Arminians, though some of his preachers incline to Baxterianism. The followers of Mr. Whitefield are Calvinists, and were patronized by the late Countess Dowager of Huntingdon, to whom Mr. Whitefield was chaplain, and who was a lady of great benevolence and piety. The late Lady Erskine, a relation of the celebrated Erskine, took her situation, and was said to be equally attentive to the concerns of this part of the religious community. With respect to the splitting of the Methodists into Calvinists and Arminians, it happened so far back as the year 1741, the former being for Particular, and the latter for Universal redemption.

The late Lord Erskine reading the above paragraph, sent me the following communication, which I insert with pleasure: "The person you allude to was Lady Ann Agnes Erskine; and I consider it to be the highest illustration of my name and family that she was my sister, because I am confident that since the beginning of the Christian era, there never was a human being (I can except no saint or martyr) more evangelical, more rationally devout, or more fervently zealous, or distinguished by a more exalted and, as men too vainly describe it in their favour, a more masculine understanding!"

The distinguishing principles of Methodism are, salvation by faith in Jesus Christ; perceptible and, in some cases, instantaneous conversion, and an assurance of reconciliation to God, with which, they say, the new birth, or being born again, is inseperably attended. On these doctrines they lay the utmost stress; and much curious information respecting these topics will be found in the late Dr. Haweis's "History of the Church of Christ." This work, however, is deficient in references to authorities, the soul and substance of history. Several persons have written the Life of Mr. Wesley; there is one by Mr. Hampson, another by Dr. Whitehead, and a third by Dr. Coke and Mr. More. Whitefield's Life was drawn up by the late Dr. Gillies, of Glasgow. Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitefield both published accounts of their itinerant labours in this kingdom and in America. These sketches are entitled "Journals," and though containing many

strange things, serve to illustrate the progress of Methodism. Mr. Hampson, in his " Memoirs of Mr. Wesley," a well-written work, says, "If they possess not much knowledge, which, however, we do not know to be the case, it is at least certain they are not deficient in zeal; and, without any passionate desire to imitate their example, we may, at least, commend their endeavours for the general good. Every good man will contemplate with pleasure the operation of the spirit of reformation, whether foreign or domestic, and will rejoice in every attempt to propogate Christianity in the barbarous parts of the world, an attempt which, if in any tolerable degree successful, will do infinitely more for their civilization and happiness, than all the united energies of the philosophical infidels, those boasted benefactors of mankind."

The Eighty-eighth Annual Conference of the Methodist Preachers was held at Liverpool, July 26, 1826. It was there reported, that the number of members in Great Britain is 231,045, being and increase of 1378 during the past year; in Ireland, 22,514, being an increase of 437; in foreign stations, 32,960, being an increase of 626. Total, 286,519; increase during the past year, 2,441 members. The grand total of Wesleyan Methodists through the world is 630,081, of whom 2418 are preachers in the Connexion. In their Address to the American Methodist Bishops, the Conference acknowledge that the times have injured them, adding, "We cannot this year report a very large increase of numbers, but we trust that we are still favoured with a considerable degree of religious prosperity."

NEW METHODISTS.

The New Methodist Connexion, among the followers of Mr. Wesley, separated from the original Methodists in 1797. The grounds of this separation they declare to be church-government, and not doctrines, as affirmed by some of their opponents. They object to the old Methodists for having formed a hierarchy, or priestly corporation, and

say that, in so doing, they have robbed the people of those privileges which, as members of a Christian church, they are entitled to by reason and scripture. The New Methodists have established every part of their church-government on popular princicples, and profess to have united, as much as possible, the ministers and the people in every department of it. This is quite contrary to the original government of the Methodists, which, in the most important cases, is confined only to the ministers. This, indeed, appears most plainly, when the Conference, or Yearly Meeting, is considered; for in this meeting no person who is not a travelling preacher, has ever been suffered to enter as a member of it; and, indeed, this is the point to which the preachers have always steadfastly adhered with the utmost firmness and resolution, and on which the division at present entirely rests. They are also upbraided by the New Methodists, for having abused the power they have assumed; a great many of these abuses the New Methodists have formally protested against which are enumerated in various publications, and particularly in the Preface to the Life of one of their deceased friends, Mr. Alexander Kilham. Hence these New Methodists have been sometimes denominated Kilhamites.

