity and fraternal love. 
 
 But if that day ever arrives, there will be greater diffi- 
 culties and hindrances surmounted than is found in Church 
 polity. 
 
132 
 
 1st, Denominational pride, bloody mouthed idol ! which 
 boasts great things, trumpeting self-laudation and dispar- 
 agement of others ; and probably all have to plead guilty 
 in this respeet. This Spirit is as old as the days of the 
 Apostles, when one said, I am of Paul and another I of 
 Apollos. And it has strengthened with its age, so that 
 now it causes the PmuIs and ApoUos to part entirely 
 asunder. But how inconstant is this spirit, when after all 
 we must confess that none of us have a perfect system, 
 whatever may bf said of its excellences, and that we 
 are guilty of error or defect equal in magnitude to that 
 of which we accuse our brethren, or of a nature more 
 heinous in the sight of God. None will deny, that when 
 God shall build up his truly triumphant Catholic Church, 
 it will probably be from materials gathered from all. 
 
 Another hindrance to union is, judging each other's sys- 
 tems by their worst features as they are magnified by some 
 extremist, and taking these exaggerated points as samples 
 of the whole system it is at once rejected without a dis- 
 covery of its excellences. Having touched, perhaps in 
 H stormy day " the shore of our neighbour's possession, 
 and finding there sand, and rock, and foaming breakers, 
 we conclude all is naught and barren, while further up 
 there may be a beautiful region of verdure, and quiet and 
 pleasant abodes." 
 
 Another obstacle in the way of union is the judging 
 each society by its most prominent men, we are apt to 
 forget that men most unfaithful to God are apt to be the 
 greatest sectarian ists and worldlings. They being devoid 
 of the true spirit of humility easily become ultraists, ec- 
 centric denominationalists, who will attract great atten- 
 tion and comment as the leader of his party, and although 
 his procedure may be so disgraceful as to make the truly 
 pious hold down their heads in shame and sorrow, yet, 
 finding countenance among the weak-minded sycoph- 
 ants of his denomination, he is reported to be the leader 
 of the whole and the whole Church is judged by him. 
 
 Another elevated barrier in the way of the union of all 
 Methodists, is the name. • . ; \ry. 
 
133 
 
 ei 
 
 U 
 
 On the account of the mere n ime Methodists freqnent- 
 .y unblushingly exclude each other from their fellowship. 
 These names Episcopal, Wesleyan, New Connexion, 
 Primitive, and Bible Christian, have embalmed, perpe- 
 tuated, and stereotyped divisions. And all unauthorized 
 by God's word though made sacred by his people. Now 
 drop these distinctions all off, and retain the term Me- 
 thodist, and ail could come together ; add them on again 
 and each denomination becomes like a fortress bristling 
 with weapons which must be defended, and they are so 
 multiplied in Canada that they resemble petty clustering 
 principalities, hindrances to the traveller on the King's 
 highway, where he must shew his passport at every step or 
 be turned back on his journey and become obstacles to 
 growth, consolidation and prosperity. 
 
 Again we will find more of the spirit we have been 
 describing ariiong ministers, than among the laity ; we 
 blush to acknowledge that the sin of these deplorable 
 divisions must be set to the account of those who are 
 commissioned to preach that Christ prayed, " That they 
 may be one, even as we are one, I in them and thou in 
 roe ; that they may be mr.de perfect in one, and that 
 the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast 
 loved them, as thou hast loved me." Too many minis- 
 ters love to dwell upon controverted points, and shew 
 their skill in demolishing a man of straw they have set 
 up to represent some monstrous evil which they have dis- 
 covered in some sister Church. And self-seeking has 
 more to do with their course than the love they bear 
 either to Christ or his people. 
 
 The people look at all these matters in a more charita- 
 ble light. They wonder at the sharpness of ministerial 
 disputes : they find members of other denominations en- 
 joying and exhibiting true piety, and regardless of the 
 warnings and expostulations of their respective sectarian 
 preachers, they cannot refrain from fraternizing with 
 them. Let a revival of religion take place in any city, 
 town, or country place, and we will soon have untnis- 
 
r'^'^'^^^^mmmmmmmmmmmm 
 
 134 
 
 takeable evidence that the masses could easily be brought 
 into a loving union if the preachers would let them. 
 The truth is they cannot be kept apart, for when the heart 
 is right division is regarded as the worst of heresy, and 
 every man who loves God loves his brother also. But 
 back-slidden polemics are the last to consent to bring 
 back the King in peace to undivided rule. 
 
 With the following from the pen of a presbyter of the 
 Episcopal Church, United States, we will close this 
 chapter. 
 
 " The seeming hopelessness of a union is another ob- 
 stacle in our way, scarcely a Christian can be found but 
 will say we ought to unite, and that it is exceedingly 
 desirable to do so, but the greater paTt will add, it is 
 hopeless to dream of such a thing. We have no right to 
 speak thus. Is the union desirable? Will God bless 
 the effort to bring it about ? Are our divisions sinful ? 
 Would Jesus Christ, if He were now to come among us 
 command us all to be one ? Would Paul repeat his ear- 
 nest remonstrances against schisms. What is right ? 
 What is the will of God ? 
 
 These are the questions we are to ask, atid if it is cleat* 
 that God wills us to be one, then if a great deep were 
 before us we are to go forward and attempt to cross it, 
 and it would open ; if a mountain were in our way, faith 
 would cast it into the sea or make it become a plain. 
 Better to break the broken limbs again, and set them to- 
 gether aright, especially when we have so great a physi- 
 cian 16 bless the operation with his oversight and skill, 
 than to hobble on in this crippled way for evet. The at- 
 tempt has never yet been fairly and fully made. There 
 has never yet been a general congress for peace in ihe 
 Church. Partial efforts have indeed been put forth, and 
 treaties formed, which were ndt based upon any real 
 unity, but never have we bad a representation from all 
 Protestant Churches convened to seek for some plaii of 
 mutual agreement. Shall the sWoid devour for ever. 
 We want a deeper conviction of the sin and evils of dlvi- 
 
 ^ 
 
*-runH«9 i 'Vinnl^qKitJt^ 
 
 135 
 
 sions. We must give up laying the flaflerinj? unction io 
 our souls, that oneness ol' spirit is all the unity God de- 
 mands or that we can attain unto; that our divisions are 
 overruled for good and on the whole necessary. Read 
 all that God's word says on schisms on loving as brethren 
 on divisions and unity, and God's mind will so plainly ap- 
 pear, that we will not dare to palliate the evil. We have 
 days of fasting and prayer for the conversion of the world 
 — we need them far more for conversion to one another. 
 Were our efforts for union to be preceded and attended 
 by days of general humiliation fasting and prayer through- 
 out all the Churches, when we should abase ourselves 
 before God for our dissensions and ask him to forgive, 
 there would be hope. Oh that some men of peace in the 
 various branches of Christ's Church would move upon 
 the people to keep such days until the answer of prayer 
 was given." 
 
