Wesley Corpus

Gibson read Prayers, and preached a plain useful sermon; but was sorry to see scarce twenty communicants, half of whom came on my account. I was informed likewise, that scarce fifty persons used to attend the Sunday service. What can be done to remedy this sore evil? I fain would prevent the members here from leaving the church; but I cannot do it. As Mr. G. is not a pious man, but rather an enemy to piety, who frequently preaches against the truth, and those that hold and love it, I cannot with all my influence persuade them either to hear him, or to attend the sacrament administered by him. If I cannot carry this point even while I live, who then can do it when I die? And the case of Epworth is the case of every church, where the Minister neither loves nor preaches the Gospel. The Methodists will not attend his ministrations. What then is to be done? At four I preached in the market-place, on Rom. vi. 23; and vehemently exhorted the listening multitude to choose the better part. Mon. 7.--Having taken leave of this affectionate people, * * July, 1788.] JOURNAL. 431 probably for the last time, I went over to Finningley; and preached at eleven, on that verse in the Second Lesson, Luke xix. 42. After dinner we walked over Mr. H.’s domain, the like to which I never saw in so small a compass. It con tains a rabbit-warren, deer, swans, pheasants in abundance, besides a fish-pond and an elegant garden. Variety indeed But is there no danger that such a multitude of things should divert the mind from the “one thing needful?” In the evening I preached at Doncaster. I never before saw this House so filled, much less crowded; and it was, in a manner I never knew before, filled with the presence of God, while I earnestly enforced that advice, “Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace.” One fruit of this was, that the congregation at five in the morning was larger than it ever was before in the evening; and God again made bare his arm, and uttered his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice.