Executive Committee, and resolved that the guarantee fund should be raised from £1,000 to £2,500.

Both the Western and Eastern Sections being now fully organised, such preliminary arrangements as still remained to be carried out were prosecuted on both sides of the Atlantic with unremitting diligence. Friday, the 5th of August, 1881, was observed as a day of special prayer on behalf of the approaching Conference. By the time appointed all was in readiness, and the elected members of the body about to be constituted had safely arrived from their widely-scattered homes. But E. Otis Haven, who had at Bradford presented to British Methodists the invitation from their American brethren to convoke the assembly, was not of the number. In 1880 he had been chosen a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a few weeks before the Conference met in London he, from a distance of thousands of miles away, on the slope of the Pacific, was called up to the Church of perfect union.

On Wednesday, the 7th of September, 1881, the delegated brethren assembled in the appointed place. They represented twenty-eight different denominations. They came from England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Africa, India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Polynesia, and from all sections of the United States, from Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, South America, and the West Indies. They belonged, for the most part, to the Teutonic and African races. Of the Teutonic race the three great divisions were represented-the main German stock, with the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian branches. Of the African race it would be impossible to say how many branches were represented, but they were not a few. Those loosely called the Latin races were not unrepresented, but their numbers were small. There was, however, in attendance no African born and residing in Africa, nor any native Asiatic, American Indian, or Polynesian. The portion of the existing Methodist family actually present was, therefore, broadly speaking, only so much of it as could send delegates capable of taking part in proceedings conducted in the English tongue. Numerous firstfruits of various races to whom that tongue is strange were praying for the Conference in thirty or forty languages, and the hearts of missionaries in the assembly were often turned towards those absent brethren in hope that future Ecumenical Conferences would witness the presence of many a nation and race not now represented.

City Road Chapel, which had lately been restored after a fire that

had well-nigh burned it down, was, at the hour appointed for the opening, crowded in every part.

The morning service was read by the President of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference, the Rev. Dr. Osborn. The sermon was preached by the Senior Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Dr. Matthew Simpson. At the close of the sermon the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered to the assembled delegates.

It ought not to be omitted to mention that on the morning preceding the opening of the Conference a very large number of the delegates were entertained by the Religious Tract Society at a breakfast in Exeter Hall, and on the evening of the day of opening the whole of their number, with many other friends, were cordially welcomed at a public reception in the Mansion House by the Lord Mayor of London, the Right Hon. William McArthur, M.P.

The reports of the proceedings thus inaugurated are contained in the following pages. It is to be noted that the Conference is not responsible for the opinions of any individual, whether expressed in the papers read, or in the speeches.

In what measure the proceedings reported in this volume have been attended and will be followed by that blessing from God whereby, in time past, various endeavours of the Methodist branch of the Catholic Church to spread Scriptural holiness were rendered fruitful, will appear in volumes to be published by future Ecumenical Conferences more clearly than it could be indicated here. May it in the light of future days be seen that a Divine blessing did attend them in a measure so effectual as greatly to swell the song of "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men!"

LONDON, September 21st, 1881.

[N.B.-This prefatory statement was, at the request of the Publication Committee, drawn up by REV. WILLIAM ARTHUR, M. A.]

OFFICIAL PAPERS, &C.,

RELATING TO THE CALL OF THE ECUMENICAL
METHODIST CONFERENCE.

I.- INITIAL ACTION BY THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

THE first step toward the Ecumenical Conference was taken by the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1876, and is stated in the following, the first official, communication:

Philadelphia, May, 1878.

TO THE BRITISH WESLEYAN CONFERENCE.

DEAR FATHERS AND BRETHREN,

The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, in session in the City of Baltimore, adopted May 31, 1876, the following preamble and resolutions :

Whereas, There are a number of distinct bodies of Methodists in the United States, in the Dominion of Canada, in Great Britain, and in other countries; and

Whereas, These different Methodist organisations accept the Arminian theology, and maintain usages which distinguish them to some extent from every other denomination of Christians; and

Whereas, There are in these Methodist Churches nearly thirty thousand itinerant ministers, twice that number of local preachers, and more than four millions of lay members; and

Whereas, These several Methodist bodies have many interests in common, . and are engaged in a common work, and are seeking a common object; and Whereas, An Ecumenical Conference of Methodism would tend in many ways to a closer alliance, a warmer fraternity, and a fuller co-operation among these various Methodist organisations for the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom in all parts of the earth; and

Whereas, It is eminently proper that this General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church-a Conference and a Church representing and including eleven thousand itinerant ministers, and sixteen hundred thousand members-should initiate and propose such a measure; therefore,

Resolved, 1. That the bishops be requested to appoint a Committee of Correspondence, consisting of nine persons-two of their own number, four other ministers, and three laymen-who shall take this whole subject into consideration, correspond with different Methodist bodies in this country and in every other country, and endeavour to arrange for said Ecumenical Conference of Methodism, at such time and place as may be judged most advisable, to consider topics relating to the position, work, and responsibility of Methodism for the world's evangelisation.

Resolved, 2. That such committee is hereby empowered to represent, and speak for and in the name of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States in respect to said Ecumenical Conference, and is directed to make a full report of its proceedings to the General Conference of 1880.

