for the relief of the poor and sick.
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
May 1741 went with me) put him in mind of the promise he had made but a few days before, that, whatever his private opinion was, he would never publicly preach against us.
He said, that promise was only an effect of human weakness, and he was now of another mind.
Mon. April 6.—I had a long conversation with Peter Bohler.
I marvel how I refrain from joining these men.
I scarce ever see any of them but my heart burns within me.
I long to be with them; and yet I am kept from them.
Thur. May 7.—I reminded the United Society that many of our brethren and sisters had not needful food; many were destitute of convenient clothing; many were out of business, and that without their own fault; and many sick and ready to perish: that I had done what in me lay to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to employ the poor, and to visit the sick; but was not, alone, sufficient for these things; and therefore desired all whose hearts were as my heart:
1. To bring what clothes each could spare to be distributed among those that wanted most.
2. To give weekly a penny, or what they could afford, for the relief of the poor and sick.
My design, I told them, is to employ for the present all the women who are out of business, and desire it, in knitting.
To these we will first give the common price for what work they do; and then add, according as they need.
Twelve persons are appointed to inspect these, and to visit and provide things needful for the sick.
Each of these is to visit all the sick within their district every other day; and to meet on Tuesday evening, to give an account of what they have done, and consult what can be done farther,
WESLEY'S INTERVIE WITH WHITEFIE
; ; ~o. tava sd
June 1741
WESLEY EXPERIMENTS
Fri. 8.—I found myself much out of order.
However, I made shift to preach in the evening: but on Saturday my bodily strength quite failed, so that for several hours
I could scarce lift up my head.
Sunday, 10. I was obliged to lie down most part of the day, being easy only in that posture.
Yet in the evening my weakness was suspended, while I was calling sinners to repentance.
But at our love-feast which followed, beside the pain in my back and head, and the fever which still continued upon me, just as I began to pray, I was seized with such a cough, that I could hardly speak.
At the same time came strongly into my mind, "These signs shall follow them that believe."
I called on Jesus aloud, to 'increase my faith," and to "confirm the word of his grace."
While I was speaking my pain vanished away ; the fever left me; my bodily strength returned; and for many weeks I felt neither weakness nor pain.
' Unto thee, O Lord, do I give thanks."
Wesley at Northampton and Nottingham Mon. June 8.—I set out from Enfield Chace for Leicestershire.
In the evening we came to Northampton : and the next afternoon to Mr. Ellis's at Markfield, five or six miles beyond Leicester.
For these two days I had made an experiment which I had been so often and earnestly pressed to do—speaking to none concerning the things of God, unless my heart was free to it.
And what was the event?
Why, 1.
That I spoke to none at all for fourscore miles together ; no, not even to him that travelled with me in the chaise, unless a few words at first setting out.
2. That I had no cross either to bear or to take up, and commonly, in an hour or two, fell fast asleep.
That I had much respect shown me wherever I came; every one behaving
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
June 1741 to me, as to a civil, good-natured gentleman.
O how pleasing is all this to flesh and blood!
Need ye "compass sea and land" to make "proselytes" to this?
Sun. 14.—I rode to Nottingham, and at eight preached at the market-place, to an immense multitude of people, on, 'The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live."
I saw only one or two who behaved lightly, whom I immediately spoke to; and they stood reproved.
Yet, soon after, a man behind me began aloud to contradict and blaspheme; but upon my turning to him, he stepped behind a pillar, and in a few minutes disappeared.
In the afternoon we returned to Markfield. The church was so excessive hot (being crowded in every corner), that I could not, without difficulty, read the evening service.
Being afterwards informed that abundance of people were still without, who could not possibly get into the church, I went out to them, and explained that great promise of our Lord, "I will heal their backslidings: I will love them freely."
In the evening I expounded in the church, on her who " loved much, because she had much forgiven."
Mon. 15.—I set out for London, and read over in the way that celebrated book, Martin Luther's "Comment on the Epistle to the Galatians."
I was utterly ashamed.
How have I esteemed this book, only because I heard it so commended by others ; or, at best, because
I had read some excellent sentences occasionally quoted from it!
But what shall I say, now I judge for myself? now I see with my own eyes?
