Cowes harbour, to Newport; one of the pleasantest, neatest,
Oct. 1790. | JOURNAL.
rich and poor: So that I hope we shall again see fruit here also.
Wed. 29.—About noon I preached at Winton. The congregation was larger than usual, and, what was stranger still, seemed not a little affected ! How long have we cast our bread upon the waters here! And shall we find it again after many days?
In the evening I preached to a crowded and deeplyattentive congregation at Portsmouth-Common.
Thursday, 30. It being a lovely morning, we went in a wherry, through Cowes harbour, to Newport; one of the pleasantest, neatest, and most elegant towns in the King's dominions.
Both the nights I preached here, the preaching-house would by no means contain the congregation.
I was likewise well pleased with the poor, plain, artless society. Here, at least, we have not lost our labour.
Friday, Ocroser 1. We purposed to return to Portsmouth, (about twenty miles,) it being a calm sunshiny morning, in the wherry; but a friend offering us a kind of hoy, we willingly accepted his offer.
It was well he did ; for as soon as we were out of the harbour, the wind rose, and the sea raged horribly.
The wherry would soon have been swallowed up.
The waves washed over us on both sides.
Having no decks, we were well soaked from head to foot; but, before noon, we got safe to Portsmouth.
Sai. 2.—Setting out, as usual, at two, we came to Cobham between ten and eleven; and found a party of our friends from London ready to receive us.
We walked an hour in the gardens; but the innkeeper informed us, strangers were not admitted, unless on Tuesday and Friday.
However, hearing Mr. Hopkins was at home, I sent in my name, and desired that favour; which was immediately granted.
We spent an hour very agreeably in those lovely walks ; but still the eye was not satisfied with seeing.
An immortal spirit can be satisfied with nothing but sceing God.
In the afternoon we went on to London.
Sunday, 8, was indeed a comfortable day.
I preached at the new chapel, morning and evening, with great enlargement of spirit.
At the love-feast which followed, great was our rejoicing ; many declared what God had done for their souls ; and many were filled with consolation.
Having answered my letters, and finished my other Iittle business for the present, on Z7wesday, 5, I went to Rye.
Though the warning was short, the congregation was excecding
REV. J. WESLEY'S
[Oct. 1790. large, and behaved with remarkable seriousness.
While our people mixed with the Calvinists here, we were always. perplexed, and gained no ground; but since they kept to themselves, they have continually increased in grace as well as in number.
I was now informed how signally God had overtaken that wretch who murdered Mr. Haddock some years since.
Being lately overtaken by Captain Bray in one of the King's cutters, he made a desperate resistance; and even when boarded, fought still, and drew a pistol at Captain
Bray ; who then hewed him in pieces with his cutlass.
Thur. 7.—I went over to that poor skeleton of ancient Winchelsea.
It is beautifully situated on the top of a steep hill, and was regularly built in broad streets, crossing each other, and encompassing a very large Square ; inthe midst of which was a large church, now in ruins.
I stood under a large tree, on the side of it, and called to most of the inhabitants of the town, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent, and believe the Gospel." It seemed as if all that heard were, for the present, almost persuaded to be Christians.
Here an eminently pious woman, Mrs. Jones, at whose house I stopped, gave me a very strange account :—Many years since she was much hurt in lying-in.
She had various Physicians, but still grew worse and worse; till, perceiving herself to be no better, she left them off. She had a continual pain in her groin, with such a prolapsis uteri, as soon confined her to her bed:
There she lay two months, helpless and hopeless ; till a thought came one day into her mind, " Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me whole! Be it according to thy will !" Immediately the pain and the disorder ceased. Feeling herself well, she rose, and dressed herself.
Her husband coming in, and seeing her in tears, asked, " Are those tears of sorrow or joy?"
She said, "Of joy !" on which they wept together. From that hour she felt no pain, but enjoyed perfect health.
I think our Lord never wrought a plainer miracle, even in the days of his flesh.
In the evening I preached once more at Rye; and the word did not fall to the ground. Inthe morning we left this loving, well-united people, and dined at Sevenoaks. After dinner, we spent an' hour in the Duke of Dorset's house. I could not but observe some change for the worse here.
