Wesley Corpus

To James Hutton Date: BRISTOL, June 4, 1739. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1739) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BRETHERN, -- Tuesday, 22nd, about a thousand were present at Bath, and several fine gay things among them, whom I exhorted in St. Paul's words, 'Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead; and Christ shall give thee light.' The next morning I was sent for to the young woman whose relations had confined her as mad. They now agreed she should go where she would, and seem themselves ‘not far from the kingdom of God.’[See previous letter.] I preached to about two thousand on Wednesday at Baptist Mills on ‘Hear what the unjust judge saith.’ In the evening the female bands admitted seven women on trial and ten children; and Eliz. Cutler and six other women, having been on trial their month, were by lot fixed in their several bands. At eight we received into our Society (after the month's trial) Jonathan Reeves [Jonathan Reeves was afterwards ordained and appointed the first chaplain of the Magdalen Hospital in June 1758, and held that position till 1764. He afterwards had a curacy in Whitechapel. See Compston's Magdalen Hospital, pp. 46, 63; Stamp's Orphan House, p. 41; Atmore's Memorial, pp. 345-6; and letter of Dec. 10, 1751.] and six others, who at the lovefeast on the 27th instant were by lot fixed in their bands. We then received upon trial John Haydon and eight other men, and Thomas Hamilton (aged fourteen) with four other children. Thursday, 24th, we breakfasted at Richard Champion's, [See Journal, ii. 204d; W.H.S. v. 6. R. Champion (1743-91), the founder of the pottery works at. Bristol, where the ‘British China Ware’ was made, was perhaps his son.] where were eight or nine other Quakers. We had a mild conference on justification by faith alone, concluded with prayer, and both met and parted in love. At three I preached again on Priestdown, near Publow, to a larger congregation than before, on ‘The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.’