A memoir of Daniel Wheeler, with an account of his gospel labours in the islands of the Pacific

Front matter

m m

^i i/j VHT? tcsramg \yiinaiian cects. ana ine views ol Knnnent Men of Difterent Ages and Countries. Pages 138. Price, bound, in cloth, 18 cts,

8. yOTJTHFUL PIIGEIMS. Memorials of Young

Preface

The volume now offered is an abridgment of the memoirs of the life and gospel labours of Daniel Wheeler, edited by his son, and published in London in 1842. In the preface to that edition, it is stated that it was a matter which D. Wheeler had much at heart, to leave on record some narrative of his life, no doubt believing that in it might be traced many instances of Divine mercy and interposition which could not but be instructive and strengthening to others. He commenced but did not complete the work; but, from the period at which his autobiography abruptly terminates, nothing has been allowed a place which could not be stated with entire confidence.

(ill)

Contents

MEMOIRS OF DANIEL WHEELER.

Chapter I

Page Introductory Remarks by D. Wheeler — Enters the Merchant Seryice

— Then the Royal Navy — Is paid off — Enters the Army 7

CHAPTER IL D.Wheeler goes to Ireland with his Regiment — Harassing Seryice

— Returns to England — Embarks for Campaign on the Continent

— Great Exposure and Suffering 17

Chapter III

Preserved from Danger in the Field of Battle — Attacked by Fever — Hospital Treatment — Remarkable Recovery— Retreat of the Army

— Return to England 29

Chapter IV

Sails with his Regiment to the West Indies — Wonderful Preservation— Serious Impressions — Returns to England — Convinced of Friends' Principles — Becomes a Member of the Society — Settles in Business — His Marriage — Acknowledged as a Minister 47

Chapter V

Prospect of Duty in Russia — Goes to Petersburg — Interview with Prince Galitzin and the Emperor — Engages with the Russian Government to superintend Agricultural Improvements — Returns Home and again embarks for Russia with his Family — William Allen and Stephen Grellet 57

CHAPTER VL

Agricultural Improvements — Address to Balby Monthly Meeting — Conference with the Emperor — Great Flood at Petersburg — Death of the Emperor and Accession of his brother Nicholas 66

CHAPTER VIL

Yisits England — Religious Service — Returns to Russia — Cholera at Petersburg — Address to York Quarterly Meeting — Resigns his

* Appointment in Russia — Sails for England 81

VI CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VIII.

Prospect of a Religious Visit to the South Sea Islands'— Death of his Wife and severe Illness of his Children — Death of his son ■VTilliam and daughter Jane — Prospect of Religious Service in North America 93

CHAPTER IX.

Sails for New York — Attends many Meetings of Friends — Returns to England— Death of his son Charles — Again embarks for America— Illness and death at New York 105

VISIT TO THE PACIFIC ISLES.

Chapter I

Sails in the ' Henry Ereeling ' — Detention off the Isle of "Wight — Farewell Letter — Arrival at Rio de Janeiro 113

Chapter II

Sails for Van Diemen's Land— Perils of the Voyage — Arrival at Hobart Town — Meets with James Backhouse and George W. Walker.. 128

CHAPTER in.

Embarks for Sidney — Crew of the ' Henry Freeling' — Sails for Tahiti

— Arrival and Interview with the Natives — Meeting with the Missionaries , 147

Chapter IV

Meeting for Sailors — Attends the Native Meetings for Worship — Perilous Passage to Tiarei — Native Meeting 164

Chapter V

Taiarapu — Favoured Meeting for Worship — Letter from the Native Congregation — Native Entertainment — Letter from the Queen — Desolating Scourge of Ardent Spirits — Island of Eimeo 184

CHAPTER VI. Huahine — Invitation from Mauiui — Meeting with the Authorities

— Raiatea — Bolabola — Sandwich Islands — Oahu — Native Meeting—The Queen's Present — Memorable Electing for Worship — Missionary School 199

CHAPTER VIL

Hawaii — Introductory Letter — Embarkation of Missionaries — A Marriage — General Meeting of the Missionaries — Letter from the Annual Meeting — Hervey Isles — Roratogna — Native Meetings— Letter from a young Native 217

Chapter VIII

Friendly Isles — Cavern at Otea — Meeting with the Missionaries — Interesting Letter — New Zealand — Meeting for Worship — Fare ■weU Letter from the Missionaries — Sidney — Hobart Town — Returns to England 241

MEMOIKS

OF THE

LIFE OF DANIEL WHEELER,

CHAPTEH I.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY D. WHEELER ENTERS THE

MERCHANT SERVICE THEN THE ROYAL NAVY IS PAID

OFF ENTERS THE ARMY.

