History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

considered the subject, and informed Dr. Coke of his design of drawing up a plan of church
government, and of establishing an ordination for his American societies. But cautious of entering
on any new plan, he afterward suspended the execution of his purpose, and weighed the whole for
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upward of a year. Drew says: "When the Conference at Leeds in 1784 ended, Mr. Wesley repaired
to Bristol, and Dr. Coke to London, to make arrangements for his departure. He had, however, not
been long in London, before he received a letter from Mr. Wesley requesting him to repair
immediately to Bristol to receive fuller powers; and to bring Rev. Mr. Creighton with him." [12]
Tyerman says of Coke's letter: "Would it not seem from this, that Wesley had no idea of ordaining
any one himself; but that he intended Coke, who, as a presbyter of the same church, had coequal
power, to go out to America for that purpose? There can be no question, that there is force in Dr.
Whitehead's critique, that, 'Dr. Coke had the same right to ordain Wesley as Wesley had to ordain
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Coke.' Wesley, we think, never intended doing this; but at Coke's request he acquiesced. In due
season the evidence shall be made overwhelming that in this transaction Dr. Coke with Wesley
successfully played the role of "the little magician," as some one has dubbed him. He tried it
subsequently with Asbury, but that keen-sighted man proved himself more than a match for both
Wesley and Coke. Tyerman adduces a fact which no other historian mentions, and which he thinks
may have influenced Wesley finally in this matter of ordination. A controversy arose in regard to one
of Lady Huntingdon's chapels, a complication growing out of the Calvinistic Methodists' relation to
the National Church; and after litigation the case was so decided that clergymen who had heretofore
held service were deterred for fear of persecution for preaching in a place not episcopally
consecrated. The upshot was that Messrs. Wills and Taylor, clergymen, formally seceded from the
National Church, and it was the first that took place. The object of these withdrawals was to enable
these clergymen to ordain some of Lady Huntingdon's preachers, which was accordingly done on
March 9, 1783. Six young men were set apart. Wesley knew of these things but kept quiet, not
knowing but the same legal and ecclesiastical proceedings might be instituted against him. Wesley
ordained Coke, Whatcoat, and Vasey, when, where, how, and to what, with the testimonial he gave
Coke, and the letter he wrote the American brethren, and all associated facts, shall be reviewed later.
Suffice it to say that, when the secret work became known, as it did speedily, the Conference
preachers were highly indignant, and there was great commotion. One of the preachers wrote, "I wish
they had been asleep when they began this business of ordination; it is neither episcopal nor
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presbyterian; but a mere hodge podge of inconsistencies." It must be noted that there is a wide
difference between the ordination of Dr. Coke, whatever Wesley intended by it, and the ordination
of Whatcoat and Vasey. With Wesley's modified views as a presbyter he felt qualified to ordain
deacons and presbyters though illogical in an Episcopalian, who if anything must be a believer in
three orders of the ministry with the ordaining power restricted to the bishops; so that, having made
the ecclesiastical plunge, he proceeded as necessity called for it, to set aside others of his helpers.
In Scotland there was as strong need as in America, the clergymen of the National Church forbidding
the ordinances to Methodists. So, in 1785, he ordained Pawson, Hanby, and Taylor for Scotland. In
1786 he added to the number, Keigley and Atmore for Scotland, Warrener for Antigua, West Indies,
and Hammett for Newfoundland. A year later five others were ordained. In 1788, when Wesley was
in Scotland, Barber and Cownley were set apart; and at the ensuing Conference seven others,
including Alexander Mather, who was ordained not deacon and presbyter only, but superintendent
for Scotland, this case also to be more fully considered in its logical connection. In 1789 Wesley