nd disturb the services.

At Chelsea, the rioters threw fireworks into the room; at another place
they broke in the roof, and some of the people were nearly killed. At
Bristol, the mob filled the streets, shouting, and cursing, and
swearing. When the constables caught the ring-leaders and took them
before the mayor, they began to speak against Mr. Wesley, but the mayor
stopped them. "Whatever Mr. Wesley is, is nothing to you," he said. "I
won't allow any rioting in this city, and you must go to prison." This
was the first and last disturbance at Bristol. But the worst of it was,
at most of the places, neither the constables nor the mayor would
interfere, and so the people did just as they liked.

At Wednesbury, in Staffordshire, the Methodists were most cruelly
treated. One of the rioters used to blow a horn, and then all the mob
gathered together. They went to every house where there was a Methodist,
smashed the windows, dragged the furniture out and broke it up, and
burnt the beds. If the men or women interfered, they just knocked them
down; even the little children they used to beat. But I think I will
leave the exciting scenes at Wednesbury for another chapter.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXVI.

Brave as a lion.--A protecting angel.--God's
magic.--Foes become friends.--An unpleasant walk
in rain and darkness.--What the mayor said.--A
free fight.--"Knock the parson down! Kill him at
once!"--Magic again.--A butcher to the
rescue.--Safe back in Wednesbury.

WHEN Mr. Wesley heard how his followers were being treated in
Wednesbury, he went off at once to their help. Though he was only a
little man, he was as brave as a lion; he knew he had God at his back,
and like David before Goliath, like Daniel before Darius, and like
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before Nebuchadnezzar, he did not fear
what man could do unto him.

God sent His angel to close the lions' mouths so they would not harm
Daniel; and the same messenger walked in the fiery furnace with the
three Hebrew youths. So, when Mr. Wesley went straight into the
market-place in Wednesbury, and fearlessly preached to the hundreds
assembled there, God's protecting angel breathed silence and calm; not a
sound of disturbance was heard. In the evening the mob surrounded the
house where Mr. Wesley was staying, shouting out fiercely:

"Bring out the minister! We will have the