tions of a new life, they came every day to his assistance, and partook in the conflict and suspense of those who should now be found able, or not able, to lay hold on salvation. In order to release those who were confined for small debts, and to purchase books and other necessaries, they raised a little fund, to which many of their acquaintance contributed quarterly. They had prayers at the Castle most Wednesdays and Fridays, a sermon on Sunday,

and the sacrament once a month.

This letter is honorable to Mr. Gambold's friend ship; but he was not himself, at that time, of mature spiritual discernment, nor had Mr. Wesley opened the state of his heart to him with the freedom which we have seen in his letters to his mother. The external picture of the man is exact; but he was not inwardly that perfect Christian which Mr. Gambold describes, nor had he that abiding "interior peace." He was struggling with inward corruptions, which made him still cry, "O wretched man that I am, "When they undertook any poor family, they who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" saw them at least once a-week; sometimes gave And he as yet put mortification, retirement, and conthem money, admonished them of their vices, read tempt of the world, too much in the place of tha dito them and examined their children. The school vine atonement, the virtue of which, when received was, I think, of Mr. Wesley's own setting up; by simple faith, at once removes the sense of guilt, however, he paid the mistress, and clothed some, if cheers the spirit by a peaceful sense of acceptance not all the children. When they went thither, through the merits of Christ, and renews the whole they inquired how each child behaved, saw their heart after the image of God. He was indeed atwork, heard them read and say their prayers, or cate-tempting to work out "his own salvation with fear chism, and explained part of it. In the same man- and trembling;" but not as knowing that "it is God ner they taught the children in the workhouse, and that worketh in us to will and to do of his good plearead to the old people as they did to the prisoners. sure." He had not, in this respect, learned "to be "They seldom took any notice of the accusations nothing," that he might " possess all things." brought against them for their charitable employments; but if they did make any reply, it was commonly such a plain and simple one, as if there was nothing more in the case, but that they had just heard such doctrines of their Saviour, and had believed, and done accordingly.

CHAPTER III.

MR. WESLEY now prepared for Georgia, the place where, as he afterwards said, "God humbled me, and proved me, and showed me what was in my heart." But he was not suffered to depart without remonstrances from friends, which he answered calmly and at length, and the scoffs of the profane, to which he made but brief reply. "What is this, Sir?" said one of the latter class to him; are you turned Quixote, too? Will nothing serve you, but to encounter windmills?" To which he replied, "Sir, if the Bible be not true, I am as very a fool and madman as you can conceive; but if it be of God, I am sober-minded."

"I could say a great deal of his private piety, how it was nourished by a continual recourse to God, and preserved by a strict watchfulness in beating down pride, and reducing the craftiness and impetuosity of nature to a childlike simplicity, and a good degree crowned with divine love, and victory over the whole set of earthly passions. He thought prayer to be more his business than any thing else; and I have seen him come out of his closet with a serenity of countenance that was next to shining; it discovered what he had been doing, Mr. Charles Wesley, although in opposition to the and gave me double hope of receiving wise direc-opinion of his brother Samuel, agreed to accompany tions, in the matter about which I came to consult him. In all his motions he attended to the will of God. He had neither the presumption nor the leisure to anticipate things whose season was not now; and would show some uneasiness whenever any of us, by impertinent speculations, were shifting off the appointed improvement of the present minute.

Because he required such a regulation of our studies as might devote them all to God, he has been accused as one that discouraged learning. Far from that; for the first thing he struck at, in young men, was that indolence which will not submit to close thinking. He earnestly recommended to them a method and order in all their actions.

"If any one could have provoked him, I should; for I was very slow in coming into their measures, and very remiss in doing my part. I frequently contradicted his assertions; or, which is much the same, distinguished upon them. I hardly ever submitted to his advice at the time he gave it, though I relented afterwards. He is now gone to Georgia as a missionary, where there is ignorance that aspires after divine wisdom, but no false learning that is got above it. He is, I confess, still living; and I know that an advantageous character is more decently bestowed on the deceased. But, besides that his condition is very like that of the dead, being unconcerned in all we say, I am not making any attempt on the opinion of the public, but only studying a private edification. A family picture of him his relations may be allowed to keep by them. And this is the idea of Mr. Wesley, which I cherish for the service of my own soul, and which I take the liberty likewise to deposit with you."*

Whitehead's Life.

him to Georgia, and received holy orders. They were accompanied by Mr. Ingham, of Queen's college, and Mr. Delamotte. That Mr. Wesley considered the sacrifices and hardships of their mission in the light of means of religious edification to themselves, as well as the means of doing good to others, is plain from his own account: "Our end in leaving our native country was not to avoid want; God had given us plenty of temporal blessings; nor to gain the dung and dross of riches and honor; but singly this, to save our souls, to live wholly to the glory of God." These observations are sufficiently indicative of that dependance upon a mortified course of life, and that seclusion from the temptations of the world, which he then thought essential to religious safety.

