1719:

1720: Philadel phia,

It being Winter-Time we failed to the Southward, and got into warm Weather, and were on our Paffage feven Weeks and fome odd Days from Land to Land, in which Time we saw several Veffels, and fpoke with one, whofe People faid, they were chafed by a Turk, but got from him, at which they greatly rejoiced. We apprehended it was our Ship that they faw over Night, for we faw a Sail that crowded from us as faft as he could, and it being near Night, we fhorten'd Sail, and fo fhe left us; but in the Morning came up with her, and being pretty near, both they and we put out our Colours, and being both Englishmen, we fpoke to each other, and were glad to meet with fome of our own Nation upon the great Ocean; but our Veffel failing beft, we took our Leave of them, wishing them a good Voyage. We met with rough Seas and high Winds in the latter Part of our Paffage, till we came to the Capes of Delaware, which we all rejoiced to fee, and we had a pleasant Paffage up the Bay and River to Philadelphia, where I had once more a comfortable Meeting with my dear Wife and Family, which I gratefully acknowledged as a high Favour from the Hand of the Almighty.

We arrived at Philadelphia the ft of the Second Month 1720; after which, I ftay'd at, and about Home, for fome Time (and I was not idle, but kept to my Bufinefs, and to Meetings), and having a Defire to fee my Friends in the Province of Maryland, at their General Meeting at Weft-River, I was accompanied by Ifaac Norris and Thomas Mafters (both fober young Men.) It had been a Time of pretty much Rain, and the Waters thereby being out and high, going over a Ford of Brandywine, my Mare got among the Rocks (it being a very rocky Creek) The fell down, and the Stream being very ftrong, the rowled upon me, and being intangled with the Stirrup, I could not eafily clear myfelf, but I gave a fpring from her, and fwam to clear myself from her;

and

and when I was clear, I got to her again, and lay'd 1720. hold of her Mane, and through the good Providence of God, got well out with the Mare on dry Land, which was a remarkable Deliverance. In three Days we got to West River, to the Yearly-meeting, which Maryland. was large, and Friends were glad to fee me, I having not been there for feveral Years. I was out on this Journey about two Weeks, and rode about 300 Miles ; and after my coming Home, I travelled pretty much in and about the Provinces of Penfylvania and NewJersey.

In the Year 1721, Thomas Lightfoot and I, with 1721. William Browne, went to a Meeting at Bufb-River, and going over Susquehannab-Ferry, the People were fiddling and dancing. When their Dance was over, I afked them (beliieving them to be Proteftants) If they thought Luther to be a good Man? They replied, Yes, there was no doubt of it. Well, faid I, and fo do I; and I will tell you what be fays concerning Dancing, "That as many Paces as the Man takes in his Dance, "fo many Steps he takes towards Hell;" which spoil'd their Sport, and they went away, and we went on ours towards the Meeting; and a good Meeting it was! and we after it returned by Way of Nottingham, and had a Meeting there, and one at New-Garden, and fo on to Philadelphia. I was from Home about a Week, and travelled in this Journey about 150 Miles, and was well fatisfied therein.

In the Years 1721 and 1722, I went feveral Journeys, and had many large Meetings, travelling many Hundreds of Miles, of which I neglected to keep a particular Account, hardly thinking what I did worth recording; but divers of my Friends in many Parts of the World, put me upon fomething of this Nature, to which, at length, I gave up, and found fome Benefit and Satisfaction therein, in looking back and confidering the Dealings of God with me in my Youth and upwards.

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From

From Philadelphia I went to the General Meeting at Shrewsbury, in Eaft-Jersey, where I heard of 7. G's being wounded by a young Man, with a Sword, of which he died, lamenting that he did not take the Counsel of his Friends; as young Men, who flight the Counsel of thofe that wish them well, commonly do, either sooner or later, if the Day of their Vifitation be not over. Some few Days after this Meeting at Shrewsbury, I vifited Friends on Long-Island, and returned Home again, having travelled about 300 Miles. In my Stay at, and about Home, I wrote fomething concerning Perfection, in Answer to a namelefs Author; as alfo fomething concerning Predeftination, or Election and Reprobation.

