Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-01
UnWritten Chapters in Georgia History.
BY GEORGE c. SMITH, VlneviIIe, Georgia.

I'D a church after the model Of the
church of the fourth century. He as
founded the church people, most OF
them of the low church order, by his
strange proceedings and great inno-
vations. They were to rise early and
all come to church at O'Clock in the
morning. They were to nave daily
prayers at that hour. On Sunday there
was to be four services. one at 8, one
at II, one at and one after dark. The
children were to be taught the Cate
chism once on Saturday, twice on Sum
day. There was TO be communion ev-
cry Sunday. The festival days were to
be rigidly observed and fasting was
to be practiced twice a week. They
were to come to him for spiritual in
struction. If they wished TO have their
children baptized, they must consent
to their being immersed No deserter
could receive the sacrament at his
hands; no one could be buried with the
church service without he had been
baptized and was in good standing as
a churchman. People must dress plain
ly, live plainly, give aims literally,
and be dead to the world. He was
willing 70 show how deeply they should
humble themselves by his example, for
Mr.. Southey says he went barefoot in
the streets to set an example Of SIM
plicity, and his journal says he lived
on bread alone.
He and Delamotte lived in the par
sonage together and all their expenses
were e44 or about 500 for the year. He
rose at 4. He preached or read prayers
at 5. He studied all the morning, and
visited the sick IN the afternoon. He
soon found that he could not manage
a parish like he could a small society,
and that while he was willing to make
his people saints they wanted to be
sinners. He had the very rare but the
rather unpleasant way Of dealing with
people, especially in telling them every
thing wrong he saw in them, and as he
saw much he naturally had good deal
of unpleasant work to do. He was
very much attached to some people,
and very blind to their faults and so
he became quite distasteful to his par
ishoners, but his troubles eliminated
in the results OF a love affair. No true
account of this affair has ever appear
ed, although much has been said Of
1t and in this statement include my
own account written over q year ago
for The Journal. The lady's name was
Sophey Christian Hopkey, not Causton
or Hopkins, as II is written in the his
tories. She was a niece of Mr.. Caus-
ton who was the leading man next TO
Mr.. Oglethorpe in the colony, Mr..
Wesley was "a years old. He had de-
cided never to marry and might have
been held to that decision II he had not
met Miss Sophey. He met her not on
the ship. as I said In another article.
but at Mr.. Causton's in Savannah. She
vas certainly a wfnsome maid. She
was anxious to learn French from the
parson and was not unwilling to be In
structed by him in religion. She
listened very eagerly to his counsel
and no doubt read "a Kempis'' and
Law and Taylor. He was sick and she
came to the parsonage. Her gentle
hand soothed the fevered brow Of the
sufferer. She allowed nobody TO give
medicine or drink but herself. Pro-
sale Delamotte was a little annoyed,
and shocked by this show Of tender
ness, but IT did not shock the young
rector. The tale need not be told
further: all his arguments in favor Of
single life faded away before Miss
Sophey's charms. He loved her and she
knew 1t and he thought she loved him,
but he had no idea Of marrying any
body who would be in his way as a
minister. Delamotte was opposed to
the marriage, but that was not much
matter. but Mr.. Wesley had a longing
dread lest he might be misled and make
a mistake, and as he sought his
friends, the Germans. They gave the
matter grave thought and they, too,
said may" But all this could not
break the spell.
A Mr.. Williamson was his rival. He
was willing to take Miss Sophey as she
was, and make no conditions. There
was talk between the parson and the
maid, a plain talk. She became fu-
rious. and finally told the parson mat
tiers were at an end between them,
and four days after this at Pumps
burg, a village 20 miles up the river,
she became Mrs. Williamson.
His religion and his philosophy did
not keep him from feeling the blow.
He felt as IL he had lost all that
made life bright, but he had his duty
still and he went on faithfully. Mr..
CaustOn and his wife were wounded.