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I^TINSON AND RICHEWS PAMPHLET— PUBLISHED BY REauj:sr or the..conference " Buy the triiUi, and f*eU it not." » J 'Joron'to : CONFlMiENCE Ol'FlCE, ■', WELLINGTON HUU.DlNttS. J- Hi LAWllENGE. nilNTER ^ '. 1840. ^^j^ »ti m mgi fwft ' - * T I I A '3 ^ '^ '^ \ /. /:^^ REPORT OF THEIR MISSION TO ENGLAND, BY THK RErilESK.M'AI I\ ES OF THK CANADA CONFKRKNCK. J ) To the Conference and Members iff ifk Wedeyan'Meikodisi Church in Canada, Havjii^'beeB duly appointed by out" l3fethtt;« asieinbled iu Conference in Ju»wlast,a^ iheif Representatives to the Wesleyan Conference in England, wo imoifttliately proceeded on our Mission, and laid, at* far as circumstances would {»«rmk» the several subjects committed to us before the Weslcyan Conference Aisembled at Neweastle-upt n-Tyne, in August. The result was, that the Wes- leyan Confei-ence in England has refused to abide any longer by the Articles of Union into which it entered in 1833 with the Conference of the VVesleyan Metho- dist Church iftCanada, This proceeding aftects, in no respect whatever, any pari of the Discipline or Institutions of the Church in Canada — it simply leaves our Conference, Ministers and People, to pursue, in their own way, without tttjy furthcf interference on the par^ of the Conference in England, the great «V(wk of cultivating the Vineyard of their Divine Master, and their various |»lanji of Christian enterprise foi the religious and moral improvement of Upper Canada; whilst it involves the P^nglish Conference in the responsibility and consequences of a formal Secession from deliberaiely adopted and regularly ratified Articles of Agreement with the Conference of the Wesloyan Methodist Church in Canada. The causes and circumstances of an event so extraordinary in its character an(! so important in its consequences, are worthy of serious attention ; and a brief narrative of them, and of the manner in vvhic'i wo have discharged the duties imposed upon us in relaticyi to them, is due to those by whom we were appointed, and cannot fail to interest tlie Members of our Church generally, und a large portion of the Canadian Public. li is known to all the Members of our Conference, and is clear from the Correspondence which took place in 1831 and 1832, between our Missionary Board and the Wesleyan Missionary Conmiittee in London, that the Union was suggested on our part, in the lirst place, not as a measure desirable in B . i I .1 i \ i I itself, but as expedient,— to prevent the disgrace and evils nt' collision between two regular branches of the Wesleyan family; and that it was not proposed liy our Conference until after the failure of every possible persuasion and ronion- etrance to induce the Conference in luigjand u> continue tho sanui fniUirnul arrangements with the Church in Canada, in its position as an independent Body within the Province, free from any foreign ecclesiastical control, as they had done for many years, by a formal agreement, with the American General Conference, when our Societies were connected with tho Methodist Episcopal in the United States. The arrangement, however, which the Conference in England {\dopted and observed in regard to Upper Canada while we had ti connexion with the United States Methodist Conference, the Wesleyan Mis- sionary Committee in London refused to observe at'ter the dissolution of that foreign ecclesiastical connexion. Under such circumstances, our Conference suggested the propriety of a formal co-operation between the English and Canada Conferences — hoping thereby to prevent the anomaly and mischief of establishing rival pulpits, societies and interests, and to secure the accession of an additional amount of piety, experience, talent, and means to our then rapidly expanding operations for the conversion of the Indian Tribes, and ihe religious instruction of the new settlements. Such were the circumstances which gave birth to the proposition of the Union on the part of our Conference ; and such were the objects contemplated by it. In carrying out that measure, and with a view to promote the Christian and benevolent objects which we contemplated by it, concessions of different kinds and on different occasions were made in deference to the views and feelings of the Committee in London, which exposed the motives of our Con- ference to imputations, and its character to attacks, from different quarters, and alienated not a few individuals from our communion and congregations. But it now appears, from indubitable evidence, that the Missionary Secre- taries in London, and other Members of the English Conference, had also other and unavowed objects in view in recommending and adopting the Articles of Union ; objects the contemplation and pursuit of which have obviously prevented that harmonious and successful operation of the Union which was anticipated by its friends and advocates in Canada. These objects were,— the gradual extinction of every sort of influence as identified with the Canada Conference— the transfer of that influence into other channels and ;nto other hands— and the absolute supremacy of the Committee and Conference in England over all the Departments and Institutions of the Church in Canada. The Union seems to have been chiefly preferred and adopted by the Missionary Secretaries in London as, in their judgment, the most feasible and expeditious method of rendering all the labours, and fruits, and influences of Methodism in Canada tributary to the establishment of their own complete ascendancy and control over every thing connected with that name. This was in substance avowed by Mr. Alder, and more explicitly stated by others in the late Con- ference in England, and was disputed by none; and it will be found to be embodied in Resolutions of the English Conference. Now, to a certain extent and upon certain principles, wo offer no objection to the contemplation and pursuit of such objects. Superior piety, wisdom. V a V rollBioii between s not proposed by lasion and renion- ho satiu! iVaUirnal » on independent i control, as they American General thodist Episcopal he Conference in L while we had ti le Wesleyan Mia- lissolution of that I, our Cot:ferenco the Knglirfh and y and mischief of ure the accession eans to our then m Tribes, and the •oposition of the ;cts contemplated lote the Clitistiau isions of different to the views and ttives of our Con- ■ent quarters, and ^regations. Vlissionary Seeve* ference, had also pting the Articles I have obviously Union which was bjects were, — the with the Canada els and into other d Conference in lurch in Canada. )y the Missionary 3 and expeditious es of Methodism plete ascendancy I was in substance in the late Con- 1 be found to be >ffer no objection r piety, wisdom. jfltelUgence, solf-denial, xeaJ, labouts and success, must and ought to command tuperiority of inlhirtnca and authority in every community united by voluntary rules and upon moral principles. But this authority does not and ought nor to consist in the lottor of written rules in a Christian Church, but in the power of moral intluoinx — not in the assumptions of theoretical prerogative, but in the supremacy of religious excellence and intellectual worth, which will, by the very laws of men's moral constitution, as surely secure to itself the homage which is its due, as the sun in the polar system evinces, by his own unrivalled splendour and diffusive effulgence, his unquestioned and unquestionable supre- macy over the other planetary bodies of our material universe. But it involves the essence of despotism, tyranny and opprcssio, , to claim and exercise a power upon the abstract ground of prerogative, irrespective of superior qualifications and virtues, which results from the natural order of things where those pre- eminent qualifications and virtues manifestly exist. These remarks in no degree contravene the necessity and importance of dif- ferent offices and authorities in the Church of Christ ; but they do legitimately and properly apply to arbitrary and unnatural distinctions amongst labourers and ministers of the same order and vocation. If the Conference in England has not acquired, through its Representatives, that supremacy over the Church in Canada which was intended and anticipated by the London Missionary Sec- retaries, it has not been for want of an ample and most favourable opportunity. The members of the British Conference in Upper Canada have occupied, fop several years, the most impoi tant and influential stations in the Canada Con- ference ; they have been put forward and distinguished on all special occasions ; they have been noticed in the annual addresses of the Conference from year to year in language of courtesy and praise, such as the members of the Canada Conference have never adopted in respect to each other. Jf, after all, the attachment of our congregations is strong and universal, with a few individual exceptions, to those Ministers who have been called out into the work in the country, and who, like their congregations, are emigrants from various parts of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as natives of the Province, who suffer with the poverty, and rise with the wealth, and are involved in the destinies, and partake in all the sympathies, of their congregations, we believe that the inheritance of respect and affection and influence thus obtained by our Minifj- ters has been legitimately acquired, ought to be diligently and scripturally employed in the service of the Church, and cannot be sacrificed at the shrine of any distant prerogative, without unfaithfulness to their People and infidelity to their Providential trust. For five years and upwards after the Union, the representatives and members of the British Conference in Upper Canada co-operated harmoniously and with apparent cordiality with the Conference in the Province, in reference to both ecclesiastical and civil affairs, and received every mark of affectionate respect and distinction which our Ministers and people could bestow upon ?hem. During this period the Missionary Secretaries and other members of the Brit- ish Conference entered decidedly and publicly into leading questions of civil polity agitated in the Mother Country, espousing the cause of the Church establishment against the Dissenters, and assuming an attitude of avowed hos- : tility HgainU lit Crovernment «|| ^4|aeatioa tat Public Edoeafio*. TH» W^ sionary Socrfttnriet <3etnrmiiie«! at length to ) objcctin!,^ lu liiu disrii.s>ion of thi^ Clergy Keserve Question at all in the Conference .Journal;, (3) directing Uicir Hepresentative. to employ his influence with the Editor of the Guardiau \n c;irry out the views of the Mis- sionary Secretaries— adding— »' If»oij should fait in yuur attempt, then it will b« for you to consider, uhethcp you are aot, hr President of the Conference, empowe<-ed to interfere otllcially and authorifatively with the management of the Conference Journal, and to requiic, that, miiii tho meeting of the next Conference, question.s which ' teml lo ^strife rallier t\v,\n lu godly edifving,' shall ibe excluded from its pages.'' A few days before Mr. Alder left London on his late Mission to Upper Cana- da, the I'residenl of tiie British Conference addressed a letter to the Secietary of the Canada Conference on the subject and objects of Mr. Alder's Mission. This letter is dated London, March 23, 1S39, and contains the following state- ments and declarations : " Dear Sir — Tho advocacy in the Christian Guardian newspaper of the principles of strict and systematic dissent, in opposition to nil religious establishments, has given deep and just oftence to many r'' best friends in England ; and is regarded as a direct vii)latio:i of the ter Union between your Conference and our own. If the Guardian persist course which it has for some time pursued, the Union of the two Confer can no longer be maintained. — The matter is deemed of such serious coix.> quence, that Mr. Alder has been expressly appointed to visit Canada, for the purpose of obtaining a strict and faithful adherence to the stipulated conditions of Union betwee.i your Conference and our own ; although his mission will occasion considerable expense, and his absence from England be very injurious to the interests of our Missions. The consequences of an open rupture be- tween the two Conferences, especially in the present state of the Colony, and of your own Indian Missions, I trust you will seriously weigh, ami not persist in a course which has occasioned loud and just complaints. I am," &c. (Signed) " Thomas Jackson." Here several things are to be observed. (1.) This was the first interference of the London Missionary Committee with the question of the Clergy Reserves or Church Establishment in Upper Canada; although the question had been formally discussed in the columns of the Conference Journal both before and after the Union down to 1839. (2.) The di.scussion of the question is heie stated, for the first time, to be "a direct violation of the terms of the Union" between the English and Canada Conferences ; although the Representa- tive of the Canada Conference in his Report of his Mission to England ia 1833, ou the subject of the Union, stated the reverse — stated that the co-opera- tion and influence of the Committee in London would be exerted to maintain the expressed views and equal rights of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada on the question of the Clergy Reserves ; and of the two Representa- tives of the British Conference (Messrs. Marsden and Stinson) concurred in the correctness of that Report when it was read in our Conference, assembled /* li i I f : InTorontd. Ortobor, T-^firt, uf.oii hIT iLo rircum-tnnpf* tn which It tcfyfttd ^v.•^.. tn'sli u, tlieir rrr,,lu.,i:oii : ;ui(i nhhough the Kepu-sjntative^of fho T^rif- iHh (.'uiilcr.'iic.jiii Cm i.la luul co-cpcLited with .nir Conference in resolutions and addresses iijion, ;.m,1 th. advocfuy of the C|,.,yy Koservu Question during lh« -mire poriu.l l.oni W.Xiin 1839. (3.) Though the Ctinadii Cunferenno liad reserved its \nU right t., i.t .■iccording toils own judgment and discretion or. the question .,(■ a Chin.w, i'st-ihlishmenl in Canada, a« admitted and con- rurred in hy the Kepresentativ-e.^ of the British Conference from 1833 to 183>) ; yet, for the sfd ntaiiveitof fho Brii- iiterence in resolutions ^servn Question during «! Ciiuadii Contierennu dgment and discretion at admitted and con- ;e from 1833 to 183:^ ; ritish Conference, the hann interfered with. u;c and t>y its official liffereni times — " We of the Kcclesiasticnl periai Parlinrnentary an advocate for the t, interwoven as it is ivil and social institu- he most weighty con- y constituted state of ) 'he light or proprie- sment of a particular reed in its belief and ethod to inculcate it. ther of these points ; g again—" All civil Religion ; we believe istian triumph— that of the Son of God, d, our large conces- dl esteemed fiiends of il and practical was t°d to an equitable Lj Clergy Reserves 5ed by the laws of upon terms equally y the proportion al- d have equal liberty larsonages and the such circumstances, erve Question to the , did theWesleyan :e with the question, n to Upper Canada, of avowed objection the question of a was the ground and solely 1 iwcd obje.-t -t Mr, iiM<»'» MUalon ti. ilti* r-r<»,< uice in lospeca t« »h« proceedings of uuv ( onferenc* wjj h« ufficiiil or^uo. But on Mr. Aider's arrivat in TTpper Cwoda, be founil Ibe tltttrt juid feel- nigs of our Conference— of the iMemberi of our Cbupcb, whether «mi gran is from Great Britain a!ul Ireland ..i native* of |h« eountry— indeec? of the inht. bitants generally— ,Hu stnjnyaiul aliii..st unanimou* affainst the ieitor and inter- ference of the Missionary St.-cretiiri»'« ami his dwii [,u'b|isiied c-ommunicniionj,* that he deemed it expedient ut our Conierence i sembled at Hamilton in June 1839, to avoid the introduction of the primary and leal nhjoci oj'lii. mission, and directed his objections chiefly ti> itir tlicn ivrtMifK cxprfHsed vinws of the Editor of the Guprdian wjspecting I.onI Durinrii auJ his flepori— a Report which did not reach Car; ida until six days tiftf.r V,, ,\i,inr sailed from England; and which could not therefore by any possibility liavo formed any part of his appointed Mission. Our brethren in the Ministry will recollect that the Secretary had to lead the official letters abo/.> referred to. in order to putthe Conference in possession of the real objects ol Mr. Alder's Mission; and not only did the ConL^ence maintain its position and rights on the ques- tion of the Clergy Reserves; but such were the facts elicited by the discussion, that Mr. Alder did net even request the Conference to rescind severe., resolu- tions which it had unanimously adopted on that subject in 1837 ; (of which resolutions, however, the late British Conference state, in its proceedings, it strongly disapproves ;) and even at length asserted to u resolution in which our Conference reiterated its previously expressed sentiments on the question of a Church Establishment in Canada, rnd our constitutiouai i ighis, and our deter- mination to maintain them. It became perfectly evident that the Missionary Secretaries in London coidd not acquire the absolute nscendeicy over the aflairs of Methodism in Upper ^* Note by E.Ryerson.—lt is worthy of remark that tlio Old Country V^r^. of tiie Members of our Church were the most forward and ardent in the expression ot their views and feelings on this subject. The Editor of the Guardian received communicalions from Hamilton, Guelph, Toronto (Township) Circvit. Yonge ^treet, Bytovm, &c., condemning the interference of the London Missiorary feecretanes, and strongly approving of the course which he had pursued. In these places the official members of our church were almost entirely emigrants Irom Great Britain and Ireland. This was especially the case in regard to Hamilton, Guelph, and Bytotm, where the official members were unanimous and strong in the expres.««ion of their fei.timents on the occasion. Motives of delicp.cy induced the Editor to withhold those communications from the readers ot t'.e Guardian, though they are still in hi.s posses.sion, and he still retains a grateful recodection of the principles and feelings which dictated them. Natives ot Great Britain and Ireland,, as well as natives of Canada, with very few excv,^tions, know how to appreciate their rights and privileges on the Western, as well as on the Eastern side of the Atlantic, and prefer guarding their own nghts and managing their own affairs to leaving thern to be disposed of by the Missionary oecreraries in London. Their interests, themselves and posterity, are located m Canada, not in London; and the place of residence is the most appropriate place of numagement ,- and in our Conference, the President, Secre- annually by ballot, by the suffrages of all the Members of the Conference. Hundreds of Emigrants have been sought in the wilderness and gathered into ine ^.hurch, and supplied with the ordinances of the Sanctuary ; and some have been raised up to be Minibters of the Word. 8 It I > Canada wind, ,l„,y l,a,i ,..„u„,|.la„.,l a,„( dau.K.J, w,il,o.,l ad..p,i„„ „,|,e, „„„, ' .^". tl,... wind, .,a.y l,„d M.n. c.„,p,„,..d. U .„. al.o'cL 1 U " Slate ot l..el,ng ,hr„nsl,„u, ..,„■ Connexion. , hat the breaking „,. „f he U„ o," a. ,^„. .,„,„ „„,„d oir<.c.„all, ddbat thoir „«„ object. Clafmi , |, MisZ .« Upper Canada a. thoi.- excln.ive property, and a...„„,ing ,he%i.l eTd ' ^•A« M„s,onane. and stati.n, then, ,ol.cn and «■/«„ the, plea,ed.-„eW the n,e o. d.st.nct.on between the AUsuonary and regular CircuU «ork a» marked as poss,ble--and .eouring to the British Conference a control over .he disposal ., the Jlethodist portion of the Clergy lieserves. in the event of" , d,v,.„„ ol t,,e,„_seem. to have been considered a co-ordinate and now the ' only ,„ea„s o, weaKcmng and nltin.ately overpowering the distinctive influence and energte, o( the Canada Connexion on the one han.l, and of attaimng the earnestly destr,.! snpremacy o<- the London Committee on the other. Hence as the .nenrbers ol „„r Conference will ren.ember, the claims which Mr. Aid*; .nude to the entire properly in our Missions, and his most strenuous efforts to pr„™r„.,e erasure of a certain note in our Discipline, and to get the ^e « of om Confe.ence ,„ sotne form or another, to the right of the London M,.s,o„,ry Commtttee to send Missionaries at their d„cretio„ into any pan o Upper Canada ; also his reluctance and peculiar remarks at the appoinLe o a Commntee to guard our rights on the Clergy Reserves-the appointZ o whtch Co,nm,ttee, in hi., statements at the late English Conference Mr Aide., termed " an innovation." It is clear, that the Lieutenant Gor„„'r fad ' adjusfng the files of Indian Lands, the Mission premises at the vario s LtL lions should be secured ,o the Wesleyan Missionary Committee rZdon :; r: M *\^^-'\c-'««-'. -.withsmndig tir:ib htetof all loose Missions, but one, by our Conference. At ihis critical juncture of our allairs, and of the affairs of the Province hv high (juarters to confer with the A-pnf r.f .1,, t j ^i a^vwed tiom on the question of .he Clergy 1^^::^^^::^-:^^ a:;tri tvto^rrtrr^^^^^^^^^^ -'t "--- " -'- iudffe for himspir A . a- , "^'^' 'teteimined to hear alJ parties and then part of the Canada Conference Th.. ^,-- *" -'»ve.- .tanccs connected with he tt to t^" i "^-""^ ^"' ^" ^^^ ^•'^"'"■ ui..nt to the wesleyan iVl.ssionary Conwnittee out 1 J « T t S e o fi si bi bj er sa ti< bl( an &n ou I vus also clear, from tho rcuking uj) of rlje Union Claiming the Missions suming the right to send a they pleased,— -mphing !S^i(lar Circuit work as nference a control over serves, in the event of a :o-ordinate and now the the distinctive influence nd, and of attaining the ! on the other. Hence, slaims which Mr. Alder nost strenuous efforts to le, and to get the assent right of the London liscretion into any part arks at the appointment jrves — the appointment iglish Conference, Mr. leutenant Governor had 3nce to have whatever Methodist Church in question, placed at the 3 have been ' iformed the statement— that it nt Governor, that, in ises at the various sta- 'ommittee in London, r the establishment of IS of the Province, by Limed the Government t not from any person nil was advised from /lissionary Committee ms to consult Mr. E. Z^onference ; bu. His vhich becomes a wise r all parties and then on and Kichey on tho . E. Ryerson on the the parties on some Excellency to hweb- I, and all the clrcum- jnary Committee out oi the Casual and ienitorial llovcnuo- knowing so.noth.ng ,.or.onal!y respect- ing the design and objects of tho original Grant itself, as he was a Member of H,3 late Majesty's Governnnent \u 1832, when the Grant was medo The conclusions of His Excellency were in character with the just and r.oble feelinff wh.ch dictated his inquiries. They have already called forth the gratofid acknowledgments of our Conference, and secured tho affectionate esteen. of the members and friends of ou. Church generally, as fur as they have been understooo. and will do so to a still greater extent as they will now be more widely and more fully made known. One of the twc letters addressed by Mr. E. Ryerson to the Governor General on the subject of the financial rehuions of tho Conferences in England nnd Canada, was transmitted by His Excellency to the Secretarv of State for the Colonies, m illustration of views stated at large in an accompanying despatch of his own.^ The circumstances under which that letter was written not being known to tne Secretary of State for tho Colonies, a copy of it was sent to the Missionary Secretaries. A favouroble opportunity seemed now to present itself or them to put down ihe individual men.Ler oC tho Canada Conference who had in the fulfilment of his official relations and duties, opposed the principal obstacles to their views of poiitical and ecclesiastical power in Canada, and also for them to put forth those assumptions of power which they had hitherto attempted in vain to secure. Hence, instead of transmitting a copy of that letter to our Conference for investigation, and for explanation or condemnation, as the case might require, a few London Members of a Special Committee were cal.ed together, who adopted a series of Resolutions, containing assump- tions of prerogative and power, accusations, and sentences of condemnation agamst the author of that letter, and calling upon our Conference to carry them into execution on pain of a dissolution of the Union. Our Conference entered into a careful and thorough investigation of tiie whole matter; and whilst it maintained, in the most inofTonsive and respectful language, its own rights and privileges, it more than disclaimed the slightest imputation upon the motives of the London Committee; and concluded its proceedings on the subject by appointing two of its own Men^bers to proceed to England, to explain the whole matter, and to do all in their power to maintain the Articles ol the Union inviolate. . Tim circumstances which wo i.ave thus narrated are, for the most part fiimihar to the members of the Conference; but we have deemed this brief sketch of them essential to a correct understanding of the whole case by our brethren and friends generally throughout tho Province. We received our appointment as Representatives of the Conference, by the ballot votes of our Brethren, on the 20th of June ; and on the Lst of July w. embarked at New York for Liverpool, where we arrived after a pleasant'pas- 8age ot .1 days. \\ e entered upon our mission deeply sensible of tho difficuL ties and responsibilities involved in it; but witli a fulf determination, in hum- ble dependence upon Divine aid and blessing, to represent mo.t truly the views and feelings of our constituents-to concede, if necessary for the sake of ..nace - ,. 1..., ei-. „[.aL .a. es.ont-.ai to iheu- rights and interests-and to use our best endeavoM.-, to preaetvo inviolate the articles of the Union between the C i I '; If ' two Connexions. On the same day that we embarked on board of a packc* sh,p for Liverpool, Messrs. Siinson and Richey embarked on board of the Great VVescern for London, where they arrived eight days before us. On our arrival in London, we found that an impressiua and feeling derogatory and unfriendly to the Canada Conference had been widely diflused ; and, on our arrival at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Thursday the 30th of July, we found the same impression and feeling prevalent amongst the members of the English Confer- ence. ** We learnt, on arriving in England, that the Bill for the sale of the Clergy Reserves of Upper Canada and the appropriation of the proceeds thereof was Still before I arhamont, and that Lord John Russell, in deference to the Bish- ops m the House of Lords, had admitted amendments into that Bill which rendered it materially different in its character and provisions from what it was when his Lordship brought it into the House of Commons. We had an inter- view with his Lordship on the subject of the Bill ; stated verbally, and after- wares m wnting, various objections to the amended or alUred Bill. We also applied to and obtained from his Lordship a copy of a yery long letter which ZTolt r '""'Tf' '''• ^'''' ''' ^''^^--'^ - JloIk., n Apr ; lish I^^^^^^^^^ ^--' r^, f «--ial relations of the Eng- tl,. 1»„ f 7, "-onleiences. Mr. Aider's lotter purported to be a reply to helette ofMr. E. Ryerson to the Governor General, dated I?th Januarv L, and co„,a,„ed n,a„y ineorreot statement,, and some unbecoming eflecl ons b thupon.be A,nenca„ Connexion in the United State, and the^Conferen" of the Wesleyan Methodist Chureh in Canada. We improved the earfe, Both Mr. Alder s letter and our reply will be found amongst the docume^te accompanying this Report. ^ 'locuments On arriving at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, we went to the chapel in which the Conference was assembled, and sent in a card with our names Mr Mar J. came out and received us kindiv W^ .i ""' "^'"^s. xVlr. Marsden »here we lodged Jr^ ^1 ^^^Z^'" ^'''''' '.- ''""O-S-house, we received a card of alnittance L!X C rerenrerhrf Th°"r™™'' of the same day, we addressed a note, of wl^t be oUoX is ae™ "Z" ^' President of the Conference : "iiuwing is a ccpy, to the ; Rrv Srn ''^""^'\''''' ^7'"' Newcastlc-npon.T^ne, My 31st, 1840 ish Wesleyat. Conference m rived It T ^^P'^s^ntatives to the Brit- sion. They informed he Re Mr IZUtT^J "" the objects of their mis- this Circuk,of theirarrival- and sunn^^^^^^^ ''"'" the Superintendent of not be necessary until thev hou?d lAv^/. ^"^ ^- "^"'"' ^"'"'"'^^ "^^^^^ ^vould We are. Rev. Sir, your very obedient humble serlts. The Rev. R. Newton W\ RyERSor?, Prcsidcnt'of iUe Conference. E- Ryerson. I t r ♦ I t i V b V ) d on board of a packci barked on board of tho ight days before us. On id feeling derogatory and ly diflused ; and, on our ' J Illy, we found the same s of the English Confer- br the sale of the Clergy :he proceeds thereof was n deference to the Bish- its into that Bill which visions from what it was kons. We had an inter- ated verbally, and after- • allured Bill. We also I very long letter which, J his Lordship in April 5sionary Committee out ial relations of the Enff- rported to be a reply to dated 17th January last, unbecoming reflections ss and the Conference improved the earliest y to Mr. Alder's letter, mongst the documents le chapel in which the names. Mr. Marsden ed to a boarding-house, lorning after our arrival, 'hapel. The afternoon lowing is a copy, to the wc, July 31st, 1840. 1 by the Conference of esentatives to the Brit- le objects of their mis- the Superintendent of , re formal notice would fpresentingtoyouand le Canada Conference it. ivenience, to lay before eferred. B servants, W. RYERSor?, E. Ryerson. I I n answer to the foregoing note, the President nf rl.n r " verbal message-" p.^en/n, hi! com, • ^t ^ ' " <-;";"""™ ;«>'™«' " acknowledging tl.e receipt of thei,- note- a i" 1 1, " ■";"""" would Jive way for ,l,e reading of ,i,Tr docZ T "°"r" ""'"'""' '" be appointed to ,ake ,hen, bto^on i a io™! L t: V^°7'"»« J^" were comfortably situated." '"°"" '""" '" ''°P'"^ "^'1 ••w ni-ic, an u was stated, to ffive not pp tn th^ <« „ . ... •^ now called tomher with thpfr T "'^^° ^^^^ ^^""^'•y "^embers," who were been adopted c';reri;:i:,::,;t;:: '-^zr-rr "^'^'" '-' readto the whole Committee and rcaffi^ed The fT ""''""■'"'"""'»' n.it.ee repotted to the Conference in at^ trd^^t l7Zt7 '''^ I"""" the previous evening and re-affirmrd ,1, , ^ they had met by the London mem^etonhe Zm u eX "Mroft'^'l 1'°" ''V'T' affairs, end recommending- th„ C.Z P"' '"" °" Canadia,. affair to a larger Commtree "" '" ''''='°'" ""^ '^'" ">^ ""olo cZ^::ty\Zz2:tiT''''' °" '■'■"^' -^^ "-"»-» » '"« uy iu« I resment as the Kepresentatives of thp Pinnrlo r^ c and we were iivifarl—o^^^ ♦ .i ""'''''' "^ '"e uanada Conference: Habiyej::r,:L.:rth:t;^ Irish Conference we^' hen i tin -whe; "i;"':" " '^='''°-"'""™» "^ "-e Con«.rence had sat on two f^r^cj*^ *L!~r titel t t'k" ^"^ seats in the bodvof rhpr.Vinn«i • • • . "*- ^^ ^^^"^6 mvited to take our various other ciLms:ce'7tTr'T'r''r*"°^ " ™" '''">'- consider itself of e,p.arrndi::;^^^rc:S:rs°;r"retr7'^^^^^ cially with the Conference in E„o-land '''""'■""''' "^ Method.sm, espe- not read ,n Conference nntil ..,>,„„ ,„,, ./■..„ JX """^ """ oontir ;:rsTtt-:; rem-r 'ofVeT r '^^ ''^"='^^"'' -^ ^» to, the early consideration of tbeC , . ^°"f"'="<='' «' wo had acce.. Thursday aL:.,,o„rhfXt"t:."b:frtr v' ' ^" "" ""'" movement was made in it J, .vf ,h , adjournment, that any to investigate the who " mat^rTV ^'"T"' ^ "PP™"' " '"8- Committe; i"g we oyected in ht pTete „ s a.r'ort'hf h^""' ''" :"' '""'" •"^'^^'^■ the Resolutions nor Addressof he Can. I Vr"' ''' ''""''"' ""*'' we knew of no example of rl ^ Conference had been read; and before they h Jl been r^ad bv I" R T^^T °' *" '"'''"' '" " <=°"""'"«» ,,r ,f '"""eenread by the Body to whom thov «,o..p .,,ij i .^ v VVe stood before them in behalf nf »},« r a r^ "7 '" ^^^'^''^==^"- ^^.; -..w..a.i„stthe:!::i:it?:f-^^^^ I i\ I!- H i 12 iliat Oonloi-onco ; and It wan at van;ini;e with Metliodisiir, nsagp when, t{"essea j„ , ...rv-x mo 'fcsieyan xViethodistUhurch in Canada n any way whatever-but only a wish to rule over it, to employ its „ame a'd .nfltience to obtain .he patronage of Governmont, and .0 use U fo'r the Tance "f 5s;. V mem of ilio views ami. phiris olthe A£;-pnt3 of the Missionary Socrptaries of tha Kiiglish Confernnnn. liulepd, llironghoiit the whole of the proceedineM, the idea did not appear to be admitted by a single member of the London Com- mittee, that any t'anadian Treacher should stand upon similar footing with the Members of the English Conference. To the above positions and requirements of the Committee we replied, in substance, as follows :* 1. With respect to the allegations, and assumptions, and proceedings of the London Committee, dated 29th April last, our Conference had expressed all the views we had to state. The Resolutions of our Conference, which had been adopted With unusual unanimity, udcr the most mature deliberation, we had no authority to annul or modify. Nor did we see any reason to desire to do so, as we believed they were just, and expressed views and feelings by which our Brethren would abide. 2. With respect to the Christian Guardian, we were prepared, as we had been from the beginning, to go with them all lengths in making it a strictly religious and literary Journal — such it had already been made by its conductor and by order of the Conference ; and the exigencies which had given rise to its departure, on some occasions, from strict neutrality in certain questions of civil polity, existed no longer.t 3. As to advocating the duty of civil Governments to support Religion,-— the views of our Conference and People on that subject had been adopted and avowed long before the Union — were explicitly stated at the time of the Union —had been officially expressed and advocated for years since the Union, and with the concurrence of their own Representatives, and without the slightest ii * Note. — We would rot wish to convey the idea, that we employed in the Conference the identical words which are used in the following paragraphs ; or that our remarks were made in the order in which they are here inserted ; or that they were all made in that connexion. We r.poke after a few moments' examination of the Report of the Committee. On some points we expatiated at considerable length; on other points we referred to what we had stated in the course of previous discussions. The following paragraphs, therefore, contain a mere summary or brief outline of what we stated during the investigation of the affair, on the several points referred lo. t Note by E. R, — Had the Agents of the London Missionary Committee represented to the local Government the views and feelings of the Conference and Members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada, instead of the opposite views and feelings of the Missionary Secretaries in London, there is reason to believe that the late Executive would not have been prompted and encouraged to pursue the policy which rendered so strong a discussion of some points necessary in the columns of the Guardian. While the Executive looked to the Agents of the London Committee, and not to the Guardian, as the inter- preter of the rights, and interests, and views of the Wesleyan Body in Canada, it pursued a partial and unjust course of policy. The Governor General satisfied himself that the Editor of the Guardian, and not the Agents of the London Committee, was the true Representative of the interests and sentiments of our Church. His Excellency has therefore acquired the confidence and support of our People generally, though he has been denounced by the Agents of the London Committee. The Guardian has ceased from the discussion of any political questions ; and the adherents of the London Missionary Secretaries cherish, in our judgment, stronger political party feelings than any other portion of the Methodist community in Canada. 13 nary Socrptaries of tha lh(; proceed in £:!«, the r (if the London Com- imilar footing with the nmittee we replied, in nd proceedings of the ice had expressed all 'onference, which had latiire deliberation, we iny reason to desire to and feelings by which 5 prepared, as we had n making it a strictly made by its conductor bich had given rise to in certain questions of support Religion,-^ had been adopted and the time of the Union 5 since the Union, and I without the slightest we employed in the owing paragraphs ; or are here inserted ; or after a few moments' Dints we expatiated at we had stated in the s, therefore, contain a le investigation of the lissionary Committee igs of the Conference mada, instead of the s in London, there is e been prompted and ; a discussion of some the Executive looked Tuardian, as the inter- jyan Body in Canada, le Governor General ot the Agents of the ;erests and sentiments [ the confidence and ounced by the Agents rom the discussion of lissionary Secretaries ;han any other portion objection on their part before 1839 ; that we Itad no inclination to oppose that principle, nor had we done so ; but we could not regard iho principle itself, much less the advocacy of it, as any part of Wesleyan Methodism, however it might have been adopted by the British Conference, as it was not contained in Mr. Wesley's Four Volumes of Sermons or Notes on the New Testament; that we fully agreed wfth Mr. Wesley that a Church Establishment was a human institution, (and not of Divine appointment,) and therefore liable to the modifications and contingencies of all other human institutions, which might be suitable in some cases but not in others ; that we saw no occasion at the present time in Upper Canada to discuss the question at all on either side ; that we thought the attention and feelings of our People might now be directed to more profitable subjects ; and that we could not assent to such a proposition, which formed an entirely new and very remarkable Article of Union. 4. In regard to the Government Grajit— they bad alleged a fact, that the Secretary of the Canada Conference had applied for that Grant in behalf of his Conterence. We had answered to that alleged fact, and proved, by the tes- timony of the Governor General himself, that the Secretary of the Canada Conference had made no such application. Further than this we could not be reasonably required, r were we prepared, to go ; that we, as well as they, had undoubtedly a right to our opinio?is on the subject; and we were not prepared to array ourselves in opposition to the views of the Governor General on the subject; that when it came, not to a matter oi fact, but a matter of opinion, we fully concurred in the opinions of the Governor General, as did our Conference; and we felt the more grateful to His Excellency, and the more fully satisfied of the correctness of his views, because they had been adopted without any influence from without, — because ho was personally knowing to the intentions of Government in making that Grant, — was con- fessedly competent to investigate all the circumstances connected with it, and was unquestionably a disinterested Judge. With His Excellency the Governor- General of Canada, we objected to their having claim to any portion of the Clergy Reserve Fund. All the claims which Methodism had acquired to a participation in that Fund, had been acquired by our exertions— that they had opposed our advocacy on that question, and their Representatives had expressed their belief that that fund was intended for the Chuixh of England alone, and that they had no objection to its enjoyment of the whole of that Fund ; it was therefore most unreasonable, now that our views had prevailed and their views had been set aside, that they should come forward even b& first claimants upon that very Fund, and insist upon our advocating their claims as a condition of continuing tha Union. We adverted to the fact, that they had large pecuniary resodrces for the support of their Institutions in England —that they had large funds for the education of their children ; whilst the brethren in Canada, who had Gndured toils and privations such as no Preachers in England of the present day had endured, had no such means at their dis- posal in that new country. We likewise mentioned the circumstance, that the Clergy Resorvo Fund wag a provincial revenue, and intended to aid the funds of Christian denominations in Upper Canada, and not the funds of Christian I denominations in England ; 'hat this was the case with each of the Churchc» i 16 111 L'pper (Jaiiada who lecoivcil u portion of ilio proioctb ol ilie CU'igy Reserves, with the exoepiion of the Church of England ; in rtspoct to which the Propagation Society had assutmxl the renponsibihty of supporting the Kpiicopal ('lorgy in that Province ; that if the VVesloyun Conference in England would assume the same rcsponsihilily in re:;iHd to the support of the Ministers of our Church in Upper Canada that the Propagation Society sustained in regard to the support (»f the ICpiscopai Clergy, we would very readily give our consent and support to their claims upon the Clergy Ilcserve Fund. 5. In regard to AIe.s.sr.s. Slinson and Richey, such was tliecourse of proceed- ing which they had thought jjroper to purs^ue, that we should feel it our duty to make a statement of it for the itifortnaiion of our brethren, many of whom wo4ild feel not a httle astonish.ed and grieved to l^arn, that notwithstanding the marked attentions which had been paid to them by their brethren both in the ministry and amongst the laity of our church in Cunada, Messrs. Stinson and Richey had been, during the lust two years, writing letters to London of a disparaging and calumnious character against their fellow labourers in Canada ; that Mr. Stinson had stated in a letter dated as late as the 20th of last March that it was a " degradation" for the Committee in London to con- tinue a union witli " such men ;'"* that Mr. Richey had stated that, during hit four years' residence in Upper Canada, he had been " treated as a stranger, Vi foreigner, and an alien;'' and that during this whole proceeding both , Messrs. Stinson and Richey had done every thing in their power against the Canada Conference. (). Respecting the general and undefmed claim of " etficient direction" over the " public proceedings" of the Canada Conference, it should be observed— (1) That the articles of union already gave them very great power — every thing indeed that we conceived could be reasonably desired ; (2) That if they demanded an "eflicient direction'' over the "public proceedings" of the Canada Conference generally, they ought to assume the responsibility of sup- porting the institutions generally of the Wcsleyan Methodist Church in Cana- da. How could a father be responsible for the support even of his own chil- dren, if he were not the master of h:s own talents and energies and resourcea— if he were the property, as to " efficient direction," of another? The pro- prietor was, of course, the properly responsible person for the support of both the slave and his children. How could they therefore insist upon " an efficient direction over the public proceedings" of the Canada Conference, and yet actually maintain at the same time, as a written article of agreement, that the Canada Conference should have '^ no claim upon the funds of the English Conference ?" If the Canada Connexion was responsible, and entirely depend- ing upon its own " proceedings" for the support of its own institutions, it must be the judge and director of those proceedings. The contrary principle is an absurdity in all ihe civil and religious and social relations of life. Not even » fatlier claims an *' efficient direction" over the proceedings of his children when » Note by E. R.