UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO 
 
 from the collection of 
 Professor Koppel S. Pinson
 
 VALIANT FOR THE TRUTH; 
 
 OR SOME MEMORIALS OF 
 
 GEORGE FOX AND THE EARLY FRIENDS. 
 
 BY 
 
 RUTH S. MURRAY. 
 
 " We are nothing; Christ is all." 
 
 G. Fox. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE : 
 Printed at fyt Btoerstte 
 
 1880.
 
 Copyright, 1879, 
 Br RUTH S. MURRAY 
 
 The Riverside Press, Cambridge : 
 Printed by H. Houghton and Company
 
 To 
 
 HIM WHO FIRST SUQQESTSD THE IDKA OP THIS BOOK ; 
 
 WHO HAS ASSISTED IN ITS PREPARATION; 
 AND WHOSE LIFE IS AN EXEMPLIFICATION OF THE TRUTHS IT CONTAINS 
 
 TO MY HONORED FATHER, 
 f)tfs Folume 
 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 1624-1649. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Birth and Parentage. Piety as a Boy. Apprenticed to a 
 Glazier. Truthfulness. Goes to the Fair, but returns 
 sorrowful. Distress of Mind. Finds no Help from 
 Earthly Counsel. The Lord Jesus revealed to him as 
 his Helper. His Joy and Peace. Commences his 
 Evangelistic Mission. Sketch of the Manners and Cus- 
 toms of his Day* The Truths proclaimed by him. New 
 Sect formed, " The Friends of Truth " 11 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 1650-1652. 
 
 Imprisoned at Nottingham. Sadly abused at Mansfield- 
 Woodhouse. Brought before Magistrates at Derby. 
 Questioned as to his Doctrines. Professes Sanctifica- 
 tion. Testifies to All-Sufficiency of Christ, yet committed 
 to Prison as a Blasphemer. Jailer Converted. Name 
 of Quaker given to the Friends. Asked to become 
 Captain of Band of Soldiers. Imprisoned in a close, 
 damp Dungeon. Magistrates troubled, and release him. 
 Travels through Yorkshire. In York Minster thrown 
 down and trampled on. At Patrington refused Food or 
 Lodging. Continues his Evangelistic Course. Foolish 
 Stories about him. Ascends Pendle Hill. Prophesies a 
 Great Gathering to the Lord. Great Fair at Sedburgh. 
 Preaches under Two Yew Trees. On a Rock near Fir- 
 bank Chapel, to One Thousand People gathered around. 21
 
 VI 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 1652-1654. 
 
 PAQI 
 
 Visits at Swarthmore. Margaret Fell impressed with his 
 Teaching. Attends the Services on Fast Day, and asks 
 to speak. Justice Sawry enraged. Margaret Fell con- 
 vinced of the Truth as held by the Friends. Judge Fell 
 returns. Attempt to prejudice him against George Fox. 
 Satisfied by Conversation with the Friends. Offers a 
 Room in his House for their Meeting. Margaret Fell's 
 Testimony to their Belief. Ministers in Lancashire 
 roused by Declaration of a Free-Gospel Ministry. Con- 
 vocation at Swarthmore. Thomas Taylor, convinced of 
 Truth of the Doctrine, gives up his Position, and becomes 
 a Friend. Rage of Ministers. The Friends beaten and 
 stoned, but the Society increased. Parliament dismissed 
 by Cromwell. George Fox in Carlisle. Abbey crowded 
 with Attentive Listeners. At the Castle, Soldiers collect- 
 ed to hear him. Magistrates try to arrest him, but could 
 not for the People. Mobbed on First Day, and commit- 
 ted to Prison. Hardships endured. Visited by James 
 Parnell, who became a Friend. Cruel Persecutions and 
 Death of James Parnell. The Little Parliament inquire 
 into Cause of Imprisonment of George Fox. Justices 
 interfere, and George Fox released. Prophecy that the 
 Quakers would come to Naught changed into Fear that 
 they would take all the Trade. Large Band of Workers 
 go southward to preach the Gospel. George Fox writes 
 an Epistle of Advice to them. Nathaniel Stevens, Min- 
 ister at Drayton, sends for George Fox to a Conference. 
 His Father pleased with his Son's Arguments. George 
 Fox arrested and sent to London by Colonel Hacker. 
 Prayer for his Persecutor 33
 
 Vll 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 1654-1656. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 London in the Seventeenth Century. Zeal in Religion. 
 Isabel Button the First to hold Friends' Meetings in the 
 City at a Private House. Edward Bui-rough and Francis 
 Howgill labor earnestly. Hearers increase till the Bull 
 and Mouth was hired. Edward Burrough preaches, 
 Bible in Hand. At a Wrestling-Match at Moorfields. 
 Manner of Death of F. Howgill and E. Burrough. 
 George Fox comes as Prisoner. Oliver Cromwell re- 
 leases him, and desires an Interview. The two Leaders 
 meet at Whitehall. Cromwell's Testimony to the Honest 
 Simplicity of the Friends. George Fox holds Meetings 
 in London. Great Awakening, and Numbers joined 
 Friends. George Fox's Thanksgiving. Early Friends 
 travel far and wide, preaching the Gospel. Friends suf- 
 fer because of Refusal to take Oaths. Necessity for Two 
 Meetings, one for Earnest Worshipers, the other a 
 Teaching Meeting for Unconverted. George Fox travels 
 with Edward Pyott and William Salt through South of 
 England. Writes a Paper of Advice to Seven Parishes of 
 the Land's End. Arrested at St. Ives, and committed 
 to Launceston Jail. Cruel Treatment of the Soldiers 
 who had charge of them. Examined at the Assizes. 
 Anger of the Judge at their keeping on their Hats. 
 George Fox refers to the Bible, and confuses the Judge. 
 Tries to circulate a Paper against Swearing among the 
 Crowd. Cruel Treatment of Jailer at Launceston Jail. 
 Miserable Room, and much Suffering. One of the 
 Friends goes to Cromwell, offering to take the Place 
 of George Fox. Finally released, after Six Months' Im- 
 prisonment 44
 
 vm 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 1656. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Persecution of Quakers in the New World. Nicholas 
 Upsal banished for Kindness to Two Women Friends. 
 An Indian Chief entertains him, although puzzled to 
 understand the God of the English. Fines and Im- 
 prisonment imposed on all who sympathized with the 
 Quakers. James Naylor's Fall. Grievous Punishment. 
 Repentance and Death. Stringent Bills of Parliament 
 against Friends, and Consequent Suffering. The Lord 
 with the Sufferers. Advice of George Fox in regard to 
 New Converts. New Field for Mission Labor in Wales. 
 John Ap John travels with George Fox as Interpreter. 
 Preaches Christ to Large Multitudes. Opposition 
 aroused. Bible Reading with an Opposer blessed of the 
 Lord. A Prophecy on Caeder Iris afterward fulfilled. 
 Argument with Two Priests, in regard to the Light. 
 George Fox proves from the Bible that Christ is the 
 Light of the World. Satisfaction of Hearers. Rough 
 Treatment on the Ferry, and Long Ride. Returns to 
 England. Reaches Liverpool at the Time of Great 
 Fair. Novel Method of advertising a Meeting for 
 .George Fox. Reaches Swarthmore Hall 57 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 1657-1659. 
 
 Visit to Scotland. Doctrine of Free Salvation through 
 Christ Jesus opposed by the Ministers, but received by 
 the People. Curses against Quakers prepared to be 
 read in Market-Places. Driven out of Johnstons, 
 James Lancaster singing, George Fox preaching to 
 the People. Return to England. General Meeting at 
 Shipton. Minute recommending Collections for Mis- 
 sionary Purposes. Attempt to arrest George Fox. A 
 Spanish Jesuit challenges Friends, but fails to sustain
 
 PAOI 
 
 his Position. Sufferings of the Friends. George Fox 
 writes to the Protector. Illness and Death of Cromwell's 
 Daughter. Death of Cromwell. Death of Judge Fell. 
 Richard Cromwell succeeds his Father. Friends apply 
 to him for Relief. Remarkable Offer to take the Places 
 of those in Prison. Parliament surprised, and Committee 
 appointed to look into the Matter. The Hopes of Friends 
 disappointed. George Fox's Letter of Encouragement. 
 Disturbances in Political World. George Fox anxious 
 Friends should keep their Place. General Monk orders 
 their Meetings should be undisturbed. Remarkable 
 Punishment of a Mocker. George Fox goes to Cornwall. 
 Address to the Cornish Wreckers 67 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 1660. 
 
 Restoration of Charles II. Declaration of Breda. Joy in 
 England. Friends Quiet. Meeting at Shipton. Assist- 
 ance to the Poor. Rest at Swarthmore disturbed. 
 George Fox arrested. Denounced as a Witch. Hatred 
 of the Quakers. Brought before Judge Porter, and 
 sentenced to the Dark House. Dreary Imprisonment. 
 George Fox busy with his Pen. Margaret Fox writes 
 to Magistrates. Appeals to the King in Person. The 
 King orders his Removal to London by Habeas Corpus. 
 George Fox sent without a Guard. Judge Foster's Tes- 
 timony to his Truthfulness. George Fox released by 
 the King. Appeal to King Charles on behalf of Friends. 
 Outbreak of Fifth Monarchy Men. Dissenters looked 
 upon with Suspicion. Friends suffer greatly. Margaret 
 Fell again appeals to the King. George Fox also ad- 
 dresses him. Orders issued that Friends be set at Lib- 
 erty. Decision in Court as to the Validity of the Mar- 
 riages of Friends -. . . . 77
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 1660-1661. 
 
 FACIE 
 
 Account of Missionary Journeys of the Friends. Mary 
 Fisher to Turkey. Interview with the Sultan. Kath- 
 erine Evans and Sarah Chevers to Alexandria. Their 
 Sufferings in the Inquisition at Malta. Rejoicing in 
 Christ. Released through Efforts of George Fox. Per- 
 secution in New England Colonies. Four Friends put 
 to Death. Letter of William Robinson to George Fox. 
 Remonstrances with King Charles. Order of the King 
 that Persecution should cease. Friends send this to Bos- 
 ton at their own Expense. Passage of Act of Conform- 
 ity. Two Thousand Presbyterian Ministers ejected, and 
 Friends suffer cruelly. Steadfastness of the Children . 88 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 1663-1664. 
 
 The King's Desire for Toleration opposed by Parliament. 
 Plot against the Government. Friends suffer. Rewards 
 offered for their Arrest. George Fox at Swarthmore. 
 Calls on Colonel Kirby. Arrested at Swarthmore Hall. 
 Trial before Judges. George Fox pleads his Innocence. 
 Remanded to Prison for refusing to Swear. Lancaster 
 Jail crowded. Trial at next Assize. Calls on the Min- 
 isters to prove that Christ commanded Christians to 
 swear. At next Assize committed to Prison. Eighteen 
 Months' Imprisonment with Cruel Hardship. His Con- 
 stancy and Patience win the Regard of the Governor. 
 Margaret Fell imprisoned. Actively engaged in Writing. 
 Released by the King after Five Years' Confinement . . 97 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 1663-1666. 
 
 Conventicle Act. Friends faithful in Maintaining their 
 Meetings. Arrests and Sentence of Transportation. Un-
 
 XI 
 
 PAOE 
 
 willingness of Captains to take the " Quakers " away. 
 One finally takes some, but lands them at Deal. They in- 
 form the King and Council of their Return. Imprisoned 
 for Seven Years, then released. Two Hundred sentenced 
 to Banishment. Overcrowded Jails. Trusting in God, 
 though in Suffering. King declines any further Interfer- 
 ence on behalf of Friends, and Clouds hang heavily over 
 them. Remonstrances and Prophecies of the Judgments 
 of the Lord. War with Holland. The Plague. Alarm 
 of the Court. Five Mile Act. Christian Heroism at 
 Newgate Prison. Care of the Friends over the Widows 
 and Orphans. George Fox writes from Scarborough ex- 
 tolling the Power of a Living Christ. Testimony of the 
 Officials of the Prison. Esquire March obtains Release 
 of George Fox. Fire in London. Warning of a Friend . 108 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 1666. 
 
 Organization of the Society of Friends. General Meeting. 
 Yearly Meeting. Two Weeks Meeting. Monthly Meet- 
 ings for Discipline. Qualifications for Membership. The 
 Position of Women. Women's Meetings. Advice for 
 Government of Meetings for Discipline. Six Weeks 
 Meetings. Ministers' Meetings. Minute of Chesterfield 
 Meeting of Ministers and Elders. Care of the Children. 
 Accession to the Ranks. Sketch of Robert Barclay and 
 William Penn 118 
 
 CHAPTER XH. 
 
 1668-1673. 
 
 Margaret Fell released from Prison. Visits the Prisons. 
 Marriage to George Fox. His Care that Everything 
 should be rightly performed. Refuses any Right to her 
 Property. Margaret Fox again thrown into Prison. 
 George Fox obtains her Release. Starts on an Evangel- 
 istic Tour through America. Chased by Pirates, but es-
 
 capes. Lands in Barbadoes. Advises with his Brethren 
 and Sisters. Encourages Care of the Slaves. Course of 
 Friends as regards Slavery. Large Meetings at Barba- 
 doeSi Letter to the Governor on Views of Friends. Vis- 
 Its Jamaica. Stormy Passage to the Continent. Quiet 
 Trust of the Friends. Lands in Maryland and attends a 
 . General Meeting. George Fox encourages Meetings for 
 Discipline. Journey by Land to New England. Kindness 
 of Indian Chief. Half Year's Meeting at Oyster Bay. 
 Yearly Meeting at Rhode Island. Love Feast. Leading 
 Men desire to hire him as their Minister. Characteristic 
 Reply. Accident at Shrewsbury to John Jay. Wonder- 
 ful Cure. General Meeting in Maryland. Establish- 
 ment of Order. Recommendation to teach the Indians. 
 Visit to Governor of Virginia. Discomfiture of a Doctor. 
 Sails for England. Thanksgiving for Safe Return . . 135 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 1673-1677. 
 
 King Charles suspends Penal Laws against Dissenters. Case 
 of Friends represented to the King. Their Pardon. John 
 Bunyan and other Dissenters released through Efforts of 
 Friends. Parliament revokes the Law, and King Charles 
 assents. George Fox at Bristol. The Three Teachers. 
 George Fox pleads for Women's Meetings. Labors in 
 London for Relief of Friends. Starts for Swarthmore. 
 Arrested with Thomas Lower, and committed to Worces- 
 ter Jail. Thomas Lower released. George Fox sent to 
 London. Remanded to Worcester for Trial. Controver- 
 sy regarding Sanctification. Declaration as to the Loy- 
 alty of Friends. Sentence of Praenmnire. The King's 
 Offer of Pardon refused. Counsellor Corbet's Wisdom. 
 George Fox released. Rest at Swarthmore. Letter to 
 the Yearly Meeting. Visits Holland. Early Church in 
 Holland. Pastor Robinson's Farewell to the Pilgrim 
 Fathers. Suffering of Friends in the United Provinces. 
 George Fox labors in Amsterdam. Arranges Meetings
 
 Xlll 
 
 1 
 
 for Discipline. Always Abounding in Work of the Lord. 
 Council at Nimeguen. Princess Elizabeth of the Rhine. 
 Conference with Galenus Abrahams. Return to England. 153 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 1673. 
 
 Notice of some of the Earlier Sects in England. Seekers 
 and Ranters. Friends different from both. Objection to 
 the Discipline. Desire for Individual Freedom. George 
 Fox accused of Selfish Motives. Singing in Meeting. Min- 
 ute of Yearly Meeting. Restrictions imposed. Opposi- 
 tion to Action of Yearly Meeting. Wilkinson and Story 
 Defection. Conference at Drawel. Strengthening of the 
 Cause of Order. Spine Separatists return. Tumult in 
 Political World. Titus Oates. Supposed Plot to subvert 
 the Protestant Religion. Parliament dissolved. The 
 Friends quiet, but grievously persecuted. George Fox 
 writes a Letter against Plots and Plotters. Account of 
 Sufferings of Friends given to Parliament. Caution to 
 Friends to be Honest in their Dealings 1 70 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 1680. 
 
 George Fox leaves Swarthmore for London. Varied Serv- 
 ice in that City. The Yearly Meeting held notwithstand- 
 ing the Danger of Arrest. Letter of Encouragement. 
 Advice as to the Conduct of Friends. Second Visit to 
 Holland. Feeble Health. Various Letters written by 
 George Fox. To the Captive Friends in Algiers. On the 
 Ministry of Women. On the Rest in Christ. Against the 
 Love of the World. Variety in Christians. Margaret Fox 
 protests against mere Outward Uniformity 181 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 1685. 
 
 Death of King Charles, and Succession of James. Petition 
 of the Friends for Relief. Attempt of Duke of Monmouth.
 
 XIV 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Deputation to King James. Friends released. Joyful 
 Yearly Meeting. George Fox writes to those set free 
 from Prison. " To the Friends in the Ministry in Penn- 
 sylvania and New Jersey." Call to proclaim the Gospel. 
 None but Christ. Necessity of Repentance. Fruits of 
 New Life. The Way to come to Christ. Suspension of 
 Penal Laws concerning Ecclesiastical Matters. Address 
 of Thankfulness to King James. His Reply. Dissatisfac- 
 tion of English People and Accession of William and Mary. 206 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 1689-1690. 
 
 Act of Toleration. Care of the Friends to obtain its Privi- 
 leges. George Fox active in the Work. Confession of 
 Faith prepared by Friends. Relief to the Friends. 
 George Fox writes on Love. Increasing Feebleness. Mar- 
 garet Fox comes to London to be with him. Their 
 Single-Hearted Devotion to God. Gift to Friends of a 
 Site for a Meeting-House. Letter to the Young and the 
 Old. Advice to Ministers. Assurance of Faith. Letter 
 to the Friends in Ireland. Meeting in Gracechurch 
 Street. His Illness and Death . .219
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IT seems especially fitting that a brief yet trust- 
 worthy narrative of the life and religious services of 
 that eminent apostle of spiritual Christianity, George 
 Fox, should be published at this time. 
 
 Nor will it detract from the interest or usefulness 
 of the publication, that his biography involves an 
 outline history of that great awakening of the English 
 nation, through the Lord's blessing on his instrumen- 
 tality, about two centuries ago, which resulted in the 
 gathering of the Society of Friends, and their estab- 
 lishment as a living and working church of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 So many questions have arisen, moreover, of latter 
 time, in regard to the faith and doctrines of these 
 our forefathers, that it is well that such a narrative 
 involves, of necessity, a clear and authentic exposition 
 of the blessed truths of the gospel as they were as- 
 suredly believed in and proclaimed by George Fox 
 and his followers with unwavering fidelity. 
 
 A careful reader of the political history of Great 
 Britain during the seventeenth century, and of the 
 civil and religious commotions which followed each 
 change in the ruling dynasty, will not wonder very 
 much at the error into which some have been led in 
 1
 
 this regard, by a superficial review of the controver- 
 sial writings of the early Friends. They lived, indeed, 
 in troublous- times ; and it would seem, at the first 
 glance, as though their whole life-work had been an 
 aggressive and defensive warfare against principali- 
 ties and powers in church and state. 
 
 Yet before they entered on this warfare these true 
 soldiers of the cross had taken care to put on the 
 whole armor of God, and so were thoroughly equipped 
 for the conflict. 
 
 They knew their heads to be covered, as with a 
 helmet, in the day of battle, with the assured hope 
 of salvation through a crucified and risen Lord and 
 Saviour : His righteousness was to them an unfailing 
 breastplate, and their loins were girt about with His 
 eternal truth. With the shield of an experimental 
 faith in Him, they were able to quench all the fiery 
 darts of the wicked one ; and they wielded, in the 
 name of the Captain of their salvation, the Sword of 
 the Spirit, which is the Word of God, often realiz- 
 ing it to be quick and powerful, and mighty through 
 God to the pulling down of strongholds even that 
 Word which by the gospel is preached unto us. 
 
 Any one who will faithfully read the contemporary 
 narrative of their lives and labors in that gospel, as 
 well as their voluminous doctrinal writings, will see 
 that they were sound in the faith of Christ, and filled 
 with His love even to their enemies ; and that their 
 primary object was the salvation of their fellow-men, 
 and the advancement of the kingdom of their Lord 
 and Redeemer upon the earth. 
 
 He will plainly see, too, that the warfare they were
 
 3 
 
 involved in arose for the most part from the deter- 
 mined opposition of His enemies ; or through the wiles 
 of His great enemy, Satan, in blinding the eyes of 
 many of the Lord's dear children, so that they should 
 ignorantly oppose and persecute His own faithful 
 servants. 
 
 We do not claim for these grand old reformers that 
 they themselves were infallible in all their judgments 
 of men and things ; nor in all their expositions of Di- 
 vine Truth and interpretations of the divine oracles. 
 Building, as they were obliged for the most part to 
 do, the walls of their Zion, like the Lord's people of 
 old, with one hand, while they held in the other a 
 drawn sword, ready for the conflict, we would not af- 
 firm that even these wise master-builders never in 
 their haste made use of untempered mortar ; that the 
 sound of the hammer or axe or any tool of iron was 
 never heard in their building; or that every stone 
 was always smoothed and squared and fitly joined to- 
 gether in their spiritual temple. 
 
 Yet we may affirm that they both knew and tes- 
 tified that " other foundation can no man lay than 
 that is laid, which is Jesus Christ ; " and that upon 
 this Rock they sought to build His church, not with 
 "wood, hay, or stubble," which a day of fire would 
 consume, but bringing their most costly offerings, as 
 it were, their " gold, silver, and precious stones, " in 
 loving consecration to their Saviour's feet, and count- 
 ing nothing too near or too dear to part with for His 
 sake. 
 
 It was an age of general excitement and controversy 
 upon religious subjects. Ecclesiastical domination and
 
 tyranny, first of one ruling sect and then of another, 
 kept both pen and tongue in constant exercise with 
 those who sought to establish, or defend, their liberty 
 of religious belief or practice. 
 
 Yet while all non-conformists felt the pressure of 
 the times, it fell most heavily on George Fox and his 
 immediate followers, who believed themselves called 
 to establish and defend a singular profession of faith, 
 equally obnoxious to all the other prevailing sects, 
 but which they claimed to be founded on the author- 
 ity of the Lord Himself, opening up to them the Holy 
 Scriptures in their true spiritual significance. 
 
 As we look now over the whole field of acrimoni- 
 ous controversy, in the calm light and with the cool 
 judgment of history, we may well regret that these 
 armed warriors, on both sides, had not oftener, before 
 the conflict, drawn aside their visors ; and so, behold- 
 ing the seal of the Lamb on each of their foreheads, 
 have been enabled to recognize one another as beloved 
 followers of the same Lord and Master whom they 
 were equally desirous to serve, and whose truth they 
 were both seeking zealously to defend. 
 
 It is a joyful thought, however, that they know each 
 other now, and that many of them have clasped hands 
 on the other side of the river. We willingly forget the 
 opprobrious epithets mutually hurled at one another, 
 in remembering that Bunyan, with the host of Chris- 
 tian pilgrims which he has been the chosen instrument 
 of leading to the " celestial city," and Baxter, with 
 the multitude whom his " Call to the Unconverted " 
 had awakened, or his thoughts on the " Saint's 
 Rest " had comforted, are now lovingly mingling in
 
 ceaseless songs of praise, with George Fox and the 
 early Friends, in that innumerable company which 
 surround the throne, all having come out of great 
 tribulation, and having washed their robes and made 
 them white in the blood of the Lamb. 
 
 The doctrine which awakened the most general op- 
 position throughout the professing Christian church 
 of that day, and which George Fox and his follow- 
 ers considered it their especial mission to proclaim, 
 was what they termed " the light of Christ ; " affirm- 
 ing that, by the grace of God, this light was given to 
 every man, enabling him to see his own sinful condi- 
 tion, and by obedience to its manifestations to realize 
 his soul's everlasting salvation, through faith in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, his Saviour. 
 
 This doctrine was continually misrepresented by 
 their contemporaries, and a fearful heresy and. 
 schism in the Society of Friends, in the last genera- 
 tion, was but the result of that continued misrepresen- 
 tation, as teaching that this light was a principle 
 within, which, as they watched its gradual growth, 
 would enable men to pass from a state of nature to a 
 state of grace. 
 
 The difference between the two doctrines is all the 
 difference between truth and error, between the de~ 
 lusions of a mystical spiritualism, on the one hand, 
 and the fulness and simplicity of the gospel of Christ, 
 on the other. 
 
 George Fox, from the earliest period of his public 
 ministrations, as a young evangelist, to the date of 
 the last epistles from his trembling pen, held the same 
 unmistakable language, taught the same unchangeable 
 truth.
 
 " I showed them," he says in his Journal, under 
 date 1651, " the true worship, which Christ had set 
 up, and distinguished Christ, the true Way, from all 
 the false ways ; opening the parables to them, and 
 turning them from darkness to the true Light ; that by 
 it they might see themselves, their sin, and Christ 
 their Saviour, and believing in Him, they might be 
 saved from their sins." 
 
 Again : 
 
 1655. 
 
 " From Worcester we went to Tewksbury, where 
 in the evening we had a great meeting. I turned the 
 people to the Divine Light, which Christ, the Heav- 
 enly, spiritual Man, enlighteneth them withal ; that 
 with that Light they might see their sins, and that 
 they were in death and darkness, and without God in 
 the world ; and might also see Christ, from whom it 
 cometh, their Saviour and Redeemer ; who shed His 
 blood and died for them ; who is the Way to God, 
 the Truth, and the Life." 
 
 Turning now over nearly five hundred pages of his 
 Journal, embracing a wondrous record of the faithful 
 services and sufferings of this eminent servant of the 
 Lord for more than a quarter of a century, we find in 
 one of his epistles the same clear theology declared 
 which he had at first preached : 
 
 1678. 
 
 " Therefore I warn and advise you, both high and 
 low, priests and people, to come to the Grace, Light, 
 and Truth that comes by Jesus Christ ; and also to 
 come to the manifestation of the Spirit of God that is 
 given to you to profit withal that with this
 
 Truth, Light, and Spirit of Christ, you may turn to 
 Christ Jesus from whence it eomes, who saith, Learn 
 of Me ; and God saith, This is my beloved Son, hear 
 ye Him 
 
 " And therefore every one must believe in the light, 
 if they do receive Christ Jesus ; and as many as receive 
 Him, He gives them power to become the sons of Grod. 
 
 " So he that hath the Son of Grod hath life, and lie 
 that hath not the Son of Grod hath not life." 
 
 Ten years later, under date Sixth Month, 1687, he 
 testifies that it was by this light, " by this Holy 
 Spirit the holy and righteous God doth draw people 
 from their unrighteousness and unholiness to Christ ; 
 
 the righteous and holy One And they that 
 
 mind the drawings of the good Spirit of the Father 
 to the Son, they do know that Christ is their Mediator 
 and makes their peace with Grod; and they do know 
 that Christ is their High Priest, made higher than 
 the heavens, and hath died for their sins and doth 
 cleanse them with His blood and is risen for their jus- 
 tification, and is able to the uttermost to save all that 
 come to God by Him." 
 
 In his epistles to the Friends in America, he ex- 
 horted them " to instruct and teach the Indians and 
 negroes, and all others, that Christ, by the grace of 
 Gi-od, tasted death for every man, and gave Himself a 
 ransom for all men, to be testified in due time ; and 
 is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world." 
 
 It was the Lord Jesus Himself, whom George Fox 
 preached and exalted in his ministry, as the Light, 
 the Life, the Door, the Way, the Shepherd, the Lamb
 
 8 
 
 slain from the foundation of the world, the great 
 Head and High Priest of His church, which He had 
 bought with His own precious blood. 
 
 He believed, moreover, not only in the atoning effi- 
 cacy of the blood of Christ, for the sinner's redemp- 
 tion, but also in its perpetual cleansing power, in the 
 life of the forgiven, redeemed child of God ; and that 
 by its complete operation on the soul of man a state 
 of constant acceptance and purity, in the Light of the 
 Lord, might be realized. He thus replied to some un- 
 scriptural teachers of that day : 
 
 " Of w hat value, price, and worth have they made the 
 blood of Christ, that cleansethfrom sin and death, and 
 yet told people that they would bring them to a knowl- 
 edge of the Son of God, and now tell them they must 
 not be perfect on the earth, but carry a body of sin 
 about them to the grave 
 
 " ut I say, you are redeemed by Christ. It cost 
 Him His blood to purchase man out of this state he is 
 in in the fall, and bring him up to the state man was 
 in before he fell." 
 
 " So Christ became a curse, to bring man out of the 
 curse ; and bore the wrath, to bring man to the peace 
 of God ; that he might come to the blessed state, and 
 to Adam's state which he was in before he fell ; and 
 not only thither, but to a state, in Christ, that shall 
 never fall. And this is my testimony to you and to 
 all the people on the earth." Epistles. 
 
 Enough has been said to show the sound evangel- 
 ical theology of George Fox. His personal character 
 was beyond reproach ; even his enemies testified of him 
 that " he was stiff as a tree and as clear as a bell and
 
 that nothing could move him." The touching and 
 wonderful testimonies recorded by many of his friends 
 who knew him intimately, and loved and honored him 
 as few earthly leaders were ever loved and honored, 
 are still preserved, bound up in his writings. 
 
 We learn from them how graceful he was in coun- 
 tenance, how manly in person, and grave in gesture, 
 how courteous in his demeanor toward all; how in- 
 fluential in moving other men's spirits, while " very 
 much master of his own," how a civility was his 
 above all forms of breeding. We see him, while 
 " valiant in asserting the truth, bold in defending it, 
 patient in suffering for it, immovable as a rock " in 
 refusing to compromise it, yet forgiving and loving 
 to all his own persecutors and enemies. 
 
 He died, as he had lived, true to his Lord and 
 Saviour to the end. The last epistle he wrote, a few 
 days before his death, closes with these solemn words : 
 " So all of you live and walk in Christ Jesus ; that 
 nothing may be between you and God, but Christ in 
 whom you have salvation, life, rest, and peace with 
 God." And now, as was testified of him nearly two 
 centuries ago, this faithful servant has entered into 
 the everlasting rest and joy of his Lord, and there we 
 leave him, earnestly praying that we, in our day and 
 generation, may discharge our duty as faithfully as 
 he did his, and may not fail to preserve with loving 
 care the sacred trust committed to us also, to keep 
 and to hand down to future generations unimpaired, 
 the evangelical spiritual doctrines of the gospel of 
 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 THOMAS KIMBER. 
 i*
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE county of Leicestershire in the centre of Eng- 
 land is one of the richest in agricultural resources. 
 The land gently sloping to the River Soar, that passes 
 through its midst, is covered with rich verdure, and 
 affords nourishment to the cattle for which the county 
 is famous. The bright waters of the river rippling 
 gently over the smooth pebbles and shining sands, 
 the bunches of alder and hawthorn bursting into 
 flower in the early spring, and the velvety turf with 
 the sheep and oxen grazing upon it, form a beautiful 
 picture of quiet country life. But every landscape 
 has its shadow, and a part of Leicestershire is very 
 flat and marshy, reminding one that toil and labor 
 belong to this stage of existence ; that to-day, as of 
 old, is sounded the declaration, " In the sweat of thy 
 face shalt thou eat bread." It was amid hardship 
 and poverty that the hero of this sketch passed his 
 early days. In a humble weaver's cot in the village 
 of Fenny Dayton, lived Christopher Fox, an honest, 
 upright man, called by his neighbors "Righteous 
 Christer." Here he plied his trade, patiently throw- 
 ing his shuttle day by day, and receiving little for his 
 toil. According to historians, even good workmen 
 could earn only seven pounds a year. 
 
 " Righteous Christer's " wife, Mary Lago by name, 
 came of martyr stock, and partook of the earnest
 
 12 
 
 steadfastness manifested by her ancestors, and \ve 
 may imagine that her children "were early trained in 
 the love of truth. 
 
 Among the hearty, wholesome lads and lasses of 
 the family, dressed in homespun clothes and living on 
 barley and oatmeal, was one named George. Even 
 in his childhood, differing from the others by his 
 quiet, grave demeanor, his mother watched over him 
 with tender care, endeavoring to cherish his good im- 
 pressions and to strengthen his good resolutions. 
 When very young he refused to join in the rude, fool- 
 ish sports of the time, and when he saw old men en- 
 gage in them the thought rose, as he tells us, in his 
 childish heart, " If ever I come to be a man, surely I 
 shall not do so." 
 
 When eleven years old, he says, " I was taught 
 how to walk to be kept pure. The Lord taught me 
 to be faithful in all things, and to act faithfully two 
 ways, namely, inwardly to God and outwardly to 
 men, and to keep to yea and nay in all things ; that 
 my words were to be few and savory, seasoned with 
 grace ; and that I might not eat and drink to make 
 myself wanton, but for health." " The child is father 
 to the man," and this conviction of the honesty, mod- 
 eration, and temperance enjoined upon Christians in- 
 creased and deepened with his riper years. 
 
 Such an earnest, truth-loving boy was considered 
 fit for the priest's office by his mother and some of his 
 relations ; but others objecting, he was apprenticed 
 to a grazier and had the care of his cattle. The 
 shepherd boy found many opportunities for thought, 
 as he sat watching the flocks feeding in the meadows,
 
 13 
 
 and his seriousness and gravity increased, while his 
 truthfulness and steadfastness were such that the 
 neighbors said, " If George says Verily, there is no 
 altering him." 
 
 The foolish boys in the village might laugh at him 
 for his soberness, but George, with all his quietness, 
 was as bold as a lion in defense of right, and cared 
 not for their ridicule. 
 
 One day, when he was nineteen years old, he was 
 obliged to go to a fair on business. In that time, 
 fair day was a season of great importance to all the 
 villagers, old and young. There the sober farmers 
 bartered horses, sheep, and oxen, while tempting 
 wares of all kinds were displayed in the booths ar- 
 ranged round the green. Here the mothers gos- 
 siped and bought their supplies, while the youths 
 and maidens made it a time of revelry, and the chil- 
 dren, lost in admiration at the wonderful things be- 
 fore them, bought lollipops and candy with their 
 cherished pennies. Well was it if the tempting ale 
 and beer did not affect some of those present to such 
 a degree that quarrels and broken heads were the re- 
 sults of " going to the fair." 
 
 Here George met one of his cousins from another 
 town, who asked him to drink a jug of beer with him 
 and some of his friends. They were all professors of 
 religion, and George, who always sought such com- 
 pany, being thirsty, went into the booth with them. 
 After taking one glass they called for more, and be- 
 gan to be very noisy, drinking the health of the king, 
 and behaving in a rude, boisterous manner. George 
 was shocked with such conduct, and pulling a groat
 
 14 
 
 from his pocket threw it down on the table to pay 
 for his beer, and left them. He finished his business 
 and went home, but could not .sleep that night. His 
 heart was distressed at the wickedness around him, 
 and he prayed and cried to God for help. In his dis- 
 tress he seemed to hear the language addressed to 
 him : " Thou seest how young people go altogether 
 into vanity, and old people into the earth ; thou 
 must forsake all, both young and old, and keep out of 
 all, and be a stranger to all." 
 
 " Then," he says, " at the command of God, on 
 the ninth day of the seventh month, 1643, I left my 
 relations, and broke off all familiarity or fellowship 
 with old and young." For four years he traveled 
 from one place to another, seeking rest. His distress 
 of mind was very great, and Satan at times tempted 
 him to despair of ever receiving mercy through Christ 
 Jesus. He received much attention from religious 
 professors, but could find none to give him the help 
 he needed. Protestant England was at that time 
 divided into three sects, Episcopalians, Presbyte- 
 rians, and Independents. Great profession of relig- 
 ious faith and strict attention to outward forms of 
 religion marked the time, but a lack of vitality in 
 Christian life was evinced in all the sects. There 
 were among them all persons of sincere piety who 
 were living devoted lives, while it must be confessed 
 some put on the garb of religion merely to cover sin- 
 ister designs. This was, as has been said, an age of 
 polemic strife, and opinions were promulgated and 
 maintained with much asperity. The disputants often 
 lacked the loving spirit of Him whom they wished to
 
 15 
 
 serve, and bitter and severe persecution was the con- 
 sequence of difference of sentiment from the domi- 
 nant party, in church as well as state matters. 
 
 George Fox, in his trouble, found very little out- 
 ward help. He says, " I went to many a priest to 
 look for comfort, but found no comfort from them." 
 The priest at Drayton, his native town, loved to ar- 
 gue with him, for he found George so well versed in 
 the Scriptures that he could obtain from him mate- 
 rial to use in his sermons to his flock. 
 
 Another to whom he went, in Manchester, told him 
 to chew tobacco and sing psalms. But George says, 
 " Tobacco was a thing I did not like, and I was in no 
 state to sing ; I could not sing." Again, one advised 
 he should be bled and take physic ; but this could not 
 heal the malady of his soul. And the poor young man 
 was in so much trouble that, to use his own words, 
 " I longed in the daytime for the night, and in the 
 night longed for the day, so heavy were my sorrows 
 upon me." Many and earnest were his endeavors to 
 find peace. He studied the Bible till he almost knew 
 it by heart ; he spent days and nights alone in the 
 woods ; he practiced long fasting, and gave money to 
 the poor ; but all was unavailing. 
 
 Failing to find comfort from the priests, he tried 
 the Dissenting ministers ; but in them his hopes were 
 disappointed, and at last he saw there was no man 
 could speak to his condition. But the Lord, whom 
 he had been blindly seeking in the teachings of men 
 and by his own works of righteousness, was not un- 
 mindful of His child. His promise is, " Seek and ye 
 shall find ; " and now that George renounced all out-
 
 16 
 
 ward help, he heard a voice saying, " There is one, 
 even Christ Jesus, can speak to thy condition, and 
 when I heard it my heart did leap for joy." Now 
 his bark, which had so long been tossed about, was 
 anchored in the sure haven of his Saviour's love, and 
 he says, " I saw that there was an ocean of darkness 
 and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love 
 which flowed over the ocean of death, and in that I 
 saw the infinite love of God." And so sure was he 
 of his deliverance that he adds, " I had been brought 
 through the very ocean of darkness and death, and 
 through and over the power of Satan, by the eternal, 
 glorious power of Christ." Thus, like the Psalmist, 
 he realized being brought up out of " the horrible pit 
 and miry clay," and, with his feet on the rock Christ 
 Jesus, he was able to sing the praises of Him who 
 called him " out of darkness into his marvelous 
 light." Longing that others should also know of this 
 great -salvation, he asked the Lord what He would 
 have him do, and felt that he must go into the world 
 and proclaim the blessed truths that had been re- 
 vealed to him. Like Paul, he conferred not with 
 flesh and blood, but, at the age of twenty-two, com- 
 menced the evangelistic mission which only closed 
 with his life, and in which, through suffering and 
 grievous imprisonments, he patiently and' steadfastly 
 performed his Master's bidding. 
 
 Before pursuing the life of George Fox, let us 
 take a glance at the customs of the age, as described 
 by historians. The court of James I. was distin- 
 guished by extravagance in dress and revelry. It 
 seemed, when that monarch was transferred from the
 
 17 
 
 scantily furnished palace of Holy rood to his luxurious 
 quarters in England, that his desire for dress and per- 
 sonal ornament became a perfect frenzy. His court- 
 iers followed in his train, and at the accession of 
 Charles I. the same passion continued. Wearing his 
 hair in long, flowing curls, his dress sparkling with 
 jewels, and redolent with perfume, the Cavalier 
 looked with disdain on the closely cropped hair and 
 sober dress of his Puritan neighbor, and laughingly 
 called him Roundhead. These two names afterwards 
 became the rallying cry on many a bloody battle- 
 field. 
 
 While the men thus spent their time and money 
 in the adornment of their persons, the process of 
 dressing a court lady was said to be " as complex and 
 tedious as the fitting out of a man-of-war." The wife 
 of a nobleman of Charles's court, presenting a list of 
 her wants to her husband, declares she will be satis- 
 fied with an allowance of ,6,000 a year for her own 
 personal requirements, with .10,000 more for jew- 
 elry. 
 
 This was not the only evil of the day. Such pro- 
 fuse expenditure required liberal means, and gam- 
 bling, both among men and women, was resorted to 
 as a favorite pursuit. Bribery was also extensively 
 practiced. There was hardly a crime committed 
 which the judge could not be induced to pardon, by 
 the application of liberal bribes. Usurers and pawn- 
 brokers increased to an alarming extent ; and many 
 ancient estates were lost to their owners by their ex- 
 travagant living. 
 
 Strong lines of demarkation separated the differ-
 
 18 
 
 ent classes in society. The nobility looked down on 
 the merchant, and lie-in his turn disdained the arti- 
 san. The mode of addressing them was different. 
 Only a great merchant was worthy to prefix Master 
 or Mr. to his name, and the addition of Esquire 
 would have thrown the court into a tumult. The 
 judge must be termed Most Worshipful, the minister 
 Reverend, and the whole style of conversation was 
 full of unmeaning compliments. Among the country 
 people and mechanics, the pronouns thee and thou 
 were always used, but it was considered a great insult 
 to address a person of higher rank in this manner. 
 He was supposed to embody in his person a conse- 
 quence equal to two or more ordinary individuals. 
 
 By a proclamation of James I., games, sports, and 
 shows were allowed on the Sabbath, provided they 
 did not interfere with the times appointed for divine 
 worship. These were carried to such excess that the 
 effect of the teaching of the morning seemed almost 
 lost by the demoralizing effects of the folly of the 
 afternoon. Many earnest people were distressed at 
 these offenses, and longed for the opening of a better 
 day. 
 
 Into this ground, so overrun with error, George 
 Fox felt called to thrust the plowshare of truth ; and 
 having the presence of the Master, he fearlessly set 
 forth on his mission. His aim was to teach the insuf- 
 ficiency of a mere assent to the truths of the Script- 
 ures and of an outward acknowledgment of the re- 
 demption of our Saviour, without a personal appro- 
 priation of them. 
 
 He proclaimed the necessity of the new birth, the
 
 19 
 
 transformation wrought in the heart, by being bap- 
 tized into Christ, which would enable the believer 
 to walk in newness of life, and the constant feed- 
 ing of the soul upon its Lord, without which no 
 Christian life can be maintained. 
 
 Thus men settled upon the rock and foundation, 
 Christ Jesus, who made peace between God and them, 
 would be in a condition to be guided by His Spirit, 
 which would lead them into all truth. Leaving their 
 idle, frivolous lives, they would be enabled to live as 
 becoming God's children. Speaking the truth in love, 
 they would avoid unmeaning compliments, would use 
 the same language to rich and poor, and, not being 
 anxious to receive honor one from another, would 
 seek the honor that cometh from God only. 
 
 He declared that all wars and fightings were ut- 
 terly at variance with the teaching of our Saviour, 
 and that therefore His servants could not fight. Re- 
 membering the injunction, " Swear not at all," he 
 taught that all oaths were improper for a Christian ; 
 that men ought to lead such honest lives that their 
 simple word would be sufficient. The truths of the 
 gospel being freely given to man by his God, George 
 Fox maintained they should be delivered with equal 
 freedom and without paj^ment ; that men and women 
 were one in Christ, and consequently both were in- 
 cluded among His disciples, and were called to witness 
 for Him in the world and engage in the ministry of 
 the gospel. Uncovering the head and bowing the 
 knee, he taught, were acts of worship to God, and 
 should be reserved for Him alone. This might seem 
 a small thing to us, but it occasioned great rage
 
 20 
 
 among the judges and magistrates of that day, who 
 bitterly persecuted George Fox and his friends for 
 their seeming lack of reverence. 
 
 Believing too much time and expense were in- 
 volved in the clothing of the body, he dwelt on the 
 necessity of simplicity in dress and in the style of 
 living, though he never taught uniformity. Desirous 
 of avoiding even the appearance of evil, he discarded 
 the names of the months and days, which had been 
 given in honor of pagan deities, and substituted nu- 
 merical names for them. 
 
 These new and startling truths attracted much 
 attention. Many who had been longing for a better 
 way eagerly listened to the announcement that He 
 who died for them at Calvary, to redeem them from 
 the guilt of sin, was their ever-living Saviour to keep 
 them from its power. The weary ones who longed 
 for guidance joyfully embraced the truth of the 
 abiding presence of His Spirit in their hearts, and 
 thus a company was gradually gathered who sepa- 
 rated themselves from the existing modes of worship 
 and held meetings by themselves. They gave them- 
 selves the title of the Friends of Truth, but the peo- 
 ple called them the Children of the Light, from their 
 frequent use of Paul's advice to " walk as children of 
 the light." 
 
 The onward progress of this sect and that of their 
 bold undaunted leader will be related in the follow- 
 ing pages.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE years during which George Fox had been en- 
 gaged in such mental struggles were years of great 
 excitement in the political world in England. A 
 frightful civil war had been going on ; King Charles 
 had been forced to fly from London, and finally, taken 
 prisoner by his own subjects, found he had only left 
 his prison-house to die in front of his palace of White- 
 hall on the 27th of First Month, 1649. 
 
 With the monarchy in ruins, the Independents in 
 Cromwell's army fierce in their onslaught upon all 
 worship of images, the power of the bishops and clergy 
 of the Episcopalians lost for a season, the quiet gather- 
 ings of the Friends continued to increase, and the dec- 
 laration was often made, " The Lord is with them." 
 
 Early in 1649 we find our young evangelist going 
 to a meeting of Friends, at Nottingham, on First Day 
 morning. Seeing the great steeple-house, as he called 
 it, he felt the Lord sent him there with a message. 
 He said nothing to any one, but, leaving the Friends 
 quietly sitting in their meeting, went to the place. 
 The minister took for his text the words of Peter : 
 " We have also a more sure word of prophecy," 
 which he told the people was the Scriptures. George 
 Fox says : *' I could not hold in, but was made to 
 cry out, ' Oh no, it is not the Scriptures,' and I told 
 them what it was, namely, the Holy Spirit, by which
 
 22 
 
 holy men of God gave forth the Scriptures." It 
 must not be imagined George Fox desired to under- 
 value the Holy Scriptures by these words. It would 
 be difficult to find a more earnest Biblical student, or 
 one who more frequently recommended their perusal. 
 He carried a Bible about with him, which he fre- 
 quently used when preaching, and was always ready 
 to prove his doctrines by a reference to Scripture 
 truths. And from their earliest rise the Society of 
 Friends has always accepted and regarded the Bible 
 as the outward rule of faith and practice, by which 
 the truth of the teaching of the Holy Spirit in the 
 heart is to be proved. But there was great need in 
 that day of turning the thoughts of the people to 
 Christ Jesus the Heavenly Teacher, who by His Spirit 
 could open their understandings to comprehend 
 Scripture teachings, that its precious truths might 
 be savingly known, and hence this interruption. 
 
 It must also be remembered that this was a day of 
 great religious discussion and also of great liberty. 
 It was by no means an uncommon occurrence for 
 some in the meeting to dispute or confirm the teach- 
 ings of the minister after he had finished speaking. 
 This instance is the only one mentioned in which 
 George Fox interrupted the speaker, for in all his 
 future attendance at churches he either waited till 
 invited to speak, or till the service was over. 
 
 At this interruption, the officers, who seemed to be 
 always on hand, took him away and put him in a 
 close dirty prison, where he was kept till night, when 
 he was brought before the mayor, aldermen, and 
 sheriff. They asked why he had disturbed the meet-
 
 23 
 
 ing, and he told them he had been moved of the 
 Lord to do so. He was sent back to prison, but the 
 head sheriff was so impressed by his words that he 
 sent for him to come to his home. As George Fox 
 entered the door, the wife of the sheriff met him and 
 said, " Salvation is come to our house." The influ- 
 ence of his teachings extended over the whole family, 
 and he afterwards held great meetings in Notting- 
 ham. Such a change was wrought in the husband 
 and father that, remembering he had wronged a 
 woman with whom he had traded, he sent for her, ac- 
 knowledged the wrong, and made restitution. The 
 next market-day he said to George Fox, " I must go 
 into the market-place and preach repentance to the 
 people," which he accordingly did. 
 
 The magistrates, feeling afraid of George Fox's 
 influence, took him from the house of the friendly 
 sheriff and sent him back to prison. But he had 
 won warm friends in Nottingham, and at the next 
 assizes, or session of the court, one of them came and 
 offered to be bound for him, or even to give his life, 
 if the young preacher could be released. George 
 Fox makes this simple record in his journal, " The 
 Lord's power is very great." After a- time he was 
 released from prison, and left Nottingham with a 
 fame of the power of his ministry attending him 
 which caused many to come to him for help, even 
 from bodily infirmity. 
 
 He soon, however, had occasion to prove the truth 
 that the disciple is not above his Master. Being one 
 day in a meeting-house at Mansfield- Woodhouse, he 
 attempted to speak to the minister and people, but
 
 24 
 
 they fell upon him in great rage, beating him with 
 their Bibles, and everything they could lay hands on. 
 Nearly smothered and sadly bruised, he was* finally 
 pulled out of the crowd and set in the stocks for 
 some time. He was at last brought before the mag- 
 istrate, who, seeing his pitiful condition, set him at 
 liberty ; but the people were so bitter against him 
 that they followed him out of the town, throwing 
 stones at him. Scarcely able to move, he contrived 
 to reach a house about a mile distant, where he was 
 kindly received and cared for, and says, " The Lord's 
 power soon healed me again." Even on this stormy 
 occasion he rejoiced, for " some people were con- 
 vinced of the Lord's truth, and turned to His teach- 
 ings." 
 
 But now he was to learn that 
 
 " They also serve, who only stand and wait," 
 
 for the next year of his life was spent in the jail afc 
 Derby. He attended a lecture in the city of Derby, 
 on the 30th of Tenth Month, 1650, and, after the 
 services were over, spoke to the company assembled. 
 They quietly listened, but after he had finished, an 
 officer told him he must come before the magistrates. 
 For eight hours they were questioning him about 
 his doctrines, apparently unable to decide what to do 
 with him. He says, " They asked me if I had no 
 sin." " Christ my Saviour has taken away my sin, 
 and in Him is no sin," was the reply. " How we 
 knew that Christ did abide in us ? " " By His 
 Spirit which He has given us." They temptingly 
 asked if any of us was Christ. I answered, " Nay, we
 
 25 
 
 are nothing, Christ is all." Weary with examining 
 him, they finally committed him and one other who 
 was with him to the House of Correction for six 
 months. 
 
 The hopelessness of being delivered from sin in this 
 life was the theme of professors of religion then, as it 
 often is now, and the magistrates of Derby, failing to 
 apprehend the only source of strength, the power of 
 a living and ever-present Saviour manifested in the 
 nothingness of man, considered him as blaspheming 
 instead of glorifying Christ. 
 
 Though in his prison opportunities for preaching 
 Christ were circumscribed, he could write for his 
 Master, and many missives went out to the justices, 
 priests, and mayors, warning them against oppress- 
 ing the poor, or imposing false oaths. 
 
 The keeper of the prison was at first greatly in- 
 censed against him, but one day came to him trem- 
 bling, as the jailer came to Paul and Silas, saying he 
 had been plagued, and his house had been plagued for 
 his sake. He remained all night with his prisoner, and 
 unburdened his heart to him, confessing that he had 
 done wrong in restraining George Fox from preach- 
 ing, for his words were true. Next morning he went 
 to the justices and told them his house was plagued 
 for the sake of this innocent prisoner, to which one of 
 them replied that the plagues were on them, too, for 
 keeping him. This was Justice Bennet, who was the 
 first to give the name of Quaker to this sect, because 
 George Fox bade them tremble at the word of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Anxious to be delivered from their troublesome 
 2
 
 26 
 
 prisoner, they gave him leave to walk a mile every 
 day, hoping he would walk away. Secure in his in- 
 nocency, George Fox would not help them out of 
 their dilemma, and bade them measure a mile for 
 him that he might keep within bounds. 
 
 Like Paul and Silas, he could sing praises even in 
 his dungeon, and in a letter to " Friends and other 
 tender people," we find these expressions : " O you 
 who know the light, walk in the light. For there is 
 peace in resting in the Lord Jesus. For the Lord 
 who created all and gives life and strength to all is 
 over all and merciful to all. So to Thee be all the 
 glory. In Thee is my strength, my refreshment and 
 life, my joy and my gladness, my rejoicing and glory- 
 ing forevermore." 
 
 A soldier in Derby, desiring knowledge of the 
 true way, came to him, and George was enabled to 
 preach Jesus with such power that the soldier went 
 away declaring his colonel was " blind, to cast the 
 servant of the Lord into prison." This enraged the 
 colonel, and the next year at the Worcester fight he 
 endeavored to put the man in an exposed position. 
 However, the soldier escaped unharmed, and his time 
 of service having expired, being convinced of the evil 
 of war, he left the army. 
 
 The youth, as George Fox was often called, is next 
 placed in rather an anomalous situation. When the 
 time of his commitment had nearly expired a call 
 was made for more soldiers. Those who had been 
 stationed at the north had frequently heard George 
 Fox, and were desirous of having him for their cap- 
 tain. He was accordingly brought before the com-
 
 27 
 
 missioners and soldiers in the market-place, and 
 offered the position. He declined, saying he lived in 
 that life and power that took away all occasion for 
 wars. Thinking he but complimented them, they re- 
 newed their offer with many flattering words. Our 
 sturdy friend was not to be overcome in that way, 
 and positively declined. This excited their rage, and 
 the jailer was commissioned to take him to the dun- 
 geon for rogues and felons. Here in a dirty, close 
 place, with thirty felons, he was kept for another six 
 months, his only liberty being a walk in the garden 
 at times. Many thought he would never live to come 
 out, but he felt there was more service for him to 
 perform, and quietly waited the Lord's time. 
 
 He was not so much occupied with his own priva- 
 tions as to for getothers, and wrote earnestly to the 
 judges and magistrates on the subject of the punish- 
 ment of death for trifling offenses, and the great harm 
 ensuing from the practice of keeping prisoners so long 
 in jail, where they learned wickedness one of another. 
 One young woman was imprisoned for stealing money 
 from her master. On her trial George Fox tried to 
 influence both judge and jury to mercy, but without 
 effect. She was condemned and led out to execution, 
 but at the last moment was reprieved. She was 
 brought back to prison, and soon afterward, repent- 
 ing the errors of her past life, became a Christian. 
 
 The uneasiness of the magistrates increased at hav- 
 ing so wrongly imprisoned George Fox, but they 
 could not tell what to do with him. Like the apos- 
 tles of old, he would not leave his prison until they 
 had set him free ; and at last, in the beginning of the
 
 28 
 
 winter of 1651, they turned him out of the jail, and 
 sent him on his way. 
 
 Traveling on as before in the work of the Lord, 
 he came to Balby and Wakefield, where James Nay- 
 lor, Richard Farnsworth, William Dewsbury, and 
 others were convinced of the truth, and became his 
 fellow-laborers. We shall meet some of these again 
 in future years. 
 
 Pursuing his way through Yorkshire, preaching as 
 he went, we hear of him in different places : at one 
 time in the great minster at York, where the people 
 threw him down the steps and trampled upon him ; 
 again, holding meetings in large houses that were 
 freely offered, because he felt it his duty to show that 
 the steeple-house was not the only place where God 
 would meet with His people : then, on a haycock, 
 with a crowd around him anxious to hear him, he sat 
 in silence for some hours, to show that words alone 
 would not bring a blessing ; again, amid a company 
 of Banters, directing them to the. inward Teacher, 
 Christ Jesus their Saviour ; and everywhere, the Lord 
 was with His servant, and some ministers and justices, 
 as well as many of the common people, were convinced 
 of the truth he proclaimed. 
 
 One night he reached Patrington, and warned the 
 people to repent and turn to the Lord. Here his faith 
 was tested, for on seeking lodging at an inn none 
 would receive him, neither would any one sell him 
 anything to eat. He went out of the town, took a 
 little water from a ditch, and sat under a furze bush 
 till the break of day. As he started in the morning 
 on his journey, a man with a pike staff went along
 
 29 
 
 with him three miles to the next town, where he called 
 out the constables, and roused the people before 
 sunrise. Nothing daunted, the youthful evangelist 
 preached the everlasting truth to them all, and ex- 
 horted them to repent. They seized him and took 
 him back to Patrington, a crowd of noisy men with 
 pikes, staves, and halberds guarding this one un- 
 armed man, who had eaten nothing the day previous 
 and was weary with the night's exposure. While the 
 minister and people were counseling what to do with 
 him, a kind-hearted man called him into his house 
 and gave him some bread and milk ; after which he 
 was taken nine miles farther on to a justice, who, on 
 examining him, said he was no vagrant, and set him 
 at liberty. He went back again to Patrington, and 
 declared the truth, and this time many received his 
 message, and a meeting was soon established there. 
 
 He was urged by the friendly justices whom he 
 had met to make complaint of any who molested him ; 
 but he says, " I was not at liberty to tell anything of 
 that kind, but was to forgive all." 
 
 In pursuit of his evangelistic mission he traveled 
 through the year 1652, calling at the houses of great 
 men, exhorting them to repent, sometimes lovingly 
 received, sometimes slighted ; sitting under a hay- 
 stack one night, weary and footsore with traveling, 
 and the next kindly sheltered by those who loved the 
 truth. But as he himself says, " Good report or bad 
 report was nothing to me, the one did not lift me up 
 nor the other cast me down. Praised be the Lord." 
 
 He was now frequently joined by those who had 
 been convinced by his teachings in some of his earlier
 
 30 
 
 visits, whose sympathy and assistance comforted him 
 greatly. Passing into the West Riding of Yorkshire, 
 though there was much opposition to him, he found 
 many among the learned and powerful who were 
 obliged to confess that they believed his principles 
 must go over the whole world. George Fox himself 
 says, " The Lord told me, if but one man or woman 
 were raised up by His power to stand and live in the 
 same spirit that the apostles and prophets were in, 
 that one would shake the country for ten miles round." 
 Hence his earnestness in calling the people to follow 
 the dictates of that inward Teacher, the sure and 
 unerring Guide of all the Lord's humble children. 
 
 Many foolish stories were circulated about him, 
 that he rode on a great black horse, and would be 
 seen in one county upon it in one hour and at the 
 same time in another county sixty miles off, and that 
 he carried bottles of which he made every one drink 
 that followed him, thus bewitching them. As he 
 traveled on foot and had no horse, these stories grad- 
 ually died out. 
 
 He was now in a mountainous, barren region where 
 there were few roads, and where the inhabitants for 
 many years had pursued the even tenor of their way 
 little affected by the events in the other parts of 
 the country. This district was destined to become a 
 stronghold of Quakerism, the truth falling simply on 
 the untutored residents, who were untrammeled by 
 educational or conventional forms. 
 
 Coming to a great hill, Pendle Hill, he ascended 
 to the top with difficulty, and saw the extensive pros- 
 pect before him. Not with the eye of an artist did
 
 31 
 
 he scan the scenery, but with the rejoicing of a 
 Christian warrior, he says, " The Lord let me see in 
 what places He had a great people to be gathered." 
 " A great people in white raiment, by a river side, 
 coining to the Lord," was a comforting vision to him, 
 and into the fields white unto harvest he joyfully 
 thrust his sickle. 
 
 Gathering some fern and bracken for a bed, his 
 first night was spent on an open common, and he 
 then went on to the vicinity of Sedburgh, where he 
 had seen the great company coming to the Lord. 
 Here he found many who, dissatisfied with the es- 
 tablished religion, had withdrawn from public wor- 
 ship. These gladly received his teachings, and a 
 large meeting of Friends was established there. 
 
 A great fair to be held in Sedburgh, drawing to- 
 gether the population of a district of three hundred 
 miles, afforded an opportunity not to be missed. 
 Going up and down in the motley crowd he declared 
 the day of the Lord, and, exciting much attention, 
 was urged to go into the large church near by to 
 preach to the people, but refused. Two large yew- 
 trees grew in the church-yard, under which, seventy 
 years before, one of the earlier Puritan ministers had 
 preached, after he had been turned out of his church 
 for non-conformity. Under these venerable trees, 
 mounted on a bench, another non-conformist now 
 stood, preaching for hours the word of life. Some 
 said he was mad, and some received the truth with 
 joy and became his helpers in the gospel. 
 
 In a dreary region about five miles distant, where 
 nothing was to be seen but barren moorlands, and
 
 32 
 
 scarcely a human habitation, stood a small Episcopal 
 chapel. Adjoining this building was a large rock, 
 with a spring of water at its foot. Refreshing him- 
 self at the spring, this earnest laborer mounted the 
 rock, and for three hours preached to the thousand 
 people who had followed him into this desert place. 
 To many that day the desert blossomed as the rose, 
 as they eagerly embraced the glorious truths of the 
 gospel, proclaimed by one who could testify that 
 Christ Jesus was all in all to those who would re- 
 ceive him. Several of the most remarkable minis- 
 ters among the early Friends came from this neigh- 
 borhood : Francis Howgill, Edward Burrough, George 
 Whitfield, and others, who faithfully served their 
 Master, even unto death.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE winter of 1652 opens a new era in the life of 
 our young champion for truth, and the scene changes 
 from a bed of ferns and bracken, with the starry heav- 
 ens for his canopy, to a stately hall in Lancashire, the 
 ancestral home of Thomas Fell, a noted barrister of 
 Cromwell's court. 
 
 Having risen rapidly to place and power, Judge 
 Fell at last became dissatisfied with the administra- 
 tion of government, and returned to the practice of his 
 profession and to his home at S warthmore Hall. This 
 commodious house was built in the Elizabethan style, 
 with a spacious hall, rich oak panelings, and oi'iel 
 windows. Possessing ample means, both Thomas 
 Fell and his wife loved hospitality, and the doors of 
 their home were open to all, especially to the min- 
 isters of the gospel. Margaret Fell was a descend- 
 ant of Anne Askew, who laid down her life for the 
 sake of her religion in the reign of Henry the Eighth. 
 She evinced the same desire to know the truth that 
 had marked her martyr ancestor, but thus far had 
 not found rest. She says of herself, " I was seek- 
 ing and inquiring about twenty years." 
 
 George Fox came to Ulverstone in his journeyings, 
 and as Swarthmore Hall was only a mile distant one 
 of his friends brought him there to spend the night. 
 Judge Fell was absent in Wales, but he was courte- 
 
 2*
 
 34 
 
 ously received by the lady of the house who had heard 
 of this singular reformer of Fenny Drayton, and de- 
 sired much to see one of whom so many contradictory 
 reports were in circulation. The minister of Ulver- 
 stone, William Lampits, was there also, and in the 
 conversation which ensued Margaret Fell was obliged 
 to confess that the views advanced by George Fox 
 were true. ' 
 
 Next day was Fast Day, and she asked her guest to 
 go to church with them, but received the reply, " I 
 must do as I am ordered by the Lord." While walk- 
 ing in the fields he felt it was right to join them, and 
 going into the meeting-house found the congregation 
 singing. As the close of the hymn he stepped for- 
 ward, mounted a bench, and asked permission to speak 
 to the assembly. This was granted, and he spoke 
 with much power on the necessity of a spiritual life, 
 " that he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, but he 
 is a Jew who is one inwardly, whose praise is not of 
 men, but of God." Margaret Fell had never heard 
 such teaching, and rising up in her pew, she leaned 
 forward fearing to lose a word. 
 
 Justice Sawry called out, " Take him away." But 
 a gentle, firm voice came from the judge's pew, query- 
 ing if this stranger had not as much right to speak 
 in this place as others to whom permission had been 
 granted. This settled the point ; and the preacher 
 went on explaining the Scriptures to them, directing 
 them to Christ, the Light of the world ; till Margaret 
 Fell, bursting into tears, cried out in her heart, " We 
 are all thieves, we have taken the Scriptures in words, 
 and known nothing of them in ourselves."
 
 35 
 
 They returned to the Hall, and many of the serv- 
 ants were convinced of the truth of the new doctrine. 
 Their mistress, however, was under a cloud. Her hus- 
 band was from home ; she knew not how he would 
 like this new teaching, and yet in her inmost soul she 
 saw it was the truth, and could not deny it. But 
 courage was given her as to Annie Askew of old, and 
 embracing the truth in the love of it, she cast her 
 burden on the Lord, and calmly waited her husband's 
 return. 
 
 Great was the surprise of Judge Fell to hear, as he 
 came near his home two weeks afterwards, that a 
 great disaster had befallen his family ; that there were 
 witches there, and if he did not send them away the 
 country would be undone. Such was the story told 
 him by Justice Sawry and others, who crossed the 
 sands of Levan on purpose to meet him and preju- 
 dice his mind against these new teachers. The judge 
 came home greatly offended with his wife, who had 
 heretofore proved worthy of his trust and confidence. 
 
 James Naylor and Richard Farnsworth were at the 
 Hall, and entered into conversation with him, in which 
 they displayed so much wisdom and condescension 
 that the anger of the judge cooled down. George 
 Fox came that evening, and had a long conversation 
 with them, showing that Christ was the teacher of 
 His people and their Saviour. The judge was satis- 
 fied there was no danger from the witchcraft against 
 which he had been warned, and next morning, when 
 the minister Lampits came, he could make no impres- 
 sion on the mind of his former patron. 
 
 On the contrary, when the question was raised as
 
 36 
 
 to where the new converts should meet to worship 
 God, the judge offered them a room in his house. The 
 great dining-hall, which had so often resounded with 
 the revelry and mirth of banqueting parties, was now 
 converted into a place of worship, and was used for 
 that purpose till the year 1690, when a meeting-house 
 was built near Swarthmore, by order of George Fox, 
 and at his expense. So thoroughly had the whole 
 family embraced the new opinions, that the next First 
 Day Judge Fell and his clerk and groom were the 
 only attenders on the ministry of Priest Lampits. 
 
 The doctrines embraced by Margaret Fell and those 
 who gathered together in the dining-hall at Swarth- 
 more may be expressed in her own words. Speaking 
 of the light of Christ, she says : " As we waited in 
 it, and dwelt in it, we came to witness a washing and 
 cleansing by the blood of Jesus. Then we became very 
 zealous for God and for His truth, and for the preser- 
 vation of His people in the truth. Our hearts be- 
 came tender, and we had pity for all people's souls 
 that remained in darkness." 
 
 The idea of the immediate teaching of the Holy 
 Spirit, and the stand taken by George Fox against 
 the institution of a human priesthood and its tithes, 
 excited great opposition among the clergy, many of 
 whom had embraced the office for the sake of its 
 emoluments, and failed to manifest the fruits of the 
 Spirit of God in their lives. Those in Lancashire 
 were aroused by this bold reformer, who so fear- 
 lessly uttered the truths of the gospel, though they 
 were unable to answer his assertions. 
 
 At one time, meeting a company of ministers at
 
 37 
 
 Swarthmore Hall, George Fox asked whether any of 
 them could say he had the word of the Lord to go 
 and speak to such or such a people. None dared say 
 he had ; and Thomas Taylor, an old man, confessed 
 before Judge Fell that he never heard the voice of 
 God sending him to any people. This confirmed 
 Judge Fell in his persuasion that these ministers 
 were wrong ; and he finally gave up the attendance on 
 their preaching, though he never joined the Friends. 
 Thomas Taylor, convinced of his error, came to Jesus 
 like a little child, and, receiving pardon and accept- 
 ance, straightway began to preach Him in sincerity. 
 The next day after this interview, George Fox says 
 of him, " The Lord opened Thomas Taylor's mouth 
 so that he declared amongst them how he had been 
 before he was convinced, and showed how the priests 
 were out of the way." He joined Friends, refused 
 any longer to receive pay for preaching, and during 
 the remainder of his life, though suffering much op- 
 position, faithfully served the Lord Jesus. 
 
 The anger and rage of the ministers were aroused 
 by this secession from their ranks, and the evident 
 growth of the despised Quakers. They excited the 
 people to cruelty, and at many meetings George Fox 
 and his fellow-laborers were beaten, stoned, and other- 
 wise maltreated. But notwithstanding a prophecy, 
 that within half a year they would all be put down, 
 Sewell tells us that " it fared with those people as 
 with trees which grow best when most lopped." 
 
 " As by the lopping axe, the sturdyoak 
 Improves her shade, and thrives beneath the stroke, 
 Tho' present cross and wounds severe she feel, 
 She draws fresh vigor from the invading steel."
 
 88 
 
 Judge Fell urged George Fox to make complaint 
 against his persecutors, but he refused to do so, pre- 
 ferring to leave the matter to the Lord, and thankfully 
 makes this entry in his Journal : " The Lord's blessed 
 power which is over all carried me over this exercise, 
 gave dominion over His enemies and enabled me to 
 go on in His glorious work and service for His great 
 name's sake. For though the beast makes war upon 
 the saints, yet the Lamb has got and will get the vic- 
 tory." 
 
 The early part of the year 1653 witnessed great 
 changes in England. Oliver Cromwell, desirous of 
 the supreme power, was gradually bringing matters 
 to that issue ; and perceiving a disposition on the 
 part of some in the Parliament to prevent this, sum- 
 marily dismissed them after a sitting of thirteen 
 years. Differing from the Protector, who was en- 
 deavoring to advance his own purposes, George Fox, 
 as a single-hearted servant of the Lord, was laboring 
 earnestly for the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom, 
 unmindful of himself. 
 
 In Carlisle a stir was created by his coming, and 
 the people thronged into the church in such numbers 
 that George Fox could scarcely find entrance. There 
 he spoke for three hours. " I declared to them," he 
 says, " that every one that cometh into the world, 
 was enlightened by Christ the Life, by which light 
 they might see their sins, and Christ who was come to 
 save them from their sins, and died for them ; and if 
 they come to walk in this light they might see Christ 
 to be the author of their faith and the finisher 
 thereof ; their Shepherd to feed them, their Priest to
 
 39 
 
 teach them, their great Prophet to open divine mys- 
 teries to them and to be always present with them." 
 Many, he tells us, were convinced that day, and re- 
 ceived the Lord Jesus Christ and His free salvation. 
 
 From the Abbey, with its attentive crowd of list- 
 eners, he went to the castle, where the soldiers, as- 
 sembled by the beat of the drum, received his mes- 
 sage gladly. At the market-cross he preached that 
 the day of the Lord was coming, that men should put 
 away all cheating, and speak the truth one to another. 
 The magistrates and their wives were very bitter, and 
 sent the sergeants to arrest*him, but the crowd around 
 was so great they could not reach him. 
 
 The next First Day, however, after speaking in the 
 church with so much power that the people shook and 
 trembled, the mob assembled and began to throw 
 stones at him. The governor sent some soldiers to 
 bring him out safely ; but the next day a warrant 
 was issued for his apprehension. Hearing of this, 
 George Fox went to the hall, and had much conver- 
 sation with the magistrates. There were many false 
 statements made against him, and he was finally com- 
 mitted to prison, as a blasphemer, a heretic, and a 
 seducer. 
 
 When brought thither the jailer manifested much 
 civility at first, thinking to receive money from George 
 Fox for his extra comforts. On finding he had noth- 
 ing to expect, his behavior changed. George Fox was 
 put in a room with no bed, and three soldiers were sta- 
 tioned to watch him. He was allowed no privacy ; and 
 his enemies, the ministers, incensed against him be- 
 cause he taught the freeness of the gospel, came at all
 
 40 
 
 times to revile and abuse him. So general was the 
 idea that he was to be hung that many, even ladies of 
 rank, came from curiosity to see the man who was to 
 die. The judge and sheriffs dared not bring him to 
 trial, owing to some error in the indictment, but left 
 him to the malice of his enemies. 
 
 He was finally put down in the dungeon among a 
 wicked crew of thieves and murderers, under a very 
 cruel jailer, who often beat him with a great cudgel. 
 " While he struck me, I was made to sing in the 
 Lord's power ; then he fetched a fiddler and set him 
 to play, thinking to vex me thereby," but George 
 Fox with his singing drowned the noise of the fiddler, 
 and made his persecutors go on their way. 
 
 Among those who came to see him was Jam es Par- 
 nell, a boy of sixteen, who was so impressed by his 
 teaching that he became a Friend, as the members 
 of the new society began to be called. Discarded by 
 his relatives, who had given him a liberal education, 
 and persecuted for his religion, he bore it all with 
 much patience. Not by long serving however, was he 
 to honor his Lord, for in the nineteenth year of his 
 age he was imprisoned in Colchester Castle, and suf- 
 fered such hardships as caused his death. 
 
 He was put by the cruel jailer into a hole in the 
 wall, called the oven, so high from the ground that 
 he had to reach it by a ladder, which being six feet 
 too short, he was obliged to pull himself up to the 
 hole by a rope. His inhuman jailer refused to allow 
 him to raise his food by a cord and basket ; and be- 
 numbed by the confined position in which he was 
 obliged to sit, it was with much difficulty he could go
 
 41 
 
 up and down for his meals. One day, going up with 
 his food in his hand, he caught at the rope, but miss- 
 ing it, fell down on the stones. He was so bruised 
 and wounded by the fall that he died a short time 
 after, a true martyr to his faith. 
 
 The Little Parliament summoned by Cromwell, con- 
 sisting mostly of members of his own choice, heard 
 that at Carlisle a young man was imprisoned who 
 was to die for his religion. The Parliament caused 
 a letter to be sent down, inquiring into it. Two of 
 the justices who were friendly to George Fox also 
 wrote a letter to the magistrates, condemning their 
 course, and the prisoner, from his dungeon, sent out a 
 stirring appeal to all who denounced him to come 
 forth and make good their accusations against him. 
 The governor soon after came to the prison, and find- 
 ing such a noisome place, censured the magistrates for 
 allowing this treatment, and put the under jailer, who 
 had been so cruel, into the same prison. Soon after 
 this those who imprisoned George Fox, being some- 
 what afraid of the consequence of their actions, set 
 him at liberty and he resumed his labors. 
 
 The enemies of the reviled Quakers, finding their 
 predictions false as to their extinction, now began to 
 prophesy they would soon become poor and charge- 
 able to their respective parishes. This failed also, 
 for their character for honesty and uprightness was 
 such that the first inquiry in any place was for a 
 tradesman who was a Quaker. The cry now was 
 altered, and they said: " If we let these Quakers alone 
 they will take the trade of the nation out of our 
 hands." George Fox thus records his prayer for the
 
 42 
 
 new converts : " My desire is that the Lord God may 
 be glorified in their practicing truth, holiness, godli- 
 ness, and righteousness amongst the people in their 
 lives and conversation." 
 
 Many meetings being established in the north of 
 England, a large band of workers was now ready to 
 go southward and carry the good tidings. About 
 sixty went, two by two, east and west as the Lord 
 directed, and their loving friend, younger than some 
 in years but older in the truth, felt constrained to 
 write to them an epistle of advice and counsel : " This 
 is the word of the Lord God to you all. Friends, 
 everywhere scattered abroad, know the power of God 
 in one another, and in that rejoice. Believing in the 
 light, you shall not abide in darkness, but shall have 
 the light of life ; and come every one to witness the 
 light that shines in your hearts, which will give you 
 the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the 
 face of Jesus Christ. And keep your meetings every- 
 where, being guided by God, that you may see the 
 Lord God among you." 
 
 Among his relatives in Lancashire he had many 
 conflicts. Nathaniel Stevens, the minister at Dray- 
 ton, sent for him to come there, having engaged sev- 
 eral other ministers to be present at the discussion. 
 Knowing nothing of their schemes George Fox went, 
 and was enabled by the Lord to silence all their dis- 
 putations. His father, though a hearer and follower 
 of Stephens, was so pleased with his son, that he 
 struck his cane into the ground and said : " Truly I 
 see, he that will but stand to the truth, it will carry 
 him out."
 
 43 
 
 There being rumors of a plot against Cromwell, the 
 soldiers were ordered to apprehend all doubtful char- 
 acters, and at one of the meetings George Fox was 
 arrested. Colonel Hacker, the leader of the band, 
 told him he might go home if he would hold no more 
 meetings ; but he said he was an innocent man, and 
 free from plots ; if he should promise, it would man- 
 ifest he was guilty of something, ending with the dec- 
 laration, he should go to meeting if the Lord ordered 
 him. " Well then," said Colonel Hacker, " I will 
 send you to my Lord Protector by Captain Drury." 
 Arrangements were accordingly made to send him to 
 London ; but before leaving, George Fox asked for an 
 interview with Colonel Hacker, and kneeling by his 
 bedside besought the Lord to forgive him, telling the 
 colonel, when his day of misery and trial was come 
 upon him, to remember what he had said to him. 
 
 Afterwards, when Colonel Hacker was in prison in 
 London, and under sentence of death as one of the 
 judges who condemned Chailes I., he told Margaret 
 Fell he remembered what he had done against the 
 innocent, and was troubled by it.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE London which George Fox entered in 1654 
 would scarcely be recognized by a resident of the 
 present city. It was surrounded by walls whose 
 foundations were laid by the Romans, and could only 
 be entered through embattled gateways. Within 
 these walls was a labyrinth of narrow lanes, of which 
 Cheapside and Cornhill were the most conspicuous. 
 The upper stories of the houses overhung the lower, 
 so that acquaintances could shake hands from the 
 opposite windows, while the street below was like a 
 covered way. There was no provision for lighting 
 the streets at night, and the different classes in so- 
 ciety jealously maintained the distinction of rank. 
 The courtiers had an exclusive right to lanterns, 
 merchants and lawyers were accompanied by boys 
 with links, while mechanics and other artisans must 
 be content with torches. The busy, bustling Strand 
 was the connecting link between London and West- 
 minster, then a distinct city, and instead of being 
 crowded with stores, as at the present day, was lined 
 on either side from Temple Bar to Charing Cross 
 with the houses and gardens of bishops and noble- 
 men. 
 
 During Cromwell's Protectorate religion was the 
 prominent topic of the day. Knotty points of doc- 
 trine were discussed with as much zest as the state
 
 45 fc 
 
 of the markets is now. Outdoor preaching was very 
 common, and crowds would stand patiently three or 
 four hours at a time to listen to eminent preachers. 
 Of one of these, named Howe, it is recorded, that on 
 a fast day he preached for seven hours, with a recess 
 at noon for refreshment. Notwithstanding the length 
 of the sermons, these meetings were not very helpful, 
 and there was a strong desire among many to see 
 some of those Quakers who had arisen in the north 
 of England, and of whom so much was said. 
 
 Isabel Butten came to London early in the year 
 1654, and found two brothers willing to open their 
 houses for all who wished to assemble to worship in 
 this new way. These were the first meetings of 
 Friends held in London. Isabel was busy one First 
 Day evening in St. Paul's Church-yard, circulating 
 some papers written by George Fox, when she was 
 arrested for Sabbath breaking and carried before the 
 Lord Mayor. He committed her and her compan- 
 ions to Bridewell, among the abandoned and guilty, 
 thus showing the fanatical spirit of the times. 
 
 Among the sixty ministers, mentioned in a former 
 chapter as going out from the north on their Mas- 
 ter's service, were two, very different in age and 
 character, but who were united in their zeal for the 
 truth. These were Francis Howgill and Edward 
 Burrough. Both came from Yorkshire, and their 
 simple appearance and provincial dialect did not 
 make much impression at first upon the subtle Lon- 
 doners. Their wisdom and zeal, however, produced 
 great effect; and, borne up by a strength not their 
 own, the fruits of their ministry increased to such an
 
 46 
 
 extent that after three months of service many other 
 meetings were established, besides the two in the 
 houses of the brothers Dring, and room could hardly 
 be found for the numbers who assembled. 
 
 At last a large meeting-place, known as the Bull 
 and Mouth, which would hold one thousand, was ob- 
 tained. Here, amid wrangling and contention, some 
 extolling the Quakers and some accusing them of 
 heresy, Edward Burrough, the younger of the two 
 evangelists, would take his stand on a bench, with a 
 Bible in his hand, and speak to the tumultuous as- 
 sembly before him, with so much power that all be- 
 came calm and attentive. 
 
 At one time a large company of rude journeymen 
 and apprentices was gathered together at Moorfields 
 to witness a wrestling match. The victor, who had 
 overcome many, was walking about the ring, chal- 
 lenging others to fight him. Edward Burrough, 
 stepping up to him, spoke a few words in a calm, 
 quiet manner. Then, turning to the spectators, he 
 called upon them to fight the good fight of faith, 
 whose prize was not the wrestler's honor but a crown 
 of life immortal. The sport ceased, and at the end 
 of the sermon the crowd dispersed. More than one 
 acknowledged afterwards that their first impressions 
 of good had been received that day. 
 
 Both F. Howgill and E. Burrough laid down their 
 lives for their religion, the former in Appleby Jail, 
 where he was imprisoned for life ; Edward Burrough 
 in Newgate. After ten years of successful ministry 
 this young Boanerges, as he was called, was shut up 
 with a hundred others in such close quarters that
 
 47 
 
 many died of jail fever ; one of these was this zealous 
 evangelist, at the age of twenty-eight. 
 
 But to return to George Fox. Coming as a pris- 
 oner to London, his caretaker evidently trusted his 
 honor, for he was lodged at the Mermaid near Char- 
 ing Cross while Captain Drury went to inform the 
 Protector of his arrival. Oliver Cromwell had not 
 as much fear of this dangerous prisoner as his soldiers 
 evinced, for he simply requii m ed that George Fox 
 should write a promise to abstain from taking up 
 weapons against the Protector or his government. 
 Owning no Master but Christ, George Fox wrote to 
 the Protector what the Lord gave him to write, de- 
 claring that he was a man of peace, and was sent of 
 God to witness against all violence, and to bring peo- 
 ple from the causes of war and fighting into the peace- 
 able gospel. 
 
 Feeling curious to see this strange man, Cromwell 
 sent for him to come to Whitehall. The interview 
 was different, somewhat, from the ordinary routine 
 of court ceremonial, for George Fox went to the Pro- 
 tector with a sense of the responsibilities of his posi- 
 tion, and exhorted him to " keep in the fear of God, 
 that he might receive wisdom, and order all things 
 under his hands to God's glory." Congenial as they 
 were in some respects, further conversation brought 
 the two nearer together, and at parting Oliver Crom- 
 well took the hand of the sturdy reformer, saying : 
 " Come again to my house, for if thou and I were 
 but an hour or a day together, we should be nearer 
 one to another." Cromwell ordered that Fox should 
 be conducted to the great hall to dine with the gen-
 
 48 
 
 tlemen in waiting ; but this honor was declined by 
 the honest Quaker : " Tell the Protector," said he, 
 " I will not eat of his bread or drink of his drink." 
 When he heard this, Cromwell said : " Now I see 
 there is a people risen and come up that I cannot win 
 with gifts, honors, offices, or places ; but all other sects 
 and people I can." 
 
 Being set at liberty, George Fox went back to his 
 inn, where many came to hold converse with him ; 
 some with good intent, others only to mock and re- 
 vile ; but the Lord was with His servant, enabling 
 him to preach the gospel with power. He held 
 meetings in London so large that he could hardly get 
 to and from them for the crowds. So many joined 
 the Friends that the Presbyterians, Baptists, and 
 Independents were greatly disturbed. Even in the 
 Protector's house and family were found some of the 
 despised Quakers, and in a song of thanksgiving the 
 disciple thus extols his Master's faithfulness : 
 
 " The God of heaven carried me over all, and His 
 blessed power went over all the nation, insomuch 
 that many Friends about this time were moved to go 
 up and down, to sound forth the gospel in most parts 
 of England and also in Scotland, and the glory of the 
 Lord was felt over all to His everlasting praise." 
 
 Not only with his tongue, but with his pen, did this 
 zealous follower of the Lord call the world to the 
 knowledge of the truth. To those who professed to 
 be Christians he writes cautioning against an outside 
 show of religion, and exhorting to singleness of heart. 
 His address " To such as follow the world's fashions," 
 draws a vivid picture of a fine lady and gentleman of
 
 49 
 
 the Commonwealth, with their dress vanities and pas- 
 times. These he admonishes to leave the devil's adorn- 
 ing and seek the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, 
 which is, with the Lord, of great price. 
 
 The journey ings of the Friends were not confined to 
 England, but some were sent by the Lord to Holland 
 and Italy, even to Rome itself. The expenses of 
 their journeys of course were heavy, and as many of 
 those who embraced these principles were often im- 
 prisoned, their families required care and assistance. 
 Nobly did the early Friends fulfill their duty toward 
 their brethren, dispensing wisely, as good stewards, 
 the gifts bestowed upon them. 
 
 Gerad Croese, a Dutch historian, gives this character 
 of them : " They were merciful, liberal, and compas- 
 sionate to the miserable and afflicted in body or mind ; 
 every one helped, either with substance, counsel, or as- 
 sistance, as his capacity allowed, and the necessity of 
 his neighbor required ; so that none wanted for any- 
 thing." He also speaks of a worthy man, who hear- 
 ing much of this singular people came to England on 
 purpose to see for himself, and found, like the Queen 
 of Sheba, the half had not been told him. He soon 
 joined the Society. 
 
 The oath of adjuration against King Charles came 
 out this year, and as Friends refuse all oaths, it was 
 used by the envious magistrates as a snare in which 
 to catch them. Many were imprisoned and suffered 
 cruel hardships for their faithfulness in refusing to 
 swear. 
 
 George Fox addressed a letter to the Protector, 
 warning him of the injustice of casting the followers
 
 50 
 
 of Christ into prisons for obeying His commands. But 
 Oliver Cromwell's heart was not as tender as in the 
 days when the earnest appeal of G. Fox brought tears 
 to his eyes, and he did nothing toward alleviating the 
 sufferings of Friends. 
 
 Notwithstanding this, one of the early writers un- 
 der date Fifth Month, 1655, says, " Most of our army 
 are scattered, broken, and cast into prison. The work 
 of the Lord goes on, nevertheless. We have five or six 
 meetings of Friends every First Day, besides two great 
 places for a threshing-floor. Many are coming in, 
 many inquiring, and many are convinced daily. Glory 
 and honor forever be to the Lord ! " 
 
 The early Friends seem to have soon found the ne- 
 cessity for two meetings, one for those who had em- 
 braced their principles, and others more public for 
 the crowds of restless, turbulent inquirers. 
 
