APRIL 1, Fri.-I came to Macclesfield, where Mr. Simpson[1]  had given notice of my preaching in his church. Here I fully delivered my own soul, and on Saturday the 2nd went on to Manchester.

 

Sun. 3.[2]-Our brethren flocking in from all parts, the house,

 

APRIL 1, Friday

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. i. 9. sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, sermon; 10 chaise; 12.30 Macc[lesfiel]d; 1within, dinner, conversed, prayer, sermon, prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 prayers, Heb. iii. 7, lovefeast; 8.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.15.

 

Saturday 2

 

4 Prayed, Isa. lix. I, 2, sermon; 7 tea, conversed, prayer: 7.30 chaise; 9 at brother Mare’s [Mayer’s], tea, conversed, prayer; 10.30 chaise; 11.30 Manc[heste]r, within, writ narrative; 1 dinner, conversed; 2.30 letters; 4 prayed, tea; 6 I Thess. iv. 13! within, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.45.

 

Sunday 3

 

Prayed, letters, tea; 9 on business, prayed; 10 prayers, Jo. xxi. 22, communion; 1.30 dinner, conversed, prayer, sleep; 3 letter, tea, prayed, I Jo. v. II, society; 7.30 prayed; 8 supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

large as it is, could not contain them. It was supposed we had twelve hundred communicants.

 

Mon. 4.-I preached to our old, loving congregation at Bolton. .

 

Tues. 5.-At noon I preached at Wingates, in the open air. The congregation were quite ripe for all the gospel blessings, devouring every word. In the evening I preached at Wigan. I never before saw this preaching-house full; but it was more than full to-night, and with deeply attentive hearers.

 

Wed. 6.-I preached at Liverpool; but I found no ship there ready to sail. So, Thursday the 7th[3] (after preaching at Warrington in the way), I hastened to Chester. Neither was there

 

Monday 4

 

4 Prayed, Lu. xii. 7, Dr. Bail(ey], etc., in talk; 8 tea, conversed, sermon; 12.15 walk; 1 at brother Brierly’s, dinner, conversed; 2.30 chaise; 4.30 on business, Bolton, tea, prayed; 6 Matt. xxi. 21, society, sermon, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 5

 

4 Prayed, Heb. xii. 5, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, sermon; 10 chaise; 11 Wingates, Mark i. 15; 12 chaise; 1.15 Wigan, dinner, conversed; 2.15 sermon, walk; 4 prayed, walk, tea, conversed; 6 Matt. viii. 2, society, walk, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 6

 

4 Prayed, sermon; 6 Psa. xc. 12, tea; 7.30 chaise, Prescot, chaise; 12 Liv[erpool]. within, sermon; 1.15 dinner, conversed, prayer, sermon, letters; 4 prayed; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 6.30 Rom. xi. 13! society, supper, prayer; 9.45.

 

Thursday 7

 

4 Prayed, Rev. ii. 5, on business, tea, prayer; 7.15 chaise; 10.15 War­r[ing]ton, Lu. xx. 34! sermon, dinner; 1.15 chaise; 4.30 Chester, at John Seller’s, tea, conversed, prayer; 5 writ narrative; 6 Eccls. ix. 10! society, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

66

 

any ship at Parkgate ready to sail; so, Friday the 8th, we took coach, and reached Holyhead between four and five on Saturday[4]  in the afternoon.                        Between nine and ten we[5] went on board the Clermont packet. But it was dead calm till past ten on Sunday the 10th, when the company desired me to give them a sermon. After sermon I prayed that God would give us a full and speedy passage. While I was speaking the wind sprung up, and in twelve hours brought us to Dublin Bay. Does not our Lord still hear the prayer? I found such a resting-place at our own house as I never found in Ireland before: and two such preachers,[6] with two such wives, I know not where to find again. In the evening, and so every evening beside, we had Sunday evening congregations; and in the morning they were larger, by a third part, than those I had when I was here last.

