Wesley and the Palatines of Ireland
Persecuted in Germany, they emigrated to Ireland. Converted by Wesley,
they pioneered Methodism in America
Odilon Massolar Chaves
Copyright © 2023, Odilon Massolar Chaves
All rights reserved to the author.
Total or partial reproduction of the book is
prohibited, Art. 184 of the Penal Code and Law 9610 of February 19, 1998.
Cover choice: Rose Mary Braga da Costa
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The Journal of John Wesley Paperback –
January 1, 1900
Percy Livingstone Parker (editor)
Artwork: Luyza Vitória Braga
Books published on Amazon as author: 247
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coordinator/editor: 8
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Translation: Google Translate
All glory to the Lord.
"Those
German immigrants who settled on the estate of a Protestant landowner near
Limerick in the southwest of Ireland became known as the 'Irish Palatines.'
They continued to practice the Protestant religion for hundreds of years. John
Wesley himself (1703-1791) preached to the Palatines of Limerick and they
became Wesley's poster boys for the benefits of the true religion. Barbara
Ruckle Heck was an Irish immigrant from the United States who came to Ontario
as a Loyalist from the United Empire. She became known as the mother of
American Methodism."[1]
Table
of Contents
·
Introduction
·
German and Irish
Palatines
·
The
Lord and the Palatines
· Wesley and the Palatines
· The legacy
left in Limerick by the early Methodists
·
Palatine Offices start Methodism in America
· Wesley's visits in Limerick
·
Hunger and lack of clothing of the Palatines
· Wesley's Admiration for the Palatines
Introduction
The book "Wesley
and the Palatines of Ireland" tells the story of the Palatines who fled
Germany because of war and the harsh cold and went to America, England and
Ireland.[2]
It was a people
suffering because of persecution in Germany and hardship in Ireland.
Some Palatines left a
great contribution, as they emigrated to America and were the pioneers of
Methodism.
Several times, Wesley
went to Ireland and visited the Palatines until the end of his life. Barbara
and Philip were converted with Wesley. Philip Embury became a Methodist
preacher in Ireland and America.
"John
Wesley in Ireland, 1747-1789", is a book that can help in research on the
Palatines. It was written by Samuel J. Rogal.[3]
A
story that reveals the struggle and suffering of the German and Irish
Palatines, Wesley's dedication and love for Methodism of the Palatines who went
to America and Canada.
The Author
German and Irish Palatines
The Palatinate is a region in southwestern Germany.
The origin of the term "palatine or palatine" comes from the Roman Empire. It was used for "chamberlains of the emperor (e.g., chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church) due to its association with the Palatine Hill, the house where Roman emperors lived since Augustus Caesar (hence "palace")".[4]
The term was also used by many states in Germany within the Holy Roman Empire.
The "palatinate is a territory administered by a count palatine, originally the direct representative of a sovereign, but later the hereditary ruler of the territory subordinate to the suzerain of the crown."[5]
Persecution
and harsh winter
"A substantial exodus of palatine families occurred in 1709, shortly after a terribly harsh winter"
In the 17th century, there were many Protestant refugees in the German Palatinate.
"Families settled there to rebuild their lives and escape persecution. The Palatinate was repeatedly devastated by attacks from France during the 17th century." [6]
When the Palatines became acquainted with the "pamphlets drawn up by New World proprietors to extol the benefits of emigrating to America, a substantial exodus of Palatine families occurred in 1709, shortly after a terribly harsh winter. Some of the Palatine emigrants of 1709 found their way to the New World directly, but more than 13,000 were transported to London." [7]
"The Irish Palatines were 'poor foreigners'
"The Irish Palatines were 'poor foreigners', refugees from war and religious intolerance in the spring/summer of 1709. They originated in the Lower Rhineland of Germany and spread to England, Ireland and British America!"[8]
It was in the time of Queen Anne (1665-1714). She was the Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.
"The British
government transported a group of 3,073 palatines to Ireland. Many were
established as agricultural tenants on the estates of Anglo-Irish landowners
near Rathkeale in Limerick and near New Ross in Wexford."[9]
Wesley explains the origin of the Limerick Palatines
"A colony of Germans, whose fathers left the
Palatinate about fifty years ago"
On Friday, June 23, 1758, Wesley said, "I went to the Court
Mattress, a colony of Germans, whose parents left the Palatinate about fifty
years ago." [10]
Wesley enumerates the places and the number of families to which they
went: Twenty of their families settled in Limerick; twenty more in Killiheen;
fifty in Balligarane and twenty in Pallas.
"Each family had a few acres of land, on which they built like many
little houses. They are since then considerably increased in number of souls,
though diminished in number of families." [11]
Three-life rental
"At the same time, Irish tenants paid rents of
thirty-five shillings per acre"
"Every man, woman, and child of the Palatine received eight acres
of land at a nominal rent of five shillings per acre, and to leases of three
lives. Each family was also entitled to forty shillings a year, for seven
years, to purchase stock and utensils. At the same time, Irish tenants paid
rents of thirty-five shillings per acre. Later the government agreed to pay the
rent of the Palatines for twenty years, and to present each family with a
musket from Queen Anne for their protection."[12]
What is "three-life lease"?
"The person who took the lease, the landlord, named three people in
the lease and the lease expired when the three people named died."[13]
"Not having a minister"
"Having no minister," said Wesley, they have become
"eminent by drunkenness, cursing, and a total disregard of religion. But
they are washed once they have heard and received the truth that is able."[14]
Dissatisfied
palatines return to their origin
Palatines had to pay rent for the land they lived and used. Two-thirds
of them, outraged also "by misuse by landlords and harassed by Irish
Catholic neighbors, left Ireland and returned to England and Germany. Over the
next few years, a few other Palatine immigrants joined families in Ireland, but
by August 1712, only 254 of the original 821 families had settled in Ireland,
many of the rest having returned to England to settle there or, more often, to
book passage to America or Germany." [15]
Palatine
customs
"The Palatines retained many of their Germanic customs and
Protestant religion over four generations and rarely married outside the
Palatine community."