Though these are the points on which the division seems principally to have rested, yet there are several other things that have contributed to it. It is frequently easy to foresee and to calculate the future changes in society that the lapse of time will produce; and in no instance is this observation better warranted than in this division, which most persons have long expected. The old attachment of the Methodists to the Established Church, which originated in Mr. Wesley, and was cherished by him and many of the preachers by all possible means, and also the dislike to these sentiments in many others of the preachers, and of the societies, were never-failing subjects of contention. As all parties are dististinguished in their contests by some badge or discriminating circumstance, so here the receiving, or not receiving, the Lord's Supper in the established Church, was long

considered as the criterion of Methodistical zeal or disaffection. Thus the rupture that had been long foreseen by intelligent persons, and for which the minds of the Methodists had been undesinedly prepared, became inevitable, when Mr. Wesley's influence no longer interfered. Soon after Mr. Wesley's death, many things had a tendency to displease the societies, and bring forward the division. Many petitions having been sent by the societies to the preachers, requesting to have the Lord's Supper administered to them in their own chapels, the people had the mortification to find that this question was decided by lot, and not by the use of reason and serious discussion!

The New Methodists profess to proceed upon liberal, open, and ingenuous principles in the construction of their plan of church-government; and their ultimate decision, in all disputed matters, is in their popular annual assembly, chosen, by certain rules, from among the preachers and societies. These professions are at least generous and liberal; but as this sect has yet continued for only a short season, little can be said of it for the present. It becomes matter of curious conjecture and speculation, how far the leading persons among them will act agreeably to their present liberal professions. If they should become firmly established in power and influence, and have the opportunity of acting otherwise, they have at least the advantage of the example of their late brethren, and of Dr. Priestley's remarks upon them. Speaking of the leading men among the Methodists, the Doctor says -"Finding themselves by degrees at the head of a large body of people, and in considerable power and influence they must not have been men, if they had not felt the love of power gratified in such a situation; and they must have been more than men, if their subsequent conduct had not been influenced by it." A shrewd hint, that Dr. P. thought the Methodists had been too remiss in their attention to their liberties, which they ought to convey down entire and unmutillated to posterity.*

This article was sent to the Editor by a correspondent at Nottingham, and is inserted with a few alterations and additions.

PRIMITIVE METHODISTS, OR RANTERS.

With their Camp Meetings.

These are a disowned branch of the Wesleyan Methodists, originating in Staffordshire, under Hugh Bourne, who wrote their history. This is a small pamphlet, entitled, "History of the Primitive Methodists, giving an Account of their Rise and Progress, up to the year 1823," by Hugh Bourne, Bemersley,near Tunstall, printed for the author, at the office of the Primitive Methodist Connexion, by J. Bourne. This J. Bourne,printer,is a preacher,together with his brother, Hugh Bourne, under both of whose labours has arisen the Primitive Connexion. It commenced at Harreshead, and on Mow* the first Campmeetings being disapproved of by the old Connexion, a separation took place, when H. and J. Bourne enlarged their views, and the cause spread in every direction. Societies were established at Boylstone, Todeley, and Hallington, in Derbyshire. A general meeting was held at Tunstall, Feb. 13, 1812, and a preparatory meeting at Nottingham, Aug. 18, 1819, when arrangements were made for annual meetings, quarterly meetings having been held in March, June, September, and December, under which "the work mightily enlarged." Missionary exertions, which had been declining, were revived at Belper "very powerfully," while "the praying people, in returning home, were accustomed to sing through the streets of Belper!" It is added, that "this circumstance procured them the name of Ranters, and the name of Ranter, which first arose on this occasion, afterwards spread very extensively." The work, we are told, then spread to Derby and Nottingham, whence circuits were established, one circuit having been hitherto sufficient for the Connexion. The camp-meetings also had declined, but were thus revived.

"The declining state of the camp-meetings was severely felt in the circuit, and caused considerable anxiety;

*Mow, a large mountain between Staffordshire and Cheshire, five Miles from the Potteries.