Wesley's first four volumes of Sermons and his Notes upon the New Testament, the statement and explanation of Methodist doctrines are to be found, and that these are our tests of orthodoxy. By the legal standards of Methodism we must be judged. It is in vain that sentences containing the condensed essence of ill-natured bigotry are quoted as specimens of our creed; we bring them at once to the touchstone of the teachings of Wesley, and reject them as pletely at variance with his catholic views.

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Whilst we point to the selected Sermons and the Notes as the canons of Methodist teaching, we do not overlook the fact that Mr. Wesley's other writings and his practice contain illustrations of his creed. We direct the attention of our critics to his principles and conduct as showing what a true Methodist really is; and we may unhesitatingly say, that his life and words completely condemn the opinions which society, in love with caricature, attributes to us. Here, then, we take our stand: an orthodox Methodist is one who in creed and deed illustrates the principles which guided John Wesley in his dealings with the Church and the world.

It may be of service to some if we quote Mr. Wesley's own definition of a Methodist :

'The distinguishing marks of a Methodist are not his opinions of any sort. His assenting to this or that scheme of religion, his embracing any particular set of notions, his espousing the judgment of one man or of another, are all quite wide of the point. Whosoever, therefore, imagines that a Methodist is a man of such or such an opinion is grossly ignorant of the whole affair; he mistakes the truth totally. We believe, indeed, that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God;" and herein we are distinguished from Jews, Turks and Infidels. We believe the written Word of God to be the only and sufficient rule both of Christian faith and practice; and herein we are fundamentally distinguished from those of the Romish Church. We believe

Christ to be the eternal, supreme God; and herein we are distinguished from the Socinians and Arians. But as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think. So that, whatsoever they are, whether right or wrong, they are no distinguishing marks of a Methodist...." What, then, is the mark? Who is a Methodist according to your own account?" I answer: A Methodist is one who has the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost given unto him; one who loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength. God is the joy of his heart, and the desire of his soul; which is constantly crying out, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee!" "My God and my all!" "Thou art the strength of my heart and my portion for ever! "

After setting forth the fruits of such a religious state, Mr. Wesley continues:

These are the principles and practices of our sect; these are the marks of a true Methodist.....If any man say, "Why, these are only the common fundamental principles of Christianity! "Thou hast said; so I mean; this is the very truth; I know that they are no other; and I would to God both thou and all men knew that I, and all who follow my judgment, do vehemently refuse to be distinguished from other men by any but the common principles of Christianity-the plain old Christianity that I teach, renouncing and detesting all other marks of distinction..... By these marks, by these fruits of a living faith, do we labour to distinguish ourselves from the unbelieving world, from all those whose minds or lives are not according to the Gospel of Christ. But from real Christians, of whatsoever denomination they be, we earnestly desire not to be distinguished at all; not from any who sincerely follow after what they know they have not yet attained...............And I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that we be in no wise divided among our selves. Is thy heart right as my heart is with thine? I ask no farther question. If it be, give me thy hand. For opinions or terms let us not destroy the work of God. Dost thou love and serve God? It is enough; I give thee the right hand of fellowship. (The Character of a Methodist. Wesley's Works, vol. viii., pp. 339–347, 8vo. Edit.)

These are no isolated passages, selected for the purpose of special pleading. The same sentiments are

From the above quoted passage it is clear that Methodism does not exist for the purpose of promulgating a certain set of opinions, but for guarding and spreading 'the common fundamental principles of Christianity.' Having regard to this definition we declare our opinion that not only is Methodism adapted to meet the wants of the present day, but it is peculiarly fitted to supply them. We will attempt to make good our position.

