Moorfields or at Kennington Common. I knew it was not possible for the one half to hear, although my voice was then strong and clear, and I stood so as to have them all in view as they were ranged on the side of the hill. The word of God which I set before them was, I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely. After preaching, the poor people were ready to tread me under foot, out of pure love and kindness." Wesley could not then remain with them, but his brother soon came and organized them, and in a few months he returned, and began to build a room for what he called the wild, staring, loving society. "I could not but observe," he says, "the different manner wherein God is pleased to work in different places. The grace of God flows here with a wider stream than it did at first, either in Bristol or Kingswood: but it does not sink so deep as it did there. Few are thoroughly convinced of sin, and scarce any can witness that the Lamb of God has taken away their sins." But the usual symptoms were ere long produced. One woman had her sight and strength taken away at once, and at the same time, she said, the love of God so overflowed her soul that she could neither speak nor move. A man also lost his sight for a time, and subjects began to cry out, and sink down in the meeting. " And I could not but observe," says Wesley, "that here the very best people, so called, were as deeply convinced as open sinners. Several of these were now constrained to roar aloud for the disquietness of their hearts, and these generally not young, (as

in most other places,) but either middle aged, or well stricken in years. I never saw a work of God in any other place, so evenly and gradually carried on. It continually rises step by step. Not so much seems to be done at any one time, as hath frequently been at Bristol or London, but some thing at every time. It is the same with particulat souls. I saw none in that triumph of faith, which has been so common in other places. lievers go on calm and steady. Let seemeth him good!"

But the be

God do a

Calm and steady, however, as Wesley conceived these believers to be, there soon occurred what he himself pronounced a genuine instance of enthsiasm. He had preached at Tanfield Leigh, a few miles from Newcastle, to a people whom he had left, in appearance, " very well satisfied with the preacher and themselves;" the first part of this predicament might be as he desired, but the second was out of time, before they had passed through the grievous process of conviction and regeneration. "So dead, senseless, unaffected a congregation," said he, "I have scarce seen. Whether gospel or law, or English or Greek, seemed all one to them." It was therefore the more grateful to him when he learnt that even there the seed which he had sown was not quite lost; for on the fourth morning after his preaching, a certain John Brown, who had been one of the insensible congregation, "was waked out of sleep by the voice that raiseth the dead, and ever since," says Wesley, "he has been full of love, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." He

had judged too hastily of his patient, for only two days after his new birth, the said John Brown came riding through Newcastle, "hollowing and shouting, and driving all the people before him, telling them God had told him he should be a king, and should tread all his enemies under his feet." It was a clear case that this man had been made crazy by his enthusiasm. Wesley took the right method of curing him; he sent him home immediately to his work, and advised him to cry day and night to God that he might be lowly in heart, lest Satan should again get an advantage over him.

There was some difficulty in obtaining a place at Newcastle whereon to build his meeting-house. "We can get no ground," he says, "for love or money. I like this well. It is a good sign. If the Devil can hinder us he shall." The purchase at length was made, and the foundation was laid of a meeting and orphan-house upon a scale, for the completion of which it was computed that 7001. would be required. Many," says Wesley, "were positive it would never be finished at all, others that I should not live to see it covered. I was of another mind, nothing doubting, but as it was begun for God's sake, he would provide what

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In consequence of some demur in obtaining possession, Wesley wrote this characteristic note to the seller: "Sir, I am surprised. You give it under your hand, that you will put me in possession of a piece of ground specified in an article between us in fifteen days' time. Three months are passed and that article is not fulfilled. And now, you say, you can't conceive what I mean by troubling you. have that article fulfilled. I think my meaning is very plain. I am, Sir, your humble Servant, JOHN WESLEY."

I mean to

was needful for the finishing it." Contributions did not come in so fast as the work required, and the building would more than once have been at a stop, if he had not possessed credit for being very rich. He had now meeting-houses in Bristol, London, Kingswood and Newcastle, and societies were being rapidly formed in other places by means of itinerancy which was now become a regular system, and by the co-operation of lay-preachers, who sprung up daily among his followers. At this time he judged it expedient to draw up a set of general rules, and this was done with the advice and assistance of his brother. The United Society, as they now denominated it, was defined to be "no other than a company of men having the form and seeking the power of godliness; united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation." The class rules were then laid down, as a means for more easily discerning whether the members were indeed thus employed. The only condition previously required of those who applied for admission was "a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and be saved from their sins." But it was

expected that all who continued in the society should "continue to evidence their desire of salvation; first, by doing no harm, by avoiding evil in every kind, especially that which is most generally prac tised; such as, taking the name of God in vain; profaning the Sabbath, either by doing ordinary work thereon, or by buying or selling; drunken

ness; buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity; fighting, quarrelling, brawling; brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil or railing for railing; using many words in buying or selling; buying or selling uncustomed goods; giving or taking things on usury; uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers; doing to others as we would not they should do unto us; and doing what we know is not for the glory of God, as, the putting on of gold, or costly apparel; the taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus; the singing those songs or reading those books that do not tend to the knowledge or love of God; softness and needless self-indulgence; laying up treasure on earth; borrowing without a probability of paying, or taking up goods without a probability of paying for them. These were the inhibitions which the members of the Society were expected to observe.

They were expected to evidence their desire of salvation, "secondly, by doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their power, as they had opportunity; doing good of every possible sort, and as far as possible to all men; to their bodies, of the ability that God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison; to their souls, by instructing, reproving or exhorting all they had any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine of devils, that we are not