Wesley Corpus

and of money, if the poorer people of our society could be persuaded to leave off drinking of tea. We resolved ourselves to begin and set the example. I expected some difficulty in breaking off a custom of six and twenty years’ standing. And, accordingly, the three first days, my head ached, more or less, all day long, and I was half asleep from morning to night. The third day, on Wednesday, in the afternoon, my memory failed, almost entirely. In the evening I sought my remedy in prayer. On Thursday morning my headache was gone. My memory was as strong as ever. And I have found no inconvenience, but a sensible benefit in several respects, from that very day to this. Thur. 1'7.--I finished the little collection which I had made among my friends for a lending stock: it did not amount to thirty pounds ; which a few persons afterward made up fifty. And by this inconsiderable sum, above two hundred and fifty persons were relieved in one year. Mon. 20.--I set out for Salisbury, where, to my utter amazement, on Wednesday, 22, Mr. Hall desired me to preach. Was his motive only, to grace his own cause? Or rather, was this the last gasp of expiring love? I did not reach Bristol till Friday, 25. On Sunday, 27, I preached at Baptist Mills, to the largest congregation I had seen at that place, since I was there with Mr. Whitefield. About this time I received a melancholy letter from abroad; part of which I have subjoined :-- “ Meerkerk, in Holland, July 29, 1746.