60 History of Methodism 



Mr. Ingham afterward became distinguished as the 

 Yorkshire Evangelist, who, in connection with John 

 Nelson, William Grimshaw, and George Whitefield, 

 effected under the blessing of God a complete religious 

 revolution in the northern part of England. He mar- 

 ried Lady Margaret Hastings, whose brother — the 

 ninth Earl of Huntingdon— was the husband of Lady 

 Selina Shirley, who was the second daughter of Earl 

 Ferrers, and founder of a denomination of Christians 

 that took her name. In some aristocratic circles this 

 marriage was considered a mesalliance^ and furnished 

 food for scandal in the fashionable world. "The 

 Methodists," said the Countess of Hertford, "have 

 had the honor to convert my Lord and Lady Hunting- 

 don both to their doctrine and practice; and the town 

 now says that Lady Margaret Hastings is certainly to 

 marry one of their teachers, whose name is Ingham." 

 " The news I hear from London," wrote Lady Wortley 

 Montague, from Home, " is that Lady Margaret Hast- 

 ings has disposed of herself to a poor wandering 

 Methodist preacher." The higher classes of society 

 indulged in ridicule, but the poor Moravians gave 

 thanks to God, and prayed for the newly-wedded 

 couple — singing for them the stanza, 



Take their poor hearts, and let them be 

 Forever closed to all but thee : 

 Seal thou their breasts, and let them wear 

 That pledge of love forever there. 



In person, Ingham is said to have been extremely 

 handsome — too handsome for a man— and the habitual 

 expression of his countenance was most prepossessing. 

 He was polished in his manners, -animated and agree- 

 able in discourse, studious of the good conversation of 



