Wesley Corpus

I am sorry for their sake, not my own. Perhaps they may wish to see me when it is too late. I preached in the market-house, morning and May, 1762. JOURNAL. 93 evening. Abundance of the Dragoons were there; so were many of the Officers, who behaved with uncommon seriousness. In the evening a company of players began acting in the upper part of the market-house, just as we began singing in the lower. The case of these is remarkable. The Presbyterians for a long time had their public worship here; but when the strollers came to town, they were turned out; and from that time had no public worship at all. On Tuesday evening the lower part too was occupied by buyers and sellers of oatmeal; but as soon as I began, the people quitted their sacks, and listened to business of greater importance. On the following days I preached at Carrick-on-Shannon, Drumersnave, Cleg-Hill, Longford, and Abidarrig. Saturday, 8. Calling on a friend in our way, we had not sat down before several of the neighbours, Papists as well as Protestants, came in, supposing I was to preach. I was not willing to disappoint them: And they all listened with deep attention. Hence I rode to Athlone. I intended on Sunday, 9, to preach abroad as usual; but the sharp wind made it imprac ticable, and obliged me to keep in the House. The congre gations, however, were large, both morning and evening; and I found a little fruit of my labour. I was in hopes even the Papists here had at length a shepherd who cared for their souls. He was stricter than any of his predecessors, and was esteemed a man of piety as well as learning. Accordingly, he had given them strict orders not to work on the Lord's day; but I found he allowed them to play as much as they pleased, at cards in particular; nay, and averred it was their duty so to do, to refresh both their bodies and minds. Alas, for the blind leader of the blind! Has not he the greater sin? I had observed to the society last week, that I had not seen one congregation ever in Ireland behave so ill at church as that at Athlone, laughing, talking, and staring about during the whole service.