Bishop Gibson replied to Whitefield's strictures in his Pastoral letter.21 They had little grip on their people. Their parishior ers were held as by a "rope of sand."22 Taylor in his Defence of Methodism asserted that the clergy, as a rule, were world! and ignorant political organizers rather than pastors. He maiı tained that the Church had been oppressive ever since the da of Elizabeth. To prove this he inserted a list of good m sacrificed to its system." 23 But the greatest scandal in the of the Methodists was the drunkenness prevalent in the cleric! profession. Thus at Newtownbarry, in Ireland, the membe of the Methodist Society would not go to the parish Church on account of the drinking habits of the clergyman.24 At Yarmouth Wesley describes the people as "being full of prejudice against the clergy for this reason."25 Joseph Crownley, a layman, dared not hear a drunkard preach or read prayers.26 He and others appealed to the Wesleys as leaders of their cause asking whether they were obliged to submit themselves to the ministrations of an intemperate clergyman. At Wednesbury, a gentleman rode up to a group to which John Wesley was speaking, and after insulting him sought to trample upon the people with his horse. Wesley found that he was a drunken clergyman. 27 Nor was intemperance the only fault. Charles Wesley was shocked at their behavior during divine service at Christ Church.28 John Wesley spoke of some clergy as being "in the high road to hell." Many, in his estimation, were wolves in sheep's clothing. They were characterized as: common swearers, open drunkards, notorious Sabbath breakers-"and such are many parochial ministers of this day." Wesley could not and would not urge his followers to worship under such men as these. Every man must judge for himself.29 So in answer 28 C. Wesley: Jour., vol. i, p. 380. to the questions of his followers as to whether they should sit under the ministrations of a drunken or immoral clergyman, Wesley replied, "it is the duty of every private Christian to obey his spiritual pastor, by either doing or leaving undone anything of an indifferent nature; anything that is in no way determined in the word of God."30 This was an indirect way of saying, that in the important things, it was not necessary for a Methodist to obey a bad clergyman. Wesley was always ready to acknowledge the merits of worthy clergymen. As, for instance, when Mr. Vowler at Saint Agnes preached "two such thundering sermons" as he had scarce heard in twenty years. Wesley's comment is that God was very good to the sinners of Saint Agnes.31 Indeed, whenever he was accused of being abusive he took pains to emphatically deny the charge.32 Such was the general opinion of the clergy. If it was true, it was only true in part. For example, in Methodism Displayed, Bate says that the statements adverse to the character of churchmen were not worth noticing, because they were such good people.33 Again, Bishop Porteus in his Life of Archbishop Secker says: "The dignity of his form inspired at all 、times respect and awe, but peculiarly when he engaged in any of the more solemn functions of religion; into which he entered with such earnestness and warmth, with so just a consciousness of the place he was in, and the business he was about as seemed to raise him above himself, and added new life and spirit to the natural gracefulness of his appearance."34 Then as always there were good and bad clergy; the question was which element - preponderated? The Methodists, perhaps not unnaturally, took a decidedly gloomy view of the ordinary life of their age and especially of the condition of the Church. Rightly or wrongly the verse they placed upon the tombstone of J. W. Fletcher, of Madeley, repre 30 Works, vol. ii, p. 327. 31 Jour., vol. iv, p. 234. J. Wesley: Letter to Author of Enthusiasm, p. 10. 32 33 Bate: Meth. Displayed, p. 37. sented their sentiments: "All day long, have I stretched out m hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people."35 They might be wrong, but this was their conviction. Individuals with such convictions act. The Methodists were no exception. Life in their view must be completely changed, the Church purified, religion must again come to its own. One outcome of this conviction and action was to arouse in some a desire to go out from the Church as established. 35 Life of J. Fletcher, Works, vol. vi, p. 483. CHAPTER II THE CHURCHMAN'S VIEW OF EIGHTEENTH THE Methodists took no flattering view of the Church, and many churchmen were equally ready with their criticisms. The reason for this antipathy is to be found in the prevalent dread of what was then known as “enthusiasm." SECTION I. ENTHUSIASM "Enthusiasm," as used in the eighteenth century, meant not zeal for a cause, but possession by a spirit resembling insanity. When the Methodists first began to preach, certain extraordinary manifestations accompanied their efforts. Thus Wesley recorded that while he was preaching a woman in his audience was affected; "her teeth gnashed together, her knees smote each other, her body trembled exceedingly.' At another time he told of how he was preaching and "one sunk down, and another, and another; some cried aloud in an agony of prayer." One young man and one young woman were brought into a house nearby where they continued in violent physical agony.2 At another time twenty-six were affected, and they all seemed worse than as if they had been afflicted with hysteria or epileptic fits.3 At Kingswood, during the communion service, one woman dropped down as dead while she was taking the sacrament. When preaching took place at Newgate prison, the entire prison "rang with cries.' A Mrs. Means was disputing with Wesley. On the way home she felt the "piercing of a sword," and before she could get to her home, she could not avoid crying out aloud, even in the street. 4 Ibid., vol. ii, p. 232. "Ibid., p. 185. 995 These occurred not only among the immediate follows of Wesley, but even among those who were actually hostile to the movement. John Wilde, who said that none but hypocrites had these spells, had one himself. Another woman at Long Lane always became angry at those who pretended to be in fits. She also had a spell of great agony. At Baldwin Street Church, a Quaker came to see the fraud and to expose it. "He dropped down thunderstruck," and "his agony was terrible to behold.” A prominent churchman, who also wished to see the fraud, came thither and in turn was overcome.9 Not only under the preaching of John Wesley did these events happen. Other men, including Whitefield and sometimes Charles Wesley, found their hearers thus affected. Even Ralph Erskine, a minister of Scotland, who was in no way connected with the Wesleys, had wonderful effects attend his preaching.10 This peculiar type of religious excitement was not limited to the early days of the Methodist movement. In 1785, John Mance, an old man, sank down at a service at Saint Ives. He was carried out of the church and died immediately.11 It would seem that "enthusiasm" in this case had caused heart failure. In 1786, a service was described in which all pray aloud at the same time, some scream, some use indecent expressions in prayer, some drop down dead and then stand up again and shout "glory!"12 The attitude of Wesley toward all of these doings appears to have varied. He preached occasionally the terrors of the Lord in the strongest manner he was able.18 Beau Nash, the famous Master of the Ceremonies at Bath, told Wesley to his face that his preaching frightened people out of their wits.14 George Whitefield, who doubted the reality of this enthusiasm, was convinced when he came to Wesley. Thereupon Wesley Ibid., vol. vii, p. 153. 18 Ibid., vol. iii, p. 344. |