The chapel, both in the morning and afternoon, was densely crowded, and the congregation seemed to listen with deep interest to the word of truth.-After the close of each sermon, a collection was made to assist in defraying the expenses of the chapel; a small portion of debt only, we are happy to state, remaining unpaid.

The opening of this chapel under such auspicious circumstances, forms a striking and delightful contrast to the state of the society in this place a year ago. At that period, there was no regular service at all, and but four individuals were united with us in Church fellowship, who attended divine service as often as practicable, at Mr. Long's chapel, four miles distant. But they were a faithful and united few; and though to all human appearance feeble in influence, as well as in numbers, yet they had power with Him who rules the universe. Often did they meet together and talk of the goodness of God, and unite in prayer for the Spirit's influence upon the neighbourhood, and for a revival of the work of God. And in an especial manner did they pray, that believers might be watered by the refreshing showers of divine grace. God heard their prayers, and granted to them their hearts' desire. Preaching was established once a fortnight, first in a barn, and then in a dwelling house. Numbers attended the ministry of the word, many of whom were brought to see the necessity of applying to Christ for pardon and remission of sins. It was indeed a lovely scene to witness those who had not only stood aloof from the cause of Christ, but had also persecuted and opposed us, presenting their broken, but fervent petitions before the throne of God, and crying in the language of the Publican,

"God be merciful to me a sinner." It was truly delightful to see them stand before the faithful followers of Christ, acknowledge that God of a truth was among them, and say "This people shall be my people, and their God my God." During the month of February, of the present year, a protracted meeting was commenced, when there was a general turning to the Lord among all classes of the community, and numbers were they who for the purpose of ridicule came to mock, but remained to pray." The meeting continued between two and three weeks; and during the whole of that period, in that inclement season of the year, and despite of the badness of the roads, night after night, the house was crowded to excess, and the people listened with profound interest to the messengers of truth. At the conclusion of the meeting, between thirty and forty persons united with the society. Some of them, indeed, have lost their first love, and have turned back again to the beggarly elements of the world, but the greater part are rejoicing in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free-are walking under the smiles of his countenance, and pressing towards the heavenly Canaan with their faces thitherward. May Almighty God preserve them, and "add unto the Church daily such as shall be saved."It is highly gratifying to be able to state, that we are to have a regular service in the new chapel every Sunday, and that several neighborhoods, both in Pickering and Whitby, are supplied with our Preaching. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be all the glory."

I remain, respectfully your's,
GEORGE FLINT.

are about 26, of good health, and are fine-looking young men; and, judging from their experience expressed publicly in the chapel, they give evidence of deep piety, and strong, clear judgment in Divine things. They were ordained on the evening of the 3d instant, in the presence of a great crowd, and the forms used were precisely the same as we use in the ordination of elders; and the authority for ordination is the same, being derived, in both cases, from Mr. Wesley as a presbyter, and the ordination in both countries is presbyterial.

Most of the young men admitted have been residents in the Theological Institution, and have received instruction in the classics, the sciences, and in theology. They spoke expressly of their residence in the institution as exceedingly beneficial to their piety. There are two branches of the institution; one at Richmond, near London, and one near Manchester. Dr. Bunting is President, Dr. Hannah has been Theological Tutor to the branch in London but is to go to the branch near Manchester; and Dr. Jackson, former editor, and author of the Lives of Watson and Charles Wesley, is to take Dr. Hannah's place as Theological Tutor in the branch at Richmond. In each branch there is a governor, who has charge of the conduct of the young men, meets them in class, and has a general oversight of the school. There is also a classical and mathematical teacher in each. Men of age and experience, and members of conference, are appointed to the chief offices.

The young men are received in the school after they have been examined by the conference touching their call to the ministry; and this being settled, they are then sent to the institution, for the instruction they need, at the expense of the Church. It is not necessary that they should go to the school after they have been adjudged to be called to the work of the ministry. They may be sent immediately into the work, if they have previously had the necessary instruction; and they are subject to be called from the school by the conference, and put into the work, at any time, My inquiries and observations have satisfied me that the Theological Institution is of immense value to the Wesleyan connection.

