dearest rate; and we had some prospect of life at the end of the proposed trial. "It was no wonder that there was some difficulty about trying; for since then, I have seen the place again, and I can truly say, that if we had had light at the time to see the hole into which we had to creep, I scarcely think we would have ventured to go. But, see how good God was! We grieved when our lights went out; but God put them out in mercy, that we might not fear to enter into the narrow places for our life. The loss of our light was just the means of our life. "So it was agreed that three should make a trial, and the rest follow half-an-hour afterwards. The three appointed to go, were Jamieson Bennett, John Reid, and George Pride. But they would not go without me; so of course four were sent away. Halfan-hour was allowed for removing the obstacles in the way, and making a clear passage. So we four went on till we came to the water's edge. Then we sat down, and prayer was offered to the prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God, who heard our cry, and granted our request. "After prayer, we went into the water. At our very first entrance, we crept on our bellies for perhaps four or five yards; so low was the roof, and all in the dark. Then we proceeded onwards a while with tolerable ease on our feet. The roof had sitten down in the place where we crept, and the water was floating round our mouths; so that we had to turn the back of our heads round, to keep our mouths out of the water. We pressed on and on, however, and with a little more comfort, till we came to a broad flagstone. Bennett and Reid called back, that if they did not get picks, they could proceed no further, for they had got a stone here which lay across the whole way. Well, we had had the good presence of mind the day before to leave two picks on the dry ground, a little distant from the water. So George Pride and I returned and found them, and carried them to Bennett and Reid, and they were enabled to remove the flag in a very short time. "Just as they got the flag removed, the back parties were making an advance; but they had to stop a little till we were ready. So, all things being clear for the march, we proceeded onward, every one following the other, and aye naming each other aloud as we marched on in our journey, to see if all were on the move. We continued thus on our march, till we met with another disagreeable bit; but it was soon overcome. The rubbish had fallen down, and was raised above the level of the water, and the passage was very laigh. We soon surmounted it, however, creeping on our hands and feet. But there was no water here, and we got through the rubbish, and marched on. After this we came to a place where we walked on our feet; but the water was very high; in some places higher, in some lower. It was sometimes up to our waist, at other times to our shoulders, touching even our chins; and the women had to hing to our necks, and just float and swim as they best might, for it would have drowned them, the young ones at least, to walk. We carried on, however, the best way we could, getting through the water; till we observed that we had left some of the party behind, and I waited till the last came forward. "By this time I thought that George Pride had found the dry ground, and had escaped away with great joy to the pit mouth; for I cried several times to him, but received no answer. So when the rest came up, and were following me as I thought, I moved up a road or avenue. But it was to my great joy they did not follow me. For I soon found, to my dismay, I had gone wrong. I went over a mass of rubbish just twofold; the road became impassable with rubbish, and the air so extremely bad, that one of my ears gave a loud crack and a ring, and the streamers flew from my eyes, and there was excessive heat. Then, thought I, I am certainly wrong here! However, I must be as cool as possible, for I know there are two ways behind, a right and a wrong; and I have heard of people's brain turning in such situations! So if my brain were to turn, and I took the left road instead of the right, I might just go back the way I had come, and be lost! With as much coolness of mind, then, as possible, I returned backward, and, turning to the right hand, I again went to the shoulder in water; but at last I reached the dry ground. Then I began to feel the smell of sulphur and reek; and as I knew that a lamp hung constantly burning in the Back Dean Pit to help the purity of the air, I thought it must be this that was causing the smoke and smell. I was right, and immediately found myself just where we had so long desired to be, hard by the bottom of the Back Dean Pit; and that, you may believe, was no small comfort unto me! "To my great joy, the rest were all safe arrived before myself, and they had not missed me at the time, every one was so excited with his own case. For my own part, before I went up the air-gate, I ¦ was like a lion for strength; but after I came out, I was weak enough. We found the air extremely bad; our sides blew the same as if we had been running a race, for want of breath; and that made us weak. us. "However, we shouted up from the bottom of the pit, and to our great joy we were quickly heard and answered. A bucket was sent down; but, as