1772

To Joseph Benson

LONDON, December 11, 1772.

DEAR JOSEPH, -- Mr. Hill, however, leaves me a little time to take breath, and I have some hope will not renew the combat. But I doubt he is too warm to be convinced. He ‘ sets his judgement by his passion.' [Richard Hill published The Finishing Stroke, an angry attack on Fletcher, early in January 1773.]

It is a shame for any Methodist preacher to confine himself to one place. We are debtors to all the world. We are called to warn every one to exhort every one, if by any means we may save some.

I love prayer-meetings, and wish they were set up in every corner of the town. But I doubt whether it would be well to drop any of the times of preaching. Three-and-thirty years they have had at least as much preaching at Bristol as at Newcastle. [Benson was now stationed at Newcastle.] And the congregations are far larger than they were ten or twenty years ago. But I should not object to the transferring Wednesday night’s preaching to eight on Sunday morning. --I am, dear Joseph,

Your affectionate brother.

To his Brother Charles [2]

SHOREHAM, December 15, 1772.

DEARBROTHER,--I have scarce had a day yet in London, except Sundays and the time of visiting the classes. Dr. Ford has never come near me, nor hardly near Billy Ley. I am afraid evasit, erupit [Cicero’s In Catilinam, ii. II: ‘ He is vanished, he is escaped ‘ (Cicero on Catiline)]. I have wrote to Mr. Fletcher to-day. As Mr. Hill is to fall upon me next, Mr. Fletcher will have a little time to breathe, and probably a little more while Mr. Hill is digesting my reply; for whom I think we shall between us find work for some time.

Why, you will not set shoulder to shoulder, or you could say something about the Church; but two are better than one. If we live till August, stand by me, and we will put the matter home [See letter of May 30, 1773].

I believe we can depend on the Captain [Webb. See letter of Nov.] concerning America. He has been long enough with you: send him to us.

I often cry out, Vitae me redde priori! [Horace’s epistles, I. Vii. 95: ‘Give me back my former life.’]. Let me be again an Oxford Methodist! I am often in doubt whether it would not be best for me to resume all my Oxford rules, great and small. I did then walk closely with God and redeem the time. But what have I been doing these thirty years

My love to all. Adieu!

To Thomas Wride

SHOREHAM, December 16, 1772.

DEAR TOMMY,--I am afraid there is truth in what you say, that poor John Murray [Murray was appointed to Waterford in 1773, and ‘ desisted from traveling’ in 1774. See letter of Nov. 5.] has not the work of God at heart, and that he will leave us as soon as he can conveniently.

Two things, however, I desire in the meantime: one, that he will miss no congregation, at the peril of his life; the other, that he will preach no more at Terryhoogan [In the parish of Ballymore, where Wesley had some powerful services. See Crookshank’s Methodism in Ireland, i. 143, 248]. On a Sunday morning.—I am, dear Tommy,

Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Barton

HERTFORD, December 18, 1772.

MY DEAR SISTER,--It is a little thing to trust God as far as we can see Him, so far as the way lies open before us. But to trust in Him when we are hedged in on every side and can see no way to escape, this is good and acceptable with God. This is the faith of Abraham our father; and, by the grace of God, this is your faith!--I am

Your affectionate brother.

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[2] Charles Wesley met Dr. Ford in London in May 1760, ‘ who confirmed the others’ advice, of Bath; and went from me to press the same upon Lady Huntington. She’ (Mrs. Dewal, of Lewisham, ‘just lifted up from the gates of death ‘) ‘must go to Bath soon or to Paradise.’ He ‘dined at Mr. Duplex's with Brother Ley, &c.,’ on September 8, 1766; and on August 25 wrote to his wife: ‘Mr. Ley has missed of Mr. Chapman’s curacy. Try all your interest to get him another, considering a good curacy will draw after it a good wife.’ William Ley had been a preacher in Ireland in 1759, and had a stormy time at Carrick-upon-Shannon, where he went with Wesley on June 10, 1760. See Journal, iv. 392; C. Wesley's Journal, ii. 241, 249, 263; and for Walter Chapman, of Bath, the heading to letter of March 29, 1737.

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