Wesley Corpus

We went a few miles out of our way, to call at a small village, where abundance of people flocked to the church, and appeared to be quite ripe for the Gospel: So I preached on, “Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation.” Thence we hastened on to Ballymena, where the rain did us no harm by driving us into the meeting-house; where a large congregation cheerfully heard the word that is able to save their souls.* Sat. 6.--The largest meeting-house I have been in was that which I preached in at Antrim; and the people behaved exceed ing well; the children as well as the rest. In the evening I was at the new chapel at Lisburn, the largest and best-finished in the north of Ireland. Sunday, 7. It was well filled at nine. We went to church a little before twelve, where the singing was admirably good; the Clerk who teaches them to sing, having been formerly a Leader in our society. The day continuing stormy, I could not preach in the street, but we were glad to retreat into the Linen-Hall. Here was such a congregation as I have not seen since I came into the kingdom; but somethings, called gentlemen, were walking to and fro, and talking during the greatest part of the sermon. If these had been poor men, probably they would have had common sense. The meeting of the society which followed, at which we permitted many others to be present, was exceeding solemn. The power of God fell upon many. I observed one gentlewoman in particular, that wept and trembled exceedingly. I did not wonder, therefore, June, 1789.] JOURNAL. 46] that the Room was filled at five ; and that we had a parting blessing. Mon. 8.-We went on to Belfast. I had at first thought of preaching in the Linen-Hall; but the weather being very uncertain, I went to the heads of the large meeting-house, to desire the use of it, which they granted in the most obliging manner. It is the completest place of public worship I have ever seen. It is of an oval form ; as I judge by my eye, a hundred feet long, and seventy or eighty broad.