One of them appeared extremely angry at this, that I should presume to say I was “Mr.
John Wesley.” And I know not how I might have fared for advancing so bold an assertion
but that Mr. Collins, the minister of Redruth (accidently, as he said) came by. Upon his
accosting me and saying he knew me at Oxford, my first antagonist was silent, and a dispute
of another kind began: whether this preaching had done any good. I appealed to matter of
fact. He allowed (after many words), “People are the better for the present”; but added, “To
be sure, by and by they will be as bad, if not worse than ever.”
When he rode away, one of the riders said, “Sir, I would speak with you a little; let us ride to the gate.” We did so, and he said, “Sir, I will tell you the ground of this. All the gentlemen of these parts say that you have been a long time in France and Spain and are now sent hither by the Pretender; and that these societies are to join him.” Nay, surely “all the gentlemen in these parts” will not lie against their own conscience!
The Journal of John Wesley
When he rode away, one of the riders said, “Sir, I would speak with you a little; let us ride to the gate.” We did so, and he said, “Sir, I will tell you the ground of this. All the gentlemen of these parts say that you have been a long time in France and Spain and are now sent hither by the Pretender; and that these societies are to join him.” Nay, surely “all the gentlemen in these parts” will not lie against their own conscience!
The Journal of John Wesley
No comments:
Post a Comment