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diff --git a/32669.txt b/32669.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..24b1c25 --- /dev/null +++ b/32669.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5776 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of John Wesley, by Marianne Kirlew + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of John Wesley + Told to Boys and Girls + +Author: Marianne Kirlew + +Release Date: June 3, 2010 [EBook #32669] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF JOHN WESLEY *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Darleen Dove and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: _Frontispiece._ + +"'You seem half starved, dear,' he said."--_Page 33._] + + + + + +THE STORY OF JOHN WESLEY. + +Told to Boys and Girls. + +BY + +MARIANNE KIRLEW, + +_Author of "The Red Thread of Honour," etc., etc._ + +WITH PREFACE BY REV. DINSDALE T. YOUNG. + + +[Illustration] + + London: + ROBERT CULLEY, + 2 AND 3 LUDGATE CIRCUS BUILDINGS, FARRINGDON STREET, E.C.; + 2 CASTLE STREET, CITY ROAD, E.C. + + + + + TO THE SACRED MEMORY + + OF THE + + Dear Mother, + + WHO BY PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE + + SOUGHT TO BRING UP HER CHILDREN + + IN "THE NURTURE AND ADMONITION OF THE LORD"; + + THIS BOOK IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED + + BY HER DAUGHTER. + + * * * * * + + "_That our sons may be as plants grown up in their + youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, + polished after the similitude of a + palace._"--PSALM CXLIV. 12. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +THE Story of John Wesley is one of which the world does not easily +weary. There is perennial freshness in it. "Age cannot wither it." We +may indeed almost affirm that it has an "infinite variety." + +It is specially important that this remarkable history should be re-told +for young people. The youth of England ought to be fully conversant with +John Wesley's unique personality and immortal work. + +John Wesley's name is far above mere denominationalism. He belongs to +all the churches, for he belongs to the "Holy Catholic Church." He is a +great national and historic figure. It has ever been claimed by some, +whose authority is high, that John Wesley was the saviour of modern +England. Surely there is large truth in this. The great religious leader +was indeed one of the most potent political forces England has known. If +there be even an approximation towards fact in such a claim, then how +important for young England to know the record of a man so supremely +distinguished. + +Certainly, on any ground, these pages meet a distinct want; and I think +it will be the judgment of readers, that they meet it admirably well. +Here John Wesley's life is traced clearly, even to the point of +vividness. The style in which the story is told, will be found to add to +the intrinsic interest of the recital. + +The author of this life of Wesley is thoroughly imbued with the spirit +of her subject, nor does she forget to apply the lessons, with which +this wonderful life-story is crowded. + +If the _children_ of our land could be fired with enthusiasm for the +truths John Wesley taught and lived, what a blessed outlook would there +be for England! + +We earnestly pray, that many a young reader may be stirred to the very +depths of his being, by the narration here so attractively given. "'Tis +a consummation devoutly to be wished." + + DINSDALE T. YOUNG. + + _Manchester, + June, 1895._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + _Chapter_ _Page_ + + I. 1 + + II. 6 + + III. 10 + + IV. 13 + + V. 19 + + VI. 23 + + VII. 28 + + VIII. 32 + + IX. 35 + + X. 38 + + XI. 45 + + XII. 49 + + XIII. 54 + + XIV. 59 + + XV. 63 + + XVI. 68 + + XVII. 73 + + XVIII. 77 + + XIX. 82 + + XX. 86 + + XXI. 89 + + XXII. 92 + + XXIII. 98 + + XXIV. 102 + + XXV. 106 + + XXVI. 110 + + XXVII. 116 + + XXVIII. 120 + + XXIX. 123 + + XXX. 128 + + XXXI. 134 + + XXXII. 138 + + XXXIII. 142 + + XXXIV. 145 + + XXXV. 149 + + XXXVI. 152 + + XXXVII. 156 + + XXXVIII. 159 + + XXXIX. 163 + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE STORY OF JOHN WESLEY. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Jacky.--His brothers and sisters.--His cottage + home.--What happened to the little pet-dog.--How + Jacky's father forgave the wicked men of + Epworth.--"Fire! Fire!" + + +LONG, long ago, more than one hundred and fifty years, lived the hero of +this book. Because his name was John, everybody called him Jack or +Jacky; and by everybody I mean his dear, good father and mother, and his +eighteen brothers and sisters. Eighteen, did I say? Yes, indeed, they +counted eighteen; and seeing there were so many, I will not trouble you +with all their names. I will just tell you three. Samuel was the eldest, +he was the "big brother"; Jacky was number fifteen, and Kitty and +Charlie came after him. + +But Jacky did not mind all this houseful, I think he rather liked it, +for you see he always had plenty of playmates. His home was in a country +village called Epworth, in Lincolnshire. If you look on your map I think +you will find it. The house was like a big cottage; the roof had no +slates on like ours, but was thatched with straw, the same as some of +the cottages you have seen in the country; and the windows had tiny +panes of glass, diamond-shaped, and they opened like little doors. The +walls of the cottage were covered with pretty climbing plants, and what +was best of all, there was a beautiful big garden where apple and pear +trees grew, and where there was lots of room for Jacky and Charlie and +the others to run about and play "hide and seek." + +But I must tell you that a great many wicked people lived at Epworth, +and Jack's father, who was a minister, tried to teach them how wrong it +was to steal and fight, and do so many cruel things. But his preaching +only made them very angry with good Mr. Wesley, and one of the men, out +of spite, cut off the legs of his little pet-dog. Was not that a +dreadfully cruel thing to do? + +But Jack's father, because he loved Jesus so much, loved these wicked +men, and always forgave them. He knew if he could get _them_ to love +Jesus, they would soon stop being cruel and unkind. + +One night in winter, when everybody was fast asleep, Kitty woke up +feeling something very hot on her feet. Opening her eyes she was +dreadfully frightened to see the bedroom ceiling all on fire. She was +only a very little girl, but she jumped out of bed, and ran to the room +where her mother and two of her sisters were sleeping. Her father, who +was in another room, hearing a great noise outside, and people calling +"Fire! Fire!" jumped up and found it was his own house that was in +flames. Telling the elder girls to be quick and get dressed and to help +their mother, who was very ill, he ran to the nursery, and burst open +the door. "Nurse, nurse!" he shouted, "be quick and get the children up, +the house is on fire." + +Snatching up baby Charles in her arms, and calling to the other children +to follow her, the nurse hurried down-stairs. But there they found the +hall full of flames and smoke, and to get out of the front-door was +impossible. So some of the children got through the windows and some +through the back-door into the garden. + +Just as the minister thought he had all his family safe, he heard a cry +coming from the nursery, and on looking round, he found Jacky was +missing. He rushed into the burning house, and tried to get up the +stairs, but they were all on fire. What should he do? He didn't know. So +he just knelt down in the hall surrounded by the dreadful flames, and +asked God to take care of little Jack, and if he couldn't be saved to +take him to heaven. + +Now I must tell you how it was Jack was still in the burning house. He +had been fast asleep when the nurse called, and did not hear her and the +other children go out of the room. All at once he woke up, and seeing a +bright light in the room, thought it was morning. "Nursie, nursie!" he +called, "take me up; I want to get up." Of course there was no answer. +Then he put his head out of the curtains which surrounded his little +bed, and saw streaks of fire on the top of the room. Oh, how frightened +he was! + +Jacky was only five years old, but he was a brave boy, and instead of +lying still and screaming and crying, he jumped up and ran to the door +in his night-gown. But the floor and the stairs were all on fire. What +should he do? He ran back again into the room, and climbed on a big box +that stood near the window. Then some one in the yard saw him and +shouted: "Fetch a ladder, quick! I see him." + +"There's no time," called out somebody else; "the roof is falling in. +Look here!" said the same man, "I'll stand against this wall, and let a +man that's not very heavy stand on my shoulders, and then we can reach +the child." + +So the strong man fixed himself against the wall, and another man +climbed on his shoulders, and Jacky put out his arms as far as he could, +and the man lifted him out of the burning room, and he was safe. Two +minutes afterwards the roof fell in with a big crash. + +Jack was carried into a neighbour's house, and they all knelt down while +the minister thanked God for taking care of them, and so wonderfully +preserving all their lives. + +Jack never forgot that terrible night, and all his life afterwards he +felt that God had saved him from being burnt to death, in order that he +might do a great deal of work for Him. + +You will not be surprised to hear, that it was the wicked people in +Epworth who had set the minister's house on fire. But as Jesus forgave +His enemies, so Mr. Wesley forgave these men, and tried more than ever +to show them how much Christ loved them. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Jacky learns his A B C.--A wise mother.--Christ's + little soldier.--A chatterbox.--The big brother + and the little one.--Jacky poorly.--The bravest of + the brave.--A proud father. + + +JACK'S father and mother were not rich people, and they could not afford +to send all their children to school, so Mrs. Wesley taught them at +home, and as there were so many of them it was almost like a proper +school. When Jacky was five years old, he became a little scholar. The +first day he learnt his alphabet, and in three months could read quite +nicely. + +Mrs. Wesley was a dear, kind mother, and took a great deal of trouble, +and often put herself to much pain to train her little boys to be +Christian gentlemen, and her little girls to be Christian ladies. As +soon as they could speak, they were taught to say their prayers every +night and morning, and to keep the Sabbath day holy. They were never +allowed to have anything they cried for, and they were always taught to +speak kindly and politely to the servants. Bad words were never heard +among them, and no loud talking or rough play was allowed. This wise +mother also knew that little people are sometimes tempted to tell +untruths to hide a fault for fear of punishment, so she made it a rule +that if any of the children did what was naughty, and at once confessed +and promised not to do it again, they should not be whipped. + +One of the little boys--I'm afraid it was Jacky--did not always follow +this rule, and so he sometimes got what he did not like. But Mrs. Wesley +never allowed her children to taunt one another with a fault, especially +when they were trying to do better. + +Another thing the children were taught, was to respect the rights of +property; that is, if Jacky wanted Charlie's top, he was not to take it +without Charlie's leave; and if Emily wanted Sukey's brooch, she must +ask her sister's permission before taking it. + +"Oh, how dreadfully strict!" I fancy I hear some of my readers say. Not +at all, dears, it was a mother's kindness to her children; for it took +far more time, and a great deal more trouble to teach them all these +things than it would have done to let them do as they liked. And when +Emily and Mollie and Jack and Charlie and all the others grew up to be +men and women, they thanked God for giving them such a wise mother. + +Once a week Mrs. Wesley used to take each of the children into her room, +separately, for a quiet little talk. They each had their own day for +having mother _all to themselves_. Jack had every Thursday, and Saturday +was Charlie's day. So helpful were these little talks with mother, that +years afterwards when Jack had left home, he wrote and asked his mother +if she would spare the same time every Thursday to pray for him. + +Before Jacky was eight years old he loved Jesus so much that he wanted +every one to know he meant to be one of His faithful soldiers. So he +asked his father if he might go to the communion, which, you know, is +doing what Christ asked all His followers to do, taking bread and +drinking wine "_in remembrance of Him_." Though Jack was such a little +boy, his father knew, by his conduct, that he meant what he said, and so +he admitted him to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. I wish all my +young readers could say, as Jacky could:-- + + "I am a little soldier, + I'm only eight years old, + I mean to fight for Jesus + And wear a crown of gold. + I know He'll make me happy, + And help me every day, + I'll be His little soldier, + The Bible says I may." + +Mrs. Wesley used to have services in her big kitchen on a Sunday night, +for the servants, and the poor people who could not walk all the long +way to church; and little Jack used to sit and listen so attentively, +while his mother told the people how God's Son was put to death on the +cruel cross, to save them from sin, and to gain for them a place in +heaven. + +Jack, like many another little boy, had rather a long tongue, indeed, he +was a regular chatterbox. His big brother Sam did not always like Jack +putting his word in, and giving his opinion; he would put him down and +say: "Child, don't talk so much, when you're older you'll find that +nothing much is done in the world by arguing." His father used to stand +up for Jack, and would say: "There's one thing, our Jack will never do +anything without giving a good reason for doing it, I know." + +You will be sorry to hear that Jacky had a dreadful illness when he was +nine years old. It was a disease that causes a great deal of pain and +suffering. But Jack remembered that a soldier must be brave, and, as +Christ's little soldier, he must be the bravest of the brave. So Jacky +was very patient, and gave his nurse as little trouble as he could. His +mother wrote to Mr. Wesley, who was in London at the time, and said, +"Jack has borne his illness bravely, like a man, and like a little +Christian, he has never uttered a word of complaint;" and the father, as +he folded the letter and put it into his pocket, felt proud of his +little son. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Jacky at boarding school.--Bullying.--Hard + lines.--A morning run.--A Christ-like + schoolboy.--Charlie at Westminster.--Scotch + Jamie.--"Bravo, Captain Charlie!" + + +BY and by Jack grew to be a big boy of eleven, and all this time he had +only been at the home-school. His parents thought he was now quite old +enough to go to a proper boys' school, and through the kindness of a +friend, he was sent to a big school in London called the Charterhouse. + +Here poor Jacky had a very unhappy time for two or three years. The big +boys took a delight in bullying the little ones, especially the +new-comers; and as Jack had never been from home before, their +unkindness was hard to bear. Every meal-time each boy had to go to the +cook's house for his allowance of food, and the big boys used to lay +wait for the little ones as they came out, and snatch away their meat; +so for a long time Jack had nothing but bread to eat at every meal. + +Those of my readers who know what boarding-school life is to-day, will +think this a very funny way of getting your food; and so it was, but, +you must remember, this was in 1714, one hundred and eighty years ago, +and every thing then was very different to what it is now. + +Before Jack went to the Charterhouse, his father had said to him: "Jack, +I should like you to run round the school garden every morning before +breakfast, it will give you an appetite and help to make you grow up a +strong man." And all the long years Jack was at school he never failed +to obey his father's wish; and, when he grew up, he said this morning +run had helped to make him the healthy, strong man he had always been. +But, poor little fellow, it was very hard for him, when, feeling +dreadfully hungry with the fresh air and exercise, the big boys ran off +with his meat, and left him with only some bread for his breakfast. + +However, by and by, Jack grew old enough to fight for his meat. And when +this time came, do you think he took his turn at stealing from the +little boys, and bullying them? Of course you will all say: "No, indeed, +Jack would never be so mean." You are right; instead of treating others +as others had treated him, he just did what he thought Jesus would have +done when he was a boy at school. He stood up for the little fellows, +and fought the big boys who tried to steal their meat. + +Jack was so quiet and diligent at school, and so careful to obey rules, +that he soon became a favourite with the head-master, Dr. Walker; and +when he grew to be a man, he forgot all about the hard times he had had, +and never failed to visit the Charterhouse once a year. + +When Jack had been two years at this school, his brother Charlie was +sent to a school at Westminster, where his elder brother Samuel was a +teacher. Charlie was then a bright little boy of nine; he was strong, +full of spirit and fun, and afraid of nothing. He became a great +favourite, and was soon looked upon as the "captain" of the school. +Charlie was as generous as he was brave; his great dream was to be a +good man, and to help others to be good too. + +There was a little Scotch laddie at the school whom all the other boys +used to tease and mock. The captain wouldn't stand this; he took Jamie +under his special protection, shielded him, fought for him, and saved +him from what would otherwise have been a life of misery. + +I fancy I hear you all say: "Bravo, Captain Charlie!" + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Jack at Westminster.--At Oxford.--Life at + College.--Jack a deserter.--His good angel.--"He + that goes a borrowing, goes a sorrowing."--A + bitter disappointment.--A letter from + "Mother."--Jack's decision.--Father's advice. + + +WHEN Jack was sixteen he left the Charterhouse School, and joined +Charlie at Westminster. Here too he was so diligent and persevering, +that when his brother Samuel wrote home to his father, he said: "Jack is +a brave boy, and learning Hebrew as fast as he can." The next year he +went to Oxford, where he got on splendidly. He was very witty and +lively, and still _very fond of talking_; but his was not foolish talk, +and he always took care to stand up for the right. + +At first he was much shocked at the drinking and gambling, and +wickedness of all sorts that went on among the students at the +university. But when day after day we witness wrong-doing, gradually we +get less and less shocked, and after a time think little about it. This +only happens though when we get down from our watch-tower, and the enemy +has a chance to get near to us. Jack's temptations to join his fellow +students were very great, and I am sorry to say, he got "off his guard," +and yielded. For a time he quite disgraced the colours of his regiment, +and became a deserter from Christ's army. But it was not for long, he +remembered what he had learnt at home, and how his dear mother had +prayed for him. He remembered how he had been saved from the burning +house, and he felt sure that God had not spared his life for him to grow +up a wicked or a worldly man. + +He had found it hard work to be a Christian at the Charterhouse School, +now he found it harder still at Christ Church College. He loved fun and +merry company, and this sometimes led him to seek the society of young +men who loved their own pleasure better than any thing else; and many +times Jack, following their bad example, did things for which he was +afterwards very sorry and very much ashamed. + +I have somewhere read this line of poetry: + + "The boy that loves his mother + Is every inch a man," + +and if ever boy loved his mother, Jack did. The memory of her loving, +holy life was Jack's good angel; and when temptations proved almost too +strong for him at Oxford, he wrote and asked her to pray for him, and to +pray on every Thursday. For Thursday had been Jacky's day with mother, +ever since a little boy he knelt at her knee; and he felt that his +mother's prayers on _that_ day could not fail to bring down God's +blessing upon him, and give him strength to resist the many evil +influences that surrounded his college life--and they did. + +I told you before, I think, that Jack's parents were not rich; they had +never been able to allow him much pocket-money, and now at Oxford, when +his expenses were greater, he somehow could never manage to make his +money last out. I am afraid he was not always as careful as he might +have been, and I am sorry to say when he was spent up--which was very +often--he did what so many boys and young fellows do, borrowed money. +This is always foolish, for, of course, it cannot make things any +better, and indeed only makes them worse; because when the allowance +comes, the debts have to be paid, and there is little or no money left. +However, neither debt nor being short of money troubled Jack at this +time; indeed he said it was just as well to be poor, for there were so +many rogues at Oxford, that if you carried anything worth stealing, it +was not safe to be out at night. + +One of his friends was once standing at the door of a coffee-house about +seven o'clock in the evening, and happening to look round, in an instant +his hat and his wig--they wore wigs in those days--were snatched off +his head by a thief, who managed to get clear off with his booty. Jack +writing home about this said: "I am safe from these rogues, for all my +belongings would not be worth their stealing." + +When Jack had been four years at Oxford, and was about twenty-one, his +brother Samuel wrote to tell him he had had the misfortune to break his +leg. He also told him his mother was coming to London, and if he liked +he might go and meet her there. + +It was a long, long time since Jack had seen his mother, and you may +imagine his delight when he got this letter. He wrote back: + + "DEAR BROTHER SAMUEL, + + "I am sorry for your misfortune, though glad to + hear you are getting better. Have you heard of the + Dutch sailor who having broken one of his legs by + a fall from the mast, thanked God that he had not + broken his neck? I expect you are feeling thankful + that you did not break both legs. + + "I cried for joy at the last part of your letter. + The two things I most wished for of almost + anything in the world were to see my mother and + Westminster again. But I have been so often + disappointed when I have set my heart on some + great pleasure, that I will never again be sure of + anything before it comes. + + "Your affectionate brother, + "JACK." + +Poor Jack! it was well he did not anticipate this treat too much, for +when the time came he hadn't enough money to take him to London, and as +he was already in debt he could not borrow any more. It was a bitter +disappointment; but when his mother got back home again after her visit +to London, she wrote one of her bright, loving, encouraging letters, +which did something towards comforting the heart of this "mother's boy." +This was the letter: + + "DEAR JACK, + + "I am uneasy because I have not heard from you. + Don't just write letter for letter, but let me + hear from you often, and tell me if you are well, + and how much you are still in debt. + + "Dear Jack, don't be discouraged; do your duty; + keep close to your studies, and hope for better + days. Perhaps we may be able to send you a few + pounds before the end of the year. + + "Dear Jacky, I pray Almighty God to bless thee! + + "Your mother, + "SUSANNA WESLEY." + +When boys get to be fourteen or sixteen, they begin to think and wonder +what they will be when they are men. Very little boys generally mean to +be either cab-drivers or engine-drivers; and I did hear of one who meant +to have a wild beast show when he grew up. Jack reached the age of +twenty-one, and had not decided what he would be. + +At last the time came when he must make up his mind. After thinking +about it very seriously, he thought he would like to be a minister like +his father. So he wrote home and told them his decision. + +His father who had been ill and was unable to use his right hand +properly, wrote to him that he must be quite sure that God had called +him to this work before he undertook it. "At present," he said, "I think +you are too young." Then, referring to his illness, he said: "You see +that time has shaken me by the hand; and death is but a little behind +him. My eyes and heart are almost all I have left, and I bless God for +them." + +Mrs. Wesley was very glad when she heard that her boy wished to be a +minister. "God Almighty direct and bless you," she wrote to him. + +A few months afterwards, Jack's father wrote, and told him that he had +changed his mind about his being too young, and that he would like him +to "take Orders," that is, to become a minister, the following summer. +"But in the first place," he said, "if you love yourself or me, pray +very earnestly about it." + +To choose to be Christ's minister, a preacher of the gospel, Mr. Wesley +knew was a very solemn and responsible choice, and he wished Jack to +think very seriously, and to pray very earnestly before he took the +important step. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Books.--Two books that left impressions on + Jack.--Must a Christian boy be miserable?--Jack + says "No."--So says Jack's mother.--Father gives + his opinion.