Note
- John Atlay (b.1736) was born at Sheriff Hutton in Yorkshire. He was converted at the age of 22 and entered the itinerancy in 1763. After serving circuits in Yorkshire and Scotland for ten years, he was appointed by John Wesley to be his book steward in London. By 1785 Atlay was showing signs of disenchantment with Methodism, which included his attendance at Moravian worship. In 1788 he supported the Dewsbury Chapel trustees in their dispute with Wesley over the power to dismiss preachers. He severed his connection with the Methodists after the Conference of that year and became an independent minister at Dewsbury. Source: Encyclopedia of World Methodism (1974) and Dictionary of Evangelical Biography 1739-1860, edited by Donald M. Lewis (1995)
[Pages 160-162 of the volume:]
From Newcastle [under Lyme] to [John] Murlin in London. He is embracing the opportunity afforded by one of their friends travelling to London to inform Murlin that Bardsley is in reasonable health and soul.
He hopes that he shall love this circuit. He has travelled through and have found that the people are more loving and lively than he expected. Several have found peace recently including Mrs Royle, the steward's wife at Macclesfield; perhaps Murlin can recall meeting her when he travelled through.
They had a quarterly day on Thursday and experienced much love and peace. The lovefeast also was remarkably good. [Thomas] Hanson preached very well on 'Collosians 1:22-23'.
Bardsley has recently seen his dear mother [Martha in Manchester] - she was as well as he could expect.
Spiritual matters are discussed in detail.
Bardsley's love should be passed to Mrs Murlin, [Daniel] Bumstead [itinerant stationed in London in 1773] , [John] Atlay and his wife, Mr and Mrs Rance and their son and daughter. Letters should be sent to Bardsley, care of George Pearson at the Waters in Macclesfield.