Important Letter to Rev. H. Venn. 543 me to preach in their churches, they are accountable for my preaching in the fields. "I come now directly to your letter, in hopes of establishing a good understanding between us. I agreed to suspend, for a twelvemonth, our stated preaching at Huddersfield, which had been there these many years. If this answered your end, I am glad; my end it did not answer at all. Instead of corning nearer to me, you got farther off. I heard of it from every quarter, though few knew that I did; for I saw no cause to speak against you, because you did against me. I wanted you to do more, not less good; and, therefore, durst not do or say anything to hinder it. And, lest I should hinder it, I will make a farther trial, and suspend the preaching at Huddersfield for another year. 66 "1. To clear the case between us a little farther, I must now adopt your words: 'I, no less than you, preach justification by faith only, the absolute necessity of holiness, the increasing mortification of sin, and rejection of all past experiences and attainments. I abhor, as you do, all antinomian abuse of the doctrine of Christ, and desire to see my people walking even as He walked. Is it then worth while, in order to gratify a few bigoted persons, or for the sake of the minute differences between us,' to encourage all the train of evils which follow contention for opinions, in little matters as much as in great?' "2. If I was as strenuous with regard to perfection on one side, as you have been on the other, I should deny you to be a sufficient preacher; but this I never did. And yet, I can assure you, I can advance such reasons for all I teach, as would puzzle you, and all that condemn me, to answer ; but I am sick of disputing. Let them beat the air, and triumph without an opponent. "3. "None,' you say, 'preach in your houses, who do not hold the very same doctrine with you.' This is not exactly the case. You are welcome to preach in any of those houses; as I know we agree in the main points; and wherein soever we differ, you would not preach there contrary to me. 'But would it not give you pain to have any other teacher come among those committed to your charge, so as to have your plan disconcerted, your labours depreciated, and the affections of your flock alienated?' It has given me pain, when I had reason to fear this was done, both at Leeds, Birstal, and elsewhere; and I was ‘under a temptation of speaking against you' but I refrained even among my intimate friends. So far was I from publicly warning my people against one I firmly believed to be much better than myself. "4. Indeed, I trust 'the bad blood is now taken away.' Let it return no more. Let us begin such a correspondence as has never been yet, and let us avow it before all mankind. Not content with not weakening each other's hands, or speaking against each other, directly or indirectly, let us defend each other's character to the utmost, against either ill or well meaning evil speakers. I am not satisfied with 'Be very civil to the Methodists, but have nothing to do with them.' No; I desire to have a league, offensive and defensive, with every soldier of Christ. We have not only one faith, one hope, one Lord, but are directly engaged in one 1765 Age 62 1765 Age 62 warfare. We are carrying the war into the devil's own quarters, who, therefore, summonses all his hosts to war. Come then, ye that love Him, to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty! I am now well-nigh 'miles emeritus, senex, sexagenarius.' Yet I trust to fight a little longer. Come and strengthen the hands, till you supply the place, of your weak, but affectionate brother, "JOHN WESLEY."1 This is a long letter, but far too important to be abridged. Wesley had been more than five months from London; but, instead of returning thither, he proceeded, from the Manchester conference, direct to Cornwall. He On his way, he attempted to preach at Northtawton, in Devonshire; but, for once in his life, was hindered. writes: "I went to the door of our inn; but I had hardly ended the psalm, when a clergyman came, with two or three (by the courtesy of England called) gentlemen. After I had named my text, I said, 'There may be some truths which concern some men only; but this concerns all mankind.' The minister cried out, That is false doctrine, that is predestination.' Then the roar began, to second which they had brought a huntsman with his hounds; but the dogs were wiser than the men; for they could not bring them to make any noise at all. One of the gentlemen supplied their place. He assured us he was such, or none would have suspected it ; for his language was as base, foul, and porterly as ever was heard at Billingsgate. Dog, rascal, puppy, and the like terms, adorned almost every sentence. Finding there was no probability of a quiet hearing, I left him the field, and withdrew to my lodging." At Gwennap, Wesley had as large a congregation as he had ever seen assembled in Moorfields. At Redruth, he met with Grace Paddy," a well bred, sensible young woman," who professed to be "convinced of sin, converted to God, and renewed in love, within twelve hours." Almost everywhere, he was received with the warmest welcome, and rejoiced to find the work of God in general prosperity. Still, as in the case of the Asiatic churches, the Cornish ones were not perfect; and hence the following characteristic letter, addressed to Thomas Rankin. 1 Methodist Magazine, 1782, p. 495. Letters to Thomas Rankin. 545 1765 "ST. JOHN'S, September 11, 1765. "DEAR TOMMY,-There is a good work in Cornwall. But where the great work goes on well, we should take care to be exact in little things. I will tell you several of these, just as they occur to my mind. "Grace Paddy, at Redruth, met in the select society, though she wore a large glittering necklace, and met no band. "They sing all over Cornwall a tune so full of repetitions and flourishes, that it can scarce be sung with devotion. It is to these words, 'Praise the Lord, ye blessed ones.' Away with it: let it be heard no more. "They cannot sing our old common tunes. Teach these everywhere. Take pains herein. "The societies are not half supplied with books; not even with Jane Cooper's Letters, or the two or three sermons which I printed last year; no, not with the shilling hymn-book, or 'Primitive Physic.' 