of their God and Saviour. There was one point to which he must be excused for referring. His American friends had not on some occasions been treated so courteously as he could have desired, on the subject of slavery. They felt a difficulty in uttering themselves on that subject, because they had been misconceived. He begged to say, on their behalf, that they were the foes of slavery, and that the whole truly religious community in America were opposed to it. He begged to remind the Meeting, that though England now rejoiced in the abolition of slavery, yet they were fifty years in ac

complishing the task; and in their triumph they must not forget the common and special difficulties associated with that subject, in the United States of America. He entreated the Meeting to fear nothing for the cause of slavery. When slavery was abolished for England it was abolished for the world. That was his opinion formerly; but since he had visited the United States it was the fixed sentiment of his heart and judgment that slavery was virtually abolished. England had only to attend America with her sympathies, and prayers, and example, and slavery would be no more.

XIII. ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

A VERY numerous Meeting of the friends of Negro emancipation was held at Exeter-Hall on Friday, May 15th: the Right Hon. Lord Brougham and Vaux in the chair. The Speakers were. Thomas F. Buxton, Esq., M. P.; George

Stephens, Esq.; J. S. Buckingham, Esq.,
M. P.; the Rev. John Burnet; Daniel
O'Connell, Esq., M. P.; the Rev. Dr.
Morison; John Jeremie, Esq.; and
William Allen, Esq.

Several strong resolutions were adopted.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE KENT DISTRICT-MEETING. QUESTION. What is our opinion of the attempts that have recently been made in different parts of the kingdom to disturb the peace of our Connexion, and to alter the principles of our constitution?

Answer 1st. We feel it our duty to express our deep regret, on account of the opposition that has been made against the decision of the last Conference, on the subject of the Theological Institution, as at variance with all the great principles on which conventional bodies are formed, and as directly opposed to the rules and usages of Methodism.

2d. We regard the formation of what is styled, the "Grand Central Association," with its avowed objects and pro. ceedings, as a factious attempt to overturn our constitution, and create a schism in that church of which the Holy Ghost has made the Wesleyan Preachers "overseers."

3d. We solemnly avow our firm and unabated attachment to the constitution of Wesleyan Methodism as it is; and steadfastly resolve to maintain it entire, as handed down to us by our fathers in the ministry, and to resist every attempt to mutilate or alter any of its essential principles.

4th. We conscientiously deny the slanderous accusations, tending to excite suspicion in the minds of our societies, against the Conference as a body, and express our unshaken confidence in the wisdom and uprightness of its measures and decisions.

5th. We affectionately sympathize with those of our honoured fathers and brethren who have personally been made the objects of insult and abuse; and whilst we express our admiration of the spirit they have manifested under their trials, we would not forget to bear our testimony to the valuable services they have rendered Methodism at this eventful crisis.

6th. We think it due to our excellent President, and the Preachers in London, to express our sense of the obligations under which the Connexion in general is laid to them, in the present agitated state of things, for their diligence and assiduity in watching the proceedings of the dissatisfied parties, collecting the sense of the body of Preachers, and the various Committees, on the subjects in question, and conveying with promptness to the brethren in the country the necessary information on topics which so materially affected the existence of Methodism.

7th-We heartily concur in the opinion expressed by our brethren of the London District-Meeting, that "expianations of any thing in our existing rules which may appear obscure or ambiguous, or even a careful revision and amplification of those rules, if effected by proper authority, and after full and leisurely deliberation, may possibly be decmed by Conference a wise and seasonable measure. But never will we agree to mutilate or alter any of the essential principles of the pure and simple constitution which, under 2 P

VOL. XIV. Third Series. JULY, 1835.

God, was confided to us, as a sacred deposit, by the Rev. John Wesley."

8th. We devoutly acknowledge our gratitude to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, for the harmony which, with very few exceptions, prevails in every Circuit of this District; for the general prosperity of the work of God; for the accession of new members to our societies; and that the unjust and cruel advice to stop supplies" has produced no deficiency in the contributions, taken in the aggregate, to any of our funds, whilst those to the Missions have been considerably augmented.

