The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-10

4HH
-tored away for two centuries has
urearthed a strange story; nothing
nor less than the love life of John
v-.sev in Georgia. It is a strange history
,sesion. Of self-searchings. of the ty-
Inv Of the early religious conscience. of
INV and resolve. Wesley, the preacher.
u. Missionary, the founder OF a church. is
last man from whose breast one would
az expected 10 wrench such secret.
yet when ais told, it presents his
.-.r.c.er in no light new or unfamiliar.
I'll. Is the tale. When James oglethorpe
7ss westward to become governor Of
-,,,r h. took John Wesley with him as
willing influence. Wesley was then
,,,np man of brilliant parts. fellow of
t-.oln college, oxford, on three hundred
.,7gls a year; handsome, pure, and quix-
~. His brother Charles Wesley. was the
Governors secretary.
rbo ship was delayed by storms and
.,o Messengers were thrown upon their
,,, resources for entertainment. The
mast interesting person on board. so far
4
4 s,-bia canston, niece of one Of the for
. gga hunters whom Oglethorpe had in
l,.s8 10 follow him to the new world.
rri. was not only because young women
wore few on board the colonial vessel, but
so.suse this young woman was extremely
/ attractive. She was beautiful. She was
sisbIv educated She sang with a voice
mat facinated him. And, most potent of
an She listened with fattering interest to
his preaching The two became friends.
Il sbs sang Charles Wesley's psalms with
him, and listened to all he had to say
about experimental religion. Gov. ogle-
thorpe was well pleased with the turn
affairs were taking. and used every means
10 throw the young people together
one day a terrific storm arose. The
mss;s we're broken. Everybody began to
nav The Germans on board sang sol
lmnlv on while the waves were beating
AZ the shin as if to tear it to pieces. Then
H Fl was that John Wesley cried out in an
agony of doubt. Am l ready TO meet
nv God2" And Sophia Causton, stand
iag near looked sup al this noble soul
stirring evangelist and thought If not he
t5eu who Of all or board this fated craft?"
vas experiencing what his biographers
term his new birth. the touching bravery
A ol the young girl who had made the long
II Journey seem too short was not without
II ils soothing influence
Needless to say that by the time Geor-
II gia was reached the boat had shipped
II an extra passenger with wings and bow
and arrow. When the settlers landed, the
usual occupations of newly arrived colo
II nists seemed 10 have put an end to Wes-
II leys lovemaking, Oglethorpe went on to
n The site of Frederick, accompanied by
. 'harlos Wesley and Delamotte, his in
81 ,eparable companion. The rest of the
NJ English set about raising tents or bark
81 covered nuts along the squares and streets
n Of Savannah. John Wesley went with
some Of the Germans, because he had
begun the study of their language on board
81 the snip. and desired to pursue that study.
Amid the noise of the rice birds. the fort
al Savannah was raised and Wesley built
Ills parsonage and schoolhouse.
lr Canston Sophia's uncle, was made
hiof magistrate and storekeeper, and his
niece made herself quite charming as
Wesleys pupil in French and an earnest
q seeker after the exquisite pleasures of
81 experimental holiness.
At this time John Wesley wrote to
81 friend Il find myself as neither desired
nor expected-indulging in honors and in
ease and abundance. Strange school for
one who hath but one business. to exer-
else himself unto holiness nudi nudum
clristum seoul.
Sophia was the official belle of the
n place She and John Wesley were the
most conspicuous figures in society and
were consequently thrown together very
81 frequently Governor Oglethorpe looked
upon the affair as settled and 50 did the
people OF the colony. Oglethorpe wished
70 see it settled. because he wished TO
ID keep Wesley at Savannah, instead of let
ting the young missionary wander OIL,
had been his original intention, to
preach to the Indians. Wesley and Della
motto taught school, preached and held
81 owe faasts and in the evening sang
a lsalms. Mr. Delamotte taught about forty
B children to read, write and cast ac-
eounts.' Before school in the morning,
and after school in the evening Mr.. Wes-
81 ay catechised the lower class" of chill
lren. ana endeavored to fix something
Of his own spirit into their mind as well
as their memories.
At night when the candles burned, and
their work was done, and the still woods
about them gave back no echo to their
voices, Mr.. Wesley had the women and
Dung men meet at the church for
seFerer catechism of their Bibles The
ri eW hours left from this teaching he
~
BISHOP Nitschma teaching Greek to Mr.
Delam0tte, helping Charles Wesley with
Ms sermons and reading French with
sophia Canston. There are pretty word
PICTURES in these old letters of the two
oang people sitting together under the
faes in the public park or walking togeth-
g TO the love feasts in the evening. One
aa see the tall. 1.-the figure of Wesley
N,rst-robed, classic-faced, thrilled with
Arst strange human love.
put he was the very last person to see
1nsef in the situation. He kept himself
5a'ie busy, built a parsonage, in which he
-'el IN the stern pleasureless, methodical
Wy which afterwards gave name to
= religion and ne rendered up the ac-
o1at of his meagre expenses to the hon
EaoIe trustees of Georgia. He visited
l7arlca often to preach to the settlers
@5Te He studied the Indian language,
~ IN hopes of going among them At
r'Iss ne slept upon the ground, and when
corning came discovered his clothes to
ave Sa'7 been frozen to the earth, as well as
M long, abundant hair once he was
ny drowned in the icy river while at
S1Ylhg to cross, but these were the or
r5aI5 experiences of early missionaries.
Du' now came the crisis Of the human
OF the story. Oglethorpe determined