At the Conference in 1790, it was added, "No house shall be undertaken, nor a stone laid, till the house is settled after the Methodist form, verbatim. N. B. No lawyer is to alter one line, neither need any be employed."

The Deeds of the Preaching-houses must have, on the first skin of parchment, one twenty shillings stamp, and one ten shillings stamp, and no other. On the second skin of parchment, one twenty shillings stamp, and no other. On the third skin, (if wanting) to the sixteenth, the same.

If it relate to a Preaching-house out of London, it must be acknowledged by the person or persons conveying the premises to Trustees, (after the execution of it) before a Master Extraordinary in Chancery. N. B. Almost every eminent Attorney at Law in the country, is a Master Extraordinary in Chancery. It must be presented to the Enrollment Office, within six lunar months after its date, or it is of no value. A lunar month is twenty-eight days.

of

The following words, or words to this purport, must be inserted on the margin of the Deed, by the Master in Chancery: "A. B. of the parish of in the county (and C. D. &c. if the premises have been purchased in the names of two or more) did appear before me, this day of in the year of did acknowledge that he did sign, seal and deliver this Indenture as his own Act and Deed; and prays that the same may be enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery.

and

Mr. Wesley's love and care for such Preachers as feared they might in any degree suffer by this Deed, is evident from the following letter which he wrote about a year afterwards, and committed to Mr. Joseph Bradford; who accordingly presented it to the Conference, at their first mecting after his decease, at Chester, April 7, 1785.

"MY DEAR BRETHREN,

"Some of our travelling Preachers have expressed a fear, that after my decease you would exclude them, either from preaching in connexion with you, or from some other privileges which they now enjoy. I know no other way to prevent any such inconvenience, than to leave these my last words with you.

"I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you never avail yourselves of the Deed of Declaration, to assume any superiority over your brethren: but let all things go on, among those itinerants who choose to remain together, exactly in the same manner as when I was with you, so far as circumstances will permit.

"In particular I beseech you, if you ever loved me, and if you now love God and your brethren, to have no respect of persons in stationing the Preachers, in choosing children for Kingswood-School, in disposing of the yearly contribution and the Preacher's fund, or any other public money: but do all things with a single eye, as I have done from the beginning. Go on thus, doing all things without prejudice or partiality, and God will be with you even to the end.

JOHN WESLEY."

The Conference immediately and unanimously resolved, that all the Preachers who were in full connexion with them, should enjoy every privilege that the members of the Conference enjoy, agreeably to the above written letter of their venerable deceased Father in the Gospel, and consistent with the Deed of Declaration.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER V.

Some Preachers being offended at the Deed, attempt to make a party; but being disappointed leave the Society. Introduction of Methodism into Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark. Mr. Wesley ordains Dr. Coke. Progress of Methodism in America. Several particulars of the last years of Mr. Wesley's life: with an Account of his sickness and Death in March, 1791. His Will, &c.

ON

N the 27th of July, 1784, the forty-first Conference was held at Leeds. Messrs. John Hampson, sen. and John Hampson, jun. his son; William Eells, and Joseph Pillmoor, with a few other travelling Preachers, were greatly offended at the Deed Mr. Wesley had executed.. Their names were not inserted in it. They strove to make a party among the Preachers, but were disappointed. By Mr. Fletcher's friendly efforts, a partial reconciliation was effected between them and Mr. Wesley: but it was of short continuance. Soon after the Conference, Mr. Hampson, senior, became an Independant Minister; but being old and infirm, and the people poor among whom he laboured, he was assisted with £.12 a year out of the Preachers' Fund while he lived. The Conference took no notice of his death in their yearly Minutes. He died in the year 1795. Mr. Hampson, jun.* procured ordination in the Established

* Mr. John Hampson, in 1791, published in Sunderland, three small volumes, which he entitled, "Memoirs of the late REV. JOHN WESLEY, A.M. with a Review of his Life and Writings, and a History of Methodism, from its commencement in 1729, to the time of publication." his Preface he states, that this Work was intended for publication

Established Church, and got a living in Sunderland, in the north of England. Mr. Eells also left the connexion, and some time after, joined Mr. Atlay at Dewsbury; and Mr. Pillmoor went to America, but not in connexion with Mr. Wesley.

At this time, Mr. Nicholas Manners, one of the travelling Preachers, had disturbed the connexion in some measure, by preaching false doctrine. He denied. original sin. His case was considered at Conference, and the brethren came to the following conclusion: "No preacher who denies original sin, can preach among us and we advise our brethren not to hear him." He was a good, mistaken man. After some time he went to America, and strove to spread his opinions there; but he failed in his design. He then returned to England, and sunk into obscurity.

One of the Norman Isles, Jersey, appeared on the minutes at this time. In the countries we have hitherto considered, (the Isle of Man excepted) the English language has been universally spoken. But Divine Providence led Mr. Wesley, with the Preachers in connexion with him, into an unexpected line of usefulness.

The islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, are situated in St. Michael's Bay, near the coast of Normandy. They are the only remains of

the

during Mr. Wesley's life. We feel no hesitation in doubting the truth of this assertion, as also the authentic documents, of which he makes particular mention, in an advertisement prefixed to his second volume. In this work, which is certainly the effort of an ingenious, but disingenuous mind, is strikingly evinced, to what spirit a man may yield, when labouring under the burden of disappointment and prejudice We deem ourselves not too severe; and refer our readers, to the Reviewers of Mr. Hampson's slanderous production, who pronounce it to be," a work replete with calumny and invective, the vindictive effusions of a disappointed apostate!"

the Norman dominions annexed to Great-Britain by William the Conqueror. The inhabitants in general, (those of the two principal towns excepted) speak only French.

In a regiment of soldiers, which was sent over to Jersey in the American war, there were a few serious Christians who had heard the Gospel in one of the sea-port towns of England. These men finding no help for their souls in the Island, wrote to Mr. Wesley, entreating him to send them a Preacher. Mr. Brackenbury, a gentleman of fortune in Lincolnshire, who had joined the Society, and afterwards preached in connexion with Mr. Wesley, was present when the letter was received, and offered his service, as he had some acquaintance with the French language. Mr. Wesley readily accepted the offer. Mr. Brackenbury set off for Jersey, rented a house in the town of St. Helier, preached the Gospel through the Island, and was the means of turning many from their sins to God.

In the year 1786, Mr. Wesley sent Mr. Adam Clarke to the Island of Jersey. In the course of these events, a shopkeeper of the Island of Guernsey, whose name was Arrivè, visited Jersey, and under the preaching of Mr. Brackenbury was brought to repentance. He then invited Mr. Brackenbury to visit Guernsey: he went, and was universally well received. Dr. Coke, who about this time visited these islands, followed Mr. Brackenbury in Guernsey, and formed the first Society in that Island. Afterwards Mr. Clarke, with much pain and difficulty, accompanied by many remarkable providences, which for want of room, we regret omitting, erected a very commodiou