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Page 44

had a prayer meeting, and much people came  up from the villages round about , and continued till six o'clock.  I preached from Luke ii. 14. here I stood astonished to hear the shout of the people, and the groans of poor sinners, God's word went as a two edged sword, and poor sinners were slain.  I concluded the discourse, and came out, leaving several of them lying on the floor stretched out as though they were dead.  I went immediately to bed, in order to get me some rest, and awoke about two o'clock, finding the people were still in the meeting, and continued till four o'clock before they left the meeting.

    On the 27th of December I was informed in the morning by one of the elders, that God had begun the good work in the chapel among the precious souls, that two of them were set at perfect liberty.  At half after ten I preached from Psalm lxxiii. ver. I. and in the evening from the same Psalm, the 24th and 25th verses, where there was much out-pouring of God's spirit.  Here I went form house to house, meeting the classes, confirming the people, and preparing myself for the journey.  We kept a watch night, watched the old year out, and the new year in; we had a happy time, for God was in the midst of us, for there was one soul born with the new year, and I believe two at Mr. Wesley's meeting.  We kept a covenant night on the 1st of January, and so did they; we administered the sacrament again this night, but they had nobody to give it to them, for a great many of them came and begged to be partakers with us, and were admitted.  Here I stayed till the 9th of January, and had a love-feast on that night with Mr. Wesley's people, and had a very happy time with them, after which I commended them to God in love.
    In the morning at five, being the 10th, I preached in my own chapel, to a very crowded congregation

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of both chapels, from St. John xivth chap. and 27th verse; after which I departed for Jordan River, but when I came as far as Shelburn, the water prevented me from going any farther that evening, and I preached there to a large congregation, and on the 11th we set off for Jordan River.  We arrived there at ten o'clock, and were there till eleven before we could get over the ferry, and then were obliged to pawn a jacket.  However, by the help of God we got over, and a snow storm overtook us in the wood, which was so violent, and fell so thick, that we lost our way; just before the sun sat, we came up with an Indian, and he put us in the way:  so we got to Green's Harbour about seven o'clock.  Being very tired, traveling that day through the snow, which was three and four feet deep, which rendered me incapable of preaching on the 12th.

    On the 13th, a large body of people gathered together; I was enabled to set up, and preached from the two first verses of the lxxviii Psalm, when the Lord was pleased to bless his word with a divine power to the hearts of the people.  Here I was not able to preach any more until the 23rd, when the Lord was pleased to strengthen me so that I was enabled to preach on the 24th, from the xxxviith chapter of Job, and 7th verse.  And on the 25th, through much weakness I reached as far as Ragged Island, and was not able to preach for two days; but on the 28th I preached to a large body of people from the second epistle of Peter, chap. ii. and 9th verse, where we had much of the presence of God.  Here I stayed four days, and was not able to preach, but kept my bed part of the time. 

    On the 3rd of February I was enabled to preach from the xiiith chapter of Hebrews, verse the 7th, to a large concourse of people, and the people had much

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much rejoicing.  In the evening I was permitted to preach again from Hebrews the xiiith chapter, and 14th verse, where I had remarkable liberty in speaking, though weak, and felt a great desire and eagerness to leave this body, and then was not able to preach any more, until the 14th, and was much persuaded by the people to return home, or not to travel.

    On the 15th I preached in the evening, from the xiith chapter of St. Paul's second epistle to the Cor. the latter clause of the 10th verse.  On the 16th we went over from Ragged Island, to young Mr. Matthews; there I abode till the 19th.  Not being able to preach, on the 20th I set off for Little Harbour about nine o'clock.  We arrived there about two, being not able to walk very fast, and accompanied with a  few of the people from Ragged Island.  Finding myself incapable of preaching.  I was persuaded by the people not to travel, nor preach any more, until I was better; so I kept my bed from the 20th of February to the 27th.  I had a great many people coming in to see me from every quarter, which kept me talking to them, which made me much weaker than I should otherwise have been, and by this time the news had got far and near that I was dead.

    On the 28th, I was able to walk across the floor, and found a willingness to speak unto the people, but was prevented, and sickness continued increasing till the 6th of March; and here I said with Job although he slay me, yet I will trust him; and with David, I can say that sickness was good unto me, for it was sanctified to my soul.  Although the people did all that they could, and have the best attendance that laid in their power, yet that was very poor nourishment for a sick person in the state I was then in; for I must inform my readers, that in my greatest illness my chief diet was fish and potatoes, 

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and sometimes a little tea sweetened with treacle, and this was the best they could afford, and the bed whereon I laid was stuffed with straw, with two blankets, without sheets; and this was reckoned a very great advantage in these pats of the globe; for in some places I was obliged to lay on stools, without any blanket, when the snow was five and six feet on the earth, and sometimes in a cave on the earth itself.

