Wesley Corpus

I never saw such a chain of providences before ; so many convincing proofs, that the hand of God is on every person and thing, overruling all as it seemeth him good. The poor woman of Darlaston, who had headed that mob, and sworn, that none should touch me, when she saw her followers give way, ran into the thickest of the throng, and knocked down three or four men, one after another. But many assaulting her at once, she was soon overpowered, and had probably been killed in a few minutes, (three men keeping her down and beating her with all their might,) had not a man called to one of them, “ Hold, Tom, hold!” «“ Who is there,” said Tom: “ What, honest Munchin? Nay, then, let her go.” So they held their hand, and let her get up and crawl home as well as she could. From the beginning to the end I found the same presence of mind, as if I had been sitting in my own study. But I took no thought for one moment before another ; only once it came into my mind, that if they should throw me into the river, it would spoil the papers that were in my pocket. For myself, I did not doubt but I should swim across, having but a thin coat, and.a light pair of boots. The circumstances that follow, I thought, were particularly remark able: 1. That many endeavoured to throw me down while we were going down hill on a slippery path to the town; as well judging, that if I was once on the ground, I should hardly rise any more. But I made 298 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Oct. 1743.