you eyes to see the "wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores" of man, notwithstanding all the pretensions to wisdom, and "the oppositions of science falsely so called." You know that "all things are possible to him who believeth." You, therefore, hesitate not to offer this salvation to all men, "to the Greeks and the Barbarians, to the wise and the unwise; "-to the swarthy progeny of HAM,—and to the lost in every place. You need not the "wisdom of this world." ST. PAUL knew it well; but he would know nothing in this work, "save JESUS CHRIST and him crucified." Tread in his steps; and the LORD will "give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay."

And has not the LORD " set before us an open door?" Has he not said "to the north, Give up, and to the south, Keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the world?" "Who hath heard such a thing?" Doth not "the earth" manifestly "help the woman?" Here we look again to the former days. Was not the Roman Eagle appointed to precede the Cross? Had not the decree, whereby the LORD actually gave the kingdoms of the earth to the CESARS, the same wisdom in it as the decree respecting CYRUS? Yes, for "the LORD, and his Anointed," they conquered, they civilized, they softened the spirits of men by Philosophy and the Arts. Could the Gospel have made its way through the rancorous feuds and jealousies of the petty Governments which the Roman greatness subdued? Behold ST. PAUL in his last visit to the Land of Vision,-to the Holy City. How soon would the jealous hierarchy, and the infuriated populace, have made an end of that "chosen vessel," if that mighty people, whose ignorance of GOD we have lamented, had not crushed this brood of serpents ! "It is not the way of the Romans," said the Representative of CESAR, "to give up any man, till he that is accused have his accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself: " Hence resulted the awful scene before FELIX, and the splendid seene before FESTUS and AGRIPPA. In the issue, PAUL is sent to the Imperial City, to spread the plague of virtue there!-to harrow in the seed which he had sown by his Epistle to the Romans, which contains the greatest, the brightest summary of the "foolishness of preaching" that ever came from the wisdom of GOD!-We may see also in the philosophic GALLIO, the brother of SENECA, the softening power of philosophy, when united to authority. While we lament that he "cared for none" of the things of God, as the great Ethiopian did, we must admire his clear views of his duty as a Magistrate, and his resolution to maintain it. "If it were a matter of wrong, or wicked lewdness, O'ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you. But if it be a question of words, and names, and of your law, look ye to it, for I will be no judge of such matters. And he drave them from the judgment-seat."-He ordered his Lictors to clear the Court.

We have heard a cry about the British Eagle making a swoop through the East, and subjugating mighty empires; and a proof has

been given by the opposers on this subject, that still the spirit of man "lusteth to envy." But those who have been happily subdued to GOD, can see a mighty reason for it. They "6 see the rod, and him that hath appointed it ;" and they know that "the Root of JESSE" is in it. These are the fleets and armies of JEHOVAH; and the Cross follows with humble, but mighty energy. The petty "thrones are cast down," and "the kingdoms of the world" are claimed for our EMMANUEL," and "he shall reign for ever and ever." In vain hath Infidelity raised its voice, and striven to intimidate" the Powers that be," and that "are ordained of GOD" as well for this as for other purposes. In vain has been the cry,-"You will destroy your rising empire; you will weaken your authority over the people; you will paralyze your merchants; you will undo all that has been done!" "He that sitteth in heaven laughs" at this interested and grovelling wisdom. Not only the Gospel has free course, even as ministered by those among whom most of its original reproach is found, but an Establishment has been given to British India, that will extensively promulgate the "foolishness" contained in the Articles, Homilies, and Liturgy of our Church,—a foolishness second to none, excepting only that which is contained in "the Oracles of GoD,"-and which men of GoD will yet make the Creed of that new empire: and this "foolishness," when established in the hearts of men by faith, will be found, as of old, to be the "power of God, and the wisdom of God," to their salvation.

