November 1737

NOVEMBER  1737

November 1737 

Wesley's Warming Journey

By Brenda Rees © All Rights Reserved

November 1737   Wesley had faced diverse, multicultural peoples and preached to English, German, French, Spanish and Italians in their own languages.   His method and habit of preaching to all developed a culture which has enabled Methodism to have a broad world reach today.  Wesley had decided to leave the developing Colony of Georgia and what was also known as Spanish Florida.  The timing would become clear.  This would be Wesley’s last full month in America.  He would head (escape is more like it) home to England soon and be able to admit and verbalize that his heart had been warmed.  Of course, this timing also has some interesting background that is revealed in his Journal.  Stay tuned.

If you are new to this blog, consider starting with the Introduction of Wesley’s Warming Journey Blog and then each month from February 1736.  Earliest months were grouped together, but Blog is now by month.  This blog carries you from Wesley’s landing at Tybee Island in 1736 eventually through his warming at Aldersgate back in London in 1738.  You might see signs that Wesley’s warming began in America, the Colony of Georgia and Spanish Florida.

SIXTH SAVANNAH JOURNAL cont.

Picture of Savannah where John Wesley spent some of his last days in the Colony of Georgia and Spanish Florida before returning (on the run!) to England.  On Tuesday, November 22, 1737, Wesley had posted an announcement of his intention to leave.   Photograph by Brenda Rees ©

Tuesday, November 1, 1737 – Wesley is paid a 10 pound sterling by Colonel Stephens.  Wesley noted he had not had one shilling in his house for several months.

 Thursday, November 3, 1737 – Wesley had not written journal notes for a day.  He went to court being conducted to clear up accusations by a Mr. Hugh Anderson.  Mr. Causton told Wesley, “”It is not a proper time.’ So I acquiesced, and let the matter sleep.”

Friday, November 4, 1737 – Mr. Burnside and his family are invited to stay with Wesley.  Burnside had “let his house in town” and was moving into the country.  Mr. Watson, who had been confined for “two years, eleven months, and nineteen days” was released and admitted to Holy Communion by Wesley on Sunday, November 6, 1737.

Tuesday, November 22, 1737 –   This is the day Wesley and friends agreed that the time for Wesley to leave had come.  Earlier that day, Wesley had met with Causton for “a conference … should clear up all the misunderstandings which had been between us.”  Causton read him affidavits one of which Wesley wrote “asserted that I had assaulted Mr. Causton in his own house, calling him liar, villain, and so forth.”  Wesley added in his Journal, “It was at this conversation, Mr. Anderson told me I had been reprimanded in the

last Court

, for an enemy to and hinderer of the public peace.”

Wesley noted, “I again consulted my friends, who agreed with me that the time we looked for was now come.  The next morning I went to Mr. Causton again and told him I designed to set out for England immediately.  I posted up an advertisement in the

Great Square

[renamed Percival] to the same effect, and then quietly prepared myself for the journey.”

Wednesday, November 30, 1737 – Wesley added, “I went to Mr. Causton once more to desire money for the expenses of it.  The same evening two children were baptized, as were three more the day following whose parents had been Anabaptists.”

In footnotes, Curnoch noted, “Jackson and Tyerman, in commenting on the prosecution of Wesley, quote from a pamphlet, published at Charlestown in 1741, written ‘by P. Tailfer, M.D., H. Anderson, M.A., and others, landowners of Georgia,’ to show that Causton was guilty of dishonesty before he came to Georgia, and in Savannah, as Keeper of the Trustees’ Stores; and that, as chief magistrate, he was guilty of gross maladministration and tyranny.  He was dismissed from both offices by Oglethorpe on his return to Georgia in Oct. 1738.”