{"id":"jw/letters/1739/21-to-james-hutton","corpus":"jw-letters","type":"letter","author":"john-wesley","title":"21 To James Hutton","title_alt":[],"text_basis":null,"date_composed":null,"date_precision":"unknown","date_note":null,"numbering":{"bicentennial":null,"jackson_running":null,"sugden":null},"source_edition":{"editor":null,"title":null,"edition":null,"place":null,"publisher":null,"year":null,"volume":null,"pages":null,"scan_url":null,"scan_page_ids":null},"transcription":{"derived_from":null,"corrected_against_scan":false,"corrector":null,"corrected_on":null},"modernization":"none","license_text":"Public Domain Mark 1.0","license_apparatus":"CC BY 4.0","wikidata":null,"prev":null,"next":null,"part_of":"jw-letters","editorial_note":null,"source_id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton","passage_ids":["jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-000","jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-001","jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-002","jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-003"],"word_count":1083,"themes_auto":["assurance","christology","experience","free-will","justifying-grace","means-of-grace","reign-of-god","scriptural-authority","social-holiness","trinity"],"open":true,"closed_reason":null,"legacy_ids":["jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-000","jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-001","jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-002","jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-003"],"passages":[{"id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-000","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton","source_title":"21 To James Hutton","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":0,"text":"To James Hutton Date: BRISTOL, June 7, 1739. MY DEAR BRETHERN, After I came from preaching at Weavers, Hall on Monday, many came to advise me in great sincerity 'not to go to the Brickyard in the afternoon, because of some terrible things that were to be done there if I did.' This report brought many thither of what they call the better sort, so that it added a thousand at least to the usual audience; on whom I enforced (as not my choice, but the providence of God directed me) those words of Isaiah, ' Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.' My nose began bleeding in the midst of the sermon, For his nose-bleeding at Oxford, see letter of Sept. 23, 1723, to his mother. but presently stopped, so that I went on without interruption; and the power of God fell on all, so that the scoffers stood looking one on another, but none opened his mouth.","word_count":189,"source_url":null,"themes":["free-will","reign-of-god","trinity"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T18:41:12.201927"},{"id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-001","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton","source_title":"21 To James Hutton","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":1,"text":"All Bath on Tuesday was big with expectation of what a great man was to do to me there; and I was much entreated not to preach, 'because no one knew what might happen.' By this report also I gained (I believe) a thousand new hearers of the rich and great of this world. I told them plainly 'the scripture had concluded them all under sin,' high and low, rich and poor, one with another. They appeared not a little surprised and sinking apace into seriousness, when their champion appeared, and, having forced his way through the people, asked 'by what authority I did these things.' I answered, 'By the authority of Jesus my Master, conveyed to me by the (now) Archbishop of Canterbury.' He said 'it was contrary to the Act of Parliament; there was an Act of Parliament against conventicles.' I replied, 'The conventicles there mentioned were seditious meetings. But there was no such here.' He said, 'Yes, it was; for I frighted people out of their wits.' I asked if he had ever heard me preach. If not, how he could judge of what he never heard He said, 'By common report, for he knew my character.' I then asked, 'Pray, sir, are you a justice of peace or the mayor of this city' Answer: 'No, I am not.' 'Why then, sir, pray by what authority do you ask me these things' Here he paused a little, and I went on: 'Give me leave, sir, to ask, Is not your name Nash' Answer: 'Sir, my name is Nash.' 'Why then, sir, I trust common report is no good evidence of truth.' Here the laugh turned full against him, so that he looked about and could scarce recover. Then a bystander said, 'Sir, let an old woman answer him.' Then, turning to Mr. Nash, she said, 'Sir, if you ask what we come here for, we come for the food of our souls. You care for your body: we care for our souls.' He replied not one word, but turned and walked away.","word_count":345,"source_url":null,"themes":["scriptural-authority","means-of-grace","social-holiness"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T18:41:12.202024"},{"id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-002","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton","source_title":"21 To James Hutton","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":2,"text":"We immediately began praying for him, and then for all the despisers. As we returned, they hollowed and hissed us along the streets; but when any of them asked, 'Which is he' and I answered, 'I am he,' they were immediately silent. Ten or twelve fine ladies followed me into the passage of Richard Merchant's See letter of May 14. house. I turned back to them, and told them I supposed what they wanted was to look at me, which they were very welcome to do. Perceiving them then to be more serious, I added: 'I do not expect the rich of this world to hear me; for I speak plain truth a thing you know little of, and do not desire to know.' A few words more passed between us, and, I hope, not in vain. Wednesday, 6th, two men and one woman were baptized. Diary: '10.45 Newgate, three christened; ... 9.45 p.m. with Mrs. Cooper, she spoke; 11 at Mr. Labbe's! 11 supper; 12' (Journal, ii. 213). About two thousand five hundred were at Baptist Mills, to whom I explained the 9th of St. John. In the evening, after our meeting in Baldwin Street, I went (in obedience to God's command by lot) to the house of Mrs. Cooper, the supposed prophetess. Her agitations were nothing near so violent as those of Mary Piewit are. See Journal, ii. 136n. She prayed awhile (as under the hand of God), and then spoke to me for above half an hour. What spirit she spoke by I know not. The words were good. Some of them were these: 'Thou art yet in darkness. But yet a little while and I will rend the veil, and thou shalt see the King in His beauty.' I felt no power while she spoke. Appearances are against her; but I judge nothing before the time.","word_count":310,"source_url":null,"themes":["assurance","experience","reign-of-god"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T18:41:12.202126"},{"id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton-003","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1739-21-to-james-hutton","source_title":"21 To James Hutton","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":3,"text":"On Thursday, after exhorting the little Society at Pensford (who stand as a rock, continually battered, but not shaken), I went to Priestdown, where we had a larger company than before. I preached on 'What must I do to be saved' It rained hard; but none went away, except one young woman, who came again in a few minutes. In the midst of the prayer two men (who came for that purpose) began singing a ballad. After a few mild words (for I saw none that were angry), we began singing a psalm, which utterly put them to silence. We then prayed for them, and they were quite confounded. I offered them books, but they could not read. I trust this will be a day much to be remembered by them for the loving-kindness of the Lord. My brethren, be meek and lowly; be wise, but not prudent. Stir up the gift that is in you by keeping close together. Love one another, and be ye thankful. You are much on the heart as well as in the prayers of Your affectionate brother in Christ. Jemmy Hutton, if I have not fifty more Hymns next Friday, I will not thank you. Where are the twelve Haliburton's and the Nelson's Sermons, which Mr. Seward writes me word he ordered you to send me, with twenty Hymns on his account O Jemmy, Jemmy! See letter of May 8. June 10, 1739.","word_count":239,"source_url":null,"themes":["christology","social-holiness","justifying-grace"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T18:41:12.202189"}]}