Harwich till the Friday following. He observes on the whole, that the persons with whom he conversed in Holland, were of the same spirit with his friends in England; and that he was as much at home in Utrecht and Amsterdam, as in Bristol and London.

"How entirely (he adds) were we mistaken in the Hollanders, supposing them to be of a cold, phlematic, unfriendly temper! I have not met with a more warmly-affectionate people, in all Europe! No, not in Ireland "

The year 1784, brings us to the grand climacterical year of Methodism. Not indeed, if we number the years of its existence, but if we regard the changes

which

churches were opened. He preached and expounded in many private houses; and received many marks of courtesy from several pious persons of rank and fortune, particularly from Mr. Loten, one of the Burghomasters of Utrecht, who both at this time and on his former visit, seemed studious to shew him proof of his regard and attention. Miss Ioten, his daughter, a most amiable and pious young lady, continued to correspond with Mr. Wesley till his death, in the English language, which she well understood.

He had no design in visiting Holland, to form Societies. He made these visits partly for relaxation, and partly to indulge and enlarge his Catholic spirit, by forming an acquaintance with the truly pious in foreign nations. He often with great satisfaction reflected on the sameness of true religion in every country. He saw that the genuine spirit of piety, in every time and place, tends to promote union of heart and brotherly kindness. The same simplicity of manners and dress he also observed, even in those of the highest rank that professed godliness. The meetings for Christian fellowship he found to be very similar to those he had himself established. But as few of the Ministers of the church of Holland seemed to encourage or rightly understand the excel. lency of this great help to picty; and as the intolerant spirit of the national Establishment prevented these pious persons from having Ministers after their own heart, they were on these accounts deprived of the advantages of christian discipline. Being therefore in a great measure left to themselves, those in the higher circles have formed an union which seems to exclude the poor. We need not observe how contrary this is to the spirit of Christianity: but the Lord will in his own good time remove from that lovely people this want of conformity to his pure gofpel. Dr. Coxz.

1

which now took place in the form of its original Constitution. The changes to which we allude, were, 1. The Deed of Declaration; and, 2. Ordination. These undoubtedly laid the foundation of a New Order of things among the Methodists, hitherto unknown.

Mr. Myles, in his Chronological History of the Methodisst, observes in page 144 of his second edition, that on February 28, 1784, Mr. Wesley executed the DEED OF DECLARATION, constituting one hundred of the travelling Preachers, "The Conference of the People called Methodists." The design of this was to give a legal specification of that phrase," The Conference of the People called Methodists," which is inserted in all the Deeds of the Chapels. By virtue of this Deed, the Conference claims the power of appointing Preachers to preach in those Chapels. It is as follows: An Attested Copy of Mr. WESLEY'S Declaration and Establishment of the Conference of the People called Methodists, enrolled in his Majesty's High Court of Chancery.

TO ALL TO WHOM these Presents shall come, John Wesley, late of Lincoln-College, Oxford, but now of the CityRoad, London, Clerk, sendeth greeting:

WHEREAS divers Buildings, commonly called Chapels, with a messuage and dwelling-house, or other appurtenances to each of the same belonging, situate in various parts of Great-Britain, have been given and conveyed from time to time by the said John Wesley to certain persons and their heirs in each of the said gifts and conveyances named; which are enrolled in his Majesty's, High Court of Chancery, upon the acknowledgment of the said John Wesley, (pursuant to the act of Parliament in that case made and provided) apon trust, that the Trustees in the said several deeds respec

tively named, and the survivors of them and their heirs and assigns, and the Trustees for the time being to be elected as in the said deeds is appointed, should permit and suffer the said John Wesley and such other person and persons as he should for that purpose from time to time nominate and appoint, at all times during his life, at his will and pleasure to have and enjoy the free use and benefit of the said premises, that he the said John Wesley and such person and persons as he should nominate and appoint, might therein preach and ex- ' pound God's holy word: And upon further trust that the said respective trustees and the survivors of them, and their heirs and assigns, and the trustees for the time being, should permit and suffer Charles Wesley, brother of the said John Wesley, and such other person and persons, as the said Charles Wesley should for that purpose from time to time nominate and appoint, in like manner during his life--To have, use, and enjoy the said premises respectively for the like purposes as aforesaid and after the decease of the survivor of them the said John Wesley and Charles Wesley, then upon further trust, that the said respective Trustees and the survivors of them and their heirs and assigns, and the Trustees for the time being for ever, should permit and suffer such person and persons and for such time and times as should be appointed at the yearly Conference of the People called Methodists in London, Bristol, or Leeds, and no others, to have and enjoy the said premises for the purposes aforesaid: And whereas divers persons have in like manner given or conveyed many chapels, with messuages and dwelling-houses or other appurtenances to the same belonging, situate in various parts of Great-Britain, and also in Ireland, to certain trustees, in each of the said gifts and conveyances respectively named upon the like trusts, and for the same uses and purposes as aforesaid (except only that in some of the said gifts and conveyances, no life estate or other interest is therein or thereby given and reserved to the said Cha ́s Wesley,) And whereas, for rendering effectual the trusts created by the said several gifts or conveyances, and that no doubt or litigation may arise with respect

VOL. 11.