The silk covers are. removed from several of the pictures, particularly that of Count
Ugolino and his sons; and itis placed in a worse light ; so that Icould hardly discern the little boy that, when he saw his father
Oct. 1790.] JOURNAL.
gnawing his own arm for anguish, cried out, " Papa, if you are hungry, do not eat your own arm, but mine."
The preaching-house was filled in the evening with. people, and with the presence of God.
Sat. 9.—We returned to London.
Monday, 11. I went on to Colchester, and still found matter of humiliation.
The society was lessened, and cold enough; preaching again was discontinued, and the spirit of Methodism quite gone, both from the Preachers and the people. Yet we had a wonderful congregation in the evening, rich and poor, Clergy and laity.
So we had likewise on Tuesday evening.
So that I trust God will at length build up the waste places.
Wed. 13.—We set out early, but found no horses at Cobdock ; so that we were obliged to go round by Ipswich, and wait there half an hour.
Nevertheless, we got to Norwich between two and three.
In the way we read Captain Carrel's Travels, admirably well wrote, and giving, I believe, a just account of .he interior parts of North-America.
Here is no gay account of the Islands of Pelew, or Lapita, but a plain relation of matter of fact.
Surely eastern and western savages are much alike; and some good might be found in the east as well as the west.
But to see nature in perfection, either at Pelew, or elsewhere, we need only look on the savages at Fort-William Henry, butchering, in cold blood,. so many hundreds of helpless, unresisting men, in the very spirit of the old murderer.
In the evening I preached at Norwich; but the House would in no wise contain the congregation. How wonderfully is the tide turned!
Iam become an honourable man at Norwich.
God has at length made our enemies to be at peace with us; and scarce any but Antinomians open their mouth against us.
Thur. 14.—I went to Yarmouth; and, at length, found a society in peace, and much united together.
In the evening the congregation was too large to get into the preaching-house ; yet they were far less noisy than usual.
After supper a little company went to prayer, and the power of God fell upon us; especially when a young woman broke out into prayer, to the surprise and comfort of us all.
Friday, 15. I went to Lowestoft, to a steady, loving, well-united society. The more strange it is, that they neither increase nor decrease in number.
VOL. IV.
K Kk
REV. J. WESLEY'S
[Oct. 1790.
Saturday, 16. I preached at Loddon about one; and at six in Norwich.
Sunday, 17. At seven I administered the Lord's Supper to about one hundred and fifty persons, near twice as many as we had last year.
I take knowledge that the last year's Preachers were in earnest. Afterwards we went to our own parish church; although there was no sermon there, nor at any of the thirty-six churches in the town, save the cathedral and St. Peter's.
I preached at two.
When I had done, Mr. Horne called upon me, who preached at the cathedral in the morning ; an agreeable man, both in temper and person ; and, I believe, much alive to God.
At half an hour after five I preached again, to as many as the House would contain; and even those that could not get in stayed more quiet and silent than ever I saw them before.
Indeed they all seemed to know that God was there; and I have no doubt but he will revive his work here also.
Mon. 18.—No coach going out for Lynn to-day, I was obliged to take a post-chaise.
But at Dereham no horses were to be had; so we were obliged to take the same horses to Swaffham.
A congregation was ready here, that filled the House, and seemed quite ready to receive instruction.
But here neither could we procure any post-horses; so that we were obliged to take a single-horse chaise.
The wind, with mizzling rain, came full in our faces; and we had nothing to screen us from it; so that I was throughly chilled from head to foot before I came to Lynn.
But I soon forgot this little inconvenience ; for which the earnestness of the congregation made me large amends.
Tues. 19.—In the evening all the Clergymen in the town, except one who was lame, were present at the preaching.
They are all prejudiced in favour of the Methodists 3 as indeed are most of the townsmen; who give a fair proof by contributing so much to our Sunday-schools; so that there is near twenty pounds in hand.
Wednesday, 20. I had appointed to preach at Diss; a town near Scoleton ; but the difficulty was, where I could preach.
The Minister was willing I should preach in the church, but feared offending the Bishop, who, going up to London, was within a few miles of the town.