we were so weakly, a man was sent down with it to help So the man descended about half-way down the pit. To use his own words, however, he soon did not know whether he was coming down or going up, and he called to them to take him up, for he was not able to live in the air of the place. We who had come from a closer neighbourhood were able to stand it; but he who had come from the fresh air was not able. So the bucket was again let down, and we were drawn up. "So we reached the Back Dean Pit head, and again saw the pleasant light of day, about eight o'clock on the Sabbath morning; and my first words were, Glory to God in the highest, that I am once more on the earth safe alive! And glory be to his name I now say, and shall say to the end of my life!" "WORK WHILE IT IS CALLED TO-DAY." On one occasion, when the late Rev. W. Blunt was arranging for some charitable measures, he requested a lady whom he thought qualified to undertake some charge in district visiting, or some kindred engagement. She answered him, rather declining the proposal: " My stay here will be probably too short for me to be of use. I do not know that I shall be here three months." His answer was brief, calm, and solemn. "I do not know that I shall be here one." He alluded to his time and life in this present world. She saw his meaning, answered no more, and heartily embraced the work offered her to do. The word of that faithful man, though dead himself, speaketh to us who remain, telling us, that in God's sight time has in reality no remnants, no shreds, no patches to be thrown away; and I fully believe that the habit of speedy and ready application of our faculties is one of the most important acquisitions which can possibly be formed.-Rev. Francis Trench. THE CHRISTIAN TREASURY. 169 THE LOVE OF CHRIST. * BY THE LATE REV. R. M. M'CHEYNE, DUNDEE. I would speak of the love of Christ. THERE are three very remarkable questions towards the close of the 8th chapter of the 1. When it began-in the past eternity: "Then Romans:-1. "Who shall lay anything to the I was by him as one brought up with him: and I charge of God's elect?" Paul stands forth like was daily his delight, rejoicing always before a herald, and he looks up to the holy angels, and him; rejoicing in the habitable part of the earth; down to the accusing devils, and round about and my delights were with the sons of men."on a scowling world, and into conscience, and Prov. viii. 30, 31. This river of love began to flow he asks, Who can accuse one whom God has before the world was from everlasting, from chosen, and Christ has washed? It is God who the beginning, or ever the earth was. Christ's justifieth. The holy God has declared believers love to us is as old as the Father's love to the clean every whit. 2. "Who shall condemn?" Son. This river of light began to stream from Paul looks round all the judges of the world Jesus toward us before the beams poured from all who are skilled in law and equity; he looks the sun-before the rivers flowed to the ocean upward to the holy angels, whose superhuman-before angel loved angel, or man loved man sight pierces deep and far into the righteous-before creatures were, Christ loved us. This government of God; he looks up to God, the is a great deep-who can fathom it? This love judge of all, who must do right-whose ways passeth knowledge. are equal and perfect righteousness-and he asks, Who shall condemn? It is Christ that died. Christ has paid the uttermost farthing: so that every judge must cry out, There is now no condemnation. 3. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Again he looks round all created worlds-he looks at the might of the mightiest archangels-the satanic power of legions of devils-the rage of a God-defying world-the united forces of all created things; and, when he sees sinners folded in the arms of Jesus, he cries, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Not all the forces of ten thousand worlds combined, for Jesus is greater than all. "We are more than conquerors through him that loved us." The love of Christ! Paul says: "The love of Christ passeth knowledge." It is like the blue sky, into which you may see clearly, but the real vastness of which you cannot measure. It is like the deep, deep sea, into whose bosom you can look a little way, but its depths are unfathomable. It has a breadth without a bound, length without end, height without top, and depth without bottom. If holy Paul said this, who was so deeply taught in divine things -who had been in the third heaven, and seen the glorified face of Jesus-how much more may we, poor and weak believers, look into that love and say: It passeth knowledge! From Volume of Sermons by the lamented author, nearly ready for publication. No. 15 * 2. And who was it that loved? It was Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the blessed Godhead. His name is “Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," "King of kings and Lord of lords,” “Immanuel,” and “Jesus” the Saviour, the only begotten of his Father. His beauty is perfect: he is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person. All the purity, majesty, and love of Jehovah, dwell fully in him. He is the bright and morning Star: he is the Sun of righteous. ness and the Light of the world: he is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valleysfairer than the children of men. His riches are infinite: he could say, "All that the Father hath is mine." He is Lord of all. All the crowns in heaven were cast at his feet-all angels and seraphs were his servants--all worlds his domain. His doings were infinitely glorious. