ation according to circumstances or caprice; but in all cases the
loss to the Wesleyan Church of the greater part of the harvest which she
should and might gather into the garner of Christ.

CHAPTER LV.

1855.

Dr. Ryerson Resumes his Position in the Conference.

Although the great majority of the Conference of 1854, after much
conflict of feeling--in which regret and sympathy were mingled--rejected
the resolutions proposed by Dr. Ryerson on the class-meeting question,
yet sorrow at the loss from their councils of so distinguished a man as
Dr. Ryerson prevailed amongst them. This feeling deepened as the year
advanced, and much personal effort was made to induce him to consent to
some honourable means by which his return to the ministerial ranks could
be secured. At length, as the Conference-year neared its close, he
yielded to the wishes of his friends, and, on the 26th May, 1855,
addressed the following letter to Rev. Dr. Wood, President of the
Conference:--

From the conversations which have taken place between you, my brother,
and some others of our ministers and myself, in reference to my present
and future relations to the Conference and to the Church, I think it but
respectful and an act of duty to state my views in writing, that there
may be no misapprehension on the subject, and that you may adopt such a
course as you shall think advisable.

When I wrote my letters of resignation of office in the Church, the one
dated 2nd January, 1854, and the other the 12th day of June following, I
had but faint expectations of being in the land of the living at this
time. In what I wrote and did, I acted under the apprehension of having
no longer time for delay in attesting, in the most decisive and
practical way in my power, what I believe to be the divine rights of
members of the visible Church of Christ whether they are baptized
children or professing Christians. Since then I have reason to be
thankful that the alarming symptoms in respect to my health have in a
great measure subsided, and that I have the prospect of being able to
continue my labours with undiminished strength and vigor, at least for
some time to come.

In my first letter to you I stated and explained at length my belief
that making attendance at class-meeting an essential condition of
membership in the Church of God, is not only requiring what is not
enjoined in the word of God, but excluding, on other than scriptural
grounds, exemplary p