ILLUMINATOR;

DESIGNED

TO EXHIBIT THE TRUE PRINCIPLES OF THE WESLEYAN CONSTITUTION; TO VINDICATE THE CHARACTER OF ITS AUTHORITIES; TO GUARD THE MEMBERS AGAINST THE ATTEMPTS MADE TO SEDUCE THEM FROM THE SOCIETY; AND EXPOSE THE SPIRIT AND OBJECTS OF THE SO CALLED GRAND CENTRAL ASSOCIATION."

No. 10.

66

TO BE PUBLISHED EVERY FORTNIGHT.

LIVERPOOL, MAY 13, 1835.

Price 1d.

THE METHODIST NEW CONNEXION AND ITS LAY DELEGATION.

THE introduction of lay delegates into the Methodist Conference is, we are fully assured, incompatible with its legal establishment; and, consequently, with the legal security of thousands of chapels to the connexion. If it were otherwise, it would, for reasons which we have already assigned in a series of papers, be imperative upon us to oppose the admixture of lay delegation with Wesleyan Methodism to the utmost of our ability. We have other objections to adduce against it, to which we respectfully beg the attention of our readers.

It would create such a passion for legislation in the body, as would inevitably make the laws and institutions of Methodism, changeable and uncertain.

There are persons who complain that the laws of the connexion are so many in their number, and so doubtful in their import, that they wish to see them simplified, and preserved from all uncertainty; but if these complainers think that this desideratum awaits lay delegation in Conference, we hope they will pardon us for saying, they are under a delusion. By this change in the legislative power, the evils at which they murmur, would, we are convinced, be so far from diminution that they would increase an hundred fold. Novelties in every department of our executive administration would be extensively desired and expected. The present system of Methodism, which is so dear to myriads of pious and intelligent members, would have to be taken down, to be rebuilded according to a wavering earthly policy. Every Conference would be attended by new delegates, who, having some new schemes for the improvement of Methodism, would naturally wish to signalize their parliamentary career by procuring their legalization for the government of the connexion. What one Conference might think would be an excellent change, and, therefore, make law, another might think it destitute of excellence, and, therefore, repeal the law; then substitute some new-fangled theory which, at a subsequent Conference, would most probably be thrown as chaff to the winds. Hence, our ancient and well-tried laws and institutions would be unsettled, and subverted by an endless repetition of new things.

We are happy to strengthen our objection to lay delegation on the ground which we now occupy, by presenting evidence, which even the Association will treat with great respect, from an article "on lay representation," which appeared in the New Methodist Magazine, for 1827. The concessions which are made by its sensible writer fully justify some of the preceding observations; and, moreover, show that the Conference of the New connexion appears to some of its own friends, as it has long appeared to us to be degraded by its proverbial vacillancy of legislation. This is a serious evil to a small community like the New connexion; but to one of such magnitude as the Wesleyan, the evil would be fearfully augmented. Let the following candid statement be well considered:-" The changeability of the lay part of our annual Conferences, is an evil which deserves consideration, and the application of an adequate remedy. Generally speaking, the laws and institutions of a religious community should be fixed and permanent, and not variable and uncertain. But where a legislative assembly is continually undergoing changes as to the men who compose it, it is reasonable to suppose that its measures will partake of the same changeable character. The history of our connexion will, I presume, justify the supposition. I have no hesitation in saying, that if the preachers were as uncertain as the laymen in their attendance at Conference, continual vacillation in our laws and usages would be the inevitable consequence. And is this a state of things to be desired? Certainly not."

We are confident it is not "a state of things to be desired" in the Old connexion; and when we meet with persons who are zealous to introduce it into the body, our charity excuses them, saying, "they know not what they do." Though the preachers are more certain than the laity in their attendance at the New Methodist Conference, yet it has not saved the community from the evils which the author deprecates.We are certain of what he "presumes," that the history of his connexion justifies his principle-that the frequent change of legislators leads to a frequent change of legislative measures, to the injury of the body, by producing in its laws and institutions variation and uncertainty. That he is as certain of the matter as ourselves, is evident from the "adequate remedy" which he proposes for the healthful working of the lay delegation plan. As it may be read at this crisis with both interest and profit, we trust to be readily excused for inserting it.

"The plan which I consider most eligible in effecting an improvement in our representation is this:-Let each circuit select two or three, or more, of the best qualified brethren for the office in question : let these be considered (and these only) the acknowledged candidates for the representation of the circuit. When this election is made, then I should propose that the persons so elected shall attend Conference on a plan of rotation, or agreeable to a mutual arrangement among themselves."

