help please on a fews words in an old letter

[Scatt69]

Good morning all

i have a letter here written to my 3xgt grandfather. i think he was trying to convert his local Baptist congregation to Methodism. It didn't go down too well apparently.

It's the end of the first paragraph that i'm struggling with
"the of the of Methodism."

cheers, Paul

[HannahB]

Cannoy make out the first word but i believe the second is "the enemies of Methodism"

[stevew101]

Not sure, but it looks like...

Friends of the enemies of methodism?

Steve

[arthurk]

I'd say "strengthening the hands of the enemies of Methodism".

You may know more about what your ancestor was up to, but on the face of it this reads to me like a charge of inciting dissent within the Methodist congregation/society, rather than anything to do with a different denomination. Or was he perhaps agitating for change within Methodism to make it more acceptable for Baptists who might wish to join?

Arthur

[Scatt69]

thanks Hannah, Steve, Arthur

i think Arthur has it. actually i don't really know anything for fact except that he was still preaching Methodism way after this in 1876, i have a copy of a flyer for an event in that year, and he gives his occupation as Methodist Minister in later census'. i'd been told briefly about this incident some years ago but only found the letters that my relative passed on again recently. There are further letters that may throw further light on the situation but i just wanted to go transcribe them one at a time at the moment.

thanks, Paul

[Scatt69]

can anyone decipher the second name?
Thos. Taylor & Thos.

Paul

[arthurk]

Ivens? Irons? I can almost see Green too, depending on how the initial capital is interpreted.

Arthur

[gracie23]

I see it as "strengthening the bounds of the enemies" etc.
Deb

[CarolA3]

I see it as 'strengthening the hands of the enemies', and the second signature could be 'INNES'.

Carol