WHILE lately visiting some friends in Leicestershire, I met with a very aged man, who had expressed a desire to converse with me. I entered into conversation with him, desirous of eliciting from himself the state of his mind, and the views he entertained of his life, and of that which is to come; his communications were artless and free, evidently the genuine expressions of an untutored mind enlightened by the gospel of the grace of God. Assisted by the recollection of my companions, I put upon record the following dialogue, in which, as generally in such instances, I preserve, as far as I can, the words of the respondent: ―
“You look very old, my friend, and have passed your ‘three-score years and ten.’”
“I am ninety-two years old,” said he, “this last month; and excepting that I have been very deaf, I am not very infirm.”
“Well, you have had enough of this life, I should think; are you not tired of it?”
“No; I am waiting till God sees fit to take me out of it.”
“Not trusting, I hope, to your own works?”
“No, I put them off king ago.”
“Where is your hope?”
“In the Lord.”
“Are you in Christ?” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
“Yes, I hope; I know it. I have the sweetest communion with God. I cannot read, but the Spirit of God has taught me. I know whom I have believed. 2 Timothy 1:12. I have a peace that passes all things. I know that when my heart faileth, and my flesh, too, God will be the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. I am sure His Spirit will keep me steadfast.”
“How came you, my friend, by this knowledge?”
“I was very hard, sir, to be moved, but a Christian man came to me, as I could not hear the preaching, and he was so kind: I was a great rebel against him, I thought he would have given me up; but he didn’t, and at length he overcame me, and I could tell him all my mind. I had told him before that I could not feel what he said, but afterward I opened my whole heart to him. May I ask, sir, who I am talking to?”
On being told that I was a minister of Jesus Christ, he rose, took me by both hands, and with a glistening eye, said: —
“Oh, I am so thankful that a good minister should come to talk to me! My heart is fall.”
Wishing to remember him, I a sked his name, and was surprised to hear it announced as “John Wesley,” which his daughter informed me was the family name, her parents and grand-parents, who lived in Shropshire, having been so called, and she believed they had been originally Methodists.
“Ye see your calling, brethren,” says the apostle, whose words meet with a striking exemplification in the foregoing recitals, “how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen; yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption: that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:21-26.