--"The Enchanted Rocks;" a fairy + story. + + +I WONDER if any of my readers ever think what the books they read are +doing for them, especially the books they are most fond of? Do you know +every book you read makes _you_ a little bit different? By _you_, I mean +the unseen part of you, your mind and character. + +I remember, when I was somewhere about the mischievous age of eight or +nine, how fond I used to be of getting to the putty round a newly-put-in +window pane. It was lovely to press my thimble on it, and see all the +pretty little holes it left; or to push a naughty finger deep down into +the nice soft stuff. Then, when the putty had dried hard, I used to +look with great interest on my work, for every impression was there, and +could not now be removed. + +So it is with books, they make an _impression_ on you; and you are +either a little bit better or a little bit worse for every book you +read. _Take care only to read those books that will make you better._ + +The summer after Jack decided to be a minister, he read two books which +made some big impressions on his mind, and left him _better_ than he was +before reading them. One was called "The Imitation of Christ," and the +other "Holy Living and Dying." They taught him that true religion must +be in the heart, and that it is not enough for our words and actions, as +seen and heard by men, to be right, but our very thoughts must be pure +and good, such as would be approved of God. He did not at all agree with +Thomas a Kempis, the writer of the first book I mentioned, in +everything, though, for he made out, according to Jack's idea, that we +should always be miserable. + +I think Jack would never have persevered in his determination to follow +Christ, if he had been convinced that "to be good you must be +miserable," for he loved fun, and could not help being happy. He felt +sure Thomas a Kempis was mistaken, especially when he remembered that +verse in the Bible which says religion's ways "are ways of +_pleasantness_" (Prov. iii. 17). When he wrote home, he asked his +mother what she thought, for although he was now a young man of +twenty-two, he was still the old Jack that thought father and mother +knew better than anybody else. + +His mother wrote back that she thought Thomas a Kempis _was_ mistaken, +for so many texts in the Bible show us that God intends us to be happy +and full of joy. "And," she said, "if you want to know what pleasures +are right and wrong, ask yourself: 'Will it make me love God more, and +will it help me to be more like my great example, Jesus Christ?'" + +Jack's father wrote: "I don't altogether agree with Thomas a Kempis; but +the world is like a siren, and we must beware of her. If the young man +would rejoice in his youth, let him take care that his pleasures are +innocent; and in order to do this, remember, my son, that for all these +things God will bring us into judgment." + +Some of my readers will hardly understand what Mr. Wesley meant when he +said the world is "like a siren." Most of you have read fairy tales; +well, a kind of Greek fairy story tells of some beautiful maidens, +called sirens, who used to sit on some dangerous rocks, and play +sweetest music. When sailors saw them and heard their singing, they were +drawn by magic nearer and nearer to where they were, until at last their +boats struck on the rocks, and the poor deluded sailors were dragged by +the sirens to the bottom of the sea and were drowned. + +Now, do you see why the world is like a siren? Its pleasures all look so +beautiful that we are tempted to draw nearer and nearer, until at last +we are lost to all that is holy and good. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Jack a minister.--A letter from father.--Jack's + first sermon.--"Mr. John."--Back at + college.--Temptations and persecutions.--"For + Jesus' sake."--Mr. John's long hair.--Clever, but + not proud.--Young soldiers for Christ. + + +WE all love to get letters, do we not? though some of us are not so fond +of writing them. It was in the year 1725, when Jack was twenty-two years +old, that he became a minister; and just about this time he had a +beautiful letter from his father. In it Mr. Wesley said:-- + + "God fit you for your great work. Watch and pray; + believe, love, endure, and be happy, towards which + you shall never want the most ardent prayers of + + "Your affectionate father, + "SAMUEL WESLEY." + +Jack's first sermon was preached at a small town near Oxford, and his +second at his dear home-village, Epworth. Mr. Wesley was getting old, +and as he had now two churches to look after, the one at Epworth and +another at a place called Wroote, where he and Mrs. Wesley had gone to +live, he was very glad when his son offered to go and help him. And now +that Jack has grown up and got to be a proper minister, I think we must +begin to call him Mr. John. Well, Mr. John stayed some time helping his +father at Wroote and Epworth, and then went back again to Oxford, to +study for a place in a college there--Lincoln College. + +There were several others trying to get this same place, and they didn't +like Mr. John because he would not do the wicked things they did, so +they made great fun of him, and laughed at him for being good. Nobody +likes being laughed at; and Mr. John didn't, but he bore it bravely; and +his father comforted him when he wrote: "Never mind them, Jack; he is a +coward that cannot bear being laughed at. Jesus endured a great deal +more for us, before He entered glory; and unless we follow His steps we +can never hope to share that glory with Him. Bear it patiently, my boy, +and be sure you never return evil for evil." His mother, too, sent +loving letters to cheer and comfort him. + +So Mr. John worked hard, and bore his persecutions patiently--_for +Jesus' sake_; and in spite of all his enemies he won the coveted place, +and became Fellow of Lincoln College. Oh, how glad and thankful he was! +And his father and mother were so proud and happy. + +It was just about this time that Mr. Wesley was afraid he would have to +leave Wroote, and it was a great trouble to him. "But," he said, +proudly, "wherever I am, my Jacky is Fellow of Lincoln." As for Jack, he +felt it was worth everything to give his father and mother such +pleasure. + +Though he was properly grown up, twenty-three years old, Mr. and Mrs. +Wesley always thought of him as their "boy." Fathers and mothers always +do this. It doesn't matter how old their children grow to be, they love +to think of them, and speak of them as their "boys" and "girls." Dear +readers, remember there is no one on earth that loves you, or ever will +love you with such a big love as father and mother. No matter how tall, +or how strong, or how clever you may grow, they will always love you +with the same big love they did when you were little boys and girls. +And, oh! whatever you do, never, never grieve these dearest of all dear +friends. + +Mrs. Wesley had been longing to see her "boy" again, especially now that +he had become Fellow of Lincoln College. At last her wish was granted. +There were a great many things that puzzled Jack which he wanted to ask +his father and mother about. So he went and spent a long summer at home, +getting his hard questions answered, and helping his father with the +work that was now almost too much for him. He had such a happy time +that he was almost sorry when the autumn came and he had to return to +Oxford. + +Being at school and college costs a great deal of money, and Jack knew +that his father was not a rich man, and that he had hard work often to +pay his college expenses. Jack had been very sorry to be such a burden +to his parents, and tried to be as careful as he could. Have you ever +seen a picture of Mr. John Wesley? If you have, you will have noticed +his long hair. Every one at Oxford wore their hair short; but having it +cut cost money, and John used to say: "I've no money to spend on +hair-dressers." So, though his fellow-students made great fun of him, he +saved his money and wore his hair long, and in time got so accustomed to +it, that he wore it long all his life. Now that he was Fellow of Lincoln +College he received enough money to pay his own expenses, and it made +him very happy to think he need no longer be an expense to his dear +father. But he resolved still to be as careful as he could, and never +again to go into debt. + +When he went back to his new College, after spending the summer at home, +he said to himself: "I will give up all the old friends who have so +often tempted me to do things that a Christian ought not to do, and I +will make new friends of those who will help me on my way to heaven." +So, though he was always polite to the many worldly young men who +wanted to make his acquaintance, he would not have them for his friends. +This made some of them say very unkind things about him; but Mr. John +bore it all quietly, and never said unkind things back again. He felt he +was only treading the path Jesus had trod before him, the path which all +His disciples must follow. + +Mr. John got to be so clever that soon he was made professor, or teacher +of Greek. Some boys and girls--yes, and grown-up people, too--become +proud when they get to be clever, but Mr. John did not. He determined, +more than ever, to be a faithful and humble follower of the Lord Jesus. +He was very patient with his scholars, and tried not only to make them +learned, but to make them Christians. "I want these young soldiers of +Christ to be burning and shining lights wherever they may go," he said. +"If they are not all intended to be clergymen, they are all intended to +be Christians." + +In the beginning of the next year (1727), Mr. John went home again to +help his father, who was getting very old, and was often ill. He stayed +at Wroote about two years, and then went back again to Oxford. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Charlie goes to Oxford.--Won't have his brother + interfere with him.--A change in + Charlie.--Somebody's prayers.--Charlie's chums, + and how he treated them.--Dividing + time.--Nickname.--A nickname honoured. + + +BEFORE I tell you any more about Mr. John, I am sure you would like to +know how Charlie has been getting on all this long time. We left him, +you remember, captain of the school at Westminster, where his eldest +brother Samuel was a teacher. He was so clever and brave, and such a +generous, loving-hearted boy, that he was a favourite with everybody. He +stayed nine years at Westminster, and then, when he was eighteen, went +to one of the colleges at Oxford. It was not the one Mr. John was at, +but, being in the same town, the two brothers often saw each other. + +Charlie was not a Christian, and made companions of the worldly young +students who spent their time in all sorts of wrong-doings. John was +very sorry for this, and spoke to him about it; but Charlie became very +angry at what he called his brother's interference, and said: "Do you +want me to become a saint all at once?" + +However, while Mr. John was away at home those two years helping his +father, Charlie changed very much. He became steadier and more +thoughtful, and even wrote to his brother, and asked for the advice he +would not have before. "I don't exactly know how or when I changed," he +said in his letter; "but it was soon after you went away. It is owing, I +believe, to somebody's prayers (my mother's most likely) that I am come +to think as I do." + +When boys and girls or grown-up people become Christians, those around +them soon find it out. Charlie's giddy companions soon saw something was +wrong with him. He used to be lazy and shirk his studies, spending his +time with them in pleasure and amusement, now he was diligent and worked +hard. + +The next thing they noticed was that he went to church regularly and +took the Sacrament. And here I must tell you how he behaved towards +these friends, and I know it will make you like Charlie more than ever. + +I told you before how loving and genial he was, and now he did not at +all like to give up his old chums, and yet he knew that if he meant to +travel heavenwards he must have companions that were going the same way. +He longed for his friends to become Christians, and talked to them so +lovingly and so wisely that before very long he got two or three of them +to join him in fighting against the evils of their nature, and +encouraging and seeking after everything that was good. + +You have all read in your English history how good King Alfred the Great +divided his time; well, Charles and his companions divided theirs in a +similar way. So many hours were spent in study, so many in prayer, and +so many in sleeping and eating. They made other strict rules for +themselves, and lived so much by what we call "method," that at last +they got to be called "Methodists." + +Boys and girls are very fond of giving nicknames to their companions; +sometimes it is done in fun, and then there is no harm in it,--but often +spite and ill-nature suggest the nickname, then it is very wrong and +very unkind. + +Most of the young men at Oxford thought religion and goodness were only +things to make fun of, so Charles and his friends were a butt for their +ridicule. Because they read their Bibles a great deal they called them +"Bible Bigots," and "Bible Moths," and their meetings they called the +"Holy Club." + +But "Methodists" was the name that fastened most firmly to them, and, +as you know, after all these years, this is the name we call ourselves +by to-day. Just think; a nickname given to a few young men at Oxford, +more than one hundred and fifty years ago, is now held in honour by +hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + The Christian band at Oxford.--How they spent + their time.--Mr. John and the little ragged + girl.--A very early bird.--Methodist rules, and + the Methodist guide-book. + + +WHEN Mr. John came back to Oxford, of course he joined the Christian +band, and very soon they made him their leader. He was cleverer and had +more experience than the others, and they all looked up to him for help +and advice. Others joined the club, and soon there were twenty-five +members. + +Do you remember a verse in the Bible that, speaking of Jesus, says: "He +went about doing good"? Well, these young men who were taking Jesus for +their copy, just did the same; all their spare time was spent in "doing +good." Some of them tried to rescue their fellow-students from bad +companions and get them to become Christians; others visited and helped +the poor. Some taught the children in the workhouse, and some got leave +to go into the prison and read to the prisoners. Very few of them were +rich, but they denied themselves things they really wanted in order to +buy books, and medicine for the poor. Every night they used to have a +meeting to talk over what they had done, and settle their work for the +next day. + +Mr. John started a school for poor little children; he paid a teacher to +teach them, and bought clothes for the boys and girls whose parents +could not afford to buy them. Once a little girl from the school called +to see Mr. John. It was a cold winter's day, and she was very poorly +clad. + +"You seem half starved, dear," he said; "have you nothing to wear but +that cotton frock?" + +"No, sir," she answered; "this is the only frock I have." + +Mr. John put his hand into his pocket, but, alas! he found no money +there, it had all gone. Just then he caught sight of the pictures on the +walls of his room, and he thought: "How can I allow these beautiful +pictures to hang here while Christ's poor are starving?" + +We are not told, but I think we can be quite sure that the pictures were +sold, and that the little girl got a warm winter's frock. + +Mr. John was just as careful of his time as his money, he never wasted a +moment. He believed in the proverb you have often heard: "Early to bed +and early to rise." Some people say: "Get up with the lark," but I +think Mr. John was always up before that little bird even awoke. Every +morning when the clock struck four he jumped out of bed, and began his +work. Wasn't that early? I wonder which of us would like to get up at +that time? And he did not do this only when he was young, he did it all +his life, even when he was an old, old man. + +I told you these "Methodists" made rules for themselves. One of them was +to set apart special days for special prayer for their friends and +pupils. And another one which we all should copy was: NEVER TO SPEAK +UNKINDLY OF ANY ONE. The Bible was their Guide Book, and it told them, +as it will tell us, all they ought to do, and all they ought not to do. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + A long walk.--More persecutions.--Mr. John's + illness.--Not afraid to die.--Mrs. Wesley + scolds.--Home again.--A proud father.--Mr. + Wesley's opinion about fasting.--At Wroote once + more.--Mr. Wesley's "Good-bye." + + +WILL you look on your map of England and find London? Now find Oxford. +The two places are a long way apart, are they not? + +Well, do you know Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley used often to walk all +that long way to see a friend. You know there were no railways in those +days, and to go by coach cost a great deal of money. This friend's name +was Mr. Law; he was a very good man, and encouraged and helped the two +brothers very much. He taught them that "religion is the simplest thing +in the world." He said: "It is just this, 'We love Jesus, because Jesus +first loved us.'" + +At Oxford, the Methodists were still called all sorts of names and made +great fun of, not only by the idle, wicked students, but even by clever +and learned men who ought to have known better. Some of their enemies +said: "They only make friends with those who are as queer as +themselves." But Mr. John showed them this was not true, for in every +way he could he helped and showed kindness to those who said the most +unkind things. + +Hard work, close study, and fasting, at last made Mr. John very ill; one +night he thought he was going to die. He was not at all afraid, he just +prayed, "O God, prepare me for Thy coming." But God had a great deal of +work for His servant to do, and did not let him die. With care and a +doctor's skill he got quite better. + +Poor Mrs. Wesley was often anxious about her two Oxford sons, and once +wrote them quite a scolding letter. "Unless you take more care of +yourselves," she said, "you will both be ill. You ought to know better +than to do as you are doing." Mrs. Wesley did not agree with them +fasting so much; she believed God meant us to take all the food +necessary to support our bodies. + +Just about this time, Mr. Samuel--the big brother--got an appointment as +master of a boys' school somewhere in the West of England; but before he +went to his new place he thought he would like to go home, and see his +dear father and mother. + +When his brothers at Oxford heard this, they thought they would go too, +so that they might all be together in the old home once more. And, oh, +what a happy time they had! Mr. Wesley was getting very old, and he was +so proud to have his "boys" with him again. He talked very seriously to +John and Charles, and told them he did not at all approve of their way +of living. He said he was sure God never meant us to fast so much as to +injure our health, or to shut ourselves up and be so much alone. Jesus +said: "Let your light shine _before men_;" our light should be where +_everybody_ can see it. I am sure old Mr. Wesley was right. + +A few months later, and the brothers were again at Wroote, standing by +the bedside of their dying father. "I am very near heaven," he said, as +they gathered round him, "Good-bye!" And "father" went Home. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + A corner in America.--Wanted a missionary.--Mrs. + Wesley gives up her sons to God's work.--At the + dock-side.--The good ship "Simmonds."--Life on + board.--A terrible storm.--The German Christians + who were not afraid. + + +IF you look on your map of the United States, you will see in the +south-east, a little corner called Georgia. It was to this place that a +number of poor people from England had emigrated; people who had been +cruelly treated in prison, and on being released had no work to do and +nowhere to go. Some kind Christian gentlemen collected money to help +them to get to Georgia, where they could have plenty of work and plenty +of food. A number of poor Germans, too, who had been persecuted in their +own country because of their religion, also went out to this place where +they could worship God as they chose, without fear of cruel treatment. + +When people are driven out of their own country like this, they are +called "exiles," and though this little band of exiles found work and +food, and freedom to worship God in the new land, they had no minister. +So the gentlemen who had raised the money, and who knew what brave, good +men Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley were, asked them if they would go +out and minister to these poor people in Georgia. "You are just the men +to comfort and teach them," they said. + +Then, too, a number of Indians lived in Georgia, and they wanted to be +friends with the white strangers, and General Oglethorpe and Dr. Burton, +the gentlemen I mentioned, thought it would be a good opportunity to +preach the gospel to them. + +When Mr. John Wesley was first asked, he said: "No, I cannot go, I +cannot leave my mother." Then they said: "Will you go if your mother +gives her consent?" + +"Yes," said John, feeling quite sure she would never give it. + +So he went to Epworth and told his mother all about the matter. Then he +waited for her reply. Mrs. Wesley loved her "boy" John very, very +dearly, and if he went to America she might never see him again, and yet +her answer came: "If I had twenty sons, I would give them all up for +such a work." + +Even after obtaining this unexpected consent, John did not decide to go +until he had asked the advice of his brother Samuel and his friend Mr. +Law, both of whom advised him to undertake the work. Then both he and +his brother sent in their decision to General Oglethorpe, and began +making preparations for their long journey across the Atlantic Ocean. + +Now I want us to imagine ourselves at Gravesend, a place on the river +Thames near London. Look at all those ships in the docks! See, there is +one that looks just ready to sail! Can you read the name of it? +"S-i-m-m-o-n-d-s"--"Simmonds." Yes, that is its name. Let us button up +our coats, as it is a sharp October day, and watch the passengers go on +board. + +Look at that little man with the nice face, and a lot of colour in his +cheeks! What long hair he has! and how smooth it is! It looks as if he +brushed it a great deal. See, he is looking this way, and we can notice +his beautiful forehead and his bright eyes. Why that must be Mr. John +Wesley! And, of course, that is his brother Charles talking to some +gentlemen on the deck. See, he is holding a book close to his eyes--he +must be short-sighted. Listen, how the others are laughing! I expect he +is making a joke. Now he is walking off arm in arm with one of his +companions. He seems to be still loving-hearted and full of fun, the +same Charlie he was at Westminster School only grown big. + +A number of Germans were also on board the "Simmonds," all bound for +Georgia. Before they had been many days at sea, John Wesley found out +that they were earnest Christians, and he began at once to learn German +in order that he might talk to them. + +The brothers had not taken their father's advice about fasting; they and +some other Methodists who were their fellow-passengers still thought +they ought to do with as little food as possible, and with as few +comforts. They ate nothing but rice, biscuits, and bread, and John +Wesley slept on the floor. He was obliged to do it one night, because +the waves got into the ship and wet his bed, and because he slept so +well that night, he thought the floor was good enough for him, and +continued to sleep on it. + +I expect you wonder how they spent their time during the long, long +voyage to Georgia. I will tell you. They made the same strict rules for +themselves that they did at Oxford. They got up every morning at four +o'clock, and spent the time in private prayer until five o'clock. Then +they all read the Bible together until seven. After that they had +breakfast, and then public prayers for everybody on the ship who would +come. Then from nine to twelve--just your school-time, little readers, +is it not?--Mr. John studied his German; somebody else studied Greek, +another taught the children on board, and Mr. Charles wrote sermons. +Then at twelve o'clock they all met and told each other how they had +been getting along, and what they had been doing. At one o'clock they +had dinner, and after that they read or preached to those on board until +four o'clock. Then they studied and preached and prayed again until +nine, when they went to bed. Were not these strict rules? I wonder if +they ever had the headache? I am afraid we should, if we studied so hard +and so long. + +Have you ever been to Liverpool, and seen one of those beautiful vessels +that go to America? They are as nice and as comfortable as the best of +your own homes, and you can get to the other side of the Atlantic in +about ten days. But at the time of which I write, more than one hundred +and fifty years ago, travelling was very different. The ships were much +smaller, and tossed about a great deal more, and the passengers had to +put up with a great many discomforts. Then again, it took weeks, instead +of days, to get across to America. + +The passengers on board the "Simmonds" met with some terrible storms; +often the great waves would dash over their little ship, until it seemed +as if it must sink and never rise again. + +One of these storms began on a Sunday, about twelve o'clock in the +middle of the day. The wind roared round them, and the waves, rising +like mountains, kept washing over and over the decks. Every ten minutes +came a shock against the side of the boat, that seemed as if it would +dash the planks in pieces. + +During this storm as Mr. Wesley was coming out of the cabin-door, a big +wave knocked him down. There he lay stunned and bruised, until some one +came to his help. When he felt better, he went and comforted the poor +English passengers, who were dreadfully afraid, and were screaming and +crying in their fear. Then he went among the Germans, but they needed no +comfort from him. He heard them singing as he got near, and found them +calm and quiet, not the least bit frightened. + +"Were you not afraid?" Mr. Wesley asked them when the storm was over. + +"No," they answered, "we are not afraid to die." + +"But were not the children frightened?" he said. + +"No," they said again, "our children are not afraid to die either." + +During that terrible storm they had remembered how Jesus stilled the +tempest on the Lake of Galilee, and His voice seemed to say to them now: +"Peace, be still." + +This reminds me of a piece of poetry, which I dare say some of you have +read. It is about a little girl whose father was a captain, and once +when there was an awful storm, and even the captain himself was +frightened: + + "----his little daughter + Took her father by the hand, + And said: 'Is not God upon the water + Just the same as on the land?'" + +"_The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than +the mighty waves of the sea:_" Psa. xciii. 4. + +"_He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still:_" +Psa. cvii. 29. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + In the Savannah river.--Landed.--A prayer meeting + on the top of a hill.--German Christians.--The + Indians.--Tomo Chachi and his squaw.--Their + welcome to Mr. Wesley.