THE TWELFTH PART

THE JOURNAL FROM MAY 6, 1760, TO OCTOBER 28, 1762

May. 1760, In Ireland

1760. MAY 6, Tues.-I had much conversation (at Carrickfergus) with Monsieur Cavenac, the French general, not on the circumstances, but the essence of religion. He seemed to startle at nothing; but said more than once, and with emotion,' Why, this is my religion: there is no true religion besides it!'

Wed. 7.-I rode to Lame.[ Where he was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. John Lee. In their house he finished the letter to Blackwell begun at Carrickfergus, for which see W.M. Mag. 1848, p. 779. It gives a vivid description of the French raid, and describes M. Cavenac, ' who speaks Latin pretty readily," as ' not only a very sensible man, but thoroughly instructed, even in heartreligion.'] The rain, which had continued with little intermission for several days, stopped this afternoon, so that I had a very large as well as serious congregation; and I spoke to them with the utmost plainness, but I could not find the way to their hearts.

Thur. 8.-We rode over the mountains to Ballymena, and had just passed through the town when a man came running out of the field, called me by my name, and pressed me much to preach there. But I could not stay, having appointed one to meet me at Portglenone; which he accordingly did, and brought me to Mr. Burrowes, near Garvagh.

Fri. 9.-A little rest was acceptable.

Sat. 10.-I preached, morning and evening, in Mr. Burrowes's house, to a well-behaved congregation, though of various denominations: Churchmen, Papists, Presbyterians, Cameronians. One Seceder likewise ventured in; but the moment he heard ' Our Father, which art in heaven,' he ran away with all speed.

Sun. 11.-We had such a congregation in the church as perhaps had not been there in this century; and I believe God reached some of their hearts: several were in tears. I spoke extremely plain; especially to those who were full of their own wisdom and righteousness.

Mon. 12.-Returning through Ballymena, I preached in the market-house to a large concourse of people; and God was there of a truth. I have found no such spirit in any congregation since I left Dublin. Thence I rode to Moira, and preached to a very civil congregation; but there is no life in them.

Tues. 13.-My Irish horse was thoroughly tired. However, with much difficulty, partly riding, and partly walking, about eight in the evening I reached Cootehill. I preached in the house now, and at five in the morning; but at eleven in the market-house, where I delivered my own soul to most of the Protestants in the town.

Having procured a fresh horse, I rode on to Belturbet, a town in which there is neither Papist nor Presbyterian; but, to supply that defect, there are Sabbath-breakers, drunkards, and common swearers in abundance.

Thur. 15.-We rode through a delightful country to Swanlinbar, famed for its mineral waters.[ Famed also for its ironworks founded by Mr. Swan, Mr. Ling, and Mr. Barr- hence the name. See Journal of Royal Society of Antiquaries for Ireland.] Soon after my new horse began to tire, so that it was with much difficulty I got to Sligo.[ At Sligo the increasing congregation, on Wesley's advice, procured a large apaitment in a feudal castle which once belonged to the royal family of O'Connor, and with which tradition has connected a terrible massacre. Mr. John Anderson, of Willowbrook, now attached himself to Methodism and His descendants, to the fifth generation, are connected with the church of their fathers; also the Knox family, but these did not continue in connection with Methodism.]

Fri. 16.-I walked round the ruins of the abbey, formerly one of the largest in the kingdom. The walls of it are standing, and three sides of the cloisters are entire; but you can scarce tread, either within or without, unless you will step upon skulls or human bones, which are everywhere scattered up and down as dung upon the earth. Surely no other nation, Christian or heathen, would endure this![ The bones are now buried, and the abbey is well cared for.]

In the evening the congregation was a little disturbed by two or three giddy officers. I spoke to them, and they stopped; but they soon recovered their spirits, and behaved as they used to do at church.

Sun, 18.-I preached at nine to a large congregation, who all seemed to hear with understanding. At five in the evening they were not less attentive, though abundantly more numerous.[ On Sunday the 18th he wrote to Lord Rawdon (W.M. Mag. 1864,

p. 5533 ] On Monday we met, for the last time, between four and five. Many were deeply affected, and all received the word ' with all readiness of mind.' But which of these will' bring forth fruit with patience ' God only knoweth.

Mon. 19.-We rode to Castlebar, where I preached in the evening. I was particularly concerned for the poor backsliders. It seemed as if most of us said in our hearts, ' If they have a mind to go to hell, let them go.' Not so; rather let us pluck the ' brands,' willing or unwilling, ' out of the burning.'

Thur. 22.-I rode to Newport, and preached at seven in the evening. I suppose all the Protestants in the town were present, and many of the Papists, notwithstanding the prohibition and bitter curses of their priests. So has God spread the line from sea to sea, from Dublin on the east to this place on the western ocean.

Sun. 25 (being Whit Sunday).-Mr. Ellison [Rector of Castlebar. ] desired me to assist him at the Lord's Supper.

Tues. 27.-There was a remarkable trial here. A Swedish, ship, being leaky, put into one of our harbours. The Irish, | according to custom, ran to plunder her. A neighbouring i gentleman hindered them, and, for so doing, demanded a fourth \ part of the cargo: and this, they said, the law allows! But i where, meantime, is the law of God | To hear this cause all the gentlemen of the county were ' come to Castlebar. It was to be heard in the court-house, where I preached; so they met an hour sooner, and heard the sermon first. Who knows but even some of these may be found of Him they sought not

Wed. 28.-I rode to Hollymount,[ He would doubtless have gone to Loughrea, but for the absence of the rector, the Hon. and Rev. Walter Shirley,who was then in England in connection] and the next day to Aughrim, where were a people alive to God. I told them plainly what things they wanted still; and surely God will supply all their wants.

June 1760, In Ireland

JUNE 1 (being Trinity Sunday}.-I preached about nine in the market-house at Athlone, on ' There are three that bear record in heaven.. . and these three are one." Afterwards, at the minister's desire, I read prayers in the church, and in the evening preached on the Connaught side of the river, on ' Ye must be born again.' Both Papists and Protestants attended; and some seemed cut to the heart.

Tues. 3.-I met the classes, and was agreeably surprised to find that bitterness against the Church, with which many were infected when I was here before, was now entirely over. Yet the deadness which it had occasioned remained, and I doubt it will not soon be removed.

Fri. 6.-I preached in the evening at Ahascragh, where the bulk of the congregation were Papists. Yet the decency of their behaviour was such as might have made many Protestants

ashamed.

Sun. 8.-I rode over to Aughrim again. Understanding the rector had none to assist in the service, I offered to read prayers for him; which he willingly accepted. Immediately after the church service, I preached to a numerous congregation, and returned to Athlone soon enough to speak once more to a large concourse of all ranks and religions. But great part of them were as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke, neither taught of God nor Mon.

Mon. 9.-About one I preached at Abbeyderg, and then rode on to Longford. The town was so thronged, by reason of the approaching fair, that we had much ado to pass. But this increased the evening congregation much; among whom was Dr. Hort, then rector of the parish, a learned, sensible, pious man, and a pattern both for clergy and laity.

Tues. 10.-I rode to Drummersnave, a village delightfully situated. Almost the whole town, Protestants and Papists, were present at the sermon in the evening; and a great part of them in the morning. But oh, how few of them will bear fruit to perfection!

At noon William Ley, James Glassbrook, and I rode to Carrick-upon-Shannon.[ The assize town of Leitrim.] In less than an hour, an Esquire and Justice of the Peace came down with a drum, and what mob he could gather. I went into the garden with the congregation, while he was making a speech to his followers in the street. He then attacked William Ley (who stood at the door), being armed with an halbert and long sword, and ran at him with the halbert; but, missing his thrust, he then struck at him, and broke it short upon his wrist. Having made his way through the house to the other door, he was at a full stop. James Glassbrook held it fast on the other side. While he was 1 endeavoring to force it open one told him I was preaching in the garden. On this he quitted the door in haste, ran round the house, and, with part of his retinue, climbed over the wall into the garden, and, with a whole volley of oaths and curses, declared, ' You shall not preach here to-day.' I told him,' Sir, I do not intend it; for I have preached already.' This made him ready to tear the ground. Finding he was not to be reasoned with, I went into the house. Soon after he revenged himself on James Glassbrook (by breaking the truncheon of his halbert on his arm), and on my hat, which he beat and kicked mosti valiantly; but a gentleman rescued it out of his hands, and rode quietly out of the town.

After preaching to several of the intermediate societies [In riding from Carrick-upon-Shannon to Tyrrell's Pass, he would probably pass through Drummersnave, Longford, Edgeworthstown, and Mullingar, in each of which Methodism already existed.] in the way, on Saturday the I4th I came to Tyrrell's Pass, and found several of our friends who were come from various parts.

Sun. 15.-I preached at eight, and at twelve (there being no service at the church). A heap of fine, gay people came in their post-chaises to the evening preaching. I spoke very plain, but the words seemed to fly over them: ' Gallic cared for none of these things.'

Mon. 16.-I preached in the evening in the long, shady walk at Edenderry, to such a congregation as had not been seen there for many years.[ And again on the I yth at Edenderry.] And God gave an edge to His word, both this evening and the next morning. He can work, even among these dry bones.

Wed. 18.-I designed to preach in the market-house at Portarlington; but it was pre-engaged for a ball. So I preached, and with much comfort, in our own room; as also at five in the morning. I preached at ten, for the sake of the gentry. But it was too early, they could not rise so soon.

In the afternoon I rode to Mountmellick. The rain was suspended in the evening, while I exhorted a large congregation to ' walk in the old paths.' Many Papists appeared to be quite astonished; some of them were almost persuaded to walk therein. The next evening I preached in the market-place, for the sake of the rich, who could hear there without impeachment to their honour. And some were deeply affected. Surely the thorns will not choke all the good seed!

Sat. 21.[ On Sat the 2ist he wrote to his wife, as we learn from the letter to Charles on the 23rd (Works, vol. xii. p. 119). 'Where and how is my wife I wrote to her Saturday last." From Charles Wesley's letters to his wife, published at the end of his Journal, we learn that at this time he was ill, suffering apparently, as were so many in his circle of London friends, from the reaction after the trial and execution on May S> '759. f Lady Huntingdon's cousin, Earl Ferrers, who had shot his land steward in a ' tumultuous passion.' The circumstances are fully described in the Life of C. of Huntingdon. Charles Wesley sends to his wife a pathetic account of the efforts he made to console Lady Huntingdon, and the earl's sister Miss Shirley, and his brother, Walter Shirley, rector of Loughrea. Charles Wesley was present at the earl's trial by his peers in Westminster Hall. These letters, it should be noted, like most of C. Wesley's letters, are insufficiently dated, and it is sometimes difficult to fit them into their proper places. But they are of great importance, enabling us to trace the story of his work in London and Bristol after 1756, when his Journal closes.] -The congregation at Tullamore was near as large as at Mountmellick. At eight in the morning, Sunday the 22nd, it was much increased, but much more at one. And I have reason to believe that God at this time touched several careless hearts. I rode from thence to Coolalough, and found a congregation gathered from twenty miles round. It rained when I began to preach; but none offered to go away. And God did indeed ' send a gracious rain upon His inheritance,' and comforted the souls of His servants.

Mon. 23.-Being the Quarterly Meeting,[ The Quarterly Meeting has been much enlarged in constitution and functions since Wesley's day. At this date it consisted of stewards only. Wesley held it in this country place for all the societies round about, rather than in one of the neighbouring towns, because Samuel Handy (see above, p. 39) showed hospitality to the stewards, finding accommodation for them and their horses.] the stewards from all the country societies were present-a company of settled, sensible men. Nothing is wanting in this kingdom but zealous, active preachers, tenacious of order and exact discipline.

