(to which he had said he was going ;) he said, “To be sure, it is a fine place. But I don't mind that; I don't care what place I am in. Let God put me where he will, or do with me what he will, so I may but set forth his honour and glory." Thur. 3.-Being Ascension day, we had the holy communion; but only Mr. Hird's family joined with us in it. One reason why there were no more, was, because a few words which a woman had inadvertently spoken, had set almost all the town in a flame. Alas! how shall a city stand that is thus divided against itself? Where there is no brotherly love, no meekness, no forbearing, or forgiving one another; but envy, malice, revenge, suspicion, anger, clamour, bitterness, evil speaking, without end! Abundant proof that there can be no true love of man, unless it be built on the love of God. Sun. 6.-Calling on Mr. Lassel, and asking how he did, "My departure," said he," I hope is at hand." I asked, "Are you troubled at that?" He replied, "O no; to depart, and to be with Christ, is far better. I desire no more of this bad world. My hope and my joy and my love is there." The next time I saw him, he said, "I desire nothing more, than for God to forgive my many and great sins. I would be humble. I would be the humblest creature living. My heart is humble and broken for my sins. Tell me, teach me, what shall I do to please God. I would fain do whatever is his will." I said, "It is his will you should suffer." He answered, "Then I will suffer. I will gladly suffer whatever pleases him." Mon. 7.-Finding him weaker, I asked, "Do you still desire to die?” He said, "Yes; but I dare not pray for it, for fear I should displease my heavenly Father. His will be done. Let him work his will, in my life, or in my death.” Thur. 10.-We began to execute at Frederica what we had before agreed to do at Savannah. Our design was, on Sundays, in the afternoon, and every evening, after public service, to spend some time with the most serious of the communicants, in singing, reading, and conversation. This evening we had only Mark Hird. But on Sunday Mr. Hird and two more desired to be admitted. After a psalm and a little conversation, I read Mr. Law's "Christian Perfection," and concluded with another psalm. Sat. 12.-Being with one who was very desirous to converse with me, but not upon religion, I spoke to this effect :-"Suppose you was going to a country where every one spoke Latin, and understood no other language, neither would converse with any that did not understand it suppose one was sent to stay here a short time, on purpose to teach it you; suppose that person, pleased with your company, should spend his time in trifling with you, and teach you nothing of what he came for: would that be well done? Yet this is our case. You are going to a country where every one speaks the love of God. The citizens of heaven understand no other language. They converse with none who do not understand it. Indeed none such are admitted there. I am sent from God to teach you this. A few days are allotted us for that purpose. Would it then be well done in me, because I was pleased with your company, to spend this short time in trifling, and teach you nothing of what I came for? God forbid! I will rather not converse with you at all. Of the two extremes, this is the best." Wed. 16.-Another little company of us met; Mr. Reed, Davidson, Walker, Delamotte, and myself. We sung, read a little of Mr. Law, and then conversed. Wednesdays and Fridays were the days we fixed for constant meeting. Thur. 17.-An officer of a man-of-war, walking just behind us, with two or three of his acquaintance, cursed and swore exceedingly: but upon my reproving him, seemed much moved, and gave me many thanks. Sat. 19.-Mr. Oglethorpe returned from the south, and gave orders on Sunday, the 20th, that none should profane the day (as was usual before) by fishing or fowling upon it. In the afternoon I summed up what I had seen or heard at Frederica, inconsistent with Christianity, and, consequently, with the prosperity of the place. The event was as it ought some of the hearers were profited, and the rest deeply offended. This day, at half an hour past ten, God heard the prayer of his servant; and Mr. Lassel, according to his desire, was "dissolved that he might be with Christ." Tues. 22.-Observing much coldness in Mr. →'s behaviour, 1 asked him the reason of it. He answered, "I like nothing you do. All your sermons are satires upon particular persons, therefore I will never hear you more; and all the people are of my mind, for we won't hear ourselves abused. "Beside, they say, they are Protestants. But as for you, they cannot tell what religion you are of. They never heard of such a religion before. They do not know what to make of it. And then your private behaviour :-all the quarrels that have been here since you came, have been long of you. Indeed there is neither man nor woman in the town, who minds a word you say. And so you may preach long enough; but nobody will come to hear you." -, upon He was too warm for hearing an answer. So I had nothing to do but to thank him for his openness, and walk away. Wed. 23.