Such was the commencement of female preaching among the Methodists; a thing never formally sanctioned by Wesley’s conference, but which was practised to the end of Wesley’s life. Sarah Crosby continued preaching till her death, in 1804; and, in this, she was imitated by Hannah Harrison, Miss Bosanquet, Miss Horral, Miss Newman, Mary Barrett, and others. To say the least, Wesley connived at it, as we shall have other opportunities of seeing.
On the 9th of March, Wesley set out on his long journey to the north, which occupied nearly the next six months. Taking High Wycombe and Oxford on his way, he came to Evesham, where he “found the poor shattered society almost sunk into nothing.” At Birmingham, the room was far too small for the congregation. At Wednesbury, he preached to eight or ten thousand people in a field. Arriving at Wolverhampton, he writes: “None had yet preached abroad in this furious town; but I was resolved, with God’s help, to make a trial, and ordered a table to be set in the inn yard. Such a number of wild men I have seldom seen; but they gave me no disturbance, either while I preached, or when I afterwards walked through the midst of them.”
Wesley proceeded to Dudley, Bilbrook, Burslem, Congleton, Macclesfield, Manchester, and Leeds. At the last mentioned town, he held a sort of conference. He writes: “I had desired all the preachers in those parts to meet me; and a happy meeting we had, both in the evening and morning. I afterwards inquired into the state of the societies in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. I find the work of God increases on every side; but particularly in Lincolnshire, where there has been no work like this, since the time I preached at Epworth on my father’s tomb. In the afternoon, I talked with several who believe they are saved from sin; and, after a close examination, I found reason to hope that fourteen of them are not deceived. In the evening, I expounded 1 Corinthians xiii., and exhorted all to weigh themselves in that balance, and see if they were not ‘found wanting.’”
Leaving Leeds, Wesley returned on March 25 to Manchester, where, he says, “I met the believers, and strongly exhorted them to go on unto perfection. To many it seemed a new doctrine. However, they all received it in love; and a flame was kindled, which, I trust, neither men nor devils shall ever be able to quench.”
From Manchester, he went to Chester and other places, and then to Liverpool, Bolton, Whitehaven, etc.; after which, he, on April 27, crossed Solway Frith, and entered Scotland; but here we must pause to insert extracts from his correspondence.
The first letter was addressed to the Rev. Mr. G——; and is possessed of considerable interest as casting light on the real antinomian Methodists; and as showing what Wesley considered to be the most strongly marked feature of his numerous writings.
“April 2, 1761.
“Reverend Sir,—I have no desire to dispute: least of all with one whom I believe to fear God and work righteousness. And I have no time to spare. Yet I think it my duty to write a few lines, with regard to those you sent to Mr. Bennet.
“You therein say, ‘I know numbers, who call themselves Methodists, and assert their assurance of salvation, at the very time they wallow in sins of the deepest dye.’
“Permit me, sir, to speak freely. I do not doubt the fact. But (1) those who are connected with me do not call themselves Methodists. Others call them by that nickname, and they cannot help it; but I continually warn them not to pin it upon themselves. (2) We rarely use that ambiguous expression, ‘Christ’s righteousness imputed to us.’ (3) We believe a man may be a real Christian, without being ‘assured of his salvation.’ (4) We know no man can be ‘assured of his salvation’ while he lives in any sin whatever. (5) The wretches who talk in that manner are neither Methodists nor Moravians, but followers of William Cudworth, James Relly,[421] and their associates, who abhor us as much as they do the pope, and ten times more than they do the devil. If you oppose these, so do I, and have done, privately and publicly, for these twenty years.