66 They almost universally neglect fasting. "The preaching houses are miserable, even the new ones. They have neither light nor air sufficient; and they are far, far too low, and too small. Look at Yarm house. "Recommend the 'Notes on the Old Testament,' in good earnest. Every society, as a society, should subscribe. Remind them, everywhere, that two, four, or six might join together for a copy, and bring the money to their leader weekly. "We have need to use all the common sense God has given us, as well as all the grace. "I am, dear Tommy, your affectionate friend and brother, "JOHN WESLEY."1 Tommy Rankin was a faithful man, and if things in Cornwall were not all right it was not Tommy's fault. Hence another of Wesley's own peculiar letters, written two months afterwards.2 "LONDON, November 18, 1765. "DEAR TOMMY,-You have satisfied me with regard to the particulars which I mentioned in my letter from Cornwall. Only, one thing I desire you to remember. Never sit up later than ten o'clock; no, not for any reason (except a watchnight), not on any pretence whatever. In general, I desire you would go to bed about a quarter after nine. "Likewise be temperate in speaking; never too loud; never too long: else Satan will befool you; and, on pretence of being more useful, quite disable you from being useful at all. "Richard Henderson desired, that he might be the bookkeeper this year in Wiltshire, and save me two shillings in the pound. But whoever you approve of, so do I. Write to Mr. Franks accordingly. "I am, dear Tommy, your affectionate friend and brother, Age 62 1 Wesley's Works, vol. xii., p. 301. VOL. II. 2 Ibid. p. 302. N N 1765 On September 21, Wesley returned to Bristol, where he Age 62 found fifty members fewer than he had left twelve months before. He writes: "One reason is, Christian perfection has been little insisted on; and wherever this is not done, be the preachers ever so eloquent, there is little increase, either in the number or the grace of the hearers." "There are now about twenty persons here, who believe they are saved from sin; but, if these lose what they have received, nothing will be more easy than to think they never had it. There were four hundred in London, who, unless they told me lies, had the same experience. If near half of these have lost what they had, I do not wonder if they think they never had it; it is so ready a way of excusing themselves for throwing away the blessed gift of God."1 3 It was about this period that Captain Webb and Wesley became acquainted.2 Thomas Webb was now in the thirtyfirst year of his age. Seven years before, he had been with General Wolfe, in Canada, where he lost his right eye, and was wounded in his right arm. He found peace with God on March 23, 1765, while conversing in Bristol with Mr. Cary, a Moravian minister; and, soon after, was introduced among the Bristol Methodists by the Rev. James Roquet. Immediately after his conversion, he began to preach at Bath; and, in 1769, was one of the principal agents employed in planting Methodism in America. About the year 1783, he settled in England, and spent the remainder of his life, till 1796, in preaching Christ. He was twice married, and had two sons and a daughter. The sons became resident in America; the daughter died at Stourport, three years after her father. Wesley had a high respect for the brave captain, and, by applying to Lord North, obtained him a pension of a hundred pounds a year. "The captain," says he, "is all life and fire; and many are convinced under his preaching, some are justified, and a few built up in love." Charles 1 Methodist Magazine, 1799, p. 201. 2 Drew's Life of Coke, p. 47. 4 5 3 Pritchard's funeral sermon for Webb. Sprague's "Annals of American Methodist Pulpit." Methodist Magazine, 1799, p. 272. 6 Ibid. 1850, p. 161. Wesley's Works, vol. iii., p. 461. Wesley's opinion, as might be expected, was more qualified. 1765 "He is," he writes, "an inexperienced, honest, zealous, loving Age 62 enthusiast."1 We shall meet with Captain Webb again; suffice it to add here, that, to the end of life, he furnished a bright example of Christian diligence and zeal. For several years, he annually made a summer's visit to the French prisoners at Winchester, addressing them in their own language, which he had studied while in Canada. Portsmouth, also, was often favoured with his services. Here crowds of soldiers and sailors listened, with all possible veneration, to the Christian warrior, and, under the spontaneous effusions of his holy eloquence, trembled, as they would not have trembled in the midst of battle, and wept on account of sin, when they would have scorned to weep on account of pain. In Bristol and its vicinity, his labours were greatly blessed; and to him, in an eminent degree, Bristol is indebted for the erection of Portland chapel, where he lies interred.2 The good old captain was carried to his grave by six local preachers, and his pal was borne by six itinerants. His funeral sermon was preached and published by John Pritchard. "Webb," says Dr. Dixon, "seems to have been a perfect embodiment of the true genius and spirit of primitive Methodism."+ He was not perfect, and John Pawson found great fault with Pritchard's funeral sermon, for being far too eulogistic of the captain's virtues; but, maugre Pawson's criticism, there cannot be a doubt, that the brave and generous wounded old warrior was as courageous and as zealous, in the cause of Christ, as he ever was in the service of his country. His native talent was respectable; he had seen much of life; his education enabled him to read his Greek Testament, which is still a much prized relic in America; his enthusiasm was almost unbounded; and his impassioned eloquence sometimes overwhelming. His name must be for ever illustrious in the history of Methodism in the United States; and he well 5 Wesley's Works, vol. xii., p. 391. Methodist Magazine, 1849, p. 386. Dixon's "Methodism in America," p. 162. 3Ibid. 1845, p. 427. 5 Manuscript letter. Stevens' History of Methodist Episcopal Church, vol. i., p. 62. |