every one. better fatisfied with our fituation in this particular than myself.

Our flock of provifions confifted of about 150 pounds of bread, 28 gallons of water, 20 pounds of pork, 3 bottles of wine, and 5 quarts of rum. The difference between this and the quantity we had on leaving the fhip, was principally owing to lofs in the buftle and con2 fufion of the attack. A few cocoa-nuts were in the boat, and fomê bread-fruit, but the latter was trampled to pieces.

It was about eight o'clock at night when I bore away under a reefed lug fore-fail: and, having divided the people into watches, and got the boat in a little order, we returned God thanks for our miraculous prefervation, and, fully confident of his gracious fupport, I found my mind more at cafe than for fome time paft.

At day-break the gale increafed; the fun rofe very fiery and red, a fure indication of a fevere gale of wind. At eight it blew a violent ftorm, and the fea ran very high, fo that between the feas the fail was becalmed, and when on the top of the fea it was too much to have fet: but I was obliged to carry to it, for we were now in very imminent danger and diftrefs, the fea curling over the ftern of the boat, which obliged us to bale with all our might. A fituation more diftreffing has, perhaps, feldom been experienced,

Our bread was in bags, and in danger of being spoiled by the wet: to be ftarved to death was inevitable, if this could not be prevented I therefore began to examine what cloaths there were in the boat, and what other things could be fpared; and, having determined that only two fuits should be kept for each person, the rest was thrown overboard, with some rope and fpare fails, which lightened the boat confiderably, and we had more room to bale the water out. Fortunately the Carpenter had a good cheft in the boat, into which I put the bread the first favourable moment. His tool cheft alfo was cleared, and the tools ftowed in the bottom of the boat, fo that this became a fecond convenience.

I now ferved a tea-spoonful of rum to each perfon, (for we were very wet and cold) with a quarter of a bread-fruit, which was fcarce eatable, for dinner; but our engagement was now strictly to be carried into execution, and I was fully determined to make what provisions I had last eight weeks, let the daily proportion be ever so small.

May 4. The weather was very fevere, it blew a ftorm from NE to ESE. The fea ran higher than yesterday, and the fatigue of bailing, to keep the boat from filling, was exceedingly great. We could do nothing more than keep before the fea; in the course of which the boat performed fo wonderfully well, that I no longer dreaded any danger in that refpect. But among the hardships we were to undergo, that of being conftantly wet was not the leaft: the nights were very cold, and at day-light our limbs were fo benumbed, that we could fcarce find the ufe of them. At this time I ferved a tea-spoonful of rum to each perfon, which we all found great benefit from.

[To be continued. J.

VOL. XIX. June 1796.

ANECDOTE

A

ANECDOTE of a GENTLEMAN at BATH.

Young woman, fervant at Bath, was brought to the knowledge of God, in the year 1788.

Samaria, could not help fpeaking of the things fhe had heard and experienced to her fellow-fervants; and the Lord was pleased to accompany her words with a divine bleffing to three or four of them the coachman in particular was turned away from his fervice for fear, (as his mafter faid) that he would turn his horfes to be Methodists, and drive him to hell.

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In the fummer of 1793, the mafter himself being taken ill, and given over by the phyficians, one day he afked them, "If they thought there was any hope of his recovery?" They replied in the negative. Several of his friends were in the room at the fame time, and the fervant before-mentioned was then waiting upon the company; the gentleman, with great concern, faid, "And can none of you all be of any fervice to a dying man?" He then spoke to this young woman, " Nor can you help me in "this prefent fad condition ?" She replied, "Sir, all that I can "do is to pray for you; and that I have done many times." He anfwered with fome emotion, "Did Did you ever pray for me?" I

infift on it, that you pray for me now: fhut the door, let not "one go out of the room." With fear and trembling the obeyed; and no fooner was prayer ended; but putting his hands together he faid, "Now I know that Chrift is God, and able to forgive 66 my fins." He lived a few days longer, and gave happy evidence of the power and grace of God,

WILLS's Spiritual Register Vol. iii. 1795.

Mr. FLETCHER'S LETTERS.

To the Right Hon. Lady MARY FITZGERALD.

