9g. NEWCASTLE: including (1) Newcastle itself, (2) the county of
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give the answer of the Conference to the question, ' How many Circuits are there now?'
A. Nine.
1. Lonpon: including (1) London itself, (2) Kent and Surrey, (3) Essex, (4) Brentford, (5) Windsor, (6) Wycombe, (7) Oxford,
(8) Reading, (9) Shaburn, (10) Blewberry.
2. BRISTOL:
including (1) Bristol itself, (2) Kingswood, (3) Bath, (4) Bearfield, (5) Seend, (6) The Devizes, (7) Salisbury, (8) Road, (9)
Coleford, (10) Oakhill, (11) Shepton, (12) Dorsetshire, (13) Middlesey, (14) Beercrocomb, (15) Taunton, (16) Collumpton.
3. CORNWALL:
including (1) Cornwall itself, (2) Plymouth Dock, (3) Tavistock.
4. IRELAND.
5. WALES.
6. STAFFORDSHIRE:
including (1) Stroud, (2) Cirencester, (3) Stanley, (4) Evesham, (5) Wednesbury, (6) Leominster, (7) Shrewsbury, (8) Nottingham.
7. CHESHIRE:
including (1) Cheshire itself, (2) Derbyshire, (3) Lancashire, (4) Sheffield.
8. YORKSHIRE AND LINCOLNSHIRE.
9g. NEWCASTLE:
including (1) Newcastle itself, (2) the county of Durham, (3) Cumberland, (4) Northumberland, (5) Berwick.
If we compare this list with that which appears in the Minutes of 1746 we shall be impressed by the remarkable progress that had been made in so short a time.
This prosperity made it impossible for John Wesley to give careful and constant attention to the Societies in each circuit.
Once more urgent necessity suggested the importance of a division of labour.
Without jeopardizing his position as the final authority he saw it was possible to devolve much of his work on men who should be selected by the Conference to take special charge of the Societies which were grouped together in the widely-extended circuits.
We have seen that a distinction had already arisen between ' Helpers' and ' Assistants'; but, up to the Conference of 1749, that distinction is rather difficult to follow.
The Minutes give a definition of the position and duties of an ' Assistant '' which ends our uncertainty.
The Conference, after discussing the question of 'a general union' of the Societies throughout England, and coming to the conclusions we have recorded to make some advances towards that union, made a step in the right direction by 1See John Wesley and the Methodist Societies, 324.
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appointing one of the ' helpers' in each circuit to take charge of the Societies therein.
In order to distinguish this ' helper ' from the rest of the preachers it was resolved to call him an 'assistant'; and he was to be qualified for the charge, ' not so much by superior gifts as by walking closely with God.'
It was arranged that John or Charles Wesley should act in London, John Jones in Bristol and Cornwall, John Haughton and Jonathan Reeves in Ireland, William Thomas in Wales,
James Jones in Staffordshire, John Bennet in Cheshire, William Shent in Yorkshire, and John Downes in the Newcastle circuit.
The question, What is the office of an assistant ? was asked and answered:
'1. To visit the classes in each place, and write new lists of all the members of the Societies.
2. To regulate the Bands.
3. To deliver new tickets.
4. To keep watch-nights.
5. To take in or put out of the Society.
6. To hold Quarterly Meetings, and therein diligently to inquire into the spiritual and temporal estate of each Society.
7. To watch over the Helpers in each Circuit, and see that they behave well, and want nothing.
8. To take care that every Society be supplied with books, and that the money for them be returned quarterly.'
In addition to these duties the ' assistants ' were directed to take an exact list of each Society every Easter, and to transmit their lists to London some time before Whitsuntide.
This new departure was of great importance.
It relieved the almost intolerable strain that was affecting John Wesley's health.
We have noted signs of his weariness and physical weakness, and we know that, notwithstanding this relief, his life, four years afterwards, was in peril by reason of his faithfulness to the call of duty.
The value of this division of labour has been proved by the experience of numerous years, and the arrangement of 1749 has persisted to the present day.
