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to live by rule, and to improve every moment of his time to the best advantage. He received the communion every Sabbath, visited the sick, and the jail prisoners, and read to the poor. For daring to be thus singularly religious, he soon incurred the displeasure of his fellow-students, and felt the effects of it in their unkind behaviour. the mean time, he was greatly distressed with melancholy thoughts, which were augmented by excessive bodily austerities. And at last, by reading, and perhaps misunderstanding, some mystic writers, he was driven to imagine that the best method he could take was, to shut himself up in his study till he had perfectly mortified his own will, and was enabled to do good without any mixture of corrupt motives. He likewise imagined that he must relinquish external duties, and public worship, and lastly (which was no small trial and affliction to-him) that he must deny himself the pleasure of conversing with his religious friends, In this pitiable state of mind Mr. C. Wesley found him one day when he went to see him; apprized him of his danger, if he persisted in that way of life, and recommended to him his brother as a person of greater experience; who readily gave him, from time to time, his friendly advice. Soon after this, however, he carried his abstinence and fasting to such an extreme, that his body was so emaciated and feeble, that he could hardly walk up stairs. His tutor therefore thought proper to call a physician, and it appeared by the event he had rightly judged in doing so; for it pleased God to make the physician's care and medicines successful to his recovery.

His bodily health being restored, his soul was likewise filled with peace and joy in believing on the Son of God. This joy was so great for some time, that, go where he would, he could not help praising God continually in his heart, and with some difficulty restrained himself from doing it aloud. As he was urged to go into the country for confirming his health, he returned to his native air at Gloucester, where (his mind now being happily enlightened) he preferred the sacred writings to all other books, and read them with constant prayer; in which exercise he found unspeakable delight and benefit. But inclination conspired with duty to hinder him from confining his religion to himself. Having a heart formed for so

ciety and friendship, he could not think of shutting himself up in his closet, but made it his business to converse with young persons, about his own time of life, in order to awaken them to a sense of religion. God was pleased soon to give success to his endeavors this way; for several of them joined with him, and, notwithstanding the contempt they knew it would bring upon them, met together from time to time for religious exercises. He also there read to some poor people in the town, twice or thrice a week, and read and prayed with the prisoners in the county goal every day.

Being now about twenty-one years of age, he was sent for by Doctor Benson, Bishop of Gloucester; who told him that, though he had purposed to ordain none under twenty-three, yet he should reckon it his duty to ordain him whenever he applied. Upon which, at the earnest persuasion of his friends, he prepared for taking orders.

His behavior on this occasion was very exemplary. He first studied the Thirty-Nine Articles, that he might be satisfied of their being agreeable to Scripture. Then he examined himself by the qualifications of a minister mentioned in the New Testament, and by the questions that he knew were to be put to him at his ordination. On the Saturday, he was much in prayer for himself and those who were to be ordained with him. On the morning of his ordination (which was at Gloucester, Sunday, June 20, 1736) he rose early, and again read, with prayer, St. Paul's Epistles to Timothy; and, after his ordination, went to the Lord's table.

The Sunday following, he preached his Sermon on The Necessity and Benefit of Religious Society, to a very crowded auditory; and that same week he set out for Oxford, whither he inclined to go rather than to the parish which the bishop would have given him, because it was the place where he might best prosecute his studies, and where he hoped his labours might be most useful.* Soon

* "Last Sunday in the afternoon I preached my first "sermon in the church where I was baptized, and also "first received the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Cu"riosity drew a large congregation together. The sight, at first, a little awed me. But I was comforted with a

after this, he was invited to officiate at the chapel of the tower of London. The first time he preached in London was August, 1736, at Bishopsgate church. Having a very young look, the people were surprised at his appearance, and seemed to sneer as he went up to the pulpit; but they had not heard him long, when their contempt was turned into esteem, and their smiles into grave attention. He continued at the tower two months, preaching, catechising, and visiting the soldiers; and several serious young men came to hear his morning discourses on the Lord's day. In the mean time, the letters which the Rev. Messieurs Wesleys and Ingham wrote home from Georgia made him long to go and preach the gospel in those parts; yet he waited till Providence should make his way more clear, and, returning to Oxford, he found himself very happy in his former employments, and had much pleasure in reading Henry's Commentary on the Bible, and in the company of some religious young men, who met together in his chamber every day.

