Wesley Corpus

1752 To the Society at Monyash, Derbyshire [1] POOLE, NEAR NANTWICH, March 25, 1752. MY DEAR BRETHERN, -- I should very willingly have spent time among you; but at present my time will not permit, I have so many places to visit, between Manchester, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and so on, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Blessed be God that you are not yet moved from the hope of the gospel. He has permitted a fiery trial to fall upon you; but I trust the sharpest part of it is past. May God enable you to sand fast together in one mind and in one judgment! Watch, over one another in love; and let not that which is lame be turned out of the way. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, following peace with all men; and the God of peace be with you! -- I am, my dear brethren, Your affectionate brother. To Ebenezer Blackwell EPWORTH, April 16, 1752. DEAR SIR, -- After taking a round of between three and four hundred miles, we came hither yesterday in the afternoon. [Mrs. Wesley and her daughter left London with him on March 15, and visited Birmingham, Manchester, and Birstall on the way to Epworth. See Journal, iv. 12-19.] My wife is at least as well as when we left London: the more she travels the better she bears it. It gives us yet another proof that whatever God calls us to He will fit us for; so that we have no need to take thought for the morrow. Let the morrow take thought for the things of itself. I was at first a little afraid she would not so well understand the behavior of a Yorkshire mob; but there has been no trial: even the Methodists are now at peace throughout the kingdom. It is well if they bear this so well as they did war. I have seen more make shipwreck of the faith in a calm than in a storm. We are apt in sunshiny weather to fie down and sleep; and who can tell what may be done before we awake