    On the 8th of March I was permitted to preach from Hosea, xiiith chap. and 9th ver. where we had a great out-pouring of God's spirit, and was not strengthened much.  On the 9th they would not let me preach, for fear of my hurting myself, but I went from house to house praying with them, and confirming them in the faith.  In the evening I had a violent fever again, and continued so till midnight.  On the 10th I was able to go about again.  In the afternoon a great many people came in to see me, and I found a great desire to speak to them from the vith chapter of St. Matthew, 33rd verse, and conversed with them till evening, and finding a strong desire of something fresh to eat, I spoke to an Indian in his own language, and after they were all gone away, I was put to bed again.  All this night I had no fever, and in the morning felt very well, and had a desire to preach in the morning, but was prevented.  I begged very hard for them to let me go as far as Sable River, but was not permitted; in the evening the Indian came back with some mouse-meat, I had some stew made, but was prevented from eating so much as I would for fear of its hurting me

    On the 12th I found myself a great deal better after 10 o'clock I asked them to let me go as far as Sable River again, and was permitted so to do, and was accompanied by six of the people where we arrived at three o'clock, but was not able to preach

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    until the 15th.  I preached to a large body that came down the River, form the xth chapter of St. John and 11th verse; here I was empowered to speak very wonderfully, and was filled with the love of God.  Groans and tears were heard and seen through the whole congregation , and after preaching I conversed with the greater part of them.  Finding they had some children to be baptized, I bid them to bring them on the 16th, and when they came my illness prevented me; they were brought again on the 20th, which was the Sabbath day, when they brought fourteen of them.  After preaching from the xviiith chapter of St. Matthew verses 19 and 20, the children were brought up, and I baptized them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; then gave out that I should preach again in the afternoon, but when the people gathered together, I found that I was not able, so they met in prayer.

    I stayed here till the 25th, but did not preach, but going from house to house conversing and confirming the, was called on the 26th day to commit the body of an old man, about eighty years of age, to the earth, after which I returned over the River again.

    On the 27 I stayed at Sable River all day, in order to get my boots mended.
    On the 28th we sat off through the wood for Green's Harbour, four men accompanying me, with me two little boys.  We arrived at Green's Harbour in the evening, all well, but very tired.
    On the 29th I was not able to travel, felt my spirits very low and dull, having a very poor night's rest, having only a stool for my bed, and I found that I had caught a fresh cold.
    On the 30th I set off in order to reach Birch Town; at twelve o'clock we came to Jordan River being frozen, we had a ready passage over, and were able to get as far as Shelbourn Town that night, which surprised the people, who had heard in time past that I was dead.
    I remained at Shelbourn till the 31st; about ten o'clock, we sat out for Birch Town, and when we had got about half way, we came up with two women in the road,  one was lying down and just expiring, and the other  stood over her weeping; they had both been over to Shelbourn, to beg something to eat, and were then returning back to Birch Town, and had got a little Indian Meal, but had not strength to reach home with it.  When I came up to her, I found that she was irrecoverable; and had I not arrived as I did, the other would have been soon dead also, for her body was partly chilled with the cold, the snow being four feet on the earth, and was then snowing; so I sent one of my little boys to town to inform the people that I was on the road, and that some of them must come to my assistance, in the mean time, I took some rum out of my knapsack, and gave her a little of it to drink, and rubbed her face with some, and moved her about as well as I was able, and sometimes we both fell down together, I being so weak after my late illness but, by the help of the Almighty God, I got her a mile nearer the town, where I met the two men, and they took the charge of the living woman, and got her to town as fast as they could; and when we arrived in town, we got all the necessaries we could for her recovery; and dispatched two men off to bring the dead body of the other woman.
    I continued visiting this woman, while I was able, and committed the body of the other to the earth; and in about six days after I was taken very ill myself, and was no able to go about, and did spit blood for eight days continually.

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    On April the 17th, I was somewhat better, and was able to walk across the floor.

    On the 18th, I had a second doctor from the next town, he informed me that I was in a very dangerous condition, and desired me not to preach nor walk a mile, and ordered me to get some honey, and to drink honey in every thing that I used; but the honey was fifteen pence sterling a pound, and I was not able to purchase one pound, but the Lord was so kind as to open the heart of the doctor, that he sent me two pounds, and said that I must pay him when I could.

    I continued here without preaching till April the 24th; and on the 25th, I preached in the chapel from Genesis i. I, 2. I then began to bleed in the pulpit and was taken out of the pulpit, and stayed indoors till the 6th of May, and had many distressing objects before me, who were continually coming begging, and were really objects of pity, and were perishing for want of their natural food for the body.

    On the 7th of May, I set off for Jordan Point in a boat, where I stayed till the 10th, preaching and meeting the society, where I had an opportunity of hearing their complaints and distresses, by reason of a long winter, and for want of provision and clothes.

