A pleasant preoccupation

Wednesday, July 4.--l spent an hour at the New Dargle, a gentleman's seat four or five miles from Dublin. I have not seen so beautiful a place in the kingdom. It equals the Leasowes in Warwickshire and it greatly exceeds them in situation. All the walks lie on the side of a mountain which commands all Dublin Bay, as well as an extensive and finely variegated land prospect. A little river runs through it, which occasions two cascades at a small distance from each other. Although many places may exceed this in grandeur, I believe none can exceed it in beauty.

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Aim Right

Monday, 8, and the four following days, I went a-begging for the poor. I hoped to be able to provide food and raiment for those of the society who were in pressing want, yet had no weekly allowance; these were about two hundred. But I was much disappointed. Six or seven, indeed, of our brethren, gave ten pounds apiece. If forty had done this, I could have carried my design into execution. However, much good was done with two hundred pounds, and many sorrowful hearts made glad.

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Influence dead and alive

Tuesday, 2. I went over to Deptford; but it seemed, I was in a den of lions. Most of the leading men of the society were mad for separating from the Church. I endeavored to reason with them, but in vain; they had neither good sense nor even good manners left. At length, after meeting the whole society, I told them, "If you are resolved, you may have your service in church hours; but, remember, from that time you will see my face no more." This struck deep; and from that hour I have heard no more of separating from the Church! 

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New Year 1787

1787. Monday, January 1.--We began the service at four in the morning, to an unusually large congregation. We had another comfortable opportunity at the new chapel at the usual hour, and a third in the evening at West Street.

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Hmmm. An offensive name from the past.

Sunday, 24.--I was desired to preach at the Old Jewry. But the church was cold, and so was the congregation. We had a congregation of another kind the next day, Christmas Day, at four in the morning, as well as five in the evening at the new chapel, and at West Street Chapel about noon.

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Newgate Mission

Saturday, December 23.--By great importunity I was induced (having little hope of doing good) to visit two of the felons in Newgate, who lay under sentence of death. They appeared serious, but I can lay little stress on appearances of this kind. However, I wrote in their behalf to a great man; and perhaps it was in consequence of this that they had a reprieve.

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Hatfield View

Thursday, 19.--I returned to London. In this journey I had a full sight of Lord Salisbury's seat, at Hatfield. The park is delightful. Both the fronts of the house are very handsome, though antique. The hall, the assembly-room, and the gallery are grand and beautiful. The chapel is extremely pretty; but the furniture in general (excepting the pictures, many of which are originals) is just such as I should expect in a gentleman's house of five hundred a year.

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A good start

Tuesday, 3. We then ran down, with a fair, pleasant wind, to Sheerness. The preaching-house here is now finished, but by means never heard of. The building was undertaken a few months since, by a little handful of men, without any probable means of finishing it. But God so moved the hearts of the people in the dock that even those who do not pretend to any religion, carpenters, ship-wrights, laborers, ran tip at all their vacant hours and worked with all their might, without any pay. By this means a large square house was soon elegantly finished, both within and without; and it is the neatest building, next to the new chapel in London, of any in the south of England. 

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Gratified

Monday, October 2.--I went to Chatham and had much comfort with the loving, serious congregation in the evening, as well as at five in the morning.

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Task as Friend

Tuesday, September 26.--Reached London. I now applied myself in earnest to the writing of Mr. Fletcher's life, having procured the best materials I could. To this I dedicated all the time I could spare, till November, from five in the morning till eight at night. These are my studying hours; I cannot write longer in a day without hurting my eyes.

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His last legible Journal entry published during his lifetime

Wednesday, June 28.--I entered into the eighty-third year of my age. I am a wonder to myself. It is now twelve years since I have felt any such sensation as weariness. I am never tired (such is the goodness of God!) either with writing, preaching, or traveling. One natural cause undoubtedly is, my continual exercise and change of air. How the latter contributes to health I know not; but certainly it does.

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How to matter in life

Let every action have reference to your whole life, and not to a part only. Let all your subordinate ends be suitable to the great end of your living. Exercise yourself unto godliness.

The Rev John Wesley, A.M. -- "Conscience"

Expectations

Tuesday, 24.--l was desired to go and hear the King deliver his speech in the House of Lords. But how agreeably was I surprised He pronounced every word with exact propriety. I much doubt whether there be any other king in Europe that is so just and natural a speaker.

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The Cloud of Unknowing

1786. Monday, January 9.--At leisure hours this week I read the Life of Sir William Penn, a wise and good man. But I was much surprised at what he relates concerning his first wife who lived, I suppose, fifty years and said a little before her death, "I bless God, I never did anything wrong in my life!" Was she then ever convinced of sin? And if not, could she be saved on any other footing than a heathen? 

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Are you sleeping?

I know, were I myself to preach one whole year in one place, I should preach both myself and most of my congregation asleep. Nor can I believe it was ever the will of our Lord that any congregation should have one teacher only. We have found by long and constant experience that a frequent change of teachers is best. This preacher has one talent, that another. No one whom I ever yet knew has all the talents which are needful for beginning, continuing and perfecting the work of grace in a whole congregation.

Letter to the Rev. Mr. Walker, 1756; The Rev. John Wesley A.M.

Land's End and Mousehole

Thursday, 25.--About nine I preached at Mousehole, where there is now one of the liveliest societies in Cornwall. Hence we went to the Land's End, in order to which we clambered down the rocks to the very edge of the water; and I cannot think but the sea has gained some hundred yards since I was here forty years ago.

