Mr Collins's entrance upon his work was marked, no marvel, by fierce onsets of the devil. The following is an early entry in his Journal: "In the night I was forced to rise from my bed for prayer, so hard did hell assail me. “Within two days he writes again:" I wrestled with God in a wood for deliverance from temptation." He was heard, for soon the record says:" God is my Refuge and Salvation every moment. My soul is happy. I am fully dedicated. I am given up to God, and, by the help of grace, ever intend to be. I love souls, and God has full possession of my soul. My determination is to act and speak only for God and for His people."
Of preparation for Sunday take the appended instance: "I spent Friday in secret fasting, meditation, and prayer for help on the Lord's day." That day is registered thus: "At Peasemarsh Divine unction descended. About the middle of the sermon a man cried out; at the cry my soul ran over. I fell to prayer, nor could we preach any more for cries and tears all over the chapel. We continued in intercessions, and salvation came."
From ‘The Life of the Rev Thomas Collins’ by Samuel Coley p61. The first year's labour in this faithful preaching added one hundred and eighty-four to the Sandhurst membership; the second, one hundred and sixty-two; the third, two hundred. He found three hundred and sixty-six, he left nine hundred and twelve. Who can wonder that he wrote: "Since God has given me such a family here, this place has become home to me, the dearest spot on earth! "Long after he called them "those blessed years at Sandhurst!"
From ‘The Life of the Rev Thomas Collins’ by Samuel Coley p82.
http://www.archive.org/details/lifeofrevthoscol00coleiala
Location unknown. There does not seem to be a Methodist building in Sandhurst at the time, but it may have been elsewhere in the circuit.