14. Later English Reformers. 263
that he had not the assurance of peace with God. The Germans, on the contrary, manifested a calmness and trust to which he was a stranger. [ 255 ]
“ I had long before,” he says,“ observed the great seriousness of their behavior. Of their humility they had given a continual proof, by performing those servile offices for the other passengers which none of the English would undertake; for which they desired and would receive no pay, saying it was good for their proud hearts, and their loving Saviour had done more for them. And every day had given them occasion of showing a meekness which no injury could move. If they were pushed, struck, or thrown down, they rose again and went away; but no complaint was found in their mouth. There was now an opportunity of trying whether they were delivered from the spirit of fear, as well as from that of pride, anger, and revenge. In the midst of the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the mainsail in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterward,‘ Were you not afraid?’ He answered,‘ I thank God, no,’ I asked,‘ But were not your women and children afraid?’ He replied mildly,‘ No; our women and children are not afraid to die.’” 371
Upon arriving in Savannah, Wesley for a short time abode with the Moravians, and was deeply impressed with their Christian deportment. Of one of their religious services, in striking contrast to the lifeless formalism of the Church of England, he wrote:“ The great simplicity as well as solemnity of the whole almost made me forget the seventeen hundred years between, and imagine myself in one of those assemblies where form and state were not; but Paul, the tent-maker, or Peter, the fisherman, presided; yet with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” 372
371 Whitehead,“ Life of the Rev. John Wesley,” p. 10( Am. ed. 1845). 372 Idem, pp. 11, 12.