zeal of individuals than upon national authority and influence. The history of the Church will afford abundant proof of this. Nearly every missionary establishment in the world, at the present time, is supported by individuals. Perhaps our Government has done more to encourage and support such exertions than any other under heaven; and if as Christians we do not avail ourselves of this aid, we shall be doubly culpable. While writing these remarks, I have received information that delegates from a number of tribes of the western-Indians, are now on a visit to the seat of our National Government, with the most friendly dispositions toward the United States, and desirous to see their Great Father (the President) as they are pleased to call him. Happy will it be for them, and for us, if their friendly visit prepares the way to introduce them and their respective tribes to the blessing of civilized life, and the light and comfort of the gospel. I confess I feel an honest blush at the consideration that the Methodist should be behind any religious community in a work which is worthy of the zeal of Apostles. It is deeply to be regretted that the intercourse of the Indians with the citizens of the States, has generally proved unfriendly to their religious, if not to their civil, improvement. The reason is obvious. Such intercourse has furnished the Indians with opportunities to witness those vices which would disgrace savage life, and at which the child of nature would blush. Ardent spirits, equally hostile to religion and civilization, have been made one of the principal articles of trade with these poor untaught creatures. By this means almost every disorder has been introduced among them. This tremendous engine of death, more destructive than weapons of war, has scattered its deadly venom into the abodes of savage life-domestic quietude, perhaps the greatest enjoyment of the Indian, is disturbed-in the fatal moment of intoxication, the parents rise against their children, and the children against their parents. Acts of violence and death follow in their train. Tribes are involved-war ensues-and slaughter, famine and desolation, like ferocious beasts, roam abroad through the wilderness. All these evils may be traced to their cause,--To what? Ardent spirits. How will the dealers in this mortal poison answer at the righteous tribunal of their eternal Judge for all the evils which result to the poor Indians from this deplorable traffic? Already the Indians have suffered irreparable injury; for it is much to be feared that many of them have been ruined for ever. In consequence of this ruinous course, the work of the Missionary, and of the Civilian has become doubly difficult. Measures must be adopted to stop the progress of this destructive traffic, or to counteract its pernicious influence. Already thousands of Christians are presenting their petitions to the National Authorities, praying for the arm of civil power to be stretched out, and for law to interpose between the Indians and destruction. We have, indeed, no expectation that civil authority will make

them Christians, but we desire it may prevent unmerciful speculators from making them devils. The most effectual method of counteracting the pernicious influence of this practice, where it cannot be prevented, is to establish missions and schools among them. To instruct them in the useful arts, and bring them to the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. If St. Paul could say, "I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise," how much more are we debtors to the Indians of our own country? We are in possession of the soil which, by the laws of nature, belonged to them. The same God hath created us. We are children of the same father. What would our condition have been better than theirs if others had not laboured for our instruction and salvation? The time has come for the light of the gospel to shine in the dark corners of the earth. It is ardently to be hoped that American Christians will not sit all the day idle, while such a vast field lies before them, white and ready for the harvest. J. SOULE.

A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY AND PRESENT STATE OF METHODISM IN CONNECTICUT.

MESSRS. BANGS & MASON,

ABOUT the middle of March last, I received a letter from a member of the Missionary Society in the Theological Seminary' of Princeton, in New-Jersey, requesting of me a sketch of the history and present state of the Methodist Church in Connecticut.* I send you a copy of my letter to him, dated March 16, 1821, requesting its insertion in our Magazine.

RESPECTED SIR,

New-Haven, March 16, 1821.

Your letter was handed to me two days past. The sketch requested shall be freely given. Some preliminary remarks may be necessary to render it more explicit. And First, We have been accused of incorrect statements, by publishing the additions to our society, without subtracting the loss of numbers by death, expul sions, removals, &c. This is not true: Our census is in answer to this question, "What numbers are in society?" The answer is usually given by each minister in charge, taken from the Church records; and the dead, &c. make no part of the numbers returned.

Secondly; The term "Society," in the religious vocabulary of Connecticut, means all who attend on the stated ministry of the

*In giving this short account of Methodism in Connecticut, the author has taken the liberty, for the information of those readers who may not be acquainted with its economy, to give a brief outline of our Church government, especially those parts of it in which it differs from the government of other Churches.

VOL. V.

word. This is not our sense of the word "Society ;" but by it, as used in our annual minutes, we mean only those who have joined our communion; and though the first six months of their standing is probationary, yet they are not during that time denied any of the privileges of our church.

Thirdly; As our circuits and stations are not governed by state or parish lines, an exact account for any particular state might be a difficult task but as I have been twenty-four years a member of the Methodist travelling ministry, and above thirty years a communicant in the Methodist Episcopal Church; and as I have preached in almost all parts of the state, and feeling interested, as a native of the state, for the prosperity of Methodism therein, I hope I shall be able to give a satisfactory answer to your request. It is somewhat more than thirty years since that venerable minister of Christ, Rev. Jesse Lee, a native of Virginia, and a member of our travelling ministry, after much solicitation, obtained from Bishop Asbury and his brethren in the ministry, liberty to visit the citizens of New-England, to whom he preached a free and a full salvation in the name of Christ. A man of such plain address, and simplicity of style and manners, seemed very unlikely to succeed in so arduous an enterprize. He had not those qualifications which are derived from erudition, nor no studied sermons previously prepared to command the admiration of an audience? How then did he recommend himself to the people? Answer, his love to God and to the souls of men, and a Divine unction in his sermons gave evidence of his commission to proclaim salvation in the name of Jesus. Sinners were awakened, backsliders were reclaimed, mourners in Zion were comforted and regenerated, inquirers were guided to Christ, Pharisees were stripped, and formalists had their sandy foundation shaken. The power of God was present to wound and to heal, in various places where he declared the counsel of God.

