intended to be done in reference to the projected "Ecumenical Methodist Conference," or Congress; but we have not space for extracts.

The publishing houses throughout the States, Great Britain, and› other countries, are given, to the number of sixteen; besides which there are four Book Concerns in different parts of the States; making twenty great reservoirs of Methodist literature pouring out perpetual streams of bealing waters over our plague-smitten planet, to neutralise the influences of paganism, popery, atheism, materialism, and the multiplied forms of wickedness everywhere.

In the "General Summary of Methodists," giving a host of statistics, we find the number of Wesleyan Local Preachers in Great Britain stated at 18,711; and throughout the world, 85,460. The total number of itinerant ministers is stated as 31,731.

In reference to Sunday-schools, we read: "Probably the largest aggregate attendance in any Sunday-school in the world is at Stockport, England. The school there was founded in 1784. It has four branches. The parent school includes about 3,600 scholars, and the four branches about 1,200; about 4,800 in all. There are more than four hundred teachers. Probably the largest single school in the United States is the Bethel Mission, at Cincinnati, with a membership of about 3,000."

There is a vast amount of other miscellaneous information in the book, not omitting the "Salvation Army," and the postal rates and arrangements. We have noticed what we thought likely most to interest our own readers, and all the rest we leave. We can only congratulate our American brethren on the vast results of that great work which was begun, under God's grace, by an Irish immigrant, and he a zealous Local Preacher. May the Lord make them a hundred times so many as they are, and make us as prosperous as they !

THE WESLEYAN METHODIST LOCAL PREACHERS'
MUTUAL-AID ASSOCIATION.

CHAPTER XIV.-ANNUAL MEETING, LONDON. 1860.
BRO. THOS. CUTHBERTSON, London, President.

THE meeting this year was looked forward to with high expectations.
The Hanover Square Rooms had been secured for the purposes of the
GREAT BAZAAR, and to hold therein the usual business meetings of the
Association.

A considerable number of the country members of General Committee being in town to attend the Bazaar, there was a large gathering at the meeting, held on Saturday evening, June 8th. Large bills had been issued, announcing a long list of services on the Sunday, including lovefeasts.

Monday, June 10th, the business meeting began at half-past ten. Report stated the number of members to be 1,965 benefit and 476 honorary, being a decrease of 26 benefit and 14 honorary; total decrease, 40. Subscriptions of benefit members, £1,017 0s. 1d., being a decrease of £37 7s. 10d. Joint-stock had decreased to £3,049 9s. 4d. Total decrease on the year, £194 28. 11d.

Bro. Thomas Cuthbertson was unanimously elected President, Bro. Wild re-elected Treasurer, and Bro. Wade re-elected Hon. Secretary.

This being the triennial year, when alterations could be made in the rules, it was proposed to open the Association to other sections of the Methodist family. This proposition was discussed with considerable spirit, but was negatived by 38 to 20. No other important alteration was made, so that the Association kept on its old lines.

The Magazine.-The Association having had to pay £72 10s. 7d., for 1859, above the receipts, this deficit was by no means a pleasant thing; and the brother who introduced the subject said: "He had thought about it, and it would be a great burden off his mind, and a great relief to the Committee, to have done with the Magazine; but then, what were they to do? How could the work be done?" He concluded his remarks by proposing that it be continued. A long discussion followed, when it was incidentally determined to give a copy of the Magazine monthly to each honorary member.

Let us just look at this word, incidentally. This little incident has been attended by the greatest benefit to the Association. The Magazine coming into the hands of the hon. members month by month, has kept the Association constantly before them. Many of them would have been lost had it not been for this modest monthly visitor, that has silently reminded them of the pressing claims of the old, worn-out Local Preachers.

The business meeting was succeeded by a public meeting, as usual. But it will not do to dismiss this year so summarily; for while the brethren are, or have been, attending to their business, there are sisters attending to theirs. This is the year of the GREAT BAZAAR. For this they had been preparing for twelve months; and now here are the products laid out in the elegant Hanover Square Rooms, on tastily ornamented stalls. These stalls have the names of the places from whence they have obtained their wares, such as Hinckley, Birmingham, Wakefield, Framlingham, Aylesbury, Derby, North End (this was the Lady Treasurer's stall). Then there was the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th London, Sydenham, Sheffield, York, Newport, Northampton, Towcester, Burton, Andover, Mitcham, Fakenham, and even Edinburgh was represented. But what is to be said of the untiring workers, with their twelve months' preparation, and the attendance of these ladies from all parts of London day after day? For the Bazaar was open for a week. It must be remembered that not only did the places enumerated above furnish

The

stalls, but sent their lady attendants, at great cost and labour. result, however, was very cheering. About £1,000 was realised, after all expenses were paid.

IN MEMORIAM.

THOMAS CUTHBERTSON.

PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION, 1860.

THOMAS CUTHBERTSON was born January 16th, 1814, and was translated September 26th, 1875. Period on earth sixty-one years eight months twelve days.

It will be no reflection on the other brethren noticed, to say that Bro. Cuthbertson lived longer and did more for the Association than either of those who preceded him; and, perhaps, it would not be saying too much, if we say that few who have succeeded him have reached his standard. For he was to all intents and purposes "in labours more abundant.”

Our acquaintance with him begun in 1849; and from that time it did us good to meet him. His sunny, cheerful countenance, dissipated at once any gloom we might have hanging over us. There was a buoyancy about him which bore us up when we were sinking. His hopefulness chased away all our fears when we came into association with him. He was a whole man. Having made his choice, there was no hesitating or going back. It was forward; and he had the rare talent of taking others with him. As one of the founders of our Association, in our opinion, his efforts and success were equalled by few, and excelled by none. There is the less necessity for us to enlarge here, as a sketch of his life and a capital portrait may be seen in the January number, 1876.

