Besides discipline, the conference also discussed doctrine. When in Dublin, four months before, Wesley had been drawn into a controversy by Miss H——, on the doctrine of perfection. The lady complained, that some of his preachers placed the doctrine “in a dreadful light; one of them affirming, that a believer, till perfect, is under the curse of God, and in a state of damnation”; and another saying, “If you die before you have attained it, you will surely perish.” Wesley replied to this in a long letter, dated Dublin, April 5, 1758, in which he repudiates such sentiments.[334] He admits, that “young men” may have said these things, but their doctrines were not his. To settle the matter, he brought it before the Bristol conference as follows:— _Question._—“Do you affirm, that perfection excludes all infirmities, ignorance, and mistake? _Answer._—“We continually affirm just the contrary. _Q._—“Do you say, ‘Every one who is not saved from all sin is in a state of damnation?’ _A._—“So far from it, that we will not say any one is in a state of damnation, that fears God and really strives to please Him. _Q._—“In what manner would you advise those who think they have attained, to speak of their own experience? _A._—“With great wariness, and with the deepest humility and self abasement before God. _Q._—“How should young preachers, especially, speak of perfection in public? _A._—“Not too minutely or circumstantially, but rather in general and scriptural terms. _Q._—“What does Christian perfection imply? _A._—“The loving God with all the heart, so that every evil temper is destroyed, and every thought, and word, and work springs from, and is conducted to the end by the pure love of God and our neighbour.” It is a curious fact, that, while Wesley and eight other preachers were appointed to the London circuit, Charles Wesley had Bristol wholly to himself; three preachers, however, having charge of the adjoining country, under the technical denomination of the “Wiltshire” circuit. This shows, that Charles had now substantially relinquished the itinerant ministry, and had made Bristol his principal place of residence. The circuits into which the United Kingdom was divided, were, including London and Bristol, thirteen in number; one of these, however, being “Wales,” with two itinerants, and another “Ireland,” with ten. “Cornwall” had seven; “Staffordshire” two; “Cheshire” three; “Leeds,” “Haworth,” and “York,” had eight; “Lincolnshire” three; and “Newcastle” four.[335]