Wesley Corpus

To James Hutton Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1739) Author: John Wesley --- BRISlOL, April 2, 1739. MY DEAR BRETHERN (AND SISTERS TOO), -- The first person I met with on the road hither was one that was inquiring the road to Basingstoke. We had much conversation together till evening. He was a Somersetshire man, [The Diary for Thursday, March 29, says: ‘9.15 set out with Charles, &c.,’ who left him at 10; at 11 he met this man, and reached Basingstoke with him at 8.30.] returning home, very angry at the wickedness of London, and particularly of the infidels there. He held out pretty well to Basingstoke. But during the expounding there (at which between twenty and thirty were present) his countenance fell, and I trust he is gone down to his house saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ I stayed an hour or two at Dummer in the morning with our brother Hutchings, [Hutchings went part of the way o Newbury with him. He and Chapman had just come from Bristol with horses for Wesley. See Journal, ii. 156n, 167d.] who is strong in faith, but very weak in body; as most probably he will continue to be so long as he hides his light under a bushel. In the afternoon a poor woman at Newbury and her husband were much amazed at hearing of a salvation so far beyond all they had thought of or heard preached. The woman hopes she shall follow after till she attains it. My horse tired in the evening, so that I was obliged to walk behind him, till a tradesman who overtook me lent me one of his, on which I came with him to. Marlborough, and put up at the same inn. As I was preparing to alight here, my watch fell out of my pocket with the glass downward, which flew out to some distance, but broke not. After supper I preached the gospel to our little company, one of whom, a gentleman, greatly withstood my saying, till I told him he was wise in his own eyes and had not an heart right before God. Upon which he silently withdrew, and the rest calmly attended to the things that were spoken.