On Monday and Tuesday the congregations were uncommonly large, though we had rain every day, particularly on Tuesday evening, when the hearts of the people seemed to be as melting wax; and likewise at five on Wednesday morning. I preached on  ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.’ A good farewell to Londonderry.

 

JUNE 3, Wed.-A quarter of an hour after I set out, the axletree of my chaise snapped in two. In about half an hour I procured another chaise, and in three hours reached New­townlimavady. Finding a congregation was waiting for me in the preaching-house, I went to them without delay. The house was thoroughly filled with deeply attentive hearers, and the power of God was among them.

 

We went hence, through miserable roads, to Coleraine; but the company there made amends for them. We met with a right English society, in spirit, in carriage, and even in dress; but I was concerned to find John Stephens,[1] a lovely young preacher, in a deep consumption, from which, I judge, nothing can recover him, unless perhaps a total buttermilk diet. In the evening the large meeting-house which was offered me was well filled, though the rain was heavy.

 

Thur. 4. -I was fully employed in answering a heap of letters. In the evening, the rain continuing (as it has done almost every day since we set out from Dublin), I was glad to accept of the meeting again, which was fuller than the evening before.

 

JUNE 1, Monday [2]

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed; 10 letters; 12 visited, letters, on business; 2.15 dinner, together; 4 prayed, read Gulis; 5 tea, con­versed, prayed; 6 Gen. ix. 27, read; 8 supper, within; 9 prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 2[3]

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 sermon; 1 walk; 2.15 dinner, conversed; 3.30 sleep, prayed; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayer; 5.30 prayed; 6 Acts xvii. 30! society, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 3

 

4 Prayed; 5 Rev. xiv. 13! tea, conversed; 7 Ferry, chaise broke, K[-]­port; 11.15 Newtown [Limavady], Mark iii. 35! 12.15 chaise; 3.30 Coleraine; 3.30 dinner, conversed, visited, prayed, tea; 6 Jo. iv. 24! supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 4

 

4.30 Prayed, letter; 6 Eph. v. 14, letters, tea, K.D., letters; 2 dinner, con­versed, visited, sleep; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 Mark iii. 35! read narrative; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Fri: 5. -We went a few miles out of our way to call at a small village, where abundance of people flocked to the church, and appeared to be quite ripe for the gospel; so I preached on ‘Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation.’ Thence we hastened on to Ballymena, where the rain did us no harm by driving us into the meeting-house, where a large congregation cheerfully heard the word that is able to save their souls.

 

Sat. 6. - The largest meeting-house I have been in was that which I preached in at Antrim; and the people behaved ex­ceeding well, the children as well as the rest. In the evening I was at the new chapel at Lisburn,[4] the largest and best finished in the north of Ireland.

 

Sun. 7. -It was well filled at nine. We went to church a little before twelve, where the singing was admirably good; the clerk, who teaches them to sing, having been formerly a leader in our society. The day continuing stormy, I could not preach in the street, but we were glad to retreat into the linen­hall. Here was such a congregation as I have not seen since I came into the kingdom; but some things, called gentlemen, were walking to and fro, and talking during the greatest part of  the sermon.

 

Friday 5

 

3.30 Prayed, tea; 4 chaise; 7.30 tea, conversed, Armoy; 2 Cor. vi. 2! 9.30 chaise, Clough; 12.30 chaise; 2 Ballimena, dinner, letters, prayed, tea, conversed; 6 Jo. xvii. 3! 7.30 letters, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.15.

 

Saturday 6

 

4 Prayed, letter; 6.15 chaise, Antrim, tea; 9 I Jo. iii. 8! chaise; 1.45 lisburn, dinner, writ letters; 5 tea, prayed; 6 Mark xi. 3! within to several, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 7

 

4 Prayed, letters; 7.30 letters; 9 I Jo. v. 7! letters; 12 prayers, letters; 2 dinner, sleep; 3.30 letter; 4 tea, conversed; 5 I Jo. v. II, society; 7 within; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

If these had been poor men, probably they would have had common sense. The meeting of the society which followed, at which we permitted many others to be present, was exceeding solemn. The power of God fell upon many. I observed one gentlewoman in particular that wept and trembled exceedingly. I did not wonder, therefore, that the room was filled at five, and that we had a parting blessing.

 

Mon. 8. - We went on to Belfast. I had at first thought of preaching in the linen-hall, but the weather being very uncertain, I went to the heads of the large meeting-house[5] to desire the use of it, which they granted in the most obliging manner. It is the completest place of public worship I have ever seen. It is of an oval form; as I judge by my eye, a hundred feet long, and seventy or eighty broad. It is very lofty, and has two rows of large windows, so that it is as light as our new chapel in London; and the rows of pillars, with every other part, are so finely proportioned that it is beautiful in the highest degree.

