To the Editors of the Methodist Magazine. DEAR BRETHREN, THE following is a brief account of a Camp-meeting, held at Barre, Vermont, which you are at liberty to insert in your periodical work. Lyndon, September, 1820. Yours respectfully, D. FILLMORE. The meeting commenced, Thursday, August 31st. under favourable prospects: a delightful place, and agreeable weather, which continued to the close. During the two first days, the services were of such a nature as to solemnize the mind, awaken desires, and lead believers to seek a deeper experience in the things of God. Almost an universal spirit of prayer prevailed, that God would revive and bless his people. Nor was prayer offered in vain: for many, who were" hungering and thirsting after righteousness, were filled;" many, who had always been doubting, were enabled to rejoice in a clear and satisfactory evidence of their acceptance with God. Indeed, such spiritual blessings were bestowed on very many of God's children, as will never be effaced from their memory; and will enable them to shine brighter, and be more eminently useful in the church of Christ. God having prepared his people, instances of awakening began to appear; sinners began to humble themselves before the Lord, and, with tears of repentance, seek salvation through Jesus Christ. On Saturday numbers experienced justification, and were enabled to rejoice in the Lord, who had mercy upon them, when in imminent danger, and forgave their sins. The sabbath arrived. The congregation, for this country, was very large, between five and six thousand. They listened with the most profound attention to the preaching of the gospel; and, in almost every countenance, seriousness was depicted, and a regard for truth. Four sermons were delivered in succession, with short intervals between, when the congregation was dismissed, and an appointment made for preaching in the evening. But it was soon seen what God had done by his word and spirit; for, when a circle was formed for prayer, and such as desired prayers were invited, mourners came forward from every direction. Here were those who had grown grey in sin, together with those in the morning of life, bathed in tears, bewailing their sins, and imploring mercy. What heart so hard, as not to be affected, to see the father praying over his son, and the daughter over the mother: to hear some crying for mercy, and others rejoicing that Christ had forgiven their sins, and adopted them as his children? So powerful was the work of the Lord, it was judged best to defer preaching, and continue prayer for mourners during the evening. That evening will be a memorable one to many who were made the recipients of justifying faith, and could declare what great things the Lord had done for them. Among the subjects of this work, was an old lady, eighty five years of age. What an affecting sight! To see her whitened locks, furrowed cheeks, trembling limbs, emaciated system, her soul weighed down with the guilt of four score years: supported by two daughters, she enters the circle for prayer, and, even at the eleventh hour, finds pardon for all her sins. With a tremulous voice, she can say, "God is merciful, Christ is precious, sinners may be saved." Monday morning was appointed to close this meeting, and go to our several homes and employments. At an early hour we assembled at the stand to hear an appropriate address, from Mark ix. 5. by Brother J. Lindsey. After which, an opportunity was given to the brethren to speak of what God had done for them. It was a melting, powerful, and refreshing season. The ties of Christian love strongly bound us together, and made the thoughts of parting painful. During this exercise, in a remote part of the congregation, a young man cried aloud for mercy: his distress was great. He was removed to a tent, where eight or ten more came forward, and requested prayers. During this exercise, which lasted till nearly twelve, the first, with four or five others, obtained an evidence of the forgiveness of sins, and peace with God. At this meeting, not far from fifty were hopefully born again, and many renewed their strength by waiting on the Lord. It was one of the best meetings, of the kind, ever experienced in this part of the country. The deportment of the people during the meeting, evinced their sense of propriety and their serious concern about their eternal interest. The fruits of this meeting, we believe, will be seen in eternity. Here sinners were awakened, mourners comforted, believers sanctified, the borders of Christ's kingdom enlarged, and such a flame enkindled as will not easily be extinguished. Let us rejoice in the spread of that gospel, which is designed to silence the clamour of warcalm the ferocious passions--smooth the path of life--support in adversity-prepare us for death, and a blissful eternity; when joy shall be without mixture, without interruption, with; out end. It is known, we presume, to most of our readers, that the last General Conference appointed one of its members, Rev. John Emory, as a representative to the British Conference, which sat in Liverpool 26th of July last. The following extracts taken from the minutes of that Conference, will shew the reception he met with, and the result, in general terms, of his mission. The Conference has felt peculiar satisfaction in receiving a Representative from the General American Conference, after a suspension of personal co