In the Year 1722, I went back in the Woods to Buckingham, the Great Swamp, Perkiomy, Manabatawny, and Oley, where I had Meetings, travelling over great Mountains, from which we could fee many Miles. I travelled in this Journey about 150 Miles, and returned Home in about two Weeks; and after staying fome Time at Home, and vifiting neighbouring Meetings, I went to the Yearly Meeting of Friends on Long-Ifland, which Meeting was very large, many People (not of our Persuasion being there) and were very fober. Many Things were opened in the Love of Chrift, and his great Love was declared to that great Congregation. The Parable concerning the Prodigal Son, came before me to speak of to the People in a very moving Manner, and ftrongly to invite the Youth to lay hold of the Love of the Father in his Son, to poor Souls: And indeed it is a wonderful Parable, fetting forth the infinite Love of the great Lord of all to his poor Creatures. Many were affected and reached to at this Meeting, and the Almighty was praised and glorified, who alone is worthy.

From thence I went and had a Meeting at NewYork, and then fet forward to Woodbridge, where we had a comfortable Meeting; Naaman, the Affyrian,

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being much the Subject of that Day's Work: And 1722.
that one Thing loved and efteemed more than Chrift,
what ever it be, is to be avoided, and the People
warned to be careful to keep close to the God of
Ifrael (Spiritual Ifrael) and to give up all which is
contrary to his Nature, and to take up Chrift's Cross,
and follow him: For it is those who follow him in the
Regeneration, that are to be Heirs of his Kingdom.

In this Year also I was at the Burial of our Friend
Jonathan Dickinson, at which we had a very large
Meeting, he was a Man generally well-beloved by his
Friends and Neighbous. In this Meeting a Paffage
(he had often told me in his Health) was brought to
my Remembrance, I think worthy to be recorded
to the End of Time, which is as follows: "It hap-
"pened at Port-Royal, in Jamaica, that two young
"Men were at Dinner with Jonathan, and divers
"other People of Account in the World, and they
"were speaking about Earthquakes (there having
"been one in that Place formerly, which was very
"dreadful, having deftroyed many Houses and Fa-
"milies.) Thefe two young Men argued that
"Earthquakes, and all other Things came by Na-
"ture, and denied a fupernatural Power, or Deity;
"infomuch that divers, furprized at fuch wicked
"Difcourfe, and being afhamed of their Company,

left it; and at the fame Time the Earth fhook, and "trembled exceedingly, as though aftonished at fuch "Treafon against its Sovereign and Creator, whofe "Footstool it is: And when the Earth thus moved, "the Company which remained were fo aftonished, "that fome run one Way, and fome another, but "these two atheistical young Men ftay'd in the Room, "and Jonathan with them, he believing that the "Providence of Almighty God could preferve him "there if he pleafed, and if not, that it was in vain "to fly; but the Hand of God fmote these two young Men, fo that they fell down; and, as

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Jonathan

1723. "Jonathab told me, he lay'd one on a Bed, and the "other on a Couch, and they never spoke more, "but died foon after." This was the amazing End of these young Men: A dreadful Example to all Atheists, and diffolute and wicked Livers. Ob! That young People might be warned, that the Hand God might be upon them for Good, and that they would tenderly be concerned for their Salvation.

Removes to Frank. fort.

On the 30th of the Fourth Month 1723, my tenth Child, named Thomas, died about Midnight (having before buried nine.) It was fome Exercise to me thus to bury my Children one after another; but this did a little mitigate my Sorrow, that I knew, that could I have all Things relating to them according to my Defire; could I fee them grow up to be fober Men and Women, well married, have a Competency in the World, &c. yet it was fafer and better for them, and they more out of Danger, being taken away in their Infancy and Innocency; and I fervently begged of the Almighty, that he would be pleafed to take them away while innocent, rather than that they fhould live to be vicious or unrighteous Men and Women, and to bring Scandal on the holy Name of Chrift, and upon our Chriftian Profeffion; which Confideration did mightily tend to fettle and quiet my Mind in my forrowful Exercife. The Great Lord of all fanctify the Sorrows and Afflictions of his People and Children, and grant them the Fulfilling of that blessed Portion of holy Scripture, That all Things fhall work together for the Good of them that love and fear God: Even fo be it, faith my Soul!

In the Sixth Month of this Year I removed from the City into the Country, to a fmall Plantation I had at Frankfort, in order to be more retired, and for Health's Sake, &c. finding fome declining in my bodily Strength, which I take to be very much owing to the fevere Colds and Hardships I have fuftained in my long and hard Travels, more especially in the Wilder

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