{"id":"jw/letters/1757/15-to-samuel-walker","corpus":"jw-letters","type":"letter","author":"john-wesley","title":"15 To Samuel Walker","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-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","passage_ids":["jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-000","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-001","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-002","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-003","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-004","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-005","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-006","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-007","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-008"],"word_count":2782,"themes_auto":["assurance","catholic-spirit","christology","experience","free-will","justifying-grace","pneumatology","reign-of-god","scriptural-authority","trinity","universal-redemption","works-mercy"],"open":true,"closed_reason":null,"legacy_ids":["jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-000","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-001","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-002","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-003","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-004","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-005","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-006","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-007","jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-008"],"passages":[{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-000","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":0,"text":"To Samuel Walker Date: PENRYN, September 19, 1757. REVEEREND AND DEAR SIR, Nothing can be more kind than the mentioning to me whatever you think is amiss in my conduct; and the more freedom you use in doing this, the more I am indebted to you. I am thoroughly convinced that you 'wish me well,' and that it is this, together with a 'concern for the common interests of religion,' which obliges you to speak with more plainness than otherwise you would. The same motives induce me to lay aside aH reserve and tell you the naked sentiments of my heart. Two years since, eleven or twelve persons of Falmouth were members of our Society. Last year I was informed that a young man them had begun to teach them new opinions, and that soon after offence and prejudice crept in and increased till they were all torn asunder. What they have done since I know not; for they have no connection with us. I do 'exert myself' so far as to separate from us those that separate from the Church. But in a thousand other instances I feel the want of more resolution and firmness of spirit. Yet sometimes that may appear irresolution which is not so. I exercise as little authority as possible, because I am afraid of people's depending upon me too much and paying me more reverence than they ought. But I proceed to the substance of your letter. You say, 1. 'If you still hold the essence of justifying faith to lie in assurance, why did you encourage John Hingeston to believe his state good' Assurance is a word I do not use because it is not scriptural. But I hold a divine evidence or conviction that Christ loved me and gave Himself for me is essential to if not the very essence of justifying faith. John Hingeston told me he had more than this, even a clear conviction that his sins were forgiven; although he said that conviction was not so clear now as it had been in time past.","word_count":346,"source_url":null,"themes":["assurance","justifying-grace","scriptural-authority"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918257"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-001","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":1,"text":"2. 'If you beloved Mr. Vowler Wesley heard Mr. Vowler preach two thundering sermons at St. Agnes on Sept. 4, 1757, and spent an afternoon with him. 'He both preaches and lives the gospel.' He died of fever on July 30, 1758. See Journal, iv. 234, 529. to be a gracious person and a gospel minister, why, did you not in justice to your people leave them to him' John Hingeston assured me that Mr. Vowler also had a dear conviction of his being reconciled to God. If so, I could not deny his being a gracious person; and I heard him preach the true though not the whole gospel. But had it been the whole, there are several reasons still why I did not give up the people to him. (1) No one mentioned or intimated any such thing, nor did it once enter into my thought. But if it had, (2) I do not know that every one who preaches the truth has wisdom and experience to guide and govern a flock. I do not know that Mr. Vowler in particular has. He may or he may not. (3) I do not know whether he could or would give that flock all the advantages for holiness which they now enjoy; and to leave them to him before I was assured of this would be neither justice nor mercy. (4) Unless they also were assured of the, they could not in conscience give up themselves to him; and I have nether right nor power to dispose of them contrary to their conscience.","word_count":263,"source_url":null,"themes":["experience","works-mercy","assurance"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918335"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-002","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":2,"text":"'But they are his already by legal establishment.' If they receive the sacrament from him thrice a year and attend his ministrations on the Lord's Day, I see no more which the law requires. But (to go a little deeper into this matter of legal establishment) does Mr. Conon Mr. Conon was the schoolmaster at Truro. Walker calls him 'my friend and father.' See Sidney's Life of Walker, p. 200. or you think that the King and Parliament have a right to prescribe to me what pastor I shall use If they prescribe one whom I know God never sent, am I obliged to receive him If he be sent of God, can I receive him with a clear conscience till I know he is And even when I do, if I believe my former pastor is more profitable to my soul, can I leave him without sin Or has any man lying a right to require this of me I 'extend this to every gospel minister in England.' Before I could with a clear conscience leave a Methodist Society even to such an one, all these considerations must come in. And with regard to the people: far from thinking that 'the withdrawing our preachers' from such a Society without their consent would 'prevent a separation from the Church' I think it would be the direct way to cause it. While we are with them, our advice has weight and keeps them to the Church; but were we totally to withdraw, it would be of little or no weight. Nay, perhaps resentment of our unkindness (as it would probably appear to them) would prompt them to act in flat opposition to it. 