'' IIavinGt frequently derived mucli valuable instruction from tlie perusal of narratives of those who liave long since exchanged an earthly for a heavenly inheritance^ the thought has at times occurred to me^ that a short memoir of my own life, however evil^ mighty under the Divine blessing, be made, in like manner, useful to others. But, perhaps from the humiliating conviction that days, as without number, have been miserably devoted to madness and folly, in forgetfulness of a long-suffering Lord Grod, the guilty mind would gladly hide the remembrance of these for ever in oblivion, and pass over them in silent abhorrence; or, conscious that there yet remains a stubborn and unsubdued residue of human corruptions, a sense of unworthiness and unfitness may have hitherto operated to retard the undertaking ; lest the creature should in any degree be exalted^ to whom shame only, with blushing and confusion of face, must ever belong.

Whatever may thus far have impeded any attempt of the kind, I am induced, not as a matter of choice, but as a duty, now in the sixty-first year of my age, to commence the work, humbly imploring the assistance of Him who ^ knoweth the thoughts and intents of the heart,^ to enable me, as far as it may be carried forward, to accomplish it to His own praise and glory, as a faithful testimony for the advancement of our holy Kedeemer's kingdom in the hearts of my fellow-creatures.

I was born in London, the 27th day of the Eleventh month, 1771 : my parents, William and Sarah Wheeler, were members of the established religion of the country, and strict adherents to all its rites and ceremonies. They had a large family of children, whose minds they endeavoured to imbue at an early age with the fear of their great Creator — taking them regularly to attend the performance of public worship, and also reading the Holy Scriptures in the family at home ] portions of which I well remember reading aloud when very young. I have but a very indistinct recollection of my father^s person, not being quite seven years old when he died, leaving five children, of whom I was the youngest. My mother was endowed with a large capacity, combining great sweetness with firmness of mind. Of the loss of such a parent, I was very sensible, being about twelve years old at the time.^^

Through the misconduct of his eldest brother, to whom the care of their father's business had been intrusted, it became necessary that the family should be broken up, and they were soon widely separated. For a short time, Daniel remained to assist the person who had purchased the stock, and succeeded his brother in the business, which was the wine trade. Of this occupation he says : ^^ I should not feel easy without noticing, in this place, for the benefit of others, the manifold temptations to which young people are necessarily exposed, when brought up to trades similar to that in which I was then employed. From the nature of these trades, there is scarcely a probability of escape from insensibly falling into habits (much more readily acquired than shaken off) of tasting different kinds of wine and strong liquors, which too often lead the way to intemperance. The injurious effects of these practices, and of such exposure, having been felt and witnessed by myself, make me the more desirous to warn others against the business.^^

A merchant in London having procured for him a situation on board a vessel engaged in the Portuguese trade, it was accepted by D. Wheeler. Two voyages were made in this ship, and a knowledge of navigation acquired. On his return from the second voyage, he found that an intimate friend of his departed mother had procured for him the station of midshipman in a ship of war. This change, however specious in appearance at the time, was but an introduction to a school which is not often equalled, and but seldom surpassed, for vice and immorality. In reference to this and to the time afterwards spent in the army, Daniel Wheeler writes these affecting and instructive lines : " Reader, if the power to choose were mine, to draw an impenetrable shade over the next several years would best suit my natural inclination ] it would save me many pangs, and I should at once bring thee to the time when I could tell thee with delight ^what the Lord hath done for my soul/ — But, with these years omitted, the long suffering and unutterable goodness of my gracious God and Saviour would be eclipsed. His tender mercies would be ungratefully robbed of their lustre, the riches of His grace obscured and its glory hidden. I must, therefore, like the regular and progressive gradations of nature, proceed from those days of childhood and youth at which I had arrived — would that I could say, of innocency ! — but ah ! at this distance of time, I can painfully trace the springings up of the evil root, which failed not at an early age to bring forth fruit of those things ^whereof I am now ashamed;' having sorrowfully found, from woful experience, that their ' end is death.' Canst thou, then, wonder at the shrinking of human nature from the task of thus reopening a dark picture of guilt? — such as, I pray, it may never be thy lot to know, or to have to render an account of, as thy own. Though now in full abhorrence of the same, through the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, I have a hope that my sins, though many, will be forgiven, and for ever blotted out as

