History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

services vastly improved the singing. Wesley was delighted. William Bramwell, Richard Reece,
Joseph Entwistle, and Pearl Dickinson are names now appearing, and immortal in Methodism. All
his preachers were now licensed to save them from the Conventicle Act; but it widened a breach with
the National Church and made ultimate separation inevitable. Wesley had ceased to publish except
in the Arminian Magazine. Dr. Coke, and principally, Mr. Bradford were now his traveling
companions. Everywhere he was received with worshipful respect. His flowing snow-white hair, his
ruddy countenance, his searching eyes, which had lost none of their brightness, made him an angel
visitant.
The forty-fifth Conference was held in London, July 29, 1788. The prosperity was unabated.
Among those received at this conference was John Hickling, who survived till 1859, aged
ninety-three, the last of Wesley's "Helpers." He had preached more than seventy years, and at the
time of his death was announced for six special occasions. Wesley had passed his eighty-fifth
birthday with unusual incidents, and the year was marked with many events of a striking character,
which may be found in Tyerman's "Life," but cannot be reproduced under limit of space. March 29
of this year Charles Wesley died. Wesley was at Macclesfield and could not get to London in time
for the funeral. Charles had left instructions to be buried in "consecrated ground" and by clergymen
of the National Church. Wesley was much grieved, for he wished him to be buried near him in City
Road chapel ground. He intended to write his brother's Life, but he could not find the time. Dr.
Whitehead, by special request of the family, performed acceptably and successfully the task, having
access to his Journal and all his private papers. On Christmas day of this year Wesley preached at
City Road chapel, and on the last Sunday in the year at All Hallows church. His attendant while
putting on his gown was addressed by Wesley. "Sir, it is above fifty years since I first preached in
this church . . . I came without a sermon. A woman who stood by noticing my concern said, on
learning the cause of my confusion, 'Cannot you trust God for a sermon?'" It had such an effect on
him that he ascended the pulpit and preached extempore . . . "I have never since taken a written
sermon with me into the pulpit."
1789, and Wesley at eighty-six. In January he sat for a picture by Romney, and he compliments
him, "He struck off an exact likeness at once and did more in an hour than Sir Joshua did in ten." His
sight and other faculties showed signs of decay, but in March he started on a five months' preaching
tour over the kingdom. At Dublin chapel he called on William Myles, his assistant at this place, to
aid him in administering the Lord's Supper, and he was not yet ordained. It gave great offense, and
a controversy raged for three months over it in the Daily Dublin Evening Post. It was pronounced
"the greatest innovation that had been witnessed for fifty years." His reason for this step can be
conjectured only. Under Dr. Coke's management the Dublin Methodists had service during the
Church hours, to keep them from wandering from their own service at other hours, a practice Coke
determined must be stopped. It led to farther controversy, and Wesley endeavored to justify Coke,
though it was a thing he so often condemned. Notwithstanding these divarications of his own he
stickled and insisted that other rules should be obeyed to the letter. At Dewsbury the year before his
book steward, Atlay, led a rebellion against his power to appoint exclusively the preacher. Atlay and
the chapel were both lost to the connection. Now at Shields the same disaffection appeared. Wesley
wrote a peremptory letter to the three circuit preachers, that they demand a settlement of the deed
on the Conference plan within three weeks, and if within another week it was not complied with they
were to withdraw and not preach in it. In a postscript he says: "I am at a point. I will be trifled with