 

Friday 8

 

4 Prayed, Heb. iii. 15! tea, conversed, prayer; 7 coach; 10.45 Holywell, tea; 11.30 coach, read Boyle; 2.15 dinner; 3.30 coach; 7 Conway, prayed, letter; 8 supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 9

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6.15coach; 11 Bang[or] Ferry, tea; 11.30 walk; 12.30 coach, prayed; 4.30 tea, letters, prayed, read, supper; 9.30 on the Clermont; 10.

 

Sunday 10

 

4 Prayed, read; 8 tea, read; 10.30 Heb. ix. 27, prayer, read; 1 dinner, conversed, read, prayed; 6 tea, conversed, read; 9.30. 

 

Monday 11[7]

 

Landed; 3 sleep; 6.30 walk, within, writ narrative; 8 at sister Blackp., tea, conversed, prayer, 9, writ felon's letters, walk; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3 letters; 4.30 prayed, tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 7 Matt. viii. 13! supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

On Tuesday and the three following days I examined the society. I never found it in such a state before; many of them rejoiced in God their Saviour, and were as plain in their apparel, both men and women, as those in Bristol and London. Many, I verily believe, love God with all their hearts; and the number of these increase daily. The number of the whole society is seven hundred and forty-seven. Above three hundred of these have been added in a few months-a new and unexpected thing! In various places, indeed, we have frequently felt 

 

The o’erwhelming power of saving grace,[8]

 

which acted almost irresistibly. But such a shower of grace never continued long; and afterwards men might resist the Holy Ghost as before. When the general ferment subsides, everyone that partook of it has his trial for life; and the higher the flood, the lower will be the ebb; yea, the more swiftly it rose, the more swiftly it falls. So that, if we see this here, we should not be discouraged. We should only use all diligence to encourage as many as possible to press forward, in spite of all the refluent tide.

 

Tuesday 12

 

4 Prayed, Rom. xiii. II, class; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Journal; 10 class; 12 Journal; 1 prayer; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 class; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 6.30 Matt. ix. 5! 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 13

 

4 Prayed, Matt. xxii. 37, class; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, visited; 10 class, letter, walk; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 class; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 6.30 Matt. xxii. 39! the leaders; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 14

 

4 Prayed, Psa. cvi. 24, class; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, class; 12 letter, within; 2 at brother Brooke’s,[9] dinner, conversed, visited; 4 class, tea, conversed, prayer; 6.30 the letters, select society; 8.15 supper, con­versed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 15

 

4 Prayed, Lu. xii. 7; class; 7.30 Journal; 10 class; 11.30 writ narrative; 12 prayers, class; 2 walk, M[oun]t Pleasant, dinner, conversed, prayer, coach; 3.30 visited many; 5 tea, conversed; 6 prayer; 6.15 prayed; 6.30 Heb, xii. 5! prayed, supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

68

 

Now, especially, we should warn one another not to grow weary or faint in our mind; if haply we may see such another prodigy as the late one at Paulton, near Bath, where there was a very swift work of God; and yet, a year after, out of a hundred converted, there was not one backslider!

 

The number of children that are clearly converted to God is particularly remarkable. Thirteen or fourteen little maidens, in one class, are rejoicing in God their Saviour; and are as serious  and stayed in their whole behaviour as if they were thirty or forty years old. I have much hopes that half of them will be steadfast in the grace of God which they now enjoy.

 

Sun. 17.-We had such a number of communicants at the Cathedral[10] as was scarce ever seen there before. In the evening many were cut to the heart; and, I believe, not a few com­forted. A lovefeast followed; at which many spoke what God had done for their souls with all plainness and simplicity.

 

Mon. 18.-I went through a delightful country to Prosper­ous; a little town, begun five years ago by Captain Brooke,[11] just returned from the East Indies. Here he introduced every branch of the cotton manufactory, on a most extensive plan. He built two rows of commodious houses, with all convenient appurtenances; and he now employs about two thousand men, women, and children, on the spot, beside near the same number in other places.             

 

Saturday 16

 

4 Prayed, texts; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, visited many; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer, visited some; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 6 Psa. lxii. 1, visited, at sister Fetherston’s; 8 prayer, supper; 9.30.

