onsequence of
what I saw, I began to be greatly dissatisfied with the manner in which
things were carried on in the society.

A division took place in Leeds, and in several other places, and the
seceders formed a new body, called the Protestant Methodists. I left the
old Body at the same time, but having heard favorable accounts of the
Methodist New Connexion, I joined that community. This Body had seceded
from the Old Connexion some thirty years before, under the Leadership of
Alexander Kilham. Kilham was a great reformer both in religion and
politics. He sympathized with the French revolutionists, and with the
English religious Latitudinarians. He was a great admirer of Robert
Robinson of Cambridge, and reprinted, in his periodical, _the Methodist
Monitor_, his writings on religious liberty. He denounced all human
creeds, and proclaimed the Bible the one sole authority in the church
both in matters of doctrine and matters of duty. The conference of the
Body was to consist of one-half preachers and the other half laymen. In
the circuit and society meetings the power was to be divided in the same
way. A list of doctrines generally held in the Body was afterwards drawn
up and published, but was not put forward as an authoritative creed. The
writings of Wesley and Fletcher were referred to, but not as
authorities, but only as works to be consulted. I found on looking
through the rules, that there was nothing to hinder me from becoming a
travelling preacher in this Body. I offered myself as a member, and was
received. I was then sent out as a travelling preacher; and it is to
this Body chiefly that I refer in this work.

I entered the ministry with the full understanding that I should have
perfect Christian liberty both of thought and speech,--that nothing was
required of any minister but a belief in the New Testament, a life in
accordance with its teachings, and the abilities necessary to fit him
for his work. The perfection of the Scriptures, both as a rule of faith
and a rule of life, was one of the first articles in the connexional
list of doctrines, and each preacher was left to interpret the
Scriptures for himself.

To show that the liberty I took in revising my creed was in full
agreement with the principles on which the Body to which I belonged was
founded, I will give a quotation or two from the Founder's works.

"Subscription to all human creeds implies two dispositions contrary to
true religion, love of domi