Wesley's
influence
"When John Wesley visited the area on more than one occasion, many
of the Palatines turned happily to Methodism"
"Apparently having reconciled their native Lutheranism with the
Anglican religion expected by their owners, the Irish Palatines suffered from
the lack of a local religious leader. This, coupled with their tradition of
burying family bibles with the deceased, caused them to begin to lose touch
with their religious traditions."
"Philip Embury and Barbara Ruttle Heck, played an important role
in the introduction of Methodism to North America"
"When John Wesley visited the area on more
than one occasion, many of the Palatines turned happily to Methodism, and two
of their early Methodist leaders at Ballingrane, Philip Embury and Barbara Ruttle Heck, played an important part in the introduction of
Methodism to North America.[16]
The Lord and the Palatines
"He
invited the remaining German families stranded in London to settle on his
estate"
Limerick is located in the west of the Republic of Ireland and approximately 200 km from Dublin. It is the 4th largest Irish city, with about 53,000 inhabitants. The largest church is the Catholic Church. The University of Limerick is one of the most important in the country.[17]
The departure of the palatines to Limerick
Lord Thomas Southwell, Baron Southwell, in the early seventeenth
century, went with his family to Limerick.
The Lord was a generous man. "He invited the remaining German
families stranded in London to settle on his 4,800-acre estate at Rathkeale in
the four main villages. The estates were scattered along the picturesque,
winding River Deel. He quickly offered land for half its value and timber to
build houses."[18]
Rented land
Lord Southwell leased the land to the Palatines at "five shillings per acre for three lives. Each family received eight acres and a credit account of forty shillings a year for seven years, to procure necessary items of stock and agricultural tools." [19]
The German Palatines established successful hemp and flax farms.
What is hemp?
"Hemp can be used to make textiles, building material, livestock
bedding, paper products, bioplastics, and more."[20]
Changes over time
"In time, those who were more inclined to other industries
abandoned their farms and set up vineyards or became men of trades: carpenters,
masons, shoemakers, butchers, weavers, schoolmasters, and shepherds." [21]
Prosperity and fear
The Palatine effort brought prosperity to County Limerick.
But the lease of the fifty years' lands to the Palatines was coming to an end. With this there began to be concerns among the Palatines.
The expiration of the contract "would raise rents to almost three
times their present values. It was this fear, along with others, that led many
of these industrious German citizens to leave for America."[22]
Wesley and the Palatines
"He described those he met as 'simple, artless, serious' people. In
other words, they were straightforward and free from deception"
First visit to Limerick and the Palatines
His first visit to the Palatines was "in the course of his sixth Irish tour in 1756, when he visited Ballingrane and the neighbouring village which he at different times calls Newmarket or Pallas. On modern maps it is called Pallaskenry". [23]
Today Pallaskenry is a village in County Limerick, Ireland.
The first visit was on the 16th of June, 1756. Wesley said: "In the afternoon I went to Ballingarrane, a town of Palatines which came in the time of Queen Anne. They retain much of the temper and manners of their own country, bearing no resemblance to those among whom they live. I have found much life among these simple, artless, serious people."[24]
"John Wesley has always received a warm welcome from the Palatines"
"John
Wesley always received a warm welcome from the Palatines, returning to preach
among them several times. The Palatines were families who came to Ireland from
Germany in 1709, and who settled mainly in County Limerick."[25]
Wesley visited Limerick every two years
Every two years Wesley visited the Palatines. Among
these years are|:
·
June 16, 1756
·
June 23, 1758
·
July 9, 1760
·
June 4, 1762
·
June 14, 1765
·
May 21, 1767
·
May 7, 1778
·
May 13, 1789.[26]
Simple, artless, serious
"They were straightforward and free from deception"
He described those he met as "simple, artless, serious" people. In other words, they were straightforward and free from deception. Subsequently, he came to the area in the course of thirteen other voyages, sometimes including Courtmatrix, Killeheen, Kilfinnane, and on one occasion Adare."[27]
Wesley's visit to Adare
"Visited Adare and surroundings at least ten times"
"Adare has a long tradition of Methodist worship, and two and a half centuries ago, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, visited Adare and the surrounding area at least ten times between 1765 and 1778.
A strong local tradition says that John Wesley preached under an ash tree near the ruins of the Franciscan Abbey on at least one of these occasions. A stone now marks the site, and since 1819 Methodists have held a field meeting every 77 years, on the first Tuesday in June.
The first Methodist chapel at Adare was built in 1794 on the north side of the road to Patrickswell in the town of Gortnaganniff." [28]
"No Saturday break, no drunkenness"
Wesley realized "that in his communities there were 'no words or bad words, no Sabbath breaks, no drunkenness, no beer-houses,' and that 'his diligence turns all his land into a garden.'"[29]
The community grew
"Part of it went to America"
In 1765, Wesley lamented the attitude of his lordship. "As they could not obtain food or clothing here, with all their diligence or frugality, some is scattered up and down in the kingdom [of Ireland] and part has gone to America."[30]
In 1760, a group emigrated to America, among them, Barbara Heck and her cousin Philip Embury, who had been a local preacher in Ballingrane, Ireland.
The
Beginnings of Methodism in Ireland
"John Wesley visited Ireland twenty-one times
between 1747 and 1789. On his last visit, in 1789, he preached under the
Spanish chestnut tree."[31]
On his first visit, he landed at George's Quay on 9
August 1747.