 

Sunday 17

 

4 Prayed, Journal; 7 Eph. iii. 14, etc., within to some, tea, conversed, prayer, prayed; 10.45 prayers, communion; 2 at Mr. Sm[ith]’s, dinner, conversed, prayer; 3.30 Conf[erence], prayed, tea, conversed, prayer; 5.30 I Pet. ii. 11, the lovefeast; 8.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 18

 

4 Prayed, Phil. ii. I2! tea, conversed; 8.15 chaise; 10 Sidgily, walk; 11.15 chaise, Prosperous, walk; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer, letters; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; Isa. Iv. 6! society, at T. Brook[e]’s, supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

They had a very large room, but not near large enough for the congregation. All that got in seemed much affected, as they did likewise at five in the morning. About fifty of them are already joined in a society. Fair blossoms! But what will the fruit be?

 

A remarkable circumstance, we were informed, occurred near this place, about three weeks before. A poor woman, who owed her landlord fourteen pounds, scraped seven together, which she brought him. But he absolutely refused to take less than the whole, yet detained her in talk till evening. She then set out on a car. When she was within a mile of home, she overtook a soldier, who said he was exceedingly tired, and earnestly entreated her to let him ride with her on the car, to which she at length consented. When they came to her house, finding there was no town within two miles, he begged he might sit by the fireside till morning. She told him she durst not suffer it, as hers was a lone house, and there was none in it but herself and her girl. But at last she agreed he should lie in the girl’s bed, and she and the girl would lie together. At midnight, two men, who had blackened their faces, broke into the house and demanded her money. She said; ‘Then let me go into the next room and fetch it’ Going in, she said to the soldier, ‘You have requited me well for my kindness, by bringing your comrades to rob my house.’ He asked, ‘Where are they?’ She said, ‘In the next room.’ He started up, and ran thither. The men ran away with all speed. He fired after them, and shot one dead; who, being examined, appeared to be her landlord! So that a soldier was sent to protect an innocent woman and punish a hardened villain!

 

Tues. 19.-I preached at ten to an uncommonly large and serious congregation at Edenderry. In the evening I preached at Tyrrell’s Pass, where a small, dead society is all that now remains.[12] Such another, I found at Coolalough, on Wednesday the 20th.

 

Tuesday 19

 

4 Prayed, Heb. ix. 27, tea; 6.30 chaise; 9 Edind[err]y, tea, conversed; 10 2 Cor. viii. 9! chaise, [cipher] *; 2 Tyrr[ell’s] Pass, dinner, con­versed; 3 Journal, tea, conversed; 6 Mic. ii. 10, conversed, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thur. 21.-Going to Athlone, I found the scene entirely changed; there has not been for many years so much life in the society. Many of the old dead members are quickened again, many are added to them, and there is no jar of any kind among them; they provoke one another only to love and to good works.

 

Fri. 22.- It is just seven years since I was here before; and I find Little change in many, only that they are more dead to the world, and, consequently, more alive to God; and for a few that have left them, God has given them double, that are either alive to God, or athirst for Him.

 

Sun. 24.-In the afternoon I preached at the east end of the market-house.

 

Wednesday 20

 

4 Prayed, texts; 7 Mark iv. 3, etc., tea, conversed, prayer, visited; 8.30 chaise; 11.15 Cool[a]lough, texts; 2 dinner, conversed; 3 texts; 4.30 prayed, tea, conversed; 6 Psa. cxlvi. 4, 5, prayed; 7.45 chaise, com­munion, supper, together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 21

 

4 Prayed, texts; 7 2 Jo. 8, tea, within, prayer; 9.30 chaise; 12.30 Athlone; 1[-] Jo[hn] Walsh; 3 at brother Dean’s, dinner, within; 4.30 prayed, tea, conversed; 6 Prov. iii. I7! prayed; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.45.

 

Friday 22

 

4 Prayed, Col. i. 10, Walsh; 8 tea, Walsh; 12 visited, communion, visited some; 2 dinner, conversed; 3.30 Walsh; 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6 Heb. vii. 25; 7 society, supper, prayer, conversed; 9.30.

