Powerful Nonconformists

Sunday, May 2.--Dr. Kershaw, the vicar of Leeds, desired me to assist him at the sacrament. It was a solemn season. We were ten clergymen and seven or eight hundred communicants. Mr. Atkinson desired me to preach in the afternoon. Such a congregation had been seldom seen there, but I preached to a much larger in our own house at five; and I found no want of strength.

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A Vanishing Angel

Thursday, April 15.--l went to Halifax, where a little thing had lately occasioned great disturbance. An angel blowing a trumpet was placed on the sounding-board over the pulpit. Many were vehemently against this, others as vehemently for it; but a total end was soon put to the contest, for the angel vanished away. The congregations, morning and evening, were very large; and the work of God seems to increase in depth as well as extent.

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Forging Ahead

I preached at Shrewsbury in the evening and on Friday, 26, about noon, in the assembly room at Broseley. It was well we were in the shade, for the sun shone as hot as it usually does at midsummer. We walked from thence to Coalbrook Dale and took a view of the bridge which is shortly to be thrown over the Severn. It is one arch, a hundred feet broad, fifty-two high, and eighteen wide; all of cast-iron, weighing many hundred tons. I doubt whether the Colossus at Rhodes weighed much more.

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Character of Discipline

Thursday, 25.—I preached in the new house which Mr. Fletcher has built in Madeley Wood. The people here exactly resemble those at Kingswood, only they are more simple and teachable. But for want of discipline, the immense pains which he has taken with them has not done the good which might have been expected.

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Blooming March

1779. Monday, March 15.--I began my tour through England and Scotland; the lovely weather continuing, such as the oldest man alive has not seen before, for January, February, and half of March. In the evening I preached at Stroud; the next morning at Cloucester, designing to preach in Stanley at two, and at Tewkesbury in the evening. But the minister of Gratton (near Stanley) sending me word that I was welcome to the use of his church, I ordered notice to be given that the service would begin there at six o'clock. Stanley Chapel was thoroughly filled at two. It is eighteen years since I was there before; many of those whom I saw here then were now grey-headed, and many were gone to Abraham's bosom. May we follow them as they did Christ!

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A Serious Question

Sunday, 29.--I was desired to preach a charity sermon in St. Luke's church, Old Street. I doubt whether it was ever so crowded before; the fear of God seemed to possess the whole audience. In the afternoon I preached at the new chapel; and at seven, in St. Margaret's, Rood Lane, fully as much crowded as St. Luke's. Is then the scandal of the cross ceased?

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Tight Schedule

Sunday, 15.--Having promised to preach in the evening at St. Antholine's Church, I had desired one to have a coach ready at the door when the service at the new chapel was ended. But he had forgotten; so that, after preaching and meeting the society, I was obliged to walk as fast as I could to the church. The people were so wedged together that it was with difficulty I got in. The church was extremely hot. But this I soon forgot, for it pleased God to send a gracious rain upon His inheritance.

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Walk!

Thursday, 5.--l returned to Chatham and the following morning set out on the stagecoach for London. At the end of Stroud, I chose to walk up the hill, leaving the coach to follow me. But it was in no great haste: it did not overtake me till I had walked above five miles. I cared not if it had been ten: the more I walk, the sounder I sleep.

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Was once

Wednesday, 4.--I took a view of the old church at Minster, once a spacious and elegant building. It stands pleasantly on the top of a hill and commands all the country round. We went from thence to Queensborough, which contains above fifty houses and sends two members to Parliament. Surely the whole Isle of Sheppey is now but a shadow of what it was once.

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November Productivity

Monday, 2.--I went to Chatham and preached in the evening to a lively, loving congregation. Tuesday, 3. I went by water to Sheerness. Our room being far too small for the people that attended, I sent to the Governor to desire (what had been allowed me before) the use of the chapel. He refused me (uncivilly enough), affecting to doubt whether I was in orders! So I preached to as many as it would contain in our own room. 

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Solomon and Wesley

Sunday, November 1, was the day appointed for opening the new chapel in the City Road. It is perfectly neat, but not fine, and contains far more people than the Foundry. I believe, together with the morning chapel, as many as the Tabernacle. Many were afraid that the multitudes, crowding from all parts, would have occasioned much disturbance. But they were happily disappointed; there was none at all; all was quietness, decency, and order. I preached on part of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple; and both in the morning and afternoon (when I preached on the hundred forty and four thousand standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion), God was eminently present in the midst of the congregation.

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The illusion of unity

In the evening I preached at South Petherton, once a place of renown and the capital of a Saxon kingdom, as is vouched by a palace of King Ina still remaining and a very large and ancient church. I suppose the last blow given to it was by Judge Jefferies who, after Monmouth's rebellion, hanged so many of the inhabitants and drove so many away that it is never likely to lift up its head again.

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The efficient violence of time

Thursday, 3.--About noon I preached at Cathanger, about eight miles from Taunton. It was an exceedingly large house, built (as the inscription over the gate testifies) in the year 1555 by Sergeant Walsh, who had then eight thousand pounds a year; perhaps more than equal to twenty thousand now. But the once famous family is now forgotten; the estate is moldered almost into nothing, and three quarters of the magnificent buildings lie level with the dust. I preached in the great hall, like that of Lincoln College, to a very serious congregation. 