Georgia is now a flourishing state, and the number of Methodist societies in it very considerable: a result not then certainly contemplated by the Wesleys, who labored there with little success, and quitted it almost in despair. The first settlers from England embarked in 1732, with Mr. James Oglethorpe at their head, who was also one of the trustees under the charter. This gentleman founded Savannah, and concluded a treaty with the Creek Indians. Wars with both Spaniards and Indians, however, subsequently arose, as well as domestic feuds; and in 1752 the trustees surrendered their charter to the king, and it was made a royal government. It was, therefore, in the infancy of the colony that the Wesleys commenced their labors.

That they should experience trouble, vexation, and disappointment, was the natural result both of the circumstances in which they were placed, and their own religious habits and views. A small colony, and especially in its infancy, is usually a focus

formal and defective religion may lull to temporary
sleep, but cannot eradicate the fear of death."
They landed on the 6th of February, 1736, on a
small uninhabited island; from whence Mr. Ogle-
thorpe proceeded to Savannah, and returned the
next day, bringing with him Mr. Spangenberg, one
of the Moravian pastors, already settled there.
"I soon found," says Mr. Wesley, "what spirit
he was of; and asked his advice with regard to my
own conduct. He said, 'My brother, I must first
ask you one or two questions. Have you the wit-
bear witness with your spirit, that you are the child
of God?' I was surprised, and knew not what to
answer. He observed it, and asked, 'Do you know
Jesus Christ?' I paused and said, I know he is the
Saviour of the world. True,' replied he; 'but do
you know he has saved you?' I answered, I hope
he has died to save me. He only added, 'Do you
know yourself?' I said I do. But I fear they were
vain words." *

of faction, discontent, and censoriousness. The colonists are often disappointed, uneasy in their circumstances, frustrated in their hopes, and impatient of authority. This was the case in Georgia: and although Mr. Oglethorpe upon the whole was a worthy governor, he was subject to prejudices, and prone to be misled by designing men. He certainly did not support the Wesleys with that steadiness and uniformity which were due to them; and on the other hand they were not faultless, although their intentions were entirely upright. They had high notions of clerical authority; and their pas-ness within yourself? Does the Spirit of God toral faithfulness was probably rigid and repulsive; for in spite of the excellence of their own natural temper, an austere cast had been given to their piety. They stood firmly on little things, as well as great; and held the reins of ecclesiastical discipline with a tightness unsuitable to infant colonists especially, and which tended to provoke resistance. Their integrity of heart, and the purity of their intentions, came forth without a stain: they must also be allowed to have proceeded according to the best Mr. Charles Wesley took charge of Frederica, light they had; but they knew not yet "the love of and Mr. John, of Savannah, where, the house not Christ," nor how to sway men's hearts by that all-being ready, he took up his residence with the Gercommanding and controlling motive; and they mans, with whose spirit and conduct he became aimed at making men Christians, in the manner still more favorably impressed, and whose mode of they sought that great attainment themselves-by proceeding in the election and ordination of a a rigid and ascetic discipline. bishop carried him back, he says, to those primitive times" where form and state were not; but Paul the tent-maker, and Peter the fisherman, presided; yet with demonstration of the Spirit, and power."

