of Christ, including all denominations in South Wales, within the last year. There is at present, throughout South Wales, a general desire for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit: and there are union monthly prayer meetings in various parts, for the outpouring of the Spirit, which are numerously attended. Indeed, I have no doubt that many ministers and churches, beside those which I have mentioned, do already experience, in some degree, the outpouring of the Spirit. Great additions have been made to many dissenting churches, not mentioned in this letter, in the course of the last year: and, from the aspect of things throughout the country, we have every reason to hope that God will cause revivals to be general in Wales."

Every reader will doubtless consider it necessary here to take some further notice of each dissenting community in Wales.

1. CALVINISTIC METHODISTS. Howel Harris, Esq. is regarded as the founder of this body, about the year 1735; at least as early as the time that Whitefield and Wesley entered upon their great denominational work in England. Shocked at the impiety and immorality which he witnessed at Oxford, Mr. Harris declined taking orders in the Established Church, and laboured zealously and successfully as a teacher and preacher of Christianity, until about three hundred societies were formed, of those who had been converted by his ministry to the faith and obedience of Christ. Several others of eminent gifts and piety, especially the apostolic Griffith Jones, united with Mr. Harris, and hence originated the Calvinistic Methodists in Wales. This important section of the Church of Christ was organized by the distinguished Thomas Charles*, under whose counsels and directions their preachers were first ordained for the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper, in the year 1810+. This great body is governed by, 1. Private Societies, who meet weekly for religious conference and prayer, under the superintendence of two or more leaders: 2. Monthly Societies, including the preachers,

* See chap. xviii, book viii, p. 465, &c.

+ Morgan's Life of Rev. Thomas Charles.

leaders, and officers from neighbouring counties, for the regulation of discipline: 3. Quarterly Societies, including the preachers and leaders, for the more important business of the general body these assemble alternately in North and South Wales. The principles of the Calvinistic Methodists are those contained in the doctrinal "Articles of the Church of England," including the grammatical sense" of the seventeenth their preachers are esteemed men of good sense, and ardent piety; but they are not generally of that class who have been favoured with a learned education.

2. INDEPENDENTS. Mr. Johnes states, "In 1740 they had only six places of worship in North Wales. They began to revive at the first breaking out of Methodism, and we may gather from Griffith Jones's writings, that if the Methodists had not occupied the country, the Independents would have done so. They are a liberal body in their views of secular learning. In the last century, their ministers were all men of education: this is not generally the case now, though some of them are men of respectable erudition *.”

This body has three seminaries, for the education of its ministers: one at Newton, in North Wales; one at Carmarthen, and another at Newaddluyd, in South Wales†. The Welsh Independents hold the same essential doctrines of Protestant Christianity, and maintain the same discipline in their churches, as their brethren in England.

New energy has, within the last few years, been acquired by this denomination, through their formation of a Congregational Union of their ministers and churches; and having found that their chapels were encumbered with debts, to the amount of 34,4307., they resolved on removing this impediment to their philanthropic labours. In two years they made additional subscriptions, to the amount of 18,4047.; and then sent a deputation in 1835, to solicit aid from their brethren in England. At the meeting of the delegates of their Congregational Union in May 1835, they reported about 3,000/. thus collected, making a total of nearly 22,000/., and thus reducing their chapel debts to about 12,000/.

* Essay, p. 159. † See "

Dissenting Colleges," No. 11, 12, 13.

3. WESLEYAN METHODISTS. Mr. Johnes states, "Though Dr. Coke, the most celebrated of Wesley's missionaries, was a native of Wales, the Wesleyans had not one preacher in the Welsh language till the year 1800. Their great success since that time, appears from the table above: it arose, in some measure, from the attractive style of singing introduced by them; but where various classes of Dissenters succeed, there must be some general predisposing cause of dissent." Probably Mr. Johnes would find it difficult to discover any other predisposing cause of dissent than the adaptation of the Gospel of Christ, which is preached, in its essential doctrines, by all the evangelical Dissenters. The Wesleyans are under the government of the English Conference.

