circuit preachers without whose assistance the triumphs achieved would not have been won. In At the head of this honourable band we place John Nelson, the Yorkshire mason, who was one of the earliest converts, having listened to Wesley's first sermon in Moorfields. Of a powerful build, and ever showing indomitable courage, he went through a course of hard and successful service, such as makes his life read like a romance. point of time Thomas Maxfield comes before Nelson, thus taking the distinction of having been the first lay preacher of Methodism. Thomas Lee and Christopher Hopper were men of similar metal, who forsook ease and accepted suffering as their common lot for the sake of the cause which lay nearest their hearts. The original circuits were immense tracts of country, more than broad enough to tax the strength of a horseman ; and yet the majority of the early preachers appear to have been obliged, by reason of poverty, to travel on foot. John Jane, one of the number, who once arrived at Holyhead with only a penny in his pocket, actually died of fatigue; and others would have shared his fate if their physical strength had not equalled their devotion. The preachers, with many followers, were even found in the army on service on the Continent during the wars of George II. At the battle of Fontenoy, fought on May Day, 1745, a comparatively large number of Methodists were killed, including four preachers. ILLUSTRIOUS ALLIES. Though unable, in a brief article, to give details of their interesting lives, we will just mention the chief, at least, of a number of eminent men who in its earlier stages assisted the Methodist revival. Vincent Perronet, vicar of Shoreham, was from the first Wesley's friend and counsellor; he used his pen in favour of the movement, and two of his sons became itinerant preachers. William Grimshaw, the curate of Haworth, in Yorkshire, was as remarkable for the depravity of his youth as for that conquering zeal of his after life which enabled him to reform the then half civilized inhabitants of his wild district. In addition to the duties of his parish, with its four hamlets, in which he regularly preached, Grimshaw took charge of two enormous circuits in three counties, and in various ways, both extraordinary and eccentric, he advanced the reformation of the people. He sometimes held as many as thirty meetings a week; and while he loved nothing better than to royally entertain Wesley and Whitefield, and collect the scattered population to their services, his house was constantly crowded with more humble itine- John Berridge, vicar of Everton, was similar town. A man of like devotion was John Fletcher, of Madeley, whose name from his times to our own has been a household word in England. Of Fletcher it is said, "He led a life of severe abstinence, that he might feed the hungry; he clothed himself in cheap attire that he might clothe the naked; he sometimes unfurnished his house that he might supply suffering families with necessary articles." He rejected a richer living with lighter work, in order to reclaim the debased mining population of Madeley; and though coming of a noble Swiss family, he spoke English with such singular correctness that the force of his eloquence soon conquered the persecution which at first was awakened by his Methodistical innovations. How he preached incessantly in villages and hamlets for ten miles round his parish, visited the people in their homes, and sometimes gathered a congregation with a bell in his hand, are familiar facts. According to Venn,—no mean judge, Fletcher was more than a luminary— "He was a sun." No less effective than the labours of the above in their respective spheres was the work of Henry Venn in his parish of Huddersfield, a man called by Whitefield "a son of thunder." His success entitles Venn to rank among the princes of the movement, and among his converts were more than a dozen youths who afterwards became regular preachers. He was also an acceptable writer, his "Complete Duty of Man" having been prepared expressly to correct what is erroneous in the more popular and anonymous work bearing a similar title. More highly connected, and thoroughly trained for the legal profession, Martin Madan was the life of a coterie which met regularly at a rendezvous in London, according to the custom of the times. An accomplished mimic, Madan was commissioned to hear Wesley; but the text announced, "Prepare to meet thy God!" so startled the young 125 lawyer that he retired from the scene an altered man, to enter the Church and identify himself with the Revival. Nor should we overlook Thompson, of St. Dennis, in Cornwall, who early cast in his lot with the Methodists; and who, when threatened with the loss of his gown by Lavington, Bishop of Exeter, himself stripped the garment from his back with the remark, "I can preach the Gospel without a gown." These and many others who ought to be remembered were mighty in their day, and their influence still lives in the descendants of the first converts. Those who desire to acquaint themselves with the whole story, with all its singularly interesting details, should consult the "History of Methodism," by Dr. Abel