“‘But it will never be; it is utterly impossible.’ Certainly it is with men. Who imagines we can do this? that it can be effected by any human power? All nature is against it; every infirmity, every wrong temper and passion; love of honour and praise, of power, of preeminence, anger, resentment, pride; long contracted habit and prejudice lurking in ten thousand forms. The devil and all his angels are against it. For if this takes place, how shall his kingdom stand? All the world, all that know not God, are against it, though they may seem to favour it for a season. Let us settle this in our hearts, that we may be utterly cut off from all dependence on our own strength or wisdom.
“But surely ‘with God all things are possible’; therefore ‘all things are possible to him that believeth’; and this union is proposed only to them that believe, that show their faith by their works.
“When Mr. C.” [Conyers?] “was objecting the impossibility of ever effecting such a union, I went upstairs, and, after a little prayer, opened Kempis on these words:—‘Expecta Dominum: viriliter age: noli diffidere: noli discedere: sed corpus et animam expose constanter pro gloria Dei.’
“I am, dear sir, your affectionate servant,
“John Wesley.”
Will it be believed that, though this superlatively Christian letter was sent to about fifty evangelical clergymen, only three of them condescended to return an answer? This brotherly union was the chief subject discussed at the conference, which commenced in Bristol on the 6th of August. In describing its proceedings Wesley writes: “The great point I now laboured for was a good understanding with all our brethren of the clergy, who are heartily engaged in propagating vital religion.” A dozen of the clergymen, to whom Wesley’s circular had been sent, attended the conference; but for what purpose? John Pawson, who was present, says:
“In the year 1764, twelve of those gentlemen attended our conference in Bristol, in order to prevail with Mr. Wesley to withdraw the preachers from every parish where there was an awakened minister; and Mr. Charles Wesley honestly told us, that if he was a settled minister in any particular place, we should not preach there. To whom Mr. Hampson replied, ‘I would preach there, and never ask your leave, and should have as good a right to do so as you would have.’ Mr. Charles Wesley’s answer was in a strain of high church eloquence indeed! but I leave it. His prediction was never accomplished, nor ever can be. However, these gentlemen failed in their attempt that time; Mr. Wesley would not give up his societies to them.”[588]
With this glimpse of the finale of Wesley’s Christian proposal, we must now rest satisfied. He did his duty; but only three, even of the best clergy in the land, were prepared to cooperate with him.
It has been hinted, that Wesley’s circular was, in the first instance, submitted to Lord Dartmouth, the great friend of the Countess of Huntingdon, and the principal patron of the evangelical clergy of that period. There can be little doubt that it was so; and that another epistle on the same subject, dated “July 26, 1764,” was addressed to the same nobleman. Without quoting that part of the letter which gives the history of Wesley’s proposal for union, we merely furnish the two concluding paragraphs, and chiefly because they are strikingly characteristic of the writer’s almost rough fidelity and courage.
“If your lordship has heard any objections” [to the proposed union], “I should be glad to know them. May I be permitted to ask, Have not the objections you have heard made some impression upon your lordship? Have they not occasioned, if I may speak freely, your lordship’s standing aloof from me? Why do I ask? Indeed, not upon my own account. ‘Quid mea? Ego in portu navigo.’ I can truly say, I neither fear nor desire anything from your lordship: to speak a rough truth, I do not desire any intercourse with any persons of quality in England. I mean, for my own sake; they do me no good, and I fear I can do none to them. If it be desired, I will readily leave all those to the care of my fellow labourers; I will article with them so to do, rather than this shall be any bone of contention.