may require to be protected in the conscientious discharge of their religious observances."

No doubt this had the effect of lessening, in some degree, the persecutions to which Methodists had been exposed, though they continued to suffer, as you will hear,, from time to time, and not unfrequently, from enraged mobs, and from many in a higher class who should have protected them. Every public event that happened, seems to have been turned into an occasion for attacking the Methodists, as, for instance, on this journey into the North, the band of preachers, including Wesley, were pelted with dirt and stones; "the mob," says Wesley, "being ready to knock out all our brains for joy that the Duke of Tuscany (who was an ally of England) was chosen Emperor of Germany." Meanwhile the Newcastle Methodists were peaceably employed in hearing the Word and in prayer, praying specially for King George, and for the defeat of Charles Stuart. They were well aware that, were he to conquer England, Popery would be forced upon the nation; and whilst Wesley was preaching to them, the report was spread elsewhere that he was with Charles Stuart near Edinburgh.

Before the end of the year Wesley returned to London,

and it was just as he arrived there that Prince Charles marched into England, and made his way as far as Derby. There, as perhaps you know, he was forced to retreat, and to return with the remains of his army to Scotland. The Methodists, who had met constantly for prayer at the Foundry and elsewhere, received the news of his retreat as an answer from the Lord.

The following year Wesley continued his journeys, now including Sussex. A clergyman at Shoreham, Mr. Perronet, had invited the Methodists to preach in Sussex, because it was through them he had himself found peace in believing.

CHAPTER XXV.

"The

IN the beginning of 1747 Wesley tells us of a journey from London to the North, which will give you a little idea of what it was to be a Methodist preacher. rain and hail," he says, "drove through our coats-great and small-boots, and everything, and yet froze as it fell, even upon our eyebrows, so that we had scarce strength or motion left when we got to our inn at Stilton." They

then started afresh, through deep snow drifts, cold and weary, to a little town which they reached at dark. Next day they were told that they were snowed up the roads were impassable for riders. "At least," said Wesley, 66 we can walk twenty miles a day, leading our horses." The north-east wind had so drifted the snow, however, that the main road was entirely blocked. But still they found a way to get on, sometimes walking, sometimes riding, and, after two more days, arrived at Epworth. They had had to ford the dykes, breaking the ice, which would not bear, and, moreover, to find the fords in a trackless waste of snow which covered the fens. When I add to this that Wesley had had a bad toothache during this weary journey, you will understand that the life of a wandering preacher was by no means an easy one, if people cared about being comfortable. It was a cheering thing to find that the Lincolnshire people now seemed glad to hear the gospel which had reached them through such difficulties.

Some time before it had been otherwise. John Nelson had had anything but a peaceful visit to Grimsby, where Wesley was now well received. Perhaps it was John Nelson's preaching which had prepared the way. When