der the title of "Minutes of several conversations between the Rev. Mr. Wesley and others." But now they are called "The Minutes of the Conference."
On Friday, August 24, 1744, Mr. Wesley preached for the last time at Oxford, before the university. He had preached to them twice before, after he began to declare the truth in the fields and highways. He then makes this observation, "I am now clear of the blood of these men-I have fully delivered my own soul; and am well pleased that it should be the very day on which, in the last century, near two thousand burning and shining lights were put out at one stroke. Yet what a wide difference is there between their case and mine! They were turned out of house and home, and all that they had; whereas I am only hindered from preaching, without any other loss; and that in a kind of honourable manner; it being determined, that when my next turn to preach comes, they will pay another person to preach for me. And so they did twice or thrice; even to the time of his resigning his fellowship.
December 25, 1744-Mr. Wesley drew up directions for the Band Societies, and recommend. ed them, with the Band Rules.
I will here insert the friendly Epistle to the Reverend Mr. George Whitefield, which was written in the year 1755, by the Reverend Charles Wesley, A. M.
COME on, my WHITEFIELD! (since the strife is past,
And friends at first are friends again at last)
Our hands, and hearts, and counsels let us join
In mutual league, t'advance the work Divine.
Our one contention now, our single aim,
To pluck poor souls as brands out of the flame;
To spread the victory of that bloody cross,
And gasp our latest breath in the Redeemer's cause.
Too long, alas! we gave to Satan place,
When party-zeal put on an angel's face,
Too long we list'ned to the coz'ning fiend,
Whose trumpet sounded, "For the faith contend?"
With hasty blindfold rage, in error's night,
How did we with our fellow-soldiers fight!
We could not then our father's children know,
But each mistook his brother for his foe.
"Foes to the truth, can you in conscience spare ?
"Tear them, (the tempter cry'd) in pieces, tear!"
So thick the darkness, 60 cónfus'd the noise,
We took the stranger's for the Shepherd's voice;
Rash nature wav'd the controversial sword,
On fire to fight the battles of the LORD,
Fraternal love from every breast was driv'n,
And bleeding Charity return'd to heaven.
The SAVIOUR saw our strife with pitying eye,
And cast a look that made the shadows fly :
Soon as the day-spring in his presence shone,
We found the two fierce armies were but one;
Common our hope, and family, and name,
Our arms, our Captain, and our crown the same,
Enlisted all beneath IMMANUEL's sign,
And purchas'd every soul with precious blood divine.
Then let us cordially again embrace,
Nor e'er infringe the league of gospel-grace;
Let us in JEsus' name to battle go,
And turn our arms against the common foe;
Fight side by side beneath our Captain's eye,
Chace the Philistines, on their shoulders fly,
And, more than conquerors, in the harness die..
For whether I am born to "blush above,”
On earth suspicious of electing love,
Or you o'erwhelm'd with honourable shame,
To shout the universal SAVIOUR'S Name,
It matters not; if, all our conflicts past,
Before the great white throne we meet at last :
Our only care, while sojourning below,
Our real Faith by real Love to show :
To blast the aliens' hope, and let them see
How friends of jarring sentiments agree :
Not in a party's narrow banks confin'd,
Not by a sameness of opinions join'd,
But cemented with the Redeemer's blood,
And bound together in the heart of God.
Can we forget from whence our union came,
When first we simply met in JESUS' name?
The name mysterious of the GOD UNKNOWN,
Whose secret love allur'd, and drew us on
Thro' a long, lonely, legal wilderness,
To find the promis'd land of gospel peacè.
True yoke-fellows, we then agreed to draw
Th' intolerable burden of the Law,
And jointly lab'ring on with zealous strife,
Strengthen'd each other's hands to work for Life
To turn against the world our steady face,
And, valiant for the truth, enjoy disgrace.
Then, when we serv'd our God thro' fear alone,
Our views, our studies, and our hearts were one :
No smallest difference damp'd the social flame :
In MOSES' School we thought, and spake the same :
And must we, now in CHRIST, with shame confess,
Our love was greater when our light was less?
When darkly thro' a glass with servile awe,
We first the spiritual commandment saw,
Could we not then, our mutual love to show,
Thro' fire and water for each other go?
We could:-
:-we did :-In a strange land I stood,
And beckon'd thee to cross th' Atlantic flood:
With true affection wing'd; thy ready mind,
Left country, fame, and ease, and friends behind,
And, eager all heav'n's counsels to explore,
Flew thro' the watry world and grasp'd the shore.
Nor did I linger, at my friends desire,
To tempt the furnace, and abide the fire:
When suddenly sent forth, from the high-ways
I call'd poor outcasts to the feast of grace;
Urg'd to pursue the work by thee begun,
Thro' good and ill report I still rush'd on,
Nor felt the fire of popular applause,
Nor fear'd the tort'ring flame in such a glorious cause.
Ah! wherefore did we ever seem to part,
Or clash in sentiment, while one in heart?
What dire device did the old Serpent find,
To put asunder those whom God had join'd?
From folly and self-love Opinion rose,
To sever friends who never yet were foes;
To baffle and divert our noblest aim,
Confound our pride, and cover us with shame ;
To make us blush beneath her short-lived pow'r,
And glad the world with one triumphant hour.
But lo! the snare is broke, the captive's freed,
By Faith on all the hostile powers we tread,
And crush thro' JESUS' strength the Serpents head.
JESUS hath cast the curst Accuser down,
Hath rooted up the tares by Satan sown :
Kindled anew the never dying flame,
And re-baptiz'd our souls into his Name.
Soon as the virtue of his Name we feel,
The storm of strife subsides, the sea is still,
All nature bows to his benign command,
And two are one in his Almighty hand.
One in his hand, O may we still remain,
Fast bound with love's indissoluble chain;
(That adamant which time and death defies,
That golden chain which draws us to the skies!)
His love the tie that binds us to his throne,
His love the bond that perfects us in one;
His love (let all the ground of friendship see)
His only love constrains our hearts t'agree,
And gives the rivet of Eternity!
1749. This year Mr. Wesley began to compile the Christian Library, and completed it in fifty volumes duodecimo. He published it under the following title: "A Christian Library, consisting of Extracts from, and Abridgments of, the choicest pieces of Practical Divinity, which have been published in the English tongue."
1760. In this year a great revival of religion took place among the Methodists. Many persons, men and women, professed to be cleansed from all unrighteousness and made perfect in love in a moment; often while hearing the word, but more frequently while at prayer, or while others were praying for them. Mr. Wesley thus speaks of it: "Here began that glorious work of sanctification, which had been nearly at a stand for twenty years. From time to time it spread, first through various parts of Yorkshire, afterwards in London, then through most parts of England; next to Dublin, Limerick, and through all the south and west of Ireland; and wherever the work of sanctification increased, the whole work of God increased in all it's branches. Many were convinced of sin, many justified, and many backsliders healed."
1763. The conference was held in London, on the 19th of July. All the minutes of the former conferences, respecting discipline, were now for the first time published. It appears from their minutes that a great deal of business was done in a few days. I will enter one of their questions and answers, respecting their taking a preacher into the travelling connection.
Q. What method may we use in receiving a helper?
A. A proper time for doing this is at a conference, after solemn fasting and prayer. We may
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