THE KING’S BUSINESS
978
ousy. One o f his biographers remarks, “ Had he searched the whole kingdom, he could hardly have found a woman more unsuitable to him in all important respects.” A fter making her husband as uncomfort able as possible for twenty years, by open ing his letters, putting his papers'in the hands o f his enemies in the vain hope of blasting his character, and even sometimes laying violent hands on him, Mrs. Wesley at length left her home, leaving word that she never intended to return. Wesley sim ply states the fact in his journal, saying that he knew not the cause, anbr i ef l y add ing,' “I did not forsake her, I did not dis miss her, I will not recall her.” Like Whitefield, John Wesley left no children. But he left behind him a large and influential communion, which he not only saw spring up, but lived to see it attain a vigorous and healthy maturity. The number o f Methodist preachers at the time o f his death amounted in the British dominions to 313, and in the United States of America to 198. The number o f Metho dist members in the British dominions was 76,968, and in the United States 57,621; Facts like these need no comment; they speak for themselves. Few laborers for Christ have ever been so successful as Wesley, and to none certainly was it ever given to see so much with his own eyes. HIS QUALIFICATIONS In taking a general view o f this great spiritual hero o f the eighteenth century, it may be useful to point out some salient points o f his character which demand par ticular attention. When God puts special honor on any o f his servants, it is well to analyze their gifts, and to observe care fully what they were. What, then, were the peculiar qualifications which marked John Wesley? The first thing which I ask the reader to notice is his extraordinary singleness of eye and tenacity o f purpose. Once em barked on his evangelistic voyage, he pressed forward, and never flinched for a day. “ One thing I do,” seemed to be his motto and constraining motive. To preach the gospel, to labor to do good, to endeavor
He afterwards inquired what the words were from which he had preached a little before at Hampstead. Being told they were these, “Ye know the grace o f our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, - that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. .8:9) ; he replied, “ That is the foundation, the only foundation; there is no other.” The day before he died, he said sud denly, “ I will get up.” While they were preparing his clothes, he broke out in a manner which, considering his weakness, astonished all present, in singing: “ I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath, “And when my voice is lost in death, Praise shall employ my noblest powers; My days o f praise shall ne’er be past, While life, and thought, and being last, Or immortality -endures.” Not long after, a person coming in, he tried to speak, but could not. Finding they could not understand him, he paused a lit tle, and then with all his remaining strength cried out, “The-best o f all is, God is with u s;” and soon after, lifting up his dying voice in token of victory, and rais ing his feeble arm with a holy triumph, h e" again repeated the heart-reviving words, “ The best o f all is, God is with us.” The night following he often attempted to repeat the hymn before mentioned, but could only utter the opening words, “ I’ll praise, I’ll praise.” About 10 o’clock the next morning he was heard to articulate the word “ Farewell,” and then without a groan, fell asleep in Christ and rested from his labors. Truly this was a glorious sun set ! “ Let me die the death o f the -right eous, and let my last end be like his.” UNHAPP ILY MARRIED Wesley was once married. At the age o f forty-eight he married a widow lady of the name o f Vizelle, o f a suitable age, and o f some independent property, which she took care to have settled upon herself. The union was a most unhappy one. Whatever good qualities Mrs. Wesley may have had, they were buried and swallowed up in the fiercest and most absurd passion o f jeal
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