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Return to Methodists name list from "Methodism in the Channel Islands" by R.D. Moore (1952)
Pages 50-59
Clarke congratulated himself on the generosity of the Guernsey Christians. Mr Walker subscribed £100 and Mr de Jersey a like sum. Further, as we have seen, this latter lent £300, and said in lending the sum: 'You will pay me when you can, and if I never receive one penny of them, I will not complain.’ He was on the eve of building a house for his daughter and for his son-in-law, de Quetteville, but declared that not a stone of it would be laid before the Chapel was finished.
Adam Clarke preached the dedicatory sermons on 20th April 1789.
A Methodist Chapel was just as much needed in Jersey, but to obtain it was a harder task because of the hostility of the authorities. Between £300 and £400 had been subscribed in 1780 but information had been received (from the Dean) that the States would oppose the plan. This proved to be the fact: the Royal Court refused to register the Contract of Sale to the Methodist Society on the ground that it knew no such body.
Eventually Abraham Jean Bishop, one of the most devoted of the Methodists, on 30th December 1790 bought a house situated in the yard of 22 King Street (then la rue de Derriere'), which also had an entrance in Don Street. The price was £400, of which Brackenbury paid more than half. The Bishop family added about £105, and thus, with the necessary alterations made, the Methodists had a place of their own which served them for twenty-four years.
During the first years Methodist meeting-places were the homes of its adherents. Five such were available and the most noteworthy was that of Mr T. Ollivier (du Coin) who was an innkeeper, became a Methodist, gave up his trade, and turned his house and his dancing-room into a preaching-centre.
The Alderney Society in 1789 purchased a plot of ground. By contributing in money, materials, and personal labour they actually succeeded in having their first Chapel ready for opening by 9th March 1790—only three years after Adam Clarke's pioneer visit! Jean de Quetteville conducted the dedication services. It is to be noted that the help given to this loyal little flock from outside their ranks came not only from Henri de Jersey (of Mon Plaisir) but from many of the non-Methodist inhabitants of their own Island. This plain, cheap, simple, and unpretentious structure had no contribution to make to the architectural achievements of its time, but, like so many Methodist Chapels, it was a triumphant expression of grace, generosity, and faith, and became a veritable 'House of God’. It served the Alderney Society for twenty-three years and was then replaced by another in Church Street, which was dedicated in 1814.
We recall Wesley's mention of Sark in his letter to Adam Clarke in 1787- Within a year or two from that date de Quetteville began preaching there. His first efforts were in a humble cottage, the home of Thomas Mollet (le Clos-a-Geon), but one of his hearers, Jean Vaudin (la Ville-Roussel) was deeply influenced and offered him hospitality and the use of his house for preaching. Meetings were also held at two other homes: Nicholas Brouard (Grand Dixcart), and Jean Hamon (Little Sark).
From this time Sark was visited regularly by the preachers from Guernsey. When a Society could be formed its leader was Jean Vaudin. He was uneducated, almost illiterate, superstitious (like his neighbours), and believed strongly in sorcery and ghosts. Yet this 'babe in Christ’ was a single-minded loyal Christian who faithfully kept the Society together during the winter months when the preachers from Guernsey could not visit the Island. What could their services have been like? Of what would their meetings consist? Jean Vaudin's equipment, whether as 'Class Leader’ or 'Local Preacher’ was slender indeed! They could do little more than read the Bible, pray and witness to their neighbours—but it kept their faith alive. In 1796 Jean Vaudin gave a piece of land and by midsummer of the following year this remarkable little company had built a Chapel! It was dedicated by de Quetteville in midsummer 1797. We note with interest that over the entrance there were two small rooms in which the visiting preachers lodged, cooking their own food which they brought with them from Guernsey.
We have been surveying the varied activities of this momentous period, both in withstanding hardship and in building Chapels. Meanwhile there were other events not less significant; for this, as we can now see, was the completion of the 'pioneer’ period in the development of Methodism.
In 1787 the question of the discipline of the Society was prominent. Wesley had foreseen this and soon after his visit had written to Adam Clarke: 'Be exact in every point of discipline. Keep our rules and they will keep you.’
