II. Staiistics. — Tlie following table will exhibit the numerical progress of French Methodism :
Yenr.
Ministers.
Members.
Year.
Ministers.
Members.
ISU...
14
1848...
19
890
1S15...
25
1849...
16
775
1S16...
3
35
18.50...
18
7.'i5
181T...
4
30
1851...
17
813
1818...
4
29
1852...
17
770
1819...
5
31
1853...
19
808
1820...
5
54
18.54...
25
1098
1821 . . .
4
S9
1855. . .
25
1090
1822...
5
63
1856...
23
1178
1823...
5
63
1857...
23
1130
1824...
4
119
18.58...
80
1440
1825. . .
5
120
1859...
26
14.30
1826. . .
6
135
1860...
27
1480
1827...
5
113
1861...
30
1.500
1828...
6
126
1862...
28
1580
1829...
4
123
1863...
24
1522
1830...
5
97
1864. . .
28
ICOO
1831...
6
91
1865...
31
1058
18.S2...
7
111
I860...
30
1099
1833...
9
134
1867...
29
1890
1834...
11
233
1868...
30
1979
1835...
14
464
1869...
35
1985
1836...
14
505
1870...
S6
2049
1837...
14
533
1871...
SO
2049
1838...
16
605
1872. . .
28
1910
1839...
18
731
1878...
32
1S67
1S40...
20
946
1874...
27
1857
1841...
20
1111
1875...
34
1918
1842...
21
1118
1876...
36
1S83
1843...
22
1157
1877...
37
1905
1844...
21
1211
1878...
29
1888
1845...
21
ns5
1879...
28
1853
1840...
22
1002
1880...
29
1789
1847...
23
972
III. Literature. — The French people are, on the whole, much more educated than manj' nations to whom the Gospel has been sent. Infidelity and poperj' in their worst forms have been the chief sources of opposition to the spread of vital godliness in France. From an ear- nest desire to instruct the people, when preaching has been forbidden, about a dozen preachers belonging to the French Conference have made free use of the press to enable them to spread divine truth ; and although the sales of some of the books have been but small, yet their very existence — copies having found their Avay into pub- lic libraries — has often proved a source of defence, and in other ways have been helpful when the living voice miglit not be appealed to.
Dr. Charles Cook issued seven publications. A vol- ume of Christian Sojiijs, of nearlj' 400 pages, ran through eight editions in his lifetime : — a Letter to the Editor of the Evangelical Gazette of Geneva (8vo, 24 pp.) : — The Life of Mrs. Mary Fletcher: — Joimial of I/ester A 7m Rogers : — Aphorisms on Justif cation : — The Loi:e of God to a Lost Woiid, a reply to a brochure by Dr. Malau : — and Wesley and Wesleyanism Justified.
WESLEYAN CONF., FRENCH 923 WESLEYAN CONF., IRISH
Jean Paul Cook, besides writing most interesting Let- ters for many years past in the New York and the IVest- ern Christian Advocate, has issued separate!}', Organiza- tion of Sunday-schools (1847) : — Life of Charles Cook (1862, 2G-1: pp.) -.—Letters on Peter (a pamphlet of 30 pp.) : — and The Days of a Young Child who Loved the Saviour (rimo, 30 pp.).
Henry de Jersey, who began to travel in 1819, and who toiled long in the vineyard, published in 1837, The Ijife of John Nelson: — Letters on Sanctification (12mo, 150 pp.) : — and the Life of the Rev. John de Quetteville (1847, 304 pp.). His son, the Rev. Henry T. de Jersey, has also issued two small publications.
The venerable John de Quetteville may be considered the father of the French Methodist press. He was ac- cepted by Mr. Wesley as a preacher to the French in the Channel Islands as early as 1786, and he devoted nearly sixty years of liis life in promoting jMethodism among the French people. He published the tirst hymn- book for them ; but the date of the first edition is uncer- tain. A Collection of Methodist Hymns, in French, was first published in London in 178G, the first j'ear of Mr. de Quetteville's labors as a preacher, but it is attributed to Mr. R. C. Brackenbury; so, also, is another and larger collection issued in 1799. Mr. de Quetteville prepared and issued a new edition of the hymn-book in 1818, in various sizes. In the same year he translated and pub- lished in French John Wesley's Sermon on the Truth of Christianity. He afterwards issued French translations of other sermons by John Wesley. He translated the Zi/e of William Bramwell into French, and published it; besides which he was for thirty-four years the editor of the Methodist Magazine, in French. The Rev. Mat- thew Gallienne became tlie editor after Mr. de Quette- ville.
Francis Farjat, who served the ministr\' from 1842 to 1856, published a volume of 150 pages, 18mo, on the Spirit and Tendencies of the Christians called Method- ists: — also a small volume. Notice sur Louis Jaulmes: — and a Biograjyhy of Mademoiselle 3Iarie Temple (18rao, 60 pp.).
L. F. Galland, who began to itinerate in 1861, issued a pamphlet appeal of 90 pages: Know You the Truth of Christianity.
Matthew Gallienne, who began to itinerate in the French Conference in 1835, published in 1868 a Collec- tijn of Hymns for Sunday-schools, edited conjointh'' by himself and Mr. Handcock. He also issued, for four years, a monthly periodical called Le Missionnaire, which would have done much good had it been patron- ized. As the editor of the French Methodist Magazine, Mr. Gallienne rendered great and permanent service up to the time of his death.