Wow

Monday, 14.—I rode by Manchester (where I preached about twelve) to Warrington. At six in the morning, Tuesday, 15, I preached to a large and serious congregation; and then went on to Liverpool, one of the neatest, best-built towns I have seen in England. I think it is fully twice as large as Chester; most of the streets are quite straight. Two thirds of the town, we were informed, have been added within these forty years. If it continues to increase in the same proportion, in forty years more it will nearly equal Bristol. The people in general are the most mild and courteous I ever saw in a seaport town; as indeed appears by their friendly behavior, not only to the Jews and Papists who live among them, but even to the Methodists (so called). The preaching-house is a little larger than that at Newcastle. It was thoroughly filled at seven in the evening; and the hearts of the whole congregation seemed to be moved before the Lord and before the presence of His power.

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Benign Remedies

1755. Monday, April 7 (Wednesbury).—I was advised to take the Derbyshire road to Manchester. We baited at a house six miles beyond Lichfield. Observing a woman sitting in the kitchen, I asked, “Are you not well?” and found she had just been taken ill (being on her journey) with all the symptoms of an approaching pleurisy. She was glad to hear of an easy, cheap, and (almost) infallible remedy—a handful of nettles, boiled a few minutes and applied warm to the side. While I was speaking to her, an elderly man, pretty well dressed, came in. Upon inquiry, he told us he was traveling, as he could, toward his home near Hounslow, in hopes of agreeing with his creditors to whom he had surrendered his all. But how to get on he knew not, as he had no money and had caught a tertian ague. I hope a wise Providence directed this wanderer also, that he might have a remedy for both his maladies.

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A vital reconciliation.

Thursday, 3.—I rode to Reading and preached in the evening. Observing a warm man near the door (he was once of the society), I purposely bowed to him; but he made no return. During the first prayer he stood, but sat while we sang. In the sermon his countenance changed, and in a little while he turned his face to the wall. He stood at the second hymn and then kneeled down. As I came out he caught me by the hand and dismissed me with a hearty blessing.

Friday, 4.—I came to London. On Monday, 7, I retired to a little place near Hackney, formerly a seat of Bishop Bonner’s (how are the times changed!) and still bearing his name. Here I was as in a college.

Twice a day we joined in prayer. The rest of the day (allowing about an hour for meals and another for walking before dinner and supper) I spent quietly in my study. 

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Prevail

Monday, September 9.—I preached at Charlton, a village six miles from Taunton, to a large congregation gathered from the towns and country for many miles round. All the farmers here had some time before entered into a joint engagement to turn all out of their service and give no work to any who went to hear a Methodist preacher. But there is no counsel against the Lord. One of the chief of them, Mr. G---, was not long after convinced of the truth and desired those very men to preach at his house. Many of the other confederates came to hear, whom their servants and laborers gladly followed. So the whole device of Satan fell to the ground; and the Word of God grew and prevailed.

Wednesday, October 2.—I walked to Sold Sarum, which, in spite of common sense, without house or inhabitants, still sends two Members to the Parliament. It is a large, round hill, encompassed with a broad ditch, which, it seems, has been of a considerable depth. At the top of it is a cornfield; in the midst of which is another round hill, about two hundred yards in diameter, encompassed with a wall and a deep ditch. Probably before the invention of cannon, this city was impregnable. Troy was; but now it is vanished away and nothing left but “the stones of emptiness.” 

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Offering what strength we have (Maturity)

Monday, 29.—I preached at Sadler’s Wells in what was formerly a playhouse. I am glad when it pleases God to take possession of what Satan esteemed his own ground. The place, though large, was extremely crowded; and deep attention sat on every face.

Wednesday, May 22.—Our conference began; and the spirit of peace and love was in the midst of us. Before we parted, we all willingly signed an agreement not to act independently of each other: so that the breach lately made has only united us more closely together than ever.

June 2.—(Being Whitsunday.) I preached at the Foundry, which I had not done before in the evening; still I have not recovered my whole voice or strength, perhaps I never may; but let me use what I have. 

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Study during his recuperation

Monday, April 1.—We set out in the machine, and the next evening reached the Foundry.

Wednesday, 3.—I settled all the business I could and the next morning retired to Paddington. Here I spent some weeks in writing; only going to town on Saturday evenings, and leaving it again on Monday morning.

