Wesley Corpus

MY DEAR SISTER,--Arthur Kershaw is exceedingly happy in God, and I believe he will be an useful preacher. Two months longer he must stay Northampton; then he may make a trial in Epworth Circuit. In the meantime William Thom may labor there, of whom Mr. Rhodes gives me a good account. I am afraid Lady Huntingdon’s preachers will do little good wherever they go. They are wholly swallowed up in that detestable doctrine of Predestination, and can talk of nothing else. I am glad to hear so good an account of Mr. Woodhouse. We have to do with a God that heareth prayer. If you seek Him with your whole heart, He cannot withhold any manner of thing that is good.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Woodhouse, At Mr. Hutton’s In Epworth, Near Thorne, Yorkshire. To Joseph Benson [27] LONDON, October 23, 1773. DEAR JOSEPH,--I wish every one of our preachers who goes to Scotland were of the same mind with you. We are not called to sit still in one place; it is neither for the health of our souls nor bodies. Billy Thompson [See letter of Sept. 10] never satisfied me on this head, not in the least degree. I say still we will have traveling preachers in Scotland or none. The thing is fixed; the manner of effecting it is to be considered. Now set your wit to this: find out the t p [‘The manner’]. How shall this mater be accomplished You did not do well in selling your horse [See letter of Sept. 18, 1774],' and thereby laying another bar in the way. Though I am (by the exquisite negligence of my late bookkeeper [See letters of Sept. 20 and Nov. 6] ) a thousand pounds worse than nothing, I would have spared a few pounds to have eased that burthen. However, you must do as you can. Our preachers shall either travel there as in England, or else stay in England.--I am, dear Joseph, Yours affectionately. To Martha Chapman NEAR LONDON, October 27, 1773. MY DEAR SISTER,--Now is the hour and the power of darkness. But In vain does Satan rage his hour; Beyond his chain he cannot go.