Middletown transcript., 1891-03-19
JOHN WESLEY IN GEORGIA.

When Wesley was thlrty-two he
Joined the coleny in Georgia, Of
which General Oglethorpe was Cover
nor, his desire TO preach to the
Indians being controlling motive in
the matter. His brother Charles,
who had Just been ordained, went out
as secretary to the Governor. This
colony, it viii be remembered, was
designed to be a home alike for
Englishmen and for Continental
Protestauts who had suffered persecu-
tion. The Church authorities did
| much to encourage the enterprise,
and Wesley was sentIas a missionary
bysthem. It is in keeping with the
poetic readiness of the Wesley family
to find that Samuel Wesley, Jun.,
published a poem in furtherance of
this venture Of faith and philanthropy.
With the Wesleys went, as special
companions, Benjamin Ingham, one
Of the Oxford Methodists, and
Charles Delamotte, the son of a
Middlesex magistrate On February
| s, 1876, the vessel which bore the
Wesleys sailed into the Savannah
River. John WesleY's mission CEN
tired in Savannah. then place of 500
inhabitants His preaching at once
made great impression. For ex-
ample, he q expounded those script
ures which relate to dress" with the
result that while he remained in
Savannah he saw in the church
g neither gold nor costly apparel" !"
On the other hand, he reused opposi-
tion by his High Church doctrine
and practice. Though Wesley did
not have the opportunity he desired
! to work among the Indians, he seems
!. to have had hard enough material to
: deal with. His chief trial in Georgia
! grew out Of his acquaintance witt
Sophia Hopkey, niece of Mr.. Canston
j the chief magistrate of Savannah
! The marriage Of Wesley to this brighI
: and handsome young woman seemed
f propable, but Wesley took counsel o
religious friends, and accepted theil
advice to proceed no further in thi
business" Miss Hopkey soon be.
came engaged to another, and Wa
: married four days later. In Wesley
= journal it is written, :" On Saturday
= March 12, God being very mercifu
: to me, my friend performed what
. could not" A half century aftel
= ward Wesley referred with muc
!. feeling to this painful experience
= Wesley had occasion to rebuke Mr.
:. Williamson (Miss= Hopkey), an
u finally be repelled her from the hol
- communion. Her uncle, Mr.. Canstol
:. :. took up the matter. and the Gran
81 Jury found several indictments again'
Wesley The latter repeatedly wer
to court, but was given no opportu
nifty to clear himself from the charge
~ which chiefly concerned his ecclesias
IL tical administration. It was decide
Q, that he had best return to Englan
~ The malice of his enemies followe
y him to the last. Not long aft
40 Wesley's departure from Georgi
!, ~ Canston's accounts were deemed vi
! satisfactory, and he was remove
og from his offices in the colony. Whit
70 I, field, who was M Georgia later Q
~ bears witness that Wesley's missile
was by no means a failure, though
had so much to distract him: /" II
= good Mr.. John Wesley has done
n, ~ America is inexpressible." The las
or ing effect of that brief ministry
No Georgia is typifed by the live-oa
Il tree under which Wesley preache
al which still stands near Savannah,
of Harper's Weekly.