some strictures upon this extraordinary book. This I shall do, if it please God to spare my life, at no very distant day. This brief notice is chiefly designed to forestall the influence which publishing me as a “slaveholder" must exert, so far as Dr. Elliot is regarded as a man of truth. To prevent any misapprehension relative to the official character of the History, I subjoin the following resolution of the General Conference: "Resolved, That the manuscript of Dr. Elliott's history be, from time to time, submitted for examination and approval to the agents and editors of the Western Book Concern prior to its publication."

It is presumed that Dr. Elliot, who is so tenacious of the strictest adherence to all constitutional and legal authority, would not publish his book in "defiance of the authority of the General Conference," and thus "veto their decision."

[From the St. Louis Christian Advocate.]

LETTER FROM BISHOP EARLY.

JOSHUA SOULE.

SHAWNEE MISSION, KANSAS TER., October 10, 1855. BROTHER MCANALLY: I have now held two Conferences this fall, without one unpleasant breeze; found them improving and widely spreading in Western Virginia with about one thousand increase from last year; ministers generally in fine spirits; had a fine revival at Buffalo, and were encouraged to see several minister's children, with others, happily converted in the Conference-room; and left the preachers with the prospect of a still more encouraging and successful year in that romantic and beautiful region, notwithstanding the opposition resulting from abolition affinities to the Northern Methodist Church.

From there, I had a pleasant trip with Dr. Hamilton, by steamer, to Cincinnati, where we parted, and the next morning I left on the railroad, came by Indianapolis, Terre Haute, and Vincennes, and arrived at St. Louis in twenty-four hours. Next morning (Sabbath) preached the funeral, as you know, of our old and muchesteemed friend, Mrs. Mary Burd, formerly of Lynchburg, Virginia; at night I preached in the First Church. On Tuesday, 25th, I left for Upper Missouri on the steamer Admiral-was much pleased with the kind attentions of Capt. Baker and other officers-was frequently saluted by old, unexpected friends, as the boat would stop at the various towns and landing-places. Arrived at Lexington, about four hundred miles up the river, on Friday night; found many hospitable friends; by invitation staid at the house of Brother Underwood, and was greatly delighted with him and his most excellent lady and children. We preached for them on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and were sorry that we could not stay longer and preach more. Here I met many, very many, Virginians, and intimate personal friends that I had not seen for many years, and whom I had never expected to see again; it was a glorious time-especially when I shook the cordial hand of relations and friends, who had blessed me in other years, and of the sainted servants who waited on me in the first years of my ministry. Tuesday, 25th, Brother Prottsman carried me in his carriage to Richmond, on the north side of the Missouri river, the place for holding the Missouri Conference. I now found myself in one of the most beautiful and rich regions of the country I had ever seen, and was assured that the whole country, up the river and to Iowa north, was equally desirable, and seemed to flow with milk and honey.

On the 26th the Missouri Conference commenced its session, with the spirit of ministers, and it was conducted to its close, the sixth day, with great harmony: much and very important business was transacted, and great interest in our institutions was exhibited. We had a crowd of intelligent friends in constant attendance. We had fine singing, devout and powerful prayers, accompanied with weeping and rejoicing, and some honest confessions, and solemn promises of amendment in future. Here, too, I was delighted to meet old and endeared friends and hear them praise God. The increase in the Conference is about fourteen hundred; and a number received on trial in the ministry that promise much usefulness. I left the preachers with the conviction that they are men of one work, with qualifications well suited to the great work of evangelizing that beautiful country; united among themselves, with intelligence and piety to fit them to take care of the Church of God and its promising institutions. May their lives be preserved and their labors crowned with success.

Brother Prottsman took me back to Lexington on Wednesday, 3d of October.

I dedicated their new and commodious church at Wellington, where I met other Virginia friends-and the congregation very readily contributed more than was necessary to finish paying for the house. On Thursday we crossed a beautiful country up to Kansas, passing by Independence; crossed the Kansas river near the mouth, and were very kindly received after night by one of the chiefs of the Wyandotts, (Silas Armstrong;) found him a very intelligent and wealthy gentleman, living in good style, and his wife pleasant and affable in her manners; he gave us much information about the various tribes and about the country: here I spent my first night among the Indians.

The next day we visited the missionary, William Barnett, whom Brother Charlton received into the Church in my presence in Lynchburg, Virginia, whom I licensed to preach when he was very young, and whose wife I had known from her infancy. was pleased to see them and their children, and find that they are well suited to the Wyandott mission. From that we moved up to the Delaware mission; staid all night with Brother Talbott, the missionary; saw one of their chiefs, with whom I was delighted-said to be a fine interpreter and eloquent preacher. Next morning we crossed the Kansas river, and came to the mission school in the Shawnee nation, near the Missouri line, and then my interesting conductor, Brother Prottsman, left me. On Sunday morning Brother Johnson carried me to the Shawnee Mission Church, five miles off, and I preached for the first time (in my whole life) through an interpreter. I found many difficulties in commencing this new mode of preaching. I was somewhat relieved when I was introduced to Charles Bluejacket, the head chief of the nation, a well-dressed and finelooking Indian, about forty years old, who was to interpret for me. The services commenced with a song in the Shawnee language, when I prayed, singing again in the Shawnee tongue, and afterwards I gave them a talk in English. There were a number present who could understand the singing and prayer in their own language and by Indians. Ended the services, when the preacher placed his missionary hat or box in the aisle for his monthly collection. I was delighted to see small and great deposit their funds from a small piece of silver to a dollar. What a spectacle! Could many of our liberal and rich friends look upon these scenes, and see at our mission schools many young ladies now being trained in letters, religion, and the arts of civilized life, our treasury would never be empty. To-morrow I shall leave for the St. Louis Conference, to commence 17th inst. Yours truly, JOHN EARLY.