In my hours of walking I read Dr. Calamy’s Abridgment of Mr. Baxter’s Life. What a scene is opened here! In spite of all the prejudice of education, I could not but see that the poor Nonconformists had been used without either justice or mercy; and that many of the Protestant  bishops of King Charles had neither more religion nor humanity than the popish Bishops of Queen Mary. 

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Few words, great grief

Thursday, 31.—My wife desiring to pay the last office to her poor dying child, set out for London and came a few days before he went home, rejoicing and praising God.

Tuesday, March 19 (Bristol).—Having finished the rough draught, I began transcribing the Notes on the Gospels.

Tuesday, 26.—I preached for the first time, after an intermission of four months. What reason have I to praise God that He does not take the Word of His truth utterly out of my mouth! 

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Notes from a Recuperant

1754. Tuesday, January 1.—I returned once more to London.

On Wednesday, 2, I set out in the machine and the next afternoon came to Chippenham. Here I took a post chaise, in which I reached Bristol about eight in the evening.

Friday, 4.—I began drinking the water at the Hot Well, having a lodging at a small distance from it; and on Sunday, 6, I began writing Notes on the New Testament, a work which I should scarcely ever have attempted had I not been so ill as not to be able to travel or preach, and yet so well as to be able to read and write.

Monday, 7.—I went on now in a regular method, rising at my hour and writing from five to nine at night; except the time of riding, half an hour for each meal, and the hour between five and six in the evening. 

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Ill for the month of December

Wednesday, 28.—I found no change for the better, the medicines which had helped me before now taking no effect. About noon (the time that some of our brethren in London had set apart for joining in prayer) a thought came into my mind to make an experiment. So I ordered some stone brimstone to be powdered, mixed with the white of an egg, and spread on brown paper, which I applied to my side. The pain ceased in five minutes, the fever in half an hour; and from this hour I began to recover strength. The next day I was able to ride, which I continued to do every day till January 1. Nor did the weather hinder me once; it being always tolerably fair (however it was before) between twelve and one o’clock.

Friday, December 14.—Having finished all the books which I designed to insert in the “Christian Library,” I broke through the doctor’s order not to write and began transcribing a journal for the press; and in the evening I went to prayers with the family, without finding any inconvenience.

Thursday, 20.—I felt a gradual increase of strength till I took a decoction of the bark, which I do not find (such is the peculiarity of my constitution) will agree with me in any form whatever. This immediately threw me into a purging, which brought me down again a few days and quite disappointed me in my design of going out on Christmas Day. 

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He was that sick of consumption

Monday, 26.—Dr. F.--- told me plainly that I must not stay in town a day longer; adding, “If anything does thee good, it must be the country air, with rest, asses’ milk, and riding daily.” So (not being able to sit a horse) about noon I took coach for Lewisham.

In the evening (not knowing how it might please God to dispose of me), to prevent vile panegyric, I wrote as follows:

Here lieth the Body

of

JOHN WESLEY,

A BRAND PLUCKED OUT OF THE BURNING:

WHO DIED OF A CONSUMPTION IN THE FIFTY-FIRST YEAR OF HIS AGE, NOT LEAVING, AFTER HIS DEBTS ARE PAID,

TEN POUNDS BEHIND HIM:

PRAYING,

GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME, AN UNPROFITABLE SERVANT!

He ordered that this, if any, inscription should be placed on his tombstone. 

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Illness has the upper hand

Monday, 19.—I retired to Shoreham and gained strength continually; till about eleven at night, on Wednesday, 21, I was obliged by the cramp to leap out of bed and continue, for some time, walking up and down the room, though it was a sharp frost. My cough now returned with greater violence and that by day as well as by night.

Saturday, 24.—I rode home as was pretty well till night; but my cough was then worse than ever. My fever returned at the same time, together with the pain in my left breast; so that I should probably have stayed at home on Sunday, 25, had it not been advertised in the public papers that I would preach a charity sermon at the chapel, both morning and afternoon. My cough did not interrupt me while I preached in the morning; but it was extremely troublesome while I administered the sacrament. In the afternoon I consulted my friends whether I should attempt to preach again or no. They thought I should, as it had been advertised. I did so; but very few could hear. My fever increased much while I was preaching; however, I ventured to meet the society, and for nearly an hour my voice and strength were restored so that I felt neither pain nor weakness. 

