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the churches. He now became popular, appearing in a new charac-ter, as a missionary lately returned from preaching the Gospel to theIndians in America . The churches where he preached werecrowded. This, together with his plain heart searching sermons,gave such offence to many, that the churches were shut against him.He was thus driven to preach abroad in London , Bristol, andvarious places, as he conceived the way opened by DivineProvidence. By his preaching thousands were soon awakened toa sense of their fallen state, who came to him for further advice,and assistance in the ways of God . it now became necessary toform societies, and to do every thing he could to lead them in theway of truth and holiness. I’iaces of worship were multiplied, andthe face of things soon most wonderfully changed. One thingseemed wanting; lie had tried to get some of the regular clergyto assist him; but it was in vain. A new way was now opened,which at first shocked his yet remaining prejudice. A few plainmen of his own society, from first telling what God had done forthem, had begun to exhort and preach, and thus lay-preachingwas introduced and continues to this day, there being now somethousands of these preachers in England alone. Thus, by ways dial heknew not, and in paths he had never thought of, was this wonderfulman led, till lie saw the fruit of his labour, and enjoyed to a good oldage the pleasure of being honoured by hundreds of thousands, astheir Father in the Gospel. He was indefatigable in travellingthrough Great Britain and Ireland. He had, from his first formingol societies, taken care to establish Christian discipline among them,so that his influence over them was preserved to the end. Andsuch is the love of botli the preachers and people to his memory,that his name is still honoured by them with the greatest vene-ration, in all their conferences and public concerns. He died inLondon , March 2, 1791, in the 88th year of his age. Such wasthe character of this truly apostolic man, that, it would require nosmall abilities to do it justice. To form a great man, there mustbe great powers, exerted in an uncommon manner, producing ex-traordinary effect. Such was Mr Wesley . He had strong in-tellectual powers; a mind comprehensive and vigorous in all itsfaculties; a penetrating judgment, a capacious and retentivememory, a lively imagination, and a sublime genius. Being edu-cated from his infancy in (he various branches of literature, whichwere necessary to form the scholar and the gentleman, he wasqualified to excel in any line of life in which Divine Providencemight have placed him. Ilis publications are sufficient proofs ofhis abilities as a w riter. As a preacher be was a perfect pattern toevery Christian minister. Iiis gestures were graceful and easy, andhis style was peculiarly simple and familiar. Though he preachedwithout notes, yet his sermons were all studied. As an orator,he happily united the depth of reason with the strength of lan-guage : while Ss a minister of Jesus Christ , he left room for thegracious assistance of the Holy Spirit . He was no Enthusiast,seeking the end, without using the means; yet no man more firmlyattended to a divine influence in every religious duty, well know-ing, that, no good can be done, by the best of men, without thepower of God . He was mighty in the sacred oracles, whence hissubjects were always derived, not as a mere repeater of texts ofscripture, but as one who never forgot that the Bible was theword of God , and the standard of truth, by which all doctrines areto be tried. He had an invincible attachment to truth and justice,ever shewing the utmost abhorrence of every species of dissimu-lation. And as he used no guile himsell, neither did lie suspectit in others. His love to God and man seemed to have no bounds.This was the ruling principle of his whole conduct. His concernfor the poor was manifested to the extent of his power, giving allhe could to relieve distress and banish misery, seeking no otherrecommendation in the objects of his charity but a sufficient evi-dence of suffering humanity. No man excelled him in the re-demption of his time. But though always diligent, he neverseemed in a hurry. To avoid which he had every thing abouthim, where it ought to be. No confusion, nothing to look for ina mass of disorder, in bis appointments be was always.exact, con-,sidering, as he would not waste a moment himself, so neitherwould he cause others to lose one, by an ill-bred want of punctu-ality. He was never gloomy in bis temper. His conversationwas always pleasing, and frequently interesling and instructive.Being a great reader from his very youth, his mind was richlySored with a vast treasure of useful and entertaining knowledge.
