History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

most interesting events in Wesley's life. He preached the next morning at five o'clock to the
Methodist children in City Road chapel. It was crowded with children. Tyerman says, "When, either
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before or since, was there such a congregation at such an hour?" It was one of the hygienic
fallacies of Wesley that not himself only, but all his helpers, should preach at five o'clock in the
morning. He believed it was one of the principal reasons his own health was so marvelously
preserved, therefore everybody to be healthy must preach at five in the morning. There was much
rebellion both by preachers and the people against a rule, serviceable for exceptions under which it
was created, but unreasonable as a perpetual and arbitrary regulation. Preachers were disciplined for
not observing this iron rule.
1786 and Wesley at eighty-three. From the opening of it to the forty-third Conference, July 25,
at Bristol, his labors continued to be signalized by remarkable occurrences of which Tyerman gives
details found in no other biography. At the Conference the question of separation from the Church
was again mooted. Dr. Coke was the leader, "who had returned from his episcopal tour in the United
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States." The underscored word is by its author. Charles Wesley was present for the last time and
uttered but one single word, an emphatic "No" when Dr. Coke in his separation speech affirmed that
nearly all the converted clergymen in the kingdom were Calvinists. Sitting with closed doors was
relaxed at this Conference to the extent of a single session. "On Thursday in the afternoon, we
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permitted any of the society to be present." Despite the discussion on separation, Wesley says in
his Journal: "Great had been the expectation of many, that we should have had warm debates, but
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by the mercy of God we had none at all." A lover of peace, if matters moved smoothly in the
channels he appointed, nothing is more common for no mention to be made at all of discussions or
denials, if he thought that best. The total membership for the world was reported at 81,010.
It is a pleasure to introduce Dr. Coke in a shining light. He must be esteemed the father and
founder of the Methodist Missionary Society, its lifelong advocate, and most laborious evangel. It
had been inaugurated at the Conference of 1785. Before leaving for America Dr. Coke drew up a
Plan and made a report which he referred to Fletcher. Its title is "A Plan of the Society for the
Establishment of Missions among the Heathen." He never relaxed his efforts in this direction, and
spent much of his independent fortune — he claimed to have an income of 1200 a year, an
inheritance from his wealthy father as an only child — in it, and found his grave in the Indian Ocean,
when sixty-seven years of age, in pursuance of his burning zeal in the cause. The mission to India
had to be postponed, but other points nearer home and in America were pressed, and collections
taken as a part of the regular work of Methodist preachers.
Passing mention must be made of Wesley's immense correspondence throughout his long life. It
is simply past comprehension how he managed to do all he did. In the autumn of this year he
undertook to write a "Life of Fletcher." He says: "To this I dedicated all the time I could spare till
November, from five in the morning till eight at night. These are my studying hours. I cannot write
longer in a day without hurting my eyes." Tyerman breaks out: "We should think not! Fifteen hours
a day of unintermitting labor in the case of a man eighty-three years of age!" He writes: "In general
my health has been better for the last ten years, than it ever has been for ten years together since I
was born . . . All my pains and aches have forsaken me, and I am a stranger even to weariness of any
kind." Impressed himself, he strongly exhorted the people to make their wills. He finished his "Life
of Fletcher," a twelvemo. of 227 pages, a year's work itself for an ordinary man; but he published