1766 Age 63 in he was to help me, as long as I desired. And, herein, I began to exercise another sort of power; namely, that of appointing and removing stewards. "After a time, T. Maxfield, T. Richards, and T. Westall severally desired to serve me as sons, and to labour when and where I should direct. Observe, these likewise desired me, not I them. But I durst not refuse their assistance. And here commenced my power, to appoint each of these, when, where, and how to labour; that is, while he chose to continue with me; for each had a power to go away when he pleased; as I had, also, to go away from them, or any of them, if I saw sufficient cause. The case continued the same when the number of preachers increased. I had just the same power still, to appoint when, and where, and how each should help me, and to tell any, if I saw cause, 'I do not desire your help any longer.' On these terms, and no other, we joined at first; and on these we continue joined. But they do me no favour, in being directed by me. I have nothing from it but trouble and care, and often a burden I scarce know how to bear. "In 1744, I wrote to several clergymen, and to all who then served me as sons in the gospel, desiring them to meet me in London, to give me their advice, concerning the best method of carrying on the work of God. They did not desire this meeting, but I did. And when their number increased, so that it was neither needful nor convenient to invite them all, for several years, I wrote to those with whom I desired to confer, and these only met me at the place appointed; till, at length, I gave a general permission, that all who desired it might come. Observe, I myself sent for these, of my own free choice; and I sent for them to advise, not govern me. Neither did I, at any of those times, divest myself of any part of that power above described, which the providence of God had cast upon me, without any design or choice of mine. "What is that power? It is a power of admitting into, and excluding from, the societies under my care; of choosing and removing stewards; of receiving or not receiving helpers; of appointing them when, where, and how to help me; and of desiring any of them to meet me, when I see good. And as it was merely in obedience to the providence of God, and for the good of the people, that I at first accepted this power, so it is on the same considerations, not for profit, honour, or pleasure, that I use it at this day. "But several gentlemen are much offended at my having so much power. My answer to them is this: I did not seek any part of this power. It came upon me unawares. But when it was come, not daring to bury that talent, I used it to the best of my judgment. Yet, I never was fond of it. I always did, and do now, bear it as my burden; the burden which God lays upon me; but if you can tell me any one, or any five men, to whom I may transfer this burden, who can and will do just what I do now, I will heartily thank both them and you. "But some of your helpers say, 'This is shackling free born Englishmen,' and demand a free conference; that is, a meeting of all the preachers, Wesley's autocratic Power. 579 wherein all things shall be determined by most votes. I answer, it is possible, after my death, something of this kind may take place; but not while I live. To me the preachers have engaged themselves to submit, to serve me as sons in the gospel. But they are not thus engaged to any man, or number of men, besides. To me the people in general will submit; but they will not yet submit to any other. It is nonsense then to call my using this power, 'shackling free born Englishmen.' None needs to submit to it, unless he will; so there is no shackling in the case. Every preacher and every member may leave me when he pleases; but, while he chooses to stay, it is on the same terms that he joined me at first. "But this is arbitrary power: this is no less than making yourself a pope. If by arbitrary power you mean a power which I exercise singly, without any colleagues therein, this is certainly true; but I see no hurt in it. Arbitrary, in this sense, is a very harmless word. If you mean unjust, unreasonable, or tyrannical, then it is not true. "As to the other branch of the charge, it carries no face of truth. The pope affirms, that every Christian must do all he bids, and believe all he says, under pain of damnation. I never affirmed anything that bears the most distant resemblance to this. Therefore, all talk of this kind is highly injurious to me, who bear this burden merely for your sakes. And it is exceedingly mischievous to the people, tending to confound their understandings, and to fill their hearts with evil surmisings, and unkind tempers towards me; to whom they really owe more, for exercising this very power, than for all my preaching put together. Because, preaching twice or thrice a day is no burden to me at all; but the care of all the preachers, and all the people, is a burden indeed!" This was bold speaking. Hampson and others have accused Wesley of being "fond of power." They say, They say, "his temper was despotic, and that, during the last ten or fifteen years of his supremacy, he was the most absolute of monarchs. His will was the law. He never thought his authority secure, but when exerted to the utmost. The love of power was the chief misery of his life; the source of infinite disgusts; and the most frequent cause of the defections of his friends."1 Perhaps John Hampson was scarcely an impartial witness, inasmuch as Wesley's power had checked his own ambition; but, at all events, the reader has, in the above lengthened extract, Wesley's vindication of himself. No doubt his power was great, almost unexampled among protestants; but he assigns reasons for it, and, unless he is suspected of insincerity,a thing of which he was almost incapable,-all must give him 1 1766 Age 63 1766 credit for being actuated by high and conscientious motives. The wisdom of acting as he did is a fair subject for discussion; Age 63 but the purity of his intentions can hardly be disputed. Before passing to the third matter, "a thorough reform of the preachers," it is desirable to know Wesley's opinion of the people. He adds: "I cannot but know more of the state of the Methodist preachers and people than any other person. The world says, 'The Methodists are no better than other people.' This is not true. Yet it is nearer the truth than we are willing to imagine. Personal religion is amazingly This is not a flattering picture of the first Methodists; but it is drawn by the man who knew them, and who, as he himself says, "was not prejudiced against them." In such facts, Wesley found a reason for the castigation which he now administered to the preachers. The preachers preached; but he tells them plainly, they must do something more than this, otherwise "the Methodists will be little better than other people." He continues: "We must instruct them from house to house"; and then follows an extract, from Baxter's "Reformed Pastor," on