him. However, you must in nowise give him up. And he has much more need of comfort than of reproof. His great danger is despair.

Brother Asbury has sent me a few lines, and I thank him for them. But I do not advise him to go to Antigua. Let him come home without delay. If one or two stout, healthy young men, would willingly offer themselves to that service, I should have no objection: but none should go, unless he was fully persuaded in his own mind. You are a bold man, Tommy, to commence author in these critical times. I wish the success may answer your expectation: there is a call for every help. 1 am afraid you will soon find a day of trial: the clouds are black both over England and America. It is well if this summer passes over without some showers of blood. And if the storm once begins in America, it will soon spread to Great Britain.

, who writes warmly against

I have a friendly letter from the Pray remember my love to him and his wife. I am glad to find he is still walking in the good old way. He sends me word, that one or two men of fortune are gone out to preach the gospel. If they are, I expect little from them. God hath chosen the weak to confound the strong.

Go on, doing and suffering the will of our Lord!

I am, dear Tommy,

Your affectionate Friend and Brother,

J. WESLEY.

LETTER III.

DEAR TOMMY,

Ballinrobe, May 19, 1775.

THAT letters travel very slow from us to America, is a great inconvenience. But it is a still greater, that they travel so uncertainly sometimes reaching you too late, sometimes not at all.

I doubt not but brother Asbury and you will part friends: I shall hope to see him at the Conference. He is quite an upright man. I apprehend he will go through his work more cheerfully, when he is within a little distance from me.

We must speak the plain truth, wherever we are, whether men will hear, or whether they will forbear. And among our societies we must enforce our rules, with all mildness and steadiness. At first, this must appear strange to those, who are as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke. But after a time, all that desire to be real Christians, see the advantage of it.

I am afraid Mr. B. is a weak brother, a little enlightened in his understanding, and having a kind of faith. But I would rather (of the two) be in the case of poor T. R. than of him. I think there is more probability, of his being a real Christian, than of the other's.

Never was there a time, when it was more necessary for all that fear God, both in England and in America, to stir up the gift of God that is in them, and wrestle with God in mighty prayer. In all the other judgments of God, the inhabitants of the earth learn righteousness. When a land is visited with famine, or plague, or earthquake,

the people commonly see and acknowledge the hand of God. But wherever war breaks out, God is forgotten, if he be not set at open defiance. What a glorious work of God was at Cambuslang and Kilsythe, from 1740, to 1744! But the war that followed tore it all up by the roots, and left scarce any trace of it behind. Insomuch that when I diligently inquired a few years after, I could not find one that retained the life of God! I am, my dear Tommy,

Your affectionate Friend and Brother, JOHN WESLEY.

DEAR JEMMY,

TO MR. DEMPSTER.

Ballinrobe, May 19, 1775. THAT one point I earnestly recommend, both to brother Rankin, and you, and all our preachers, by prayer, by exhortation, and by every possible means, to oppose a party spirit. This has always, so far as it prevailed, been the bane of all true religion. More especially when a country was in such a situation, as America is now. None but the God of Almighty Love can extricate the poor people out of the snare. O what need have you to besiege his throne with all the

power of prayer!

I am, dear Jemmy, your's, affectionately, JOHN WESLEY.

DEAR TOMMY,

LETTER IV.

Clarmain, near Armagh, June 13, 1775.

I AM afraid, our correspondence for the time to come, will be more uncertain than ever since the sword is drawn, and it is well if they have not on both sides thrown away the scabbard. What will the end of these things be, either in Europe or America? It seems, huge confusion and distress, such as neither we nor our fathers had known! But it is enough, if all issues in glory to God, and peace and good will among men.

I am sorry for poor T. R. I well hoped God had thoroughly healed his backsliding, and so lifted up his head, that he would have fallen no more. But the case is not desperate yet: you must, in no wise, give him up. I have scarcely ever known an habitual drunkard finally reclaimed, before he had relapsed more than once or twice. Your point is, first, save him from the occasions of sin: then incite him not to cast away hope. Nothing but this, despair of conquering, can totally destroy him. As long as he keeps up the faintest hope, he will strive against sin.

My brother wrote me word, that he had received a copy of the tract that you have written. Something of the kind may be very seasonable. Never had America such a call to repentance. For unless general reformation prevent general destruction, what a scene will soon be opened? Ruin and desolation must soon overspread the land, and fair houses be turned into ruinous heaps. But what are

those strange phenomena which you speak of? Send me an account of just so much as you can depend upon.

Should not you appoint in America, (as we do in England and Ireland,) one or more general days of fasting and prayer?

I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate Friend and Brother,

DEAR TOMMY,

LETTER V. ·

J. WESLEY.

Near Leeds, July 28, 1775.

I REJOICE to hear, that the work of our Lord still prospers in your hands. hands. If the temple is built even in troublous times, it is not by the power of man. I rejoice too over honest Francis Asbury, and hope he will no more enter into temptation. Do not despair of poor T. R. He is not out of God's reach yet. I know no reason, why we should not print the names of the American preachYou may print an edition of the Christian Pattern, and apply the profits of it to the payment of the debt. The societies should pay the passage of the preachers. But you must not imagine, that any more of them will come to America, till these troubles are at an end.

ers.

