Wesley Corpus

by Tallys and his cotemporaries ; as also in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who was a judge and patroness of it; that after her reign it sunk for sixty or seventy years, till Purcell made some attempts to restore it ; but that ever since, the true, ancient art, depending on nature aad mathematical principles, had gained no ground; the present masters having no fixed principles at all. Wed. 15.--I preached once more at St. Bartholomew’s. How strangely is the scene changed! What laughter and tumult was there among the best of the parish, when we preached in a London church ten years ago! And now all are calm and quietly attentive, from the least even to the greatest. Sun. 19.--The congregation in Moorfields was greatly increased, both morning and afternoon ; and their seriousness increased with their number ; so that it was comfortable even to see them. In the evening, to ease me a little in my journey, as I had not yet recovered my strength, Colonel Gumley carried me in his chair to Brentford. Mon. 20.--I preached at Reading, at noon, to a serious, wellbehaved congregation; and, in the atieracoat rode to Hungerford. Tuesday, 21.--I preached in the Old Orchard, at Bristol, on, * Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous.” Friday, 24, the day we had appointed for opening the school at Kingswood, I preached there, on, “ Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” My brother and I administered the Lord’s Supper to many who came from far. We then agreed on the general rules of the school, which we published presently after. Mon 27.--I rode to Wall Bridge, near Stroud, and preached at one, to a lively congregation. About two we set out for Stanley. I scarce ever felt the sun so scorching hot in England. I began preaching in Farmer Finch’s orchard, (there not being room in the house,) between seven and eight, and the poor, earnest people devoured every word.