But a gentleman asking the Bishop whether he had any objection to it, was answered, "None at all.'
I think this church is one of the largest in this county.
I suppose it has
Oct. 1790.] JOURNAL.
not been so filled these hundred years. This evening and the next I preached at Bury, to a deeply attentive congregation, many of whom know in whom they have believed.
So that here we have not lost all our labour.
Friday, 22. We returned to London.
Sun. 24.—I explained, to a numerous congregation in Spitalfields church, ''the whole armour of God."
St. Paul's, Shadwell, was still more crowded in the afternoon, while I enforced that important truth, "One thing is needful ;" and T hope many, even then, resolved to choose the better part.
END OF MR. WESLEY'S JOURNAL.
MR. WESLEY'S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.
Hu the name of God, Amen.
I, JOHN WESLEY, Clerk, some time Fellow of Lincoln.
College, Oxford, revoking all others, appoint this to be my last Will and Testament.
I give all my books, now on sale, and the copies of them, (only subject to a rent-charge of eighty-five pounds a year, to the widow and children of my brother,) to my faithful friends, John Horton, Merchant; George Wolff, Merchant ; and William Marriott, Stock-Broker, all of London, in trust, for the general Fund of the Methodist Conference, in carrying on the work of God, by Itinerant Preachers; on condition that they permit the following Committee, Thomas Coke,
James Creighton, Peard Dickenson, Thomas Rankin, George Whitfield, and the London Assistant, for the time being, still to superintend the printing-press, and to employ Hannah
Paramore and George Paramore, as heretofore ; unless four of the Committee judge a change to be needful.
I give the books, furniture, and whatever else belongs to me in the three houses at Kingswood, in trust, to Thomas
Coke, Alexander Mather, and Henry Moore, to be still employed in teaching and maintaining the children of poor
Travelling Preachers.
I give to Thomas Coke, Doctor John Whitehead, and Henry Moore, all the books which are in my study and bedchamber at London, and in my studies elsewhere, in trust, for the use of the Preachers who shall labour there from time to time.
I give the coins, and whatever else is found in the drawer of my bureau at London, to my dear grand-daughters, Mary and Jane Smith.
T give all my manuscripts to Thomas Coke, Doctor Whitehead, and Henry Moore, to be burned ar published as they see good,
MR. WESLEY'S LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT,
I give whatever money remains in my bureau and pockets, at my decease, to be equally divided between Thomas Briscoe,
William Collins, John Easton, and Isaac Brown.
I desire my gowns, cassocks, sashes, and bands, may remain in the chapel for the use of the Clergymen attending there.
I desire the London Assistant, for the time being, to divide the rest of my wearing apparel between those four of the Travelling Preachers that want it most; only my pelisse I give to the Rev. Mr. Creighton; my watch to my friend
Joseph Bradford; my gold seal to Elizabeth Ritchie.
I give my chaise and horses to James Ward and Charles 'Wheeler, in trust, to be sold, and the money to be divided, one half to Hannah Abbott, and the other to the members of the select society.
Out of the first money which arises from the sale of books, I bequeath to my dear sister, Martha Hall, (if alive,) forty pounds; to Mr. Creighton aforesaid, forty pounds; and to the Rev. Mr. Heath, sixty pounds.
And whereas I am empowered, by a late Deed, to name the persons who are to preach in the new chapel, at London,
(the Clergymen for a continuance,) and by another Deed, to name a Committee for appointing Preachers, in the new chapel, at Bath, I do hereby appoint John Richardson,
Thomas Coke, James Creighton, Peard Dickenson, Clerks; Alexander Mather, William Thompson, Henry Moore, Andrew Blair, John Valton, Joseph Bradford, James Rogers, and William Myles, to preach in the new chapel at London, and to be the Committee for appointing Preachers in the new chapel at Bath.
I likewise appoint Henry Brooke, Painter; Arthur Keene, Gent. ; and William Whitestone, Stationer, all of Dublin, to receive the annuity of five pounds, (English,) left to Kingswood School, by the late Roger Shiel, Esq.
