Wesley Corpus

Our friends, the mob, seem to have taken their leave; and so have triflers: All that remain seem to be deeply serious. But how easily are even these turned out of the way ! One of our old members, about a year ago, left the society, and never heard the preaching since, because Mr. Lincoln said, “Mr. Wesley and all his followers * The grand doctrine by which a church stands or falls.-EDIT. + To lay aside big words that have no determinate meaning. Dec. 1767.] JOURNAL, 309 would go to hell together l” However, on Tuesday night he ventured to the House once more; and God met him there, and revealed his Son in his heart. Sat. 5.--Believing it was my duty to search to the bottom some reports which I had heard concerning Mr. B--, I went to his old friend Mr. G. , an Israelite indeed, but worn almost to a skeleton. After I had explained to him the motives of my inquiry, he spoke without reserve; and, if his account be true, that hot, sour man does well to hold fast his opinion, for it is all the religion he has. Mon. 7.--I went on to Yarmouth, and found confusion worse confounded. Not only B W ’s society was come to nothing, but ours seemed to be swiftly following. They had almost all left the Church again, being full of prejudice against the Clergy, and against one another. How ever, as two or three retained their humble, simple love, I doubted not but there would be a blessing in the remnant. My first business was to reconcile them to each other; and this was effectually done by hearing the contending parties, first separately, and afterwards face to face. It remained to reconcile them to the Church; and this was done partly by arguments, partly by persuasion. Fri. 11.--We set out at three in the morning, but did not reach Bury till past seven in the evening. The people being ready, I began preaching immediately. Many seemed really desirous to save their souls. The next day we went on to London. Sun. 13.--I was desired to preach a funeral sermon for William Osgood. He came to London near thirty years ago, and, from nothing, increased more and more, till he was worth several thousand pounds. He was a good man, and died in peace.