since they believe the pope can pardon rebellions, high treasons, and all other sins whatsoever.

66

Setting then religion aside, it is plain that, upon principles of reason, no government ought to tolerate men, who cannot give any security to that government for their allegiance and peaceable behaviour. But this no Romanist can do, not only while he holds that 'no faith is to be kept with heretics,' but so long as he acknowledges either priestly absolution or the spiritual power of the pope."'

In that Mr. Wesley was a mixture of the patriot, the logician, and the theologian, but there was nowhere the man of flabby convictions.

Wesley's judgments as to doctrinal beliefs were so pronounced that persons were dropped from connection with him because their expressed beliefs were not in harmony with those accepted by Wesley and his organization.

In 1791, close to the end of Wesley's long life, while writing to Doctor Adam Clarke, he said:

"Let not the excluded preachers by any means creep in again. In any wise, write and send me your thoughts on animal magnetism. I set my face against that device of Satan. Two of our preachers here are in danger of that satanical delusion; but if they persist to defend it, I must drop them. I know its principles full

well."

So he seems to have had opinions and also opposition to various opinions.

In the last year of his ministry, again writing to Doctor Adam Clarke, and referring to "Christian Perfection," Wesley said:

'Tyerman: "Life of Wesley," Vol. III, pp. 318, 319.

"If we can prove that any of our local preachers or leaders speak against it let him be a local preacher or leader no longer. I doubt whether he should continue in the Society; for he that could speak thus in our congregation cannot be an honest man."

That indicates how far Wesley would go to maintain one of the doctrines within his membership, but one should not hastily draw the inference that Wesley meant every subordinate theory about Christian Perfection that one might hear to-day or might have been heard at that time. Christian Perfection is one thing, and for that essential thing Wesley stood, but one of a dozen theories sometimes advanced might be a very different thing. Even in Wesley's time there were differences within the body as to some details concerning this Perfection, but all the loyal ones maintained Christian Perfection to be sought and to be found.

Wesley did not approve of those who did not believe in the doctrine of "Original Sin," as it was styled. Thus in the British Minutes for 1784, we find this question and answer:

"Q. 20. Some who once preached with us deny Original Sin. What is to be done in this case ?

"A. No Preacher who denies Original Sin can preach among us; and we advise our brethren not to hear him."

That meant the preacher would be silenced or expelled if he was in the membership, and, if he did not belong, he was to be prohibited from preaching in the Society gatherings, and the people were to be warned against hearing him. Wesley, however, made some marked modifications in certain ancient definitions of "Original Sin."

Toward the close of 1739, at the very beginning of his organized work, John Wesley published his tract on "The Character of a Methodist."

It is in this that Wesley uses the expression, "We think and let think," which is quoted sometimes without its connection being given.

The tract clearly shows that Wesley and his followers even in that early period had a fixed faith in the fundamental doctrines, and that his followers were expected to have the same. A few brief citations will be sufficient to prove this.

In this publication he says:

"We believe, indeed, that 'all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God'; and herein we are distinguished from Jews, Turks, and Infidels."

"We believe the written word of God to be the only and sufficient rule both of Christian faith and practice; and herein we are fundamentally distinguished from those of the Roman Church.

"We believe Christ to be the eternal Supreme God; and herein we are distinguished from the Socinians and Arians." 2

Mr. Wesley closes his declaration as to the beliefs of Methodists, on this point, by saying:

"But as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think. So that, whatsoever they are, whether right or wrong, they are no distinguishing marks of a Methodist.""

Wesley's "Works," Amer. Ed., Vol. V, pp. 240, 241.

''Arian is defined as: "Of or pertaining to Arius, a presbyter of the Church of Alexandria, in the fourth century, who held that Christ is inferior to God the Father."

* Wesley's "Works," Amer. Ed., Vol. V, p. 241.

That is to say, as to minor, or non-essential matters, there was latitude, but there was insistence as to the fundamentals which lay "at the root of Christianity," such as God, that the Scriptures were divinely inspired, and that Christ was "the eternal supreme God."

So the "distinguishing marks of a Methodist," doctrinally speaking, were not the non-essentials, but those that connected with "the root of Christianity."

"We think and let think" did not mean that he did not care what people thought on vital matters, but on things which were non-essential or indifferent in themselves, while on other matters he demanded that all should think correctly.

These are citations from Wesley's writings in 1739, when his first Society was organized, in 1740, in 1759, in 1764, in 1765, in 1780, and on to 1791, the year in which Mr. Wesley died, and they show a remarkable consistency through all the fifty-two years when he was the recognized head of the Wesleyan movement in which position he continued until his decease.

All this time he was a doctrinal preacher, writer, and controversialist, insisting upon religious doctrines, and, after these proofs from Wesley's own words, it is time to call a halt on assertions to the effect that the Reverend John Wesley disregarded doctrines, and that with him it made little or no difference what men believed, for the fact is that Wesley was not indifferent as to what people, and, especially, his own people believed, but, on the contrary, insisted upon correct beliefs and vigorously opposed erroneous and false teachings as to religion.

S

beliefs.

VI

"ONLY ONE CONDITION"

OME one may call attention to Mr. Wesley's one condition for admission into his Societies as

proof that he made no point as to doctrinal

It is true that in his General Rules it is said: "There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these Societies-' a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins,"" and, hence, we are told, that no adherence to doctrines was required of those who entered Wesley's Societies, or who remained in them. It will appear, however, that this is not a well founded inference.

In considering this statement every one should remember the very simple nature of Wesley's early Societies.

At the beginning they were rather crude, and might be regarded mainly as social religious gatherings of a very simple character.

These General Rules were prepared and published by John Wesley, in the year 1743, which was close to the time of the organization of his first Society, when Wesley had no purpose beyond that form of a simple religious Society, and they were written before he had even organized a Conference of preachers, as well as before he could have had any thought of organizing a regular Church, and he was not making the rules for a regular and complete Church.