William Morgan was not only one of the first Oxford Methodists, but the
first of them to enter heaven. The Wesleys and Kirkham were the sons of
English clergymen. Morgan was the son of an Irish gentleman, resident
in Dublin. As already stated, he was a Commoner of Christ Church; and
Samuel Wesley, junior, who was well acquainted with him, speaks of him in
the highest terms. From his childhood, he had been devout and diligent;
he revered and loved his father; was a warm-hearted, faithful friend; a
welcome visitor of orphans, widows, and prisoners; neither a formalist
nor an enthusiast; but a man whose life was a beautiful gospel sermon, in
a practical, embodied form. A short extract from Samuel Wesley’s poem, on
Mr. Morgan’s death, will not be out of place.
“Wise in his prime, he waited not till noon,
Convinced that mortals ‘never lived too soon.’
As if foreboding then his little stay,
He made his morning bear the heat of day.
Fixed, while unfading glory he pursues,
No ill to hazard, and no good to lose;
No fair occasion glides unheeded by;
Snatching the golden moments as they fly,
He, by fleeting hours, ensures eternity.
Friendship’s warm beams his artless breast inspire,
And tenderest reverence to a much-loved sire.
He dared, for heaven, this flattering world forego;
Ardent to teach, as diligent to know;
Unwarped by sensual ends, or vulgar aims,
By idle riches, or by idler names;
Fearful of sin in every close disguise;
Unmoved by threatening or by glozing lies;
Gladdening the poor where’er his steps he turned,
Where pined the orphan, or the widow mourned;
Where prisoners sighed beneath guilt’s horrid stain,
The worst confinement and the heaviest chain;
Where death’s sad shade the uninstructed sight
Veil’d with thick darkness in the land of light
Nor yet the priestly function he invades:
’Tis not his sermon, but his life, persuades.
Humble and teachable, to church he flies,
Prepared to practise, not to criticise.
Then only angry, when a wretch conveys
The Deist’s poison in the Gospel phrase.
To means of grace the last respect he showed,
Nor sought new paths, as wiser than his God;
Their sacred strength preserved him from extremes
Of empty outside, or enthusiast dreams;
Whims of Molinos, lost in rapture’s mist,
Or Quaker, late-reforming Quietist.”[3]
It was in November, 1729, that the first four of the Oxford Methodists
began their sacred meetings. Two months later, William Morgan wrote to
Wesley the following, which contains a reference to the interest that the
Methodists already took in prisoners, and which, being one of the very
few of Morgan’s letters still existing, may not be unacceptable.
“_February 5, 1730._
“DEAR SIR,—About seven last night I reached Oxford, and, after
having long rested my wearied limbs, went this morning to
Bo-Cro, who have exceeded our best wishes. I have just finished
my rounds, and perceive it was not for nothing that I came
hither before you. Stewart’s papers will not be in London till
Monday. He desires you to get the rule of court for him, and
let him have it as soon as possible. Coster begs you would
call at Mrs. Hannah Ebbins’, upholsterer, in Shadwell Street,
near Tower Hill, at the sign of the Flag, and let her know his
present condition. She is very rich, he says, and has often
told him she would at any time do him whatever service she
could.
“Fisher desires you to look into the _Gazette_, and see whether
the estate of John Davies, of Goldington and Ravensden,[4] is
to be sold.
“You would do well to buy a few cheap spelling-books if you can
meet with any, for they are wanted much at the Castle.
“Comb’s goods were seized last week, and ’tis thought he is
gone to London. If he should call on you for what you owe him,
put him in mind of paying you, for me, the twelve shillings he
owes me. I forgot to tell you that I neglected to call at Mrs.
Baxter’s landlord’s. I wish you would bring my picture of Queen
Elizabeth to Oxford, as carefully as you can; it is in a large
book in your sister’s closet. There is a plan of mine in the
box with your linen, which I likewise desire you would bring
with you. Pray give my love to Charles, best respects to your
brother and sister, and service to Mrs. Berry[5] and Miss Nancy.
“I am, dear sir,
“Your sincere friend, and affectionate humble servant,
“WILLIAM MORGAN.
“Pray don’t forget to inquire for my pocket-book.”
This curious letter of small commissions is not devoid of interest,
inasmuch as it plainly shows,—1. The close intimacy between Morgan and
the Wesley brothers. 2. Morgan’s keenness in looking after his pecuniary
rights. And 3. That some, at least, of the Oxford Methodists were not, as
yet, so intensely religious as they soon afterwards became.
It was not long before the young collegians evinced more earnestness.
Wesley writes:—
“In the summer of 1730, Mr. Morgan told me he had called at the
gaol, to see a man who was condemned for killing his wife; and
that, from the talk he had with one of the debtors, he verily
believed it would do much good, if any one would be at the
pains of now and then speaking with them. This he so frequently
repeated, that, on the 24th of August, 1730, my brother and I
walked with him to the Castle. We were so well satisfied with
our conversation there, that we agreed to go thither once or
twice a week; which we had not done long, before he desired me
to go with him to see a poor woman in the town, who was sick.
In this employment, too, when we came to reflect upon it, we
believed it would be worth while to spend an hour or two in a
week; provided the minister of the parish, in which any such
person was, were not against it. But that we might not depend
wholly on our own judgments, I wrote an account to my father of
our whole design; withal begging that he, who had lived seventy
years in the world, and seen as much of it as most private men
have ever done, would advise us whether we had yet gone too
far, and whether we should now stand still, or go forward.”
Wesley’s father highly approved of the project of the young Methodists,
and wrote,—
“You have reason to bless God, as I do, that you have so fast
a friend as Mr. Morgan, who, I see, in the most difficult
service, is ready to break the ice for you. You do not know of
how much good that poor wretch, who killed his wife, has been
the providential occasion. I think I must adopt Mr. Morgan to
be my son, together with you and your brother Charles; and,
when I have such a ternion to prosecute that war, wherein I am
now _miles emeritus_, I shall not be ashamed when they speak
with their enemies in the gate.”
The venerable Rector of Epworth then proceeds to advise them to consult
with the chaplain of the prisoners, and to obtain the direction and
approbation of the bishop.