Wesley Corpus

filled with peace and joy in believing: So were one or two more every night till the Monday following, when there was another general shower of grace; and many believed that the blood of Christ had cleansed them from all sin. I spoke to these (forty in all) one by one. Some of them said they received that blessing ten days, some seven, some four, some three days, after they found peace with God; and two of them the next day. What marvel, since one day is with God as a thousand years? The case of Ann Hooly was peculiar. She had often declared, “The Methodists’ God shall not be my God. I will sooner go to hell than I will go to heaven in their way.” She was standing in the street with two young women, when John Oldham, passing by, spoke to one and the other, and went on. She burst into tears, and said, “What I am I so great a sinner, that he won’t speak to me?” About twelve he was sent for in haste. He found her in deep distress; but continued in prayer till all her trouble was gone, and her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour. Yet three nights after she was in much distress again, crying, “I have a wicked heart, and I cannot rest till God takes it away.” He did so in a few hours. Ever since she has been a pattern to all the young people in the town. She was thirteen years old. In about a year, her spirit returned to God. Sat. 7.--I made one more trial at Northwich, preaching in Mr. Page's yard. Abundance of people flocked together; nor did any one oppose, or make the least disturbance. And when I afterward rode quite through the town, I had not one uncivil word. In the evening I spoke with those at Manchester who believed God had cleansed their hearts. They were sixty three in number; to about sixty of whom I could not find there was any reasonable objection. Mon. 9.--I preached at Elland and Birstal in my way to Leeds, where our Conference began on Tuesday morning; and we had great reason to praise God for his gracious presence from the beginning to the end. Sun. 15.--I preached about one at Birstal, and in the morning and evening at Leeds.