What are the special demands of the age upon the Church? Happily we have at hand a recently published volume which will assist us to answer that question. On the 8th of August, 1847, there was delivered in the then newly-erected 'Church of the Saviour,' in Birmingham, a very characteristic discourse by the late Mr. George Dawson. That discourse was entitled The Demands of the Age upon the Church, and it now appears in his Sermons on Disputed Points and Special Occasions. Some years have Some years have elapsed since the day when Mr. Dawson weighed the existing Churches in the balances of his understanding and found them wanting, but we may take his declarations as being of practical value still. He says that the age demands: 1. That the Church should in no wise whatsoever limit, hinder or make difficult full freedom of thought. 2. That it should promote a spirit of unity. 3. That it should teach the great doctrines of Brotherhood and Equality; and 4. That it should make provision for the reception of doubters. In considering how far Methodism is capable of

meeting these demands, we may justly pass over the second and third points urged, for Christian unity, brotherhood and equality are surely asserted in the passage we have quoted, and are certainly illustrated amongst our Churches. We will, however, consider the first and fourth demands; and since there can be no enquiry that does not presuppose some degree of doubt, we will take both together.

In dealing with the broad question of freedom of thought, we will place ourselves on the lines laid down by Mr. Dawson in the discourse alluded to. He says very wisely: 'Remember there are three states which men will pass through. When all are very ignorant the chances are that all will think very much alike, if they think at all; when all are partially educated, that no two will think alike; when all shall be fully educated, the probability is that all will think alike again.' He considers that men are now in the intermediate state, and that enquiry and divergence are the order of the day. Underlying his statement we see the admission that Truth can be reached; and that when ignorance shall be completely removed a basis of unity will be discovered on which all enlightened men will rest. Until that time, he urges that all shall be free to advance towards the Truth by their own methods. The freedom claimed is not freedom from the Truth, for freedom from the Truth means bondage to a lie; but liberty to investigate and to choose or strike out what seems to us the best pathway to the calm heights of Christian belief.

We assert that Methodism, properly understood, grants this liberty of research to all its lay-members. To the honest, earnest seeker, and to the perplexed doubter it holds out a helping hand. It is true that our

Church cares more for the state of a man's heart than for his opinions, but it is aware that confusion of opinion

often reacts upon the spiritual life, and so it places itself sympathetically by the side of the man who is compelled to investigate, and seeks to lead him towards the haven of a clear and intelligent Faith. Such men abound in our Churches; fighting, for the most part, a silent battle with doubt, but evermore journeying over the Enchanted ground towards the Beulah-land of Truth. Knowing somewhat of their struggle we may perhaps be permitted to point out its main features.

It is interesting to mark the progress of the earnest seeker who, after toil and storm, crosses the black waters of bewildering doubt, and conquers for himself standing ground on the luminous shore of Christian belief. Let us attempt to indicate some of the stages of that progress.

A young man begins the serious business of life with his memory filled with catechetical definitions of doctrine, and the results of the thinkings of others made up into a consistent creed. That creed can, however, scarcely be said to be as yet, in the full sense, his own. The memory grasps its outlines, but the heart has not conquered it and placed its passion-mark of possession upon it. In process of time the intelligence begins to demand that religious truth shall be looked at from the standpoint of individual conviction, and the restlessness of the age and the pressure of temptation emphasize the demand. Not unfrequently some bitter disappointment occurs which sours the spirit and shakes confidence in God and man. The free, trustful, exuberant spirit goes out into the chilling circumstances of life, and the sad process, which we call'disillusionizing,' takes place. The world is seen to be hollow; men are found to be weak; and gradually there comes upon the soul an awful sense of loneliness and disappointment. In such rcumstances a merely memoriter

creed breaks down, and the man finds that he must gain for himself some foothold of rock or he will sink in the sea of doubt that heaves and roars around him.

