Wesley Corpus

Many others took an opportunity of speaking to me, and declaring what God had done for their souls. But one came to me, Mrs. Sp---- , who was still torn in pieces with sorrow, and doubts, and fears. Her chief fear, she said, was, that we are all Papists. I asked her, how she came to fear this, after she had heard us preach for near three years, and been more than a twelvemonth in the society. She said, “ Why, it is not long since I met with a gentleman who told me, he was a Roman Catholic. And when I asked him, if Mr. Wesley was a Papist, he would not say yes or no; but only, ‘ Mr. W. is a very good man; and you do well to hear him.’ Besides, it is but two or three nights since, as I was Just setting out to come to the room, Miss Gr met me, and said, ‘ My dear friend, you sha’nt go; indeed you sha’nt; you don’t know what youdo. Iassure you, Mr. W. is a Papist, and soamI; he converted me. You know how I used to pray to saints and to the virgin Mary; it was Mr. W. taught me when I was in the bands. And I saw him rock the cradle on Christmas eve: you knowI scorn to tell a lie.’ Well, but, said I, how comes it that none of the rest who are in the bands, have found this out as well as you? ‘0,’ replied she, ‘ they are not let into the secret yet ; perhaps, if you was in the bands, you might not hear a word of it for a year or more. OQ, you can’t imagine the depth of the design!’ The maid at her back then fell a crying, and said, ** Indeed, madam, Miss Gr. talks so fine! Do, madam, mind what she says.” So between one and the other, poor Mrs. Sp----- was utterly confounded.