1759 Of the fifteen or sixteen hundred persons who had been Age 56 paying seatholders, not one was left; but every one that pleased went into the seats without any questions asked. "Everything," says Wesley, "was to be wrought out of the ore, or rather out of the cinders." Difficulties never discouraged, but rather made Wesley daring. He preached morning and evening in the Foundery; and, in less than a week, gathered a society of one hundred; and, in less than a month, by one means and another-by the recovery of Wheatley's lost sheep, and by fresh conversionsthat society was increased to nearly six hundred persons; and Wesley believed that, if he could have remained a fortnight longer, it would have become a thousand. He instituted classes, and did his best to discipline the members. At society meetings, he required every one to show his ticket on entering. He insisted, that the men and women should sit apart, a regulation that appeared novel, if not harsh, among those who had been the loving lambs of James Wheatley's flock. He also found that, from the first, it had been a custom, in Wheatley's chapel, to have the galleries full of spectators while the Lord's supper was administered. This he judged to be highly improper; and, therefore, ordered that none should be admitted, but those who desired to communicate. The only concession which he made to existing prejudices was this. He writes: "as a considerable part of them were Dissenters, I desired every one to use what posture he judged best. Had I required them to kneel, probably half would have sat now all but one kneeled down." Such was the beginning of Wesley's society at Norwich. It will often require notice in succeeding pages. Wesley wrote as follows to his friend, Mr. Ebenezer Blackwell. "NORWICH, March 12, 1759. "DEAR SIR,-I know not, if, in all my life, I have had so critical a work on my hands, as that wherein I am now engaged. I am endeavouring to gather up those who were once gathered together, and afterwards scattered, by James Wheatley. I have reunited about seventy of them, and hope this evening to make up a hundred. But many of them have wonderful spirits; having been always accustomed to teach their teachers; so that how they will bear any kind of discipline, I cannot tell. 1 Wesley's Works, vol. xiii., p. 326. Wesley Journeying to the North. 327 "At Colchester, the case is far otherwise. About a hundred and sixty simple, upright people are there united together, who are as little children, minding nothing but the salvation of their souls; only, they are greatly distressed for a larger house. I desired them to look out for a piece of ground. It is true, they are poor enough; but, if it be God's work, He will provide the means. "I remain, dear sir, your very affectionate servant, "JOHN WESLEY." 1 Colchester was evidently a favourite place; but it is only fair to add, that many of the hundred and sixty Methodists were either expelled, or seceding, Dissenters. Some of them had never had the rite of baptism administered; and it is a fact worth noticing, that, during this very visit, Wesley baptized seven of them, all adults, and two of them by dipping. Having spent a month at Norwich, Wesley, on April 2, set out on his long journey to the north. At Boston, in Lincolnshire, he found a small society, and a more unawakened and rude congregation than he had seen for years. From Boston, he "rode over the fens, fifteen miles broad, and near thirty miles long," to Coningsby, where he had "a numerous congregation, of a far different spirit." At Horncastle, he was roughly saluted by a mob. At Grimsby, he preached in the old churchyard; at Epworth, in the new chapel, and in the market-place; and at Selby, in a garden. At York, he opened the new unfinished chapel in Peasholm Green, and visited two prisoners in the castle, "the most commodious prison in Europe." At Tadcaster, he had a well behaved congregation in a garden. At Stainland, he preached in a handsome chapel, "near the top of a mountain," his friend Grimshaw reading prayers. At Manchester, "wretched magistrates, by refusing to suppress, had encouraged the rioters, and had long occasioned tumults: but some were now of a better spirit." At Maxfield, "abundance of people ran together, but wild as colts untamed. Before he had done, all but four or five lubberly men seemed almost persuaded to be Christians." At Stockport, where Methodist meetings were held in a thatched shed 1 Wesley's Works, vol. xii., p. 175. 1759 Age 56 1759 belonging to William Williamson, Wesley preached on PettyAge 56 car Green, the shed being far too small to contain his congregation. The society was small, and could send only half a sovereign as its quarterage to the Manchester circuit meeting; but, soon afterwards, Matthew Mayer and other persons of respectability were converted; and old Hillgate chapel was erected, the pulpit of which James Chadwick carried upon his shoulders, a distance of nine miles, from a place near Altrincham. This humble edifice, without gallery and without pews, was opened by Grimshaw of Haworth; and Methodism in Stockport was permanently founded.1 From Stockport, Wesley proceeded to Northwich, Chester, and Mold in Wales. At Liverpool, the congregations were exceeding large; but many of the people "seemed to be like wild asses' colts." He made his way to Wigan, Bolton, Lancaster, Whitehaven, Cockermouth, Wigton, Dumfries, and Glasgow. At the last mentioned place, he found the little society, which he had formed two years ago, all split to pieces. He tried to reorganise the members, and