History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

In opening another paragraph of this epitomized account of Charles Wesley, it is pertinent to give
place to Stevens' emphasis of two events: "Charles was the first of the brothers who received the
name of Methodist, so was he the first to learn by experience the saving truth which Methodism was
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destined to witness to the world." His private Journal, which is followed by Whitehead, bating
some breaks in its continuity, exhibits his daily labors itinerating among the United Societies, now
under the acknowledged leadership of his brother John, and also discloses the differences in their
temperament, modes of thought, and abiding convictions as to the lay-preachers, with his consistent
adherence to the National Church, believing that the mission of Methodism was to reform it from
within. His powers of endurance were not equal to his brother's, so that he was often indisposed from
his exposures and persecutions. It is a part of this record that the Wesleys at times met with
opposition from the Dissenters. Whitehead, moralizing upon a striking instance of the kind in the
career of Charles, says: "What shall we say to these proceedings? There is no class of people who
cry out so loudly against persecution as the Dissenters, when it happens to be their turn to be
persecuted. The truth seems to be, that most denominations of Christians disavow and condemn
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persecution in theory, yet fall into the practice of it when power and opportunity occur. He
purchased a house in Dublin, and fitted it up for lodging and boarding for the preachers and himself,
and as a preaching-place. He became intimate in a Mr. Gwynne's family in Wales, and out of it
sprang a proposal of marriage to his daughter Sarah, which was consummated not long after and
proved a happy union. He preached at the Marsh, near Dublin, — "The congregation last Sunday was
computed to be ten thousand." He went back and forth into Ireland, Wales, and England. In his
treatment of the lay-preachers, to whom he was friendly, if they exhibited gifts and grace, Whitehead
takes occasion to give a personal estimate of one of the marked differences between the two brothers
Wesley, which it will be well to remember in tracing their respective careers. "Mr. John Wesley's
great weakness was a proneness to believe every one sincere in his profession of religion till he had
the most positive, and perhaps repeated, proofs of his insincerity; and to believe their testimony of
things as true, without making proper allowance for their ignorance. This exposed him to frequent
imposition and mistake. The case was far otherwise with Mr. Charles; he quickly penetrated into a
man's character, and it was not easy to impose upon him. He totally differed from his brother
concerning the qualifications necessary for an itinerant preacher, and sometimes silenced a man
whom his brother had admitted. The one looked at the harm an unqualified preacher might do many
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persons; the other, at the possible good he might do to some." He had close fellowship with the
Perronets, who figure so largely in primitive Methodism, and one of the brothers was his traveling
companion for a full year.
The ordination of some of the lay-preachers became rife, and the agitation had gone so far as to
produce a division in the important United Society of Leeds. Both the brothers resisted this
innovation as totally subversive of the original constitution of the Societies, and it may be in place
to state that this became the vexed question of both British and American Methodism. The result of
its solution in favor of ordination will be fully treated in its current place. This and the Deed of
Declaration were the causes of the after official estrangement of the brothers. Those who contended
for ordination did so with the ulterior purpose of a separation from the National Church. Says
Whitehead: "He was fully convinced that all attempts to form the people into an independent body
originated in the pride and selfishness of some of the preachers, and would be injurious to the
progress of the work. He saw, however, that under various pretenses, the preachers would finally
prevail and obtain their purpose, though not during the life of his brother. He was still comforted