there was one of the most violent storms I ever remember. In the midst of the sermon a great part
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Wesley's Impressions of Scotland
We reached Musselburgh between four and five. I had no intention to preach in Scotland, nor did I imagine there were any that desired I should. But I was mistaken. Curiosity (if nothing else) brought abundance of people together in the evening. And whereas in the kirk (Mrs. G--- informed me) there used to be laughing and talking and all the marks of the grossest inattention, it was far otherwise here: they remained as statues from the beginning of the sermon to the end.
Thursday, 25.—We rode to Edinburgh; one of the dirtiest cities I had ever seen, not excepting Colen [Cologne] in Germany.
We returned to Musselburgh to dinner, whither we were followed in the afternoon by a little party of gentlemen from Edinburgh. I know not why any should complain of the shyness of the Scots toward strangers. All I spoke with were as free and open with me as the people of Newcastle or Bristol; nor did any person move any dispute of any kind, or ask me any question concerning my opinion.
I preached again at six on "Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found." I used great plainness of speech toward them, and they all received it in love; so that the prejudice which the devil had been several years planting was torn up by the roots in one hour. After the preaching, one of the bailies of the town, with one of the elders of the kirk, came to me and begged I would stay with them a while, if it were but two or three days; and they would fit up a far larger place than the school and prepare seats for the congregation. Had not my time been fixed, I should gladly have complied.
Wesley's Remarkable Vitality
1752. Sunday, March 15 (London).—While I was preaching at West Street in the afternoon, there was one of the most violent storms I ever remember. In the midst of the sermon a great part of a house opposite to the chapel was blown down. We heard a huge noise but knew not the cause; so much the more did God speak to our hearts, and great was the rejoicing of many in confidence of His protection. Between four and five I took horse, with my wife and daughter. The tiles were rattling from the houses on both sides, but they hurt not us. We reached Hayes about seven in the evening, and Oxford the next day.
Thursday, April 16.—I walked over to Burnham. I had no thought of preaching there, doubting if my strength would allow of preaching always thrice a day, as I had done most days since I came from Evesham. But finding a house full of people, I could not refrain. Still the more I use my strength, the more I have. I am often much tired the first time I preach in a day; a little the second time; but after the third or fourth, I rarely feel either weakness or weariness.
Wednesday, 2.—I rode to Grimsby. The crowd was so great in the evening that the room was like an oven. The next night I preached at the end of the town, whither almost all the people, rich and poor, followed me; and I had a fair opportunity of closely applying that weighty question, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" [Luke 13:23]
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Friday, 24.—We rode by a fine seat; the owner of which (not much above fourscore years old) says he desires only to live thirty years longer: ten to hunt, ten to get money (having at present but twenty thousand pounds a year), and ten years to repent. Oh, that God may not say unto him, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee!" [Luke 12:20]
When I landed at the quay in Hull, it was covered with people inquiring, "Which is he? Which is he?" But they only stared and laughed; and we walked unmolested to Mr. A---'s house.
I was quite surprised at the miserable condition of the fortifications; far more ruinous and decayed than those at Newcastle, even before the rebellion. It is well there is no enemy near.
A Crowded Coach
I went to prayers at three in the old church—a grand and venerable structure. Between five and six the coach called and took me to Mighton Car, about half a mile from the town. A huge multitude, rich and poor, horse and foot, with several coaches, were soon gathered together; to whom I cried with a loud voice and a composed spirit, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Some thousands of the people seriously attended; but many behaved as if possessed by Moloch. Clods and stones flew about on every side; but they neither touched nor disturbed me.
When I had finished my discourse, I went to take coach, but the coachman had driven clear away. We were at a loss, till a gentlewoman invited my wife and me to come into her coach. She brought some inconveniences on herself thereby; not only as there were nine of us in the coach, three on each side, and three in the middle; but also as the mob closely attended us, throwing in at the windows (which we did not think it prudent to shut) whatever came next to hand. But a large gentlewoman who sat in my lap screened me, so that nothing came near me.
Wesley Sleeps in a Cellar
Monday, May 25.—We rode to Durham and thence, through very rough roads and as rough weather, to Barnard Castle. I was exceedingly faint when we came in. However the time being come, I went into the street and would have preached; but the mob was so numerous and so loud that it was not possible for many to hear. Nevertheless, I spoke on, and those who were near listened with huge attention. To prevent this, some of the rabble fetched the engine and threw a good deal of water on the congregation; but not a drop fell on me. After about three quarters of an hour, I returned into the house.
Tuesday, June 9.—My lodging was not such as I should have chosen; but what Providence chooses is always good. My bed was considerably under ground, the room serving both for a bedchamber and a cellar. The closeness was more troublesome at first than the coolness; but I let in a little fresh air by breaking a pane of paper (put by way of glass) in the window, and then slept soundly till the morning.
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Monday, 15.—I had many little trials in this journey, of a kind I had not known before. I had borrowed a young, strong mare when I set out from Manchester. But she fell lame before I got to Grimsby. I procured another but was dismounted again between Newcastle and Berwick. At my return to Manchester, I took my own; but she had lamed herself in the pasture. I thought, nevertheless, to ride her four or five miles today; but she was gone out of the ground, and could hear nothing of her. However, I comforted myself that I had another at Manchester, which I had lately bought. But when I came thither, I found one had borrowed her too and ridden her away to Chester.
Saturday, 20.—I rode to Chester and preached at six in the accustomed place, a little without the gates, near St. John's church. One single man, a poor alehousekeeper, seemed disgusted, spoke a harmless word, and ran away with all speed. All the rest behaved with the utmost seriousness while I declared "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Round Chester Walls
Monday, 22.—We walked round the walls of the city, which are something more than a mile and three quarters in circumference. But there are many vacant spaces within the walls, many gardens, and a good deal of pasture ground; I believe Newcastle-upon-Tyne, within the walls, contains at least a third more houses than Chester.
The greatest convenience here is what they call "the Rows"; that is covered galleries which run through the main streets on each side, from east to west and from north to south; by which means one may walk both clean and dry in any weather, from one end of the city to the other.
I preached at six in the evening in the square to a vast multitude, rich and poor. The far greater part, the gentry in particular, were seriously and deeply attentive; though a few of the rabble, most of them drunk, labored much to make a disturbance. One might already perceive a great increase of earnestness in the generality of the hearers.
Tuesday, August 25.—I preached in the market place at Kinsale. The next morning, at eight, I walked to the fort. On the hill above it we found a large, deep hollow, capable of containing two or three thousand people. On one side of this, the soldiers soon cut a place with their swords for me to stand, where I was screened both from the wind and sun, while the congregation sat on the grass before me. Many eminent sinners were present, particularly of the army; and I believe God gave them a loud call to repentance.
Saturday, September 23.—We reached Cork. Sunday, 24. In the evening I proposed to the society the building a preaching-house. The next day ten persons subscribed a hundred pounds; another hundred was subscribed in three or four days, and a piece of ground taken. I saw a double providence now in our not sailing last week. If we had, probably this house had never been built, and it is most likely we should have been cast away. Above thirty ships, we were informed, have been lost on these coasts in the late storm.
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
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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.
A Boiling Sea
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.
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.
Wesley's Forgiveness
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.