Wesley Corpus

Fri. 23.--The rector, with his curate, called upon me; candidly proposed their objections, and spent about two hours in free, serious, friendly conversation. How much evil might be prevented or removed, would other clergymen follow their example! I rode in the afternoon to Belfast, the largest town in Ulster. Some think it contains near as many people as Limerick: it is far cleaner and pleasanter. At seven I preached in the market house to as large a congregation as at Lisburn; and to near the same number in the morning. But some of them did not stay till I concluded. They went away in haste when I showed, how “ Christ crucified” is ‘to the Greeks foolishness.” Hence we rode along the shore to Carrickfergus, said to be the most ancient town in Ulster. The walls are still, as it were, standing ; “and the castle built upon a rock. But it is little more than a heap of ruins, with eight or nine old, dismounted, rusty cannon. What it was in the reign of its founder, King Fergus, does not much concern us to know. I preached in the session house at seven, to most of the inhabitants of the town. But Satan had prepared one of his instruments, when I had done, to catch the seed out of their hearts. A poor enthusiast began a dull, pointless harangue, about hirelings and false prophets. But the door keeper crying out, “I am going to lock the doors,” cut his discourse short. Sun. 25.--I preached at nine in the upper court house, which was considerably larger than the other. James Rely began his bad work again, as soon as | had done speaking ; but I walked quietly away ; as did also the congregation. At eleven I went to church, to the surprise of many, and heard a lively, useful sermon. After dinner one of our brethren asked if I was ready to go to the meeting. I told him, “J never go to a meeting.” He seemed as much astonished as the old Scot, at Newcastle, who left us because we were mere Church of England men. We are so; although we condemn none who have been brought up in another way.