 

Saturday 23

 

4 Prayed, Gal. v. i, Walsh; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 Walsh; 1walk; 2 at brother Rutli., dinner, conversed, read narrative; 4 letters; 5 tea, within, prayer; 6.30 Jo. iv. 24, the bands, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 24

 

4 Prayed, Walsh, tea; 8 Eph. iii. I4! Walsh; 11.30 prayers, Walsh; 2.30 dinner, letter, prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 5.30 Lu. xix. 42! communion, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

I scarce ever saw so numerous a congrega­tion at Athlone; and all were attentive-not a word was heard, and scarce any motion was to be seen. I trust the seed now sown will not wither away, but grow up into everlasting life!

 

Mon. 25.-Being desired to preach at Ballinasloe, in my way to Aughrim, I stood, about eleven, in the shade of a large house, and preached to a numerous congregation of Papists and Pro­testants, equally attentive, on ‘The kingdom of God is at hand.’ As I entered Aughrim the rector, who was waiting at his gate, welcomed me into the country; and desired me to use his church, both now and whenever I pleased. I preached there at six. It was thoroughly filled with well-behaved hearers. But the society here, as well as that at Tyrrell’s Pass, is well nigh shrunk into nothing! Such is the baleful influence of riches! The same effect we find in every place. The more men increase in goods (very few excepted) the more they decrease in grace.

 

Tues. 26.-I went on to Eyre Court. Here, also, the minister gave me the use of his church; but the people seemed to understand little of the matter. As I had not this privilege at Birr, I went to the Square, where the owner of a large house invited me to preach before it.[13] The congregation was exceed­ing large, but many of them wild as colts untamed. However, the far greater part of them were seriously attentive. I am in hopes the work of God will revive here also; the rather, because He has fully restored one of the most eminent back­sliders in the kingdom.

 

Monday 25

 

4 Prayed, I Cor. xiii. 8, etc., letter, tea, conversed, prayer; 8 chaise; 10.30 Ball[in]aslo[e]; 11 Mark i. 15, chaise; 1.15 A[u]ghrim, Walsh; 2 dinner; 3 Walsh, prayed, tea; 6 Isa. Iv. 6, visited some, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 26

 

4 Prayed, Isa. lvii. 1, 2, within, tea; 7.15 chaise; 9.15 Eyre Co[urt], Acts xvi. 30; 11 chaise; 1.30 Birr, Walsh; 2.30 dinner, conversed; 3.30 Walsh, prayed; 5 tea, within; 6 Job xxii. 21, society, within, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

When I came to Tullamore,[14] the minister was willing that I should preach in the church, where both the soldiers and all the officers attended, and our Great Captain was present also.

 

Thur. 28.-I supposed the house at Portarlington would have more than contained the congregation; but it would scarce contain a third part of them. So I removed to the market house, and preached on the general judgment. The word was quick and powerful, so that very few appeared to be unaffected.

 

In the evening I preached in the church at Mountmellick. Perhaps such a congregation was never there before; but the greater part of them seemed to be of Gallio’s mind, to care for none of these things.

 

Fri: 29.-I preached in our own house at Kilkenny, to just such another congregation. But those that attended in the morning were of a nobler spirit, and I found uncommon liberty among them.

 

Wednesday 27

 

4 Prayed, Isa. lix. 1, 2, letter, tea, conversed; 7.15 chaise; 8 at Mr. Barry’s, tea, together; 9.30 chaise; 12.30 Tul[l]amore, Walsh; 2 dinner, Walsh; 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed;' prayed, Walsh; 6.30 2 Cor. iv. 18, society, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 28

 

4 Prayed, 2 Tim. iii. 5, Mag.; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 chaise, Portar­lington; 1.15 Rev. xx. 12, dinner, conversed, prayer, chaise; 4 M[oun]tmellic[k], prayed, tea, conversed, prayer; 6 in the church, Heb. ix. 27, society, visited, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 29

 

4 Prayed, chaise; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, chaise; 11.30 Ballinagget [Ballintaggart]; 1 chaise; 1.45 Kilk[enny], on business, dinner, walk; 5 prayed, tea; 6.30 I Pet. i. 24, writ narrative, supper, 

 

        conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sat. 30.-I preached at Waterford[15] in the court-house, one of the largest in the kingdom. A multitude of people quickly ran together, which occasioned some tumult at first; but it was quickly over, and all were deeply attentive. Surely God will have much people in this city.

