Page images
PDF
EPUB

1704. my Life, and Hufband, and Children, and carry "us home again, I would never do fo more. But "O the Fear, and Trouble, and Darkness, that "fell upon me, and many more at that Time! And "three or four of us kept our Meeting, but although "we fat and waited as well as we could, yet we fat "under a poor beclouded Condition, till we return"ed Home again, then did the Lord please to lift "up the Light of his Love upon our poor Souls. "O then I told my Hufband, although he had built a "little Houfe by the Garrifon, I could not move "again. So he was willing to ftay while the Winter

Seafon lafted, but told me he could not ftay when "Summer came, for then the Indians would be "about; and fo told me, That if I could not go to "the Garrison, I might go to a Friend's House that "was near it. And I was willing to pleafe him, if "the Lord was willing; and then applied my Heart "to know the Mind of Truth, and it was fhewed ' me, that if I moved again, I should loose the Senfe "of Truth, and I fhould never hold up my Head "again. O then I told my Hufband he must never "afk me to move again, for I durft not do it. Still "he would fay it was a Notion, till our dear Friend "Thomas Story came and told him, He did not fee "that I could have a greater Revelation than I bad. "And fatisfied my Hufband fo well, that he never "asked me more to go, but was very well contented "to stay all the Wars; and then Things were made "more eafy, and we faw Abundance of the wonder"ful Works, and of the mighty Power of the Lord, "in keeping and preferving of us, when the Indians were at our Doors and Windows, and at other "Times; and how the Lord put Courage in you, "my dear Children; don't you forget it, and don't think that as you were young, and because you "knew little, fo you feared nothing, but often confider how you ftaid at Home alone, when we went

[ocr errors]

❝ to

<to Meetings, and how the Lord preferved you, 1794. and kept you, fo that no Hurt came upon you. "And I leave this Charge upon you, Live in the Fear " of the Lord, and fee you fet him always before your Eyes, left you fin against him: For if I had "not feared the Lord, and felt the Comforts of his "holy Spirit, I never could have ftood fo great a "Trial, when fo many judged, and faid, I was de

66

luded, and that all the Blood of my Hufband and "Children, would be required at my Hands; but "the Lord was near to me, and gave me Strength "and Courage, and Faith to truft in him, for I "knew his Name to be a strong Tower, yea, and "ftronger than any in the World; for I have often"times fled there for Safety. O Bleffing and Honour, and everlasting high Praifes, be given to the Lord, and to his dear Son, our Saviour and Mediator, Christ Jesus, Amen. MARY DOZ.

A Neighbour of the aforefaid People told me, That as he was at Work in his Field, the Indians faw and called him, and he went to them. They told him, That they had no Quarrel with the Quakers", for they were a quiet, peaceable People, and hurt nobody, and that therefore none fhould hurt them. But they faid that the Prefbyterians in thefe Parts had taken away their Lands, and fome of their Lives, and would now, if they could, deftroy all the Indians.

Thofe Indians began about this Time to fhoot People down as they rode along the Road, and to knock them on the Head in their Beds, and very barbarously murdered many: But we travelled the Country, and had large Meetings, and the good Prefence of God was with us abundantly, and we had great inward Joy in the holy Ghost in our outward Jeopardy and Travels. The People generally rode and went to

fet.

1704. their Worfhip armed, but Friends went to their Meetings without either Sword or Gun, having their Truft and Confidence in God.

After having had divers good Meetings in those Bofton, &c. Eastern Parts of New-England, I return'd to Salem, Lyn, Boston, and fo on towards Rhode Island, and Narragan at divers adjacent Places; as in the Naraganfet Dartmouth Country, we had divers Meetings, alfo at Dartmouth, Sandwich, and Scituate. As I was entring into the Town of Boston in Company with many others, a Man rode up to me, and afk'd in a fcoffing Manner, Whether I faw or met with any Quakers on the Road? I pleasantly told him, we fhould not tell the Prefbyterians, left they fhould hang them. He not thinking of fuch an Anfwer, went fneakingly away.

Long

Iland.

