1727.

And it was fhewed me, that the Anger of the Moft High would still be against us, until there was a "greater Reformation in thefe Things.' [It is worthy of Commendation, that our Governor, Thomas Lloyd, fometimes in the Evening, before he went to Reft, us'd to go in Perfon to Publick Houfes, and order the People, be found there, to their own Houfes, till, at length, he was inftrumental to promote better Order, and did, in a great Meafure, fupprefs Vice and Immorality in the City.]

For fome Days after we were at Sea, the Weather was pleasant, and we had our Health, for which my Heart was truly thankful. I exhorted the Sailors againft Swearing; and tho' they had been much us'd to it, they left it off, fo that it was rare to hear any of them swear; for which Reformation, fo far, I was glad. I lent and gave them feveral good Books, which they read, and fhewed much Refpect to me: But foon after the Wind was contrary (for fome Days) and some in the Veffel were quarrelfome. I afk'd them what they thought of the Saying of Chrift, viz. If a Man fmite thee on the Cheek, turn to him the other also ? At which they were filent and better conditioned to one another afterwards, and we had fome Reformation both from Fighting and Swearing. This Voyage I was not fo Sea-fick as I formerly had been (though I had, before I left Home, fome uneafy Thoughts about my usually being Sea-fick) which I took as a peculiar Favour from Heaven. About the Latitude of 20 Degrees North, we met with Calms and contrary Winds, which was very hard for fome in the Veffel to bear, they putting themfelves much out of Temper about it; as for my own Part, I had been us'd to Difappointments, and therefore did not fo much mind it. I spent pretty much of my Time in reading and writing, and God being gracious, it was, in the main, a comfortable Time to me; and I enjoyed my Health as well as ever I did at Sea in my Life, for which I often breathed forth inward

Thanks

Barbadoes.

Thanks to the Almighty. On the 5th of the Third 1727. Month we arrived at Barbadoes, and I was lovingly received by our Friends, but came to a very low Market for my Goods.

Town,

I vifited Friends Meetings on the Island, and had feveral open Meetings at Bridge-Town, and Speight's Bridge. Town, and likewife at Pumpkin-Hill, and the Spring. Speight's On the Day of Pentecoft (fo called) we had a Meet- Town, be, ing at Bridge-Town, in which was fhewn, the Work and Operation of God's Spirit on the Old World, and under the Law; and the everlafting Duration and Operation of the fame holy Spirit under the Gospel Difpenfation, which, Chrift faid, should abide for ever. At the Quarterly-meeting at Speight's Town, was Judge Allen, and the Captain of the Man of War ftationed there, with feveral others, not of our Society. I was much drawn forth in this Meeting to fpeak of the Power of the Father, Son, and the Spirit, opening to the People how we had been mifreprefented, in respect to our Belief in the Trinity, or the holy Three which bear Record' in Heaven, the Father, Word, and Spirit, which Three are One; tor that it was clear and plain, that we are more orthodox in the Belief in the Deity, than those who do not believe in the Operation of the holy Ghoft; as alfo that none could be true Chriftians without it. It was queried, How could they be clear in their Belief in the holy Trinity, or the Three that bear Record in Heaven, who believe the holy Spirit is ceafed in his Operations, Gifts, or immediate Revelations, and, if ceafed, when, and where, to whom, and how? The People were very fober and attentive, and ftaid all the Time, and after the Meeting was done fome Time, divers expreffed their Satisfaction with what was faid. My good Friend Peter Sharp, of Maryland, was with me at this Meeting, on whose Account fome of the People came. He had good Service in the Meeting, and I was glad of his Company in this Inland, where we joyfully met and parted in joyfu

4

the

1727. the Love of Chrift. At this Meeting we had each of us a Certificate from Friends, fignifying their Unity with our Converfations and Services. The laft Meeting I had at Barbadoes, was at Speight's-Town, on a Firftday; it was a folid, good Meeting, in which I took my Leave of Friends there, and exhorted them to believe in and hear Chrift, he being a Teacher that could not be removed from them, as Men often were ; and, though they were but few, they were defired to meet in Chrift's Name; and I had to fhew them the Difference between us and other Chriftian Profeffors, who hold no publick Worship, if there be no outward Teacher: Whereas, if but Two or Three meet in the Name of Chrift, he has promised to be in the midst of them; and he is the best Teacher we can have.

At Sea.

