Wesley Corpus

expelled themselves. About forty were by this means separated from us; I trust only fora season. Sat. 28.--I met the Kingswood bands again, and heard all who desired it at large: after which, I read the following paper :-- “By many witnesses it appears, that several members of the Band Society in Kingswood have made it their common practice to scoff at the preaching of Mr. John and Charles Wesley: That they have censured and spoken evil of them behind their backs, at the very time they professed love and esteem to their faces: That they have studiously endeavoured to prejudice other members of that society against them; and, in order thereto, have belied and slandered them in divers instances. There- * fore, not for their opinions, nor for any of them, (whether they be right or wrong,) but for the causes above mentioned, viz. for their scoffing at the word and ministers of God, for their tale-bearing, backbiting, and evil-speaking, for their dissembling, lying, and slandering: “JT, John Wesley, by the consent and approbation of the Band Society in Kingswood, do declare the persons above mentioned to be no longer members thereof. Neither will they be so accounted, until they shall openly confess their fault, and thereby do what in them lies, to remove the scandal they have given.” At this they seemed a little shocked at first; but Mr. C pdt: B . and A. A , soon recovered, and said, they had heard both my brother and me many times preach Popery. However, they would join with us if we would; but that they would not own they had done any thing amiss. I desired them to consider of it yet again, and give us their answer the next evening. The next evening, March 1, they gave the same answer as before. However, I could not tell how to part; but exhorted them to wait yet a.little longer, and wrestle with God, that they might know his will concerning them.