SEPT. 1, Sat. - This day twelvemonth I was detained in Holland by contrary winds. All is well, so we are doing and suffering the will of our Lord. In the evening, the storm driving us into the house again, I strongly exhorted a very genteel audience (such as I have rarely seen in England) to ‘ask for the old paths, and walk therein.’      

 

Sun. 2.-Being still pent up by the north-east wind, Dr. Coke preached at six in the morning to a deeply affected congregation. I preached at eight on Rom. viii. 33. At one Mr. Vivian, a local preacher, preached in French, the language of the island. At five, as the house would not

 

SEPT. 1, Saturday

 

4 Prayed, Gal. v. 5, writ narrative, read Tayl[or]; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 J[oseph] B[radford], prayer; 10 Tayl[or]; 12.30 dinner, conversed; 1.30 Tayl[or]; 2.30 prayed, walk, at brother Wa[-]; 5 visited, tea, conversed; 6 Jer. vi. 16! walk, supper, on business, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 2

 

4 Prayed, Mag.; 7.30 tea, conversed; 8 Rom. viii. 33! in the boat, Castle, prayer; 11 on business; 12.30 dinner, conversed, prayer; 1.30 Mag.; 3.30 prayed, tea, conversed; 5 Lu. xv. 7, society, walk, Mag.; 7.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

­contain half the congregation, I preached in a tolerably sheltered place[1]  on the ‘joy there is in heaven over one sinner that repenteth’; and both high and low seemed to hear it gladly. I then designed to meet the society, but could not. The people pressed so eagerly on every side that ­the house was filled presently, so that I could only give a general exhortation to walk worthy of their profession.

 

I was in hopes of sailing in the morning, Monday the 3rd; but the storm so increased that it was judged impracticable. The congregation in the evenings increased every day, so I trust we were detained for good purpose. They appeared to be more and more affected; so that I believe we were not detained for nothing.

 

Tues. 4.-The storm continued, so that we could not stir. I took a walk to-day through what is called the New Ground,[2] where the gentry are accustomed to walk in the evening. Both the upper ground, which is as level as a bowling-green, and the lower, which is planted with rows of trees, are wonderfully beautiful. In the evening I fully delivered my own soul, by showing what it is to build upon a rock. But still we could not sail, the wind being quite contrary, as well as exceeding high. It was the same on Wednesday. In the afternoon we drank tea at a friend’s, who was mentioning a captain just come from France that proposed to sail in the morning for Penzance, for which the wind would serve, though not for Southampton.

 

Monday 3

 

4 Prayed, Jud. i. 27, Journal; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Mag.; 12 garden; 12.45 dinner, conversed, prayer; 1.30 Mag.; 3 prayed; 4 walk, tea, conversed; 6 Matt. xv. 2, walk; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 4

 

4 Prayed, Lu. xx. 34! Mag.; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Mag.; 12 walk; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer, sermon; 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 Matt. vii. 24! walk; 7.30 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 5

 

4 Prayed, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, sermon; 12 walk; 12.45 dinner, prayer; 2 J[oseph] B[radford], prayer, conversed; 3 Caractacus [Mason’s]; 3.30 prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayer; 6 Jo. vii. 37! walk; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

­

 

In this we plainly saw the hand of God, So we agreed with him immediately, and in the morning, Thursday the 6th, went on board with a fair, moderate wind; but We had but just entered the ship when the wind died away. We cried to God for help,[3] and it presently sprung up, exactly fair and did not cease till it brought us into Penzance Bay.[4]     

 

We appeared to our friends here as men risen from the dead. Great was their rejoicing over us, and great was the power of God in the midst of the congregation while I explained

 

Thursday 6

 

4 Walk; I Cor. xv. 58, within, writ narrative; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9.30 within, prayed; 10 on board the Commerce; 11 prayer! read Dr. Brown [Chaplain to the King and author of many works; unless he means Sir Thomas Browne]; 1 dinner, Brown; 5.30 tea, con­versed, prayed, Brown, supper, together; 9 lay down.

