Journal of a Voyage from Gibraltar to Georgia, Journal 3 · Part 17 – Part 19
CARDIFF.
Wedneſday, March 8. Aroſe before twelve … Night, ſung Pſalms, and prayed; and the Wind being fair, we had a ſpeedy Paſſage over … the Welch Shore. Our Buſineſs being in …aste, GOD having of his good Providence, ſent … to guide us, we rode all Night, ſtopped at Newport to refreſh ourſelves, where we met with two Friends, and reached Cardiff about eleven. in the Morning.
The Town, I ſoon found, was apprehenſive of my coming; and therefore, whilſt I was giving a Word of Exhortation to ſome poor People at the Inn, who hanged upon me to hear the Word, Mr. Seward went to aſk for the Pulpit? but being denied, we pitched on the Town-Hall, which Mr. Seward got by his Intereſt; and at four in the Afternoon, I preached from the Judges Seat to about four hundred Hearers. Moſt were very attentive; but ſome mocked: However, I offered JESUS CHRIST freely even to them, and ſhould have rejoyced if they would have accepted of him; but their fooliſh Hearts were hardned. LORD, make them Monuments of thy free Grace.
After I came from the Seat, I was much refreſhed with the Sight of my dear Brother Howel Harris; whom, though I knew not in Perſon, I have long ſince loved in the Bowels of JESUS CHRIST, and have often felt my Soul drawn out in Prayer in his Behalf.
A burning and ſhining Light has he been in thoſe Parts; a Barrier againſt Prophaneneſs and Immorality, and an indefatigable Promoter of the true Goſpel of JESUS CHRIST. About three or four Years GOD has inclined him to go about doing good. He is now above Twenty five Years of Age. Twice he has applied (being every Way qualified) for holy Orders; but was refuſed, under a falſe Pretence, that he was not of Age, though he was then Twenty-two Years and ſix Months. About a Month ago he offered himſelf again, but was put off. Upon this, he was, and is ſtill reſolved to go on in his Work; and indefatigable Zeal has he ſhewn in his Maſter's Service. For theſe three Years (as he told me from his own Mouth) he has diſcourſed almoſt twice every Day for three or four Hours together; not authoritatively, as a Miniſter; but as a private Perſon, exhorting his Chriſtian Brethren. He has been, I think, in ſeven Counties, and has made it his Buſineſs to go to Wakes, &c. to turn People from ſuch lying Vanities. Many Ale-houſe People, Fidlers, Harpers, &c. (Demetrius like) ſadly cry out againſt him for ſpoiling their Buſineſs. He has been made the Subject of Numbers of Sermons, has been threatned with publick Proſecutions, and had Conſtables ſent to apprehend him. But GOD has bleſſed him with inflexible Courage: Inſtantaneous Strength has been communicated to him from above; and he ſtill continues to go on from conquering to conquer. He is of a moſt Catholic Spirit, loves all that love our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and therefore he is ſtiled by Bigots, a Diſſenter. He is contemned by all that are Lovers of Pleaſure more than Lovers of GOD▪ but GOD has greatly bleſſed his pious Endeav…rs. Many call, and own him as their ſpiritual Father, and, I believe, would lay down their Lives for his Sake. He diſcourſes generally in a Field; but at other Times in a Houſe, from a Wall, a Table, or any Thing elſe. He has eſtabliſhed near thirty Societies in South-Wales, and ſtill his Sphere of Action is enlarged daily. He is full of Faith, and the Holy Ghoſt.
When I firſt ſaw him, my Heart was knit cloſely to him. I wanted to catch ſome of his Fire, and gave him the right Hand of Fellowſhip with my whole Heart. After I had ſaluted him, and given a warm Exhortation to a great Number of People, who followed me to the Inn, we ſpent the Remainder of the Evening in taking ſweet Counſel together, and telling one another what GOD had done for our Souls. My Heart was ſtill drawn out towards him more and more. A divine and ſtrong Sympathy ſeemed to be between us, and I was reſolved to promote his Intereſt with all my Might. Accordingly we took an Account of the ſeveral Societies, and agreed on ſuch Meaſures as ſeemed moſt conducive to promote the common Intereſt of our Lord. Bleſſed be GOD, there ſeems to be a noble Spirit gone out into Wales; and I believe, e'er long there will be more viſible Fruits of it. What inclines me ſtrongly to think ſo is, that the Partition Wall of Bigotry and Party Zeal is broken down, and Miniſters and Teachers of different Communions, joyn with one Heart and one Mind to carry on the Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST. — The LORD make all the Chriſtian World thus minded. For till this is done, I fear, we muſt deſpair of any great Reformation in the Church of GOD. — After much comfortable and encouraging Diſcourſe with each other, we kneeled down and prayed, and great Enlargement of Heart GOD was pleaſed to give me in that Duty.
