Wesley Corpus

So that, supposing the space to be four-score yards square, and to contain five persons in a square yard, there must be above two-and-thirty thousand people; the largest assembly I ever preached to. Yet I found, upon inquiry, all could hear, even to the skirts of the congre gation | Perhaps the first time that a man of seventy had been heard by thirty thousand persons at once | Hence I went by Cubert, Port-Isaac, Camelford, and Launceston, to Tiverton. Saturday, 28. I returned to Bristol. Fri. SEPTEMBER 3.--I went over to Kingswood, and inquired into the ground of many heavy charges, which had been confidently advanced against the management there. One article was true, and no more. And this fault is now amended. I waited a few days before I set down what has lately occurred among the children here. From the time God visited them last, several of them retained a measure of the fear of God. But they grew colder and colder, till Ralph Mather met them in the latter end of August. Several then resolved to meet in class again, and appeared to have good desires. On Saturday, September 4, he talked with three of them, about four in the afternoon. These freely confessed their besetting sins, and appeared to be greatly humbled. At five all the children met in the school. During an exhortation then given, first one, then two or three were much affected. Afterwards two more were taken apart, who were soon deeply distressed; and one of them, (James Whitestone,) in less than half an hour, found a clear sense of the love of God. Near seven, they came down [to] the boys in the school; and Mr. Mather asked, “Which of you will serve God?” They all seemed to be thunderstruck, and ten or twelve fell down upon their knees. Mr. Mather 506 REv. J. wesDEY’s [Sept. 1773. prayed, and then James Whitestone. Immediately one and another cried out; which brought in the other boys, who seemed struck more and more, till about thirty were kneel ing and praying at once. Before half-hour past nine, ten of them knew that they were accepted in the Beloved. Several more were brought to the birth; and all the children, but three or four, were affected more or less. Sun. 5.--I examined sixteen of them who desired to partake of the Lord’s Supper.