Wesley Corpus

Although there may be some use in teaching even very young children to 'say their prayers daily,' yet I judge it to be utterly impossible to teach any to 'practice prayer' till they are awakened. For what is prayer but the desire of the soul expressed in words to God, either inwardly or outwardly How, then, will you teach them to express a desire who feel no desire at all When, therefore, Madame Guyon talks in that manner, it often makes me afraid that both she and her teacher, Archbishop Fenelon, talked by rote of the things they knew not. Both of them had an amazing genius, but I doubt full little experience. It is exceeding certain neither his nor her writings are likely to do us any solid service. We have all the gold that is in them without the dross, which is often not only useless but dangerous. Let you and I keep the good old way: In doing and bearing The will of our Lord, We still are preparing To meet our reward. Go on steadily in this path: there is none better. By patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality. You shall reap if you faint not.--I am, my dear Philly, Yours affectionately. To Mrs. Bennis [18] BRISTOL, September 10, 1773. MY DEAR SISTER,--When two or three agree to seek God by fasting and prayer, it cannot be that their labor should be in vain; especially if they add their endeavors to their prayers for the increase of the work of God. I hope you will encourage every preacher to visit the whole Society in order from house to house: dinner or drinking tea does not answer the same intention. This may and ought to be done over and above. I thought you had been in more danger of being hurt by worldly abundance than worldly care. But we cannot stand under either one or the other unless we be endued with power from on high, and that continually from hour to hour, or rather from moment to moment. Yet distress is not sin; we may be grieved, and still resigned. And this is acceptable with God. In all these cases you should remember that observation never to be let slip,-- With even mind thy course of duty ran: God nothing does, or surfers to be done,