BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES 
 
 OF 
 
 Some Members of the Society of Friends, 
 
 SHOWIJTG THEIR EARLY RELIGIOUS EXERCISES, AND 
 EXPERIENCE IN THE WORK OF REGENERATION. 
 
 COMPILED BY JOSEPH WALTON. 
 
 ' Be followers of them, who, through faith and patience inherit the promises. 
 
 Heb. vi. 12. 
 
 PII I LA DELPH I A : 
 
 FOR f^ALK AT FRIP:NDS' BOOK STORK, 
 
 No. 301 ARCH STREET. 
 1876.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 In preparing this compilation, tlie writer has especially 
 had in view those persons, whose minds have been awak- 
 ened to a sense of their sinful condition, and in whom liv- 
 ing desires have been raised for admission into the King- 
 dom of heaven. In reading the accounts which follow, 
 these may see, that others, who have gone before them, by 
 turning in all sincerity to that Grace which convinced 
 them of their sin, and by closely following its guidance ; 
 were enabled toforsake their sins; and to obtain true faith 
 in Christ, and a sense of union and acceptance with Him. 
 
 As such visited ones patiently endure the judgments of 
 the Lord, they will find them to produce the peaceable 
 fruits of righteousness ; and thus the work of redemption 
 and purification will go forward in them. 
 
 Though the narratives which follow all relate to mem- 
 bers of the Society of Friends, yet it is not intended 
 thereby to convey the impression that persons of other 
 religious persuasions do not partake in the same blessed 
 experiences. The writer fully believes, that the work of 
 religion is substantially the same in the hearts of all who 
 submit to it ; and he unhesitatingly accepts the declaration 
 of the Apostle Peter, " In every nation, he that feareth 
 [God] and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him." 
 
 550146
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Thomas Story, ... 5 
 
 John Richardson, . . ,20 
 
 Christopher Story, ... 28 
 
 Gilbert Latey, . . . .34 
 
 Jane Hoskins, . . . . 38 
 
 John Banks, . ^ . . .44 
 
 William Edmundson, . . 52 
 
 Joseph Pike, . ^ - . . .65 
 
 Samuel Bownas, ' . . . 73 
 
 Samuel Fothergill, . . .79 
 
 John Churchman, ... 86 
 
 William Savery, . . .91 
 
 Mary Dudley, ... 96 
 
 Daniel Wheeler, . . . 105
 
 BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES. 
 
 THOMAS STORY. 
 
 The Holy Scriptures coutaiu mauy directions pointing 
 out the way to salvation. Our blessed Saviour thus lays 
 down the terms of fellowship with Him : " If any man 
 will be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross 
 daily and follow me." To Nicodemus, he said, " Verily, 
 verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he 
 cannot see the kingdom of God ;" and he further explained 
 his meaning, by adding, " That which is born of the flesh 
 is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." 
 Paul and Silas exhorted the Philippiaii jailor to believe 
 on the Loi'd Jesus Christ, and he should be saved ; and 
 the apostle John testifies of Christ, that He " was the 
 true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into 
 the world." "As many as received Him, to them gave 
 He power to become the sons of God, even to them that 
 believe on His name, which wei-e born, not of blood, nor 
 of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 
 And in another place he uses this remarkable language, 
 " If we walk in the Light, as He [God] is in the Light, 
 we have fellowshij) one with another, and the blood of 
 Jesus Christ, His Son, cleauseth us from all sin." 
 
 From these and other passages it appears, that that 
 
 knowledge of God and of Christ, which is said in the 
 
 Scriptures to be " eternal life," and that faith to which 
 
 salvation is promised, arc to be attained, by ex()eriencing 
 
 2
 
 6 THOMAS STORY. 
 
 a spiritual birth, through the operation of the Spirit of 
 God ; by bearing the daily cross and steadfastly walking 
 in obedience to the Light or Spirit of Christ manifested 
 in the heart; by which we come to be cleansed from our 
 sins and brought into fellowship with our Creator, This 
 process is inseparably connected with a measure of living 
 faith, for, as the apostle declares, " He that cometh to 
 God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder 
 of them that diligently seek Him ;" and our Saviour 
 himself says, " He that believeth not the Son shall not 
 see life." 
 
 Those who are sincerely seeking the way to Zion, may 
 find encouragement and instruction in considering the 
 experience of those who have trodden the path to heaven 
 before them ; whose upright lives and happy deaths show 
 the blessed effects of faithfully obeying the Divine will. 
 Among these " companions of Christ," whose footsteps 
 are as waymarks to succeeding generations, is Thomas 
 Story, who was an intimate friend of William Penn, and 
 a valuable minister in the Society of Friends. The fol- 
 lowing narrative is condensed from his own account. 
 
 " I was not naturally addicted to much vice or evil ; and 
 yet through the conversation of rude boys at school, I had 
 acquired some things by imitation, tending that way ; but 
 as I came to put them in practice by word or action, I 
 found something in myself at such times, suddenly sur- 
 prising me with a sense of the evil, and making me 
 ashamed when alone ; though what I .had said or done 
 was not evil in the common account of such as I convers- 
 ed with, or among men, in a common acceptation. And 
 though I did not know or consider, what this Keprover 
 was, yet jt had so much influence and power with me, 
 that I was much reformed thereby from those habits, 
 which, in time, might have been foundations for greater 
 evils; or as stocks whereon to have engrafted a worse
 
 THOMAS STOi;v. 7 
 
 nature, to the hriugiug forth of a more plentiful crop of 
 grosser vices. 
 
 " Nevertheless as I grew up to maturity, I had mauy 
 flowiugs and ebbiugs in my mind ; the common tempta- 
 tions among youth being often and strongly presented. 
 And though I was preserved from guilt as in the sight of 
 men, yet not so before the Lord, who seeth in secret, and 
 at all times beholdeth all the thoughts, desires, words and 
 actions of the children of men, in every age and through- 
 out the world. 
 
 "The lust of the flesh, of the eye, and the j^ride of life, 
 had their objects and subjects presented. The airs of 
 youth were many and potent ; strength, activity and 
 comeliness of person were not awantiug, and had their 
 share ; nor were natural endowments of mind, or compe- 
 tent acquirements afar ofi'; and the glory, advancements 
 and preferments of the world spread as nets in my view, 
 and the friendship thereof beginning to address me with 
 flattering courtship. 
 
 " But in process of time, as these prevalent and })otent 
 motions of corruption and sin became stronger and stron- 
 ger in me, so the Lord, in great goodness and mercy, made 
 manifest to my understanding the nature and end of them ; 
 and liaving a view of them in the true light, and the 
 danger attending them, they became irksome, disagreea- 
 ble and exceeding heavy and oppressing to my mind. 
 And then the necessity of that great work of regeneration 
 was deeply impressed upon me ; but I had no experience 
 or evidence of it wrought in me hitherto. This a})pre- 
 hension greatly surprised me with fear, considering the 
 great uncertainty of the continuance of the natural life ; 
 and it began to put a secret stain upon the world and all 
 its glory, and all that I had to glory in ; though I kept 
 these thoughts within my own breast, Jiot knowing (jf any 
 soul to wliom I could soriouslv and safclv divulicc them.
 
 THOMAS STORY. 
 
 And indeed none, for u considerable time, discerned my 
 inward concern by any outward appearance; which, I 
 found afterwards, had been much to my advantage and 
 safety. ■• ^ 
 
 " It is admirable by what various steps the Lord is 
 pleased to lead the sovd of man out of this world and the 
 spirit of it, home to himself; and yet I am apt to think 
 that in His divine and unlimited wisdom, he does not 
 take the same outward method and steps with every one, 
 but varies the work of His providence, as their states and 
 circumstances may best suit and bear. For, by an acci- 
 dent that liefel me, I was further alarmed to consider my 
 ways, the uncertainty of life, my present state and latter 
 end. 
 
 " It was this : Intending to go to a country church with 
 an acquaintance, as we were riding gently along, my horse 
 stumbling, fell and broke his neck, and lay so heavy upon 
 my leg, that I could scarce draw it from under him ; yet 
 
 1 received no hurt. But as we stood by him a little, I 
 had this consideration, that my own life might have been 
 ended by that occasion, and I did not find myself in a 
 condition fit for Heaven, having yet no evidence of that 
 necessary qualification of regeneration ; which brought 
 great heaviness on my mind ; which did not totally depart 
 till, through the infinite mercy of God, I was favored with 
 further knowledge and a better state. 
 
 " Hitherto I had known the grace of God in 'me only 
 as a manifester of evil and of sin, a word of reproof, and 
 a law condemning and judging those thoughts, desires, 
 words, passions, affections, acts and omissions, which are 
 seated in the first nature, and rooted in the carnal mind ; 
 in which the suggestions, temptations and influences of 
 the Evil One work and prevail ; by which Divine Grace 
 I was in some good degree enlightened, reformed and en- 
 abled therebv to shun and forbear all words and acts thus
 
 THOMAS STORY. 9 
 
 known to be evil, and moral righteousness restored in my 
 mind, and thereby brought forth in me. I became then 
 sequestered, weaned and alienated from all my former 
 acquaintance and company ; their manners and conversa- 
 tion, though not vicious, (for such I never liked,) became 
 burdensome, tedious and disagreeable ; for they had not 
 the knowledge of God, nor such a conversation as I wanted. 
 And yet I did not know the Divine Grace in its own 
 nature, as it is in Christ ; not as a word of faith, sanctifi- 
 cation, justification, consolation and redemption ; being 
 yet alive in my own nature ; the Sou of God not yet re- 
 vealed in me ; nor I, by the power of His holy cross yet 
 mortified and slain ; being without the knowledge of the 
 essential Truth, and in a state contrary to Him, and un- 
 reconciled. But the Lord did not leave me there, but in 
 His matchless mercy, followed me still l)y His holy ad- 
 monitions, and more and more inclined my mind in an 
 earnest inquiry after himself, and His own essential truth 
 and word. * " "^^ 
 
 " My mind being truly earnest with God, thirsting unto 
 death for the knowledge of the way of life, He was pleased 
 to hear the voice of my necessity ; for I wanted present 
 salvation, and the Lord knew my case could not admit 
 of further delay. And therefore, being moved by His 
 own free mercy and goodness, even in the same love in 
 which He sent his Son, the Beloved, into the world to 
 seek and save the lost, on the first day of the Second 
 month in the evening, in the year (according to the com- 
 mon accouutl 1 689, being alone in my chamber, the Lord 
 brake in upon me unexpectedly ; quick as lightning from 
 the heavens, and as a righteous, all-powerful, all-knowing, 
 and sin-condemning Judge ; before whom, my soul, as in 
 the deepest agony, trembled, was confounded and amazed, 
 and filled with such awful dread as no words can reach 
 or declare.
 
 10 TPIOMAS STOIIY. 
 
 " My miud seemed separated from my body, pluuged 
 into utter darkness, and being in perfectdespair of returning 
 any more, eternal condemnation appeared to suri'ound and 
 inclose me on every side, as in the centre of the horrible pit ; 
 never, never to see redemption thence, or the face of Him 
 in mercy, whom I had sought with all my soul. But in 
 the midst of this confusion and amazement, where no 
 tliought could be formed, or any idea retained, save eternal 
 death possessing my whole man, a voice was formed and 
 uttered in me, as from the centre of bouudless darkness, 
 ' Thy will, O God, be done ; if this be thy act alone, and 
 not my own, I yield my soul to -thee.' 
 
 " In the conceiving of these words, from the Word of 
 life, I quickly found relief: there was all-healing virtue in 
 them ; and the effect so swift and ^^owerful, that, even in 
 a moment, all my fears vanished, as if they had never 
 Ijeeu, and ray mind became calm and still, and simple as 
 a little child ; the day of the Lord dawned, and the Son 
 of Righteousness arose in me, Avith divine healing, and 
 restoring virtue in His countenance; and He became the 
 centre of my miud. 
 
 " The divine, essential Truth was now self-evident ; there 
 wanted nothing else to prove it. I needed not to reason 
 about Him ; all that was superseded and iramerged by 
 an intuition of that divine and truly wonderful evidence 
 and Light, which proceeded from Himself alone, leaving 
 no place for doubt, or any question at all. For as the 
 sun in the open firmament of heaven, is not discovered or 
 seen but by the direct efflux and medium of his own light, 
 and the mind of man determines thereby at sight, and 
 without any train of reasoning, what he is ; even so, and 
 more than so, by the overshadowing iuffuence and divine 
 virtue of the Highest, was ray soul assured, that it was 
 the Lord. 
 
 "From henceforth T desired to know notliino- lint the
 
 THOMAS STORY.* 11 
 
 Lord, and to feed ou that Bread of life, which He himself 
 alone can give, and did not fail to minister daily, and oftener 
 than the morning. And yet, of His own free-will and 
 goodness. He was pleased to open my understanding, by 
 degrees, into all the needful mysteries of His kingdom, 
 and the truths of His gosj)el ; in the process whereof He 
 exercised my mind in dreams, in visions, in revelations, 
 in prophecies, in Divine openings and demonstrations. 
 
 " Also, by His eternal and divine Light, Grace, Spirit, 
 Power and Wisdom ; by His Word, He taught, instructed 
 and informed ni}' mind ; and by temptations also and 
 provings, which He suffered Satan to minister ; that I 
 might see my own weakness and danger, and prove to the 
 utmost, the force and efficacy of that divine love and 
 truth, by which the Lord, in his boundless goodness and 
 mercy, had thus visited my soul. '■' * * 
 
 " As the nature and virtue of the divine essential Trutli 
 increased in my mind, it Avrought in me daily a greater 
 conformity to itself, by its own power; i-educing my mind 
 to a solid quietude and silence, as a state more fit for 
 attending to the speech of the Divine Word, and distin- 
 guishing it from all other powers, and its divine influ- 
 ences from all imaginations and other motions. And 
 being daily fed with the fruit of the tree of life, I desired 
 no other knowdedge than that which was given in conse- 
 quence of the sti'ength of mind and understanding thence 
 arising." 
 
 More than two years elapsed after passing through the 
 experiences before-mentioned, before Thomas Stoi'v joined 
 the Society of Friends. He thus describes the manner in 
 which he was led to take this step. 
 
 " In writing the last paragraph of a piece which 1 in- 
 scribed to the Saints in Zion, Ac, the peojdi' called 
 Quakers were suddenly, and with some surprise, brought 
 to iiiv iiiiiid : and so strongly iiiiprpsse<l on my rcnicm-
 
 12 'tHOMAS STOJIY. 
 
 brance, that theuceforward 1 had a secret inclination to 
 inquire further concerning them, their way and pi-in- 
 cij^les." 
 
 Being in the west part of Cumberland in the year 
 1691, he heard of a meeting of "Friends" to be held at 
 Broughton. This he attended. He says : 
 
 " When we came to the meeting, being a little late, it was 
 full gathered ; and I went among the thi'ong of the peo- 
 ple on the forms, and sat still among them in that inward 
 condition and mental retirement. And though one of 
 their ministers, a stranger, began to speak to some points 
 held by them, and declaim against some things held by 
 others and denied by them, particularly predestination, as 
 asserted by the Presbyterians ; yet I took not much notice 
 of it ; for as I did not doubt but, like all other sects, they 
 might have something to say, both for their own, and 
 against the opinions of others ; yet my concern was much 
 rather to know whether they were a people gathered 
 uiider a sense of the enjoyment of the presence of God in 
 their meetings ; or in other words, whether they worshipped 
 the true and living God, in the life and nature of Christ, 
 the Son of God, the true and only Saviour : and the Lord 
 answered my desire according to the integrity of my heart. 
 
 " For not long after I had sat down among them, that 
 heavenly and watery cloud overshadowing my mind, brake 
 into a sweet abounding shower of celestial rain, and the 
 greatest part of the meeting was broken together, dissolved 
 and comforted in the same divine and holy presence and 
 influence of the true, holy and heavenly Lord ; which was 
 divers times repeated before the meeting ended. And in 
 the same way, by the same divine and holy Power, I had 
 been often favored with before, when alone; and when no 
 eye, but that of Heaven, beheld, or any knew, but the 
 Lord himself; who, in infinite mercy, had been pleased 
 to l)estow so great a favoi-.
 
 THOMAS STOl^V. 13 
 
 " Our 'joy was mutual aud full, though iu the ettlux of 
 many tears, as in cases of the deepest and most unfeigned 
 love ; fo^; the Friends there, being generally sensible I 
 was affected and tendered with them, by the influence of 
 the divine Truth they knew and made profession of, did 
 conclude, I had been at that time, and not before, con- 
 vinced, and come to the knowledge or sense of the way 
 of Truth among them ; and their joy was as of Heaven, at 
 the return of a penitent ; and mine as the joy of salvation 
 from God, in view of the work of the Lord, so far carried 
 on in the earth ; when I had thought, not long before, 
 there had scarce been any true and living faith, or know- 
 ledge of God, in the world. 
 
 "The meeting being ended, the peace of God, which 
 passeth all the understanding of natural men, and is in- 
 expressible by any language but itself alone, remained as 
 a holy canopy, over my mind. But being invited, to- 
 gether with the ministering Friend, to the house of the 
 ancient widow Hall, I went willingly with them : but the 
 sweet silence commanded in me still remaining, I had 
 nothing to say to any of them, till He was pleased to draw 
 the curtain, and veil His presence ; and then I found my 
 mind pure, and iu a well-bounded liberty of innocent 
 conversation with them. 
 
 " And, being now satisfied, beyond my expectation, con- 
 cerning the people of God, in whom the Lord had begun, 
 and, in a good measure, carried on, a great work and i"e- 
 formation in the earth, I determined in my mind, that 
 day, to lay aside every business and thing which might 
 hinder or veil in me the enjoyment of the presence of the 
 Lord, whether among His people or alone ; or obstruct 
 any service whereunto I was or might be called by Him ; 
 especially things of an entangling or confining nature : 
 not regarding what the world might say, or wliat w.unc 
 they might impose ujion nu-." * * *
 
 1.4 THOMAS STOUV. 
 
 "After tlii.s J was at some other meetings; but little 
 notice was taken of it by any of my relations or acquain- 
 tance, till the time of the assizes at Carlisle, wli,ere some 
 Friends being prisoners in the county jail, for non-pay- 
 ment of tithes, others attended the assizes, as their custom 
 was, the better to obviate the occasion of troubles or hurt 
 to any of the Society, and to minister counsel or other 
 help, as need might be ; and these went to a meeting at 
 Scotby, about two miles from the city ; and thither I went 
 also. 
 
 " During the time of the meeting, I found an unusual 
 load on my spirit, and hardness in my heart ; insomuch 
 that I could hardly breathe under the oppression ; nor 
 could I say I had any sense of the comforts of the Divine 
 presence there, but that the heavens were as thick brass, 
 and the bars thereof as strong iron. But though I had 
 no enjoyment in myself, yet I was sensible the presence 
 and goodness of the Lord were there, and many therein 
 greatly comforted; and therefore did conclude my con- 
 dition of mind was from some other cause, and not relat- 
 ing to the state of the meeting in general. After the meet- 
 ing was over, one of them asked me how I did ; I answered, 
 iudifiereutly. Then he and some others perceived my 
 spirit was oppressed, and symjiathized with me therein. 
 I could not, all this time, perceive the particular matter 
 which thus affected me,— for I knew not of any thing I 
 had done or said to liring it upon myself — till that even- 
 ing, being returned to my father's house, very solitary, 
 silent and inward, there came in one Thomas Tod, an 
 acquaintance of mine ; who after some compliments of 
 civility, — for at that time I had not quite declined the 
 common modes of salutation — desired to speak with me 
 apart ; and then told me he had a trial to come on next 
 day, concerning certain houses of his in the town of 
 Penrith, being the greatest part of all he had in the
 
 THOMAS PTOKV. IT) 
 
 world ; that one of the witnesses to his deeds of convey- 
 ance was dead ; another of them gone into Ireland, and 
 could net be had ; but I, being the third, and having 
 made the writings, he hoped through my evidence and 
 credit, to gain his just point against liis unfair adversary ; 
 and desired me to be in readiness in the moruinc; foi* the 
 trial was likely to come ou very early. 
 
 " As soon as he began this relation, the word of life be- 
 gan to work in me in a very powerful manner ; and the 
 hammer of the Lord I sensibly felt, and saw to be lifted 
 up upon that hardness of heart, which for some time had 
 been my state ; and it began to be broken, softened and 
 dissolved ; and the sense of the love of God in some de- 
 gree to be renewed. Then I saw plainly that this was 
 the hard thing I had to go through, and that now was the 
 time of trial, wherein I must take up the cross of Christ, 
 acknowledge His docti-ine in that point fiilly and openly, 
 according to the understanding given me ; and to despise 
 the shame and reproach and other sufferings, which I well 
 knew would ensue quickly ; or T nuist forsake the Lord 
 forever. For, denying His doctrine, in the sense I had 
 now plainly seen it, would be denying Himself before 
 men ; and if I had then denied Him, I could expect no 
 less, but according to His word, to be immediately and for- 
 ever denied of Him, and left under that hardness of heart, 
 and want of the enjoyment of His Divine presence, where- 
 with I had been favored before, and all the dreadful con- 
 sequences of a beginning so woful. 
 
 " But according to the advances of the word and work 
 of the Lord in me at that time, my heart inclined to 
 Him, as my acquaintance was speaking ; and by the time 
 he had done, I was furnished with a full resolution to 
 give him a plain and direct answer ; which was ou this 
 manner: 'I am concerned it should fall out so;' — for I 
 had a real respect for him, and saw liis case to be very
 
 16 THOMAS STORY. 
 
 hard—' 1 will appear if it please God, and testify what I 
 know ill the matter, and do what I can for you that way ; 
 but I cannot swear.' 
 
 " This was so great a surprise to him, both from the 
 nature of his case and confidence he had in my ready 
 compliance, he having had no suspicion of my present 
 condition till that moment, that he broke into a passion, 
 and with an oath, or curse, said, ' What ! you are not a 
 Quaker, sure !' 
 
 " Though I had made a confession to the Truth so far, 
 in that point, and the Divine presence sensibly returned 
 in me, yet, upon this I was again silent, till clear in my 
 understanding what to answer in sincerity and truth. For 
 as nobody before that time had called me a Quaker, so I 
 had not assumed the appellation ; which being given in 
 reproach, was not grateful ; though the thing in its pro- 
 per sense, most delightful. Nor did I then see whether I 
 had so much unity with all their tenets as might justify 
 me in owning the name, — for in the unity of Divine love 
 and life only I had known them — till the power of that 
 life of Him who forbiddeth all oaths and swearing, aris- 
 ing yet clearer and fuller in me, opened my understand- 
 ing, cleared my way, and enabled me thereto; and then I 
 said, ' I must confess the truth, I am a Quaker.' 
 
 "As this confession brought me still nearer to the Son 
 of God, His love increasing yet more sensibly in me, so 
 likewise it heightened the perplexity and disturbance of 
 my friend, whose case thereby became more desperate, in 
 his own opinion. Upon which, in an increase of heat, and 
 expressions therefrom suiting so obvious a disappointment, 
 as it then appeared to him, he threatened to have me fined 
 by the Court, and j^roceeded against with the utmost rigor 
 of the law ; saying, ' What ! must I lose my estate by 
 your groundless notions and whims ?' 
 
 " But the higher my enemy arose and raged in this
 
 THOMAS STORY. i( 
 
 well-meaning, but mistaken man, who thus, without' de- 
 sign, became the instrument of my trial, the fuller and 
 more powerful still was the love of God; whose cause I 
 had now espoused through His own aid and the power of 
 an endless life from Him made manifest in me. I re- 
 plied, in that calm of mind and resignation to the will of 
 God, that the life of the Sou of God enableth to and 
 teacheth, ' You may do what you think proper that way, 
 but I cannot comply with your request in this matter, 
 whatever be the issue of it.' And then he departed under 
 great dissatisfaction, with all the threats and reproaches 
 his enraged passions could suggest, under a view of so 
 great loss. 
 
 " Immediately I retired into my chamber ; for perceiv- 
 ing my grand enemy to be yet at work to introduce a 
 slavish fear, and by that means subject my miud and 
 bring me again into captivity and bondage, I was willing 
 to be alone and free from all the interruptions of company, 
 that I might more fully experieuce the arm of the Lord 
 and His divine instructions and counsel in this great ex- 
 ercise. 
 
 "The enemy being a crafty and subtle spirit, wrought 
 upon my passions, not fully subjected, and artfully ap- 
 plied to my natural reason, my understanding not being 
 fully illuminated, as his most suitable instrument. He 
 urged the fine and imprisonment, and the hardships 
 accompanying that condition, and how little help 1 (?ould 
 expect from my father or friends, who would be highly 
 displeased with me, for so foolish and unaccountable a 
 resolution, as they would think it ; and also, the scoffings, 
 mockings, derision, scorn, contempt, loss of friends and 
 friendships in the world, with such other inconveniences, 
 hardships, and ill consequences, as the enemy could invent 
 and suggest. 
 
 " During all this time, from about eight in the evening 
 3
 
 18 THOMAS STORY. 
 
 till* midnight, the eye of my mind was fixed on the love 
 of God, which still remained sensibly in me, and my soul 
 cleaved thereto in great simplicity, humility, and trust 
 therein, without any yielding to Satan and his reasonings 
 on those subjects, where flesh and blood in its own strength 
 is easily overcome by him. But about twelve at night, 
 the Lord put him to utter silence, with all his tempta- 
 tions for that season, and the life of the Son of God alone 
 remained in my soul ; and then, from a sense of His won- 
 derful work and redeeming arm, this saying of the apostle 
 arose in me with power, ' The law of the Spirit of life in 
 Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and 
 death.' 
 
 " Then the teachings of the Lord were plentiful and 
 glorrous ; my understanding was further cleared, and His 
 holy law of love and life settled in me, and I admitted 
 into sweet rest with the Lord my Saviour, and given nj) 
 in perfect resignation to His holy will, in whatsoever 
 might relate to this great trial of my faith and obedience 
 to the Lord. In the morning I went up towards the hall 
 where the judges sat, expecting to be called as a witness 
 in the case before mentioned ; but before I reached the 
 place, I saw my said acquaintance approaching me, with 
 an ail' in his countenance denoting friendship and affec- 
 tion ; and when met, he said, 'I can tell you good news ; 
 my adversary has yielded the cause ; we are agreed to my 
 satisfaction.' 
 
 " Upon this I stood still in the street, and reviewing in 
 my mind the work of the Lord in me the night before, as 
 already related, this scripture came fresh into my remem- 
 brance, in the life of it, ' It is God who worketh in you, 
 both to will and to do of His good pleasure.' I was 
 sensible it was the Lord's doing, and accounted it a great 
 mercy and deliverance." 
 
 While still a young man, Thomas Story received a gift
 
 THOMAS SToin'. 19 
 
 in the niiuistiy of the Gospel, in Avhicli he labored abun- 
 dantly for many years in various parts of his native country 
 (Great Britain), and in the continent of America. His 
 useful life was ended in 1742, by an attack of paralysis, 
 and " he departed this life," say his biographers, " in per- 
 fect peace, we have great reason to believe, with God and 
 mankind." 
 
 His experience, as shown in the preceding extracts, was, 
 in some respects, of an unusual character ; particularly, 
 in the remarkable exercise he passed through, when he 
 was brought to cast himself wholly on the Lord, and 
 favored to feel the sense of Divine favor and forgiveness 
 which followed this heart-felt submission. For true it is, 
 as he observes, that the Lord varies the work of His provi- 
 dence according to the states and conditions of those to 
 whom His visitations are extended. Yet it is instructive to 
 observe how Thomas Story was enlightened by Divine Grace 
 to see the need of turning from sin, and of passing through 
 the indispensable work of regeneration ; and how he at- 
 tributes the awakening of the desire in his mind, and the 
 carrying on of the work, to the Word of Life or Spirit of 
 Christ, without which we can do nothing to promote our 
 salvation. In these points, which lie at the foundation of 
 all practical religion, his experience was substantially the 
 same as that of all true Christians, as will be exemplified 
 in the succeeding narratives of this collection. It is in 
 full accordance with the views ever held by the Society of 
 Friends, as evinced by the noble testimony borne by 
 Robert Barclay : " Whatsoever is excellent, whatsoever 
 is noble, whatsoever is worthy, Avhatsoever is desirable in 
 the Christian faith, is ascribed to ihiri Spirit, without which 
 it could no more subsist than the outward world without 
 the sun. Hereunto have all true Christians, in all ages, 
 attributed their strength and life. It is by this Sjjirit 
 that they avouch themselves to have been converted to
 
 20 JOHN UrCHATlDSON. 
 
 God, to have beeu redeemed from the worhi, to have been 
 streugthened in their weakness, comforted in their afflic- 
 tions, confirmed iu their temptations, emboldened in their 
 sufferings, and triumphed in the midst of all their perse- 
 cutions." 
 
 JOHN KICHAKDtSOIs. 
 
 The description which John Richardson gives of his 
 growth in religion, presents a lively picture of the work- 
 ings of that Grace which brings salvation, by purifying 
 the heart and making it a fit temple for the indwelling of 
 the Holy Sjiirit. Like Thomas Story, he was called into 
 the work of the ministry, and was a zealous and efficient 
 laborer in the Gospel. His Journal contains many re- 
 markable incidents, which illustrate the over-ruling care 
 of Divine Providence, and his own watchful attention to 
 the leadings of the Spirit of Christ. He died in the year 
 1753, in the eighty -seventh year of his age; and the testi- 
 mony to his character left on record by the Friends of 
 York Quarterly Meeting, England, shows, that he main- 
 tained to the last that liveliness of Spirit which is an evi- 
 dence of continuing to be a branch of the true Vine. 
 They say, " To divers of us who visited him towards the 
 close of his time, he appeared in a heavenly frame of 
 mind, to our great comfort, evidencing a preparation for 
 that eternal bliss whereunto, we doubt not, he is entered, 
 and now reaps the fruits of his labors." 
 
 He says:-^" I was not above thirteen years of age when 
 my father died, yet the Lord was at work by His Light, 
 Grace and Holy Spirit iu my heart ; but I knew not then 
 what it was which inwardly disquieted my mind, when 
 any thing which was evil prevailed over the good in me,
 
 loiiN i;i(iiAin),s(jN. 
 
 21 
 
 which it ofteutimes did, for waut of taking heed to the 
 Spirit of God in ray heart. I desired ease and peace some 
 other way, without taking up the cross of Christ to my 
 own corrupt will ; and strove for some time, as no doubt 
 many do, to make merry over the just witness, until for a 
 season the converting and true witness of God seemed to 
 be slain, or disappeared. Then I took liberty, but not in 
 gross evils which many ran into, being preserved reli- 
 giously inclined, seeking after professors, and inquiring of 
 them for my information and satisfaction, to find, if I 
 could, anything that was safe to rest in, or any true and 
 solid comfort to my poor, disconsolate and bewildered 
 soul. * * * 
 
 " After much searching without, amongst those who 
 proved to me physicians of no value, and miserable com- 
 forters, I betook myself to a lonesome and retired life, 
 breathing after and seeking the Lord in the fields and 
 private places, beseeching Him, that He would bring me 
 to the saving knowledge of His truth ; and blessed be the 
 name of the Lord, now and forever, 1 had not sought Him 
 long with all ray heart, before I met with His inward 
 appearance to rae, in and bv His Holy Spirit, Light and 
 Grace. But when the true Light did begin to shine raore 
 clearly, and the living witness arose in my inward man, 
 oh I then my undone, bewildered and miserable condition 
 began to appear, and great and unutteral)le were my con- 
 flicts and distress. I thought no man's condition on the 
 face of the earth was like mine. 1 thought I was not fit 
 to die, neither did I know how to live. I thought in the 
 evening, 'oh, that it was morning!' and in the morning, 
 ' that it was evening !' I had many solitary walks in the 
 fields, and other places, in which I poured out my com- 
 plaints and cries before the Lord, with fervent sui)plica- 
 tions to Hi)n, that He would look upon my afiliction, and 
 the strong tenijjtations 1 was uniler, and that He would 
 3=^
 
 22 .TOHN PJCHAllDSON. 
 
 rebuke the adversary of my soul, auil deliver it, for 1 even 
 thought it was in the jaws of a devouring liou, and 
 amongst the fiery spirits, and as it were, under the weight 
 of the mountains. Read and understand the afilictions of 
 thy brother, thou that hast come through great tribula- 
 tions, and hast washed and made thy garments white in 
 the blood of the Lamb. This is the beginning of that 
 baptism which doth save, and of that washing of regener- 
 ation and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which the Lord 
 sheds upon the believers in abundance. This is the blood 
 which sprinkleth the heart from an evil conscience, that 
 the children of men, thus changed, may serve the living 
 and true God ; this is the life which converts the world, 
 even as many as are converted ; this is the virtue, life and 
 blood, whicli maketh clean the saints' garments, and in- 
 wardly washeth them from all filthiness, both of flesh and 
 spirit. ''■' ''■' '•' 
 
 " I now came to witness that scripture to he fulfilled 
 which saith, that, ' When the Lord's judgments ai*e in the 
 earth,' or earthly hearts of meu, ' the inhabitants learn 
 righteousness,' and notwithstanding there was an aversion 
 in my wild nature to the people in scorn called Quakers, 
 as also to the name itself, yet when the aftlicting hand of 
 the Lord was upon me for my disobedience, and when, 
 like Ephraim and Judah, I saw in the light my hurt and 
 my wound, I bemoaned myself, and mourned over the 
 just principle of light and grace in me, which I had 
 pierced with my sins and disobedience. Although that 
 ministration of condemnation was glorious in its time, yet 
 great were my troubles, which humbled my mind, and 
 made me willing to deny myself of every thing, which the 
 Light made known in me to be evil, I being in great dis- 
 tress, and wanting peace and assurance of the love of God 
 to my soul; the weight of which so humbled my mind, 
 that I kncAv not of anv calling, jieople, practice or priu-
 
 JOHN i;i<'HAHl).S()N. '2o 
 
 ciple, that was lawful and right, which I could not em- 
 brace, or fall iu witli. This was surely like the day of 
 Jacob's troubles and David's fears. I saw that the filth 
 of Zion was to be purged away by the Spirit of judgment 
 and of burning ; this is the way of the deliverance and re- 
 covery of poor men out of the fall, and the time of the 
 restoration of the kingdom to God's true Israel. Read ve 
 that can and understand. This was the day of my bap- 
 tism into the love of God, and true faith in His beloved 
 Son as also into a feeling of, or sympathy with Him iu 
 His sufferings, which were unutterable ; and I fouud that 
 ministration changed ; that which had been unto death, 
 was now unto life ; and the ministration which was of con- 
 demnation unto the first birth, when that was slain, and 
 in a good degree nailed or fastened to the cross of Christ, 
 the power of God ; then the good prevailed over the evil, 
 and working out tlie evil in the mind, and also in the 
 members, made all good or holy. The Lord's living 
 power and consuming word, when it works and prevails, 
 Itriugs into subjection, and maketh holy the very heart or 
 oTound in men. 
 
 " As there had been an aversion iu me to the people 
 called in scorn Quakers, and also to their strict living 
 and demeanor, plainness of habit and language, so I 
 learned none of these from them ; for when the Lord 
 changed my heart. He also changed my thoughts, words 
 and ways, and there became an aversion in me to vice, 
 sin and vanity, as there had been to the ways of virtue. 
 Having tasted of the terrors and judgments of God be- 
 cause of sin, I was warned to flee from such things as 
 (jccasioned Christ's coming not to bring peace upon the 
 earth, but a sword ; a sword indeed, yea, His heart-pene- 
 trating, searching word, which is sharper thau auy two- 
 edged sword, that pier(;eth to the dividing asunder between 
 flesh and spirit, joints aiul marrow. .Vs I came thus losee
 
 24 JOHN IIICHARDSON. 
 
 aud abhur the evil iu niyself, when r^uch who had been 
 my companious in vanity reviled me, or came in my way, 
 I was often moved to warn aud reprove them. Having ' 
 tasted of the terrors of the Lord for sin, I could not 
 well forbear to warn others to flee such things as I had 
 been judged for. Now I came clearly to be convinced 
 about hat honor, bowing the knee, and the corrupt lan- 
 guage, as well as finery in habit ; all which, for conscience' 
 sake, and the peace thereof, I came to deny, aud take up 
 the cross to, and had great peace in so doing. 
 
 " Notwithstanding the blessed truth thus prevailed in 
 me, I was not without great conflicts of spirit, temptations, 
 and trials of divers kinds ; yet my mind was resigned to 
 the Lord, and my fervent prayers were to Him, and He 
 kept me and opened my understanding, for I was afraid 
 of being misled in anything, especially relating to my 
 salvation. I came to be weaned from all companions 
 and lovers in whom I had taken delight, and all things 
 in this world were little to me, my mind being much re- 
 deemed out of the world, not cnily the corrupt and evil 
 part thereof, but even from the lawful part ; so that I 
 became much given up to seek the Lord, waiting upon 
 Him to feel His presence aud peace, and to know His 
 will, aud receive power to do the same. 
 
 " As my mind came to be thus brought into a depend- 
 ent and waiting frame upon the Lord, and to be stayed in 
 the Light, and experimentally and feelingly to partake 
 of His love and grace, which helped me against my in- 
 firmities, blessed be His name, I found it sufficient for me, 
 as I kept to it, iu all trials and temptations. Then I came 
 to see that all outward performances in matters of religion 
 did not avail nor render man acceptable to God, but as 
 the heart came to be truly given up to Him, that He might 
 not only purge it from defilement, but keep it clean 
 through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. As nearly as
 
 .iniry RionAP.DPox. 2o 
 
 I remember, I saw clearly tliroiigli these things before the 
 sixteenth year of my age." 
 
 The remark of John Eichardson, when speaking of 
 those exercises and judgments, he was made to pass 
 through by the Spirit of the Lord, that it was the time of 
 his "baptism into the love of God, and true faith in His 
 beloved Son," is in accordance with the testimony of 
 Scripture, that faith is given by the Spirit.* It is those 
 only, who are submissive recipients, and co-workers with, 
 the Grace of God or Spirit of Christ, that can obtain true 
 and living faith, and thus really come to Christ. George 
 Fox, a few years before his death, wrote a short paper, 
 " directing to the right way and means, whereby people 
 might come unto Christ," in which he says : " Christ saith, 
 'I am the way, the truth and the life ; no man cometh 
 unto the Father but by me.' And again, ' No man can 
 come to me except the Father which hath sent me draAV 
 him.' 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,' that is, all men and women. 
 * * They that mind the drawings of the good Spirit of 
 the Father to His Son, the Spirit doth give them under- 
 standing to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal 
 life." 
 
 John Richardson thus continues his narrative. " Some 
 little time before the [second] marriage of my mother, 
 I was brought into the public work of the ministrj', 
 concerning which I had many reasonings, being young, 
 scarcely eighteen years old, and naturally of a stam- 
 mering tongue. But after my many conflicts, troubles 
 and temptations, the worst I ever met with, and the 
 most piercing sorrow I had been in since 1 came to the 
 knowledge of the blessed Truth, was, when through rea- 
 sonings, disobedience, and an unwillingness to comply 
 
 * 1 Cor. xii. it.
 
 20 JOHN RICHARDSON. 
 
 with the Lord's requirings, He in displeasure took away 
 from me the comfort of His holy presence for several 
 months together. Oh ! the tribulations I met with in this 
 condition ? I could scarcely believe I should ever have 
 repentance granted to me, or be restored to the love and 
 favor of God, when I found that river of life dried up, as 
 to me, which did before, not only make me, but even the 
 whole city of God, truly glad. But as the Lord by His 
 judgments had brought me in a good degree from the vice 
 and vanity of this world ; now by His judgments He made 
 me willing to give up to answer His requirings in part ; 
 and in my obedience to Him, I began to feel some com- 
 fort of love and fellowship of the Spirit of the Lord in 
 myself, and in His people, who were partakers of the like 
 fellowship." 
 
 After his mother's marriage, John removed with her to 
 the house of his step-father, who was a zealous Presbyte- 
 rian, and much opposed to his going to the meetings of 
 Friends. John says : — ■" On the First-day mornings my 
 father commonly sent me into the fields a mile or two on 
 foot, and as far upon a common to look at beasts, horses 
 and sheep, I thought with a design to weary and make 
 me incapable of going to meetings ; all which I bore 
 patiently, neither ever said, that I remember, this is hard 
 usage : after this, to the great grief of my poor mother, 
 I had to go two, three, four, five, and sometimes six miles, 
 to Friends' meetings. After I had walked fast, and ran 
 sometimes with my shoes under my arms for want of time, 
 I have seen many Friends weep, and could not forbear, 
 when they saw me come into the meeting very hot and in 
 a great sweat, they being in part sensible of the hard task 
 I had to undergo." 
 
 "Now when he saw that neither frowns, threatenings, 
 hardships, nor great promises of kindness could prevail 
 with me [to decline the attendance of religious meetings],
 
 JOHN RICHAEPSON. 27 
 
 he told rae bluntly and roughly, I should stay no longer 
 in his house, I innocently answered, I could not help it, 
 if it must be so, as all I could do would not give him con- 
 tent, without hurting ray conscience, and the peace of my 
 mind, which I valued above all mutable things of this 
 world. 
 
 " Notwithstanding I pleaded with my father to let me 
 stay till I could hear of a place, he would not, though I 
 was scarcely fit for service, being almost like an anatomy, 
 as the saying is, so that most who knew me, said, I would 
 pine away in a consumption ; but turn out I must, and did, 
 though I was weak, poor and low in body, juind, pocket 
 and clothes ; for I think I had but twelve pence in my 
 pocket, and very ordinary clothes upon ray back. Thus 
 r took my solemn leave of the family with my heart full, 
 but I ke])t inward to the Lord, and under Truth's govern- 
 ment. I came out on the great common where I had had 
 many solitary walks, but none like this, for this reason, 
 that I kncAV not where to go. The sense of ray weak con- 
 dition, not knowing whither to go, nor where to lay my 
 head, came over me to that degree, that it appeared to me 
 as though my way was hedged up on every side, inwardly 
 and outwardly. I looked round about me to see that none 
 were near to see my tears, nor hear my cries, and in the 
 very anguish and bitterness of my soul, I poured forth 
 my complaints, cries and tears, to the Judge of all the 
 earth, who spoke to me and comforted me in this my de- 
 plorable state. The Lord said unto me as if a man had 
 >poke, ' Reek first the kingdom of heaven and the righte- 
 ousness thereof, and all these things that thou standest in 
 need of shall be given unto thee.' I then desired He 
 would be pleased to show me the place I should go to ; 
 and the Lord opened my way, and showed me the house 
 I should go to, and abide in for a time. I said, Good is 
 the word of the Ix)rfl : T believed, and it was a groat
 
 28 CHRISTOPHER 8TORY. 
 
 means to stay my miud, and settle it in the Truth, with 
 full purpose of heart to follow the Lord and obey His 
 requirings, according to the knowledge and ability given 
 me. Soon after I came to the Friend's house in South- 
 CliflT, viz. , William Allen by name, I bound myself to 
 him to learn his trade of a weayei*, and after I was bound, 
 I found this good man loved me, and I loved him to the 
 day of his death ; he often said, he was blessed for my 
 sake, and all that appertained to him ; for he was very 
 poor, but increased very considerably after I went to live 
 with him." 
 
 As the object of this little work is rather to point out 
 the way in which those of whom it speaks became settled 
 and established as living members of the Church of Christ, 
 than to narrate the varied incidents of their subsequent 
 lives, it is not needful to quote more from the very in- 
 teresting journal which John Richardson has left behind 
 him. 
 
 CHRISTOPHER STORY. 
 
 Of Christopher Story, whose residence was in Cumber- 
 land, England, his widow says, that when the Lord was 
 pleased to open his understanding, " he willingly bowed 
 under the yoke of Christ, and took up his daily cross, and 
 thereby became a disciple and follower of Him. The Lord 
 having prepared him for His service, in His own time en- 
 dued him with a gift of the ministry, and continuing in 
 faithfulness both in doing and in suffering, which soon fell to 
 his lot, he became very serviceable amongst his brethren." 
 One of his fellow-laborers in the gospel, who looked up to 
 him as a spiritual father, mentions that he visited him in 
 his last illness, and adds, " I found him well in the Lord,
 
 CHRISTOPHER STORY. 29 
 
 and had true uuity with him ; aud 1 aiu satisfied he is 
 entered into everlasting rest." His death occurred in the 
 year 1720. His own account is as follows: 
 
 " Amongst the many thousands of the disobedient and 
 rebellious, unto whom the Lord in His love and un- 
 speakable kindness, extended mercy, in and through His 
 dear Son, Christ Jesus, I was one whom the Lord called 
 by His grace when I was young in years, aud preserved 
 me from many evils, to which I was prone as well as 
 others. I scarcely knew it was the Lord, but felt there 
 was something near me aud with me from a child, that 
 inclined my heart to seek after the Lord, and to read the 
 holy Scriptures. As I grew up to years of understanding, 
 I was sober and more moderate than some others, though 
 the place of my abode was in the border of England, 
 where wickedness of the grossest sort had swelled to that 
 height, that theft, robber}^ and bloodshed, with many 
 other crying sins, were so frequent, that hell (in that 
 sense) had opened her mouth ; the remembrance of which 
 much affects my heart with sorrow. When I think of 
 such as are gone, who were but an age before me and seve- 
 ral others, that are largely made partakers of the mercy 
 of God ; that the Lord in His free love should pluck us 
 as brands out of the fire, and preserve us from those gross 
 evils which generations before us were found in, I feel is 
 an obligation never to be forgotten. 
 
 " As the Lord was pleased to get Himself a name in 
 
 the earth, in calling us to be a people to His praise, who 
 
 were as the outcasts of the nation. He began to work in 
 
 the hearts of a young generation, when but tender in age, 
 
 of which I was one ; and though we were short of having 
 
 an eye unto the Lord in all oui- undertakings, yet He was 
 
 not short in having an eye over us for good. I was brought 
 
 up in a public house, my father and mother keeping an 
 
 inn where peo{)le of many sorts resorted, vet the Lord 
 4
 
 30 CHEISTOPHER STORY. 
 
 preserved nie beyond mauy from the siu of drunkenness, 
 and the excessive smoking of tobacco I never loved. 
 
 " Yet as I grew in years, I was drawn after the vain 
 pastimes which are in the world ; as shooting with guns 
 and bows, and following them that played at cards, and I 
 was successfcil in playing, and my mind as much taken 
 with that foolish practice as most things. For this the 
 Lord gave me a sore rebuke in myself, that I was sensible 
 of trouble of conscience for many days, and was consult- 
 ing with myself what to do, not knowing of one man Avho 
 judged the thing unlawful to be done. The old enemy 
 api^eared in my heart and brought a fair pretence Avith 
 him, viz : that I might safely play at any time except 
 the First-days at night, being a practice amongst us ; and 
 this gave me a little ease for a time ; and I observed it. 
 Then a fear entered my mind that I durst not join with 
 young people in their pastimes, and light began more to 
 appear, and I saw we must be more religious than for- 
 merly ; but the enemy would suggest to me that I was 
 young, and might live long, and it was time enough for 
 me to be religious when I was married '; and here I rested 
 for some years, though often under trouble, believing I 
 must live more godly, or otherwise I could not enter God's 
 kingdom. 
 
 " When I was about eighteen years of age, my father 
 and mother were desirous I should marry a young woman, 
 whose parents were of good repute in the country ; and a 
 weighty concern it was to me, and under the sense thereof 
 I prayed to the Lord in the night season, ' that if it were 
 for our good it. might come to pass, and if not, it might not 
 be so.' About this time my heart came to be more and 
 more opened, and I saw the danger of poverty and riches, 
 and at a certain time, I retired, and the saying of the wise 
 man came into my remembrance, and I prayed to the 
 Lord to- give me neither poverty nor riches, for I saw
 
 CHRISTOPHEK STORY. 31 
 
 there was danger ou both bauds ; aud though I desired to 
 keep company with those that were most sober, yet I was 
 often under great affliction of miud. 
 
 " When I was at any time with the profane, if I par- 
 took of their joy at night, sorrow came in tlie morning. 
 While I remained here, a great fever being in the coun- 
 try, and many dying, when it entered my house, and my 
 wife was taken ill of it, I was persuaded to go to a woman 
 who was blind, aud pretended she could do great things. 
 I inquired of her if I should take the distemper, she being 
 one who undertook to tell what would come to pass : she 
 told me, no, and I believed her, but when the Lord 
 visited me with sickness, my disobedience on the one hand, 
 and my believing her, which I looked upon as distrusting 
 God, ou the other, brought such horror and trouble of 
 mind upon me, that I concluded if I should then die 
 there were no hopes of mercy for me. My mother being 
 in great trouble for me, would have comforted me with 
 this, that I exceeded others in my life and conversation, 
 but I could not believe there was any favor at the Lord's 
 hand for me, except He should restore me to my health, 
 and I become a new man. I saw I was not to regard 
 soothsayers, or such as pretend to tell thiugs to come, 
 they themselves being out of the life of righteousness. 
 Under this great distress and anguish of soul, I cried 
 mightily uuto the Lord, that He would spare me yet 
 awhile ; and that saying came into my mind, 'the prayer 
 of the righteous availeth much ;' and knowing not but 
 the priest might be one of them w^hom the Lord would 
 hear, I had a miud he should come. When he came, he 
 wanted his book, and could uot pray, so that I was dis- 
 appointed ; but may say, though all other helps failed, 
 yet the Lord never failed, for He was pleased to restore 
 me, and when restored, inclined my heart to seek after 
 Him. I thouglit it my duty often to pray to the Lord in
 
 32 CHRISTOPHER STORY. 
 
 secret places, to show me His way, wherein I should walk, 
 for I was satisfied I was out of the way ; because of the 
 trouble of mind I was under. As prayer seemed to me 
 to be a duty, I thought it my place to wait upon the Lord, 
 to feel what would open on my mind to supplicate the Lord 
 for, and not to pray in form ; but having little answer of 
 ' well done' from the Lord, I grew weary, and became 
 more and more formal in my prayers, and my distress in- 
 creased. Then I began to doubt that I had not been so 
 diligent as I should have been in my devotion in the time 
 of our worship, though I frequently went ; so I resolved 
 for the time to come, I would go to church with the first, 
 and hear and observe every word the priest said. But 
 I saw all that I could do signified little ; and I was not 
 to sing, neither durst I o})en my mouth as others did, but 
 sat solitarily. Then the Lord showed nie the effects of 
 the priests' ministry. They could tell what sin was, and 
 what would be the reward of the righteous ; and what 
 would be the reward of the wicked ; but how to come out 
 of sin, which was the thing I wanted to know, they left 
 me at a loss, and this lessened their esteem in my view." 
 
 While in this inquiring state of mind, C Story attended 
 a meeting at which Robert Barclay was present, who, he 
 says, " spoke the word of Truth excellently to the people, so 
 that I could have said, amen, to several things ; and 
 amongst the rest, he said, ' If a man could begin at Genesis, 
 and repeat all the Scriptures to the end of Revelations, 
 and was not led and guided by a measure of that Spirit by 
 which the Scriptures were given forth, it would avail him 
 nothing.' Then I saw all that I had availed nothing." 
 
 " Being come home, and under great exercise what to 
 do, I searched the Scriptures — read much, and wanted to 
 be informed concerning many things that Friends held. 
 In this time Friends appointed another meeting about a 
 quarter of a mile from my abode, and I had many serious
 
 CHRISTOPHER STORY. 33 
 
 thoughts what to do. At last I. resolved I would go to 
 the meeting, and get near the public Friends, and hear 
 every word they said ; and if I liked them well, I would 
 invite them to my honse, on purpose to discourse with 
 them privately about several things. * * The meeting 
 day came and many people flocked to the meeting, and I 
 was diligent to hear the testimony of Truth. 
 
 " Thomas Carleton, a man of sweet countenance (as I 
 remember) spake concerning the Spirit of truth being 
 come, that convinceth the world of sin, and that this if 
 taken heed unto, would lead out of all sin ; of which words 
 I was heartily glad, for I said in myself, ' I have felt that 
 from a child which condemned me for .sin ; and if this be 
 suflScient to lead out of sin, it is what I have long wanted." 
 
 The ministering Friends having gone home with C. 
 Story, he and some of his neighbors w^rote out some queries 
 on religious subjects to present to them. He says : 
 " When the Friend perceived what we aimed at, Thomas 
 Carleton being pretty quick and expert in answering 
 questions, called for a Bible, and did not so much argue 
 with us, as endeavor to let us see what the Scripture said, 
 putting us gently by, for we were much for arguing : we 
 parted pretty well satisfied." 
 
 By the advice of their friends, C. Story and others 
 who were convinced in that neighborhood, agreed to meet 
 together for Divine worship, and though there was then 
 no minister among them, he says, he felt his " inward 
 man renewed in a sense of the Lord's nearness." 
 