 

The house was so crowded, both within and without (and, indeed, with some of the most respectable persons in the town), that it was with the utmost difficulty I got in; but I then found I went not up without the Lord. Great was my liberty of speech among them; great was our glorying in the Lord. So that I gave notice, contrary to my first design, of my intending to preach there again in the morning; but soon after the sexton sent me word it must not be, for the crowds had damaged the house, and some of them had broke off and carried away the silver which was on the Bible in the pulpit; so I desired one of our preachers to preach in our little house, and left Belfast early in the morning.

 

Monday 8

 

4 Prayed, Heb. vii. 25! Journal; 8 tea, conversed, Journal; 9.30 chaise, visited, prayer, chaise; 12 Belfast, writ Journal; 2.30 dinner, writ Journal, prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 Job xxi. 22! society, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.15.

 

Tues. 9.[6] -About eight I came once more to Newtownards, where I had not been for eleven years, and preached at nine to a multitude of people, in the Presbyterian meeting-house. All of them seemed to be not a little affected. God grant the impression may continue! From hence we had a pleasant ride to Portaferry, a pretty large seaport town, and one of the quietest I ever saw, either in England, Scotland, or Ireland. Here likewise I preached in a large meeting-house, to a serious and well-behaved congregation, on  ‘Stand ye in the old paths’; and many seemed determined to ‘walk therein.’

 

Wed. 10. -We had twice or thrice as many people in the morning as our house would have contained. We had then a lovely passage to Strangford; but the question was where to preach. I was inclined to preach in the open air, as I did eleven years ago, till the vicar called upon me, and, after a little friendly conversation, asked me if I would not preach in the chapel. As we walked together through the street the people gathered from every quarter, so that the church was over-filled, many being constrained to stand without the door; and greatly was the mighty power of God displayed in the midst of them.

 

We came to Downpatrick before one. In the afternoon we viewed the venerable ruins of the Abbey. Great men have talked of rebuilding it for many years, but none moves a hand towards it. [7]At six I preached to a numerous congregation in the Grove on ‘How long halt ye between two opinions?’

 

Tuesday 9

 

4 Prayed, Journal, tea; 6 chaise; 8 Newtown[ards], tea, Journal; 9 I Jo. v. 19! 10 chaise; 1.30 Portaferry, dinner, chaise; 4 prayed, letters, sermon, Jer. vi. 16, society, supper, together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 10

 

4 Prayed, writ narrative; 6 2 Cor. vi. I! on business, conversed; 7.30 Strangford, tea, conversed; 9 Heb. ix. 27! chaise; 12 Downpatrick, writ narrative; 1.30 dinner, letters; 4 prayed, walk, tea; 6 1 Kings xviii. 22, society, supper, together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Afterwards I met the society, now well established, and still increasing both in number and strength.

 

Thur. 11. -I preached in Rathfryland about noon; and before two set out for Tanderagee. But in about half an hour the iron part of my fore-axletree broke, so I walked forward with two of our brethren, which was easier than riding either of their horses. But before we came to Loughbrickland, my strength was so exhausted I was glad to stop at a little inn, and send to Banbridge, about two miles off, for a post-chaise. It came soon after six o’clock, and I set out immediately. I had gone about a mile, when Mrs. Leslie met me with her chaise (who set out as soon as ever she heard that my chaise was broke down), and took me with her to Tanderagee. A multitude of people were waiting (twice as many as were in the Green at Downpatrick); when, finding no want of strength, I earnestly proclaimed ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.’ Such a congregation I have not seen since I came into the kingdom; neither such a pleasing place, shaded with tall, spreading trees, near which ran a clear river; and all the people listened with quiet and deep attention, [when invited] to ‘drink of the water of life freely.’

 

Fri: 12. -I had a day of rest in the same delightful grove, and preached on ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.’

 

Sat. 13. -I had another quiet day to answer my letters and revise my papers.

 

Thursday 11

 

4 Prayed; 4.45 chaise; 7 Castlewellan, tea; 10 Rathfrilan[d], letters; 12 Prov. iii. 17! dinner; 1.45 chaise; 2.30 chaise broke, walk; 5 Loch Bric[klan]d [Loughbrickland], within; 6 chaise; 7.15 Tandera­gee, 2 Cor. v. 19! 8.30 at Dr. Leslie’s, conversed, prayer, supper; 10.