I give six pounds to be divided among the six poor men, named by the Assistant, who shall carry my body to the grave ; for I particularly desire there may be no hearse, no coach, no escutcheon, no pomp, except the tears of them that loved me, and are following me to Abraham's bosom.
I solemnly adjure my Executors, in the name of God, punctually to observe this.
Lastly, I give to each of those Travelling Preachers who
THIRD CODICIL OF MR. WESLEY'S WILL.
shall remain in the Connexion six months after my decease, as a little token of my love, the eight volumes of sermons.
I appoint John Horton, George Wolff, and William Marriott, aforesaid, to be Executors of this my last Will and Testament ; for which trouble they will receive no recompence till the resurrection of the just.
Witness my hand and seal, the 20th day of February, 1789.*
JOHN WESLEY.
(Seal.) Signed, sealed, and delivered, by the said Testator, as and for his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us,
WILLIAM CLULOW,
ELIZABETH CLULOW.
Should there be any part of my personal estate undisposed of by this my last Will, I give the same unto my two nieces,
K. Ellison, and S. Collet, equally.
JOHN WESLEY.
WILLIAM CLULOW,
ELIZABETH CLULOW.
Feb. 25, 1789.
I give my types, printing-presses, and every thing pertaining thereto, to Mr. Thomas Rankin, and Mr. George Whitfield, in trust, for the use of the Conference.
JOHN WESLEY.
" Above a year anda half after making this Will, Mr. Wesley executed a Deed, in which he appointed seven gentlemen, viz., Dr. Thomas Coke, Messrs. Alexander
Mather, Peard Dickenson, John Valton, James Rogers, Joseph Taylor, and Adam Clarke, Trustees for all his books, pamphlets, and copyrights, for carrying on the work of God by Itinerant Preachers, according to the Deed of Declaration enrolled in the High Court of Chancery: But Dr. Coke being in America at the time of Mr. Wesley's death, the Deed was suffered to lie dormant till his return.
The three Executors then took the advice of two of the most eminent Counsellors in the kingdom, who informed them, that the Deed was of a testamentary nature, and therefore superseded the Will, with respect to the books, &c.
The Deed was then presented to the Judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, who received it as the third Codicil of Mr. Wesley's Will; on which the three Executors delivered up their general Probate, and received a new one, limited to those particulars which were not mentioned in the Deed.
At the same time a Probate was granted by the Court to the seven Trustees, constituting them Executors for all the books, pamphlets, and copyrights, of which Mr. Wesley died possessed ; and empowering them to pay all his debts and legacies,"——_Ep1T.
MR. WESLEY'S DEED OF DECLARATION,
ENROLLED
IN HIS MAJESTY' HIGH COURT
OF CHANCERY.
To all to Whom these Presents shall come,
JOHN WESLEY,
late of Lincoln College, Oxford, but now of the City-Road, London, Clerk, sendeth greeting :— Whereas divers buildings, commonly called chapels, with a messuage and dwelling-house, or other appurtenances, to each of the same belonging, situate in various parts of Great Britain, have been given and conveyed, from time to time, by the said John Wesley, to certain persons and their heirs, in each of the said gifts and conveyances named; which are enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery, upon the acknowledgment of the said
John Wesley (pursuant to the Act of Parliament in that case made and provided) ; upon trust, that the Trustees in the said several Deeds respectively named, and the survivors of them, and their heirs and assigns, and the Trustees for the time being, to be elected as in the said
Deeds is appointed, should permit and suffer the said John Wesley, and such other person and persons as he should for that purpose from time to time nominate and appoint, at all times during his life, at his will and pleasure to have and enjoy the free use and benefit of the said premises, that he the said John Wesley, and such person and persons as he should nominate and appoint, might therein preach and expound God's Holy Word; and upon further trust, that the said respective Trustees, and the survivors of them, and their heirs and assigns, and the Trustees for the time being, should permit and suffer Charles Wesley, brother of the said
John Wesley, and such other person and persons as the said Charles Wesley should for that purpose from time to time nominate aud appoint, in like manner during his life, to have, use, and enjoy the said premises respectively, for the like purposes as aforesaid ; and after the decease of the survivor of them, the said John Wesley and Charles Wesley, then upon furcher trust, that the said respective Trustees, and the survivors of them, and their heirs and assigns, and the
504.
