Wesley Corpus

71. What can be done to make the Methodists sensible of the excellency of Kingswood School? A. Let every Assistant read the following account of it yearly in every congregation:-- (1.) The wisdom and love of God have now thrust out a large number of labourers into His harvest; men who desire nothing on earth but to promote the glory of God, by saving their own souls and those that hear them. And those to whom they minister spiritual things are willing to minister to them of their carnal things; so that they “ have food to eat, and rai ment to put on,” and are content therewith. (2.) A competent provision is likewise made for the wives of married Preachers. These also lack nothing, having a weekly allowance over and above for their little children; so that neither they nor their husbands need to be “careful about many things,” but may “wait upon the Lord without dis traction.” (3.) Yet one considerable difficulty lies on those that have boys, when they grow too big to be under their mother's direc tion. Having no father to govern and instruct them, they are exposed to a thousand temptations. To remedy this, we have a school on purpose for them, wherein they have all the instruc tion they are capable of, together with all things necessary for the body, clothes only excepted. And it may be, if God pros per this labour of love, they will have these too, shortly. (4) In whatever view we look upon this, it is one of the noblest charities that can be conceived. How reasonable is the Institution | Is it fit that the children of those who leave wife, and all that is dear, to save souls from death, should want what is needful either for soul or body? Ought not we to supply what the parent cannot, because of his labours in the gospel? How excellent are the effects of this Institution | The Preacher eased of this weight, can the more cheerfully go on in his labour.