you be so forgetful of your duty as to begin to beat your fellowservants so soon after your arrival among us? I have laboured with my brethren of different denominations, in the several towns you have mentioned in your Journal, and have seen the fruit of our labour. These are the seals of our ministry, which in your own judgment are the subjects of divine grace.

I am really sorry, Sir, you should give publicity to such glaring misrepresentations. It is a reproach to the sacred office. Think not, Rev. Sir, that I am your enemy, because I write thus plainly. Had you come and laboured with us, peaceably, in the field of our common Lord, we should have rejoiced to have had your assistance. When a reaper comes into a field, and begins with trying to turn all the others out, he is likely to trample down the grain, and do more hurt than good, and exposes himself to be called to an account by the Lord of the Harvest. I hope, Rev. Sir, you will take into consideration these things, and quietly labour, remembering that to our own Master we stand or fall.

I am, Rev. Sir, yours, &c. OBED WILSON.

THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS, the grand OBJECT OF THE GOSPEL MINISTRY.

To the Editors of the Methodist Magazine.

DEAR BRETHREN,

IF you think the following worthy of notice, you will please give it a place in your Miscellany.

THE writer of the following essay has long had a desire to contribute something, beyond his hitherto contracted sphere of action, to the internal beauty and prosperity of the Christian Church, but has been hindered from attempting any thing in writing, from a conscious want of ability for the work. Seeing how few and feeble are the efforts of Christians in general, and of the ministers of the gospel in particular, to raise the standard of Christian perfection in the Church, has been a subject of grief with him, but no motive to despair of the object. He has firmly believed that the time would come when this work would revive in our country, as it did among the European Methodists in Mr. Wesley's day; and he knows no reason why we should not look for the truth of that observation of Mr. Charles Wesley to his brother John, "you will yet see sanctifications as frequent as justifications."

There are two objects which the ministers of the gospel should always keep in view, the enlargement of the Church, and the perfecting of the saints. These two objects are always divided by that class of Christians who deny the possibility of

holiness in the present state; and the former, more than the latter, engrosses the thoughts of those who believe in the possibility of being made perfect in love before death. At this time, it appears to the writer, we ought to turn our attention more particularly to the internal state of the church, and endeavour, by the means which God has put into our hands, to make her all glorious within, and bring forth the top stone of this spiritual temple with shouting grace! grace! unto it. And we should do this the rather, because, as was said by that great light in the church, Mr. Wesley, "when the work of sanctification goes on, the work of God goes on in all its branches."

In looking over the Number of your Magazine for June, 1819, nothing afforded more pleasure than the revival of the work of sanctification, and the formation of bands, mentioned in the letter of the Rev. J. Collins, Presiding Elder of the Scioto district.And it is very desirable that the public should hear frequently and largely of this work of God through the medium of your widely circulating Magazine.

We cannot look into the gospel without being convinced it was the design of Jesus Christ in coming into the world, to recover man out of the snare of the devil, and restore fully the image of God which he had lost in the fall. While many deny that man is a depraved creature by nature, and of course deny that he needs a change of heart; others, who admit that he needs a change, yet limit it to what is done in the first moment of conversion, and deny that it can be perfected in this life.Of course they have no sufficient motive to seek after a perfect cleansing from all sin while in the body. They conclude that sin must remain in them as long as they remain in this world; yea, that their hearts must remain deceitful and desperately wicked till death. Ministers and commentators, who ought to teach a different doctrine, have fallen into the same error; and the consequences are, the love of many waxes cold, many become lukewarm, many backslide, and many irregularities prevail among Christians. Now the cure of all these evils is. found in the sanctification of our natures.

This doctrine then should be preached and enforced on all Christians; and it is truly pitiable that those who cannot deny our obligations to be holy, should, nevertheless, preach, and write, and dispute against the doctrine, and thereby put difficulties in the way of our perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

It is not now my design to go into a consideration of the proofs of the doctrine of sanctification in this life; but I would observe, that if Christians would follow that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, they could not but see what is implied in sanctification; and that would show its importance, and enable them to infer the attainableness of it.

The experience of every man points out to him the difference between moral evil, or sin, and the natural evils inseparable from our condition as fallen creatures. When a man feels in himself any of those desires or tempers which are forbidden in the word of God, he has a consciousness of the wrong, and groans for deliverance from it: but in the case of pain, sickness, death, the weakness of the understanding and memory, unavoidable error, temptation, &c. there is no conviction of wrong as in the other case, that is, there is no consciousness of guilt, or of the displeasure of God; and therefore he does not look for deliverance from these in the present life, but is happy if he can be supported under them without sinning against God. And God has not required an exemption in the case of man, from these evils while in the body nor has he promised it in the gospel; and therefore we have no ground to expect it. But it is far different with respect to sinful desires, tempers and actions. These he has forbidden, and has also promised to deliver his faithful people from all unrighteousness. This, therefore, we have good ground to expect. Moreover, he has promised that we shall be filled with righteousness, that we shall love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. This is that fulness of God, that divine nature, which is secured to us by those exceeding great and precious promises which are given to us in the gospel.

