Year: 1865

Devon and Cornwall, and especial
among Ithe miners and low ORDERS
For long time after its introduction
the clergy and high orders Of societ,
in the west of England manifested
degree. of dislike to the, doctrines
which can hardly be imagined in thes,
days of modern toleration. 1t wa
thought by many young men gooc
sport to break the windows and mai
up the doors Of l. Methodist chapel
The robbery of Wesleyan preacher
as spree, by three young men, how.
ever, had the result Of making them
payIvery dearly for their practical Joke


Among the uninstructed local
preachers was one known by the name
Of the '1Old Gardener" This old man
was no common character, indeed he
was quite an original, and by far the
most popular preacher among the low
est and least intelligent Of the disci-
pies of John Wesley. He kept a
small nursery garden, about two miles
from the town of st. A., working
hard at his occupation by day, and
praying and preaching to his fellow
sinners, as he termed 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 Method
ism. His complexion was sort of
dirty, dark iron-gray, and his whole
appearance lean and grotesque. AL
though extremely ignorant, he pos
sessed no small degree of cunning and
personal courage. OF this, tho follow
ing incident affords ample evidence.
The old gardener was once subject
cd to burglary and nttemPt at rob
berry. Ho lived with his wife, in q
small and somewhat dilapidated cot
tage not far from the high road
Three young "squires" who had just
finished their studies at the Univer-
sity, and who all despised and hated
Methodism, having heard that the old
man had recently been making q col
lection to build Methodist Chapel,
thought it would be good frolic to
rob him temporarily of the proceeds OF
tho collection. The result of the
frolic is best related by one of the
actors.


"We set out" said he, "upon an ex-
petition with blackened faces, upon a
dark night, little before twelve
o'clock. We had Dutch as well as
Cornish courage; yet l confess, when
it came to the point, / felt myself a
coward. began to reflect that it was
but dastardly frolic to frighten a
poor old man and his wife in the dead
Of night.


--..S
comes the witching hour o. night OK
claimed Tom.


Don't lot us frighten tho couple out
Of their wits, said /.


No. said Ryder, we will be gentle
robbers gentle as Robin Hood and
Little john


i said that had rather travel back
than proceed. Recollect,' said /, the
old fellow is an old soldier as well as
saint, and fears nothing human


Nonsense exclaimed Ryder; hero
goes lie pressed the feeble door of
the cottage in which the old man re-
sided; it Immediately flew open. We
entered and found ourselves in sort
Of kitchen. To our surprise there
was light shining in tho inner room.
This made us hesitate.


who is out there at this time OF
nights' exclaimed a hoarse voice from
within. l knew it to be the unmis-
taxable voice Of the old gardener.


Give us your money and no harm
shall befall you, said Tom, 'but we
must have your money"


The Lord will be my Defence re.
Joined the old gardener. You shall
have no money from me; all in the
house is the Lords; take it if yol
dare ?


we must and will have it, said
we, as we entered the inner room
after taking the precaution of fasten
ing the chamber door as we entered
We soon wished we had suffered it Il
remain open, as you will see.


Now consider us face to face viii
the old gardener, and a pretty sigh
we presented. Three ruffians (our
selves) with white wagoner's froclSl
and blackened faces. Before us tn,
old gardener, sitting on the side of hi
bed. Ho then wore a red worstoC
night cap, u checked shirt, and tlan
mel jacket; his iron gray face, fringet
with grizzly beard, looking as coo
and uIfAisnayed as if he had been il
tho pulpit preaching. A table was b,
the side of tho bed, and immodiatel,
in front Of him was an open Bible
close by which we observed to ou
horror, a heap of gunpowder, larg
enough to blow up q castle. A candl
was burning on the table, and the oil,
man had steel in one hand, and
large flint in tho other. We were al
three completely paralyzed. The wild
iron faced, determined look Of the oil
gardener, the candle, the flint an
steel, and the great heap of powder
absolutely froze our blood and mad
towards of us all. The gardener sa,
the impression he had made.
what! do you want to rob an
, murder?' exclaimed he. you ha
better join with me in prayer, misera
bic sinners that you all are. Repen
and you may be saved. You will 500
be in another world y


Ryder first recovered his speech.
please TO hear me, Mr.. Gardener
1 feel that we have been wrong, an
if wo may depart, we will make rC
! paration, and give you all the none
, in our pockets


T We laid our purses on the table be
fore him.


The Lord has delivered you into IN
Lo.,1o On, .I,..l a.. IN,