covenant with God. We never meet on this occasion without a blessing; but I do not know that we
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dinner sufficient, but hot and good, but not delicate; 4) the propriety of the company--five clergymen and four of the aldermen; and 5) the genuine, unaffected courtesy of the bishop, who, I hope, will be a blessing to his whole diocese.
We set out early in the morning, Monday, 19, and in the afternoon came to Plymouth. I preached in the evening, and at five and twelve on Tuesday, purposing to preach in the square at the Dock in the evening; but the rain prevented. However, I did so on Wednesday evening. A little before I concluded, the commanding officer came into the square with his regiment; but he immediately stopped the drums and drew up all his men in order on the high side of the square. They were all still as night; nor did any of them stir, till I had pronounced the blessing.
"The Tide Is Now Turned"
1783. Wednesday, January 1.--May I begin to live today! Sunday, 5. We met to renew our covenant with God. We never meet on this occasion without a blessing; but I do not know that we had ever so large a congregation before.
Sunday, 19.--I preached at St. Thomas's Church in the afternoon and at St. Swithin's in the evening. The tide is now turned; so that I have more invitations to preach in churches than I can accept of.
Friday, February 21.--At our yearly meeting for that purpose, we examined our yearly accounts and found the money (just answering the expense) was upwards of three thousand pounds a year.
But that is nothing to me: what I receive of it yearly is neither more nor less than thirty pounds. Sunday, June 1.--I was refreshed by the very sight of the congregation at the new chapel (London). Monday 2, and the following days, I employed in settling my business and preparing for my little excursion. Wednesday, 11. I took coach with Mr. Brackenbury, Broadbent, and Whitfield; and in the evening we reached Harwich. I went immediately to Dr. Jones, who received me in the most affectionate manner. About nine in the morning we sailed and at nine on Friday, 13, landed at Helvoetsluys [Hellevoctsluis].
Wesley Visits Holland
Here we hired a coach for Briel, but were forced to hire a wagon also, to carry a box which one of us could have carried on his shoulders. At Briel we took a boat to Rotterdam. We had not been long there when Mr. Bennet, a bookseller who had invited me to his house, called upon me. But as Mr. Loyal, the minister of the Scotch congregation, had invited me, be gave up his claim and went with us to Mr. Loyal's. I found a friendly, sensible, hospitable, and, I am persuaded, a pious man. We took a walk together round the town, all as clean as a gentleman's parlor. Many of the houses are as high as those in the main street at Edinburgh; and the canals, running through the chief streets, make them convenient, as well as pleasant, bringing the merchants' goods up to their doors. Stately trees grow on all their banks. The whole town is encompassed with a double row of elms so that one may walk all round it in the shade.
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Saturday, 14.--I had much conversation with the two English ministers, sensible, well-bred, serious men. These, as well as Mr. Loyal, were very willing I should preach in their churches; but they thought it would be best for me to preach in the Episcopal Church. By our conversing freely together, many prejudices were removed and all our hearts seemed to be united together.
In the evening we again took a walk around the town, and I observed 1) many of the houses are higher than most in Edinburgh. It is true they have not so many stories; but each story is far loftier. 2) The streets, the outside and inside of their houses in every part, doors, windows, well-staircases, furniture, even floors, are kept so nicely clean that you cannot find a speck of dirt; 3) there is such a grandeur and elegance in the fronts of the large houses as I never saw elsewhere; and such a profusion of marble within, particularly in their lower floors and staircases, as I wonder other nations do not imitate. 4) The women and children (which I least of all expected) were in general the most beautiful I ever saw. They were surprisingly fair and had an inexpressible air of innocence in their countenance. 5) This was wonderfully set off by their dress, which was simplex munditiis, plain and neat in the highest degree. 6) It has lately been observed that growing vegetables greatly resist putridity: so there is a use in their numerous rows of trees which was not thought of at first. The elms balance the canals, preventing the putrefaction which those otherwise might produce.
The Reverent Dutch
One little circumstance I observed, which I suppose is peculiar to Holland: to most chamber windows a looking-glass is placed on the outside of the sash, so as to show the whole street, with all the passengers. There is something very pleasing in these moving pictures. Are they found in no other country?
Sunday, 15.--The Episcopal Church is not quite so large as the chapel in West Street. It is very elegant both without and within. The service began at half-past nine. Such a congregation had not often been there before. I preached on "God created man in his own image" [Gen. 1:27]. The people seemed, "all but their attention, dead." In the afternoon the church was so filled as (they informed me) it had not been for these fifty years. I preached on "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" [I John 5:11]. I believe God applied it to many hearts. Were it only for this hour, I am glad I came to Holland.
One thing which I peculiarly observed was this, and the same in all the churches in Holland: at coming in, no one looks on the right or the left hand, or bows or courtesies to anyone; but all go straight forward to their seats, as if no other person were in the place. During the service, none turns his head on either side, or looks at anything but his book or the minister; and in going out none take notice of anyone, but all go straight forward till they are in the open air.
After church an English gentleman invited me to his country house, not half a mile from the town. I scarcely ever saw so pretty a place. The garden before the house was in three partitions, each quite different from the others. The house lay between this and another garden (nothing like any of the others), from which you looked through a beautiful summerhouse, washed by a small stream, into rich pastures filled with cattle. We sat under an arbor of stately trees, between the front
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and the back gardens. Here were four such children (I suppose seven, six, five, and three years old) as I never saw before in one family; such inexpressible beauty and innocence shone together!
