(iii) Necessity Creates Initiative
ENGLAND:
BEFORE
AND AFTER WESLEY
strongly tinctured with impertinence and disrespect toward their superiors in perpetually endeavouring to level all ranks and do away with all distinctions, as it is monstrous to be told that you have a heart as sinful as the common wretches that crawl on the earth.
This is highly offensive and insulting, and I cannot but wonder that your Ladyship should relish any sentiments so much at variance with high rank and good breeding
(iii) Necessity Creates Initiative Persecution and scorn by Church, press and mob, by magistrates, "' gentlemen"? and smart society, did much to influence the practical evolution of Evangelical methods.
All the bishops long opposing Wesley and Whitefield, and practically all the Churches of their communion being barred to them, field preaching perforce became their chief vehicle of expression ; but as field preaching was wholly at the mercy of the elements, it soon was found necessary to erect or procure buildings which could be lighted and heated on winter evenings, thus providing shelter for worship during inclement weather and accommodation for all special gatherings of the inner circle.
If faith therefore led the movement forward, persecution pushed it forward ; and necessity stimulated its initiative.
On Saturday, May 12th, 1739, less than a quarter of the necessary funds being yet in sight, the corner stone of the world's first Methodist preaching house was laid in the Horse
Fair, Bristol.2.
The famous Kingswood school and the historic London Foundery, were both opened the same year; while in 1742 the opening of the Newcastle preaching house and Orphanage, in which the Rules of the United Societies were written, marks the driving of the first permanent stakes into the industrial district of the North.
These four institutions were pioneer land marks; they proved that the movement had already taken root; while, year by year, new Societies were being formed and new Preaching Houses were springing up all over the country, with the result that ere Wesley's decease every section of industrial England and Wales could boast its
Preaching House," loved by a substantial section of the industrial population, and built by its voluntary contributions
—some of them indeed by its voluntary labour.
To a lesser degree, the same development took place in Scotland and Ireland; while, as for America, the progress 1 See J. S. Simon, Revival of Religion in Eighteenth Century England, p. 275.
2 See Journal, May oth and rath, 1739.
THE SHAPING OF
A CRUSADE
of the Revival there-was phenomenal.
In that age of sailboats, when the Atlantic crossing took two or three months and every passage was a real adventure, Whitefield crossed thirteen times.
He died in December, 1770, in America, leaving behind him a mighty, but largely unorganised, influence.
A few years later, were heard the premonitory rumblings of the American Rebellion and the handful of Anglican clergy. among the Colonials, considering themselves officials of the English
Government, quickly betook themselves to their native land.
Only the Revival's preachers stayed with the flock.
During all the vital years of the Revolutionary War, that incredible worldling and nepotist, Cornwallis, was Primate; only to be succeeded in 1783 by the equally mercenary Moore.
Never a bishop had yet been appointed to America, and all the bishops at home refused to consecrate or recognise the Revival's preachers.
Meanwhile whole communities of American Christians were left without the Sacraments, which the unordained itinerant preachers were not authorised to administer; so Wesley, in 1784, under pressure of conscience, and on the advice of several clerical friends, consecrated helpers to superintend the American flock and ordain the most promising preachers.
The pride, frigidity and paralysis of the English Church "leaders? had forced his hand, but they also had forced upon him a great opportunity.
Before his demise, he had about half as many preachers in America as in Britain : he could look with joy to the work of his devoted superintendents, Francis
Asbury and Dr. Thomas Coke,? who by their heroic selflessness and herculean labours of love, were laying deep the foundations of righteousness, integrity, temperance and virtue, on which the largest Protestant Church of the North American continent was to be erected ; while already it was becoming obvious that the interdenominational impact of this mighty
Revival would influence profoundly the social, philanthropic and educational development of the great English-speaking
Republic.
But the cruel, bigoted opposition to the Revival not only increased the amount of field preaching, dictated the necessity of building meeting houses, and compelled initiative and inventiveness: it also forced upon the converts the need of 1 As early as August 1st, 1775, Rev. John Fletcher had recommended to Wesley a similar step.
See Fournal (Standard edition), Vol. VIII, Appendix 29.
2 For facsimile of Dr. Coke's ordination, see Journal (Standard edition), Vol. VII, p. 16; see, too, Vol. VII, p. 2, and Curnock's notes, Vol. VI, p. 2.