Here a glorious scene opens to our view. "The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of his CHRIST; and he shall reign for ever and ever." He will thus make wars to cease in all the earth. His quiet and peaceable reign shall be in mercy established below. Truth and love shall be seen triumphant in the earth, and righteousness looking down from heaven.

It is as yet, however, after all that has been done, "the day of small things." But "who hath despised the day of small things?" You are not among the number. You see "the grain of mustardseed," and your "faith" already beholds "the great tree." The LORD could do this great work without you,-and he will do that which angels and men cannot do. But he will work by his people; he has always done so. He will put this honour upon them. He that raised the dead, and fed five thousand with a few loaves, in order to faith, would not work a miracle to sustain his own fainting nature. He would keep the ground that ADAM lost: he would not be independent. He was supported by his people; and "so he has ordained in all his Churches." You see your calling, and your bright example. When He needed an ass, to fulfil a prophecy, he only said, "The LORD hath need of him," and straightway the owner let him go. The LORD hath need of your supplies: lay them at his feet, as the disciples of your Lord did in the Pentecostal Church. He that giveth to this work "lendeth unto the LORD," and "it shall be paid him again." Give, then, as unto Him. "The LORD loveth a cheerful giver."

C 2

THE WESLEYAN-METHODIST. (No. VII.)

LETTER FROM DR. CLARKE ON THE GENERAL CHAPEL-FUND, Lately instituted among the Methodists.

To the Editor of the Wesleyan-Methodist says this should never be done.

venient buildings should be erected for the purposes of public worship; and their love to GoD and man induced them cheerfully to bear the expense of such buildings.

It is possible, I grant, to multiply Chapels where the case of absolute expediency does not exist; but this folly has had its day-none can be now undertaken in the Methodist Connexion without the approbation of the Chapel-Building Committee; who, thoroughly sensible of the evils which the Connexion has already suffered by hasty exertions of zeal without knowledge, give their permission in no case where the expediency is not evident, and the means of defraying the expenses are not either already provided, or in promising progression.

Committee to realize any part of the second object of the plan: and indeed they could only pay a certain per centage on the claims preferred for Annual Deficiencies. At this I am surprised; and think the plan is either not sufficiently known, or not sufficiently understood. My own conviction is, that every member of the Methodist Connexion should be friendly to it, and be thankful to GOD that it was ever instituted. The Circuits have now that full quota of preaching, of which many were too frequently deprived when the former objectionable plans were in operation. Add to this, that the shops, offices, and houses of our people in general, need no longer be infested with delegated beggars from different Circuits, who, with or without proper authority, were frequently pouring out their tales of distress and embarrassment on the ears of those who, because of their liberal character, were perpetually the first objects of attack in all those mendicant excursions. The money saved from this indiscriminate sort of distribution, they are now left at liberty to apply to cases in which both themselves and the Church of CHRIST are not less concerned. And it may be safely stated, that should the people who were in the habit of being so repeatedly called on, for various cases in the same year, give but one-half to the General Chapel-Fund, of what Several years ago, when travelling some were constrained to give to the through Ireland with the REV. ADAM frequent importunities of the above- AVERELL, and observing the state of mentioned description of visitants, the people, their ignorance, poverty, this collection would be much more and distress, and the necessity there productive than it is; and should our was of stretching forth the hand of friends and congregations contribute charity in their behalf; he observed, as they might do, the tale of chapel-"The greatest charity in behalf of embarrassment and distress would, in a short time, cease to be heard.

