nisters who officiated "ministers in
Lady Huntingdon's Connexion." Over the affairs of this Connexion Lady
Huntingdon exercised a _moral_ power to the time of her death; not only
appointing and removing the ministers who officiated, but appointing
laymen in each congregation to superintend its secular concerns, called
the "committee of management."'[766]

The first thing that obviously occurs to one in reference to this
position is, that it should more properly belong to a man than a woman.
Even in women of the strongest understanding and the deepest and widest
culture, there is generally a want of ballast which unfits them for such
a responsibility; and Lady Huntingdon was not a lady of a strong
understanding, and still less of a deep and wide culture. But she
possessed what was better still--a single eye to her Master's glory, a
truly humble mind, and genuine piety. The possession of these graces
prevented her from falling into more errors than she did. Still, it is
certainly somewhat beyond a woman's sphere to order Christian ministers
about thus: 'Now, Wren, I charge you to be faithful, and to deliver a
faithful message in all the congregations.' 'My lady,' said Wren, 'they
will not bear it.' She rejoined, 'I will stand by you.'[767] On another
occasion she happened to have two young ministers in her house, 'when it
occurred to her that one of them should preach. Notice was accordingly
sent round that on such an evening there would be preaching before the
door. At the appointed time a great many people had collected together,
which the young men, seeing, inquired what it meant. Her ladyship said,
"As I have two preachers in my house, one of you must preach to the
people." In reply, they said that they had never preached publicly, and
wished to be excused. Shipman was ready, Matthews diffident. Lady
Huntingdon, therefore, judged it best for Mr. Shipman to make the first
attempt. While he hesitated she put a Bible into his hand, insisting
upon his appearing before the people, and either telling them that he
was afraid to trust in God, or to do the best he could. On the servant's
opening the door, her ladyship thrust him out with her blessing, "The
Lord be with you--do the best you can."'[768] At Trevecca--a college
which she founded and supported solely at her own expense--her will was
law. 'Trevecca,' wrote John Wesley,[769] 'is much more to Lady
Huntingdon than Kingswood is to me. _I_ mixes with everything. It is
_m