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I 8 2
MEDDELANDEN OCH AKTSTYCKEN
munity, nothing would be more delightful & encouraging to me than
torrents of vilification against my Society & myself from all
quarters, and write on, write on, the more violent tho better, would be
my request; but as I really have no jesuitical plans and only seek
to employ my leisure time in such »above board» disinterested
labours as may do my Swedish brethren »good & not evil» it is my
earnest wish to live peaceably with all men; this is surely the most
moderate return I can demand for years of varied and often really
wearisome exertion, which has brought in as regards temporal advantage
just — nihil. Believe me, Sir, a principle more elevated than
Jesuitism, as that term is generally bandied out, is requisite for such
a course.
The declaration of your name is not necessary for me, for I
»know the man & his communication»; but as regards the public
it certainly is important, that the authority propounding so called
facts should not be hidden, for many will conclude, that »the long
bow» has been so fully in use, that the archer dare not appear;
and that Theological statements regarding religious denominations
not generally known here, should have a name attached to them,
that we may judge of the Theological qualifications of the
promulgator of such statements. It must be allowed that the names of
such men of character & station, as have as in the accompanying
pamphlet given their evidence regarding Methodism or myself
possess more weight with every honest enquirer than 10,000
irresponsible assertions by an anonymous writer.
A History of Methodism, with introduction & notes by the
Pastor of the Reformed Church at Frankfort is meanwhile in course
of translation from the German, and will, I hope, ere long appear
for the information of such as seek truth. I have no hesitation in
recommending to your notice a similar history by the Poet Laureate
Southey (certainly no Läsare or Methodist). I object to many of
his theological views, but at the same time I believe he designed
to write honest truth as far as he was acquainted therewith; and
his book is on that account the more valuable being impartial.
I regret exceedingly if any thing in my »Förklaring» justifies
the language you employ regarding it; for as Sterne wittily observes
on Judge 1:9, »had they got to railing the Devil would have been
more than a match for the Archangel»; but you must yourself feel
the difficulty of flinging back such an attack in words of oily
smoothness, a large share of the opprobrium arising from a violent retort
rests upon him who provoked it.
I shall be happy if I can contribute to the progress of truth
anywhere & in any form, and therefore hold myself in readiness to
answer »as far as I know or shall be asked» any enquiries presented
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