To Richard Bailey, Vicar of Wrangle Date: LONDON August 15, 1751. REVEREND SIR, 1. I take the liberty to inform you that a poor man, late of your parish, was with me some time since, as were two others a few days ago, who live in or near Wrangle. If what they affirmed was true, you was very nearly concerned in some late transactions there. The short was this: that a riotous mob at several times, particularly on the 7th of July and the 4th of the month, violently assaulted a 'company of quiet people, struck many of them, beat down other, and dragged some away, whom, after abusing them in various ways, they threw into drains or other deep waters, to the endangering of their lives; that, not content with this, they broke open an house, dragged a poor man out of bed, and drove him out of the house naked, and also greatly damaged the goods, at the same time threatening to give them all the same or worse usage if they did not desist from that worship of God which they believed to be right and good. 2. The poor sufferers, I am informed, applied for redress to a neighboring Justice of the Peace. But they could have none so far from it, that the Justice himself told them the treatment was good enough for them, and that if they went on (i worshipping God according to their own conscience) the mob should use them so again. 3. I allow some of those people might behave with passion or ill manners. But if they did was there any proportion at all between the fault and the punishment Or, whatever punishment was due, does the law dire that a riotous mob should be the inflictors of it 4. I allow also that this gentleman supposed the doctrines of the Methodists (so called) to be extremely bad. But is he assured of this Has he read their writings If not, why does he pass sentence before he hears the evidence If he has, and thinks them wrong, yet is this a method of confuting to be used in a Christian a Protestant country particularly in England, where every man may think for himself, as he must give an account for himself to God

5. The sum of our doctrine with regard to inward religion (so far as I understand it) is comprised in two points the loving God with all our hearts and the loving our neighbor as ourselves; and with regard to outward religion, in two more the doing all to the glory of God, and the doing to all what we would desire in like circumstances should be done to us. I believe no one will easy confute this by Scripture and sound reason, or prove that we preach or hold any other doctrine as necessary to salvation. 6. I thought it my duty, sir, though a stranger to you, to say thus much, and to request two things of you: (1) that the damage these poor people have sustained may be repaired; and (2) that they may for the time to come be allowed to enjoy the privilege of Englishmen to serve God according to the dictates of their own conscience. On these conditions they am heartily wiling to forrget all that is past. Wishing you all happiness, spiritual, and temporal, I remain, reverend sir, Your affectionate brother and servant. To a Friend 12 SALISBURY, August 21, 1751. I see plainly the spirit of Ham, if not of Korah, has fully possessed several of our preachers. So much the more freely and firmly do I acquiesce in the determination of my brother, 'that it is far better for us to have ten or six preachers who are alive to God, sound in the faith, and of one heart with us and with one another, than fifty of whom we have no such assurance.'