able to God, than if I had retired to my own private devotions.

"This was the beginning of my present practice: other people's coming in and joining with us was purely accidental. Our lad told his parents; they first desired to be admitted, then others who heard of it, begged leave also, so our company increased to about thirty, and seldom exceeded forty last winter; and, why it increased since, I leave you to judge after you have read what follows.

"Soon after you went to London, Emily found in your study the account of the Danish Missionaries, which I ordered her to read to me. I was never, I think, more affected with anything, than with the relation of their travels. For several days, I could think or speak of little else. At last it came into my mind-though I am not a man, nor a minister of the Gospel, and so cannot be engaged in so worthy an employment as they were, -yet, if my heart were sincerely devoted to God, and if I were inspired with a true zeal for his glory, and did really desire the salvation of souls, I might do somewhat more than I do. I thought I might live in a more exemplary manner in some things. I might pray more for the people, and speak with more warmth to those with whom I have an opportunity of conversing. However, I resolved to begin with my own children, and accordingly I proposed and observed the following method:-I take such a proportion of time as I can best spare, every night, to discourse with each child, by itself, on something that relates to its principal concern. On Monday, I talk with Molly; on Tuesday, with Hetty; Wednesday, with Nancy; Thursday, with Jacky; Friday, with Patty; Saturday, with

Charles; and with Emily and Suky, together, on Sunday.

"With those few neighbours who then came to me, I discoursed more freely, and more affectionately, than before. I chose the best and most awakening sermons we had, and I spent more time with them in such exercises. Since this, our company has increased every night; for I dare deny none who ask admittance. Last Sunday, I believe, we had above two hundred, and yet many went away for want of room.

"But I never durst positively presume to hope that God would make use of me as an instrument in doing good; the farthest I ever durst go, wasit may be who can tell?-with God all things are possible; I will resign myself to him.

"Your third objection I leave to be answered by your own judgment."

These truly Christian arguments for a time silenced the scruples of the good pastor. Opposition, did not, however, cease. Those who were Christians but in name-who were destitute of the vitality and power of the Gospel-felt that the zeal and devotedness of this servant of Christ showed the hollowness of their own professions; and they made frequent complaints to Mr. Wesley on the subject-affirming that his house was being converted into a conventicle.

Aroused by the misrepresentations of her enemies, her husband again interposed, in a tone of disapprobation he had never before used.

Though satisfied, by the approval of her conscience, that she was acting rightly, yet, as a wife, Mrs, Wesley felt it to be her duty to abide by the

decision of her husband. Again, however, she

used her pen in without success. her letter:

defence of her conduct, and not The following is an extract from

"Some few days since I received a letter from you; I made no great haste to answer it, because I judged it necessary for both of us to take some time to consider a matter of such great importance. I do not hear of more than three or four persons who are against our meetings, of whom Inman [Mr. W- -'s curate] is the chief. He and Whitely, I believe, call it a conventicle; and what does their calling it a conventicle signify? Does it alter the nature of the thing? or do you think that what they say is a sufficient reason to forbear a thing that has already done much good, and, by the blessing of God, may do much more? It is plain, in fact, that this one thing has brought more people to Church, than ever anything did in so short a time.

"Besides the constant attendance on the public worship of God, our meeting has wonderfully conciliated the minds of this people towards us, so that we now live in the greatest amity imaginable, and, what is still better, they are very much reformed in their behaviour on the Lord's Day; and those who used to be playing in the streets, now come to hear a good sermon read, which is surely more acceptable to Almighty God.

"Another reason for what I do, is, that I have no other way of conversing with this people, and therefore have no other way of doing them good, but by this I have an opportunity of exercising the

greatest and noblest charity-that is, charity to their souls.

“There are many other good consequences of this meeting, which I have not time to mention. Now, I beseech you, weigh all things in an impartial balance on the one side, the honour of Almighty God, the doing much good to many souls, and the friendship of the best among whom we live; on the other, (if folly, impiety, and vanity, may abide in the scale against so ponderous a weight) the senseless objections of a few scandalous persons laughing at us, and censuring us as precise and hypocritical; and, when you have duly considered all things, let me know your positive determination.

"If you do, after all, think fit to dissolve this assembly, do not tell me that you desire me to do it, for that will not satisfy my conscience, but send me your positive command, in such full and express terms, as may absolve me from all guilt and punishment for neglecting this opportunity of doing good, when you and I shall appear before the great and awful tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The meetings were continued until Mr. Wesley's return.

The dreadful accident of fire before alluded to, took place on the ninth of February, 1709, when the life of John Wesley, then in his sixth year, was almost miraculously preserved from the flames.

Mr. Wesley it appears, on hearing the cry of fire, immediately arose from his bed, and, finding that it was his own house which was in flames, he gave the alarm to the elder members of the family,

then rushing into the nursery, he bade the maid bring out the children, and returned to assist his wife in making her escape; Mrs. Wesley being ill at the time, and unable to use the exertion necessary for self-preservation. Just as the family reached the hall, and the roof was on the point of falling in, they discovered that the keys of the doors had been left above. Mr. Wesley re-ascended the stairs, and recovered them a moment before the staircase took fire. The flames had, however, by this time increased so much, that it was impossible to pass through the front entrance, he, therefore, assisted one after another to escape from a window. Mrs. Wesley, finding it impossible to climb as the others had done, commended herself to God, and waded through the flames. No words could describe the agony of the parents, when, on reaching the garden, a wild cry for help was heard from the nursery; the father made several attempts to ascend the stairs, but it was too late, they would not bear his weight; finding it was impossible for him to render assistance, he knelt down and commended his child to God.

Mr. John Wesley says, "I remember all the circumstances as distinctly as though they were but yesterday. Seeing the room very light, I called to the maid to take me up, but none answering, I put my head out of the curtains, and saw streaks of fire on the top of the room. I got up and ran to the door, but could get no farther, all the floor beyond being in a blaze. I then climbed on a chest which stood near the window. One in the yard saw me, and proposed running to fetch a ladder. Another answered, There will not be time, but I have thought of another expedient.