 "Some years after our convincement, being met in the 
 house of Christopher Taylor to wait upon the Lord, His 
 power and presence in a wonderful manner overshadowed 
 us in our sitting together ; and there was much broken- 
 ness and tenderness on the spirits of Friends, which 
 spread over the whole meeting, except three or four per- 
 sons who sat dry, and they proved not well. I being near 
 4*
 
 34 GILBERT LATEY. 
 
 the door saw many in the room filled, before the power of 
 the Lord reached me, yet the Lord, in His free love and 
 mei'cy, was pleased to give me such a share among my 
 brethren, that my heart is always glad when I remember 
 that season of God's love, though now upwards of twenty 
 years ago. And though we were at times plentifully fed 
 with that bread which came down from heaven, and sat 
 together at the Lord's table, where the wing of His power 
 was known to overshadow us; yet at other times the Lord 
 tried us with want ; and at a certain time it entered my 
 mind as a weighty consideration, why it should be thus, 
 we being the same people, and sometimes, had very good 
 and comfortable meetings, and were sometimes very dry 
 and barren in our meeting together. As I was thus con- 
 cerned in my mind, it opened to me that there should be 
 seed time and harvest, summer and winter, unto the end 
 of the world. So I saw clearly there were times to abound, 
 and times to suffer want ; and I desired to rest satisfied 
 in the will of God. As we sojourned here, desiring no- 
 thing more than to follow the Lord fully. He not only 
 led us out of the gross evils which are in the world, but 
 out of the customs and ftishions that are evil. So that we 
 were singled out from the world in everything we saw to 
 be needless and superfluous ; and the fame of truth spread, 
 and our meetings were large, and the exercise of the faith- 
 fid was to draw nearer and nearer to the Lord." 
 
 GILBERT LATEY. 
 
 Gilbert Latey was a prominent Friend of London, in 
 the early days of that religious Society. He was one 
 whose heart was often deejily affected with sympathy fjr 
 the sufferings of his innocent brethren in religious profes-
 
 GILBERT LATEY. 35 
 
 sion who were pluudered of their goods, exposed to per- 
 sonal abuse, and made to endure long imprisonments in 
 filthy jailf=, for their faithfulness in meeting to perform 
 Divine worship, and in other ways upholding the pure 
 Gospel principles of which they had been convinced by 
 the Light of Christ. Being known to many persons of 
 power and influence in the State ; and being greatly re- 
 spected for his upright^ amiable and consistent character; 
 his earnest and persevering labors for the relief of those 
 thus afflicted were often blessed with success. 
 
 " In all these engagements," says his biographer, " he kept 
 to and boi-e the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which he 
 was crucified to the world ; and his great self-denial was 
 taken notice of and beloved ; insomuch that an eminent 
 Friend and minister of Christ [William Penn ?], in one of 
 the former reigns, being then in another nation, having 
 great interest among the men at Court and attending there 
 often, meeting with a Friend one day, told him he had 
 been at Court, and that of all the men among Friends, 
 that he ever knew or heard of, he never followed a man 
 that had a sweeter character than Gilbert Latey had at 
 Court." 
 
 It is recorded of Gilbert Latey, that he was of a sober 
 life and conversation, and having breathings in his heart 
 after the Lord, followed those who were of the best repute, 
 and esteemed to be the most zealous pastors and preachers 
 in that time, often hearing four sermons in a day, and 
 being frequent in private prayer. The Lord beholding 
 the integrity of his heart, prospered him in sucli a manner, 
 that he grew into great reputation in the world ; having 
 much business in his trade as a tailor, and being employed 
 and respected by persons of the first rank in the kingdom. 
 But, through ail these outward enjoyments, his desires 
 were still to find peace with the Lord ; and in this seek- 
 ing condition he went to hear those who seemed the most
 
 36 GILBERT LATEY. 
 
 refined, and from one of them to the other, seeking the 
 living among the dead, yet among them all he could not 
 find his soul's beloved. While thus breathing and seek- 
 ing after the truth, it was made known to him about the 
 year 1654, that some men who were come out of the North, 
 were to have a meeting at the house of Sarah Matthews, 
 a widow, who lived in White-Cross street, [London]. He 
 repaired thither, and having heard the truth declared by 
 that eminent minister of our Lord Jesus Christ, Edward 
 Burrough, was so reached by the power of the Lord, that 
 he was convinced ; and being directed to the Light of 
 Christ in himself, and not consulting with flesh and blood, 
 he gave up to the leadings of the Holy Spirit, greatly re- 
 joicing that he had found his soul's beloved, and resolv- 
 ing, through the Lord's assistance, to take up his cross 
 aud despise the shame, accounting all things but as dross 
 that he might win Christ. 
 
 " Having enlisted himself under the banner of the Lord, 
 made profession of His blessed Truth, and taken up the 
 cross, despising the shame, bearing scorn and reproach, it 
 pleased the Lord to bring a trial upon him, like the cut- 
 ting off the right hand, or pulling out the right eye. For 
 being still in great business in the world, and concerned 
 with persons of considerable rank, who would have their 
 apparel set oft' with much cost aud superfluities of lace 
 and ribbons, he came under a conscientious concern not 
 to meddle therewith, nor suffer his servants to put it on ; 
 which made some say he was mad. Upon his refusing to 
 be concerned in this superfluous part, the great peoj^le left 
 him, and his trade decayed so, that having a great many 
 servants, he was forced to part with them ; not knowing but 
 he, who lately had such a great business and so many 
 servants, might now himself be a servant to some of the 
 trade, and work at day labor for his bread. This was a 
 close trial ; but he patiently waited the Lord's season ;
 
 GILBERT I.ATEY. 
 
 though despised eveu of his own mother's children, aud as 
 it were banished from his father's house ; yet he chose to 
 leave all rather than to lose his peace with the Lord. And 
 He, who never forsakes those who trust in Him, was his 
 support, bore up J^is spirit through all his exercises, aud 
 enabled him to be resigned and contented in His will." 
 
 As Gilbert Latey was thus concerned to manifest the 
 sincerity of his determination, to "Seek first the kingdom 
 of heaven and the righteousness thereof," he expei-ienced 
 the fulfilment of the blessing attached thereto ; and his 
 subsequent history clearly shows that he possessed con- 
 siderable property. In speaking of the fines to which 
 Friends were subjected for meeting together for Divine 
 worship, his biographer says : — " Being a man of [pecu- 
 niary] ability, the justices and informers were willing, 
 when they had opportunity, to-fix what they were permit- 
 ted to take, either by law or otherwise, upon him," by 
 reason of which there were at one time warrants against 
 him for several hundred pounds ; but the Lord being- 
 good to him, even as to His servant of old, made the ene- 
 mies ready to say, as their master did, ' Doth he serve 
 God for nought; hath He not set a hedge about him, and 
 all that he hath?' For notwithstanding their contriv- 
 ance and subtilty, the Lord preserved both him and 
 what he had, that the destroyers' power was always in 
 measure limited ; for which to the great God belongs the 
 praise." 
 
 He faithfully bore his testimony to the Lord and His 
 cause, during the times of severe persecution, and shared 
 with his brethren in imprisonment therefor. In his old 
 age, he would often say to his wife, that he had done the 
 work of his day faithfully, and was sat down in the will 
 of God, and felt His peace to abound in him. He often 
 mentioned that he waited the Lord|s call and time of 
 being removed, and that there was no cloud in his way,
 
 60 JANE HOSKINS. 
 
 for the Lord was good to him. This heavenly frame of 
 micd continued to the last ; and a few hours before his 
 death he said to those about him, that " There was no con- 
 demnation to them that were in Christ Jesus ;" for, said he, 
 " He is the lifter up of my head, He is my strength and 
 great salvation." 
 
 JANE HOSKINS. 
 
 Jane Hoskins was born in London, in the year 1694. 
 She was brought up in a religious manner in connection 
 with the Church of England. When about sixteen years 
 of age, she was visited with a severe fit of sickness, which, 
 she says, " reduced me very low both in body and mind; 
 for the terrors of the Almighty took hold of my soul, and 
 then was brought into my remembrance all my sins and 
 mis-spent time, as well as the good counsel my dear parents 
 had tenderly given me, which I had unhappily disregarded. 
 In this distressed condition I shed many tears, making my 
 moan to Him, who is the helper of His people in the 
 needful time ; and was ready to make covenant, that if 
 He in mei'cy would be pleased to spare me a little longer, 
 the remaining part of my days should be dedicated to His 
 service ; aud it was as though it had been spoken to me, 
 ' if I restore thee, go to Pennsylvania.' To which the 
 answer of my soul was, ' wherever Thou pleasest.' This 
 opening appeared strange to me at that time ; but all I 
 wanted then, was peace of mind and health of body. 
 However, it pleased the Lord to raise me up from this 
 low condition, and I as soon forgot the promises I had 
 made in deep distress, and returning again to my old 
 amusements, endeavored thereby to stifle the witness of 
 God, which had b3eu raised in me.
 
 JANE HOSKINS. 39 
 
 " But He, who iu tender mercy strives loug with the 
 children of men, and would not that any should be lost, 
 followed me in judgment, and often when alone brought 
 me under great condemnation, so that I was made to cry 
 for strength to overcome the evils which so easily beset 
 me. Then Pennsylvania came again into my mind ; but as 
 I was much delighted with outward objects, and strongly 
 attached to such things as were pleasing to my natural 
 temper, so the cross of Christ was thereby made great in 
 appearance to me, and I would reason thus ; ' What shall 
 I do in a strange country, separated from the enjoyment 
 of all my relations and friends ?' But on a certain time 
 it was said in my soul, ' Go; there shalt thou meet with 
 such of my people as will be to thee in the place of near 
 connexions ; and if thou wilt be faithful, I will be with 
 thee.' This was spoken to me iu such power, that I was 
 broken into tears, and said, 'Lord, I will obey.' " 
 
 Though she was hindered for a time by the opposition 
 of her parents and friends, as well as by her own unwil- 
 lingness to go into a strange country, yet these obstacles 
 were removed, and iu the nineteenth year of her age she 
 came to Philadelphia. As this step was taken in obedi- 
 ence to the requirings of her heavenly Master, she says, 
 " I felt His good presence near to me ; and an eye being 
 opened in me toward Him, I became weaned from the 
 gaieties, pleasures and delights of this fading Avorld ; they 
 AVere all stained in my view, and an ardent thirst to par- 
 take of the waters of life and salvation of God took i)lace 
 in my mind. I loved solitude, — sought retirement — and 
 embraced all opportunities of attending Divine Service, 
 so called, having free liberty from those among whom I 
 lived so to do, they being very kind to mu;; but still I 
 found not that solid peace; and satisfactioii to my seeking 
 soul, which I wanted. The reason hereof, as I have since
 
 40 JANE HOSKIN.S. 
 
 experienced, was, because I sought the living among the 
 dead, as too many do." 
 
 About this time she was brought under severe trials of 
 an outward character, and the way opened for her to settle 
 in Plymouth, as a teacher to the children of some mem- 
 bers of the Society of Friends who were living there. Of 
 her employers, she thus speaks : " After I had been some- 
 time among them, and took notice of their way and man- 
 ner of performing Divine worship to God, I was ready to 
 conclude and sayin my mind, surely those are His people ; 
 and a brave, living people they really were ; there being 
 divers worthies among them, wdio I believe are now in 
 the fruition of joy unspeakable and full of glory, the 
 earnest of which, they, through mercy, then at times pai'- 
 took of, to the satisfaction of their hungry and thirsty 
 souls. The solid, weighty and tender frame of spirit some 
 of them were many times favored with in meetings, brought 
 serious considerations over my mind, with this query ; 
 Why is it not so with me ? And I said in my heart, 
 these people are certainly better than I am, notwithstand- 
 ing I have made a great deal more to do about religion 
 than thev. 
 
 "As I was pondering on these things, the saying of the 
 apostle, ' that circumcision or uncircumcision avails no- 
 thing, but a new creature in Christ Jesus,' was often 
 brought to my mind. I saw this work must begin in the 
 heart and be carried on by a Divine power. This I was 
 soon convinced of, and therefore could wait with patience, 
 though in silence. But yet the whole work was not com- 
 pleted, it went on gradually, step by step, which demon- 
 strates the paternal care of our Heavenly Father, carry- 
 ing the lambs in his arms, lest they should be weary and 
 faint! Who can but admire His goodness, and celebrate 
 His praise ? His wisdom and power are great. Oh ! that 
 all would but dwell under His peaceable government, and
 
 JANE HOSKINS. 41 
 
 learu of Him who is pure aud holy. Through the opera- 
 tion of Divine Goodness, great love was begotten in my 
 heart to these people ; and if at any time Friends were 
 concerned to speak against any evil habit of the mind, I 
 did not put it from me, but was willing to take my part, 
 and have sometimes thought it all belonged to me. 
 
 "As I continued in this humble frame, and was diligent 
 in attending meeting when I could. Infinite Goodness was 
 graciously j^leased to favor me with a fresh and large 
 visitation of His heavenly love, and often tendered my 
 spirit and begot strong desires after true and saving know- 
 ledge, and that the way of life and salvation might be 
 clearly demonstrated ; and blessed be His eternal name, 
 He heard my cries and was pleased to send His servants 
 both male and female, filled with life and power, who 
 sounded forth the gospel in Divine authority, declaring 
 the way to the Father through the door of Christ, and 
 opening the principles of these people, by turning our minds 
 inward to the pure gift and manifestation of the Spirit. 
 
 " This doctrine agreeing with what I had in some mea- 
 sure been convinced of, I was made willing to join heartily 
 with it, and was ready to . s-ay, these are true ministers of 
 Christ, for they spoke with Divine power and authority, 
 and not as the scribes. Now I was mightily reached unto, 
 and stripped of all self-righteousness, and my state was 
 opened to me in such a manner, that I was quite c(m- 
 fouuded, and concluded that though I could talk of reli- 
 gion, of being maile a child of God, a member of His 
 church, and an inheritor of His holy kingdom, there was 
 as much need as ever to cry. Lord, have mercy on me a 
 poor sinner ! not having yet witnessed tlie law of the 
 spirit of life in Christ Jesus, to set me free from the law 
 of sin and death. Outward ceremonies availed nothing, 
 the new birth was wanting and must be witnessed in order 
 to prepare me for the work whereunto the Lord had
 
 42 JANE HOSKINS. 
 
 called me, and was about to engage me in. The baptism 
 of the Spirit was to be known before I could be a mem- 
 ber of Christ's church : this great work I saw, by Divine 
 favor, I must submit unto, if ever I came to be a partaker 
 of that bread which nourishes the soul unto eternal life. 
 " But oh ! the weight and exercise I was i;uder during 
 this time of refinement ; the days and nights of godly 
 sorrow and penitential mouruing I underwent, are far 
 beyond my ability to set forth in words ; and once being 
 alone I wept exceedingly, and the desire of my soul was, 
 that it might please the Almighty to show me His ways, 
 to teach me His paths which lead to peace, and give me 
 strength to walk therein according to His word ; promis- 
 ing that I would endeavor to follow in the way which was 
 most pleasing to Him, for that was what my panting soul 
 most desired. My desires were not for great things, but 
 Divine favor ; the Lord alone was become the centre of my 
 happiness, and I believe I should have died at that time, 
 had He not been pleased in a wonderful manner to mani- 
 fest Himself a present help in that needful time, and to re- 
 veal Himself through His dear Son, Christ Jesus, by ad- 
 ministering consolation to my wounded soul, filling my 
 heart with heavenly love, so that my cup ran over, and 
 I was made to cry out. Oh, that all may know thee and 
 thy goodness ! His matchless, loving kindness so overcame 
 me, that I thought I could have gone through the world 
 to proclaim the tender dealings of a merciful God to my 
 soul. Here I again renewed my covenant with God, and 
 promised obedience to His commands ; and oh, the calm, 
 the peace, comfort and satisfaction wherewith my mind 
 was clothed, like a child enjoying his father's favor, and 
 with inexpressible delight beholding the smiles of his 
 countenance. I was afraid to do or say anything that 
 might offend the Lord, lest the rod might be laid heavy 
 on me, for this is the portion of disobedience. In that
 
 JANE H08KINS. 43 
 
 time 1 became a wouder to mauy, but was treated with 
 great tenderness by most of the Friends and neighbors. 
 I had laid aside all superfluity of apparel, for which I 
 had been condemned ; I attended meetings diligently, and 
 walked three or four miles to them, sometimes alone medi- 
 tating upon the Lord, and thought the work of my pre- 
 sent and future haj^piness was now completed in me, that 
 I had nothing to do but sit contented under the enjoyment 
 of Divine favor, rejoicing that I had left all and followed 
 Christ, whom I loved more than my natural life. Thus I 
 concluded in my own mind, not knowing as yet what the 
 Lord was preparing me for, nor that there was a further 
 work allotted me, which I Avas a stranger to, till one time 
 being in a meeting, and sitting very contented under my 
 own vine and fig tree, a call arose in my mind, ' I have 
 chosen thee a vessel from thy youth to serve me, and to 
 preach the gospel of salvation to many people ; and if 
 thou wilt be faithful, I will be with thee unto the end of 
 time, and make thee an heir of mv kingdom.' " 
 
 Notwithstanding she had thought the work of her salva- 
 tion " completed," yet when it Avas required of her to 
 preach the word given her, she found great unwillingness 
 to submit to the Divine requisition ; and mauy mouths of 
 deep suffering were passed through, ere she was brought 
 to yield up her own will, and faithfully to bear this cross. 
 
 During the subsequent years of her life, she met with 
 many trials and exercises, designed to promote her own 
 growth in religious experience,-and to prepare her for the 
 performance of those services to which she was called by 
 her Divine master. But through all she was enabled to 
 look to the Lord for counsel and help ; and this was re- 
 markably extended, both inwardly and outwardly. The 
 account she has left of the dealings of the Almighty with 
 her, is very lively and instructive. In the course of her 
 religious labors, she twice visited tlic churciies in (jireat
 
 44 . JOHN BANKS. 
 
 BritaJD, and made two voyages to Barbadoes ; besides 
 travelling extensively on this continent. She concludes 
 her narrative with the following brief review : 
 
 " Upon the whole, I may say as did King David, ' Day 
 unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth 
 knowledge ;' by sore afflictions we learn experience, and 
 if we make a proper use thereof, all will in due time be 
 sanctified to us, so that we shall receive the word of in- 
 struction with joy." 
 
 JOHN BANKS. 
 
 John Banks was one of the early members of the 
 Society of Friends in the north of England. His friends 
 of Pardshaw Monthly Meeting, in the county of Cumber- 
 land, have left on record a testimony to his worth, in 
 which they say : " He was a faithful minister of the ever- 
 lasting gospel, and given up to preach it freely, and labor 
 faithfully in the work thereof; and went through great 
 hardships, and travelled much both by sea and laud, in 
 Ireland, Scotland, and in this nation, and most of all in 
 this county, where he labored night and day for the gather- 
 ing of people to God, and for the settling of those who 
 were gathered. * * He was instrumental to gather seve- 
 ral meetings in this county ; being an incessant laborer 
 in the Lord's work, both in body and mind. * * It was 
 not only given to him to believe, but to sutler for the tes- 
 timony of God ; in which he was preserved firm and true, 
 to the stripping oYhis goods by the Conventicle Act, public 
 sale being made of what he had ; yet the Lord bore him 
 up over all, that he was as one of the stakes of Zion, that 
 could not be moved. He was afterwards in prison at 
 Carlisle for his testimony ; yet retained his integrity and 
 stood faithful."
 
 JOHN HANKS. 45 
 
 In liis last illuoss, he would oftcu say, that notwith- 
 standiug all bis pain, his soul did praise aud magnify tlie 
 Lord, for His goodness towards him. A few hours before 
 bis death, be remarked bow well it was to have nothing 
 to do but to die. At another time be said, be was assured 
 it would be well with him, and that be should end in the 
 truth as be began. Home friends being with him a few 
 days before bis death be said to them, " Although I am 
 weak in bod}^ and do not know whether I may live much 
 longer or no, I am however, strong in the Lord, and in 
 the power of His might, and have nothing to do but to 
 die ; for I am rich in faith towards God, and my cup is 
 full of the love of God. Whether I live or die it will be 
 well with my soul ; for blessed be the Lord ; I can say 
 with the wise aud holy apostle Paul, that I have fought a 
 good fight and kept the faith, and henceforth there is laid 
 up for me a crown of eternal life." 
 
 In tbe latter part of bis life, John Banks wrote a Jour- 
 nal, showing, as he says, " the manner of my education 
 and convincement, how I came to receive the knowledge 
 of God, and of His blessed truth ; the travail of my soul 
 under judgment ; bow 1 came through the same to obtain 
 mercy at the Lord's baud for sin and transgression." 
 From this valuable record of Christian experience, tbe 
 following account has been condensed : 
 
 " When about sixteen years of age, in tbe 10th mo, 
 1654, it pleased the Lord to reach to my heart and con- 
 science, by His pure, living Spirit, in tbe blessed appear- 
 ance thereof in and through Jesus Christ ; whereby I re- 
 ceived the knowledge of God, and tbe way of His blessed 
 truth, by myself alone in tbe field, before I ever beard any 
 one called a Quaker preach ; aud befoi'e I was at any 
 of their meetings. But the first day that I went to one, 
 which was at Pardsbaw, tbe Lord's power so seized upon 
 me in the meeting, that I was made to cry out in tbe
 
 46 ,I()HX BANKS. 
 
 bitterness of my soul, in a true sight and sense of my sins, 
 which appeared exceeding sinful ; and the same day as I 
 was going to an evening meeting of God's people, scorn- 
 fully called Quakers, by the way, I was smitten to the 
 ground with the weight of God's judgment for sin and 
 iniquity which fell heavy upon me, and I was taken up 
 by two Friends. Oh ! the godly sorrow that took hold of 
 me that night in the meeting ; so that I thought in myself 
 every one's condition was better than mine. A Friend 
 who was touched with a sense of my condition and greatly 
 pitied me, was made willing to read a paper in the meet- 
 ing, which was so suitable to my condition, that it helped 
 me a little, and gave some ease to my spirit. I was now 
 very much bowed down and perplexed, my sins being set 
 in order before me ; and the time I had spent in wild- 
 ness and wantonness, out of the fear of t^od, in vanity, 
 sport and pastime, came into my view and remembrance. 
 The book of ray conscience was opened, for I was by 
 nature wild and wanton ; and though there were good 
 desires stirring in me many times, and something that 
 judged me and reproved me, and often strove with me 
 to restrain me from evil, yet not being sensible what it 
 was, I had got over it. 
 
 " I was like those who make merry over the witness of 
 God, even the witness and testimony of His Holy Spirit, 
 in and through Jesus Christ, His Son, made known in God's 
 great love to the sons and daughters of men. This was 
 that, whereby the Lord many times strove with me, until 
 at last he prevailed upon me. So that I may say, as a 
 true witness for God, and the sufficiency of His power and 
 quickening Spirit, I did not only come to be convinced 
 by the living appearance of the Lord Jesus, of the vanity, 
 sin, and wickedness which the world lies in, and that I 
 was partaker thereof; but by taking heed thereto, through 
 watchfulness and fear, I came to be sensible of the work
 
 JOHN BANKS. 47 
 
 tliereof in my heart, iu order to subdue and bring down 
 the wild nature in me, and to wash and cleanse me from 
 sin and corruption, that I might be changed and con- 
 verted. But before I came to witness this work effected, 
 oh, the days and nights of godly sorrow and spiritual pain 
 I travelled through for some years ! * "^ * As I travelled 
 under the ministration of condemnation and judgment for 
 sin and transgression, great was the warfare I had with 
 the enemy of my soul, who, through his subtlety, sought 
 to betray me from the simplicity of the Truth, and to per- 
 suade me to despair, as though there was no mercy for 
 me; yet in some small measure I knew the Lord had 
 showed mercy to me, which He mixed with judgment, for 
 my sins past. But the experience I had gained in the 
 travail of my soul, and the faith begotten of God in my 
 heart, strengthened me to withstand the enemy and his 
 subtle reasonings. 
 
 " I overcame the wicked one, through a diligent wait- 
 ing iu the light, and keeping close to the power of God, 
 waiting upon Him in silence among His people, in which 
 exercise my soul delighted. 
 
 " Oh, the comfort and Divine consolation we were made 
 partakers of in those days ; and iu the inward sense and 
 feeling of the Loi'd's power and presence with us, we en- 
 joyed one another, and were near and dear one unto 
 another. But it was through various trials and deep 
 exercises, with fear and trembling, that thus we were 
 made partakers. Blessed and happy are they who know 
 what the truth has cost them, and hold it in righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 " Waiting diligently in the light, and keeping close to 
 the power of God ; which is therein received, I came to 
 experience the work thei-eof in my heart, in order to 
 effect my freedom from bondage, which by degrees went 
 on and prospered in me, and so I gained ground more
 
 48 JOHN HANKS. 
 
 and more against the eneni}^ of my soul, through faitli in 
 the power of God ; without which no victory is obtained. 
 
 " My prosperity in the truth I always found was by 
 being faithful to the Lord, in what He manifested, though 
 but in small things ; unfaithfulness in which, is the cause 
 of loss and hurt to many in their growth in the truth. 
 
 " After I had passed through great tribulation, weep- 
 ing and mourning in woods and solitary places alone, 
 where I often desired to be, I came to more settlement in 
 my spirit, and peace began to spring in my soul ; where 
 trouble and sorrow had been. Then at times I would 
 be ready to think, that I should not again meet with such 
 combats and besetments by the enemy of my soul, as I 
 had passed through. But the more I grew in experience 
 of the dealings of the Lord with me ; so much the more 
 did the enemy transform himself, and as he could not 
 prevail by his former presentations, so in his subtlety he 
 would invent new ones. Thus I came clearly to see that 
 it was not safe for me to sit down satisfied with what I 
 had passed through, or the victory I had already obtained ; 
 but to travel on in faith and patience, and watch dili- 
 gently in the light of Jesus Christ, where the true power 
 is still received. For notwithstanding the many deliver- 
 ances, and strength and victory I had exj)erienced, the 
 Lord, according to the greatness of His wisdom, was 
 pleased to make me sensible of my own weakness, and 
 that there was no strength to stand, no place of safety for 
 me to abide in, but in His power, and under a sense 
 thereof, I was humbled, bowed and laid low. 
 
 " Wherefore I took up a godly resolution in His fear, ' I 
 will rely upon the sufficiency of thy power, O Lord, for- 
 ever.' About six years after I had received the truth, 
 through great exercise and godly sorrow, I came to be 
 settled in the power of God, and made weighty in my 
 spirit thereby ; and had some openings from the Spirit of
 
 JOHN BANKS. 49 
 
 Truth, in silent waitings upon the Lord ; whicli tended to 
 minister comfort and satisfaction to my soul, in a renewed 
 experience of the dealings of the Lord with me ; and the 
 Lord opened ray mouth with a testimony in the fresh spring 
 of life, that I was to give forth to His children and people." 
 
 Having been himself taught in the school of Christ, 
 John Banks was prepared to point out to others the way 
 to the kingdorii of heaven, and to speak of those things 
 which his own hands had handled of the word of life. A 
 few extracts from his writings, will show the clear and 
 practical, yet wise and spii-itual, character of his advices 
 to those who were seeking deliverance from the power of 
 sin. 
 
