JRU ref: MA PK IX 33
[Rev. John Watson had just been appointed vice-principal of the Primitive Methodist Training College in Manchester. Mr. Hartley was a benefactor of the church and active in its affairs.]
10, Lorne Street,
Chester,
Feby 26th, 1892
Dear Mr. Hartley,
It was kind and thoughtful of you to telegraph to me the result of the vote on the Vice Principalship of the College. I am much obliged to you for this and your congratulations on my nomination. If the Conference confirm the action of the College Committee, I assure you that I shall do my best to promote the usefulness of the Institution and shall esteem it an honour and a pleasure to cooperate with Mr. Peake in the College work. I was pleased with his letter to the Committee. The course of instruction which he proposes for the students is, as far as I am able to judge, an admirable one, and just what they require, in order to make them intelligent and useful ministers of the Word of God. His suggestion that Greek should be taught by a special teacher is excellent, and is indeed what is done in respect to particular studies in almost every High School. And, further, if the subjects which remain for the Principal be too many for him to attend to — for there would, apart from Greek, be still at least half a dozen subjects left for the Principal if our present Curriculum is retained — why could a similar course not be adopted in respect to, say, English Language and Composition and English Literature? The work would be done better by specialists in these studies and at less expense than by having an additional tutor, in whole or in part, as has been suggested. I am hopeful that Mr. Peake's appointment will make a great and needful change in the method of training our young ministers.
If this work is entered upon and sustained courageously, and on progressive lines, I augur happy results for our Connexion. But Mr. Peake, as well as the Principal, must be prepared to encounter and overcome a great amount of Conservative inertia, if not opposition, on the part of many of our ministers and people.
If the Conference were to appoint me to the position of Vice Principal I should be glad to interchange ideas on these matters with Mr. Peake, from whom I would receive, I am certain, much guidance as to methods of instruction. If you would bring Mr. Peake and myself into such a correspondence, I should feel obliged.
With kindest regards to you and your
family.
I am yours as ever,
John Watson.
JRU ref: MA PK VIII D 47
[Dr. Arthur Peake was tutor at the Primitive Methodist Training College during John Watson's tenure as vice-principal and principal. The references to papers/articles are presumably concerned with the Holborn (Quarterly) Review, of which John Watson was editor at the time.]
[printed letterhead]
Primitive Methodist College,
Alexandra Road,
Manchester.
July 14th 1894
Dear Mr. Peake,
I am glad you are prepared to go on as usual with the Current Literature. I should never dream of making a change, & your work in this department is invaluable.
I do wish you would write a paper on Robertson Smith. It is very probable that Mr. Curry will take up the subject very differently from you. We might find room for him in that case in the April No. The titles of the papers might be varied. In any case we cannot leave such a subject entirely to a novice in literature. Please to prepare an article. We can make it all right with Mr. Curry.
I have written to several ministers for articles. I have two or three promises:—
Francis of Assisi, based on his Life by Paul Sabatier – A. L. Humphries ; Materialism, R. Bryant ; Kidd's Social Evolution ; R. Hind. I may also get an art[icle] from E. R. Davies on Caird's Evolution of Religion – the art[icle] he read at Wrexham. But I have asked him to condense it, &c. I have asked for articles on other subjects, but have received no answer yet.
I am glad you have reminded me of your salary. Owing to your absence & that your salary comes on a different month from the other salaries it quite slipped my mind. I am very sorry to put you to an inconvenience. I have written to Mr. Beeley to ask him to send me a cheque for you. If he does so I shall transmit it to you. The next Com. will be held a week next Friday. In any case you will not have to wait longer than that meeting.
My address at Llandudno will be c/o Mrs. Atkins, Wentworth House, Gloddeth Crescent, Llandudno.
I trust you will have a pleasant time at Oxford.
My wife and daughter left for Llandudno this morning. I join them on Monday. I am [in] Leeds to-morrow.
With kindest regards to you & Mrs Peake,
I am yours as ever,
John Watson.