Marshalsea, whose case appeared to be uncommon. He
Jan. 1768 MEN-OF-WAR APARTMENTS
$33 Wednesday, the 16th.
Accordingly, I took horse between five and six, and came thither between five and six in the evening.
At half an hour after six, I began reading prayers (the governor of the fort having given me the use of the chapel), and afterwards preached, though not without difficulty, to a large and serious congregation.
The next evening it was considerably increased, so that the chapel was as hot as an oven.
In coming out, the air, being exceeding sharp, quite took away my voice, so that I knew not how I should be able the next day to read prayers or preach to so large a congregation.
But in the afternoon the governor cut the knot, sending word, I must preach in the chapel no more.
A room being offered, which held full as many people as I was able to preach to, we had a comfortable hour ; and many seemed resolved to "seek the Lord while he may be found."
Such a town as many of these live in is scarce to be found again in England.
In the dock adjoining to the fort there are six old men-of-war.
These are divided into small tenements, forty, fifty, or sixty in a ship, with little chimneys and windows ; and each of these contains a family.
In one of them, where we called, a man and his wife, and six little children lived.
And yet all the ship was sweet and tolerably clean; sweeter than most sailing ships I have been in, Saturday, 19. I returned to London.
Wesley in the Marshalsea Prison 1768. Sat. Jan. 2.—I called on a poor man in the Marshalsea, whose case appeared to be uncommon.
He is by birth a Dutchman, a chymist by profession.
Being put half-employed at home, he was advised to come to
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
Fes. 1768
London, where he doubted not of having full employment.
He was recommended to a countryman of his to lodge, who after six weeks arrested him for much more than he owed, and hurried him away to prison, having a wife near her time, without money, friend, or a word of English to speak.
I wrote the case to Mr. T , who immediately gave fifteen pounds; by means of which, with a little addition, he was set at liberty, and put in a way of living.
But I never saw him since: and reason good ; for he could now live without me.
Mon. 4.—At my leisure hours this week, I read Dr.
Priestley's ingenious book on Electricity.
He seems to have accurately collected and well digested all that is known on that curious subject.
But how little is that all!
Indeed the use of it we know; at least, in some good degree.
We know it is a thousand medicines in one: in particular, that it is the most efficacious medicine in nervous disorders of every kind, which has ever yet been discovered.
But if we aim at theory, we know nothing.
We are soon Lost and bewilder'd in the fruitless search.
Mon. 11.—This week I spent my scraps of time in reading Mr. Wodrow's " History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland."
It would transcend belief, but that the vouchers are too authentic to admit of any exception.
O what a blessed Governor was that goodnatured man, so called, King Charles the Second!
Bloody Queen Mary was a lamb, a mere dove, in comparison of him!
Mon.
Feb.
8.—I met with a surprising poem, entitled, "'Choheleth; or, the Preacher."
It is a paraphrase, in tolerable verse, on the Book of Ecclesiastes.
I really think the author of it (a Turkey Merchant)
Marcu 1768 PREACHING IN A BARN
understands both the difficult expressions, and the connexion of the whole, better than any other either ancient or modern writer whom I have seen.
He was at Lisbon during the great earthquake, just then sitting in his nightgown and slippers.
Before he could dress himself, part of the house he was in fell, and blocked him up.
By this means his life was saved ; for all who had run out were dashed in pieces by the falling houses.
Wesley Travels North Mon. March 14.—I set out on my northern journey, and preached at Stroud in the evening.
Tuesday, 15.
About noon I preached at Painswick, and in the evening at Gloucester.
The mob here was for a considerable time both noisy and mischievous.
But an honest magistrate, taking the matter in hand, quickly tamed the beasts of the people.
So may any magistrate, if he will; so that wherever a mob continues any time, all they do is to be imputed not so much to the rabble as to the justices.
Wed. 16.—About nine I preached at Cheltenham—a quiet, comfortable place; though it would not have been so, if either the rector or the Anabaptist minister could have prevented it.
Both these have blown the trumpet with their might ; but the people had no ears to hear.
In the afternoon I preached at Upton, and then rode on to Worcester.
But the difficulty was, where to preach.
No room was large enough to contain the people; and it was too cold for them to stand abroad.
At length we went to a friend's, near the town, whose barn was larger than many churches.
Here a numerous congregation soon assembled ; and again at five, and at ten in the morning.
Nothing is wanting here but a commodious house: and will not God provide this also?
WESLEY'S JOURNAL
Marcu 1768 Fri. 18.—The vicar of Pebworth had given notice in the church on Sunday, that I was to preach there on Friday.
But the squire of the parish said, "It is contrary to the canons" (wise squire !), 'and it shall not be."
So I preached about a mile from it, at Broadmarston, by the side of Mr. Eden's house.
The congregation was exceeding large, and remarkably attentive.
In the morning, the chapel (so it anciently was) was well filled at five.
The simplicity and earnestness of the people promise a glorious harvest.
Sat. 19.—We rode to Birmingham.
The tumults which subsisted here so many years are now wholly suppressed by a resolute magistrate.
After preaching, I was pleased to see a venerable monument of antiquity, George Bridgins, in the one hundred and seventh year of his age.
Hecan still walk to the preaching, and retains his senses and understanding tolerably well.
But what a dream will even a life of a hundred years appear to him the moment he awakes in eternity !
Preaching in a North Wind Sun. 20.—About one I preached on West-Bromwich heath; in the evening, near the preaching-house in Wednesbury.
The north wind cut like a razor; but the congregation, as well as me, had something else to think of.
Tues. 22.—I read over a small book, " Poems, by Miss Whately," a farmer's daughter.
She had little advantage from education, but an astonishing genius.
Some of her elegies I think quite equal to Mr. Gray's.
If she had had proper helps for a few years, I question whether she would not have excelled any female poet that ever yet appeared in England.
Apri 1768 WESLEY'S PRETTY LISTENERS
Wed. 30.—I rode to a little town called New Mills, in the High-peak ot Derbyshire.
I preached at noon in their large new chapel, which (in consideration that preaching-houses have need of air) has a casement in every window, three inches square!
That is the custom of the country!
Wesley Instructs Parents In the evening and the following morning I brought strange things to the ears of many in Manchester, concerning the government of their families, and the education of their children.
But some still made that very silly answer, "O, he has no children of his own!"
Neither had St. Paul, nor (that we know) any of the Apostles.
What then?
Were they therefore unable to instruct parents?
Notso.
They were able to instruct every one that had a soul to be saved.
Wed. April 6.—About eleven I preached at Wigan, in a place near the middle of the town, which I suppose was formerly a playhouse.
It was very full, and very warm.
Most of the congregation were wild as wild might be; yet none made the least disturbance.
Afterwards, as I walked down the street, they stared sufficiently ; but none said an uncivil word.
In the evening we had a huge congregation at Liverpool; but some pretty, gay, fluttering things did not behave with so much good manners as the mob at Wigan.
The congregations in general were quite well-behaved, as well as large, both morning and evening ; and I found the society both more numerous and more lively than ever it was before.
Mon. 11.—I rode to Bolton; on Wednesday, to Kendal.
Seceders and mongrel Methodists have so surfeited the people here, that there is small prospect of