I next proposed to Mr. Gerard, the Bishop of Oxford’s chaplain, who took care of any prisoners condemned to die, that I intended to preach in the prison once a month, if the bishop approved.  Our design was approved and permission was granted.  Soon after a gentleman of Merton College, who was one of our little company, now consisting of five persons, acquainted us that he had been much rallied the day before for being a member of the Holy Club, and that it was become a common topic of mirth at his college, where they had found out several of our customs, to which we were ourselves utter strangers.

I corresponded with my father, and from him received encouragement, so that we still continued to meet as usual, and to do what service we could to the prisoners, and to two or three poor families in the town.

A Missioner to Georgia

1735.  Oct. 14.  Mr. Benjamin Ingham, of Queen’s College, Oxford; Mr. Charles Delamotte, son of a London merchant, my brother Charles, and myself, took boat for Gravesend, in order to embark for Georgia.  Our end in leaving our country was singly this, to save our souls; to live wholly to the glory of God.  In the afternoon we found the “Simmonds” off Gravesend, and immediately went on board.

Oct. 17.  I began to learn German, in order to converse with the 26 Germans on board.  On Sunday I preached extempore and then administered the Lord’s supper to seven communicants.

Oct. 20.  Believing the denying ourselves might be helpful, we wholly left off the use of flesh and wine, and confined ourselves to vegetable food, chiefly rice and biscuit.

1736.  Feb. 5.  After a passage in which storms were frequent, between two and three in the afternoon, God brought us all safe into the Savannah river.  We cast anchor near Tybee Island, where the groves of pines along the shore made an agreeable prospect, showing, as it were, the bloom of spring in the depth of winter.

Sunday, March 7.  I entered upon my ministry at Savannah.  I do here bear witness against myself, that when I saw the number of people crowding into the church, the deep attention with which they received the word, and the seriousness that sat on all their faces, I could hardly believe that the greater part of them would hereafter trample under foot that word, and say all manner of evil falsely against him that spake it.

March 30.  Mr. Delamotte and I began to try, whether life might not be as well sustained by one sort as by a variety of food.  We chose to make the experiment with bread, and were never more vigorous and healthy than while we tasted nothing else.

June 30.  I hoped a door was opened for my main design, which was to preach the gospel to the Indians, and I purposed to go immediately to the Choctaws, the least polished, that is, the least corrupted of the tribes.  On my informing Lieutenant-Governor Oglethorpe of our wish, he objected, alleging not only danger from the French, but also the inexpediency of leaving Savannah without a minister.  These objections I related to our brethren, who were all of opinion, “We ought not to go yet.”