Tues. 24.-I took horse early, and at ten preached at Cloghan, about twenty-four miles from Coolalough. We afterwards rode through Longford; but did not stop, as the day was cool and pleasant. About two we were unawares encompassed with a multitude of Papists, coming out of their masshouse. One of them, knowing me, soon alarmed the rest, who set up a hideous roar, and drew up in battle-array; but we galloped through them, and went on to Drummersnave, where I preached in the evening, and the next day, and on Wednesday the 25th, I rode on to Sligo.

Never did I see a fairer prospect of good here. But blossoms are not fruit. As large, if not a larger congregation than before, was at the market-place in the evening. I was exceeding weary, having rode an extremely dull horse; but I soon forgot my weariness, seeing so many, young and old, rich and poor, receiving the word with all gladness.

Thur. 26.-I preached at five in a large, commodious room which has been procured since I was here last. I breakfasted at Mr. John Anderson's, and dined at Mr. Knox's; but two such families I have seldom seen. They had feared God for many years, and served Him in the best manner they knew. Nothing was wanting but that they should hear the 'more excellent way,' which they then embraced with all their heart.

Fri. 27 [On Friday the 27th he wrote to 'A Member' on growth, full salvation, and private prayer (Works, vol. xii. p. 275).]_-Our morning congregation was doubled. Mr. D-----did not fail to be there, though it seemed strange to him at first, when mention was made of preaching at five in the morning. In the evening we had a still larger congregation, and I believe God applied His word. Some trembled, others wept. Surely some of these shall know there is ' balm in Gilead.'

Sat. 28.-At five the congregation was larger than ever it had been at that hour. After breakfast I rode out with Mr.

Knox and Mr. D------, who, hearing I was ill-mounted, desired

me to make use of one of his horses during my stay in Ireland.

In the evening (it being market-day, so that the markethouse was full of people) I wrote a line to the colonel, who readily gave me the liberty of preaching in the barrack-yard. He likewise came to hear himself, as did several of the officers. It was a solemn conclusion of the happiest birthday which I have known for many years.

Sun. 29.-We had a solemn meeting of the society at five. At eight I preached again in the barrack-yard; and I did not observe a trifler there. They all seemed to hear as for life. To-day I saw an odd instance of the force of example: when we were at church in the morning, scarce any one either sung or stood at the Psalms: so that I was almost alone therein. But in the afternoon almost every one stood up; and most of them sung, or endeavoured so to do. After service I went directly to the market-house, and enforced those solemn words, ' What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God'

Mr. D------[ Rev. Mr. D-of Sligo (named also on Friday the a*), He has. not yet been identified] had left us at six in the morning, in order to serve his cure; but about ten at night he came back, and was with me soon after four, importuning me to stay another day; but as my journeys were fixed, I could not do that without disappointing several congregations. Now was the general call for the town of Sligo. And many did ' receive the word with joy'; but the greatest part had ' no root in themselves." What fruit, then, could be expected from them

Mon. 30.-I have rarely seen so heavy rain in Europe as we had in the way to Tobercurry. I was quickly wet to my toes' end; but, the day clearing, I was dry again in a few hours. We had a very large congregation at Castlebar in the evening; and many seemed almost persuaded to be Christians. Oh what does it avail almost to hit the mark Almost to escape the damnation of hell

July 1760, In Ireland

JULY 1, Tues.-We took horse about four, and it was well we did; for our seven-and-thirty Irish miles, so called, were little less than seventy English. I preached at a friend's house [On July I he preached again at Castlebar. Was this ' at a friend's house'] soon after three; and then, procuring a fresh horse, about the size of a jackass, I rode on, with more ease than state, to Aughrim.

Wed. 2.-We rode on to Eyrecourt,[ Eyrecourt is a small market town, Co. Galway, which took its name from the Eyre family settled there. Colonel Stratford Eyre fought at Culloden. He was the son of Mr. Eyre, governor of Galway in 1715, and he himself held the same office when he heard Wesley preach. His Protestantism brought him into collision with the Mayor and Corporation of Galway. Froude says: ' His words have something of a Cromwellian ring about them. ... He was a man, beyond all others, fit to govern a people like the Irish' (The English in Ireland, vol. i.). Lecky calls Col. Eyre ' a vehement and aggressive Protestant.' He disapproves of his policy and conduct, and says, ' Governor Eyre, being violently anti-Catholic, and fond of military measures, he is one of Mr. Froude's heroes' (History of England in the Eighteenth Century, vol. ii. pp. 340, 341, fifth edition). Another member of the Eyre family, John Eyre, not a soldier, an M.P. of the Irish House of Commons, was raised to the Irish Peerage as Baron Eyre.] where many threatened great things; but all vanished into air. I preached at ten in the court-house; Col. Eyre was there, and several other persons of fashion. In the evening I preached at Birr,[ Now Parsonstown.] with more satisfaction than for several years, finding many more alive to God than ever, and provoking one another to love and to good works. I had purposed to set out early in the morning; but their love constrained me to stay a day longer. So I had leisure to complete the account of the societies. At present the societies in Connaught contain little more than two hundred members; those in Ulster about two hundred and fifty; those in Leinster a thousand.

Fri. 4.-I took my ease, riding in a chaise to Limerick; where, on Saturday the 5th, ten of us met in a little Conference.[ The fourth Irish Conference.] By the blessing of God, we were all of one mind, particularly with regard to the Church. Even James Deaves has not now the least thought of leaving it, but attends there, be the minister good or bad. On Tuesday the Sth, having settled all our little affairs, we parted in much love.[ On July 8 he preached at Limerick.]

Wed. 9.-I rode over to Killeheen, a German [i.e. Palatine.] settlement near twenty miles south of Limerick. It rained all the way; but the earnestness of the poor people made us quite forget it. In the evening I preached to another colony of Germans,[ See above, pp. 168 and 275. Of the colonies of German Palatines which were brought to Ireland in 1709, Lecky writes: ' They consisted of rather more than 800 families, chiefly of the humblest classes, and were settled for the most part in Limerick and Kerry, where they appear to have occupied themselves almost exclusively with agriculture. They were brought over by a few considerable landlords, assisted by a small grant from the Irish Parliament, and, unlike the native Irish, they usually obtained their farms at leases of three lives and at low rents. The Germans continued, for about three quarters of a century, to preserve their distinct identity and customs, and even appointed a burgomaster to settle their disputes; . . . and, without exerting any general wide influence on Irish life, were honourably distinguished from the population around them by their far

higher standard of sobriety, industry, and comfort. ... In the course of time their leases fell in and they passed into the condition of ordinary Irish tenants, and the colony rapidly disappeared' (Lecky's History of England in the Eighteenth Century, vol. ii. pp. 343-6, fifth edition). Amongst the Palatines who emigrated to America from Ballingarrane only a few months before this visit of Wesley's were Philip Embury, a Methodist local preacher, Barbara Heck, and her husband, who established Methodism at New York, which in 1760 and for more than twenty years after belonged to the British possessions in America.] at Ballingarrane. The third is at Courtmatrix, a mile from Killeheen. I suppose three such towns are scarce to be found again in England or Ireland. There is no cursing or swearing, no Sabbath-breaking, no drunkenness, no ale-house, in any of them. How will these poor foreigners rise up in the judgement against those that are round about them!

Fri. 11.-I preached in the new house at Clare to a genteel congregation. What a contrast between these and the poor people at Killeheen! We had a still more genteel congregation the next morning at nine in the court-house at Ennis, to whom I spoke with all plainness. I did the same on Sunday morning; so, if they hear me no more, I am clear of their blood. I took my leave of them at Clare in the afternoon, and in the evening returned to Limerick.[ On the 12th Walter Sellon wrote proposing a hospital for superannuated preachers and travelling preachers' wives; also a college (Tyerman, Lift of Wtsley, vol. ii. p. 359).]

Wed. 16.-I rode to Newmarket, which was another German settlement; but the poor settlers, with all their diligence and frugality, could not procure even the coarsest food to eat and the meanest raiment to put on, under their merciful landlords, so that most of these, as well as those at Ballingarrane, have been forced to seek bread in other places, some of them in distant parts of Ireland, but the greater part in America.

Thur. 17.-I met the classes at Limerick, and found a considerable decrease. And how can it be otherwise, when vice flows as a torrent, unless the children of God are all life, zeal, activity In hopes of quickening them, I preached at seven in the old camp to more than twice the usual congregation; which the two next evenings was more numerous still, and equally attentive. I was well pleased to see a little army of soldiers there, and not a few of their officers. Nor did they behave unconcerned hearers, but like men that really desired to sav their souls.

Sun. 20.-I took my leave of that comfortable place, where some thousands of people were assembled. I have seen no! such sight since I came to the kingdom. They not only filled all the lower ground, but completely covered the banks that surround it, though they stood as close as possible. I exhorted them to ' ask for the old paths, and walk therein," that they might' find rest to ' their ' souls.' We had afterwards a solemn meeting of the society, in confidence that God would revive His work.[ Broadclough and Cork are entered in the Sermon Register.]

Mon. 21.-I left Limerick, and about noon preached at Shronell, near a great house which a gentleman built many years ago[Probably the residence of the Darner family, who also built the church.]; but he cannot yet afford to finish it, having only thirty thousand a year, and some hundred thousands in ready money!

The beggars but a common lot deplore:

The rich-poor man's emphatically poor.[ Cowley, Essays, ' Of Avarice'; see W.H.S. vol. v. p. 117.]

At six I preached at the camp near Caher, to a large and serious congregation of soldiers. Thence we rode on to Clonmel, where I preached near the barracks, at eight in the morning, to a wild, staring people; but quiet perforce, for the soldiers kept them in awe. We rode in the afternoon to Waterford, where our friends had procured a commodious place, inclosed on all sides.[ In Factory Lane. Crooksbank's Methodism in Ireland, vol. i. p. 147,] I preached there three evenings, with great hope of doing good. Our large room was full every morning. Oh why should we despair of any souls whom God

Thur. 24.-I looked over that well-wrote book, Mr. Charles Smith's State of the County and City of Waterford.[ Published in Dublin, 1746. ] He plainly shows that, twelve hundred years ago, Ireland was a flourishing kingdom. It seems to have been declining almost ever since; especially after it was torn into several independent kingdoms. Thenceforward it grew more and more wild and barbarous for several hundred years. In Queen Elizabeth's time it began to revive; and it increased greatly both in trade and inhabitants, till the deadly blow which commenced on October 23, 1641. Three hundred thousand Protestants, by a moderate computation, weie then destroyed in less than a year; and more than twice as many Papists, within a few years following.[ The reference is to the great Irish ] Most of these were adults; and this was a loss which the nation has not recovered yet. Nay, it will probably require another century to restore the number of inhabitants it had before.

Fri 25.__I preached once more near the barracks in

Clonmel, and the next morning took horse at four. About eleven the sun was scorching hot, till a little cloud rose and covered us till we were near Rathcormack. Here we rested two hours, and then rode on (mostly shaded by flying clouds) to Cork.

Sun. 27.-The house was well filled; but I expect small increase of the work of God till we preach abroad.

Thur. 31.__I rode to Bandon; but my good old friend, Mrs. Jones,[ Wife of Mr. Thomas Jones of Cork. See above, p. 163, and vol. m. p. 470, Rebellion,] did not stay for my coming. She was released out of life some weeks ago, in the seventy-second year of her age. I preached, as usual, in the main street, to a large and attentive congregation. And they were nearly doubled the next evening; yet all behaved with the utmost decency. The market obliged me to preach in the house on Saturday in the afternoon: a very neat and lightsome building. Having spent the time proposed here, with much satisfaction, in the evening I returned to Cork.

