John Wesley and the Moravians
The Journal of John Wesley:
The Moravians are fearless in the
face of great danger
Sunday January 25, 1736.—At
In the midst of
the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the mainsail
in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, as if the great
deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the English.
The Germans calmly sang on. I asked one of them afterward, “Were you not
afraid?” He answered, “I thank God, no.” I asked, “But were
not your women and children afraid?” He replied, mildly, “No; our women and children
are not afraid to die.”
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Wesley meets the Moravians in
Tuesday February 7, 1738.—(A day much to be remembered.) At the house of Mr. Weinantz,
a Dutch merchant, I met Peter Bohler, Schulius Richter, and Wensel Neiser, just then landed from
Peter Bohler
preaches ‘justification by faith alone’ to the Wesleys.
Saturday March 4, 1738.—I found my brother at
Immediately it
struck into my mind, “Leave off preaching. How can you preach to others, who
have not faith yourself?” I asked Bohler whether he
thought I should leave it off or not. He answered, “By no means.” I asked, “But
what can I preach?” He said, “Preach faith till you have it; and then, because
you have it, you will preach faith.”
Accordingly, Monday, March 6, I began preaching this
new doctrine, though my soul started back from the work. The first person to
whom I offered salvation by faith alone was a prisoner under sentence of death.
His name was Clifford. Peter Bohler had many times
desired me to speak to him before. But I could not prevail on myself so to do;
being still, as I had been many years, a zealous asserter of the impossibility
of a death bed repentance.
Monday May 1, 1738.—The return of my brother’s
illness obliged me again to hasten to
This evening our
little society began, which afterward met in
Wednesday May 3, 1738.—My brother had a long and
particular conversation with Peter Bohler. And it now
pleased God to open his eyes so that he also saw clearly what was the nature of
that one true living faith, whereby alone, “through grace, we are saved.”
Thursday May 4, 1738.—Peter Bohler left
John Wesley’s
conversion
Monday (21), Tuesday (22), and Wednesday
(23), I had continual sorrow and heaviness in my heart.
Wednesday May 24, 1738.—I think it was about five this morning
that I opened my Testament on those words, “There are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises, even that ye should be partakers of the divine
nature” [II Peter 1:4].
Just as I went out, I opened it again on those words, “Thou art not far from
the
In the evening I went
very unwillingly to a society in
I began to pray with
all my might for those who had in a more especial manner despitefully used me
and persecuted me. I then testified openly to all there what I now first felt
in my heart. But it was not long before the enemy suggested, “This cannot be
faith; for where is thy joy?” Then was I taught that peace and victory over sin
are essential to faith in the Captain of our salvation; but that, as to the
transports of joy that usually attend the beginning of it, especially in those
who have mourned deeply, God sometimes giveth,
sometimes withholdeth, them according to the counsels
of His own will.
After my return home,
I was much buffeted with temptations, but I cried out, and they fled away. They
returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He “sent me help
from his holy place.” And herein I found the difference between this and my
former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might
under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often,
conquered; now, I was always conqueror.
Thursday 25 May, 1738.—The moment I
awakened, “Jesus, Master,” was in my heart and in my mouth; and I found all my
strength lay in keeping my eye fixed upon Him and my soul waiting on Him
continually. Being again at
Wednesday June 7, 1738.—I determined,
if God should permit, to retire for a short time into
The next three months Wesley spent in