The way to mend useless Preachers. 583 it as you can, till you can do it as you would. Pray earnestly for the gift; 1766 particularly studying the children's tracts.” Age 63 Such was Wesley's plan to increase the preachers' knowledge: at least five hours a day spent in reading the most useful books; and every afternoon devoted to private intercourse with the people and their children. His next aim was to increase their holiness; hence the question, "Why are not we more holy? breathing the whole spirit of missionaries? Answer. Because we are enthusiasts; looking for the end, without using the means. In order to be thoroughly convinced of this, we need only consider the first minutes, and each examine himself upon each article. To touch only upon two or three instances. Do you rise at four? or even at five, when you do not preach? Do you fast once a week? once a month? Do you know the obligation or benefit of it? Do you recommend the five o'clock hour for private prayer? Do you observe it? Do not you find that any time is no time?" None but a man like Wesley would have dared to use faithful dealing like this; and none but men like Wesley's itinerants would have quietly submitted to such a castigation. He was evidently determined to kill or to cure; or, to employ his own expression, to "have a thorough reform of the preachers." For the first time, we have a list of the questions proposed to every preacher on probation before his being received into full connexion. "Have you faith in Christ? Are you going on to perfection? Do you expect to be perfected in love, in this life? Are you groaning after it? Are you resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and His work? Do you know the Methodist doctrine? Have you read the sermons, and the Notes on the New Testament? Do you know the Methodist plan? Have you read the Plain Account, and the Appeals? Do you know the rules of the society, and of the bands? and do you keep them? Do you take no snuff? Tobacco? Drams? Do you constantly attend the church and sacrament? Have you read the Minutes, and are you willing to conform to them? Have you considered the twelve rules of a helper; especially the first, tenth, and twelfth; and will you keep them for conscience sake? Are you determined to employ all your time in the work of God? Will you preach every morning and evening; endeavouring not to speak too loud, or too long; not lolling with your elbows? Have you read the 'Rules of Action and Utterance'? Will you meet the society, the bands, the select society, and the leaders of bands and classes in every place? Will you diligently and earnestly instruct the children, and visit from house to house? Will you recommend fasting, both by precept and example?" 1766 These questions,-with the exception of those concerning Age 63 attendance at church and sacrament, the reading of the "Rules of Action and Utterance," the meeting of the societies, etc., and an important modification of that concerning preaching every morning and every night,-are still put to all candidates for the Methodist ministry, and are expected to be answered affirmatively before such candidates are admitted to ordination. If answered sincerely and truly, the Methodist ministry, in diligence, in piety, and in success, would have no superiors. Much space has been occupied with the proceedings of the conference of 1766, but they were far too important to be omitted, or materially abridged. Other matters claimed attention at that conference, though inferior to the foregoing. For instance, it was ascertained, that the debts on the Methodist chapels, throughout the kingdom, amounted to £11,383. "We shall be ruined," writes Wesley, "if we go on thus." It was resolved, that the obnoxious trust deed at Liverpool, which has been already mentioned, should be substituted by another; that no classes should meet in chapels; that the rules of the society should be given to every one when taken on trial; that the rules relating to ruffles, lace, snuff, and tobacco, should be calmly but vigorously enforced; and, that the sermons on wandering thoughts, indwelling sin, the Lord our Righteousness, and the Scripture way of salvation, should be carefully distributed. This was one of the most important conferences that Wesley ever held. Considering the plain dealing that had been employed, it is as gratifying as it is a matter of surprise, to find Wesley saying: "Tuesday, August 12-Our conference began, and ended on Friday evening. A happier conference we never had, nor a more profitable one. It was both begun and ended in love, and with a solemn sense of the presence of God." On the day that Wesley opened his conference at Leeds, his house at Windmill Hill, London, was entered by burglars, and a quantity of linen and wearing apparel stolen.2 On the 20th of August, he reached London himself; and, on the 25th, set out for Bath, Bristol, and Cornwall. 'Minutes of Conference, 1766. 2 Lloyd's Evening Post, Aug. 15, 1766. On his way to the west of England, Wesley opened the new chapel at Shaftesbury. He says: "August 29, 1766—I preached in the new house, filled within and without, to the no small astonishment, it seemed, of most of the hearers." 