De Quetteville, in these early days of his ministry, was apt to be both impulsive and severe in judgement. Apart from the correspondence we know nothing of the case itself, but here are letters relating to one difficult incident:
Wesley to Brackenbury:
M.— (the omitted name is that of de Quetteville) is undoubtedly a good young man; and has a tolerably good understanding. But he thinks it better than it is; and in consequence is apt to put himself in your or my place. For these fifty years, if anyone has said, ‘If you do not put such an one out of Society, I will go out of it'; I have said, 'Pray go; I, not you, are to judge who shall stay.’ I therefore greatly approve of your purpose to give Mr W— a full hearing in the presence of all the Preachers. I have often repented of judging too severely, but very seldom of being too merciful. As the point is undoubtedly of very great importance, it deserved serious consideration; and I am glad you took the pains to consider it, and discussed it so admirably well according to Scripture and sound reason.Wesley to Adam Clarke:
8th December 1787. Brother de Quetteville and you do not mind what I say. I do not wonder at him (he does not know me), but I do at you. His natural temper is stern, yours is not. Therefore I expect you to regard me whether he does or no. We have no such custom among our Societies, nor ever had, as for a man to acknowledge his fault before a whole Society. There shall be no such custom while I live. If he acknowledges it before the preachers it is enough. 18th December 1787. I fear you have been too severe with Mr W. I am persuaded there is much good in him, otherwise he would have washed his hands of the Methodists. Take heed not to contract something of the temperament of de Quetteville. 8th January 1788. I have admired the spirit of young George W. During the hours that he has spent with us I do not remember his blaming anybody. He says nothing with regard to his father, except in reply to questions which I put to him.Apparently all ends well, but—whatever may have happened to 'Mr W’—this must have been a salutary discipline for young de Quetteville. It was no light matter for any of the preachers to encounter the rebuke of John Wesley. How he reacted to it we do not know, but it may have had some bearing upon an experience which followed later.
In February 1788 Wesley was writing to Brackenbury asking him to return to England. His term of service in the Islands was' already much longer than was usual, and it may have been that the ageing Wesley was missing his younger companion and confidant. But Brackenbury remained for nearly two years more. Another landmark was reached in May 1788 when Pierre Arrive died. It was no small thing to have been the means, in the hand of God, of introducing the Revival into Guernsey. In spite of his sufferings he died a happy man.
In the spring of the same year Adam Clarke was married to Miss Mary Cooke of Trowbridge, and a few days later Jean de Quetteville married Mlle Suzanne de Jersey of Mon Plaisir. Both were happy unions, 'ordained of God', and brought lasting blessing both to the young couples and to their work for Methodism.
It is from a letter written by Mrs Clarke that we learn of the peril of her husband in crossing from Jersey to Guernsey in a battered ship that came near to being broken to pieces on the rocks and after being tossed about for almost twenty-four hours had to return to her starting-point.
The preachers had often to endure such hardships, but it is more surprising to learn that, but for the courage and resource of Francois Bisson, Adam Clarke would have perished in a snowstorm between St Aubin and St Helier early in 1789.
And now, in July of the same year, comes a letter from Adam Clarke to Wesley which records another deeply significant experience:
My reverend father in Christ—in my last letter I gave you a short account of the prosperity of the work of God in our midst and of the perspective we have of an increase. Since then, the Lord has done wonderful things in our midst. You may perhaps recollect that I spoke to you of the special prayer- meeting I had established for those who had obtained or who yearned after entire sanctification- I thought that, being met with one accord, in one place, we were justified in expecting a glorious descent of the purifying flame. It has even been so. Presently five or six persons could attest that God had purified their souls from all sin. This could not remain hid and was known outside, it could not be otherwise, the change was so palpable in these Christians. Moreover, many others were urged to seek the same blessing and were provoked to jealousy, amongst whom one of the chief was Mr de Quetteville. He questioned me at length with regard to our little meeting and of the good that was done by it. I satisfied him in all points; then, filled with emotion he said to me: 'It is a lamentable thing that those who began seeking God after me have left me so far behind. By the grace of Christ I want to commence seeking with greater eagerness the same blessing, and give myself no rest until I have joined and gone beyond them if possible.' During two or three days he wrestled with God almost without ceasing. The 30th June he came in my room greatly depressed in spirit, and asked me this question: 'How shall I receive the blessing, and how shall I recognize it?' I gave him all the directions I could, I exhorted him to expect it at the present moment and I assured him that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. He returned to his room, and after a few minutes engaged in the fight of faith, his soul was completely and gloriously delivered. He left then for the country, and went off, as a flame of fire, throughout all the Societies in the Island, carrying the glorious news wherever he went. God accompanied him with the mighty demonstration of His Spirit, and a great number of souls were urged to seek, and many found the promised rest. I announced then a love-feast for the 5th instant. Never before has my soul felt heaven open in like manner on earth, Many were filled with the pure love; and some, then and since) have, with a pure heart, obtained deliverance of inveterate physical disorders from which they had long suffered. This is an absolutely true fact of which I have such full proofs as reason may demand. There has been one remarkable thing, there has been no false flame, no, not a spark that I would not have wished to have in my own soul all eternity. God was working in the bodies and in the souls, but. everything was under the direction of His Spirit and proclaimed loudly His action alone. To summarize, there are not less than fifty or sixty souls who, in less than a fortnight, have entered into the good land, and many of them arc established therein; strengthened and fixed. And the hallowed work continues.This remarkable experience came at the end of Adam Clarke's great work in the Islands. When Conference met that year he was moved to Bristol. Wesley had already written to him (9th March 1789) from that city:
Dear Adam, If I should live till next Conference I should be glad to have Sister Clarke and you here ... . because I spend more time here myself than any other place except London.
