259 
METHODIST. 
iron of that clafs, fo fuperabundant here, which we dif- 
tinguilh by the name of mob. 
“ The only exception we have heard, to their exemp¬ 
tion from the extravagancies which in this country marked 
the infancy of Methodilin, is a cuftom. they have intro¬ 
duced in Maryland and Virginia. Frequently, at the 
conolufion of a fermon, the whole congregation begin to 
pray and to praife God aloud. The uproar which this 
mull create may ealily be conceived. Some, we are told, 
are great admirers of this fpecies of enthuiiafm, in which 
every man is his own minifier, and one lings and another 
prays, with the molt difcordant devotion. But we will 
not dignify fuch indecency with fuch a name. Its proper 
appellation is fanaticifm. We hope, that, for the future, 
religion will never appearin this country under fo odious 
a form ; and greatly is it to be lamented, that, among the 
friends of Chriftianity, any fuch abfurdities ihould arife, 
to furniih infidels with occalions of triumph.” 
Mr. Hampfon next informs us, that the occupation of 
the Methodill preachers in America was very laborious. 
In the courfe of the day they frequently rode twenty or 
thirty miles, preaching twice or thrice, and fometimes to 
confiderable congregations. Notwitbilanding this labour, 
however, few or none of them ever thought of returning 
to Great Britain. Several reafons may be afiigned for the 
pleafure they took in this laborious exercife. “Their 
excurfions, (fays Mr. Hamplon,) through immenfe forelts 
abounding in trees of all forts and fizes, were often highly 
romantic. Innumerable rivers and falls of water; villas 
opening to the view, in contrail with the uncultivated 
wild ; deer now lliooting acrofs the road, and now fcour- 
ing through the woods, while the eye was frequently re¬ 
lieved by the appearance of orchards and plantations, and 
thehoufes of gentlemen and farmers peeping through the 
trees; formed a fcenery fo various and pifturefque, as to 
produce a variety of refleftion, and prelent, we will not 
fay to a philofophic eye, but to the mind of every reafon- 
able creature, tke moll fublime and agreeable images. 
Their wonhip partook of the general fimplicity. It was 
frequently condufted in the open air. The woods re¬ 
founded to the voice of the preacher, or to the finging of 
his numerous congregations ; while their horfes, fallened 
to the trees, formed a Angular addition to the folemnity. 
It was indeed a linking pifture ; and might naturally im- 
prefs the mind with a retrofpeft of the antediluvian days, 
when the hills and valleys re-echoed the patriarchial de¬ 
votions, and a Seth or an Enoch, in the lhadow of a pro¬ 
jecting rock, or beneath the foliage of fome venerable oak, 
delivered his primeval leftures, and was a “ preacher of 
righteoufnefs to the people.” 
The American hofpitality is fuppofed by Mr. Hampfon 
to have been another reafon for the alfiduity of the Me¬ 
thodill teachers, as well as the confcioufnefs of being well 
employed, and the fatisfaftion refulting from coniidera- 
tions of public utility. As many of the preachers were 
men of fervent piety, this refleftion would have its full 
weight; and the inllruftion of the ignorant, and the re¬ 
formation of the profligate, would be confidered as the 
bell recompenfe of their labours. Spreading themfelves 
through the continent, they took in Nova Scotia, Georgia, 
with the principal places in both Carolinas, Virginia, Ma¬ 
ryland, Delaware, Pennfylvania, New Jerfey, and New 
York; numbering upwards of 43,000 members of their 
fociety, exclufive of about 80 itinerants, and a confiderable 
number of local preachers, who took no circuits, but af- 
filled occafionally in the neighbourhood of their refpeftive 
refidence. 