Honoured and dear Madam,

Dublin, August 23, 1783.

I See the truth of those words of our Lord.

In me ye

fhall

have peace, comfort, ftrength, and joy: Be of good cheer. We came here to fee the members of our Lord, and we find you removed, and removing farther ftill, than you now are. What does this Providence teach us? I learn, that I must rejoice in the Lord above all his members, and find them all in him, who fills all in all; who is the life of all our friends, the joy of all our brethren. If our Lord is your life, your ftrength, and your all, you will remove in vain to the North or South; you cannot go from your fpiritual friends; they will meet you in the common centre of all life and righteoufnefs; there, they will bless you, rejoice in your joy, and sympathize in your forrow.

If Providence calls you to England by Scotland, by which Foute your Ladyship apprehends so much difficulty, you know,

we

we must, at least, go to heaven by a way equally painful,---the narrow way, the way marked with blood, and with the tears and crofs of the Son of God; and if we follow him weeping, we fhall return with everlafting joy on our heads. Even now the foretafte of those joys is given to us through hope, for by hope we are faved. Let our faith and hope be in God, rooted and grounded in him, who gives vital heat to our hearts, and who fans there the fpark of grace, which his mercy has kindled; and may that spark, by the infpiration of the Holy Spirit, become a fire of holy love, heavenly zeal, and heavenly glory. Such power belongeth to the Almighty. He that fpared not his own Son, and has promifed us his Holy Spirit, which is the mighty ftream of his grace, and the mighty flame of his love, will not deny us that power, if we wait for it in his appointed ways; and ask it in the all prevailing Name of Emmanuel, God with us.

My dear Partner, who, like myfelf, is deeply fenfible of your Ladyship's kindness in remembering us, joins me in thanks for your obliging note, and in cordial wifhes, that all the defires of your believing foul may be granted you, both for time and eternity. We fubfcribe ourselves with grateful fincerity, Honoured Madam, your devoted fervants in our bleeding Lord." J. and M. F To WILLIAM SMYTH, Efq;

Dear Sir,

THE

Madeley, Nov.--1783. HE many and great favours, you have loaded us with, during our long ftay under your hofpitable roof, prompted us to make the earliest acknowledgment of our obligations, and to beg you would receive our warmest thanks for fuch unexpected, and undeferved tokens of your brotherly love. You have united for us the Irish hofpitality, the English cordiality, and the French politenefs. And now, Sir, what fhall we fay ? You are our generous benefactor, and we are your affectionate, though unprofitable fervants. In one fenfe, we are on a level with those, to whom you show charity in the ftreets: we can do nothing but pray for you, your dear Partner, and yours. You kindly received us for Chrift's fake; may God receive you freely for his fake alfo! You have borne with our infirmities: the Lord bear with yours alfo. You have let your fervants ferve; --- the Lord give all his fervants and his angels charge concerning you, that you hurt not your foot against a flone, and may be helped out of every difficulty! You have given us a moft pleafing refting place, and comfortable apartment under your roof:---the Lord grant you eternal reft with him in his heavenly manfions! May he himself be your habitation and refting place for ever; and place you and yours with his own jewels in the choiceft repofitory of precious things! You have fed us with the richest food:---May the Giver of every perfect gift fit you for a place at his table, and may you rank there with Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob! You have given us wines;---may you drink, on Chrift himself, the fruit of the vine, new in your

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Father's

Father's kingdom! You have given us a rich provifion for the way when you crofs the flood, the deep flood of death, may you find, that your heavenly Lord has made fuch a rich provision of faith, righteoufnefs, hope, and joy for you, that you may re joice, triumph and fing, while you leave your earthly friends to go home! which, by the by, is more than we were enabled to do; for inftead of finging in our cabins, there was very different melody.

