this to be manifested by ceasing to do harm, to use no uncharitable or unprofitable conversation (not thinking it at all an infringement of this rule, to abuse the established clergy), to do unto others what we would wish them to do unto us (here the foregoing parenthesis may be repeated), and finally to observe what is most conducive to the glory of Christ, as, abstaining from diver sions, from putting on costly apparel, and from the singing of songs or the reading of books inconsistent with the spirit of religion. Here it will be observed, that a greater stress is laid upon vio. lations of sanctity, than on violations of those two important social duties, truth and integrity.

All who continue in the societies are further requested to practise benevolence, both towards the body and soul; including the charities of alms, admonition, and instruction, They must especially do good to those of the household of faith-that is to say, to the Methodists; buying of one another, and employing each other in preference to indifferent persons. For this the reason assigned is curious, viz. because the world loves its own, and speaks all manner of evil of them falsely for the Lord's sake; as if the world would not repair to the cheapest and honestest dealers, to whatever sect they belonged." "Get all you can," was the address of Wesley; "save all you can; GIVE all you can." This was the burden of the song; and is so to this day: the horse-leech hath two daughters, crying,

Give! give! The Methodists are enjoined, farther, to evince their desire of salvation by attending on all the ordinances of God. These are rules which, it is said, the Spirit of God writes on every truly awakened heart.

To the Wesleyan connexion belong circuits and conferences. Fifteen or twenty congregations, lying round a principal society, generally in a market-town, and no one being more distant from another than twenty miles, are called a circuit. At the annual conference, two, three, or four preachers are appointed to each circuit, according to its extent, which sometimes includes a part of three or four counties. Here, and here only, are they to labour for one year; that is, until the next conference. A continuance of two years is rare. One of the preachers in every circuit is denominated the assistant; or was so called at first, when Wesley, like Moses, made this arrangement, to lighten his own burden of attention. This superintendent inspects the societies and their preachers; enforces the rules every where; and directs the labours of the ministers in association with him. He takes a central station, furnishes the other preachers with a plan of the circuit, and points out the day when each shall be at the place fixed for him, to begin a progressive motion round it, in such order as the plan directs. Thus, like satellites, enlightening every part of the central orb,

the preachers follow each other through all the societies belonging to that circuit, at stated distances of time, all being governed by the same rules, and undergoing the same labour. By this plan, each preacher's daily work is appointed beforehand; each knows every day where the others are; intelligence of the motions of all is delivered from the several pulpits; and each society is aware when to expect the preacher, and how long he will quarter himself upon their families. The preachers are unconscionable spungers; and the humbler members are, by these visitations, and the charitable contributions together, kept in the continual struggles of poverty.

A number of circuits, usually from five to ten, compose a district; the preachers of which assemble annually, for the purposes of examining preachers complained of, in regard to doc trine, practice, or abilities; to order matters relative to the building of chapels; to provide for the support of preachers; and to elect representatives for the conference or general meeting.

To scrutinize the character of every preacher to change the stations to regulate the circuits and subordinate assemblies-to review doctrine and discipline and to arrange the principal business of the connexion-are the chief objects of the conference. The first conference was held in 1744; after which Mr. Wesley presided at forty-seven, in as many successive years.

The

minutes of each conference are registered, as rules for the future practice of the society. The preachers are appointed to more or less arduous situations, according, 1st, to their grace-that is, faith and sanctity; 2dly, to their gifts, or talents for preaching; and, 3dly, their fruits, or the numbers they have actually converted. The conference is annually held in some large town, and is the supreme court of Methodism, from which there is no appeal. Its business is generally transacted in a fortnight.

Itinerant preachers are at first admitted as private members of the society; after a quarter of a year's trial, they rise to the rank of proper members: the next step is that of class-leaders, allowed to exhort in the smaller congregations when the preachers cannot attend. If approved in this line of duty, they are permitted to preach. The difference betwixt exhorting and preaching, it may here be proper to state, may be gathered from one of Polwhele's anecdotes of Methodism, in which he introduces a master accusing his servant of having preached at a barn meeting. The prevaricating Methodist denied the charge; but proof positive being produced, he ingeniously persisted in his negation: "I did not preach, I only exhorted."-" And pray, Sir, what is the difference?"-" Great: preaching is preaching with a text; and exhorting is preaching without one."

When approved of as exhorters, a permission

is granted to preach; and out of these local preachers are selected the itinerants; who, after having been regularly proposed and approved, are appointed, at the conference, to a circuit. Their characters and conduct are strictly examined; and if they still continue irreproachable for four years, they are admitted into full connexion. Men of no talents are withdrawn from the circuits; and immoral preachers are deprived even of the privileges of private members.

This formidable sect is progressively increas ing. From the minutes of the conferences the following table is extracted: