Journals of the lives, travels and gospel labours of Thomas Wilson and James Dickinson

Front matter

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[fuBRARY OF CONGRESS.^

% Chap. !D*l I Shelf WJi a? s

Chapter I

His Birth, Parentage, early religious Exercises and Convincement — Spiritual benefits conferred on himself and his fellowworshippers in their silent Meetings — His first appearance in the Ministry — Visits to Friends in various parts of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales — Exercises under the prospect of a visit to America.

I was born in Soulby, in the parish of Daker and county of Cumberland. My parents' names were Edward and Ann Wilson, who brought me up in the profession of the church of England, and taught me the catechism, having been sprinkled or baptized in my infancy, according to the manner of that church. While I was a youth I had great hungerings and thirstings in my heart after righteousness, and the true knowledge of the living God and of his

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LIFE AND TEAVELS

Son Jesus Christ ; in which time I went with great diligence to hear the priests, and when with them, did carefully mind what was spoken : and when I heard of a priest that was noted for a good man, and preached two sermons in one day, I went from our own parish after the forenoon sermon, eight miles on foot to hear an afternoon sermon. And the more I sought to hear, my inward hunger and thirst the more increased, so that I was sensible of great poverty of spirit : and in the time of singing psalms, a thoughtfulness came into my heart, that men should he made holy before they could rightly sing to the praise and glory of God ; and my mouth was stopped from singing with them, through a godly sorrow that was in my heart, with secret cries and humble prayers to the living Lord God of heaven and earth, for the knowledge of the way of salvation. But being yet in the wilderness of men's doctrines, creeds, articles, and outward forms, I could not find true peace in conscience, nor see any bright beams of salvation. In this state I travelled in great godly sorrow, having religious seekings in my heart ; and being weary of the heavy load of sin, as also the doctrines and worship of men's making, my mind was much inclined to dispute about religion with all sorts of professors that I met with, yet still could not meet with or find inward peace of conscience : but many texts of Holy Scripture were opened to my understanding, so that I began to see what was not of faith was sin, even in points of worship and pretended service to the great God ; remembering the saying of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to the scribes and pharisees formerly, " Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips ;

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but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." — Mat. xv. 7— 9.

Thus being made sensible, that too many of the doctrines of the church wherein I was educated, were precepts of men's making, and [remembering] that our blessed Lord and heavenly Saviour had said to the woman of Samaria at J acob's well, " The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in Truth ; for the Father seeketh such to worship him : God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in Truth." — John iv. 23, 24 ; this worship, in the renewings of the Holy Ghost, and not in the oldness of the letter, I greatly longed to know, but could not find it, neither could any priest I conversed with, tell me how or where to find it. But after long travail of spirit and great concern of soul, the Lord was graciously pleased to make me sensible, that what was to be known of God was manifested in man.

About this time I went into an evening meeting of the people called Quakers, with strong desires in my mind to the Lord, that if it was the true way of salvation which the Quakers preached, I might have some inward feeling and testimony thereof, by the blessed word in my own heart : and after sitting some time in silence, a Friend began to speak, directing and exhorting to an inward waiting upon the Lord in faith, to receive power from him over every unclean thought, dec , by which heavenly power men might glorify and praise the holy name of the Lord, through the ability of his own free gift. — This I understood to be his holy word of grace, which the true apostles of our dear Lord and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ preached, and turned the minds of people unto ; and then I

b 2 felt my soul much in love therewith ; and smiting upon my breast, said in my heart, This is what I greatly wanted ; that is, power against every vain thought and idle word, being things that troubled me. The Lord's power arose in the meeting, and fell mightily upon me, to the breaking and tendering of my heart ; and a glorious time it was, as the mighty day of the Lord ; so that great fear, trembling and shaking seized me, insomuch that the table whereon I leaned and Friends sat, was shaken. Thus being sensible in some measure of the glorious name and power of the Lord Jesus, I was full of inward cries to this effect, ' 0 Lord ! create in me a clean heart ;' for I saw the old one was not clean, and that I had been kissing the letter but not the Son, as advised by the Holy Scripture, which saith, " Kiss the Son, lest he be angry," &c.

