1716.

Philadel phia.

Bermudas.

By Reason of my outward Affairs, I had Opportunities with fome Perfons of great Note and Business on this Island; and fometimes opened the Principles of Friends to their Satisfaction; fome of them told me, They never understood fo much concerning our Friends before; and if what I said was true, they had been misinformed. Divers fuch Opportunities I had with feveral on this Island, there being but very few of our Society.

These are called the Summer Islands, or Bermudas, there being many little Islands in the midst of the Main Ifland, in Form like a Horse-shoe, and are but two Hundred Leagues diftance from the Capes of Delaware. It is rare to fee Hail, Snow, or Ice there.

After I had done my Business, and had been for fome Time on the Island, I had a ready and comfortable Paffage Home, where I was joyfully received.

After fome little Stay at Home, I went the Second Time (that Summer) to Bermudas, and then alfo I had fome Meetings, and did fome Bufinefs on the Inland. It was my conftant Care, that my worldly Affairs fhould not hinder me in my religious Concern for the good of Souls. It happened at this Time there was a mighty Hurricane of Wind, fo that it blew many Houses to the Ground, and very many Trees up by the Roots, and rent divers Rocks afunder, which I was an Eye-Witnefs of: Tho' it is to be obferved, that thofe Rocks in the Summer Islands, are not fo hard as in fome other Parts of the World, particularly to the Northward; for here they faw them with Saws, and cut them with Axes like Wood. I was told there were fixty Sail of Veffels then at these Inlands, and all drove on Shore but three, and ours was one of the three that rode out the Storm; for which I was truly thankful. In this great Storm, or Hurricane, feveral Sloops (there being no Ships) were driven upon dry Land, fo that after the Storm was over, one might go round them at High Water,

and

and several blown off the dry Land into the Water. 1716. One that was ready to be launch'd, tho' faftened on the Stocks with two Cables and Anchors put deep in the Ground, yet the Violence of the Wind blew her into the Water, and dashed her all to Pieces.

About this Time the Bermudas People had got a vaft Treasure of Silver and Gold out of the Spanish Wrecks; and at a Meeting which I had with a pretty many People on the First Day of the Week before the Hurricane, or Storm of Wind, it came weightily on my Mind to exhort them, Not to be lifted up therewith, nor exalted in Pride: For I declared to them, that the fame Hand that took it from the Spaniards, could take it from those who now bad got it out of the Sea; and it be pleased, by the fame Way; which was a Storm that caft away the Ships going for Spain. And indeed fo it bappened the fame Week; for it was reckoned by Men of Experience and Judgment, that they bad loft more by the Storm, than they had gained by the Wrecks of the Spaniards. A fober old Man (not of our Profeffion) told me the next Day after the Hurricane was over, that what I spoke in the Meeting was foon come to pafs: And he

F added, I was a true Prophet to them. Many Houfes

that were not blown down were uncovered. My
Landlord's Houfe being old, feveral thought it would
be down; but by the good Providence of God, it
was one of them which ftood. I was in my Store,
which stood allo; tho' I expected every Minute when
it would have been blown down. It was by the
Mercy of God we were preferved, and not for any
Merit of ours. I intreated the Lord in the midst of
this great Wind, that he would pleafe to fpare the
Lives of the People; for many of them being Sea-
faring Men, were very unfit to die; at which Time
I thought I was fenfible of the Anfwer of my Prayer,
and he was pleased to be intreated for them: For,
notwithstanding the Violence of the Storm, and the
great Destruction it made, yet not one Man, Woman,

ΩΣ

1716. or Child, nor Creature was loft, that I heard of in a l the Ifland, which was to me very admirable. The Friend of the House came to me after the Storm abated, and faid, The Lord had heard my Prayers for them. Although they could not by any outward Knowledge, know that I had prayed for them, yet they had a Senfe given them, that I was concern'd for them before the Almighty; which indeed was true. Ob! That we may never forget the merciful Vifitations of that High and Lofty One, who inhabits Eternity!

