The Young People's Wesley

. Men may prosecute a reform when public opinion favors it with comparative ease, but with less entitlement to honor than he has a right to claim who does it

igated and principally conducted by the officials of that Church of whi

It has been the Church opposing those who were honestly seeking her own reformation. When the Church substitutes forms for godliness, and devotes herself to ecclesiastic

e press, taking its keynote from the pulpit, thundered as though the "abomination of desolation" had actually "taken posse

s: "We were everywhere represented as mad dogs, and treated accordingly. In sermons, newspapers, and pamphlets of all kinds we were painted as unheard-of monsters. But th

enders," "men of spiritual sleight and cunning craftiness." They were guilty of "indecent, false, and unchristian reflections on the clergy." They were "new-fangled teachers," "rash, uncharitable censurers," "intruding into o

teaching by casting unworthy reflections upon the parochial clergy as deficient in the disc

they make to the divine influence." Dr. Trapp is bold in pronounci

e happened in Oxford, London, Bristol, and other places where he has been." He manages by "preaching, bookselling, wheed

f dissension, endeavoring with unwearied assiduity to set the flock at variance with their ministers and each other," assuming to himself "great wisdom and high attainments in all spiritual knowled

more than the novelties of his doctrines and proceeding

young man of thirty, attacked him in the most violent manner, employing epithets of the most abusive character. We select the following as samples from the many. Wesley is accused of the "sophistry of the Jesuit and the dictatorial authority of a pope." He is a "lurking, sly assassin," guilty of "audaci

nt abuse which Toplady cast upon him [Wesley], for points merely s

their gifts and burdened their songs with the b

epistle, calmly addressed to the greatest hypoc

played: a satire, illustrated and verifi

ethodists' Welcome to Rome." As a specimen of this

ly, Romish, i

nch prophets and

husiasts! wh

imace and sa

he Methodis

his production Mr. Wesley is described as be

ld trusted

keeps an o

l; in which the principles of those who t

ch the writer e

to Rome, thy

e share in t

greater p

emies with

Apostasy," etc., in which occurs t

se may Wesley s

d beneath the

lory has no g

ims-to all co

e poets, though their

d-given powers in traduci

graving entitled "Credulity, Superstition,

themselves to any vile work, employed the

itled "The Minor, a Comedy," in which th

medy." Another was soon after produced-"The Hypocrite, a Co

ans were left untried. Though they followed him through all his active ministerial

Viol

they soon arouse an ally in the ignorant, restless, unholy masses,

wo ways was open before him-he must either abandon the work to which he was sure God had called him

nce which came upon Wesley and his people, but we have space f

ted him. Nothing daunted, he mounted a stone wall near by and exhorted the people until silence was restored. He often f

of doors and faced the crowd. In the midst of his sermon a military officer rushed upon him, brandishing a sword, a

ting upon them." The next day, nothing daunted, he was in the midst of the town, preaching the great salvation. The mob assembled, followed him to his lodgings, smashed i

ilies houseless and homeless in midwinter and under the peltings of a pitiless storm. The people were informed that if they would sign a paper agreeing never to read or sing or pray together, or hear the Methodists preach again, the

imed to an immense crowd "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." The mob assembled, arr

e folks get up at five o'clock in the morning. Now, what would your wor

Wesley's friends were vanquished. These stood by him to the last. One of these was a brave woman whose English blood boiled over. She is said to have knocked down four Walsall men one after anot

im with clubs, and must have nearly killed him had they hit him. They cried, "Knock his brains out

eir hands, and, meeting his brother at Nottingham, Charles says that he "looked like a soldier of Christ. His clothes were torn to tatters." Subsequently the leader of that mob was con

would sooner cut off his head than make such a promise. As he departed from the magistrate the mob followed, cursing him and throwing stones. Wesley was beaten to the earth and forced back into the house. Mr. Mackford, who came with Mr. Wesley from Newcastle, was dragged by the hair of his head, and sustained injuries from which he never full

UPON WHICH JOHN PREAC

ay and by night." "Is that all they have done?" asked the magistrate. "No, sir," answered an old man, "may it please your worship, they have converted my wife. Till she went with them she had such a tongue! Now she is as quiet as a lamb." "Carry them back, carry them

d at many other places he encountered similar opposition, until the presence of a Methodist preacher was the signal for a mob. Many of the preachers were impressed into the arm

ousand miles, preached yearly about one thousand sermons, visited as many sick beds as he had preached sermons, and written twice as many letters; and who, though now between seventy and eighty years of age, absolutely refused to abate in the smallest degree these mighty labors; but might b

nexampled labors, sufferings, and sacrifices, might with propriety inquire whether we would be willing to endure such toil

dare to proclaim the whole counsel of God, though for doing so they may b

ce the incoming tide of worldliness with the old Wesle

sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen