The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-30 00:00:00

THE WESLL'YAN COIVFEREXCE.

The Rev. Dr. Jobson, in his inaugural address from
the President's chair of the Wesleyan Conference on
Thursday, after thanking the members of it for the posi-
tion in which they had placed him, proceeded to say that
a rush of associations came upon him in that place. On
his right was Lincolnshire, the county of his birth ; on his
left was Beverley, the home of his ancestry; near him
Holderness, the scene of his first ministerial labour. He
had also many cherished recollections of good men in
Hull, now dead. His first declaration from that
place must be that he believed he was there in
answer to his mother's prayers. His next acknow-
ledgment was due to his brethren. He had not dared to
desire that posit, for be did not know what it might
involve. Being in it, he would pledge himself
by the help of God to preserve, uphold, and extend the
principles now officially entrusted to his keeping. He
held it to be the health and honour of Methodism that it
gathered its adherents from all classes, and that it was
not pledged to any fixed poll: ical creed or partizanship.
It would therefore be presumption in any rnr.o who should
profess to speak on behalf of the Conference on any mat-
ters not immediately connected with Methodism. He
would assure them that on nothing doubtful would
he speak as their representative. There were some
principles, however, which in their name he might
always safely avow. One was that, come what might,
they would not in order to increase their numbers con-
sent to any change which would be likely to lessen the
purity of the Church, or weaken its godly fellowship.
(Loud applause greeted this reference to the class meet-
ing.) He for one would not care to be connected with
a large ungodly Church. Again, be might say, they
were resolved to continue plain, earnest, evangelical
preachers of the Gospel—preachers, he said, not readers,
not reciters, but proclaimers, publishers of truth. He
knew that on some occasions it was not only allowable,
but desirable, to read ; and he knew that many good men
made it their practice ; but if ever it became
common to use the manuscript, or even lengthy notes,
in Methodist preaching, its glory would have departed.
He need not say that he believed they were com-
petent to discharge all ministerial duties, but they would
not be ashamed still to be called " Methodist preachers."
No dignity was higher than that of the preacher. Again,
they were resolved to continue firm in their adherence to
scriptural Protestantism, united in Christ with all Evan-
gelical Churches, but never conscntingto any alliance with
the " Man of Sin." Men might "level up" or "level
down," but with those who advocated concurrent endow-
ment or indiscriminate endowment, or who, though bound
by oath to "drive away damnable heresy," could Judas-
like betray the truth for pieces of silver, they could have
no sympathy. They would continue loyal to Christ, loyal
to the Book, loyal to the House of Brunswick, loyal
to Queen Victoria, and loyal to our Martyrs and Confes-
sors. They would give up not only glebes and houses,
but life itself, rather than betray the truth. Again, they
were agreed, while spreadir truth amongst the dense
masses of large towns, not to neglect the villages.
Methodism had now become a powerful thing in the
world. In conclusion, he would beg for the prayers and
help and forbearance of the Conference.