{"id":"jw/letters/1788b/12-to-sarah-mallet","corpus":"jw-letters","type":"letter","author":"john-wesley","title":"B 12 To Sarah Mallet","title_alt":[],"text_basis":null,"date_composed":null,"date_precision":"unknown","date_note":null,"numbering":{"bicentennial":null,"jackson_running":null,"sugden":null},"source_edition":{"editor":null,"title":null,"edition":null,"place":null,"publisher":null,"year":null,"volume":null,"pages":null,"scan_url":null,"scan_page_ids":null},"transcription":{"derived_from":null,"corrected_against_scan":false,"corrector":null,"corrected_on":null},"modernization":"none","license_text":"Public Domain Mark 1.0","license_apparatus":"CC BY 4.0","wikidata":null,"prev":null,"next":null,"part_of":"jw-letters","editorial_note":null,"source_id":"jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet","passage_ids":["jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet-000","jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet-001"],"word_count":552,"themes_auto":["assurance","catholic-spirit","free-will","reign-of-god","universal-redemption"],"open":true,"closed_reason":null,"legacy_ids":["jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet-000","jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet-001"],"passages":[{"id":"jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet-000","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet","source_title":"B 12 To Sarah Mallet","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":0,"text":"To Sarah Mallet Date: LONDON, August 2, 1788. MY DEAR SISTER, Let me know any time what books you wish to have, and I will order them to be sent to you. See letters of March 11 and Dec. 26. It is a pleasure to me if I can show in anything the regard which I have for you, as I am firmly persuaded that you have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man. I do not doubt but you have given God your heart, and do in all things wish to do His holy and acceptable will. But if so, it is no wonder that you should meet with crosses, both from the devil and his children, especially as you believe you are called of God to bear a public testimony against him. But you are in far greater danger from applause than from censure; and it is well for you that one balances the other. But I trust you will never be weary of well doing. In due time you shall reap if you faint not. Whoever praises or dispraises, it is your part to go steadily on, speaking the truth in love. I do not require any of our preachers to license either themselves or the places where they preach. For the Act, see Tyerman'a Wesley, iii. 512. Indeed, a forward young man in Northamptonshire brought some trouble on himself by preaching in church time, and so near the church as to disturb both the minister and the congregation. But that need not fright any other of our preachers. They are just as safe as they were before. Go on, therefore, and fear nothing but sin. And let me know if there be anything wherein I can assist you, which will be a pleasure to, dear Sally, Yours affectionately. To our Societies in England and Ireland 7 LONDON, August 2, 1788.","word_count":317,"source_url":null,"themes":["free-will","reign-of-god","assurance"],"created_at":"2026-01-30T05:22:53.760968"},{"id":"jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet-001","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1788b-12-to-sarah-mallet","source_title":"B 12 To Sarah Mallet","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":1,"text":"Fifty years ago and for several years following all our preachers were single men, when in process of time a few of them married. Those with whom they labored maintained both them and their wives, there being then no settled allowance either for the one or the other. But above thirty years ago it was found most convenient to fix a stated allowance for both; and this was found by the circuits where they were stationed, till one year some of the circuits complained of poverty. Dr. Coke and I supplied what was wanting. The next year, the number of wives increasing, three or four of them were supplied out of the Contingent Fund. This was a bad precedent, for more and more wives were thrown upon this fund, till it was likely to be swallowed up thereby. We could think of no way to prevent this, but to consider the state of our Societies in England and Ireland, and to beg the members of each circuit to give us that assistance which they can easily do without hurting their families. Within these fifty years the substance of the Methodists is increased in proportion to their numbers. Therefore, if you are not straitened in your own bowels, this will be no grievance, but you will cheerfully give food and raiment to those who give up all their time and strength and labour to your service.","word_count":235,"source_url":null,"themes":["free-will","catholic-spirit","universal-redemption"],"created_at":"2026-01-30T05:22:53.761032"}]}