There are some remarkable men in the conference. Mr. James Dixon, who was president of the conference last year, last evening delivered the charge to the

young men who had been ordained the evening before. It was remarkable for clearness and power, and must exercise a good influence over them for many years to come. The conference has ordered it to be published. This brings to my recollection one or two customs here which I commend strongly to your notice. The president of this year is required to preach a sermon before the conference next year, at, or shortly af ter, its opening. Would it not be desirable to open or close our conferences Iwith this solemn service? I should prefer the opening of the conference.I observe also that the plan of appointments for preaching during conference is made out and printed before the conference commences. This is worthy our consideration, as it would prevent the inconvenience of sudden appointments, announced unexpectedly every day at the close of the session.

I had the pleasure of dining with Mr. Turner, the governor of the Theological Institution, (for the present in the Hoxton Academy, until the buildings at Richmond are finished,) in company with Dr. Bunting, Dr. Alder, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Beecham, and others; and must long remember the Christian courtesy and temper which prevailed, and the interesting topics of conversation. Some of these gentlemen I had the good for tune to meet next day at dinner at Dr. Camplin's, where I heard Dr. Bunting speak of his mother and Mr. Boardman, in connection with his own name.

At the Leeds conference, shortly after Methodism was introduced into America, Mr. Wesley asked in open conference, Who will go, and help our brethren in America? Mr. Pillmore and Mr. Boardman said, "If you will send us, we will go." Mr. Wesley accepted their offer, and they departed in two days, on horseback, for Bristol. In this early day of Methodism, Dr. Bunting remarked, the preachers preached their way. Mr. Boardman reached the village where Mr. Bunting, the father, resided; and having put up his horse at an inn, he proposed to preach in the evening, when Mrs. Bunting, the mother of Dr. B., attended, and was deeply awakened, which led to her sound conversion. Upon the birth of her next child she insisted his name should be Jubez, as the text of Mr. Boardman had been Jabez's prayer. Mr. Bunting wished the child to be named William, after himself, but Mrs. B. prevailed, and the child was called Jabez, who, under L2

God, has become the venerable man now before me-perhaps the master spirit of the connection.

Some time after Mr. Boardman returned from America in bad health, and came to the house of a Mr. Coles, of Cork, Ireland, and said "I have come. to die in your house, if you will permit me. I have nothing to give in return for your kindness." Mr. Coles gave this man of God a home, and he died a few days after. Just before he died he called Mr. Coles to his bed-side, and said, "All I have to give in return for your kindness is this staff, with which I have travelled in America. If your son should become a Methodist preacher, give him this staff, aud tell him its history." Mr. Coles lost his son; and many years after, meeting Dr. Bunting, he said to him, "Here is Mr. Boardman's staff: he said to me, 'Give it to your son in case he should become a Methodist preacher. If he does not, then give it to some worthy Methodist preacher.' I have determined to present it to you, as the most worthy to possess it," not knowing at the time the connection of Mr. Boardman with the Christian name of Dr. Bunting. Dr. B. still possesses this staff, and prizes it highly.

There are some peculiarities of Methodism which will appear to us in America very strange. On Saturday, at three o'clock, the appointments for the next year were read out in open conference, as they had been prepared by the "stationing committee." This stationing committee is constituted in the following manner: The whole work is divided into districts; toward the close of the year, the preachers in each district meet together, and appoint one of their number to be their representative for the preachers and people of the district. These representatives, together with one to represent the young men in the Theological Institution, and one to represent the missions, meet together

at the place of the ensuing conference, about ten days before it sits, and constitute the "stationing committee," of which the president of the last conference is chairman, and the secretary of conference is secretary. The committee proceeds to station the preachers, according to their judgment, after receiving all the information they can get. As soon as the list is prepared, the information is transmitted by each representative to the circuits and stations, so that the people may know who is proposed to serve them next year. If they

