 Gurney had been heavily involved in the drafting of the London Yearly Meeting's epistle in 1836.In that epistle Friends in England officially voiced their adoption of the more Evangelical views that Wilbur had encountered and disapproved.During Gurney's sojourn in the United States, Wilbur made private comments against Gurney's views to some of his associates in New England Yearly Meeting (which encompassed Friends in the eastern 80% of New England) and acquaintances in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.