The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-05-10

A PRETTY ROMANCE WITH A
. SORROWFUL END.
An Unpublished Episode In the Life of
the Founder OF Methodism-He Wooed.
Won and Refused to Marry Sophia
Canston.


letters and papers have been slowed
away for two centuries has been un-
earthed strangs story; nothing more
nor less than the love-life of John Wes-
ley In Georgia. 1t is a strange history
OF passion, self-searchings, of the tyran-
ny or the early religious conscience, OF
sorrow and resolve. Wesley, the preach
er, the missionary, the founder or a
church, and the last man from whose
breast one would have expected to
wrench such a secret, and yet, when
ais told, 1T presents his character In no
light new or unfamiliar. This is the
tale, according to the st. Louis Globe
Democrat: When James Oglethorpe
sailed westward to become governor or
a colony peopled with convicts and the
hotsam and jetsam of the London work
houses, he took John Wesley with him
as civilizing influence. Wesley was
then young man of brilliant parts,
FELLOW or Lincoln college, Oxford, on
toO0 year; handsome, pure and CuiXo-
tic. His brother, Charles Wesley, was
the governors secretary. The ship was
delayed by storms and the passengers
were thrown upon their own resources
for entertainment. The most interest
ing person on board, as far as John
wesley was concerned, was Miss Sophia
CanSton, neice Of one Of the fortune
hunters whom Oglethorpe had induced
to follow him to the New World. This
was not only because young women
We're on board the colonial vessel, but
because this young woman was ex-
tremely attractive. She was beautiful
She was highly educated. She sung
with voice that fascinated him. And,
most potent of ALL she listened with
flattering interest to his preaching. The
two became friends. She sang Charles
Wesley's psalms with him, listened to
all he had to say about experimental
religion. Gov. Oglethorpe was we'll
pleased with the turn affairs were TAX
ing and used every means to throw the
young people together. Needless to say
that by the time Georgia was reached
the boat had shipped an extra pas
senger with wings and bow and ar
row. When the settlers landed the
usual occupation of newly arrived
colonists seemed to have put an end to
Wesley's love-making. Amid the noise
of the rice birds the fort at Savannah
was raised, and Wesley build his par
sonage and school house. Mr. Canston,
Sophia's uncle, was made chief magis-
trate and storekeeper, and his niece
made herself quite charming as Wes-
ley's pupil in French, and an earnest
seeker after the exquisite pleasures of
experimental holiness. Sophia was the
official belle Of the place. She and John
Wesley were the most CONSPICUOUS fig
ures in society, and were consequently
thrown together very frequently. Gov.
Oglethorpe looked upon the affair as
settled, and so did the people of the
colony.
But now comes the crisis of the hui
man side of the story. Oglethorpe de-
termined to hasten matters between
Wesley and Miss Canston. According
ly he made a dinner at his own house,
and Grimaldi, his foreign servant, tam
pered with the Cypress wine, but
whether by the generals direction or
not never was quite clear to Mr.. Wes-
ley. That night, under the palmetto
trees near the governors house, with
the dark-eyed handsome girl beside
him, and with her enhancing voice in
his ears; with the Cypress wine and
Grimaldi's decoction hot in his blood,
John Wesley became aware that he
loved her. The revelation was a shock
to him, for he had been preaching
celibacy since he was a small boy. He
had felt himself welded to the church,
to his great faith and mission in life.
The strife Of spirit threw him into a
fever. Miss Canston did the only thing
that a young lady in her state of mind
could do. She nursed him, and he al
lowed her to. This circumstance was
sufficient proof to their friends that
marriage was certain. If more proof
were needed, he raved Of her in his
delrium. After his recovery, Wesley's
friends came to congratulate him on
his engagement. But ever since his
miraculous rescue from fire in childhood
he had been convinced that he had been
singled out by his Maker for some
special purpose, and now here he was
Frustrating himself before an earthly
idol and forgetting his mission. Alarmed
for his soul, he rushed to the bishop
and the Moravian missionaries for adj
vice. They had the same hard, unre-
lenting convictions which tormented
Wesley, and they advised him to give
up his idol and turn to his God. Wes-
ley knew not what to do. He wandered
in the forests praying aloud for light
as to his walk before God. That night
he asked ADVICE IOr IL second Time or
the elder. Then the bishop said: 1--WE
advise you to proceed no further in this
matter" 80 be It," said Wesley, and
that was the end. Poor Sophia was
heartbroken. Her relations were in
censed, and compelled her to marry a
Mr.. Williamson, though she begged
Wesley to intercede in her behalf He
made arrangements to leave the colony
But even in this the Canstons thwart-
ed him. He was forbidden to leave the
province. At 6 o'clock one evening the
little flock gathered in the church for
prayers. Wesley led as usual. Delamotte
was there with the friends who still
remained loyal. After the service Wes-
ley was seen to return to his old home.
But the faithful Delamotte had planned
an escape from this low torture. Three
friends led the young clerical through
the darkness to the pier. There an In
dian skiff bore him down the river. A
sailing vessel was in waiting, and soon
John Wesley was leaving the land Of
his love forever.
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