1 The next day, August 30, he writes: "We rode to Stallbridge, long the seat of war, by a senseless, insolent mob, encouraged by their betters, so called, to outrage their quiet neighbours. For what? Why, they were mad; they were Methodists. So, to bring them to their senses, they would beat their brains out. They broke their windows, leaving not one whole pane of glass, spoiled their goods, and assaulted their persons with dirt, and rotten eggs, and stones, whenever they appeared in the street. But no magistrate, though they applied to several, would show them either mercy or justice. At length they wrote to me. I ordered a lawyer to write to the rioters. He did so; but they set him at nought. We then moved the 'court of King's Bench. By various artifices they got the trial put off, from one assizes to another, for eighteen months. But it fell so much the heavier on themselves, when they were found guilty; and, from that time, finding there is law for Methodists, they have suffered them to be at peace. I preached near the main street without the least disturbance, to a large and attentive congregation." At Ashburton, many of Wesley's congregation "behaved with decency; but the rest with such stupid rudeness as he had not seen, for a long time, in any part of England." At Plymouth, "at the close of his sermon, a large stone was thrown in at one of the windows, and fell at his feet." At Truro, he says: "I was in hopes, when Mr. Walker died, the enmity in those who were called his people would have died also; but it is not so; they still look upon us as rank heretics, and will have no fellowship with us. At Helstone, he "preached to an exceeding large and serious congregation." He writes: "What a surprising change is wrought here, within a few years, where a Methodist 1 As a specimen of Methodist learning and expenditure in early times, the following items are taken from the Shaftesbury society book, extending from September 3, 1762, to July 11, 1821. "1766. Nov. 2.-Paid for shouling dirt 1767. Dec. 24.-Paid Mr. Mather's Quarteridge Loo 6 ני 1766 Age 63 1766 preacher could hardly go through the street without a shower Age 63 of stones!" Methodism was introduced into Helstone by Mr. Hitchens, one of Wesley's first preachers; and the first class was led by Mrs. Triggs, the daughter of a clergyman, and a woman of superior mind and character. Once, while the Helstone Methodists were assembled in their preaching room, one of them unaccountably observed, “We will not hold our meeting here to-night, but at the house of." For a time, the others objected; but, at last, yielded, and went to the house which had been mentioned. Strangely enough, before the adjourned meeting was concluded, a fire broke out, and, in its progress, seized on a large quantity of gunpowder, by the explosion of which the old Methodist meeting room was blown to atoms.2 Another anecdote, relating to Helstone, deserves notice. "I was born," said old Peter Martin, "at Helstone in 1742. My wife is ninety-four years old, and our united ages amount to one hundred and ninety-one years. I have been sexton of Helstone parish sixty-five years. I first heard Mr. Wesley preach in the street, near our market house, seventy-four years ago. I had an adventure with him while I was ostler at the London Inn. One day, he came, and obtained my master's leave for me to drive him to St. Ives. On arriving at Hayle, we found the sands, between that place and St. Ives, overflown by the rising tide. Mr. Wesley was resolved to go on; for he said he had to preach at St. Ives at a certain hour, and must be there. Looking out of the carriage window, he called, 'Take the sea! take the sea!' In a moment, I dashed into the waves, and was quickly involved in a world of waters. The horses were swimming, and the wheels of the carriage not unfrequently sunk into deep hollows in the sands. I expected every moment to be drowned, but heard Mr. Wesley's voice, and saw his long white hair dripping with salt water. 'What is your name, driver?' he calmly asked. I answered, 'Peter.' 'Peter,' said he, 'Peter, fear not; thou shalt not sink.' With vigorous whipping I again urged on the flagging horses, 1 Christian Miscellany, 1854, p. 51. Methodism at Northampton. 587 and at last got safely over. Mr. Wesley's first care was to see me comfortably lodged at the tavern; and then, totally unmindful of himself, and drenched as he was with the dashing waves, he proceeded to the chapel, and preached according to his appointment."1 Having spent a fortnight among the Cornish Methodists, everywhere preaching to large and attentive congregations, Wesley returned, on September 23, to Bristol. Here, and at Bath, and in the surrounding country, he employed the next four weeks; and, on October 25, came to London, and wrote: "How pleasing would it be to play between London and Bristol, and preach always to such congregations as these! But what account then should I give of my stewardship when I can 'be no longer steward'?" In the autumn of this year, he received two letters from Captain Scott, who was stationed with his regiment at Northampton. Here Mr. Blackwell and Mr. Glasbrook had been preaching, the regimental riding house serving as the place of meeting. Large crowds flocked to hear, and numbers were converted. Captain Scott urged Wesley to send an additional preacher to the Bedford circuit, who might take Northampton and the surrounding villages. "The Lord," says he, "has opened you a door in Northampton at last, and will perhaps condescend to make us, unworthy creatures, instruments of assisting you. I therefore wish you were well established there before we leave. As persons of all ranks go to hear, I hope you will send a preacher that will be acceptable to them; for the work, being in its infancy, might be injured, if one was sent they did not like." Wesley was not the man to neglect an opening like this; and, accordingly, on November 10, set out. On his way, however, he found that James Glasbrook had made arrangements for his preaching every day in Bedfordshire, and, hence, he was obliged to send Richard Blackwell to Northampton to supply his place. In this way, principally by means of soldiers, Methodism was planted in this important town, and here, as elsewhere, began to fulfil its mission. 1766 Age 63 1 Memoirs of Trewavas, p. 174. Methodist Magazine, 1783, pp. 387, 441. |