Thus in June, 1743, at Wednesbury the mob assembled at the house where
he was staying, and shouted "Bring out the minister; we will have the
minister!" But Wesley was not a bit frightend. He asked that their
captain might be brought in to him, and after a little talk the man
who came in like a lion went out like a lamb.
Then Wesley went out to the angry crowd, and standing on a chair
asked, "What do you want with me?"
"We want you to go with us to the justice!" cried some.
"That I will, with all my heart," he replied.
Then he spoke a few words to them; and the people shouted: "The
gentleman is an honest gentleman, and we will spill our blood in his
defence".
But they changed their minds later on; for they met a Walsall crowd on
their way, who attacked Wesley savagely, and those who had been loud
in their promises to protect him--fled!
Left to the mercy of the rable, he was dragged to Walsall. One man
hit him in the mouth with such force that the blood streamed from the
wound; another struck him on the breast; a third seized him and tried
to pull him down.
"Are you willing," cried Wesley, "to hear me?"
"No, no!" they answered; "knock out his brains, down with him, kill
him at once!"
"What evil," asked Wesley, "have I done? Which of you all have I
wronged by word or deed?" Then he began to pray; and one of the
ringleaders said to him:--
"Sir, I will spend my life for you; follow me, and no one shall hurt a
hair of your head.
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