Wesley Corpus

Sun. 27.--The rector having left word that I should have the use of the church, I preached there morning and afternoon, to such a copgregation as (they said) was never there before: and surely the word of God had free course; I saw not one light or inattentive hearer. Mr. Walsh afterward preached in the sessions house, to another large and serious congregation. And, Tuesday, 29, being St. Peter’s day, I read prayers, and preached to as large a congregation as on Sunday. In the afternoon I rode over to Newport, eleven miles from Castlebar. About thirty years ago, a little company of Protestants settled here, by a river side, on the very extremity of the land, and built a small town. It has a fruitful hill on each side, and a large bay to the west, full of small fertile islands, containing from one to several thousand acres. Of these they compute above three hundred, and near a hundred are inhabited ; but by Papists alone, there not being so much as a single Protestant among them! I went directly to the rector’s, who had before given me an invitation. Between seven and eight I preached to (I suppose) more than all the Protestants in the town. Deep attention sat on every face. Perhaps God touched some hearts. Wed. 30.--At eleven Mr. H. read prayers, and I preached on Gal. vi, 14. The church stands at a distance from the town, and it rained hard; but that could not stop the congregation. In the afternoon J returned to Castlebar.