friend than this same Jabez Bunting. That he at once took a high position in the ministry, is proved by the fact that after traveling one year he was earnestly importuned to give his consent to be stationed at Liverpool. His reply is a model of modesty and respect for rightly constituted authority:

"July 17, 1800.

"DEAR SIR:-I regret that various urgent engagements have prevented me from returning a more early answer to your obliging letter. My best thanks are due to the brethren at Liverpool for the request they have been pleased to address to the Conference respecting me. Your circuit is, on many accounts, a most desirable one to a young man, and the only personal objections I feel to it arise from two circumstances: first, a fear lest so inexperienced a preacher as myself should not be able to minister with sufficient acceptance to congregations so respectable and intelligent; and, secondly, the situation of my mother, who is a widow and lives in Manchester, and to whom my occasional presence and assistance in the management of her family concerns will be necessary during the ensuing year. I ought also to inform you that the affectionate people among whom I now labor have petitioned the Conference not to remove me from my present station. On the whole, however, I cheerfully submit myself to the direction of Providence and to the appointment of the Conference, earnestly praying that the will of the Lord may be done. I am, dear sir, with great respect, most affectionately yours,

"JABEZ BUNTING."

Throughout his whole career Jabez Bunting acted on the same principle, frequently in his correspondence expressing the idea that, in all matters within its jurisdiction, the Conference was to him the interpreter of the will of Providence. He remained another year at Oldham, and spent the other two years of his probation at Macclesfield. At the Conference of 1803, having satisfactorily passed through all his examinations, and abundantly demonstrated his qualifications for the "office and work of the ministry," he was publicly received into full connection with the Conference. His biographer shall describe the scene:

"At the Conference of 1803, my father and twenty-eight other young men stood in the front seats round the gallery of Oldham-street Chapel, Manchester, the place where Wesley had blessed him, to which his mother had taken him Sabbath after Sabbath when a child, and where probably he had formed his first wish to serve God.

"Mather and Thompson had fallen asleep; but Benson was there. Joseph Bradford, who saw Wesley die, was in the chair, and about him sat Coke, the first Joseph Taylor, Rutherford, Pawson, Bradburn-blessing God for the love which the preachers manifested, and for restoration to a proper name among them'-Entwisle, Walter Griffith, Barber, Clarke, Robert Lomas, James Wood, James Rogers, Thomas Taylor, John Crook, and, indeed, a whole college of apostles. By my father's side on either hand there ranked Robert Newton, Leach, Pinder, William Edward Miller, Claxton, Needham, Slack, Isaac, Garrett, and Gilpin, to name some only of the candidates to be 'received into full connection,' or, as it would have been called in other Churches, to be solemnly set apart to the work and office of the holy ministry. The Church, as well as its ministers, was there, represented by a huge con

gregation of praying men and women, to witness and approve the act. His mother sat in her own quiet corner; and one become dearer still hid herself in the general crowd, to hear vows more sacred only than those which were soon to be pledged to herself. Searching questions are put to those who stand up there. Each replies for himself; and, in the tone and manner of the answer, a quick observer often reads a character and 'casts a horoscope. Every candidate was asked that night, "Are you resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and his work?" And when Jabez Bunting's turn came, and, with a serious modesty, he said, "I habitually do," the old men exchanged looks, and lifted up their hearts in hope and prayer, "and great grace was upon them all."

At this point we may digress for a moment to speak of a matter of discipline in the English Wesleyan Church which differs somewhat from the rule and usage of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The financial system of our English brethren in fact necessitates the difference in question. The income of English Wesleyan preachers does not take the form of salary, but is composed of certain "allowances," made in part by the circuits on which they are stationed, and in part by the connection at large. The aggregate income, in fact, amounts to little more than bare sustenance, the prevailing sentiment being that ministers ought to "live by the Gospel, but ought not to make a profit out of it." The "allowance" paid by the circuit, and called "board money," includes house and incidental expenses, and does not much vary in amount, whatever the position of the circuit in the connection. No distinction whatever, except in the case of a young or unmarried man, is made between preachers in the same circuit. For the support of the preachers' families the connection provides, and not the circuit, except as paying its quota under a common principle of apportionment. The source of such support is called the "Children's Fund." At the Conference, "in accordance with the standing rule," a certain rate of contribution for this object, in proportion to the exact numbers in society, is agreed upon for the ensuing year; say that one hundred members shall provide the allowance for one child. On this principle a statement is drawn up, which determines the number of children's allowances for which each district (comprising a given number of circuits, varying from eight to twenty) is to provide, and which must be divided among the preachers, according to rule, at the September district meeting. The London district, having (say) 20,600 members, must pay the allowance for 206 children; while the Sheffield district, having only 9,108 members, provides only for 91 children. It will be seen that the burden of maintaining the preachers' families is removed, wisely, we think, from the separate circuits to the connection at large, and, so far as pecuniary considerations go, it matters not to the circuit whether a preacher has one child or ten.

