ministry. The scheme for which certain persons have lately contended, of altering the constitution of the Conference, and thus depriving it of its legal character, is a direct attempt to defeat Mr. Wesley's design in the Deed of Declaration, and to establish Independency upon the ruins of Methodism. The fidelity of the late Conference in resisting these attempts, and in preserving its trust inviolate, merits the cordial thanks of the whole Connexion, and cannot fail to command general confidence and gratitude. Had the Conference yielded to popular clamour, Wesleyan Methodism would have been DIDYMUS. no more. THE following is Mr. Wesley's own account of this transaction. It was published in the Arminian Magazine, in the year 1785. THOUGHTS ON SOME LATE OCCUR RENCES. 1. IN June, 1744, I desired my brother, and a few other Clergymen, to meet me in London, to consider how we should proceed to save our own souls, and those that heard us. After some time, I invited the Lay Preachers that were in the house to meet with us. We conferred together for several days, and were much comforted and strengthened thereby. 2. The next year I not only in vited most of the Travelling Preachers, but several others, to confer with me in Bristol. And from that time, for some years, though I invited only a part of the Travelling Preachers, yet I permitted any that desired it to be present, not apprehending any ill consequences therefrom. 3. But two ill consequences soon appeared. One, that the expense was too great to be borne; the other, that many of our people were scattered while they were left without a shepherd. I therefore determined, (1.) That for the time to come none should be present but those whom I invited; and, (2.) That I would only invite a select number out of every Circuit. meant not so much the conversation we had together, as the persons that conferred; namely, those whom I invited to confer with me from time to time. So that all this time it depended on me alone, not only what persons should constitute the Conference; but whether there should be any Conference at all lay wholly in my own breast; neither the Preachers nor the people having any part or lot in the matter. 5. Some years after it was agreed that, after the decease of my brother and me, the Preachers should be stationed by the Conference. But ere long a question arose," What does that terin mean? Who are the Conference?" It appeared difficult to define the term. And the year before last all our brethren who were met at Bristol desired me to fix the determinate meaning of the word. 6. Hitherto it had meant (not the whole body of Travelling Preachers; it never bore that meaning at all; but) those persons whom I invited yearly to confer with me. But to this there was a palpable objection: Such a Conference would have no being after my death. And what other definition of it to give, I knew not; at least, I knew none that would stand good in law. I consulted a skilful and honest Attorney; and he consulted an eminent Counsellor, who answered, "There is no way of doing this but by naming a determinate number of persons. The Deed which names these must be enrolled in Chancery. Then it will stand good in law." 7. My first thought was to name a very few; suppose ten or twelve persons. Count Zinzendorf named only six, who were to preside over the community after his decease. But, on second thoughts, I believed there would be more safety in a greater number of counsellors, and therefore named an hundred; as many as I judged could meet without too great an expense, and without leaving any Circuit naked of Preachers whilst the Conference met. 8. In naming these Preachers, as I had no adviser, so I had no respect of persons; but I simply set down those that, according to the best of 4. This I did for many years; and all that time the term Conference my judgment, were most proper. 9. This was the rise, and this is the nature, of that famous Deed of Declaration; that vile wicked Deed, concerning which you have heard such an outcry! And now, can any one tell me how to mend it? or how it could have been made better? "O yes; you might have inserted two hundred, as well as one hundred, Preachers." No: for then the expense of meeting would have been double; and all the Circuits would have been without Preachers. "But you might have named other Preachers instead of these." True, if I had thought as well of them as they did of themselves. But I did not; therefore I could not do otherwise than I did without sinning against God and my own conscience. 10. "But what need was there for any Deed at all?" There was the utmost need of it. Without some authentic Deed, fixing the meaning of the term, the moment I died the Conference had been nothing. Therefore any of the proprietors of the land on which our preaching-houses were built might have seized them for their own use; and there would have been none to hinder them; for the Conference would have been nobody, a mere empty name. 11. You see then, in all the pains I have taken about this absolutely necessary Deed, I have been labouring not for myself; I have no interest therein; BUT FOR THE WHOLE BODY OF METHODISTS: IN ORDER TO That is, if they continue to walk JOHN WESLEY. Plymouth-Dock, ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE REV. ALEXANDER MATHER. MY VERY DEAR MASTER MARRIOTT,-YOURS of the 2d ult. found me in the midst of our late Conference, where a great variety of new and important matters were agitated, and, as far as they then could be, settled, after the most serious de. liberations we were capable of using, with an eye to the general good of a large body, at that time much divided in sentiment on some of the subjects which came then under consideration. Although it was agreed by all that these things, in their use and manner, were not essential to the present or the eternal salvation of any man; yet it was very necessary that they should be settled for the peace and prosperity of our Connexion. How far this most valuable end will be answered by the things agreed upon, time will prove the best evidence. But it may be said, as matters then stood, that every thing was done to keep as near as possible to our old path. There were, however, many pleasing circumstances connected with the Conference, and one which was very awful. The congregations