Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-17
Nisfellany.
The Oxford MethOdiStS.

work :. The oxford MethOdlsts: Memoirs
nj Rev. Messrs. Clayton, Ingham, Gambold
Hsryey aud Broughton, with biographical
notjees of Others" by the Rev. l.. Tyerman.
l. crew out of the authors desIe to make
-. OF the large amount of surplus biogra-
rbieal material left over from his Life
and Times of Wesley" 1t is of interest.
not alone to the large and respectable de
oamination th whose founders it chiefly
deals, but to the reading public in general.
the inner history of the great religious
movement begun in November. 1923, by
the four young gentlemen of Oxford"
who agreed to spend some evenings every
week t5gather in reading the Greek Testa-
mcnt is told in these pages. The n rrative
g intcr>persed with reniniso noes o.
Wnitefed, the Wesleys, and their associ-
ota.. and with extracts from letters never
before published.
Th- information concerning some of the
Oxford brotherhood Is very scant with
al. the authors diligence he has been able
TO collect but briet notices of several of
We,ley's earlier associates, a scrap Or two
of aneedote and bits of letters. The sketch
IS Of Clayton, IDgham, Gambold, Hervey
and Broughton are more extended, the
material being ample. 1t is curios fact
that up to the time of their general dis
persion from that seat Of learning, the Ok
ford Methodsts were all, with the except
ion of Whitefed, Church of England Rlt-
uaIists. Every morning and every evening
they spent an hour In secret prayer ;
and through out the day, habituated them
selves to the use of CALCULATIONS for humil-
ity faith, hope and love. They also OBJ
served the discipline of the Church of Fog
land to the mlnutest details, and were
scrupuIous In practising the rubrics and
canons. Every Wednesday and Friday
they tasted, tasting no food whatever, till
3 O'Clock in the afternoon. They more
than approved of the mixture of water
with the sacra entail wine, and religiously
observed saint days, holidays and Satur-
days. They maintained the doctrine OF
apostolical succession, and believed no one
had authority to administer the sacraments
who was not episcOpally ordained. Even
III Georgia Wesley excluded disscnters
that they had not been properly baptised
He also enforced confession, penance and
modification and, as far as possible, carrl,
ed INTO execution the apostolic constitution
In short, with the exception of some
things which they thought savored OF
Popery, the Oxford Methodsts held many
views in common with the present Rituals
tic party in the Church Of England.
The four young gentlemen who formed
the first society of Methodists at Oxford
Were John and Charles Wesley, William
Morgan and Robert Klrkham. OF the
latter nothing is known after he quilted
Oxford to become curate to his uncle. He
was, in early youth, frank, jovlal fellow
but suddenly become serious, took to hard
study, and was one of John Wesey's
warmest friends. Wesley was tender y
attached to sister of Klrkham's. Tyer.
man says she was probably the first Of
his sweethearts." They corresponded tol
several years in the most afectionatt
manner, out the acquaintance was sudden
ly brokenly off William Morgan was the
son Of an irish gentleman. He Was o.
weak health, and died IN delirlum at al
early age. The enemies of Methodisn
charged his death to " religious madness.
Though safe from actual violence, thes'
four young gentlemen were subjected to Z
singuIariy trying species OF religious per
secution from their college associates. Th'
men of wit OF Christ Church called then
Sacrementarians. Their allies, at Merton
styled them the Holy Cub. Others stlg
matlzed them as the Cody Club: and other
the enthusiasts, or the Reforming Cub
But rtdlcule, though far from pleasant
failed to turn them from their chosen course
Their persistency in following what the
deemed the path of duty, at length dreg
to them other associates, the most note(
of whom were the five men whose name
are on the title-page of Mr.. Tyerman'
work. 1t is painful circumstance, bu
one Of which poIemics can unfortunately
furnish too many, that, later IN life, differ
ences in doctrine should have brought per
sonal estrangement between the Wesley
and four OF these early associates.
As we have said, Mr.. Tyerman's worl
contains many illustrative anecdotes ant
scraps Of correspondence which throy
much light on the early history OF tn
Methodist movement and on the characte
of It's founders. Earnest in all things
their solicltude extended to the most trl
fling things We find the Rev. Mr.. Clay
ton, with monastlc inactiOn, earnestly
thanking God that he has fully conquere
his a. affection for morning nap" Th
Rev. DR.. Deacon believed that the com
munon wine should be mixed with water
and shuddered to think how terrible nigh
be the consequence of " emitting part O
our Redeemer's cup The Rev. Benja
min Ingham, writing to Wesley, desire
his COUNSEL on these welghty matters: "Wli
it be lawful to sell thing above its worth
purely because the buyer hath desire 0
1t? Also, whether 1t be convenient o
lawful for Christian to dwell with
Quaker when under no necessity? Al>e
whether persons ought to eat, or openl
declare they fast, when no necessity put
them upon it." Wesley's reply is not CIV
en-. The antithesis of Christian " an
Quaker is suggestive. In connection
with this, the following remark fror
another of Ingham's letters is worthy {
Mark Twain in his best mood. Speakin
OF certain persons he says They wer
brought up Quakers, but are now seriou
people :"
We have room for but one more extrae
from work abounding In interesting pass
ages. In 174S Whtefeld and Ing hal
made preaching tour through Yorkshire
During the progress many singular an
exciting scenes occurred one OF which
thus described
ln one place Whitefeld mounted
temporary scaf1old to address the tho
sands who stood before HIM, and, with
snlemnit,r r,oc,,l rlu his oun annnuncf