 

Friday 12

 

5.45 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, letters, garden, letters; 1 in the T[ ], within to many; 2 dinner, conversed; 3.30 writ, sleep, prayed; 5 tea, within to many; 6 Matt. xxii. 37! 7 society, at home, conversed, supper, conversed; 10.

 

Saturday 13

 

4.15 Prayed, sermon; 8 tea, conversed; 9 sermon, garden; 2 dinner, conversed; 4 sleep, prayed, tea; 6 Matt. xxii. 39! garden, conversed; 9 supper, conversed, prayer; 10.15.

 

I think the evening congregation was the largest we have seen in the kingdom, and they all seemed to feel the application of these words, which God applied with uncommon power, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’

 

Sun. 14. -I preached to near as large a congregation at nine, on ‘Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous.’ After preaching in the evening, I lodged at Killyman, and preached at seven in the morning at Mr. Caulfield’s[8] door. In the evening I preached in the castle yard at Dungannon, on ‘There is one God,’ with the demonstration of the Spirit. It is a lovely place, and contained a huge congregation.

 

Tues. 16. -I preached in the street at Blackwatertown, on 1 Cor. x. 13. The word sunk deep into many hearts, for the power of God was in the midst of the congregation. In the evening I preached once more to a multitude of people in Mr. M‘Geough’s[9] avenue, to whom I paid probably the last visit, as he is just tottering over the grave.

 

Wed. 17. -I went on to Newry, and preached once more in the Presbyterian meeting-house, well filled with rich and poor.

 

Sunday 14

 

4 Prayed; 5 chaise; 8 Charlem[ont], letters; 10 Psa. xxxiii. I! letters; 1 dinner, letters, prayed, tea; 5 Josh.

 

x. 12! chaise, Killiman; 7.30 supper together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 15

 

4 Prayed, letters; 7 Eccl. vi. 12, tea, conversed, letters; 1 garden; 2 dinner, together; 3 sleep, prayed, writ narrative; 5 Dungannon, tea, prayed; 6 Mark xii. 32! chaise; 8 supper, within; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 16

 

7 Blackw[ate]r, tea, conversed; 8 I Cor. x. 13! chaise, sermon; 12 walk; 1 dinner, conversed, sermon; 4 within, tea, prayed; 6 [-], supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 17

 

3.30 Tea; 4 chaise; 8 Newry, tea, sermon; 12 walk; 1 dinner, conversed; 4 within, prayed; 6 Mark iii.                 35, visited, writ narrative; 8.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

.

 

I t was a blessed season, as it was nearly at five in the [ next] morning.

 

Thur. 18. -About ten I began in the market-place at Dun­dalk. The congregation was large, and exceeding quiet. They were tolerably quiet at Drogheda in the evening, and deeply attentive at six in the morning.

 

Fri. 19. -About eleven I preached in the street at Swords, and in the afternoon reached Dublin.[10]

 

Sun. 21. -I preached and administered the Lord’s Supper, in the conclusion of which­-

 

                      The o’erwhelming power of grace divine[11] ­-

 

overshadowed the congregation. On Monday, Tuesday, and

 

Thursday 18

 

4 Prayed, I Cor. xiii. 1-3! tea, conversed, prayer; 6.30 chaise, Dundalk, tea Heb. ix. 27; 10.45 chaise; 3.15 Drogheda, dinner, sermon, tea; 6 Job [-]! in talk to some, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 19

 

4 Lay down; 5 prayed; 6 2 Cor. viii. 9! tea, chaise; 10.15 Man of War, tea, chaise; 11 Shields [mistake for Swords], I Cor. i. 30! chaise; 2.15 Dublin, dinner, conversed, coach; 4 at home, within, tea, con­versed, prayed; 6.30 Jud. i. 27! supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 20

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 letters, walk; 2 dinner, within, prayer; 6 tea, conversed; 6.30 Deut. xxxiii. 28! 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 21

 

4.30 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, letters; 11.15 Jo. iii. 20! communion; 2 dinner, conversed, sleep, prayed, letters; 4 letters; 5 tea, prayed, Prov.       xxii. 6! society, within to many, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 22

 

4 Prayed, 1 John iii. 20, class; 8 tea, conversed, class; 2 dinner, con­versed, prayer, class; 5.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 Eph. iv. 31!          within, supper, conversed; 9.30.

 

Wednesday[12]  I visited the classes, now containing a little above a thousand members, after 

 

I had excluded about a hundred.

