1727. in Eaft-Ferfey, which held three Days, and was very large, and the laft Day the People were very ftillJoshua 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 Prefence of the Moft High was with and among us; bleffed be his Name.

Rohaway.

I was alfo at Robaway 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 Frankfort. 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 still 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 induftrious; not willing to be fuch 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 last I should fay, That I never wilfully, or knowingly, wrong'd

any

any Man, Woman, or Child, fince I came to Years 1727, of Difcretion; and yet I have nothing to boaft of; it is the Lord's Grace and Mercy which faveih us.

Having Occafion to make another Voyage to Barbadoes, I wrote to the Teacher of my Children as fol loweth :

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 iny 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 tell. And, kind Friend, inafmuch 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,

.

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 Fhiladelphia, in the Sloop Dove, Ofwald Peel Mafter; having taken a folemn Farewel of my dear Wife, Children, and Friends, in order for the Support of my Р

Family,

At Sea;

1727. Family, and anfwering 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 some 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 preferved fafe in our stormy 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 Ifland a few Days fooner than we, loft three Men by the Violence of the Storm, and received much Damage otherwife; 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 Sicknefs: 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 Refpect, notwithstanding I reproved them fharply. Who can take the facred Name of God into their Mouths in vain,

and

and be guiltless? Or who can hear it, and forbear 1727.
reproving it, without being remifs in their Duty? This
great Evil is too frequently practifed in this rich (poor)
Inland of Barbadoes (rich in Earthly, but poor in
Heavenly Treasure) which caufed me many Times to
mourn in fecret before the Almighty, praying him for
the Reformation of the People, for Chrift's Sake, and
for the Glory of his own eternal Name.

The 27th of the First Month 1728, having done 1728.
my Business in Barbadoes, and feen Friends generally,'
an Opportunity offered for my Return Home, in the
Brigantine Sarah and Mary, Samuel Gallop Mafter, As Son:
bound for Burlington, in Company with William Dury
and William Callender, both of Barbadoes. Our Master
was exceeding kind to us in the Voyage. The Wind
hanging Northerly, we could not go to Windward
of Martinico, but drove to Leeward, and failed by
the Ifles of Lucia, Martinico, Dominico, Guardaloupe,
Antigua, Montferrat, Rodondo, Nevis, Chriftopher's,
Statia, Saba, Martin's, Anguilla, Bartholomew's, Sombre-
ro, and four other fmall Islands which are called
The Saints. It was very pleafant failing by thefe
Islands, only fome of them were fo exceeding high,
that in fome Places we were becalm'd, and the Clouds
appear'd below the Tops of divers of the Mountains.
At Chriftophers (which is counted the higheft of them)
there being a small River of good fresh Water, we
fent our Boat on thore for fome, having none very
good on board: We lay off and on about two Hours,
but did not come to. I was thankful for this Water,
it being my conftant Drink; it was alfo very service-
able to the People on board. After we left the Ifle of
Sombrero, we faw a Sail, which we thought ftood after
us, and hearing at Christopher's that feveral Spanish
Privateers were on that Coaft, our Mafter, and fome
others on board, were a little furprized; but we soon
left her out of Sight, and we afterwards went plea-
fantly on our Way till we came to the Latitude of Ber-

P 2

mudas,

1728. mudas, where the Winds blew fresh, and much againft us; and this Winter having been very hard, we felt the fharp Blafts of the latter End of it. We had a Paflage of about thirty Days, and came very pleafantly up the Bay and River; and it pleafed God that I got home once more to my beloved Wife and Children, and was joyfully received by all my Family, whom I found in a good Degree of Health; for which Frankfort, I did (as I had Occafion to do) blefs and praife the great Name of the moft High, who is worthy for ever. After I came Home, I was at many Meetings in Penfylvania and Jersey, Pensylvania and Jerfey, viz. at Philadelphia, Burlington, Bristol, Biberry, Frankfort, German-town, NewHanover, Crofwicks, &c. in all which Meetings I had fome Service to Friends Satisfaction, and was comfort. ed with the Goodness of God in the Midft of my AfBurlington. Alictions.-My Bufinefs lying much at Burlington, I fpent pretty much of my Time there for feveral Weeks; where my Friends manifefted a tender and hearty Respect towards me, and fympathized with me in my Troubles and Travels; and there I prepared for another Voyage; for I was fully refolved, thro' divine Affiftance, to pay all my juft Debts (which I contracted, and lay on me, through many Loffes) or elfe to die in the Purfuit of it; in which Refolve I had inward Peace and Satisfaction; though fuch Labour, Travel, and Separation from my Family, was a great Crofs to Nature.

On the 14th of the Fifth Month we went on board the Brigantine Sarah and Mary, Samuel Gallop Mafter, for Barbadoes; and on the 16th we failed down the A sea. Bay, and put to Sea, and I wrote a loving, tender

Letter, to my Wife and Family, and another to my Friends at Burlington. We had fair Winds for about two Weeks, after which they were contrary for feveral Days, during which two of our Men had a Fever, and our Veffel proved leaky (though tight in Imooth Water) which was fome Concern to us, and obliged

Us