"2. Let it be recollected, also, that those who consecrated Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, namely, Mr. Wesley, Dr. Coke, and Mr. Creighton, were all regular presbyters in the church of England; and that those who laid hands on Dr. Coke, and set him apart as a superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal church in America, were also presbyters regularly ordained to that office.

"3. It appears manifest from several passages of Scripture, particularly Acts xiii. 1, 2, and 1 Tim. iv. 14, and the testimonies of the primitive fathers of the church, that presbyte and bishops were of the same order, and that they originally possessed the power of ordination.

"4. The doctrine of uninterrupted succession from the apostles, in a third order, by a triple consecration, as distinct from, and superior to, presbyters, has been discarded by many of the most eminent ecclesiastical writers, as resting upon no solid foundation, not being susceptible of proof from any authentic source.

"5. Mr. Wesley possessed a right over the Methodists which no man else did or could possess, because they were his spiritual children, raised up under his preaching and superintendence; and hence they justly looked to him for a supply of the ordinances of Jesus Christ.

"6. Therefore, in exercising the power with which the Divine Head of the church had invested him, he invaded no other man's right, nor yet assumed that which did not belong to him.

"7. Hence he did not, as the objection which this argument is designed to refute supposes, ordain either presbyters or a bishop for the English church, nor for any other church then existing, but simply and solely for the Methodist societies in America. And therefore, in doing this necessary work, he neither acted inconsistently with himself as a presbyter of the church of England, nor incompatible with his frequent avowals to remain in that church, and not to separate from it.

'8. For, in fact, in organizing the Methodist Episcopal church, he did not separate either from the English or Protestant Episcopal church; for that church had no jurisdiction here, and the Methodist was organized some time before the Protestant Episcopal church had an existence. Hence he acted perfectly consistent with himself, with all his avowals of attachment to the church of England, while he proceeded to organize a church here; for while he did this, and thereby established a separate and independent church in America, where the English church had no jurisdiction, he and his people in England still remained members of the Establishment.

"9. While the Scriptures are silent in respect to the particular form of church government which should be established, they certainly allow of an Episcopal form, because it is not incompatible with any known precept or usage of primitive Christianity.

"10. This is farther manifest from the fact, that the apostles and evangelists did exercise a jurisdiction over the entire church, presbyters, deacons, and people, though at the same time there is no proof that as to order, created such by a third consecration, they were higher than the presbyters.

"11. Distinguishing, therefore, between the power of ordination, and the power of jurisdiction, we may see how an Episcopal government may be created by a Presbyterial ordination, and hence justify the act of Mr. Wesley and his associates in setting apart Dr. Coke to the office of a general superintendent.

"These arguments are merely stated here as the grounds on which the organization of the Methodist Episcopal church is justified, referring the reader who may wish to see them in detail, with the proofs on which they rest for support, to the book recently pub-. lished, called 'An Original Church of Christ.' In that performance he will see all objections met, and, I trust, fully answered, and the proceedings of Mr. Wesley and his co-workers amply vindicated.

"12. Another ground of defence is in the character of those who were employed in this transaction. As to the Rev. John Wesley, it is almost needless now to say any thing in his commendation. In him were concentrated all the elements of a great man; and by a conscientious improvement of his gifts, having been made a partaker of 'like precious faith,' he was as much distinguished by his goodness as by his greatness; but all his other endowments were propelled on by his inextinguishable thirst for the salvation of his fellow-men, and fully employed, as an evangelist, in the grand cause of Jesus Christ. And such were the effects of these labours, that, at the time of which we are now speaking, there were no less than sixty-four thousand one hundred and fifty-five members of society, and one hundred and ninety-five preachers, in Europe; and fourteen thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight members, and eighty-three preachers, in America; making in all seventy-nine thousand one hundred and forty-three members, and two hundred and seventy-eight preachers. These had been raised up through his instrumentality in the short space of forty-five years, as seals to his ministry, and as evidences of his call to the work in which he was engaged. Of his call, therefore, and qualification for the work of an evangelist, there can be no doubt, any more than there should be of his right, as the spiritual father of this numerous family, to provide them with all the means of grace."

Thus were the scattered societies in America formed into a regular church-organization. This event, like the political independence of the States, is one of those circumstances which constitute epochs in the history of Christianity. The success of the arrangement has put to silence all surmises as to the wisdom of the settlement, whether entertained in this country or in America. It gave, in the first place, a free and independent action to the church so established; which, under the able and judicious management of the new bishops, and especially

