550 His touy of Methodism 



the first and second Conferences, quoted by Richard 

 Watson, and put at the head of the chapter, it appears 

 to be clearly proved that it was the design of Mr. Wes- 

 ley to complete his plan of education by the establish- 

 ment of what he termed " a seminary for laborers," 

 and that his design failed to be carried into effect sim- 

 ply because it appeared at that time impracticable to 

 rind a tutor competent to conduct such an establish- 

 ment. That which stood in the way of a revival of the 

 scheme in subsequent years seems plainly to have 

 been the increasing calls of the Connection for addi- 

 tional preachers, so that as soon as they could be found 

 they were of necessity thrust out into the vineyard. 

 It is, however, well known that Mr. Wesley continued 

 to do all that circumstances allowed for the due qual- 

 ification of those who labored with him ; that in fact 

 he sent, as long as they could be spared from the 

 work, Jeremiah Brettell, Thomas Cooper, Adam 

 Clarke, and others, to Kingswood School for literary 

 and theological advantages, and frequently used that 

 school for the instruction of his preachers, and spent 

 no inconsiderable portion of his time in reading to 

 them and instructing them in person. 



March 23, 1749. My design was to have as many of our preach- 

 ers here (Kingswood) during the Lent as could possibly be spared, 

 and to read lectures to them every day, as I did to my pupils in Ox- 

 ford. I had seventeen of them in all. These I divided into two 

 classes, and read to one Bishop Pearson on the Creed; to the 

 other, Aldrich's Logic; and to both, "Kules for Action and Ut- 

 terance." 



At the same time he solemnly urged on all the at- 

 tainment of a competent knowledge of the original 

 languages in which the Scriptures were written. 



Let us each seriously examine himself. Do I understand Greek 

 and Hebrew? Otherwise, how can I undertake not only to explain 



