PREFACE.

SUFFICIENT information respecting the general history of Wesleyan Methodism, and the principal incidents which marked the character and progress of its venerable Founder, and his Coadjutors, is already before the Public. All the DOCTRINES which characterize the Body, have also been so fully and repeatedly brought before the world by its numerous publications, both in the form of direct statements, and in the vindication of them against all those opponents whose writings were thought considerable enough to deserve reply, and they continue to occupy so prominent a place in the Public Ministry of the Word by its authorized Preachers, that no further information than what is within the reach of every sincere enquirer is necessary. The space therefore allotted to the Doctrinal Department of this work is small, as well for the reasons just assigned, as for others which will be found in their proper place.

THE DISCIPLINE by which the Body has from the beginning been governed, and by which it continues to flourish, occupies a large place in its Constitution. The particular Laws and Regulations, however, which are necessary, not only to the good

order and happiness of its members, but also to the security of the rights and privileges of its respective Orders, lie scattered over a wide extent, are encumbered with an intermixture of foreign matter, and not unfrequently rendered perplexing by want of the means of distinguishing the Rules which are operative, from those which are obsolete or rescinded.

This inconvenience has long been felt, and attempts have been made to obviate it, by the construction of Indexes and References; which, however, have fallen far short of removing the difficulty. It is thought, therefore, that a Digest oF ALL THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS, up to the present time, will prove an acceptable and useful Manual, not to the Travelling Preachers only, but also to all who hold any Official Situation in the Connexion. For want of such assistance, measures have sometimes been taken, both by Preachers and People, that have occasioned much uneasiness, which perhaps might have been avoided, if those Rules of Methodism which applied to the cases had only been at hand. Of how great importance a thorough knowledge of the Laws and Regulations of Methodism is, to the proper discharge of the duties incumbent both upon Preachers and People, may be gathered from a Minute of the Conference in the year 1806. QUESTION 21. "It is said, that in some Leaders' Meetings, votes have been taken in given instances, Whether the fixed and established Rules of Metho dism, as printed in our General Minutes, should be executed or not. What shall be done to prevent this evil? ANSWER. All our Rules are equally