4. By dividing the morning fervice on Sundays! 5. By refufing to baptife Mr. Parker's child otherwife than by dipping, except the parents would certify it was weak, and not able to bear it :

6. By repelling William Gough from the Holy Com

munion:

7. By refusing to read the burial-fervice over the body of Nathaniel Polhill:

8. By calling himself Ordinary of Savannah :

9. By refusing to receive William Aglionby as a godfather, only because he was not a communicant:

10. By refufing Jacob Matthews for the fame reafon; and baptizing an Indian trader's child with only two fponfors." (This, I own, was wrong; for I ought, at all hazards, to have refused baptizing it till he had procured a third.)

Frid. 2. Was the third Court, at which I appeared, fince my being carried before Mr. P. and the Recorder.

I now moved for an immediate hearing on the first Bill, being the only one of a civil nature: But it was refused. I made the fame motion in the afternoon; but was put off till the next court day.

On the next court day I appeared again: as alfo at the two courts following: but could not be heard, becaufe (the Judge faid) Mr. Williamfon was gone out of town.

The fenfe of the minority of the grand Jurors them felves (for they were by no means unanimous) con. cerning thefe Prefentments, may appear from the fol lowing paper, which they tranfmitted to the Trustees.

To the Honourable the Trustees for GEORGIA.

"Whereas two Prefentments have been made, the one of August 23, the other of Auguft 31, by the Grand Jury for the Town and County of Savannah in Georgia, against John Wefley, Clerk.

"We whofe names are underwritten, being members of the faid Grand Jury, do humbly beg leave to fignify our diflike of the faid Prefentments; being by many and divers circumftances thoroughly perfuaded in ourselves, that the whole charge against Mr. Welley, is an artifice of Mr. Caufton's, defigned rather to blacken the character of Mr. Welley, than to free the Colony from religious tyranny, as he was pleafed in his charge to us to term it. But as thele circumstances

will be too tedious to trouble your Honours with, we fhall only beg leave to give the reafons of our dissent from the particular bills.

With regard to the first bill, we do not apprehend, That Mr. Welley acted against any law, by writing or fpeaking to Mrs. Williamfon, fince it does not appear to us that the faid Mr. Wesley has either spoke in private, or wrote to, the faid Mrs. Williamfon, fince March 12, [the day of her marriage,] except one letter of July the 5th, which he wrote at the request of her Aunt, as a Paftor to exhort and reprove her.

The fecond we do not apprehend to be a true Bill, because we humbly conceive Mr. Wesley did not affume to himself any authority contrary to law: For we understand, Every perfon intending to communicate, fhould fignify his name to the Curate, at least fome time the day before," which Mrs. Williamfon did not although Mr. Wefley had often in full congregation, declared, he did infift on a compliance with that Rubrick, and had before repelled divers perfons, for non-compliance therewith.

The third we do not think a true bill, because several of Us have been his hearers, when he has declared his adherence to the Church of England, in a ftronger manner than by a formal declaration; by explaining and defending the Apostles, the Nicene and the Athanafian Creeds, the Thirty-nine Articles, the whole book of Common Prayers, and the Homilies of the faid church: And because we think a formal declaration is not required, but from thofe who have received inftitution and induction.

The fact alledged in the fourth bill we cannot apprehend to be contrary to any law in being.

The fifth we do not think a true bill, because we conceive Mr. Wefley is juftified by the Rubrick, viz. "If they (the parents) certify that the child is weak, it fhall fuffice to pour water upon it." Intimating (as we humbly fuppose) it shall not fuffice, if they do not certify.

"The fixth cannot be a true bill, because the faid William Gough, being one of our members, was furprifed to hear himfelf named, without his knowledge or privity; and did publickly declare, It was no grievance to him, becaufe the faid JOHN WESLEY had given him reafons with which he was fatisfied.”.

The

"The feventh we do not apprehend to be a true bill, for Nathaniel Polhill was an Anabaptift, and defired in his life-time, that he might not be interred with the Office of the Church of England. And farther, we have good reason to believe, that Mr. Wefley was at Frederica, or on his return thence, when Polhill was buried.

"As to the eighth bill we are in doubt, as not well knowing the meaning of the word Ordinary. But for the ninth and tenth, we think Mr. Wesley is fufficiently juftified by the Canons of the Church; which forbid any perfon to be admitted Godfather or Godmother to any child, before the faid perfon has received the holy communion; whereas William Aglionby and Jacob Matthews, had never certified Mr. Wesley, that they had received it."

:

This was figned by twelve of the grand Jurors, of whom three were Conftables, and fix more, Tythingmen: Who confequently would have made a majority, had the Jury confifted, as it regularly fhould have done, of only fifteen members, viz. the four Conftables and eleven Tythingmen.

