Mr. Charles Wesley proceeded Master of Arts in the usual course, and thought only of spending all his days at Oxford as a tutor; for he "exceedingly dreaded entering into holy orders."* In 1735, Mr. John Wesley yielded to the pressing solicitations of Mr. Oglethorpe, Dr. Burton, and some others, to go to Georgia as a missionary to preach to the Indians, and he prevailed on his brother Charles to accompany him. Their brother Samuel consented that Mr. John Wesley should go, but vehemently opposed the design of Charles to accompany him. But his opposition had no effect, for Mr. Charles engaged himself as secretary to Mr. Oglethorpe, and also as secretary to Indian affairs, and in this character he went to Georgia. A little before they left England, Dr. Burton suggested that it might be well if Mr. Charles Wesley was ordained before he left this country. His brother John overruled his inclination in this thing also, and he was ordained Deacon by Dr. Potter, Bishop of Oxford: and the Sunday following, Priest, by Dr. Gibson, Bishop of London.†

SECTION II.

OF MR. CHARLES WESLEY'S VOYAGE TO GEORGIA, HIS SITUATION THERE, AND RETURN TO ENGLAND IN 1736.

THEY sailed from Gravesend on the 22d of October, 1735, but meeting with contrary winds, they did not leave Cowes till the 10th of December. Mr. Charles Wesley preached several times while they were detained here, and great crowds attended his ministry. His brother Samuel, who was violently against his going abroad, observes, that he hoped Charles was convinced by this instance, that he needed not to have gone to Georgia to convert sinners. After a stormy passage they arrived in Savannah river, Feb. 5th, 1736, and Mr. John Wesley was appointed to take charge of Savannah; Mr. Charles of Frederica; waiting for an opportunity of preaching to the Indians. Mr. Charles Wesley did not enter on his ministry till March 9th, when he first set foot on Simon's Island, and his spirit immediately revived. No sooner did I enter on my ministry, says he, than God gave me a new heart; so true is that saying of Bishop Hall, "The calling of God never leaves a man unchanged; neither did God ever employ any in his service whom he did not enable for the work." The first person that saluted him on landing, was his friend Mr. Ingham: "Never," says he, "did I more rejoice to see him; especially when he told me the treatment he had met with for vindicating the Lord's day. This specimen of the ignorance and unteachable temper of the people among whom he had to labor was unpromising, but he little expected the trials and dangers which lay before him." Like a faithful and diligent pastor, he immediately entered on his office; not with joy at the prospect of a good income, but with fear and trem

bling, at the views which he had of the importance and difficulty of the ministerial office. In the afternoon he began to converse with his parishioners, without which he well knew, that general instructions often lose their effect. But he observes on this occasion, "With what trembling should I call them mine." He felt as every minister of the gospel ought to feel when he takes upon him to guide others in the ways of God. In the evening he read prayers in the open air, at which Mr. Oglethorpe was present. The lesson was remarkably adapted to his situation, and he felt the full force of it, both in the way of direction and encouragement. "Continue instant in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those that are without, redeeming the time.-Say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry which thou hast received of the Lord that thou fulfil it." After the labors of the day, he returned and slept in the boat.

The colony was at this time very scantily provided with accommodations. There was no place erected where the people could assemble for public worship; for on March 10th between five and six in the morning, Mr. Charles Wesley read short prayers to a few persons, before Mr. Oglethorpe's tent, in a hard shower of rain. He afterwards talked with Mrs. W. who had come in the ship with him and his brother, and endeavored to guard her against the cares of the world, and to persuade her to give herself up to God; but in vain. In the evening he endeavored to reconcile her and Mrs. H. who were greatly at variance, but to no purpose.

Some of the women now began to be jealous of each other, and to raise animosities and divisions in the colony, which gave a great deal of trouble to Mr. Oglethorpe. Mr. Wesley's serious and religious deportment, his constant presence with them, and his frequent reproof of their licentious behavior, soon made him an object of hatred; and plans were formed either to ruin him in the opinion of Mr. Oglethorpe, or to take him off by violence. We shall see these plans open by degrees.

