LIFE OF REV. JOHN WESLEY.

ing in. The man of the house came home, and in- | hopeful guide was to conduct us out of the reach of stead of turning me out, as they expected, took part his fellows. Mr. Minton and I took horse in the with us, and stemmed the tide for some time. They face of our enemies, who began clamoring against now got a notion that I had made my escape, and us; the gentlemen were dispersed among the mob, ran down to the inn, and played the engine there. to bridle them. We rode a slow pace up the street, They forced the inn-keeper to turn out our horses, the whole multitude pouring along on both sides, which he immediately sent to Mr. Clan's, which and attending us with loud acclamations. Such drew the rabble and their engine thither. But the fierceness and diabolical malice I have not before resolute old man charged, and presented his gun seen in human faces. They ran up to our horses till they retreated. Upon their revisiting us, we as if they would swallow us, but did not know which stood in jeopardy every moment. Such threatenings, was Wesley. We felt great peace and acquiescurses and blasphemies, I have never heard. They cence in the honor done us, while the whole town seemed kept out by a continual miracle. I remem- were spectators of our march. When out of sight bered the Roman senators, sitting in the forum, we mended our pace, and about seven o'clock came when the Gauls broke in upon them, but thought to Wrexall. The news of our danger was got there was a fitter posture for Christians, and told thither before us; but we brought the welcome timy companions they should take us off of our knees. dings of our deliverance. We joined in hearty We were kept from all hurry and discomposure of prayer to our Deliverer, singing the hymn, spirit by a divine power resting upon us. We prayed and conversed as freely as if we had been in the midst of our brethren, and had great confidence that the Lord would either deliver us from the danger, or in it. In the height of the storm, just when we were falling into the hands of the drunken enraged multitude, Mr. Minton was so little disturbed that he fell fast asleep.

'They were now close to us on every side, and over our heads untiling the roof. A ruffian cried out, 'Here they are, behind the curtain.' At this time we fully expected their appearance, and retired to the furthermost corner of the room, and I said, 'This is the crisis. In that moment Jesus rebuked he winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. We heard not a breath without, and wondered what was become of them. The silence lasted for three quarters of an hour, before any one came near us; and we continued in mutual exhortation and prayer, I often told my comlooking for deliverance. panions, 'Now God is at work for us; he is contriving our escape; he can turn these leopards into lambs; can command the heathen to bring his children on their shoulders, and make our fiercest enemies the instruments of our deliverance.' About three o'clock Mr. Clark knocked at the door, and brought with him the persecuting constable. He said, Sir, if you will promise never to preach here again,the gentlemen and I will engage to bring you safe out of town.' My answer was, 'I shall promise no such thing; setting aside my office, I will not give up my birth-right as an Englishman, of visiting what place I please of his majesty's dominions.' 'Sir, said the constable, we expect no such promise, that you will never come here again; only tell me that it is not your present intention, that I may tell the gentlemen, who will then secure your I answered, 'I cannot come private departure.' again at this time, because I must return to London a week hence. But, observe, I make no promise of not preaching here when the door is opened; and do not you say that I do."

"He went away with this answer, and we betook
ourselves to prayer and thanksgiving. We per-
ceived it was the Lord's doing, and it was marvel-
lous in our eyes. The hearts of our adversaries
were turned. Whether pity for us, or fear for them-
selves, wrought strongest, God knoweth; probably
the latter, for the mob were wrought up to such a
pitch of fury, that their masters dreaded the conse-
quence, and therefore went about appeasing the
multitude, and charging them not to touch us in
our departure.

"While the constable was gathering his posse,
we got our things from Mr. Clark's, and prepared
The whole multitude were without,
to go forth.
expecting us, and saluted us with a general shout.
The man Mrs. Taylor had hired to ride before her
was, as we now perceived, one of the rioters. This

'Worship, and thanks, and blessing,' &c.

February 26. I preached at Bath, and we rejoiced like men who take the spoil. We continued our triumph at Bristol, and reaped the fruit of our labors and sufferings."

