Wesley Corpus

Before preaching they only ran round me and before me; but after it, a whole troop, boys and girls, closed me in, and would not be content till I shook each of them by the hand. Being then asked to visit a dying woman, I no sooner entered the room, than both she and her companions were in such an emotion as I have seldom seen. Some laughed; some cried; all were so transported, that they could hardly speak. O how much better is it to go to the poor, than to the rich; and to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting ! About this time I had a remarkable letter. Part of it was as follows:-- “THE work of God prospers among us here: I never saw anything equal to it. The last time I was at St. Just, the Leaders gave me an account of seventy persons who had found either pardon or perfect love, within the last fortnight: And the might and morning I was there, twenty more were delivered. One-and-twenty, likewise, were then added to the society; most of whom have found peace with God. “CHRISTOPHER WATKINs.” Sat. 13.--I preached at St. Helen's, a small, but populous town, ten or twelve miles from Liverpool, in Joseph Harris's house; who is removed hither from Kingswood, to take care of the copper-works. Surely God has brought him hither for good. The people seem to be quite ripe for the Gospel. I was waked at half-past two this morning, as was Mr. Broad bent also, by a very loud noise, like a vast crack of thunder, April, 1782.] JOURN A L. 225 accompanied with aflash of bright light. It made the whole room shake, and all the tables and chairs therein jar. But (what is strange) none in the house, or in the town, heard it, beside us. Mon. 15.--I saw an uncommon sight, the preaching-house at Wigan filled, yea, crowded ! Perhaps God will cause fruit to spring up even in this desolate place. I had now leisure to transcribe a letter, wrote last May, from Amherst, in Nova-Scotia, by a young man whose father, some years since, went thither with his whole family:-- “IN the year 1779, I saw, if I would go to heaven, I must lead a new life.