Wesley Corpus

Wed. 28.--My journey was proposed to our society in Fetter-lane. ' But my brother Charles would scarce bear the mention of it; till appealing to the Oracles of God, he received those words as spoken to himself, and answered not again :--“ Son of man, behold I take from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet shalt thou not mourn or weep, neither shall thy tears run down.” Our other brethren, however, continuing the dispute, without any probability of their coming to one conclusion, we at length all agreed to decide it by lot. And by this it was determined I should go. Several afterward desiring we might open the Bible, concerning the issue of this, we did so on the several portions of Scripture, which I shall set down without any reflection upon them: --<+ Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker,” 2 Sam. iii, 1. ‘When wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed: shall I not aow require his blood at your hands, and take you away from the earth!” 2 Sam. iv, 11. ‘And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem,” 2 Chron. xxviii, 27. Perhaps it may be a satisfaction to some, if before I enter upon this new period of my life, I give the reasons why I preferred for so many years a university life before any other. Then especially, when I was earnestly pressed by my father to accept of a cure of souls. I have here, therefore, subjoined the letter I wrote several years ago on hat occasion :-- 122 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Maren, 1739