The importance of preaching and enforcing this doctrine was never greater than at the present time. Notwithstanding all the great things our God has done for the Church within fifty years past, her light as yet is only like that of the moon; but this doctrine shall increase it to the brightness of the sun, and she shall become terrible as an army with banners.

The Methodist ministers have the greatest encouragement to enter upon this work. They have seen the proof of this doctrine in all the Scriptures, especially through the medium of the incomparable writings of Messrs. Wesley and Fletcher. This doctrine every Methodist minister professes to believe. Not only so, but the great body of their people believe it also. Here then a great part of their difficulties are conquered. There is a large body of Christians already prepared, and ready for this harvest. Many of these would instantly rise and go forward with proper encouragement and assistance from their ministers. The ministers have the means in their hands, and the great Head of the Church is calling them to this work. The different gifts in the ministry were bestowed for the perfecting of the saints. Our Lord solemnly and repeatedly enjoined it upon his apostles to feed his sheep; and his ministers are called to be workers together with him, in building up the Church a holy temple to the Lord,

And truly they have more encouragement to enter upon this branch of their work, than that which relates to the conviction and conversion of souls. In the latter case they meet with so much prejudice, ignorance and hardness of heart, that the success of their labour is altogether problematical; but if they speak to the Church upon the subject of scripture holiness, they may be almost certain beforehand that some will hear, not only without prejudice, but with faith and profit. "Let him then who is zealous for God, and the souls of his brethren, begin now." If the preachers can persuade themselves to enter heartily upon this work, their difficulties will soon vanish away, and they will have cause to rejoice in the fruit of their labours.

1. Let every preacher, whether he has experienced it himself or not, make the work of sanctification a distinct, though not an exclusive object, in every Society, that its magnitude and importance may be seen.

2. Let them preach explicitly upon it in all the Societies, and make it the subject of conversation with the members in private. By conversation in private they will learn what objections are still to be answered, what instructions are required, and what discouragements lie in the way.

3. Let them propose in every Society days of fasting and prayer for a revival of this work.

4. Let them propose in every Society, that those who are convinced of the necessity of sanctification, and are determined to seek it, meet together in small companies to pray for it; and, if necessary, let the preachers appoint the place and times of their meetings. Here the members may be instructed to spend some time in conversation about sanctification, in relating their trials and encouragements in seeking it, and all heartily to join in prayer for it. It would be impossible for the more serious part of their people to meet together with these views, and not get a blessing.

5. Let the preachers pay the same strict attention to every circumstance of this work, as they usually do to the work of conviction and conversion; looking out the seekers of it, following them with their exhortations and instructions, making them the subjects of prayer in the same manner they do those who are convinced of sin: thus pushing the work, and persevering in it, they shall not labour in vain. The writer of these lines has proved the utility of this course. He practised in this way the last year, and saw in one Society about forty instances. of sanctification, and many of them remarkably clear and sound. 6. Let each preacher communicate, through the medium of the Methodist Magazine, his success in this work, for the encouragement of others.

Before he closes, the writer cannot but express a desire that those preachers who may read these observations and hints, would take up the subject and communicate with one another, and with the public upon it. And he believes that those who enter upon this branch of their work systematically will soon be able to give a good account of it. It is through the neglect to pursue this work regularly and systematically, that we have no more success in it. It is not the occasional or incidental mention of sanctification, or now and then preaching a sermon upon it, that will produce the desired effect, but the giving line upon line, line upon line; precept upon precept, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little. Particularly forming small meetings for this purpose. And perhaps there is no better method than to class them after the manner of the bands, the male, and female, the married and single by themselves. Small meetings are preferable to large ones, as confidence, intimacy and union are primary objects; and such a classification is best calculated to secure them. Meetings of some description will be found necessary, not only to encourage and extend the work of sanctification, but more especially to preserve it. For the want of these we have seen but little of this, and that little has soon declined.

To conclude. Let us, my brethren, enter upon this work without delay; and it shall soon be said to the Church, Arise, shine for thy light is come; and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

:

A PREACHER.

EXTRACT FROM CALMET'S DICTIONARY.

VOL. III. FRAG. 145.

AMONG the primitive Christians, the figure of a fish was adopted as a sign of Christianity, and is sculptured on the stones which covered their tombs, as a private indication that the persons there interred were Christians. This hint was understood by brother Christians, while it was an enigma to the heathen; and often succeeded in preserving such tombs from violation. We find also engraved on gems, and other stones, an anchor, and on each side of it a fish, with the letters which compose the name of Jesus, inscribed around them. This emblem is frequent among the Basilidians, and other sectaries, whether of Egypt, or elsewhere; but it occurs also in other places; as in the cathedral of Ravenna, &c. and might origi nate with the Gnostics. What induced the adoption of this emblem?

1. It alluded very covertly to the Greek letters which form the word Ixus, which signifies a fish: which letters were sym