174 



METHODISTS. 



MethodUtf. METHODISTS. A college of physicians who are 

 "^"Y"^ said to have arisen at Rome in the days of Nero, and 

 to have lasted 300 years, were called Methodists?, from 

 the regimen under which they put their patients. In 

 the church of Rome, a species of polemical divines are 

 called Methodists. In England the term Methodist, 

 and Methodistical, is applied by way of sarcasm to the 

 stricter professors of religion, although they may be re- 

 gular members of the church of England, and never 

 enter the doors of any conventicle. This use of the 

 term is scarcely known in Scotland. 



METHODISTS, as the distinctive appellation of a 

 religious community, is now universally understood as 

 designating the followers of the famous Mr. John Wes- 

 ley. We indeed hear and read of Calvinislic and Ar- 

 minian Methodists, the former being the followers of the 

 Rev. George Whitefield, and the latter, of Wesley : but 

 for many years the general term Methodist, as marking 

 a sect of religionists, applies to those only who adopt 

 the doctrine and discipline introduced by Mr. Wesley 

 and his coadjutors. The Calvinistic Methodists or Con- 

 gregationalists bear a near resemblance to the Puritans 

 of a former age, being, generally speaking, deeper di- 

 vines, and more systematically correct in trjeir doctri- 

 nal opinions ; for though they have no formula, or creed 

 professedly, yet the books approved among them, and 

 the account which members on admission give of their 

 faith, plainly mark them as Calvinists at least of the Sub- 

 lapsarian kind. But this article regards the Methodists 

 as a distinct body closely affiliated and known to each 

 other in every quarter of the globe. In November, 

 1729, Mr. John Wesley being then a Fellow of Lincoln 

 College, Oxford, Mr. Charles Wesley his brother, Mr. 

 Morgan, Commoner of Christ Church, and Mr. Kirk- 

 man of Merton College, set apart some evenings for 

 reading the original Scriptures and prayer. Some time 

 after they were joined by Mr. Ingham of Queen's Col- 

 lege, Mr.JBroughtoivof Exeter, and Mr. James Hervey ; 

 and in- 1735, by the celebrated Mr. George White- 

 field. They soon began to leave occasionally the more 

 private fellowship meeting to visit the prisoners in the 

 castle, and the sick poor in the town. They also insti- 

 tuted a fund for the relief of the poor, to support which 

 they abridged all superfluities, and even many of the 

 comforts of life. Their private meetings became more 

 and more of a religious character. They observed the 

 fasts of the ancient church every Wednesday and Fri- 

 day, and communicated once a-week. " We were now," 

 says Mr. Wesley, " fifteen in number, all of one heart 

 and of one mind.'" Their strict deportment soon at- 

 tracted the attention of the college censors and stu- 

 dents, who branded them with many opprobrious epi- 

 thets, such as Sacramentarians, the Godly Club, and 

 afterwards Methodists. The sneers of the young men 

 they seem to have regarded little ; but when some of 

 the seniors of the University were offended, Mr. John 

 Wesley wrote to his father, the venerable Rector of 

 Epworth, and to other gentlemen of learning and piety 

 for advice. The following sentences from his father's 

 answer will shew his spirit. " And now as to your 

 designs and employments, what can I say less of them 

 than valde probo ; and that I have the highest reason 

 to bless God, that he has given me two sons together 

 at Oxford, to whom he has given grace and courage to 

 turn the war against the world and the devil, which 

 k the best way to conquer them ; they have but one 

 more enemy to combat with, thejksk. I think I must 



adopt Mr. Morgan to be my son with you, and your Methodist*, 

 brother Charles ; and when I have such a ternion to V -""Y"""* 

 prosecute that war wherein I am now " Miles Emeritus, 

 I shall not be ashamed when they speak with their 

 enemies in the gate." When I was an under graduate, 

 I visited those in the Castle there ; and reflect on it 

 with pleasure to this day. Walk as prudently as you 

 can, but not fearfully, and my heart and prayers are 

 with you." Whatever effect obloquy might have upon 

 some of the members of this select class, Mr. John Wes- 

 ley, as well as his brother, and several others, remained 

 unshaken. He puzzled his opponents with questions 

 concerning the reasonableness of his conduct. He did 

 more ; he confounded them by an uniform regularity 

 of life, and an astonishing proficiency in his studies. 

 Mr. Morgan, one of the most active members, was soon 

 after this removed by death ; occasioned, according to 

 the representation of enemies, by fasting and excessive 

 austerities ; a very uncommon cause of dying at Ox- 

 ford, or any where else. His character was drawn by 

 Mr. Samuel Wesley, jun. in a poetic tribute to his me- 

 mory, under this ti-\i, from the book of wisdom, " We 

 fools accounted his life madness." In the spring of 1735, 

 Mr. John Wesley was called to attend his dying father, 

 who desired him to present to Queen Caroline, a book he 

 had just finished. Soon after his return to Oxford, he 

 went to London on this account, where he was strong- 

 ly solicited by Dr. Burton, one of the trustees for the 

 new colony at Georgia, to go there to preach to the 

 Indians. At first he peremptorily refused. He parti- 

 cularly mentioned the grief it would occasion to his 

 widowed mother. The case being referred to her, she 

 is said to have made this reply : " Had I twenty sons, 

 I should rejoice that they were all so employed, though 

 I should never see them more." His way appeared 

 now plain ; and he made arrangements for tliis en- 

 terprize. On Tuesday, October 14, 1735, he set off 

 from London for Gravesend, accompanied by Mr. 

 Inghnm, Mr. Delamotte, and his brother Charles, to 

 embark for Georgia. There were six-and-twenty Ger- 

 mans on board, members of the Moravian church ; with 

 whose Christian deportment Mr. Wesley was much 

 struck, and immediately set himself to learn the Ger- 

 man language, in order to converse with them. The 

 Moravian bishop, and two others of his society, began 

 to learn English. He now began to preach extempore, 

 which he afterwards made his constant practice during 

 his life, and yet he wrote much. 



The piety and devotion which Mr. Wesley and his 

 companions manifested during the voyage was highlv 

 commendable, and indicated a becoming impression of 

 the importance of their undertaking: but, owing to 

 some disagreeable circumstances, Mr. John Wesley re- 

 turned to England without having made much pro- 

 gress in the proposed object, and was succeeded by his 

 valued friend Mr. George Whitefield, who arrived at 

 Savannah on the 7th May ] 738, and was received bj 

 Mr. Delamotte, and many of Mr. Wesley's hearers. 

 It may be proper to notice the success which attended 

 Mr. Whitefield's labours in this quarter of the globe. 

 He laboured with great zeal, and was honoured to be 

 useful. He returned to England in the close of the 

 same year to receive priest's orders. On his return to 

 America, in 17S9, he landed at Philadelphia, and im- 

 mediately began his spiritual labours, which he con- 

 tinued as he passed through the colonies of Virginia, 

 Maryland, and North and South Carolina, being attend- 



