To the Preachers late in Connexion with the Rev. Mr. WESLEY,
and all Others whom it may concern.
A Partial and erroneous " Statement of FaBs," having heen laid before you, refpefting the F.xpulfion
of Mr. Moore from the Brillol Chapels by the Trudees ; it becomes highly necellary that the real State of the Cafe (hould be
known, that the impartial Inquirer may fee on what Ground it flands.
In the Years 1790 and 1791, Mr. Moore was in the Brillol Circuit ;—whenhecame among the People, the Society enjoyed the
titmofl Harmony and Peace. But to fupport iheGrdination Plan, a few Perfons were brought forward and encouraged to build a
New Chapel in the Neighbourhood, under the Pretence of fupporting the Methodill Canfe in Connexion with the Church of England,
in the fame Manner it had been ufually carried on there ; and under this Pretence a Colleftion was made in various Places for that
Purpofe. But after awhile the Difguife was difcovered, and upon particular Invefligation it appeared, that the Plan was formed
before a Stone was laid, to open the above Chapel in Church Hours, to adminifer tlie Sacrament, and as it has fince turned out,
to Baptize, and Bury the Dead, This Duplicity of Condufl and Deception, which was managed fo artfully and fecretly as to deceive
even iorne of the Truilees of the faid Chapel themfelves, very much affefled the Old Members of the Society, who confidered
themfelves unhandfomely treated by Mr. Moore and his Party; for while they were avowing one Thing they were profccuiirrg
another.—However, they proceeded in Building the Chapel, denying they had any other Views but to fupport the old Plan, till
it was neatly hntlhed ; when a few Perfons applied fecretly to the Conference to have it opened 111 Church Hours, and to have t'nc
Sacrament.
At this Time, Mr. Moore, having been in the Circuit two Years, was removed to Bath, (a convenient DiHance for the Purpofe!)
and Mr. Bradburn lent to Brillol, to complete the Plan which Mr. Moore had begun. How Mr. Bradburn conduced himfelf, is
well known, not only in thefe Parts, but throughout the whole Kingdom, by the various Publications on the Subjetl.—So that the
Brillol Society have been kept between Mr. Moore and Mr, Bradburn, for thefe three Years in a Stale of the utmoll Dtdraclion. A
violent Party has been raifed byDegrees, to carry on their new Scheme, in Oppofition to the Inclination of a great Number of the old
and mod worthy of its Members ; and in Oppofition to the public Declarations of the Minutes of the various Conferences fince
Mr.lTc/Zry'sDeath.—For there has been noAppearance oWnanimity among thePeople,for the Innovations attempted to be introduced;
—there has been confiantly the moll decided Marks of Difapprobation to the Meafures ;—and nothing could be expeBed but a
Divihon of the People or the Ruin of the Society.—And yet there have been two Preachers found inconfiderate enough to perfid in
carrying, by any Means, this favorite Plan of Self aggrandfement, into Execution. And it feerns they would have been willing to
keep up the fame Diflurbance for two or three Years more, if permitted. As nothing is more evident than this, by their getting
themfelves again appointed to the Brillol and Bath Circuits by the late Conference.—And as a further Corroboration of this
Conjetlure, the very firll Step taken by Mr. Moore, at the Infance of Dr. Coke, was the adminillering of the Lord's Supper at Portland
Chapel, when there was a Clergyman prefent who was not afked to affid ;—and this the Doflor did after he was told that Mr.
Moore's, adminillering the Sacrament, would prevent his being received here; as the Truilees, &c. objefcled to its being done but
by a Clergyman of the Church of England.—So that thefe Meafures were concerted to force the Ordination Scheme upon the
People, without their general Concurrence ;—ancl which Proceedings gave confiderable Dtfgull to many of the Preachers who were
at that Time met to attend the Conference.
The Truilees therefore, being called upon by their fuffering Brethren, to put an End to thofe Evils they had fo long laboured
under ; (many of whom had mourned and wept, and bled in Silence, for a conliderable Time pall, owing to the Contentions
among us)—were at lad painfully urged to exercife that Power invelled in them by Virtue of their Deed of Trull, and to reject Mr.
Moore.—And they conceive that therein they have done that which is perfeftly Right in the Sight of God, and every unprejudiced
Mind.
It may be necellary to obferve here, that the Bridol Trudees are. obliged by their Deed to appoint Preachers every Month—in
doing of which they always with to confirm the Choice of the Conference—only referving to themfelves a Negative, in exceptionable
Cafes like the prefent.
The Conference have appointed Three old deady Preachers, for the Bridol Circuit this Year, viz. Mr. Benfon,Mr. Rodda, and Mr.
