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All the company were in tears. And in all, except her mother, who sorrowed, (but not as one without hope,) they were tears of joy. O death! where is thy sting?

AN

EXTRACT

OF THE

REV. JOHN WESLEY'S

JOURNAL,

No. XXI.

FROM JUNE 29, 1786, TO OCTOBER 24, 1790.

I

Took a cheerful leave of my affectionate friends at Epworth, leaving them much more alive than I found them. About one I preached at Thorne, now one of the liveliest places in the circuit, to a numerous congregation; and in the evening at Doncaster. I know not that ever I saw this preaching-house filled before; and many of them seemed to feel, as well as hear. It may be, some will bring forth fruit with patience.

Friday 30, I turned aside to Barnsley, formerly famous for all manner of wickedness: they were then ready to tear any Methodist preacher in pieces. Now not a dog wagged his tongue. I preached near the market-place to a very large congregation, and I believe, the word sunk into many hearts they seemed to drink in every word. Surely God

will have a people in this place.

Saturday, July 1, I went on to Bramley, about four miles from Sheffield, where a gentleman has built a neat preaching-house for the poor people, at his own expense. As the notice was short, I had no need to preach abroad. The congregation was deeply serious, while I explained, what it

was to build upon a rock, and what to build upon the sand. In the evening I spoke very plainly to a crowded audience at Sheffield, on Now it is high time to awake out of sleep. One of the hearers wrote me a nameless letter upon it: but he could remember nothing of the sermon, but only that "The rising early was good for the nerves!"

Sunday 2, I read prayers, preached, and administered the sacrament to six or seven hundred hearers. It was a solemn season. I preached soon after five in the evening, on There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. Afterwards I gave an account of the rise of Methodism, (that is, old scriptural Christianity) to the whole congregation, as truth will bear the light, and loves to appear in the face of the sun.

Monday 3, We had our quarterly meeting, followed by a love-feast, at which many spoke without reserve; and several of them admirably well, shewing that with the fear of the Lord is understanding.

Tuesday 4, I met the select society, most of them walking in glorious liberty. Afterwards I went to Wentworthhouse, the splendid seat of the late Marquis of Rockingham. He lately had forty thousand a year in England, and fifteen or twenty thousand in Ireland. And what has he now? Six feet of earth:

"A heap of dust is all remains of thee!

"Tis all thou art; and all the proud shall be.”

The situation of the house is very fine. It commands a large and beautiful prospect. Before the house is an open view; behind, a few acres of wood, but not laid out with any taste. The green-houses are large, but I did not observe any thing curious in them. The front of the house is large and magnificent, but not yet finished. The entrance is noble; the saloon exceedingly grand, and so are several of the apartments. Few of the pictures are striking; I think none of them to be compared with some in Fonmon-Castle. The most extraordinary thing I saw was the stables; a square, fit for a royal palace, all built of fine stone, and nearly as

large as the old quadrangle at Christ-church in Oxford. But for what use were these built? To shew that the owner had nearly threescore thousand pounds a year! O how much treasure might he have laid up in heaven with all this mammon of unrighteousness!

About one I preached at Thorpe, to three or four times as many as the preaching-house would have contained; and in the evening to the well-instructed and well-behaved congregation at Sheffield. O what has God wrought in this town! The leopard now lies down with the kid.

Wednesday 5, Notice was given, without my knowledge, of my preaching at Belpar, seven miles short of Derby. I was nothing glad of this, as it obliged me to quit the turnpike road, to hobble over a miserable common. The people, gathered from all parts, were waiting. So I went immediately to take the market-place, and, standing under a large tree, testified, This is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. The house at Derby was thoroughly filled in the evening. As many of the better sort, so called, were there, I explained, what seemed to be more adapted to their circumstances and experience, This only have I found, that God made. man upright; but they found out for themselves many inventions.

Thursday 6, In going to Ilston we were again entangled in miserable roads: we got thither, however, about eleven. Though the church is large, it was sufficiently crowded. The vicar read prayers with great earnestness and propriety. I preached, on Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and the people seemed all ear. Surely good will be done in this place, though it is strongly opposed both by the Calvinists and Socinians.

We went on in a lovely afternoon, and through a lovely country, to Nottingham. I preached to a numerous and well-behaved congregation. I love this people. There is something wonderfully pleasing, both in their spirit and their behaviour.

Friday 7, The congregation at five was very large, and

convinced me of the earnestness of the people. They are greatly increased in wealth and grace, and continue increasing daily. Saturday 8, I walked through the General Hospital. I never saw one so well ordered. Neatness, decency, and common sense, shine through the whole. I do not wonder that many of the patients recover. I prayed with two of them; one of them a notorious sinner, seemed to be cut to the heart. The case of the other was quite peculiar. Both her breasts have been cut off, and many pins taken out of them, as well as out of her flesh in various parts. "Twelve," the apothecary said, "were taken out of her yesterday, and five more to-day." And the physicians potently believe she swallowed them all, though nobody can tell, when or how! Which is the greater credulity, to believe this is purely natural; or, to ascribe it to preternatural agency?

In the evening many felt

“ Th' o’erwhelming power of saving grace;"

and many more on Sunday 9, when we had the largest number of communicants that ever were seen at this chapel, or perhaps at any church in Nottingham. I took a solemn leave of this affectionate congregation, at five in the morning, Monday 10, not expecting to meet another such, unless at Birmingham, till I came to London.

About nine I preached at Mount-Sorrel; and though it was the fair-day, I saw not one drunken person in the congregation. It rained most of the way to Leicester, and some were afraid there would be no congregation. Vain fear! The house was extremely crowded with deeply-attentive hearers, while I applied our Lord's words to the centurion, in effect, spoken to us also, As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. In the afternoon we went on to Hinckley. It rained all the evening; yet we had more hearers than the house could contain, and hardly a trifler among them. A more serious, well-behaved people, I have seldom seen.

This evening (I believe, before I had done preaching) a remarkable instance of divine justice appeared. A man in