JOHN WESLEY. LONDON, _February 6, 1756_. A short ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF THOMAS HITCHENS. _Bisveal_, near _Redruth, Cornwall_. 1. MY son, _Thomas Hitchens_, was born _April 14, 1723_. He went to school till he was about ten years old. From school he went to work at the stamps in dressing of tin oar, in which employment he continued about six years. Afterwards he wrought in the tin works underground, till about a year before his death. Then he went to dress tin-leavings for me, having five or six boys under him. At the same time he plowed, sowed, mowed, reaped, and managed all my husbandry; understanding every thing both as to the tin and the land; so that we had scarce one in the neighbourhood like him. 2. He was from a child of a very sober and a very sweet behaviour, and remarkably dutiful to his parents. But about nineteen he began to go revellings and hurlings, and sometimes to be merry with his companions. Of this I now and then told him, but not sharply; for I counted both him and his brother mighty good young men: and was not a little proud, when people told me, “I had two likely sons, and as stout men as any in the parish.” I thought it best therefore to let him have his liberty: especially as I then saw no great harm in these things. 3. But he had done with these, from the hour he first heard the gospel of the grace of God. He then _chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy_ all _the pleasures of sin_. He had no fear, in the hottest of the persecution. While the mob were pulling down the house in which we used to meet, he stood at a small distance, all the time, being nothing terrified; encouraged his brother and said, “God will deliver us; only let us trust in him.” Nor was he at all moved, when the showers of stones obliged us to stop up all our windows with whole deals. One night we heard a great tumult and noise as of much people and many cries. And it was told us, they were at the house of one of our brethren, who lived about a quarter of a mile off: _Thomas_ did not take time to go the road way, (tho’ it was exceeding dark;) but ran directly through the grounds and over the hedges, ’till he came to the house. The mob, hearing the sound of feet, ran away, not one being left behind. So, said _Thomas_, the scripture is fulfilled. _One of you shall chase a thousand._ As he came into the house, the family too were preparing to run out of it. But he soon convinced them, they had no cause to fear, and they mightily rejoiced together, and praised God who had delivered them out of the hands of unreasonable and cruel men. All the windows and doors were dashed in pieces; but none of the family hurt at all, notwithstanding the vast quantities of stones, which had fallen on all sides of them. One very large stone they found