Aug. 1760, In Ireland

AUG. 3, Sun.-I had wrote to the commanding officer for leave to preach near the barracks [On the south side of the city.]; but he was just gone out of town, so I was obliged once more to coop myself up in the room.

Mon. 4.-Knowing, by the experiment I made two years since, that it was an entertainment above the taste of our evening congregation, I read some select letters at five in the morning to those who desired to hear them. And many of them were not a little comforted and established in the ways of God.[ He also preached at Cork on the 5th and 6th.]

Thur. 7.-In the afternoon I set out for Kinsale. In the way a violent storm drove us into a little hut, where a poor woman was very thankful for physical advice, and another for a little money to buy her food. The sky then clearing, we soon reached Kinsale, where I preached at six in the Exchange to a multitude of soldiers and not a few of the dull, careless townsfolk. At five in the morning, it being a field-day, the soldiers could not attend; but I had a large and serious congregation notwithstanding. Surely good might be done here also, would our preachers always preach in the Exchange, as they may without any molestation, instead of a little, ugly, dirty garret.

About nine, a sharp storm having put an end to their exercise, I went to the soldiers in the field. I stood so near the entrenchments of the fort that they could hear within as well as without. The sun indeed shone extremely hot on my head; but presently a cloud interposed. And when I began to be chill (for the wind was high and sharp) it removed till I wanted it again. How easily may we see the hand of God in small things as well as great! And why should a little pointless raillery make us ashamed to acknowledge it

In the evening I preached to the usual congregation in the main street at Bandon, on ' Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace.' The congregation was near twice as large at five in the morning as it was last week when I preached an hour later.

Sun. 10.-After preaching at seven, in a house crowded within and without, I left this comfortable place, and went back to Cork. I had a desire to preach abroad in the evening; but the weather would not permit. When the society met, a person hugely daubed with gold thrust violently in. By his appearance I should have judged him to be some noble man. But I was afterward informed it was Dr. Taylor.

On Monday and Tuesday I took an account of the society, and was grieved, though not surprised, to find such a declension. I left two hundred and ninety members: I find only two hundred and thirty-three. And what will the end be, unless those that remain learn to bear one another's burdens Adding to those in the other provinces about six hundred who are in Munster, the whole number is a little above two

thousand.

Our evening congregations this week were smaller than usual, as the gentry were engaged in a more important affair. A company of players were in town. However, many of them came on Friday; for a watch-night was newer to them than

a comedy.[ On Aug. 17 he wrote to J. Trembath, (HVfc,vol. xii. p. 253). and preached at Cork from the nth to the I7th.]

Mon. 18.-Being advised from Dublin that Captain Dansey (with whom I desired to sail) would sail on the igth or 2Oth, I took horse early, and reached Clonmel between five and six in the evening. I took my usual stand near the barrack-gate; and had abundantly more than my usual congregation, as it was the Assize week, so that the town was extremely full of gentry as well as common people.

Tues. 19.-We had many light showers, which cooled the air and laid the dust. We dined at Kilkenny,[ Kilkenny is a place of great historical interest. It was there that the Parliament was held in 1367, which enacted the most anti-Irish statute that ever passed. This law made it treason for men of English birth or descent to intermarry with the Irish, or to place their children with Irish foster-mothers, while those who adopted Irish names, manners, orlanguage were liable to forfeit their property. This was at a time when the conquerors and the conquered were of the same religion, as Henry II had brought the Celtic Church into subjection to the Pope. In Kilkenny grammarschool Dean Swift, Bishop Berkeley, and some other men of genius were educated.] noble in ruins; I see no such remains of magnificence in the kingdom. The late Duke of Ormond's house,[ This was James, the second Duke of Ormond (Irish peerage), who in 1688 succeeded his grandfather, James, the] on the top of a rock, hanging

402

over the river, the ancient cathedral, and what is left of many grand buildings, yield a melancholy pleasure. Thus-

A little power, a little sway,

A sunbeam in a winter's day,

Is all the great and mighty have

Between the cradle and the grave![ See above, p. 297; also W,H.S. vol. v. p. 117. In the earlier quotation of these lines from John Dyer's ' Grongar Hill' Wesley alters the word 'rule' in the first line to'pomp.' Here he alters it to ' power.']

We lodged at Castle Dermot, and reached Dublin on Wednesday the 2Oth; but Captain Dansey was not to sail this week. I then inquired for a Chester ship, and found one which was expected to sail on Friday morning; but on Friday morning the captain sent us word he must wait for General Montague.[ Major-General Charles Montague, who was attached to the army establishment in Ireland (W.H.S. vol. v. P76).] So in the afternoon I rode over to the Skerries, where the packet lay; but before I came thither the wind, which was fair before, shifted to the east, and blew a storm. I saw the hand of God, and, after resting awhile, rode cheerfully back to Dublin. It being the watch-night, I came just in time to spend a comfortable hour with the congregation. Oh how good it is to have no choice of our own, but to leave all things to the will of God!

Sat. 23.-The captain of the Chester ship sent word the general would not go, and he would sail the next morning. So we have one day more to spend in Ireland. Let us live this day as if it were our last.

Sun. 24.-At seven I took leave of my friends, and about noon embarked in the Nonpareil[Captain Jordan. See below, p. 492.] for Chester. We had forty or fifty passengers on board, half of whom were cabin passengers.[ Nicholas Manners was with Wesley, and gives further details. See Brethorton's Early Methodism in and around Chester, p. 51. ] I was afraid we should have an uneasy time in the midst of such a crowd of gentry.

1. PULPIT IN ST. PAUL'S, BEDFORD, FROM WHICH THE ' GREAT ASSIZE SERMON WAS PREACHED (see p. 254).

2. VIEW OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, BEDFORD.

Aug. 1760

The Seventeenth Conference

We sailed out with a fair wind, but at four in the afternoon it failed, and left us in a dead calm. I then made the gentlemen an offer of preaching, which they thankfully accepted. While I was preaching the wind sprung up fair; but the next day we were becalmed again. In the afternoon they desired me to give them another sermon; and again the wind sprung up while I was speaking, and continued till, about noon, on Tuesday, we landed at Parkgate.[ After a passage of fifty hours. At this time Parkgate, sixteen miles helow Chester, was a port for Irish traffic, and probably more frequented than Holyhead. Centuries ago Chester itself was a port, but the Dee has been silting up for ages. See Rev. F. F. Bretherton's article on Wesley's voyages to and from Parkgate, Meth. Rec. Winter No., 1903.]

Being in haste, I would not stay for my own horse[s], which I found could not land till low water. So I bought one, and, having hired another, set forward without delay. We reached Whitchurch that evening.

Wed. 27.-We breakfasted at Newport,[ The Newport named is in Salop. See Meth. Mag. 1830, p. 187.] where, finding our horses begin to fail, we thought it best to take the Birmingham road, that, if they should fail us altogether, we might stay among our friends. But they would go no farther than Wolverhampton; so we hired fresh horses there, and immediately set out for Worcester. But one of them soon after fell, and gave me such a shock (though I did not quit my seat), that I was seized with a violent bleeding at the nose, which nothing we could apply would stop. So we were obliged to go a foot-pace for two miles, and then stay at Broadwaters.[ A hamlet in the parish of Wolverley, near Kidderminster (W.H.S. vol. vi. p. 60; and see also vol. vii. p. 6).]

Thur. 28.-Soon after we set out the other horse fell lame. An honest man, at Worcester, found this was owing to a bad shoe. A smith cured this by a new shoe; but at the same time, by paring the hoof too close, he effectually lamed the other foot, so that we had hard work to reach Gloucester. After resting here awhile, we pushed on to Newport,[ Near Berkeley in Gloucestershire.] where I took a chaise, and reached Bristol before eleven.

I spent the two following days with the preachers,[ This seventeenth annual English Conference was one of the shortest, perhaps the shortest, which he held. Was Charles Wesley present Most likely he was, from the letter of remonstrance and reproof which his brother wrote from Coolalough not long before. There was mutual misunderstanding. John thought that Charles was treating him with neglect and unkindness; and Charles thought John was yielding too much to the anti-Church of England party amongst the preachers. See Charles Wesley's Journal, vol. ii. p. 22g.] who had been waiting for me all the week: and their love and unanimity was such as soon made me forget all my labor.

SEPT. 1, Mon.-I set out for Cornwall, preaching at Shepton, Middlezoy, and Tiverton, in the way.

Wed. 3.-I reached Launceston,[ From Launceston he wrote to Rev. S. Furly (Meth. Rec. Oct. 17, 1907), and preached, probably in the early morning, on Friday the 5th.] and found the small remains of a dead, scattered society; and no wonder, as they have had scarce any discipline, and only one sermon in a fortnight. On Friday the 5th I found just such another society at Camelford. But their deadness here was owing to bitterness against each other. In the morning I heard the contending parties face to face; and they resolved and promised, on all sides, to let past things be forgotten. Oh how few have learned to forgive ' one another, as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven ' us!

Sat. 6.-We had an exceeding lively congregation in the evening at Trewalder. Indeed, all the society stands well, and ' adorns the doctrine of God our Saviour.'

Sun. 7.-At eight I preached again, and was much comforted. I then rode to Port Isaac church, and had the satisfaction of hearing an excellent sermon. After service I preached at a small distance from the church to a numerous congregation; and to a far more numerous one in the town, at five in the afternoon.

In examining this society, I found much reason to bless God on their behalf. They diligently observe all the rules of the society, with or without a preacher. They constantly attend the church and sacrament, and meet together at the times appointed. The consequence is that thirty out of thirtyfive, their whole number, continue to walk in the light of God's countenance.

Mon. 8.-A gentleman followed me to my inn at St. Columb, and carried me to his house, where were three or four more as friendly as himself. One of them rode with me seven or eight miles, and gave me a pleasing account of two young clergymen, Mr. C------and Mr. Phelps,[ Of St. Agnes, curate to the Rev. Mr. Walker, brother of Walker of Truro. See below, p. 529] who had the care of three adjoining parishes.

Surely God has a favour for the people of these parts! He gives them so serious, zealous, lively preachers. By these and the Methodists together, the line is now laid, with no considerable[In the first and subsequent editions this word was printed, in error, 'inconsiderable.'] interruption, all along the north sea, from the eastern point of Cornwall to the Land's End. In a while, I trust, there will be no more cause on these coasts to accuse Britannos hospitibus feros.[ ' Britons as inhospitable, or cruel, to strangers.' Horace, Odes, III. iv. 33-Wesley is thinking of Cornish wreckers. See W.H.S. vol. v. p. 48.]

The congregation at St. Agnes in the evening was, I suppose, double to that at Port Isaac. We had near as many on Tuesday the 9th, at five in the morning, as the preaching house could contain. Afterward I examined the society, and was surprised and grieved to find that, out of ninety-eight persons, all but three or four had forsaken the Lord's Table. I told them my thoughts very plain. They seemed convinced, and promised no more to give place to the devil.

Wed. 10.-I had much conversation with Mr. Phelps, a man of a humble, loving, tender spirit. Between him on the one hand, and the Methodists on the other, most in the parish are now awakened. Let but our brethren have ' zeal according to knowledge,' and few will escape them both.[ The entries in the Sermon Register are Thur., Sept. II, and Fri. the I2th, St. Ives; Sat. the I3th, Lelant.]

