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Memoirs of the Late Rev. John Wesley, A.M
Memoirs of the Late Rev John Wesley AM Author:John Hampson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: C II A P. IV. Of John Wesley, A. M. MR JOHN WESLEY, whofe life and aftions are the chief fubjecl of thefe memoirs, was the fecond fon of Samuel and Sufanna... more »h Wefley ; and was born at Epworth, in Lincolnfhire, according to his own account on the 21 ft of June, 1703 ; though according to that of one of his parents, and of the perfon who was his nurfe, in 1700. But there is the moft pofitive proof that his own date is the true one. An incident of a particular nature took place in the family, which occafioned the abfence of his .father from home, and his feparation fromMrs Wefley for upwards of a year and a half. During this time, King William died, and Queen Anne came to the throne. On her acceffion, Mr Wefley returned to Epworth; and Mr John Wefley was the firft child after that meeting. The difference in thefe accounts arofc from an event which happened when he was about fix years old, and was very near proving fatal to him. The paifon- age houfe at Epworth, by forne accident, took fire, and was burnt to the ground ; and with it the parifh regifter. The memory of his efcape, on this occafion, is preferved in one of the early piints of him ; in which, under the head, is a re- prefentation of a houfe in flames, with a motto, " Is not this a brand plucked out " of the burning ?" There is alfo a letter from his mother, to a clergyman in the neighbourhood, containing a parti-' cular account of the whole tranfaandion, The letter is as follows, and is dated Augull 24th, 1709. " On Wednefday night, February the 9th, between the hours of eleven and twelve, fome fparks fell from the roof of our houfe,upon one of the children's(Het- ty's) feet. She immediately ran to our chamber, and called us. Mr Wefley, hearing a cry of fire in the ftreet, ftarted up ; (as I was very ill, he lay in ...« less