A Short History Of The Methodists... - Media Sabda Org

"To A. B.
"You think it your duty to call sinners to repentance. Make full proof hereof, and we shall be glad
to receive you as a fellow laborer.
"Observe, you are not to ramble up and down, but to go where the Assistant directs, and there
only.
"Let him then read, and carefully weigh what is contained therein, and see whether he can agree
to it or not. If he can, let him come to the next conference, where, after examination, fasting and
prayer, he may be received into full connection with us, by giving him the minutes, inscribed thus:
"So long as you freely consent to, and earnestly endeavor to walk by these rules, we shall rejoice
to acknowledge you as a fellow laborer."
From this it may be seen, that Mr. Wesley and the conference at that time, only required a
probationary state of one year, in order to be admitted into full connection among the traveling
preachers.
However, in 1784, the conference thought proper to lengthen out the time of their probation to
four years, before the young preachers could be admitted into full connection.
At that time all the traveling preachers were called helpers, i.e., helpers of Mr. Wesley; some were
Assistants, and others Preachers.
1764. -- Mr. Myles says, "In the beginning of this year, Mr. Erskine re-published in Scotland Mr.
Hervey's Eleven Letters, and spread them with all his might. They prejudiced the Scotch against the
Methodists' doctrine, and hindered the prosperity of the work. These letters did no harm in England.
Mr. Wesley and Mr. Sellon wrote masterly answers to them. It was afterwards known, that a Mr.
Cudworth, a violent Antinomian, had written the most virulent passages in these letters."
Having considered a few particulars respecting the beginning and progress of Methodism in
Europe, I come now to the beginning of Methodism in the United States of America.