Wesley Corpus

after was licensed to preach. But at twenty-two, meeting with Arndt’s ‘True Christianity,’ I found I myself was not a Christian. Immediately I left off preaching, and betook myself wholly to philosophy. This stifled all my convictions for some years; but when I was about twentyseven, they revived, and continued the year after, when I was desired to be domestic tutor to the children of the secretary of state. I now felt I was ‘ carnal, sold under sin,’ and continually struggled to burst the bonds, till (being about thirty-one years old) I was unawares entangled in much worldly business. This cooled me in my pursuit of holiness; yet for a year and a half my. heart was never at peace. Being then in a bookseller’s shop, I saw the account of the Church at Hernhuth. I did not think there could be any such place, and asked the bookseller if that was areal account. His answer, ‘that it was no more than the plain truth,’ threw me into deep thought and fervent prayer, that God would bring me to that place. I went to the secretary and told him I did not design to stay at Upsal, having a desire to travel. He said, he had a desire his son should travel; and was glad of an opportunity to send him with me. I was grieved, but knew not how to refuse any thing to my patron and benefactor. Accordingly we left Upsal together, and, after a year spent in several parts of Germany, went through Holland into France, and so to Paris, where we spent another year. But I was more and more uneasy, till I could be disengaged from my charge, that I might retire to Hernhuth. In our return from France, my pupil’s elder brother returning from Italy met us at Leipsig. I immediately writ to his father, and having obtained his consent, delivered him into his hands. * April 23, 1738, (N.S.) I came hither. Here I was in another world. I desired nothiug but to be cleansed inwardly and outwardly from sin, by the blood of Jesus Christ. I found all here laying the same foundation. Therefore, though I did not think with them in all points of doctrine, I waived these, and singly pursued reconciliation with God through Christ.