country and promise never to return, which in conscience I could not do; then Dr. C wanted me to go on a foreign mission to some other part; I could not comply, neither in reason nor in conscience. Then the conference passed a vote to hedge up my way whether or no, &c. &c.—I may expect similar from the English conference, on whose shores I expect shortly to land, if they think me dependent; but my trust is in God. About the time I landed in Ireland before, this pas sage ran repeatedly through my mind, Joshua iii. 7. and it hath been so imprinted on my mind, that now I make `a memorandum of it-again-Isaiah-"ye shall go out with joy" (from the **********)" and be led forth with peace" (of mind by the Spirit of God,) "the mountains and hills" (of difficulties and discouragements)" shall break forth before you into singing" (of salvation) and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands" (for joy,) &c.-Beginning of the Millenium Camp-meetings. 7th. We took in a pilot and came to anchor in a dangerous place, if the wind had blown a gale, as the tide would not admit of our going over the bar, and the weakness of the rudder would not admit of beating into the quarantine ground. We heard of the defeat of the French and Spaniards off Cape Trafalgar, by Nelson, and also of the defeat of the Austrians. Wrote to Dr. Johnson in Dublin, to let him know of my arrival. Sunday 8th, slipped our cables and came up the river by the town; saw about forty wind-mills as I sailed and a few ships of war; and not wharfs as in America, but lock docks, &c. the country around appears like a gar den, considering the season of the year; I sent a letter on shore to-day, for Edward Wilson, attorney at law, with one inclosed from his brother, John Wilson, booksteward to the Connexion in America. I wrote a letter to the preachers in the city as pre parotory. 11th. Wrote some letters to my friends in America. The ship-carpenters came and examined our rudder, and made reports accordingly to the officers of government relative to our state--we were exempted from quarantine after a detention of ten days, which time pas sed heavily away, two miles above the town in the river, as we had a bill of health from the British Consul. Dec. 17th, Tuesday-at five o'clock this morning the Prodic came on board, which made me rise and prepare to go on shore, and see what God would do for me there. I must undertake it by faith, as I know no one in town, and have heard of no friend. The captain will go on shore by sight, but I cannot see an inch before me; but I had rather die than not see Zion prosper before I quit this kingdom. O Lord! prepare my way and give me wisdom in this matter, is what this morning I ask of thee. I About ten o'clock we attempted to go on shore. heard the tolling of the bell, which gave me a solemn feeling under a sense of mortality; when I reflected, that when at Quebec I saw a boat come (from a ship of war) with something in it, which at first appeared like a white chest, but as it approached nigher, I found it to be a coffin. When I first landed at Savannah in Georgia, I retired to a solitary place for meditation, and found a yard with a brick wall and the gate down, and as I entered beheld the humble piles of earth,_under which lay the silent human dust also when in Dublin, I saw the genteel mode of burying, the hearse drawn by six horses, and coaches following; but in the west of Ireland, I espied across a dale a company coming down, and as we drew near to each other, I saw on a board, a ́corpse dressed like a beggar, which they carried over an old church wall to inter it; thus I see the different modes and forms according to their ranks in every land where I have travelled: so mortality prevails and sweeps down all, which caused further remembrance, when once in New-Salem, Massachusetts, whilst riding by myself, in a shrubbery pine plain, I suddenly came to an opening, where were some graves, and one near the path had these words on the head-stone : "Behold, ye strangers, passing by, As you are now, so once was I; Prepare for death and follow me." Also the ancient castles I saw in Ireland, which were said to be destroyed in the days of Cromwell, yet none could tell me when they were built. Thus I reflected,"children did exist (as I when playing at my father's house) who built these ancient ruins; they are gone and many generations since, and at length Lorenzo Dow came upon the stage of action, who after a few more revolving years, shall be seen to act here no more;" thus my reflections flew from thing to thing as we were landing, and the solemn tolling, ringing in my ears, but I felt consolation of the prospect by and by, of a better world to me unknown. We landed from the leaky boat about a mile above the town, and glad was I to get once more on land, as the boat was constantly bailed by two on its way.What now? I am on shore in an old country; old in inhabitants, and old in sin; but new to me, for I never was on the English shore before. I left my Peggy at the Captain's boarding-house, whilst I went to transact some business of money matters, and deliver letters of introduction, &c. but all was gloomy-I returned to her, and about the town we wandered till all our letters were delivered but one, and where that should be left we could not find, until I ob served the name on the wall as we stopped, pondering what to do; as the