He urged his horse forward, and on the afternoon of the second day of
his journey he was within a few hours' journey of Ruthallion Mill.
He meant to call at the Mill, feeling sure that he would get from the
miller a faithful and intelligent account of all that had happened
during the three weeks of his absence from this neighbourhood. Miller
Pendelly, once the champion of the old system of lifeless churchgoing,
had become the zealous exponent of the new. He was the leader of
the little band that formed the nucleus of the great organisation of
churchmen who, under the teaching of Wesley, sought to make the Church
the power for good among the people that it was meant to be. Jake
Pullsford, who had spread the story of Wesley's aims among his friends
before the preacher had appeared in Cornwall, had given evidence of the
new Light that had dawned upon him when he had heard Wesley at Bristol.
Both these were steadfast men, not likely to cause offence, and if
Wesley had heard any report of their falling short of what was expected
of them he would have been more than disappointed.
It was through Richard Pritchard, the professional water-finder, that
offence had come or was likely to come, Mr. Hartwell's letter had told
him. He remembered the man very clearly. He had had some conversation
with him, and Jake had satisfied him as to the sincerity of his belief.
He had never been otherwise than a clean-living man, and he had studied
many theological works. But he had not impressed Mr. Wesley as being a
person of unusual intelligence. His remarkable calling and the success
with which he practised it all through the West had caused Him to appear
in the eyes of the people of the country as one possessing certain
powers which, though quite legitimate, being exercised for good, were
bordering on the supernatural. Wesley now remembered that he had had
some doubt as to the legitimacy of the man's calling. Believing, as he
did, so fully in the powers of witchcraft, he had a certain amount of
uneasiness in accepting as a member of the little community which he
was founding, a man who used the divining rod; but the simplicity of
Pritchard and his exemplary character, were in his favour, so much as to
outweigh the force of. Wesley's objection to his mode of life.
Now, as he guided his horse down the valley road, he regretted bitterly
that he had allowed his misgivings to be overcome so easily. Like all
men who have accomplished great things in the world, the difficulties
which occasionally beset him were due to his accepting the judgment
of others, putting aside his own feelings or tendencies, in certain
matters. The practice of the virtue of humility, in regard to his
estimation of the value of his own judgment, had cost him dearly upon
occasions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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