"THE GREAT SECESSION."

In several numbers of the St. Louis Advocate, during the month of February, 1855, the Rev. Dr. McAnally, in a series of editorials, submits to a ruinous review the work of Dr. C. Elliott, entitled, "THE GREAT SECESSION," a book perverting the facts of Methodist history to a shameful extent. The following extract gives some idea of Dr. McAnally's mode of handling this author. For the present we content ourselves with taking the following from the introduction. Read it:

"The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in these pages is called a 'secession from the Methodist Episcopal Church,' and the word secession is used in its plain, simple meaning of separation from the Methodist Episcopal Church by the sole act of the seceders themselves, without authority, sanction, or approval by the Methodist Episcopal Church. It can not be considered, we believe, other than a violent secession, originating without necessity or adequate cause, carried on by wrong measures, pleaded for by raising fallacious issues, and, when completed, comprising several dangerous elements. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, stands, therefore, in the same relation to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and to the British Wesleyans, that the Methodist Protestant Church, and the followers of Mr. Scott in America, and other Methodist bodies in Europe do."

"There! you have read it, have you? Well, read it again; and then read the following, and remember that, on the 7th day of June, in the year of grace 1844, Robert Paine, chairman of the Committee of Nine, reported to the General Conference, then sitting in the city of New-York, a Plan' for the separation of the Church. Next day (June 8th) the report was called up, when

"Dr. Elliot moved its adoption, and would explain his views on the subject

without attempting to approach debate. He had had the opportunity of examining it, and had done so narrowly. He believed it would insure the purposes designed, and would be for the best interests of the Church. It was his firm belief that this was a proper course for them to pursue, in conformity with the Scriptures, and the best analogies they could collect from the ancient churches, as well as from the best-organized modern churches. All history did not furnish an example of so large a body of Christians remaining in such close and unbroken connection as the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was now found necessary to separate this large body, for it was becoming unwieldy. He referred to the Churches of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, which, though they continued as one, were at least as distinct as the Methodist Episcopal Church would be if the suggested separation took place. The Church of England was one under the Bishops of Canterbury and York, connected and yet distinct. In his own mind it had been for years perfectly clear that to this conclusion they must eventually come. Were the question that now unhappily agitated the body dead and buried, there would be good reason for passing the resolution contained in that report. As to the representation in that General Conference, one out of twenty was but a meagre representation, and to go on as they had done, it would soon be one out of thirty. And the body was now too large to do business advantageously. The measure contemplated was not schism, but separation for their mutual convenience and prosperity?

"Now, good reader, put this and that together, and how does it strike you? The first extract is taken from the introduction to the History, Etc.;' the second is taken from the published debates of the General Conference of 1844. They do not exactly agree-do they?"

APPENDIX.

COURSE OF STUDY.

Ar the request of some brethren interested, we publish below the Course of Study, etc. At the last General Conference the Bishops were requested to revise the course, which we suppose they will do as soon as practicable. At least it is to be hoped they will. For one, we never see the course as it now stands without feeling somewhat ashamed of its meagreness:

COURSE OF STUDY FOR THE ITINERANT PROBATIONERS AND DEACONS OF THE METHOD-
IST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH, TO BE UNIFORMLY OBSERVED IN ALL THE ANNUAL
CONFERENCES, As provided for BY THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.

First Year.-The Bible, as to Doctrines, with reference to Wesley's Notes; the
Bible Dictionaries and Commentaries, of our own publication; Concordance, and
Gaston's Collections of Sacred Scriptures; Wesley's Sermons; Fletcher's Appeal,
and Christian Perfection; English Grammar and Composition.

Second Year.-The Bible, as to Ordinances or Sacraments; Reference books the same as the first year; Watson's Life of Wesley; Bishop Watson's Apology; Fletcher's Christian Perfection; Methodist Discipline; Geography; Composition. Third Year.-The Bible, as to History and Chronology; Reference books as before; the first and second parts of Watson's Institutes; Gregory's Church History ; Rhetoric; written Essay or Sermon.

Fourth Year.-The Bible generally; Reference books the same; the third and fourth parts of Watson's Institutes; Powell on Apostolic Succession; Old Christanity Contrasted with the Novelties of Popery, by Gideon Ousley; Logic; written Essay or Sermon.

