{"id":"jw/letters/1781b/04-to-mary-bishop","corpus":"jw-letters","type":"letter","author":"john-wesley","title":"B 04 To Mary Bishop","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-1781b-04-to-mary-bishop","passage_ids":["jw-letter-1781b-04-to-mary-bishop-000"],"word_count":234,"themes_auto":["assurance","christology","primitive-christianity"],"open":true,"closed_reason":null,"legacy_ids":["jw-letter-1781b-04-to-mary-bishop-000"],"passages":[{"id":"jw-letter-1781b-04-to-mary-bishop-000","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1781b-04-to-mary-bishop","source_title":"B 04 To Mary Bishop","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":0,"text":"To Mary Bishop Date: NEAR LEEDS, July 17, 1781. MY DEAR SISTER, When the school began at Publow, See letter of May 21 to her. it was in all respects a school after my own heart, conducted exactly on the same principles as that of Miss Bosanquet at Leytonstone. But it declined from its original simplicity, I know not how, by slow and insensible degrees indeed, so insensible that I hardly know what to blame, and so know not how to cure it. If I have to meet the Society at Bristol again, I shall kill or cure those unwise and unkind parents who make their children finer than themselves. I believe I shall make their ears tingle. As to you, I advise you, first, to be a Bible Christian yourself inwardly and outwardly. Be not an hair's breadth more conformable to the fashions of the world than you was when I last saw you. Then train up your children in the selfsame way. Say to them with all mildness and firmness, 'Be ye followers of me, even as I am of Christ.' Whoever is pleased or displeased, keep to this to Christian, primitive simplicity. Perhaps at first you will lose some scholars thereby; but regard not that: God will provide you more. And be assured nothing shall be wanting that is in the power of, my dear sister, Your affectionate friend and brother.","word_count":234,"source_url":null,"themes":["primitive-christianity","christology","assurance"],"created_at":"2026-01-30T05:16:45.743638"}]}