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HANDLINGAR TILL GEORGE SCOTTS VERKSAMHET I SVERIGE I 6 7
me. And I am persuaded you will take kindly a remark or two
regarding the Methodists, which may prevent your falling into
unpleasant mistakes when you again publish about that body.
Allow me to say most decidedly that I am by no means kept in
the dark regarding any of the mechanism of the Society under which
I act, there is really no Sanctum sanctorum, no »behind the scenes»,
from which any preacher of the body is withheld; and it must at
once appear to yourself that if any such mysterious place of
concealment existed, it is not likely that a stranger and an opponent
would be allowed a pup, which is denied the members of the
order. There is evident absurdity on the face of the supposition.
That many cannot comprehend, cannot appreciate the motives which
actuate Methodists is readily granted, but it does by no means
follow that secret, unworthy purposes conceal themselves under the
professed principles. The latter rightly understood are quite
sufficient to account for the operations flowing from them without having
recourse to moody suspicions of secret machinations. The multitude
of publications by Methodists, the annual Reports of the Mission
department, the Minutes of the yearly Conferences explicitly
unfolding all the proceedings and accounting for the appropriation of
all the contributions printed and offered for public sale, prove
beyond question that the body rather courts publicity than otherwise.
I felt pleased that you have not reverted to the political
charges ag:t Methodism, believe not my word, but make careful and
impartial enquiry and the result will convince you, that such
charges are illfounded, when directed ag:t the IVesleyan Methodist body.
And really, entertaining the sentiments expressed in your letter, it
would be the wisest course to say as little as may be about the
Chartists, for I know them, and I know that generally they are men
who conceive that other light than that derived from the old Bible
and the Priesthood, is necessary for the happiness and progress of
Society, especially the poorer classes. If however, you can prove
that any IVesleyan Methodist is at the same time a Chartist then I
have exposed myself to a heavy charge indeed, and must lie at
your mercy; your authority for the assertion, the specialities such as
name, place, must, however, also be given, that I may have a fair
opportunity of testing the proof. And here allow me to suggest
whether you are not under an error, in confounding things that
differ; in two ways does this appear in your statements.
ist where you assert that the Wesleyan Methodists were led
into all possible extravagancies after receiving the gloomy doctrine
of election or predestination. Now the Wesleyan Methodists never
did, never can receive that doctrine without ceasing to exist. It was
on this ground that Whitfield & Wesley parted company, the former
having embraced that terrible doctrine, the latter continuing to teach
that Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man. The
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