private instruction. "Great as this labour is," says Wesley, "it is absolutely necessary; for, after all our preaching, many of our people are almost as ignorant as if they had never heard the gospel. I study to speak as plainly as I can ; yet, I frequently meet with those who have been my hearers for many years, who know not whether Christ be God or man; or that infants have any original sin. And how few are there, that know the nature of repentance, faith, and holiness! Most of them have a sort of confidence, that Christ will justify and save them, while the world has their hearts, and they live to themselves. And I have found, by experience, that one of these has learned more from an hour's close discourse, than from ten years' public preaching. O brethren, if we would generally set this work 1766 on foot in all our societies, and prosecute it skilfully and zealously, what Age 63 glory would redound to God thereby! If the common ignorance were thus banished, and our vanity and idleness turned into the study of the way of life, and every shop and every house busied in speaking of the word and works of God, surely God would dwell in our habitations, and make them His delight. And this is necessary to the welfare of our people; many of whom neither believe nor repent to this day. Look round about, and see how many of them are still in apparent danger of damnation ! And how can you walk, and talk, and be merry with such people, when you know their case? What cause have we to bleed before the Lord this day, that have so long neglected this great and good work! that have been preachers so many years, and have done so little, by personal instructions, for the saving of men's souls! If we had but set on this work sooner, how many more might have been brought to Christ! And how much holier and happier might we have made our societies before now! And why might we not have done it sooner? There were many hindrances in the way; and so there are still, and always will be. But the greatest hindrance was in ourselves, in our dulness, and littleness of faith and love. "But it is objected, 'This course will take up so much time, that we shall have no time to follow our studies.' I answer: (1) Gaining knowledge is a good thing; but saving souls is a better. (2) By this very thing, you will gain the most excellent knowledge of God and eternity. (3) You will have abundant time for gaining other knowledge too, if you spend all your mornings therein. Only sleep not more than you need; talk not more than you need; and never be idle, nor triflingly employed. (4) If you can do but one, either follow your studies, or instruct the ignorant, let your studies alone. I would throw by all the libraries in the world, rather than be guilty of the perdition of one soul. "1. Let every preacher take an exact catalogue of those in society, from one end of each town to the other. 2. Go to each house, and give, with suitable exhortation and direction, the 'Instructions for Children.' 3. Be sure to deal gently with them, and take off all discouragements as effectually as you can. 4. Let your dealing with those you begin with be so gentle, winning, and convincing, that the report of it may move others to desire your coming. "Perhaps in doing this it may be well, (1) After a few loving words spoken to all in the house, to take each person single into another room, where you may deal closely with them, about their sin, and misery, and duty. (2) Hear what the children have learned by heart. (3) Choose some of the weightiest points, and try, by further questions, how far they understand them. (4) Often, with the question, suggest the answer. (5) Before you leave them, engage the head of each family to call all his family every Sunday, before they go to bed, and hear what they can rehearse, and so continue until they have learned all ‘ The Instructions' perfectly. "Let us, in every town, and wherever it is practicable, set upon this 1766 Age 63 method in good earnest, and we shall soon find why the people are not better, namely, because we are not more knowing and more holy." Such was Wesley's great remedy for removing evil from among the Methodists,-not only visiting, but privately and personally instructing, the people, and especially their children; and such, in his estimation, were the two great causes of the evil existing. The people were far from perfect; because preachers were defective in knowledge and in holiness. He proceeds to ask: "Why are we not more knowing? Because we are idle. We forget the very first rule, 'Be diligent ; never be unemployed a moment. Never be triflingly employed. Never while away time; neither spend any more time at any place than is strictly necessary.' I fear there is altogether a fault in this matter; and, that few of us are clear. Which of you spends as many hours a day in God's work, as you did formerly in man's work? We talk, talk, or read history, or what comes next to hand. We must, absolutely must, cure this evil, or give up the whole work. But how? (1) Spend all the morning, or at least five hours in twenty-four, in reading the most useful books, and that regularly and constantly. But I read only the Bible.' Then you ought to teach others to read only the Bible, and, by parity of reason, to hear only the Bible. But if so, you need preach no more. Just so said George Bell; and what is the fruit? Why now he neither reads the Bible, nor anything else. This is rank enthusiasm. If you need no book but the Bible, you are got above St. Paul. He wanted others too. 'But I have no taste for reading.' Contract a taste for it by use, or return to your trade. But different men have different tastes.' Therefore some may read less than others; but none should read less than this. But I have no books.' I will give each of you, as fast as you will read them, books to the value of £5; and I desire the assistants will take care, that all the large societies provide the Christian Library for the use of the preachers. (2) In the afternoon, follow Mr. Baxter's plan. Then you will have no time to spare ; none for learning Latin, or Greek, or Hebrew: you will have work enough for all your time. Then, likewise, no preacher will stay with us, who is as salt that has lost its savour; for, to such, this employment would be mere drudgery. sum is, go into every house, in course, and teach every one therein, young and old, if they belong to us, to be Christians inwardly and outwardly. Make every particular plain to their understanding. Fix it in their memory. Write it on their heart. Read, explain, and enforce the rules of the society; the 'Instructions for Children'; the fourth volume of sermons; and Philip Henry's method of family prayer. Over and above, where there are ten children in a society, spend, at least, an hour with them twice a week; and do this, not in a dull, dry, formal manner, but in earnest, with your might. But I have no gift for this.' Gift or no gift, you are to do it, else you are not called to be a Methodist preacher. The Do |