Following up from yesterday's post:
"But hearing I was to preach some miles off, on the other side of the river, they immediately split up and blocked the bridges. This caused us to ride many miles out of our way. And because it was dark, we lost our way on the moors.
"We wandered until we were throughly wet with snow and rain, but late that night found our way to Thomas Lupton's. The congregation had waited for several hours, being in much fear that I was killed. I changed my clothes and though it was late, preached to them as the Lord enabled me. It seemed to us a little less than heaven, and though it was a hard day, still it was a blessed day to my soul.
"I remember once during these seasons of trouble, where my life seemed to hang in the balance, I thought, 'It is hard to have no rest, to be constantly suffering.' Immediately it came to mind: 'when you were in despair, did you not promise that if the Lord gave you assurance of His favor, that you would count no suffering, sorrow, or affliction too great to be endured for His name's sake?' This at once silenced all my complaints, and from that point on, I took whatever came with patience and even joy, finding a willingness to bear it as long He saw fit, even if meant the end of my own life."
I think I have two more installments on the troubles Thomas Lee faced; they are his own addendum to his biography in Wesley's Veterans. In the meantime, long-time listener, first-time caller Francine has a question. She asks what could cause such outrage against a preacher? "Maybe they preached on Hell?" she asks...
From what I can tell from the preachers who talk about being mobbed, there are various reasons.
Bar owners were upset because their business dropped off significantly as drunkards were delivered. Or as men decided they simply could not be Christians if they spent the money meant to support their families on drink.
Some folks definitely did not want to hear they were sinners. This stirred up "commoners," but especially angered local nobility, who were able to hire mobs.
There is also something offensive in conversion, no? You have to step away from the life you were leading, and the friends you used to hang around. Even if you never say anything, they feel judgment. Some respond negatively.
Evangelical Doctrine was not common in England in those days. The nobility did not think they were sinners-- coal miners and other "poor" folks were-- it's why some are poor and some are noble. The common man figured that all he needed to do was go to church. Evangelical preaching upset that comfort, that generations-long "tradition." Some folks always get mad about turning over the apple cart.
The biggest persecutors were the clergy of the Church of England. John and Charles Wesley started the Methodist movement (which during their lifetimes was always part of the Church of England-- they did not generally preach while church was in service, and encouraged their followers to go to church, but to meet together for spiritual encouragement) because the Church of England was moribund. There was a stale, intellectual and ineffectual faith. repeat the formulas in the Book of Common Prayer, and all was well. The Methodists preached true Christianity: salvation by faith, a life lived according to the Scriptures.
For whatever reason, this was a threat to some in the established church.
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