Amidst such storms, more or less violent, were the foundations of that work laid, the happy results of which tens of thousands now enjoy in peace. But even the piety which could hazard such labors and dangers for the sake of "seeking and saving the lost," and the heroic devotedness which remained constant under them, has not been able to win the praise of prejudiced writers on the subject of Methodism. Dr. Southey has little sympathy with the sufferings which a persecuted people were doomed in many places so callously to endure; and he finds in the heroism of their leaders a subject of reproach and contempt rather than that of admiration which, had they occupied some poetical position, he had had a great longing Mr. Whitefield, he tells us, doubtless expressed as forcibly and nobly as any man. to be persecuted," though the quotation from one of his letters, on which he justifies the aspersion, shows nothing more than a noble defiance of suffering, should it occur in the course of what he esteemed his duty. Similar sarcasms have been cast by infidels upon all who, in every age, have suffered for the sake of Christ; and like those in which Dr. Southey has indulged, they were intended to darken the lustre of that patient courage which sprang out of love to the Saviour and the souls of men, by resolving it into spiritual pride, and a desire to render themselves conspicuous. Of John Nelson, one of Mr. Wesley's first lay coadjutors, who endured no ordinary share of oppression and suffering, as unprovoked and unmerited as the most modest and humble demeanor on his part could render it, Dr. Southey truly says, that "he had as high a spirit and as brave a heart as ever Englishman was blessed with;" to the magistracy of the day, and which were susyet even the narration of his wrongs, so scandalous tained by him in the full spirit of Christian constancy, is not dismissed without a sneer at this honest and suffering man himself." To prison therefore Nelson was taken, to his heart's content." And so because he chose a prison rather than violate his conscience, and endured imprisonment and other injuries, with the unbending feeling of a high and noble mind, corrected and controlled by "the meekness and gentleness of Christ, imprisonment was to have derived from it, his motive! Before critihis desire, and the distinction which he is supposed cism so flippant and callous, no character, however sacred and revered, could stand. It might be applied with equal success to the persecutions of the Life of Wesley. apostles, and the first Christians themselves; to the

castle, preaching at various intermediate places. | speak against us, either in conversation or in The following extract shows the cheerful and public. buoyant spirit with which he encountered these "10. On this encouragement several of the clergy difficulties:stirred up the people to treat us as outlaws or inad dogs.

ay of those senseless tales that pass current with the vulgar; that, if you do not credit them yourselves, you will not relate them to others; (which we have known done;) yea, that you will confute thein, so far as ye have opportunity, and discountenance those who still retail them abroad.

"4. We do not desire any preferment. favor, or recommendation from those that are in authority, either in church or state. But we desire,

"1. That if any thing material be laid to our charge, we may be permitted to answer for ourselves. 2. That you would hinder your dependants from stirring up the rabble against us, who are certainly not the proper judges of these matters; and, 3. That you would effectually suppress, and thoroughly discountenance, all riots and popular insurrections, which evidently strike at the foundation of all government, whether of church or state.

wall." On this Mr. Wesley contents himself with coolly remarking, "We will not, if we can help it." He now proceeded northward; and at Northampton called on Dr. Doddridge, from whom he had previously received several letters, breathing the most catholic spirit. At Leeds, the mob pelted him and the congregation with dirt and stones; and the next evening, being "in higher excitement, they were ready," says he, "to knock out our brains for joy that the duke of Tuscany was emperor." On his arrival at Newcastle, the town was in the utmost consternation, news having arrived that the Pretender had entered Edinburgh. By the most earnest preaching, he endeavored to turn this season of alarm to the spiritual profit of the people, and the large congregations whom he addressed in the streets heard with solemn attention. He then visited Epworth, but speedily returned to Newcastle, judging probably, that the place of anxiety and danger was his post of duty. Here he made an offer to the general, through one of the aldermen, to preach to the troops encamped near the town, whose dissoIt is evident from this paper, that Mr. Wesley's lute language and manners greatly affected him; difficulties, arising from his having raised up a dis- but he seems to have received no favorable answer: tinct people, within the national church, pressed so, after preaching a few times near the camp, he upon him. He desired union and co-operation with returned southwards, endeavoring, at Leeds, Birthe clergy, but his hope was disappointed; and per-mingham, and other places, to turn the public agihaps it was much more than he could ret.sonably tation, arising from the apprehension of civil war, indulge. It shows, however, his own sincerity, and to the best account, by enforcing repentance tothat he was not only led into his course of irregu- wards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." larity, but impelled forward in it, by circumstances which his zeal and piety had created, and which ail his prejudices in favor of the church could not control.