With all deference to this respectable writer, we more than doubt the adequacy of the remedy by which he hopes to heal the disease that is frankly admitted to exist in lay delegation. It might in some degree di minish the evil, and this would be very important; but it could not annihilate it, because there would still be a change of men in Conference, and out of this must grow a changeable legislation. But, if we were to admit this plan of reform to be " an adequate remedy," there are, in our judgment, insurmountable obstacles in the way of its application; and with us it is a maxim, "that an unapplied remedy is no remedy at all."

Who could persuade the electoral body to approve this "most eligible plan," and to act upon it? Would not the proposition, by many of the jealous electors, be scouted as the scheme of a junto to deprive them of their privileges? Suppose it were to be accepted in some circuits-new members might be added to their societies, and they would, of course, expect to take a part in the election of delegates to Conference; but if they were to be told that two or three individuals had been permanently settled in such office, would the information be satisfactory? We trow not. We believe the plan neither has, nor ever will be generally adopted.

It becomes, therefore, our duty to ask the disciples of the venerable Wesley, the following questions:-Is this remediless evil to be introduced into the legislative administration of Methodism? Are all our established laws and usages to be shaken and subverted, to make way for others which will be novel, variable, and precarious? Are we to have a new state of things in which we shall be " ever learning, and never able" to find any landing place in legislation? Is Methodism to be thus immolated at the shrine of an untamed democracy? To these queries different responses will be made; but we do not hesitate a moment to say, that the noes will far outnumber the ayes. If, then, the great majority of our people are for a peaceable, steady, prosperous government-to lay delegation they will "give no quarter.'

Again. There is another objection which may be advanced against the admission of lay delegates into Conference.

It would be a serious inconvenience to the laity to be detained from their secular avocations during the time which is necessary to transact the business of Conference.

-

We may refer in proof of this position to the New connexion. The Conference of this body begins and closes its sittings in about a week; and, though it is considered to assemble at the most eligible period, yet to some lay members it is a loss of time which they can ill afford.This fact is impressively published in some legislative acts which we shall lay before our readers, wishing them to keep in mind, that "the law is not made for a righteous man." It appears that some lay delegates have left Conference before its termination to join their families, and to attend to their proper concerns a practice which the general rules of 1823 prohibit, as follows:-"Any delegate, who, without permission, withdraws from the Conference until its business be transacted, shall be subject to a vote of censure, and called to account at the next quarterly meeting of his circuit." This rigid regulation seems to have led to a far worse evil-the profanation of the sabbath. As the delegates could not leave Conference so soon as they desired, some of them left home so late that they spent the Lord's day on a stage coach, instead of devoting it to God, in the solemnities of the sanctuary. To suppress this defilement of God's holy day in "high places," the Conference of 1826 very commendably resolved, "That the lay representatives be expected not to travel on the sabbath day, on their way to Conference, and that they be required to be present at the opening of Conference."* If the question be put-what led the delegates to those irregularities which these enactments prohibit? The answer must be, that the Conference requires more time for the performance of its duties than the laity have at their disposal. Hence it is, that some circuits at sundry times omit to send any delegates

*It opens on a Whit-monday.

to Conference. We have examined, for instance, the minutes for 1830, and these show that about one-fifth of the circuits did not elect any of the laity to represent them in the Conference for that year. From the same cause

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arises another evil of which complaint is made, "the improper choice which circuits occasionally make of delegates." We ought to state that the writer above referred to, who utters this complaint, attributes it to another cause. If the circuit expect no change of preachers, ‘Oh,' say the wise men, we have no particular business, it does not particularly mean whom we send,' as though the whole business of a representative was to contend for a preacher.' This candid author, who thus dishonours the system of lay delegation, by informing us how some of the circuits despise it, certainly knows more of the matter than ourselves; and, though we must concede to him, that "the improper choice is frequently made under these very mistaken notions; yet, we believe, the young, the inexperienced, the uninfluential are sometimes chosen, because the most proper men to attend Conference have the least opportunity. The question who is best qualified to legislate for the connexion, has to give way to another-who can best leave his worldly concerns? The writer tacitly sanctions the correctness of our opinion in the exhortation with which he closes his article. "I would respectfully address myself to those among us, who, from their ability, respectability of character, and knowledge of our affairs, are well qualified to sustain an office so important. Let not the sacrifice of a little time be considered, when opportunity offers of your being useful to your fellow-men, and more especially to the church which Christ has purchased with his blood."

