Wesley Corpus

His Chaplain had just begun reading Prayers. Afterwards he desired me to give an exhortation. So I could not take horse till half-hour after one, when I had eight and-twenty miles to ride on a lame horse. I came, however, to Shrewsbury between five and six, and preached to a large and quiet congregation. As we returned, the rabble were noisy enough; but they used only their tongues. So all was well. Thur. 16.--We rode, with a furious wind full in our face, to Chester. Friday, 17, and the next days, we had a refreshing season, with a loving people, and in a loving family. The congre gations were not small in the mornings; in the evenings exceeding large. And all who attended, behaved as if they not only understood, but relished, the good word. Sun. 19.--Elizabeth Oldham called upon me. She told me, “Some time since my mother said, ‘Call my son to see me die.’ He asked, ‘Have you any fear of death?” She said, “O no ! That is gone long since. Perfect love casts 356 REv. J. Wesley’s [March, 1769. out fear. Do not you see him ? There he is, waiting to receive my soul!” She then sang with a clear voice, Praise God from whom all blessings flow. And ended her song and her life together. “Every round my husband took lately, being doubtful when he took horse whether he should not drop by the way, he carried a paper in his pocket, telling who he was, and whither he was going. This day five weeks, being exceeding weak, he feared he should not be able to preach. But I said, ‘My dear, go into the pulpit, and the Lord will strengthen thee.’ And after he had spoke a few words, the Lord did strengthen him. Neither did he speak in vain: Many were comforted; several justified. One of these said, ‘He is going to rest soon, and I shall go with him.’ He died in full triumph the next Lord's Day; and she two hours after. “But a day or two before he died, I felt a kind of unwillingness to give him up.