On Wednesday was published a pastoral letter which, by the
direction of Conference, is to be issued to the Wesleyan Methodist Churches throughout Great Britain. Methodists are reminded that the most urgent need of the times is a great spiritual movement issuing from a revival of religion in the broadest and truest sense evangelical. " Evil can only be dethroned by the accession of good ; mammon, with its attendant vices of self-indulgence and cruelty, will only be cast down when Christ reigns. The Methodist people are, therefore, entreated to offer unceasing prayer that God will of His great mercy bestow such a spiritual revival upon the world." Their loyalty to Christ, the Methodist Churches are told, will be measured by the extent to which they rise to the greatness of their calling, and "live as a missionary people, seeing to it that wherever the Empire-builder or trader goes, there also is to be found the messenger of Christ." The pastoral goes on to say that God bas given to Methodism special qualifications for taking part in this great task. In its more vigorous forma it has continued to enjoy remarkable favour with, and has extended its influence among, all the Anglo-Saxon peoples. The pastoral ends by pointing out the perils which arise from the growing social prosperity of the Methodist people.
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