Brackenbury left instructions with his family and friends that nothing be said or written about him after his death They carried out his wishes only too well. His letters to Wesley and to Adam Clarke have vanished and almost the only information we can obtain is from references in other correspondence.
Of his work in the building of Methodism in the Channel Islands he might have said: 'Si monumentum requiris, circumspice"—but he did not, nor would ever have conceived such a thought. Yet we can say it in his name and. with much truth.
He was an able and a cultured man, as we have seen, but it was by qualities of his personality—spiritual qualities—rather than by any exercise of talent, that he won the respect, confidence, and affection of his fellows. The sheer goodness of the man was unmistakable. His humility was as marked as his generosity: and in view of all we know that is a tribute indeed.
We have noted already Dr Coke's reference to his financial support of the work in Jersey. (He continued it long after his residence in the Island ceased.) In November 1787 here is Adam Clarke writing to acknowledge a gift of £80—£70 for the work in Guernsey and £10 for himself. Such wise giving! It was probably that £10 with which Adam bought the Polyglot Bible he needed so greatly, and which helped to make him the great scholar and commentator of later years. Yet in one respect it was perhaps more generous than wise! Le Lievre makes a shrewd comment: 'This princely generosity had the disadvantage of exempting the young Societies of the duty of providing for themselves, and of leading them into the habit of contributing but little for the upkeep of their Ministers.’
In April 1790, while Brackenbury was still in full activity in Jersey, de Quetteville wrote to him:
The Lord, in His great mercy, has been very good to me during my visit to Alderney. I found more liberty there than I had experienced for some time. He has revived the people and souls have received good; some have realized His presence more than ever. Five more persons have attended the class-meeting and have joined the little flock, and others have been justified. We had a very good love-feast last Sunday; the Lord very graciously made us realize His presence, and all, except three or four, spoke of His goodness. But at present they have no preacher, and I would so like you to go there if you could, especially for the English people. I have prayed with them, and done my best in exhortation; but I think that, if you went, the Lord would revive some. Truly they desire so much to have you, and expect you that it seems to me that you can scarcely decline to go. They need to have a preacher with them always.Brackenbury responded and went to Alderney, while de Quetteville took his place in Jersey.
The Bristol Conference of 1790 removed Brackenbury's name from Jersey in the list of Stations, but he was still there on 11th November when he wrote to de Quetteville.
It is strange that a letter so revealing should have been preserved while the rest have disappeared:
I am detained here beyond the time I was to leave, not having received any news with reference to a preacher since I wrote to you; but as Captain Wilkins is expected from Southampton we shall know presently I suppose if one is to come or not. If he comes I will consider myself as free from the Islands for the present; but if he does not come, I am quite willing to remain. Everything here goes on as usual, except that our meetings are more numerous, especially of a Sunday night. I am inclined to think that another preacher would be more useful here than myself, and that his work would be more successful, with the Divine blessing, to bring sinners to the knowledge of the truth. Nevertheless, I have cause for much thankfulness when I see the extension of the work on which I am engaged. On another hand I feel that my faith is very weak and that I am not fitted to edify souls. Last night I was convinced more than ever that my sole business is to wait upon the Lord in prayer, until he operates the new birth within my soul with power, not neglecting at the same time to employ my talent, not giving way to the disposition which leads one afar in the search of knowledge. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to forsake everything of this nature and to wait for and to hope from God alone all the blessings which I need.He must have left Jersey not long after this letter. On the 1st March 1791 de Quetteville wrote to him with good news of the progress of the work, and ends with the request that Brackenbury will present his respectful salutations to Wesley.
The day after this letter was written Brackenbury was at City Road—one of the little group of intimates who -were privileged to gather around Wesley's bed to commend him to God. The ‘apostolic' era was over: a new one beginning.