meeting beyond Charlemount, and then went

SECTION XXVIII.

to Toberhead, in the county of Londonderry, In several meetings, both National and Provin

and had a meeting, to which Friends came from other meetings, and were well refreshed in the Lord Jesus Christ. We then went to Grange, in the county of Antrim, and staid a meeting with Friends, and from thence to the town of Antrim, and had one there.

The Province Meeting for Ulster began there on the next day, and held part of two days in worship and discipline; from thence we went to Lurgan, and so to Monallen, and had a meeting, where most of the ancient Friends came, and were well refreshed in the Lord, and one in another. After this meeting we went to see Archibald Bell, he being very old and feeble, and having walked in the truth many years; and the next day went to the meeting at Richard Boyes', and so to Lisburn; we were with Friends at their meeting there, and then to a meeting at Hilsborough. In all of them the testimony of truth was largely declared, and many deep mysteries in the doctrine of Christ's kingdom were opened, in the demonstration of the spirit and power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

After this meeting we went to Tobias Courtney's, and lodged there one night, and on the next day to Lurgan, where we had a very large and full meeting of Friends and other people. On the day following, being the firstday of the week, the Lord's power was mightily with us, and many heavenly mysteries were opened in the doctrine of the everlasting Gospel of Christ Jesus, to the tendering and refreshing of many hearts, and to the breaking down of the strong holds of the man of sin. When this great meeting was over, we had gone through our intended service in the province of Ulster, except visiting one small meeting, which lay some miles remote; and I being much spent, and having also got cold, was willing to rest one day, before I took my journey to Dublin. My companion, George Rooke, answered the service of that meeting, and by appointment I met him at Newry, where we had the company of many honest, tender Friends, who were going to Dublin to our National Half-year's Meeting, which was then at hand.

cial, he was earnest to have marriage, which is God's ordinance, both begun and accomplished in God's counsel.

WE all went to Dublin, and on the day following, being the seventh-day of the week, and 8th day of the ninth month, 1707, our National Half-year's Meeting began, and many Friends were there from several parts of the nation; also accounts were given of the affairs of truth, and concern of Friends for its prosperity. The meeting held part of four days, in the public worship of God and meetings for church discipline. When it was over I returned home; and the Quarterly Meeting for Leinster province being shortly after at Mount-melick, accounts were brought from the several Monthly Meetings in the province, how church discipline was kept up, and a holy and zealous concern was on Friends, that marriage, which is God's holy ordinance, might be proceeded in and performed according to his holy will, that therein his joining might be known, so that those who give and take in marriage, may do it in God's fear and counsel, and not for riches and worldly ends, for this is contrary to the ordinance of God in marriage, which is honourable in itself, being uncorrupted; and truth must and will regulate the violation thereof.

Some time after this, the aforesaid concern of marriage was closely spoken to in our Monthly Meeting for church affairs at Mountmelick. Our Six-weeks' Meeting for Leinster province being appointed to be at Athy, it was upon my spirit to be there, and to visit some meetings of Friends thereaway; and though it was cold winter, the days short, foul weather, the ways very deep, and my body aged, yet I doubted not the Lord's assistance to give ability to perform this service, as he had at many other times done for me in great difficulties and dangers. So in the faith of Jesus I went thither, where was a pretty large gathering of weighty Friends and elders; and after some time spent in worshipping God, we went to our service in church affairs, men and women apart, in the sense of the Lord's goodThe next day we all went to Garland's ness. Several matters relating to Gospel town to lodge that night, and had a meeting order and discipline in the church of Jesus there in the evening, the inn-keeper being very Christ were closely discoursed, and several courteous and willing to let us have room to couples presenting themselves at that meetmeet in. We then went to Drogheda; seve-ing, declaring their intentions of marriage ral Friends from Dublin met us, and we had with each other, it gave occasion for a large a meeting there; the testimony of truth was discourse on that great ordinance of marset over the unfaithfulness of some inhabit-riage, as it was instituted by God; and a ants in that town, who professed the blessed weighty concern was upon my spirit, to press spotless truth. all Friends concerned in giving or taking in

