diers of the cross are held up as a luxurious and money making class of men, by universalist editors-and these editors would have us believe that they are the true friends and the only friends of religion! Paine, Hume and Voltaire, were as valuable friends. No-1 never accused them of making money by preaching. I had seen it in universalist prints before, but I always despised the falsehood.Though a universalist, I had too much conscience to pretend any such thing.

I will here add a letter that I have received from Rev. Mr. Brunson, who stands high in the estimation of the country; and who has been long intimately acquainted with every thing that belongs to the pecuniary concerns of the methodist church.

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Meadville, Pa. Oct. 29th, 1833. "Dear Brother-Yours of the 20th inst. has just come "to hand, in which you make certain inquiries, relative to "the pecuniary support of the methodist ministry. In re"ply to which I will briefly state facts as they exist.

"The discipline of the methodist episcopal church, does "not so much provide For the support of her ministers, as "limit them to a certain amount which they are permitted "to receive; provided, the voluntary contributions of our "people give us that amount. The policy of this rule is "to preserve a pure and spiritual ministry, by holding out no "pecuniary considerations to men to become her ministers, "so that if any man solicits the privilege of preaching among "us, his motives must be of a spiritual and not of a pecuni44 ary character. Indeed, I know of but few ministers "among us, but who suffer pecuniary loss from year to "year,

"Our discipline permits, or allows each itinerant minis"ter to receive, (if he can get it from the voluntary contri"bution of his hearers,) the sum of one hundred dollars per annum, and his necessary travelling expenses. If he has "a wife, he is allowed to receive the same amount for her;

“and for each child under seven years of age sixteen dollars; "and for each child over seven and under fourteen, twenty"four dollars; and after that age nothing. But if the con"tributions on the circuit are more than sufficient to make "up these allowances, he is not allowed to receive it, though "it should be offered to him,-it must be sent to the an"nual conference to assist in making up the allowances of "those preachers who are deficient therein.

"In addition to this allowance, our discipline provides or "rather allows the preacher to be furnished with a house, "and with some few other of his family expenses; to be lim"ited, however, to the means and circumstances of the place "in which he lives and the people whom he serves. In "towns and cities, where the expenses of a family are great, "and the ability of the people equal to them, one meets "the other; but in our country circuits the rule is seldom "made to bear, not even to furnishing a house.

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"The first of these allowances is called quarterage or salary; the second is called (not travelling, but) family expen"ses: neither of which is made up in one case out of twenty "on an average. But in case of deficiency in quarterage, (not of the other,) our rules provide ways and means" whereby they might be made up, yet it is never done."These means, are, 1. the avails of "the chartered fund," "located in Philadelphia, 2. the avails of the book con66 cern at New-York. 3. a colletion lifted for that purpose on each circuit and station, and 4. the surplus quarter"age on any circuit where there may be such: but of this "I have not known an instance in fifteen years. These sev"eral sums when collected at the annual conference, con"stitute what is called "the conference fund," out of which "the deficiencies of the preachers are to be made up, or "at least as far as it will go for that purpose.

"But the existence of such a fund has greatly mislead "both our friends and our foes. The former lean upon it "to make up what they should give towards the support of

"their preachers, and therefore contribute less than they "would otherwise do for that object. In the mean time "the latter imagine it an inexhaustable fountain from “which we are sure to receive an ample support, whether 46 we obtain it from other sources or not.

"As to the truth of this last idea, you will allow me to "be able to judge, when I inform you that I have been “chairman of the committee called "conference stewards," "for eight years past, whose duty it is to receive and dis"tribute these funds. And to give you the clearest possi"ble view of the case, I will state the result of the last "years settlement, which was several hundred dollars more "favourable than any former year in this (the Pittsburgh) "conference, since its organization, in 1825.

