Friday 25, Mr. Walsh preached at six, first in Irish, and then in English. The Popish Priest had contrived to have his service just at the same hour. And his man came again and again with his bell; but not one in ten of his people would stir. At eight I preached to a far more serious congregation; and the word seemed to sink into their hearts. We took horse about ten, and rode through the fruitful, pleasant county of Galway. After having heard so much of the barrenness of this county, I was surprised to observe, in riding almost the whole length of it, from south-east to north-west, to find only four or five miles of rocky ground, like the west of Cornwall: all the rest exceeded most that I have seen in Ireland. We came to Galway pretty well tired, and would willingly have rested at the Inn, where we alighted from our horses: but the landlord informed us, he had no room; both his house and stables were full. Two regiments of soldiers passing through the town, had taken up all the Inns. However, we procured a private lodging which was full as agreeable. The town is not ill built, most of the houses being of stone, and several stories high. It is encompassed with an old, bad wall, and in no posture of defence, either toward the land, or toward the sea. Such is the supine negligence of both English and Irish! · Five or six persons, who seemed to fear God, came to us at our lodgings. We spent a little time with them in prayer, and early in the morning set out for Castlebar. This day, likewise, I was agreeably surprised at the pleasantness and fruitfulness of the country. About noon two or three friends met us, and begged us to turn aside to Hollymount, a town twelve miles from Castlebar, where the Minister readily consented to my preaching in the Church. Many Papists as well as Protestants were there, and my heart was much enlarged to them. Through a delightful mixture of vales and gently-rising hills, we then rode on to Castlebar. Sunday 27, The Rector having left word, that I should have the use of the Church, I preached there morning and afternoon, to such a congregation as (they said) was never there before. And surely the word of God had free course: I saw not one light or inattentive hearer. Mr. Walsh afterwards preached in the Sessions'-house, to another large and serious congregation. And Tuesday 29, being St. Peter's day, I read prayers and preached to as large a congregation as on Sunday. In the afternoon I rode over to Newport, eleven miles from Castlebar. About thirty years ago, a little company of Protestants settled here, by a river-side, on the very extremity of the land, and built a small town. It has a fruitful hill on each side, and a large bay to the west, full of small fertile islands, containing from one to several thousand acres. Of these they compute above three hundred; and nearly a hundred are inhabited but by Papists alone, there not being so much as a single Protestant among them! I went directly to the Rector's, who had before given me an invitation. Between seven and eight I preached to (I suppose) more than all the Protestants in the town. Deep attention sat on every face. Perhaps God touched some hearts. : Wednesday 30, At eleven Mr. H. read prayers, and I preached on Gal. vi. 14. The Church stands at a distance from the town, and it rained hard; but that could not stop the congregation. In the afternoon, I returned to Castlebar. Thursday, July 1, There is just such a work here as was some years since at Athlone. The whole town is pleased, but few are convinced. The stream runs very wide, but very shallow. Sunday 4, I read prayers and preached at Ballyhean, Mr. E's other Church. The congregation at Castlebar in the afternoon, was larger than ever before. In the morning, Monday 5, the greater half of them were present, and we had a solemn parting. In the afternoon we came to Hollymount, some years since one of the pleasantest places in Ireland. Dr. Vesey, then Archbishop of Tuam, fixed on this spot, nine miles from his See, built a neat, commodious house on a little eminence, laid out fruit and flower gardens round it, brought a river to run through them, and encom passed the whole with walks and groves of stately trees. When he had finished his plan, round a stone-pillar which stands in a basin, surrounded by a small green plat of ground, he placed the following inscription :— Linquenda tellus, et domus, et placens Neque harum quas colis arborum Te præter invisam cupressum Ulla brevem dominum sequetur ! I was just going to preach in the Church-yard; when Mr. C. sent his son with the key of the Church. Almost half the congregation were Papists, whom all the threats of their Priests could not keep away. Not expecting to see any of them again, I spoke very plainly once for all. In the morning we rode through Tuam, a neat little town, scarcely half so large as Islington: nor is the Cathedral half so large as Islington Church. The old Church at Killconnell, two miles from Aughrim, is abundantly larger, If one may judge by the vast ruins that remain (over all