1711. Our Quarterly Meeting for Leinster being appointed at Castledermot, having some drawings upon my spirit, I went thither, and afterwards to our National Half-year's MeetSome weeks after the Province Meeting for ing at Dublin; in both which the Lord Munster being appointed at Limerick, and I strengthened me in the service of his blessed having a concern upon my spirit to be there, truth, in doctrine and church discipline, and took my journey, accompanied by Ralph Ste- the power of the Lord, in his testimony, was phenson and my son Tryal. We went to over all. When the service of these large Birr, and staid a meeting with Friends; and and heavenly meetings was over, finding myon the day following I went to Limerick, and self unable to endure long journeys, I was attended the Province Meeting there, which content to rest in the will of God, who had held part of two days. The Lord strength-lengthened my time to old age, and done great ened me mightily in the performance of this journey and service; everlasting praises to his great name.

next day to Cork, and had two large meet- the Lord's blessed power enabled me to perings on the first-day of the week. From form the part committed to me, both in docthence we went to Bandon, and so returned to trine and discipline, to his praise and my Cork; and then came to Youghal, and had a comfort. Here I took my leave of Friends, meeting in each place. Friends showed great never expecting to see their faces any more gladness to see me once more among them, in that place. When the service of that and we were sweetly refreshed in the Lord great meeting was over, which held about Jesus Christ, and one in another; for the three days, in the worship of God and church Lord's refreshing goodness went along in that discipline, I went to my own house, in comvisit, and I had many sweet comfortable op-pany of my son, Tryal Edmundson, and portunities with Friends who came to see me, Richard Eves, and found my body could not besides public meetings. endure to travel, being now near eighty-five years old.

At Youghal we parted with Friends in the tendering power of the Lord Jesus Christ, who filled our hearts with his goodness, and went to Kilcommonbeg, and had a meeting at Joshua Fennell's house with Friends of that

quarter: then we went to James Russel's, about three miles from the town of Tipperary, and had a meeting with Friends of that part; here George Rooke from Dublin met me, and we rode to Clonmel, and had a meeting, to which several Friends came, who were going to Munster Province Meeting at Waterford.

We went in company with them, and alighted at Carrick at an inn, to refresh ourselves and horses: soon after which I was taken with violent pains, excessive vomiting and shaking of my whole body, so that it shook the bed I lay upon, and I was not fit to travel that day nor the next. After two days' rest I found myself much easier; and on considering the matter, I found freedom in my spirit to return homeward. This journey was above two hundred miles, and I was then about eighty-three years of age.

SECTION XXX.

A SUPPLEMENT,

Containing several weighty expressions of WIL

LIAM EDMUNDSON on his death bed, with a brief account of his death and burial.

THIS worthy elder, after his return home, attended meetings thereaway, whilst of ability of body; also read over his journal and other papers, and on the day before he took his bed, was at a burial near his own dwelling, where he bore a living testimony to Friends and neighbours present, advising all to make ready for such a time as that, viz. death; and exhorting the young people to beware of pride and height; which testimony, though short, was very reaching, a good power attending, and he concluded in sweet and fervent prayer to the Lord.

Next day, being the 2nd of the sixth month, a few hours after he had finished the reading of his writings for truth's service, he took his bed of the illness whereof he died, and said he was willing to die, and well satisfied to go out of this troublesome world, for his day's work was finished.

When I had rested some time, and kept to our meetings for the worship of God, I found my body something better, and able to travel short journies in truth's service; and Leinster Province Meeting being at Castledermot, I On the 4th of the said month he said to went thither. I also went to our National Friends present, I find my legs fail me, and Half-year's Meeting at Dublin, in the ninth it is tedious to die upward-desiring the Lord month, and was enabled to answer the ser- would make his passage easy. He requested vice required of me, the Lord's power being that his will might be performed, and the subeminently manifested for carrying on his stance of his journal no way altered. And great work of a complete reformation in the soon after said, "Lord Jesus Christ, thou great church of Christ, and maintaining his testi- Physician, who canst cure me, look upon me: mony both in doctrine and discipline. When I had rather die than live." That night being that meeting's service was over I returned to very ill and full of pain, he was desirous to my house, and kept to our meetings, as usu- go to bed, and when helped towards it, he ally I had done, but found my body grow kneeled down at the bed-side, and was enabled weaker and weaker, yet my understanding in the midst of his extremity to call upon God, sound. to the comfort and satisfaction of Friends Our next National Half-year's Meeting be-present, beseeching the Lord to abate in some ginning the 8th day of the third month, 1712, measure the bitterness of the pain that lay on I found some drawings upon my spirit to be him, which in a great degree was answered. there, and in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ I went, and the service of truth was carried on in great peace and concord; and

