Letter

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 133 DDWes/4/72
  • Former Reference
      GB 135 DDWes/4/72
      GB 135 Wesley Brown Folio 4, page 61.
  • Dates of Creation
      13 Feb 1769

Scope and Content

From an unnamed quaker correspondent to Charles Wesley at the [New Room], Bristol. Charles's correspondent is not a Methodist, but considers himself to be 'in fellowship with all those that fear the Lord', and therefore feels that he has the right to take issue with Charles for allowing his son [Charles junior] to be 'a poor simple twidler to pleas a giddy unthinking multitude'. Charles should look into his heart, and 'remember writing from whence thou art fallen'.

Feb 1769

In his reply written on the bottom of the above, Charles Wesley attributes his correspondent's misguided notion to 'prejudice of education'. He raised his son to be a musician, so that the boy would have a means of earning his living, not to please the multitude. He believes that some of the trades carried on by quakers are as dangerous as music, if not more so. He does not blame them for calling 'a music-room a prison-house, or a church a steeple-house', but they should not blame him for holding different opinions. His correspondent charges him with allowing members of the Wesley family and friends to appear on a public stage, which is not true - Sarah Wesley and some friends attended the concert merely to encourage the boy. The applause given to Charles is no different to that received by the quakers for their activities.

Annotated by Charles Wesley -A true friend against music.

[Publication record: quoted by Dr Frank Baker in Charles Wesley - as revealed by his letters, page 110.]