--A jar of milk and a jar of + honey. + + +AT last storms and dangers were over, and the good ship "Simmonds" +floated safely in the smooth waters of the Savannah river. You can find +this on your map. They cast anchor near a little island called Tybee +Island, where beautiful pine trees grew all along the shore. + +The first thing they did on landing was to go to the top of a hill, +kneel down together, and thank God for bringing them safely across the +ocean. You remember Noah's first act after leaving the ship that God put +him into when the world was drowned, was to offer a sacrifice of +thankfulness for God's care over him. And when Abraham got safely into +the strange land to which God sent him, the first thing he did was to +offer sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. In the same way the little +missionary band from England showed their reverence and gratitude to the +God who rules earth, sky, and sea. + +When they got to the town of Savannah they found it a very small place. +There were only about forty houses, besides a church, a prison built of +logs of wood, and a mill where everybody took their corn to be ground. + +I told you, if you remember, that besides the poor English exiles there +were a number of German Christians. These were called Moravians, and +they were so glad to have a minister that they came to meet Mr. Wesley, +and told him how pleased they were to see him. Mr. Wesley and one of his +friends lived with them in Savannah for a long time, and they soon found +what earnest real Christians they were, true followers of the Lord +Jesus. You know it is the people you live with that know you the best, +and this is what Mr. Wesley wrote about these Moravians. "We were in the +same room with them from morning till night, except when we went out for +a walk. They were never idle, were always happy, and always kind to one +another. They were true copies in all things of their Saviour Jesus +Christ." Was not that a splendid character to have, and would it not be +nice if those whom we live with could say the same of us? + +There was something near Savannah that you would have liked to see, +especially the boys, and that was an Indian town. If there was one +thing more than another that drew Mr. Wesley to Georgia it was the +Indians. I expect, like you, he had loved to read and hear about them; +now he had a chance to see them. But what he longed for most of all was +to tell them about Jesus, and to get them to become Christians. The +Indians lived in tents or tepees as they are called, and a number of +these tepees all put up close together was called a town; one of these +towns was only about twenty minutes' walk from Savannah. + +After Mr. Wesley had been a week or two in America, who should come to +see him but the Indian chief. Think how excited Mr. Wesley would be! The +chief's name was Tomo Chachi, and he came looking so grand in all his +war paint, with his great feather head-dress, and moccasins made of +buffalo skin, ornamented with pretty coloured beads, just as you have +seen them in pictures. + +Mr. Wesley thought he must dress up too, to receive his distinguished +visitor, so he put on his gown and cassock, and down he went to see Tomo +Chachi. Of course Mr. Wesley did not understand the Indian language, but +there was a woman who did, and she acted as interpreter. "I am glad you +are come," said Tomo Chachi. "I will go up and speak to the wise men of +our nation, and I hope they will come and hear you preach." + +Then Tomo Chachi's wife, or squaw as she is called, who had come with +her husband, presented the missionaries with a jar of milk. She meant by +this that she wanted them to make the story of Jesus Christ very plain +and simple so that they could understand it, for she said "we are only +like children." Then she gave them a jar of honey, and by this she meant +that she hoped the missionaries would be very sweet and nice to them. +Then Tomo Chachi and his squaw went back to their tepee. + +A few months after, Mr. Wesley had a long talk with another tribe of +Indians, a very wicked tribe called the Chicasaws; but they would not +allow him to preach to them. They said: "We don't want to be Christians, +and we won't hear about Christ." So Mr. Wesley had to leave them and go +back disappointed to Savannah. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Proud children.--Edie.--Boys in Georgia.--John and + Charles Wesley in the wrong.--Signal + failure.--Disappointment.--Return to England.--Mr. + Wesley finds out something on the voyage home.--An + acrostic. + + +I WONDER if my readers know any boys or girls who sneer and look down +upon their school companions because they are not so well dressed as +themselves? It is a cruel, unkind, un-Christ-like thing to do. + +I remember seeing a little girl, and it was in a Sunday School too, who +had on a new summer frock and a new summer hat; and oh! Edie did think +she looked nice. She kept smoothing her frock down and looking at it, +and then tossing her head. By her side sat a sweet-faced little girl +about a year younger than Edie. Annie's dress was of print and quite +plainly made, but very clean and tidy. After admiring herself a little +while, Edie turned to Annie and thinking, I suppose, that she might be +wearing a pinafore, and have a frock underneath, she rudely lifted it +up, and finding it really was her dress, she turned away with a very +ugly, disgusted look on her face, and said, scornfully "What a frock!" +Proud, thoughtless boys and girls never know the hurts they give, and +the harm they do. + +The boys in Georgia were no better than some boys in England. At a +school where one of the Methodists taught there were some poor boys who +wore neither shoes nor stockings, and their companions who were better +off taunted them and made their lives miserable. Their teacher did not +know what to do, and asked Mr. Wesley for advice. "I'll tell you what +we'll do," he said; "we'll change schools"--Mr. Wesley taught a school +too--"and I'll see if I can cure them." + +So the two gentlemen changed schools, and when the boys came the next +morning they found they had a new teacher, and this new teacher, to +their astonishment, wore neither shoes nor stockings. You can imagine +how the boys stared; but Mr. Wesley said nothing, just kept them to +their lessons. This went on for a week, and at the end of that time the +boys were cured of their pride and vanity. + +Though Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley were so good, they were not +perfect. They said and did many unwise things, and only saw their +mistake when it was too late. One thing was they expected the people to +lead the same strict lives they did, and to believe everything they +believed. This, of course, the people of Georgia would not do, they +thought their ways were just as good as Mr. Wesley's, and I dare say in +some things they were. Instead of trying to persuade them and explaining +why one way was better than another, Mr. Wesley told them they _must_ do +this, and they mustn't do that, until at last they got to dislike him +very much. One woman got so angry that she knocked him down. + +I am sure you will all feel very sorry when you read this, for Mr. +Wesley was working very hard amongst them, and thought he was doing what +was right. Mr. Charles did not get on any better at Frederica, where he +had gone to work and preach. Like his brother, he was very strict and +expected too much from the people. He tried and tried, not seeing where +he was to blame, and at last wearied and disappointed he returned to +England. + +After he had gone, Mr. John took his place at Frederica, hoping to get +on better than he had done at Savannah. It was of no use; he stayed for +twelve weeks, but things only seemed to get worse and worse. At last he +had to give up and go back to Savannah. Things, however, were no better +there, and before long he too began to see that his mission had been a +failure, and he returned to England a sadder and a wiser man. + +In spite of all their mistakes Mr. John and his brother must have done +some good in Georgia, for the missionary who went after them wrote and +said: "Mr. Wesley has done much good here, his name is very dear to many +of the people." It must have made the brothers glad to read this, for it +is hard when you have been doing what you thought was right, and then +find it was all wrong. + +On his return voyage to England Mr. Wesley had time to think about all +the things that happened in Georgia. He was feeling dreadfully +disappointed and discouraged; he had given up everything at home on +purpose to do good to the people out there. He had meant to convert the +Indians and comfort and help the Christian exiles, and he was coming +back not having done either. Poor Mr. Wesley! And the worst of it was, +the more he thought about it all, the more he began to see that the +fault was his own. + +There was another thing he discovered about himself on that voyage home. +They encountered a fearful storm, when every one expected to be drowned. +During those awful hours Mr. Wesley found out, almost to his own +surprise, that the very thought of death was a terror to him. He knew +then that there was something wrong, for no Christian ought to fear to +die. So Mr. Wesley went down on his knees and told God how wrong he had +been, that he had thought too much of his own opinions and trusted too +much in himself. He asked God to give him more faith, more peace, more +love. + +He was always glad afterwards that he had gone to Georgia, and thanked +God for taking him into that strange land, for his failure there had +humbled him and shown him his weakness and his failings. + +It is a grand thing when we get to know ourselves. Let us be always on +the look-out for our own faults, and when we see them, fight them. + +I would like to close this chapter with an acrostic I once heard on the +word "Faith." It is a thing little folks, yes, and big folks often find +hard to understand, perhaps this may help you. + +What is Faith? + + F ull + A ssurance (confidence, having no doubt) + I n + T rusting + H im (Jesus). + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + George Whitefield, the "boy parson."--The Wesleys + back in England.--Long walks.--Preaching by the + way-side.--A talk in a stable.--Sermon in + Manchester.--Mr. Charles in London.--Wants + something he has not got.--Gets it.--Mr. John + wants it too.--A top place in the class. + + +YOU remember the Holy Club which the Methodists started at Oxford? Well, +one of the youngest members was named George Whitefield; he was a pupil +of Mr. John Wesley's, and when he left Oxford he became a preacher. +While the two Wesleys were in Georgia, he carried on their work in +England. He had learnt to love Jesus very dearly, had felt how wicked +and sinful he was, and had gone to the Saviour and told Him all, asking +Him to "Create in him a clean heart, and to renew within him a right +spirit." Then he was so happy in knowing he was forgiven, that he wanted +every one else to be happy and forgiven too. He was so young when he +commenced to preach that every one called him the "boy parson;" but he +talked so earnestly and kindly to the people that crowds everywhere +flocked to hear him. + +When he heard that the two Wesleys were leaving Georgia he determined to +go and take their place, and see what he could do for the poor exiles. +Before he left England he preached a good-bye sermon, and told the +people that he was going this long and dangerous voyage, and perhaps +they might never see his face again. When they heard this, the children +and the grown-up people, rich and poor, burst into tears, they loved him +so much. But as this book is to be about Mr. John Wesley, we must not +follow Mr. Whitefield across the Atlantic. Try to remember his name +though, for he and the Wesleys were life-long friends, and you will hear +about him again further on. + +When Mr. John and Mr. Charles got back to England they took up George +Whitefield's work, going from town to town telling the people about +Jesus Christ. As there were no railways they had to walk a great deal, +and they used to speak to the people they met on the roads and in the +villages through which they passed. Once, when Mr. Wesley and a friend +were on their way to Manchester, they stayed one night in an inn at +Stafford. Before they went to bed, Mr. Wesley asked the mistress of the +house if they might have family prayer. She was quite willing, and so +all the servants were called in. Next morning, after breakfast, Mr. +Wesley had a talk with them all again, and even went into the stables +and spoke to the men there about their sins and about the love of Jesus +Christ. + +He preached in Manchester the next Sunday, and this was his text: "If +any man be in Christ, he is a new creature" (2 Cor. v. 17). He explained +to them that when any one begins to love Jesus, and tries to copy His +life, they grow more and more like what He was. Then everything becomes +different; the things they loved to do before cease to be a pleasure to +them, and the places they liked to go to they no longer care to visit; +they are "_new creatures_ in Christ Jesus." + +The next morning (Monday) Mr. Wesley, and the friend who was with him, +left Manchester and went on to Knutsford. Here, too, the people listened +attentively, while they preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. They +visited other towns, and then Mr. Wesley returned to Oxford. + +He had not been long there when he heard that his brother Charles was +very ill in London, and went at once to see him. Charles Wesley had been +living and working there with some German Christians, or Moravians, as +they were called, and before long he found that these people had +something in their lives that he did not possess. Like the Germans he +met in Georgia, their religion gave them peace and joy on week-days as +well as on Sundays. + +When he was ill, one of these Moravians, named Peter Boehler, came to see +him. During the little talk they had, the visitor said: + +"What makes you hope you are saved?" + +"Because I have done my best to serve God," answered Mr. Charles. + +You see, he was trusting in all the good deeds he had done, and not on +Jesus Christ's suffering and death for him. + +Mr. Boehler shook his head, and did not say any more then. But he left +Charles Wesley longing for the something he had not got. + +When he was a little better, he was carried to the house of a poor +working-man named Bray. He was not clever, indeed, he hardly knew how to +read, but he was a happy believer in Jesus; and he explained to Mr. +Charles that _doing_ was not enough, that we must believe that Jesus +Christ died on the cross for us, and that it is only through Him that we +can pray to God, and only by His death that we can hope to go to heaven. + +Then a poor woman came in, and she made him understand better than any +one; and at last Mr. Charles saw where he had been in the wrong, and +instead of trusting in his own goodness and in all the kind things he +had done, he just gave up his faith in these, and trusted alone in the +dying love of his Saviour, and ours. + +I expect all my readers have classes in the schools they go to. Some of +you are at the top of your class, some of you are in the middle, and +some of you are--well--near the bottom. I think this is very much the +way in Christ's school, the only difference is that in your class at +school there can only be _one_ at the top. In Christ's school there can +be any number at the top. There are a great number of Christians who are +only half-way up in the class, and I am afraid there are a still greater +number at the bottom. That is a place none of us like to be in at +school; then don't let us be content to keep that place in Christ's +school; let us all seek and obtain top places. + +When Mr. John Wesley visited his brother, he found he had got above him +in Christ's school; he had taken a top place in the class, and John +could not rest until he had got a top place too. So he prayed very +earnestly, and got the people that had helped his brother to talk to +him, but still he did not seem to understand. Four days after he went to +a little service, and while the preacher was explaining the change that +comes in us, when we trust in Jesus alone, John Wesley saw it all, took +a top place in Christ's school, and joyfully went and told his brother. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Methodist rules.--Pulpits closed against Mr. + Wesley.--A visit to Germany.--A walk in + Holland.--Christian David, the German + carpenter.--The Fellow of Lincoln College takes + lessons in a cottage. + + +I DARE say many of my readers go to Wesleyan Chapels, and understand +some of the Methodist rules. Most of these rules were made by the two +Mr. Wesleys and their friends more than one hundred and fifty years ago, +and they have been kept by their followers ever since. I want to tell +you about a few of them. + +The people who attended the Methodist meetings were divided into little +bands or companies, no band to have fewer than five persons in it, and +none more than ten. They were to meet every week, and each one in turn +was to tell the rest what troubles and temptations they had had, and how +God, through Jesus Christ, had helped them since the last meeting. + +Every Wednesday evening, at eight o'clock, all the bands joined together +in one large meeting, which began and ended with hymns and prayer. +There were many other rules, some of which I will tell you later on, +others you can read about when you are older. + +All this time you must remember that Mr. Wesley was a church clergyman. +He loved the Church of England very dearly, though there were a great +many things in it with which he did not agree. + +Wherever he preached he told the people just what he believed, and as +very few clergymen thought as he did, they did not like him speaking his +opinions so freely. At last, first one and then another said he should +never preach in their churches again. Yet the message Mr. Wesley gave to +the people, was the very same message that Christ spoke long before on +the shores of Galilee. + +Mr. Wesley still longed to understand his Bible better, and to learn +more of Jesus Christ, so he determined to go and visit the Moravians at +a place called Herrnhuth in Germany, and see if he could get some help +from them. So one June day, he said good-bye to his mother, and with +eight of his friends set off. One of these friends was an old member of +the Holy Club at Oxford. On their way to Herrnhuth, they had to pass +through Holland. This is what Mr. Wesley says about a walk they had in +that country: + +I never saw such a beautiful road. Walnut trees grow in rows on each +side, so that it is like walking in a gentleman's garden. We were +surprised to find that in this country the people at the inns will not +always take in travellers who ask for food and bed. They refused to +receive us at several inns. At one of the towns we were asked to go and +see their church, and when we went in we took off our hats in reverence, +as we do in England, but the people were not pleased, they said: "You +must not do so, it is not the custom in this country." + +After a long, long journey through Germany, the little party at last +reached Herrnhuth. + +Mr. Wesley had only been a few days there, when he wrote to his brother +Samuel: "God has given me my wish, I am with those who follow Christ in +all things, and who walk as He walked." + +I must just tell you about one of these Moravians, because he helped Mr. +Wesley more than any of the others. His name was Christian David. He was +only an ignorant working-man, and when not preaching was always to be +found working at his carpenter's bench. But David was Christian in life +as well as in name; he "walked with God," and whether he preached and +prayed, or worked with chisel and plane, he did all "in the name of the +Lord Jesus." He was never tired of telling people about the Saviour he +loved, and trying to get them to love Him too. He was a man who often +made mistakes, but as some one has said, "the man who never makes +mistakes never makes anything;" and Christian David was always ready to +own his faults when they were pointed out to him. + +You remember to what a high position Mr. Wesley had risen at Oxford, and +how clever he was? Yet Christian David knew more than he did about Jesus +Christ and His love; and the Fellow of Lincoln College was not too proud +to go and sit in a cottage and be taught by this humble carpenter, who +so closely followed the Holy Carpenter of Nazareth. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Fetter Lane.--Popular preachers.--Old friends meet + again.--Love-feasts.--1739--Small beginning of a + great gathering.--A crowded church.--A lightning + thought.--But a shocking thing.--George + Whitefield's welcome at Bristol.--"You shall not + preach in my pulpit."--"Nor mine."--"Nor + mine."--Poor Mr. Whitefield. + + +WHILE Mr. Wesley was in Germany, his brother Charles had been preaching +and working in London, and when Mr. John returned he found about +thirty-two people had joined the society there. They had hired a room in +Fetter Lane, and here they held their meetings. Mr. Wesley had come back +so full of love to Jesus Christ, and therefore so full of love to +everybody, and so eager for all to be as happy as he was, that he soon +got many others to join them. When he wrote to his German friends, he +said: "We are trying here, by God's help, to copy you as you copy +Christ." + +He and his brother still preached in any church where they were allowed, +and wherever they went crowds of poor people followed to hear them. They +used to go, too, to the prisons, and the hospitals, and preach to the +sinful and the suffering. They told them how Jesus forgave sins, and how +He used to heal the sick; and the sinful were made sorry, and the +suffering ones were comforted, and many believed in Jesus and prayed for +forgiveness. + +Mr. Wesley had returned from Germany in September; a few months later +Mr. George Whitefield came back from Georgia. He had got on very well +with the people there, because he did not try to alter the ways they had +been accustomed to, unless it was really necessary. + +Mr. Wesley went to meet his old friend, and, oh! how pleased they were +to see each other again. Mr. Whitefield joined the little society in +Fetter Lane, and they all worked together most happily. + +I dare say most of my Methodist readers will have been to a love-feast; +those of you who have not, will at any rate have heard of them. Well, it +was just about this time that love-feasts were first started. The little +bands or companies that I told you about used to join together, and have +a special prayer meeting once a month on a Saturday; and the following +day, which, of course, was Sunday, they all used to meet again between +seven o'clock and ten in the evening for a love-feast--a meal of bread +and water eaten altogether and with prayer. It was a custom of the +Moravians, and it was from them Mr. Wesley copied it. + +I have also heard that the love-feast was provided for the people, who +had walked a great many miles to hear Mr. Wesley preach, and were tired +and hungry. If this was the idea of the love-feast, they would have to +give the people a great deal more bread than they do now, or they would +still be hungry when they had done. + +The year after Mr. Whitefield returned from Georgia, 1739, was a +wonderful year for the Methodists. It started with a love-feast and +prayer meeting, which lasted half through the night. Then a few days +later, on January 5th, the two Mr. Wesleys and Mr. Whitefield, with four +other ministers, met together to talk about all they hoped to do during +the year, and make rules and plans for their helpers and members. + +I told you, if you remember, that first one pulpit and then another was +closed against these clergymen. At last there were only two or three +churches where they were allowed to preach. One day when Mr. Whitefield +was preaching in one of these, the people came in such crowds to hear +him, that hundreds could not get into the church. Some of them went +away, but a great number stood outside. + +All at once there flashed across Mr. Whitefield's mind this thought: +"Jesus preached in the open air to the people, why can't I?" Numbers +had often before been turned away when he preached, but he had never +thought of having a service outside a church, it seemed a most shocking +thing. However, the message seemed to come straight from God. He dared +not act on it at once, for you see he was a clergyman, and had always +been brought up to believe that inside the church was the only place +where people can properly worship God. + +When he mentioned the matter to his friends, some of them were very much +shocked, and thought to preach in the open air would be a very wrong +thing. But some said: "We will pray about it, and ask God to show us +what we ought to do." So they knelt down and prayed to be guided to do +the right thing. + +Soon after this Mr. Whitefield went to Bristol, where he had been liked +so much before he went to America. When he got there he was invited to +preach first in one church and then in another, all were open to him. +But before very long the clergymen in the place showed that they +disapproved of the plain way in which he spoke to the people, and they +told him they would not allow him to preach in their pulpits again. + +By and by all the churches were closed against him, and there was +nowhere but the prison where he was allowed to preach. Soon the mayor of +Bristol closed that door also. + +Poor Mr. Whitefield! what could he do now? I think I know one thing he +would do. He would turn to his Bible, and there he would read: "In all +thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." + +In the next chapter you shall hear how God fulfilled His promise to +George Whitefield. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + Kingswood.--Grimy colliers.--The shocking thing is + done.--A beautiful church.--From 200 to + 20,000.--John Wesley shocked.--Drawing lots.--To + be or not to be.--To be.--Mr. Wesley gets over the + shock.