Stevens, a convenient and illustrated edition of which scholarly work is issued at the London Wesleyan Conference Office in three volumes. IRELAND, SCOTLAND, WALES. Considering the character of the country and the nature of the formidable obstacles which had to be overcome, the success of Methodism in Ireland was not the least remarkable feature of the great movement. Wesley himself crossed the Channel more than forty times, and he was ably seconded in his endeavours by the apostolic preaching zeal of Thomas Coke and Thomas Walsh. Of course, in this green island, as elsewhere, the fury of the mob had to be encountered, and the passions of the people were stimulated by Romish prejudice as well as by native ignorance. In spite of all, however, the fruits of the Revival were soon manifest. England sent preachers to itinerate through Ireland, while our own country and the world generally benefited by the work of Irishmen who rose to eminence in their profession. The most illustrious of these was Adam Clarke the commentator; but there were many others whom want of space precludes our naming. Before the death of Wesley, fifteen circuits had been marked out, each having on an average about two preachers, while the members showed a total of 6,000. The work was greatly retarded by the rebellion at the close of the century; and as Dr. Stevens remarks, "the horrors perpetrated in the name of liberty by this outbreak of commingled popery and infidelity can never be fully recorded." Nevertheless, fifteen years after this dark cloud had passed, the circuits had greatly multiplied, and the numbers had increased to nearly 30,000. In Scotland the conditions were entirely different; the people were intensely Protestant; they understood all about the fundamentals of Christianity, and were quite willing to listen to what the preachers had to say. The scenes at Cambaslang in 1742, under the preaching of Whitefield, when an immense concourse remained on the ground all night, and when, on another occasion, 20,000 people partook of the Lord's Supper, were perhaps more extraordinary than any other passages even in the singular experience of the great evangelist. Scotland did not accept Methodism as an ecclesiastical system because she had already one of her own which she preferred; but the revival none the less did mighty things for the country, the results of which remain until this day. As regards Wales it is not too much to say that in the Principality Methodism effected a complete transformation. The morals of the people were entirely corrupted, and religion had degenerated into superstition when the reformers commenced their work; and then, contrary to expectation, no other field yielded a richer harvest. Griffith Jones and Howell Harris, both of whom were devoted to the Established Church, prepared the way: the first by organizing bands of tutors who traversed the country for the purpose of teaching the poor to read; the second by preaching and gathering the people into Christian Societies. When these efforts were followed up by the awakening calls of Wesley and Whitefield, the whole country was soon aroused, and though there was opposition, as in other places, the reformation which ensued became the greatest mir acle in Welsh history. Though the leaders never intended the movement to become a Nonconformist one, it took this turn. In other words, between two and three thousand chapels have been erected in Wales since the days of George II. The work of the first preachers was continued with wonderful power and success by Christmas Evans and his illustrious contemporaries, who, speaking the language of the people, wielded an influence by the power of God which entitles them to rank among the apostles of Wales. METHODIST DENOMINA TIONS. Since the first leaders passed away, the original family of Methodism has divided into several sects; but as a healthy tree puts forth new branches, all of which are dependent on the same roots, so the multiplying of denominations may not mean treason to cardinal Christian truth. From the first the Calvinists, by following Whitefield, and the Arminians, by adhering to Wesley, formed two companies. The New Connexion of Wesleyans, founded in 1797, represents the first secession from the latter body after the The United Free death of the founder. sider their own ministers to rank equal in Methodist Church, found- ties wholly composed of In Great Britain and Ireland at the present moment the Methodist bodies have upwards of 5,000 ministers, and nearly a million members; while in the United States the ministers exceed 17,000 and the members are In nearly 2,600,000. addition to this there are large numbers in the English colonies and other parts of the world, to say nothing of the evangelists who are at work in every mission field. The total membership is not far short of 5,000,000; the congregations of each Sabbath probably reach four or five times that number, and there are between four and five millions in the Sunday-schools. MRS. C. WESLEY'S MONUMENT IN BUNHILL Gospel Church dates from 1806, and has no paid ministry. The Primitive Methodists go back to 1810, and differ from others by giving more authority to