Notes
- Henry Durbin (d.1799) was a wealthy apothecary and one of the earliest members of the Bristol Society. A firm supporter of the connection with the Church of England, he withdrew from Methodism as a result of the Bristol Sacramental dispute of 1793. Source; Methodist Magazine 1799, p.487, and The Works of John Wesley (1989), Volume 9, p.420, edited by Rupert E. Davies
- Thomas Coke (1747-1814) was the most important figure in late eighteenth century Methodism after John Wesley, and was widely regarded as Wesley's heir-apparent. Despite his Anglican orders he was at the time the above letter was written, an exponent of formal separation from the Church of England, which aroused the deep hostility of Charles Wesley. After John Wesley's death, Coke served two terms as President of the Wesleyan Conference and played a major role in the expansion of Methodism overseas, especially in North America and the West Indies. Source; John Vickers, Thomas Coke - Apostle of Methodism (1969), and Encyclopedia of World Methodism (1974)
- James Creighton (1737-1819) was a minister of the Church of Ireland, who after an initial hostility toward Methodism allied himself with the movement.He eventually resigned his curacy and was appointed to City Road Chapel in London as a resident clergyman. In 1784 he took part in the ordinations of Thomas Coke, Richard Whatcoat, and Thomas Vasey, for the work in the United States. Source; Encyclopedia of World Methodism (1974), and C. F Crookshank, Methodism in Ireland (1885), volume 1
- Richard Whatcoat (1736-1806) was born in Gloucestershire. In 1758 he began to attend Methodist meetings and entered the itinerancy in 1769. In 1784 he was selected by John Wesley to accompany Thomas Coke and Thomas Vasey as ordained ministers to North America. Whatcoat travelled as an itinerant in the United States for many years. In 1800 he was elected to the position of bishop and continued to travel until his death six years later. Source: Encyclopedia of World Methodism (1974)
- The origins and early life of Thomas Vasey (c.1746-1826) are unclear. He may have been an ordained Anglican minister and is said to have been first employed by Wesley as a preacher in about 1775. In 1784 he was ordained by Wesley for the mission to North America alongside Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Coke. He stayed in America for about two years before returning to England and occupying an Anglican curacy. He eventually rejoined the Methodists and acted as a Reader or resident ordained clergyman in London between 1811 and 1825. Source: Encyclopedia of World Methodism (1974)
From Henry Durbin in Bristol to Chesterfield Street, London. He hopes that neither himself nor Wesley outlive their judgement. [John Wesley] is to be pitied, for Durbin fears that he has been led astray by Dr Thomas Coke 'tho I have no anger to either of them as they have a zeal in the cause of Independency'.
Durbin has heard a strange report which he believes to be true - Charles Wesley was in Bristol at the time but perhaps knew nothing of it. The report is that [James] Creighton was apparently summoned from London to participate in 'an ordination of presbyters, & that at 5 in the morning supposed at Mr Castleman's the two preachers [Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey] were ordained & after Dr Coke was ordained Presbyter (so then they undoctored him) by your brother & Mr Creighton according to a new form & with powers to ordain others in America to give the sacrament etc, & have altered the liturgy'. It is interesting to reflect that they have accused Durbin of being an enemy of the Church of England when they themselves have just acted against her - 'I hope that the same spirit that dictated the two letters to accuse me FALSELY did not assist in ?settling the new ordinations if so I shall have but a poor opinion of their success in America, some will see by & by that my OBSTINACY was not so wrong. I dont wonder after this ordination that their spirits were enraged at losing two such places as Bristol & Kingswood for the PRESBYTERIANS, & therefore he [John Wesley] talked of building another [New] Room here, they have preached so much of abiding in the Church, till they have quite renounced it'.
It is a time of great trouble for Durbin as he seems distressed on every side. He is displeased with the actions of Dr Thomas Coke and the others but cannot be angry with them as it results from a wish to do good.
In a postscript he adds 'Mr Blake the Black has taken a place, to set up preaching for a maintenance, but believe few will encourage him.'
Charles Wesley has added many shorthand annotations together with the following passage - 'Occidit, occidit Spes omnis et fortuna nostri [unreadable word] ?Asdrubati ?interempto'