Methodism in Earnest

James Caughey

But if his heart is more alive to the voices that come from without, than to the “still, small voice” within; if he has more faith in the visible than in the invisible; if he is a disbeliever in the subjective operations of the Spirit of God on the human soul; he will probably read with a cold, questioning incredulity. But let him remember, that many great and pious men have had a firm belief in the subjective influences of the Spirit. Wesley, Fletcher, Edwards, Luther, Doddridge, Bunyan, and many other greatly good men, would readily have sympathized with such impressions as those of Mr. C.; where, as in his case, they were preceded by the steady enjoyment of holiness, by a life of prayer, and attended by outward Providences corresponding with and confirming the inward impressions. As long as it stands recorded in the Bible, that the Spirit directed Philip and Peter and Paul, that Christ pledged that Spirit for the guidance of his disciples, and especially of his ministers, there can be no room to doubt the possibility of such impressions. The proofs of their genuineness in individuals must be sought in their fruits. To this test we shall see those of Mr. Caughey submitted; and by their fruits, the reader will, we think, be compelled to admit their supernatural origin. But we will let Mr. Caughey speak for himself in the following striking portions of his correspondence; he says to an inquiring friend:

I cannot say I have any serious objections against relating to you the circumstances which led me to this singular decision. I would have done so in my last; but I felt a hesitancy to tell you, in the simplicity of my heart, those severe exercises of mind connected with it. I knew your cool and metaphysical turn of mind so well, that I feared to open a new field for your speculative genius. It is likely my simple story will excite your incredulity more than ever. “Strange,” you will say, “that a man of sense, and a minister of God, should suffer himself, for such a small affair, to be tossed like a ball into a far country; or, that he should suppose such great effects would be connected with such insignificant causes; that the infinite God should stoop to bring about such important events from means so small and paltry!”

To this I answer, Man always proportions his means to his ends. He seeks to accomplish great designs by great means. With him, the cause must always be commensurate with the intended effects. On the contrary, God has ever delighted to humble the pride of man, by bringing about the greatest events by the smallest instrumentality. When disposed to smile at the trivial matter which arrested my mind, and which prepared it to take such an unusual course, I wish you would reflect on that verse you have heard me repeat, and which you so much admire: -

“A pebble in the streamlet scant,
Has turned the course of many a river;
A dew-drop on the baby plant,
Has warped the giant oak forever.”

You will remember our Conference of 1839, was held in the city of Schenectady, N. Y. That year I was appointed to Whitehall, N. Y. Shortly after, I had my library and study furniture forwarded to my station. It was then I began seriously to reflect upon the propriety of choosing a wife, believing that “marriage is honourable in all men.” I had travelled a number of years, studied hard, and expended all my time and strength in winning souls to Christ. My brethren approved of my intention. But while indulging in this purpose, for some reasons I could not explain, my heart became very hard. The Lord seemed to depart from me; and that countenance, which so often beamed upon me from above, and had daily, for many years, brightened my soul into rapturous joy, appeared now to be mantled in the thickest gloom.

The more I reflected thus, “I can see no good reason why I should be singular among my brethren, nor continue to lead this solitary life,” my heart became harder, and my darkness increased. I was soon involved in a variety of evil reasonings. My will seemed to be in a conflict with something invisible. God, who had honoured me with such intimate communion with himself since my conversion, apparently left me to battle it out alone. So it appeared to me then; but now I see God himself was contending with me. I was about to step out of the order of his providence; and he was resolved to prevent it, unless I should refuse to understand why he thus resisted me. Had I continued the conflict, I believe he would have let me take my own course; nor would he have cast me off; yet I solemnly feel, he would have severely chastised my disobedience.

My distress and gloom were so great; I could not unpack my library, nor arrange my study. I began to reflect most solemnly upon my unhappy state of mind, and became more concerned to regain my former peace and joy in God, than to obtain any temporal blessing whatever. The world was a blank, a bleak and howling wilderness, to my soul, without the smiles of my Saviour. In fact, that I could not live, but must wither away from the face of the earth, without his comforting and satisfying Presence. Like a well-chastised son, I came back to the feet of my heavenly Father, and with many tears I besought him to reveal his face to my soul; that if my purposes were crossing his, to show me; and whatever was his will, I would at once, by his help, yield my soul unto it. “Lord God,” I said, “if my will crosses thy will, then my will must be wrong; for thine cannot but be right.” Now I cared not what he commanded me to do, or to leave undone; I stood ready to obey. I felt assured, clear light from God on some points would soon reach my soul; and I was fully prepared for it; but I no more expected such an order as came soon after, than I expected he would command me to fly upward and preach the gospel in another planet. During three days I cried to God, without any answer. On the third day, in the afternoon, I obtained an audience with the Lord. The place was almost as lonely as Sinai, where Moses, saw the burning bush. It was under open sky, a considerable distance from the habitations of men; steep rocks and mountains, deep forests, and venomous reptiles surrounded me. Here, and in a moment, the following passage was given me to plead: “And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.” Exod. xxxiv. 5-7. I took hold of this; many of the words were as fire, and as a hammer to break the rocks in pieces before the Lord. The fountains of tears were opened, and the great deep of my heart was broken up. I left the place, however, without receiving any light; but my heart was fully softened and subdued, and I felt assured I had prevailed in some way with God. I was confidant light and directions were coming; but of what nature I could not tell.

