History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

severely, but not unjustly. Preaching was not enough — they must visit from house to house and
instruct and reprove, or "the Methodists will be no better than other people," as was charged. It was
one of the most important he ever held. A new impulse was given the entire work. Wesley entered
upon his travels and labors with redoubled zeal, were that possible, and his helpers everywhere were
stirred to a higher consecration. He came into the possession of $1000 by the will of a Miss Lewen,
one of the converts who died early; but it was speedily distributed among the poor. He could resist
no appeal, and his hand was always open while a shilling remained. Withal no man was more loved
and more hated than he. He was assailed on every side, maligned and traduced by tongue and pen.
The Conference year of 1767 is notable for the fact that Wesley lifted the first missionary
collection at Newcastle, August 8, and not at Leeds in 1769, as is supposed. He had, however, more
faith in consecrated men who would volunteer for missionary work abroad than in money as an
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agency. The Methodist work was pushed by the trio now in full fellowship, — the two Wesleys
and Whitefield. Persecutions waxed hotter, and many were the narrow escapes from open violence
and sudden death of these fervent evangelists. About the only doctrinal bone of contention remaining
was the Christian perfection theory; the practice was under limitation. There were zealots for the
former who constantly misrepresented Wesley's views, and he was kept busy correcting and
enforcing what he did believe.
But as this is about the only doctrinal point of difference of interpretation, unity in this regard
having been marvelously preserved throughout its whole history in every land, this sketch takes no
note of the intellectual and experiential side of this great revival of genuine religion. It is elaborately
treated by Whitehead, Moore, Watson, Stevens, and Tyerman. On the 18th of August, the
twenty-fourth Conference was held at London. For the first time a complete statistical table of
members was furnished, showing an aggregate of 25,911.
There were forty-one circuits and 104 itinerants. Francis Asbury was received at this Conference,
a fact worthy of note as the future will show. There were eighty-four chapels in England, one in
Wales, two in Scotland, and thirteen in Ireland, with an aggregate debt of 12,000. Subscriptions were
taken to cancel it, and the effort was pressed with all the authority and system of Wesley until within
a few years the debt was reduced to 7728.
1768 Wesley made his first will, differing very much from his last, in 1789. He also made a
second visit to the sainted Fletcher, who so nobly cooperated with him and the lay-preachers
throughout life, and whom Wesley nominated by correspondence with him as his successor, an
appointment he would no doubt have pressed, but for Fletcher's decease, though he never gave the
least encouragement to it personally. And this is all the mention the space will allow of one of the
purest, wisest, and most judicious men that ever lived to honor God. On the 16th of August, the
twenty-fifth Conference was convened at Bristol. The increase of members was but 430, and Wesley
was dissatisfied, as well he might be. It was attributed to the fact that most of the preachers were
partly secularized in trades and artisanship, and so not their time only, but their minds, were divided.
Steps were taken to remedy the evil as far as possible. The increased circulation of books was also
urged to counteract the declension in some places.