winter; during these meetings hundreds are frequently converted to God; and although it is to be regretted that the church, as well as the unconverted in many places, scarcely expect a revival of religion except in connection with such meetings, yet it by no means follows that such extra efforts should be dispensed with, but rather continued from year to year, and from place to place, "if by any means we may save some.” 2. The meetings of the general and annual conferences are, more or less, rendered a blessing to the places where they are held, as in connection with them there is much precious seed sown, which must sooner or later produce abundant fruit. Still it is a question, whether less preaching and more of the social means would not be more profitable at such seasons. Our own opinion is, that at every session of an annual conference not only should the sacrament of the Lord's Supper be administered, but a ministerial love-feast, in accordance with the rule of Discipline, should be held, in which, of course, the laity should be invited to participate. These, in connection with prayermeetings, or a conference general class-meeting, would, in our humble opinion, do more good than a continued round of preaching, even by the greatest and best of men. 3. The meetings of district ministerial associations are becoming quite frequent, and are productive of great good, not only to the ministers themselves, but to the people where the sittings are held. So far as the author has been able to obtain authentic information in regard to the origin of these associations, Potsdam district, Black River Conference, has the honor of being the first district in the connection to form a regularly organized district ministerial association. This occurred in the fall of 1836. Rev. John Loveys, being presiding elder, was the first president, and Rev. Jesse T. Peck-now Dr. Peck-was the first secretary, the author and others of his brethren, being members of the said association. Since that period, district ministerial associations have been organized in different districts and conferences, and we may hope, from the experience we PROTRACTED AND OTHER MEETINGS. 313 have had of their utility, directly and indirectly, that they will be continued and multiplied throughout the connection. At these meetings sermons are preached, essays read, examinations held, discussions introduced, resolutions passed, and experience related. On the whole, they are a source of intellectual and spiritual profit, and we can but hope that they will become a common thing among us, be universally adopted, and be properly and prudently conducted. CHAPTER VI. OF THE SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY AND FINANCIAL INTERESTS OF METHODISM. SECTION I. OF THE ANNUAL ALLOWANCE TO MINISTERS. 1. THE annual allowance of the bishops in the Methodist Episcopal Church, is as follows: If unmarried, one hundred dollars and his travelling expenses; if married, two hundred dollars and his travelling expenses; if he have children, for each child under seven years of age, sixteen dollars; and for each child over seven, and under fourteen, twenty-four dollars annually. Besides the above allowance, the bishops are allowed an amount annually for house-rent, fuel, and table expenses. The latter amount is estimated as follows: each annual conference within whose bounds a bishop may reside, appoints a committee, annually, of three or more, whose duty it is to estimate the amount necessary to furnish a house, fuel, and provision, for the bishop. This amount will of course differ according to the size of the bishop's family, and the place where he may reside, as house-rent, fuel, &c., may be much greater in some places than in others. The last amount, when estimated, is drawn from the funds of the book concern in New York and Cincinnati, while each annual conference is required to bear its proportionate part of the former amount, including salary and travelling expenses. 2. The annual allowance of the presiding elders is the same as that of the bishops, and is raised as follows: There is an annual meeting in each presiding elder's district, of one steward ANNUAL ALLOWANCE TO MINISTERS. 315 from each station and circuit, who is appointed by a previous quarterly conference. These district stewards estimate the amount necessary to furnish a house, fuel, and table expenses, and apportion his entire claim, including his salary and travelling expenses, among the different circuits and stations in his district, according to their ability. When such an apportionment has been made, if there should be a deficiency in the receipts of any preacher in his district, he must share his proportionate loss of such deficiency; and if all receive their full claim, the presiding elder receives his, thus sharing with each preacher in proportion to what the latter receives. 3. The annual allowance of all the travelling ministers and preachers is the same as that of the bishops and presiding elders, and is raised in the following manner: The quarterly conference appoints a committee to estimate the amount necessary to furnish a house, fuel, and table expenses of the preacher or preachers who may be sent to them. The sum estimated. by the committee, if approved by the quarterly conference, is either raised by subscription, slip-rent, or voluntary contribution. The penny-a-week system, which obtains so largely among the Methodists in England, has not succeeded to any great extent in the United States. 4. Local preachers have an allowance in certain cases. Where they preach only on the Sabbath, and spend their week-days in pursuing their secular business, they do not expect any remuneration, unless they are very poor; but where they spend any considerable portion of their week-time in the service of the church, and are employed by the presiding elder to fill the vacancy of a travelling preacher, they are entitled to the same allowance as a travelling preacher. 5. In making the estimates for travelling and table expenses, the various committees-except it may be in the case of bishops-are scarcely ever governed by the rule-How much will it take to supply the preacher and his family with provisions, and his horse with provender? hut-How much can we raise ? In the former case two hundred-perhaps three, or more---would be thought necessary; in the latter, sometimes but half the necessary sum is estimated. We have known the estimate for the table expenses of a preacher with a wife and three or four children, to be as low as thirty dollars, with nothing for travelling expenses! Such an estimate is a mere evasion of the disciplinary requirement, and ought to be discountenanced by every preacher, steward, and leader in the church. The true policy appears to be, to estimate what is actually necessary for the above purposes, and if the circuit or station cannot, or will not raise it, as all know, the members are not holden as in case of debt. In making such estimates, committees should always inquire how much of each article their preacher will probably need. We will suppose he has a wife and four children, and is under the necessity of keeping a servant-girl. Such a family will consume, in the course of the year, at least 40 bushels of Wheat, at $1 00 $40 00 Add to the above his salary, out of which he must find himself and his family in clothing, schooling, books, periodicals, postage, medicine, medical attendance, help, wear of carriage, horse, harness, crockery, furniture, &c., To this should be added the claim of the presiding elder, say $40, Aggregate of the whole, 280 00 40 CO $520 no |