Wesley Corpus

To Mrs. Bowman Date: BRISTOL, March 14, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- I have neither time nor inclination to enter into a long dispute on this or any other question. [See letter of March 4, 1786.] All I can do is, first to declare my own judgment, and then set down my reasons for it; and if your son is not satisfied therewith, I do not know any way to help it. The judgment is that there is no more harm in keeping an hot-house than a flower garden; and I judge there is no more sin in keeping a flower garden than in smelling a rose. My reason for judging both of these innocent is because neither of them is forbidden in Scripture, and it is sinful to condemn anything which Scripture does not condemn. I think, therefore, to condemn all who keep hot-houses and flower gardens is a sin both against God and their neighbors; and one of them might say, 'Why am I judged of another man's conscience To my own Master I stand or fall.' I am Your affectionate brother.