Doctor Coke and some others offered themselves as missionaries for North America. Although brother Shadford expressed his desire that I might go, at first it appeared to me as though I was not concerned in the matter; but soon my mind was drawn to meditate on the subject: the power of God came upon me, and my heart was remarkably melted with love to God and man.

A prospect of some travels I was like to go through, if I engaged in that part of the Lord's work, appeared to me,-upon which I set apart a day for fasting and prayer, and after which, seeing nothing in my way, but the cross, and my own inability for so great a work, I offered myself, if my dear aged father, John Wesley, and my brethren thought proper.

As I passed through our societies from Leeds to London and Bristol, our friends showed us many kindnesses; so that nothing was wanting to make our voyage as comfortable as the nature of things would admit.

September 1st, 1784, Rev. John Wesley, Thomas Coke, and James Creyton, Presbyters of the Church of England, formed a Presbytery,* and or

*Mr. Wesley had acted as an apostle in England and America, in the society formed under his care; also, among the preachers raised by him for many years. If the quotation made from some illustrious men, by the learned George Croly, A.M. in his Introduction to the Revelations be correct, that "St. John was at once an apostle, an evangelist, and a prophet-an apostle in that he wrote letters to the church, a master," &c. why then did not Mr. Wesley, with equal propriety, call the above presbytery a convocation, and himself a Bishop? Why did he say, you may call me a villain, or what you please, but you shall not call me Bishop? All that he had been called, when smitten with the tongue and pen, without being "transported to Virginia, or sert to Newgate." But if he had called himself a Bishop, and ordained one without the appointment of Parliament, he would have transgressed the law of England, and might have been sent to Botany Bay or Newgate,

2*

dained Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, Deacons. And on September 2d, by the same hands, &c. Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey were ordained Elders,* and Thomas Coke, LL.D. was ordained Superintendent, for the Church of God, under our care in North America.

and for a crime of greater magnitude than quoting Mr. Toplady, for which he was called many opprobrious names.

A Presbytery is, first, a council of Elders, with a high priest, (Mark xiv. 53. Mat. xxvi. 3, 4, 5. Luke xxii. 66. John xviii. 19. Acts xxii.5.)

Secondly, An assembly of Christian Ministers or Elders, with a distinguished one to direct the council, and give authority to its acts and deeds. Acts xv. 13. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on the hands of the Presbytery. 2 Tim. i. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands. Acts xiii. 3. When they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away; so they being sent by the Holy Ghost, &c.

The Church of England never ordain but by a Presbytery, therefore all their consecrations and ordinations are written in the plural, aș "We -, by the imposition of our hands," &c.

*The following is a copy of Mr. Whatcoat's certificate of ordination -The original parchment being now in the hands of the Editor.

"To all to whom these presents shall come, John Wesley, late Fellow of Lincoln College in Oxford, Presbyter of the Church of England, sendeth greeting:

Whereas many of the people in the southern provinces of North America, who desire to continue under my care, and still adhere to the doctrines and discipline of the Church of England, are greatly distressed for want of ministers, to administer the Sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, according to the usage of the said Church: and whereas there does not appear to be any other way of supplying them with Ministers:

Know all men, that I, John Wesley, think myself to be providentially called at this time, to set apart some persons for the work of the Ministry in America. And therefore, under the protection of Almighty God, and with a single eye to his glory, I have this day set apart for the said work, as an Elder, by the imposition of my hands and prayer, (being assisted by two other ordained Ministers) Richard Whatcoat, a man whom I judge to be well qualified for that great work. And Í do hereby recommend him to all whom it may concern, as a fit person to feed the flock of Christ, and to administer Baptism and the Lord's Supper, according to the usage of the Church of England. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty four. JOHN WESLEY."

September 28th, at 10 o'clock, we embarked from King's Road, Bristol, for New-York, in a ship called the Four Friends," John Parrot, captain, Mr. Phips, mate. For four days we were very sick; after which we were preserved in great temperance of body and peace of mind. "Bless the

Lord, O my soul!”

The captain and sailors behaved with great civility. We had prayers morning and evening, and preaching twice on the Sabbath day. The evenings we spent chiefly in reading over the preachers' lives, the saint's rest, and other books of divinity.

