they arrived in Savannah river Feb. 5th, 1736, and Mr. John Wesley was appointed to take charge of Savannah; Mr. Charles of Frederica; waiting for an opportunity of preaching to the Indians. Mr. Charles Wesley did not enter on his ministry till March 9th, when he first set foot on Simon's Island, and "No sooner did I en

his spirit immediately revived.

than God gave me a

ter on my ministry, (says he) new heart ; so true is that saying of Bishop Hall, "The calling of God never leaves a man unchanged; ́neither did God ever employ any in his service whom he did not enable for the work."-The first person that saluted him on landing, was his friend Mr. Ingham: "Never (says he) did I more rejoice to see him; especially when he told me the treatment he had met with for vindicating the Lord's day." This specimen of the ignorance and unteachable temper of the people among whom he had to labour, was unpromising, but he little expected the trials and dangers which lay before him. Like a faithful and diligent pastor, he immediately entered on his office; not with joy at the prospect of a good income, but with fear and trembling, at the views which he had of the importance and difficulty of the ministerial office. In the afternoon he began to converse with his parishioners, without which he well knew, that general instructions often lose their effect. But he observes on this occasion, "With what trembling should I call them mine." He felt as every minister of the gospel ought to feel when he takes upon him to guide others in the ways of God. In the evening he read prayers in the open air, at which Mr. Oglethorpe was present. The lesson was remarkably adapted to his situation, and he felt the full force of it, both in the way of direction and encouragement. "Continue instant in 66 prayer,

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prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; "withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of "Christ, that I may make it manifest as I ought to "speak. Walk in wisdom toward those that are

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without, redeeming the time-Say to Archip

pus, take heed to the ministry which thou hast "received of the Lord that thou fulfil it."After the labours of the day, he returned and slept in the boat.

The colony was at this time very scantily provided with accommodations. There was no place erected where the people could assemble for public worship: for on March 10th, between five and six in the morning, Mr. C. Wesley read short prayers to a few persons, before Mr. Oglethorpe's tent, in a hard shower of rain-He afterwards talked with Mrs. W. who had come in the ship with him and his brother, and endeavoured to guard her against the cares of the world, and to persuade her to give herself up to God; but in vain. In the evening he endeavoured to reconcile her and Mrs. H. who were greatly at variance, but to no purpose.

Some of the women now began to be jealous of each other, and to raise animosities and divisions in the colony, which gave a great deal of trouble to Mr. Oglethorpe. Mr. Wesley's serious and religious deportment, his constant presence with them, and his frequent reproof of their licentious behaviour, soon made him the object of hatred; and plans were formed either to ruin hini in the opinion of Mr. Oglethorpe, or to take him off by violence. We shall see these plans open by degrees.

March the 11th, at ten in morning, he began the full service to about a dozen women whom he had got together, intending to continue it, and only to read a few prayers for the men before they went to

work.

work. He also expounded the second lesson with some degree of boldness, which he had done several times before; and it is probable that he did this extempore. After prayers he met Mrs. H.'s maid in a great passion and flood of tears, at the treatment she had received from her mistress. She seemed determined to destroy herself, to escape her Egyptian bondage. He prevailed with her to return, and went with her home. He asked Mrs. H. to forgive her; but she refused with the utmost roughness, rage, and almost reviling. He next met with Mr. Tackner, who, he observes, made him full antends: he was in an excellent temper, resolved to strive, not with his wife but with himself in putting off the old man, and putting on the newIn the evening he received the first harsh word from Mr. Oglethorpe, when he asked for something for a poor woman-The next day he received a rougher answer in a matter which deserved still greater encouragement. I know not, says he, how to account for his encreasing coldness. His encouragement, he observes, was the same in speaking with Mrs. IV. whom he found all storm and tempest; so wilful, so untract able, so fierce, that he could not stay near her. This evening Mr. Oglethorpe was with the men under arms, in expectation of an enemy, but in the same ill humour with Mr. Wesley. "I staid (says he) as long as I could, however unsafe, within the wind of such emotion; but at last the hurricane of his pas sion drove me away."

Mr. Wesley's situation was now truly alarming; noť only as it regarded his usefulness, but as it affected his safety. Many persons lost all decency in their behaviour towards him, and Mr. Oglethorpe's treatment of him shewed that he had received impressions greatly to his disadvantage; at the same time he was totally ignorant of

his accusers, and of what he was accused. But being conscious of his own innocence he trusted in God, and considered his sufferings as a part of the portion of those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, especially if they persuade others to walk by the same rule.— Sunday March 14th, he read prayers, and preached with boldness in singleness of intention, under a great tree, to about twenty people, among whom was Mr. Oglethorpe." In the Epistle, (says he) I was plainly shewn what I ought to be, and what I ought to expect. "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of Christ; in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distress, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings," &c.

At night he found himself exceedingly faint; but had no better bed to lie down upon than the ground; on which he says, "I slept very comfortably before a great fire, and waked next morning perfectly well."

He spent March 16th wholly in writing letters for Mr. Oglethorpe. He had now been six days at Frederica and observes, "I would not spend six days more in the same manner for all Georgia." But he had more than six days to spend in no better a situation, without being able to make any conditions.

Mr. Charles Wesley, as well as his brother John, was so fully convinced at this time, that immersion was the most ancient mode of baptizing, that he determined to adhere strictly to the rubric of the church of England in relation to it, and not to baptize any child by sprinkling, unless it was sickly and weak. This occasioned some contention among the people, who were governed chiefly by their passions, and a spirit of opposition. However, by perseverence and mild persuasion, he prevailed with some of them to con

f

sent;

sent to it, and about this time, he adds with apparent pleasure, "I baptized Mr. Calwell's child by true immersion, before a large congregation."

March 18, Mr. Oglethorpe set out with the Indians to hunt the buffalo úpon the main, and to see the utmost limits of what they claimed.-This day Mrs. W. discovered to Mr. Wesley "The whole mystery of iniquity." Perhaps he meant the plots and designs which were formed, chiefly against himself.

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He went to his myrtle grove, and while he was repeating, "I will thank thee for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation," a gun was fired from the other side of the bushes. Providentially he had the moment before turned from the end of the walk where the shot entered, and he heard it pass close by him. This was apparently a design upon his life.

"A circumstance now took place which soon brought on an explanation between Mr. Oglethorpe and Mr. Wesley. Mr. Oglethorpe had, more than once, given orders that no man should shoot on a Sunday; and Germain had been confined in the guard-room for it. In the midst of sermon, on Sunday the 21st, a gun was fired: the constable ran out, and found it was the Doctor, and 'told him it was contrary to orders, and he must go with him to the officer. The Doctor's passion kindled ; "What (said he) don't you know that I am not to be looked upon as a common fellow?" The constable not knowing what to do, went back, and consulting with Hermsdorff, returned with two centinels, and took him to the guard-room. His wife then charged and fired a gun, and ran thither like a mad woman, and said she had shot, and would be confined too. curst and swore in the utmost transport of rage, threatening to kill the first man that should come near her; but at last was persuaded to go away. In the afternoon

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