Part 56

ON _Thursday_ evening I came hither from the _Gloucester_ assizes, where I have been engaged in a trial between some of those who are called Methodists, and some violent rioters. Perhaps this news may a little startle you, and put you upon enquiry (as it hath done some others) “How we came to go to law with our adversaries, when it is our avowed principle to suffer patiently for the truth’s sake?” I will tell you, my dear friend: though perhaps there is nothing in the world more abused than the law, and there are very few that go to law out of a proper principle; yet we hold, that there is a proper use of it, and the law is good, when used lawfully. Whether or know we have used it lawfully in the present case, I shall leave my friend to judge, after I have told him the motives that induced us to engage in it.――――The Methodists, you know, are every where accounted enthusiasts, in the worst sense of the word; but though they are accounted such, yet they would not be enthusiasts in reality. Now we look upon it to be one species of enthusiasm, to expect to attain an end, without making use of proper means. We also think, that believers should be very careful not to be fond of suffering persecution, when they may avoid it, by making application to the higher powers. We are likewise of opinion, that good christians will be good subjects, and consequently it is their duty, as much as in them lies, to put a stop to every thing, in a rightful way, that may prove destructive to the king or the government under which they live. Christian ministers, in particular, we think, ought to consider the weakness of people’s grace, and, in pity to precious souls, do what they can to remove every thing out of the way, that may discourage or prevent poor people’s hearing the everlasting gospel. These considerations, my dear friend, for some time past, have led me to examine whether the _Methodists_ in general (and I myself in particular) have acted the part of good subjects, and judicious christian ministers, in so long neglecting to make an application to the superior courts, and putting in execution the wholesome laws of the land, in order to prevent those many dreadful outrages which have been committed against us. I need not descend to particulars. Our _Weekly History_ is full of them; and before that came out, several of our brethren, both in _England_ and _Wales_, have received much damage from time to time, and been frequently in great hazard of their lives. _Wiltshire_ has been very remarkable for mobbing and abusing the Methodists; and, for about ten months last past, it has also prevailed very much in _Gloucestershire_, especially at _Hampton_, where our friend Mr. _Adams_ has a dwelling-house, and has been much blessed to many people. This displeased the grand enemy of souls, who stirred up many of the baser sort, privately encouraged by some of a higher rank, to come from time to time, in great numbers, with a low-bell and horn, to beset the house, and beat and abuse the people. About the beginning of _July_ last, their opposition seemed to rise to the highest. For several days they assembled in great bodies, broke the windows, and mobbed the people to such a degree, that many expected to be murdered, and hid themselves in holes and corners, to avoid the rage of their adversaries. Once, when I was there, they continued from four in the afternoon till midnight, rioting, giving loud huzzas, casting dirt upon the hearers, and making proclamations, “That no Anabaptists, Presbyterians, &c. should preach there, upon pain of being first put into a skin-pit, and afterwards into a brook.” At another time they pulled one or two women down the stairs by the hair of their heads. And on the 10th of _July_ they came, to the number of near a hundred, in their usual way, with a low-bell and horn, about five in the afternoon, forced into Mr. _Adams_’s house, and demanded him down the stairs whereon he was preaching, took him out of his house, and threw him into a skin-pit full of noisome things and stagnated water. One of our friends, named _Williams_, asking them, “If they were not ashamed to serve an innocent man so?” they put him into the same pit twice, and afterwards beat him, and dragged him along the kennel. Mr. _Adams_ quietly returned home, and betook himself to prayer, and exhorted the people to rejoice in suffering for the sake of the gospel. In about half an hour, they came to the house again, dragged him down the stairs, and led him away a mile and a half to a place called _Bourn-brook_, and then threw him in. A stander-by, fearing he might be drowned, jumped in and pulled him out; whereupon another of the rioters immediately pushed him into the pool a second time, and cut his leg against a stone, so that he went lame for near a fortnight. Both the constable and justices were applied to, but refused to act; and seemed rather to countenance the mobbing, hoping thereby _Methodism_ (as they called it) would be put a stop to, at least at _Hampton_. For a season they gained their end. There was no preaching for some time, the people fearing to assemble on account of the violence of the mob. Upon my return to town, I advised with my friends what to do. We knew we wanted to exercise no revenge against the rioters, and yet we thought it wrong that the gospel should be stopped by such persons, when the government under which we lived countenanced no such thing; and also, that it was absurd to thank GOD for wholesome laws, if they were not to be made use of. We knew very well, that an Apostle had told us, that magistrates were ordained for the punishment of evil doers; and that they bear not the sword in vain. We were also fearful, that if any of our brethren should be murdered by future riotings (as in all probability they might), we should be accessary to their death, if we neglected to tie up the rioters hands, which was all we desired to do. Besides, we could not look upon this as allowed persecution, since it was not countenanced by the laws of the land, and we might have redress from these rioters and inferior magistrates, by appealing to _Cæsar_, whose real friends and loyal subjects we judged ourselves not to be, if we suffered his laws to be publicly trampled under foot by such notorious