^ a thick cloud / and that my tribulated soul will yet be cleansed by the ^precious blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel/ This only ^ cried from the ground^ for vengeance against the offender ; whilst the blood of Him who cried^ ' Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do/ cleanseth from all sin, and was shed for many, for the remission of sins ; yea, for all that repent, believe, and obey the Gospel, in the secret of their hearts revealed, which is Hhe power of God unto salvation/ But although ready to shudder at the prospect before me, I feel strengthened to proceed, so far as I may rightly do, from a belief that the work in which I am now engaged is prompted in mercy, and will not be in vain, peradventure to myself, if not to another. For, if permitted to finish it, I shall have had another opportunity afforded, even at this late hour, for repentance — a truly great and blessed privilege to every sinner. And how much more shall I owe unto my Lord, if, in the course of a diligent search, it should please the ^ faithful witness ' in condescension to discover to the view of my mind sins which, through the subtle workings of the grand adversary, have been partly hidden and imperfectly repented of.^^

Having joined the ship at Plymouth, it was not long before they left the harbour and sailed for the Isle of Man station. " This was a stormy and dangerous passage, in which, through Divine mercy, we were favoured to witness a marvellous preservation from shipwreck; the dawn of day just discovering to us in time the small island of Grasliolm, towards wliich. tlie yessel was drifting in a direct course^ and already witliin a short distance of tlie breakers. We were lying to^ at the time^ under two or three stormsails ; but there happily being room to wear clear of the rocky crags^ the danger was soon left behind/^

After a cruise of fourteen months^ they returned to Plymouth; and^ whilst in this harbour^ through the interest of an admiral of considerable estate and influence in the neighbourhood, with whom in former days some of the family had been personally acquainted, Daniel Yv'^heeler relates : ^^ I was in a short time received on board a ship-of-the-line, then bearing the flag of a Rear-Admiral. This advance, under such patronage, was considered to hold out a promising aspect ; but whilst it seemed to pave the way to promotion, it opened at once a door to an extensive range of acquaintance with officers on board, whose circumstances in life enabled them to deviate with, less difficulty than myself from the path of virtue; whose example I endeavoured to follow, until nothing but the want of means prevented my going still greater lengths than the worst of them. Whilst in this ship, when about sixteen years of age, having been unwell, and probably led to reflect a little on that account, I was made sensible of a Divine visitation being extended to me, disclosing with indubitable clearness the vanity and emptiness of every earthly station, tarnishing the pride and glory of this perishing world in my sight; and which, though little understood and less regarded at the moment, has since, at different periods of my eliequered life, been brought to my remembrance by Him ^who declareth unto man His thoughts — who maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth — the Lord, the Lord of hosts is His name/ When this occurred, although then entered into the bond of iniquity, I had not launched so fully into its dreadful abyss as was afterwards most lamentably the case; and from what I have since witnessed, in unutterable mercy, of the strength and power of redeeming love, a belief is induced, that if this warning voice, then sounding in the secret of my sinful heart, ' Behold, I stand at the door and knock,' had been hearkened unto, and waited upon, my footsteps, even mine, would have been conducted from the horrible pit to which they were fast verging.

