In the evening and the following morning I brought strange things to the ears of many in Manchester, concerning the government of their families and the education of their children. But some still made that very silly answer, "Oh, he has no children of his own!" Neither had St. Paul, nor (that we know) any of the apostles. What then? Were they therefore unable to instruct parents? Not so. They were able to instruct everyone that had a soul to be saved.
Wednesday, April 6.--About eleven I preached at Wigan in a place near the middle of the town which I suppose was formerly a playhouse. It was very full and very warm. Most of the congregation were wild as wild might be; yet none made the least disturbance. Afterward, as I walked down the street, they stared sufficiently; but none said an uncivil word.
In the evening we had a huge congregation at Liverpool; but some pretty, gay, fluttering things did not behave with so much good manners as the mob at Wigan. The congregations in general were quite well behaved, as well as large, both morning and evening; and I found the society both more numerous and more lively than ever it was before.
Monday, 11.--I rode to Bolton; on Wednesday, to Kendal. Seceders and mongrel Methodists have so surfeited the people here that there is small prospect of doing good; however, I once more "cast" my "bread upon the waters" and left the event to God.
Thursday, 14.--I rode on, through continued rain, to Ambleside. It cleared up before we came to Keswick, and we set out thence in a fair day; but on the mountains the storm met us again and beat on us so impetuously that our horses could scarcely turn their faces against it. However, we made shift to reach Cockermouth; but there was no room for preaching, the town being in an uproar through the election for members of Parliament; so, after drying ourselves, we thought it best to go on to Whitehaven.
Tuesday, 26.--I came to Aberdeen.
Here I found a society truly alive, knit together in peace and love. The congregations were large both morning and evening, and, as usual, deeply attentive. But a company of strolling players, who have at length found place here also, stole away the gay part of the hearers. Poor Scotland! Poor Aberdeen! This only was wanting to make them as completely irreligious as England.
Friday, 29.--I read over an extremely sensible book, but one that surprised me much; it is An inquiry into the Proofs of the Charges commonly advanced against Mary Queen of Scots. By means of original papers, he has made it more clear than one would imagine it possible at this distance: 1) that she was altogether innocent of the murder of Lord Darnley, and no way privy to it; 2) that she married Lord Bothwell (then nearly seventy years old, herself but four-and-twenty) from the pressing instance of the nobility in a body, who at the same time assured her he was innocent of the King's murder; 3) that Murray, Morton, and Lethington themselves contrived that murder in order to charge it upon her, as well as forged those vile letters and sonnets which, they palmed upon the world for hers.
"But how then can we account for the quite contrary story, which has been almost universally received?" Most easily. It was penned and published in French, English, and Latin (by Queen Elizabeth's order) by George Buchanan, who was secretary to Lord Murray, and in Queen Elizabeth's pay; so he was sure to throw dirt enough. Nor was she at liberty to answer for herself. "But what then was Queen Elizabeth?" As just and merciful as Nero and as good a Christian as Mohammed.
Sunday, May 1.--I preached at seven in the new room; in the afternoon at the College kirk, in Old Aberdeen. At six, knowing our house could not contain the congregation, I preached in the castle gate, on the paved stones. A large number of people were all attention; but there were many rude, stupid creatures round about them who knew as little of reason as of religion; I never saw such brutes in Scotland before. One of them threw a potato, which fell on my arm; I turned to them, and some were ashamed.