Chapter XXIV

Proposed Union among the Evangelical Clergy--Methodism
in Scotland--Lady Frances Gardiner--Mr. Townsend sent to
Edinburgh--Mr. De Courcy--Lady Glenorchy--Mr. Wesley--Lady
Maxwell--Samson Occum, the Indian Preacher--Mohegan Indians--Dr.
Haweis--Affair of Aldwincle--Lady Huntingdon purchases the
Advowson--Writes to Mr. Thornton--Lady Huntingdon’s Letters to
Lord Dartmouth and Mr. Madan--Anecdote.

It was now that Mr. Wesley attempted to form an open and active union between all the clergymen who preached these fundamental truths--original sin, and justification by faith, producing inward and outward holiness. With this hope he transmitted a circular letter to some fifty ministers of the Church, known in later times by the appellation of “Evangelical, or Gospel ministers,” wherein he proposed that, leaving free the disputable points of _predestination_ on one side, and _perfection_ on the other--laying no stress upon expressions, and binding themselves to no peculiar discipline,[210] they should think and speak kindly of each other, form, as it were, a defensive league, and each help the other on in his work, and enlarge his influence by all rightful means.

“For (as he said, in a letter to Lady Huntingdon) some years
since God began a great work in England, but the labourers were
few; at first these few were of one heart, but this did not
continue long; one and another broke off, till no two of us were
left together in the work but my brother and me. This prevented
much good and occasioned much evil; it grieved our spirits and
weakened our hands; it gave the common enemies occasion to
blaspheme; it perplexed and puzzled many sincere Christians; it
caused many to draw back to perditon; it grieved the Holy Spirit
of God.

“As labourers increased, disunion increased--offences were
multiplied; and instead of coming nearer to, they stood farther
and farther from each other; till, at length, those who were not
only brethren in Christ, but fellow-labourers in his Gospel,
had no more connexion[211] nor fellowship with each other than
Protestants have with Papists.”

This attempt at union took place only a few days before Mr. Wesley’s great and final breach with the Calvinistic brethren.

It was in 1751 that Mr. Wesley, accompanied by Mr. Christopher Hopper, first sought Scotland, on a visit to Colonel Galatin, then in quarters at Musselborough. Notwithstanding the warning of Mr. Whitefield, who had told him that his principles would not do in Scotland, he preached frequently and with great success.[212] Dr. Gillies (Glasgow), Mr. Wardrope (Bathgate), Mr. Adams (Falkirk), and other ministers, as well as several of the nobility, received him with great kindness, and listened with respect to his exhortations; but Mr. Wesley’s comments on Mr. Hervey’s “Theron and Aspasio” produced a new work, called “Aspasio Vindicated,” published after Mr. Hervey’s death, and reflecting on the opinions of Mr. Wesley. About the time of which we write (1766) this work was reprinted, with a preface by Dr. Erskine, one of the ministers of the old Grey Friars’ Church, Edinburgh. Lady Frances Gardiner (widow of the pious Colonel), and Lady Glenorchy, who had been introduced by Lady Huntingdon to Mr. Whitefield, and who, though differing from Mr. Wesley, attended his preaching and the ministry of his associates, with other distinguished persons, separated from him after the publication of these letters.

It was now (1767) that Mr. Townsend visited Scotland, on a mission from Lady Huntingdon, as before adverted to, when her Ladyship was detained at Kippax, and prevented from visiting Scotland, according to her fixed intention. Mr. Townsend was received by Drs. Webster and Erskine, Messrs. Walker, Plenderleath, and Johnson, and other pious and able ministers of the Established Church. He preached at Coldstream (then a small village) on his first entrance into Scotland, thence in two days he reached Edinburgh, where he preached first at Mr. Lee’s English Chapel, to one hundred and fifty people, and then in the Park to a vast multitude, afterwards in the College church, and then at Dalkeith, and afterwards at Leith, with great success. He was accompanied by Mr. Davies, and remained in Edinburgh at least two months. During his stay he preached at five o’clock in the morning, at which early hour the church, and even the neighbouring park, were crowded.

