Wesley Corpus

To Dr. Burton Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1736) Author: John Wesley --- ON BOARD THR SHIP ' SIMMONDS,' January 20, 1736. HONOURED SIR,--Your prayers have not been in vain, for God hath greatly prospered us ever since we set out from London. We have wanted no manner of thing that is good. Plenty of temporal conveniences have been added to higher blessings, even those which we least expected. In the midst of the sick our health has been preserved. When the strong men fainted, and the experienced in this way of life fell down, I was not more affected than if I had been on land, nor ever prevented for one hour from reading, writing, or pursuing any other employment. Whilst we were in Cowes Road, there were several storms, in one of which two ships were cast away on the back of the island, as we should have been had it not pleased God to detain us in that safe station. By this means, too, we have many opportunities of instructing and exhorting the poor passengers, most of whom at their embarking knew little more of Christianity than the name. But God has so assisted our little endeavors in catechizing the children, explaining the Scriptures, and applying them in private conversation, that we have reason to hope a great part of them are throughly awakened and determined to pursue the prize of their high calling.