For their zealous exertions in the conversion of the negroes in the West Indies, in which Dr. Coke, lately deceased, laboured so indefatigably, the Methodists de serve well of the Christain world. Indeed, had it not been for them, our countrymen in these islands would have had scarcely any opportunities of Christian in struction and public worship. As yet they are the chief labourers in British America.
There have been, from time to time, partial separa tions from the methodists, concerning the administra tion of the sacraments, service in church hours, &c. but the most formidable divisions have been those re lative to the nature and exercise of religious liberty, and to the forms of church government. Disputes on these subjects have produced the Methodist New Itine rancy, and the Society of Revival Methodists. At the head of the former was Mr Alexander Kilham, who published a book, entitled the Progress of Liberty among the People called Methodists. in wnich lie exposed the alleged defects of the " Old Plan," and proposed a form of church government on a broad and liberal basis. He argued, that the whole power of church government was engrossed by the preachers, and that the people were not represented in the meetings of con ference, in other words, their General Assembly. Wt cannot pronounce on the merits of the question. When the conference assembled, Mr. Kilham was unanimously expelled the connection. The minutes of the trial were published, and every preacher signed his name to a paper, testifying his approbation of the sentence. A declaration of allegiance to the conference (held at Leeds, July S I, 1797,) was drawn up, which was sign ed by all the preachers present, excepting Messrs. Thom and Eversfield; a third, Mr. Cummin, signified his dis sent by letter, " They (says Mi. Myles, in his His tory of the Methodists,) joined Alexander Kilham, and made a schism, under the name of the New Itinerancy." The division thus originating amounted to about five thousand. In the year 1806 they had nineteen cir cuits, thirty travelling or circuit preachers, and about sixty local preachers. They purchased a large and ele gant meeting house, called Gibraltar Chap( I, in Church Street, where there is an extensive burial ground. The Revival Methodists form a numerous body of the Wes leyan Christians. They are not, however, all of them formally Sella rated from the old connection, though they have, in many towns, separate places for religious worship. In Nlanchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Stockport, Preston, and Macclesfield, they are numerous. In the latter place they have lately built a neat chapel, having been long separated from the old connection. They have published their rules in a small pamphlet, entitled •4 General Rules of a Society of Christian Revivalists at Macclesfield, pall a preface, containing a declaration of doctrines." They are distinguished chiefly, by their claiming as a Cm istain privilege a right to indulge their feelings as to prayer and praise at all times, and on all occasions,—for example, while the minister is en gaged in preaching. No idea can be formed of their number, as they are diffused, more or less, among the general body of methodists.
We are unwilling to pronounce upon the compara tive value of Methodism, and the evils which have more or less accompanied it. The enemies of the Methodists say, they have contributed to fill the asy lums of lunacy ; whereas it is beyond question, that they have in a thousand instances been the means of reclaiming the most vicious and depraved characters. They have been regarded as the most formidable enemies of the establishment ; but they have dune much good among many who might never have sought more connection with the church, than to procure bap tism, marriage, and burial. It is certain they are, generally speaking, good members of society, and very peaceable subjects. They are in general tem perate, both in food and dress. They avoid all places of public amusement. They are very kind and sym pathizing to their poor and distressed members. They make a business of religion more than the generality of Christain professors. Impartiality requires that we just hint at the defects and errors prevalent among them. If we judge from the Monthly Magazine, edit ed by one of their most respectable members, it is un deniable that too many of their members are guided in their determinations by feelings and impressions: that they are too apt to magnify common events as bordering on the miraculous : that their fixing always the day, and even the moment of conversion, endan gers presumption on the one hand, or distracting fears on the other ; that their regular derail of each indivi dual's experiences and inward conflicts, seems neither rational nor scriptural, and leads to many errors; and that the practice of lay preaching is apt to expose the work of the Evangelist to contempt. Moreover, their system of itinerancy, and circulation of preachers, which is one of the most striking features of their whole plan, seems not to accord with the Scriptural descriptions of the relation between pastor and flock, and encourages a superficial religion, instead of Christain edification. But what Ali% Wesley said of himself, may be regard ed as applicable to most of the preachers of his con nexion—" I know, were I myself to preach one whole year in one place, I should preach both myself and most of my congregation \Ve have found, by long and constant experience, that a fiequent change of teachers is best." Upon the whole, Methodism seems better calculated to rouse the careless, than to build up believers :—to stimulate the zeal of the Chris tian world, than to form or regulate churches :—to ex cite men to seek spiritual food, rather than regularly to administer it. Let Methodists learn from the pious members of the establishments, more regard to order, and to sober mindedness ; but let all the churches kat n from them, more fervour in devotion, more blameless ness of conduct, more brotherly affection, and a con versation which becomes the Gospel. Wesley's life by Coke and Moore. Myles' History of the Methodists. Christian Observer, vol viii. ?rminian Magazine. Quarterly Review. 'Wesley and Coke's Journals. Flet cher of Macieley's works, entitled Checks to ./Intino ndanism,ls'c.