-I had a long conversation with Mr. the nature of true religion. I then asked him, why he did not endeavour to recommend it to all with whom he conversed. He said, "I did so once; and, for some time, I thought I had done much good by it. But I afterward found they were never the better, and I myself was the worse. Therefore now, though I always strive to be inoffensive in my conversation, I do not strive to make people religious, unless those that have a desire to be so, and are, consequently, willing to hear me. But I have not yet (I speak not of you or your brother) found one such person in America.” "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!" Mark the tendency of this accursed principle! If you will speak only to those who are willing to hear, see how many you will turn from the error of their ways! If, therefore, striving to do good, you have done hurt, what then? So did St. Paul. So did the Lord of life. Even His word was "the savour of death, as well as the savour of life." But shall you, therefore, strive no more? God forbid! Strive more humbly, more calmly, more cautiously. Do not strive as you did before, but strive while the breath of God is in your nostrils! Being to leave Frederica in the evening, I took the more notice of these words in the Lesson for the day : "Whereunto shall I liken the men of this generation? They are like unto children sitting in the market place, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" Luke vii, 31-34. About eleven at night we took boat; and on Saturday 26, about one in the afternoon, came to Savannah. O what do we want here either for life or godliness! If suffering, God will send it in his time. Sun. 27.-About twenty joined with us in morning prayer. An hour or two after, a large party of Creek Indians came; the expectation of whom deprived us of our place of public worship, in which they were to have their audience. Wed. 30.-I hoped a door was opened for going up immediately to the Choctaws, the least polished, that is, the least corrupted, of all the Indian nations. But upon my informing Mr. Oglethorpe of our design, he objected, not only the danger of being intercepted, or killed by the French there; but much more, the inexpediency of leaving Savannah destitute of a minister. These objections I related to our brethren in the evening, who were all of opinion, "We ought not to go yet." Thur. July 1.—The Indians had an audience; and another on Saturday, when Chicali, their head man, dined with Mr. Oglethorpe. After dinner, I asked the grey-headed old man, what he thought he was made for. He said, "He that is above knows what he made us for. We Anow nothing. We are in the dark. But white men know much. And yet white men build great houses, as if they were to live for ever. But white men cannot live for ever. In a little time, white men will be dust as well as I." I told him, "If red men will learn the good book, they may know as much as white men. But neither we nor you can understand that book, unless we are taught by Him that is above: and He will not teach, unless you avoid what you already know is not good." He answered, "I believe that. He will not teach us while our hearts are not white. And our men do what they know is not good they kill their own children. And our women do what they know is not good: they kill the child before it is born. Therefore, He that is above does not send us the good book." Hearing the younger of the Miss Boveys was not well, I called upon them this evening. I found she had only the prickly heat, a sort of rash, very common here in summer. We soon fell into serious conversation, after I had asked, if they did not think they were too young to trouble themselves with religion yet; and, whether they might not defer it ten or a dozen years. To which one of them replied, “If it will be reasonable ten years hence to be religious, it is so now: I am not for deferring one moment." Wed. 7.-I called there again, being determined now to speak more closely. But meeting company there, prudence induced me to put it off till another opportunity. Thur. 8. -Mr. O. being there again, and casually speaking of sudden death, Miss Becky said, "If it was the will of God, I should choose to die without a lingering illness." Her sister said, “Are you, then, always prepared to die?" She replied, "Jesus Christ is always prepared to help me. And little stress is to be laid on such a preparation for death as is made in a fit of sickness." Sat. 10.