have any objection to make, they transmit it to the representative of their district, who lays it before the committee. The people and the preachers both communicate, through their representative. With these aids the committee prepares a list of the appointments, which is read in the conference about ten days after its commencement, and the conference proceeds to revise the list, during which each preacher may object to his appointment, or may express his desire to go elsewhere, and assign his reasons in either case; the people also may object, by their representatives, and the whole is settled by the general sense of the conference. They are now in the act of revising the appointments, in which great freedom of speech is used, and sometimes much personality, which appears to be calculated to produce much irritation: but upon inquiry I learn that the irritation is inconsiderable, and what there is soon passes away, and general satisfaction is attained. To me this system at first seemed impracticable, yet the more I see of it in England, the more I am convinced it is adapted to the preachers and people. But it is entirely at variance with the theory and practice of Methodism among us. momentary confusion and cross-firing in their conversations about the appointments seem to threaten an explosion, but all quickly becomes quiet, and courtesy and good feeling reign.

The

London, August 29, 1842.

MR. EDITOR,

I find it much more easy to promise than to perform, and particularly so when one's anticipations, which is generally the case, outrun subsequent realities. I need not philosophize on this.

Our passage, on the whole, was a pleasant one. The ship was a fine sailer-the captain a good navigator-the passengers polite, and the crew civil. On the first Sabbath of getting to sea I read prayers in the forenoon, and distributed religious tracts in the afternoon; on the succeeding Sabbath I read pray

ers and preached;-but I much lament that, although my services were received kindly, they did not appear to produce the effect I wished: sadly propense is man to rest in the form to the denial of spiritual godliness.

The incidents of a trans-Atlantic passage are in some considerable measure very similar--calms and breezes-head winds and fair winds, generally make up the passage-this was our case; but I had the gratification of seeing, at a safe distance, some splendid icebergs. In the night of 18th July, we struck a piece so fairly that it separated and passed on each side of us, doing no material damage; and, although the weather was thick, the Captain descried a berg of considerable dimensions on our leeward quarter. During the next forenoon, we saw an elegant mass of ice, composed of two promontories, the highest of which I judged to be full one hundred and fifty feet high; and a second whose height and form was like unto the Isle Haute, in the Bay of Fundy. Doubtless we had passed many during the thick weather we had had; but a merciful Providence directed our way, and we were graciously preserved. We overtook a barque from Quebec, timber laden, which had come in contact with

an iceberg whose summit so overhung its base that her top-gallant yards struck first, and her foremast and bowsprit were carried away, and although she had received considerable injury, she had succeeded in coming within three or

four days' sail of her port when we passed her.

It is in the wonders of the mighty deep that the great power of our God is exhibited, and if it be there more than elsewhere that the utmost physical strength of human beings is perfectly powerless and insignificant, it is there also that the dignity and value of the human intellect is perhaps the most demonstrable in the skill, the aptitude and forethought of an intelligent navigator. I could not but admire the ease with which our large ship, heavily laden, could be put into "stays," or made to wear or when, thrown aback by a sudden squall, she was brought again to the wind, riding over the most turbulent seas with all the buoyancy of a waterfowl. Were men but as rational as they are endued with intelligence, scriptural piety would prevail, while men acknowledging God in all things, would be graciously directed in their ways.

I spent only a few days at Conference, as I arrived in London but two or three days before its close; and as yet have been unable to transact any business respecting our District, as the Secretaries are out of town.

Trusting that our good Lord is continuing to bless our District, with love

to our brethren and friends,

I am, my dear Brother,
Your's, truly,

WILLIAM TEMPLE.

There are in this Church, six bishops, presiding over 34 annual conferences, including the Liberia Mission Conference, comprising 913,901 members; 3776 itinerant ministers, and 7144 ministers who are local in their relations to the Church. Of these 913,901 members, 803,988 are white, the remainder are coloured people and Indians. There were admitted on trial in the several annual conferences during the past year, 407 preachers, and into full membership in those conferences during the same time, 260; 44 had died, and 113 had become local ministers.

