we that we have to reiterate the advice of Johnson, and say, "Learn the art of forgetting." Bailey supplies the reason: "It is the thought wrote down we want, ... Some steal a thought, ... And clip it round the edge, and challenge him Whose 't was to swear to it. To serve things thus Is as foul witches to cut up old moons Into new stars."-FESTUS. ART. V.-THE PARISH OF WESLEY. "THE field is the world," said the Master to his disciples. "I look upon all the world as my parish," said Mr. Wesley to his friends, when the churches were closed against him, and his right to preach in the open air in the parish of another was questioned. He wrote, "I look upon all the world as my parish-thus far, I mean, that in whatever part of it I am I judge it right and my bounden duty to declare unto all who are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation." He little dreamed of the prophetic character of his claim to a world-wide parish. He only intended to assert that the neglected population of his country, those practically without the Gospel in England, afforded an ample field for his ministry, not thinking that the movement which he was setting on foot would so soon spread to many nations, with the promise of salvation to all people. Already the field of the Messiah and the parish of Wesley are becoming identical in extent. Will the revival which began under the labors of Mr. Wesley spread over the whole earth? The answer is with his followers. Has this movement power to bring the tribes of men, now destitute of the Gospel, under the influence of the Christian religion? Without doubt, and within a few generations. The Wesleyan Churches have sufficient numbers, wealth, intelligence, position, ecclesiastical appliances and moral force, aided by divine grace, to evangelize the world in less time than has elapsed since Mr. Wesley uttered this gospel slogan. The Methodist Episcopal Church, which is pre-eminently the embodiment of the Wesleyan spirit and ideas, as well as the strongest in numbers and influence of the Wesleyan branches, is able to carry the glad tidings of peace to all men within one hundred years from this time. The growth of the Methodist Episcopal Church affords encouragement and instruction to Christian workers, and impressive warnings against schism. Beginning at zero in New York, under the labors of Philip Embury and Captain Webb, and in Maryland under Robert Strawbridge, in 1766, ten years before the declaration of American independence, it soon developed into a vigorous ecclesiastical body. This work in America was first named in the Minutes of Mr. Wesley in 1770, and in the following year it was reported as having 316 members, most of whom were in New York and Philadelphia, Captain Webb having been careful to organize societies and provide churches, while Mr. Strawbridge was neglectful of these matters. In 1773 the number of members and probationers was 1,160; 1774, 2,073; 1775, 3,148; and at the Declaration of Independence, in 1776, 4,921 members and probationers, and 24 preachers; total, 4,945. There was an increase every year during the Revolutionary War, notwithstanding the condition of the country, the sufferings of the people, and the loss of those preachers who returned to England; so that during this decade, from 1776 to 1786, including the seven years of war, the increase was more than fourfold, reaching in that year 20,681, and in 1787, 25,842; 1788, 37,354; 1789, 43,262; 1790, 57,631, the increase that year being 14,369. In these early days the Church openly and strongly opposed slavery. Then followed the O'Kelly excitement and schism, in 1792. This organization, though small, and coming to naught in a few years, did serious damage to the cause by the agitation and bitterness indulged, and through unjust attacks upon the denomination and its leading men, Bishop Asbury in particular. The increase in 1792, the year in which the secession took place, was only 2,711; and in 1793 still less, 1,663; and in 1794 there was a loss of 1,035; in 1795, 6,317; and in 1796, 3,627. It is impossible to measure the harm done by this schism. Here is a loss of 10,979 to be attributed directly to it, in addition to the fact that the increase would, no doubt, have averaged eight or ten thousand annually more than it did for several years, but for this blighting influence. In spite of this unfortunate occurrence, however, the membership more than doubled in this decade, advancing from 20,681, in 1786, to 56,664, in 1796. The next decade was peaceful and prosperous, the membership more than doubling in numbers, reaching 130,570 in 1806. Rapid growth continued to follow in each successive year till 1814, the increase the year preceding being 18,950, the largest of any one year up to this date; but in 1814 there was a decrease of 3,178, and in 1815 a decrease of 36. This decrease was owing to several causes. The first of these, no doubt, was the war with Great Britain, the influence of which upon the morals as well as the finances of the country was felt for a considerable time. Besides this, two serious errors in the administration of the affairs of the Church occurred during this decade. First, in point of time, was the rejection of Jacob Albright, as missionary to the Germans who had settled in this country. He was converted and licensed as a local preacher in 1790, and in 1796 began to itinerate among his people, believing that he was called of God to labor in their interest, and to preach in the German language. The most happy results followed. Many were converted and joined the Church. The Discipline was published in German, and the foundation laid for lasting work among that people. Mr. Albright begged to be appointed missionary