were exceedingly large, and many of the people came from distant parts. Among the men who differed in judgment much moderation prevailed, with a larger measure of unity and brotherly love than I have ob served for many years; accompanied by an earnest desire in all to be more devoted and useful than ever. The awful circumstance to which I alluded fell upon a most valuable inan, a member of this society. Having declined business, he brought his wife to Leeds, to spend a week at the Conference; which they did with much pleasure and spiritual profit. On their return, in a singlehorse chaise, (in which they came,) they left the main road to go to Thorp-Arch, (a watering-place,) to spend a few days. The road being bad, the chaise was overturned. The woman was wounded in her forehead, and otherwise bruised; while the man appeared to have received no hurt from the fall. He disentangled the horse, and with two handkerchiefs bound up the wound his wife had received. He appeared to be as composed in mind as free from bodily injury. Not being near any house, and unable to get up the carriage, they stayed in the rain till a kind Providence sent a man to their aid. By his help they raised the chaise upon the wheels again. At this moment Mr. Fox grew pale; which being observed by the stran ger, he caught him in his arms, and Mr. Fox instantly died! To him sudden death was doubtless sudden glory. He was a truly pious, exemplary, humane, and very beneficent man. In him the society has lost a useful and an ornamental member; the world a shining example of meekness, gentleness, and every Christian virtue; his dear wife a kind, tender, and exceedingly affectionate husband; and, above all, the poor a liberal and generous benefactor, whose compassionate heart was ever touched with seeing or hearing of their distress. He was as ready to show his commiseration for their distress by the rising tear, as to relieve it by the liberal hand. All these losses turn so much the more to the eternal gain of him who is now reaping the full reward of all his love to God, manifested in his love to man. This, Sir, speaks to us, Go, and do thou likewise. Be ye therefore ready also; for at an hour when you think not, the Son of man cometh." May our loins be found girt, and our lights burning, and we ourselves as men who wait for their Lord's return from the wedding; that when he knocketh we may open to him immediately: so shall we be blessed whether he approaches in the evening or the morning, at midnight or at cock-crowing. So shall the end of all our inercies, means, and correspondence be fully answered; and my dear young friend will not regret that I have, without design, filled my paper with some hints of this truly excellent man, and of his sudden transition from earth to paradise. I shall only add, that such was the support which his dear wife found under her loss, that, though she was an entire stranger on a common, with the remains of her husband put into the carriage with her, to bring to the inhospitable village, where scarcely a door was open to admit them,-the people at two inns and a private house having shut their doors at her approach,-yet she was enabled to bear all with much fortitude and divine resignation. O, Sir, what but true religion, that which flows from the soul's knowledge of its interest in Christ, can avail under such circumstances? O, my dear William, secure this! The way to obtain this you have expressed in your letter,believing in Christ Jesus. To him I commend you, and am joined by mine in love to your dear parents, and Master Thomas. Your affectionate friend, THE PRESENT STATE OF EGYPT. To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine. EGYPT is a country peculiarly interesting on account of the connexion of its history with that of the greatest nations of the world. It has existed from the earliest times, and has held a distinguished part in the changing affairs of the ruling empires of earth. It is also renowned as having been the nursing-place of the arts and sciences. Thither the sages of old repaired, that they might be initiated into those various mysteries of philosophy and science, which themselves afterwards carried to such a pitch of refinement by perfecting the Egyptian rudiments. But it is to the lover of his Bible that Egypt affords the most interesting lessons of sacred truth and wisdom. From the time of Abraham till the period when Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, the history of the Egyptians was often sig nally interwoven with that of the Israelites, many of whom took refuge with their neighbours upon the subjugation of their own country by the King of Babylon. But the hand of the Lord found them out in their place of refuge; and he gave Egypt also as a prey to the destroyer. This latter event was predicted by the Prophets of the Old Testament, and gave rise to some of the noblest poetic descriptions to be found in the volume of inspiration. The thirty-first and thirty-second chapters of Ezekiel are inimitable in their grandeur. The Prophet portrays the former glory of Egypt, and paints its downfal, in the most glowing and appropriate images. And yet, at the period of this prophecy, Egypt was far from holding that commanding place amongst the nations which she formerly possessed. The zenith of her glory has been placed in the times of Sesostris, or Rhamses the Great, who is supposed to have finished the magnificent city of Thebes, and to have reigned over Egypt, with Nubia, Abyssinia, Sennaar, the interior and wandering tribes of Africa, Syria, Arabia, a considerable part of Asia-Minor, Cyprus, much of Persia, together with Babylon and Nineveh. The external power of this country had considerably declined when the Prophets uttered their predictions; but its trade had been fully established: and even at the time of the Roman dominion, the account given of its riches and luxury seems to resemble a fairy description more than an historical reality. Yet, even then, Eze kiel declares it to be the counsel of God concerning Egypt, (chap xxix.,) to deliver it up into the hands of the King of Babylon, (verses 18-21,) for the space of forty years; (verses 11,12:) and at the same time he utters this memorable prediction,-That at its restoration (verse 13) from the hands of the Assyrians, "they shall be a base kingdom: