John Wesley (1703–1791)

John Wesley, Anglican priest and tireless evangelist, helped spark a revival marked by plain preaching, earnest prayer, and disciplined fellowship. His journals preserve not only sermons and travels but also public reactions—warm welcomes, hard opposition, and moments that tested whether believers would answer mockery with bitterness or with steady faith. Wesley’s courage was often quiet: returning again and again to the same towns, refusing to trade insults, and urging his societies to seek holiness rather than applause.

“Trick upon Trick, or Methodism Displayed” (4 November 1743)

On November 4, 1743, Wesley recorded a striking episode: a farce advertised as “Trick upon Trick, or Methodism Displayed” was staged in a crowded hall to ridicule the Methodist work. The intention was not merely comedy but contempt—turning repentance, fervent prayer, and spiritual awakening into entertainment.

As the actors pressed on with their jeers, the building itself became unstable. The hall shook, seats gave way, and part of the stage fell. Fear seized the crowd; the mood shifted from laughter to sudden panic. Each attempt to resume the performance brought fresh collapse, until the show was finally abandoned. No preaching took place there that night, yet the interruption spoke loudly: human scorn is not the final authority.

Aftermath and Christian Witness

Wesley received the event as a sober reminder that God is not mocked, and yet that mercy often restrains what judgment might otherwise permit. Scripture gives the principle plainly: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.” (Galatians 6:7)

For believers, the lesson was not triumphalism but humility. When faith is caricatured, the call is to prayer, repentance, and steadfast love—even for opponents. “But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense… with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)

In such moments, heroism may look like calm restraint, helping others to safety, refusing retaliation, and continuing in faithful witness. Ridicule can shake a room, but it need not shake the soul that rests in God.