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METHODIST RECORDER
All Profits which may arise from the Sale of this Paper will be given to the Fund for the Sustenance of 'Worn-out Ministers and Widows."
LONDON THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1861.
METHODISM ITS PROGRESS.
WHEN the founder of Methodism preached
to his people on laying the foundation of
City-road Chapel, the text which the selected,
as most suited to the occasion, was the follow-
ing According to this time it shall be said
what hath God wrought! The sermon is one
with which, doubtless, most of our readers are
familiar and the fact that, in 1777. Mr.
Wesley was able, with the co-operation of his
people, to undertake so great an enterprise,
marks the progress which Methodism had
made in London, from the time when eight
or ten persons came to him deeply convinced
of sin, and earnestly desiring to know how they
might flee from the wrath to come.
of
The attentive reader of the sermon will not
fail to mark how powerfully Mr. Wesley's
mind was impressed on that day, with the
depth and extent of that great religious work
which had been effected in the nation during
the short period of forty years- work which,
in its origin and progress, can only be ac-
counted for on one principle, namely, that not
man, but God, had wrought it.
is also interesting to observe the simpli-
city with which that truly apostolic man traces
the history of the great revival of that period,
and details the steps by which its chief instru-
ments were divinely led onward by a way
they knew not Themselves baptized with
the Holy Ghost, and at the same time con
scious of a Divine call to go forth to arouse
a nation asleep in its sins, they entered upon
this mission, and from the highways and hedges
compelled the destitute and wretched sons of
The religion which they felt, and which they
preached, was the love of God and of all man
kind-that love which they declared was the
great medicine of life-the never-failing re-
medy for all the evils of a disordered world-
for all the miseries and vices of men. And on
that celebrated 21st of April, 1777, he said
This revival of religion has spread to such a
degree as neither we nor our fathers had
known. How extensive has it been There is
scarce a considerable town in the kingdom
where some have not been made witnesses of
it. It has spread to every age and sex, to most
orders and degrees of men and even to
abundance of those who, in time past, were
accounted monsters of wickedness." The work
was also remarkable for its swiftness, depth,
and purity so remarkable, indeed, that it
could not be easily paralleled by anything
that is found in the English annals since
Christianity was first planted in this island.
And he who had such a work to review.
might well, on that glad day, exultingly ex-
claim What hath God wrought And
fourteen years afterwards. that man, when
on the bed of death, did yet still more tri-
umphantly exclaim The best of all is, God
is with us. As to himself, in this lay his
personal comfort and hope-
But as to the cause and work in which he.
and the sorrowing men who stood around
him. had been so earnestly engaged, this was
his consolation (and he wished it to be theirs)
The best of all is, God is with us.
And this is the consolation and joy of his
sons in the Gospel, who are permitted, how-
ever humbly and feebly, to prosecute that
great work of religion in the world, which God
did so graciously begin under Wesley and
his fellow-helpers and this conviction, too,
sustains the thousands of our local preachers,
class leaders, school teachers, &c., in the dis
charge of their several duties-that God, who
was with our fathers, is with us, blessing our
united labours to the salvation of sinners, and
the edification of his Church
The present position of Methodism is most
encouraging, and its continued progress cheer-
ing. Never previously was the spirit of
liberality displayed so continuously and uni-
versally as at present; and that not for one
object only, but for every institution of Me-
thodism. Look at our noble foreign mis-
sionary income and then at what is being
done in paying off chapel debts, and the
And
THE TRUTH IN
The great Missionary cause will, of
course, occupy a prominent position, and a
distinct section of intelligence. American
Methodism is but imperfectly known in
England the child has far outgrown the
parent-at least in size and we propose to
devote some space to disimportant subject.
Home efforts of religion and philanthropy
-the Bible Society, city missions, ragged
schools-will not be forgotten and the
Temperance Associations, and Bands-of-
Hope, in connexion with our own schools,
will find their appropriate intelligence.
The proceedings of other Christian Churches
will not be overlooked. The friends
all, the enemies of none," according to our
ancient motto, we shall endeavour to pre-
sent, from time to time, the principal points
which offer themselves for notice in con-
nexion with other churches. But our
liberality will not be latitudinarian. The
truth in love "-but the truth without
dilution, and without compromise; ear-
nestly contending," in this day of error and
doctrinal strife especially, for the faith
It is not intended to introduce questions
of party polities nor will the paper contain
any leading articles on topics of political
a rich variety of original articles on various
subjects, of choice extracts from new works,
occasional reviews of books, and notices of
passing events, together with a weekly
statement of markets, carefully compiled.
