1727. Father, if thou follows and perfeveres in the Ways of Virtue and Truth; which, that thou mayeft, is the Prayer of thy affectionate Father-in-Law. Stony- T. C. The latter End of the Sixth Month, I went to the General-meeting of Minifters and Elders for the East Part of New-Jersey, and to the Quarterly and YouthsBurlington, meeting at Burlington, and to a General-meeting at Stony-Brook, and to the Quarterly-meeting of the County of Bucks- -John Oxley, of Barbadoes, and Jofbua Fielding, of London, were at divers of those Meetings, wherein we had open, seasonable Opportunities; and I had a large, affecting Account from Joshua, of his long and difficult Travels in the Service of Truth to the Weft-India Ifles, and thence to South Carolina, from whence he came thro' the Wilderness by Land, thro' North-Carolina, Virginia, &c. to this Province. Philadel phia. The 16th of the Seventh Month began our YearlyYearly. Meeting at meeting at Philadelphia, which was attended with the gracious Prefence of God, to the Comfort and great Satisfaction of many Souls. In this Meeting divers young Men and young Women appeared, who were lately come forth in the Ministry, and, as I believe, had received a Meafure of the Gift of Chrift's Gospel; which was Cause of Rejoicing to the Faithful among us, and excited our Thanksgiving and Praises to the Almighty Lord of Heaven and Earth. At this Meeting we had the Company of four Minifters from Great Britain, and one from Barbadoes, and many from divers other Parts, it being a very large Gathering of fome Thousands of People (as was believed) in which many were ftrengthened in their Faith in Chrift, and comforted thro' the Power of the boly Ghoft, that bleffed Comforter, which Chrift promifed to his Church, who should be with them for ever, and guide them into all Truth. Next Firft-day after the Yearly-meeting, I, with 1727. feveral of my Neighbours, went over Delaware to a Meeting up Penfawken Creek; in which the wonder- Penfakes. ful Love of God was declared, in fending his Son upon Earth, who, as he was Man, died for Man, and is now by his Spirit prefent with all thofe that truly believe in him; he being the Meffenger of the Covenant of God to Mankind. And on Second-day, being the 25th of the Seventh Month, I had the forrowful Tydings of the Death of my beloved Friend James Lord; who, on his Death-bed defired that I might be fent for to his Burial. In the Confideration of that Chriftian Love that was between us, I think I may truly note, That we were always glad to meet each other; therefore the Thoughts of this fo fudden Change, and final Parting, brought, for the prefent, a Sadnefs and Heaviness over my Mind; confidering his Station in that Neighbourhood, and Service in that Congregation to which he did belong; for therein he was well-beloved, and very serviceable. And Oh! The Lofs that his dear Wife and tender Children will have of him, really affects me with Sorrow in penning thefe Notes; but the Sorrow, in these Things, is all on our Side; for he, without doubt, is at Reft with his great Mafter in Heaven. We had a larger Meeting at his Funeral, than ever was known to be there before (as an antient Friend told me) which was folemn and ferviceable to many. Some Time after, having been at divers Meetings about home, John Oxley and I, in Company, vifited Friends on Long-Iland. At Flushing we were at the Long Burial of Jonathan Dickenfon: Many People, of divers Mand. Perfwafions, were at the Meeting on that Occafion, and were very fober and attentive. I was at the Yearly-meeting for the South-fide of the Ifland, at a Place called Seccataug, which Meeting was large, many Friends and others coming to it over the Plains. I was afterwards at the Yearly-meeting at Shrewsbury, Shrewf in bura. 1727. in East-Ferfey, which held three Days, and was very large, and the laft Day the People were very stillJoshua Fielding was at this Meeting, and was therein concerned to preach the Gospel of Chrift with good Authority, and Matter fuitable to a true Gofpel-minifter; John Oxley was ill of a Fever, 'fo that he could not be there; but there were Brethren from divers Parts, and the Power and Presence of the Moft High was with and among us; bleffed be his Name. Rehaway. I was also at Rohaway River, where was a folid, good Meeting. From thence I returned Home, having been abroad about a Month, and at above twenty Meetings, and travelled about 350 Miles. In the Eighth Month, at Frankfort, we had three Bankfort. Burials out of one Houfe, at one Time; the Mother, Daughter, and Grand-daughter (of which I had never known the like Inftances before) on this Occafion we had the Company of many Neighbours, and a very folemn Meeting at