Wesley Corpus

I am sorry for their sake, not my own. Perhaps they may wish to see me when it is too late. Sun. 2.--I preached in the market-house, morning and May, 1762.] JOURNAL. 93 evening. Abundance of the Dragoons were there; so were many of the Officers, who behaved with uncommon seriousness. Mon. 3.--In the evening a company of players began acting in the upper part of the market-house, just as we began singing in the lower. The case of these is remarkable. The Presbyterians for a long time had their public worship here; but when the strollers came to town, they were turned out; and from that time had no public worship at all. On Tuesday evening the lower part too was occupied by buyers and sellers of oatmeal; but as soon as I began, the people quitted their sacks, and listened to business of greater importance. On the following days I preached at Carrick-on-Shannon, Drumersnave, Cleg-Hill, Longford, and Abidarrig. Saturday, 8. Calling on a friend in our way, we had not sat down before several of the neighbours, Papists as well as Protestants, came in, supposing I was to preach. I was not willing to disappoint them: And they all listened with deep attention. Hence I rode to Athlone. I intended on Sunday, 9, to preach abroad as usual; but the sharp wind made it imprac ticable, and obliged me to keep in the House. The congre gations, however, were large, both morning and evening; and I found a little fruit of my labour. Thur. 13.--I was in hopes even the Papists here had at length a shepherd who cared for their souls. He was stricter than any of his predecessors, and was esteemed a man of piety as well as learning. Accordingly, he had given them strict orders not to work on the Lord’s day; but I found he allowed them to play as much as they pleased, at cards in particular; nay, and averred it was their duty so to do, to refresh both their bodies and minds. Alas, for the blind leader of the blind! Has not he the greater sin? Sun. 16.--I had observed to the society last week, that I had not seen one congregation ever in Ireland behave so ill at church as that at Athlone, laughing, talking, and staring about during the whole service.