“But this is _arbitrary power_; this is no less than _making yourself a Pope_.” If by _arbitrary_ power you mean a power which I exercise _single_, without any collegues therein, this is certainly true: but I see no hurt in it. _Arbitrary_ in this sense is a very harmless word. If you mean, _unjust_, _unreasonable_, or _tyrannical_, then it is not true. As to the other branch of the charge, it carries no face of truth. The Pope affirms that every Christian must do all he bids, and believe all he says, under pain of damnation. I never affirmed any thing that bears any, the most distant resemblance to this. All I affirm is, “The preachers who choose to labour with me, choose to serve me as sons in the gospel.” And “the people who choose to be under my care, choose to be so on the same terms they were at first.” Therefore all talk of this kind is highly injurious to _me_, who bear this burden merely for _your_ sakes. And it is exceeding mischievous to the people, tending to confound their understandings, and to fill their hearts with evil-surmisings and unkind tempers towards _me_: to whom they really owe more, for taking all this load upon me, for exercising this very _power_, for shakling myself in this manner, than for all my preaching put together. Preaching twice or thrice a day is no burden to me at all; but the care of all the preachers and all the people, is a burden indeed! _Q._ 78. What can be done in order to the future union of the _Methodists_? _A._ On _Friday, August 4, 1769_, Mr. _Wesley_ read in the conference the following paper. 1. IT has long been my desire, that all those ministers of our church, who believe and preach salvation by faith, might cordially agree between themselves, and not hinder, but help one another. After occasionally pressing this in private conversation, wherever I had opportunity, I wrote down my thoughts upon this head, and sent them to each in a letter. Out of _fifty_ or _sixty_ to whom I wrote, only _three_ vouchsafed me an answer. So I gave this up. I can do no more. They are a rope of sand; and such they will continue. 2. But it is otherwise with the _travelling preachers_ in our connection: you are at present one body. You act in concert with each other, and by united counsels. And now is the time to consider what can be done, in order to continue this union? Indeed, as long as I live, there will be no great difficulty: I am, under God, a centre of union to all our _travelling_, as well as _local_ preachers. They all know me and my communication. They all love me for my work’s sake: and therefore, were it only out of regard to me, they will continue connected with each other. But by what means may this connection be preserved, when God removes me from you?