On their passage, an exact plan for the employment of time was arranged, and observed; but the voyage is most remarkable for bringing Mr. Wesley acquainted with the members of the Moravian church; for, among the settlers taken out, were twenty-six Germans of this communion." Mr. Wesley immediately began to learn German, in order to converse with them; and David Nitchman, the Moravian bishop, and two others, received lessons in English. On the passage they had several storms, in which Mr. Wesley felt that the fear of death had not been taken away from him, and concluded therefore that he was not fit to die; on the contrary, he greatly admired the absence of all slavish dread in the Germans. He says, "I had long before observed the great seriousness of their behavior. Of their humility they had given a continual proof, by performing those servile offices for the other passengers which none of the English would undertake; for which they desired and would receive no pay; saying, it was 'good for their proud hearts, and their loving Saviour had done more for them.' And every day had given them occasion of showing a meekness, which no injury could move. If they were pushed, struck, or thrown down, they rose again and went away; but no complaint was found in their mouth. There was now an opportunity of trying whether they were delivered from the spirit of fear, as well as from that of pride, anger, and revenge. In the midst of the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the main-sail in pieces, covered the ship, | and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible Of the two places, Savannah appears to have screaming began among the English. The Ger- been more hopeful than Frederica; and as Mr. mans calmly sung on. I asked one of them after- John Wesley did not find the door open for preachwards, Was you not afraid?' He answered, 'I ing to the Indians, he consulted with his compathank God, No.' I asked, 'But were not your wo- nions, in what manner they might be most useful to men and children afraid?' He replied mildly, 'No; the flock at Savannah. It was agreed, 1. To adour women and children are not afraid to die.""tvise the more serious among them, to form themThus he had the first glimpse of a religious ex-selves into a little society, and to meet once or twice perience which keeps the mind at peace in all cir- a-week, in order to reprove, instruct, and exhort cumstances, and vanquishes that feeling which a

Mr. Wesley had not been long at Savannah before he heard from Charles of his troubles and opposition at Frederica. His presence among the licentious colonists, and the frequent reproofs he administered, made him an object of great hatred, and "plots were formed either to ruin him in the opinion of Oglethorpe, or to take him off by violence."+ Oglethorpe was for a time successfully. practiced upon, treated him with coldness, and left him to endure the greatest privations. He lay upon the ground in the corner of a hut, and was denied the luxury of a few boards for a bed. He was out of favor with the governor; even the servants on that account insulted him; and, worn out with vexation and hardships, he fell into a dangerous fever. In this state he was visited by his brother John, who prevailed upon him to break a resolution which "honor and indignation" had induced him to form, of "starving rather than ask for necessaries." Soon after this Mr. Oglethorpe discovered the plots of which he had been the victim, and was fully reconciled to him. He then took charge of Savannah, whilst John supplied his place at Frederica; and in July, 1736, he was sent to England, charged with despatches from Mr. Oglethorpe to the trustees and the board of trade, and in December, arrived at Deal; thus terminating a service in which he had preached with great fidelity and zeal; but had met with very unworthy returns.

one another. 2. To select out of these a smaller number for a more intimate union with each other; which might be forwarded partly by their conversing singly with each, and inviting them all to Mr. Wesley's house: and this accordingly they deter

mined to do every Sunday in the afternoon. "Here," | ally to her mortification, and perhaps pain. An says Dr. Whitehead, "we see the first rudiments of the future economy of classes and bands." *

In this respect he probably learned something from the Moravians, and the whole plan fell in with his previous views of discipline and method. The character of his mind was eminently practical; he was in earnest, and he valued things just as they appeared to be adapted to promote the edification and salvation of those committed to his charge. A school was also established; and the children regularly catechised by Mr. Wesley, both in private and in the church. Evening meetings for the more serious were also held at his house: so actively did he apply himself not only to the public services of the sanctuary, but to every kind of engagement by which he might make "full proof of his ministry." The religious state of his own mind, however, remained much the same. He saw another striking instance of the power of faith, in the peaceful and edifying death of one of the Moravians; and had another proof that he himself was not saved from "the fear which hath torment," in a severe storm of thunder and lightning. Both indicated to him that he had not attained the state of "the sons of God;" but his views were still perplexed and obscure. From a conversation which he had with some Indians who had visited Savannah, he concluded that the way was opened for him to preach among the Choctaws, and this he was desirous of attempting; but as Savannah would have been left without a minister, the governor objected; and his friends were also of opinion, that he could not then be spared from the colony.

entry in his journal shows that he had a considerable struggle with his own feelings and that his sense of duty had exacted a great sacrifice from his heart. The lady soon afterwards married a Mr. Williamson; but a hostile feeling towards him had been left in the minds of her friends, which the gossiping and censorious habits of a small colony would not fail to keep alive. Though Mr. Wesley did not certainly see her married to another with perfect philosophy, it was not in his generous nature to allow his former affection to turn into resentment, which was the fault subsequently charged upon him; and as he soon saw many things in her to reprove, it is probable that he thought his escape a fortunate one. Perhaps, considering the singu larity of his habits at that time, it was well for the lady also; which seems, indeed, jocosely intimated in a passage of a letter of his brother Samuel to him on the occasion-"I am sorry you are disappointed in one match, because you are unlikely to find another."

