History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

1 Lee's History," pp. 140-160.
2 O'Kelly, "Apology," pp. 10-16.
3 "Journal," Vol. II. p.69.
ENDNOTES
4 The Arminian Magazine was issued by him for 1789 and 1790, when it was discontinued. In 1799,
by order of the General Conference of 1798, another periodical was published for 1797 and 1798,
or down to the death of Dickins. His successor as book steward, Rev. Ezekiel Cooper, discontinued
it when he took charge at the close of the volume for 1798. Rev. Dr. John Atkinson has complete
files of them.
5 Garrettson was probably the secretary of the Councils, a legitimate inference from the following
facts. A letter from Rev. Dr. John Atkinson, under date of October 23, 1807, from Clifton Springs,
N. Y., and but a few months before his decease, to the writer, furnishes the information that the
manuscripts and papers of Rev. Ezekiel Cooper, which were inclusive of Garrettson's papers also,
were for a long time in the possession of Rev. Dr. George A. Phoebus, he having obtained them from
Dr. Ignatius T. Cooper, a nephew of Ezekiel, under bond to return them intact on demand. The owner
died while they were yet in his possession, and when requisition was made for them they were
recovered with extreme difficulty. Dr. Atkinson then purchased them for Mr. Deering, of Chicago,
who presented them to the Garrett Biblical Institute at Evanston, Ill. When Dr. Atkinson examined
the papers, the minutes of the Councils of l789-90, known to be a part of the Garrettson collection,
could not be found. Farther demand upon Dr. Phoebus has failed to recover these minutes, though
he asserted to the writer in the presence of Rev. Dr. Lanahan in the early autumn of 1897, in the
Methodist Historical Rooms in Baltimore, that he had these minutes in possession, and that he could
prove from the Garrettson papers not only that Asbury did not assign Garrettson to the eldership of
the Eastern Shore of Maryland, from the Superintendency of Canada, without his full knowledge and
consent, but that Wesley appointed Whatcoat a Superintendent for America the second time! Rev.
Dr. Little, President of Garrett Institute, having examined the papers at the request of Dr. Lanahan
under the writer's instigation, made personal report to him that the papers in hand furnished no such
evidence. So if Dr. Phoebus has any such proof, it must be in such papers as he unlawfully retained
out of the collection. It is not believed, however, that any such evidence exists, while the minutes
of the Council of 1790, if he has these as claimed in disregard of his bond to return on demand
everything loaned him, it is morally certain do not contain anything important beyond what these
pages have given. So that the writer's claim, that the account of the Council business is "the fullest
ever yet given the Methodist people," stands unimpeached.
Since the foregoing was written, Dr. Collins Denny of Nashville, Tenn., exhibited to the writer
these minutes in printed form in full (1898).
6 "History of the Discipline," p. 228.
*************************************