her writings (consisting of eight large octavo volumes
very scarce at present — like tV.ose of Jacob Bohme, though less original, abounding in emblematic and figu- rative language, and very obscure in style) was evident- ly to spread her peciUiar viev.s, and by these means to form a society of all truly regenerated" Cliristians, from all denominations, which should be the visible Church of Christ upon earth, and be tlius awaiting the second coming of the Lord, which she claimed to have been in-
formed by revelation was near at hand (for 1700). She was led to seek the establishment of a distinct organi- zation by the movements of the German Pietists and Chiliasts at this period. In 1690, Kilner, of Moscow, agitated this subject still fiu-ther by an ettbrt to estab- lish a, pail iarchul and LipostoUcal society of true and per- secuted Christians, and in 1696 Mrs, Petersen, in her Anleitunf/ z. Versidndniss d. Offenharung, and again in 1698 in Ber geistliche Kampf (HaUe, 8vo), called upon the regenerate Christians to separate from the world and to form a new Jerusalem. In 1695, Jane Leade, to- gether with her friends Bromley and Pordage, removed to carry out these projects in London, and proposed a new society, to consist only of Christians, who, Avith- out separating from the different churches to which they belonged, should form a pure and nndefiled Church of true Christians, to be governed only by God's wiU and the Holy Spirit, and who shoidd hasten tlie sec- ond coming of Christ and the beginning of the millen- nium. So successful was this effort that by 1702 the Philadelphians, as they now called themselves, were able to send missionaries to Germany and Holland with a view to making proselytes ; and, although they failed to accomplish their object immediately, the idea which constituted it took ground and spread, especially in Ger- many. Conrad Briisske of Offenbach, a disciple of Bev- erley, Dr. Horch of Marburg, and Dr. Kaiser of Stutt- gard, labored to propagate it; the latter wrote a number of works on the subject under the name of Timotheus Philadelphus, and established a Philadelphian commu- nity at Stuttgard. An approximate estimate of the ex- tent of Jane Leade's influence on Germany and Holland may be obtained by a reference to the extensive list of her correspondents in those countries (comp. Zeitsch.f. hist. Theol. 1865, p. 222, note 38). Many, without being outwardly members of this and similar societies, were evidently favorable to them. But some enthusiasts, as Gebhard, Wetzel, Eva von Buttlar, etc., caused the move- ment to fall into discredit. The scattered elements of the divers societies were afterAvards reunited by comit Zinzendorf, and formed part of the Jloravian institution. But to return to Jane Leade herself. In 1702 she felt that her end was near at hand. She wrote out her fu- neral discourse, to be read at her grave, and made all manner of preparations for departure. One of the strangest featitres of this period of her life is her study of the writings of cardinal Petrucci and of Eichard of Samson. She died Aug. 19, 1704. The most noted of her works are, The Wonders of God's Creation manifest- ed in the Variety of eight Worlds, as they u-ere made hnown experimentally to the A uthor (Lond. 1695, 2-lmo) : — The Tree of Faith, or the Tree of Life, springing up in the Paradise of God (Lond. 1696, 24mo), See G. Ar- nold, Kirchenhistorie,xo\. ii; Gichtel, Theosophia prac- tica ; Poiret and Arnold, Gesch. d. Mystik ; Corrodi, Kri- tische Gesch. des Chiliasmus, iii, 403-421 ; Gobel, Gesch. d. Christl. Lebens, vols, ii and iii ; Mosheim, Eccles. Hist. bk. iv, cent, xvii, sec. ii, pt. ii, ch. vii, § 5; Lee, Life of Jane Leade ; J. W. Joeger, Dissert, de Vita et Doctrina Janm Lea.dce ; Herzog, Real-Encylclop. viii, 251 ; Hoefer, JVoiiv. Biogr. Generale, xxx, 50; Hochhuth, Gesch. der philadelphischen Geineinden, Part I, Jane Leade imd die Philadelphier in England, in the Zeitschy-ift fiir Hist. Theolnq. 1865, p. 172-290. See PuiLADELriiiANs, (J. H.W.)
Leaders. This term has a technical significance as applied to leaders of religious classes in the original Methodist societies, and in the Methodist churches of the present day. See Class- jieetixgs. The leader's office is one of pastoral help. It therefore in\-olves great responsibility, and requires for the proper discharge of its duties a deep religious experience, combined with a capacity to instruct believers in the practical details of religious truth, to console the afflicted, to encourage the despondent, to guide the erring, and, in short, both by precept and example, to lead Christians and penitents forward in the pathway of holiness. Leaders are ex-
LEADERS' MEETINGS
305
LEAGUE
pected to meet the several members of their classes weekly lor religious worship and conversation, to visit those who are detained by sickness, and to take all suit- able means for aiding the religious life and progress of those under their care. They are also required to meet their pastors weekly, to report respecting the welfare of the members and probationers attached to their classes. See Leaders' Meetings and Probationers. In some cases women are appointed leadeis, more especially of classes composed of females or of children. That the office of class-leader has been greatly helpful to the pas- torate in those churches which have employed it does j not admit of question. Hence it is a recognised obliga- tion of pastors in those churclies not only to select the best persons for the office, but also to aid them in ac- quiring the best qualitications for its useful exercise. To aid in the task of instructing leaders various tracts and small books have been published. See Tract list of tlie Methodist Episcopal Church. (D. P. K.)