An opportunity for the manifestation of the secret prejudice which had been nourished by the friends of the niece of Mrs. Causton was afforded in about five months after her marriage. Mr. Wesley adhered to the rubric of the church of England as to the administration of the sacrament, without respect to persons, and with a rigidness which was not at all common. He repelled those whom he thought unworthy; and when any one had neglected the ordinance, he required him to signify his name the day before he intended to communicate again. Sometime after Mrs. Williamson's In his visits to Frederica he met with great op- marriage, he discovered several things which he position and much illiberal abuse; in Savannah he thought blameable in her conduct. These, as she was, however, rapidly gaining influence, when a continued to communicate, he mentioned to her, circumstance occurred which issued in his depar- and she in return became angry. For reasons ture from Georgia altogether. He had formed an therefore, which he stated to her in a letter, he reattachment to an accomplished young lady, a Misspelled her from the communion. This letter was Hopkey, niece to the wife of Mr. Causton, the written by desire of Mr. Causton, who wished to chief magistrate of Savannah, which she appears have his reasons for repelling his niece, in writing: to have returned, or at least encouraged. The biographers of Mr. Wesley, Dr. Whitehead and Mr. Moore, differ as to the fact, whether this connection was broken off by him, or by the lady herself in consequence of his delays. The latter professes to have received the whole account from Mr. Wesley, and must therefore be presumed to be the best authority. From his statement it appears that Mr. Delamotte suspected the sincerity of the lady's pretensions to piety, and thought his friend Mr. Wesley, whose confiding and unsuspecting heart prevented him at all times from being a severe judge of others, was likely to be the victim of artifices which he had not the skill or the inclination to discern. His remonstrances led Mr. Wesley to refer the question of his marriage with Miss Hopkey to the judgment of the elders of the Moravian church, which he thought he was at liberty to do, since the acquaintance, though it had ripened into regard and thoughts of marriage, had not, it seems, proceeded to any thing determinate. The Moravians advised him to proceed no further; and his conduct towards Miss Hopkey became cautious and distant, very natur

"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 neighbor by word or deed, so that the congregation be thereby offended, the curate shall advertise him, that in anywise 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."*

The storm now broke forth upon him. A warrant was issued, and he was brought before the recorder and magistrates, on the charge of Mr. Williamson, 1. That he had defamed his wife. 2. That he had causelessly repelled her from the holy communion. Mr. Wesley denied the first charge; and the second being wholly ecclesiastical, he would not acknowledge the authority of the magistrate to decide upon it. He was however told that he must appear before the next court, holden at Savannah.

*There was however nothing new in this. Mr. Wesley had doubtless heard, in his visits to London, of the religious societies described by Dr. Woodward, which were encouraged by the more serious clergy, and held The Causton family became now most active in weekly private meetings for religious edification. It is their efforts to injure him. By them, the reason probable that he had even attended such meetings in why Mr. Wesley had repelled Mrs. Williamson the metropolis. Wherever indeed a revival of serious from the Lord's table was stated to be his resentreligion has taken place, and ministers have been in ment against her for having refused to marry him; earnest to promote it, we see similar means adopted, as which they knew to be contrary to the fact. Garby Baxter at Kidderminster, during his eminently suc-bled extracts of his letters were read by Causton to cessful ministry there.

+ Incorrectly called Miss Causton by Mr. Wesley's biographers.

• Journal.

Georgia itself, who rightly estimated the character and the labors of a man who held five or six public services on a Lord's day, in English, Italian, and French, for the benefit of a mixed population;-who spent his whole time in works of piety and mercy, and who distributed his income so profusely in charity, that for many months together, he had not "one shilling in the house." His health, whilst in America continued good; and it is in proof of the natural vigor of his constitution, that he exposed himself to every change of season, frequently slept on the ground, under the dews of the night in summer, and in winter with his hair and clothes frozen to the earth. He arrived in London, Feb-power and love, as well as from the guilt, of sin. ruary 3d, 1738, and notwithstanding his many exercises, reviewed the result of his American labors with some satisfaction:-"Many reasons I have to bless God for my having been carried into that strange land contrary to all my preceding resolutions. Hereby I trust he hath in some measure 'humbled me, and proved me, and shown me what was in my heart.' Hereby I have been taught to 'beware of men.' Hereby God has given me to know many of his servants, particularly those of the church of Hernhuth. Hereby my passage is open to the writings of holy men, in the German, Spanish, and Italian tongues. All in Georgia have heard the word of God; some have believed, and began to run well. A few steps have been taken towards publishing the glad tidings both to the African and American heathens. Many children have learned 'how they ought to serve God,' and to be useful to their neighbor. And those whom it most concerns have an opportunity of knowing the state of their infant colony, and laying a firmer foundation of peace and happiness to many generations.”

of conscience.-But he goes on with this interesting history of his heart.