March 11th, at ten in the morning, he began the full service to about a dozen women whom he had got together, intending to continue it, and only to read a few prayers to the men before they went to work. He also expounded the second lesson with some degree of boldness, which he had done several times before; and it is probable that he did this extempore. After prayers he met Mrs. H.'s maid in a great passion and flood of tears, at the treatment she had received from her mistress. She seemed determined to destroy herself, to escape her Egyptian bondage. He prevailed with her to return, and went with her home. He asked Mrs. H. to forgive her; but she refused with the utmost roughness, rage, and almost reviling. He next met Mr. Tackner, who, he observes, made him full amends: he was in an excellent temper, resolved to strive, not with his w, but with himself, in putting off the old man, and putting on the new. In the evening he received the first harsh word from Mr. Oglethorpe, when he asked for something for a

poor woman. The next day he received a rougher answer in a matter which deserved still greater encouragement. "I know not," says he, "how to account for his increasing coldness." His encouragement, he observes, was the same in speaking with Mrs. W. whom he found all storm and tempest; so wilful, so untractable, so fierce, that he could not bear to stay near her. This evening Mr. Oglethorpe was with the men under arms, in expectation of an enemy, but in the same ill humor with Mr. Wesley. I staid," says he, "as long as I could, however unsafe, within the wind of such commotion; but at last the hurricane of his passion drove ine

away."

Mr. Wesley's situation was now truly alarming; not only as it regarded his usefulness, but as it affected his safety. Many persons lost all decency in their behavior towards him, and Mr. Oglethorpe's treatment of him showed that he had received impressions greatly to his disadvantage; at the same time he was totally ignorant of his accusers, and of what he was accused. But being conscious of his own innocence he trusted in God, and considered his sufferings as a part of the portion of those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, especially if they persuade others to walk in the same rule. Sunday, March 14th, he read prayers, and preached with bolduess in singleness of intention, under a great tree, to about twenty people, among whom was Mr. Oglethorpe. "In the Epistle," says he, "I was plainly shown what I ought to be, and what I ought to expect. Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of Christ; in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distress, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings,' &c."

At night he found himself exceedingly faint; but had no better bed to lie down upon than the ground; on which he says, "I slept very comfortably before a great fire, and waked next morning perfectly well."

He spent March 16th wholly in writing letters for Mr. Oglethorpe. He had now been six days at Frederica; and observes, "I would not spend six days more in the same manner for all Georgia." But he had more than six days to spend in no better a situation, without being able to make any conditions.

Mr. Charles Wesley, as well as his brother John, was so fully convinced at this time, that immersion was the ancient mode of baptizing, that he determined to adhere strictly to the rubric of the church of England in relation to it, and not to baptize any child by sprinkling, unless it was sickly and weak. This occasioned some contention among his people, who were governed chiefly by their passions, and a spirit of opposition. However, by perseverance and mild persuasion, he prevailed with some of them to consent to it, and about this time, he adds with apparent pleasure, "I baptized Mr. Colwell's child by true immersion, before a large congregation."

March 13, Mr. Oglethorpe set out with the Indians to hunt the buffalo upon the main, and to see the utmost limits of what they clained. This day Mrs. W. discovered to Mr. Wesley "the

whole mystery of iniquity." I suppose he means the plots and designs which were formed, chiefly against himself.

He went to his myrtle grove, and while he was repeating "I will thank thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation," a gun was fired from the other side of the bushes. Providentially he had the moment before turned from that end of the walk where the shot entered, and heard it pass close by him. This was, apparently, a design upon his life.

A circumstance now took place which soon brought on an explanation between Mr. Oglethorpe and Mr. Wesley. Mr. Oglethorpe had, more than once, given orders that no man should shoot on a Sunday; and Germain had been confined in the guard-room for it. In the midst of sermon, on Sunday the 21st, a gun was fired: the constable ran out, and found it was the Loctor, and told him it was contrary to orders, and he must go with him to the officer. The Doctor's passion kindled; "What," said he, "don't you know that I am not to be looked upon as a common fellow?" I he constable not knowing what to do, went back, and after consulting with Hermsdorff, returned with two sentinels, and took him to the guard-room. His wife then charged and fired a gun, and ran thither like a mad woman, and said she had shot, and would be confined too. She curst and swore in the utmost transport of rage, threatening to kill the first man that should come near her; but at last was persuaded to go away. In the afternoon she fell upon Mr. Wesley in the street with the greatest bitterness and scurrility: said he was the cause of her husband's confinement, but she would be revenged, &c. &c. He replied, that he pitied her, but defied all that she or the devil could do; and he hoped she would soon be of a better mind. "In my evening hour of retirement," says he, "I resigned myself to God, in prayer for conformity to a suffering Saviour."

