Wesley Corpus

Wesley’s [June, 1778. on the point of a rock, which projected into a large circular cavity, that contained in the hollow, and round the edge of it, all the multitude who flocked together. I spoke longer than I used to do; and was no more weary when I had done, than I was at six in the morning. After service we went to Down patrick, where I slept in peace. Fri. 12.-I walked through the town; I suppose one of the most ancient in Ulster. I was informed, it was once abundantly larger than it is now; consisting of the Irish town, then inhabited by none but Roman Catholics; and the English town, encompassed with a wall, and a deep ditch filled with water. At the head of the English town stands the Abbey, on a hill which commands all the country. It is a noble ruin, and is far the largest building that I have seen in the king dom. Adjoining to it is one of the most beautiful groves which I ever beheld with my eyes: It covers the sloping side of the hill, and has vistas cut through it every way. In the middle of it is a circular space, twenty or thirty yards in diameter. I would have preached there, but the rain drove into the House as many as could crowd together. Sat. 13.--I took my stand in the middle of the Grove; the people standing before me on the gradually rising ground, which formed a beautiful theatre: The sun just glimmered through the trees, but did not hinder me at all. It was a glorious opportunity: The whole congregation seemed to drink into one spirit. Sun. 14.--I preached at Dunsford in the morning. In the evening the congregation in the Grove exceeded even that at Belfast; and I verily believe all of them were almost persuaded to be Christians. Mon. 15.--I left Downpatrick with much satisfaction; and in the evening preached in the Linen-Hall at Lisburn, to near as large a congregation as that in the Grove; but not near so much affected. Afterwards I went to my old lodging at Derry-Aghy, one of the pleasantest spots in the kingdom; and I could relish it now ! How does God bring us down to the gates of death, and bring us up again Tues.