Wesley Corpus

Sun. 26.--From those words, “Sing we merrily unto God, our strength ; make a cheerful noise unto the God of Jacob ;” I took occasion to show the usual way of keeping these days holy, in honour of the birth of our Lord; namely, by an extraordinary degree of gluttony and drunkenness ; by Heathen, and worse than Heathen diversions ; (with their constant attendants, passion and strife, cursing, swearing, and blasphemy ;) and by dancing and card playing, equally conducive to the glory of God. I then described the right way of keeping a day holy to the Lord: by extraordinary prayer, public and private; by thanksgiving ; by ‘hearing, reading, and meditating on his word ; and by talking of all his wondrous works. Mon. 277.--I rode to Horsley. The house being too small, 1 was obliged again to preach in the open air; but so furious a storm have I seldom known. ‘The wind drove upon us like a torrent; coming by turns from east, west, north, and south; the straw and thatch flew round our heads ; so that one would have imagined it could not be long before the house must follow: but scarce any one stirred, much less went away, till I dismissed them with the peace of God. Tues. 28.--I preached in an open place at Swalwell, two or three miles from Newcastle. The wind was high, and extremely sharp; but I saw none go away till 1 went. Yet I observed none that seemed to be much convinced ; only stunned, as if cut in the head. Wed. 29.--After preaching (as usual) in the Square, I took horse for Tanfield. More than once I was only not blown off my horse. However, at three I reached the Leigh, and explained to a multitude of people the salvation which is through faith, Afterward I met the society in a large upper room, which rocked to and fro with the violence of the storm. But all was calm within; and we rejoiced together in hope of a kingdom which cannot be moved. 276 REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. ~ [Jan. 1743.