'And will it not he the same at your death' I believe not: for I believe there will be no resentment in this case; and the last advice of a dying friend is not likely to be so soon forgotten. 3. But 'was there not inconsistency in your visiting Mr. Vowler as a gospel minister when you do not give up your people to him' No: my receiving him as a gospel minister did not imply any obligation so to do. 4. 'If that was not the design of your visit, you should not have visited him at all.' Does that follow I visited him because he desired it as a brother and fellow laborer.","word_count":397,"source_url":null,"themes":["catholic-spirit","justifying-grace","universal-redemption"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918407"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-003","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":3,"text":"5. 'Does not this conduct on the whole savor of a party spirit and show a desire to please Methodists as Methodists 'I am not conscious of any such spirit, or of any desire but that of pleasing all men for their good to edification. I have as great a desire thus to please you as any Methodist under heaven. You add one thing more, which is of deep importance and deserves a particular consideration. 'You spoke to Mr. Vowler of our being as one man. Nothing is so desirable: but really before it can be effected, something must be done on your part more than paying us visits; which, as far as I can see, can serve no other purpose in present circumstances than to bring us under needless difficulties.' I did, indeed speak to Mr. Vower 'of our being as one man'; and not to him only, but to several others for it lay much upon my heart. Accordingly I proposed that question to all who met at our late Conference, Which met in London on Aug. 4. 'What can be done in order to a closer union with the clergy who preach the truth 'We all agreed that nothing could be more desirable. I in particular have long desired it; not from any view to my own ease or honor or temporal convenience in any kind, but because I was deeply convinced it might be a blessing to my own soul and a means of promoting the general work of God.","word_count":254,"source_url":null,"themes":["pneumatology","catholic-spirit","universal-redemption"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918479"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-004","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":4,"text":"But you say, 'Really, before it can be effected, something must be done on your part.' Tell me what, and I will do it without delay, however contrary it may be to my ease or intonation, provided only that it consist with my keeping a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man. It would not consist with this to give up the flock under my care to any other minister till I and they were convinced they would have the same advantages for holiness under him which they now enjoy. But 'paying us visits can serve no other purpose than to bring us under needles difficulties.' I will speak very freely on this head. Can our conversing together serve no other purpose You seem, then, not to have the least conception of your own wanting any such thing! But whether you do or not, I feel I do. I am not in memet torus totus teres atque rotundus. Horace's Satires, II vii. 86: 'In myself completely smooth and rounded.' I want more light, more strength, for my personal walking with God; and I know not but He may give it me through you. And (whether you do or no) I want more light and strength for guiding the flock committed to my charge. May not the Lord send this also by whom He will send and by you as probably as any other It is not improbable He may by you give me clearer light either as to doctrine or discipline. And even hereby how much comfort and profit might redound to thousands of those for whom Christ hath died! which, I apprehend would fully compensate any difficulties that might arise from such conversation.","word_count":286,"source_url":null,"themes":["christology","free-will","experience"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918518"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-005","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":5,"text":"But what difficulties are those All that are the necessary consequence of your sharing our reproach. And what reproach is it which we bear Is it the reproach of Christ or not It arose first, while my brother and I were at Oxford, from our endeavoring to be real Christians. It was abundantly increased when we began to preach repentance and remission of sins and insist that we are justified by faith. For this cause were we excluded from preaching in the churches. (I say for this: as yet there was no field-preaching.) And this exclusion occasioned our preaching elsewhere, with the other irregularities that followed. Therefore all the reproach consequent thereon is no other than the reproach of Christ. And what are we the worse for this It is not pleasing to flesh and blood; but is it any hindrance to the work of God Did He work more by us when we were honorable men By no means. God never used us to any purpose till we were a proverb of reproach. Nor have we now a jot more of dishonor and evil report than we know is necessary, both for us and for the people to balance that honor and good report which otherwise could not be borne. You need not, therefore, be so much afraid of or so careful to avoid this. It is a precious balm; it will not break your head, nether lessen your usefulness. And, indeed, you cannot avoid it any other wise than by departing from the work. You do not avoid it by standing aloof from us; which you call Christian, I