Wesley Corpus

The effort was generally successful at the time, and the Epistle was allowed to go dormant. Then, in 1784, John Wesley was persuaded that the situation on the Methodists in the newly independent colonies in North America required that he ordain two lay preachers. Charles's response to this act was to reprint the Epistle. Editions: Charles Wesley. An Epistle to the Reverend Mr. John Wesley. London: Strahan, for J. Robinson, 1755. 2nd London: Strahan, for J. Robinson, 1755 3rd London: J. Robinson, 1785. Page 3 2A manuscript version of this epistle appears in MS Epistles, 89-107. Frank Baker gives the entire epistle, with annotations of variants in the manuscript version, in Representative Verse, 288-94. My first and last unalienable friend, A brother's thoughts with due regard attend, A brother, still as thy own soul belov'd, Who speak to learn, and write to be reprov'd: Far from the factious undiscerning crowd, Distrest I fly to thee, and think aloud; I tell thee, wise and faithful as thou art, The fears and sorrows of a burthen'd heart, The workings of (a blind or heav'nly?) zeal, And all my fondness for the Church I tell, Page 4 3Ori.,"Filial"; corrected in 2nd printing (1755). 4Jeremiah 7:4. 5Henry Sacheverell (1674-1724). The Church whose cause I serve, whose faith approve, Whose altars reverence, and whose name I love. But does she still exist in more than sound? The Church alas, where is she to be found? Not in the men, however dignified, Who would her creeds repeal, her laws deride, Her prayers expunge, her articles disown, And thrust the filial Godhead from his throne. Vainest3 of all their antichristian plea, Who cry "The temple of the Lord are we!"4 "We have the Church, nor will we quit our hold." Their hold of what? The altar? Or the gold? The altars theirs, who will not light the fire, Who spurn the labour, but accept the hire, Who not for souls, but their own bodies care, And leave to underlings the task of pray'r? As justly might our christen'd heathens claim, Thieves, drunkards, whoremongers, the sacred name; Or rabble-rout succeed in their endeavour With High Church, and Sacheverel5 for ever!