Ill 1819 important improvements were made in the system of finance, and the Conference resolved that in future a financial district meeting should be held in the early part of the month of September in everj' district, at which all the preachers and stewards who could were to be present, to make whatever iinaneial arrangements were required for each circuit in the district, for one year prospectively.
One of the most important acts done at any Meth- odist Conference was the passing of what have since been known as the Liverpool Minutes of 1820 — a series of thirty-one resolutions, the design and purpose of which was " the increase of spiritual religion among our societies and congregations, and the extension of the work of God." The reading of those resolutions to the society at any time since has usually been followed by renewed spiritual activity and success.
The year 1820 was memorable also for the resolution then passed to secure every four years an exchange of delegates between the English and the American JMethodist Churches. The first delegate from America was John Emory, who was presented to the Conference at Liverpool in July, 1820; and who, in his address sketching the progress of j\Iethodism in his own coun- try, said, " The two bodies would yet compass the world, and shake hands at the Pacilic." That proph- ecy has been realized. Emory was a thin spare man of about thirty-five, but his presence and words made a deep impression on the Conference. He was the guest of Dr. Adam Clarke at Jlillbrook, who was then work- ing hard at his Commentary. The first delegates from the British Conference to America were Richard Keece and John Hannah, who attended the General Confer- ence held at Baltimore in 1824, where they met bish- ops McKendree, George, and Roberts, and one hundred and twentj'-nine delegates.
The missions to the Shetland Islands were com- menced by Dr. Adam Clarke in 1822, who found the chief means for their support for ten j-ears, wlicn he ceased from his labors. They now (1880) number more than twelve hundred members.
What is known as the Leeds organ dispute arose from the introduction of an organ into Brunswick Wesleyan Chapel in 1828 against the wishes of a large majorit}' of the leaders and other ofiicers of the society. The re- sult was that more than one thousand members left Meth- odism, and formed the Societv of Weslevan Protestant
Methodists. The}' existed as a useful, laborious Church for about eight years, when they united with a much larger secession from the old body.
In the Conference of 1834, the question of commenc- ing an institution for the education and training of young ministers was considered and decided upon. Among the advocates for the measure were Messrs. Reece, Bunting, Newton, Subcliffe, Gaulter, Scott, Les- sc}', and one hundred and fifty other preachers. Against the proposal were James Wood, Dr. Samuel Warren, James Bromley, Henry Moore, and about thirty old preachers; one liundred other preachers remained neu- tral. Dr. Warren took the lead in the opposition ; wrote and published a pamphlet against the proposal, which was considered by those friendly to the project to be such a misrepresentation of the facts as to bring the doctor to trial before a special district meeting. Dr. Warren was the superintendent preacher of the Manchester first cir- cuit. The circuit defended their minister; the special district meeting tried, and suspended liim from ofhce as a preacher. An appeal was made to the Court of Chan- cery, when the vice-chancellor, Shadwell, declared against Dr. Warren; in consequence of which, at the Sheffield Conference of 1835, Dr. Warren was expelled from the Conference and the Connection. Having many friends and followers who sj'mpathizcd with him, they left the Connection, and formed the Wesleyan Method- ist Association, which, ten years afterwards, numbered 21,176 members. In 1857 they were united with the Reform Methodists of 1849-50."
The resolution of the Conference of 1834 to found a theological institution was carried into effect by the Conference of 1835-36. A committee was formed to complete the proposed scheme. An old Congregational building, known as the Hoxton Academy, was rented, and used with advantage for several years. In 1839, Abney House, in Stoke Newington, long the residence of Sir Thomas Abney and of Dr. Isaac Watts, was taken as a branch establishment; and botli were used to their fullest capacity until the year 1841-42, when the hand- some college at Richmond was completed; and about the same time the commodious institution of Didsburj', near Manchester, was also ready for occupation, when both were tenanted by the removal of the students from the two London buildings. Since then another college for the same purpose has been built at Headinglv, near Leeds, and occupied fully; and a fourth college is now in course of erection at Handsworth, near Birmingliam, which is to be opened in 1881.
The centenary of Methodism was celebrated in all parts of the world during the year 1839. The Confer- ence of 1837 appointed a committee of ministers and laymen to prepare a report of the best way of observing the occasion. The report was presented to and accept- ed hy the Conference of 1838, and a great Connectional representative meeting was gathered in Oldham Street Chapel, IManchester, Nov. 7, 1838, comprising two hun- dred and fifty preachers and laymen, and was the most imposing asserabi}' of Methodists which had ever been held. Its deliberations were continued for three days. To commemorate its proceedings a large picture was painted, engraved, and published by Mr. Agnew, in which were included one hundred and four portraits. It is generally known as " Tlie Centenary Picture." Thomas Jackson presided. It surpassed all previous meetings for Christian feeling and pious beneficence. A Thanksgiving Fund was recommended as an ac- knowledgment for the great mercies of the past, and £80,000 was at first fixed upon as the limit expected from it. No less than £10,000 was promised at the meeting held in the City Roa<l Chapel, London. Ire- land generouslj' promised £14,500 ; and by the opening of the centenary year the promises had reached £102,000; by March they were £150,000 ; and by the time the celebration was to be observed throughout the Connec- tion— namely, Friday, Oct. 25 — the promises had reached £200,000. Before the fund was closed, it amounted to