'From a consideration of the necessity of the measure, and instructed by most, if not all the seven Annual Conferences,* the General Conference of 1808, constituted the delegated General Conference as it now exists.

Previously to that year, the General Conference had been composed of all the travelling preachers who were in full connection at the time of holding the General Conference. Could the whole number of the ministry of this description have attended, the aggregate amount of numbers, even in the General Conference of 1808, would have exceeded two hundred: as it was, there were one hundred and twenty-nine in attendance.

Two reasons especially were urged in favor of remodelling the General Conference, and giving it the delegated form: the one was, that the number of the members of the General Conference were becoming too numerous to do the business of the church with sufficient economy and despatch, or be conveniently accommodated in any one place. The other was, that as the members from the Annual Conferences in the immediate neighbourhood of the seat of the General Conference, could attend with less expense, and more convenience, than those of Conferences at a distance; those Conferences thus situated, formed a decided majority of the whole number. The latter reason was particularly urged, and felt. J. Lee, in his history of the Methodists, remarks, that the Conferences of Baltimore and Philadelphia were prevented from forming the majority of the whole number, by thus adopting the delegated system.'—pp. 4, 5.

It is farther stated, that 'when the General Conference of 1808 first took up the subject of constituting a delegated Conference, it was unconnected with limitations or restrictions of any description. The proposition was a single and naked one, to form a delegated General Conference, possessed, as was understood to be designed, of the same authority and powers exercised by the old General Conference. After a discussion of several days, the proposition in this form was put to the vote and lost, by a large majority.

'The subject however was afterward reconsidered; and with a view to obviate the objections which had been urged, a committee of fourteen were appointed, two from each Conference, to draw up and report such restrictions and limitations as they might deem necessary to govern the proposed delegated General Conference. This committee were from,-New-York, E. Cooper and J. Wilson.-New-England, G. Pickering and J. Soule.-Western Conference, W. M'Kendree and W. Burke.-South Carolina, W. Phoebus and J. Randle.-Virginia, P. Bruce and J. Lee.-Baltimore, S. G. Roszel and N. Reed.—Philadelphia, J. M'Claskey and T. Ware.

The committee reported the limitations and restrictions nearly as they now stand in the Discipline, together with the proviso attached to them the proposition in connection with these regulations then succeeded, and the delegated General Conference was instituted. See Garrettson's Life, p. 255.'-pp. 5, 6.

[* There were then but seven; there are now nineteen, exclusive of the Canada Conference.--EDITORS.]

'The General Conference soon lessened the number of delegates from one for every five, to one for every seven members of the Annual Conferences, from a conviction of its necessity, and long before this would have decreased it still more, had they possessed the power.'— p. 6.

In 1826, a resolution, which had originated in the Mississippi Conference, was laid before that of Philadelphia, recommending to the General Conference next ensuing, a change in the ratio of delegation, so as that there should not be more than one for every seven members of the Annual Conferences, nor a less number than one for every twenty-one. This resolution proposed to alter the second restriction, according to the mode pointed out in the proviso, without changing the proviso itself. This resolution, or recommendation, although it had obtained the sanction of all the other Conferences, was never finally acted upon by this [the Philadelphia] Conference.'-p. 7.

A substitute for the Mississippi resolution was proposed by the Philadelphia Conference, which, however, was not concurred in by the other Conferences.

'The General Conference of 1828, recommended to the Annual Conferences to authorize the General Conference of 1832, so to alter the proviso, as to read thus,-" Provided, nevertheless, upon the concurrent recommendation of three fourths of the members of the Annual Conferences who shall be present and vote upon such recommendation, then a majority of two thirds of the General Conference succeeding, shall suffice to alter such restriction except the first. And also, whenever such alteration or alterations, shall first have been recommended by two thirds of the General Conference, so soon as three fourths of the members of the Annual Conferences shall have concurred as aforesaid, with such recommendations, such alteration or alterations shall take effect."-pp. 7, 8.

us,

This recommendation was rejected by the Philadelphia Conference at its session in April last. The object of the Appeal before as above stated, is to solicit that body to review the subject, and to concur in the resolution, as it still has both time and the right to do. The Appeal is written with the candour and the kindliness of feeling which become brethren in such a case; and though we may not all precisely agree in every position assumed, yet we are persuaded none can doubt that the end aimed at by its respected authors is to promote what they believe to be the best interests of a beloved Church, to which we all owe so much, and of which we heartily unite to say, like the dying patriot to his country, May it be perpetual!

