Wesley Corpus

Sat. July 1.--I preached at Mount Mellick. Sunday, 2.--I preached at eight in Portarlington, and again attwo. I scarce knew how to leave off; all the people seemed to be so deeply affected. The society now contained above one hundred members, full of zeal and good desires ; and in one week the face of the whole town is changed. Open wickedness is not seen: the fear of God is on every side; and rich and poor ask, “ What must I do to be saved?” And how long (I thought with myself) will this continue? In most, only till the fowls of the air come and devour the seed. Many of the rest, when persecution or reproach begins, will immediately be offended ; and in the small remainder, some will fall off, either through other desires, or the cares of the world, or the deceitfulness of riches. Mon. 3.--I preached at Edinderry, and on Tuesday morning and evening. ‘Almost every person whe. was present at the meeting of the society appeared to be broken in pieces. A cry went up on every side, till Joseph Fry, once as eminent a sinner as even Joseph Fry of Mount Mellick, and since as eminent an instance of the grace of God, broke out into prayer. It was not long before praise and prayer were mixed 456 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [July, 1749. -- together: and shortly after, prayer was swallowed up in the voice of praise and thanksgiving. Wed..5.--I returned to Dublin. Sunday, 9.--I preached on the Green both morning and afternoon; and the congregation was considerably larger than any I had seen in Dublin before. “ed. 12.--Being one of the grand Irish festivals, by reason of “the: Breach (that is, Battle) of Aghrim,” we had a very large congregation, to whom I showed, “ what reward” they had given “nto the Lord for all his benefits.” I expected much of their usual courtesy from the mob when we came out. But I walked through them all in perfect peace, none molesting us, either by word or deed.