partiality: the consequence of which was, that peace was nearly restored.

About the time of these persecutions, John Nelson of Birstal in Yorkshire, and Thomas Beard an honest industrious man, were pressed and sent off as soldiers, for no other crime either committed or pretended, than that of calling sinners to repentance. John Nelson was after much ill usage released by an order from the secretary at war, and preached the Gospel many years. But Thomas Beard sunk under his oppressions. He was then lodged in the hospital at Newcastle, where he praised God con tinually. His fever increasing, he was bled. His arm festered, mortified, and was cut off: two or three days after which, God signed his discharge, and called him to his eternal home..

"All this year the alarms were uninterrupted, from the French on the one hand, and the rebels on the other: and a general panick ran through the nation, from the east to the west, from the north to the south. I judged it the more needful to visit as many places as possible, and avail myself of the precious opportunity. My brother and our preachers were of the same mind : they spoke and spared not. They rushed through every open door," And cried, Sinners behold the Lamb !" And their work did not fall to the ground: they saw abundant fruit of their labour. I went through many parts of Wales: through most of the midland counties: and then through Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. And multitudes who were utterly careless before, did now prepare to meet their God."

"The persecution of St. Ives, was owing in great measure to the indefatigable labours of Mr. Hoblin, and Mr. Simmons: gentlemen worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance, for their unwearied endeavours to destroy heresy."

The riots in Staffordshire still continued in the beginning of this year. The mob of Walsal, Darlston and Wednesbury, hired for the purpose by their betters, broke open their poor neighbours' houses at their pleasure, by day and by night, extorting money from the few that had it; taking away or destroying their victuals and goods; beating and wounding their bodies; abusing their women, and openly declaring that they would des troy every Methodist in the country.

From Cornwall, Mr. Wesley passed over into Wales; on his return he made a short stay at Bristol, and then visited most of the societies in his way to Newcastle. June 20, he arrived in London, where he met his brother, two or three other clergymen, and a few of the preachers, whom he had appointed to come from various parts, to confer with them on the affairs of the societies. He observes, "Monday, June 25, and the five following days we spent in conference with our preachers, seriously considering, by what means we might the most effectually save our own souls and them that hear us. And the result of our consultations we set down, to be the RULE of our future practice."-This was the first Methodist-Conference.

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CHAPTER IV.

From the year 1744, until the establishment of the Conference, in 1784.

THE plan on which Mr. Wesley had hitherto governed the societies and the preachers, was imperfect. When the preachers at first went out to exhort and speak, it was by Mr. Wesley's permission and authority; some from one part of the kingdom and some from another: and though strangers, yet on his credit and sanction alone, they were received and provided for as friends, by the societies wherever they came. But having lit- .

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tle or no communication or intercourse with each other, nor any subordination among themselves, they were under a continual necessity of recurring to Mr. Wesley, how and where each one was to labour. By calling them together to a conference, he brought them into a closer union with each other, and made them sensible of the utility of acting in concert and harmony under his direction and appointment. He soon found it necessary, however, to bring their itinerancy under certain regulations, and to reduce it to some fixed order; both to prevent confusion, and for his own ease. therefore took fifteen or twenty societies, more or less, which lay fround some principal society in that part, and which were so situated, that the greatest distance from one to the other was not much more than twenty miles, and united them into what was called a circuit. At the yearly conference, he appointed two, three, or four preachers to one of these circuits, according to its extent, which at first was often very considerable, sometimes taking in a part of three or four counties. Here, and here only, they were to labour for one year,

that is, until the next conference. One of the preachers on every circuit, was called the Assistant, for the reason before mentioned. He took charge of all the societies. with him. Having received a list of the societies forming his circuit, he took his own station in it, gave to the other preachers a plan of it, and pointed out the day when each should be at the place fixed for him, to begin a progressive motion round it, in such order as the plan directed. They then followed through all the societies belonging to the circuit at stated distances of time all being governed by the same rule, and undergoing the same labour.

On Friday, August 24, 1744, Mr. Wesley preached for the last time at Oxford before the University. He had addressed them twice before, since the time he began to declare the truth in the fields and highways. Those sermons are printed in the first volume of his Works, and are well worthy of a serious perusal. "I am now," says he, "clear of the blood of those men. I have fully delivered my own squl. And I am well pleased that it should be the very day, on which, in the last century, near two thousand burning and shining lights were put out at one stroke. Yet what a wide difference is there between their case and mine! They.. were turned out of house and home, and all that they had : whereas I am only hindered from preaching, without any other loss and that in a kind of honourable manner it being determined, that when my next turn to preach came, they would pay another person to preach for me. And so they did twice or thrice: even to the time that I resigned my fellowship."

During this summer the preachers and people in Cornwall, bore hard service; the war against the Methodists being carried on more vigorously than that against the Spaniards. In September, Mr. Wesley received the folwing letter from Mr. Henry Millard, one of the

preachers in Cornwall, giving some account of their difficulties. "The word of God, has free course here it runs and is glorified. But the Devil rages horribly. Even at St. Ives, we cannot shut the door of John Nance's house to meet the society, but the mob immediately threaten to break it open. And in other places it is worse. I was going to Crowan on Tuesday, and within a quarter of a mile of the place where I was to preach, when some met me, and begged me not to go up saying, 'If you do, there will surely be murder; if there is not already for many were knocked down, before we came away.' By their advice I turned back to the house where I had left my horse. We had been there but a short time, when many people came in very bloody. But the main cry of the mob was, "Where is the preacher ?" whom they sought for in every part of the house; swearing bitterly, 'If we can but knock him on the head, we shall be satisfied.'

"Not finding me, they said, However we shall catch him on Sunday at Cambourn.' But it was Mr. Westall's turn to be there. While he was preaching at Mr. Harris's, a tall man came in, and pulled him down. Mr. Harris demanded his warrant; but he swore, • Warrant or no warrant, he shall go with me.' So he carried him out to the mob, who took him away to the churchtown. They kept him there till the Tuesday morning, when the Rev. Dr. Borlase wrote his mittimus, by virtue of which he was to be committed to the house of correction at Bodmin, as a vagrant. So they took him as far as Cambourn that night, and the next day to Bodmin."

The justices who met at the next quarter-sessions in Bodmin, knowing a little more of the laws of God and man, or at least shewing more regard for them, than Dr. Borlase, declared Mr. Westall's commitment to be contrary to all law, and immediately set him at liberty.