strange, that while the Wesleyan Church is the avowed
"friend of all and enemy of none"--is the most Catholic of any
Protestant body towards other religious communions--she should close the
door of admission into her own fold even to attendance upon
class-meeting. I regard it as the misfortune rather than the dishonour
of the Wesleyan Church, that she repels thousands that seek her
communion rather than relax this term of admission. If her success has
been so great under disadvantages unparalleled, I cannot but believe,
that, with the same divine blessing, and upon a basis of membership less
narrow and more scriptural, the Wesleyan Church, would, beyond all
precedent, increase her usefulness, and enlarge her borders.

I will not permit myself to dwell upon associations and recollections
which cannot be expressed in words, any more than they can be
obliterated from the memory, or effaced from the heart. Though I retire
from councils in the deliberations of which I have been permitted to
take a part during more than twenty-five years, and relinquish all
claims upon funds to which I have contributed for a like period, I
should still deem it my duty and privilege to pray for the success of
the former, and continue my humble contributions to the latter; while I
protest in the most emphatic way in my power against shutting the doors
of the church upon thousands to whom I believe they should be opened,
and against making that essential and divine, which, as Mr. Wesley says,
"is merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution." I hope
the day is not remote when the Wesleyan Church will be as scriptural in
her every term of membership as she is in her doctrines of grace and
labours of love.

To this letter of resignation, Rev. Dr. Wood, President of the
Conference, replied on the 4th of January:--

To accept the enclosed documents would be assuming a responsibility
at variance with my judgment and affections. If the proposal you
make of withdrawing from the Methodist ministry be ever received,
it must be with the concurrence of the collective Conference; or,
should the question require immediate attention, that of its
executive committee. I shall be glad to see the enactment of any
regulation which will promote the usefulness of our Church to the
benefit of a large and intelligent class of adherents now receiving
no recognition beyond their contributions to our instituti