The foregoing course is considered obligatory upon the several classes of cand ́dates. The following is for such as have ability, time, and inclination to accomplish more, on which, or any part of it, such only as desire it should be examined. Miscellaneous Department.-The Bible, continued; Fletcher's Checks; Life of Dr. Episcopius; Mosheim's Church History; Dr. Elliott on Romanism; D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation; Butler's Analogy; Natural Philosophy; Moral Philosophy; Civil History. And if any desire to proceed still further, they can include in their course other sciences in the dead languages, aided by the best authors, and such private instruction as may be in their reach.

SERIAL SERMONS.

NASHVILLE, Feb. 16, 1835. MR. EDITOR: Some time last year I drew up, by request, a plan of discourses on the articles of religion, and published in the Southern Christian Advocate. A desire has been expressed that it should be re-published in the columns of the New-Orleans Christian Advocate; a copy of the plan I herewith furnish you for that purpose. The insertion will oblige some others as well as, yours, truly,

THOMAS O. SUMMERS.

Having been requested to select texts and suggest themes for a series of sermons, I have drawn up the following paper, which, with some diffidence, I present to the consideration of such of my junior brethren in the ministry as may be interested in the matter. In doing this I shall take occasion to commend and encourage that

desire and effort to make full proof of their ministry which, in various ways, is evinced by the young preachers of our communion. We can not maintain our status in the community, much less extend our influence, unless there be variety, fullness, and originality in our pulpit ministrations. Dr. Olin, I believe, speaks of some preachers of his acquaintance, who had been many years in the ministry, whose entire stock in trade consisted of a dozen or two meagre plans of sermons, "yellow papers," he significantly called them, as they had become well-begrimed and dingy, by reason of age and constant service. Such preachers' skeletons-a marvellously proper name for them, by the way-are not like Ezekiel's dry bones, for he says: 67 There were very many of them;" and yet they are like them, for "lo!" says the prophet, "they were very dry!" Dry, indeed, are such skeletons; there is no marrow in those pulpit-bones, no flesh on them.

It must be confessed that an itinerant minister is specially exposed to the temptation to indolence in preparation for the pulpit. That temptation is yielded to by some; we are happy to know it is bravely resisted by others. One method by which it may be successfully resisted by ministers is, to resolutely tax himself with the careful preparation of several series of sermons, to be delivered as circumstances and occasions may suggest. In those cases where a minister delivers three or four sermons every week to the same congregation, how edifying it may be to both preacher and people to deliver a series of discourses at one of the services, whether on the week-night or the Sabbath, morning, afternoon, or night; the time, of course, to correspond with the circumstances of the congregation and the character of the series. There may be a doctrinal series, taking the apostles' creed and the articles of religion for the basis; there may be a devotional one, taking the liturgical psalms or the Lord's prayer for the basis; there may be a moral course, the ten commandments or the Sermon on the Mount for the basis; there may be an apologetic course, taking the prophecies and miracles, each by groups, as the foundation; there may be an historical series, taking the salient points of Biblical history for the particular subjects; there may be a biographical course, Scripture characters constituting exceedingly interesting and profitable topics for the pulpit; there may be a specific series for extraordinary occasions of religious interest; and there may be other series suited to the genius and talent of the preacher, as well as the circumstances and capacity of his auditory.

In delivering a series of sermons, a minister must be specially guarded against going too much into detail on any one subject. He must confine it to those points which are the most suggestive, and resolutely pass by a thousand others which may clamor for attention, if his library be well stored, and his mind be of the analytic type. Take, for illustration, the articles of religion; a preacher might very well deliver two and fifty discourses on the first article, entitled-unphilosophically and unscientifically, it must be confessed, like nearly all the rest" Of Faith in the Holy Trinity." On this there may be a sermon, or more than one, on the existence of God; on his perfections, severally considered; on his works in creation and providence; on the unity of the Godhead; on the Tri-personality. On the other hand, if, as Solomon says, the preacher seek to find out acceptable words, carefully maturing and condensing his thoughts, he might discuss every point in the article, very greatly to the edification of his hearers, in a single sermon, coming within the orthodox limits of an hour. It may not be improper to observe that the Anglican Confession, of which ours is an abridgment, was formed, so to speak, by accretion, entire articles and portions of articles, many of them of a negative form, being introduced from various sources, concocted at various times, in opposition to Pagan, Gnostic, Manichæan, Sabellian, Arian, Apollinarian, Nestorian, Eutychian, Donatist, Pelagian, Antinomian, Romish, Anabaptist, and other errors. There is, therefore, a lack of unity and scientific arrangement in those articles, whether the twenty-five or the thirty-nine, though not so much so in the former as in the latter. This makes it difficult to arrange them in convenient themes, each with an appropriate text, for pulpit discussion. I have attempted to do this in the following scheme-with what success, others must judge. As I have aimed at the greatest possible simplicity, brevity, and comprehension, I have purposely avoided the citation of proof-texts and theological authorities; every man must seek out these for himself. The Bible must be the minister's great text-book; nevertheless the immortal work of Pearson on the Creed, and the inferior though highly valuable work of Burnet on the thirty-nine Articles, may be studied with great advantage. There is a small book by Mr. Jamieson on the twenty-five Arti