The large and expenfive buildings which the colonifts 
have erefted for public worfhip, almoll exceed credibility ; 
and feverai colleges are founded for the inUruftion of 
youth. How far the propoled plan of uniting genuine 
religion and extenfive learning will be carried into exe¬ 
cution, time only can difcover. Ir mud materially de¬ 
pend on the charafter of the prefidents and tutors, and 
the provifion that lhall be made for their lupport,. Men 
of real erudition will never be procured at low falaries ; 
and it is in vain to attempt ellablilhments of this fort 
without a liberal provifion for the profeffors in every 
branch of fcience. Two of thefe places are called Cokef- 
hinj and Wejley Colleges. How they are endowed, or 
whether they propofe to obtain authority to confer de¬ 
grees, we are not informed. But perhaps they are rather 
Ichools than colleges ; which indeed is a circurnllance to 
be wifhed, as good grammar-fchools are ot the utmoil fer~ 
vice to the progrefs of literature.' 
The great fuccefs which attended the Methodill preach¬ 
ers in America naturally determined Mr. Wefley to try 
the Welt-India illands. The Moravians had already at¬ 
tempted to eltabiilh their principles in fome of thefe' 
illands; and in 1786 fome preachers were lent from the 
Methodills in England to the Well Indies. In many of 
thefe they met with fuccefs. Societies were formed in 
Barbadoes, St. Vincent’s, Dominica, St. Chriitopher’s, 
Nevis, Antigua, St. Eullatius, Tortola, and St. Croix, 
amounting in all to near 5000 perfons. At this time the 
whole number of Methodills in America and the Well 
Indies amounted to about 48,302. Thefe focieties con- 
lilled both of whites and blacks : on the continent they 
were mollly whites, but in the illands negroes. 
While Methodilin was thus making rapid progrefs in. 
America, its teachers were equally indefatigable in Bri¬ 
tain. A moll remarkable particular, however, occurs 
with regard to Mr. Wefley himielf; for, though he had 
gone to Georgia, as has been already related, to convert 
the Indians to Chriftianity, yet on his return to England 
in 1738, he took it into his head that he, their teacher, 
was not yet converted himfelf: the reafon was, that he 
had not the faith of affurance. This, however, was not 
long wanting. He arrived in England on the firll day of 
February, and w r as blefled with alfurance on the lixth of 
March following. This was immediately announced to 
the public ; and the confequence, if we may believe him, 
was, that God then began to work by his miniltry, which 
he had not done before. Being joined by one Kinchin, 
a fellow of Corpus, they travelled to Manchefter, Holms 
Chapel, Newcaftle in Statfordlhire, and other places, where 
they preached, exhorted, and converted on religious fub- 
jefts, in public houfes, ftables, &c. fometimes meeting 
with fuccefs, and fometimes not. During this preregri- 
nation Mr. Wefley certainly difplayed a great deal of fu- 
perllition, which we mull undoubtedly fuppofe to have 
been communicated to his hearers, and to have earned 
them to aft on many occalions in a very ridiculous man¬ 
ner. An inllance follows: “The next day (fays he}, 
March nth, we dined at Birmingham ; and, loon after' 
we left it, were reproved for our negligence there, (in 
letting thofe who attended us go without either exhorta¬ 
tion or inftruft.ion,) by a fevere Ihower of hail!” The 
doftrine of in/iantaneous converfion, which his imagination 
had fuggefted to him as a work performed on himfelf, 
was greedily received by fome-of his hearers ; and all the 
converts to the new doftrine confirmed themfelves, and 
contributed greatly to perfuade others, by declarations of" 
their experiences, as they called them. However, though 
a knowledge of the facing affurance had been given on 
March 6th, he does not date his converfion fooner than 
May 24th of the fame year; and it happened exaftly at a 
quarter before nine in the evening, when fome perfon at a 
fociety in Alderfgate-llreet was reading Luther’s preface 
to the Epiftle to the Romans. He “ felt his heart llrangely 
warmed. He felt that he trailed in Chrill alone for lal- 
vation ; and an affurance was given to him that Chrill 
had taken away his fins, and laved him from the law of 
fin and death.” Still, however, it appears that he was 
not without occafional mifgivings ; for, in faft, there was 
an innate rationality in Wefley that would not fuller him 
to remain under the lafting influence of enthuiiafm. In 
order, therefore, to llrengthen his faith, and, doubtlefs, to 
make himfelf thoroughly acquainted with the organiza¬ 
tion and difcipline of the Moravians, he foon after took a 
r journey 