CHAPTER XV.-ANNUAL MEETING AT BATH. 1861.

BRO. JOHN WADE, Mitcham, President.

THE Annual Meeting was held this year in the city of Bath. The Committee met on Saturday evening, June 8th. Sermons were preached by the brethren, and collections made in about twenty chapels in Bath and. Bristol.

The Annual Meeting commenced its sittings on Monday morning, June 10th. About filty brethren were present. A long discussion took place on the report. Certain amendments were proposed, but they fell to the ground, and the motion for the reception of the report was carried.

Bro. John Wade was elected President, Bro. Wild re-elected Treasurer, and Bro. Chamberlain Hon. Secretary.

The Report showed 2,015 benefit and 470 hon. members, total 2,485 ; being an increase of fifty benefit, and a decrease of six hon. members in the year. The benefit members' subscriptions amounted to £1,001 2s. 6d., being £15 178. 5d. less than the preceding year. In consequence of the

money received through the Bazaar the funded property had risen to £3,976 16s. 6d., being an addition of £927 7s. 2d. on the

year.

The meeting extended over Monday and Tuesday. The report of the sittings this year is rather lengthy, filling nine pages of the Magazine (1862, pages 204-212). The small talk was abundant, and the solid business very little.

Nothing particular was said at this meeting respecting the Magazine. The loss upon the year 1860 was £72 3s. 6d.

A tea and public meeting was held in the Guildhall on the Monday evening. Dr. Wassell, Baptist Minister, occupied the chair. The chairman said some complimentary things to the brethren, and regarded them as fellow-labourers in the work of preaching the Gospel. He remarked that, "If ever he felt tempted to pride at his own exertions, he found it speedily removed when he remembered the class of men before him; who, after daily toils continued up till Saturday night, have got up and done the work of the Lord's Day also, walking ten or even eighteen miles to reach the appointed place."

The meeting was afterwards addressed by Bros. Chamberlain, Towne, Wade, Cuthbertson, Curnock, Luckman, Richards, Chester, Line, Milsom, and Clarke. A pretty full report of this meeting will be found in the Magazine, 1861, pages 213-222.

CHAPTER XVI.-ANNUAL MEETING AT DERBY. 1862.

BROTHER THOMAS HIRST, Kimberley, President.

THE General Committee met in the Vestry of Brook Street Chapel, Derby, on Saturday, June 21st. In addition to preaching in the chapels on the Sunday, a camp-meeting was held.

The meeting commenced its sittings in Becket Street Schoolroom, on Monday morning, June 23rd. About fifty brethren were present. The Report showed 2,063 benefit and 433 hon. members, total 2,496; being an increase of 48 benefit, and a decrease of 37 hon. members, leaving a net increase of 11 members on the year. The balance showed a decrease in the funded property of £136 4s. 4d. in the year, reducing the capital to £3,840 12s. 2d.

Bro. Thomas Hirst was elected President, Bro. Wild, Treasurer, Bro. John Carter, Assistant Treasurer, and Bro. Chamberlain re-elected Hon. Secretary.

At this meeting it was resolved that a Bible be provided, with fly leaves at the beginning, for each President's autograph, to be kept by the President for the time being. This was done, and that Bible has passed from one President to another to the present time.

To increase the finances, collecting boxes and cards were recommended. Although there had been an increase in the number of benefit members,

their contributions amounted only to £1,000 11s., being 11s. 6d. less than the year before.

The loss upon the Magazine for the year 1861 amounted to £74 16s. 9d. One brother said that the Magazine had been a dead loss from the beginning, but he would not move that it be discontinued. Another brother said it had been considered at a former meeting that if the loss upon it did not exceed £100 a year, it was not a loss, but a gain. The brethren unanimously resolved to have it continued.

A tea was provided on Monday evening in Brook Street Chapel. After tea the ex-President, Bro. Wade, preached in King Street Chapel, from Acts xx. 24. After the service the Lord's Supper was commemorated, the superintendent of the circuit presiding, assisted by one of his colleagues.

In connection with this annual meeting there appears a very interesting account by a Local Preacher in the August and September numbers of the Magazine, of a trip to a blasting furnace below Derby, then down into a coal mine, after that over the Derby hills, and down the vales to Matlock, then to the Duke of Devonshire's paradise at Chatsworth.

IN MEMORIAM.

BROTHER THOMAS HIRST, President, 1862.

ONE of Nature's noblemen, a simple-hearted, pure-minded man. I shall not, however, give any full sketch of him here. That will be found in the Volume for 1870.

Thomas Hirst was born at Knottingley, Yorkshire, February 5th, 1789, and died June 31, 1870. His life thus extended to eighty-one years four months and twenty-five days.

He joined the Methodist Society when only fifteen years of age, and continued in connection with the Methodist Family till his death. When only seventeen years of age he was made a class-leader. This office he held till death; and when no longer able to go out, his members gathered round his bed several times during his illness, and thus his class was kept up till the last.

Bro. Hirst was not only a local preacher upwards of half a century, but a Sunday-school man; and he used his tongue and his pen in its behalf. In addition to contributing to this and other periodicals, he published Hymns and Dialogues for Sunday-school anniversaries. In 1841 he published a 12mo volume of 368 pages, The Music of the Church. Later on The Autobiography of the Bible, and other Poems, with portrait, post 8vo, 296 pages. Also John Wimbleton, reprinted from the LOCAL PREACHERS' MAGAZINE. He did worthily in his day. May we walk in his steps.