And now was a time of the Lord's fierce anger because of sin, he having shewed me all things that ever I had done, and condemned the evil ; so I was made willing to love and dwell under his righteous judgments, being truly convinced that was the way to come unto the mercy-seat. And then it was upon my mind, that I must cease from all the doctrines of men, will-worship, hearing the priests, and repeating their sermons, which I had delighted in, and was in the practice of, as religious duties ; it being made plain to me, that I should turn from them, and mind the gift which was in me, and sit down among Friends in their silent meetings, to wait upon the Lord in retiredness of mind, for his heavenly teachings and holy leadings ; in the performance of which inward, divine, and heavenly worship, the great power of God did wonderfully break in among us, and many young people were convinced of the inward work of

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God, and turned to the Lord with all their hearts. The Meeting in general became very tender and heavenly-minded, and Friends had great love one to another ; the heart-melting power of the Lord being much felt and inwardly revealed, when no words were spoken by either man or woman. In this state we travailed in the silence of all flesh, and at this time the Lord often renewed our strength in the inward man, so that we knew and experienced what the apostle exhorteth the primitive christians unto, even " Christ to dwell in us by faith," and the renewings of the Holy Ghost increased, and were shed on us abundantly in our meeting, whereby some were so filled, that they were concerned to declare and preach the things of the kingdom of God, and what he had done for their souls. One of the first that came forth in prayer and supplication to the Lord, was William Greenup,* and I was the next that came forth there in a testimony for the Lord, which was in very great

* William Greenup, (who is several times mentioned in these Journals) resided at Flatt, near Caldbeck, in Cumberland. " It pleased the Lord to incline his heart first to seek the kingdom of (xod and the righteousness thereof, in his young years ; and as he gave up in obedience to the Lord, he increased his faith and knowledge, so that he was enabled not only to believe, but also to suffer for his name. Having a gift in the ministry committed to him, his testimony was living and powerful, and he was fervent in prayer. He travelled for the promotion of Truth in many parts of this nation, as also in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Several were convinced by his testimony, and not only so, but became fellow-labourers with him in the ministry. He laboured to preserve love and unity among brethren, and was zealously concerned for the keeping up and promoting good order in the church, often advising Friends to faithfulness, and to keep to their testimony against undue liberty. And that which crowned his labours, he kept faithful and stedfast to the end. He died in the year 1716, aged 75 years." — Piety Promoted, part ix.

fear and much trembling. The word of the Lord, in and through me, was as a devouring fire, burning against all sin and iniquity ; and the Lord made us cry aloud to turn people from all vain worships to the living God, who is a Holy Spirit.

The precious life of Jesus broke in wonderfully amongst us, so that we felt drawings to visit other meetings in the country, wherein the Lord's heavenly power was plentifully enjoyed amongst us ; and several were convinced of the Truth, who turned to the Lord with all their hearts, and joined with Friends ; particularly in our own Meeting, whereby it was enlarged. I was often very much afTected in feeling the love and power of God break through the whole Meeting ; and many such heavenly meetings we had, and the word of the testimony, in the Lord's ministers, increased amongst us. I then found further drawings to other counties, and visited the meetings of Friends in Lancashire and Westmoreland.

In the year 1682, it was upon me from the Lord, in a divine opening, to visit Friends in some parts of Ireland. I took shipping at Workington, and landed at Dublin, where I was altogether a stranger. After 1 had staid a meeting amongst Friends, they inquired which way I intended to go ; I told them, I had a desire to go see some Friends that dwelt between the west and north ; a Friend answered, he did think there was no such place inhabited by Friends, (or to that effect) but if I would see Friends, I must go north or south. This brought great trouble upon my mind, and I became very low in spirit, questioning in myself, whether I was not mistaken in that which I thought was the Lord's powerful opening in my heart, shewing me both the place and people, and wherein I thought I had the mind of Christ, in the

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holy visioa of life ; and the cries of my heart were great unto the Lord in secret, why I was mistaken ; but after some time, a living hope sprung in me that I was not mistaken, and that the Friends lay or inhabited as I had seen.

