Wesley Corpus

To James Hutton Date: July 2, 1739. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1739) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BRETHERN, -- I left London about six on Monday morning [June 18]; and on Tuesday evening at seven preached (as I had appointed if God should permit) to about five thousand people in the Bowling Green at Bristol, whose hearty affection moved me much. My subject was the same as at Kennington. About nine that faithful soldier of Christ, Howell Harris, [See letter of July 29, 1740.] called upon me. He said he had been much tempted not to do it at all; that many had told him I was an Arminian, a Free-wilier, and so on; so that he could hardly force himself to come to the Bowling Green. ‘But,’ he added, ‘I had not been long there before my spirit was knit to you, as it was to dear Mr. Whitefield; and before you had done, I was so overpowered with joy and love that I could scarce stand, and with much difficulty got home.’ It is incredible what advantage Satan had gained here by my absence of only eight days. Disputes had crept in, and the love of many was waxed cold; so that all our Society was falling in pieces. I preached on Wednesday at Newgate at eleven and at four at Baptist Mills on those words, ‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.’ At seven I met the women bands at Eliz. Davis's house (Mrs. Grevil having forbidden them hers). I found disputes had hurt them also, so that many were resolved to quit the Society. Finding it necessary to speak to them apart, I fixed times to meet each band singly; which I did on the days of the following week, and all of them were (I hope) established in the faith. At eight I met our brethren in Baldwin Street, where, instead of disputing, we prayed together; the Spirit of the Holy One was with us. All divisions were healed; all misunderstandings vanished away; and we all felt our hearts drawn together and sweetly united in the bowels of Jesus Christ.