DEED OF Trustees for the time being for ever, should permit and suffer such person and persons, and for such time and times, as should be appointed at the yearly Conference of the people called Methodists, in London, Bristol, or Leeds, and no others, to have and enjoy the said premises for the purposes aforesaid: And whereas divers persons have, in like manner, given or conveyed many chapels, with messuages and dwelling-houses, or other appurtenances, to the same belonging, situate in various parts of Great Britain, and also in Ireland, to certain Trustees, in each of the said gifts and conveyances respectively named, upon the like trusts, and for the same uses and purposes as aforesaid (except only that in some of the said gifts and conveyances, no life-estate or other interest is therein or thereby given and reserved to the said Charles Wesley): And whereas, for rendering effectual the trusts created by the said several gifts or conveyances, and that no doubt or litigation may arise with respect unto the same, or the interpretation and true meaning thereof, it has been thought expedient by the said John
Wesley, on behalf of himself as donor of the several chapels, with the messuages, dwelling-houses, or appurtenances, before-mentioned, as of the donors of the said other chapels, with the messuages, dwelling-houses, or appurtenances, to the same belonging, given or conveyed to the like uses and trusts, to explain the words, " Yearly Conference of the people called Methodists," contained in all the said Trust
Deeds, and to declare what persons are members of the said Conference, and how the succession and identity thereof is to be continued :— Pow therefore these presents twitness, that, for accomplishing the aforesaid purposes, the said John Wesley doth hereby declare, that the Conference of the people called Methodists, in London, Bristol, or Leeds, ever since there hath been any yearly Conference of the said people called Methodists in any of the said places, hath always heretofore consisted of the Preachers and Expounders of God's Holy Word, commonly called Methodist Preachers, in connexion with, and under the care of, the said John Wesley, whom he hath thought expedient year after year to summons to meet him, in one or other of the said places, of London, Bristol, or Leeds, to advise with them for the promotion of the Gospel
DECLARATION.
of Christ, to appoint the said persons so summoned, and the other Preachers and Expounders of God's Holy Word, also in connexion with, and under the care of, the said
John Wesley, not summoned,to the said yearly Conference, to the use and enjoyment of the said chapels and premises so given and conveyed upon trust for the said John Wesley, and such other person and persons as he should appoint during his life as aforesaid, and for the expulsion of unworthy and admission of new persons under his care, and into his connexion, to be Preachers and Expounders as aforesaid, and also of other persons upon trial for the like purposes ; the names of all which persons so summoned by the said John Wesley, the persons appointed, with the chapels and premises to which they were so appointed, together with the duration of such appointments, and of those expelled or admitted into connexion or upon trial, with all other matters transacted and done at the said yearly Conference, have, year by year, been printed and published under the title of " Minutes of Conference."