A Friend, named Abraham Fuller, spoke kindly to me, and said, he lived near the middle of Ireland, and if I would go with him we might get a meeting amongst Friends at Edenderry ; and in the way I had much peace in going with him. We had a blessed meeting with Friends at Edenderry; and next day, travelling towards Lehinche, where he dwelt, he asked me if I understood the compass, I told him no, and that I had not seen any compass in all my life-time, but that in the ship wherein I came to Dublin. He was then very cheerful, and lovingly said, he remembered that I had said in Dublin, I would go between the west and north, ' which now,' said he, 1 I see is true, for we go even as thou then said at which I was truly thankful to the Lord, who never fails to be gracious, and his blessed word is infallible. For then I like Samuel, knew it was the word of the Lord that called me into his work and service, and shewed me these things before I went from home. We came cheerfully on our way, until we got to Lehinche, and thence to the Moate, where we had a blessed, heavenly meeting ; so to Mountmelick, and had a meeting there, and thence to James Hutchinson's, and from thence to the province meeting at Castledermot.

This province meeting was large, and divers able Friends in the ministry were there ; but I was very low in my mind, and did not go up into the gallery, but sat dow r n a little within the door. Many people came in, so that the place about where I sat was much thronged ; and it being a time that the rabble sort of people were very rude, several such were there that day. I being under great exercise of spirit, the powerful word of the Lord filled my heart : so I stood up and preached the gospel in the demonstration of the spirit and power that was upon me. The rude rabble were astonished, and became very quiet, and the Lord's heavenly power did shine forth gloriously, under a weighty sense whereof the meeting held and concluded. This meeting brought me into great acquaintance with Friends, unto whom I had before been a stranger ; notwithstanding I understood afterwards they were sore afraid when I stood up, that my appearance would have been very hurtful, but it proved otherwise, to their great satisfaction.

After this meeting I went into the county of Wexford, and visited Friends, having several blessed, heavenly meetings with them in that county : they were a lowly, plain people. From thence I came into the county of Wicklow. Some little time after, the motion of life in me for travelling ceased, and I durst then go no further, but returned back into the county of Wexford, and wrought harvest-work at Lambstown. There Robert Cuppage, a Friend in the ministry, dwelt, who had a concern to visit Friends in Munster, and would have taken me with him for a companion ; but I told him I durst not go, because the Lord had taken away the motion of life from me, as to that sense, and I must wait upon the Lord to know his blessed will and good time ; so I staid working.

In a little time after came James Dickinson, a young man from Cumberland, to visit Friends, with intention to go into Munster, and then the Lord was pleased to open my way to go with him \ and we being both very young, travelled together in true

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brotherly love, great humility, and godly fear ; and the blessed, heavenly power of the Lord did often tender our hearts in meetings, as also the hearts of many Friends, and we had a prosperous journey in the will of God. So I saw it was good to wait the Lord's time in all things ; and having travelled through Leinster and Munster, James Dickinson went northward, but I was afraid of running before my true Guide, because they who run, and are not sent of God, can neither profit the people nor themselves. So I staid at work in the city of Waterford about sixteen w r eeks, and went from thence to Dublin, and staid the half-year's meeting there, which was large and very good ; then took shipping and landed at Liverpool, with my former companion, James Dickinson ; and though it was now a time of great persecution of Friends in England, it pleased the Lord to give us a peaceable and prosperous journey through the meetings of Friends all along in our way to Cumberland.

In a little time after, I, with my dear companion James Dickinson, visited Friends in the two counties of Cumberland and Westmoreland. At Kendal some persons came to break up our meeting, and began to pull out Friends ; and in a very rude manner, took out my companion. Then the word of the Lord came mightily upon me, and I was made bold to stand up and preach the everlasting gospel amongst them all. The holy power of the Lord came mightily over the hearts of Friends, and even the opposers were made quiet a considerable time ; but after I had stood about an hour, they came and pulled me to the door. I asked for my hat, and they said, ( Give him his hat, he does well to put it off when he preaches.' And after they had asked me many questions, I asked one of them, Whether he was a believer in Jesus Christ or not 1 — He said, He was, and also in the apostles' doctrine. — Then I told him, He never read that either Christ or his apostle3 did enter into any religious assemblies, and disturb them, as he did us, except Paul, (alias Saul), before he knew the Lord Jesus, for which sin he afterwards calls himself the chief of sinners. So I bade him consider, and sat me down in the meeting, all being very still ; and in a little time James Dickinson kneeled down to prayer ; the Lord's heavenly power came over all, and the meeting ended sweetly.

