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perplexing by want of the means of distinguishing the Rules which are operative, from those which are obsolete or rescinded.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 Methodism, 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

& a

binding an hoth the Preachers and, the People: and, therefore, every Superintendent, whe permits, a vote to be taken on the execution, qr rejection, of them, shall, on proof at the ensuing Conference, be ded Brived, of the office of Superintendent, nou partnu tom -9viter9qu 978 dɔidweslo Hods gnidziugniteib to en£9M How to accomplish such a Digest sp as to meet ha so the views and wishes of the Body, and to make it decisive upon what both Preachers and People acknowledge to be Law, has been a subject of considerable thought, and investigation... From a per ception of the difficulties, attendant upon such a, design, this work has been more than once laid aside. But having no reason to think, that any other person has an intention of publishing, such a work, (though something of the kind was expected, some years ago, from a respectable Preacher in the Connection,) and thinking the present to be a kind of epoch in the Laws of Methodism, the Compiler has endeavoured to supply, according to the best of his ability, what has often been expressed to be a desirable object, and hopes it will be as kindly accepted by his Christian Brethren, as it is kindly intended by him.oil fra Lidt To enhet

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There are three great epochs.in, Methodistic! Legislation. THE FIRST EPOCH includes the periodi during which the venerable Father of Methodism presided at the annual assembly of the Preachers in connexion with him, and directed its consultations/ The results of its deliberations, adapted to the pro gressive, stages of the work of Gød, were from year, to year minuted down, and published as the Rules

by which they were determined to prosecute their design, both as to the Doctrines they should pleach, and the Discipline they should maintain in the Societies which were formed In the progress of years these Rules were greatly accumulated. Some of them which were of more local and temporary importance, became obsolete; and the others, espécially when the increasing magnitude of the Body enforced a closer attention to its more secular arrangements, were so mixed up with other subjects, as to throw an indistinctness around those Rules, which were essential to the promotion of their main object. And as a distinct perception of this object, and the means by which it was to be attained, were acknowledged to be necessary, in order to the maintenance of union among the Preachers during Mr. Wesley's life, and especially after his decease, it became a subject of deep concern in his mind, how to adopt the most effectual method to perpetuate the unity of the Body or logged by laun

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As early, therefore, as the year 1769, the following question was proposed by him in the Conference: "Can any thing be done now, foundation for our future union? well, for any that are willing, to

in order to lay a Would it not be sign some articles

of agreement before God calls me hence? Suppose something like these y sua 50

"WE whose names are underwritten, being thoroughly convinced of the necessity of a close union between those whom God is pleased to use as instruments in this glorious work, in order to