Now having thoroughly vifited Friends in those Parts, in Company with my Friend Thomas Story, I Connecticus. travelled through Connecticut Government, and had feveral Meetings in that Colony; and came to LongIsland, where we had divers Meetings to the Satisfaction of ourselves and Friends. From Long-Island, after we were clear of the Service and Exercise of the Work of the Ministry, and had vifited Friends Meetings as we travelled; and in divers Places found Openness among the People who were not of our Profeffion (which fometimes came in great Numbers to our Meetings, and feveral were convinced in fome good Degree, and many comforted, ftrengthened, and edified, in Chrift our Lord) we came to Philadelphia, the Place of our Habitation. Let (faith my Soul) his Name have the Praise of all his Works for

Philadel

phia.

New Fer.

fey. Lower

Counties

Maryland.

ever.

After being at Home fome Time, I vifited Friends Meetings in our own County, and feveral Parts of New ferfey, Maryland, and the Lower Counties on Delaware. At Jones's I appointed a Meeting at a publick Houfe near the Court-house (general Notice being given thereof) there came one Crawford,

a

a Prieft, with many of his Hearers, and in the Begin- 1704. ning of the Meeting he read a Sermon (as they called it) which was a Tranfcript of the Work of fome of our Adverfaries, which we defired to have from them to answer. They faid, If I would answer it myself I fhould have it. The which I told them I fhould, if they would let me ; but though they promised it, they did not perform, but were worfe than their Word. We heard them read it over patiently; and after they had done, we had our Meeting. The Auditory was large, and most of the Magiftrates were at it. The Prieft's Reading, and my Teftimony occafioned this Meeting to hold long; after which as we were getting on Horseback, the Prieft cry'd out among the People, That he did not think we should go away fo freakingly. We having twenty Miles to ride that Night, and he near his Home, he having the Advantage in that Refpect, fome thought it made him the bolder, for he let me get on Horfeback before he uttered that fneaking Expreffion. I told him, to challenge was enough to fet a Coward to work, and we were no Cowards; for he knew we could venture our Lives for our Religion, which I queftion'd whether he would do for his; fo I difmounted, and he having the Bible open in his Hand, I being near him, chanced, against my Will and Knowledge, to touch it with my Foot. Look you, Gentlemen, fays he, he tramples the Word of God under his Feet. For which grofs Abuse his own Hearers openly rebuked him, and put him to Shame. Then he faid, He would prove us no Minifters of Christ. I bid him prove himself one, and he would do the Bufinefs. Well, fays he, bow fhall we know who are Christ's Minifters? Why, faid I in answer to him, art thou willing to be try'd by Chrift's Rule, for he hath given us a plain Rule to know them by. What is that Rule? Let's hear it, fays he. 'Tis fhort, but full, namely, By their Fruits you spall know them: For Men don't gather Grapes of

Thorns,

1705. Thorns, nor Figs of Thistles; wherefore by their Fruits they are known. I deny it, fays Prieft Crawford (for that was the Name he went by here, he going under another elsewhere) that they are known by their Fruits. I answered, Then thou denies the plain and naked Truth of Chrift. So I called aloud to the People to take Notice what a blind Guide they had; and indeed he was wicked as well as blind, and his Fruits not good; which may make one fuppofe, that he was not willing to be try'd by his Fruits: For foon after, News came that he had a Wife in England, and as he had another here, his Fruits were wicked with a Witnefs; and according to Chrift's Doctrine, no Good could fpring from his Miniftry, therefore he proved himself by his evil Deeds to be no Minister of Jefus Chrift. Near the aforefaid, Place we got a Meeting fettled, which is called Little-Creek Meeeting and about the fame Time a Meeting was established, and a Meeting-house built at Duck-Creek. The People in thofe Parts about this Time began mightily to fee through the formal Preaching of fuch as preach for Money or Hire, who love the Hire, though they don't love to be called Hirelings.

Notting ham, &c. Maryland.

In the Year 1706, having fome Concerns in the Province of Maryland, I had divers Meetings as I travelled on the Road, as at Nottingham, Elk River, Northeast, Sufquehannah, Bush and Gunpowder Rivers; at fome of which Places I don't know that there had been any Meetings before. At one of thefe Meetings were one Edwards a Prieft, and a Lawyer the Attorney-General, and several of the Juftices of the Peace. The Priest was angry, and faid, It was an unlawful Affembly, the Houfe not being licenfed by Law. The Juftices told him, That he and his People being there to hear, if any unwarrantable or falfe Doctrine was preached, he had a fair Opportunity to lay it open before all the People. So they defired him to hear patiently and quietly. He feem'd to like the Propofition,

« PreviousContinue »