--George Whitefield's "good-bye" to the + colliers. + + +LONG, long ago, before all this happened that I have been telling you, +there was a forest near Bristol where the kings of England used to hunt, +Kingswood it was called. But at the time of which I write, most of the +trees had been cut down; a great many coal mines had been dug, and the +people who lived round about and worked in the mines were a wild and +wicked lot. They had no churches, and those in Bristol were three or +four miles away. + +Surely, Mr. Whitefield thought, these people ought to have the gospel of +Jesus Christ preached to them; they have no church, it cannot be wrong +to preach to them in the open air. So, one Saturday in this year, 1739, +Mr. Whitefield set off to Kingswood. It was a cold winter's day, but his +heart was warm inside with love for these poor neglected colliers, and +he soon got warm outside with his long walk. + +When he reached Kingswood he found an open space called Rose Green, +which he thought was just the place for a service. Standing on a little +mound which did for a pulpit, he commenced to preach; and surely that +was the grandest church in which a Methodist minister ever held a +service. The blue sky of heaven was his roof, the green grass beneath +him the floor; and as Mr. Whitefield stood in his FIRST FIELD PULPIT, +his thoughts went back, down the ages, to the dear Master whose steps he +was seeking to follow--the Preacher of Nazareth, whose pulpit was the +mountain-side, and whose hearers were the publicans and sinners. Two +hundred grimy colliers stood and listened to that earnest young +preacher. + +Mr. Whitefield continued his visits to Kingswood; the second time, +instead of two hundred there were 2,000 eager listeners. The next time +over 4,000 came to hear; and so the numbers went on increasing until he +had a congregation of 20,000. + +Once, after he had been preaching, he wrote this: "The trees and the +hedges were all in full leaf, and the sun was shining brightly. All the +people were silent and still, and God helped me to speak in such a loud +voice that everybody could hear me. All in the surrounding fields were +thousands and thousands of people, some in coaches and some on +horseback, while many had climbed up into the trees to see and hear." + +As Mr. Whitefield preached, nearly all were in tears. Many of the men +had come straight from the coal-pits, and the tears that trickled down +their cheeks made little white gutters on their grimy faces. Then, in +the gathering twilight, they sang the closing hymn, and when the last +echoes died away in the deepening shadows, Mr. Whitefield felt how +solemn it all was, and he, too, could hardly keep back the tears. + +Mr. Whitefield soon found there was more work at Kingswood than he could +do alone, so he wrote and asked Mr. John Wesley to come and help him. +Being very _proper_ sort of clergymen, John and Charles Wesley could not +help thinking it a dreadful, and almost a wrong thing to preach anywhere +but in a church, or, at any rate, in a room; and for some time they +could not decide what to do. + +They asked the other members at Fetter Lane what they thought about it; +some said Mr. John ought to go, and some said he ought not. So at last +they decided to draw lots. You know what that is, don't you? If you look +in your Bible, in Acts i. 26, you will see that the disciples drew lots +when they wanted to make up their number to twelve, after wicked Judas +had killed himself. And in John xix. 24, you can read how the soldiers +cast lots for the coat that had belonged to Jesus, which they took away +after they had crucified Him. And in many other places in the Bible we +read about people casting lots. + +So the society at Fetter Lane cast lots, and it came out that Mr. John +Wesley should go. Everybody was satisfied after this, and even Mr. +Charles, who more than any of the others had objected, now felt that it +was right. So Mr. John set off for Bristol and joined his friend. + +The first Sunday he was there he heard Mr. Whitefield preach in the open +air, and this is what he wrote about it: "It seemed such a strange thing +to preach in the fields, when all my life I had believed in everything +being done properly and according to the rules of the Church. Indeed, I +should have thought it almost a sin to preach anywhere else." + +However, because of the lots, he felt it was all right; and he was still +more sure of this when he saw the crowds, who would never have gone into +a church, listening so intently to God's Word. He very soon got used to +open-air preaching, and by and by Mr. Whitefield left the work at +Kingswood to him. + +When the people heard that Mr. Whitefield was going to leave them, they +were very, very sorry; and the day he rode out of Bristol, a number of +them, about twenty, rode on horseback with him, they could not bear to +say "good-bye." + +As he passed through Kingswood, the poor colliers, who were so grateful +for all he had done for them, came out to meet him, and told him they +had a great surprise for him. They had been very busy collecting money +for a school for poor children, and now they wanted their dear friend, +Mr. Whitefield, to lay the corner-stone of their new building. + +He was surprised and delighted; and when the ceremony was over, he knelt +down and prayed that the school might soon be completed, and that God's +blessing might ever rest upon it; and all those rough colliers bowed +their heads, and uttered a fervent "Amen." + +At last "good-bye" was said to the dear minister who had brought them +the glad tidings of salvation, and leaving them in charge of Mr. Wesley, +George Whitefield rode away. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + John Wesley's moral courage.--What some carriage + people thought of him.--And why.--The fashionable + Beau in the big, white hat.--Interrupts Mr. + Wesley.--Gets as good as he gives.--And + better.--The King of Bath slinks away. + + +DO you know what "moral courage" is, young readers? How shall I explain +it? I think you will understand it best if I say it is "courage to do +what is right." A boy may have courage to fight a bigger boy than +himself, but he may not have the moral courage to own to a fault before +his school-fellows, or to side with the right when that side is +unpopular. + +Now, I think John Wesley showed a great deal of moral courage when he +started to preach in the open air. Remember, he was born a gentleman, he +was educated as a gentleman, and as Fellow of an Oxford College had +always mixed with distinguished gentlemen. Then he was brought up a +strict Churchman, and had always believed that the ways and rules of +the Church were the only right and proper ways. + +Fancy this most particular Church clergyman, wearing his gown and bands, +just as you have seen him in the pictures, and getting upon a table in +the open air, or on the stump of a tree, or climbing into a cart and +preaching to a lot of dirty, ignorant men and women. This was, indeed, +moral courage; he did it because he felt it was the right thing to do, +and that God wanted him to do it. + +Mr. Wesley was quite as much liked by the people as Mr. Whitefield had +been, and the sight of him preaching was such a wonderful one, that +ladies and gentlemen came in their carriages to see and to hear. + +In his sermons, Mr. Wesley spoke as plainly to the rich as he did to the +poor. He told them how God hated sin, and that it was impossible for a +sinner to get to heaven. Some of the ladies and gentlemen did not like +this at all, and called Mr. Wesley "rude and ill-mannered," but it made +them feel uncomfortable all the same. + +You have heard of a place called Bath, and that it is noted for its +mineral waters. It is a fashionable place now, but it was a great deal +more fashionable in Mr. Wesley's time. Not being far from Bristol, Mr. +Wesley used sometimes to go and preach there. Once when he went, some of +his friends said: "Don't preach to-day, for Beau Nash means to come and +oppose you." + +Beau Nash was a gambler, and in other ways, too, a very bad man. But, +somehow, he always managed to get enough money to make a great show, and +many of the people looked up to him as a leader of fashion. Indeed, he +was quite popular among most of the visitors to Bath. + +Of course when Mr. Wesley heard that this man was coming to oppose him, +instead of being frightened, he was all the more determined to preach. + +A great number of people had assembled, many of them Nash's friends, who +had come to see "the fun." By and by Beau Nash himself came, looking +very grand in a big white hat, and riding in a coach drawn by six grey +horses, with footmen and coachmen all complete. + +Soon after Mr. Wesley had commenced his sermon, Beau Nash interrupted +him by asking: "Who gave you leave to do what you are doing?" + +"Jesus Christ," said Mr. Wesley, "through the Archbishop of Canterbury, +when he laid his hands upon my head, and said: 'Take thou authority to +preach the gospel.'" + +This answer rather settled Beau Nash. Then he accused Mr. Wesley of +frightening the people out of their wits. + +"Did you ever hear me preach?" said Mr. Wesley. + +"No," was the reply. + +"Then how do you know I frighten people?" + +"By what I have heard." + +"Oh!" said Mr. Wesley. "Then is not your name Nash?" + +"It is," said the Beau. + +"Well, sir, I suppose, then, I must judge you by what I have heard of +you." + +This reply so confounded the young man that he could not say a word, and +when an old woman in the congregation stood up and told the Beau what +she thought about him, the "King of Bath," as he was called, slunk away, +and took himself off. + +This affair made a great stir in Bath, and when Mr. Wesley went through +the town the streets were full of people, hurrying up and down, wanting +to see him. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + Good out of evil.--What Mr. Wesley + preached.--"Hurrah!"--In the prison.--How the + wicked Methodists spoiled the woollen + trade.--Emilia Wesley says strong things.--In the + sunlight. + + +I KNOW you will have thought it very unkind of the clergymen not +allowing such a good man as Mr. Wesley to preach in their churches; and +so it was, very unkind, and very wrong. These clergymen thought so +themselves after a time; but God often uses the wrong doings of people +to bring about a great good, and He did so in this case. + +Perhaps if the churches had not been closed against Mr. Wesley and Mr. +Whitefield they would never have preached in the open air, and thousands +of people, who would not go to a church, might never have heard the +Gospel of Jesus Christ. + +You boys and girls love father and mother and home, do you not? And when +you have been away at day-school or boarding-school, oh! how glad you +always are to get to them again. Well, in the same way we all come from +God; He is our Father, and heaven is our home, and all of us, deep down +inside of us, have a longing to go home again some day. But Adam and Eve +had to be punished for their disobedience; and the punishment was that +they and all that were born after them should die, and never go back to +home and to God. This was a terrible punishment, was it not? But you +know how Jesus Christ, God's Son, in His great love and pity for us said +He would come down from heaven, and be a man on earth; that He would go +through life just as we have to do, and at last die. Then God said if +His dear Son did this, and lived on earth a life that should be a +beautiful copy for men and women and boys and girls to follow; and if +the people would believe on Him and follow His example, God would +forgive them, and they should go back to Him, their Father, and to +heaven their home. + +All this Mr. Wesley explained to the people, and told them if they +believed this and loved and followed the Saviour that died for them, +they would always be happy, and God would give them His own peace, the +peace He has promised to those that love Him. + +One wonders how the clergymen could disapprove of such preaching, and +why they should shut Mr. Wesley out of their pulpit, for if they did not +preach this same Gospel they certainly ought to have done. + +However, Mr. Wesley got much larger congregations outside the churches +than they ever got inside, and wherever he went hundreds of people +believed the wonderful story he told them, and became true followers of +the Lord Jesus Christ. Strange things happened at his services; some of +the people were so overjoyed at what they heard they could not help +shouting "Hurrah!" and "Hallelujah!" and they poked each other in the +ribs, as much as to say: "Isn't that good?" + +Then, when Mr. Wesley told them how Jesus Christ suffered, and how +cruelly Judas betrayed Him, and that He allowed all this in order that +we might be saved, the people would burst into tears, and you could hear +their sobs all over the great congregation. All sorts of people came to +the services, thieves and gamblers, poor people and rich people, and all +heard the same glad tidings of salvation. + +Mr. Wesley did not remain at Bristol; several times he went up to +London, and wherever he went crowds came to hear him. One day when he +was preaching at Newgate, a prison in London, and was telling the people +what would become of them if they did not give up their wicked ways, a +woman whom he had known for many years as a very bad character, burst +into tears and begged Mr. Wesley to pray for her. Many of the other +prisoners did the same, and numbers believed in Jesus Christ as their +Saviour, and became Christian men and we men. + +It was just wonderful; but it is sad to think that if these people had +only heard the Gospel before, they might never have been the wicked men +and women they were. As soon as ever they heard, they believed. + +All the magazines and newspapers that were published were full of the +doings of the Methodists. They were still called all sorts of names and +abused dreadfully. But the good people had got so used to this that they +did not mind, indeed, they hardly expected any other treatment. In those +days very few of the poor people could read, and one newspaper +complained that nearly every one who went to hear the Methodists wanted +to learn to read the Bible, and as soon as ever he could spell out a +chapter he would go and read it to some one who could not read, and then +they would talk about it together. This, the paper said, wasted a great +deal of time, for the men were so busy talking and reading their Bibles +that they could not get on with their work, and the woollen trade in +Yorkshire would soon be ruined. Of course this last was not true, and +was only said to stop the Methodists from preaching. It showed, however, +how sincere and how much in earnest the people were. + +But amidst all the persecutions of mobs of ignorant and brutal men and +women who knew no better, and of abuse and slander by the rich and the +educated, who ought to have known better, nothing pained Mr. Wesley so +much as the unkind words of his sister Emilia. She was his favourite +sister, and he thought a great deal about her opinion. In an angry +letter she wrote him, she said the Methodists were "a lot of bad +people." + +However, John Wesley and his friends calmly went on doing the work they +felt God had called them to do. The peace of God was in their hearts, +and the sunlight of His love brightened their faces, and made them +tender and forgiving to all their enemies. As Jesus Christ prayed for +the cruel men who crucified Him, so they prayed: "Father, forgive them, +for they know not what they do." + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + Don't believe all you hear.--Mrs. Wesley finds her + "dear Jack" true to his colours.--She joins the + Methodists.--And thus dreadfully shocks her eldest + son.--Death of Mr. Samuel Wesley.--A loving + mother's letter to "her boy." + + +I THINK Mr. Wesley's greatest trouble at this time was, that even his +dear mother, whom he had not seen for a long, long time, believed many +of the things that people were saying about him, and felt sure he had +wandered away from the true religion of Jesus Christ. + +It does not do for us to believe all we hear, and when at last Mrs. +Wesley went to London, and saw and talked with her sons, she found all +the tales had been untrue, and that her "dear Jack" was the same loyal +soldier and servant of Jesus Christ that he had ever been. + +Instead of going back to where she had been living, Mrs. Wesley, freed +from her fears, remained in London with her "boys," a proud and happy +mother. She joined the Society in Fetter Lane, went every Sunday to hear +her sons preach, and helped them in every way she could. Once she stood +by Mr. Wesley's side when he preached on Kennington Common to a +congregation of about 20,000 people, and I don't know which was the +prouder, mother or son. + +You remember Mr. Samuel Wesley, the eldest brother? He was one who +strongly disapproved of open-air preaching, and thought John and Charles +were very much in the wrong for not behaving like other clergymen. When +he heard that even his mother had joined the Methodists he was more +indignant than ever, and wrote her what I think was a very rude letter. + +"I was very much surprised and grieved," he said, "when I heard that you +had joined the Methodists, and, indeed, become one of Jack's +congregation. My brothers are brothers to me no longer, and now, must my +mother follow too?" + +It is sad to think that two weeks after Mr. Samuel wrote this he was +taken ill and died in a few hours. He was a clever and a sensible man, +but he did not understand, or even try to understand, the work his +brothers were doing, and, therefore, disapproved of it. + +When Mr. Wesley heard the news of his brother's death he set off at +once to Bristol to Mr. Charles, and together they went to Tiverton to +comfort and help their sister-in-law. They forgot all the unkind things +their brother had said against them, and only thought how they could +best show their love and sympathy to those that were left. + +Poor Mrs. Wesley was very ill when she heard the sad news. She had +always dearly-loved her eldest child, and his death was a great sorrow. +But she said: "It is God's will, therefore it is all right." + +You can tell what a real comfort Mr. John was to her at this time, by +the letter she wrote to Charles at Bristol about a month after Mr. +Samuel's death. This is what she said: + + "DEAR CHARLES, + + "You cannot want to see me more than I want to see + you. Your brother Jack, whom I shall call son + Wesley, now that my dear Sam is gone home, has + just been in to see me, and has cheered me up ever + so much. Indeed, he never comes but he does me + good; his visits are all too seldom and too short. + For this I cannot blame him, for I know he is + about his Heavenly Father's business. + + "But, dear Charles, I do so want one of you, for I + feel weak as a little child. I do pray that God + will bless you both in your work, and keep you + from harm; and that He will give you strength and + courage to preach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. + + "This is the hearty prayer of, dear Charles, + + "Your loving mother, + "SUSANNA WESLEY." + +Is not that a loving letter? No wonder Mr. Charles prized it very much. +Little folks generally take care of all the letters they get. I know I +did when I was a little girl, indeed I have some of them now. Grown-up +people usually tear theirs up, they get so many. But this letter that +Mr. Charles had from his dear old mother was too precious to be so +treated; he took great care of it, and after his death it was found +among his papers. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + A very old school.--The first Methodist + Chapel.--Well done, Bristol!--Empty purses.--How + they were filled.--The penny-a-week rule. + + +YOU remember the school at Kingswood, that the colliers collected the +money for and started? Although it is one hundred and fifty years ago +since it was opened, there has been a school at Kingswood ever since, +and it is the very oldest thing we have in connection with Methodism. + +If you will listen at chapel some time--in October I think it generally +is--you will hear the minister say: "Collections will be taken to-day, +morning and evening, on behalf of the Kingswood Schools." When you hear +this will you just think, that the money you give is for the same school +that was started by those good-hearted colliers near Bristol, more than +one hundred and fifty years ago. + +Now I must tell you of the very first Methodist Chapel that was ever +built; for this, too, we have to thank the Bristol people. Having heard +about Jesus Christ themselves, they were eager for their friends and +neighbours to hear about Him too. They worked very hard, and were so +much in earnest inviting people to come to the services, that at last +the room where they held their meeting got far too small for all the +people who wanted to come. It was only a tumble-down sort of place, and +they were afraid the floor might give way or the roof fall in, and +somebody be hurt. + +At last they secured a piece of ground in what was called the Horse Fair +in Bristol, and one bright May morning, in 1739, the first stone of the + + FIRST METHODIST CHAPEL + +was laid, amidst great shouting of praise and thanksgiving. I have +called it a Chapel, but the Methodists called it a "Preaching House." + +You may think what a great deal of money it took to carry on all the +work that the Methodists were doing; sometimes their purses were very +empty, and they wondered however they should get them filled again. But +it was God's work they were doing, and of course the money always came. + +Like most Methodist Chapels nowadays, the money to pay for the Bristol +Preaching House was not got all at once; but a plan was adopted which, I +think, was a very good one. Every Methodist in Bristol promised to pay +a penny a week until all the money was raised; and as there were some +hundreds of Methodists, the debt was soon paid off. Some of the people, +however, were too poor to pay even this small amount, so it was arranged +that the richer men should each call upon eleven poorer ones every week, +and collect their pennies, and when they could not give them, the rich +man was to make it up. This was the beginning of the weekly class money +which your fathers and mothers, if they are Methodists, pay in their +class-meetings to-day. + +When Mr. Wesley told the society in Fetter Lane, London, of the good +plan the Bristol people had made, they adopted it too, and always after +that wherever the Methodists commenced a society, the penny-a-week rule +was followed. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + An explosion.--A new business at the old + Foundry.--Mr. Wesley and his mother at + home.--Grand helpers.--Poor little Tom.--The worst + man in Bristol.--And one of the best. + + +HOW old would John Wesley be in 1716, if he was born in 1703? Thirteen, +would he not? a school-boy at the Charterhouse School. In that year +there was a terrible explosion at a cannon foundry, where the guns were +made for war. The roof of the building was blown off, and a great many +workmen were injured and killed. + +After this explosion, the machinery and iron were removed to Woolwich, +which, as you will learn in your geography is still the great place for +making cannon and other weapons of war. All the years from 1716 to 1739 +the old foundry had never been touched, there it was, still in ruins. + +One day in this year, 1739, while Mr. Wesley was in London, two +gentlemen came and asked him if he would preach in this old tumble-down +place. He consented, and one dreary November morning at eight o'clock, +before the grey clouds of night had fled, he preached to about six +thousand people in the old King's Foundry. + +The following week many of those who had listened to him, came and +begged him to buy the old place for a meeting-house. After thinking and +praying about the matter he consented, and before very long the roof was +mended, galleries were made, and the first Methodist preaching-place in +London was ready for use. + +Class-rooms and a school-room were afterwards built, and a house fitted +up where Mr. Wesley and his mother could live. At the end of the chapel +was another house for his servants and some of his helpers. There was +also a coach-house and stable where the travelling preachers could "put +up." + +Though Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley were so clever and worked so +hard, they could never have got on without their earnest, loving +helpers. There was Thomas Maxfield, one of those devoted, go-a-head men +of Bristol; then there was John Nelson, a stone-mason, in Yorkshire, +who, when his master wanted him to work on Sunday, refused; and, like +other Methodists, having become a Christian himself he sought to win +others for Christ. + +Thomas Olivers was another. Poor Thomas, when he was a wee boy, only +four years old, both his father and his mother died, and little Tom was +left to grow up a wicked boy. He used to swear and gamble and drink, +and when he became a man was one of the worst characters in Bristol. But +he heard Mr. Whitefield preach, and from that time a change came over +him. He felt he was too great a sinner ever to be forgiven, and would +kneel down and pray for hours and hours. God saw how sorry he was for +all his wickedness, and how much he longed to be different, so He just +whispered His forgiveness, bidding him, "Go and sin no more," and Thomas +Olivers rose up a converted man, and became as brave a Christian as he +had been bold a sinner. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + Billy and Polly.--A little sunbeam visits + Sandgate.--What happened at seven o'clock in the + morning.--And at five o'clock in the + evening.--"The Old, Old Story."--Newcastle wants + to know more.--But Newcastle has to wait.--John + Wesley goes back to Bristol.--The Kingswood of the + North. + + +"WHO'S yon man?" + +"Which man?" + +"Yon. Him with the long hair, and dressed like a parson." + +"I dunno. Why there's two on 'em." + +"I say, Polly, let's go and hear 'em, they're singing. Come on, Bob." + +Bob and Billy and Polly were very ragged and very dirty children, and +they lived in Newcastle. + +The boys were almost naked, and Polly, though nearly fifteen had no +clothes on at all, only a dirty bit of blanket wrapped round her. Their +fathers and mothers worked in the coal mines, and because they had never +been taught different, they were drunken, swearing, wicked people; even +the children cursed and swore. + +But Bob and Billy and Polly have got to the top of Sandgate, the street +where their miserable home is; let us follow. Some of their companions +are with them, children as ragged and dirty as themselves. The women, +too, have come to their doors to listen. What is it these men are +singing? Hark! + +[Illustration: Music] + + All people that on earth do dwell + Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; + Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell: + Come ye before Him and rejoice. + +It was a lovely May morning, and a kind little sunbeam had left the +green fields and the chirping birdlets to peep into Sandgate. I think it +must have heard the singing, and wanted to shine its gladness, that +God's praises were at last being sung to those poor people. + +It was quite early, about seven o'clock in the morning, and some of the +men and women were still in bed; but little sunbeam went first to one +and then to another and kissed them awake, and when they had rubbed +their eyes and opened their ears, they heard a strange sound. What could +it be? They had never heard anything like it before. + +[Illustration: "If you come to yon hill at five o'clock to-night, I'll +tell you what I mean."