"I was early warned against laying too much stress on outward works, as the Papists do, or on a faith without works, which, as it does not include, so it will never lead to, true hope or charity."* Here he manifestly confounds the faith by which a man is justified, which certainly does not "include" in itself the moral effects of which he speaks, with the faith of a man who is in a justified state, which necessarily produces them because of that vital union into which it brings him with Christ, his Saviour, by whom he is saved from the

"I fell among some Lutheran and Calvinist authors, whose confused and indigested accounts magnified faith to such an amazing size, that it quite hid all the rest of the commandments."+

CHAPTER IV.

THE solemn review which Mr. Wesley made of the state of his religious experience, both on his voyage home, and soon after his landing in England, deserves to be particularly noticed, both for general instruction, and because it stands in immediate connection with a point which has especially perplexed those who have attributed his charges against himself, as to the deficiency of his Christianity at this period, to a strange and fanatical fancy. By the most infallible of proofs, he tells us that of his feelings-he was convinced of his having no such faith in Christ" as prevented his heart from being troubled; and he earnestly prays to be "saved by such a faith as implies peace in life and death." "I went to America to convert the Indians; but O, who shall convert me! Who is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of unbelief? I have a fair summer religion; I can talk well, nay, and believe myself, while no danger is present; but let death look me in the face, and my spirit is troubled, nor can I say, 'To die is gain.'

66

'I have a sin of fear, that when I've spun My last thread, I shall perish on the shore."" He thought, therefore, that a faith was attainable, which should deliver him entirely from guilty dread, and fill him with peace; but of this faith itself, his notions were still confused. He manifestly regarded it generally, as a principle of belief in the gospel, which, by quickening his efforts to self-mortification and entire obedience, would raise him, through a renewed state of heart, into acceptance and peace with God. This error is common. It regards faith, not so much as the personal trust of a guilty and helpless sinner upon Christ for salvation and all the gifts of spiritual life, but as working out sanctifying effects in the heart and life, partly by natural, partly by supernatural process, and thus producing peace

This is perhaps a proof that he did not understand these writers, any more than he did the Moravians in Georgia, who failed to enlighten him on the subject of faith, although he saw that they in fact possessed a "peace through believing," which he had not, and yet painfully felt to be necessary. The writers he mentions, probably represented faith only as necessary to justification; whilst he conceived them to teach, that faith only is necessary to final salvation.

The English writers, such as bishop Beveridge, bishop Taylor, and Mr. Nelson, a little relieved me from these well-meaning, wrong-headed Germans. Their accounts of Christianity I could easily see to be, in the main, consistent both with reason and Scripture."+

Beveridge would have met his case more fully than either Taylor or Nelson, had he been in a state of mind to comprehend him; and still better would he have been instructed by studying, with as much care as he examined Taylor and Law, the Homilies of his own church, and the works of her older

divines.

The writings of the fathers then promised to give him further satisfaction; but to them he at length took various exceptions. He finally resorted to the Mystic writers, "whose noble descriptions of union with God, and internal religion, made every thing else appear mean, flat, and insipid. But in truth they made good works to appear so too, yea, and faith itself, and what not? These gave me an entire new view of religion, nothing like any I had before. But, alas! it was nothing like that religion which Christ and his apostles lived and taught. I had a plenary dispensation from all the commands of God; the form ran thus, 'Love is all; all the commands beside are only means of love; you must choose those which you feel are means to you, and use them as long as they are so. Thus were all the bands burst at once. And though I could never fully come into this, nor contentedly omit what God enjoined, yet, I know not how, I fluctuated between obedience and disobedience. I had no heart, no vigor, no zeal in obeying, continually doubting whether I was right or wrong, and never out of perplexities and entanglements. Nor can I at this hour give a distinct account how or when I came a little back toward the right way; only my present sense is this:-all the other enemies of Christianity are triflers; the Mystics are the most dangerous of its enemies. They stab it in the vitals; and its most serious professors are most likely to fall by them. May I praise Him who hath snatched me out of this fire likewise, by warning all others that it is set on fire of hell."s

He was, however, delivered from the errors of the Mystics, only to be brought back to the point