JOHN WESLEY'S VISITS TO ARMAGH 1769 - 1789
John Wesley visited Armagh on a further 8 occasions following his first momentous visit on 15 April 1767. the visits took place over a period of 22 years, his last being on Tuesday 16 June 1789, aged 86 years and just 2 years before his death.
Visit 2 - Monday 17 April 1769
On Monday and twice on Tuesday, John Wesley preached to a genteel yet serious audience, again in McGeough's Avenue. On Wednesday, the Irish weather caught up with him and he began to preach in McGeough's yard. The rain got even heavier so they repaired to one of the buildings.
This was the first time I had preached in a stable and I believe more good was done by this than all the other sermons I have preached in Armagh.
John Wesley 1769
Visit 3 - Friday 21 June 1771
At 7 in the evening I preached in Armagh in Mr McGeough's Avenue. The congregation was in an arbour the widespread trees quite over-shadowing them while 'The setting sun adorned the coast, His beams entire, his fierceness lost'.
John Wesley 1771 (quote from 17 century poet Matthew Prior's poem 'The Lady's Looking Glass')
Visit 4 - Friday 4 June - Sunday 6 June 1773
Friday
Saturday
The next day Wesley inspected the fine improvements which the primate, Archbishop Robinson had made near his lodge. He noted the well laid out grounds and the fine house built for a nobleman, and Robinson’s plans for improving the City commenting,
‘I doubt too many, even for a Primate of Ireland that is above 70 years old!’
In fact, Archbishop Robinson was only 65 and managed to live for a further 20 years, dying in 1794.
'We went on to Armagh (from Castlecaulfield). The evening congregation in the Avenue was very large and exceeding serious, rich and poor kneeling down on the grass when I went to prayer.'
Sunday
'I explained the great text of St John to an exceeding large congregation. We had at church an anthem which I know not that I have heard these last 50 years, ‘Praise the Lord, o my soul’ (written by Robert Okeland c1560); and sung in a manner that would not have disgraced any of our English Cathedrals. The congregation was the largest I have seen in Ulster; and I believe, for the present, all were convinced that nothing will avail without humble, gentle, patient love.’
That weekend he also had the time to write his great sermon on ‘Predestination’ based on Romans 8 v 29-30. The sermon carries the essence of John Wesley’s differences with the Calvinists.
Visit 5 - Saturday 10 June 1775
John Wesley had been preaching in Killyman, County Tyrone, and at the conclusion heavy rain had started. Fortunately, it ceased enough for him to be able to preach in McGeough’s Avenue. On Trinity Sunday he preached at 9. o’clock to the text ’So God created man in his own image’, and then again to a huge congregation. Sadly, he reports
‘But I could not find the way to their hearts.’ The following morning, he took a solemn leave of Armagh and made his way to Blackwatertown.
Visit 6 - Sunday 21 June 1778
John Wesley preached in the Avenue at 9.00 am to a large and serious congregation. At 6 in the evening the number had increased fourfold
‘but many were there who behaved as if they had been in a bear garden’!
These were the challenges Wesley often faced.
He must have been on reasonable terms with Archbishop Robinson as the following day he went once more to inspect the Primate’s Demesne and went through the house (Archbishop’s Palace) and all improvements. His comments included,
‘the house is neat and handsome but not magnificent, since this man came the town wears another face. He has repaired and beautified the cathedral, built a row of neat houses for choral vicars, erected a public library and an infirmary, procured the Free School to be built of the size of a little college, and a new-built horse barrack, together with a considerable number of convenient and handsome houses; so that Armagh is at length rising out of its ruins into a large and populous city. So much good may any man of a large fortune do if he lays it out to the best advantage.’
There then follows a gap of 7 years before his next visit.
Visit 7 - Tuesday 31 May 1785
‘When we came to Armagh on Tuesday the wind was extremely high, and the air as cold as it used to be in December. However, we had no place that could contain the congregation but… Mr McGeough’s Avenue. And here the people crowding close together did not seem to regard either cold or wind.’
He then took another walk to the Primate’s Palace noting that since his last visit additions included a hundred-foot-high obelisk, a dairy house, many other conveniences and a chapel, never yet used.
‘And we were informed that he designs to do many things more!’
Wesley preached again in the Avenue at eleven. Again the rain fell all the time but the congregation was large and attentive. A women approached him after he had finished preaching and said ‘I met you at Caledon. I then had a violent pain in my head for four weeks; but was fully persuaded I should be well if you would lay your hand on my cheek, which I begged you to do. From that moment I have been perfectly well’ ‘If so,’ he replied, ‘give God the glory.’
The rain continued into the evening and drove them into the Market House where two or three drunken men disturbed them. However, all the rest of the numerous congregation behaved with deep seriousness. The following morning Wesley reports taking leave of his coeval Mr McGeough whom he scarce expected to see again in this world.
Visit 8 - Sunday 17 June - Monday 18 June 1787
Although John Wesley does not mention it, this visit coincides with his 84th birthday.
‘We knew not what to do at Armagh. The rain would not suffer us to preach in the Avenue and our house would not contain half the congregation, many of whom came from afar. The best shift we could, was to squeeze into the House as many as possible, and keep both the windows and doors open, by which means many more could hear.’
‘In the evening the Seceders* (who would think it?) freely gave me the use of their large meetinghouse. It was filled from end to end.’
*Seceders (Presbyterians)
On Monday he took another tour of the Primate’s demesne approving of the house and grounds but commenting
‘and what hath the owner thereof? Not so much as the beholding thereof with his eyes. Probably he will behold it no more. He is fully taken up in building a large seat near Dublin at above eighty years of age!’
In the evening he preached in the Avenue where a listening multitude seriously attended.
‘Surely there will be a harvest here also by and by, although hitherto we see but little fruit.’
Visit 9 - Tuesday 16 June 1789
This was John Wesley’s final visit to Armagh in his 86th year and two years before his death.
‘In the evening preached once more to a multitude of people in Mr McGeough’s Avenue to whom I have paid probably the last visit as he is just tottering over the grave.’