Wesley Corpus

Mr. Boehm [See letter of Aug. 31, 1772, to Philothea Briggs.] was Chaplain to Prince George of Denmark, Secretary to him and Queen Anne, principal manager of almost all the public charities in the kingdom, and employed in numberless private charities. An intimate friend, knowing this, said to him when they were alone, 'Sir, are you not hurt by that amazing hurry of business? I have seen you in your office, surrounded with people, listening to one, dictating to another, and at the same time writing to a third; could you then retain a sense of the presence of God? ' He answered, ' All that company and all that business no more hindered or lessened my communion with God than if I had been all alone in a church kneeling before the communion table.' Was it not the same case with him to whom Gregory Lopez said, ' Go and be an hermit in Mexico'? I am concerned for you; I am sorry you should be content with lower degrees of usefulness and holiness than you are called to. But I cannot help it: so I submit; and am still, my dear Miss March, Yours in sincere affection. To Mr. Powell LONDON, December 18, 1777. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Your proposal is good. Let Mr. Watson, who is a pious and sensible youth (?), act as a fourth preacher; at least till you hear farther from Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Powell, In the Drapery, Northampton. To Thomas Rutherford [27] LONDON, December 20, 1777. DEAR TOMMY,--You gave me an agreeable account of the progress of the work of God in the island. I apprehend you will meet with no hindrance from men in power. They know the mind of the King. You cannot with a good conscience receive that froward man either as a leader or a member of the Society unless he acknowledges his fault. Otherwise he would do more hurt in the Society than out of it.--I am, dear Tommy, Yours affectionately. I fix no journeys till after Christmas. To John Bredin LONDON, December 23, 1777.