In the beginning of August, he joined with the Germans in one of their Love-feasts. This, it is probable, was the first time he ever saw a Love-feast. He speaks thus of it: "It was begun and ended with thanksgiving and prayer, and celebrated in so decent and solemn a manner, as a Christian of the Apostolic age, would have allowed to be worthy of Christ." He afterwards adopted Love-feasts into the economy of Methodism.

August 7. Mr. Wesley repelled Mrs. Williamson from the holy communion, for the reasons specified in his letter of the 5th of July, as well as for not giving him notice of her design to communicate, after having discontinued it for some time. On the 9th, a warrant having been issued and served upon him, he was carried before the Recorder and Magistrates. Mr. Williamson's charge was, 1. That Mr. Wesley had defained his wife 2. That he had causelesly repelled her from the holy communion. The first charge Mr. Wesley denied; and the second, being purely ecclesiastical, he would not acknowledge the magistrates' power to interrogate him concerning it. He was told, that he must however, appear in the next Court holden for Savannah. In the mean time Mr. Causton, having become Mr. Wesley's bitter enemy, required him to assign his reasons in writing for repelling his niece. This he accordingly did, in the following letter to Mrs. Williamson. "At Mr. Causton's request I write once more. The rules whereby I proceed are these: So many as intend to partake of the holy communion, shall signify their names to the Curate, at least some time the day before. This you did not do.

"And if any of these-have done any wrong to his neighbour, by word or deed, so that the congregation be thereby offended, the Curate shall advertise him, that in any wise he presume not to come to the Lord's table,

until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented.

"If you offer yourself at the Lord's table on Sunday, I will advertise you, as I have done more than once, wherein you have done wrong: and when you have openly declared yourself to have truly repented, I will administer to you the mysteries of God."

On the 12th of August, and the following days, Mr. Causton read to as many as he conveniently could, all the letters Mr. Wesley had written to himself, or Miss Sophy, from the beginning of their acquaintance: not indeed throughout but selecting certain passages, which might, being detached from the rest, and aided by a comment which he supplied, make an impression to Mr. Wesley's disadvantage. Such methods as these, of oppressing an individual, are detestable; and yet they have too often been practised, even by persons professing religion; but they always afford sure evidence of a bad cause.

While Mr. Causton was thus employed, the rest of the family were assiduous in their endeavours to convince all to whom they spake, that Mr. Wesley had repelled Mrs. Williamson from the Communion out of revenge, because she had refused to marry him. "Isat still at home, (says Mr. Wesley,) and I thank God easy, having committed my cause to him and remembering his word, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." I was at first afraid, that those who were weak in faith would be turned out of the way, at least so far as to neglect the public worship, by attending which they were likely to suffer in their temporal concerns. But I feared where no fear was: God took care of this likewise; insomuch that on Sunday the 14th, more

were

were present at the morning prayers, than had been for some months before. Many of them observed those words in the first lesson, "Set Naboth on high among the people and set two men, sons of Belial before him, to bear witness against him." No less remarkable were those in the evening lesson, "I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." O may I ever be able to say with Micaiah," What the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak :" and that, though I too should be put into prison, and fed there, "with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction."

August 16. At the request of several of the commu. nicants, he drew up a short relation of the case, and read it after the evening prayers in the open congregation. And this evening, as Mr. Wesley supposed, Mrs. Williamson was prevailed upon to swear to, and sign a paper, containing many assertions and insinuations injurious to his character-During the whole of this week, Mr. Causton was employed in preparing those who were to form the grand Jury at the next Court-day. He was talking with some or other of them, day and night: his table was free to all: old misunderstandings were forgot, and nothing was too much to be done for them, or promised to them. Monday, the twenty-second, the Court was formed, and forty-four jurors were sworn in, instead of fifteen, to be a grand Jury to find the bills. This was done by Mr. Causton, who hereby shewed his skill in the management of a controversy like this. He knew well, that numbers would add weight to every thing they transacted, and induce them to take bolder steps, than a few would venture upon. To this grand Jury, he gave a long and earnest charge, "to beware of spiritual tyranny, and to oppose the new illegal authority, which was usurped over their consciences." Mrs. Williamson's affidavit was read; and he then delivered

to

to then a paper, entitled, "A List of grievances presented by the grand Jury for Savannah, this day of August, 1737." In the afternoon Mrs. Williamson was examined, who acknowledged that she had no objections to make against Mr. Wesley's conduct before her marriage. The next day Mr. and Mrs. Causton were also examined, when she confessed, that it was by her request Mr. Wesley had written to Mrs. Williamson on the 5th of July: and Mr. Causton declared, that if Mr. Wesley had asked his consent to have married his niece he should not have refused it.-The grand Jury continued to examine these ecclesiastical grievances, which occasioned warm debates, till Thursday; when Mr. Causton being informed they were entered on matters beyond his instructions, went to them, and behave.l in such a manner, that he turned forty-two, out of the forty-four, into a fixed resolution to inquire into his whole behaviour. They immediately entered on that business, and continued examining witnesses all day on Friday. On Saturday, Mr. Causton finding all his ef forts to stop them ineffectual, he adjourned the Court till Thursday, the first of September, and spared no pains, in the mean time, to bring them to another mind September 1, he so far prevailed, that the majority of the grand Jury returned the list of grievances to the Court, in some particulars altered, under the form of two presentments, containing ten bills, only two of which related to the affair of Mrs. Williamson; and only one of these was cognizable by that Court, the rest being merely ecclesiastical. September 2, Mr. Wesley addressed the Court to this effect; "As to nine of the ten Indictments against me, I know this Court can take no cognizance of them; they being matters of an ecclesiastical nature, and this not an ecclesiastical Court. But the tenth, concerning my speaking and writing to

Mrs.

Mrs. Williamson, is of a secular nature: and this therefore I desire may be tried here, where the facts complained of were committed." Little answer was made, and that purely evasive.

In the afternoon he moved the Court again, for an immediate trial at Savannah; adding, "That those who are offended may clearly see whether I have done any wrong to any one; or whether I have not rather deserved the thanks of Mrs. Williamson, Mr. Causton, and of the whole family." Mr. Causton's answer was full of civility and respect. He observed, Perhaps things would not have been carried so far, had you not said, you believed if Mr. Causton appeared, the people would tear him in pieces; not so much out of love to you, as out of hatred to him for his abominable practices." If Mr. Wesley really spake these words, he was rather imprudent, considering the circumstances in which he was placed. But we too often find in disputes, that the constructions of others on what has been said, are reported as the very words we have spoken; which we suspect to have been the case here. Mr. Causton, however, has sufficiently discovered the motives that influenced his conduct in this business.

Twelve of the grand Jurors now drew up a protest against the proceedings of the majority, to be immediately sent to the Trustees in England. In this paper they gave such clear and satisfactory reasons, under every bill, for their dissent from the majority, as effectually did away all just ground of complaint against Mr. Wesley, on the subjects of the prosecution. As Mr. and Mrs. Williamson intended to go for England in the first ship that should sail; some of Mr. Wesley's friends thought, he ought to go likewise; chiefly to prevent or remove the bad im

pressions