rioting; and which, though begun against the Methodists, might terminate in open rebellion against King _George_. For these and such like reasons, we thought it our duty to move for an information in the _King’s-Bench_ against five of the ring-leaders, and fixed upon the riot which they made on _Sunday, July 10_, when they put Mr. _Adams_ and _Williams_ into the skin-pit and brook. But before this was done, I wrote a letter to one whom they called Captain, desiring him to inform his associates, “That if they would acknowledge their fault, pay for curing a boy’s arm, which was broken the night I was there, and mend the windows of Mr. _Adams_’s house, we would readily pass all by; but if they persisted in their resolutions to riot, we thought it our duty to prevent their doing, and others receiving, further damage, by moving for an information against them in the _King’s-Bench_.” I also sent a copy of this letter to a minister of the town, and to a justice of the peace, with a letter to each from myself: but all in vain. The rioters sent me a most insolent answer, wrote me word, “They were in high spirits, and were resolved there should be no more preaching in _Hampton_.” Finding them _irreclaimable_, we moved the next term for a rule of court in the _King’s-Bench_ to lodge an information against five of the ring-leaders, for the outrage committed, violence offered, and damage done to Mr. _Adams_ and _Williams_, on _Sunday, July 10_. The rioters were apprized of it, appeared by their council, and prayed the rule might be enlarged till the next term. It was granted. In the mean while they continued mobbing, broke into Mr. _Adams_’s house one _Saturday_ night at eleven o’clock, when there was no preaching, made those that were in bed get up, and searched the oven, cellar, and every corner of the house, to see whether they could find any Methodists. Some time after, they threw another young man into a mud-pit three times successively, and abused the people in a dreadful manner. The next term came on. We proved our accusations by twenty-six affidavits; and the defendants making no reply, the rule was made absolute, and an information filed against them. To this they pleaded NOT GUILTY; and, according to the method in the crown-office, the cause was referred to the assize held at _Gloucester_, _March_ 3d.――――Thither I went, and on _Tuesday_ morning last the trial came on. It was given out by some, “That the Methodists were to lose the cause, whether right or wrong.” And I believe the Defendants depended much on a supposition, that the gentlemen and jury would be prejudiced against us. We were easy, knowing that our Saviour had the hearts of all in his hands. Being aware of the great consequences of gaining or losing this trial, both in respect to us and the nation, we kept a day of fasting and prayer through all the societies both in _England_ and _Wales_. Our _Scotch_ friends also joined with us; and chearfully committed our cause into his hands by whom kings reign and princes decree justice. We had about thirty witnesses to prove the riot and facts laid down in the information. Our council opened the cause (as I heard, being not present when the trial begun) with much solidity and sound reasoning: they shewed, “That rioters were not to be reformers; and that his Majesty had no where put the reins of government into the hands of mobbers, or made them judge or jury.” One of them in particular, with great gravity reminded the gentlemen on the jury of the advice of _Gamaliel_, a doctor of the law, recorded _Acts_ v. 38, 39. “Refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this council, or this work, be of men, it will come to nought: but if it be of GOD, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against GOD.” Our witnesses were then called. I came into court when the second witness was examining. Mr. _Adams_ and four more (three of which were not called Methodists) so clearly proved both the riot and the facts laid to the charge of the Defendants, that the Judge was of opinion there needed no other evidence. The council for the Defendants then rose, and exerted a good deal of oratory, and I think said all that could well be said, to make the best of a bad matter. One urged, “That we were enthusiasts, and our principles and practices had such a tendency to infect and hurt the people, that it was right, in his opinion, for any private person to stand up and put a stop to us; and whoever did so, was a friend to his country.” He strove to influence the jury, by telling them, “That if a verdict was given against the Defendants, it would cost them two hundred pounds: that the Defendants rioting was not premeditated; but, that coming to hear Mr. _Adams_, and being offended at his doctrine, a sudden quarrel arose, and thereby the unhappy men were led into the present fray, which he could have wished had not happened; but however it did not amount to a riot, but only an _assault_.” Their other council then informed the jury, “That they would undertake to prove that the Methodists began the tumult first.” He was pleased also to mention me by name, and acquainted the court, “That Mr. _Whitefield_ had been travelling from common to common, making the people cry, and then picking their pockets, under pretence of collecting money for the colony of _Georgia_; and knowing that _Gloucestershire_ was a populous country, he at last came there. That he had now several curates, of which Mr. _Adams_ was one, who in his preaching had found fault with the proceedings of the clergy, and said if the people went to hear them, they would be damned. He added, that there had lately been such mobbing in _Staffordshire_, that a regiment of soldiers was sent down to suppress them; insinuating that the Methodists were the authors. That we had now another cause of a like nature depending in _Wiltshire_; and that we were not of that mild pacific spirit, as we would pretend to be.”――――This, and much more to the same purpose, though foreign to the matter in hand, pleased many of the auditors, who expressed their satisfaction in hearing the Methodists in general, and me in particular, thus lashed, by frequent laughing. The eyes of all were upon me. Our Saviour kept me quite easy. I thought of that verse of _Horace_,