effect. I did not feel much interest in it.

--Heard him preach another great sermon on Isaiah's vision. It amounted
to nothing. I prefer a simpler and more practical kind of preaching.

--Heard him preach another sermon on death by Adam. It was not so great
nor so foolish as the others. The logic was wearisome, but the
application was tolerable.

--Heard Dr. Newton, on preaching Christ. His views on the subject are
very different from Wesley's, and as different from mine. I have heard
many silly sermons on the subject, but not one wise one. Many seem to be
afraid of being sensible on religious subjects. They are wise enough on
smaller matters; it is only on the greatest that their understandings
are at fault. But the silliest preachers repeat good words in their
sermons, such as Christ, God, love and heaven, and these words no doubt
call up good thoughts, and revive good feelings in the minds of people,
so that the most pitiful preachers may be of some use. But how much more
useful would good, sound, sensible and truly Christian preachers be, who
always talked plain Christian truth, and pressed it home in a loving,
Christ-like spirit.

--Heard Mr. Curtis last night. His text and introduction were good; but
the sermon was good for nothing.

--Heard Mr. Pea this afternoon. The chief use of many preachers is to
visit the members, and stand at the head of the societies as centres of
union. They do not do much good by preaching.

--God save me from error and sin. Lead me in the way of truth and
righteousness. I feel a dreadful contempt for some men's preaching. Save
me from going too far. But really, to hear how careful some are to warn
people against thinking too highly of good works, one might suppose that
the world and the Church were going to be sent to perdition for too much
piety and charity; for doing too much good, and making too many
sacrifices for God and the salvation of the world. O fools and blind,
not to see, that selfishness, idleness, luxury, pride, worldliness,
slavery to fashion, neglect of the Bible, ignorance and lukewarmness are
the things which disgrace and weaken the Church, and hinder the
salvation of mankind.

--Mr. Stoner preached powerfully last night. He said all true Christians
would "sigh and cry on account of the abominations that are done in the
land,--that they would accompany their sighing and crying with ceaseless
labors for the removal of those abominations,--that they would try to