Wesley Corpus

Here also I was obliged to preach in the open air ; the rain being suspended till I had done. In the afternoon we rode through a pleasant and fruitful country to Ramsay, about as large as Peel, and more regularly built. The rain was again suspended while I preached to well nigh all the town ; but I saw no inattentive hearers . Wed. 6. We had many of them again at five, and they were all attention. This was the place where the Preachers had little hope of doing good. I trust they will be happily disappointed. This morning we rode through the most woody, and far the pleasantest, part of the island ;-a range offruitful land, lying at the foot of the mountains, from Ramsay, through Sulby, to Kirkmichael. Here we stopped to look at the plain tomb-stones of those two good men, Bishop Wilson and Bishop Hildesley ; whose remains are deposited, side by side, at the east end of the church. We had scarce reached Peel before the rain increased ; but here the preaching-house contained all that could come. Afterwards, Mr. Crook desired me to meet the singers. I was agreeably surprised. Ihave not heard better singing either at Bristol or London. Many, both men and women, have admir- able voices ; and they sing with good judgment. Who would have expected this in the Isle of Man ? Thur. 7.-1 met our little body of Preachers. Theywere two-and-twenty in all. I never saw in England so many stout, well-looking Preachers together. If their spirit be answerable to their look, I know not what can stand before them. In the June, 1781.1 207 afternoon I rode over to Dawby, and preached to avery large and very serious congregation. Fri. 8-. Having now visited the island round, east, south, north, and west, I was thoroughly convinced that we have no such Circuit as this, either in England, Scotland, or Ireland. It is shut up from the world ; and,having little trade, is visited by scarce any strangers. Here are no Papists, no Dissenters of any kind, no Calvinists, no disputers. Here is no opposition, either from the Governor, (amild humane man,) from the Bishop, (a goodman,) or from the bulk of the Clergy. One or two of them did oppose for a time ; but they seem now to understand better.