The modern superintendent of a circuit may rightly claim that the origin of his office may be traced back to a Conference held in London more than one hundred and seventy years ago.
It will be seen that one of the duties of an ' assistant ' was to hold Quarterly Meetings.
But it is certain some of the best informed among them were unacquainted with the character of the meetings which had been introduced that year in Yorkshire and Cheshire.
The Conference recognized this
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fact, and, in order to help them, it was resolved to desire John Bennet, '1. To send us up his Plan.
2. To go himself as soon as may be to Newcastle and Wednesbury, and teach them the nature and method of these meetings.'
The first official allusions made to Quarterly Meetings, as constituting a branch of the system of Methodism, are to be found in the Minutes of the Conference of 1749.
It is clear that the character and business of these meetings had been considered by Wesley and some of the officers of his Societies since the first
Quarterly Meeting was held at Todmorden Edge.
But further information was needed; so the arrangement for consulting John Bennet was approved by the Conference.
We will not attempt to settle the disputed question, ' From whom did John Bennet get his idea of Quarterly Meetings?'
It is certain that meetings called by that name existed among the Quakers and in Ingham's Societies ; but those constituted by Bennet can easily be distinguished from them.
In addition it is certain that Bennet's Societies are the forerunners of the Methodist Quarterly Meetings of the present day.
In Dr. W. W. Stamp's article in the Magazine for 1843 it is possible for us to detect significant signs of growth in the character of their proceedings.
At the first Quarterly Meeting of the Societies on the Todmorden Edge side of the great
'round' a financial account was presented.
Cash had been received from Todmorden, Heptonstall, Roughlee, Rossendale, and Rochdale.
It amounted to a little over £6; and, with the exception of about twelve shillings, the whole of the money was expended on 'charges as per Bill' brought in from the places we have named.
Dr. Stamp considered that these 'charges' represented the cost of entertaining the preachers when they visited the towns and villages in that part of the 'round.'
The Keighley book contains accounts for three quarters following October 18, 1748.
Then an interval occurs reaching from October 31, 1749, to July 25, 1754.
William Grimshaw explains that the reason of the absence of the accounts was that the Quarterly
Meetings were discontinued in the neighbourhood during this interval.:
It is fortunate that the accounts for January, April, and July, 1749, have been preserved, for they contain items which arrest attention.
In addition to the ' charges 1 Wesleyan Methodist Magazine, 1843, 379.
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i as per Bill,' we find that on January ro William Darney's wife received {1 ros. and £2 2s. on April 18.
So far as we know these are the first records of allowances to a preacher's wife from a Quarterly Meeting.
On July 11 there is another sign of advance.
On that date these items appear:
' Gave to Halifax Society, towards defraying the Law Charge, £1 10s. 6d.'; and ' Paid a Quarter's Rent for the PreachingRoom at Milner's Barn.'
Students of the evolution of Quarterly Meeting finance will perceive the significance of these entries.
In a letter written by John Bennet at the request of the Quarterly Meeting held at Woodley, in Cheshire, on April 20,
1749, we get light on the grant to Halifax.
The Halifax Methodists had commenced an action against the rioters at Sowerby Bridge, and had found that the expense incurred was more than they were able to bear.
Their representative went to the Quarterly Meeting held at Todmorden Edge on April 18, explained their case, and asked that a contribution might be gathered in the Societies represented by the meeting.
Bennet says that the request was granted ' by the consent of the Rev. Mr. Wm. Grimshaw, and several exhorters then present.'
In the Quarterly Meeting at Woodley the case of Halifax was mentioned and considered.
It was unanimously agreed that collections should be made throughout the Cheshire Societies ; and Bennet expressed his desire 'that each of the brethren who was able to help would contribute liberally to the fund.'
It will be remembered that the Conference held in November, 1749, directed that in the Quarterly Meetings spiritual as well as temporal affairs should be considered.
At the Woodley Quarterly Meeting in April that direction had been anticipated.
