A long walk.--More persecutions.--Mr. John's
illness.--Not afraid to die.--Mrs. Wesley
scolds.--Home again.--A proud father.--Mr.
Wesley's opinion about fasting.--At Wroote once
more.--Mr. Wesley's "Good-bye."
WILL you look on your map of England and find London? Now find Oxford.
The two places are a long way apart, are they not?
Well, do you know Mr. John and Mr. Charles Wesley used often to walk all
that long way to see a friend. You know there were no railways in those
days, and to go by coach cost a great deal of money. This friend's name
was Mr. Law; he was a very good man, and encouraged and helped the two
brothers very much. He taught them that "religion is the simplest thing
in the world." He said: "It is just this, 'We love Jesus, because Jesus
first loved us.'"
At Oxford, the Methodists were still called all sorts of names and made
great fun of, not only by the idle, wicked students, but even by clever
and learned men who ought to have known better. Some of their enemies
said: "They only make friends with those who are as queer as
themselves." But Mr. John showed them this was not true, for in every
way he could he helped and showed kindness to those who said the most
unkind things.
Hard work, close study, and fasting, at last made Mr. John very ill; one
night he thought he was going to die. He was not at all afraid, he just
prayed, "O God, prepare me for Thy coming." But God had a great deal of
work for His servant to do, and did not let him die. With care and a
doctor's skill he got quite better.
Poor Mrs. Wesley was often anxious about her two Oxford sons, and once
wrote them quite a scolding letter. "Unless you take more care of
yourselves," she said, "you will both be ill. You ought to know better
than to do as you are doing." Mrs. Wesley did not agree with them
fasting so much; she believed God meant us to take all the food
necessary to support our bodies.
Just about this time, Mr. Samuel--the big brother--got an appointment as
master of a boys' school somewhere in the West of England; but before he
went to his new place he thought he would like to go home, and see his
dear father and mother.
When his brothers at Oxford heard this, they thought they would go too,
so that they might all be together in the old home once more. And, oh,
what a happy time they had! Mr. Wesley was getting very old, and he was
so proud to have his "boys" with him again. He talked very seriously to
John and Charles, and told them he did not at all approve of their way
of living. He said he was sure God never meant us to fast so much as to
injure our health, or to shut ourselves up and be so much alone. Jesus
said: "Let your light shine _before men_;" our light should be where
_everybody_ can see it. I am sure old Mr. Wesley was right.
A few months later, and the brothers were again at Wroote, standing by
the bedside of their dying father. "I am very near heaven," he said, as
they gathered round him, "Good-bye!" And "father" went Home.
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