Wesley Corpus

WORCESTER, July 7, 1777. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I advise all that will take my advice to abide where they are called, and not to 'heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.' [2 Tim. iv. 3. ] So I advise all that were brought up in the Church to continue in the Church. [See letter of Oct 1, 1778] It never entered my thoughts to advise them to hear none but Methodists.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Joseph Benson WORCESTER, July 8, 1777. DEAR JOSEPH,--What you say is unquestionably right. Why, then, should it not immediately be put in execution? Let Berwick directly be taken into the Newcastle Circuit, and Dunbar be supplied once a fortnight from Edinburgh. Pray write this instantly to Brother M'Nab, [Assistant to Edinburgh.] and admit of no excuse. If by this means there is a preacher to spare, let him step over as soon as possible from Portpatrick and supply the place of that good young man John Harrison [Harrisin, whose obituary appeared the following month, was ‘a promising youth, serious, modest, and much devoted to God.’] in the Lisburn Circuit. Mr. Smyth calls aloud for help: he is zealous and active, but is quite overborne. I have set down you with Brother Hopper in the Manchester Circuit [They went to Bradford in August.]; and am, dear Joseph, Yours affectionately. To John Bredin HAVERFORDWEST, July 17, 1777. MY DEAR BROTHER,--John Floyd, who is in Dublin, comes over to the Conference, [Floyd was stationedin Bristol in 1776 and Leeds in 1777.] and will bring your accounts and money to Bristol. Push out wherever you can into new places. I think you need go no farther than Cork and Brandon next year. Meantime do, not so much or so much, but all you can for God.-- I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Bredin, At Mr. John Fitzhenry's, At Bollimore, Near Goree, Ireland. To Mrs. Barton BRISTOL, July 29, 1777. MY DEAR SISTER,--It is well that you have learned to say, ' The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.' Your child is gone but a little before you. How soon shall we overtake her! It is no way inconsistent with Christian resignation to ask conditionally, ' Let this cup pass from me '; only with the addition,' Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou writ.'