122 considered one of the important parts of his work. At Newcastle, he spent three days examining the classes. 121 He said with emphasis, that he would not give tickets to any who did not meet in their class twelve times in the quarter unless they were kept home by sickness or unavoidable business. He urged his assistants to enforce this rule and to remove all careless class leaders.1 Wesley's attitude may be shown by his frequent allusions to this visitation, such as: "I began visiting the classes in London, and that with more exactness than ever before. After going through, I found the society contained about 2,350 members, few of whom we could discern to be triflers, and none we hope, lived in any wilful sin." 123 The discipline was so strict that many dropped out of these classes; but in their places many entered, so great was the prestige of the class system. 124 The clergy naturally opposed the class, as they opposed everything else that was tainted with Methodism. Their opposition was based chiefly upon the fact that these classes fostered enthusiasm. "I forbear to relate the confusion, the tumult, the noise, and uproar, which at these times disgraced the order and scandalized the exercise of religious worship." This was the view of the class-meeting held by the clergy.125 They also objected to the intimate manner used in discussing the various phases of religious experience. "In short every case is canvassed and the great physician of souls is applied to for a sovereign balm for every wound-a salve for every sore." 126 The attack, however, on the class was not as well organized or concentrated, as against other factors of Methodism. And where the class was "thought large to speak their minds freely, many meet once a week in smaller companies, called 'bands', consisting of four or five persons, men with men, and women with women." 127 This was the purpose of even further sub-dividing the societies into bands: it was to furnish a group 120 Ibid., p. 184. of people where one might indulge in an intimate and personal conversation about his sins. One of the rules of the bands was, that each should speak "freely and plainly of the true state of our souls." 128 Each band was governed by a simple set of rules and in 1744, Directions given to the Band Societies were published.129 There were at least twenty of these bands in London in 1745, and their average attendance was five or six and never over ten. No money was connected with these bands.130 The purpose of having these bands consist all of women, or all of men, was to promote this perfect freedom of the members "to confess their faults to one another and pray for one another that they may be healed." 131 The purpose in other words, was to intensify that same type of work that was being done in the class. It was a form of intensive specialization. Because of this Wesley tried to give the bands that close attention which he bestowed upon the classes. "I fix an hour every day for speaking with each of the bands, that no disorderly walker might remain among them." 132 He saw to it that the Rules of the Bands were read over and kept.133 The Church opposed these bands; because such intimate talks of religious matters it thought undesirable. The Methodists were thought to indulge in auricular confession within these bands. 134 So they did; but of a different type from that of the Church of Rome. The Roman Catholic confessed to the priest alone; the Methodist confessed to several of his fellowlaymen. Thus in the classes and bands we see two highly organized and specialized institutions to instruct in, and win loyalty to, the Methodist practices. It was this tendency to concentrate in organization that brought in the steward to the Methodist societies. Wesley was burdened with much detail about financial matters. "A proposal was made for devolving all temporal business, books and all, entirely upon the stewards. Oh, when shall it once be!" 135 128 129 180 Works, vol. v, p. 183. 184 The stewards, for this reason, were given complete charge of all temporal matters. As early as 1747 directions were given them in writing, for the governing of the London Society. If the stewards disobeyed these rules after three times, they would be put out of their stewardship.136 Wesley laid down eleven rules governing the stewards of the Foundry at London. Each steward was to be present at the Foundry every Tuesday and Thursday morning to transact the temporal affairs of the society. The meetings were to be regular and orderly, and they were to consider the needs of the poor. They were always to treat the poor kindly; even though they were unable to grant them assistance, 137 Whosoever broke this rule ceased to be a steward. It was the duty of the stewards to keep an exact account of all expenses and expenditures, and their records show how faithful they were, even with the numerous small items which they dealt with. 138 They also had charge of an account from which they were to loan money to the needy. This was done on a somewhat extensive scale, 139 Besides meeting the stewards in their work in connection with the local societies, Wesley also used to meet them in a body four times a year at what was called the "quarterly meeting." This quarterly meeting enabled Wesley to come into contact with many stewards especially those from the country. "Stewards from the country were present," he wrote.1 And in another "141 "142 instance he noted, "Stewards met from the societies in the country." And again we read, “We had a quarterly meeting, at which were present all the stewards from our Cornish societies.' From this it would appear that Wesley laid great stress upon the fact that stewards from the country places came out. This gave him an increased opportunity for strengthening Methodism in those remote places. The leaders also came to this quarterly meeting and each Ibid., vol. iii, p. 197. Jour., vol. iv, p. 394, and note i. 141 Ibid., vol. iv, p. 467. one brought with him his class paper showing what money he had actually received and turned over to the stewards. Bills were presented for payment. Preaching and worship took place.143 But the quarterly meeting was held primarily to attend to the financial needs of the work.144 It could not have been welcome to the stewards, for Wesley said of one such meeting: "This is frequently a dull and heavy meeting; but it was so lively a one to-day that we hardly knew how to part. Not only the leaders but also the stewards rendered accounts at the quarterly meeting. These accounts were to show the progress or retrogression the societies had made.146 " 145 As the quarterly meeting tended to become a permanent institution within Methodism, it concerned itself with the work of one, and more and more, of but one circuit.147 So it is that we read that the circuit of Yarm showed an increase of the poor; but the rich did not seem to care about religion.148 Because the poor entered the societies and the rich remained without, it was always with difficulty that the quarterly meeting handled the item of money. A quarterly meeting of London reported that the income of its circuit was still less than expenses. 149 As late as February 29, 1790, Wesley recorded: "We had our general quarterly meeting, whereby it appears that the society received and expended about £3,000 a year; but our expense still exceeded our income." 150 Thus the quarterly meeting served to unite the stewards together in a greater sympathy for their common task, and to "diligently inquire both into the temporal and the spiritual state of each society." 151 than SECTION IV. THE METHODIST PRESS Far more powerful in developing Methodist ideas and spirit, any of the before-mentioned institutions, was the Methodist Ibid., vol. v, p. 174. press. Wesley himself was a great lover and reader of books. 152 While travelling, he read the classics and the standard works of his day. His Journals tell of his opinion of what he read: Blackwell's Sacred Classics Illustrated and Defended he liked; a long book review was the result of his reading Dr. Parson's Remains of Japheth.153 While he was going through Scotland, in one week he read The History of Scotland by Stuart.154 He thought that Dr. Hunter's Lectures were too florid to be real good. 155 And as for a Description of China and Chinese Tartary he said, "Du Halde's word I will not take for a straw", for Du Halde was a Jesuit.156 When Wesley considered reading to be so important for himself, it was most natural that he should esteem books and reading matter equally vital for his followers. In fact, this was his attitude, and he worked most diligently to meet the need. While he was travelling from place to place, it was his custom to read many things for his Christian Library.157 This library contained 233 volumes which Wesley felt his followers ought to read, not of original works, or even works that were rewritten; but rather, it was a plan of correcting the works of others, and publishing them. Wesley crossed out what he did not like in a given book, and this book was then printed with these omissions which Wesley had indicated.158 This library was begun in 1749. Wesley also had good writers among his followers to support him in teaching his people the spirit and principles of Methodism, and in defending it before the world. John Fletcher, Joseph Benson, and Adam Clarke-no mean writers contributed to the support of the Methodist press.159 The hymnals of early Methodism were an important product of the Methodist press. The Hymns for the Nativity of our Lord, wherein such hymns as, "Come thou long expected 158 Tyerman: vol. ii, p. 65ff. |