SEPT. 3, Wed.-I made a little beginning of some account of my brother’s life. Perhaps I may not live to finish it. Then let it fall into some better hands![1] 

 

Thur.4[2]-I had the satisfaction of spending an hour with that excellent woman, Lady [Maxwell][3]; not quite so ‘honourable’ but full as much devoted to God, and as useful, as even Lady Betty Hastings.[4] What is too hard for God? We see even this is possible with God, to raise a lady and a saint in one person! ­

 

SEPT. 1, Monday

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, letters; 12 visited; 2 dinner, together, 4 prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30        ; 8 at brother Bulgin’s, supper together, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 2

 

4 Prayed, sermon, accounts; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, sermon; 12 visited, 1 dinner, together, prayer; 2.30 read narrative; 4 prayed; 5 prayer: tea, within, prayer; 6.30 Psa. cxlvi. 3, 4! 7.30 the leaders, at brother Bulg[in’s], supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 3

 

4 Prayed, I Cor. xv. 41! writ Charles’s Life; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, Life; 12.30 visited some; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.30 Life, prayed; 5 tea, within; 6.30 T[emple] Ch[urch], prayers, -; 7.15 visited, at Miss Johns[on’s], supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 4

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 1.30 at L[ady] Maxw[ell’s], dinner, within, prayer; 4 prayed; 5 prayer; 6 con­versed, prayed; 6.30 Rom. xiii. 11, the bands, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Fri. 5. -We had a solemn watch-night at Kingswood. The school is now in just such a state as I wish. Mr. McGeary has three pious and able assistants,[5] out of those that were brought up in it; and I doubt not it will supply a sufficiency of masters for the time to come.

 

Sat. 6.[6]-I walked over to Mr. Henderson’s,[7] at Hanham, and thence to Bristol. But my friends, more kind than wise, would scarce suffer it. It seemed so sad a thing to walk five or six miles! I am ashamed that a Methodist preacher, in toler­able health, should make any difficulty of this.

 

Sun. 7. -Having none to assist me, I found it hard work to read prayers, preach, and administer the sacrament to such a number of people. The moment I had done I hastened to Kingswood, having but just time to take a little dinner before I began preaching to a large congregation, before the preaching-house. Returning to Bristol, I preached at five in Carolina Court, to an immense number of people, on Rom. viii.

 

33, 34.[8]

 

Friday 5

 

 4 Prayed, letters, Journal; 2.15 at T. Ra[-], dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 chaise, at the School, writ narrative; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6 writ narrative; 7.45 supper, conversed, Jam. ii. 22! 10.

 

Saturday 6

 

4.30 Life; 6 the children; 7 walk, Hannam, tea, conversed, prayer; 9 walk; 10 at home, letters; 1 dinner, within; 3.30 read narrative, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, read narrative; 7.30 Pen[ry]; 8 at sister Joh[nson’s], supper, together, prayer, on business; 9.30.

 

Sunday 7

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6 read narrative; 8 tea, conversed, prayed; 9.30 read prayers, Eph. iii. 14, communion; 1 coach; 1.30 at the school, dinner; 2 Prov. xxiii. 6; 4, tea, conversed, prayed; 5 Ro. viii. 33! 6.15 society, the [-] supper, within, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tues. 9. -I saw the large church at Midsomer Norton thoroughly filled with serious hearers. The room at Shepton Mallet, though greatly enlarged, could in nowise contain the congregation. At five in the morning, Wednesday the 10th, it was thoroughly filled. At Cole ford in the evening I was obliged to preach.

 

Thur. 11. -We had a lovely congregation at Frome, both in the evening and at five in the morning. At length this wilder­ness, too, as it has long appeared to be, begins to blossom and bud as the rose.

 

About two o'clock, Friday the 12th, I preached in the preaching-house yard at Trowbridge, where, notwithstanding the harvest, we had an unusually large congregation, who listened with deep attention; in the evening at Bradford, to as many as the house would contain. But I did not find good Mrs. Bailward[9] there. 