left about forty, who agreed to meet Mr. Gillies weekly. "If this be done," says Wesley, "I shall try to see Glasgow again: if not, I can employ my time better." Leaving Glasgow, he went to Edinburgh, Musselburgh, and Dunbar. At Berwick, he preached to "a drowsy congregation" in the town hall; at Alnwick, in the court house, to a congregation "having the power as well as the form of godliness." On reaching Newcastle, June 5, he wrote: "Certainly, if I did not believe there was another world, I should spend all my summers here; as I know no place in Great Britain comparable to it for pleasantness. But I seek another country, and, therefore, am content to be a wanderer upon earth." Concerning Gateshead, he says: "In earnestness, the colliers of Gateshead utterly shame the colliers of Kingswood; scarce thirty of whom think it worth while to hear the word of God on a weekday, not even when I preach ; and here the house will scarce contain the weekday congregation of a local preacher." It was during this northern visit, that Wesley opened the 1 Manuscript; and Methodist Magazine, 1827, p. 20. Methodism in Sunderland. 329 first Methodist chapel in Sunderland. He writes: “Saturday, June 9-"I rode to Sunderland, and preached in the shell of their house. The people are hungry for the word, and receive it with all gladness." Hitherto, the Sunderland Methodists had worshipped in a small room at the top of Swine Alley; and then in a house in Ettrick's Garth, where, for the first time, they had space enough to set up a lilliputian pulpit, which, with the benches of the place, was threatened to be sold by auction for an arrear of rent, amounting to about £3, and was only saved by the prompt interference of Charles Askell, one of the first leaders, who advanced the sum out of his own pocket, though, by doing so, he deprived himself of the means of setting up housekeeping with Ann. Lightfoot, whom he was about to marry, and who, with her mother, resided in a small cottage (Wesley's home in Sunderland), in Playhouse Lane, maintaining themselves by sewing and by knitting.1 Wesley spent a month at Newcastle and in the immediate neighbourhood. At Chester-le-street, he "preached in Mr. Tinker's yard, to a crowded audience," says Lloyd's Evening Post; "and after that made an oration at the meeting-house." At Morpeth, he had a congregation of "officers, gentlemen, and common people, in the market-place, such as was never seen there before." At North and at South Shields, the lions were become lambs. At Swalwell, he preached in a Dissenters' chapel, with him a thing of rare occurrence. He held the quarterly meeting of the stewards, and found that there were in the Newcastle circuit about eighteen hundred members. In Newcastle itself, he not only preached in the Orphan House, but frequently out of doors, where his congregations were twice as large as the Orphan House could hold. He writes: "What marvel the devil does not love field preaching! Neither do I. I love a commodious room, a soft cushion, and a handsome pulpit. But where is my zeal, if I do not trample all these under foot, in order to save one more soul!" It was on one of these occasions, when preaching on the Exchange steps, that some of his congregation began to pelt him with mud and rotten eggs; but, at length, a fishwoman, 1 Manuscript. 1759 Age 56 1759 big, burly, and drunken, and the terror of the neighbourhood Age 56 in which she lived, ran up the steps, and threw one of her arms round Wesley's neck, and shook the fist of the other in the face of Wesley's cowardly assailants, and cried, "If ony yen o' ye lift up another hand to touch ma canny man, ayl floor ye direckly." The fishwife's menace was quite enough, and Wesley was allowed to conclude in peace.1 On the 2nd of July, Wesley left Newcastle for London. On his way, he preached at Hartlepool, all the inhabitants of the town being present, either in the street or the adjoining houses, though "a queer, dirty, clumsy man, a country wit, took a great deal of pains to disturb the congregation." At Stockton, in the midst of his service in the market-place, the pressgang came and seized his travelling companions, Joseph Jones and William Alwood, but afterwards released them, the mob, however, having, in the meanwhile, broken the lieutenant's head and so stoned both him and his men, that, to save themselves from further injury, they ignominiously decamped. At Hutton-Rudby, he found that they had just built a preaching house. At Stokesley, he preached on the green; at Guisborough, in a meadow; at Robinhood's Bay, on the quay; and at Scarborough, in the street. Thence, he went to York, Pocklington, and Hull. He writes: "I had a fine congregation at Hull. For once, the rich have the gospel preached." On his way back to York, he preached in Mr. Hilton's yard, at Beverley. At Tadcaster, distant thunder did not lessen the number of his congregation. At Otley, he preached to an immense multitude at the foot of a high mountain. At Guiseley, he was entertained at Mr. Marshal's, "the Capua of Yorkshire." At Keighley, he found "a loving, earnest, well established people." He then proceeded to Colne, Heptonstall, and Haworth. At the last mentioned place, Mr. Milner read prayers, and Wesley preached, standing on a scaffold close to the church, and the congregation standing in the churchyard. After the service, "the communicants alone filled the church." At a place near Huddersfield, he preached to "the wildest congregation he had seen in Yorkshire;" at Halifax, "the preaching house was like 1 Manuscript. |