The Life of Wesley; And the Rise and Progress of Methodism (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1820 edition. Excerpt: ...that St. James's epistle is an epistle of straw. A more imr portant measure was the foundation of the first Methodist preaching house j and this, like the other steps which led inevitably to a separation from the Church, was taken without any such design, or any perception of its consequences. The rooms in which the Societies at Bristol had hitherto met in Nicholas-Street, Baldwin-Street, and the Back-Lane, were small, incommodious, and not entirely safe. They determined, therefore, to build a room large enough for all the members, and for as many of their acquaintance as might be expected to attend: a piece of ground was obtained in the Horse-Fair, near St. James's church-yard, and there, on the 12th of May 1739, " the first stone was laid with the voice of praise and thanksgiving." Wesley himself had no intention of being personally engaged either in the direction or expence of the work; for the property had been settled upon eleven feoffees, and upon them he had supposed the whole responsibility would rest-But it soon appeared that the work would be at a stand if he did not take upon himself the payment of all the workmen; and he found himself presently incumbered with a debt of more than an hundred and fifty pounds, which he was to discharge how he could, for the subscription of the Bristol societies did not amount to a fourth part of the sum. In another, and more important point, his friends in London, and Whitefield more especially, had been farther-sighted than himself; they represented to him that the feoffees would always have it in their power to turn him out of the room after he had built it, if he did not preach to their liking; and they declared that they would have nothing to do with the building, nor contribute any thing towards...