THE WESLEYAN CHURCH IN ENGLAND. (From the Britannia.)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 406, 6 March 1850, Page 4

THE WESLEYAN CHURCH IN ENGLAND. (From the Britannia.)

T Me events have drawn attention to the syitem of « Wesley," which although a century has passed since its commencement, is even yet but little understood in he relfcioub world-ce.tamly not understood at all m !!J; "'/fa without. In the exercise of its undoubted M niv iheConfeieuce has lately deposed or expelled tl me preachers of some talent and considerable stand- • I- in the Connexion; these Renilemcn had pledged themselves upon admission to observe and reverence this authority; a contingency, however, arose in which ihev rhose to defy and contemn it, and no alternative " I !eft but expulsion. The Conference could not bow to them; their very nghts of membership were derived from, and in virtue of, the power they repufiintPfl and upon this repudiation they necessarily ceased to belong to the body. This is the history of the present excitement among the Wesleyan community Confeience has excited no new power, passed no new penal enactment : but in it* judicial capacity, bv the *oicc of its piesident, and with the unanimous consent of nearly COO members, it required a direct answer to a question concerning the character of a Mr. Evetctt, one of Us Ministeis. He refused to plead, defied the power by which alone he held office, would not exculpate himself from suspicion, and, as an inevitable'consequtnce, is " without the pale.'' # As usual, he cries "tyranny and inquisition;" appeals to the public, together with a Mr, Dunn and a Mr Griffith, who have also been dismissed for contumacy, upon similar grounds ; the triumvirate have determined upon a enisle against the Conference, and to bolster up "'tit quarrel intend to preach reform, and propose a vaii-ty of things as improvements upon the « Methodism" of "John Wesley." This proposed lefoim. after all, is the only question with which the public have to do ; it matters little whether these gentlemen prefer the quiet and obscurity of the itinerant life, or pant for greater notoriety ; whether they are maintained out of what are termed the " Connexional Funds " or agitate the public for a special sustentation of which Messrs. Everett, Dunn and Griffith shall be the sole recipients. Under the idea that they have somehow been oppressed, they have had a fine start ; for the press, from the Wesleyan Times to the 11 Thunderer 1 ' of Printing-house Square, has given them a helping hand ; and though in some rabid circles martyrdom lies been spoken of, they seem as yet far removed from this consummation. Meanwhile, the "leligious public," as they delight to be called, have been aroused from their apathy by all this pother. It is high time they also put this question, cut bono ! and as the affairs of this mighty dissenting body are by no ra^ans unimportant, we intend to devote a little space to the consideration of the affair. Mr. Wesley, as everybody knows, was a clergyman of the Church of Ent;land~so he lived and to he died. He established what he called an itinerant ministry, for the double purpose of stirring up the minds of the godly and calling sinners to repentance. His efforts were mightily successful, and it may be fairly conceded that at the present day the agencies called into being by his system arc among the most influ. ential and active for good in the world. Over all these presides what is termed a "Conference," whose resolutions have the form and force of law for the Methodist community. This religious party, like the world without, is divided into those who have the power and those who wiEh to possess it. Among the most prominent of the former ranks Dr. Bunting; and perhaps the most complaining and hostile of the latter are the three ejected preachers. Rather than disown the authorship of some obnoxious papers called the "Fly Sheets," they braved expulsion from the body.— Since then they have identified themselves with the complaints and demands these very sheets put forth ; and, for our readers' information, we will, as summarily as possible, give what seems to be, when stripped of its circumlocution and abuse, the pith of these charges. The Missionary and educational institutions of Me» tVodism have something like located chiefs; these, however, are subject to Conference, and are periodically elected by it to their laborious and responsible posts ; they number about 20 in all, out of a body of 1500 preachers. Peculiar fitness, great partialities, or both, combined with what is vulgarly known as tact, hut which in reality is common bense, have kept the 'Buntingian" party in power and place; hue the ■ocieties prosper, chapels continue to be built ; even this very year three large and commodious ones have been erected in London alone, under the auspices of this very sanction. With them are found the holiest and most philanthropic men of their age and connexion ; their instrumentalities are inci easing and deepening on every side; end the whole of the Methodist working clergy, with these three exceptions, are with them heart and hand. These three, however, who have dubbed themselves " the triumvirate," are becoming the very lords of misrule; they have united with the labid Dissenters, and a mighty hubbub has been the consequence. The "outs" cry treason to the Methodism of Wesley, and insinuate that ceitain officials aie too well paid: that they are indolent and anstocratic ; with a thousand other things having as much to do with the subject in hand ai with the politics of the moon ; eveiywhere the turbulent spiiits have come forth to cry "Havoc !" Meanwhile the Wesleyan Chapels are everywhere more crowded than ever, the Ministers complained of still have the unlimited confidence of their brethren, and even as great popularity with the people as before. — John Wesley's system is connexional, not independent, and he who lmpes to act hatinonioualy with a great body must le in possession of a forbearing spirit — Even in secular matters there must be mutual concession for the sake of peace and agreement. How much more necessary is this in religious matters. It seems to us that Conference has meiely lost three members whom it could well spare ; let it go on its way m the fear and love of God, and acting for the good of our common Christianity. For the ejected preachen, if they cannot find a people who will deem their accestion a benefit, let them take care leit in this agitation they be found "fighting against God." "It must ueeds be that offences come, but woe unto him by -whom the offence cometh."

" Conscience" said Mn. Hopkins, indignantly, " Do you suppose nobody Las got a conscience but jourself? My conscience is as good us yours—aye better too; for it has never been used in the course of my life, while yours miut be nearly worn out." Death-bbp REVr.LATioNS.~Men before they die see and comprehend enigmas hidden from them before. The greatest poet and one of the noblest thinkers of the lnst r.ge, said on his death-bed— "Many things, obscure to me before, now clear up and become risible." Irish Consolation.— " Well, Paddy," said Thnddy, "these illuminations are the death, of repale."— «« True indeed," said Paddy to Thadily , '•butauits it's an illigant wake." — Punch. " Father, what Joes the printer live or ?" " Why child ?" " Beciii3e you s.iid yiu jiadn't pj\id him for two yearn and you ptill ivh", Uie poper,"

The Berkshire Chronicle states, tha in gome cir culars sent round by the Bishop of Oxford to different pariihcs was this inquiry — "Does your officiating clergyman preach the gospel, and are his conversations andcarriapje consistent therewith ? " To which a churchwarden, about four miles from Walhnsjford, wrote in answer. "He preaches the gospel, but does not keep a carriage-" The largest number of impressions of Times sold in one day, was 54,000, when the Royal Exchsnee was opened by the Queen. 44,500 copiei were printed on the Hose of Rush's trial.