from their labours on earth, to the higher services of the church above. Three others have become Supernumeraries. Yet there was found no lack of suitable labourers, a sufficient number of young men having been recommended by the District-Meetings, and approved by the Conference. Six were received into full connexion with the Conference, and solemnly ordained to the work of the ministry; on which occasion an instructive and encouraging charge was addressed by the President to the newly-ordained Ministers.

Ireland is now passing through important social changes, and suffering not a little from painful dispensations with which that afflicted land has been visited during the last few years. This state of things has presented formidable difficulties in the way of our Irish brethren, who have to prosecute their evangelical labours amid great spiritual darkness and gross superstition. The adherents of an adverse and prevailing system manifest an ever-wakeful vigilance in their efforts to maintain and extend its pernicious influence. Emigration also has carried away, for several successive years, multitudes of valuable members of the Irish Methodist Society. This very afflictive event mainly contributes to prevent a numerical increase. It will not excite much astonishment, considering the present condition of Ireland, so unsettled as to its social state, so pressed down by the sad results of famine and disease, so awfully darkened by the delusions of that anti-Christian system which prevails over its benighted realms,—that there should have been a declension this year in the number of our Societies. Yet many circumstances present a hopeful aspect in reference to Ireland. Our brethren there are labouring by manifestation of the truth to commend themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God; nor have their zealous and faithful labours been without the Divine blessing. Sinners have been converted, and believers edified. Many are the witnesses that the Gospel preached is not the word of man, but that it is in truth the word of God. In most places where Methodism has an existence on the face of the globe, may be found the spiritual children of Irish Wesleyan Ministers; and, while we rejoice in the efforts and successes of all who are seeking the spiritual regeneration of Ireland, we cannot but regard Wesleyan Methodism as occupying a distinguished place among the agencies consecrated to this end.

We trust that the prayers and sympathies of the British people will continue to be excited in behalf of Ireland. Our devout hope is, that a bright and glorious day will yet dawn upon Irish Methodism; and that the cause which, about a century since, originated in the labours of the devoted Wesley, and of his faithful assistants, and which, amid much opposition, has been preserved and fostered by the providence and grace of God,-will more widely extend its influence, and will spread scriptural Christianity through the length and breadth of the land.

Seldom did the assembled Ministers retire from the Conference with a more firm purpose to spend and be spent for Christ: seldom did they enter upon the duties of a new ecclesiastical year with more determined resolution to labour in the word and doctrine as becometh those who feel that they watch for souls, and who know that they must give an account to Him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

The various funds of the Connexion present but little decrease, and evince a strong desire, on the part of our Hibernian friends, to support to the extent of their ability the cause of Christ both in their own and in distant lands. While agitation has been disturbing some of our Societies in

England, a spirit of peace, and of strong attachment to Wesleyan Methodism, has almost universally prevailed in Ireland.

The Address of the Irish to the British Conference contains more full information respecting the present position, difficulties, and prospects of Irish Methodism. To this important document the attention of our readers is directed.

II. THE WESLEYAN-METHODIST CONFERENCE, LONDON, 1850.

On Wednesday morning, July 31st, 1850, at nine o'clock, the sittings of the Annual Conference of Wesleyan Ministers in Great Britain commenced in the City-road chapel, London. The extent which the Wesleyan "Connexion" has now reached, and the important interests which it involves, as a collection of spiritual associations, composed of individual members, in the exercise of their undoubted Christian rights voluntarily and definitely agreeing to "walk by the same rule, and to mind the same thing," to maintain, and by a visible oneness to manifest, the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,-that union of affection, judgment, and practice, as well as of object and design, on which such great stress is laid in the New Testament, the supreme code of ecclesiastical obligation and law,— must render this Annual Conference of Ministers for the purposes of general supervision and final determination, under the most ordinary circumstances, an occurrence of vital importance. In the deliberations and decisions of the Ministers thus assembled, the many thousands who compose the Wesleyan Societies and congregations in Great Britain, and on the numerous Missionary stations in other lands, are directly interested; while the entire church of Christ, of which the Wesleyan Societies constitute a true branch, must evidently, in a considerable degree, be affected by them. Since the Conference of 1849, however, circumstances have arisen which have long been fixing what there will be no impropriety in terming "the general Wesleyan attention" on the Conference of 1850. To its sittings many have been looking forward even with anxiety; and the question has been repeatedly proposed, not with the levity of mere curiosity, but with a seriousness which proved how deep was the interest by which it was prompted," What will the Conference do?" It appears, therefore, to be a duty which we owe both to our readers, and to the Conference, to extend beyond their usual limits the introductory remarks with which we have long been accustomed to preface the notices of Conference proceedings contained from year to year in the September Number of our Magazine.