 ■ '. I*. 
 
 i.r 
 
 •«■ 4 
 
 
 
 J 4 -.t. , 
 
 
n\ I 
 
 
 I 
 
 mm 
 
 CHAPTER Vll. 
 
 HOW A UNION CAN BE CONSUMMATED. 
 
 The conjectures and philosophy of polemics regard a 
 complete union of all the Methodist Societies as imprac- 
 ticable and hopeless, and in the language of one minister 
 it never will take place while the world stands. There 
 is, however, in their theology, more of their own wisdom 
 and inferential reasoning than the word of God. Because 
 ihey cannot devise any scheme to suit their own minds 
 they despair of its being brought about. But we feel 
 that it is belter to have faith in God and his word, than 
 to have faith in their logic. God*s word is truth, but 
 man's inferences from circumstances may be very falla- 
 cious. True, we may infer the probability of what will 
 be from a knowledge of what is or has been. '* The 
 thing " says the wise man, •' which has been is the thing 
 which will be." But Jehovah often accomplishes things 
 unknown in the annals of eternity. He has never con- 
 sulted human wisdom in the arrangement of either natu- 
 ral or moral causes. We know some of the effects of 
 causes. But how do we know them ; by reasoning or 
 anticipating how they should be done ? No, we have 
 seen the operation, and we may conjecture that the same 
 cause would produce the same effect under another set 
 of like circumstances. And human wisdom can no 
 more deny that the religion of Jesus Christ, which pro- 
 duces a union between a few Methodist classes, will 
 work a universal union, than it can deny that the same 
 force which makes an apple fall holds the universe 
 together. 
 
137 
 
 same 
 jr set 
 in no 
 pro- 
 wiU 
 same 
 iverse 
 
 i Our God has transcended the wisdom of man in the 
 constitution of the material universe, and (equally so in 
 the constitution of society. Man's depraved prejudices 
 preferences, and impressions, are sure to produce a logic 
 contrary to the scriptures and the will of God. Every 
 cosmogony but that of Moses has proved to be fallacious ; 
 man has ever made egregious blunders in describing how 
 things must be done by the Almighty ; but when Lord 
 Bacon, who was regarded by his contemporaries as an 
 infernal being, and is now looked back upon as a su- 
 pernal one, arose to disenthrall the human mind, he 
 shewed that, except in the department of abstract truth, 
 as in mathematics, evidence, not intuition, must be our 
 guide. Human reason, without any testimony from God, 
 is palpable ignorance in regard to how God ought to 
 or did make a universe, or how he should or does govern 
 it. If the human reason is so far short of the truth in 
 relation to material causes, why shall we trust it against 
 the testimony of scripture in the highest departments of 
 truth. The Bible presents a truly Catholic Religion as the 
 greatest blessing heaven can bestow upon our race ; Pa- 
 ganismitself, once the common Religion of mankind, justly 
 received the merit of being the great pacificator among 
 the nations of the earth. Christianity, besides the light 
 it sheds upon the present and future destinies of the soul, 
 is designed by God to strengthen the cords that bind man 
 to man in love and peace. Dr. Chalmers, speaking of 
 the doctrines of the Bible, denominated it, a '' prophecy 
 of a peace as universal as the spread of the human race, 
 and as enduring as the moon in the firmament, will meet 
 its accomplishment ; but it will be brought about by the 
 activity of men. It will be done by the philanthropy of 
 thinking and intelligent Christians. The subject will be 
 brought to the, lest of Christian principle, and will unite 
 to spread a growing sense of the follies and enormities 
 of war over the countries of the world, and the public 
 will be enlightened by the mild dissemination of gospel 
 sentiment through the land, and the prophecy contained 
 
mmmmm. 
 
 138 
 
 in this book will pass into ofTect and accomplishment by 
 no other in/lunnoe than the influence of its ordinary les- 
 sons on the hearts and consciences of individuals ; and 
 the nieasurc will first be carried in one country by the 
 control ot general opinion, and the sacred fire of good 
 will to the children of men will spread itself through all 
 climes and through all latitudes — and thus by scriptural 
 truth, conveyed with power from one people to another, 
 and taking its ample spread amongst all the tribes and fa- 
 milies of the earth, shall w^e arrive at the magnificent re- 
 sult of peace throughout all its provinces and security in 
 all its dwelling places." 
 
 And this Christianity would have done long before this 
 day had not ambitious and wicked men perverted it from 
 its natural tendency. The excellencies of its doctrines, 
 its precepts, and examples has a tendency to make men 
 virtuous, charitable, and peaceful, ^11 are addressed to our 
 hearls to win them to these purposes. But as the religion 
 of Christ was not intended to work upon men by force, 
 but by moral suasion, which sets good and evil before 
 them, so that if they wickedly abuse the power of choice 
 in practising evil, the natural effects of that abuse can- 
 not be avoided. As the detestable results of their ambi- 
 tion and wickedness the head has been substituted for 
 the heart. What men agree to believe seems to these to 
 be of more importance than loving as brethren. This 
 disposition established the laws of heresy in the old Ro- 
 man Church. It was this that constructed the wrecks 
 and gibbets of the middle ages ; it was this that reared 
 the horrible inquisition, and buried alive its thousands 
 in the darkness of that Martyr's Sepulchre — freedom's 
 tomb. It was this that unsheathed the sword of St. Bar- 
 tholomew, and deluged the fields of France with Chris- 
 tian blood. This lighted the fires of Constance, and 
 Smithfield, and consumed to ashes the bodies of the true 
 saints in the flames of the auto-da-fe. This has followed 
 the footsteps of every sincere Reformer ; shut against 
 him the temples of the living God ; roused the b^ood- 
 
le true 
 lowed 
 gainst 
 Wood- 
 
 139 
 
 hounds of human wrath, and has set them on his track ; 
 and hunted him through the world as the most ravenous 
 of beasts. Protestantism itself is now whole centuries 
 farther back than it would have been had this wicked, 
 narrow and most hateful of all heresies, never seen the 
 light." How absurd to withdraw from the fellowship of 
 true Christians and send them as incorrigible sceptics 
 loaded with anathemas down to the regions of despair, 
 merely because we disagree on some tenet of little weight. 
 But we expect to recover the true Catholicity of our 
 common faith through the assistance of divine grace. 
 The liberal spirits of this age, men of sound learning, 
 large views, and deep piety, we believe are ready to aid 
 in obliterating the denominational lines which have so 
 long divided the Church. And when we look back to 
 the Reformation of the sixteenth century or to the Wes- 
 leyan Reformation and see what the people of God have 
 wrought under the Divine blessing, we should courage- 
 ously go to work and patiently toil until it be accom- 
 plished. 
 