When I came to St. Ives, I was determined to preach abroad; but the wind was so high I could not stand where I had intended. But we found a little enclosure near it, one end of which was native rock, rising ten or twelve feet perpendicular, from which the ground fell with an easy descent. A jetting out of the rock, about four feet from the ground, gave me a very convenient pulpit. Here wellnigh the whole town, high and low, rich and poor, assembled together. Nor was there a word to be heard or a smile seen from one end of the congregation to the other. It was just the same the three following evenings. Indeed I was afraid on Saturday that the roaring of the sea, raised by the north wind, would have prevented their hearing. But God gave me so clear and strong a voice that I believe scarce one word was lost.

Sun. 14.-At eight I chose a large ground, the sloping side of a meadow, where the congregation stood row above row, so that all might see as well as hear. It was a beautiful sight. Every one seemed to take to himself what was spoken. I believe every backslider in the town was there. And surely God was there to ' heal their backslidings.'

I began at Zennor, as soon as the church service ended: I suppose scarce six persons went away. Seeing many there who did once run well, I addressed myself to them in particular. The spirit of mourning was soon poured out; and some of them wept bitterly. Oh that the Lord may yet return unto them, and ' leave a blessing behind Him '!

At five I went once more into the ground at St. Ives, and found such a congregation as I think was never seen in a place before (Gwennap excepted) in this county. Some of the chief of the town were now not in the skirts, but in the thickest of the people. The clear sky, the setting sun, the smooth, still water, all agreed with the state of the audience. Is anything too hard for God May we not well say, in every sense-

Thou dost the raging sea control,

And smooth the prospect of the deep;

Thou mak'st the sleeping billows roll,

Thou mak'st the rolling billows sleep.[ Altered from Tate and Brady's version of Psalm Ixxxix. 9. Wesley has finely substituted ' raging' for ' lawless' and ' smooth' for ' change.' Cf. Watts' version; Virgil, Aen. I. 65, 66; and Meth. Hymn-Book, 49, ver. 6 (W.HJS.Vol. T. p. 182).]

Mon. 15.-I inquired concerning the uncommon storm which was here on March 9, the last year. It began near the Land's End, between nine and ten at night, and went eastward not above a mile broad, over St. Just, Morvah, Zennor, St. Ives, and Gwinear, whence it turned northward over the sea. It uncovered all the houses in its way, and was accompanied with impetuous rain. About a mile south-east from St. Ives it tore up a rock, twelve or fourteen ton weight, from the top of a rising ground, and whirled it down upon another, which it split through, and at the same time dashed itself in pieces. It broke down the pinnacles of Gwinear church, which forced their way through the roof. And it was remarkable, the rain which attended it was as salt as any sea-water.

Sept 1760

Wesley on William Law

At one I preached in Madron parish, and then rede to St. Just. I have not seen such a congregation here for twice seven years. Abundance of backsliders being present, I chiefly applied to them. Some of them smiled at first, but it was not long before their mirth was turned into mourning; and I believe few, if any, went away without a witness from God that He ' willeth not the death of a sinner.'

Tues. 16.-At five the room was near full; and the great power of God was in the midst of them. It was now accompanied with one unusual effect: the mouth of those whom it most affected was literally stopped. Several of them came to me and could not speak one word; very few could utter three sentences. I rejoined to the society ten or eleven backsliders, and added some new members. Here (as at Port Isaac, St. Agnes, and St. Ives) we are called to thankfulness; and at most other places to patience.

All the day it blew a storm, and in the evening, though the rain ceased, the furious wind continued. I ordered all the windows of the preaching-house to be set open, so that most could hear without as well as within. I preached on ' He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.' And again God applied His word, both to wound and to heal them that were already wounded.

About this time I wrote the following letter:

To THE EDITOR OF 'THE LONDON CHRONICLE'

September 17, 1760.

Sir,

As you sometimes insert things of a religious nature in your

paper, I shall count it a favour if you will insert this[The first volume of this edition of the Journal confirms the belief, already rooted by ungrudging admissions, of Wesley's indebtedness, especially in early life, to Law's teaching. In Oxford he read his Christian Perfection. During his voyage to Georgia, and afterwards, Law's Serious Call and Christian Perfection ranked among the text-books of his devotional society classes. He never really lost his admiration for the ' oracle.' His anger against Law was caused by the latter's acceptance, in old age, of Jacob Behmen's mysticism-an error into which Wesley himself at one time was nearly entrapped. He judged, not unreasonably, that it was a type of touching which, like Moravian ' stillness,' was likely to do harm among the Methodist societies. He published a carefully prepared extract from Law's Christian Perfection in 1743, and the Serious Call a year later. Of the latter he wrote:' A treatise which will hardly be excelled, if it be equalled, in the English tongue, either for beauty of expression or for justness and depth of thought" (Works, vol. vii. p. 297). Canon Overton, in his Life of Law, says: ' The most famous, if not the greatest of all Law's works, next to the Bible it contributed more than any other book to the rise and spread of the great Evangelical Revival of the eighteenth century' (p. 109). Law died in 1761.]

Some years ago I published ' A Letter to Mr. Law '; and, about the same time, ' An Address to the Clergy.' Of the former, Mr. Law gives the following account, in his Collection of Letters lately published:

'To answer Mr. Wesley's letter seems to be quite needless, because there is nothing substantial or properly argumentative in it. I was once a kind of oracle to Mr. W------. I judged him to be much under the power of his own spirit. To this was owing the false censure which he published against the Mystics, as enemies to good works' (pp. 128, 130). ' His letter is such a juvenile composition of emptiness and pertness as is below the character of any man who had been serious in religion for half a month. It was not ability, but necessity, that put his pen into his hand. He had preached much against my books, and forbade his people the use of them; and, for a cover of all this, he promised, from time to time, to write against them; therefore an answer was to be made at all adventures. He and the Pope conceive the same reasons for condemning the mystery revealed by Jacob Behmen' (p. 190).

Of the latter he gives this account: ' The pamphlet you sent is worse than no advice at all; but infinitely beyond Mr. Wesley's Babylonish Address to the Clergy; almost all of which is empty babble, fitter for an old grammarian that was grown blear-eyed in mending dictionaries than for one who had tasted of the powers of the world to come' (p. 198).

I leave others to judge whether an answer to that letter be quite needless or no; and whether there be anything substantial in it; but certainly there is something argumentative. The very queries relating to Jacob's Philosophy are arguments, though not in form; and perhaps most of them will be thought conclusive arguments by impartial readers. Let these likewise judge if there are not arguments in it (whether conclusive or no) relating to that entirely new system of divinity which he has revealed to the world.

It is true that Mr. Law, whom I love and reverence now, was once 'a kind of oracle" to me. He thinks I am still 'under the power of my ' own spirit,' as opposed to the Spirit of God. If I am, yet my censure of the Mystics is not at all owing to this, but to my reverence for the Oracles of God, which, while I was fond of them, I regarded less and less; till, at length, finding I could not follow both, I exchanged the Mystic writers for the scriptural.

Sept. 1760

In West Cornwall

It is sure, in exposing the Philosophy of Behmen, I use ridicule as well as argument; and yet, I trust I have, by the grace of God, been in some measure ' serious in religion,' not ' half a month ' only, but ever since I was six years old, which is now about half a century. I do not know that the Pope has condemned him at all, or that he has any reason so to do. My reason is this, and no other: I think he contradicts Scripture, reason, and himself; and that he has seduced many unwary souls from the Bible-way of salvation. A strong conviction of this, and a desire to guard others against that dangerous seduction, laid me under a necessity of writing that letter. I was under no other necessity; though I doubt not but Mr. Law heard I was, and very seriously believed it. I very rarely mention his books in public; nor are they in the way of one in a hundred of those whom he terms my people; meaning, I suppose, the people called Methodists. I had therefore no temptation, any more than power, to forbid the use of them to the Methodists in general. Whosoever informed Mr. Law of this wanted either sense or honesty.[ ' Ability or integrity' is the phrase which was used in the first edition. Wesley's choice of words, and, as here, hiscorrections, are often a study in synonyms.]

He is so deeply displeased with the Address to the Clergy, because it speaks strongly in favour of learning; but still, if this part of it is only ' fit for an old grammarian, grown blear-eyed in mending dictionaries,' it will not follow that ' almost all of it is mere empty babble'; for a large part of it much more strongly insists on a single eye and a clean heart. Heathen philosophers may term this ' empty babble '; but let not Christians either account or call it so!'[On the 17th he preached at Newlyn and Penzance.]

Wed. 17.-The room at St. Just was quite full at five, and God gave us a parting blessing. At noon I preached on the cliff near Penzance, where no one now gives an uncivil word. Here I procured an account, from an eye-witness, of what happened the twenty-seventh of last month. A round pillar, narrowest at bottom, of a whitish colour, rose out of the sea near Mousehole, and reached the clouds. One who was riding over the strand from Marazion to Penzance saw it stand for a short space, and then move swiftly toward her, till, the skirt of it touching her, the horse threw her and ran away. It had a strong sulphurous smell. It dragged with it abundance of sand and pebbles from the shore; and then went over the land, carrying with it corn, furze, or whatever it found in its way. It was doubtless a kind of water-spout; but a water-spout on land, I believe, is seldom seen. The storm drove us into the house at Newlyn also.

Thur. 18.-As we rode from thence, in less than half an hour we were wet to the skin; but when we came to Penhale the rain ceased, and, the people flocking from all parts, we had a comfortable opportunity together. About six I preached near Helston.[ At St. John's. This entry in the Sermon Register, and the one above, are explained by the following: 'About this time a society was formed and met by Peter Quintrel in Mrs. Warren's house at St. John's-five in number. In a short time they increased to fourteen men and several women' (Mah. Mag. 1835, p. 137). A chapel,still standing, was built here (now used as a warehouse).] The rain stopped till I had done, and soon after was as violent as before.

Fri. 19.-I rode to Illogan. We had heavy rain before I began, but scarce any while I was preaching. I learned several other particulars here concerning the water-spout. It was seen near Mousehole an hour before sunset. About sunset it began travelling over the land, tearing up all the furze and shrubs it met. Near an hour after sunset it passed (at the rate of four or five miles an hour) across Mr. Harris's fields, in Camborne, sweeping the ground as it went, about twenty yards diameter at bottom, and broader and broader up to the clouds. It made a noise like thunder, took up eighteen stacks of corn, with a large hay-stack and the stones whereon it stood, scattered them all abroad (but it was quite dry), and then passed over the cliff into the sea.

Sat. 20.-In the evening I took my old stand in the main street at Redruth. A multitude of people, rich and poor, calmly attended.[ On Sat. the aoth he preached also at Besore.] So is the roughest become one of the quietest towns in England.[ The Sermon Register, which occasionally at this time becomes irregular, gives the following: St. Ewe for the 2lst, ' St. Austle' for the 22nd and 24th, and St. Stephen's for the 25th.]

Sun. 21.-I preached in the same place at eight. Mr. C------, of Cubert, preached at the church both morning andafternoon, and strongly confirmed what I had spoken. At one, the day being mild and calm, we had the largest congregation of all; but it rained all the time I was preaching at Gwennap.

