Wesley Corpus

Having procured a fresh horse, I rode on to Belturbet, a town in which there is neither Papist nor Presbyterian. But to supply that defect, there are Sabbath-breakers, drunkards, and common swearers in abundance. Thursday, 15. We rode through a delightful country to Swadlingbar, famed for its mineral waters. Soon after my new horse began to tire, so that it was with much difficulty I got to Sligo. Fri. 16.--I walked round the ruins of the abbey, formerly one of the largest in the kingdom. The walls of it are stand ing, and three sides of the cloisters are entire: But you can scarce tread, either within or without, unless you will step upon skulls or human bones, which are everywhere scattered up and down, as dung upon the earth. Surely no other nation, Christian or Heathen, would endure this ! In the evening the congregation was a little disturbed by two or three giddy Officers. I spoke to them, and they stopped: But they soon recovered their spirits, and behaved as they used to do at church. Sun. 18.--I preached at nine to a large congregation, who all seemed to hear with understanding. At five in the evening they were not less attentive, though abundantly more numerous. On Monday we met, for the last time, between four and five. Many were deeply affected, and all received the word “with all readiness of mind.” But which of these will “bring forth fruit with patience?” God only knoweth. Mon. 19.--We rode to Castlebar, where I preached in the evening. I was particularly concerned for the poor backsliders. It seems as if most of us said in our hearts, “If they have a mind to go to hell, let them go.” Not so; rather let us pluck the “brands,” willing or unwilling, “out of the burning.” Thur. 22.--I rode to Newport, and preached at seven in the evening. I suppose all the Protestants in the town were present, and many of the Papists, notwithstanding the prohibition and bitter curses of their Priests. So has God spread the line from sea to sea, from Dublin on the east, to this place on the western ocean. June, 1760.] JOURNAL, 5 MAY 25.--(Being Whit-Sunday.) Mr. Ellison desired me to assist him at the Lord's Supper. Tuesday, 27. There was a remarkable trial here:-A Swedish ship, being leaky, put into one of our harbours.