In 1758 Mr. Wesley again held a conference in Ire- land, at which fourteen preachers were present; and though the record of its proceedings is compressed within a few lines, yet it is most satisfactory. In 17G0 Mr. Wesley was again among the Palatines, when he " observed the ravages of emigration." How little did he then foresee what immense advantages woulil follow that emigration ! else he would have used other words to describe tlie events he then witnessed.
Popish influence was unsparingly exercised to oppose the progress of Methodism in Ireland. Mobs continued to be gathered, assuming often frightful and perilous severity; while at other times Providence, in a re- markable manner, delivered the worshippers. Once at Clones, a popish rabble violently assaulted the Method- ists in the market - place, when suddenly a veteran
WESLEYAN CONF., IRISH 925 WESLEYAN CONF., IRISH
Scotch military pensioner took his post by a tree in the market-place, musket in hand, declaring he would shoot the first man who disturbed the meeting. The terrible earnestness of the man awed the people into submis- sion • and he kept guard there regularly for several weeks.
Ireland was helpful to America in more ways than historians record. Soon after the first society was formed in New York, Charles White and Kichard Sause, two Dublin Methodists, arrived in New York; and they were liberal contributors to John Street Chapel. Some years afterwards Kichard Sause recrossed the Atlantic, settled in London, and became one of the trustees of Mr. Wesley's chapel in the City Koad, where he was in- terred.
Methodism won many converts from popery, as well as from the peasantry of Ireland. Jlr. Wesley sent to that countrj' some of the best preachers he had ; and with untiring zeal they labored year by year, witness- ing alternately vicissitudes and progress ; but the root of Methodism was fixed in the soil, and there can be no doubt that it saved Protestantism in that country. In 1773 the two families of Embury and Heck, with an- other Irish family named Lawrence, removed to Canada, and they introduced Methodism into that country. In 1775 Lawrence Couglilan, another Irish Methodist, with two others, founded Methodism in the Norman isles; while Remington, another Irish Methodist, established Methodism in Newfoundland. Emigration has impov- erished Methodism in every part of Ireland ; but that emigration has resulted in an amount of extension which never could have been realized by other means. Methodism was often carried to and planted in the new homes of emigrants j-ears before it would have reached them by invitation. Ireland has peculiar claims on those countries to which its emigrants have carried their religion. During Dr. IMcClintock's visit to his family homestead, in the County of Tyrone, Ireland, he went into a humble cabin inhabited by a poor widow. A friend introduced the doctor as from America. Instantly the aged widow's fading eye brightened as in her early daj-s, and she said, instant- 1\', "America? Ah, then, sir, do you know our Eliza?" That may be thought to be a simple question ; but re- membering that there is scarcely a homestead but has its representative in America, such sympathy is easily accounted for.
In 1789 Mr. Wesley presided for the last time at the Irish Conference, then composed mainly of Irishmen, those English preachers who had done such good service having been returned to their own Conference. Mr. Wesley's record is worthy to be transcribed. He says, "I never had between forty and fifty such preach- ers together in Ireland before, all of whom we have rea- son to hope are alive to God, and earnestly devoted to his service, men of sound experience, deep piety, and strong understanding." As if foreseeing his own death, Mr. Wesley sent Dr. Coke, in 1790, to hold the first Con- ference formally. Dr. Coke took that nomination as the yearly president of the Irish Conference, and he contin- ued to occupy that position, in conjunction with John Crook and Dr. Adam Clarke, to the end of his life. In 1790 there were in Ireland 15 circuits, G7 preachers, and 14,000 members. No minutes were published of the early Irish conferences, apart from those of the English Methodists.
Historical accuracy makes it necessary to name an unpleasant dispute which arose in an informal confer- ence held by Mr. Wesley in 1778, to consider and deter- mine a dispute which had arisen among his societies in reference to the separation of the Methodists from the Church. The Rev. Edward Smythe had been driven from the Irish Church for his Methodist preaching. He had joined the Methodist ministry and had indis- creetly urged the need for separation from the Church. Mr. Wesley heard the arguments, but ruled that sepa- ration was not desirable. He visited Ireland more than
twenty times, and nothing gave the Methodists there greater pleasure than to see him and to hear his voice. His last visit was attended by circumstances which were not of an encouraging nature. Dr. Coke had been using his utmost efforts to introduce Methodist services in church hours. This innovation was stoutly resisted by the leading laymen, of whom Mr. Arthur Keene and Mr. Kichard D'Olier were the chief. They presented a memorial to Mr. Wesley against the action of Dr. Coke. Letters and memorials followed in quick succes- sion, and Mr. Wesley determined against the proposed change, while Dr. Coke had a considerable following among the peoi)le of his waj'- of thinking. The result was, before Mr. Wesley's death, a divided society in Dub- lin. After Mr. Wesley's death. Dr. Coke was able to urge his opinions with more determination, and they served to alienate from the doctor some of his dearest and best friends in Dublin, and the progress of the work of God was proportionably hindered. In 1790 Mr. Wesley was pleased to know that in Dublin he had one of tlie largest societies in his Connection, very few being larger.