 As early as 1652, George Fox, in one of his epis- 
 tles, gives this advice : " And when there are any 
 meetings in unbroken places, ye that go to minister 
 to the world, take not the whole meeting of Friends, 
 but let them keep together and wait in their own 
 meeting place. And let three or four or six that are 
 grown up and are strong in the truth, go to such un- 
 broken places and thresh the heathenish nature." 
 
 Leaving the work in London to some of his fellow 
 laborers, George Fox with Edward Pyott and Will- 
 iam Salt traveled through the southern counties of 
 England. On coming to Cornwall they encountered 
 opposition, and at Market-Jew the magistrates sent 
 constables to arrest them. The Friends naturally 
 asked for their warrant, and as they could show none,
 
 51 
 
 refused to go with them. Edward Pyott afterward 
 went to the mayor and aldermen, representing their 
 unchristian conduct in thus attempting to stop the 
 Lord's servants, and they withdrew their sum- 
 mons. 
 
 Here George Fox wrote a paper of Christian coun- 
 sel and advice to the seven parishes of the Land's End, 
 calling them to Christ and warning them against de- 
 spising His law. In their journey next day, one of 
 the Friends handed a copy of this letter to a man who 
 gave the paper to his master, Mayor Ceely of St. Ives. 
 When the Friends reached that town they stopped 
 at a blacksmith's to have one of the horses shod, and 
 George Fox went down to the seashore for a walk. 
 Great was his surprise, on his return, to find the town 
 in a tumult, and that his companions had been taken 
 before Mayor Ceely. No one interfered with him, 
 but he would not leave his friends, and followed them. 
 The obnoxious paper was drawn out, and he was asked 
 if he would own it. He answered, Yes. The oath of 
 abjuration was then tendered them, but they could 
 not take it. George Fox handed the answer he al- 
 ready had given to the Protector, but this was re- 
 fused, and they put under the care of a body of sol- 
 diers, to be taken either to Pendennis Castle or Laun- 
 ceston Jail. 
 
 On their way, like Paul of old, they sought oppor- 
 tunities for preaching the gospel, and at Falmouth 
 found some earnest sober people, who seemed glad to 
 converse with them. The captain of the soldiers was 
 not very well disposed toward his prisoners, and 
 George Fox was obliged to send for the constables to
 
 52 
 
 protect them against his insults. The constable re- 
 proved the captain and his band, who promised to be 
 more civil. They started again on their journey, the 
 prisoners sowing some seed at Falmouth, which after- 
 wards bore fruit, a large meeting being established 
 there. 
 
 Captain Fox, the governor of Pendennis Castle, 
 being from home, the prisoners were conveyed di- 
 rectly to Lancaster Jail. The crimes for which they 
 were charged in the warrant were that they pre- 
 tended to be Quakers, had spread several papers 
 tending to the disturbance of the public peace, had 
 no pass for traveling up and down the country, and 
 refused the oath of abjuration. The weakness of 
 the charges shows the determination then existing to 
 persecute all who acknowledged the truth of Quaker- 
 ism. 
 
 Now commenced a long imprisonment in a place 
 where there were no Friends, and where every means 
 were used to render their condition intolerable. It was 
 nine weeks to the assizes, and during this time many 
 came to see the strange men who said thee and thou 
 to every one, and would not take off their hats or bow 
 the knee to any. Curiosity in some cases gave place 
 to sincere esteem and respect, as the simple, earnest 
 teachings of the gospel were proclaimed, and the truth 
 they heard found a place in the hearts of the hearers. 
 
 At the assizes, many came from far and near to 
 hear the trial of the Quakers, every available space in 
 the court room was filled, and people thronged the 
 doors and windows. It was with difficulty the prison- 
 ers could be brought in. As they entered George Fox
 
 53 
 
 said, " Peace be amongst you." But the keeping 
 on of their hats produced anything but a peaceful 
 feeling in Judge Glyn, the chief justice, who angrily 
 commanded them to remove them. This they could 
 not consistently do, and after some debate they were 
 remanded to prison. 
 
 Our sturdy reformer asked the judge to show him 
 when any magistrate, Jew or heathen, from Moses 
 to Daniel, required men to remove their hats be- 
 fore them. Judge Glyn was not ready with an an- 
 swer then, but soon afterwards sending for the pris- 
 oners, asked triumphantly : " Come, where had they 
 hats from Moses to Daniel ? I have you fast now ! " 
 Nothing daunted, George Fox quietly answered: 
 " Thou mayst read in the third of Daniel, that the 
 three children were cast into the fiery furnace by 
 Nebudchadnezzar's command with their coats, their 
 hose and their hats on." Defeated in his argument, 
 the judge had recourse to the usual cry : " Take him 
 away, jailer." 
 
 In the afternoon they were again called out, and 
 while pushing their way through the crowd, they 
 heard so much swearing that George Fox tried to 
 circulate a paper he had written against this sin. 
 The paper being passed around among the jury, the 
 attention of the judge was called to it, and he asked 
 George Fox if that seditious paper was his. This 
 was the wished-for opportunity, and the prisoner re- 
 plied if they would read it aloud he would tell. The 
 judge was unwilling to consent, but it was finally 
 read, and in a loud voice George Fox acknowledged 
 it was his and showed how it agreed with the teach-
 
 ings of Christ. Notwithstanding their imprisonment 
 for nine weeks, and the false and foolish charges 
 brought against them, they were remanded to prison 
 until the next assizes. 
 
 Perceiving their detention would be long, the 
 Friends sent away their horses into the country, and 
 refused any longer to pay their weekly allowance of 
 seven shillings for the hire of their rooms. The 
 jailer, a most abandoned character, who had twice 
 been branded on the hand as a thief, shut them up in 
 a foul dungeon, called Doomsdale, which was the 
 common sewer of the prison. The mud was over 
 their shoes, and there was no place where they could 
 sit or lie down. In this dreary place they were re- 
 fused even a little straw and a light, but some people 
 from the town, whose feeling of pity was aroused, 
 brought them a candle and a few handfuls of straw. 
 They burnt this to purify the air, and the smoke as- 
 cending through the floor into the room above, occu- 
 pied by the under jailer and some thieves, exasper- 
 ated them greatly. They poured down upon them 
 through the floor everything that they could find, and 
 used most abusive language. 
 
 George Fox and his friends were kept for a long 
 time in this place before the jailer would allow them 
 to have it cleansed. Often they were left without 
 food or water, but their sufferings were somewhat 
 mitigated after a time, and their confinement, even in" 
 this gloomy dungeon, was of service to their ministry. 
 Many came to the prison to see and hear for them- 
 selves about this new doctrine, and one of the chap- 
 lains of the Protector said they couLd not do George
 
 55 
 
 Fox a greater service for the spreading of his princi- 
 ples in Cornwall than to imprison him there. In the 
 words of the undaunted sufferer himself : " The 
 Lord's light and truth broke forth, and many were 
 turned from darkness into light, and from Satan's 
 power to God." 
 
 The love existing among the early Friends was very 
 strong ; for while George Fox lay in this cheerless 
 prison, one of them went to Oliver Cromwell and 
 offered to lie in Doomsdale in his stead. The Pro- 
 tector, struck by this act of friendship, looked around 
 on his followers with the question : " Which of you 
 would do as much for me if I were in the same con- 
 dition?" 
 
 The Protector thought he had not the legal right 
 to accept the offer, but sent Major-General Desbour- 
 rough to Cornwall with instructions to release them 
 if they would go home and preach no more. This 
 they could not promise and so were retained some 
 time longer, but after six months imprisonment they 
 were set at liberty on the 13th of Seventh Month, 
 1656. 
 
 The jailer who so cruelly treated them lost his 
 position the next year, and was committed to the 
 same filthy place, locked in irons, beaten, and bade 
 to remember his former cruel treatment of the 
 Quakers. Here he died, leaving his family in pov- 
 erty and distress. 
 
 Released from their house of bondage, the Friends 
 went on their way rejoicing and visited some who had 
 been converted through their teaching. After a little 
 time spent in this way they returned to Launceston to
 
 56 
 
 see the company of Friends who had been raised up 
 during their imprisonment. George Fox gives this 
 pleasant account of their condition : " The Lord's 
 plants grew finely, and were established on Christ 
 Jesus their rock and foundation."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 ABOUT the time when the doors of the dreary jail 
 at Launceston were opened, and the prisoners released, 
 other and more severe punishments were preparing 
 in the New World, for those who professed this hated 
 religion. 
 
 In the seventh month of the year 1656, two women 
 Friends arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, from Eng- 
 land. They were cruelly treated, and shut up in 
 prison for five weeks. Nicholas Upsal, an old resi- 
 dent of Boston, and an earnest Christian, was much 
 distressed at the condition of these poor friendless 
 women. No food being provided for them, he in- 
 duced the jailer to supply them, by paying him five 
 shillings a week. They were only released from jail 
 to be sent back to England. 
 
 A month after, a ship-load of Friends arrived in 
 Boston, and although no law then existed against the 
 Quakers, they were considered too dangerous to be 
 allowed their liberty, and after a short imprisonment, 
 were sent back to England. Governor Endicott now 
 made a law, prohibiting masters of vessels from bring- 
 ing Quakers to the colony, and threatening imprison- 
 ment to any who should come. 
 
 Honest Nicholas Upsal was sorely troubled at this 
 unrighteous law, as it seemed to him, and remon- 
 strated with the rulers against such edicts, warning 
 
 3*
 
 58 
 
 them to take heed, lest they be found fighting against 
 God. The rulers resented such interference, and the 
 old man was fined twenty pounds, and banished from 
 the colony. 
 
 The neighboring colony of Rhode Island offered an 
 asylum for all who suffered on account of their re- 
 ligion. Roger Williams, its founder, had been ban- 
 ished from Massachusetts for his liberal views, and 
 in arranging the government of his new home, de- 
 clared that " the doctrine of persecution for the cause 
 of conscience, is most evidently and lamentably con- 
 trary to the doctrines of Jesus Christ." 
 
 Thither in the depth of winter Nicholas Upsal bent 
 his steps, and was kindly sheltered on his journey by 
 an Indian chief, through whose encampment he passed. 
 
 The Indian could not understand why this feeble, 
 aged person should undertake this journey at such an 
 inclement season. But when he understood the cause, 
 he offered to share his wigwam with the stranger, 
 saying, " What a God have the English, who deal so 
 with one another about their God." 
 
 The dreaded heresy grew and increased notwith- 
 standing all the efforts of the rulers of the Massa- 
 chusetts colony to check it, and more stringent laws 
 were enacted. A fine was imposed on all who should 
 absent themselves'from public worship. No one could 
 offer any refreshment to one of the hated Quakers 
 without being fined, and all who held their views 
 were sentenced to be whipped, lose their ears, have 
 their tongues bored with hot iron, and if these meas- 
 ures did not induce them to recant, they were to be 
 banished from the colony. Even children did not es-
 
 59 
 
 cape. In some cases they were condemned to be 
 sold as slaves at the Bermudas, in payment of the 
 fines imposed on their parents. But no ship captain 
 could be found, who was willing to carry out this un- 
 just sentence, and it was not put in execution. One 
 of our own poets has drawn a graphic picture of this 
 cruel imposition, in the ballad of Cassandra South- 
 wick. 1 
 
 Thus in the New World, as in the mother-country, 
 the rapid spread of the Quakers caused much fear 
 and perplexity. About this time, however, the ex- 
 travagant acts of some of the sect aroused a strong 
 prejudice against them. The life of James Naylor 
 shows how weak man is, and how spiritual pride can 
 blind the eyes even of those who have once known a 
 risen Saviour. 
 
 He was the son of a Yorkshire farmer, and was a 
 soldier in the Parliamentary army for eight or nine 
 years, leaving the service on account of ill health. 
 He was living at Wakefield, when George Fox passed 
 through the town, on one of his preaching tours, and 
 was attracted by the truths he heard. He thought 
 upon them when working in the fields, and one day 
 while following the plow, he felt the Lord called 
 him, to go and preach the gospel. Waiting day by 
 day upon the Master, for strength and guidance, he 
 became an eminent minister, and many were con- 
 verted through his preaching. A party of extrava- 
 gant admirers gathered around him, chiefly composed 
 of women, who in their enthusiastic admiration 
 bowed before him, kissed his feet, and styled him 
 the Prophet of the Most High. 
 
 1 J. G. Whittier.
 
 60 
 
 He was soon afterwards imprisoned at Exeter, and 
 received a visit from George Fox, whose clear judg- 
 ment pierced the veil of error, and caused him sol- 
 emnly to warn James Naylor of his danger. Dark- 
 ness had, however, blinded the eyes of the infatuated 
 man, and he could not be convinced of any wrong. 
 On parting he would fain have kissed his teacher, but 
 the honest evangelist refused the tokens of friend- 
 ship from one who had turned away from the Lord. 
 
 Experiencing with Paul the perils of false breth- 
 ren, George Fox sadly writes in his journal : " So 
 after I had been warring with the world, there was 
 now a wicked spirit risen up among Friends to war 
 against." 
 
 When James Naylor was released from Exeter, as 
 he journeyed to Bristol, the frenzy of his admirers 
 reached its height. They formed a procession to at- 
 tend him, and even strewed their scarfs and handker- 
 chiefs in his path, shouting hosannas before him. 
 
 These outrageous proceedings excited much atten- 
 tion, and the actors of this strange drama were 
 arrested. In this day they would have been con- 
 sidered suitable inmates for an insane asylum, but 
 Quakerism was so obnoxious that any pretext for 
 oppression was gladly seized. Parliament took up 
 the matter, and, urged by the Presbyterian and In- 
 dependent preachers, who wished to destroy the whole 
 sect, condemned him to cruel and ignominious tor- 
 ture. He was to be set in the pillory for hours, 
 whipped by the hangman through the streets of Lon- 
 don and Bristol, his tongue was to be bored with a 
 hot iron, and his forehead branded with the letter B.
 
 61 
 
 After this he was to be imprisoned at Bridewell. 
 He bore his punishment with great patience, and in 
 his solitary imprisonment the scales fell from his 
 eyes. " My heart is broken," he writes to his friends, 
 " for the offense I have occasioned God's truth and 
 people. I beseech you forgive me." He made a full 
 recantation of his conduct, and after his release from 
 prison, in a large meeting at Bristol, spoke so feel- 
 ingly of his sin, and of God's mercy in restoring him, 
 that there were few dry eyes among his audience. 
 His friends lovingly received the penitent, and the 
 Lord again enabled him to preach the gospel, but his 
 constitution was so weakened by his sufferings that 
 he died in 1660 at the age of forty-three. In the 
 hour of death he said : " There is a spirit I feel, 
 which delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any 
 wrong. Its ground and spring are the mercy and 
 forgiveness of God, its crown is meekness, its life is 
 everlasting love." 
 
 Though the truth of an indwelling Christ was thus 
 grievously abused, yet as the counterfeit proves the 
 existence of a reality, so it is this same truth which 
 enables the Lord's children to walk in newness of 
 life, by accepting a personal, conscious, loving union 
 with Christ their living and ever present Saviour. 
 
 Although as a body Friends had disowned James 
 Naylor's conduct, the same Parliament that pro- 
 nounced this cruel sentence upon him, enacted a bill 
 against vagrants, so worded that it could be used 
 against Friends. By this, every idle person or va- 
 grant who had not a good and sufficient business for 
 traveling such as the justices might approve, could be 
 punished as a rogue.
 
 62 
 
 This gave great power to the magistrates who were 
 not kindly disposed towards Friends, and many were 
 arrested and thrown into prison. George Fox went 
 to London to petition Oliver Cromwell to interfere 
 on their behalf, but the Protector was not as accessi- 
 ble now as he had been, and nothing could be gained 
 from him. 
 
 But though persecuted the Friends were not for- 
 saken, as will be seen by the following extract from 
 a letter of Richard Hubberthorne : 
 
 " Though the waters of strife are up in floods at 
 present, yet sweetly doth, the water of life flow, and 
 pleasant streams are drunk by those who keep patient 
 in the will of God, and life, power, and glory from 
 the Father, are more manifest than ever." 
 
 The good seed watered with many tears, and spring- 
 ing up amid many trials, was tenderly watched over 
 by the Lord, and George Fox says : " Many mouths 
 were opened in our meetings, to declare the goodness 
 of the Lord, and some who were young and tender 
 in the truth, would sometimes utter a few words of 
 thanksgiving and praise." Wisely and with foster- 
 ing care did the earnest shepherd watch over the 
 lambs of the flock. He advised the older Friends to 
 be very tender and careful how they admonished 
 these, even though they might sometimes say more 
 than seemed warranted. None but the openly pro- 
 fane were to be reproved in meetings, but if any felt 
 like giving advice to the younger ones, it was to be 
 done after the gathering, " in the wisdom which is 
 pure and gentle, and in that love which bears long, 
 suffers long, and fulfills the law."
 
 63 
 
 " Thus," he says, " ye will find the power of God 
 to chain, bind, and limit, so that nothing will come 
 forth, but what is in the power, in which will be your 
 joy and refreshment." 
 
 A new and untried field now lay before our earnest 
 seed sower, in which he proved the truth of the 
 words, 
 
 " Sow though the rock repel thee 
 In its cold and sterile pride, 
 Some cleft there may be riven 
 "Where the little seed may hide. 
 Fear not, for some will flourish, 
 And though the tares abound, 
 Like the Billows by the waters, 
 Will the scattered grain be found." 
 
 Three years previously the fame of the strange sect 
 in the north of England had reached Wales, and 
 John Ap John had been sent by the minister of his 
 parish to inquire what it meant. The teachings of 
 George Fox and his coadjutors entered his heart, and 
 like the good seed grew and flourished. Now, when 
 Wales was to be the field for missionary labor, John 
 Ap John was ready as a brother beloved to go with 
 George Fox, and, by his acquaintance with the Welsh 
 language, aid him in his teaching. 
 
 As in former journeys, they met with different treat- 
 ment, in some places finding a rude, noisy crowd who 
 tried to molest them, and again reporting " glorious 
 meetings and many turned to the Lord." At one 
 place they found an earnest company who believed 
 the Scriptures, but had no knowledge of the guidance 
 of the Holy Spirit. To these George Fox was en- 
 abled to preach Christ as their Saviour and their
 
 64 
 
 Guide, and many -were comforted by his teaching. 
 After the meeting a justice of the peace came to him 
 saying, " You have this day given great satisfaction." 
 
 They held an open air meeting at Radnorshire, 
 where the people gathered in such numbers that some 
 one told George^Fox the people " lie like a leaguer," 
 meaning as closely as if investing a city. A great 
 longing for the salvation of souls pressed on the 
 spirit of the Lord's devoted servant, and after seeking 
 strength from his Master, he preached Jesus to this 
 vast concourse as their Saviour, Redeemer, and Medi- 
 ator. Notwithstanding the crowd, the stillness was 
 so great that all could hear without difficulty, though 
 many were on horseback. Gathering up the sheaves 
 with rejoicing, the gleaner makes this entry in his 
 journal : " Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and 
 his free teaching that day." 
 
 They found poor accommodations and rough treat- 
 ment, and the honest laborer records with indigna- 
 tion that the oats were stolen from their horses. " A 
 wicked, thievish people, to rob the poor dumb animal 
 of his food. I had rather they had robbed us." 
 
 Under these adverse circumstances the Lord was 
 their shield and protected them. On one of their 
 journeys they were overtaken by a man of rank and 
 wealth, who continued with them for a time, intend- 
 ing as he afterwards told them, to arrest them at the 
 next town for highwaymen. But George Fox, ever 
 ready to sow seed by the way-side, spoke so power- 
 fully to him that instead of putting them in prison he 
 invited them to his house. Both his wife and himself 
 desired Scripture proofs for the doctrines professed by
 
 65 
 
 
 
 these wandering evangelists. These George Fox de- 
 lighted to give, and taking out his Bible, several ; 
 hours were spent in converse, and they parted with * 
 feelings of mutual regard. 
 
 They ascended the rocky sides of Caeder Iris, and 
 surveying the scene before him with prophetic vision, <, 
 many different localities were pointed out by this 
 modern seer, where there would be " a great people 
 raised up to the Lord." The predictions were re- 
 membered by John Ap John, and though no meetings 
 of Friends then existed in those places, it was not 
 many years before in every case, the result was that 
 " a brave people were gathered in the name of the 
 Lord." 
 
 An attempt was made at Dolgelly by two ministers 
 to prove that the light to which John the Baptist 
 bore witness was a created natural light. "But I 
 took the Bible," says George Fox, " and showed them 
 that the natural lights which were made and created 
 were the sun and moon and stars, but the true light 
 that lighteth every one that cometh into the world is 
 Christ the Word, by whom all things were made and 
 created. I directed them to that which would give to 
 every one the knowledge of Christ who died for them, 
 that He might be their way to God, and make peace 
 between God and them." 
 
 A crowd had gathered to listen to the discussion, 
 and John Ap John repeated the teaching in Welsh. 
 The people eagerly received the truth, and with up- 
 lifted hands praised God for sending his messengers 
 among them. 
 
 Different treatment awaited them after leaving
 
 66 
 
 Dolgelly. Having occasion to cross a large ferry, they 
 
 found a rude company on the boat who prevented 
 
 John Ap John from coming on board. Perceiving 
 
 > this, George Fox leaped back on the shore to await 
 
 the next crossing. This detained them till two o'clock 
 
 in the afternoon, after which they had a journey of 
 
 forty miles, and only one groat between them. They 
 
 traveled all night, and at five in the morning found 
 
 a resting-place for themselves and their tired horses. 
 
 Having traveled through every county in Wales 
 preaching the everlasting gospel, and being comforted 
 by the willingness with which many received the 
 truth, he now turned his steps towards England. He 
 reached Liverpool at the time of a great fair, and 
 wishing to hold a meeting took a novel method of 
 announcing this desire. A Friend was stationed at 
 the cross at the market square to proclaim that 
 George Fox, a servant of the Lord, would have a 
 meeting the next day at such a place, and if any 
 feared the Lord they might come and hear him de- 
 clare the word of life unto them. The call was re- 
 sponded to by a large number, and " many were 
 established on the Rock Christ Jesus." 
 
 Arriving at the hospitable home of his friends, the 
 Fells, he tarried with them for a season, rejoicing 
 with them in the mercies of their covenant God, who 
 had cared for him in his journeying, and had watched 
 over the little flock at Swarthmore Hall.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ANXIOUS to work while it was day, the indefati- 
 gable laborer remained but two weeks at Swarthmore 
 and then started for Scotland, having, as he says, 
 " Robert Widders with me, a thundering man against 
 hypocrisy and deceit." 
 
 This was a new field, and one in which he encoun- 
 tered much opposition. The free salvation which he 
 preached was especially disagreeable in that land 
 which lay under the dark shadow of unconditional 
 election and reprobation, upheld by the ministers. 
 But as the travelers passed from place to place the 
 record is of " blessed meetings in the name of Jesus," 
 and many conversions. 
 
 At Garshore they had a large meeting and George 
 Fox plainly showed from the Scriptures " that Christ 
 was a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, 
 that He died for all men, the godly for the ungodly ; 
 and He enlightens every man that cometh into the 
 world, that through Him they all might believe." 
 " Many other Scriptures," he says, " were opened con- 
 cerning reprobation, and the eyes of the people were 
 opened." 
 
 But the defection from their ranks caused dismay 
 among the Scottish ministers, and George Fox says : 
 " A great cry was among them that all would be 
 spoiled, for they said I had spoiled all the honest men
 
 68 
 
 and women in England already, so according to their 
 own account the worst were left to them." Upon this 
 they gathered great assemblies of priests together, and 
 drew up a number of curses to be read in their several 
 steeple houses that all the people might say " Amen " 
 to them. 
 
 The actors in this scene have all passed away, and 
 it is not best to dwell long upon it. Of all disputes 
 it is well known those on theological questions are the 
 most fierce and bitter, and allowance must be made 
 for the rudeness of that day and time. It is cause of 
 rejoicing that in our day the lines of demarkation be- 
 tween those who love the Lord Jesus are becoming 
 very faint, and Christians are so earnest in fighting Sa- 
 tan they have little time for warring with each other. 
 
 Nothing daunted by the opposition he encountered, 
 George Fox pursued his way as his Master directed, 
 being joined by James Lancaster and Robert Parker. 
 Warrants were issued against him, but he said : " If 
 there were a cart-load of them I do not regard them, 
 for the Lord's power is over all." 
 
 At Johnstons, the governor ordered that the Friends 
 should be sent out of the town. Surrounded by a 
 company of soldiers, these unarmed men left the place. 
 James Lancaster was " moved of the Lord " to sing 
 His praises with a melodious sound,, and George Fox 
 to preach the everlasting gospel. 
 
 This sight called many to the windows, so the 
 Friends had the opportunity they desired of preach- 
 ing Christ. They journeyed a little longer in Scot- 
 land, and after " a glorious meeting " at Edinburgh, 
 they left the country with the feeling that " many
 
 69 
 
 were turned to the Lord and many more would be, 
 though there was need of patience." 
 
 It appears from letters of the early Friends that 
 soon after the rise of the Society, meetings were in- 
 stituted for the purpose of considering the condition 
 of the members and extending care over them. As 
 all were considered members who wished to be, a 
 great variety were gathered together, among whom 
 were many poor in this world's goods who needed as- 
 sistance. In 1653- a monthly meeting was established 
 in Cumberland " to look after the poor, and see that 
 all walked according to the truth." Similar meet- 
 ings were established in other places, and finally a 
 general meeting was held at Shipton for the northern 
 and southern counties, " when in the wisdom of God 
 they did see all walked according to the glorious gos- 
 pel of God, and that there was nothing wanting 
 among them." The first was held at the house of 
 John Crook, Fourth Month, 20th, 1658. At this meet- 
 ing notice was taken of the missionary laborers, es- 
 pecially those beyond the sea, and a collection re- 
 commended for the aid of gospel missions. 
 
 The following minute was prepared at a similar 
 meeting in 1660, and sent through the different coun- 
 ties : 
 
 " DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN, We having 
 certain information from some Friends of London, of 
 the great work and service of the Lord beyond the 
 seas, in several parts and regions, as Germany, Amer- 
 ica, and many other islands and places, as Florence, 
 Mantua, Palatine, Tuscany, Italy, Rome, Turkey, Je-
 
 70 
 
 rusalem, France, Geneva, Norway, Barbadoes, Ber- 
 muda, Antigua, Jamaica, Surinam, Newfoundland; 
 through all which Friends have passed in the service 
 of the Lord, and divers other countries, places, islands 
 and nations, and among many nations of the Indians, 
 in which they have had service for the Lord, and 
 through great travails have published His name, and 
 declared the everlasting gospel of peace unto them 
 that have been afar off, that they might be brought 
 nigh unto God." 
 
 " A collection is then recommended in every par- 
 ticular meeting to be sent as formerly to London for 
 service and use aforesaid." 1 
 
 George Fox could not be absent from such a meet- 
 ing, where his clear head and sound judgment would 
 be very useful ; and after the Friends had mostly left 
 for their homes, a company of soldiers came to arrest 
 him. He was walking in the garden at the time, and 
 -heard them inquiring for him, but after a little con- 
 versation with John Crook, they left without seeing 
 their would-be prisoner, who again went on his mis- 
 sionary tour, giving this testimony to the faithfulness 
 of his covenant God : " The Lord's power accompany- 
 ing me, and bearing me up in His service." 
 
 As has been stated, this was the age of controversy, 
 and a Jesuit in the suite of the Spanish Ambassador 
 challenged all the Quakers to a dispute at the house 
 of the Earl of Newport. The reply was that some 
 of their number would meet him. His courage be- 
 gan to fail, and he insisted that only twelve should 
 
 1 Letters of Early Friends.
 
 71 
 
 come. This number he reduced to six and finally to 
 three. George Fox, fearing lest the opportunity should 
 be lost, hastened to the house with two other Friends. 
 A long debate ensued on the purity of the Romish 
 church, and the doctrine of transubstantiation. The 
 Jesuit could not defend himself or his cause, and 
 though most of the audience were his friends, they 
 were obliged to confess that his subtilty was con- 
 founded by the simplicity of the truth. 
 
 Clouds hung heavily at this time over the Friends 
 both in England and Ireland. Many were lying in 
 dungeons under the care of cruel jailers, while their 
 families were suffering for food. George Fox wrote 
 an earnest letter to Cromwell beseeching his aid, but 
 without avail. He seemed to have lost the desire for 
 religious liberty evinced in the early part of his Pro- 
 tectorate, and pretending to disbelieve the statement 
 of the sufferings of Friends, paid no attention to them. 
 His dai'k days had now commenced, for his favorite 
 daughter Betty, the Lady Elizabeth Claypole, lay ill 
 with a fatal disease. For a fortnight the unhappy 
 father watched by her bedside, unable to attend to 
 any public business. During her illness, George Fox 
 hearing she was troubled in regard to her soul's salva- 
 tion, wrote a loving, encouraging letter, bidding her 
 " look away from sin and transgression, to that which 
 would take them away and bring peace," which letter 
 was a comfort to the sick lady. She died on the 6th 
 day of Eighth Month, and her father seems never to 
 have recovered her loss, his own illness commencing 
 on the 20th of the same month. For a time it was 
 not considered serious, and he was able to ride out.
 
 72 
 
 Being in the park at Hampton Court one day, George 
 Fox met him. He embraced the opportunity to lay 
 the condition of the suffering Friends before Crom- 
 well. The feelings of the Protector were touched, 
 and he bade George Fox come to him the next day. 
 But at the time appointed Oliver Cromwell was too 
 ill to be seen, and they never met again. On the af- 
 ternoon of the 30th of Eighth Month, 1658, during a 
 dreadful hurricane, so fierce that trees were plucked 
 up by the roots, and travelers feared to start on their 
 journeys, the summons came, and he who had wielded 
 the sovereign power in England, lay powerless in the 
 grasp of the mighty conqueror Death. 
 
 On the 8th of the following month Judge Fell also 
 passed away. He had been a firm friend to the new 
 sect who had often assembled under his roof, and 
 though never connected with them, he had in his 
 capacity of judge frequently stood between them and 
 persecution. 
 
 Richard Cromwell quietly assumed the position of 
 Lord Protector of England, but had neither his fath- 
 er's talent nor his skill in moulding the minds of other 
 men, and his administration lasted only a few months. 
 
 Friends now applied to him for the redress they 
 had vainly sought to obtain from his father, and an 
 address was prepared stating the cases of the nine- 
 teen hundred and sixty who had been imprisoned in 
 the last six years, and the one hundred and forty- 
 four now lying in prison. No notice was taken of 
 this, and it was followed in about ten days, by an- 
 other remarkable document worthy to be remem- 
 bered :
 
 73 
 
 "FRIENDS, Who are called a Parliament of these 
 Nations, we, in love to our brethren that lie in pris- 
 ons and Houses of Correction and dungeons, and many 
 in fetters and irons, and have been cruelly beat by the 
 gaolers, and many have been persecuted to death and 
 have died in prison, and many be sick and weak in 
 prison and on straw ; so we in love to our brethren 
 do offer up our bodies and selves to you, for to put 
 us as lambs in the same dungeons, and Houses of Cor- 
 rection, and their straw and nasty holes and prisons, 
 and do stand ready a sacrifice, for to go in their 
 places in love to our brethren, that they may go forth 
 and that they may not die in prison, for we are will- 
 ing to lay down our lives for the brethren, and to 
 take their sufferings upon us, which you would inflict 
 on them." 
 
 " We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, are 
 waiting in Westminster Hall an answer from you." 
 
 This document was signed by one hundred and 
 sixty-four Friends, and shows their claim to be con- 
 sidered the disciples of the Lord Jesus, by this mani- 
 festation of love one to another. In the Parliament 
 this document excited various feelings. One member 
 voted they should be whipped home as vagrants, but 
 the decision was finally given that the signers of this 
 paper should forthwith return home to their respec- 
 tive habitations, apply themselves to their callings, 
 and submit themselves to the laws of the nation. 
 
 Although this appeal apparently failed, yet in the 
 month following, a committee was appointed to in- 
 quire into the causes of the imprisonment of so many,
 
 74 
 
 and how they might be released. Colonel Rich, 
 Henry Vane, and others were on this committee, and 
 they would fain have freed all who were suffering 
 for conscience' sake, but the Parliament did not agree 
 to their report, and nothing was done for the relief 
 of Friends. 
 
 George Fox, fearing lest some should be " discour- 
 aged because of the way," wrote an encouraging let- 
 ter to send out among Friends, in which he exhorts 
 them to " fear not," because as they keep in the pa- 
 tience, resting in the Lord Jesus Christ, " they will 
 find all things to work together for good to them that 
 love God." 
 
 The disturbances in the nation increased every 
 day. Those in power were plotting and contriving 
 for their own selfish interests. The army was di- 
 vided into factions, the weaker adhering to Richard, 
 and the stronger in favor of General Lambert, as 
 the most suitable person for Protector. Richard re- 
 moved one difficulty by quietly retiring to Hamp- 
 ton Court and resigning his position. Everything 
 .seemed to be tending toward the restoration of the 
 Stuarts. 
 
 Amid these intestine commotions George Fox, 
 anxious that Friends should maintain their character 
 of followers of the Prince of Peace, wrote earnest let- 
 ters of counsel to them, beseeching them " to dwell 
 in the fear of the Lord " and to have nothing to do 
 with wars and fightings. A fear of coming evil im- 
 pressed his mind with regard to the city of London, 
 and he sent a letter to those in authority warning 
 them of the consequences of their wicked actions.
 
 75 
 
 General Monk's soldiers seemed to have a particu- 
 lar dislike to Friends, and treated them shamefully, 
 tearing their clothes from them, and pulling by the 
 hair and kicking both men and women. This was 
 represented to their general and he issued the fol- 
 lowing order : 
 
 " ST. JAMES, Sth of March. 
 
 " I do require all officers and soldiers to forbear to 
 disturb the peaceable meetings of the Quakers, they 
 doing nothing prejudicial to the Parliament and 
 Commonwealth of England. 
 
 (Signed) " GEORGE MONK." 
 
 A singular circumstance is related of a wicked man 
 in Somersetshire, who wished to disturb Friends in 
 their meetings. Dressing himself in a bear's skin, he 
 seated himself in front of the Friend who was preach- 
 ing, and rolled his tongue out of his mouth to make 
 sport for his followers. Returning from the meeting 
 he stopped at a bull-baiting, and carelessly going too 
 near, the animal stuck his horn into the man's throat, 
 pushing out his tongue, so that it hung in the same 
 manner in which he had pushed it out in the meet- 
 ing. Thus impaled on the bull's horn, he was whirled 
 round in a fearful manner. 
 
 Starting again on a missionary tour, George Fox 
 came into Cornwall at a stormy time when there were 
 many shipwrecks at Land's End. He was greatly 
 grieved to find that the love of gain had so destroyed 
 all kindly feeling that no effort was made to save the 
 lives from these wrecks, but only to obtain treasure 
 from them. Even those in authority connived at the
 
 76 
 
 practice, and participated in the gain. He issued a 
 manly appeal to the parish priests and magistrates, 
 and concluded with a postscript addressed to his own 
 people : 
 
 " All dear Friends who fear the Lord, keep out of 
 the ravenous world's spirit which leads to destroy, and 
 is out of the wisdom of God. When ships are wrecked, 
 do not run to destroy and make havoc of ship and 
 goods, but save the men and their goods for them, and 
 so deny yourselves, and do unto them as ye would 
 that they should do unto you." 
 
 This remonstrance awakened the better feelings of 
 the people, and Friends at least afterwards avoided 
 this cruel method of gaining wealth. 
 
 Thus moulded in no narrow form we find this bold 
 reformer fearless in opposing evil in every shape, yet 
 tender and ready to sympathize with all suffering.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE contending factions in England were now in a 
 state of great tumult, and the loyalists were eager to 
 embrace the opportunity to restore Charles Stuart to 
 his father's throne. General Monk, a man whose 
 principles were of that convenient kind which could 
 be easily changed, had command of the army in Scot- 
 land, and was feared and courted by all parties. He 
 had been a Royalist before he was a Parliamentarian, 
 and found no difficulty now in using his power in 
 effecting the restoration of the King. 
 
 He sent letters to Charles, who was at Cologne, 
 watching for an opportunity to assert his claim to the 
 throne, and the result of their correspondence was the 
 famous declaration of Breda, which Charles sent to 
 the House of Lords, with a duplicate to the House of 
 Commons. 
 
 This document, dated April 14th, 1660, was full 
 of fair promises, and one paragraph particularly inter- 
 ested Friends, of whom one hundred and forty -four 
 were now lying in prison for conscience' sake : 
 
 " And because the passion and uncharitableness of 
 the times has produced different opinions in religion* 
 by which men are engaged in parties and animosities 
 against each other, which when they shall hereafter 
 unite in freedom of conversation will be better under- 
 stood, we do declare a liberty to tender consciences
 
 78 
 
 and that no man shall be disquieted or called in ques- 
 tion for difference of opinion in matters of religion 
 which do not disturb the peace of the kingdom, and 
 that we shall be ready to consent to such an act of 
 Parliament as upon mature deliberation shall be of- 
 fered to us for the full granting of that indulgence." 
 
 The Royalist party predominating in the House of 
 Lords, it was soon decided to invite Charles to as- 
 cend the throne of his father. The young man ac- 
 cordingly sailed from the Hague, and landed at Dover 
 Fifth Month, 25th, 1660, with his two brothers, James 
 Duke of York and Henry Duke of Gloucester. From 
 thence he went to London, greeted on every side by 
 the joyous acclamations of his subjects. Sober men 
 and women knelt down and asked for blessings upon 
 him, holding up their little ones to look at him, that 
 they might tell their children and grandchildren of 
 that glorious day. The city of London was stirred to 
 its very depths at his coming. The bells poured out 
 their joyous greeting, bonfires were lighted, and crowds 
 of people clad in holiday garb thronged the streets. 
 Thejold Puritan plainness was studiously avoided, the 
 Cavalier wardrobes were brought out, the French gen- 
 tlemen and ladies of the court appeared in bright col- 
 ors, and all seemed like a gala day when " the king 
 came to his ain again." 
 
 In the midst of all this excitement, Friends pursued 
 the even tenor of their way, though they rejoiced that 
 the restoration had been peaceably accomplished, and 
 felt a hope of some respite from persecution. 
 
 Richard Hubberthorne, writing to his friends at 
 Swarthmore, Fifth Month, 29th, 1660, says : " This
 
 79 
 
 day King Charles and his two brothers, James and 
 Henry, came into the city. Charles is of a pretty 
 sober countenance, but the great pride and vanity of 
 those who brought him in is inexpressible. He is in 
 danger to be led into those things to which he him- 
 self is not inclined." 
 
 George Fox was pursuing his labors in Derbyshire 
 and Nottinghamshire, and came to Shipton, where was 
 held a general meeting of men Friends out of many 
 counties, concerning the affairs of the church, both in 
 this nation and beyond the sea. 
 
 The liberality of Friends was so well known that 
 at this gathering at Shipton, two hundred of the poor 
 of the neighborhood came, expecting some assistance. 
 They were not disappointed, for the Friends sent to 
 the bakers for bread, and gave every one a loaf ; for 
 as George Fox said, " We were taught to do good to 
 all, though especially to the household of faith." 
 
 Swarthtnore now offered a quiet resting-place to the 
 earnest laborer, and after leaving Shipton George Fox 
 came there, expecting to remain some time. But 
 shortly after his arrival he was arrested by Henry 
 Porter, a justice who had been a major under Crom- 
 well, and now wished to commend himself to King 
 Charles, by his zeal in apprehending those who re- 
 fused the oath of allegiance. 
 
 The superstitious people of Furness, regarding the 
 prisoner with feelings of awe, kept him all night at 
 the constable's house, and set a guard of fifteen or 
 sixteen men to watch him, some of whom sat in the 
 chimney for fear he should " go up." 
 
 He was hurried off in great haste next morning, on
 
 80 
 
 a little horse with neither saddle nor bridle. The sol- 
 diers who formed his guard amused themselves by 
 beating the horse and making him trot and gallop. 
 This troubled the tender spirit of their prisoner, and 
 he slipped off the horse, telling them " they should 
 not abuse the beast." So great was the hatred to- 
 ward this unoffending person, that one man knelt 
 down in the road, and thanked God that he had 
 been taken prisoner. Thus they went on fourteen 
 miles to Lancaster, the soldiers rejoicing in what 
 they considered a victory, and George Fox " singing 
 praises to the Lord for his triumphing power over 
 all." 
 
 He was brought before Justice Porter, who accused 
 him of being an enemy to the king and a disturber of 
 the peace of the nation. The prisoner naturally de- 
 sired to see the order by which he had been appre- 
 hended. Justice Porter refused to show it him, and 
 after some conversation committed George Fox to 
 the Dark House, to be a close prisoner till released 
 by either King or Parliament. 
 
 Lancaster jail was a dreary place, and the jailer 
 exceedingly cruel. None of the Friends were allowed 
 to visit George Fox, although others were admitted, 
 who abused and reviled him. Though prison walls 
 now confined his body, they could not bind his spirit, 
 and the innocent sufferer still performed all the serv- 
 vice for his Master that lay in his power, at times 
 preaching through his barred windows to the crowds 
 who gathered to hear, again writing papers and let- 
 ters to encourage Friends in the right, and to the 
 King and others in authority, " to exhort them to the 
 exercise of mercy and forgiveness."
 
 81 
 
 Meantime his friends outside were busy on his be- 
 half, and Margaret Fell, feeling indignant that the 
 sanctity of her home should be thus invaded, wrote 
 the following spirited appeal to the magistrates : 
 
 " I do inform the governors of this nation, that 
 Henry Porter, Mayor of Lancaster, sent a warrant, 
 with four constables, to my house, for which he had 
 no authority or order. They searched my house and 
 apprehended George Fox in it, who was not guilty of 
 any breach of law, nor any offense against any in the 
 nation. After they had taken him, and brought him 
 before the said Henry Porter, bail was offered, what 
 he would demand for his appearance to answer what 
 could be laid to his charge, but he, contrary to law (if 
 he had taken him lawfully), refused to accept of any 
 bail, and put him in a close prison. After he was in 
 prison, a copy of his mittimus was demanded, which 
 ought not to be denied to any prisoner, so that he 
 may see what is laid to his charge ; but it was de- 
 nied him ; a copy he could not have, they were only 
 suffered to read it over. Everything that was there 
 charged against him was utterly false ; he was not 
 guilty of any one charge in it, as will be proved and 
 manifested to the nation. Let the governors con- 
 sider it. I am concerned in this thing, inasmuch as 
 he was apprehended in my house, and if he be guilty 
 I am too. So I desire to have this searched out. 
 
 " MARGARET FELL." 
 
 As George Fox had been committed for high 
 treason, he could only be released by a special order 
 
 4*
 
 82 
 
 from the King, and Margaret Fell determined to 
 appeal to him in person. She accordingly went to 
 London accompanied by Ann Curtis, the daughter 
 of a Royalist who had been hanged at his own door 
 for his sympathy with Charles I., and who hoped 
 to have some influence with the King on this account. 
 Justice Porter said he would go too, and " meet them 
 in the gap." But when he arrived in London he 
 found too many who remembered him as a zealous 
 parliamentary man, and soon had enough of the 
 court. 
 
