Q. What can be done to secure money, that may be collected for this purpose, in future?

Q. "How shall money be drawn, from time to time, out of the fund, for the relief of distressed preachers?

Q. As the bishop complains, that some preachers look to him for a supply of their de ficiencies, what is the judgment of the council in this case?

Q. As some of the members of council com. plain of long and expensive journies, what can be done for their assistance in future?

Q. When and where shall the next council be held?

A. "At Cokesbury College, or Baltimore, on the first day of December, 1792."

There were thirty-one questions in these minutes, which I have stated in the same form, and order in which they stood in the minutes of the council. I have also given a few of the answers. But the answers being of little or no consequence to the people in general, I have omitted the greater part of them; and only inserted such as might perhaps be satisfactory to the reader. I have thought proper to publish all the questions, that it may be seen in future, in what manner the council proceeded.

This council determined to have another meeting two years from that time. But their proceedings gave such dissatisfaction to our connection in general, and to some of the travelling preachers in particular, that they were forced to abandon the plan. And there has never since been a meeting of the kind.

When the first council met, I wrote them a letter, in which I stated my objections to their plan, and pointed out the difficulties that it would

produce, and contended for a general conference ; which plan was disapproved of by all the council.

The most violent opposer of the council among the travelling preachers was at first one of that body, namely, James O'Kelly. While he was at the first council, he appeared to be united to the plan, and to the members; but after he returned to Virginia, he exclaimed bitterly against the proceedings and against what he himself had done in the business. He refused to have any thing at all to do with the second council.

The supposition respecting this sudden change in the old man, and his hasty conduct in condemning what he had just before sanctioned, was, that he went to the first council with some expectation of being promoted in the church; but finding himself disappointed, he returned home greatly mortified.

We have sufficient reason to believe that the establishment of the council was very injurious to the Methodist connection. The plan produced such difficulties in the minds of the preachers and the people, and brought on such opposition, that it was hard to reconcile them one to another. Nothing would or could give satisfaction to the preachers but the calling together all the travelling preachers in a general conference; to which after some time the bishop consented.

In 1790 we had fourteen conferences, at the following times and places :

The forty-first conference was held in Charleston, on the 15th of February.

The forty-second in Georgia, on the 3d of March.

The forty-third in Kentucky, on the 26th of April.

The forty-fourth at Holstein, on the 17th of May.

The forty-fifth in North-Carolina, on the 24th of May.

The forty-sixth at Lane's chapel, on the 14th of June.

The forty-seventh at Union Town, on the 29th of July.

The forty-eighth at Leesburg, on the 26th of August.

The forty-ninth in Baltimore, on the 6th of September.

The fiftieth at Cokesbury, on the 11th of September.

The fifty-first at Duck-Creek, on the 16th of September.

The fifty-second in Philadelphia, on the 22d of September.

The fifty-third in Burlington, on the 28th of September.

The fifty-fourth in New-York on the 4th of October.

At these conferences we took in 20 new circuits and stations. Three of them were in the south, Savannah, Savannah Town and Cataba. There were six more in the west, namely, Lexington, Limestone, Madison, Russel, Green and Lincoln, The others were Contentney, low down in North Carolina; and Surry low down in Virginia, and Stafford in the north part of the state; and Canauway in the upper part of the state. South River in Maryland, and Bethel in New-Jersey, and Randolph high up the country. In Con. necticut we took in three, Newhaven, Hartford and Litchfield. And one in Massachusetts called Boston.

We admitted on trial this year sixty eight young preachers, and added to the society 14356

members. There were more added to the soci ety this year, than ever had been before in the course of one year. And with all we had 116 circuits on the minutes this year.

The form of the minutes was now altered, and the first question was, "Who are admitted on trial ?" This mode of beginning the minutes has ever since been pursued. The second question is, "Who remain on trial ?" and thus proceed up in gradation to the bishops. Formerly the first question was, "Who are the bishops?" and then proceed downwards to the lowest order.

Several preachers located this year; and some of them were of long standing in the travelling connection. Henry Willis, had travelled twelve years, Edward Morris nine years. Jeremiah Mastin five years. Matthew Greentree seven years. Levin Ross five years, and the others had travelled a shorter time.

Three preachers died this year, and the cha racters given them in the minutes were as follows:" Cornelius Cook, he was a faithful labour. er and patient sufferer, while he was employed in the church for three years; and departed in peace and confidence in the month of August 1789." His complaint was singular; it was a profuse discharge of blood through the kidneys. One night after a discharge of perhaps five or six quarts of blood and water, which ran from him in a constant stream, he thought himself to be in the agonies of death; and calling up the family and other friends he bid them farewell, and said he was dying, and exhorted them all to prepare and meet him at the right hand of God, He told them he had been preaching the gospel among them, and said "I am now a dying witness of the truths which I have preached."-While the friends wept around him, and waited

to see him expire, he began to revive; and after a few days he got so well as to be about again, and lived about three months longer, and then bid the world farewell.

"James Connor, a native of Buckingham county in the state of Virginia; two years and a half in the work; a pious, solid, understanding man; his gifts were improveable, and promised useful. ness to the church. In the midst of a blameless life, he was suddenly taken away from labour and suffering, and blessed with confidence in his last moments.

"John Tunnil, who died of a consumption at the Sweet Springs, in July 1790. He was about thirteen years in the work of the ministry; a man of solid piety, great simplicity and godly sincerity; well known and much esteemed both by ministers and people. He had travelled extensively through the states, and declined in sweet peace.

Mr. Tunnil was elected to the office of an el der at the Christmas conference, when we were first formed into a church. His gifts as a preacher were great; and his conduct as a pious man, was worthy of imitation. He was greatly beloved in his life, and much lamented in his death. He died about a mile to the west of the Sweet Springs. His friends took his remains over the mountain to a meeting house about five miles east of the Sweet Springs, where they buried him."

There was a new rule introduced into the annual minutes this year concerning Sunday schools; which is as follows:

66 Q. What can be done in order to instruct poor children (white and black) to read?

A. "Let us labour, as the heart and soul of one man, to establish Sunday schools, in or near