56 His why of Methodism 



now respectively about twenty-seven and thirty- two 

 years of age. His ardent friend and admirer, Dr. 

 Burton, addressed to John Wesley the following letter 

 of advice, dated September 28, 1735, containing valu- 

 able suggestions respecting the work upon which he 

 was about to enter as missionary in America, viz. : 



The apostolic manner of preaching from house to house will, 

 through God's grace, be effectual to turn many to righteousness. The 

 people are babes in the progress of their Christian life, to be fed 

 with milk instead of strong meat ; and the wise householder will 

 bring out of his stores food proportioned to the necessities of his 

 family. The circumstances of your present Christian pilgrimage 

 will furnish the most affecting subjects of discourse; and what arises 

 pro re nata will have greater influence than a labored discourse on 

 a subject in which men think themselves not so immediately con- 

 cerned. You will keep in view the pattern of that gospel preacher 

 St. Paul, who became all things to all men that he might gain some. 

 Here is a nice trial of Christian prudence. Accordingly you will dis- 

 tinguish between what is essential and what is merely circumstantial 

 to Christianity ; between what is indispensable and what is variable; 

 between what is of divine and what is of human authority. I mention 

 this because men are apt to deceive themselves in such cases, and 

 we see the traditions and ordinances of men frequently insisted on 

 with more rigor than the commandments of God, to which they are 

 subordinate. Singularities of less importance are often espoused 

 with more zeal than the weighty matters of God's law. As in all 

 points we love ourselves, so especially in our hypotheses. "Where a 

 man has, as it were, a property in a notion, he is most industrious 

 to improve it, and that in proportion to the labor of thought he has 

 bestowed upon it; and as its value rises in imagination, we are in 

 proportion more unwilling to give it up, and dwell upon it more 

 pertinaciously than upon considerations of general necessity and 

 use. This is a flattering mistake, against which Ave should guard 

 ourselves. I w r rite in haste what occurs to my thoughts — disce do- 

 cendus adhuc, quce censet amiculus. May God prosper your endeavors 

 for the propagation of his gospel ! 



"Fast and pray; and then send me word whether 

 you dare go with me to the Indians," wrote Mr. Wesley 



