Miraculous Deliverance of Preacher from Mob Persecution

After Mary Ann Maughan married John Davis, a cooper and carpenter, on Joseph Smith's birthday (December 23, 1840), they settled in Tirley, Gloucestershire, England. Brother Wilford Richards counselled them to open their house for Church meetings since there were no other Saints in that place. They did so, but their first meeting was disrupted when a lot of roughs, led by an apostate Methodist, came and made a great disturbance. They threatened the preacher with violence. In this moment of danger, the Saints in the house 'surrounded him and slipped him through a door upstairs.' When the preacher was gone, the mob dispersed and they were left alone. Two weeks later, notice was given for another meeting, and the mob came again. Again, 'we succeeded in hiding the preacher and one of the brethren took him away.' Through divine providence and the quick thinking of the Saints, the preacher was protected from violent mob action. This experience demonstrated the Lord's protection of His servants during times of persecution, as well as the faith and courage of the early Saints in England who risked mob violence to maintain the worship of God.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

I was married to John Davis, a cooper and carpenter, on the 23rd of December, 1840, it being the Prophet Joseph Smith's birthday. We settled in Tirley, Gloucestershire. Brother Wilford Richards came to see us and counseled us to open our house for meetings, as there were no other Saints in that place. We did so, but our first meeting was broken up by a lot of roughs, led by an apostate Methodist, who made a great disturbance and threatened the preacher with violence. The Saints in the house surrounded him and slipped him through a door upstairs. When the preacher was gone, the mob dispersed and we were left alone. Two weeks later, notice was given for another meeting, and the mob came again. Again, we succeeded in hiding the preacher and one of the brethren took him away.