9 September 1743 – 15 September 1743

I rode in quest of St. Hilary owns, ten or twelve miles southeast of St. Ives. And the Downs I found, but no congregation—neither man, woman, nor child. But by that I had put on my gown and cassock, about a hundred gathered themselves together, whom I earnestly called “to repent and believe the gospel.” And if but one heard, it was worth all the labor.

There were prayers at St. Just in the afternoon, which did not end till four. I then preached at the Cross to, I believe, a thousand people, who all behaved in a quiet and serious manner. At six I preached at Sennan, near the Land’s End; and appointed the little congregation (consisting chiefly of old, grey-headed men) to meet me again at five in the morning. But on Sunday, 11, a great part of them were got together between three and four o’clock: so between four and five we began praising God; and I largely explained and applied, “I will heal their backslidings; I will love them freely.” We went afterwards down, as far as we could go safely, toward the point of the rocks at the Land’s End. It was an awful sight! But how will these melt away when God shall arise to judgment! The sea between does indeed “boil like a pot.” “One would think the deep to be hoary.” But “though they swell, yet can they not prevail. He hath set their bounds, which they cannot pass” [see Ps. 104:8]. Between eight and nine I preached at St. Just, on the green plain near the town, to the largest congregation (I was informed) that ever had been seen in these parts. I cried out, with all the authority of love, “Why will ye die, O house of Israel?” The people trembled and were still. I had not known such an hour before in Cornwall.

I had had for some time a great desire to go and publish the love of God our Saviour, if it were but for one day, in the Isles of Scilly; and I had occasionally mentioned it to several. This evening three of our brethren came and offered to carry me thither if I could procure the mayor’s boat, which, they said, was the best sailer of any in the town. I sent, and he lent it me immediately. So the next morning, Tuesday, 13, John Nelson, Mr. Shepherd, and I, with three men and a pilot, sailed from St. Ives. It seemed strange to me to attempt going in a fisher-boat, fifteen leagues upon the main ocean, especially when the waves began to swell and hang over our heads. But I called to my companions, and we joined together in singing lustily and with a good courage: When passing through the watery deep, I ask in faith His promised aid; The waves an awful distance keep, And shrink from my devoted head; Fearless their violence I dare: They cannot harm—for God is there. About half an hour after one, we landed on St. Mary’s, the chief of the inhabited islands. We immediately waited upon the Governor, with the usual present, namely, a newspaper. I desired him, likewise, to accept of an “Earnest Appeal.” The minister not being willing I should preach in the church, I preached, at six, in the streets to almost all the town and many soldiers, sailors, and workmen on, “Why will ye die, O house of Israel?” It was a blessed time so that I scarcely knew how to conclude. After the sermon I gave them some little books and hymns, which they were so eager to receive that they were ready to tear both them and me to pieces. For what political reason such a number of workmen were gathered together and employed at so large an expense to fortify a few barren rocks, which whosoever would take, deserves to have them for his pains, I could not possibly devise: but a providential reason was easy to be discovered. God might call them together to hear the gospel, which perhaps otherwise they might never have thought of. At five in the morning I preached again on “I will heal their backslidings; I will love them freely.” And between nine and ten, having talked with many in private and distributed both to them and others between two and three hundred hymns and little books, we left this barren, dreary place and set sail for St. Ives, though the wind was strong and blew directly in our teeth. Our pilot said we should have good luck if we reached the land; but he knew not Him whom the winds and seas obey. Soon after three we were even with the Land’s End, and about nine we reached St. Ives.