Select Letters, Chiefly on Personal Religion

To every one who carefully studies Mr. Wesley’s character and history, it must appear that for nothing was this great man more distinguished than simplicity of purpose. From the time at which he obtained the salvation of the gospel, to the close of his eventful life, he was eminently a man of one business. He preached with almost unexampled diligence, he employed the press upon an extensive scale, during more than half a century, for the exclusive purpose of turning men from sin to Christ, and of building them up in holiness. To the same pious and benevolent objects his correspondence was directed. Notwithstanding the multiplicity of his engagements, he found time to write numerous letters to persons who solicited his advice, and cultivated his friendship. Many of these have been preserved. They consist not of idle gossip; nor are they intended to nourish a sickly sentimentality; but to urge forward his correspondents in the divine life, that they might attain all the mind that was in Christ, and make their calling and election sure. With the same design the following selections are published. They present an agreeable variety of subjects; and it is hoped will prove acceptable to a numerous class of readers to whom the entire works of the venerable writer are inaccessible. To the use of the closet, and of private reading, it is presumed, they are especially adapted.

The “Sketch of Mr. Wesley’s Character,” by which the letters are introduced, was published in Manchester, in the year 1791. It was appended to a sermon by Mr. Rodda, which was preached in that town on the occasion of Mr. Wesley’s death. It is in Mr. Bradbum’s best manner, and contains several interesting notices concerning the founder of Methodism which are not generally known. They are presented in an authentic form, as the result of personal knowledge and observation. For many years this valuable document has been out of print; and its repubhcation cannot but be acceptable to the devout and intelligent reader.

Thomas Jackson.
London, May 15, 1837.

Such is the character of the Rev. Mr. Weslev, that it would require his own abilities to do it justice. His memory is dear to many thousands, who will gladly receive any testimony in his favour that comes well authenticated. Those who know me will not doubt my veracity; and charity will incline those who do not to believe the best: and I promise to write nothing but what I know to be true.

I am not going to write Mr. Wesley’s history. My chief design is to give a short sketch of those leading virtues which were so uniformly exemplified in the conduct of this truly great man.

I judge it necessary to do this without delay, because (though many encomiums have been given him in the public prints, yet) several falsehoods have been circulated respecting that part of his character which, of all others, is the most blameless, namely, his having left great sums of money to his friends. This is not to be wondered at: for many years ago he was accused of laying up riches; his income was calculated, and no bishop in England was supposed to have such a revenue! It is true, this was done by persons totally ignorant of him and his concerns. Nevertheless, as the belief of such a report might hinder his usefulness, he thought proper to reply to it. In his “Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion,” he clears himself from this slanderous accusation in the strongest terms. He declares that if he left ten pounds behind him, after his debts were paid, the world might call him a thief and a robber. Now the question is. Has he left ten pounds behind him, when his debts are paid? In considering this question, a circumstance must be kept in view which will clearly and fully determine it: that is, his stock of books on s i has of late years greatly increased. And when he repeated the above declaration in public, which I have heard him do many times, he added, “except my books.” These were the only property worthy of note that he had. The library in his study is very small; and is to remain where it is, for the use of the preachers who may at any time be stationed in London.

The house he lived in when in London was, in reality, as much mine, or any other preacher’s, when stationed there, as it was his. The furniture as well as the house, and all the houses and furniture, in London and everywhere else, belong to the connection at large; and are committed to the care of trustees in each place, for the use of the preachers for the time being, who never stay more than three years successively in one circuit.

Mr. Wesley’s other personal effects were very trifling. Till lately he kept very few clothes by him. I myself have been constrained by my own feelings to speak to some friends to clothe Hm, he has been so bare; and so have other preachers to my knowledge. His gowns, cassocks, and bands were mostly given to him; and he has left them for the use of the clergymen who officiate at the New Chapel. Within a few years past, his wearing apparel has increased by particular friends making him presents of such things as they thought he wanted, but would not buy for himself. After all, some of the preachers, and most ministers in England, have more clothes than he had at his death; and the London assistant is appointed to”

divide them among those four of the travelling preachers that want them most.

He was always very backward to lay out any money on his own account. He could not bear to see the poor in want, if he could possibly relieve them. He sold the very pictures off the walls, and even mourning rings, which had been left him, to get money for them. When it became necessary for him to travel in a chaise, his particular friends defrayed all the expense of it, by voluntary subscriptions. He has left the chaise and horses to two gentlemen, in trust, to be sold, and the money to be divided among a number of poor people in London. His watch he has left to Mr. Bradford, to whose care he owed, under God, his very life many times, and to whom the Methodist connection is under great obligations. He has served it many years with zeal and fidelity, from the most disinterested motives. May God reward him!

Real estate Mr. Wesley had none. Many years ago he was enabled, by a charitable donation, to build the school at Kingswood, for the benefit of the sons of the travelling preachers; and it has hitherto been supported by public collections. Whatever right or title he had to this, or any thing in it, or belonging to it, he conveyed, by a regular deed, dated the 25th of February, 1786, to three of the preachers, in trust, for the rest, to be employed as usual.

So much for Mr. Wesley’s temporal affairs. Now let any man of reason and religion, taking all things into the account, judge whether he has not kept his word. Consider the property the preachers have in the stock of books, and the heavy debt it is subject to, and, in the strictest sense that his words will bear, he has not left ten pounds behind him! And I ask with amazement, considerintr the thousands of pounds that passed through his hands, most of which he might have saved, what man, in such a situation, could have acted, from first to last, better than he did? For more than fifty years his labours in the ministry have astonished the world; and to the close of his life he could boldly declare, without fearing to be confronted, —

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