Very dear Brethren, London, April 4, 1797.
AS it has ever been our defire to give you all the fatisfa&ion in our power refpe&ing the
affairs of our Connexion, whether of a temporal or fpiritual nature : So we truft we
fhall always fhew ourfelves ready to explain an3i~thing which may appear to you myfteriqus, in
order that peace and love may ffill be preferved amohg^is.S,
It is well known, that the Methodift-Preachers and people have from the beginning,
had an entire confidence in each other, refpeaing the colleaing and diftributing all their public
monies. And we have good reafon to believe, that very few among the people even when they
became a large body, have had any jealoufy upon their minds concerning the honefty and up-
rightnefs of thofe men to whom they committed the management of their temporal concerns.
Nor have the means lately made ufe of to deftroy that confidence, had the intended effeCt, as
it refpeas a great majority of our Societies ; however they may have affie&ed a few individuals :
Particularly by the help of an expreffion in a confidential letter from one Preacher to another,
refpeaing the fum of ^83. of the Kingswood Colleaion in the year 1794. Of this a great
deal has been faid, fo that fome perfons have blamed the Preachers, (efpecially an individual,)
as if there had been fome unfair dealing in this bufinefs. This has occafioned a clofer ex¬
amination of the affair, which has been attended with this happy effea ; we are now able to
fatisfy every candid man refpeaing the matter, from the evidence of two unexceptionable wit-
neffes, (viz. The Conference Ledger, arid the Account fiated by Mr. Rodda, of the money
delivered to him by Mr. Bradburn.
Although in Mr. Wefley's life, we kept no accounts, yet ever fince his death in the year
3:791, without the leaft idea of what has happened, we began a public Ledger in which an
oxaCt account may now be feen of all Collections, received at, and difburfed by the Conference*
The whole account for the above mentioned year 1794, was drawn up by Mr. Rodda, and
is remarkably full and clear, as much fo as any Account can poffibly be. The clofe of that
year's Account in Mr. Rodda's own hand-writing ftands thus :
£- £>>
Auguft 8, 1794. Delivered to me by Mr. Bradburn in Bills and Cafli, 908 - 12 - 3
Paid to Boys and Girls, (whofe Names are all mentioned,) 293 - 5-0
Cafh due to the Connexion fomewhere, - - 83 - o 10
Kingswood Collection, - - - £1284. 18s. 1 d>
The fum collected in ird«n,i £«• King&woqd that year, as appears from the faid Ledger, was
T81. 16s. 6d. But there is no credit given for that fum therein, as being paid from any of
the Collections, as there is for every other payment made from them. And every one knows
that the Conference does not receive any money from Ireland, and that inftead of money,
their Agent puts into the Box fmall notes for the feveral Collections, as they are called for :
And all the Irifh deficiencies are paid out of the yearly Collection, as far as that will go,
which that year fell Ihort near £600.
When Mr. Pawfon delivered up the money to Mr. Bradburn, he gave in the above mert^
tioned Note for I^s- 6d. as money, as it is clear that it had never been taken up, both
from the public Ledger, and a Letter of Mr. Rodda's to Mr. Mather. Let then the fum of
jf8i. i6r. 6d. be added as above, and there will only be a miltake of A1' 4J- 4^* which may
be very eafily accounted for, as it is well known how greatly the Conference were e'mbarraffed
on account of Rationing the Preachers in Briftol that year. Some having taken their places in
the coach, were obliged to break up abruptly, and leave that, and other affairs unfettled, being
quite worn out. '
Thus to fatisfy every Candid enquirer, relative to a matter which as'it has been reprefented
may have appeared dark, and remove all ground for the inference fome have drawn from former
ftatements to the injury of a man whofe -well known generous turn of mind, (fetting afide every
thing elfe,) v/ould never have fuffered him to have been guilty of fo mean and wicked an aCtion.
It would be exceedingly eafy for us to confute all that has been publifhed in the Monitor re-
fpeCting the London Lawfuit, &c. as every one acquainted with this matter knows very well
that all that is there faid, is juft as contrary to truth, as darknefs is to light. But the naked
truth is, we do not think it worth our while to trouble you or ourfelves any farther with anfwer-
ing fuch ftrange mifreprefentations of a variety of things, which we are perfectly fatisfied wall
bear the ftriCteft fcrutiny.
Moft devoutly praying that the Lord himfelf may take all our affairs into his own hand, and
fo order and fettle them, that truth, peace, and love, may reign in every heart,
We remain your very affectionate brethren,
A. MATHER,
J. PAWSON.
N. B. The perfon who told me what A. K. faid at Mr. Rider's at Manchefter, is Mrs.
Clarke, the wife of Mr. A. Clarke.. To mention her name will be quite fufficient to fatisfy
all who are acquainted wdth her.
J. PAWSON.