Wesley Corpus

told Captain Bell, " Be upon your guard, this is certainly an enemy !" But the Captain answered, " It cannot be ; no man canact sobase a part." Captain Crawford returned to his own ship, and sailing under the stern of the other, while Captain Bell and some others were standing on the quarter-deck, ordered his men to fire at him. They did so, and shot him in the belly, so that his bowels came out. But he did not fall. He ordered them to fire again : He fell ; and while his men were carrying him away, Crawford took the vessel. Captain Bell being conveyed into the cabin, sent and desired to speak with Captain Crawford : But he would not come. He then desired to speak with his own sailors, one by one. One of them saying, " Sir, you have been basely murdered," he replied, " Love your enemies ; pray for them that despitefully use you. What are our sufferings to those which our Lord endured for us ?" He then desired the account which St. John gives of our Lord's sufferings to be read to him. He desired his love to all that loved the Lord Jesus ; particularly to her he was about to marry. Then bidding them all farewell, he died in peace, about two hours after he received the second shot. But what did Captain Crawford do amiss ? Have not the English also taken American ships by surprise ? Yes ; but not with such circumstances. For, 1. He hoisted no colours, nor ever summoned the ship to yield : 2. He fired on men who thought nothing of the matter, and pointed the men to Captain Bell in particular. So it was a deliberate murder. Such is the mercy, such the gratitude, ofAmerican rebels ! Mon. 10. In the evening I preached at Reading. How manyyears were we beating the air at this town ! Stretching out our hands to a people as stupid as oxen ! But it is not so at present. That generation is passed away, and their children are of a more excellent spirit. After preaching at Newbury and Ramsbury in the way, on Wednesday, 12, I went on to Bristol. April, 1777. ] JOURNAL. 95 Sun. 16. I preached at St. Werburgh's, the first church I