 Margaret Fell and her friend were kindly received 
 by the King, who promised to send for George Fox to 
 come to London. A writ of habeas corpus was ac- 
 cordingly issued, but when served, a difficulty arose : 
 the expense of sending a guard with him to London. 
 The sheriff would fain have put this upon his inno- 
 cent prisoner, but he refused to bear any part of it. 
 At last the sheriff told him, if he would promise to 
 appear before the judges in London, he might be re- 
 leased. This inconsistency shows the true nature of 
 those who apprehended him. This so-called danger- 
 ous fellow was released for the time on his own word, 
 and a copy of his own accusation given him to pre- 
 sent to the judges. He traveled as he pleased, in 
 company with some of his friends, holding meetings 
 by the way, and reached London in about three 
 weeks. 
 
 The day after his arrival, he presented himself and 
 his accusation before the judges of the King's Bench, 
 but as they were occupied with other business, they 
 ordered the marshal to take charge of George Fox
 
 83 
 
 till the next day, and give him a room to himself. 
 The marshal said the prisons were so full he had no 
 place to put him. Judge Foster then asked George 
 Fox if he would appear the next day at ten o'clock 
 in Westminster Hall. " Yes, if the Lord gives me 
 strength," was the reply. The judge turned to his 
 associates and said, " If he says yes and promises, 
 you may take his word," and this pestilent fellow 
 was again released to go where he pleased. 
 
 Next day he appeared, according to his promise, 
 and the charges against him were read. When he 
 heard the accusation against himself and his friends, 
 of embroiling the nation with blood, and raising a 
 new war, George Fox protested his innocence. He 
 shrewdly asked : " Do ye think if I and my friends 
 had been such as this charge declares, that I would 
 have brought it up against myself ? Had I been such 
 a man, I had need to have been guarded with a troop 
 or two of horse. But the sheriff and magistrate of 
 Lancaster thought fit to let me and my friends come 
 up with it ourselves, nearly two hundred miles, with- 
 out any guard at all, which they would not have 
 done if they considered me to be such a man." 
 
 The judges were convinced that the charges against 
 him were groundless, and Esquire Marsh, a gentle- 
 man of the King's bed-chamber, testifying that it was 
 the King's pleasure he should be no longer detained, 
 they referred the whole matter to the King, who 
 sent an order for his release. Thus after an impris- 
 onment of twenty weeks he was set at liberty, and 
 the malice of his persecutors fully exposed. George 
 Fox was urged to take advantage of the law against
 
 84 
 
 them for his false imprisonment, but remembering 
 the injunction, " Avenge not yourselves," he left 
 them to the Lord. 
 
 There was now a little respite from persecution, 
 for King Charles, true to his declaration at Breda, 
 commenced his reign with a desire of granting full 
 liberty of conscience. Richard Hubberthorne had an 
 interview with the King, and stated the views of 
 Friends in such a calm, convincing manner, that 
 Charles said none should suffer for their opinions as 
 long as they lived peaceably, and seven hundred 
 Friends who had been imprisoned for their religious 
 principles were now set at liberty. An order was 
 even drawn up to allow Quakers the free exercise of 
 their worship, and only lacked the signature and seal 
 of the King, when an unforeseen occurrence threw 
 them into greater suffering than ever. 
 
 This was the mad outbreak of the Fifth Monarchy 
 men, a sect which arose in the time of Cromwell, 
 claiming that the Lord Jesus was speedily coming to 
 set up his throne upon the earth. Sir Henry Vane 
 was one of the leaders of this party, and as he was 
 now in prison with the judges of Charles I., it was 
 supposed this revolt was partly caused by the desire 
 to set him free. 
 
 On the night of the 6th of First Month, 1661, a 
 wine cooper by the name of Venner, whose reason 
 was unbalanced, inflamed some fifty or sixty vision- 
 aries by vehement preaching, and these men rushed 
 from his conventicle in London, proclaiming King 
 Jesus. The quiet city was hushed in sleep, but in a 
 few moments there was a great uproar. The train
 
 85 
 
 bands were called out, and the instigators of the tu- 
 mult fled into the country for two days, concealing 
 themselves in the woods. On the 9th they returned 
 in the open day, in the fanatical belief that neither 
 bullets nor sharp steel could hurt them, broke through 
 the city gates, routed all the train bands they met, 
 and put even the King's guard to the run. They were 
 finally overcome and most of them taken prisoners ; 
 the rest fell with arms in their hands, shouting that 
 Christ was coming presently to reign upon the earth. 
 
 Notwithstanding the insignificant character of this 
 outbreak, a feeling of uncertainty fell over the nation. 
 Many high in rank were known to belong to the Fifth 
 Monarchy men, and the Earl of Clarendon, desirous 
 of establishing a standing army, increased the fears of 
 people by announcing the danger of a great insurrec- 
 tion. 
 
 All dissenters were looked upon with suspicion, and 
 Friends, though innocent of participation in any plots, 
 had to bear the brunt of the persecution which fol- 
 lowed. Armed men broke up their meetings, and both 
 men and women were dragged from their houses to 
 prison. Even the sick were not exempt, but were 
 rudely taken to jail, one man dying as soon as he ar- 
 rived there. 
 
 The city and country prisons were filled with Friends, 
 and Margaret Fell went again to the King, to remind 
 him of his promise ; and she gave him an account of 
 the thousands who were now deprived of their liberty, 
 for no crime but of obeying what they believed to be 
 the dictates of their God. 
 
 George Fox also drew up a declaration of faith ad-
 
 86 
 
 dressed to the King, in which, he proved that Friends 
 could not be implicated in any such conflicts. " The 
 Spirit of Christ which leads us into all truth will 
 never move us to fight and war against any man with 
 outward weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ, 
 nor for the kingdoms of the world. And all wars and 
 fightings with carnal weapons we deny, who have the 
 sword of the Spirit, and all that wrong us we leave to 
 the Lord." 
 
 The testimony to the unlawfulness of all . war was 
 ever maintained by the Friends, and it is interesting 
 to note the ground of their objection. George Fox 
 said " he could not be a soldier because the spirit of 
 strife was slain in him, and having been brought into 
 a love for all could not, he declared, fight against any. 
 His views were the fruit of his conversion, the result 
 of the unrestrained working of the Holy Spirit in his 
 heart." Thus down through the long vista of the 
 ages we hear the echo of the declaration of the early 
 Christians, " I am a Christian, and therefore I cannot 
 fight." 
 
 The clouds were now lifted a little by this declara- 
 tion and the fact that several of the Fifth Monarchy 
 men, who suffered the punishment of death, fully ex- 
 onerated Friends from any connection with them. 
 The King finally issued an order that Friends should 
 be set at liberty without paying fees. 
 
 An important case was tried at the assize in Not- 
 tinghamshire in the early part of the year 1661 con- 
 cerning the validity of the marriages of Friends. 
 While disowning the power of man to join persons 
 in this solemn covenant, Friends had been very care-
 
 87 
 
 ful that the proceedings in this matter should be con- 
 ducted with great care. Various preliminary steps 
 were deemed necessary, to prevent all concealment, 
 and at last the parties, in a religious meeting, made 
 the declaration before God and man, that they took 
 each other to be man and wife. The judge, after 
 hearing both sides of the question, declared that this 
 was all that was necessary for a legal marriage, and 
 the question was never afterwards raised.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 WE will now turn from the contemplation of the 
 labors of these earnest men, to follow some equally 
 earnest, self-denying women, who left their comforta- 
 ble homes and went forth, as they believed, at their 
 Master's bidding, to carry the knowledge of the glo- 
 rious gospel of Christ to the ignorant and blinded 
 followers of false gods. 
 
 In 1660 Mary Fisher started alone on a perilous 
 journey to visit the Sultan of Turkey. In those days 
 it required great exertion to traverse Europe ; but 
 after pressing through many difficulties she arrived at 
 Adrianople, where Sultan Mahmoud was then en- 
 camped with his army. A message from her in- 
 formed him that an Englishwoman had come with 
 something to declare to him from the great God. 
 An audience was granted, and the next morning she 
 was ushered into the presence of the Sultan, arrayed 
 in his robes of state, and surrounded by his officers, 
 also splendidly attired. Into this scene of pomp and 
 splendor came the simple Quaker, like David of old 
 before Goliath, with no weapon of her own, but in 
 the name of the Lord of Hosts. The Sultan, through 
 his interpreters, courteously asked her to declare her 
 message, and listened attentively while she spoke. 
 
 A Friend in such an interview would surely dwell 
 upon the principle of peace, so^ often brought for-
 
 89 
 
 ward by George Fox, and so constantly practiced by 
 himself and his adherents. The weak follower of 
 the Prince of Peace returned to her home in safety, 
 after delivering her message ; but Sultan Mahmoud, 
 though seemingly at the acme of power and glory in 
 the early part of his reign, found only trouble and 
 perplexity at its close, and, being deposed by his sub- 
 jects, died in seclusion. 
 
 Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers, who started 
 for Alexandria, did not meet with as favorable a re- 
 ception, for on landing at Malta they were soon ar- 
 rested by order of the Inquisition, and imprisoned in 
 a small room where were only two holes for light and 
 air. They were so oppressed by the heat that they 
 frequently lay down on the floor by their door, hoping 
 some air would come^in at the threshold. Their skin 
 was parched, the hair fell from their heads, and they 
 often fainted. At last they were allowed to have the 
 door open some part of the time each day. The in- 
 quisitors often visited them, endeavoring to persuade 
 them to renounce their religion, and threatening them 
 with death if they did not. But they were steadfast, 
 and boldly expressed their views, confounding their 
 opponents by the power and truth with which they 
 vindicated their principles. 
 
 Notwithstanding all their trials, the peace of God 
 se filled their hearts that they could write thus : 
 ' AVb do greatly rejoice and glorify the name of our 
 Heavenly Father, though we be the least of the flock, 
 yet we are of the true fold, whereof Christ Jesus is 
 the Shepherd, and He hath a tender care over us, and 
 hath carried us through and over our great afflictions.
 
 90 
 
 We are witnesses He can provide a table in the wil- 
 derness, both temporal and spiritual. Oh the end- 
 less love of our God, who is as an everlasting fount- 
 ain, whose crystal streams never cease running to 
 every thirsty soul." 
 
 The rigor of their confinement was at last some- 
 what abated, and they preached Jesus zealously to all 
 who came near them. After many fruitless attempts 
 had been made for their release by their friends in 
 England, George Fox went to the Earl of D'Aubeny, 
 and represented the case in such strong terms that 
 he promised to write to the authorities at Malta, re- 
 quiring their release. This was accordingly effected, 
 after three years of privation and suffering, during 
 which these two frail, delicate women were enabled 
 to exemplify the truth of the declaration, " My God 
 shall supply all your need." 
 
 But it was in the New England Colonies that the 
 extreme penalty of death was inflicted upon those 
 whose greatest crime in the eyes of their judges was 
 that they were Quakers. Mention has already been 
 made of the persecutions to which some of this hated 
 sect were subjected, and in 1655 the General Court 
 of Plymouth issued a proclamation denouncing them 
 as " publishing dangerous and horrid tracts," and de- 
 claring that any convicted of holding their views 
 should be banished from the colony under pain of 
 death. In obedience to this law four persons were 
 ordered to leave the jurisdiction. They were Will- 
 iam Robinson, Marmaduke Stephenson, William Led- 
 dra, and Mary Dyer, who had come to Boston to 
 labor for their Lord. In obedience to this mandate
 
 91 
 
 they left the town, but William Robinson and Mar- 
 maduke Stephenson could not feel satisfied to go fur- 
 ther than Salem. Here they spent the night with 
 some of their friends, and in the morning, after an 
 affecting parting, they started again for Boston with a 
 few who resolved to bear them company. It seemed 
 almost like a funeral procession, as they calmly but 
 solemnly went to their doom, following what seemed 
 to them the direction of their Lord. On reaching 
 the town they were soon arrested and committed to 
 prison. The next month Mary Dyer returned and 
 was also taken into custody. The prisoners were 
 then brought before the court and sentence of death 
 pronounced upon them. 
 
 On the day appointed for their execution a band 
 of two hundred armed men, besides many horsemen, 
 were called out to escort these harmless, unarmed 
 Quakers to the gallows. The prisoners were placed 
 in the centre with a drummer next to them, who was 
 ordered to make noise enough to drown their voices, 
 if they attempted to speak to the crowds which fol- 
 lowed them. There were mingled feelings in the 
 hearts of the spectators, for all could not unite with 
 the unjust judges, but the prisoners themselves were 
 at peace. We are told " they went with great cheer- 
 fulness, as to an everlasting wedding feast." The 
 men suffered first, and Mary Dyer ascended the scaf- 
 fold, but as the rope was placed about her neck a cry 
 was heard, " She is reprieved." Her son had made 
 such earnest intercession that her life was granted 
 him on condition she should leave the Colony at 
 once.
 
 92 
 
 The following letter will show that these sufferers 
 acted in single-hearted obedience to their impressions 
 of duty in thus, as it were, defying the rulers of Bos- 
 ton Colony. 
 
 LETTER OF WILLIAM ROBINSON TO GEORGE FOX. 
 
 " O beloved of the Lord, and highly esteemed and 
 honored among the children of the Lord, who hath 
 made thee a father unto thousands and hath given 
 thee the spirit of wisdom and understanding, I was 
 refreshed when I was constrained to write to give 
 thee an account of our travels and labors in these 
 countries." 
 
 After giving an account of the persecution and 
 banishment of the Friends, he goes on to speak of 
 himself : 
 
 " Oh, God knows how near this went to me, when 
 I did hear they had departed, and soon the Lord did 
 lay it upon me to try their law ; yes, on the same day 
 that I heard of their departure was I constrained, 
 and soon made willing, to give up my life Boston's 
 bloody laws to try, and was given up frequently in 
 my spirit to the Lord's will, even to finish my testi- 
 mony for the Lord against the town of Boston ; not 
 knowing of any Friends to pass with me at that time, 
 but the Lord had compassion on me, seeing how will- 
 ingly I was given up to do His will, not counting my 
 life dear to me, so that I might finish my course 
 with joy ; and on the day following, the Lord con- 
 strained my brother Marmaduke Stephenson to pass 
 along with me to Boston, who is freely given up to 
 suffer with me for the seed's sake, who doth dearly 
 salute thee.
 
 93 
 
 " O my dearly beloved, them who art endued with 
 power from on high, who art of quick discerning in 
 the fear of our God ; oh remember us, let thy 
 prayers be put up unto the Lord God for us, that His 
 power and strength may rest with us and upon 
 us ; that faithful we may be preserved to the end. 
 Amen. WM. ROBINSON. 
 
 "From the Common Gaol in Boston, 
 the 12th of the Fifth Month, 1659." 
 
 In the spring of 1660 Mary Dyer felt she must re- 
 turn to Boston, and was soon in her old prison again. 
 Being brought before the court, the governor, John 
 Endicott, asked her if this was the same Mary Dyer, 
 to which she replied, " I am." She then gave the 
 reason for her return, that she believed the Lord had 
 sent her to beseech them to repeal their wicked law, 
 and to warn them that He would assuredly punish 
 those who opposed His will. Her expostulations 
 were unavailing, Governor Endicott was immovable, 
 and she was condemned to be hung at nine o'clock 
 the next day. 
 
 Morning came ; Boston Common presented an un- 
 wonted spectacle. Groups of awe-stricken women 
 were talking in whispers of the sad fate awaiting one 
 who was like themselves a wife and a mother. Chil- 
 dren were gazing with wonder and terror at the 
 gloomy gallows tree erected before them, and won- 
 dered what wicked thing this woman could have done 
 that she must be hanged ; while strong men, who de- 
 nounced the mistaken zeal of the Quakers, could but 
 acknowledge they were an honest sect, and many 
 would fain have let them alone. Soon came the
 
 94 
 
 sound of drum and fife, and a company of soldiers 
 marched by ; then came men beating their drums 
 loudly, and by their side walked calmly and serenely 
 the heroine of the day, the hated, despised Quaker. 
 She ascended the scaffold, and when her life was 
 again proffered, on condition she should leave Boston 
 forever, she replied, " Nay, I cannot promise. In 
 obedience to the will of the Lord I came, and in His 
 will I abide, faithful unto death." The signal was 
 given, the drop fell, and this faithful witness for Jesus 
 went home to be with Him forever. 
 
 These persecutions were soon stopped by the Home 
 Government, and only one other person was hanged. 
 When the Friends in England heard of these cruel 
 deeds, Edward Burrough went to King Charles and 
 told him " a vein of innocent blood was opened in 
 his kingdom, which if it were not stopped would 
 overrun all." The King had no great respect for the 
 loyalty of his New England subjects, and expressed 
 himself willing to put a stop to these proceedings at 
 once. He accordingly wrote a mandamus ordering 
 that no more Quakers should be persecuted, but that 
 they should be sent to the Home Government for 
 trial. As no ship was likely soon to sail for New 
 England, the Friends sent one at their own expense, 
 to carry this important document. It was entrusted 
 to Samuel Shattock, one of those who had been ban- 
 ished from Boston under pain of death. 
 
 When the ship arrived in Boston harbor, Governor 
 Endicott and his associates were not a little surprised 
 to see this banished man returning as the king's dep- 
 uty, bringing his mandamus. There was, however,
 
 95 
 
 nothing to be done but to accept Samuel Shattock, 
 and the ship-load of Quakers he brought with him, 
 as peaceably as possible. 
 
 From this time persecution ceased in the New 
 World, while in the Old the Friends were soon to be 
 introduced into a school whose lessons were qualified 
 to teach them to " endure hardness " like good sol- 
 diers of Jesus Christ. 
 
 In 1661 an Act of Conformity was passed by the 
 King and Parliament forbidding the exercise of any 
 other form of worship than the Protestant Episcopal. 
 The order was also given that the oaths of supremacy 
 and allegiance should be tendered to all whose loy- 
 alty was doubtful. Those who refused to take this 
 oath were in danger of imprisonment for life and the 
 loss of all their property. 
 
 This direct violation of the Declaration of Breda 
 filled all non-conformists with alarm. Two thousand 
 Presbyterian ministers were ejected from their homes 
 in consequence, and the Friends again felt the press- 
 ure of persecution. Indeed, the blow fell more heav- 
 ily upon them because of their conscientious opposi- 
 tion to all oaths. Four thousand members of the 
 Society of Friends were thrown into prison ; neither 
 age nor sex was spared; old men with gray hair, 
 and the young in the prime of life, were cast into 
 loathsome dungeons. They believed the exercise of 
 their public worship was a duty from which no man 
 could discharge them, and continued their meetings. 
 The magistrates and soldiery having closed many of 
 their houses they were obliged to stand in the streets, 
 where of course a crowd would soon gather. The
 
 96 
 
 ministers, taking advantage of this opening, declared 
 the precious truths of the gospel with such power, 
 that while some of the spectators mocked, others were 
 constrained to say the Lord was with that people. 
 It was not an unfrequent occurrence for a minister to 
 be arrested while preaching and carried off to prison. 
 Without hesitation another would take his place, and 
 the order of the meeting was unbroken. The seed 
 sown fell into some places where a plentiful harvest 
 was afterwards gathered to the glory of God. 
 
 Even in these trying times the number of the 
 Friends increased, and neither the danger of impris- 
 onment, nor the cruel treatment experienced from 
 the soldiery, could check the growth of the Society. 
 Two boys, one sixteen, the other thirteen, were ar- 
 rested at a meeting and brought before the Lieuten- 
 ant of the Tower. He sent them to Bridewell, where 
 their hands were placed in stocks, they were cruelly 
 whipped and sent to prison, where they remained 
 some time. Yet these undaunted lads wrote a letter 
 from their prison house to the children of Friends, 
 urging them to be faithful to their duty to the Lord, 
 without regarding the power or malevolence of man. 
 In some cases, where the parents and older Friends 
 were imprisoned, the meetings were continued by the 
 children, who, at the risk of sharing their suffering, 
 met as they had been accustomed, to worship God.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ALTHOUGH King Charles had consented to the 
 passage of the Act of Non-conformity, he sympathized 
 so much with his Roman Catholic subjects that he 
 sought to aid them. In 1662, with the consent of 
 his Privy Council, he wrote a declaration of indul- 
 gence towards those, who, through conscientious 
 scruples, could not conform to the Church of Eng- 
 land. Parliament, however, steadily refused to ac- 
 cept this, or grant any indulgence to Dissenters, and 
 as the king was sorely in need of subsidies he was 
 obliged to yield to their decision. During the sum- 
 mer of 1663 the King and Queen visited some of the 
 western counties of England, and while they were ab- 
 sent from London rumors were circulated of a con- 
 spiracy formed in the north, between the Republi- 
 cans and Separatists, to raise a general insurrection. 
 George Fox heard of this plot while traveling in 
 Yorkshire, and knowing the danger to Friends from 
 any public disturbance, he wrote and circulated a 
 paper declaring the testimony of his people against 
 any plots or conspiracies. A copy of this was sent 
 to the King and Parliament. Notwithstanding this 
 precaution Friends suffered severely ; their refusal to 
 take any oath giving their enemies opportunity to 
 denounce them as rebels against the government. 
 The magistrates in Cumberland offered a crown a
 
 98 
 
 day to any one who would apprehend a Quaker 
 preacher, and as George Fox was considered as the 
 leader of the sect, a reward of five pounds was prom- 
 ised for his arrest. 
 
 After quite an extensive tour through Yorkshire, 
 Cumberland, Durham, and Westmoreland, George 
 Fox came to Swarthmore. Here he was informed 
 that Colonel Kirby had, only a short time before, 
 sent a lieutenant to the Hall to arrest him. He felt 
 as he says, " moved of the Lord," to go to Kirby 
 Hall and speak to its master. It was about five 
 miles from Swarthmore, and on arriving there he 
 found the reception room full of the gentry of the 
 county. Nothing daunted by the company, he ap- 
 proached Colonel Kirby, saying he understood he 
 wished to see him, and therefore had come to know 
 what he had against him. 
 
 " Nothing," answered the Colonel, " but Mistress 
 Fell must not keep great meetings at her house, for 
 they meet contrary to the Act." 
 
 George Fox replied, that Act did not apply to them, 
 but to those who met to plot and contrive and raise 
 insurrections against the King, but, as Colonel Kirby 
 knew, those who met at Margaret Fell's were his 
 peaceable neighbors. After a friendly conversation 
 Colonel Kirby shook him cordially by the hand, say- 
 ing again he had nothing against him, and they 
 parted. 
 
 The officials under Colonel Kirby were not so le- 
 nient, and taking advantage of his absence in London, 
 the justices and deputy lieutenants met at Holker 
 Hall, where Judge Preston lived, and granted a war-
 
 99 
 
 rant to apprehend George Fox. Timely warning was 
 sent to him, but he refused to escape, fearing if he 
 did so the blow would fall more heavily upon those 
 who were left. The next day an officer with sword 
 and pistols came to Swarthmore Hall to arrest him. 
 George Fox asked to see the order for his arrest, 
 upon which the officer put his hand upon his sword, 
 and refused to show any other warrant. 
 
 His friend Margaret Fell accompanied him to 
 Holker Hall, where Sir George Middleton and others 
 were assembled to try his case. The serious charge 
 was brought against him that " he had written against 
 the plotters, and had knocked them down." George 
 Fox quaintly says, " this they could not make much 
 of, for I told them I had heard of the plot, and had 
 written against it." 
 
 Then said George Middleton, " You deny God, the 
 church, and the faith." He replied, " Nay, I own 
 God, the true church, and the true faith, but what 
 church dost thou own ? " 
 
 As Middleton was a Romanist he could not answer 
 that question, but turned upon the prisoner with these 
 words, " You are a rebel and a traitor." George Fox 
 quietly rose from his seat, and with great earnestness 
 said : " I have suffered more than twenty such as thou 
 or any present, I was imprisoned six months in the 
 Derby dungeon, because I would not take up arms 
 against the king at the battle of Worcester ; I was 
 also sent a prisoner to Oliver Cromwell as a conspira- 
 tor against him. Ye talk of a king, but how did ye 
 all stand in the days of Cromwell, and what did ye do 
 then for the king ? I have more love to him, and his 
 eternal good and welfare, than any of you."
 
 100 
 
 Justice Middleton now commanded that the oaths 
 of allegiance and supremacy should be put to him. 
 George Fox shrewdly asked whether he, who was him- 
 self a Catholic and a swearer, had taken the oath. " As 
 for us we cannot swear at all, because Christ and his 
 apostles have forbid it." This pointed query for the 
 moment warded off the blow ; the oaths were dispensed 
 with, and the prisoner was released on his promise to 
 appear at the next Lancaster sessions. 
 
 True to his word, at the winter assizes George Fox 
 appeared at Lancaster. Among those upon the bench 
 were many noted opponents of Friends, one of whom, 
 Judge Fleming, had offered five pounds to any one 
 who would apprehend George Fox. The session was 
 large, but the crowd made way for the noted man 
 who was exciting so much attention. He quietly 
 walked up to his place, adhering to what he believed 
 to be his duty in not removing his hat, but saying, 
 " Peace be among you." 
 
 He was questioned in regard to the plot already 
 alluded to ; but finding no grounds on which to estab- 
 lish any charges against him they again tendered him 
 the oaths. One of the justices asked him if he con- 
 sidered it unlawful to swear, an unwarrantable ques- 
 tion, as no prisoner is obliged to criminate himself. 
 
 George Fox avoided the snare by saying, " In the 
 time of the law among the Jews before Christ came, 
 they were commanded to swear ; but Christ who doth 
 fulfill the law, in these gospel times, commands not to 
 swear at all, and the Apostle James forbids swearing 
 even to them that were Jews and had the law of God." 
 He then produced a paper which he had written
 
 101 
 
 against oaths, asking it should be read in open court, 
 but this was refused, and he was remanded to prison 
 for declining the oath. As he was led away, he said, 
 "All people take notice that I suffer for the doctrine 
 of Christ, and for obedience to His commands." 
 
 Lancaster jail was crowded with Quakers, some of 
 them poor farmers, whose families were dependent 
 upon them for support. Many of these had been zeal- 
 ous loyalists, and, before they adopted the peaceable 
 views of Friends, had fought and bled for Charles I., 
 and continued faithful to him to the end. Their per- 
 secutors were fierce Roundheads, who now professed 
 a great zeal for the King, but whose conduct seemed 
 to the prisoners to be very unjust and cruel. In some 
 cases remonstrances effected the liberation of Friends, 
 but most were suffered to lie in prison and many died 
 there. 
 
 After three months' imprisonment George Fox was 
 brought before the next quarter sessions, on the 14th 
 of Third Month, 1664, and the first question put to him 
 was " Will you take the oath of allegiance ? " With- 
 out hesitancy came the bold answer, " I am a Chris- 
 tian, and Christ commands me not to swear. Whether 
 I should obey God or man judge ye." 
 
 After some further conversation, the judge said : 
 " Well, George Fox, say whether thou wilt take the 
 oath, yea or nay ? " 
 
 In conscious innocence the prisoner replied, " If I 
 could take any oath at all, I could take this ; for I do 
 not deny some oaths only, or on some occasions, but 
 all oaths, according to Christ's doctrine, who hath com- 
 manded His followers ' Not to swear at all.' " Now
 
 102 
 
 if tl.iou or any of you, or any of your ministers or 
 priests here, will prove that ever Christ or His apos- 
 tles, after they had forbidden all swearing, com- 
 manded Christians to swear then I will swear." 
 
 Several ministers were present, but none took up 
 the gage thus boldly thrown down. The judge then 
 told the jailer to take him away, the prisoner declar- 
 ing : " It is for Christ's sake I cannot swear, and in 
 obedience to His commands I suffer ; and so the Lord 
 forgive you all." 
 
 In the sixth month of this year, 1664, George 
 Fox was again brought before Judge Turner. For 
 two hours he stood among murderers and felons, the 
 gazing-stock of the whole court. His indictment was 
 read, and he showed so many errors in it that the 
 judge was forced to confess he could not in justice be 
 condemned from it. The unfailing snare, however, 
 remained, and Judge Turner, starting up in a rage, 
 exclaimed, " I can put the oath to any man here, and 
 I will put it to you again." The Bible was handed 
 to the prisoner, and he was asked whether he would 
 take the oath or not. He replied, " You have given 
 me a book to kiss and to swear on, and this book says, 
 4 Kiss the Son,' and the Son saith in the book 
 ' Swear not at all.' I say as the Book says, yet ye 
 imprison me. How chance ye do not imprison the 
 Book ? How comes it the Book is at liberty among 
 you, which bids me not to swear, yet ye imprison me 
 for doing what the Book bids me ? " "I held up the 
 Bible open, to show them the place where Christ for- 
 bade swearing. They plucked the book out of my 
 hand, and the judge said, Nay, but we will imprison 
 George Fox."
 
 103 
 
 Instead of obtaining his liberty by this clear ex- 
 posure of the palpably gross errors of his indictment, 
 he was reconducted to prison, there to be immured 
 till the ensuing assizes ; and in order to make his case 
 still harder, his sufferings were increased tenfold by 
 a second interference of Colonel Kirby, who gave 
 particular orders to the jailer " to keep him close, and 
 suffer no flesh alive to come at him, for he was not fit 
 to be discoursed with by men." In consequence of 
 this order he was removed into an upper chamber, in 
 an old and ruinous tower of the castle, so much more 
 dilapidated than his former abode that he was con- 
 stantly exposed to the inclemencies of the weather, 
 and often had the greatest difficulty to preserve his 
 bed and clothing (which was always damp and cold) 
 from being wet through. He was also so much dis- 
 tressed by smoke, which penetrated into his room 
 from other fires in the prison, that at times he was 
 nearly suffocated by it, and often could scarcely dis- 
 cern the light of a candle from its density. In this 
 inhuman place he was doomed to pass the whole win- 
 ter (which was unusually long and severe) for no 
 crime, and was at last so much affected by a con- 
 tinued exposure to the cold and wet, and the constant 
 inhaling of such an impure atmosphere, that he was 
 reduced to a state of great suffering : his body became 
 swollen, and his limbs so benumbed that he could with 
 difficulty use them. 
 
 In this miserable dungeon George Fox remained a 
 prisoner for eighteen months, when Colonel Kirby, 
 and the magistrates who placed liirn'^ there, feeling 
 the odium of the exposure of their malice and hy-
 
 104 
 
 pocrisy, became desirous to have him removed from 
 their neighborhood. Application was accordingly 
 made to the King and council for his removal, under 
 the plea that he " deserved no clemency or mercy." 
 Yet the only thing that could be brought against him 
 was his refusal to take an oath on account of religious 
 scruples. 
 
 He was brought from his prison, his swollen limbs 
 and emaciated appearance telling the story of his suf- 
 ferings. Scarcely able to stand or walk he was placed 
 on horseback and hurried away to Bentham, a dis- 
 tance of fourteen miles. One of the under jailers 
 amused himself by lashing the horse, upon which the 
 weary prisoner could scarcely sit, thus adding to his 
 sufferings. He finally reached Scarborough Castle, 
 where he was to spend the next year of his life, and 
 was delivered into the custody of Sir Jordan Cros- 
 lands, the governor, who, influenced no doubt by the 
 misrepresentations of his persecutors, treated the 
 poor, suffering prisoner with barbarous severity. At 
 first he was put in a room with a sentry over him, but 
 being very faint and weak, he was allowed sometimes 
 to go out in the air with the sentry. He was after- 
 wards removed to a room very open to the weather, 
 and which smoked so much that it was but seldom he 
 could have a fire. One day the governor came to see 
 him, and George Fox lighted a little fire which im- 
 mediately filled the room so full of smoke that the 
 governor could hardly find his way out. 
 
 In order to render this little den habitable he ex- 
 pended fifty shillings in repairs, a sum of more im- 
 portance in those days than now, but no sooner had
 
 105 
 
 he made it tolerable than they removed him to one 
 much worse, where he Irad neither chimney nor hearth 
 for fire, and into which the rain and wind beat, wet- 
 ting both his clothes and bed. Having no fire at 
 which to dry them, he became so benumbed by the 
 damp and cold that his fingers swelled to double their 
 usual size. He was so closely confined that his friends 
 were not allowed to see him, or bring him the little 
 comforts with which they would gladly have supplied 
 him. Sometimes the soldiers would steal the few 
 necessaries he sent for, from the person who brought 
 them. For a long time his food consisted of nothing 
 but bread, and his drink, water in which he had 
 steeped a little wormwood. Commonly, he says, " a 
 three penny loaf served me three weeks, and some- 
 times longer." 
 
 During this long period of suffering he had an op- 
 portunity for practicing the lessons he had learnt in 
 the school of Christ, and, through the grace of God 
 strengthening him, he was enabled to manifest Chris- 
 tian patience and fortitude, and still adorn the doc- 
 trine of God his Saviour. While debarred from the 
 privilege of seeing his friends, others were allowed 
 entrance into his prison, many of whom came to tan- 
 talize him, and some to question his religious views. 
 Always ready to give a reason for the hope that was 
 in him, George Fox gladly availed himself of the op- 
 portunity of declaring the truth as it is in Jesus. His 
 Christian conduct at last had an influence upon the 
 governor and his officers, and they came to treat him 
 with respect, and even with kindness. 
 
 While George Fox was thus suffering for conscience' 
 
 5*
 
 106 
 
 sake his kind hostess, the widow of Judge Fell, was in 
 her turn subjected to trial and imprisonment. One 
 day as the Friends were quietly sitting in their meet- 
 ing in Swarthmore Hall, Colonel Kirby made his ap- 
 pearance and took down the names of all the men 
 present. A few days after an officer came to bring 
 Margaret Fell before a special meeting of the magis- 
 tracy, assembled at Ulverstone. She was questioned 
 in regard to the meetings held at her house, and told 
 if she would not promise to discontinue them, they 
 would tender her the oaths of allegiance and suprem- 
 acy. She replied, so long as the Lord let her have a 
 house, she would in spirit and in truth endeavor to 
 worship God in it. The oath was then tendered, and 
 as she could not conscientiously take any oaths, she, 
 too, was sent to prison till the next assizes. Here the 
 same plan was pursued with the same result. She 
 could neither take the oath, nor accept her liberty on 
 condition of giving up the meetings at her house, and 
 so was remanded for three months more. At the ex- 
 piration of this period Judge Turner passed sentence 
 of premunire against her, by which she was outlawed, 
 condemned to imprisonment for life, and her property 
 confiscated to the Crown. But neither faith nor cour- 
 age forsook her, and she returned this answer to her 
 cruel sentence : " Although I am out of the king's pro- 
 tection, I am not out of the protection of the Al- 
 mighty God." 
 
 The Lord did indeed sustain her, as she parted 
 from her children, and returned to her gloomy prison, 
 not knowing whether she should ever see them or 
 her beloved home again. She proved, of a truth, that
 
 107 
 
 " Stone walls do not a prison make 
 Nor iron bars a cage." 
 
 for the light of the Lord shone in her heart, and His 
 peace filled her soul. 
 
 Shut up in Lancaster Castle, Margaret Fell, though 
 debarred from active cooperation with her friends, 
 was able to use her pen in the service of her Master. 
 She sent letters of advice and counsel to the differ- 
 ent meetings of Friends, and tracts on various sub- 
 jects came from her dungeon walls, flying like seed- 
 vessels of truth, in many cases to spring up and bear 
 fruit to God's glory. After three years' imprison- 
 ment she wrote a forcible appeal to the king, remind- 
 ing him of the declaration of Breda, and his promise 
 to her that if the Friends were peaceable they should 
 be protected. She also referred to her interview 
 with the king, and her advice to him to beware of 
 taking counsel of those who would rppress them 
 whose only crime was that they obeyed and wor- 
 shipped the Lord Jesus. She then describes her 
 prison as " a place where storm, wind, and rain 
 found easy access, and which sometimes was filled 
 with smoke." 
 
 This remonstrance had no effect, and she remained 
 in her gloomy prison-house nearly two years longer, 
 when the efforts of her friends on her behalf were 
 successful. In 1668 she was released from her con- 
 finement, and allowed to return to her home and 
 children after an imprisonment of nearly five years.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 WHILE George Fox was shut up in prison the suf- 
 ferings of Friends were greatly increased by the pas- 
 sage of the Act, justly called the " Infamous Conven- 
 ticle Act." This declared that " any person of the 
 age of sixteen and upwards, who should be found at 
 any meeting or conventicle, under color or pretense 
 of any exercise of religion, in any other manner than 
 is allowed by the liturgy of the Church of England ; 
 at which meetings should be five persons or more 
 assembled over and above those of the same house- 
 hold, should be fined 5 on the first offense, or be 
 imprisoned for a term not exceeding three months ; " 
 for a second offense <10 and an imprisonment of not 
 more than six months, while the punishment of the 
 third was to be transportation for seven years. This 
 law went into effect on the 1st of Seventh Month, 
 1664, and excited the just animadversion of the more 
 thoughtful people of England. Its interference with 
 the privacy of domestic life ; its encouragement of 
 eaves-droppers and informers ; and the probable re- 
 sult offending out of the country citizens of good 
 moral repute, industrious, and contributing to the 
 public wealth, were set forth, and those in power 
 warned that such wickedness ^rould sooner or later 
 bring the judgments of God upon the people. It was 
 intended, apparently, for all non -confer mists, but
 
 109 
 
 was rarely enforced against any but Friends, who 
 were soon crowded into the prisons because they 
 would not relinquish their liberty of conscience. 
 
 One of their number, George Whitehead, pro- 
 claimed in a pamphlet issued at this time : " Since 
 then our meetings are kept in obedience to the Lord 
 God, and according to the freedom He hath given us, 
 we may not leave off our testimony for God in that 
 case, but we must be faithful to Him, whatsoever we 
 suffer on that account." Taking advantage of their 
 faithfulness in the performance of this duty, the 
 magistrates hastened their proceedings in order that 
 the nation might be delivered from the supposed 
 dangerous people, whose presence was so obnoxious. 
 After breaking up a meeting, those in attendance 
 would be sent to prison for a few days, and when set 
 at liberty, being found at their meetings again, the 
 same course was pursued, and before the 12th of 
 Eighth Month, only six weeks after the passage of 
 the Act, eight persons were arraigned for the third of- 
 fense. Their indictment was brought before the 
 grand jury, who could not agree on a verdict and ig- 
 nored the bill. The judge, however, insisting on a 
 reconsideration of their opinion, they brought in a 
 verdict against the prisoners. The judge then told 
 the Friends that if they would promise to go to no 
 more meetings they might be released. This, of 
 course, they could not do, and were accordingly sen- 
 tenced to be transported beyond the seas, some to 
 the island of Barbadoes, and others to Jamaica. 
 
 A fresh difficulty now arose, for the captains of 
 vessels sailing to these ports were unwilling to take
 
 110 
 
 any such passengers. One was at last compelled to 
 take them on board his ship, which was tossed about 
 by contrary winds, and could make no progress. 
 After cruising about for two months, the captain and 
 the sailors became so uneasy that they landed the 
 unoffending Quakers at Deal, giving them a certifi- 
 cate declaring that they did not run away, but were 
 freely set on shore by the captain, who added, " I 
 durst not go off with these prisoners, because I found 
 them to be honest men, who did not deserve banish- 
 ment." 
 
 The Friends returned to their homes, and by let- 
 ter acquainted the King and Council with the whole 
 proceeding. This letter was read at the council 
 board, and they were remanded to prison till some 
 one could be found to take them away. After an 
 imprisonment of seven years the King ordered their 
 release. 
 
 Two hundred were sentenced to banishment in 
 this and the succeeding year, but the same difficulty 
 continued, and only seventeen were really sent away. 
 The remainder were kept in the already crowded 
 prisons, where many laid down their lives for the sake 
 of their religion. Yet the supporting power of their 
 God was with them, as will be seen by an extract of 
 a letter from one who was sentenced to Jamaica. 
 " There is no God like unto our God, who is come 
 nigh unto us in a needful time, and is present with 
 us, to refresh and warm our hearts." Their con- 
 stancy is shown in the answer of a woman, when 
 asked what she had to say to the evidence given 
 against her. " If I had as many bodies as hairs on
 
 Ill 
 
 my head, I could lay them all down for the living 
 eternal truth of the living God." 
 
 As the year 1664 drew to a close persecution con- 
 tinued to increase, and the new year opened gloomily. 
 The King declared he neither wished to see the Quak- 
 ers, or to hear from them, as he could do nothing 
 more for them ; and as the Friends went on First-day 
 morning to attend their place of worship, none of 
 them knew whether he would ever again see his 
 home and his loved ones. Yet while these severe 
 measures were exacted for forcing uniformity in re- 
 ligious matters, true religion was never more neg- 
 lected. The manners and habits of the age were 
 corrupt and immoral. The profligacy of the court 
 was repeated among the common people, and "drunk- 
 enness, profane swearing, and debauchery abounded 
 in the nation." 
 
 Many remonstrances and prophetic warnings were 
 sent to the King and Parliament, by earnest Friends 
 who felt constrained of the Lord to warn them of 
 His judgments. 
 
 One was written by George Fox " the Younger," 
 as he was called, to distinguish him from the veteran 
 now lying in Scarborough Castle. As early as 1661 
 he mourns over the judgments that are coming upon 
 England, saying the Lord had spoken to him con- 
 cerning the inhabitants. " An overflowing scourge, 
 yea, even a great scourge, yea, even a great and terri- 
 ble judgment, will come upon the land, and many in 
 it will fall and be taken away." 
 
 Another Friend wrote the following laconic epistle, 
 addressed to the King and both Houses of Parliament.
 
 112 
 
 " Meddle not with my people, because of their 
 conscience to me, and banish them not out of the 
 nation because of their conscience, for if you do, I 
 will send my plagues upon you, and ye shall know 
 that I am the Lord. 
 
 " Written in obedience to the Lord by His servant, 
 
 " GEORGE BISHOP." 
 
 In the early part of the year 1665 two great evils 
 fell upon the English nation, in which it was scarcely 
 surprising Friends should see the hand of the Lord, 
 in chastisement, upon a sinful and persecuting people. 
 The war with Holland, wantonly commenced by the 
 English court, and promoted by the selfishness of 
 France, brought with it the inevitable results of 
 broken hearts, the sacrifice of valuable lives, and 
 money worse than wasted. 
 
 But this was not all ; as the early months of the 
 year passed, there came from city and hamlet a deep 
 cry of terror, " The plague has broken out." Amid 
 the festivities of the court thei-e walked an unbidden 
 guest, carrying fear and anguish into many hearts. 
 Ruthlessly laying his hand alike on rich and poor, 
 young and old, his path was strewn with his victims, 
 which in five months were estimated at one hundred 
 thousand. 
 
 Business in London was neglected, the merchant 
 left his store and went home to die, the artisan 
 ceased his work, the King and his courtiers fled to 
 Oxford, and half the houses in the city were marked 
 with the ominous tablet, " The Lord have mercy on 
 us." Grass grew in the populous streets except on
 
 113 
 
 those which led to the grave-yards, and the busy 
 hum of life and pleasure gave place to the mournful 
 trappings of death and woe. At first the interments 
 were only at night, but the number of deaths in- 
 creased so rapidly, that the hoarse ' call was heard at 
 all hours, " Bring out your dead." 
 
