Primitive Methodist Conference.

(Abridged from the Primitive Methodist Magazine.)

The twenty-ninth Conference of the Connexion, was held in Leeds. It commenced on Wednesday, June 7th, 1848, and closed on Saturday the 17th. Great harmony prevalied throughout the various sittings of the Conference, and the institutions of the Connexion were reported as prosperous.

The affairs of the Chapels were subjected to an examination much more searching than on any former occasion, and the rules brought up respecting them, promise to be highly beneficial. The financial bearings of the Chapels, with a few exceptions, such as may be expected to exist in a large religious body, were good.

The Missionary establishment was heartily supported in the Conference. Notwithstanding the great commercial depression which has prevailed for several months, the circulation of the Connexion Magazines and other books had improved. The reports of the Sabbath Schools presented an increase of scholars, Teachers, and School-rooms; and in some of the schools the work of conversion has been cheering. Many pious young men and women who had resolved to devote themselves to the spiritual interests of the rising generation, beheld the success of their efforts, and felt their own souls abundantly strengthened in grace. From the reports of those Circuits in which the work of God had progressed the most, family visiting and street-processioning had been markedly useful; and the Conference, convinced of the utility of these Primitive Methodistic means of usefulness, was desirous that they should be extensively employed throughout the Connexion.—The conviction that soul-saving preachers are the Connexion's chief staff, is gaining strength, and the difficulty to obtain stations for preachers of the opposite class is increasing every year. Such being the case, it cannot be too seriously remembered, that what are fantastically called the accomplishment of the pulpit are not page 283 in great demand amongst the Primitive Methodists, and that those who deal much in them will not be retained with tenacity. The staple qualifications required in Primitive Methodist Ministers are, a fair share of intellectual and physical strength, deep piety, thirst for souls, a good knowledge of the Scriptures, and of Methodistic theology, aptitude to appeal effectually to the understandings and hearts of their hearers, unostentatiousness of manner, regularity in the arrangement of their work, and punctuality, prudence and zeal in the prosecution of it, and disinterested, ever-burning, persevering efforts to bring souls from the dominion of Satan into the fold of Christ. For such ministers there are plenty of stations and an average amount of wages for their work, whereas those who rest in the more formal performance of their duties without “winning souls,” are as cumbrous members of the body from which the healthy members will seek to be severed. The loss of members for the year by immigration, removals, and 1,336 deaths, was more than made up, as the following statistical returns will show:—

Members 89,601, being an increase of 2,606

Members	89,601	being an increase of 2,605
Itinerant Preachers	511,	being an increase of 15
Local Preachers	8,056	being an increase of 216
Class-Leaders,	5,522,	being an increase of 183
Connexional Chapels	1,473,	being an increase of 52
Worship,	3,481,	being an increase of 142
Sunday Schools	1,136,	being an increase of 67
Gratuitous Teachers,	16,569,	being an increase of 1,428
Sunday Scholars,	87,273,	being an increase of 3,787

On the Evening of the 10th, the Lord's Supper was administered to the delegates and friends in Quarry-hill Chapel. On the 11th a Camp-Meeting was held in Woodhouse Moor, attended by many thousands of people, in the evening various love-feasts were held. On the evenings of the 12th, 13th, and 14th, Missionary meetings were held, and liberal collections made for the further spread of the gospel. The delegates also ably advocated the cause of Temperance at meetings beld in the Kirk-gate Market-place, and Park-lane chapels.