On the 14th of the Fourth Month we fet Sail from this Inland, and, for the most Part, had fair Weather and fair Winds, and faw feveral Ships, but fpoke with none.

I was one Evening leaning over the Side of the Veffel, as being very lonefome (having little Converfation with any in the Veffel, for divers Reasons) I turned from all outward Things to the Lord, and was glad to feel his Prefence and Goodness, which was a Comfort to me in my lonefome State; and as my Travels and Concerns had called and caufed me to be much on the Seas, it alfo pleafed my good and gracious God, to fupport me thereon many Times, in divers Trials, Temptations, and Exercises; for all which, I bow in awful Reverence before him, and return Thanksgiving and Praife to his great Name.

The 1ft of the Fifth Month, about Noon, we came to the Capes of Delaware, and failed up the Bay; but, in a little Time, we touch'd the Ground with our Veffel feveral Times; there being little Wind, we got no Harm; but two Hours after, or thereabouts, a Guft, or Storm of Wind, took us, which, if it had met with us on the Shoals where we ftruck, in all Likelihood

Likelihood we must have perifhed; which I took to 1727. be a remarkable Deliverance. Next Tide. we got to Newcastle, and, it being Firft-day, I had a Meeting with Friends there, with which we were greatly refreshed in the Lord, and in one another. After Meeting I went on board the Sloop, and, having a fair Wind, we failed for Philadelphia, where we arrived. about the Eleventh Hour, lodged that Night at Paul Prefton's, and next Day went home to my Family at Frankfort, where my Wife, Children, and Servants, received me with much Rejoicing.

When I was in Barbadoes, P. M. who accompanied me from Bridge-Town to Windward to Counsellor Week's, told me, That when I was in the land before, he and I bad fome Difcourfe concerning the Ufe of the Sword, he then (not being of our Society) wore a Sword, but now bad left it off, and his Bufiness alfo, which was worth fome Hundreds a Year. I had reminded him of Chrift's Words, that Thofe who take the Sword, should perish with the Sword, Mat. xxvi. 52. and, Refift not Evil; and if a Man Jmite thee. on one Cheek, turn the other also: Love Enemies, do Good to them that bate you, pray for them who defpitefully ufe you, and perfecute you. After I had us'd thefe Arguments, he afk'd me, If one came to kill me, would I not kill rather than be killed? I told him, No; so far as I know my own Heart, I had rather be killed than kill. He faid, That was ftrange, and defired to know what Reafon I could give for it. I told him, That I being innocent, if I were killed in my Body, my Soul might be happy; but if I killed him, he dying in bis Wickedness, would, confequently, be unhappy; and if I were killed, be might live to repent; but if I killed him, he would have no Time to repent; fo that, if he killed me, I should have much the better, both in respect to myself and to him. This Difcourfe had made to much Impreffion, and fo affected him, that he faid, he could not but often remember it. And when we parted

at

1727. at Bridge-Town, we embraced each other, in open Arms of Chriftian Love, far from that which would hurt or destroy.

After I had been at Home fome Time, I vifited the Meetings at Philadelphia, Burlington, and German-town, in which Places I had Service of divers Kinds, and was lovingly received by Friends and others.

In the Fifth Month, Joshua Fielding and John Oxley had a large and fatisfactory Meeting at Frankfort. Joshua came from London on a religious Vifit to America, and having been on divers Inlands, he landed on the Main at South-Carolina, and from thence travelled through the Wilderness 400 Miles, or more, where no Publick Friend had ever travelled before: The Journey was perilous, but the Lord was with him; who may, in his own Time, make Way for his Servants in those defart Places. John Oxley came on the fame Account from Barbadoes, and had good Service among Friends in his publick Ministry.

In this Month we thinking it convenient to fend our little Children to School, and not having a Schoolmafter of our Society near us, concluded to put our Son and Daughter under the Care of Nathaniel Walton, to whom I thought it my Duty to write a few Lines about the Salutation and Language I would have them train'd up in, which were on this wife, viz.

Frankfort, 30th of the 5th Month, 1727.

Loving Friend Nathaniel Walton,

I

HOPE thou wilt excufe this Freedom which I take with thee, in writing this on Account of my Children, in thefe Particulars, viz., Refpecting the Complement of the Hat, and Courtefying, the Practice thereof being against my profeffed Principle; ift. Because I find nothing like it in the Bible; but, as I think, the contrary. Thou knows the Paffage ' of the Three Children of God, who stood covered be

fore