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible. He called the things that are not as though they were-worlds started into being at his word. Yet he loved us. It is much to be loved by one greater in rank than ourselves— to be loved by an angel; but O, to be loved by the Son of God!-this is wonderful-it passeth knowledge. 3. Whom did he love? He loved us! He came into the world "to save sinners, of whom I am the chief." Had he loved one as glorious as himself, we would not have wondered. Had he loved the holy angels, that reflected his pure bright image, we would not have wondered. Had he loved the lovely among the sons of men-the amiable, the gentle, the kind, the rich, the great, the noble-it would not have been so great a wonder. But, ah! he loved sinners-the vilest sinners-the poorest, meanest, guiltiest wretches that crawl upon the ground. Manasseh, who murdered his own children, was one whom he loved; Zaccheus, the grey-haired swindler, was another; blaspheming Paul was a third; the wanton of Samaria was another; the dying thief was another; and the lascivious Corinthians were more. "And such were some of you." We were black as hell when he looked on us-we were hell-worthy, under his Father's wrath and curse-and yet he loved us, and said: I I will die for them. "Thou hast loved me out of the pit of corruption," each saved one can say. Oh, brethren! this is strange love: he that was so great, and lovely, and pure, chose us, who were mean and filthy with sin, that he might wash and purify, and present us to himself. This love passeth knowledge! 4. What this love cost him. When Jacob loved Rachel, he served seven years for herhe bore the summer's heat and winter's cold. But Jesus bore the hot wrath of God, and the winter blast of his Father's anger, for those he loved. Jonathan loved David with more than the love of women, and for his sake he bore the cruel anger of his father, Saul. But Jesus, out of love to us, bore the wrath of his Father poured out without mixture. It was the love of Christ that made him leave the love of his Father, the adoration of angels, and the throne of glory-it was love that made him not despise the Virgin's womb-it was love that brought him to the manger at Bethlehem-it was love that drove him into the wilderness; love made him a man of sorrows-love made him hungry, and thirsty, and weary-love made him hasten to Jerusalem-love led him to gloomy, dark Gethsemane-love bound and dragged him to the judgment hall—love nailed him to the cross -love bowed his head beneath the amazing load of his Father's anger. "Greater love hath no man than this." "I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." Sinners were sinking beneath the red-hot flames of hell; He plunged in and swam through the awful surge, and gathered his own into his bosom. The sword of justice was bare and glittering, ready to destroy us; He, the man that was God's fellow, opened his bosom and let the stroke fall on him. We were set up as a mark for God's arrows of vengeance; Jesus came between, and they pierced him through and through-every arrow that should have pierced our souls stuck fast in him. He, his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the tree. As far as east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. This is the love of Christ that passeth knowledge. This is what is set before you to-day in the broken bread and poured-out wine. This is what we shall see on the throne: "A Lamb as it had been slain." This will be the matter of our song through eternity: "Worthy is the Lamb!" 1. O the joy of being in the love of Christ! Are you in this amazing love? Has he loved you out of the pit of corruption? Then, he will wash you, and make you a king and a priest unto God. He will wash you in his own blood whiter than the snow-he will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. A new heart also will he give you. He will keep your conscience clean, and your heart right with God. He will put his Holy Spirit within you, and make you pray with groanings that cannot be uttered. He will justify you— he will pray for you-he will glorify you. All the world may oppose you-dear friends may die and forsake you-you may be left alone in the wilderness; yet you will not be alone- ! Christ will love you still. 