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Confrontation and Determination

On Wednesday, 25, the stewards met at St. Ives, from the western part of Cornwall. The next day I began examining the society, but I was soon obliged to stop short. I found an accursed thing among them; well-nigh one and all bought or sold uncustomed goods. I therefore delayed speaking to any more till I had met them all together. This I did in the evening and told them plainly either they must put this abomination away or they would see my face no more. Friday, 27. They severally promised so to do. So I trust this plague is stayed.

Monday, November 12.—I set out in a chaise for Leigh, having delayed my journey as long as I could. I preached at seven, but was extremely cold all the time, the wind coming strong from a door behind and another on one side; so that my feet felt just as if I had stood in cold water.

Tuesday, 13.—The chamber wherein I sat, though with a large fire, was much colder than the garden; so that I could not keep myself tolerably warm, even when I was close to the chimney. As we rode home on Wednesday, 14, the wind was high and piercing cold, and blew just in our face so that the open chaise was no defense, but my feet were quite chilled. When I came home, I had a settled pain in my left breast, a violent cough, and a slow fever; but in a day or two, by following Dr. Fothergill’s prescriptions; I found much alteration for the better; and on Sunday, 18, I preached at Spitalfields and administered the sacrament to a large congregation. 

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Beautiful Ruins

In the afternoon I walked to Carisbrook castle, or rather, the poor remains of it. It stands upon a solid rock on the top of a hill and commands a beautiful prospect. There is a well in it, cut quite through the rock, said to be seventy-two yards deep; and another in the citadel, nearly a hundred. They drew up the water by an ass, which they assured us was sixty years old. But all the stately apartments lie in ruins. Only just enough of them is left to show the chamber where poor King Charles was confined and the window through which he attempted to escape.

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All this, too, in one day

I preached at half an hour after six, in an open part of the Common adjoining to the new church. The congregation was large and well behaved; not one scoffer did I see, nor one trifler. In the morning, Tuesday, 10, I went on board a hoy and in three hours landed at Cowes, in the Isle of Wight; as far exceeding the Isle of Anglesey, both in pleasantness and fruitfulness, as that exceeds the rocks of Scilly.

We rode straight to Newport, the chief town in the isle, and found a little society in tolerable order. Several of them had found peace with God.

At half n hour after six I preached in the market place, to a numerous congregation; but they were not so serious as those at Portsmouth. Many children made much noise, and many grown persons were talking aloud almost all the time I was preaching. It was quite otherwise at five in the morning. There was a large congregation again; and every person therein seemed to know this was the Word whereby God would judge them in the last day. 

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Travels

Sunday, July 8 (London).—After preaching at the chapel, morning and afternoon, I took horse with Mr. P---. We had designed to ride only two or three hours, in order to shorten the next day’s journey. But a young man, who overtook us near Kingston, induced us to change our purpose. So we only rested about half an hour at Cobham; and leaving it between nine and ten, rode on softly in a calm, moonshiny night, and about twelve came to Godalming. We took horse again at half an hour past four and reached Portsmouth about one.

After a little rest, we took a walk around the town, which is regularly fortified; it is, I suppose, the only regular fortification in Great Britain or Ireland. Gosport, Portsmouth, and the Common (which is now all turned into streets) may probably contain half as many people as Bristol, and so civil a people I never saw before in any seaport town in England. 

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Walking the Bog

Wednesday, 25.—We came to Alnwich on the day whereon those who have gone through their apprenticeship are made free of the corporation. Sixteen or seventeen, we were informed, were to receive their freedom this day. In order thereto (such is the unparalleled wisdom of the present corporation, as well as of their forefathers), they were to walk through a great bog (purposely preserved for the occasion; otherwise it might have been drained long ago), which takes up some of them to the neck, and many of them to the breast.

Tuesday, May 8.—I rode [from Stockton] to Robinhood’s Bay, near Whitby. The town is very remarkably situated: it stands close to the sea and is in great part built on craggy and steep rocks, some of which rise perpendicularly from the water. And yet the land, both on the north, south, and west, is fruitful and well cultivated. I stood on a little rising near the quay, in a warm, still evening, and exhorted a multitude of people from all parts to “seek the Lord, while he may be found.” They were all attention; and most of them met me again at half an hour after four in the morning. I could gladly have spent some days here; but my stages were fixed: so, on Wednesday, 9, I rode to York. 