Neither can a married preacher be imposed upon a circuit until it has attained a certain numerical strength, or if imposed, the additional expense is paid out of a (connectional) contingent fund. Such "rules and regulations" being in force, and a strict observance of them being essential to the harmonious and successful working of the financial system of Wesleyan Methodism, the Conference forbids a preacher to marry until he has traveled four years and been received into full connection. Good reasons may be urged, and, by the biographer, are presented, (p. 139,) in favor of this plan. Experience has, we believe, abundantly shown that the restriction is a necessary adjunct to the English system. But the prohibition ceases with the term of probation, and not unfrequently its removal is turned to immediate practical account. The first number of the London Watchman, appearing after "the young men" have been received, has invariably a long list of the marriages of ministers. There are prudential reasons, however, for this haste to take unto themselves wives. A preacher who is married has considerable advantages over one that is yet to be thus blessed. He can claimand his right there is none to dispute—a married man's appointment, that is to say, a furnished house and support for his wife. But there are sometimes more married men than married men's accommodations, and then the man whose matrimonial blessedness is yet in the future is liable to be counted as a "young man," however near the goal of his hopes he may be. A minister of our own acquaintance, who has since filled the presidential chair with honor, some years ago narrowly escaped going into "lodgings" and being ousted from an honorable and agreeable appointment, because he would show no unseemly haste in using his freedom. At the Conference at which he closed his probation, he was put down, in the first draft of the stations, for one of the London circuits as a married man. There was some warm though futile opposition in the Conference, principally on the ground that the appointee was not married, that, in fact, there might be a "slip between the cup and the lip," and then the "young man" would occupy a furnished house to the exclusion of some married man who would make a better use of it.

To return to our narrative. In view of his approaching eligibility for "the blessed estate of holy matrimony," Mr. Bunting had, with a becoming deliberation, surveyed the whole ground, and in accordance with his custom in all important matters, carefully written out the arguments against and in favor of matrimony, an excellent plan when candor and honesty rule the pleadings, and an enlightened and pure conscience sits in the judgment-seat. The whole process of reasoning is set forth in the biography, (pp. 140-144,)

and the reader will smile at the zeal and good-will, the subtlety and the ability, with which Jabez Bunting, the advocate of marriage, and somewhat inclined thereto, demolishes the arguments and sets aside the conclusions of Jabez Bunting pleading for celibacy. His choice of a wife, however, afforded another evidence of the correctness of his judgment. She was indeed a priceless blessing to her husband; and more than one young minister who had lived temporarily under her roof, have we heard bear grateful testimony to the value of her wise and faithful counsels.* To her influence over Jabez Bunting, even before she became his wife, is the world indebted for the lifting of that vail of concealment which he seems habitually to have drawn over his religious emotions, and for a correspondence, in the form. of a diary, every line of which we should like to quote in evidence of his true elevation of character, his blended modesty and selfrespect, the breadth of his powers of observation, his quickness and accuracy in estimating men and events, and the maturity of his judgment even at this early stage of his ministry. The extracts from this correspondence occupy forty-five pages, and are indeed precious fragments of personal history." An English critic remarks that "those who knew Jabez Bunting in later years, when he was anything but a punctual correspondent, and would rather speak on any subject than himself, will remark with surprise his communicativeness and his diligence, and will agree with the biographer that the force which overcame so great a resistance as his temper and habits created, must have been powerful indeed." For one or two extracts we must make room. It must be borne in mind that they were written during the first few months of his residence in London.

