I.

Soon after the promulgation of Methodism[1] in England it spread with great rapidity over the counties of Devon and Cornwall, and especially among the miners and lower orders. For a long period after its introduction the clergy and higher classes of society in the west of England manifested a dislike to the new doctrines which can scarcely be imagined in these days of modern toleration. It was thought by many young gentlemen good sport to break the windows and nail up the doors of a Methodist chapel[2]. The robbery of a Wesleyan preacher[3], as a spree, by two young gentlemen, became the subject of an investigation, and the frolicsome young men had to pay very dearly for their practical joke.

Among the uninstructed local preachers was one known by the name of “The Old Gardener.” This old man was no common character—indeed he was quite original, and by far the most popular preacher among the disciples of John Wesley in the vicinity.

He kept a small nursery garden about two miles from the town of St. A——, working hard at his occupation of gardener by day, and praying and preaching to his fellow-sinners, as he called them, in the evening. He lived in the poorest manner, giving away all the surplus of his earnings in charity, distributing Bibles, and promoting to the utmost of his ability the extension of Methodism. His complexion was a sort of dirty, dark, iron grey, and his whole appearance lean and grotesque. Although extremely ignorant, he possessed no small degree of cunning; of this the following incident affords ample evidence:—

“The Old Gardener” was once subjected to a burglary and attempt at robbery. He lived with his wife in a small and somewhat dilapidated cottage, not far from the high road. Three young “squires,” who all despised and hated Methodism, having heard that the old man had been recently making a collection to build a Methodist chapel, thought it would be a good frolic to rob him temporarily of the proceeds of this collection. The result of the frolic is best related in the words of one of the actors:—

“We set out,” said he, “upon our expedition with blackened faces, upon a dark night, a little before twelve o’clock. We had dined late, and all of us had Dutch as well as Cornish courage; yet I confess, when it came to the point[4], I felt myself a coward. I began to reflect that it was but a dastardly frolic to frighten the poor old man and his wife in the dead of night.”

“The clock struck twelve. ‘Now comes the watching time of the night,’ exclaimed Tom.”

“‘Don’t let us frighten the poor couple out of their wits,’ said I.”

“‘No,’ said Ryder, ‘we will be gentle robbers—gentle as Robin Hood and Little John.’”

“I said that I would rather return than proceed. ‘Recollect,’ said I, ‘the old fellow is an old soldier, as well as a saint, and fears nothing human.’”

“‘Nonsense,’ exclaimed Ryder, ‘here goes[5].’ He pressed the feeble door of the cottage in which the old man resided; it immediately gave way and flew open. We entered and found ourselves in a sort of kitchen. To our great surprise there was a light shining from an inner room. This made us all hesitate.”

[1] Nom. +die Lehre der Methodisten+.

[2] of a — chapel, +einer den Methodisten gehörenden Kapelle+.

[3] +eines wesleyischen Predigers.+

[4] +als es wirklich ernst wurde.+

[5] +komm nur!+

_Section 249._

A STORY WORTH READING.