These proceedings, under the patronage of Lady Huntingdon and Lady Glenorchy, and the efforts of the clergy of Edinburgh against Arminianism, raised up hosts against Mr. Wesley on his return to Scotland. He refers in his Journal to the labours of “_good Mr. Townsend_,” whereby his flock of one hundred and fifty were reduced to fifty. Mr. Townsend soon after revisited Edinburgh, under the patronage of Lady Huntingdon, and, at Lady Glenorchy’s desire, Mr. De Courcy and Mr. Erasmus Middleton met him there, and they, alternately with Mr. Wesley’s preachers, performed divine service in Lady Glenorchy’s chapel. The former being decidedly Calvinistic and the latter Perfectionists, an incongruity in teaching arose, to remedy which Lady Glenorchy withdrew from Mr. Wesley’s Connexion. Her Ladyship in a letter to a friend says, “the Methodists charge Mr. De Courcy with having influenced me, and Lady Maxwell, in particular, is greatly offended with me.” Mr. Wesley’s letter to Lady Maxwell about this note especially warns her against the influence of Mr. De Courcy and the preaching of Mr. Townsend--prophesying that the former, at least, will be a considerable favourite with Lady Glenorchy. The Wesleyan doctrine and practice have never made great progress in Scotland.

About this period the Rev. Samson Occum[213] arrived in England, with Mr. Whitaker, the minister of Norwich, to promote the interests of the Indian charity school founded by Dr. Eleazar Wheeloch, one of the most interesting, eloquent, and successful ministers in New England, first President and Founder of Dartmouth College. Occum was the first Indian preacher who visited England, and, having brought letters of introduction to Lady Huntingdon, was soon received in all the religious circles in London. He preached several times for Mr. Whitefield at the Tabernacle, and at Tottenham-court chapel, which were filled in every part by thronged and attentive auditories. During his stay in England he preached in various parts of the kingdom between three and four hundred sermons. The money which he collected for the Indian school was put into the hands of trustees in England, of whom the Earl of Dartmouth was the principal.

During his stay in England he was sensibly affected by the kindness of Lady Huntingdon, who not only hospitably entertained him at her house, but likewise introduced him to the notice of several pious persons amongst the nobility, both in England and Scotland.[214]

Lady Huntingdon appears to have been much interested about the Mohegan Indians, from accounts related to her by Occum:--

“Ere long (says her Ladyship) I trust the Lord will make his way
plain through all that country, that under a preached Gospel
these several tribes may become one fold under the spiritual
guidance of the Great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls. Occum has
been the instrument of great good to many of his tribe--many of
whom have renounced their idolatry, and worshipped Him who died
upon the cross. I hope yet to have it in my power, if the Lord
should see fit to continue me in his service, to extend some aid
to this interesting people.”

There were other native preachers scarcely less worthy of remembrance than Occum, though not so intimately connected with our subject. One of these, Joseph Johnson, was born at Mohegan about 1750. He was educated at Dr. Wheeloch’s school at Lebanon, and was afterwards licensed to preach among the Six Nations of Indians. It was there that, in 1776, he received a letter from General Washington, dated at Cambridge, February 20, saying--

“Tell them that we don’t want them to take up the hatchet for
us, except they choose it; we only desire that they will not
fight against us. We want that the chain of friendship should
always remain bright between our friends of the Six Nations and
us. We recommend you to them, and hope, by your spreading the
truths of the Gospel among them, it will keep the chain bright.”

The Rev. James Fitch, minister of Norwich, was well acquainted with the Mohegan language, and preached the Gospel of salvation to that once powerful tribe for many years. He even gave some of his own lands to induce them to renounce their savage manner of living. The descendants of those Indians at Mohegan, for whose benefit he toiled more than forty years, have recently had a chapel built for them, by the liberality of the citizens of Norwich.[215]

From these instances it will be seen that the school at Lebanon has been extensively useful among the Indians, for whose use it was established. Lady Huntingdon contributed richly to this institution, and Mr. Whitefield made frequent collections for it. Dr. Wheeloch died April 24, 1779, aged sixty-eight. His son, Lieutenant-Colonel Wheeloch, became President of Dartmouth College on the death of his father. In 1783 the trustees resolved to send him to England to promote the interests of the College. With letters from General Washington to Lady Huntingdon, and from Governors Trumbull and Livingston to several persons of influence, he arrived in England, and having procured considerable donations for the College, in money, books, &c., returned to America, but was shipwrecked on the bar off the point of Cape Cod, losing his strong box, containing all his money and papers. He died in 1817.

