_To Lady H――――n._
_Athlone, June 10, 1751._
THIS morning I had the wished-for favour and honour of your Ladyship’s ♦letter. O that it had acquainted me of your Ladyship’s better health! But our LORD knows what is best. May patience have its perfect work, and your Ladyship come out of the furnace like gold tried seven times in the fire! Every day I can sympathise with your Ladyship. As the weather grows warmer, my body grows weaker, and my vomitings follow me continually. But all is little enough to keep me down, and prepare me for the service in which I am engaged. My last from _Dublin_, acquainted your Ladyship of my being owned of GOD there. By a letter from Mr. _L――――_, I am informed, that _Dublin_ is in a ferment, and that my hearers will be much more numerous at my return. Oh the blessedness of leaving all for JESUS! For this week past, I have been preaching twice almost every day in some country towns, and yesterday I sounded the gospel trumpet here. Every where, there seems to be a stirring among the dry bones, and the trembling lamps of GOD’s people have been supplied with fresh oil. I find, through the many offences that have lately been given, matters were brought to a low ebb. But the cry now is, “Methodism is revived again.”――Thanks be to GOD, that I have an opportunity of shewing my disinterestedness, and that I preach not for a party of my own, but for the common interest of my blessed master. May he keep me thus minded, and then I am sure all will go well at last. Your Ladyship would smile, to see how the wise have been catched in their own craftiness. O that this good news from a far country may prove a cordial to your Ladyship’s soul! I pity your solitary state. I pity the deadness of all around you; but your Ladyship knows, whose brethren did not believe on him; it was even that GOD-man, who spoke a parable for this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. Happy trials, that drive us to our knees. Ever-honoured Madam, I could enlarge, but must not. Your Ladyship shall hear, GOD willing, how the glorious _Emmanuel_ deals with me in _Ireland_. In the mean while, with the warmest sense of your Ladyship’s unmerited favours, I subscribe myself, ever-honoured Madam,
Your Ladyship’s most dutiful, obliged and ready servant for CHRIST’s sake, _G. W._
♦ “lettter” replaced with “letter”