Wesley Corpus

All attended, and a considerable part seemed to understand something of what was spoken; nor did any behave uncivilly when I had done; and I believe a few did not lose their labour. It was easy in the evening to observe the different spirit of the congregation at Yarmouth. Almost all seemed to feel the power of God, and many were filled with consolation. Fri. 12.--I returned to Norwich, and inquired into the state of the society. I have seen no people in all England or Ireland so changeable as this. This society, in 1755, consisted of eighty-three members; two years after, of an hundred and thirty-four; in 1758 it was shrunk to an hundred and ten. In March, 1759, we took the Tabernacle; and within a month the society was increased to above seven hundred and sixty. But nearly five hundred of these had formerly been with James Wheatley, and having been scattered abroad, now ran together they hardly knew why. Few of them were throughly awakened; most deeply ignorant; all bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke, having never had any rule or order among them, but every man doing what was right in his own eyes. It was not, therefore, strange, that the next year, only five hundred and seven of these were left. In 1761 they were farther reduced, namely, to four hundred and twelve. I cannot tell how it was, that in 1762 they were increased again to six hundred and thirty. But the moon soon changed, so that in 1763, they were shrunk to three hundred and ten. This large reduction was owing to the withdrawing the sacrament, to which they had been accustomed from the time the Taber nacle was built. They are now sunk to an hundred and seventy-four; and now probably the tide will turn again. 200 Rev. J. wesLEY’s [Nov. 1764. Sun. 14.--At seven I clearly and strongly described the height and depth of Christian holiness: And (what is strange) I could not afterward find that any one person was offended. At ten we had a congregation indeed; I trust, all of one heart. I went, as usual, to the cathedral in the afternoon, and heard a sound, practical sermon. About five our great congregation met, and (what has seldom been known) very quietly.