destruction, and go in company with the wicked, whose ways lead to the utter ruining of both body and soul, and whose steps take hold on hell.

A great evil, to which many are prone, is keeping vain and idle company, which has brought many young men and young women to their utter ruin and destruction, both body and soul. How many fair estates have been wasted! How many fine youths have been destroyed by keeping evil company, and by excess in drinking, it is really lamentable to consider! It keeps the poor in poverty: it makes the rich many times poor; and brings both rich and poor into disgrace: it breaks and destroys the health and natural good constitution of the body, and instead thereof fills it with misery and pain: and which is yet more, it destroys the soul, which is the most noble part of man; so that it is a sore, and three-fold evil; but the last is the worst, by how much the soul is the more lasting and better part. Several terrible instances of this nature I have met with in my travels among the children of men; three or four of which may inform thee of; and it may be affecting to thee, as it hath often been to my mind, when I have thought thereon.

I

him in the name of the governor of the place, before whom he brought him. This governor, he said, was like a great black dog, the largest he ever saw, who grinned at him, and passed sentence on him; and sent him to prison, there to live for ever. He told me this dream with such emphasis, as made me to tremble, which was interpreted to him. I told him that he was an ingenious young man, and might easily discern the interpretation of this dream, which to me seemed to be ominous to him. The great town and high buildings are thy great and high profession; the sign on which SHAME was written, with the woman with the can at the door, show the great shame of the sin of drunkenness, and that is thy weakness; and that grim fellow that arrested thee, is death, who will arrest all mortals; and the great black dog, the governor of the place, is the devil; who, when his servants have served him to the last, will torment them forever." "God forbid, it is but a dream," was his answer to me. I said it was a very significant one to him.

About three days after the same person went on board a ship, whose loading was wine and brandy. The master gave a can of wine to him, and said the same words, as the woman said to him in his dream, and he answered with the same expressions, and it had

The first instance of a young man, given to ill the same effect upon him. He took such a

company and hard drinking.

hearty draught as made him too merry, in somuch that he overset the boat, and was drowned, much in drink: and I seeing him sink down, and his dream so punctually fulfilled, I was very heavy in my mind for seve ral days.

Oh! methinks I could wish that the many righteous judgments of the Most High, might effectually work on the hearts of those people, who are in the flower of their age, to their conversion and salvation.

the like destructive practices.

THE first is of a certain young man, a physician by profession, who was much addicted , to evil company, and to drink hard, and was sometimes visited with strong convictions; in one of which visitations he sent for me, and told me his condition, and made solemn covenants, "If God would but that once spare him, he would not do the like evil again." At that time it did please the Almighty to spare him; but he soon forgot how it had been with him, and fell into the same sin again; although he had a most notable admonition in a dream, The second instance of a merchant, addicted to but a little before. His dream was this, which is very remarkable; we being then at sea, in sight of Great Britain. He saw in his dream a great and spacious town, the buildings high and streets broad; at which he landed, and going up the street, he espied a large sign, on which was written in great golden letters, SHAME, to which he went, and at the door stood a woman, with a can of drink in her hand, who asked him to drink; to which he replied, "with all his heart, for he said he had drunk nothing but water a great while;" so he took the can, and drank a hearty draught, which, as he said, made him merry, and he went reeling up the street; when behold, on a sudden, a grim fellow met him, and arrested

THE second is of a merchant, about thirtyfive years of age, whom I saw take leave of this world: he was one who had spent much time in keeping unprofitable company and over drinking, which practice wasted his strength and flesh, as it did his time and money, and brought him into a deep con sumption; as it has many to my certain knowledge; besides bringing the racking painful distemper of the gout, and many other miseries; so that at last it brought him to his chamber, and then to his bed. In his sickness he several times sent for me and made serious acknowledgments of his "former mis

pent time, and hoped, if the Lord would spare him, to be more careful for the time to come." But he was no longer to be trusted in this world; for he went not out until he was carried in his coffin: he held my hand fast in his, until he died, and was sensible to the last.