    On the 11th in the morning, I preached from the ixth chapter of Isaiah, 6th verse, and then set off for Green Harbour, in and skiff; but the wind began to rise from the N.E. which forced us to put ashore on Jenkins Point, and had the boat to overset to get the water out of her.  After we had prayer, and committed ourselves to the care of God, we set off again with intent for Green Harbour; but was prevented by the violence of the wind, which forced us to make for the nearest shore; and by the help of God we got on shore on the Ragged Island Beach; we hauled the skiff up, and turned her upside-down, so we made our way through to the woods for to go to the Ragged Island.  When we came we had a small river to cross, we crossed over the ice, and had like to have been lost, for the ice broke, but the Lord helped us, and we got over safe and was gladly received by the people, but did not preach this evening, being very tired.
    On the 12th I preached from the viiith chapter of St. Mark, 36th and 37th verses.
    On the 13th, after preaching in the morning, I felt a desire to proceed on my journey, so we were let go from thence for Sable River, We arrived there in the evening, very much tired.
    On the 14th I preached to a large congregation, from the xiith chapter of St. John, 37th verse, where we had a great out-pouring of God's spirit, and after conversing with them till evening, I commended to God

    On the 15th we set off for Little Harbour, and arrived there at two o'clock in the day, and found a vessel bound to Liverpool, which forced me to preach this evening, from the iid chapter of St. Luke, 51st verse, after which I had a little conversation with them till nine o'clock, then committing them to God.

    On the 16th we sailed for Liverpool, with recommendation to one of the brethren, who had a good report among the church.  We arrived in the evening there, got on shore, and was received at his house kindly; but after a little conversation, finding that he was a New-light, (so called) I found his love began to change.  However, I was permitted to stay all night. 
    On the 17th I preached in the New-light meeting house, from chap. i. of St. Paul's epistle to the Romans, verse 16; but they gnashed upon me with their teeth, and was exceeding mad with me

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I  conversed with one of the elders afterwards, when I asked him what it was that he was offended at; his answer was, that it was all true gospel, but one thing he cold by no means allow that it was the power of God unto salvation to every one that believed; and for this reason I was not permitted to preach any more there.   I went home to his house, in order to stay all the night, but he was for putting me out, and that because I was not a New-light, but his wife prevented him; so we stayed there till the 19th, and in the morning he ordered us out without any breakfast.  We came out, and went down the wharf, in order to take shipping for Halifax; but as we were going aboard, we met a gentlemen who heard me preach in the New-light meeting.  I passed by him, and went on board the vessel, and in a little while he sent his son down to call me up to his house, and when I came, he said to me; Sir, I perceive Mr. Parker has turned you out this morning.  I answered he had, and that without supper of breakfast.  He answered, I think it was not the spirit of a Christian; and said that he only turned you out of one door, in order that you might come in at a better; whenever you are traveling through the country, when you come to Liverpool, take my house for your home; so said his wife, and I had every thing that I could wish for, and I preached four times in the large chapel, to a large congregation
    On the 25th I sailed for Halifax, but he would not permit me to take my boy with me, for fear I should not come back to Liverpool; so I left the boy, and he furnished me with such things as were necessary for my passage.
    On the 26th I arrived at Halifax; I did not preach that day.
    On the 27th I left Halifax for Preston Town.  I arrived there in the evening, and I preached to a large concourse of people, and preached again on the 28th in the morning, then set off for Cold Harbour, and arrived in the evening.  Preached on the 29th to a small body of people, greater part of them Roman Irish.

    I left them on the 30th day, and arrived in the evening at Preston Town again.  Here I remained till the 4th of June, meeting the classes and society.  Finding the place of worship to be too small, I gathered the people together to know their mind concerning the building another; they all unanimously agreed with one voice:  but one obstacle was in the way, and that was they had no nails, nor were they able to buy any, nor a piece of ground to put the house on , and they requested me to go over to the governor and to lay their complaints and distresses before him.
    On the 5th I set off for Halifax, in order to accomplish business 
    On the 6th I presented their complaints before his Excellency, and met with his approbation.  Set off at two o'clock in the afternoon again for Preston Town, with their petition signed by his Excellency

    On the 7th I had them all together again, and the ground laid out, and they all with one consent went to work, some cutting down, some hewing, and some sawing, and the women bringing it out from the woods.  In the evening I preached from the xivth chapter of St. John, 1st and 2nd verses, where the out-pouring of God's spirit was much felt, and great joy was among the people; after preaching, I had some conversation with them.  In the morning of the 8th, I preached from the vth chapter of St. Matthew, and the 18th verse, and then commended them into the hands of God.
    I set off for Halifax, arrived there in the evening, preached for Mr. Furmage, to a large concourse of people; after which I requested him to visit Preston Town, and to keep the people in order.

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