It may, however, be asked, "Is there any grand principle on which such Subscriptions and Collections should be raised?" Most certainly: for, if it be the will of God that the people should hear the Gospel, it must be his will that they should have suitable places to hear it in: and from the time when the houses of the primitive believers ceased to be sufficiently large to contain the Church of CHRIST, the necessity of the case showed them, that con

Thus the Connexion is guarded on every hand; the evils that have already existed cannot recur; the godly charity of helping to erect Chapels, where the extension of the work of GoD renders it necessary, and supporting those which have been already built for the accommodation of the numerous poorer Societies who could not themselves bear the whole expense, may come into full and confident activity; and those who give in such a cause, and on such grounds, feel that they are doing a work highly acceptable in the sight of GoD.

this people would be to erect Chapels for them, that they might hear the pure word of God preached in them, and thus learn what is necessary for their comfort and happiness in both worlds."-This is a great and weighty truth, as it regards the poor of that kingdom; their misery arising, principally, from their ignorance and vice; and want of proper religious instruction being the cause of the whole. But it is also a great charity to provide places of worship for the poor of this country.-For those Circuits which cannot wholly provide for

their Preachers, we have established what is called the Yearly Collection. Many are glad to hear, and are saved through that hearing, who cannot, without assistance, provide their Ministers with the necessaries of life-thus the Yearly Collection helps to bear this burden. And the Chapel-Fund should be brought into such a state, as to be able to provide Chapels in such Districts, or to enable the people to bear the burden of those they already have. Where can there well be a greater charity than this, in reference to these poor departments of the Church of CHRIST?—I might add here, that in sea-port towns, such as London, Portsmouth, Gosport, Woolwich, &c., from which troops are frequently sent out, and to which they are returned, there is the utmost need to provide Chapels, where thousands of religious soldiers and sailors (and many that are not religious) would rejoice to hear the preaching of the Methodists, had they places to assemble in. Already, in all the above places, our friends have incurred great expenses, and made themselves responsible for large sums to erect Chapels for the accommodation of those men,-men to whom the nation is under no ordinary obligation. Some of these Chapels were sinking under their own burthens, till this blessed plan was formed. Now, they derive from it considerable annual relief, though not as yet equal to all their pressing necessities. If such places get a more than ordinary share of the proceeds from the Chapel-Fund Subscriptions and Collections, who would murmur at it, when he considers the circumstances of the men in whose behalf these Chapels were chiefly erected? When sailors are in active service, they are able, in a measure, because of their pay, to bear their own burdens; but when it is otherwise, great distress must prevail in such places, and it is the duty of every British Christian to feel for, and help them: and on the plan already so often mentioned, they can do this with comparatively little exertion and expense. Let us, therefore, endeavour not only to

assist those, and such like Chapels, to pay their annual interest for borrowed money; but to raise, for this Fund, such sums as shall annually liquidate the debts on Chapels, till, in process of time, those debts be totally annihilated.

I recur, therefore, to the grand principle. It is a great charity to build Chapels for the accommodation of the poor. I scruple not to say, with some of the Primitive Fathers, Adificare ecclesias, latria est; "to build Churches, is an act of religious worship to GoD:" and it was ever considered so by the faithful, in all ages and countries, from the building of the tabernacle in the wilderness to the present day. I do not mean the building of Churches or Chapels to serve a party,-to be monuments of pride or ostentation to the nation, like many useless pompous piles in different parts of Europe, or to provide a living for a man who inay desire to make a TRADE of preaching the Gospel; but the building of such as are generally erected among the Methodists, where the poor have the Gospel preached to them, and the Messengers of GoD labour, in season and out of season, in reference alone to the salvation of the multitude.

If considerations of this kind be pressed on the attention of our friends and congregations at the ensuing and subsequent applications to them for aid, I am satisfied that we shall have such an increase as shall enable the Chapel-Fund-Committee to effect all the purposes of this most excellent and benevolent institution. The burden being thus removed from the minds of Preachers and People, the former will go through their labour with delight, and the latter wait upon the LORD without distraction. The walls of Zion shall be salvation, and her gates praise; Jerusalem shall be in prosperity, and every where peace upon Israel.

Hoping that these observations will be received by the numerous readers of your useful Magazine, in the same spirit and concern with which they are written, I am, Rev. and dear Sir, yours, truly,

ADAM CLARKE. Millbrook, Nov. 30th, 1822.