Continuing from yesterday's post, the day after Lee's harrowing encounter with the mob:
"The next morning I preached again. Afterwards, several accompanied me to North Pasture. There were many serious hearers; but the captain of the mob came and made some disturbance, and then with a large stick broke every pane of glass in a large window.. This made a little confusion at first, but afterwards, the Lord poured down His blessing in an uncommon manner. Almost all were in tears and they joyfully accepted the destruction of their property....
"The summer autumn and winter were times of hot persecution. Our friends frequently suffered when they had to do business in Pateley. Their clothes were spoiled and they were assaulted. They applied for justice to the Dean of Ripon, but found none. But what made amends was that we loved each other dealry, and had wonderful times together. In January I was invited to preach about a mile from Pateley. When I came, the mob gathered.
"However, in the name of the Lord I began; and though they blasphemed horribly, and broke the windows [in the works of other early Methodist preachers, they attest to how common it was to break the windows out of homes that invited the preachers. They also liked to pull out the window frames, and even attempted to pull down the walls], I was not interrupted or intimidated, but prayed, preached, and concluded in peace. As soon as I had ended, things got out of hand. I went into a room and prayed. Someone came and told me that the mob had forced its way into the house and would quickly be in the room, but I should jump out of the window where some men would catch me as I fell."
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