 It is now quite natural to ask the questions, if such a 
 union is consummated, by what means will it be effected 
 and who can most effectually promote it ? We will an- 
 swer the last of these questions first. And doubtless 
 many are ready to say that a pious, faithful, and intelli- 
 gent ministry can most speedily and efTectually bring 
 about a union. This is undoubtedly correct; the gospel 
 ministry is a divine institution, and should have the 
 glory of God, and the peace of the Church for its general 
 object. The nature of the duty which it devolves is 
 zealously, affeotionately, and constantly to spread a 
 knowledge of the revealed will of God. The first quali- 
 fication for this high and holy office is a religion of love, 
 free from party spirit and respect of persons, that they 
 may feed the whole flock of God as a good shepherd. 
 Such a religion would lead the ministry to avoid occasions 
 of division, to heal them when they occur, and cultivate 
 a spirit of lore and peace, it being good and pleasant for 
 
mmmmm 
 
 140 
 
 brelhren to dwell together in unity. But it is to be la- 
 mented that some ministers have often given way to 
 superstition and wild disorder, and instead of manifesting 
 this amiable spirit of piety, brotherly love, and careful- 
 ness to preserve the body in the beauty and order of the 
 gospel, have been the first to produce controversies, 
 rivalries, and divisions, and will be found to be the last 
 to advocate a reconciliation. True they will manifest a 
 willingness to agree, to disagree and force intercourse, 
 hypocritical hollow truces, patched up treaties of peace, 
 Christian alliances, and exchange of pulpits, where there 
 is no real and substantial agreement, where all retain 
 their distinctions, and the evil be not ended but rather 
 increased ; but a real and substantial agreement which 
 will end all distinctions that made them the Paul or 
 ApoUos of their party they will rigidly oppose. 
 
 There is however another class of society to which we 
 look with confidence, this is the membership. The en- 
 tire superstructure of the Church is based upon it. It 
 is a false fiction that rulers, either in church or 3tate, sup- 
 port their subjects. The reverse is the truth. In a mon- 
 archy power does not come from the King and proceed 
 downward. The Emperor, however despotic, derives 
 his authority from his subjects. And it is only because 
 they allow him to be, that he isa tyrant. Kings and 
 rulers only represent in one capacity, the embodied will 
 of the millions ; they do but very little in shaping either 
 their own or the destinies of their people. But go to the 
 towns, villages, and hamlei.', and learn who edit the 
 periodicals, instruct the youth, harangue the masses, and 
 create the public sentimeilt of the empire. So in Church- 
 es, the Ministers do not bear the members but the reverse. 
 And when the Church becomes corrupt and desperate, 
 the members must produce useful revolutions. " Society " 
 says a certain writer, " is a grand pyramid. The so call- 
 ed lower Orders, the toiling millions, are at the bottom, 
 the chief spirit, whether King, prince, or president, or it 
 may be some orator, author, or transcendent scholar, at 
 
Atuffifl^ 
 
 
 141 
 
 1 
 
 r' 
 
 at 
 
 the top. Botvvfien theso are tho various intermodialc 
 sections into which mankind has been divided ; each su- 
 perior is supported by its next inferior, and all by the 
 broad and powerful base. Now, if this splendid struc- 
 ture, this pyramid of men, gets ruinous, falls down, and 
 requires rebuilding, what is the natural method to be pur 
 sued in doing it? Shall we begin with the apex, trusting 
 to that to carry the work of reconstruction downward ? 
 Does the apex support or is it only supported ? Or if we 
 wish to build one with new materials what is the me- 
 thod? Do we no* begin at the bottom? What architect 
 what philosopher — rather, what child, would give us any 
 other answer ? And this is not a law of art, but of ne- 
 cessity, of nature. No superior portion can have support, 
 consequently existence, tdl all below it is properly built 
 up. All motion, all labour, all improvement, is from 
 lower to the higher." Hence we find, turning to what- 
 ever point \V3 may, that society is shaped, directed, and 
 supplied by the common people. When they speak min- 
 isters and princes must obey. It is because they give the 
 consent of silence that these divisions exist, sound rea- 
 soning, therefore, designates the membership, as the class 
 ijvho can restore the peace of the Church. All they have 
 to do is to say, we will no longer maintain divisions 
 therefore let there be peace or we will stop the supplies, 
 and there will be peace. There are few ministers who are 
 sufficiently audacious as to advocate and perpetuate sec- 
 tarianism in the face of a decidedly peaceable people. 
 Again the membership will more readily give up these 
 points of difference, though highly valued, which are not 
 conscientiously held as of Divide obligation than the 
 ministry. They are not so accustomed to teach without 
 opposition, and can bear contradiction more easily than 
 those ministers can who have so long shewed their skill 
 in controversy. And further they have no official ho- 
 nours to guard or pecuniary advantages to protect. It 
 will therefore be comparatively more easy to bring the 
 membership to take measures for a union, than many of 
 the clergy. 
 
