A
with The late
Rev. Mr. WESLEY.
DEAR BRETHREN,
TlIE Truftees of the Methodift Chapels of LONDON and BRISTOL, beholding
with the deepeft Concern, that fome of thofe Evils which were foretold by the Rev. Mr. Wefleys, are now creeping in amongft us, in
Confcqucnce of a Departure from the original Plan ; find themfelves called forth, in Difcharge of their Duty to God and their Brethren, to
bear a public Telftmony againft fuch Alterations and Innovations. ^
Although Mr. Wefley, by Dint of Importunity, near the Clofe of his Life, was prevailed upon to ordain a few of his Preachers far
America and Scotland, he by no Means intended to extend it, or make it general. He was aware of the Confequences of a f ctarian
Spirit amongft the Methodifls, and publicly and privately cautioned the People againft it. He faw clearly afterwards, the bad Effects
the Ordination Plan was likely to produce, in promoting a Separation from the Church of England, and frequently fpoke on the Subject
to the People at large, as well as to his Societies. And a few Months before his Death, he publilfed his Further Thoughts 011
Separation from the Church of England," in the Arminian Magazine, of April 1790, Page 214, of which the following is an Extract :
" I never had any Defign of feparating from the Church. I have no fuch Defign now. I do not believe the
" Methodifls in general defign it, when I am no more feen. I do, and will do, all that is in my Power to prevent fuch
" an Event. Neverthelefs, in fpite of all that I can do, many of them will feparate from it: (although I am apt to
" think not one Half, perhaps not a Third of them.) Thefe will be fo bold and injudicious as to form a
" SEPARATE PARTY, which confequently will dwindle away into a dry, dull, Separate Party. In flat
" Oppofition to thefe, I declare once more, that I live and die a Member of the Church of England; and
" that none who regard my Judgment or Advice, will ever feparate from it."
Thefe muft be confidered as his mod mature Reflections, founded on long Experience; and we have no Doubt in our Minds but all
the Confequences he forefaw, will follow a Departure from our Connexion with the Church of England.
But the Queftion, although principally, is not entirely, whether the Methodifts {hall feparate from the Church of England, but whether
they (hall feparate from the Church, and every other Denomination with whom any of their Members have had any lntercourfe, and
become a diffinft Body, independent of all.
This we conceive, would be an open Violation of the real and avowed Principles on which the Societies were firft united together. When
Mr. J. and C. Wesley became itinerant Preachers, and began to form Societies, they utterly difclaimed any Intention of making a
feparate Party in the Nation. The Members of their Societies were conftantly exhorted to attend their refpeclive Places of Worlhip,
whether the eftablifhed Church, or elfewhere ; and the Times of Preaching on the Lord's-Day, were ftudioufly fixed to give them LiDcrty
fo to do.
This would alfo make the Societies feparate Churches, which would entirely overturn the Conftitution and Spirit of the original Miflion.
—Hitherto the Methodifts, though for the moft Part Members of the Church of England, yet juftly may be confidered to have been a Kind
of middle Link between 11 religious Parties, uniting them in the Interefts of experimental Religion and fcriptural Holinefs ; and yet
leaving them uninjluenced, and at full Liberty to follow their refpeftive Modes of Worfhip.—This has been their peculiar Situation and
Calling; their glorying and boaft. But if the Methodifts become an independent Body, they depart from their Calling and lole their Glory.
Therefore, we cannot, from this View of Things, encourage or fupport thofe Preachers who promote the new Plan of Ordination ;
becaufe it appears to us, to fubvert the Original Conftitution of Methodifm, to overturn the Principles On which we firft held Communion
with them; and is in dirett Oppofition to that Economy which we have hitherto been taught to confider as the Order of Providence.
Tb«^MvH«+e»-oT-our GoT.forcTTccr-trWcr-TUjIc3<rf-e.ui-Sc.ctc<ic5, ^ernd fhb Oeeds of our Hotifcs, all concur in one Tcft irnony, namr'v, that
the Methodijls are no dijlindl or feparate Party ; and the Preachers are there defcribed as only " Preachers and Expounders of God's holy V/ord."
