Part 23 (1/2)
The duke, who appeared so calm and unmoved in battle, thus wrote just afterwards, when the excitement of the conflict was over: ”My heart is broken at the terrible loss I have sustained in my old friends and co except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won”
A PRINCE OF PREACHERS
THE STORY OF JOHN WESLEY
”I do intend to be more particularly careful of the soul of this child that Thou hast so mercifully provided for than ever I have been, that I may do my endeavour to instil into his ive race to do it sincerely and prudently, and bless ood success!”
Thus wrote Susanna Wesley of her son John The child had been nearly burned to death when he was about six years old in a fire that broke out at the Rectory of Epworth, where John and Charles Wesley and a large family were born
Mrs Wesley devoted herself to the training of her children, taught them to cry softly even when they were a year old, and conquered their wills even earlier than that Her one great object was so to prepare her little ones for the journey of life that they ht be God's children both in this world and the next To that end she devoted all her endeavours
Is it wonderful that, with her example before their eyes and her fervent prayers to help them, the Wesleys made a mark upon the world?
John Wesley--”the brand plucked out of the burning,” as he terht his father admitted him to the Holy Communion He had thus early learned the lesson of self-control; for his e he bore his disease bravely, ”like a h he seeuessed by his looking sourly at thee of ten John Wesley went to Charterhouse School For a long tiot there he had little to live on but dry bread, as the elder boys had a habit of taking the little boys'hiood for his health!
Although he was not at school reave up reading his Bible daily and saying his prayers an to think of entering the ministry, and wrote to his parents about it He also coulate the whole tone of his life ”I set apart,” he writes, ”an hour or two a day for religious retireainst all sin, whether in word or deed I began to aim at and pray for inward holiness” In September, 1725, when he had just passed his twenty-second year, he was ordained
Thirteen years later John Wesley began that series of journeys to all parts of the kingdo the Gospel, which continued for over half a century
In that time it is said that he travelled 225,000 e of more than two for every day of the year
As to the numbers who flocked to hear some of his addresses they can best be realised by those who have attended an international football match, when 20,000 persons are actually assembled in one field, or at a reviehen a like nuether It seems impossible to realise that one voice could reach such a multitude; yet it is a fact that soations consisted of over 20,000 persons
Those were the early days of Methodisiving it a newto the multitude
Here is Wesley's record of one day's work: ”May, 1747, Sunday, 10--I preached at Astbury at five, and at seven proclaihteousness and sanctification and rede; but that did not hinder abundance of people fro Between twelve and one I preached near Macclesfield, and in the evening at Woodly-green”
His addresses were so fervent that they acted at times like an electric shock Some would drop down as if thunderstruck, others would cry aloud, whilst others again would have convulsions
People did not understand such a state of things Bishop Butler, author of the _analogy of Religion_, was ill pleased at a style of preaching so different from that to which the people of the day were accustomed; and told Wesley so
But the mission of John Wesley was to rouse the reat peril to his own life; for his preaching often produced strong opposition
Thus in June, 1743, at Wednesbury the , and shouted ”Bring out the minister; ill have the htend He asked that their captain ht in to him, and after a little talk the man who came in like a lion went out like a lary crowd, and standing on a chair asked, ”What do you ith o with us to the justice!” cried some
”That I will, with all my heart,” he replied