which we walked in the afternoon) it was a far more stately pile of building than any that is now standing in Ireland. Adjoin ing to it are the ruins of a large monastery; many of the cells and apartments are pretty entire. At the west end of the Church lie abundance of sculls, piled one upon another; with innumerable bones round about, scattered as dung upon the earth. O sin, what hast thou done? Wednesday 7, I preached at Aughrim, morning and even, ing, and then rode over to Castlebar. Mr. M. has now lost both his brother and his two daughters, two of the most agreeable women in the kingdom, caught away in the full bloom of youth and beauty: if they can be termed lost, who all committed their souls unto him they loved, in the full triumph of faith. Thursday 8, A coach full of us, with several horsemen, and others on foot, went to Ahaskra in the morning. The rest of the congregation were mostly Papists. But all heard with earnest attention. I preached in the evening at Athlone, where, on Friday 9, we had a solemn Watch-night. 7 Sunday 11, We had a blessed opportunity in the evening on the Connaught side of the river. Almost all the Protestants in the town were present, with abundance of Papists. And many of them acknowledged the doctrine of Christ crucified to be the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Monday 12, After preaching at Abidarrig, about noon I went on to Longford. Many supposed the mob would be too violent there, to allow me a peaceable hearing. I began at five in the yard of the old barrack. A huge crowd soon flocked in: but most of the Papists stood at the gate, or just without the wall. They were all still as night: nor did I hear an uncivil word while we afterwards walked from one end of the town to the other. Tuesday 13, A large congregation was present at five, and stood unmoved, notwithstanding some heavy showers. At noon I preached at Cleg-hill; at five in the barrackyard again, where the concourse of people was greater than before. Mr. P. the Minister of a neighbouring parish, and another Clergyman who came with him, received the truth in love; Mrs. P. (his wife) found rest to her soul. But how is it, that almost in every place, even where there is no lasting fruit, there is so great an impression made at first, upon a considerable number of people? The fact is this, every where the work of God rises higher and higher till it comes to a point. Here it seems for a short time to be at a stay; and then it gradually sinks again. All this may easily be accounted for. At first curiosity brings many hearers; at the same time God draws many by his preventing grace to hear his word, and comforts them in hearing. One then tells another. By this mean, on the one hand, curiosity spreads and increases and on the other, the drawings of God's Spirit touch more hearts; and many of them more powerfully than before. He now offers grace to all that hear; most of whom are in some measure affected, : and more or less moved with approbation of what they hear. Desire to please God, and good-will to his messenger, these principles variously combined and increasing, raise the general work to its highest point. But it cannot stand here, for in the nature of things curiosity must soon decline. Again, the drawings of God are not followed, and thereby the Spirit of God is grieved. The consequence is, he strives with this and this man, no more, and so his drawings end. Thus both the natural and supernatural power declining, most of the hearers will be less and less affected. Add to this, that in the process of the work, it must be, that offences will come. Some of the hearers, if not preachers also, will act contrary to their profession. Either their follies or faults will be told from one to another, and lose nothing in the telling. Men once curious to hear, will now draw back; men once drawn, having stifled their good desires, will disapprove what they approved before, and feel dislike instead of good-will, to the Preacher. Others who were more or less convinced, will be afraid or ashamed to acknowledge that conviction. And all these will catch at ill stories (true or false) in order to justify their change. When by this mean, all who do not savingly believe, have quenched the Spirit of God, the little flock goes on from faith to faith; the rest sleep on and take their rest. And thus the number of hearers in every place, may be expected, first to increase, and then decrease. Wednesday 14, At noon I preached at Coolylough, where the Preachers and Stewards met. Thursday 15, In the evening I preached at Tullamore, in Barrack-street. And many who never had so much curiosity, as to walk a hundred yards to hear the preaching, vouchsafed to hear it at their own doors. In the middle of the sermon came a Quarter-master very drunk, and rushed in among the people. In a short time he slipped off his hat, and gave all the attention of which he was capable. So did many of the soldiers and many officers. O let some lay it to heart! " Friday 16, We walked down to Lord Tullamore's, (that |