The METHODIST RECORDER is not com-
menced for private emolument; its profits
will be presented to the Worn-out Ministers
and Widows' fund.
With these explanations we beg to in-
troduce ourselves to our subscribers. To
the honoured ministers of our body, whose
office we shall always faithfully uphold,
esteeming them very highly in love for their
works' sake; to our tried and valued local
preachers, class readers, and stewards, to
whose labours of love Methodism has from
the beginning been indebted for so large a
portion of its success; to our invaluable,
faithful, and devoted Sunday-school teachers,
and tract distributors; to our heads of
families, whose hearts' desire it is to see
their children walking in the ways of the
Lord, and joining the Church of their
fathers to our young people, who desire to
keep pace with the age in which they live;
to the thousands of our working men, from
whose honest ranks some of the ablest de-
fenders and brightest luminaries of Method-
ism have arisen-we dedicate our columns,
and make our appeal for encouragement and
help. Our task is arduous, but we enter
upon it with a cheerful courage. Our con-
nexion dwells in peace. Under a serene
sky, and watered by showers of heaven,
the plants in the Lord's vineyard we trust
are thriving. The churches having rest are
edified. The mission of our Church needs
to be more fully understood. Now is the
time to consolidate what has been gained
to diffuse information, and awaken interest;
and thus, by God's blessing, to aid in pre-
paring the way for new advancements, and
for larger enterprises on behalf of Christ
and our fellow-men.
General
TO OUR FRIENDS AND CORRESPONDENTS
THE prospectus of the Recorder has had a most
welcome. Between two and three hundred
gerintendent Ministers have replied to a circular
asking them to kindly select a competent
respondent in their respective circuits and in
nearly every instance, gentlemen have been named
who have subsequently consented to undertake this
duty. We venture to hope that the Recorder itself
receive as hearty a reception as its forerunner,
even more so and that in the remaining two
hundred circuits, the growing confidence which the
may be expected to produce will lead the
ministers to comply our request without further
delay, or that friends will kindly volunteer to
correspond with us. To the laity of Methodism we
are equally indebted. The following are a selec-
tion from the letters received
Gunnersbury House, February 16, 1861.
Dear Sir - For some years I have watched with much
interest the growing demand for popular religious literature.
demand has been partially met, though not so fully as
it Whight be,in the case our own people. It seems to me
highly desirable that the Methodist people generally, and
our local preachers especially, should able procure full
and accurate Methodistic information at cheaper rate than
that t which the Watchman can supply it. the proprietors
that excellent paper not being yet remunerated. have
confidence in the names of those who have undertaken the
management of your proposed paper, and believe that they
will do their work well. It gives me pleasure to enclose
subscription aid in the gratuitous distribution of its early
numbers.-I am. dear Sir. yours very truly,
Rev. Charles Garrett. Preston.
34, Queen's Gardens. Bayswater, March 11,1861.
My dear Sir,- have read with much interest the pros-
pectus of a cheap Weslevan newspaper you have kindly en-
closed to me. and have long thought that such paper, if
properly conducted and under sufficient guarantees. would
be of great service to the masses of Methodism. With the
hope that your scheme may be efficiently and wisely carried
out. and as proof of the confidence feel in the gentlemen
you have as your committee, have pleasure in promising
towards the 1,000% you propose to raise.- -Wishing you
every success, I am, my dear Sir, very truly yours,
dear beg to acknowledge the receipt of your
Maining rospectjis
project, and anticipate great good from its circulation
the masses of our people. trust the friends of Methodism
generally will respond liberally to your appeal for funds,
as to place it at once in substantial position. shall have
pleasure in subscribing 50% towards the object.-I am, my
My dear Sir.- have to thank you for the prospectus of
METHODIST RECORDER, and am much pleased to find that
the projectors succeeded in completing their arrange-
ments for its publication. shall have much pleasure in
contributing 207.-1 am, my dear Sir, yours most sincerely,
Bolton, West Bank, March 21. 1861.
My dear Sir,-I am very much delighted with the expec-
tation of receiving the first number of penny weekly
Wesleyan newspaper, which has been much wanted for a
long time. have pleasure in subscribing 201. towards the
amount required.- am, yours affectionately,
am exceedingly pleased to see that there is
certainty of cheap issued,
adapted to the wants of the great multitude of the society
shall be glad to contribute 10%. your 1,000L. fund, and
hope the undertaking will succeed sincerely,
Our readers will observe that the Recorder
has not been started as business speculation. It
is, therefore, extremely desirable that it should be
placed in a remunerative position, with as small
an expenditure of capital as possible. We there-
fore appeal to all our friends to do something-as
much as in them lies-to establish our circulation.
