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approve, thereby dissolving the Meeting, and depriving the further proceedings of their official character. This Meeting, therefore, recommends that there be a lay delegate chosen for each Circuit, to meet the Preachers at the next Conference, in order to recast all the rules adopted since 1797, and the usages of the Connexion, into such a code of laws as may appear most suited to the present advanced state of the Societies.

"Sixth-That this meeting resolves on withholding their contributions from all the funds, excepting such as are necessary for meeting the local demands of this Circuit, until the Theological Institution be entirely laid aside, and the foregoing regulations be adopted by the Conference; unless a decided majority of the people in the Connexion express themselves to the contrary.

"Seventh-That these resolutions be forwarded to the President of the Conference; and be published in the Christian Advocate, Cornish Guardian, and West Briton, newspapers; and that a subscription to defray the expense be received by the Chairman. "WILLIAM GROSE, Chairman. "It was afterwards RESOLVED-That the thanks of the meeting be respectfully offered to the Chairman, for his prompt and valuable assistance on this occasion.”

COPY OF A LETTER ADDRESSED TO T. P. ROSEVEAR, ESQ. :

"Camelford, January 21, 1835.

"Sir-I deeply regret at length to find that the olive-branch of peace, which was sent you last week by the Chairman of this District, has not been accepted by you; he having received no answer to the conciliatory communication which he sent you. The only resource for me, therefore, is to put the discipline of Methodism in force against you; and be it remembered, that this is done by me, not through a pusillanimous fear of the powers that be,' but from a deliberate and conscientious persuasion that the proceedings intended are abstractedly righteous in the sight of God. On this subject I have reflected deeply, prayed sincerely, and advised with men of much more wisdom and experience than myself; and to this circumstance alone you are to attribute the delay which has taken place. My plan is this: I wish you to hold yourself in readiness to take your trial, on the undermentioned charges, before your own Leaders' Meeting, at Boscastle; giving you the option, in connexion with Brothers Thomas, Gard, Brown, and Mead, of fixing your own time and place of meeting.* ready to attend you any day this week-premising only, that I wish the time of meeting not to interfere with my evening appointments. On Monday it will be inconvenient for me to attend you; but, if you find it impossible to effect the requisite arrangements this week, I am willing to meet you on Tuesday next. The following are the three charges which I mean to prefer against you.

I shall be

"1. After the regular Quarterly Meeting at Camelford, on the 29th December last, had been dissolved by the Superintendent's quitting the chair, you proposed to the friends then assembled a series of resolutions; several of which, in the estimation of every sober and candid lover of Methodism, were highly factious and evidently subversive of our present constitution ;-witness the four last.

"2. Contrary to the provisions of the Plan of Pacification-which declares, that 'Quarterly Meetings, rejecting a new rule, shall not, by publications, public meetings, or otherwise, make that rule a cause of contention; but shall strive, by every means, to preserve the peace of the Connexion,'—you caused the above-mentioned resolutions to be published in several newspapers.

"3. In the publications above alluded to, you interpolated, and represented as having passed almost unanimously, a motion which was not even submitted to the illegal meeting in question; and, though subsequently warned of this fact, you have hitherto neglected any public contradiction of your former statement.

"I shall now conclude by observing, that the above-mentioned form of proceeding has not been dictated or embodied to me by any individual, but is exclusively of my own framing, upon the principles laid down in the printed Minutes of Conference.Again deeply regretting the absolute necessity of such a painful prosecution of one, who has been so long a friend of Methodism, and sincerely sympathising with the kind-hearted Mrs. R., I am, Sir, yours most respectfully,

"AQUILA BARBER."

*My reason for thus leaving the time and place of Mr. R.'s trial to his own choice, was, that his bodily infirmities having for years prevented his attendance at the chapel, it would have been obviously indelicate to summon him to the bar in his own house; and my motive for proposing to try him before the Leaders and Stewards only of the Boscastle Society, instead of including Trustees also, was, that the Boscastle chapel is Mr. R.'s private property, the income of which he has regularly appropriated as he has seen fit; consequently, he had no co-trustees in the place where he was a member of Society.