In November, 1736, he was again called from Oxford, to minister at Dummer in Hampshire. This was a new sphere of action, among poor, illiterate people; but he was soon reconciled to it, and thought he reaped no small profit by conversing with them. Nevertheless, he continued his studies with unwearied application; dividing the day into three parts; eight hours for sleep and meals, eight for public prayers, catechising and visiting, and "heart-felt sense of the Divine Presence; and soon found "the advantage of having been accustomed to public "speaking when a boy at school, and of exhorting and "teaching the prisoners, and poor people at their private "houses, whilst at the University. By these means I was "kept from being daunted over-much. As I proceeded, I "perceived the fire kindled, till at last, though so young, "and amidst a crowd of those who knew me in my child"ish days, I trust I was enabled to speak with some degree of gospel authority. Some few mocked, but most, "for the present, seemed struck and I have since heard, "that a complaint had been made to the Bishop, that I "drove fifteen mad the first sermon. The worthy pre"late, as I am informed, wished that the madness might "not be forgotten before next Sunday."

eight for study and retirement. During his stay here, he was invited to a very profitable curacy in London; but did not accept it, as he was still intent upon going abroad. Providence, at length, seemed to open a door to him; for he received letters, containing what he thought to be an invitation to go to Georgia, from Mr. John Wesley, whose brother came over about this time to procure more laborers. It is easy to judge how readily this proposal would be embraced and now, that he thought himself clearly called (many things concurring to make his stay at home less necessary) he set his affairs in order, and in January, 1737, went to take leave of his friends in Gloucester and Bristol. At Gloucester, the congregations, when he preached, were very large and very serious. At Bristol, many persons were forced to return from the churches where he was invited to preach, for want of room. He went also to Bath, where he was kindly received, and preached twice. But he did not stay long at any of these places, being obliged to go to Oxford about the latter end of February; from whence he came up to London, to wait upon Gen. Oglethorp and the trustees for Georgia. He was soon introduced to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London, who both approved of his going abroad. While he continued at London, waiting for Gen. Oglethorp, he preached more frequently than he had done before, and greater numbers of people flocked to hear him. But, finding that the General was not likely to sail for some time, and beieg under particular obligations to the Rev. Mr. Sampson Harris, minister at Stonehouse in Gloucestershire, he went, at his request, to supply his charge, till he should dispatch some affairs in London. There he was very happy in his public ministrations, but especially in his retirements, which he used afterwards to reflect upon with great satisfaction. On Mr. Harris' return, he left Stonehouse, and upon repeated invitations went a second time to Bristol, where he preached as usual, about five times a week. Here the multitudes of his hearers still increased.* He was attended by per

* "Some hung upon the rails, others climbed up the "leads of the church, and altogether made the church it"self so hot, with their breath, that the steam would fall "from the pillars like drops of rain."

sons of all ranks and denominations; private religious societies were erected; a collection for the poor prisoners in Newgate was made twice or thrice a week; and large encouragement was offered to him if he would not go abroad. During his stay at Bristol, which was from the end of May to the twenty-first of June, he paid a second short visit to Bath, where the people crowded, and were seriously affected, as at Bristol, and no less than 160 pounds was offered for the poor of Georgia.

June 21, he preached his farewel sermon at Bristol; and towards the end of the discourse, when he came to tell them, "it might be they would see him no more," the whole congregation was exceedingly affected; high and low, young and old, burst into a flood of tears. Multitudes, after sermon, followed him home weeping; and the next day he was employed, from seven in the morning till midnight, in talking and giving advice to those who came to him, about the concerns of their souls, and salvation.

From Bristol he went to Gloucester, and preached to a very crowded auditory, and after staying a few days went on to Oxford, where he had an agreeable interview with the other Methodists, and came to London about the end of August.

Here he was invited to preach, and assist in administering the sacrament, in a great many churches. The congregations continually increased; and generally on the Lord's day he used to preach four times to very large and very much affected auditories, and to walk ten or twelve miles in going to the different churches. His friends began to be afraid he would hurt himself: but he used to say, he found by experience the more he did, the more he might do, for God.

His name was now put into the newspapers (though without his consent or knowledge) as a young gentleman going volunteer to Georgia, who was to preach before the societies at their general quarterly meeting. This stirred up the people's curiosity more and more. He preached, on that occasion, his sermon on Early Piety, which was printed at the request of the societies. After this, for near three months successively, there was no end of people's flocking to hear him, and the managers of charity