We saw a whale about fifteen yards long; it played about the ship some time; we caught a dolphin about six pounds weight, which tasted very well. We saw a great number of porpoises. "Great are thy works thou parent of good!"

Two nights. we had great thunder and lightning. We were out six weeks, and had no sight of land, the wind being much against us; so that, according to the sailor's measure, we sailed over four thousand miles of water.

We arrived at New-York, on Wednesday, the 3d of November, at 11 o'clock, 1784. We were kindly received by our Christian friends, Messrs. Sands and others. On Friday we set out for Philadelphia, in the stage wagon, and arrived on Saturday evening at 7 o'clock. It is one of the best constructed cities I ever saw; our friends received us kindly. On the 11th we borrowed two horses, and rode to Wilmington, from thence to the Cross Roads, where Mr. John Coles received us. From thence to Dover, where Mr. Basset gave us hearty welcome. We rode to Munderkill, in Kent county. Dr. Coke preached, and

we gave the Sacrament to some hundreds. We held a love-feast, and a more comfortable time I have not enjoyed in some years. Monday, Dr. Coke baptized sixteen people, and I returned with Mr. Asbury, to Dover. Tuesday, we went to Mr. Thomas's; Wednesday, to Deer Creek; Thursday, we began a quarterly meeting which was not so large nor so lively as that on Sunday and Monday last t; but here are some happy and loving people.

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Saturday, the 20th, Mr. Richard Dullam lent me a horse, and we rode to Abingdon; where I related a little of the Lord's dealings to a few and attentive people; Sunday morning, I expounded on the 5th of St. Matthew; in the evening I told them plainly that 'the wages of sin is death;" 24th, preached at the Point; but my spirit was not so free as I could wish it to be; rode to Mr. Gough's: it rained nearly all the way, and I was detained by the heavy rain; I set forward to revisit Abingdon, where I met brother Black, from Nova Scotia, who informed me of the work of the Lord in those parts; that three hundred are in the society; but for want of proper watchmen many go astray. Lord of the harvest, send faithful labourers into that part of thy vineyard! 30th, we rode to Walter Waters and met a few kind people; Dr. Coke rode to Richard Waters, and preached with freedom. Brother Black preached at 6 o'clock, in the evening, and I hope not in vain. Rode to Mr Dullam's, and preached, and brother Black met the class. I rode to Deer Creek, spoke on perfect love, read the account of the death of William Adams, (a young preacher raised in America,)-a blessed witness of perfect love, who was soon ripe and gathered into the heavenly garner. 1st Sunday, in December, I rode to Mr. Jonas Grover's, and preached at noon

and at night: here I met with Michael Ellis, to whom I gave an account of our mission: he was greatly pleased: he is a member of Conference: we were greatly comforted together; we preached at several places, and met class; their feelings appeared better than mine I rode to Thomas Cromwell's, my spirit somewhat depressed, I believe for want of stirring up the gift in me. December 19th, I preached in Hunt's Chapel, and rode to Mr. Henry Gough's; spent the evening with Dr. Coke, Mr. Asbury, and brother Vasey, in great peace. Twentieth, my rheumatism returned; we began to prepare for our Conference, and to consider some of our rules and minutes, as necessary to the helping forward the Lord's work in our connection, with great deliberation and impartiality, in the fear of God, may we hope, to the end;-21st, we went through some more of our minutes-22d and 23d, we continued in the same exercise:-24th, we rode to Baltimore; it was a severe frost; at 10 o'clock, we began our Conference, in which we agreed to form a Methodist Episcopal Church, in which the Liturgy (as presented by the Rev. John Wesley) should be read, Sacraments to be administered by a Superintendent, Elders, and Deacons, who shall be ordained by a Presbytery, using the Episcopal form, (as prescribed in the Rev. Mr. Wesley's prayer book.)

Persons to be ordained are to be nominated by the Superintendent, and elected by Conference; and ordained by imposition of the hands of the Superintendent and Elders; the Superintendent has a negative voice.*

* Supreme power, jurisdiction, and ordination is Mr. Chilling. worth's demonstration of the apostolic Institution of Episcopacy: "If we abstract from Episcopal government all accidental, and consider