9th. We solemnly resolve, in the presence of the great Searcher of hearts, and of each other, to devote ourselves anew to our great work, in labouring for the salvation of souls, firmly purposing, by the assistance of Almighty God, to spend and be spent in the propagation of the pure doctrines, and in the maintenance of the holy discipline, of Wesleyan Methodism.

JON. EDMONDSON, Sen., Chairman.
JOHN FORDRED, Secretary.
And all the Preachers in the District
signed these resolutions, excepting the
Rev. James Gartrell.

LETTER FROM THE MIDSUMMER-NORTON CIRCUIT.
To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine.

ON Monday, May 18th, 1835, the Wesleyan chapel in Midsummer-Norton was re-opened, after the erection of an additional gallery, a school-room, and vestries, in connexion with it. The Rev. Robert Newton preached in the morning and evening of that day; and the congregation was addressed in the afternoon by the Rev. J. Evans. On the following Sunday two sermons were preached by the Rev. John Burdsall, of Weymouth. A gracious influence attended these services, and the collections amounted to nearly £55. This sum, connected with handsome subscriptions previously obtained, will leave the chapel in easy circumstances. One immediate advantage arising from the enlargement of the chapel is, the increased facility afforded to the children of the Sunday-school for attending divine worship, both on the morning and evening of the Lord's day.

Since the last Conference we have opened a new chapel at Clandown, in the parish of Midsummer-Norton. This neat little place will accommodate between two and three hundred persons. Sermons were preached by the Rev. Messrs. G. B. M'Donald, J. Evans, S. Rowe, and E. Nye. The collections were nearly £30; all the sittings are let; and the debt on the chapel is moderate.

Midsummer-Norton-of which Mr. Wesley has remarked in his Journal, that he supposed its name was acquired by its being accessible only, in former times, in the middle of summer- was visited several times by Mr. Wesley, when he usually preached in the village church. His last entry in his Journal on this subject is as follows:-"Wednesday, September 16th, 1789. I went on to Midsummer-Norton. I never saw the church so full before.

I

preached on that verse in one of the Psalms for the day, 'Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.' Many, I believe, found the promise true."

More than sixty years ago the Preachers of the Bristol Circuit were prevailed upon to preach occasionally in Midsummer-Norton, as they journeyed to Coleford, or some neighbouring village. Messrs.

Mather, Pawson, Murlin, Allen, and
others, are mentioned as among the first
who preached the doctrines of Methodism
in this village. A small class was soon
formed. None of the members of that
class being in circumstances to receive the
Preachers into their houses, they were in
the habit of jointly furnishing the requisite
articles for procuring the Preacher a cup
of tea when he had finished his sermon,
generally on the afternoon of a week-day.
After the preaching had continued for
some time in a small room, partially oc-
cupied by a weaver's loom, the small
society succeeded in obtaining a large
room in the house of a friend, who when
he died bequeathed a sum of money to-
wards building a chapel, and directed that
the room should be occupied for divine
service until the chapel was built.
money given towards erecting a chapel
came into the hands of a person who was
determined to execute the design of his
benevolent friend. In this determination,
however, he was much opposed. The
parish authorities all opposed the erection
of a Methodist chapel. After land had
been procured, and stones collected for
the purpose of building a house for God,
opposition was manifested to the under-
taking in a somewhat singular manner.
In the absence of the friend principally
concerned, the greater part of the stones
provided for the building were removed,
by one having authority, and employed in

The

repairing the highways. Other materials were quickly found; and, as usual, opposition to a good cause defeated its own design. The chapel, thus built, had been twice enlarged previous to the last alteration. More than twenty years ago it was re-opened after enlargement by the Rev. Samuel Bradburn.