Certainly this is the point which we should insist upon, in season and out of season. The universal corruption of all orders and degrees of men, loudly calls for the vengeance of God. And inasmuch as all other nations are equally corrupt, it seems God will punish us by one another. What can prevent this, but an universal, or at least, a general repentance? Otherwise we have great reason to fear, God will soon say, "Sword, Go through that land and destroy it."

Those clergymen should be lovingly advised, "Not to hurt our preachers." I will pay your arrears. We have only, to live to-day! God will take care of to-morrow. I am, dear Tommy,

Your affectionate Friend and Brother, JOHN WESLEY.

(We subjoin the two following short letters, written on the same half

DEAR JEMMY,

sheet.)

TO MR. DEMPSTER.

July 28.

LAST month I was at the gates of death. But it pleased God, just then to rebuke the fever, so that my pulse began to beat again, after it had totally ceased. Since that time I have been gradually recovering strength, and am now nearly as well as ever. Let us use the short residue of life, to the glory of him that gave it! I am, your's, affectionately,

JOHN WESLEY.

MY DEAR BROTHER,

TO JOHN KING.

Near Leeds, July 28, 1775. ALWAYS take advice or reproof as a favour. It is the surest mark of love.

I advised you once, and you took it as an affront: nevertheless I will do it once more.

Scream no more at the peril of your soul. God now warns you, by me whom he hath set over you. Speak as earnestly as you can; but do not scream. Speak with all your heart; but with a moderate voice. It was said of our Lord, "He shall not cry;" the word properly means, He shall not scream. Herein be a follower of me, as I am of Christ. I often speak loud: often vehemently; but I never scream. I never strain myself: I dare not. I know it would be a sin against God and my own soul. Perhaps one reason why that good man, Thomas Walsh, yea, and John Manners too, were in such grievous darkness before they died, was because they shortened their own lives.

O John, pray for an advisable and teachable temper. By nature you are very far from it. You are stubborn and headstrong. Your last letter was written in a very wrong spirit. If you cannot take advice from others, surely you might take it from

DEAR TOMMY,

Your affectionate brother, J. WESLEY.

LETTER VI.

London, Aug. 13, 1775.

I DO not give up T. R. yet: he is not out of God's reach. I am not sorry that brother Asbury stays with you another year. In that time it will be seen, what God will do with North America: and you will easily judge, whether our preachers are called to remain any longer therein. If they are, God will make their way plain, and give them favour even with the men that delight in war. In the civil wars of Rome, Atticus stood fair in the esteem of both the contending parties. And so did the Archbishop of Cambray, during the war in the Netherlands. Not only the officers, but the common soldiers, when they went by, treating him with love and regard. The clouds do indeed gather more and more; and it seems a heavy storm will follow: certainly it will, unless the prayers of the faithful obtain a longer reprieve.

A few weeks ago, I was at the gates of death, in the North of Ireland. But

"The fever felt his touch and fled."

And I am now just as I was before it came.

You did well, to remove the books into a place of safety; if any such can be found in America. It is no wonder, that the spirits of the men who know not God are sharpened into madness. That human creatures commence lions and bears. This is the genuine fruit of war!

Certainly if they persecute you in one city you should flee to another. Peace be with your spirit! I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother, J. WESLEY.

DEAR TOMMY,

LETTER VII.

London, Oct. 20, 1775.

THE account given in our newspapers of my death was not wholly without foundation. For I was only not dead; my pulse being quite gone, and "the wheel at the cistern without motion." But then our Lord stepped in, and

"The fever own'd his touch and fled."

My strength returned by swift degrees; and I am now at least as well as before my illness.

In the country places I believe you will have the largest harvest, where they know little and talk little about politics. Their hearts are engaged with something better, and they let the dead bury their dead. I am glad you are going into North Carolina: and why not into South Carolina too? I apprehend, those provinces would bear much fruit, as most parts of them are fresh, unbroken ground. And as the people are farther removed from the din of war, they may be more susceptible of the gospel of peace.

A paper was sent to me lately, occasioned by the troubles in America: but it would not do good. It is abundantly too tart; and nothing of that kind will be of service now. All parties are already too much sharpened against each other: we must pour water, not oil, into the flame. I had written a little tract upon the subject, before I knew the American ports were shut up. I think, there is not one sharp word therein: I did not design there should. However, many are excessively angry; and would willingly burn me and it together. Indeed it is provoking: I suppose, above forty thousand of them have been printed in three weeks, and still the demand for them is as great as ever.

I was glad to receive your's by Capt. Crawford. I am entirely of your mind. I am persuaded love and tender measures will do far more than violence. And if I should have an interview with a great man (which seems to be not unlikely,) I will, by the grace of God, tell him so, without any circumlocution. Our time is in God's hands: let us stand ready for all things!

I am, dear Tommy,
Your affectionate friend and brother,

J. WESLEY.

LETTERS TO MISS B.

LETTER I.

MY DEAR SISTER,

June 17, 1744.

IT is something strange, that I should never hear of your sickes till I hear of your recovery. Both the one and the other were