Wesley Corpus

Sun. 28.--I was invited by Mr. U., the minister of Goodshaw, to preach in his church. I began reading prayers at seven ; but perceiving the church would scarce contain half of the congregation, after prayers I went out, and standing on the church yard wall, in a place shaded from the sun, explained and enforced those words in the Second lesson, ‘ Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” I wonder at those who still talk so loud of the indecency of field preaching. The highest indecency is in St. Paul’s church, when a considerable part of the congregation are asleep, or talking, or looking about, not minding a word the preacher says. On the other hand, there is the highest decency in a church yard or field, when the whole congregation behave and look as if they saw the Judge of all, and heard him speaking from heaven. At one I went to the Cross in Bolton. There was a vast number of people, but many of them utterly wild. As soon as I began speaking, they began thrusting to and fro ; endeavouring to throw me down from the steps on which I stood. They did so once or twice ; but I went up again, and continued my discourse. They then began to throw stones ; at the same time some got upon the Cross behind me to push me down; on which I could not but observe, how God overrules even the minutest circumstances. One mean was bawling just at my ear, when a stone struck him on the cheek, and he was still. A second was forcing his way down to me, till another stone hit him on the forehead: it bounded pack, the blood ran down, and he came no further. The third, being got close to me, stretched out his hand, and in the instant a sharp stone came upon the joints of his fingers. He shook his hand, and was very quiet till I concluded my discourse and went away We came to _ a Sept. 1748. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 437