Truro - John Wesley preached (1762-1789)
Out of respect for Samuel Walker (see this website), Wesley did not come to Truro until after his death. He came around ten times between 1762 and 1789 andsometimes spoke either in the Coinage Hall or outside.
His journal relates on September 4th 1766, 'At noon I preached in Truro, I was in hopes, when Mr Walker died, the enmity in those who were called his people would have died also. But it is not so; they still look upon us as rank heretics, and will have no fellowship with us.'
On his final visit on August 18th 1789, he writes, 'We went on to Truro, where I had appointed to preach at twelve o'clock; but here an unforseen hindrance occurred. I could not get through the main street to our preaching house. It was quite blocked up with soldiers to the east, and numberless tinners to the west, a huge multitude whom, being nearly starved, were come to beg or demand an increase in their wages, without which they could not live. So we were obliged to retire to the other end of the town, where I preached under the Coinage Hall to twice as many people, rich and poor, as the preaching house would have contained.'
Revival touched Truro in 1799, the circuit minister writes, 'The next Sunday evening the covenant was renewed at Truro, which was a solemn time to many souls. One person, who was in great distress, found peace in a short time. The week after, many souls in Truro found the same blessing. From that time the work has revived in such a manner, that the society, which was then 130 in number, is now 280.'
Revival came again in 1823. 'At Truro alone, about forty persons have been brought under apparent awakenings; and there we have not had much irregularity or noise.... A publican, who was powerfully awakened, told me today, that the public-house business is reduced to one half of what it was, and an oath is not to be heard in some of the mines.'