Here the single expression, lifted thunder,' is worth whole reams of prosing amplification on the impending inflictions of divine vengeance. Poetically considered, it is indicative of the very highest mood of inspiration, in which all the glowing images of the mind are fused, condensed, concentrated; resolved, as it were, into their primary and abstract essence, and set apart from every thing of adventitious or unnecessary mixture. Feebler writers-and, if I mistake not, Dr. Watts among the numberwould have expanded this metaphor into weakness and tenuity; and would thus have spoiled the stanza by the introduction of a vapid and irrelevant illustration. Shakspeare makes Coriolanus, in a moment of impetuous passion, exclaim, 'Let them pronounce the steep Tarpeian death! a magnificent line; and one which demonstrates, with singular and striking aptness, the practical truth of my assertion, that strongly excited feeling, of whatever class, always speaks 'right on; and cannot pause in the midst of its career to adorn its natural expression with flowers of formal rhetoric. But it may be thought that the chief merit of Charles Wesley lies in his doctrinal hymns; which are certainly the most luminous and masterly expositions of Scriptural theology that were ever given to the poetry of this or any other country. Nor let it be imagined that in this portion of his writings there is any thing of peculiar or sectarian opinion. The eternal realities of the Christian religion were too deeply impressed upon the heart and conscience of the poet to admit of the slightest perversion or modification by his own unauthorized predilections, if any such he had. The hymns of which I speak have indeed one peculiarity—and that a peculiarity of value-they have every where appropriated and applied the doctrines which they develop and explain. Every vital truth of revelation is in them embodied and expressed as an actual and experienced consciousness; an article of profound conviction and irresistible feeling. So utterly and confidingly have the great principles of Christianity been received, adopted, integrated, by the individual mind, that they have impressed themselves, as with the seal of experimental knowledge, and are given back to the intellect as intuitive and indisputable axioms, deduced from the testimony of the moral spirit, from its very nature and capacities. Among the numerous instances that might be selected, I know of none which so gloriously represents the final state of the whole soul, resulting from this inward process of feeling and genius, as the following sacramental hymn, on the doctrine of atonement : 'Victim Divine, thy grace we claim, While thus thy precious death we show; Thou standest in the holy place, The smoke of thy atonement here He still respects thy sacrifice; Its savour sweet doth always please; We need not now go up to heaven, To bring the long-sought Saviour down; Thou dost even now thy banquet crown: To every faithful soul appear, And show thy real presence here.' Now, I ask, is it possible to surpass the tone of sublime 'communion with the Deity,' on the mightiest mystery of the Gospel, which pervades every line of this immortal composition? It would almost seem as if some glorified high priest, who 'waited for the Lord's coming,' had stood before the altar of Jehovah, absorbed in solemn contemplation, at the awful moment of the Redeemer's death; and there, surrounded by the perishing symbols of the ancient dispensation,-now rendered idle and unworthy,—had suddenly been rapt into prophetic vision, and had spoken forth the insufferable ecstacy of his spirit in the words of that memorable and exalted strain. As for comparing it with any one of Dr. Watts's most admired lyrics, that I shall not attempt: after having looked through his poems, I have felt that I should do injustice to the Doctor's memory-which I venerate-by bringing even the loftiest of his efforts into juxta-position with this noble melody. Of the other writers of fugitive sacred pieces whom Mr. Montgomery has named, I have no wish to discourse. Some of them, I cannot help thinking, in the teeth of all that may be urged against my conclusion, could no more have originated a poem which might deserve the dignified title of 'hymn,' than a certain distinguished orator of the day can interpret the Apocalypse. Possibly, at some future period, I may undertake the task of estimating their productions, but not now. May I be permitted to offer one farther observation before I close this paper? The singular and unrivalled adaptation of Charles Wesley's hymns to the use of singing congregations has I believe been but rarely disputed, if at all. It is pretty generally allowed, that there is a something in the structure of his verses, if not in their cast of sentiment, which renders them more easily available for the public worship of God, than those of any other writer. To myself it has frequently occurred, that whatever of correct taste or sound judgment, with regard either to the matter or the composition of sermons,-whatever power of precise and definitive utterance of thought upon religious subjects, may belong to the majority of persons who attend the Wesleyan ministry, throughout these realms, is to be mainly attributed to their acquaintance with the inestimable treasures of the Methodist Hymn Book. The fine hymns contained in that admirable volume have so thoroughly familiarized the memory and judgment of its readers to distinct and emphatic annunciations of theological doctrine-to the highest style of classical purity and vigour in the mould of sentences, and to the utmost force and perspicuity of language,—that they cannot well be satisfied with the discourses of a preacher who has not these excellencies at command. Nor have the Methodist ministers themselves failed to derive corresponding advantages from the same unassociated influence. On this head, I shall take leave to quote the concluding passage of Mr. Montgomery's Essay : 'It is the prerogative of genius to confer a measure of itself upon inferior intelligences. In reading the works of Milton, Bacon, or Newton, thoughts greater than the growth of our own minds are transplanted into them, and feelings more profound, sublime, or comprehensive, are insinuated amidst our ordinary train; while, in the eloquence with which they are clothed, we learn a new language worthy of the new ideas that are created in us. Of how much pure and exalted enjoyment is he ignorant, who never entertained, as angels, the bright emanations of loftier intellects than By habitual communion with superior spirits, we not only are enabled to think their thoughts, speak their dialects, feel their emotions; but our own thoughts are refined, our scanty language is enriched, our common feelings are