Wesley Corpus

God." A little before noon we set out for Shorhill,.a village six miles south from Newport. I never saw a more fruitful, or a more pleasant country, than the inland part of this island. About one I preached at Shorhill, to (I suppose) all the poor and middling people of the town. I believe some of the rich also designed to come; but something of ore importance a dinner came between. At five I preached again Uct. 1753. REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. 563 at Newport, to most of the town, and many who came from the neighbouring villages. Surely, if there was any here to preach the word of God with power, a multitude would soon be obedient to the faith. After preaching at six, I left this humanc, loving people, rode to Cowes, and crossed over to Portsmouth. Here I found another kind of people, who had disputed themselves out of the power, and well nigh the form of religion. However, I laboured (and not altogether in vain) to soften and compose their jarring spirits, both this evening and the next day. On Sunday noon I preached in the street at Fareham. Many gave great attention, but seemed neither to feel nor understand any thing. At five I began on Portsmouth Common. I admired not so much the immense number of people, as the uncommon decency of behaviour, which ran through the whole congregation. After sermon I explained to them, at large, the nature and design of our societies ; and desired that if any of them were willing to join therein, they would call on me, either that evening or in the morning. I made no account of that shadow of a society which was before, without classes, without order, or rules; having never seen, read, or heard the printed rules ; which ought to have been given them at their very first meeting. I rode to Godalming, and the next day to London. After resting there five days, on Monday, 15, I rode to Bedford. The melancholy account which I received here was as follows :