I continued nearly six years in the navy ; but were all the changes from ship to ship enumerated which took place during that time, and the great variety of incidents which befell me, they would swell this narrative far beyond the limits intended. Whilst, however, I am desirous of avoiding the error of gratifying self, or merely amusing others, I beg to be preserved from a greater, in omitting anything tending in the slightest degree to make known the aboundings of that wondrous goodness and mercy which followed me all along through an unparalleled course of presumptuous and unrestrained liberty. It may therefore suffice for me to say, that, notwithstanding the many and great dangers I was exposed 2 to, and the hardsMps and sufferings I had to endure, through all which I was preserved and sustained in a manner at this day inconceivable to myself; yet none of these things were sufficient to soften the rocky heart, or bring me to a sense of my lost condition ; for whether on board or on shore, in harbour or at sea, or in whatever country, if I could meet with associates prone like myself to evil, I was always ready to hasten with them to it, either in word or in deed.

An expected war with a foreign power had occasioned an unusually large fleet to collect at Spithead ; but, after a time, the differences being adjusted, the ships were dispersed to their respective posts, and that to which I belonged was paid off. She was commissioned the next day as a guard-ship, and I have no doubt that I might have resumed my station as one of her mates, had I made application; for, with all my private failings, as a poor sinful creature, my public character had not suffered in any of the ships in which I had served, but rather the contrary; for my pride and presumption had often prompted me, in moments of extreme danger, in a daring manner to take the most hazardous post, even when duty did not require it, or warrant the risk. But instead of applying to be reinstated in my former berth, I remained on shore in pursuit of sinful gratifications, with increased avidity; and, going up to London, so much time elapsed before my return, that I never afterwards attempted to procure a situation in the ship I had left, or in any other. In this way I left the service altogether; and would I could say, that I left the service of sin at the same time. I now found the disadvantage of not having been regularly brought up to a trade : for want of this knowledge I was alike unfit for all employment.

Towards the latter part of the time of my being in the navy, it was suggested to my lost and bewildered mind, by the subtle destroyer of men, that nothing short of making away with myself could extricate me from the difficulties by which I was surrounded, and shelter me from shame and disgrace; and the method of its accomplishment was at seasons hinted at. But — blessed be the name of the Lord God of heaven and earth for ever ! — His invisible arm, of merciful interposition, preserved me from this dreadful snare; and in the greatness of His love and strength He hath at this distant period put it into the heart of His unworthy creature to record His mighty acts, to His praise and to His glory, with humble and reverend thankfulness. Grreatly do I desire, that if this relation should ever fall into the hands of any poor sinners, servants of the cruel taskmaster, as was then my lot, that such may be hereby strengthened and encouraged to look unto the Lord their God for help, even though they may be plunged into the very gulf of despair ; for ^ His compassions fail not^ — they are new every morning; His tender mercies are over all His works ; and He will give power to the faint, and strength to them that have no might of their own, to resist this^ and every other temptation of that wicked one, who was a liar from the beginning/^

His means becoming speedily reduced, and failing in his attempts to procure employment, he could not bear the thought of making his fallen condition known to his friends. Under these circumstances, he entered the army as a volunteer.

CHAPTEH II.

D. WHEELER GOES TO IRELAND WITH IIIS REGIMENT — HARASSING SERVICE — RETURNS TO ENGLAND — E3IBARKS FOR CAMPAIGN ON THE CONTINENT — GREAT EXPOSURE AND SUFFERING.

The regiment in which he engaged was soon after ordered to Ireland, and was stationed at Dublin, in that agitated state of public affairs which resulted in open rebellion to the government. The fatigue of the troops was great, as they were required to be on duty every other night, and this in the winter season.

Proceeding with his narrative, we find : '' Discontent increasing, and disturbances breaking out in the interior of the country. Small detachments of troops were despatched from Dublin, to strengthen the authority of the magistrates in their endeavours to maintain public tranquillity, and to afford protection to the peaceable inhabitants from the nightly depredations of numerous gangs of misled and intoxicated desperadoes, to which they and their property were constantly exposed, under a variety of pretences. It was my lot,^^ he says, " to be chosen with the first of the detached parties, to a share of this dangerous and harassing service; on which, such was at one time the emergency, that we were kept on the alert 2* night after night, without any intermission, for a week together, with only such intervals of rest as could be procured in the day-time. Whilst on this expedition, on a particular enterprise with a constable, I was, to all appearance, reduced to the necessity of taking the life of another to save my own. The constable, perceiving the danger, had left me alone 3 when I was suddenly attacked by a poor infuriated creature, in a state little short of perfect madness, from continued intoxication, supported by several others, but in a less outrageous condition. I kept him at bay for some time; but at last he got so near, that it became every moment more difficult to avoid being reached by the violent strokes he made with some kind of weapon, I think of iron, which were repeatedly received by the firelock in my hands, then loaded with ball.

