Here I will fix myself against the wall; lift a light man, and set him on my shoulders.' They did so, and he took me out of the window. Just then the roof fell in, but it fell inwards, or we had all been crushed at once. me into the house where my out, Come, neighbours! let us give thanks to God! eight children: let the enough!" "

When they brought father was, he cried us kneel down! let He has given me all my house go-I am rich

The following passage was written by Mrs. Wesley, in a season of special prayer, for her son John, then in his eighth year :

"I would offer thee myself, and all that thou hast given me; and I would resolve-O, give me grace to do it that the residue of my life shall be all devoted to thy service. And 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 endeavours to instil into his mind the principles of true religion and virtue. Lord, give me grace to do it sincerely and prudently, and bless my attempts with good success."-Evening, May 17, 1711.

Mrs. Wesley, possessing, as we have seen, natural abilities, cultivated by education, and directed by religion to their proper use, was eminently qualified for the task of instruction she had undertaken, and her children did not disappoint the expectations that were raised, from a consideration of these advantages. Several of them were afterwards conspicuous for mental endowments, and, what is far higher in importance, the seed of the Gospel

which she sowed in prayer, and watered with her tears, eventually brought forth a rich and abundant harvest.

Maternal solicitude lost nothing of its vigilance, when the objects which had called it forth were removed from the paternal roof, to mix in the busy scenes of the world. Whilst her sons were at school, and afterwards at college, she frequently wrote to them, to warn them of the dangers to which they were exposed, not only from the influence of the gay and frivolous, but also from the specious reasonings of infidelity.

Her efforts were eminently blessed; her prayers were answered; and though the finger of scorn pointed at them as the "Holy Club,"* and persecution followed them at every turn, yet the Christian triumphed-the eye of Faith looked forward to the crown of glory that awaits all who fight the good fight, and to the blessedness of those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, remembering that theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The following are a few extracts from her letters. The first was addressed to her son Samuel, during his stay at the Westminster School, and is dated October, 1709.

"I hope that you retain the impressions of your education, nor have forgot that the first fruits are heaven's, by an unalienable right; and that as your parents devoted you to the service of the altar, so

Mr. Wesley says, "I hear my son John has the honour of being styled, the Father of the Holy Club;' if it be so, I am sure I must be the Grandfather of it; and I need not say that I had rather any of my sons should be so dignified and distinguished, than to have the title of His Holiness.'"

you yourself made it your choice, when your father was offered another way of life for you. But have you duly considered what such a choice, and such a dedication, imports? Consider well, what separation from the world! what purity! what devotion! what exemplary virtue! is required in those who are to guide others to glory. I say exemplary, for low, common degrees of piety are not sufficient for those of the sacred function. You must not think to live like the rest of the world. Your light must shine among men, that they may see your good works, and thereby be led to glorify your Father, which is in heaven."

"I would advise you, as much as possible, in your present circumstances, to throw your business into a certain method, by which means you will learn to improve every precious moment. and find an unspeakable facility in the performance of your respective duties. Begin and end the day with Him who is the Alpha and Omega, and if you really experience what it is to love God, you will redeem all the time you can for his more immediate service.

"Above all things, my dear Sammy, I recom. mend you I beg, I beseech you to be very strict in observing the Lord's day-in all things endeavour to act upon principle, and do not live like the rest of mankind, who pass through the world like straws upon a river, which are carried which way the stream or wind drives them. Often put this question to yourself. Why do I this or that? Why do I pray, read, study, use devotion, &c., by which means you will come to such a steadiness and consistency in your words and actions as be

D

comes a reasonable creature and a good Christian."

The seed fell into good ground-the spirit of God accompanied these means, and Mrs. Wesley had the felicity of seeing this her first-born become a faithful minister of Christ.

To her son John she writes,-"Would you judge of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of pleasure?-of the innocence or malignity of actions?—take this rule, Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you however innocent it may be in itself."

To her son Charles, October, 19th, 1738"Blessed be God who showed you the necessity you were in of a Saviour to deliver you from the power of sin and Satan (for Christ will be no Saviour to such as see not their need of one), and directed you, by faith, to lay hold of that stupendous mercy offered us by redeeming love! Jesus is the only physician of souls-his blood the only salve which can heal a wounded conscience. It is not in wealth, or honour, or sensual pleasures, to relieve a spirit heavy laden and weary of the burden of sin. These things have power to increase our guilt by alienating our hearts from God, but none to make our peace with him; to reconcile God to man and man to God, and to renew the union between the Divine and human nature. No, there is none but Christ-none but Christ who is sufficient for these things. But, blessed be God, he is an all-sufficient Saviour, and, blessed be his holy name, that thou hast found him a Saviour to thee, my son. O! let

us love him much, for we have much to be forgiven."

Mr. Charles Wesley, in a letter to his brother John, said, "I firmly believe that God will establish what he has begun in me, and that it is owing, in a great measure, to somebody's prayers (my mother's most likely) that I am come to think as I do."

In 1725, Mr. John Wesley wrote to his parents for their opinion, respecting his taking Deacons' Orders. His mother, in answer, says," I think the sooner you are a deacon the better, because it may be an inducement to greater application in the study of practical divinity, which, of all other studies, I humbly conceive to be the best for candidates for Orders. The alteration of your temper has occasioned me much speculation. I, who am apt to be sanguine, hope it may proceed from the operations of God's Holy Spirit; that, by taking off your relish for earthly enjoyments, he may prepare and dispose your mind for a more serious and close application to things of a more sublime and spiritual nature. If it be so, happy are you if you cherish those dispositions: and now, in good earnest, resolve to make religion the business of your life: for, after all, that is the one thing that, strictly speaking, is necessary-all things beside are comparatively little to the purposes of life. I heartily wish you would now enter upon a strict examination of yourself, that you may know whether you have a reasonable hope of salvation by Jesus Christ. If you have, the satisfaction of knowing it will abundantly reward your pains: if you have not, you will find a more reasonable occasion for tears than can be met with in a tragedy. This