He remained at Herrnhut twelve days,
and then returned by the same route to Marienborn, and to England.
This trip to Germany has been given as the beginning of the breach
between Wesley and the Moravians, but it is doubtful
whether such was really the case. In the "Memoirs of James Hutton"
it is stated that Wesley was offended because Ingham was admitted
to the Communion at Marienborn, while permission was refused him,
and that he secretly brooded over the injury, but Wesley himself
does not mention the occurrence, and refers to Marienborn as a place
where he met what he "sought for, viz.: living proofs of the power of faith,"
and where he stayed twelve days longer than he at first intended.
The tone of his account of Herrnhut is also distinctly friendly,
though he did not unreservedly accept two or three theological statements
made to him, but the long conversations he records prove his joy
at finding sympathy, and confirmation of what he wanted to believe
concerning justification by faith, and the fact that a weak faith
was still a real faith, and as such should be cherished and strengthened,
not despised. He could not have been greatly influenced against the Moravians
by his visit to Halle, for each time he stayed but one night,
and on the first occasion Professor Francke was not at home, nor were
their arguments new to him, that they should have impressed him deeply.
Pages:
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247