George's Quay is a street and wharf in Dublin on
the south bank of the River Liffey.
And George's Quay was given in honor of George III of England."[32]
This wharf is "very
different from its present appearance, the railway had not been developed and
there was no Customs House on the opposite side of the Liffey.
In fact, the north bank of
the river was then quite undeveloped.
Its development came during
Wesley's lifetime, and on those occasions in later years, when he arrived or
departed from George's Quay, he would have noticed progress in building the
Customs."[33]
First day of arrival
"The day of Wesley's
first arrival was a Sunday, and that afternoon he preached in what was called
the Evening Prayer at St. Mary's Church."
According to Wesley, it was
a meaningless congregation.
"The Archbishop of
Dublin strongly reproved and Wesley did not preach again in any parish church
in the archdiocese."[34]
He preached in an old,
abandoned Lutheran chapel
"A Lutheran chapel
stood on the east side of Marlborough Street, and by 1747 it was no longer used
by the Lutheran congregation."[35]
It was in this chapel that
Wesley preached at his first Methodist meetings in Dublin.
A mob attacked the building
"Shortly after his
departure from the city, a mob attacked the building, ripped the wainscoting
off the wall and piled it and the furniture in the courtyard, setting the lot
on fire."[36]
What is wainscoting?
"Wainscoting (or
wainscoting) is a panel formed by rulers that covers the wall or ceiling of an environment. It can be made of wood, MDF, PVC or plaster".[37]
The panic occasioned by
this soon subsided under the reassuring presence of Charles Wesley, John's
brother, who arrived a week later and the Methodists used the repaired building
for the rest of the century."[38]
First Methodist chapel
The first Methodist chapel in
Ireland was built and opened in 1752 in Dublin.
"It was an almost square
building with an inner porch, a gallery on three sides, and furnished with
bottomless benches. The men sat on one side of the building and the women on
the other, the room being carried up to the gallery, accessed by separate
staircases at the corners. Above the chapel was a hall of the same size,
divided into rooms by movable partitions, which could provide lodging for the
preachers or meeting rooms of various sizes.[39]
Bishop's opposition
At the time of Wesley's first
visit to Ireland, the Archbishop of Dublin, Charles Cobbe, was building a new
house for himself at Donabate. Thither. Wesley rode on the Tuesday after his
arrival, and spent two hours in debate with the Archbishop, seeking to persuade
him of the value of Methodist societies. He was unsuccessful."[40]
In Wesley's Journal, Tuesday,
August 11, 1747, he said: "I waited for the archbishop at Newbridge ten
miles from Dublin."[41]
Due to the archbishop's
opposition, Wesley did not preach in any of the parish churches of the
archdiocese after 1747.
Charles Cobbe (1686/7–1765) was
Archbishop of Dublin from 1743 to 1765 and Primate of Ireland. He married
Dorothea Levinge.[42]
As archbishop of Dublin, "he
combined condemnations of the papacy, rebellion, and Wesleyan preaching, with a
concern for educating the poor, supporting scholarship, and
resisting penal legislation."[43]
14 hours crossing the Irish Sea
On his 21 voyages to Ireland, Wesley usually crossed the Irish Sea on the "Parkgate Packages", sailing ships
These sailing ships "provided a regular passenger service between Parkgate, near Chester, and Dun Laoghaire. The crossing would have taken at least 14 hours.
"Parkgate Harbour was popular because it was easier to reach by road than the alternatives, Liverpool or Holyhead. However, the harbour silted up in the early 19th century and fell into disrepair. It is now a salt marsh."[44]
The legacy left in Limerick by the early Methodists
"The preacher was Robert Swindells, and one of those who heard him
preach in the open air was Thomas Walsh"
It was in 1749 that the first Methodist preacher visited Limerick.
The preacher was Robert Swindells (1741-1783) who "was attracted by the fact that a detachment of the Black Patrol had been transferred from Dublin, and had a number of Methodists among its junior officers." [45]
Who was Robert Swindells?
Robert Swindells (1741-1783) was one of the English preachers who pioneered Methodism in Ireland.
"He joined the itinerancy in 1741 and accompanied John Wesley on his Irish tour of 1748."[46]
In Limerick, he was instrumental in the conversion
of Thomas
Walsh and Elizabeth
Bennis, who were to become two great leaders.
"Another of his converts, Colonel Pigot, gratefully furnished him with an annuity of £40. He died at Stockport, England, October 21, 1782." [47]
Robert
Swindells and Thomas Williams
"This is like the preaching we used to hear in Germany!"
Later that year, Thomas Williams, another Methodist preacher came to town. He was heard by several palatines who came from the Rathkeale area to attend the Assizes, and whose immediate reaction was 'This is like the preaching we used to hear in Germany!' Among them was the Burgomeister and Ballingrane teacher, Philip Guier." [48]
"Guier
and Walsh Became Local Preachers"
"Guier and Walsh became local Methodist
preachers. Walsh was called by John Wesley to serve in various circuits in
Ireland and England." "Guier and Walsh became local Methodist
preachers. [49]
Philip Guier (1751-1778) remained a local preacher
among his fellow palatines until his death in March 1778.
Philip Embury was also a local preacher in
Ballingrane. He was the first Methodist preacher in America, in New York.
Adam Averell visited the communities
The Irish Adam Averell (1754-1847), an Irish
Methodist preacher, "visited the Palatine communities in 1794, 1795, and
1796." [50]
In 1796 he was accepted into the Methodist
Conference. [51]
He was opposed by clergy and family. His wife left
him in 1997 with their daughter, but he traveled widely throughout Ireland
preaching and witnessing. Later, his daughter was reconciled with him.
