Wesley Corpus

A famous actress, just come down from London, (which, for the honour of Scotland, is just during the sitting of the Assembly,) stole away a great part of our congregation to-night. How much wiser are these Scots than their forefathers Sun. 23.−I went in the morning to the Tolbooth kirk; in the afternoon, to the old Episcopal chapel. But they have lost their glorying; they talked, the moment Service was done, as if they had been in London. In the evening the Octagon was well filled; and I applied, with all possible plainness, “God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Mon. 24.--I preached at Dunbar. Tuesday, 25. I spent an hour with Mr. and Mrs. F., a woman every way accomplished. 27 S Rev. J. WESLEY’s [June, 1784. Neither of them had ever yet heard a sermon out of the kirk; but they ventured that evening; and I am in hope they did not hear in vain. Wednesday, 26. We went on to Berwick upon-Tweed. The congregation in the Town-Hall was very numerous. So it was likewise at five in the morning. Thursday, 27. We travelled through a delightful country to Kelso. Here the two Seceding Ministers have taken true pains to frighten the people from hearing us, by retailing all the ribaldry of Mr. Cudworth, Toplady, and Rowland Hill. But God has called one of them to his account already, and in a fearful manner. As no house could contain the congregation, I preached in the church-yard; and a more decent behaviour I have scarce ever seen. Afterwards we walked to the Duke of Roxburgh's seat, about half a mile from the town, finely situated on a rising ground, near the ruins of Roxburgh Castle. It has a noble Castle; the front and the offices round, make it look like a little town. Most of the apart ments within are finished in an elegant, but not in a costly, manner. I doubt whether two of Mr. Lascelles's rooms at Harewood House, did not cost more in furnishing, than twenty of these. But the Duke's house is far larger, containing no less than forty bed-chambers. But it is not near finished yet, nor probably will be till the owner is no more seen. Fri. 28.--I entered into England once more, and in the evening preached in the Town-Hall, at Alnwick.