--_Page 95._] + +They sat up in bed and listened, then they got dressed, and then they +went out. The music acted like a magic spell, and drew them to it. One +man, two men, three men, four men, five men; oh, dear! there are too +many to count. Such a number of women too, why, there must be five +hundred people all together, and still they keep coming. One of the +gentlemen is now talking. Listen what he is saying! He is preaching a +sermon, and this is his text: "_He was wounded for our transgressions, +He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was +upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed._" He is telling those poor +men and women that it was Jesus, the Son of God, who suffered this for +them, _because He loved them_. + +The people, who numbered about twelve hundred, stood gaping and staring, +they had never heard anything like this before. + +"Who are you?" shouted one man. + +"What do you mean?" called out another. + +The gentleman with the long hair and beautiful face answered them: "If +you want to know who I am, my name is John Wesley, and if you come to +yon hill at five o'clock to-night, I'll tell you what I mean." + +At five o'clock the hill was covered with people from the top to the +bottom, and as Mr. Wesley stood with that great crowd round him, all +eager to learn about the wonderful Saviour who had died for them, and of +whom they had never heard, tears of pity filled his eyes, and a big love +for them filled his heart. + +Oh, so sweetly and tenderly did he read to them God's own words: "_I +will heal their back-sliding, I will love them freely_;" and then he +told them the "Old, Old Story." + +He told it very slowly: + + "'That they might take it in, + That wonderful redemption, + God's remedy for sin.' + +He told them the story simply: + + 'As to a little child, + For they were weak and weary, + And helpless and defi'ed.' + +He told them the story softly: + + 'With earnest tones and grave, + For were they not the sinners + Whom Jesus came to save?'" + +When the preacher finished, the people stood as if spell-bound, then +they all crowded and pressed round him, full of love and kindness +towards the man who had brought them such good news. They nearly +trampled him down in their eagerness to speak to him, and he had to slip +round a back way in order to escape. When he got to the inn where he was +staying, he found some of the people had got there before him; they had +come to beg and pray him to stay among them. No, he could not. + +"Stay a few days," said one. No, he could not do that. + +"Just one day more," they begged. + +Poor Mr. Wesley was very loth to leave these eager hearers, but he had +promised to be in Bristol on the Tuesday, and this was Sunday night, and +it would take him all the time to get to his appointment, and he was a +man that could not break his word. So he was sadly obliged to refuse. + +Before very long, however, Mr. Charles Wesley went to Newcastle, and +after a time, Mr. Wesley himself paid a second visit. + +It was a plan of the Methodists always to go to the poorest and most +uncared-for people. These they generally found among the colliers. +Wherever there were coal mines, the district round them was sure to be +the abode of dirt, ignorance, and sin. You remember what a dreadful +place Kingswood was when the Methodists first went? Because they found +Newcastle just as bad, they called it "The Kingswood of the North." + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + A magic mirror.--And the picture it shows + us.--Billy and Polly again.--Hurrah for + Newcastle!--John and Charles Wesley put their + heads together.--The result.--Strict + Rules.--Circuits in Methodism. + + +HAVE you ever heard of the Magic Mirror? It is a mirror I would like to +have. You just think of something you would very much like to see; +something either in the past, the present, or the future, peep into the +mirror and there it is. + +Let us imagine that we have this mirror, and that we want to look at a +particular part of Newcastle in the year 1742. + +What do we see? + +A big unfinished building with all the walls standing, but no roof, no +doors, and no windows. It is a cold winter's day; but in spite of the +biting wind and the frosty air there are hundreds of people crowding +inside and outside the walls. Right in the middle stands the gentleman +with the long hair and the beautiful face. + +It is Mr. Wesley opening the first meeting-house in Newcastle. Oh, how +hard those poor colliers and their wives, yes, and the children too, +worked to get money to build their chapel. On this opening day they were +so proud and happy they could not keep still. They kept shouting +"Hallelujah!" all the time Mr. Wesley was preaching. Three or four times +he had to stop in the middle of his sermon on purpose to let them praise +God. + +Bob, and Billy, and Polly were at that opening; they loved Mr. Wesley, +and always tried to get as near to him as they could. They were not +ragged now, for their fathers and mothers were converted, and their +money was no longer spent in drink. The children, too, had learnt to +love Jesus, and were trying to be like Him, and no cursing or swearing +was ever heard. + +Scores of men and women in Newcastle that day, thanked God they had got +out of bed that Sunday morning in May, and heard Mr. Wesley sing at the +top of Sandgate. + +The Methodists had now chapels or meeting-houses in Bristol, London, +Kingswood, and Newcastle, and societies were being formed in a great +many other places. When Mr. Wesley found the work was spreading so fast, +he saw it was necessary to draw up some general rules for all the +members to follow. + +His brother Charles helped him in this difficult task. These are some of +the rules which together they drew up, and which all who joined the +Methodists had to promise to obey. + +Members of society must not swear. + +Must keep the Sabbath Day holy. + +Must not buy or sell intoxicating liquor. + +Must not drink intoxicating liquor, except as medicine. + +Must not fight. + +Must not quarrel. + +Must return good for evil. + +Must not speak evil of any one. + +Must do to others as we would have them do to us. + +Must not wear a great deal of jewellery or expensive clothes. + +Must not go to any place of amusement where they would not like to meet +Jesus. + +Must not sing songs or read books that will not help them to love God +more. + +Must not buy anything unless they are quite sure they will be able to +pay for it. + +Must be kind to everybody, and give help to all, as far as they are +able; + + By feeding the hungry; + Clothing the naked; + Visiting the sick and those in prison; + By "running with patience the race that is set before them;" + By denying themselves and taking up their cross daily. + +They must go to chapel regularly. + +Must take the Sacrament. + +And, lastly, have family and private prayer every day. + +Were not these strict rules? But the people were so much in earnest, and +had such trust in their leader, Mr. Wesley, that they were quite willing +to agree to them. + +The next thing Mr. Wesley did was to send out his helpers, generally two +together, to certain districts where they usually remained for a year. +They had to preach in all the places round about, and each particular +district or tract of country was called a "circuit." This was the +beginning of the "circuits" which we have in Methodism to-day. I dare +say you have often heard father or mother say, "Oh, Mr. So and So has +gone to another circuit;" or, "Mr. So and So is in our circuit now." + +London and Bristol always remained the chief circuits; but before very +long Newcastle became the next in importance. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + Another peep into the Magic Mirror.--A pretty + picture.--At Epworth.--Mr. Wesley is very unkindly + treated.--All for the best.--The curate is + "done."--A happy ending to a bad + beginning.--"Good-bye, Epworth." + + +SHALL we have another peep into the Magic Mirror? See that pretty +country church, with the square tower. There are some big trees near, +looking as if they were tall giants keeping guard; they have no leaves +on them yet, and their bare arms stretch out a long way as if they were +trying to reach the church. + +If you look carefully you will see buds coming out on the trees, baby +buds they are, waiting for the sun's kisses. Then they will burst out +and grow into great leaves that will cover up the naked old trees. Ivy +climbs up the church wall. I see its dark glossy leaves, for the ivy is +evergreen. + +There are many graves in the churchyard, but you can hardly see them +because people are sitting on them; such a number of people, hundreds +more than could ever have got into the church. They are all looking one +way, and seem to be listening very attentively. What are they looking +at? They are looking at a gentleman who is standing all alone on a big +flat tombstone near the church wall. He wears a gown and white bands +like a clergyman, and he has long hair brushed very smoothly, and a +beautiful, happy face. + +Dear me! did I hear a crash then? And did I hear a hundred young voices +shouting: "I know who it is, it's Mr. John Wesley"? Why, you must have +broken the mirror with your shouts. You are right, dears, but you +shouted rather too soon. I wanted to read what it said on the tombstone +on which Mr. Wesley was standing. But, never mind, I think I saw some of +the words: + + "SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF + SAMUEL WESLEY, + FOR THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS RECTOR OF EPWORTH." + +Yes, it was his father's grave on which John Wesley was standing. + +On his way back from one of his visits to Newcastle he thought he would +like to see his dear old home once more. It was a long, long time since +he had been there, and he was not quite sure whether the people would +have anything to do with him now, for, as leader of the Methodists, he +had many enemies. + +It was Saturday evening in early spring, when he got to the little inn, +in the long straggling street that was called Epworth village. He had +not been there very long before three or four poor women found him out, +one of them an old servant of his mother's. + +Next morning, which was Sunday, he went to the curate of the church and +politely offered to help him with the service. The curate, I am sorry to +say, was very rude, and refused to let Mr. Wesley take any part in the +service or to preach in the church at all. + +This was a great disappointment, for Mr. Wesley loved the people of +Epworth, and every stone in the old church was dear to him. His father +had preached from that pulpit for nearly forty years, and he himself had +stood there more times than he could count, and it was very hard that he +was forbidden to take his place there now. + +The people were longing to hear him, and when the afternoon service was +over, and all the folks were leaving the church, one of his friends +stood in the churchyard and gave out this notice: + + "MR. WESLEY, NOT BEING ALLOWED TO PREACH + IN THE CHURCH, INTENDS TO PREACH HERE AT + SIX O'CLOCK THIS EVENING." + +It was this picture of Mr. Wesley preaching that the Magic Mirror showed +us. I expect the curate was very angry at being so "done;" but he could +not stop Mr. Wesley preaching _outside_ the church. + +For a whole week John Wesley preached every evening from his father's +tombstone. Crowds came to hear him, and hundreds were converted and +turned from their evil ways. They saw how sinful they had been and +prayed aloud for forgiveness. Drunkards became sober men, and those who +cursed and swore were turned into peace-makers. + +So dear old Mr. Wesley's prayers were answered, and the people who had +treated him so unkindly, and whom he had forgiven and loved, now took +his Saviour to be their Saviour, and his God to be their God. + +Indeed Mr. Wesley's visit to his old home, that began so unpleasantly, +ended very happily, and when his last evening came, both he and his dear +people found it hard to say "Good-bye." + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + No one like mother.--Sad days at the + Foundry.--Mrs. Wesley goes Home through the + Beautiful Gate.--A sorrowing son.--Preaching at + the open grave.--At work again.--Satan in + opposition.--Fireworks, cows, stones, blood, and + broken windows. + + +A GOOD mother is a boy's or a girl's best earthly friend. John Wesley +knew this, and thought there was no mother like _his_ mother. You +remember how, as a little boy, he always went to her for advice; and +when he was quite a young man he used to hope that he would die before +her, for he felt he could not live without his mother. You may think, +then, how sad he was when, at last, the message came to him that she was +dying. + +He was at Bristol when he received the news, and at once set off for +London. Arrived at his home at the Foundry, he found his five sisters +watching round the bed of the dear old mother. + +Though she was too ill to speak to them, they could see she was quite +happy and peaceful, just waiting to be taken Home. Before long the call +came: "Come up higher." + +A great number of people came to the funeral; and as Mr. Wesley stood at +the graveside, he preached one of his most wonderful sermons. His heart +was full; he had lost the friend of his life. But he knew it was not for +ever, one day he would meet her again; and as he looked on those +hundreds of people gathered there by the open grave, he longed that they +should, as surely, some day pass Home through the Beautiful Gate. + +Work is the best cure for sorrow; and after his dear mother's death, Mr. +Wesley began his preaching again. Wherever he went people were +converted, and became followers of Jesus Christ; and also wherever he +went wicked men and women tried to stop him preaching, and sometimes +even wanted to kill him. But he was doing God's work, and God took care +of him. + +Once he was preaching to hundreds of people in an open space somewhere +in London. In the middle of his sermon, several men tried to drive a +herd of cows among the listeners. They wanted to frighten them, and +force them to go away. But the cows were wiser than their masters, and +would not go among the people. Then these bad men started throwing +stones, and one of them hit Mr. Wesley just between his eyes. What do +you think he did? Give up preaching and go home? Indeed he did not; he +just wiped the blood off his face, and went on telling the people to +repent of their sins and believe on the Son of God. Brave John Wesley! + +Bristol, you remember, was the first place where Mr. Wesley preached out +of doors, and it was at Bristol where there was the first great +disturbance. + +I don't quite know how it was, but just about this time, wherever the +Methodists went, they were abused and ill-treated. I think Satan was +beginning to find out how much good the Methodists were doing, and +thought it was about time he did something to stop it. So, in all the +towns where the preachers went, he stirred up the worst men and women to +make rows and disturb the services. + +At Chelsea, the rioters threw fireworks into the room; at another place +they broke in the roof, and some of the people were nearly killed. At +Bristol, the mob filled the streets, shouting, and cursing, and +swearing. When the constables caught the ring-leaders and took them +before the mayor, they began to speak against Mr. Wesley, but the mayor +stopped them. "Whatever Mr. Wesley is, is nothing to you," he said. "I +won't allow any rioting in this city, and you must go to prison." This +was the first and last disturbance at Bristol. But the worst of it was, +at most of the places, neither the constables nor the mayor would +interfere, and so the people did just as they liked. + +At Wednesbury, in Staffordshire, the Methodists were most cruelly +treated. One of the rioters used to blow a horn, and then all the mob +gathered together. They went to every house where there was a Methodist, +smashed the windows, dragged the furniture out and broke it up, and +burnt the beds. If the men or women interfered, they just knocked them +down; even the little children they used to beat. But I think I will +leave the exciting scenes at Wednesbury for another chapter. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + + Brave as a lion.--A protecting angel.--God's + magic.--Foes become friends.--An unpleasant walk + in rain and darkness.--What the mayor said.--A + free fight.--"Knock the parson down! Kill him at + once!"--Magic again.--A butcher to the + rescue.--Safe back in Wednesbury. + + +WHEN Mr. Wesley heard how his followers were being treated in +Wednesbury, he went off at once to their help. Though he was only a +little man, he was as brave as a lion; he knew he had God at his back, +and like David before Goliath, like Daniel before Darius, and like +Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before Nebuchadnezzar, he did not fear +what man could do unto him. + +God sent His angel to close the lions' mouths so they would not harm +Daniel; and the same messenger walked in the fiery furnace with the +three Hebrew youths. So, when Mr. Wesley went straight into the +market-place in Wednesbury, and fearlessly preached to the hundreds +assembled there, God's protecting angel breathed silence and calm; not a +sound of disturbance was heard. In the evening the mob surrounded the +house where Mr. Wesley was staying, shouting out fiercely: + +"Bring out the minister! We will have the minister!" + +Mr. Wesley, neither frightened nor excited, quietly asked one of his +friends to bring in the ringleader of the mob. The man came in, anger +and fierceness in his eyes. But, somehow, as soon as he stood in the +presence of that calm, Christ-like man, all his passion went out of him. +Mr. Wesley then asked him to bring in two or three of his roughest +companions. The angry men came in. They had wanted to get at the +minister, now they had the chance. But once inside that room, they found +they could not touch him. They felt the presence of God's protecting +angel, and peace took the place of passion, and friendliness the place +of hatred. Getting Mr. Wesley between them, these strange, new friends +made a way for him through the mob outside the house. + +Then, standing on a chair, Mr. Wesley spoke to the crowd. + +"You wanted me," he said. "Here I am. Now what do you want me for?" + +"We want you to go with us to the magistrate," they cried. + +"I will go with you with all my heart," he replied. + +So away went the brave ambassador for Christ, accompanied by hundreds of +the roughest men and women in Wednesbury. + +It was two miles to the magistrate's house, and before they had got +half-way the night came on, and it began to rain very heavily. This made +most of the people turn back and hurry home, but two hundred or more +kept together round Mr. Wesley. + +Some of the men ran on first to tell the magistrate they'd got the +Methodist preacher. Instead of seeming pleased, the magistrate said: + +"What have I to do with Mr. Wesley? Take him back again." So he sent +them off, and went to bed. + +By and by the crowd came up to the house, and knocked at the door. When +the magistrate's son went to them and asked what was the matter, they +said: + +"Why, please, sir, these Methodists sing psalms all day, and make folks +get up at five o'clock in the morning, and what would your worship +advise us to do?" + +"To go home and be quiet," replied the gentleman. + +Finding they could get no help from this magistrate, they hurried poor +Mr. Wesley off to another. This gentleman, too, had gone to bed, and so +the mob could do nothing else but go home. + +However, before they had got very far they were joined by another rough +mob from a neighbouring town; and then, in the rain and the darkness, +the two mobs started fighting and knocking each other down. It was no +use Mr. Wesley trying to speak, for the shouting and noise was like the +roaring of the sea. They dragged him along with them until they reached +the town, and then, seeing the door of a large house open, Mr. Wesley +tried to get in. But one of the cruel men got him by the hair and pulled +him back into the middle of the mob; and then they dragged him from one +end of the town to the other. + +"I talked all the time to those that were within hearing," said Mr. +Wesley, afterwards, "and I never felt the least pain or weariness." + +At last he saw a shop door half open, and tried to get in, but the +gentleman to whom the shop belonged would not let him. + +"Why, the people would pull my house down," he said, "if I let you in." + +However, Mr. Wesley stood at the door and shouted to the people: "Are +you willing to hear me speak?" + +"No, no; knock him down! Kill him at once!" cried hundreds of voices. + +"Nay, let's hear him first," shouted others. + +"What harm have I done any of you?" exclaimed the fearless preacher. +"Which of you have I wronged in word or deed?" + +For a quarter of an hour he talked to them, then his voice suddenly gave +way, the strain had been too great. + +Then the cruel mob cried out again: "Bring him away! Bring him away!" + +But Mr. Wesley's strength had come back, and he began to pray aloud. + +That prayer acted like magic; the man who had just before been the +leader of that brutal crowd, turning to Mr. Wesley, said: "Sir, I will +spend my life for you; follow me, and no one here shall touch a hair of +your head." + +Two or three of his companions said almost the same, and surrounded Mr. +Wesley to protect him. Then four or five rough men set upon them, and +tried to drag Mr. Wesley away; but a butcher, who was a little further +off, shouted, "Shame! shame!" and pulled them back one after another. +Some one else shouted, "For shame! For shame! let the good man go!" + +Then, just as if they had been struck by magic, all the people drew back +right and left, and Mr. Wesley was carried safely through. + +[Illustration: "'Knock him down! Kill him at once!' cried hundreds of +voices."--_Page 114._] + +But the danger was not quite over even yet. On the bridge which they had +to cross, the mob assembled again; but Mr. Wesley's protectors took him +across a mill-dam and then through some fields, and at last brought him +safe into Wednesbury, with no other damage than a torn coat and a little +skin scraped off one of his hands. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + + Mr. Wesley's story of the Wednesbury riot.--How he + felt.--The right pocket.--Beautiful hair.--The + prize-fighter a good protector.--A brick, a stone, + and two hard blows.--Daniel vi. 22. + + +AFTER reading the last exciting chapter, you will all exclaim, "Well, +Mr. Wesley _was_ a brave man!" and I am sure you will like to hear what +he himself said about his adventures. These are the very words he wrote +after the Wednesbury riots: + +"From the beginning to the end, I felt as calm as if I had been sitting +in my study at home. Once it did come into my mind, that if they threw +me into the river, it would spoil the papers I had in my pocket. I was +not afraid for myself, for I did not doubt but I could swim across to +the opposite bank. + +"Thinking about it all now, I notice some remarkable circumstances. One +was, that though several tried to get hold of me, it seemed as if they +could not, and when at last one did get hold of my coat and tore the +pocket off, it was the right pocket for him to get, for it contained +nothing of importance; whereas if he had torn off the other he would +have got a bank-note with it. + +"Another was, a big strong fellow just behind struck at me several times +with a large oak stick. One blow had it hit me would have killed me, but +somehow every time he struck, the blow was turned aside. I don't know +how, for I could not move either to the right hand or to the left. + +"Another man came rushing through the crowd and raised his arm to strike +me. Suddenly he let his arm drop, and only stroked my hair, saying: +'What beautiful hair he has!' + +"It was strange too, that the very first men whose hearts were softened +were always the leaders of the mob--one of them had been a +prize-fighter. So that when they took my part I was well protected. + +"Again, from first to last I heard no one give me a reviling word, or +call me by any insolent or disgraceful name whatever. The cry of one and +all was: 'The Preacher! The Preacher! The Parson! The Minister!'" + +Again Mr. Wesley wrote: + +"By what gentle and gradual steps does God prepare us for His will! Two +years ago a brick that was thrown at me grazed my shoulders. Then a year +after that, the stone struck me between the eyes when I was preaching in +London. This evening I have received two blows; one man struck me on +the chest with all his might, and another on the mouth with such force +that the blood gushed out immediately. But both were as nothing, I felt +no more pain from either of the blows, than if the men had touched me +with a straw." + +Boys and girls, is not this a wonderful story? Get your Bibles, and look +in the sixth chapter of the book of Daniel and the twenty-second verse. + +Wicked men had laid a trap for King Darius, and because they were +envious of Daniel, they caused the king to order Daniel to be thrown +into the lions' den. This made King Darius very unhappy, for he loved +Daniel. But though he was a heathen king, he had such faith in Daniel's +God, that he felt sure the lions would not be allowed to hurt him. + +King Darius could not sleep all night, for thinking of Daniel all alone +in the den of those wild beasts; so he got up very early in the morning, +and went to the den and called to Daniel to know if he were alive. And +from inside that dismal den with hungry beasts prowling round and round, +came the bright, cheering voice of the God-protected man: "My God hath +sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt +me." + +John Wesley was as much among wild beasts at Wednesbury, as ever Daniel +was in the den of lions, for when men's passions are roused they are no +better than the beasts. But the arm that was raised to strike, gently +stroked his hair; the blow that was meant to kill, fell upon an +invisible head; the leaders of all that was cruel and wicked, were +struck tender and quiet, and became personal protectors. + +Truly Mr. Wesley could have said with Daniel: "My God hath sent His +angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me." + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + + The lion-hearted Wesleys.--And their brave, + long-suffering followers.--What Munchin thought of + John Wesley.--Hymn 276 and how it came to be + written.--The mischievous schoolboy becomes the + sweet singer of Methodism.--The wall that sat + down.