"Wednesday evening, September 7th.-This morning, after breakfast, I had my box and bags, etc., conveyed to City Road, where I have now taken up my abode. How soon I may be dislodged by death God only knows. May I be prepared for every dispensation of Divine Providence! In this house, O Lord, give peace! May it be to me, and to all who are, or shall be, my fellow-tenants of it, none other than the house of God and the gate of heaven! And may I be prepared more fully for the realms of bliss that are above! Truly, in one point, they treat us somewhat like apostles in this circuit; they work us tolerably hard. He that wants a quiet and easy life must not come hither to find it. I believe it will be utterly impracticable to study much here, a circumstance still more unpleasant by far than the fatigue of our evening walks. The only science we shall have much time to cultivate will be that which consists in finding the way from one street, and chapel, and village to another. I have hitherto had no leisure at all to think of new texts, or even

* Notices of this "excellent lady" are given in the Appendix, and there is a most interesting sketch of her in the body of the work from the pen of the widow of Dr. Newton. Let every preacher's wife study the character of Mrs. Bunting as there portrayed.

to mend many of my old nets, and am therefore obliged to preach on those subjects which happen to be at present most familiar to my mind.

...

"Friday evening, September 22d.-This morning I rose very early, and finished my letters. I next indulged myself with a half hour's lounge in the booksellers' shops. The Dissenting ministers, I perceive, are quite before us Methodists in publications designed to stimulate the people to engage in the active defense of the country. Messrs. Hughes, Cooper, Fuller, and many others of them, have published sermons with that view, preached to their respective congregations. From Stationers' Court I went to Surrey Chapel, and heard a sort of lecture from Mr. Jay. He was not so animated or so brilliant as when I heard him before, but very instructive and impressive. Few preachers are able to extort tears from me; but he conquered me, and dissolved me into tenderness while enlarging on the character and sufferings of the Apostle Paul. When I hear such preaching as Mr. Jay's, I am always ashamed of myself, and wonder that the people should ever like to listen to my poor swashy sermons. I feel I am too declamatory in my mode of preaching. I want more weight and solidity. However, while I am humbled I am roused, and see the necessity of increasing diligence, that I too, by the blessing of God, may become in due time a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.'

"Sunday evening, September 25th.-Mr. Rankin preached this morning from Psalm xxv. At our breakfast-meeting which followed, a Mr. Ringeldauben, from Germany, was introduced. He is come to England for the purpose of being shortly sent abroad, under the patronage of the Society for Missions in Africa and the East. I venerate greatly the zeal and piety of those who thus abandon their country and friends in order to evangelize the heathen. When I look at their sacrifices and exertions, I feel utterly ashamed of myself. However, some must stay in garrison, while others carry offensive war into the territories occupied by the enemy; and, on the whole, I do not doubt that I am where God would have me to be. Mr. R. very modestly requested that he might be appointed to some of our country chapels; but I took him with me to Spitalfields, and published him there for the afternoon. God bless him! I love him for his work's sake. I spent most of the afternoon alone, being too tired, and too anxious about my own work at Queen-street in the evening, to go to any place of worship. I was a good deal perplexed about my Charity-sermon text, being divided between Gal. vi, 9, and Deut. xxix, 29, the only passages I had before used on like occasions. At length I fixed on the latter. I have never been so fluttered by the sight of a congregation as I was for about half an hour after I entered the pulpit. After a while I forgot my fears and embarrassments, and spoke with considerable freedom. I am heartily glad that it is all over. Thus one Sabbath passes after another in rapid succession; my last will soon arrive. Though I certainly have now more ties to earth than I formerly had, I still feel that it cannot arrive too soon, if it do but find me ready. Exhausted in body and mind, I lay me down to rest, ashamed and disgusted with myself, but very thankful to God for the comforts I enjoy. Good-night to all the world!"

"Wednesday, October 19th.—We had a tolerable congregation this forenoon at Deptford. My text was Zeph. ii, 3. I have reserved part of the same subject for the evening. Our good friends had a prayer-meeting in the chapel at three o'clock, but I thought it best to spend the afternoon alone, and found it profitable. I think I have experienced somewhat of the spirit of the day. I am humbled and affected by the sincere persuasion and conviction that I am one of the chief of those sinners whose ingratitude and abuse of mercies have exposed our country to the threatened judgment. But there is forgiveness with Thee.' O pardon my iniquity, for it is great.' While preaching in the evening I had much comfort and liberty of utterance, attended too, I humbly trust and believe, with some holy unction in the appli