Vol 2, pages 1-100 - My Primitive Methodist Ancestors

82 PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH.
pulpit which attracted the attention of men and made him popular. Many
of the
well-known incidents associated with his name occurred during his term of labour in
Ripon and its various branches, which term was remarkable for a great revival of
religion one that was not restricted to a few places but spread over nearly the whole
Circuit. New societies were raised in several places, and others that had seriously
declined were revived. It was just
after this revival that the Circuit was formed
into branches.
In 1837, Mr. Spoor was appointed to labour on the
Thirsk and Bedale Mission. At the village of Langthorne
the outlook was at first exceedingly unpromising. But
he was told there was hope for the place if only John
Hobson, the tallest man in the village, could be won
for Christ. Thereupon Mr. Spoor and his colleague.
W. Fulton, covenanted to pray at a given hour each day
for the conversion of this village champion and son of
Anak. Shortly after this, John Hobson was drawn by
some irresistible influence to a service conducted by
Mr. Spoor. Unmistakably enough
it was he; for, like
Saul, he towered head and shoulders above the rest.
John Hobson was converted and became the leader and
staunch supporter of the village society.
In December, 1837, Mr. Spoor was appointed to
open
a Mission at Boroughbridge. It was while preaching
on a village-green
near this old town that he had his encounter with the Anglican
priest who in his wrath threatened to stop him. To this Mr. "
Spoor replied There
:
are several ways of stopping you, but there's only one way of stopping me. Take
away your gown, and you dare not preach take
; a\vay your book, and you cannot
preach ;
and take away your rich income, and you won't preach ;
while the only
way to stop me is by cutting out my tongue." Of course the retort was not original ;
but it leaped forth on occasion like a trenchant impromptu and shows the readiness of
the man.
JOSEPH SPOOR.
Mr. Spoor and Fulton were dragged before the magistrates by an officious policeman for
a service which they held in Ripon Market-place.
say they were to be sent to prison.
the sake of the Gospel and shouted : " Glory be to God !
It seemed that despite all they might
Spoor rejoiced at the opportunity of suffering for
"
the ' kittie ' for Christ ! but
a prominent citizen came into Court, expostulated with the magistrates and put a new
face on the matter. It is said that a long and able letter appeared in the newspaper
insisting upon the right to conduct worship in the open air, and reflecting upon the
conduct of the policeman and the magistrates, and that the letter was from the pen of
Dr. Longley, then Bishop of Ripon, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury.
But, to our thinking, an incident narrated by Rev. C. C. McKechnie shows Mr.
Spoor in a still more attractive light. Mr. McKechnie had as a lad of seventeen just
arrived from his distant home in Paisley to begin his labours in the Ripon Circuit.
Rather cruelly, his superintendent had made him preach in the city on the very evening