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Hand of God

Wednesday, 10. We took a walk to the poor remains of Carisrook Castle. It seems to have been once exceedingly strong, standing on a steep ascent. But even what little of it is left is now swiftly running to ruin. The window, indeed, through which King Charles attempted to make his escape, is still in being; it brought to my mind that whole train of occurrences wherein the hand of God was so eminently seen.

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Appearances to the contrary...

Tuesday, August 9.--I crossed over to the isle of Wight. Here also the work of God prospers. We had a comfortable time at Newport, where there is a very teachable, though uncommonly elegant, congregation.

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Easy with the will of God

Tuesday, June 28.--By the good providence of God, I finished the eighty-second year of my age. Is anything too hard for God? It is now eleven years since I have felt any such thing as weariness; many times I speak till my voice fails, and I can speak no longer. Frequently I walk till my strength fails, and I can walk no farther; yet even then I feel no sensation of weariness but am perfectly easy from head to foot. I dare not impute this to natural causes: it is the will of God.

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What God Hath Wrought

Thursday, March 24 (Worcester).--I was now considering how strangely the grain of mustard seed, planted about fifty years ago, has grown up. It has spread through all Great Britain and Ireland; the Isle of Wight, and the Isle of Man; then to America, from the Leeward Islands through the whole continent into Canada and Newfoundland. And the societies, in all these parts, walk by one rule, knowing religion is holy tempers; striving to worship God, not in form only, but likewise "in spirit and in truth."

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Another idea punctured!

Tuesday, 25.--l spent two or three hours in the House of Lords. I had frequently heard that this was the most venerable assembly in England. But how was I disappointed What is a lord but a sinner, born to die!

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Selective Inattention

Sunday, 23.--l preached morning and afternoon, at West Street, and in the evening in the chapel at Knightsbridge. I think it will be the last time, for I know not that I have ever seen a worse-behaved congregation.

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Post Preaching

Wednesday, 19. I returned to Colchester; and on Thursday, 20, preached to a lovely congregation at Purfleet, and the next morning returned to London.

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Shipwright's Witness

Tuesday, 18. I went on to Mistleythorn, a village near Manningtree. Some time since, one of the shipwrights of Deptford Yard, being sent hither to superintend the building of some men-of-war, began to read sermons on a Sunday evening in his own house. Afterward he exhorted them a little and then formed a little society. Some time after, he begged one of our preachers to come over and help them. I now found a lively society, and one of the most elegant congregations I had seen for many years. Yet they seemed as willing to be instructed as if they had lived in Kingswood.

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Apostle to Colchester

I supposed my journeys this winter had been over; but I could not decline one more. Monday, 17. I set out for poor Colchester, to encourage the little flock. They had exceedingly little of this world's goods, but most of them had a better portion.

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Selfless and Heedless at Age 81

Tuesday, 4.--At this season we usually distribute coals and bread among the poor of the society. But I now considered, they wanted clothes, as well as food. So on this and the four following days I walked through the town and begged two hundred pounds in order to clothe them that needed it most. But it was hard work as most of the streets were filled with melting snow, which often lay ankle deep; so that my feet were steeped in snow water nearly from morning till evening. I held it out pretty well till Saturday evening; but I was laid up with a violent flux, which increased every hour till, at six in the morning, Dr. Whitehead called upon me. His first draught made me quite easy; and three or four more perfected the cure. If he lives some years, I expect he will be one of the most eminent physicians in Europe. 

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Doxology

1785. Saturday, January 1.--Whether this be the last or no, may it be the best year of my life! Sunday, 2. A larger number of people were present this evening at the renewal of our covenant with God than was ever seen before on the occasion.

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Landmark

Friday, 31.--We had a solemn watch night and ushered in the new year with the voice of praise and thanksgiving.

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... and thence to the place of beginning.

Sunday, December 26.--I preached the condemned criminals' sermon in Newgate. Forty-seven were under sentence of death. While they were coming in, there was something very awful in the clink of their chains. But no sound was heard, either from them or the crowded audience, after the text was named: "There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, that need not repentance" [see Luke 15:7]. The power of the Lord was eminently present, and most of the prisoners were in tears. A few days after, twenty of them died at once, five of whom died in peace. I could not but greatly approve of the spirit and behavior of Mr. Villette, the ordinary; and I rejoiced to hear that it was the same on all similar occasions. 

An Alarum

Saturday, November 21 (London).--At three in the morning two or three men broke into our house, through the kitchen window. Thence they came up into the parlor and broke open Mr. Moore's bureau, where they found two or three pounds; the night before I had prevented his leaving there seventy pounds, which he had just received. They next broke open the cupboard and took away some silver spoons. Just at this time the alarm, which Mr. Moore by mistake had set for half-past three (instead of four), went off, as it usually did, with a thundering noise. At this the thieves ran away with all speed, though their work was not half done; the whole damage which we sustained scarcely amounted to six pounds.

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Forty Years Growth

Sunday, 12.--Dr. Coke read prayers and I preached in the new room. Afterward I hastened to Kingswood and preached under the shade of that double row of trees which I planted about forty years ago. How little did anyone then think that they would answer such an intention. The sun shone as hot as it used to do even in Georgia; but his rays could not pierce our canopy. Our Lord, meantime, shone upon many souls and refreshed them that were weary. 

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