Wesley Corpus

{ waived my answer till I had an opportunity of consulting your father, who, upon all accounts, is a more proper judge of the affair than I am. But I could never find a fit occasion for it. As to my own sense ot the matter, I confess, I cannot but heartily approve of that serious and religious turn of mind that prompts you and your associates to those pious and charitable offices; and can have no notion of that man’s religion, or concern for the honour of the. University, that opposes you, as far as your design respects the colleges. I should be loath to send a son of mine to any seminary, where his conversing with virtuous young men, whose professed design of meeting together at proper times was to assist each other in forming good resolutions, and encouraging one another to execute them with constancy and steadiness, was inconsistent with any received maxims or rules of life among the members. As to the other branch of your design, as the town is divided into parishes, each of which has its proper incumbent, and as there is probably an ecclesiastic who has the spiritual charge of the prisoners, wudence may direct you to consult them: for though I dare not say , ou would be too officious, should you of your own mere motion seek out the persons that want your instructions and charitable contributions ; yet, should you have the concurrence of their proper pastor, your good offices would be more regular, and less liable to censure.” Your son was now at Holt: however, we continued to meet at our usual times, though our little affairs went on but heavily without him. But at our return from Lincolnshire, in September last, we had the pleasure of seeing him again; when, though he could not be so active with us as formerly, yet we were exceeding glad to spend what time we could in talking and reading with him. It was a little before this time my brother and I were at London, when going into a bookseller’s shop, (Mr. Rivington’s in St. Paul’s Church-yard,) after some other conversation, he asked us whether we lived in town; and upon our answering, “‘ No; at Oxford :’--* Then, gentlemen,” said he, “ let me earnestly recommend to your acquaintance a friend I have there, Mr.