Monday, April 12, 2010

A Miracle and "does it appear that these owed to Jehonadab more than the Methodists owe to John Wesley?"

Mon 12 Apr 1784: I found a lovely congregation at Stockport, much alive to God. So was that at Oldham the next day, which was not perceptibly lessened, though it blew a storm and poured down with rain. Here a young woman of unblameable character (otherwise I should not have given her any credit) gave me a remarkable account. She said, ‘I had totally lost the sight of my right eye, when I dreamed one night that our Saviour appeared to me: that I fell at his feet, and he laid his hand upon my right eye. Immediately I waked and, from that moment, have seen as well with that eye as with the other.’
I applied to a very large congregation the case of the Rechabites (Jer. 35). I asked, (1) does it appear that these owed to Jehonadab more than the Methodists owe to me? (2) Are they as observant of my advices (although both scriptural and rational, to instance only in dress and rising early) as the Rechabites were of his advices (of drinking no wine and living in tents, which had neither Scripture nor Reason to support them)?
I think every member of the society at Bolton does take my advice with respect to other things as well as with respect to dress and rising early, in consequence of which they are continually increasing in number as well as in grace.