Wesley Corpus

1788.] J() URNAL. 433 course of years, out of necessity, not choice, slowly and warily varied in some points of discipline, by preaching in the fields, by extemporary prayer, by employing Lay Preachers, by form ing and regulating societies, and by holding yearly Confer ences. But we did none of these things till we were convinced we could no longer omit them, but at the peril of our souls. Wed, 6.-Our Conference ended, as it began, in great peace. We kept this day as a fast, meeting at five, nine, and one, for prayer; and concluding the day with a solemn watch-night. The three following days I retired, revised my papers, and finished all the work I had to do in London. Sunday, 10. I was engaged in a very unpleasing work, the discharge of an old servant. She had been my housekeeper at West-Street for many years, and was one of the best housekeepers I had had there ; but her husband was so motorious a drunkard, that I could not keep them in the house any longer. She received her dismission in an excellent spirit, praying God to bless us all. I preached in the morning at West-Street to a large congre gation; but to a far larger at the new chapel in the evening. It seems the people in general do not expect that I shall remain among them a great while after my brother; and that, therefore, they are willing to hear while they can. In the evening we set out in the mail-coach, and early in the morning got to Portsmouth. They have lately built a neat preaching-house in the town, something larger than that at Deptford. It is well situated near the midst of the town, and has three well-constructed galleries. I preached at noon to a large and well-behaved audience, and to a much larger in the evening. I believe the word took place in many souls. All went away still as night. Tues. 12.--Joseph Bradford preached at five in the morning. I preached in the new House about six in the evening, and guarded them against that deadly Antinomianism which has so often choked the good seed here. In the evening I preached at our House on the common. Afterwards, meeting the society, I took a solemn leave of them, which I hope they will remember if they see me no more.