One of the persons who took interest in the Indian preachers was Dr. Haweis, who was at this moment placed in a somewhat awkward predicament. Mr. Kimpton, who had held the living of Aldwincle, in Northamptonshire, for several years, had, by some very strange and imprudent conduct, fallen into difficulties, and became a prisoner in the King’s Bench. A long absence from his parish could not be dispensed with by his superior, and as he was unable to return to Aldwincle, the living was in danger of lapsing to the Bishop of the Diocese. It therefore became necessary for Mr. Kimpton either to sell the advowson, or obtain the Bishop’s leave for some clergyman to hold it for a limited time. Dr. Haweis, not having any preferment from the time he had been driven from his cure at Oxford,[216] was recommended to Mr. Kimpton by Mr. Madan, who had been introduced to him by the Rev. Samuel Brewer; and as the Bishop’s leave could not be obtained for any person to hold the living for a limited time, he presented it to Dr. Haweis. The whole transaction was concluded with Mr. Madan and Dr. Haweis by Mr. Kimpton, when no other person was present. Mr. Madan and Dr. Haweis, no doubt, acted in this business as upright and conscientious men, but in the eyes of those equally excellent, Lady Huntingdon, Mr. Whitefield, and Mr. Thornton, their conduct appeared less pure.[217]

Some months after Mr. Kimpton had signed the presentation, a gentleman made him an offer of one thousand guineas for the advowson, whereupon he immediately made an application to Dr. Haweis, intimating his hopes of a resignation, or at least of having a compensation in money. However, as no promises, or even so much as a hint of a consideration, had been made at the time when Dr. Haweis was presented to the living, that gentleman and Mr. Madan peremptorily refused either resignation or compensation. The distress which this refusal brought upon Mr. Kimpton and his family was almost beyond parallel; Mr. Kimpton himself being still a prisoner in the King’s Bench, his son driven out of his mind, and the rest of his family nearly starving.

This affair soon became very public, and the foulest aspersions were thrown on the characters of Mr. Madan and Dr. Haweis by Mr. Kimpton and his friends. On the part of Dr. Haweis, it was contended that Mr. Kimpton presented him to the living without any pecuniary consideration whatever, either at the time of his acceptance of it, or the least promise or engagement for any future recompense. Mr. Kimpton and his friends did not deny this; but said it must be presumed that when the patron first waited upon Mr. Madan for his advice in the unfortunate situation he was then in, that he told him his case, and that Mr. Madan must have _known what he wanted_; and though no promises, or even so much as a hint of a consideration, were made at the time the presentation was signed, yet Dr. Haweis _must have known_ that Mr. Kimpton wholly relied on his honour, and could not think that he would be willing to give his living away _absolutely_ to a man he never saw before, and to one who was likely to enjoy it a great number of years, when he might have found a person of more than twice the age of Dr. Haweis to have given it to.

Mr. Madan sought the advice of the first legal authorities, and having himself been an able practitioner at the bar, felt confident that he had acted in the most conscientious and honourable manner by Mr. Kimpton. Lord Apsley, afterwards Lord Bathurst, then Lord High Chancellor of England, to whom Mr. Madan was chaplain, decided in his favour, as did also several persons conversant with ecclesiastical law. The obloquy and reproach to which Mr. Madan was exposed, and the base attacks made upon his character for the part which he took in this unhappy affair, obliged him to publish a narrative of the whole transaction, in which he accuses Mr. Kimpton of stating what was false, and of having acted a very close and designing part in not declaring his real sentiments. This narrative was also designed to answer the account which Mr. Kimpton had published a short time before.[218]

Matters were in this state when Lady Huntingdon arrived in London. After much consultation with Mr. Whitefield, Mr. Thornton, and others, the purchase of the advowson by her Ladyship was considered the best means to deliver the Christian cause from that obloquy and reproach which was so abundantly heaped upon it through this affair, and help out of prison and debt the miserable sufferers by it, as well as, at the same time, to make a way for Mr. Madan and Dr. Haweis to stand on ground that might, in the sight of all good and reasonable men, become truly Christian and honourable. On the 1st of March, Lady Huntingdon sent by Mr. Whitefield a draft for _one thousand pounds_ to Mr. Thornton, and commissioned him, Mr. Whitefield, Mr. West, and Mr. Brewer, to purchase the perpetual advowson of Aldwincle, and deliver Mr. Kimpton and his family out of their difficulties and distress. By her Ladyship’s desire an advertisement was inserted in the public papers, directing all his creditors to apply to Mr. Thornton to receive their respective demands.

The following is a copy of her Ladyship’s letter to Mr. Thornton:--

“March 1st, 1768.

