Wesley Corpus

Such a congre gation had not often been there before. I preached on, “God created man in his own image.” The people seemed, “all but their attention, dead.” In the afternoon the church was so filled as (they informed me) it had not been for these fifty years. I preached on, “God hath given us eternal life; and this life is in his Son.” I believe God applied it to many hearts. Were it only for this hour, I am glad I came to Holland. One thing which I peculiarly observed was this, and the same in all the churches in Holland: At coming in, no one looks on the right or the left hand, or bows or courtesies to ally one; but all go straightforward to their seats, as if no other person was in the place. During the service none turns his head on either side, or looks at anything but his book or the 250 REv. J. WESLEY’s [June, 1783. Minister; and in going out, none takes notice of any one, but all go straight forward till they are in the open air. After church an English gentleman invited me to his . country-house, not half a mile from the town. I scarce ever saw so pretty a place. The garden before the house was in three partitions, each quite different from the others. The house lay between this and another garden, (nothing like any of the others,) from which you looked through a beautiful summer-house, washed by a small stream, into rich pastures filled with cattle. We sat under an arbour of stately trees, between the front and the back gardens. Here were four such children (I suppose seven, six, five, and three years old) as I never saw before in one family: Such inexpressible beauty and innocence shone togetherl In the evening I attended the service of the great Dutch church, as large as most of our cathedrals. The organ (like those in all the Dutch churches) was elegantly painted and gilded; and the tunes that were sung were very lively, and yet solemn.- Mon. 16.--We set out in a track-skuit for the Hague.