We concluded the day with a lovefeast, at which James Roberts, a tinner of St. Ives, related how God had dealt with his soul. He was one of the first in society in St. Ives, but soon relapsed into his old sin, drunkenness, and wallowed in it for two years, during which time he headed the mob who pulled down the preaching-house.[ See above, vol. iii. p. 128-the preaching-house which the mob pulled down for joy that Admiral Matthews had beaten the Spaniards.] Not long after, he was standing with his partner at Edward May's shop when the preacher went by. His partner said,' I will tell him I am a Methodist." ' Nay,' said Edward, ' your speech will bewray you.1 James felt the word as a sword, thinking in himself, ' So does my speech now bewray me!' He turned and hastened home, fancying he heard the devil stepping after him all the way. For forty hours he never closed his eyes, nor tasted either meat or drink. He was then at his wit's end, and went to the window, looking to drop into hell instantly, when he heard those words, ' I will be merciful to thy unrighteousness, thy sins and iniquities will I remember no more.' All his load was gone, and he has now for many years walked worthy of the gospel.[ On the 21st he wrote from Redruth to Charles Wesley (Works, vol. xii. p. 119), a mysterious letter concerning Sister A. (possibly his sister, Mrs. Lambert) andhonest James R-----. He tells Charles that everywhere he speaks of bribery and ' run goods,'and doubts whether Gambold has found happiness among the Moravians.]

Mon. 22.-I preached at Penryn in the evening. It rained before and after, but not while I was preaching. While we were at prayer a sheet of light seemed to fill the yard, and ' the voice of the Lord' was heard over our heads. This fixed the impression they had received upon the minds of many; as if it had said, in express terms,' Prepare to meet thy God!'[On the 27th he preached again at Liskeard.]

On Wednesday evening, having (over and above meeting the societies) preached thirty times in eleven days, I found myself a little exhausted; but a day's rest set me up: so on Friday the 26th I preached at noon again near Liskeard. In the afternoon we had rain and wind enough, and when we came to Saltash, no boat would venture out; so we were obliged to take up our lodgings there.

Sat. 27.-Finding there was no hope of passing here, the wind being as high as ever, we determined to ride round by the new bridge.The rain still fell on either side; but for near twenty miles we had not one drop, and not a considerable shower all day. Soon after four in the afternoon we came safe to Plymouth Dock.[ Ordinary passengers might count upon crossing the Tamar at Saltash on a big flat-bottomed boat. Horses required an education for this crossing-an education which Wesley's horses had no doubt received. But on the present occasion the ordinary ferry-boat was not available because of the storm. The travellers were compelled to take the road toward Callington, turning eastward under Kithill to Gunnislake; this would be quite twelve miles from Saltash. One almost wonders that Wesley did not here insert a description of Gunnislake as it then was, and of the graceful new bridge existing in 1760, which had become the one attractive feature of the scene. Turner's painting, ' Crossing the Brook,' now hung in the National Gallery, refers to the Tamar at Newbridge. Mr. Henry Roseveare, to whom we are indebted for this interesting geographical description, knows the neighborhood well and the painting. He adds: ' The graceful arches of the New Bridge are painted with great minuteness and faithfulness.' The journey across to Tavistock, thence by the high and exposed road to Plymouth Dock, would be nine or ten miles; this, with the twelve miles on the other side of the river, would account for Wesley's twenty miles.]

I had but a melancholy prospect here, finding most of the people dead as stones; and when I took an account of the society, only thirty-four out of seventy were left. At seven in the evening, and at five in the morning, I strongly exhorted them to return to God. At eight I did the same, and at five in the afternoon; and God made His word as a hammer. At the meeting of the society, likewise, strong and effectual words were given me. Many were convinced afresh; many backsliders cut to the heart; and I left once more between sixty and seventy members.[ On Sept. 28 John Wesley, being then in Plymouth Dock, wrote to his brother respecting (i) his correspondence with Law; (2) Charles's health; (3) the injury done to Cornwall by his own prolonged absence and the unfaithfulness of the preachers; and (4) Mr. Walker of Truro, who had been at Hotwells for a month for his health. ( Work!, vol. xii. p. 120.)]

Mon. 29.-Being invited by the minister of Week St. Mary to preach in his church, I crossed over the country, and came thither about four in the afternoon. The congregation was large, considering the weather, and quite attentive and unconcerned. Hence I rode on to Mill House, and the next day to Cullompton; where, finding the congregation waiting, I began preaching without delay, and felt no weariness or want of strength till I had delivered my message to them.

Oct 1760

Return to Kingswood

Oct. 1, Wed.-After preaching at five, I examined the society, and found them more alive to God than I had done for many years. About one I preached at Halberton,[ See memoir of Mrs. Anne Harwood Bale, of Halberton, one of the first members there (Mcth. Mag. 1808, p. 509). Her parents were the ifirst to receive the preachers in 1750. The memoir of her daughter, Mrs. Hellyer, of Sampford, says that Mr. and Mrs. Bale were the hosts of Wesley in all his later visits to Halberton. (_Mcth. Mag.1843, PP796, 797-)] and at Tiverton in the evening. The next morning I rode to Maiden Down, where the congregation was waiting for me. About noon I preached at Taunton.[ See remarkable story of a persecuting rioter (Thomas Dingle) at Taunton, who came back in later years as superintendent of the circuit. (Meth. Mag. 1829, p. 279.)] The rain lessened the congregation at Bridgwater; a dead, uncomfortable place, at best. About seven we set out thence for Bawdrip, in as dark a night as I ever saw; but God gave His angels charge over us, and we dashed not our foot against a stone.

I was surprised to see a congregation at five in the morning, to whom I spoke with much enlargement of heart. About one I preached at Shepton Mallet, and about seven in the evening at Bristol.

Sun. 5.-I perceived, by the liveliness of the people, that Mr. Gilbert's [Nicholas Gilbert must be distinguished from Nathaniel and Francis Gilbert of Antigua. Atmore says {Memorial, p. 156): ' He was a man of deep piety, who was snatched away in the dawn of his usefulness.' See also April 19, 1763. On March 6, 1760, Wesley wrote a remarkable letter to Nicholas Gilbert respecting the action of Paul Greenwood, John Murlin, and Thomas Mitchell, who had given the sacrament at Norwich. ' They did it without any ordination, either by bishops or elders: upon the sole authority of a sixpenny licence: nay, all had not that. Do you think they acted right If the other preachers follow their example, not only separation but general confusion must follow. My soul abhors the thought of separating from the Church of England.' He closes the letter with the following words: ' Now consider, and speak your mind. Will you take me for your father, brother, friend or will you not' (Tyerman's Life of Wesley, vol. ii. p. 382.)] labor had not been in vain. But I found some exercise too; and this is always to be expected among a large body of people, it being certain that, as ' all men have not faith,' so all believers have not wisdom.

Sun. 12.-I visited the classes at Kingswood. Here only there is no increase; and yet, where was there such a prospect till that weak man, John Cennick, confounded the poor people with strange doctrines Oh what mischief may be done by one that means well! We see no end of it to this day.

In the afternoon Oct. 12 I had appointed the children to meet at Bristol whose parents were of the society. Thirty of them came to-day, and above fifty more on the Sunday [ipth], and Thursday [23rd] following. About half of these I divided into four classes, two of boys, and two of girls; and appointed proper leaders to meet them separate. I met them all together twice a week; and it was not long before God began to touch some of their hearts.

On Tuesday 14th and Wednesday I visited some of the societies in the country.[ The Sermon Register gives the following appointments: i6th, Bristol; I7th, Coleford; 2Oth, Bristol; 24th, Frome; 25th, Bristol; 26th, Kingswood.] On Thursday I returned to Bristol, and in the afternoon preached a charity sermon in Newgate for the use of the poor prisoners.[ The Bristol CAronicle reported that at 3 p.m. on the l6th, a charity sermon

was preached in Newgate for the relief of the poor debtors, and again on Friday the 24th. Wesley repeated this description of reformed Newgate in a letter to The London Chronicle (see below, p. 427),]

What a change is in this place since I knew it first (i) Every part of it, above stairs and below, even the pit, wherein the felons are confined at night, is as clean and sweet as a gentleman's house: it being a rule that every prisoner wash and thoroughly cleanse his apartment twice a week. (2) Here is no fighting or brawling. If any think himself aggrieved, the cause is immediately referred to the keeper, who hears the contending parties face to face, and decides the affair at once. (3) The usual grounds of quarrelling are taken away, for it is very rarely that any one cheats or wrongs another, as being sure, if anything of this kind is discovered, to be more closely confined. (4) Here is no drunkenness suffered, however advantageous it might be to the keeper and tapster. (5) Nor any whoredom, the women prisoners being narrowly observed, and kept apart from the men, and no women of the town being now admitted, no, not at any price. (6) All possible care is taken to prevent idleness. Those who are willing to work at their callings are provided with tools and materials, partly by the keeper who gives them credit at a moderate profit, partly by the alms occasionally given, which are divided with the utmost impartiality. Accordingly at this time, a shoemaker, a tailor, a brazier, and a coach-maker are all employed. (7) On the Lord's day they neither work nor play, but dress themselves as clean as they can, to attend the public service in the chapel, at which every person under the roof is present. None is excused unless sick, in which case he is provided both with proper advice and medicines. (8) To assist them in spirituals as well as temporals, they have a sermon preached every Sunday and Thursday. And a large Bible is chained on one side of the chapel, which any of the prisoners may read. By the blessing of God on these regulations, the whole prison has a new face. Nothing offends either the eye or ear, and the whole has the appearance of a quiet, serious family.[ The bracketed portion is from the 1st ed.]

Oct. 1760

Death of George II

On the three following days I spoke severally to the members of the society. As many of them increase in worldly goods, the great danger I apprehend now is their relapsing into the spirit of the world; and then their religion is but a dream.

Wed. 22.-Being informed that some neighboring gentlemen had declared they would apprehend the next preacher who came to Pensford,[ Preaching had been resumed at Pensford by the preachers from Bristol on the initiative of Mr. and Mrs. William Wait. For this family, see also E.M.P. vol. vi. p. 120; W.M. Mag. 1830, p. 445; and W.H.S. vol. vi. pp. 130-2. Afterwards Mr. Wait was 'the chief instrument in getting a chapel erected in Pensford' (Metk. Ma. 1808, pp. 132, 133). His mother was an early convert at Rangeworthy. She and William, then a boy, would walk over to Kingswood School every Sunday, six or seven miles, to hear the preaching.] I rode over to give them the meeting; but none appeared. The house was more than filled with deeply attentive hearers. It seems the time is come at length for the word of God to take root here also.

Fri. 24.-I visited the French prisoners at Knowle,[ In The Bristol Chronicle appeared the following notice: ' A charity sermon will be preached at the New Room in the Horsefair on Sunday evening at 8 o'clock, by the Rev. John Wesley for the use of the French prisoners at Knowle' {Bristol Chronicle, Oct. 23, 1760, p. 243). See above, p. 355.] and found many of them almost naked again. In hopes of provoking others to jealousy, I made another collection for them, and ordered the money to be laid out in linen and waistcoats, which were given to those that were most in want.

Sat. 25.-King George was gathered to his fathers. When will England have a better Prince

Many of us agreed to observe Friday the 31st as a day of fasting and prayer for the blessing of God upon our nation and in particular on his present Majesty. We met at five, at nine, at one, and at half-hour past eight. I expected to be a little tired, but was more lively after twelve at night than I was at six in the morning.

Nov. 1, Sat.-I had the pleasure of spending a little time with that venerable man, Mr. Walker, of Truro. I fear his physicians do not understand his case. If he recovers, it must be through an almighty Physician.[ He died this year (1760).]

Mon. 3.-I left Bristol, and took Bath, Bradford, and Frome, in my way to Salisbury, where I spent a day with much satisfaction.

Fri. 7.-I preached about nine, at Andover, to a few dead stones; at one in Whitchurch, and in the evening at Basingstoke. The next day, Saturday the 8th, I was once more brought safe to London.[ On the gth he preached at the Foundery, Wapping, and West Street. On the loth he wrote a PS. to Primitive Physick (Works, vol. xiv. p. 317), and on the nth wrote to 'A Member' ( Works, vol. x. p. 276).]

