Wesley Corpus

MY DEAR BROTHER,--I had allotted two nights for Yarm; but by the advice of our brethren here I have made a little alteration in my plan. On Wednesday and Thursday the 18th instant I am to be at Stockton. On Friday evening and Saturday noon I purpose (with God's leave) to preach at Yarm. [He preached at Yarm on the Friday evening at seven, and on Saturday at noon 'applied those words, "Now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."' See Journal, iv. 464; and letter of Jan. 24, 1760.] On Saturday evening I am to be at Hutton Rudby, which is nearer the centre of our Societies.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Hall NEAR NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 14, 1761. DEAR PATTY--Why should any of us live in the world without doing a little good in it? I am glad you have made a beginning. See that you are not weary of well doing; for it will often be a cross. But bear the cross, and it will bear you. The best fruit grows under the cross. I have often thought it strange that so few of my relations should be of any use to me in the work of God. My sister Wright was, of whom I should least have expected it; but it was only for a short season. My sister Emly and you, of whom one might have expected more, have, I know not how, kept at a distance, and sometimes cavilled a little, at other times as it were approved, but never heartily joined in the work. Where did it stick? Did you not throughly understand what my brother and I were doing? Did you not see the truth? Or did the cause lie in your heart? You had no will to join hand in hand. You wanted resolution, spirit, patience. Well, the day is far spent. What you do, do quickly. 'Life for delay no time will give!' [My] work in the country cannot be finished before the latter end of August, as the circuit is now larger by [some] hundred miles than when I was in the North two [years] ago. O let the one thing be ever uppermost in our thoughts!