In the year 1684, I and my said companion travelled through Lancashire and Cheshire into Wales, and had many blessed meetings both in North and South Wales ; in all which way no informer disturbed any of our meetings until we came to Redstone in Pembrokeshire, where a constable, with a wicked informer and several other persons came ; and as I preached the word of the Lord to the people, the informer laid rude hands on me and pulled me away. I spoke to him mildly, desiring him to let me speak a few words, and he did so : likewise the constable and those with him, sat down and staid about an hour, in which time I preached the way of salvation to them all. After which James Dickinson kneeled down to prayer, and the informer came to pull him up from his knees, but could not, he being in fervent prayer to the Lord : so the meeting ended in a sweet feeling of the Lord's glorious presence ; thanksgiving be unto Him who lives for ever and ever. Amen.

The said informer came and laid his hands on me next, saying, I must go with him ; — I asked, Whither? — He said, before a justice; — I asked for his warrant ; — he answered, He was a commission

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officer, and that I had nothing to do to ask him for a warrant. — Friends told him, it was but a civil question, at which he was very angry ; but no man then laid hands on us to take us away, so we fell into some friendly discourse. I was very pleasant, and easy in spirit ; and walking to and fro in discourse, one of the company said, I smiled, (which they admired at, we being likely to go to prison ;) — I answered, That I came in the true love of the Lord Jesus Christ to visit them, and had nothing but love and good-will to them all ; and turning to the informer, said to him, ' If thou was in a journey, as we are, and any man should ask thee to go with him before a justice of the peace, without the king's justice's warrant, thou would think it below thee, as a man, to go so.' — This being mildly spoken to him, he gave a sudden answer, saying, 1 To be sure I would.' — Then, said I, ' Consider our case whereupon, perceiving he had overshot himself, he rode away and left us.

We having appointed a meeting to be next day at Haverfordwest, went thither that night, and next morning to the meeting ; wherein after a little time, the glorious power of the Lord did shine, and that text of Holy Scripture [was opened,] " Then said these men, we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." — Dan. vi. 5. And [it was further remarked that] after they had prevailed with King Darius to sign a decree, whereby Daniel might be ensnared in performing his duty unto his God, this righteous man declined not his duty through fear of suffering, but was very bold as well as innocent, as appears in the tenth verse of the same chapter, viz., " Now, when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house ; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." This subject was preached to the people, as our case ; men having nothing against us, but for worshipping the Lord God of Daniel in his Holy Spirit, according to the institution of our blessed Lord and Saviour above sixteen hundred years ago ; and that in this glorious gospel time, we are to be very diligent and faithful to the Lord, to keep up our religious meetings, even in stormy times of persecution • referring to that of Daniel, who was blessed of the Lord for his faithfulness ; boldly declaring and affirming, that the Lord, whom we serve in the gospel of his Son, will reward all his faithful children and people ; instancing many proofs out of the Holy Scriptures. The aforesaid informer, and several priests, whereof his brother was one, together with some of the town officers, being at the outside of the house, and hearing these gospel truths preached, were very sober, and staid a great while. Then some of them said, 1 Let us pull them out of their meeting ;' but others said, ' No, by no means, for if this be the Quakers' doctrine, it is good and sound, we never heard the like, let them alone.' So [they] went away, and our meeting ended in prayer and thanksgiving to the great Lord of heaven and earth, who is worthy for ever and ever.

This informer fined Friends very much ; but the Lord, by one means or other, prevented their goods from being taken away, and lastly, by the death of King Charles the Second. After this, no informer troubled us in any meeting where I came, though we had many meetings to visit, as in Glamorganshire,

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Herefordshire, Radnorshire, Montgomeryshire, Shropshire and Flintshire ; in all which meetings we had blessed, sweet waterings and a confirming ministry; and Friends were glad in that the God of peace had rebuked the storm in those parts. Now my companion and I parted for the service' sake ; he went into Ireland, and I travelled northward, and had a prosperous journey through Cheshire, Lancashire and Westmoreland.

Friends at Great Strickland, not being suffered to meet at their usual meeting-place, met in the highway before the meeting-house door ; and the officers came when I was preaching the word of the Lord, but were very sober, and did not break up our meeting. From thence I came home, where my mother and family, with Friends and neighbours, were very glad to see me safe returned, in that stormy time.