The best means of doing so is by gratuitously
distributing specimen copies. For three pounds we
would send to any part of the kingdom, carriage
paid, 1,000 copies. If in each circuit this
number were distributed, we do not hesitate to say
that at the next conference, five months hence, we
should be in a position to hand a considerable con-
tribution to the treasurers of the " Worn-out
Ministers' Fund." This idea has already been
taken in several quarters; some have contributed
to a general " gratuitous fund," whilst in one cir-
cuit (Chatteris) a few friends have sent 30s. for
500 copies for distribution within their own
borders. We commend this example to the notice
of our friends in other parts of the kingdom.
In the Ministers have kindly arranged
with the chapel keepers to supply the various con-
gregations with the Recorder. Where, however.
our friends are unable to procure our issues punc-
tually from either bookseller or chapel keeper, they
may be supplied from the office. post-free, at the
following rates -Four copies for 4d. eight copies
for 8d. thirteen copies for 1s. and in larger
quantities at the same rate. Thus four persons in
any part of the kingdom uniting and remitting
four shillings to the publisher, will have four copies
sent (to one address) weekly for twelve weeks; or
any person obtaining twelve subscribers will secure
an extra copy weekly. Payments must in all cases
be made in advance. Sums below 10s. may be
remitted in postage stamps.
Advertisements and orders may be addressed to
Mr. JOHN WILLEY, to whom (as one of the editors)
literary and other communications may likewise be
sent.-Office 88, Fleet-street. London, E.C.
Christian
dear Sir, yours very truly,
Chronicle.
THOMAS
FARMER
JAMES S. BUDGETT
Bolton March 15, 1861.
JAMES BARLOW
Lytham. March 1861,
HINCKSMAN.
ROBERT KNOWLES.
Burnley, March 22, 1861.
JOHN
BUTTERWORTH.
No. -VOL. I.
TO OUR READERS.
IN issuing the first number of the
METHODIST RECORDER, some statement will
naturally be expected of the objects which
we have in view, and of the principles upon
which we purpose to proceed. To some
extent, at least, these are indicated by the
name of the paper itself. The Wesleyan
Methodist body is increasing daily, not only
innumbers, but in intelligence; and the need
has been growingly felt, of an able, attrac-
tive, and at the same time cheap paper,
accessible to all by its price, and command-
ing confidence by the soundness of its
principles. It is with the design and hope
of meeting this necessity that the METHODIST
RECORDER is started and it is with un-
feigned respect, and with the full confidence
that our motives will be appreciated, that
we introduce the first number to the notice
of our readers.
One of our chief objects will be to pre-
sent, from week to week, a complete body
of Wesleyan intelligence. In the com-
munion to which we have the honour to
belong, not a week passes without interest-
ing and important
are being opened, or old ones enlarged and
beautified school-houses are rearing their
heads in town and village ; public meetings
are being held, and debts are being dis-
charged the societies, in various places,
are being increased the blessed Spirit of
God is descending, and revivals of unity,
revivals of liberality, revivals of awakening
and converting power, are occurring. The
cheap secular press scatters information
broadcast on every subject of temporal
interest other Christian denominations
have their penny papers, conducted with
spirit and ability ought the Wesleyans to
lag behind their neighbours To this ques-
tion we know well what the general
response of our people will be.
It is proposed to give ample information
as to the principles and progress of our
connexional institutions, partly in explana-
tory articles, and partly by the regular
insertion of intelligence. Our theological
colleges, our Kingswood schools, our con-
nexional periodicals, our chapel movements,
our home missions, our missions to special
classes, such as sailors and soldiers and,
last but not least, our Sunday and day
school operations. Upon all these subjects
our people are desiring trustworthy infor-
mation in a cheap and accessible form. The
proceedings of our district meetings, of our
Conference Committees of review, and of
the Conference itself, would, we are per-
suaded, be read with immense interest and
advantage by tens of thousands, if presented
in such a form; and, so far as it is cus-
tomary and proper that these proceedings
should be given to the world, it is our
intention to record them. So thorough and
so hearty is our attachment to Methodism,
that W6 are convinced it only needs to be
fairly and fully put before the great mass
of our people, to ensure their yet heartier,
because more enlightened, attachment. In
this case, to understand is to admire.
[PRICE ONE PENNY.
BY REV. DAVID HAY.
of the Gospel foust
the chief of sinners am,
But Jesus died for me.
(Continued on page 4.)
once delivered to the saints."
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