 " How sunk the inmost heart of all, 
 As rolled the dead-cart slowly by, 
 With creaking wheel, and harsh hoof fall, 
 The dying turned him to the wall 
 To hear it, and to die." 
 
 But notwithstanding this fearful visitation the 
 persecution of the non-conformists proceeded with 
 unrelenting vigor, and the Five Mile Act was intro- 
 duced and passed at Oxford. In the preamble to 
 this bill it was declared, that " the non-conformist 
 ministers instilled principles of schism and rebellion 
 into the people." The bill enacted that it should be 
 penal for " any non-conformist minister to teach in 
 a school, or come within five miles (except as a trav- 
 eler in passing) of any city, burough, or corporate 
 town, or any place whatever, in which he had 
 preached or taught, since the passing of the Act of 
 Uniformity, before he has subscribed to the afore- 
 mentioned oath, before a magistrate, etc., under a 
 penalty of 40." One third of this sum was to be 
 paid to the informer. Though this law was ostensi- 
 bly aimed at the clergy of the Presbyterians, Baptists, 
 and Independents, it was nevertheless principally 
 made use of in distressing Friends. 
 
 The committals to Newgate continued until the 
 plague broke out within its walls, when the King,
 
 114 
 
 urged by the physicians, ordered that no more per- 
 sons should be sent there. Within those dreary walls 
 there was much suffering endured, however, with a 
 truly Christian spirit. The following testimony is 
 borne by George Whitehead, who remained in Lon- 
 don during this terrible season to minister to the 
 comfort of his imprisoned brethren : " When sorrow 
 and sadness have seized upon my spirit, at their sad 
 sufferings, this has refreshed me, that Christ their 
 salvation and redemption was manifest to and in 
 them. With such to live was Christ, even in this 
 state, and to die was gain, it being through death, 
 that the Lord had appointed the final deliverance of 
 many from the cruelties and rod of their oppressors." 
 
 The King one day inquired whether " any Quakers 
 had died of the distemper?" An affirmative reply 
 induced him to say, " Then they can't say that the 
 plague is a punishment sent for their enemies, because 
 of having imprisoned them, when they are dying of 
 it themselves." But the Puritan idea of the national 
 punishment for national sins was not extinct in Eng- 
 land, and many besides Friends, mourning over the 
 sins and corruption of the day, saw in this calamity 
 the visitation of an offended God. 
 
 The widows and orphans whose homes were ren- 
 dered desolate by the plague, now claimed the atten- 
 tion of the Society always ready to assist their suffer- 
 ing companions. A number of Friends, both men 
 and women, devoted themselves to the work of ad- 
 ministering relief, holding regular meetings once a 
 week, and devising means of meeting the need of the 
 cases presented. Those residing in the country con-
 
 115 
 
 tributed of their substance, and also gave their per- 
 sonal service. 
 
 But to return to the lonely prisoner in Scarborough 
 Castle, shut in by the permission of God from all par- 
 ticipation in either the danger of the plague, or the 
 opportunity of relieving distress. His service was to 
 show to those around the power of a living Christ, 
 bearing patiently all the thorn-pricks of life, and 
 drawing sweetness from the bitterness of his lot, by 
 the wondrous alchemy of a Saviour's love manifested 
 in him. And such a living epistle was he in his 
 prison cell that at his release, which soon came, this 
 character was given of him by the officers : " He is 
 as stiff as a tree, and as pure as a bell, for we never 
 could bow him." 
 
 After an imprisonment of a year George Fox wrote 
 to the King, giving an account of his long confinement, 
 and through the efforts of his friend Esquire Marsh, 
 an order for his release was sent the first day of Ninth 
 Month, 1666. The governor parted kindly from him, 
 and ever after assisted Friends whenever it was in his 
 power. 
 
 The very day after George Fox left his prison- 
 house the city of London was visited by another ca- 
 lamity, scarcely less terrible than the dreaded plague. 
 It had been a very hot summer, and the houses in 
 London, being mostly built of timber filled in with 
 plaster, were dry and combustible as firewood. In 
 the middle of the night a fire broke out near London 
 Bridge in a baker's shop, where a quantity of fagots 
 was stored, and in a few moments the flames spread 
 from house to house, baffling all attempts to check
 
 116 
 
 their progress. For three days the fire fiend sped on 
 his way, devouring the richest warehouses, the finest 
 churches, and the abodes of the nobility, as well as 
 the humble dwellings of the poor. When at last he 
 ceased his mad course, two thirds of that populous 
 city lay a sightless mass of cinders and ashes. The 
 scene is thus described by Evelyn in his " Diary : " 
 " The sky was of a fiery aspect, like the top of a 
 burning oven, the light being seen above forty miles 
 around for many nights. The conflagration was so 
 universal, and the people so astonished, that from the 
 beginning they hardly stirred to quench it ; so that 
 there was nothing heard or seen but crying out and 
 lamentation, and running about like distracted creat- 
 ures." 
 
 Only the day but one before the fire broke out, 
 there had been a strange sight in the crowded, busy 
 streets of the city. A Friend from Huntingdonshire 
 passed through them, with his doublet unbuttoned, 
 rushing about frantically, scattering his money, and 
 crying out that the people of that city should do so 
 in a few days. No one believed his prediction, but it 
 was fully verified at the time of the fire. 
 
 During the time of the Commonwealth there were 
 other instances of Friends denouncing woes, and be- 
 having in what would now be considered an unseemly 
 manner. In the calmer atmosphere in which we live 
 we can scarcely understand such actions, but, as has 
 been well said, " we shall not prove ourselves to be 
 more enlightened than the men of those times, by 
 ridiculing their weaknesses, and overlooking the 
 strength and nobility of their characters. It seems a
 
 117 
 
 strange world to us, but this was the world in which 
 Fox and those who had similar aims moved, and if 
 we would endeavor to understand their real character, 
 and the real bearing of their actions, we must by an 
 effort of imagination throw ourselves into the spirit 
 of the times.'' 1 
 
 1 Barclay's Inner Life of Commonwealth.
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 WHEN George Fox was released from his rigorous 
 imprisonment in Scarborough Castle, he found signs 
 
 of trouble in the church he loved so well. After at- 
 
 * 
 
 tending a few meetings, which he records as " blessed 
 seasons," he turned his steps towards London, arriv- 
 ing there to find the crowded city a ruin, and two 
 thirds of its inhabitants homeless, their dwellings 
 having been burned to ashes. He himself was weak 
 in body, his limbs swollen with cruel hardships. His 
 early companions, the valiant sixty who had gone out 
 two by two to preach the gospel, were either dead or 
 in prison, and the congregations they had been the 
 means of gathering had been sifted by persecution or 
 were suffering from internal dissensions. It was evi- 
 dent to this wise, clear-headed man, that some course 
 must be taken by which the different gatherings of 
 the Friends might be united in one harmonious 
 whole. 
 
 " It cannot be said that any system of dicipline 
 formed a part of the original compact of the Society. 
 There was not, indeed, to human appearance anything 
 systematic in its formation. It was an association of 
 persons who were earnestly seeking a saving knowl- 
 edge of Divine Truth. They were men of prayer, 
 and diligent searchers of the Holy Scriptures. Un- 
 able to find rest in the various systems of religion then
 
 119 
 
 professed by the Christian world, they believed they 
 found the Truth in a more full reception of Christ, 
 not only as the living and ever-present Head of the 
 church in its aggregate capacity, but also as the light 
 and life, the spiritual teacher, ruler, and friend of 
 every individual member." 1 Their previous belief 
 in the doctrine of the manhood of Christ, in His pro- 
 pitiatory sacrifice, mediation, and intercession, was as 
 precious to them as ever. 
 
 The views of Friends in regard to the Headship of 
 Christ in their meetings, were entirely opposed to 
 the prevailing idea that one man's performance on 
 the part of others was essential to public worship ; 
 and consequently separated those who united with 
 them from those who adhered to the old system. This 
 separation would naturally unite in communities those 
 whose views were the same, and thus little churches 
 sprung up whose membership was merely the bond of 
 religious unity and fellowship. As the members in- 
 creased some regular arrangement for the preserva- 
 tion of order was found to be needful, and general 
 meetings for conference were held at an early date. 
 Allusion to one of these held at Skipton has been 
 made. At these gatherings an account was given of 
 the " prosperity and spreading of the Lord's blessed 
 Truth," and of the laborers who were " moved of the 
 Lord to go beyond the seas, " for no one went out on 
 their Master's service without acquainting the Yearly 
 Meeting of their desire, and so " all went in the unity 
 of the church of Christ and the power of the Lord." / 
 A collection was also recommended to be taken up 
 
 1 Book of Extracts of London Yearly Meeting.
 
 120 
 
 in all the smaller meetings for the use of these labor- 
 ers while on their different missions. 
 
 The necessary care for this work occupying so 
 much time, these details were finally left to the Yearly 
 Meeting, and the General Meetings afterwards held 
 were for the preaching of the gospel and building up 
 of the church. The following minute will show the 
 care felt by the early Friends, not unduly to secure 
 tables on occasions like these. 
 
 " From Friends met in Durham, to Friends who 
 shall meet at Skipton, Eighth Month, 5th, 1659." 
 
 " Dear Friends, these things being agreed in clear- 
 ness of Truth, which hitherto have taken up much 
 time at the General Meetings to the loss of many 
 precious opportunities, you will see greater things be- 
 fore you which more chiefly concerns the state of the 
 church, and will be of greater service to the Truth." 
 
 In 1672 it was agreed that " for the better order- 
 ing, managing, and regulating of the public affairs of 
 Friends" it would be advisable to hold one meeting 
 annually in London, composed of representatives from 
 different places. Since the year 1678 this has been 
 held with unbroken regularity. The interest and 
 care felt by George Fox in this meeting, and his ideas 
 of the duties of its members, will be seen by the fol- 
 lowing letter addressed to it in 1689. 
 
 " Dear Friends, be faithful in the service of God, 
 and mind the Lord's business. Be diligent, and bring 
 the power of the Lord over all that have gainsaid it. 
 And you that are faithful, go to visit all that have 
 been convinced from house to house, that if it be pos- 
 sible you may not leave an hoof in Egypt. And so
 
 121 
 
 every one of you go seek the lost sheep and bring him 
 on your back to the fold, and there will be more joy 
 over that one sheep than of the ninety and nine in 
 the fold." i 
 
 Quarterly meetings were also held in the various 
 counties, and in the city of London, where there 
 seemed still greater need, a Two Weeks Meeting is 
 spoken of. The object of these meetings is well de- 
 fined by Edward Burrough in a paper written in 
 1662. After alluding to the blessing of the Lord 
 upon the labors of the ministers in London, and the 
 consequent increase of the church, he speaks of the 
 many occasions in which care was requisite, such as 
 " providing convenient meeting places for the pub- 
 lishing of truth, and how the poor people that be- 
 lieved should be honestly taken care of, that no want 
 should be amongst them, that the sick, weak, and im- 
 potent should be visited and provided for, and that 
 such servants as were put away out of their services 
 for receiving the truth should be looked after, and 
 placed in some honest employments." As in the early 
 Christian church, it was considered by him that it 
 was not meet that those who were entrusted with 
 the ministry of the word should " serve tables." 
 Consequently he goes on to propose that " the men 
 Friends of the city, or the ancientest of them in the 
 truth (not excluding any), should meet together at 
 the Bull and Mouth, once in a fortnight, or once a 
 month, as they in the wisdom of God should find it 
 necessary, for the management of Truth's affairs." 
 Thus, he adds, " ye in your places according to your 
 1 Internal Religious Lifeof Commonwealth, Robert Barclay.
 
 122 
 
 gifts, as well as we in our callings to which we were 
 ordained and sent forth, should be helpful and assist- 
 ant one to another." He gives this caution at the 
 close, which shows how fully the early Friends in- 
 dorsed the declaration of the Apostle Paul : " For ye 
 are members one of another," and " if one member 
 suffer, all the members suffer with it." 
 
 " If there be any spirit of slighting or contempt on 
 your part of the ministry and ministers of the gospel, 
 or if on our part do arise any lordliness or self-seek- 
 ing over and among the flock of Christ, this kind of 
 spirit is not from above, but is devilish, and its effects 
 will be destructive, and bring the wrath of the Lord 
 against such as shall ever give place to it." 
 
 During the first eleven years of the existence of 
 the Society in London no further organization was 
 requisite, but at the period of which we now speak 
 some further means were necessary to exercise due 
 care over so large an area as the London district pre- 
 sented. 
 
 " I was moved of the Lord," says George Fox in 
 his journal, under date of 1666, " to recommend the 
 setting up of five Monthly Meetings in London to 
 take care of God's glory, to admonish and exhort 
 such as walked disorderly or carelessly and not ac- 
 cording to Truth. For whereas Friends had only 
 Quarterly Meetings, and had now grown so numerous, 
 I was moved to recommend the setting up of Monthly 
 Meetings throughout the nation." The necessity for 
 watchful care over such as walked carelessly was be- 
 coming apparent, as will be seen from an account 
 given by a Friend to George Fox of one of the meet-
 
 123 
 
 ings in London. " Truly, George, they are a very 
 poor, divided company, and several very bad spirits 
 among them, and very unruly, and not subject one to 
 another." The multitude gathered by the fervor of 
 the early preachers needed to be molded into an 
 orderly and regular society. The cruel laws against 
 their mode of worship acted like a fan in winnowing 
 the chaff from the wheat ; but there were many in- 
 stances of an outward profession unaccompanied by 
 the fruits of a religious life and conversation. 
 
 The rectifying of these disorders became a prom- 
 inent feature in the business of the Monthly Meet- 
 ings, and a great reformation was wrought by them. 
 George Fox thus speaks of their beneficial effects : 
 *' Since these meetings have been settled, many 
 mouths have been opened in thanksgiving, and have 
 blessed the Lord God that He did ever send me forth 
 on this service. For now all are coming to have a 
 care for God's honor and glory, and all to see that 
 those who profess the truth do walk in the truth, 
 and order their conversation aright. And as all hav- 
 ing this care upon them, and are exercised in His 
 Holy Spirit, they may come to know and partake of 
 the government of Christ, the First and the Last, the 
 Beginning and the Ending, the Foundation of God, 
 Christ Jesus, the Amen." 
 
 In the minutes of the Yearly Meeting of 1676 we 
 find the qualification for membership in these meet- 
 ings. " All the faithful men and women in every 
 country, city, and nation, whose faith stands in the 
 power of God, the gospel of Christ, and have re- 
 ceived this gospel, and are in possession of this gos-
 
 124 
 
 pel, the power of God, they have a right to the 
 power of this meeting, for they be heirs of the power 
 and authority of the men's and women's meetings." 
 All such were admitted to these disciplinary meet- 
 ings, or, if they were children of members and deemed 
 converted, they were invited to attend the meetings 
 for business. In that early day there was an outside 
 membership of those professing with Friends, who 
 were entitled to pastoral oversight, and, in case of 
 necessity, to pecuniary aid and relief, but who were 
 not considered competent to exercise the discipline 
 of the church, which was vested in the hands of more 
 experienced Friends. Conversion to Christ was the 
 distinction. If any one was deemed by the elders 
 to be converted he was invited to a participation in 
 the meetings for discipline, if only convinced he was 
 merely a participator in church privileges. Robert 
 Barclay speaks very clearly on this subject : " To be 
 a member of any particular church of Christ, as this 
 inward work is indispensably necessary, so is also 
 the outward profession and belief in Jesus Christ 
 and those holy truths delivered by Him." 
 
 All these meetings were conducted by men, but 
 George Fox, remembering that all are one in Christ 
 Jesus, was desirous of elevating the female sex by 
 recognizing them as helpers in spiritual as well as 
 temporal things. His enlightened view was " that 
 faithful women called to a belief of the truth, and 
 made partakers of the same precious faith, and heirs 
 of the same everlasting gospel of life and salvation as 
 the men are, might in like manner come into the 
 profession and practice of the gospel order, and
 
 125 
 
 therein be meet helps to the men in the restoration, 
 in the service of the truth, and the affairs of the 
 church, as they are outwardly in civil and temporal 
 things ; that so all the family of God, women as well 
 men, might know, possess, and perform their offices 
 and services in the house of God." 1 
 
 Some time before this, according to Gilbert Latey, 
 the men Friends found much pressing upon them 
 in the care of the sick, of the orphans and widows, 
 and the families of those who were shut up in prison, 
 and called in the aid of the women, " for we could 
 no longer do without their help and assistance." 
 Women formed a large proportion of the Six Weeks 
 Meeting, and when Monthly Meetings were first 
 established, it was the practice for the women to 
 sit with the men, and the business was transacted 
 jointly. " Thus the women shared in the discipline 
 with the men, but without any separate meetings for 
 it." 2 It afterwards became the custom to hold a 
 joint meeting for worship, after which the men and 
 women separated to attend to the business of the 
 church. Thus in that day, when the position of 
 woman was not as exalted as now, the broad, liberal 
 views of the founder of this society acknowledged 
 her as a fellow-laborer with man in the service of the 
 gospel. 
 
 For the government of these meetings for disci- 
 pline, George Fox drew up a paper, which is to be 
 found entered in manuscript on most of the books of 
 the London meetings. This paper is interesting, as 
 
 1 Friends' Library, vol. i. 
 
 2 London Friends' Meetings.
 
 126 
 
 containing the germ of much of the subsequent disci- 
 plinary action of the Society. Directions were given 
 as to the proper care in regard to marriage ; the watch- 
 ful training of children ; the registration of births, 
 deaths, and marriages ; care over those who were 
 suffering for conscience' sake ; and exhortations to 
 honesty, morality, and sobriety. Provision was also 
 made by which those who refused to comply with 
 these rules were to be cut off from membership. 
 George Fox was a lover of order, and resolutely en- 
 countered and defeated all evidences of that spirit 
 which would make the liberty of the truth degenerate 
 into license, yet a spirit of tenderness is breathed 
 through his writings. In one of his epistles he says : 
 " All who behold their brother or sister in transgres- 
 sion, go not in a rough, light, or upbraiding spirit, to 
 reprove or admonish him or her, but in the power of 
 the Lord and the spirit of the Lamb and in the wis- 
 dom and love of the truth to admonish such an of- 
 fender." If the care and labor of the church proved 
 unavailing in reclaiming the offender, he was to be 
 disunited from the society ; but this was only to be 
 resorted to after long and patient labor. Nor did the 
 care of the Monthly Meeting end here, for after dis- 
 ownment the offender was still to be visited, and if 
 he could be convinced of his error and prevailed upon 
 to sign a paper of condemnation of his course, the 
 arms of the church were lovingly opened to welcome 
 him back. 
 
 Another meeting, of a more select character and 
 acting as a sort of court of appeal from the more pub- 
 lic Two Weeks or Monthly Meeting, was called the 
 Six Weeks Meeting.
 
 127 
 
 The records of this meeting commence in 1671, and 
 the names of the Friends composing it are appended 
 to the first minute under date, Eighth Month, 28th. 
 Forty-nine men and thirty-five women Friends com- 
 posed it; "grave and antient " they were called, 
 though many of them were in the vigor of middle 
 life. They were probably chosen by George Fox 
 himself, who calls this meeting the " prime meeting 
 of the city." He gives the following directions for 
 its guidance : " The Six Weeks Meeting is for to see 
 that all their meetings are preserved by the wisdom 
 of God in the unity of the Spirit, the bond cf peace, 
 and in the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, being or- 
 dered by the pure, peaceable, gentle, heavenly Wis- 
 dom, easy to be entreated, holy and virtuous exam- 
 ples to all other meetings, both in city and country. 
 And that all may be careful to speak short and per- 
 tinent to matters, in a Christian spirit, and despatch 
 business quickly, and to keep out of long debates 
 and heats, and, with the Spirit of God, keep that 
 down which is doting about questions and strife of 
 words, that tends to parties and contention, not to 
 speak more than one at a time, nor any in a fierce 
 way, for that is not to be allowed in any society, 
 neither natural nor spiritual, but as the Apostle says, 
 ' Be swift to hear, slow to speak,' and let it be in the 
 Grace which seasons all words." 
 
 This meeting was also a means for dispensing as- 
 sistance to the needy. In 1673 one John Goodson, 
 a surgeon, offers to the meeting " to take a large house 
 for distempered and discomposed persons." There 
 are also frequent entries on the minutes of money
 
 128 
 
 voted or collections ordered to relieve distress in va- 
 rious parts of the world. To Friends in Holland and 
 Holstein, the captive Friends in Algiers, and the 
 sufferers for conscience' sake in Dantzig, Emden, etc. 
 And besides their own people, they also remembered 
 the stranger within their gates. A Dane, a Spaniard, 
 a Silesian widow, were relieved by this meeting ; and 
 in 1693, we find the following minute evidencing their 
 wide-spread sympathies : " Friends having under 
 their consideration the poor condition of the Pietists 
 now in England, about forty, the Friends under- 
 named are desired to draw up a few lines to be read 
 in the public meetings at the conclusion thereof, next 
 First Day, for a collection for their relief." This Six 
 Weeks Meeting, under somewhat different organiza- 
 tion, is still held in London. 
 
 In addition to these meetings for the care of the 
 members in general, one other must be mentioned 
 which was held in London from the earliest rise of 
 the Society. This was a conference of ministers only, 
 in regard to their work, and for their mutual counsel 
 and encouragement. It was held at first in a private 
 house, and was afterwards removed to the Bull and 
 Mouth. As early as eight o'clock on First Day 
 morning the men ministers in London gathered in 
 an "upper room," while a number of horses were 
 tethered in the street near by. After a time of wait- 
 ing upon the Lord for guidance, the needs of the dif- 
 ferent meetings in the city and its neighborhood were 
 mentioned, and the ministers separated each to the 
 place to which he was called, either directly by the 
 Lord speaking in his heart, or by the voice of his
 
 129 
 
 brethren. On Second Day they again assembled to 
 give an account of their labor and the condition in 
 which they found the flock. Thus the different 
 meetings were supplied with ministers, and an over- 
 plus in any one was prevented by this watchful care. 
 The early Friends, while magnifying the office of the 
 Holy Spirit as the Teacher of His people, were also 
 fully convinced that insti'umental means are used in 
 promulgating the gospel, and were careful that the 
 gifts bestowed by the Lord upon His children should 
 be used to His glory. 
 
 The arrangements so methodically made were en- 
 tered in books which still remain, and for a long time 
 the only acknowledgment of a minister was the in- 
 troduction of his name into this book of records. 1 
 Some years later this meeting was enlarged by the 
 addition of elders, and the name of the Morning 
 Meeting is still continued in London. Its duties 
 were increased and the care of the ministry came 
 more especially under the meetings for ministers and 
 elders which were afterwards held. 
 
 These ministers' meetings were a source of vast 
 energy, as might be expected from such a gathering 
 of earnest working christians, apportioning to them- 
 selves the home missionary and church work, ac- 
 cording to the grace received by the different indi- 
 viduals. A watchful care was maintained over the 
 health of the body, while their own spiritual life was 
 increased by waiting upon the Lord. A minute of 
 one of those meetings held in 1698 is worthy of 
 notice. 
 
 1 London Friends' Meetings. 
 6
 
 130 
 
 " At our meeting of Friends in the ministry, and 
 elders, in the meeting-house in Chesterfield, these 
 things following passed : First, in our waiting upon 
 the Lord, the Lord appeared very sweetly and pow- 
 erfully among us, and in us, to our great comfort ; 
 Praises to His name forever ! Secondly, we had a 
 precious time of prayer and supplication to the Lord, 
 in a sweet' stream and current of Life Eternal ! 
 Thirdly, after prayer, we, ever}'- one that had a part 
 in the ministry, declared how it had been with us, as 
 to our faithfulness herein, and where we had found 
 by experience that the enemy had hurt us, or over- 
 taken us unawares at times. Fourthly, the snares, 
 baits, gins, traps, and nets of the enemy were spoken 
 of, and laid to view ; and caution, counsel, and ad- 
 vice in the love of God given freely from Him 
 amongst us." l 
 
 After the meetings in London were satisfactorily es- 
 tablished, the same care was exercised over the other 
 parts of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. 
 This required much time and many laborious jour- 
 neys, which were no small trial, in the feeble condi- 
 tion of George Fox. At length the object was accom- 
 plished, and meetings for discipline were instituted 
 throughout the kingdom. He also wrote letters to 
 Friends in Holland, Barbadoes, and several parts of 
 America, recommending the same practice. 
 
 The children of his people next engaged his atten- 
 tion, and he advised the setting up of schools for their 
 instruction. While deprecating undue reliance upon 
 human learning, he realized most fully that the 
 
 1 Inner Life of Commonwealth.
 
 131 
 
 talents bestowed upon man were to be cultivated, 
 and as many Friends were too poor or too much 
 harassed by persecution to contribute much towards 
 the education of their children, he recommended the 
 church to take this care. Two boarding-schools 
 were instituted, one for boys at Waltham, and one 
 for girls at Shack well, for instructing them, to use 
 his own words, " in whatsoever things were civil and 
 useful in the creation." 
 
 While George Fox was thus engaged in building 
 up and molding into a compact body the church he 
 had been instrumental in gathering, it must not be 
 supposed he was the only one thus engaged. He 
 had able coadjutors, as much interested as himself in 
 the welfare of their loved Society ; but so long as he 
 lived all paid, as it were, an instinctive deference to 
 him and to his authority in the church. That this 
 was not of his own seeking is evident from his epis- 
 tles, where he declares his object to be to bring his 
 friends, "not to myself, but to His glory that sent 
 me, and when I turned you to Him that is able to 
 save you, I left you to Him." Of course there were 
 those, as we shall see hereafter, who opposed him 
 and impugned his motives ; but leaving them to the 
 Lord, he pursued his way with humility and modera- 
 tion. 
 
 The year 1666 was noticeable for sharp and bitter 
 persecution to the Friends, notwithstanding which 
 their numbers continued to increase. Two men 
 joined their ranks this year who occupied a high po- 
 sition in a worldly point of view, and who became 
 eminently useful to the Society. These were Robert
 
 132 
 
 Barclay, the son of Colonel David Barclay of Ury, 
 and William Penn, son of Admiral Penn. A little 
 glimpse of their former lives may be interesting. 
 
 Colonel David Barclay had been a soldier under 
 Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, and until he 
 was past middle life had shown his bravery on many 
 a battle-field. But neither the applause of men, nor 
 the comforts of social life by which he was sur- 
 rounded, could satisfy him, and turning from the hy- 
 pocrisy of the world he sought something more dura- 
 ble. Hearing there was a people called Quakers, who 
 were honest and truthful, he thought their religion 
 must be different from that of other professors. He 
 took occasion to converse with some of the Friends, 
 and was convinced their principles were correct. Dur- 
 ing an imprisonment in Edinburgh Castle, after the 
 restoration of King Charles, his views were confirmed 
 by intercourse with some Friends also confined there, 
 and he resolved to join the Society. He emerged 
 from his prison no longer the brave soldier of an 
 earthly king, but an equally brave follower of the 
 Prince of Peace, and found it necessary to exercise 
 both faith and patience in enduring the scorn and 
 contumely this change brought upon him. 
 
 His son Robert was sent to Paris for his education, 
 and made such progress in his studies as to attract 
 the attention of his masters. His uncle, with whom 
 he was placed, was proud of the talents of his young 
 nephew, and would fain have adopted him as his 
 child. But his father, feeling afraid of the influence 
 of the Roman Catholic religion on the tender mind of 
 his sou, sent for Robert to return to Scotland. This
 
 133 
 
 was in his seventeenth year, two years before his 
 father joined the Friends. The next three years were 
 spent in study and mental improvement, but another 
 subject also engrossed his attention. He. saw the 
 change in his father's views, and was impressed with 
 his circumspect life ; but no effort was made unduly 
 to influence his own views. Indeed, instrumental 
 means do not seem to have been much used in turn- 
 ing him towards Friends, but as he. earnestly sought 
 the truth the Lord showed him the way in which 
 he should walk, and before he was twenty years old 
 he too had cast in his lot with the Friends. For the 
 remainder of his life he labored abundantly with 
 both tongue and pen, seeking to bring others to a 
 knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and to de- 
 fend the true Christian divinity as he understood it 
 to be set forth in the Holy Scriptures. In the latter 
 part of his short life he was chosen Governor of East 
 Jersey in North America, and the appointment was 
 confirmed by King Charles II. The Royal Commis- 
 sion states : " Such are his known fidelity and capacity 
 that he has the government dui'ing life, but no other 
 governor after him shall have it longer than three 
 years." He never assumed the office in person, the 
 duties being performed by a deputy, and he died in 
 his own house at Ury in great peace with the Lord, 
 in the forty-second year of his age. 
 
 It was in Ireland that William Penn first formed 
 acquaintance with the Friends. Thomas Loe, a minis- 
 ter from England, was at the meetings in Cork, and 
 Admiral Penn, then residing there, sent for him to 
 come to his house. His preaching had such an effect
 
 134 
 
 upon the whole family that William, then only a boy 
 of eleven, never quite forgot it. When at Oxford, 
 four years afterwards, he again met with Thomas 
 Loe, who held some meetings there. His serious 
 impressions were deepened and he would fain have 
 joined the Friends. It was no part of his father's plan 
 that his son should be a despised Quaker, and many 
 efforts were made to turn him from that purpose. 
 All, however, were unavailing, and in the twenty- 
 fourth year of his age he became a minister of the 
 Society of Friends, and through a long life faithfully 
 served his Master. Before Admiral Penn died his 
 views were very much changed, and he confessed 
 that his son had been wise in choosing the service of 
 Christ, rather than the applause of the world.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE honored mistress of Swarthmore Hall was all 
 these long years shut up within the walls of Lancas- 
 ter Castle, in a place which she thus describes : " The 
 storm and wind and rain find easy access, and which 
 sometimes is filled with smoke." Deprived of active 
 cooperation with her friends, she found solace in the 
 use of her pen. By her position in society and her 
 strong, vigorous mind she had always exercised a com- 
 manding influence in the little body among whom 
 she had cast her lot, by whom she was regarded as a 
 mother in Israel ; and now in her captivity she con- 
 tinued a loving oversight over the infant church, and 
 epistles of advice and counsel found their way to the 
 different meetings of Friends. She also wrote several 
 tracts, and an earnest and forcible letter to the king, 
 expostulating with him for his violation of the Dec- 
 laration of Breda, and his promise to her that Friends 
 should not be molested if they lived peaceably. 
 Charles II., however, took no notice of this appeal, 
 and she remained in prison nearly two years longer, 
 when the persevering efforts of her friends obtained 
 her release in 1668, after an imprisonment of four 
 years and a half. 
 
 She did not long remain in her comfortable home, 
 for very soon we find her engaged in visiting all the 
 prisons in England where any Friends were confined.
 
 136 
 
 She had learned by sad experience the trials and pri- 
 vations experienced by those who were incarcerated 
 in the dismal jails of that day, and longed to comfort 
 the prisoners. And having also proved the support- 
 ing power of the Lord, she was well fitted to be a 
 minister of consolation, and brought a ray of bright- 
 ness to many a lonely, sorrowing one. 
 
 A year was spent in this service, and at its close 
 an event took place of much importance to George 
 Fox and herself, which he thus desci'ibes : 
 
 " I had seen from the Lord a considerable time be- 
 fore that I should take Margaret Fell to be my wife. 
 And when I first mentioned it to her she felt the 
 answer of Life from God thereunto. But though the 
 Lord had opened this thing to me, yet I had not re- 
 ceived the command of the Lord for the accomplish- 
 ment of it then. Whereto I let the thing rest, and 
 went on in the work and service of the Lord as be- 
 fore, according as he led me, traveling up and down 
 this nation and Ireland. But now being at Bristol, 
 and finding Margaret Fell there, it opened to me 
 from the Lord that the thing should be accomplished. 
 After we had discussed the matter together, I told 
 her ' if she also was satisfied with the accomplishing 
 of it now, she should first send for her children, ' 
 which she did. When her daughters had come, 
 I asked both them and her sons-in-law, ' if they had 
 anything against it, or for it,' and they all severally 
 expressed their satisfaction therein. Then I asked 
 Margaret 'if she had fulfilled and performed her 
 husband's will to her children.' She replied * the 
 children knew that.' Whereupon I asked them
 
 187 
 
 ' whether if their mother married, they should not 
 lose by it.' And I asked Margaret ' whether she 
 had done anything in lieu of it, which might answer 
 to the children.' The children said ' she had an- 
 swered it to them, and desired me to speak no more 
 of it.' I told them ' I was plain and would have all 
 things done plainly, for I sought not any outward 
 advantage to myself.' So after I had acquainted 
 the children with it, our intention of marriage was 
 laid before Friends, both privately and publicly, to 
 their full satisfaction, many of whom gave testimony 
 thereunto that it was from God. Afterwards, a meet- 
 ing being appointed for the accomplishing thereof in 
 the meeting-house at Broadmead, in Bristol, we took 
 each other, the Lord joining us together in honorable 
 marriage, in the everlasting covenant and immortal 
 Seed of Life. In the sense whereof living and 
 weighty testimonies were borne thereunto by Friends, 
 in the movings of the heavenly power which united 
 us together. There was a certificate, relating both 
 the proceedings and the marriage, openly read, and 
 signed by the relations and by most of the ancient 
 Friends of that city, besides many others from divers 
 parts of the nation." 
 
 His singleness of purpose was shown in his refus- 
 ing, under his own hand and seal, to have any part 
 or benefit from his wife's estate, so careful was he to 
 show that he sought no outward advantage, to the 
 detriment of her children. 
 
 The honesty and uprightness of George Fox may 
 be seen from this account, as well as his care to seek 
 for direction in all the occurrences of life, temporal as
 
 138 
 
 well as spiritual. This principle of Divine guidance 
 was the great rule of the faith and life of the early 
 Friends ; and the truth they felt called to proclaim 
 as a fundamental doctrine of the gospel, that they 
 who were adopted into the family of God through 
 faith in His Son should be led by the Spirit of God. 
 
 But while receiving his wife as a gift from the 
 Lord, the work to which our earnest evangelist felt 
 called was not allowed to suffer thereby. After one 
 week spent together in Bristol, they again separated ; 
 he to go on his Master's service and she to return to 
 her old home, which now, by the provisions of Judge 
 Fell's will, became the property of her daughters. It 
 was not long before she was again thrown into prison 
 on the old sentence of premunire. Her daughters 
 applied in person to the King for her release, but she 
 had many enemies who sought to retain her there, 
 and it was not till after persistent and strenuous ef- 
 fort that a full discharge under the great seal, for her- 
 self and her estate, was obtained from King Charles. 
 
 As soon as George Fox had obtained this official 
 document for his wife's release, he sent it to her with 
 the request that he wished her to join him in London 
 as soon as she could, because he had it on his mind 
 from the Lord to proceed to America and the planta- 
 tions in the West Indies, and that the vessel in which 
 he intended to sail was then fitting out for her voy- 
 age. 
 
 The doctrines and tenets of the Society of Friends 
 had been embraced not only in England, but also in 
 the colonies of North America, where many meetings 
 had been established. As there was now a cessation
 
 139 
 
 from persecution, and the disciplinary meetings for 
 men and women had been organized, George Fox 
 felt like visiting his brethren in the faith on the other 
 side of the Atlantic Ocean. Twelve other ministers 
 accompanied him, two of whom were women, and 
 after attending the Yearly Meeting in London, which 
 George Fox describes as a large and precious meet- 
 ing, they bade farewell to their homes and sailed on 
 the 12th of Sixth Month, 1671, in a large yacht, the 
 Industry, bound for Barbadoes. This vessel was a fast 
 sailer, but was in such a leaky state that the men were 
 kept at the pumps day and night. Besides this cause 
 for alarm, when they had been three weeks at sea 
 they were chased by a Sallee man-of-war, a piratical 
 vessel of the Algeriue States. These pirates were in 
 the habit of taking and plundering vessels and selling 
 the passengers and seamen into slavery. The captain 
 at first made light of the matter, assuring his passen- 
 gers there was no danger, but as evening closed in 
 the pirate gained rapidly upon them. The hearts of 
 many on board the Industry were filled with fear lest 
 they should fall into the hands of the pirates, but "the 
 Friends were well satisfied in themselves, having faith 
 in God and no fear upon their spirits." In this emer- 
 gency the captain came to George Fox, for, said he, 
 " if the mariners had taken Paul's advice they had 
 not come to the damage they did." The answer was, 
 " It is a trial of faith, and the Lord is to be waited on 
 for counsel." The trusting servant shut himself up 
 in his cabin, seeking direction from the Lord, " who 
 showed me," he says, that " His life and power," was 
 between them and the pursuing ship.
 
 This he told to those on board, and advised the 
 master of the vessel to follow his right course, nothing 
 doubting. About eleven o'clock the watch shouted, 
 " They are just upon us ! " which caused a commotion 
 among the passengers. Even George Fox was on the 
 point of going on deck, as, looking through the port 
 hole of his cabin, he saw the pirate close by, but 
 he remembered the promise of his Lord, that His 
 power lay between them and the enemy, and quietly 
 lay down again in his berth. At this critical mo- 
 ment, when they were about to be boarded by the 
 pirate, the moon went down, a fresh breeze sprung 
 up which carried them beyond his reach, and they saw 
 him no more. The next morning being the first day 
 of the week, at their usual meeting George Fox ex- 
 horted all present to remember " the mercies of the 
 Lord who had delivered them, for they might all have 
 been in the Turk's hands by that time, if the Lord had 
 not saved them." Such is the tendency of the human 
 heart to make light of God's mercies, that only one 
 week passed before the captain tried to persuade the 
 passengers that this was not a Turkish man-of-war, 
 but a merchant ship going to the Canaries. Where- 
 upon George Fox bade them beware of slighting the 
 mercies of God. 
 
 When they reached the Barbadoes some time after, 
 they heard in that port that a Sallee pirate had given 
 chase to a monstrous yacht at sea, and when just 
 upon the point of taking her, they lost her all at 
 once, there being, as they described it, a spirit in her 
 which they could not take. Well might George Fox 
 say in his journal, " The Lord hid us."
 
 141 
 
 The long and cruel imprisonments to which our 
 friend had been subjected, and the many hardships 
 he had endured, had left him in such a weak phys- 
 ical condition that he was ill all the voyage, which 
 lasted seven weeks, and when they landed at Barba- 
 does was hardly able to walk. But he says, " I was 
 pretty cheerful and my spirit kept above it all," and 
 both at sea and before he could move about much on 
 land his pen was busy in his Master's service. 
 
 The men's and women's meetings for discipline 
 were held at the house of the Friend with whom he 
 stayed, thus giving George Fox an opportunity for ad- 
 vising and counseling his brethren in the faith, in re- 
 gard to their outward walk. His sympathies did not 
 end here, but looking with paternal care over the col- 
 ored race, he reminded Friends of their responsibility 
 in regard to them. He exhorted them to " endeavor 
 to train them up in the fear of God, that all might 
 come to a knowledge of the Lord ; that is, with 
 Joshua, every master of a family might say, ' As for 
 me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' " He also 
 advised them to cause the overseers to deal mildly 
 and gently with them, and after certain years of ser- 
 vitude they should be free. 
 
 Thus early in their acquaintance with the sin of 
 slavery did Friends manifest an interest in the negro, 
 which grew and strengthened as the extent of the 
 evil was more fully realized. In 1727, at the Yearly 
 Meeting of London, the following resolution was 
 passed : " That the importing of negroes from their 
 native country is not a commendable or allowable 
 practice, and is therefore censured by this meeting."
 
 142 
 
 During subsequent years minutes gradually increas- 
 ing in strength were issued discountenancing slavery, 
 till, in 1761, every one who persisted in the traffic 
 was disowned from the Society of Friends. 
 
 In America the same gradual course may be no- 
 ticed. In the early disciplines, directions were given 
 that the slaves should be kindly treated, but before 
 the beginning of this century, the Friends had by 
 their official action renounced all participation in the 
 guilt of slavery. 
 
 As George Fox regained his strength he held large 
 meetings, which were attended by the leading men 
 of the island, and were the means of dispersing some 
 erroneous views which had prevailed in regard to 
 Friends. At one of these meetings Colonel Lynn 
 said, " Now I can gainsay such as I have heard speak 
 evil of you, who say you do not own Christ, nor that 
 He died, whereas I perceive you exalt Christ in all 
 His offices, beyond what I have even heard before." 
 
 The faith of the early Friends in the Divinity of 
 our Saviour was sometimes called in question, on ac- 
 count of the tenor of their preaching, in which they 
 so frequently enforced attention to the leading of the 
 Holy Spirit. But this was from no desire to under- 
 value the outward sacrifice for sin, nor the necessity 
 of the blood which cleanseth. Many of them before 
 they joined the Friends were persons highly esteemed 
 for their piety, and while they zealously preached the 
 doctrine of the new birth, they also felt there was 
 danger in resting in a mere belief in what Christ 
 had done and suffered for us, without pressing on to 
 know Christ within, the hope of glory. They believed
 
 143 
 
 it was His blessed will to deliver from the power, as 
 well as the guilt, of sin, and to enable those who do 
 not frustrate His grace to walk before Him in new- 
 ness of life. The religions world of that day was 
 sadly deficient in the belief, while few ignored the 
 outward sacrifice at Calvary, and thus the offices of 
 the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Guide into all 
 Truth, were the great themes of the ministry of the 
 Friends. 
 
 In order to refute these slanderous reports, George 
 Fox wrote a letter to the governor, in which the views 
 of Friends were expressed in clear and forcible lan- 
 guage. He declares their belief in the " everlasting 
 God, the Creator of all things," in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, " the Redeemer and Saviour of the world," 
 " the quickening Spirit, the second Adam, the Lord 
 from Heaven, by whose blood we are cleansed, and 
 our consciences sprinkled from dead works to serve 
 the living God ;" " in the Holy Scriptures which were 
 given forth by the Holy Spirit through holy men of 
 old," and are "profitable for doctrine, reproof, and 
 instruction in righteousness." 
 
 After spending three months on the island of Bar- 
 badoes, and finding that he had performed all the 
 service which his Master had for him there, he sailed 
 for Jamaica, Eleventh Month, 8th, 1671, in company 
 with four other Friends. Here he remained seven 
 weeks, traveling up and down through the island, 
 and his labors were so blessed that several new meet- 
 ings were established there and the Friends greatly 
 strengthened. He now wished to sail for the conti- 
 nent, and had his choice between two vessels, a frigate
 
 144 
 
 and yacht bound for the same port. The master of 
 the frigate making what the Friends considered an 
 unreasonable charge for their passage, they concluded 
 to take the other. The two vessels sailed together, 
 but the frigate, losing her way, fell into the hands of 
 the Spaniards, by whom she was taken and plun- 
 dered, and the master and mate made prisoners. On 
 hearing of this the Friends rejoiced in their deliver- 
 ance as fresh proof of the care of their covenant God. 
 
