The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-25
WHEN SICKNESS
CAME HEART
WENT OUT
WIDOWS WERE IN
WESLEY'S FAVOR
Great Divine Had Three
Serious Love Affairs
That Are Noted In
Religious History.

any other man in the world, John Wes-
ley was an ardent lover. His love
scrapes were serious ones, too, and the
woman he finally welded amused her
self, when her jealous passions were
aroused, by dragging the founder of
Methodism by his flowing locks.
The love affairs of Wesley as told
by Rev. Louis Albert Banks, D. D.,
in Everybodys Magazine for July, are
interesting. DR.. Banks devotes much
space to the great Methodist's affairs
of heart and writes entertainingly of
Wesleys three capitulations to wom-
en-, two of whom were widows.
In discussing the romantic in Wes-
ley'S life, DR.. Banks says:
"Wesley's first romance came to him
in America, whittier he had come with
the purpose not only of preaching to
Gov. Og1ethorpe's emigrants, but of
founding a mission among the Indians.
On landing in Georgia, in 1876, he met
a Miss Sophia Christiana Hopkey. He
was then SO years of age. Miss Hopkey
was a young woman of bright mind, of
elegant person, and agreeable man
ners. She was introduced to the young
preacher as a sincere seeker after the
aroused more interest in John Wesley
than such an introduction. Miss Hop
key sought every possible opportunity
of being in his company.
Gov Oglethorpe, who was partial
to the young lady, as he was to Wes-
ley, interested himself in doing all that
he could to help on the courtship. The
climax came when Wesley became ill
with a fever, which confined him to
his bed for a number of days; the
young lady at once established herself
as nurse, deVoting herself faithfully to
him, night and day. She had evident
ly made up her mind to the capture,
for she went so far as to consult Gov.
Oglethorpe as to Wesley's fancies con-
corning a woman's dress, and acting
on his advice, thereafter always came
dressed in white, neatly and simply
elegant. Charles Delamotte, a minis
teria1 friend of Wesley's, saw that
whatever Wesley might feel, Miss Hop
key was sorely wounded by the arrows
of Cupid. and bluntly asked Wesley If
he meant to marry her. Up to this
time Wesley seemed to have been let
ting matters drift, as lovers often do
not caring to put the question straight
to his own heart. But now he was
forced to admit that he was very much
in love with her, and that if he follow
ed his own desires, he would make her
his wife.
"Now in other matters John Wesley
was one of the most courageous and
strong willed of men. He knew what
he wanted very clearly, he made quick
and strong decisions, and lived up to
them. But in this affair of the heart
he seems to have abdicated his ordi-
narily strong and forceful self-control.
Instead of deciding the matter himself,
he called on David Nitschmann, the
Moravian Bishop, and laid the case
before him. The old Bishop answered,
Marriage is not unlawful; but whether
1t is now expedient for you, and
whether this lady is a proper wife for
you, ought to be maturely weighed In
deeper perplexity than ever Wesley
took the strange course of asking the
elders of the Moravian Church to meet
in conference and decide the case for
him. While they were in session Wes-
ley entered the room. Bishop Nitsch-
mann said to him: We have consider
ed your case; will you abide by our de-
cision" After some hesitation Wesley
replied, 1 will. Then said Nitsch-
mann, we advise you to proceed no
further in the matter! Wesley SOL
EMMY answered, The will of the Lord
be donei'
WesIey's own Conclusion.
1.-THE natural conclusion would be
that Wesley could not have been very
deeply in love, but there are reasons
for believing the contrary to be true.
Throughout his life Wesley kept jour-
nal, in which he wrote down all i'm
portant occurrences. This is what we
find concerning his courtship with Miss
Hopkey and his Journals ending: One
of the most remarka BILE dispensations of
Providence toward me began to show
itself this day. For many days after
l could not at all judge which way the
scale would turn, nor was it fully de-
termined till March 4, on which day
God commanded me to pull out my
right eye; and. by his grace, I deter
mined to do so; but, being slack in the
execution, on Saturday, March II,
COO being very merciful to me,
my friend performed what l could
not. And nearly fifty years later,
writing with reference to this event.
John wesley said, Il remember when
read these words in the church at
Savannah, Son of man, behold, 1 take
from thee the desire of thine eyes with
a stroke, l was pierced through as
with a sword, and could not utter a
word more, but our comfort is, He that
made the heart can heal the heart"
IL is interesting to speculate what
would have happened if John Wesley
mad married Miss Hopkey The en-
tire current of mems lives have been
changed BY much less important
events. Whichever way John Wesley
turned. he must have been a forceful
personality, but it is very doubtful
whether marriage at this time would
not have diverted him forever from his
great career. This may have had
something to do with his decision.
writing in his journal little after
the final breach. he comments: Had
God given me such a retirement with
the companion l desired, should have
forgot the work for which / was born,
and have set up my rest in this world
IL is quite believabe. had the course
OF true love run smooth, that future
generations would have remembered
John Wesley as a great missionary
among the American Indians rather
than as the mightiest evangelist of the
eighteenth century, and the founder Of
Methodism.
His second Romance.
Thirteen years passed away before
Wesley's second romance was 10 stir
MS heart and deeply affect his life.
THESE were years OF tremendous toll
ana achievement. With the churches
locked against them. John and Charles
Wesley, and George Whltefield, began
20 preach IN the open air: on the street
corners, IN the parks, ia the fields they
preached % muiiitudes, their cOnRre-
katDns sometimes reaching from 10000
ID 10000 people.
small man physically, John Wes-
lrs haa Do remarkable degree ihat