munication for some years. Circumstances, and not any diminution of affection, had interrupted this grateful interchange of brotherly affection and mutual esteem. The renewal of it by the deputation of our excellent and beloved brother EMORY, has given us great joy. Through him we have received the assurances of that regard which is felt by our brethren in the United States towards the Methodists of Great Britain, by whom that work which now diffuses light and life through the vast space of that great and rising country was first commenced, and of their desire that a regular intercourse by deputation from each Conference should be established. All the expressions of kindness thus communicated to us by brother EMORY, in the name and on the behalf of the General American Conference, have been echoed back by the sympathies of our hearts. We could not hear his statements, as to the state and progress of the common work in the United States of America, without being deeply affected with gratitude to God, and admiration of the ardour and enterprise of our brethren there in the cause of Christ. Their unwearied labours have not only, by the Divine blessing, raised up large and flourishing societies in the principal cities and towns of the Union, but they have erected the altars of God in the distant wilderness, and connected the insulated settlements of men, with the hopes, the joys, and the worship of the universal church. As the tide of population has extended itself over that vast country, they have followed it, embracing every opportunity to reach, and submitting to great difficulties and privations, to save souls. To these labours they were long animated by the noble example of the venerable ASBURY, a man of apostolic labours, whose spirit of patient zeal and self-denying piety has abundantly descended upon the excellent General Superintendents, who now direct those vast means which exist in a state of increasing activity in the American continent, for the extension of the hallowing influence of true religion through the growing population of the Anglo-American empire. The present number of travelling preachers in the American Methodist connexion, is reported by Mr. EMORY to be near 900; of local preachers 3000; of mem bers, at least 257,000; making an increase for the last year of upwards 16000. Such has been the glorious result of little more than half a century, and of that feeble commencement of the work which took place in 1766. An efficient religious system, operating wide as that extensive country, has been thus created, which already has begun to extend itself beyond its bounds, ample as they are, to the pagan Indians on its borders, and promises, under Divine Providence, to disperse the rays of truth to the still benighted parts of that great continent, on the north, the west, and the south;-to parts where civilization is silently laying the foundation of future states, but now involved in superstition, or the bewildering darkness of paganism and idolatry. To these great successes, and still greater prospects, our hearts have been delightfully directed by the kind visit of our beloved brother, and with invigorated affection we have embraced our distant brethren, one with us in doctrine, one in the object of their labours, and one in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. THE ADDRESS FROM THE GENERAL CONFERENCE IN AMERICA, TO THE BRITISH CONFERENCE. Ballimore, May 27, 1820. THE General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America, to the British Conference of Ministers and Preachers, late in Connexion with the REV. JOHN WESLEY. Rev. and Dear Brethren, GRACE, mercy, and peace be multiplied to you, and to the Israel of God under your charge, both at home and in foreign countries. With a sincere and earnest desire to establish and preserve the most perfect harmony and peace with you, our elder brethren, we have adopted measures for opening such friendly intercourse as will, we devoutly pray, tend to the accomplishment of this disirable end. Situated so remotely from each other, and under different forms of civil government, it is believed that no mode of correspondence will so effectually unite the European and American Methodists as an interchange of Delegates from our respective Conferences. We are encouraged to hope that such correspondence will be acceptable to you, from the consideration of the visit of Messrs. BLACK and BENNETT at our last Session, and from the friendly opinion of our dear Brother, the Rev. WILS LIAM BLACK, who has been with us during our present sitting in this city. Should such a friendly intercourse be approved, we shall receive with cordiality your Representative at our succeeding Sessions, and, with the most sincere friendship and affection, reciprocate the visit. The prosperity of your Missions, both at home and in foreign countries, is matter of praise and thanksgiving to the great Head of the Church; and our unceasing prayer is, that they may still increase more and more. The last four years have been distinguished by no ordinary success within the field of our labour: our borders have been greatly enlarged, and the wilderness has budded and blossomed as the rose. The last year especially has been attended with an abundant outpouring of the holy Spirit, and the increase of our numbers has exceeded any former year. The field of Missionary labours is opening and extending before