was established in New Market, under the patronage of the New England Conference, which succeeded and was finally re moved to Wilbraham, Mass., and it continues in successful operation to this day. In 1819, the Wesleyan Seminary was commenced in the city of New York, under the patronage of the New York Conference, which was finally removed to White Plains, and still continues to bless the rising generation with its instructions. establishment of a college was adopted, | friends and patrons. In 1817, an academy and immediately after the adjournment of the conference, it was published; and Dr. Coke and Bishop Asbury set themselves to work to carry it into effect by soliciting subscriptions, and selecting a site for the buildings. They finally succeeded in erecting a brick building, 80 feet in length and 40 in width, in the town of Abington, about 25 miles from the city of Baltimore, a spot of ground which gave a delightful and commanding view of the Chesapeake Bay, and of the country for twenty miles around. The college was opened for the reception of students on the 10th day of December, 1785, and continued in successful operation until the 7th of December, 1795, just ten years, lacking three days, when the whole was consumed by fire. A second, which was soon after erected in Baltimore, shared the same fate. These calamitous circumstances attending their first efforts to establish a college, threw a damper over the minds of its friends, and indeed induced Bishop Asbury to think that the Methodists were not called to labor in the cause of education. The whole subject was therefore laid aside, except some ineffectual efforts to found some district schools, and the establishment of some charity schools, for more than twenty years. This general apathy in the cause of education, together with the fact that Methodist ministers were admitted into the Christian ministry without any specific literary qualifications, induced a belief in the public mind generally, that the Methodists were enemies, or at least indifferent to the cause of education; and it must be confessed that there was too much ground for this belief, as many certainly manifested, if not hostility, yet a great lukewarmness upon this subject. This, however, was not the case with all. Some of the most pious and enlightened of the preachers and people mourned over this state of things, and they at last made an effort to rescue the church from this reproach. The first was made in 1817, by some friends in the city of Baltimore, who commenced a literary institution under the name of the "Asbury College;" but this soon went down, much to the disappointment and mortification of its At the General Conference in 1820, the subject of education was referred to a committee, who made a spirited report in favor of the two academies already in operation, and recommended that all the annual conferences should adopt measures for the establishment of seminaries within their bounds. The adoption of this report by the General Conference, had a most happy effect in diffusing the spirit of education throughout its bounds. But still there were many obstacles to be removed, and much apathy to be overcome, some manifesting an open hostility to the cause, while others looked on with cold indifference. In 1823, Augusta College, in Kentucky, was commenced, and it has gone forward with various degrees of prosperity to this day. In 1824, an academy was commenced at Cazenovia, New York State, under the patronage of the Oneida Conference, which has prospered from that day to this. In 1827, another was established at Readfield, Maine, under the patronage of the Maine Conference, on the manual labor system, and it has gone on success. fully to the present time. About the same time an academy was established in the bounds of the Mississippi Conference, which has done much to dif fuse the spirit of education in that region of country. The report which was adopted by the General Conference of 1828, in favor of education, did much to excite the friends of the cause to persevering diligence in this grand enterprise. In 1831, three colleges were founded, namely: The Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut; Ran try. dolph Macon College, in Boydston, Meck- | much usefulness in that region of counlenburgh county, Virginia; and La Grange, in North Alabama. These have all been thus far carried forward with success, though sometimes laboring under embarrassment for lack of adequate endow. ments. In 1833, two other colleges were established, namely: Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pa., and Allegheny College, in Meadville, Pa. They have both continued with various degrees of prosperity, but still need more funds to put them upon a permanent foundation. Another academy was established about the same time at Lima, Livingston county, N. Y., which is still in a prosperous state. In 1834, Lebanon College was founded at Lebanon, Illinois, under the patronage of the Illinois Conference, and it continues to prosper, though somewhat embarrassed for want of more ample endowments. The Troy Conference Academy, located at Poultney, Vermont, was commenced the same year, and it has been carried forward with much success to the present time though it is oppressed with a heavy debt, which the conference is exerting itself nobly to liquidate. In 1835, a Classical Manual Labor School was commenced in Covington, Georgia, and another for the education of females, both of which are still in successful operation. In 1836, The Emery College was founded. These literary institutions are all under the patronage of the Georgia Conference. In 1837, The Indiana Asbury University was commenced, and is still in operation. This was undertaken by the Indiana Conference. The Amenia Seminary was established about this time. It is located in the town of Amenia, Duchess county, New York, and it has very much prospered from that day to this. Two, namely, Henry and Charles Colleges, were founded in 1839, under the patronage of the Holston Conference, and they are still prosecuting their labors with success. In the same year, St. Charles College was commenced, under the patronage of the Missouri Conference, which promises The Cokesberg Manual Labor School, in the bounds of the South Carolina Conference, was begun about the same time. Two academies were also commenced in 1839, one male, and the other female, in the bounds, and under the patronage of the New Jersey Conference; and the Newbury Seminary, and New Market Seminary, under the patronage of the New Hampshire Conference, were begun about the same time. These are all ful filling the hopes of their friends. The Newbury Seminary has a theological department attached to it. In 1841, the Transylvania University, in Lexington, Kentucky, was transferred to the Methodist Church, and is now in a prosperous condition. These make no less than