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of their work was to begin again; if it could be begun again but the relapsers were often so hardened in sin, that no impression could be made upon them." "What could they do in a case of such extreme necessity? where so many souls lay at stake ?"

"No Clergyman would assist them at all. The expedient that remained was, to find some one among themselves who was upright of heart, and of sound judgment in the things of God: and to desire him to meet the rest as often as he could, in order to confirm them, as he was able, in the ways of God, either by reading to them, or by prayer, or by exhortation."

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Mr. Wesley felt the want of help especially in London. He appointed Mr. Thomas Maxfield, to meet the society at the usual times, to pray with them, and give them such advice as might be necessary. And this young man, being not only truly pious, but fervent in spirit, and mighty in the scriptures, was very profitable to the people. They crowded to hear him: and by the increase of their number, as well as by their earnest and deep attention, he was insensibly led to go further than he did at first intend. He began to preach: and such a blessing acccompanied his labours, that many sinners were brought to true repentance, and were afterwards filled with peace and joy in believing. But some were offended at what they termed irregularity, and wrote to inform Mr. Wesley, who instantly hastened up to London, to crush the supposed evil in the bud. But when his mother, who then lived in his house at the Foundery, saw dissatisfaction depicted upon his countenance, she looked attentively at him, and said, " John, you know what my sentiments have been. You cannot suspect me of favouring readily any thing of this kind. But take care what you do with respect to

that young man, for he is as surely called of God to preach, as you are. Examine what have been the fruits of his preaching and hear him also yourself." This timely and excellent advice he complied with; and after hearing him, his prejudice so far bowed before irresistible evidence, that he was constrained to say, "It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good."

In sundry other places, he was assisted in the same way. But it was with reluctance that he accepted of this help. His high church principles stood in the way. But the effects produced were such, that he was constrained to say, like Peter, Acts xi. 17, "What was I, that I could withstand God?" Thomas Maxfield, therefore, was the father and founder of lay-preaching, so called among the Methodists. And whenever any of the preachers shall be disposed to trace their ministerial pedigree to its source, they must travel backward through an uninterrupted succession up to Thomas Maxfield. But if, when arrived there, they should be able to throw away all prejudice, and popish and other unscriptural ideas, they may, perhaps, find themselves in better company than they suspected, even the first Christian company in the world, Saul of Tarsus, or Paul the Apostle, being of the party.

The preaching of Thomas Maxfield was speedily followed by that of the honest Yorkshireman, John Nelson. He became a Methodist in London, by his hearing Mr. Wesley; and upon his return to Birstall, near Leeds, his native place, he was unintentionally, and unexpectedly, led to preach. His relations and neighbours making enquiries about what was called the New Faith, and about the knowledge of Salvation through the remission of sins, he told them, that it was the old faith of the gospel; and that as to a man's knowing his sins to

be forgiven, he himself was as sure that his own sins were forgiven, as he could be of the shining of the sun. John Nelson while he thus became the first fruits of Methodism in Yorkshire, he became also the first Methodist Preacher who was a native of that county.

I might have observed respecting Mr. Maxfield, that after he had preached some years, he was ordained by an Irish bishop. The bishop said, he ordained him to help Mr. Wesley, "lest that good man should work himself to death." But after he had preached more than twenty years in connexion with Mr. Wesley, upon a warm dispute which agitated the society, particularly in London, Mr. Maxfield separated himself, and took away about two hundred of the members of the society. And as some of these were Mr. Wesley's most esteemed friends, he felt acutely upon the occasion. Mr. Maxfield got a commodious chapel, near Moorfields, in which he preached, and was useful, till he died suddenly of a stroke of the palsy. But prior to this he again became very friendly with Mr. Wesley and his people.

John Nelson's neighbours put him upon proving his assertions respecting the doctrines of Methodism and Christian Experience. And it was thus, that he was unawares brought to quote, explain, compare, and enforce several parts of the Holy Scriptures. At first, he did this sitting in his house, till the company became so large, that the house would not contain those who crowded to hear this new doctrine. He then stood at the door, which he had occasion to do almost every evening as soon as he came home from his work, which was that of a stone-mason. O ye YorkshireMethodists, who now number so many thousands, here was your humble beginning, more than seventy years ago!

Mr. Wesley paid his first visit to Yorkshire and Birstal, in May 1742, being invited thither by John Nelson. John Nelson continued a pious man, and a very useful preacher for about thirty years; and died very suddenly at Leeds, in July 1774. His remains were carried through the streets of Leeds, attended by thousands who were singing or weeping, in the way to Birstal. His friends put a monumental stone over his body, to tell where he lies, and to perpetuate his memory. But this has been far better perpetuated by the fruits of his labours, and the account which he published of the first forty-two years of his life.

The first Methodist Society was formed in London. But Methodism immediately took root in Bristol, and the first building erected for a Methodist preaching-house or chapel, was in Bristol. The first stone of this was laid in May 1739, three years before Mr. Wesley visited Yorkshire. And it was in November 1739, that Mr. Wesley began to preach in a building near Moorfields in London, in which the King's cannon had formerly been cast, and which, for many years after, this was known by the name of The Foundry. This place continued to be Mr. Wesley's chief place of worship for thirty-eight years. The reader may perceive by this, that the Methodists formerly were much more humble with regard to their chapels, than what they have been for some years past. Indeed, Mr. Wesley cautioned them against building expensive places of worship. He told them, that if they erected costly preaching-houses, it would make rich men necessary to them: and then, said he, farewell the Methodist discipline, if not doctrine too.

But whether it is that rich men are become less dangerous, or the Methodists are become more willing to be governed by them, or that circumstances are essentially changed, I shall not attempt

to determine. The many grand and expensive chapels, which now so loudly bespeak the present state of Methodism, will not be without their influence, and that in more ways than one. Metho

dism has stood its ground in adversity; it has preserved its purity in persecutions and distresses; but perhaps the time is near, if not already partly come, when it will be tried how it will go with it in prosperity, popularity, and honour.

About the same time, that a Society was formed in Bristol, another was formed among the colliers of Kingswood, a rude, barbarous, and ungodly race of men, about three miles from Bristol. And a little before the time that Methodism began in Yorkshire, it had a very promising commencement at and about Newcastle-upon-Tyne. There has

hardly ever been another instance in the history of Methodism of so prosperous a beginning as that at Newcastle. The Society swelled to eight hundred members in a very short time. In most other places, the number has been small at first, and then has gradually increased. But at Newcastle, almost at once, the number became larger than it ever was at any subsequent period, except perhaps for some few years last past.

Methodism had an early introduction into most of the northern Counties of England, and also into Cornwall. Among the tin-miners in that county, it has had a general and powerful influence. Hardly in any other part does so large a proportion of the population belong to the Methodist Society as in Cornwall. And till lately, there were very few Calvinistic or any other dissenters there.

Class meetings were instituted among the Methodists in 1739; but it does not appear that they became properly organized and generally established till the year 1742.

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