History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

the Pretender excitement in the realm, these tracts, and his subsequent "Calm Address to the
American Colonies," which he appropriated from Dr. Johnson's diatribe, and when detected, frankly
admitted, and was condoned by Johnson, who quizzically approved the enlarged circulation it gave
his philippie.
The thirtieth Conference was held in London, August 3, 1773. Scant notice is taken of these
Conferences by most of the historians. Tyerman is far more satisfactory, because he had access to
materials not obtainable until his later day. In this way he furnishes opportunity for reflection upon
Wesley's monopolization of the printing and publishing business, as well as "the care of all the
churches," which Paul found his sufficient burden. Not often does a clergyman carry a business head
upon his shoulders, and Methodism is about the only Protestant organization in either hemisphere
which relegates temporalities as well as everything else to its ministry. During this year Wesley
found that there must be something wrong with his book business. An account of stock was taken,
and the inventory rendered showed that he was in debt to printers and binders 500, and yet had books
on hand whose gross value was near 11,000. Some took up the suspicion that his wife by means of
false keys had obtained access to the book steward's cash and helped herself, but there was no
conclusive proof. His book steward, Samuel Franks, a man of great probity, failing to unravel the
mystery, fell into insanity and hanged himself. The discrepancy remained unsolved; the possessor
of a large amount of property, Wesley was yet seriously in debt. The precedent thus established and
entailed upon the Legal Hundred was the paternal origin of future "Book Concerns" in England and
America, and one of the boastings of the parent bodies. In the sequel of this History it will be shown
a grave error of economic judgment and of calamitous denominational strife.
On the 9th of August, 1774, the thirty-first Conference was held at Bristol. The membership
reported was 35,612, showing a gain this year of 2340. Among the names received at this Conference
were James Rodgers and Samuel Bradford, both eminent in after years, the latter esteemed as "the
Demosthenes of Methodism." Dr. Adam Clarke, speaking of his eloquence, says, "I have never heard
his equal," — and he had heard Whitefield. The former, a successful preacher, the husband of the
saintly Hester Ann Rodgers, he suffered much from persecutions, attended Wesley in his last
journey, and was at his bedside when he departed.
Wesley was averse to having his portrait taken, more because of the sittings required and loss of
time, as he esteemed it, than any other reason. But two or three pictures of him were taken, of which
Tyerman gives excellent copies. This year he was prevailed on to allow a cast of his face to be taken.
The Conference of 1774 was largely occupied with temporal matters. A Miss March, writing of
it August 23, says among other things, "The preachers said there was much concord among them,
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and one of them observed Mr. Wesley seemed to do all the business himself." The method of the
Conferences was for Wesley to ask questions and solicit opinions in answer, but there were no votes
taken; Wesley decided, and that ended it; and this method was perpetuated after his demise and came
over into American Methodism. No doubt it expedited business, but what of its reflex influence?
They sat with closed doors, the people were excluded; and as for the preachers under such a training,
all individuality was lost; they gave up everything to the presiding genius; happily their veneration
for and confidence in him were such, and he proved himself so worthy of both, that as a rule
"concord" reigned. As was inevitable, however, under the system cliques formed under the