History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

Constructively reader and writer are present in Wesley's private chamber at Bristol, September
1, 1784. What took place? It is not a very commodious room, yet there are besides the chamber
furniture, chairs enough probably for six persons: John Wesley, Thomas Coke, James Creighton,
Richard Whatcoat, and Thomas Vasey. These and no more. There is no minute of their conversation,
and nothing is known of what took place, except from the "testimonials" given and what Whatcoat
has recorded in his private Journal, no part of which was published until after Whatcoat's decease,
when his biographer, Phoebus, on page 17, gives this extract: "September 1, 1784 — Rev. John
Wesley, Thomas Coke, and James Creighton, presbyters of the Church of England, formed a
presbytery and ordained Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey, deacons. And on September 2, by
the same hands, etc., Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey were ordained elders and Thomas Coke,
LL.D., was ordained superintendent for the Church of God under our care in North America." As to
the "testimonials," and the information they may furnish as to what was done, those provided by
Wesley for Whatcoat and Vasey as presbyters have never been published, while that provided for
Coke was suppressed by him and not published until after his death. It was found among his papers
"in Wesley's own handwriting," and is in the following form:—
To all to whom these presents shall come: John Wesley, late fellow of Lincoln College, in Oxford,
presbyter of the Church of England, sendeth greeting:
Whereas many of the people in the southern provinces of North America, who desire to continue
under my care, and still adhere to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, are greatly
distressed for want of ministers to administer the sacrament of baptism and the Lord's Supper,
according to the usages of the same church; and whereas there does not appear to be any other way
of supplying them with ministers,
Know all men that I, John Wesley, think myself to be providentially called at this time to set apart
some persons for the work of the ministry in America. And, therefore, under the protection of
Almighty God, and with a single eye to His glory, I have this day set apart as a superintendent, by
the imposition of my hands and prayers, (being assisted by other ordained ministers,) Thomas Coke,
doctor of civil law, a presbyter of the Church of England, and a man whom I judge to be well
qualified for that great work. And I do hereby recommend him to all whom it may concern as a fit
person to preside over the flock of Christ. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-four. — John Wesley.
A few things may be observed of this document. It bears no resemblance to the credential of a
Bishop in the National Church. The word "ordain" does not occur in it, though Whatcoat uses it in
his Journal account. What Wesley says he did is this, "I have this day set apart as a superintendent,
by the imposition of my hands and prayers, . . . Thomas Coke," etc. It furnishes no evidence that he
used the ordination form of the National Church at all. Admitting that he probably did for
convenience, he certainly did not use the form of the English service, "Receive the Holy Ghost for
the office and work of a Bishop in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the imposition
of our hands: in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Amen." The logical
form of the issue is this. Either he used the form of the National Church, including the foregoing
invocation, or he did not. If he did, and meant thereby to raise Coke to a third order in the ministry,