 

Monday 8

 

4 Prayed, 2 Pet. i. 4, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, writ texts; 12 select society; 1 dinner, within; 2.30 texts; 4 together; 5 tea, prayed; 6.30 I Jo. iv. 19, within; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 9

 

4 Prayed, texts, tea, on business; 7 chaise; 10.30 M[idsomer] Norton, prayers, Matt. x. 7! visited; 1.30 dinner; 2.30 chaise; 4.30 Shepton, tea, within, prayers; 6 Isai. xl, writ texts, supper, con­versed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 10

 

4.15 Prayed; I Jo. Hi. I, texts; 7.30 tea, conversed, prayer, visited; 10.30 chaise; 12.15 Coleford, Gebalin[10]; 1 dinner, conversed, read Gebalin; 4.30 prayed, tea, conversed; 6 I Pet. i. 6, society, read narrative, supper, prayer, conversed; 9.30.

 

Thursday 11

 

4.15 Prayed, Acts xvi. 30, letter, Geb[alin]; 8 tea, chaise; 10 Frome, Gebalin; 12 garden; 1 dinner, within; 2.30 Gebalin; 5 tea, prayed; 62 Cor. v. 19, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 12

 

4 Prayed, Phil. ii. 12, tea, chaise; 8.30 garden, chaise; 12.30 dinner, chaise, 2 Trowbr[idge], Matt. xi. 4! 3.30 chaise; 4.15 Bradfor[d]; 4.30 tea, conversed, prayed, 6 Heb. xi. I, society, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

 After long struggling with a deep nervous disorder, which for a time depressed the mind as well as the body, the cloud removed; her load fell off, and her spirit joyfully returned to God.           

 

Sat. 13. -I found the society at Bath in a more flourishing state than it had been for many years, and the congregation in the evening was unusually large, and, as usual, seriously attentive.

 

Sun. 14. -We had twice as many communicants as I ever remember here. Just before service Mr. Shepherd came, and offered me his service. It could not have been more seasonable. I had much liberty of spirit the first time I preached to-day, but greater at half-hour past two, and the greatest of all in the evening, where I vehemently enforced those awful words, ‘Why will ye die, O house of Israel?’

 

Mon. 15. -I returned to Bristol, and on the four days was sufficiently employed in meeting the classes end of the town the society increases greatly. It decrease in any part. Glory be to God! 

 

Saturday 13

 

4 Prayed, I Cor. ix. 24, Life; 7 tea, conversed, prayer, walk, chaise; 10.30 at Mrs. Vaslet’s; 11.30 Life; 2 dinner, conversed; 3.15 Life, prayed; 5 tea, conversed; 6.30 Matt. xxiv. 44, within, visited; 8.15 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 14

 

4 Prayed, Life; 8 tea, conversed, Life; 10 read prayers, Matt. xv. 28! communion; 1 dinner, together; 2 sleep; 2.30 Matt. xviii. 3! Life, tea, conversed, prayed; 6 Ezek. xviii. 31! 7 society, within, supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Monday 15

 

4 Prayed, Matt. xi. 28, Jo. Fowl[-]; 7.15 chaise, Corsha[m], tea, con­versed, Life; 10.30 chaise, Keinsham, Psa. [-], within, dinner, con­versed; 2 chaise; 3 Brist[o]l;, letters; 5 conversed; 5.30 prayed, Prov. xxviii. 14! at Mr. Giff[ord’s]; supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 16[11] 

 

4 Prayed, letters; 6 class, tea, class; 12 letter; 1 dinner, class; 4 prayed, tea; 6.30 the leaders, at Mr. Giff[ord's], supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Fri. 19. -Being pressed to preach to the poor people in George Street,[12] and knowing the house would not contain half the congregation in the evening, I began at five; by which means we had room for all that could attend at so early an hour. Oh what an advantage have the poor over the rich! These are not wise in their own eyes, but all receive with meekness the in grafted word which is able to save their souls.