 

Friday 7

 

6 Prayer, Brown, tea, Brown; 10 Penzance, on business, Journal; 2 dinner, conversed, read, prayed; 4 tea, conversed; 4.30 Mark iii. 36, society, within, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

 ­and applied those words, ‘Whosoever doeth the will of God, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.’[5]

 

Sat. 8.-Dr. Coke preached at six to as many as the preaching-house would contain. At ten I was obliged to take the field by the multitude of people that flocked together. I found a very uncommon liberty of speech among them, and cannot doubt but the work of God will flourish in this place. In the evening I preached at St. Ives (but, it being the market-day, I could not stand, as usual, in the market­place), in a very convenient field at the end of the town to a very numerous congregation: I need scarce add, and very serious, for such are all congregations in the county of Cornwall.

 

Sun. 9.-About nine I preached at the Copper-works, three or four miles from St. Ives, to a large congregation gathered from all parts, I believe, ‘with the demonstration of the Spirit.’ I then met the society in the preaching-house, which is unlike any other in England, both as to its form and materials. It is exactly round, and composed wholly of brazen slags,[6] which, I suppose, will last as long as the earth. Between one and two I began in the market-place at Redruth, to the largest congregation I ever saw there; they not only filled all the windows, but sat on the tops of the houses. About five I began in the pit at Gwennap. I suppose we had a thousand more than ever were there before. But it was all one; my voice was strengthened accordingly, so that everyone could hear distinctly.

 

Saturday 8

 

4.15 Prayed, letter; 6.30 read; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, read; 10 I Sam. xx. 3! visited some; 10.30 chaise; 1 St Ives, dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 read, on business, [-] Tooddom [probably a corruption of Towednack]; 5 tea, conversed; 5.30 Lu. viii. 18, society, supper, prayer, on business; 9.45.

 

Sunday 9

 

4.30 Prayed, sermon; 6.30 chaise, Hale [Hayle], tea; 2 Cor. v. 19, communion, chaise, Redruth; 12 sermon; 12,45 dinner; 1.30 Gal. v. 22, prayed, tea; 5 Gwen[n]ap, Isa. lxvi. [no verse given]; 6.30 lovefeast; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Mon. 10.-I had a large congregation at five, and a peculiar blessing. Thence I went to Mr. Milles, the rector[7]  of Kenwyn, half a mile from Truro, a house fit for a nobleman,[8] and the most beautifully situated of any I have seen in the county. At noon I preached in the preaching-house at Truro. It was well filled with deeply attentive hearers. Thence we went on through a swiftly improving country[9] to St. Austell, and preached in the new house,[10] though not quite finished, to a crowded audience, who seemed all sensible that God was there. The old house was well filled at five in the morning, Tuesday the 11th. I did not design to preach at Liskeard, but, finding a few people gathered together, I gave them a short discourse, and then went on to Torpoint, where several of our brethren from the Dock were waiting for us; so we crossed over without loss of time to an earnest, affectionate people. The house would ill contain the congregation in the evening, and a joyful meeting it was.

 

Wed. 12.-We went over to Mount Edgcumbe,[11] and walked through all the improvements.

 

Monday 10

 

4 Prayed, tea, chaise; 8.30 Kenwyn, tea, conversed; 10 sermon; 11 Psa. xxxix I! dinner; 2 chaise; 4.45 St. Aust[ell], tea, prayed; 6 2 Cor. v. 29, society; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30. 

 

Tuesday 11

 

4 Prayed, Heb xiii. 22! tea, conversed; 4.30 chaise; 10 Liscard [Liskeard], tea, society; 10.30 chaise, Torpoint, boat; 2.30 the Dock, dinner, on business; 3.30 Journal, on business; 5 tea, conversed, writ narrative; 7 Heb. iv. 7! Supper; prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 12

 

4 Prayed, letters; 7.30 tea, conversed, prayer, boat, Mount Edgecom[be]; 12 Plymouth, I Sam. xxi 8! 1 at brother Parr’s, dinner, conversed, prayed; 4 at brother Gudle’s, tea, conversed, prayer, chaise, Dock, tea, prayed; 6.30 Deut. v. 7! society, supper, prayer; 10.

