he plan of tract distribution. He wrote, printed, and scattered over the
kingdom, placards on almost every topic of morals and religion. In
addition to the usual means of grace, he introduced the band meeting, the
class meeting, the prayer meeting, the love feast, and the watch night.
Not content with his itinerant laborers, he called into use the less
available powers of his people by establishing the new departments of
local preachers, exhorters, and leaders. It was, in fine, by gathering
together fragments, by combining minutiae, that he formed that stupendous
system of spiritual means which is rapidly evangelizing the world.

It was not only in the theoretical construction of plans that he excelled;
he was, if possible, still more distinguished by practical energy. The
variety and number of his labors would be absolutely incredible with less
authentic evidence than that which corroborates them. He was perpetually
travelling and preaching, studying and writing, translating and abridging,
superintending his societies, and applying his great plans. He travelled
usually _five thousand_ miles a year, preaching twice and thrice a day,
commencing at five o'clock in the morning. In the midst of all this
travelling and preaching, he carried with him the meditative and studious
habits of the philosopher. No department of human inquiry was omitted by
him. "History, poetry, and philosophy," said he, "I read on horseback."

Like Luther, he knew the importance of the press; he kept it teeming with
his publications. His itinerant preachers were good agents for their
circulation. "Carry them with you through every round," he would say;
"exert yourselves in this; be not ashamed, be not weary, leave no stone
unturned." His works, including abridgments and translations, amounted to
about two hundred volumes. These comprise treatises on almost every
subject of divinity, poetry, music, history,--natural, moral, metaphysical,
and political philosophy. He wrote, as he preached, _ad populum_; and his
works have given to his people, especially in Great Britain, an elevated
tone of intelligence as well as of piety. He may, indeed, be considered
the leader in those exertions which are now being made for the popular
diffusion of knowledge.

Differing from the usual character of men who are given to various
exertions and many plans, he was accurate and profound. He was an adept in
classical literature and the use of the classical tongues; his w