FEB. 5, Sun.-In the morning, while I was applying at the new chapel that solemn declaration, ‘The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear,’

 

FEB. 1, Wednesday

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6 class, tea; 8 class; 1 at brother Kemp’s, dinner conversed; 2 class, tea, within; 5.30 on business, prayed; 6 my committee, in talk; 8.30 supper; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 2

 

4 Prayed, letter; 6 class, tea, class; 1 at sister Westr., dinner, conversed; 2 class, prayed, tea; 6 prayed; 6.30 i Pet. iv. 11! the bands, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 3[1]

 

4 Prayed, class, tea, class; 11.30 visited, class; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 class; 4.30 tea, conversed; 5.30 prayed; 6 Yearly Meeting; 8 supper; 8.30 within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 4

 

4 Prayed, writ narrative; 7 class; 8 tea, class, writ narrative ; 11 class, writ letters; 1 dinner, writ; 2 class, writ narrative, visited; 5 tea conversed, prayed; 6 prayers, I Cor. xvi. 13; 7 society, class 8.15 supper, conversed, on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 5

 

4 Prayed, writ narrative; 8 the preachers; 9.30 prayers, Isai. lix. 1. 2! communion; 1 dinner; 2 visited, sleep, prayed, tea, conversed 5 prayers, Isai. lxiv. I, 2, society, single women, supper, [-] [Cipher] *! 9.45.

 

He did indeed speak aloud in His word, so that the stout-hearted trembled. I broke out into prayer. The power of God came mightily upon us, and there was a general cry. But the voice of two persons prevailed over all the rest; one praying, and the other shrieking as in the agonies of death. God relieved the former in a few minutes; the other not till evening.

 

This week, in travelling, I read over Dr. Stuart’s[2] History of Scotland. He is a writer indeed! as far above Dr. Robertson as

 

Monday 6

 

4  Prayed, I Pet. iv. 57, select Society; 7 class; 8 tea, conversed, class; 12 select society, dinner; 2.30 class; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, within, prayed; 6.30 read prayers, Isai. lix. I, 2, supper, the bands, the leaders! 10.

 

Tuesday 7

 

4  Prayed, I Pet. i. 18, class, tea; 8 class; 1 at brother Bower’s; dinner; 2 class; 5 tea, conversed, class; 6.30 I Cor. X. 13! class; 8 Chapel, supper, prayer; 9.15.

 

Wednesday 8

 

4  Prayed, letters, class, tea, class; 1 dinner, conversed, visited; 3.30 chaise, read Dr. Stuart; 5 tea, prayed; 6.30 Matt. vii. 26! class; 8 supper; 9 conversed, prayer; 9. 30.

 

Thursday 9

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6 I Pet. iv. 18! tea, letters; 8.15 coach; 10 Lambeth, letters; 1.30 dinner, conversed, letters; 5 tea, prayed; 6.30 I Pet. iv. 18! class; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 10

 

4 Prayed, writ society; 6 [-] the children; 8 at Mr. R [—], walk, tea, 9.30 [—] coach; 11 on business, walk, coach; 12 Bow, Acts xvi. 31! 2 class, dinner, coach, on business; 3 coach; 6 Barnet, tea,

 

2 Cor. v. 18, class, read Hall; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 11

 

4 Prayed, Hall! 6 tea, within; 6.45 chaise; 8.30 at home, writ society; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 writ society; 4 christened R. Cheesement, society, tea, prayed; 6 society, supper, conversed, Pen[ry], on business; 9.30.

 

Dr. Robertson is above Oldmixon. He proves beyond all pos­sibility of doubt that the charges against Queen Mary were totally groundless; that she was betrayed basely by her own servants from the beginning to the end; and that she was not only one of the best Princesses then in Europe, but one of the most blameless, yea, and the most pious women!

 

Mon. 13.-I went to Mitcham, and found a little company just started up, who were all on fire for God. The house being too small, I preached at the front of a house adjoining to the road, where the earnestness of the people made amends for the keenness of the north wind.[3]

 

Sunday 12

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, Chapel; 9.30 prayers, Prov xxii. 6, communion; 1 dinner, conversed; 2.15 sleep, prayed, the leaders; 3.30 prayers, Prov xxii. 6! society; 6 chaise, society, writ letter, supper, together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 13

 

4 Prayed, I Pet. iv. ult., select society, tea, visited, writ society; 10.30 chaise; 11 with sister Wri[ght]; 12 Mitcham, Isa. lxvi. 8, class; 2 dinner, walk, Wandsw [orth], tea, Rev. xx. 12, chaise, at home, supper, prayer; 9.45.

 

Tuesday 14

 

4 Prayed, writ society; 8 tea, prayer, society; 11 walk, coach; 12.30 at sister Philip's, read, society; 2 dinner, conversed, society, prayed, class, tea, class; 6.30 I Cor. x. 31! supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 15

 

4 Prayed, writ society; 8 tea, prayer, society; 1 dinner, within; 2 writ society; 4 within, tea; 6 prayed, society; 8 supper, conversed,   prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 16

 

4 Prayed, society; 6 tea, prayer; 6.30 walk; 8 tea, conversed, coach; 1 Dork[ing], dinner, conversed; 2 writ society; 5 prayed, tea, con­versed; 6 Rom. i. 16, communion, class; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 17

 

4 Prayed, society; 6 I Cor. vi. 20, society, tea, conversed, prayer; 8 coach; 1.30 at home, society, walk; 3 at Sir P[hilip] Gib[bes], to­gether; 4 dinner; 5,30 walk, my Committee, letters, prayed, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sun. 19. - I preached in Horsleydown church, where (to my no small surprise) no man, woman, or child seemed to know me either by face or by name! But before I had done many of the numerous congregation knew that God was there of a truth.