4. BAPTISTS. Originally the Baptists and Independents were only one body: but they separated, on the sole difference between them regarding the ordinance of baptism, in the time of Howel Harris; and since that period, they have increased as reported. The Welsh Baptists have a seminary for the education of their ministers, at Abergavenny *.

5. PRESBYTERIANS and UNITARIANS. Many of the old nonconformists being Presbyterians, their descendants were drawn away from the principles of their forefathers, in the same manner as their brethren in England, their ministers being appointed by the trustees; many, consequently, sunk into Arianism and Socinianisın. They have not therefore increased; but it is believed that now, most of their twentythree chapels echo with the sound of the pure Gospel of Christ, preached by ministers from the orthodox seminary at Carmarthen, which was at first nominally Presbyterian.

6. QUAKERS. Although the Quakers are not numerous in Wales, it is believed that they are increasing. Some of them are not only men of industry and wealth, but persons of sterling scriptural Christianity.

7. ROMAN CATHOLICS. Popery has made some advances in Wales; though Griffith Jones declared, that in his day there was not a single Welshman, acquainted with no other language than his mother tongue, professing the Roman Catholic religion now they have at least six chapels in Wales.

* See "Dissenting Colleges," No. 16.

CHAPTER V.

SCOTLAND.

Section I. Ecclesiastical Statistics of Scotland.

Scotland agitated-Statistics of Scotland - Clergy in 1817-Religious statistics - Religious instruction in Edinburgh reported by the Commissioners - Religious statistics of Glasgow- Second Report of Commissioners, regarding Glasgow. SCOTLAND, at the present time, viewed in regard to religion, presents a most interesting field of contemplation to the intelligent observer of Divine Providence. Knowledge and religion have made surprising advances, and great principles are now in powerful conflict in that noble division of the United Kingdom; many of the most cultivated, lofty, and holy minds, having entered upon a determined Christian contention, for the inestimable boon of religious liberty and equality, as established by the Gospel of the Son of God.

Scotland is divided into 911 parishes; and, in 1831, it had a population of 2,365,807. Perfect statistical information, regarding its religious condition, is not possessed by any one: and many are waiting, with intense solicitude, for the publication of the "Reports" of the "Commissioners" appointed in 1836, by Parliament, to ascertain the state of "Religious Instruction in Scotland."

Mr. Gorton, in the last edition, 1833, of his invaluable "Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland," says, "In 1817 there were 937 clergymen on the establishment, and 52 attached to the chapels of ease, besides itinerant missionaries. The number of the dissenting ministers has been stated at 500. The number of persons above ten years of age, belonging to the Scottish Kirk in 1830, was estimated Scottish Established Church .....

Scottish Dissenters :

Presbyterian Seceders................. 330,000

900,000

Mr. Gorton's computations appear somewhat incorrect: still they may serve to give a general idea of the religious statistics of Scotland, aided by the following particulars, from more recent and accurate authorities.

Edinburgh contains twenty eight churches and chapels of ease belonging to the Establishment; and the various bodies of Dissenters have, within the same, thirty-nine places of worship. From the "First Report of the Commission of Instruction for Scotland," relating to Edinburgh, published in April, 1837, we learn that the places of worship in that city afford

A respectable Scotch periodical of April, 1834, referring to Glasgow, states: -"The church accommodation in Glasgow, according to Dr. Cleland's large work, second edition, is as follows, at three different periods; and it affords a beautiful illustration of the power of the voluntary principle to adapt itself to the increasing population.

Dis

"In 1831 there were ten city, and two suburban churches, and fourteen chapels of ease, in the city and suburbs. senting chapels sixty-two; making in all seventy siæ voluntary churches. The Dissenters exceed the churchmen in

* Edinburgh Almanack, for 1838, p. 295.