Wesley Corpus

society, and explained to them at large the original design of the Methodists, viz., not to be a distinct party, but to stir up all parties, Christians or Heathens, to worship God in spirit and in truth ; but the Church of England in particular ; to which they belonged from the beginning. With this view I have uniformly gone on for fifty years, never varying from the doctrine of the Church at all; nor from her discipline, of choice, but of necessity : So, in a course of years, necessity was laid uponme, (as I have proved elsewhere,) 1. To preach in the open air. 2. To pray extempore. 3. To form societies. 4. To accept of the assistance ofLay Preachers : And, in a few other instances, to use such means as occurred, to prevent or remove evils that we either felt or feared. We set out early on Monday, 13, and about twelve reached Clonard; five-and-twenty Irish miles from Dublin. Three or four times as many as the house could contain met together at five o'clock. The power of God was remarkably present ; April, 1789. ] JOURNAL. when divers were cut to the heart; and perhaps none more so thanthe master of the house. We had another good opportu- nity at seven in the morning, Tuesday, 14, which we closed with a serious, pointed conversation, and then went on to Tyrrel's Pass. Though the windwas piercing cold, the multitude of people obliged me to preachabroad in the evening ; after which I gave them all a plain account of the design of Methodism ; namely, not to separate from the Church, but to unite together all the children of God that were scattered abroad. Wed. 15.-About ten I preached to a small congregation in the Court-House, in Molingar. We had a far different congre- gation, both as to number and spirit, in Longford Court-House in the evening. It was a beautiful sight. Great part of them came again at seven in the morning, and seemed to relish those words, " He that doeth the will ofGod, the same is mybrother, and sister, and mother." Thur. 16.-Heavy rain came on in the evening ; yet the preaching-house at Kenagh would not contain the people. Friday, 17. I came to my old friends at Athlone; but, to my