Rev. George Vance has published a pamphlet, Calvin- ism Not the 'Theology of the Bihlf.
Rev. Samuel Weir, in 1867, published a small volume, ISmo, Onirard to God.
Kev. G. v.. Wedgwood has published a lecture entitled Liberty. (G. J. S.)
(Wesleyan) Methodist New^ Connection, abody of English Independents whicli separated from the regular Wesleyans on questions of ecclesiastical polity. I. Origin. — The opinion has been held, and is still prevalent in some localities, that the Methodist New Connection h.ad its origin in personal sympathy with Alexander Kilham. Such is not the fact. INIost of those who joined the body at its origin were influenced by the publications and public addresses of Mr. Kilham, but the Comiection as such originated in i»rinciple, not
in sympathy. The IMethodist New Connection was originated bj' a contest for the estal)lishnient of the fol- lowing important and scriptural principles :
1. The light of the people to hold their public religions worship at such hours as were most convenient, without their being restricted to the mere intervals of the liours appointed for service in the Established Church.
2. The right of the people to receive the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper from the hands of their own ministers and in their own places of worship.
3. The right of the people to a representation in the district meetings and in the annual conference, and there- by to participate in the government of the community and in the ajjpropriation of its funds.
4. The rigiit of the Church to have a voice, through its local business meetings, in the reception and expulsion of members, the choice of local officers, and in the calling- out of candidates for the ministry.
Not any of these privileges were originally enjoyed in the parent body; they were for years zealously con- tended for by the fathers and founders of the New Con- nection; and when they could not be fully obtained, conscience compelled those men to secede from the par- ent community and originate a distinct denomination in which such scriptural privileges could be freely en- joyed.
The po>ver of INIr. Wesley was absolute, but it fell into his hands nnsought and undesired. It was exer- cised by him with affection, and solely for the best in- terests of his societies; and retained from the same mo- tive. He was the father of the communit}', and was necessitated for a time to be its sole director and govern- or; but, however proper it was for him to exercise that power during the infancy of the Connection, yet, when surrounded by churches which had grown to maturity, and assisted by ministers and laymen of acknowledged wisdom, integrity, and piety, whose existence and hap- piness, like his own, were bound up with the prosperity of Methodism, it would have been more conformable to the example of the apostles and the dictates of sound reason to have gradually relaxed his hold of the reins and admitted others to a participation of the same, and finally to have framed a liberal constitution defining the prerogatives of the ministry and the privileges of the people, securing both by suitable regulations and wholesome laws. Mr. Wesley's mind was well qualified for this, but he did it not. He retained absolute power until death ; and, instead of framing for the communi- ty a liberal constitution, he transferred by legal settle- ment his own power to the preachers, and made that laio which before was only custom, and custom arising from the peculiar relation in which he stood. He made those his successors in absolute power who could not possibly be his successors in paternal relation and influ- ence. That exercise of power was the subject of many remarks and adverse criticism. Just fifty years after the origin of Methodism jMr. Wesley had to defend his conduct in this matter, which he did in these words :
"Some of our helpers say, ' This is shackling free-bnra Englishmen;' and they demand a fiee conference, that is, a meeting of all the preachers, wherein all things shall be determined by most votes. I answer. It is i)ossible af- ter my death something of this kind may take place, but not while I live. To me the i)reachers have engaged themselves to submit, to serve me as sons in the Gospel ; but they are not thus engaged to any man or number of men besides. To me the people in general will submit, but they will not thus submit to any other."
When ]\Ir. Wesley died, in 1791, only two years after he had written and published the above observations, there were 380 preachers in his society, some with ac- tive, others passive, dispositions. Among the former were some who were of opinion that, being the regu- larly appointed ministers of their congregations, they ought to exercise all the functions which belong to the pastoral office; but to be deprived of the privilege of administering the sacraments was felt by some of tlie preachers to be a great hardship, while the laymen, many of them, considered thej' had a just right to rep- resentation in the properh' constituted Churcli courts. BIr. Alexander Kilham, one of the preachers who had
(WESL.) M. NEW CONNECTION" 929 (WESL.) M. NEW CONNECTION
been specially privileged in bis ministerial career, was one of the most able and courageous advocates of what was considered the full rights and liberties of both preachers and people. In 1702 he published an address to the Newcastle Society, to whom he was then minis- tering, advocating liberal views. His address met with favor from Dr. Coke, Messrs. Ikadburn, Pawson, jMoore, Taylor, Crowther, Bramwcll, and others. 'J"he Church party among the preachers resisted strongly, and the controversy spread and intensitied. Mr. Kilham, im- pressed with the conviction that permanent peace would never be established in tlic body until such a constitu- tion was adopted as secured to the people New-Test, rights and privileges, felt it a duty to make another ef- fort for the attainment of this important object. Un- der this impression he wrote a pamphlet entitled The Progress of Liberly. In this work he adverted to the course of Mr. Wesley in the progress of Methodism, showing that he had acted from time to time as altered circumstances required; he glanced at the alterations which had been effected since Mr. Wesley's death, and analyzed " the Articles of Pacification," pointing out their defects, etc. In the second part of this work he lays down the "Outlines of a Constitution," which he humbly proposes to the consideration of "The People called Methodists." This outline embraces the follow- ing particulars :