Wesley Corpus

To Mary Bishop Date: TAUNTON, August 20, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR MISS BISHOP, - My dear friend (that was) received no reproach from me, deserved or undeserved. But when I found I could not speak to her alone, I unbosomed myself by writing, telling her mildly and plainly (as friendship obliged me to do) all I heard and all I feared concerning her. I had no conception of her taking it amiss; and was therefore utterly amazed at her answer; - I think, unkind and unjust to the highest degree, and more proper to be wrote to a young schoolboy than to one who had been a preacher for fifty years and who for above twenty had watched over her soul! Be that to herself whether her correspondence with me be ever renewed or no. Blessed be God, I have correspondents enough; and I want no one living to correspond with me, unless those that do it for their own sake, and that hope to be some way profited by it. Truly I think if any one has reason to resent, it is me and not her; for I do not remember that I have received such an answer to such a letter for twice twenty years. [Miss Flower. See letter of May 15.] It is, I trust, a good Providence which has brought you to Frome, that you may do a little work for your Master. But you must be content to do a little; otherwise you will soon do nothing. If you stay there two or three weeks longer, I shall have the pleasure of seeing you there; as I hope to be at Frome the Tuesday after I return to Bristol. - I am, my dear Miss Bishop, Yours very affectionately.