“4. ‘But they teach perfection.’ They do exhort believers to go on unto perfection; and so do you, if you speak as the oracles of God.
“5. ‘Their work is at an end.’ Far from it; sinners are still convinced and converted throughout the land.
“6. ‘The work of God is now wrought by the clergy.’ The more the better; but where, and by whom? How many has any one of them convinced or converted since Whitsuntide? I fear, when we come to particulars, there will be small room to boast. If you put things on this issue, ‘Whose word does God now bless?’ the matter will soon be determined.
“7. ‘My preaching in your chapel would have been in effect to tell the people of Edinburgh, that the Methodists did not deny the Calvinist doctrines.’ Amazing! Did Mr. Gillies tell them so, when he preached in our house? Just the contrary. He told them: ‘In some opinions, I do not agree with the Methodists; but I know they are a people of God: therefore, I wish them good luck in the name of the Lord.’ Might not you have done the very same? May you not still? Can you be clear before God without doing it?
“I have now told you all that lay upon my mind. If you can receive it, I shall rejoice, for your sake, and for the people’s. If not, I have delivered my own soul. For many years, I have been labouring for peace, though I have had little thanks for my pains. However, my record is above, and my reward with the Most High. It is but a little while that I have to endure the contradiction either of sinners or good men. May God enable you, that stand up in my stead, to labour more successfully! So prays, dear sir, your affectionate brother and servant,
“John Wesley.”[705]
We left Wesley in Ireland. On July 29, he embarked, at Donaghadee, for Scotland; and, on August 6, reached Newcastle, having preached at Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Dunbar, as he proceeded. He spent nearly a week at Newcastle and in its neighbourhood, preaching, among other places, in Mr. Goodday’s church, in Sunderland, and making arrangements with Mr. Lewen, of Durham, for the payment of his daughter’s legacies. One entry in his Journal, while at Newcastle, is memorable, and worth pondering by all the Methodists and missionary societies of the present day.
“Saturday, August 8.—At the request of Mr. Whitaker, of New England, I preached, and afterwards made a collection for the Indian schools in America. A large sum of money is now collected; but will money convert heathens? Find preachers of David Brainerd’s spirit, and nothing can stand before them; but without this, what will gold or silver do? No more than lead or iron. They have indeed sent thousands to hell; but never yet brought a soul to heaven.”
Wesley was right. It is doubtless a cause of joyous thanksgiving, that the incomes of missionary societies have grown to so high a figure; but money without men is worthless. Half-a-dozen men of the same stamp as Brainerd, Hunt, and others who might be mentioned, would be of infinitely greater value than all the money raised, in a single year, by all the missionary associations of the present somewhat boastful generation. Men like these, however, cannot be procured by money, nor be made by professors; they are the gift of God; and, to get them, the church must pray for them.