Coleman Interposition 7/8

Ingenious Contrivance

Mr Thomas Jollie, after his ejectment, preached in his own house. To avoid being informed against (for he was a man of prudence as well as zeal) he adopted the following contrivance:— There being in the common sitting-room a staircase with a door at the bottom, he stood to preach on the second step; the door was cut in two, and while the lower part was shut, the upper part, being fastened to the other by hinges, would fall back on brackets, so as to form a desk. To this was fixed a string, by which he could easily draw it up on intelligence being given of the approach of informers, by those who were appointed as sentinels to give notice; he then immediately went up-stairs, so that when the informers entered they could not prove that he had been preaching, though they found a number of persons in the room.

 

Providential Deliverance

Mr Henry Maurice, ejected from Stretton, in Shropshire, was often waylaid by his enemies in order to his apprehension, but was hid in "the hollow of God's hand." His house was once searched for him when he had been lately preaching, but his adversaries could not discover the door of the closet in which he was, adjoining to the room in which the meeting was held. Another time a constable came into the room where he was preaching, commanding him to desist, when he, with an undaunted courage, charged him, in the name of the great God, whose word he was preaching, to forbear molesting him, as he would answer it at the great day. The man hereupon sat down and trembled, heard him patiently till he concluded, and then departed. Mr Maurice was taken but once, and then he was bailed; and upon appearance made, was discharged by the favour of some gentlemen, who were justices of the peace, and his friends and relations. He was sometimes reduced to great straits whilst he lived at Shrewsbury, but was often surprisingly relieved. One time, when he had been very thoughtful, and was engaged in prayer with his family, suiting some petitions to their necessitous case, a carrier knocked at the door, inquired for him, and delivered to him a handful of money, untold, as a present from some friends; but would not tell who they were. The same person also, another time, brought him a bag of money very seasonably. His wife had an inheritance of £40 per annum, which she had a right to be possessed of soon after his leaving Stretton; but it was unjustly alienated for ten years. However, she was cheerful, industrious in many employments, and contented with the coarsest fare, being ambitious only, if possible, to have the sureties' obligations discharged; which, through the good providence of God concurring with frugal management, was done, and Mr Maurice had the satisfaction to live to see it, but died soon after.