peared to me the devil was behind me in the waggon with his hand just over my head, threatening to take me away both soul and body. I cannot express my feelings at that time; my hair arose on my head through fear. I was afraid to look back, lest I should visibly see him. In this deplorable condition I returned home; when I got into the house I dared not go outside of the door, for fear the devil would take me away. My wife saw that something was the matter with me, and enquired what it was; for, said she, “You look like death," I was constrained to turn from her and weep, for I expected she knew my condition, as she had been a member of the presbyterian church for many years, and was a praying woman. Bedtime being come, I told her I should sleep by myself; when I lay down, and fell into a doze, my mind was filled with awful apparitions. I thought I saw devils ready to take me, hell open ready to receive me; and that I was rolling, bed and all, into the flames, while other huge devils stood ready to receive me. Then I would suddenly awake in the greatest distress imaginable, and so I continued during the night. Next morning, being the 9th of October, 1772, having a piece of grass to cut, I arose and went to it; as soon as I began to mow I

was taken with fainting fits, and it seemed to me that the earth would open and swallow me up, while my troubled heart beat so loud that I could hear the strokes, and could compare it to two men a boxing, or threshing, more than like its usual motion. It occurred to my mind, What is all the world to me; I shall be dead and damned before the setting sun. This caused me to lay down my scythe, while I stood weeping for my sins; but alas! all in vain. I still grew worse, and went back to the house under great distress, where I read some hymns that I had in a book, of the sufferings of our blessed Lord and Saviour. Here my heart was tendered, and I could weep freely, until my very cheeks were sore with wiping them. It was pressed upon me to pray, and perhaps the Lord would have mercy upon me. I endeavoured to comply with the impression, and went to a lonely place and kneeled down to pray; but the devil suggested to my mind that there was somebody hid in the woods, and they would laugh at me, so I arose and looked all round for them, but could see no one, yet I dared not pray there. However, I went to the other end of my field, and kneeled down again; here the enemy suggested the same thing, but the Lord gave me strength to pray, it being the first time

I ever prayed with a vocal voice. My prayer was not like the pharisee, but like the poor publican, I cried, “ God be merciful to me a sinner!" God have mercy on me! I believe I might have been heard half a mile; my distress was not so great when I arose from prayer as when I kneeled; for I believe I could not have continued in the body, if God had not moderated the pain and anxiety that I was in, but must have expired before the going down of the sun. Glory to God, I felt my distress somewhat removed! I then returned to the house and sat down to dinner, but my soul was still in so great distress that I could not eat; although I put food into my mouth and chewed it, yet I could not swallow it; so in as private a manner as possible, that my wife should not discover my anxiety, I threw it to the dog, and asked her if she would go with me to meeting, as a metho dist preacher was to preach in the neighbourhood that afternoon; she agreed, and' we went. When we got there, the people not being assembled, I retired into the woods to pray, and get in among the boughs of a fallen tree, and then in the ut most anguish of my soul I cried unto God for mercy, so loud, that the people at the house heard me. After this I felt some thing easier, but still had no peace. Ither

went to one of the near neighbours, and advised them to go with me and hear the preacher, whom I spake so highly of, that they all went. When we got there the preacher had come, and there was a large concourse assembled; a great many more than could get into the house. I went in, sat down and took my little son upon my knee--the preacher began soon after. His word was attended with such power that it ran through me from head to foot, and I shook and trembled like Belshazzar, and felt that I should cry out if I did not leave the house, which I determined to do, that I might not expose myself by crying out among the people; but when I attempted to put my little son down and rise to go, I found that my strength had failed me, and the use of my limbs was so far gone that I was utterly unable to rise. Immediately I eried aloud, like the penitent of old, Save, Lord, or I perish-But before the preacher concluded, I refrained and wiped my eyes; my heart gave way to shame, and I was tempted to wish I was dead or could die, as had so exposed myself that my neighbours and acquaintance would laugh at and despise me. When meeting was over I thought to speak to the preacher, but such a crowd got round him, disputing points of doctrine, that I could not conveniently get

an opportunity. That evening I set up family prayer, it being the first time I ever had attempted to pray in my family. My wife being a strict presbyterian and professor of religion, she was a praying woman, and much pleased with having family prayer; so that she proved a great help to me, and endeavoured to encourage me in my duty; although, dear creature, at that time she knew nothing of experimental religion.

Saturday, 10th of October, 1772, my distress continued, although not so great as the day before.

Sunday 11th, my wife and I went eleven or twelve miles to meeting, in order to hear the same methodist preacher again. When we arrived at the place, the preacher was walking across a field; I went and related to him my distress of soul, and told him that I had a desire to be baptized, hoping it would be of service to make me better, and relieve me of my distress; for I had no idea of faith in Christ. He asked me if I was a quaker. I told him no, I was nothing but a poor, wretched, condemned sinner. He then exhorted me to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and applied the promises of the gospel; I replied. I could not believe that Christ would have mercy on such a sinner as I was, and burst into a