haps from his own unyielding temper, and partly also from the unhappiness of her disposition. Neither Wesley nor Whitefield left children, although the latter had one child which died in infancy.

In comparing the powers of these two great men, or those effects which are the measure of power when exerted, a difficulty arises from their diversity. Wesley loved powerthat is, he delighted in exerting an influence over others, and in directing their conduct according to his own will." No founder of a sect or order," says Southey, "no legislator, ever understood the art of preserving his authority, more perfectly than Wesley." He shewed equal skill and ability in organizing the society of his followers, in impressing upon it his own character, and infusing into it his own spirit. From the beginning of his ministry until his death in extreme old age, he kept all the power of that community in his own hands. He admitted members into the Society and he dismissed them-and fixed the terms of admittance and continuance; he appointed preachers, and directed absolutely where and how long they should labour, and if they displeased him, he deposed them by his own authority-he managed the funds of the Society, and appointed or dismissed its stewards. He called a "conference" of his 'helpers' to ask the advice, but never, as he let them know, to be directed by their opinions. They were not a legislative body, they were his privy council. All the regulations of the Society were made according to his plan ; and his censures, it is said, reached the farthest limit of his Society with a power and effect, as if they had been personally administered by himself. When he could no longer remain to guide the operations of the Society, he placed it upon a firm legal foundation, and left it such powerful activity, as promised to convey to many generations conclusive evidence of the uncommon powers of its founder.

Wesley's abilities to govern may be seen in the direct personal influence which he exerted over all whom he collected around him; but equal evidence of a powerful mind is found in the effects produced through the instrumentality of the community which he organized. These effects were sometimes such, as he endeavoured, in vain, to regulate. He had organized a living body, so to speak, whose functions were too powerful to be always controlled even by its author. As an example of positive influence on his followers, which extends undiminished, even to the pres ent time, we mention his advice concerning dress.

"Then I exhort all those who desire me to watch over their souls, wear no gold, no pearls or precious stones; use no curling of hair or costly apparel, how grave soev

er. I advise those who are able to receive this saying, buy no velvet, no silks, no fine linen, no superfluities, no mere ornaments, though ever so much in fashion. Wear nothing though you have it already, which is of a glaring colour, or which is in any kind gay, glistering, or showy; nothing made in the very height of the fashion; nothing apt to attract the eye of the bystanders. I do not advise women to wear rings, ear-rings, necklaces, laces (of whatever kind or colour,) or ruffles, which, by little and little, may shoot easily from one

to twelve inches deep. Neither do I advise men to wear coloured waistcoats, shining stockings, glittering or costly buckles or buttons, either on their coats or on their sleeves, any more than gay, It is

fashionable or expensive perukes. true, these are little, very little things,

which are not worth defending; therefore give them up, let them drop: throw them away, without another word."—Vol. II. p. 225.

A similar plainness and uniformity he recommended in their houses of

public worship.

The buildings themselves were of the plainest kind: it was difficult to raise money even for these; but Mr. Wesley had the happy art of representing that as a matter of principle, which was a matter of necessity; and, in the tastelessness of their chapels, the Methodists were only upon a level with the dissenters of every description. The octagon, which, of all architectural forms, is the ugliest, he preferred to any other, and wished it to be

used wherever the ground would permit : but it has not been generally followed. The directions were, that the windows

should be sashes, opening downwards; that there should be no tub-pulpits, and no backs to the seats; and that the men and women should sit apart. A few years before his death, the committee in London proposed to him that families should sit together, and that private pews might be erected; "thus," he exclaims, "over

throwing, at one blow, the discipline which I have been establishing for fifty years!" But, upon further consideration, they yielded to his opinion.-Vol. II. pp. 100, 101.

If, in some few instances, they have deviated from his advice on this subject, it is no more than was done by some wealthier persons in populous places, even in regard to dress.

In spite, however of his exhortations, those of his own people, who could afford it, "the very people that sate under the pulpit, or by the side of it," were as fashionably adorned as others of their own rank. "This," said Wesley, "is a melancholy truth: I am ashamed of it, but I know not how to help it. I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that it is not my fault. The trumpet has not given an uncertain sound, for near fifty years last past. Vol. II. p. 226.

