Wesley Corpus

J. Wesley’s [April, 1788. gations in the three kingdoms. There cannot be; for we have near a hundred such trebles, boys and girls, selected out of our Sunday-schools, and accurately taught, as are not found together in any chapel, cathedral, or music-room within the four seas, Besides, the spirit with which they all sing, and the beauty of many of them, so suits the melody, that I defy any to exceed it; except the singing of angels in our Father's house. Sun. 20.-At eight, and at one, the House was throughly filled. About three, I met between nine hundred and a thousand of the children belonging to our Sunday-schools. I never saw such a sight before. They were all exactly clean, as well as plain, in their apparel. All were serious and well behaved. Many, both boys and girls, had as beautiful faces as, I believe, England or Europe can afford. When they all sung together, and none of them out of tune, the melody was beyond that of any theatre; and, what is best of all, many of them truly fear God, and some rejoice in his salvation. These are a pattern to all the town. Their usual diversion is to visit the poor that are sick, (sometimes six, or eight, or ten together,) to exhort, comfort, and pray with them. Frequently ten or more of them get together to sing and pray by themselves; sometimes thirty or forty; and are so earnestly engaged, alternately singing, praying, and crying, that they know not how to part. You children that hear this, why should not you go and do likewise? Is not God here as well as at Bolton? Let God arise and maintain his own cause, even “out of the mouths of babes and sucklings I’” Mon.21.--I went on, through miserable roads, to Blackburn; where, notwithstanding the continued rain, the new preaching house was throughly filled with serious, well-behaved people. Tuesday, 22. Through equally good roads we got on to Padiham. I preached at eleven to as quiet a congregation, though not so lively, as that at Bolton. From hence we went in the afternoon, through still more wonderful roads, to Haslingden. They were sufficient to lame any horses, and shake any carriage in pieces.--N.B. I will never attempt to travel these roads again, till they are effectually mended !