In 1818, he was the first president of the Irish
Early Wesleyan Conference. "He was highly respected, and was re-elected
annually until 1841."[52]
Elizabeth Bennis' leadership
"Energetic,
intelligent and zealous, she became one of John Wesley's most influential Irish
correspondents"
Mrs.
Eliza Bennis or "Bennis was one of the first five members of the Methodist
Society in Limerick, Ireland."[53]
She
had been raised a Presbyterian and married Mitchell Bennis in 1745.
It was in March
1749 that Elizabeth Bennis was introduced to Methodism, when the first Wesleyan
preacher arrived in Limerick.
She converted
"to Methodism shortly thereafter and, despite criticism from family and
the community, quickly took a leadership role within her local
congregation." [54]
"Had
a hand in the establishment of Methodism in North America"
Bennis was
"energetic, intelligent and zealous, she became one of the most
influential Irish correspondents of John Wesley, a supporter of Methodism not
only in Limerick but in Waterford and elsewhere in Munster, and, through
her contacts with
John Stretton, the Irish apostle of Methodism in Newfoundland, had a share in
the establishment of Methodism in North America." [55]
She started a
diary that she would keep for the next thirty years.
Thomas Walsh,
many conversions
"John Wesley declared that
with six men like Thomas Walsh he would have turned Ireland upside down"
Thomas Walsh
(1730-1759), in 1749, in Limerick, was awakened by the preaching of the
Methodist preacher Robert Swindells. In 1750 he was born again when he attended
the Methodist Society in Newmarket.
He had the support of
Wesley, who gave him opportunity to preach. In 1753, Wesley appointed him to
the English itinerancy. He preached in Irish and English and became a gifted
and determined evangelist.
He preached twice a day in
Limerick with great power.
He left his teaching
job and traveled to other parts of southern Ireland preaching two or three
times a day. He was persecuted and attacked with sticks and stones.
Wesley said he didn't
know of any preacher that in so few years God used to convert so many people.
John Wesley declared that with six men like Thomas Walsh he would have turned Ireland upside down.[56]
Palatine Offices start Methodism in America
"She
persuaded Philip Embury to begin preaching again, and in October 1766 he began
holding regular services in his home"
Two important Palatine converts by Wesley emigrated to America in 1760: Philip Embury and Barbara Heck.
Philip Embury
Philip
Embury (1729-1775) was born in Ballingrane, CountyLimerick,Ireland.
"Embury
was educated at a school near Ballingrane, County Limerick, Ireland, and learned the
trade of carpenter. He
was converted on Christmas Day, 1752, became a local preacher at the Court of
Matrix in 1758, and married Margaret Switzer that autumn." [57]
In
1760, with rising land rents and the dream of a better life, he went to New York
with other Palatines and worked as a school teacher. [58]
Like
other palatines, he settled into his faith. Later, however, he was awakened by
his cousin Barbara Heck in a harsh way. Philip held the first Methodist
preaching in 1766 in New York and began to lead a Methodist class.
Barbara Heck
Barbara Ruckle Heck (1734-1804) was born in County Limerick, Ireland. Her parents had fled religious persecution in Germany and went to Limerick in 1709.
She was converted at the age of 18 through the preaching of John Wesley.
In 1760, she married Paul Heck and left with a group of Irish Palatines for the New World, settling in the colony of New York.
In the group was his cousin Philip Embury, a carpenter, who was also
converted by Wesley, in Ireland, and who had received a preacher's letter.
But they settled.
One day, "Barbara Heck returned home one day
in 1766 to find her husband Paul and some friend's playing cards. She took her
knapsack, threw it into the fire, and ran to the house of her cousin Philip
Embury. He had been a local preacher in Ballingrane, and she urged him to begin
preaching again, lest all his souls should be lost." [59]
He "preached the first Methodist sermon in New York to a congregation whose tradition is said to be composed of his wife Margaret, the Hecks, another Irish palatine John Lawrence, and Embury's African-American servant Betsy."[60]
Barbara
Heck is considered the mother of Methodism in America.
Palatine in America and Canada
"In 1770, some of the Palatine Palaces of New
York, again led by Philip Embury, moved to the Camden Valley, on what is now
the New York/Vermont state border, nearly 200 miles north of New York City.
When the American War of Independence broke out, most of them took the British
side. It was the British who took pity on their forefathers seventy years
earlier and gave them refuge from starvation, and they retained a sense of
gratitude." [61]
Many of the Methodist Palatine who emigrated from
Ireland to America went to Canada.
When
the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1766, Paul Heck took up arms to
fight for the British. His farm in Vermont was confiscated and they fled to
Montreal in 1783.
The
family received a grant of land in Maynard, where the family members held the
first Methodist class in their small cabin in the woods.
In
1817, Barbara's son Samuel was ordained a deacon in the Methodist chapel in
Elizabethtown.[62]
Barbara Heck played an important role in the
establishment of Methodism in Canada.
Wesley's visits in Limerick
"I preached on the
island near Limerick, both morning and evening, standing beside a large hut
adjacent to the old camp"
John Wesley "visited Ireland twenty-one times,
and was particularly attracted by the Irish palatines. They, in turn, were
attracted by his message of personal piety, and many became avid adherents of
Methodism."[63]
John Wesley visited the city of Limerick between 1749 and 1789. He
visited Ireland in 1747, 1748, 1749, 1750 and 1752. In these years he did not
visit the Palatines.
The first Irish Conference met in Limerick in 1752
and the third also in Limerick in 1758. [64]
Preaching in Limerick
"Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones"
In June 1749, Wesley said, "I have preached... at night... in
Limerick, in "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous."