When however, his precepts opposed, in any degree, the spirit of the Society, or the tendency of its regulations, he found it not so easy to produce obedience. He endeavoured, for instance, to prevent the "screaming," as he called it, of his preachers, but found it impracticable. He did not seem fully aware, that this is really a part of the system, and the almost inevitable effect of its full and vigorous operation. An extract from one of his letters, to a preacher who was guilty of this fault, is too characteristic to be omitted.

"Scream no more, at the peril of your soul. God now warns you by me, whom he has set over you.-Speak as earnestly as you can, but do not scream. Speak with all your heart, but with a mederate voice. It was said of our Lord, 'He shall not cry the word properly means, 'He shall not scream.' Herein be a follower of me, as I am of Christ. I often speak loud, often vehemently; but I never scream. I never strain myself: I dare not. I know It would be a sin against God and my own soul."-Vol. II. p. 96.

Another defect among the early Methodists, which Wesley sorely lamented, was an inattention to family religion. In the opinion of Mr. Southey, this also was the genuine effect of the spirit and regulations of Methodism.

It is not sufficient for such a society that its members should possess a calm, settled principle of religion to be their rule of life and their support in trial: religion must be made a thing of sensation and passion, craving perpetually for sympathy and stimulants, instead of bringing with it peace and contentment. The quiet regularity of domestic devotion must be exchanged for public performances; the members are to be professors of religion ; they must have a part to act, which will at once gratify the sense of self-importance, and afford employment for the uneasy and restless spirit with which they are possesed. Wesley complained that family religion was the grand desideratum among the Methodists; but, in reality, his institutions were such as to leave little time for it, and to take away the inclination, by making it appear flat and unprofitable after the excitement of class-meetings, band-meetings, love-feasts, and midnight assemblies.-Vol. II. p. 100.

On one subject, he saw and felt that the inevitable effects of his system were much to be deplored. Both industry and frugality were indispensable parts of Methodism. "Innocent was a word, which Wesley would never suffer to be applied to any kind of pastime." But the certain result of constant industry and frugality, would be wealth, and the effect of wealth he much dreaded.

I fear wherever riches have increased, the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion. Therefore i do not see how it is possible, in the nature of things, for any revival of true religion to continue long. For religion must necessa rily produce both industry and frugality, and those cannot but produce riches. But as riches increase, so will pride, anger. and love of the world in all its branches. How then is it possible that Methodism, that is, a religion of the heart, though it flourishes now as a green bay tree, should continue in this state? For the Methodist in every place grow diligent and frugal; consequently they increase in goods. Hence they proportionably increase in pride, in anger, in the desire of the flesh. the desire of the eyes, and the pride of lite

So, although the form of religion remains, the spirit is swiftly vanishing away. Is there no way to prevent this-this continual decay of pure religion? We ought not to prevent people from being diligent and frugal; we must exhort all Christians to gain all they can, and to save all they can; that is, in effect, to grow rich. What way then, can we take, that our money may not sink us to the nethermost hell?---There is one way, and there is no other under heaven. If those who gain all they can, and save all they can, will likewise give all they can, then the more they gain the more they will grow in grace, and the more treasure they will lay up in heaven." Vol. II. pp. 235, 236.

To enforce the practice recommended in the last clause of the preceding extract, he exhorted and expostulated and warned, while he always exhibited an example in his own conduct, according with his advice to others. Yet he had to lament the inefficacy of his influence, when thus opposed to the influence of his own institutions; and he repeated from the pulpit a remark which had been made upon the Methodists, by one whom he calls a holy man, that "never was there a people in the Christian church, who had so much of the power of God among them, with so little self-denial." Fletcher, the most faultless, and in intellect the most able of all the earlier Methodists, was of opinion that the peculiarities of Methodism tended to Antinomianism. Whether the following remarks of Southey explain the fact, we leave our readers to judge; wishing them to understand that we never commend Mr. Southey's opinions on the subject of experimental religion, except so far as they are evidently founded on facts.

Against this error, to which the professors of sanctity so easily incline, Wesley earnestly endeavoured to guard his followers. But if on this point he was, during the latter, and indeed, the greater part of his life, blameless, it cannot be denied that his system tended to produce more of the appearance than of the reality of religion. It dealt too much in sensations, and in outward manifestations of theopathy; it made religion too much a thing of display, an affair of sympathy and confederation; it led persons too much from their homes and their closets: it imVol. 3.-No. X.

