Wesley Corpus

Mon. 2.--I rode to Newcastle. The next day, I met the stewards, men who have approved themselves in all things. They are of one heart and of one mind. I found all in the house of the same spirit ; pouring out their souls to God many times in a day together, and breathing nothing but. love and brotherly kindness. Wed. 4.--(Being Ash Wednesday.) I spent some hours in reading “ The Exhortations of Ephrem Syrus.” Surely never did any man, since David, give us such a picture of a broken and contrite heart. This week I read over with some young men, a compendium of rhetoric, and a system of ethics. I see not, why a man of tolerable understanding may not learn in six months’ time more of solid philosophy than is commonly learned at Oxford in four (perhaps seven) years. . Sun. 8.--I preached at Gateshead, and declared the loving kindness of the Lord. In the evening, observing abundance of strangers at the Room, I changed my voice and applied those terrible words, “I have overthrown some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the rest of you were as brands plucked out of the burning ; yet have ye not turned unto me, saith the Lord.” Ou Monday, Tuesday, and Thurday, I examined the classes. I had been often told, it was impossible for me to distinguish the precious from the vile, without the miraculous discernment of spirits. But I now saw, more clearly than ever, that this might be done, and without much difficulty, supposing only two things: First, Courage and steadiness in the examiner. Secondly, Common sense and common honesty in the leader of each class. I visit; for instance, the class in the close ~*~ 392 REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. [ March, 1747