"The rude mob," he writes, "treated both _me_ and the _people_ most roughly; haling us about, throwing us upon the ground, beating us, and pelting us with stones or brickbats, rotten eggs, apples, dung, and fireworks. Officers sent their men to _press_ me. I was hooted at along the streets; spit upon; called names; threatened, reviled, and belied; hated of all, and counted the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things. I was frequently in danger, not only of having my eyes, but also my brains, beat out by the large flints that were continually thrown upon the roof of the barn where I preached." Often while young Humphreys was preaching, numbers of his hearers were thrown into convulsions similar to those which occurred under Wesley's ministry at Bristol. Humphreys writes:-- "Their bodies were strangely agitated; their bones would sometimes seem to be out of joint; their breasts would heave prodigiously; some would bite, tear, and beat themselves, and do mischief to others also, unless they were forcibly held down; and some would roar hideously, crying out that the devil was coming to fetch them, or to torment them. That it was no _feigned_ thing, at least in _most_ of them, is most certain. That it was occasioned in some by _sympathy_, I will not deny; but I do really believe that in others it was occasioned by a _discovery_ of their _undone condition_; and was followed by _true conversion_ to the Lord. I own that the cases of some who were _thus affected_ was so unaccountable, to this day, I am at a stand to determine _how_ or _what_ it was. For what I know, they might be _torn by the devil_. God might suffer Satan to be let loose upon them for a season; generally, however, it was so _awful_, that the beholders durst not make game of it. I only relate matters of fact; and do not pretend to say that all were _renewed_ or _converted_ who were _thus_ affected, for I believe no such thing, but the contrary. Neither could I ever look upon these things as _signs_ from heaven for the establishment or confirmation of any particular doctrine. I rather think the case was often this: the word of God would come with a convincing light and power into the consciences of sinners, whereby they were _so far_ awakened, as to be seized with dreadful terrors. The rebellion of their natures would be raised; the peace of the strong man armed would be disturbed; hell within would begin to roar; the devil, that before, being unmolested, lay quiet in their hearts, would now be stirred up, and be most outrageously angry, because of this convincing light and power of the word. Hence, I believe, proceeded some of these agonies of body. And all this might be, and perhaps frequently was, without any real