them to apply for relief if they were further molested. But the Mayor paid no regard to the Judge, any longer than while he was present. On the 22d of March Mr. Wesley arrived safe in London. Here he continued his labours till the beginning of May, when he went down to Bristol, and returned in about eight days. There was at this time a Thomas Williams, who had been admitted to preach in the Foundery, and had acquired considerable influence among the people. He applied for ordination, was disappointed, and laid the blame chiefly on Mr. Wesley, who had been as a father to him, and rendered him every friendly office in his power. He now shewed himself unworthy of such friendship. Mr. Wesley observes, "He answers the character one of his intimates gave me of him. 'I never thought him more than a speaker: I can see no grace he has. His conversation is quite contrary to the Gospel, light and vain. He is haughty, revengeful, headstrong, and unmanageable.' June 15th, I was grieved to hear more and more of W's ingratitude. A lying spirit seems to have taken full possession of him. There is nothing so gross or improbable which he does not say.”—By lies and insinuating arts, he was too successful in prejudicing some of Mr. Wesley's friends against him. "Alas! (observes Dr. Whitehead) how little use do the people make of their understanding! how easily do they suffer their eyes to be blinded, and their hearts to be imbittered by artful men, against those who are honestly labouring to do them good! It is truly wonderful to observe, how soon they give themselves up to believe the most improbable stories which malice can invent, against their best friends; how quickly they drink deep into the spirit of religious persecution, even of those very persons, whom a little before they loved as their own souls. N This was in some some measure the case at present, and I wish it was the only instance among the Methodists, in which the people have suffered themselves to become the dupes of artful and designing men." Mr. Wesley's mind was a good deal affected on this occasion, and he wrote thus to a friend. "Be not weary of well-doing, or overcome of evil. You see, that our calling is to suffer all things. Pray for me, that I also may endure unto the end for a thousand times I cry out, the burden of this people is more than I am able to bear. O my good friend, you do not know them! Such depth of ingratitude I did not think was possible among the devils in hell."" At night I was informed that a friend had entertained the deepest prejudice against me, on supposition that I meant her in a late discourse. Lord, what is man! what is friendship > "June 24th. Our brethren Hodges, Taylor, and Meriton, assisted us at the Sacrament. At one Love Feast we were six ordained Ministers. Monday the 25th, we opened our Conference,* with solemn prayer and the Divine Blessing. I preached with much assistWe continued in Conference the rest of the week, settling our doctrines, practice, and discipline, with great love and unanimity." ance. Mr. Wesley spent the remaining part of this year in travelling, and preaching the Gospel, with great zeal, diligence, and success in many parts of the kingdom, from the Land's End to Newcastle. July 9th, he left London, and arrived in Bristol the next day. On the 13th, he set out for Cornwall, where he had the pleasure of seeing the word of God greatly prosper under his ministry. The joy which the Society expressed, at his arrival in St.Ives, is beyond the power of words to describe: *This was the first Conference. See the Minutes. 2 describe and every where he was received by great numbers of the people, as the messenger of God, for good. Such was the success of the Gospel in Cornwall, this year, that in some places the inhabitants of a whole parish seemed entirely changed in their amusements and morals. Persecution raged in other places with great bitterness; but this did not much obstruct the progress of the work. It quickened the zeal of those who had experienced the power of gospel truth, and united them together in brotherly love: it made them attentive to their conduct, and diligent in the means of grace, lest they should give the enemy, watching for their halting, any cause of triumph. When professors of religion are daily in danger, by persecution, of losing every thing they have in this world, and perhaps their lives too, they more sensibly feel the importance of the good things of another life, and more earnestly endeavour to secure them as their eternal inheritance. Mr. Wesley, as usual, went through evil report and good report, was abused and caressed, by different classes of the people; but being intent on his work he was little affected by either. Having laboured in Cornwall, as a faithful Minister of Christ, near four weeks, during which time he had preached the Gospel in most parts of the county, he left it, and coming to Minehead passed over into Wales, and came safe to Bristol on the 17th of August. August 22d. Mr. Wesley arrived at Oxford, where he met his brother, the Rev. Messrs. Piers and Meriton, and a great company of the brethren. Mr. John Wesley, was to preach before the University, at St. Mary's, on the 24th. My brother bore his testimony before a crowded audience, much increased Never have I seen a more attentive con by the races. He says, 66 gregation they did not suffer a word to slip them. Some of the Heads of Colleges stood up the whole time, and fixed their eyes upon him. If they can endure sound doctrine, like his, he will surely leave a blessing behind him. The Vice Chancellor sent after him, and desired his Notes, which he sealed up and sent immediately."* He now returned to Bristol, and on the 26th of September came up to London. Thomas Williams, had invented so many stories, to injure him in the opinion of the people, and asserted them with so much confidence, that they had made an ill impression on the minds of many of his friends. These calumnies, however, were so directly contrary to Mr. Wesley's habits of life, being always in the company of one friend or other, and almost constantly travelling from place to place, that they were altogether incredible; and nothing but the confidence with which they were asserted, could possibly have made an impression on any member of the Society. Mr. Wesley, conscious of his innocence, and thinking the circumstances of this case so clear, that he wanted no public defence, appointed a day when those who had been troubled with any reports concerning him, or his brother, might meet him. In this conference, one who had been led away by the lies of Thomas Williams, asked pardon of God and of Mr. Wesley. He observes, "O! how easy and delightful it is, to forgive one who says, I repent. Lord grant me power as truly to forgive them, who persist to injure me."-We apprehend, that he has reference here to Williams, and perhaps to a few others, too much prejudiced to come to him. October * See Mr. John Wesley's Works, vol. xxviii. page 233, where the agreement between the two accounts is striking and pleasing. 1 October 10th, he set out for the North, travelling through the Societies to Newcastle, and every where strengthening the brethren, and convincing gainsayers with great success. He laboured sometimes in Newcastle and the neighbouring places; and having sustained great bodily fatigue, and escaped many dangers in travelling through deep snow, at this unfavourable season of the year, he again reached London in safety, on the 29th of December. In 1745, Mr. Wesley confined his labours chiefly to London, Bristol, (including the neighbouring places) and Wales. August 1st, he observes, "We began our conference, with Mr. Hodges, four of our assistants, Herb. Jenkins, and Mr. Gwynne. We continued it five days, and parted in great harmony and love.”—On the 25th, he was in Wales, and Mr. Gwynne sent his servant, to shew him the way to Garth; but having some time before sprained his leg, and having taken too much exercise after the accident, he was unable to go; and at length left Wales, without visiting that agreeable family.-The following is a remarkable instance of his zeal in doing good to the vilest and most wretched of human beings. October 9th, "After preaching at Bath, a woman desired to speak with me. She had been in our Society; but left it through offence, and fell by little and little into the depth of vice and misery. I called Mrs. Naylor to hear her mournful account. She had lived some time in a wicked house, in Avon-street; confessed it was hell to her, to see our people pass by to preaching; but knew not what to do, or how to escape. We bid her fly for her life, and not once look behind her. Mrs. Naylor kept her with herself till morning, and then I carried her with us in the coach to London, and delivered her to the care of our |