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Mr. G's Pulpit

Thursday, 19.—At seven I preached about a quarter of a mile from the town; but it was an extremely rough and blustering morning; and few people came either at the time or place of my preaching: the natural consequence of which was that I had but a small congregation. About four in the afternoon, a tent, as they term it, was prepared; a kind of moving pulpit, covered with canvas at the top, behind, and on the sides. In this I preached near the place where I was in the morning, to nearly six times as many people as before; and I am persuaded what was spoken came to some of their hearts, ”not in word only, but in power.”

Friday, 20.—I had designed to preach at the same place; but the rain made it impracticable. Mr. G. desired me to preach in his church, so I began between seven and eight. Surely with God nothing is impossible! Who would have believed five-and-twenty years ago either that the minister would have desired it or that I should have consented to preach in a Scotch kirk? 

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Student Poverty

Wednesday, 18.—I walked over the city, which I take to be as large as Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The University (like that of Dublin) is only one College, consisting of two small squares; I think not larger, nor at all handsomer, than those of Lincoln College, in Oxford. The habit of the students gave me surprise. They wear scarlet gowns, reaching only to their knees. Most I saw were very dirty, some very ragged, and all of very coarse cloth. The high church is a fine building. The outside is equal to that of most cathedrals in England; but it is miserably defaced within, having no form, beauty, or symmetry left.

At seven in the evening Mr. G. began the service at his own (the College) church. It was so full before I came that I could not get in without a good deal of difficulty. 

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The Scots- a glowing review

We dined at Dumfries, a clean, well-built town, having two of the most elegant churches (one at each end of the town) that I have seen. We reached Thorny Hill in the evening. What miserable accounts pass current in England of the inns in Scotland! Yet here, as well as wherever we called in our whole journey, we had not only everything we wanted, but everything readily and in good order, and as clean as I ever desire.

Tuesday, 17.—We set out about four and rode over several high, but extremely pleasant, mountains to Lead Hill. This was a village of miners, resembling Placey, near Newcastle. We dined at a village called Lesmahaggy, and about eight in the evening reached Glasgow. A gentleman who had overtaken us on the road sent one with us to Mr. Gillies’s house. 

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The Landlord's Question

Our landlord, as he was guiding us over the Frith, very innocently asked how much a year we got by preaching thus. This gave me an opportunity of explaining to him that kind of gain which he seemed utterly a stranger to. He appeared to be quite amazed and spake not one word, good or bad, till he took his leave.

Presently after he went, my mare stuck fast in a quagmire, which was in the midst of the high road. But we could well excuse this; for the road all along, for nearly fifty miles after, was such as I never saw any natural road, either in England or Ireland; nay, far better, notwithstanding the continued rain, than the turnpike road between London and Canterbury.

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Energy

Sunday, April 15.—I preached in the afternoon at Cockermouth to well nigh all the inhabitants of the town. Intending to go from thence into Scotland, I inquired concerning the road and was informed I could not pass the arm of the sea which parts the two kingdoms unless I was at Bonas, about thirty miles from Cockermouth, soon after five in the morning. At first I thought of taking an hour or two’s sleep and setting out at eleven or twelve. But upon further consideration, we chose to take our journey first and rest afterward. So we took horse about seven and, having a calm, moonshiny night, reached Bonas before one. After two or three hours’ sleep, we set out again, without any faintness or drowsiness.

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Argument and avoidance

Thursday, 15.—I visited Mr. S---, slowly recovering from a severe illness. He expressed much love, and did not doubt, he said, inasmuch as I meant well, but that God would convince me of my great sin in writing books; seeing men ought to read no book but the Bible. I judged it quite needless to enter into a dispute with a sea captain, seventy-five years old.

Friday, March 16.—I returned to Bristol; and on Monday, 19, set out with my wife for the north.

Saturday, 31.—I preached at Boothbank, where I met Mr. C---, late gardener to the Earl of W---. Surely it cannot be! Is it possible the earl should turn off an honest, diligent, well- tried servant, who had been in the family above fifty years, for no other fault than hearing the Methodists? 

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A very personal mission

Thursday, 8.—A proposal was made for devolving all temporal business, books and all, entirely on the stewards; so that I might have no care upon me (in London at least) but that of the souls committed to my charge. Oh, when shall it once be! From this day?