The immediate neighbourhood of Midsummer-Norton contains about two thousand inhabitants. We have now, in three chapels, accommodation for fifteen hundred persons; and of this number, from three to four hundred are in religious society. Almost every house in the village of Norton sends one or more of its inmates occasionally or regularly to the Methodist chapel. Methodism has achieved, under God, many triumphs, and exerted much valuable influence, in this neighbourhood. In addition to the many people who, in the last fifty years, have been admitted to the "realms of day," there are, in seven villages within four

miles of Midsummer-Norton, one thousand persons in the Wesleyan society. Much of the good fruit of a gracious revival of religion, with which this Circuit was favoured a few years since, still remains, and appears likely, in many pleasing instances, to be gathered unto life eternal. This Circuit has had great peace throughout the year, and some spiritual prosperity. The contributions for the Wesleyan Missions, Sunday-schools, and the General Funds of the Connexion, have all improved; in addition to which, about £45 were collected for chapels in the island of Nevis. We are contemplating the adoption of several plans for the public benefit in this neighbourhood; and, above all, we are fervently praying that, in His plenitude of saving influence, "the Spirit may be poured out from on high."

Midsummer-Norton,
June 11th, 1835.

JOHN EVANS.

LETTER FROM THE HUNGERFORD CIRCUIT.
To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine.

I AM happy to be able to send you some good news from this Circuit. The congregations and societies have been gradually improving for some time. One new chapel has been built in a new place; a chapel has been taken, on a lease, of the Dissenters, where we only had a private house for preaching; one chapel has been enlarged, and must now be enlarged again, or a new one built in its place; and a new chapel is now nearly finished at Lambourn, which will be the largest in the Circuit; (of which, and the history of Methodism in that place, you will perhaps have some account when it is opened ;) and we still want room for the people who wish to attend our ministry in several places. Last year we add. ed about one hundred and twenty members to the societies; which was considered a very good increase for this part of the Connexion, being one in four; and we thought that we should do well if we kept up the number this year. But the Lord has graciously exceeded all our expectations. We now have about one hundred and fifty on trial, and the good work is still advancing.

But this increase in numbers is not that which especially excites our gratitude. There has been a glorious work of conversion. Not only have most of those who have lately joined us found peace, but many of the old members,

who had been living without a sense of God's favour, have been brought into happy liberty. Their youth has been renewed like the eagle's; they are now walking in the light of God's countenance; and a goodly number have been blessed with the perfect love of God. Boys and girls, young men and women, those in middle life, and hoary-headed sinners, are found among the converts and, what is a pleasing feature of the work, many of the sons and daughters or our own people have given their hearts to God.

Perhaps a few anecdotes, connected with this little revival, may not be uninteresting to your readers. At an early stage of the work, a little girl said to her uncle, "Is this happiness you speak of, uncle, for little children; or only for men and women? He told her it was for children, as well as for men and women, if they would seek it. She then began to seek it with all her heart. Ata prayer-meeting she was heard pleading, "Lord, take away my bad heart, and make me a good girl. Lord, take away my bad heart, and make me a good girl." And so earnest was she, that she would not rise up when the others arose to sing. Ere long the Lord removed her sense of misery, and filled her with peace and joy. She broke out in the language of our poet,—

IMPORTANT PROTESTANT MEETING.

ON Saturday, June 20th, a very large and interesting public Meeting was held at Excter-Hall, for the purpose of calling the attention of Protestants to the real doctrines held by the Church of Rome, and especially by the Romish Priesthood of Ireland. The attendance was immense; and the addresses which were delivered produced the most intense feeling. The principal Speakers were the Rev. R. J. M'Ghee, Dr. Cooke, and the Rev. Mortimer O'Sullivan. An opinion seems to be gaining ground among Protestants, that the character of Popery is considerably ameliorated, and that its struggles for ascendancy may therefore be

MISSIONARY NOTICES,

Relating principally to the FOREIGN MISSIONS carried on under the direction of the METHODIST CONFERENCE.

MISSIONS IN INDIA AND CEYLON.

MADRAS.—Extract from the Journal of Mr. Cryer, dated Royapettah, May 20th,

1834.