—The Editor of the Guardian and his friends supported, at this eventful crisis, the administration of the Governor General ; this Mr. Stinson jepresents as a " degradation.'^ 17 ihey are thiown upon tlicir own resources for llioir own support; much lo«» ought one comtnunity to claim such a direction over nnnther 3t'h"-suslained and •elf-supported community on an opposite; sido of the Athintic. 7. And even upon these terms they did not proi/osc a permanent continua- tion of the Uni ), but only until the next Conference to be assembled in Man- chester, July, 1811, when they would " deicrmino Unally the course which, in reference to this Union, it may then bo proper to adopt in the settlement of the whole affair" — thus insisting upon the use of the name and influence and advocacy of " the Upper Canada Brethren" in order to secure the claims of the Committee in London upon the patronage and support of the Governwient; requiring the Canada Conference t.> divest itself of the attributes csseritial to any Body responsible for its own proceedings and the support of its own mem- bers and institutions, and even calling upon the Canada Conference ^' to admit and MAINTAIN," in its official organ, the principle that it is the " duty o( civil governments to apply a portion of their resources for the support of the Christian religion '" and after all, by a solemn act of their Conference, making the Union a question of agitation and electioneering for twelve months to come ; at the end of which they wouM decide whether their own purposes could be best promoted by continuing or discontinuing the Union I Moreover, we stated to the Committee at different times, and adverted to it more particularly in our concluding observations to the Conference, that the whole of their views and proceedings seemed to be founded upon the suppo- sition and assumption, that the Brethren In Canada were but mere children, comparatively ignorant of the principles of Wesleyan Methodism, inv^ompete.it and unfit to judge and act for themselves ; whereas, the Connexion in that Pro- vince, in relation to the Ministry or Laity, ought not to be treated as mere children. For, (1) in no part of the world, did wo think the Ecclesiastical polity of Methodism was so well understood by the mombcrs of the Church generally as in Upper Canada ; the reason of which was obvious from the facts, that, in addition to the ordinary means and inducements for information on tlie various branches of that great system, a vigorous attempt was made in 1828 to introduce lay delegation and other essential cha.jges in the economy of Metho- dism in that Province, which led to an elaborate discussion of all its essential and distinctive principles, and resulted in«its more permanent establishment in its purity and integrity. In 1833-4, in consequence of the Union, every part of the polity of Methodism underwent a second rigid scrutiny and thorough discussion. Subsequently, in 1836-7. in consequence of legal proceedings affecting title to chapel property which hail been instituted against us, our whole poUty in relation to the civil law, the powers of the Conference, Sic, was elaborately and fully discussed by tho .ludges of the land, and several pub- lic writers. During the last twelve years, therefore. Upper Canada has been a sort of manual labour school for the study of Methodist Church polity ; and the leading features of it were as familiar as household words to the mouibers of our church generally. They might not to be. regarded, there- fore, as untutored children. (2) Whilst we admitted many advantages in England for the improvement of the Ministry which we did not possess iiv- Canada, we must say that our examinations of candidates for the ministry were D V' > ill II •■\ !l ii li'i I 18 already morJ extensive and thorough than theirs. ■'^%'^^^;'^, wholly confined to DMt,-^^^ not even cmbraeo the Emdcnccs of C .r vrnony comuic j rc-rettcd by several members ol the fheT.^ Xions of candiantcs f.„- .ho ministry un.lor tl,o a.rcc.on of our Con- M<,dem Hhtory, Ecdedmtical Hislonj, an.l Wcslcyam Church Pohly, S ngl pr«e„sioa, .o .ho Divino ICpi.copd Succos.ion the authonty and too.ion'of.h': Ministry, the Administratio,, and R"'-°ff,^^°;3^ %,,,,, At this point the Pcosident interposed, .nt.mat.ng that he thought these obfer a oL did not relate to the subjeet before the Conference, and could no bo aluted at that advanced hour after so much time had been occupted tn the in vestiffation of this affair. .j j ♦v... It was then observed on our par,, in conclusion, that we •;»-.'"«=*'" adoption of that Report by the Conference as equivalent to a rehnqu.shment of Ae Articles of Onion, which it was our duty and object ,0 ma.ntam nmolate . rtatthUewehadfel disposed, and again and again expressed a w.lhngnoss, rcoreede any thing that was not unjust to our constituent, and our country 1 t~,t'in thf most amicable and libera, spirit f"^ '"e pron^Uon^f th great objects and interests of religion there by the agency »f Method m w- could not on the part of the Conference we represented, nor d,d we behevp the coma not, on uie I o j„ ,„ ,i,„ ,l„mands and new conditions Canada Conference ever would, accede to tlio demanos ana embodied in the Report of their Committee. , t, n„ Rpmi- We were then requested to retire ; but at that juncture the Rev. Dn. Beau MO»TrIe, to move a dissolution of the Union, observing-" there is jns as m„cLeasonin.be Canada Conference sending Presidents to n, as for us to Tend rreraents to them ; and they are just as competent :o tnanago their own Tffats a, we are to manage our affairs." The Rev. De. BuHT.Sg said he thrght so too-that he respected the Canada Conference , and what ha.l .^st ten'stated (respecting the acquaintance "^ *°Metho^sts in Upper Caada with their Church polity and the examinations of Candidates fo. the Minlst y) ronSrmed him (Dr B.) in the opinion which he had long entertained, tha the Unfon had been wrong from the beginning. He (Dr. B.) believed it had been r rrat evd to the Cnnada Conference, and no good to the British Conference. It was in his (Dr. B's) opinion a well-intended, but an lU-advised mo-^o™- ^ We then retired; and were informed in the course of the evening, tna nuito a majority of the Conference had voted against that clause of the Report Sh recommended the continuation of the Union, but had adopted with one Ttwo verbal alterations, the other parts of the Report. We were informed. - Leed, that 13 to 17 of the CommiUcc voted against the adopfon of that e atue of the Repo. t. It is however, deserving of remark, that at Manches- «rT833, upwards of three hundred Vieachers adopted the Articles of Union ;;;„«;l,«vote, hut tha. at Ncwcastlcnpon-Tyne, ,840, those Articl.. I i I were Chris- of the ntrary, ir Con- US dcc- ilh the m ; and isophy, it and Polity, •ity and t these )uld not jpied in red thi; iment of violate ; lingness, country, in of iho ism, we lievc the jnditions I. Beau- is just as ■"or us to ,heir own 3 said he ha:] just • Canada Ministry) , that the had been )nference. ;asure. ning, that he Report , with one informed, on of that Manches- 5 of Union e Articl«« I 19 wei-erolin-iuished or. the part of the British Cunffronco by the vole of a ma- jorify of seve.nhj two Preachers. The following morning, August 15, wo loft Nowcasile-upon-Tyno for Lon- don; and (e7i days afterwards, 25th of August, wo received an official copy of the Report of the Committeo and of th^*H Mir ? H^U r n I Ml'; i ! I ^HMafiMHi APPENDIX TO TUB FORKGOING RF.POflT. No. 1. PR0CIEEDIHG8 Of TKS COMMtTTSS IN t*019D0N. ttuolutioht of a Committee appointed by the British Conference of 1839, to decide finally in. all Matters relating to the Union :xisting between the British. Conference and the Upper Canada Conference, and to the Indian Missions in Upper Canada, 77, Hatton Garden, Wednesday, 29/A of 1840. The Committee having before them various documents showing that some of the Pledges given at the last Canadian Conference have not been fulfilled, especi-illy in the conduct of the Rev. Egei ton Ryerson, in the manageme«t of the Christian Goardiiin ; — and also, a letter from Mr. Under-Secretary Vernon Smith, addressed to Dr. Alder, stating that a representation had been received from Mr. Ryerson, urging the claim of the Upper Canada Conference, to tho exclusive management of the yearly grant received by the Wesleyan Mission- ary Society, — which letter was accompanied by a despatch from tha Governor- General of Canada on the subject, and inclosing a copy of Mr. Ryerson's letter to His Excellency, have come to the following resolutions : — I. That just grounds of complaint exist against the Rev. Egerton Ryerson, particularly on the following points : — 1. That Mr Ryerson, as it appears to the Committee, in his recent commu- nications with the Governor-General, and on other occasions, has virtually and practically superseded the Rev. Jos. Stinson, the regularly appointed President of the Upper Canada Conference, and therefore the official Agent and Repre- sentative of tho Wesleyan body in Upper Canada, during the interim of its sittings ; — and has thus acted with great and culpable irregularity. 2. That m i\{Q judgment of this Committee Mr. Ryerson hns discovered an utter want of ingenuousness and integrity in thus ntrempting to gain the pos- session, on behalf of the Canadian Conference, in whole or in part, of the grant made bv the Crown to tl»« Weslevan Missinnary Society, »nd that he hag in this matter committed a flagrant violation of tho obligations arising from the union between the two Conferences. 3. That the Christian Guardian, of which Mr. Ryerson is the editor, instead of being conducted according to express stipulation and promise made to Dr. 26 >fr i:- it if Til Alder, and the direction of the Canada Conference, as a religious paper, has become more than ever a political and i)arty organ, and that Mr. Ryeraon's attempted defence of its proceedings, by an allusion to the alleged otlicial au- thority of the Watchman newspaper, in England, is founded in a gross misrep- resentation of facts, in as much as the British Conference has no political or religious organ whatever but its own recognised periodicals, and has none, but the proprietors and editors of the Watchman, not one of whom ia a minister^ are responsible for its contents. II. That the Committee are far from implicating the whole or any part of the members of the Upper Canada Conference, in these unjustifiable proceed- ings of Mr. Ryerson, and cannot but hope that they will utterly repudiate them at their next annual sitting, and mark the sense which they entertain of such a dishonest attempt to deprive the Weslejan Missionary Committee of their just and righteous claims, on the plighted faith of the British Crov/n and govern- ment, by partial, clandestine, and unauthorised reprcsenlalion, in such manner as the nature of the case requires; and that; they will place the Christian Guardian, if it must be continued as anewspaper at all, in such hands as will at least secure the fulfilment of the oft-repeated promise, that it shall be exclusive- ly a religiorts ptihlicatlun. The Committee are the more encouraged to hope that the Conference will adopt this course, from the report of Dr. Alder, that various members of that body had expressed to him the deepest grief at the political course pursued by Mr. Ryerson, in conducting the Christian Guardian, and their earnest desire to maintain unimpaired, on just and proper principles, the union which now exists between the two Conferences. III. If, however, this reasonable expectation should be disappointed, and a majority of the Canada Conference, at their next sitting, should be found to support and encourage such proceedings as those of which the Committee complain, it will be their painful duty to recommend to the next British Confer- ence, to dissolve the union which at present subsists between the two Con- nexions, and to adopt such measures for the maintenance and extension of the Indian missions in Upper Canada, as may appear to be necessary. IV. That the Committee are deeply sensible of the injury to the cause of God and to the interests of the province which may be anticipated from a dis- solution of the union, and are anxious, if possible, to prevent their occurrence r of which anxiety the British Conference have given repeated proof, by the dep- utations they have sent to Canada, and tlie other measures they have adopted. If, therefore, the Canadian Conference should deem it to be its duty to send a Representative to the next British Conference, for the purpose of offering any explanations, or of making proposals with a view to perpetuating the union ; or should that be found impracticable, for the purpose of making such arrange- ments as may prevent unseemly and unchristian collisions between members of the two divisions of the same great family, the Committee assure the Can- adian Conference, that such Representative will be received with cordial affec- tion by the British Conference, and that every attention will be paid to his statements and representations. V. That whatever may be the result of these affiiirs, the Committee take it for granted that no objection or opposition will be offered to the Wesleyan Missionary Committee retaining its direction of the Indian missions in Upper Canada, — missions which they were instrumental in saving from ruin, and on which they have expended so large a proportion of their attention and of their funds : but should any objection or opposition be offered from any quarter to their dninjj so, thfi Conimittoo, in virtuy of the »3ovvor vested mi thpTn by the British Conference, recommend and direct, that under no circumstances shall any one of the missions amongst the Aborigines be voluntarily abandoned by the Wesleyan Missionary Society. Elijah Hoole. 77, Hatton Garden, Loudon, April 30ih, ISIO. I 27 •cr, has No. 2. Extract of a Letter from K. Versos Syinu, M. P., Under Colonial Sec- rctary, dated Doinung Street, Vith of April, 1840. Sm — lam directed by Lord John RussKLLto acknowleds;© the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant, requestinij, on behalf of ihe Wesleyan Missionary Society, an incerview with his lordship on matters affecting' the operations of the Society in Upper Canada, and requesting his lordship's atttintion more especially to tho claim of the Society's annualgrant of £700, which they have hitherto enjoyed from the revenue of that province. His lordship desires me in reply to inform you, that he has already received from the Governor-General, a despatch on the siilyect to whicli your letter relates, accompanied by a representation from Mr. Kyerson, cx[)laining the nature of the financial affars between the British Wesleyan Conference in England, and the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodists in Upper Canada, and urging the claim of the latter to the exclusive management of the yearly giant. Under these circumstances it appears to his lordship that tho most con- venient course will be to afford the British Wesleyan Conference in England, the opportunity of discussing the proposal which Mr. Ryerson has made. Ho has, therefore, directed me to furnish yon with a copy of that gentleman's communication, and to acquaint you that he will be ready to consider any objections which tho Wesleyan Missionary Society may have to urge to a eom- pliance with the proposal which it contains. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) R. VERNOiN Smith. To the Rev. R. Alder, Wesleyan Mission House, 77, Hatton Garden. i> ■ I No. 3. Copy of a Letter, addressed to the Governor General of Canada bytheltev. Egcrton Ryerson, dated Toronto, Jan. 17, 1840. May it please Your Excellency, I proceed to state in as few words as possible, the nature of the financial relations which exist between the British Wesleyan Conference in England and the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Chufbh in Upper Canada. In the year 1784, the late Rev. J. Wesley recommended the formation of the Metho' dist Societies in America into a distinct and independent Body, with the attri- butes and style of a Church — he having appointed general Superintendants, or Bishops, to perform Ordination, &c., among them. It was by persons who had been ordained and appointed by these American Bishops, that the Metho- , dist Church was established in Upper Canada. Down to 1833, the Methodist Church in this Province had no more ecclesiastical connection with the Wes- leyan Conference in England, than exists between the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United State? and the Established Church of England. In 1833, an arrangement was agreed upon by the Wesleyan Conference in this Province and that in England, by which a co-operation was to take place in the labors of the two bodies in Upper Canada. That arrangement consists of certain regulations, called 'Articles of Union.' These Articles provide that the Uonferenco in England may, when they see fit, appoint a person to preside over the Canada Conference, the same as the Crown appoints a Commissioner to preside in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; but, that the Canadian Preach- ers shall have no claim upon tho funds of the British Conference. ^^ i h I 28 It was also Bgrccd, thnt tl.n British Conference sl.onl.l aosume jl'« j-esP"";'- biltvofsupporUnKll.elnaian Missions, wln^^ had been or rr^^S^l heve^^^^^ he e««rablished in Upper Canada. They have also agreed to employ Cana- dian Preach .. on thTse missions ; but the Conference in England u the judge of the amount to bo expended in each and every year ; and the moment any preacher i. disabled for 'the mission work, or ceuses to be actively e'-r^ployed in Ir he can receive nothing from the funds cfthe British Conference, but is e.;tir ly ir-dent upon \^^ Canadian Conference It will therefore bo observed, that there ale two departments of ^- ^^^-'^ ^^^^^^^r^ Weslevan cause in this Province; namely— what w« call, the legvlar or circuJworU, and the mission work. In carrying on the former, no c^^^racan be made upon the funds of the British Conference; in carrying "^/IfJ^^f;' the British Conference has agreed to assume the pecuniary responsibility, and is the sole judge of the extent of it and the amount of expenditure. The former embraces 47 circuits, and the latter embraces 1^ ci^rcuUs->e among the New Settlements, and nine amongst the ^^^^^S'^-^^^,^"^'''" i*'^^!: On many of the regular circuits, the congregations are unable »" pa^ ^ofe than two-thirds, and in some instances not more than one-half, of he discipli nary salary or allowance of the Preachers. The loss of -^^ rTinfarnrtfo in Fnorlnnd. in relation to Eererton Ryerson. " The Assistant Secretary read, first the letter of the Rev. E. Ryerson to the Governor General of Canada ; secondly, extract of a letter from R. Vernon Smith, Esq. M. P. to Dr. Alder ; thirdly, resolution- of a committee of the British Wesleyan conference in London, dated 77 Hatton Garden, April 29, 1840, and signed ' Elijah Hooie.' II K V r I ii.. k..,. 80 Mr. Richpy anpoaml as tlio arctisor in helialf of the Lonrlon commitfop. Aftor a lengthonecl aiidioss M. Riolu-y movecl soconcLnl hy K. Evans, ihat ilbe Resolved— " That, tliin Coiifercnt^o lia^ hoarfl with throat snrprisp anrl re,i!:ret, of B.'oth.n- Ivrorlon Ryi-rson's aitninpt. to clopi-ivo the British Wesleyan Mission- ary Committeo, of the annual qrant i .^coived l)y lliem from the imiK-nal govern- ment, to enal.lo them to extend their missions in this province; and that tliey utterly repudiate such proceedings on the p.ut of Mr. Hyerson, not only as irregular and unaulliorised, but directly oppos.-d to a resolution adopted by this Conferen.^' at its last session, rescinding the second, fifth, and sixth res- olutions, passed by this Conference in .June, 1837, on the subject o\ the grants in question, because those resolutions were represented by Mr. Alder as inter- fering with the usages of the British Bretliren, and calculated materially to retard their interests." Tuesday, June 16th. Met at 8, A. M., reading, singing, and prayer. Resumed the consideration of the documents relative to E. Ryerson. „ ., ^ , r. r The memorial of llm Rev. .loseph Stinson, President of the Conference, and the Rev. Matthew Richey, Superintendent of Toronto city circuit to His Excellency the Right Hon. Charles Poulett Thomson, Governor-General ot Canada, on the subject of the Clergy Reserves was read. Mr. L. Kyerson proceeded to address the Conference. Adjourned. ,, t^ t» Conference met at 2 o'clock, P. M., singing and prayer. Mr. E. Ryerson proceeded in and closed his address. Adjourned. IVednesday, June 17th. Conference met at 8 A. M., reading, singing, and prayer. Resumed the consideration of the resolutions of the London Committee. After considerable discussion the resolution introduced by Mr. Richey was put, when the yeas and nays were ordered to be taken. Yeas.— yl. Prindel, M. Richey, M. Lang, J. Norris, William Scott, E. Evans, J. Douse, and Benjamin Slight—^.* * Durin' the investigation of the matter, Mr. E. Ryersou was asked whether he intended his letter to the Governor General to be an application for the Grant which had been made to the Wcsleyan Missionary Committee in London. He declined giving any answer to the question, leaving his letter to speak lor ilselt, and leaving his Brethren to judge according to tiie evidence before them. After the Conference had decided on the question, Mr. E. Ryerson rose and said he now felt himself at liberty to answer the question which had been proposed to him respecting his m.'.;^^/o/i^ ; he i7ifeHded his letter to ^he ^ov^'""^^ V^V^f^/^^^ be precisely what the Governor General had undcislood, and had stated it in a despatch to Lord John Russell to be,-an expositioii of the Jinauaal revations ot the Wesleyan Conference in England and the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada. He iiUended, secondly, that whatever public aid was intended for the benefit of the Wesleyan Metliodist Church in Canada, should be placed at the disposal of the Conference of that Church. But whe her the grant which had heretofore been paid to the Missionary Comniittee in London, vfJintended in any way whatever to benefit the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada, he (Mr. E. Ryerson) had not intended to express, and h^d not expressed, any opinion. On this statement being made, one, if not two or three, of those who had voted in the minority of ei^/ji! observed, that had they heard that statement previously to recording their votes, they would have voted with the majority. A day or two afterwards; when the coramunicalion fioui the Governor General was received and read in relation to the allegations of the London Committee, others who had voted in the minority of eight, expressed a wish to change their votes ; but Mr. Ryerson objected to it as irregular, and as setting an improper precedent —expressing his conviction that every member of the Conference on one side as well as the Sther had recorded his vote honestly, according to the best of his judgment, and the evidence he had before him when nis vote whs given. 31 mmttfop. llmt ilbe (1 refjret, Mission- 1 govern- hat they L only as jplcci by lixth reg- ie gnints as intor- eriftUy to ; Ifith. ration of nference, it to His eneral of Uyerson Ryerson e 17th. Limed the isiilerable yeas and ^coit, E. I whether the Grant don. He for itself, m. After d said he oposed to jeneral to ted it in a dations of Wesleyan public aid Canada, It whether n London, Church in expressed, , of those statement jority. A ;aoral was ,ee, others leir votes ; precedent ne side as est of his I. Nays. — S. Bcllon, Hcyland, C. R. Allison K. Stone y, H. Bigirar, T. Faiccett, IV. Case, R. m, J. Mnsirrovc, E. Shepherd. ./. Scolt, C. Flinnmer- Corson, Edwy Ryerson, H. Shaler, 1). [Vrirrhl, W. //. IVilUavis, D. Mc- Mnilc7i, W. Ryerson, A. M'Ncthb, T. BevUi, II. Montgomery, A. Ilnrlburt, Ezra Adams, M. Whiting, A. Adams, J Baxter, J. Mesamore, S. IVatd- ron, W. Young, J. Law, G. Pool, » M'lMnllen, P. Ker, G. H. Playter, II. Dean, and ./. Lever — 59. The resolution of Mr. Richey was therefore negatived by a majority of fifty- one. S, Miles and S. Huntingdon were excused from voting, as they had not been able, in consequence of indisposition, to attend during the whole investigation of the matter. Brother Steer was excused from voting on the ground of conscientious scruples, as he could not make up his judgment. Adjourned. Friday, June 19th. After the most mature consideration of the several subjects referred to in the resolutions of the Ctnnmittee of the English Wesleyan Conference, dated, 77, Hatton Garden, London, 29ih April, 1840, the following resolutions were adoDted : Resolved— I. That we cannot recognize any right on tha part of the Committee, to interfere with the Canada Conference in the management of our own internal affair's (except as provided for by the Articles of Union,) and especially with our views and proceedings on the question of the Clergy Reserves ; as we are precluded by the articles of union with the English Conference from all claims upon its funds, and as our own uncontrolled action and interests have always been reserved and admitted in relation to the question of the Clergy Reservea- II. That, as the articles of unioa between the English and Canada confer- ences expresslv secure to the Canadian preachers all their rights and privileges inviolate, we consider it at variance with the letter and spirit of those articles and an anomalous and alarming precedent, for the committee in L'mdon to accuse and condemn a member of this conference, and then to enjoin upon us to carry their sentence into execution on pain of a dissolution ot the union. III. That whilst we have always maintained, and are resolved to maintain, to the fullest extent, the dignity and authority of the office of president as pro- vided for in our Rules and in the Articles of Union, we are impelled by art imperative sense of dutv to decline p-ceding to the claim put forth by tho committee in London, that the President appointed in England is to be regard- ed by virtue of his office " the Agent and Representative of the Wesleyan body in Upper Canada" in the transaction of affairs with the Government, in which the interests of our Church are involved ; as we have always, in anticipation of such transactions, appointed a Committee or Representative to guard and represent the views and interests of our Church ", especially as this Conference, at its last session, appointed the Rev. Egerton Ryerson as its special Repre- sentative to confer with tho Government on matters affecting our civil and religious rights and interests ; and we can discover no good reason to depart from an established and proper usage. IV. That it appears to this Conference, that a proper regard to the rights and interests of tho Wesleyan Methodist Church in ("ana-ia, rendered it the imperative duty of the Rev. Egerton Ryerson to confer and correspond with I »2 ' iji His Excellency the Governor General of Canada on dur financial affairs; ana w« fully concur in the exposition which Mr. Ryerson has given of the finadicml relations between the Knglish and Canadian conferences in his letter to the Governor-General, dated Toronto, Jau. 17, J 840. And whilst we disclaim any wish to interfere with the Icj^itimate claims of the Wcsleyan Missionary Society upon the faith imd liberality of Her Majesty's Government, we leurn with feelings of gratitude, that the rights and interests of the Wesley an body in this province have been brought under the consideration of Her Majesty s Secretary of State for the colonies by His Excellency the Governor General ; and we are prepared to submit to the'^decision of the proper authorities res- pecting them. V. That in reference to the last Resolution of th*o Committee in London, declaring their intention, under any circumstances, to claim, and, if possible, to secure the possession of the Indian missions in Upper Canada; this Conler- ence, considering that those Missions, with two or three exceptions, were established by our exertions prior to 1833 (when the Articles of Union were agreed to) and that they have, in a great measure, been supported by funds obtained in this province, and sustained chiefly by the Ministrations and labours of Canadian preachers and teachers, we cannot regard it as reasonable, or our providential duty, under any circumstances, to relinquish our pastoral connexion with those missions which were established previously to the Union. VI. That firmly believing, as we do, that the resolutions of the Committee in London have been adopted upon erroneous impressions ; and being satisfied that our fathers and brethren in England have not intended, nor could intend, anything unkind, towards the members of this connexion, or unjust to its inter- ests ; and deeply anxious as we are to maintain inviolate and unimpaired the principles and Articles of Union between the English and Canadian Confer- ences ; and being determined to do all in our power to prevent the dissolution of the Union, therefore resolved, That a delegation be sent to the Wesleyan Conference in England, to lay all the matters referred to in these resolutions before that venerable body, and to use all proper means to prevent collision between the two connexions. Resolved, That the delegation to be sent to England on the subjects of the foregoing resolutions consist of two. Proceeded to ballot for representatives to England, — Votes, Egerton Ryerson, 51; William Ryers-.i, 43; several scattering votes. Egerton and William Ryerson were declared duly elected. Moved by W. Case, seconded by Egerton Ryerson, and Resolved, That our respected brother, the Rev. Joseph Stinson, be request- ed to accompany our delegation to England, to confer upon the matters pend- ing between the British and Canadian connexions^ I ilTuirs ; and he tinatiiciitl jtter to the ve disclaim MisHioiiury t, we leurn leyan body : Majesty's or General ; loritics res- in London, possible, to Lhis Confer- )tion9, were Union were :ed by funds rationa and reasonable, lur pastoral the Union. Committee !ing satisfied ould intend, ; to its inter- mpaired the [iian Confer- e dissolution e Wesleyan & resolutions jnt collision >jects of the ton Ryerson, I, be request- fiatters pend- 33 [The following docutnents were read by M<- K. Uyerson l^cfoie the Conferenc*;, assembled in Bcllovillc, in June, in reply to fho allegations contained in the Resolutions of the Lornhni Comnjiltee. No 5 was read to show the nature of Messrs. Stinson and Richoy's first coininunications with the Governor-General en the question of liie Clergy Reserves. No. 6 waa read ti> show tiio narure of Mr E. Ryer.son's first communications with the Governor-tJeneral on the subject of the Government Grant. Nos. 7 and 8 were read to illustrate the conclusion of the Governor-General that the Grant was made to the Wesleyan Missionary committee in London in view of a union witli ttie Wesleyan Hixly in Upper ('anada. No. 9 was read to show that Mr. Alder himself, at the time he was in Uppei Canada negotiating with Sir John Colhorne on the sui)ject of the Grant, not only contemplated a union, but a Jinroiciul union, with the Canada Confer- ence. No. 10 was read to show the circumstances under which the union waw proposed by the Canada Conference, and to prove that it was not proposed ia order to " save the Missions in Upper Canada from ruin."] No. 5. Memorial of the Rev. Joseph SHnsoii, and the Rev. M. Richcy, to tfie ^ Governor-General of Canada. To Ills Excellency the Right Hon Poulett Thomson, Governor-General ot' the British Provinces in North America. May it please Your Excellency, Sustaining, as we do, an intimate and responsible relation to the Metho- dist Church in this province in connexion with the British Wesleyan Confer- ence, we deem it imperative upon ns at l\\\>, important crisis to lay before Your Excellency ari explicit statement of our views and wishes in reference to the Clergy Reserves. The frankness and condescension which characterized the communications which Your Excellency was pleased to make to us durin"^ the interview with which you honoured us yesterday, encourage us to believe that Your Excellency will not regard the following brief expression of our opinion as unworthy o,f consideration, in any measure that may be recommended for the final adjust- ment of this question. We entirely concur in sentiment with Yefore the House of Assembly last session. * '*"^' ^^- ^ Rev. A. Green. (Signed) Wm. Rowan. specting the J/ 2, 1840. ite in writing 1 Conference, the following flenelg (dated to His Excel- ), 1836) for a iginaily made, 1 the printed in aid of the 'g the followinf e British Wes- nment House, The Wesley nn July 4, 1834;" Tohn Colborne, ill be found in committee on s " Narrative") . by the Confer- the Resolutions s to the Confer- 3t\veen the two )iscipline of the e, &c., :0N RVERSOK. No. 8. Extract of a letter from the Earl of Ripon to Lord Olenclg, dated " Carl- ton Gardens,'' [London] April 4th, 1836." " It is correctlv stated that I had various communications with the Wesleyan Methodist Society in this country in the year 1832, upon the subject of their operations in Upper Canada, and of the desire entertained by the Wesleyans in that Province to place themselves m close and continuous connexion with the Parent Society in England. In the course of these communications 1 became so impressed with the importance of the objects which the bociety, hoth\t Home yix^^^^n Canada, had in view, that 1 thought it expedient to encourage their exertions, and to instruct the Governor to gxve them some pecuniary assistance from those funds which were legally at the disposal of the Crown." No. 9. P.xtract of a letter from the Rev. R. Alder to the Conference assembled in Hallowell, (U. C.) dated " Kingston, {U. C.) August 16, 1832." " That the [London] Committee shall be at liberty to appoint «uch persons to labour in connexion with this [Canada] Conference, as they may deem to be properly qualified for the sacred office, and that the Conference w 11 not muk ply preachers or circuits within its boundaries until they shall have ^; ,e=iondPd with the committe This is asked on the ground, a« the com- mittee is expected to grant an a.nualsum o^ money ^^^^^^^^'^^^P^^^^^^^^ sion of the work in Canada, they ought to be associated with the. Conterence in de^erm^^ing how many preachers shall be employed, that their f^ids may not he eZbar'rassed, norVhe necessary comforts of the preachers bed™b' ed by the employment of a greater number of ministers than the mean, placed at your disposal will justify." 36 iii ' I 1,! No. 10. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE WESLEYAN MISSIONARY COM- MITTEE IN LONDON, AND THE MISSIONARY BOARD OF THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH IN CANADA, PREVIOUSLY TO THE UNION BETWEEN THE TWO BODIES. I 1^- n >. ■ \ Ir u % Resolutions and Letter of the Wcsleyan Missionary Committee in London. Mr. Ryprson, frnm Upper Canada, accompiinied by the Rev. Peter Jones, a converted Indian chief, were introduced to the committee, having statements to make, and arrangements to proi)03C, respecting the jirosecutioii of the mis- sions in that Province, and especially among the Indian tribes. After hearing their statements, and considenng what miglit be the probable effects of their plans on tlieir own missions and missionary subscriptions, it was Resolved — 1st. That Mr. Turner be immediately written to, to inquire respecting the facilities which may exist as to the commencement of a mission to the Indians in Upper Canada among such tribes as have not yet been visited by mission- aries, such mission having been long contemplated. 2nd. That a grant of the sum of three hundred pounds be made to Messrs. Ryerson and Jones for the use of the missions already commenced among the Indians by the Canadian Methodist body, as a proof of christian and brotherly afTection to our Canadian btethren. 3i"d. That in consequence of this grant, the brethren Ryerson and Jones have agreed and u'ill be expected to gi>w their best assistance to our friends at such meetings as they may have cpportiinity of attending 7ohile they remain in England, without making private and personal applications for subscriptions to any of our own friends. London, Wesleyan Mission House, June 13, 1831. Dear Brother, — At the instance of the Missionary <^ommittee, I now transmit to you a copy of the resolutions entered into by them, on the introduc- tion of Messrs. Ryerson and Jones, and receiving their statements relative to your missions, and the object of the visit of the deputation to England. They rejoiced to receive them as brethren, and sincerely congratulated them on the success with which your missionaries have been favoured, by the blessing of God, among tho native tribes of Indians. An impression — deep, aftectionate, and highly favourable to the Indian Mission — has been made by the addresses of brother Jones at our own and several other public meetings of a benevolent character, as well as by the amiableness, intelligence, and piety of his general intercourse with ourselves and our friends in different places. We exceedingly regret the severe indisposition by which he has for some weeks been prevented from more generally visiting our societies in other parts of the kingdom, but from which, we are thankful to hear, he is now recovering, and are therefore hoping that he will soon be in a state of convalescence. During his sickness, which occurred at Bristol, and which there is reason to believe originated in a violent cold taken by travelling on the outside of the coach from Liverpool to London immediately after his arrival, he has been at the house of a most kind and attentive friend, Mr. James Wood, jun., son of our venerable brother the Rev. James Wood, where he has received every medical and domestic atten- tion. Mr. Ryerson, who resides at the mission house, continues in good health. From the annexed " Resolutions," you will observe that the committee have decided upon commencing their long contemplated mission to the Indians, convinced that where the field is so wide there need be no fear of any unpleas- ant or conflicting feelings among the missionaries who may be employed. The idea was suggested to your deputation, whether ii, would be agreeable to you to I RY COM" OF THE JSLY TO n London. '!• Jones, a ^latcmeIlts A the inis- iT hearing ts of their olved — Rctinfif the tie Indians y mission- to Messrs. among the I brotherly and Jones ur friends 'vhile they ationsfor 3,1831. ee, I now e introduc- relative to lid. They em on the blessing of Tectionate, addresses benevolent lis general xceedingly prevented gdom, but 2 therefore s sickness, inated in a verpool to most kind )rother the istic atten- ))id health, littee have e Indians, y unpleas- yed. The e to you to 37 pli>ce the whole nf your Tnvlinn missions midrr oiiv direclion, a^; \vc might per- haps snccerd in raisin-; fuiicU for :i greater extent of missionary operation than could be nt presiMit raised by yonrselvns; but as they seemed to think the i)ro- posal would not be accepted.' lliey lesolved to show their brotherly kindness stnd iiiterest in the siicrrss of the mission to the abolipi^^■•3 of America, by a donation of £300. to which they wrrc tlie more readily induced by a wish to accomplish a part of the object of your deputation, which they understood to be that of raising funds liy solicning subset ipiioiis and donations, but which they were aware could not b(> done in addition t(» llie applications of their own preachers and friends, without some flang;i'are from ours in Upper Canada; whilst at the same time our missionaries were not to interfere with the arrangements or operations of their missions in Lower Canada. 6th. That it would he a matter of very d(H>p regret should the Methodist Missionary Committee in Loiidon determine to establish a mission in Upper Canada among any of the Indian tribes situated North and East of Lake Huron, as all these parts of tho Province are embraced within the actual labours of our Conference; as our own missionaries have with greater or less success visited all these tribes, and we have established missions or regular missionary appointments among them all; as no missionary society beyond the ■Vilantic can possess the sam ) facilities with ours of doing an equal amount of good with the same means; as the formation of a Methodist Society in Upper Canada, distinct from that already established, is a disavowal of the already recognized principle, that "the Weslcyan Methodists are one in every part of the world'' — it will in all probability produce serious misunderstandings and party disputes in our Connexion — make unfavourable impressions upon the minds of the Indians, by attempts at forming distinct societies of professedly the same people among them— and do material injury to our missionary funds in this Province. 7th. That if tho Methodist Missionary Committee in London shall determine to establish a mission or missions among any of the numerous tribes West or North of the Lake Huron, or in the vicinif of Hudson's Bay, we will do all in our power to assist them, by furnishing them with Indian translations of the Gospel, Hymns, &c., and Native labourers, as far as we can spare them. To the Rev. Dr. Townley, i^-c. c'^^c. ^^c. Reverend and Dear Brother, — Your letter of the l?th of June last to the Rev. William Case, and the annexed resolutions of your Missionary Com- mittee of the 11th May, were submitted to the Conference at its late session; and after the genernl sense of the Conference was taken on the subjects embraced in your communication, the whole business was I'eferrcd to the Missionary Board to communicate with you. Agreeably to the direction of the Board, we now transmit to you a copy of the resolutions adopted by them on these subjects. By the annexed resolutions you will perceive, that due feelings of gratitude are entertained by tho Board to our brethren in Great Britain, for their kind attentions to Messrs. Ryerson and Jones, and to your Committee for their expression of good will towards our interesting and flourishing Indian missions in Upper Canada. The Board cherish the highest respect and warmest affec- tion for their brethren on the other side of the Atlantic, viewing the Methodists in England and in Upper Canada as two branches of the same family, and subjects of the same government. But, considering all the circumstances of Mr. .lones's mission, and the apprehensions entertained that applications to the British public, from the Methodist Missionary Society in Upper Canada, would ^'involve your con- nexion in unpleisant party disputes," his deputation to England, us fur us it relate-* to any applications to your contributors, has been regretted by the Board. You may rest assured that these circumstances were altogether un- foreseen by our General Superintendent of Missions, when the deputation was determined upon. Wo should be sorry, indeed, to be even the innocent instru- 39 m and the lisKionary r Canada, ; in Upper ary to the onforence. in Upper rfeie with Methodist I in Upper of" Lalie he actual ter or less or regular jeyond the amount of f in Upper he already 3ry part of idings and upon the •rofessedly nary funds determine i3 West or will do all ons of the lem. Line last to nary Com- te session; e subjects •cd to the irection of sd by them f gratitude their kind 5 for their n missions mest affec- Vletbodists amily, and I, and the , from the your con- as far us it ed by the gether un- itation was «nt instru* mcnis of doing any thing that would, it. -.he least degree, disturb the peace of Your connexion, or ailcct your missionary funds, so do.crvcdly wanted through- out the vastly extended fields of your nnmerous and valuable missions. It may however, bo remarked, bv way of explanation, that Mr. .lones i mission to Kn'-land was undcitiiken at the sugue^tion and recommeTidation ot a number of intelligent and respectable En^lUh brethren, who stated their conviction that more ijuineas would be given in K.igland, in aid of our Indian mission-, than dollarsii. die United Slates, whe.v a deputation from ..ur Society was once sent, arid was assisted by the Mcth.vlist l).ethren. in different cities and towns in that country, to make coUectioiiS to the amount of several hun- dred pounds. Our conference being an independent connexion in a British province, our Indian missions established within the British territories, a pref- orence was, of course, felt to making applications to the British puMic. And, lest any method siiould be adopted bv our deputation which might intcrtere with your interests and operations, they were instructed to call upon your Committee fur their advice. It is hoped, however, that, from the arrange- ments entered into between our Deputation and your Committee, J\lr. Jones s mission may, upon the whole, have a favourable influence upon the funds of vour own Society.