John Bennet has, fortunately, recorded a part of the business of the meeting which is of exceptional importance.
A discussion arose on the case of a member of the Society who was neglecting to meet in class.
The following letter was sent to him:
It appears unto us from the account given in by your Leader at this Quarterly Meeting that you have frequently neglected your class, without giving sufficient reason for your so doing.
Your indifferency in a matter of so great importance (viz. the salvation of the soul) is too strong a proof (to be denied) of your
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insin-cerity.
We think it proper to exhort you to be more careful for the time to come in observing the hour appointed for meeting.
This will not only be advantageous to your own soul, but an evidence that you have a real desire to be continued a member of our Society.
Quarterly Meeting, Woodley, April ye 2oth, 1749.
The particulars concerning the business of the earliest Quarterly Meetings enable us to surmise the character of the advice that John Bennet would give to inquirers who followed the advice of the Conference and applied to him for information.
They also assist us to see the beginning of a meeting which has gathered strength during the years, and now holds a position of great importance in the arrangements of the Methodist Church.
If we include the directions of the Conference of 1749 with the details we have gleaned from John
Bennet's MS. Journal, we get this view of the Quarterly Meeting at its commencement.
It was a gathering of stewards and others at which one of the Wesleys, or a minister in association with them like William Grimshaw, or an assistant appointed by the Conference, presided.
Its first business was to receive the moneys that had been contributed by the Societies in the circuit towards the fund that was under its management, and to pay the expenses incurred by the stewards in entertaining the lay preachers.
In addition, in some cases the rents of preaching-houses were paid.
Although the lay preachers received no money for their work, we see that, in the case of Todmorden Edge, an ' allowance' was given to a preacher's wife.
When rioters were prosecuted for their attacks on the Methodists, and a Society appealed for assistance in discharging the law costs, it was allowable to contribute towards the payment of lawyers' bills.
In addition to the management of a section of circuit finance the Quarterly Meeting had a function of exceptional importance.
Acting on the direction of the Conference of 1749, the assistants not only held Quarterly Meetings for the administration of finance, but in them diligently inquired into the spiritual state of each Society. They were also directed to inquire at every Quarterly Meeting, and send a circumstantial account to London, ' of every remarkable conversion ; and of every one who dies in the triumph of faith.'
In the description 1 Minutes, i. 709.
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a of the Woodley meeting we have seen an illustration of the discharge of the duty of inquiring into the spiritual state of one Society; or, at any rate, of a member of a Society.
It is also well known that in early times the holding of a Quarterly Meeting was accompanied by preaching-services that were often marked by great spiritual power.
From these beginnings the investigator of Methodist origins may trace the course of the development of Quarterly
Meetings.
In the Minutes of the 1749 Conference there is an entry which excites our curiosity.
It is as follows:
'Shall we require every Helper to answer that question, " Will you print nothing till we have revised it?"''
The answer is, ' By all means.'
We think that we shall have to go to Yorkshire to discover the reason why this question was asked.
We have met with William Darney, and have seen the good work he did in the neighbourhood of Haworth.
But he had a weakness which gave John Wesley no little trouble.
He imagined that he was a poet; and he strongly preferred to ' give out ' in the congregations ' hymns of his own composing.'
His failing is not unexampled.
Wesley objected to the public singing of Darney's unchastened rhymes.
His objection was strengthened when they were printed and published without being submitted to his judgement.
In the outside world, crowded with bitter enemies, Wesley was held responsible for all that happened in Methodist services, and he naturally declined to accept that responsibility when hymns were sung in such services which he had not seen, and which, if he had seen them, he would have strongly disapproved.
After discussion, his objection was maintained by the Conference.
We will close our description of the proceedings of the Conference of 1749 by recording its action in a matter of supreme importance.
Towards the end of its business the question was asked : ' What method should we take in receiving a new Helper?'
The subject had been considered at a previous Conference, and an answer had been given which left that method an open question.
The time had arrived when it was necessary that a definite arrangement should be made.
It was decided that the following method should be adopted :