To the above letter I received, during the next day, the following reply, which, to show the animus of the writer, was directed on the outside, to "Mr. A. Barber," but, on the inside, it was without any superscription whatever. I have copied it with its own peculiar emphasis :"Barn Park, January 22, 1835.

"I have just received your canting, impertinent note, of yesterday's date. I had nearly made up my mind never more to write a line to one of those falsely called reverend gentlemen,' who had so publicly dared to sign ‘a declaration of war against the people.' But, remember, this is my last act of courtesy, long-suffering, and forbearance, toward a man, who knows not how to conduct himself as a Christian gentleman. Put but one of your injurious fingers, through the loop-hole of your priestly castle, on my REPUTATION-a man of long-established civil, commercial, and moral character and I will, without further notice, open the 'King's Bench' battery on you, and all who may dare to act with you in such a nefarious movement, as you threaten to make against one of the kings protected subjects. Ye fools and blind! who do you think you have to deal with in this PRIESTLY warfare? Did you ever hear of one Thomas Hill? Do you recollect the consequences of his ill-advised movements ? If you have never found your way into the school of common practical sense, I advise you to do so on receiving this. Mind, you shall not trifle with either my name or character, further than you have already done. I know more of your movements, sayings, and doings, than you are aware. If you have any oral communications to make, you are at liberty to make them through my brother, Mr. J. Rosevear, one of the Trustees of the Wesleyan chapel, Camelford. THOMAS P. ROSEVEAR."

On the same day that I wrote to Mr. Rosevear, I sent a letter also to Mr. J. Mead, one of the Boscastle Leaders, as well as a Circuit-Steward and Local Preacher; giving him a copy of my letter to Mr. R., and requesting him to take the requisite measures for holding the projected trial. To this communication I received the following answer :

"Boscastle, January 22, 1835.

"My dear Sir-Your favor of yesterday came to hand this morning. Immediately on its reception, I thought it proper, as an act of courtesy, in the first place to wait on Mr. R., to whom I communicated the contents of your note. I found him, however, most decidedly opposed to listen, for a moment, to any thing like the propositions contained in your letter, and perfectly ridicules the idea of your putting him on his trial. Under these circumstances, I have declined taking any further steps in the business; as it must now remain with yourself to adopt such measures as you conceive to be requisite. With kind regards to Mrs. B. and family,

"I remain, my dear Sir, yours very truly,

"JOHN MEAD."

On the day I received this answer, I had also an interview with Mr. Mead; and, during a conversation of some hours, I repeatedly and formally put to him the question-Whether I was to consider his letter to me as meaning that Mr. R. positively refused to take his trial? and he invariably answered in the affirmative; at the same time stating, that he had told Mr. R. he should inform me so. Notwithstanding this, however, on the following day, I received another letter from Mr. M. The underwritten is a copy :

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"Boscastle, January 23, 1835.

'My dear Sir-This morning I had another interview with Mr. R., for the purpose of distinctly ascertaining, whether I was to understand myself as officially deputed by him to announce to you his determination not to stand his trial. On this point, and on every other connected with it, he refused to communicate with me in the above character, having,' as he said, 'already pointed Mr. B. to another channel of communication-my brother at Camelford.'—I remain, my dear Sir, yours most truly, "JOHN MEAD."

As to my communicating with Mr. J. Rosevear on this subject, I had

the two following insurmountable objections:-In the first place, he was not even a member of our Society, and consequently could not be allowed to interfere with our church discipline; and, in the second, he is the brother of Mr. T. P. Rosevear, who, it will be recollected, had previously threatened me with legal proceedings if I should dare to put the discipline of the Connexion in force against him. I must have been bereft of common sense to plunge into a pit so obviously dug to entrap me. I, therefore, determined to let the matter rest until the regular quarterly renewal of the tickets. Shortly after this, the following printed circular was issued among the Local Preachers in the Circuit. This also I have copied with its own peculiar emphasis :

"Jesus called them unto him and said-Ye know that the Lords of the Gentiles have domination over them, and they that are GREAT exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you'; but whosoever will be great and chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man came not to be served, BUT TO SERVE, and to give his life for the ransom for many.'-Old translation.

