6. "Out of this fund let provision be made, first for the worn out preachers, and then for the widows and children of those that are dead.

7. "Every worn out preacher shall receive, if he wants it, $64 a year.

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8. Every widow of a preacher shall receive. yearly, if she wants it, $53 and 33 cts.

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9. Every child of a preacher shall receive once for all, if he wants it, 53 and 33 cts.

10. "But none shall be entitled to any thing from this find, till he has paid $6 67 cts.

11. "Nor any who neglects paying his subscription for three years together, unless he be sent by the conference out of these United States, &c." This fund afforded relief to a good many of our preachers in the time of distress; and most part of the preachers were subscribers to it. The regulations were changed afterwards in some particulars, but the fund continued in operation until we established the chartered fund in 1796. Then all the stock of the preachers' fund was thrown into the chartered fund, which was incorporated in 1797 in Philadelphia. After that time there was some alteration made in the application of the money given annually by the preachers.

The annual subscriptions of the travelling preachers, to the preachers' fund, was to be reserved for extraordinary cases, which the chartered fund might not reach. Some time after that, the subscriptions were dropped altogether, and have never since been revived.

The 75th question was, "Is there any exception to the rule "let the men and women sit apart?" A. There is no exception. Let them sit apart in all our chapels."

This rule has been established among the Methodists from the beginning, and every departure

therefrom, has been deemed a departure from the order and discipline of the Methodists.

At this time the prayer book, as revised by Mr. Wesley, was introduced among us; and in the large towns, and in some country places, our preachers read prayers on the Lord's day and in some cases the preachers read part of the morning service on Wednesdays and Fridays. But some of the preachers who had been long accustomed to pray extempore, were unwilling to adopt this new plan. Being fully satisfied that they could pray better, and with more devotion while their eyes were shut, than they could with their eyes open. After a few years the prayer book was laid aside, and has never been used since in public worship.

The Superintendants, and some of the Elders, introduced the custom of wearing gowns and bands, but it was opposed by many of the preachers, as well as private members, who looked upon it as needless and superfluous. Having made a stand against it, after a few years it was given up, and has never been introduced among us

since.

The Methodists were pretty generally pleased at our becoming a church, and heartily united together in the plan which the conference had adopted. And from that time religion greatly revived.

I will here insert some of the Articles of Religion which were received at that conference. There were twenty-five articles in all; but I shall insert only twelve of them.

N. B. The whole of the articles may be seen in the Methodists' form of discipline.

ARTICLES OF RELIGION.

1. Of Faith in the IIoly Trinity.

There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

II. Of the Word, or Son of God, who was made very Man.

The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men,

III. Of the Resurrection of Christ.

Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men at the last day,

IV. Of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and

glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

V. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation,

Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein, or may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the church,

VIII. Of Free-Wül.

The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and works to faith, and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good wil'.

IX. Of the Justification of Man.

We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings: wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

X. Of Good Works.

Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put

away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree discerned by it's fruit.

XII. Of Sin after Justification.

Not every sin willingly committed after justification, is the sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repen tance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin, after justification: after we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God rise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly.repent.

XIII. Of the Church.

The visible Church of Christ is a congrega. tion of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly administered according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the

same.

XXII. Of the Rites and Ceremonies of Churches.

It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be the same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's word. Whosoever, through