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THE

ECLECTIC REVIEW,

FOR FEBRUARY, 1832.

Art. I.-1. An Essay on the National Importance of Methodism. By William Vevers. 8vo. pp. 138. London, 1831.

2. An Appeal to the Clergy, addressed more particularly to the Bishops and Dignitaries of the Church of England on the State of Religion, Morals, and Manners, in the British Metropolis: shewing the Necessity of a Reformation in the present Constitution and Government of the English Ecclesiastical Establishment, to preserve the Nation from the Desolations of Infidelity. 8vo. pp. 224. London, 1831.

3. Library of Ecclesiastical Knowledge, No. 15. On the Congregational System. 12mo. Price 6d. London, 1831.

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B T is not a century,' Mr. Vevers remarks, since Mr. Wesley,

of

'which he was a regularly educated and ordained minister, formed 'a society of persons who were "united in order to pray together, 'to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over each other in love, that they might help each other to work out their own 'salvation." The members of that Society in Great Britain and 'Ireland, in August 1830, amounted to 272,175, who support, by ' voluntary contributions, about one thousand ministers; by 'whom instruction is communicated to at least one million British 'subjects, in about three thousand places of worship.' This is a progression,' not, indeed, as the zealous Writer represents, unparalleled in the history of the church or of the world; but it is amply sufficient to establish the national importance, as it attests the diffusive energy, of what is called Methodism. Besides these, the various off-shoots from the Parent Connexion, (not included, we presume, in Mr. Vevers's enumeration,) com ⚫tween 60 and 70,000 members, with, probably, thrice the

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VOL. VII.-N.S.

of hearers. And in Wales, the Calvinistic Methodists are more numerous than the Wesleyans, there being about 300 congregations in the principality: in England, the number of their congregations is under 150.

Although, in going back to the origin of the English Dissenters, we might trace the head-streams of their principles as high as the times of Wycliffe, we shall be content to take the year 1662 as the era of Nonconformity; which will make it about 75 years older than Methodism. Of the numbers who originally took part with the Nonconformists, we have no means of forming a very accurate estimate. The Writer of the Preface to. De Laune's “Plea,” states, that De Laune was one of nearly 8000 Protestant Dissenters who had perished in prison in the reign of Charles II. Great numbers emigrated to the American Colonies, and to Holland; and Neale is disposed to estimate the dissenting families of the several denominations in England, who suffered, in various ways, from the effects of the Act of Uniformity, at 150,000. Yet, ' when the Protestant Dissenters rose up into public view as a distinct body, their long sufferings had not,' he adds,' very much diminished their numbers; which, though not to be com'pared with those of the Establishment, or the Tories and Roman Catholics, were yet so considerable as to be capable of turning 'the scale on either side, according as they should throw in their 'weight.'*

At this period, however, and long after, the Presbyterians were by far the most numerous and influential Dissenting body; the Congregational Dissenters of both denominations being unitedly a minority in numbers, and very inferior in secular resources and importance. The Presbyterian interest has been gradually declining during more than a century. It has, in fact, never recovered from the results of the Differences' which broke out at Exeter, and which led to the proceedings at Salters' Hall in 1719. Dr. Calamy's brief account of those events shews, that they had the effect (and such a design is charged upon certain individuals) of breaking the body of ministers to pieces." About the same 'time' (1718), he says, sad heats arose among the Dissenters, 'who no sooner had that relief from the Government which they had expected and waited for with some impatience, than they 'fell to pieces, and were thereby not a little exposed and weakened. They might, indeed, have learned sufficiently from their past ex'perience, the mischief of quarrels and brangles, for which they had so much smarted. Had they now been duly cautious and 'well-advised, they might easily have perceived that was a time to have come to a closer union among themselves; and no season

• Neale, Vol. V. (8vo.) p. 20.

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'more proper. The thoughts of several were working that way, ' and some previous steps had been taken. But jealousies and 'animosities arising, they broke into two parties with as much eagerness as if they had been bent on the overthrow of each other, as the greatest happiness they could have hopes of reaching. 'Many were surprised at their heats, which were grossly impru'dent, and very much owing to the agency of certain gentlemen on both sides, by whom the ministers among the Dissenters were but too much influenced, though many were not aware of 'it till afterwards; nor did these gentlemen themselves, I believe, foresee what consequences would follow upon the measures 'they pursued.'*

It appears that, previously to this rupture, unfavourable representations had gained ground, which Dr. Calamy stigmatizes as unkind and without any just ground, relative to the orthodoxy of the body of the Dissenters on the doctrine of the Trinity; and 6 some members of the Commons' who had 'deserted the wor'shipping assemblies of the Dissenters', were among those who gave credit and currency to such representations. That they were not, however, wholly unfounded, appeared but too manifest in the sequel; although an unfair use was made of the partial declension from evangelical doctrine, to support sweeping allegations respecting the general body. The secessions from the ranks of Dissent about this time, and at the beginning of the reign of George II., were numerous, and must have had a considerable influence, on account of the character and talents of the individuals who conformed. Some of those,' says Calamy, who had be'fore gone over from us to the Church, had been scandalous. But 'it was otherwise as to those who now conformed. They were 'generally persons of sobriety and unblemished character, and might, therefore, be received and caressed by those whom they 'fell in with, with a better grace.'t Among them were Butler, Author of the "Analogy," and afterwards Bishop of Durham, and Secker, who became Archbishop of Canterbury; both educated for the ministry under Mr. Jones of Tewksbury. Four and twenty other persons are named by Dr. Calamy, several of them the sons of Dissenting ministers of reputation. Most of those who conformed about this time, it is stated, complained 'much of a spirit of imposition working among the Dissenters, 'which discovered itself in the proceedings at Salters' Hall, and ' on other occasions after the debates about the Trinity grew warm. 'Some that complained much, and with eagerness, of this as a great hardship and discouragement, and inveighed against it