Anv these presents further witness, and the said J ohnWesley doth hereby avouch and further declare, that the several persons herein-after named, to wit, the said John Wesley and Charles Weslcy ; Thomas Coke, of the city of London, Doctor of Civil Law; James Creighton, of the same place, Clerk ;
Thomas Tennant, of the same place; Thomas Rankin, of the same place; Joshua Keighley, of Sevenoaks, in the county of Kent; James Wood, of Rochester, in the said county of Kent; John Booth, of Colchester; Thomas
Cooper, of the same place; Richard Whatcoat, of Norwich ; Jeremiah Brettel, of Lynn, in the county of Norfolk ;
Jonathan Parkin, of the same place; Joseph Pescod, of Bedford; Christopher Watkins, of Northampton ; John
Barber, of the same place; John Broadbent, of Oxford; Joseph Cole, of the same place ; Jonathan Cousins, of the city of Gloucester ; John Brettel, of the same place; John
Mason, of Salisbury; George Story, of the same place; Francis Wrigley, of St. Austle, in the county of Cornwall ;
William Green, of the city of Bristol; John Moon, of Plymouth-Dock ; James Hall, of the same place ; James
Thom, of St. Austle, aforesaid ; Joseph Taylor, of Redruth, in the said county of Cornwall; William Hoskins, of Cardiff, Glamorganshire ; J ohn Leech, of Brecon; William
DEED OF Saunders, of the same place; Richard Rodda, of Birmingham; John Fenwick, of Burslem, Staffordshire ; Thomas
Hanby, of the same place ; James Rogers, of Macclesfield ; Samuel Bardsley, of the same place; John Murlin, of Manchester ; William Percival, of the same place; Duncan
Wright, of the city of Chester; John Goodwin, of the same place; Parson Greenwood, of Liverpool; Zechariah
Udall, of the same place; Thomas Vasey, of the same place ; Joseph Bradford, of Leicester; Jeremiah Robertshaw, of the same place ; William Myles, of Nottingham ;
Thomas Longley, of Derby; Thomas Taylor, of Sheffield; William Simpson, of the same place; Thomas Carlill, of Grimsby, in the county of Lincoln; Robert Scott, of the same place; Joseph Harper, of the same place; Thomas
Corbit, of Gainsborough, in the county of Lincoln; James Ray, of the same place; William Thompson, of Leeds, in the county of York; Robert Roberts, of the same place ;
Samuel Bradburn, of the same place; John Valton, of Birstal, in the said county ; John Allen, of the same place ;
Isaac Brown, of the same place; Thomas Hanson, of Huddersfield, in the said county ; John Shaw, of the same place ;
Alexander Mather, of Bradford, in the said county ; Joseph Benson, of Halifax, in the said county; William Dufton, of the same place; Benjamin Rhodes, of Keighley, in the said county; John Easton, of Colne, in the county of Lancaster; Robert Costerdine, of the same place ; Jasper
Robinson, of the Isle of Man ; George Button, of the same place; John Pawson, of the city of York ; Edward Jackson, of Hull; Charles Atmore, of the said city of York ; Lancelot Harrison, of Scarborough ; George Shadford, of Hull, aforesaid; Barnabas Thomas, of the same place ; Thomas Briscoe, of Yarm, in the said county of York ; Christopher Peacock, of the same place ; William
Thom, of Whitby, in the said county of York ; Robert Hopkins, of the same place; John Peacock, of BarnardCastle; William Collins, of Sunderland; Thomas Dixon, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne ; Christopher Hopper, of the same place; William Boothby, of the same place; William
Hunter, of Berwick-upon-Tweed ; Joseph Saunderson, of Dundee, Scotland ; William Warrener, of the same place ;
Duncan M'Allum, of Aberdeen, Scotland; Thomas Rutherford, of the city of Dublin, in the kingdom of Ireland;
DECLARATION.
Daniel Jackson, of the same place; Henry Moore, of the city of Cork, Ireland; Andrew Blair, of the same place ;
Richard Watkinson, of Limerick, Ireland; Nehemiah Price, of Athlone, Ireland; Robert Lindsay, of Sligo, Ireland; George Brown, of Clones, Ireland; Thomas Barber, of Charlemont, Ireland; Henry Foster, of Belfast,
Ireland; and John Crook, of Lisburne, Ireland, Gentlemen; being Preachers and Expounders of God's Holy
Word, under the care and in connexion with the said John Wesley, have been, and now are, and do, on the day of the date hereof, constitute the members of the said Conference, according to the true intent and meaning of the said several gifts and conveyances wherein the words,
Conference of the people called Methodists, are mentioned and contained; and that the said several persons beforenamed, and their successors for ever, to be chosen as hereafter mentioned, are and shall for ever be construed, taken, and be, the Conference of the people called Methodists.
Nevertheless, upon the terms, and subject to the regulations herein-after prescribed ; that is to say,
First, That the members of the said Conference, and their successors for the time being for ever, shall assemble once in every year, at. London, Bristol, or Leeds, (except as after-mentioned,) for the purposes aforesaid ; and the time and place of holding every subsequent Conference shall be appointed at the preceding one, save that the next Conference after the date hereof shall be holden at Leeds, in Yorkshire, the last Tuesday in July next.