thirteen collegiate institutions, which are under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. In addition to these a college has been commenced under favorable auspices in Rutersville, in the Republic of Texas, which has received a large endowment in land from the state, and it bids fair to be rendered a great blessing to that infant republic. There are a number of academies besides those above enumerated, which are under Methodist influence, and which are so far patronized by the conferences, within the bounds of which they are located, that the conferences appoint boards of visiters, and recommend them to the patronage of their brethren and friends. It will be seen by the above, that the Methodist Episcopal Church has made an effort to redeem herself from the reproach which had been cast upon her, not without some show of reason, of being indifferent to the cause of education. And if she shall exert her energies to sustain those institutions of learning which she has so nobly begun, by more ample endowments, she will do her part towards shedding on the youth of our land the blessings of sound knowledge and a liberal education. These, combined with experimental and practical piety, will tend to cement our Union more firmly together, and to raise us to honor and respectability among the nations of the earth. BIBLE, SUNDAY SCHOOL, AND TEM-brief view of the history, the doctrines, PERANCE CAUSES. In these benevolent enterprises, this church has taken an active part. She has a Sunday School Union of her own, in which she endeavors to do what she may in training up the youth entrusted to her care in the knowledge of the holy scriptures, and in the practice of piety and virtue. In addition to Sunday school books and tracts, and a Sunday school library, in which are found some of the choicest books in the English language in the various departments of knowledge, particularly adapted to youth, she prints The Sunday School Advocate, a semimonthly periodical, well calculated to attract and instruct the youthful mind, and containing lessons suited to teachers and superintendents of sabbath schools. In the great Bible cause, she unites her energies with the American Bible Society, many of her ministers being agents of this catholic and truly benevolent institution, and they have free access to her pulpits for the purpose of pleading its cause, and taking up collections for its support. In the temperance reformation, as a church, she stands foremost in the ranks, always having made it a term of churchfellowship to abstain from "intoxicating liquors, unless in cases of necessity." And though this rule was somewhat relaxed in its practical effects, when the temperance reformation commenced, and though she did not immediately see the necessity of uniting with the American Temperance Society in all its plans of operation: yet, no sooner did she perceive that many of her members were indulging in moderate drinking, and that therefore there was a danger of their "running into the same excess of riot" with those who were gratifying their appetites with intoxicating drinks, than she lifted up her warning voice against the deadly poison, and united with all those who declared in favor of a total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors as a beverage; and it is believed that the pernicious practice is now nearly banished from the church, and hopes are entertained that soon it will be so entirely. the government, and the usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church, it will be seen I humbly trust, that she has contributed much towards the conversion of the world, and that, if permitted to go on in her career of usefulness to the souls and bodies of men, her ministers and members shall not be wanting, in that day when God shall "come to make up his jewels," in some share of that glory which shall be given to those "who turn many to righteousness." From the facts contained in the above HISTORY OF THE METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH. BY THE REV. JAMES R. WILLIAMS, OF BALTIMORE. THE Methodist Protestant Church comprises all the associated Methodist churches in these United States, and numbers, at the present time, November, 1843, sixty thousand communicants, thirteen hundred ministers and preachers, twenty-two annual conference districts, and possesses upwards of a half million of church property, acquired since her organization. gospel doctrines. 2. Ordinances, that is, to set up whatever worship, sacraments, and services, they may deem conformable to the gospel; and 3. Moral discipline, that is, to admit and expel, censure and suspend, whomsoever they please in the church of God, and for whatever causes to them shall seem meet. These unwarrantable claims were preceded and fol lowed by the expulsion of nearly eighty ministers and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in different parts of the United States, who advocated a change in the church government, and opposed the Popish claims of the itinerant ministers and bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The above cited claims and expulsions produced numerous secessions in different parts of the United States, and the organization of several annual conferences, of associated churches. These, respectively, elected their representatives, who assembled as above stated in the city of Baltimore, and framed a constitution and disci Her first General Convention, at which the church was regularly organized, was held in 1830, in the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland. There were in attendance at the convention eighty-three ministerial, and lay representatives, from the following states: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia. These represented about five thousand members of the respective associated Methodist churches, a large majority of whom had withdrawn from the Methodist Episcopal Church, on account of her government and hostility to a lay representation; she not only having withheld representation from the peo-pline for the government of the entire asple, but actually denied that they have sociation. The basis on which the governany right to representation. Moreover ment is founded, embraces two very imshe had claimed for her itinerant ministry, portant particulars: First-"The Lord exclusively, as of divine right, and with- Jesus Christ is the only HEAD of the out any authoritative control from the Church, and the word of God is the suffichurch, not merely the administration, but cient rule of faith and practice, in all things the sole right of expounding and main pertaining to godliness." Secondly-"A taining, 1. Gospel doctrines, that is, a written constitution establishing the form right to preach, and teach whatever they of government, and securing to the minmay please to admit into their creed asisters and members of the church, their |