Wesley Corpus

Richardson to read Prayers at West-Street chapel, but he did not come; so I read Prayers myself, and preached, and administered the sacra ment to several hundred people. In the afternoon I preached at the new chapel, thoroughly filled in every corner; and in the evening at St. Sepulchre's, one of the largest parish churches in London. It was warm enough, being sufficiently filled; yet I felt no weakness or weariness, but was stronger after I had preached my fourth sermon, than I was after the first. Thur. 31.-We concluded the old year with a solemn watch night, and began the new with praise and thanksgiving. We had a violent storm at night. The roaring of the wind was like loud thunder. It kept me awake half an hour; I then slept in peace. Fri. JANUARY 1, 1779-At length we have a House capable of containing the whole society. We met there this evening to Feb. 1779.] JOURNAL. 143 renew our covenant with God; and we never met on that solemn occasion without a peculiar blessing. Tues. 12.--I dined and drank tea with four German Ministers. I could not but admire the wisdom of those that appointed them. They seem to consider not only the essential points, their sense and piety, but even those smaller things, the good breeding, the address, yea, the persons of those they send into foreign countries. Sun. 24.--I visited a young woman in such terrible fits as I scarce ever saw before; and she was hardly out of one, when she fell into another; so that it seemed she must soon lose her reason, if not her life. But Dr. Wilson, in one or two days’ time, restored her to perfect health. Mon. FEBRUARY 8.--Finding many serious persons were much discouraged by prophets of evil, confidently foretelling very heavy calamities, which were coming upon our nation, I endeavoured to lift up their hands, by opening and applying those comfortable words: (Psalm xliii. 5, 6:) “Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? And why art thou so disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God; for I will yet give him thanks, which is the help of my countenance, and my God.” Wednesday, 10, was a National Fast. So solemn a one I never saw before. From one end of the city to the other, there was scarce any one seen in the streets.