One day, as he lay on his death-bed, he called me to him, into his chamber, and "Charged me to caution the young people to be careful how they keep, and spend their time in, evil company, for it had been his ruin, and now lay as a great and heavy burden on his conscience. Oh! said he, if they did but feel one quarter of an hour, what I feel, they never would keep such company any more: tell this to my former companions."

at, if he had, in that fit of disorder, killed any body?" By which query, I thought he was not yet rightly come to himself: because there were some ordinary reports about the town concerning him, he reckoned those who broached and spread those reports, would have been culpable, and must have answered for the murder, if he had committed any: but this was but covering his sin.

He seemed to fall out with religion too; for he said, "He would come no more to worship, till he should have justice done him, as to the reports:" though poor soul, he had the more need to present himself before his Maker, and bow before the most high God, and repent in great humiliation. The same day in which he neglected his duty, he was taken sick, and that day week was buried. He sent for me, And indeed there is a great deal of hurt and I went to him: he had but little sense of done by young men getting together to drink his end, that I could perceive, and remained so wine, or other strong drink. I wish the woe, till the night he died. I was by him when he mentioned in the holy Scriptures, may not be died, and saw him fetch his last breath. A the portion of many of them; "Who are few minutes before he gave up the ghost, he mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to trembled and shook exceedingly, and shrieked mingle strong drink;" and sit late at it, which out, to the astonishment of all those present, many times brings suffering on parents, wife, which pierced my very soul within me: for children and servants, as well as themselves; he seemed to go out of the world in an exand is a very disorderly practice, being a re-treme great agony.

proach to all Christian societies and families, I never saw any depart the world like him; wherever such things are.

There is a great concern upon me against this growing evil in our young generation; and I hope, in Christ our Lord, that heads of families will come under the like exercise in themselves and then, if our youth will neither hear nor fear the Lord, nor us, we shall be clear, and their blood will be on their own heads, as a worthy and honourable elder, and man of God, of your nation, said; one of whose offspring is the third subject that I shall mention to thee, of the many I have been acquainted with, in my pilgrimage here.

and indeed it was amazing, and greatly affected my mind with sorrow; for I thought he was very unfit to die. Oh! methinks I could heartily wish, that such objects might be as so many strong motives, to stir up and awaken the offspring of good men and virtuous women, and all professing Christianity, to fear the Lord and walk in his ways, which lead to life, where the sting of death is taken away.

The children of godly parents have much to answer for, in slighting or neglecting the wholesome counsel and faithful admonition, of their faithful and careful parents; whom they disgrace and dishonour, contrary to the command of God, who says, "Honour thy parents, that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee:" and none can truly honour their parents, who dishonour God their Maker.

The fourth instance of a young woman, who often absented herself from meetings, for the sake of bad company.

The third instance of another young man, who much embraced the same destroying delights. THE 5th of the first month, at Bridgetown, in Barbadoes, S. E., son of W. E., died. His death was sudden; and as was reasonably supposed, he destroyed himself by drinking and undue company keeping, and sitting long at it. A person, to whom he himself had told it, told me, "That he and four more, at one sitting, drank above twenty quarts of double-distilled rum punch; which put him in is concerning a young woman of about twentya violent fever: so that he ran about the streets, with a naked sword, and talked of killing one of the neighbours, in this drunken fit." The next day he came to me, and asked me, "Whose door the blood would have lain

THE fourth instance which I shall give thee,

five years of age; who was brought up very tenderly and delicately, with her lockets and chains of gold, and waiting maid: but her parents living too high for their income, broke in people's debt; and their children as they

If thou and Friends see meet, I could desire, from the exercise that is on my mind, that this might be spread ; peradventure it might have place with some, for their good.