 

Mon. 20. - I paid my last visit to that saint of God, Ann Sharland,[4] dying of a cancer in her breast, in continual pain, but triumphing over pain and death.

 

Saturday 18

 

4 Prayed, writ society; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, society; 1.30 at Dr. Wh[itehead], dinner, conversed; 3 visited E. Brig, within; 4 prayed, walk, tea; 6 prayers, Matt. xviii. 7! communion, J[ohn] Okey, supper, Pen[ry], on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 19

 

4 Prayed, letters, Sp[italfields]; 9.30 prayers, Lu. viii. I8! communion, at Ed[ward] Col[linson] dinner, conversed; 3 S[t.] Jo[hn's], Horse[ley]­down, prayers, Rev. xx. I2! 5 coach, tea, prayers, Gal. iii. 20! society; 7 the single men, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Lu. viii. 18.

 

Monday 20

 

4 Prayed, Matt. xviii. 7! select society, letters, tea, letters; 12 select society; 1.30 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3 letter; 3.30 visited some, tea, conversed, prayer; 6.30 prayers, Gal. iii. 22, supper, the bands; 9 on business; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 21[5]

 

4 Prayed, Matt. xviii. 7, within, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9.30 writ letters; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer, chaise; 4 letters, tea, con­versed; prayed; 6.30 prayers, Isa. lviii. 13, 14, the leaders, letters, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 22

 

4 Prayed, letters, tea, letters; 11.30 chaise; 12.30 Hornsey, within; 1.30 dinner, conversed; 2.30 prayer, chaise; 4.30 at Jo[hn] Fenw[ick], tea, conversed; 6 read prayers, Gal. v. 5, communion; 8 supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sun. 26. - I took a solemn leave of the congregation at the new chapel, at West Street, and at Brentford.

 

Mon. 27.-We went on to Newbury, with little interruption from the snow, and I had a comfortable opportunity, with a large and serious congregation. But I have not passed such a night, for these forty years, my lodging-room being just as cold as the outward air. I could not sleep at all till three in the morning. I rose at four, and set out at five. But the snow which fell in the night lay so deep, it was with much difficulty we reached Chippenham. Taking fresh horses there, we pushed on to Bath, and found a larger congregation than could well be expected.

 

Thursday 23[6]

 

4 Prayed, letters, tea; 8.30 coach; 3.30 Chatham, dinner, on business, within; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 Deut. v. 7! communion; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 24[7]

 

4 Prayed, Lu. viii. 18; tea, conversed; 6.30 coach, Shakesp[eare]! 12 at home, letters; 3 dinner, visited; 5 letter, tea, prayed, within! 8 supper, conversed; prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 25[8]

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 1 Charles, etc., dinner, conversed, writ letters; 4.30 visited; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6 prayers, Eph. ii. 8! communion, supper, Pen(ry] on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 26

 

4 Prayed, letters, the preachers; 9.30 prayers, 1 Cor. xiii. 13! com­munion; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.45 Chapel, prayers, Eph. ii. 8! 4 chaise; 5.15 Brentf[ord], tea, prayed; 6 Deut. v. 7! society, at Mr. Holbr(ook's] supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 27

 

4 Prayed, [-]; 5 chaise; 7.30 the Windmill, tea, within; 8.30 chaise; 9 read Guthrie; 11.30 Read[ing], the Crown, dinner, within; 12.30 chaise, read Guthrie; 3.30 Newbury, at brother Collins's; 4 prayed, tea, conversed; 6.30 Rom. iv. 16! society, supper, prayer, 9.30; could not sleep.

 

Tuesday 28

 

4 Prayed; tea, conversed; 5 chaise: 7 Hung[er]l[ord], tea, conversed; 7.45 read Mr. Buchan; 11.30 dinner, walk, chaise; 5 Bath, at brother Webs[ter]; 5 tea, within, prayed; 6.30 Deut. v. 7! supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

  

---

 

[1] On Feb. 3 he wrote form London to Adam Clarke (Works, vol. xiii p.100)

 

[2] Gilbert Stuart received the degree of LL.D in his twenty- second year for his Dissertation on the antiquity of the British constitution. Mrs. Carter writes:

 

To me it appears that by some proofs, a great deal of reasoning and conjecture, aided and abetted by the good nature of the reader he has contrived to render the unfortunate Queen not only a very amiable but a very respectable character.

 

See also W.H.S. vol.iv,p.235

 

[3] On Feb. 14 he wrote from London to Samuel Bradburn (see Blanshard's Life of Bradburn, p. 110), who was sorrowing over the loss of his wife.

 

        [4]  Mrs. Sharland was a fruiterer in Mayfair. The Wesleys often visited her. She died at the age of fifty, and was buried at City Road Chapel. See Telford's Two West End Chapels, p. 62.

 

[5] On the 21^st he wrote a letter to Thomas Taylor which Tyerman calls ‘unpublished' (Life of Wesley, vol. iii. p. 477). The same day he wrote to Adam Clarke. This and the earlier letter on Feb. 3 illustrate Wesley's tender concern for a promising young preacher (Works, vol. xiii. p. 100). On the 21^st also he wrote to John Ogilvie (Works, vol. xii. p. 527); and to Peter Walters, St. Ives (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[6] He wrote to Miss Cooke (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[7] He wrote to Miss Ritchie. This letter contains an autobiographical note: ‘1 am very rarely led by impressions, but generally by reason and Scripture' (Works, vol. xiii. p. 65).

 

[8] He wrote to Mr. Sagar (Meth. in Burnley, p. 35); and on the 26th to Mr. R. Stretton (new ed. Wesley Letters).