Wesley Corpus

Sun. 13.--My brother preached both morning and evening, expecting to sail at night. But before night the wind turned full east, and so continued all the week. Mon. 14.--I began preaching at five in the morning ;--an wnheard-of thing in Ireland. I expounded part of the first chapter of the Acts; which I purpose, God willing, to go through in order. Wed. 16.--I inquired into the state of the society. Most pompous accounts had been sent me, from time to time, of the great numbers that were added to it; so that I confidently expected to find therein six or seven hundred members. And how is the real fact? I left three hundred and ninety-four members ; and I doubt if there are now three hundred and ninety-six! Let this be a warning to us all, how we give in to that hateful custom of painting things beyond the life. Let us make a conscience of magnifying or exaggerating any thing. Let us rather speak under, than above, the truth. We, of all men, should be punctual in all we say; that none of our words may fall to the ground. Sun. 20.--I preached at eight, on Oxmantown Green. We expected noise; but there was none: the whole congregation was as quiet and still as that in Bristol or London. In the afternoon my brother embarked. I preached, about three, in Marlborough-street ; and in the evening, at our own house, in Cork-street. Wed. 23.--I talked with a warm man, who was always very zealous for the Church, when he was very drunk, and just able to stammer out the Irish proverb, ‘‘ No gown, no crown.” He was quickly convinced, that, whatever we were, he was himself a child of the devil. We left him full of good resolutions, which held several days. I preached at Newgate at three ; but found no stirring at all among the dry bones.