A History of the Origin & Development of the Governing Conference in Methodism, & Especially of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Ch

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. 1892. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III. MR. WESLEY'S FINAL PLAN FOR PERPETUATING AND EMPOWERING THE CONFERENCE. AFEW years after the plan presented in 1769, and renewed in later years, had been generally accepted by the preachers, a grave difficulty presented itself. This difficulty was of a legal character, and grew out of questions in relation to the title to the chapel property. Indeed, in some form, it had existed from an early day. The first Methodist preaching-house was built at Bristol, in 1739, and Mr. Wesley promptly settled the property on eleven feoffees. At once the Rev. George Whitefield and others objected, because this form of settlement gave those who held the property such complete control of it that they could say who should and who should not officiate on the premises, and thus had power at any time to exclude Mr. Wesley himself.1 Mr. Wesley remarks: I had not at first the least apprehension or design of being personally engaged either in the expense of this work or in the direction of it, having appointed eleven feoffees, on whom I supposed these burdens would fall, of course. But I quickly found my mistake--first, with regard to the expense; for the whole undertaking must have stood still had not I im Peiree's Wesleyan Polity, 3d Ed., p. 591; L. Tyerman's Life of John Wesley, Vol. I, p. 270. mediately taken upon myself the payment of all the workmen, so that, before I knew where I was, I had contracted a debt of more than a hundred and fifty pounds; and this I was to discharge how I could, the subscriptions of both societies not amounting to one-quarter of the sum. And as to the direction of the work; I presently received letters from my friends in London, Mr. Whitefield in particular, backed with a message by one just come from thence, that neither he nor th...