Second, The act of the majority in number of the Conference assembled as aforesaid, shall be had, taken, and be the act of the whole Conference, to all intents, purposes, and constructions whatsoever.
Third, That after the Conference shall be assembled as aforesaid, they shall first proceed to fill up all the vacancies occasioned by death or absence, as after-mentioned.
Fourth, No act of the Conference assembled as aforesaid, shali be had, taken, or be the act of the Conference, until forty of the members thereof are assembled, unless reduced under that number by death since the prior Conference, or absence as after-mentioned ; nor until all the vacancies occasioned by death or absence shall be filled up by the election of new members of the Conference, so as to make up the number
DEED OF one hundred, unless there be not a sufficient number of persons objects of such election; and during the assembly of the Conference, there shall always be forty members present at the doing of any act, save as aforesaid, or otherwise such act shall be void.
Fifth, The duration of the yearly assembly of the Conference shall not be less than five days, nor more than three weeks, and be concluded by the appointment of the Conference, if under twenty-one days; or otherwise the conclusion thereof shall follow of course at the end of the said twentyone days; the whole of all which said time of the assembly of the Conference shall be had, taken, considered, and be the yearly Conference of the people called Methodists ; and all acts of the Conference, during such yearly assembly thereof, shall be the acts of the Conference, and none other.
Sixth, Immediately after all the vacancies occasioned by death or absence are filled up by the election of new members as aforesaid, the Conference shall choose a President and Secretary of their assembly out of themselves, who shall continue such until the ciection of another President or Secretary in the next, or other subsequent Conference; and the said President shall have the privilege and power of two members in all acts of the Conference during his presidency, and such other powers, privileges, and authorities, as the Conference shall from time to time see fit to entrust into his hands, Seventh, Auy member of the Conference absenting himself from the yearly assembly thereof for two years successively, without the consent or dispensation of the Conference, and be not present on the first day of the third yearly assembly thereof, at the time and place appointed for the holding of the same, shall cease to be a member of the Conference from and after the said first day of the said third yearly assembly thereof, to all intents and purposes, as though he were naturally dead.
But the Conference shall and may dispense with or consent to the absence of any member from any of the said yearly assemblies for any cause which the Conference may see fit or necessary ; and such member, whose absence shall be so dispensed with or consented to by the Conference, shall not by such absence cease to be a _ member thereof.
Eighth, The Conference shall and may expel and put out
DECLARATION.
from being a member thereof, or from being in connexion therewith, or from being upon trial, any person, member of the Conference, or admitted into connexion, or upon trial, for any cause which to the Conference may seem fit or necessary ; and every member of the Conference so expelled and put out, shall cease to be a member thereof, to all intents and purposes, as though he was naturally dead.
And the Conference, immediately after the expulsion of any member thereof as aforesaid, shall elect another person to be a member of the Conference, in the stead of such member so expelled.
Ninth, The Conference shall and may admit into connexion with them, or upon trial, any person or persons whom they shall approve, to be Preachers and Expounders of God's
Holy Word, under the care and direction of the Conference ; the name of every such person or persons so admitted into connexion or upon trial as aforesaid, with the time and. degrees of the admission, being entered in the Journals or Minutes of the Conference.
Tenth, No person shall be elected a member of the Conference, who hath not been admitted into connexion with the Conference, as a Preacher and Expounder of God's Holy
Word, as aforesaid, for twelve months.
Eleventh, The Conference shall not, nor may, nominate or appoint any person to the use and enjoyment of, or to preach and expound God's Holy Word in, any of the chapels and premises so given or conveyed, or which may be given or conveyed upon the trusts aforesaid, who is not either a member of the Conference, or admitted into connexion with the same, or upon trial as aforesaid ; nor appoint any person for more than three years successively, to the use and enjoyment of any chapel and premises already given, or to be given or conveyed, upon the trusts aforesaid, except ordained Ministers of the Church of England.
Twelfth, That the Conference shall and may appoiut the place of holding the yearly assembly thereof, at any other city, town, or place, than London, Bristol, or Leeds, when it shall seem expedient so to do.
