Wesley Corpus

Give me leave, my Lord, to speak more freely still: perhaps it is the last time I shall trouble your Lordship. I know your Lordship's abilities and extensive learning; I believe, what is far more, that your Lordship fears God. I have heard that your Lordship is unfashionably diligent in examining the candidates for Holy Orders--yea, that your Lordship is generally at the pains of examining them yourself. Examining them! In what respects Why, whether they understand a little Latin and Greek and can answer a few trite questions in the science of divinity l Alas, how little does this avail! Does your Lordship examine whether they serve Christ or Belial whether they love God or the world whether they ever had any serious thoughts about heaven or hell whether they have any real desire to save their own souls or the souls of others If not, what have they to do with Holy Orders and what will become of the souls committed to their care My Lord, I do by no means despise learning; I know the value of it too well. But what is this, particularly in a Christian minister, compared to piety What is it in a man that has no religion ' As a jewel in a swine's snout.' Some time since, I recommended to your Lordship a plain man, whom I had known above twenty years as a person of deep, genuine piety and of unblameable conversation. But he neither understood Greek nor Latin; and he affirmed in so many words that he believed it was his duty to preach whether he was ordained or no. I believe so too. What became of him since, I know not; but I suppose he received Presbyterian ordination, and I cannot blame him if he did. He might think any ordination better than none. I do not know that Mr. Hoskins had any favour to ask of the Society. He asked the favour of your Lordship to ordain him that he might minister to a little flock in America. But your Lordship did not see good to ordain him; but your Lordship did see good to ordain and send into America other persons who knew something of Greek and Latin, but who knew no more of saving souls than of catching whales.