By:
Edited By Heymen Wreford
MR. B― says: “I must have appeared to great disadvantage when, amidst some hundreds of spectators in the Circus at Exeter, some tracts I had distributed were held up in derision, while the manager sneeringly asked whether I thought these ‘bits of paper’ would turn away the people from the Circus. My reply was that my God was able to use such things, weak as they were, to confound the mighty. Then violence was resorted to, and I was stoned. And as if to make a last effort to save themselves from defeat, the Queen’s jester’ was sent for from the Alhambra Palace, whose wondrous powers were paraded, and full-sized portraits of him placarded over the city. A great rush of people found their way to the place on the first night of his appearance; and I must confess I was not a little startled when I saw about twenty of the performers corning towards me with this Goliath in their midst. So looking up to the Lord for help, I felt strengthened to bear what might come, and presently I was encircled by this band of men, who, with their champion, looked upon me with dignified disdain.
“Holding out his hand for a tract, the jester said, on receiving a leaflet, ‘And pray, sir, what is this?’
“I replied, ‘It is just the very thing you want.’
“ ‘Indeed,’ he replied, and what may that be?’
‘“Pardon through the blood of Christ,’ I replied. He seemed taken a little by surprise; but presently turned it into a coarse jest, saying he wanted a cure for a very bad disorder. ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘your disorder is so wretchedly bad, that nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse you. Listen to what God, who reads you through and through, says about you.’ I read Isaiah 1:5, 65Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. (Isaiah 1:5‑6).
‘This,’ I replied, ‘is what God says about you, and nothing can save or cure you but the precious blood of Christ.’ They all left; not a word more was spoken. They went inside to their work; I remained outside at mine. ‘The poor Jester, when it came to his turn to take part in the performance, broke down; and though he again and again made fresh attempts, yet was compelled to abandon his part, amidst the hisses of the crowd, and the Circus closed its doors, not again to be opened after this manner there.”