Wesley Corpus

Indeed there are numerous arguments besides, which abun dantly confute their vain imaginations. But we need not be hooted out of one: Neither reason nor religion require this. One of the capital objections to all these accounts, which I have known urged over and over, is this, “Did you ever see an apparition yourself?” No: Nor did I ever see a murder; yet I believe there is such a thing; yea, and that in one place or another murder is committed every day. Therefore I cannot, as a reasonable man, deny the fact; although I never saw it, and perhaps never may. The testimony of unexceptionable witnesses fully convinces me both of the one and the other. But to set this aside, it has been confidently alleged, that many of these have seen their error, and have been clearly convinced that the supposed preternatural operation was the mere contrivance of artful men. The famous instance of this, which has been spread far and wide, was the drumming in Mr. Mompesson’s house at Tedworth; who, it was said, acknow ledged it was all a trick, and that he had found out the whole contrivance. Not so: My eldest brother, then at Christ Church, Oxon, inquired of Mr. Mompesson, his fellow collegian, whether his father had acknowledged this or not. He answered, “The resort of gentlemen to my father's house was so great, he could not bear the expense. He therefore took no pains to confute the report that he had found out the cheat; although he, and I, and all the family, knew the account which was published to be punctually true.” This premised, I proceed to as remarkable a narrative as any that has fallen under my notice. The reader may believe it if he pleases; or may disbelieve it, without any offence to me. Meantime, let him not be offended if I believe it, till I see better reason to the contrary. I have added a few short remarks, which may make some passages a little more intelligible. 1. ELIZABETH Hobson was born in Sunderland, in the year 1744. Her father dying when she was three or four years old, 326 REv. J. wesley’s [May, 1768. her uncle, Thomas Rea, a pious man, brought her up as his own daughter. She was serious from a child, and grew up in the fear of God.