“I am encouraged by the representations I have received of your affability and willingness to afford information to those who apply to you, to lay before you a matter which has given me no little concern; and in the hope that you will favour me with your views upon the subject, I will proceed without further introduction.
“It has for several years appeared to me, and several
respectable friends of mine, who, as well as myself, are all members of the
Wesleyan Methodist Society, in which we have for many years filled official
situations, that the rapid dissent which we believe the travelling preachers
have been chiefly instrumental in effecting in the society from the Established
Church, is much to be lamented, and that in the same proportion in which the
society have departed from the original plan of Methodism, in the same
proportion they have missed their way. We think that a secession from the
Church has engendered a sectarian spirit, and given to the preachers a kind of
influence over the people which, we fear, in many of its consequences, will be
injurious both to their piety and liberty, leading them to exchange the former
for party zeal, and the latter for a too ready acquiescence in all the measures
of the preachers. We lately opened a correspondence with the Church Methodists
in Ireland, from which we learn
| 162 | LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE | Ætat. 50. |
“This correspondence we have named to several, both of
the evangelical and orthodox clergy, none of whom raise any objection to it,
and most of whom are its warm advocates. I lately received an invitation from
the evangelical clergy in Hull to meet
| Ætat. 50. | OF ROBERT SOUTHEY. | 163 |
| 164 | LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE | Ætat. 50. |
“Mr. Sadler is perhaps known to you as the author of an excellent pamphlet addressed to Walter Fawkes, Esq., late member for the county of York, in which he has refuted that gentleman’s arguments in favour of a reform in Parliament. I had forgotten to say that if the conference will not listen to our request at all, we purpose applying to our Irish friends to send over some efficient preachers, which we believe they will do.
“I may add, that your excellent conclusion of the Life of Wesley has also contributed to induce me to take the liberty of troubling you on this subject, conceiving that our plan is not very dissimilar to what you refer to. . . . . We shall highly value your opinion and advice, and shall feel much obliged by as early a reply as you can conveniently favour us with.