 

The situation is fine indeed. The lofty hill, nearly surrounded by the sea, and sufficiently adorned with trees, but not crowded, is uncommonly pleasant, but it did not strike me like Lord Harcourt’s seat at Nuneham.[12] And are all these things to be burned up?

 

At noon I preached at Plymouth. The house was crowded enough, and a solemn awe sat on all the people; as likewise in the evening at Plymouth Dock. There is an excellent spirit in this people, and such general peace and unanimity as never was before.

 

Thur. I3.-We set out early, and dined at Exeter. In the evening we had a crowded congregation, that drank in every word. This society likewise increases both in number and strength.

 

Fri. 14. - We took the mail-coach, and in the afternoon came to Bath. Considering the uncertain notice which had been given, we had a larger congregation than was expected; and many found it a comfortable season, particularly those that were in heaviness.

 

Sat. 15.[13]-With the assistance of two of my friends, I answered abundance of letters. In the evening we had an uncommon congregation, on whom I strongly enforced the first principles (which indeed never can be too much enforced), ‘By grace are ye saved through faith.’

 

Thursday 13

 

4.45 Gen. xvii. I, tea; 6.15 coach, Ivy brid[ge], tea, coach; 2.30 Exon; 3 dinner, on business, writ              

 

         narrative; 4.30 prayed, tea; 62 Cor. v. 19! society; 8 supper, conversed; 9.15 prayer; 10.

 

Friday 14

 

2.30 Drest, tea, within; 4 coach, Taunton, tea, within, coach, read Pluche[14]; 1.30 Wel[ls], dinner, coach; 430 Bath, on business, tea, letters; 7 I Chron. iv. 10! 8 supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 15

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 12.30 walk; 1 dinner,           conversed, prayer, letters; 5 tea, conversed; 6 read narrative; 6.30 Eph. ii. 8, within, supper, prayer, on business; 9.45.

 

Sun. 16.-I read prayers at ten, and preached with a peculiar blessing, and administered the Lord’s Supper to an unusual number of deeply serious communicants. At half-past two I began again. The chapel was more than filled. Many could not get in; and it was the same case at six in the evening. At both times I preached considerably longer than I usually do. Surely the time is come when God will cause His power to be known here also.

 

Mon. 17.-Leaving this society in a better state than it has been in for many years, I went to Bristol, where my brother has been for some weeks. By the way I preached at Winterbourne,[15] on the foundation of a new preaching-house. There was much rain before I began, and a violent wind all the time I was preaching; yet some of these, I trust, did come to the marriage. I had now two or three days to answer my letters,

 

Sunday 16

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 10 read prayers, Gal. vi. 15! communion; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 sleep; 2.30 2 Cor. v. 19; 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 Gal. vi. 14, society, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 17

 

4 Prayed, Matt. vi. 24, the leaders, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 10 chaise; 12.30 Winterb[ourne], Matt. xx. 4, chaise; 2.15 at Mr. Durbin’s, dinner, conversed, prayer, on business, tea; 6.30 Eph. ii. 8, at Mr. Ca[stleman’s], supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 18

 

4 Letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 1 visited; 2 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3 letter; 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6 prayed; 6.30 I Pet. iv. 19! the leaders; 8 at Mr. Ca[stleman’s], supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 19

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, visited; 9.30 letters, accounts, sermon; 2 dinner, conversed, sermon; 4 prayed, tea, conversed, visited; 6 Heb. iv. 9, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

­Every evening our room was well filled with deeply, attentive hearers.[16]

 

Fri. 21.-I spent the evening at the School, and was much leased with the management of it.

 

Sun. 23.-In the morning my brother read prayers, and I preached. In the afternoon I preached in Temple Church, to a very large and serious congregation. My brother desired to preach in the evening; so by the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

 

Thursday 20

 

4 Prayed, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, visited; 9.30 letter, sermon;            1.30 at Mr.      , dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 prayed, tea; 6.30 2 Cor. v. 19! the bands, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

                                         Eph. ii. 8.