This was on the 9th of July 1839. The same evening, about twilight, eternal glory be to God I when reading in a small room adjoining my study, a light, as I conceived from heaven, reached me. My soul was singularly calmed and warmed by a strange visitation. In the moment I recognised the change; the following, in substance, was spoken to my heart; but in a manner, and with rapidity, I cannot possibly describe. Every ray of divine glory seemed to be a word that the eye of my soul could read, a sentence which my judgment could perceive and understand: “These matters which trouble thee, must be let entirely alone. The will of God is, that thou shouldst visit. Europe. He shall be with thee there, and give thee many seals to thy ministry. He has provided thee with funds. Make thy arrangements accordingly; and next Conference, ask liberty from the proper authorities, and it shall be granted thee. Visit Canada first; when this is done, sail for England. God shall be with thee there, and thou shalt have no want in all thy journeyings; and thou shalt be brought back in safety again to America.”

The above is far beneath the dignity and grandeur of the impression. It came in a way, which left no room for a doubt. A heavenly calm, a powerful persuasion, and an intense glow of divine love, accompanied the whole. It was like the breaking forth of the noon-day sun at midnight. I fell upon my knees before the Lord, my whole mind consenting to the orders, which I believed had come from heaven. Oh! The sweetness of that communion I then enjoyed with God! My sky was cloudless. My rest of soul unutterable, the meaning of many past providences was now explained. The possession of a few hundreds of dollars had often made me very uneasy. I doubted the propriety of laying up treasure on earth. The cause of missions stood in need of what I possessed, but still I was restrained. Now I clearly saw that God had provided me with these funds, in order to make me willing to obey the call, and to save me from embarrassment in my travels. I could perceive a special reason, why I had pressed forward in my studies for so many years, and why revival texts and sermons had occupied so much of my time; -God had been thus preparing me for a few campaigns in Europe.

I arose from my knees under a strong conviction that God had called me to take this tour. Letters were written immediately to Canada, etc. The next day my soul was calm and happy. My books were unpacked, and everything in my study arranged with a glad heart and free. Eleven months were before me, to criticise the impressions on my soul. With delight I commenced my pastoral work, visited from house to house, and had the pleasure of seeing a most powerful revival of religion in my circuit. During this period, not the least wish entered my heart to form any connection or engagement whatever, that would entangle or hinder me from fulfilling, what I conceived to be, the high and solemn commission I had received from the Lord. I continued to resign the whole matter to God, entreating him to overrule all to his glory, and to hedge up my way, if it were not his will I should leave America.

The time for the sitting of Conference arrived. With solemn feelings I took my seat with my brethren. They were never dearer to my heart than now. At a proper time, I presented my request to the Bishop. He made no objections, but immediately proposed it to the Conference. After a few moments deliberation, they seemed to have but one mind on the subject; that I should have liberty to visit Europe. A resolution to that effect was passed, and that my name should continue to appear as usual on the printed minutes. One of the chief men of the Conference then arose, and said, “having permitted Brother Caughey to visit Europe, it is our duty to make his visit to those countries as pleasant to himself as it is in our power. I therefore propose, that he have a recommendation from this body to the Wesleyan Connection in Great Britain and Ireland, signed by the Bishop and Secretary of Conference.” Adding, “He will then appear among our brethren on the other side of the Atlantic, as an accredited Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America,”

This proposal was immediately acceded to, and submitted to the Bishop. He replied, that he had no objections, and requested me to wait upon him at his lodgings. I did so. He entered into conversation with the freedom and tenderness of a father. Never before did I see such majesty, connected with extreme age. His hair, white as snow, fell in graceful locks upon his shoulders; and his masculine mind, unimpaired by years, shone forth in company with a deep and glowing piety. I thought of St. Paul, of John, of one of the old patriarchs. I loved, admired, and reverenced him. After an interview of half an hour, in which the Bishop appeared to be greatly interested, he presented me with the following document: -