 

Thur. 25. -I went on to Mrs. Tighe’s,[13] at Rosanna, near Wicklow, an exceeding pleasant seat, deeply embosomed in woods on every side. In the evening I preached in the great hall, to about a hundred very genteel persons. I believe most of them felt as well as heard; some perhaps may bring forth fruit.

 

Tuesday 23

 

4 Prayed, Matt. xviii. 9! class; 8 tea, conversed, class; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 Lu. xiv. 17! The bands! supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 24

 

4 I John iii. 1-7 ! class; 8 tea; 9 class; 2 dinner; 3 class; 5 tea, con­versed; 6.30 within! letters; 8 within, supper, prayer; 9.15.

 

Thursday 25

 

3.30 On business, tea; 5 chaise, Bray, chaise; 11 Rosanna, letters; 2.15 dinner, conversed; 3.15 writ letters, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, letters; 6.30 Jo. iv. 24! letters; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Fri. 26.[14]-After spending a quiet day, I went in the after­noon to Wicklow, and preached in the court-house to a large congregation, civil, though unawakened enough. Yet a few appeared to be deeply attentive, and I hope will ‘seek the Lord while He may be found’

 

Sat. 27. -We returned to Dublin by the Glen of the Downs, much resembling that which lies north above Keswick Water. All this country is remarkably fruitful and pleasant, having, in many parts, a fine sea as well as land prospect.

 

Sun. 28.[15]-In the conclusion of the morning service we had a remarkable blessing; and the same in the evening, moving the whole congregation as the heart of one man.

 

This day I enter on my eighty-sixth year. I now find I grow old: (1) My sight is decayed, so that I cannot read a small print, unless in a strong light; (2) my strength is decayed, so that I walk much slower than I did some years since; (3) my memory of names, whether of persons or places, is decayed, till I stop a little to recollect them. What I should be afraid of is, if I took thought for the morrow, that my body should weigh down my mind, and create either stubbornness, by the decrease of my understanding, or peevishness, by the increase of bodily infirmities. But Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God.[16]

 

Friday 26

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, prayer, letters; 12 walk, visited; 2 dinner, conversed, letters, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, coach; 6 Wicklow, lsai. Iv. 6, coach; 8 on business, supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 27

 

4 Tea, conversed, prayer; 5 coach; 8 at Mr. Sand’s, tea, within; 9.30 coach; 12.30 Dublin; 1 letters, walk; 2 M[oun]t Pleasant, dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 Dublin, letters; 5 christened, tea, prayer; 6 letters; 8 supper, within, on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 28

 

4 Prayed, letters, Journal; 8 tea, conversed, Journal; 9 with the leaders, Journal; 11.30 I Pet. v. 10! Communion! 2 at Mr. D‘Olier’s, dinner, conversed, prayer; 3.30 sleep, prayed, conversed; 5 Journal, tea, conversed; 5.30 Luke xv. 7! society! 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 29[17]

 

4 Prayed, I Jo[hn] iii. 4, letters; 8 conversed, prayer; 9 letters; 2 at Brother Brook[e]’s, dinner, 

 

            conversed, prayer; 3.45 sleep; 4 class; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6.30 I Jo. iii. 7! within, supper, 

 

            prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 30

 

4 Prayed, I Jo. iii. 8-14. sermon; 8 tea, prayer; 9 sermon, visited;          2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3.30 sermon, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 I Jo. iii. 20! the bands! supper, prayer; 9.30.

  

---

 

[1] This saintly young minister died after much suffering, on June 10, 1789, a week after Wesley saw him. See Atmore’s Memorial p. 407.

 

[2] He wrote from Londonderry to John Bredin, prescribing for his ailments and urging him to build a preaching-house in Jersey (new ed. Wesley Letters). 

 

[3] On June 2 he wrote to the printer of the Dublin Chronicle, still replying to his detractors with reference to church attendance. (Works, vol. xiii. p. 298.)

 

[4] Amongst those present here was Thomas Collier (father of Revs. James and Robert Collier), who was then led to give his heart to God. He afterwards settled in Ballinacoy, where his house became a centre of religious life in what was then a very dark and benighted district.

 

[5] The first Presbyterian meeting-house in Rosemary Street is now in the hands of the Unitarians. One of those present at the service, and converted under Wesley’s sermon, was Joseph Bradbury, for many years a faithful class-leader in the Belfast society. See W.M. Mag. 1829, p. 430.

 

       [6] He wrote from Portaferry to George Flamank, officer of excise in Plymouth (Works, vol. xii. p. 522).

