William Haslam - Tregony (1855)
Haslam met a clergymen in a coach and was asked to take over his services for six weeks. He assented and arranged the time. On arrival at Tregony he found a crowd outside the Inn who were talking about how they did not want a Revivalist and they would duck him if they had half the chance. He avoided then but on walking to church the next morning, stones flew by him and he was hit by some mud that hit him on the cheek and he continued amid the jeers of those around him.
During the day he ensured that the mud remained on his face all day and people were so curious about this strange man that the evening service was full. Revival soon broke out and there were soon more people outside the schoolroom where the after-service took place than there were inside. When the vicar returned he handed over a full church, three Bible classes and a large Sunday school.
Later Haslam received a letter saying 'I was one of the instigators of the opposition to your work here, but the very first evening you spoke in the schoolroom I was outside listening and was shot through the window. The word hit my heart like a hammer, without breaking a pane of glass. Scores and scores of people will bless God to all eternity that you ever came amongst us.' The papers reported good things about Haslam for once and the Member of Parliament sent him £25. The vicar of the adjoining parish who had opposed Haslam for some time, sent him a letter that said 'Dear old Haslam, you have done more good in that part of my parish where you were working, in a few weeks, than I have done for years. I enclose you a cheque for the amount of tithes coming from there. The Lord bless you more and more! Pray for me!'