man whose name answered to the letter, observed we did not turn to go off, said, come in ; one said whilst he was silently reading the letter,"dost thou know one Lorenzo Dow?" I was surprised, al answering in the affirmitive, equally surprised them. The man said, tarry a night or two, but the wife objected inconvenience, so we put up at a boarding-house, at twenty-eight shillings British per week for one;-got letters from Dublin-strove to get places for meetingspoke once in an A-double-L-part place the minister was friendly to my face, but afterwards said I was crazy. We strove five times to sail for Dublin, hut was forced by contrary winds, and twice were like to be lost; the woman who asked if I knew one Lorenzo Dow was a Quaker, and having formed some acquaintance with Henry ́ Forshow's family, No. 40 Edmond-street, took me there one day; these were Methodists; the last time we were driven back, our hostess having taken in so many boarders, there was no more place for us: when before we knew it, called in to Mr. Forshow's, whose wife invited us to tarry all night, which was esteemed by us as a Providence. We staid here a few days. One evening a woman came suddenly in, and said some people were in a neighbouring house who wished to see the American-I went, and finding about twenty together, without any ceremony, singing or prayer, I stood up and gave them a preach to their great surprise, and God fastened conviction on one woman's heart, who next day with her husband, wished me to preach at their house, which I did for a few evenings, and many of the Methodists of the old society and Kilhamites, and shortly after a conversation ensued at the leader's meeting, what encouragement shall we give Lorenzo the American; at the old party it was lost-at the new I was invited by vote, &c. Part of my experience being in a Magazine which I had published to give away when in Ireland before, con. tributed to clear my way, &c.-I spoke in Zion not many times, some were awakened and joined society, the preacher was prejudiced; one meeting Peter Phillips of Warrington attended, having come to town on business, and felt his mind strongly drawn to come to Zion. After meeting, as I went into the vestry to get my hat, two women came to be prayed for, being under distress of mind; the vestry was filled with people, and four soon were lying on the floor under the power of God, which some thought was faintness, and used fans and called for water, whilst others thought they were dying and were frightened, thinking we should be called to an account ; but I told them to hush, it was the power of God: and they soon came through happy, which caused Peter to give me an invitation to his neighbourhood: I asked him what they were, and told him to go home and tell his people, and if they were unanimous I would come, (being on my way to London) and preach-he did, and they were unanimous.-These in derision were called Quaker Methodists, because they were so simple, using the plain language, and held class-meetings, &c. 'Thro' the medium of Mr. Thomas W-, a local preacher, I called on the preachers of the Old Connexion on my landing, (he with his brother having got a letter from their brother in America, the Rev. John Wilson, one of the book-stewards.) The testimonials, letters, &c. were left for their inspection. Mr. Brown was as a cousin, on my calling according to direction. Mr. Barber seemed satisfied with my testimonial credentials; but as Thomas Taylor (one of the oldest preachers) came in, he wanted me to be gone, not waiting to hear what Mr. Barber had to say, but interrupted, saying, I fear he is not settled in his head, &c. As I was going out Mr. Barber put W.'s letter into my hand, saying, it may be of service to you-but I having not then the consent of the W's, laid it on the table and went off. Through another local preacher, I called on Mr. Atmore, (who wrote the Methodist memorial.) He came to the door, and said if I had not special business with him, he could not see me, advising me to go to Mr. B- I replied, I have been there, and I want to form some acquaintance with you; so he shut the door upon me without inviting me to come in. I thought perhaps there was a cause and so called again; met similar treatment ;-third time children came, and said call to-morrow morning; I did, and found the gate locked; so I pounded, but none could I rally, &c. ร The power of God was present as I preached twice in Warrington: thence I went to Manchester, wandered about for eleven hours to get a place to lodge, but could find none for love or money, among christian or sinner, except one which I thought a house of bad fame, and not prudent to stay in; I called on Jabez Buntin, but he would not be seen, and the public houses were full; but as I was getting passage for London in the coach, I found a garret where I might stay, being near ten at night. I heard Jabez, and also in the morning, then I went to Brodas Bandroom. Here in sermon, one looked earnestly at me, said-you are a stranger-dine with me. I did-staid two days; a chapel offered of the New Connexion. Preacher and trustees said they would be passive if I could obtain an assembly: so I got one thousand hand-bills, and gave them through the town; got five hundred to speak to, and a thousand next evening same way, as the preachers would not suffer me to publish from the pulpit my appointments, &c. A |