The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Methodism; Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Before proceeding to trace Wesley’s steps during the subsequent part
of 1757, it may be added, that Miss Bosanquet’s home, at Leytonstone,
sheltered not only Sarah Ryan, but two other Methodist females, of
great repute. One of them was Ann Tripp, who was born in 1745, and
died at Leeds, in 1823, after being a member of the Methodist society
more than sixty years. At the time of her decease, she was one of the
oldest leaders in the Leeds society.[317] The other was the celebrated
Sarah Crosby, who, in 1757, became a widow at the age of twenty, and
continued such until her triumphant death in 1804.[318] She will be
frequently mentioned in succeeding pages.
Having concluded his conference in London, Wesley set out, on
August 22, 1757, for Cornwall, where he spent the next six weeks.
At Camelford, he cured his toothache, by rubbing his cheek with
treacle. At St. Agnes, he was the welcome guest of Mrs. Donythorne,
a widow lady, ninety years old, of unimpaired understanding, almost
without a wrinkle, who read without spectacles, and walked without a
staff. At St. Just, he opened the new meeting-house, “the largest and
most commodious” in Cornwall. At Gwennap, it rained all the time he
preached; but he characteristically observes, “a shower of rain will
not frighten experienced soldiers.” At Bezore, finding that he would
have to sleep in the same room as a man and his wife, he preferred to
walk to Truro. At Grampound, “a mean, inconsiderable, dirty village,”
the mayor sent two constables, saying: “Sir, the mayor says you shall
not preach within his borough.” Wesley answered: “The mayor has no
authority to hinder me; but it is a point not worth contesting. So,”
he adds, “I went about a musketshot farther, and left the borough to
Mr. mayor’s disposal.” At St. Austle, where he attended church, the
whole service was performed by Mr. Hugo, who was almost a centenarian,
and had been vicar of St. Austle nearly threescore years and ten. At
Liskeard, which he pronounces “one of the largest and pleasantest towns
in Cornwall,” every one in the society had found peace with God. He got
back to Bristol on October 8.
Here, and in the immediate neighbourhood, he spent the next four weeks.
Part of the time he was disabled by a swelling in his face, which he
cured by the application of boiled nettles. The Kingswood society was
standing still. That at Bristol was reduced from nine hundred members
to little more than half the number. That at Coleford was the most
numerous and also the liveliest society in the county of Somerset. He
opened the new meeting-house at Pill, lately an almost unparalleled
“sink of sin”; but now a place where many were rejoicing in God their
Saviour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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