our Meeting-house at Frankfort. Philadel. phia. About this Time I was at divers Meetings at Philadelphia, Abington, and Burlington: We had an EvenBurlington ing-meeting at Burlington with Richard Smith, junior; who had been fo ill that he could not get out to Meetings for fome Months It was fuch a fatisfactory Meeting, that he, and I, and others that were there, will not eafily forget, our Hearts being broken together. The World ftill continued to frown upon me; but, tho' my Cafe was fuch in this World, yet, at Times, I had great Confolation in Chrift; and, in the Midft of my Troubles, when I looked back, I could truly fay, That I had not been extravagant, but frugal; not covetous, but charitable; not idle, but industrious; not willing to be such an Infidel as not to take Care for my Family; it was fome folid Comfort to my Mind; and I blefs the Almighty, that I always preferr'd his Work and Service to my own, and therein had great Peace. This I can alfo fay, if it were the laft I should fay, That I never wilfully, or knowingly, wrong'd apy any Man, Woman, or Child, fince I came to Years 1727. of Difcretion; and yet I have nothing to boast of; it is the Lord's Grace and Mercy which faveth us. Having Occafion to make another Voyage to Bar+ badoes, I wrote to the Teacher of my Children as followeth : ་ Frankfort, 10th of the 10th Month 1727. Loving Friend, BEING going to Barbadoes, leave the Charge of my little Children to thy Care, not doubting tny Management of them, by their growing in their Learning, please to inftruct them to Sobriety, and • the Fear of God, and Faith in Chrift; and, if I • never should see them or thee any more (our Lives being uncertain in this World) pray let them know, that it was their Father's Will and Defire, That they fhould mind their Learning, and, above all Things, mind the Fear of the moft High. When my little Daughter hath read her Teftament thro', I would have her go to Writing; and George the fame, on the fame Terms. Pleafe to learn them the Ufe of Chapter and Verfe, that if any afk them where they are learning, they may tel And, kind Friend, in• afmuch as I perceive thou haft followed my former • Directions, I look on myself obliged to thee; therefore am fo much the more free to impart my Mind to thee, now on my Departure; which, with real Love, is from thy loving Friend, ८ 6 T. C. P. S. Although my Care is great for my Childrens learning their Books, yet it is much more fo as to their learning true Piety and Virtue.? On the 25th of the Tenth Month we fet fail from Philadelphia, in the Sloop Dove, Ofwald Peel Master; having taken a folemn Farewel of my dear Wife, Children, and Friends, in order for the Support of my Р Family, Sea: 1727. Family, and answering my juft Debts, which I had contracted. On the 27th Day of the Month, in the Evening, we took in our Boat, and put to Sea; had fome rough Weather in our Paffage, but lived comfortably; we being all loving and obliging one to another. On the 15th of the Eleventh Month we fafely Barbadoes. arrived at Speight's Town in Barbadoes; and the 18th, between the Hours of five and fix in the Morning, we An Earth felt the greatest Earthquake that I had ever felt ; hav quake. ing been fenfible of Three, one at London, one at Jamaica, and one at Frankfort in Penfylvania. I was thankful in my Heart to the Lord for my fafe Arrival, and that we were all preserved fafe in our ftormy Paffage, and deep loaded Veffel; one Veffel being loft that came out a little Time before us, and another, which came from our Port to this Inland a few Days sooner than we, loft three Men by the Violence of the Storm, and received much Damage otherwise ; one of them being a Neighbour of mine, with whom I was well acquainted, it affected my Mind very much. I vifited Friends Meetings in Barbadoes, and fome divers Times over; and had Occafion in fome Meetings to mention the Earthquake, which I told them I did believe was a Vifitation from the Almighty, in order to put People in mind of Mortality, and to reform them from the Evil of their Ways, and call them to Repentance. While I was in Barbadoes, Francis Gamble died, whom I went to vifit feveral Times in his Sickness: At his Funeral was a large Gathering of his Neighbours, and others; and divers not of our Society, expreffed their Satisfaction with the Meeting. The People in and about Speight's Town in Barbadoes, were very loving and kind to me, more than I ever had obferved before; even fome vile, prophane Men, whom I could not forbear to reprove for their Swearing, and taking the facred Name in vain, yet they fhew'd Respect, notwithstanding I reproved them fharply. Who can take the facred Name of God into their Mouths in vain, and |