54S History of Methodism 



scarce the elements of geography, and as little of chronology; and 

 even as to the languages, there are some schools of note wherein no 

 Hebrew at all is taught; and there are exceeding few wherein the 

 scholars are thoroughly instructed, even in the Latin and Greek 

 tongues. They are not likely to be, for there is a capital mistake in 

 their very method of teaching. The books which they read are not 

 Avell chosen, not so much with regard to language; the language of 

 them is not standard, not even in the Latin. After long inquiring, 

 but inquiring in vain, for a school free from these palpable blemishes, 

 at last a thought came into my mind of setting up a school myself. 

 The first point was to find a proper situation, not too far from a great 

 town, which I saw would be highly inconvenient for a large family; 

 nor yet too near, and much less in it, which would have been at- 

 tended with greater evils. After mature consideration, I chose a 

 spot in the middle of Kingswood, three miles from Bristol. It was 

 quite private, remote from all high-roads, on the side of a small hill 

 sloping to the west, sheltered from the east and north, and affording 

 room for large gardens. I built the house, capable of containing 

 fifty children, besides masters and servants, reserving one room and 

 a 1 f ttle study for my own use. I then set myself to procure masters. 

 I saw none would answer my intention but men who were truly de- 

 voted to God, who sought nothing on earth, neither pleasure, nor 

 ease, nor profit, nor the praise of men ; but simply to glorify God 

 with their bodies and spirits in the best manner they were capable 

 of. I next considered how to procure proper scholars; not any that 

 came to hand, but, if possible, such as had some thoughts of God 

 and some desire of saving their souls, and such whose parents de- 

 sired they should not be almost but altogether Christians. Having 

 procured proper masters and a sufficient number of children, our 

 first point was to answer the design of Christian education by form- 

 ing their minds, through the help of God, to wisdom and holi- 

 ness by instilling the principles of true religion, speculative and 

 practical, and training them up in the ancient way — that they might 

 be rational, scriptural Christians. This design was expressly men- 

 tioned in the "Short Account of the School in Kingswood, near 

 Bristol (to be read in congregations) : It is our particular desire that 

 all who are educated here may be brought up in the fear of God, 

 and at the utmost distance, as from vice in general, so in particular 

 from softness and effeminacy. The children, therefore, of tender 

 parents, so called, have no business here, for the rules will not be 

 broken for any person whatever; nor is any child received unless 



