METHODISTS. 



175 



M<ih<xli*u>. ed by considerable audiences. Upon his arrival at Sa- 

 N ~"V~*' vannah, he found the colony almost deserted, which 

 moved him to carry into effect his scheme of building 

 an orphan-house, which he had the happiness to see 

 completed through his exertions, and the liberal dona- 

 tions of his friends. Upon his third vi-it to the wes- 

 tern continent, he took a voyage to the Bermudas Is- 

 lands where his ministry was successfully attended, 

 and some contributions made for his orphan. house at 

 Savannah. Upon his sixth voyage to Georgia, he re- 

 ceived the thanks of the governor and principal people, 

 for the advantage which the colony had derived from 

 his benevolent exertions, a circumstance which tends 

 greatly to vindicate the character of this singular man, 

 from the very unjust reproach of avarice which was 

 frequently thrown upon him. In 176*, he made his 

 7th and last voyage to America ; but, although his la- 

 bours were so extensive, he formed no separate ccn. 

 gregations. In the intervals of his visits to Ameri- 

 ca, he frequently made tours to Scotland and Ireland, 

 where he attracted numerous assemblies, and always 

 made a powerful impression by his eloquence ; hut 

 having differed in doctrinal sentiment from Mr. Wesley, 

 said never having formed the idea of a separate associa- 

 tion of itinerants and of members, be can scarcely be 

 considered as the head of any party. Mr. Wesley is 

 tike father of the Methodists, of whose rise, progress, 

 doctrine, and discipline, we shall now give a very 

 brief account. 



Upon Mr. Wesley's return to England, he was invit- 

 ed to preach in several churches, but th concourse of 

 people who followed him was so great, that the church- 

 es in general were shut against him. His converts 

 now began to form themselves into a little society, as 

 be and his companions had formerly done at Oxford. 

 They then agreed that they would meet together once 

 a week, " to confess their faults one to 'another, and 

 pray one for another, that the persons so meeting should 

 be divided into several bamdt, at little companies, none 

 of them of fewer than jfw, or more than ten persons ; 

 that every one in order should speak as freely, plain- 

 ly, and concisely as he could, the real state of his 

 heart, with his several temptations and deliverances 

 since their last meeting ; that all the band* should 

 have a conference at eight every Wednesday evening, 

 begun and ended with singing and prayer ; that any 

 who desired to be admitted into this society should be 

 asked, What are your reasons for detiring 

 Will yon be entirely open, using no kind of reserve? 

 Have you any objection to any of our orders ? That 

 after two months' trial, they should be admitted into 

 the society ; that every fourth Saturday should be 

 onset ted as a day of general intercession r that on 

 the Sunday se'ennight following, then should be a 

 ' tote featt from seven till ten in the evening ; 

 no member should be allowed to art in any thing 

 to any order of die society ; and that if any 

 after being thrice admonished, should not 

 thereto, they should no longer be 



general 

 that no 



iimbi n. Here we have the platform of the system 

 of Methodism. It was still Mr. Wesley's desire and 

 design to preach in the established church, and it i 

 remarkable that he always considered himself a mem- 

 ber of it. His plan seems to have been to promote a 

 reformation in the church, instead of separating from 

 it. The rules be observed himself and recommended 

 to his followers seem to have been designed as supple- 



mentary to the accustomed ceremonial. He is, with- 

 out seeming to have intended it, the founder of the 

 most numerous and remarkable religious sect of which 

 we have any account in ancient or modern times. 



It must be acknowledged, however, that the doc- 

 trine Mr. Wesley taught is not strictly according to 

 the thirty-nine articles. 



The MethodisU are -professed Arminians. They 

 deny the doctrines of election, and the certainty of the 

 saints' perseverance. 



In regard to original sin, and the extent of human 

 inability, it is not *> easy to say what are their pre- 

 cise opinions. They seem to hold, that the effect of 

 the mediation of Christ in regard to all men is, that 

 they may, by the use of the mean? put in their power, 

 secure their salvation. They certainly go very tar in 

 asserting the attainableness of perfection in this life. 

 They ground their doctrine on' this subject upon 

 ich texts as these: " Be perfect." " Herein is our 

 love made* perfect, that we may have boldness in the 

 day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this 

 world V It is proper farther to notice, that while 

 they deny, as above mentioned, the doctrine of election 

 as taught by the Calvinist-s, they hold that certain per- 

 sons and churches have been elected, and that great 

 events are fore-ordained. It is affirmed by respectable, 

 authority, that when Mr. Wesley preached in Scotland, 

 he was more cautious in expressing his sentiments on 

 this subject, knowing the Calvinistic creed of the Scot* 

 tish people. Whatever may be in this, it is certain 

 that his modem followers have not always been so 

 accommodating. Of late yean many of their most 

 eminent preachers have brought forward their opin- 

 ions on these points with much seal, and even in a 

 controversial form. Certain it is, however, that the 

 Methodists never have made much progress in Nurth 

 i, owing to the hold which the doctrine of the 

 Westminster Confession has upon the. minds of the 

 Scotch people, and, it is but fair to add, owing to the 

 residence of the clergy, and the decorous character of 

 the people in general, which may be supposed to make 

 them less accessible to the impressions of terror, one 

 of the chief of the means by which the Methodists aim 

 at operating upon the minus of men. It may also be 

 added, that the minute inspection which the laws of Me- 

 thodism authorize, as to the very feelings and private 

 exercises of each individual, does not accord with the 

 taciturn, prudent, and independent genius of our people ; 

 and perhaps the levy of one shilling quarterly, for tl. 

 newal of tickets to constitute full membership, may ope- 

 rate hi part as an obstruction. Of lute, it became a mat- 

 ter of conference whether Scotland should be relinquish. 

 ed, as bearing heavy on the funds of the society, or whe- 

 ther greater exertions should be made. The latter al- 

 ternative was adopted ; and by employing some of their 

 most eloquent preachers, by erecting better places of 

 worship in more prominent situations, and their usual 

 in to the cultivation of vocal music, they may 

 perhaps gain their object, unless similar means are em- 

 ployed by the Presbyterians, and more accommodation 

 provided in our large towns for the increasing popula- 

 tion. When we look to England and Wales, and the 

 New World, we see the triumjAs of the MethodisU. 

 Their numbers are very great, and every year increasing. 

 By the account of the 76th annual conference, held at 

 Bristol in July 1819, it appears that no fewer than 6905 

 have been added to their society during the past year : 



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