The destruction of W. for "rejecting the
offer of salvation"
Stevens Life and Times of Nathan Bangs 93-96
A more serious fate attended some of his
opposers. The "Christian Guardian" (Canada) related the
following example: "Dr. Bangs was the first Methodist or
Christian minister who entered the new settlement of
Colchester with the message of salvation. In the settlement
was a man named W., whose house was freely opened for the
purposes of public worship, and there the doctor opened his
commission. He preached a few times, invariably leaving an
appointment for a future time. He bore his testimony against
all sin, and doubtless in particular against that of
intoxication. Satan could not yield the control of his
adherents without a struggle, and he never lacks agents to
carry out his unholy designs. W., though he had opened his
house for the preaching of the Gospel, was not a pious man;
but strong hopes were entertained that he might become such.
Several other persons were his companions in sin, and some
among them much more determined and scheming in evil than
himself. They began to think if the preacher should be
permitted to go on as he had begun their joviality would
soon come to an end. What was to be done? Some plan must be
devised at once to prevent it. It was determined that they
should collect together at the house of W. at the next
appointment, and that he, who was to be a party to the
scheme, should turn the itinerant out of his house and
require him not to return. W. readily concurred in the
design. To prepare for this unholy work, they met together
some time before the appointed hour, and probably brought
themselves to the required point of courage by sundry
potations of whisky. As it had been noised abroad that this
was to be the last visit of the minister of God, a much more
numerous assemblage than usual had taken place in order to
witness the sport. On the arrival of the preacher he
expressed his gratification to see so many together, and
doubtless deemed it an omen of good. But, alas! he was soon
to be undeceived. He was permitted to enter the house, and
make various preparations for the worship he anticipated he
was about to lead. At this juncture W. arose, and taking him
by the shoulders, marched him to the door, and then stated
that he was not to preach in his house again, and that it
was the determination of the neighborhood that he should
visit them no more. The accouchement of W. was received with
universal approbation and a shout of joy. And no doubt
fiends in hell raised a shout of applause. The devil had
accomplished his end in using W. in ejecting from the
neighborhood the Gospel messenger, and rejecting therewith
the offer of salvation.
"This, however, was but the beginning. In
the presence of all the people, the rejected minister of
Christ, in the most solemn manner, followed the directions
of the Saviour. Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, and
raising first one foot and then the other, he wiped the dust
from the soles of his shows, which they had collected on the
ground of W., declaring at the same time he did it as a
testimony against them for refusing the message of salvation
[cf.
Mk 6.11]. This announcement was received with a
shout of derision, and the itinerant took his departure
from the dwelling, which was never again to be entered by
the messenger of saving mercy. As the settlement was then
distant from any other, and could only be reached by great
effort, the door also being closed against him, it came not
in the order of Providence for Mr. Bangs again to visit that
community.
"From the time that W. had been guilty of
this outrage, prosperity and comfort seemed to forsake his
habitation. One untoward event after another occurred until
he was a complete wreck, morally, mentally, socially,
physically, as well as in his secular affairs. The demon of
discontent was already in his abode. Another demon, as a
seducer, induced his wife to forsake her family and the home
of her husband, and wander into some part of the United
States, from whence she never returned. One misfortune
followed another until, in the course of a few years, all
his property was squandered, and he, wrecked by disease and
suffering, was dependent on charity for his daily support.
This was little compared with the mental agony he was
subjected to in consequence of the gnawings of a guilty
conscience for having rejected the Gospel messenger.
"Some years afterward, W., a decrepit and
miserable old man, was laid on a sick-bed, which eventually
proved to be the bed of death. Suffering and trial had been
his lot, and now he who once had been prosperous, and bid
fair for a happy and useful life, was dependent on the
bounty of others for a morsel of bread and a grave. The Rev.
Horace Dean, then being stationed in that part of the
province, was called upon to give him spiritual counsel, and
led his heart in prayer to that God whose servant he had
turned from his door. But both mental and moral vision
seemed to be beclouded. No impression could be produced on
his heart, and he died in a state of stolid indifference.
The occasion of his death was improved, as a warning to
others, by the minister who gave me the narrative.