 In an epistle to the people of Carlisle, he says : " This, 
 the Light of Christ, the Grace of God, the Spirit of Truth 
 will do for thee, if thou lovest it and believest in it: when 
 thou art tempted to sin, power from God will be given 
 unto thee through it, which thou hast not of thyself, to 
 overcome the wicked one in his temptations. * ^- * Thus 
 power is given over the temptation, and so over sin ; one 
 temptation and sin after another is gradually overcome ; 
 for as many as believe in Him, who said, ' I am the light,' 
 to them He gives power to become the sons of God. * * 
 
 "Is not He at the door of your hearts, to call you to 
 repentance, by His light, grace and holy Spirit ? And if 
 there be not a believing in Him by obeying the same, 
 what availeth His death and sufteriug to you, and the 
 shedding of His precious blood for you, if sin be not fin- 
 ished Jiere, and transgression put to an end? Eph. v. 5, 
 and i-ead to the 21st verse. No unclean thing can enter 
 into the kingdom of Christ and of God. * * '^ 
 
 " Was not sin the cause wherefore He suffered : and if the 
 cause through faith in Him, be not taken away, how shall 
 the effect cease? but if the cause through faith in Him,
 
 50 JOHN BANKS. 
 
 be takeu away, tlieu the effect ceaseth, and everlasting 
 felicity, world without end, ensueth." * * . * 
 
 In an epistle on the blessed effects of true and saving 
 faith, written from his prison-house in Carlisle, John 
 Banks thus counsels those " who are young in the truth, 
 and whom the enemy may bear hard upon by tempta- 
 tions :" — " Dear Friend, in much tenderness ray soul 
 breathes unto the Lord for thy deliverance ; and in order 
 that thou mayst be delivered from that which so oppresses 
 thee in spirit, or stands in thy way, mark well what I say 
 unto thee. Thou wiliest too much, and through thy will- 
 ing thou wouldst run too fast, and make too much haste, 
 striving to get over things, which is the great cause why 
 thou comest short of obtaining victory through faith." 
 " Stand still and patiently wait to receive the powder which 
 the Lord will give to all in His own time, not in theirs, 
 who patiently wait for it ; that so patience in thee may 
 have its perfect work, and thou mayst have the victory 
 given to thee over all the temptations of the enemy, 
 through faith in the power of God." 
 
 This advice is in accordance with the sense that many 
 have had impressed on them, of the necessity of patiently 
 enduring every dispensation of the Almighty, until its full 
 effect was received. Where a hasty and impatient dispo- 
 sition is indulged, persons are very liable to content them- 
 selves with only a partial experience of the work of Grace ; 
 and to sit down short of the true rest. That valuable 
 minister, John Griffith, who was a man of great sj^jiritual 
 discernment, thus speaks of this class of professors in his 
 day : — " Others there be, who imagine conversion is effected 
 in an instant ; and in order that their deception may be 
 effectual, the false prophet causes fire to come down as 
 from heaven in their sight ; he that is prince of the airy 
 region, raises vehement heats and agitations upon their 
 passions. This they call the workings of the Spirit upon
 
 JOHN BANKS. 51 
 
 them for their conversion ; iminediately after which a kind 
 of heaven is formed, wherein they take their rest with a 
 seeming security, erroneously supposing their calling and 
 election are made sure, and that they can never fall from 
 saving grace, which they doubt not of having in their 
 possession. Oh! how dangerous is such a security." 
 
 In common with his fellow-members of the Society of 
 Friends, in its early days, John Banks was a full believer 
 in the outward coming, death and sufferings of Christ; 
 and in the benefit resulting therefrom to mankind. A 
 few years before his death, he wrote " A true testimony 
 concerning my faith in Christ," from which the following 
 passages are taken. 
 
 "I believe in that same Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of 
 God, for remission of sins, and the salvation of my .soul, 
 who was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin 
 Mary, made a good confession before Pontius Pilate, and 
 was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem. 
 
 " I also believe in Him, as to His appearing the second 
 time, without sin, unto salvation, to all that look for Him, 
 by His living and eternal spirit, the Spirit of truth, which 
 the world cannot receive ; as when He prayed unto the 
 Father, that He would send the Comforter, that leads 
 into all truth, all that believe in Him thereby. 
 
 " When it pleased the Lord to visit me with the day- 
 spring of His love from on high, in the days of ray youth, 
 by this Spirit of life and truth, sin and Satan were mani- 
 fested ; and if at any time I was prevailed upon, by enter- 
 ing into any of his temptations, I was rej)roved and judged 
 thereby. But when faitli was begotten in my heart, to 
 believe in the Spirit of truth that reproved me, I received 
 power from Him in whom I did and do believe, to over- 
 come one sin after another, in order to a perfect freedom 
 from it, which must be in this life, or else there is no en- 
 tering into the kingdom of heaven. For all who live and
 
 52 WILT>IAM EDMUND50N. 
 
 die in sin are unclean, and therefore cannot enter the king- 
 dom. 
 
 " This is the blessed effect of the faith of every true be- 
 liever in the Lord Jesus Christ ; as to His birth, suffering, 
 resurrection, ascension, and second coming without sin, 
 unto salvation ; in whom all must believe for life and 
 salvation to their souls, whoever come to know the full 
 assurance thereof, in the kingdom of happiness, and endless 
 glory. 
 
 " Blessed, praised and magnified be the worthy name 
 of the Lord our God forever, who hath opened our under- 
 standings by His power, whereby we know Him in whom 
 we do believe ; which is not to believe in the Light within, 
 distinct from Christ; — or as if people could believe in the 
 Light and not in Christ. But we believe in both as one ; 
 knowing and being clear in our understanding, that no 
 separation can be made between Christ and the Light 
 that comes from Him, which shines in the hearts of all 
 true believers ; and shines in the darkness of unbelievers, 
 and therefore the darkness cannot comprehend it. So we 
 as truly believe in that same Christ, who laid down His 
 body and took it up again, as in His Light within ; and we 
 have benefit to salvation, by the one as well as the other ; 
 and of both, they being one; and are willing to lay hold 
 of every help and means, God, in and through Jesus 
 Christ, has ordained for our salvation." 
 
 WILLIAM EDMUNDS ON. 
 
 William Edmundson was the most prominent among 
 the early members of the Society of Friends in Ireland, 
 whither he removed from England whilst yet a young 
 man. He travelled much in the work of the ministry,
 
 WILLIAM EDMUXDSON. 53 
 
 not only iu his adopted country, but iu other i)tirts of 
 Great Britain, aud ou the coutiuent of North America ; 
 and was iustrumeutal iu awakeuiug uiauy to au earnest 
 coneeru for their souls' salvation. He was of great ser- 
 vice iu promoting the introduction aud settlement of meet- 
 ings for discipline iu the Society to which he belonged, 
 and labored fervently that its members might be preserved 
 iu that simple and pure conduct aud manner of living, 
 aud that liveliness of spirit, which were consistent with 
 the principles they professed. Being a man of undaunted 
 courage, and much force of character, his labors with 
 those in authority for the good of his fellow-members 
 when suffering from religious persecution, were often 
 blessed and crowned with success. During the civil war 
 attending the expulsion of James the Second from the 
 throne of Great Britain, his dwelling was burnt, his goods 
 plundered, aud his life iu imminent danger from the vio- 
 lence of blood-thirsty men, by whom he was grossly abused. 
 Through all the vicissitudes that attended his cai-eer, he 
 preserved his Christian character unblemished. In his 
 journal he says : — 
 
 " I was born at Littlc-Musgrove, in Westmoreland, in 
 the year 1627. * * * After sometime I was l)ound 
 apprentice in York to the trade of a carpenter and joiner, 
 where I lived some years. In this time, the Lord liegau 
 to work in the hearts of many people in that city, so that 
 there were great openings in the things of God, both in 
 preachers and hearers. Then the Lord began to visit me 
 with His judgments, and to set my sins before me: many 
 times I was under great exercises concerning my salva- 
 tion, and also about election aud reprol)atiou. So many 
 things wrought mightily iu my mind about religion, that 
 I was often brought very low iu my spirit, aud at public 
 worship in the steeple-house at times, the Lord's judg- 
 ment's would seize upon me luuivilv. < Mic time iu the
 
 54 WILLIAM EDMUNDHOJV. 
 
 public worship, the baud of the Lord was so upoii me, 
 that I shed abimchiuce of tears iu weeping and bewailing 
 my wretched state ; and the priest and congregation took 
 notice of me, but none directed me aright to the Physician 
 who could heal my wounded spirit. 
 
 " About this time I went into the Parliament's army, 
 and there continued part of the war between the king and 
 parliament ; and when that was over I went into Scotland 
 under Oliver Cromwell in the year 1650. The Lord 
 began afresh with me, and many times His heavy judg- 
 ments would seize upon me, and bring me low in a con- 
 sideration of the life I lived iu, and what the end would 
 be ; and sometimes his mercies would spring in my heart 
 to my great refreshment, and cause tears of joy and glad- 
 ness. But I knew not the secret hand that was dealing 
 with me, neither met I with any who informed me, although 
 iu the army we had many high professors of religion. 
 Sometimes when I had been on service most of the day, 
 and was lying down in my tent at night, then would arise 
 iu my mind the imminent dangers I had passed that day, 
 and the narrow escapes my life had, and what would have 
 become of my soul, if I had fallen while in uncertainty of 
 my future happiness ; with resolutions to turu to the Lord 
 by rejientancc and amendment of life ; Init when action 
 presented, which I was active iu at that time, I got over 
 it again iu my vanity. 
 
 "In the year 1651, the Scotch army marched for Eng- 
 land; we followed and engaged them at Worcester, and 
 overthrew their army. After the fight I was troubled in 
 mind for my vanity, for the Lord preserved my life still ; 
 but I fled from judgment, and made merry over God's 
 witness iu my conscience, which testified against me. * * 
 
 " One market-day at Chesterfield, I was in a tavern with 
 others of my companions, and two women of the people 
 called Quakers, spoke of the things of God to the people
 
 WILLIAM Hl)^[IINI)S^)^^ ')i) 
 
 iu tlie market. I did not hear of them until they were 
 gone, but the priest of the town, and several with him, 
 abused them. When they had done they came to the 
 tavern, into the room where I and my companions were, 
 it being a large dining-room, where the priest boasted of 
 what he had done to the two women, thinking we would 
 praise him, but I loved to hear of the women, and hated 
 his behavior towards them. 
 
 "A young man, a merchant, then present, who fre- 
 quented my company and would often speak of the peo- 
 ple called Quakers, and say their principles were the 
 truth, hearing the priest boast of his abusive behavior to 
 the said two women, answered and said. It was a poor 
 victory he had gotten over two poor women ; at which the 
 priest was very angry and began to storm. My si)irit 
 rose against him ; I started up from my seat, and asked 
 the priest and them with him, if they came to quarrel? 
 saying, if they did, they should have enough. The priest 
 answered, No, not with you, sir. I bid them leave the 
 room, which they presently did ; but these things came 
 close to me, and the more I heard of this people the better 
 I loved them, and earnest desires sprung afresh in my 
 heart, that the Lord would show me the way of truth." 
 
 About this time William Edmundson left the army, 
 married, and having bought a quantity of merchant goods, 
 settled in Ireland. He says : " My inclinations were after 
 religion, and my conscience began to be awakened by the 
 Lord's juilgments mixed with mercy, which preserved 
 rae. 
 
 " I soon sold the goods I l)rought ovci', and forthwith 
 went for England to buy more ; and coming into the north 
 of England among my relations, at the time George Fox 
 and James Naylor were in tliat country, James Naylor 
 having a meeting about three miles from where I was, I 
 Avent to it witli inv <'l(l(st brf)ther 'riioinas, and aiiollicr
 
 56 WILLIAM EDMUNDSON. 
 
 kiDsman, having an earnest desire to converse with some 
 of that people, retaining a love for, and believing well of 
 them from the first hearing the report of them ; and I was 
 glad of this opportunity. We were all three convinced of 
 the Lord's blessed truth ; for God's witness in our hearts 
 answered to the truth of what was spoken, and the Lord's 
 former dealings with me came fresh into my remembrance. 
 Then I knew it was the Lord's hand that had been striv- 
 ing with me for a long time. This was in the year 1653. 
 
 " Then my understanding began to be opened, and many 
 scriptures were brought to my remembrance, which I had 
 often read, yet understood not ; but now being turned to 
 a measure of the Lord's Spirit manifested in my heart, 
 which had often reproved me for evil in my ignorance, I 
 knew it was the truth which led into all truth, agreeably 
 to the Holy Scrijitures of the law and prophets, Christ 
 and His apostles, and I thought all that heard it de- 
 clared must own it, it was so plain to me. A few days 
 after I was thus far convinced of the blessed truth, the 
 Lord's power seized upon me through His Spirit, whereby 
 I was brought under great exercises of mind ; yea, all my 
 parts came under this exercise, for the Lord's hand was 
 mighty upon me, in judgments mixed with mercies ; so 
 that my former ways were hedged up. But I loved the 
 Lord's judgments, for I knew I had sinned against Him, 
 and must be purged through judgment. And though 
 under this exercise of conscience towards God, yet I did 
 my business in England, and shipped my goods to be 
 landed at Carrickfergus or Belfast. 
 
 " Whilst I was at sea, self reasoned strongly to save 
 the duty on my goods, for I had an opportunity to do it, 
 the troop my brother belonged to quartering at Carrick- 
 fergus and Belfast, who would have helped me night or 
 day. But I durst not do it, my conscience being awak- 
 ened to plead for truth, justice and equity; yet there was
 
 WILLIAM EDMUNDSON. 57 
 
 a great contest between eouscieuce and self, and in this 
 conflict many scriptures were opened to my understand- 
 ing, that duties and customs ought to be paid ; and though 
 self struggled hard for mastery, yet at last was overthrown, 
 and the judgment of truth prevailed. 
 
 " I landed at Carrickfergus where a trooper readily 
 lent me his horse, and I rode that evening home to An- 
 trim, where my wife lived. When I came to the door, 
 my brother came forth to salute me with his usual com- 
 pliments; but the Lord's power seized upon me at that 
 instant, he was struck amazed, went in, and sat down silent. 
 I Avas much broken in tlie power of the Lord before them, 
 and my brother made no opposition, but received the 
 truth and joined with it. 
 
 " I returned to Carrickfergus to bring my goods ashore, 
 but the officers required an oath to the truth of my bills 
 of parcels, and not suffering them to comsoashore without 
 it, would have seized upon my goods. I told them, I 
 coidd not swear, for it was contj-ary to Christ's command, 
 which seemed a strange thing to them, not having met 
 witli the like before ; Imt the Lord's truth and testimony 
 was precious to me, and after some time, with nmch diffi- 
 culty, I got an order to bring my goods to the custom 
 house. My deportment to the officers and others herein 
 was a wonder to them, and caused much discourse and 
 various rumors to be spread of the Quakers, and of me 
 in particular. 
 
 " After I came home with my goods, the Lord's hand 
 was heavy upon me day and night, so that I travailed 
 under a great conflict between flesh and spirit, and was 
 much cast down with sorrow and trouble of mind ; but 
 none there understood the cause of my sorrow and trou- 
 ble, or gave a word of comfort to ease me. I would 
 have gone far for the company of an experienced Friend. 
 My sleep departed from me, and many times in the night 
 
 0* ;
 
 58 WILLIAM EDMUNDSON. 
 
 in great trouble of mind, crying and weeping, I wished 
 for day, and when day came, my sorrows remaining, I 
 wished again for night. In this restless state, I had none 
 who had trod this path to converse with ; so that the 
 rumor of my condition spread abroad among the pro- 
 fessors ; many would come to gaze on me, jangle aud con- 
 tend against truth, and some would say I was bewitched ; 
 others, I was going mad. So talk and rumor concerning 
 me spread a great way among people. 
 
 " About this time one Miles Bousfield came from Eng- 
 land to Ireland, at whose house George Fox had been. 
 He had been in some degree convinced of the truth, and 
 came away upon it ; he was a great talker of religion, but 
 an enemy and a stranger to the cross of Christ. Hearing 
 of me, and of the exercise I was in, he came to see me. 
 I was not at home when he came, but he talked to my 
 wife, and spoke well of the Quakers and their principles, 
 seeming to be glad that he had found such a companion 
 in this nation as I was, and the comfort we should have 
 of one another. 
 
 " When I came home, my wife told me of his having 
 been there, and the discourse he had with her, of which 
 I was glad to hear, and soon took my horse and rode 
 twelve miles to see him, aud staid with him all night. He 
 talked abundance of religion, and of the inward work of 
 God in man by His spirit, and spoke well of George Fox 
 and James Naylor, and of their doctrine, which I liked 
 well ; but said, he knew those things before he saw or 
 heard them ; and spoke much of his knowledge of God 
 and Christ. I sat in silence with attention to hear him ; 
 for I was cast down, poor and low in my spirit, yet glad 
 that I had met with such a knowing man in the things of 
 God, and His work in man by His spirit, to advise me in 
 my great troubles of a wounded spirit. He advised me 
 to be cheerful and merrv, and not to look at those inward
 
 WILLIAM EDMUNDSON. 59 
 
 troubles, that bowed me dowu ; which was the enemy's 
 work to lead me into despair, and destroy me, by swallow- 
 ing me up ill much trouble ; and as it was plainly mani- 
 fest, that God had a love for me, to make me a chosen 
 vessel of mercy. He would love me to the end ; and no- 
 thing in me could hinder His love, or frustrate His will. 
 
 " This doctrine healed me without the cross of Christ 
 or self-denial ; which answered my will and carnal de- 
 sires ; for I loved the truth which I was convinced of, 
 and would have had it, together with my carnalities 
 fleshly liberties, worldly pleasures and profits ; so when 
 the Lord's power would rise to bow me down under His 
 cross, I would reason against it with those arguments 
 afore-mentioned, and thereby would get from under judir- 
 ment. But this ease and slight healing lasted only about 
 a week ; for the Lord Avould not leave me so, praised be 
 His name forever, whose merciful hand preserved mo, 
 and His power took fresh hold of my heart and inward 
 parts, which bowled me under His judgments, and opened 
 the eye of my understanding, plainly showing me there 
 was that alive in me that must be crucified, which opposed 
 the will of God. 
 
 "Then I saw where Bousfield was, and all of his spirit, 
 and the wounds of my restless spirit were opened wider than 
 before, and Major Bousfield's slight cure was all marred, 
 and the false rest he set me in taken away. I had none 
 now to trust to but the Lord, for counsel and information, 
 whose care was greatly manifested for my preservation, 
 redemption and information, through many temptations 
 and deep afflictions that did attend me many ways, with 
 many opposcrs and contenders. I was weak, but the 
 Lord's strength was perfect in weakness, and His spirit 
 and power increased in me through obedience to the cross 
 of Christ, wherein I was daily exercised, and thereby grew
 
 60 WILLIA.AI EDilUNDSON. 
 
 into acquaintance with the Lord's work, to make nie a 
 vessel for His purpose. 
 
 " In the spring following, I removed with my family 
 from Antrim, to live in the county of Armagh ; took a 
 house and grazing for my cattle, and kept a shop of some 
 merchant goods, where I became the talk and gazing stock 
 of the people. Professors watched me narrowly to get 
 occasion agaiust me and the principles of truth I pro- 
 fessed, but the Lord strengthened me in my watch over 
 my words and deeds, and so cut off occasion from them 
 that sought occasion against the truth and me. . 
 
 " In those days, to use the plain and proper speech, as 
 thee and thou to a single person, and keeping on the hat, 
 were straijge things to people, and few could suffer them 
 to be used ; but would reflect in abusive words, and some- 
 times use blows, or throw stones. Keeping to one price 
 in selling goods, and to the first asking without abate- 
 ment, was a great stumbling block to most sorts of people, 
 and made them stand at a distance from buying for some 
 time, until they saw further into the justice thereof. All 
 things were rough and rugged in the world, and tlie cross 
 of Christ was foolishness and a stumbling block to them. 
 
 " My exercises and trials both within and without were 
 many, and of divers sorts, beyond what I can express. 
 The Lord's judgments clave close to me ; I was made to 
 love them, and willing to wait upon the Lord in the ways 
 thereof Sometimes when the Lord's hand would be easy 
 with me, I would be afraid lest He should withdraw His 
 hand ; then my desires were to the Lord not to slacken 
 His hand, but to search me thoroughly ; for His judg- 
 ments were become sweet to my taste, which He many 
 times mixed with springs of mercy, to my joy and com- 
 fort. Business in the affairs of the world became a trou- 
 ble to me, though there were presentations and oppor- 
 tunities to get riches. ^= * *
 
 Wir.I.IAM EDMUNDSON. <31 
 
 "My brother being convinced of the truth, my wife, he 
 and I, met together twice a week at my house ; in a while 
 after four more were convinced, and then we seven met 
 together to wait upon God, and to worship Him in spirit 
 and truth. The Lord's mercy and goodness were often 
 extended to us to our comfort and confirmation, in the ap- 
 pearance of His blessed truth received in our hearts." 
 
 An incident recorded in William Edmundson's Jour- 
 nal, is here introduced, to illustrate the manner in which 
 the Lord is pleased at times to operate on the hearts of 
 His servants for the accomplishment of His designs ; and 
 also to show the strength of that faith, which led this 
 Friend to turn his back on his home, though he believed 
 his property was in danger. He says : 
 
 " About this time there were two women Friends from 
 London, Anne Gould and Julian Wastwood, who came to 
 Dublin and travelled to Londonderry, having some draw- 
 ings to that place. After some service for the Lord there, 
 they travelled to Colerain, so through the Scotch country 
 to a place called Clough, all on foot in winter time, wad- 
 ing rivers and dirty, miry ways. Anne Gould being a 
 tender woman, was much spent and staid at Clough ; the 
 enemy persuading her that God had forsaken her, and 
 that she was there to be destroyed, so that she fell into 
 despair; but I knew nothing of them. 
 
 " At this time my brother and I were at a fair in An- 
 trim ; being late there, we proposed to lodge that night 
 at Glenavy, six miles on our wvay homeward. Belbre we 
 got to Glenavy, I was under a great exercise of spirit, and 
 the word of the Lord came unto me, that my shop was in 
 danger to be robbed that night. I told my brother of it; 
 so we concluded to travel home, and went about a mile 
 beyond Glenavy ; but ray spirit was still under a great 
 exercise, the word of the Lord moving me to turn back 
 towards Clough. I was lirought under a great exen;ise
 
 62 A\II.LrAM KDMUNDSON. 
 
 between these two motions, to travel back and my service 
 unknown ; and my shop on the other hand in danger to 
 be robbed, which brought me into a great strait, for fear 
 of a wrong spirit. I cried to the Lord in much tender- 
 ness of spirit, and His word answered me, That which drew 
 me back should preserve my shop ; so we went back to 
 Glenavy, and lodged there. That night I slept little, be- 
 cause of many doubts about the concern : on the other 
 hand I durst not disobey, for I knew the terrors of God 
 for disobedience. 
 
 " The next morning, my brother went home, but I rode 
 back to Antrim. Towards evening I came to Clough, 
 and took up my lodging at an inn, the country being gen- 
 erally inhabited by Scotch people and Presbyterians. 
 When I came into the house, I found Anne Gould in 
 despair, and Julian Wastwood with her, but when they 
 knew who I was and heard my name, for they had heard 
 of me before, the poor disconsolate woman revived for joy 
 and gladness, and got up, for she was in bed overwhelmed 
 under trouble of mind. I saw then that my service of 
 coming there was for her sake. When we came to dis- 
 course of matters, I told them how I was lirought there 
 by the good hand of God, led as an horse by the bridle, 
 to the place where they were. They therefore greatly 
 rejoiced and praised God ; the tender woman was helped 
 over her trouble ; and she saw it was a trial of great 
 temptations she had lain under. They had a mind to go 
 to Carrickfergus, to my house, and to Dublin to take 
 shipping for England ; but neither of them would under- 
 take to ride single, therefore I was forced the next day 
 to carry them behind me, first one and then the other. 
 When we came in very foul way, I set them both on 
 horseback, and waded myself through dirt and mii-e in 
 my boots, holding them both on horseback with my hands. 
 We came to Conyers that night, and lodged there ; the
 
 WILLIAM EDMUNDSON. 6o 
 
 uext day I got them to Carrickf'ergu:; ; ami there leaving 
 theiu, rode home and sent my brother and two horses, to 
 bring them to my house. 
 
 " AVhen I came home, I inquired about my shop, 
 whether it had been in danger of robbing? They told 
 me, the night I Avas under that exercise about it, the shop 
 window was broken down and fell with such violence on 
 the counter, that it awakened our people, and the thieves 
 were aflrighted and ran away. So I was confirmed it was 
 the word of the Lord that said, that which drew me back 
 should preserve my shop, and I was greatly strengthened 
 in the word of life, to obey the Lord in what He required 
 of me ; for I was much afraid lest at anytime my under- 
 standing should be betrayed by a wrong spirit, not fear- 
 ing the loss of goods nor sufierings for Truth, its testimony 
 being more to me than all other things." 
 
 In another part of his Journal, he bears this testimony 
 to the feelings that actuated the members of the Society 
 of Friends in that time, when the dew of its youth rested 
 u2:)on it : 
 
 " In those days the world and the things of it were not 
 near our hearts, but the love of God, His truth and testi- 
 mony lived in our hearts ; we were glad of one another's 
 comi:)auy, though sometimes our outward fare was very 
 mean, and our lodging on straw ; we did not mind high 
 things, but were glad one of another's welfare in the Lord, 
 and His love dwelt in us." 
 
 As William Edmundson in his youthful days was con- 
 cerned to dig deep and lay the foundation of his spiritual 
 building on the Rock, he found it able to endure all the 
 storms that assailed it through a life prolonged to nearly 
 eighty-five years — a life marked with abundant labors for 
 the spiritual and temporal welfare of his fellow-nion, and 
 accompanied with trials of no ordinary nature. Tlic lol-
 
 64 WILLIAM EDMUNDSON. 
 
 lowing niemdranduni, penned in his old age, gives a brief 
 review of his course. 
 
 " In the Eighth month, 1704, in the seventy-seventh 
 year of ray age, being under much affliction and weakness 
 of body, I was resigned unto the blessed will of the Lord, 
 and were it His time, would gladly have been dissolved 
 and at ease, ' where the weary are at rest, and the wicked 
 cease from troubling.' For I was not afraid of death or 
 the grave, but could say, through the tender mercy of 
 God, 'Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy 
 victory?' through steadfast faith and hope in my Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ, who suffered for me, and whom 
 death or the grave could not hold ; but who rose again, 
 and appears before the Father for me, as advocate, medi- 
 ator and intefceder. In my youthful days He was pleased 
 to visit me with the appearance of His Holy Spirit, to turn 
 me from the evil of my ways, making me sensible of His 
 judgments and mercies, calling me by His grace to a refor- 
 mation ; and also put me into His service in the ministra- 
 tion of the Word of Life, and doctrine of His kingdom, en- 
 dowing me with a talent of His Holy Spirit of understand- 
 ing in doctrine and discipline, for the benefit of His church. 
 In which I have labored for the space of above fifty years, 
 according to my strength and ability, through many trou- 
 bles, deep exercises and perils of divers kind, by sea and 
 land, which fell to my lot in the Lord's service, both in the 
 wilderness by robbers and blood-thirsty murderers, by 
 open opposers and enemies to truth, and worst of all, 
 by false brethren under the same profession. These 
 things, and many other great exercises and straits, the 
 Lord's arm and gracious providence have still preserved 
 me through, and supported me over in the faith that gives 
 the victory, having blessed His work, and given the tes- 
 timony of His truth dominion to this present time." 
 