In this situation there seemed left to me no other than the dreadful alternative of shooting him to save myself. I called in vain in the language of appeal to the other people to interfere : they stood by, as if to see how matters were likely to terminate, before they began to act or take a part of any consequence either way, which they nearly carried too far ; but when they saw me actually preparing to shoot the man, they hastily cried out, ^ Spare life I spare life ! ^ — which I only wanted their help to enable me to accomplish. They then seized him, and in the midst of the struggle and confusion which took place amongst themselves, my escape was happily efi'ected. I cannot suppose, at that time, when I wanted only the help of other men to enable me to spare life, that the principal motive was other than that of self-preservation. Therefore it is greatly to be feared (although that heart must be callous indeed, which in all such cases does not recoil from the horrid act) that it was not love to my fellow-creature which prompted the desire in me to spare his life. Let none mistake it as such. I have frequently thought of this circumstance since it occurred, I hope with humble thankfulness to the great Preserver of men ; and now, on committing it to record, as one of those many events in which there was but one step between me and the grave, and whilst shuddering at the strong recollection of it, my soul magnifies that unmerited and amazing mercy, afresh displayed to my understanding in a two-fold view — on the one hand in withholding me from the crime of taking away the life of a fellow-creature, like myself, 'in the gall of bitterness/ and, if I had escaped myself, thus sparing me, at this late hour, amidst the decay of nature, when the shadows of the evening are stretching out, and my feet drawing near the margin of the grave, the appalling thought of a brother's blood yet un wiped away: on the other hand, in rescuing from immediate death two miserable sinners wholly unprepared to die; for, had I taken away the man's life, my own would doubtless have been forthwith sacrificed to the revenge of his enraged companions. Thus, as my history rolls on, the enormous load of debt which I already owe unto my Lord still accumulates ; and verily it never can be liquidated but in that infinite and wondrous mercy whicli delighteth to forgive every repenting sinner, who^ in tlie depths of humility and abasedness of self, has indeed ^nothing to pay^ withal/^

He was relieved from this arduous duty by being promoted to a position in the writing department of the commander-in-chief, at Dublin. This gave him greater liberty and larger means to take his swing in every inordinate gratification of that extensive city. ^^ Thus,^^ he says, ^^ adding sin to sin, and making farther woful work for repentance. Although at times, in the midst of these evil practices, I was made sensible of convicting reproofs, sufficient to have awakened any one but myself, yet they only seemed to deter me for a short interval from persisting in them, or until another opportunity offered — such was their dominion over me. This course was, however, at last stopped by the sudden march of the regiment to Grranard; but not before my health had begun to suffer from my folly.

Our stay was not long at this place ; for the French Revolution, which had occurred about two years before, now began to occasion more frequent movements and changes amongst the military. I was engaged in some hazardous enterprises whilst lying here; and, although the town was small, and our time in it short, yet there were sufficient temptations to be found for my unwary feet to fall into. From this place, a part of the regiment, consisting of two hundred picked men and a suitable number of officers, was drafted to serve in an expedition then preparing to act in the West Indies. The same quota was selected from every regiment in Ireland, then seventeen in number, and possibly from every regiment in England also. From all tbe information that I could ever obtain, the greatest part, if not the whole, of these poor devoted fellows, then declared to be the flower of the British army, fell victims to the climate and the war. I mention this lamentable fact, although foreign to my subject, to perpetuate all in my power [the knowledge of] the ravages of this horrid and desolating scourge of the human race. At the same time, under a deep sense of my then sinful condition, my mind is struck with admiration, that I was not included in the above-mentioned draft, to which I was no less liable than others ; were it only as a punishment which I so justly merited, for my unprecedented rebellion against a long-suffering and all-gracious Lord God.

