L 11 431 THE bufinefs of ftationing the Preachers to be employed in Great Britain being finished, and the Irish Brethren having been appointed to their different Circuits in that Kingdom, in the Dublin Conference held in the beginning of July laft, the ftate of the Miffions in the Weft India Islands, in Nova-Scotia, New-Brunswick, Newfoundland, Gibraltar and Sierra-Leone, were taken into confideration, and fuch changes were made in the ftations of the Miffionaries, already employed in those parts, as feemed requifite, and other Miffionaries were appointed for thofe places which appeared to have need of further help. The ftations of the Miffionaries in thefe Colonies are fixed thus for the enfuing Year. 6 St. Chriftopher's, Edward Turner, William Gilgrafs, Charles Hodgson. Samuel Woolley. 8 St. Bartholomew's, A Miffionary to be fent there as foon as convenient. • Tortola and the other Virgin Islands, Jofeph Taylor, jun, John Dace, John 10 Jamaica, Toland. Edward Turner, Chairman of the District. JAMAICA DISTRICT. John Johnston, John Wiggins. John Johnfon, Chairman of the DistriЯ. BAHAMA DISTRICT. 11 Providence and the other Bahama Islands, William Turton, John Rutledge. 13 Liverpool, 14 Newfoundland, Joshua Marfden. William Turton, Chairman of the District. NOVA-SCOTIA AND NEW-BRUNSWICK: William Black, General Affiftant: James Mann, Duncan John Remmington, William Ellis, Samuel M'Dowell. The fpiritual ftate of the Connexion was alfo taken into ferious confideration, when the Conference had the happiness of finding that upwards of 8000 had been added to the Societies in Great Britain, and that moft of them were in a flourishing ftate, and the congregations in general, much increased. But the admiffion of fo many fresh Preachers, the increase of the Preachers' families, and the neceffity which the Conference has hereby been under of renting and furnishing houses or rooms 1 rooms for these families, has greatly embarṛaffed their Contingent Fund, a difficulty out of which, however, they hope, through the liberality of their friends, and the revenue arifing from the fale of their books, they shall be able, by degrees, to extricate themselves. Several new Rules or Regulations, for the Government of the Societies, and the Prefervation of Order in the Body, have been agreed on. Minutes, to which we refer our Readers for fuller information concerning them, These are published in the as alfo concerning the Chapels now building, or to be built, the ensuing Year. We felect the following Rules as moft important and interefting to our Readers. 2. What directions are neceffary refpecting Public Worship? A. 1. We requeft that all our Chapels may be furnished with Haffocks, or Kneeling-Boards; fo that every excufe may be taken away from those who perfift in the reverent and unfcriptural custom of fitting while at prayer. 2. We defire that all our Preachers will ftrongly urge on their congregations the propriety and importance of ftanding while they fing the praises of God. 3. The Conference judge it expedient to refuse, after the present year, their fanction or confent to the erection of any Organ in our Chapels. 4. Where Organs have been already introduced, the Conference requires that they fhall be fo ufed as not to overpower or fuperfede, but only to affift our congregational finging: and that they shall be confidered as under the controul of the Superintendant, or of the officiating Preacher for the time being, whofe right and duty it is to conduct or direct every part of the public worship of God.-Let no voluntaries be played during the time of divine fervice; and let all the Rules refpecting Singing and Inftrumental Mufic, which were made at the Sheffield Conference in 1805, and published in the Minutes of that Year, be uniformly enforced. 2. What can we do for the fpiritual benefit of the children of our people? 4. Let the good old cuftom of holding a Children's Meeting once a Week be revived in every Town, and wherever else it shall be found practicable; and let all the Preachers turn their serious attention to this important fubject. We also recommend that the "Inftructions for Children" should be used in every Methodist family. Can any further measure be adopted by us for the spread of Religion ? A. We think much good might be done, under the bleffing of God, by the formation among us of a Religious Tract Society, to be as extenfive as our Connexion; and we defire that the Book-Committee in London, will draw up a Plan of such a Society, and fubmit it to the confideration of their Brethren. 2. Are any Regulations neceffary respecting Sunday-Schools? A. 1. Let all the Travelling Preachers, where Sunday Schools are established, be Members of the Committees of thofe Schools which belong to us; and let the Superintendant prefide in their Meetings. 2. As many of the Children as can poffibly be accommodated with room, should invariably attend our Public Worship at least once on every Lord's-Day. We have only to add, that the Congregations were never known to be fo large at Briftol at any preceding Conference held there. Every evening, for upwards of a fortnight, the principal Chapel was crowded with hearers, and on the Lord's-Days, both morning and evening, many hundreds that affembled could not gain admittance for want of room, and therefore were addreffed in the open air, as were many other congregations in various parts of the city and its fuburbs at different hours of the day. The other Chapels, alfo, were well attended on the Lord's-Days, and at five o'clock every morning feveral hundreds regularly affembled to hear the Word of God, and unite with the Preachers present in prayer and praise. Conference-Office, Cafile-Sweet, City-Road, GEO, STORY, Agent. THE METHODIST MAGAZINE FOR OCTOBER, 1808. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR of Mr. THOMAS RUTHERFORD. (Continued from page 394.) Now my foul profpered more than ever it had done. The Lord fweetly and powerfully drew me, and I ran after him, and was brought into his fecret chambers. From day to day, and week to week, I enjoyed fuch life, and love, and power, as till now I had but little conception of.. I dwelt in God, and walked with him. The world was under my feet, while Jefus was all in all to me. My state, though a state of glorious life and liberty, did, notwithstanding, include a great variety of inward experience. Sometimes I enjoyed an unutterable ferenity, quietnefs, and fweetness-the peace of God which paffeth all understanding, filled and kept my heart. Sometimes I had such a fenfe of the love of God, as melted, filled, and almost overwhelmed my foul. Then I knew what it was to be fick of love. I went out and came in, lay down and rofe up, under a preffure of divine love. and mercy. Sometimes my foul was carried on the wings of ftrong confolation and triumphant joy; and, on fome particular occafions, efpecially when hearing the word preached, and at fecret prayer, my joy was rapturous and exquifite. At other times, the Lord feemed to withdraw his joyous prefence. The ftate and exercise of my foul, in those seafons, is not eafily expreffed. I had a deep and piercing fenfe of my total depravity. The evils and impurity of my heart were fo laid open before me, that I was led to cry mightily to God, day and night, for a more powerful application of the atoning and all-cleanfing blood of the Lamb. But in this VOL. XXXI. October, 1808. ftate |