Wesley Corpus

To William Holland Date: BRISTOL, February 6, 1748. MY DEAR BROTHER, I rejoice to find that you have not forgotten me. Our Lord, I trust, has given us to each other, that we may strengthen each other's hands in Him. The plain reason why I bless our Lord daily for the assistance of my brother Charles is, because I know him to be an able minister of the New Testament, of the Spirit which maketh alive, and one that exercises himself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man. Surely our poor Brethren do not infer anything contrary to this from the low, self-inconsistent slanders which were handed about two or three years ago! After Mr. Williams had behaved so ill I had no thought of ever acting in union with him again. And all his overtures and acknowledgements I made no account of till he gave so substantial a proof that God employed him still, as He has done in Dublin. Then I could no longer withstand God; although to this day we have not readmitted him into the number of our stated labourers. But neither dare I reject him altogether. I was at first a little surprised that the Brethren should so obstinately persist in accounting me their enemy. But I now quietly commit my cause to Him that judgeth righteous judgement. I will write to Mr. Maxfield this post. To be with the leaders of a Sunday afternoon may be a means of uniting you together. O let us wait upon the Lord; He hath the preeminence, and His right hand bringeth mighty things to pass. On Monday the 15th instant I am to set out hence for Ireland. Grace and peace be with you. I am, with tender affection, Your loving brother. This was wrote a week, but forgot to be sent.