Wesley Corpus

About eleven I preached in a shady orchard, to an exceeding large congrega tion; and in the evening to a still larger at the Grange, a small June, 1785.] JOURNAL. 315 village on the top of a hill. Many showers went to the right and the left while I was preaching, but only a few drops fell upon us. Thursday, 16. About eight I preached at Rich Hill, where there were many backsliders, on, “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ** In the afternoon I came to Newry, where I never before had any tolerable place to preach in ; but the Presbyterians now offered me the use of their large and handsome meeting-house: Perhaps it never was filled before. I believe the occasion required me to speak very plain, which I did from Elijah's question, “How long halt ye between two opinions 2° And I applied it to the conscience of each per son, rich and poor, with all possible plainness. Fri. 17.--Many of our friends from Dublin gave us the meeting at Drogheda ; a large, handsome town, which seemed to me to be little inferior to Waterford. After much opposi tion, a small society is formed here. I preached in the Sessions-House, a large commodious room, which was quickly filled with rich and poor. The Mayor himself and several of the Aldermen took care that none should make any disturb ance. God gave us an exceeding solemn season. After sermon I gave a short account of the rise of Methodism. I believe all were so satisfied, that there will scarce be any more persecution of the Methodists at Drogheda. Sat. 18.--Having visited all the places I proposed, I came back to Dublin just as well as I set out, my strength having been as my day. Sun. 19.--I exhorted a crowded audience to “bring forth fruits meet for repentance;” and afterwards pressed the exhort ation on our own society. Monday, 20. I visited one ill of a violent fever, and calmly triumphing over sickness, and pain, and death. In the evening I received a letter from a Physician, whom, the next morning, I carried to see her. He thoroughly understood her case; and from the dayshe followed his prescrip tion she began to recover.