— And no future deputation to England is contemp ated by the Board, unless the measures adopted by your Committee should so far affect our missionary fur.ds and operations in Canada, as to render further explanations and applications to the British public ai isable and necessary. The fourth, fifth, and sixth of the accompanying resolutions were entered into by the Board, in order to apprise your committee of the views and circum- stances of our connexion relative to a part of the missionary field in Canada. The success of our Indian missions, considering the means expended, has, perhaps, not a parallel in the history of modern missions. This extraordinary and continued blessing of God upon the labours of our society, is considered a peculiar call of Providence to continue them in all our mission stations, and to all those tribes which our missionaries have visited. Indeed, the rapid progress of Methodism in Upper Canada generally appears to indicate most clearly, that our present ecclesiastical arrangements, whilst purely Wesleyan, are remark- ably well adapted to the work of " spreading scriptural holiness throughout the land, and that the abandonment of them would be stepping aside from the , order of divine Frovidi.'nce. By the seventh resolution annexed, you will perceive the readiness and anxiety of the. Bn;»rd to co-operate with your committee in their contemplated mission to Canada, as far as they can do so without " involving the connexion in unpleasant jnirty disputes," and injuring our own missionary funds. Ihere is little doubt out the funds of our own societv can bo increased to a sufficient sum to meet the wants of all the Indian tribes within the present boundaries of our ConftM'ence. You will find an interesting account of the northern and western Indian tribes referred to by the Board, in the "two journals of the Rev. John West, A. M., late chaplain to The Hon. The Hudson's Bay Company." The most of these tribes sneak the Chippewa tongue; and, it is believed, were evangel- ical mission;) rie- sent among them, they would readily embrace Christianity. Two of our native Indian missionaries have visited some of these tribes, and were instrumenlal in the conversion of several of them. Our own society has had it in contemphuion to commence missionary operations among them, but the prosecution of this work has been hitherto delayed for want of adequate means, and an effectual door opening almost simultaneously to the several Indian tribes in our own neighbourhoods, which has thus far employed all the funds we could command {"or niissionaty purposes. It may, at the same time be remarked, that did our society possess the necessary funds, they could establish missions among even these tribes, at a far less expense, and to far greater advantage, than a society several thousand miles distant. Our society is located upon the ground, is veil acquainted with 40 t- t']- i•^ ^' i \ the airricultural and all tiie local ciicunrstunoes of the country, the situation, prejudices, and customs ot" the liidiutis, the most eHicient and ecoiiuruical plans of introducing the gospel among them, together with the arts and habits of civilization, and ther*' are labourers in the employ of our society, whose past unexampled success proves them to be well qualilied for the work. This, however, is oidy suggested for the consideration of your Committee. It may he proper l^ere, to observe, that the progress of Wesleyan Metho- dism, in Upper Canada, has been far more rapid than in any other l*rovince of British North Aml to the Conterence h to confine its missions wholly to Lower Canada, or not to reinforce tbe mission they have had for some yca';^ in Kini^ston, or not to establish under such cir- cumstanceg new missions in that Province. 4. That with respect totlie principle urg^d upon the (^ommittce in the rcso* lotions of the Canada Board of Missions, "that the Methodists are one in every part of the world," cou! o .ly bo npplicablo in the sense of maintenance of fraternal affection, since a unn\ niisiiig from the existence of but one form of Methodism in one province, is now out of the question ; several distinct bodies of Methodists now existing in Upper Canada, who refuse to place themselves under the pastoral charge of the Canada Conference; and affbrdinti sufficient proof, that were our missionaries to be withheld entirely from that Province, a considerable number of independent bodies of Methodists would grow up. 5. That with respect to the Indian missions the original agreement wiin the United States General Conference did not in any respect n iate to them, so as to exclude the (Committee's endeavours to atte:npt their evangelization. — They were in fact never referred to in that agreement, but it has long been the Com- inittee's intention to aid in this important work, in pursuance of a piinciple held sacred by the Committee to endeavour to connect with missions near European settlers, attempts to benefit the aboriginal heathens of lliose countries where they may locate themselves. This the Committee attemptt d in Labra- dor, in connection with the Newfoundland Mission in New Holland ; and by4hc blessing of God very successfully in connexion with the South African colonies. The extent of the Committee's exertions, and the demands upon their funds, were the only reasons which caused them to delay their endeavours to evangel- ize the Indians in America. 6. That notwithstanding these views of the Committee, Messrs. Ryerson and Jones were informed that the Committee intend nothing as to Upper Canada contrary to that brotherly kindness which ought to exist between two kindred religious bodies; but that they shall not consider tiiat principle at all contravened, should they fix missionaries in places of considerable population, although the Canada Conference may have societies in such places, the pop- ulation being such as to aflTord reasonable ground to conclude that there is a sufficient sphere of labour for each, much less that it would be any infringement of the said principle should a mission be planted among settlers not yet pro- vided with any religious ordinances. 7. That in the agreement between the United States General Conference and the British Conference, it was explicitly stated, that, should Methodism deteriorate in its form and spirit, or should any just political oifence be given by their missionaries to the British Government, the British Conference should be at liberty again to employ its missionaries in Upper Canada. The doputation heard no explicit complaint in this res[iect against the United States Confer- ence, nor did they charge the Canada Conference with either of such matters. This they were not called to enter into, inasmuch as no agreement to partition the two Canadas existed between the committee and the Canada Conference, and they were not therefore under any necessity of scrutinizing the fact ; but that they must say with affection, but regret, that the publication of a paper expressly by the Canadian Conference, entering warmly and in the spirit of partizanship into the local politics of the Province, was not in the spirit or according to the practice of British Methodism, and contrary to that abstinence from such disputes which they enjoined upon their missionaries, acircumstance v%=hich had created prcjudico usuiust tlie acceptabloness of the Canada breth- ren, with a part of the population of Canada. On these points a conversation of some length was held, at the close of which Messrs. Ryerson and Jones vera assured of the kind regards of the committee, but were thus frankly put in possession of its views on the subject brought before it in the resolutions oi the Canada Board of missions before mentioned. 43 tbe niissioij ler such cir- iii the rcsO' are one in naintonance one form of ?tinct bodies themselves nu sulFicient Province, a nvv up. ent wiin the them, so as lion. — They en the Com- a piinciple lissions near ose countries d in Labra- 1 ; and by4hc can colonies. their funds, 3 to evangel - srs. Ryerson as to Upper between two nciple at all 3 population, :es, the pop- at there is a iniVingement not yet pro- 1 Conference . Methodism e be given by nee should be 10 doputation tales Confer- ;uch matters. It to partition 1 Conference, the fact ; but )n of a paper the spirit of the spirit or lat abstinence circumstance lanada hreth- . conversation on and Jones IS frankly put resolutions oi Secoitl Repli/ of the Wedeyan Missionary Board in Canada lo the \Ve$ley- an Missionary CommiUec in London. Extract ok the I'rocekdings of the Board. Certain resolutions of the committee of the WesU-yan Methodist Missioriary Socielv in London, passied in February 183-2, and triinsmittod by the Rev. Robert Alder,' the Committee's Representative, haviuii been laid before the Board on the evening oftheUed in>t., and tlie ll<^v Rot.ert Alder, the Rev. John Hick, the Rev. Timmas Turner, and the Rev. John 1'. Meiheringion being present by previous invitation; the resolutions of the committee in London enclosed by the Rev. Dr. Townlev, and his accompanying letLer to the Rev. William Case, dated June 13, 1S31, the anriwer of the"l3oard to the same, and the resolutions of the Wes- leyan committee above reterred to were read ; after which a long, free, and friendly conversation took place between the members of the Board and the Missionary brethrcMi, particularly Messrs. Alder and Hick, on the subjects of the several documents named above; at the conclusion of which the Board adjourned. At the ensuing adjourned niKeting of the Board, ! ^Id the eveiiing of the 29tli inst., the following resolutions were adopted. 1. That with respiict to the first resolution of the Wesleyan Committee con- cerning the " understanding," &c., the resolution of the Board was founded on their understanding of the report made by the R^v. Mr. Capers, delegate front the American to the British Conference 'in 1323, which concludes thus:—'* I did, howpver, distinctly understand the Committee as being of opinion that their Missionaries ought not to go into Upper Canada, unless either after some definite arrangement should have been concluded to that effect with the church there; or m case of its notorious inabili y to supply the people, or its depar- ture from the doctrines, discipline, or economy which distinguish Methodism. 2. That as a lar?e portion of the Canada Conference consist of Europeans; as the members of the Methodist Societies from Great Britain who have generally united with ^s, have uniformly expressed themselves satisfied with the economy of Methodism in Canada, and equally edified by our me". is of grace as in their native country ; the influx of European emigration into this Province does not appear to the Board to render tlie organization of Methodist Societies distinct from those already established, expedient or advisable— and more especially as the Board considers the economy of Methodism in Canada to be as truly Wesleyan as that in Great Britain. 3. That the Board conceives the principle, " That the Methodists are one people in every part of the world," was under-stood by Mr. Wesley in a more extensive sense than morelv " frateimal aftection," as he cherished and taught ♦' fraternal affection" between the Methodists, pious Baptists, Presbyterians, Moravians, &c., who were never repi-esented by him as one with the Metho- dists in the sense that he declared " the Methodists are one people in all the world, and it is their full determination so to continue." 4. That with the exception of the Society under the care of the Wesleyan Committee, the parties (few and small in number and influence) in this Prov- ince who call themselves Methodists, and who are not under the superintendence of the Canada Conference, differ as widely in their government, economy, and usages, from th'^ English, as fi-om the Canada Connexion; nor is there any probability that the pastoral charge of the one would be more acceptable to them than that of the other'. There is perhaps a greater variety of Methodists (so called) in Great Britain than in Cdn:rda. Hence the introduction of Mis- sionaries distinct fr-om th )3e who are already labouring in connexion with the Canada Conference, is not likely to produce any greater uniformity in Metho- dism than now exists, and may lead to serious misunderstandings and party disputes. 5. That with respect to the seventh resolution of the committee, the Board 'Pn I, «,., I1 \us to recom- y of Metho- iolicited Mr. ice. On the ig, no autho- 45 '' NewcastU-upon-Tyne, August, 184tT. Proceedings and Dectsion of the Conference on Matters relativ • to the Union between the British Conference and the Upper Canada Confer' cnce, and to our Miisio/is in Upper Canada. The Conference last year apituirittHi n Si)P(;i!»l Committep to decide finally in fill mutters relating lo the Uniofi existing' l»i>l\veen the British Conference and the U|)per Canada Conference, otid to our Indian Missions in Upper Cunada. A large Committee was also this year appninied l)y the Conference, to investi- gate the proceedings of the aforesaid Committee of last year, — to consider the Resolutions wl)ich vvt?re adojited by llie U[)per Catiaila Conference of 1840, and lo receive the commmiicaliona of the Rev. Egerton Rycrson and Rev. William Ryerson, the representatives dcftuled by the U[)per Canada Conference to attend the British Conference. The Committee last named sat several days, and at length presented a copious report to the Conference, which report received a few verbal alterations and uilililions, and on llie whole of which, aa thu3 amended, the decision of the Conference was then given. I. The Report OF THK Committee. During the long and careful examination of the important suhiccts referred to the Committee, various doLiunents were read or largely quoted, and oral testimonies received, comprising the following Articles : 1. Dr. Alder's Statement of the Proceedings of the Committee appointed by the British Conference for the affairs of Upper Canada in 1839. 2. Articles of Union between the British Conference and the Conference of Upper Canada, drawn up in 1833. 3. The Rev. Joliii r>r" rliam's statements and explanations iu illustration of the aforesaid Articles of Union. 4. The Rev. George Marsden's explanatory statement respecting the note appended by the Upper Canada Conference of 1833, to the 5ih clause of the 6th Article of Union, and the first payment of the government grant for our Missions in Upper Canada. » 5. Statements of the Rev. Edmund Grindrod, Rev, William Lord, and Rev, Joseph Slinson, who have been Presidents of the Upper Canada Conference ; and also of the Rev. Matthew Richey. 6. Letter from the Rev. Egcrton Ryerson to Dr. Alder in 1834. 7. Extracts from the Minutes of the Upper Canada Conference, held at Toronto in 1837, on Government Grants for Religious purpo es, involving principles, which might have been pleaded by the Government a^ a reason for withholding from the Wesleyan Missionary Society the grant pledged to that Society from the Casual and Territorial Revenue for the support and extension of our Missions amongst the Indians and destitute settlers in Upper Canada, and which, in point of fact, did induce the local Government to decline for a time to renew, in conformity with the instructions of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the payment of the suspended grant. 8. Extracts from Letters of the Rev. Joseph Stinson, under the dates of October and November, 1838, and .lanuary, 1839, showing that the peace of our Societies in Canada was disturbed through an habitual and zealous inter- ference with secular and party politics by the Christian Guardian ; which paper, being the avowed and official organ of the Upper Canada Conference, virtually involved the British Conference, during the subsisting union, in a common lesponsibilily as to principles and consistency, 9. Dr. Alder's letter to the Rev. Joseph Stinson, dated London, January 14th, 1839, on the subjects rcfeired to in the above named Letters of Mr. Stinson. lat, 184(7. tiv ' to the da Covfer' ido finally in iference and per Canada, e, to investJ- consider the ce of 1840, n and Rev. Conferenco everal days, hicli report jf which, aa !ct,3 referred :'d, and oral ppointed by onference of luslration of ing the note lause of the ;rant for our • rd, and Rev, Conference ; nco, held at ;3, involving a reason for dged to that nd extension per Canada, decline for a of State for the dates of he peace of Ra.lous inter- vhich paper, ice, virtually 1 a common on, January Iters of Mr. 49 10. Letter of the Sccretuiips of tliB Wesloyau Missicuiary Society to tlio Lii!Uteii'iioiiings and discussions, con- fining its expressions of opinion to religious and literary topics. 3. That such official organ admit and maintain all the aiknowledged prin- ciples of the Wesleyan Methodist connexion ; and that, in seeking for a right understanding on this point, the committee liave es))ecial reference to that principle of our body wdiicli asserts it to bo the dnty of civil governments to employ tlmi.' inlluence, und a portion of their resources, for the support of the Christian religion. The Committee recommerd, in conclusion, that the Conference now remit the whole affiiir to the management of a special conmiittce, whose duty it shall be to draw up a statement, in a more detailed manner, of the points on which full satisfaction will i>o expected from the Conference of Upper Canada, and to tnake such a report of the resolutions of that body thereupon, as may enable ' rl P !'. i: «P t l-i? I;; ( !' 4 52 our next Conference, af5sembling in Manchoster, to iletcrmine finally, llie coursfl which, in reference to this union, it may then appear proper to adopt in the settlement of the whole affair. II. The Decision of the Conference. The report above inserted was presented to the Conference, and read in the hearin- of the Revs. E. Ryerson and W. Ryorson, representatives of the Lpper Canada Confeience. They desired a copy of it, which was accordingly handed to them ; and they retired to examine its several parts. When they returned thev were a-ain hoard at len^h, and mutual explanations were made on several points to which they demurred. In the end, they frankly and explicitly de- dared it as their opinion, that the Upper Canada Conference, of which they are the representatives, would never be induced to accede to the views which are contained in the aforesaid report, and concerning which such serious rnisunder- ritandings have arisen; and, that the maintenance of such views, on the part ot this body, would be regarded by the Canada Conference as a virtual dissolu- tion of the union. Upon hea.ing this, the Conference was reluctantly led to the conviction, that a continuation of the more intimate connexion, established by the articles of 1833, is quite impracticable. The Conference could not over- look the fact, that the pacific resolutions, which had already been proposed to the Upper C:anada Conference of 1840, by some of its members, wcne negatived bv a large majority ; and that, from tiie statements of the Rev. Egerton and Rev. \v1lliam Ryerson. just made, the s.me disposition evidently remains, and clearly precludes a further perpetuation of the union. But the Conteienco wishes to express its paternal and affectionate feelings towards the Upper Canadian brethren, whose continued and increasing prosperity in the enjoyment of" all spiritual blessings," and in the extension of all benefi^al spiritual inHu- ence, it earnestly desires ; and, while the relation subsisting between the two Conferences may, henceforth, be simply that which marks two independen sections of the great Methodist familv, it is devoutly hoped, and implored at the hands of our most merciful God, that they, and all the other parts ot the same family, may always preserve towards each other such sentiments ot sin- cere Christian friendship as become the portions of the church of Christ whicti a-rree in many points of doctrine and discipline, closely btaring, as they hrmly believe, on the best interests of mankind. And, in order that every arrange- ment may be made in the kindest and most effectual manner, the Conference deems it right to confide the whole aftair to a Special Committee, who shall bo invested with full authority to act, during this time and the next Lonterenco in Manchester, in all matters connected with this subject, and especially to take measures, in conjunction with our general Missionary Committee, lor the future prosecution of our work in the United Province of Canada, ana of our missions among the Aborigines and destitute settlers ;-with power also to add to their number, and to appoint, from among themselves, such sub-conrimmees as may be thought advisable. It is likewise recommended that the Hey. Egerton Ryerson and the Rev. William Ryerson be invited to attend the said Committee, or any sub-committee or deputation which may be appointed by it. with a design to render every plan and disposition of aflairs as amicable aa possible. On the xvhole subject, therefore, the Conference resolves, IJNANI- °I. That the first four resolutions contained in the preceding report of the Committee, as those resolutions aro revised and amended, be received and adopted by the Conference. - r .v,« „^;«« XL That as, for the reasons above sugcosted, a perpetuation of the umon between the British and Upper Canadian Conferences is judged to be imprac- ticable, the fifth resolution contained in the aforesaid report, under all the cir- cumstances in which the subject is now presented for the decision of the (.on- forence, cannot be received and adopted ; but that the following Committee be i 1 '\^^>. the coursft upt in the ead in the the Upper ;ly handed f returned, on several Illicitly de- L"h they are which are misunder- tlie ])art of lal dissolu- y led to tho iblished by 1 not ovei- )ioposed lo e negatived gerton and imains, and Conference the Upper ; enjoyment iritual influ' een the two ndependent mplored at )art3 of the ents of sin- hrist vihich , they firmly E;ry orrange- Conference vho shall bo Conferenco !specially to ttee, for the and of our r also to add i-committees at the Rev. end the said ippoinied by amicable as Ives, UNANI- eport of the received and of the nnion Lo be imprac* r all the cir- of the Con- ommilteo be ■I i i 53 appointed with all the powers ulreaily mentioned, to take the most judicious and Christian measures, in conjunciioii with the Kev. Kgerton Ryerson and Rev. William Ryerson, as reprosciitalives uf the Upper Caiiailian Conference, that the formal dissolution of 'he unuin may not he accompanied with any thing that might produce embittered feelings, or injure mutual charity: viz. The President and Secretary of the Conference, the Rev. Messrs. Richard Recce, Richard Treftry, Thomas .Jackson, .lolin Scott, John T. Haswell, I-M- rnund Grindrod, Thomas Galland, .lames Dixon, Joseph Taylor, Peter Mc- Owan, Matthew Richey, Joseph nson, George Marsden, William Lord, Robert Wood, Barnard Slater, John Rigg, William Bennet, William M. Bunt- ing, John Davis, Sen., John Bowers, William Alherton. Richard Waddy, Isaac Keeling, Timothv Ingle, John Mason, Jun., Samuel Jackson, William Vevers, Joseph Fowler, William Barton, Francis A. West, Samuel D. Waddy, together with tho Missionary Secretaries. HI. That the above-named Comnnttee shall hold its first meeting in Man- chcHter on Wednesday, August IDtli next, and its subsequent meetings as may be found convenient or necessary. John Hannah, Secretary. Letter from the Representatives of the Wesleyan Conference in Canada, to the Rev. Dr. Hannah, Secretory, in rpferejice to the proceedinf(s of ike British Conference on Canadian Affairs. 22, Cecil Street, London, August 2f), 1840. Rev. and Dear Sir,— We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th instant, enclosing the " Proceedings and Decision of the Conference on matters relating to the Union between the British Conference, and to the Missicms in Upper Canada," and informing us of the appointment of a Sub-Committee " for the particular purpose of having a fiee and friendly conversation" with us on matters pending between the Wesleyan connexions in, England and in Upper Canada. We beg most cordially to reciprocate the expressions of personal kindness contained in your letter, and to assure you that no differences on public grounds shall be allowed to suspend, on our part, the offices of private friendship, or prevent the ingenuous exercise of those courtesies and duties which arise from our religious and official relations. We regret that it is not in our power to meet your Sub-committee, as we have taken and paid our passage on board of the " British Queen," which departs for New York on the 1st of September. We stated to several of the members of the Committee at Newcastle, that we intended to embaik for America by the 1st of September. We, however, delayed taking our passage for several days, in hopes of hearing from you. Mr. Fowler, Superintendent of Newcastle, and Mr. Lord, informed us the evening before we left Newcanle, that we would receive an official communication on the subject of^ur mission, by Wednesday, the 19th instant. We deferred until the end of the week— the latest moment allowed in order to secure comfortable berths— before we engaged our passage. But we know not what advantage could arise from our meeting your Sub-committee, as we have no authority to assent to any dissolution of iho Union between the conferences in England and in Canada, much legs to consent *Q nr acs^'v.esr.e in "our establisb.in"" an interest in Unper Canada, distinct from that'ol" the Wesleyan Methodist Church in that province. Of course tho Missionary comtnittee are responsible for all demands in connexion with the Missions in Upper Canada, up to the period of your secession from the Union. The accounts must be arranged and settled with the Missionary Board of the Canada Conference. !r_ I n II.':* II: «:' :- i- n i «;'-■ ! ■ ( !^: 54^ We now prnrcpd to state in writing tlinsc viow^ rospoi^iing the " Piocerding^ and Decision" of your confeience, which we sliouhl have coiiimuuicated ver- bally had wc been able to meet your Sub-couimitlee. But previously to our | doing so, we beg to make a few preliminary remarks. 1. Let it be recollected first, that the Constitution and Rules of the \yesleyan Body in Canada are not scattered over several large octavo volumes of iMinutes of Conference, to be interpreted to the Societies by the Superintendents of circuits, and by the confeience in doubtful questions, as is the case in England; but are embodied in a small book entitled " Doctrines and Discipline of the Wesleyan Mel.hod'ist Church in Canada;" dtfininc: the powers of the confer- ence, the objects, powers, and duties, of every official meetins and office in the church. 2. ''"hat previously to the union wit'i the conference in England, the Connexion in Canada was an ludcpnndenf, body, under the church organization referred to, possessing the discretionary and aljsoiute management of its own affairs. 3. That it has always retained all its previous power of self control-- all its rights and privileges,— which were not conceded to the conference in England in the Articles of Vnion. 4. That the articles of Union required and received the assent of the two conferences, and can onhj be dissolved by their MUTUAL consent, unless in case of a hitherto unknown and very improbable exigency. The relinquishment of the Articles of Union, therefore, by either party, vvithout the consent of the other, involves that party in the responsibility, as well as the coufequences, of a secession from the other body in the country where it takes place. 5. That in ascertaining the import of the Articles of the Union—and, conseqirently, to judge of the violation of them— wo are to ex- amine the Articles themselves,' and judge of their nature and provisions, from the grammatical and common sense meaning of the language which they contain, in connexion with the usages to which they refer. It is one of tho first principles of common and civil law, that " no man can take advantage of his own wrongs" — a principle which would be prostrated in the dust were wo to admit the interpretations of Mr. Beecham, or the paraphrases of Dr. Alder, as the Articles of Union between the Wesleyan Conferences in England and in Canada. We may further observe, that the letter and spirit of the resolutions and address of the Canada Conference of .Tune last, ev'nce a strong desire on the part of that body to maintain the Articles of the Union inviolate; that this was the great object of our expensive and painful mission to England ; and that the assumption of vast additional powers on the part of the conference in England, and the prescribing of new conditions as the only terms of perpetua- tin° the Union — assumptions and conditions to which the Canada Conference have most solemnly objected— and the responsibility of tlie dissolution of the Union, in consequence of a non.com))liance of ourselves and the conference we represent with those recent assumptions and new conditions, rest entirely with your Conference. We now advance to a brief examination of the " Proceedings and Decision' of your Conference. 1. We came to K land in accorrlance with the suggestion of the committee of your conference ou Canadian affairs, which stated, that " If the Canadian conference should deem it to be its duty to send a Representative to the next British conference for the purpose of offering tiny explanations or of making proposals with n view of perpetuating the Union ; or should that be found impracticable, for the purpose of making such arrangements as may prevent unseemly and unchristian collisions between members of two divisions of the game great family, the Committee assttrc the Canadian Conference, that such Representative will be received with cordial affection by the British Conference, and that every attention will be paid to his statements and repre- sentations." The kind and manner of our reception is familiar to you; we shall merely say, it was to us a new thing in Methodism ; and that, up to the present moment, neither of us has been favoured with the honour or the n^^ 'iocerding4 licated ver- lusly to our B Wesleyiin of iMinutes tendents of n Kngland; iline of the rhe coiifor* )fHcp in the nghmd, tho irgfinizalion t of its own If control — nference in "■quired and ed by their improbable e, by either ^ponsibility, the country tides of tho 5 are to ex- isions, from which they one of tho dvantage of list were wo f Dr. Alder, [land and in )Iutions and [esire on the e; that this igland ; and onference in i)f perpetua- Conference ution of the 5 conference rest entirely id Decision" e committee he Canadian 3 to the next ir of making lat be found nay prevent isions of the ereiicc, thai the British ts and repre- to you ; we at, up to the nour or the 55 courtesy of a salutation ciil'.cr from Dr. Bunting, or the President of your conference, or any of the loading othcial members, with a few exceptions. If a Representative of your conference to Canada, or to tho United States, had never even been saluted by a sliake of the hand or a nod of the head, on the part of the presiding Othccrs of the conferences in those countries, we question whether he could state with truth, that he had bivni '' received with cordial affection."* Into further details as to our ollicial reception we will not enter; for many expressions of kindness and attention on th'^ part of individual members of your conference we cherish a grateful remembrance, and desire to record our heartfelt acknovvlcdgmRnts, cspecial'y lor the unwearied and affectionate atten- tions of the Rev. W. Lord, late President of the Canada Conference. 2. It is probably known to you, that by notes to the President, and otherwise, we iirped the early consideration of the subject of our mission, but that several days e'lapsed before even the appointmput of a committee was proposed; that we" objected to the reference of the Canadian address and resolutions to a committee before they were read and discussed in conference, as they were addressed to the Brl/ish Conferrnce, and embodied an appeal from the pro- ceedings of its own committee; that our objections were overruled, with the assurance that we should have an opportunity of stating fully the whole matter to the conferencc.t It will also appear by the minutes of your conference, (JVotcs from tJur London Edition.) * J^ote by E. Rijcrson.—U is with extreme pain and rejjret that I have deemed it just and expedient to join in those remarks, as, on two former occasions, when representing the Cfuiadian Conference in Enshmd, I received all the attentions tiiat brotherly kind- ness intellifjence, and jrenerosi'tv, could bestow. I confess that although, for obvious reasons I did not anticipate an eqiiaDv tlatterins recep'ion on the present occasion, I did suppose that the usual civilities would be extended to a senior and confessedly unofTend- inK brother; as a slranj,'er, an accredited Represiiuati\e of a coordinate branch of the great Wesleyan family, a brother greatly beloved and honoured by his brethren in his native country. The Representatives of ilie British Conference have always been treated in Canada with every mark of respect and distinction. When Dr. Alder was in Canada, in 1H30, he was not sent to a so'itarv boarding-house, as a leper, but was most courteously entertained by a respectable Methodist family, and trt ated with every possible attention by the Conference, thou;;h the whII known and avowed objects of his missidii were more repugnant to the feelings and interests of the Connexion in Canada, than the mission of ' the Canadian Representatives could be to the intellisrent views of the VVe^ieyan body in England. On calm review and mature reflection, I am persuaded, the auihorities of the British Conference will reiiret tlieir repulsive treatment of the Representatives of the Canada Conierence. It was undignified and new in Methodism ; and cannot bear exami- nation in any point of view. But 1 cherirh no other than feelings of regret at t!ie occur- rence of such an event in the history of Methodist Conferences. It shall not cool the ardour of my affection for tiie many venerable members of the Conference with whom I have had the privilege of a slight acquaintance; nor shall if lower my estimate of a body of ministers wliose epistolary works of faith and labours of love are read and Icnown of all men at home and abroad. t The morning after the appointment of the committee on Canadian affairs, one of the Canadian representatives addressed the following note to the Rev. Dr. Bunting:-- " Fridaij Morning, .August 7, 1840. " Kev. Sir,— As assurance lias been given by the President, ami as it is understood that an opportunity will be afloided us of stating all the facts of the Canadian affiiir, as we understand and view it, to the Conference, and as it is our required duty and inten- tion to do so, whether the cnminittet; report in favour of continuing the union with the Canada Conference or not, I take the liberty of submitting whether you do not think it will be a great saving of lime and labour, for the statements on both sides to be made to the Conference before the committee on Canadian alFairs meets 1 " If the statements are first made to the committee, we shall be under the necessity of making them a second time, with equal minuteness, in the Conference; whereas, if ibejr are first made in '-he Conference, thev need not be rejieated in the committee. ° ^'* After the statements on both snlcs shall have been made to the Confertnce. the com- mittee can proceed, with ctmiparatively little further discussion or delay, to prepare such lesolutions as may be judged expedient for ihe final decision of the Conference. •' I merely submit this for your consideration. The Conference, it is probable, will not sit while the committee is sitting. It will occupy no more time to state Ihe facts t» the Conference than to the coinmiilec ; but it is immaterial to lis which course is pur- H:.r I ' *■ ■ . Ill rJ" % Ir^ ^ if'. ' \: ,4(5 that tho cotnmitti'c tl»u3 appoinied on Caimdiiin alYuirs did not meet until Saturday, the 8th of August, eleven days after the commencement of cne session, and within three days of the tlien anticipated close of it. It must likewii^ti be in your recollection, tha'; when, in Committee, we remonBtrated against being interrupted at almost every s»age of our remarks, stating that we had not in any one insitance interrupted Dr. Alder in his four hours' gtatemt-nt, or Mr. Stinson in his statement in support of the statements made by Dr. Alder, we were informed by Dr. Bunting, in reply, that such was your mode of proceeding in committees — that any statement was liable to be objected lo the moment it was made, and explanation demanded at any time — that BW credit was due to either of us for not havin|0 interrupted Dr. Alder or Mr.^ Stinson, as we might have done so if we had chosen ; that when we came to «peak in conference we could proceed without interruption till we had con- cluded. You are furthermore aware, that the affair was not reported to the conference until Thursday evening, the I3th instant, and not taken up until the following day, a few hours before the close of the session; when, out of upwards of three hundred members who had attended the conference, the greatest number present during the consideration of the Canadian business waa Seventh-two (a less number than there are members of the Canada conference), the other two hundred or two hundred and fifty preachers having lett confereiice for their circuits; that then we were told, that as so much time had been occupied with the investigation of the subject in committee, and as there was scarcely a preacher present who was not either a member of the committee, or had not wit- nessed its proceedings, the further discussion of the subject in conference was inadmissible as well as unnecessary ; and that our remarks must therefore fee confined to the expression of our views respecting the Report of the committee. 3. So much as to the mode of your Conference proceeding m this affair. We have felt it our duty to make these brief references to it. as it is several times alluded to in the resolutions whir'' you have enclosed. In regard to the reso- lutions themselves, we cannot but -express, in the first place, our surprise and regret at the manner in which the statements reported to have been made, and iho papers and documents stated to have been read, are recorded in the report of the committee, as we are persuaded it conveys a very erroneous impression of the proceedings of the committee, and the facts brought before it. Tha order in which the statements were made and the documents read is altogether different in the Report from what it was in reality. Why is this ? The dates of some of the letters and documents read are given in the report; the dates of others are omitted. Why is this ? A synopsis o( some of the statements and documents read is given ; the synopsis of other statements and documents is suppressed. Why is this? And in the synopsis of some of the principal doc- uments, those very points are omitted which constituted the leading features of those documents, and the points of difference between the two Connexions. Why is this ? How is it possible for any reader to form a correct idea of the real nature and merits of a question, when the proceedings on it are thus re- ported ? 4. We will reier to some examples in illustration of these remarks. In the enumeration of statements made and documents read in the committee, three sued, so that we havn an opportunity of laying the whole affair before our fathers atid bfPthren at large. Our only preference is in favour of that course wliich will be the least tedious, oc Hpy the least tirni!, and occasion the least trouble— doing what we think to he right and necessary, in a candid and amicable spirit, and leaving consequences to Htm who has ail power in heaven and in esrth, -ind who is « too wjss to err, and ton good to be unkind.' I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) r serton Rybrson." •* The Rev. Dr. Bunting, &c. ice. &c." The following was Dr. Bunting's answer to the foregoing note . ♦• Dr. Bunting has considered Mr. Ryerson's nolo of this morning, but is still of opinion that both our uniform usage in all such cases, and the merits of this case itself, rendtr tb« course now pro]K)sed the only proper one." ^leet \3tilti nt of cne It musb nonstrated. ng that we gtatemt-nt, de by Dr. your mode abjected lo ? — that BW er or Mr. /e came to I had con- rted to the p until the en, out of rence, the isiness waa inference), conference n occupied scarcely a ad not wit- 3rence was He re fore fee committee, affair. We ,eral times the reso- rprise and made, and the report impression 3 it. The altogether The dates he dales of rnent* and cuments is ncipal doc- features of Connexions, dea of the ire thus re- s. In the ttee, three fathers arid 1 be the Itast we think to nces to Htm t tnn itnnA tn lYBRSON." n of opinion f, rendtrth* 57 i'iz?e in its origin and objects; Mr. Ryet- «o;i'6 letter weis defensive. The prayer of the Memorial went to deprive the m ii u K (.' ill ,'k) Mi^ 'w, ml] . *■■! m f ■; ,i t (' \ \ 1 iLiJ. 5S . .1 W.. Irvii. Mt'lliodi^^l Church in Cuiuuhi ul" its jiisl and hithef- Ccference ul the ^.^ '^^i ;/;;;.!..,, ...s ol" ihe letU'i- went to secure those to acUnowUHlgocl nghu , iho ^^";^' ' • j ,^ ,U.,Uin.Uur. to thi^ Governor- rights The ^I---' -;::''^;^^: u;el'y,\hut the Cdou .onlu be Generulonthera.tofAU> .. -' 1^^^^^^^^^^^^^ occurrence of such an dissolved. Mr. U>ersuu s ^^'^ ' Y"!, s iM^on una llich^n' and their Mem- event, 'l-he ^'»""\^'"!^''^^"";!, 1^,? , ;; e n.n i l"e of Nvhich thev ^vere memhers ; onalwcresccrel-nuhTCMKlen o ilu mut^^^^ i„ Canada, u.-til its pro- -the Memorial .as never^eO-.^^^^ .^ ,^^,,^^ „nd comained auction was requned at ^''^^^"'\'^\ ', „,,i„ion. of the Canada Conference, to sentiments in opposmon to the /^V ;\ ; ';7;';i;;;,, ^uhscribed. M r. Ryer- which both Messrs. Sl.nsoi. and ^^'^'.^J/^yi^VC recorded views of the corn- son's letter expressed v,ews u; ^^!;^^^Z^cl There were, therefore, mittec and conference of Nvhich ho ^^'^ ^ "?™^ ^ate and objects of the in^portant reasons for -"'^J-^^ ^^^ t^^yo e-^^''- ^-"P^^« ^" Memorial, in the 2;nM/C(Z piocecdm s "\ > , '^ ^ 1840, and the pur- orised and clandestu.c' part. ■ j^ , „nhe committee slates, " Cor- A fourth example; ^^V^'^'-''' i\'' ',*:,/„,:,. .k^ Governor-General t Bnt- xesponden^ of the f^-^;.