 

Friday 21

 

4 Prayed, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, sermon, Mag.; 12 the females; 1 prayer; 2.15 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3.30 chaise; 4.30 at the School, garden, within; 5.15 tea, prayer, prayed, sermon; 8 supper,

 

       conversed, prayer; 9.30 sleep.

 

Saturday 22

 

4 Prayed, sermon, the children; 7 tea, accounts, chaise; 8.30 at home, letters, sermon; 12 within to Charles; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 sermon; 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, on business; 7.30

 

       Pen[ry]; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 23

 

4 Prayed, letters, sermon; 8 tea, conversed, on business; 9.30 prayers, Lu. vii. 16, communion; 1 at brother [-], dinner, prayed; 3 prayers, I Cor. viii. I, tea, conversed; 5 Charles preached, society, singers; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 24

 

7.30 III; 8 tea, conversed; 8.45 chaise; 11 Trowbridge, Mark iii. 35; 2 dinner, within, prayer, chaise; 4 Bradford, at Mrs. Bal[lard’s], con­versed, tea, prayed; 6 Mark iv. 3, society, supper, prayer; 10.

 

Tuesday 25

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, letters; 10.30 chaise; 12.30 Frome on business; 1 dinner; 2 sermon; 4 prayed, tea; 6 Matt. xx. 16! society, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

On Monday and the following days I visited the country societies; and had the satisfaction to find most of them growing in grace, and not decreasing in number.[17]

 

Thur. 27.-About noon I preached at Castle Cary. How are the times changed![18]  The first of our preachers that came hither the zealous mob threw into the horse-pond; now high and low earnestly listen to the word that is able to save their souls. In the evening I preached at Ditcheat.

 

Fri. 28.-I preached at Ditcheat again, at Shepton Mallet, and at Pensford to such a congregation as I have not seen for many years; and on Saturday returned to Bristol.

 

Sun. 30.[19]-I read prayers, and my brother preached. I preached in the avenue at Kingswood about two; and at five near King Square; probably the last time this year that I shall preach in the open air.

 

Wednesday 26

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 11.15 chaise, Catech. ; 11 Colef[or]d, dinner, conversed, Catech. ; 4 sermon, tea; 5 I Sam. xx. 3! communion; 7 Cate[-]; 7.30 supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 27

 

4 Prayed, Cate[ -], sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 chaise; 12 C[astle] Car[y], Job xxii. 21, at Mr. Clark[e]’s, dinner, chaise; 4 prayed, tea, conversed; 5.15 Eph. ii. 8! Cate[ -], conversed; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 28

 

4 Prayed, Luke xx. 34, Ca[-], sermon; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 10.30 chaise; 11 Shepton [Mallet], Acts xviii. 17, visited, dinner; 2.30 chaise; 3 at Belton, tea, chaise, Pensf[ord], Heb. iv. 13! Belton; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 29

 

4 Prayed, letters, tea, prayer; 7 chaise; 8 at home, visited; 10 letters; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 3 letters, prayed, tea, letters, sermon, Pen[ry], supper, prayer, on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 30

 

4 Prayed, sermon, conversed, on business; 9.30 prayers, Charles preached, communion, coach, at the School, dinner, 2 Psa. xxxiii. I; 3 coach, prayed, tea; 5 Mark iii. 35! society, singers, supper, prayer; 9.30.

  

---

 

[1] Local tradition says on the horse-block outside of Mon Plaisir. 

 

[2] Cambridge Park or l’Hyvreuse.

 

[3] Adam Clarke relates (Etheridge’s Life, p. 102, and Jones’s Life, p. 170) that when Wesley, who was reading in the cabin, heard that the wind had become contrary he called his friends to prayer. After Coke, Bradford, and Clarke had offered prayer, Wesley broke into supplication, which seemed more the offspring of strong faith than mere desire. His words, spirit, feeling, manner were remarkable. ‘... command these winds that they obey THEE, and take us speedily and safely to the haven whither we would be.’ The power of his petition was felt by all. He rose from his knees, made no remark, but took up his book and continued his read­ing. Clarke, on returning to deck, was surprised to find the vessel steering her right course with a steady breeze, which continued carrying them direct at eight to nine knots an hour to safe anchorage near St. Michael’s Mount.

