Wesley Corpus

Here abundance of people flocked together, and willingly “suffered the word of exhortation.” Indeed, a more quiet, humane, courteous people, I have scarce ever seen. But I fear, they were surfeited with preaching before we set foot in the town. Sat. 6.--I went to Pembroke. We were here several times before we had any place in Haverfordwest. But we have reason to fear lest the first become last. Sunday, 7. I took a good deal of pains to compose the little misunderstandings which have much obstructed the work of God. At ten I * What is it to me 2 Aug. 1768.] JOURNAL. 339 read Prayers, preached, and administered the sacrament to a serious congregation at St. Daniel's; and the next morning left the people full of good desires, and in tolerable good humour with each other. Mon. 8.--I rode to Llanelly, and preached to a small, earnest company, on, “Ye are saved through faith.” Thence we found a kind of a way to Oxwych, where I pressed the one thing needful, on a plain, simple people, right willing to hear, with great enlargement of heart. Tues. 9.--I took a full view of the castle, situate on the top of a steep hill, and commanding a various and extensive prospect, both by sea and land. The building itself is far the loftiest which I have seen in Wales. What a taste had they who removed from hence, to bury themselves in the hole at Margam ! When we came to Neath, I was a little surprised to hear I was to preach in the church; of which the Churchwardens had the disposal, the Minister being just dead. I began reading Prayers at six, but was greatly disgusted at the manner of singing. 1. Twelve or fourteen persons kept it to themselves, and quite shut out the congregation: 2. These repeated the same words, contrary to all sense and reason, six or eight or ten times over: 3. According to the shocking custom of modern music, different persons sung different words at one and the same moment; an intolerable insult on common sense, and utterly incompatible with any devotion. Wed.