Some Account of the Seige of Fort St. Philips, in AN EXTRACT OF THE REV. JOHN WESLEY'S JOURNAL, No. VIII. FROM JULY 20, 1749, TO OCTOBER 30, 1751. THURSDAY, July 20, 1749, about ten at night we embarked for Bristol, in a small sloop. I soon fell asleep. When I awaked in the morning we were many leagues from land, in a rough, pitching sea. Toward evening the wind turned more against us, so that we made but little way. About ten we were got between the Bishop-and-his-clerks (the rocks so called) and the Welsh shore, the wind blew fresh from the South; so that the Captain, fearing we should be driven on the rocky coast, steered back again to sea. On Saturday morning we made the Bishop-and-his-clerks again, and beat to and fro all the day. About eight in the evening it blew hard, and we had a rolling sea: notwithstanding which, at four on Sunday morning, we were within sight of Minehead. The greatest part of the day we had a dead calm; but in the evening the wind sprung up, and carried us into Kingroad. On Monday morning we landed at the quay in Bristol. Tuesday 25, I rode over to Kingswood, and enquired particularly into the state of our School there. I was concerned to find that several of the rules had been habitually neglected. I judged it necessary, therefore, to lessen the family; suffering none to remain therein, who were not clearly satisfied with them, and determined to observe them all. Thursday 27, I read Mr. Law on the Spirit of Prayer. There are many masterly strokes therein, and the whole is lively and entertaining, but it is another Gospel. For if God were never angry, as this Tract asserts, he could never be reconciled. And consequently the whole Christian doctrine of reconciliation by Christ, falls to the ground at once. An excellent method of converting Deists, by giving up the very essence of Christianity. Sunday 30, Mr. Grimshaw and Mr. B. assisted my brother and me at Kingswood. How many there are that run well for a season! But he that endureth to the end, shall be saved. I received a letter about this time from Ireland, a part of which follows : "DEAR SIR, "Tyrrel's-pass, July 24, 1749. "Many have found a sense of the pardoning love of God at Athlone since you left it; and the Society, in general, are on the stretch for the kingdom of God. The Lord has kindled a fire in Aughrim likewise. The last time but one that I was there, several were struck with deep convictions, which continued till I came again. While I was meeting the Society there, the Governess of Mr. S.'s children was struck to the ground, and, in a short time, was filled with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. The next morning, his steward was cut to the heart, and fell upon his knees in the midst of the sermon, as did Mr. S. himself, together with his wife, and great part of the congregation. The steward went home full of peace and love. This has set the whole Society on fire: so that now every one is crying out, What must I do to be saved? “The same fire is kindled at Portarlington. I went thither the next Sunday after you. One then found a sense of God's pardoning love and last Saturday in the Society some cried out, and some fell to the ground, three of whom found peace to their souls. "I was at Mountmellick likewise the next Sunday after you, and the power of God was present to heal. Two that were heavy laden, found rest that night. The next time we met, we scarcely knew how to part. We continued singing and praying till five persons received a clear manifestation of the love of God. Another found the same blessing while I was preaching this morning. We spent some time afterwards at James Moss's house, in praying with some that were under deep convictions; and two of them went home rejoicing in God their Saviour. I was now informed of two more that were rejoicing in God: So that in Mountmellick twelve persons, in all, have found the peace that passeth all understanding, since you left that place. "I preached at Rahew likewise, the week after you were there. The man of the house had fetched his mother from a considerable distance. She had never heard a Methodist preacher before. She was soon cut to the heart, and cried out aloud. One behind her bid her fall upon her knees, which she presently did, and the whole house was in one cry. I broke off my discourse, and began to pray, which I continued till I was so spent, I could hardly speak. I went out to take a little breath, and came in again. She was crying out, 'I am dropping, dropping into hell; its mouth is open, ready to swallow me up.' I went to prayer again, and before we had done, God spoke peace to her soul. She was filled with joy unspeakable, and could but just say, 'I am in a new world; I am in a new world.' "From the whole, I cannot but observe two things, 1, What a blessing it is, when any who finds that peace, declares it openly before all the people, that we may break off and praise God. If this were always done, it would be good for many souls. The first that found it on Sunday evening, spoke before all, and we praised God. The moment she spoke, another, and then another found peace, and each of them spoke aloud; and made the fire run through the whole congregation. I would observe, 2, The woman at Rahew had never before seen any one in the like trouble. Therefore she could not cry out, because she had heard others do it, but because she could not help it; because she felt the word of God sharper than a two-edged sword. And generally the sharper the convictions are, the sooner they are over. "This is from your son in the Gospel, "I. R." Tuesday, August 1, I spent a solemn hour with our children at Kingswood. After having settled all things there, and at Bristol, I returned to London, where I received a remarkable account from Cork. On August 19, twenty-eight depositions were laid before the Grand Jury there, but they threw them all out, and at the same time made that memorable presentment, which is worthy to be preserved in the annals of Ireland, to all succeeding generations: "We find and present Charles Wesley to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of his Majesty's peace, and we pray he may be transported. "We find and present James Williams, &c. "We find and present Daniel Sullivan to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of his Majesty's peace, and we pray he may be transported.” Daniel Sullivan was an honest Baker, who had lived in Cork many years, I suppose in as good fame as any of his trade in the city. But he had entertained my brother, and several other Methodists; nay, and suffered them to preach in his house. The other names (only most of them miserably mangled and murdered) were designed for the names of eight preachers who had been there. Monday, August 28, I left London, and in the evening came to Great Potten. About six I went out into the Marketplace, and called to a confused multitude, Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near. Great things were threatened, but nothing done. We had a |