Wesley Corpus

The congregations were exceeding large, and the people hungering and thirsting after righteousness; and every day afforded us fresh instances of persons convinced of sin, or converted to God. So that it seems God was pleased to pour out his Spirit this year, on every part both of England and Ireland; perhaps in a manner we had never seen before; certainly not for twenty years. O what pity, that so many, even of the children of God, did not know the day of their visitation | Sun. OcToBER. 4.--I preached at Kingswood, morning and afternoon, but not, as I designed, under the sycamore-tree, because of the rain. In the ensuing week I visited the societies in Somersetshire. Sunday, 11. I observed God is reviving his work in Kingswood: The society, which had much decreased, being now increased again to near three hundred members; many of whom are now athirst for full redemption, which for some years they had almost forgot. Tues. 13.--I preached at Newgate; at Kingswood in the afternoon; and in the evening at North-Common. Here a people are sprung up, as it were, out of the earth; most of them employed in the neighbouring brass-works. We took a view of these the next day; and one thing I learned here, the propriety of that expression, Rev. i. 15: “His fect were as fine brass, burning in a furnace.” The brightness of this cannot easily be conceived: I have seen nothing like it but clear white lightning. Mon. 19.--I desired all those to meet me, who believed they were saved from sin. There were seventecn or eighteen. I examined them severally, as exactly as I could; and I could not find any thing in their tempers (supposing they spoke true) any way contrary to their profession. 74, REv. J. wesDEY’s [Nov. 1761. Wed. 21.--I was desired by the condemned prisoners to give them one sermon more. And on Thursday, Patrick Ward, who was to die on that day, sent to request I would administer the sacrament to him. He was one-and-twenty years of age, and had scarce ever had a serious thought, till he shot the man who went to take away his gun. From that instant he felt a turn within, and never swore an oath more.