According to him, it was "four comfortable days that I spent with
these lively people, like those I have not met in all the kingdom." [65]
First
conference
"They were 'rooted and
grounded in love' and 'zealous for good works'
The
first Irish conference of Methodists was held in Limerick in 1752.[66]
In August 1752, Wesley wrote, "I spent Friday and Saturday in
conference with our preachers, and the following week I spoke with each of the
members of the society, many of whom, I now discovered, were 'rooted and
grounded in love' and 'zealous for good works.'" [67]
"I was forced to take a break several
times"
In June, 1756, Wesley said, "In surveying society, I was obliged to
pause several times. The words of the simple and honest people came with so
much weight so often as to stop me for a time, and raise a general cry among
the hearers." [68]
"We examine here all the things which we think
would be helpful to preachers or societies"
Two years later, in June, 1758, Wesley speaks of the Conference of
preachers: "Our little Conference began, at which fourteen preachers were
present. We examined here all the things which we thought would be useful to
preachers or societies, and consulted how to remove anything that might be an
obstacle to the work of God." [69]
"People sat on the grass, row after row"
In July, 1758, Wesley wrote in his diary: "I preached on the island
near Limerick, both morning and evening, standing beside a large hut adjacent
to the old camp. The floor on the sides sloped upwards, so that the people sat
on the grass, row after row. An amphitheatre which I had never seen before, in
which thousands of hearers were so comfortably placed, and they seemed to
respond earnestly to the invitation of our Lord. 'Come, for all things are
ready!' '[70]
"In the hope of giving them life"
In July, 1760, Wesley noticed a diminution of classes in Limerick.
"And how can it be otherwise," he said, "when vice flows like a
torrent, unless the children of God be all life, zeal, activity? In the hope of
quickening them, I preached at seven in the old camp to more than twice the
usual congregation; that the next two nights were more numerous still, and
equally attentive. I was pleased to see a small army of soldiers there, and not
a few of their officers. Nor did they behave as carefree hearers, but as men
who really desired to save their souls." [71]
"I have not seen such a vision since I came to
the kingdom"
The next day, Sunday, Wesley took leave of "that comfortable place,
where thousands of people gathered. I have not seen such a sight since I came
to the kingdom. They not only filled in the lower ground, but completely
covered the shores surrounding it, though they were as close as possible,"
Wesley said. [72]
I exhorted them to "ask the old ways, and walk in them," said Wesley, "that they might find rest for their souls. We afterwards had a solemn meeting of society, in the confidence that God would revive His work."[73]
Hunger and lack of clothing of the Palatines
"But the poor settlers, with all their diligence
and frugality, could not get even the coarsest food to eat, and the humblest
garments to wear"
The
landlord in Limerick, after the expiration of the 50-year lease or the lease
for three lives, [74]wanted to greatly increase the
lease values. Many, therefore, left. A good part for America.
Several
who stayed later went hungry.
On
Wednesday, July 16, 1760, Wesley said, "I rode to Newmarket, which was
another German settlement. But the poor settlers, with all their diligence and
frugality, could not get even the coarsest food to eat, and the humblest
garments to wear, under their merciful owners; so that most of them, as well as
those at Balligara (Ballingran), and were forced to seek bread elsewhere, some
of them in distant parts." [75]
And
Wesley adds: "but most of it in America." [76]
On
Friday, June 14, 1765, "about noon, I preached at Ballygarene (now called
Ballingran)," said Wesley, to the little remains of the poor palatines. As
they could not get food and clothing here with all their diligence and
frugality, some is scattered throughout the kingdom, and part has gone to
America. I marvel!
The
landlords have no common sense (whether they have common humanity or not), that
they will allow tenants like these to starve away from them." [77]
"What
remains of the poor palatines"
On
Thursday, May 21, 1767, Wesley said, "what remains of the poor palatines.
Many have gone to America; many scattered up and down in various parts of the
kingdom. Everywhere they are standards of work and frugality.' interacted with
the natives. They usually have leases for three lives." [78]
Until the end of his life, Wesley visited and supported the Palatines.
Wesley's Admiration for the Palatines
"I found a lot of life among these simple,
artless, serious people"
On June 16, 1756, Wesley said, "In the afternoon I went to
Ballingarrane, a town on the Palatines which came in the time of Queen Anne.
They retain much of the temper and manners of their own country, bearing no
resemblance to those among whom they live. I have found much life among these
simple, artless, earnest people."[79]
"The friendliness of the place, the calm of the night and the convenient distance from the city"
In May, 1762, on Sunday, Wesley preached "in the old camp. The
sympathy of the place, the calm of the night, and the convenient distance from
the city, all conspired to gather the people, who flocked in from all quarters,
many officers, as well as abundance of soldiers, were among them, and behaved
with the greatest decency. I preached the following evenings in the same place,
and that in a great measure for the good of the soldiers, being within a musket
shot of the place where they were exercising. That is, two nights an officer
ordered a large body to exercise on the spot; but the moment I began, they laid
down their arms, and joined the rest of the congregation."[80]
These have a rather different appearance from the
natives of the country, as well as a different temperament. They are serious
and thinking people. And their diligence turns their whole land into a
garden"
On
Thursday, June 4, 1762, "I preached at noon at Balligarame," said
Wesley, "to a large congregation, chiefly of palatines. And so at
Newmarket in the evening and the next morning. These have a rather different
appearance from the natives of the country, as well as a different temperament.