142 
 
 We como now to notice tli(j measures to bo taken to 
 accomplish tho design. Past efforts have been in a great 
 degree failures, because they were partial, reaching only 
 to a courteous recofjnition of each other, an occasional 
 meelinj,' on some common plailbrm, but this did not comfi 
 up to the gospel requirement, it did not reach the root of 
 the evil or draw down the blessing; of God. He could 
 not be deceived; and he saw no real reconciliation in 
 his family ; but a standing right where they were. But 
 it is necessary for Christians to form such a combination 
 that there will be no rival standard in the field, an alli- 
 ance offensive and defensive against a common enemy 
 and every minister the minister of tlie whole body, sup- 
 ported as freely by one as another. Then there will be 
 no pariicular object for ministers to retain their distinc- 
 tions. In order to form such an alliance it is necessary 
 to remember that whoever, with the heart, believes unto 
 righteousness, is that moment fully and completely con- 
 stituted a child of God, through the renewing iniluence 
 of the Holy Spirit; and at the same moment he is fully 
 and completely incorporated into the Body of Christ, the 
 Church of the living God. Hence all true Christians, 
 are one with one another, members of the same body, 
 irrespective of minor opinions. We cannot expect whil« 
 men's minds preserve their individuality and liberty, that 
 they should think alike upon all points, and it is neither 
 necessary or desirable. Having one Lord — Jesus Christ ; 
 one faith — belief in his atoning merits; one baptism — 
 that of the Holy Spirit, Christians should exercise 
 charity and forbearance in relation to mere opinions. 
 An alliance of some kind is absolutely necessary for mu- 
 tual recognition and assistance of the friends of such 
 union. There has never been any great work done by 
 community without organization. All efforts must prove 
 like a rope of sand without it. What would the Tem- 
 perance Society have accomplished had the friends of 
 temperance never organized. All human transactions 
 between man and man require some mutual recognition 
 
 
 » 
 
 i 
 
 
113 
 
 and coiifirrnalion, iind would he foundulionlcss williDUt 
 il. lltncc, if ever a union between the various Mellio- 
 (iist Societies is efl'ecteil, it is very important that the 
 Iriends of .such union unite together by nonie common 
 bond of brotherhood, wliieh will prevent further division 
 and at the same time contribute to heal those now in ex- 
 islence. 
 
 JJut who will invent the scheme or lay the plalfwrm 
 on which all Methodists can cordially unite. The dis- 
 coverer of a plan that will bj adopted by all, will merit 
 greater honour than Columbus, who discovered a new 
 world. But probably, as in all great inventions, pro- 
 gressive steps and hints from various quarters, will work 
 out the tlifiicult problem. Thus does God humble the 
 greedy ambition of man by making great discoveries, the 
 providential leadings of many minds, and lucky accidentH 
 rather than the wisdom of individuals. Being a firm 
 believer in the above sentiment the writer more readily 
 presents the followin<^ plan for the accomplishmeiu of the 
 great design. And although he flatters himself with the 
 conviction that it will be a commencement, yet he does 
 not elevate it to the standard of perlection or of all that 
 may be necess;ary ; but rather " as the drift wood from a 
 distant, happy land, pointing some thoughtful observer, 
 as he looks wistfully over the dark waters of strife, to 
 the existence of such a world, once known, perhaps, in 
 old traditions, long lost sight of, but destined to be reach- 
 ed, and prompting him to seek a pathway to its shores." 
 
 Let companies be formed in every neighbourhood, who 
 will unite together weekly in earnest lervent prayer to Al- 
 mighty God to hasten the peace of the Church ; also let 
 there be county and provincial conventions held under the 
 following or some other regulations, viz. : Inasmuch as the 
 Methodist Church in Canada, which should be one, is 
 now divided into various incorporations, without any im- 
 portant differences, either doctrinal or practical, and a 
 union into one body is indispensably essential to the in- 
 terest of the cause of God, and inasmuch as a solemn 
 
h&t!mnm:ii!SXis&:i\ ;;^u:]!l«S«a^iC 
 
 ttia<aaaueiiii'»='r>4i 
 
 lU 
 
 conviction of duty urges to united action, we, whose 
 names are hereunto annexed form ourselves into a lea- 
 gue, known as the Canadian Methodist Alliance, adopt- 
 ing the following as the present Articles of our constitu- 
 tion and agreement. •• .'. • . ... 
 
 1st. That all converted or regenerated men and women 
 who will subscribe to these articles of union, or such 
 other articles as may be legally hereafter provided, shall 
 form this Methodist alliance. ^ '• • 
 
 2nd. That this alliance shall be divided into compa- 
 nies as their places of residence shall dictate. One of 
 each company shall be elected by the company as dele- 
 gate to a county convention, whose duty it shall be to call 
 his company together weekly for mutual earnest prayer 
 to Almighty God for his blessing on their efforts for the 
 peace of the Church. ' . * 
 
 • 3rd. That there shall be quarterly conventions held in 
 each county composed of the delegates elected by the 
 several companies and all the Methodist Ministers sta- 
 tioned in the County who may please to attend. ' 
 
 4th. There shall be a semi-annual provincial conven- 
 tion held, to be composed of one delegate from each 
 county, and forty ministers of the Wesleyan Conference, 
 and twenty ministers of the Episcopal Conference, ten 
 ministers of the Methodist New Connexion Conference, 
 ten ministers of the Primitive Conference, and five of the' 
 Bible Christian Conference, if such ministers please to 
 attend, they being appointed by their respective Confer- 
 ences or otherwise. 
 
 5th. That the object of this alliance in all its meetings 
 and conventions shall be : 1st, To produce increase and 
 preserve brotherly love and friendly intercourse between 
 the various Methodist denominations ; 2nd, To promote 
 by united exertion a complete union of all the various 
 Methodist Societies into one body, and to discountenance 
 schisms in community ; 3rd, To instruct the youth in the 
 evils of Church divisions. 
 
 (ith. In order to carry out more fully the third particu- 
 
 ■3 
 
 H 
 
■>*^WIW«**' 
 
 145 
 
 Jar of oui object, the alliance pledges' itself to connte- 
 nance and support Union Sabbath Schools, as far as 
 possible. 
 
 7th. That the objects of this Alliance, as set forth in 
 this constitution, being fundamental principles of this 
 league, the power of altering the constitution in this res- 
 pect is hereby renounced. But in other respects an)* 
 changes in the constitution may be made by any of the 
 semi-annual conventions. 
 
 We advocate mutual prayer for Methodist union, for 
 many reasons. A few only will our limits allo.v us to 
 notice. First, it will make Christians honest in their 
 pretensions to peace. Church divisions, if fairly consi- 
 dered, have in no ages arisen so much from want of liirht 
 as a want of disposition, to follow the light which God 
 has imparted. The law of love written in the hearts of 
 the truly converted, is clear and expressive enough to 
 properly direct Christians to bo one, and avoid schism ; 
 did they not suffer their passions more forcibly to direct 
 them otherwise. But when they come to hold commu- 
 nion with that God who has commanded them to suppli- 
 cate blessings upon their enemies and taught ihera to 
 pray to he forgiven as they forgive, they become honest 
 in their desires for peace with their fellow men. When 
 we are exercised in prayer for fellow Cln-istians, our 
 affections and sympathies become very tender towards 
 them and we not only pant for a closer union with them 
 on earth but also a reunion with them in heaven. Assu- 
 redly an exercise which cements the affections, assuages. 
 the passions, purifies the motives and imparts a snnctity 
 to our efforts is worthy of the interest attached to it by 
 the Apostle, who " exhorts therefore that first of all, sup- 
 plications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, 
 be made for all men, that they may lead a quiet and 
 peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.'' 
 