 His friends testify, that, "Having run the race with
 
 patieuce, and kept the faitli, he departed this life iu sweet 
 peace with the Lord, in imity with hi.s brethren, and good- 
 will to all men." 
 
 JOSEPH PIKE. 
 
 Joseph Pike was a valuable elder iu the Society of 
 Friends, and was born in the year 1657, near Cork, iu 
 Irelaud. Iu his old age, he wrote an account of his 
 Christian experience, chiefly for the use of his own chil- 
 dren, iu which he thus narrates the dealings of the Al- 
 niiohtv with him. 
 
 " Before I was seven years of age, the Spirit of the Lord 
 began to work iu my miud, and strove with me, to bring 
 me off from childish playfulness and vanities. His holy 
 light in ray soul, as I soon after found it to be, convinced 
 me that I ought not to give way to, nor do, this or the 
 other thing which presented ; and when at anytime, I did 
 what I should not have done, it brought upon me trouble 
 and condemnation, even in those early days, as it hath 
 always since, wlien I did anything that ofleuded the Lord." 
 
 " Though I did not presently know that it was the Lord's 
 Spirit which I felt working in me, as Samuel knew not 
 the Lord's voice when a child, yet being convinced in my- 
 self by its holy convictions, that I ought not to do those 
 things which brought trouble upon me, and also, that when 
 at any time I refrained from doing what caused this trou- 
 ble, I had sweet peace aud satisfaction of mind, it made 
 n)e the more to attend to its dictates, and drew me off 
 from many childish actions, which youtli are prone to; 
 whereby, I grew into sobriety beyond mauy of my age, 
 until I came to be about nine years old. 
 7
 
 66 .JOSEPH PIKE. 
 
 " But in ;i little time after, I began by degrees to lose 
 tills condition ; and I well remember how the enemy of 
 my soul worked in a mystery, insinuating into my mind, 
 ' What harm or evil is there in things that are accounted 
 innocent diversions ?' And being of a lively, active tem- 
 per this bait took with me ; so that my mind was drawn 
 off from attending to the convictions of the Lord's Holy 
 Spirit in my heart, which did often bring trouble and 
 condemnation upon me. Beginning to love playful pas- 
 times, I lost that inward sweetness and peace which I had 
 before enjoyed ; and by endeavoring to stifle these secret 
 reproofs, I grew harder, until, from a desire to keep com- 
 l)any with other wild boys, I took delight in getting out 
 into the streets to play with them, so that I grew very 
 wanton, although my dear parents endeavored to restrain 
 me. After I had been associating with such companions, 
 when I came to be a little still, the Lord's judgments 
 would seize me and bring me under great trouble of soul ; 
 then I would resolve to refrain and do so no more. Yet 
 perhaps the next temptation that offered, I could not with- 
 stand, but fell into the same snare again. 
 
 " Thus it was with me, until I came to be about twelve 
 years of age ; although, to the praise of the Lord, I was 
 preserved from any very wicked or gross actions." 
 
 " William Edmundson, of Rosenallis, that worthy and 
 honorable Friend and father in Israel, was concerned 
 about this time to visit Friends of this province ; and 
 being at Cork, the evening meeting fell in course at the 
 house of the widow, Bridget Denis, who became a faith- 
 ful Friend, and towards her latter end had a testimony 
 for Truth, and I doubt not died in the Lord. To this 
 meeting I went with great heaviness and sorrow upon my 
 soul, under a mournful sense of my repeated transgres- 
 sions against the Lord ; and also with earnest cries, that 
 He would be ])leased to forgive nic, and for the time to
 
 .)(»si:i>ii iMKE. b< 
 
 come graut nio power and strength over the leniptatious 
 of the enemy ; for I clearly saw, that I was not capable, 
 by any ability of my own, to preserve myself from the 
 least evil, agreeably to the saying of our blessed Lord, 
 ' Without me ye can do nothing.' I sat down iu the 
 meeting full of sorrow; and Wm. Edmundson's testimony 
 so reached my inward state and condition, and pierced 
 my very soul, that I could not refrain crying out in the 
 meeting, under a sense of my sins, and of the Lord's 
 terrors and judgments, which I then felt beyond what I 
 had ever before experienced. And I was, at that time, 
 a.s trul}' baptized by the powerful preaching of the word 
 of life by him, as those were, to whom the Apostle Peter 
 preached; Acts ii. 37. Then, oh then, were my sins, and 
 the sinfulness of theni set before me ; and in the agony 
 and bitterness of my soul, I secretly cried unto the Lord 
 for the pardon and remission of them, with humble j)ray- 
 ers unto Hijn, that He would be pleased to enable me by 
 His Holy Spirit to walk more circumspectly for the time 
 to come, and do His holy will, and that I might truly 
 serve and worship Him in spirit and iu truth. 
 
 " But the Lord's heavy judgments continued upon me 
 for a considerable time, how long I cannot exactly re- 
 member, but I believe for some months, until I became 
 obedient to His divine Light and good Spirit in my soul, 
 without whicli I could not perform anytliing that was ac- 
 ceptable to God. And I have since ibund by living ex- 
 perience, that although our Lord and S{j,viour Jesus 
 Christ, by His sufferings and death, placed me and all 
 mankind in a condition capable of salvation, yet the 
 completion thereof was, and is, in our obedience to His 
 Holy Spirit, a measure of which according to Scripture, 
 He hath given to each of us ' to profit withal,' that we 
 may thereby work out our own salvation. 
 
 " After the baptizing power of tlie J^ord had thus seized
 
 08 JOSEPH PIKE. 
 
 upon nie, I had dominion giv^eu me over those temptations 
 which had before so often prevailed upon me, and 1 grew 
 easier in spirit and had great sweetness and comfort. My 
 companions wondered at this alteration ; and when I 
 j^assed them in the street, I have overheard them say one 
 to another, • What's the matter with Joe Pike ? he won't 
 speak to us;' at which I rejoiced greatly in my heart, 
 with humble thanks to the Lord, that he had given me 
 so much power and victory over the temptations into 
 which I had befoi-e so often fallen. Then did I begin to 
 love the Lord, and I delighted to turn my mind inAvard, 
 and diligently to wait upon Him, by the help of His Holy 
 Sjiirit, by which I gradually grew in experience and 
 knowledge of the things of God. Oh then, how did I 
 love to go to meetings ! and I longed for the meeting days ; 
 and when there, endeavored to have my mind inwardly ex- 
 ercised towards the Lord, whom I loved with all the powers 
 of my soul. Oh ! how near and dear to me were the i'aith- 
 ful, ministering servants of the Lord, as also other faith- 
 ful Friends, in whose company I greatly delighted, and 
 loved to hear them speak of the things of God; my mind 
 being wholly taken off from the vanities, plays. and pas- 
 times of the world ; all was nothing to me ! And when I 
 could, I went into some secret place to wait upon the Lord, 
 and there I poui-ed out my soul unto Him, with overflow- 
 ing te^rs of joy, that He had so mercifully wrought this 
 great change in me ; and I may say, with humble thanks- 
 giving and praise to His holy name, that He was pleased 
 to accept of my tender oflTering of a broken heart, in return- 
 ing upon my soul at times the sweet incomes of His divine 
 jiower and living jiresence, to the overcoming of my spirit 
 with unutterable joy. * * "^ 
 
 " The remembrance of such seasons is renewed Avithiu 
 me at this time, for which my soul is melted into tender- 
 ness, with humble thanksgiving and praise to His Holy
 
 JOSEPH I'IKK. Oi) 
 
 au(l Divine Majesty, that He has kept me alive in S])iiit 
 now to old age, to bear this testimony for Him from my 
 own experience, tliat His holy truth waxes not old as 
 doth a garment ; for although I am decayed in body, and 
 through the weakness thereof, seem to be near the brink 
 of the grave, yet to the praise of the Lord I can say, I am 
 as strong in Him and in the power of His might, and feel 
 my spirit as zealous for His holy name and testimony, as 
 at any time of my life ; for which, all that is within me 
 magnifies and extols, even with my mouth in the dust, 
 the holy and eternal name of the Lord of Heaven and 
 earth, who liveth for ever and ever ! 
 
 "Before I had reached my fourteenth year, by the 
 Lord's Holy Spirit working in me, I came to witness a 
 state of purity, holiness and iunocency ; in which, not so 
 much as a vain or foolish thought could arise in my mind, 
 but tbe holy Light of Christ did presently let me see it 
 and judge it, so that I abhorred all evil thoughts, words 
 and actions, and loved truth and righteousness with all 
 my soul. * * * 
 
 "Notwithstanding I had by the power and spirit of the 
 Lord, attained to a state of purity, yet alas, I lost it 
 again, f<)r want of true and diligent watchfulness to the 
 Light, and closely following the leadings of it, and not 
 through any gross evil I had committed. Between the 
 age of fourteen and fifteen, I began to grow more negli- 
 gent in waiting upon the Lord, and thence into more 
 coldness of love to Him, and so by degrees to lose that 
 tender frame of spirit I had formerly witnessed. And 
 then the enemy of my soul tempted me with the pleasures 
 and vanities of the world, so that my mind was allured 
 and drawn towards them, and I did love and delight 
 therein. Among the rest I was inclined to take pleasure 
 in fine api)arel, and the like, as I could get them, accord- 
 ing to my station, of which I remcndxi- a ])arti(ul:ir in-
 
 70 JOSEPH I'iKK. 
 
 stance. Haviug got a pretty fiue new coat, tlie spirit of 
 pride arose in ine, and passing along the street, (I remem- 
 ber the place,) I thought myself, as the saying is, some- 
 body ; but amidst these vain and foolish thoughts, I was 
 in an instant struck as with an arrow from the Lord, and 
 it swiftly passed through my mind after this manner; 
 ' Poor wretch ! was not Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven 
 and earth, meek and low of heart, and His appearance 
 mean on earth ? He was not proud and high ; wilt thou, 
 poor worm, be high and proud of thyself or clothes ?' 
 These thoughts so Avounded my spirit that I went home 
 very sorrowful and dejected ; but this went off in a little 
 time, for the delights of the world began to take root in 
 me, and my mind went after them, by which I was drawn 
 away from the Lord. * * * 
 
 " When al)out eighteen years old, the Lord was gra- 
 ciously pleased to grant me a renewed visitation, not in 
 that sudden and extraordinary manner as before, but in 
 a more gradual way. He did arise and give me a full 
 and clear sight of my condition, and how I was estranged 
 from Him in Spirit ; and that if I continued therein, I 
 should grow harder and harder, and in the end, be undone 
 forever. The sense of this brought me into great horror 
 and distress, with bitter lamentation ; under which I lay 
 some time, until the Lord was mercifully pleased to tender 
 ray spirit a little, and assist me to pray unto Him for a 
 repentant heart, on account of my past disobedience, in 
 so ungratefully departing from Him, which indeed lay as 
 a ]nill-stone upon my soul, and brought me into sore agony 
 and distress of spirit. I then sought to be alone in unseen 
 places, where I often poured out my soul unto the Lord 
 with many tears, begging foi- mercy and forgiveness ; for 
 I saw that I had come to a great loss, and that I must 
 unlearn many things that I had learned in the night of 
 my apostacy in spirit from Him, though not in principle
 
 .TOSEPir I'IKK. 71 
 
 or pvofessiou, diiriug which the evil root and nature had 
 grown strong in me. I also saw that nothing could des- 
 troy this but the axe, the sword, the hammer and the fire 
 of His Holy Spirit, and that I must be regenerated and 
 born agaiu, before I could ever attain to the condition I 
 had lost, and which the light of Jesus let me see very 
 clearly. * * * My distress was such, that if the Lord, 
 in mercy, had not pitied me, and by granting a little hope 
 and ease of spirit, helped me, I believe I should have 
 sunk under it, my misery was so great ; for I was at times 
 so overwhelmed with sorrow, that I was almost in despaii" 
 of ever getting through my afHictions, fearing that I was 
 utterly forsaken. 
 
 "When I had continued in this state a considerable 
 season; i-eady to faint in spirit, the Lord did, in His own 
 time, not in mine, neither in so powerful a manner as I 
 desired, agaiu arise, with a little of the light of His cour.- 
 tenance for the ease of my distressed soul ; which yet con- 
 tinued not long with me. Then did I fall again into the 
 same misery. Thus was I afflicted and tossed as with a 
 tempest, until I was almost woru out with sorrow ; plunged 
 into spiritual Jordan or judgment again and again, not 
 only seven times, but more than seventy times seven. Oh 
 the wormwood and the gall that I was made to drink of 
 in that day ! ' my soul hath them still in remembrance 
 and is humbled within rne.' Yet, with thanksgiving and 
 praise to the holy name of the Lord, He brought me 
 through at last, and set my feet upon His rock. * * * 
 
 "Though the excess of ray troubles and exercises wore 
 oflTin a few years, and I could, at times, when so enabled, 
 sing in my soul, as well of the Lord's mercies as of His 
 judgments ; yet I was not for many years, at seasons, with- 
 out sore fights of affliction with the enemy of my soul, nor 
 aw I if) thix fhiy ; for most certain it is, there is no state 
 attainable on ihis side the grave, ])eyond that of watch-
 
 72 JOyEPTT PIKK. 
 
 fulness. Our Lord said to His disciples, * Watcli and 
 pray, lest ye fall into temptation.' I have compared the 
 soul of man to an outward garden ; though it be cleansed 
 from weeds, yet as it naturally produces them, if it be not 
 watched and kept clean, the noxious and troublesome 
 weeds will sprout again, and if suffered to grow, will choke 
 the tender and good seed sown. Our hearts are ' deceit- 
 ful above all things,' and' naturally prone to evil, and as 
 the prophet adds, ' desperately wicked ;' and though by 
 the power and sword of the Lord's spirit, many things 
 may be as it were destroyed and dead, yet if we do not 
 diligently watch in the Light, the enemy will steal in 
 again, and revive some of those things which appeared to 
 be eradicated, especially such as we are naturally most" 
 inclined to." 
 
 In this instructive narrative, Joseph Pike speaks of 
 being led astray in his very young years, by his fondness 
 for youthful pastimes. The inference to be drawn from 
 this is, not that playfulness in a child is wrong in itself, 
 but that like all other things it must be kept within such 
 limits as the Witness for truth in the heart shows to be 
 needful for the peace and safety of each individual. The 
 enemy of all good adapts his temptations to the varied 
 circumstances of all. While he would lead the child to 
 excessive indulgencein the playful sports adapted to youth, 
 and thus prevent him from heeding the voice of the Spirit 
 of Truth ; he endeavors to absorb the thoughts of older 
 persons with the business or pursuits of ordinary life. 
 The path of safety is the same for all — obedience to those 
 restraints and directions impressed on the mind by Divine 
 Grace.
 
 SAMUEI. liOWNAS. 
 
 SAMUEL BOWNAS. 
 
 73 
 
 Samuel Bowx^vs, was for more than fifty years an ac- 
 tive laborer in the work of the Gospel, and in that service 
 travelled in the continent of America, as well as in his 
 native country, Great Britain. From a review of the 
 dealings of the Almio-btv with him, which he wrote in 
 advanced life, it will be seen that his prompt and full 
 submission to the Heavenly visitation with which he was 
 favored, was followed by an unusually speedy call to enter 
 on the work of the ministry. He says, 
 
 " I was born in Westmoreland, within the compass of 
 Great Strickland Monthly Meeting, about the year 1676. 
 My father died before I was one mouth old ; but I have 
 been infVjrmed that he was very honest and zealous for 
 Truth in his time, having been a considerable sufferer for 
 the cause of religion, both in loss of goods and liberty, the 
 meeting being kept in his house in some of the hottest 
 times of persecution in King Charles the Second's reign. 
 Being left so young, and my mother having but a scanty 
 subsistence of about four pounds and ten shillings a year, 
 with a dwelling for herself and two children, at about thir- 
 teen years of age I was put to learn the trade of a black- 
 smith, with an uncle, who used me unkindly. I was after- 
 ward placed apprentice to a very honest Friend belonging 
 to Brigflatts meeting, near Sedberg in Yorkshire, whose 
 name was Samuel Parrott. All this time I had no taste 
 of religion, but devoted myself to pleasure, as much as my 
 circumstances would permit, though my mother had kept 
 me very strictly while I was under her care. She would 
 frequently in winter evenings take opportunities to tell 
 me passages of dear father's sufterings, admonishing me 
 so to live, that I might be worthy to bear the name of so 
 good a man's son, and not bring a re})roach on myself and
 
 74 .SAMUEL P,()WNAS. 
 
 parents : also putting me in mind, that if she should he 
 taken away, I should greatly miss her both for advice and 
 other ways to assist me ; and advised me to fear the Lord 
 now in my youth, that I might be favored with His bless- 
 ing. These admonitions at times brought me into great 
 tenderness, being afraid she would die before I was capa- 
 ble to live in the world ; and she took me frequently to 
 meetings with her, where she often had some words in 
 testimony. Persecution being still very hot, and Friends 
 locked out of their house at Strickland, we met at the door, 
 and I remember when I was a child, and went to meet- 
 ing with my mother, the informers came twice ; the first 
 time the meeting had been over about half an hour, the 
 second time not quite so long, so that we escaped their 
 hands both times. Many Friends were in prison at Ap- 
 pleby for attending that meeting, whom ray dear mother 
 went to visit, taking me along with her, and we had a meet- 
 ing with the prisoners, several Friends from other places 
 being likewise there by appointment. I observed, though 
 very young, how tender and broken they were ; and I was 
 very inquisitive of my mother, why they cried so much, 
 and thee too, said I, why did thee ? She told me that I 
 could not understand the reason of it then, but when I 
 grew up more to man's estate I might. 
 
 " To return to my apprenticeship ; I had a Very kind 
 loving master and mistress, but who had little considera- 
 tion about religion, nor any taste thereof. On First-days 
 I frequented meetings, and the greater part of my time I 
 slept, but took no account of preaching, nor received any 
 other benefit, than that being there kept me out of bad com- 
 pany, which indeed is a very great service to youth. I took 
 much liberty in discourse, and was taken notice of, as a 
 witty, sensible young man : but often on my bed I reflected 
 on my way of life with sorrow, yet frequently fell into the 
 same way again. I was never given to swearing, nor to
 
 SxVMUEL Ji()\\'NAS. ib 
 
 any very gros<s vice, but what I gave way to luost, wa.s 
 jesting, and turns of wit to provoke mirth, which gave me 
 often, after it was over, a heavy heart. Thus I went on 
 for nearly three years ; but one First-day, being at meet- 
 ing, a young woman, named Anne Wilson Avas there and 
 preached. She was very zealous, and I fixing my eye 
 upon her, she, with a great zeal, pointed her finger at me, 
 uttering these words with much power : ' A traditional 
 Quaker, thou comest to meeting as thou went from it the 
 last time, and goest from it as thou came to it, but art no 
 better for thy coming ; what wilt thou do in the end ?' 
 This was so suited to my condition, that, like Saul, I was 
 smitten to the ground, but turning my thoughts inward, 
 in secret I cried. Lord, what shall I do to help it ? And 
 a voice as it Avere spoke in my heart, saying. Look unto 
 me, and I will help thee; and I found much comfort, 
 which made me shed abundance of tears. Then I remem- 
 bered what my mother told me some years before, that 
 when I grew up jnore to man's estate, I should know the 
 reason of that tenderness and weeping, which I now did 
 to purpose. I went home with a heavy heart, and could 
 neither eat nor sleep as I used to do, but my work never 
 succeeded better in my hands than it did at this time, nor 
 was my mind ever less in it. My conduct, as well as 
 countenance, was much altered, so that several in the 
 family were fearful that I should fall into a kind of 
 melancholy ; but I longed for the meeting-day and thought 
 it a very long week. When the time of meeting came, 
 my mind was soon fixed and staid upon God, and I found 
 an uncommon enjoyment that gave me great satisfaction, 
 my understanding being opened, and all the faculties of 
 my mind so quick, that I seemed another man. A divine 
 and spiritual sweetness abiding with mc night and day, 
 for some time, I began to sec and understand the (Scrip- 
 tures, and the nature of |)roachiiig tlic flocti-inc of ihc
 
 76 SAMUEL E()WXA8. 
 
 gospel in the power and spirit, plainly seeing the differ- 
 ence between a teacher of the letter and of the spirit, 
 which till then I was wholly ignorant of, not having before 
 that, the least degree that I could perceive of Divine un- 
 derstanding. But uj)on looking back and considering 
 what I had heard such and such Friends preach, which 
 at that time I did not understand, I now understood it 
 clearly, which was a plain demonstration to me, that all 
 saving knowledge is from Divine light, which we cannot 
 comprehend, until w^e are assisted so to do by a visitation 
 from Heaven. 
 
 " Now the Scriptures and ministry from the openings 
 of the Spirit, seemed so clear and plain to my understand- 
 ing, that I wondered anybody remained unconvinced, sup- 
 posing them to see the truths of the gospel in the same 
 light that I did. That saying of the aj^ostle, wherein he 
 asserts his knowledge of the Son of God being come, to 
 be, by ' receiving an understanding from Him,' was clearly 
 discovered to me, so that I plainly saw a distinction between 
 the children of light, and the children of this world — the 
 spiritual and the natural man ; and that the natural man 
 could not receive the things of the Spirit of God, being- 
 foolishness to him ; he cannot know them, because they 
 are known ' only by the Spirit,' as the apostle asserts ; 
 and I found myself much improved in Divine wisdom and 
 saving knowledge. 
 
 " As I was going to meeting, walking alone, it came 
 very livingly into my mind, that if I was but faithful and 
 obedient to the heavenly vision, I should soon be qualified 
 to teach others, and more especially, as I saw by experi- 
 ence wherein my shortness had been, in being contented 
 and easy with a form of truth and religion, which I had 
 only by education, being brought up in plainness of both 
 habit and speech; but all this, though very good in its 
 place, did not make m(^ a true Ghristian ; I was but a
 
 SAMUEL BOWXAS. 77 
 
 traditional Quaker, and that by educatiou ouly, aud not 
 from the Scriptures, because they were a book sealed to 
 me. Aud I uow saw plaiuly, that education, though 
 ever so carefully administered, would not do the work ; 
 although a pious education ought by no means to be ne- 
 glected, but all parents and guardians ought to be stirred 
 up to their duty in that respect ; yet we must consider, that 
 it is not in the power of parents, or the most pious tutors, 
 to confer grace, which is the gift of God alone ; nor can 
 any come into the true fold but by this door, as said our 
 Saviour concerning himself. It plainly appeared to me, 
 there was no other way but this, viz. by the Spirit of Christ 
 alone, to attain to true faith, which works by love, aud 
 gives victory over our infirmities aud evil deeds, working 
 such a change in us, that we can in truth, from experi- 
 ence, say, ' we are born from above ;' aud by virtue of that 
 birth only, is the true knowledge of the kingdom and the 
 things of God attained, and by no other way or means, 
 although ever so well contrived by human art. Being 
 experimentally sensible of this change wrought in my 
 mind, it looked the more likely that I might, in time, be 
 qualified to speak to others of my own experience of the 
 operation of the Spirit in my mind, not thinking the time 
 so near at hand, as it appeared when I came to the meet- 
 ing ; for I had not sat long therein, when a great weight 
 fell upon me, with some words to speak; but I considered, 
 being willing to be my own carver, that it was too soon to 
 undertake such a task, being but an infant in religion ; 
 not remembering the small time between Paul's conver- 
 sion and his preachiug the gospel. My former conduct 
 with my companions, many of whom were in the meeting 
 at the same time, also stood much in my way, for ray re- 
 formation was but three weeks old that very day, so that 
 T concluded, so suddeu a change would hardly be borne, 
 r did Mot at that time, for these reasons give up, and the
 
 78 HAMUEL BOWNAS, 
 
 burtheu was takeu from me. But after meeting it came 
 upon me again with double weight, and affected me so 
 very greatly, that I was much alone, and my countenance 
 so altered with weeping, that my master took occasion 
 to inquire how it was with me. I gave him as plain 
 an account as I was capable of, with which he was much 
 affected and broken into tears. I feared that I had by 
 disobedience so much offended, that I should be cast off 
 forever ; but with exhortations from Scripture and other- 
 wise, he endeavored to pacify me, not doubting but that 
 I should again have the like offer made me, i:)utting me 
 in mind of Gideon's fleece, &c. 
 
 " When next meeting day came, I went in great weak- 
 ness and fear, and would rather have gone elsewhere than 
 to meeting. Sometime after I was in the meeting, I felt 
 the same concern as before, and sat under the weight of 
 it, till the meeting was almost over, and then hardly knew 
 how I got upon my feet, but did, and broke out with a 
 loud voice in these words, ' Fear not them which kill the 
 body, but are not able to kill the soul ; but rather fear 
 Him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell. 
 I say fear you Him who will terribly shake the earth, 
 that all which is movable may be shaken and removed 
 out of the way, that that which is unmovable may stand.' 
 This was all I had to say at that time. But oh ! the joy 
 and sweetness I felt afterward, I cannot express, and the 
 pleasure of my mind appeared in my countenance, so that 
 my master took notice of it, and spoke so feelingly as 
 plainly demonstrated he was a partaker with me of the 
 same rejoicing." 
 
 Though Samuel Bownas was thus early brought for- 
 ward in public religious labor, yet he experienced a share 
 of those trials and exercises of spirit which always attend 
 the progress of the true followers of a crucified Saviour. 
 Thus soon after his api)renticeship had expired he felt a
 
 SAMUEL FOTJIKi:(;lI,L. TU 
 
 concern to visit Scotland. In this journey, he says, " The 
 poverty of my spirit was so exceedingly great and bitter, 
 that I could scarcely bear it, but cried out aloud, which 
 so surprised my companion, that being on foot, he feared 
 it would be too hard lor me, for I complained that I wa« 
 deceived or mistaken ; because while I was in my master's 
 work, I rarely by night or day was without some degree 
 of Divine virtue on my mind, but now I could feel nothing 
 but the bitterness of death and darkness ; all comfort was 
 hid from me for a time, and I was baptized into death in- 
 deed." After this trial of his faith had passed over, he thus 
 speaks of this proving season, and his remarks may be an 
 encouragement to others who are similarly proved ; "The 
 Lord let me see His kindness to lead me through that 
 state of poverty, which was of great service to qualify me 
 to speak to others in the like condition, and that trials of 
 sundry kinds were for my improvement and good, tending 
 to my establishment in the true root of a Divine and 
 spiritual ministry ; and the doctrine of our Snviour and 
 His apostle did much comfort me." 
 
