DINSDALE T. YOUNG. _Manchester, June, 1895._ CONTENTS. _Chapter_ _Page_ I. 1 II. 6 III. 10 IV. 13 V. 19 VI. 23 VII. 28 VIII. 32 IX. 35 X. 38 XI. 45 XII. 49 XIII. 54 XIV. 59 XV. 63 XVI. 68 XVII. 73 XVIII. 77 XIX. 82 XX. 86 XXI. 89 XXII. 92 XXIII. 98 XXIV. 102 XXV. 106 XXVI. 110 XXVII. 116 XXVIII. 120 XXIX. 123 XXX. 128 XXXI. 134 XXXII. 138 XXXIII. 142 XXXIV. 145 XXXV. 149 XXXVI. 152 XXXVII. 156 XXXVIII. 159 XXXIX. 163 [Illustration] THE STORY OF JOHN WESLEY. CHAPTER I. Jacky.--His brothers and sisters.--His cottage home.--What happened to the little pet-dog.--How Jacky's father forgave the wicked men of Epworth.--"Fire! Fire!" LONG, long ago, more than one hundred and fifty years, lived the hero of this book. Because his name was John, everybody called him Jack or Jacky; and by everybody I mean his dear, good father and mother, and his eighteen brothers and sisters. Eighteen, did I say? Yes, indeed, they counted eighteen; and seeing there were so many, I will not trouble you with all their names. I will just tell you three. Samuel was the eldest, he was the "big brother"; Jacky was number fifteen, and Kitty and Charlie came after him. But Jacky did not mind all this houseful, I think he rather liked it, for you see he always had plenty of playmates. His home was in a country village called Epworth, in Lincolnshire. If you look on your map I think you will find it. The house was like a big cottage; the roof had no slates on like ours, but was thatched with straw, the same as some of the cottages you have seen in the country; and the windows had tiny panes of glass, diamond-shaped, and they opened like little doors. The walls of the cottage were covered with pretty climbing plants, and what was best of all, there was a beautiful big garden where apple and pear trees grew, and where there was lots of room for Jacky and Charlie and the others to run about and play "hide and seek."