The author of this extract was one who had denied the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ; but having been previously, convinced of his error, he came to our quarterly meeting, and the Lord struck him with such a sense of his sin, and with such power that he fell to the floor, and lay as one dead for near or quite the space of one hour; and when he came to, he praised God for his deliverance. Next morning he burnt all his romantic books, and amongst them Paine's Age of Reason ;* and sent for a barber and had his hair cut short, having formerly worn it long:--He joined class, and now stands in a fair way for the kingdom of God.

At this quarterly meeting we had a very powerful time: the slain fell down before the Lord like Dagon before the ark. Some professed justification, and others that God had deepened the work of religion in their souls, by giving them sanctifying grace.The flame spread round the circuit, and many were brought to the knowledge of God. A great revival took place in the

* Rather, his abominable book of infidelity; or ob. scene, ludicrous, sophistical logic, in contempt of religion, and support of profanity and licentiousness.And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies: and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his ta

macle, and them that dwell in heaven: Rev. xiii. 5, 6.

town, and it was kept up for the space of near or quite six months, and many were brought to the knowledge of the truth in that little town; for which my soul adores the God and Rock of my salvation.

In one of our meetings I observed a quaker young woman, in the time of meeting, gazing among the slain which lay all around her perceiving her to be unconcerned, and insensible of her own state, I told her that she ought to pray for her own soul's happiness looking her right in the face, I began to pray for her with all the power that God had given me ;-and I called upon all in the house to do likewise. I soon perceived that she could not stand the pow er of prayer; she hung down her head, and made for the door; but the crowd being so great, she could not hastily get out of the house-observing this, I cried to God to pursue her by the energy of his Spirit, through the streets ;-to pursue her in the parlour, in the kitchen, and in the garden; -to pursue her in the silent watches of the night, and to shew her the state of the damned in hell; to give her no rest day nor night, until she found rest in the wounds of a blessed Redeemer! Three days after, as she was walking in the garden, God set all her sins in an alarming manner before her eyes-she went into the house, and told her mother that she had done enough

to condemn her soul for ever; even for disobedience to her, she might be condemned; but, said she, “I have found a people that serve God, and I am determined to go amongst them." Her mother said, before she should go among them, she would break every bone in her skin. "Well, (said she) I am determined to save my soul; but in every other thing to obey you as a child." Upon this, there came in an old friend, and he strove to persuade her to remain among the friends; but she told him that she was determined to give diligence to save her soul. Accordingly, she went to a prayermeeting, where the Lord broke in upon her soul with power-she joined class, and became very bold in the cause of God, bearing the cross of Christ, and praying in meetings appointed for that purpose; and she stands fair for the kingdom of God. Some time after, she came to see me, and told me how angry she was at me when I prayed for her as above related ;-but now, said she, I thank God that I ever saw thy face, notwithstanding my trials from my friends are very great. I told her, that if she was faithful she might conquer or win them all; and exhorted her to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ had made her free.

[N. B. Here the account which Mr. Abbott gave of himself, in his manuscript, ends.]

NARRATIVE

OF THE

LIFE AND DEATH

OF THE

REV. BENJAMIN ABBOTT.

BY JOHNRTH. Esa.

TH

THIS eminent servant of Christ was born in the year of our Lord 1732: as he grew in years, he grew in vice; and being a stout strong man, and of a good constitution, few men were able to contend with him in bodily strength. Being naturally fond of company and strong drink, it often led him into vice and bad company; where, if any affront or insult were offered him, he seldom failed to deal out blows in a very heavy and plentiful manner to the agressor. Yet I never understood that he ever beat or abused a civil man. However, he took great delight in fighting, and frequently attended fairs, and other publie places, in order to meet with those of his own disposition. At other times he worked hard, and got a comfortable living for

his family, and supported the character of an honest man; and as far as I ever heard, made a good husband and a kind parent. In his most wicked days, he considered it beneath the dignity of a man to use his wife or children ill.

He continued in this scene of life until the fortieth year of his age, when the Lord, in his infinite mercy, met with him in the power and energy of his Spirit, and convinced him of his undone and fallen state. He sought God; and, after many painful conflicts of soul, he found peaec and pardon on the 12th day of October 1772. In commemoration of his conversion to God, he annually kept the 12th day of October unto the Lord, in fasting, prayer, and thanksgiving, until the day of his death.

Shortly after his conversion, he was called of God to labour in his vineyard, in which he conferred not with flesh and blood; but, like St. Paul, he immediately preached Christ, and him crucified; shewing, that the grace of God abounded to the chief of sinners: in delivering the everlasting truths of the gospel, he was above the fear of men or devils. He was neither elevated by applause, nor yet dejected by persecution; and whether he was called a good man or a devil, it was of the least importance to him. His chief concern ap