In the afternoon I visited many of the sick; but such scenes, who could see unmoved? There are none such to be found in a pagan country. If any of the Indians in Georgia were sick (which indeed exceeding rarely happened till they learned gluttony and drunkenness from the Christians), those that were near him gave him whatever he wanted. Oh, who will convert the English into honest heathens!

On Friday and Saturday I visited as many more as I could. I found some in their cells under ground; others in their garrets, half starved both with cold and hunger, added to weakness and pain. But I found not one of the unemployed who was able to crawl about the room. So wickedly, devilishly false is that common objection, “They are poor only because they are idle.” If you saw these things with your own eyes, could you lay out money in ornaments or superfluities?

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Zeal, the Gospel and human need

1753. Saturday, January 20.—I advised one who had been troubled many years with a stubborn paralytic disorder to try a new remedy. Accordingly, she was electrified and found immediate help. By the same means I have known two persons cured of an inveterate pain in the stomach; and another of a pain in his side which he had had ever since he was a child. Nevertheless, who can wonder that many gentlemen of the faculty, as well as their good friends, the apothecaries, decry a medicine so shockingly cheap and easy, as much as they do quick-silver and tar-water?

Saturday, February 3.—I visited one in the Marshalsea prison, a nursery of all manner of wickedness. Oh, shame to man that there should be such a place, such a picture of hell, upon earth! And shame to those who bear the name of Christ that there should need any prison at all in Christendom! 

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A message to the future

Sunday, 24, was a useful day to my soul. I found more than once trouble and heaviness; but I called upon the name of the Lord; and He gave me a clear, full approbation of His way, and a calm, thankful acquiescence in His will.

I cannot but stand amazed at the goodness of God. Others are most assaulted on the weak side of their soul; but with me it is quite otherwise; if I have any strength at all (and I have none but what I have received), it is in forgiving injuries; and on this very side am I assaulted more frequently than on any other. Yet leave me not here one hour to myself, or I shall betray myself and Thee!

In the remaining part of this (November) and in the following month, I prepared the rest of the books for the “Christian Library”; a work by which I have lost about two hundred pounds. Perhaps the next generation may know now the value of it. 

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Tweets from travel

Wednesday, 1..—I rode to Cork once more and was very fully employed all the day. The next morning we returned to Cove and about noon got out of the harbor. We immediately found the effects of the late storm, the sea still boiling like a pot. The moon set about eight, but the northern lights abundantly supplied her place. Soon after, God smoothed the face of the deep and gave us a small, fair wind.

Friday, 13.—I read over Pascal’s Thoughts. What could possibly induce such a creature as Voltaire to give such an author as this a good word, unless it was that he once wrote a satire? And so his being a satirist might atone even for his being a Christian.

Saturday, 14.—About seven we sailed into Kingroad and happily concluded our little voyage. I now rested a week at Bristol and Kingswood, preaching only morning and evening. 

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Delivered from the storm

Sunday, 8.—We were called early by the pilot and told we must rise and go on board. We did so and found a large number of passengers: but the wind turning, most of them went on shore. At eleven I preached to those that were left. About six it blew a storm; but we were anchored in a safe harbor, so it neither hurt nor disturbed us.

Monday, 9.—Finding there was no probability of sailing soon, we went up to Mr. P--- ‘s, near Passage. I preached there in the street about four to most of the inhabitants of the town. They behaved very quietly, but very few seemed either convinced or affected.

Tuesday, 10.—We had another violent storm; it made Mr. P---‘s house rock to and fro, though it was a new, strong house, and covered on all sides with hills, as well as with trees. We afterward heard that several ships were lost on the coast. Only one got into the harbor, but grievously shattered, her rigging torn in pieces, and her mainmast gone by the board. 

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Irish Adventures

The wind being contrary still, on Monday, October 2, I rode once more to Bandon. But though I came unexpectedly, the house was too small to contain one half of the congregation; so I preached in the street, both this evening and at five on Tuesday morning; the moon gave us as much light as we wanted till the sun supplied her place. I then returned to Cork. On Friday, 6, the ship being under sail, we took boat and came to Cove in the evening. All the inns being full, we lodged at a private house; but we found one inconvenience herein: we had nothing to eat, for our provisions were on board and there was nothing to be bought in the town; neither flesh, nor fish, nor butter, nor cheese. At length we procured some eggs and bread, and were well contented.

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