mously choose brother Asbury to act according to Mr. Wesley's original appointment, and preside over the American conference and the whole work? A. Yes.

It was agreed we shouia have the next conference in Virginia, ou the first Tuesday in May following; and the conference in the north in Baltimore, on the last Wednesday in the same month.

The general fast days were continued to be held on the first Thursday in June, September, January and April. The minutes were concluded thus, "Every assistant preacher must so order his circuit, that either himself or one-of his helpers may travel with Mr. Asbury in the circuit."

As Mr. D. Jarratt, a church minister of Dinwiddie county, in Virginia, had paid particular attention to the Methodist preachers and people, this conference expressed themselves in the following manner: "The conference acknowledge their "obligations to the Rev. Mr. Jarratt, for his kind. " and friendly services to the preachers and people, from our first entrance into Virginia: and more particularly for attending our conference "in Sussex, both in public and private; and we "advise the preachers in the south to consult "him, and to take his advice in the absence of "brother Asbury."*

* Mr. Jarratt was one of the most pious clergymen that I was acquainted with, and his attachment to the Methodists was very great, and never abated until the Methodists broke off from the Church of England in 1784, and formed themselves into a regular church. His mind then began to be somewhat turned against them; and in some cases he shewed too much warmth in his opposition. But through the greater part of his life, he was a man of great calmness, and of a candid and liberal sentiment towards other denominations. He died in peace on the 30th of January 1801, in the 69.h year of his age. Mr. John Coleman

H

There was however a great revival of religion this year, in the north of Virginia, and in some parts of Maryland. Some of our preachers left their circuits to keep out of the way of the enemy but others having more courage, continued to travel as usual, and to trust the Lord with their bodies as well as their souls.

Considering all things, our societies were greatly blessed, and the number of our members greatly increased: and notwithstanding we were scattered, and in some places suffered loss, yet taking the whole connection throughout, we were highly favoured of the Lord.

In 1783, the eleventh conference began at El. lis's meeting house, Sussex county, Virginia, on the 6th day of May, and adjourned to Baltimore to the 27th day of the same month.

At this time we took in eleven circuits, which are as follows. In Maryland, Caroline and Annamessex in Virginia, Alleghany, Cumber. land and Holstein: in North Carolina, Guilford, Caswell, Salisbury, Marsh, Bertie and Pasquotank. We also took in two of the old stations which had been left out of the minutes for some years, on account of the war, i. e. Norfolk and New York.

We had thirty-five circuits, and eighty-two preachers to travel in them. We added to the society this year 1955 members. We took nineteen young preachers upon trial, so that all the circuits were well supplied.

once a travelling Methodist preacher, but now a minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church, published in 1806, a book called Jarratt's Life: and if what he published be true, and Mr. Jarratt did write the letters just as they are published, they shew that be was more severe in his spirit against the Methodists, than they who knew him ever thought him to be The book, as far as it speaks of the Methodists, does no credit to the writer or publisher of it. If Mr. Jarratt had been living when the book was printed, I am persuaded he would never have consented for the private letters to have been published.

At this conference the preachers fell upon a new plan, in order to provide a support for the preachers' wives: they required such circuits as they thought able, to raise a certain sum of money for the support of the preachers' wives in other circuits. The minute stands thus: Q. "What sum is to be, raised for the support of the preachers' wives? A. North circuits £200, south circuits £60." The wives to be provided for, the circuits which were to raise the money, the sum to be raised, and the particular sum to be given to each preacher's wife, were all specified in the minutes. This plan was quite new, and some of the leading men in particu lar circuits did not approve of it; and thought it unreasonable that they should raise money for a woman they never saw; and whose husband had never preached among them.

But the Methodist cause is but one in every place; and he who loves his neighbour as himself, will feel for every circuit, every preacher, and every preacher's family.

There was a new minute formed respecting our local preachers who held slaves, where the laws of the state would admit of their being free. It says, "We will try them another year, in the mean time let every assistant deal faithfully and plainly with them, and report to the next conference. It may then be necessary to suspend them.”

The following was one of the questions," Shall our friends be permitted to make spiritous liquors, sell, or drink them in drams? A. By no means; we think it wrong in it's nature and consequences; and desire all our preachers to teach the people by precept and example to put away this evil."

At that time it was but seldom known that a Methodist preacher drank spiritous liquors, unless in cases of extreme necessity.

The conference appointed two days for public thanksgiving throughout our connection, for the peace which was established between the United States of America, and the British nation: for our temporal and spiritual prosperity, and for the glorious revival of the work of God which had taken place among us. The first thanksgiv. ing day was to be on the first Thursday in July, and the second was to be on the first Thursday in October. They also appointed two fast days, the first to be held on the first Friday in the following January; and the second, on the first Friday in April.

They then concluded, that all the assistants, and the preachers to be received into full connection, should attend the next conference.

There were three preachers who desisted from travelling this year, namely, Richard Garrettson, Micajah Debruler, and Samuel Watson.

The revolutionary war being now closed, and a general peace established, we could go into all parts of the country without fear; and we soon began to enlarge our borders, and to preach in many places where we had not been before. We soon saw the fruit of our labours in the new circuits, and in various parts of the country, even in old places where we had preached in former years with but little success.

One thing in particular, that opened the way for the spreading of the gospel by our preachers was this during the war, which had continued seven or eight years, many of the members of our societies had, through fear, necessity, or choice, moved into the back settlements, and into new parts of the country: and as soon as the national peace was settled, and the way was open, they solicited us to come among them; and by their earnest and frequent petitions, both ver

bal and written, we were prevailed on, and encouraged to go among them: and they were ready to receive us with open hands and willing hearts, and to cry out Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

The Lord prospered us much in the thinly settled parts of the country, where, by collecting together the old members of our society, and by joining some new ones with them, the work greatly revived, and the heavenly flame of religion spread far and wide.

The intercourse being now open between us and England, we thought there was danger of preachers or members coming from that country, to preach or live among us, whose characters might not be good. In order that we might not be imposed upon, the following regulation was adopted.

Q. "How shall we conduct ourselves towards the European Methodists, should they come to this continent?

A. We will not receive them without a letter of recommendation, the truth of which we have no reason to doubt."

In the latter part of this year, Mr. Wesley in England, wrote a letter to America, which agreed with the last minute; the following is an extract from that letter.

Bristol, Qctober 3, 1783. 1. Let all of you be determined to abide by the methodist doctrine, and discipline, published in the four volumes of sermons, and the notes upon the New Testament, together with the large minutes of the conference.

2. Beware of preachers coming from Great Britain or Ireland, without a full recommendation from me. Three of our travelling preachers here eagerly desired to go to America; but I could