"Now these things you certainly can do, and that with a safe conscience; therefore, until these things are done, the continuance of the breach is chargeable on you and you only."*

After spending some time in Newcastle and the neighboring places, he visited Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. On his return southward, he called at Wednesbury, long the scene of riot, and preached in peace. At Birmingham he had to abide the pelting of stones and dirt; and on his return to London, he found some of the society inclined to Quakerism; but by reading "Barclay's Apology" over with them, and commenting upon it, they were recovered. Antinomianism, both of mystic and Calvinistic origin, also gave him trouble; but his testimony against it was unsparing. To erroneous opinions, when innocent, no man was more tender; but when they infected the conduct, they met from him the sternest resistance. "I would wish all to observe, that the points in question between us and either the German or English Antinomians, are not points of opinion, but of practice. We break with no man for his opinion. We think and let think."+

In the summer he proceeded to Cornwall, where Dr. Borlase, the historian of that county, in the plenitude of his magisterial authority, still carried on a systematic persecution against the Methodists. He had made out an order for Mr. Maxfield, who had been preaching in various places, to be sent on board a man-of-war, but the captain would not take him. A pious and peaceable miner, with a wife and seven children, was also apprehended under the Doctor's warrant, because he had said "that he knew his sins forgiven;" and this zealous anti-heretic finally made out a warrant against Mr. Wesley himself, but could find no one to execute it. From Cornwall, where his ministry had been attended with great effect, Mr. Wesley proceeded to Wales,

and thence to Bristol.

Count Zinzendorf about this time directed the publication of an advertisement, declaring that he and his people had no connection with John and Charles Wesley; and concluded with a prophecy, that they would " soon run their heads against a

Mr. Wesley had occasionally employed himself in writing and getting printed small religious tracts, many thousands of which were distributed. This was revived with vigor on his return to London this year; and he thus, by his example, was probably the first to apply, on any large scale, this important means of usefulness to the reformation of the people. In the form of those excellent institutions called "Tract Societies," the same plan has now long been carried on systematically, to the great spiritual advantage of many thousands. At this period he observes, adverting to the numerous small tracts he had written and distributed, “ It pleased God hereby to provoke others to jealousy; insomuch that the lord mayor had ordered a large quantity of papers, dissuading from cursing and swearing, to be printed, and distributed to the train-bands. And this day, an Earnest Exhortation to Serious Repentance' was given at every church-door in or near London, to every person who came out, and one left at the house of every householder who was absent from church. I doubt not but God gave a blessing therewith."*

In the early part of 1746, we find the following entry in Mr. Wesley's journal:-"I set out for Bristol. On the road I read over Lord King's account of the primitive church. In spite of the vehement

* Journal. Previous to this, we find him a tract writer and distributor; for he observes in the year 1742, "I set out for Brentford with Robert Swindels. The next day we reached Marlborough. When one in the dels stepped down, and put into his hand the paper enroom beneath us was swearing desperately, Mr. Swintitled Swear not at all.' He thanked him, and promised to swear no more. And he did not while he was in the house." Mr. Wesley had already written tracts entitied, "A Word to a Smuggler," "A Word to a Sabbath-breaker." "A Word to a Swearer," "A Word to a to a Malefactor," and several others. He published Drunkard." A Word to a Street-walker." "A Word these that his preachers and people might have them to give away to those who were guilty of these crimes, or in danger of falling into them. He considered this as one great means of spreading the knowledge of God. He also early gave his influence to the Sunday-school system. Mr. Raikes began his Sunday-school in Gloucester in 1784; and in January, 1785, Mr. Wesley published an account of it in his magazine, and exhorted his societies to imitate that laudable example.