Now while I was at Mansfield-Woodhouse, I was moved to go to the
steeple-house there, and declare the truth to the priest and people;
but the people fell upon me in great rage, struck me down, and almost
stifled and smothered me; and I was cruelly beaten and bruised by
them with their hands, and with Bibles and sticks. Then they haled me
out, though I was hardly able to stand, and put me into the stocks,
where I sat some hours; and they brought dog-whips and horse-whips,
threatening to whip me.
After some time they had me before the magistrate, at a knight's
house, where were many great persons; who, seeing how evilly I had
been used, after much threatening, set me at liberty. But the rude
people stoned me out of the town, for preaching the Word of life to
them.
I was scarcely able to move or stand by reason of the ill usage I
had received; yet with considerable effort I got about a mile from
the town, and then I met with some people who gave me something to
comfort me, because I was inwardly bruised; but the Lord's power soon
healed me again. That day some people were convinced of the Lord's
truth, and turned to His teaching, at which I rejoiced.
Then I went into Leicestershire, several Friends accompanying me.
There were some Baptists in that country, whom I desired to see and
speak with, because they were separated from the public worship. So
one Oates, who was one of their chief teachers, and others of the
heads of them, with several others of their company, came to meet us
at Barrow; and there we discoursed with them.
One of them said that what was not of faith was sin, whereupon I
asked them what faith was and how it was wrought in man. But they
turned off from that, and spoke of their baptism in water. Then I
asked them whether their mountain of sin was brought down and laid
low in them and their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight
in them,--for they looked upon the Scriptures as meaning outward
mountains and ways.[38] But I told them they must find these things
in their own hearts; at which they seemed to wonder.
[38] As everywhere, he is interested in the state of the person
himself, and in the real and vital things of religion. Many of
Fox's followers came from the Baptists.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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