Wesley Corpus

Mon. 22.--After a few of us had joined in prayer, about four I set out, and rode softly to Snowhill; where, the saddle slipping quite upon my mare’s neck, I fell over her head, and she ran back into Smithfield. Some boys caught her, and brought her to me again, cursing and swearing all the way. I spoke plainly to them, and they promised to amend. I was setting forward, when a man cried, “Sir, you have lost your saddlecloth.” Two or three more would needs help me to put it on, but these too swore at almost every word. I turned to one and another, and spoke in love. They all took it well, and thanked me much. I gave them two or three little books, which they promised to read over carefully. Before I reached Kensington, I found my mare had lost a shoe. This gave me an opportunity of talking closely, for near half an hour, both to the smith and his servant. I mention these little circumstances, to show how easy it is to redeem every fragment of time, (if I may so speak,) when we feel any love to those souls for which Christ died. Tues. 23.--I came to Kingswood in the afternoon, and in the evening preached at Bristol. Wednesday, 24.--I made it my business to inquire concerning the truth of a strange relation which had been given me; and I found there was no possibility of doubting it. The plain fact was this :-- “ The Rev. Mr. ----.” (1 use the words of a gentleman of Bristol, whose manuscript lies by me,) “preached at two or three churches, on these words, ‘Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.’ After showing the different sorts of Dissenters from the Church of England, who (as he said) had only the form of godliness, he inveighed very | Aug. 1743. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 289