However, we could foon with grateful, joyful hearts, look back from the British to the Irish fhore, and greet in fpirit the dear friends we had left there. The Lord blefs and increase them in fpiritual, and, if beft for them, in temporal goods alfo! The Lord crown them and theirs with loving kindnefs, and mercies equal to the love of our God, and the merits of our Saviour! And now, dear Sir, what fhall I add? I cannot now even see my Bible but through the medium of your love, and the token with which it alternately loads my pocket and my hand. I cannot even seal a letter with a good wafer, but I find a new call to repeat my thanks to you. I would begin again, but my fcrap of paper is full, as well as my heart; and I muft fpare a line to tell you, that I had the pleasure of feeing our kind benefactress Mrs. Smyth fafe at Bristol, with her little charge and Lady Mary. We beg our thanks to John, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and all, who were kind to us for Chrift's fake, and for yours. We remain, dear Sir, your most affectionate and moft obliged penfioners and fervants, J. and M. F. Madeley, Nov. 1783.

To the Society in Dublin.

ΤΟ

O all the dear Brethren, who after kindly inviting John and Mary Fletcher, patiently bearing with them, and their infirmities, and entertaining them in the moft hofpitable, Chriftian manner, have added to all their former favours, that of thanking them for their most pleasant and profitable journey.--

Brethren and dearly beloved in the Lord.

We had felt fhame enough under the fenfe of your kindnefs and patience towards us, and of our unprofitableness towards you, when at Dublin. You needed not have added to our shame by the new token of your love, the friendly letter we have received from you. We are indebted to you, dear brethren, we owed you the letter of thanks, you have gratuitously fent. But in all things, you will have the pre-eminence, and we are glad to drink the cup of humility at your feet. May the Lord, who can part a fea by the touch of a rod, and could at firft caufe the earth to bring forth abundantly all manner of trees and plants without feed, fo bless the feed of the word, which we fowed in great weakness among you, as to make it produce a full crop of humble repentance, cheerful faith, triumphant hope, and the fan&tifying influences of God's Spirit in your hearts, in all your families, in all your af

femblies,

femblies, and in your whole fociety! If your profuse liberality towards us, abounded to the comfort of our poor brethren, we doubly rejoice on your account, and on theirs.

When we fee fo many of your dear names, we rejoice in hopes, that as they fill and confirm an epifle dedicated by overflowing love, fo they are enrolled on the lift of the dear people, whom our great High Priest bears, not on the breaft-plate as Aaron, but on his bleeding hands, and in his very heart, which is the overflowing and everflowing fountain of divine and brotherly love. We cannot remember your faces; but we remember what will laft longer than your features, your work and labour, your repafts of love, together with your prayers and fighs. May that feed fown be watered by the Redeemer's blood! We afk it with tears of gratitude and joy, while we, on our bended knees, fpread your names, as you have kindly put them, and your wants, fo far as we remember them, before the Father of mercies, and the Author of every perfect gift. Let our worthless names ftill find a place in your memory, when you remember your brethren dif tant in the flesh, but near in the Spirit: among fuch vouchsafe to reckon, dear Brethren, your very affectionate and truly obliged fervants in Christ, J. and M. F.

To Mrs. DOLIER.

Madeley, Nov. 1783.

ND were my dear Brother and Sifter Dolier pleafed by the

A rescipt of a letter from fuch an unworthy worm? O that I

could convey fome word from the mouth of my adorable Lord to your hearts! O that he would permit me, his poor creature, to drop a sentence, which might prove an encouragement to my dear friends in their way! You afk, "Shall I hope to attain the clean heart, and walk in purity while here below ?" Why not? Abraham hoped against hope, and there fprang from him, as good as dead, as the ftars of heaven for multitude. Does unbelief fay-"Thou art dead; thou haft out ftayed thy day, and it is all over?" then, arife out of the duft, roufe up all your powers; against hope, believe in hope, and by faith receive ftrength to apprehend the fulness of God. Remember Chrift is in your faith; hold faith, and you hold Chrift. If you know not how to get hold on faith, remember it is in the promife: feek for a promife, and lay hold there, But if you cry out, "I fee the links of the chain fo far off, that, alas! I cannot take hold on the promife; I don't know which is for me, I cannot reach fo far; Well, don't faint yet; there is another link ftill lower, that is to fay, your wants. Can you be fure there is a wound within; are you certain you are a finner? Then, reach your hand hither, "I came not to call the righteous, but finners." Are you a helpless finner? To them, who have no might, he increafeth trength." Are you an ungrateful, backfliding finner? Hear him fay, Thou haft played the harlot with many lovers; but re

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