Friday, Sept. 30. Having ended the Homilies, I began reading Dr. Rogers's eight Sermons to the congregation: Hoping they might be a timely Antidote against the poifon of infidelity, which was now with great induftry propagated among us.

The rea

October the 7th, I confulted my friends, whether God did not call me to return to England? fon for which I left it had now no force: there being no poffibility as yet of inftructing the Indians: neither had I as yet found or heard of any Indians on the continent of America, who had the leaft defire of being inftructed. And as to Savannah, having never engaged myfelf, either by word or letter, to ftay there a day longer than I fhould judge convenient, nor even taken charge of the people any otherwife, than as in my paffage to the heathens. I looked upon myself to be fully difcharged therefrom, by the vacating of that de fign. Befides, there was a probability of doing mote fervice to that unhappy people, in England, than I could do in Georgia, by reprefenting without fear or favour to the Trustees, the real ftate the Colony was in. After deeply confidering thefe things, they were unanimous, That I ought to go. But not yet. So I laid F

the

the thoughts of it afide for the prefent: Being perfuaded, that when the time was come, God would make the way plain before my face,

Sat. Oct. 15. Being at Highgate, a village Ave miles from Savannah, confifting of (all but one) French families, who, I found, knew but little of the English tongue, I offered to read prayers there in French, every Saturday in the afternoon. They embraced the offer gladly. On Saturday the 22d. I read prayers in German likewife, to the German villagers of Hampstead: and fo continued to do, once a week, We began the fervice (both at Highgate and Hampftead) with finging a pfalm. Then I read and explained a chapter in the French or German Teftament, and concluded with prayers and another pfalm.

Sat. Oct. 29. Some of the French of Savannah were prefent at the prayers at Highgate. The next day, I received a meffage from them all, "That as I read prayers to the French of Highgate, who were but few, they hoped I would do the fame to thofe of Savannah, where there was a large number who did not understand English." Sunday, 30, I began fo to do: And now I had full employment for that Holy Day. The first English prayers lafted from five 'till half an hour past fix. The Italian (which I read to a few Vaudois) began at nine. The fecond fervice for the English (including the fermon and the holy communion) continued from half an hour past ten, till about half an hour past twelve. The French fervice, began at one. At two I catechised the children. About three began the English service. After this was ended, I had the happiness of joining with as many as my largest room would hold, in reading, prayer, and finging praife. And about fix the fervice of the Moravians began at which I was glad to be prefent, not as a Teacher, but a Learner.

Thurf. Nov. 3. I appeared again, at the Court holden on that day: And again, at the Court held, Tuesday, Nov. 22. On which day Mr. Caufton defired to fpeak with me. He then read me fome affidavits which had been made, September 15. laft paft: In one of which it was affirmed. "That I then abufed Mr. Caufton in his own houfe, calling him liar, villain, and fo on." It was now likewife repeated before feveral perfons, (which indeed I had forgot) "That I had been reprimanded at the laft Court, for an enemy to, and hinderer of, the public peace."

I

I again confulted my friends, who agreed with me, that the time we looked for was now come. And the next morning calling on Mr. Caufton, I told him, "I' defigned to fet out for England immediately," I fet up an advertisement in the Great Square to the fame effect and quietly prepared for my journey.

time."

Friday, Dec. 2. I propofed to fet out for Carolina' about noon, the tide then ferving. But about ten the magiftrates fent for me, and told me, "I must not go out of the province; for I had not answered the allega tions laid against me." I replied, "I have appeared at fix or feven Courts fucceffively, in order to answer them. But I was not fuffered fo to do, when I defered it time after Then they faid, "However, I must not go,. unless I would give fecurity to answer those allegations at their court." I asked, "What fecurity ?" After confulting together about two hours, the Recorder fhewed me a kind of bond, engaging me, under a pe nalty of fifty pounds, to appear at their court when I fhould be required. He added, But Mr. Williamfón too has defired of us, that you should give bail to anfwer his action. I then told him plainly, Sir, You ufe me very ill, and fo you do the Trustees. I will give neither any Bond, nor any Bail at all. You know your business, and I know mine.

In the afternoon the Magiftrates published an order requiring all the officers and centinels, to prevent my going out of the province; and forbidding any perfon to affift me fo to do. Being now only a prifoner at large, in a place where I knew by experience, every day would give fresh opportunity, to procure evidence of words I never faid, and actions I never did; I faw clearly the hour was come for leaving this place: And foon as evening prayers were over, about eight o'clock, the tide then ferving, I fhook off the duft of my feet, and left Georgia, after having preached the Gofpel there (not as I ought, but as I was able) one year, and hearly nine months.

I

During this time I had frequent opportunities of making many obfervations and enquiries, concerning the real ftate of this province, (which has been fo varioufly reprefented) the English fettlements therein, and the Indians that have intercourfe with them. Thefe I minuted down from time to time; a fmall extract of which I have fubjoined. 1. Georgia

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