I spent about a fortnight, as usual, in examining the society-j a heavy but necessary labor.

Mon. 17.-I sent the following letter:

To THE EDITOR or 'LLOYD'S EVENING POST'

November 17, 1760.

Sir,[ Spirat tragicum satis, et feliciter audet' (Horace, Epist. II. i. 166), 'He breathes sufficiently the tragic spirit, and is successfully daring.' This quotation from Horace appeared at the head of the letter as originally printed. See copy in Richmond College Interleaved Journal.]

In your last paper we had a letter from a very angry gentleman (though he says he had put himself into as good [a] humour as possible), who personates a clergyman, but is, I presume, in reality, a retainer to the theatre. He is very warm against the people vulgarly called Methodists, 'ridiculous impostors,' 'religious buffoons,' as he styles them; ' saint-errants' (a pretty and quaint phrase), full of ' inconsiderateness, madness, melancholy, enthusiasm'; teaching a ' knotty and unintelligible system' of religion, yea, a ' contradictory or self-contradicting '; nay, a ' mere illusion,' a ' destructive scheme, and of pernicious consequence'; since 'an hypothesis is a very slippery foundation to hazard our all upon.'

Nov. 1760

Letter to 'Lloyd's Evening Post'

Me thinks the gentleman has a little mistaken his character: he seems to have exchanged the sock for the buskin. But, be this as it may, general charges prove nothing. Let us come to particulars. Here they are: ' The basis of Methodism is the grace of assurance' (excuse a little impropriety of expression), ' regeneration being only a preparative to it.' Truly this is somewhat ' knotty and unintelligible.' I will endeavor to help him out. The fundamental doctrine of the people called Methodists is, Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the true faith; the faith which works by love; which, by means of the love of God and our neighbor, produces both inward and outward holiness. This faith is an evidence of things not seen; and he that thus believes is regenerate, or born of God; and he has the witness in himself (call it assurance, or what you please): the Spirit itself witnesses with his spirit that he is a child of God. ' From what scripture' every one of these propositions ' is collected,' any common Concordance will show. ' This is the true portraiture of Methodism,' so called. ' A religion superior to this' (the love of God and man) none can ' enjoy,' either in time or in eternity.

But the Methodists do not hold ' good works meritorious.' No; neither does ours, or any other Protestant Church. But meantime they hold it is their bounden duty, as they have time, to do good unto all men; and they know the day is coming wherein God will reward every man according to his works.

But they 'act with sullenness and sourness, and account innocent gaiety and cheerfulness a crime almost as heinous as sacrilege.' Who does Name the men. I know them not, and therefore doubt the fact; though it is very possible you account that kind of gaiety innocent which I account both foolish and sinful.

I know none who denies that true religion, that is, love-the love of God and our neighbor-' elevates our spirits, and renders our minds cheerful and serene.' It must, if it be accompanied, as we believe it always is, with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; and if it produces a conscience void of offence toward God and toward Mon.

But they ' preach up religion only to accomplish a lucrative design, to fleece their hearers, to accumulate wealth, to rob and plunder, which they esteem meritorious.' We deny the fact. Who is able to prove it Let the affirmer produce his witnesses, or retract.

This is the sum of your correspondent's charge, not one article of which can be proved; but whether it can or no, ' we have made them,' says he, ' a theatrical scoff, and the common jest and scorn of every chorister in the street.' It may be so; but whether you have done well herein may still admit of a question. However, you cannot but wish ' we had some formal Court of Judicature erected' (happy Portugal and Spain!) ' to take cognizance of such matters.' Nay, Cur optas quod habes [Horace, Sat. I. iii. 126 (IV.ff.S. vol. v. p. 49).] Why do you wish for what you have already The Court is erected; the holy, devout play-house [In the summer season of the year Foote had brought out his comedy, The Minor. For an account of this discreditable play, of which Lloyd's Evening Post said that it would be ' criminal even to reproduce the plot," see Green's Anti-Methodist Publications, No. 298. On Foote, Jephson, and Downes, see Tyerman's Life, vol. ii. pp. 367-9.] is become the house of mercy; and does take cognizance hereof, 'of all pretenders to sanctity, and happily furnishes us with a discerning spirit to distinguish betwixt right and wrong." But I do not stand to their sentence; I appeal to Scripture and reason, and by these alone consent to be judged. I am, sir,

Your humble servant,

John Wesley.[ On Nov. 19 he preached at the Bulland-Mouth.]

Sat. 22[On this day Berridge wrote to Wesley (Arm. Mag. 1797, p. 305), in reply to a letter written from Dublin seven months previously {Arm. Mag. 1780, p. 499).]-I was obliged to trouble him with another letter, as follows:

Sir,

Just as I had finished the letter published in your last Friday's paper, four tracts came to my hands; one wrote, or procured to be wrote, by Mrs. Downes[Rev. Alex. Jephson, rector of Craike, Co. Durham (Green's Anti-Methodist Publications, No. 297). John Downes was rector of St. Michael's, Wood Street. See Works, vol. ix. p. 96, for Wesley's reply to his tract.] one by a clergyman [A copy of this rare pamphlet is in the Conference Office Library. Green refers to it {Anti-Methodist Publications, No. 283). It says that 'there are four large tribes or families [of Methodists]: the Wheslers, the Whiflers, the Madmen, and the Romancers (so called from their leaders, Wesley, Whitefield, Madan, and Romaine)'!] in the county of Durham; the third, by a gentleman of Cambridge; and the fourth, by a member (I suppose, dignitary) of the Church of Rome. How gladly would I leave all these to themselves, and let them say just what they please as my day is far spent, and my taste for controversy is utterly lost and gone. But this would not be doing justice to the world, who might take silence for a proof of guilt. I shall therefore say a word concerning each. I may, perhaps, some time say more to one or two of them.

The letter which goes under Mrs. Downes's name scarce deserves any notice at all, as there is nothing extraordinary in it, but an extraordinary degree of virulence and scurrility.6 Two things only I remark concerning it, which I suppose the writer of it knew as well as me: (i) That my letter to Mr. Downes was both wrote and printedbefore Mr. Downes died. (2) That when I said, Tibi parvula res est [Horace, Epist. I. xviii. 29. (W.H.S. vol. v. p. 49.) ] ('Your ability is small') I had no view to his fortune, which I knew nothing of; but, as I there expressly say, to his wit, sense, and talents as a writer.

The tract wrote by the gentleman in the north is far more bulky than this; but it is more considerable for its bulk than for its matter, being little more than a dull repetition of what was published some years ago in The Enthusiasm of the Methodists and Papists Compared.' [Warburton considered Lavington's work as a bad copy of StillingBeefs Fanaticism of the Church of Rome.] I do not find the author adds anything new, unless we may bestow that epithet on a sermon annexed to his address, which, I presume, will do neither good nor harm. So I leave the Durham gentleman, with Mrs. Downes, to himself and his admirers.

The author of the letter to Mr. Berridge is a more considerable writer.[ Dr. John Green, Dean of Lincoln. See Green's Anti-Methodist Publications Nos. 294 and 315. He was first a sizar in St. John's College, Cambridge, afterwards Bishop of Lincoln.] In many things I wholly agree with him, though not in admiring Dr. Taylor; but there is a bitterness even in him which I should not have expected in a gentleman and a scholar. So in the very first page I read, ' The Church, which most of your graceless fraternity have deserted.' Were the fact true (which it is not), yet is the expression to be commended Surely Dr. Green himself thinks it is not. I am sorry too for the unfairness of his quotations. For instance: he cites me (p. 53) as speaking of ' faith shed abroad in men's hearts like lightning.' Faith shed abroad in men's hearts! I never used such an expression in my life: I do not talk after this rate. Again, he quotes, as from me (p. 57), so, I presume, Mr. W. means, ' a behaviour [Obviously a misprint for ' believer. It was corrected in the second edition of Dr. Green's pamphlet. Both editions are in the Conference Office Library.] does not pretend to add the least to what Christ has done.' But be these words whose they may, they are none of mine. I never spoke, wrote, no, nor read them before. Once more, is it well judged for any writer to show such an utter contempt of his opponents as you affect to do with regard to the whole body of people vulgarly termed Methodists ' You may keep up,' say you, ' a little bush-fighting in controversy; you may skirmish awhile with your feeble body of irregulars; but you must never trust to your skill in reasoning' (p. 77). Upon this I would ask, (i) if these are such poor, silly creatures, why does so wise a man set his wit to them ' Shall the King of Israel go out against a flea' (2) If it should happen that any one of these silly bush-fighters steps out into the plain, engages hand to hand, and foils this champion by mere dint of reason, will not his defeat be so much the more shameful as it was more unexpected But I say the less at present, not only because Mr. Berridge is able to answer for himself, but because the title-page bids me expect a letter more immediately addressed to myself.

The last tract, entitled A Caveat against the Methodists, is, in reality, a caveat against the Church of England, or rather, against all the Churches in Europe who dissent from the Church of Rome.[ For a longer criticism see below,P434] Nor do I apprehend the writer to be any more disgusted at the Methodists than at Protestants of every denomination; as he cannot but judge it equally unsafe to join to any society but that of Rome. Accordingly, all his arguments are levelled at the Reformed Churches in general, and conclude just as well if you put the word Protestant throughout in the place of the word Methodist. Although, therefore, the author borrows my name to wound those who suspect nothing less, yet I am no more concerned to refute him than any other Protestant in England; and still the less, as those arguments are refuted over and over in books which are still common among us.

But is it possible any Protestants, nay, Protestant clergymen, should buy these tracts to give away Is, then, the introducing Popery the only way to overthrow Methodism If they know this, and choose Popery as the smaller evil of the two, they are consistent with themselves. But if they do not intend this, I wish them more seriously to consider what they do. I am, sir,

Your humble servant,

John Wesley.

Mon. 24.-I visited as many as I could of the sick. How much better is it, when it can be done, to carry relief to the poor, than to send it! and that both for our own sake and theirs. For theirs, as it is so much more comfortable to them, and as we may then assist them in spirituals as well as temporals; and for our own, as it is far more apt to soften our heart, and to make us naturally care for each other.[ On Sat., Nov. 29, he preached at Snowsfields.]

Dec. 1, Mon.-I went in the machine to Canterbury. In going and returning I read over The Christian Philosopher [Two books were published under this title during the eighteenth century, one by Dr. Cotton Mather, the other by Nicholas Robinson, M.D. It is impossible to infer from Wesley's words to which of these he refers.] It is a very extraordinary book, containing, among many (as some would be apt to term them) wild thoughts, several fine and striking observations, not to be found in any other treatise.

Wed. 3.-I rode to Dover. Who would have expected to find here some of the best singers in England I found likewise-what was better still-a serious, earnest people. There was a remarkable blessing among them, both in the evening and the morning; so that I did not regret the having been wet to the skin in my way to them.[ On Dec. 9 he wrote to the Rev. Mr. Furly (Meth. Rec. Oct. 17, 1907), and on the 12th to ' A Member' ( Works, vol. xii. p. 276); and Mr. T. H----- {London Magazine, 1760, p. 651; Works, vol. xiii. p. 387).]

Fri. 12.-Having as far as Hyde Park Corner to go, I took a coach for part of the way, ordering the man to stop anywhere at the end of Piccadilly next the Haymarket. He stopped exactly at the door of one of our friends, whose mother, above ninety years old, had long desired to see me, though I knew it not. She was exceedingly comforted, and could not tell how to praise God enough for giving her the desire of her soul.[ On Thur., Dec. 18, he preached at Zoar.]