It was thus he began his labours of love in the western towns of the state of Connecticut. After forming some societies in various places, sufficient for the outlines of a circuit, he wrote for a Methodist preacher to supply his place, that he might carry the glad tidings of the gospel further eastward; and he accordingly formed another circuit, and sent for a fellow-labourer to aid him in this extensive work. This method he pursued until he had formed a range of circuits as far as Machias, in the district of Maine: he then took a western course, on the same plan, through Massachusetts, leaving circuits behind him, and Methodist ministers to supply them, until he reached the eastern boundary of the state of New-York. Thus a foundation was laid by his unremitted endeavours for the establishment of Methodism in Connecticut, and other parts of New-England. The character and preaching of this faithful man of God, formed a worthy example for those Methodist preachers who succeeded him in Connecticut.

Our Church, which was organized in Baltimore, in the year 1784, according to the Episcopal form, is compacted together throughout the United States, Territories and Canadas, by a Quadrennial General Conference, and by sectional annual conferences; these are divided into districts, and subdivided into circuits and stations, all connected together under one uniform system of Discipline; having in each circuit and station, a quarterly conference, consisting of the ministry, travelling and local, of the class-leaders, exhorters and stewards of the circuit or station. This is the court of appeals both for members who plead unjust expulsion; and the minister in charge, if he differ in judgment from the members of his charge, in condemning or acquitting an accused member of the church. From this body comes the recommendation of the candidate for the local ministry to the conference of local ministers, who in each district have their annual. conference, the license of said candidate can only be obtained by the examination and approbation of said local ministers' conference; also, from this conference of local ministers, comes the recommendation of the candidate for the travelling ministry, to the conference of travelling ministers, and his reception depends on their inquiry, examination and vote: and he, after admission, must serve a probation of two years in circuits as a preacher, before he can be received as a member of the travelling ministry, and admitted to the order of a deacon; two years more in ministerial labour is necessary to his admission into the full ministry, which he can only receive by the election of a majority of the ministers composing the annual conference, and ordination by the laying on of the hands of a bishop, assisted by some of the Elders.

Of this organized fraternity, Connecticut forms but the fiftysecond part. Our number of communicants in this state being five thousand, which is a fifty-second part of two hundred and sixty thousand; that being nearly the whole number of communicants in the Methodist Episcopal Church; which enjoys the labours of more than nine hundred travelling ministers, and more than two thousand local preachers.

New-Haven, New-London, and Middletown, are the only places in this state which have the continued weekly services of a stationed minister; Hartford it is expected will be added to the list this year the rest of our societies in this state are supplied by circuit ministers, who generally supply each congregation with a sermon once in two weeks, and sometimes oftener; the local ministry usually fill the intermediate sabbath; or if the appointment be on another day, and it is inconvenient for the local minister to attend, then the sabbath is occupied by prayer and exhortation, by some of the lay-members. Local ministers usually derive their support from their own industry, and preach on sabbaths or other times as they are able. They are eligible to deacon's orders af

ter four years service as local preachers; and after four years faithful exercise of the deacon's office, they are eligible to the office of elders. The deacons perform baptism and marriage, and assist the elder in administering the Lord's Supper. Our travelling ministry have no secular employment, but give themselves wholly to the service of the sanctuary. They are appointed to a circuit or station, for one year at a time, and may not on any account serve in the same place more than than two years before they are changed for others. But the presiding elder, who travels a district, including from six to twelve circuits, is permitted to continue on the same station four years; because he visits each circuit and station in his district usually but once in a quarter. He superintends both the spiritual and temporal affairs of the church, and presides in the quarterly meetings in every circuit and station of his district.

The doctrines which they have principally inculcated are: Total Depravity, General Redemption, and Free Grace for all men: and, as the condition of Salvation,-Repentance, Faith and Holiness: by Repentance we mean a thorough conviction for sin, original and actual, a genuine sense of helplessness and condemnation, produced by the operation of the Holy Ghost, applying the law to the conscience, by which the sinner is enabled to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. By faith we understand believing on the Lord Jesus Christ with a heart unto righteousness. When the penitent sinner is thus enabled, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, to believe in Christ for the pardon of sin, God gives the Holy Spirit to bear witness with his spirit that he is a child of God, and an heir of Jesus Christ by faith. This change brings with it peace and all the graces of the Spirit, and leads the believing soul to the uniform practice of piety. By holiness we mean, such an application of the blood of Christ as cleanseth from all sin, whereby the man becomes pure in heart, and has the witness of that purity by the Spirit of God in his own soul. The following quotation from the Assembly's Catechism is full to this point; "Sanctification is a work of God's Spirit whereby he is renewed in the WHOLE man after the image of God, and is enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness.

With these doctrines, the Methodist preachers entered the state of Connecticut; and it has pleased God to render their labours of late more successful than formerly: as may in part appear by the following statement, viz: In February, 1820, a revival broke out in this city, in the Methodist congregation, and by the beginning of May forty souls were added to our church. In June following, I took charge of this church, and on the 25th of the month twelve more were admitted; and in the progress of the work, after about sixty had joined our church, one of our preachers was invited to preach in Mr. Merwin's pulpit. God owned the word, and a revival began there. (The account I presume you have.) My list of probationers, commencing June 25, 1820, to this date, is one hun