PRAYER MACHINES.

'THE religion of the Calmucs, and of the other Mogul nations of Upper Asia, was probably derived in early ages from India.

They revere as its founder Schag Schamuni, who lived in India long before the time of Christ, and delivered instructions, which were committed to writing by his disciples, in part, soon after his death, and the rest at a later period. It takes its name of Buddhaism from the worship of the god Buddh; it is also called by the name of its priests, or Lamas. Being oppressed in its native country by the Brahmins, (so called from their god Brahma,) it was propagated the more extensively in the neighbouring countries, and now reigns in China and Japan, in Thibet, (which is its throne,) and over all Mongolia. It was established in Thibet four hundred years before the birth of Christ: thence it made its way, in 1250, to the Moguls, and soon became the sole and universal religion among them. Buddhaism knows nothing of one Almighty God, the Maker of heaven and earth. In its creed, God is one with the world; and every thing was produced out " of the eternal existence of the universe." From infinite space every thing that is and was, material and immaterial, animate and inanimate, arose by circular motion !

The kurdu, or prayer machine, is peculiar to the Budhaists. It consists of hollow wooden cylinders, of different sizes, filled with Tangud writings. The cylinders are painted with red stripes, and adorned with handsome gilt letters, in the Sanscrit character; each of these is fixed upon an iron axis, which goes through a square frame; this frame is capable of being shut up flat, and is formed upon a small scale, much like a weaver's shearing machine. Where the lower parts of the frame cross, there is a hole in which the axis of the cylinder turns: by means of a string which is attached to a crank in the spindle, the machine can be kept in motion; so that the cylinder turns in the frame like a grindstone (only upright) upon its axis. At Sarepta we had two large kurdus of this kind, with Tangud writings of all sorts, rolled one upon another round the spindle, in the inside of the cylinder, to the length altogether of some hundred feet. These prayer mills perform a much more important office than a rosary, which only serves to assist the son who prays. The Moguls believe that it is meritorious respectfully to set in motion (whether by the wind or otherwise) such writings as contain prayers, and other religious documents, that the noise of these scraps of theology may reach to the gods, and bring down their blessing. As these prayer machines usually contain the Tangud formula, which is serviceable to all living creatures, (repeated, it may be, ten thousand times, so that there is a multiplication of power like that in the English machines, equivalent to the labour of so many individuals,) as prayer can in this manner be carried on like a wholesale manufactory, it is not very surprising that prayer mills are so commonly to be found in the houses of the Moguls. An ingenious contrivance this, for storming heaven with the least possible trouble.'-Zwick's Calmuc Tartary.

per

INFIDELITY.

[BY A YOUTH.]