They are serious and thinking people. And their diligence turns all their land
into a garden."[81]
"A Convenient Place to Build a Preaching
House"
In June, 1762, Wesley "went" to Limerick. I had promised to
return if our brethren could find a convenient place to build a preaching
house. One now offered, suitable in every respect." [82]
"It seemed that God had also visited
Limerick"
On Sunday, at the "feast of love in the evening, it seemed that God
had also visited Limerick. Five people wished to thank God for a clear sense of
His forgiving love; several others for the increase of faith and for the
deliverance of doubts and fears. And two gave a plain and simple account of the
manner in which God had purified their hearts, so that they now felt no anger,
pride, or self-will; but continual love, prayer, and praise."[83]
"I went to Limerick and found the finished
preaching house"
In June 1765, Wesley said, "I went to Limerick and found the
preaching house finished. I liked the best of all in the kingdom; being tidy,
yes elegant, but not showy." [84]
"Some of the latter behaved with remarkable
indecency"
The next day, Sunday, "in the evening, Wesley preached at
Mardyke." The heat was violent, even at six; yet there was a numerous
congregation, both Protestants and Papists. Some of the latter behaved with
remarkable indecency—talking and laughing as in a play. I turned and reproved
them. They took it well, and laughed no more." [85]
"I had a lot of satisfaction among them"
"The following week," said Wesley, "I spoke with each
member of the society, and had much satisfaction among them. Concerning several
of them, there is every reasonable proof that they have given God their whole
heart; many others are groaning after full salvation; and all the rest are free
from outward guilt." [86]
"A solemn fear seemed to settle down on all
faces"
Three days later, Wesley said, "In the evening I preached near
Mardyke, in a smooth, grassy place, to, I think, the largest congregation I
ever saw in Limerick. A solemn fear seemed to settle down on every face, as I
declared in strong words, "He died for all, that they that live should
henceforth live not for themselves, but for Him." The next day the rain
began; so that every day after I was constrained to preach at home."[87]
"Gradually,
they grew closer and mingled with the congregation"
On June 17, 1765,
Wesley wrote in his diary: "At seven o'clock I preached in the
Market-house at Kilfinane [County Limerick]. Almost the whole town, Irish,
English, and German, Protestants and Papists, now meet. At first most of the
Papists kept aloof; and so did several of the people: but gradually they drew
near and mingled with the congregation." [88]
Wesley
returned to Kilfinane on several later occasions, each time preaching in the
market-house.
"The Continuous Rain
Prevented Me From Preaching Outside"
On Saturday, May 9, 1767,
"then, having no business there, I went out in the morning, preached at
Clare about eight, and in the evening at Limerick. The continual rain prevented
me from preaching abroad this week, and I was scandalized at the smallness of
the congregation in the house," said Wesley.
"I can only find the
memory of the fire that was lit two years ago"
Wesley further said,
"Almost in the whole province of Ulster I have found the work of God
increasing; and not a little in Connaught, particularly in Sligo, Castlebar,
and Galway. But in Munster, a land flowing with milk and honey, how widely is
the case altered! In Ennis, the god of this world has fully prevailed; in Clara
there is but a spark (...); and in Limerick itself, I find only the remembrance
of the fire that was kindled two years ago. And yet one of the two preachers
who was here last was almost universally admired! But, alas! How little avail
is it! 'He is the best physician,' said a sensible man, 'Not who speaks best,
nor who writes best, but who performs more cures.' Thank you to be at the
Genteel Company." [89]
"I Began to Hope God
Would Revive His Work"
The next day, Sunday, "The weather was fine, I took my stand in the
Old Camp, and had, I believe, as many hearers as all the former goods put
together," Wesley said. "There was a solemn fear throughout the
congregation, and I began to expect God to revive His work." [90]
"I spoke to the members of society
severely"
On Monday, "I spoke to the members of society severely; most of
them seemed to be honest and upright. But a general fainting seemed to have
spread among them; there was no zeal, no vigor of grace..." [91], said Wesley.
"So they are put back on their feet once
again"
On Sunday, Wesley wrote in his journal: "The Old Camp would
scarcely contain the congregation, which was intimately wedged. Then we had a
solemn hour at the society meeting, in which God caused many of the bones that
had been broken to rejoice. Thus they are brought to their feet once more. Now
let them run with patience the race that was set before them." [92]
"In the Evening, I Preached at the Old
Camp"
Wesley wrote in May, 1769, "This evening I preached in the parlor;
and at eight o'clock in the morning, Pentecost Sunday, but I was much
scandalized at the smallness of the congregation. In the evening I preached in
the Old Camp, where the crowding was greater than it had been for several
years. So it was on Monday and Tuesday evening. But still I observed no wounded
among them, nor anything more than a calm and dull attention..." [93]
"Day of fasting and prayer for a revival of
His work"
Wesley said, "We observed Friday the 19th as a day of fasting and
prayer for a revival of His work. Many attended five, nine, and one, but more
on watchnight. And it was then that God touched the hearts of the people, even
those who were 'twice dead.'"
