in the apostles' days, was always only in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and not in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; which shows it was not from that command, Mat. xxviii. 19. for then they would have pursued these terms of institution; which they never did, by any thing I can find in all the Scrip

tures.

"Now, I say again, that if they are not Christians, who are not under the administration of water baptism, then you yourselves are no Christians, having been out of the practice, even of that water baptism, for many generations; inventing to yourselves sprinkling of infants, never commanded by Christ, nor practised by his apostles; which is no baptism at all, but rantism; and is an error from both the mode and subjects of baptism: and therefore you only profane and take in vain that holy Name, in which you exercise this your own invention."

"Upon this the priest was totally silent, though challenged three times before the company, to answer me on that subject if he could."*

Next morning I set forward for Cashel, where I met my companions, and a meeting was held, to which a great multitude of people came. The mayor of the town, with constables, &c. came by direction of the bishop of the place, and endeavoured to break up the meeting, but could

not succeed. From Cashel we went towards Cork, taking meetings in our way; and when we came there, William Penn went to see the lords justices, who had a very great friendship for him. The earl of Galloway, expressed his disapprobation of the bishop's conduct, in endeavouring to disturb the meeting.

We staid in Cork and those parts, having meetings there and in the country till the 19th of 6th month, and then we set sail from Cork, and landed at Minehead on the 21st in good health and in peace; for which we were thankful to the Lord, the giver of all our mercies. From thence we went to Bristol, where I lodged at William Penn's, and staid some weeks.

On the 5th of the 8th month I returned to London, preserved through all dangers, to the praise of Him who liveth and reigneth, and is worthy of all adoration and glory for ever and ever! Amen.

1698.

Section X.

His concern to visit America.-Goes with Roger Gill, 9th mo. 1698. Their voyage.-Travels in America, 1698 and 1699.Dispute on predestination—water baptism.

I now turn my face towards America, and think proper to go back in point of time, in order to relate how my concern for that part of the world began in me and increased.

In the year 1693, as I was riding alone one evening in Cumberland, the power of Divine Truth moved upon my mind, and my heart was greatly tendered before the Lord; and the word of the Lord opened in me, saying: "Behold my visitation cometh over the western parts of the world, towards the sun-setting in the time of winter." And I was greatly comforted in the words of his holiness.

From henceforward I was often tendered in spirit, in remembrance of the western world, in a sense of the love and visitation of God to a people there whom I had never seen; which was more and more renewed and settled upon my mind, in frequent tenderings and brokenness of heart, under the influence of the Divine pre1698. 1 6

sence; but hitherto I knew not that the call of the Lord was to me to visit those parts.

And in the time of the Yearly Meeting at London, in 1695, Aaron Atkinson being concerned in prayer, among other petitions to the Lord, prayed for the western countries and places beyond the seas, "that the Lord would please to send forth his ministers, in the power of his Word, to publish the day of glad tidings more and more among them : upon which the power of Divine Life moved sensibly in my heart; and the concern, secretly begotten in my soul, now began to answer and appear; and after that, great heaviness and fear came

over me.

The same day after the meeting, several Cumberland Friends and others being together, upon occasion of mentioning some of those countries. by one of the company, the Word of Life moved powerfully in my soul, with open assurance of the call of the Lord to me, to visit some of the American countries; but though I was exceedingly broken, to the tendering also of most of the Friends there, yet I was silent as to the particu lar matter, being willing to conceal it as long as I could, since no time was then opened when I should move forward therein; and being young and weak in the exercise of the ministry; and having no opinion of my own abilities of any

kind, I urged it before the Lord as a reasonable plea, as I thought, against it at that time.

On my return from Ireland to London, I entered into some writing business, but before the year ended I suffered much in spirit, for it was no less than life, and leaving all that was near and dear in this world; yet finding my concern to remain and increase, I yielded at length in the secret of my mind, to answer the call of the Lord to that part of the world.

And here it may be regular to mention my companion Roger Gill, who, some time in the 1st month of this year 1698, having informed me that he was under the like concern to visit America, we at length concluded to go together; and having made known our concern to the brethren at the morning meeting in London, they encouraged us; and provision being made, both by the body of Friends, and many particulars, of every thing needful for our voyage and journey, on the 10th of the 9th month 1698, we went on board near Deptford, in the river Thames, accompanied by several of our dear Friends and brethren, viz. John Field, John Butcher, Robert Atkinson, and several others; and soon after came to us William Penn, and Joseph Wyeth. And being together in the great cabin, the good presence of the Lord commanded deep inward silence before Him, and