History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

independent thinkers among preachers and people in their views. The sentiments and principles
underlying the American Revolution were budding in the colonies. At this time they were nearly
ready to bloom. The friction between the English Crown and its American subjects heated and
smoked and finally flamed. To those entertaining paternal ideas of government the contention was
unwise and uncalled for. It was simple enough in the abstract, but meant chains or liberty in the
concrete. A Stamp Act and a duty upon tea, had crystallized into the war-cry, "No Taxation without
Representation," and they took their lives in their hands against the theory of Non-resistance and
Passive Obedience. Quite a strong Tory party dissented from the revolutionists, not so much that they
were less American, but by reason of a fear that with separation from the Crown would come the loss
of the entire English common law, and so a breakdown of all civil safeguards. In these circumstances
the clergy of English nativity, and they were nearly all such, began to desert their parishes and return
home, while not a few of those who remained were of questionable morals, from a Methodist point
of view at least. There can be no doubt that these views, reflected upon the Methodist societies made
up of native-born people, would have ultimated in a Presbyterian system. Dr. Coke so confesses in
his famous letter to the Bishop of London in 1799: "But I return (to England and the National
Church) with a full conviction that our numerous societies in America would have been a regular
Presbyterian Church, if Mr. Wesley and myself had not taken the steps which we judged it necessary
[6]
to adopt." McCaine's note upon this extract is fair and judicial. As already admitted, no argument
[7]
before the fact in favor of this system as against the hierarchic one of Asbury can be made, but
after the fact it is clear from the equal success of a liberal polity joined to the doctrines and means
of grace, both in England and America, that it would have been happy for American Methodism in
the conservation of its future organic unity, if a balanced and representative polity had been adopted
when organization finally took place. Thus it is seen how early the issue was joined between the two
systems. How the one came to prevail over the other shall be told in the future. While the contention
was proceeding, from 1773 to 1784, the current of history must not be overlooked with brevity of
reference.
Boardman and Pilmoor do not appear in the list of appointments of 1773. They had resolved to
return to England. Stevens assigns the one reason for it that they were loyal to the Crown and
foresaw the war coming on. How much supersedure, first by Asbury and then by Rankin, had to do
with it must remain unwritten history. They tarried in the country about six mouths, and then
re-embarked for England, January 2, 1774. They left 2073 members in society, 10 regular organized
circuits, and 17 preachers. Boardman resumed his travels in Ireland, was greatly useful, and
continued until September, 1782, when he died suddenly of apoplexy and was borne to his grave by
his brethren with lyrics and rejoicing. Pilmoor desisted from travel for two years, then received an
appointment in London and at several other points. He dropped out in 1785, returned to America,
took orders in the Protestant Episcopal Church, was stationed in Philadelphia as rector of St. Paul's
Church, to whose pulpit he often invited Asbury, Coke, and others. He lived to a good old age and
died in peace. Captain Webb also returned, and on his retired pay spent a number of years as a local
preacher, died suddenly, and was greatly honored by his brethren. Jarratt and McRoberts, two
[8]
clergymen in Virginia, were exceptions to their order; the former, specially devout and spiritual,
cooperated with the Methodist preachers through life, though he strongly objected to the organization
of the societies into a Church in 1784. He kept up an intimacy with Asbury, was as zealous and
evangelical as any of the preachers, and a loyal churchman to the end.