Christ was with and among us, and his great name was praised. Fifth-day, being the week-day-meeting, it was larger than was ever known of a week-day at that place, there being divers Friends who came from an island called Jos. Vandike's, and many neighbours and sober people, who were very attentive. Sixth-day, was at several people's houses, and had religious meetings, which we could not well avoid, the people were so loving and desirous to hear what might be spoken to them; they being many of them like thirsty ground, wanting rain, and our good and gracious Lord gave us celestial showers, which were refreshing to us, and thankfully received. Seventh-day, I went, with several Friends, to the house of one, who, with his wife, had been at our meeting on Fifth-day; he kindly invited me to his house; his name was Blake, he and his wife were loving; though he had formerly written against Friends; he was now better informed. From his house I went to Townsend Bishop's, and there being many Friends there from another island, we had a most comfortable, tender evening-meeting; in which we offered up an evening sacrifice of high praises and thanksgiving to the holy name of the living eternal God, and his dear Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, one God over all, blessed for ever. And, On the First-day of the week, being the 25th of the month, we had a larger meeting than ordinary; and, in expectation of larger meetings than usual, the governor, John Pickering, had made several new forms to accommodate the people at his own house, which he sent six miles on men's heads, the roads not being passable for carriage by carts, &c. This I think worth noting, that their zeal may be had in remembrance, and that others may be stirred up to a more religious concern, who will scarce go six steps to a religious meeting, or will not go at all. In this meeting I was concerned to speak of, and set forth the doctrine of Christ, which he preached on the Mount, contained in the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew; and to press the people to come to the practice of what is there commanded by the great Author of the Christian religion; and to shew that the despised Quakers had learned out of that excellent sermon, much of their religion, which displeases many people, and divers of the great men of the world; and to urge them to regard the grace of God, which bringeth salvation, and hath appeared to all men. In this meeting Dorcas, the wife of John Pickering, spoke to the people in public testimony, to which they gave good attention. After meeting we returned by water from the Road harbour, to Fat Hog Bay, where John Pickering lives, being upwards of twenty of us in company, in three cobbles. These two weeks I spent in the island of Tortola, to my great satisfaction. [Here the Journal terminates. The Supplement which follows was collected from some Notes transmitted from Tortola, by a Friend resident in that Island] 369 THE SUPPLEMENT. On the Second-day of the third week of his being among us, he visited some Friends in the neighbourhood, and likewise the man who had treated his wife so cruelly for coming to Friends' meetings. On Third-day, he was employed chiefly in writing to his family and friends in Philadelphia. On Fourth-day some Friends from the Road came to see him, which prevented his going out to visit the neighbours as usual. On Fifth-day morning, being the 29th of the Eighth Month, he found himself much indisposed; yet he went to our week-day meeting, about a quarter of a mile. When the meeting broke up, he had a hot fever on him. Doctor Turnbull, the chief physician in our island, thought it proper to take some blood from him, and he being very willing, it was done that afternoon, and the fever abated some time that night, and the next day he walked about, and made no complaint until about eight o'clock in the evening, about which time the fever returned, and continued very severe until First-day morning; when the doctor advised him to take a vomit, which he declined that day, being desirous of attending the meeting, which was held at my house, and was a large, sweet, and tender meeting; in which he spoke to us first concerning temptations, and how Christ was tempted, and how to withstand them; and afterwards on the parable of the great supper, and other subjects; ending his testimony with the words of the apostle Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness:" which words, and most part of this last sermon, were delivered in great brokenness ;*from whence I judged that he was sensible that he had not long to live, though, I believe, he was not afraid to die. On Second-day morning the fever abated a little, and he complied with the doctor's prescription of taking a vomit, which seemed to have its proper effect; but that night the fever returned, and continued on him until he died; which was between two and three o'clock on fourth-day morning, the fourth day of the Ninth Month, being speechless about seven hours before. A general invitation was given to Friends and others, to his funeral, where three testimonies were borne, all in great brokenness, under a just sense of our great loss. After which he was decently interred on the evening of the same day, in a piece of ground which is since given to Friends for a burial place, and on which a meeting-house is built, by John Pickering, the governor of the island at that time. It is said in the Scriptures, That the righteous are taken away, and no man layeth it to heart; but, I hope, it may be truly said, this was not the case at this time, for Friends in general, much lamented their great loss, in being so soon deprived of so instructive a Friend and Elder, whose care over us was very great; and who, by his loving and exemplary life, and tenderness to people of all ranks and professions, engaged the love and respect of most of THE END. |