 Their voyage to the continent occupied seven 
 weeks, and was full of difficulty and danger, owing 
 to contrary winds. The following extract from the 
 journal of this steadfast evangelist will show in 
 whom his trust was placed : " The great God who is 
 Lord of sea and land, and who rideth upon the wings 
 of the wind, did by His power preserve us through 
 many and great dangers, when by extreme stress of 
 weather our vessel was many times likely to be upset 
 and much of her tackling broken. And indeed we 
 were sensible that the Lord was a God at hand, and 
 that His ear was open to the supplication of his peo- 
 ple. For when the waves were so strong and boister- 
 ous, and the storms and tempests so great that the 
 sailors knew not what to do, but let the ship go which 
 way she would, then did we pray to the Lord, who 
 graciously heard us, calmed the winds and the seas, 
 gave us seasonable weather, and made us rejoice in 
 His salvation ; blessed be the holy name of the Lord, 
 whose power hath dominion over all, whom the winds 
 and seas obey." 
 
 The same thoughts were expressed by the poet 
 Addison, and his concluding lines, though not uttered
 
 145 
 
 by the lips of George Fox, were manifested in his 
 
 life. 
 
 " In midst of dangers, fears, and death, 
 
 Thy goodness I '11 adore, 
 And praise Thee for Thy mercies past, 
 And humbly hope for more. 
 
 " My life, if Thou preserv'st my life, 
 
 Thy sacrifice shall be ; 
 And death, if death must be my doom, 
 Shall join my soul to Thee." 
 
 The band of gospel laborers landed in Maryland, 
 just in time to attend a General Meeting which had 
 been appointed by John Burnyeat, an English Friend 
 who had been laboring in America for some time, and 
 was now about to return home. He was one of the 
 early converts of George Fox, and their encounter in 
 this strange land was so cheering, that John Burn- 
 yeat concluded to remain longer and assist his father 
 in the faith, in his service in this untried field. Many 
 of the prominent citizens of Maryland came to this 
 General Meeting, which lasted four da) T s, and gave 
 great satisfaction. At the close of this public meet- 
 ing more private ones were held among the Friends, 
 and George Fox had an opportunity of arranging 
 meetings for discipline, among both men and women. 
 
 The missionary band soon separated, going into 
 different districts, some to New England by sea, some 
 to Virginia, and George Fox, with John Burnyeat 
 and others, started for a journey by land to New 
 England, intending to stop and hold meetings by the 
 way. It was no slight undertaking to traverse those 
 inhospitable wilds, now teeming with the habita- 
 tions and busy with the hum of men, and many 
 
 7
 
 146 
 
 were the hardships they encountered. Sometimes 
 the journey was performed 011 horseback through 
 uninhabited forests ; sometimes through treacherous 
 bogs ; again they were obliged to pass over large riv- 
 ers exposed in open boats to the inclemency of the 
 season, and at times camped out for the night in 
 the snow, with no better shelter than the trunk of 
 an enormous tree. But no desire of ease or selfish 
 emolument had led this earnest worker to this land, 
 and he could say, " None of these things move me." 
 
 His labors were not confined to those of his own 
 faith, nor even to his own nation ; but his sympa- 
 thies extended to the native Indians, with whom he 
 had several interviews, and from whom he received 
 many acts of hospitality. At one time his course lay 
 through West Jersey, where there were no English 
 inhabitants, and the night overtook George Fox and 
 his friends in the woods. An Indian chief invited 
 them to his hut, spread mats for them to lie upon, 
 and shared with them the contents of his larder, very 
 scanty that day, as they had been unsuccessful in the 
 chase ; thus adding another testimony to prove that 
 had the white man uniformly maintained a Christian 
 conduct toward his red brother, they might now be 
 bound together as friends, and the United States 
 would have been spared much expense of money, and 
 of that which is of far greater worth, the lives which 
 have been sacrificed in the attempts to subdue the 
 Indians. 
 
 Attending a half year's meeting at Oyster Bay on 
 Long Island, George Fox found occasion for the ex- 
 ercise of his sound judgment in dealing with some
 
 147 
 
 Ranters who were very disturbing in the meetings of 
 the Friends. " The Lord's power broke forth glori- 
 ously, and the glorious truth of God was exalted and 
 set over all," and the messengers went on to Rhode 
 Island, where the Yearly Meeting for all the Friends 
 in New England was to be held. This meeting 
 lasted six days, the first four being general gather- 
 ings for the public, which many of the inhabitants of 
 the island attended, and manifested much attention. 
 Two days more were occupied in men's and women's 
 meetings for ordering the affairs of the church, in 
 which the clear-headed veteran in the faith was of 
 great use, after which followed a season which re- 
 minds one of the love feasts in the Apostolic days. 
 
 George Fox makes this entry in his journal: 
 " When this great General Meeting in Rhode Island 
 was ended, it was somewhat hard for Friends to part, 
 for the glorious power of the Lord, which was over 
 all, and His blessed truth and life flowing amongst 
 them, had so knit and united them together, that 
 they spent two days in taking leave one of another, 
 and of the Friends on the island, and then being 
 mightily filled with the presence and power of the 
 Lord, they went away with joyful hearts to their 
 various habitations." 
 
 The messengers dispersed again to their several 
 fields of labor, George Fox holding and attending 
 meetings on Rhode Island. His services were so sat- 
 isfactory that in one place some of the leading men 
 consulted together on the propriety of hiring him to 
 be their minister. But self-emolument and self-ex- 
 altation had no place in this single-hearted man, and
 
 148 
 
 his comment is, " When I heard this, I said it was 
 time for me to be gone, for if their eye was so much 
 to me or any of us, they would not come to their own 
 teacher. For this thing (hiring ministers) had spoiled 
 many, by hindering them from improving their own 
 talents, whereas our labor is to bring every one to 
 his own teacher in himself." 
 
 After a stormy and tediqus passage across Long 
 Island Sound he came to Oyster Bay, and then to 
 Flushing, where he held what he called " a glorious 
 and heavenly meeting," many hundreds of people 
 being there, some of whom came thirty miles to 
 attend it. 
 
 This service performed, the laborers proceeded by 
 sloop to the " New Country," now New Jersey, and 
 landed at Middletown, where they took horses and 
 rode to Shrewsbury. The road led through forests 
 and over very bad bogs, one worse than all the rest, 
 which the people called Purgatory, where they were 
 obliged to let their horses slide down, the descent was 
 so steep. At Shrewsbury a serious accident befell 
 John Jay, one of the party. He was tying a horse, 
 which started to run and threw the Friend on the 
 ground, on his head. He was taken up as dead, and 
 as his fellow companions stood around him mourning 
 his loss and pitying his family, who were left in Bar- 
 badoes, George Fox says : " I took hold of his hair 
 and his head turned any way, his neck was so limber. 
 Whereupon I took his head in both my hands, and 
 setting my knees against the tree I raised his head 
 and perceived there was nothing broken. Then I 
 put one hand under his chin and the other behind
 
 149 
 
 his head and raised his head two or three times with 
 all my strength, and brought it in. I soon perceived 
 his neck began to grow stiff again, and then he began 
 to rattle in his throat and quickly after to breathe. 
 The people were amazed, but I bid them have a good 
 heart, be of good faith, and carry him to the house. 
 They did so and set him near the fire. I bid them 
 get him something warm to drink, and put him to 
 bed. After he had been in the house a while he be- 
 gan to speak, but did not know where he had been. 
 The next day we passed on, and he with us, sixteen 
 miles to a meeting, through woods and bogs, and over 
 a river where we swam our horses and went over 
 ourselves on a hollow tree." 
 
 For nine days they traveled on through bogs and 
 forests on their journey to Maryland, at times shel- 
 tered by the Indians at night, and preaching the word 
 of the Lord to them, and sometimes bivouacking in 
 the woods. At last, on the 18th of Seventh Month, 
 they arrived weary and worn at the house of Robert 
 Harwood, at Miles River. Hearing of a meeting next 
 day they allowed themselves no time to rest, but 
 went to attend it and then continued their journey 
 four miles farther to another meeting, which the 
 wife of a judge attended and declared she had rather 
 hear the Friends once " than the priests a thousand 
 times." 
 
 On the 3d of Eighth Month -a General Meeting 
 was held for all the Friends in Maryland. George 
 Fox does not give the name of the place where it 
 was held, but says it was near a river ; " there were 
 so many boats passing upon it that it was almost like
 
 150 
 
 the Thames." So many came that the house could 
 not hold them, and one of the justices said " he had 
 never seen so many people in that country before." 
 The following record regarding it occurs in the jour- 
 nal : " It was a very heavenly meeting, wherein the 
 presence of the Lord was gloriously manifested, and 
 Friends were sweetly refreshed, the people generally 
 satisfied, and many convinced ; for the blessed power 
 of the Lord was over all ; everlasting praises to His 
 holy name forever." 
 
 Three days were spent in public religious worship 
 and two more in holding men's and women's meet- 
 ings, particularly for the care and oversight of the 
 Friends. It was the aim of George Fox, wherever he 
 went, to encourage good order in the churches, and 
 his efforts were greatly blessed. 
 
 Leaving, as he says, Friends well established in the 
 Truth, George Fox and his associates went on to- 
 wards Virginia, having several meetings on their way. 
 The difficulties of the journey by no means vanished. 
 At one time they were four days in an open row- 
 boat, making what progress they could by day, and 
 going on shore at night wet and weary with rowing, 
 to find no house to receive them. Very little men- 
 tion, however, is made of the privations of the jour- 
 ney, the blessed heavenly meetings which were held 
 in different places overbalancing all the hardships. 
 After a short stay in-Virginia they visited North Car- 
 olina, holding meetings with the Friends, and also 
 with the Indians. The following recommendation to 
 the Friends of that region will show that George Fox 
 fully realized the truth of the declaration that " in 
 Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Gentile."
 
 151 
 
 " And (it would be well) if you had sometimes 
 meetings with the Indian kings and their people to 
 preach the gospel of peace, of life, and of salvation to 
 them. For the gospel is to be preached to every 
 creature, and Christ hath tasted death for every man 
 and died for their sins, that they might come out of 
 death and sin, and live to Christ that died for them." 
 
 At the governor's house in Connie Oak Bay, in 
 Virginia, he met a doctor who denied that the light 
 or Spirit of God was given to every man, asserting 
 that the Indians were destitute thereof. " Where- 
 upon," says George Fox, " I called an Indian to us 
 and asked him whether or not when he lied or did 
 wrong to any one there was not something in him 
 that reproved him for it." The Indian replied, " there 
 was such a thing in him that did so reprove him and 
 he was ashamed when he had done wrong or spoken 
 wrong." The poor doctor, ashamed of being thus 
 confounded before the governor, attempted to prove 
 his position and at length went so far that he would 
 not own the Scriptures. The governor, pleased with 
 his guests, entertained them that night and next morn- 
 ing walked two miles through the woods with them, 
 to show them the way. 
 
 After a tarriance of nearly two years in America, 
 he says : " Having traveled through most parts of that 
 country and visited most of the plantations, having 
 sounded the alarm to all people where we came and 
 proclaimed the day of God's salvation amongst them, 
 we found our spirits began to be clear of these parts 
 of the world and draw towards Old England again." 
 
 His last service in this country was attending a
 
 152 
 
 general meeting of Friends in Maryland, which was 
 a satisfactory parting interview. He set sail for Eng- 
 land on the 21st of Third Month, 1673, but was de- 
 tained by contrary winds so that ten days elapsed be- 
 fore they left the coast of Virginia. He records high 
 winds and tempestuous weather on the remainder of 
 their voyage ; but it was performed in safety, and the 
 missionary band had " many sweet and precious meet- 
 ings " on board the vessel. On the 28th of Fourth 
 Month they cast anchor in the harbor of King's Road, 
 Bristol. 
 
 The account of the journey closes with this thanks- 
 giving : " The great God who commands the winds, 
 who is Lord of heaven, of earth and the seas, and 
 whose wonders are seen in the deep, steered our 
 course and preserved us from many imminent dan- 
 gers. The same good hand of Providence that went 
 with us, and carried us safely over, watched over us 
 in our return and brought us safely back again ; 
 thanksgiving and praises be to His holy name for- 
 ever."
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 WHILE George Fox was pursuing his evangelistic 
 journey in America, his brethren at home were re- 
 joicing in a temporary rest from persecution. In 
 1672, professing to be moved by the sufferings of a 
 large portion of his subjects, and by a desire to pro- 
 mote union, the King issued a proclamation suspend- 
 ing " the execution of all penal laws against those 
 who did not conform to the doctrine, discipline, and 
 government of the church established by law." 
 
 Soon after the publication of this declaration of 
 indulgence, Friends, ever on the alert to assist their 
 brethren, hastened to take the necessary steps in re- 
 gard to the four hundred sufferers who were incar- 
 cerated in prison, some of whom had been there 
 ten or eleven years. George Whitehead and Thomas 
 Moore were permitted to appear at the council cham- 
 ber at Whitehall to represent their case. This they 
 so successfully performed that the King said, " I will 
 pardon them," and ordered the necessary letters pat- 
 ent to be made out. As the number of prisoners was 
 so large, the fees for procuring their separate dis- 
 charge would have amounted to a large sum, but the 
 King ordered that the pardon, though including BO 
 many, should be charged but as one, and the Lord 
 Keeper voluntarily remitted his fees. Eleven skins 
 of parchment were requisite to make a fair copy of 
 7*
 
 154 
 
 the document, and much labor was required, in order 
 to render it available as quickly as possible to the 
 weary ones so long separated from their homes and 
 friends. The Friends in London, however, were not 
 deterred by trouble or expense, and in a little time 
 had the glad assurance that all who came within the 
 scope of the letters patent were set at liberty. 
 
 There were other Dissenters in prison, and George 
 Whitehead, the active agent of the Friends, was so- 
 licited to aid in their deliverance. This he cheer- 
 fully assented to, for he says, " Our being of different 
 judgments and societies did not abate my charity or 
 compassion, even towards them who had been my op- 
 posers in some cases. Blessed be the Lord my God, 
 who is the Father and Fountain of mercies, whose 
 love and mercies in Christ Jesus towards us should 
 oblige us to be merciful and kind one to another." 
 
 He advised that the names of the prisoners should 
 be sent to the King, with a petition for his warrant, 
 to have them inserted in the same patent with the 
 Quakers. The King granted the petition, and they 
 also were set at liberty. Among the number thus 
 released was John Bunyan, whose imprisonment in 
 Bedford Jail for twelve years gave to the world the 
 allegory which has been the means of helping many 
 a Pilgrim in his journey from the City of Destruc- 
 tion. 
 
 The relief from persecution lasted only a short 
 time, the jealousy of the English people being aroused 
 by the favor shown to the Roman Catholics, and on 
 the assembling of Parliament in 1673, the Commons, 
 after a stormy debate, passed a resolution " that pe-
 
 155 
 
 nal statutes in matters ecclesiastical cannot be sus- 
 pended but by act of Parliament, and that an address 
 and petition for satisfaction should be presented to 
 the King." Charles was averse to the passage of 
 this resolution ; but his purse was empty, and his 
 faithful subjects in the House of Commons made him 
 clearly understand that there would be no further 
 supplies till he agreed to their bill. He not only re- 
 called his declaration, but also assented to a bill to 
 check the growth of Popery, called the Test Act. 
 Thus the Friends were once more under the cruel 
 scourge of the infamous law of 1670, and the inform- 
 ers again hastened to their nefarious traffic. 
 
 George Fox, as we have learned, returned in safety 
 from his American tour, and on landing at Bristol 
 was joined by his wife and several other Friends. 
 They remained in that city some time, holding large 
 meetings, in which, as in other places, George Fox em- 
 braced the opportunity of calling the people to Christ 
 Jesus. In one of his sermons he thus points to Him : 
 " God was the first Teacher, and while man kept 
 under His teaching he was happy. The serpent was 
 the next teacher, and when man followed his teach- 
 ing he fell into misery. Jesus Christ was the third 
 Teacher, of whom God said, 'This is my beloved 
 Son, in whom I am well pleased : hear ye Him ; ' and 
 who Himself said, ' Learn of Me.' Now Christ, who 
 said, 4 Learn of Me,' and of whom the Father said, 
 ' Hear ye Him,' said, * I am the Way to God. I 
 am the Truth, I am the Life and the true Light.' 
 Therefore the Son of God is to be heard in all 
 things, who is the Saviour and Redeemer, who lay
 
 156 
 
 down His life, and bought His sheep with His own 
 blood." 
 
 Traveling through Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, 
 he found occasion for wise and judicious treatment 
 towards some who opposed the establishment of 
 women's meetings. George Fox was, as we have 
 seen, fully convinced that women, being heirs with 
 the men of the same everlasting gospel of life and 
 salvation, were consequently fitted to be helpmeets to 
 men in the affairs of the church, as they are out- 
 wardly in civil and temporal matters. His enlight- 
 ened views finally prevailed, and he says, " Women's 
 meetings for that country were established in the 
 blessed power of God." We next hear of him in 
 London, laboring for the relief of the Friends who 
 were suffering for refusing to close their shops on fast 
 days and holidays. They considered such observ- 
 ances as mere human appointments, often accompa- 
 nied with circumstances in which they could not con- 
 scientiously unite. 
 
 His labors were successful, and now this indefatiga- 
 ble worker turned his thoughts towards a little rest 
 at Swarthmore. Although he had been married four 
 years he had not yet been there, and, accompanied 
 by his wife, two of her daughters, and Thomas 
 Lower, her son-in-law, he turned his steps northward. 
 His reasonable desire for a little rest was, however, 
 thwarted by the malice of his enemies, who caused 
 both T. Lower and himself to be arrested at the 
 house of a Friend in Worcestershire. The charge 
 against them was that they were holding large meet- 
 ings to the prejudice of the Established Church.
 
 157 
 
 They were committed to Worcester Jail, while Mar- 
 garet Fox and her daughters proceeded to their 
 home. The committal was entirely illegal, as the 
 meeting had dispersed before the arrival of the jus- 
 tice at the house where it had been held, but in the 
 case of Friends, their persecutors never scrupled to in- 
 fringe the law, because there was always a sure snare 
 in the administration of the oath, which the magis- 
 trates were empowered to tender on all occasions. 
 
 About a month after their seizure, they were 
 brought before the Quarter Sessions, but nothing 
 could be found against them. Justice Parker, how- 
 ever, was ready with the oath of allegiance, and upon 
 the refusal of George Fox to take it he was remanded 
 to prison. Thomas Lower was told he was at lib- 
 erty, and on his querying why his father was not also 
 released, the justices refused to say anything to him, 
 and the court adjourned. After a time a writ of 
 habeas corpus was obtained, and the case taken to 
 the King's Bench at London. Thomas Lower was 
 appointed by the sheriff his deputy to convey the 
 prisoner to that city, where they arrived Twelfth 
 Month, 2d, 1673. The next day George Fox ap- 
 peared before the court, and the judges were disposed 
 to release him, but Justice Parker, who had followed 
 the prisoner to London, so prejudiced their minds 
 that he was remanded to Worcester for trial. The 
 only privilege allowed him was that he might go in 
 his own time and way, provided he would be there at 
 the Assize, which would, begin in the second month. 
 This gave an opportunity for attending the Yearly 
 Meeting held in London, after which, by leisurely
 
 158 
 
 journeys, George Fox went back to Worcester. So 
 great was the trust reposed in him, that his custodian 
 on this journey was a boy of eleven years. At the 
 Sessions the customary course was pursued ; nothing 
 was found against him ; but the tendering of the 
 oath insured imprisonment till the next sitting of the 
 court. He was, however, left at liberty to come and 
 go through the town as he pleased, which privilege 
 he used in the service of his Master, reasoning with 
 all he met, like the Apostle Paul, of " righteousness, 
 temperance, and judgment to come." At one time, 
 he says, a priest asked him if he was grown up to 
 perfection. " I told him I was by the grace of God." 
 Then he ui'ged the words of John, " If we say that we 
 have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is 
 not in us," and asked, " what did I say to that ? " 
 " I said with the same Apostle, * If we say that we 
 have not sinned we make Him a liar, and His word 
 is not in us,' who came to destroy sin and take away 
 sin. So there is a time for people to see they have 
 sinned, and there is a time for them to see they have 
 sin, and there is a time for them to confess their sin 
 and forsake it, and to know the blood of Christ to 
 cleanse from all sin." 
 
 After some further conversation, the priest said, 
 " We must always be striving." George Fox, know- 
 ing the liberty wherewith Christ had made him free, 
 said to his opponent : " It is a sad and comfortless 
 sort of striving, to strive with a belief that we should 
 never overcome." " I told him," he says in his jour- 
 nal, " that Paul, who cried out of the body of death, 
 did also thank God who gave him the victory,
 
 159 
 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ. So there was a time 
 of crying out for want of victory, and a time of prais- 
 ing God for the victory, and Paul said ' there is no 
 condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.' " 
 " Well, but," said the priest, " what say you to that 
 Scripture, * The justest man that is, sinneth seven 
 times a day ' ? " " Why, truly," said George Fox, 
 " there is no such Scripture," and his mouth was 
 stopped. 
 
 While the Friends could not take an oath, they 
 were loyal citizens and opposed to all plots and re- 
 bellions. This will be seen in a manifesto issued at 
 this time by George Fox, addressed to the Judges of 
 the King's Bench. 
 
 " This I do in truth and in the presence of God 
 declare, that King Charles the Second is the lawful 
 King of this realm, and of all other of his dominions ; 
 that he was brought in and set up King over this 
 realm by the power of God ; and I have nothing but 
 love and good will to him and all his subjects, and 
 
 desire his prosperity and eternal good I do 
 
 deny all plots and contrivances, and plotters and con- 
 trivers, against the King and his subjects, knowing 
 them to be the works of darkness, the fruits of an 
 evil spirit against the peace of the kingdom, and not 
 from the Spirit of God, the fruit of which is love. I 
 dare not take an oath, because it is forbidden by 
 Christ and his Apostles ; but if I break my Yea or 
 Nay, let me suffer the same penalty as they that 
 break their oaths. 
 
 (Signed) " GEOKGE Fox."
 
 160 
 
 In the Fifth Month, 1674, against the opinion of 
 some of the judges, who discovered gross errors in his 
 indictment, sentence of prsemunire was pronounced 
 upon him, and he was closely confined in Worcester 
 Jail. His wife came from the north of England to be 
 with him, and her services were greatly needed, as he 
 was seized with a severe illness, from which his re- 
 covery seemed very doubtful. Every effort was made 
 by his friends to obtain his release from prison, and 
 at last his wife resolved to try the effect of a personal 
 appeal to the King. She went up to London, and, 
 obtaining an interview with King Charles, told him 
 of the long and unjust imprisonment of her husband, 
 and begged him, as by praemunire George Fox had 
 become his prisoner, to release him from his bondage. 
 Charles II. had kind words ready for her, but re- 
 ferred her to the Lord Keeper, who told her the King 
 could only release him by a pardon. Secure in his 
 innocence, George Fox refused the pardon, saying, 
 " I had rather have lain in prison all my days, where- 
 fore I chose to have the validity of my indictment 
 tried before judges." His friends, however, succeeded 
 in having him removed to London on a writ of habeas 
 corpus, and Counsellor Corbet was employed to plead 
 his cause. This gentleman astonished the judges by 
 stating that it was illegal to imprison any one on a 
 praemunire. This point established, the errors in the 
 indictment were next considered, and were found to 
 be so many and so gross, that the judges were united 
 in the opinion that the prisoner should be released. 
 Some of his adversaries would have again presented 
 the oath of allegiance, 'saying George Fox was a dan-
 
 161 
 
 gerous man, and ought not to be at liberty ; but Sir 
 Matthew Hale replied, he had indeed heard some 
 such reports, but he had heard many more good 
 ones, and ordered George Fox freed by proclama- 
 tion. Thus after an illegal imprisonment of fourteen 
 months, he was honorably released, and Counsellor 
 Corbet acquired great fame by his skillful manage- 
 ment of the case. 
 
 The weary prisoner remained in London till after 
 the Yearly Meeting of 1675, and then went by easy 
 stages to Swarthmore, accompanied by his affection- 
 ate wife. The toils of his busy life, the rigor of his 
 imprisonments, and the severe illness from which he 
 was now recovering had left their traces on his robust 
 frame, and rendered a season of rest necessary. For 
 nearly two years he remained quietly at Swarthmore 
 Hall, employing his respite from active service in 
 collecting and arranging the various epistles he had 
 written, and filing them away for future reference. 
 As the time for the Yearly Meeting in 1676 drew 
 near, he wrote a loving letter of counsel and advice, 
 which was read at the meeting, as from an honored 
 father in the church. Speaking to those who had 
 known the Lord to be their Preserver in many a try- 
 ing hour, he says : " Let every one's faith stand in the 
 Lord's power, which is over all ; through which they 
 may be built upon the Rock, the Foundation of God, 
 the Seed Jesus Christ. So all in Christ may be fresh 
 and green, for He is the green tree that never withers. 
 All are fresh and green that are grafted into and 
 abide in Him, bringing forth heavenly, fresh fruits to 
 the praise of God." Remembering that God is love
 
 162 
 
 and " he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God," he 
 thus exhorts : "And, friends, be tender to the tender 
 principle of God in all. Shun vain disputes and jan- 
 glings, both amongst yourselves and others, for that 
 many times is like a blustering wind that hurts and 
 bruises the tender buds and plants. Those disputers 
 that were amongst the Christians, about genealogies, 
 circumcision, and the law, meats, drinks, and days, 
 came to be the worst sort of disputers, whom the 
 Apostle judged ; for such destroyed people from the 
 faith. Therefore the Apostle exhorted the churches, 
 that every one's faith should stand in the power of 
 God, and to look to Jesus the author of it. There 
 every graft stands in Christ, the Vine, quiet where 
 no blustering storms can hurt them ; there is safety. 
 There all are of one mind, one faith, one soul, one 
 spirit, baptized into one body with the one Spirit, and 
 made to drink into one Spirit, one church, one head, 
 heavenly and spiritual, one faith in this head, Christ, 
 who is the author of it, and hath the glory of it, one 
 Lord to order all, who is the baptism into this one 
 body." He closes his epistle with this beautiful ex- 
 hortation : " Dwell in the love of God which passeth 
 knowledge, and edifieth the living members of the 
 body of Christ, which love of God come to be built 
 up in, and in the holy faith. This love of God will 
 bring you to bear all things, endure all things, and 
 hope all things. From this love of God which you 
 have in Christ Jesus, nothing will be able to separate 
 you, neither powers nor principalities, heights nor 
 depths, things present nor things to come, prisons nor 
 spoiling of goods, neither death nor life. The love of
 
 163 
 
 God keeps above all that which would separate from 
 God, and makes you more than conquerors in Christ 
 Jesus. Therefore in this love of God dwell, that with 
 the same love you may love one another, and all the 
 workmanship of God, that you may glorify God with 
 your bodies, souls, and spirits, which are the Lord's. 
 Amen." 
 
 Well would it have been for the church he loved 
 so well, if his earnest, loving counsel had been at- 
 tended to. In the two hundred years since this was 
 written, there have been disputations about points 
 analogous to the meats and drinks, and days and 
 times, which disturbed the early Christians ; disputes, 
 too, carried on without the loving spirit he recom- 
 mends, which have brought confusion into, her bor- 
 ders, and crippled her usefulness. 
 
 In the early part of 1677, George Fox again felt 
 the call to evangelistic labor, and leaving his quiet re- 
 tirement at Swarthmore, he traveled by easy stages, 
 as his health would permit, visiting meetings and 
 strengthening the hands of his fellow believers. He 
 reached London in time to attend the Yearly Meet- 
 ing, which he describes as " a very glorious meeting, 
 wherein the Lord's power was largely felt, and the 
 affairs of truth sweetly carried on, in the unity of the 
 Spirit, to the satisfaction and comfort of the upright- 
 hearted ; blessed be the Lord forever ! " A new field 
 of labor now opened before hint, which he thus speaks 
 of. " It was upon me from the Lord to go to Hol- 
 land and preach the gospel there and in Germany." 
 It will be interesting to pause for a moment to con- 
 sider the state of religious feeling then existing in 
 Holland.
 
 164 
 
 The Separatists from the Established Church in 
 England, finding no asylum in their own country, 
 withdrew to Amsterdam about the year 1608, and 
 joined themselves to the little company in that city 
 who held similar views. Among these were such 
 men as John Robinson, William Brewster, and Will- 
 iam Bradford, to whom religious freedom was more 
 than home and country. When the plan of coloniz- 
 ing America was proposed by the Virginia Company, 
 and "such freedom as may stand with their liking" 
 was promised, some of these same families who had 
 emigrated to Holland, to find religious freedom, re- 
 solved to try the New World, and erect the standard 
 of liberty of conscience on the rocky shores of Massa- 
 chusetts. The farewell words of Pastor John Robin- 
 son to those who embarked in the Mayflower are 
 in striking conformity to the testimony of George 
 Fox, " I am nothing, Christ is all," and are worthy 
 of remembrance. " I charge you before God and 
 His blessed angels, that you follow me no further 
 than you have seen me follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 If God reveal anything to you by other instruments 
 of His, be as ready to receive it as you were to receive 
 any truth by my ministry ; for I am verily persuaded, 
 I am very confident, that God has more truth yet to 
 break forth out of His holy Word. .... I beseech 
 you to remember, that you be ready to receive what- 
 ever truth shall be made known to you from the 
 written Word of God." l 
 
 Well would it have been for the religious world, 
 had this wise counsel been heeded ; for, as has been 
 1 Inner Religious Life of Commonwealth.
 
 165 
 
 truly said, " the unwillingness of Christians to receive 
 truth from unwelcome quarters has been a stumbling- 
 block in every church." 
 
 Holland had been considered a missionary field be- 
 fore George Fox visited the country, and a little com- 
 pany of Friends had been gathered there, and in 
 other parts of the United Provinces, through the 
 labors of William Caton and others. But while 
 this country was distinguished for abstaining from 
 enacting laws designed to interfere with the right of 
 liberty of conscience, the magistrates sometimes con- 
 nived at the infliction of abuse of innocent persons, 
 and Friends were exposed here, as in England, to 
 persecution. In East Friesland the following pe- 
 tition was presented to the court : " Whereas, the 
 wicked sect of the Quakers are found in these United 
 Provinces, and also sprung up here in East Fries- 
 land, you are desired to watch against it in time, 
 that that devilish error might not creep in further." 
 It was found, however, that banishment and other 
 punishments inflicted on such honest, industrious men 
 as the Friends diminished the trade of the cities, 
 and the authorities wisely determined to retain this 
 class of citizens, by allowing freedom in worshiping 
 God. 
 
 On the 25th of Fifth Month, 1677, George Fox set 
 sail for Holland, accompanied by William Penn, Rob- 
 ert Barclay, and others, and arrived at Rotterdam on 
 the 28th. After holding some meetings they passed 
 on to Amsterdam, to attend the Quarterly Meeting, 
 which was held at the house of Gertrude Dirick 
 Nieson. After this meeting George Fox called the
 
 166 
 
 Friends together and arranged for " a Monthly, 
 Quarterly, and Yearly Meeting, to be held at Amster- 
 dam, for Friends in the United Provinces of Holland, 
 and in Embden, the Palatinate, Hamburg, Frederick- 
 stadt, Dantzic, and other places in and about Ger- 
 many." 
 
 In obedience to the command of the Holy Spirit, 
 the missionary band separated soon after their arrival 
 in Holland, each going to the work to which he felt 
 called of the Lord. As a wise legislator, a portion 
 of the work devolving upon George Fox was to build 
 up the little communities and establish men's and 
 women's meetings for discipline, thus bringing the 
 Society into a similar organization with that of Great 
 Britain and America. He also held large meetings, 
 which were attended by persons of various denomina- 
 tions, in which, he says, " I declared the everlasting 
 gospel." This met with a response on the part of the 
 hearers, and at Harlem and Harlingen the minister 
 rose after George Fox had finished, saying, " I pray 
 God to prosper and confirm this doctrine, for it is 
 truth, and I have nothing against it." Not only in 
 the gathered assemblies did George Fox witness for 
 his Lord, but he was always on the alert to embrace 
 the opportunities presenting before him. " Many 
 times," he says, "in mornings, and at noons and 
 nights, at the inns and on the ways, as I traveled, I 
 spake to the people, warning them of the day of the 
 Lord." His pen was also busily employed in his Mas- 
 ter's service. A little synopsis of his writings will 
 show his catholic spirit, and also how much interest 
 he felt in the welfare of his people. Hearing Friends
 
 167 
 
 were suffering from persecution at Dantzic, he wrote 
 a loving letter to them, encouraging them to be faith- 
 ful. Another letter of warning was sent to the magis- 
 trates of Oldenburg and Hamburg, telling them of 
 the " great and terrible judgments of the day of the 
 Lord God Almighty." The ambassadors of the King 
 of France, of the United Provinces, and of several 
 other rulers of Europe met at this time in the city of 
 Nimeguen, to consult about the peace of Christendom. 
 This was a subject dear to the heart of this peace-lov- 
 ing Christian, and he addressed an epistle to them, 
 beseeching them, " as ye love God and Christ and 
 Christianity and its peace, make peace, so far as ye 
 have power, among Christians, that you may have the 
 blessing." Before the year ended a peace was con- 
 cluded. 
 
 He also wrote a loving letter of advice to the Prin- 
 cess Elizabeth of the Rhine, niece of Charles I. 
 She was a sweet, humble Christian, and governed her 
 little principality with judgment and kindness. Will- 
 iam Penn and Robert Barclay visited her, and had 
 religious meetings in her palace, much to her satisfac- 
 tion. At parting she said to them, " Let me desire 
 you to remember me, though I live at so great a dis- 
 tance, and you should never see me more. I thank 
 you for this good time. Be assured, though my con- 
 dition subjects me to divers temptations, yet my soul 
 has strong desires after the best things." The prin- 
 cess responded to the letter of George Fox in the fol- 
 lowing terms : " I cannot but have a tender love to 
 those that love the Lord Jesus Christ, and to whom 
 it is given not only to believe on Him, but also to suf-
 
 168 
 
 fer for Him ; therefore your letter and your friends' 
 visit have been both very welcome to me. I shall 
 follow their and your counsel, as far as God will 
 afford me light and unction, remaining still your lov- 
 ing friend." 
 
 The respect the princess held for Friends prompted 
 her to influence the English court in their favor, and 
 more than once she endeavored to preserve them from 
 the penalties of the laws against conventicles. She 
 died at the age of sixty, much esteemed and be- 
 loved. 
 
 Galenus Abrahams, a Mennonite teacher, sought a 
 conference with the Friends, asserting that no one in 
 the present day could be accepted as a messenger of 
 God unless he confirmed his doctrines by miracles. 
 William Penn, George Keith, and George Fox ac- 
 cepted the challenge, and a long dispute followed, in 
 which, George Fox says, " The Baptist was much con- 
 founded, and the truth gained ground." The argu- 
 ments are not given ; but if, as was usually the case, 
 Friends used the Bible to support their position, they 
 would silence him, for John the Baptist was surely 
 a messenger of the Lord, and yet we are told he 
 " did no miracles." Galenus Abrahams was not con- 
 vinced, but on the second visit of George Fox to 
 Holland, the two opponents met in a friendly man- 
 ner, and Galenus " confessed in some measure to the 
 truth." 
 
 In the autumn of 1667, this earnest evangelist 
 returned to England, and was most gladly welcomed 
 by his brethren, a thousand people flocking to his 
 first meeting at Harwich. He reached London on the
 
 169 
 
 9th of Ninth Month, and on the First Day follow- 
 ing attended Gracechurch Street meeting, where his 
 record is : " The Lord visited us with His refreshing 
 presence, and the glory of the Lord surrounded the 
 meeting. Praised be the Lord." 
 8
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 WE Lave now approached an era in the life of 
 George Fox when he was exposed to a new trial. 
 Persecution from without had long been familiar to 
 him ; but now a keener thorn pierced his soul, in the 
 internal dissensions of his loved Society. To under- 
 stand the position of the Friends at this time, it will 
 be necessary to refer to some of the earlier sects, 
 whose tenets had in some measure influenced Fox 
 and his coadjutors in founding the Society of Friends. 
 
 In the reign of Elizabeth, there were a large num- 
 ber who felt constrained to dissent from many of the 
 ceremonies of the Established Church, and who sought 
 a more simple faith and a mode of worship more con- 
 sonant with the Apostolic rule, " that all may proph- 
 esy one by one, that all may learn and all may be 
 comforted." This freedom was not, however, in ac- 
 cordance with the Queen's views, and two of a con- 
 gregation of thirty who assembled at a private house 
 for worship were burned to death by her order. 
 
 The longing for truth could not, however, be burned 
 out of the hearts of many in England, and one sect 
 rose after another, each differing somewhat, but united 
 in the desire that the church should be separated 
 from the state, and only bound to submit to the order 
 " which Christ her Lord and King had instituted." 
 To obtain this freedom many, as we have seen, fled
 
 171 
 
 to Holland and America ; but >many remained in Eng- 
 land, suffering cruel persecution, and even laying 
 down their lives for the sake of the Truth. 
 
 Two of these sects, the Seekers and Ranters, have 
 often been confounded with Friends, and deserve 
 particular notice. Cromwell said : " To be a Seeker 
 is to be of the next best sect .to a Finder," and in the 
 days when men's hearts were so stirred within them, 
 there was an earnest craving for something more than 
 an external show of religion. The Seekers, as their 
 name implies, were looking for a revival of the Apos- 
 tolic days, for more purity in religion. They 
 could have no church fellowship because they could 
 not find in any of the churches the New Testament 
 pattern. They waited, in this time of apostasy, for 
 an apostle, or angel mighty in the Spirit, to give 
 some visible manifestation of their being sent of the 
 Lord. 
 
 The Ranters, on the contrary, held views in the 
 opposite extreme. They maintained they had found 
 God, and that by His Spirit He dwelt in them. They 
 needed not the Scripture, for they were taught by the 
 Spirit, which inspired them. They were no longer 
 to mind Christ who died at Jerusalem, but to mind 
 Christ in themselves. William Penn says : " This 
 people obtained the name of Ranters, from their ex- 
 travagant courses and practices. They interpreted 
 Christ's fulfilling the law for us to be a discharging 
 us from any obligation and duty the law required, 
 instead of the condemnation of the law for sins past, 
 upon faith and repentance ; and that now it was no 
 sin to do that which before it was a sin to commit,
 
 172 
 
 the slavish fear of the law being taken off by Christ, 
 and now all things were good that a man did, if 
 he did but do them with the mind and persuasion 
 that they were so." 
 
 The Society of Friends, and the clear definite views 
 they professed, were equally opposed to the quietism 
 of the one sect and the ranterism of the other. They 
 told the Seekers they had found what the others were 
 so vainly waiting for, declaring that the kingdom of 
 God consists not in groaning for adoption, but in 
 "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." 
 To the Ranters they said : " We dearly and truly 
 own the Holy Scriptures, given by inspiration, as a 
 true and infallible testimony of Christ, spoken forth 
 by the Holy Spirit, which is our Guide, Teacher, and 
 Leader, and these are written for our learning." 
 
 Many of these two sects joined the Friends, and the 
 influence of their previous views we shall now see 
 affecting the Society and causing disunity and dis- 
 satisfaction with Fox and his coadjutors. 
 
 Mention has already been made of the opposition, 
 manifested in some places, to the establishment of 
 meetings for discipline. This, some urged, restricted 
 the freedom into which we are called by the gospel ; 
 and these "desired that every one should be left to 
 regulate his course by the Light of Christ in himself, 
 without being amenable to others. The discipline was 
 denounced as an encroachment on the right of private 
 judgment, similar to that practiced by the church 
 of Rorlte, and George Fox, the instrument by which 
 these meetings were set up, received loud and unspar- 
 ing invective as seeking to lord it over " God's her- 
 itage."
 
 173 
 
 In a pamphlet written as early as 1663, the begin- 
 ning of this movement might be seen. In it the writer 
 urges that no one shall be obliged to " act outwardly" 
 further than he " saw inwardly." The regular as- 
 sembly for public worship was to be superseded by 
 the more spiritual gathering, as each one felt impelled. 
 The meeting-house was only to be used when Friends 
 " felt the stirrings of life, " with respect to both time 
 and place. There had been enough of earnest evan- 
 gelistic effort ; the time had come for Friends to sit 
 under their own vine and fig-tree, and enjoy the fruit 
 of their previous labor. 
 
 These views, of course, struck at the root of all 
 order, and their indulgence would soon lead to anarchy 
 and confusion. The smouldering embers broke out 
 afresh in 1673, and there were very few of the promi- 
 nent Friends who were not drawn into the contro- 
 versy. The assumption of the* right of private judg- 
 ment, whether opposed or not to the letter and spirit 
 of the New Testament as understood by the church, 
 the disregard of outward rules, and the opposition to 
 instrumental teaching were some of the points in 
 question. The efforts of George Fox to establish a 
 system of church government were denounced as if 
 from selfish motives, to increase his own influence. 
 His care that all the meetings should be supplied 
 with' a teaching ministry was considered subversive, 
 of that dependence upon the leading of the Holy 
 Spirit which would move the ministers to go whither 
 the Lord willed. 
 
 The question of the use of singing in worship was 
 another subject of difference. The early Friends,
 
 174 
 
 in common with some other Dissenters, objected to 
 the custom " of the singing, by a mixed multitude, 
 of all description of Psalms," but had no controversy 
 with those " who live and dwell in the grace of God, 
 and sing with grace in the heart." When George 
 Fox was appealed to on this question, as he was upon 
 all points of church government, he says, in 1673, 
 " Why should not them as sings have liberty of con- 
 science to sing in your meetings? I do look upon 
 thee as a competent judge whether they sing in grace 
 or no." l In 1675, the Yearly Meeting issued this 
 advice " concerning sighing, groaning, or singing in 
 the church : " " It hath been, and is, our loving sense 
 and constant testimony, according to our experience 
 of the divers operation of the Spirit and power of 
 God in His church, that there has been, and still is, 
 serious sighing, sensible groaning, and reverent sing- 
 ing, breathing forth a heavenly sound of joy, with 
 grace in the Spirit and understanding, and which is 
 not to be quenched or discouraged in any, unless im- 
 moderate." 
 
 On the other hand, it was maintained that " sing- 
 ing, or speaking singingly in prayer, preaching, or 
 with a vocal voice, was an abomination." Thus, as has 
 often been done since, while pleading for liberty to fol- 
 low what they believed to be right, the opponents of 
 Fox and his friends laid down stringent rules for oth- 
 ers, and limited the action of the Holy Spirit to the 
 channel in which they themselves were wont to move. 
 
 The power of the Yearly Meeting of London was 
 very obnoxious to those who questioned " whether 
 
 1 Inner Religious Life of Commonwealth.
 
 175 
 
 the judgment of any one part of the members of 
 Christ's body could become a bond upon any other 
 part of the said body, further than their understand- 
 ings were illuminated." It would not be desirable to 
 question the minor points of difference, as, when all 
 order is denounced, the means for maintaining that 
 order also fall under condemnation. It must be ad- 
 mitted that these dissatisfied ones took, as George 
 Fox says, more pains to unsettle and disquiet the 
 church than they had ever taken for the cause of 
 truth. Disputes in those days of controversy were 
 carried on with great warmth, and the brunt of op- 
 probrium fell upon George Fox as the exponent of 
 liberal views. 
 
