History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

METHODIST REFORM
Edward J. Drinkhouse, M.D., D.D.
Volume I
CHAPTER 34
The secession of O'Kelly; motives ascribed to him; his abrupt departure from the Conference of
1792 with Rice Haggard and others; Lee's account; heresy charge by "one of the preachers" —
O'Kelly's own account; efforts to conciliate him by Asbury through Coke — McKendree's desertion
of O'Kelly and the motives for it traced; Haggard, Hull, Bruce, and Garrettson not of McKendree's
ilk — Extent of the secession; how it spread in its principles; the Republican Methodists, afterward
the Christian Church — The heresy examined; true history of it — Outline of O'Kelly; strong and
weak points of his character; the war of pamphlets — Snethen's answer to O'Kelly, true account; only
edited what Asbury prepared; much new evidence and new facts as to O'Kelly; complete vindication
of him as to heresy — Asbury and O'Kelly in a final interview — Stevens' errors and aspersions
exposed as to O'Kelly — This chapter contains the fullest and fairest account of O'Kelly and his
followers ever published — Major Sommers, a contemporary of O'Kelly and his cause —
Summation; Gladstone in point.
The secession of O'Kelly, and what came of it, shall be the text of this chapter. Asbury says: "Mr.
O'Kelly, being disappointed in not getting an appeal from any station made by me, withdrew from
the connection, and went off. For himself the Conference well knew he could not complain of the
regulation." It is ever thus, and commonly only too true, that the diversions of men from the settled
order have at bottom some selfish motive. Asbury thinks he finds such an incentive in O'Kelly, but
the very argument he cites disproves his insinuation. It is that he was allowed to continue in the south
district as elder for ten years, and that such was his influence that he had nothing personally to fear
as to his appointments. Yet he threw himself into this breach with the almost utterly unselfish
purpose of securing protection to his preacher brethren, and not for himself. Thus traducement of
motive is sure to follow your change of attitude. By others it was charged that he was ambitious to
be a Bishop, and intended this as a stepping-stone. It is true that Jesse Lee and himself, by their
friends at least, were quasi-candidates. It is known only that when O'Kelly heard this imputation he
made the solemn affirmation, "I arose before the people, and spake after this manner — I can appeal
to the Lord, and am now ready to be qualified, that the man hath belied me to my face." These were
not the only Parthian arrows that were shot after him. Lee, after briefly rehearsing the efforts made
to conciliate him and his friends through Dr. Coke, which O'Kelly, in his "Appeal" gives in full, says:
"Waiting in town a day or two longer, he and the preachers that were particularly influenced by him
set off for Virginia, taking their saddle-bags, greatcoats, and other bundles on their shoulders and
arms, walking on foot to the place where they left their horses, which was about twelve miles from
town. I stood and looked after them as they went off, and observed to one of the preachers, that I was
sorry to see the old man go off in that way, for I was persuaded that he would not be quiet long, but
would try to be the head of some party. The preacher then informed me that Mr. O'Kelly denied the
doctrine of the Trinity, and preached against it, by saying that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were
characters and not persons; and that these characters all belonged to Jesus Christ. That Jesus Christ
was the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The preacher farther said that it was his intention to
have had O'Kelly tried at that Conference for the false doctrines which he had been preaching; and