THE march of improvement, so marked and rapid in modern times, has not been confined, it would seem, to the arts and sciences, but has been extended also to matters of religion. The night of ignorance and superstition, in which the Christian world has been so long shrouded, is, we are told, about to be dispelled by the rising sun of reason. No longer is skepticism confined to the deep meditating philosopher, who, led on by the ignis fatuus of his own bewildered imagination, and disregarding the lamp of divine revelation, has been drawn into the bogs and pits of infidelity. The contagion has spread to all ranks of society,-to the designing politician, who, to divert the minds of the people from his own intrigues, would direct their attacks against the artifices of priestly domination;-to the voluptuary, who, intent only on the gratification of his sensual appetites, and unambitious of that pure, exalted, and eternal happiness, which Christianity declares to await, through faith, a life of virtue, would fain, by denying the truth of that religion, steel his heart against all dread of the misery which it also pronounces to be the reward of a course like his ;-to the active merchant, who, engrossed with the advancement of his temporal concerns, and wanting time, in the hurry of his occupations, to prepare for a future state, or even to listen to the details of the Christian evidence, would wish to silence the voice of conscience, by affecting to believe that there is no hereafter :-in short, to the humblest walks of life, where it may be seen lowering on the forehead of the hardy mechanic, or working man, who can lift his menacing voice against the priesthood, and looking on the Bible as a jugglery of theirs, bid stout defiance to its denunciations.'

Can such men be said to have reason on their side? Nay, we should rather say, that their opinions (if opinions they can be called) have been fashioned after the inclinations of their own corrupt hearts, and the pattern of their own vicious lives. That they have either not studied the evidences of Christianity at all, or, if they have, it has been with no other view than to bring them into ridicule and contempt. For we cannot believe that any one, who is not either depraved in his understanding, or obstinately perverse, can impartially study these evidences, without being forced into a conviction of their truth.

Take, thou who doubtest even the existence of a God, take the microscope, and explore the wondrous structure of the minutest particles of matter,-behold in every grain, a little world as perfect in its parts as this great earth, on which we tread ;-see every drop of liquid instinct with life, and swarming with myriads of animate beings, as admirably adapted for their spheres of action as man himself for his..

If still unsatisfied, view through the telescope the vast expanse

above;-contemplate those mighty orbs, compared with which this globe of ours shrinks into an atom. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech; and night unto night showeth knowledge.' And art thou not yet fully persuaded? Recall then thy wandering thoughts, and fix them on thyself. Behold how fearfully and wonderfully made is man!-his corporeal frame-how obedient to his will!-his organs-how nicely adapted to convey to the mind the impressions made upon them! Contemplate that greatest of all wonders, the mind of man :-his thoughts, flying with inconceivable rapidity through infinite space;-his imagination, busied with the endless forms of its own creation;-his mighty intellect, detecting the abstrusest secrets of nature, and tracing the laws which govern revolving worlds.

And then, (for we will no longer insult your understanding by supposing that it can resist such an overwhelming combination of evidence,) then you will be forced to exclaim, in the language of our first parent

'How came I thus? how here? Not of myself: by some Great Maker, then, In goodness and in power preeminent.'

If, again, there be any who, acknowledging the existence of an Almighty Creator, question nevertheless whether the religion of the Bible derives its origin from him, to such we would say,-Survey, once more, creation round. Behold on every side innumerable manifestations of goodness and benevolence, as infinite as the wisdom and power which you before acknowledged; and tell me, is it not inconsistent with such attributes of the Deity, that he should regard man as a responsible agent, and require him to perform his Maker's will, and yet leave him without a revelation of that will? If, then, such a revelation exists, where is it to be found? Is it in the confused medley of the Koran; or in the absurdities of the Zend Avesta? If such productions be of divine origin, no wonder that any should look with contempt upon their authors. But weigh, in the other scale, the claims of the Bible to this high distinction. Consider not only its relative, but its intrinsic merits,-the collateral testimony in its favor,-the grandeur of its sentiments, the salutariness of its laws,-the purity of its morals, acknowledged even by infidels. Consider all these, and be convinced that our holy religion is the gift of the inspiration of God.

But, supposing even, (for argument's sake,) that the divine origin of Christianity is not susceptible of demonstration, why, nevertheless, will you seek to drive it from the earth? Was there ever a system more calculated to promote the happiness and prosperity of society? Has it not, from its foundation to the present time, showered blessings wherever it has been received? And tell me not in reply, that there has been more blood shed in the cause of Christianity, than in any other. We deny the charge. It has been for the want of Christianity. The religion whose leading maxim is 'Love