Wesley Corpus

To Elizabeth Morgan Date: BRISTOL, March 13, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR MISS MORGAN, -- I wonder at you; I am surprised at your steadiness. How is it possible that you should retain any regard for me when your lot is so frequently cast among them who think they do God service by saying all manner of evil of me I do not impute this to natural generosity (little good is owing to nature), but to His grace who has kept you from your infancy, and who now upholds you in the slippery paths of youth. I trust He will still enable you to be Against example singularly good. [Paradise Lost, xi. 809: ‘against example good.’] By a prudent mixture of reading, meditation, prayer, and conversation you may improve your present retirement. But you must add every day more or less exercise (as your strength permits) in the open air. And why should you not add that truly Christian diversion, visiting the poor, whether sick or well Who knows but our Lord sent you to Wotton on purpose to save some souls alive A letter which I lately received from Yorkshire informs me, ‘Our friends think Miss Ritchie is in a dying condition.’ If she continue so till I come to Manchester, I shall step over to see her. I should never think much of going an hundred miles to see either her or you. A line from you will always be acceptable to, my dear Miss Morgan, Your affectionate servant.