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This phase of experience is presented by the lives of many young people to-day, and all who interest themselves in the aspects of youthful theological thought are familiar with the condition sketched. In fact, the processes by which men are led to unbelief are so well known that those who are skilled in the science of enquiry can accurately gauge a case of scepticism, and can suggest the probable course and result of the disease. Who does not feel that Joseph Cook, in his famous Monday Lectures, has pointed out the varying experiences of such a man? begins by thinking that everything can be known; then he is sure that nothing can be known; after awhile he begins to emerge from this state of negation, and he thinks that at least those things which can be perceived by the senses can be known; and, finally, dissatisfied with the creed of the materialist, he comes to the sound conclusion that enough of religious truth may be known for all practical purposes; his final state being well represented by the words: 'I may not know every path in the forest; enough for me if I know the path home.' Similarly, Thomas Carlyle, in his Sartor Resartus, tracks his pilgrim from days of sunny, infantile belief and pleasure, through his keen disappointments and scepticism, down to the sombre deeps of the 'Everlasting No.' Then he points to his footprints in the Centre of Indifference,' and leads him at last to the tranquil, heaven-crowned heights of the Everlasting Yea.'

Now how does Methodism approach such a man? Does it denounce en

quiry, and compel him by lack of thinking to arrange himself into an orthodox attitude? We shall best

answer these questions by trying to determine the relation of our Church to Christian belief. Methodism makes a clear distinction between practical or experimental theology and speculative theology. We place immense emphasis on the former. The experimental doctrines of Christianity are guarded as a sacred deposit. Unfalteringly we utter our Credo when the clearly revealed teachings of the New Testament in respect of conversion and sanctification are announced. And have we not a right thus to express our belief? Have we not submitted these doctrines to the test of fact? And with what result? The experience of nearly a century and a half has endorsed the correctness of our views. In obscure villages, in sedate country towns, in crowded and many-thoughted cities, in our Mission-stations at the ends of the earth, thousands of men and women testify by transformed lives that the weapons for the conquest of the heart are in our hands. It is no wonder, therefore, that 'those leading and vital doctrines of the Gospel which peculiarly distinguished the early Methodist Preachers' distinguish our Ministers and people still. There is, on every hand, a feeling of intense loyalty to this portion of our creed, which often perplexes a person who witnesses its exhibition and attempts to gauge its force. Our experience as a Church must be our justification for our loyalty, if such justification be needed.

But is our loyalty to 'the common fundamental principles of Christianity' marked by the bigotry that excludes all freedom of investigation? It is often said that whenever you go into a Methodist chapel you hear the Same doctrines preached. Very true. But why? Are our Ministers auComata who have been filled at some time with neatly arranged definitions and proof texts, and who, being set Cunningly to work, emit them as oc

VOL. II.-SIXTH SERIES.

casion requires? We doubt it. Some of the most independent thinkers we know are Methodist Preachers. The unity of our teaching arises from the fact that our Ministers declare the things which they have felt and seen.' Experience has been their teacher; and, taking our figure from George Dawson's scheme, being fully educated by experience they all think alike. But whilst the thought is the same, the expression varies according to the peculiarities of each man's mind; and thus the maximum of freshness allies itself with the minimum of divergence. The man who is seeking to arrive at an experimental knowledge of religion may well feel himself at home amongst the Methodist people. The sole condition of membership is a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and be saved from his sins,' a desire shown by its fruits. Such is the catholic aspect of our Church in respect of seekers after Truth. If Methodism had no other claim than this, that in a time when speculation is rife, when superstition and scepticism are dividing Churches and filling them with unholy clamour, she calmly takes her stand on the experimental doctrines of Christianity, she would have a right to declare that she is peculiarly adapted to meet the demands of this restless age.

The rule which guides a true Methodist in these troublous times is that of John Wesley already quoted : 'As to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think.' It would be well if some bigots would lay to heart the following extract from his Advice to the People called Methodists:

'Lay so much stress on opinions that all your own, if it be possible, may agree with truth and reason; but have a care of anger, dislike or contempt towards those whose opinions differ from yours....Condemn no man for not thinking as you think. Let every one enjoy the full and free liberty of thinking for himself; let every man use his

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