510 



METHODISTS. 



MEXICO. 



being 26,339. A resolution was adopted to 

 the effect that probationers for the ministry 

 might be permitted to marry in their fourth 

 year at the discretion of the Connectional Com- 

 mittee, but that this permission should not 

 entitle such brethren to any emoluments be- 

 yond a probationer's salary. A fraternal ad- 

 dress conveying greetings, etc., was adopted, to 

 be sent to the Presidents of the several Meth- 

 odist Connections, viz. : the Wesleyan Meth- 

 odist, the Methodist New Connection, the 

 Primitive Methodist, the Bible Christian, and 

 the Wesleyan Reform Union. Replies were re- 

 ceived from the Wesleyan and Bible Christian 

 Conferences reciprocating the greetings and 

 expressions of satisfaction. A resolution was 

 introduced recommending to all the ministers 

 of the Free Churches to discontinue the use of 

 the term "Reverend," which excited consider- 

 able discussion, but was not acted upon. A 

 resolution was adopted, in which, after de- 

 scribing the growth of ritualism, and denounc- 

 ing it, the conference declared that it rejoiced 

 that " Nonconformist churches have a clear 

 appreciation of the perils which are thickening 

 around them, and is convinced that the sure 

 corrective and check to these monstrous and 

 menacing innovations are a return on the part 

 of the churches and people to the simple and 

 yet vigorous religious life which has directed 

 and built up our national character, the inal- 

 ienable right of free speech, and that of private 

 judgment on all matters of conscience, and the 

 disestablishment, speedy and complete, of the 

 Church of England." 



X. BIBLE CHRISTIANS. The following is a 

 summary of the statistics of this body, as they 

 were reported to the conference which met in 

 July : Number of local preachers, 1820 ; of 

 itinerant preachers, 297; of chapels, 911; of 

 preaching-places, 189 ; of full members, 30,360 ; 

 of members on trial, 1,917 ; of teachers, 9,953; 

 of scholars, 52,268. These figures show an in- 

 crease of 1,415 members during the year 



The fifty-ninth Annual Conference of the 

 Bible Christians met at Torquay, July 24th. 

 The report of the Missionary Society showed 

 that its income for the past year had been 

 8,849 18. 2d., being an increase of 513 

 1 6. 4d over the income of the previous year. 

 The expenditures, however, had slightly in- 

 creased. The subject of an increased repre- 

 sentation of the laymen in the conference was 

 discussed. Laymen are already admitted to 

 the conference, and the body consists every 

 fifth year of an equal number of ministers and 

 laymen. It is desired to reconstitute the con- 

 ference so as to obtain equal representation 

 every year, but legal difficulties stand in the 

 way of the immediate accomplishment of the 

 object. Arrangements were made to seek a 

 removal of these difficulties. 



XL INDEPENDENT METHODISTS. The seven- 

 ty-seventh annual meeting of the Independent 

 Methodist Free Gospel Churches was held at 

 Bolton, in July. Mr. A. Denovan was chosen 



president. The financial report showed that 

 the receipts of the Mission and Contingent 

 fund had amounted to 248 ; those of the Pub- 

 lication department to 209 ; those of the 

 Hymn-Book department to 155; and those 

 of the Ministers' Assistance fund to 69. 



MEXICO (ESTADOS UNIDOS DE MEJICO), 

 an independent State of North America, ex- 

 tending from latitude 15 to 32 27' north, and 

 from longitude 86 34' to 117 west. It is 

 bounded on the north by the United States of 

 America ; on the east by the Gulf of Mexico, 

 Caribbean Sea, and Belize, or British Hon- 

 duras ; on the south by the Republic of Guate- 

 mala ; and on the south and west by the Pacific 

 Ocean. 



The question of limits with Guatemala has 

 not been the subject of any correspondence or 

 negotiation since 1876. 



In the ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA for 1874 (page 

 551), and that for 1876 (page 539), respectively, 

 will be found the most recent and comprehen- 

 sive statistics published, concerning the area, 

 population, etc., of Mexico. 



The President of the Republic is General 

 Porfirio Diaz, who seized the power in No- 

 vember, 1876, after the final overthrow of the 

 Lerdists, and was proclaimed on the 6th of 

 the following May. 



The cabinet is composed of the following 

 ministers : of the Interior (mini&tro de gober- 

 naciori), Licentiate Protasio Tagle ; of Foreign 

 Affairs, Licentiate I. L. Vallarta; of Finance, 

 Sefior M. Romero ; of War, Licentiate and Gen- 

 eral Pedro Ogazon ; of Justice, Public Wor- 

 ship, and Public Instruction, Licentiate Ignacio 

 Ramirez ; and of Public Works, General Vi- 

 cente Riva Palacio. 



The President of the Supreme Court (and 

 thereby, according to the terms of the consti- 

 tution, Vice-President of the Republic) is Seflor 

 Don Antonio Vallarta. 



The Governors of the several States, etc., 

 were as follows in 1877 : 



Agnas Calientes Seflor Don F. G. Hornado. 



Cam peachy. 



Chiapas 



Chihuahua 



Coahuila 



Colima 



Durango 



Guanajuato 



Guerrero 



Hidalgo 



Jalisco 



Mexico 



Michoaean 



Moreloe 



Nuevo Leon 



Oajaca 



Puebla 



Queretaro 



San Luis Potosi.. 



Sinaloa 



Sonora 



Tabasco 



Tamaulipas 



TIaxcala 



Vera Cruz 



Yucatan 



Zacatecas 



Federal District. 

 Lower California (Ter.). 



M. CwOBo. 



N. Charles. 

 D. Lope. 

 J. M. Flores. 

 H. Mena. 

 B. Cuellar. 

 N. Craviolo. 

 J. M. Cam arena. 

 Mirafu emes. 



B. Palino. 

 G. Garcia. 



C. Pacheco. 

 H. Meigneiro. 

 I. J. C. Bonilla. 

 A. Gayon. 



C. Diaz Gutierrez. 

 J. Ramirez. 

 M. V. Mariscal. 

 S. Sarlat. 

 L. Canales. 



Lira y Ortega. 



Mier y Seran. 



M. Iturralde. 



L. O. Cnrrlel. 



F. Miranda y Castro. 



Pending the recognition of the present Gov- 