*BANGS'S " History of Methodism in America," vol. i. pp. 151

of Bishop Asbury, at once began, as if with new life to develope its strength. Much has been said on the subject of Mr. Wesley's love of power, and, by Southey, on his towering ambition; but this whole business palpably refutes all such allegations. It is not a characteristic of the love of power to part with it; and the yielding up of authority to others is but an ill proof of ambition. John Wesley might have retained an entire and undivided exercise of government over the American societies, just as he did at home, had he chosen to do so. His appointment of preachers would have been undisputed, and they, on their part, would have cordially supported his pastoral authority; his missives of instruction would have been unhesitatingly received by his sons in the gospel, and obeyed in the most perfect docility of spirit; the decisions of the British Conference, expressed in its Minutes, would have been complied with, for aught that appears, as the canon-law of the American body; a president, sent from England in the name of the father of the whole family, might have presided in the Conferences, and kept up the link of union, and thus have secured subordination. All this might have taken place; and, would, no doubt,—or some other line of policy similar in spirit, have been pursued, had this great man been actuated by selfish or ambitious views. No act of his life, rightly considered, so fully indicates the integrity of his mind, the purity of his motives, the grandeur of his views, and the magnanimity of his character, as this arrangement. It is the act of a generous, noble-minded parent, dispossessing himself of his patrimony and power, to bestow it upon a son during his own life-time. The magnanimity of the measure, also, appears in its largeness. It went far beyond the anticipations or desires of the parties themselves. They had merely requested to have the ordinances amongst them, and, for this purpose, desired the ordination of ministers. But this could have been secured, as in Scotland, without either the establishment of an independent church or the appointment of superintendents. The only question in the mind of Mr. Wesley must have been, What is best for the parties interested? He soon answered the question by his conduct. His penetrating mind, his sound understanding, his knowledge of the whole case, his Christian philosophy, and capacity to see into the future as well as the present ;-all this, in connexion with his noble disinterestedness, deter

mined him to take the initiative, and himself to originate the organization and independent position of the Methodist Episcopal church.

The issue has amply verified, and, one would think, more than verified, the highest anticipations of this faithful shepherd. The great end he sought, in the extension of the gospel, and the conversion of sinners, has certainly been secured on the widest scale ever witnessed in modern times. This of itself would be to him a sufficient reward. He had no other purpose save this, in all he did. The object proposed by the several institutions ordained by him, was the extension of our Lord's kingdom in the salvation and happiness of mankind.

But every other purpose has been secured, as well as this primary one. The doctrines he held so dear have been faithfully conserved, and widely disseminated; the main points of Methodist discipline have been sedulously guarded and carried out; the holy living and piety towards God, so indefatigably promoted by him in his whole career of labour and of shame, have been happily secured; the unity of a numerous people, who, with few exceptions, have given a cordial and hearty allegiance to the system he adopted, has been exhibited for the illustration of the truth of Scripture, and the edification of the world; and that evangelic action which is indicated by the establishment of itinerancy, has been fully secured and prosecuted even beyond the extent of their own gigantic country.

Moreover, the world may now, if it chooses, look upon a primitive episcopacy in actual and living operation. Before this period it was only ideal. It might be found in the New Testament, in the practice of the first churches, in the remains of the primitive fathers, in the writings and speculations of men of moderate, but true and authentic, notions; but the reality had long been absorbed in the monstrous usurpations of Popery, and other systems of ecclesiastical error and tyranny. That man must have possessed a stout heart who, in the presence of existing establishments, and the prevalent opinions of the day, and even of the church to which he professed himself to belong, who had the courage to return, practically, to primitive usage, and build up a living body on the model. of the Presbytero-Episcopal church of the first and best ages. He could not help foreseeing, also, that the temerity which would venture upon such a course must expose

him to all manner of reproach. He braved it all; and the American Methodist Episcopal church now stands, and will for ever stand, as the noble monument of his wisdom, love of truth, disinterested devotion to his Master's honour, and his people's good; as well as his own courageous contempt of this world's petty scorn, or of the grave or bitter rebukes of an incensed and privileged priesthood.

CHAP. VI.-The new Order of Things—Mr. Asbury becomes the real Bishop of the Church-His Character and Qualifications for the Office-Dr. Coke exceeds his Powers-Certificate The Episcopacy defined and guarded-Mr. Wesley's Offence at the Use of the Term "Bishop"-Letter to Asbury-Dr. Coke in Difficulties respecting the Address to Washington—And on Slavery--The Church takes its Standing amongst the Institutions of the United States.

MR. ASBURY, under the new order of things, became the real superintendent of the Methodist church, Dr. Coke returning home, and only occasionally visiting the continent. It was a merciful dispensation that this power fell into his hands. In addition to true piety, which we have before considered, he was blessed with a sound judgment, great moderation, tender sympathy with his fellowlabourers, intense desire for the salvation of mankind, uncompromising integrity, and entire decision of character. He seems to have devoted himself most sedulously to the cultivation of a knowledge of theology, as far as circumstances would allow; was a constant and zealous preacher,—plain, practical, energetic, though not eloquent; an assiduous pastor, naturally caring for the spiritual and temporal welfare of all the people; and bent, in his evangelical toils, upon spreading true religion through the entire continent. But Mr. Asbury seems to have possessed, in an eminent degree, that wonderful gift which is sometimes seen in favoured individuals,―an almost irresistible influence over men. Undoubtedly this originates, in part, in confidence in their integrity; and yet not altogether so. Indeed, without the conviction of this quality, and many others, the homage would not be given; but no assemblage of moral excellencies will, of themselves, lead to this result. It is evidently the power of mind; though in what that power consists, is extremely difficult to define. To say it is intellectual would not meet the case, as there are many men of high and noble intellect who possess no very commanding influence