The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 1 (of 3)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 1 (of 3)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Methodism; Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Williamson was made recorder, and Henry Parker (the drunken uneducated
sawyer above mentioned) was made first magistrate; and, finally,
Causton, the great man who prosecuted Wesley, and drove him from
Georgia, settled down at Oxstead, three miles from Savannah; and there,
we hope, he lived a more honest life than he had done in England.[191]
Sophia Christiana Hopkey was the niece of Thomas Causton’s wife.
William Williamson, who became her husband, was a young adventurer, who
arrived in Georgia a short time after Wesley did.[192] And now, with
these explanations, let us look at the miserable business, which, in a
life of Wesley, cannot be omitted.
Wesley landed in Georgia on February 5, 1736, and seems at once to have
become acquainted with Miss Hopkey. Oglethorpe, Charles Wesley, Ingham,
and fifty other settlers set out immediately for Frederica. The young
lady went with them; and, on March 22, Wesley wrote to his brother
concerning her as follows: “I conjure you, spare no time, no address
or pains, to learn the true cause of the former distress of my friend.
I much doubt you are in the right. God forbid that she should again,
in like manner, miss the mark. Watch over her; keep her as much as
possible. Write to me, how I ought to write to her.”[193]
Miss Hopkey was a young lady of good sense, and elegant in person
and manners. She was introduced to Wesley as a sincere inquirer
after salvation, and soon took every possible opportunity of being
in his company, and requested him to assist her in studying French.
Oglethorpe also did his best to help on a courtship. Meanwhile, Wesley
was seized with fever, which confined him for nearly a week; and the
young lady (who would hardly allow Delamotte to do anything for his
friend) attended him night and day. She even consulted Oglethorpe what
kind of female dress Wesley liked the best, and therefore came always
dressed in white, neatly and simply elegant. Young Delamotte began
to be suspicious, and asked Wesley if he meant to marry Miss Hopkey.
Delamotte’s question puzzled Wesley, but, perceiving that Delamotte was
prejudiced against the lady, he waived an answer. The next step taken
was to consult David Nitschmann, the Moravian bishop. Nitschmann’s
answer was: “Marriage is not unlawful; but whether it is now expedient
for you, and whether this lady is a proper wife for you, ought to
be maturely weighed.” Wesley’s perplexity was increased, and he now
resolved to submit the matter to the elders of the Moravian church.
When he entered the house where they were met together, he found
Delamotte in the midst of them. On naming his business, Nitschmann
said: “We have considered your case; will you abide by our decision?”
After some hesitation, Wesley replied, “I will.” “Then,” said
Nitschmann, “we advise you to proceed no further in the matter!” Wesley
answered, “The will of the Lord be done!” “From this time,” says Henry
Moore, “he avoided everything that tended to continue the intimacy with
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