 

Saturday 30

 

4.30 I Pet. iv. 18, tea, within; 7 chaise; 9 Knocklo[ng], tea, conversed; 10 chaise; 1 Ferry; 2 at Ja[mes] Deav[es’s], dinner, letters, within; 5 tea, conversed; 6 prayer, prayed; 6.30 Matt. xxii. 4! within, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30 on business; 9.45.

---

 

[1] See above, vol. v. p. 86; and vol. vi.  p. 142.

 

[2] He wrote from Manchester to - [address lost], apparently discouraging a proposed attempt to answer Dr. Priestley – ‘one of the most dangerous enemies of Christianity.’ He urges the spread of Sunday schools all over the kingdom.

 

 (New ed. Wesley Letters.)

 

[3] He wrote to the Conference (Works, vol. xiii. p. 250). This was the letter he entrusted to Joseph Bradford, which was to be opened and read to the Conference after his decease. In it he besought members of the Legal Hundred never to avail themselves of the Deed of Declaration to assume any superiority over their brethren, adding in particular, ‘I beseech you, if you ever loved me, and if you now love God and your brethren, to have no respect of persons in stationing the preachers, in choosing children for Kings­wood School, in disposing of the yearly contribution, and the Preachers’ Fund,’ &c.

 

[4] On April 9 he wrote from Conway to Roger Crane of Preston (see Moore’s Hist. of Meth. in Burnley, p. 33); also to George Gibbon (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[5] He was accompanied by Mr. Whit­field. See W.H.S. vol. ii. pp. 137-8.

 

[6] James Rogers, who had married Hester Ann Roe, August 19. 1784; and Andrew Blair.                                

 

[7] On April 11 he wrote from Dublin to his brother Charles (Works, vol. xii. p. 151).

 

[8] Above (see vol. v. p. 322), the line is altered to -

 

­The o’erwhelming showers of saving grace.

 

See Meth. Hymn-Book (1904), No. 276, and W.H.S. vol. v. p. 217.

 

[9] See above, vol. vi. p.30.

 

[10] St. Patrick’s  Cathedral. See below, PP. 96, 261, 484, &c.

 

[11] This was a younger brother of Mr. Henry Brooke of Dublin, an account of whose career will be found in Crook­shank’s Meth. in Ireland, vol. i. p. 384.

 

[12] The Tyrrell's Pass Society, under the influence largely of the Handy family, had once been prosperous. Mr. Samuel Handy had died six years before, and the family was now living ‘at Coolalough, or more correctly Brackagh Castle’ 

 

 ( Crookshank’s Meth. in Ireland, vol. i. p. 397).

 

[13] He was the guest of Mr. Marshall. While in Birr he administered the Lord’s Supper to the members of the society. See Crookshank’s Meth. in Ireland, vol. i. pp. 397-8, where the Primitive Wes. Meth. Mag. 1844, p. 256, is quoted.

 

[14] Here he took tea with Quarter­master Joseph Burgess, who, in the previous January, had married the 

 

only daughter (see above, vol. vi. p. 407) ‘of good William Penington.’ In 1790 he was called into the 

 

itinerancy, and laboured therein until 1830. See memoir by their son, Rev. W. Penington Burgess, M.A.

 

in W.M Mag. 1840, P. 537.

 

[15]  For an account in detail of this visit to Waterford, and William Gurley’s description of the preaching

 

and the lovefeast, see WH.S. vol. ii. pp. 138-9. Samuel Wood, then a young man of seventeen, asked 

 

Wesley’s advice as to the ministry. He replied: ‘If the Lord has called you to wait on Him, do not run 

 

before He sends you, and if He calls, do not fly from Him, as Jonah did. I will give you two words of 

 

advice, viz: read Brainerd's Life, it will show you the true spirit of a gospel missionary; and read my 

 

Notes on the New Testament; they will teach you to think' (MS. Life of Wood).