colleges were all in the interest of other Churches. Almost as soon as the Methodists began to establish colleges, the practice of giving State aid, to any considerable amount, was abandoned, and the work which Methodism has done in the line of education has been almost exclusively from its own individual offerings. We have also seen, that of its present colleges no one was founded before 1830; and, until very recently, the most of the institutions have been not only young, but comparatively unendowed. As a result, the great majority of teachers have been furnished from the schools of other denominations, and, very generally, their influence has been thrown against Methodism. Its doctrines have been misrepresented, its usages have been ridiculed, and, so far as practicable, its membership has not been selected for positions of leading influence in educational institutions.

It is a very singular fact that the two leading denominations, Methodists and Baptists, who together furnish the religious instruction for almost, if not entirely, half the population, should not be admitted to a just equality in public positions. It is one of the fruits of the strength of organizations. The older denominations had the power in their hands; they controlled the organizations in their early history, and have trained up others to succeed them. We write not this now complainingly. There may

be times when it would be proper to make an appeal, and the data are abundant for that purpose; but we allude to these matters only to show that the increase of the Methodist Church has not been by any external or collateral agencies.

Fourth. We must, then, seek for the reasons of the remarkable increase of the Methodist Church, either in the superiority of its doctrines, the efficiency of its organization, or in the piety, earnestness, and activity of its ministers and members. We have already noticed the doctrines as being evangelical and liberal, yet they are shared by other Churches which have not grown so rapidly. They lie, however, at the foundation of success, and it is only on the basis of the doctrine of a free and full atonement, preached as available to every human being, that the superstructure of the Church could have been raised. No doubt a large proportion of its success, if not the principal part, has been through the deep piety of its members, and the earnestness and activity manifested in their religious assemblies. Whatever may be said contemptuously of enthusiasm, and however men may deride religious feeling as fanatical, one fact remains incontrovertible-men seek the Churches because they need religious comfort. They will go where they believe God manifests himself by imparting his Spirit most fully to his followers; and the earnestness in wor

ship, the zeal which follows from a lively faith, the conviction of the unseen, which nerved the early Methodists for their work and strengthened them to endure reproach and scorn, draw the hearts of men when, forgetting earthly distinctions and earthly motives, they seek alone the pardon of sin and communion with God. This deep religious interest, manifested in revival scenes, in quarterly, protracted, and camp meetings, has been eminently powerful in drawing large numbers to the Methodist

communion.

Lastly. As compared with the other evangelical Churches, and especially with the other branches of Methodism, much must be ascribed to the form of government of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Wesleyans in England were organized nearly thirty years in advance of the Methodists in the United States. They had able leaders and superior facilities, though they had also the obstacles of an Established Church and of an overshadowing nobility. They now number 406,054 in Great Britain and Ireland, in a population of about 30,000,000. The Methodist Episcopal Church alone, in a population of from 40,000,000 to 44,0x0,000, numbers over 1,500,000. Methodism in England has a great advantage over that in Ireland or in France, where affiliated Conferences were established under the shadow of the English Conference In Canada it

has grown more rapidly, but yet, in proportion to the population, it is not so strong as in the United States. In Australia, also, its growth has been rapid; but even there, under the most favorable circumstances, it has not obtained the ratio to the population that Methodism holds in this country.

The following table exhibits the relative growth of British Methodism, including Canada, Australia, and its missions, and that of the Methodist Episcopal Church, embracing both members and probationers.

If we turn to the branches of Methodism, such as the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which have the same form of government, we find activity and prosperity in all their movements; while in the Methodist Protestant Church, the Methodist Church, and the Wesleyan Methodists, we find comparatively *The separation of the South occ. red in 1845-6.

little progress; and, to some extent, this is the case with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, whose form of government is intermediate between the two families. The distinction between the nonepiscopal branches of Methodism in the United States and the others is clearly marked. Wherever the episcopacy and the presiding eldership have been abandoned, the connectional bond has been loosened, and sooner or later difficulties and serious losses have occurred. Wherever these have been preserved, in the midst of difficulties, the Churches. have gone forward.

We may then safely attribute the growth of the Methodist Episcopal Church, first, to her doctrines; secondly, to the piety and zeal of her ministers and members; and, thirdly, to her form of Church government, which unites and unifies the different parts of the country; especially is this seen in her missionary fields. The English Methodists failed to hold their affiliated Conferences, and, one after another, seeks distinct government. The Methodist Episcopal Church, in advance of all other Protestant denominations, has organized, under one government, her Conferences in the four quarters of the globe, and maintains, through her administration, her membership under the same forms and order, in India, Liberia, and Germany, as in the United States. Doubtless the appliances of Methodism