by the authorities of the Church, but the objection was made, as to Dr. Nast in later years, that our preaching must be in English, in order to Americanize the German population. Had Mr. Albright been appointed to this field and encouraged, as he should have been, it is easy to see that an ample harvest would have been prepared for the reaping of Dr. Nast and others. Not being recognized by the Church in the capacity to which he felt divinely called, he and his German converts were constrained to withdraw in 1807, and organize an independent conference. This was not followed by an actual decrease of members, but by a sadly diminished increase, especially in 1808. This German conference has grown into an excellent and prosperous Church, the Evangelical Association, numbering 100,000 members. A similar mistake occurred with the colored people. Denied some of the rights which in the nature of things belonged to them, many withdrew and formed the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816. Both of these peoples have long since been granted more than they then asked, but their just demands were not allowed till it was too late to prevent schism. The advantages which might have attended the Church by a more wise and liberal policy on these points at that early day cannot be estimated. During this decade the membership failed to double, though it advanced from 130,570 to 214,235 in 1816. After this, regular and rapid growth occurred, though from 1816 to 1826 the ratio was about the same as in the preceding decade, the membership being 360,884 at the latter date. In 1820 the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was organized, drawing its members both from the Methodist Episcopal and the African Churches, and its resources mainly from the former. This schism might also have been prevented by the policy and spirit of the present day. From 1826 to 1836 the membership fell below a hundred per cent. increase, though it grew rapidly, and reached at the close of the decade 650,678, there being a decrease of 1,840 that year. In 1828 the mistake of setting off the Canada Conference was made, and the greater one of the organization of the Methodist Protestant Church. The latter, not being demanded by national boundaries, as was the case with Canada, was manifestly unfortunate, if we may judge from the suggestions of the statistics. At that time the Church was enjoying great prosperity, the increase in 1828 being 39,150, the largest for any year in the history of American Methodism thus far, and fully one fourth as many as that denomination now numbers after the labors of half a century. Revivals were then so marked and constant that, though many joined the new organization for several successive years, there was no decrease of numbers in the parent body, but the increase was again sadly diminished, particularly in 1829 and 1830. A marked decline took place in 1835-37, which may be accounted for by the pro-slavery position of the Church at that time-or, if not pro-slavery, (which is perhaps too emphatic a term to use in this connection,) the strong opposition to antislavery aggression, the Church at that date having fallen to the lowest point ever reached in its opposition to slavery, (it should be remembered that its most rapid advancement was always asso ciated with corresponding progress of antislavery sentiment in the Church and among the people)—and the financial condition of the country and the political excitement of those times. In 1840 another secession occurred, unfortunate like the others. Owing to a change in the time of making up the reports for the year, ten conferences were left out of the statistics, thus indicating great losses. These were, however, mostly, if not wholly, merely apparent, not real. Probably there was considerable gain that year, notwithstanding the organization of the Wesleyan Church. The antislavery excitement was intense, and the Church, moving forward with the tide, enjoyed remarkable prosperity, the annual increase averaging over 100,000 from 1840 to 1844. At the height of this success the South seceded, taking away thirteen conferences, with 439,233 members and 1,251 preachers, total 440,484. The "border war," which, without exception, affords the most disgraceful chapter in Methodist history, carried away many others; so that, in addition to all who may have united during that time, the loss to the Methodist Episcopal Church was, in 1845, 31,769; 1846, 495,288; 1847, 12,741 members, and 4,153 preachers; making in all 543,951 loss, instead of a gain of 100,000 a year. In 1848 losses from this cause were arrested, and a gain of 7,508 effected, the General Conference that year having assuined tenable ground touching this calamity. From that date till 1858 the annual increase was encouraging, though comparatively small, with the exception of 1854, in which there was a gain of 50,721. The increase in 1858 was 136,036. This was soon followed by great political excitement and civil war, during which the Church declined, suffering a loss of 1,924 in 1861, 45,617 in 1862, 19,512 in 1863, 1,608 in 1864; total, 68,661. This was owing to the secession in the Baltimore Conference and the persecutions inflicted upon the Methodist Episcopal Church in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas in those years because of its loyalty to the Government. In the North the membership slowly increased during that eventful period. Nor is there compensation for these losses in the supposition that the decline in the Methodist Episcopal Church was balanced by corresponding gains in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. On this theory that body ought to have had in 1847 not only the |