^f;-;;^, ^^^tmrnil;:., through Dr. Bunting, ish North America. xNonn \m. imm..uLu ^ ^^^^ „ith copio, of the wl,oto of ri.ut -",;7X-'';;,^=;,,,;,j^,,cos, pressed ? 1 hat uciesoi- '^'^'z:^,::'z:L;i^:^::^z^::.>( uu, aii!i«k>ns or your coticspondence '^"■"•'"'' V "^ /'" y,. Uyers.ii. llial the naiuie of tlie cose conjmUtee on C ";";!-- "-'^^ l"? ',;,,. M- '^3— '" "" G"ve,no,.Gc„ei-. Will afford, i. It coniauuu a ,, /-',.vr..-nmpnr erant to your committee, a al, dated Jan. 2, 1340, >«1';"^;:=, " '"= ^"-l Tl rttor'aldvi^sed by Mr. Ryer- letter which refutes yo,.r »";=■''""• ]:\ia 2, otJ.uie, 1840, enclosing a Bon to the ri;>--V'^'-''^'''';''! • f ' ^„tie dat^ 29lh April, 1340, requesting eopy o!^^l^S^->^^^:;:^^X,l')Un Rus.el'l, referred to in those rS^^'i^^'^^^ •'■-"''"\™;rni"F.Sk:;;'';^ar'th:"ni" h!™: * The following are the letters alUidod to: 7 oronto, June 5, 1840. ■^ ... i trrivfd at home l;ist night from a long tour ; n„d since my arrival tho »P^'J"^I'J ^ - ,,^^7^^^^,^^ i„ London. I lose not a monrient Stinson, AReiUoflhe VV.'sleyanMu-siun y^^^ tiicv rtifcr to wliat has transpired fn encldsin? a copy of tl.e.n to y^^^f./^^^'^' ^'\^ ^^.f^ia olat oas wl.icl. exist between the bfttween your Excellency a.id '^'y!^^''l.^^^^l:^^J u.o Wesleyan Church in Canada . , Wesleyan Conference m hn^land ;^''^'°^"^" ,'';,,,,„,,,, .,, L approachir.g annual The subjects of these f^'«« »\'«''^„^ ,/^J,\' i'^el" o„ .^VV.dnes.hiy next, in Belleville. Conference of Ministers wluch com ' ace. »l^ ^e .ion o y^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ As your Excellency is the only '^>" ' . ^ '^ Vot ho^ e w H excuse, in your Excellcn- 1 S;4^S;r'tlil;X;l;^U^i;o ii; mlls^ rciefflu' ^ll^cUing from your Excellency answers i ";!'^r';:^":^;rand.r.Kicl.eydesi.your^ ! tion of the proccds of the clergy r<;snrves ' ^ '^^^^^'^ VJ ,°' Jj^^..^,,,,,,,? ,he probability of England; and did they not =!^^^';" ,^^,""'p^'' j, "« J banadian Cunlerenccs ? I the dissolution of the union between the EnglUi ana ca ^^ 2. Did not your Kxcellency determine to wr.eo^I^^^^^^^ ^J ^^^^. i ZS^^'itZS^^ ?^r=!;;;s^;'Sio Pon'\,.e n.... and Canadian « Sferrnees. and without any application on my i^u ^..^^ luul hither- L;me those Governor- I u'ovld be i)t' sucli an heir Mem- ! members ; ,til its pro- cl contained nfeience, to Mr. Ryer- ot" the com- :>, ihereforCr jc'Cts of the ) 111 pure Mr. and the pur- Stinson and ■ to which it A\G "unauth- tatcs, "Cor- leral t Brit- Dr. Bunting, htles and the >sscd? Ihat lions of your e of the case vernor-Gener- committee, a by Mr. Ryer- , enclosing a 40, requesting ed to in those certain of the be only human son had been June 5, 1840. 'rom a long tour ; by the Rev. Mr. is;e not a inoaient . has transpired ixisl between the liurch ill Canada, prnaching annual ext, ill Belleville, lie of tlie matters In your Excellcn- xcellency answers lire a specific por- yan Conference in ; the probability of enccs ] nn the subject of aniiningthe docu- lish and Canadian etweeu the British resBcd wish T 59 favoured with flio roadii.;^ of rlio G n'ornfU'-rJenfrar-'. ili'«paleh. If wn"* tliff only doiMinieMl in r'xislrnci' iluil coulil provr liir ]vivi whii-h hnd been taken in the matter. He applied for it. ThI-! was j>riiii(( J'ttcie evidence of hii* con- flciousness of hiiviiii,'- tirted hoiioiiiaiily. lint L'e lilies and dales of thedo letters aie suppresst^l in the prlaled procec'lins^s of yniir cotiinilttee and con- ference! 3. Tliat ci)rr('s|>()ii(|('iK'e mI-;(» ciDiiiiitKMl the (iovornor (leneral's answer, ((hited .June 12, ILIIO) to ilio jettors jtist mentioned, tlis ['Excellency conceived it to be irref^nliT for liiin to fm-iiisli a copy of lii-< despatcli ; but he replies explicitly to Mr. Ryerson's ([iicsHnim, and cotiiniunicales so much of the contents of his de:«patcli as related to tlu^ matters subtnilted tf) him In this Reply, His lOvcelleiicy slates (1) Tliat ho bad learned from Mr. Stinson of the probable tli^ssohiLion of llie Union. (;2) That Mr. Ryerson Jiad never applied to him on the subject of tlie (iovernment ^rant to tho London VVet*- leyan Missionary Committee. (3) That Mr. RyersiMi's letter to him, dated .Jan. 17, 1840. was prepared in compliance with His Excellency's request. Yet all mention of this most imporlaiiL docanient is suppressed in tbe printed Report of your conference procoeilin<;a ! (4) That correspondence contained iikewise a copy of the AddiCLs of the Canada Conference to the Governor- I will feci myself preatly obliged by your Excellency's earliest reply, addressed to rae at Belleville. I have the iionor to be, &c. (Sij^nedj Egerton Kverson. His Excelle.icy the Governor General. Toronto, June G, 1840. May it please Youa Excei.licncv,— Since my Idtor of yo?tcrday to your Excellency was mailed, I find that i am nnalili; to procure from i\ir. Stinson a copy of your P'xcellen- cy's despatch to Lord .John Itiis-sell on the subject of the (Jovernnient prant to tlio Eng- lish VVesieyan Conference, reforn'd to in the ijondon Committee's resolutions, which I enclosed to your Excellency, althoiijih it appears that Lord .lolin Russell furnished Mr. Alder wiih a copy of iliat dc.!i)atcli, and althonsli I have obtained copies of the other parts of the corn spondenri" mi'iitioiifd in tiiosc; rrsoinilons. Your Excellency having kiiiilly read that (ie.'patcli to me, previouslv to sending It to Lord .John Kussell, I know it to he of tlie utni st importance to me in the approaching investijjations. May I therefore hex tliat your Excellency will have the kindness to enclose tome, by return of post, a copy of liie de.^paicli referred to, addressed to me at Dcllenillc. I have the honor to be, &c. Eoerton Kvkrson. Hia Excellency th« Governor General. [His Excellency's reply is as follous:! " Govnnimnnt House, Montreal, June 12, 1P40. " Sir.— I am rommnndtd by the Governor General to acknowl(.df.'e the receipt of your letters of the .5ih a:id Oih ]v>^i : the first enclosing a copy of certain resolutions adopted by the committee ot ilie Uniisli VVesleyan Conterence with reference to your conduct on the QOth April last; th- second, rn(pi('siing a cupy of the despatch res[iecting the grant for the support of the VVesle\ an Missions in r^pjicr Canada, which his Excellency ad- dressed to Lord.Ioliii I{u*sell in the month oi Feoruary last. Tiiese letters liaving unfor- tunately arrived during his Lxcellency's ttniporury absence from Montreal, the answer to then) has boen unavoidably delayed. " Ills Ivxcellency desires me to say, that a? lie cannot gather froin the resolutions of the British Conference that liis despatch to the Secretary of Stale had been communicated to them, as you suppose, and as he has reason to tiiink from other circumstances that such a proceeding would not be adopteil, it would lie irre- i 5. We have now to advert to the conduct of Messrs. Stinson and Richey, extracts of whose letters were read in your committee and respecting whom your Conference— or rather tiie remainder of your Conference— has, doubtless from a strong conviction of necessity, passed an approbatory resolution. Your report mentions the reading of extracts of letters written by ^^;; f inBon to theWesleyan Mission House in London, during the months o^ October and November, 1836,-a period when Mr. Stinson was professedly co-operating most cordially with the Canada Conference-when he professed to be on terms of friendship and inUmacij with Mr. K. Ryerson-when he and Mr. L. RycT- son prepared and published, under peculiar circumstances, an Address to the Meribers of the Methodist Church in Upper Canada, containing abundant in- tcrnal evidence, that Mr. Slinson cordially supported the views of the Canada Conference, on the question of an ecclesiastical establishment in that province, though at variance with the views expressed in a Memorial wdiich he subse- quently joined with Mr. Richey in presenting to the Governov-General of Ca- nadai An extract of another letter from Mr. Stinson, dated 20th March. 1840. was read in your Committee. In that letter Mr. S. states to the Mis- sionary Committee, " 1 have lost all confidence in the men with whorri I act , and if vou choose to degrade yourselves any longer by a connexion with such men, I'hope you will permit me to retire from the province. Such vvere Mr. Stinson's words, as nearly as we could take thtm down while Dr. Alder was reading his letter. Yet a short time after the writing of that letter for perusal and U(Sion in England, Mr. Stinson declared, before those "men in Con- fere..ce assembled in Canada, thnt, he conceivecl the Canadian Preachers wor. thy to stand, in every respect, upon an equal fooling with English 1 reachers ; that he earnestly desired to perpetuate the connexion between the two bodies ; that he would consider it wrong for the Government to pay the Committee the Grant out of the Clergy Reserve Fund, if it should, in the slightest degree affect the claims or interests of the Connexion in Canada ; that in the event of a dissolution of the Union, he should consider it wrong for tne Committee m London to attemnt to relain possession of those Indian Missions which had been established by the Canada Conference prior to the Umon. Relying upon * The following are passages from the Address alluded to: " We have asked for no change in our Coustituiion of Government; nor in our rela- tion io the MoEco^^^^^ we" have ask.d (or equal rights and privileges under ou' Snt llrm ol GovermncMU ; and our free Constitution secures to us the means of obiain- ^ ing all our demands in a peaceful, bloodless, yet etfectaal wny. „ , • " Le* us then, brethren, regardless ul past lojunes, or present giuu.hl., ot wxjM..al Jt, rallvaromu the standard of (mr country in obedience to the auihorities vyhom Almighty GodhasinH^Prov^^^^^^ ■"»! when peace and safety m the land are SLin rl-estabhsheT we wi . one and all/renew, with redoubled ardour, our exertions to KnJhoserlgE'a^d privileges, and advantages which belong to us as men, as Chns- tians, and as Canadian British ^ubjec^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^.^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Conference. ,, Egerton Ryerson, Secretary of the Conference.' ♦' City of Toronto, J^ovember 19, 1838." is* % Gl p[)ly wliirh liiuuctor of 29th April, ants in the e furnished motives, or nga of your with facts: confidence. It to names J by nameiJ, md Richey, cting whom s, doubtlertft tion. Your •. Stinson to October and co-operating be on terms r. E. Rypr- Idress to the abundant in- the Canada It province,* ch he subse- neral of Ca- >Oth March, to the Mis- ivhom I act ; on with such ich were Mr. r. Alder was ;r for perusal ion" in Con- eachers wor- h Preachers ; I two bodies ; jmmitiee the nest degree, I the event of lommittee in s which had Relying upon or in our rela- leges under ou' leans of obtain- i3 or cornptSinii fhom Almighty n the land are lur exertions to men, as Chris- nference. Conference." nucli profi'!5-*ion9 and dtH-lnrations. llio C'nn.itla fonffronce rerjiipsts Mr. S(m« 8on to acoonipniiy its l{cpro-nMiti\tivos to Knf;laiid "/or co-oj)rr(ttio7i and aid.'* He comos to EncluiiH, and " aids" and " co-oporutos •.vitli" the Representa- tives of the Canada Confi'ieiice, by exiracrs of suili IrJters as we have above quoted, and l)y kindred voil>iil stntemeiits and reprrsentatinns ; and is then thanked bv ynur Commillee and llio lemiiindtT of your Conference ! But re- Bolutions of Committees or Conferences cannot alter /ac/«, or make crooked things straight, or darkness liuht. And then extracts of calumnious lp»tors against his Canadian brethren fron» Mr. Richey, are read in your Committee ; and Mr. Richey tells your Com- mittee, that the " ministerial character is dej,Maded" iti Canirda ; that there is little " chemical affinity" in the Connexion there with British Wosleyan Metho- dism ; and that during his four yciirs' rcsidtuice in that I'rovince, he was trea- ted (to use his own emphatic words) '* as a stranger, a foueignkr, and AN ALIEN." Mr. Richey was invited to Upper Canada as principal of the Conference Academy ; the lioard of that Instiltitinn apjilied to an American College to confer upon him the honorary degree of Master of Artrf, and paid his travelling expenses while viailing American Colleges, nj)d in pursuit of a diploma; paid hitn for three years a salary about twice as high as that of any other Wesleyan minister in Canada; and vvhoii it was not deemed advisable to ask him to continue in that situation any longer, he was stationed in the City of Toionto, the City Road Circuit of the (.'anada Connexion. The Confer- ence had requested lum to prepare for publication a volume of sermons, and directed its Book Steward to j)ublish them ; the Editor of the Christian Guar- dian, — Mr. E. Ryerson, wrote as encomiastic a notice of those sermons, when published, as the warmest friendship could dictate; and although the Canada Conference could not approve of Mr. Richey's views and conduct in reference to the Resolutions of the London Committee, and his communicalions with the Governcr-General, it possessed sufficient judgment smd charity to discriminate between a man's views and proceedings in certain circumstances, and his gene- ral character, and therefore, en Mr. Richey's departure for England, trans- mitted to the British conference a flattering testimony of respect and affection in relation to him. Mr. Richey comes to the British conference, and tells you he had been treated, during four years' residence in Upper Canada, " as a stranger, a foreigner, and analien;^^ and you express your " hearty esteem and approbation of the ability, fidelity, and diligence" with which he had " performed the duties officially conlided to him !" Thanks and eulogies thus obtained are dearly purchased ; and wiiatever influence the representations of Messrs. Stinson and Richey may have had upon your proceedings against the Canada conference, we are persuaded they will operate very differently in Canada, where the facts to which we have referred are well and generally known. 6. The decision of your committee and the reinai. Icr of your conference on the main questions now domnnd our notice. You say that the " matters of complaint" contained in the Resolutiohs of the London committee of the 29th of April are regarded as "fully proved." But look at the facts in reference to the main point, namely, Mr. Vj, Ryerson's conduct in relation to the Gov- ernment grant. Your Resolutions charge him with " an utter want of ingenu- ousness and integrity in attempting to get jjossession, in behalf of the Cana- dian conference, in whole or in part, of the grant made by the Crown to the Wesleyan Missionary Society." You decide that this allegation is ** fully pro- ved." Now, upon what ovitlc-nce ? You do not pretend that Mr. Ryerson had communication with any other officer of the Government than the Governor General of Canada on the subject; and the Governor General tells you that Mr Ryerson had never applied to him on the subject, and that his examination of it, and the conclusions to which he came on it, were not the result of any ap- plication from Mr. Ryerson ; and yet you decide that your own allegation ia " fully proved !" We know that the testimony of the Governor General wa» ii iit^f G2 p j.: i ' t . t ■• ■ , - It '■ very litll'^ roRlfinlp'l ^>y yf^'ir ^'"Tnnii ItfR ilinf \\U lArpllonry was f ju.Urn ot l-y Dr. Hunting and uIIum-h ns not to l)n irlmri npoii ; !in( I that Mr. i:. Kyerson w as nuich roprol.utcd for idftitityini,'- the admini^tni t nit ion of siu-li u tmi'i ? i» liinisolf and tlio Canada conf.rcnro with onfirriiR what was ox* nd vour dt'(Msi'.)n c tlicrp ir> tlio pvi- 3e-a rii'nod upon the same char.^e hcfove two ronf.roncos on two sides ot e Adantic; acrmi.tpd, .u.tainod, and honoured l.y the one, and then snbstan- allv ac uh ted, ind no at the Pamn time fearCuliy condemned hy the other ! 7 Then Is o the charge of super.edin:: the Rev. .Jo.oph Sun.on as 1 res- /. men, as i" ^"^ . ^ ~ ' ■ .1 .,. M.,.K„,i;^t ^icnrJ hip nnd nsaote 111 T,rPH<.od hv indivi.hiaU on that point, lint tioivvuhstandm!:, Slnc^ a d ho,e is vour d.eisirn-the onn nnIa,onist ... the other. 1 owever StW V >.r oommineeorcunf.Mvnce may „vat thu a-.thonty or word ot her Moie^tv^'* lu.hlo repn«=.entalivn in Cann.h., others will properly ^•^^V^^'^^' B« ton deeis.on is at variance with its-if, a. well as a char,., of alsehood a.xainl i ord Sydenham. In one part of your K-selmions you condemn Air. ^Rver. n for an utter want of ingenuousness and integruy, in attempUng ». obta nVor the Canada conference the ..ant winch had been given to the Brui.h coiferenc/ in another p:.rt of vour Uesniutinns. y<.u condemn h.m (in respect "^Z:. il^ntical all^,ation) f.r ;• rot opposing, ^^l^^ ^ir::^!^;^ the payment of onr j^rant in a certain cmitingpncy. not to us, but to ti.e Upper {^^anada Tone ence.^' The one part of your own ch.v,.SK.n, therelore, contra- STs and nei trahz^s the other, and completely nfutes your own ulle.ation. rX Mr K. Ryerson's case is rather a hard, as well as an anomalous on™itnea upon'the same charge l>elore two confe..nces on t^ si.Jcs^of tVie tial ^ Thr»n as to the chtir^K "i auifin.-vv... , - '. ,. , Wlent Now, . ew this in ^eferei.ce both to Nhnhodist « (Cauadian) Confe.ence shall exercise the L^fYnc ion generally as the present General Supe.intencUnt now actually ex^ci e '' t wasshown to your committee, and denied by none, that tho - General Superintendent" never had claimed or exercised the functions in CanTda which vop have claimed for your I'rv^ident there; that ^'-„ <-«"«f ^ confer^nre as well as tho American conferences generally, had, from t^ e hee nning arpo "te.l a committee, or some person special y to cuard its rights and coml'.uncate with the Government on its allV.rs; that Mr. L. Ryerson Te c's M S n^Jl M^^och^ -ith the Governor CJeneral%WrZ. and sr parol ohj, indeperuleut of the committee of which Siev were memhei. as we I as Mr. Ryerson, and on the very same day ; and nTJweirrd wikelv-known feelings on the part .f Messrs. Stinson and Richev which they expressed in their interview with the Governor-General, will be found abundant reason why Mr. Ry^M-son. as the guardian of the rights Tnd int^re ts of the Methodist Church in Canada, ought not to have conferred tl h^ if t had bee^ so disposed. But tho real ground of d.ssatisfactioa S no th^tM Ryerson comminicated with the Governor-C-eneral, but that Ws communications were more successful, because more .pr,t and reasonable than "of Messrs. Stinson and Richey. Then, again, Mr Ryerson waited ipon the Governor-General in obedience to His Kxcelency's commands ; he pren-i.d his letter for the Governor-General in obedience to the same com. Lnds Ou"ht he to have obeyed or disobeyed ? Was ever such a pretension re^up befme on tL pa t of anv ecclesiastical body, since the days of the Inq-n- SoT that the GoveLor of a country should not send for and ^onsutt whom he pWd and that the individuals on whom he might thus call should not ?nr,^municate with him in the manner that he requested, except upon pain T^rZiastlal cen uTe ' Was the Canada Conference not to open its mouth t ^G^^^T:II.V^ m a manner the Missionary Secretaries in London niig com par. da,' the pret RcllP righ 8 cal < the to I opp Sec> re la prio The Tfii that con( in ] side Gua as r enc( of I the and extr bey( 183 fact do ; eno« judi Eng fron (Dr that and the com was his resu Gov groi fore adrr A and will whii com or c dani tion ;. Hyerson •rt'iK'o with lat was ox- is tlio pvi- IJowovor orti of lier itM't. it. f tiilseliood iidomn Mr. templinj^ ff^ till? Briii?h (in respect iitonanring, I the Upper fore, coniia- llog-ntion. i iinomalous wo sides of len siibstan- be other ! on, as Pres- nd tisas^e in les of Union exercise the low nctuaily ine, that iho fjiictions in the Canada d, from the ird its rights E. Ryerson ' exorcised it n years ; and nference had led with the auich less a the facts of [10 Governor lee of which me day ; and Stinson and rnor-General, of the rights ave conferred lissatisfaction oral, but that id reasonable, yerson waited ommands; ho he same com- li a pretension s of the InqMJ- isuit whom ho II should not ?pt upon pain >pen Its mouth ■ies in London 03 niij;ht prescribe? SupiJO^jO the doctrine, (be new and strange doctrine, of your committee had been acted upofi in Canada, mid that Mr. Stinson hud been re- garded as the "Olhcial Aiient and Ri-presontaiivo of the Weslcyun Body inCana* da," in communicating with iheguverrmient, where would have been, at this hour, the rights and interests ot thnt I'iody in respect to the Clergy Reserves? Such pretensions are adminJiiy iidnpteJ to uccornplisb the political and (inanciai Kchenies of your Mis-sionary Secretaries; but they would be deulh to the civil rights nrid just interests of the Wesleyau Methxlist Church in Canada. 8. The 1: The decide le last ot your specilic charg<'s is, •• l iie deculetlly and p'-onunentiy pdltti- ral character of the Chi isiiau CJuanliari, in vJDlatinn of pli'dges given to us and to the Upper Canada conference, from 18.']"3 to 1830." Here several things are to be observed. First, The Upper Canada cotiference have given you tho opposite of any authority for saying that pledges <^iven if had been violated. Second, The only resolution which was ever passed by the Canada conference relative to the non-interference of the Christian (Juardian in political matters prior to 1839 (and which you interpret as a "pledge") was passed in 1034. Therefore, pledges cotdd not have been given you "from 1C33 to 1839.'* Third, Dr. Alder liimself, your Representative accuser, said in your committee, that he never heard any complaint of the Guardian, as far as Air. Ryerson was concerned, fiom lo31 to lu3!>. Dr. Alder stated to the conference in Canada in 1839, that, during the editorship of Mr. E. Evans (three years) ^e con* fidered the Christian Guardian "a capital j)apcr ;" yet every reader of the Guardian, both in England and in Canada, knows that it was as decidedly and as actively political during that period as during any other period of its exist- ence. But the tone of its politics then were rather more congenial with those of Dr. Alder and his colleagues, and that makes all the diirei,->nce. But your censures now sweep over the entire period from 1833 to 1C39, notwithstanding the facts we have referred to, your silence during six years, and the sanction and co-operation of yoiu" Representatives in Canada. Your committee was extretiiely averse to allowing Mr. E. Ryerson to follow Dr. Alder an inch beyond tlu^ Confi^rence of 1839 ; yet your Report Covers the whole period sine* 1833. Fourth, Your Report states in one place, that all matters were satis- factorily arranged down to the Canada conference of June, 1339. Then why do you resort to previous dales in search of complaints and grounds of differ- ence ? Such a course of proceeding is at variance with the usages of all judicial ard deliberative bodies. Fijili, Dr. Alder tCiurned from America to England in October-, 1C39; ho read in yojr committee an extract of a letter from Mr. Slinson, dated Toronto, October 9, 1839, in answer to one from him (Dr. A.) dated New York, October 9, 1839, in which it was explicitly stated, that all questions of difference respecting the Christian Guardian were amicablY and satisfactorily settled. Dr. Aider, in the early part of .January, 1840, stated the successful and happy results of his Mission to Canada to the Missionary committee, and receiv;!d a cordial vole of thanks from the committee; which was published in the Watchman newspaper. Early in November, 1839, on his return ft-om a cenienai-y tour of upwards of two months, Mr. E. Ryerson resumed the Editor-ship of the Guardian, within a fortnight after which the Governor-General assumed the government of Upper Canada. Your whole ground of opposition to Mr. E. Ryerson and the Canada conference is, there- fore, by your owe showing, narrowed down to the period of Lord Sydenham's administration of the Canadian Goverimient. At the Canadian confer-ence in .Tune, 1339, when Dr. Alder was present, and at yoi^r conference in Newcastle, it was maintained by us, and wc believe will be disputed by none, that there are three crses, and three cases only, in which a departure from neulralUy m «'ivil afltiirs on the part of any religion* community. . . its ofhcial character, can be justified. 1. When the Government or civil institutions of a Country are endangered by rebellion, or conspiracy, or dangerous organizatioc, or aggression. 2. When any great measures or ques- tions are before the Government ynd Icgialature of "a country vv^ich directly n \ 64 m % ;; fi Vi fc tind deeply involve llie civil lights of communities and iiidividiinls, and thtf great interests of religion, such us Lord Sidmouth's Bill in 1811, Colonial Slavery, Government Education measure in England in 1839, and the Cleigy Reserve Question in Canada. 3. When the civil institutions of a country and the system of its government are being formed and established anew. Now, take these principles in connexion with the history and circumstances of U. Canada when Lord Sydenham assumed the government of that Province. The Clergy Reserve Question was ponding, and the settlement of it was proposed to be undertaken by the Government; a new constitution and system of government had been deliberately determined upon by the Imperial Authorities, and Lord Sydenham was deputed and commissioned to obtain the consent of the inhab- itants of Canada to these great measures, and to carry them into effect. He found the country depressed, agitated, and divided ; he commenced the hercu- lean task of elevating, tranquillizing, and uniting it, and preparng the way for a happier state of things. After some weeks, His Excellency requested the attendance of Mr. E. Ryerson, at that time Editor of Ue acknowledged organ of the Wesleyan Body in Canada, and special representative of the Conference to the Government in relation to its rights and interests. His Excellency desired to hear Mr. Ryerson's opinions and wishes, and then communicated his own intentions, and desired every aid that could be given to accomplish them. Mr. R. knew that although he would not be required to sacrifice his principles, he must yield his preferences on the question of the Clergy Reserves and several other matters ; but after mature deliberation, and with a conscious- ness of the diiFiculties of his situation,* he determined — not to raise a vexatious opposition to the government, which he had the fairest opportunity to do (and which Messrs. Stinson and Richey desired him to do. on the questions both of the union of the Provinces and the Clergy Reserves) — not to fan, the flame of (From the London Edition.) * JVotc by E. Ryerson.— Lord Sydenham well knows the feelings of reluctance and apprehension under which I assumed llie responsibility of giving my humble and earnest support to the measures of his government in Upper Canada. He well knows that I an- ticipated opposition frri Dr. Alder ana iiis friends, as well as from certain parties in Canada , and he well kooWs that I adopted the course I did with a deep consciousness that it would be Rttended with personal sacrifice, with no other expectation or wish but justice to the church to which 1 belon. V 'V Is, iirid thtf L, Colonial the Cleigy ountry and Now, take U. Canada I'he Clergy osed to be ;overnment , and Lord the inhab- jftect. He the hercu- the way for [uested the dged organ Conference Excellency imunicated accomplish lacrifice his <;y Reserves L conscious- a vexatious to do (and ons both of he flame of luctance and ; and earnest ivs that I an- n parties in onsciousnesB 1 or wish but md the hope government, rosecufed to )n atid Ncw- and charaC' no man bae me, and that ot for oppos- owerto havfi Canada had uainted with his adminic- tinn to it, ill lellency that latribute any [it, yet that I m nf a religi- iw withdraw is Excellency 3 Exccllnncy. ind confirmed I believe his nhim. lam pd me in the ision. I trust sake of those , had it been, jine It heipg v land of my 65 party spuit, buf— lo aid the Rppresent.ative of his Sovereign to break doWrt llie desti active party discussions and divisions, and to oI)iiter:ite the miseries of the past, and to usher in an era of safety, peace, and prisperity to that J rovince. Lord Sydeiinam having accompllsfiod the object of his mission to Upper Caijadd, the organ of the Wcsleyan Body avowedly and practically assumed its appropriate position of neutrality and non-interference in secuiac affairs, and continues, as we trust it always will continue, to do so. Now, was such a course real^ worthy of praise or dispraise ? What articlrt of the Union did it violate? And by how manv rioblo examples in church history is it justified ? If in February, 1830, your Missionary Secretaries co.dd write to, and applaud Sir George Arthur as .ieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, where was the crime in February, 18 10, in Mr. E. Ryeison support- mg the Governor-General of Canada, except in this, that the former was a Tori/, and the latter a Whig Governor, and no favorite with the leading mem- bers of your Conference ? When the " Christian Guardian," in the hands of Mr. E. Evans, decidedly and warmly supported thj administration of Sit Francis Head in 1836 and 1837, it was, in the judgment of Dr. Alder, "& capital paper: ' the same course of proceeding on the part of Mr. E. Ryerson, in reference to a IVkig Governor-General, under the most eventful and impera- tive circunistances, is, in the judgment of your committee, a serious violation of obligations and duty ! Such manifest inconsistencies in your proceedings on this point are calculated to induce the conviction that there is more of political party feeling than religious conviction involved in them. At all events, we are fully convinced that there is much more political feeling in your conference than there is in the conference of the Wesleyan-Methodist Church in Canada. 9. Your reference to the Cler :y Reserves is superfluous, as you know that question has recently been settled by Act of Parliament. Your reference to non-interference in secular affairs, was also equally unnecessary, as you know the Christian Guardian lias for months, both by authoiity and practically, been as free from secular party discussions as your own Magazine. You arc aware that we told your committee from the beginning, that you could not go further on that subject than we were prepared on behalf of the Canada confer- ence to go with you. And we are persuaded there is less inclination on tlie part of Wesleyan Ministers in Canada to interfere with questions of civil polity, and lass probability of their doing so, either from the pulpit or the press, than there is on the part of maiiy leading Wesleyan Ministers in England. 10. But while you would allow no interference with secular questions, you would require the organ of the Wesleyan conference in Canada, not only to acquiesce ii., but to "admit and maintain'^ the duty of the State to support religion— the theory of a National church establishment. Now we have shown no disposition t.> interfere with the National Establishment in England, (we laid before your committee ample evidence on this point); but we must object to the expediency of insisting upon this tlieory in respect to Upper Canada, and to the requiring of its advocacy in the abstract us a Wes- leyan duty. 1. There is no idea in any quarter of Government creating new endowments for the support of religion in Upper Canada. It has had treuble enough with those already created ; it has at length disposed of them ; and there the matter should end. It is neither expedient nor politic to introduce a new element of discussion info the \Vesleyan body in Upper Canada — not to say a lire-brand of contention. 2. But where, we would ask, is the Wesley anism of requiring the advocacy of that principle in the abstract ? Is there one word on the subject in Mr. Wesley's Fo7.tr Volumes of Sermons and Notes on the Neio Testament? Was the Wesleyan Magazine-, during Mr. Wesley's life, characterized by such discussions? What is'^Mr. Wesley's judg- ment and that oUiis conference on the .subjfct ? It is as follows : " Quest. What instam^e or ground is there in the New Testament for a National Church ? K 1 2 '^IK hi •■ % 'V.lM 66 . ^„,. VVc know of none at all; wo apprehend it to bo a merely political institution." , ,•/„;;,,«" nnv nart of lVesIc//aii Melhodism?— Now, is a " ;>o;.^.e«/ .^'^f ^j^ ^ ^ j,?,! J Testament, o. by Mr. Wesley 1 And is its «^^^f^^^^"J'^'"''"Vf^'l^,' o. or union is as unscriptural and as The mnUiplication of ^«^"^; ^"^ ,^°^^'^"X,,'' and in Canada the less said on :;::^r r chuX::obUshrrSl;^et;er, beta ^.. the Government and ^'^r ^Committee have -timated the^^ea of contin^ng t^^^ ^ in connexion w^h a eon.lomerat.on o -7. ^^ ^ 1^^^^ Canada Conference as much ^J^^ ^^^^ " ^^„ r,^^, i, Canada (more nu- claims of prerogative ^]^^f''^l'^^^^^^^^^ than the assisted Wes- merous and influential, by us own ""^,^;'f ^,^ ^^ ^^ America) to an ecclesiasti- leyanBodyofanyothe.^W^^^ cal nonentity— a mere agency lu a , -^ . n ^,.3 Q^vn institutions !— own preachers, t-ve ling and s.ipjunnato^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^.^^ ^^ You may be assured that E"^^!', ^•^";:^' ;^ j^^s they do in England, and espe- •elves.* {J^ote from the London Edition.) * in the course of tl.e Coniinmce -1 Con^Hrrv'SS.^^^^^^^^^^^ ^frs^as was frequently made by Dr. Alder ^';;' "^'''^^^^JJ^t'^^nferctJJr It may V- > remarked, thai if they were opposed to the views of Uie Cana a com ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ,^.^^, cjuestions whatever diversity of "P>V".r.ml?Pr of the Canada Conference, there is not, as far aa and the merits an individual member on^^^^ ^,,^,^^^,^ ^^ to the power, and we know, any di^Terence of opinion ,^ """".?, PJ^^union. [n 1830 a select committee of prim7.^es ofthatConferencein.de the articles ot^ of " Government the Upper Canada House of Assembly "''^^^ .»Pf '"", ' Jrovince " In the course of ti.e grants made to certain religious 'l';''lf'i"'"'7. ^J^^^'je ^^^^^ into the nature of the investigation of the sub ect, the select comn.itteen.aae^^m^ ^^^^^ Stinson, "Et^rS'cl's^ '^Sfl^^^'^^^u!':SX:yA^ extracts fro. their Srd evidence win explain their views on that subject. From the Rev. Joseph Stinson's Evidence. Krom me s^-vv pommittec how tlie mis'sionanes em- " 433. Win you be ^ood enough to .ate to '^^^J^i^^^^^^'^f J 'pointed to tlieir work 1- nlovcdbythat Society (Wefleyan MisMonar} socieiyj are xv MiMeh is stated in the Articles of Union.'' Ft d the Rev. Epiiraim Evans' Evidence. . ,• . .. 73. Is the union of the Wesleyan j;etl-j;^J^Ch'uci; wiUi Jhe^^ W^^^^^^^^^^ Society of Great Britain, a Union in XT.^'^^K S in t e ioctru.es which they hold are not one church in every '^f^^ft"^';^,yf^^"J.S under their care-ai.d generally m and Inculcate-in the general rules of the ^"^/\ ^,^^, "".J? ' /e ^tion ; differing in the lat- ?he great features of tlieir iraernal economy arul^^^^^^ ^,^^ ^^^« countries. ,er respects, however. _accordn,g^u,_, uie Irtt uu Hf^l'^^^^^^^^^.uher C.mie^ |"ii ^^^^' Fro7n the Rev. WiixtAM Cash's Evidence. -r. i ,1 ly politicaT hodism 7 — r. Wesley? ural and as ess said on rnment and union, but Ic'grade the iditions and a (more nu- sisted Wes- 1 ecclesiasti- support its ititulions ! — isses, like to id, and espc- ipport ihem- istle, reference (1 E. Evans, as remarked, that •lical questions s not, as far a3 the powers and ct committee of r " Government e course of tiie e nature of the ^ssrs. Stinson, ^ctfl from their Tiissionaries em- their work t — ill you be good bep to refer the :onference as an ority the Parent issionary Society ■iscs except that sleyan Methodist . church 1-They 1 which they hold -and generally in itlt-rin;,' in the lat- lie two countries. Athcr Conference sdiction over the icrty of the oiher^ cles of the Union. 1 identity of ciihtr lodistR in 'England Bodies; the Brit- ly-llie iVc9Uyan 67 No other occlosiastiralhoJy in Great Britain has claimed a control over a teligious body in Canada, vithout fjehifr rcspoitsible for its support; although there are bodies in Great Britain who li!>eially aid their more needy brethren in Canada, without exprcisiii? any dominion over them. The " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," is responsible for the greater part of the salaries of the episcopal clerirymen in U. Canada, and yet interferes very little with the appointments or proceedings of the clergy in that province. The Congregational Colonial Missionary Society does the same in respect to nearly all the Congregational ministers in Uj)per Canada ; as does a Mission- ary Society of the Church of Scothitid aid the ministers of that church in Canada. A few months since, the Committee of the General Assembly of the church of Scotland, generously granted £400 per annum towards support- ing Professors in tlie new Prosbyterian College, which is being established at Kingston, in Upper Canada — an instilufion entirely under Canadian manage- ment ; nor does the General Assetnbly of the church of Scotland ciaim any portion of the Clergy Reserves from the " Presbyterian Synod of Canada;" but gives the Canadian Synod the benefit of its own influence to procure all that can b : honourably obtained from provincial funds for the support of Pres- byteriani-Jin and Presbyterian institutions in that country. 12. We desire now to call your attention to the act of your confeience, by which you nrofef^s to dissolve the tinion with the Canada conference. Let it be observed, in the first place, that you have not specified or pointed out any article of union which has been violated by the Canadian conference. Yoiu* assuming new prerogatives and laying down fresh conditions, shows clearly that you are quite as much dissatisfied with the articles of the Union as you are with the Canada conference. Your act of dissolution i^ not based upon the violation of any one article of the Union by the Canada conference, but upon the non-compliance of the Canadian representatives with new assump- tions and conditions. The question now arises, has either the British or Ca- nadian conference powei 'o dissolve the Union on such grounds ? The Arti- cles of Union are a co:it'.:a't between two parties ; all contracts are mutually binding upon each contracting party; and can only be dissolved by niutual consent, or by a breach of contract by ono or more of the parties concerned. You make several complaints ; and so might the Canada conference complain that the understanding on the question of the Clergy Reserves had not been fulfilled on your pnrt ; than your Missionary Secretaries had exceeded their proper province in thoir communications to Canada on that subject; that Messrs. Stinson and Richcy had violated the "obligations arising from the Union" in their "clandestine and unauthorised" communication with the Go- vernor-General ; but all this does not amount to a breach of any article of I; .a contract. The union has been legally formed and ratified ; it must be legally dissolved, if dissolved at all. Otherwise it is no dissolution, but a secession, and involves on the part of the seccder the forfeiture of all that he may have acquired under the contract. His secession becomes a breach of the contract, and involves its consequences. And an old man or an old body may seceda from a contract, as well as a young one. Had you concluded unfavourably an to the working of the Union, and considered its continuance undesirable, wo Methodist Church in Canadi forms another distinct and independent Body. These tw!5 distinct Bodies have formed a Ur.i in. , . -> mu i •' 2.51 III what iTPpecis art tliev tlin samn, and how are they distmct 7— They are the same in doctrine and Keneriil rules of the Society; as also in the great nutlines of their ec(momy— sucli as iiinerancv, pl.ms of benevolence, the 8U(iport of their regular ministry by voluntary cotitributions, &c ; but they are distinct in namp., and independent of each jthcr "Thuy rtirii.iia': their own ir.teriuil ecoiioiiiy n\ their own way; frr.e of the. interfer- ence of each other— neither liaviti^ ami rcclrsiastical jurisdiction or control over the miimbcrs— prcac/icrs or people- -cf the other : no dislinci are they, that the ministers of one Conference have no right or claim to membership in the other Conference without its consent, and a regular admittance. Neither has the one Conference any control ovei the funds of the other." ■• I it li '\- "i I I. ■ n :• : •iil ■II .■II' mav presume to submit, that tho Mcllioflisllc, the dignified and legal mode of Droceedinff would have been lor you to have proposed to the Canada Confer- ence a mutual and friendly dissolution of it. But you seem to have forgotten that the Canada Conference was a body known m law as well as the Bntish Conference ; and it will be for the courts of law in Upper Canada to decide whether you have any chapel or mission property in that province, except what may have been secured lo the British Conference before the union took place. The act of your Conference is nugatory as far as the abrogation of the articles of Union is concerned ; but it is not nugatory as it relates to your stand- in" and your ri?hts in Upper Canada. Those articles are still good to the Canada Confere'nc w until it agrees to the abrogation of them. The stationing of the missionaries is still in its own hands ; and now the election of President ; and an invasion of its rights, or a trespass upon its property, will not be suffer- ed with impunity. . • . .- 13 The considerations involved in these remarks may serve to impress, as wellas to introduce the observations with wuich we will conclude this commu. nication We now submit to your committee the inexpediency, the impropriety, the uni-^stifiableness, of your'atfempting to prosecute divisive operations m Upper Canada ; for divisive they must be if they are prosecuted ind-'pendcntly of the Wesleyan Church in that province. You may say and may think otherwise ; vou may imagine a friendly and fr.iternal relation between yourse ves and the Canada conrexion. But could you imagine such to be the case on the part of the Canada, or American conference, should they come to England, and attempt to laise up distinct societies? We might make a stronger appeal on the score of rehzious^n^ mrral destitution, even in respect to London itself, than can with truth be made in respect to Upper Canada. But would you not say, that such an enterprise was a violation of the great principle of Methodistic nniiy ? And let it not be forgotten, that whatever may be your seniority in this country to the Wesleyan body in Upper Canada, that body in that country is more tnan ^quar- ter of a century senior to you. It has acquired an ecclesiastical and moral right of soil there, not only by discovery, but by long possession and successful and extensive cultivation ; cultivation far more successful and extensive than you have effected in any other British North American province. We desire not, however, to extend our operations to Lower Carada, Nova Scotia, and JNew Brunswick, if we are permitted to concentrate our energies undisturbed in Upper Canada. We beg to direct the attention of your committee to the correspon- dence of the Canada Missionary Board with your committee in 1831 and 1832 on this very subject. The considerations then urged against your committee s estabhshing separate societies in that province are of greater force now than m 1832. We\now you may find individual advocates and supporters in that coun- try ; and so might the Canada conference have individual supporters and advo- cate's in this country. We dwell not upon the appearance, upon the honour of disgrace, upon the good or evilcf schisms amongst either the White Societies or the Indian Tribes ;"but we put it to your committee, seriously and in the sifcht of Almighty God, whether upon the great Wesleyan and Scriptural principle, that •we should not only go to those who want us, but to those who want us vwst, yon are Divinely called to go into Uppe- Canada, and commence there the work of Missionary division, instead of prosecuting in other provinces, and in other parts of the world, the sublimer work of Missionary con^)emo?