worldly, prudence.","word_count":273,"source_url":null,"themes":["christology","justifying-grace","catholic-spirit"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918572"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-006","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":6,"text":"I speak as a fool: bear with me. I am dearly satisfied that you have far more faith, more love, and more of the mind which was in Christ than I have. But have you more gifts for the work of God or more fruit of your labor Has God owned you more I would He had a thousand-fold! I pray God that He may. Have you at present more experience of the wisdom of the world or the devices of Satan or of the manner and method wherein it pleases God to counterwork them in this period of His providence Are you sure God would add nothing to you by me beside what He might add to me by you Perhaps when the time is slipped out of your hands, when I am no more seen, you may wish you had not rejected the assistance of even Your affectionate brother. To a Friend 6 TRURO, September 20, 1757. DEAR SIR, The longer I am absent from London, and the more I attend the service of the Church in other places, the more I am convinced of the unspeakable advantage which the people called Methodists enjoy: I mean even with regard to pubic worship, particularly on the Lord's Day. The church where they assemble is not gay or splendid, which might be an hindrance on the one hand; nor sordid or dirty, which might give distaste on the other; but plain as well as clean. The persons who assemble there are not a gay, giddy crowd, who come crafty to see and be seen; nor a company of goodly, formal, outside Christians, whose religion lies in a dull round of duties; but a people most of whom do, and the rest earnestly seek to, worship God in spirit and in truth. Accordingly they do not spend their time there in bowing and courtesying, or in staring about them, but in looking upward and looking inward, in hearkening to the voice of God, and pouring out their hearts before Him.","word_count":339,"source_url":null,"themes":["trinity","reign-of-god","christology"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918631"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-007","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":7,"text":"It is also no small advantage that the person who reads prayers, though not always the same, yet is always one who may be supposed to speak from his heart, one whose life is no reproach to his profession, and one who performs that solemn part of divine service, not in a careless, hurrying, slovenly manner, but seriously and slowly, as becomes him who is transacting so high an affair between God and man. Nor are their solemn addresses to God interrupted either by the formal drawl of a parish clerk, the screaming of boys who bawl out what they neither feel nor understand, or the unseasonable and unmeaning impertinence of a voluntary on the organ. When it is seasonable to sing praise to God, they do it with the spirit and with the understanding also; not in the miserable, scandalous doggerel of Hopkins and Sternhold, but in psalms and hymns which are both sense and poetry, such as would sooner provoke a critic to turn Christian than a Christian to turn critic. What they sing is therefore a proper continuation of the spiritual and reasonable service; bring selected for that end, not by a poor humdrum wretch who can scarce read what he drones out with such an air of importance, but by one who knows what he is about and how to connect the preceding with the following part of the service. Nor does he take just 'two staves,' but more or less, as may best raise the soul to God; especially when sung in well-composed and well-adapted tuner not by an handful of wild, unawakened striplings, but by an whole serious congregation; and these not lolling at ease, or in the indecent posture of sitting drawling out one word after another, but all standing before God, and praising Him lustily and with a good courage. Nor is it a little advantage as to the next part of the service to hear a preacher whom you know to live as he speaks, speaking the genuine gospel of present salvation through faith, wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost, declaring present, free, full justification, and enforcing every branch of inward and outward holiness. And this you hear done in the most clear plain, simple, unaffected language, yet with an earnestness becoming the importance of the subject and with the demonstration of the Spirit.","word_count":395,"source_url":null,"themes":["pneumatology","reign-of-god","trinity"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918709"},{"id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker-008","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1757-15-to-samuel-walker","source_title":"15 To Samuel Walker","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":8,"text":"With regard to the last and most awful part of divine service, the celebration of the Lord's Supper, although we cannot say that either the unworthiness of the minister or the unholiness of some of the communicants deprives the rest of a blessing from God, yet do they greatly lessen the comfort of receiving But these discouragements are removed from you: you have proof that he who administers fears God; and you have no reason to believe that any of your fellow communicants walk unworthy of their profession. Add to this that the whole service is performed in a decent and solemn manner, is enlivened by hymns suitable to the occasion, and concluded with prayer that comes not out of feigned lips. Surely, then, of all the people in Great Britain, the Methodist would be the most inexcusable, should they let any opportunity slip of attending that worship which has so many advantages, should they prefer any before it, or not continually improve by the advantages they enjoy! What can be pleaded for them, if they do not worship God in spirit and in truth, if they are still outward worshippers only, approaching God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him yea, if, having known Him, they do not daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ I am Yours affectionately.","word_count":229,"source_url":null,"themes":["christology","reign-of-god","trinity"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T20:00:30.918744"}]}