Before prayers this evening he took a walk with Mr. Ingham, who seemed surprized that he should not think innocence a sufficient protection: but Mr. Wesley had not acquainted him with the information he had received of designs formed against him.-At night, he tells us, "I was forced to exchange my usual bed, the ground, for a chest, being almost speechless with a violent cold."

Mr. Oglethorpe was now expected to return from his excursion with the Indians, and such was the violence of the party formed against Mr. Wesley, that the Doctor sent his wife to arin herself from the case of instruments, and forcibly to make her escape, to speak to him first on his landing, and even to stab any person who should oppose her. "I was encouraged," says Mr. Wesley, "from the lesson, God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power -Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord," &c. March 24th, "I was enabled to pray earnestly for my enemies, particularly for Mr. Oglethorpe, whom I now looked upon as the chief of them-Then gave myself up entirely to God's disposal, desiring that I might not now want power to pray, when I most of all needed it-Mr. Ingham then came and read the 37th psalın, a glorious exhortation to patience, and confidence in God.-When notice was given us of Mr. Oglethorpe's landing, Mr. H., Mr. Ing

ham, and I were sent for. We found him in his tent, with the people around it, and Mr. and Mrs. H. within. After a short hearing the officers were reprimanded, and the prisoners dismissed. At going out Mrs. H. modestly told me, she had something more to say against me, but she would take another opportunity-I only answered, you know, Madam, it is impossible for me to fear you.' When they were gone, Mr. Oglethorpe said, he was convinced and glad that I had no hand in all this-I told him that I had son ething to impart of the last importance, when he was at leisure. He took no notice, but read his letters, and I walked away with Mr. Ingham, who was utterly astonished. The issue is just what I expected-I was struck with these words in the evening lesson: Thou therefore, ny son, Le strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus: remember that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound, therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake. It is a faithful saying; for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we sufer, we shall also reign with him-After reading these words, I could not forbear adding, I need say nothing; God will shortly apply thisGlory be to God for my confidence hitherto-O! what am I, if left to myself; but I can do and suffer all things through Christ strengthening me."

He goes on: "Thursday, March 25th, I heard the second drum beat for prayers, which I had desired Mr. Ingham to read, Leing nuch weakened by my fever; Lut considering that I ought to appear at this time especially, I rose, and heard those animating words, 'If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am there shall my servant be. If any man serve me, him will n y Father honor,' &c. At half past seven, Mr. Oglethor¡ e called ne out of my hut; I locked up to God and went. He charged n.e with mutiny and sedition; with stirring up the people to leave the colory. Accordingly he said, they had a meeting last night, and sent to him this morning, desiring leave to go-That their speaker had informed against them, and re the spring of all-'I hat the men were such as constantly came to prayers, therefore I must have instigated them-1 hat he should not scruple shooting half a dozen of them at once, but that he had, out of kindness, first spoken to me. My answer was, 'I desire, sir, that you would have no regard to ny friends, or the love you had for me, if any thing of this charge Le made out against me-I know nothing of their meeting or designs. Of those you have n.entioned, not one comes to prayers or sacrament- never invited any one to leave the colory-I desire to answer accusers face to face.' He said my accuser was Mr. Lawley, whom he would bring, if I would wait here-1 added, Mr. Lawley is a man who has declared, that he knows no reason for keeping fair with any one, but a design to get all he can Ly hin; Lut there was nothing to Le got ly the poor parson. 1 asked whether he was not assured that there were men enough in Frederica, who would say or swear any thing against any man, if he were in disgrace-Whether if he himself was removed, or succeeded ill, the whole stream of the people would not Le turned