"Esteemed Friends-Astounding as it may sound in your ears, the daring attempt has been made, by a certain individual,' to insidiously cast me out of the Methodist Connexion; or, in the elegant priestly slang of the despotic Conference party, to expel me from the Body.' The first attempt has, indeed, been impiously made, and, with the usual quantum of religious cant,' as being 'THE ONLY RESOURCE to put the DISCIPLINE of METHODISM in force against you (Mr. Rosevear); and be it remembered, that this is done by me, (the suffragan!) not through a pusillanimous fear of the powers that be, but from a deliberate and conscientious persuasion that the proceedings intended are righteous in the sight of GOD!!!'

"Hear this, all ye Local Preachers-ye disinterested, unpaid, Sabbath-day labourers in the gospel vineyard-and begin to ask yourselves, In what land do I dwell? -in popedom, or in the land of religious freedom!! The crime charged is, in short, that deadly offence committed at our last Quarterly Meeting against their High Mightinesses, the LORDS OF CONFERENCE, in advocating the civil and religious liberties of all the king's subjects, together with the right of petition, which the king himself denies to none, even to the most abject.

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"My civil and religious liberties are too dear to me, to allow them to be recklessly trifled with by any man, or number of men, be they who they may. The first daring attempt I have resisted at the onset; and I am credibly informed, that, in consequence of my so resisting, this certain individual'* says he has no other course to take but to DROP MY NAME FROM THE PLAN, and to WITHHOLD MY TICKET!! Now, my esteemed friends, my appeal lies at your door. Will you allow this stranger-I ask you, and all,'-will you allow this strangert to our soil,' thus to treat your elder brother; and thus, with impious hand and priestly malice, to cut off,' as he has said, 'the top branch first?' 'No,' surely will be your reply; we will not!' Then, to your tents,' ye unpaid, disinterested labourers; and let nothing hinder you from being at your post at Camelford, on the 2d day of March next, and then and there prove to this alien to our soil,' that we are the Lord's free-men,' and that such we will remain, despite of this assumed modern priestly domination.

"Barn Park, Feb. 1835. "To Mr.

"I am, your affectionate friend,

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THOMAS P. ROSEVEAR."

Local Preacher, Camelford Circuit."

* These expressions, respecting "resistance to the first attempt of a certain individual," as they can refer to nothing else than my effort to bring Mr. R, to trial, are, from the pen of Mr. R. himself, exceedingly important; for, though unguarded, they amount to an acknowledgment that I gave him every chance allowed by our constitution.

Had these sarcasms respecting my being a 'stranger and an alien to the soil," been founded in fact, nothing could have been more ridiculous, in such a system as that of Wesleyan Methodism, than to bring them as a charge against me; but what will be thought upon the subject, when it is known that my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all natives of Cornwall-the two latter having first seen the light within a few yards of Camelford, and two of my children having been born in the town itself?

The language respecting the "cutting off the top branch first," was not originated by me; but was put into my mouth by Mr. Nathaniel Northey, Local Preacher, of Treligga, who informed me that the top branch," as he called Mr. Rosevear, "was beyond my reach," and that I ought to employ myself "in first lopping off some of the lower branches."

Soon after the publication of the above inflammatory document, to show that I was not disposed to do any thing clandestinely, I sent the following circular to the Boscastle Leaders and Stewards:―

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"My dear Brother-I think it right to inform you officially, as a Leader at Boscastle, that, on the 21st January, I wrote to inform Mr. Rosevear that I had to prefer against him several charges of violating the discipline of Methodism, and desired him to hold himself in readiness to stand a trial at a meeting of the Boscastle Leaders; but, through Mr. R.'s rejection of my proposal, I have been unable to accomplish my object. "I am, yours affectionately,

"AQUILA BARBER."

On the 23d February, according to a previous public announcement, I met, for the renewal of tickets, the class in which Mr. R.'s name stood enrolled, as a private member; my invariable plan being thus early to commence the quarterly visitation of classes, in consequence of the extremely scattered location of that extensive Circuit. I think this remark of some importance, as it has been published against me that I met that particular class a fortnight before the usual time, in order to deprive Mr. R. of his right to attend the subsequent Local Preachers' Meeting. On meeting the class, I informed Mr. Thomas, the Leader, before all the members of that and Mr. Mead's classes, that, as Mr. R. had refused to take his trial upon the charges sent, I could not think of leaving his ticket.