us, and the Divine Providence appears to be preparing the way for the conversion of the Indian Tribes on this vast continent. The bearer, the Rev. JOHN EMORY, has been appointed our delegate to your Body, and will be able to give you a more particular account of the work under our charge, and especially of our commencement and progress in the Missionary Cause. Most earnestly praying that the Methodists may be identified in their dogtrine, experience, and practice in every part of the world, and that the Father of Lights may pour upon you, and upon us, the Spirit of grace and preserve us in the unity of faith, and in the fellowship and peace of his Son Jesus Christ, we remain, Rev. and dear Brethren, most affectionately your's in the Gospel of our common Lord. Signed, by order and in behalf of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. ENOCH GEORGE, PRESIDent. THE ADDRESS OF THE BRITISH CONFERENCE TO THE GENERAL CONFERENCE IN AMERICA. To the General Superintendents of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America. DEAR BRETHREN, WE enclose to your care the resolutions passed by the Conference, after the Letters addressed to us by the American General Conference, and delivered by the Rev JOHN EMORY, had been read and considered. In addition to the expression of our sentiments contained in those Resolutions, on the renewal of intercourse between the two Conferences, we are directed to request you to convey to your next General Conference our warmest thanks for those declarations of unabated brotherly affection toward us and the Connexion, which your letters contain, and for the appointment of Mr. EMORY as your Representative. in him we have recognized the purity of your doctrine, and the fervour and simplicity of your piety. We have received him not as a stranger, but as a brother beloved." Our hearts, are as his heart, and it will be remembered VOL. III. 60 as one of the most pleasing circumstances connected with the Conference beld in this town, that our personal intercourse with you was here restored, and that this "work of love" was committed to so able and excellent a brother, whose public ministrations and addresses in our Conference, have been equally gratifying and instructive to us and to our people. From the statements made by Mr. EMORY as to the progress of the work of God in the United States, we have received the greatest satisfaction. We offered our united thanksgivings to God, that the doctrines of primitive Methodism, the preaching of which God has so eminently owned in the salvation of men, and the edification of believers, are not only continued among you in their purity, but have been so widely extended by your great and persevering efforts, and that the same holy discipline, in all its essential parts, continues whenever you form Societies, to guard and confirm the work which God has made to prosper in your hands. For the state of our affairs in Great Britain and Ireland, and in our Missionary stations, we refer you to Mr. EMORY, who, as health would allow, has attended our sittings, and to those publications with which, before his departure, we shall be happy to furnish him, to be laid before you. You will see that we have had to rejoice with you in the great extension of the work of God into the various parts of the British Empire, and that the institutions of Methodism which we have proved to be so well adapted to promote and to preserve true religion, are known and valued in every quarter of the globe. May we, with you, be the honoured instruments of turning the disobedient to the wisdom of the just in every place, and of hastening the universal kingdom of our Lord. 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 disputes, and that the affection which exists between the two Connexions generally, will extend itself to the Brethren and Societies in the Canadas. This is the disposition which we shall earnestly inculcate upon those under our care in those Provinces; and we have full confidence that the same care will be taken by you to extinguish every feeling contrary to love, among those over whom you have controul and influence. With earnest prayers for you, dear and honoured Brethren, in particular, on whom devolves the general direction of the affairs of the great body of Methodists in the Western World, and whose labours are so severe, but so glorious, -that you may be filled with wisdom for counsel, and strength to fulfil the duties of your great office;-and also for all your churches that they may have rest, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, may be abundantly multiplied, We are, Dear Brethren, Yours most affectionately in Liverpool, August 7, 1820. JABEZ BUNTING, President, RESOLUTIONS OF THE BRITISH CONFERENCE IN REFERENCE TO THEIR RELATION WITH THE AMERICAN GENERAL CONFERENCE. The REV. JOHN EMORY, having been introduced to the Conference 'as the accredited Representative in our Body of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America, presented a letter from that Conference and gave an interesting and encouraging statement of the prosperity of the work of God in the United States; which account the Conference received with much satisfaction, and unanimously agreed to the following Resolutions on the occasion; viz. (1.) That the Conference embrace with pleasure this opportunity of recog nizing that great principle, which, it is hoped, will be permanently main |