^? We fervently desire that the Canada conference may be enabled to sustain towards your conference the most friendly relations, and cherish the same feel- ings, and hold the same language, which have chaiacterised its communications in past years. We deeply deplore the course which your committee and a part of your conftrence have pursued. Wo have felt that its reported, and now printed proceedings, werr calculated to inflict upon us individually— especially upon one of us— and upon our conference and church, an uncalled-for and unmerit- ed injury, and that it was our indispensable duty to meet those charges, and imputations, and censures, with a prompt and explicit reply. We would here banish from our bosoms any,— the least,— unkind feelings on accountof injuries received; we would humbly pray for your increased puri'y, peace, and prosperity. We would earnestly implore the Ruler of all hearts, that your committee may be brought to pause and change their purposes before they n\ mnile of da Confer- 'e forgotten the British I to decide ICC, except union took xtion of the your stand- ;ood to the e stationing f President ; ot be suffer* > impress, as this commu* impropriety, perations in 'pendcntly of k. otherwise ; Ives and the he part of the id attempt to the score of an can with that such an liy? And lei auntry to the ! than a quar' id moral right iccessful and live than you 'e desire not, ;ia, and New rhed in Upper he correspon- II and 1832 on • committee's e now than in 5 in that coun- ters and advo- Lhe honour of e Societies or in the si^ht of principle, that it us most, you e the work of in other parts led to sustain the same feel- jmmunications ttee and a part rted, and iiow .lly — especially or and unmerit- e charges, and ind feelings on icreased puri'y, all hearts, that ses before they 1 (i9 proceed (not upon any vitiii dooirinp of Methodism, not upon any cardinal prin- ciple of Methodist discipline, not upon any inlo nf Cliristian practice, but upon a mere combination of varied and conflicting feelings, upon assumpMons of novel and unreasonable prcrogalive, upon " questions which tend to strife rattier than to godly edifying") — to rend the yet seamless sarniont of Methodism in the prosecution of an enter{)rise which cannot elevate the dignity of the English connexion ; which cannot be contemplated with pleasure and admiration by any christian and intelligent observer; which must be viewed with feelings cf mor- tification and regret when the ephemeral i)assions of the moment shall have sub- sided ; which must form a dark page in the volume of Methodist histoiy, and may envelope in eternal night the destinies of hin'dreds and thousands of con- verted and unconverted Aborigines of North America. We are, Reverend and dear Sir, in behalf of the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada, yours affectionately, in the Gospel of Christ, WiLHAM RriRSOiV, Tothv Rev. Dr. Hannah, Sttrttar}f to the Weshyan Cimfermce. K«£RTON RtERSON. No. 13. tetter from the Rev. R, Alder to Lord John Rnsnell nn the xnhjeet of the Government Grant to the Wesleyan Commiitee in li>?uhu, and the financial Relations of the Wesleyan Conferencen in England and in Vpp^r Canada. Wesleyan Mission Hovse, 77, Hatton Garden, London, 29th April, 1840. Mr Lord,— I have the honour to acknowledge, on behalf of the Committee of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, the receipt of a communication from Mr. Under Secretary Smith, in reply to a communication addressed to your Lordship by me on the 8lli instant, on matters affecting the interests of the Society in Upper Canada. It is stated by Mr. Smith, that your Lordship will be ready to consider any objections whicli the Wesleynn Missionary Society may have to nri^e, to a compliance with certain proposals contained in a com- munication addressed by the Rev. E. Ryerson to His Excellency the Governor- in-Chief, respecting the appropriation of the annual grant of seven hundred pounds, now paid to the Wesleyan iVlissionary Society from the casual and territorial revenue of Canada. Before I proceed to examine Mr. Ryerson's proposal, I beg permission to convey to your Lordship the cordial thanks of the Committee of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, for the prompt and courteoi.Uln|.U um..., o<-cu|m.a a, it ,, Maieslv's Governmonl i.ver whu;W sour L.iic ship ,), -siil. », i an lu. coSprL my statement, a, n,u,.h a, i. •^-"^'''''"[r'^YSo^^i^l^nZ erroneous impiessiou on your Lordships mind, ana mciLuj, i disadvantage. Rverson, thot tl.o late Rev. John Wesley w true, indeed, that at tlie ci>>^t; "\ . 7-;„;/.j .sv«/rs into a distinct rated fro,.. he ™.horcou„ynah^lr^^^ position °f "-'-"^^Jli^H'Vo^fo^^t t^ wrrhi l!;;u,.a.hc.d hi,' supremo X'^> -horl'ty r n Sre^M^ti-odi. Sureties m U-e Um, „/„'\VlJpp;r Canada, and I believe that the miltee raainiained a distinct P»' ''""'' ^.P^, i„ ,,,^ Pr ,vi„cial Marriage Act. British Wesleyan Missionaries ° ° ;" J" ,'^^"Vn the year 1833, bv the Earl In consequence of V-P-^ "^ -'' J^',, X le Colonies, to the-Wesleyan of Ripen, then Prmc.pal ^e^ ""^y "J"'""'^^ j |,^;, mUsionary operations Missionary Committee, to induce them "> '^'^'^"'' J)^; ,„ f„„;,ediatelv in Upper Canada, they resolved ».''" ^"'"m Mvlord the Government o"f UJ^far carryiog that '^--^ >■»'"' ,';;";f;;„ w .^..cj'n Missioi^rv Commit- Earl Grey was movo.l to ™»''«J" ""^^;„", i", "i'„„, „„,1 if the tekimony of tto by patriotic as well >j.l r; S " , indTvi ua" mky be depended upon, a r/ar^emettttiW '^:;:i;t't:'if;'ro|."-'>- ^ *e'gr„„„d of this 71 hI as it 19 it of Her nxious to H to your Honour to le general make an .le to our in Wesley lea into a lurch. It war, Mr. a distinct )vernment, >oome freo cally sepa- the British ?terence to [he relative I, either to 3 supremo igdom, and he present er Canada, mdland, as eption, are the British It hody; ail to promote ^clcsiastical ;ion, cannot le united to ence to the lada, which irst supplied lized in the n the neigh- LStical juris- riie General ty, to retain )resentalions Tth, in 1814, rovince from ionary Com- ieve that the [arriage Act. , by the Earl he Wesleyan ry operations immediately jvprnment of lary Commit- tcstimony of nded upon, a ound of this Mrangenienl an anunal grant is secured, on the fuith f the Uuyul word, to tha Wesleyan Missionary Comn'ittcr to assist them in meeting the expense whrch it necessarily involves. The union which now exists h'^twoon the Biifish Conference and the Corr-' ference in Upper Canada, took place about a year after I had, as the repre- sentative of the Wesleyan Missionary Committee, completed at Toronto, with Lord Seaton, all the arrangements connected with the offt.-r mado by Lord Goderich to the Committee, having proceeded from England la Canada for that purpose. It is more than ''ou!)tful. iny lord, whether that union can be maintnined much longer by us ; bnt it is not doubtful whether we shall or shall not prosecute our mi iionary operations in Upper Canada, for the benefit of the Aborigines as wi-ll as of the Colonists. \My Lord, the Wesleyan Missionary Committee w 1 not abandon missions which they were instrumental in saving iVom ruin; but, relying upon ilio royal promise and the benevolence of the Christian public of thin country, they will do their part to teach the objects of their charge in Upper Casada to " fear God and honour the Queen." It is to me most unacco'intaiie, that Mr. E. Ryerson should have submitted such a proposal as he appears to have done ; and I cannot but express deep regret, that Mis Excellency the Governor-General should have forwarded to your Lordship a dc patch which must, to a great extent, be founded on the eX parte statements contained in Mr. R.'s letter to his Excellency, inasmuch a» we have reason to believe that no communications on the subject of that letter were held with om duly accredited representatives in Upper Canada, or even with the President of the Upper Canada Conference. Your Lordship's sense of justice has, howev 'r, aftbrded us an opportunity for laying before you the objections felt by the Wesleyan Missionary Committee to the proposal now made for alienating, in whole or in part, from them, the annnal grant, and transferring it to the Upper Canadian Wesleyan Methodist Conference. In the first jdaco, my Lord, Mr. E. Ryerson has acted without due autliorily, m making such a proj)osal. Ho is not officially empowered to do so. Such a proposal, if mado at all, should be made either by the Conference itself, or by the President of that body, who is the only functionary authorized to act in such a case during the interim of its sittings. Mr. Ryerson is merely the secretary of the Conference, and, as such, he has no more authority for acting as ho appears to have done, thun the Provincial Secretary of Upper Canada has, as such, to assume and exercise the functions of the Lieutenant Governor of the Province. Secondly, — The grant was offered to tlie Wesleyan Missionary Committee and accepted before the nnion belweoi the British Conference and the Upper Canadian Conference was contemplated; and all the arrangements connected with it were made before that event took place. Mr. Ryerson is pleased to state that he apprehends that there will bo " no disposition on the part of the British Conference to dissolve the union, unless they can get government aid, independent of the Canadian Conference." Now the fact is, we have, from the beginning, obtained the aid of Government, independent of the Canadian Conference, and the difficulty that has sometimes been experienced in obtaining payment of the grant, has b-^en owing, in a great measure, to our union with that body — a body which has alway- rotested against receiving government aid for religious purposes. Thirdly, — At the time that tlie union took place, it was stated most distinctly to Mr. E. Ryerson himself, who ';ame to England in 1833, as the representative of the Upper Canadian Conference, to negotiate tlie union, that it must be clearly understood that the Pinion could not be permitted by us to interfere in any way with the arrangemen's that then existed between his late Mnjcsty^s eovernment and the Committee, especially with the receipt and appropriation of the qrant, which Aict Tnu~t be in tlie recollection of Mr. Ryerson. I u 72 I beon taken aiul acted upon by tions on tourthlv -nm view uf ll.e case Ird, aUvay. teen taken nn.l acled .. U,e cdZ;nce orUppc,. Cana-la^ ^vlnoh '>'f/ '">"P't\frro„d a a fifth of Ihe .nb,iect of rolisio,,, S-"t;. ..■;-,>- , '^t', U Wo" the We..ayan which u 15 aistmctly suited tlwt tl.o o"""'"' s.'",..., ^^ ,,„ ■. ,,.„i,„i„„s H ,nel.y ,t«te« ""'''.. "■li'".!' i^ih of the ,aid vesolntion. it Mi.»ionary Committee ,n L""J°" • "^ ' "' '^^;'^, '',|°, We,leyan Mi.siona>7 ,0 understood and o^;' 'i"ed =' " ;2'4"„'°;;"';;p„,,. Canada, and required "Zt^:^^ -SS i^.'^.'lSra^ion t-'h'; foi.owing resolution »a, iect of certain grants made by n.s i.x... /""J-;-^ ;; VntPrferes'with the usages krsrh^e';^^ ri ":i':ia';>r.lx;£\rt^:t: t^, wereL "'t"rt:":rwa? i - u„der the necessity '^"^:^::i:^r^^ .istency which exists between the conduct of M. . "^or^^n " 1 ^^.^ of the last Upper Cannd.an C "nferenc^ n 'l^^ ™ '^^y;,, ,„,; „, fcr «. la... the above minute was fopled.fo 'IjllP^'Ji 7ouhl alto the just 2:i™'';f;af"i^'*;-7/^:^rr;so":;.r./:. «»t^. ,rant. and y^ claim oj inc n't-Mtr^-yc „..,,„ tol-<>« nnon hiiiT^elf to contravene ine ^i.hi„ a f- ^'jjf ™-t^ „Ti3\,^:f li h ..: iH member, and by so doing .„ :rrutot: re'^at^d and Recorded opinions that it is «ron, or chttrc - e. to receive aid for '^'iS'^^rnr^X'eTe canTo« the ^iSary pr'inciple, did he and the "I'P" Ca^.' ^ c„ ,fcre ce ha^ng sanctioned the'^arrange- that the very fact of *° ^" V;- ' "J^jestv's Govmnment and the Wesleyau ments entered into between lii- lat._ W»,l'f V » " , „„de ,„ ,he MissionaryCommittee byvi.»»of wbcht^ Ton bf tween the British and latter, occasioned no little di ticulty ™"™ ',.,.„„, .i.g obiections officia y ex- Canadian Conferences was first projsed from the ob^^^^^^^^^^ y^_^^^ pres,edbytlieUpper^.na;";^fe-- «;';;- ,5^ ^^„^„^ ,f,„ ,, for such purposes ' °°^«/X'' ' ' 7., ,.. ;„ no.cnse parties to that arrangt- that arrangement ^vinS been soughU y , ~ or Ae pui[^^ = Wesleyan Missionary .7" 'Jft,';J,rn he two Conferences took place after t^V:sl?yrMlsionar; Committeriiad accepted the aid offered by govern- ;;iK:;';u^»;«r(Vvii;'F.Ti'j;r'.,at arrangU' over the aj}- d so far from enabling the it, your Lord- )k place after ad by govern- >,rence rfid "Ot nee stated that ther resolutions U were adopted n created its own claims f3 ment, and had pled:i;ed itself to extend it'? misfiionary oporafions in TJppor C\- nada, and the fact is, tliat nno arguniont employed l»y Mr. Ryorson and oil.ers to persuade his broihrcn the mcml)ers ()f the Upper Canadian Conference to agree to a union was, that thatConferenee did not possess the m(>ai)s to su|»p()rt the Indian missions, and that unless the WesK-yun Mivsiotiary Committee took the charge of them, tliey would hoviferl>/ riiineJ. Monies had hern collected in the United States for them, and in this way her Majesty's Indian subjects were led to look for support to a foreign power, uistrad of looking for it from the mother country. But even this plan was found to be inertectunl. There were not found so many religious as there aie polidcfil sympathizers in th«» union ; and in consequence of the small amount of the aid thus obtained, and other causes, when the Wesleyan Missionary Committee took upon itself the responsibility of supporlinj; those missions, the buildings were found to be to a great extent in a dilapidated state, — debts were duo upon them, the agency was too limited ; and very large sums were of necessity expended in placing them in any thing like a state of efficiency. The financial view of the case furnished by Mr. Ryerson is equally partial nnd erroneous with other of his statements to the Governor-in-Chief. But without entering infa particulars, as I am anxious to save your lordship*s time, I shall simply submit the following facts, which I am prepared to pro\'e, for your lordship's Consideration. 1. That when t\v.i Wesleyan Missionary Committee took upon itself to sup- port the Indian Missions, the monies raised by the Upper Canada Conference amounted to the small sum of £177 18s. Id. sterling, since which lime they have gradually increased to £1304 14s. lid.; the largest sum ever raised during one year, an advance which is chiefly to bo ascribed to two crtuses. First, the zeal and activity of the General Superintendent of Missions sent to Upper Canada by the Wesleyan Missionary Committee ; and. secondly, to the fact that many individuals have since the Union contributed towards the sup- port of the Missions, because they are now the Missions of tho Wesleyan Mis- sionary Society in England, and as such under the care of tho British Confer- ence, who would not have contributed towards their support if they had not been placed under the direction and control of British Methodism, and who continue to support them only for that reason. 2. The suspension of the Government Grant for two or three years did affect our Canadian Missions, as we were thereby prevented from increasing the number of our agents amongst the Indians and destitute settlers. Mr. Ryer- son, indeed, who could know but little of the intentions of the Wesleyan Miss- ionary Committee, states " that it did not," and insinuates in his letter to the Governor-General, that if the Committee had received the sums which were withheld from them, that they would have expended such monies granted for the Upper Canadian Missions, in extending their missionary op,:rations else- where. My Lord, I have only to state in reply to such an insinuation, that whoever else may be capable of receiving money for one purpose, and appro- priating it to other uses and purposes, such is not the practice of the VV'esleyau Missionary Committee. They engaged not only to expend all tho monies that they might receive from tho Government for missionary purposes connected with Upper Canada, but also a portion of their own funds, and I cannot bolter show your Lordship with what fidelity they have adhered to their engagements than by laying before you the following statement : — Total nmount of Government grants received from the year 1832 to the 31st December, 1839 £3,670 Total amount of missionary money raised in Upper Canada for missionary purposes, • 4,989 16 5 8,659 16 5 . ^ m. |!-'fi!* %' ^.!v:1 I p ■ 74, Monies ox,.eml.-.i U d.c vVoslov^ui Missionary S.uip.yir. connnxionsvithlhemissio..sin r/7'.'/A<'>'^;'''^\';^;^' ;;^^^^^ jg ^ er) Canucla, from August 18:33, to Uocuibcr JIsl, 183J. 17,5.06 18 11 9,147 2 6 ou „:n,r n,vc,nr lordship will percoivr. thut llu; Wesloyan Missionary Showing, a3 your l.oul.np rp,,cr Canadian Missions during CommiUee have actually oxpi ndcu on un- • | i y fnrtv-^"'" respons-.b.hty of snpport- nrthese n i^'ions uo.n. ihe Soci.tv ; and, indeed, to violate a Koval pledge fof the Purpo e of ipllictin,^ a Nvrong upon a Society which has so tu.thfully ful- m ed itfenCen en,s. Ihuler such circumstances I feel that the nghts of the StTare\a"fe in the hands of your lordship. I forbear, therefore urg.ng on vou lordship^ u tention the consideration that the c.bjections ^v^^ch 1 have Lowt Canada will, it is expected, constitute one province, after the on,on of the provhLt the nrinisters and congregations of Wesleyan Methodists in Low- l^SaTv 11 remain, as they ever have done, distinct -- J'^^-^^^-f-^ of the Upper Canada Conference, and under the ^^';,f' «" "J^J, '^^\^7, ^c, Missionary Committee. The plan recommendei oy Mr ^^y^ ;'^';' "^^ ," ^/^^^^^^ any alteration in the present arrangements respecting the gran , would there fore occasion great dissatisfaction among.t our Societies in the ower povince. Nor iX all^r^y lord, the entire Methodist Connexion in the United Kingdom £as inattention directed to this mutter; and, feeling as ^W certainly -ould that r .y such alteration would be a reflection upon their character, as if they were unworthy of the continued payment of a grant so solemnly pledged to hem -they would feel it to be their duty publicly and formally to object to it, and the more so because of circumstances in Canada connected with the pro- Dosition of which the Wesleyan M issionary Society are not ignorant. ^ I beg ?eave to conclude by again appealing to your lordship with confidence^ that I have shown cause why Mr. Ryerson'. proposal should be rejected ; and under uch circumstances 1 'am sure that you will not adopt a course which however it might gratifv Mr. Ryerson and his friends in Upper Canada would brieve and Ed fhe Wesleyan community in every other part of her Majesty's Enions, not so much from pecuniary consideratbns as for the reason I have stated above. I have the 1— ^^^^^^^'.^^ r. a,,,,, Lord John Russell Sec. Wes. Miss. Soc. No. 14. letter from the Rev. W. and E. Ryerson to Lord John Russell, in reply '' to Mr. Alder. 22, Cecil Street, Strand, August 20th, 1840. My Lord,— We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Under Secretary Vernon Smith's letter of tl>e 29th ult.. enclosing a copy of the Rev. Robe t Alder's letter to your lordship, dated 29th Apn last, P-Portmg to be a ?eply to a letter from the Rev. Kgerton Ryerson to His Excellency the Gov- ernor General of Canada, dated January 17th, 1840, respecting the financial ^elatinns of the Wesleyan Conferences in England and in Canada. ^ ' We bcc' on behalf of the Conference of the Wesleyan Melluidist Lnurcii m Canada, To express to your Lordship our sincere thanks for the- opportunity wSyour L.Kdship has thus afforded us of discussing the ««veral subjects of Mr Alders letter, and of vindicating tlie character and mterests ot the Wes- leyan Methodist Church in Upper Canada from the erroneous statements and imputations contained in that letter. u- i? „ii ,r,^» As the circumstances under which Mr. Ryerson wrote to His Excellency i 16 18 II .9 1(5 5 17 2 6 VlJssionary ns during tn founds to alienate of support- )yal pledge iilifully ful- ";lil9 of iVie , urging on liich 1 have Upper and lie union of sts in Low- ndependent Q Wesley ar> or in fact 'ould there- cr province. lA. Kingdom linly would, •, as if they ' pledged to object to it, vith the pro- It. 1 confidence, rjected ; and urse which, nada, would ler Majesty's eason I have Alder, Miss. Soc. ell, in reply !Oth, 1840. )f Mr. Under ly of the Rev. •porting to be nicy the Gov- the financial list Church iii 3- opportunity al subjects of i of the Wes- Latements and 19 Excellency 75 the Governor-OpHpral of Cannda thoi lottor roft^rrod to have been misunder- stood, it may bo worth whilti lo plul.' them. His Excellency, having deter- mined to underlako the selllemont of tlio long agitated f|iiestiiin of the Clergy Reserves in Upper Cannda, sent, during the last weiU in Di^cember and the lirst week in January last, fnr miiiistei's and innucntial members of various religious denominations, in order to ascernsin their opinions and wishes on that subject. Amongst others he sent for Mr. Uyerson, and also for the Rev. Messrs. Stinson and Ricliey, the for:ner I'lesidorit of the Upper Canada Con- ference and Ilepresentotive of the London VVesleyan Missionary Committee, the latter a member of the Wesii-yan ConfiMcnco in Kngland, but temporarily connected witlt the Wesleyan Motliodist Church in Upper Cannda by a special vote of the Canadian Conference. As the Governor-General proposed to transfer all the ndigiaus grants which had been paid out of tho ca.-iual and territorial revenues, as first charges iipon the Clergy Uescrvo fund; and as those charges wouM for some years absorb the entire fund, Mi. Ryerson sub- mitted to His Excellency the justice and reasonableness of making a grant to the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, i.i Canada, in aid of tho Upper Canada Academy, atid of transferring that with tho other religious grants to the Clergy Reserve fund. His Excellency objected upon the ground that several hundred pounds per annum had already been granied in aid of the Wesleyan Body in Upper Canada. Mr. Ryerson assured His P'xcellency that he was mistaken, and laid before His Excellency several documei;!.* to satisfy him that the grant referred to had not been made to the Wesleyan Body in Canada, nor in aid of its funds. His Excellency considered the matter of sufficient importance to require a thorough investigation, and requested Mr. Ryerson to recapitulate in writing the substance of what he had stated verbally. Mr. Ryerson did so in a letter dated January 2nd, 1840, a copy of which is herewith transmitted, marked A. On tho same day (January 2, 1840), Messrs. Stinson and Richey had an interview with His Excellency, during w.iich they informed His Excellency that the union between the English and Canadian Conferences was ex, icted to be dissolved (a measure the most remote from the thoughts of the members of the Canadian Conference), and desired His Excellency so to frame his Bill as to secure that portion of tho proceeds of the Reserves, to the control of which the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada would be entitled, to tho control of the Wesleyan Conference in England, for the benefit of those who should adhere to it on the dissolution of the union with the Canadian Conference. On the day following, Messrs. Stinson and Richey embodied their views in a memorial to His Excellency, a copy of which is herewith enclosed, marked B. In that memorial it will brt seen, that the Wesleyan Conference in Canada is superseded by the Wesleyan Conference in England, and that when one of the articles of union between the two bodies provided that the former should have no claim upon the funds of the latter. There is reason to believe that in the interview above alluded to. His Excel- lency gave Messrs. Stinson and Richey no reason to expect countenance from him to a proposition so obviously unjust and impolitic. Their views and state- ments furnished His Excellency with additional reasons for examining into all the existing relations and interests of the Wesleyan bodies in Canada and in England, His Ex* ollency examined all the despatches and other documents which related to the subject, and sought for information from official persons, and from other quarters. The result of the investigation was, a strong convic- tion in the mind of His Excellency that the Canada Confeiunce sho'jld alone Ikj regarded as the head and representative of the Wesleyan xVIethodist Church in Canada ; that the grant v.hich had been made to the London Wesleyan Missionary Committee out of the Canadian casual and territorial revenue, operated injuriously rather than beneficially to the interests of the Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Churcli in Cannda, and was not distributed in a manner, and did not accomplish the objects contemplated by the Imperial ll f Ji '^.f I', 4 '■ »)■• ■;■.: ■ » 1^ n ( iovciiim(!nl wlion that f^tnnt \vii« ma«l»*, nnd ou^lit to ho tlistributed in a (lifTer- nit iniiiHR''; licieafKM-. Mini lAflltiK y, llinoloit', (ItUorniinotl to write to your Loiy of certain Resolutions adopted by the Cot-mittee of the British Wesleyan Conference with reference to your condu< l on the 2f)th April last; the second, requesting a copy of the despatch resi)ecting the grant for the support of the Wesleyan Missions in Upper Canada, which His Excellency addressed to Lord Jolin Russell, in the month of February last. These letters having unfortu- natoly arrivt'd during His Excellency's temporary absence from Montreal, iho aiHvvcr to theni has been unavoidably deleted. " His Excellency desires me to say, that as lie cannot gather from the Reso- lutions of the British Conference, that his despatch to the Secretary of State had been communicated to them, as you suppose, and as he has reason to think from other circumstances that such a proceeding would not be adopted, it would be irregular in him to furnish you with a copy of that despatch, however much he may regret his being unable to do so ; because, had he been able to send it to you, it would not only liave fully explained his views, and the grounds upon which he is of opinion thit the grant should be distributed in a manner different from that which 1ms of late been followed, but would have afforded the most conclusive evidence on some of the points noticed in your letter of the 5th inst. It would have shown, for instance, that His Excellency's communi- cation with the Secretary ot State originn'ed in an examination of the whole of the circumstances of the Wesleyan Body in Upper Canada, and of the documents relative to the union between the British and Canadian Conferences, which were submitted to him — and upon this point I am directed to add, in reply to your question, that this examination did not proceed from any request of yours, and that the letter dravvn up by you in explanation of the financial relations of the two Bodies, was prepared at His Excellency's request. It would also further show, that it was from the Rev. Mr. Stinson that His Excellency first heard of the probable dissolution of the two Societies." " (Signed) T. W. C. Murdoch, Chief Secretary y Having stated the circumstances and objects of Mr. Rycrson's letter to the Governor-General, we will now address ourselves with all possible brevity to the leading objections which Mr. Alder iias brought against that letter. Mr. Alder has not attempted to refute, nor even ventured to deny, the cor- rectness of Mr. Ryerson's general statement respecting the financial relations between the Wesleyan Conference in E.^g!and and in Canada. A Committee of the English Conference has adopted the leading views of Mr. Alder s letter, in a series of resolutions, a copy of which is herewith annexed, marked C In reply to these resolutions, and to Mr. Alder's statements that Mr. RyJrson's letter was written without authority, and contains partial and erroneous repre- sentations, wo beg to refer your Lordship to the accompanying resolutions of >.»l* ; to your he result reparo a »nierence Canada. \p lo the lency the res.sed to Iter from » npplica- al on the , 1840. 'dgo the I co[>y of ^Vesleyan e second, art of the i to Lord ; unfortU' tical, the the Reso- f of State n to think Joptcd, it , however )lc to send grounds a manner e afforded tter of the communi- the whole id of the inferences, to add, in ny request e financial iquest. It 1 that His 3S." CH, 'ctaryy ;tter to the brevity to ter. 'Yi the cor- \\ relations Committee ler s letter, ved G. In Ry'3rson*s sous repre- jolutioiis of the Wesloyau C 'iro in Oitiinhi, mnrkrd K, adopted in Juno last, witli a nnunimity h!iii. Hiiiish North Aniciicnn provinces, it is not material to tlie ohjects uf'thf present letter to 'lei-iile. Rt>'s[)ecfinj; Mr. Ahler « denial of the correclnesft of Mr. Uyerson's statement on that subject, three remarks may he iniule : — 1. Mr. ^VeMley'.s add.i.ss on that occasion was di- rected not to tljc Meiliodist Societies in the fhiil<:d ^ld bo reriho Missionary Committee urged hv.. an excepUon to the general ar- rrnJ^nient vv I t e American Conference. The existenc^e of tins arrangement sriS o and admitted by f..o WesleyanMissiona.-y Committee in us c^- respmidenco witli the Wesleyan Board of Missions in T pper ^m.ada m 183~, -b ^r i;:r- Jii^if :^p''c»sT'.l:isr ^. ence to agree to a union was, that that Conference d.d iiof, possess the means rsuppo't'lh: Indian Missio-'s, and th.u unless the Wesleyan Missionary Com- mittee took ihc charge of them, they would bo ut erly rumed. Now in reply to this, and Uindre.l ex parte and unsupported as''f»"tio s we heTtovlrV. Lordsbip to the c^licial correspondence wbidi "oU^la - be- tween the Wesleyan Missionary Committee in London and the ^e^ \f J, Missionary Board in Upper Canada, ^» '^^ ^'Tdl, This co;;e^pon ence resulted in proposals of union between the two bodies. Un, ^^^^^^I^^^*^"';^ will be found in the appendix to the accompanying Vr^-^^^^^^P^^^ Committee of the Upper Canadian House ot Assembly, in 183b, on A^e'igio s GranTs im 28-32 We solicit your Lordship's particular attention to his to the London Missionary Committee, when the latter V^op.^^ ^j-- Iha t:r Us !^S'-i-:t7iy;;f cS-u:^xi; i^^:^^^ dUa trous con" que^ices. but.'ut the same time, o^.ered assistance to the Lon- arSociety in the establishment of missions amongst the Abovigina Indian trXa wesVand north of Lake Huron, and in the Hudson s Bay terr.torv. 3. That Ihe Canada Society maintained its ability, not merely to support the mis- 2:l tn'^e'stihed, b'ut to supply the religious w-- of fo nd.an tn e^, m Upper Canada, staling, that "there is little doubt but the funds o^ ^^^S In JrLtv can be increased to a sufficient sum to meet the yanls ot the inc lan rX -within tie present boundaries of our Conference, ' n-^-P-f^f -^ with th^ London Committee as follows :-" Upon the whole, it may be sub- mitted to vour Committee, whether, under existing circumstances, your mis- Tn fundVcouldnrbe m'ore advantageously applied to the f"':therance of the work of human salvation, than in the establishment of a niis.io in h.s Pro vince— other circumstances aside-at nn expense far greater than ^vouKl ^e Necessary for the Methodist Missionary Society here, to impart the same doc; Trinerthe same feelings, the same ble.siu^^s. and .(feet the sarne improvements. 4 ThatHrnotr^ after the Canada Missionary Bo.rd had fruitlessly em. nioved every possible argument to induce tV.e London Missionary Commit ee Kinte fenith Upper Canada, that it invited Mr. Alder to consult on the ?Jpper Canada, and that that measure was proposed, not from the pie. ^ e^of ne^cLitv. in order to save the "Indian m ssions from ""er nun, bu^ prja rily to "prevent misundcistandings," and " to preserve pca^.« and harmony in the .society." -^ statement 1814 and l|)per Cu~ eiuly esta- vhich, tVie r Canada, lom Low- i military 3 ley an So- encral ar- •angoment in its cor- .,in 1832, of a Corn- is Grants, . Ryerson rerson and la Conl'er- ibe means inary Com- ertions, we k y)la(;e be- Woslcyan and which espondence [)f a Select n Religious Mm to this ntradiction, an missions t. 2. That er from ex- rod uctive of to the Lon- inal Indian srritory. 3. lort the mis- ian tribes in ; of our own the Indian xpostulating may be sub- s, your mis- ranco of the in this Pro- \n. would be le same doc- irovements." uitlessly cm- ' Committee onsult on the Tland and in pres sure of " but prima- ^nd harmony 79 Wo invite your Lordship's attention, also, to the candid, and honorable, and Christian spirit in which tho whole correspondence alluded lo was conducted on the part of the Wcsleyan Missionary Board of Upper Canada. Acrain, Mr. Alder informs your Lordship "that when tho Wesleyan Mis- sionary Committee took upon itself to supprrt the Indian Missions, the various sums raised by the Upper Canada Conf.Monce amounted tf) the small sum of £177 183. 1(1. sterling, since which lime tlicy have gradually increased to £1.304 14s. 11(1." " . u . Now, my Lord, in leferonce to this, as \v(^ll as m respect to the stat2ment9 of Mr. Alder above noticed, and those which we shall hereafter notice, we ap- peal, not to any authority got up for the occasion, but to olllcial papers, and documents, and rej)orts which were prepared and published at Mie time the occurrences referred to look place. We here- with enclose the printed annual reports of the Wesleyan Missionary Society of Ui>per Canada from 1832 to 1839 inclusive. These reports, since 1833, have been prepared by and printed under the supervision of the Rev. Mr. Slinson, the London Society** represen- tative and agent in Upper Canrida. ., .,. r The Wesleyan Missionarv Committee assumed the responsibility ol support- ing the Missions in Upper^Canada in October, 1833. By the accompanying printed report for the year endin- October. 1833, (p. IG,) it will be seen that, so far from Mr. Alder's statement having the slightest foundation in fact, the *' various sums raised by the Upper Canada Conference for missionary pur- poses " that year amounted lo £1,322 19s. 4d. ; £1,038 18s. 5d. of which were collected in Upper Canada, and the remaining £208 Os. lid. were col- lected in various parts of the United Slates— at a time when a more neighborly feelin'^ existed between the two countries tlum at present. During the next year (the first year of the union between the British and Canadian Conferences) the missionary subscriptions and collections in Upper Canada fell oft' from £1,038 18s. 5d. to £198 5s. 8.^d. ''see Report ending October, 1834, p. 18.) Tl's falling off wns caused by dissatisfactions which grew out of the union — a falling off of more than five hundred per cent, instead of an increase, as most erroneously stated by Mr. Alder And in exact proportion as the ministers and official organ of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada succeeded lo reconcile their congregations lo the union, did the missionary funds col- lected in that province revive again and increase. Hence, by the accom- panying printed reports, it will be seen that, in 18"5,the amount raised in Upper Canada for missionary purposes was £512 3s. 2jd.; in 1836, .£1,- 192 9s. Id.; in 1337, £1,205 2s. 0^. ; in 18B8, £959 19s. 3,].; in ^839, £1,449 14s. 11 Ad. It was during this last Missionary year tbat Mr. Ryccson conducted the VVeekly organ of the Wcsleyan Methodist Church in Upper Canada— exerted the most'influence over tho views and feelings of its members —and excited most strongly the opposition of the Wesleyan Missionary Com- mittee in London. i i • i Mr. Alder attributes whatever increase hap of late years taken place m the missionary funds raised in Upper Canada, to the exertions of the London So- cietv'a representative, and the pLCuliar and exclusive inlluenco of the Wesley- an Conference in England. How much credit is due to this statement may be iud<^ed froin the facts, that the Wcsleyan Conference in England and its Representative in Upper Canada, exismd in 1834 and 1835, as well as in 1836, 1837, 1838, and 1839; that the ministers of the Methodist Church in Upper Canada have been the treasurers and promoters of the funds of the Missionary Society; that the annual Missionary meetings, «fcc., have be-n held in the chapels and'congreiralions established by the Canadian Conference; and that the collectors and principal contributors are members of the Wesleyan Missionary Church in Canada. _ . Mr. Alder furthermore adds, '' that the Wesleyan Missionary Society wen^ instrumental in saving the Indian Missions in Upper Canada from ruin;" that ** when the Wesleyan Missionary commiiteo took upon iioeil" the respon- .m~~ It SO '^^V; i. .oe, .hat ...n the Wo.eyan M^^il^-^L^^^^^^i^roa^^," Auxiliary to the Society m Lond,t-^ ,^^ .^ .^^ operations .n But i. it anything new for « ^^n Wo.Unan -Mi^sionnry Soc.ety .. at th,s advance of us funas? IDe '^o"" ^,rount of £20,000 stcrhng. moment in aclvance of us funds to the ar:^^^^^ ^^..,j ,ha m By the accompanyw.g F" "^^^'^^^ ^^(^^"^J J; c, nada was £204 Jb. 9d. u, 1831, the Wesleyan M^^^'^^^^.f 'p3oVt ,,ot'^o„ly paid otf its debts but had a advance of its funds ; but that in l^^-^V^t^as again in advance of its tunds .urplasof£129 7s 5|d; though n^l83.,u^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^.^^^ ,, ,ho in the amount ot 3b~<^'> ai.^. ^j"^'* \JUan Missionary society .^^^^ --^ -- ^L=to the Report of ^^^^J-;; ^ ^rrs:^;;:e;;; of M. Aider a^ your lordship whether t\,ete ^^^"y ^^^^^^^^ %^^,^ Uiat Report it appears hat Lore than for those «^'^«/'^y?J7';Xn Society assumed \lie responsibility o^ during the first year after the London «^^ expended in repairing supporting the Missions m Upper ^^^"J^^^';^^,^;, , ^„ finishing one Mission- Mssion and school-houses, £41 4.- ~^- ^"'^.o^L 5d. ', for materials for ^ouTe; and one chapel f^fy^^^t^^^'J^-e: Mission-House. £19 two new school-houses, £in <^^- ^ ' "^X.wo years immediately preceding, n 10s. By referring to the Reports tor ^e ^ ^ ><■ ^ ^^^^,, ,^^ than ^vill be seen that there was -^i;^"^^;;V ""^^^^^^^^^^ ,nd of self-exaltatu.n. is made by Mr. Alder the ground ot "yP"\' ^j j,^,^ Missions in Upper Canada As to the results of the n-nagoment o^he nd^^^^ ^.^^.^^^^ ,^ by the London Society, it "^»y ^^Xli^ierbv\he Canada Conference during the one at St. Clair, had been ^^.^^'^^^JY^^g^^; ,hich time there were upwards of eight years preceding the Union !" /.'^^^'/'^ ^^ 400 children in the Mission- 1000 Indians in church-communuMi , am a, out 4U ^^^^^^^^ .^^ ehurch-eotri- schools. Now there are about 8a0 "^^'^ ^ „...Xols. (See Reports.) U munion and about 250 chddren in the Mi3=i ^^^^^^^ ^1,3 The Wesleyan Methodist Ch- -n Canada a a. g.,^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ seven years in'-"^«^^'-'^^^^>\P^nf;"Sn there has been an increase of only SU> during the seven years since the Umon tn i members. ^, . „ _f .Uq irovernment grant for two or three Mr. Alder says, " The suspen on o^ the go ,h,,eby prevented from years did affect our Canadian M'f^'^ ";' J'^'^ ;^,, j^dians and destitute settlers, increasing the number "^ «^!»"'^S^"'^ ^ , olo or ntcd Reports of the Society s S„ this point also, my ^^^^f^^^^^^^^^^V^^r Cana"la. The grant wa. no-Pnt and the stations of ^1^^^^°"^''? .' -..i'a.p years iSG.VSy. By me rfduck in 1834. and wholly -j;i;-f„t,t 'up^^ it appears there official reports of » - f^^^ -^^^r.^ant of £9^00 was made, 1 1, --;--; were stationedin 1333, i^^r^tbe tunc I - ^337^ 17. ,nl8.8,18, m ies; in 1834, 13; "V ^^t''\l,\he rumber o missionaries now employed in 1839, 17; in 1840, 1G. ^o iha the rum^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ,1^^ grant wa. Untjer Canada 13 precisei) iw-^ • reLred, and two loss than It was nil^^^^^^^^ ^33,^ ,,, ^^'^TJ'.^^; M^Alacrinc^«your .d^^^ 1 I I i ..Alier informs y-r lorchhip t^ - .^^^^^^^ 1839, there has '-en exjnded b^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^.^,^ ^^,^,^ ,^,e Missions .a £8,659 to- ^^■':^^^:^^rJ,^^^ais,. 1 L sterling. .. ^_..„,„ „„,. £8,659 tOs. 5d. -htainert in . n- — ;; ^^^_ ^^^^^ Upper Canada, the sum ot £ 1/ .80^) ^J; ^^^^.^^^^ ^^^^^^ • , ,j Now. in the prUKO. R.puu. ^ --^^^^^^^ reported to ha 'Inner Canada, em- Now. in the priiiUHl Rt;p^'i^- ■• •— vmiorted to have been cxpci.«iet» •^►i. to- H gfcat irge sums o\' eflicien la became currency. jrations in ^ is at this )n, th.lt in , Is. 9d. in , but had a )f its fuiuls liary to tho » very large efficiency,' ' will satisfy Alder, any pears, that, ;insibility of I repairing ne Mission- fiaterials for House, £ip preceding, it fcr sum than L)n. pper Canada ,, except tha ^ during the e upwards of the Mission- church-eom- .eports.) In 1, during the )4 members ; I of only 31(> two or three revented from tute settlers." ■ the Society's lie grnnt was -37. By the appears there 11 missionar- , 1838, 18; in w employed in the grant wa<« to December, ;iety (includiii^^ he Missions in r Canada, em- ;)cen cxpcndefl 3. 4d sterling; 81 £4,331 173. 7d. less thtm tho sum stared by Mr. Alder. The manner in which this sum of £ 1,331 17:*. 7d. storliiig has been expended has not been stated in the Society's Reports, either in London or in Canada. It remains for Mr. Alder to explain. The agent of the London Society 'n Upper Canada states, in his printed Annual Reports, the expenditure of £13,175 Is. 4d. sterling. From Mr. Alder's own showing, £8(559 16s. 5d. sterling of that amount have been ob- tained in that Province — £3,670 from the Governmenr, and £4,989 IGs. 5d. from the members and friends of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada. In addttioH to th's, let it be observed, my Lord, that there have been built by the ministers E.nd members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada during the same period to which Mr. Alder refers, upwards of 40 chapels, and 20 par- sonage houses, besides the support of the ministry. The entire amount of expenditure during that period cannot bo stated or ascertained ; but your lord- ship may form some tolerable conception of it, when we state, from ofli'-ial returns, that during tho las' year, there has been raised for the support of tho Methodist ministry in Upper Canada the sum of £5>006 lis. Gl^d. exclusive of £1,449 14s. ll.^d. for missionary purposes, and large sums for the build- ing of chapels and parsonages, keeping chapels and parsonages in repair, warmed, lighted, &:c. The amount of deficiencies in making up the moderate disciplinary salaries and allowances of the Wesleyan ministers in Upper Ca- nada during the year is £1,119 Us. 6<|. The loss of the amount, of all such deficiencies must be endured by the individual ministers concerned, until the funds of the Church in Canada are sufficient to supply them. The Wesleyan Missionary Society is not responsible for them. Il is also worthy of remark, that, whilst there are only sixteen Missionaries stationed in Upper Canada, there are 111 stationed preachers on circuits, who are excluded, by the Arti- cles of Union, from all claims upon the funds of tho WesK yan Cc -.ferenco in England, and in whose congregations missionary subscriptions and collections are annually raised in aid of the funds of the London Society. In reply to Mr, Alder's uft repeated statement, that both Mr. Ryerson and the Canada Co..fcrence had repeatedly declared " that it is wrong fo' Lhurrh"^s to receive aid for > eligious purposes from the state," we may obsf^rve, that it is utterly icsur.jorted by evidence, and contradicted by n-^morous acts. In 1834 and iM3.;;' /Mr. Ryerson, as the editor of the oi Icial or^ ■. A the Wea- ieynn Confet^nce in Canada, defended, nt large, the right o( uio crown to ap- propriate, and the lisht of cliurcbes to receive aid from ttio casual and territo- rial /v. -nue. In 1838, 1839, and 1840, Mr, Ryerson, in the same capacity, de'ienaed rid supported measures for the divi-lon of the annud proceeds of th:; Clergy Reserves amongst various Christian denomirati' ns in Upper Cana- da, fr ;;une, 1837, tho Wesleyan Conference in Canada adopted resolutions with a "iew to the division of the proceeds of the Reserve^; in January,,1838, the miaistt. ">f the Wesleyan Meth.