Wesley Corpus

“When I was about twenty years old, I went to Waterford for business. After a few weeks I resolved to leave it; and packed up my things, in order to set out the next morning. This was Sunday; but my landlord pressed me much not to go till the next day. In the afternoon we walked out together, and went into the river. After a while, leaving him near the shore, I struck out into the deep. J soon heard a ery, and, turning, saw him rising and sinking in the channel of the river. I swam back with all speed, and, seeing him sink again, dived down after him. When I was near the bottom, he clasped his arm round my neck, and held me so fast that I could not rise. Seeing death before me, all my sins came into my mind, and I faintly called for mercy. In a while my senses went away, and I thought I was in a place full of light and glory, with abundance of people. While I was thus, he who held me died, and I floated up to the top of the water. I then immediately came to myself, and swam to the shore, where several stood who had seen us sink, and said, they never knew such a deliverance before; for I had been under water full twenty minutes. It made me more serious for two or three months. Then I returned to all my sins. “But in the midst of all, I had a voice following me every where, “When an able minister of the Gospel comes, it will be well with thee!’ Some years after I entered into the army: our troop lay at Phillip’s Town, when Mr. W. came. I was much affected by his preaching; but not so as to leave my sins. The voice followed me still; and when Mr. J. W. came, before I saw him I had an unspeakable conviction that he was the man I looked for; and soon after I found peace with God, and it was well with me indeed.”