-Just as they had done drinking tea, Mrs. Margaret, seeing her colour change, asked if she was well? She did not return any answer; and Dr. Talser soon after going by, she desired him to step in, and said, "Sir, my sister, I fear, is not well." He looked earnestly at her, felt her pulse, and replied, "Well! madam; your sister is dying!" However, he thought it not impossible bleeding might help. She bled about an ounce, leaned back, and died! As soon as I heard of it I went to the house, and begged they would not lay her out immediately, there being a possibility, at least, she might only be in a swoon; of which, indeed, there was some slight hope, she not only being as warm as ever, but having a fresh colour in her cheeks, and a few drops of blood starting out upon bending her arm; but there was no pulse and no breath; so that, having waited some hours, we found her "spirit was indeed returned to God that gave it." I never saw so beautiful a corpse in my life. Poor comfort to its lafe inhabitant! I was greatly surprised at her sister. There was, in all her behaviour, such an inexpressible mixture of tenderness and resignation. The first time I spoke to her, she said, "All my afflictions are nothing to this. I have lost not only a sister, but a friend. But it is the will of God. I rely on him; and doubt not but he will support me under it.” This evening we had such a storm of thunder and lightning as I never saw before, even in Georgia. This voice of God, too, told me I was not fit to die; since I was afraid, rather than desirous of it. O when shall I wish to be dissolved and to be with Christ? When I love him with all my heart. Almost the whole town was the next evening at the funeral; where many, doubtless, made a world of good resolutions. O how little trace of most of these will be left in the morning! It is a true saying, "Hell is paved with good intentions." Tues. 20.-Five of the Chicasaw Indians (twenty of whom had been in Savannah several days) came to see us, with Mr. Andrews, their interpreter. They were all warriors, four of them head men. The two chief were Paustoobee and Mingo Mattaw. Our conference was as follows: Q. Do you believe there is One above who is over all things? Paustoobee answered, We believe there are four beloved things above;—the clouds, the sun, the clear sky, and He that lives in the clear sky. Q. Do you believe there is but One that lives in the clear sky? Q. Do you think he made the sun, and the other beloved things? Q. Do you think he made you? A. We think he made all men at first. Q. How did he make them at first? A. Out of the ground. Q. Do you believe he loves you? A. I do not know. I cannot see him. Q. But has he not often saved your life? A. He has. Many bullets have gone on this side, and many on that side; but he would never let them hurt me. And many bullets have gone into these young men; and yet they are alive. Q. Then, cannot he save you from your enemies now? A. Yes, but we know not if he will. We have now so many enemies round about us, that I think of nothing but death. And if I am to die, I shall die, and I will die like a man. But if he will have me to live, I shall live. Though I had ever so many enemies, he can destroy them all. Q. How do you know that? A. From what I have seen. When our enemies came against us before, then the beloved clouds came for us. And often much rain, and sometimes hail, has come upon them; and that in a very hot day. And I saw, when many French, and Choctaws, and other nations, came against one of our towns; and the ground made a noise under them, and the beloved ones in the air behind them; and they were afraid, and went away, and left their meat and drink, and their guns. I tell no lie. All these saw it too. Q. Have you heard such noises at other times? A. Yes, often; before and after almost every battle. Q. What sort of noises were they? A. Like the noise of drums, and guns, and shouting. Q. Have you heard any such lately? A. Yes; four days after our last battle with the French. A. The night before, I dreamed I heard many drums up there; and many trumpets there, and much stamping of feet and shouting. Till then I thought we should all die. But then I thought the beloved ones were come to help us. And the next day I heard above a hundred guns go off before the fight began; and I said, "When the sun is there, the beloved ones will help us; and we shall conquer our enemies." And we did so. We talk of them, Q. Do you often think and talk of the beloved ones? A. We think of them always, wherever we are. and to them, at home and abroad; in peace, in war, before and after we fight; and, indeed, whenever and wherever we meet together. Q. Where do you think your souls go after death? A. We believe the souls of red men walk up and down, near the place where they died, or where their bodies lie; for we have often heard cries and noises near the place where any prisoners had been burned. Q. Where do the souls of white men go after death? A. We cannot tell. We have not seen. Q. Our belief is, that the souls of bad men only walk up and down; but the souls of good men go up. A. I believe so too. But I told you the talk of the nation. (Mr. Andrews. They said at the burying, they knew what you was |