-dist church in Carad. \ nblished a plan of conciliation and concession for the seif ment of th- Clergy Reserve question, from which we quote tho follow in a view to an equitable division of the Reserves among diffin. . denomiuationr, for purposes of reli- gious and moral instruction in snch a way us will not .-oji-'avene the discij)li- nary ree-uIaJions oi anv religious body, we must respecituuy submit, that the most eq^'uitable method would be, to allov the clain.s of each d'^inomination in proportion to the sums which they raise Riid expend, in ih ' f,rovince, annually, for religious purposes. Having thus, after tho example of the clergy -A tho churches of England and Scotland, and without a-^y desire to dictate, express- ed our views on this important question, we loom it but just to ourselves and tha public, to explain, in conclusion, the position which we, as .> body of min- ifitPr«. nrr.unv in respect to it. We stand upr - common ground, and possess a common interest with tho members of our oUur n gencraUy ; and purpose to u a 82 1 nu »; I mn« hn arauire«!, bv a fair and honourable divi»i» ida» Whal* sly'** govern* St church in furnished aa insinuated by linst them.*— , Alder, after iself has been pper Canada testimony to I of those no- \ the first set* and to whom , for thpir un* 1 of hosto.** Royal word r» It form i& the etter to Lord :ourse J could , which might ordship, how- made to the I dictated the lotives of poli- t. in Canada, realiad nt the y Society are policy of Her Majesty's Government; the "Watchman" newspaper,* which Is conducted under the supervision of the Missionary Secretaries and other leading Wesley- an ministers in London, excites any thing but a respectful and friendly feeling towards the Government in the minds of all those persons in Canada who are in any way influenced by the opinions of the London committee ; and the Re- firesentatives of tho committee (the Rev. Messrs. Stinson and Richey) in Ca- nada have, in the entire circle of their personal intercourse and influence, op- posed the policy and measures of tho Governor General of Canada, and have not even spared Hi:^ Excellency's personal character — facts which consist with- in the knowledge of the undersigned^ and in proof of which abundant evidence i« adducible. Indeed we are able to state, upon unquestionable authority, that the district meeting, or conference of Wesley an Missionaries in Lower Cana- da* from opposition to the character and policy of the Governor General, de- •isted, at their last annual meeting, from presenting to His Excellency the usual respectful and loyal address which they had been accustomed to present to each of his predecessors on their assumption of the Government of Canada.-* At the same time, it is not unknown to your Lordship, that His Excellency the Governor General has received every support and aid it was in the power of the organ and ministers and friends of the Wesleyan Methodist church to give him in his «oble and untiring efforts to tranquillize the public mind in Canada— to break down party spirit and party distinctions— and to carry out the policy of Her Majesty's ministers, with the view of establishing an improved and more liberal and more elficient system of Government in Canada. The objects for which this grant was originally made to the Missionary Com- mittee deserve special notite. Whatever arrangements may have been made with the Lt. Governors of Upper Canada, it is clear that the Imperial Govern- ment intended this grant to be applied, nov. for the payment of the salaries of missionaries, but for the erection of chapels and parsonages. The Earl of Ripon, in his Despatch to Sir John Colborne, dated 25th of October, 1832, Rays—'* With this view, I am to request that you w d transmit to me at the be- ginning of each year, n statement of the mode in which you would propose that tho money which it is intended to apply to religious purposes should ha distributed ? and in preparing such a scheme you will of course bear in mind the principles on which you have already been directed to act, namely, that you will endeavour to give assistance to the religious denominations as much as possible, by building for them in situations where they can command congrega- tions, P^'ivrh and parsonage houses, as I am of opinion that money may bo much ,nr' c^dvantageously applied to these objects than in paying salaries:^ And in th very despatch, dated Nov. 12, 1832, in which his Lordship author- ises Sir John Colbu, e to make tho first grant of £900 to the Missionary Com- mittee, Lord Ripoii says—" I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of {From the London Edition.) * JSTote by E. Rycrsf-n.'-^t never said the Watchman was tlis organ of the Wesleyan Conference, a& the resolutions of the London Committee would intimate. I have stated that it was published under the supervision of tha leading members of the Wesleyan Conference. When the Watckmrn was started, it was introduced to the pu'li^ by the editor of the Wesleyan Methodist MaKazino as an "organ" of the Wesleyan Connexion ; (see "Christian Retrospect" in the Magazine for February, 1H35 •) and the circumstan- ces reJative to its publication and management are, as I have reason to know, as followsi 1 Tlie means to establish and carry it on liave been furnished by laymen. 2. But in the articles of their association, it is piovided, (I) That the profits of the paper after paymg ihA interest of the money invested in its publication, shall be applied tn Methodist Con^ nexlonal Funds ; (2j That the Missionary Sfcretaries, Editor of the Magazine, and, I believe, the members of the Wesleyan Book Committee generally, shall be ex officio mem- bers of the Committee to superintend the puhli-ation of the fVatchman. By mutual a- ereement, certain members of that Committee have been wont to meet weekly to revise the editoriai and selected articles of the Watchman: and they have not urjfreqr.ently . _j-.-_;_i _-.:..!„_ «■„- !. Q^ .«..>ii no niniiifipA lit thpir nipnsiirft those which had Dcen written by the ostensible lay-editors. How far, therefore, the Watchman w otflcial, or not offit al in ila character, every mt.n can judge for himselt. •• ■ w -;^ •I •-r 34. vour despatch of tho 5th September last, proposing an arrangement for the payment of the church of K.iglund Missionaries in the province of Upper La- naraul for affording aid to tlie Presbyterians, Wesleyan Methodists, nud. Roman CathoUcs, to build churches and chapels^ Beheying such to have been the desi-n of the grant, the Wesleyan Conlerence in Canada have moie than once applied for aid in behalf of poor and needy chape s erecting or in debt, but their applications have been as often rejected by the agents of the ^'*Mr AMer ha.-» stated several times, very emphatically, that the grant was made to the Missionary Committee before the union between the hnglish and . Canada Conferences was contemplated, and wholly independent ot that ar- ran-emeut. Of the prehminaiy and private conversations which may have tak?n place between Members of Government and members of the Missionary Committee, we know nothing; our appeal is to official documents ; and we presume that neither the Earl of Ripon nor Lord Seaton will contradict what thev themselves have stated some years since on this subject. _ During the years 1834 and 1835, much discussion took place in Upper Ca- nada relative to this appropriation to the Wesloyan Missiona y Committee. A Weslevan minister in Upper Canada-the Rev A. Gijen-addressed a letter to Sir John Colborne, inquiring whether it was intended tor the Wesleyan body in En-lan.t or in Canada. Hi? Excellency's answer, through his Secretary Colonel Rowan, will be found in the Appendix to the accompanying printed Report on Religious Grants, p. 28. dated " Government House, Toronto, 30th June 1835." Sir John Colborne directs Colonel Rowan to state to Mr. Green-*" At the time the appropriation alluded to in your communication was made, His Majesty's Government supposed the 11 esleyan Methodists in this Province were under the control of the British Conference, in renjv to a letter from Lord Glcnelg on this subject, the Earl ot Ripon, in a letter dated Carlton Gardens, 4ih April, 1836, states as follows •.-'•It is cor- rectiv stated that I had various communications with the Wesleyen Methodist Society in this country in the year 1832, upon the subject of their operations in Upper Canada, and of the desire entertained by the Weslcyans in thai Provincs ta pl.acK ihemselveg in close and continuous connexion with the Parent Society in England. In the course of these communications J be- came so impressed with tho importance of the objects which the Society, both. at Home and in Canada had in view, that I thought it expedient to encour- ase *heif exertions, and to instruct the Governor to give them some pecunia- ry assistance from those fund* which were legally at tho disposal of the Crown." , V'e know not, my Lord, how language can bo more exphcit, nnd testimony wore conclusive than this. It is perfectly dear, ihereforo, that when the ap- propriation was made, the Government supposed there was or would be an identity of interest as well as of administration between the Wesleyan bodies in Upper Canada and in England. Mr. Alder says, indeed, that the arrangement* with Lord Seaton m respect to the grant were completed at Toronto ' about a year before the Union be- tween the British Conference and the Conference in Upper Canada took place. This we do nut dispute ; but Mr. Alder withholds from your Lordship essen- tial parts of that affair. The union was agreed to on the part of th British Conference in August 1833, and on the part of the Conference in Upper Ca- nada in the foUowip- October. But the Canada Conference had proposed cert in Articles of Union in August 1832. Those proposed articles of union ci • iinplated a unity of interest as well as ot jurisdiction, between the two bodies. They were nublished in Toronto on the 29th of August, 1832, in the official organ of the ^Canada Conference; Sir John Colborne'^ despatch to Lord Ripon, recommending this very grant, was dated the 5th September ioi- lowing. And that Mr. Alder himself , at that time, not only contemplated a union between tho two bodies, but such a union as would give the Canada Con- t for the fpper Ca- ists, and 1 to have ave more ting or in [Its of the rant was i^lish and . ff that ar- may have Missionary ; and we idict what Upper Ca- nittee. A ed a letter leyan hody Secretary ng printed ronto, 30th ate to Mr. munication Methodists ence.^' In Kipon, in a •'• Jt is cor- 1 Methodist • operation* /ans VI that on with the aliens I be- lociety, both to encour- me petunia- osal of the id testimony *'hen the ap- vould be an (leyan bodies m Irt respect he Union be- took place." rdship essen- .f thi British in Upper Ca- lad proposed cles of union veen the two , 1832, in the , deMratch to leptember fol- antemplated a Canada Con- 85 ference a claim upon the funds of the British Conforcnco, will appenr obvious from the foUowin'? extract of a communiculion, wh:ch (on leaving) Mr. Aldor addressed to tlio Canada Conference on the several poi)its respecting wiiich he conceived their then iippointed rcprcsfiitative to Fngland should be instructed to confer and decidi-. Mr. Alder's communication is dated " Kingston (U. C.) August IG, 1832." The passage relating to the subject now under discussion is as follows : — " That the [London] Committee shall be at liberty to appoint such persons to labour in connexion with this [Canada] Conference, as tbey may deem to be properly qualified for the sacred office, and that tin; Conference will not multi- ply 'preachers or circuits idlhinits honndaries until they shall have corres- ponded with the Committee. This is nskcd on the. groimd, as the Committee is expected to grant an annnnl sum of money for the support and extension ot the work in Canada, they ougU to be associated witli the Conference in deter- mining how many preachers shall be em] Joyed, that their funds may not be embarrassed, nor the necessary comforts of the preachers be diminished by the employment of a greater number of ministers than the means placed at your disposal will iuslifv." • • i t j- Here, your Lordsbip will observe, that, independent of the Aborigmal Indian Missions, Mr. Alder not only did contemplate a union between the Wesleyan Conferences in England nnd in Canada, but such a union as would place at the disposal of the Canada Conference an annual sum commensurate with the wants of the Canadian preachers on the circuits ; but subsequently to this, and subse- quent to the arrangetnent with the Government above alluded to in the extracts of letters from Lords Hijion and Seaton, Mr. Alder and his friends in London introduced a preliminary clause into the articles of union, previously to their adoption by the British Conference in August 1833, to " secure the funds of the English Conference against any claims on the part of the Canadian preachers." It was thi» anomalous peculiarity in the Articles of Union which, we have reason to believe, attracted the particular attention of the Governor General of Canada, and convinced His Excellency, :n connexion with other circumstan- ce*, that the grant to the Committer, in its present mode of control and appli- cation, was not only invidious and unjust to the Wesleyan Conference in Cana- da, but at variance with the comr^rehensive objects contemplated by the Gov- ernment when it was made, and calculated to excite dissatisfaction and oppo- Bition on the part of the ministers and members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada against the Government, rather than to secure their grateful esteem and aifectionate support. Mr. Alder dwells much upon the circumstance that both the Canada Confer- ence and Mr. Ryevson had always admitted the exclusive right of the Mission- ary Committee to the ccntrol of the grant. This is very true, and for two reasons. 1. Neither the Canada Conference nor Mr. Ryerson was aware of all the circumstances connected with the grant until after the investigation of them by the Governor-GeneraL 2. The grant had tdways been paid out of the casual and territorial revenue, with the appropriations of which the Canada Confer- ence had always fdt and declared it had no right to interfere, confining its dis- cussions to the qr,estion of the Clergy Reserves, and its claims to whatever ad- vantages mighc arise to the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada from an equitable settlement of that question. / But now, my Lord, the affair assumes a very different aspect from what it has heretofore presented. It is proposed to lelieve the casual and territorial revenue from the annual payment of this, as well as of other religious grants, and to transfer it as one of the primary charges upon the Clergy Reserves fund ; an act, which, if it take place without varying the distribution and control of the grant in question, must, diring the next fifty years at least, debar the min- isters and members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church 'n Canada from the ijightest benefit of the settlement of the Clergy Reserve question. The Wesleyan e unwilling ige : the tie that, in our f considera* re been very loubt not is; ny tendency h have hith- our relation [ the Gospel .uthorized IQ ^s from you, cable settle* d the above y division of 1 ; whatever in oblivion, unity to that although we R,cpresenttt- respect and ■ this oppor- U3 has been such M becomes tho Miuislcis of Clirint, and ihcir gospel labours u blessing both to us and our people. •' That the Great Head of ihn Cliurch may overrule all lhiii<,M fm- the gonerul good, and endue us all with nil heavenly gniccH, ami hi ing us, at last, to inherit eternal lifo together, is, Ueai iJrcthren, the ardent prayer of your American Brethren." (Signed by the Bishop!?, by Order and in b ilf of tlic Conference.] Retolutiona oj the British Conference {^soi/jctchcre bctn'cen IS in and 1820.] *• 1st. That three additional Missionarie-i shall bo sent to tho Canndas. ** 2nd. That a Missionary from iMigland shall continue to be stationed at Montreal. "3rd. That unless the American Conference, in conpideration of tho assistance received from England toward tho erection of the Montreal chapel, shall vol- ttntarily agree to allow tho use of the cha])el and the adjoining premises to our Missionary and the Society in connexion with him, ue reeomiriend to our friends quietly to resign the premises In the Amei'icun brethren, and to procure other accommodations fur themselves. ** 4th. That, except in the peculiar case of Montreal, our Missionaries shall be instructed not to occupy any station actually occupied by our American Breth- ren, but to emj)loy their labours in those parts of the two Provinces which are most destitute of the means of instruction and salvation; and not to neglect, in connexion with this object, any l*rovidential opportunity which may offer to them of contributing their efforts toward the conversion of the Indian tribes in ihitt neighbourhood. "5th. That wo earnestly recommend to our Missionaries and Societies in Canada, carefully to avoid all disputation, and to cultivate a spirit of brotherly affection toward those of the American Preachers and their Societies in that country with whom they may have to do. **6th. That the Secretaries of tho Mission Committee bo directed to commu* nicate these resolutions to the American Brethren, and to assure them, that in continuing to occupy Montre-il as one of our stations, v/e are actuated by a conviction of imperative duty, and sincerely regret that there should be even the appearance of collision and separation between the two Connexions. That it was not intended to urge the American Preachers to any abandonment of their Canadian circuits and stations in general, Ijut that the application chiefly respected the particular case of Montreal ; and that we are not without hope, that in that one instance the American Conference will yet see it right to make some concessions to our wishes for the sake of peace, and in order to put an end to the unpleasant state of things which now exists at Montreal." Resolutions of th^: Wesleyan Conference in England IN 1820, AGAINST INTERFERING WITH UpPER CaNADA. [It is known that the first regular Methodist Preachers in the Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as in Upper and Lower Canada, were sent from Conferences in the United States, in accordance \\[:h the wishes of Mr. Wesley and Dr. Coke. The Societies in Nova Scotia and New Bruns- wick were, in a short time, supplied with Preachers from England ; but the Societies in the Ganad.as continued under the care of the United States (confer- ence until 1820 — in Upper Canada until 1821. For a number of years most of the Preachers who labored in the Canadas were Americans ; but as it was a rule ■'-■ V • ifere. -e t all British subjects who could IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET [tAJ-3)j 1.0 (50 W*^^ 'n-:;!5:-^ 2.2 •^ iilllU I.I 11 1.8 1.25 1.4 11.6 4 :l ^ A ^/ "^^ ^' '^J^ «^''-«J^ Sciences Corporation W \ ;\ iV \ s % V ^6\ ^<^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER. NY. 14500 (7'6) R72-4503 '<> #^ ^' «- w^ :!-':l ^r he obtained as Preachers in the CatiacJai, lite gY«ater partnf th« Caaft*!* Cii>nfti»« cnce became at length, eoraiwscd oC PicacliPti* '*ha had been born an4 brought up in the British dominions. Every member of l\ie Canada Conference at the present time is a bona fide British subjecS, But tliis wa» not the case in 1820, when the Wesleyan Conference in England agreed to leave Upper (.anada to be wholly supplied by the United States Conference. The principles which the English Conference then laid down as the ground of that arrangement are tinchangenble; but how do they condemn, irj tones solemn and awful, the change- able proceedings of the London Wesleyan Committee in now interfering with the work in Upper Canada '. ff the principles whicli the Wesleyan Conference in England embodied and uvowed as Methodistic and sacred in every part of the world^induced them to leave Upper Canada in 1820 under a foreign ecclesiastical jurisdiction, how do the Committee in London stand condemned by their own previously avowed principles, and how must their proceedings be reprobated by every honorable mind, in breaking the bonds of Methodistic unity in Upper Canada in 1840, and in attempting to establish separate congregations here, when the Societies are under the jurisdiction of a Briti.sh Conference within the Pro- We will insert the proceedings and resolutions of the Wesleyan Confer- vmcei ■■ ~ J, «. ence in England without further note or comment. We copy them from the third volume of Dr. Bangs' History of the U. E. Church in America, recently published.] Extract from the Address of the Wesleyan Conference in England in 1820, " To the General Superintendents of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America.''^ " The resolutions on the disputes in the Canadas were adopted after a calm and patient consideration of the case, in which we were greatly assisted by Mr. Emory. We hope that they will lead to a full adjustment of those dis- putes, and that tuo atR^ction which exists between the two connections general- ly will extend itself to the brethren and societies in the Canadas. This is the dispositio-. which we shall earnestly inculcate upon those under our care iu those provinces, and we have full confidence that the same care will be taken by yoa to extinguish every feeling contrary to love among those over whom you have control and influence. , . " With earnest prayers for you, dear and honored brethren, m particular, on whom devolve the gener.J direction of the affairs of the great body of Metho- dists in the western world, and labors so severe, but so glorious,--that you may be filled with wisdom for counsel, and strength to fulfil the duties of your great oiBce ;— and also praying that all your churches may have rest, and walk- ing in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, be abund- antly multiplied, we are, dear brethren, yours most aftectionately m Christ Jesus, , „ Ti .J ^ " Jabez Bunting, President, George Marsden, Sec eiary. *' Liverpool, August, 1820." Resolutions of the Conference referred to in the above extract f i the Address to ihc Aiiiericait Conference "On the subject of the unpleasant circumstances which have^ occurred in the Canadas between the American preachers and our missionaries, referred to the conference by the missionary committee in London, with their opinion that Upper Canada shall be loft in possession of tlio American brethren, and I Kill 'X' (Miilinod to lli(^ Ti(VA-ci OMliTCM'Ji' ! ill' lulul't.inil Ml ■ 111 11 l.« Province, itiii ' tbliosviug princi- ihat oiir missionary oxortuu'- comniitlGO roconiuKMid v t,lncloansJ.lmas^^^ or to alio. .^ .ny intrusion on "e^-^S;;tr;';::J^;Sl;:'n;o .. ... ., whi.h ti. .;.,.... no. ... "'"1 "Thf t simple/rand most eaLCual nv.nne. of carrying this rule into o'TecL appears to us to be, to accodo to the .u^gostion ot the Amencan cot.fer- f CO S tl e Vmerican brethren shall have the occupation of Uppor Canada nnd;ho British missionaries that of Lower Canada, allowmcr sutRc.ent time or.arry ngtn= o interests on both sides; the arrangement to bo '"!n^'Sd wTthtn a P^^^^^^^^^^^ fixed as early as possible by the missionary completed with n Y^J;J'\ t,,^. aifficukies occur in the attempt to exe- "T7h Hian wh clT hovveZ w^ Ho not anticipate,) either party shall be at Xrtv toto;ise any other m^de of accommodation which sha I assume as UM Zlreat\lM^^^^ laid dou-n in the first of these resolutions and folLkZeZrlof opinio/ should he held viost sacred .. every v-rt of the '"'^'Xhat if hereafter it shall appear to any "^ our brethren there either 1. i-ii^^ \^„..;,.on nvpnrher'? that anv place on either side tne British missionaries or Am^^u^an^P^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ boundary line, "^^ "f "^'f 7^,'!' ";^" |^.^if ^b^ by the Canada district opportun^y f^3r useM^^^^ J ^^^ Canada district; meeting to t^ie Genera^ Uontu en y j ^^^^ ^.^^ ^^^ K " ^I*n!ld to 1 ve violated the terms of this friendly compact. being deemed to e viol ^.^^^ understo d in this arrangement, thateach . iT?! V.^ bonn I to supply with preachers all those stations and their jle- party shall ^^ ' o^" ^ J; rreUncnnshed by each of the connections, that no ^fatreithl'r'stll^t^^ lo- of the ordinances of religion in con- "'j:^rTh1t'tllSr;';ommittee be directed to address a letter to the ; f.ffl.HTmPmbe.s trustees, &c., under the care ot our missionarie^s private and «^^ ^^Xmi^ff'^ umi of the iudgment of the conference, and af- in Upper Canada in om.n?^^^^^^^ them input themselves and their chapek fectiona^ly and c^^^ P--^-«' -'^^ ^^'« suggestion of ScotdS^^^^ them to it, a^ the committee may judge most ^'«^7 'Vhat the bishops of the American connection shall direct a similar let- 7. Itiat tne uisu I mpnibers trustees. &.c., under the care of tho *::XsTd*cJr cVapeL under ,ho caro of the British mUsionane,." put ^1 ii the /• « 7^*f^r nf instructions from the Missionary Committee in Lon- " Copy of a tMer ^f ;«f f "^^^^J^^„^^ ^^^^^J,, ,a,r British missionaries in the Provinces of Canada. n ivr In o'lr inissiun* hoppily exisioa howvet^n nnr American brcihrm nr,(=l n^.rolaih in Canada* . i ^c .i • •' The procpdiii'* resolutions are general, and rctcr to i.,o iviiowal nl the in- tercourse, by norsoDal deputation, bct\ve.-M, he American an.l ikitish ronlei- ences, hv the visit of Mr. Emory. We have given you the reso utions in lull. that vou .nay sec thai wc have recognized £h« principle that the Methodist body is oNK throughout the world, and that therefore its members ore bound to cordial aHection and brotherly union. j r j j " Tha resolutions of the committee, passed some time ago, and iorwarded for vour guidance, prohibiting any interference with tlie work of the Amen* can brethren, would show you that the existence of collisions between us and them gave us serious concern, and that the committee were anxious to remove, as far as they, at that time, were acquainted with the circumstances, every occasion of dispute. " Certainly the case of Montreal chapel was one which we could never jus- tify to our minds, and the committee have in many instances had hut a par- tial Jmoivledge of the real religious icanls of the Upper Province, and of its means of supply. The only reason we could have for increasing the num- ber of missionaries in that province was, the pre?umption of a slroni; necessi-- ty, arising out of the destitute condition of the inhabitants, the iolal want, or too frrrat distance of viimsters. "On no otrier ground could wc apply money raised for missionary purposes for the supoly of preachers to Upper Canada. The information v;e have had for two years past has all ^civ,ul to show that the number of preachers employed (here by the American brethren was greater than we had at first supposed, and was constantly increasing, . ''To us, therefore, it now appears, that though there may be places in that province which are not visited, they are within the range, or constantly com- ing within the range, of the extended American itinerancy; and that Upper Canada does not present to our efforts aground so fully and decidedly mission- ary as the Lower Province, where much less help exists, and a great part of the population is involved ip Popish Superstition. " We know that political reasons exist in many minds for supplying even Upper Canada, as far as possible, with British missionaries ; and however natural this feeling may be to Englishmen, and even praiseworthy, when not carried too far, it will be obvious to you that this is a ground on which, as a missionary society, and especially as a society wider the direction of a com^ miitee rohich recognizes as brethren, and one with itself, the American Me- thodists, we cannot act. , .. , • • 7 " 1 Because, os a missionai-v society, wc cannot lay it down as a principle that those whose object is to convert the world shall be prevented J rom seek- ing and saving souls under a foreign government, for we do not thus regu- late our own ejf oris. . " 2. To act on this principle would be to cast an odium upon our Amert- tan brethren, as though they did nut conduct themselves peaceably under the British government, which is, we believe, contrary to the fact. "3. That if tmy particular exceptions to this Christian and submissive con- duct were, on their part, to occur, we have not the least right to interfere, un- less, indeed, the American coTiference obviously neglected to enforce upon tho offending parties its own discipline. Upon any political feeling which may exist either in your minds or in the minds of a party in any place, we cannot therefore proceed. Our objects are purely spiritual, and our American 7,^-ij^j--j, >,y.^ Q..^gf,h,/,o arc. one hodv of Christians, sprung from a common stock,' '^iiolding the same doctrines, eiiforcing the same discipline, and striving in common to spread the light of true religion through the world. " In conformity with these views, we have long thought it a reproach, and doing more injury, by disturbing the harmony of the two connections, than could be counterbalanced by any local good, that the same city on town ■^ f tlie iii- 1 f^onfor- s in full, [ethodisl re bound irwarded 2 Ameri- Mi us and I remove, es, every levev jus- d a par- i, and of the num» * necessi--' I ica7it, or purposes tee have preachers id atjirst fs in that intly com- lat Upper y miftsion- sat part of lying even I however when not hich, as a ; of a com-' rican Me- '■ principle from seek- thus regu- r general view of the proceedings of the Special •€ ;;.V;::.^\;o.;; C.n.rch ,.:.. to Tnesa^y ni.ht; a.ul we ^^f^^^ on Wednesday night, at half-past eleven, it ternuiiated itH h ttnigs. i>lai y ::i^S'c;ui^uui;.;c;nsider^t^ on a.at day, ^^^^^^^^^^^ fireat importance to the present position and puos] ects of t'^ V^ ^^l^^X^" ELdiit Church in Canada. The llev. Thonu. Whitehead Cn. 0^ b^ year of his age and r.:5rd of his Ministry) was electee \r^f^^ "., 1 .^C ent Conference year; a)id snch alterations were made ni the ^ ^^Jions .t^ our nreLirc mnnstai^ rcjuire. We have not space at present for the pub- En :;• more of the proceedings than what have — ^ -^^~ the secession from onr body of certain Preachers, the /^ '^^^^^^^^^J^^. founded on the proceedings of the I-:ngl.sh Conlerence and the key. hgef to Ryei'on's s.eech in reply to a Pantphlet jnst puhhshed by the Rev. ^sS Stinso Jattd Richey! 3Ir. Ryersmt's speech is P- > 'f ^ -;:^ ^ ance with the unanimous re.juest of the Conference; and we have no doubt will be coitsidered by the public an entire refutation of the unguarded and untrt.e statemettts made in that patnphlet. ^ "^/^ .^-;" ^^^ ^ Preachers who have now seceded and received certificates of ^haract. and standin.r at their own recpiest, are. the Rev. Messrs. Case, E. Evans J. DoueB Slight, M. Lang, (a member of the English Conference,) J. Nor- ^.T Fawcert, William Scott, .1. Brock, J. G. Manly, C. B. Coodnch, and ? StoL. We shall present the substance of what they ^nd before tne Conieremx on their resigning, jnst so far as it applies to then- ^iKm.Uon from our Church. Besides these brethren, the Rev. Messrs. \\ .Steer cind J. Sunday sent a request for Certificates, and it was understood that two or three Preachers on Irial wished to leave the Connexion. The separa ion of these brethren causes tts regret; but, on the other hand the mterpos. ion of the God of Metluulism at this verytitne fills its with gladness; tor we arc able to sav in filling np the stations it was found that a number of yoting men. pbuJknd intelligent, oft-ered themselves for our work. So that the whole Seld is, at this nK>n.ottt, supplied, with dficient labourers. This |s e.tcottrag- ing, and, with other favourable circumstances, excites our gratitude to God, vvh^ will as he has hitherto, bless us. In reporting vvhat the difterent breth- rrsaid, we repeat, we present the substance, and shall stand corrected for any evident inaccuracies which may occur in our statt-mentf. "^ o 98 I ). Mr. Case .said. 1 \\\4\ to t'ommnnksate I© iny liwilircn ms micinioiis ;is to my future progrt'ss, and toaskporfnissiojit*^ resiifii inysi:an(tiii<^ among ihciii. I do not (Icsigii to iiiako a .^ppcrh, haviii<; never been ju'ni.-^touied to long addresses: I never ar(|iiir(>(l the habit;. My feehuL^s are more than I can expres.s: I do not retire fronr want ol atVectiou to my hrethreii. 1 ..M-(lings ot t be l^mada C .niVr.Mirr. :n..l r.-lVrr.'d to the n-solutions passed in is:>>7. wi.en be alhrmed the tbvt latiU blow was i^lruck at tbe Union. Had tbr Tnion contnmed, unless a dilVerent €our.e hnd been pursued, be would bi.vr Irit tbo Connex- j„n 1 [e asl«- IJrilisb ConlVreMcc. \ or most ot Ibe bretbr.Mi ..Clbc Cannda ConfenMH-.' be ei.tertain.'.l a bcii.ty esteem ; anc added, bad not die organ ol' lb.- Couferen<,e done :.s It lu.d, he should have continued. • j Mr Si.KiuT fiaid brother Douse's position was similar to bw own; and referred to bis ebristian experience ami call to ibe ministry. He enteitamed a cordial good will to most of the itiembers of this Conference. His wi«h was to retire and bave a trauster. Mr Lwn informed tbe bretbren be should have spoken first, but as a member of tbe Ikitisb Conference be did not tbink it necessary. Here- signed as Chairman .)f tbe Bay of U ' ^^-^ ^rict, expressing Ins esteem for the brediren ; adding he bad d«me h while be had been connected widi il'. Mr. NoRRis felt under die painful ne> fourteen years .since bis first connection ; his unfaithfulness ; still be bad done bis best to .. rve the body. Whatever miffht be tbougbt of bis motives, be entertained a warm atlection for this Conference He said be bad not determined on bis future cour.se, xcept ta offer biiiLself to the British Conference. He asked a recoimneiidaUon to the British Conference in case they would accept bini. He hoped the Lprd would direct him and make him useful. Mr Fawct'tt wished to make a similar request to be transferred to the British Conference. H.; stated the circumstances under which he came from England to this country, and of bis being taken into tbe ministry by the Ca- nada Conference. He had an aifection for all the brediren ot thi8 Confer- ence ; he loved diem all. Mr W. ?coTT did not tbink it necessary ; ) .say much. There were members of this Conference for whom be bad contracted die warmest affection. He snoke of bis conversion in England, and of his coming to the States, and then to Canada. His jireference was for Canada, though certain circumstan- <;es had detaine.l him some time at New-York. He said it woidd be remem- bered he came to Upper Canada diat he might have a closer connexion with the British Conference. He, after some other remarks, expressive of his re- gret at tbe present position of affairs, begged leave to tendar his resignation Mr Brock said bis feelings were such as he never expected to have. He rosp to request a certificate of character ; remarking brediren had gone from this Conference on ditferent accounts. He wished to go away because he did not wish to contend. He came a stranger to diis Province, and had la- boured with this Conference; and now was doomed to be separated from the brethren widi whom he thought he should have lived and died. He ^'uid, > i<* I 1 .;fe? r ,1- 1 i ._ !' k -: I'H ■ i i too Ml. r.iiMiv was iiiiifli at' lidsflli- iirir work ill aiiv win . I w;;!il lint to rotiicipl wirfl ihrt BritfKK Colli ''I'^'im',' »i|i(Mil(l l)(! hiaiiicil K\ III'. l)r«t]ireii. I rann«it , vvonid bo rcspoiisililf lor the coiilciitioii which would (•iisii(\ ] Mr. Brock went on io say, he conid i;ot contend, he coidd not o|)|:os.« the British ('oitjcrciicc nor iho raniida Courcroucc. Ifo could 'eavr tin- ( mim- try. lie owed his coiivorsioit not to the Kiiglish Mcthodistn, nof tt) the (.\i- nadi.'in Methodists, hut to Air. \\'i>sh!y's works. It' conteJitinn woidd <'ease. he vvoukl return to this Conrereiice to'laliou- with iheni. Il'th-^ line betwetMi our labours and the luhoiirs at" the Missionaries conld be drawn, he would not go. He i^reatly respected his brethren of llu' Canada Conlerenci,'. lie asked a transfer to th(j Britisji Conference. Mr. Mani.y cherished no feeling to any ineinhcr of the Canada fonfer- ence but brotherly h»ve. He did not wish to bo arrayed against the British Conference, nor against tliis Conference. Htj should retire from the pro- vince ; and asked a certificate of character. [The President said he lad kind feeUngs for tlie brethren who liad gofier from us. He touched on the circumstance."* attending the Hoparation : and added, can this Conference a(k)pt any other course of proceetfmg in regard of the conduct of the British Conference ?] Mr. Manly crntinued : He hoped nothing would t)e said to impugn h\f* motives : lie disclaimed all that might bo alleged against them, and wished to retire. [Mr. E. Ryerson expressed the opinion that the members of this Confer- ence had as much reason to request those who went out from us not to im- pugu our motives as they had success! \ely lo request us not to impugn their motives] [Mr. Wilson observed, I I: /o been a i..iember of the Methodist Church for 41 years. I have seen a variety of difficulties in this province. Many parties have risen up, and had their day. AH this time I have kept close to this Conference, though not without my sorro\\s and afllictions. I intend still to do so. We are losing fourteen men. Though in the seventy-first year of my age I am willing to labour with my brethren -n any capacity.— My infirmities have made it necessary for me to stand in a siiperannuated re- lation ; but if I am wanted, I will go anywhere : I am at the service of my brethren. I am 36 years a preacher ; and I am not tirea yet. God is with us. I oflfor myself; I mea:i to live and die with these my brethren.] Mr. C. B. Goodkrich expressed a wish to have a certificate of his stand- ing as he was going to the States. What had been done in withholding ln» ordination was one reason for his determining thus. At the Hamilton Con- ference his mind was wounded. He forgave the brethren, but lie conceived he had been unjustly treated. Still he bore them no ill will : on the other hand, he respected them and wished them well. He begged to be permitted to retire from the Conference, not to unite with any body in this country, but to go into the States. For this reason he hored his brethren v/ould grant him a certificate of character. llllJfli iil'- my way. , not WH, )|:()st' the lie ( ^flM- ) 111.' Ca- ild ccii.-Jc. hctwtMMi 11' would ici.'. Ho f onfer- British 1 the pro* iiad gone ioii ; ami in regiird pu^ji lllf« wished to s Cniifer* not to iin- ngn their !it>uia <»y *« to Im=* l.utluen. ^V^, i;,^,,„,,,| ^v;tUnt^.Md.^.^rih^^l»• i-tuotioii t« th«^x|m^ssmmof attaclniiriu toth.. lather, >nd l»rethri-n «f the r«utV»rnr*- l.y thos« *vU« wrntoutl.oni au.nn-' n< W« %v.'pt thiit hmnriti fraihy .houM «fu«.l m the way «l mn y. and whihi WB con^ietitiou.lv dillVn-d thein will, n slnme MVeitinii. WV cannot. Lrnvvr, U ihi. onpoii.iir.tv |.iis- wiU.oiu H:tying, u« tv«.r»« nmt'h ..arpfist-il at Die utter ro,-;i,.truhM.s. on the , „.t ol-ev-ry .poab>r, «>f tlu' luiiin cinisideraton. inse- p.-uahle from ihe rs.itiii- nrrnsioii-llie -r^-ut and fniuIuimMlal i-micipe. :• of theMetfiodist ramilythron-houtthc^iwld; which air« '.o.- ..I the ( aiiad.i Conferenee. Those priiieiple.s are known, rm.f trl-Mf. •.«.! unelian^jeahh'.- At ^uch II lime lli.-V deiManded reeo-nilioii aii.i n -van Metliodist Chnreh in ( a-iada i^ one m doctnnc, discinhne, an.l spirit with those ofthe other sections of iMelho.i.sni m every part of the worhh Th.>i-e is an nnh .ken n„n,rss-,i onrne.eect, eonie again rejoicing bringing dicir r.lu;a\e> with them:'' UKSOLUTION^ OFTHE CONFKK i'NC!: FOT^NPFD ON THE FEOCEEBINGS OF YlIE ENliJJSll CONF i:ilENCi:. Oiir^thni ].—\\\\\r !s THi; smmMMT or THE CoNrKRMCB nt.tAt'lW TO rm: i-KucKicDiNfts w tm: Wkslkvaji CosfT-RKSCK l» Emglasd ow THE SIJliJKCT or THK UmON ? Ansiccr 1.— That it is a mailer of dec], regret that liie antliorities ofthe Conference in England did not think proper to receive tnid treat the Repre- sentatives of this Conference in the nunmci- that Hej.resentativos of Metho- d," arc expressly contradicted by His Excellency the Governor General of Canada, whose testimony is the highest evidence which the nature of the case would admit; and the deci- sion of the authorities of the English Conference involves assumptions of power; by confirming the aforesaid resohition? of the London Committee, which are inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the articles of the Union between the English and Canadian Conferences, 5.--Thut the demand by the authorities of the Conference in England, '< That the continuation of the Governmon: grant to the Wesleyan Missiona- ry Society be cordially assented to, and supported by our Upper Canadian brethren, even if its payment should he ultimately transferred to the Clergy Re- serve Fund in that Province;'' and their requiring the Rev. Egertou Ryerson to write a letter to Lord John Russell, '' retpiesting that its regular payment may be continued," is unfounded in any obligations iirising out of the Union; as it was never understood or intended that this Conference or any of its members should advocate either the restoration or continuance of any grant or grants made by Government to the AVesleyan Missionary Society. 6. That the desire and determination of this Conference that " the Chris- tian Guardian shall entirely abstain from all party political reasonings and discussions," app^ ir not only to have been fully expressed by our Represen- tatives, but also to have been admitted by the English Conference as satisfac- tory, as they state—'' We are most happy to perceive that one of these reso- lutions which determines that the Christian Guardian shall cease to be a poli- tical paper, and shall be confined to purely religious and literary subjects and articles of religious intelligence, is to that extent satisfactory." 7. That the requirement by the authorities of the Wesleyan Conference in England that the oflicial organ of this Conference should "admit and maintain" the duty of civil govermnents to enjploy resources at then dispo- sal to support religion, as an acknowledged principle of Wesle an Metho- dmn, is incompatible with the original arti»Jes of the Union, as declared by 103 f-fourtli'J nee, in n s has not er to our lich were at New- nlated to id charac- iinittee in lorities of licted by ny is the the deci- ptions of )mnnttee, he Union England, Missiona- Canadian Jhrgy Re- I Ryerson payment le Union ; my of its any grant ty. the Chris- iiings and Represen- is satisfac- iiese reso- be a poh- bjects and onference admit and leii dispo- in Metho- Bclared by the Representatives (A' tiie English Conference at the time the Union WM consnnnuated :>n(\ as illustrated by their co-op(>ration with this Conference from 1833 to .18:5'.). Whatever opinions may be entertained of the principle? of Church Establishments in the abstract, the advocacy of the application of it to this country by the oflicial organ of this Conference is, at least, inexpe- dient— involvhig as it does a wide lield of political discussion, and calculated to produce nuich contention and division amongst the people- and especially as Mr. Wesley himself and his Conference regarded a National Church aa having no ground in the New Testament, but as being " a merely political institution." 