Wesley and His Persecutors

(posted 3/6/2017)

The following is a possible case of a fulfilled prophecy by John Wesley. The account is taken from The Guiding Hand by H.L. Hastings, pages 161-163 [which can be downloaded HERE]:

     A correspondent of the Advocate of Holiness, communicates an incident in the life of John Wesley, which had not before appeared in print and which shows the meekness of the man of God under abuse, and the retributions of providence upon his persecutors:—

    The circumstance was related by an old man about eighty years of age, named Sheerin, a Roman Catholic, who lived near the town of Boyle, Ireland, and who saw not only the incident, but also the subsequent end of the family. In course of conversation about how some families melt and die out, he said, "I remember a circumstance that occurred when I was a very young man. I was on a holiday after coming out from mass in the chapel of Boyle. It was customary then, as it is now, to stand in Bridge street and have a chat with the neighbors. At this place there was a hotel, owned by one of the richest men in the town ; he had two tanneries, several large farms, well stocked, together with other property. I saw one John Wesley, a very nice old man, with long white hair ; when he came forward to the part of the street where the crowd was, he got up on a stone outside of the hotel door, that was used for a seat, and commenced preaching to the people. In a few minutes after he commenced, some of the family went up stairs and procured a chamber vessel and emptied the contents out of a window down on his head. He seemed to take no notice of what was done, further than taking out his handkerchief, and wiping his head and face.
    
    "When the people saw what was done, and that he took it so patiently, they said it was a shame ; and from that forward, they listened to him very attentively during the remainder of his sermon. When he had ended his discourse, he turned, and looking at the house, said, 'God forgive you, and I forgive you ; but I am not sent of God if that family comes to a good end.' " The old man said the prediction proved true. In twelve months after, one of the sons was either hanged, or hanged himself ; another came to a violent death ; and the daughter became a castaway ; the father and mother were reduced to extreme want, and not a trace of the family was to be found in about five years' time. This occurred, I should judge from the old man's statement, between the years 1780 and 1790.