"There were last year 120 preachers,-what proportion "of whom were married I am not now able to tell; but the "whole amount necessary to make up the allowance of all "the preachers, the wives, children, widows, and orphans,

"The whole amount received by them to"wards their allowance as quarterage, on their "several circuits and stations, (the worn out "preachers, receiving nothing from this source,)

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Leaving a deficiency to be made up by the "conference funds, of

$22,632 00

$16,142 74

$6,489 26

"This fund for the last year, was made up as follows,

"viz:

"Collections from the several circuits and

"stations,

"Our share of the profits of the book concern, "Our share of the avails of the chartered fund,

"Making in all,

$887 57

400 00

75 00

$1,362 57

"This sum of $1362 57, constituted the fund so much

"talked about, and which was to pay $6489 26; but which "could pay only about twenty cents on the dollar of the

amount. By this statement it will be seen that after all "that the "conference fund" could do, the preachers did "not, on an average, receive from both circuit and confer"ence, but about three-fourths of their small allowance; “that is, a single man received about seventy-five dollars, "and a man with a wife, one hundred and fifty dollars for a "year's service; while these very men, or at least the most

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of them, left business worth from $300 to $1200 per an"num, for the sake of preaching the gospel in the capacity "of itinerant methodist preachers.

"I could add many remarks from my own experience "and observations, but coniments are unnecessary: these "facts speak for themselves.

"Rev. L. C. Todd."

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Respectfully yours,

"A. BRUNSON.

But whether methodist travelling preachers receive great salaries or small ones, was a matter of little concern to me. I have long desired most anxiously to enjoy retired life, and only went into the itineracy to discharge what appeared my duty, in hopes that I should feel satisfied after a little time; and intended, as soon as I had done what I felt bound to do for the publick, to go into private life.*

Skinner says,

Mr.

"We cannot but remark, and we think every attentive reader must have noticed, the entire silence of Mr. T. on the subject of scripture testimony." And again:

*I will here add that protestant preachers of no sect have any object to preach for money solely. Some, of splendid talents get good salaries; but such could get more in many other callings. Very few preachers of any sect in our country get more than is necessary to ineet their expenses. The men who complain much of priostcraft generally pay ten times more for grog bills, law suits, fiddler's bills and other similar concerns, than the pious pay to support a gospel ministry. In going on to a circuit, I thought it doubtful, at the time, whether my lungs would admit of preaching six months.And considered it of little consequence about the salary.

"But alas! Mr. T. has no proof-he would gladly have brought it forward if he had."*

Did I attempt to discuss the question whether all men would be saved or not? No-not at all. Then why does he conclude I had no proof, and who told him I would gladly have brought it forward if I had? Must a man go to work and prove every thing he believes in every article he writes, if he can prove it? The question was never systematically discussed by the apostles, and I think never should be by their followers if they can reasonably avoid it. I wished to be understood, that I did not think the chief design of the gospel either to teach universal salvation or endless misery; but that all men should turn to God by a holy life; and as many as would do this should be saved and the rest should be lost. Then the question how many would turn to God, being a matter of prophesy and implication and being a thing which our disputes can never alter, I conceived my business to let it be for idlers to dispute about, while I should preach the gospel, offer Christ to such as will accept him, and expose infidelity.

it

My grand object, as I said before, was not to dispute about universalism; but to oppose infidelity, caring very little about the different views that believers may have on minor points, so that they were christians. If they believed all would repent and be saved, I would not quarrel with them about that; but am satisfied that very few, who really

*These men knowing nothing but war, seem to take for granted that others must be like themselves; and the only reason, I did not usher into being half a dozen volumes to confute all their notions in a single moment of time, they conclude was, because I had no proof!! Must a man fight these bullies or be called a coward? And because he does not confute all they have said for years, in a moment, is it certain proof that he cannot do it? It reminds me of a drunkard, I saw at training once, who insisted that the whole regiment were afraid of him, because they did not knock him down! Preachers generally suppose, that it is as much as they can attend to, to show that the pious and good will be saved, and to persuade people to become christians. They think the Bible teaches enough of the misery of the impenitent and wicked for believers in the Bible; and it is of no use to convince such as reject its authority that it teaches future retribution.