Why, not only that the author makes nothing out, clears up not one considerable difficulty; that he is quite shallow in his remarks
On many passages, and muddy and confused almost on
Avuc.1741 AN OX IN THE CONGREGATION
all; but that he is deeply tinctured with mysticism throughout, and hence often dangerously wrong,
An Ox in the Congregation Fri. July 1o.—I rode to London, and preached at Short's Gardens, on, "the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth."
Sunday 12.
While I was showing, at Charles' Square, what it is 'to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God," a great shout began.
Many of the rabble had brought an ox, which they were vehemently labouring to drive in among the people. But their labour was in vain; for in spite of them all, he ran round and round, one way and the other, and at length broke through the midst of them clear away, leaving us calmly rejoicing and praising God.
Sat. 25 (Oxford)—It being my turn (which comes about once in three years), I preached at St. Mary's, before the University.
The harvest truly is plenteous.
So numerous a congregation (from whatever motives they came) I have seldom seen at Oxford.
My text was the confession of poor Agrippa, " Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."
I have "cast my bread upon the waters."
Let me "find it again after many days!"
Wed. Aug. 26 (London).—I was informed of a remarkable conversation, at which one of our sisters was present a day or two before; wherein a gentleman was assuring his friends, that he himself was in Charles
Square, when a person told Mr. Wesley to his face, that he, Mr. Wesley, had paid twenty pounds already, on being convicted for selling Geneva; and that he now kept two Popish priests in his house. This gave occasion to another to mention what he had himself heard, at an eminent Dissenting teacher's, viz., that it was beyond
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
Ocr. 1741 dispute, Mr. Wesley had large remittances from Spain, in order to make a party among the poor; and that as soon as the Spaniards landed, he was to join them with twenty thousand men.
Wesley at Cardiff Thur. Oct. 1.—We set out for Wales; but missing our passage over the Severn in the morning, it was sunset before we could get to Newport.
We inquired there if we could hire a guide to Cardiff; but there was none to be had. A lad coming in quickly after, who was going
(he said) to Lanissan, a little village two miles to the right of Cardiff, we resolved to go thither.
At seven we set out: it rained pretty fast, and there being neither moon nor stars, we could neither see any road, nor one another, nor our own horses' heads; but the promise of God did not fail; he gave his angels charge over us; and soon after ten we came safe to Mr. Williams's house at Lanissan.
Fri. 2.—We rode to Fonmon castle.
We found Mr.
Jones's daughter ill of the small-pox; but he could cheerfully leave her and all the rest in the hands of Him in whom he now believed.
Inthe evening I preached at Cardiff, in the shire-hall, a large and convenient place, on, " God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."
There having been a feast in the town that day, I believed it needful to add a few words upon imtemperance: and while I was saying, "As for you, drunkards, you have no part in this life; you abide in death ; you choose death and hell"; a man cried out vehemently, 'Iam one; and thither I am going."
But I trust God at that hour began to show him and others 'a more excellent way."
Dec. 1741
A CURIOUS INTERRUPTION
Sun. Nov. 22 (Bristol).—Being not suffered to go to church as yet [after a serious fever], I communicated at home.
Iwas advised to stay at home some time longer ; but I could not apprehend it necessary: and therefore, on Monday, 23, went to the new room, where we praised God for all his mercies.
And I expounded, for about an hour (without any faintness or weariness), on, " What reward shall I give upon the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me? I will receive the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord."
I preached once every day this week, and found no inconvenience by it.
Sunday, 29.
I thought I might go a little farther.
So I preached both at Kingswood and at Bristol; and afterwards spent near an hour with the society, and about two hours at the love-feast.
But my body could not yet keep pace with my mind.
I had another fit of my fever the next day; but it lasted not long, and I continued slowly to regain my strength.
A Curious Interruption Mon.
Dec. 7.—I preached on, "Trust ye in the Lord Jehovah; for in the Lord is everlasting strength."
I was showing, what cause we had to trust in the Captain of our salvation, when one in the midst of the room cried out, " Who was your captain the other day, when you hanged yourself?
I know the man who saw you when you was cut down."
This wise story, it seems, had been diligently spread abroad, and cordially believed by many in Bristol.
I desired they would make room for the man to come nearer.
But the moment he saw the way open, he ran away with all possible speed, not so much as once looking behind him.
Sat. 12.—-In the evening one desired to speak with me. I perceived him to be in the utmost confusion, so