History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

sufficient account of that empire of property, its cohesive power in holding together a powerful party,
which the Deed of Declaration securely entrenched. Now in his eightieth year, Wesley claimed an
octogenarian vigor as surprising to himself as it was to his friends. Setting out in March, he made
a seven months' journey throughout England and Scotland. The Irish Conference he gave largely over
to Dr. Coke. Apropos, Drew, his biographer, says "As the doctor, in his occasional visits, sometimes
acted as Mr. Wesley's more immediate representative, it was not infrequently his lot to introduce
regulations into the societies with which many were dissatisfied. His power was rather discretionary
than precisely definite; and in several instances he was accused of proceeding beyond the bounds of
delegated authority . . . With difficulties of this nature the Doctor was somewhat compelled to
contend; while the part which he actually bore in the dubious transactions rendered his means of
defense more perplexing than the charges were serious which he undertook to obviate and this
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ultimately exposed his conduct to suspicions which it was not easy for him to repel." The reader
will not fail to carefully note these reflections, by a bosom friend of Dr. Coke's and a Conference
partisan, as their application will be seen often in the progress of this History. It is applied by Drew
particularly to his alleged dominating influence in the preparation of the Deed of Declaration. Before
it shall pass in thorough review as it came before the Conference, a few things need mention.
In his eighty-first year Wesley mellowed and ripened for his saintly garnerage. Nothing could be
sweeter than his tender consideration for the children who thronged about him as he walked the
streets and ministered in the chapels. The snowy locks, the freshness of his countenance, and his
benignant smile won them to him, and scenes are narrated by his biographers of interviews with the
children most pathetic and instructive. Guileless as a child himself, he was more than ever
unsuspicious of the suggestions of those about him. In his travels he came to Otley, and preached
at Bingley church, where a Sunday-school of 240 had been gathered. He remarks of it, "Who knows
but that some of these schools may become nurseries for Christians?" It is his first notice of
Sunday-schools. They were beginning to attract public attention. Miss Ball had such a school at High
Wycombe, and Miss Cooke, a Methodist, was the first to suggest to Robert Raikes the idea of
instituting a school at Gloucester, which he did June 5, 1784, and ever since his name has been
associated with them as the originator. The whole town of Leeds was divided into sections where
reading, writing, and religion were taught the children, and then they were conducted to their
respective churches. Wesley earnestly fostered the plan.
The forty-first Conference began at Leeds, July 27, 1784. It was a gracious season as well as one
of "long debate," sixteen or seventeen hundred partaking of the Lord's Supper. "August 3 our
Conference concluded in much love," and Wesley adds, with unaccustomed sarcasm — "to the great
disappointment of all." This is from his Journal, which gives no hint that the "long debate" was on
the Deed of Declaration; but Tyerman shows from the Methodist Magazine, 1845, pp. 12, 13, that
it was the subject. Wesley preached not less than eight times during these seven days. Mention has
been made of the prominent features of the early deed of settlement for the chapels. At the instance
of Wesley, Dr. Coke ferreted out the fact that it was imperfect in that it gave no legal definition of
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the term occurring in it, "Conference of the People called Methodists," as the Conference was not
an incorporated body. A strong probability is established that Dr. Coke was principal in the
preparation of the new deed. It is well known that Wesley had a repugnance to legal forms and was
impatient of their details. Indeed, Whitehead declares that: "Neither the design of it nor the words
of the several clauses are to be imputed to Mr. Wesley. So far was he from forming any design of