it would conduce to the interest of religion in America, if a bishop were appointed there. This judicious representation was unsuccessful; for the ministers, who were but too bold in trying experiments of another kind with the colonists, thought it better to let religious affairs remain as they were, than to introduce any innovation. If this had been done half a century earlier, as soon as the population of the country required it, it would have been highly beneficial to America; part of the hierarchy would have submitted to, or taken part in the revolution, and thus a religious establishment might have been preserved in those parts of the United States, where the want of religious instruction is severely felt. The ill consequences of an omission, which. whether morally or politically considered, is equally to be condemned, were now experienced. Two American youths, after the peace, came to England, for the purpose of obtaining episcopal ordination: but the Archbishop of Canterbury was of opinion, that no English bishop could ordain them, unless they took the oath of allegiance, which it was impossible for them to do. They then applied for advice and assistance to Dr. Franklin, who was at that time in France. Upon consulting a French clergyman, he found that they could not be ordained in France, unless they vowed obedience to the Archbishop of Paris; and the nuncio, whom he consulted also, informed him that the Romish bishop in America could not lay hands on them unless they turned Catholics.The advice, therefore, which they received from a man like Franklin, may easily be conjectured;-it was, that the Episcopalian clergy in America should become Presbyterians; or, if they would not consent to this, that they should elect a bishop for themselves.

* I have somewhere seen it stated, that, in the large town of Richmond, there was no place of worship, till the theatre took fire, and some fourscore persons perished in the flames. Then the people took fright, and built a church upon the ruins. A lady, who published an account, in verse, of her residence in the southern states, describes, with much feeling, her emotion at hearing a church clock when she returned to her own country: "A sound,” she says, "I had not heard for years."

This latter course some of the American Methodists had already adopted. Finding themselves deprived of communion, and their children of baptism, they applied to Asbury, whom they regarded as their head, to adopt some means of providing for these ordinances. Asbury knew not how to act, and advised them to wait till circumstances should prepare the way for what they wished. It was not likely that they should follow this advice. Breaking off their connexion with him, and thereby with Mr. Wesley, they elected three of their elder brethren to ordain others by imposition of hands. Asbury, however, retained so much influence, that, at a subsequent conference, this ordination was declared to be unscriptural. The schism was healed just as the peace was made; and, as soon as a communication was opened with England, he sent a representation of the case to Wesley. Mr. Wesley had been convinced, by the perusal of Lord King's Account of the Primitive Church, that bishops and presbyters are the same order. Men are sometimes easily convinced of what they find it convenient or agreeable to believe. Regarding the apostolical succession as a fable, he thought, when this application from America arrived, that the best thing which he could do would be to secure the Wesleyan succession for the United States.

This step, however, was not taken without some demur, and a feeling that it required some justification to himself, as well as to the world. It appears that some of his friends advised an application to the bishops, requesting them to ordain preachers for America. Wesley was not aware of the legal impediment to this; but he replied, that, on a former application to the Bishop of London, his request had been unsuccessful: that, if the bishops would consent, their proceedings were notoriously slow, and this matter admitted of no delay. "If they would ordain them now," he continued, "they would expect to govern them; and how grievously would this entangle us! As our American brethren are now totally disentangled, both from the state and the Eng

lish hierarchy, we dare not entangle them again, either with the one or the other. They are now at full liberty simply to follow the Scriptures and the primitive church; and we judge it best that they should stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has so strangely made them free." Having, therefore, determined how to act, he communicated his determination to Dr. Coke, and proposed, in his character of presbyter, which, he said, was the same as bishop, to invest him with the same presbytero-episcopal powers. that, in that character, he might proceed to America, and superintend the societies in the United States. The doubts which Dr. Coke entertained as to the validity of Mr. Wesley's authority, were removed by the same treatise which had convinced Mr. Wesley; and it seems not to have occurred, to either the one or the other, that, if presbyter and bishop were the same order, the proposed consecration was useless; for, Dr. Coke having been regularly ordained, was as good a bishop as Mr. Wesley himself.

