to contend with much violent opposition. At Bristol, London, Wednesbury, Falmouth, Cornwall, and Sheffield, particularly, the persecution raged horribly, and many of the preachers, as well as Mr. Wesley, were frequently in imminent danger of their lives. So far from damping their ardour, however, this opposition appeared to give it a new zest: they bore onward "through evil and through good report," till many hundreds of their most violent and determined enemies became converts to Methodism, and ornaments to society.

We have now arrived at an important era in the history of Methodism, viz., the institution of that annual assembly of preachers which is known under the name of the Conference, in which every thing relative to the affairs of Methodism is examined and determined. In the year 1744 Mr. Wesley invited his brother Charles, four other clergymen, and four of his lay-preachers, to meet with him, for the purpose of regulating the circuits into which the various parts of the kingdom had been divided, and also for a review of their doctrine and discipline; as well as the examination into the moral conduct and fitness for the work of all the preachers in the connection.

The first conference was begun by recording their desire, "that all things might be considered as in the immediate presence of God; that they might meet with a single eye, and as little children who had every thing to learn ; that every point which was proposed might be examined to the foundation; that every person might speak freely whatever was in his heart; and that every question which might arise should be thoroughly debated and settled." They observed, that there was no reason to be afraid of doing this, lest they should overturn their first principles; for if they were false, the sooner they were overturned the better; if they were true, they would bear the strictest examination. With regard to the judgment of the majority, they agreed that, in speculative things, each could only

submit so far as his judgment should be convinced; and that, in every practical point, each would submit so far as he could without wounding his conscience. Thus they laid the foundation for union in sentiment, without violating the principles of private judgment.

When about the age of fifty, Mr. Wesley entered into the marriage state with a Mrs. Vizelle, a widow lady, apparently of exemplary piety, and well adapted to become the partner of such a man. In the issue of this step, however, he was wofully disappointed: and after causing him. twenty years of sore disquietude, she departed, never intending to return. Finding that this was her determination, Mr. Wesley remarks in his Journal, "I did not forsake her: I did not dismiss her: I will not recall her."

Having fully considered his situation, Mr. Wesley determined to continue in the course in which he had been honoured with so much success, and, girding up his strength, he pressed onward with renewed ardour. In the year 1751 he paid his first visit to Scotland. Here he stopped but a short time; but the congregations were numerous, many were cut to the heart, and several joined together in a little society. In October, 1753, he was visited with a dangerous illness, his life was despaired of, and not knowing how it might please God to dispose of him, and wishing "to prevent vile panegyric" in case of death, he wrote as follows:

HERE LIETH

THE BODY OF JOHN WESLEY,

A BRAND PLUCKED OUT OF THE BURNING:

WHO DIED OF A CONSUMPTION IN THE FIFTY-FIRST YEAR OF HIS AGE:

NOT LEAVING, AFTER HIS DEBTS ARE PAID,

TEN POUNDS BEHIND HIM;

PRAYING,

GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME AN UNPROFITABLE SERVANT.

He ordered that this inscription, if any, should be placed on his tomb-stone. After being confined to his room for nearly four months, he began to recover, and was soon sufficiently strengthened to enter again on his work. It was during this period that he wrote his Notes on the New Testament.

The destructive errors of Antinomianism were at this time spreading extensively their baneful influence; nor did the Methodist societies wholly escape the contagion. They were not infected, however, to the extent which Mr. Southey seems to suppose: the discipline of Methodism opposed an insuperable barrier to this. In order to strengthen this bulwark against the overflowing of ungodliness, the evil principle which occasioned it became a matter of deep and serious consideration in the Conference of 1770, in the minutes of which, published shortly after, were inserted a series of propositions on the subject. This step was considered by the Calvinistic party as a signal for the commencement of hostilities. The controversy now fully commenced, and was continued for some time; but committed almost wholly to Mr. Fletcher, the pious vicar of Madely, who had previously espoused the cause of Mr. Wesley. Speaking of Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Southey says, "he was a man of rare talents, and rarer virtue. No age or country has ever produced a man of more fervent piety, or more perfect charity; no church has ever possessed a more apostolic minister." The controversy was carried on with much rancour by Augustus Toplady, a man of quick and lively intellect, but highly injudicious, hasty in forming conclusions, and intemperate in advancing them; much addicted to the use of coarse language, and disgustingly personal in all his attacks. All this, however, had no effect upon the heavenly minded Fletcher. The biographer just cited says of him, "If ever truly Christian charity was manifested in polemical writing, it was by

Fletcher of Madely. Even theological controversy never, in the slightest degree, irritated his heavenly temper. Upon the score of controversial offences few men have ever had so little need to ask forgiveness. When he offended his antagonists it was not by any personalities, or the slightest breathing of a malicious spirit, but by the ironical manner in which he displayed the real nature of their monstrous doctrines. Mr. Wesley, also, by the unanswerable manner in which he treated the Calvinistic question, drew upon himself the fierce resentment of a host of enemies. They were confounded, but they would not be convinced; and they assailed him with a degree of rancorous hatred which, even in theological controversy, has seldom, if ever, been exceeded."

In the year 1753 Mr. Wesley again visited Scotland; hundreds and thousands flocked to hear, and many were added to the societies. Preachers were now regularly appointed to labour here, and the influence of Methodism continued to spread, though not with that rapidity, or to that extent, which it did in England.

Hitherto the Methodist society in London had occupied the old Foundry at Moorfields as a place of worship; but on the 1st of April, 1777, Mr. Wesley laid the first stone of the chapel in the City-Road, which was opened for public worship on the first of November in the year following. In the year 1780 Mr. Wesley was engaged in a controversy with Father O'Leary, a Capuchin friar. It has been remarked, that "Mr. Wesley's propositions were a wall of adamant; and that Father O'Leary's arguments were as boiled peas shot against it." In the year 1783 Mr. Wesley visited Holland, where he was well received by many persons of the highest respectability. He repeated his visit in 1786, and preached in many of the churches, as well as in many private houses; but he did not, nor does it appear to have been any part of

his design in visiting that country, to form any societies there.

The year 1784 is remarkable in the annals of Methodism for the solidity given to its affairs by the deed of declaration enrolled in chancery, by which the numerous chapels in the connection were secured to the Conference, who, by the execution of this deed, became a legal body, and obtained the exclusive right of appointing preachers to the circuits and chapels. During this year also the in terests of Methodism in America were much strengthened and extended by giving to that people the benefits of a full and regularly ordained Christian ministry. Methodism had been introduced into New-York by a local preacher who had removed thither from Ireland. A regular society was formed in 1768, and they resolved to build a preaching-house. About the same time another local preacher from Ireland settled in Frederick county, in Maryland, and, preaching there, formed some societies. Encouraged by their success, they wrote to Mr. Wesley for help, who sent to their assistance two of his itinerant preachers. These were followed by two more in 1771, and two more followed in 1773. When the war of the revolution became general in that country, those preachers who had espoused the British cause were obliged to return. Francis Asbury alone remained, who, however, was obliged to shelter himself, for two years, in the house of a friend, before he dared to venture abroad. Methodism, meantime, had been kept alive by a few native preachers. It even increased, notwithstanding all difficulties, and at the conference held at Philadelphia in the year 1777, it appeared that there were forty preachers in the different circuits, and about 7000 members in the societies, besides many hundreds of coloured persons who had been brought under the influence of their teaching. The society, however, as the war continued, was in danger of being broken up by their