--And the people who sat down with it. + + +THE troubles in Wednesbury were not yet ended. The very magistrates who +had refused to see Mr. Wesley that night when the mob dragged him to the +door, a few days later gave orders for the police to search everywhere +for "those Methodist preachers who go about raising riots." + +Even this failed to frighten the brave-hearted Wesleys, for when John +left Wednesbury his brother Charles took his place. He found the poor +Methodists still suffering terrible persecutions, but patient and +forgiving to their enemies. Christ's own words were their help and +comfort: "_Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake: +for theirs is the kingdom of heaven_" (Matt. v. 10). + +Munchin, the man who had been one of the leaders of the mob and +afterwards protected Mr. Wesley, had joined the Methodists and become a +member of society. One day Mr. Charles said to him: "What did you think +of my brother?" + +"Think of him?" said Munchin; "I think he is a man of God; and God was +surely by his side when so many of us could not kill one man." + +The persecutions of the Methodists in Wednesbury continued for a long +time. The windows of their houses were broken, their tables, chairs, and +other furniture were smashed to pieces, and their feather-beds were torn +into shreds. No craven-hearted man would have dared to go into such a +place of danger, and preach to such fiends in human form; but the +Wesleys knew no fear when duty called, and again and again they visited +their poor, persecuted followers. Christ-like men, indeed, they were, +for, like their Holy Leader, "when they were reviled they reviled not +again; when they suffered they threatened not." + +Mr. Charles composed a hymn after one of the dreadful rows, which shows +how entirely they trusted in Jesus, and how sure they were that no harm +could come to them except what He allowed. + +Look at number 276 in your Wesley's Hymn-Book, and you will find this +very hymn. This is the first verse:-- + + "Worship and thanks and blessing, + And strength ascribe to Jesus! + Jesus alone defends His own, + When earth and hell oppress us. + + "Jesus with joy we witness + Almighty to deliver, + Our seals set to, that God is true, + And reigns a King for ever." + +That reminds me that I must not forget to tell you, by far the greater +number of the hymns we sing every Sunday in chapel were written by Mr. +Charles Wesley. Yes, the little mischievous Westminster schoolboy became +the sweet singer of Methodism. Not only among Methodists are his +beautiful hymns sung to-day, but in almost every Christian hymn-book in +the world some of his verses will be found. + +You must not think all places were like Wednesbury. Mr. Wesley had often +very attentive congregations, and the people listened to him gladly. +Indeed, at an open-air service he once held, the people behaved better +than I fear we should have done. Part of the congregation sat on a low +wall built of loose stones; all at once, in the middle of the sermon, +down came the wall and all the people with it. I think we should have +burst out laughing, it must have looked so funny. Instead of which, +there was no laughing and no screaming; the people just kept their +places, only instead of sitting on the top of the wall they sat at the +bottom. There was no interruption of the service at all; Mr. Wesley went +on with his sermon, and the people continued reverent and attentive. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + + The Magic Mirror again.--Sycamore Farm.--Annie's + good news.--A chorister up in a tree.--A long, + long journey.--Sixty miles a day on horseback.--A + Chapel out of doors.--A hard bed and a funny + pillow.--Thanksgiving Street.--Ripe Blackberries. + + +WHY, I do believe that Magic Mirror has mended itself, for here it is, +showing us such a lovely picture--nay, two, I declare. Look at that dear +old farmhouse; it must surely be called Sycamore Farm, for there are +great sycamore trees all round the front and the side. At the back, and +only one field away from the house, are the green slopes of the +mountain, with a little waterfall tumbling merrily down a crack in its +side. In front of the farm, shimmering through the leaves of the trees, +you can see the sunlit waters of a calm lake. The farm is a low +whitewashed building, and we can see the cows in the distant meadows +coming home to be milked. No one is with them; but there is a little +group of people standing at the farmyard gate. The farmer and his wife +and all the family and servants seem to be there. + +Whatever is the matter? + +Oh, see! there is a little girl in the middle of the group, and they are +all listening to what she is saying. Let us listen too. + +"Yes, it is quite true; Mr. Wesley _is_ coming. I went to the village +for mother, and old Downs the cobbler told me, and so did Mrs. Wilson at +the shop. Everybody is talking about it." + +"Ay, but that's good news, lassie!" the old farmer says. "I wonder now +if he'd come and preach at Sycamore Farm." + +The picture has gone. + +Oh, but here's the other one. Why, it is the same old farmhouse, and the +sun is shining on the whitewashed walls and funny little windows. There +is a great crowd gathered under the shade of the leafy sycamores. See, +there is the kind-looking farmer, with his sunburnt face, and sitting on +his knee is Annie, the little girl that brought the good news from the +village. Right in the midst of the crowd is Mr. Wesley, telling these +country-people the story of the Cross. + +Now that picture has gone too. + +Should we not have liked to have been at that service? + +I will tell you what Mr. Wesley said about it. + +[Illustration: "In the midst of the crowd is Mr. Wesley, telling these +country-people the story of the Cross."--_Page 124._] + +"It was a hot summer day, and we could see the blue, blue sky through +the leaves of the old sycamores, which shaded us from the heat. Just as +I began to preach, a little bird perched on a branch close by and began +to sing. I went on preaching, but its song did not end, it sang on and +on, and not until the service was quite over did it cease. It was the +best music for such a church and such a congregation, no harp or organ +ever sounded half so sweet." + +From Westmoreland, where this happened, to Cornwall is a long way, but +not too far for Mr. Wesley and his horse. He used often to ride sixty +miles a day; and most of his reading, and the composing of his sermons +was done while he was on horseback. He travelled in this way for more +than forty years, and must have gone over 100,000 miles. + +In Gwennap, a place in Cornwall, Mr. Wesley found a lovely out-of-doors +sort of chapel. Some of my readers will have seen the Happy Valley at +Llandudno; I think the Gwennap chapel must have been something like +that, only a great deal bigger. This is what Mr. Wesley wrote about his +first service there: + +"I stood on a wall, in the calm, still evening, with the setting sun +behind, and a great, great multitude before, behind, and on either hand, +sitting on the hills all round. All could hear quite distinctly, when I +read to them Christ's own words: 'The disciple is not above his Master,' +and 'He that taketh not his cross and followeth after Me is not worthy +of Me.'" + +Must it not have been a wonderful sight? + +Like other places, Cornwall did not always give a kind welcome to the +Methodists; indeed, they had sometimes to put up with very rough +treatment. Often they had to go without food, and the hard floor was +their only bed. + +Once, at a place called St. Ives, Mr. Wesley and his helper, Mr. Nelson, +slept on the floor for a whole fortnight. One of them had an overcoat +rolled up for a pillow, and the other a big book. They used to get very +sore, and sometimes could not sleep for the pain in their poor aching +bones. But these Methodists had never heard of Grumble Corner,--they +only knew Thanksgiving Street; and so, instead of murmuring and +complaining, one night, when the floor seemed harder than ever, Mr. +Wesley called out: "Let us cheer up, Brother Nelson, for the skin is +only off one side yet." + +Another time, when no one had asked them to dinner or tea, and they were +riding through a country lane, feeling very hungry, Mr. Wesley stopped +his horse to gather some blackberries, saying to his friend: "Brother +Nelson, we ought to be thankful that there are plenty of blackberries, +for this is the best country I ever saw for getting an appetite, but the +worst for getting food." + +On the whole, however, the Cornish people were not unkind to Mr. Wesley. +At St. Ives they once gave him a very noisy welcome, shouting, "Hurrah! +hurrah!" and then going under his bedroom window and singing: + + "John Wesley is come to town, + To try if he can pull the churches down." + +All this happened during his first visit to Cornwall; and only once +during the three weeks he was there did he get really abused, and that +was at St. Ives, when the mob burst into his room, and a rough, cruel +man struck him on the head. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + + A fight with the sea.--Poor Peter!--A sail in a + fisherman's boat.--The song that the waves + accompanied.--A climb on Land's End.--Manchester + disgraces itself.--Hull still worse.--Matt. v. + 39.--A brave servant girl.--John Wesley declines + to hide. + + +I TOLD you in the last chapter what a wonderful traveller Mr. Wesley +was; he could walk twenty-four miles a day easily, in either hot or cold +weather, and his adventures on the roads would almost fill a book. + +On one of his later visits to Cornwall, he had a terrible fight with the +sea; this time he was riding in a coach. He had promised to preach in +St. Ives at a certain time, and the only way to get there was by +crossing the sands when the tide was out. His own driver being a +stranger in the country, he engaged a man named Peter Martin to drive +him. When they reached the sea-shore they found, to their dismay, that +the tide was coming in, and the sands they had to cross were already +partly covered with water. Peter, the old coachman, stopped the horses, +and told Mr. Wesley that it was not safe to go. Then an old sea-captain +tried to prevent them, begging them to go back, or they would surely be +drowned. + +"No," said Mr. Wesley, "I've promised to preach at St. Ives, and I must +keep my promise. Take the sea! Take the sea!" he shouted, putting his +head out of the carriage window. + +In a moment, Peter whipped the horses, and dashed into the waves. The +wheels of the carriage kept sinking in the deep pits and hollows in the +sand, while the horses, swimming in the water, snorted and reared with +fright, and every moment poor Peter expected to be drowned. + +Just at this terrible moment, Mr. Wesley put his head out of the +carriage window; his long white hair--for he was an old man when this +happened--was dripping with the salt water, which ran down his venerable +face. He was calm and fearless, unmoved by the roaring of the waves or +the danger of the situation. + +"What is your name, driver?" he shouted. + +"Peter, sir," shouted back the man. + +"Peter," Mr. Wesley called out again, "fear not; thou shalt not sink." + +With spurring and whipping, the poor frightened, tired horses at last +brought them safely over. + +When they reached St. Ives, Mr. Wesley's first care was to see to the +comfort of his horses and driver. He got warm clothing, and refreshments +at the inn for Peter, and comfortable stabling for his weary horses; +then, quite forgetting himself, wet through with the dashing waves, he +went off to the chapel to preach. + +While Mr. Wesley was in Cornwall he paid a flying visit to the Scilly +Isles. He went over in a fisherman's boat, and sang to the rising and +falling of the waves: + + "When passing through the watery deep, + I ask in faith His promised aid; + The waves an awful distance keep, + And shrink from my devoted head. + Fearless, their violence I dare; + They cannot harm,--for God is there." + +If you look in your Wesley's Hymn-Book, at hymn 272, you will find this +verse. + +You have all learnt, in your geographies, that Land's End is the most +southern point in England; look at the very south of Cornwall, and you +will find it. Mr. Wesley was very fond of this wild, rocky point, with +oceans rolling on either side,--the English Channel on the one, the +mighty Atlantic on the other. He paid a last visit to it when he was an +old, old man, eighty years or more. With furrowed cheeks, white hair +streaming in the wind, and infirm limbs, he climbed over the steep rocks +to get a long, last look at his favourite spot, the meeting of the +waters. I believe hymn 59 was composed by Mr. Wesley as he stood on +Land's End; this is one of the verses: + + "Lo! on a narrow neck of land, + 'Twixt two unbounded seas I stand, + Secure, insensible; + A point of time, a moment's space, + Removes me to that heavenly place, + Or shuts me up in hell." + +But we are getting on too fast, and must go back to the days when Mr. +Wesley was _not_ an old man. All his time was spent in preaching up and +down the country, starting fresh societies, and encouraging old ones; +and almost everywhere he and his helpers met with abuse and rough +treatment. + +In Manchester, which was even then a large and important town, Mr. +Wesley preached to several thousands of people in the open air. At this +meeting, his hearers either got tired of listening or they took offence +at what he said, for, before he had finished, they threatened to bring +out the fire-engine and squirt water upon him if he did not stop. + +At Hull, on his first visit in 1752, lumps of earth and stones were +thrown at him while he was preaching; and when the service was over, the +mob followed him, shouting, hooting, and throwing stones until he +reached his lodging. + +Though Mr. Wesley could be as brave as a lion when it was necessary, he +could also be as gentle as a lamb. Once, when he was preaching at +Dewsbury, a man rushed up to him in a terrible rage, and struck him with +all his might on the side of his face. It was such a hard blow that poor +Mr. Wesley could not keep the tears from coming into his eyes. Instead +of striking the man back or using angry words, he just did what Christ +said we should do, he turned his other cheek (Matt. v. 39). The enraged +man was so surprised at such unexpected gentleness, that he turned away +and hid his face with shame, and was ever after one of the Methodists' +greatest friends. Once he even risked his life to save one of their +chapels from being destroyed. + +Another time, when Mr. Wesley was at Falmouth in Cornwall, he called to +see an invalid lady. The mob heard where he was, and surrounded the +house, shrieking out: "Bring out the Canorum! Where is the Canorum?" +This was a nickname which the Cornishmen had given the Methodists. With +sticks and stones the mob tried to break open the front door of the poor +sick lady's house; and while they were doing this, all the people in the +house escaped by the backway, except Mr. Wesley and a servant girl. The +girl did not like to leave Mr. Wesley alone in this great danger, and +begged him to get away and hide himself. But John Wesley was not one of +the "hiding" sort. Instead of that, as soon as they had succeeded in +bursting the door open, he just walked straight among the mob, +exclaiming: "Here I am! What have you got to say to me? To which of you +have I done any wrong?" + +He made his way out into the street bare-headed, talking all the time; +and before he had finished, the ringleader of the mob declared no one +should touch him, he would be his protector. So he reached his lodgings +in safety. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + + Back in London.--Mr. John and Mr. Charles go + visiting.--Too much for one.--Talking matters + over.--The first Methodist Conference.--No time to + be in a hurry.--What early rising can do.--First + tract distributors.--A big district.--Boarding + schools 150 years ago.--Dreadful rules. + + +WE have been travelling all over England with Mr. Wesley, now I think we +must go back to London with him. The society there was still the largest +in the country: in the year I am writing about (1744), they had one +thousand nine hundred and fifty members. Mr. Wesley very much wished to +visit every one of these members, and asked his brother Charles to go +with him. They started their visiting at six o'clock every morning, and +did not leave off till six o'clock at night. + +Six o'clock a.m. seems a funny time to call and see any one, does it +not? But you see people used to get up at four or five in the morning in +those days, and used to go to bed at eight, so it was not really such a +funny time as it seems. + +Though Mr. John and Mr. Charles started so early and worked so late, it +took them a long, long time to visit all those 1950 members, and when +they had finished, Mr. Wesley realised for the first time how his work +had grown. He saw it was impossible, even with his brother's help, to +manage all the preachers and all the members scattered over the country, +when even the work in London was more than he could undertake alone. He +thought about this a great deal, and then he asked four clergymen and +four of his helpers, or what we should call local preachers, to meet him +and his brother at the Foundry, to talk things over and decide what +ought to be done. These gentlemen accepted his invitation, and there, on +that eventful Monday in June, 1744, the first Methodist Conference met; +and from that time up to the present, no year has passed but Methodist +preachers and helpers have gathered together to make plans and talk +business. + +I am sure you must all have heard of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference, +which is now held every July or August in some one or other of the large +towns of England. This first conference was opened with solemn prayer +and a sermon by Mr. Charles Wesley; then all the difficulties of the +work were talked over, and arrangements made for the future. Mr. John +Wesley presided, and for forty-six years after, at every conference, +their beloved leader and head took the chair at this annual gathering. + +You will think that what with travelling and preaching, and looking +after his helpers, and visiting the members, Mr. Wesley could not find +time for much else. But it is always the busiest people who have the +most time. As I told you before, Mr. Wesley began his days very early, +getting up at four o'clock; and by doing this every morning for sixty +years, he managed not only to preach, and read, and visit, but also to +write a great many books, and thousands of tracts--one of his books was +called "Lessons for Children." Many of the tracts were about swearing +and Sabbath-breaking, and printed on the outside were the words, "Not to +be sold, but given away"; and he and his preachers used to carry them in +their pockets and give them to the people they passed on the roads. + +Another reason why Mr. Wesley had more time than most people was, +because he + + NEVER WASTED A MINUTE, + +and though he did so much work, he was _never in a hurry_. He used to +say, "I have no time to be in a hurry." Hurry you know does not always +mean speed; when things are done in a hurry they are often only half +done, and have to be done all over again. + +You remember how the miners at Kingswood collected money and built a +school for their children. Well, about ten years afterwards, another +school was built at Kingswood for the children of the travelling +preachers. These preachers had not much time to look after their +families themselves, being so much away from home, and they wanted their +boys and girls to be taught to read their Bibles and to learn to love +Jesus. They had some dreadfully strict rules at this boarding school, +which my readers would not have liked at all, and which I am afraid the +children there did not like either, for I have heard that some of the +boys ran away. They had to go to bed every night at eight o'clock, and +what was worse, get up every morning at four. Then every little boy and +girl, unless they were poorly, had to fast every Friday, that is, they +were not allowed to have anything to eat all day until three o'clock. +But I had better not tell you any more of these dreadful rules, only you +may be very thankful that you are living in these days, when you have +much better times than the boys and girls who lived 150 years ago. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + + A visit to Ireland.--The sack that did not contain + potatoes.--The bogie man.--What the sack did + contain.--The prayer-meeting in the barn.--Mr. + Charles Wesley gets married.--And so does Mr. + John.--Two niggers who became missionaries. + + +IN 1749 Mr. Wesley paid a visit to Ireland, where already he had many +followers. His brother Charles had visited there two years before, and +was a great favourite, for the Irish people love music, and would always +go to hear his hymns. + +In many places in Ireland the Methodists were treated quite as badly as +they were in our own country; but the same angel of the Lord that +protected them in England followed them across the Irish sea. + +There is a funny story told of how they were once saved from a band of +rough men. The Roman Catholics persecuted them so much at Wexford that +they were obliged to hold their meeting secretly in a barn. Once, one of +their persecutors got to know the night they were having a meeting, and +told his companions he would hide himself in the barn before the service +began, and then when it commenced he would open the door to them. They +thought this was a splendid idea. So the man went to the barn, and there +found an old sack or bag, big enough for him to get into. Into this he +crept, and by and by the people began to come, and the service +commenced. First, they sang a hymn; and somehow the man in the bag +enjoyed it so much, he quite forgot what he had come into the barn for. + +He listened until the hymn was finished, and then he listened to the +prayer that followed, and after that he could not listen any more. He +couldn't get out of the bag, and he couldn't do anything but groan and +cry. God, through the hymn and the prayer, had touched his heart, and he +felt himself to be the greatest sinner in Ireland. + +So he groaned and groaned, and at last some of the congregation heard +him. They looked towards the place where the mysterious sound came from, +but could see nothing except what looked like a sack of potatoes. Still +the groaning went on, and some of the people got frightened, and were +quite sure there was a bogie in the barn. At last one or two ventured to +go nearer to the sack, then some one peeped in, and the poor trembling +Irishman was discovered. He confessed to his purpose in hiding himself, +told them God had stopped him in his evil plan, and begged them to pray +for him. So the service was turned into a prayer-meeting, the man was +converted, and became one of the best Methodists in Wexford. + +Some of my readers will be wondering if Mr. John or Mr. Charles Wesley +were ever married, and if they had any boys and girls of their own. Just +before Mr. Wesley went to Ireland in 1749, he married his brother +Charles to the daughter of a Welsh gentleman, and Mr. Wesley, himself, +was married two years later to a lady who was a widow. You will be sorry +to hear that this lady was not at all nice; she treated her husband most +unkindly, and made him very unhappy. Though Mr. Wesley was so fond of +children, he never had any of his own. Mr. Charles had eight, but only +three lived to grow up. His wife was a good, kind lady, and they were +very happy. He did not travel about so much after he was married, but +spent a great deal of his time writing his beautiful hymns. + +These two brothers always remained the best of friends. In one of his +letters, Charles wrote to John: "I wish we could be oftener together; it +might be better for us both. Let us be useful in our lives, and at our +death not divided." + +Before I close this chapter I want to tell you of the first two black +men who were converted through the preaching of a Methodist. + +Living at Wandsworth, a little place near London where Mr. Wesley had +gone to preach, was a gentleman named Nathaniel Gilbert. He had come +from the West Indies, where he employed a great many negroes. Two of +these negroes he had brought over to England with him, and when Mr. +Wesley paid a visit to Mr. Gilbert, and preached in his house, these two +black men were converted. When they returned to the West Indies, they, +along with Mr. Gilbert, preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to the dark +people in those far-away islands. + + "Shall we, whose souls are lighted + With wisdom from on high, + Shall we to men benighted + The lamp of life deny? + Salvation, oh, salvation, + The joyful sound proclaim, + Till earth's remotest nation + Has learnt Messiah's name." + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + + Runaway horses.--Two frightened little girls.--A + terrible moment.--Safe.--Psalm xci. 11, 12.--Mr. + Wesley has a birthday.--A funny receipt for + keeping young. + + +ONE more story of how the angel that shut the lions' mouths for Daniel +took care of God's dear servant, John Wesley. He was staying at +Newcastle with a Methodist named Mr. Smith, who had married his +step-daughter. One day a party of them drove to a village a few miles +off. In the carriage there was Mr. Wesley and a friend, Mr. and Mrs. +Smith and their two little girls. When they had driven about two miles +and were just at the top of a hill, suddenly the horses took fright, and +dashed down the steep road. The poor coachman was thrown off the box, +and the horses tore away at full speed, sometimes swerving to the edge +of a ditch on one side of the road, then back again to a ditch on the +other, but never once going over. When a cart came along, instead of +running into it, the carriage passed as if the driver had been on the +box. + +At the bottom of the hill was a narrow bridge, which it seemed +impossible the panting horses could cross safely. But exactly down the +middle they went, swerving neither to the right or left. Then up the +hill on the other side they dashed, passing many people on the road, but +every one afraid to stop their mad career. Near the top of this hill was +a gate, which led into a farmer's yard. The gate stood open, and turning +sharp, the horses ran through without even touching gate or post. The +gate on the other side of the yard was shut, and the terrified people in +the carriage thought the horses would now be checked. Instead of that, +they rushed through, breaking it up as if it had only been a spider's +web, and galloped on through the corn-field. + +The two little girls had been almost too frightened to speak, now they +clung to Mr. Wesley, crying out: "Oh grandpapa, save us! save us!" Mr. +Wesley, who says he felt no more afraid than if he had been sitting in +his study, just calmly said to them: "Nothing will hurt you, dears; +don't be afraid." The horses galloped madly on, till they came to the +edge of a steep precipice. Would they go over? What would they do? Oh, +what a terrible moment of suspense. + +A gentleman on horseback seeing their danger, just galloped across the +track of the frightened animals. This acted like magic; they stood still +at once, and every one was safe. A few minutes more and they would have +been dashed to pieces. When they turned back into the road they found +the coachman coming to meet them, and no worse for his fall. + +Did not God keep His promise to the man who had "set his love upon Him"? +"_He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy +ways: they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot +against a stone._"--Psalm xci. 11, 12. + +Mr. Wesley was an old man when this happened, just seventy-two; it was +in June, and his birthday was on the 17th. But he was so strong and +well, not at all like an old man. Listen to what he says of himself: +"This is my birthday, the first day of my seventy-second year, and I am +wondering how it is that I am just as strong as I was thirty years ago. +Indeed, I am better than I was then; I can see better, and my nerves are +firmer. The grand cause is 'the good pleasure of God.' But three special +things have helped to keep me young: + + _First_--Getting up at 4 o'clock every morning for + fifty years. + + _Second_--Preaching every morning at five o'clock. + + _Third_--Travelling by sea or land 4,500 miles in + every year." + +These are funny things to keep any one young, are they not? I am afraid +if to follow these rules is the only way to keep young, most of my +readers will be content to grow old. