Wesley Corpus

MY DEAR SISTER,--I am sorry for poor Mr. Fletcher [See letter of April 1 to her]; but still more for poor Mary Meggot [Was she the widow of Samuel Maggot See Journal, v. 465; and letter of Feb. 10, 1783], of whom I expected [better] things. She may now keep the room for her new guests, for certainly we shall have nothing to do with them. The point they aim at is this--to make Calvinists. Our point is to make Christians. They endeavor to convert men to the dear Decrees; we to convert them to God. In every place they have used their whole strength in opposition to us. But you and many more will not be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Stand fast in the truth which you have received, and be not removed from the hope of the gospel. I desire the building [The chapel at Misterton] may be finished without delay. Follow after all the fullness of the promises. My wife joins with me in love to you, with, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Woodhouse, At Mr. Hutton’s, In Epworth, Near Thorne, Yorkshire. To Joseph Benson [16] LEWISHAM, July 31, 1773. DEAR JOSEPH,--I am glad you have preached so much abroad: this will everywhere do most execution. Some time since, I promised you to Billy Thompson for his fellow laborer the ensuing year; and you will have no cause to repent of it, for his heart (as well as yours) is in the work. Mr. Hopper desires to spend another year in the Newcastle Circuit. I refer it to him whether it would not suffice to have preaching at Newcastle five nights in a week. ‘God has made practical divinity necessary, and the devil controversially.’ [See heading to letter in Dec. 1751 to Bishop Lavington]. Sometimes we must write and preach controversially, but the less the better. I think we have few if any of our travelling preachers that love controversy. But there will always be men de pste [Titus i. 11:’whose mouths must be stopped.’]--Antinomians and Calvinists in particular. By our long silence we have done much hurt both to them and the cause of God.--I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother. To Christopher Hopper, LEWISHAM, July 31, 1773.