A similar fisticuff scene occurred at Kilfinnan. When Wesley commenced preaching, a young man, “a kind of gentleman, took great pains to make a disturbance. Mr. Dancer,” Wesley’s travelling companion, “mildly desired him to desist; but was answered with a volley of oaths and a blow: one of the town then encountered him,” says Wesley, “and beat him well.”
At Athlone, Wesley opened a new chapel, which had been built by Mr. Simpson, a magistrate, in his own garden, and at his own expense, with a chamber over the end of it, for the accommodation of the preachers.[700] “Here,” he says, “I rested for four days, only preaching morning and evening. I would willingly have gone to church, but was informed, there had been no service for near two years, and would be none for a year or two longer, the inside of the church wanting to be repaired!”
Upon the whole, Wesley was not satisfied with the state of his societies in Ireland. “There is,” says he, “a considerable increase of the work of God throughout the province of Ulster. There is some increase in Connaught. In some parts of Leinster there is an increase. But in Munster, a land flowing with milk and honey, how amazing a change is there, for the worse, within a year or two.”[701]
The following letter to his brother refers to the same subject, and also to the societies in England.
“Athlone, June 21, 1767.
“Dear Brother,—For some time, I have had many thoughts concerning the work of God in these kingdoms. I have been surprised, that it has spread so far; and that it has spread no farther. And what hindered? Surely the design of God was, to bow a nation to His sway; instead of which, there is still only a Christian here and there; and the rest are yet in the shadow of death; although those, who would profit by us, have need to make haste, as we are not likely to serve them long.
“What, indeed, has hindered? I want to consider this. And must we not first say, Nos consules? If we were more holy in heart and life, thoroughly devoted to God, would not all the preachers catch our fire, and carry it with them throughout the land?
“Is not the next hindrance the littleness of grace, rather than of gifts, in a considerable part of our preachers? They have not the whole mind that was in Christ; they do not steadily walk as He walked. And, therefore, the hand of the Lord is stayed; though not altogether. Though He does work still, it is not in such a degree as He surely would, were they holy as He that hath sent them is holy.
“Is not the third hindrance the littleness of grace in the generality of the people? Therefore, they pray little, and with little fervency, for a general blessing; and, therefore, their prayer has little power with God. It does not, as once, shut and open heaven. Add to this, that, as there is much of the spirit of the world in their hearts, so there is much conformity to the world in their lives. They ought to be both burning and shining lights; but they neither burn nor shine. They are not true to the rules they profess to observe; they are not holy in all manner of conversation. Nay, many of them are salt that has lost its savour, the little savour they once had. Wherewith then shall the rest of the land be seasoned? What wonder, that their neighbours are as unholy as ever?
“But what can we do to remedy this? I wish you would give an attentive reading to the minutes of the last conference, and see if it will not be worth our while to enforce them with all our might. We have weight enough, and can enforce them. I know not who can and will when we are gone. Let us now fix things on as firm a foundation as possible, and not depend upon seeing another conference.