1790 THOMAS COKE. Important Methodist Letter from Very Beginning of Methodist Missions

A wonderful piece of early Methodist Missionary history. The Methodist Missionary Society does not officially exist until 1791, so this letter written in the run up to the Society's development and in some ways, the present expresses the need for it. The revivalist movement of the Methodists still must have structures, rails to ride on. Clearly, as the below letter demonstrates, some more helpful systems would have been helpful. 

The letter is addressed to John Burdsall. The present letter is previously unpublished. However, there is a letter extant which shows that just shortly after this one, Burdsall would also decline to go to Bermuda because of paternal opposition to it. The station was instead taken over by John Stephenson. Fascinatingly, Stephenson, being an Irishman, was nearly run out of Bermuda at first. The magistrates assumed he was an Irish rebel and would insight the slaves of Bermuda to insurrection. 

Thomas Coke [1747-1814] was the first Methodist Bishop and is remembered as the father of Methodist Missions. At just 5' 1", he was early an Anglican priest at Petherton, but in the early to mid-1770's, without formal contact with Wesley, attempted to move his congregation in the direction of the revivalist. They responded by ousting him in 1777. Having met Wesley the previous year, he reached out and joined the Methodists. Wesley called him the "flea" because of his size and indefatigable energy in launching the Methodist missionary enterprise. He was largely believed to have been Wesley's choice of successor and was in fact President of the Conference from 1797-1805. 

Fold folio sheet, 1.5pp of very legible text. Nicely preserved. 

"Liverpool, September 19, 1790

Mr. Burdsall [John]
At the Methodist Chapel
Coleshill Street
Birmingham

My dear Brother,

If you will send me the Letters of Order here in a letter, I'll get them back properly witnessed by Messrs Rutherford and Snowden; and send them back.

You have left your inkstand behind you; I have taken the liberty of using it ever since.

Did I not advance something more than the £9? I am not sure, but if I did will you just acknowledge by way of a voucher as you did before, lest it should be forgotten?

Richardson has betrayed his trust, and now will not go on to St. Kitts according to his appointment, altho' I have taken a place for him in a ship, and can give no other reason for it other than mere caprice. But Brother Taylor of Manchester will go in his place; and I think myself obliged to accept of him for that purpose. Will you therefore then write to your young friend in the Leicester Circuit, and propose to him the mission to Bermuda, and let me know his answer. If he do not consent to go, I will look out for a helper for you. Only this is on supposition that Brother Stephenson go (which I expect he will) to Jamaica; for if he do not ship to Jamaica, he goes with you to Bermuda. There will be no ship for Bermuda for two or three months; so that we shall have time for everything.

Tell my dearest friend that I am incessantly thinking of writing him a very long letter. Give my love to him, his consort, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper,  Mr. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Mason, and Mr. and Mrs. Ivey. 

Adieu

Your Faithful Friend,
T. Coke"