Our next remove was to Galway, where, after some weeks, I was again promoted, from what cause I do not now remember ; but, as had been the case in the navy, so now, however profligate my conduct in the general, I still kept up a fair name, by being ready for all the duties that devolved upon me.'^

New regiments being required to prosecute more vigorously the continental war, Daniel Wheeler was selected, with others, to expedite their formation. He returned to Dublin to engage in this recruiting service. The number stipulated having been raised and accepted by the government, he was promoted shortly after joining the new regiment. His narrative proceeds : " Such was the urgency of affairs just then, that, wliilst in a raw and incomplete stat^ of discipline, almost beyond conception, from the wildness of character of the class of people of which the principal part of the regiment was composed, immediate embarkation was ordered. When the time for sending off these newly-raised troops was fully come, the utmost despatch was necessary ; for it was very evident, that had time been allowed for the information to spread to any material extent, the embarkation could scarcely haye been effected without bloodshed. As it was, though the preparations commenced soon after three o'clock in the morning, the concourse of people assembled together was immense, to behold their countrymen, in every relation of fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons, forced away from their native shores — I may say forced away, for it was necessary to assemble a strong military force from the garrison to insure the embarkation, which, after all, was not effected without some difficulty. From my own personal knowledge of the fate of many of these poor fellows, and of the destination of those remaining after I left them, I think it scarcely probable that any of them ever returned.

TVe were favoured with a fine passage to the Severn, and landed about six miles below Bristol ; in which city we remained one night, and then marched forward to an encampment, where several other regiments were previously assembled, at Netley Abbey. From the undisciplined condition, with but small exception, of the officers and men who composed our regiment, it was only reasonable to suppose it had now reached its destination for the present ; but^ after a few weeks' training, it was numbered with the Hne. We received a set of new colours, and embarked on Southampton river, with the other regiments which formed the camp at Netley Abbey, to join the British army then on the continent, under the command of the Duke of York. We dropped down to Spithead next morning, and the same afternoon Earl Moira, the commander-in-chief, having joined the expedition, we sailed, thirty-seven ships in company, under convoy, to the coast of Flanders. The weather being thick, with light airs of wind, our passage, though fine, was rather tedious, before reaching an anchorage off the port of Ostend. From circumstances of an unfavourable cast, unknown to us at the time, it was judged most prudent for the expedition to be free from every incumbrance likely to retard or impede its movements through the Netherlands; the success and safety of the enterprise wholly depending upon its ability to evade and elude, by the rapidity of its movements, in forced marches by night, the greatly disproportionate strength of the enemy. The number of troops then under Earl Moira was little more than 7000; whilst the French force, through which we had to pass, was estimated at 80,000, and they were at the time so posted, as seemed to prohibit our junction with the Duke's army. It was therefore concluded, that every article of baggage and stores, belonging either to officers or soldiers, beyond what they could themselves carry, should be left on board the ships. At

24 MjEMOmS OF

an early hour of the morning after our arrival in the roads off the town of Ostend^ every officer and soldier was furnished with a blanket, and an allowance of three days' provisions and water, from the stores of the transports; it being very uncertain whether any supplies could be obtained for some days to come. Thus provided, the troops were disembarked under cover of two large floating batteries, prepared for the occasion, to prevent any attempt to frustrate their descent. As the boats employed had many times to pass to and fro, between the ships and the shore, before the whole were conveyed, it was near night when the landing was fully accomplished. To expedite the landing, a large float was made use of, to assist in crossing a narrow space of water connected with the harbour; so that the troops were enabled to land at more than one point at a time, and then unite. It was well for those who had nothing to do with this ill-adapted float; for, in the hurry, it became overladen with soldiers, and was quickly overturned, causing the loss of many men, who, from their being encumbered with arms, baggage, and provisions, were incapable of making much effort to save themselves ; this weight being strongly attached to their bodies, they sank before they could extricate themselves from it. I landed on the main shore of the harbour, and thus providentially escaped with only seeing the float then loading, just before the accident happened.