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the ox that treads out the corn, for God careth for him; I stated unto them that during the twelve years they never had a charge against me, then I related unto them that I did no more crime than the Rev. Mr. Wesley, when he left the church of England, for it was well known that he was under that discipline, and when he left that he formed another for. himself to govern his people, but never left any law that I could see, that could raise me to any eminence as a minister; the parish I support I would wish to he protected by, and since I joined the African methodist episcopal church we stand without respect to person and do as we would be done by, see Mat. 7 c. 12 v. but we had a long trial before we could gain the union, but God did work in our behalf and by our religious walks and good conduct, we gained the approbation of our great men to give us authority to go according to law, and as long as we keep within bounds we have no fear but what they will protect us as a people, for man is fully sufficient to make himself virtuous, it only requires a firm and steady resolution to be so, and of this resolution he himself is master at his own pleasure, as all our disorders are not the effect of sin, but consequent of our limited nature, all evil inclination may be overcome by reason with the grace and assistance of God; our happiness is in our own power and we may change our habits and disposition by a mere philosophic use of the natural and christian means in our hands; what great progress have we not made in the arts; and sciences, in civilization and politeness; to what a great degree of illumination has the human mind arrived since the days of the reformation? superstition is turned out of door, the wings of fanatacism and enthusiasm will now soon be sufficiently clipped, we soon will have a rational body of energetic rules for a more reasonable explanation of the bible, and are already furnished with means sufficient to determine the flowers of the Hebrew poetry and the bold flight and fire of oriental genius. Blessed be God. We now say a little more of Creeds and Confession of Faith. Our province is the practice and moral part of religion, whether they believe in one God or twenty Gods, that will neither pick my pockets nor break my legs; these are just inferences and a true explanation of words. I am increased with goods and have need for
