The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-18 00:00:00

.)

THE WESLEYAN DISRUPTION.
4o we soma or Tilt EXPRESS.
Bta,—Permit me to intimate you are not well
Wormed upon Wesleyia matters.
lat. The declaration was not " directed," but per-
mitted, the eonferencs of 1847.
2nd. Those whom you call " speculators of no
kiendly_disposition," except one, are not suspected as
authors of the " Fly-sheeti." All are sound, firm,
deeply attached to Wesleyanisof. who do not seek a
change of " principles.".. But of the mode of present
idmiamtration—the administration at present being
fixed by a very few, and by them worked out by a
system of packed men upon committee', and, if op-
posed in or out of conference, the oi ponent is trans-
ported to a penal circuit.
3rd. The conference is composed entirely, not
" principally," of ministers.
4th. " The organisation of a regular opposition, to
gain the supremacy," is wholly incorrect ; no attempt
at this, however, has been made. The expelled par-
ties, and some others, have as occasion required risen
in the conference, and opposed certain proceedings,
but never organised. The journals you allude to are
the property of, and are supported by, members, not
preachers.
sth. It you consult the missionary report", you
will find the secretaries c.xt each this year 3511. ; by
the reports of former years, 5001. each.
As a Wesleyan, I object to the " Fly-sheets." The
writer, or writers, unworthily descend to personalities,
and evidence towards individuals a bad spirit. But I
have yet to learn the correctness of your assertion,
" that some of the statements are convicted of
untruth."
As a friend to troth and liberal principles, I have
ventured to point out the above, for your information.
Yours, &c., JOHN JEFFERY.
Halifax, Aug. 16.

MEETING OF WESLEYANS AT NOT-

TINGHADE

NOTTINGHAM, FILIDAY, Arcs. 17.
A meeting of Wesleyan Methoctsts and m.imb es
of other dissenting bodies took place last night in the large
hall of the Mitchenies'lastitution.
W. Moons, &4., of East Retford, occupied the chair,
and after a few introductory remarks, called upon
The Th.v. SAMUEL DUNN, who said, th►t the specific
object of their meeting was not discussion. They would be
prepared at any future time aed. suit ,ble place to meet any
number of Wesleyan alnianen from the president dors n-
wards, fur a fair, tree, and tu:l examination of the great
principles for the maintenance of which they stood in their
presrat position. Bu' a wrong view having been given by
the deputations from the conference to their respective cir-
cuits last Sabbath, their object that evening was to give
a brief, clear, and correct statement of facts col.-
sleeted with the present peculiar position of himself and his
friends, Messrs. Griffith and Everett. For 30 years he (Mr.
Dunn) had laboured to the best cf his ability in the W. e-
leysn ministry, and for 20 years had his hon. frienri Is-
boured also amongst the same body. Lest Saturday, in
Manchester, they were publicly expelled from the Wesleyan
conference. Tee meeting would wish to know the exact
grounds upon which they had been expelled. There was no
charge preferred against them for false doctrine—no emerge
affecting their moral or Christian charac er—no charge of
• want of attention to the general discipline of the body.
or for neglect of their duties as Christian ministers. The
whole pe•int on which their expulsion rested was, that
they refused to be n party to the novel, inquisitorial, ar-
bitrary, despotic, un-English, net Protestant, un.W. s-
ic) an, and uneeriptural application of the riles of
conference to the expulsion of the Rev. James Everett.
Three or four years ego, copies of a certain anonymous pub-
lication, called the " Fly Sheets," were privately circu:ated
in different pert. of the kingdom, chiefly amongst the minis-
ters of their body. These publications attacked whet wre
c smidered to be defects in the administration of Methodism.
Hoven prepared to say that not one of the 600 ministers who
expelled him last Saturday had the shadow of an evidene •
that he wr.ae one line of those publications. Last
Friday a long string of interrogatives was brought for
ward against himself and Mr. Griffith, and in crate that
he might give them a careful examination, he
asked tor a copy, w►ich was refused. When, how-
ever, they were brought before the bar of conference,
he (Mr. I).) mid es the document contained something in
the nature of an indictment affecting their character, he
emit 1 himself, or by his solicit +r, demand a copy in any civil
court in the land. Having heard this truth rung in his
ears, Dr. Bunting at length said, " Let them have it," and
at the breaking up of the conference it was promised to be
seat. An answer was written to this charge, and himself
and Mr. Griffith were, in consequence of being unwilling,
amongst oth r members. to forego c.rresp ailing with the
Wesleyan Tomes and Wesleyan Banner, expelled. One
requirement was, Oat they should muse agitating the con
nelim. He (Mr. Dunn) asked what they meant, end was
tolo that they ista.t not speak of anything relating to the
law of 1835. Well, they regarded this condition so de-
grading as ministers, as protestant', se Englishmen, that
they could not comply with it, ant, rather than do so, they
would submit to be expelled. (Loud applause.)
The Rte. W. GRIFFITH having expressed similar senti•

menu,
The CHAIRMAN requested all those who disap-
proved of the proceedings of the Conference to hold up
their hands. The result proved that there was a very strong
feeling ag►inst the proceedings.
A sutocription was then entered into, for the purpose of
nurchniug an inanity for each of the expelled ministers, end
in a faw minutes more than 1251. was collected.