To Mr. S., at Armagh

LY. — TO MR. S., AT

April 24, 1769.

Dear Brother, — I shall now tell you the things which have been more or less upon my mind ever since I have been in the north of Ireland. If you forget them, you will be a sufferer, and so will the people; if you observe them, it will be good for both.

1. To begin with little things. If you regard your health, touch no supper, but a Uttle milk, or water gruel. This will entirely, by the blessing of God, secure you from nervous disorders; especially if you rise early every morning, whether you preach or no.

2. Be steadily serious. There is no country’ upon earth where this is more necessary than Ireland; as you are generally encompassed with those who, with a little encouragement, would laugh or trifle from morning to night,

3. In every town visit all you can from house to house. ( I say, all you can; for there will be some whom you canj not visit; and if you examine, instruct, reprove, exhort, as I need requires, you will have no time hanging on your j hands. It is by this means that the societies are increased wherever T. R. goes: he is preaching from morning to

night; warning every one, that he may present every one perfect in Christ Jesus.

4. But on this and every other occasion, avoid all familiarity with women. This is deadly poison both to them and you. You cannot be too wary in this respect; therefore begin from this hour.

5. The chief matter of your conversation, as well as your preaching, should doubtless be the weightier matters of the law. Yet there are several (comparatively) little things which you should earnestly inculcate from time to time; for “he that despiseth small things shall fall by little and little.” Such are, —

(1.) Be active, be dihgent; avoid all laziness, sloth, indolence. Fly from every degree, every appearance of it,; else you will never be more than half a Christian.

(2.) Be cleanly. In this let the Methodists take pattern by the Quakers. Avoid all nastiness, dirt, slovenliness, both in your person, clothes, house, and all about you. Do not stink above ground. This is a bad fruit of laziness: use all diligence to be clean; as one says, —

Let thy mind’s sweetness have its operation Upon thy person, clothes, and habittjtiou.’* (3.) Whatever clothes you have, let them be whole; no rents, no tatters, no rags. These are a scandal to either man or- woman, being another fruit of vile laziness. Mend your clothes, or I shall never expect you to mend your lives. Let none ever see a ragged Methodist.

(4.) Use no tobacco, unless prescribed by a physician. It is an uncleanly and unwholesome self-indulgence; and the more customary it is, the more resolutely should you break off from every degree of that evil custom.

(5.) Use no snuff, unless prescribed by a physician. I suppose no other nation in Europe is in such vile bondage to this silly, nasty, dirty custom as the Irish are. But let Christians be in this bondage no longer. Assert your liberty, and that all at once: nothing will be done by degrees. But just now you may break loose, through Christ strengthening you.

(6.) Touch no dram. It is liquid fire. It is a sure, though slow, poison. It saps the very springs of life. In Ireland, above all countries in the world, I would sacredly abstain from this, because the evil is so general; and to this, and snuff, and smoky cabins, I impute the blindness which is so exceeding common throughout the nation.

I might have inserted, under the second article, what I particularly desire wherever you have preaching, viz., that there may be a little house. Let this be got without delay. Wherever it is not, let none expect to see me.