170 leave the Society

Mon 13 Dec 1779: I retired to Lewisham and settled the society book. Fifty-seven members of the society have died this year, and none of them ‘as a fool dieth’. An hundred and seventy have left the society. Such are the fruits of senseless prejudice [from @Cedric Poole: this “prejudice” refers to a problem with the local preachers who objected to JW giving his brother Charles preference when making preaching appointments].