Wesley Corpus

‘“MY DEAR BRETHREN, -- I CANNOT but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your conferences and bands [The band society in London began May 1, some time before I set out for Germany (Wesley).], of your method of instructing children; and, in general, of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. ‘“But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to remove those doubts, you would, on each of those heads, First,plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, Secondly, consider whether it be right. ‘“Is not the Count all in all among you ‘“Do you not magnify your own Church too much ‘“Do you not use guile and dissimulation in many cases ‘“Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and behavior’ [See letter in Sept. 1738 to the Moravians, where this is given in fuller form.] ‘It may easily be seen, that my objections then were nearly thesame as now.’ Only with this difference, -- I was not then assuredthat the facts were as I supposed. ‘Yet I cannot say my affectionwas lessened at all: (For I did not dare to determine anything:) Butfrom November 1, I could not but see more and more things whichI could not reconcile with the gospel.’ ‘These I have set down with all simplicity. Yet do I this, because Ilove them not God knoweth: Yea, and in part, I esteem them still;because I verily believe they have a sincere desire to serve God;because many of the a have tasted of his love, and some retain it insimplicity; because they love one another; because they have somuch of the truth of the gospel, and so far abstain from outwardsin. And lastly, because their discipline is, in most respects, so truly excellent; notwithstanding that visible blemish, the paying toomuch regard to their great patron and benefactor, CountZinzendorf.’