Wesley Corpus

We observed Friday, 17, as a day of solemn fasting and prayer. In the afternoon, many being met together, I exhorted them, now, while they had opportunity, to make to themselves “ friends of the mammon of unrighteousness ;” to deal their bread to the hungry, to clothe the naked, and not to hide themselves from their own flesh. And God opened their hearts, so that they contributed near fifty pounds, which I began laying out the very next hour, in linen, woollen and shoes for them whom I knew to be diligent and yet in want. In the evening I expounded Daniel iii; and those words in particular : “ Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. But if not, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Sat. 18.--I received an account, from James Jones, of another kind of invasion in Staffordshire. The substance of it was as follows :-- “ On Monday, January 23, a great mob gathered together at Darlaston, a mile from Wednesbusy. They fell upon a few people who were going to Wednesbury, and among the rest, on Joshua Constable’s wife, of Darlaston. Some of them threw her down, and five or six held her down, that another might force her. But she continued to resist, till they changed their purpose, beat her much, and went away. Mon. 30.--The mob gathered again, broke into Joshua Constable’s house, pulled part of it down, broke some of his goods in pieces, and carried the rest away; particularly all his shop goods, to a considerable value. But not satisfied with this, they sought for him and his wife, swearing they would knock their brains out. Their little children meantime, as well as themselves, wandered up and down, no one daring to relieve or take them in, lest they should hazard their own lives. Tues. 31.--About a hundred of the mob met together, on the Church Hill at Wednesbury. But hearing some of Wednesbury were resolved to defend themselves, they dispersed for that time.