to be sick of opinions, of idle controversies, and of the strife of words. He loathed this frothy food, and called for Christian godliness in its life and power. Neither with respect to himself, nor those that heard him, would he be satisfied with any thing less than the holy, happy love of God and man, springing from a sense of God's mercy in Christ, and expressing itself in all piety, righteousness, benevolence, and truth. Those who live without this fall short of the great end for which they were created and redeemed, and will through everlasting ages lament their sin and folly. "Let the dead bury their dead: go thou and preach the kingdom of God." The conversion of men to Christ must be the one object of our ministry, of our plans of education, of our missionary exertions, and, indeed, of all our proceedings.

To strengthen the various institutions of Wesleyan Methodism, and thus render the efforts of the connection to spread true religion, both at home and abroad, still more extended and effective, it is intended to connect the devotional acts of the centenary with pecuniary contributions; the objects of which have been already published, and will be found in the appendix to this volume. The more wealthy of our people throughout the land have enrolled their names, and specified the amount of their intended donations. Such a display of Christian liberality was never before witnessed in the Wesleyan body. The largeness of the sums has indeed excited general observation. The less wealthy of our societies and congregations, and even the poor, must also have an opportunity of showing their good will to the cause; and it may be hoped that the aggregate will be worthy of the occasion,-a becoming expression of gratitude for benefits already received, and of zeal for the extension of the same benefits to the ends of the earth.

The largest amount of property ever given at one time, for strictly religious purposes, was, perhaps, that which King David and the elders of the Israelitish tribes, presented toward the erection of the temple. The spirit by which the whole assembly was actuated was every way exemplary. There was no vain boast. ing there. No one said, "See what Judaism can do !",

THE CENTENARY OF WESLEYAN METHODISM.

:

196 Every one felt that what he possessed had been first received from God; and that it was an act of infinite condescension in Him to accept the offering of their hands. While they were therefore filled with sacred joy, they presented their gold, and silver, and precious stones, with self-abasement and holy reverence. "Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now, therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thy hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart, I have willingly offered all these things: and now I have seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee. And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD and the king," 1 Chron. xxix, 9–20.

But

APPENDIX.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR CELEBRATING THE CENTENARY OF WESLEYAN METHODISM.

THE following are the resolutions of the late conference on this subject, extracted from the minutes, pp. 115–119:

Q. What does the conference determine on the subject of the proposed CENTENARY OF WESLEYAN METHODISM?

"A. The committee, appointed by the last conference to consider this subject, reported that, in pursuance of that appointment, they have held three meetings, which were numerously attended both by ministers, and by other gentlemen from different parts of the kingdom; and that, after reading various letters and maturely considering and comparing the suggestions therein contained, as well as the opinions of several highly influential and judicious friends who addressed the meetings, they unanimously adopted the following resolutions, as expressing their views and wishes on this interesting question:

I. That this committee cordially approves of the proposed celebration in the ensuing year (1839) of the centenary of the formation of the Wesleyan Methodist Society, under the providential instrumentality of the ever-to-berevered and venerated JoHN WESLEY.

"II. That the primary object of the said celebration should be the religious and devotional improvement of the centenary, by such public services in our chapels as the conference may judge it proper to appoint or to recommend.

"III. That, in connection with this primary object, it is deemed right and expedient by this committee, that there should be a general pecuniary contribution, by means both of private donations and public collections, through all our congregations and societies, at home and abroad ;—such contributions being intended as a practical thank-offering to Almighty God, for the personal and public benefits, derived by his blessing, from the labours of Mr. Wesley and of his coadjutors and successors, during the last hundred years, and from the direct and indirect influences of Wesleyan Methodism, not merely on our own religious community, but also on the Christian church at large, and on the spiritual interests of the world.

"IV. That, after full consideration, it is the decided opinion of the committee that the connectional fund, to be raised on the occasion of the centenary, should be applied, in the first place, in the erection of suitable premises for the accommodation of students to be hereafter received into the Wesleyan Theological Institution, (whether such students be designed for home or for missionary service,) on an enlarged scale, adapted to the increasing demands of the connection for the benefit of its rising ministry; and, in the second place, in assisting to provide commodious premises in London for the use of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, adequate to the greatly augmented and augmenting extent of its multifarious and important business.

"V. That this committee further recommend that our friends be affectionately advised to make some arrangements, by private and local efforts, in each circuit, respectively, for enabling the children of our Sunday and other charity schools, and also the poor members of our societies, to participate in the pleasure and benefit of the intended celebration, on the day, or on one of the days, to be set apart for that purpose; so as to engage their pious and hearty concurrence in the thanksgivings, congratulations, and prayers of this great occasion ;-the specific plan for the attainment of this object, for the distribution of any local fund which may be raised for the poor members, being left entirely to the discretion of the preachers and friends in every circuit which shall adopt this suggestion, according to their own views of what will be most convenient in each particular case, and most in accordance with the general religious services which may be hereafter appointed for the connection at large.

VI. That this committee earnestly recommends to the immediate consideration of the connection the case of our worn-out ministers, and that of the widows of our deceased ministers. The committee respectfully suggest the propriety and necessity of some further provision for their support upon the principle of the children's fund; and would be particularly gratified, if such an arrangement could be effected, and provision made, for its future practical operation, during the coming centenary year; believing that it would be, in connection with other modes of celebrating that occasion, an eminently fitting and beneficial testimonial of the gratitude of the connection to those of its ministers who are no longer capable of regular and constant labours, and of its pious care for the widows of those preachers who are gone to their reward.'

"On receiving this report of the committee the conference unanimously resolved,

"I. That the conference gratefully approves of the reso

lutions of the centenary committee as now reported; and cordially adopts them, in substance, as its own.

"II. That a day of special and united supplication for the blessing of God upon the intended centenary services, and for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon ourselves and our people during the coming year, shall be appointed by the president-such day to be fixed for as early a period in January, 1839, as he may judge most convenient, and duly announced by him in the Methodist Magazine, and otherwise, according to his discretion.

"III. That the official discourse, usually delivered before the conference by the preacher who has just retired from the presidency, shall be considered, at the next conference in 1839, as the Centenary Sermon; and that the Rev. Thomas Jackson, now our president, then the ex-president, be accordingly appointed to discharge that duty.

"IV. That our president is also requested to prepare and publish, as early as possible, a brief but comprehensive work on the subject of the centenary; including, with succinct notices of the origin, progress, and present state of Wesleyan Methodism, and of the leading facts in the life and history of the revered founder of our societies, such remarks as may assist our friends in the devout improvement of the occasion. "V. That one day be set apart during the session of the conference in July, 1839, to be employed in suitable religious services, by the preachers and friends who may then be in attendance at Liverpool.

"VI. That, in all other places, the month of October, 1839, is deemed the most suitable period for the centenary services; and that arrangements shall accordingly be made for such services in every chapel, on such day or days of that month as may be found most convenient. The schoolcollection, usually made in October, shall for that one year be made in September; and it is earnestly requested that no collection for ordinary local purposes shall be made during that month.

“VII. That the president is authorized to nominate and invite a select committee of preachers and laymen, from different parts of the connection, to meet himself and our secretary at Manchester, in October, 1838, or as soon afterward as may be convenient, for the purpose of carrying into effect the resolutions of the former centenary committee who met at Bristol, as above recorded ;—of filling up the outline therein sketched ;-of considering such other suggestions, in accordance with the general principle of those resolutions, as may be submitted to them-and, especially, of appointing local sub-committees in different places, for promoting the general centenary fund, as described in the third and