8.— That the assumption by the Wesleyan Conference in England of tlie right and power of an '^ ofticial innuence" and '^ efficient direction" over the '' public proceedings" of this Conference, is repugnant to the express pro- visions of the Articles of Union, which declared that the " rights and privile- ges of the Canadian Preachers and Societies should be preserved inviolate," and is inconsistent with the obligations and responsibilities of this Conference to the Societies and work providentially conunitted to its pastoral oversight. 9.— That the avowed dissolution of the Union by the English Conference on the ground of the non-compliance of our Representatives with require- ments and assumptions not authorised by the Articles of the Union, is a plain and lamentable violation of solenmly ratified obligations to this Conference and to the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada. 30.— That this Conference protests against the IMethodistic or legal right or power of the Conference in England to dissolve, of hs own accord, articles and obligations which have been entered into with this Conference by mutfial consent. ll.—That in the foregoing expressions of our views and feelings relative t© the proceedings of the authorities of the Wesleyan Conference in England, we disclaim any imputation upon their character or motives. It is their acts only of which wi; complain. We rejoice to know that the great majority of themenibers have taken no part in these proceedings of the authorities of the English Conference ; and we deem it alike our duty and our privilege to esteem them as fathers and brethren in the INIinistry of the Word and in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. question II.— What is the juogment of this Conferknce on the ESTABLISHMENT BY THE WeSLEVAN MISSIONARY COMMITTEE IN LoNIK)N OF SEPARATE CoNOREGATIONS AND SOCIETIES WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES Or THE Wesleyan Methodist Church in Upper Canada? Ansicer 1.— The adoption of such a course of proceeding is subversive of the great and sacred principles of Methodistic unity, as laid down by the Venerable Wesley himself, and as has heretofore been formally and officially and practically recognized by tlie Wesley un Conferences in England and in f ^i «3 Ui ;■ 4 l!"1 * •■•■: ai. . 4. 2. f'fi ¥ i 101 the IJnikHl Slates. The ioHowiiig c.vtriicls from llu; Mliiutos of the Eiighsh VVesleyan CoiifcrtMKH;, \wU\ in Liverpool, August. 18'iO, ami signed ''Jabe/, Bunting, rrctiidenf," and •• (ii'.oKfii: Mak.sukn, Sccrctarij;' coiituiu an ex- plicit statement of those principles:— " On tho .suhjcct of Uie unpleasant circumstances which have occurred in the Canudaa between the Amerit-aii preachers and our niir^sionaries, referred to the conference hv the missionary committee in I.ondon, with their opinion that Upper Canada shall he ieh \n possession of the .American hi-ethren, and that our missionary exertions shall be cunfuu d to the Lower Trovince, this commit- tee recommend to the conference tho adoittion uf the fi»llowini, principles and arrangements : — " I. That, as the American Metliodists and ourselves are but one body, fV. would be inconsUicnt icl/k our itnUy, and //an^i(erovs lo Ikat njfcciion winch ovi^ht lo characterize us in ever// /dace, to have dijj'ernd socielies and con- grcgalionsin I'ue same toiaiii and villages, or lo allow of any intrusion on either side into each other s lahoms. " 2. That this prineiple sliall be the rule by which the disputes now exist- ing in the Canadas, between our missionaries, shall be ierminal:d. " 3. That the simplt st and most erteetual nianner (»f carrying this ride >nto effect appears to us to be, lo accede to the susi^estion of the American confer- ence, that the American brethren shall have the occupation of T'[)per Canada, and the British missionaries that of Lower Canada, allowing sulhcient timo for carrying this arrunijcMnent into eiVect, widi all possibh^ tenderness to exist- ing prejudices and conllicting interests on both sides ; the arrangement to be completed within a period to be fixed as e;irly as possible by the missionary C(mimittee. But should insuperable diHic-nlties occur in the attempt to exe- cute this plan, (which, however, we do not aiiti';ipate.) either party shall be at liberty to propose any other m de of accommodation which shall assume as Us basis the great principle laid down in the first of these resolutions, arid which n-c a.re of opinion should be held most sacred in every part of the world. I • I *' 4. That if hereafter it shall appear to any of our brethren there, either British missionaries or American [)reacliers, that any place on either side the boundary line, now mentioned, needs religious help, and presents a favorable opportunity fir usefulness, the case shall be referred by the Canada district meeting to" the (leneral Conference, or by that body to the Canada district J and if either shall formally decline to supply the place on their own side the boundary, then the ether shall be at liberty to supply the said place, without being deemed to have violated the terms of this friendly compact. ".5. And it shall bo explicitly understooil in this arrangement, that each party shall be bound tf» supjily with preachers all those stations and their de- pendencies which shall be relinquished by each of the coimexions, that na place on either side shall sustain any loss of the ordinances of relig'.oa in con- sequence of this arrangemeiit. " G. That the missionary committee be directed to address a letter to the private and otlicial memlxMs, trustees, &.C., under the care of our missionaries- in Upper Canada, informing them of the jud-ment of the conference, and af- fectionately and earnestly advising them to put themselves and their chapels under the' pastoral care of the American preachers, with the suggestion of such considerations, to incline them t'» it, as the committee may judge most proper. • -i i " 7. That the bishops of the American connexion shall direct a sirniiar let- ter to the [)rivate and olHcial mem'jers. trustees, &c., under the care of the American preachers in the province of Lower Canada, requesting them to put themselves and their chapels under the care of the British missior.aries." I , ., . ; English u ail ex- red in tliC red to the iiiion that and that s commit- ciples and e body, if- ion which ; find con- rusion oib note exist- l. 3 rule into ;an confer- r Canada, icienl timo i,9 lo exist- nent to bo missionary npt to exe- y shall be assume as iionSy aiid art of the ere, either er side the a favorable da district la district ; ivn side the e, without that each id their de- is, that no i\on in con- etter to the nissionarie* ice, and af- leir chapels Ingestion of judge most similar Icl- care of thp them to put aries." 105 The following extracts ofu letter of iuHtriictioiis from the Missioimr> Com- mittee in London to their missionaries in tiie Canadas, signed, "Joseph Taylor, Richard Watson, Secrctariesr and dated, " Wesleyan Misswti House, 77, Hatton Garden, London, 2'3fd August, 1820," furnish a clear expo- sition of the application of the above avowed principles to the case (ffVppet Canada: " Extracts of a Letter of Instructions from the Missionary Committee in London, to the Rev. Messrs. R. Williams and the other British mission^ aries in, the Provinces of Canada. *' Dkar Brother ;— Herewith wo transmit you a cojiy of resolutions, passed at our late conference, on the subject of tbe disputes whidh haVe un- happily existed between our American brethren and us, relative to our mia- sions in Canada." , u-.,« " We have piven von the rer.oluti<.ns in full, that you may see that we have recognized the principle that the Methodist body is o.nk throughout the world, and that therefore its members are bound to cordial affection and brotherly " The resolutions of the committee, passed some time ago,^ and forw'arded for vour guidance, prohibiting any interference with the worK of the Ameri- can brethren, would show you that the existence of collisions bet>*pen tis and them j?ave us serious concern, and that the committee were anxious to remove, as far as they, at that time, were acquainted with the circumstances, every occasion of dispute. u ^ . ^ :, " Certainly the case of Montreal chapel was one which we could neVet jus- tify to our minds, and the committee have in many instances had but a •par- tial himoledse of the real religious wants of the Upper Frovince, and of its means of supply. The only reason we could have for increasing the num- her of missionaries in that province was, the presumption of a strong necessi- ty, arising out of the destitute condition of the inhabitants, the total want, or too sreat distance of ministers. _ . '< O/i no other ground could we apply money raised for missionary purposes for the supply of preachers to Upper Canada. 7 he information we have had '-r two years past has all served to show that the number of preachers em- ''ployed there by the American brethren, was greater than we had at first supposed, and was constantly increasing. , i • *u-. ''To us, therefore, it now appears, that though there may be places in that province which are not visited, they are within the range, or constantly com- in«- within the range, of the extended American itinerancy ; arid th^t Upper Clnadz does not present to our efforts a ground so fully and decidedly mis- sionary as the Lower Province, where much less help exists, and a great part of the population is involved in Popish Superstition. '• We know that political reasons exist in many minds for supplying even Upper Canada, as far as possible, with British missionaries ; and however natural this feeling may be to Englishmen, and even praiseworthy, wh?n not carried too far, it will be obvious to you that this is a ground on which, as a missionary society, and especially as a society under the direction oj a com- mittee which recognizes as brethren, and one with itself, the American Me- thodists, we cannot act. • «• /^ " I. Because, as a missionary society, we cannot lay it down asaprmetpie that those whose object is to convert the world shall be prevented from seek- ^-- Midsnvincr souls under a foreign government, for we do not thus regu- late ou,r own efforts. , A^m^ " 2. To act on this principle would be to east an odium upon our -Amsn^ eon brethren, as though they did uot conduct themselves peaceably under M British government, which is, we believe, contrary fo the fact. % IW 3,..i ( it:'. 106 ** 3. That if wny purlicular excoptioiis to this Christian iiiul submissive con- -duct were, on their part, to occur, we hiivc- not the least ri^ht to interfere, un- less, indeed, the American contVtencc ohvitnisly neglected to cnfoice upon the offending parties its own discipline. Upon aiiy political feeling which may exist, either in your minds or in the minds of a parly in any place, we can- not therefore proceed. Our objects are purely spiritnal, and our American brethren and ourselves are one body of Christians, sprun^ir from a common stock, holding the same doctrines, enforcing the same discipline, and striving in common to spread the light of true religion through the world. " In conformity with these views, tve have long thought it a reproach, and doing more injury, by disturbing the harmony of the trco connexions, than could be counterbalanced by any local good, that the same city or town should see two congueoations, and two societies, and two fueacheks, professing the same form of Clu-istiunity, and yet thus proclaiming themselves rivals to each other, and, in some instances, invading each oiher^s societies and chapels, and thus producing party feelings." " The committee, previous to the conference, went with him fully into the discussion of the disputes in the Canadas, and recommended those principles of adjustment which the conference, after they had been referred to a special committee during the time of its sitting, adopted, and which we now transmit to al^tho brethren in the Canada station. " You will consider these resolutions as the fruit of a very ample inquiry ^ and of serious deliberation. " None of the principles here adopted by us do indeed go farther than to prevent interference with each other's labours auirng the American and British missionaries, and ike setting up of ' altar against altar,'' in the same city, town or village ; but, knowing that circumstances of irritation exist, and that too near a proximity might, through the infirmity of human nature, lead to a violation of that union which the conference has deemed a matter of para- mount importance to maintain, we have thought it best to adopt a geographi- cal division of the labour of each, and that the Upper Province shottldbe left to the American brethren, and the Lower to you.^^ " Feel that you are one with your American breihren, embarked in the same great cause, and eminently of the same religious family, and the little difficul- ties of arrangement will bo easily surmounted ; and if any warm spirits (which is probable) rise up to trouble you, remember that you, are to act upon the great principle sanctioned by the conference, and not upon local prejudices.^' 2. — That the application of the Scriptural and Methodistic principles stated in the foregoing resolution, is, if possible, of more sacred and paramount ob- ligation in regard to Upper Canada now than it was in 1820 — as the Minis- ters of our Church in this Province were then sent by the Methodist Confer- ence iji the United States, and were under a foreign ecclesiastical jurisdiction; but they are now all bona fide British subjects, and our Conference is as lutich a British Wesleyan Conference as the Conference held in England. 3.— That upon these Wesleyan and Scriptural principles we take our stand as a body of Ministers and as a regular branch of the great Wesleyan Family, and protest against its violation on the part of the Wesleyan Missionary Com- uiillue in Loudon, and deprccidc the ruin to souls, the injury to Melhodiam and to Religion, which must result from setting up altar agahist altar, dividing families, societies and neighbourhoods, and creating contentions, schisms, and divisions in the Church of Christ. 107 ;sive con- rfore, un- upon iho lick may , loe can- imerican L common d striving yack, and )ns, than OR TOWN KACHEKS, lemselves I societies 1 into the piinciples > a special transmit 2 inquiry f r than to nd British mmc city, , and that lead to a • of para- ;;eoerraphi- itld be left 1 the same le difHcul* m spirits ire to act ipon local pies stated mount ob- the Minis- st Confer- risdiction ; ence is as ngland. ! our stand an Family, lary Com- delhodiam 11', dividing hisms, and 4.— That, as it uppcaiv, that the WcsU'yaii Conrercnco in England has not rescinded tlie rosohitions which it adopl.Ml in ie?0, and could not therefore have intended that the Coinniittoo in London shou d contravene and violate them in estahhsliing rival preachers and connregatious in Upper Canada, when the carrying out the dissolution of the Union was referred by the Con- ference to the Connnittee, we will not hold the Conference in England, as a Body, blameable for such a course of proceeding, unless, on its being submit- ted to them, it shall receive their sanction— which we will not persuade our- selves can be the case. 5._That on the retiirn to and recognition of these hallowed and inviolable principles of Christian and Wesleyan vuiity on the part of the Committee in London, we will rejoice to avail ourselves of the first opportunity thus affor- ded, to bury in oblivion all the difTerences and unhappy feelings of the past, and to cidtivate those stjutiments and I'.elings of fraternal respect and affec tion which have heretofore so happily and honorably characterized the rela tions and intercourse of all branches of the Wesleyan Family. Question IlL— What is thk Judgment of this Conferknce in regard TO OUR present POSITION AND DUTY AS A BoDY OF MINISTERS AND AS A Church ? Answer L— That we adhere to our Doctrines and Discipline which have been recognized even by the Conference in England as truly Wesleyan, and which have been signally owned of God in promoting the interesL«? of true Religion in this Province. 2.— That we permit no discussions of political questions amongst us in Conference as a Church; that our official organ enter into no political dm- cussions, but that it continue to pursue its present neutral course in matter§ of civil polity— our Editor occupying its cohmms with religious and literary subjects, with articles of religious and general intelligence, and with 8uch»de- . fences of our institutions and character as occasion may require. 3.— That we do most solemnly and heartily recognize the original purpose of Methodism, " to spread Scriptural holiness over the land," as the first and great calling of the whole body, and especially of the Preachers; and deter- mine, in the strength of Cod, to make this the great rule of all our othei designs, and to renounce or subordinate all other plans and pursuits to this our spe- cial calling ; so that by our living, as well as by our preaching, we may hold forth the word of life, and rejoice, in the day of Christ, that we have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 4.— That under a deep persuasion that the unity, order, purity, edification and "Ood feeling of onr Sncieties uiay be greatly promoted by our pastoral intercourse with them, we resolve to give ourselves more fully to this branch of our work ; and more especially that we will care for the sick, the afflicted, and the distressed, and will cndeavotir to obtain the help of our brethren, in {■I [' i .1 1 'H( 108 order to secure to our people of every class ami condition that Christian over-^ sight of their spiritual interests which is so beneficial, and so essential to their spiritual c.»mfort and prosperity. 5. That we determine, by God's gracious assistance, to be more fervent and importunate in supplicating upon ourselves, and upon all our official members, societies and congregations, that rich effusion of the Holy Spirit which is always necessary to the success of the labours of Christian Minis- ters and Pastors, and which is peculiarly needed, at the present time, to pre- pare both ourselves and our people for the trials, duties, and labours of the present year. 6.— That, being fellow-residents in the country with our congregation!?, and identified with them in our interests, feelings, and Christian principles, we entreat them to unite with us in this renewed dedication of ourselves and our all as a people to the great work of promoting glory to God in tlie highest, peace on earth, and good will amongst men. THE REV. EGERTON RYERSON'S SPEECH BEFORE THE CON- FERENCE IN REPLY TO THE REV. MESSRS. STINSON AND RICHEY'S PAMPHLET. (pUBLlsrED BY THE UNANIMOUS REQUEST OF THE CONFERENCE.) Mr. President;— I rise to vindicate the Report of our late Mission to Eng- land, and the chaiacter of this Conference, against a Pamphlet published yesterday by the Rev. Messrs. Stinson and Richey, entitled " A Plain State- ment of Farfs connected 7oith the Union and Separation of ike British and Canadian Conferences"— & Pamphlet which I hastily read last evening— on which I have not had time to make a single note, but which, I am, neverthe- less, from general recollection of facts and authorities, prepared to show, is fraught with mis-" statements of Facts," from the beginning to the end. This Pamphlet purports to be a reply to the Report of our Mission to F.ng- land by my brother, (Rev. VVm. Ryerson) and myself, and to our Pamphlet published in London, containing 120 pages, exclusive of our Report, which occupies 20 pages; but it is a singular, as well as gratifying circumstance, that after the most vigorous efforts on the part of Messrs. Stinson and Richey, ihey have succeeded in detecting but one erroneous statement in our entire publications— and that an incorrect statement of financial details, and not m ihe slightest degree, affecting the general merits of the case. Mr. Alder had staled in a Letter to Lord John Russell, that when tho Wesleyan Committee assumed the responsibility of supporting the Canada Missions (Oct. 1833) the various sums raised by the Upper Canada Conference amounted to the small sum of £177 18s. Id., sterling. We showed from the Canada Missionary Report for the year ending October 1833, that the vanoui sums raised by the Conference during that year amounted to £1322 currency. But though this is the «um total stated in the Report, there are two items on the debtor's side of the Treasurer's Report which ought to have been deducted. The one was the sum of £286 5s. 4d. advanced by Mr. J. R. Armstrong, Treasurer; the other, £129 7s. S^d., being a balance in the Treasurer s handt from the surplus receipts of the preceding year. In these items we stand cor- rected by Messrs. Stinson and Richey. My brother has stated to you how the error occurred, as he prepared the I lan over il to their e fervent ir official ily Spirit 111 Minis- e, to pre- irs of the •egationi?, irinciplea, ourselves lod in llie IE CON- ISON :e.) jn to Eng- publiehcd ain State- nttsh and ening— on neverthe- 10 show, is nd. on to Eng- Tamphlet art, which tance, that d RlCHKY, our entire ind not in t when tho 18 Canada [Conference d from the the various 5 currency, o items on ) deducted. /Vrmstronp, *' rer's handt ) atand cor- epared the f 109 t^nnncUd part of onr .tr^tonif.nt-'.hal T brul nnithrr t'.m.^ nor Btrenglh to exam- ine its nccnrary-llint il i.ev»M- occmml t(. him to .li-diutnuy ot the Uen;8 |i;.ven under the hcMul of Rccriph. Hut it i.^ clear, that the an.onnl we stated Nvas available to the Cnnada C.iUV.ence for itn MiM-»iom.ry operations (hiring the year ending Oct. 1833, though not all raised thai year. It also appear, from a careful scrutiny that there were £^G more collected in the United Slates that year than was c.ed.ted by us to onr Amencan b e- thren. The entire amount, however, was raised by the exertions of this Con- Now'theso are all the errors which Messrs. Stinson and Ricliey have been able to detect in our Report and ramphlet-althounb ^»'^ 'l^^^^*- '="^^«'"^,!X ries of financial statements,, embracing a great variety ot items and calcula- "They have, indeed, imputed these errors to the worst of motives ? l>»^;^jj'»' are the facts of the ease ?' T hold in my hand a financial '^^^l^'-'" '"^ ^Z"' ther's hand writing-prepared by hini with a good deal of labour ;-n^^'««'^ the receipts, from various quarters, of Missionary monies rom 183. '' /j^-^*^ and various appropriations &c. This table was prepared fiot <^'; P;bhcat.m, hut to aid mV inVeplying to Mr. Alder's letter to Lord '^^hn Russell which was read as part of his speech to the committee ot the l.nghsh Lonterence. Iwarnot, ho'^eler, allowLl to reply to Mr. Alder's letter ^^^^^ f^^T^^^ of the English Cont'erence. I then invited an investigation u^ M^- Ald^a financial statement by any three men.bers -»/»'=^'f""^^"'^'7'7^„"J,:Xt M enced accountants, and oiFered to prove to them, from printed ^'^PO'-^^' ^^'"^^JJ^^^ Alder had mis-stated facts to the amount of hundreds of pounds ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ declined the investigation which I desired. It is obvious, tlmt '^"^^^ ^'^^'^^'^ the circumstances under which my brother prepared "\'\^''''-'=^ «^«1^;,"^^""^^^ and such tho objects of it, it must have been prepared with ^ ^«^ f ^^^^"^»^^^- And when our letter to Lord .lolin Runsell, containing ^^e statement, wa. ran - mitted to his Lordship, we also enclosed for his Lordship's e-a-nina ton. aU the Reports refeired to in our letter; which was intended for L«rd John RusselUlone, and with no view to publication, as ns.nualed by Messrs. Sunson and Richey. The publication of that letter in England, as well as the whole of the proceedings of the English and Canada Confeiences, was suggested by circumsunces which transpired several days after it was written and delivered to the Secretarv of State for the Colonies. . , , . j r But what object do Messrs. Stinson and Richey gain by this tnode of argu- mentation in behalf of Mr. Alder, whom they propose to vindicate? Mr. Alder had stated that when the Wesleyan Committee m Lo"^«" f««"^f^^ji« responsibility of supporting the Indian Missions in Upper Canada, this Con. ferencL raised the small sum of £177 ; Messrs. Stinson and Richey say t -was only £907 f,s. 7.id."-thus convicting Mr. Alder of misstating the facts of the caJe to the disadvantage of this Conference to the ^"^->";,"; "^^j^^^ seven hundred rounds ! Such is their own vindication ot Mr. Alder on this ^'Me'ssrs. Stinson and Richey have employed considerable labour to ascer^a;" and exhibit the receipts of our Missionary Society Ircmi 1829 '« 1832~to diverting attention frim the real question at issue, xyhich was the amount raised bv this Conference for Missionary purposes at the time the union took place.— ?? it were true that the receipts/f our Missionary ^ocety dun ng those yea^^^ were so small in comparison of what they were m 1832 and 1833, it only proves that our missionary coUcrtions and subscriptions ^-^^ "^^^^f;"/.^^.*^^** Leof (vom fifty to one hundred per cent a year, up to the time ot the Union when they fell off more than five hundred per cent, and have onl, gr« .'both amongst the white population and the Indian tribes. '•8. That in order to prevent misunderstandings — to preserve peace and'haj*- rnony in the t?ocieties — to supply every part of the work thioughout the Ffovrnce —and to enlarge the lield of Missionary operations among the aboriginal inhab- itants, the Board respectfully suggests to our Conference at its approaching Ms- sion, the propriety and importance of proposing such a coalition with the Eng- lish Conference as will accomplish these objects." Such is the endeavour of Messrs. Stinson and Richey to convict me of t i •T. ■ .it : 112 ttariurv > I envy not, I i.ilv from my li.-uil, the ferliug. whidi cmild dctal^ such an effc. t ; whilo ...' ile nt U. -Mtor impoton.-.. But nil this turn-, whilst Mt'sti^son and Uich.y .e.e aimin, a d.-ullv blow «t n.y n.ojal character, Ihey were mis.ei.rescnti.ii; tlu, nm.n ciu.8t.n..s at ussue belVNeen ^>1;- Al^«'* anrt the Rep.eseniative. of this Confo.once. Those qMcst.ons were no^J!^';«^^er this cLe.encc was able or unable to ^"PP^y/.^^^'-'^'l^'''"^ 7';'H*,,todrrhu ranuda It is asserted by the hii^host uuihorit.es lu Lngland, hat both tho trbU^hed Church and tlfe Wesleyan Methodists are "'^oHy unable t..Bupp^ ibe religious wants of Great Britain-that there '"•«/''^'''»''^'^^ f '^X^^ there in a st tte of religions destitution and moral ■•''f '^'J^'^^'"^; .^f^V^' Alder had asscrted-1. That this Conference entered into the Union vvuh the Kng lishCorderencc in order " /osavk our Indian Missions nwM ruin. - Ihal at the time of the formation of the Union our Missionary Budduigs were in BUcll -A DILAPIPATKD STATe" that " VKRY LARGK StMS ^^^'^^1 XTof JheS^e pended in rlacing them in anything like a state o( e hciency. Ne the. of ^hese ltatement.s had any connexion with supplying the religion* wants «^ttjie country generally. We denied and refuted both of these «tH'''";«»t«;, ^^^^d", f" ^^ adducing the Correspondence of our Missionary Board ^^ith the Wesleyan Commitfee in London relative to the formation of the Union, nnd by nppealu g to the Missionary Reports for the years reterred to. We showed t»'« 'Ty £41 had been expended by the Wesleyan .Vfi.sionary Committee '" Jf;"""" ^repairing " dilapidated buildings" throughout .dl our 1"^ " M.ss^^^* during the first vear after on. Union. This Messrs, Sunson and Richey have not ventured to deny. We showed that our Missionary Board "-;-^-;"f^^ 1332, the ability of this Connexion to support its Missuuis. On this P*^'"^ a'so Messrs. Stinson and Richey are as silent as the grave. " -'l^- ^. ^^^^P^ ' from their dilemma, they run away from th: points m debate, and t'^'^ lusti y about the inability of the Canada Conference to supply the religious wants oi the country! A cause which needs such mana'uvr.ng and misrepresentation to supnort'it, cannot be ilie cause of justice, of truth, or of Methodism. In the 7th andll.h pages of their Pamphlet Messrs. Slmson and Richey deny that it was the object of the Missiorary Secretaries in Ji-o^do". '"^^e formation of the Union, to secure the - absolute supremacy of the Committee and Conference in England over all the Departments and Institutions of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada." They affirm that ."e^^her wa» any declaration uttered by Dr. Alder during the discussion, (lately '" E"gland ) nor any of the Resolutions referred to, fairly susceptible of such an '"t^rpreta- tion." They also charge us with having made - unworthy ejTorts to involve in suspicion and distrust the motives by which tne Missionary Secretaries were influenced in lormin°: a coalition with the Upper Canada Conference. Now, as to the mofives of the Missionary Secretaries, any one who reads our Report with attention, will see that we have not in^PV^jn^^ 5^'f"' ";^";;f *7 directly nor indirectly. We admitted that those very objects of absolute supre- macy which they contemplated were justifiable under certain circumstances and lo a certain extent. Our argument was, and is still, that the proceeding^ oftheMissionPay Secretaries have arisen, not from impure motives, but trom erroneous views; erroneous views in supposing that the conference and peop e in this province were mere children, unfit to judge or act f"[ th^"\^^^''^''7; " supposing that the committee in London were the only authorised and duly qualified directors of operations in Canada-in short, that they were the wise, if not that wisdom would die with them. As to the purport of Mr. Alder's statement on this point before the commit- tee of the late English Confeience, I have only to lepeat our assertion, and to „flV it was founded not only on distinct recollection, but on the minutes which I look at the time Mf. Alder made hi« statements. Mr. Alder eaid, one of tbe great designs of the union was. to bring the Methodism of Upper CaTiada to aceord in all respects with the Methodism of England ;'■ that although the 113 (I ctai«< . whilst laracter* [tier and whether f Upper both tho supply jousancU But Mr. the Kng" .That at ; in Buch issity cx- r of these e country rlid so by kVesleyan appealing tlmt cmly 1 London Mission* :hey have tained, in point also to escape « !ilk lustily s wants of esentation Tl. ul Richey on, in the Jommittea ons of the either wo» England,) interpreta- to involve varies wer« J reads our motives — ijuie supre- ;umstance» iroceedings 8, but front and people 1 selves,— in d and duly re the wise, he commit- ion, and to nutes which id, " one of per Canada hough " the articles ot union might at fust Right appear not to givo the Knglish C'jnfercncB tnuch power, yet it would appear otherwise when they came to examine into the powers of tho I'residont, who was to be appointed by the English Confer- ence. He had power to a{»{)oint all the Chairmen of Districts, and in connox- ion with them to station all the i'reacliors." " And it was understood (said Mr. A.) that the Missionary Committee had secured to themselves the power to send as many missionaries, young or old, as they might think proper, into any part of the Missionary work in Upper Canada." Such was the purport of Mr. Alder's statement on this point; and Messrs. Stinson and Richey know it as well as 1 do. It will be seen that the means which Mr. Alder had supposed were secured to accomplish the end he con- templated, involves, to all intents and purposes the absolute ascendency of which we spoke. But ho found, that as great as were the powers of the Pre- sident, &c., the ajcendoncy anticipated hud not been realized. And when it is recollected that the resolutions of the English Conference not only involve what was stated by Mr. Alder, but also that their President shall be ex-officio Representative of tho Wesleyan Body in Canada in all communi- cations with the Government or other Bodies, — that our otficial organ shall ad- vocate the principle of Church establishments — and that the English Confer- ence shall have an " efticient direction over tho public proceedings" of the Canada Conference, one can only wonder at the hardihood of the asset don which Messrs. Stinson and Richey have made. 1 must now call your attention to a most painful instance of disingenuousness and imposition on the part of Messrs. Stinson and Richey. On the 8th page of their pamphlet, they proceed as follows : » " Amon? the considerations which rendered such an arrangement at that pe- riod cxpedieiit, the following reasons are stat-^d, in a letter addressed by our JVlis- sionary Secretaries to the Rev. Messrs. R. Williams and other British Mission- aries in Canada : " '1. Thai the Upper Province is adequately supjylied hy the American Confer- ence, as not to present that pressing case of necessity which will justify us in expending our funds upon it. "'2. Tiiat Mr. Emory lias engaged, that its full supply hy American Preachers, shall be, as far as possible, attended to.'" Now the readers of this pamphlet would naturally suppose, from this repre- sentation of Messrs. Stinson and Richey, that such were the reasons which induced the Missionary Committee in 1820 to agree to confine their Mission- aries to Lower Canada; whereas the fact is, that Messrs. Stinson and Richey, in extracting two sentences from tho letter addressed by the Missionary Secre- taries to the Rev. Messrs. R. Williams and other English Missionaries in Canada in 1820, conceal from their readers the fundamental and governing reasons for that arrangemeiit with tho American Conference. I will now quote the reasons which Messrs. Stinson and Richey have omitted: — [For these reasons the reader is referred to tho extracts contained in the second resolution, in answer to Qestion IF, on pages 104, 105, 106, and is particularly requested to read them before he proceeds any further.] Now, if Messrs. Stinson and Richey intended to act a candid and honest part with their readers, why did they, in professing to give the reasons which influenced tho decisions of the Missionary Secretaries in regard to Upper Canada in 1820, conceal from them the very principles and fundamental rea- sons on which those decisions were founded f They well knew that iboite principles and reasons condemn with irresistible authority their present course of proceeding. But is such a statemenr as they have made to their readers, in connexion with the concealment they have practised, true, or just, or honest? I leave any candid man of any party to ludge. Messrs. Stinson and Richey say, " that the compact between th* States* 1 IWI* i '■ Hi General Conforoncn mu\ tln.l nf Kr.i^lan.l expi.vd the moment ll.al Cot.a-rc-nca ceased to exercise ecclesiastical control in Ciina.la. ' That is very true ; but have the Methunuic and moral principles on which tho Knglish Conference itself declared .hat " compact" to he i''''"''^' • ^^^^j lo exi'^t ? Those principles are immntubl ; a,„l are as >»acred and as ohi gatory in 1840 as they ^^xre in 11120 ; and the frowns of tho Almishty, and the con. iemnato.7 exeaations of tho Methodi.tic and religious world mu.t ultimately fall upon the heads of tho violators f iliem— whoever they may be. ThrMethodist Connexion in this l-ovinco is as much a l^g'J''^^^ '3\' ° the great Wesleyan Family as that in England or in the United States, and has been^o acknowledged and recognized by the English Conference it«el; and for the Missionary Secretaiies to establish rival and divisive 'T«ra^'""V" ';"'' Province in 1840; is as much a violation of the sacred and "''^han^^eabe prin- ciples of Methodistic oneness . nd unity, as it ^^^"^'i.^^Y^,!'^,^" '"! /^^^^^ have nrosecuted those operation, in 1820, when the Methodist Chi.rch nth^ Province was connected with the Methodist Genera ^""^^"^VVf r.^le on States. The Missionary Secretaries have hung tho English Conference on one or the otiier of the horns of a most humiliating and awful dilemma. If the Methodist Connexion in this Province is not a l''^'""^'^^^, ^^^^'J?^ " Wesleyan Methodism, the English Conference have l^''^" d^;^!^;^^^" P^^^^^^^^ ° Methodistic schi.m up to the present time ; if tho M^tliodist Connexion m Upper Canada is a legitimate Branch of Wesleyan Methodism then are the Konarv Secretaries deliberately guilty of Methodistic schism in their present operatioiis in this Province. , , On the 12th page of this pamphlet 1 am represented as having "patheticaMy urged" when in England, i'n 1833, the inability of this Conference to support its Missions, in order to induce tho Committee in England to agree to he Union. The correctness of this statement may be judged of, when 1 rernintl vou of two facts already known to many members ot this Conference, ine first is, that the Uniou itself was virtually decided upon by the Committee m London long -.-^•.ve i >v.mt to England, from the resolutions of this Conference >vh"ch Mr. Alder took to England in 1832, and the representation which he made The second is, after our Conference of 1832, I hesitated about going TEngland at all, and wrote to Mr. Alder to rVl ef .t, and received a letter from him in reply . urging me by all means to come, . no difficulties would be found in the way of accomplishing the proposed arrangemont. But Mes'rs. Stinson and Richey also say, on the 16th page of their pamph et that Dr. Bunting could not suppress his feelings of surprise and ";^'S"?^»°" when he heard us, at the late English Conference, attempt to establish on opposite positio... It is true, tliat Dr. Bunting ^=d interrupt me in that part of X 8 atement referred to, as he was accustomed to do at almost every stage of mv obseiwations, and asserted that he had a distinct recolection of my having sTated to him in 1833 that we raised only £1000 a year in Upper Canada for Mi sbnary purposes. My reply to Dr. Bunting was, that 7« ^,^-f J.-fJ-] J different in themselves had been confounded in his mmd-the abil ty ot the Canlda Conference to sustain the Missions which it had already established . ^and its ability to extend tho:,e Missions commensurate with ^tje wants ot the new settlements and the fresh openings amongst the Indian Tribes , that on •Vhe latter .round tho desirableness of the Union had been admitted and sug- l«.:S bv orMissionarv Board in 1832, and had no doubt been stated by me in Y833, as that was my Opinion ; that, on the former ground, us stated by ivir Alder in his letter to Lord .John Russell (which was the topic then referred to) the Onion never had been urged by nne or by our Missionary Board , that 1 M put a copy of our Canadian Missionary Repon Into Dr. Bunting's hands when in England in 1833, and could not therefore be supposed to have m.de statements at variance with that; and that if he had f owed me to proceed in my statement without interruption, he would have found that i was just lr> )iiU'renca on which (1, ceaftCfl ihiigutory 1 the con- iltiniately branch of }, and has Lself; and ins in thi» able prin- r ihom to •ch in this he United erence on mma. If Branch of parties to inexion in m are the 1 in their athetically to support ree to the n I remind nco. The mmittee in Conference n which he ibout going red a letter !S would be : pamphlet, indignation stablish on that part of ;ry stage of my having Canada for i materially jility of th« established, mnts of the es ; that on ,ed and sug- tated by me a ted by Mr. referred to) jard ; that I ting's hands } have m:-de e to proceed I I was just about ,o .,.-. H... .1,. nm„„n. r.i.o.i ,., 1',.-' ''i:^:f2^ZJZ^t^ ZjrSr^ .l^i ;:> »:nv--od r: ^^ a. .his „«..,.. Mr. John Ma"o^Cunren-.uu. Hook Sl.-wanl. .us., u.ul inUMrnpting. and addressing hun- .elT '.m ai 1, " Sir, you loH the lat,- Ri. hard Wu.m.u and me. u, my house, hat you riul not sustain your Mi-^inns anotl.or v.nr if w. du not take charge o^^ tlini 'Mv answor to-Mr. Mason uas. .ha., .o ihr host ot my rrrolbcimn ; was" ot i. his housn at all in 11133; that I nevrr ha.l th. hon.a.r of senng MrWn^son as he died scvcMal nv.tuhs hofore my fast v.s.t to England. 6nICo?;i?paro of this I'amphl.t Mo.^rs. Stinson and Ilich.y state, tha. in 1833 U vo the Comn.itt... in Kn^land pledges that tlu; Guardmn should not be L tuedium of discussing secular party politics The natm-e of my ".,".. „■ , T ovnlninod (it 1 u n^ M an Kc itorial article m the plpdges on this P«'"^' |,*'=^^1{!"V* 'dod ''Ou^^^ That arMcle wa. Guard an of December 4th, IH.iJ, neaaccl rthe Cl'nry Reserves. In that very article T state a. T have ^ way sta^c, that the discussion of secular party politics was to he waived on airsiles U^^^^ ^^^'■'^'^ our uncontrolled discretion in our dis- ^us b^: ;nd ^r "ecdings on die nuestion of ^^^ Clergy Resers^ After bavin- referred to this understanding in Kngland in IS.iJ '" J^'f a'^^^ ^^ the neutrality of the Guardian in secular politics. Messrs. Stinson and Richey, page 28, proceed thus : — "From the assurance which they received from Mr. Ryerson. however, the romSu^e were as perfectly satisfied that the Guardian would henceforth assume committee were as pcriy religious oiid literary Journal, as though That ^ilrsT hill hetr^rrrrheSfor it in thf articles of union, in terms the most ^^^'KrinfnilTs-lamentable to relate-did not elapse ' before the Committee Many monins uui security than Mr. Ryerson's verbal en- deeply and P^'" ^^"y ff^\ '^^iZ^dev^^^^^^^^ Accordingly, at the C^n- gagcment. «^' t»^'f P° "^' ^;'Vine iS wi h the first appointed President, the R^v^'f Si^Srod ' Se Ch iriMs ,;^ was ifrought under its se ious con. s^derad^n^ and the' fallowing Resolutions, iclra^vn up by the EJUor,) were con. sentaneously adopted : , r ♦» « r-^nf^ron^o "«/?..nM-Thatthe Christian Guardian, as the organ of the Conference, liberty to nubHsh a summary account .,f Parliamentary proceedings, as far as may bV iu'^^^^^ without interfering with the ^^reat rehgtousoh^cU Tihe p ibircation,' and ^Uhout reference to mere ra'ty^nt^^f-ol^^^^^ Hans. He shall also be at liberty to give a weekly summary of Foreign and ^°r^tL:rThat the Ckrutian Guardian shal. not be the MEDiuri o^ DiscusstNG POLITICAL Qi;ESTiONs, nor the merits ot P"''^;f ^f 1'^' ^1*^;^ injunous to ike interests of religion and derogatouy ^l^^^^^^'^'^^'^l^^ as a religious body, to have our Church amalgamated or tdenttjied with any ^'" ReloTutlons more stringent, promises larger or "^°7;"';";;"°"J,^^;^^^^^ in regard to the only matter which then seemed to interfere with tho comloua Ml i // 116 l)le worlvingof the Union, tho Committer and Cdiiferenre in England could not desire. And although their confidence had been vonoe abused, the cordial adop- tion by the Canadian Brethren of Resolutions so explicit and satisfactory, could not fail to resuscitate it." In all the party and misstatements that I ever read, I never read a more f^ross perversion of truth than this. I am here represented, as having, — between the Conference of Oct. 1833, when the Union was consummated, and the ensuing Conference held in Kingston, June 1834, — so grossly violated the con- fidence reposed in me by the Committeo in Londoti, that they " deeply and gainfully felt that some better security than my verbal engagement on this point, was rendered indispensable '.