се

respect unto the same, or the interpretation and true meaning thereof, it has been thought expedient by the said Jola Wesley, on behalf of himself as donor of the several chapels, with the messuages, dwelling-houses, or appurtenances before mentioned, as of the donors of the said other chapels, with the messuages, dwelling-houses or appurtenances to the same belonging given or conveyed to the like uses and trusts, to explain the words "Yearly Conference of the people called Methodists," contained in all the said trust deeds, and to declare what persons are members of the said Conference, and how the succession and identity thereof is to be continued: Now therefore these presents witness, that for accomplishing the aforesaid purposes, the said John Wesley doth hereby declare, that the Conference of the people called Methodists, in London, Bristol, or Leeds, ever since there hath been any yearly Conference of the said people called Methodists in any of the said places, hath always heretofore consisted of the Preachers and Expounders of God's holy word, commonly called Methodist Preachers, in connexion with, and under the care of the said John Wesley, whom he hath thought expedient year after year to summon to meet him, in one or other of the said places, of London, Bristol, or Leeds, to advise with them for the promotion of the gospel of Christ, to appoint the said persons so summoned, and the other Preachers and Expounders of God's holy word, also in connexion with, and under the care of the said John Wesley, not summoned to the said yearly Conference, to the use and enjoyment of the said chapels and premises so given and conveyed upon trust for the said John Wesley, and such other person and persons as he should appoint during his life as aforesaid, and for the expulsion of unworthy and admission of new persons under his care and into his connexion to be Preachers and Expounders as aforesaid, and also of other persons upon trial for the like purposes; the names of all which persons so summoned by the said John Wesley, the persons appointed, with the chapels and premises to which they were so appointed, together with the duration of such

appoint.

appointments, and of those expelled or admitted into connexion or upon trial, with all other matters transacted and done at the said yearly Conference, have year by year been printed and published under the title of Minutes of Conference. And these presents further witness, and the said John Wesley doth hereby avouch and further declare, that the several persons herein after named, to wit, the said John Wesley and Charles Wesley,* of the city of London; John Allen,** Bristol; Charles Atmore, York; John Booth, Colchester; Jeremiah Brettel, Lynn; John Barber, Northampton: John Broadbent,* Oxford; John Brettel,* Gloucester; Samuel Bardsley, Macclesfield; Joseph Bradford, Leicester; Samuel Bradburn, Leeds; Isaac Brown, Birstall; Joseph Benson, Halifax; George Button, Isle of Man; Thomas Briscoe,* Yarm; William Boothby,* Newcastle upon Tyne; Andrew Blair,* Cork; George Brown, Clones; Thomas Barber, Charlemont; Thomas Coke, London; James Creighton, London; Thomas Cooper, Colchester; Joseph Cole, Oxford; Jonathan Cousins, Gloucester; Thomas Carlill,* Grimsby; Thomas Corbitt,* Gainsborough; Robert Costerdine, Colne; William Collins,* Sunderland; John Crook, Lisburne; William Dufton,* Halifax; Thomas Dixon, Newcastle upon Tyne; John Easton,* Colne; John Fenwick,* Burslem; Henry Foster,* Belfast; William Green,* Bristol; John Goodwin, Chester; Parson Greenwood,* Liverpool; James Hall,* Plymouth; William Hoskins,* Cardiff; Joseph Harper,* Grimsby; Thomas Hanby,* Burslem; Thomas Hanson,* Huddersfield; Lancelot Harrison, Scarborough ; Robert Hopkins, York; Christopher Hopper,* Newcastle upon Tyne; William Hunter,* Berwick upon Tweed; Edward Jackson, Hull; Daniel Jackson, Dublin: Joshua Keighley, Seven Oaks; John Leech, Brecon ; Thomas Longley, Derby; Robert Lindsay,* Sligo; John Mason,* Salisbury; John Moon,* Plymouth Dock; John Murlin, Manchester; William Myles, Nottingham; Alexander Mather, Bradforth; Henry Moore, Cork; Duncan M'Allum, Aberdeen; Jonathan Parkin, Lynn ;

*

*

*

ce 2