and in Indiana." By this means, a large extent of territory, where Methodism had been fostered and flourished, passed from our hands; and, at the present date, is one of the strongholds of Roman Catholicism; while Protestant Christianity, in any of its forms, though favored with a ministry distinguished for their zeal and devotion, and a membership, though small, yet influential, has found it difficult, in the same community, to do more than maintain a feeble existence.

To the Church in Kentucky it was a source of unspeakable pleasure, that, while their societies at home were being thus depleted, they were sending forth into the vast field beyond the Ohio hundreds from their Communion, by whom Methodism would be planted, and beneath whose fostering care it would flourish, and put forth "its leaves for the healing of the nations."

Another cause of the decrease in our membership during this period, is to be found in the influence exerted by Mr. O'Kelly. While the injurious effects of the step that he had so unfortunately taken, for a while arrested the prosperity of the Church in Virginia and North Carolina, the evil that he wrought was not confined to these sections, in which he had previously attained such popularity as an evangelist: its pernicious results reached the farthest limits of the Church in America, immediately following his secession. For several years, a decrease in the aggregate membership is reported in the General Minutes. In 1795, when his power was at its height, and he was spreading desolation

will try them another year. every assistant deal faithfu every one, and report to the may then be necessary to sus tion of the Conference of 17 turbance in the State of Vi ference of 1784, while a mo adopted for the laity, final ac another year against the prea at the same time, more string be enforced against our local Delaware, Pennsylvania, an traveling preachers, also, w were to be suspended.

The enactments of this Co "Question 12. What shall v that will buy and sell slaves? "Answer. If they buy with to hold them as slaves, and

warned, they shall be expelled, and permitted to sell on no consideration.

"Question 13. What shall we do with our local preachers who will not emancipate their slaves in the States where the laws admit it?

"Answer. Try those in Virginia another year, and suspend the preachers in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

"Question 22. What shall be done with our traveling preachers that now are, or hereafter shall be, possessed of slaves, and refuse to manumit where the law permits?

"Answer. Employ them no more."

These several actions were previous to the organization of the Church.

At the Christmas Conference, held in the city of Baltimore-at which the "Methodist Episcopal Church in America" was organized-in answer to the question, "What methods can we take to extirpate slavery?" we have the following:

"Question 42. What methods can we take to extirpate slavery?

"Answer. We are deeply conscious of the impropriety of making new terms of communion for a religious society already established, excepting on the most pressing occasion; and such we esteem the practice of holding our fellow-creatures in slavery. We view it as contrary to the golden law of God, on which hang all the law and the prophets, and the unalienable rights of mankind, as well as every principle of the revolution, to hold in the deepest debasement, in a more abject slavery than is per

legally execute and record an he emancipates and sets free. session, who is between the a five, immediately, or at farthe the age of forty-five.

"And every slave who is twenty-five and forty immed at the expiration of five years said instrument.

"And every slave who is twenty and twenty-five immo when they arrive at the age o "And every slave under t soon as they arrive at the a farthest.

"And every infant born above-mentioned rules are co ately on its birth.

"2. Every assistant shall ke VOL. I.-9