Wesley Corpus

“I hang out no false colours; but show you all I am, all I intend, all I do. “I am a member of the Church of England: But I love good men of every Church. “My ground is the Bible. Yea, I am a Bible-bigot. I follow it in all things, both great and small. “Therefore, 1. I always use a short private prayer, when I attend the public service of God. Do not you? Why do you not? Is not this according to the Bible? “2. I stand whenever I sing the praise of God in public. Does not the Bible give you plain precedents for this? “3. I always kneel before the Lord my Maker, when I pray in public. “4. I generally in public use the Lord’s Prayer, because Christ has taught me, when I pray, to say, “I advise every Preacher connected with me, whether in England or Scotland, herein to tread in my steps.” Fri. 6.--We went on to Aberdeen, about seventy measured miles. The congregation in the evening was larger than the usual one at Edinburgh. And the number of those who attended in the morning showed they were not all curious hearers. Sun. 8.--Knowing no reason why we should make God’s day the shortest of the seven, I desired Joseph Thompson to 252 REv. J. wesLEY’s [June, 1766. preach at five. At eight I preached myself. In the afternoon I heard a strong, close sermon, at Old-Aberdeen; and after ward preached in the College kirk, to a very genteel, and yet serious congregation. I then opened and enforced the way of holiness, at New-Aberdeen, on a numerous congregation. Monday, 9. I kept a watch-night, and explained to abundance of genteel people, “One thing is needful;” a great number of whom would not go away, till after the noon of night. Tues. 10.--I rode over to Sir Archibald Grant's. The church was pretty well filled, and I spoke exceeding plain; yet the hearers did not appear to be any more affected than the stone walls. Wed. 11.--I returned to Aberdeen, where many of the people were much alive to God. With these our labour has not been in vain; and they are worth all the pains we have taken in Scotland. Fri. 13.--We reached Brechin a little before twelve.