Tue. 20 Sept 1743. I concluded my preaching here by exhorting all who had ‘escaped the corruption that is in the world’ to ‘add to’ their ‘faith, courage, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity’. At eleven I spent some time with our brethren in prayer and commended them to the grace of God.
At Treswithian Downs I preached to two or three thousand people, on ‘the highway of the Lord, the way of holiness’. We reached Gwennap a little before six and found the plain covered from end to end. It was supposed there were ten thousand people, to whom I preached Christ our ‘wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption’. I could not conclude till it was so dark we could scarce see one another. And there was on all sides the deepest attention, none speaking, stirring, or scarce looking aside. Surely here, though in a temple not made with hands, was God ‘worshipped in the beauty of holiness’!
One of those who were present was Mr. P----, once a violent adversary. Before sermon began he whispered one of his acquaintance, ‘Captain, stand by me; don’t stir from me.’ He soon burst out into a flood of tears, and quickly after, sunk down. His friend caught him and prevented his falling to the ground. O may the Friend of sinners lift him up!
