Wesley Corpus

Thursday, 24th, we breakfasted at Richard Champion's, [See Journal, ii. 204d; W.H.S. v. 6. R. Champion (1743-91), the founder of the pottery works at. Bristol, where the ‘British China Ware’ was made, was perhaps his son.] where were eight or nine other Quakers. We had a mild conference on justification by faith alone, concluded with prayer, and both met and parted in love. At three I preached again on Priestdown, near Publow, to a larger congregation than before, on ‘The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.’ On Friday I preached (the first time) at the Fishponds, on the edge of Kingswood, about two mile from Bristol, on the same words, to about a thousand souls. The next morning one came to us in deep despair. We prayed together an hour, and he went away in peace. About two thousand (as is usual on Saturdays) were at the Bowling Green, to whom, and to about six thousand on Sunday morning, I farther explained the great law of love. To about two thousand five hundred at Hanham I preached on Isaiah liii. 5-6; at Rose Green, to upwards of ten thousand, on ‘Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.’ At the Society in the evening at Gloucester Lane eleven were cut to the heart and soon after comforted. Monday, 28th, I began preaching in the morning at Weavers’ Hall, where two persons received remission of sins; as did seven in the afternoon at the Brickyard, before several thousand witnesses; and ten at Baldwin-Street in the evening, of whom two were children. On Tuesday in the afternoon I preached at Two-Mile-Hill to about a thousand of the colliers; and at five expounded to about the same number in the Back Lane at John Haydon's door. The next morning a young woman (late a Quaker) was baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost. In the afternoon I (unknowingly) fell in with a famous infidel, [See Journal, ii. 206n.] a champion of the unfaithful in these parts. He was shocked, desired I would pray for him, and promised to pray earnestly himself that God would show him the right way to serve Him.