elevated; and though we may never attain their standard, yet, by keeping company with them, we shall rise above our own; as trees growing in the society of a forest are said to draw each other up into shapely and stately proportion, while field and hedge-row stragglers, exposed to all weathers, never reach their full stature, luxuriance, or beauty. In the composition of hymns, men of wealthier imaginations, and happier utterance, may furnish to others of susceptible hearts, the means of bodying their own conceptions, which would otherwise be a burden to their minds, or die in the birth, without the joy of deliverance. The most illiterate person, who understands his Bible, will easily understand the most elegant or emphatic expression of all the feelings which are common to all; and instead of being passive under them, when they are excited at particular seasons, he will avail himself of the songs put into his mouth, and sing them with gladness and refreshment, as if they were his own. Then, though, like Milton's, his genius can ascend to the heaven of heavens, or, like Shakspeare's, search out the secrets of nature, through all her living combinations, blessed is the bard who employs his resources thus; who, from the fulness of his own bosom, pours his divinest thoughts in his selectest words, into the bosoms of his readers, and enables them to appropriate the rich communications to their personal exigencies, without robbing him, or hindering others from partaking of the same abundant fountain of human inspiration,—a fountain flowing, like the oil at the command of the prophet, from one vessel into as many as could be borrowed, without exhausting the first, though the whole were filled. If he who pens these sentiments knows his own heart,-though it has deceived him too often to be trusted without jealousy,--he would rather be the anonymous author of a few hymns, which should thus become an imperishable inheritance to the people of God, than bequeath another epic poem to the world, which should rank his name with Homer, Virgil, and "our greater Milton.”› Is not this beautiful? Worthy indeed of the honored name of James Montgomery ! M. C. H. The writer of these letters has just had the pleasure of perusing the few admirable strictures on the hymns of Charles Wesley, which Mr. Watson has introduced in his recently published Life of the Rev. John Wesley; and, although for the satisfaction of the public, he could wish that the subject had been treated of more at large by that eminent writer, he is hardly sorry that it should have remained open to his own remarks. Some passing notices on the metre and versification of these hymns, he has been induced to omit, by finding them anticipated in the work to which he refers; where, indeed, they are invested with a force of authority which he could never have bestowed upon them. For the Methodist Magazine and Quarterly Review. THE CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE OF 1784. SOON as the tempest of war that severed us from the British empire, and which, while it lasted, forbade any application being made to the father and founder of the Methodists, subsided, Mr. Asbury, who lived in the entire confidence of both preachers and people, did, according to the general wish and expectation, apply to Mr. Wesley, who resolved without delay to send us Dr. Coke with instructions and forms of ordination for deacons, elders, and superintendents, having first set the Doctor apart by the imposition of hands to the office of superintendent, and appointed him jointly with Mr. Asbury, to preside over the Methodist family in America. When the Doctor arrived in America, and first saw Mr. Asbury at Judge Barret's, in the state of Delaware, and showed him his credentials, Mr. Asbury rejoiced for the consolation, but said, 'Doctor, we will call the preachers together, and the voice of the preachers shall be to me the voice of God.' A conference was accordingly agreed upon, to meet in Baltimore the ensuing Christmas. Nearly fifty years have now elapsed since the Christmas Conference, and 1-have a thousand times looked back to that memorable era with pleasurable emotions; have often said it was the most solemn convocation I ever saw; I might have said sublime, for during the whole time of our being together in the transaction of business of the utmost magnitude, there was not, I verily believe, on the conference floor or in private, an unkind word spoken, or an unbrotherly emotion felt. Christian love predominated, and under its influence we kindly thought and sweetly spake the same. The annual meetings of the preachers, sent, as they held themselves to be, to declare the name of the Almighty Jesus, and to negociate a peace between the offended Majesty of heaven and guilty man, were to them occurrences of solemn import. To see each other who had been labouring and suffering reproach in the Lord's vineyard, and the glad tidings they expected to hear when met, caused each step they took in the long and painful journeys they had to perform, to be a drop of balm to their souls; but never had they met on so solemn an occasion as this. Fifteen years had now elapsed since Boardman and Pilmoor had arrived in America in the character of itinerants, under the direction of Mr. Wesley. This was the thirteenth conference; and in all that time if we would dedicate our infants to the Lord in holy baptism, or would ourselves receive the memorials of our Saviour's passion, we must go for those solemn rites to those who knew us not, who were entirely mistaken in our character. The charge preferred against us was not so much hypocrisy as enthusiasm. They did not blame us for not living up to our profession, but for professing to be what we were not, neither could be; that is to say, admitted to sensible communion with God, and inspired with the knowledge of salvation [present salvation] by the remission of our sins. There were a few who corresponded with us in sentiment and in feeling; but in the general estimation we were the veriest enthusiasts ever the earth saw. Humiliating indeed was our condition. Not a man in holy orders among us; and against us formidable combinations formed; not so much at first among the laity as the clergy. But the former hearing us denounced from the pulpit, not only as unsound in our principles, and enthusiastic in our spirit, but vastly illiterate, many of us as little more than competent to keep out of the way of a cart wheel,-were prompted to attack us, both men and women; and it were diverting to have seen how sensible they were of their vast superiority. All this we could have well borne, (for amidst all we were the most growing sect in America, if not in Christendom,) had we not had evidence that not being in holy VOL. III.-January, 1832. 9 |