Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-06-04
Wesley's Love Affairs.
A SUSCEPTIBLE FOUNDER OF A
GREAT SECT.


| a SUSCEPTIBLE FOUNDER OF A
GREAT SECT.
The story of WesIey's love affairs,
given by Mr.. Luke Tyerman, in his
Life and Times of John Wesley,n
form strange and most remarkable
series of episodes in his life. The
occurrence was during his mission
to Georgia, where he formed deep
attachment to Miss Sophia Hopley,
neice of the cheif magistrate of the
colony. The early biographies of
Wesley represent the affair as con-
spiracy on the part of the young lady
and her friends against the reputa-
tion of the youthful ascetic. But so
unlikely an account isnow disclaimed
by Mr.. Tyerman. Certain it il that
Wesley was deeply in love certain,
too, that he referred the case to his
Moravian friends and advisers, who
decided accordingly that he should
proceed no further in the matter, and
he is said to have acquiesced saying,
The will Of the Lord be DONE"
However this may have been land it
seems doubtful whether he voluntary
gave up his attachment,) the sequel
is equally strange. For we find him
a few months after publicly refusing
the sacrament to this same lady (then
married to Mr.. Williamson
when she presented herself at the
Lords table. The grounds of his re-
fusal have never been cleared up;
hut it was largely in consequence of
this behavior that he drew upon him
self the odium and persecution which
drove him out of Georgia.
For some years after this he per-
sisted in his resolution of celibacy-
a resolution which certainly was most
advisable for one who had embraced
a life of selfdenial, labor and home
lessness. In 17l3, too, he published
his " Thoughts on Single Life"
eXtolling that state as the privilege,
If not the duty, of all who are capa-
bic of receiving it; and three years
after in published hymn which is
clearly autobiographical, expressed
himself as follows:
1t was, therefore, with great sur
prise, and not without some scandal,
that in 1749 his friends heard that he
was engaged to Mrs. Grace Murray,
II young widow who had nursed him
in short illness, and who was ac-
tully accompanying him at that time
in his ministerial travels through the
country. This young woman had
been brought up as maid-servant,
and was person of small education,
though Of great attractions, and a
fervent convert to Methodism. She
was a person Of singularly impulsive
temperament, and, with an utter
disregard of delicacy or honor, in
the midst of her engagement to Wes-
ley allowed herself to coquette also
with ono of his lay preachers, John
Bennett; and for some months the
most extraordinary alterations went
on, her choice resting sometimes on
one, and sometimes on the other of
her lovers, with passionate assertions
of her entire devotedness to each,
and this with intervals occasionally
of few hours only.
Charles Wesley, disgusted and in
dignant, strove to put an end to the
met the lady to say farewell. He
kissed her, and said "Grace Murray,
you have broken my heart" A
week or two after she was married
to the inferior suitor. She and Wes-
ley did not meet again for thirty
nine years. She long outlived her
husband; and when i'm London she
came to hear her son preach in Moor
fields she met her venerable lover
lover still, for the interview is de-
scribed as very affecting. Hence
forth they saw each other no more,
and Wesley never mentioned her
name. Through long years Grace
continued a course Of Christian use.
fulness, and lived and died eminently
respected. She lies in Chinly church.
yard in Derbyshlre.
Undeterred by his former expert.
ences, in 1851 Wesley again ventured
upon an engagement which atcually
resulted In marriage. Now, too
the lady was widow, Mrs. Va
zeille her first husband having been
merchant who had left her a small
independence. There was little in
her to deserve the attachment ofsucf
a man, either in character or intel
lect. She, too, like Grace Murray
was of humble birth, and, like her
had been maid-servant. Hav
ing during her widowhood joined
herself to the Methodists she wa
naturally pleased and flattered will
the attentions of their renowned
head. Charles Wesley again inter
posed but this time in vain. /
soon appeared how ill-advised
union had been contracted; ant
after few years of wretched mar
ried life, marked on her part by out
rageous ill.temper, jeaousy, violence
and even treacbery, which her hus
band on his side bore with the pa
tience of Socrates, the lady one da,
! took herself off and lived in a stat
| g. g. II. q n