_ Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark
of difference, whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are
not baptized, but it is also a sign of regeneration or the new birth.
The baptism of young children is to be retained in the church.

[140] I have understood, nevertheless, that a resolution was adopted
expressing the sense of the Conference as to my past labours in the
Church; but the publication of it has been suppressed in the official
organ, as also in the printed minutes, of the Conference.

The correspondence in the subsequent pages shows with what feelings and
sentiments I retired from the councils of the Conference; and I could
not have supposed that any members of that body were capable of
excluding from the public records of its proceedings what the Conference
had deemed a bare act of justice to an individual who had laboured
nearly thirty years in connection with it, and often performed most
difficult services and labours in its behalf. Such a proceeding will
reflect more dishonour upon its authors than upon me, in the judgment of
every honourable and Christian mind in Upper Canada, of whatever
persuasion or party. I am happy to believe that this poor imitation of
the system of the "Index Expurgatorius" cannot blot from the memories of
an older generation in the Church recollections of labours and struggles
of which the expurgators know nothing but the fruits--among which are
the civil and religious privileges they enjoy.

I have also been credibly informed that, while the real grounds of my
resignation and the judgment of the Conference upon my conduct and
labours during many years' connection with it, are withheld from the
Wesleyan public, insinuations are circulated, that my resignation has
been dictated by ulterior political objects--an idea which I have never
for one moment entertained, and which is foreign, as far as I know, to
the thoughts of every public man in Canada.

[141] Of the utter insufficiency of public ministrations alone, even for
grown up Christians, much more for children, Mr. Wesley thus speaks in
his large and authorized Minutes of Conference:--"For what avails public
preaching alone, though we could preach like angels? We must, yea, every
travelling preacher must, instruct them from house to house. Till this
is done, and that in good earnest, the Methodists will be little better
than other people. Our religion is not deep, universal, uniform; but
superficial,