"So great was the power of God in our
midst"
The following Sunday, "I was hoping to take the field in the
afternoon, but the rain prevented it," Wesley said. "Yet I did not
repent of the disappointment, so great was the power of God in our midst. I
believe that few were untouched; many were deeply wounded; many rejoiced with
indescribable joy... God employed His two-edged sword on every side in a manner
that I had not seen here for many years." [94]
"If, as is your way, you attend three days,
and then fall, I can grant my better time elsewhere"
Two years later, in May 1771, "I... plainly said to the
congregation, 'If, as is your way, you attend three days, and then fall, I may
grant my better time elsewhere; but if you continue to come, I will stay with
you longer.' They accepted my word, and continued to increase both morning and
evening, while I remained in the city." [95]
"I should have thought it was worth coming to
Limerick"
On Pentecost Sunday, Wesley said, "The floor of the island being
wet, I preached in the evening near the new custom-house, in 'If any man
thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.' I was not in the least refreshed,
observing so many who seemed to thirst for living water. I preached there again
the next evening to about the same number of hearers. I should have thought it
worth while to have come to Limerick, had it been only for these two
nights..." [96]
"I have not found any society in Ireland,
number by number, so rooted and grounded in love"
Five days later, Wesley said, "I spoke sternly to the members of
the society in Limerick. I have not found any society in Ireland, number by
number, so rooted and grounded in love. We observed it as a day of fasting and
prayer, and we were greatly comforted together." [97]
"Danger of sinking into formality"
In May, 1773, Wesley said, "Here I found, as in the past, a settled
people, serious, but in danger of sinking into formality... [Six days later]
After the morning preaching, I met the select society. All these once
experienced salvation from sin; some still enjoy it, but the greater part are,
more or less, stripped of their strength, but not without hope of regaining
it." [98]
"Papists and Protestants"
In May 1775, Wesley wrote in his diary: "I preached to a large
congregation of Papists and Protestants in the court of the Custom-House, where
many could hear within and without..." [99]
"I'm a little surprised by that"
[Four days later:]
On
Wednesday, May 17, 1775, Wesley wrote: "I have examined the society of
Limerick, containing now one hundred and one persons, seven fewer than two
years ago. I am a little surprised at this; whereas the scandal of the cross is
almost ceased here, through the wise and constant behaviour of our brethren.
But they want zeal; they are not fervent in spirit: Therefore they cannot grow
up here."[100]
"I observed a considerable change"
Three years later, in May, 1778, Wesley said: "I felt in the
evening the spirit of the congregation, the same as many years ago; but on one
occasion I observed a considerable change: I used to have large congregations
on my first coming to Limerick; but from the first day they gradually
diminished. It was not so now; but poor and rich, Protestant and papist,
flocked in from first to last. Did they forebod that they should see my face no
more?" [101]
"Removed to Abraham's bosom"
In May, 1785, Wesley "in the evening, "met many of our old
friends in Limerick who had been removed to Abraham's bosom." [102]
"Wild as the brood of the untaught
Indian"
The next day, Pentecost Sunday, Wesley said that the "service in
the cathedral began at eleven and lasted until three. It ended a little
earlier, with my attendance at the Lord's Supper, at the request of the clergy.
Between five and six I took position near the custom-house, amid an innumerable
crowd of people; but they were savages like the brood of the untaught
Indian."
"They made such a wonderful noise that I thought it best to give
them the floor, and retire to our own house," [103]he said.
"I Restored the Selective Society"
And the next day Wesley wrote: "I have restored the select society,
which had been so much neglected. In the evening I earnestly exhorted all our
brethren to begin again in the good old way, and to run with patience the race
set before them."[104]
"Here they have always been an affectionate
people; but I have never met them as much as now"
In May, 1787, Wesley said,
"Here has always been an affectionate people; but I have never met them so
much as I do now. It was too cold at night to be outside, so we squeezed as
much as we could into the preaching house. I preached on 'Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart.' Many here have experienced it, but few, if
any, retain it now!" [105]
"Finding a remarkable death, I inquired what
the reasons for it were; and he found out"
The next day Wesley wrote: "The congregation at five filled the
house almost as well as it was filled at night. Finding a remarkable mortality,
I inquired what the reasons of it were; and I found, (1) There was, for several
months, a deep misunderstanding between the preachers and the head of the
society. Thus, on the one hand, the preachers had life or spirit to preach;
and, on the other, the congregation dwindled. (2) Many ceased to attend their
bands, and many others seldom met with their classes. (3) The prayer meetings
were entirely abandoned. What wonder if all the people were slain as
stones?" [106]
"At night, I tried to wake up"
"In the evening I sought to awaken those who sat on their
dregs," said Wesley, "applying firmly those solemn words: 'The first
shall be last, and the last the first; for many are called, but few are
chosen.' In the morning ... I endeavored to stir them up once more to hunger
and thirst for righteousness, after all the image of God.... After the morning
service, I met the commissioners and leaders, and inquired about the appearance
of the late misunderstanding..." [107]
"Hope That God Will Revive His Work in This
City"
"Every time I preached," said Wesley, "I found more and
more hope that God will revive His work in this city. I know He will if the
prayer meetings are restored; these are never without fruit."[108]
Two years later, in May 1789, Wesley said, "At six the house would
not contain the congregation. I preached on 'There is one God,' and it seemed
that everyone under the roof was sensitive to His presence." [109]
"Joseph Bradford took my place"
The next day, Wesley was unable to preach and said, "I was not
quite able to preach in the morning; so Joseph Bradford took my place..." [110]
"I Preached in the Morning and in the Evening
in Luke"
But the next day, Wesley said, "I preached in the morning on Rev.
ii.4,5; in the evening, on Luke iv.18. The whole congregation was, for the time
being, much affected: with many, I trust, the printing will continue."[111]
"All the remnants of the palatine families
came"
On
Wednesday, the 13th of May, 1789, Wesley said that he had failed to preach well
in the morning; so Joseph Bradford took his place. "But about eleven
o'clock I myself preached at Pallas, about twelve miles from Limerick. All the
remnants of the Palatine families came from Balligarane, Court-Mattris, and
Ratheal; in all these places an unusual flame had lately burst forth, such as
had never been seen before. Many everywhere were deeply convinced, many were
converted to God, and some were perfected in love. Some societies doubled in
number, some increased six, or even tenfold. All the neighboring nobles were
also assembled; so that no house could contain them, but I was obliged to
remain abroad. The people, as it were, swallowed every word: and great was our
joy in the Lord."[112]
[1]
https://conflictinglegacies.wordpress.com/chapter-5-the-palatine-irish-farmers/
[2] Do not confuse the
Palatines with the Palestinians and Paladins.
