y Notices," published by the Wesleyan
Missionary Society. This account gave some particulars in addition to
those narrated in the details inserted above:
We regret to find,--say the committee of that society,--from the
following letter received from Mr. Pressoir, that our poor persecuted
society at Port-au-Prince, so long the object of popish rancour, has
again had to sustain the brutal outrages of an ignorant mob, incited it
would seem, in another place, by persons calling themselves
"respectable," and without experiencing any protection from the local
authorities. The committee have endeavoured to obtain for them the
common protection of the laws of their own country, by applications
through various quarters, and hope they may be ultimately successful. In
the mean time this excellent and suffering people are entitled to the
special sympathies, and earnest prayers, of the friends of missions. We
trust that they may yet, by their meek and patient suffering, and heroic
perseverance, obtain that liberty of worship which they so earnestly
desire.
The letter from Mr. Pressoir is dated about a year since. The following
extracts describe the violence of the mob:
I have read of many instances of martyrdom for the testimony of Jesus
Christ, but I have not yet read a passage which relates that the people
of a city rose up like murderers, with a very few exceptions, to stone a
few persons met together in a house, as our fathers, mothers, brethren,
and children have done unto us not long ago. O cruel people! They began
to throw stones at us at five o'clock in the afternoon, and continued
their assaults till ten o'clock, committing all kinds of violence. They
broke down the doors, broke open the windows, destroyed the first and
second partitions in the upper chambers; in a word, every thing that was
in the house, and beat with their cowskin-whips the brethren and sisters
there, without showing compassion for either age or youth or even
infancy. I believe I suffered the least of any. Only a great emissary of
Satan, seized my left hand, and lifting up his whip declared he would
knock me down, if I did not say "Almighty God, the Virgin Mary." My only
answer was, turning my back. Several times he even brought his whip to
my neck, and afterwards laid it on my shoulder, raging and abusing me
with all the fury of Anti-christ. But he that numbered my hairs did not
allow one of them to fall to the ground. Thanks be to him for confidenc
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