grew up, were put to their shifts. What pity sense of the judgment of the Almighty, that it is, that youth are not brought up to some he cried out, and said, "He was a condemned business, whereby they may get a livelihood person, and that he felt the fire of hell." He in the world, if their parents should die be- sent for me and several others, and begged of fore them! And though parents may have a us to pray for him: he was told, "That the handsome interest in this world, yet it has hand of God was upon him for sin, and debeen thought by great, as well as wise men, sired to take warning in time, and repent, lest that to put out youth to trades and business, the Lord should cut him off in his iniquity." is both profitable and honourable: instances The Lord did accordingly cut off this person, of the evil consequences of the contrary, have he dying suddenly, by hard drinking, as i was been very many, as woful experience doth informed by a letter from Barbadoes; though daily teach us. This young woman was one: he promised, "If the Lord would spare him for falling into evil company, she ran into then, to be more faithful for the time to come; debt, and was put into prison; where was a and was then under deep inward exercise of murderer, whom, it was said, she was acces- | mind. I mention this as a corroboration of sary to loose from his chains; and for so the above instances, for further admonition. doing, was put in chains herself, along with This person was in a considerable post in that him, when he was taken again. Now, instead| government: his name I forbear to mention, of her gold chain, she must take up with an for divers reasons. iron one; and in a little time be tried for her life. In expectation of death, being in great distress, she sent for me, and entreated me to come and see her die, and much lamented her condition: "Oh! said she, that I might be a warning to all young people, to be careful that they keep not evil company, and spend their time which should be spent in worship, in airy company, and other vain diversions, when they should be doing their duty to God." And then she would weep bitterly; she being very penitent, it very much affected me; and I told her, "That I did believe, if she in her heart was clear, and no ways consenting to the murder, her life would be given her; but then woe and misery would be her portion, if she did not amend her ways." And as I was leaving her, she charged me, "To warn young people that they might be careful that they spend not their time in vanity, and to keep out of vain and wicked company," which she said had brought her to that misery and shame: "And Dear friend, I am tenderly concerned in that they should take the counsel and advice the love of God and his dear Son, to beg of of good friends, which if I had done, said | thee, that thou let not the world, nor any she, I had not brought reproach on my friends, and on my parents."

In a little time after, she was brought to a trial, and acquitted by the jury. I saw her once since, and reminded her of her duty; which, she said, "She hoped to perform; and that it should be a warning to her, while she lived in this world :" and that such examples | may be a warning to all people, is the earnest desire of a lover of souls, and servant of Jesus. THOMAS CHALKLEY.

Since I wrote the foregoing, there being a person in this place, who would be sometimes overtaken in drink, I sent it to him to copy over, hoping it might have some good effect on him. Before he had copied the relation of the first person, he was so smitten with the

A letter to Aquila Paca, high sheriff of Baltimore county, in the province of Maryland, and to other Friends there.

Barbadoes, 1st of Twelfth month, 1718. Loving friend Aquila Paca,

MEETING here with Captain Swaddle, bound for your river, I found a concern on my mind to send a few lines, remembering the good opportunities I had at your meeting in that neighbourhood, together with those few poor honest souls that I met with there; and I desire thee to give my dear love in Christ to them.

thing therein, either the riches, pleasures, or friendship thereof, draw thy mind from that measure of grace which hath been manifested to thee; for God hath visited thee in his tender love and mercy, as thou well knowest, and hath begotten good desires in thee, and convinced thee of the holy truth, as it is in Jesus. Oh! saith my soul, that thou mayest more and more grow therein, to thy bringing forth much good fruit, to the glory of God, and the eternal good of that part in thee, which will never die.

Salute me to thy wife and children, and the neighbours, and their children also, all of whom I wish well in this world, and also in that which is to come, the same I wish to all those who love Christ, so as to keep his commandments.

If thou seest meet, thou mayest read what whom he teaches, are taught the mysteries of follows at the close of your meeting on a first- his kingdom, which mysteries he teaches to day, which meeting I hope you keep up in order to worship God in Christ's name; for to such as meet in his name, he hath promised to be in the midst of them, wherever they so meet; which he hath graciously fulfilled at many times.

Oh dear souls, look to him who is invisi-cerned to write the following tract at sea. ble to the outward eye, who is God over all, and is blessed forever: and may you, if this comes to you, feel the divine life and spirit of Christ, in the reading of this little epistle of brotherly love.

"To present you holy, unblamable, unre-things." provable, in his sight."

"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.'

"So be ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be ye holy, for I am holy."

In the Christian world, it is too generally believed, that on this side the grave people "Having therefore these promises, dearly cannot be free from sin. This principle, or beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all fil-belief, is a great hinderance to the glorious thiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

"To him that overcometh, will I give to eat is also heavenly armour; and this holy aposof the tree of life."