“Dear Sir--In consequence of the visit you had on Saturday,
and your approbation of what appeared most right to me, I have
one favour to ask from your kind and Christian influence. The
natural effects to Mr. Kimpton, on being made easy, may flow
in a degree of gratitude to me that would exceedingly hurt me
under any form whatever, either from him or his friends. I wish
extremely it may appear, as it faithfully is, unconnected with
Mr. Madan, and in such a way also as may silence those evil
effects of his conduct; but with no spirit even to him that had
not the most simple and Christian meaning to all, and this can
only be done by that coolness and indifference that belong to
every common just action in life. You would, therefore, highly
oblige me to have in view for me the suppression of any notices
on this occasion. Nothing could so grieve me. My heart feels too
much ashamed before Him who sees it, to receive any approbation
from man; may he forgive my best meanings when mixed with such
imperfect actions as I feel all mine to be. Your kind assistance
in this will lay a perpetual obligation on her who most highly
esteems you, and on all occasions acknowledges herself, dear
Sir, your obliged and faithful humble servant,

“S. HUNTINGDON.

“P. S.--I send the note for 1,000_l._ by Mr. Whitefield.”

To this memorable letter Mr. Thornton sent the following answer:--

“Madam--I have received, by the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, your
Ladyship’s favour of a draft on Messrs. Boldero and Co. for a
thousand pounds; and it shall be my endeavour to prove myself
obedient to your commands in all respects. And I cannot but
admire the true Christian manner in which you are pleased to
study to act, with a single eye to the honour and glory of our
dear Lord and Master, in this great good work. I trust he will
own this and all your Ladyship’s labours of love, and shine
upon you more and more, till he receives you where we shall be
everlastingly employed in praise. I am, with the most sincere
regard your Ladyship’s most obedient humble servant,

“JOHN THORNTON.”

Lord Dartmouth having likewise taken an active part in this unhappy affair, and having intimated his anxiety that the characters of Mr. Madan and Dr. Haweis should not suffer through her Ladyship’s kind and generous intentions, she wrote to his Lordship the same day on which she commissioned Mr. Thornton to purchase the advowson, informing him of what she had done.

“March 1st, 1768.

“My Lord--I have this day sent, by the hands of Mr. Whitefield,
to Mr. Thornton, a note for a thousand pounds, to pay (as by
agreement with Mr. Kimpton) for the perpetual advowson of
Aldwincle living, and which was the full supposed value before
Dr. Haweis had possession of it. As your Lordship must have
known the want of concurrence my heart has ever had in this
whole affair, so I did think your Lordship had a right to the
earliest and fullest information of this transaction, and
also of what appeared to me the one best means to deliver from
reproach, on this account, the Christian cause, and help out
of prison and debt the miserable sufferers by it, as well as
at the same time to make a way for Mr. Madan and Dr. Haweis
to stand on ground that might, in the sight of all good and
reasonable men, become truly Christian and honourable. Your
Lordship, in wishing the protection of the character of those
you regard, has seen this matter in a light, tender, friendly,
and charitable; but this medium is not that through which all
can see in it that exactness requisite to actions that appear of
such consequence to the clearing up of their fidelity when less
known. A thousand therefore to one, as well in the Christian as
rational world, must and do see it in another; these, doubtless,
claim that consideration as due to them which every Christian
heart would by concession willingly make, whenever consciously
mistaken--else woe to the world indeed because of offences,
which would yet remain the hindrance of their peace, by the
false impressions received against the power and purity which,
through mistaken conduct, must continue so obscured. As to any
reserves pride may make on these subjects, may the Lord keep me,
your Lordship, and all who name the name of Christ, from them.
Should not these measures meet with your Lordship’s approbation,
my satisfaction will receive that difference only. As far as
I know, my eye has been single to these three points I have
mentioned, and that to Him whose I am, and from whose compassion
I look for pity to all my ignorance and weakness, in want of
further abilities in this matter, as well as for every other
purpose to his glory, and in all situations, remain, my Lord,
your Lordship’s obliged and faithful humble servant,

“S. HUNTINGDON.”

It now remained for Lady Huntingdon to conclude this unfortunate transaction, by writing to Mr. Madan, with a full disclosure of her sentiments, informing him of the step which she thought it most prudent to take. We transcribe the letter, and Mr. Madan’s reply, from a manuscript in her Ladyship’s handwriting:--

“London, March 1st, 1768.