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + + Little Mary and what she did with her + money.--Caught on the stairs.--Cheered by the + children.--Boys and girls converted. + + +IN the year 1770 the Methodists had grown so numerous that they counted +forty-nine different circuits or societies in England, Scotland, Ireland +and Wales. They had one hundred and twenty-two travelling preachers, and +twice as many local preachers, who did not travel, and at the covenant +service which Mr. Wesley held at the beginning of this year in London, +there were eighteen hundred members present. + +Mr. Wesley, like our ministers nowadays, was often wanting money for +different purposes, and, like our ministers too, he was always glad of +the children's help. Once, when the Foundry wanted repairing, he +specially asked for help at an evening service. A little girl named Mary +heard him, and thought how much she would like to do something. And this +is how she managed it. + +Mr. Wesley loved children, and used to keep a number of bright new coins +in his pocket to give to the little folks he met at his friends' houses. +Mary had always been a great favourite with Mr. Wesley, and a proud +little girl she was when he took her on his knee and gave her a silver +penny. He had often done this, and she had treasured up his gifts in a +little box. Other friends, too, had sometimes given her money, which, +instead of spending she had saved up. + +Well, when she got home after that evening service, she counted up her +money, and found she had L3. So she went to her mother and asked if she +might give it all to Mr. Wesley. Her mother was quite willing; so the +next morning little Mary carried her savings to Mr. Wesley's room. Tears +came into his eyes as he thanked his little favourite. Taking her in his +arms, he kissed her very tenderly, and prayed that God's blessing might +always rest upon her. And it did, for Mary grew up to be an earnest, +happy Christian. + +Here is another story that shows how much Mr. Wesley loved the young +folks. He was once staying in a house in Bristol where a little boy and +girl were visiting. The little girl had long, beautiful hair hanging in +curls down her back. She and her brother were running hand in hand down +the stairs one day, when Mr. Wesley ran down after them and caught them +on the landing. He jumped the little girl in his arms and kissed her; +then putting his hand on the boy's head, he blessed him. Little Robert +did not think much about this at the time, I dare say, but when he grew +up, he felt all his life that the blessing of a good man rested upon +him, and his eyes glistened with tears when he told the story. That +little boy was the poet Southey, of whom you will read when you are +older. + +When Mr. Wesley wanted recreation or a kind of holiday, he used to go +off to Kingswood. A few days among the young folks there always cheered +him, and did him good. He loved to hear their lessons and praise their +work, and arranged easy grammars and history books for them. + +A great many people used to think then, as a few do now, that children +could not be converted, and that they ought not to be members of +society. Mr. Wesley never thought so. At Weardale he allowed thirty +children to become members. At another place quite a number of boys and +girls came to him after the preaching, wanting him to show them how they +could belong to Jesus. Mr. Wesley had both then and always the words of +Jesus Himself, before him, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, +and forbid them not;" and so he knelt down with those boys and girls and +led them to the Good Shepherd, who had laid down His life for them. + +The children of Judea loved Jesus, and were glad to be with Him; and Mr. +Wesley was so like Jesus, so loving and so kind, that the children of +England could not help loving him, and were glad to be with him. A whole +crowd once waited in the street a long time for him, and when at last he +came, they all followed him like so many little lambs after their +shepherd, as many as could clinging to him. They went to the +meeting-house with him, and after the service was over would not leave +until they had all shaken hands with him. + +"In Cornwall, Manchester, and Epworth," Mr. Wesley says, "numbers of +children were converted." + +These verses apply to all my readers: + + "God wants the boys, the merry, merry boys, + The noisy boys, the funny boys, + The thoughtless boys. + God wants the boys with all their joys, + That He, as gold, may make them pure, + And teach them trials to endure; + His heroes brave He'd have them be, + Fighting for truth and purity, + God wants the boys. + + "God wants the girls, the happy-hearted girls, + The loving girls, the best of girls, + The worst of girls. + God wants to make the girls His pearls, + And so reflect His holy face, + And bring to mind His wondrous grace, + That beautiful the world may be, + And filled with love and purity. + God wants the girls." + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + + How Mr. Wesley settled a school-boys' + quarrel.--Dr. Watts and little birds.--Mr. Wesley, + loved and honoured.--A holiday for the children. + + +HERE is a story of how Mr. Wesley settled a dispute between two +quarrelsome school-boys. When he was an old man, seventy-three, he was +staying with one of his local preachers, a Mr. Bush, who had a +boarding-school. One day Mrs. Bush brought to him two boys who had been +fighting. + +"Boys! boys!" said Mr. Wesley: + + "'Birds in their little nests agree, + And 'tis a shameful sight, + When children of one family + Fall out, and chide, and fight!' + +You must make it up. Come now, shake hands with each other." + +Mr. Wesley, with his long white hair and beautiful face, looked and +spoke so lovingly, that the boys did at once what he asked them. + +"Now," he said, "put your arms round each other's necks, and kiss each +other." + +And the little boys did this too. He was just having his tea when Mrs. +Bush brought in the culprits, and now taking two pieces of bread and +butter, he folded them together and told each boy to break a piece off. +Then he gave each of them a drink of tea out of his own cup. + +"Now," he added, "you have broken bread together, and you have drunk out +of the same cup, now you must be friends." Then he put his hands on the +boys' heads and blessed them. The next morning at family prayer he +sought out the boys and blessed them again. + +The two lads never forgot this meeting with Mr. Wesley. One of them +became a magistrate, and when he had children of his own he used to tell +them this story of his school-days. + +I remember that little verse of Dr. Watts' being recited to my brothers +and me when we were in the nursery, and as I wrote it down I wondered if +the same thoughts came into the heads of those school-boys that came +into mine. My dear mother used to look very serious when she said it, +and it sounded very solemn. But I had often seen little birds +quarrelling, and I knew that hymn did not tell the truth, and so I felt +little birds were hardly a proper example to follow. Now, though Dr. +Watts was not quite correct, still little birds do agree very much +better than many children; and if they sometimes quarrel, remember they +are only guided by instinct, while you have sense, and know the +difference between right and wrong. + +You will all be glad to know that before Mr. Wesley died, all the +ill-will and hatred of the people had changed to love and reverence. The +very towns where he had been treated most unkindly were now the ones to +give him the heartiest welcome. Instead of mobs waiting to abuse him, +crowds gathered to do him honour. In many places the children had a +holiday from school, the tradespeople closed their shops, and everybody +tried who could best show their love and respect for the man whom before +they had treated so unkindly. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + + More peeps into the Magic Mirror.--A special + picture for Sheffield readers.--Another for young + folks in Oldham.--Little Daniel on the pulpit + stairs.--Special for Hull. + + +I THINK we must have some more peeps into that Magic Mirror? Will my +little Sheffield readers take a good look? What do we see? A street in a +big town, and oh! such crowds and crowds of people on both sides of the +road. The windows of the houses, too, are all crowded with people. What +can it all mean? See! there are two men coming along, everybody is +turning to look at them, and we can hear more than one voice saying: +"God bless him! God bless him!" Several of the women are wiping their +eyes with the corner of their aprons; there are tears in many eyes. Look +at the two men as they come nearer. One is a middle-aged man; the other, +who is leaning on his arm, wears a black gown and white bands. He is an +old man, but how beautiful he looks. He has a splendid face, a clear +skin and rosy cheeks. His eyes are quick and keen, and he has long, +shiny hair, white and bright like silver. + +See now how the children are crowding round him! He is smiling down upon +them and putting his hands upon their heads as he passes. Now he is +stretching his hands out towards heaven, and blessing all the people, +many of whom are weeping aloud. He has passed down the street, and the +picture has gone. Sheffield readers, that was how your town welcomed and +honoured dear John Wesley a short time before his death. + +Now peep again into the Magic Mirror. And this time I would like my +Oldham readers to step to the front. See, there is a little boy about +six years old playing at the door of a house. An old clergyman is +passing, and stops to speak to the child. + +"Where is your father, Daniel?" he says. + +"Gone to chapel." + +"And your mother?" + +"She's gone too," answers Daniel. + +"And you shall go too, my boy. You must not miss seeing this great man, +John Wesley," says the clergyman, as he takes the child's hand and fades +away from our picture. + +But see, there is another coming! It is the inside of a chapel, and +people are everywhere; in the galleries, in the aisles, in the communion +rails, everywhere. On the pulpit-stairs some one has found room for a +little child. Why, it is Daniel, and there is the kind clergyman +standing near. See, the preacher has finished, and is coming down from +the pulpit, he is lifting up the little child and is kissing him. Now, +he has passed into the vestry, and the picture has gone. That, my young +Oldham readers, was the opening of Manchester St. Chapel on Good Friday, +1790, when Mr. Wesley was nearly ninety years old. + +At Hull, Birmingham, Wednesbury, Chester, Manchester, Liverpool, all +places where the Methodists had been most cruelly treated, Mr. Wesley +and his followers were now most kindly welcomed. You remember how Mr. +Wesley and his brother had been shut out of the churches, very few +clergymen allowing them to preach in their pulpits. This, too, was all +changed. + +Those of you who live in Hull will like to know that John Wesley, when +he was eighty-three, was invited by the vicar to preach in your +beautiful High Church. If any of you have not been inside--but surely +all my Hull readers have--pay it a visit, and just fancy you see that +bright-eyed, silver-haired old man, with a voice that had lost little of +the strength of youth, preaching to the crowds that thronged the +hallowed place. If those old grey walls could speak, we might know John +Wesley's very words. He preached again at night, and though so old, was +unwearied with his work. He went on to Beverley that same evening, and +the next day travelled seventy-six miles, preached at Malton, +Pocklington, and Swinefleet, and went to bed without feeling the least +bit tired. Wonderful John Wesley! God-blest John Wesley! + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + + Beverley friends.--Copy of a letter John Wesley + wrote to them.--Mr. Wesley's last visit to + Beverley.--What took place in the red-roofed + inn.--A race.--A lost ten minutes. + + +YOU, who live in Beverley, will be glad to hear that Mr. Wesley did not +pass by your dear little town. Indeed, there is a house in Norwood where +he most probably stayed, and certainly visited; the home of Mr. and Mrs. +Barton. You shall see an exact copy of a letter he wrote to these +friends. It has never been printed before, so you are the first of the +public to see it. It is addressed thus: + + "MRS. JANE BARTON, + "IN NORWOOD, BEVERLEY, + "YORKSHIRE." + +And this is the letter: + +[Illustration: Letter] + + + London + Nov. 13, 1778 + + My Dear Sister + + I am glad Sister Crosby has been at Beverly, & + that you had an Opportunity of hearing her. She is + useful wheresoever she goes, particularly in + exciting Believers to go on to perfection. + + There is frequently something very mysterious in + y^e ways of Divine Providence A little of them we + may understand; but much more, is beyond our + comprehension And we must be content to say, "What + thou dost I know not now. But I shall know + hereafter." At present, it is sufficient for us to + know, That all his ways are many & truth to those + that love him. + + Even in these troublous times, there is a very + considerable Increase of the Work of God. Cleave + to Him with your whole heart, & you will have more + & more reason to praise him. I am, My Dear Jenny, + Y^r affectionate Brother + + JWesley + +You must not make a mistake and think that Mr. Wesley was Mrs. Jenny +Barton's brother really; but it was the custom among the Methodists for +the members of society to address each other as "Brother So-and-So" and +"Sister So-and-So," meaning that they were brothers and sisters in +having the same heavenly Father, and loving the same Saviour. + +John Wesley preached in a meeting-house in Wood Lane, which you can +still see, though it is now turned into cottages; and we may be quite +sure that the boys and girls who lived in Beverley then, heard his +loving words, and received his blessing. He once spent two days of his +birthday month in your quaint old town. The June sun stole through the +stained windows of the beautiful Minster, and looked into the jackdaws' +nests on St. Mary's Tower. + +There is a funny story told of this last visit, which he paid only a few +months before his death. He was going to preach in Hull again, and forty +friends from that town had come over to see him. They were all to have +dinner together in the red-roofed inn where he was staying, and then +drive back with him to Hull. Everybody was very merry, and they laughed +and talked so much that they quite forgot all about the time. Suddenly, +Mr. Wesley looked at his watch, then jumped up from the dinner table, +shouted good-bye to his friends, stepped into his carriage, which had +been waiting some time for him at the door, and was off before his +astonished friends could say a word. Their horses and carriages were got +ready with all speed, but it was only by driving very fast that they +managed to overtake Mr. Wesley before he rode into Hull. + +Punctuality was one of Mr. Wesley's strongest points. He could never +bear to be a minute behind time. Once, when his carriage did not come +punctually, he was heard to say: "I have lost ten minutes for ever." + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + + Going to sleep.--How John Wesley missed his + brother.--A good man's tears.--Getting old.--Mr. + Wesley's text for the children.--Last words in + Manchester.--In Colchester.--A dinner-hour + meeting.--The old ash tree. + + +NOW I must come to what seems to the young a very sad time. When we are +strong and healthy, and can enjoy all the things God has given us to +enjoy in this beautiful world, death does seem very sad and sorrowful. +But think, dear young readers, how you feel when you have been playing +hard all day, or working at school, and perhaps gone to a party in the +evening and have not got to bed until 10 o'clock. Is it not very nice +and very comforting to lay your head on your soft pillow and go to +sleep? Now this is just how God's people feel when they are tired of +life's work, they just close their eyes and fall asleep, "asleep in +Jesus." This is how Mr. Charles Wesley passed away when he was eighty +years old. Though four years younger than Mr. John, he seemed the older +man, for he had been weak and infirm for a long time. The two brothers +had loved each other dearly, and Mr. Wesley felt very lonely when +"Charlie" died. + +Three weeks afterwards, Mr. Wesley, preaching at Bolton, gave out for +his second hymn No. 140, a hymn composed by Mr. Charles. He tried to +read the first verse, but when he came to the words + + "My company before is gone, + And I am left alone with Thee," + +he could get no further, but just burst into tears, and sat down in the +pulpit, burying his face in his hands. The singing ceased, and numbers +of the congregation wept in sympathy at sight of their dear leader's +sorrow. At last Mr. Wesley recovered himself, and went on with the +service, which was never forgotten by any of those who were present. + +Very soon after this, Mr. Wesley began to feel weak and feeble. Again +his birthday month came round, the sunny month of June, and on the 17th +he wrote: "I am eighty-six to-day, and I find I grow old. My eyes are so +dim that no spectacles will help me, and I cannot read small print +except in a very strong light. My strength fails me so that I walk much +slower than I used to do." He was now, for the first time for forty +years, obliged to give up his five o'clock morning sermons, and was only +able to preach twice a day. As the months went by, he grew weaker and +more infirm. Once, as the old man tottered up the pulpit stairs, the +whole congregation burst into tears. + +On Valentine's Day, in 1790, he preached one of his last sermons to his +_little_ followers. He chose for his text: "Come, ye children, hearken +unto Me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord." The boys and girls +flocked from everywhere to hear him, and many who had never loved Jesus +before, heard Him speaking to them through His dear servant; and +answering the loving call, came, and from that day became Christ's +faithful little soldiers. + +In the same year, when he was eighty-seven years old, he spent a +week-end in Manchester, and spoke his last words to his followers there. +He preached in the old chapel in Oldham Street on the Saturday night, +and the next day, which was Easter Sunday (April 4th), he assisted in +giving the Sacrament to sixteen hundred members, and preached both night +and morning without feeling tired. + +A few months later he preached at Colchester; but he was so infirm that +a minister had to stand on each side of him, and hold him up. His voice +was feeble and low, and many of the congregation could not hear him; but +his calm, beautiful face, and long white hair formed a picture that the +children and grown-up people in Colchester never forgot. + +It was in this same year, 1790, that he preached for the last time in +the open air. It was in Winchelsea, and the time was October, the month +when nuts and apples are asking to be gathered, and when the leaves put +on their loveliest dress. + +As Mr. Wesley felt his time on earth was drawing to a close, he was all +the more eager to "tell to all around, what a dear Saviour he had +found," and how they might find Him too. So he preached at twelve +o'clock noon, the dinner hour of the workmen, in order that they too +might have a chance of hearing the good news. A large oak dining-table +was brought into the churchyard, and there, under the shade of an old +ash tree, John Wesley gave his last message to those working men. "_The +kingdom of Heaven is at hand; repent ye, and believe the Gospel_," was +his text, and as he preached, the tears of the people flowed down their +cheeks. + +Long, long afterwards the old ash tree was known as "Wesley's Tree," and +the vicar of Winchelsea had hard work to keep it from being cut to +pieces; for Methodists use to come from all parts to cut a twig in +remembrance of that last scene in the life of the venerable +field-preacher. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + + About his "Father's business."--Last + advice.--Singing and dying.--"The best of all is, + God is with us."--John Wesley passes through the + Golden Gates. + + +MOST people think it is time to stop working long before they are +eighty, but John Wesley at eighty-seven still went about his "Father's +business." His constant prayer was, "Lord, let me not live to be +useless." Every meeting he knew might be his last, and when he visited +the different societies, he used to ask the members to take as his last +advice: "To love as brothers, to fear God, and to honour the King." He +closed nearly all these meetings with his brother's hymn: + + "O that without a lingering groan, + I may the welcome Word receive; + My body with my charge lay down, + And cease at once to work and live." + +John Wesley's last sermon was preached in a gentleman's dining-room, at +Leatherhead, a small place about eighteen miles from London. It was on +February 23rd, 1791, and his text was, "_Seek ye the Lord while He may +be found, call upon Him while He is near._"--Isa. lv. 6. This was on a +Wednesday, and the day but one after, Friday, he felt very poorly, and +said he would like to lie down. At the end of half an hour, some one +went to his bedroom, and found him so ill that they sent for the doctor. +On Sunday he seemed better, and got up. He was so cheerful and happy; +and while sitting in his chair in his bedroom, he repeated a verse from +one of his brother's hymns: + + "Till glad I lay this body down, + Thy servant, Lord, attend; + And oh! my life of mercy crown + With a triumphant end!" + +On Monday night he couldn't sleep, and the next day, some one asked him +if he had any pain. + +"No," he answered. And then he began singing: + + "All glory to God in the sky, + And peace upon earth be restored; + O, Jesus exalted on high, + Appear our omnipotent Lord. + Who meanly in Bethlehem born, + Didst stoop to redeem a lost race; + Once more to Thy people return, + And reign in Thy kingdom of grace." + +When he had sung two verses, he lay still. After awhile he said, "I want +to write." + +So they brought him ink and paper, and put the pen in his hand; but +John Wesley's writing days were over. + +"I cannot," he said. + +"Let me write for you," said one of his friends, "tell me what you want +to say." + +"Nothing," replied the dying Christian, "but that God is with us." + +In the morning he wanted to get up, and while his friends were bringing +him his clothes, he started to sing: + + "I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, + And, when my voice is lost in death, + Praise shall employ my nobler powers; + My days of praise shall ne'er be past, + While life, and thought, and being last, + Or immortality endures. + + "Happy the man, whose hopes rely + On Israel's God: He made the sky, + And earth and sea, with all their train; + His truth for ever stands secure; + He saves the opprest, He feeds the poor, + And none shall find His promise vain." + _Hymn 224._ + +When he was dressed and seated in his chair, he prayed in a very weak +voice: "Lord, Thou givest strength to those who can speak, and to those +who cannot; speak, Lord, to all our hearts." + +Then he tried to sing again, but his voice failed him. + +He was soon tired of sitting up, and went back to bed. He could not talk +very much; but twice he lifted his hand in triumph, and said so gladly: +"The best of all is, God is with us." + +A great many friends were standing round his bed; he took each one by +the hand, and lovingly bade them farewell. + +All through Tuesday night, he kept trying to repeat the hymn he had +sung, but could only say: "I'll praise, I'll praise." + +Next morning, about ten o'clock, the Rev. Joseph Bradford, who had been +his faithful companion and nurse, knelt down at the bedside and prayed. +Eleven of Mr. Wesley's friends were in the room; they wanted to go with +their dear leader, right up to the gates that divide our life here from +our life yonder. + +"Farewell," said the dying patriarch. And then, as some one repeated, +"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting +doors; and this Heir of glory shall come in," the Golden Gates opened, +and the soul of John Wesley passed through. + +Those who were left outside the gates, still stood round the bed and +sang to the departing spirit: + + "Waiting to receive thy spirit, + Lo, the Saviour stands above; + Shows the purchase of His merit, + Reaches out the crown of love." + +So died happy John Wesley. Happy in life, happy in death. And the secret +of his happiness was the secret he proclaimed to thousands of boys and +girls, as well as men and women, all over this England of ours. + + "O boys, be strong in Jesus; + Let those around you see + How manly, pure, and generous, + A Christian boy can be. + + "O maidens, live for Jesus, + Like Him, be kind and true; + And let the love from God above + Rule all you say and do. + + "Then all the boys and maidens, + When life and work are o'er, + Will hear from One, the words 'Well done,' + And rest for evermore." + + * * * * * + +If ever you go to London, you must visit City Road Chapel, for there +John Wesley was interred, on the 9th of March, 1791, aged nearly +eighty-eight years. + +A great deal was put on his tombstone which you could not understand, +but it tells how this servant of God laboured to bring men and women to +know Jesus Christ, and how the lives and hearts of many thousands were +changed by his preaching. + +In Westminster Abbey, too, you will see a marble tablet erected to his +memory, and that of his brother Charles. Though churches shut their +doors to him in life, his memory is now so lovingly respected, that the +finest Cathedral in England has sought to do him honour. + +In one of the topmost rooms in the tower at Kingswood School, John +Wesley's bedstead has recently been discovered. Merely a collection of +poles and a piece of old sacking, it lay there many a long year, only +seen by the man who went up the tower to wind the clock. Now it is put +together, and set in a place of honour; and any of us may see the bed on +which John Wesley slept, when he visited the boys and girls at +Kingswood. + +Here, too, we may see his chairs and books, and a gown, now torn, which +he used to wear. The Governor of New Kingswood still sits in the +high-backed oak chair in which John Wesley sat; and grafted on several +of the trees in the orchard, are shoots from the very pear tree which +was planted in the garden of Old Kingswood by the Founder of Methodism. + +[Illustration] + + + FLETCHER AND SON, PRINTERS, NORWICH. + + + + +CATALOGUE OF ... + +Prize and Gift Books. + +[Illustration] + + ROBERT CULLEY, + 2 & 3 Ludgate Circus Buildings, Farringdon Street, + LONDON, E.C. + + +5/- + + =Sunday School Record, Annual Volume.