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The Burn

Tuesday, September 1.--I went to Tiverton. I was musing here on what I heard a good man say long since--"Once in seven years I burn all my sermons; for it is a shame if I cannot write better sermons now than I could seven years ago." Whatever others can do, I really cannot. I cannot write a better sermon on the Good Steward than I did seven years ago; I cannot write a better on the Great Assize than I did twenty years ago; I cannot write a better on the Use of Money, than I did nearly thirty years ago; nay, I know not that I can write a better on the Circumcision of the Heart than I did five-and-forty years ago. Perhaps, indeed, I may have read five or six hundred books more than I had then, and may know a little more history, or natural philosophy, than I did; but I am not sensible that this has made any essential addition to my knowledge in divinity. Forty years ago I knew and preached every Christian doctrine which I preach now. 

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Sending up a flare!

Sunday, June 28.--I am this day seventy-five years old; and I do not find myself, blessed be God, any weaker than I was at five-and-twenty. This also hath God wrought!

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Culture, Law, Faith

1778. Friday, January 27, was the day appointed for the national fast; and it was observed with due solemnity. All shops were shut up; all was quiet in the streets; all places of public worship were crowded; no food was served up in the King's house till five o'clock in the evening. Thus far, at least, we acknowledge God may direct our paths.

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Divine Deliverance for 40 Years

Wednesday, December 17.--Just at this time there was a combination among many of the post-chaise drivers on the Bath road, especially those that drove in the night, to deliver their passengers into each other's hands. One driver stopped at the spot they had appointed, where another waited to attack the chaise. In consequence of this many were robbed; but I had a good Protector, still. I have traveled all roads, by day and by night, for these forty years and never was interrupted yet.

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Publisher

Monday, November 14.--Having been many times desired, for nearly forty years, to publish a magazine, I at length complied; and I now began to collect materials for it. If it once begin, I incline to think it will not end but with my life.

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Decrease or Increase?

But to come to a short issue. In most places, the Methodists are still a poor despised people, laboring under reproach and many inconveniences; therefore, wherever the power of God is not, they decrease. By this, then you may form a sure judgment. Do the Methodists in general decrease in number? Then they decrease in grace; they are a fallen, or, at least, a falling people. But they do not decrease in number; they continually increase. Therefore, they are not a fallen people.

The Conference concluded on Friday, as it began, in much love. 

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Dead or Alive?

"But how can this question be decided?" You can judge no farther than you see. You cannot judge of one part by another; of the people of London, suppose, by those of Bristol. And none but myself has an opportunity of seeing them throughout the three kingdoms. 

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What we reward is being reproduced

Are the societies in general more dead, or more alive to God, than they were some years ago?" The almost universal answer was, “If we must ‘know them by their fruits,' there is no decay in the work of God among the people in general. The societies are not dead to God: they are as much alive as they have been for many years. And we look on this report as a mere device of Satan to make our hands hang down."

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Ceaseless Cultivation

Tuesday, August 5.--Our yearly Conference began. I now particularly inquired (as that report had been spread far and wide) of every assistant, "Have you reason to believe, from your own observation, that the Methodists are a fallen people? Is there a decay or an increase in the work of God where you have been?

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Boundaries of the relationship

Monday, July 21.--Having been much pressed to preach at Jatterson, a colliery six or seven miles from Pembroke, I began soon after seven. The house was presently filled and all the space about the doors and windows; the poor people drank in every word. I had finished my sermon when a gentleman, violently pressing in, bade the people get home and mind their business. As he used some bad words, my driver spoke to him. He fiercely said, "Do you think I need to be taught by a chaise-boy?" The lad replying, "Really, sir, I do think so," the conversation ended. 

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How many times has he escaped injury?

I set out for Douglas in the one-horse chaise, Mrs. Smyth riding with me. In about an hour, in spite of all I could do, the headstrong horse ran the wheel against a large stone and the chaise overset in a moment. But we fell so gently on smooth grass that neither of us was hurt at all. In the evening I preached at Douglas to nearly as large a congregation as that at Peel, but not nearly so serious. Before ten we went on board and about twelve on Tuesday, 3, landed at Whitehaven. I preached at five in the afternoon; hastening to Cockermouth, I found a large congregation waiting in the castle yard. Between nine and ten o'clock I took chaise, and about ten on Wednesday, 4, reached Settle. In the evening I preached near the market place, and all but two or three gentlefolks were seriously attentive. 

Thursday, 5. About noon I came to Otley. 

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Brass Guns

The old castle at Peel (as well as the cathedral built within it) is only a heap of ruins. It was very large and exceedingly strong, with many brass guns; but they are now removed to England.

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Preaching to the Island

Monday, 2.--The greater part of them were present at five in the morning. A more loving, simple-hearted people than this I never saw. And no wonder, for they have but six Papists and no Dissenters in the island. It is supposed to contain nearly thirty thousand people, remarkably courteous and humane. Ever since smuggling was suppressed, they diligently cultivate their land; and they have a large herring fishery, so that the country improves daily. 

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Wesley in the Malthouse

As it rained, I retired after service into a large malthouse. Most of the congregation followed and devoured the Word. It being fair in the afternoon, the whole congregation stopped in the churchyard, and the Word of God was with power. It was a happy opportunity.

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Insult.

Mr. Corbett said he would gladly have asked me to preach but that the Bishop had forbidden him and had also forbidden all his clergy to admit any Methodist preacher to the Lord's supper. But is any clergyman obliged, either in law or conscience, to obey such a prohibition? By no means. The will even of the King does not bind any English subject, unless it be seconded by an express law. How much less the will of a bishop? "But did not you take an oath to obey him?" No, nor any clergyman in the three kingdoms. This is a mere vulgar error. Shame that it should prevail almost universally. 

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