“Rev. Sir--Some time in last April was a year, in my lodgings
at Chelsea, you were so good as to inform me of this unhappy
affair of Aldwincle. On having your representation read over,
my sentiments on that point I most freely gave, and thought,
as the matter stood, I could not see how Dr. Haweis, as an
honest man, could continue to keep that living. The objection
then made against giving it up was the charge of simony, which
might in that case be brought. To avoid even the suspicion
of this, it instantly occurred to my mind that you and Dr.
Haweis immediately taking Mr. Kimpton to the Bishop, and
proving yourselves free from the charge that was or might be
brought against you, necessarily obliged him (the Bishop)
either to allow the resignation of the living in testimony of
your innocence, or acquit your characters in keeping it, if
he refused to receive it. From the inferior objection of the
300_l._ laid out on the house by Dr. Haweis (and which
was afterwards offered to be paid by a friend on resignation
of the living), it did not then seem expedient to you that
the living should be given up. I then had no more to say, and
became satisfied to share in the certain shame and reproach so
many of God’s people have had on this occasion; but from the
conviction of my mind I could take up no weapons of defence on
this subject. It remained from your own testimony to me just the
same under every various and future appearance to the world.
Since I last came to town I have found a severe scourge indeed
upon the Church of God, and which, by going on, must end in
every evil word and work. To deliver, therefore, a miserable
family, and to stop all further grief to God’s people, who are
alike in all parts affected by this blow, I had but one thing
that suggested itself to me adequate to its relief, and whereby
these best motives might be explained. In order to do this the
most effectually in my power, I have commissioned Mr. Thornton,
Mr. Whitefield, Mr. West, and Mr. Brewer (by this day giving
them a note for 1,000_l._) to purchase the advowson of
Aldwincle, and they are now gone to see Mr. Kimpton released
from prison, restored to his family, and the debts relative to
the advowson, and all his other debts, punctually discharged.
Thus far have I gone, but alas! I can go no farther. It remains
now only for me to pray to God to enable both you and Mr. Haweis
to make every proper and public concession[219] to the world
for any _conscious_ infirmity, weakness, temptation, or
mistaken step throughout this transaction. May you stand by the
cross of Christ in this humbling and trying instance. It will
be sufficient to support and carry you victoriously through
all, and bring back the love, the just love and honour due to
you from the Church of God, and in the end can alone preserve
that character, whose defence from man has wanted that success
which God only can give. Should I ever live to see this happy
day of peace proclaimed, you will then find me that faithful and
affectionate friend I desire to be found by you both. Till then,
I can only say, I remain your servant for Christ’s sake,

“S. HUNTINGDON.”

The concession, drawn up by Lady Huntingdon, which she proposed in the above letter to be signed by Mr. Madan and Dr. Haweis, and circulated in the public prints, never obtained any publicity.

The following is Mr. Madan’s reply, dated March 3, 1768:--

“Madam--When I had the honour of your Ladyship’s letter I was
confined to my bed, and therefore could not answer it by your
servant. I am at present very unfit for writing, or business of
any sort; but lest my longer silence should be misconstrued into
disrespect, I trouble your Ladyship with the following answer.

“Your Ladyship acquaints me that you have sent a thousand pounds
for the purchase of the advowson of Aldwincle. This step your
Ladyship may have taken with the best intentions; but, under all
the circumstances of the case, it is very evident to me that
the necessary consequence of it will be an increase of reproach
and injury to my friend Dr. Haweis’s character and my own; and
therefore I hope your Ladyship will do us the justice, upon all
occasions, to declare that this step has been taken without our
knowledge, privity, consent, or approbation.

“As to the part which Dr. Haweis and I have taken, it has
been, all things considered, a very disagreeable one for us;
and nothing could have supported us under the oppression and
persecution we have met with, but a consciousness of our having
acted uprightly and sincerely. This has enabled us to stem
the torrent of abuse which hath been poured upon us from all
quarters, and I trust will enable us to assert our integrity as
long as we live.

“As to the concessions your Ladyship is pleased to mention, as
we do not conceive we have any to make, so we must assure you
that none can ever be made, by _us_ I mean, for I by no
means despair that some may appear on the other side of the
question, when conscience shall do its office with respect to
the wrongs we have sustained, and our just dealing shall be as
the noon-day sun.

“When evil is spoken of us _falsely_, we are commanded to
rejoice; when any can be said _truly_, I shall hope that
you will find none more ready to acknowledge and lament it than
dear Dr. Haweis, and,

“Madam, your Ladyship’s humble servant,

“MARTIN MADAN.”

The preaching of Mr. Haweis, which Mr. Newton (one of the ministers who approved his conduct and that of Mr. Madan) said had, like the report of cannon, sounded through the country, attracted vast congregations to Aldwincle church.[220] Mr. Romaine, Mr. Venn, as well as Mr. Newton, visited him in his living. The friendship of such men is unequivocal testimony to the piety of Dr. Haweis: but we do not mean to offer any opinion on the affair of Aldwincle; suppose him to have erred in this, let the mistakes of such men be beacons for our admonition and warning, while their fidelity and devotedness inspire us with the zeal of imitation, and arouse us to exertion.