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days I was led in silence to wait upon and to adore God.

"A change took place in my mind from that time; and, if I do not deceive myself, I have since that time been more feelingly conscious than before, of anything in conversation, reading, preaching, prayer, or common practice, which is inconsistent with the genuine spirit of religion, that religion which God alone inspires, and which, if suffered to have its full influence, will dwell in every power and temper of the soul, and regulate every action of the life.

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'My mind was led by degrees into a fixed disapprobation of many things belonging to the Methodist system,-as the established ministry; believing there could be no true ministry but that which is the effect of the power of Christ in the heart. The falsehoods uttered in singing, I was sensible were an evil such as only custom, together with the pleasantness of this exercise, had made us inattentive to. I believed that persons were frequently induced to utter words of prayer through custom, and the necessity there was (according to our system) of filling up the appointed hour for worship, when at the same time the mind was not influenced by the true spirit of prayer. I have lamented in reflecting that this has been my own experience; I have mourned that there was not found in my spirit more sincerity toward God and man. These, and other things which I believed to be wrong, brought my mind at some seasons into great perplexity. In the first month of this year I wrote to my friends at Epworth on these subjects, also to some other estimable Christians; but I did not hear anything from any of them which might

cause me to reject the principles my spirit was imbibing. All the evils in myself and others appeared to arise from this source, a want of attention, submission and obedience to the divine power and teaching of the Spirit.

"It will be allowed, without hesitation, that no teaching or instruction of men, unaccompanied by the healing power of the Sun of righteousness, can give true light or consolation to the wounded spirit; but, if this truth be acknowledged, why should a constant round of teaching be thought necessary, whether the spirits of those who minister are divinely influenced or not? It may be said, that there is much good done in this way. But is not the good which is done the answer of the true Spirit which pleads in the hearts of the worshippers? I am very far from believing that the Methodist worship is unmixedly false; but is not the measure of false worship, or of worship without the Spirit, a hinderance to the prevalence of the true life? Does it not mislead the mind, and, by causing it to satisfy itself with that which is not bread,' still suffer confusion and darkness, and even sin to prevail?

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Words are, indeed, a means by which the spirits of men have communion with each other; but even in this they are not the only means, and are no further really useful than as they express the genuine feelings of the mind. But to the Almighty we do not want this means of conveying our feelings if we worship Him in spirit and in truth, it matters not whether it be in words or in silence.

"No experienced Christian will deny that we may worship truly without words; and, though I

cannot find one passage in the Scriptures, one argument in the nature of things, nor, I believe, one conviction from the Spirit in my heart, that there can be any worship acceptable which proceeds not from the Spirit; notwithstanding this, I see almost every sect of Christians in the habit of filling up the time appointed for public worship with outward forms, whether the mind be divinely moved in it or not.

"In regard to instruction, I believe the principal point is to have the attention turned to the Divine Teacher in the heart, that 'true light' which is the

life of men,' and which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world." The Almighty has indeed seen it good to make men instrumental in turning each other's attention to the heavenly light, and to make this instrumentality one means of uniting his people to each other, and calling into exercise many grateful and heavenly affections.

"For some time before I declined joining in your general meetings for worship I had frequently, and indeed generally, been in a degree of bondage in the meetings, and felt a persuasion that I could not long continue in this state. Yet I did not find liberty to separate from the Methodists. An absolute separation from any who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity was a thought from which I shrunk; and I could not but encourage a hope that either some change might take place in the society, so that what was objectionable might be avoided, or that some kind of union might be formed among sincere Christians of every name,

See John, i. 9.

so that no separating bar should any longer prevent their endeavouring to do each other good, and more abundantly to spread the influence of the Redeemer's kingdom. The prayer of my heart

was,

'Ah! join me to thy secret ones,
Ah! gather all thy living stones!'

The Spirit of Christ has always appeared to me a much stronger bond of union than any similarity of opinions, or any views of outward church-fellowship.

"I did not expect to find a pure church on earth; but my heart glowed with affection for the sincere of every name. Sensible that I was very far from being infallible myself, and remembering how, in some things, I had discovered myself to have been under the influence of error, I have wished to exercise a spirit of affection and forbearance towards those who differ from me, conscious that if a spirit of forbearance and charity were not exercised towards me, my conduct might be too severely and unjustly judged. I have longed to see the members of the church-militant united as one family, filled with reverence and love towards their heavenly Father, overflowing with gracious affections towards each other, and animated with benevolent desires for the salvation of those who have never yet experienced the powers of the world to come.' I have felt much in remembering the lines in one of our hymns,

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'Scattered o'er all the earth they lie

Till Thou collect them with thine eye,
Drawn by the music of thy name,
And charm'd into a beauteous frame.'

"These views and these desires may be con

sidered as visionary, and I am sorry there is no brighter prospect of their being realized. No union among Christians can be extensively effectual to good, unless the spirits of men be influenced in a deep and lively measure by the power of Christ. When Christians are brought to experience a more abundant measure of his Divine Spirit, they will be more affectionately united to every member of the family of heaven. In remembering Him who poured out His soul unto death' for their sakes, they will remember also that He commanded them to love one another.

"I would take this opportunity of giving my thanks to those of you who, influenced by the spirit of Christian candour, have avoided passing a hasty judgment on my conduct; but, on the contrary, have given me credit for sincerity of intention, notwithstanding you might have wished me to have acted otherwise than I have done. My late conduct has, I know, by many persons been attributed to a want of that very principle which, in reality, has influenced my mind, and induced the dissent for which I am reflected on as unstable. To explain myself more clearly, many persons have appeared to think that, in dissenting from Methodism, I have manifested a want of love to God and man, a decline of the concern which my actions formerly seemed to show for the welfare of my Methodist friends, and particularly for that part of them among whom my husband passed the last days of a life which there is reason to believe was shortened by his uncommon labours in the service of Methodism. On the whole, I am cautioned to take care lest, through my instability, I am not a stumbling-block to many weak believers,

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