Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

"William Penn preaching to the People, which was 1706. a great Multitude, and both the and William Penn "rejoiced to fee one another; and after Meeting fhe "went to him, and he told her, That in a little Time "he would come over and preach to them alfo, of "which fhe was very glad. And now fhe faid her "Dream was fulfilled, for one of his Friends was "come to preach to them." And fhe advised them to hear us, and entertain us kindly; and accordingly they did. Here were two Nations of them, the Seneca's and the Shawnefe. We had first a Meeting with the Seneca's, with which they were much affected; and they called the other Nation (viz. the Shawnefe) and interpreted to them what we had spoke in their Meeting, and the poor Indians (particularly fome of the Young Men and Women) were under a folid Exercife, and Concern. We had alfo a Meeting with the other Nation, and they were all very kind to us, and defired more fuch Opportunities; the which, I hope Divine Providence will order them, if they are worthy thereof. The Gospel of Jefus Chrift was preached freely to them, and Faith in Chrift, who was put to Death at Jerufalem, by the unbelieving Jews; and that this fame Jefus came to fave People from their Sins, and by his Grace and Light in the Soul, fhews to Man his Sins, and convinceth him thereof, delivering him out of them, and gives inward Peace and Comfort to the Soul for Well-doing, and Sorrow and Trouble for Evil-doing; to all which, as their Manner is, they gave publick Affents; and to that of the Light in the Soul, they gave a double Affent, and feem'd much affected with the Doctrine of Truth; alfo the Benefit of the holy Scriptures was largely opened to them *.

After

'Tis worthy of Notice, that at at the first settling of Penfylvania, William Penn took great Care to do Juftice to the Indians, and bought his Land of them to their Satisfaction, and settled a Trade with them; so that whereas the Indians were deftructive to other Colonies, they were helpful to Pensylvania; and to this Day they love to hear the Name of WILLIAM PENN.

1706.

Zgg-Har bour.

After this we returned to our respective Habitations, thankful in our Hearts to the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Several of the Friends that went with me express'd their Satisfaction in this Vifit, and offered themselves freely to go again on the like Service.

I also was concerned foon after to vifit the People about Egg Harbour and Cape-May, and had divers Meetings amongst them, and feveral Meetings were fettled in those Parts, and the People fomewhat reformed from what they had been before they were vifited by Friends, as themselves told me (after a Meeting we had with them) that they used to spend the Sabbath Days in Sporting and Vanity until Friends came among them, and now they met together to worship God, and his Son Jefus Chrift. At our coming amongst them fome Backfliders and Apoftates were displeased. One (in a very bitter Spirit) called us, Curfed and cruel Devils. Another wrote against us. To him I sent an Answer, for which he fcandalized me in one of his Almanacks, and publickly belied me in Print; which Lies I fwept away with a Small Broom, printed in this Year 1706, to which I never understood that he return'd any Anfwer, nor that he wrote against Friends afterwards, tho' he had made it his Practice before for several Years.

At Little Egg-Harbour liv'd a Friend whofe Name was Edward Andrews, who, as he himfelf told me, had been a Leader of the People into Vanity and Folly, as Mufick, Dancing, &c. But the good Hand of the Lord being upon him, wrought a wonderful Reformation in him, and made him an Inftrument to lead People into Truth and Righteoufnefs, and gave him an excellent Gift of the Miniftry of the Gofpel of Chrift; fo that he was made inftrumental in the gathering of a large and growing Meeting, moft of the People thereabouts being convinced, and a great Reformation and Change wrought in their Converfa

tions. This Friend told me, That when he was very 1707. rude and wild, he was mightily reached unto at the Meeting we had under the Trees at Crofwicks*, so that he could not go on with his Vanity as before, after which he had ftrong Convictions on him, which wrought Converfion in the Lord's Time, after he had gone thro' many and deep inward Exercises.