After some stay at my outward employ about home, I found drawings to visit Friends in Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire, and had many blessed meetings, mostly peaceable, though the storm of persecution was not yet fully ended. I went into Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Oxford city, where I heard the scholars had been rude, and much abused Friends. I went into that city on a First-day morning, in great fear and humility, being a stranger to all Friends there, and sat me down in a corner of the meeting-house. Friends sat by the sides of the house, and left the middle empty for the rabble (as I thought). We having sat a little time, a Friend began to speak, and had spoken but a very few words before the scholars came in, in such abundance, that 1 supposed they filled the middle part of the house. The Friend sat down as soon as they came in ; and the meeting being in silence, they began to talk one to another, and spy out who would preach; and seeing me like a traveller, said, 'That in the corner;' looking rudely upon me ; and thus talking one to another for some time, the word of the Lord was strong in my heart to preach unto them. But I was first to say, ' Sit down young men, we shall be glad of your company so long as you are civil ;' which done, they all sat down, and began to listen earnestly what I would say. I preached the way to the kingdom of heaven to be in Jesus Christ, regeneration, and to be born again ; and that blessed Jesus taught this doctrine to Nicodemus, " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." — John iii. 3. And though he was a master or teacher in Israel, yet being carnally minded, he could not understand these things; neither can any carnally-minded men now know the things of God, " For no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." So those that preach against revelation, they preach against the true knowledge of the living God, and life eternal ; for our blessed Lord said, " This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." And this was in and by the Spirit and holy gift of his saving grace that brings salvation ; and so went on in preaching as it opened in me. The scholars went away quietly, and the meeting ended in prayer to Almighty God.

I went from Oxford to High Wycombe, and so to the city of London, where I staid some time, and had many blessed meetings amongst Friends ; several of w r hich meetings were held in the streets, where Friends were kept out of their meeting-houses, and the Lord's holy word was preached boldly in the streets of that city. Friends were then a lowly, humble-minded

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people, and the honour of the blessed Truth was precious to many.

From thence I travelled through some counties, in the way to Norwich, and had meetings amongst Friends ; and an honest Friend [was] with me, that is, Samuel Waldenfield,* who had the way of salvation to preach in the powerful word of life. We had very large meetings in Norwich, there being a great openness in the people of that city and many parts of the county, to receive the testimony of the Lord's Truth, it being a time of convincement. From thence I travelled to Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, and so northward to Cumberland, and had blessed meetings amongst Friends.

After I had settled some time to my outward employ in Cumberland, I went to meetings up and down in that county, and was moved of the Lord to visit Friends in Wales, and thence to Bristol, having a very sincere companion, William Greenup. We travelled together in great unity, and had many

* Samuel Waldenfield. was a Friend highly esteemed for his virtuous conversation and his religious services. He was born at Edmondsbury, in Suffolk, in the year 1652, and was convinced of the principles of Friends about the eighteenth year of his age. He soon afterwards received a gift in the ministry, in the exercise of which he was especially concerned to exhort to such a life and conversation as becomes our christian profession, being himself a bright example in this respect. He travelled as a minister in most of the counties of England, and more frequently in the eastern parts, also in Scotland, Ireland, Holland and Germany ; and his labours were made effectual to the convincement of many. He was also eminently serviceable in the discipline of the Society. In the year 1684, he married and settled in London, where he shared in the sufferings to which Friends were at that time exposed. A few years before his decease, he removed to Bush-hill, near Edmonton, where he died in the year 1715. — See Gouglis History of Friends, and Piety Promoted, part v.

powerful meetings in divers places ; the Lord's heavenly power did mightily break and tender the hearts of Friends ; and in the city of Bristol, they said, We came in the same power and plainness that those Friends did, who were the first instruments in turning them to God. It was a time of great humiliation and thankfulness to the Lord, both in Friends and [other] people, of whom some were convinced, and turned to God.

We went from Bristol into Wales again, and staid some time at Haverfordwest, and had many large and heavenly meetings ; thence took shipping together for Ireland, and came to Dublin, where we were gladly received by Friends. And after having travelled through all, or most parts of that nation, where Friends inhabited, and had many blessed meetings, we came to the half-year's meeting at Dublin, where we parted. William went home, and I travelled again into the north part of Ireland, and staid there some time amongst Friends ; so took shipping at Carrickfergus, and landed in Scotland, and had some blessed, heavenly meetings among Friends there. From thence I returned to Cumberland, the place of my nativity, where my relations and Friends were glad to see me well, upon my return from so long a journey, of about nine months' time. I staid here some time, working at my outward employment, and was also at many blessed meetings in this county.