METHODISTS, as the distinctive appellation of a religious community, is now universally understood as designating the followers of the famous Mr. John Wes ley. We indeed hear and read of Calvinistic and Ar minian Methodists, the former being the followers of the Rev. George I'Vhitefield, and the latter, of Wesley: but for many years the general term Methodist, as marking a sect of religionists, applies to those only who adopt the doctrine and discipline introduced by Mr. Wesley and his coadjutors. The Calvinistic Methodists or Con gregationalists bear a near resemblance to the Puritans of a former age, being, generally speaking, deeper di vines, and more systematically correct in their doctri nal opinions; for though they have no formula or creed, professedly, yet the books approved among them, and the account which members on admission give of their faith, plainly mark them as Calvinists at least of the Sub lapsarian kind. But this article regards the Methodists as a distinct body, closely affiliated and known to each other in every quarter of the globe. In November, 1729, Mr. John Wesley being then a Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, Mr. Charles Wesley his brother, Mr. Morgan, Commoner of Christ Church, and Mr. Kirk man of Merton College, set apart some evenings for reading the original Scriptures and prayer. Some time after they were joined by Mr. Ingham of Queen's Col lege, Mr. Broughton of Exeter, and Mr. James Hervey ; and in 1735, by the celebrated Mr. George White field. They soon began to leave occasionally the more private fellowship meeting, to visit the prisoners in the castle, and the sick poor in the town. They also insti tuted a fund for the relief of the poor, to support which they abridged all superfluities, and even many of the comforts of life. Their private meetings became more and more of a religious character. They observed the fasts of the ancient Church every Wednesday and Fri day, and communicated once a-week. " We were now," says Mr. 'Wesley, " fifteen in number, all of one heart and of one mind." Their strict deportment soon at tracted the attention of the college censors and stu dents, who branded them with many opprobrious epi thets, such as Sacramentarians, the Godly Club, and afterwards Methodists. The sneers of the young men they seem to have regarded little ; but when some of the seniors of the University were offended, Mr. John Wesley wrote to his father, the venerable Rector of Epworth, and to other gentlemen of learning and piety, for advice. The following sentences from his father's answer will skew his spirit. " And now as to your de signs and employments, what can I say less of them than valde probo ; and that I have the highest reason to bless God, that he has given me two sons together at Oxford, to whom he has given grace and courage to turn the war against the world and the devil, which is the best way to conquer them ; they have but one more enemy to combat with, the flesh. I think I must
adopt Mr. Morgan to be my son with you, and your brother Charles ; and when I have such a ternion to prosecute that war wherein I am now ' Miles Emeritus, I shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.' When I was an under graduate I visited those in the Castle there; and reflect on it with pleasure to this day. Walk as prudently as you can, but not fearfully, and my heart and prayers are with you." Whatever effect obloquy might have upon some of the members of this select class, Mr. John NVes ley, as well as his brother, and several others, remained unshaken. He puzzled his opponents with questions concerning the reasonableness of his conduct. He did more ; he confounded them by an uniform regularity of life, and an astonishing proficiency in his studies. Mr. Morgan, one of the most active members, was soon after this removed by death ; occasioned, according to the representation of enemies, by fasting and excessive austerities ; a very uncommon cause of dying at Ox ford, or any where else. His character was drawn by Mr. Samuel Wesley, junr. in a poetic tribute to his me mory, under this text, from the book of wisdom, " We fools accounted his life madness." In the spring of 1735, Mr. John Wesley was called to attend his dying father, who desired him to present to Queen Caroline, a book he had just finished. Soon after his return to Oxford, he went to London on this account, where he was strong ly solicited by Dr. Burton, one of the trustees for the new colony at Georgia, to go there to preach to the Indians. At first he peremptorily refused. He parti cularly mentioned the grief it would occasion to his widowed mother. The case being referred to her, she is said to have made this reply " Had I twenty sons, I should rejoice that they were all so employed, though I should never see them more." His way appeared now plain ; and he made arrangements for this en terprize. On Tuesday, October 14, 1735, he set off from London for Gravesend, accompanied by Mr. Ingham, Mr. Delamotte, and his brother Charles, to embark for Georgia. There were six-and-twenty Ger mans on board, members of the Moravian church, with whose Christian deportment Mr. Wesley was much struck, and immediately set himself to learn the Ger man language, in order to converse with them. The Moravian Bishop, and two others of his society, began to learn English. He now began to preach extempore, which he afterwards made his constant practice during his life, and yet he wrote much.