History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

deliverance from a "Methodist curate." Wesley met him while in Somersetshire, and thus writes:
"Here I found Dr. Coke, who came twenty miles on purpose to meet me. I had much conversation
with him, and a union began then which I trust shall never end." [8]
The thirty-fourth Conference met at Bristol, August 5, 1777. Fletcher was there, stimulating by
his saintly presence, and Coke was also there, having cast in his lot with Wesley, but his name does
not appear in the minutes until the following year, when he was assigned to London. The historians
are in a great muddle over this interval and the reasons for it. It was conjectured that Wesley wanted
to keep his eye upon him as a convert, that he might not promote him rashly. Others indignantly deny
it. He traveled part of the time with Wesley and devoted himself to a thorough acquaintance with the
discipline of the United Societies. He threw the whole force of his impetuous nature into whatever
enterprise he undertook. An informal session of Conference was held in Ireland early in 1778 in
order to suppress a strong tendency to separation from the National Church because of maltreatment
of the Irish Methodists, but Wesley stood firm against it, and the uprising was quelled.
The thirty-fifth Conference was held August 4, 1778, at Leeds. Sixty circuits were reported, and
an aggregate membership of 47,057, including 6968 in America. The salient events of the year were
the dedication of the new chapel in City Road as a substitute for the old Foundry, which had been
used for thirty-five years. It cost about 6000 and contributions were received from the Methodists
of the United Kingdom to pay for it. It was a fine edifice for that day and is still the focal point of
London Methodism. It was proposed to make it so respectable as well, that the Lord Mayor might
attend and other dignitaries. To this end it was suggested that the pulpit should have an exclusive
supply; the two Wesleys, Coke, and John Richardson were the sabbatic preachers to the tabooing of
the lay-preachers, however eminent and eloquent, as Pawson, Jaco, Rankin, Tennent, Olivers, and
others. Charles Wesley was persistent as a high churchman; but after much contention the
lay-preachers prevailed; and this, Whitehead declares, was the beginning of a decadence of John
Wesley's absolute authority over the preachers. Watson thinks it only modified its exercise, as
Wesley was politic enough to bend, if he could do it without seeming to break. It was intimated that
at this time there was a combination of preachers against Wesley's authority, but they made Charles
and his churchism the foil, and, if so, it lends probability to Whitehead's assertion. Wesley was now
seventy-five years old, and innovations began to creep into his methods; besides, he was violently
attacked again by pamphleteers in the grossest manner. At this Conference of 1778 others than
preachers were allowed to be present, among them Thomas Thompson, Esq., afterward member of
Parliament. The foreign missionary field for Methodism enlarged. A mission to Africa was
discussed, but deferred, while the work in Antigua, West Indies, under Mr. Gilbert, was prospering.
Laymen of some of the prominent societies expressed a choice of preachers as a supply, and often
won their point. In March of this year Wesley wrote while at Bristol, "This year I myself (which I
have seldom done) chose the preachers for Bristol." He came into intimate relations with Mr.
Creighton of the National Church, of whom future mention will be made in the so-called
"ordination" of Dr. Coke. Wesley projected the Arminian Magazine this year, which has continued
to be published without interruption to this day, making it the oldest religious magazine in the world.
The thirty-sixth Conference was held in London, August 3, 1779. One hundred and sixty-seven
preachers received appointments. Henry Moore was admitted, a name eminent in Wesleyan
Methodism. He took a prominent part in Ireland, as he was born in Dublin, 1751; was one of