Litchfield enquirer., 1849-08-02
Rev. DR.. VIM. DodA.

strongly excited on finding clergyman
OF celebrity and superior abilities convic.
Seo 1 OF felony; and placed under sentence
OF death: That unhappy man was Rev.
Or. William Dodd, whose preaching and
authorship had long rendered his name
familiar to all classes of people. His
publications were numerous, amount;no
to upwards Of fifty, among which was q
valuable Commentary on the Holy Scrip
lures, in three folio volumes, which he
had completed from various sources, es-
peclally the inedited papers of Dr.. Cud-
werth, which he by mistake attributed
to Locke, and those of DR.. Waterland.
he took very active part in the erec-
ton of the Magdalen Hospital--for which
he acquired just popularity; and his
ministry attracted many hearers. vanl-
ty, accompanied by a lavish expenditure
was his ruin. Being pressed with pecu.
mary difficulties, he committed an act Of
forgery upon the Earl of Chesterfield
who had formerly been his pupil, for
which he was condemned to be hanged ::
and all attempts to obtain for him even a
communication of punishment were una
vailing.
No class of people under heaven had
hive ller interest in the compassion of
Mr. Charles Wesley than the guilty vic
TINS OF law, among whom the humane
and once popular Dr.. Dodd now took his
place. In the days of his prosperity he
! had often cast slur upon Mr.. Wesley
and his creed /; but in his trouble and hu-
initiation he sought the counsel and asked
the prayers Of the itinerant and field
preacher. Mr.. Wesley visited him in
prison, found him with every mark of
true penitence, and had cheering hone
N 1t he obtained mercy at the hands of
God though the law and its administra
tors were memorable. The warnings and
devout piety of Mr.. Charles Wesley's
heart is particularly manifest in the YER
ses which he wrote on the mournful oc.
cas'on. His tender solicitude ceased not
till the repentant transgressor was plac-
ed beyond the reach of all human heIp,
While the Doctor was under sentence
of death, Miss Bosanquet, who was af-
terward married to Mr.. Fletcher, carried
on correspondence with him on the all.
important subject of his personal saliva.
ton and few persons were better quail
i!fed to give i IL the advice and encour-
agement that he needed. Mr.. John
Wesley intimated to the Doctor in his
cell, that perhaps some such humilia.
ting process was necessary to bring him
to repentance, and to believing accep-
lance with Christ as his Savior from sin ::
and it is edifying to e the critic, the or.
ator' the commentator, the elegant schol-
ar, meekly receiving instruction from a
sensible and devout lady, who from her
own experience could explain to him the
nature and fruits ofjustifying faith. She
knew "the sinners short way to God. "
secret which an erudite teacher never
understood.
He highly appreciated her Christian
services, and for her satisfaction sent her
the following note:-
JUNE 25th, l777.
envy dear Friend, On Friday NOR.
ming am to be made immortal. l die
with heart truly contrite, and broken
under sense of its great and manifold
offences, but comforted and sustained by
firm faith in the pardoning love of Je-
sus Christ My earnest prayer to God
is that we may meet and know each 9th
err in that kingdom towards which YOU
have been so long and SO happily tray
cling. / return you my most affection
ate thanks for all your friendly atten-
ton to me; and have no doubt, should
any favorable opportunity offer, you will
remember my excellent but most Attic
ted partner in distress. l do mot know
where to direct to worthy Mr.. Parker,
but beg to trouble you with my dying
love and kind remembrance to him
The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spir.
its Amen"
The Importance which Mr.. Wesley at
tached to this document may be learned
from the fact, that he treasured up among
his papers a copy of it in his own hand.
writing. On the morning Of June 9th,
l777. the day of the execution he wrote
the following impressive stanzas -
Refuge supreme Of sad Despair,
The ou.caAts Hope, the sinners Friend,
Far him we breathe our latest prayer,
Whose life hath reached ts shameful end
For him We in thy Spirit groan,
And bear our burden to the throne.
The me cy which he sought from man,
From cruel man he could not find;
But can he ask thy grace in vainl
Lover and Saviour Or mankind,
Thy mercy and Thy grace impart.
And I'll with peace his Happy heart
Give him the sting Of death to feel.
With all his cancell'd sins remOv'd-
Now in his soul thyseif reveal,
So dearly bought, so dearly loved,
Challenge his parting soul for thine.
And swallow up death in life divine
What Mr.. Charles Wesley thought Of
the Ministers of State, who turned a deaf
ear to the cry Of mercy in this most mel.
ancholy case, may be learned from the
following lines, which he wrote ''aftsr the