About noon, I preached to a serious congregation at Downham-Green, near Wigan; but to a far more serious one in the evening, at Bolton. I find few places like this; all disputes are forgotten and the Christians do indeed love one another. When I visited the classes, on Wednesday, 15, I did not find a disorderly walker among them; no, nor a trifler. They appeared to be, one and all, seriously seeking salvation.
John Wesley's Journal 14th April 1761.
Fri. 6. — I was informed of the flame which had broken out at Bolton.
One writing to Mr Furz described a little of it in the following words: — “Glory be to God, he is doing wonders among us! Since you left us there have been seven (if not more) justified, and six sanctified, at one meeting. Two of these were, I think, justified and sanctified in less than three days.
O what a meeting was our last class-meeting! In three minutes, or less, God, quite unexpectedly, convinced an old opposer of the truth and wounded many. I never felt the abiding presence of God so exceeding powerful before.”
John Wesley's Journal 4th August 1762
I am assuming that the reference to Wesley's visit refers to the one in April 1761 which is the previous one mentioned in his Journal.
Location unknown.