 

[4] The authorities on Wesley’s visit to the Channel Islands quoted by M. Gallienne are the following: John S. Simon, W.M. Mag. 1870; and the Local Histories in French: Histoire du Method­isme Wesleyen dans les ίles de la Manche, par Francois Guiton, 1846; Vie du Rev. Jean de Queteville, par Henri de Jersey, 1847; Histoire du Méthodisme dam les ίles de la Manche, par Matthieu Lelièvre, 1885. The notices respecting the origin and early successes of Methodism in the Channel Islands are too numerous for quotation here. In addition to the works already mentioned we may refer to the Memoir of Mrs. Elizabeth Arrivè, Meth. Mag. 1820, pp. 293, 368; also the Memoir of Matthew Galichan of Guernsey, Meth. Mag. 1817, p. 760, and a notice of Mr. John de Jersey, Meth. Mag. 1827, p. 427. To these may be added the Lives of Dr. Adam Clarke, Dr. Coke, and R. C. Brackenbury.

 

[5] On Sept. 7 he wrote from penzance to Miss Bisson (Works, vol. xiii. p. 106).

 

[6] See above, p. 110, and Meth. Rec, Feb. 19, 1910.

 

[7] The vicar [not rector] of Kenwyn: Rev. Richard Milles, M.A., third son of Dean Milles. See Bibliotheca Cornu­biensis, vol. i. p. 359. (W.H.S. vol. iv. p. 195.)

 

[8] Bishop Benson, on his appointment as first Bishop of Truro, made this house his residence calling it Lis Escop. The house was built in 1780.

 

[9] Owing to the discovery of china clay in the district, in 1768, by Mr. Cook­worthy, a Plymouth Quaker.

 

[10] The site was given by Mr. Flamank, Wesley’s host, from the steps of whose house in Fore Street he preached. The building is now part of the Baptist premises on the Western Hill (Meth Rec. May 9. 1912).

 

[11] See Mrs. Delany’s Life and Letters 2nd Series, vol. i. p. 226.

 

[12] Mrs. Delany’s Life and Letters, 2nd Series, vol. iii. p. 100; and above, p. 26.

 

[13]  He wrote from Bath to George Holder. John Barber is to remove to Edinburgh, ‘for I can trust him in any part of Great Britain’ (Works, vol. xiii. p. 113); also to Miss Cook, at Trowbridge (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[14] See Watts’s Bibliotheca Britannica, which gives ‘Pluche, Abbé Antoine Noel de, a French writer, 1688-1761.’ Several works of his are noted-which of them Wesley was reading of course we cannot say.

 

[15] In Gloucestershire, six miles north of Bristol. John Valton was there. See his

 

Journal, W.H.S. vol. viii. p. 69.

 

[16] On Sept. 18 he wrote from Bristol to Henry Moore, justifying the preaching at 11 a.m., ‘only earnestly advising them that have hitherto received the Sacrament at church to do so still’ (Wesley Banner, vol. i. p. 46); and on the same day to Miss Bolton, at Witney (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[17] On Sept. 25 he wrote from near Bath to Jonathan Crowther, and the day following to William Black, in Nova Scotia (Tyerman’s Life of Wesley, vol. iii. pp. 506, 507).

 

[18] In Arm. Mag. 1786, p. 77, John Pritchard writes: ‘Our good friend Mr. John Horner built us a comfortable preaching-house in Castle Cary, where but a few years ago they threw Mr. Samuel Wells into a pond for preaching.’ See W.H.S. vol. v. p. 14.

 

[19] He wrote from Bristol to Henry Moore on behalf of John Bull, a prisoner for debt in the Marshalsea, who for ‘many years deserved well of the Methodists. . . . Give him a guinea. . . and another when­ever you see proper’ (new ed. Wesley Letters).