Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community

The Countess’s attempt to bring peace between the Wesleys and theInghamites 85 also came to nothing. She sent George Whitefield to Newcastleupon Tyne to try to negotiate with them with a view to their union, butalthough Charles was amenable to discussion, John Wesley refused to attendeven though Ingham attended Wesley’s Conference. 86Although it was contrary to the instinct of her spirit, the Countess did getcaught up in the latter part of her life in the Calvinist/Arminian controversythat divided the Evangelical Revival leaders, and, consequently, theircongregations. So keen were the feelings on the questions of predestinationand free will (and, to make matters worse, on the ‘Wesleyan’ doctrine, as itwas perceived to be, of entire sanctification), that when Wesley’s Conferenceof workers in 1770 minuted disapproval of what they considered to be theantinomian tendency of Calvinism, Selina found that she could not inviteWesley to the second anniversary of the founding of Trefeca College. Similardoctrinal differences caused the resignation of the saintly John W Fletcher,Vicar of Madeley, a close associate of Wesley, as President of the college. Therift was never healed and, in certain circles, exists to this day.It must be recorded, sadly, that the pioneer of the Evangelical Awakening inWales, Griffith Jones of Llanddwror, became disaffected with the fervour of‘revivalists’ such as Rowland and Harris. As a loyal Anglican, Jones lookedaskance at the irregular style of their preaching in its organisation (itinerantevangelism, crossing parish boundaries willy-nilly), its use of laymen (Harrisnever did become ordained), and its appeal to emotions and experiences. 8785Inghamites. Benjamin Ingham was a member of the Holy Club at Oxford University withthe Wesleys and went with them to Georgia as an ordained Church of England clergyman todo missionary work among the settlers of the new Colony. Like the Wesleys, Ingham wasimpressed by the spirituality and faith of the Moravians who were on board the ship in whichthey sailed to America. On his return to England Ingham preached widely, concentrating onthe north of England. Opposition to his preaching by Church authorities led him to preachout of doors and on farms and in cottages and inns in the spirit of Whitefield and theWesleys and Howel Harris in Wales. By 1742 50 ‘Inghamite’ Religious Societies had beenfounded and Ingham handed them over to be supervised by the Moravian leadership. Hemarried a sister of the Countess of Huntingdon, Lady Margaret Hastings.86Stevens, Abel, The History of the Religious Movement of the 18 th Century calledMethodism, ed Willey, William, in 3 Vols, Vol 1, George Watson, London, 1865, pp 318-319.Stevens points out that Wesley’s decision not to attend was based on sound judgement as heprobably sensed the inherent instability of what Stevens call Ingham’s ‘mongrel association’.By 1759 this association was beginning to disintegrate.87Evans, Eifion, Daniel Rowland and the Great Evangelical Awakening in Wales, TheBanner of Truth Trust, 1985, p 140.Page 117