Wesley Corpus

I thought, gentlemen, before I left England, that from the little knowledge you had of my manner of conversation, you would not easily believe me capable of embezzling yours, any more than my own goods. But since it is otherwise, since you have sent orders to limit my expenses to the Society's 50 a year, be it so: I accept it, and (during my stay here) desire to have neither less nor more. One thing farther I desire, that whenever I am accused to you, on this or any other head (and it is necessary that offences should come), you would allow me the justice due to a common criminal, the knowing my accuser (which I must insist upon before God and man), and the being heard before I am condemned. I can't but acknowledge the readiness of the Magistrates here, Mr. Causton in particular, in assisting me, so far as pertains to their office, both to repress open vice and immorality, and to promote the glory of God by establishing peace and mutual goodwill among men. And I trust their labors have not been quite in vain. Many ill practices seem to lose ground daily, and a general face of decency and order prevails, beyond what I have seen anywhere else in America. Gentlemen, my prayer to God for you is, that you may with one heart and one mind glorify God our Savior in all things, that neither open nor covert opposition may ever be able to disjoin your hearts or weaken your hands; but that you may calmly and steadily pursue His work, even though men should therefore cast out your names as evil. And the God of glory shall accept your service, and reward every one of you sevenfold into his bosom. -- I am, gentlemen, Your most obedient servant.