 Again, Christians should be like their Lord in manners, 
 dispositions, and mind ; and when we look at the exam- 
 ple of meekness he set, who had every opportunity to es- 
 
mmmmm 
 
 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 
 
 ■f».«4i**%*Wi- ' iTil »# 
 
 146 
 
 lablis«h a worldly character of superior graatness and 
 power, being free from all ambition for vain glory, he 
 declined worldly praise and honours which occasions in- 
 vited him to, and in the only instances of public honours 
 he permitted, that the scriptures might be fulfilled, in the 
 Hosannahs of the multitude as their King entered Jeru- 
 salem, he manifested humility, meekly receiving tiiose 
 honours silting upon an ass. 
 
 In his humble choice of f.imily and friends and his 
 conduct among them, rather as a servant than a master, 
 even washing the feet of his disciples, he learns his peo- 
 ple to be meek and lowly of heart, for he was meek and 
 lowly. And further, that life in which he manifested 
 constant humility was ended by his humbly submitting 
 himself to the death of the cross, the death of a malefac- 
 tor — dragged to Calvary without opposition or complaint, 
 "as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep dumb before 
 his shearers, he opened not his mouth," from which we 
 learn to lay dow^n our lives for our brethren, rather than 
 to separate from them. The will of Jesus Christ in rela- 
 tion to the oneness of his people is plainly expressed in 
 hrs prayer, " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them 
 also wiiich shall believe on me through iheir word ; that 
 they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in ma, and I in 
 Thee, that ihey also may be one in us, that the world 
 may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory 
 which thou gavest me I have given them, that they 
 may be one, even as we are one, I in them and 
 thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, 
 and tiiat the world may know that thou hast sent 
 me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me." Now 
 it is the experience of every Christian that nothing 
 more cultivates a meek and humble spirit, and keeps 
 down pride, than fervent, effectual, and energized prayer 
 considered only in its philosophical influence on oursel- 
 ves. And farther sympathy with Christ, in his prayer 
 that his people may be one, nowhere gains on the heart 
 as in earnest pleading and supplication for its final ac- 
 com|)lishnient. 
 
147 
 
 We are in favour of conventions ; first, because ihey 
 would be composed of Ihe truly liberal of all denomina- 
 tions who are actuated by a spirit of universal and im- 
 partial benevolence, and who by associaticn would be- 
 come mutually attached to each other. Hence it would 
 become more easy for them to make those sacrifices of 
 feeling: so necessary to be made if all come together ;' 
 secondly, being designed for the union of all they would 
 become the great centre of Catholic feeling. 
 
 The more our acquaintance extends with men of this 
 character the less our prejudices become ; in proportion 
 as we associate with our fellow Christians, our hearts 
 enlarge, our obligations increase towards them, and we 
 learn to respect their opinions ; secondly, conventions 
 for the purposes specified would afford an opportunity 
 for a mutual exchange of thought and feeling, which 
 woulc ; *lrce unanimity, harmony, and mutual confi- 
 dence, j ji i Dm that satire and raillery so common in 
 theological discussions, by which sectarianism is devel- 
 oped and made strong ; thirdly, an incomparable influ- 
 ence would be exerted by an association of men of 
 strong sense, deep piety, and Catholic spirit, against that 
 brainless, heartless monster, sectarianism, which is be- 
 gotten of ignorance and pride. 
 
 Again, we are in favour of Sabbath-schools, because 
 it is on the rising generation that the Church depends for 
 its future glory and stability ; and it becomes our duly 
 to carefully instruct the young in the relation they hold 
 to Christ and His people and its consequent duties and 
 obligations. God made 't the imperious duty of the 
 Israelites to instruct their children into the nature and de- 
 sign of the obligations of their institutions as a peculiar 
 people. *' Thou shall teach them diligently to thy chil- . 
 dren, and talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, 
 and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest 
 down, and when thou risest up." 
 
 We advocate union schools because the adopting a 
 denominational name would either exclude many from 
 
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 the school or awaken among parents of different faith, 
 suspicion of proselytism. It is natural to suppose that 
 the teacher of a denominational school would draw his 
 scholars with him to his own Church. Then will come 
 rumours, evil surmisings, back-bitings, whisperings, 
 tumults, and perverse disputings, to the injury of the 
 school and Church. But let a union school be establish- 
 ed, in which the cardinal doctrines of the Bible are taught, 
 and in these all agree, and sectarianism there must die. 
 It cannot live in the light of the gospel, which proclaims 
 a law of love. A union school is organized for the be- 
 nefit of all who choose to avail themselves of it, and 
 without requiring a conformity to anything more than is 
 reasonable for its proper government ; it seeks the wel- 
 fare of all and awakens in the minds of the children no' 
 prejudices against the religion of their parents ; it dis-* 
 countenances proselytism, sectarianism, and bigotry, and 
 establishes that Catholicity which will not limit its use- 
 fulness to the narrow bounds of anv one Church, but 
 gives an invitation that all denominations can accept 
 with confidence, and secures to the school a permenancy 
 which no denominational name can give. And here let 
 it be observed, that where children associate together 
 from Sabbath to Sabbath under the pure example of 
 liberality, and fervent, earnest prayer for the peace of the . 
 Church, and daily study the life of Jesus, whose spirit 
 and conduct, whose parables and prayers, and death of 
 agony all speak through and through universal and im- 
 partial love, it is impossible for them to become theore- 
 tically or practically sectarianists, and retain their own 
 self-respect. 
 
 To elevate and exhibit all the good that can be produ- 
 ced and cherished favourable to union in the Sabbath 
 school would require a more comprehensive m in than 
 I possess. 
 
 Then let us go to work like Christians, in one of the 
 most surprisingly great and grand enterprises which ever 
 filled mortal hands. And the blessings we will confer 
 
ililti'iPiTXliiHrMt-ffi*^ 
 
 149 
 
 on our race and the Church will perhaps never be known 
 until the books that contain the records of the worlds his- 
 tory are read in the light of the judgment fires, while 
 earth, heaven and hell listen. 
 
