no will of my own.' I spoke with her physician, wh› said he had little hope of her recovery; 'only,' he added, 'she has no dread upon her spirits, which is generally the worst symptom. Most people die for fear of dying; but I never met with such people as yours. They are none of them afraid of death; but calm, and patient, and resigned to the last.""

The glorious effects of these itinerant labors extorted concessions from Dr. Whitehead which his prejudices would not have allowed under ordinary circumstances. observes:

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Viewing itinerant preaching in this light, we see its importance, and must acknowledge that the authors of it deserve great praise; especially as they introduced it by their own example, under great difficulties and hardships. Their prospects in life, from their learning, their abilities, and their rank in society, were all sacrificed to the plan of itinerancy. They had every thing to lose by it, reputation, health, and the esteem of their friends; and nothing in this world to gain, but great bodily fatigue, ill usage from the mob, and general contempt. And as only three persons united together in the plan, they could not expect to form any extensive or permanent establishment. It is evident from their writings that these three servants of God did not look to any distant consequences of their proceedings. They contented themselves with doing as much good as possible in the way which opened before them; and they truly labored also for their own continuance in the faith, knowing that unfaithfulness to their calling would impair, and in the issue destroy it."

This brings us to consider another necessity of the cause and its supply. Mr. Wesley had been induced to form his followers into societies, from observing that where they were

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not thus formed they soon relapsed into their former habits; and the experiment showed the wisdom of the measure. little reflection also convinced him that this was the very course pursued from the beginning of Christianity. He had been constrained to preach in the highways, and other unconsecrated places, by the closing of the churches against him, and he had felt compelled to allow pious laymen to exhort, and even preach, by the refusal of the regular clergy to do their duty and watch over the souls of inquirers, and give them such instructions as they needed.

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But still there were frequent defections which brought great scandal upon the cause, and yet no remedy appeared. "At length," Mr. Wesley remarks, "while we were thinking of quite another thing, we struck upon a method for which we have cause to bless God ever since. I was talking with several of the society in Bristol concerning the means of paying the debts there; when one stood up and said, 'Let every member of the society give a penny a week till all are paid.' Another answered, 'But many are poor and cannot afford to do it.' Then,' said he, 'put eleven of the poorest with me, and if they can give any thing, well. I will call on them weekly, and if they can give nothing, I will give for them as well as for myself. And each of you can call on eleven of your neighbors weekly; receive what they give, and make up what is wanting.' It was done. In a while some of these informed me, they found such and such a one did not live as he ought. It struck me immediately, this is the thing, the very thing we have wanted so long.' I called together all the leaders of the classes, [so they called the collectors,] and desired that each would make a particular inquiry into the behavior of those whom he saw weekly. They did so. Many disorderly walkers were detected. Some turned from the evil of their

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ways. Some were put away from us. Many saw it with: fear, and rejoiced unto God with reverence.'

The same arrangement was soon adopted in London, and in all the other societies, with the happiest effect. Each leader was required to see every member of his class once a week, at least, to inquire after the prosperity of their souls ; to advise, reprove, or exhort, as it was found necessary; to receive what they were disposed to give for the relief of the poor; and to meet the minister, and stewards, &c., as at the present time. This arrangement, we believe, has never been abrogated in any branch of the Methodist family, and it is to be hoped that it never will be. But at first the leaders visited the members at their own houses. This was soon found to be very inconvenient, and in some cases impracticable. Hence it was agreed that the members of each class should meet together once a week, and the leader was required to visit only those who might be absent. So much for the history of our classes.

About this time intelligence reached Mr. Wesley that the brethren at Kingswood had fallen into the practice of occasionally spending the greater part of the night in prayer and praise. At the same time he was advised to put an end to it, as a disorder that could not be tolerated without danger to the cause. But the fact that it was a new measure was not sufficient to satisfy him that it might not be right and useful, nor the other fact that it was opposed. He took time, therefore, to "weigh the thing thoroughly," and finding a practice among the early Christians of much the same character, he could not persuade himself to forbid it. For the sake of obtaining fuller information as to the meetings themselves, he sent word to the watching brethren that he would watch with them on the Friday nearest the full moon. He did so, preaching at eight or nine, and con

tinuing the exercises a little beyond midnight, praying and praising God amid a throng of spectators. The effect was good. God so wrought by this means that it was introduced in other places, and continued once a month for a long time. Some of the opposers thought the effect attributable to the novelty of the thing, or, perhaps, to the silence of the night, to which Mr. Wesley wisely replied, "I am not careful to answer in this matter. Be it so. However, the impression then made on many souls has never since been effaced. Now, allowing that God did make use of either the novelty or any other indifferent circumstance, in order to bring sinners to repentance, yet they are brought; and herein let as rejoice together."

Thus, our watch meetings originated, like lay preaching, in what was regarded the excessive zeal of individuals; and though by no means as serviceable to the cause, they have no doubt proved an efficient auxiliary in saving souls from death.

It was about this time also that another custom was started, viz.: the giving of quarterly tickets to the faithful of the flock. It happened on this wise: as the society increased, Mr. Wesley saw the necessity of greater care to separate the precious from the vile; and determined to converse with each member once in three months personally. In carrying this purpose into effect, it occurred that it might be well for him to give such as he found walking in the truth some testimonial of character and connection with the society. For this purpose he prepared a ticket, which, being publicly explained, had all the form of a full length recommendation. Those who bore these tessera, as the ancients called them, were acknowledged by their brethren of other societies, and received with cordiality. They also found ready access to all the society meetings; while those

whose conduct had been such as to render them unworthy of receiving the quarterly tickets were excluded.

The practice thus started has been of excellent service in more ways than one. Though it has not been rigidly carried out, particularly in this country, it is nevertheless among our regulations, and will vary in its application and utility just as the ministry varies in its pastoral fidelity. Originat ing in an effort to be more critical in watching over the flock, and defending it from the corrupting influence of unworthy characters, it will always be found useful in the execution of this holy design.

The same grand pursuit suggested the band meetings also. Many were anxious for a more intimate union. They had conflicts it would not be proper to detail in a promis cuous society, but in relation to which they needed counsel no less than on other points. "In compliance with their desire," says Mr. Wesley, "I divided them into smaller companies; putting the married or single men, and married or single women, together. In order to increase in them a grateful sense of all the mercies of the Lord, I desired that one evening in a quarter they should all come together, that we might eat bread' (as the ancient Christians did) with gladness and singleness of heart." This was the origin of our love feasts, of the nature and influence of which we shall speak more particularly in another place.

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Thus we see that these peculiarities of Methodism were of providential origin, springing out of the spiritual necessities of the pious, and of perishing sinners. There seems to have been no planning, no human ingenuity, no speculation. Mr. Wesley's plans were the plans of the Episcopal Church. He knew no other, he wanted no other, till the necessity appeared, and the measure stood up before him like a real presence; and then he adopted it for the sake of the cause,