lewdly, and throwing dust and dirt all over us; with which they had filled their pockets, such as had any to fill. I was soon covered from head to foot, and almost blinded. Finding it impossible to be heard, I only told them I should apply to the magistrates for redress, and walked up stairs. They pressed after me, but Mr Walker and the brethren blocked up the stairs, and kept them down. I waited a quarter of an hour, then walked through the midst of them to my lodgings, and thence to the mayor’s.
I spent an hour with him, pleading the poor people’s cause. He said he had never before heard of their being so treated—that is pelted, beat, and wounded, their house battered, and windows, partitions, locks broke; that none had applied to him for justice, or he should have granted it; that he was well assured of the great mischief the Methodists had done throughout the nation, and the great riches Mr Whitefield and their other teachers had acquired; that their societies were quite unnecessary, since the Church was sufficient; that he was for having neither Methodists nor Dissenters.
I easily answered all his objections. He treated me with civility and freedom, and promised, at parting, to do our people justice. Whether he does or not, I have satisfied my own conscience.7
This is a very different view of Charles Wesley than is often found in the MSJ. Here he is in the midst of a mob attack, covered from head to foot with the dust and dirt that has been thrown at the poor people. Ironic, indeed, is the comment that the mob began “to ‘stand up for the Church,’ by cursing and swearing, by singing and talking lewdly, and throwing dust and dirt all over us.” While he does not say this was a Society meeting, it was no doubt a group of poor people who were affiliated in some manner with the Methodist movement. Charles spoke up and announced that he would appeal to the local magistrates for redress. Though the mob pressed upon him when he started up the stairs, he was protected by some of the poor people, who blocked the mob’s way. After a brief period, Charles mustered the courage simply to “walk through the midst of them” to his lodgings, and then proceeded to the mayor’s.
Charles then pled the cause of the poor people before the mayor, who said that he had never heard of such behavior toward the poor. Though he was opposed to the Methodists, he promised that he would see that they were treated with justice. The account in the MSJ reveals that civil disobedience evoked a significant exercise of civil responsibility from Charles Wesley, who advocated on behalf of the poor before the local mayor because of the unjust attack on them.
Relating to the Poor and Marginalized
There are a variety of clues in the MSJ as to how Charles related to the poor: (a) conversation, (b) worship, (c) prayer, (d) preaching, (e) invitation, and (f) Holy Communion. In addition, he reveals how his relationships with the poor impact his own life: (g) Charles Wesley’s well-being, and (h) Charles Wesley’s creativity.
Before addressing these aspects of Charles’s life among the poor and marginalized, it is important to consider the encounter with “Justice Cr—, the most forward of our adversaries,” as Charles records in the MSJ. This particular incident provides insight into the breadth of Charles’s concern for the transformation of the life of the poor and its impact on the individual, family, and society.
Sunday, September 20 [1741]. Most of the Society were at St James’s sacrament.
I carried Mr Jones to Kingswood where the Lord was mightily present in his own ordinance. At Baptist Mills I expounded the bloody issue. Great disturbance was made behind me, till I turned upon the disturbers, and by the law first, and then the gospel, entirely silenced them.
It was a glorious time at the Society, when God called forth his witnesses. Our guest was filled with consolation and acknowledged that God was with us of a truth.
Introduced him to the leaders of the colliers with whom he had sweet fellowship. Met the bands and strongly urged them to press toward the mark. Read them a letter full of threatenings to take our house by violence. Immediately the power came down and we laughed all our enemies to scorn. Faith saw the mountain full of horsemen and chariots of fire. Our brother from Wales was compelled to bear his testimony and declare before all, what God had done for his soul. “At that time, when the power of the Holy Ghost so overshadowed him,” (he assured them) “all bodily sufferings would have been as nothing. Neither would they feel them, if made partakers of the Holy Ghost in the same measure.”
He warned us to prepare for the storm, which would surely fall upon us, if the work of God went on. His artless words were greatly blessed to us all, and our hearts were bowed and warmed by the Spirit of love, as the heart of one man.
Tuesday, September 22. He would have carried me to some great friends of his in the city, and particularly to a Counselor, about the threatened seizure. I feared nothing but helping myself and trusting to an arm of flesh. Our safety is to sit still. However, at his importunity I went with him a little way, but stopped and turned him back, and at last agreed to accompany him to Justice Cr—, the most forward of our adversaries.
He received us cautiously. I said, “I came to wait upon him, in respect to his office, having heard his name mentioned among some, who were offended at the good we did to the poor colliers, that I should be sorry to give any just cause of complaint and willing to know from himself, if such had been given, that many vile reports were spread, as if he should countenance the violence of those who had seized Mr C’s house and now threatened to take away the collier’s school.
I caught up an expression he dropped, that it would make a good workhouse, and said,
[Wesley]: “It is a workhouse already.”
[Justice]: “Aye, but what work is done there?”
[Wesley]: “We work the works of God, which man cannot hinder.”
[Justice]: “But you occasion the increase of our poor.”
[Wesley]: “Sir, you are misinformed. The reverse of that is true. None of our Society is chargeable to you, even those who were so before they heard us, or who spent all their wages at the alehouse, now never go there at all, but keep their money to maintain their families, and have to give to those that want. Notorious swearers have now only the praise of God in their mouths. The good done among them is indisputable. Our worst enemies cannot deny it. None who hears us continues either to swear or drink.”
[Justice]: “If I thought so,” he hastily replied (in eodem luto haesitans8), “I would come and hear you myself.”
I desired he would, said, the grace of God was as sufficient for him as for our colliers, and who knew but he might be converted among us!9
It is generally known that there was opposition to the Wesleyan movement within the Church of England10 and among certain institutional structures and government officials. On this occasion, Charles tells the justice that he has “heard his name mentioned among some, who were offended at the good we did to the poor colliers.” He is curious whether the justice would sanction the seizure of Mr. Cennick’s house and the taking away of the school for coal miners’ children.
The justice maintains that the work the Wesleys and their followers are doing increases the poor. Charles then explains that precisely the reverse is occurring. He enumerates the changes that have transpired among the poor: (1) they no longer spend all of their wages at the alehouse; (2) they use their money to sustain their families; (3) they give to others in need; (4) they no longer swear but instead praise God; and (5) they abstain from drinking. Wesley casts this work in a theological framework when he says to the justice, “We work the works of God, which man cannot hinder.” In this conversation, however, the emphasis is not on the evangelical thrust of the Wesleyan movement, but rather its personal and societal impact. While the end result may be that the poor rise above the
