Wesley Corpus

MY DEAR BROTHER, - You seem to me not to have well considered the Rules of an Helper or the rise of Methodism. It pleased God by me to awaken, first my brother, and then a few others; who severally desired of me as a favor that I would direct them in all things. After my return from Georgia many were both awakened and converted to God. One and another and another of these desired to join with me as sons in the gospel, to be directed by me. I drew up a few plain rules (observe, there was no Conference in being!), and permitted them to join me on these conditions. Whoever, therefore, violates the conditions, particularly that of being directed by me in the work, does ipso facto disjoin himself from me. This Brother M'Nab has done (but he cannot see that he has done amiss); and he would have it a common cause-that is, he would have all the preachers do the same. He thinks 'they have a right so to do.' So they have. They have a right to disjoin themselves from me whenever they please. But they cannot, in the nature of the thing, join with me any longer than they are directed by me. And what if fifty of the present preachers disjoined themselves! What should I lose thereby Only a great deal of labor and care, which I do not seek, but endure, because no one else either can or will.