He got little sleep that night, yet he lay for the most part pretty easy and quiet; and towards morning, being in a very tender frame

of spirit, he was truly thankful to God for his mercy and goodness, and did bless, praise and magnify his great name for the same, desiring those present to praise the Lord also on

his behalf.

On the evening of the 10th, being in a heavenly frame of mind, discernible to those near him, he spoke thus: "heaven and earth, sea and dry land, and all things shall be shaken; nothing must stand, but what is acOn the 5th day of the month, some Friends cording to the will of God: so look to it being in the room, sitting quietly by him, he Friends." And some time after; "I lie here desired their prayers for him, for he was weak under pain, and would fain be removed; but and not able to undergo much. Soon after I am like one that pursues death, and it flees he got a little sleep, and when he awoke, be- from me, although I see not wherefore my sought the Lord to this effect: "forget not thy time should be prolonged, my natural parts wonted mercies, but mitigate these pains, if it being decayed; neither do I see anything be thy will, and stand not at a distance in this left undone, which the Lord required of me, time of need: I pray thee, O Lord! Touch, when I had strength and ability, or that the one touch with thy finger, and cure all." A Lord chargeth me with any neglect or translittle after he ordered where his grave should be made, and gave some advice and charges to his children.

On the 6th, he expressed to some Friends his concern and trouble of mind, because of the pride and height that young people were gone into, far wide from the humility and plainness that truth led Friends into in the beginning; and said, one examples another therein; his spirit seeming burthened under a sense thereof. On going to bed, he renewed his supplication to the Lord, not to forget his wonted kindness towards him.

gression."

On the 18th, as he lay, he spoke thus to some present; "I have something to say to you, if you have ears to hear it; the spirit of vanity is let loose, the Lord suffers it, and it is like to make a separation." At another time he said to some intimate Friends present: "there are wonderful things to be done, the Lord hath a mighty work to do, that must be gone through, and there be few that see through it."

Several other weighty expressions dropped from the mouth of our dear, ancient Friend in the time of his sickness, some of which are inserted in the testimonies given forth by Friends, who visited him near his end, and were eye and ear witnesses thereof.

On the 7th he said to his wife, "I am now clear of the world and the things of it." To Friends who came to visit him that afternoon, he said, "Friends, you would do well to retire to the Lord." After a time of silent waiting, Though many of his last sayings were not he prayed fervently to God to their great committed to writing, yet what is here colcomfort; and though the extremity of his dis- lected may demonstrate his zeal for the glory temper was great, yet he bore it patiently. of God and welfare of Sion to his latter end. Friends from several parts coming to see him, After about one month's sickness and pain of he frequently declared his zealous concern for body, which was sharp to bear at times, havtruth's prosperity, and the promotion of its ing run the race with patience, and kept the government in the churches of Christ, that faith, he departed this life in sweet peace with not only those who were peculiarly concerned the Lord, in unity with his brethren, and goodas elders in the discipline and oversight of the will to all men, the 31st day of the sixth church, should be rightly qualified and gifted month, 1712, being nearly eighty-five years for that service-men of truth, fearing God old, and was buried the 4th day of the and hating covetousness; but also that all seventh month following, in Friends' buryingwho were admitted into close communion, as place at Tineel, near his late dwelling-place, members of men's and women's meetings, accompanied to the grave by many Friends should be subject to truth, and walk agreeably and others from several parts, where divers thereto in the whole course of their conversa- testimonies were borne, from a lively sense tion. When such came to visit him, who had of his manifold services, perils and labours not been subject to those wholesome rules, es- of love, both in this nation and islands tablished in the church for good order and abroad; after which his body was decently discipline, he did not spare to admonish and interred, but his memorial lives among the reprove them in the authority of truth for righteous.

their good.

VoL. I.No. 5.

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