we have termed in the widest sense of the term ’the Evangelical revival’—­that they, in fact, crossed and interlaced one another in so many ways that it is not always easy to disentangle the one from the other—­that there are several names which one is in doubt whether to place on one side of the line or the other.  But still it would be a great mistake to confound the two parties.  There was a different tone of mind in the typical representatives of each.  They worked for the most part in different spheres, and, though their doctrines may have accorded in the main, there were many points, especially as regards Church order and regularity, in which there was no cordial sympathy between them.

The difficulty, however, of disentangling Evangelicalism from Methodism in the early phases of both confronts us at once when we begin to consider the cases of individuals.

Among the first in date of the Evangelicals proper we must place James Hervey (1714-1758), the once popular author of ’Meditations and Contemplations’ and ‘Theron and Aspasio.’  But then Hervey was one of the original Methodists.  He was an undergraduate of Lincoln College at the same time that John Wesley was Fellow, and soon came under the influence of that powerful mind; and he kept up an intimacy with the founder of Methodism long after he left college.  Yet it is evidently more correct to class Hervey among the Evangelicals than among the Methodists; for in all the points of divergence between the two schools he sided with the former.  He was a distinct Calvinist;[792] he was always engaged in parochial work, and he not only took no part in itinerant work, but expressed his decided disapproval of those clergy who did so, venturing even to remonstrate with his former Mentor on his irregularities.

There are few incidents in Hervey’s short and uneventful life which require notice.  It was simply that of a good country parson.  The disinterestedness and disregard for wealth, which honourably distinguished almost all the Methodist and Evangelical clergy, were conspicuous features in Hervey’s character.  His father held two livings near Northampton—­Western Favell and Collington; but, though the joint incomes only amounted to 180_l._ a year, and though the villages were both of small population and not far apart, Hervey for some time scrupled to be a pluralist; and it was only in order to provide for the wants of an aged mother and a sister that he at length consented to hold both livings.  He solemnly devoted the whole produce of his literary labours to the service of humanity, and, though his works were remunerative beyond his most sanguine expectations, he punctually kept his vow.  He is said to have given no less than 700_l._ in seven years in charity—­in most cases concealing his name.  Nothing more need be said about his quiet, blameless, useful life.