History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

Wesley's trustees of his literary remains; was the last survivor of men Wesley ordained, and after
spending near seventy years in the ministry died aged ninety-three years, a venerable patriarch.
Alexander McNab was one of Wesley's most eloquent and successful preachers. During this year at
Bath a serious trouble occurred. Wesley had appointed Edward Smith, a Church of England
clergyman, to preach every Sunday night at Bath, thus overriding, as McNab thought, the
lay-preachers, and he so vehemently opposed it that a division occurred in the society. Wesley and
his brother endeavored to compose the dispute, but without avail. He read to the society a declaration
of his absolute power to appoint when and where the preachers should officiate, and soon after
notified McNab that he must submit or "he could not receive him as one of our preachers." It was
a bold act of discipline, and its wisdom is questioned by Tyerman and others on solid ground. In the
expulsion of McNab, Wesley was influenced by his brother, Dr. Coke, and the Rev. Mr. Collins.
Through Pawson and the London preachers Wesley reviewed his act, and McNab was restored at the
succeeding Conference. Charles was much displeased and wrote his brother a fretful letter. He
esteemed it the entering wedge to insubordination and final separation from the National Church,
an offense he could not brook.
The thirty-seventh Conference convened at Bristol, August 1, 1780. The increasing size of the
body and the multiplication of business led to the resolve that from nine to ten days should be
allowed each session. The number of preachers appointed was 171. Aggregate membership, 43,830,
an increase for the past decade of 14,651, or about thirty-five per centum. Wesley indulged prophetic
hopes of future enlargement. Quoting Luther, that "a revival of religion seldom continues above
thirty years," he looked upon one already fifty years continued and waxing stronger with its age. At
seventy-seven Wesley still led the sacramental host with marvelous health and unyielding vigor.
Charles Wesley was present at this Conference. Separation from the Church was again discussed,
and he foresaw that the trend of his brother and the Conference was in that direction, so he
sorrowfully retired, to meet them no more. In America the societies had increased, and this
intensified the ordination question. Wesley having read Lord King's account of the Primitive Church,
became satisfied that bishops and presbyters were essentially one in order, a conclusion he was
assisted to reach by his environments.
The necessity for some action for the American societies was greater. Rectors of the inchoate
Protestant Episcopal Church were few and far between over a vast territory, and, as in England, not
above reproach in their moral conduct. There were now eight thousand Methodists in America, and
they were practically without the ordinances. Dissatisfaction and disaffection obtained, and open
revolt, despite the restraining power of Asbury, now Wesley's General Assistant. A pronounced
hierarchist, his reading was not Lord King, but Bishop Potter, an uncompromising high churchman,
true to "apostolical succession." Asbury studied Potter and spent not a little time in transcribing, as
[9]
his Journal states, his strongest points. But more of this in its proper connection. Wesley hesitated,
as well he might. An expedient remained, and he adopted it: secure, if possible, an ordained
clergyman of the National Church for the American societies. He wrote a long letter to Bishop Lowth
of London, the very day after the adjournment of the Bristol Conference, soliciting the appointment
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of such a cleric helper, but he was refused. About this time, also, Dr. Coke discerned heresy in
Joseph Benson and arraigned him for Arianism, but the charge came to nothing, Coke thus
exhibiting, as Tyerman pithily puts it, "a fussy officiousness which scarcely redounded to his honor."
One of the legislative acts of this Conference was to enforce the rule that men and women should