We observed Friday the ipth as a day of fasting and prayer for our King and country, and the success of the gospel, and part of the answer immediately followed, in the remarkable increase of believers and in the strengthening of those who had before attained that precious faith, 'unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.'

Sat. 20.-In the evening I hastened back from Snowsfields to meet the penitents (a congregation which I wish always to meet myself), and walked thither again at five in the morning. Blessed be God, I have no reason or pretence to spare myself yet. I preached a charity sermon in West Street Chapel, both morning and afternoon; but many were obliged to go away, finding it impossible to get in. Is it novelty still which draws these from all parts No; but the mighty power of God.

Today I sent the following letter:

To THE EDITOR OF ' LLOYD'S EVENING POST '

To Mr. T. H., alias E. L., &c., &c.

What, my good friend again! Only a little disguised with a new name, and a few scraps of Latin! I hoped, indeed, you had been pretty well satisfied before; but since you desire to hear a little farther from me, I will add a few words, and endeavor to set our little controversy in a still clearer light.

Last month you publicly attacked the people called Methodists, without either fear or wit. You charged them with ' madness, enthusiasm self-contradiction, imposture,' and what not! I considered each charge, and, I conceive, refuted it to the satisfaction of all indifferent persons. You renewed the attack, not by proving anything, but affirming the same things over and over. I replied; and, without taking notice of the dull, low scurrility, either of the first or second letter, confined myself to the merits of the cause, and cleared away the dirt you had thrown.

You now heap together ten paragraphs more, most of which require very little answer. In the first you say, ' Your foolishness is become the wonder and admiration of the public.' In the second, ' The public blushes for you, till you give a better solution to the articles demanded of you.' In the third, you cite my words, I still maintain ' the Bible, with the Liturgy and Homilies of our Church; and do not espouse any other principles but what are consonant to the Book of Common Prayer.' You keenly answer, ' Granted, Mr. Methodist; but whether or no you would not espouse other principles if you durst is evident enough from some innovations you have already introduced, which I shall attempt to prove in the subsequent part of my answer.' Indeed you will not. You neither prove, nor attempt to prove, that I would espouse other principles if I durst. However, you give me a deadly thrust: ' You falsify the first Article of the Athanasian Creed.' But how so Why, I said, ' The fundamental doctrine of the people called Methodists is, Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the true faith.' Sir, shall I tell you a secret-It was for the readers of your class that I changed the hard word Catholic into an easier.

In the fourth paragraph you say, ' Did you never use that phrase, The grace of assurance" ' Never, that I remember, either in preaching or writing; both your ears and eyes have been very unhappy if they informed you I did: and how many soever look either sorrowful or joyful, that will not prove the contrary. ' But produce your texts.' What, for a phrase I never use I pray you, have me excused. But (as I said before), ' from what scripture every one of my propositions is collected, any common Concordance will show.' To save you trouble, I will for once point out those scriptures. ' Whosoever will be saved must believe' (Mark xvi. 16; Acts xvi. 31). 'This faith works by love' (Gal. v. 6). It is 'an evidence of things not seen' (Heb. xi. i). ' He that believes is born of God' (i John v. i). 'He has the witness in himself (verse 10). 'The Spirit itself witnesses with his spirit, that he is a child of God' (Rom. viii. 16).

In the fifth you say, ' You embrace any shift to twist words to your own meaning.' This is saying just nothing. Any one may say this of any one. To prove it is another point. In the sixth you say, ' No Protestant divine ever taught your doctrine of assurance.' I hope you know no better; but it is strange you should not. Did you never see Bishop Hall's works Was not he a Protestant divine Was not Mr. Perkins, Bolton, Dr. Sibbs, Dr. Preston, Archbishop Leighton Inquire a little farther; and do not run thus hand over head, asserting you know not what. By assurance (if we must use the expression), I mean ' a confidence which a man hath in God that, by the merits of Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God.' Stop! Do not run your head into a noose again. These are the words of the Homily.

In the seventh you grant 'that works are not meritorious, unless accompanied with faith.' No, nor then neither. But pray do not talk of this any more, till you know the difference between meritorious and rewardable; otherwise your ignorance will cause you to blunder on without shame and without end.

In your eighth you throw out a hard word, which somebody has helped you to, Thaumaturg-what is it-about lay preachers. When you have answered the arguments in the Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, I will say something more upon that head.

In the ninth you say something, no way material, about the houses at Bristol, Kingswood, and Newcastle; and, in the last, you give me a fair challenge to a ' personal dispute.' Not so; you have fallen upon me in public; and to the public I appeal. Let all men, not any single umpire, judge whether I have not refuted your charge, and cleared the people called Methodists from the foul aspersions which, without why or wherefore, you had thrown upon them. Let all my countrymen judge which of us have spoken the words of truth and soberness, which has reason on his side, and which has treated the other with a temper suitable to the gospel.

If the general voice of mankind gives it against you, I hope you will be henceforth less flippant with your pen. I assure you, as little as you think of it, the Methodists are not such fools as you suppose. But their desire is to live peaceably with all men; and none desires this more than John Wesley.

About the close of this year I received a remarkable account from Ireland:

When Miss E------was about fifteen she frequently heard the preaching of the Methodists, so called\ and, though it made no deep impression, yet she retained a love for them ever after. About nineteen she was seized with a lingering illness. She then began to wrestle with God in prayer, that His love might be shed abroad in her heart. ' Then,' said she, ' how freely could I give up all that is dear to me in this world!' And from this very time she did not expect, nor indeed desire, to recover; but only to be cleansed from sin, and to go to Christ.

Some who visited her said, ' O miss, you need not fear; your innocence will bring you to heaven.' She earnestly replied, ' Unless the merits of Christ plead for me, and His nature be imparted to me, I can never enter there.' And she was incessantly breaking out into these and the like expressions, ' Oh that I knew my sins were forgiven! Oh that I was born again! My one wish is to know God, and be with Him eternally.'

She frequently sung or repeated that verse:

Oh that He would Himself impart,

And fix His Eden in my heart-

The sense of sin forgiven!

How would I then throw off my load,

And walk delightfully with God,

And follow Christ to heaven![ Charles Wesley's Syrlins for a Family, Poetical Works, vol. VU. p. 180. The last of six verses.]

Jan. 1761

To 'The London Chronicle'

She had now an earnest desire to see some of the Methodists, and spoke to several, to ask some of those in Tullamore to visit her. At length her importunity prevailed, and James Kelly [See Meth. Mag. Dublin, 1810, pp. 413-18, where a sketch of him is given.] was sent for. On his coming in, she said, ' I am exceeding glad to see you. I have had a longing desire of it this month past. I believe the power of God is with you. If I had health and strength, there should not be a sermon preached or a prayer put up in your preaching-house, but I would be there.'

I told her, ' I hope the Spirit of the Lord will be your present and eternal Comforter.' She answered, ' I can find no comfort in anything but in God alone.' While she spoke, her soul was melted down. The love of God was shed abroad in her heart, the tears ran down her cheeks, and she began to rejoice in God exceedingly. Her mother, seeing this, was fully convinced that there was more in religion than she had herself experienced; and began to pray, with many tears, that God would show her His salvation. This so affected me that I could not refrain from tears myself; so we all wept, and prayed, and sang praise together.

On my going to her a second time I found her truly alive to God. ' Oh,' she said, ' how I have longed to see you, that we may be happy in God together! Come, let us sing a hymn.' I gave out-

Of Him that did salvation bring,

I could for ever think and sing.[ The first two lines of a hymn popular in the time of the Wesleys. Author unknown. See W.H.S. vol. v. p. 183.]

She sang all the time with exceeding joy. Afterwards she said, ' This is a weary world; but I have almost done with it. Oh how I long to be gone! Some people tell me I may recover; but I do not thank them; I do not count them my friends.' On my saying occasionally, ' There is no satisfaction for sin but that which Christ has made by His precious blood,' she answered, ' That is all the satisfaction I want; and I believe He both lived and died for me.'

After this she gave a strict charge that none should be admitted to see her but such as could speak for God; saying, ' I do not love to have a word spoken which is not to edification. Oh how unsuitable to me are all the things which do not tend to the glory of my God!' On her spitting a large quantity of blood, one said, ' You are in great pain.' She answered, 'I think little of it. My blessed Redeemer suffered greater pain for me.'

When I stood up to go away she said, ' I now take my leave of you. Perhaps we may not meet again in this world; but I trust we shall meet in heaven. I am going to God. Oh may it be soon! I now feel a heaven in my soul.'

The last time I came was on Sunday, December 14. Hearing she was extremely ill and wanted rest, we did not go up, but after a while began singing below. She immediately heard, sat up in bed, and insisted on our being brought into the room and singing there. Many times she repeated these words: ' Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!' And this she continued to do till, on Wednesday the I7th, she resigned her soul into the hands of her dear Redeemer.

1761.SIR, JAN. 2.-I wrote the following letter [On January I, 1761, he preached at West Street.]:

To THE EDITOR OF 'THE LONDON CHRONICLE'

Sir,

Of all the seats of woe on this side hell, few, I suppose, exceed or even equal Newgate. If any region of horror could exceed it a few years ago, Newgate in Bristol did [Dagge was keeper of Newpate (Bristol). See article on Savage in Johnson's Lives of the Poets, vol. iii. p. 336, edition 1782; see above, vol. ii. p. 173; also Life of the C. of Huntingdon, vol. ii. p. 357. Johnson speaks highly of the 'tender jailer.']; so great was the filth, the stench, the misery, and wickedness, which shocked all who had a spark of humanity left. How was I surprised, then, when I was there a few weeks ago [In the first edition, his own graphic description of Newgate on Oct. 14, 1760, is here reprinted. See above pp. 416, 417.]!... And does not the keeper of Newgate deserve to be remembered full as well as the Man of Ross May the Lord remember him in that day! Meantime, will no one follow his example I am, sir,

Your humble servant,

JOHN WESLEY.

Mon. 5. - This week I wrote to the author of The Westminster Journal as follows [The New Weekly Miscellany, or Westminster Journal. The London Mag. fiercely attacked Wesley in 1761.]:

SIR,

I hope you are a person of impartiality; if so, you will not insert what is urged on one side of a question only, but likewise what is offered on the other.

Your correspondent is, doubtless, a man of sense, and he seems to write in a good humour; but he is extremely little acquainted with the persons of whom he undertakes to give an account.

There is ' gone abroad,' says he, ' an ungoverned spirit of enthusiasm, propagated by knaves, and embraced by fools.' Suffer me now to address the gentleman himself. Sir, you may call me both a knave and a fool; but prove me either the one or the other, if you can. ' Why, you are an enthusiast.' What do you mean by the term A believer in Jesus Christ An assertor of His equality with the Father, and of the entire Christian Revelation Do you mean one who maintains the antiquated doctrines of the New Birth and Justification by Faith Then I am an enthusiast. But if you mean anything else, either prove or retract the charge.

The enthusiasm which has lately gone abroad is faith which worketh by love. Does this 'endanger government itself Just the reverse. Fearing God, it honours the King. It teaches all men to be subject to the higher powers, not for wrath, but for conscience' sake.