From seeing him only in the pulpit, and considering his exaltedstation in the church of Christ, a stranger might suppose lie mustbe difficult of access in private life. Bui every apprehension ofthis sort vanished in an instant, on being in Ins, company. Devoidof anxious care and servile fear, a placid serenity of spirit shonewith ineffable sweetness through his expressive countenance, andcommunicated its benign influences'to the large circles of hisfriends, who always esteemed it an honour to be w Here lie was.Nor had the plainest, or lowest of those who enjoyed this privilegeany thing to fear from his superiority, as the philosopher and the,divine were completely hid in the easy familiarity of a friend, with-out the least affectation of learning. Though his modesty preventedhis talking of himself, yet, being in all things strictly attentive to aparticular Providence, he could, with the most engaging courtesv,relate a vast variety of important circumstances, which occurred inhis travels, to the real advantage of all present. In short, such acharacter as Mr. John Wesley , has seldom appeared, even in thepurest ages of Christianity . But what remains? He is gone tohis reward. IIis life shewed to w! at a degree of greatness manmay be raised ; and his death, demonstrates, that the fruit of virtueis solid and eternal peace. But he lias left behind him such proofs ofhis greatness, as even death cannot destroy. Evidences of amazingtalents, improved to the benefit of millions, who shall praise God for him, for ever. Ilis disinterested love to the poor, his un-abating zeal in setting forth the Lord Jesus Christ to perishing sin-ners, Iiis deep acquaintance with divine things, and his astonish?ing labours in the church, rendered him the delight of his friends,the glory of his family, and the admiration of the age in whichhe lived. All allow him but a small portion of the infirmities ofhuman nature, and he was a rare ornament to the British Empire,a striking pattern to all Christian ministers, and a bright exemplar,of religions excellence.
Wesley, Charles, younger brother of John , was born at Ep-worth, in 1708 ; and educated at Westminster, and next at Christ-Church college, Oxford. He adopted Iiis brother John ’s systemand sentiments; and continued a constant preacher among theMethodists, till his death in 1788. He wrote several excellentHymns , and other pious pieces.
' Wesley, Samuel, another brother of John , was under masterof Westminster school 'for many years ; and afterwards master ofBlunders school at l iverton, in Devonshire, where lie died in1739. He published The battle of the Sexes, and other ingeniouspoem 1 --, in one vol. 12mo.
WEST is one of the cardinal points of the horizon, diametri-cally opposite to the east; and strictly defined the intersection ofthe prime vertical with the horizon on that side the sun setsin.
West Harbour, a bay on the S. coast of Jamaica . Lon. 77.0. W. Lat. 17. 48. N.
West India Islands. See Antigua, Barbadoes , St.Christopher’s, St. Domingo, FI ispaniola, Jamaica , &c.
West Indies, an indefinite term sometimes used for the WestIndia Islands; sometimes for the whole American Continent , alongwith the Islands .
West Meath, or West Meith, a comity of Ireland , in theprovince of Leinster . See Meath.
West Point, a town of Virginia , seated on York River, 35miles E. of Richmond . Lon. 76. 56. W. Lat. 37. 40. N.
West, To, in navigation, to sail westward. See Navigation.WESTRURY, a borough of Wiltshire . It is twenty-sixmiles N. W. of Salisbury. Lon. 2. 13, W. Lat. 51. 16. N.
WESTERBURG, a town in Welteravia,35 miles N. of Menis.Lon. 8. 18. E. Eat. 50. 26. N. -
WESTERN ISLES, or JEBUD7E, or HEBRIDES , islandson tlie W. and N. W. coast of Scotland. See Hebrides , anathe names of the various islands in their order. Mr. I ennantvery judiciously supposes, that the modern name, Hebrides ,has.* arisen from the mistake of some transcriber, instead ot He-
^WESTEROS, a town of Sweden , capital of Westinama,45 miles N. W. of Stockholm . Lon. 17. 0. E. Lat. ->->■