 

Sat. 20.[13]-I met the trustees for the New Room, who were all willing to add a codicil to the Deed of Trust, in order to ascertain to the Conference (after me) the sole right of appointing the preachers in it.[14]

 

Wednesday 17

 

4 III; 7 prayed, writ narrative, tea; 9 class, letters; 3 at the Mayor’s; 4 dinner, together; 5 at sister Hodgson’s, tea, together; 6 D. Jo. iv. 28; 7.30 prayed, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Thursday 18

 

5.30 Prayed, class; 8 tea, conversed, on business; 9 class; 1 dinner, conversed; 2 class; 4.30 letters, prayer; 5 tea, prayed; 6.30 2 Cor. v. 16, etc., the bands; 8.15 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 19

 

4 Prayed, letters; 9 class; 2 the females, [-]; 1 writ narrative, prayer; 2 at brother Ewer’s, dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 visited, tea, conversed; 5 George Street, Mat. xi. 28, visited some; 7 at Mr. Giffo[rd’s], letters, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Saturday 20

 

4.30 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 writ Journal; 12 visited some; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.30 writ narrative, prayed; 4.30 tea, visited; 6.30 the Trustees; 7.30 Pen[ry]; 8 at brother Pownal’s, supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sunday 21

 

4.30 Prayed, letters; 7.30 tea, conversed; 8 class, prayed; 9.30 prayers, Matt. xxii. 37, communion; 1 dinner, conversed, sleep, conversed; 2.30 conversed; 3 prayers, I Cor. vi. 19, 20! tea, prayed; 5 prayers, 6 Matt. xxii. 39, settled the society; 8 supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Sun. 21. -I preached morning and afternoon at the room, and at three in Temple Church, so filled as I never saw it before. In the evening I spent an hour in fixing the places of the several classes at the society; a thing necessary to be done, although it is certain some will be not a little displeased.[15]

 

Tues. 23. -An end was put to the long contest between Dr. Coke and Mr. Durbin,[16] by the doctor’s acknowledging that the words he had wrote were too keen, and that he was sorry he had given Mr. D. so much uneasiness.

 

Wed. 24.[17]- I took a walk in Miss Goldney’s garden[18] at Clifton. Nothing can be more pleasant. But what is most remarkable is, the long terrace-walk, commanding a most beautiful prospect, and the grotto, the largest and most beauti­ful in its kind that I ever saw. It is admirably well laid out, and decorated with a surprising variety of shells and glittering fossils, the procuring and placing of which (we were informed) took the late Mr. Goldney above twenty years. And he has left it all!

 

Monday 22

 

4 Prayed; 5 writ letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer; 9 letters; 12 select society; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2 christened; Jam[es] Coussons, on business, prayed; 5 tea, conversed, prayed, 6.30 Lu. i. 70! Poor Stewards, Ca[stleman’s], supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 23

 

4 Prayed, Psa. cvi. 24! within to some, writ narrative; 8 at Mr. Ca[stle­man’s], tea, conversed, prayer; 9 Life, chaise; 2 Brisl[ing]ton, dinner, conversed, prayer, chaise; 5 tea, conversed, prayed; 6.30 Matt. xxiv. 27, the leaders, at Mr. C[astleman’s], supper, conversed, prayer; 9.30.

 

Wednesday 24

 

4.30 Prayed, letters; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, letters; 10.30 coach, Clifton; 1 dinner, conversed, prayer; 2.15 writ narrative; 4 walk, Hotwells, tea, conversed, prayer, walk; 6.15 prayers, 1 Cor. ix. 24, coach, Brisl[ing]ton, supper, conversed, prayer, 9.45.

 

Fri. 26. -We had a fast-day, which was concluded with a solemn watch-night. At the close of this we sung­

 

                                Ye virgin souls, arise![19] 

 

accompanied by the Gloucestershire band of music.[20] Such a concert was never heard in that house before, and perhaps never will be again.

 

Sat. 27. - Two or three friends took me to Blaise Castle about five miles from Bristol. Mr. F[arr],[21] a person of exquisite taste, built it some years ago on the top of a hill, which com­mands such a prospect all four ways as nothing in England excels.

