Wesley Corpus

Tuesday, 24. I met the classes at Deptford, and was vehemently importuned to order the Sunday service in our Room at the same time with that of the church. It is easy to see that this would be a formal separation from the Church. We fixed both our morning and evening service, all over England, at such hours as not to interfere with the Church; with this very design,-that those of the Church, if they chose it, might attend both the one and the other. But to fix it at the same hour, is obliging them to separate either from the Church or us; and this I judge to be not only inexpedient, but totally unlawful for me to do. Wed. 25.-I went to Brentford, but had little comfort there. The society is almost dwindled to nothing. What have we gained by separating from the Church here 2 Is not this a good lesson for others? Thur. 26.-Mr. Holbrook carried us to Hampton-Court, far the finest palace which the King of England has. The build ings are a little town; and nothing can be pleasanter than the park. But above all, the three fronts of the house, the stair case, and the furniture and pictures in the apartments, are 354 REv. J. WESLEY’s [Nov. 1786. worthy of a King, and not equalled by any in the kingdom, in some respects; not by Blenheim itself, which exceeds it only in its front, in tapestry, and in shockingly immodest pictures. In the evening I preached to a large and serious congrega tion, at Wandsworth. I think it was about two in the morn ing that a dog began howling under our window, in a most uncommon manner. We could not stop him by any means. Just then William B r died. Fri. 27.--I preached once more at Barnet, probably for the last time. Sunday, 29. After preaching at West-Street, I went directly to St. Giles's ; where I preached before I went abroad, two or three and fifty years ago. And are they not passed as a watch in the night? My subject was the joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth : And truly God con firmed his word. Many seemed to be partakers of that joy; and a solemn awe sat on the whole congregation. Monday, 30, and the ensuing days, I visited the classes.