While I was on the Island I was invited to, and kindly entertained at the Houses of several of the Gentry, and at the Governor's, who invited me feveral Times to his House: And once I was with him, and fome of his chief Officers at Dinner, with divers of the first Rank, where I was treated very kindly; and after Dinner the Governor's Practice was to drink the King's Health, and he hoped I would drink it along with them. Yes, faid the reft at the Table, Mr. Chalkley (as they called me) will furely drink the King's Health with us. So they paffed the Glafs, with the King's Health, till it came to me; and when it came to me, they all looked ftedfaftly at me, to fee what I would do (and I looked as ftedfaftly to the Almighty) and I faid to them, I love King George, and with him as well as any Subject he hath; and it is known to Thousands that we pray for him in our Meetings and Affemblies for the Worship of Almighty GOD: But as to drinking Healths, either the King's, or any Man's elfe, it is against my profeffed Principle, I looking on it to be a vain, idle Cuftom. They replied, That they wished the King had more fuch Subjects as I was; for I had professed a hearty Respect for bim: And the Governor and they were all very kind and friendly to me all the Time I was on the Inland.

After I had finished my Concerns I embarked in the Sloop Dove, for Philadelphia (fhe being confign'd to

me

me in the former and this Voyage.) It being often 1716. calm and fmall Winds, our Provifions grew very fcanty. We were about twelve Perfons in the Veffel, fmall and great, and but one Piece of Beef left in the Barrel; and for feveral Days, the Wind being contrary, the People began to murmur, and told difmal Stories about People eating one another for Want of Provifions; and the Wind being ftill against us, and, for ought we could fee, like to continue, they murmured more and more, and at laft, against me in particular (because the Veffel and Cargo was confign'd to me, and was under my Care) fo that my inward Exercife was great about it; for neither myself, nor any in the Veffel, did imagine that we should be half fo long as we were on the Voyage: But fince it was fo, I seriously confidered the Matter; and to ftop their Murmuring, I told them they should not need to caft Lots (which was usual in fuch Cafes) which of us fhould die first, for I would freely offer up my Life to do them Good. One faid, God bless you, I will not eat any of you. Another faid, He would die before he would eat any of me; and so said several. I can truly fay, on that Occafion, at that Time, my Life was not dear to me, and that I was ferious and ingenuous in my Propofition: And as I was leaning over the Side of the Veffel, thoughtfully confidering my Propofal to the Company, and looking in my Mind to him that made me, a very large Dolphin came up towards the Top or Surface of the Water, and looked me in the Face; and I called the People to put a Hook into the Sea, and take him, for here is one come to redeem me (faid I to them ;) and they put a Hook into the Sea, and the Fish readily took it, and they caught him. He was longer than myself: I think he was about fix Feet long, and the largest that ever I faw. This plainly fhew'd us that we ought not to diftruft the Provi dence of the Almighty. The People were quieted by this Act of Providence, and murmured no more. We

1716. caught enough to eat plentifully of till we got into the Capes of Delaware. Thus I faw it was good to depend upon the Almighty, and rely upon bis eternal Arm; which, in a particular Manner, did preferve us fafe to our defired Port, blessed be bis great and glorious Name, through Chrift for ever!

phia.

Philadel I now ftay'd at, and about Home for fome Time; after which I was concerned to vifit Friends in feveral Maryland. Places, and in the adjacent Provinces, as Maryland, New Jersey. New-Jersey, &c. and was at many Marriages and Fu

Notting ham.

Rivers.

nerals, at which, many Times, we had good Opportunities to open the Way, and also the Neceffity to be married to Chrift Jefus, the great Bridegroom of the Soul; and alfo to exhort the People to confider and prepare for their latter End and final Change; which many Times was fanctified to divers Souls, and the Lord's Name was glorified, who is worthy thereof.

In the Year 1717 I went into Maryland, to look after my Affairs in that Province, and as I travelled I had divers Meetings at Nottingham, and at Bufb-River, Bb and about which Time at Bush-River, feveral were conGunpowder vinced. The Meeting I found in a growing Condition Maryland, in that which is good, feveral Perfons meeting together in Silence to worship God, according to Chrift's Inftitution, which was, and is, and ever will be, in Spirit and in Truth: And for the Encouragement of all fuch, Chrift hath faid, That fush the Father feeketh to worship him: And again, Where two or three are met together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them. And if Chrift be in the midft, there is no abfolute Need of Vocal Teaching, except it be the Will of the Lord to call any to it. Let the fpiritual Chriftian read and judge.

Philadel phia, &c.

After my Return I had feveral Meetings in the Country near Philadelphia; and about the latter End of the Eighth Month I was at divers Marriages, one of which was on the Third Day of the Week, about fifteen Miles above Philadelphia, over Delaware River.

The