Wesley Corpus

Gowry, the fruitfullest valley in the kingdom. And I observe a spirit of improvement prevails in Dundee, and all the country round about it. Handsome houses spring up on every side. Trees are planted in abundance. Wastes and commons are con- tinually turned into meadows and fruitful fields. There wants only a proportionable improvement in religion, and this willbe one of the happiest countries in Europe. In the evening I preached in our own ground to a numerous congregation : But the next afternoon to one far more numerous ; onwhom I earnestly enforced, "How long halt ye between two opinions ? " Many of them seemed almost persuaded to halt no longer : But God only knows the heart. Mon. 3.-I was agreeably surprised at the improvement of the land between Dundee and Arbroath. Our preaching-house atArbroath was completely filled. I spoke exceeding plain on the difference of building upon the sand, and building upon the rock. Truly these " approve the things that are excellent," whether they practise them or no. I found this to be a genuine Methodist society : They are all thoroughly united to each other. They love and keep our Rules ; they long and expect to be perfected in love : If they continue so to do, they will and must increase in number as well as in grace. Mon. 4. I reached Aberdeen between four and five in the afternoon. Tuesday, 5. I found the morning preaching had been long discontinued: Yet the bands and the select society were kept up. But many were faint and weak for want of morning preaching and prayer-meetings, ofwhich I found scarce any traces in Scotland. In the evening I talked largely with the Preachers, and showed them the hurt it did both to them and the people, for any one Preacher to stay six or eight weeks together in one place. Neither can he find matter for preaching every morning and evening, nor will the people come to hear him. Hence he grows coldby lying in bed, and so do the people. Whereas, if he never stays more than a fortnight together in one place, he may find matter enough, and the people will gladly hear him. They immediately drew up such a plan for this Circuit, which they determined to pursue. 274 REV. J. WESLEY'S [May, 1784.