 Amid all the abuse and misapprehension the Chris- 
 tian character of the champion for truth shone out 
 brighter and brighter. Seeking to be clothed with 
 the meekness and gentleness of Christ, he returned 
 not railing for railing, but tried to convince the dis- 
 affected of their error, and induce them to remain 
 with their brethren. His efforts, however, were un- 
 availing. In Westmoreland, two ministers, named 
 John Story and John Wilkinson, who had been ear- 
 nest laborers for the Lord, left the Friends, and, gath- 
 ering around them a company similarly affected with 
 themselves, established a separate meeting at Preston 
 in 1675. This example was followed in London, 
 Wiltshire, Bristol, and other parts of Westmoreland, 
 causing great pain to George Fox. Various efforts 
 were made to reconcile the differences. A meeting 
 was arranged between Story, Wilkinson, and Rodgers, 
 on the part of the Separatists, and George Fox and
 
 176 
 
 others sympathizing with him. This was held at 
 Drawel neaj Sedburgh, Second Month, 3d, 1676. 
 Four days were spent in endeavoring to convince the 
 Separatists that there will be unity of action in the 
 church as each individual is led by the Holy Spirit, 
 for God is a God of order, and His Spirit can never 
 prompt to. disorder or confusion. George Fox gives 
 the following account of this meeting : " Most of their 
 arrows were shot at me ; but the Lord was with me, 
 and gave me strength in his power to cast back their 
 darts of envy and falsehood upon themselves. Their 
 objections were answered, and things were opened to 
 the people ; a good opportunity it was, and service- 
 able to the truth, for many that before were weak 
 were now strengthened and confirmed ; some that 
 were doubting and wavering were satisfied and set- 
 tled, and faithful Friends were refreshed and com- 
 forted in the springings of life." 
 
 The Christian spirit manifested in this gathering 
 affected Wilkinson and Story, and soon after they 
 signed a paper declaring they had " no wish to op- 
 pose any faithful brethren in the practice of those 
 things they believe are their duty." Several of their 
 followers were received back into the Society on con- 
 fession of the error into which they had been drawn. 
 The separate meetings became very small, and by the 
 year 1709 the Separatists were reported to have be- 
 come very few in number. Any one, however, who 
 carefully examines the history of this Society in the 
 eighteenth century, will see the influence of their 
 views operating disadvantageously to the healthy 
 growth of the church founded by George Fox and his 
 coadjutors.
 
 177 
 
 But we must turn from these intestine dissensions 
 to the contemplation of the condition of England in 
 the year 1678 ; Charles II. being the reigning mon- 
 arch. The popular mind was in a state of tumult. 
 Faint whispers and undefined suspicions of some evil 
 were followed by the discovery of what was declared 
 to be " a damnable plot, contrived and carried on by 
 Popish recusants, against the life of the King and the 
 Protestant religion." Titus Gates, a degraded clergy- 
 man of the English Church, appeared before Parlia- 
 ment, and made astounding revelations, implicating 
 some high in office, of complicity with the Pope and 
 Jesuits in a plot to subvert the religion of England. 
 
 Although the informer varied his statements be- 
 fore the different parties who heard him, he was de- 
 clared to be the " Saver of the Nation," and had a 
 pension of X1200 a year granted him. The trade 
 of a Protestant witness proving so profitable, others 
 came forward to reap part of the gain, among them 
 William Bedloe, a convicted thief and swindler, who 
 had just been liberated from Newgate. Notwith- 
 standing the character of the informers, their state- 
 ments were eagerly believed ; the terror excited by 
 the plot aroused the public mind to such a degree 
 that " reason could no more be heard than a whis- 
 per in a hurricane." Nothing but blood could satisfy 
 the people, and to be accused was, almost in every 
 case, to be condemned to death. The House of Com- 
 mons passed a bill, which reached the third reading in 
 the House of Lords, excluding all Papists from sitting 
 in either house. The Duke of York protested warmly 
 against this bill, which would disqualify him from the 
 8*
 
 178 
 
 succession, and it was amended by a proviso that 
 this did not affect him. The King dissolved Parlia- 
 ment after a session of eighteen years, and for the 
 next few years alternately prorogued and dissolved 
 it, finding it too much inclined to assert its rights, 
 yet needing the subsidies he obtained from it. 
 
 The Friends took no part in these political turmoils, 
 which were the occasion of much suffering to them, 
 for all parties seemed to unite on the common ground 
 of persecuting the Quakers. They were accused by 
 some of being Popish recusants, and this enlisted the 
 prejudices of the people against them, while others 
 declared if they were not Papists they were plotters 
 against the government. 
 
 In order to prevent the effect of these calumnious 
 reports, George Fox wrote the following declaration, 
 addressed to the new Parliament : " It is our princi- 
 ple and testimony to deny and renounce all plots and 
 plotters against the King, or any of his subjects ; for 
 we have the Spirit of Christ, by which we have the 
 mind of Christ, who came to save men's lives and not 
 to destroy them ; and we would have the King and 
 all his subjects to be safe. Wherefore we do declare 
 that we will endeavor to our power to save and defend 
 him and them, by discovering all plots and plotters, 
 which shall come to our knowledge, that would de- 
 stroy the King or his subjects ; this we do sincerely 
 . offer to you. But as to swearing and fighting, which 
 in tenderness of conscience we cannot do, ye know 
 that we have suffered these many years for our con- 
 scientious refusal thereof. And now that the Lord 
 hath brought you together, we desire you to relieve
 
 179 
 
 us, and free us from these sufferings, and that ye 
 will not put upon us to do those things which we 
 have suffered so much and so long already for not 
 doing, for if you do ye will make our bonds stronger, 
 instead of relieving us." 
 
 In 1680 a paper was presented to the King and 
 Parliament, giving an account of the sufferings Friends 
 had undergone since the Restoration. Ten thousand 
 had been imprisoned, two hundred and forty-three 
 had -died in prison, while the loss of property to which 
 they had been subjected from their prosecution as 
 Papish recusants had indeed been grievous. Will- 
 iam Penn and others went before a committee of the 
 House, and clearly demonstrated the truth of these 
 statements, and Sir Christopher Musgrave, a zealous 
 Churchman, expressed his disgust at the treatmeiit 
 Friends had received, saying the prisons were full of 
 them, many of them had been excommunicated for 
 small matters, and that it was a shame and a scan- 
 dal for the church to use the Quakers so hardly on 
 every trivial occasion. Both Houses finally passed a 
 bill exempting Protestant dissenters from the penal- 
 ties imposed by the Acts of Elizabeth, but when it 
 was to be presented to the King for his signature it 
 could not be found. It was said that it had been 
 secreted by order of Charles II. 
 
 During 1683 and 1684 the fire of persecution 
 blazed fiercely, yet the Friends continued almost uni- 
 versally faithful to their principles. An epistle ad- 
 dressed by George Fox to those remaining steadfast 
 shows the care among the early Friends to be honest 
 in their dealings. He exhorts them to remember the
 
 180 
 
 care that existed among them, that no man should 
 suffer by them. When they bought goods on credit 
 he exhorted them to tell their creditors the danger 
 there was that everything might be taken from them, 
 and when fines were imposed, to be careful to use 
 their own property, to offer that which was their own, 
 that no man should suffer by them. This, he says, 
 " wrought a very good savor in the hearts of many 
 people, seeing such a righteous, just, and honest prin- 
 ciple in Friends." He desires them to continue this 
 practice, that thus their light may shine even in suf- 
 fering.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE continued and severe persecution of the 
 Friends, in the latter part of the reign of Charles II., 
 rendered the presence of George Fox at London 
 almost indispensable. He could not rest in his 
 pleasant home at Swarthmore while his brethren 
 were in danger, and accordingly left it in the eai'ly 
 part of 1680, and never returned there again. " It 
 being a suffering time with Friends," he says, " I 
 had not freedom to be long from the city." 
 
 His labor was very varied ; sometimes visiting 
 Friends " in prison for the testimony of Jesus," en- 
 couraging them in their sufferings, and exhorting 
 them to stand faithful to the testimony the Lord had 
 committed to them to bear, and sometimes visiting 
 those who were sick and weak in body, or .troubled 
 in mind, helping to bear up their spirits from sinking 
 under their infirmities. 
 
 A determined effort was now being made to sup- 
 press the meetings of Friends. In London and in 
 some of the adjoining towns armed men were sta- 
 tioned at the different meeting-houses, and constables 
 frequently attended with warrants to arrest the 
 speakers. Yet in George Fox's journal allusion is 
 frequently made to glorious and blessed meetings, in 
 which the power of the Lord controlled the will of 
 man, and the soldiers went away without making 
 any disturbance.
 
 182 
 
 It could not be expected that an old veteran like 
 George Fox, who had long been in the fore-front of 
 the battle, should keep away from these scenes of con- 
 flict. Accordingly entries like the following are fre- 
 quently found in his journal : " At one time I in- 
 tended to go a mile or two out of town, to visit a 
 Friend who was not well, but hearing that the King 
 had sent to the mayor to put the laws in execution 
 against Dissenters, and that the magistrates intended 
 to nail up the meeting-house doors, I had not freedom 
 to go out of town, but was moved to go to the meet- 
 ing in Gracechurch Street, and, notwithstanding all 
 threats, a great meeting it was, and very quiet ; the 
 glory of the Lord shone over all." 
 
 The time for the Yearly Meeting now approached, 
 and those who came up to London from the country 
 meetings to attend it did so at the risk of their lib- 
 erty. There were many who were ready to inform 
 against them and denounce their meetings as preju- 
 dicial to the safety of the realm, but notwithstanding 
 the danger the attendance at the meeting was large. 
 George Fox thus speaks of the occasion : " The Lord 
 was with us, His power preserved us and gave us a 
 sweet, a blessed opportunity to wait upon Him, to be 
 refreshed together with Him, and to perform His 
 service for His truth' and people." Soon after the 
 Yearly Meeting he wrote a beautiful epistle, which 
 must have fallen like dew upon his sorely tried but 
 steadfast brethren. The following is an extract. 
 
 " DEAR FRIENDS, My love is to you all in the 
 holy Seed that reigns over all. And my desire is,
 
 183 
 
 that every one, both male and female, may feel the 
 Seed of Christ in you, which is heir of the promise of 
 life eternal, that ye may all grow up in Christ Jesus 
 your head, and be built upon Him, the rock and 
 foundation that God hath laid, which stands sure 
 over all rocks and foundations in the world ; that ye 
 may eat and drink of this spiritual rock, the spiritual 
 water and food ; so that ye may truly and inwardly 
 say, that your rock and foundation, your bread and 
 water of life, is from heaven, and your bread and 
 water is sure ; and that ye know His voice that feeds 
 you, and leads into the pastures of life, which are 
 always fresh and green. In this your affections are 
 set upon things that are above, seeking that which 
 comes down from above, where Christ sits at the right 
 hand of God, making intercession for you ; who is 
 your Mediator, making peace between God and you ; 
 who is your heavenly Bishop, to oversee you, that ye 
 keep in His light, life, and power, and do not go 
 astray from His heavenly fold and pasture, that He, 
 your Shepherd, may feed you therein ; who is your 
 Prophet, to open to you the fulfilling of the promise 
 and prophesies, Himself being the substance ; that ye 
 may live in Him, and He in you, yea, and reign in 
 your hearts, there to exercise His offices, His pro- 
 phetical, priestly, and kingly office, who is heavenly 
 and spiritual." 
 
 The advice in the following letter, written in the 
 same year, is applicable to the church to-day, and 
 may well claim her attention.
 
 184 
 
 " FRIENDS AND BRETHREN, Who have re- 
 ceived the peaceable truth, let the fruits of its peace- 
 ableness and of your quiet spirit appear in all your 
 meetings, and in all your words and actions ; for He 
 that inhabits eternity dwells with an humble heart, 
 He gives grace to the humble and resisteth the 
 proud. Heaven is His throne, and the earth ye walk 
 upon is His footstool ; happy are ye that see and 
 know Him that is invisible. 
 
 " And now, Friends, let all things be done in your 
 meetings, and otherwise, in love, without strife or 
 vain-glory, for love fulfills the law, love overcomes 
 and edifies the body of Christ ; there is neither self 
 nor envy in love, neither is it puffed up, but abides 
 and bears all things. See that this love of God have 
 the sway in you all and over you all. Christ saith, 
 ' Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the king- 
 dom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they 
 shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they 
 shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that do 
 hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall 
 be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall ob- 
 tain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they 
 shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they 
 shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they 
 that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs 
 is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men 
 shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all 
 manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Re- 
 joice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward 
 in heaven ; for so persecuted they the prophets that 
 were before you.'
 
 185 
 
 " Now, Friends, here is a great deal in these words ; 
 and all must be in these states and conditions if they 
 have those blessings. The children of God are peace- 
 makers, and strive to make peace in the truth ; and 
 to live in peace with all men if it be possible. So 
 live in peace and good will to all men ; which good 
 will is both for their sanctification and salvation. 
 And, Friends, consider the wisdom of God, which is 
 from above, is pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be 
 entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without par- 
 tiality and without hypocrisy. Dear Friends, let this 
 pure, peaceable, gentle wisdom that is from above, 
 that is easy to be entreated, and is full of mercy and 
 good fruits, be exercised and practiced in all the true 
 churches of Christ, so that wisdom may be justified 
 of her children. For the works of the flesh or fleshly 
 spirit are hatred, variance, wrath, strife, envyings, 
 drunkenness, revelings, adultery, fornications, las- 
 civiousness, uncleanness, etc., and they which do such 
 things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the 
 fruits of the Spirit of God are love, joy, peace, long- 
 suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, tem- 
 perance. So, dear Friends and brethren, strive to ex- 
 ceed one another, and all people upon the earth, in 
 humility, meekness, gentleness, temperance, love, pa- 
 tience, pureness, and in mercy ; then ye will show 
 forth the fruits of the Spirit of God, and of His heav- 
 enly wisdom that is from above. In this, wisdom 
 will be justified of her children, ye will be the salt of 
 the earth, the light of the world set on a hill, that 
 cannot be hid ; and your moderation will appear to 
 all men. Be ye just and righteous, faithful and true
 
 186 
 
 in all your words, dealings, and conversations, so that 
 ye may answer the truth in all people ; for Christ 
 saith, His Father is glorified by such as bring forth 
 fruits when men do see their good works ; for he that 
 doeth righteousness is accepted with God. And he 
 that dwells in love dwells in God ; for love is His 
 habitation. Let that be the habitation of every one 
 that hath received the truth ; for if it be not, such 
 do not dwell in God, let them profess what they will. 
 Therefore my desire is, that all you who have re- 
 ceived Christ the Seed, which bruises the serpent's 
 head, may walk in Him, your sanctuary, life, and 
 salvation, your rest and peace. Amen. G. F. 
 " LONDON, the 14th of the Sixth Month, 1683." 
 
 The following earnest appeal to the servants of the 
 Lord is worthy of serious attention, remembering the 
 command, " Occupy till I come." 
 
 " FRIENDS, Dwell in the Living Spirit, and 
 quench not the motions of it in yourselves, nor the 
 movings of it in others ; though many have run out 
 and gone beyond their measures, yet many more have 
 quenched the measure of the Spirit of God, and have 
 become dead and dull, and have questioned through 
 a false fear ; so there hath been hurt both ways. 
 Therefore be obedient to the power of the Lord and 
 His Spirit ; war with that Philistine that would stop 
 up your wells and your springs. And the belief in 
 the power keeps the spring open and none to despise 
 prophecy, neither to quench the Spirit ; so that all 
 may be kept open to the spring, that every one's cup 
 may run over. For you may all prophesy one by
 
 187 
 
 one, and the spirit of the prophets is subject to the 
 prophets ; would all the Lord's people were prophets, 
 said Moses in his time, when some found fault : but 
 the last time is the Christian's time ; who enjoys the 
 substance, Christ Jesus, and His church is called a 
 royal priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices ; and 
 His church are His believers in the light. And so in 
 the light every one should have something to offer ; 
 and to offer an offering in righteousness to the living 
 God, else they are not priests ; and such as quench 
 the Spirit cannot offer, but become dull. I will pour 
 out of my Spirit upon all flesh in the last time, saith 
 the Lord, which is the true Christian's time : God's 
 sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young 
 men shall see visions, and old men shall dream 
 dreams ; and on my servants and handmaids I will 
 pour out of my Spirit in those days, and they shall 
 prophesy. Now, Friends, if this be fulfilled, servants, 
 handmaids, sons, daughters, old men, young men, 
 every one is to feel the Spirit of God, by which you 
 may see the things of God and declare them to His 
 praise ; for with the heart man doth believe, and 
 with the mouth confession is made unto salvation ; 
 first he has it in his heart, before it comes out of his 
 mouth ; and this is beyond that brain-beaten heady 
 stuff which man has long studied, about the saints' 
 words which the holy men of God spake forth, as 
 they were moved of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 " So with the Holy Ghost, and with the light and 
 power of God, do you build upon Christ, the Founda- 
 tion and Life ; and by the same heavenly Light, and 
 Power, and Spirit do you labor in the vineyard, and
 
 188 
 
 do you minister and speak forth the things of God, 
 and do you dig for your pearls ; therefore bring them 
 forth, and let them be seen how they glister. Friends, 
 you see how men and women can speak enough for 
 the world, for merchandise, for husbandry, the plow- 
 man for his plow ; but when they should come to 
 speak for God they quench the Spirit, and do not 
 obey God's will. 
 
 " But come, let us see what the wise merchants can 
 say : have they found the pearl and field, and pur- 
 chased the field which yields those glorious glistering 
 pearls ? Let us see, what can you say for God, and 
 that heavenly merchandise ? What can the plow- 
 man say for God with his spiritual plow ? is the 
 fallow ground plowed up ? has he abundance of the 
 heavenly seed of life? So what can the heavenly 
 husbandman say ? has he abundance of spiritual 
 fruit in store ? What can the thresher say ? has he 
 gotten the wheat out of the sheaf, the heavenly 
 wheat, with his heavenly flail? And let us see, 
 what can the spiritual plowman, husbandman, and 
 thresher say for God ; and how they have labored in 
 the vineyard, that they may have their penny. Some 
 are breakers of clods in the vineyard, some are weed- 
 ers, some are cutting off the brambles and bushes, 
 and fitting the ground, and cutting up the roots with 
 the heavenly axe for the seed ; some are harrowing 
 in, some are gathering and laying up the riches. So, 
 you may see, here are merchants, plowmen, harrow- 
 ers, weeders, reapers, and threshers in God's vine- 
 yard, yet no one is to find fault with another, but all 
 laboring in their places, praising the Lord, looking
 
 189 
 
 to Him for their wages, their heavenly penny of life, 
 from the Lord of life. 
 
 " So none are to quench the Spirit, nor to despise 
 prophecy, lest ye limit the Holy One ; and every one 
 is to minister as he hath received the grace, which 
 hath appeared to all men, which brings salvation ; so 
 that the Lord's grace, His light, and truth, and Spirit, 
 and power, may have the passage and the rule in all 
 men and women ; that by it and from it in all, He 
 may have the glory, who is blessed forever and for- 
 ever. The Lord hath said : ' From the rising of the 
 sun to the going down of the same, my name shall be 
 great among the Gentiles.' Now mark, Friends, this 
 is a large space, wherein God's name shall be great ; 
 and the Lord further saith : ' In every place incense 
 shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering ; 
 for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith 
 the Lord of hosts.' Now mark, Friends, this heav- 
 enly incense and pure offering is a spiritual offering, 
 which is to be offered by the Spirit to God, who is a 
 Spirit ; then here none quenches the Spirit of God in 
 his own heart ; and all such come under the title of 
 the royal priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices ; 
 which royal priesthood has a Priest that lives forever, 
 Christ Jesus. 
 
 " And, Friends, do not quench the Spirit, nor abuse 
 the power ; when it moves and stirs in you, be obedi- 
 ent ; but do not go beyond, nor add to it, nor take 
 from it ; for if you do, you are reproved, either for 
 going beyond, or taking from it. And when any 
 have spoken forth the things of the Lord, by His 
 power and Spirit, let them keep in the power and
 
 190 
 
 Spirit that keeps them in the humility, that when 
 they have spoken forth the things of God, they are 
 neither higher nor lower, but still keep in the power, 
 before and after ; and being obedient to the Spirit 
 and power of God, it keeps them from deadness, and 
 alive to God, and keeps them in a sense that they do 
 not go beyond and run out, as some you know have 
 done : and all that hath come for want of living in 
 the power of God, and in His Spirit, which keeps all 
 things in subjection and in order, and in the true fear 
 of the Lord, always to feel the presence of the Lord 
 with you. 
 
 " Come, fishermen, what have you caught with your 
 nets? What can you say for God? Your brethren, 
 Peter and John, fishermen, could say much for God. 
 Read in the Acts and you may see ; I would not have 
 you degenerate from their spirits. 
 
 "Shepherds and herdsmen, where are you? What 
 can you say now for God, whose abiding is much in 
 the fields? David, Jacob, and Amos, your fellow- 
 shepherds and herdsmen (do not you see ?), they 
 could say much for God ; I would have you to be 
 like them, and not to degenerate from their spirit. 
 
 " Come, tradesmen, tent-makers, physicians, and 
 custom-men, what can you say for God ? Do not you 
 read that your fellow-tradesmen in ages past could 
 say much for God ? Do not degenerate from their 
 spirit. Do not you remember the accusations of the 
 wise and learned Grecians, when the apostles 
 preached Christ among them, that they were called 
 poor tradesmen and fishermen ? Therefore be faith- 
 ful. The preachers of Jesus Christ now are the same 
 to the wise of the world as then. G. F."
 
 191 
 
 In the Third Month, 1684, a little missionary band 
 started for Holland, to see how it fared with their 
 brethren ; and among this number we find George 
 Fox. 
 
 They attended the Yearly Meeting held at Amster- 
 dam, and traveled about the country for six weeks, 
 visiting the different meetings. This was the last 
 journey George Fox was able to take, and on his re- 
 turn was so feeble that he was obliged to remain at 
 the house of his son-in-law, William Meads, at Kins- 
 ton, for some time, reaching London in the autumn 
 of the same year. 
 
 " After returning from his last visit to Holland 
 George Fox did not travel far from London, his 
 usual residence during the latter part of his life. 
 His health had been gradually declining for some 
 years, in consequence of his many and grievous im- 
 prisonments, and the great fatigue of body and mind 
 occasioned by his long travels for the promotion of 
 the cause of truth, and by his incessant labors in 
 * defense of the gospel ' against the clamor and op- 
 position of apostate brethren, and the unfounded im- 
 putations of others, decidedly hostile to the truth as 
 it is in Jesus. His solicitude, however, to promote 
 the welfare of the Society, and procure relief to his 
 friends under suffering, both at home and abroad, 
 remained undiminished. In the course of his declin- 
 ing state he wrote many epistles to his friends, some 
 of sympathy and consolation, to encourage and 
 strengthen them in their deep sufferings ; others of 
 counsel, exhortation, and reproof, ' stirring up the 
 pure mind by way of remembrance,' and laboring to
 
 192 
 
 build them up in the most holy faith ; and on all oc- 
 casions seeking not his own honor, but the honor of 
 God only, and the edification of his church and people. 
 
 " Besides these epistles he wrote also others of a 
 more extended character. There are three addressed 
 to the Jews ; and papers in behalf of the doctrine of 
 the gospel, and against persecution, to be delivered 
 to the following rulers : the Great Turk, the magis- 
 trates of Malta, the Emperor of Austria, the Kings 
 of France and Spain, the Pope, and the Emperor of 
 China. And in 1688, Sultan Mahomet IV. having 
 sent a defiance to the Emperor Leopold in his Chris- 
 tian character, threatening to ruin him, and pursue 
 his crucified Grod, George Fox wrote a reply to this 
 public document, warning the Turk to fear the great 
 God that made him and all things, and showing him, 
 out of their own Koran, that the founder of their re- 
 ligion wrote more respectfully of Christ ; whom he 
 then proceeds to set forth to the notice of the Sultan 
 by citations from the Scriptures." 
 
 He also wrote as follows to the captive Friends in 
 Algiers, warning them of an error among the Turks, 
 and urging them to contradict it. 1 
 
 1683. 
 
 " There is a common saying among the Turks to 
 the Christians, 'your crucified Grod^ meaning Christ. 
 Now there is a mistake in this their saying. Though 
 God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Him- 
 self, it was not the eternal Grod, that was cruci- 
 fied and died, that was in Christ; for Christ said, 
 when He was about to > suffer, 'My God! my God! 
 
 1 Journal of G. Fox.
 
 193 
 
 why hast Thou forsaken Me ? ' So Christ suffered 
 in the flesh and was crucified and died, as He was 
 man, not as He was G-od the Word which was in 
 the beginning but as He was man, who bore the in- 
 iquities of all mankind, and was an offering for the 
 sins of the whole world ; who tasted death for every 
 man all being in death in Adam that they might 
 have life through Christ, the second Adam. So I say 
 again, that Christ did not die as He was God, but 
 as He was man. He was crucified, and buried, and 
 arose again the third day, and ascended, and is at the 
 right hand of God. This He did by the power of 
 God, as He was man. So the Turks are mistaken to 
 say, or to think, that the eternal God could be cruci- 
 fied or die." 
 
 The great truth that in Christ Jesus there is nei- 
 ther male nor female early impressed the mind of 
 this champion for the right. He speaks in the early 
 part of his journal of meeting with some people who 
 contended that women had no souls, and argued 
 against such heresy. Mention has been made of his 
 establishment of meetings where the women might 
 transact the affairs more particularly appertaining to 
 their position, and he also wrote letters to this effect 
 bringing scripture proofs to support his assertions. 
 
 One of these was addressed to the Duke of Hoi- 
 stein, and may be interesting in the present day. 
 
 "For the Duke of Holstein, whom I entreat, in the 
 love of God, to read over this, which is sent in love 
 to him. 
 
 9
 
 194 
 
 " I understand that formerly, by some evil-minded 
 persons, it was reported to thee, when Elizabeth 
 Hendricks came to Frederickstadt to visit the people 
 called Quakers, that it was a scandal to the Christian 
 religion, that a woman should be suffered to preach 
 in a public assembly religiously gathei'ed together. 
 Upon which thou gave forth an order to the rulers 
 of Frederickstadt, ' to make the said people leave 
 that place forthwith, or to send them away.' But 
 the said rulers being Arminians, and they, or their 
 fathers, having come to live there, as a persecuted 
 people in Holland, not much above three score years 
 ago, made answer to the duke, ' They were not will- 
 ing to persecute others for conscience' sake, who had 
 looked upon persecution on that account, in their own 
 case, as antiehristian,' etc. But after that, the people 
 of God, in scorn called Quakers, wrote unto thee, 
 O duke, from Frederickstadt ; and since that time, 
 they have had their liberty, and their meetings 
 peaceable, to serve and worship God almost these 
 twenty years at Frederickstadt, and thereabouts, 
 freely, without any molestation ; which liberty they 
 have acknowledged as a great favor and kindness 
 from thee. 
 
 " And now, O duke, thou professing Christianity 
 from the great and mighty name of Jesus Christ, who 
 is King of kings, and Lord of lords, and the Holy 
 Scriptures of truth of the Old and New Testament, do 
 not you use many women's words in your service, and 
 worship out of the Old and New Testament ? The 
 apostle saith, ' Let your women keep silence in the 
 churches ; ' and that ' he did not permit a woman to
 
 195 
 
 speak, but to be under obedience, and if she will 
 learn anything, to ask her husband at home, for it is 
 a shame for a woman to speak in the church.' And 
 1 Tim. ii. 11, 12, ' Women ai'e to learn in silence 
 and not be suffered to teach, nor to usurp authority 
 over the man, but to be in silence.' 1 Cor. iv. 34. 
 Now, here the duke may see what sort of women 
 were to be in silence and in subjection, whom the 
 law commands to be silent, and not to usurp authority 
 over the man, nor to speak in the church, these were 
 unruly women. In the same chapter, he commands 
 women ' not to plait nor broider their hair, nor to 
 wear gold, pearls, or costly array.' These things 
 were forbidden by the apostle; and such women as 
 wear such things are to learn in silence, and to be 
 subject, and not to usurp authority over the men ; 
 for it is a shame for such to speak in the church. 
 But do not such women as these, that wear gold and 
 silver, and pearls, and costly apparel, or costly array, 
 and plait or broider their hail*, speak in your church, 
 when your priest sets them to sing psalms ? Do not 
 they speak when they sing psalms ? Consider this, O 
 duke ! Yet you say, ' your women must keep silence 
 in the church, and must not speak in the church,' 
 but when they sing psalms in your churches, are 
 they then silent? Though the apostle forbids such 
 women before-mentioned to speak in the church, yet 
 in another place the apostle encourages the good or 
 holy women to be teachers of good things, as in 
 Titus ii. 3, 4. The apostle saith, ' I entreat thee, 
 true yoke-fellow, to help those women which labored 
 with me in the gospel, and with other my fellow-la-
 
 196 
 
 borers, whose names are written in the book of life.' 
 Here he owns these holy women, and encourages 
 them, which labored with him in the gospel, and did 
 not forbid them. (Phil. iv. 2, 3.) He likewise com- 
 mends Phoebe unto the church of the Romans, calls 
 her ' a servant unto the church of Cenchrea,' sends 
 his epistle by her to the Romans from Corinth, and 
 desires the church at Rome to ' receive her in the 
 Lord as becometh saints,' and to ' assist her in what- 
 soever business she had need of ; for she had been a 
 succorer of many, and of himself also.' And he said, 
 ' Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ 
 Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own 
 necks ; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also 
 all the churches of the Gentiles.' Now here the 
 duke may see these were good, holy women, whom 
 the apostle did not forbid speaking. (Rom. xvi. 1-4), 
 but commends them. And Priscilla and Aquila in- 
 structed and expounded unto Apollos the way of 
 God more perfectly. (Acts xviii. 26.) So here Pris- 
 cilla was an instructor as well as Aquila ; which holy 
 women the apostle doth not forbid. Neither did the 
 apostle forbid Philip's four daughters, which were 
 virgins, to prophesy. Women might pray and proph- 
 esy in the church. (1 Cor. xi. 5.) 
 
 " The apostles showed to the Jews the fulfilling of 
 Joel's prophesy : ' That in the last days God would 
 pour out of His spirit upon all flesh, and their sons 
 and daughters, servants and handmaids, should proph- 
 esy with the spirit of God.' So the apostle encour- 
 ages daughters and handmaids to prophesy as well as 
 sons ; and if they do prophesy, they must speak to
 
 197 
 
 the church or people. (Joel ii. 28 ; Acts ii. 17, 18.) 
 Did not Miriam the prophetess sing unto the Lord, 
 and all the women with her, when the Lord had de- 
 livered the children of Israel from Pharaoh? Did 
 not she praise the Lord and prophesy in the congre- 
 gation of the children of Israel ? and was not this in 
 the church ? (Ex. xv. 21.) Moses and Aaron did not 
 forbid her prophesying or speaking ; but Moses said, 
 * Would God all the Lord's people were prophets ! ' 
 And the Lord's people are women as well as men. 
 Deborah was a judge and a prophetess ; and do not 
 you make use of Deborah's and Miriam's words in 
 your service and worship ? See ( Judg. v. 1-31) 
 Deborah's large speech or song. Barak did not for- 
 bid her, nor any of the Jewish priests. Did not she 
 make this speech or song in the congregation or 
 church of Israel? In the book of Ruth there are 
 good speeches of those good women, which were not 
 forbidden. Hannah prayed in the temple before Eli, 
 and the Lord answered her prayer. See what a 
 speech Hannah makes, and a praising of God before 
 Eli the high priest, who did not forbid her. (1 Sara, 
 ii. 1-10.) Josiah the King sent his priest, with sev- 
 eral others, to ask counsel of Huldah the prophetess, 
 who dwelt at Jerusalem in the college. (2 Kings xxii. 
 14 ; 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22.) So here the King and his 
 priests did not despise the counsel of this prophetess ; 
 and she prophesied to the congregation of Israel, as 
 may be seen in these chapters. 
 
 "And in Luke i. 41-55, see what a godly speech 
 Elizabeth made to Mary, and what a large godly 
 speech Mary made also. Mary said, ' that the Lord
 
 198 
 
 did regard the low estate of His handmaid,' etc. And 
 do not you make use in your worship and service of 
 Mary's and Elizabeth's words from Luke i. 4155, 
 in your churches, and yet forbid women's speaking 
 in your churches ? Let all sorts of women speak in 
 your churches, when they sing, and say Amen. In 
 Luke ii., there was Anna the prophetess, a widow of 
 about four score and four years ; who departed not 
 from the temple, but served God with fasting and 
 prayer night and day. Did not she confess Christ 
 Jesus in the temple, and give thanks to the Lord, 
 and * speak of Christ to all that looked for redemp- 
 tion in Jerusalem' ? (Luke ii. 36-88.) So such holy 
 women were not forbidden to speak in the church} 
 neither in the law nor gospel. Was it not Mary 
 Magdalene and other women that first preached 
 Christ's resurrection to the apostles? The woman 
 indeed (namely Eve) was first iu transgression ; and 
 so they were women that first preached the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ Jesus ; for Christ said to Mary, etc. 
 ' Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend 
 unto my Father and to your Father, and to my God 
 and to your God.' (John xx. 17.) And Luke xxiv. 
 10, it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary 
 them other of James, and other women that were with 
 them, who told the apostles, * that Christ was risen 
 from the dead ; and their words, and these women's 
 words, were as idle tales to the apostles, and they be- 
 lieved them not.' (Ibid., ver. 11.) And ver. 22, ' Cer- 
 tain women also of our company made us astonished,' 
 they said ; so here it may be seen, that the women's 
 preaching the resurrection of Christ did astonish the
 
 199 
 
 apostles. Christ sent these women to preach his res- 
 urrection ; so it is no shame for such women to 
 preach Christ Jesus ; neither are they to be silent 
 when Christ sends them. The apostle saith, 'Every 
 tongue shall confess to God.' (Rom. xiv. 11) ; and 
 ' Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
 to the glory of God the Father.' (Phil, ii, 11.) So 
 here it is clear that women must confess Christ as 
 well as men, if every tongue must confess. And the 
 apostle saith, 'There is neither male nor female ; for 
 ye are all one in Christ Jesus.' (Gal. iii. 28.) 
 
 " And whereas it is said, ' Women must ask their 
 husbands at home,' etc., the duke knows very well 
 virgins have no husbands, nor widows ; for Anna the 
 prophetess was a widow ; and if Christ be the hus- 
 band men must ask counsel of Him at home as well 
 as women, before they teach. And set the case, 
 that a Turk's wife should be a Christian, or a Papist's 
 wife should be a Lutheran or a Calvinist, must they 
 ask or learn of their husbands at home, before they 
 confess Christ Jesus in the congregation of the Lord? 
 Their counsel will be to them to turn Turks or Pa- 
 pists. I entreat the duke to consider these things. 
 I entreat him to mind God's grace and truth in his 
 heart, that is come by Jesus ; that by his Spirit of 
 grace and truth he may come to serve and worship 
 God in his Spirit and truth ; so that he may serve 
 the living eternal God that made him, in his genera- 
 tion, and have his peace in Christ, that the world 
 cannot take away. And I do desire his good, peace, 
 and prosperity in this world, and his eternal com-
 
 200 
 
 fort and happiness in the world that is everlasting. 
 Amen. G. F. 
 
 " LONDON, 26th of the Eighth Month, 1684." 
 
 Besides the foregoing, he wrote also epistles to 
 Friends, of one of which the following is a copy : 
 
 " Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 in whom you have all life, peace, and salvation ; walk 
 in Him, who is your heavenly Rock and Foundation, 
 that stands sure, who hath all power in heaven and 
 earth given unto Him. So His power is over all. 
 Let your faith stand in His power, which is over all 
 from everlasting to everlasting, over the devil and his 
 power ; that in the holy, heavenly wisdom of God, ye 
 may be preserved and kept to God's glory, out of all 
 snares and temptations ; so that God's wisdom may be 
 justified of all His children in this day of His power, 
 and they all may be faithful, serving and worshiping 
 God in His Spirit and truth, and valiant for it upon 
 the earth. For, as the apostle saith, * They that be- 
 lieve are entered into their rest, and have ceased from 
 their own works, as God did from His.' Now this 
 rest is an eternal rest in Christ, the eternal Son of 
 God, in whom every true believer hath everlasting 
 life in Christ Jesus, their rest and everlasting day. 
 For Christ the Rest bruiseth the serpent's head, and 
 through death destroyeth death and the devil, the 
 power of death and his works. He is the Eternal 
 Rest, that giveth eternal life to His sheep. Christ 
 fufilleth the prophets, and all the figures, shadows, 
 and ceremonies, as in the Old Testament ; and all
 
 201 
 
 the promises are yea and amen in Christ, who was 
 the Eternal Rest to all true believers in the apostles' 
 days, and ever since, and is now. Christ is the be- 
 ginning and the ending, the first and the last, who 
 is ascended above all principalities, powei's, thrones, 
 and dominions, that He might fill all things. For 
 ' by Jesus Christ all things were made and created, 
 whether they be things in heaven, or things in the 
 earth ; ' and He is the Eternal Rest. They that be- 
 lieve are entered into Christ, their Eternal Rest, in 
 whom they have eternal life and peace with God. 
 Wherefore, I say again, in Him who is your Rest, 
 live and abide ; for in Him ye are happy, and His 
 blessings will rest upon you. God Almighty keep 
 and preserve you all, His true believers, in Christ, 
 your Rest and Peace this day. Amen. G. F. 
 
 "LONDON, the 18th of Twelfth Month, 1684-85." 
 
 Perceiving that the love of the world and worldly 
 things was on the increase, George Fox says : 
 
 " A great sense entered me of the growth and in- 
 crease of pride, vanity, and excess m apparel ; and that 
 not only amongst the people of the world, but too 
 much also amongst some that come among us, and 
 seemed to make profession of the truth. In the sense I 
 had of the eyil thereof, it came upon me to give forth 
 the following, as a reproof and check thereunto : 
 
 " The Apostle Peter saith (in 1 Pet. iii.) of the 
 women's adorning : ' Let it not be (mark, let it not 
 be, this is a positive prohibition) that outward adorn- 
 ing of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of 
 putting on of apparel ; but let it be the hidden man 
 9
 
 202 
 
 of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even 
 the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in 
 the sight of God of great price ; for after this man- 
 ner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted 
 in God, adorned themselves.' 
 
 " Here ye may see what is the ornament of the 
 holy women, which was in the sight of God of great 
 price, and which the holy women who trusted in God 
 adorned themselves with. But the unholy women, 
 that trust not in God, their ornament is not a meek 
 and a quiet spirit ; they adorn themselves with plait- 
 ing the hair, putting on of apparel, and wearing of 
 gold ; which is forbidden by the apostle in his gen- 
 eral epistle to the church of Christ, the true Christians. 
 
 " And the apostle saith (1 Tim. ii. 9, 10), ' In like 
 manner also that women adorn themselves in modest 
 apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety ; not with 
 broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array, but 
 (which becometh women professing godliness) with 
 good works.' 
 
 " Here ye may see what the women were to adorn 
 themselves with, w*ho professed godliness ; they were 
 not to adorn themselves with broidered hair, nor gold, 
 nor pearls, nor costly array ; for this was not looked 
 upon to be modest apparel for holy women, that pro- 
 fessed godliness and good works. But this adorning 
 or apparel is for the immodest, unshamefaced, un- 
 sober women, that profess not godliness, neither fol- 
 low those good works that God commands. There- 
 fore it doth not become men and women who profess 
 true Christianity and godliness, to be adorned with 
 gold, or chains, or pearls, or costly array ; or with
 
 203 
 
 broidered hair ; for these things are for the lust of 
 the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, 
 which are not of the Father. All holy men and 
 women are to mind that which is more precious than 
 gold ; who are ' redeemed not with corruptible things, 
 as silver and gold, from your vain conversation ; but 
 with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb with- 
 out blemish and without spot. Therefore as obedient 
 children to God, not fashioning yourselves according 
 to your former lusts in your ignorance ; but as He 
 which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all 
 manner of conversation.' ' (1 Pet. i. 14, 15.) 
 
 It remains to be a truth that "those Christians who 
 enter most deeply into the spiritual nature of the 
 gospel dispensation will find that it leads them into 
 simplicity as regards their outward appearances." The 
 new life hid with Christ in God must differ from the 
 old life of self-indulgence, and many things will drop 
 off like the petals of the flower, when the fruit ma- 
 tures. But as the outward creation differs, so pecul- 
 iar temperaments differ, and there will be variety in 
 the household of God, great variety but great unity, 
 as the love of God and the desire to serve Him are 
 predominant, and all things done to his glory. 
 
 " During the lifetime of George Fox there was 
 no evidence of any disposition to enforce a uniform 
 style of dress among Friends. They were gathered 
 out of all classes of society, from the army, the navy, 
 and the church ; from commercial and professional 
 circles ; from the farm and the workshop, and from 
 every religious profession in Great Britain. They 
 embraced representatives of every rank, the rich and
 
 204 
 
 the poor, the high and the low, the learned and the 
 ignorant, Cavaliers and Roundheads, Churchmen and 
 Dissenters, and they dressed as differently as they 
 naturally would do, under such circumstances. 
 
 " Before another generation passed away, however, 
 that natural tendency of all human institutions, con- 
 tinually to gravitate earthward, unless perpetually 
 revived and uplifted by the same Almighty Power 
 which first gives life to them, began to manifest it- 
 self in the organization of the Society of Friends." 
 
 George Fox had several years before been " gath- 
 ered to the everlasting rest and joy of his Lord," as 
 the London Meeting testified of him ; but his noble 
 wife, Margaret Fox, who had spent several years in 
 various English jails, and had suffered the loss of all 
 for Christ's sake and the gospel, entered her protest 
 against any mere outward uniformity. In a letter 
 written from Swarthmore, Fourth Month, 1698, she 
 says : 
 
 " And let us all take heed of touching anything 
 like the ceremonies of the Jews, for that was dis- 
 pleasing unto Christ ; for He came to bear witness 
 against them, and testified against their outside Prac- 
 tices, who told them of their Long Robes and of their 
 Broad Phylacteries, and against their Garnishing the 
 Sepulchres of the Prophets, and told them, If the 
 Prophets had been there, they would have killed 
 them, as their Fathers did ; and when they found 
 fault with him for ea-ting and drinking with Publi- 
 cans and Sinners, he told them, That Publicans and 
 Sinners should enter into the Kingdom before them.
 
 205 
 
 So that we may see how ill he liked their outward 
 Ceremonies. So let us keep to the Rule and Lead- 
 ing of the Eternal Spirit, that God hath given us to 
 be our Teacher, and let that put on and off, as is 
 meet and serviceable for every one's State and Con- 
 dition : And let us take heed of limiting in such 
 Practices ; for we are under the Gospel Leading, and 
 Guiding and Teaching, which is a free Spirit, which 
 leads into Unity and Lowliness of mind the Saints 
 and Servants of Christ, desiring to be Established in 
 the free Spirit, not bound nor limited. Legal Cere- 
 monies are far from Gospel Freedom ; Let us beware 
 of being guilty, or having a hand in ordering or con- 
 triving that which is contrai'y to Gospel Freedom ; 
 for the Apostle would not have Dominion over their 
 Faith, but to be helpers of their Faith. It's a dan- 
 gerous thing to lead young Friends much into the 
 observation of outward things, which may be easily 
 done ; for they can soon get into an outward Garb, 
 to be all alike outwardly ; but this will not make 
 them true Christians : It 's the Spirit that gives Life, 
 1 would be loth to have a hand in these things. The 
 Lord preserve us, that we do no hurt to God's Work ; 
 but let Him work, whose Work it is : We have lived 
 quietly and peaceably thus far, and it 's not for God's 
 Service to make Breaches. MARGARET Fox "
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 WHILE George Fox was thus engaged in the care 
 of the church, an event occurred which caused great 
 changes in the English nation. 
 