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 CHAPTER, VIIL 
 
 MOTIVES TO UOTOX. 
 
 We pvocaed now to ])resv^nt a icw motives to union, 
 for the fjpecial consi'leralion of Christians ; but few 
 others we prcsame, will be sufficiently interested to give 
 this subject atti^ntion. Others rnay read this work and 
 carelessly throw it aside, with a passing remark, either in 
 favour or against our object, but will not deeply feel its 
 !ropo*(.\nc? The trt^'^ Christian however, will punjrently 
 feel the importance of Methodist union; the more pun- 
 gently in proportion as he feels interested in the advance- 
 ment of the Redeemer's Kingdom on earth. 
 
 Various are the topics which this subject suggests. 
 Motives which should influence the various Methodist 
 denominations to be one, we find on every hand. What 
 is unholy society on earth but a fearful development of 
 the mournful degeneracy of our race ; breaking forth in 
 envy, distrust, personal and social rivalries, tyranny, 
 wars and bloodshed ? What are the scriptures but a 
 continual sermon against strife, discord, schism, and divi- 
 sions? What should the Church be but an exhibition of 
 peace, harmony, and unity among brethren, resulting 
 from faith in a common Father ? What will the judg- 
 ment be but an awful disclosure of the evils of discord? 
 What will hell be but the fearful abodes of the conten- 
 tious ? What will heaven be but the constant home of 
 peace and harmony ? In short, the voices which come 
 from within and without, from above and beneath, from 
 time and eternity, from heaven and hell, admonish breth- 
 ren to live together in unity. 
 
 i\ 
 
liiSU- 
 
 r..-;iH 
 
 151 
 
 In further consideration of this subject it is proprr for 
 us to drop these general remnrks and bring to the notice 
 of the reader some particular motives of practical im- 
 port nnce. 
 
 1st, The sinfulness of the causes of these divisions is 
 an argument in favour of healing them. 
 
 There arc now in the world two kinds of Christianity, 
 the one dogmatical, the other evangelical. 
 
 Gospel Christianity is the reception of the life of God 
 in the soul by the " renewing of the Holy Ghost : which 
 he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Sa- 
 viour.'* And the believer who is "fill-d with the Spirit " 
 becomes God-like, having a transfusion of the mind of 
 Christ into his mind, from which spring love, joy, long- 
 Buffering, gentleness, goodness, and that clrarity which 
 covers a multitude of faults. Dr. Cumnniings represents 
 the christian as acting " the part of the painter who was 
 called on to paint Alexander the Great. Alexander had 
 a scar upon his forehead which he had received in the 
 course of his Macedonian battles, and the painter was 
 perplexed to find a way by which to escape shewing this 
 deformity. At last he hit upon the happy expedient of 
 representing the Monarch, sitting in his chair, his head 
 leaning upon his right arm, and the forefinger covering 
 the scar upon his brow." 
 
 Dogmatical Christianity has its origin in the very 
 worst passions of men. Because some carnal ministers, 
 instead of being the humble agents, under God, in the 
 conversion of sinners, prostrated their energies to ad- 
 vance the selfish interests of scheming politicians ; or 
 because some worldly ministers, who sought their own 
 honour or gain, failed in the accomplishment of their 
 designs while connected with the Church, for the purpose 
 of success in their darling schemes, separated from the 
 Church and framed new dogmas, true ministers of God's 
 word have allowed themselves to be divided. The ten- 
 dency to division and strife in the Corinthian Churches, 
 proceeded according to the Bible, from carnality. So the 
 
152 
 
 present existing divisions and strife* proceed from carnal- 
 ity. And inasnnuch as to be carnally minded is death, 
 our divisions will be attended with death and ruin, un- 
 less we, under ihe influence of the spirit, become so 
 spiritually-minded as to live in love and peace. Then, 
 in view of the sinful causes of our divisions, let us yield 
 an obedience to the will of God, live in peace on earth 
 ihat we muy not be filled with sorrow and vain regrets 
 through eternity. 
 
 2nd, We urge as a motive, the value of union to so- 
 ciety. No truly Christianized mind can read the history 
 of either churches or nations, but must mourn the absence 
 of that bond of brotherhood, which should bind man to 
 man. Man as a selfish being is antagonistical to God 
 and his neighbour ; seeking his own and not the things 
 which are Christ's or his neighbours. The Rev. Tobias 
 Spicer remarks : *' Sin has entered into our world, and 
 death by sin. Every man has turned his hand against 
 his brother. This world is a slaughter-house, literally 
 an Aceldama, a field of blood. And why is this ? Be- 
 cause men have forgotten that God is their Father, and 
 that they are all brethren. If all would strive 'to dwell 
 together in unity,' the state of society would be wonder- 
 fully changed : tyranny and oppression would entirely 
 cease, and the oppressed would go free, flnurders, robber- 
 ries, and tL fts would be known no more, and men would 
 enjoy their lives and property without molestation ; dis- 
 honesty and fraud of every kind would cease through all 
 the wide family of man. Then would prisons and 
 houses of correction, with which our, world abounds, be 
 needed no more ; instruments of warfare would be con- 
 verted into implements of agriculture and husbandry, 
 and the ancient prophecy would be fulfilled, — * The wolf 
 shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down 
 with the kid ; they shall not hurt or destroy in all my 
 holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the know- 
 ledge of the Lord.' Oh, blessed state of society, how 
 much to be desired ! when will it be realized in all its 
 
153 
 
 glory ? — When all men shall be regulated by ihe pure 
 precepts of the gospel ! Then shall brethren dwell to- 
 geiher in unity" ; ' ,» ; • . -• 
 
 One of the principles in the organization of civil or 
 religious society is a spirit of independance which es- 
 tablishes personal interests, consequently there are fre- 
 quent collisions. Nations, blinded by passion, dashing 
 against nations, man against man, and sect against sect ; 
 producing a series of sorrows and crimes arising out of 
 national ambition, personal interest, and priestly pride. 
 But Christianity in the fulfilment of its benevolent pur- 
 poses will put an end to this state of things. And its 
 work on earth is not finally accomplished as long as strife 
 exists. " The most prominent feature," says the above 
 quoted author, " of the Christian religion is love, uni- 
 versal love to God and man. When the Apostle had 
 enumerated several Christian graces, he introduces cha- 
 rity, which is but another name for love, and although 
 these Christian graces were excellencies not to be found 
 in any other religion under the sun ; yet he says, * The 
 greatest of these is charity ' for ' charity never faileth.' 
 In the early ages of Christianity, Christians were remark- 
 able for * dwelling together in unity,' insomuch that their 
 enemies wfere constrained to say, * See how these Chris- 
 tians love.' " 
 
