Wesley Corpus

To Mrs. Harper (Emilia Wesley) Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1743) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE:, June 30, 1743. DEAR EMLY, -- Once, I think, I told you my mind freely before; I am constrained to do so once again. You say, ‘From the time of my coming to London till last Christmas you would not do me the least kindness.’ Do I dream, or you Whose house were you in for three months and upwards By whose money were you sustained It is a poor case that I am forced to mention these things. But ‘I would not take you lodgings in fifteen weeks.’ No, nor should I have done in fifteen years. I never once imagined that you expected me to do this! Shall I leave the Word of God to serve tables You should know I have quite other things to mind; temporal things I shall mind less and less. ‘When I was removed, you never concerned yourself about me.’ That is not the fact. What my brother does I do. Besides, I myself spoke to you abundance of times before Christmas last. ‘When I was at preaching, you would scarce speak to me.’ Yes; at least as much as to my sister Wright, or indeed as I did to any else at those times. ‘I impute all your unkindness to one principle you hold--that natural affection is a great weakness, if not a sin.’ What is this principle I hold That natural affection is a sin or that adultery is a virtue or that Mahomet was a prophet of God and that Jesus Christ was a son of Belial You may as well impute all these principles to me as one. I hold one just as much as the other. O Emmy, never let that idle, senseless accusation come out of your mouth.