In the evening I attended the service of the great Dutch church, as large as most of our cathedrals. The organ (like those in all the Dutch churches) was elegantly painted and gilded; and the tunes that were sung were very lively and yet solemn.
Monday, 16.--We set out in a track-skuit [river boat] for the Hague. By the way we saw a curiosity: the gallows near the canal, surrounded with a knot of beautiful trees, so the dying man will have one pleasant prospect here, whatever befalls him hereafter! At eleven we came to Delft, a large, handsome town. Here we spent an hour at a merchant's house, who, as well as his wife, a very agreeable woman, seemed both to fear and to love God. Afterward we saw the great church, I think nearly, if not quite, as long as York Minster. It is exceedingly light and elegant within, and every part is kept exquisitely clean. The tomb of William I is much admired; particularly his statue, which has more life than one would think could be expressed in brass.
The Beautiful Hague
When we came to the Hague, though we had heard much of it, we were not disappointed. It is, indeed, beautiful beyond expression. Many of the houses are exceedingly grand and are finely intermixed with water and wood; yet are not too close, but so as to be sufficiently ventilated by the air.
Being invited to tea by Madam de Vassenaar (one of the first quality in the Hague), I waited upon her in the afternoon. She received us with that easy openness and affability which is almost peculiar to Christians and persons of quality. Soon after came ten or twelve ladies more, who seemed to be of her own rank (though dressed quite plainly), and two most agreeable gentlemen; one of them, I afterward understood, was a colonel in the Prince's Guards. After tea I expounded the three first verses of the thirteenth of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Captain M. interpreted, sentence by sentence. I then prayed, and Colonel V. after me. I believe this hour was well employed.
Tuesday, 17.--As we walked over the Place we saw the Swiss Guards at their exercise. They are a fine body of men, taller, I suppose, than any English regiment; and they all wear large black whiskers, which they take care to keep as black as their boots. Afterward we saw the gardens at the Old Palace, beautifully laid out, with a large piece of water in the middle and a canal at each end; the open walks in it are pleasant, but the shady serpentine walks are far pleasanter.
We dined at Mrs. L---'s, in such a family as I have seldom seen. Her mother, upwards of seventy, seemed to be continually rejoicing in God her Saviour. The daughter breathes the same spirit, and her grandchildren, three little girls and a boy, seem to be all love. I have not seen four such children together in all England. A gentleman coming in after dinner, I found a particular desire to pray for them. In a little while he melted into tears, as indeed did most of the company.
Wednesday, 18. In the afternoon Madam de Vassenaar invited us to a meeting at a neighboring lady's house. I expounded Galatians 6:14, and Mr. M. interpreted as before.
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At Leyden and Amsterdam
Thursday, 19.--We took boat at seven. Mrs. L. and one of her relations, being unwilling to part so soon, bore us company to Leyden, a large and populous town but not so pleasant as Rotterdam. In the afternoon we went on to Haarlem, where a plain, good man and his wife received us in a most affectionate manner. At six we took boat again. As it was filled from end to end, I was afraid we should not have a very pleasant journey. After Mr. Ferguson had told the people who we were, we made a slight excuse and sang a hymn. They were all attention. We then talked a little, by means of our interpreter, and desired that any of them who pleased would sing. Four persons did so and sang well. After a while we sang again; so did one or two of them, and all our hearts were strangely knit together so that when we came to Amsterdam they dismissed us with abundance of blessings.
Friday, 20.--We breakfasted at Mr. Ferguson's, near the heart of the city. At eleven we drank coffee (the custom in Holland) at Mr. J---'s, a merchant, whose dining room is covered, both walls and ceiling, with the most beautiful paintings. He and his lady walked with us in the afternoon to the Stadt House, perhaps the grandest buildings of the kind in Europe. The great hall is a noble room indeed, nearly as large as that of Christ Church in Oxford. But I have neither time nor inclination to describe particularly this amazing structure.
The Warmly Affectionate Dutch
Sunday, 22.--I went to the new church, so called still, though four or five hundred years old. It is larger, higher, and better illuminated than most of our cathedrals. The screen that divides the church from the choir is of polished brass and shines like gold. I understood the Psalms that were sung, and the text well, and a little of the sermon which Mr. De H. delivered with great earnestness. At two I began the service at the English church, an elegant building, about the size of West Street Chapel. Only it has no galleries, nor have any of the churches in Holland. I preached on Isaiah 55:6, 7; and I am persuaded many received the truth in the love thereof. After dinner Mrs. J--- took me in a coach to the Mere, and thence round the country to Zeeburg. I never saw such a country before: I suppose there is no such summer country in Europe. From Amsterdam to Mere is all a train of the most delightful gardens. Turning upon the left, you then open upon the Texel, which spreads into a sea. Zeeburg itself is a little house built on the edge of it, which commands both a land and a sea prospect. What is wanting to make the inhabitants happy but the knowledge and love of God?
Wednesday, 25.--We took boat for Haarlem. The great church here is a noble structure, equaled by few cathedrals in England, either in length, breadth, or height. The organ is the largest I ever saw and is said to be the finest in Europe. Hence we went to Mr. Van Ka---'s, whose wife was convinced of sin and justified by reading Mr. Whitefield's sermons.
Here we were as at home. Before dinner we took a walk in Haarlem Wood. It adjoins the town and is cut out in many shady walks, with lovely vistas shooting out every way. The walk from the Hague to Scheveling is pleasant; those near Amsterdam more so; but these exceed them all.