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and when called to encounter prejudices, to have met them with prejudices as virulent of his own.

Into such a home as all this bespeaks, needy but not sordid, poverty-stricken yet garnished by high principle and dogged resolution, full of anxieties for temporal provision, yet free from the discontent that dishonours God, was John Wesley ushered, on the 17th of June, 1703. For all that made the comfort of that home, the joy of his childhood and the glory of his riper years, the great reformer was indebted to his mother, as who, that is ever great or good, is not?

An atmosphere of soft delight surrounds our mother, and we are safe and purely happy by her side. She is the guardian angel to whom is committed the care of the young spirit just bestowed on us by Heaven, to habituate it by her gentle touch and kind words to a world of thorns, and briars, and tears, which a sterner monitor would repel, or harsher indoctrination crush and destroy. The calyx or the closing petal is not a more fitting home for the dew-drop, the parent nest for the callow bird, or the blue summer's sky for the fleecy cloud, than a mother's tutelage for the early years of her child. Poetry cannot picture her fitness, -it is simply true and divine:

"The very first

Of human life must spring from woman's breast;
Your first small words are taught you from her lips,
Your first tears quench'd by her, and your last sighs
Too often breathed out in a woman's hearing,
When men have shrunk from the ignoble care
Of watching the last hour of him who led them."

Never was child more fortunate in a maternal guide than young Wesley, and never could mother claim

more exclusively the credit of her son's early training. At eleven years of age he left home for the Charterhouse-school, London, but up to that period he was educated by his mother. Literary composition, correspondence, and parochial and secular duties, fully employed his father; but amid the domestic cares of fifteen living children, his pious and gifted mother found time to devote six hours daily to the education of her family. We scarcely know where we could light upon a document which can parallel with this which we subjoin, for its good sense, piety, and sound appreciation of the infant mind.

"In order to form the mind of children," observes this excellent mother and teacher, in a letter to her son in after years, explanatory of her method of procedure, "the first thing to be done is to conquer their will. To inform the understanding is the work of time, and must with children proceed by slow degrees, as they are able to bear it; but the subjecting the will is a thing that must be done at once, and the sooner the better; for, by neglecting timely correction, they will contract a stubbornness and obstinacy which are hardly ever after conquered, and never without using such severity as would be as painful to me as to the child. In the esteem of the world, they pass for kind and indulgent whom I call cruel parents, who permit their children to get habits which they know must be afterwards broken. When the will of a child is subdued, and it is brought to revere and stand in awe of its parents, then a great many childish follies and inadvertencies may be passed by. Some should be overlooked, and others reproved; but no wilful transgression ought to be forgiven children without chastisement, less or more, as the nature and circumstances of the offence may require. I insist upon conquering the will of children betimes, because this is the only strong and rational foundation of a religious education, without which both precept and example will be ineffectual. But when this is thoroughly

done, then a child is capable of being governed by the reason and piety of its parents, till its own understanding comes to maturity, and the principles of religion have taken root in the mind.

"I cannot dismiss this subject yet. As self-will is the root of all sin and misery, so whatever cherishes this in children insures their wretchedness and irreligion; whatever checks and mortifies it promotes their future happiness and piety. This is still more evident, if we consider that religion is nothing else than doing the will of God, and not our own ; that the one grand impediment to our temporal and eternal happiness being this self-will, no indulgence of it can be trivial, no denial unprofitable. Heaven or hell depends on this alone. So that the parent who studies to subdue it in his child, works together with God in the renewing and saving a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil's work, makes religion impracticable, salvation unattainable, and does all that in him lies to damn his child, soul and body, for ever.

"Our children were taught, as soon as they could speak, the Lord's Prayer, which they were made to say at rising and bed-time constantly; to which, as they grew older, were added a short prayer for their parents, and some portion of Scripture, as their memories could bear. They were very early made to distinguish the Sabbath from other days. They were taught to be still at family prayers, and to ask a blessing immediately after meals, which they used to do by signs before they could kneel or speak. They were quickly made to understand that they should have nothing they cried for, and instructed to speak respectfully for what they wanted."

We must be excused for making another short extract, on the ground of its great wisdom and beauty. Among several by-laws enumerated for the government of the children, the following occur:

"3. That no child should ever be chid or beat twice for the

same fault; and that if they amended, they should never be upbraided with it afterwards.

"4. That every signal act of obedience, especially when it crossed their own inclinations, should be always commended, and frequently rewarded, according to the merits of the case.

"5. That if ever any child performed an act of obedience, or did anything with an intention to please, though the performance was not well, yet the obedience and intention should be kindly accepted, and the child with sweetness directed how to do better in future."

There is much more of equal excellence on this head, but we forbear: yet must we indulge ourselves with one more extract of a loftier strain, to show how well this excellent lady was qualified to instruct persons of more advanced years, and in the most exalted profession. On her eldest son's becoming a clergyman, she wrote to him to the following effect:

"I hope that you retain the impressions of your education, nor have forgot that the vows of God are upon you. You know that the first fruits are Heaven's, by an unalienable right; and that, as your parents devoted you to the service of the altar, so you yourself made it your choice, when your father was offered another way of life for you. But have you duly considered what such a choice and such a dedication impose? Consider well what separation from the worldwhat purity-what devotion-what exemplary virtue-are required in those who are to guide others to glory! I say

EXEMPLARY; FOR LOW COMMON DEGREES OF PIETY ARE NOT
SUFFICIENT FOR THOSE OF THE SACRED FUNCTION.
You must

not think to live like the rest of the world; your light must so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and thereby be led to glorify your Father which is in heaven.

"I would advise you, as much as possible, in your present circumstances, to throw your business into a certain METHOD, by which means you will learn to improve every precious moment, and find an unsuspected facility in the per

formance of your respective duties. Begin and end the day with him who is the Alpha and Omega; and if you really experience what it is to love God, you will redeem all that you can for his more immediate service. I will tell you what rule I used to observe when I was in my father's house, and had as little, if not less liberty, than you have now [as teacher in Westminster-school]:-I used to allow myself as much time for recreation as I spent in private devotion; not that I always spent so much, but I gave myself leave to go so far, but no farther. So in all things else: appoint so much time for sleep, eating, company, &c., &c.; but, of all things, I command you, I beg, I beseech you to be very strict in observing the Lord's-day. In all things, endeavour to act upon principle; and do not live like the rest of mankind, who pass through the world like straws upon a river, which are carried which way the stream or wind drives them. Often put this question to yourself, Why do I this, or that? why do I pray, read, study, use devotion, &c.? By this means, you will come to such a steadiness and consistency in your words and actions, as becomes a reasonable creature, and a good Christian."

Would there were more such mothers addressing their sons in this strain, in prospect of the awful responsibilities of the ministerial office; then might we confidently hope for more such sons, for all Mrs. Wesley's came to be distinguished, though the fame of the world-renowned subject of our sketch has in a measure outshadowed theirs.

Passing from under the tutelage of his accomplished mother, John Wesley became at the Charterhouse a sedate, quiet, and industrious pupil. The regularity of system which characterised the man was even then visible in the boy, taking his methodical race round the garden thrice every morning. His excellent habits were rewarded by the esteem of his masters,

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