it shall be the basest of kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations; for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations." (Verses 14, 15.) And again: "There shall be no more a Prince of the land of Egypt; and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt." (Chap. xxx. 13.) Its various great cities of old are also threatened with destruction; (verses 14-19 ;) and it is worthy of remark, that not one of them now exists except in ruins, but all of them perished successively by the hand of invaders. The Prophet Isaiah's prediction, in chapter xix. 1—3, probably applies to the conquest of Nebuchadnezzar; but from the third to the seventeenth verse may be found a literal description of Egypt to the present day, drawn in such striking colours as must instantly arrest the attention of the Biblical traveller. For nearly two thousand years, Egypt has never had a Prince of its own nation: and such is the baseness of the people, that they were long ruled by a succession of slaves (the Mamelukes); and they do not now seem able to contemplate the possibility of governing themselves. They frequently deplore their oppressed and miserable condition, but only wish for a milder master to come and take the kingdom from their present tyrant. The very petty officers and Governors are strangers. This people has indeed been delivered over into the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce King rules over them;" for all their conquerors have spoiled them, and every change of masters seems to have proved for the worse to this degraded nation. Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Saracens, Turks, have in their turn spoiled the Egyptians; and of all their Governors none rules with a more fierce and cruel sway than their present tyrant, Mehemet Ali. This Pasba has acquired his present power and independency by a continued course of cunning and duplicity, and by the aid of the martial prowess of his son Ibrahim. Mehemet Ali is undoubtedly a man of no mean natural talents, which have been invigorated by experience in a lengthened life of activity and intrigue, yet unaided by the arts of education or civilized humanity. He lives for himself alone, and regards all his subjects as his slaves, and all their property as his own. And it is a remarkable fact, that the present miseries of the Egyptians proceed chiefly from the policy adopted by Joseph, as narrated in the fortyseventh chapter of Genesis, which has been continued to the present day; a fact which strongly marks the retributive justice of the Almighty, in visiting upon the Egyptians the same forms of oppression as those so wantonly exercised by them upon the Israelites; and that, too, by means of the very policy adopted by one of the sons of Israel. In conformity with this plan, the Pasha gives land to the peasants, and furnishes them with seed and cattle; (of which latter, however, there is a great scarcity;) in lieu of these he requires a certain part of the produce as his right: but he has added this oppressive enactment, that he shall buy all the remainder at his own price. No person can sell any of the fruits of the land, till the Pasha has taken as much as he pleases, at a price fixed by himself. Hence the fortunes of all the peasants are at his absolute disposal, aud he can ruin any of them at his Sovereign pleasure. All incitement to industry is thus taken away; and the inhabitants only aim at duplicity and concealment. Besides this, there is a very grievous poll-tax upon the people, and heavy property. taxes and custom-house duties. Neither can the women spin and knit for themselves: all that is done in this way is wrought for their oppressor. The liberty also of weaving and fabricating a blue shirt, which is the common garment of the peasantry, has been taken away from them; and they are obliged to buy it of the Pasha. (See Isaiah xix. 9.) The most common arts of life are thus restrained and crushed. (Verses 8, 10, and 15.) When the labour of the people is required for any public work, Mehemet's officers collect the whole neighbourhood,-men, women, and children, and, dividing them into so many companies or droves, appoint task-masters over them. (Exod. i. 11, &c.) These are armed with whips, which they use pretty freely, as they are responsible for the completion of the work. (Exodus v. 14.) As the Pasha is constantly engaged in war, he requires continual recruits for his army and navy. For these services he takes every person that he can lay his hands upon, (1 Sam. viii. 11, &c.,) that will answer his purpose; and when he makes his levies, the streets are deserted, the shops shut up, and the town wears all the aspect of public mourning. It may easily be conceived how much these arbitrary measures 'di. minish" the population; (Ezekiel xxix. 15;) and, in fact, in many of the villages scarcely a man or a youth can be seen. These villages are in their turn deserted, and left as habitations for the birds and the beasts. (Ezek. xxx. 7.) Many of the people used to cut off their fingers or toes, or inflict upon themselves and their children other mutilations, in order to avoid these forced enlistments. When their tyrant discovered this method of escaping from his service, he ordered all the maimed inhabitants to be seized, and to be put to work in irons as galley-slaves. Yet most of the boys try to knock out their teeth, that they may not be able to screw the cartridge. (Isa. xix. 14.) In consequence of the want of men, the women and children are obliged to carry burdens, and do other heavy work, which deforms their bodies, and shortens their lives. The Pasha seems reckless as to the consequences of thus wasting the strength of the country. (Isa. xix. 11.) The Turkish officers are as haughty and oppressive as their master, and exercise their extortions in a most rapacious manner. If a Turk wishes to travel, he orders his Janissary to take the first boat that can be met with; and passengers are thus liable to be stopped in the middle of their voyage, and either turned out, or forced to make room for their imperious lord. Provisions are procured in the same arbitrary way, and payment of them made at the option of the spoiler. None dares to complain or murmur, as these same Turks are the Judges of the land; and the bastinado would soon teach the |