“TROY CONFERENCE.
“MIDDLEBURY, VT. June 24, 1840.
“Brother James Caughey having asked permission of the Conference, to visit his friends residing in Europe, -
“On motion, it was resolved, That Brother Caughey’s request be granted, and that he be so returned on the minutes.
“And it is hereby certified, that the said J. Caughey is in good standing in the Troy Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the United States of America; and, as such, is cordially commended to the Christian fellowship of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection in Great Britain and Ireland.
“R. R. ROBERTS, President.
“J. B. HOUGHTALING, Secretary.
TROY CONFERENCE.”

I have thus, in the simplicity of my heart, related to you my singular experience, and the circumstances, which led me to take the course I have taken.

These great changes in Mr. Caughey’s history, caused by such supernatural experiences, were not rushed upon without a clear perception and due consideration of the difficulties they involved, as the following extract of a letter to a friend, who had written him on this point, will show:

I think I feel the full weight of every question you have proposed. I have set them down carefully, one by one, that you may see they have all arrested my attention; and that, writing them off, and having them before my eyes, I might be affected by them, and answer them most sincerely. I am not aware, however, that they have created the least uneasiness, or in any degree shaken the purpose of my heart. My call to visit Europe seems quite as clear as to preach the gospel. It does seem -

“A part of my being beyond my control.”

I candidly admit that there is a thick mist spread over my usefulness on the other side; but sometimes, through the haze, I can see great multitudes of sinners coming home to God through my instrumentality. I have also a solemn impression, that the salvation, or damnation of thousands, may depend upon whether I obey or reject the call. I may also add, my impression is constant that if I refuse to go, God will permit many troubles to come upon me in America, and that I shall, through future life, be ever after sorry I did not obey.

Mr. Caughey’s convictions of the reality of his divine call seem never to have faded, nor did his confidence in their genuineness fail him, as will appear by the following passage in another of his letters. He says:

I remember walking one afternoon in a retired spot, some months before I sailed for Europe. It had been named Providence Path, because there I had prevailed with God in a time of great distress connected with my present tour. All the past providences of the Lord, and manifestations to my soul, came up before my mind in a manner similar to that part of Ezekiel’s vision: “The appearance of wheels -and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.” I saw how one wheel had worked into another, and started a third, and fourth, and so on till the great wheel for Europe was set in slow motion. Beyond this wheel I could not see. Then there were small wheels within wheels, but all working, Rom. viii. 28, and contributing to the great events of my life. I could name every wheel, and the results it produced upon the one it set in motion. I wondered, admired, and adored. Before leaving the favourite walk, I traced the whole gently upon the bark of a tree; but in my absence some rogue came, cut it down, and carried it off, I knew not whither. My diagrams I hoped might remain till I returned from Europe, when, perhaps, a few more wheels might be added. They are, however, too deeply traced upon my memory ever to be obliterated in time or eternity.

The following extract from another letter will show how carefully Mr. Caughey analysed his mental operations. He did not grasp his impressions blindly, hastily, or carelessly, but with solemn and serious care, sought to discern what was human and what was divine in his feelings. On this point he writes:

To your inquiry, “Did you feel condemnation on account of sin during your trials in July, 1839?” I answer, No. I felt no condemnation, though perhaps I deserved it. But a restraint was upon me, which greatly distressed my soul; and when I began to suspect, that the step might be contrary to the will of God, I felt worse and worse. The conflicting arguments for and against drew me out of my rest in God. I had arisen to transact my own concerns in my own way, and being unhinged from my centre, I was discontented and unhappy. There is, however, a mystery about those deep exercises, which I fear to explain, lest it would seem to contradict the reproach I have cast upon myself. I have seriously doubted, whether I should have entertained the call to visit Europe, for a single moment, had I not been previously prepared by those mental troubles. As it was, I gladly accepted any proposition, which would relieve me from my sore conflicts, and bring again to my heart the comforting presence of God. But then God could have ordered another kind of discipline to prepare me for obedience, though my foolish heart had wandered from him. As it was, if God did design to send me on this errand of mercy, it became necessary, I think, in this juncture of my history, that I should know it; and when it could be no longer concealed from me, without endangering the whole, the Lord then revealed his will. Here I must leave it for the present. The present I know; the past also; but the future is a dark unknown.

“If light attends the course I run,
‘Tis he provides these rays;
And ‘tis his hand that veils my sun
If darkness clouds my days.”