12 October 1739 – 18 October 1739

Upon a pressing invitation, some time since received, I set out for Wales. About four in the afternoon I preached on a little green at the foot of the Devauden (a high hill, two or three miles beyond Chepstow) to three or four hundred plain people on “Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” After sermon, one who I trust is an old disciple of Christ, willingly received us into his house: whither many following, I showed them their need of a Saviour from these words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” In the morning I described more fully the way to salvation—“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved”; and then, taking leave of my friendly host, before two came to Abergavenny. I felt in myself a strong aversion to preaching here. However, I went to Mr. W--- (the person in whose ground Mr. Whitefield preached) to desire the use of it. He said, with all his heart—if the minister was not willing to let me have the use of the church: after whose refusal (for I wrote a line to him immediately), he invited me to his house. About a thousand people stood patiently (though the frost was sharp, it being after sunset) while, from Acts 28:22, I simply described the plain, old religion of the Church of England, which is now almost everywhere spoken against, under the new name of Methodism.