Wesley Corpus

8. When the Rev. Mr. Edward Smyth came to live in Dublin, he earnestly advised me to leave the Church; meaning thereby (as all sensible men do) to renounce all connection with it, to attend the service of it no more, and to advise all our Societies to take the same steps. I judged this to be a matter of great importance, and would therefore do nothing hastily, but referred it to the body of preachers, then met in Conference. We had several meetings, in which he proposed all his reasons for it at large. They were severally considered and answered, and we all determined not to leave the Church. 9. A year ago Dr. Coke began officiating at our chapel in Dublin.- This was no more than had been done in London for between forty and fifty years. Some persons immediately began to cry out, 'This is leaving the Church, which Mr. Wesley has continually declared he would never do.' And I declare so still. But I appeal to all the world, I appeal to common sense, I appeal to the Observer himself, could I mean hereby ' I will not have service in church hours 'when I was doing it all the time I Could I even then deny that I had service in church hours No; but I denied, and do deny still, that this is leaving the Church, either in the sense of Bishop Gibson, or of Mr. Smyth at the Dublin Conference ! Yet by this outcry many well-meaning people were frighted wellnigh out of their senses. 10. But see the consequences of having Sunday service here. See the confusion this occasioned I Some time since, while a popular preacher was preaching at Leeds, one cried out, 'Fire! fire!' The people took fright; some leaped over the gallery, and several legs and arms were broken. But upon whom were these consequences to be charged Not on the preacher, but on him that made the outcry. Apply this to the present case. I have kindled no more fire in Dublin than I did in London. It is the Observer and a few other mischiefmakers who fright the people out of their senses; and they must answer to God for the consequence.