69

sures.

posed too many forms; it required too many professions; it exacted too many expoAnd the necessary consequence was, that many, when their enthusiasm abated, became mere formalists, and kept up a Pharisaical appearance of holiness, when the whole feeling had evaporated.~ Vol. II. p. 238.

But we will trespass on the patience of our readers no further. We

merely add, to prevent misconception, that Wesley's ambition is not wholly to be set down, as deducting from his piety. It was not ambition, in the common sense of the word. It did not include the desire of rank, and splendor, of honour and applause. It was the simple desire of directing the conduct of others. It included doubtless a rational love of power, but this power was wholly directed to advauce the progress of Methodism, and the progress of Methodism was, in his view, the progress of genuine Christianity. We can easily believe, therefore,that he considered his actual exercise of power, to be, in other words, active devotedness to the cause of his Saviour.

One of the most remarkable characteristics of Wesley, was his astonishing credulity. It was not confined to subjects of a religious nature. It was constitutional, and mingling as it did, with all his judgments, both concerning the course of Providence, and the actual operations of the Spirit, tended to modify, in no small degree, his religious sentiments. We had intended to give examples illustrating this remark, especially as the fact of his credulity, while it certainly shews some degree of weakness of intellect, clears his character from many imputations of disingenuousness and fraud. But we must turn from this distinguished and singular character, to dwell one moment on the powers of his more interesting fellow-labourer.*

* That our readers may form an idea of the increasing and extensive effects of Wesley's labours, we make the following statement, partly from Southey, and partly from the Methodist Magazine. See No. for Sept. 1821.

At the time of Whitefield's death, there were no Wesleyan Methodists in this country, and few comparatively in England.

Whitefield has left no such monument of his skill and his efficiency, as is seen in the existence and character of Wesleyan Methodism. But it does not follow, that the actual present effects of his labours are not as great, and would not be as imposing, if they stood forth with equal prominence and distinctness. But they mingled as he wished them to do, with the labour of others, and cannot now be separately distinguished. We believe, however, that the influence of Whitefield's labours, is now felt, in a most salutary manner, in almost every church in this State, and generally throughout New-England; and we are sure had he lived to the age of Wesley, with his powers as little impaired, and his labours as little diminished, that not one of our readers would doubt, whether the effects of his preaching in this country were greater than those of Wesley's. Who can duly estimate the changes which would have taken place in the religious state of our country, if Whitefield had continued to travel and preach among us, with his popularity and influence on the increase, as they constantly were during his life, until the year 1802, for he would then have been of the age of Wesley, when he died. Those can best calculate the effect, if any such are still alive, who saw and compared the state of our churches in 1740 and in 1770; but none except the searcher of hearts can tell in what manner and to what extent, the late revivals in this state, are connected with the prayers of those whose faith was strengthened, or perhaps their minds first awakened by the powerful appeals of that distinguished servant of God, and who have

When Wesley died, the preachers in the British dominious, were 313; in the United States, 198, and the number of members

about 79,000 in the former, and about 58,000 in the latter. Members in England at present, 215,000. Members in the U. States, 281,000.

been waiting to see the salvation of the Lord before they could depart in peace.

We cannot dismiss these volumes, especially that of Mr. Southey, without adding a word concerning the merits of the author. Volumes so well fitted as these are to acquire extensive popularity, and what is more, to have an extensive influence, are peculiarly the legitimate subjects of criticism.

We then, with others, admire in the first place, the extensive research which supplied the author with the abundant materials of his work, and which give to it the appearance of entire originality. We should hardly suspect, were it not for the list of memoirs and lives given in the preface, that our author had access to any thing but the original documents. Nothing seems to be taken at second hand. Nor has he been content with the examination of every thing which directly relates to the principal person of his history. He has sought the illustration of his character, and the just estimate of his labours, in the lives and writings of contemporary actors and authors, and in the nature of those existing institutions, with which his own could be supposed to have any connection. From this mass of facts he has made a selection so judicious and varied, and has exhibited them with such minuteness of circumstance, that the history has more the interest of a novel, than of the biography of a sober and religious character. We meet indeed, with very little of poetic diction, in the work,— which is no small praise, in the production of a poet, but we see every where, what may be called the poetic power of graphic description, made in common and even familiar language, which is far more interesting in a work, like this, than splendid or

nament.

We remark, in the second place, a good degree of candour in relat

land, and 40,000 negroes in the Southern States. Above 20,000 were added in America during the last year.

clause emphatic, because in giving his opinion of the conduct and espe