 Through various exercises and conflicts, Samuel Bow- 
 uas, was enabled to pursue the Christian journey to the 
 end of the race. His friends have left on record this tes- 
 timony to his character. " His ministry was lively and 
 powerful to the last, to the edification and comfort of those 
 who were favored with it. His removal wiis a great loss 
 to Friends in these parts, but we have reason to believe 
 it was his great gain." 
 
 SAMUEL FOTHEKGILL. 
 
 S.VMUKL FoTHKUtaLL was one of the most eminent 
 among the ministers of the Society of Friends, about the 
 middle of last centurv. He was a native ol' Yorksjiire,
 
 80 SAMUEl. iXyrHERGIliL. 
 
 England, and was born in the year 1715. About the age 
 of seventeen, he was placed apprentice, as a shopkeeper, 
 with a Friend at Stockport. " He was endowed," says 
 his biographer, " with considerable talents ; he had a 
 strong mind, and was of an active, lively, and even volatile 
 disposition." These qualities caused his company to be 
 much sought after, and early introduced him into society 
 at Stockport, of an injurious and hurtful character, cal- 
 culated to dissipate and eradicate those lessons of piety and 
 virtue which his worthy father had earnestly labored to 
 impress upon the minds of all his children. 
 
 " Yielding to the temptations to which he was thus ex- 
 posed, Samuel gave way to the indulgence of his evil 
 passions, and, with his new companions, abandoned him- 
 self to the pursuit of folly and dissipation." Of his own 
 condition at that time, he thus speaks — " I wandered far 
 from the gai'den enclosed, and laid myself open to the 
 enemy of my soul : I kept the worst company, and sub- 
 jected myself to almost every temptation, broke through 
 the fence of the sacred inclosure, and trampled it under 
 my feet ; and when, for a time, I found the least inclina- 
 tion to do good, evil was present with me, and I went on 
 from one degree of iniquity to another. My wickedness 
 so far increased with my diligence, that at length, alas ! I 
 beheld the strong wall broken down, the garden wall de- 
 stroyed, the mound left defenceless, and no hope left of 
 returning peace to my afflicted soul. * '■' I strayed to 
 that degree, that my life became a burden to me,, and I 
 wished that 1 had never been born." 
 
 Yet he was not utterly cast off or forsaken even in the 
 midst of this sinful career. Many were the strivings of 
 the Spirit of Truth with his soul, and frequent the visita- 
 tions of Divine grace. Many were the deep trials and 
 conflicts through which he passed, alternately yielding and 
 resisting, until at length his spiritual state and his danger
 
 SAMUEL J'OTHEKGILL. 81 
 
 were very forcibly brought before him, atteuded by a deep 
 persuasion that these offers of mercy would be no more 
 renewed, and that if he now any longer resisted, the day 
 of his visitation would be over, and his destruction cer- 
 tain and inevitable. So powerful was the impression, that 
 it brought him into great ti-ouble and distress, and caused 
 renewed and very earnest prayers for help and strength ; 
 he cried mightily for deliverance. 
 
 His fether, John Fothergill, was about to embark for 
 a religious visit in America. The conduct of his son 
 Samuel had been as wormwood and gall, bitter indeed to 
 his soul. Memorable and affecting was their last inter- 
 view. After imparting to his son deep and impressive 
 counsel, he took his leave in these words: "And now, son 
 Samuel, farewell, farewell — and unless it be as a changed 
 man, I caunot say that I have any wish ever to see thee 
 again." 
 
 Thase parting expressious, this powerful ai)peal from a 
 father, whom, notwithstanding his disobedience, he still 
 tenderly loved, uttered during what might prove to be the 
 last time they should meet in this life, together with the 
 awful solemnity and deep feeling with Avhich they were 
 accompanied, produced a strong impression upon Samuel 
 Fothergill ; they remained as if engraven upon his heart, 
 and assisted to confirm and strengthen him in the path of 
 repentance and convei'sion upon whicli he had entered. 
 
 Yielding to the powerful convictions of Divine grace, 
 he came to feel the terrors of the Lord for sin, and was 
 made willing to abide under His righteous judgment, be- 
 cause he had sinned, and so was brought into a state of 
 deep repentance ; and as a brand plucked out of the burn- 
 ing, and as one awakened from the sleep of death, in due 
 time he witnessed a deliverance from the bondage of cor- 
 ruption, and a being created anew unto holiness, the end 
 whereof is eternal life, through Jesus C'hrist our Lord. 
 8*
 
 82 SAMUEL FOTHETIGILL. 
 
 lu a letter to his sister dated 2d mo. 9th, 1737, he re- 
 lates his experience as follows : 
 
 " I found upon examining my state, that I was on the 
 very brink of destruction and ruin, and it pleased the 
 Lord to kindle in my soul earnest desires to be delivered 
 from my dreadful condition, which the Lord in mercy 
 showed to me as it really was ; thereby bringing me into 
 deep and unutterable anxiety of soul. O, the anguish of 
 that day ; the weight of sorrow I daily labored under was 
 more than I can express, or any, not acquainted with the 
 operation of the Spirit of judgment and of burning, can 
 conceive. 
 
 " But through infinite mercy I can now say, with a 
 humbly thankful heart, it was a repentance never to be 
 repented of ; for notwithstanding my open rebellion and 
 defiance to the tenderly striving Spirit of grace, that long 
 strove with me in order for my recovery, I have in a 
 degree witnessed favor from the Almighty, and the know- 
 ledge of acceptance with Him, which is more to me than 
 anything else. 
 
 "Many yet continue to be the deep and humbling times 
 I go through ; many the anxieties of soul I have to pass 
 under ; yet the Lord in mercy is at times helping me over 
 everything that would hinder my spiritual progress, and 
 giving to find times of refreshment in His Divine presence." 
 
 In one of S. Fothergill's public discourses, delivered 
 more than thirty years after the time of his reformation ; 
 and when long experience in the work of Grace, and ex- 
 tended opportunities of observing its operations among 
 men, had peculiarly qualified him for forming a correct 
 judgment in spiritual things ; he thus refers to his own 
 exercises, and the manner in which he was brought out 
 of the darkness of sin into the light of Christ : 
 
 " Opinion resembles faith so much, that the eye had 
 need be opened to discern the difference, yet a great one
 
 SAMUEL FOTHERGILL. ^3 
 
 there is ; many have strong opinions concerning the work 
 of religion ; some have looked upon it as instantaneous, 
 some otherwise. I confess, with respect to that instan- 
 taneous work, I have not so learned Christ ; far be it from 
 me to judge another man's servant, but I have not so 
 learned Christ, as to know that to be an instantaneous, but 
 a gradual work. Some think there is a sudden death to 
 sin, and a new birth to righteousness, in a moment. I 
 have not traced the conduct of people professing the 
 Christian religion, with an uncharitable eye ; but I have 
 often observed that instantaneous work to be of a short- 
 lived continuance ; have seen some recur back again to 
 their sins, and their latter end has been worse than tlie 
 beginning. When God said, let there be light, there was 
 light, a succession of days and nights, the beauties of 
 creation were gradually brought forth, till man was made 
 in God's image. 
 
 " I have not been destitute of some degree of religious 
 experience ; the praise I dedicate to God, the fruits to 
 your service. Religion has wore this aspect with me; 
 it has been a gradual work, a gradual advancement from 
 faith to laith ; but when people are enriched with unfelt 
 truths, they call a strong persuasion of mind, faith, when 
 it is only opinion. Faith is promotive of redemption, the 
 saints' victory ; this faith that works by love, subverts 
 the strongholds of Satan, restores people to a state of ac- 
 ceptance with God, impressing the features of the King 
 of Heaven upon all their actions : but this opinion, this 
 mistaken opinion, would pass by redemption from all 
 iniquity ; the leaven of the kingdom ; would lead to a 
 variety of actions, abundance of words and professions, 
 and set the mind afloat above that sacred leaven, that 
 unspeakable gift, which cannot be fully uttered. Tlu> 
 Lord preserve us from this dangerous mistake." 
 
 Wlicii iiiiellio-cn<-e (if Saniuel's rcrnnnalion rcnclifd liis
 
 84 SAMUEL FOTHERGTI.L. 
 
 father in America, his heart was filled with gratitude, 
 though hope was mingled with fear, as is shown in a letter 
 to his son Joseph, which says : 
 
 " What I hear of and from Samuel, is as comfortable 
 as can be expected to an affectionate and heretofore deeply 
 afflicted father. Yet I rejoice not without awe and fear, 
 though with lively hope, as he keeps duly mindful of his 
 uu worthiness, and under watchful fear lest anything that 
 is for judgment should escape." 
 
 John Fothergill was absent in America nearly two 
 years, and it is said,* his first interview with Samuel after 
 his return was at York Quarterly Meeting. According 
 to the account that has been handed down, John did not 
 arrive at York until the morning of the day of the meet- 
 ing, and it was late when he entered the meeting house. 
 After a short period of silence, he stood up, and appeared 
 in testimony ; but after he had proceeded a short time he 
 stopped, and informed the meeting that liis way was 
 closed ; that what he had before him was taken away, 
 and was, he believed, given to another. He resumed his 
 seat, and another Friend immediately rose, and taking up 
 the subject, enlarged upon it in a weighty and impressive 
 testimony, delivered with great power. It is added, that 
 at the close of the meeting, John Fothergill inquired who 
 the Friend was that had been so remarkably engaged 
 amongst them, and was iuformed that it was his own son 
 Samuel. 
 
 As a minister of the Gospel, Samuel Fothergill labored 
 extensively in Great Britain and on the continent of 
 America ; and his services were eminently attended with 
 Divine power and authority. For some time before his 
 decease, his health had been much impaired ; and towards 
 the close symptoms of confirmed dropsy appeared— an 
 evidence that his constitution was nearly worn out. About 
 two weeks before his death, he addressed a farewell letter
 
 SAMlKf. FoTlIEHCillJ,. ^'') 
 
 to his sister aud surviving brother, in wiiich he thus sweetly 
 refers to the precious hope with which he was favored : 
 
 " Although ujy house has not been so with God as that 
 of some others who have walked with greater care from 
 earliest youth with Him ; yet now, though in great bodily 
 weakness, His candle shines around mine head, aud at 
 times an unshaken hope that the God of our fathers will 
 condescend in the multitude of his mercies, to receive me 
 into His rest, and that I shall not die as the fool dieth : 
 aud this abundantly supports, aud enables me to give 
 what I think is my dying testimony : That He is good, and 
 His mercy endureth forever." 
 
 In a solemn and affecting interview wath some of his re- 
 latives, who were about to set out to attend the Yearly 
 Meeting in Loudon, he made use of the following expres- 
 sions : 
 
 " Though painful my nights, and wearisome my days, 
 yet I am preserved in patience and resignation. Death 
 has no terrors, nor will the grave have any victory! My 
 soul triumphs over death, hell and the grave. 
 
 " The Lord knows best what is best for us ; I am con- 
 tent and resigned to His will. I feel the foi-etaste of the 
 joy that is to come ; aud who would wish to change such 
 a state of mind. I should be glad if an easy channel 
 could be found to inform the Yearly Meeting, that as I 
 have lived, so I shall close, with the most unshaken assur- 
 ance that we have not followed cunningly devised fables, 
 but the pure, living, eternal substance. 
 
 " If I be now removed out of the church militant, where 
 I. have endeavored in some measure to fill up my duty, I 
 have an evidence that I shall gain an admittance into 
 His glorious church triumphant, far above the heavens." 
 
 Thus sustained by an unwavering faith in the goodness 
 of the Lord, Sanuiel Fothcrgill died on the ir)th of the 
 Oth mo. 1772, in the •37th year of his age.
 
 86 JOHN CHUEC^HMAN'. 
 
 JOHN CHURCHMAN. 
 
 John Churchman was boru at Nottingham, iu Penn- 
 sylvania, in 1705. He has left an account of his travels 
 towards the Spiritual Canaan, in which he says: 
 
 " I early felt reproof for bad words and actions, yet 
 knew not whence it came, until about the age of eight 
 years, as I sat in a small meeting, the Lord by His heav- 
 enly love and goodness, overcame and tendered my heart, 
 and by His glorious light discovered to me the knowledge 
 of Himself. I saw myself and w'hat I had been doing, 
 and what it was which had reproved me for evil, * * 
 yet blessed forever be the name of the Lord ! in His in- 
 finite mercy and goodness He clearly informed me, that 
 if I would mind the discoveries of His pure light for the 
 future, what I had done in the time of my ignorance, He 
 would wink at and forgive ; and the stream of love which 
 filled my heart with solid joy at that time, and lasted for 
 many days, is beyond all expression. 
 
 " Notwithstanding I had been favoi-ed as before men- 
 tioned, yet as I grew in yeai's, I was much given to play, 
 and began to delight again in several things, for which J 
 had before been reproved, and by this Divine witness in 
 jny mind was still brought under judgment for ; but hav- 
 ing lost my innocence, I endeavored, through fear to fly 
 from the voice of the Holy Spirit in my own heart. The 
 enemy persuaded me, that I could never be restored to 
 my former state, because I had sinned against so great 
 knowledge, or if I was, that the judgment through which 
 I must pass, would be intolerable, so that I had better be 
 cheerful, and take my ease and delight. But my gracious 
 Lord still favored me with conviction, His Spirit bearing 
 witness against me. By outward correction with sick- 
 ness and inward judgment, He was pleased to draw me to
 
 JOHN CHURCHMAN. 87 
 
 Hiiuself, which caused me to renew my covenant with 
 Him, and I hoped never more to stray from Him to fol- 
 low lying vanities, whose sweets I had experienced to be 
 exceeding bitterness in the end. 
 
 " I retained my care and circumspection for some time ; 
 but through un watchfulness and a desire for play, which 
 led into lightness and forgetfulness, I lost this state be- 
 fore I was twelve years of age ; and though the Lord was 
 near, and followed me by His reproof, in order to bring 
 me under judgment, I fled from it as much as I could. 
 I let in a belief, that as I had been favored to taste in so 
 wonderful a manner, ' of the good word of life, and pow- 
 ers of the world to come,' and had so shamefully fallen 
 away, there remained for me no more sacrifice for sin ; 
 but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indigna- 
 tion, which, as I thought, burned in me to that degree 
 that I was afraid to be alone. I was not willing that 
 good Friends should take notice of me, or look me steadily 
 in the face ; for I thought they would discern my wicked- 
 ness, and it would be a trouble to them ; or their reproving 
 me would add to my distress. 
 
 During this time I was diligent in attending meetings, 
 hoping at seasons that the Lord would condescend once 
 more to visit me; for a saying of an eminently pious man 
 was revived in my remembrance, ' That if there remained 
 a desire in the heart after redemption, as it was kept to, 
 the Lord would again assuredly visit such in His own 
 time.' I was therefore fearful of neglectiug.meetings, lest 
 I might miss of the good intended for me ; yet the subtle 
 working of the power of darkness was very great, suggest- 
 ing to me that all things came by nature, and that there 
 was no God, no heaven, no devil, no punishment for evil, 
 religion a jest, and painful care about futurity a silly 
 whim, propagated to deprive people of pleasure. But, 
 blessed be the Lord! He preserved mc i'nuw this snare;
 
 88 JOHN CHURCHMAN. 
 
 for whilst I felt His judgments for sin, I believed in his 
 being and holiness; and I am indeed fully of the mind, 
 that no man can be an atheist before he acts contrary to 
 knowledge, when, to allay the horror and anguish of mind 
 he feels for the commission of sin, he closes in with this 
 temptation. 
 
 In this state I continued until I was about nineteen 
 years of age, and as I was one day walking to meeting, 
 thinking on ray forlorn condition, and remembering the 
 bread in my Heavenly Father's house, of which I had 
 partaken when I was a dutiful child, and that by stray- 
 ing from Him, and spending my portion, I had been eight 
 years in grievous want, I inwardly cried, if thou art 
 pleased again to visit me, I beseech thee, O Lord, visit my 
 body with sickness, or pain, or whatever thou may please, 
 so that the will of the old man may be slain, and every 
 thing in me that thy controversy is against, that I may 
 be made a sanctified vessel by thy power. 
 
 " I spent nearly a year in the condition above men- 
 tioned ; often out of hope of ever attaining to the state I 
 had witnessed when very young ; but in the fiill of the 
 year after I had arrived to the age of twenty years, it 
 pleased the Lord to remember me, and by His righteous 
 judgments mixed with unspeakable mercies, to make way 
 for my deliverance. I was visited with a sore fit of sick- 
 ness, which in a few days so fully awakened me, that I 
 had no hope of being again entrusted with health. My 
 misspent time, and all my transgressions were brought to 
 my remembrance, and heavy judgment was upon me for 
 them. I was met with in this narrow^ path, and could no 
 longer fly from God and His Spirit in my conscience. I 
 thought I had, as it were, heard an act of grace and free 
 pardon repeatedly proclaimed, if I would return and live 
 uprightly for the future ; but in the time of such visita- 
 tions, I concluded it was only to bring me under judg-
 
 JOHN CIIUKCIIIMAN. 89 
 
 ment and to take me from my plt'asuri', ior tliat luy 
 offence!; would never be pardoned, and sfo I had withstood 
 or neglected those visitations. I now saw clearly, that 
 herein I had followed the lying suggestions of Satan, my 
 enemy. At this time my old will in the fallen nature 
 gave up its life, and I cried, ' I am not worthy to live or 
 enjoy thy favor, yet O Lord ! if thou wilt be pleased to 
 look on me with an eye of pity, do what thou wilt Avith 
 me, magnify thy ow n name, prepare me by thy judgments 
 and power that thy mercy may be shown in and by me, 
 whether thou cut the thread of my life, or shall grant mc 
 more days, which is only in thy power.' My heart was 
 made exceedingly tender, I wept much, and an evidence 
 was given me, that the Lord had heard my cry, and in 
 mercy looked down on me from His holy habitation, and 
 a willing heart was given ine, and patience to bear His 
 chastisements and the working of His eternal Word, which 
 created all things at the beginning, and by which only 
 poor fallen man is created anew in the heavenly image, 
 and prepared to praise Him with acceptance, who lives 
 for ever and ever. 
 
 "Whilst I lay in this condition I said little or nothing, 
 but was quite sensible, yet exceedingly weak(>ned, having 
 for al)out twenty-four hours felt more inward and inex- 
 pressible anguish, than outward pain. Toward the morn- 
 ing of the fifth day and night i.f my illness I felt the in- 
 comes and o\vTiing of Divine love in a greater degree than 
 ever ; for the prospect I had of so great forgiveness made 
 me love the more, for love is ever reciprocal. I saw the 
 morning light, and thought all things looked new and 
 sweet. 
 
 "It pleased the Lord to restore me, so that J recovered 
 
 my usual strength, and was frequently humbled under a 
 
 sense of the tender dealings of a merciful (Jod, whose 
 
 goodness and owniuL^ l(»ve 1 M\ lo be very near. I iIkii 
 
 9
 
 00 JOHN CHURCHMAN. 
 
 loved retirement and to feel after the iiiconiet? of life, and 
 was often fearful lest I should again fall away. 
 
 " It is a great favor that the Lord is pleased to cover 
 His children with His pure fear, and to array their souls 
 with the garment of humility, that they may stand iu His 
 presence with acceptance. In a degree of reverent thank- 
 fulness, I bless the name of the Lord through His beloved 
 >Son, that according to my measure I knew what I now 
 write ; it was a time of growing with me, I rarely passed 
 a day without feeling the incomes of Divine life, and was 
 favored strongly to desire the sincere milk of the holy 
 Word, that in humility I might thereby grow in sub- 
 stance. But afterwards I was left many days together, 
 without inward refreshment, and was ready to fear I hafl 
 offended ray gracious Redeemer ; and being thoughtful 
 and inwardly engaged to know the cause, I had to consider 
 that children, though they may be thriving, and darlings of 
 their natural parents, are not fit for much business until 
 they are weaned ; and although they grow finely, they 
 are gradually taught to wait the appointed time between 
 meals, before they have much care of their father's busi- 
 ness ; and are further prepared, so as to miss a set meal, 
 or be a longer time without outward food, before they are 
 fit for a journey. With these thoughts a hope began to 
 revive iu me, that I was not forsaken, of which indeed, as 
 
 1 kept patient, I was at times abundantly sensible, even 
 those times which are in the Lord's hand ; for His children 
 experience that the times of refreshment come from Him, 
 who, when He has exercised and proved them, in His 
 infinite kindness is pleased to cause them to sit down, and 
 condescends himself to serve them. Blessed forever be 
 the name of the Lord who knows how to prepare His 
 soldiers to remain faithful, and endure with patience what 
 the natural man would count hardness !" 
 
 John Churchman travelled extensively as a minister
 
 WllJ.IA.M SAVEKY. 5)1 
 
 of the Gospel, ou the coutiueut of America and iu Eug- 
 laud, where lie spent several years in this service. He 
 was a deeply experienced servant of the Lord, and the 
 Journal of his life and labors, which he has left behind 
 him, is one of uncommon value. In his last illness he 
 passed through a_ season of much poverty of spirit, and 
 absence of any sensible feeling of Divine favor. This has 
 been the experience of many faithful servants, who yet 
 could testify as John Churchman did.- " My present bap- 
 tism of alliiction hath tended to the further refinement of 
 my nature, and to bring me more perfectly into the image 
 of my Master." This was followed by a return of heav- 
 enly peace and joy, so that many times a day he would 
 break forth into a kind of melody with his voice, without 
 uttering words, which, as he sometimes intimated, was an 
 involuntary aspiration of his soul in praise to the Lord, 
 who had again been pleased to shine forth iu bi-ightness 
 after many daj's of poverty and deep baptism. 
 
 On the day of his death, he thus expressed himself, "J 
 am much refreshed with my Master's sweet air ; I feel 
 more life, more light, more love and sweetness than ever 
 before," and often mentioned the Divine refreshnieut and 
 comfort he felt flowing like a pure stream to his inwai'd 
 man. 
 
 His death occurred in the veai- 177-"). 
 
 WILLIAM SAVEKY. 
 
 William .Savei:v was a valuable minister in the Soci- 
 ety of Friends. He \vas born in IMiiladcIphia in the year 
 17'")0, and died there in 1804. In the exercise of his gift 
 as a Gospel minister, he travelle<l in dif}er''nt i)arts of this 
 continentand in England and ( Jeniiaiiy. His hiographer,
 
 92 WILLIAM SAVIOKV. 
 
 who was iutimately acquainted witli him, ^iays, that his 
 uiiniritry was " accompanied with a fervent engagement 
 that his audience might be brought to an heartfelt expe- 
 rience of tlie unspeakable love of God, in sending His dear 
 Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, into the world to save sinners; 
 of the efficacy of His propitiatory sacrifice, and the sanctify- 
 ing power of His Holy Spirit, who hath by His own blood 
 obtained eternal redemption for all that come unto Him 
 in true faith; at times declaring, with much solemnity and 
 reverence, that he would rather lose all he had in the world, 
 than be robbed of his faith in the divinity of Christ." 
 
 In his memoranda, William Savery thus speaks of the 
 dealings of the Almighty with him in his younger years. 
 
 " I may acknowledge, that notwithstanding my revolt 
 and turning aside from the paths of purity and peace, the 
 Lord has been graciously near me all my life long, and 
 has watched over me as a tender Father for good, smitten 
 me by His Spirit when I have been rebelling against His 
 holy law written in my heart, making merry over the 
 Divine witness there ; and has reached to me and tendered 
 me in the midst of mirth and jollity. He often followed 
 me to my chamber, and upon my pillow has drawn tears 
 of sorrow and contrition from me, when none have been 
 privy to it but His all-seeing eye : so that my. days of joy 
 and laughter have often produced nights of sorrow and 
 weeping. Still I continued sinning and repenting, and 
 turning the Grace of God into wantonness for a number 
 of years, being at times favored to see in part the beauty 
 there is in holiness, but fearful of incurring the scoff' and 
 scorn of the world's deluded votaries should I turn my 
 back upon it." 
 
 In the year 1778, attending a meeting at Merion, held 
 after an interment, he was deeply impressed with serious 
 thoughtfulness. Being married that year, he settled in
 
 WILMA-M SAVKKV. !'u 
 
 business iu Philadelphia. The state of his iniud about 
 this time is thus described. 
 
 " I had been employed in bringing myself to a more 
 circumspect life, being pretty careful in my conduct and 
 conversation, and just iu my dealings among men, and 
 was willing to believe I had attained to great matters, 
 and that I might now take uj) my rest ; for by my own 
 strength, abilities and contrivance, I could not only keep 
 up a fair upright character among men, and make my 
 life happy and myself respected ; but also (oh, the deceit- 
 ful workings of Satan ! oh, the mystery of iuiquity ! ) that 
 it would at the close of time here, gain me an inheritance 
 in the regions of purity and peace, among all those that 
 are sanctified. But, how can I sufficiently adore my great 
 and good Master, for His continued regard and care over 
 me, iu that He did not suffer me to remain long in this 
 state of delusion and error. He disturbed my false rest, 
 and made me at times exceedingly uneasy with it, and 
 gave me at length to see that notwithstanding my regu- 
 larity of behavior and all my boasted attainments, T fell 
 far short of that purity, which all the vessels in the Lord's 
 house juust come to ; that I was yet under the law which 
 cannot make the comers thereto perfect, not having passed 
 under the flaming sword, nor felt the day of the Lord to 
 be come, which Imrns as an oven. 
 
 " This brought great distress and anxiety of juind over 
 me, and sometimes I was ready to doubt the truth of these 
 Divine revelations ; and was exceedingly desirous to find 
 if possible, an easier way to peace and happiness, than by 
 submitting myself to the cross, of which I had as yet ex- 
 perienced but little. I was much tossed and distressed, 
 as one who was in a dark and howling wilderness, where 
 I could see no way out. But at length the Lord, who 
 indeed watched over me continually for good, blessed and 
 praised forever be His name, brought me into some degree 
 9*
 
 !I4 Wir.LIAM SAVERY. 
 
 of composure. My eyes became more clearly opened to 
 discern where I was, and that all the righteousness of my 
 own putting on, was as filthy rags, of which I must be 
 stripped, before I could experience a putting on of that 
 purity and righteousness, which is the fine linen of the 
 saints. In great distress and anxiety I saw nothing for 
 me to lean upon, but to dwell alone and keep my eye 
 open and my spiritual ear attentive to Him who is the 
 unchangeable High Priest of His people, and with whom 
 are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who knows 
 the states of all His children, and when and where He 
 leads them, graciously affords ability to follow, to the 
 praise of His ever adorable name. 
 