2. O the misery of being out of the love of Christ! If Christ loves you not, how vain all other loves! Your friends may love you-your neighbours may be kind to you—the world may praise you-ministers may love your souls; but, if Christ love you not, all creature-love will be vain. You will be unwashed, unpardoned, unholy-you will sink into hell, and all the creatures will stand around and be unable to reach out a hand to help you. 3. "How shall I know that I am in the love of Christ?" By your being drawn to Christ : “I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Have you seen something attractive in Jesus? The world are attracted by beauty, or dress, or glittering jewels-have you been attracted to Christ by his good ointments? This is the mark of all who are graven on Christ's heart— they come to him; they see Jesus to be precious. The easy world see no preciousness in Christ; they prize a lust higher, the smile of the world higher, money higher, pleasure higher; but those whom Christ loves he draws after " NOTES ON WESLEYAN-METHODISM. best him by the sight of his preciousness. Have NOTES ON WESLEYAN-METHODISM. BY DR JOHN B. BENNETT, LONDON. III. THE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS OF WESLEYAN METHODISM. THE frame-work of Wesleyan-Methodism, regarded as an ecclesiastical organization, may here be best exhibited by a rapid survey of the nature, constitution, and powers of its COURTS, and the objects and operations of its principal INSTITUTIONS. According to the "Deed of Declaration" of 1784 (already referred to), the CONFERENCE is established as the Supreme Ecclesiastical Court. As this body is composed exclusively of ministers, this may be the most appropriate place, in these papers, for a sketch of the mode of introduction into the Wesleyan ministry. 171 piety; his knowledge and belief of Wesleyan The term of probation is four years, during which the probationer is placed under the superintendence of senior ministers, whose especial duty it is to watch over his religious, intellectual, and ministerial improvement; and at each annual district meeting his progress is inquired into. At the termination of the four years, if recommended by his district meeting, he undergoes his final trials, preparatory to his admission into "full connexion." The candidates are examined privately by the president and a few of the senior ministers. If approved of by them, they are introduced to the Conference, in whose presence they are subjected to another, and usually a lengthened examination. Should the result be satisfactory, they are subsequently brought before the whole congregation (which on such an occasion generally overflows the largest chapel in which the service can be held), and after an introductory statement by the president, as many of them as time will admit, are called on to declare pub. licly their conversion, their present religious experience, their conviction of being moved by the Holy Ghost to undertake the work of the ministry, and their purposes of future devotedness to God. In a separate service afterwards, they are ordained to the sacred office, by the solemn imposition of the hands of the president, the ex-president, and the secretary of the Conference, and some of the senior ministers nominated by the president. The ordination service The recommendation of a candidate must always originate with the chief minister (or superintendent ") of the circuit in which the individual resides. It is his duty, in the first instance, to satisfy himself of the young man's eligibility, by private conversations with him, by repeatedly hearing him preach, and by consultation with those most competent to aid him in forming a right judgment. The next step is the nomination of the candidate at the “Quarterly Meeting," which includes the principal office-bearers and other leading laymen of the circuit. The questions on which the members of this meeting are called to give their judgment, are three: 1. "Has the candidate grace?" that is, is there every reason to believe that he is truly converted to God? 2. "Has he gifts?" and, 3. “Has God given him fruit of his labours?" If they, by a majority, decide in the negative, the nomination is set aside, at least for that year.* If, on the contrary, their practically recognised in the only way which the peculiari judgment be in favour of the candidate, his case is brought before the annual "district meeting," composed of the ministers of the several circuits, comprehended within the bounds of the district, and analogous to the Scottish presbyteries, as the Conference resembles the General Assembly. Here he is examined by the chairman, respecting his personal No *The right of the Christian people to choose their own ministers, or. at least, to have an absolute veto on their election, is thus clearly recognised in the Wesleyan polity; ties arising out of the itinerant system would permit. man can possibly be introduced into the ministry until the voice of that portion of the people to whom he is known best-probably the only portion to whom he is known at all -has been distinctly given in his favour. Moreover, when desires are expressed by Quarterly Meetings as to particular appointments, the stationing committee and the Conferente treat them with the utmost consideration; and, at all events, the appointment is not to the perpetual and sole care of a flock, but for a single year at once, and, at the longest, for three years, and to a joint pastorate, shared with one or more other ministers. employed is that of the Church of England, with such alterations as adapt it to the use of the Wesleyan Church. A charge to the newlyordained ministers is then delivered by the out-going president; and the administration of the Lord's supper to the assembled ministers at large concludes the services. stry, probationers, and candidates for admission on trial. The "death roll" is examined, and the district reports respecting ministers who have died