laymen, and by allowing female preaching. Very similar in constitution are the Bible Christians, who date from 1815. The Primitive Methodists of Ireland come a year later, and they con GENERAL RESULTS; CONCLUSION. But in estimating the results direct and indirect which have come of the Methodist revival, we shall probably find by careful inquiry that the latter have exceeded the former. Just as in the first instance the need was national, the good results have extended to all evangelical denominations. It was not in harmony with the principles of the Established Church when a portion of her bishops and clergy opposed the revival; and in the end that Church has been an enormous gainer by the movement. Then in what degree a nonconformist community could become benefited was well shown in the instance of Samuel Deacon, a farm labourer converted under the preaching of David Taylor, a servant of the Countess of Huntingdon. Deacon, as a General Baptist, became a powerful preacher in the Midlands, and not only was a widely extended region pervaded by his Methodism, an entire denomination was resuscitated. In what degree other bodies were influenced in a similar way cannot always be traced; but, nevertheless, in liberal measure the blessing descended upon every section of the Church. Then that manifestation of missionary zeal which characterized the Church at the close of the old and the opening of the new century, was one of the fruits of this great awakening. Raikes inaugurating the great Sunday-school cause at Gloucester, Carey superintending the Mission-press at Serampore, Martin turning from ease and popularity at home to die on foreign soil, were all Methodists of the truest metal, who would have accounted the best things that earth can give only a poor recompense. The same may be said of the founders of those Bible, tract, and missionary societies which have diffused blessings broadcast, impressing on men the fact of their common brotherhood, and by bringing what would have been the dangerous classes into the fold of the Church, preserved us from social and political evils such as have heavily afflicted sister kingdoms. Many of the great societies in question owed their origin to Methodist influence, and certainly it has been the Methodistical spirit which, through the blessing of God, has contributed to their prosperity till the present day. Thus the fathers sowed the seed in an era of spiritual darkness, the reigns of George II. and George III.; and we are reaping the fruits of their labours in this enlightened Victorian age, an age quite unexampled for the social, political, and scientific progress which has been made. When things were swiftly progressing from bad to worse, Methodism was the divinely appointed means by which the tide was turned; and since those memorable old times of awakening, the nation has been steadily improving and going from good to better, until England is now at once the envy and wonder of the world. While enjoying our happy lot, let us never be unmindful of the debt we owe to those who have gone before. Though a favoured race, we could not possibly have reached our present prosperity if Methodism had not renovated society, when in days of declension the best attributes of national character were threatened with extinction by bold unbelief and licentious license. G. H. P. THE BALTIC FLEET IN THE CRIMEAN WAR; THE LAST OF ENGLAND'S WOODEN WALLS. FROM ALMA THE STORY OF THE CRIMEAN WAR OF 1854-1856. "Should the guards of royal England, in their trenches gaily singing Of the valour and the glories of the British grenadiers, While their comrades' shouts of victory through the smoky air are ringing, Be told that hearts at home are trembling with unworthy fears?" Russia in 185a-The Emperor Nicholas; His Power and Prosperity-The Czar and Sir Hamilton Seymour-Taking an Observation-Montenegro-The Czar's Protectorate-Mentschikoff's Mission-War between Russia and Turkey Anglo-French Alliance for the Protection of the Porte-Omar Pasha and Oltenitza-Sinope-Commencement of the Crimean War-The Allied Forces and their Commanders: Raglan, St. Arnaud, Dundas, Lyons-Defeat of Russians on the Danube-Silistria and Giurgevo-The English, French, and Turkish Armies at Gallipoli and Varna-Invasion of the Crimea-Landing at Eupatoria-March towards Sebastopol-The Battle of the AlmaMarch upon Balaclava-First Attack on Sebastopol-Battle of Balaclava-Charge of the Light Brigade-Newspaper Correspondents-Mr. Russell of "The Times "-Battle of Inkermann-Soldiership and Generalship-A Terrible Winter-An Unexpected Event-The Baltic Fleet-Bomarsund and Hango-The Black Sea Fleet-Yenikale-Operations of 1855-The 18th of June-Renewed Efforts, and Fall of Sebastopol-Conclusion. RUSSIA IN 1852. N the middle of the present century there was one, and one only, among the great continental Powers, with whose government was associated the idea of strength, permanence, and stability; and that power was Russia. All the other thrones had been rudely shaken by the great storms of 1848, the year of revolutions, and of the troublous period that immediately followed. France had seen the Orleans dynasty driven from the throne, and the hastily-constructed, |