 Church institutions, which are closely connected with 
 the fulfilment of the purposes of the religion of Christ, 
 should have for their everlasting basis universal benevo- 
 lence, which would cause a cessation of personal and 
 soci&l rivalries. And when persons and societies be at 
 peace, nations would be at peace also. The same Di- 
 vine law which secures the one, would bring about ihe 
 other. When social strife ceases, the occasion for nation- 
 al strife no longer exists, for the God of individuals, and 
 social institutions, and Church unions, is the God of na- 
 tions. We attach value to wealth, learning, good name, 
 happiness. It is well. These are all desirable ; but how 
 less than dust in the ballance are they compared with 
 
' f 
 
 154 
 
 iove and pence. Better is a dinner of herbs where love 
 is, than a stalled ox, and hatred therewith. It is these 
 which spread Joy all over the celestial regions, and 
 awakens the song of heaven. If this be so, we are cor- 
 rect when we say, that the value of union to society 
 should be a powerful motive to influence us to labour to 
 brins it about. *• - .;i( 
 
 3rd, The honour of God requires it. 
 
 If we analyze this subject closely, we will find, that 
 when there is a union of man with God, there is a union 
 with all who are united to God, God in all, and all in 
 God; the Father in Christ, and Christ in those who are 
 begotten of him ; mutually bound together and living in 
 each other ; no more separated in fact, or capable of 
 being separated from each other, than the rays of the 
 light are separated, or capable of being separated from 
 the natural sun. God created man at the first, in his 
 own image, and although man lost that image, yet, 
 through the mediatorial agency of Christ that image 
 can be restored. The Saviour in speaking of himself, re- 
 marks: "1 and my Father are one," and praying for his 
 people, says : *' That they all may be one ; as thou, Father^ 
 art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, 
 that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." And 
 St. Paul, speaking of the religion of Jesus, describes 
 it as being, Christ in us the hope of glory. Hence we 
 see that the religion of Christ reproduces the divine image 
 in the human soul; and the Christians life should be as 
 God's life inhumanity. God, therefore, is honoured by the 
 peaceable life of his people ; and to promote his honour 
 should beour highest ambition. God is jealous of his ho- 
 nour. When the Israelites sinned in the wilderness, he said, 
 '1 would scatter them into corners, I would make the re- 
 membrance of them cease from among men, were it not 
 that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversa- 
 ries should behave themselves strangely I wrought for my 
 name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the hea- 
 then." God was so jealous of his honour that he would 
 
 d 
 
\ 
 
 155 
 
 bear with the insult of that people rather than the hea- 
 then should say, *• The Lord is not able to carry his peo- 
 pie through." How carefully then should Christians be 
 in their conduct toward each other/v\ hen his honour is at 
 stake. When Christians live in peace and are united, 
 they give to the world unmistakeable evidence of the 
 Divinity of their religion. ** By this '' says Jesus, •* shall 
 all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one 
 another, and by this we know that we have passed from 
 death unto life, because we love the brethren." Whrn 
 Christians, who should set forth dclighttul views of the 
 Divine perfections, indulge in hatred, variance, wrath, 
 and strife, they commit a fraud on the universe, and bo- 
 come living libels on the moral character of God. We 
 argue, therefore, that the honour of God demands a 
 union. 
 
 4th, The interest of the cause of Christ requires. 
 
 ** What is the chief end of man ? '* enquires a certain 
 catechism, and answers, ** to glorify God and enjoy him 
 for ever. But how can we glorify Ggd without entire 
 conformity to his will ; and while Christians are divided 
 the Saviour's prayer has not been fulfilled. There is still 
 something more necessary ; and that defect not only dis- 
 honours God, but prevents us, who are styled the lights 
 of the world, bringing our fellows to Christ. The world 
 in this day has too sharp an ey^^o be deceived ; they will 
 take knowledge of us and then draw their conclusions. 
 They understand that " the wisdom that is from above, 
 is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreat- 
 ed, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and 
 without hypocrisy; and the fruit of righteousness is 
 sown in pecae of them that make peace ; and it is no 
 marvel that when they find among us division and strife, 
 that they conclude that we are devoid of the spirit of 
 Christ, and " earthly, sensual, devilish, for where envy- 
 ing and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work, 
 Jas. iii., 16, 17. And when we come to Icok at the cir- 
 cumstances which surround us, and the opportunities we 
 
V 
 
 r» 
 
 15G 
 
 are favoured with to draw many after us, to brighten our 
 crown of rejoicing for ever ; we say, let there be peace. 
 They that are wise, shall shine as the firmament, and 
 they that turn many to righteoueness for ever and ever. 
 We in our divided state may do something; but infinitely 
 greater will be our efficiency if we are united as a mighty 
 phalanx against the common enemy. But we come more 
 closely to look at our advantages and opportunities of 
 doing good ; and we believe that since the creation there 
 were never more favourable circumstances ofTered to any 
 people than is this moment presented to the Canadian 
 Methodist. 
 
 A great harvest is ripe, waving with world-wide ex- 
 panse, demanding sturdy reapers, men who will abandon 
 self, and with quenchless love make universal eiTort for 
 the salvation of men. With propriety we can adopt the 
 language of a certain writer of the United States, and 
 say, God is sending the old world by millions to our 
 Sjhores. , In one of our valleys alone we could victual the 
 whole population of the earth, and God only knows how 
 soon we shall have to do it ; hither come the rich to in- 
 vest capital ; the poor to seek bread ; the wise to impart 
 knowledge ; the silly, they scarce know why ; the timid, 
 to escape revolution: the bold, to seek adventures. 
 Whence do they come ? From all the earth, but chiefly 
 ftrom the dominions of Romanism. Welcome, thrice 
 welcome ; they come to seek refuge — mf^y they find sal- 
 vation ! But that they may, we must bestir ourselves ; 
 we must send ministers by thousands through the valleys 
 of the West ; we must station them by hundreds on the 
 mountain tops, in the wilderness, and along the shores 
 of the Pacific, This we owe to ourselves, to Jesus 
 Christ, to perishing souls. , ,; . . ..-. . .t ...r 
 
 Egypt, Persia, Turkey, and the Islands of the sea, 
 are taking their stand among civilized nations, are oflTer- 
 ing inviting fields of Christian labour. India is whiten- 
 ing to the harvest of salvation. China has relaxed her 
 unsocial exclusiveness, and opened her paths to the foot- 
 
ItiinifetfiHiiiHri > ,', jT: 
 
 •.■.ivu'.'.ihma.^^Maa^tvAiMy^sffmi 
 
 sea. 
 