But ' no power in England ought to be independent of the supreme power.' Most true; yet ' the Romanists own the authority of a Pope, independent of civil government." They do, and thereby show their ignorance of the English Constitution. ' In Great Britain we have many popes, for so I must call all who have the souls and bodies of their followers devoted to them.' Call them so, and welcome. But this does not touch me; nor Mr. Whitefield, Jones,[ Rev. Thomas Jones, M.A., of St. Saviour's^ Southwark. For a description of this devoted young clergyman, see Tyermnn's Life of Wesley, vol. ii. pp. 324, 325; and for a letter written hy him to Wesley, Arm. Mag. 1780, p. 164.] or Romaine; nor any whom I am acquainted with. None of us have our followers thus devoted to us. Those who follow the advice we constantly give are devoted to God, not Mon. But 'the Methodist proclaims he can bring into the field twenty-five thousand men.' What Methodist Where and when Prove this fact, and I will allow you I am a Turk.

(I) 'But it is said they are all good subjects. Perhaps they are; because under a Protestant Government they have all the indulgence they can wish for.' And do you seriously wish for a Popish Government to abridge them of that indulgence ' But has not a bad use been made of this Has not the decency of religion been perverted' Not in the least: the decency of religion is never so well advanced as by advancing inward and outward religion together. (2) ' Have not the minds of the vulgar been darkened to a total neglect of their civil and social duties' Just the contrary. Thousands in London, as well as elsewhere, have been enlightened to understand and prevailed on to practise those duties as they never did before. (3) ' Has not the peace of many families been ruined' The lost peace of many families has been restored. In others, a furious opposition to true religion has occasioned division, as our Lord foretold it would. (4) ' Have not the circumstances of many industrious tradesmen been hurt' I believe not. I know no instance; but I know a hundred tradesmen in London who began to be industrious since they began to fear God, and their circumstances, low enough till then, are now easy and affluent.

I am almost ashamed to spend time upon these threadbare objections, which have been answered over and over. But if they are advanced again, they must be answered again, lest silence should pass for guilt.

'But how can the Government distinguish between tenderness of conscience and schemes of interest' Nothing more easy. ' They may withdraw the licences of such.' Sir, you have forgot the question. Before they withdraw them, they are to distinguish whether they are such or no. And how are they to do this ' Oh, it is very easy!' So you leave them as wise as they were before.

But, ' the Methodist who pretends to be of the Church of England in forms of worship, and differs from her in point of doctrine, is not, let his pretences be what they will, a member of that Church.' Alas, sir! your friends will not thank you for this. You have broke their heads sadly. Is no man of the Church, let him pretend what he will, whodiffers from her in point of doctrine Au! obsecro; cave dixeris![ ' Stop, I beseech you, and beware of what you say'-two phrases from Terence. See W.H.S. vol. v. p. 49.] I know not but you may stumble upon scandalum magnatum.[ ' Libel on persons of exalted rank.'] But stay; you will bring them off quickly. ' A truly good man may scruple signing and swearing to Articles that his mind and reason cannot approve of.' But is he a truly good man who does not scruple signing and swearing to Articles which he cannot approve of However, this does not affect us, for we do not differ from our Church in point of doctrine. But all do who deny justification by faith: therefore, according to you, they are no members of the Church of England.

'Methodist preachers,' you allow, ' practise, sign, and swear whatever is required by law '-a very large concession; ' but the reserves they have are incommunicable and unintelligible.' Favour us, sir, with a little proof of this; till then I must plead, Not guilty. In whatever I sign or swear to, I have no reserve at all. And I have again and again communicated my thoughts on most heads to all mankind; I believe intelligibly; particularly in the Appeals to Men of Reason and Religion.

But ' if Methodism, as its professors pretend, be a new discovery in religion------' This is a grievous mistake; we pretend no such thing. We aver it is the one old religion; as old as the Reformation, as old as Christianity, as old as Moses, as old as Adam.

'They ought to discover the whole ingredients of which their nostrum is composed; and have it enrolled in the public register, to be perused by all the world.' It is done. The whole ingredients of Methodism, so called, have been discovered in print over and over; and they are enrolled in a public register, the Bible, from which we extracted them at first. ' Else they ought not to be tolerated.' We allow it, and desire toleration on no other terms. ' Nor should they be suffered to add or alter one grain different from what is so registered.' Most certainly. We ought neither to add or diminish, nor alter whatever is written in that book.

I wish, sir, before you write concerning the Methodists again, you would candidly read some of their writings. Common report is not a sure rule of judging; I should be unwilling to judge of you thereby.

To sum up the matter. The whole ingredients of our religion are, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance. Against these, I think, there is no law; and, therefore, I still apprehend they may be tolerated, at least in a Christian country.

I am, sir,

Your sincere well-wisher,

JOHN WESLEY.

Jan. 1761

In East Anglia

Fri. 9.-I rode to Sundon, and preached in the evening; and the next evening at Bedford.

Sun. 11.-I read prayers and preached at Everton, both morning and afternoon.

Mon. 12.-I rode to Colchester, and, after spending two or three comfortable days, on Friday the i6th went on to Bury [St. Edmunds]. I would gladly have stayed a day or two here had it been only on account of the severity of the weather; but I had work to do elsewhere. So I took horse soon after preaching in the morning, Saturday the I7th, though as bitter a one as most I have known. I never before felt so piercing a wind as that which met us in riding out of the gate at daybreak. To think of looking up was a vain thing: I knew not whether I should not lose one of my eyes. The wind affected it as if I had received a severe blow, so that I had no use of it for a time. To mend the matter, having a very imperfect direction, we soon got out of our way. However, we hobbled on, through miserable roads, till about three in the afternoon we got to Norwich.

Sun. 18.[ On Jan. 18 he wrote to Miss Furly {Works, vol. xii. p. 206), and preached in Norwich; also on the iqth.]-I met the society in the morning, and many of them went with me to the cathedral. At two we had the largest congregation I ever saw at that hour. At five the house was well filled, and, just as long as I was speaking, all were silent; but when I ceased the floods lifted up their voice-one would have thought Bedlam was broke loose. And thus it always is; the custom began in the reign of King Log, and continued ever since. The next evening the same hubbub began again, not among the mob, but the ordinary hearers. I desired them to stop, and reasoned the case with them. The effect was far greater than one could expect. The whole congregation went as quietly and silently away as they use to do at the Foundery in London.

Tues. 20.-I inquired concerning Yarmouth, a large and populous town, and as eminent, both for wickedness and ignorance, as even any seaport in England.[ Cf. account by James Wood of Howell Harris and B. Worship in Yarmouth, Meth. Ufag. 1825, p. 308.] Some had endeavored to call them to repentance; but it was at the hazard of their lives. What could be done more Why, last summer God sent thither the regiment in which Howell Harris was an officer.[ The gentlemen of the county offered Howell Harris a commission in the Breconshire Militia. He agreed with the offer upon condition that he had liberty to preach wherever he went. His chief motive was'the danger he saw to the liberty of the gospel.' See Williams' Welsh Calvinistic Methodism p. 122.] He preached every night, none daring to oppose him; and hereby a good seed was shown. Many were stirred up to seek God; and some of them now earnestly invited me to come over. I went this afternoon, and preached in the evening. The house was presently more than filled; and, instead of the tumult which was expected, all were as quiet as at London. Indeed, the word of God was quick and powerful among them, as it was again at six in the morning. At eleven I preached my farewell sermon. I saw none that was not deeply affected. Oh fair blossoms! But how many of these will ' bring forth fruit unto perfection'

In the afternoon I rode back to Norwich, and took an account of the society there. I found the persons who professed to meet in class were about three hundred and thirty; but many of them were as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke. Where or what will they be a year hence

Thur, 22.-We had our first watch-night at the Tabernacle; at which I could not but observe, though I preached the law from the beginning of my sermon to the end, yet many were exceedingly comforted. So plain it is that God can send either terror or comfort to the heart, by whatever means it pleaseth Him.

Sunday the 25th [He also preached at Norwich on the following day. ] was a day of solemn rejoicing. Both at eight, at eleven, at two, and at five God was eminently present in the congregation, filling their hearts with love and their mouths with praise. In some of the following days I visited the country societies.

Fri. 30.-After preaching at the Foundery[i.e. in Norwich.] in the evening, I met the bands as usual. While a poor woman was speaking a few artless words out of the fullness of her heart, a fire kindled and ran, as flame among the stubble, through the hearts of almost all that heard; so, when God is pleased to work, it matters not how weak or how mean the instrument.

Feb. 1761

With Hicks and Berridge

Sat. 31.-I spent an hour with one who was as hot as any of the lambs at the Tabernacle [Wheatley's flock at the Tabernacle had been nicknamed ' lambs' by the populace.]; but she is now a calm, reasonable woman. Indeed God has now breathed a spirit of love and peace into all that remain united together. Those who are otherwise minded have left us.

FEB. I, Sun.-Many were comforted and strengthened both at the Lord's Supper and at the evening service. I think all jealousies and misunderstandings are now vanished, and the whole society is well knit together. How long will they continue so, considering the unparalleled fickleness of the people in these parts That God knows. However, He does work now, and we rejoice therein.

Mon. 2.-I left them with a cheerful heart, and rode on to Lakenheath. The congregation was large, but to this day there was no society. So, after preaching, I explained the nature of a society, and examined those who were willing to join together. Near half of them had known the love of God, and seemed alive to Him.

Tues. 3.-About noon I preached at Harston, five miles beyond Cambridge. Here Mr. Berridge's labor has not been in vain. Several have found peace with God; and a more artless, loving people I have seldom seen. They were gathered from all parts. It pleased God to give a manifestation of His love to one woman in the midst of the sermon. She praised God aloud, and inflamed many hearts with love and thankfulness.

In the evening I preached at Melbourne, another small town, about four miles from Harston. Many from Harston walked thither, and from the neighboring villages; and surely God was in the midst of them, just as in our Bristol congregations at the beginning.

Hence we rode, on Ash Wednesday, FEBRUARY 4, to Mr. Hicks, who showed me the way to his church at Wrestlingworth, where I exhorted a large and serious congregation, from the scripture appointed for the Epistle, to ' rend their hearts, and not their garments, and turn unto the Lord their God.'

In the evening Mr. Berridge read prayers, and I preached at Everton. Few of them are now affected as at first, the greater part having found peace with God. But there is a gradual increasing of the work in the souls of many believers.

Thur. 5.-I called at Barford, half-way to Bedford, and was agreeably surprised to meet J. C.,[ Probably Joshua Caldecott of Bishopsgate Street, a member of the Foundery, and a frequent host of Wesley's (Stevenson's City Road Chapel, 470). Parker may have met him and stayed with him when in London.] from London, who came to Bedford the day before, and walked over with Mr. Parker. We had a far larger congregation than I expected; and all were deeply serious. I preached at Bedford in the evening, on Friday at Sundon, and on Saturday returned to London.[ And preached at ' Bull-and-Mouth' and 'Bishop Bonner'; on Sunday the 8th at Spitalfields; Wednesday the Ilth at Bull-and-Mouth; and on the I2th at Deptford.]

Monday the 9th and the following days I visited the classes. Friday the I3th, being the General Fast-day, the chapel in West Street, as well as the rest, was thoroughly filled with serious hearers. Surely God is well pleased with even these outward humiliations, as an acknowledgement that He is the Disposer of all events; and they give some check, if it be but for a time, to the floods of ungodliness. Besides, we cannot doubt but there are some good men in most of the congregations then assembled; and we know ' the effectual fervent prayer' even of one ' righteous man availeth much.'[On Feb. 14 he wrote to Mrs. Crosby (Works, vol. xii. p. 353)," and on the 17th to Mr. G. R., a London Magazine assailant {Works, vol. xiii. p. 392). On Sunday, Feb. 15, he preached at West Street and Snowsfields, and on the 2Oth at West Street.]

This week I published in The London Chronicle an answer to a tract entitled, A Caveat against the Methodists. It is here subjoined: