September 1736 - By Brenda Rees

September 1736

Wesley’s Warming Journey by Brenda Rees

THIRD FREDERICA JOURNAL cont.

Some of Wesley’s Journal for these days is missing, but is filled in with his diary.

Wednesday, September 1, 1736 – From Curnock, p 269 “This was his last day, for the present, in Frederica.  He read Hickes for Matins, Vespers, and Compline; but at the time of Lauds he was holding a private conference with Oglethorpe.  He began to read The Contrite Heart and continued the reading of Law and Quesney.  He saw Captain Dempsey and several friends.

Thursday, September 2, 1736 – Miss Sophy is still with him at this point and probably accompanied him to the Bluff.  Wesley reads Worthington’s On Resignation to Miss Sophy. Later he reads Worthington again and worked on his Spanish grammar for two hours.  Wesley said, “I set out in a sloop, and about ten on Sunday morning came to Skidoway; whence, after reading prayers and preaching to about half a dozen people, I set out for Thunderbolt, and thence for Savannah in the afternoon.

FOURTH SAVANNAH JOURNAL

Monday, September 6, 1736 – Wesley wrote, “Many complaints being made of what had been done in my absence by Mr. Dison, chaplain of the Independent Company, who had now been at Savannah several weeks, I went to his lodgings, and taxed him, (1) with baptizing several strong, healthy children in private houses, which was what I had entirely broke through; (2) with marrying several couples without first publishing the banns – a custom which he knew was contrary to the rubric and canon both;[and this is very important later with his trouble with Miss Sophy] and (3) with endeavouring to make a division between my parishioners and me, by speaking against me before them both as to my life and preaching.  The two last charges he denied; but owned the first, promised never to do it again, and did the very same thing the next day.  O Discipline! where art thou to be found?  Not in England, not (as yet) in America.

Wednesday, September 8, 1736 – Mr. Von Reck and his brother visit on their way to Europe.

Friday, September 10, 1736 – Wesley writes how parishioners attended public prayers after he had visited them in their homes.  Wesley said morning prayers were at a quarter past five, a scheduled he hoped to keep all winter.  Long statement here on importance of people having someone to lead them, feed and guide their souls.  He is talking about saving all souls, from a multitude of nations and cultures, not just the white people from England.  “…Behold the whole land, thousands and thousands are before you.  I will resign to any of you all or any part of my charge:  choose what seemeth good in your eyes.  Here are within these walls children of all ages and dispositions.  Who will bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, till they are meet to be preachers of righteousness?  Here are adults, from the farthest parts of Europe and Asia and the inmost kingdoms of Africa.  Add to these the known and unknown nations of this vast continent, and you will indeed have a great multitude which no man can” – here the fragment abruptly ends.”  Curnock writes p. 274 “The reference to settlements reminds us that Wesley was already feeling his way towards an itinerating evangelism and circuit system.  Savannah, Frederica, Thunderbolt, Skidoway, Irene, Yamacraw (or Cowpen), were already on his list.  One might add the German section in Savannah, New Ebenezer, Darien,…”

Monday, September 13, 1736 – Page in Diary

4          10. Prayed with Delamotte; began Codex Canonum.

5          Meditated; read prayers, expounded, 11 present.

6          Hair cut; at home and talked.

7          Talked together.

8          Wrote Journal.

9          Journal.

10        Marked Journal.

11        Marked Journal

12        Dined; marked.

1          Market; visited.

2          Visited.

3          Visited.

4          Miss Bovey’s; Mr Houston; intimate talk.

5          Began Fleury’s Maeurs des Israelites with me.

6          At home; burial; talked together.

7          Read prayers, expounded; Germans.

8          Germans ½; interview with Mr Parker; at nine with Delamotte and Ingham 9:45,          prayed.

Friday, September 17, 1736 – Wesley had recently received a number of letters and had spent the last several days reading, sorting and answering.  He had spent two hours on a letter to Dr. Burton.  He also wrote his lady friends “Aspasia” and “Selima” also known as Mrs. Delany and her sister Anne Granville.

Monday, September 20, 1736 – Wesley wrote, “ We ended the Apostolical Canons, of which I must confess I once thought more highly than I ought to think….”

Between September 20 and October the Journal is blank, but notes from diaries available.

Tuesday, September 21, 1736 – His dairy said he spent two hours on his Journal and administered the Eucharist to nine communicants, and noted “No wine there!”

Wednesday, September 22, 1736 – Wesley rose at four and prayed with Delamotte.  Wesley is “sleepy, hot, and sick.”  He drinks coffee.  He continues with his relationship with the Moravians.  However, Wesley does not offer baptisms to the Saltzburghers as their order wasn’t recognized by his English church.

Thursday, September 23, 1736 – He wrote a letter to Miss Sophy.

Friday, September 24, 1736 – Wesley spent six hours with Mystics, wrote a letter to Miss Sophy and later gave her a French lesson but notes she is “sad.”

Monday, September 27, 1736 – Wesley said Burntside is seriously affected.  The Canons replace the Mystics.  He “converses with Mrs. Musgrove.”  [This is a woman associated with Florida.]

Tuesday, September 28, 1736 – “The communicants’ class seems to have taken the place of the society meeting”. Curnock p. 278

Wednesday, September 29, 1736 – Curnock said “He began to transcribe a German ‘Dicconary.’ He wrote letters for the sick, spent several hours in pastoral visitation, and ‘buried Lady Bat{hurst}.’

Wesley was influenced by many women.  They shaped and influenced his life and work.  His mother, Susanna Wesley, was significant as was Miss Sophy and later others.  However, as mentioned in this entry of Wesley’s Warming Journey, Friday, September 17, 1736, some young ladies of significant social status in England, continued to enjoy his company and correspondence.  Their use of secret names predates use of such in some of today’s internet chat.  His closeness with these English women began at least ten years before he met Miss Sophy. BR

Susanna Wesley statue in garden at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. Photograph by Brenda Rees (c)