during the year are considered. The ministers are, one by one, without respect of persons, subjected to a disciplinary inquiry. When there are objections, the cases are referred to by special committees, who subse-|| quently report to Conference. Reproof and admonition; temporary suspension from office, with a view to ultimate recovery; and total and final expulsion, are the several exercises of discipline, according to the gravity of the offence. The stationing of the ministers for the ensuing year is then proceeded with; and now that the circuits are so numerous, and the connexional, local, and personal interests which claim more or less consideration are so extensive and diversified, this department of the business would occupy no small portion of the allotted time of the Conference, but that the principal part of it is previously transacted by the "stationing committee." This committee (which is constituted of a representative from each district, chosen by ballot, the president and secretary of the preceding Conference, one of the missionary 'secretaries, and one of the officers of the Theological Institution) meets sufficiently early to have a plan prepared, which the Conference, having made any alterations that seem expedient, adopts and confirms. The stations having been fixed, the chairmen of districts are chosen by ballot. The number of members in the various parts of the Connexion is ascertained; the reports of the several connexional committees are received and consider There is nothing in the "Deed" to prevent the election of any minister who has been a year or upwards "in full connexion," to be one of the IIundred constituting the legal Conference; but the commonest dictates of prudence would obviously limit the choice to men of mature years and judgment. The mode of election now in operation, the adoption of which was arranged in 1814, is as follows: Three out of every four vacancies are filled up on the ground of seniority; but in every fourth case, the ministers who have travelled fourteen years or upwards, nominate by ballot one of their number (he must have travelled at least fourteen years), and the Hundred are requested to elect the person so nominated as a member of the legal Conference. Ten of the Hundred are chosen by the Irish Conference from its own members. The president and secretary of the Conference are elected in a manner similar to that just described. The secretary may be re-elected to his office for several successive years, as the present secretary, Dr Newton, has actually been; but, by a regulation, made in 1792, and strictly observed since, an interval of eight years must elapse before the same person can again occupy the presidential chair. When the Conference is assembled, the constant presence of forty of its legal members is necessary to render its acts valid; but it should be undered; motions, of which previous notice had been stood, that the legal Hundred cordially admit all the ministers (in full connexion) to equal votes with themselves on every question that comes before them, subject only to limitation in the cases of the elections just referred to, and the final confirmation of the journal of proceedings. The duration of the yearly assembly of the Conference is fixed; it must not be less than fire, nor more than twenty-one days. In the present extended and extending state of the connexional concerns, it would not be possible to transact all the business within this period, were it not for the aid afforded by various committees which meet previously, and enter into details, and originate propositions, which greatly facilitate future progress. The proceedings of the assembled Conference may be thus generally described: After devotional exercises-the supply of the vacancies in the Hundred-the election of president and secretary, and some subordinate officers-the introduction of the representatives annually sent by the Irish Conference-and the appointment of various committees-attention is directed to the individual cases of the preachers recommended by their respective district meetings for admission to the full work of the mini given, are discussed; the pastoral addresses of the Conference to the Societies, and the answer to the annual address from the Irish Conference, are read; miscellaneous orders are attended to; arrangements are made respect ing the next Conference; and, finally, the "minutes" of the proceedings having been read and confirmed, the annual session is concluded as it commenced (and as all the intermediate sittings were begun and ended)—with solemn prayer. The DISTRICT MEETING is the second of the. Wesleyan Ecclesiastical Courts. It was instituted immediately after Mr Wesley's death, not so much for the regular transaction of specified business, as to provide against emer gencies which might unexpectedly arise be tween one Conference and another, and which, had Mr Wesley continued alive, would have been submitted to him. Now, however, it has regular and important functions, in several respects similar, although subordinate, to those of the Conference. The Conference possesses both legislative and executive authority; the district meeting is executive only, governed by the laws of the Conference, and subject to a revision or reversal of its decisions by that |