This done, we eat a little Supper, and then, after ſinging a Hymn, we went to Bed, praiſing and bleſſing GOD, for bringing us Face to Face. I doubt not but Satan envied our Happineſs. But, I hope, by the Help of GOD we ſhall make his Kingdom ſhake. GOD loves to do great Things by weak Inſtruments, that the Power may be of GOD, and not of Man.
Thurſday, March 9. Was much refreſhed by laſt Night's Reſt, and ſpent the Beginning of the Morning in Prayer and private Diſcourſe with the Members of the Religious Society. About ten, according to Appointment, I went to the Town-hall, and preached for about an Hour and a Half to a large Aſſembly of People. My dear Brother Howel Harris ſat cloſe by me. I did not obſerve any S…off…rs within; but without, ſome were pleaſed to honour me ſo …, as to trail a dead Fox, and hunt it about the Hall. — But, bleſſed be GOD my Voice prevailed. GOD gave me great Strength, and I could have have heartily wiſhed all ſuch Scoffers had been preſent, that I might have offered them Salvation through JESUS CHRIST. This being done, I went, with many of my Hearers, amongſt whom were two worthy diſſenting Miniſters, and my Brother Howel Harris, to public Worſhip; and in the ſecond Leſſon were theſe remarkable Words, And the High Prieſts, and the Scribes, and the Chief of the People ſought to deſtroy him, but they could not find what they might do to him: For all the People were attentive to hear him.
In the Afternoon, about four of the Clock▪ I preached again to the People without any Scoffing or Diſturbance. And at ſix in the Evening, I talked for above an Hour and a half, and prayed with the religious Society, whoſe Room was quite thronged. Indeed GOD was with us of a Truth. I think I never ſpoke with greater Freedom and Power, and never ſaw a Congregation more melted down. The Love of JESUS CHRIST touched them to the quick; moſt of them were diſſolved into Tears, and ſeemed to have their Hearts perfectly knit towards me. Afterwards, they came to me weeping, bidding me farew…l, and wiſhing I was to continue with them longer. — Indeed th…ir L…e and undiſſembled Simplicity affected me much. My Bowels yearned towards them; I wreſ…led with GOD in Prayer for them, and bleſſed … holy Name for ſending me into Wales. I hope theſe are the firſt Fruits of a greater Harveſt, if ever it ſhould pleaſe GOD to bring me back fro… Georgia. Father, thy Will be done.
NEWPORT in WALES.
Friday, March 9. Left Cardiff about ſix in the Morning, and reached Newport about ten, where many came from Pontypo…l, and other Parts, on purpoſe to hear me. The Miniſter being asked, and readily granting us the Pulpit, I preached with great Power to about a thouſand People; and then, with my Brother H…wel Harris, Seward, &c. we went rejoycing, and bleſſing GOD for opening an effectual Door by the Way. I think Wales is excellently well prepared for the Goſpel of Chriſt. They have many burning and ſhining Lights both among the Diſſenting and Church Miniſters, amongſt whom Mr. Griffith Jones ſhines in particular. No leſs than fifty Charity Schools have been erected by his Means, without any ſettled viſible Fund, and freſh ones are ſetting up every Day. People make nothing of coming twenty Miles to h…r a Sermon, and great Numbers there are who have not only been Hearers, but Doers alſo of …he Word; ſo that there is a moſt comfortable Proſpect of the ſpreading of the Goſpel in Wales. I really believe there are ſome now living, which ſhall not taſte of Death till they ſee the Kingdom of GOD come with Power.
BRISTOL.
Saturday; March 10. Got ſafe to Briſtol with my dear Fellow Travellers about eleven at Night. Preached in the Morning at Newgat…, and in the Afternoon on the Poor-houſe Steps. The Hearers were much affected, and melted into Tears.
Sunday, March 11. Had a whole Room full of People come to hear me at ſix in the Morning, with whom I prayed and ſung Pſalms for, … an Hour. Then I read Prayers, and preached at Newgate. Afterwards went to Ha…am Mount, where was near a third Part as many again as laſt Sunday; and at four in the Afternoon, preached, as uſual, on the Mount at Roſe-green. The Congregation was not quite ſo large as before, on account of the Coldneſs of the Weather▪ but GOD was pleaſed to withhold the … and Hail whilſt I was ſpeaking, and we collected Ten Pounds for the Orphan-houſe. Bleſſed be GOD my Strength increaſes. Satan has been very quiet this Week paſt, and GOD has poured much Comfort into my Soul; ſo …hat I muſt prepare for freſh Trials. O my dear … that I may put on the whole … of GO…, that I may withſtand all the … of the Devil.