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Calamy's Life and Times. Vol. II. pp. 401, 2. + Ibid. Vol. II. PP. 504, 5.

of hearers. And in Wales, the Calvinistic Methodists are more numerous than the Wesleyans, there being about 300 congregations in the principality: in England, the number of their congregations is under 150.

Although, in going back to the origin of the English Dissenters, we might trace the head-streams of their principles as high as the times of Wycliffe, we shall be content to take the year 1662 as the era of Nonconformity; which will make it about 75 years older than Methodism. Of the numbers who originally took part with the Nonconformists, we have no means of forming a very accurate estimate. The Writer of the Preface to. De Laune's "Plea," states, that De Laune was one of nearly 8000 Protestant Dissenters who had perished in prison in the reign of Charles II. Great numbers emigrated to the American Colonies, and to Holland; and Neale is disposed to estimate the dissenting families of the several denominations in England, who suffered, in various ways, from the effects of the Act of Uniformity, at 150,000. Yet, when the Protestant Dissenters rose up into public view as a 'distinct body, their long sufferings had not,' he adds, ' very ⚫ much diminished their numbers; which, though not to be com'pared with those of the Establishment, or the Tories and Roman Catholics, were yet so considerable as to be capable of turning 'the scale on either side, according as they should throw in their weight."

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At this period, however, and long after, the Presbyterians were by far the most numerous and influential Dissenting body; the Congregational Dissenters of both denominations being unitedly a minority in numbers, and very inferior in secular resources and importance. The Presbyterian interest has been gradually declining during more than a century. It has, in fact, never recovered from the results of the Differences' which broke out at Exeter, and which led to the proceedings at Salters' Hall in 1719. Dr. Calamy's brief account of those events shews, that they had the effect (and such a design is charged upon certain individuals) of breaking the body of ministers to pieces.' About the same time' (1718), he says, sad heats arose among the Dissenters, 'who no sooner had that relief from the Government which they 'had expected and waited for with some impatience, than they 'fell to pieces, and were thereby not a little exposed and weakened. They might, indeed, have learned sufficiently from their past ex'perience, the mischief of quarrels and brangles, for which they 'had so much smarted. Had they now been duly cautious and 'well-advised, they might easily have perceived that was a time 'to have come to a closer union among themselves; and no season

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* Neale, Vol. V. (8vo.) p. 20.

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more proper. The thoughts of several were working that way, ' and some previous steps had been taken. But jealousies and 'animosities arising, they broke into two parties with as much eagerness as if they had been bent on the overthrow of each other, as the greatest happiness they could have hopes of reaching. Many were surprised at their heats, which were grossly imprudent, and very much owing to the agency of certain gentlemen on both sides, by whom the ministers among the Dissenters were but too much influenced, though many were not aware of it till afterwards; nor did these gentlemen themselves, I believe, foresee what consequences would follow upon the measures they pursued.'*

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It appears that, previously to this rupture, unfavourable representations had gained ground, which Dr. Calamy stigmatizes as unkind and without any just ground, relative to the orthodoxy of the body of the Dissenters on the doctrine of the Trinity; and some members of the Commons' who had deserted the wor'shipping assemblies of the Dissenters', were among those who gave credit and currency to such representations. That they were not, however, wholly unfounded, appeared but too manifest in the sequel; although an unfair use was made of the partial declension from evangelical doctrine, to support sweeping allegations respecting the general body. The secessions from the ranks of Dissent about this time, and at the beginning of the reign of George II., were numerous, and must have had a considerable influence, on account of the character and talents of the individuals who conformed. 'Some of those,' says Calamy, who had be'fore gone over from us to the Church, had been scandalous. But 6 it was otherwise as to those who now conformed. They were 'generally persons of sobriety and unblemished character, and 'might, therefore, be received and caressed by those whom they 'fell in with, with a better grace.'t Among them were Butler, Author of the "Analogy," and afterwards Bishop of Durham, and Secker, who became Archbishop of Canterbury; both educated for the ministry under Mr. Jones of Tewksbury. Four and twenty other persons are named by Dr. Calamy, several of them the sons of Dissenting ministers of reputation. Most of those who conformed about this time, it is stated, ' complained much of a spirit of imposition working among the Dissenters, 'which discovered itself in the proceedings at Salters' Hall, and ' on other occasions after the debates about the Trinity grew warm. Some that complained much, and with eagerness, of this as a great hardship and discouragement, and inveighed against it

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Calamy's Life and Times. Vol. II. pp. 401, 2. + Ibid. Vol. II. pp. 504, 5.

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