^^ Now, docs not every member of this Conference who wa' present at the Session held in Kingston, June J 834, know, that so far from having been complained of by Messrs. Grindrod and Alder, my course was objected to by that part of this Conference and Con- nexion who were opposed to their politic!\l sentiments ; that I was most decidedly sustained, both publicly and privately, by Messrs. Grindrod and Alder, who, on perceiving th^it many of my brethren were displeased with me, offered me a station in another Province. Is it not also within your recollection that Mr. Grindrod actually declared in Conference, that, if 1 we'-e not re-elected Editor, the Union would be broken up ? Is it not known to you that the resolutions quoted by Messrs. Stinsonand Richey did not originate with Messrs. Grindrod and Alder ; that they never requested, but merely acquiesced in them, in accordance with the demands of (if I may use the expression) the more liberal members of this conference. I myself drew up the resolutions with that view, and in order the more fully to satisfy those who had disap- proved of the " Impressions" which had appeared in tho Guardian, and which Mr. Grindrod pronounced most correct. The very ann,/uncement of the names of the mover and seconder of those resolutions will at once prove how entirely contrary to fact is the statement of Messrs. Stinson and Richey. They were moved by the Rev. James Richardson, and seconded by the Rev. Franklin Metcalf — than whom no two members of this conference were ever more opposed to the sentiments of Mess s. Grindrod and Alder. [A general res- ponse in the affirmative followed, on tho part of the members of the conference, the utterance of each of these sentences.] And if there was a shadow of truth in Messrs. Stinson and Richey's statement, that I had, within a few months after my return from England in 1833. " abused the confidence" reposed in me by the ccnmittee in London, how did it happen that I continued to enjoy, in 80 high a degree, the confidence and friendship of the Representatives of the English Conference in this Province ? How did it happen that I was so res- pectfully and cordially received by the Committee and Conference in England in 1836 ? In connexion with the exposure of this extraordinary misstatement, I must call attention to one, if possible, still more humiliating and disgraceful. I will give it in Messrs. Stinson and Richey's own words. In giving a brief view of the violation of these resolutions of 1834, from the time of their adoption to the Hamilton Conference of 1839, Messrs. Stinson and Richey, page 32, proceed a« follows : — " Scarcely had the first appointed President time to recross the Atlantic, and announce, as one of the accomplishments of his mission, the procuring, in con- junction with Dr. Alder, the adoption of the resolutions for the future regulation of the Guardian, when Mr. Ryerson's avowed ' incUnatiojC and sense of ' required «&«ther this letter was a confidential letter ; wlim It was ^fown to be a b„b ness^I^^^^^^^^ U is. however, worthy of remark that Messrs. Stinson and R'^JlfV i"j;«'r,„P^^/j;'«^' refer to many converwuions and veibai statements in coriiiexiun wufi f/ -' -;""[;;;- "f Sake out their case; and from the enumeration of letters read before the Comm. tee of the English Conference, it will be seen that private letters from and about "'were read and had their Influence in the proceedings of that Committee. I Have no desire to etal- Ste bv employinK, as I mielit do, letters from Messrs Stinson and Rlcliey, as wol as riom o^heTs who have left the Conference. I am contented to r«st the whole case on an appeal to public and official documents. F.tlitor ot But Mr. Ell (lisi-us- oy come laving re- It." 'Sir ite«l, and urn from le Editor- ne, 1838, ere never )rit»'reiice, )ii please, rs. Evans ndered a dable. 1 ndorstond Tid suffra- 1 Ryerson nd diroct- e circum- Editor ia from Mr. will show ivo years' lie objects jrtain the on to Mr. to which Giir lian le whole ; ore vigor- :an be no ir grounds I we must t be."* ?d in this England, as Editor discussing States, or ,n I would [contenting of others, h Messrs. •nee, as to iness letter, r pamplilet, iri ord^r tf^ immiltee of > were read lire to retal- a3 vvoll as > case on an 119 Siinson and Richey v,;iod for mo as Edilor.-Yot. also know that when 1 ex- pressed my vi.nvs us to my inleiidt'd course on the qiie>?tion of the Ulergy Ke- 'erves, and that [ would treat the Church of England with the ^ame respect that I did the Church of Scotland, or any other TrotP.'^tant Church, and with no more, Mr. La..g said ho hoped my opinions were not to bo taken as the opimon» of the Conference. Mr. Stin.son arose, and said he agreed with Brother bger- ton Rverson-lhat ho (Mr. S.) believed the Clergy of the Epi^-copul Church m this Province to be the worst enemies to Methodism in the Province— that li«» (Mr. S.)did not think so when he iirst came to this country, but five years residence and travelling here had convinced him of the fact. So much on ecclesiastical affairs. Now for the circumstances m relation to the discussion of civil affairs under which Messrs. Stinson and KiCHET voted for me. You will all recollect that I explained my views at large >n regard to the peculiar circumstances c.f this country, and our position and duty as a Body. In mv Editorial prospectus, on assuming the management ot the Guardian, July ll', 1838, I recapitulated the substance of what I had stated before this Conference. I will here read that part of it which relates to the discussion of civil affairs : ■ , jr • a a^ .,^,x " To the very natural and important inquiry, in relation to civd a^utrs, do you intend to be neutral f' I answer, no, 1 do not; and for this simple reason, I am a man, am a British subject, am a professing Christian, and represent a Bniish community. At one period in Greece, Solon enacted « J*\''?<^»^^l"fi^.f Kj^' punishment upon all neulers. The present is a period in the affairs of this Pro- vince in which no man of intelligence or consideration can be safely or justifiably neutrat. The foundation of our government is being laid anew— the tuture char- acter, and relations and destinie- of the country are involved ^npenamg deliber- ations— the last whisper of rebellion is to be silenced in the land. My decision, however, is not one of party, b.it of prindple-notoue of passion, but of convic. tion— not one of partial proscription, but of eqitahle comprehensiveness. 1 o be explicit as well as brief, I am opposed to the introduction of any new an«i untried theories of Government. As the organ of the Methodist Church, 1 assume that the doctrines and discipline of that Church are true and right-1 take them lor granted as far as the members of that Church are concerned, and expound, and recommend, and act upon them accordingly. So in civd ^ff^^'^^' ^VvTri^vefv this country is to remain a portion of the British Empire, and view evpry measure, not in reference to every or any abstract political '^eory however plausible thai theory may be, but in reference to the well-being "^ J^^^ .^^""J'y ;" connexion with Great Britain. As in Church affairs, I take my ^fa^d upon the Constitution of the Church, in its doctrines and rules, as expounded l^Y Jts ^«h- ers and ablest theologians, and illustrated by genera usage ; so m civil aR^J". » take my stand upon the established Constitution of the '="''."t'7'p^^« ,f P^""^^ Royal Despatches, and illustrated by the usages of the British P^'^>>»'nen^' ^"> ish Courts of Justice, and the Common Law of England. Nothmg more is wanted to render this Province h.ppy and prosperous, than ^^e prac..cal and efficient application to every department of our Government, and to ourj^hole system of legislation, of the principles and u.struciions laid down in the Despatch of the Earl of Ripon addressed to Sir John Colborne, dated 8th November, 1832. and thfDespatch of Lord Glenelg, addressed to Sir F. Head, dated 15ih Dec, - In conclusion,-it is but just that the readers of the Guardian pnA the public should know, that the foregoing article contains a mere summary of ^h^^ 1 avow- ed before the late Conference, in a lengthened address of sonje hours, Prev'ous to being elected to my present office by a ballot vote of 41 to ^6— Heel therefore strongly sancdoned in those principles, and views and purposes, as m^ ell as strongly confident in my own mind. But 1 am deeply sensible of my falhbil ly , I pret'eL to no exemption from.the ordinary errors and mfiimitieso?^ I confess myself liable even to imprudencics. In piomv.ing .ncT- , — -/7- ied objects of the Guardian, I must crave the indulgence and forbearance of ts • readers, as welt as hope for their confidence and suPPOrt-depending primarily, ultimately, and tntirely. upon the favour of Him without whose blowing noth- ing is wise, or good, or strong." .: t^ 120 Such were the views on the exposition of which Messrs. Siinson and Riehey voted for my appointment as Editor in 1838. I wrU now ask, if, as a man of common honor and honesty, after having been elected Editor under such cir- cumstances, I was not as much bound to discuss civil questions in 1838, as 1 was bound not to discuss them in 1834 ? But it appeared in the course of a few months, that Sir George Arthur espoused the cause of the high church *♦ oligarchy,'' when the fair-vveatlier courage of Messrs. Stinson and Riehey forsook them ; and when the Missionary Secretaries, shortly after, wrote out » laudatory letter to Sir George Arthur, and another letter to Mr. Stinson, con- demnatory of the Editor of the Guardian, Messrs. Stinson and Riehey, instead of acknowledging their participation in my election with a view to those very discussions, tacked about, and, having no judgment or opinions of their ovrn, but being the mere automatons of the Missionary Secretaries, they began at once to echo the sentiments newly imported from Hatfon Garden, to adopt the shibboleths of the " oligarchy" against me, and have at length become valiant champions of " the established Church in all the British Colonies." And novr the burden of their cry, and the theme of their Pamphlet, is, that I have vio- lated the Resolutions of 1834 in discussing questions of civil polity ! Sir, whatever variety of opinion may be entertained of the wisdom or folly, the inflexibility or conciliation, of my course of proceeding, but one opinion can be entertained respecting the conduct of Messrs. Stinson and Riehey in this whola affair. I will submit it to the judgment of any candid man of any party, whether the Representatives of the English Conference had not, by their own acts, be- come as nrach responsible for these discussions, and as much parties to them, as this Conference, or any member of it ? I will ask, if it is consistent, or just^ or honorable, — after the disannulling of the Resolutions of 1834 by the co- operation of their own Representatives during the three years of Mr. Evans' Editorial career, and with the tacit sanction of the English Conference,.— for the committee in London, much less for Messrs. Stinson and Riehey, now to come forward and impugn me, and declare the obligations of the Union violated, in consequence of the non-observance of the Resolutions of 1834? When alF the circumstances of the progress and dissolution of the Union are carefully investigated, together with the conduct of the English Representatives in con- nexion with the ecclesiastical and civil affairs of this Province, [ will venture to say, that the proceedings of the authorities of the late EngHsh Conference will be found to be without a parallel in the annals of modern Protestant Church History, and the conduct of Messrs. Stinson and Riehey, without many appropriate appellations in the vocabulary of the English language. It is also known that at the earliest possible moment after the accomplish- ment of the two great constitutional measures of His Excellency the Governor General's temporary administration of the aflairs ef this Province, I withdrew the Guardian from civil discussions of every kind ; 1 improved the first oppor- tunity to withdraw from the Guardian myself, and disconnected myself as well as this Body, as far as I was concerned, from every sort of politics or parties. All this transpired before the late English Conference, and was perfectly well known to its anthorities. And at this moment it is known to all men that we are not responsible for the acts of any party — are connected with no party — are, as I hope we may always be, on friendly terms with the Government and with tlie great majority of our fellow-subjects. In view of these facts, and in view of the proceedings of the authorities o' the late English Conference, I submit to any intelHgent man, whether it is not rather our non-politics than our politics which are so odious to the Missionary Secretaries ? We are not prepared to resign our judgments and consciences to their " co-ordinate but ejpcient direclton ;^' we cannot incorporate the prin- ciple of Church establishments as a part of Wesleyan Methodism in this coun- try, and make the Christian Guardian the organ of its advocacy ; I have satis- fied the Government of the fact, — of which it seems not to have been awarft 121 heretofore, — that making grants te the Missionary Committee in London was not aiding the Institutions of our Church ; that the authorities of the Church in this FrovincQ were the proper medium of aiding the Church in this Province. Here were the head and front of our offending; here are the real grounds of the dissolution of the Union. The plea of politics is a mere manoeuvre of party — is a figment of the imagination — has no foundation in reality. But Messrs. Stinson and Richey assert, on the 33id page of this Pamphlet, that the real object of Mr. Alder's designation to this Province in 183\) was " neither to require of the Upper Canada Conference the advocacy of the principle of Church Establishments, norto oppose the discussion of Ike Clergy Reserve Question in the Conference Jotirnal" Now, who could have sup- nosed, that at the time Messrs. Stinson and Richey published this statement, Mr. Stinson had in his possession a letter from the London Wesleyan Committee, written and signed by Mr. Alder himself a few weeks before he sailed for Canada, stating the very reverse ? In proof of what 1 now state, I will merely read three sentences from Mr. Alder's olHcial letter to Mr. Stinson^ dated January 14, 1839. Mr. Ailersays — " 1 admit that a difference in circumstances between one country and another, — as for instance between an old country and a newly settled coun- try, — may render it necessary and expedient, that the principle of what is commonly called ' tlte Church and State Question,' should be so applied as to meet and adapt itself to this difference ; but, under no circumstances, should the PRINCIPLE itself be conceded or abandoned.— It is the undoubted light of every Methodist in Upper Canada to form, and, on all proper occasions, to express his opinions on the Clergy Reserve GLuestiov ; but WE think that in giving utterance to their opinions, and espectally in acting upon them, they should appear in the character ef citizens, and not in that of Metliodists : —and I must add, in behalf of my colleagues and rnyself, that the Official Organ of the Connexion ought not to be identified with such proceedings." But suppose, in the face of this indubitable evidence, that the statemeat tff Messrs, Stinson and Richey were true, in what light would the proceedings of the authorities of the English Conference in 1839 and 1810 appear ? Accord- ing to Messrs. Stinson and Richey, they do not require, in 1839, the advocacy of^the principle of Church Establishments; but in 1840 they require us to " admit and maintain it in the official organ of this Connexion," and that even as a principle of Wesleyan Methodism. If this principle is Methodistic and sacred in 1840, was it not equally so in 1839 ? If its advocacy was nor, required in 1839, why is it required in 1840 ? Into what inconsistencies and self-contradictions do men and bodies of men fall, who depart from the simple path of truth and righteousness I On the 34th page of this Pamphlet, Messrs. Stinson and Richey say — '• We proceed to a second ground of comphiint, on the part of the British Conference, against the Rev. E. Ryerson, in regard to which he found an overwhelming majority of his brethren to sustain him at the Belleville Confer- ence in June last : ** A violation of the obligations arising from the Union, in not opposing, but rather countenancing, the payment of our Grant, in a certain contingency, not to us, but to the Upper Canada Conference, for other and ditlerent purposes." This Messrs. Stinson and Richey inform their readers was the chargi; pre- ferred against me, and which the authorities of the English Conference decided was fully proved. Now, so far from this being true, .Messrs. Stinson and Richey keep out of sight of their readers the real charge preferred against me, and which was decided by the authorities of the English Conference to be fully i I 122 -JalL proved. Any one who reads the Resolutions of tliR London Committee, dated April 29th, 1340, will find that the charge Qgainst me was as follows : •' 2. Thnt in the judgment of this Committee, Mr. Rycrson has discoN .'red an utte-' want of ingemwusncss and integrity in thus, attempting to gain pot- session, in behalf of the Canadian Conference, in whole or in part, of the Grant made by the Crown to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and that he has in this matter committed a 1la grant violation of the obligations ar<,jing from the union between the tico Conferences.^^ Are such misquotations dealing honestly with their readers t ^ Does a good cause require them ? It will be seen that there is a material difference between the passage quoted by Messrs. St.inson and Richey as the " second charge" against me, and the real charge preferred by the Committee. Such a proceeding needs no farther comment. Then they make a long and laborious effort to obviate the force of the Governor General's testimony. The whole matter on this point may be summed up in a few words. 1 made application for aid to the Upper Canada Academy. His Excellency supposed that this Connexion already received aid from Government. I laid documents before him which satisfied him that no aid had been given to it. After inquiring into the matter, he was of opinion that aid had been intended for our Connexion in this Province, and ought to be given to it, and determined to write to the Secretary of Slate for the Coloniei on tne subject, — recommending that the Grant heretofore given to the Wesleyan Missionary Committee should be varied in its mode of distribution, — proposmg that one half of it shou'd be given to this Conference in aid of the U. C. Academy. With that answer to my application, (which was afterwards em- bodied in a written memorial in behalf of the Trustees of the U. C. Academy, a copy of which I have with me,) 1 was satisfied. Let it be observed, then, once for all, that I sought aid for the U. C. Academy ; respecting the fund out of which that might be given 1 had nothing to do ; His Excellency the Gover- nor General proposed to bestow that aid by varying the distribution of a par- ticular Grant, which he conceived had not been disposed of in the way, or did not accomplish the objects intended. His Excellency says it was without any application from me he examined into tie origin and circumstances of that grant, and determined to write to Lord John Russell, explaining " the grounds upon which he is of opinion that the grant should be distributed in a manner different from that which has of late been followed." I know not how it is* possible for language to be more explicit. J could only wish that His Excel- lency's Despatch to Lord John Russell might be made public. That would explain the whole question. It is very true His Excellency's views and inten- tions may be overruled by higher authority ; but that cannot alter the facts of the past. I will next request your attention to Messrs. Stinson and Richey's exposition of their Memorial to the Governor General, in connection with the Clergy ReserYe Bill. They assert " upon inl'ormation derived from a respectable source," that that Bill "was drawn up in accordance with my wishes," and *' so as to annihilate for ever the claim of the English Conference to any por- tion of the Reserves." This is their justification for writing the memorial. Let us examine it. They do not toll us the source of their information. That is an important omission. And had they inquired of Mr. Attorney General Draper (who I believe was the framer of the Bill) they would have learned that that Bill was drawn up not only without my assistance, but without my knowledge ; and that I never saw it, until I saw it in print, by order of the House of Assembly. In the next place, that Bill never excluded any christian denomination recognized by the Laws of Upper Canada. It did not name any Body of Methodists, nor any churcli except the Churches of England and Scotland, and therefore no more included Wesleyan Methodist^ connected with the Canada Conference, than those connected with the English Conference. 123 tee, dated s : liscoN -'red gai7i pos- it, of the nd that lie ns ari.dng oes a good difference 3 " second e. Such a rce of the It may be er Canada jceived aid im that no of opinion •ught to be e Coloniei i Wesleyan -proposing the U. C. wards em- Academy, •ved, then, le fund out ;he Gover- 1 of a par- /ay, or did ithout any ;es of that le grounds , a manner t how it is* His Excel- rhat would and inten- ;he facts of exposition the Clergy respectable shes," and to any por- memorial. ion. That ;y General ive learned A'ithout my ■der of the y christian ; name any gland and lected with Jonferencc. But this " equal justice to all classes" did not satisfy Messrs. Slinson and Kichey ; they, therefore, petitioned His Excellency, that the sum ♦o be appro- priated to the Methodists *' be given to the VVesloyan iMethodists who are now, AND WHO MAY BE HEREAFTER CONNECTED WITH THE BRITISH VVeSI.EYAN Conference." This is their prayer, and that in connection with the an- nouncement to His Excellency tliat the Union wuidd be dissolved. And yet they tell you, that they did not intend to exclude this Body from the pr )visior.9 of the Bill. No, generous and liberal men, they did not wish to exclude us; all they wanted was, not to include ns. They add, at the same time, — " we had sulH'jient reason to believe that no representation or recjuest of our? would, at tlic time, bo considered entitled to much consideration." This imputation upon the Governor General is only an involuntary ebullition of a feeling which Messrs. Stinson and Richey have indulged, with little restraint on other oc^a- sionfl, against His Excellency, during the whole of his administration; wnilst I and my friends have employed no hule labour to promote, at a season of extreme importance and difficulty, the great objects of his government. Again, Messrs. Stinson and Richey state (page 47) that "Yet, afcer all, the British Conference, with an unhviUed charity, admitting the possibility of their being in error, in regard to his (Mr. Ryerson's) delinquency in the affair (of the grant) as fully established, generously afforded him an opportunity of comnletely dissipating the cloud which overhung him. They proposed that he should address a letter to Lord John Russell, disclaiming any intention or wish to deprive, the Missionary Society cf the grant— requesting the continu- ance of the regular payment," &c. &c. Let us analyse this proceeding of *' unlimited charity," and see if it will not be found a part and parcel of a deliberately-formed scheme to complete my ruin, as all efforts to purchase, or to terrify me, had thus far proved abortive, and, at the same time, to make gain of me to the London Committee. When Messrs. Stinson and Richey made this statement, they knew perfectly well that my brother and 1 had both stated to the Committee of the late Eng- lish Conference, that we had already seen Lord John Russell, and informed his Lordship of his misapprehension of the design of my letter to the Governor- General, dated January 17, 184U— that we had explained to his Lordship the circumstances under which that Letter was written — that that letter contained ro application for anything, but a simple exposition of the financial relations of tne English and Canadian Conferences, drawn up in compliance with the request of the Governor-General— that I was prepared to state that to Lord John Russell at any time and in any form. But, Sir, such a letter vvould not satisfy the Missionary Secretaries; they would be satisfied with nothing short of MY ADVOCATING THE CONTINUANCE OF THAT GrANT TO THEM, In opposition to my own sense of right and wrong, as well as in opposition to the known recommenckition of His Excellency the Governor-General. But when do they require me to write a letter of this character to Lord John Russell? Why, after their own solemn decision, that it had been "fully proved," that I had " discovered an fitter want of ingennousness and integ- rity in attempting to get possession of that grant." After such a decision, as if to add injury to insult, they call upon me to disclaim in writing what they had decided was " fully proved," and, in addition, to become their advocate to the Government for a grant to them of £700 a-year ! And such an unheard- of proceeding, Messrs. Stinson and Richey call the " unlimited chanty of the British Conference." If such be their " unlimited charity," vyhat must be thnir " unlimited" vengeance? Such mav indeed be the, " unlimited charity of certain members of the English Conference; but I am persuaded that it is such " charity" as is abhorrent to the feelings of more than three-fourths of the members of that Confe.ence, and was not understood by one-fourth of those who were induced to give their votes for it. j . u Then, Sir, as to the difference in the amounts of expenditure reported in the Missionary Reports in this Province and in England, Mr. Alder had stated to L- f 124. Lord John Russell that tlic amount expended in Upper Canada since the Union wfxs £17,B06 I83 lid. sterhng. We showed that according to Mr. Stinson's Canadian Reports, for the tsainn period, the tf)trd amount expended wa« £13,475 Is 4d. sterhnc:; £4,331 17s 7d. less than the sum stated by Mr. Alder. VVd added — " Tlie manner in which this sum of £4,331 178 7d. sterling, has been expended has not been stated in the Society's Reports, either in London or in Canada. It remains for Mr. Ahler to explain." On this Messrs. Stinson and Richey remark — " One, if not both of the Messrs. Ryerson knew, when they made this statement, ttiat there are numerous heavy expenses incurred in carrying on our Missionary operations in Upper Canada, which never appear in the Colonial Report, because not charged upon any Colonial fund, nor coming under the sujiervision of any colonial com- mittee, but which are published in the General Report of the Society." I would hero ask, in the first place, if all the Missionary expenditures of this Province are not out of idenlicalli/ the same Fund? Who ever heard before of Missionary expenses in (Jpper Canada being charged upon different funds? Who ever heard before of there being more than one Fund for them to be chargetl upon ? This is an extraordinary announcement, and one that cannot fail to awaken inquiry. But Messrs. Stinson and Richey say, that these expenses, not accounted for in the Colonial Reports, are published in the General Reports, published in London. This statement is unfounded, as any man may satisfy himself who will examine the Reports of the Parent Society ; for there the sum total of each year's reported expenditure in Upper Canada is entered, and uo details whatever \ so that the manner in whicn the sum of £4,331 173. 7d. sterling; or, including the difference of exchange and cur- rency, the sum of $21,000 during the last seven years, has been expended, remains unaccounted for and unexplained in both the London and Colonial Missionary Reports. I do not say hoio this sum of $3,000 a year has been expended ; but I assert that the how is yet unaccounted for. Messrs. Stinson and Richey profess to account for it; but their Pamphlet and the Missionary Reports are very different affairs. Messrs. Stinson and Richey say it has been expended in sending oni five missionaries to this Province — an expense of not more than £150, the way those missionaries came out — and in the payment of the several Agents of the British Conference in this Province, and in Mr. Alder's semi-political mission to this country. This is the manner in which I supposed this enormou.s sum had been expended ; but still the details are not forthcoming from any quarter. But let it be known that the English Confer- ence superintending agency in this little province has cost three thousand dollars a year during the last seven years^ independent of the current ex- penses of tho missions. But under the pressure of this scrutiny, Messrs. Stinson and Richey are driven to state, that considerable sums were paid to Messrs. Jones and Sunday, when in England. I beg to know, if the labours and appeals of Messrs. Jones and Sunday, when in England, did not bring in large revenues to tho Missionary Societies ? They also descend to say, that from £50 to £100, included in this amount, was paid to me while in England. In reply to this, I beg to say that 1 never received a farthing from the Mission- ary Committee in my life. I have accounts in my possession which show that the Financial Secretary of the Missionary Society paid my landlady for ray board, during a part of my stay in London. But upon what ground? Why, upon the ground that I preached twice a day the majority of Sabbaths during my stay there — that I preached missionary sermons, and attended missionary meetings in various pans oi j^ondon and the ricighbourhood— in BuTriingham, Manchester, Bolton, Liverpool, Chester, Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, and various neighbouring villages. Again, Messrs. Stinson and Richey say — " Respecting the Indian Missions, the statements are plainly contradicted by the Reports referred to. Instead of * upwards of lOOO Indians in Church Communion,' there were only 803." 125 Now, any one who will oxamino ilie Journals of tliia ronffrnncp, or ihe Printed Minutes of J 833, will liml tho nutiilKT of Indian Monihers reported to have been 1,015. On the snbjeot of onr treatment in every re.-spect by the authorities of the English Conference, the stntcments which inyhrotiior has mndf, and the letters which have been read, uiid which wore written by us the third day aficr our Arrival at Newcaslle-Upon-Tyne, and before tho decisiona of the remaining mi- nority of the Conference took place, have more than confirmed what was stated in our Ilepoit ; and will supersede the necessity of any further remarks from me. Messrs. Stinson and Richey admit that Mr. Stinson wrote a letter to the Missionary Committee in March last, saying — " I hnve lost all confidence in the men with whom I act ; and if you choose to degrade yourselves, any longer by a connexion with such men, I hopn you will pi^rmit me to retire from the Province.'' But Mossrs. Stinson and Richey explain, that by the mm with whom he acted, ho did not mean the Memliors of this Conferonce generally, but " Mr. E. Ryerson, and a few others," What a subterfuge ! Did Mr. Stinson except these when he made his unqualified declarations of aft'ection and respect, and his desire for the continuance of tho Union at the Belleville Con» ference in Juno last ? And was the Union (spoken of as a degradation) form- ed with " Mr. E. Ryerson and a few others," or was it formed with tho whole Conference? Better liave been silent on the subject, than to have at- tempted an explanation which involves self-contradiction and absurdity upon the very face of it. Then, finally, Mr. Richey denies that he ever said he had been treated in Upper Canada " as a stranger, a foreigner, and an alien" — but states that ho said he felt himself a stranger, &c. On this statement I have two remarks to make. 1. In my minutes made at the time, Mr. Richey's statement is re- corded, and in subsequent discussions in the Committee of the English Confer- ence, and it was referred to, just as we have reported it, and we never heard it denied before. 2. Mr. Richey admits that he said he felt himself " a stranger, a foreigner, and an alien." Now how he could assert that he felt as " a stranger, a for- eigner and an alien," and yet, as he says, " it never entered his heart to con- ceive'* that he was treated as such, is to assert an effect without a cause. Mr. Richey's own admission, therefore, contradicts his own assertion, and establisL- esfhe truth of our statement. I have now, with as much brevity as possible, examu d iu'essrs. Stinson and Richey's statements and assertions. They attempted to disprove our Reoort and Pamphlet ; in what point have they succeeded ? They attempted to vindi- cate Mr. Alder and the authorities of the English Conference ; in what point have they not failed ? But there are many things which they have not even attempted, which ought to have employed their .attention and efforts, if they had ought to say. We had shown, in refutation of Mr. Alder's statements to Lord John Russell, that Mr. Wesley did intend that the United States' Confer- ence should send missionaries into the British Provinces ; that large sums of money were not expended in Upper Canada to repair " dilapidated buildings ;" that the withdrawal of the Government grants had not lessened the number of missionaries employed amongst the Indians ; that the Union loas contemplated when the Government grant was made to the Committee in London. We had also shown the unfair enumeration of documents in the Report of the committee of the late English Conference ; and that our business was kept out of the Conference until the 380 members, stated in the London Wesleyan Magazine to have been present at the beginning of the Session, had been reduced to 80 On all these important points, Messrs. Stinson and Richey are profoundly silent;, and for very obvious reasons. On the general subject of violating, and dissolving the Articles of the Union, I cannot do better than read the following extract of an Editorial article of the 12() Loiulon Patriot of ilio Ist of October, received tliis day. The Editor,— who is tlie author of tlic eluborate work colled the Modern Traveller, and Beveral other popular works, — remarks as follows : " In another column wo have printed the * Articles of Union between the Wesleyan Conference in Eiiiijland and ihe Conference of the Wesleynn Meth- odist Church in Ciinada,' as they are set forth in tiio Pamphlet published by the Messrs. Ryerson, referred to in our late Number. ^Ve have printed these Articles in our .Journal from a wish to do justice to both parties, and that our Readers, generally, may have the means of forming their own opinions upon the points in dispute. " A careful examination of these Articles, and of the whole of the '"''"^nrrients on both sides, as given by the Messrs. Ryerso.i, must, we think, lead to the conclusion, that No violation of the Ahticlks i/i any particular, has been COMMITTED BY THE CANADIAN CoNFKKKNCK. By thoso Articles, it is ex- pressly provided, that ' the rights and privileges of the Canadian Preachers and Societies shall be preserved inviolate;' that is, if the words have any meaning, that the Canadian preachers and societies shall not be subject to the dictation or dominant control of the British Conference. In the teeth of this, the first and fundamental Article, the British Conference actually arraign and condemn a Canadian preacher; interfere respecting a publication of the Can- adian body ; transmit to that body the result of their deliberations ; and then, because the Canadian Conference refuse to confirm these proceedings by the sanction of their vote, the British Conference declare the union to be ended de jure and de facto. Is it not plain, then, that the rriit in the united body is to be ascribed to the British Conference, and to them alone ? '• Again; inasmuch as no violation of the Articles of Union was committed by the Canadians, ho-.v could the British Conference bo warranted in declaring the Union to be dissolved ? The British Methodists were the aggressors ; and it might, therefore, be competent to the Canadians to say to them, * You have broken the Articles of Union, and, therefore, we resolve to separate from you.* But it is not for an aggressor to take advantage of his own wrong. The case may bo compared to that of a commercial partnership. Two parties bind themselves to carry on trade together under certain articles of agreement. In the course of time, one partner, finding, perhaps, that he cannot rule in every- thing, says, * 1 dissolve the partnership, and it is dissolved accordingly.* Would any court of equity, or of justice, in the land, support a man in this conduct? Suppose that the British Conference had embarked property in Canada for the purpose of extending Methodism there, would they under the circumstances, have any remedy against the Canadian Conference for its recovery ? *' We adverted, in a former article, to the tone of superiority assumed by the British Conference in all their transactions with their Canadian brethren. Although the Articles of Union provide for the perfect equality of the two bodies, we look in vain for the recognition of such equality by the British Conference. On all occasions there has been, on the part of that body, the exhibition of conscious superiority. They claim to judge of the tone and poli- tics of the Canadian organ. They arraign the conduct of a Canadian minis- ter. The Canadian Conference were to be the recording ministers of British Methodist decrees ; and, when the Canadians ventured to show a little spirit in the maintenance of I'ights which it was expected they had surrendered for r, they are told, with lordly arrogance, that they are dismissed, and thai; ever, the Union is at an end. All this may be capital Methodistic policy, but it does not at all accord with our notions of freedom and equality. The personal treatment of the Messrs. Ryerson by the [authorities of the] British Confer- ence is a further illustration of this ovei rearing spirit. Upon this subject we will say no more, except to express our conviction that such conduct is equally opposed to the spirit which Christianity teaches, and to the best interests of the Methodist Connexion." 127 itor, — who Lud several itween the lynn Mcth- iblislird by nted these d that our lions upon '■^-^r^nrrients md to the HAS BEEN , it is ex- Preachers have any ject to the eth of this, rraign and f the Can* and then, ngs by the 3 ended de body is to committed I declaring ssorf) ; and ' Vou have from you.^ The case irties bind ment. In e in every- cordingly.' lan in this roperty in under the ice for its med by the brethren, of the two ;he British i body, the J and poli- ian minis- of British ittle spirit ndered for , and thac but it does e personal sh Confer- jubject we : is equally ntercBta of I cannot conclu 'c without offonn^j two or throo poneral remarks. The first relates to myself personally. 1 am aware that u combitiod eflort has bi'on determined upon and is tnaking to destroy mo as a public man, and to injure this Connexion us fi»r as my overthrow can alTect it. 1 rcjuicu to know that the strength atid elliciency of our Church aro not depending upon me; but 1 am not insensible to the advantages which it is supposed will bo gained over the Church if I can bo put down. Our adversaries seem to have abandoned the idea of answering my arguinonts, or of diverting me from my purposes, in regard to my position, and views, and feelings towards this Connexion. The only expedient left is that wriich requires no strength of intellect — no solid arguments — no real ment — no moral principle, — but abundance of confidence, malignity, and zeal. It is the expedient of impeaching my inoi 'il integrity, and blackening my chaiacter. And this is attempted to b« accomplished by one class of adversaries, not by an ajipeul lo reason, or even Jo oilicial docu- ments, but by the importation and retail from one side of the Atlantic to the other, and from one end of the Province to the other, and from house to house, of bits and parcels of perverted private conversations — a mode of warfare dis- graceful to humtan nature, much more to any ('hristian community. History apprises me, that, in such a warfaie, some of the best of men have not tri- umphed until long after they slept in death, when the hand of time and the researches of impartial history did them that justice which the cupidity ana jealousies of powerful contemporaries denied them. 1 know not the present result of existing combinations against myself. On that point 1 I'eel little concern, though 1 am keenly alive to their influence upon my public usefulness. I engaged in the IJidon, because I believed the principles upon which it was founded were reasonable, and the prejudices against it on all sides were unrea- sonable. I do not regret the oppositions I have experienced — the reproaches I have incurred — the labours I have endured ; but I do rt'i;i«'i — and every day's reflection adds fresh poignancy to my regrets — thnt in currying out a measure which I had hoped would have proved an unspeukuble blessing to my native country, I have lost so many friends of my youth. No young man in Canada had more friends amongst all Cliristian denominations, than I had when the Union took place. Many of them have become my enemies. I cd'n lose properly without concern or much thought ; but I cannot lose friends, and meet them in the character of enemies, without emotions not to be described. I feel that I have injured myself, and injured this Connexion, and I fear injured this Province, not by my obstinacy, but by my concessions. This is my sin, and not the sins laid to my charge. I have regarded myself, and all that Providence has put into my hands from year to year as the property of this Connexion, i can say, in the language of Wesley's Hymn — say, in ttie language of Wesley' " No foot of land do I possess, No cottage in this wilderness j A poor wayfaring man." And it is to me a source of ur.availing grief, that after the expenditure of so much time, and labour, and suffering, and means, not one of the most important measures of my life may prove a misfortune to the Church of my affections and the country of my birth. 1 have only to say, that as long as there is any prospect of my being useful to either, I will never desert them. A '..cfond remark relates to the state of society in this Province. It is known to v-.onsist of a population congregated from various parts of the British Empire, and to a limited extent, in some places, of natives of the United States, who have preferred this country to the neighbouring republic. In a state of Society thus constituted, to excite national feel ->gs and prejudices, is to con- vert this fine country into a second Ireland—into a very Bedlam. The use of the word British in a local and restricted sense as applying almost exclusively to natives of 3reat Britain, is as untrue and as anti-patriotic as it is unchristian to attempt to excite the sectional feelings which such an illegitimate use of the term is intended and calculated to create. Can any Christian English settler i' 128 ^ M will brand his own dinndinn born chilrlren t Is not a person born in Canada n« much a British horn rttihjiM'.t a* ti person born in any otlier part of the British Empire ? And is not a Coiift-renco ('f IJritisii siibjocts uHHfimblod in Canada as mii«:h a British ConCoiunce as oiih ns^enibh-'d in ICri^land? From whatever part of (ir