 

[7] The rebuilding was commenced during the next year, 1790. Though little of the old building was left, Dr. Coke speaks of it as ‘lately rebuilt.’ He climbed to the top of the tower. See Arm. Mag. 1798, p. 552; cf. W.M. Mag. 1832, p. 591.

 

[8] The Rev. Charles Caulfield, rector. 

 

[9] Of Armagh. Amongst those present, whose minds were deeply impressed, were John Waugh, who subsequently entered the itinerancy, and a young man named Simon Reilly, who for half a century received the preachers in his house at Drummond.

 

[10] On June 20 he wrote from Dublin to Walter Churchey, objecting to Dr. Coke’s little alteration in the Prayer-book:

 

I took particular care throughout to alter nothing for altering’s sake. In religion, I am for as few innovations as possible. I love the  

 

old wine best. And if it was only on this account, I prefer ‘which’ before ‘who art in heaven’ (Works. vol. xii. p. 438).

 

[11] Meth. Hymn-Book (1904), 276, v. 5, from Hymn 155, vol. i. Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749, by C. Wesley; Osborn’s Wes. Poetry, vol. v. A Favourite line with Wesley, but often (as here) incorrectly quoted, ‘grace divine’ being substituted for ‘saving grace.’ See W.H.S. vol. v. p. 217.

 

[12] On the 24th he wrote to George Holder (Works, vol. xiii. p. 114); and the next day to Adam Clarke (ibid. vol. xiii. p. 103, or more fully, Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, vol. iii p. 583); also on the 25th to Arthur Keene. A few  ‘well-meaning but ill-judging’ men were throwing dust in his eyes, and tearing him away from an old friend (W.H.S. vol. viii. p. 97).

 

[13] It is a Little difficult to disentangle the details of the Tighe family history. It must here suffice to say that the name figured in the eighteenth-century parlia­mentary, literary, social, and religious history of Ireland. It was at this time intimately and honourably associated with John Wesley and his Methodist friends. One fact must always surround the name with special interest for Methodism throughout the world. It was Mrs. Tighe of Rosanna who com­missioned Romney to paint what many competent judges regard as the truest and finest portrait of Wesley in mature life (see above, p. 461). See Life of the Countess of Huntingdon, vol. ii. pp. 213­-14. Howitt’s Homes and Haunts de­scribes Rosanna, where Mrs. Tighe entertained Wesley. The Mrs. Tighe here mentioned was Sarah, only child of the Rt. Hon. Sir William Fownes, Bart., who in 1736 married Lady Elizabeth Ponsonby, daughter of the Earl of Bessborough. In 1765 she had married Mr. William Tighe, M.P., whose mother, Lady Mary Bligh, was daughter of the first Earl of Darnley. She became a widow in 1782. See Everett’s Life of Clarke, vol. i. p. 285; Froude’s The English in Ireland; and William Arthur’s Life of Gideon Ouseley, pp. 134-5. In the W.M. Mag. 1910, p. 527, the Rev. Richard H. Lud­low has contributed an illustrated article on  ‘Wesley’s Friends at Rosanna,’ with original Wesley letters and a deeply interesting account of the Rev. Thomas Kelly, the author of ‘The head that once was crowned with thorns’ and other well-known hymns. He married Eliza­beth Tighe, Mrs. Tighe’s eldest daughter, who was a girl of twenty when Wesley visited Rosanna in 1789. She it was who painted the replica of the Romney portrait, now at Kellavil, the home of the Kellys.

 

[14] He wrote from Rosanna to the Rev. Mr. Heath, at Burlington, New Jersey, as to a voyage home, toward which he would ‘willingly give fifty pounds.’ Incidentally he adds: ‘When I crossed the Atlantic, a cabin passenger paid five pounds for his passage. Now they have swelled it to above twice as much.’ On the back of the address he writes a note to Mr. Heath’s children, Anna and Maria. (New ed. Wesley Letters.)

 

[15] He wrote from Dublin to Mrs. In­gram, of Limerick, and to Miss Rebecca Ingram, advising her on a proposal of marriage (Works, vol. xiii. pp. 117 and 118).

 

[16] On July 2 he finished writing his remarkable sermon on Jer. viii. 22, in which he tries to answer the question, ‘Why has Christianity done so little good in the world?’ It is in this ser­mon he quotes the words,  ‘I can God to record upon my soul, that I advise no more than I practise. I do gain, save, and give all I can.’ For this and other sermons on riches, see Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, vol. iii. p. 636.

 

[17] He wrote from Dublin to Robert Dall (new ed. Wesley Letters).