Wesley Corpus

* Wearing apparel, and things which were of value, or easily saleable, they carried away; every man loading himself with as much as he could well carry, of whatsoever he liked best. Some of the gentlemen who had set the mob to work, or threatened to turn away collier or miner out of their service, that did not come and do his part, now drew up a paper for those of the society to sign, importing, that they would never invite or receive any Methodist preacher more. On this condition, they told them they would stop the mob at once; otherwise they must take what followed. This they offered to several; but they declared, one and all. ‘ We have already lost all our goods; and nothing more can follow, but the loss of our lives, which we will lose too, rather than wrong our consciences.’ “ On Wednesday the mob divided into two or three companies; one of which went to Aldridge, four miles from Wednesbury, and plundered many houses there, as they had done in several other villages. Here also © they loaded themselves with clothes and goods of all sorts, as much as they could stand under. They came back through Walsal with their spoils; but the gentlemen of Walsal being apprized of their coming, raised a body of men, who met them, took what they had away, and laid it upin the Town Hall. Notice was then sent to Aldridge, that every man who had been plundered, might come and take his own goods. “ Mr. Wood, of Wednesbury, likewise told several, they should have what could be found of their goods, on condition they would promise not to receive or hear those preachers any more. On Friday, in the afternoon, I went from Birmingham, designing to go to Tipton Green; but finding the mob were still raging up and down, I returned to Birmingham, and soon after, (having as yet no more place in these parts,) set out for London.” E Any who desires to see a fuller and more particular account of these surprising transactions, may read a small tract, entitled, “ Modern Christianity exemplified at Wednesbury.” Before I leave this subject, st may be proper to insert an advertisement, which was not long after inserted in the public papers.