If it be thus inconvenient for lay delegates to attend a Conference which continues its sittings for a week only-what serious inconvenience would be felt if the laity were to attend the Wesleyan Conference? It seldom, under the present system, exceeds a fortnight; but, if lay delegation were admitted, the amount of debating and legislating would so greatly increase, that the utmost period allowed by law for the sittings of Conference would be entirely occupied. And could the laity attend Conferences of twenty-one days duration? The reply to this question in a certain quarter will be, that the Methodist connexion can readily furnish laymen, who are so free from the pressing engagements of business, as to have the requisite time at their command. Admitting this to be truewhat then? Would these independent gentlemen be the elected delegates? Does the party that clamours for lay delegation as a remedy for all ills in the ecclesiastical body, and which is to exceed "Morison's pills" in removing all ailments from the natural constitution, wish it to be in such hands? No! Are not the rich members of our societies, like the preachers, the objects of their heartless attacks and abuse ?— are they not said to be in league with the Conference to make Methodism "respectable?"--by which term we presume to be signifiedworldly and useless? There cannot, therefore, be any desire to elevate this class of Methodists to the office of law givers. Once concede lay delegation in Conference, and there will be no peace unless the plan of election will bring the agitators into the legislative body, and subject it to their controul. To attain this object, the whole connexion would have to be enfranchised, and each society would have its harmony disturbed every year with electioneering tactics. The three cardinal doctrines of radicalism-annual parliaments, universal suffrage, and vote by ballotmust be established in the connexion; and there would be trained up,

within its inclosure, a generation of politicians prepared to unite with the hosts of popery and infidelity, to march against the noble institutions of the land, and overwhelm them with destruction! Would such a state of things be Wesleyan Methodism? Does the connexion desire to be under the dominion of this grovelling worldly polity? Most assuredly not. It ought it shall be vigorously resisted. Methodism must be preserved a spiritual system to spread scriptural holiness both at home and abroad. Radicalize its government, and scores of thousands will disown it. But this democratic enterprize cannot be accomplished, and our adversaries know it. The repeated discomfiture which they have sustained in the courts of chancery, the abundance of loyal declarations which they have seen from numerous circuits, and the most satisfactory manner in which their cruel and shocking edict to "stop the supplies has been rebuked by more abounding liberality-assure them, that all their efforts to transform our holy connexion into a radical political union, will prove abortive. The unhallowed fires which these incendiaries have kindled to consume Methodism, shall, by God's blessing, purify her; and when they have given up the ghost and are corrupting in their tombs, "she shall look forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." EPSILON.

ASSOCIATION SCENES DURING PASSION WEEK IN WARRINGTON !

"Some men singularly fitted for great actions, superior to discouragement, pass through difficulties which to others appear insurmountable, and no more regard opposition than does the stately bark the opposing billows of the ocean." Thus oracularly spoke the Association, and, therefore, late on Saturday evening, or early on the morning of Sunday, April 12, 1835, large placards were exhibited in Warrington, giving the religious public and especially the Methodist part of it, to understand that during the ensuing week, a meeting of the far-famed Central Association, would be held in a certain temporary building called the Circus, where, a short time ago, certain four-footed animals were displaying their prowess, for the amusement of the inhabitants of the town. The worthy proprietor, however, reflecting on the conduct of certain strolling orators in places contiguous, which had been visited by them, and the awful principles by which they were actuated, determined that, no matter how "singularly fitted for great actions" they might be, in common with the elephant and other quadru peds, the Circus should not be polluted by men "under whose tongue is the poison of asps," and "whose mouth is full of bitterness," he gave positive orders that the Circus should be taken down! This proceeding is, humourously enough, attributed to the influence of the Conference party!!-as is also a repulse which they met with from the host of the Lion hotel. 'Pressing, however, through difficulties which to others appear to be insurmountable," these zealous reformers at last succeeded in obtaining the consent of one or two of the trustees of the Independent or Quaker Methodist chapel (to hold the meeting there)-belonging to a sect, we are given to understand, peculiar to that neighbourhood.

The time selected by those erratic agitators for their work of discord and confusion, ought to be known in order to be deprecated. The evening chosen in which these factious intruders might appear in malignant attitude against a peaceable body of Christians, to injure the cause of Methodism and of God, was none other than Thursday in Passion week-a night in which a great portion of the church of Christ bring to more vivid remembrance the awfully momentous scenes of Gethsemane, and their results on the redemption of the world. To attempt to disturb the devout meditations of the Christian with disgraceful proceedings such as those which then transpired in Warrington, manifested a recklessness unparalleled in the annals of religious defection, and an impiety, indicative of a heart very far estranged from God-from righteousness and truth. Let it not be forgotten, also, that it was the evening immediately preceding