Resolved, 3. That the necessary expenses of such Committee of Correspondence be met in the same manner as expenses of fraternal delegates to other religious bodies are met.-(Journal, p. 367.)

In pursuance of this action, the Bishops, at a meeting held in New York City, November, 1876, appointed said Committee of Correspondence, as follows:

Bishops-The REV. MATTHEW SIMPSON, D.D., LL.D., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the REV. EDWARD R. AMES, D.D., LL.D., of Baltimore, Maryland.

Other Ministers-The REV. AUGUSTUS C. GEORGE, D.D., of Central New York Conference; the REV. LORENZO D. BARROWS, D.D., of New Hampshire Conference; the REV. PARK S. DONELSON, D.D., of Central Ohio Conference; and the Rev. ISAAC N. BAIRD, D.D., of Pittsburgh Conference.

Laymen-The HON. J. W. MARSHALL, of Washington, District of Columbia; the HoN. JAMES HARLAN, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; and FRANCIS H. RooT, Esq., of Buffalo, N. Y.

The committee, as instructed by the General Conference, has taken this whole subject into consideration, made arrangements for correspondence with different Methodist bodies in this country and in other countries, and is ready to do whatever is needful and proper to secure an Ecumenical Conference of Methodism for the purpose of considering the position and work of the people so called, and the extent of their responsibility for the world's evangelisation.

The committee, "empowered to represent and speak for and in the name of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States," would respectfully represent that such an Ecumenical Conference, as is proposed, might properly consider such topics as the following:

The doctrinal basis of Methodism ;

The itinerant ministry, and other means of evangelisation;

Home missions, including Sunday-School Unions, and all associations for Church extension, and for the culture and conversion of special classes;

Education in Church and State, and especially theological seminaries and training schools for Christian workers;

Intemperance, pauperism, licentiousness, and, generally, the evils and crimes of modern civilisation;

Publishing houses, periodicals, and the use of the press for the world's conversion;

Foreign missions;

Perils from the Papacy, from infidelity, and from the desecration of the Sabbath;

The resources of the Methodist body, in numbers, wealth, culture, and

spiritual life, for doing the work of Christ, and the corresponding accountability; and many other themes of a kindred character.

That such an Ecumenical Conference would be a great blessing to the Church and the world can hardly be questione l. It would tend to harmonise and unify the different Methodist organisations, to break down caste and local prejudices, and to bind together in closest fellowships a people essentially one in doctrine, spirit, and purpose. It would lead to such adjustments of the missionary work as to prevent friction and waste. It could not but be extremely suggestive in regard to modes and agencies for the most successful performance of the Churches' work of evangelisation.

It would, doubtless, give great impulse to the cause of temperance and of Sabbath observance, to Sunday-schools, and to all the beneficent activities

of the Church. The relation of Methodism, as a whole, to education, to civil government, to other Christian bodies, and to the world-wide mission work, would certainly come to be better understood. In a word, an increase of Christian intelligence, of conscious spiritual power, and of faith in the redemption of the race from the bondage and degradation of vice and immorality, would, without question, be realised. A more earnest consecration, an intenser glow of enthusiasm, a more daring purpose of evangelism, and, consequently, more powerful revivals, and larger beneficences in every department of Christian endeavour, would mark the future progress of the Church. Such an Ecumenical Conference of Methodists would, moreover, attract the attention of scholars, thinkers, and reformers, and would lead to a discussion of the movement, and of the whole Methodist history, work, and mission, in every leading newspaper and periodical in Christendom. Methodism has everything to gain and nothing to lose by this discussion. Such an Ecumenical Conference ought, in our own judgment, to include representatives from the following organisations :

:

United States.-Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church South, Methodist Protestant Church, Methodist Church, American Wesleyan Church, Free Methodist Church, African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Coloured Methodist Episcopal Church of America, the Evangelical Association, and the Church of the United Brethren.

Dominion of Canada.-The Methodist Church of Canada, Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada, Primitive Methodist Church, and British Methodist Episcopal Church.

Great Britain.-British Wesleyan Methodists, Irish Wesleyan Methodists, Methodist New Connexion, Primitive Methodist Church, United Methodist Free Churches, the Bible Christian Church, and the Wesleyan Reform Union. Other Countries.-The French Wesleyan Methodists, and the Australian Wesleyan Methodists.

It would doubtless be wise to secure a special representation of the Foreign Mission work of the different bodies taking part in the Conference.

We respectfully suggest that the Conference be composed of clerical and lay members, in as nearly equal numbers as may be convenient, and that the basis of representation, and the time and place of meeting, be determined by the joint action, through correspondence or otherwise, of the several committees appointed by the different ecclesiastical bodies to be therein represented.

It would seem to be desirable to have the members of the Conference selected by the highest executive authority available for that purpose in the respective Methodist bodies, and that a sufficient number of alternate delegates be provided.

In conclusion, Dear Brethren, we submit this whole subject to your wise and godly judgment for such action as may appear to you promotive of the Redeemer's kingdom and the wider usefulness of that common Methodism which is so dear to all our hearts.

In the bonds of a fraternal Gospel, we are, truly yours,

Committee of the General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the United States.