The Journal of John Wesley

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

286

text excerpt

At five in the evening I preached at Dewsbury and on Friday, 17, reached Manchester. Here I received a particular account of a remarkable incident: An eminent drunkard of Congleton used to divert himself, whenever there was preaching there, by standing over against the house, cursing and swearing at the preacher. One evening he had a fancy to step in and hear what the man had to say. He did so: but it made him so uneasy that he could not sleep all night. In the morning he was more uneasy still; he walked in the fields, but all in vain, till it came in his mind to go to one of his merry companions, who was always ready to abuse the Methodists. He told him how he was and asked what he should do. "Do!" said Samuel, "go and join the society. I will; for I was never so uneasy in my life." They did so without delay. But presently David cried out, "I am sorry I joined; for I shall get drunk again, and they will turn me out." However, he stood firm for four days; on the fifth, he was persuaded by the old companions to "take one pint," and then another, and another, till one of them said, "See, here is a Methodist drunk!"

David started up, and knocked him over, chair and all. He then drove the rest out of the house, caught up the landlady, carried her out, threw her into the kennel; went back to the house, broke down the door, threw it into the street, and then ran into the fields, tore his hair, and rolled up and down on the ground. In a day or two was a love-feast; he stole in, getting behind, that none might see him. While Mr. Furze was at prayer, he was seized with a dreadful agony, both of body and mind. This caused many to wrestle with God for him. In a while he sprang up on his feet, stretched out his hands, and cried aloud, "All my sins are forgiven!" At the same instant, one on the other side of the room cried out, "Jesus is mine! And He has taken away all my sins." This was Samuel H. David burst through the people, caught him in his arms, and said, "Come, let us sing the Virgin Mary's song; I never could sing it before. 'My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour."' And their following behavior plainly showed the reality of their profession.

excerpt from 'The Journal of John Wesley' pp. 286 (427 words)

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