Chester New Connexion Methodist Chapel

William Booth letter

We had a tremendous struggle at the chapel. I never saw anything like it in my life. We were crowded above and below and having been out all day, I was poorly prepared in mind and much fatigued in the body, yet I was pressed in spirit and the Lord helped me to preach as I very, very seldom do! Oh, the words seemed like jagged daggers running into the hearts of the people! And yet though the great mass of them stayed to the prayer meetings, we had only 21 souls. We ought to have had 50 or more.

another letter

We had a good night. I preached from “what must I do to be saved?“ We had not much power during the first part of the sermon; but during the appeal, “what I do to be damned?“ I don’t remember ever having more. In fact Mr Round said this morning that he never felt so much under any appeal before in his life and that he could have knelt down and wept his heart away at the conclusion. George Fox said he could not sleep after it. It was indeed terrific. I felt astounded at it myself. Of course, I can only talk in this way to my wife.

From, 'Catherine Booth, mother of the Salvation Army', Volume I, by Tucker-Booth, page 146.

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