 " It pleased Him to lead me as into the wilderness, and 
 to give me a sight of my former disobedience and folly. 
 Oh ! the bitterness and distress that covered me when I 
 was alone or in meetings. I experienced but few pleas- 
 ant draughts of His love, my meat was gall and worm- 
 wood, and my drink of the bitter waters of Marah. Thus 
 I continued, but was still preserved desirous to know the 
 Master's will, and in measure made willing to obey, though 
 under the cross; yet the way to the kingdom was for some 
 mouths much darkened, and a sense of my sinful conduct 
 often brought me almost to despair of ever finding for- 
 giveness with an offended God. 
 
 " Oh ! these were times of baptism never to be for- 
 gotten in mutability. One evening, sitting in my house 
 alone, great horror and trouble seized me — I wept aloud, 
 and after a short time went to bed ; l)ut my distress was 
 so great, that it ahuost overcame me, and I thought I 
 tasted of the misery of fallen spirits. Not being able to 
 contain myself, I arose and walked the room. My spirits 
 at length being nearly exhausted, I threw myself on the 
 bed again, but had not lain long, before I grew cold like 
 one near death, a clanimy sweat covered me, and T was to
 
 \\1IJ.[AA[ SAVERY. iT) 
 
 appearance .stupid. lu this state, I was, through a(loral)h' 
 mercy, released from the horror that lieibre surrouuded 
 me, aud was comforted with a sight aud feeling of a state 
 of inexpressible happiness and joy ; and when so far come 
 to myself as to have utterance given me, I cried aloud on 
 this Avise, Oh! now I know that my Redeemer liveth. 
 
 " Oh ! the sweetness I then felt, in being favored with 
 such an evidence of the goodness and mercy of God : it far 
 surpassed everything I had ever before experienced. Tears 
 of joy ran freely down my cheeks, insomuch that I could 
 not restrain them nor scarcely utter a word for a consider- 
 able time; and my dear partner, who shared with me in 
 my affliction, was also made a partaker with me in my 
 exceeding great joy. Blessed forever be the name of the 
 Lord, though He sees meet for our refinement to try us 
 even to an hair's breadth, vet in our utn]ost extremitv 
 His all-j^owerful arm is made bare for our deliverance." 
 
 His first appearance as a minister, was about the year 
 1779; and during the remaining twenty-five years of his 
 life, he was extensively engaged in Gospel service. His 
 death occurred in 1804. During his sickness he was sup- 
 ported in resignation to the Divine will, and notwithstand- 
 ing his abundant labors in the service of his Lord and 
 Master, was led to take a very humbling view of himself, 
 as an unprofitable servant, having nothing to depend on 
 but the long-suffering and goodness of God — observing, 
 " T thought I w'a.s once strong for the work, 1)ut now I am 
 a child bmught back to my horn-book, and have nothing 
 to trust to but the mercy of God through Christ my Sa- 
 viour." He had been remarkable for his firm and un- 
 shaken belief in the divinity of our Lord iiixl Saviour 
 Jesus Christ, in His propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of 
 the world, and in all His glorious offices for the salvation 
 of mankind, being often fervently engaged in sciting 
 fortli thoc blessed Gospel doctrines, niid eiirin-clng them
 
 0(> MAHY DITDLEY. 
 
 on his hearers ; and iu the solemn moments of disease 
 and death, his reverent dependence and hope in his Sa- 
 viour did not fail him, but proved as an anchor to his 
 soul. A short time before his death, under a sense and 
 feeling immediately imparted, he expressed "glory to 
 God," and continued in great composure of mind, until 
 the 19th day of the Sixth month, 1804, when he calmly 
 resigned his spirit into the hands of Him who gave it. 
 
 MARY DUDLEY 
 
 Mary Di'dley was born in the City of Bristol, England, 
 on the 8th of Sixth month, 1750. Her death (jccurred iu 
 1823. During much of her life, she was engaged as a 
 minister of the Gospel, in seeking to promote the spi-ead 
 of the Redeemer's kingdom among men ; and iu this ser- 
 vice travelled on the Continent of P^urope, as well as mon' 
 extensively in different parts of Great Britain. In some 
 memoranda of her Christian experience, which were pub- 
 lished by her daughter P^lizabeth, she gives an instructive 
 account of the work of Grace on her heart. In these, she 
 says : 
 
 " I am drawn to commemorate the gracious dealings of 
 a merciful Father and Creator in early visiting my mind, 
 which though ignorant of the nature of deep religious feel- 
 ings, was certainly often impressed with thera in the morn- 
 ing of my day ; though, from a remarkably lively disposi- 
 tion, I did not yield to that awful fear, at seasons felt, which 
 preserving from the snares of death would have led into 
 a conformity to the Divine will. Being educated in great 
 strictness by my parents, respecting the observance and 
 ceremonies of the worship they professed, (that of the 
 Establishment,) I was a constant attendant upon them
 
 MARY DUDLEY. 97 
 
 from cliildhood, tliougli with tins, allowed to eiitei- into 
 most of the auiusemeuts of the world, to which luy uatural 
 disposition greatly inclined. While in the midst of dissi- 
 pation I often felt a dissatisfaction, and my mind was 
 visited with something so awful that I appeared to others 
 very grave, and have frequently been laughed at for it. 
 I was fond of reading, and found much pleasure in yield- 
 ing to it ; which, with a turn for poetry, and the intimate 
 acquaintance of several sensible, seriously inclined per- 
 sons, occupied much of my time from seventeen to eigh- 
 teen years of age. These circumstances, together with the 
 death of my beloved grandmother, gave a shock to that 
 vanity, in the gratification of wdiich, she had much con- 
 tributed to support me; and a disapjjointment in an af- 
 fectionate attachment terminated the attraction to visible 
 objects, so that my mind was like a blank, waiting to be 
 filled u]), and })repare(l for the more extensive reception 
 of the precious visitation, which early in the twentieth 
 year of my life, was sweetly vouchsafed ; so that all that 
 was within me bowed in deep prostration, and yielded to 
 the superior power. of heavenly love. My mind being in 
 the prepared state above; described, it would be unsafe to 
 date this change from the particular period of my attend- 
 ing the Methodist meetings; though in doing so I cer- 
 tainly felt more of Divine impressions than at any pre- 
 vious season ; and particularly when under the ministry of 
 one of their preachers, who seemed commissioned with a 
 message to my mind. I continued to hear him, with 
 many others; attended all the means, as they are called, 
 and was often sweetly affected and comforted ; yet even 
 at such times there was something within me craving the 
 purity of an inward, spiritual life — and seeing that with- 
 out holiness no man could see the Lord, as I did l)elieve 
 was attainable, how did my whole soul breathe for this 
 knowledge to he revealed, and in the dcplii oi' silence,
 
 98 MARY l)i;i)LEV. 
 
 struggle, that I might rightly seek and experience it. ] 
 went into various places of worship among the Dissenters, 
 but still found a want, a vacuum unfilled with that good 
 I was thii'sting after. 
 
 " Not from conviction, but partly from persuasion, and 
 something in me yielding to the way I thought might 
 eadly settle me, I joined the Methodist Society, and also 
 continued constantly to attend the established worship, 
 that of my education ; but in the several ceremonies of 
 this, and the diiierent meetings of the other, such as classes, 
 bauds, &c., I felt unsatisfied ; and often while others were 
 engaged in attention to the preaching and singing, has 
 my spirit in solemn silence communed with ' The Lord 
 my strength,' so that I scarcely knew what was passing 
 around me, and even felt disturbed from this inward 
 attraction, when obliged to draw to that spot where the 
 outward elements were prepared for the congregation. 
 Oh ! how did I then feel the heavenly mystery, and 
 sweetly partake of the bread of life, so that all forms and 
 shadows fled away, and became no longer of use or 
 efficacy to a mind feeding spiritually on the substance. 
 During these feelings and consequent shakings from all 
 visible things, I often went into Friends' meetings, and 
 there, especially in silence, did my spirit feed ; as it also 
 did, in deep awful retiredness, when no eye saw me ; but 
 when, by this powerful attraction, hours have passed 
 away, so that my body seemed to do with a very small 
 portion of rest or sleep, I felt like a child clinging to 
 its parent's breast ; and in this state covenant was n)ade, 
 which to this hour, I humbly trust has not been for- 
 gotten." 
 
 ifer daughter states, that her totally with^lrawing her- 
 self from those scenes of amusement in which she had 
 dissipated much precious time, brought upon her ridicule 
 and censure from some of her companions ; and that the
 
 MARY DUDLEY. 99 
 
 change which she felt it her duty to make, by leaving off 
 oruaineuts and wearing such attire as was consistent with 
 her views of Christian simplicity, was very mortifying to 
 some of her nearest connexions. But she was enabled to 
 persevere in the path of obedience ; and the peace with 
 which her mind was favored more than counterbalanced 
 these trials. 
 
 After this she gradually withdrew from the Methodist 
 Society, and became increasingly sensible that it was her 
 religious duty to profess with Friends, which she was 
 strengthened openly to do in language and demeanor, 
 about the middle of the year 1773. The motives which 
 influenced her are thus stated in her narrative : 
 
 " The active zeal of the people I loved, and had joined, 
 now appeared to me irreconcilable with that self-abase- 
 ment, and utter inability to move without holy help, which 
 I experienced. I had nothing but poverty and weakness 
 to tell of; and when from the force of example I did 
 speak,* my little strength was rather diminished than 
 increased. Indeed, I found little but in quietude and in- 
 ward attention ; and when centered here, I had all things, 
 because I possessed the good itself. Thus was. my mind 
 drawn from all creatures, without the help of any, to the 
 Creator and Source of light and life who, to finish His 
 own work, saw meet to deprive me of my health. This 
 happened in the year 1773, about the time of my dear 
 father's death, on whom I closely attended through a 
 lingering illness, wherein he said to me, ' 0, Polly ! I 
 had rather see you as you are than on a throne.' I be- 
 lieve he died in peace. My complaints threatened my 
 life, being consumptive ; but I felt no way anxious I'e- 
 spectiug the termination. I was weaned from all crea- 
 tures, but felt beyond all doubt, that if life was prolonged, 
 
 "•■'Alluding (o tlie practice of disclosing individual experience 
 in ihe "(Mass Meetings" oi" the Methodist Society.
 
 100 MARY DUDLEY. 
 
 were there uo Quaker on eartli, I must be one in i)i-inci- 
 ple and practice ; but being determined, if the work was 
 of God, He himself should effect it, I read not any book 
 t)f their writing. Being utterly unable to go from home, 
 I attended no place of worship, and conversed with very 
 few, except my beloved and most intimate friend, Rebecca 
 Scudamore,* and even to her were my lips sealed respect- 
 ing the path pointed out to me ; but after hesitating and 
 shrinking many weeks from using the plain language, 
 [of thou and thee to one person,] wherein the cross was 
 too great to be resignedly borne, she told me her fixed 
 belief, that I ought to use it, and that my disobedience 
 caused her great suffering, or to that effect ; I then told 
 her, I- was convinced of its being required; but, that if 
 giving my natural life would be accepted, I was ready tt) 
 yield the sacrifice. My health grew worse, and every act 
 of transgression increased my bodily weakness ; until 
 feeling all was at stake, in the very anguish of my spirit 
 I yielded ; and addressing my beloved and hitherto affec- 
 tionate mother, in the language of conviction, my suffer- 
 ings grew extreme through her opposition ; but never may 
 my soul fi)rget the precious influence then extended. The 
 very climate I breathed in was sweet ; all was tranquil and 
 serene, and the evidence of heavenly approbation beyond 
 expression clear ; so that this temporary suffering from 
 mistaken zeal, seemed light, comparatively ; and indeed 
 all was more than compensated by future kindness, when 
 light shone about that dear parent's dwelling. My health 
 mended, I soon got to meetings, and though ignorant of 
 the way Friends had been led, or some peculiar testimo- 
 nies they held, the day of vision clearly unfolded them 
 one after another, so that obedience in one matter loosened 
 
 *She was a member of tlie Cliurch of England, and Jiighly 
 esteemed, as a woman of distingnislied piety and deep spirlUial 
 experience.
 
 MAUY DUDLEY. 101 
 
 the seal to another opeuiug, until I found, as lace answered 
 face in a glass, so did the experience of enlightened minds 
 answer one to the other. 
 
 ." I now kept constantly to the meetings of Friends, and 
 began to feel a settlement of mind in real peace, which my 
 tossed state for several years, had caused me only tran- 
 siently to possess ; or, at least, not in the degree of which 
 I now pai-took ; not that all the work seemed requisite to 
 commence anew, for assuredly Christ had been raised in 
 my heart, though until now, the government was not 
 wholly on His shoulders ; but by this Unreserved surren- 
 der to His pure guidance, the mystery of godliness was 
 beginning to open in increasing light and power^ and that 
 spirituality which had been discovered, was now in a mea- 
 sure possessed. * * 
 
 " In religious meetings I was for some time frequently 
 affected even to trembling, when matter would present to 
 my mind, as though I must deliver it. * '■' For several 
 meeting days I hesitated, not from wilful disobedience, 
 but awful fear to move in so great a W'ork ; and felt con- 
 sequent poverty, though not severe condemnation : but 
 one day, about the Eleventh month, I think in the year 
 1773, sitting with Friends in their meeting-house in the 
 Friars, Bristol, (I had once in a little country meeting, 
 moved before, but never here, where the cross was great 
 indeed,) my spirit bowed in awful revei-ence before the 
 God of my life, and a fiew words so settled, that I could 
 not any way shake them from me. I sat and trembled 
 exceedingly, and desired to be excused ; till a valuable 
 Friend from America, Robert Willis, then on a religious 
 visit to that city, stood up and spoke so encouragingly to 
 my state, that when he closed, 1 stood on my feet, and the 
 words impressing my mind, seemed to run through me as 
 a passive vessel. He almost immediately kneeled down, 
 aud supplicated for the preservation (»f the little ones. I 
 10
 
 102 MARY DUDLEY. 
 
 could not staud while he was thus engaged, being as though 
 my whole frame was shaken through the power of truth. 
 When meeting closed, I got as quickly as I could out of 
 it, and walked a back way home, with such a covering of 
 sweet peace, that I felt the evidence indisputably clear, 
 that if I were then called out of time, an everlasting in- 
 heritance was sure : the whole creation wore an aspect of 
 serenity, and the Creator of all things was my friend. 
 Oh! on my return home and retiring to my chamber, 
 how sweetly precious did the language, addressed to the 
 holy pati'iarch in an instance of obedience, feel to ray 
 spirit, and it was indeed sealed by Divine power, ' Be- 
 cause thou hast been faithful in this thing, in blessing I 
 will bless thee," &c. 
 
 Though she had been thus greatly favored, yet this 
 dear Friend afterwards left the path of simple obedience, 
 and by giving way to reasonings on the subject, was led 
 to doubt her own fitness and preparation for so great a 
 work as that of the ministry. She says : " Meeting after 
 meeting I refused to move at the word of holy command, 
 which hereby became less intelligible, and my understand- 
 ing gradually darkened through rebellion, so that I said 
 with Jonah, 'It is better for me to die than to live.' '^ * 
 Thus I went on as~ nearly as my recollection serves, for 
 about seven years, after my first yielding to the reasonings 
 before described ; and indeed just before being brought 
 out of this horrible pit, I think the extremity never was 
 so great, insomuch that I fainted in my spirit, and all hope 
 was cut off", my language being, ' I shall die in the pit.' " 
 Whilst in this condition she attended a Province meeting, 
 at Cork, in Ireland ; and w'as there enabled to bow in sub- 
 mission to the Divine will, by declaring that which was 
 given her for the people. This act of obedience was re- 
 warded by a return of that precious holy quiet of mind, 
 to which she had long been a stranger ; and by a sense
 
 MARY DUDLEY, 
 
 103 
 
 of freedom from coudemnatioii, in which her t^oul could 
 rejoice. 
 
 lu her old age, after having had loug acquaintance with 
 the dealings of the Lord, she thus records her sense of the 
 ground of salvation as revealed to her in the light of her 
 own experieuce : 
 
 "If I could sound through the whole earth what is my 
 heartfelt belief, it would be in unison with the apostolic 
 declaration, ' Not l)y works of righteousness which we 
 have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by 
 the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy 
 Ghost." 
 
 " Mercy, mercy, is the sum and substance of my hope : 
 the unmerited mercy of God in Christ Jesus, for the re- 
 mission of sins, and perfecting the w'ork of i)reparatiou 
 for admittance into eternal settlement. 
 
 " It is now between forty and fifty years since this ever- 
 to-be-extolled mercy called me from darkness into light, 
 in a spiritual sense, and the Lord was pleased to open the 
 doctrines of the Gospel with clearness to my view. I trust 
 I am safe in saying, that since that time I have not dared 
 to call in question the ways of His working, nor to doubt 
 the appointed means of salvation, as revealed when my 
 awakened soul in deep prostration understood the lan- 
 guage, and uttered it, 'A Saviour or I die, a Kedeeraer 
 or I perish.' 
 
 " Here conviction and repentance were known to be 
 produced by the efficacious working of the promised gift, 
 and nothing was left to depend upon, but the i)urchased 
 redemption through the great Sacrifice without, and the 
 sanctifying influence within. 
 
 " What God hath thus joined togetlier, none can, without 
 derogating from His power and wisdom, put asunder. I 
 wish to leave the expression of my unshaken faith in the 
 stupendous phui of Divine love, as manifested in tlie in-
 
 104 MARY DUDLEY. 
 
 carnatiou, sufferings, crucifixion and resurrection of the 
 ever blessed Redeemer ; His all-sufficient atonement for 
 the guilt of sin, and continued intercession for poor, fallen 
 man ; until in the gradual process of regeneration, the 
 dominion over all evil is happily effected, and the great 
 design in man's formation mercifully accomplished, by 
 his experience of full redemption, through the operation 
 of the pure and purifying Spirit of Christ." 
 
 The last few months of her life were spent in much 
 weakness of body, but her spirit was strengthened by faith 
 in that Divine mercy, which, she said, "visited me in the 
 morning of the day, has supported me through life, and 
 will support me in death ; unmerited, unbounded, and I 
 trust, unchangeable mercy !" The foUoAving are a few of 
 her expressions. " Wonderfully was preserving grace af- 
 forded in the morning of ray day, guarding from evil 
 and keeping from many snares. It may well be said ' I 
 puided thee when thou didst not know me ;' and since my 
 heart has been surrendered to Divine government and 
 guidance, the promise has been graciously verified, ' I 
 will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' " 
 
 " I have never doubted the universality, the freeuess 
 and fulness of Divine grace ; and my faith is now un- 
 shaken. Oh ! never limit this grace ; proclaim it as that 
 whereby all may be saved. I go trembling and depend- 
 ent, hoping that my sins will be forgiven for the sake of 
 Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. I have no- 
 thing of my own, not a rag, (if I may use the expression 
 of another Friend,) to clothe me with." 
 
 "Grace has triumphed over nature's feelings. The 
 Lord has fulfilled His promise. He has given the vic- 
 tory through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power, 
 dominion, salvation and strength now and forever ; holy! 
 holy! holy!" 
 
 She quietly and peacefully ended her earthly career on 
 the 24th of Ninth month, 1828.
 
 DANIEL AVHEELER. 105 
 
 DANIEL WHEELER. 
 
 There are many persons uow iiviug in tliis country, 
 who are familiar -with the published account of the reli- 
 gious visit paid to the Islands of the Pacific Ocean by the 
 late Da^'iel Wheeler ; and who personally remember 
 his visit to the meetings of Friends in this land. In the 
 sixty-first year of his age, he commenced, from a sense of 
 duty, a narrative of the gracious dealings of the Almighty 
 with him ; from which, and his letters and other memo- 
 randa, the following brief narrative has been compiled. 
 
 He was born in Loudon, in 1771. His parents were 
 members of the Episcopal Church, and strict adherents 
 to its rites and ceremonies. They endeavored to imbue 
 the minds of their children at an early age with the fear 
 of their great Creator, — taking them regularly to attend 
 the performance of public worship, and also reading the 
 Holy Scriptures in the family at home. But being both 
 removed, while Daniel was still at the youthful age of 
 twelve years, he was exposed to many temptations, to 
 which he unhappily yielded. In reference to this period, 
 he remai'ks : 
 
 " At this distance of time I can painfully trace the 
 springings up of the evil root, which failed not at an early 
 age to bring forth fruit of those things, ' whereof I am 
 now ashamed ;' having sorrowfully found from woeful ex- 
 perience that their ' end is death.' * * Though now 
 in full abhorrence of the same, through the mercy of God 
 in Christ Jesus, I have a hope that my sins, though many, 
 will ])e forgiven, and forev^er blotted out as atliick cloud ; 
 and that my tribulated soul will yet be cleansed by the 
 precious ' blood of sprinkling, that speuketh better things 
 than that of Abel.' This only ' cried from the ground' 
 for vengeance against the offender; whilst the blood of 
 10*
 
 10() DANIEL WHEP:LER. 
 
 Him who cried — ' Father, forgive them, for tliey know 
 not what they do,' cleanseth from all sin, and was shed 
 for many, for the remission of sins — ^yea, for all that re- 
 pent, helieve, and obey the gospel in the secret of their 
 hearts revealed, which is the power of God nnto salvation." 
 After some changes, he was appointed a midshipman 
 on board a man of war. This, he says, was an introduc- 
 tion to a school, which is not often equalled, and but sel- 
 dom surpassed, for vice and immorality. Whilst on 
 ship-board, and when about sixteen years of age, having 
 been iudisposed, and probably led to reflect a little on 
 that account, he says ; " I was made sensible of a Divine 
 visitation being extended to me ; disclosing with indubi- 
 table clearness the vanity and emptiness of every earthly 
 station, tarnishing the pride and glory of this perishing 
 world in my sight; and which, though little understood, 
 and less regarded at the moment, has since, at different 
 periods of my chequered life, been brought to my remem- 
 brance by Him, ' who declareth unto man his thoughts, 
 — who maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon 
 the high places of the earth, — the Lord, the Lord of hosts 
 is His name.' When this occurred, although then entered 
 into the bond of iniquity, I had not launched so fully into 
 its dreadful abyss, as was afterwards most lamentably the 
 case ; and from what I have since witnessed in unutterable 
 mercy, of the strength and power of redeeming love, a 
 belief is induced, that if this warning voice, then sound- 
 ing in the secret of my sinful heart — ' Behold, I stand at 
 the door and knock,' had been hearkened unto and waited 
 upon, my footsteps, even mine, would have been conducted 
 from the horrible pit to which they were fast verging. 
 
 Of the time spent in the navy — about six years — he 
 remarks, " Notwithstanding the many and great dangers 
 I was exposed to, and the hardships and sufferings I had 
 to endure, through all which I was preserved and sus-
 
 DANIEL WIIEELEU. 1 OT 
 
 tained in a raauner at this dav iucouceivable to mvself; 
 yet uoue of these things were sufficient to soften the rocky 
 heart, or bring me to a sense of my lost condition. 
 
 " Towards the hitter part of the time of my being in 
 the navy, it was suggested to my lost and bewildered 
 mind, by the subtle destroyer of men, that nothing short 
 of making away with myself, could extricate me from the 
 difficulties by which I was surrounded, and shelter me 
 from shame and disgrace ; and the method of its accom- 
 plishment was at seasons hinted at. But,— blessed be the 
 name of the Lord God of heaven and earth forever ! His 
 invisible arm of merciful interposition preserved me from 
 this dreadful snare ; and in the greatness of His love 
 and strength He hath at this distant period put it into 
 the heart of His unworthy creature to record His mighty 
 acts, to His praise and to His glory, with humble and 
 reverent thankfulness. Greatly do I desire, that if this 
 relation should ever fall into the hands of any poor sin- 
 ners and servants of the cruel taskmaster, as was then my 
 lot, — that such may be hereby strengthened and encourag- 
 ed to look unto the Lord their God for help, even though 
 they may be plunged into the very gulf of despair : for 
 ' His compassions fail not,' — they are new every morning ; 
 His tender mercies are over all His works; and He will 
 give power to the faint, and strength to them that have 
 no might of their own, to resist this and every other 
 temptation of that wicked one, who was a liar from the 
 beginning." 
 
 After leaving the navy, Daniel Wheeler enlisted as a 
 private soldier in the army. Haying been sent into Ire- 
 land, which was then in a very unsettled state, he was 
 detailed for some special service in the interior. Here, 
 he says, " I was suddenly attacked by a poor infui-iated 
 creature, in a state little short of perfect madness from 
 continued intoxication, su])iKirted by several otlicrs. but
 
 108 DANIEL AVHEELER. 
 
 ill a less outrageous condition. I kept Iiim at bay for 
 some time, but at last he got so near, that it became eveiy 
 moment more difficult to avoid being reached by the 
 violent strokes he made with some kind of weapon, I 
 think of iron, which were repeatedly received by the fire- 
 lock in my hands, then loaded with ball. In this situa- 
 tion, there seemed left me no (jther than the dreadful 
 alternative of shooting him to save myself. I called in 
 vain in the language of appeal to the other people to in- 
 terfere ; they stood by, as if to see how matters were likely 
 to terminate, before they began to act or take a part of 
 any consequence either way ; which they nearly carried 
 too far ; but when they saw me actually preparing to shoot 
 the man, they hastily cried out, — ' spare life, spare life!' 
 which I only wanted their help to enable me to accom- 
 plish. They then seized him, and in tTie midst of the 
 struggle and confusion which took place amongst them- 
 selves, my escape was happily effected. '■' * I have 
 frequently thought of this circumstance since it occurred, 
 I hope with humble thankfulness to the great Preserver 
 of men ; and now on committing it to record, as one of 
 those many events, in which there was but one stej) be- 
 tween me and the grave, and whilst shuddering at the 
 strong recollection of it, my soul magnifies that unmerited 
 and amazing mercy, afresh displayed and multiplied to 
 my understanding in a two-fold view: —on the one hand 
 in withholding me from the crime of taking away the life 
 of a fellow-creature, like myself, ' in the gall of bitterness ;' 
 and, if I had escaped myself, thus sparing me, at this late 
 hour, amidst the decay of nature, when the shadows of 
 the evening are stretching out, and my teet drawing near 
 the margin of the grave, — the apjmlling thought of a bro- 
 ther's blood, yet unwiped away ; on the other hand, in 
 rescuing from immediate death two miserable sinnei-s, 
 wholly unprepared to die ; for had I taken away the man's
 
 DAIslJ-:!. WHEELEIJ. 101) 
 
 life, my own would doubtless have beeu forthwith sacri- 
 ficed to the revenge of his enraged companions. Thus, 
 as my history rolls on, the enormous load of debt which 
 I already owe unto my Lord still accumulates ; and verily 
 it can never be liquidated, but in that infinite and won- 
 drous mercy, which delighteth to forgive every repenting 
 sinnei', who in the depths of humility and abasedness of 
 self, has indeed ' nothing to pay' withal." 
 