We wish, in the first place, to suggest to the most serious consideration of our readers the fact which lies at the basis of all correct argumentation on the various proceedings of the Conference,—that Wesleyan Methodism is a branch of the church of Christ. It exists, therefore, for church purposes; and those purposes must be sought to be promoted by instruments and methods in accordance with the revealed will of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head and Founder of the church. Arguments based on the objects and plans of secular society, when applied to the church, assume a resemblance which does not exist. Such arguments, at the utmost, can only be regarded as analogical; and, when thus viewed, they will always be found insufficient for the purposes for which they are commonly used. Analogy is not resemblance of subjects, but resemblance of relations. The general formula of the argument, therefore, should be-not-Such and such measures are proper or necessary for the well-being of secular society; therefore, the same measures are proper and necessary for the well-being of

spiritual society; but-As such and such measures are proper for secular society, so, the measures proper for spiritual society must bear a similar relation to the character of the spiritual society that the others do to that of secular society. In a simple rule-of-three question, the proportion which a bears to b, that same proportion c bears to d. While band d differ, a and c must differ, and for the preservation of the analogy must differ in the same proportion. Because a is required in one case, it not only does not follow that it must be required in the other; but it does follow that something else, even c, is required. Our limits allow us to do no more than state this important principle. We cannot open it out by illustrating and applying it. But we most earnestly entreat attention to it. Many of the gravest errors which have been maintained during the late unhappy agitations have arisen from overlooking it. In the above formula, a and c differ from each other. Yet both are right because they bear the same relation to their respective objects. Make c into a; and, while the quantity is the same, the proportion is destroyed. There can be no direct reasoning from secular to spiritual, or from spiritual to secular, society. The Conference is an association of the Ministers of a Christian society; and all their proceedings are to be governed by the objects of Christian society. And just in proportion as they promote or obstruct these objects, are they to be deemed right or wrong. And what are these objects? The promotion of the present and eternal salvation of the soul, in all the blessings which it comprehends, and therein the glory of God our Saviour. Let none judge of the proceedings of Christian Ministers by any standard lower than this. Their calling involves the obligation of strict, universal, and constant attention to this. Their own salvation, and the well-being of the church, are indissolubly bound up with their fidelity.

A fact-not, indeed, exclusively connected with the Conference just concluded, but associated with its assembling-suggests a second topic to which all must advert who would rightly judge of Conferential proceedings. According to the New Testament, Christian Ministers are not only Preachers, but they who "take the oversight of the flock of God," and "have the rule over it." (1 Pet. v. 2; Heb. xiii. 7.) But this is not to be exercised for any objects of their own. They are not to be “lords over God's heritage,"-a sin, by the way, which indicates a certain position assigned, a certain authority committed, to them, of both which it is the abuse through human infirmity and corruption; and therefore general provisions are made, which, while they allow the legitimate, guard against the corrupt, exercise of ministerial power. We believe that the New Testament lays down general principles concerning what may be termed this popular check, without stating particularly, as universally and constantly binding, the form in which it should exist. The principle being secured, the method and form admit of the variety required by the various circumstances in which different churches may from time to time be placed. It is perhaps one of the most difficult problems the solution of which is required in the constitution and order of a Christian church, to establish a check which shall combine the greatest amount of security against evil with the smallest amount of obstruction to that which is right and necessary. How far the problem finds its solution in Wesleyan Methodism, this is not the place to inquire. It is enough for our present purpose to say that such check most efficiently exists. In all matters of secular administration, People and Pastors are combined, uniformly, and according to settled law. This would be seen in the different Committees which met

