11 To His Brother Charles
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- John Wesley, “11 To His Brother Charles”. Wesley Corpus,
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To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, June 28 1755. DEAR BROTHER, Let G. Stonehouse On May 28 Charles Wesley wrote to his wife from 'George Stonehouse's other lodgings' in London and gives their route for the journey towards Bristol. He expects to 'rest my beast' at Dornford, where Stonehouse lived. See Jackson's Charles Wesley, ii. 80-1, 87. write and welcome. When we are both together, I trust we may read safely. Go to Ireland if you think so, and save Ireland. Wherever I have been in England, the Societies are far more firmly and rationally attached to the Church than ever they were before. I have no fear about this matter. I only fear the preachers' or the people's leaving not the Church but the love of God and inward or outward holiness. To this I press them forward continually. I dare not in conscience spend my time and strength on externals. If (as my lady Charles Wesley had stayed at Donnington Park after the Leeds Conference, and was expecting to meet Lady Huntingdon at Clifton in July. says) all outward establishments are Babel, so is this Establishment. Let it stand for me. I nether set it up nor pulled it down. But let you and I build up the City of God. I have often desired our preachers to bury a corpse at Wapping. I mean to give an exhortation, closed with a prayer. I do not know that this is any breach of the sacerdotal office. None of our Societies have received James Wheatley yet. I suppose none will. Yet we may give a caution wherever we write. T. Walsh See Tyerman's Wesley, ii. 200; and letter of June 20. (I will declare it on the housetop) has given me a the satisfaction I desire, and all that an honest man could give. I love, admire, and honor him, and wish we had six preaches in all England of his spirit.
But enough of this. Let us draw the saw no longer, but use all our talents to promote the mind that was in Christ. 'Not yet' is rotary out of the question. We have not one preacher who either proposed or desires or designs (that I know) to separate from the Church 'at all.' Their principles (in the single point of ordination) I do not approve. But I pray for more and more of their spirit (in general) and their practice. I have talked with Mr. Graves, Charles Caspar Graves one of Charles Wesley's clerical friends, whom he describes in 1739 as 'thoroughly awakened.' See Journal, iii. 40-2; C. Wesley's Journal, i. 160, 422. and shall do again. Driving me may make me fluctuate; though I do not yet. 'When the preachers in Ireland set up for themselves, must you not disown them' I answer 'When.' I thought you said my sister expected to lie in in May; now it is the end of June. Martha Maria, their second child, was born on June 23, but lived only a month and two days. If you can go to Cornwall in the end of July, it is soon enough. I wish you-would see each of the country Societies; and why not New Kingswood too Adieu. Note at back: 'Robert Windsor. Given to Chas. He set out for Norwich on Monday.'