After these several Journies were over, and I had Philadel cleared myself, I was fome Time at Home, and fol- pbia. lowed my Business with Diligence and Induftry, and throve in the Things of the World, the Lord adding a Bleffing to my Labour. Some People would tell me that I got Money for Preaching, and grew Rich by it; which, being a common Calumny caft upon our publick Friends that are Travellers, I fhall take a little Notice of it, and leave it to Pofterity. That it is against our Principle, and contrary to our known Practice and Rule, to take Money for our Preaching the Gospel of Chrift, and the publishing of Salvation through his Name unto the People; for according to Chrift's Command, We, Receiving it freely, are to give it forth freely: And I can fay without Vanity or Boafting, I have spent many Pounds in that Service, befides my Time, which was, and is, as precious to me, as to other People: And rifing early, and laying down late; many Days riding 40, 50, and 60 Miles a Day, which was very laborious and hard for my Flesh to endure (being corpulent and heavy from the 27th Year of my Age ;) and I can truly fay, that I never received any Money or Confideration on Account of thefe Services, either directly or indirectly; and yet if any of our Minifters are Neceffitous or Poor, we relieve them freely, not because they are Preachers, but because they are Needy; and when we have done those Things, we have done but our Duty: And well will

it

* See Page 17.

[ocr errors]

1707. it be for thofe that have discharged themselves faithfully therein! Such will (befides the Earneft of Peace in their own Souls in this World) have a bleffed Reward in the glorious Kingdom of the Lord and his Chrift in that World which is to come. It is well known that I have spent much of my Time (fince I have been free from my Apprenticeship) in Travelling and Preaching the Gofpel, being out often many Months, and fometimes a whole Year, and more; and at Intervals I have been apt to think the Time long, till I got to my Business and Family; and fo have divers Times made more Hafte than I should have done, which has brought Trouble on my Mind, and is a Trouble to me unto this Day; which may be a Caution to those who travel in the Work of the Miniftry hereafter, not to make too much Hafte from the Work of Chrift; and yet there ought to be Difcretion used; for a Minister may stay too long, as well as return too foon, which may be perceived as we keep the Eye of our Mind to our Divine Guide.

Prepares to vifit

Weft Indies

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

After I had ftaid at and about Home for fome confiderable Time, a weighty Concern came upon me to Friends in vifit Friends in the West-Indies, and fome Parts of Europe, as it might please the Almighty to open my Way; and as it was to be a long Travel, both by Sea and Land, and hazardous, by reafon it was War Time, and many Privateers out at Sea, I fettled my Affairs by Will, and otherwife, that if I fhould not live to come Home again, Things relating to my outward Affairs might be done honourably and well: For at this Time, as at many others, I can truly fay, I gave up my Life freely for my holy Mafter's Sake, and in his Caufe, who faid, Go teach all Nations, &c.

On the 29th of the Sixth Month, 1707, I had a Certificate from the Monthly-meeting of Friends at Philadelphia, fignifying their Unity with my Undertaking, and Defires for my Welfare; and a tender Concern was on my Mind that I might live according

to

to what my Brethren had certified concerning me. I 1707. likewife laid my Exercise before the General Meeting of Minifters and Elders held for the Provinces of Penfylvania and New-Jersey, on the 22d of the Seventh Month, who alfo fignified their Fellowship with my intended Travels and Journey, and recommended me to the Grace of God; and in much Love and Tendernefs I parted with my dear and loving Wife, and my near and affectionate Friends and Brethren.

I had for my Companion and Fellow-labourer in the Work of the Gospel, my dear Friend Richard Gove, who also had the Approbation and Unity of Friends in this Journey and Undertaking.

We went on board a Sloop at Philadelphia bound for Barbadoes, Jobn Knight, Master, about the 27th of the Eighth Month, in the aforefaid Year.

After a few Days Sailing down the River Delaware, we put to Sea, and in about a Month's Time we came within Sight of Barbadoes, where we met with a Pri- At Sea. Chafed by vateer, which chafed, and had like to have taken us; a Priva but the good Providence of God preferved us out of teer. the Hands of thofe Enemies: For ever bleffed be his great Name! In this Chace the Seamen were uneafy, and belched out wicked Oaths, and curfed the Quakers, wifhing all their Veffels might be taken by the Enemy, because they did not carry Guns in them: At which [Evil] I was grieved, and began thus to expoftulate with them: Do you know the Worth of a Man's Life? (Guns being made on Purpose to destroy Mens Lives;) were this Ship and Cargo mine, fo far as I know mine Heart, I do ingenuously declare, I had rather loose it all, than that one of you fhould loofe his Life (for I certainly knew they were unfit to die.) Lives! fay they, we had rather loofe our Lives than go to France. But, faid I, that is not the Matter ; Had you rather go to Hell, than go to France? They being guilty of great Sins and Wickedness, and convicted in their own Confciences, held their Peace, and

« AnteriorContinuar »