I'm weary of these earthly toys, The world, and all its flattering charms; My heart pants after purer joys, And Christ alone my bosom warms. With coldness and contempt, I view These vain, these transitory scenes; Since faith hath form'd my soul anew, And wak'd me from Egyptian dreams. Methinks a ray of heavenly light Already darts upon my soul; Methinks the promis'd land's in sight; My heart's the needle, Christ the pole. What though, for pageantry and state, Others to earthly treasures trust, And, aiming falsely to be great, Like the vile serpents lick the dust: My hope, my treasure, and my rest-- My all-sufficiency's above; The kingdoms of the world possess'd Are vain without my Saviour's love." [166] Whitefield's Journal, Edit. 1756, p. 116. Henry Seward, the eldest of the brothers, was married to a Baptist wife, and was, as will be seen, a violent opposer of the Methodists. William was drawn to seek after God and serve Him as early as the year 1728. He laboured hard and successfully in reviving the charity schools in London, particularly those in Langbourn Ward, Castle Baynard Ward, Billingsgate Ward, Vintry Ward, in the parish of St. George the Martyr, and in Hackney. For the school at the last-mentioned place, he raised, by subscriptions and public collections, an income of £150 per annum, and that notwithstanding the "opposition of the minister, the churchwardens, and the vestrymen of the parish."[167] [167] Journal of a Voyage from Savannah to England. By William Seward, Gent. 1740. In the year 1738, he became acquainted with Charles Wesley and the Methodists, and, in the month of November, found peace with God through faith in Christ. Oddly enough, he was allowed to be present at the Conference of Oxford Methodists, already mentioned, on January 5, 1739.[168] A few weeks afterwards, he became Whitefield's travelling companion; and went with him to America in August, 1739. [168] C. Wesley's Journal, vol. i., pp. 135 and 136. William Seward returned to England, not to stay in it, but, 1. To induce Mr. Hutchins, the Oxford Methodist, to take the management of Whitefield's Orphan House in Georgia. 2. To convince the Trustees of Georgia that three things were necessary to establish the Colony, viz.: "an allowance of negroes, a free title to the lands, and an independent magistracy." 3. To collect subscriptions for a negro school in Pennsylvania. And, 4. To bring the money, lodged in the hands of the trustees, for building the church at Savannah.