Wesley Corpus

I read to-day what is accounted the most correct history of St. Patrick that is extant; and, on the maturest consideration, I was much inclined to believe, that St. Patrick and St. George were of one family. The whole story smells strong of romance. To touch only on a few particulars :--I object to his first setting out: the bishop of Rome had no such power in the beginning of the fifth century as this account supposes ; nor would his uncle, the bishop of Tours, have sent him in that age to Rome for a commission to convert Ireland, having himself as much authority over that land as any Italian bishop whatever. Again, if God had sent him thither, he would not so long have buried his talent in the earth. I never heard before of an apostle sleeping thirty-five years, and beginning to preach at threescore. But his success staggers me the most of all : no blood of the martyrs is here; no reproach, no scandal of the cross; no persecution to those that will live godly. Nothing is to be heard of, from the beginning to the end, but kings, nobles, warriors, bowing down before him. Thousands are converted, without any oppos'ticn at all ; twelve thousand at one sermon. If these things were so, eat‘ier there was then no devil in the world, or St. Patrick did not preach the Gospel of Christ. Wed. 277.--In the evening I read the letters ; my voice being weak, but I believe audible. As I was reading one from S. G., a young woman dropped down, and cried out exceedingly ; but in a few minutes her sorrow was turned into joy, and her mourning into praise. ’ 424 REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. [May, 1748