 

Thursday 25

 

4.45 Prayed, read; 8 tea, conversed, prayer, visited, coach; 10 Thoughts of Bishop W[-], visited, dinner, prayer, visited some; 4.45 letters tea, prayed; 6.30 Rom. xi. 32, the bands; 8.15 at Mr. Ca[stleman’s], supper, prayer; 9.30.

 

Friday 26

 

4 Prayed, Matt. vi. 18! prayer; 6.45 within to many, writ letters, [-]; 10.30 letters; 12 females; 1 prayer; 2.15 dinner, conversed, prayer; 4 prayed, sleep; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, on business, supper; 8.30 Matt. x. 7! music! coffee, prayer; 12.15.

 

Saturday 27

 

6 Prayed, letters, tea; 8 coach, Blaise Castle; 11 Lord [de] Clifford’s i 2.15 dinner, conversed; 3.30 prayed; 4.45 at L[ady] M[axwell’s], within, tea, prayer, on business, Pen[ry]; 8 Ca[stleman’s], supper, conversed, prayer, on business; 9.30.

 

Thence we went to Lord de Clifford's seat, at King’s Weston. His house, one of the most beautiful I ever saw, stands on a little eminence in his park, and fronts all four ways. The prospect is fine every way, commanding both the land and the water, and the rooms are very elegantly furnished, particularly with excellent pictures. And must the owner leave all these beautiful things? Will death have no more respect for a lord than for a beggar?

 

Sun. 28. -I set out in the mail coach.

 

Tues. 30.[22] -Having for the present settled my business at London, in the evening I took coach for Lynn, and came thither about noon on Wednesday, OCTOBER 1. I spent all the time with much satisfaction, as I never found them so much alive before.

 

Sunday 28

 

4 Prayed, letters, tea; 8.30 on business, prayed; 9.30 prayers, Dan. iii., communion, dinner, on business, prayer, tea, prayer; 4 mail coach, conversed, sleep.

 

Monday 29

 

1 [-] sleep; 8 at home, tea, prayer, on business; 1 dinner, prayer, letters; 5 tea, conversed, prayed, letters; 8 supper, conversed, prayed; 9.30.

 

Tuesday 30

 

4 Prayed, letters; 8 at T. R[-], prayer, [-],        conversed, prayer, letter; 5 tea, conversed, prayer, prayed, 6 Eph. ii. 12, supper; 8 coach; 9.30 sleep.

---

 

[1] See Jackson’s Life of Charles Wesley, vol. ii. p. 454. What became of this fragment is at present unknown.

 

[2] He wrote to John Atlay exonerating him, and asking for an inventory of the books ‘in the shop or under the chapel’ (Works, vol. xiii. p. 281).

 

[3] Hope Chapel, at the Hot Wells, near Bristol, had been opened on Aug. 3, under the patronage of Lady Maxwell. Lady Henrietta Hope and Lady Glen­orchy, who projected the scheme and gave the land, did not live to see the chapel opened, and Lady Maxwell had carried their wishes into effect. (See W.H.S. vol. ix. p. 80.) In a letter to Alexander Mather, Sept. 8, 1788, she says: ‘I have been privileged with much intercourse with Mr. Wesley in public and private, and with some precious souls in his connexion.’

 

[4] The ‘Aspasia’ of the Tatler (No. 42) was the daughter of the seventh Earl of Huntingdon, and a lady of great attainments in piety and intelligence. She was one of Benjamin Ingham’s converts. She died in 1739, in her fifty seventh year. In her Life, by Bernard, is a list of her numerous bequests. See Life of C. of Huntingdon, vol. i. p. 48.

 

[5] According to Myles (Chron. Hist.) these were Richard Dodd and Samuel Green (English), and Robert de Joncourt (French).

 

[6] He wrote from Bristol to Thomas Cooper, in Cherry Lane, Birmingham, who was too ill to take his appointment in Derby: ‘You should have told me at first what your disorder was; and possibly I might have saved you from much pain’ (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[7] Formerly one of Wesley’s preachers, at this time master of a lunatic asylum.

