Wesley Corpus

Thus far you have been speaking of the Methodists in London. And what have you proved concerning them Only that the Moravians, mixing with them twelve years ago, while they were young and unexperienced, set them a-disputing with each other, and thereby occasioned much confusion for several months. But you have not proved that the Methodists in general were even then ‘all together by the ears,’ and much less that they have been so ever since and that they are so now. 35. I now attend you to Kingswood. Not to ‘Bristol and Kingswood,’ which you artfully join together. The Society at Bristol was no more concerned with the disputes in Kingswood than with those in London. Here the first quotation, though containing but two lines, is extracted from three different paragraphs; in one of which I say: ‘I had many unpleasing accounts (in December 1740) concerning our little Society in Kingswood.’ In the second: ‘I went to Kingswood, if haply I might repair the breaches which had been made’ by the Predestinarian preachers. In the third: ‘I laboured to heal the jealousies and misunderstandings which had arisen.’ (ii. 406-7.) The second passage, part of which you quote, is this: ‘I returned early in the morning to Kingswood; but my congregation was gone to hear Mr. Cermick, so that I had not above two or three men and as many women’ (ii. 410). The third is: ‘January 1. I explained, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” But many of our brethren had no ears to hear, having disputed away both their faith and love.’ (ii. 412.) The fourth: ‘February 21. I inquired concerning the divisions and offences which began afresh to break out in Kingswood. In the afternoon I met a few of the bands; but it was a cold, uncomfortable meeting.’ (ii. 426.) You have picked out here and there a word from several pages in order to furnish out a fifth quotation. The most material part of it is this: ‘Saturday, 28. I read the following paper at Kingswood: “For their scoffing at the Word and ministers of God, for their backbiting and evil-speaking, I declare the persons above-mentioned to be no longer members of this Society.”’ (ii. 430.) ‘And we had great reason to bless God that, after fifty-two were withdrawn, we had still upwards of ninety left’ (if. 433).