Wesley Corpus

From whom did I covet silver, or gold, or apparel? To whom did I deny any thing which I had, even to the hour that I departed from you? Ye of Epworth and Wroote, among whom I ministered for nearly the space of three years, what gain did I seek among you? Or of whom did I take or covet anything? Ye of Savannah and Frederica, among whom God afterwards proved me, and showed me what was in my heart, what gain did I seek among you? Of whom did I take anything? Or whose food or apparel did I covet, (for silver or gold had ye none, no more than I myself for many months,) even when I was in hunger and nakedness? Ye yourselves, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, know that I lie not. 89. “But,” it is said, “things are fairly altered now. Now I cannot complain of wanting anything; having the yearly income of a Bishop of London, over and above what I gain at other places.” At what other places, my friend? Inform your self a little better, and you will find that both at Newcastle, Bristol, and Kingswood, and all other places, where any collec tion is made, the money collected is both received and expended by the stewards of those several societies, and never comes into my hands at all,--neither first nor last. And you, or any who desire it, shall read over the accounts kept by any of those stewards, and see with your own eyes, that by all these scoieties I gain just as much as you do. 90. The case in London stands thus:-In November, 1739, two gentlemen, then unknown to me, (Mr. Ball and Mr. Wat Kins,) came and desired me, once and again, to preach in a place called the Foundery, near Moorfields. With much reluctance I at length complied. I was soon after pressed to take that place into my own hands. Those who were most earnest therein lent me the purchase-money, which was one hundred and fif teen pounds. Mr. Watkins and Mr. Ball then delivered me the names of several subscribers, who offered to pay, some four or six, some ten shillings a year towards the repayment of the purchase-money, and the putting the buildings into repair.