Editor's Introductory Notes: 1759

[1] This letter and Mr. Blackwell's reply show how Mrs. Wesley troubled her husband by her interference with his correspondence. Blackwell's feeling towards her comes out in his answer, and shows how wisely he bore himself in difficult circumstances. See letters of Dec. 23, 1758, and April 9, 1759.

[2] Blackwell's reply deserves to be given in full.

[3] William Alwood was one of the preachers in York, and a trustee of the site purchased there for a preaching-place on February 27, 1759. Wesley set out from Epworth for Selby on April 18. Near the town the recent flood had carried away the bank and left a great hole. Wesley says: 'We made shift to lead our horses over a narrow path where the water was fordable.' The congregation at Selby was such that he had to preach in the garden, though the north wind was exceeding high. He preached at York at seven that evening, and at six on the following night in the shell of the new house in Peaseholme Green, for which he had started a subscription list in July 1757. See Journal, iv. 224, 309; and letter of March 29. Dr. Cockburn was an old schoolfellow of Charles Wesley, who went with him from Hunslet to York on September 28, 1756. At York 'the doctor's house was open to all, and his heart also; his whole desire being to spread the gospel.' He gave £100 towards the new building. See Journal, iv. 156; C. Wesley's Journal, ii. 116-21, 197; Lyth's Methodism in York, pp. 83-90.

[4] Matthew Lowes became one of Wesley's preachers in 1757, and laboured with much success till 1771, when failing health compelled him to settle in Newcastle. He died there on February 8, 1795. Some of his last words were, 'All my dependence for present and eternal salvation is upon the blood and merits of Jesus Christ.' The Minutes of 1795 says: 'He was remarkable for humility, meekness, and seriousness.' See Atmore's Memorial, p. 244; and letter of September 8, 1761, to him.

[5] Peter Kruse, of Chelsea, sent copies of this letter and two others to the Wesleyan Methodist Magazine for 1857 (pp. 690-3): 'The letters now enclosed were given to me some months ago by a lady residing in this vicinity.' This letter appears in the Life of the Countess of Huntingdon. The Countess, who was then at Bath, had gone to Bristol on January 4 to meet Wesley. He accompanied her to Bath, and, after preaching to several of the nobility at her house, returned to London. In February Lady Huntingdon came to London, and on the 16th, the day of the Public Fast, heard Wesley preach at the Foundery at half-past eight at night to an overflowing multitude on 'Seek ye the Lord while He may be found.' Lady Huntingdon arranged intercession-meetings at her house, and Wesley took part in that on the 23rd The following Tuesday he breakfasted there with his brother and Thomas Maxfield. After the breakfast Whitefield, Madan, Romaine, Jones, Downing, and Venn, with some persons of quality and a few others, came in. Wesley administered the sacrament and preached from I Corinthians xiii. 13. On Wednesday he was there at the prayer-meeting. See Journal, iv. 299-301; Life and Times of the Countess of Huntingdon, i. 396-8.