History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

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not mailed there, for the bishops did not stop at Richmond during this tour. April 24, they were
at Colonel Clayton's in Virginia, the next day at New Castle; the 27th, in Carolina County, thirty
miles from New Castle. It was probably mailed at New Castle, inasmuch as a "P.S." attached to the
letter says, "You must excuse interlineations, etc. I am just going into the country, and have no time
to transcribe." On the 28th, they were at Pope's Chapel, and "we hasted to Port Royal where the
people were waiting, to whom the Doctor preached," etc. On Friday, the 29th of April, at Port Royal
they heard through the public papers of the death of Wesley. The letter was mailed ere this, or it
would not have been sent at all. This is clear from the contents. Wesley's death thwarted the purpose
in view. It establishes a moral certainty that it was mailed at New Castle on the 25th of April, or four
days before Coke had heard of Wesley's decease. [13]
The point just made is pivotal largely of the entire matter, and reference has already been made
to the disingenuous attempt of Rev. Dr. John Emory in his controversy with Rev. Alexander
McCaine to overthrow it. The word disingenuous is used advisedly, and to the readers is submitted
the proof for their verdict. Dr. Emory affirmed as to the date of Coke's letter to Bishop White and
the date of Coke's knowledge of Wesley's death, "The fact is that Mr. Wesley at the time was dead."
The italic is his own. What does he mean? He is primarily essaying to prove that the letter of Coke
to White could not have been written as Rev. Kewley affirmed, echoed by Dr. Wyatt, both of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, "with the sanction, if not actually by the order of Mr. Wesley." Emory
says," We deny the statement and demand the proof. The fact is that Mr. Wesley at the time was
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dead." What does he mean? That Coke could not have had an interview with Wesley before he
left England for America, in which such a method of restoring peace to the American Church under
the Council distractions was suggested by Coke and sanctioned by Wesley? He cannot mean that,
or, to use his own language, "we deny the statement and demand the proof." What does he mean?
Simply to assert that, "at that time Wesley was dead." As a naked fact it was true, for Wesley died
March 2, 1791. He cannot mean that and be ingenuous; for the only point is: Did Coke know of
Wesley's death April 24, 1791, the date of the letter to White? Was he misled by Drew on Coke, as
to the date, as McCaine was misled by him as to the address to Washington being in 1785, instead
of 1789? It is just possible, but not probable, for he does not cite Drew in proof of his allegation,
though Drew says," He [Coke] had been preaching on the evening of the 20th of April at a place
called Port Royal, in Virginia, and had engaged to preach about twelve miles distant at ten o'clock
on the ensuing morning. But on returning after the evening preaching to the house of a merchant
where he was to lodge, he was informed by him that the Philadelphia papers had just announced to
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the public the death of Mr. Wesley." It is not probable, because Emory had Asbury's Journal
before him and could have corrected Drew by Asbury. Nothing can be clearer than that April 20 in
Drew is a typographical error for 29, or Drew misread Coke's posthumous notes, or Coke himself
wrote 20 for 29. But Emory does not give Drew as his authority. Why not? He either knew it or he
did not. If he knew it, his failure to cite exhibits the adroit misleader. If he did not know it, then the
facts, as given by Asbury and of which Emory could not have been ignorant, are a demonstration that
he was disingenuous when he affirmed that "Wesley at that time was dead," meaning as he must that
Coke knew he was dead before April 24, 1791. He did not know it until April 29. The question may
recur in the McCaine-Emory controversy of 1827-30, but it is thought best to settle it here in its
proper connection. An analysis of the secret letter itself must be reserved to another chapter.
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