Wesley Corpus

I heard at church, by way of sermon, part of " Papists and Methodists Compared." But it did not lessen the congregation at one: on whom I enforced, (what they were somewhat more concerned in,) " What shall it profit a man" to " gain the whole world, and lose his own soul??? I then rode over to Tiverton, and preached in the Sept. 1751. REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. 521 market house, filled with attentive hearers. So it was on Monday lixewise. We rode to Uffculm, about eight miles from 'Tiverton, and preached in the market place to a larger congregation than one would think the town could have afforded. Wednesday, 28. -It being the time of their yearly meeting at the school, abundance of gentlemen came to town. Yet I preached in the market house undisturbed , and afterward met the society in peace. There was a sermon preached at the old church, before the trustees of the school. At half an hour past twelve the morning service began: but such insufferable noise. and confusion I never saw before in a place of worship: no, not even in a Jewish synagogue The clergy set the example; laughing and talking during great part both of the prayers and sermon. A young gentlewoman, who was with us where we dined, hastened away to prepare for the ball. But before she was half dressed, she was struck, and came down in a flood of tears. Nevertheless, she broke through, and in a few hours danced away all her convictions. Toward the close of the sermon in the evening, a rabble of gentlemen's servants gathered together, and endeavoured to make a disturbance: but it was mere lost labour.