Vafey, which are quite as many as are neceffary, being the fame Number that were there the lad Year, and which Appointment the
Trudees have moll cordially confirmed. By this Means every Accommodation is provided for the whole Society ; Mr. Vafey, being
a Clergyman is willing to adminider the Sacrament as often as the People (hall require it.—So that the Contention at prefent is
about one Man,
If there is any Party fo attached toMr. Moore, as to think it neceffary to make a Divifion to fupport his Caufe, the Trudees and
their Friends who wifh to continue in Communion with the Church of England, hope they will depart in Peace, and leave them to purine
the Old Way in which for more than Fifty Years they have found fo much of the Divine Prefence and BlelTing among them.
The Trudees conceive they have not violated the mod facred Privileges of Conference,"—by accepting of Three of their
Preachers, and rejefting One, for the Reafons above given. And it is not only their Opinion, but the Opinion of fome Flundreds,
■who dill remain on the old Ground, and are determined to fupport the old Caufe in this Place.—But they believe they fliall find no
Difficulty to prove that Mr. Moore and all who aft on his Principles, have violated the Refolutions of Conference, in attempting
to introduce the Sacrament, &c. where it was not unanimoufy requeded ;—which plainly appears by the following Refolution of the
Conference lad Year, and printed in their Minutes ;—
44 The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ffiall not be adminidered by the Preachers in any Part of our Connexion, except where
44 the whole Society is unanimous for u, and will not be contented without it; and even in thofe few exempt Societies, it dial! be
44 adminidered, as far as praflicable, in the Evening only, and according to the Form of the Church of England. For we could
44 not bear that the Sacrament, which was inllituted by our Lord as a Bond of Peace and Union, dtould become a Bone of Conten-
44 tion ; and are determined never to fanflion the Adminidration of that holy Ordinance for the Purpofe of Strife and Divifion."
Now let the candid Inquirer judge, whether it be theTrullees or Mr. Moore that have " violated the mod facred Privileges ofCon-
ference ?"—Is there anyThinglike Unanimity in the Bridol Society ? and is not this blelTed Ordinance btought forward as a Bone of
Contention among the People ?
Notwithdanding the Reprefentation made in the Statement of FaBs—44 That the Congregation indantly rofe up as one Man, and
followed Mr. Moore to Portland Chapel,"—The Truth is, that near two-lhirds were left behind; and thofe that went off were
principally his Party, who had prior Notice of the Bulinefs, and came there for that Purpofe. And the Congregations that affemble
both atBroadmead and Guinea-dreet Chapels, ever fince, (which is now three Weeks) is a convincing Proof where the Minds of
the People dand ; as the Numbers of a Week Night are very little leflened, and thofe of a Sunday numerous and refpectable.—•
But it is not Numbers but Peace that the Trudees are contending for ; and they have no doubt Numbers will come in Abundance,
from the great Body of the People that have hitherto J'upported the Methodift Caufe, as foon as they can obtain Alfurances that no Dehgn
will be laid to draw them away into afeparate Party.
The Preachers and all others who are concerned in this Bufinefs, will perceive, that the Statement of FaBs," do not at a!) go
into the real Caufe of the Difpute. The Writer found it his Incereit to keep that out of Sight, and bring forward only one Day's
TrarfaBion out of three Years Contention : In which Mr. Moore and his Party expefted to gain a complete Conquell over the old
Methodids, and fubjefl them to their dijfenting Scheme, or drive them from the Connexion. So that the fpecious Reafoning in the
44 Statement of FaBs," refpeBing the Oppofition of the Trudees to the Conference, &c. is only calculated to work upon the
Palfions of the People and to mifleadthem : and is of a Piece with all that Scurrility and Abufe that have teamed from the Pulpits
where they have got Admillion, and mud be a Difgrace to any Caufe, or any Place devoted to religious Worffiip.—I"or the
Trudees have not oppofed the Conference (unlefs Mr. Moore compofes that Great Body,) neither do they delire it in any Indance ;
but mod fincerely wiffi to concur with them to the utrnod of their Powers,—as long as they will permit them to fiand on the old Ground.
The Public at large will alfo confider, that thofe three Preachers appointed by the Conference and accepted by the Trudees, are
all of them old Members, whofe Names appear in tht original Conference Deed, and to whom the mqjl facred Privileges of the
Conference mud be as dear as to Mr. Moore, or any of his Party. But willing to fupport the Methodill Intered on the old tried
Foundation, they could not permit one of the olded Societies in the Kingdom to be torne to Pieces, to fatisfy the Capnce or
Obliinacy of one Man ; and eventually to loofe them from the Methodill Connexion. And it is hoped the Conference will never
encourage or fufferany of their Members to aB contrary to their own Rules'.—To go into Circuits and lay Baits for the Unwary,
to draw them away from their original Profeffions and Simplicity,—to make Parties and fow the Seeds of Difcord among the
peaceable Inhabitants—to fet Families and Friends one againd another—(all of which have been done in Briflol.)—when the Matter m
Contention is allowed by themfelves—not to be neceffary to Salvation.
Published by Order of
Bristol, Auguj 30, 1794,
THE BRISTOL TRUSTEES.