Wesley Corpus

To Mary Bishop Date: LONDON, October 31,1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I have laid your letter so carefully by that I cannot find it. But as I am going into Norfolk early in the morning, I will not stay till I come back before I write. There is upon the whole nothing new under the sun. But that violent jealousy among your young women is utterly a new thing among the Methodists; I have known nothing like it in the three kingdoms. And yet I do not know that they have either less sense or less grace than others of their age or sex. But this is one proof among a thousand that if God leave us for a moment to ourselves, there is no folly into which our subtle adversary may not drive the wisest of the human race. Yet I do not see that you are at liberty to give up your charge on this account. It seems you should simply lay the whole affair before Mr. Pawson and Allen [John Pawson was a Supernumerary in Bristol; John Allen, who became an itinerant in 1766 and died in 1810, was Wesley’s Assistant]. They are candid and impartial judges, prejudiced neither on one side nor the other; and I believe they will be able to judge on every emergence what steps are the most proper to be taken. One reason, it may be, why this was permitted, was to confound the pride of your understanding. You had been accounted a woman of sense and commended for it. And our nature readily receives such commendation. But see how little your sense avails! You can do no more herein than if you was an idiot. ' The help that is done upon earth He doeth it Himself,' whether with or without instruments. Let your whole soul be stayed upon Him for time and eternity. I am always wen pleased to hear from you. And you can speak freely to, my dear Miss Bishop, Yours affectionately.