 157 
 
 step of the evangelist. Africa, so long known only to 
 geography, is accessible at both her extremities and along 
 the eastern and western borders. The mountains of Asia, 
 the valleys of the Nile, the Niger, the Senegal, and the 
 Gambia, the snowy peaks of Greenland, and the volcanic 
 summits of intertropical regions cry out to us for help. 
 Ten thousand missionaries would not satisfv the demand 
 of the present hour. What shall we do ? " Pray ye the 
 Lord of the harvest, that he would send forih labourers 
 into his harvest." And while we pray let us act consis- 
 tent with our prayer, and not wasle our energies and neu- 
 tralize oi^r eflbrts, by labouring lo establish conflicting 
 interests. Better be ciphers in the world than .o strike 
 the friends of G(,d. Oh, that we could see and feel vue 
 mighty work w^hich is to be done and done at once, be- 
 fore the opportunity rushes past, and make that combined 
 eflbrt which becomes the sons and daughters of the Most 
 Hi-tv 
 
 5th. Not only does the honour of God and the interest 
 of his cause demand a union ; but in the Bible his au- 
 thority commands it. And when God speaks let heaven 
 and earth stand in awe. He has established harmony in 
 the kingdom of nature, and equally so in the dispensa- 
 tions of his grace in the salvation of men ; and therefore 
 be commands his people to be one ; and who ever resis- 
 ted his commands and prospered. And now dear reader 
 look again through this work and review ali ih? quota- 
 tions from the Bible against divisions and in favour of 
 union, and do not hastily throw them aside ; or go to 
 the Bible for yourself, and do not treat it with contempt, 
 but feel that it is God speaking to you, and when he com- 
 mands his people to be one, will you refuse ? Settle that 
 question with the eye of God full upon your soul, and 
 see that you refuse not him that speaketh from heaven ; 
 and when he says, *• Let brotherly love continue " and, 
 " Let there he no divisions among you," will you stick 
 for sectarian peculiarities, and dogmatically draw deno- 
 minational lines between those who reflect your Father's 
 

 'V;'Jf' 
 
 nim&»{ii^ij-iiisiiiamit&ummi& ■ 
 
 158 
 
 imaLre, who possesses a family likeness; rather by your 
 influence and prayers, drive away the demon of discord 
 which has so long crippled our efforts, and let us unitedly 
 hasten the answer of the Redeemer's dyiiij; prayer, that 
 a brighter Hay mHy dawn on the Christian Church. 
 
 6ih. We urge as a motive to Methodist Union, that 
 life will soon be over, and then bigotry and sectarian jea- 
 lousy will be at an end, and all Christians will dwell to- 
 gether in perfect harmony in the Kingdom of heaven. 
 And when we weigh our dogmas, which are the subjects 
 of our warmest contentions, in the ballances of eternity, 
 how trifling they appear; and everything beneath the 
 sun is transient,* like shadows they vanish, "the fading 
 glories disappear, the short-lived beauties die away. 
 But from these fleeting scenes we will awake to things 
 more real and substantial. And we are on the very con- 
 fines of Eternity ; soon we shall be its incumbents. 
 There is but a step between us and death, *' From whose 
 bourne no traveller returns." But what is beyond? 
 Would you live without union with your brethren here; 
 you cannot there. There all Christians in the presence 
 of Christ and the holy angels, unite in a great multitude 
 which no man can nun. her; gathered from the East and 
 West; from the North and ^>outh ; and dwell in unity be- 
 fore the thr«)ne, and brightening under the smile of Godi 
 mutually join in the triumphant song of " salvation to 
 our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb 
 for ever." If so, what an impressive motive to union. 
 Why shall we be divided on earth when we hope to be 
 united in heaven. Theise motives might be enlarged with 
 profit, so as to increase their weight, and many others 
 not inferior in force might be added ; but we leave the 
 subject for reflection, and expect to see some good result 
 in the coming judgment. And in disfnissing this subject 
 with tiur eyes on the judgment, and all the realities of 
 eternity standing out in bold relief before us, we feel 
 inexpressible solicitude. We look into the future and 
 ask what will be the result of our toil. What efliect it 
 
159 
 
 will produce upon our race we know not ; but this we do 
 know, Ihfit soon the writer and his readers will meet in 
 eternity. The hand that penned these lines will be cold 
 and motionless in the grave ; and your eyes that now 
 read them will be sealed in death ; and we will agree 
 then on the necessity of Christian union on earth. 
 
• 
 
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 PROSPECTUS 
 
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 ^3x0 
 
 -0 — 
 
 THE METHODIST UNION will be published in Canada 
 "West, in monthly numbers of sixteen pages each, at the low 
 price of Two Shillings and Sixpence a Tear. The object of 
 this Periodical is to promote a Union of all the Methodist De- 
 nominations in Canada upon equitable and Christian principles. 
 
 This work will recognize no particular tenets as being the basis 
 of union, but will give prominence to the excellencies of the 
 various Societies, leaving others, whose tastes prepare them for 
 such a work, to expose their defects. 
 
 Being fullypersuaded that the multitude of corporations' into 
 which the Methodist Church is divided is contrary to the reveal- 
 ed will pf €rod, antagonistical to the conversion of the world, 
 and "a sinful waste of Our Lord's money, the Editor will devote 
 much space to the development of the great principles of Chris- 
 tian charity and frugality, hoping thereby to move all, who love 
 God supremely and their brethren affectionately, to rise superior 
 to party spirit and sectarian feeling, and cordially unite in the 
 advancement of the common cause of our redeemer. 
 
 The Editor humbly solicits contributions for the Union from 
 the wise and good of all denominations ; at the same time he 
 pledges himself not to admit anything into its columns which is 
 not calculated to heal the unfortunate divisions which have so 
 long estranged the children of God, but will endeavour, by 
 Diyne help, to present evidences, and answer objections, in a 
 manner becoming the great subject he discusses, and so approre 
 himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 
 
 ■Bgia^sor.''^'''^''''''™''''^' 
 
 Editor, 
 
 .•■!S 
 
 -r-'^^^'^tS^ 
 
 ■^=S>§|^^;C^