Wesley Corpus

This is considerably larger than the other. It rained hard in the morning: This hindered many; so that those who did come, got in pretty well in the forenoon; but in the afternoon very many were obliged to go away. After preaching at several other places on Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday, 26, I preached in Heptonstall church, well filled with serious hearers. In the evening I preached near Todmorden, in the heart of the mountains. One would wonder where all the people came from. Thursday, 27. I preached in Todmorden church, with great enlargement of heart. In the afternoon we went on to Blackburn. It seemed, the whole town was moved. But the question was, where to put the congregation. We could not stand abroad, because of the sun : So as many as could, squeezed into the May, 1780.] JourtsAL. 179 preaching-house. All the chief men of the town were there. It seems as if the last will be first. Sun. 30.--We had a lovely congregation at Colne ; but a much larger at one and at five. Many of them came ten or twelve miles; but I believe not in vain : God gave them a good reward for their labour. Mon. MAY 1.--We reached Grassington about ten. The multitude of people constrained me to preach abroad. It was fair all the time I was preaching; but afterwards rained much. At Pateley-Bridge, the Vicar offered me the use of his church. Though it was more than twice as large as our preaching-house, it was not near large enough to contain the congregation. How vast is the increase of the work of God Particularly in the most rugged and uncultivated places ! How does he “send the springs” of grace also “into the valleys, that run among the hills.” Tues. 2.-We came to Ripon, and observed a remarkable turn of Providence: The great hinderance of the work of God in this place has suddenly disappeared; and the poor people, being delivered from their fear, gladly flock together to hear His word. The new preaching-house was quickly more than filled. Surely some of them will not be forgetful hearers' In the afternoon we travelled through a delightful country; the more so when contrasted with the horrid mountains. The immense ruins of Garvaix Abbey show what a stately pile it was once.