(as usual) to prepare the reports of their respective departments of Connexional business previously to the assembly of the Conference. Many persons look at the exclusively ministerial composition of the Conference, and argue upon it as if there were throughout an exclusion of lay-agency. In these mixed Committees, the matters intrusted to them are so far settled as only to require the official and final confirmation of their proceedings. But this is a very limited view of lay-agency in the secular administration of Wesleyanism. It runs throughout the every-day proceedings of all the Circuits. To use a political phrase for the mere purpose of illustration,-the purse is most completely in the hands of the people, and the position of the Ministers is one of continual dependence on them. To the Conference just belongs the power of oversight and confirmation. And even in spiritual matters, the power of the Conference is not less hedged in. No doctrines can be altered. No essential principles or facts of discipline can be changed. It is only a power of independent spiritual administration which belongs to the assembled Ministers; and even this is so guarded that unobstructed freedom of action is only found when action itself moves in a right direction. As to Circuit administration, it is not only subject to the regular supervision of the District-Meeting and Conference, but the popular check attends it throughout. In no section of the Christian church is layagency more largely employed as a check and as an auxiliary than in Wesleyanism. It is scarcely possible for an individual Minister to do wrong without detection; and detection is always succeeded by remedy. And it must not be forgotten that, as the church exists not that the will of the people, but the will of Christ, may be done, and as the promotion of this is specially committed to the ministry, while it is possible that the ministry may have too much power, it is also possible that it may have too little. In the church, neither the sovereignty of the ministry exists, nor the sovereignty of the people. The church, as Christ's kingdom, is under the sovereignty of Christ; and both Ministers and people are subjected to this; and let the advocates of popular rights, as they term them, remember, that if the Ministers are men, so are the people; that if the Ministers may be tempted to seek to be "lords over God's heritage," the people may be tempted to "despise government, speak evil of dignities," and bring anarchy and confusion into the church of order and peace. And here we may, in passing, observe, that the official discourse, delivered on the first Monday in the Conference by the Ex-President, was founded on the passage in the First Epistle of St. Peter to which allusion has just been made. The delivery of this discourse by Mr. Jackson was one of the memorable events of the Conference, and produced a profound impression on all who heard it. It has since been printed; and we earnestly recommend the perusal of it to all who feel any misgivings respecting the character of the Wesleyan Ministers. Never were their obligations and solemn responsibilities more clearly pointed out. Never were they more faithfully admonished concerning their duties, never more earnestly warned of the dangers to which they would expose themselves by criminal neglect. If such be the principles on which the Wesleyan ministry rests, such the objects which it seeks, the people of their charge have nothing to fear, everything to hope. Ichabod is written on none of their sanctuaries. The Preacher rose even above himself, and "spake as one inspired." His whole soul was instinct with the emotion with which his voice trembled. When we thought of the insulting vituperations which during the year had been directed against him, and the clamorous charges which had been

alleged against him, the true character of the late agitation appeared more obviously than ever, as involving not infirmity and mistake, but guilt of the heaviest kind. The questions concerned relate not to matters of "doubtful disputation,"-though the admission into the church even of these is most unequivocally forbidden, (Rom. xiv. 1,)—but to the laws of evangelical holiness, the infraction of which has been the melancholy but most decided characteristic of every proceeding of the agitators.

The Rev. Dr. Beecham was chosen to be the President, and the Rev. Dr. Hannah the Secretary, of the Conference. To the usual routine of business, the transaction of which is absolutely necessary, attention was regularly paid; but much of the time of the Conference was unavoidably occupied in the consideration of facts and circumstances arising out of the disturbances of the past year, so that the sittings were prolonged to the last hour in which they can legally be held. Mr. Wesley's "Deed" limits the duration of the Conference to three weeks, and the President dismissed the Preachers, with the customary benediction, at eleven o'clock on the night of the last day of the third week, Tuesday, August 20th. The state of the Connexion was carefully investigated, and it was found that, after all that had been said, the great bulk of the Wesleyan Societies were peaceable, and many of them enjoying much spiritual prosperity. Various appeals connected with cases of discipline had to be examined and decided; and a dispassionate and impartial observer must have admired the wisdom with which they were considered, and the anxiety to do right which was manifest throughout. The resolution of the Conference to preserve inviolate the just rights of the people was evident; and so were the reluctance with which the more painful exercises of discipline were performed, and the kindness with which it was sought to obviate the necessity of their performance, by bringing offenders into a state of feeling more in harmony with that of their brethren. At the same time, there was not the slightest appearance of giving way in reference to the essential principles involved in the Wesleyan discipline. In laying down those principles, Mr. Wesley, they believe, was wonderfully guided by the great Head of the church, and led to the establishment of a system in all essential points supported by the New Testament, and admirably calculated to promote vital godliness among all who are governed by it. This system the present Ministers did not construct. They received it from their fathers as a sacred trust which they promised to preserve and transmit unimpaired. On these promises they were received into the Wesleyan ministry. The people of their charge have always expected them to be on this point undeviatingly faithful, and on this expectation have always freely supplied them not only with the means of temporal support, but of carrying on the system in its practical operations both at home and abroad. This trust they cannot betray; and all their proceedings, during their late sittings, were expressive of their purpose. The existence and proper action of a separated ministry, as a general principle of the New Testament, and the authority of District-Meetings and the Conference, as essential to the system of Wesleyan Methodism in its Connexional character, can never be surrendered. Subordinate regulations, rendered necessary from time to time by circumstances, the Conference has always been ready to make; but innovations, affecting the fundamental character of an institution which God has so signally blessed, and which each succeeding year more clearly shows to be adapted even beyond the expectations of its original framers to promote the great designs of the Lord Jesus Christ, can never be admitted safely or without guilt. Specu