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Having, however, taken his part, he stated the reasons upon which he had acted with his wonted perspicuity. By a very uncommon train of Providences," he said, "many of the provinces of North America are totally disjoined from the mother country, and erected into independent states. The English government has no authority over them, either civil or ecclesiastical, any more than over the States of Holland. A civil authority is exercised over them, partly by the congress, partly by the provincial assemblies; but no one either exercises or claims any ecclesiastical authority at all. In this peculiar situation, some thousands of the inhabitants of these states desire my advice." Then asserting his opinion, that bishops and presbyters were the same order, and, consequently, had the same right to ordain, he said that, for many years, he had been importuned, from time to time, to exercise this right, by ordaining part of the travelling preachers, and that he had still refused, for peace-sake, and because he was determined, as little as possible, to violate the established

order of the national church to which he belonged. "But the case," he pursued, "is widely different between England and North America. Here there are bishops who have a legal jurisdiction. In America there are none, neither any parish ministers; so that, for some hundreds of miles together, there is none either to baptize, or to administer the Lord's Supper. Here, therefore, my scruples are at an end; and I conceive myself at full liberty, as I violate no order, and invade no man's right, by appointing and sending labourers into the harvest."

Accordingly, he summoned Dr. Coke to Bristol, and Mr. Creighton with him, a clergyman who had become a regular member of the Methodist Connexion. With their assistance he ordained Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, presbyters for America; and afterwards he ordained Dr. Coke superintendent. Some reason might have been expected why he thought this second ordination necessary, superintendent being but another word for bishop; and why he thus practically contradicted the very principle upon which he professed to act. Not stopping to discuss such niceties, he gave the Doctor letters of ordination, under his hand and seal, in these words: "To all to whom these presents shall come, John Wesley, late Fellow of Lincoln College, in Oxford, Presbyter of the Church of England, sendeth greeting: Whereas many of the people in the southern provices of North America, who desire to continue under my care, and still adhere to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, are greatly distressed for want of ministers to administer the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, according to the usage of the same church; and whereas there does not appear to be any other way of supplying them with ministers,-Know all men, that I, John Wesley, think myself to be providentially called, at this time, to set apart some persons for the work of the ministry in America. And therefore, under the protection of Almighty God, and with a single eye to his glory, I have this day set apart, as a Superintendent, by the imposition of my hands and

prayer, (being assisted by other ordained ministers,) Thomas Coke, Doctor of Civil Law, a Presbyter of the Church of England, and a man whom I judge to be well qualified for that great work: and I do hereby recommend him, to all whom it may concern, as a fit person to preside over the flock of Christ.—In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eightyfour. JOHN WESLEY."

Wesley had long deceived himself respecting the part which he was acting toward the Church of England. At the outset of his career he had no intention of setting himself up in opposition to it; and when, in his progress towards schism, he disregarded its forms, and set its discipline at nought, he still repeatedly disclaimed all views of separation.— Nor did he ever avow the wish, or refer to it as a likely event, with complacency, even when he must have perceived that the course of his conduct, and the temper of his followers, rendered it inevitable. On this occasion his actions spoke for him; by arrogating the episcopal authority, he took the only step which was wanting to form the Methodists into a distinct body of separatists from the Church. Nevertheless, this was not done without reluctance, arising from old and rooted feelings; nor without some degree of shame, perhaps, for the inconsistencies in which he had involved himself. From the part which he now took, and the manner in which he attempted to justify it, it may be presumed that the story of his applying to the Greek bishop for consecration is well founded, notwithstanding the falsehoods which his enemies had added to the simple fact. Mr. Wesley's declared opinion respecting the identity of the episcopal and priestly orders, was contradicted by his own conduct; and it may be suspected, that his opinion upon the apostolical succession rested on no better ground than its convenience to his immediate purpose. Undoubtedly, as he says, it is not possible to prove the apostolical succession; but,short of that absolute proof, which, in this