The total increase of members during the last year was 60,983, and of itinerant ministers, 189. Our increase has been very large, and we think it probable it

will be still larger the next year, as there have been very extensive revivals west, east, and indeed in many parts of the country, since the conferences were held which reported the numbers here published.

If our adorable Saviour shall continue to prosper the Church as he has done, before the General Conference in 1844, there will be included in the Methodist Episcopal Church the round number of one million, whom her sons have gathered out of the world, beside the thousands who have gained their heavenly inheri

tance.

God grant that the leaven of holiness may continue to leaven the whole lump! --Christian Repository.

[From the Wesleyan Tract Reporter,

March, 1842.]

Since the publication of our last number, several most interesting Anniversaries of Tract Societies have taken place. Of the operations of those held in Southwark and Great Queen-Street Chapel, we hope to give some account as soon as their Reports are issued: meanwhile, we are glad to notice one held in the Third Manchester Circuit, at which it was reported that 290 active Distributors are engaged in that important district. They have circulated during the last year about 49,000 Religious Tracts among the poor and the ignorant in their neighbourhoods. This is a truly cheering statement; and such labours must stand connetted with a vast amount of good to the souls of

men.

The General Committee have continued to receive from different writers a pleasing variety of Tracts, which are in course of preparation, and will, we trust, serve to keep alive the interest which has been awakened in the good work of Tract-distribution. They pursue their labours in the full assurance that they are not in vain in the Lord, in preparing a supply of publications of such a character as may, by the Divine favour, become a blessing to thousands, embracing generally, in an interesting and attractive form, the doctrines and principles of a pure Christianity, and showing the way of a sinner's reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The following Tracts have been published since our last number; viz.

"The Burning Lake." 4 pages. Price 1s. 4d. per 100.

"The Drunkard's Grave." 8 pages, Price 2s. 8d. per 100.

"The Treasure and the

8 pages. Price 2s. 8d. per 100.

Heart."

"The Best Friend in the Worst Times." 12 pages. Price 4s. per 100. "The Text." 4 pages. Price 1s. 4d. per 100.

"The Death of the Wicked." 4 pages. Price 1s. 4d. per 100.

"Account of the Wesleyan Mission to the Bechuanas, in South Africa." 12 pages. Price 4s. per 100.

With twelve of Mr. Wesley's Ser mons; making in all twenty Tracts.

man.

The subjects of most of the above Tracts are very well described by the titles they bear. The first is a most striking and awakening narrative of the visit of a benevolent person to a dying It can hardly fail to impress the mind. The fourth Tract on the list is well adapted to give support and encouragement to the mind under the existing aspect of the times; and we trust its perusal will prove a blessing to many a poor man struggling with the difficul ties of poverty and affliction.

We invite attention to the following notice of a very interesting Tract, issued by the Committee; it is from the recent Report of an active and efficient Society :

"It is with no little gratification that the Committee refer their friends to a Tract recently published by the Wesleyan Tract Committee, entitled, "THE OUTCAST RECLAIMED,' which details the beneficial effects of the humble labours of one of the Distributors connected with this Society. This Tract will perpetuate for years to come the remembrance of a small portion of the benefits conferred on this neighbourhood through the existence of the WildernessRow Tract Society; and it will also undoubtedly encourage numbers engaged in the good work."

From the same Report the following instances of usefulness are extracted for the encouragement of our Distributors all over the kingdom: the first is from two Distributors, who visited in company :

"During one of our visits to the district, we were called upon to see a person who appeared to have but a short time to stay in this world. At our first interview, he appeared to care little or nothing about the importance of eternal things, merely expressing permission for us to leave a Tract. We, however, continued our weekly visits, and for some time could perceive no change in

viz.

"Sketch of the Wesleyan Mission on the Negombo Station. 8 pages. Price 2s. 8d. per 100.

two months he began to manifest some anxiety about his never-dying soul, and also to show some marks of penitence for his past offences; often confessing