 

 Well known to Hannah More. See above, vol. vi. p. 336; and below, Sept. 21, 1789.

 

[8] One can only exclaim, ‘At, eighty­ five!’

 

[9] Probably Mrs. Ballard.

 

[10] See above, p. 210.

 

[11] On Sept. 16 he wrote from Bristol to Miss Baker, and the next day to

 

Joseph Benson; who was correcting Fletcher’s Letters (Works, vol. xii. p. 431; vol. xiii. p. 121).

 

[12] See above, p. 361.

 

[13] He wrote to Francis Asbury (Works, vol. xiii. p. 74), also Thoughts on Separa­tion from the Church (Ibid. vol. xiii. p. 263); and to Henry Moore asking him and Mr. Rankin to assist G. Whitfield at the Book Room. Atlay was to leave on the 25th (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[14] ‘This agreement they never would fulfill, which exceedingly pained our vener­able father’ (R. Burroughs’ Ebenezer [King Street, Bristol], 1795-1895, P 31).

 

[15] On the 22nd he wrote from Bristol to Mrs. Charles Wesley (new ed. Wesley Letters).

 

[16] Cf. above, vol. vi. p. 295; Coke’s Life, p. 179; Arm. Mag. 1797, p. 200.

 

For later facts about Mr. Durbin and the Old Planners, see Smith’s Hist. Of Methodism, vol. ii. p. 687; W.M. Mag. 1845, p. 319; and W.H.S. vol. ii. pp. 40 and 103.

 

[17] He wrote to John Atlay (Works, vol. xiii. p. 281).

 

[18] See Dugdale’s admirable description of the house and grounds of Mr. Gabriel Goldney. Mrs. Delany declared the garden much the finest thing she ever saw. Goldney House was afterwards acquired and rebuilt by Mr. Lewis Fry. Mr. Goldney was partner in the firm of Goldney and Poult, potters.

 

[19] See Meth. Hymn-Book 1904, No. 201; originally taken from Charles Wesley’s Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749, vol. ii.

 

[20] In the eighteenth century there was a benevolent society which had its head­quarters in Bristol. The members assembled (in 1788) at Tailors’ Hall, heard a sermon in St. James’s Church, dined at the Assembly Rooms in Princes Street, and made collections for a mater­nity charity and for apprenticing poor boys, and engaging music wherewith to enliven their proceedings. This music, no doubt was the Gloucestershire band, engaged for the anniversary of the Gloucestershire Society. At the dinner of 1788 a Charles Wesley Cox was present. It is suggested he may have been related to Lady Cox, one of White­field’s earliest converts in Bath, and to whom John Wesley once wrote a long and interesting letter, a large portion of which is preserved in the Wesley Diary now in the Library of Drew Theological Seminary. Possibly the presence of Mr. Cox at the charity dinner accounts for the presence of the band at the watchnight in the Old Room. See W.H.S. vol. iii. p. 66.

 

[21] The Rev. R. Butterworth says that Thomas Farr, Mayor in 1775-6, bought the estate (1762) from Sir Jarret Smith Wilberforce, who frequently visited it, declaring it to be ‘the sweetest residence of a private gentleman to be found in England, except perhaps, Mr. Morritt’s of Rokeby. It is situated at the head of a romantic glen. The house took its name from a chapel which stood here, and which was dedicated to St. Blaise, Bishop of St. Sebaste. About one and a half miles away is King’s Weston, thrice visited by Wesley. The great-grandson of Sir R. Southwell, who died here, suc­ceeded to the barony of De Clifford and the possession of King’s Weston. Hannah more was the friend of Mr. Harford, who succeeded Mr. Farr at Blaise Castle.

 

[22] He wrote to Jasper Winscom, personally relieving him from a debt which conference refused to recognize. Wesley carried all the burdens (Meth. In Isle of Wight, p.150); the same day he wrote to lady --, a remarkable letter in which he refers to ‘a great person’ who for many years professed a great regard for him (Works, vol. xiii. P.149). On Oct. 2 he wrote to Miss Jane Bisson (Works, vol. xiii.p.108)