History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

or usages which had been most assailed by the seceders. This document recognized decidedly the
propriety of 'Mixed Committees' of preachers and laymen in the administration of the funds and
other temporalities of the denomination, a policy already in practice, but now more uniformly
applied. It made new provisions for accused members under trial, granting them farther opportunities
of appeal. It authorized applications from the people through the 'June quarterly meeting of every
year' for any changes in the government of the Connection not incompatible with its constitution as
left by Wesley."
A careful consideration of the concessions as thus outlined by Stevens will disclose how vital to
lay rights are some of them, and the query recurs, why the parent body should expel first and
afterward concede. The reason, perhaps, is not far to find. Entrenched in authority backed by
property, no serious thought is given to the unbalanced government, until an uprising demands
changes by the people. Acquiescence would have acknowledged superior wisdom in the
discontented. It would look too much as though rights withheld had been wrested from the power
party. Hence expulsions for "moral discipline." Then in the Conference wisdom rights are voluntarily
surrendered. But no one is deceived by such procedure. It remains true that men, as individuals or
corporations, do not part with power except under coercive stress, and hence also the fact that
reforms from within are rarely, if ever, successful, for the reason that reforms work from above
downward. Revolutions work from below upward. The destiny of the Associated Methodists will
be given later.
In 1828 Dr. William Capers of the South Carolina Conference was sent by the General
Conference to the Wesleyan Conference. In 1835 William Lord was sent by the Wesleyan
Conference to the General Conference in America. Dr. Wilbur Fisk was sent with fraternal letters
[1]
in return in 1836. The slavery question was under discussion in both countries, and the British
brethren had made some pointed allusions to it in their former address. An effort was made to
prejudice the Wesleyans against Dr. Fisk on this score. But explanations were made, and he was
cordially received, and by "his influence," Stevens says, "the form of ordination by imposition of
hands was adopted for the first time by the Conference, he himself sharing in the ceremony. " It was
a reactionary step and marked the influence of the American Episcopacy over them.
During the period just closed the Wesleyan Conference increased by an average of forty a year.
Three hundred and forty-nine had passed to their reward, among them notable names. Charles
Atmore, David Stoner, Thomas Vasey, died in this period. The latter was sent to America with Coke
and Whatcoat to assist Asbury in 1784. He remained in the American Connection a few years, but
grew dissatisfied, probably with the Asburyan rule, as no other has ever been assigned, when he
entered the Protestant Episcopal Church, receiving ordination at the hands of Bishop White. He
returned to England, accepted a curacy, Stevens says "with Wesley's approbation," proof that he had
good reasons for his course in America, and in 1789 he resumed his place as a Methodist itinerant
under Wesley. He lingered to his eighty-fourth year and died in 1826. John Smith, the revivalist, also
died triumphantly. In 1833 two of the greatest lights of English Methodism departed,— Richard
Watson and Adam Clarke. A volume to each of them would not suffice for memorial. Among
honored laymen were Butterworth, Thomas Thompson, and Samuel Drew, who from a shoemaker's
bench rose to literary eminence as editor of the Imperial Magazine and as a metaphysician of high