Thirteenth, And for the convenience of the chapels and premises already, or which may hereafter be, given or conveyed upon the trusts aforesaid, situate in Ireland, or other parts out of the kingdom of Great Britain, the Conference shall
DEED OF and may, when and as often as it shall seem expedient, but not otherwise, appoint and delegate any member or members of the Conference, with al! or any of the powers, privileges, and advantages, hercin-before contained or vested in the Conference; and all and every the acts, admissions, expulsions, and appointments whatsoever of such member or members of the Conference, so appointed and delegated as aforesaid, the same being put into writing, and signed by such delegate or delegates, and entered in the Journals or Minutes of the Conference, and subscribed as aftermentioned, shall be deemed, taken, and be, the acts, admissions, expulsions, and appointments of the Conference, to all intents, constructions, and purposes whatsoever, from the respective times when the same shall be done by such delegate or delegates; notwithstanding anything hereincontained to the contrary.
Fourteenth, All resolutions and orders touching elections, admissions, expuisions, consents, dispensations, delegations, or appointments and acts whatsoever of the Conference, shall be entered and written in the Journals or Minutes. of the Conference, which shall be kept for that purpose, publicly read, and then subscribed by the President and Secretary thereof for the time being, during the time such Conference shall be assembled; and when so entered and subscribed, shall be had, taken, received, and be, the acts of the Conference, and such entry and subscription as aforesaid shall be had, taken, received, and be, evidence of all and every such acts of the said Conference, and of their said delegates, without the aid of any other proof; and whatever shall not be so entered and subscribed as aforesaid, shall not be had, taken, received, or be, the act of the Conference: And the said President and Secretary are hereby required and obliged to enter and subscribe, as aforesaid, every act whatever of the Conference.
Lastly, Whenever the said Conference shall be reduced under the number of forty members, and continue so reduced for three yearly assemblies thereof successively, or whenever the members thereof shall decline or neglect to meet together annually for the purposes aforesaid, during the space of three years, that then, and in either of the said events, the Conference of the people called Methodists shall be extinguished, and all the aforesaid powers, privileges, and advantages shall
DECLARATION.
cease, and the said chapels and premises, and all other chapels and premises, which now are, or hereafter may be, settled, given, or conveyed, upon the trusts aforesaid, shall vest in the Trustees for the time being of the said chapels and premises respectively, and their successors for ever ;
UPON TRUST that they, and the survivors of them, and the Trustees for the time being, do, shall, and may appoint such person and persons to preach and expound God's Holy
Word therein, and to have the use and enjoyment thereof, for such time, and in such manner, as to them shall seem proper.
Provivey alwavg, that nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to extinguish, lessen, or abridge the life-estate of the said John Wesley and Charles Wesley, or either of them, of and in any of the said chapels and premises, or any other chapels and premises, wherein they the said John Wesley and Charles Wesley, or either of them, now have, or may have, any estate or interest, power or authority whatsoever.
Yn witness whereof, the said John Wesley hath hereunto set his hand and seal, the twenty-eighth day of February, in the twenty-fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign
Lord George the Third, by the grace of God of GreatBritain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.
JOHN WESLEY.
Sealed and delivered (being first duly stamped) \ in the presence of Wiiram Ciutow, Quality Court, Chancery-Lane, London.
Ricuarp Youne, Clerk to the said William Clulow.
'Taken and acknowledged by the Rev. John Wesley, party hereto, this 28th of February, 1784, at the Public Office, before me,
EDWARD MONTAGU.
The above isa true Copy of the original Deed, (which is enrolled in Chancery,) and was therewith examined by us,
WILLIAM CLULOW.
RICHARD YOUNG.
DEED OF DECLARATION.
ENDORSEMENT.
Dated Feb. 28th, 1784.
CLULOW.
The Rev. John Wesley's Declaration and Appointment of the Conference of the people called Methodists, enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery, the ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord 1784, being first duly stamped according to the tenor of the Statutes, made for that purpose.
THOMAS BRIGSTOCK.
END OF THE FOURTH VOLUME.
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The works of John Vell Wesley ISSUED TO Wesley The workS eevee Vel}
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