[3] Studies in the
History of the Missions, Volume 9. Leiwiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 1993. Two
volumes, 794 pp. "Dr. Samuel Rogal (Emeritus) was the Chair of the
Division of Humanities and Fine Arts at Illinois Valley Community College,
Oglesby, Illinois. Author of many books and articles, he has published several
specialized monographs on John Wesley with The Edwin Mellen Press, including
London." https://mellenpress.com/author/samuel-j-rogal/1434/
[4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatines
[5]
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Palatinate#:~:text=A%20palatinate%20is%20um%20territory,of%20Sacred%20Empire%20Roman-Germanic.
[8]
https://historicgraves.com/story/ballyhoura-palatines-german-colony-south-limerick
[10] Wesley, his own
historian.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AGV9079.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext.Wesley,
his own historian. Cincinnati: Hitchcock and Walden.
1870.
[11] Wesley, his own
historian.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AGV9079.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext.Wesley,
his own historian. Cincinnati: Hitchcock and Walden.
1870.
[12]
https://www.benner.org.nz/index.php/stories/benner-ireland-stories/204-the-palatines-in-ireland
[13]
https://www.irishfamilyhistorycentre.com/article/lease-of-lives/
[14] Wesley, his own historian.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AGV9079.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext.Wesley,
his own historian. Cincinnati: Hitchcock and Walden.
1870.
[17] l
https://www.edublin.com.br/imerick/
[18] Methodism and the
Irish Palatines by D.A. Levistone Cooney.
https://www.irishpalatines.org/about/methodism.html
[19] Ditto.
[20]
https://rodaleinstitute.org/ en/science/industrial-hemp-trial/
[21] Methodism and the
Irish Palatines by D.A. Levistone Cooney.
https://www.irishpalatines.org/about/methodism.html
[22] Methodism and the Irish Palatines by D.A. Levistone Cooney. Op.city.
[23]
https://www.facebook.com/wesleyinireland/
[24]
https://www.benner.org.nz/index.php/stories/benner-ireland-stories/204-the-palatines-in-ireland
[25]
https://www.facebook.com/wesleyinireland/
[26]
http://www.oldhaybaychurch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2004-vol-12.pdf
[27] Ditto.
[28]
https://www.facebook.com/AdareWalks/photos/a.457702334647023/1379501212467126/?type=3
[29]
http://www.oldhaybaychurch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2004-vol-12.pdf
[30]
https://www.irishpalatines.org/about/methodism.html
[31]
https://www.wesleysheritage.org.uk/object/john-wesley-preaching-in-ireland/
[32]
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/
reading-room/history-heritage/architecture/the-cork-camera-club-(pre/the-quays/georges-quay/
[33]
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/history-of-ireland/john-wesley-in-dublin/
[34]
Ditto.
[35]
Ditto.
[36]
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/history-of-ireland/john-wesley-in-dublin/
[37]
https://www.vivadecora.com.br/ pro/wainscoting/
[38]
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/history-of-ireland/john-wesley-in-dublin/
[39]
https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/history-of-ireland/john-wesley-in-dublin/
[40] Ditto.
[41] https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/whs/26-6.pdf
[42]
https://www.mayhum.net/cobbe_charles.htm
[43]
https://www.dib.ie/biography/cobbe-charles-a1776
[44]https://www.facebook.com/wesleyinireland/
[45]
https://www.irishpalatines.org/about/methodism.html
[46]
https://dmbi.online/index.php?do=app.entry&id=2669
[47]
https://dmbi.online/index.php?do=app.entry&id=2669
[48]
https://www.irishpalatines.org/ about/methodism.html
[50]
https://www.irishpalatines.org/about/methodism.html
[51]
https://www.dib.ie/ biography/averell-adam-a028
[53]
https://repository.duke.edu/dc/wesleyfamilypapers/wfpst019001
[54]
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Journal-Elizabeth-Bennis-1749-1779/dp/1856075664
[55]
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Journal-Elizabeth-Bennis-1749-1779/dp/1856075664
[56]Search:
https://fisherbelfast.wordpress.com/tag/irish-methodists/
http://www.pentecostalpioneers.org/ThomasWalsh.html
http://www.archive.org/stream/irelandandcente00croogoog/irelandandcente00croogoog_djvu.txt
[57]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Embury
[58]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Embury
[59]
https://www.irishpalatines.org/about/methodism.html
[61]
https://www.irishpalatines.org/about/methodism.html
[62]
Research: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Heckwww.victorshepherd.on.ca/Heritage/barbara.html;
www.home.ripnet.com/.../barbara_and_paul_heck.html; http://home.ripnet.com/legacy/colonel_edward_jessup/UEL_Col_J/barbara_and_paul_heck.html
www.interpretermagazine.org ›... › April 2004
[64]
https://www.jstor.org/stable/30070888
[79]
https://www.benner.org.nz/index.php/stories/benner-ireland-stories/204-the-palatines-in-ireland
[81] https://wesleyscholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Volume-3-Journal-1760-1773.pdf
[89]
Wesley, his own historian. Op.cit.
[100] The Journal of the reverend John Wesley, a.m. sometime fellow of lincoln college, oxford. r - from september 13, 1773, to october 24, 1790. an extract of the rev. m. r. john wesley's journal. from september 13, 1773, to january 2, 1776. num ber xvii. wol. iv.
[112]
http://media.sabda.org/alkitab-11/V6F-Z/WES_WW04.PDF
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