And though their primary and avowed Call was, and is, to the Church of England, yet they held out the Right-hand of Friendilup and
brotherly Love to all. faying, Whofoever doth the Will of my Father, thefame is my Brother, and Sifter, and Mother. By this Means they have
had a Door opened unto them in many Places, which otherwife would have been entirely fhut.
But it has been afked, What makes a Separation from the Church of England?—The Anfwer is plain.—The conftantly abfenting oufelves from
the efablif ted Churchy and going to another Place of Worfhip at the fame time Service is performed there ;—and the receiving theJ'acred Ordinances
of the Lord's Supper, &c. from Perfons who are not Minifters of that Church.—This we conceive is clearly and decidedly leaving the vhurcti
and forming another Party.—For the Sacrament is the Tell eftablifhed by Law to prove whether Perfons belong to the Church or not.
If the Methodifts become an independent Body, they will have an Intereft to fupport, which will materially clafh with the Interefts of
the eftablifhed Church, as well as with other Parties; and it is probable a Flame'of Strife and Dilcord will be kind;ed in the Naiion, greater
than has hitherto been known. The Spirit of Chriliian Love and mutual Forbearance, which the Methodifts were particularly called to
promote, will be abforbed in the Spirit of Controverfy ; to the great Injury, if not the total Dellrufftion of many fincere Perfons.
In fhort, if the prefent goodly Fabric of Methodifm, has been raifed under the peculiar Direction of Providence; we cannot conceive
that any Man, or Body of Men, have a Right to pull down the Building, lay a new Foundation, and raife another Siruffture with the old
Materials. Let thofe who do not like the old Building, quit it, and build a new one for themfelves. If they will not do this voluntary, but
continue to difturb and annoy the peaceable Inhabitants, we entreal you to unite with us in endeavouring to defend and preferve the lame
as complete and intire as pollible.
The Attempts that have been lately made to introduce the Ordination Scheme, have produced many and great Evils in various Places,
and if perfifled in, muft divide the People, and in the End deftroy the Caufe.
We therefore ftand forward, as Truftees of two of the principal Societies in the Kingdom, to declare our Intentions of abiding by and
fupporting the Original Methodift Itinerant Plan ; and we do here call upon the Truftees and others of our Brethren, throughout the whole
Methodift Connection, who are like-minded, to unite with us ; being determined to fupport thofe Preachers and thofe only who wifh to
ftand on the old tried Ground. We know that original Methodifm is the Caufe of God ; long Experience has proved the great Body of its
Members firmly united to the Church and State of this Nation ; they as well as their Head, (the late Rev. Mr. Wefley,) have been long
diftinguifhed for their zealous Attachment to the King and Conftitution ; and we believe there is no Defeftion at this Time to be found
amongft any of thofe who defire to maintain the old Ground.
July-L7,i7 93. LONDON TRUSTEES.
GEORGE WOLFF,
JOHN HORTON,
JOHN FOLGHAM,
JAMES SMITH,
THOMAS GREENWOOD,
WILLIAM COWLAND,
1% JOHN COLLINSON,
WILLIAM CLULOW,
ROBERT CRAWFORD,
JAMES LOVE,
RICHARD SAUSE,
JOSEPH WOLLEY,
EDWARD COLLINSON,
H. W. MORTIMER,
JOHN BUTCHER,
JAMES HAMMOND,
THOMAS DAY.
BRISTOL TRUSTEES.
PIENRY DURBIN,
WILLIAM GREEN,
WILLIAM PINE,
THOMAS ROBERTS,
EDWARD STOCK,
NATHANIEL GIFFORD,
WILLIAM BULGIN,
JOHN CURTIS.
DANIEL WAITE, jun,
DANIEL LANE. *
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TO THE
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TRUSTEES AND OTHERS
IN THE
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