Thame Mission, Wallingford Circuit

From the Primitive Methodist Magazine, 1838

Journal of W. Peaceful , 1837-8.

Saturday April 8,1837.  I and Bro. W. Wiltshire, having completed our labours in Shefford circuit, came to Wallingford circuit, where we are stationed.

Sunday April 9. — Wallingford chapel.  I preached morning and evening.  The congregations were large.  One joined society.

Monday 10. — Visited many families, and preached to a large congregation at Aston.  A blessed time to many souls.

Wednesday 12. — Preached at Long-Wittenham.  A hard time.  Led class, and one joined.

Thursday 13. — Spoke at Baldon.  The house was crowded to excess.  The wicked raged as if they would have pulled the house down.  But the Lord helped us. 

I led class, and one gave in his name.

Sunday April 23. — Travelled seventeen miles, and preached at Nettlebed in the morning, and Scot’s Common in the Afternoon, with good liberty.  Returned to Wallingford, and after the evening service, held a prayer meeting; made a ring for mourners; one came in, and in answer to prayer, the Lord set his soul at liberty.

Saturday 29. — Travelled fifteen miles to our intended Buckinghamshire mission.

Sunday April 30. — Preached at Thame and Moreton.  Hard times in speaking.

Monday May 1. — Walked eight miles to Oakley.  Visited a great number of families, and invited them to come and hear me preach the gospel.  In the evening a great number assembled; and I spoke from that awful scripture, “Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men.”  A very powerful time.  Tears flowed, and I have reason to hope good was done.  One of the inhabitants kindly entertained me for the night.  Praise the Lord for all his mercies.

Tuesday 2. — Went to Brill.  Visited the people from house to house, and informed them that I was going to preach in the street that evening.  A great number assembled, and I spoke with freedom.  I had a bed gratis at a public house.  Thank the Lord,

Thursday 4. — Visited nearly thirty families at Crendon, and invited the people. A vast many assembled, and I spake on the necessity of being converted to God, and having their sins blotted out; assuring them, after that, they may look for refreshing times from the presence of the Lord.

Friday 5. — Opened Syddenham.  I first called upon nearly all the people in the village, and apprized them of my intention to offer them salvation in the name of the Lord, at the cross.  A great many came together, and I preached with pretty good liberty.  After service a person invited me to her house; and I was kindly entertained for the night.  I pray God reward Mr. and Mrs. K. for it.

Sunday May 7. — At Thame in the morning, Crendon in the afternoon, and Chilton at night.  At Crendon, several hundreds assembled to hear me.  And while I was preaching from, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper,” &c., one woman sunk to the ground, under the power of God.  And at Chilton I formed a society of three members.

Tuesday 16. — Spent this day in visiting from house to house, some looked on me with disaprobation; others kindly invited me to their houses to talk and pray with them.  In the evening I spoke to a very troublesome set at Brill.  They brought beer to me when I was preaching, and shouted in my ears to drown my voice, when I was on my knees in the last prayer, they brought two buckets full of water, and emptied them upon me.  I was exceedingly wet in my clothes, and had to wander three or four miles before I could get to any fire or house of shelter.  But, through the blessing of God I did not take cold.

Wednesday 17. — I preached to a few at Thame, who hardened their necks.  And the Lord is removing some of them out of the world.  This morning one Mr. * * * being in dying circumstances, his son said,

“Father, shall I read a chapter to you?”

“No my son,” said he, “reading will do me no good now.”

“Why, father?  I hope you have repented of your sins.”

“My son,” said the father, “reading will do no good.  I know to where I am going.  My soul is lost. I am going to hell.”  And he died in about five minutes.

Friday 19. — Visited a great number of families, and preached to three or four hundred people; and a Divine power was felt among them.  I had two houses offered for prayer meetings.  So the Lord is opening the way in Syddenham.

Tuesday 23. — Preached in the street at Brill, with a good feeling.  The people said they were very sorry for what was done to me the time before.

I walked to Chilton where about two hundred were waiting for me.  When I began to sing, the persecutors threw rotten eggs, besmeared my coat nearly all over, and brought a man with a mask on his face.  But a gentleman farmer, (who has been a friend to us,) sheltered me from the fury of these men.  So having the Lord to help us, and the good man to befriend us, we got through pretty well.

Monday July 3. — Met Sister Woolford, (my colleague,) at Oakley.  We both preached in the street.  Held a prayer meeting, and formed a class of four members.

Thursday 6. — Opened Kingsey.  Preached to my people with great liberty; after which I had to walk five miles before I could get a bed.  I find mission work is hard work; having, at times, neither friends, home, nor harbour to shelter us from the cold.  But having a pattern in the life of our blessed Lord, and having his blessed promise, “Lo I am with you to the end,” we are encouraged.

We have on this mission several good societies.  The number of members amounts to near eighty; after having been driven from several places, and the societies by persecution, and by the inclemency of the winter being broken up.  And at Moreton we have a society of twenty children.  And we have a prospect of beginning a good Sunday school.

W. Peaceful.

(Approved by the Quarter Day.)

Primitive Methodist Magazine, 1838.  Pages 267-268.

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