The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3) — John Shaqi
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Methodism; Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Having employed seventeen days in Limerick, Wesley, on the 29th of
May, set out for Cork; but, on the way, Charles Skelton met him,
with the tidings that, in consequence of the late riots (which will
be noticed presently), it was now impossible to preach in that city.
Wesley was not to be deterred; but he had no sooner entered than “the
streets, and doors, and windows were full of people.” Prudently enough,
instead of staying, he rode on to Bandon, a town entirely inhabited by
Protestants, where he had, by far, the largest congregations he had
seen in Ireland. Here he met a clergyman, who had come twelve miles
purposely to talk with him. All, however, was not smooth sailing even
at Bandon. Dr. B—— averred (1) That both John and Charles Wesley had
been expelled from the university of Oxford. (2) That there was not
a Methodist left in Ireland, except in Cork and Bandon, all the rest
having been rooted out, by order of the government. (3) That neither
were there any Methodists left in England. And (4) that Methodism was
all Jesuitism at the bottom. Wesley took the opportunity of replying
to these slanderous falsehoods; and then proceeded to Blarney, where
he found another rumour, that the Methodists placed all religion in
wearing long whiskers. At Brough, he preached to “some stocks and
stones”; and then got back to Limerick, whose society he pronounced the
_liveliest_ people he had found in Ireland.
Here he “spent four, comfortable days,” when, having appointed himself
to preach at Nenagh, he was obliged to leave; and, for want of better
accommodation, was glad to ride on horseback behind “an honest man,”
who overtook him as he trudged on foot. At Gloster, he preached “in the
stately saloon” of a beautiful mansion, built by an English gentleman.
At Ferbane, where he meant to dine, he stopped at two different inns,
but found that “they cared not to entertain heretics.” Again reaching
Athlone, he preached in the new built chapel, and, towards the close
of his discourse, cried out, “Which of you will give yourself, soul
and body, to God?” Mrs. Glass responded, with a cry that almost shook
the house, “I will, I will.” Two others followed, and the scene became
most exciting. Numbers began to cry aloud for mercy, and, in four days,
more found peace with God than had done in sixteen months before. At
Portarlington, a town chiefly inhabited by French, he met a clergyman,
who was a defender of the Methodists, and formed a society of above a
hundred persons.
More than nine weeks were occupied in this excursion. On the 5th of
July, Wesley got back to Dublin, and, a fortnight afterwards, returned
to England; but, before leaving Ireland, we must recur to Cork.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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