 In the Second Month of 1685, the stern messenger 
 who comes alike to palace and\ cottage, presented 
 himself at Whitehall, in the midst of that corrupt 
 court, which busied itself about anything rather than 
 a preparation for his coming. King Charles was 
 seized with illness, and after three days passed to the 
 tribunal of the King of kings. His brother James, 
 who had as Duke of York been very obnoxious to 
 Parliament, now ascended the throne amid the ac- 
 clamations of nearly all parties. He at once professed 
 himself a Romanist, had a new pulpit erected at court 
 for a Romish priest, and mass was publicly celebrated 
 at Westminster. Still he declared that he was de- 
 termined to protect the liberties of his people. 
 
 About a month after his accession to the throne a 
 petition for relief was drawn up by the Friends, and 
 sent to the King. They stated that above one thou- 
 sand five hundred Friends, both men and women, had 
 been detained prisoners in England and Wales. 
 Their long and tedious imprisonment in the crowded 
 jails had impaired the health of all, while three hun- 
 dred and twenty had died in consequence. Thus 
 many homes were made desolate, and widows and
 
 207 
 
 fatherless children were mourning the loss of their 
 dear ones. Woeful havoc and spoil had also been 
 made upon the property of those not in prison, 
 through the fines imposed upon them. Some were 
 left without a bed to rest upon ; some with no oxen 
 to till their fields, no corn for seed, and no tools to 
 work with ; thus preventing industry. And all this, 
 the petition says, " under pretense of serving the 
 King and the church, thereby to force us to a con- 
 formity, without inward conviction or satisfaction of 
 our tender consciences, wherein our peace with God 
 is concerned, which we are very tender of." 
 
 Action upon this petition was prevented by the 
 attempt of the Duke of Monmouth to obtain the 
 throne. The King and his court were fully occupied 
 in suppressing this insurrection, and wreaking ven- 
 geance on those concerned in it. There is much to 
 regret in the sanguine character of that vengeance ; 
 and the action of the brutal Lord Jeffries, presiding 
 over the " bloody assize," is one of the dark stains in 
 English history. The Duke of Argyle, who was a 
 Presbyterian, had taken an active part in this at- 
 tempt to drive James from his throne. Against this 
 sect consequently, as well as other Dissenters, the 
 laws were now more rigorously enforced. 
 
 A deputation of the Friends was appointed to wait 
 upon the King, and renew their solicitations for the 
 release of their brothers and sisters, who had been 
 shut up in dungeons, in terms varying from five to 
 fifteen years. While King James as a Roman Cath- 
 olic had some object in desiring leniency of action to- 
 ward non-conformists, it must be acknowledged that
 
 208 
 
 he always professed himself averse to persecution for 
 religious belief. The deputation was favorably re- 
 ceived, and on the 15th of Third Month, 1685, a 
 warrant was issued, releasing the Friends who were 
 in prison. Nearly fifteen hundred now came forth to 
 be rejoicingly restored to their families and homes. 
 
 While so much had been gained there was need for 
 further assistance from the King, as the laws against 
 non-conformists were still in force, and the informers 
 were busily at work. A statement of their perjuries 
 and embezzlements was drawn up, and Friends peti- 
 tioned to have a commission appointed to examine 
 into its truth. The assertions were all proven and 
 the King declared his aversion to the informers, and 
 that it was his will they should be discountenanced. 
 
 The Yearly Meeting in the spring of 1686 was a 
 joyful occasion. Many were present who had been 
 for years deprived of the privilege of thus meeting 
 with their friends, and thanksgiving and praise as- 
 cended to the Lord for their deliverance. The watch- 
 ful eye of George Fox was upon these newly released 
 prisoners, and feeling, as he says, " a concern that 
 none might look too much to man, but might eye the 
 Lord therein, from whom deliverance comes," he 
 wrote the following letter : 
 
 " FRIENDS, The Lord, by his eternal power, 
 hath opened the heart of the King to open the prison 
 doors, by which about fifteen or sixteen hundred are 
 set at liberty, and hath given a check to the inform- 
 ers ; so that in many places our meetings are pretty 
 quiet. My desires are, that both liberty and suffer-
 
 209 
 
 ings may be sanctified to His people, that Friends 
 may prize the mercies of the Lord in all things, and 
 to Him be thankful, who stilleth the raging waves of 
 the seas, allayeth the storms and tempests, and mak- 
 eth a calm. Therefore it is good to trust in the Lord, 
 and cast your care upon Him, who careth for you. 
 For when ye were in jails and prisons^ the Lord did 
 by His eternal arm and power uphold you, and sancti- 
 fied them to you (and unto some he made them as a 
 sanctuary), and tried His people as in a furnace of 
 affliction, both in prisons and spoiling of goods. In 
 all this the Lord was with His people, and taught 
 them to know that ' the earth is the Lord's and the 
 fullness thereof ; ' and that He was in all places ; 
 'who crowneth the year with His goodness.' (Psa. 
 Ixv.) Therefore le all God's people be diligent and 
 careful to keep the camp of God holy, pure, and 
 clean ; and to serve God and Christ and one another 
 in the glorious, peaceable gospel of life and salvation, 
 which glory shines over God's camp ; and His great 
 Prophet, Bishop, and Shepherd is among, or in the 
 midst of them, exercising His heavenly offices in 
 them ; so that you, His people, may rejoice in Christ 
 Jesus, through whom you have peace with God. For 
 He that destroyeth the devil and his work, and 
 bruises the serpent's head, is all God's people's heav- 
 enly Foundation and Rock to build upon, which was 
 the holy prophets' and apostles' Rock in days past, 
 and is now the Rock of our age ; which Rock and 
 Foundation of God standeth sure. Upon this the 
 Lord God establish all his people. Amen. G. F. 
 " LONDON, 25th of the Seventh Month, 1686."
 
 210 
 
 Not only did the Friends in England receive his 
 care, but epistles of advice and counsel were sent to 
 the churches in the New World. 
 
 To Friends in the ministry, in Pennsylvania and 
 New Jersey. 
 
 * " ENFIELD, Fifth Month, 30th, 1685. 
 
 " DEAR FRIENDS, With my love to you all and 
 all other Friends. I was glad to hear from you, but 
 you gave me no account of the increase of truth 
 among you, nor what meetings you have had amongst 
 the Indian kings and their people, abroad in the coun- 
 tries, and of your visiting Friends in New England, 
 Virginia, and Carolina, nor of your travels and labors 
 in the gospel, though you have in all those countries, 
 liberty to serve and worship Gpd, and preach the 
 truth. And I understand many have a desire to 
 live in it especially in Carolina ; and you, who travel 
 now to visit Friends in those provinces, it is thought 
 strange you do not visit them (those people that 
 
 were seeking the truth) And therefore my 
 
 desires are, that you may all be diligent, serving the 
 Lord and minding His glory and the prosperity of 
 His truth this little time you have to live ; and be 
 not like Adam, in the earth, but use this world as 
 though you did not use it ; for they that covet after 
 this world fall into divers snares and hurtful lusts ; 
 and therefore consider that you are but sojourners 
 here ; that you may pass your time in the fear of 
 God, and you being many, and having many of 
 the Friends of the ministry going over into those 
 parts, you may be a hindrance one to another, if you
 
 211 
 
 confine your visits to Friends, and do not travel in 
 the life of the universal truth, that would have all 
 men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the 
 truth ; and if you would have them come to a knowl- 
 edge of the truth, let them know it and where it is 
 to be found. So I desire that you be valiant for it 
 upon the earth, that you may give a good account 
 unto God at the last with joy. I desire that all 
 Friends in the ministry may see this, in Pennsylvania 
 and New Jersey. My love to you all in the holy 
 Seed of life that reigns over all. Amen. G. F." 
 
 While George Fox so earnestly declared the blessed 
 doctrine of the teaching of the Holy Spirit, we see 
 by the tenor of this epistle that he fully embraced 
 the truth that the Lord is pleased to use instru- 
 mental means in promulgating the gospel. " Let 
 him that heareth say come," was the motive power 
 which led him through Great Britain and America; 
 and the blessed promise of his Master, " Lo, I am 
 with you always," was his support and stay. Nor 
 
 would he confine his ministrations to the sect of his 
 
 . * 
 choice ; he went himself and advised his brothers in 
 
 the ministry to travel "in the life of the universal 
 truth." Well is it for the church he loved to re- 
 member that the commission of her Master is broad, 
 and His standing order to His followers is, "Go ye 
 into all the world and preach the gospel to every 
 creature." The theme of Christians from the earliest 
 "formation of the church, the theme which will form 
 the joyous strains of eternity, salvation through the 
 blood of the Lamb, was the theme which inspired
 
 212 
 
 many of the epistles of George Fox. "None but 
 Christ ! none but Christ ! " was his motto. See how 
 fully this truth is brought out in a letter dated 
 
 " KINGSTON-UPON THAMES, Twelfth Month, 1C86. 
 
 " Christ saith, ' I am come that they might have 
 life, and that they might have it more abundantly ! ' 
 He gave His flesh for the life of the world. And He 
 saith, ' I am the resurrection and the life ; ' and, ' I 
 am the way, the truth, and the life ; no man cometh 
 unto the Father but by me.' Christ is the quicken- 
 ing spirit. All men being dead in Adam are to be 
 quickened and made alive by Christ, the second Adam. 
 And when they are quickened and made alive by Him 
 they meet together in the name of Jesus Christ their 
 Saviour, who died for their sins, and is risen for their 
 justification, who was dead and is alive again, and 
 liveth forevermore. All whom He hath quickeneth 
 and made alive (even all the living) meet in the name 
 of Jesus, who is alive, and He, their living Prophet, 
 Shepherd, and Bishop, is in the midst of them ; and 
 is their living Rock and Foundation, and a living 
 Mediator between them and the living God. So the 
 living praise the living God through Jesus Christ, 
 through whom they have peace with God. All the 
 living have rest in Christ, their life. He is their 
 sanctification, their righteousness, their treasure of 
 wisdom, knowledge, and understanding which is spir- 
 itual and heavenly. He is the spiritual tree and root, 
 which all the believers in the light, the life in Christ, 
 that pass from the death in Adam to the life in 
 Christ, and overcome the world, and are born of
 
 213 
 
 God, are grafted into ; even Christ the heavenly tree, 
 which beareth all the spiritual branches or grafts. 
 These meet in His name, are gathered in Him, and 
 sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, their 
 life, who hath quickened and made them alive. So 
 all the living worship the living God in His Holy 
 Spirit and truth, in which they live and walk. Into 
 this worship the foul, unclean spirit, the devil, can- 
 not get ; for the Holy Spirit and truth is over him 
 and he is out- of it. This is the standing worship, 
 which Christ set up in His new covenant. And they 
 that are quickened by Christ are the living stones, 
 living members, and spiritual household and church, 
 or congregation, of Christ, who is the living head or 
 husband. G. F." 
 
 The following will show his full belief that those 
 who would realize the blessings of salvation must ex- 
 perience a change from the old life, a turning unto 
 Christ. 
 
 <x John the Baptist came preaching in the wilder- 
 ness of Judea, saying, ' Repent ye : for the kingdom 
 of heaven is at hand.' (Matt. iii. 2.) And when 
 John the Baptist was cast into prison, Mark says 
 ' That Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel 
 of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is ful- 
 filled, and the kingdom of God is at hand ; repent ye, 
 and believe the gospel.' (Mark i. 14, 15.) 
 
 " Here ye may see that people must repent of 
 their vain life and convei'sation, before they receive 
 the gospel, must be turned from darkness to the light
 
 214 
 
 of Christ, and from the power of Satan unto God, 
 before they receive His Holy Spirit, and His gospel 
 of life and salvation. The Lord commands all men 
 everywhere to repent, and to do works meet for re- 
 pentance. They must show forth that their lives 
 and conversations are changed, and that they serve 
 God in newness of life, with new tongues, and new 
 hearts. G. F. 
 
 " GOOSES, the Sixth Month, 1687." 
 
 The corresponding fruits of the, new life are clearly 
 brought out in another short epistle, written, as he 
 says, to show " wherein God's people should be like 
 Him." 
 
 " God is righteous ; and He would have His people 
 to be righteous, and to do righteously. God is holy ; 
 and He would have His people holy, and to do holily. 
 God is just; and He would have His people to be 
 just, and to do justly to all. God is light ; and His 
 children must walk in His light. God is an eternal 
 infinite Spirit ; and His children must walk in the 
 Spirit. God is merciful ; and He would have His 
 people to be merciful. God's sun shines upon the 
 good and the bad, and He causes the rain to fall upon 
 the evil and the good ; so should His people do good 
 unto all. God is love; and they that dwell in love, 
 dwell in God. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor ; 
 therefore ' love is the fulfilling of the law.' (Rom. 
 xiii. 10.) The apostle says, ' All the law is fulfilled in 
 one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor 
 as thyself.' (Gal. v. 14.) 'As the Father hath
 
 215 
 
 loved me, so I have loved you : continue ye ifi my 
 love.' (John xv. 9.) This should be the practice of 
 all God's people. G. F. 
 
 " GOOSES, the Sixth Month, 1687." 
 
 His own words are again : 
 
 " And because most people would confess that 
 God's people should be thus, but few know how to 
 come to this state ; therefore in the openings of the 
 spirit of truth I wrote another short paper, directing 
 to the * right way and means, whereby people might 
 come unto Christ, and so be made like unto God.' 
 
 " Thus : Christ saith, ' I am the way, the truth, 
 and the life ; no man cometh unto the Father but 
 by me.' (John xvi. 6.) And again, ' No man can 
 come to me, except the Father, which hath sent me, 
 draw him.' (John vi. 44.) Now what is the means 
 by which God doth draw people to His Son, but by 
 His Holy Spirit, who ' poureth out of His Spirit upon 
 all flesh.' By this Holy Spirit the holy and right- 
 eous God doth draw people from their unrighteous- 
 ness and unholiness to Christ, the righteous and holy 
 One, the great Prophet in His New Covenant and 
 New Testament, of whom Moses, in the Old Cove- 
 nant and Testament, said, God would raise up, like 
 unto Him, and whom people should ' hear in all 
 things ; and they who would not hear Him should 
 be cut off.' They that do not hear the Son of God, 
 the great Prophet, do not mind the drawing of the 
 Father by His Holy Spirit to His Son ; but to them 
 that mind the drawings of the good Spirit of the Fa- 
 ther to His Son the Spirit giveth understanding to
 
 216 
 
 know* God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life. 
 Then they know that Jesus Christ is the way, the 
 truth, and the life, and that none can come unto God 
 but by and through His Son, who is their Shepherd 
 to feed them in His pastures and springs of life ; and 
 His sheep know His holy voice, in whom there was 
 no sin, and in whose mouth there was no guile ; and 
 an hireling they will not hear, for he careth not for 
 the sheep ; for they are not the hireling's, but Christ's, 
 who hath laid down His life for His sheep. He that 
 robs and steals his neighbor's words, that climbeth 
 up another way, and entereth not by the door, is a 
 thief and a robber ; but Christ is the door into His 
 sheepfold, for His sheep to enter in by. They know 
 that Christ is the Bishop of their souls, to see that 
 they do not go astray from God, nor out of His past- 
 ures of life ; they know that Christ is their Mediator, 
 and makes their peace with God ; and they know 
 that Christ is their High Priest, made higher than the 
 heavens, and hath died for their sins, doth cleanse 
 them with His blood, is risen for their justification; 
 and is able to the utmost to save all that come to 
 God by Him. G. F. 
 
 "GOOSES, the Sixth Month, 1687." 
 
 In the Fourth Month, 1687, the King issued an 
 order that the execution of all penal laws concern- 
 ing ecclesiastical matters should be suspended. This 
 would have been more acceptable had it been the 
 action of the King and his Parliament, rather than 
 merely the exercise of his royal prerogative ; but the 
 liberty was enjoyed, and, in common with other Dis-
 
 217 
 
 senters, Friends presented an address to King James 
 expressing their thankfulness. This was favorably 
 received, and at the assembling of the Yearly Meet- 
 ing in 1687 it was concluded to send an address from 
 that body to the King by the hands of William 
 Penn, who had free access to the royal person. To 
 this address the King returned the following an- 
 swer : 
 
 " GENTLEMEN, I thank you heartily for your 
 address. Some of you know, I am sure you do, Mr. 
 Penn, that it was always my principle that conscience 
 ought not to be forced, and that all men ought to 
 have the liberty of their conscience. And what I 
 have promised in my declaration I will continue to 
 perform as long as I live ; and I hope, before I die, 
 to settle it so that after ages shall have no reason 
 to alter it." 
 
 King James was not to be the instrument of estab- 
 lishing liberty of conscience in England. His power 
 was already tottering, and further steps in this direc- 
 tion caused a great excitement in his Parliament. 
 The English people feared that toleration with him 
 only meant favor to the Roman Catholic religion ; 
 and the appointment of those who professed that 
 faith to the highest offices in the state increased the 
 feeling of anxiety. Attention was directed towards 
 the Prince and Princess of Orange, as the hope of the 
 nation at this crisis. The Prince, it will be remem- 
 bered, was a grandson of Charles I., and his wife a 
 daughter of James II. She had been educated in the 
 10
 
 218 
 
 Protestant religion by the express orders of Charles 
 II., and their marriage had been arranged by King 
 James to satisfy the growing discontent of his sub- 
 jects. Mary, the Princess of Orange, was the heir 
 apparent of the crown of England, and it was to her 
 and her husband that the eyes of the English nation 
 were turned in this emergency. 
 
 It does not come within the scope of this work to 
 detail the events which placed them upon the throne. 
 It is sufficient to say that James, becoming alarmed 
 for his personal safety, fled to France, and William 
 and Mary were crowned King and Queen of Eng- 
 land, in the Fourth Month, 1689.
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 A PROTESTANT King and Queen being now seated 
 on the throne of England, with a Parliament united 
 with them in the policy of maintaining that form of 
 religion, the first subject claiming their attention 
 was the modification of the laws in relation to Dis- 
 senters. An Act of Toleration was prepared " which 
 exempted Protestant subjects, dissenting from the 
 Church of England, from the penalties of certain 
 laws, designed to force them to conformity." 
 
 Friends were on the alert to have the act framed 
 so as to include them within its scope. This was 
 very necessary, as the bill had a confession of faith 
 attached to it, which had been drawn up with the 
 idea of exempting the " Quakers " from its provis- 
 ions, on the plea that they were not Christians. 
 
 It was not to be expected that our aged veteran, 
 who had so long counseled his brethren, would keep 
 aloof from this conflict. In his journal he says : 
 " Though I was weak in body, and not well able to 
 stir about, yet so great a concern was upon my spirit 
 on behalf of truth and Friends, that I attended con- 
 tinually with many Friends at the Parliament House, 
 laboring with the members that the thing might be 
 done comprehensively and effectually." 
 
 A confession of faith was drawn up by Friends 
 and presented to Parliament by a committee of their
 
 220 
 
 body, who were examined in relation to it. The re- 
 sult of the investigation was that Parliament was 
 convinced that Quakerism was not adverse to Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 Their profession of faith may be interesting to the 
 Friends of the present day. 
 
 . Question. Do you believe the divinity and hu- 
 manity of Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God ? or 
 that Jesus Christ is truly God and man ? 
 
 Answer. Yes, we verily believe that Jesus Christ 
 is truly God and man, according as 'Holy Scriptures 
 testify of Him ; God over all blessed forever ; the true 
 God, and eternal life ; the one Mediator between God 
 and man, even the man Christ Jesus. 
 
 Question. Do you believe and expect salvation 
 and justification by the righteousness and merits of 
 Jesus Christ, or by your own righteousness and 
 works ? 
 
 Answer. By Jesus Christ, His righteousness, mer- 
 its, and works, and not by our own. God is not in- 
 debted to us for our deservings, but we to Him for 
 His free grace in Christ Jesus ; whereby we are saved 
 through faith in Him, not of ourselves ; and by His 
 grace are enabled truly and acceptably to serve and 
 follow Him as He requires. He is our all in all, who 
 worketh all in us that is well pleasing to God. 
 
 Question. Do you believe in the remission of sins 
 and redemption through the sufferings, death, and 
 blood of Christ ? 
 
 Answer. Yes, through faith in Him, as He suffered 
 and died for all men, gave Himself a ransom for all, 
 and His blood being shed for the remission of sins,
 
 221 
 
 so all they who sincerely believe in and obey Him 
 receive the blessed effects of His suffering and dying 
 for them. They, by faith in His name, receive and 
 partake of that eternal redemption which He hath 
 obtained for us, who gave Himself for us that He 
 might redeem us from all iniquity. He died for our 
 sins, and rose again for our justification, and " if we 
 walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fel- 
 lowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus 
 Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." 
 
 And now the long-looked-for relief had come, and 
 Friends in common with other Dissenters were re- 
 lieved in some measure from the suffering which had 
 pressed so heavily upon them. They could meet in 
 peace to worship God, and were no longer required to 
 take an oath. Tithes were still demanded, and they 
 suffered the loss of property in that respect, but the 
 cruel imprisonments ceased. 
 
 No one rejoiced more in this deliverance than 
 George Fox, whose body was now feeling the effects 
 of his earnest labor for his Master, but whose spirit 
 was fresh and strong. Like the beloved disciple of 
 old, love was the prevailing feeling in his heart, and 
 love the burden of his exhortations to the people. 
 
 Writing from London under date Third Month, 23d, 
 1689, he says : 
 
 " Dear Friends and Brethren in Christ Jesus, whom 
 the Lord by His eternal arm and power hath pre- 
 served to this day, all walk in the power and Spirit 
 of God, that is over all, in love and unity ; for love 
 overcomes, builds up, and unites all the members of 
 Christ to Him the Head. Love keeps out of all strife
 
 222 
 
 and is of God. Love as charity never fails, but keeps 
 the mind above all outward things and strife about 
 all outward things. It overcomes evil, and casts out 
 all false fears. It is of God, and unites all the hearts 
 of His people in the heavenly joy, concord, and unity. 
 The God of love preserve you all, and establish you 
 in Christ Jesus, your life and salvation, in whom ye 
 have all peace with God. So walk in Him, that ye 
 may be ordered in His peaceable heavenly wisdom, 
 to the glory of God and the comfort one of another." 
 
 The pressure of care devolving upon George Fox in 
 London was so great that his bodily strength was not 
 sufficient for long visits to the city. His step-sons- 
 in-law had pleasant country homes near London, and 
 in one or the other of these he found rest for his en- 
 feebled frame. A warm affection seems to have ex- 
 isted between him and the members of his wife's 
 family, and he was always warmly welcomed in their 
 homes. In a written testimonial to his memory they 
 say that " they found him a tender father, who 
 never failed to give them wholesome counsel, and 
 that the esteem they entertained for him in early life 
 was increased by a longer and more intimate ac- 
 quaintance." 
 
 Margaret Fox came from her home at the North 
 and spent the winter of 1689 with him, but her fam- 
 ily and estate requiring her care, she returned to 
 Swarthmore in the spring. The single-hearted devo- 
 tion with which these two endeavored to serve their 
 Master will be seen from Margaret Fox's own words. 
 " Though the Lord had provided an outward habita- 
 tion for him, yet he was not willing to stay at it, be-
 
 223 
 
 cause it was so remote and far from London, where 
 his work lay. And my concern for God and for His 
 holy eternal truth was then in the North, where God 
 had placed and sent me, and likewise for the ordering 
 and governing of my children and family, so that we 
 were very willing both of us to live apart some years 
 upon God's account, and His truth's service, and to 
 deny ourselves of that comfort which we might have 
 had in being together, for the sake and service of the 
 Lord and His truth." 
 
 As the organization of the Society had now been 
 satisfactorily established, it is probable that he had 
 an idea of retiring to Swarthmore in the winter of 
 1690, to obtain the repose his declining years required. 
 Before that time, however, his Master called him to 
 "come up higher," to the "house not made with 
 hands, eternal in the heavens." It is obvious to any 
 one who has followed the life of this earnest laborer 
 that he had neither time nor inclination for the ac- 
 cumulation of wealth. He seems to have been in the 
 possession of enough to gratify his own simple wants, 
 and in some measure to provide for others. With 
 this he was content, and so far from seeking to be 
 rich, he even refused it when circumstances placed it 
 in his power, as we have seen when he refused any 
 part or lot in his wife's inheritance. 
 
 Some time before this he had purchased a piece of 
 land in the neighborhood of Swarthmore, and one of 
 the later acts of his life was to give this to Friends, 
 as a site for a meeting-house. The terms of the 
 grant are as follows : " I offer and give up freely to 
 the Lord, for the service of His sons and daughters
 
 224 
 
 and servants, called Quakers, the house and houses, 
 barn and kiln, stable and all the land, with the gar- 
 den and orchard, being about three acres of land, 
 more or less, with all the commonage, great turfing, 
 moss, with whatever privileges belonging to it, called 
 Pettis at Swarthmore, in the parish of Ulverstone. 
 And also my ebony bedstead with painted curtains, 
 and the great elbow chair that Robert Widders sent 
 me, and my great sea-case with the bottles in it, I do 
 give to stand in the house as heirlooms, when the 
 house shall be made use of as a meeting-place, so that 
 Friends (who go to lodge there) may have a bed to 
 lie on, a chair to sit on, and a bottle to hold a little 
 water to drink." After mentioning the repairs and 
 the necessity of making^ a road- way, etc., he contin- 
 ues, " You may let any poor honest Friend live in 
 the house, and so let it all be for the Lord's service 
 to the end of the world." 
 
 Swarthmore meeting-house, thus built and endowed 
 by George Fox, is still standing, and " the great 
 elbow chair" is still there, and some pieces of the 
 " ebony bedstead." And there, too, may be seen the 
 Bible with the chain by which it was formerly fast- 
 ened to the minister's gallery. 
 
 The shades of evening were now fast gathering 
 about this useful life, but the busy pen was still in 
 motion, as with keen-sighted watchfulness error was 
 detected in the ranks of the loved Society. 
 
 In the Second Month of 1690 he says : " I had 
 a concern upon my spirit with respect to a twofold 
 danger that attended some who professed truth : one 
 was of young people's running into the fashions of the
 
 225 
 
 world ; and the other was of old people's going into 
 earthly things." He accordingly wrote this letter : 
 
 " TO ALL WHO PROFESS THE TRUTH OF GOD, 
 
 My desires are that you may walk in humility in 
 it. For when the Lord first called me forth, he let 
 me see that young people grew tip together in van- 
 ity, and the fashions of the world; and old people 
 went downward into the earth, raking it together. 
 And now, Friends, I see too many young people, that 
 profess the truth, grow up into the fashions of the 
 world, and too many parents indulge them ; and 
 amongst the elder some are going downwards and 
 raking after the earth. Therefore take heed that 
 you are not making your graves, while you are alive 
 outwardly, and loading yourselves with thick clay. 
 (Hab. xi. 6.) For if you have not power over the 
 worldly spirit, and that which leadeth into a vain 
 mind, and the fashions of the world and into the 
 earth ; though you have often had the rain fall upon 
 your fields, you will but bring forth thistles, briers, 
 and thorns, which are for the fire. Such will be- 
 come brittle, peevish, fretful spirits, that will not 
 abide the heavenly doctrine, the admonitions, exhor- 
 tations, and reproofs of the Holy Ghost, or Heavenly 
 Spirit of God, which would bring you to be conform- 
 able to the death of Christ, and to His image, that ye 
 might have fellowship with Him in His resurrection. 
 Therefore it is good for all to bow to the name of 
 Jesus their Saviour, that all may confess Him to the 
 glory of God. For I have a concern upon me, in a 
 sense of the danger of young people's going into 
 10*
 
 226 
 
 earthly things, and many going into a loose and false 
 liberty, till at last they go quite out into the spirit 
 of the world, as some have done. The house of such 
 hath been built upon the sand by the sea-shore, not 
 upon Christ, the Rock ; that they are so soon in the 
 world again, under a pretense of liberty of con- 
 science. But it is not a pure conscience, nor in the 
 Spirit of God nor in Christ Jesus ; for in the liberty 
 of the Spirit there is the unity which is the bond of 
 peace, and all are one in Christ Jesus, in whom is 
 the true liberty ; and this is not of the world, for He 
 is not of the world. Therefore all are to stand fast 
 in Him, as they have received Him, for in Him there 
 is peace, who is the Prince of Peace ; but in the world 
 there is trouble. For the spirit of the world is a 
 troublesome spirit, but the Spirit of Christ is a peace- 
 able Spirit ; in which God Almighty preserve all the 
 faithful. Amen." 
 
 The following advice to ministers of the gospel is 
 applicable at the present day, though nearly two 
 hundred years have elapsed since it was written : 
 
 " All Friends in the ministry everywhere, to whom 
 God hath given a gift of the ministry, and who travel 
 up and down in it, do not hide your talent, nor put 
 your light under a bushel, nor cumber or entangle 
 yourselves with the affairs of this world. For the 
 natural soldiers are not to cumber themselves with 
 the world, much less the soldiers of Christ, who are 
 not of this world, but are to mind the riches and 
 glory of the world that is everlasting. Therefore
 
 227 
 
 stir up the gift of God in you and improve it ; do not 
 sit down Demas-like, and embrace this present world 
 that will have an end, lest ye become idolaters. Be 
 valiant for God's truth upon the earth, and spread it 
 abroad in the daylight of Christ, you who have sought 
 the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, 
 and have received it and preached it ; which stands 
 in 'righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy 
 Ghost.' As able ministers of the Spirit, sow to the 
 Spirit, that of the Spirit ye may reap life everlasting. 
 Go on in the Spirit, plowing with it in the purify- 
 ing hope ; and thrashing with the power and Spirit 
 of God the wheat out of the chaff of corruption, in 
 the same hope. For he that looks back from the 
 spiritual plow into the world is not fit for the spirit- 
 ual and everlasting kingdom of God, and is not like 
 to press into it as the faithful do. Therefore, you 
 that are awakened to righteousness, and to a knowl- 
 edge of the truth, keep yourselves awakened in it ; 
 then the enemy cannot sow his tares in your fields ; 
 for truth and righteousness are over him and before 
 he was. My desires are, that all may fulfill their 
 ministry that the Lord Jesus hath committed to 
 them ; and then, by the blood and testimony of Jesus, 
 you will overcome the enemy that opposes it, within 
 and without. All you that preach the truth, do it 
 as it is in Jesus, in love ; and to all that are believers 
 in Jesus and receivers of Him, He gives power to 
 become the sons of God, and joint heirs of Christ, 
 whom He calls brethren ; and He gives them the water 
 of life, which shall be as a well in them springing up 
 as a river to eternal life, that they may water the
 
 228 
 
 spiritual plants of the living God: So that all may 
 be spiritual planters and spiritual waterers, and may 
 see with the spiritual eye the everlasting, eternal 
 God over all, to give the increase, who is the infinite 
 fountain. My desires are that you may be kept out 
 of the beggarly elements of the world, which are 
 below the spiritual region, to Christ, the Head ; and 
 may hold Him who bruiseth the head of enmity, and 
 was before it was ; that ye may all be united together 
 in love in your Head, Christ, and be ordered by His 
 heavenly, gentle, peaceable wisdom, to the glory of 
 God. For all that be in Christ are in love* peace, 
 and unity. In Him they are strong, and in a full 
 persuasion ; and in Him who is the first and the 
 last they are in a heavenly resolution and confidence 
 for God's everlasting honor and glory. Amen. 
 
 " From him who is translated into the kingdom of 
 his dear Son, with all his saints, a heavenly salu- 
 tation. Salute one another with the holy kiss of 
 charity, that never faileth. G. F. 
 
 "FORD GREEN, the 25th of Ninth Month, 1690." 
 
 It is interesting to see the assurance of faith evinced 
 in the writings and teachings of this evangelist. 
 From the day when in his distress he heard the 
 words, " There is one, even Christ Jesus, who can 
 speak to thy condition," until the close of his life, 
 his faith never wavered. He knew that he had be- 
 come a new man in Christ Jesus, and never hesitated 
 to declare his position as a redeemed and accepted 
 child of God through the atonement and mediation 
 of his Lord and Saviour. He could say with the
 
 229 
 
 beloved disciple, " We may know Him that is true, 
 and we are in Him that is true, even in his Son 
 Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life." 
 But, while thus bold in asserting his position, his 
 soul, like the Psalmist, made her boast in the Lord, 
 and he was ever careful to declare that it was all of 
 Christ. " We are nothing ; Christ is all." 
 
 And while resting alHiis hopes of pardon on a 
 crucified Saviour he also magnified the power of a 
 risen Lord in keeping from sin. In a general epistle 
 to Friends written in 1662, we find very clear teach- 
 ing on this doctrine of deliverance from the power of 
 sin, the blessedness of a present Saviour, "able to 
 save to the uttermost those who come unto God by 
 Him." 
 
 He says : " The teachers of this world who called 
 themselves the ministers of Christ told us that they 
 had received a gift from Christ, who did ascend on 
 high, and led captivity captive ; and this gift was 
 for the work of the ministry, and for the perfecting 
 of the saints ; and how that they were to bring peo- 
 ple to the knowledge of the Son of God, from whence 
 they had received this gift, and to the unity of the 
 faith ; which faith gives the victory, and brings to 
 have access to God, and also to a perfect man's state, 
 and to the measure of the stature of the fullness of 
 Christ. And thus people followed them, and were 
 glad that they would bring them to a perfect man's 
 state, that is, to the state of Adam and Eve before 
 they fell, for they were perfect then ; and when we 
 had followed them, some twenty, some thirty, some 
 more, some less years, then they told us again, that
 
 230 
 
 they hoped we would not look for perfection while 
 we were upon the earth, on this side the grave, for 
 we must carry a body of sin about us ; and they 
 hoped we would not look for perfection, and would 
 
 not hold the erroneous doctrine of perfection 
 
 Now of what value and price and worth have they 
 made the blood of Christ, that cleanseth from sin and 
 death ; and yet told people that they would bring 
 them to the knowledge of the Sou of God, and to a 
 perfect man, and now tell them they must not be per- 
 fect on the earth, but carry a body of sin about them 
 to the grave ? As much as to say, they must be in 
 the state of their father Adam and their mother Eve 
 in the fall, under the wrath, curse, and woe, and must 
 not come to the state they were in before they fell, to 
 the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness. 
 And yet, ask them for what end Christ came they 
 will say to destroy the devil and his works. And 
 then ask them if the body of sin and death be not 
 the devil's works and imperfection they will say, 
 yes ; and so are in confusion. Christ came to destroy 
 the devil and his works, they say, and yet they must 
 carry them to the grave ; and yet people are saved by 
 Christ, they will say ; but while you are upon earth, 
 you must not be made free from sin. 
 
 " This is as much as if one should be in Turkey a 
 slave, chained to a boat, and one should come to re- 
 deem him to go into his own country ; but, say the 
 Turks, Thou art redeemed, but while thou art upon 
 the earth thou must not go out of Turkey, nor have 
 the chain off thee. So it is said, You are redeemed, 
 but must carry a body of death about you, and can-
 
 231 
 
 not go to your father Adam's house before he fell, but 
 you must live in your father Adam's house in the fall, 
 while ye be upon earth. But, I say, you are redeemed 
 by Christ ; it cost Him His blood to purchase man out 
 of this state he is in, in the fall, and bring him up to 
 the state man was in before he fell : so Christ became 
 a curse, to bring man out of the curse ; and bore the 
 wrath, to bring man to the peace of God that he 
 might come to the blessed state, and to Adam's state 
 which he was in before he fell ; and not only thither, 
 but to a state in Christ that shall never fall. And 
 this is my testimony to you and to all people on the 
 earth. Now mark, the apostle said, He hath quick- 
 ened us, ivho were dead in sins and trespasses, and 
 hath made us to sit together in the heavenly places in 
 Christ Jesus ; that in the ages to come He might show 
 forth his exceeding riches and kindness towards us. 
 Now the ages are come, glory to the Lord God over 
 all, in the highest forever, that this kindness and this 
 riches are seen, that the apostle's preaching is ful- 
 filled, who said, He hath quickened us, and made us 
 sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So 
 mark, in Christ Jesus, [MS] the church, [MS] the 
 saints, [MS] the believers and true Christians, made 
 us to sit together. Here was their meeting, here was 
 their sitting in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 
 the second Adam, the Lord from heaven ; Him that 
 was glorified with the Father before the world began ; 
 Him that never fell, but fetched man and woman out 
 of the fall, to the state that man and woman were in 
 before they fell ; and to sit in heavenly places in 
 Christ Jesus. And there is the safe sitting, in Christ
 
 232 
 
 the new and living way, the word of God, the power 
 of God, the Light, the Life and Truth, in the First 
 and in the Last, in the Beginning and in the Ending, 
 in Him in whom there is no shadow of turnings nor 
 variableness. G. F." 
 
 The Friends in Ireland were passing through great 
 suffering. Many were immured in prison, and others 
 lost all their property. The loss sustained by Friends 
 in 1689 was estimated at 100,000. George Fox 
 deeply felt their condition, and the last letter he 
 wrote was to encourage and cheer them. It is as 
 follows : 
 
 " Dear Friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, whom the Lord by His eternal arm and power 
 hath upheld through your great sufferings, exercises, 
 trials, and hardships, up and down that nation, which 
 I am very sensible of ; and the rest of the faithful 
 Friends who have been partakers with you in your 
 sufferings, and who cannot but suffer with the Lord's 
 people that suffer. My confidence hath been in the 
 Lord, that He would and will support you in all your 
 sufferings ; and that He would preserve all the faith- 
 ful in His wisdom, that they might give no just occa- 
 sion to one nor other to make them suffer ; and, if 
 you did suffer wrongfully or unjustly, that the right- 
 eous God would assist and uphold you, and reward 
 them according to their works that oppressed or 
 wronged you. And now my desire is unto the Lord 
 that in the same holy and heavenly wisdom ye may 
 all be preserved to the end of your days, to the glory
 
 233 
 
 of God, minding His supporting hand and power who 
 is God, all sufficient to strengthen, help, and refresh 
 in time of need. Let none forget the Lord's mercies 
 and kindnesses, which endure forever, but always 
 live in the sense of them. And truly, Friends, when 
 I consider the thing, it is the great mercy of God 
 that ye have not been all swallowed up, seeing with 
 Avhat spirits ye have been compassed about. But the 
 Lord carries his larnbs in His arms, and they are as 
 tender to Him as the apple of His eye, and His power 
 is His hedge about His vineyard of heavenly plants- 
 Therefore it is good for all His children to be given 
 up to the Lord, with their minds and souls, hearts 
 and spirits, who is a faithful Keeper, that neither 
 slumbers nor sleeps, but is able to preserve and keep 
 you and to save to the utmost ; and none can hurt so 
 much as a hair of your heads, except He suffer it to 
 try you ; for He upholds all things in heaven and in 
 earth by the Word of His power. All things were 
 made by Christ, and by Him all things consist, 
 whether they be visible or invisible. So He hath 
 power over all, for all power in heaven and in earth 
 is given to Him ; and to you that have received Him 
 He hath given power to become the sons and daugh- 
 ters of God ; so living members of Christ, the living 
 Head, grafted into Him in whom ye have eternal 
 life. Christ the Seed reigns, and His power is over 
 all ; who bruises the serpent's head, and destroys the 
 devil and his works, and was before he was. So all 
 of you live and walk in Christ Jesus, that nothing 
 may be between you and God, but Christ in whom 
 ye have salvation."
 
 234 
 
 It must have been a great comfort to George Fox 
 to be able to use the closing words of this epistle : 
 " I hear that in Germany and Holland, and there- 
 away, Friends are in love, unity, and peace ; and in 
 Jamaica, Barbadoes, Nevis, Antigua, Maryland, and 
 New England, I hear nothing but Friends are in 
 unity and peace." His life had been one of outward 
 turmoil and disturbance ; but now at eventide the 
 clouds dispersed, and the setting sun shone out with 
 a peaceful radiance. 
 
 The day after he had written this letter being 
 First Day, he attended the meeting in Gracechurch 
 Street, and was enabled to preach with great power 
 and clearness. His voice was afterwards heard in 
 prayer, commending himself and his friends to the 
 loving care of his Lord and Saviour. Going to a 
 Friend's house to dinner, he complained of not feeling 
 well, saying, " I felt the cold strike to my heart as I 
 came out of meeting ; " but added, " I am glad I was 
 there ; now I am clear, now I am fully clear." He 
 was obliged to lie down, and it was soon apparent 
 that his strength was failing. But he still main- 
 tained his care for the promotion of the cause of the 
 Lord, and counseled with his friends about circulat- 
 ing books which would teach the doctrines he loved. 
 To those who came to see him he said, " All is well : 
 the Seed of God reigns over all and over death itself." 
 And he says, " Though I am weak in body, yet the 
 power of God is over all, and the Seed reigns over 
 all disorderly spirits." Shortly before his death, 
 being asked how he found himself, he replied, " Never 
 heed : the Lord's power is over all weakness and
 
 235 
 
 death." Thus calmly he passed through the valley 
 of the shadow of death, and even as his feet touched 
 the river he sent back a triumphant cry, " The 
 Seed reigns, blessed be the Lord." The Lord Jesus 
 whom he loved, of whom he so often spoke as the 
 blessed Seed of God, was with His servant ; and, 
 being made conqueror through faith in the all-atoning 
 blood of Jesus, he entered into rest, Eleventh Month 
 13th, 1690, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. On 
 the day of his burial, a very large company gathered 
 in the meeting-house at White-Hart Court to pay 
 the last tribute of respect to his memory. There 
 were many loving testimonies borne to the effect of 
 his ministry and his earnest labor for the welfare of 
 the Society of Friends, while the honor and glory 
 were ascribed unto the Lord, who had called and 
 qualified him for His service. After the meeting, 
 his body, in a plain, simple coffin, was carried on the 
 shoulders of some of the Friends to its grave in 
 Bunhill-Fields, followed by thousands of Friends, in 
 long procession, three abreast, and there he was laid 
 to rest. 
 
 He had been toiling all the night long, but now 
 the day had dawned, the bright, glorious day which 
 hath no ending. 
 
 " Oh, he was unto glory borne ! 
 On the deep trouble-sea 
 Tossed fearfully ; 
 Now by Christ's blood, 
 A stronger flood, 
 He is at rest where he would be.
 
 236 
 
 " No more, no more his soul shall faint 
 "With the day's heat and care : 
 Storms reach not there. 
 His life-work done, 
 His life-race run, 
 Only a weight of joy to bear." 
 
 " He being dead yet speaketh"