 The division of the army to which Daniel AVheeler 
 was attached, was soon after sent to Holland, to reinforce 
 the British troops on the continent, in the war then waging 
 with the French. i\.s they were inadequately provided 
 with food and protection, and subjected to many hard- 
 ships, and exposed to a very unhealthy climate, while 
 endeavoring to avoid the superior force of the French 
 army ; a large portion of this detachment perished. Of 
 his own pi-eservation he thus speaks : " Notwithstanding 
 the constant exposure to every shower of rain that fell, 
 without covering over my head, and with no couch but 
 the earth, and that at times soaked with wet ; whilst 
 harassed Avith fatiguing marches night after night, and 
 with little rest by day; amidst hunger and thirst, being 
 often short of food for days together, and occasionally no 
 water to be had, Avithout digging a well to procure it, to 
 avoid the unwholesome waters of the stagnant pools; and 
 although for several weeks together my clothes were ncvei- 
 taken off, but to renew a shirt, and my shoes but seldom 
 off my weary feet ; yet through all, my health was not 
 materially afi'ected, till near the approach of winter. But 
 in the above description not one-half has been told of that 
 marvellous mercy which was still extended for my i)re- 
 servation, when many fell by the sword, or were taken 
 captives by the enemy, — when tliousands were swept off 
 by pestilence, — and whilst unhurt myself, 1 saw the 
 wounds of others bleed. Once whilst gone to lielvoet-
 
 110 DANIEL whep:leii. 
 
 slays in search of some baggage, I entirely missed a con- 
 test in -which our regiment was deprived of twenty-eight 
 men; and, when at last overwhelmed with sickness and 
 distress, the same Divine and compassionate arm of ever- 
 lasting love and strength, was still underneath to bear 
 up my helpless head, and in His own time, to rescue me 
 from the very jaws of death, to celebrate His praise, and 
 to declare in humble thankfulness and gratitude of soul, 
 " His wonderful works to the children of men." 
 
 The continued exposure to the cold rains which fell 
 almost daily, together with other causes of disease, at 
 length produced its effect on Daniel Wheeler. He was 
 seized with the prevailing disorder, a fever of the typhus 
 kind, of which numbers died daily. He was very ill, and 
 as not more than one in fifty of those attacked recovered, 
 there seemed little probability of his restoration to health. 
 Of his mental condition at the time, he makes these re- 
 marks : •' I au) not aware that I had even a wish to live ; 
 but my mind was so reconciled to the prospect of death, 
 which then seemed near and inevitable, that I had given 
 my watch into the hands of a person, with the request, 
 that he would inform my family where I had ended my 
 days. Indeed, when some expectation of recovery was at 
 last held out, I could not help looking forward with a 
 feeling of regret, to the probability of having again to 
 encounter the series of hardships and distress, to which I 
 should unavoidably be subjected. 
 
 " In looking back at the marvellous manner in which 
 I was sustained through all this conflict, and again re- 
 stored as one brought back from the dead, I cannot avoid 
 adverting to that period of my illness, when my mind felt 
 so reconciled to the prospect of death, as before-mentioned ; 
 and I now fully believe, from what I have since been 
 mercifully favored to experience, that so far from being 
 in any degree prepared for such an awful event, a decep-
 
 • DANIEL WHEELER. Ill 
 
 tive feeling must have been superinduced by the state of 
 torpor and insensibility in which I then was, and which 
 totally benumbed any better feelings and desires as to the 
 future. To this may be added a predominating fear, of 
 having to endure more of those sufferings, of wdiich I had 
 had no small share ; which, the probability of being again 
 restored to health seemed to banish every hope of escap- 
 ing. Truly awful is the thought which this view of my 
 then lost condition occasions, when I contemplate the woe 
 and misery which must have been my eternal portion, 
 if unutterable mercy and long-suffering had been with- 
 drawn ; and if the soul had been required of one, who had 
 witnessed no repentance towards God the Judge of all, 
 except what at times the fear of punishment had extorted ; 
 and who was a stranger to that saving faith in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, as the ' Lamb of God that taketh away the 
 sin of the w'orld,' — without which His precious blood 
 would have been shed in vain for me: I should thus have 
 died in my sins, which, unrepented of, would have fol- 
 lowed after to judgment, in terrible array against my 
 guilty soul — and yet when my end was apparently so near 
 and inevitable, if such questions as are frequently pro- 
 posed on the like occasions had been put to me, I have 
 little doubt, but satisfactory answers would have been 
 returned, as to my belief and hope in the essential truths 
 of the gospel. But alas ! this would have been from hear- 
 say and traditional report, and not from any heartfelt 
 saving knowledge of my own : for it is now plain to my 
 understanding, that no man can have saving faith in 
 Jesus Christ, who is unacquainted with, and does not 
 walk in, the light of that Divine Spirit, which is so justly 
 styled the Spirit of faith. It is through this alone, that 
 the death and sufferings of Christ, and His whole sacri- 
 fice for sin are availing, and truly applied to all those^ 
 who through faith lay hold of Him, the true Light and
 
 112 DANIEL WHEELER. • 
 
 Saviour of them that believe in His inward and spiritual 
 appearance. These can say to others from sensible and 
 blessed experience, ' Behold the Lamb of God that taketh 
 away the sin of the world :' they have received the atone- 
 ment by Him, and they reap the glorious fruit and benefit 
 of His death and suffering from sin, by the sacrifice of 
 Himself, and of His resurrection and ascension ; in that 
 He ever liveth to make intercession for those, who are 
 thus willing to come unto God by Him. A man may 
 yield assent to all the great and solemn truths of Chris- 
 tianity ; the miraculous birth, holy life, cruel sufferings, 
 ignominious death, and glorious resurrection and ascen- 
 sion of our blessed Redeemer ; he may believe in the ab- 
 stract in His inward and spiritual appearance in the 
 hearts of mankind by His Holy Spirit ; and yet he may 
 fall short of the prize immortal, unless he comes to Avit- 
 ness the saving operation of the Holy Spirit in his own 
 heart, and to know thereby, through faith in it, a purify- 
 ing preparation for the kingdom of righteousness, peace 
 and joy in the Holy Ghost." 
 
 In the autumn of 1795, D. Wheeler obtained a com- 
 mission in a regiment destined for the West Indies, and 
 sailed with the expedition appointed to this service, under 
 Sir Ralph Abercrombie. After a most stormy and dis- 
 astrous i^assage, they were once in sight of the islands, but 
 were driven back by a dreadful hurricane ; in which seve- 
 ral of the vessels foundered, and great numbers of the 
 troops perished. A malignant fever also raged with fatal 
 violence among the crews of the fleet, and in the ship in 
 which he had embarked, no less than twenty -seven fell 
 victims to it, within a short space of time. 
 
 In connection with this period, he once remarked to a 
 friend, on being questioned as to the means made use of 
 in the Divine hand for effecting a new birth unto right- 
 eousness in his heart, that he could not remember anv
 
 DANIEL WHF:ELEK. 113 
 
 outward meiii]>; luiving beeu employed, uide^^.s indeed, he 
 might except ;i storm at sea, during which his mind was 
 deeply aliected ; and when, under a feeling of his own 
 lost condition by nature, he was mercifully enabled also 
 to see the remedy, and the entire spirituality of the gospel 
 dispensation. In accordance with this feeling, he re- 
 marked, " I was at this time convinced of Friends' princi- 
 ples, they being neither more nor less in my estimation, 
 than pure Christianity. I remember when the Friends 
 visited me on my application for membership, I told them, 
 ' I was convinced at sea ;' for I verily believed in looking 
 l)ack that this had been the case : no human means were 
 made use of; it was altogether the immediate work of the 
 Holy Spirit upon my heart." Under these feelings, he 
 became dissatisfied with the military profession, and re- 
 solved that, if permitted again to reach the shore, he 
 would endeavor to lead a life of more circumspection, and 
 which should tend to the glory of that Being, who had 
 thus so mercifully visited him by His free grace. To this 
 resolution he adhered : he quitted the army in the early 
 part of the year 1796. 
 
 Subsequently to this he became an injnate of his sister's 
 family, who had joined the Society of Friends. His mind 
 became renewedly impressed with the importance of 
 Divine Truth, and in the course of a few months, he was 
 lefl openly to espouse those doctrines, of which, in after 
 yearSj he was so unflinching an advocate. The little meet- 
 ing which he attended in the early part of his religious 
 course, that of Handsworth-Woodhouse, was usually held 
 in silence ; and he has often been known to refer to soiue 
 of those solemn seasons, as times of peculiar instruction 
 to his mind ; in which the power of the Lord was sensibly 
 felt, and His truth revealed. 
 
 As he waited patiently u})ou the Lord for instruction, 
 he was made sensible, that the only path in which he 
 
 n
 
 114 DANIEL AVHEELER. 
 
 could walk with safety, was that of self-deuial. Much 
 mental conflict was at this season his portion ; but peace 
 was only to be obtained by an entire surrender of the 
 will ; and in conformity with what he believed required of 
 him, he adopted the plain dress. He once recounted to a 
 friend in lively terras, the trial it was to him to put on a 
 different hat to that' which he had been accustomed to 
 wear ; especially as in going to the meeting at Wood- 
 house, he generally met a number, of his former gay ac- 
 quaintances, whom he crossed on the way to their place 
 of worship, which he had himself previously been in the 
 practice of attending. In this instance it was hard to ap- 
 pear openly as a fool before men ; he thought if his natural 
 life might have been accepted as a substitute, he would 
 gladly have laid it down: but this was not the thing re- 
 quired. He diligently examined his heart, and believed 
 he saw clearly his Master's will in the requisition ; and 
 that it was a discipline designed to bring him into a state 
 of childlike obedience and dependence. In great distress 
 he cried unto the Lord for help ; and a passage of Scrip- 
 ture was powerfully applied to his mind, " Whosoever 
 shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before 
 my Father which is in heaven." His resolution was im- 
 mediately taken : he put on the hat, and with his mind 
 staid on the Lord, set out to join his friends at meetiug. 
 In the course of the year 1797 he was received into 
 membership with the Society of Friends ; and entered 
 into business at Sheflield, in the seed trade. It was his 
 uniform practice from his first commencement in trade, 
 to close his shop during the hours of religious meetiug on 
 week days ; and though this must have required a strong- 
 exercise of faith, at a time when his future support seemed 
 to depend on his assiduity and exertion, he was never 
 satisfied to neglect the worship of Almidity Cxod, from 
 tlie prospect of any outward advantage; and lie has often
 
 T)AX11;l VVllBEI.EH. 11 
 
 ij 
 
 expressed his belief, that a lilessing had rested on tliis 
 sacrifice of apparent interestyto duty. 
 
 It would have been interesting to have had from Daniel 
 Wheeler's own pen, a more detailed account of the opera- 
 tions of Grace on his mind at that important period of 
 life, when his feet were turned from the broad way in 
 which he had been running towards ruin, and into that 
 narrow path which leads to everlasting rest and peace. 
 But his letters and journal contain numerous passages 
 which show, that his views of the nature of that momen- 
 tous change, and of the manner in which it is effected, are 
 in full accordance with those of the worthies whose ex- 
 perience has been given in the earlier pages of this work. 
 In a letter written from Russia, whither he had gone, from 
 a sense of duty, to superintend the drainage and cultiva- 
 tion of some large tracts of swampy lands, and dated in 
 the year 1829, he says : 
 
 "An individual thoroughly convinced of our principles, 
 and keeping close to that which has convinced him, will 
 undoubtedly, as he continues faithful, be converted by 
 it. * * * Such as these have bought the Truth, at 
 the price of becoming fools before men for Christ's sake : 
 they have believed in the sufficiency of His power re- 
 vealed in the heart, to cleanse and purify them from all 
 sin ; and although they mav have had to pass through 
 many conflicts, occasionally for several years, without 
 appearing to gain any ground, they have been strength- 
 ened to persevere and still to wait for Him. The weight 
 of former shis and transgressions has been long and pain- 
 fully felt to rise in humiliating retrospect before the view 
 of the mind, time after time, in terrible array ; working 
 for each, true sorrow and repentance never to be repented 
 of. But although at seasons he is ready to faint, when 
 faith and hope have been reduced to a Idw ebb, yet the 
 invisible Arm of strength is still underneath, niiseen and
 
 lit) DANIEL WPIEELEU. 
 
 uufelt, supporting the tribulated traveller iu the appar- 
 ently unequal warfare; until every sin has passed before- 
 hand to judgment ; and at last, the glorious day begins to 
 dawn, when He, who has been ' as a refiner's fire, and 
 like fuller's soap,' before whom nothing of a transgressing 
 nature can stand ' when He appeareth,' or can abide 
 ' the day of His coming,' is now discovered to be ' the 
 sun of righteousness,' arisen ' witli healing in His wings,' 
 to the joy and comfort of the wounded soul. Then the 
 love of God is truly known ; and until this blessed day is 
 felt iu the great and heartfelt work of regeneration, none 
 can experimentally and truly say, that ' God is love :' they 
 are mere words to all who have not witnessed the inward 
 workings of His power in their heart : but now they feel 
 Him to be a God of love and n)ercy too, and are renewedly 
 made willing in the love of Him to wait for Him." 
 
 When engaged in a religious visit to the isles of the 
 Pacific ocean, he addressed a congregation among the 
 Tahitians ; and after expressing the desire, that they 
 might every one be numbered among the ransomed and 
 redeemed of the Lord'; who shall return and come to 
 Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads ; 
 he adds : " I had to tell them, that a great and individual 
 work must be accomplished before these gracious and pro- 
 phetic promises are realized. The indignation of the Lord 
 must be patiently borne for sin and for transgression ; 
 until He should arise and plead their cause, and execute 
 judgment for them, and in his own time say, it is enough ; 
 and bring them forth to the light, even the light of Christ 
 Jesus, in whom they will then behold the Lamb of God 
 that taketh away the sin of the world." 
 
 If any of the readers of these extracts should desire to 
 find an easier way to the kingdom of Heaven, and shrink 
 from submission to the crucifying power of the cross of
 
 DANIEL WHEELER. 117 
 
 Christ, let theiu consider the caution contained iu the fol- 
 lowing passage, iu another of Daniel Wheeler's letters : 
 
 " There are persons, who have actually commenced a re- 
 form in great sincerity, and have been drawn into solid 
 and serious reflection, but these, unhappily, frequently fall 
 into the way of a class of people, whose writings and con- 
 versation lead them to expect, that when they embrace 
 the religion of Jesus, they will immediately witness some 
 delightful sensations of heavenly joy. But alas ! they 
 calculate on the reward before the warfare is begun. If 
 such, for a short season persist in communing with their 
 own hearts ; and are, through condescending love and 
 mercy, favored to draw near to the Saviour of men ; their 
 expectation is disappointed, and they find that ' He is with- 
 out form or comeliness,' and hath no ' beauty' to make 
 Him desirable. There is nothing to feed and support 
 those airy and fantastic notions, which their minds have 
 previously and so perniciously imbibed. Thus the ines- 
 timable pearl is overlooked, or set at nought ; the lan- 
 guage of the prophet is verified, and the blessed Master 
 is, I fear, at this day, by too many, in this way ' despised 
 and rejected of men.'" 
 
 The same doctrinethat Daniel Wheeler preached to the 
 Tahitians, as already mentioned, he was frequently con- 
 strained in the flowings of Gospel love, to proclaim to 
 others. Thus, iu his account of a meeting in the Sand- 
 wich islands, he says, " I was largely opened to declare 
 the everlasting truth amongst them, and to turn them to its 
 light iu their own hearts — to the Holy Spirit of Him, who 
 is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into 
 the world ; iu whom only there is life, and who is the only 
 way to God the Father, as declared by Himself: ' I am 
 the way, the ti'uth, and the life ; no man cometh to the 
 Father but by me.' That a mere outward profession of 
 religion wouhl prove altogether unavailing to them; the
 
 118 DANIEL WHEELEK. 
 
 great work of regeneration must be witnessed : that to be 
 members of the true church they must be redeemed with 
 judgmeut from sin and transgression, and be converted 
 unto God by the righteousness of Christ Jesus, believed 
 in and submitted to through faith in the operation of the 
 Spirit of God, who raised Him from the dead ; witli whom 
 also they must be raised from death unto life." 
 • It is not in accordance with the plan of this collection 
 to describe in detail the varied and valuable services of 
 this dear Friend, and the manner in which he was enabled 
 to bear his testimony to the Gospel, both by word and 
 deed, in his own native country, in the dominions of the 
 Czar of Russia, in America and among the Pacific islands. 
 He continued to the last a faithful laborer in his Master's 
 cause ; and ended his useful and instructive career in the 
 city of New York, in 1840. He had come there under 
 a concern, to finish a religious visit to the churches in 
 America, which had beeji before partially performed. In 
 his last illness, he said, " I want nothing but the love of my 
 Heavenly Father, and I witness it." Several times during 
 his sickness he made the request, " I want to be left en- 
 tirely alone with my Heavenly Father." To a beloved 
 friend who called to see him, he remarked, ' Whilst I was 
 on shipboard, and thought by some of the passengers to 
 be nigh unto death, how did the Lord appear for my help 
 and consolation ; and since I have been in this chamber, 
 how has He appeared for my comfort in the night season ; 
 and I have been enabled to sing hymns of praise, and 
 thanksgiving unto Him. When the ship made her sound- 
 ings, I made my soundings upon that Rock, whose foun- 
 dation is from everlasting to everlasting." 
 
 Daniel Wheeler labored to imbue the minds of his 
 children with the love and fear of the Almighty. Whilst 
 they were still young in years, he instructed them dili- 
 o-ently in the Holy Scriptures ; antl was persevering in
 
 DANIEL wheelp:ii. 119 
 
 his efforts to make them familiar with the lives of the 
 early members of the Society of Friends, which so strik- 
 iugly portray the precious fruits of the i)rinciples he 
 iirofessed. As they advanced towards maturity, he was 
 earnest in imploring for them the gift of Divine Grace, 
 and diligent in watching for opportunities to impress 
 upon them the importance of spiritual things. As his 
 eldest son attained the age of manhood, earnest were the 
 cravings of his father, that the Lord woidd direct his 
 heart " into the Love of God, and into the patient wait- 
 ing for Christ." He knew well, that, to the natural man, 
 the things of God must ever be a mystery ; and he longed, 
 that, through submission to the operations of the Spirit of 
 Truth, they might be opened to his understanding. Often, 
 with parental tenderness, he silently watched the opening- 
 convictions of his inquiring mind, and as opportunities 
 presented, he labored to explain to him the views he hatl 
 himself received. At one time, the sentiments of his son 
 on these all-important subjects were exceedingly unset- 
 tled, and he passed through deej) mental conflict before 
 he yielded to the light of Divine truth in his soul, which 
 dispelled the doubts and reasonings by which he was as- 
 sailed. It was at this period, that one evening, his fathei- 
 and he being alone together, they had much conversation 
 on the points which then pressed heavily on the mind ol" 
 the latter. Before retiring to rest, his father handed him 
 the Bible, and requested him to read a chapter : he took 
 the book and read the third chaptci- of Malachi. Deep 
 seriousness overspread his countenance, and after a con- 
 siderable time of silence he repeated, " The Lord whom 
 ye .seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the mes- 
 senger of the covenant whom ye delight in ;" — and He 
 .shall be " like a refiner's fire and like fuller's soap :" add- 
 ing, " Yes, He will come into His owii imiplc, the l( iii|ilc 
 fil'llic lirart, and there di) His own wnrk. I ikvii' under-
 
 120 DANIET. AV'HEELEPv. 
 
 stood this chapter before, nor saw, as I now see it, the 
 spiritual nature of the gospel dispensation." The im- 
 pression thus made was not effaced. The change which 
 gradually succeeded was most striking ; clearly evincing 
 to those around, that the day had indeed dawned, and 
 the day-star arisen, in a heart long oppressed with dark- 
 ness, and a prey to many doubts. In reference to this 
 period, his father once remarked with much emotion, — 
 "this kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and 
 fasting," intimating the long continued exercise of soul 
 through which he had been led on behalf of his son.
 
 CONCLUDING REMARKS. 121 
 
 In reviewing tlie instructive records of their religious 
 experience, whicli liave been left as way-marks to succeed- 
 ing generations, by these devoted servants of the Lord — 
 and the number of such accounts might be greatly in- 
 creased — while there is much variety in the attendant or 
 peculiar circumstances, we find certain features w'hich are 
 common to all. 
 
 The beginning of the work of religion was always in 
 the impressions made on the soul by the Spirit of Christ. 
 These impressions sometimes accompanied the advice and 
 exhortations of concerned parents or friends, or the occur- 
 rence of outward incidents which awakened the attention 
 to serious things ; and sometimes arose without connection 
 with any external events. They were various in their 
 operations ; bringing a sense of condemnation for wrong- 
 doing, or warning against things which were of evil ten- 
 dency ; or spreading a feeling of solemnity over the mind, 
 and melting it into tenderness. As the heart bowed in 
 submission to these operations of the Spirit, and yielded 
 itself fully to their influence, these Friends experienced 
 the work of regeneration to take place in them ; and a 
 sense of Divine love and favor was vouchsafed, to their 
 great comfort and rejoicing. 
 
 When, through unwatchfulness and disobedience, these 
 strivings of the Spirit were disregarded, a state of in- 
 creasing hardness of heart followed ; in which, the Light 
 of Christ shone on the darkness within as a condemning 
 witness, bringing a sense of uneasiness and distress, instead 
 of comfort and consolation. From this condition there 
 was no way of return to tlie sensible enjoymcnl of Divine 
 favor, until, by the renewed visitations and cxteudings of
 
 122 CONCLUDING REjSIA IIKS. 
 
 help from the Spirit of Christ, a willingness was wi-oughi 
 in the mind to submit to the Divine will, and patiently 
 to bear the judgments of the Lord. 
 
 As true repentance was thus effected, and the soul 
 turned in sincerity to the Light which revealed its fallen 
 condition, it was made willing to endure the sense of con- 
 demnation for its former evil actions, and to pass through 
 the exercises and trials which were needful for its refine- 
 ment, and for destroying the tendencies to evil which had 
 become firmly rooted in it. In thus submitting to the 
 discipline of the cross of Christ, an earnest cry was often 
 raised, " Let not thine eye pity, nor thy hand spare, till 
 thou ha;st brought forth judgment unto victory" — and this, 
 from a sense, that there could be no safety here, nor hap- 
 piness hereafter, unless the heart was purged from its de- 
 filements, and its affections set on heavenly things. 
 
 Though this ministry of condenmation was hard to bear, 
 yet strength was given to endure it, by a Divine power ; 
 and precious hopes were raised iu the heart; and at inter- 
 vals, a sense of spiritual comfoi't and forgiveaess of past 
 sins, through faith in Christ. Though the vicissitudes of 
 conflict and of ease, varied much in diflferent individuals, 
 according to their different circumstances, and the ser- 
 vices iu the Church and the world for which they were 
 designed ; yet, all were thereby led into a state of inward 
 watchfulness to the guidance of the Light of Christ, and 
 a settlement therein, as the only state of safety attainable 
 in this life ; and found, even after many years of estab- 
 lishment in religion, and active service in the Church, the 
 necessity of patiently and humbly enduring such exercises 
 and conflicts of spirit as it pleased their Heavenly Father 
 to administer, either as preparations for His work among 
 men, or for their own preservation in humility and in- 
 tegrity. 
 
 The faith iu God and in His Grace, which necessarily
 
 co^^cLUDI^'G remarks. 123 
 
 accompanied the change of heart which was thus carried 
 forward in them ; led to a reverent regard for the Holy 
 Scriptures, whose precious promises and precepts were 
 often applied to their hearts in the way of warning, in- 
 struction and comfort ; and they w^ere thus confirmed in 
 their belief in them and their love for them. They were 
 taught also to accept our Loi'd and Saviour Jesus Christ 
 in all His offices, and to place their dependence, not on 
 their own merits and works, but on the mercy of God, as 
 manifested in the atoning sacrifice of the Redeemer for 
 their sins, and in the effectual working of His Spirit and 
 power in their hearts to redeem them from the dominion 
 of sin, and to translate them into His holy and he'avenly 
 kingdom. 
 
 George Whitehead says :-:— " True and living faith in 
 Christ Jesus the Son of the Living God, has respect to His 
 entire being and fulness ; to Him entirely, as in Himself, 
 and as all power in heaven and earth is given unto Him ; 
 and also an eye and respect to the same Son of God, as 
 inwardly making Himself known in the soul in every 
 degree of His Light, Life, Spirit, Grace and Truth. * * 
 And when the least degree or measure of this Light and 
 Tvife of Christ within, is sincerely waited for, followed 
 and obeyed, there is a blessed increase of light and grace 
 known and felt : as the path of the just it shines more 
 and more until the perfect day ; and thereby a growing 
 in grace, and in the knowledge of God, and of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ, hath been and is truly experi- 
 enced. And this Light, Life or Spirit of Christ within, 
 for they are one Divine Principle, is sufficient to lead into 
 all truth. * '•' It does not only, as in its first ministra- 
 tion, manifest sin, and reprove and condemn for sin, but 
 also excites and leads them that believe in it to true re- 
 pentance, and thereupon to receive that mercy, pardon 
 and redem[)tioii in Cluist Jo.-us, which Ho has obtainc^l
 
 124 CONCLUDING KEMAEKS, 
 
 for maiikiud, uu those gospel terms of faith iu His Name, 
 true repentauce and couversiou to Christ, thereby re- 
 quired." * =^ * 
 
 " Though we had the Holy Scriptures of the Old and 
 New Testament, and a belief of Christ crucified and risen, 
 &c., we never truly knew the mystery thereof, until we 
 were turned to the Light of His Grace and Spirit within 
 us ; we knew not what it was to be reconciled by His 
 death, and saved by His life, or what it was to know the 
 fellowship of His sufferings, the power of His resurrection, 
 or to be made conformable unto His death, — wc knew 
 not, until He opened our eyes, and turned our minds 
 from darkness unto His own Divine Light and Life 
 within us." 
 
 Some, in the present day, profess to place their hopes of 
 salvation, on faith iu the blood of Christ shed for them on 
 Calvary; and others, on the work of His Spirit within 
 them. The Society of Friends has ever accepted, fully 
 and reverently, the doctrine of the Atonement and Medi- 
 ation of our Blessed Redeemer; that he was offered on the 
 cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, and that our 
 salvation is only through Him. But they have held 
 with equal firmness the great complemental truth, that 
 the saving effects of this wonderful manifestation of the 
 goodness of God, can be experienced by those only who 
 submit to the government of the same Saviour, as He 
 appears in their hearts, by His Holy Spirit, or Divine 
 Light. This accords with the language of the apostle : 
 "Know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is 
 in you, except ye be reprobates." Hence it is clear, that 
 no one can have a true and saving faith in Christ Jesus, 
 who rejects His grace or Spirit as it appears iu his heart.^