= Published + Weekly, 1/2d. Expounds International Lessons. + + +4/- + + =By Doctor's Orders.= By A. F. PERRAM. Gilt Edges. + + =Churchwarden's Daughter:= A present-day Methodist + Story. By J. W. KEYWORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =Nathan Plaintalk.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =The Golden Shoemaker: or, Cobbler Horn.= By J. W. + KEYWORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =Willie's Secret.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. + + +3/6 + + =Among the Roses:= and other Sermons to Children. + By REV. SAMUEL GREGORY. + + =By Doctor's Orders:= A Temperance Story. By A. F. + PERRAM. + + =Churchwarden's Daughter:= A present-day Methodist + Story. By J. W. KEYWORTH. + + =Dr. Blandford's Conscience.= By SARSON C. J. + INGHAM. + + =Mother Freeman.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =Nathan Plaintalk.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. + + =The Golden Shoemaker: or, Cobbler Horn.= By J. W. + KEYWORTH. + + =Two Saxon Maidens.= By ELIZA KERR. Gilt Edges. + + =Wild Lottie and Wee Winnie:= or, Led by a Little + Child. By ASHTON NEILL. Gilt Edges. + + +3/- + + =From under the Shadow.= By ANNIE BROUGHTON + FOSKETT. Gilt Edges. + + =Melissa's Victory.= By ASHTON NEILL. Gilt Edges. + + =Mother Freeman.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. + + =Two Saxon Maidens.= By ELIZA KERR. + + =Sunday School Magazine, Annual Volume.= + + =The Morrison Family:= or, The Way of Duty is the + Way of Safety. By EMILY SPRATLING. Gilt Edges. + + =Wild Lottie and Wee Winnie:= or, Led by a Little + Child. By ASHTON NEILL. + + =Willie's Secret.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. + + +2/6 + + =A Methodist Doctor of Ye Olden Time:= a True + Story for Boys. By ARTHUR LINCOLN. Gilt Edges. + + =Bernard's Holiday in London, Paris, and Rome.= By + WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt Edges. Many Illustrations. + + =Daddy's Darlings.= By EDITH GREEVES. Gilt Edges. + + =Duchess Renee:= or, An Episode in the History of + the Reformation. By SARSON C. J. INGHAM. + + =Fighting against Fate:= or, Brent Brompton's + Delusions. By HELEN BRISTON. Gilt Edges. + + =From under the Shadow.= By ANNIE BROUGHTON + FOSKETT. + + =General Betty, Maid-of-all-Work.= By EDITH + GREEVES. Gilt Edges. + + =Love the Conqueror.= By JEANIE FERRY. Gilt Edges. + + =Loyalty Rewarded.= By JEANIE FERRY. Gilt Edges. + + =Maggie's Life Work:= a Temperance Story. By + JEANIE FERRY. Gilt Edges. + + =Melissa's Victory.= By ASHTON NEILL. + + =The Morrison Family:= or, the Way of Duty is the + Way of Safety. By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =Touching the Kettle:= with Other Stories and + Parables. By JOHN TELFORD, B.A. Gilt Edges. + + =Words of the Wise:= Daily Reading. By DR. T. + BOWMAN STEPHENSON. + + +2- + + =A Methodist Doctor of Ye Olden Time:= a True + Story for Boys. By ARTHUR LINCOLN. + + =A Noble Revenge:= or, Thomas Gladwin's Example. + By J. W. KEYWORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =Arrows for Temperance Bows= (Dialogues). By + OLIVER PACIS. + + =A Victory and its Cost:= a Tale of the War of + 1812. By W. H. WITHROW, M.A. + + =A Woman's Dilemma.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. Gilt + Edges. + + =Banners and Battlefields.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. + Gilt Edges. + + =Bernard's Holiday in London, Paris, and Rome.= By + WM. J. FORSTER. Many Illustrations. + + =Bertha Wynchester.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. Gilt + Edges. + + =Bessie's Ministry.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. Gilt + Edges. + + =Beyond the Boundary.= By JENNIE PERRETT. Gilt + Edges. + + =Bird Minstrels:= Their Ways and Wanderings. By R. + CORLETT COWELL. Gilt Edges. + + =Conquering:= or, Bernard's Burden. A Temperance + Story. By JEANIE FERRY. Gilt Edges. + + =Daddy's Darlings.= By EDITH GREEVES. + + ="Doe no Yll":= or, The Brandon Family Motto. By + ANNIE M. YOUNG. + + =Fairy:= a Little Cornish Maid. By ALICE J. + BRIGGS. + + =Fettered or Free.= By JEANIE FERRY. Gilt Edges. + + =Fifine's Charge:= or, The Little Mother. By WM. + J. FORSTER. + + =Fighting against Fate:= or, Brent Brompton's + Delusion. By HELEN BRISTON. + + =For John's Sake.= By ANNIE F. PERRAM. Gilt Edges. + + =General Betty, Maid-of-all-Work.= By EDITH + GREEVES. + + =Gold and Glitter:= a Temperance Tale. By JEANIE + FERRY. + + =Hagar's Reparation.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. + + =Hazel Haldene.= By ELIZA KERR. + + =Her Heart's Desire.= By JEANIE FERRY. Gilt Edges. + + =How Mrs. Hewitt's House was turned out of + Window.= By CAROLINE RIGG. Gilt Edges. + + =In Pawn:= a Story of a Pledge. By ANNIE M. YOUNG. + Gilt Edges. + + =Ivy Chimneys.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =Jackalent:= An Epic of the Streets. By ANNIE M. + YOUNG. Gilt Edges. + + =Kavanagh Major.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. Gilt Edges. + + =Kilkee.= By ELIZA KERR. + + =Leighton Family.= By EDITH E. RHODES. Gilt Edges. + + =Leonard's Temptation:= a Story of Gambling. By + BESSIE MARCHANT. Gilt Edges. + + =Life in Malin's Lea.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. Gilt + Edges. + + =Lottie, Servant and Heroine.= By HELEN BRISTON. + Gilt Edges. + + =Love the Conqueror:= or, The Rival Cousins. By + JEANIE FERRY. + + =Loyalty Rewarded.= By JEANIE FERRY. + + =Maggie's Life Work.= By JEANIE FERRY. + + =Margaret Wattford:= a Story of the 17th Century. + By ALICE J. BRIGGS. Gilt Edges. + + =Marjory Flint's Latchkey:= and Other Stories. By + W. H. BOOTH, F.R.G.S. Gilt Edges. + + =Millie's Experiences:= or Chequered Ways. By + NELLIE L. ROYLE. Gilt Edges. + + =Mighty Men and their Daring Deeds.= By J. J. + ELLIS. Gilt Edges. + + =Mystery of Grange Drayton.= By ELIZA KERR. Gilt + Edges. + + =Patsy O'Hara, the Child of the Ocean.= By RUTH B. + YATES. Gilt Edges. + + =Rescued:= or, Kenneth Cresswell's Transformation. + By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =Roger's Quest:= a Story of the Days of Queen + Elizabeth. By ALICE J. BRIGGS. Gilt Edges. + + =Runnelbrook Valley:= a Temperance Story. By MRS. + HAYCRAFT. Gilt Edges. + + =Scaramouch:= and Other Stories. By ANNIE M. + YOUNG. Gilt Edges. + + =Secret of Ashton Manor House.= By ELIZA KERR. + Gilt Edges. + + =Sire and Son:= A Startling Contrast. By AMOS + WHITE. + + =Soul Echoes:= or, Reflected Influence. By SARSON + C. J. INGHAM. + + =Stories without Names:= for Young Bible + Searchers, with Answers. By ELSIE. + + =Story of John Wesley:= for Boys and Girls. By + MARIANNE KIRLEW. + + =Story Weavers:= Writers for the Young. By ISABEL + S. ROBSON. Gilt Edges. + +[Illustration: (From "General Betty, Maid-of-all-Work.")] + + =Sunrise Corner:= Illustrating Psalm 103. By MRS. + HAYCRAFT. Gilt Edges. + + =Talks on the Catechism:= Easy Lessons for Young + Scholars. By ANNA M. HELLIER. + + =Tents of Kedar:= Bible Talks with Children. By + WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =That Boy Mick.= By ANNIE F. PERRAM. Gilt Edges. + + =The Price She Paid:= a Temperance Tale. By J. W. + KEYWORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =The Fortunes of Sir Richard de Thorn, Knight of + Kent.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. Gilt Edges. + + =The Knights of the Tempest:= a Tale of the + Lifeboat. By H. PRATER. Gilt Edges. + + =The Scotch Girl's Exile:= a Story of Olden Times. + By ALICE J. BRIGGS. Gilt Edges. + + =Touching the Kettle:= with Other Stories and + Parables. By JOHN TELFORD, B.A. + + =Twelve Famous Girls.= By MARIANNE KIRLEW. Gilt + Edges. + + =Two Little Sisters and Humphrey.= By ISABEL S. + ROBSON. Gilt Edges. + + =Winsome Winnie.= By EMILY SPRATLING. Gilt Edges. + + =Yuppie.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. Gilt Edges. + + + + +"CONQUERING" SERIES. 1/6 + + + =A Noble Revenge:= or, Thomas Gladwin's Example. + By J. W. KEYWORTH. + + =A Woman's Dilemma.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. + + =Banners and Battlefields.= By EDITH GREEVES. + + =Bertha Wynchester.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. + + =Bessie's Ministry.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Beyond the Boundary.= By JENNIE PERRETT. + + =Bird Minstrels:= Their Ways and Wanderings. By R. + CORLETT COWELL. + + =Broken Purposes:= or, The Good Time Coming. By + LILLIE MONTFORT. + + =Blind Olive:= or, Dr. Greyville's Infatuation. By + SARSON C. J. INGHAM. + + =Chips from a Temperance Workshop= (Recitation, + &c.). By OLIVER PACIS. + + =Conquering:= or, Bernard's Burden. A Temperance + Tale. By JEANIE FERRY. + + ="Doe no Yll":= or, The Brandon Family Motto. By + ANNIE M. YOUNG. + + =Eleanor's Ambition.= By SARSON C. J. INGHAM. + + =Fairy:= a Little Cornish Maid. By ALICE J. + BRIGGS. + + =Fifine's Charge:= or, The Little Mother. By WM. + J. FORSTER. + + =Fettered or Free.= By JEANIE FERRY. + + =For John's Sake.= By ANNIE F. PERRAM. + + =Frank Heaton's Dilemma:= and Other Stories. By + WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Gold and Glitter:= a Temperance Tale. By JEANIE + FERRY. + + =Harold and his Sisters in Norway.= By HENRY H. + M'CULLAGH, B.A. + + =Her Heart's Desire.= By JEANIE FERRY. + + =How Mrs. Hewitt's House was turned out of + Window:= Temperance Stories. By CAROLINE RIGG. + + =How to Steer a Ship:= and Other Stories. By REV. + SAMUEL GREGORY. + + =In Pawn:= a Story of a Pledge. By ANNIE M. YOUNG. + + =Ivy Chimneys.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. + + =Jackalent:= an Epic of the Streets. By ANNIE M. + YOUNG. + + =Kavanagh Major.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Leigh on Family.= By EDITH E. RHODES. + + =Leonard's Temptation:= a Story of Gambling. By + BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =Life in Malin's Lea.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Lottie, Servant and Heroine.= By HELEN BRISTON. + + =Margaret Wattford:= a Story of the 17th Century. + By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Marjory Flint's Latchkey:= and Other Stories. By + W. H. BOOTH, F.R.G.S. + + =Mighty Men and their Daring Deeds.= By J. J. + ELLIS. + + =Mystery of Grange Drayton.= By ELIZA KERR. + + =Our Martha:= or, Careful Without Care. By EDITH + GREEVES. + + =Patsy O'Hara, the Child of the Ocean.= By RUTH B. + YATES. + + =Rescued:= or, Kenneth Cresswell's Transformation. + By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =Roger's Quest:= a Story of the Days of Queen + Elizabeth. By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Runnelbrook Valley:= a Temperance Story. By MRS. + HAYCRAFT. + + =Scaramouch:= and Other Stories. By ANNIE M. + YOUNG. + + =Secret of Ashton Manor House.= By ELIZA KERR. + + =Story of Christian:= Life Pictures from + "Pilgrim's Progress." By SAMUEL GREGORY. + + =Story of John Wesley:= for Boys and Girls. By + MARIANNE KIRLEW. + + =Story Weavers:= Writers for the Young. By ISABEL + S. ROBSON. + + =Sunrise Corner:= Illustrating Psalm 103. By MRS. + HAYCRAFT. + + =Tatters and Jennie's Schooldays.= By LILLIE + PETHYBRIDGE. + + =That Boy Mick.= By ANNIE F. PERRAM. + + =The Fortunes of Sir Richard de Thorn, Knight of + Kent.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =The Knights of the Tempest:= a Tale of the + Lifeboat. By H. PRATER. + + =The Price She Paid:= a Temperance Tale. By J. W. + KEYWORTH. + + =The Scotch Girl's Exile:= a Story of Olden Times. + By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Twelve Famous Girls.= By MARIANNE KIRLEW. + + =Two Little Sisters and Humphrey.= By ISABEL S. + ROBSON. + + =Two Snowy Christmas Eves.= By ELIZA KERR. + + =Winsome Winnie.= By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =Yuppie.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =2 & 3 Ludgate Circus Buildings, Farringdon Street, London, E.C.= + + + + +"SUNDAY AFTERNOON" SERIES. 1/6 + + + =A Comet for a Night.= By WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt + Edges. + + =A Terrible Fix:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Dr. Brown's Bill:= and Other Stories. By ANNIE + CRAIG. Gilt Edges. + + =Eelin's New Home.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. Gilt + Edges. + + =Florrie's Telegram:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Frank Heaton's Dilemma:= and Other Stories. By + WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Gerald's Adventure:= or, Only a Drummer Boy. By + ALICE J. BRIGGS. Gilt Edges. + + =Ida Graham:= and How She Overcame Her + Difficulties. By EMILY SPRATLING. Gilt Edges. + + =In Solomon's Porch:= Bible Talks with Children. + By WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Isabelle's Story.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. Gilt + Edges. + + =It's My Nature.= By HELEN BRISTON. Gilt Edges. + + =John Fletcher, Farmer.= By F. SPENSER. Gilt + Edges. + + =Leslie's Revenge.= By WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Mabel's Three Keys.= By R. SINCLAIR. Gilt Edges. + + =Master Piers.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. Gilt Edges. + + =Millie's Experiences:= or Chequered Ways. By + NELLIE L. ROYLE. + + =Minnie's Curiosity:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Nora's Queer Lesson Book.= By ANNIE CRAIG. Gilt + Edges. + + =Notes on the New Brief Catechism:= with + Introduction by Rev. R. Culley. By ELSIE. + + =Our Chris.= BY OLD CORNISH. Gilt Edges. + + =Our Silver Collection.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Raymond's Magpie.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Reggie's Dream:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Shad and Shady.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. Gilt Edges. + + =Sir Godfrey's Bride.= By RUTH B. YATES. + + =Tell-Tale-Tit.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. Gilt Edges. + + =That Dreadful Boy.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. Gilt + Edges. + + =The Fun o' the Fair.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. Gilt + Edges. + + =The Old House at Rungate.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + Gilt Edges. + + =The Owner of Rushcote.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =Those Queer Neighbours:= and Other Stories. By + WM. J. FORSTER. Gilt Edges. + + =Three Little Vagrants.= By F. SPENSER. Gilt + Edges. + + =Through Deep Waters:= a Temperance Story. By S. + SPENSER. Gilt Edges. + + =Tom and His Chum:= and Other Stories. By ANNIE + CRAIG. Gilt Edges. + + =Twelve Famous Boys.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =2 & 3 Ludgate Circus Buildings, Farringdon Street, London, E.C.= + +[Illustration: (From "Millie's Experiences.")] + + + + +BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS. 1/6 + + + + =Animals in Council.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =A Royal Letter:= Bible Talks. By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Our Boys and Girls, Yearly Volume.= + + =Pictures and Stories for Little Folks.= Bevelled + Boards, Gilt Edges. + + =Carlo's Visitors.= By WM. J. FORSTER. Bevelled + Boards, Gilt Edges. + + + + +BOOKS FOR TEACHERS AND WORKERS. 1/6 + + + =A String of Pearls:= Suggestions for Bible Work. + By REV. SAMUEL GREGORY. + + =How to Steer a Ship:= and Other Sermons. By REV. + SAMUEL GREGORY. + + =Notes on the New Brief Catechism:= with + Introduction by Rev. R. Culley. By ELSIE. + + =Sunday School Teaching:= A Manual of Method in + Class Instruction, Management, and Discipline, for + Sunday School Teachers. By JAMES BAILEY. + + =Sunday School Infant Class Teaching:= A First + Year's Course of Lessons for the Infant Class of + the Sunday School. By JAMES BAILEY. + + =The Story of the Sunday School:= Genesis and + Evolution. By J. HENRY HARRIS. + + =The Tents of Kedar:= and Other Bible Talks. By + WM. J. FORSTER. + + =The Wonderful Book:= Twelve Reasons why the Bible + is the most Wonderful Book in the World. By G. T. + SEYMOUR. + + + + +"DOUBLE VOLUME" SERIES. 1/4 + + + =Uncle Jock's Little Girl= } + =The Tempest Cousins= } Two Books in One Volume. + + =Weazel Tim= } + =A Royal Mandate= } Two Books in One Volume. + + =The Children's King= } + =Into the King's Palace= } Two Books in One Volume. + + =2 & 3 Ludgate Circus Buildings, Farringdon Street, London, E.C.= + + + + +"LUDGATE" SERIES. 1/- + + + =A Comet for a Night.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =A Royal Mandate.= By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =A Terrible Fix:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Chrissie's Faults:= or, Fettered by Custom. By + JEANIE FERRY. + + =Cousin Jack's Umbrella:= and Other Tales. By WM. + J. FORSTER. + + =Donald's Ambition.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Dr. Brown's Bill:= and Other Stories. By ANNIE + CRAIG. + + =Eelin's New Home.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Elise Fontaine:= a Story of Life in Belgium. By + ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Eric's Hymn:= and Other Stories. By EDITH + GREEVES. + + =Esther's Craze:= and Other Life Sketches. By A. + F. PERRAM. + + =Florrie's Telegram:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Frank Heaton's Dilemma:= and Other Stories. By + WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Gerald's Adventure:= or, Only a Drummer Boy. By + ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Grannie's Darling.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =Ida Graham:= and How She Overcame Her + Difficulties. By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =Isabelle's Story.= By ALICE J. BRIGGS. + + =It's My Nature.= By HELEN BRISTON. + + =John Fletcher, Farmer.= By F. SPENSER. + + =Leslie's Revenge.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Little Folks at Kelverton Grange.= By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Little Jim's Rescue.= By ANNIE F. PERRAM. + + =Lots of Time:= or, Pictures and Stories for Boys + and Girls. By ANNIE F. PERRAM. + + =Love and Victory:= Dialogues for Temperance + Gatherings. + + =Lucy's Temptation:= a Temperance Story for Young + Men and Women. By F. SPENSER. + + =Luther Miller's Ambition:= and How it was + Gratified. By LILLIE MONTFORT. + + =Mabel's Three Keys:= and Other Stories. By R. + SINCLAIR. + + =Master Piers.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Mignon's Message.= By ELIZA KERR. + + =Minnie's Curiosity:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Nora's Queer Lesson Books.= By ANNIE CRAIG. + + =Our Chris:= and Other Stories. By OLD CORNISH. + + =Our Silver Collection.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Raymond's Magpie.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Recitations for Missionary Meetings, &c.= By F. + M. L. + + =Reggie's Dream:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Ruby Necklet:= Rosie's Temptation. By BETH + RICHARDSON. + + =Sir Godfrey's Bride.= By RUTH B. YATES. + + =Songs of Living Things:= for Boys and Girls. By + A. H. VINE. + + =Stephen Blakemore's Problem.= By EDITH CORNFORTH. + + =Shad and Shady.= By J. W. KEYWORTH. + + =Tell-Tale-Tit.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =That Dreadful Boy.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =The Fun o' the Fair.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =The Old House at Rungate.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =The Owner of Rushcote.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =The Tempest Cousins.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Those Queer Neighbours:= and Other Stories. By + WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Three Little Vagrants.= By F. SPENSER. + + =Three School-Girls:= or, Brenda's Purpose. By F. + SPENSER. + + =Through Deep Waters:= a Temperance Story. By F. + SPENSER. + + =Tom and His Chum:= and Other Tales. By ANNIE + CRAIG. + + =Twelve Famous Boys.= By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =Twentieth Century Book of Dialogues.= Compiled by + J. K. TOMALIN. + + =Twentieth Century Reciter.= Compiled by J. K. + TOMALIN. Second Edition. + + =Uncle Jock's Little Girl.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Weasel Tim.= By BESSIE MARCHANT. + + =Wonderful Half-crown:= and Other Stories. By WM. + J. FORSTER. + + + + +BOOKS WITH PICTURES FOR INFANTS. 1/- + + + =A Royal Letter:= Bible Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Carlo's Visitors:= and Other Stories. By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =Our Boys and Girls.= + + =Pictures and Stories for Little Folks.= By WM. J. + FORSTER. + + =2 & 3 Ludgate Circus Buildings, Farringdon Street, London, E.C.= + +[Illustration: (From "The Owner of Rushcote.")] + + + + +BOOKS FOR TEACHERS AND WORKERS. 1/- + + + =In Solomon's Porch:= Bible Talks with Children. + By WM. J. FORSTER. + + =In the Sunday School.= Thoughts and Suggestions + for Young Teachers. By ANNA M. HELLIER. + + =Into the King's Palace.= By ANNIE M. YOUNG. + + =Junior Society Class Prize Essays.= By REVS. W. + B. FITZGERALD, W. H. CHAMINGS, J. SURMAN COOKE. + + =Our Sunday Schools:= A Series of Papers. By REV. + C. H. KELLY, &c. + + =Papers Read at London Sunday School Convention.= + + =Take Fast Hold:= Addresses to Children. By J. J. + ELLIS. + + =The Children's King:= Bible Talks. By EDITH M. + EDWARDS. + + =The Firm Foundation of the Christian Faith:= A + Handbook of Christian Evidences. By PROFESSOR J. + A. BEET, D.D. + + =Unframed Pictures:= Addresses to Children. By J. + J. ELLIS. + + + + +"GOLDEN DEEDS" SERIES OF NINEPENNY BOOKS. + + + =A Heroine in the Strife.= By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =Aunt Chrissie.= By EMILY SPRATLING. + + =Bertram and Gerald:= or, The Gold and the + Glitter. By KATE MCCULLAGH. + + =Chappie's Charge Angel:= and Other Stories. By + ANNIE M. YOUNG. + + =Effie's Bargain.= By ANNIE CRAIG. + + =Fabian and Phil:= a Story of Two Little Boys. By + ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Fritz: the Young Swiss Guide.= By ALICE J. + BRIGGS. + + =Golden Deeds Told Anew.= By ANNIE CRAIG. + + =Little Barbara's Dream.= By EDITH GREEVES. + + =Little Black Rover:= and Other Stories. By + CAROLINE RIGG. + + =Little Miss Pry:= and Other Stories. By ANNIE F. + PERRAM. + + =Little Parables for Little Folk.= By EDITH E. + RHODES. + + =Marjorie's Stranger.= By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Mattie's Rescue.= By ANNIE CRAIG. + + =Ned's Victory and Dick's Enemy.= By ALICE J. + BRIGGS. + + =Nuttie:= or, The Silver Thread of Love. By ISABEL + S. ROBSON. + + =Our Cousin Noel:= and Other Stories. By ANNIE + CRAIG. + + =Out of the Dark:= a Tale for Girls. By EMILY + SPRATLING. + + =Pranks and Prattles.= By EDITH GREEVES. + + =Tony the Cripple:= or, The Child of a King. By + RUTH B. YATES. + + =That Odd Little Pair:= or, The Sayings and Doings + of Molly and Larry. By ISABEL S. ROBSON. + + =Theodora:= or, Golden Opportunities. By ISABEL S. + ROBSON. + + =Alice:= or, The Early Crown. + + =Archer's Chance Shot.= By SARSON C. J. INGHAM. + + =Junior Society Class Prize Essays.= By REVS. W. + B. FITZGERALD, W. H. CHAMINGS, J. SURMAN COOKE. + + =In the Sunday School:= Thoughts and Suggestions + for Young Teachers. By ANNA M. HELLIER. + + =Meadow Daisy.= By LILLIE MONTFORT. + + =Waiting:= An Allegorical Story. By SARSON C. J. + INGHAM. + + + + +"GILT SUNSHINE" SERIES OF EIGHTPENNY BOOKS. + + + =Alice:= or, The Early Crown. + =Broughton Manor.= + =Carrie's Self Denial.= + =Christmas at Rexby Hall.= + =Crossing the Rainbow Bridge.= + =Dash and His Master.= + =David Watson:= or, The Good Pays. + =Elsa's Holiday.= + =Favourite Recitations for Boys and Girls.= + =Fine Herbs.= + =For Love's Sweet Sake.= + =Jim and His Charges.= + =Ladyboy's Story.= + =Little Mother and Her Christmas.= + =Mop and Meg.= + =Ned's Helper.= + =Nellie's Promise.= + =Oscar's Rebellion.= + =Ruth, the Little Hop-picker.= + =Sam, the African Boy.= + =Schoolroom Stories for Boys.= + =Schoolroom Stories for Girls.= + =Something to Do, Please.= + =Stanley's Pony.= + =Sunshine After Rain.= + =Tarbarrel Tim.= + =The Auto-Biography of Chow.= + =The Bite of the Serpent.= + =The Seven Edwards.= + =Tom Burton's Mistake.= + =Wanted a Boy.= + =William Tyndale.= + + + + +"UNCLE FORSTER'S" EIGHTPENNY BOOKS. + + + =A Knotty Point.= + =Ella's Christmas Letter.= + =Harry's Rescue.= + =Lucky Carlo.= + =Nelson Farm.= + =Pitch and Toss.= + =The Old Plate's Story.= + =The White Mouse.= + =The Young Conspirators.= + =Twelve Bible Children.= + =Voices from a Money Box.= + + =2 & 3 Ludgate Circus Buildings, Farringdon Street, London, E.C.= + + + + +"SUNSHINE" SERIES OF SIXPENNY BOOKS. + + + =Broughton Manor.= + =Carrie's Self Denial.= + =Christmas at Rexby Hall.= + =Crossing the Rainbow Bridge.= + =Dash and His Master.= + =David Watson:= or, The Good Pays. + =Elsa's Holiday.= + =Favourite Recitations for Boys and Girls.= + =Fine Herbs.= + =First Readings:= Scripture for Children. + =For Love's Sweet Sake.= + =Frank Armstrong.= + =Jim and His Charges.= + =Ladyboy's Story.= + =Little Mother and Her Christmas.= + =Mop and Meg.= + =Ned's Helper.= + =Nellie's Promise.= + =Oscar's Rebellion.= + =Ruth, the Little Hop-picker.= + =Sam, the African Boy.= + =Schoolroom Stories for Boys.= + =Schoolroom Stories for Girls.= + =Something to Do, Please.= + =Stanley's Pony.= + =Sunshine after Rain.= + =William Tyndale.= + =Wanted a Boy.= + =Tom Burton's Mistake.= + =The Seven Edwards.= + =The Bite of the Serpent.= + =The Auto-Biography of Chow.= + =Tarbarrel Tim.= + + +6d. + + =Self Improvement.= A Book for Young Men. + + =Philip Phillips, the Singing Evangelist.= Paper + Covers. + + * * * * * + + _Also_ + + SUNDAY SCHOOL BUILDINGS: + A Book of Plans of S. S. Buildings, 6d. + + SUNDAY SCHOOL REFORM: + Two Prize Essays, 1s. net. + + =2 & 3 Ludgate Circus Buildings, Farringdon Street, London, E.C.= + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +The transcription of the letter was done as well as possible. All +spelling and punctuation anamolies have been retained for the letter +only. An image is available in the HTML version of this text. + +Obvious punctuation errors in the rest of the text repaired. + +Page 40, hyphens were added to "S-i-m-m-o-n-d-s" to keep the spaces +between letters. + +Advertising page 6, "Winnnie" changed to "Winnie" (Winsome Winnie) + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Story of John Wesley, by Marianne Kirlew + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF JOHN WESLEY *** + +***** This file should be named 32669.txt or 32669.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/6/6/32669/ + +Produced by Emmy, Darleen Dove and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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