On the 2nd of March, our Quarterly Local Preachers' Meeting took place; and, Mr. R. himself being present, I informed the brethren, (to quote the identical words adopted, and previously written down,) that, "in consequence of Mr. R.'s refusal to take his trial at a regular Leaders' Meeting, I regard him as having virtually seceded from our Body; and, consequently, I have withheld his ticket. I distinctly state that he is not expelled; but that, having refused to be brought to trial according to law, he voluntarily retires from our Connexion, and thus ejects himself." Against this decision, Mr. R. immediately and loudly protested; and the brethren declared it illegal to withhold a Local Preacher's ticket without a trial at a Local Preachers' Meeting. Though I was decidedly opposed to this sentiment, yet, in order to meet them on their own ground, I at length proposed to go into the case immediately with them, in the presence of Mr. R.; but neither would they assent to this arrangement, unless I would allow them to judge of the sentence to be inflicted, as well as of the proofs of the charges. To this, of course, I could by no means agree; not only because I regarded such a course as essentially opposed to the constitution of Methodism, but likewise, because I could see that the majority of the meeting, being partners in Mr. R.'s guilt, were determined to screen him from all punishment. Mr. R. then observed, that he had never refused to take his trial before a Leaders' Meeting. Upon this-observing that all the Boscastle Leaders and Stewards were present, as Local Preachers-I immediately requested their particular attention, calling each by his name; and then I said, "Mr. Rosevear

Here are all the Boscastle Leaders present; are you now willing to take your trial before them?" At this time, there were fifty Local Preachers and Exhorters in the room, besides my colleague, Mr. Averill, and myself. Some one then said to Mr. R.-"Don't answer that question." And then Mr. R. said-"Ah! this is a pretty way of serving me; after having blasted my character, you offer me a trial!" Finding, at length, that all my efforts to carry into execution our good and wholesome laws were fruitless, and only exposed me to the violent and sarcastic insults of most of the persons assembled, and especially of Mr. R., whose conduct was any thing but that of "a Christian gentleman," I dissolved the meeting, and retired.

The next day I went to Plymouth, for the purpose of seeing the Chairman, and requesting him immediately to summon a special District Meeting, in order to investigate the charges preferred against me by my persecutors-they having most insultingly rejected my repeated challenges at the Local Preachers' Meeting, to summon me, in the ordinary manner, before my brethren in the District. When I returned from Plymouth, I immediately sent notices around the Circuit to the most violent of the party, inviting their attendance as well as that of any other accuser-at Camelford, on Wednesday, the 11th March, when, as I informed them, a special District Meeting would be held, for the purpose of scrutinizing my conduct and character. Not one, however, of my accusers thought proper to make his appearance; hence the case was, of course, gone into without them. The result was, that the meeting justified my conduct, and kindly sympathized with me in my trials. In order, then, to show that I was far from indulging any malignity toward Mr. R., and that I was willing to do all I consistently could to pacify his adherents, I proposed to the meeting, that, provided he would promise to cease only till the ensuing Conference from agitating the Connexion, he should be offered his ticket of membership as usual, as well as his restoration to the Preachers' plan. This proposition was, at length, adopted by the brethren, and, in due course, forwarded by the Secretary to Mr. R.; but it was rejected with disdain.

From this account, therefore, it will appear, that every thing that could be done, constitutionally, was done, to save both Mr. R. and his friends to the Wesleyan Connexion. Notwithstanding this, however, I have been pursued by the party with such relentless hostility, that, not satisfied with attempting to blacken both my official and my moral reputation, in almost every possible way, they went so far as at once to deprive me and my family, (a wife and six small children) of the whole of my stipend; they never having paid me a fraction of the amount which they themselves acknowledged was due to me, for the nine weeks' salary between the Christmas Quarterly Meeting and the 2nd of March, the day of the rupture; and, additionally, they having withheld from me even the contributions of the sound part of the Society, from the Christ

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