USA > Rhode Island > The Narragansett Friends' meeting in the xviii century, with a chapter on Quaker beginnings in Rhode Island > Part 8
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The true Difcourse taken as followeth :
T HIS Veffel was appointed for this Service from the beginning, as I have often had it manifested unto me, that it was faid within me Several times, Thou hath her not for nothing, and alfo New England prefented before me ; alfo when she was finished and fraughted, and made to Sea, contrary to my will, was brought to London, when Speaking touching this matter to Gerrard Roberts, and others, who confirmed the matter in behalf of the Lord, that it must be fo ; yet entring into reasoning and letting in temptations and hardfhips, and the loss of my life, wife and children, with the enjoyments of all earthly things, it brought me as low as the grave, and laid me as one dead, as to the things of God, but by his Instrument G. F. was I refreshed and raifed up again, which before that it was much contrary to my felf, that I could as willingly have died, as have gone, but by the Strength of God I was made willing to do his will ; yea, the cus- toms and fashions of the Custom-House could not Stop me : Still was I affaulted with the Enemy, who preffed from me my fervants, fo that for this
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long Voyage we had but two men and three boys, befides my felf. Upon the first day of the fourth Moncth received I the Lords fervants aboard, who came with a mighty hand and an outftreched arm with them, fo that with courage we fet Sayl and came into the Downs the Second day, where our dearly beloved W. D. with Mich. Tomfon came aboard, and in them we were much refreshed, and after recommending us to the grace of God, we lanched forth : Again reafon entered upon me, and thoughts rofe in me to have gone to the Admiral, and have made my complaint for the want of my fervants and a Convoy, from which thing I was withholden by that hand which was my helper : Shortly after the South winde blew a little hard, fo that it caufcd us to put in at Portsmouth, where I was furnished with choice of men, according to one of the Captains words to me, That I might have enough for money, but he faid my Veffel was fo fmall, he would not go the Voyage for her. Certain days we lay there, wherein the Minifters of Chrift were not idle, but went forth and gathered Sticks, and kindled a fire, and left it burning ; alfo Several friends came aboard and vifited us, in which we were rofrefhed : Again we lanched from thence about the Eleventh day, and was put back again into South Yarmouth, where we went afhore, and in fome meafure did the like ; alfo we met with three pretty large Jhips, which were for the New found Land, who did accom- pany us about 50 leagues, but might have done 300, if they had not feared the Men of War, but
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for cfcaping them they took to the Northwards, and left us without hope of help to the outward, which before our parting it was fhewed to H. N. early in the morning, that they were nigh unto us that fought our lives, and called unto me, and told me, but faid he, thus faith the Lord, you shall be carryed away as in a Mift, and prefently we es- pied a great Ship making up towards us, and the three great Ships were much afraid and tacked about with what Speed they could for it ; in the very interim the Lord God fulfilled his promife, and ftruck our enemies in the face with a con- trary wind, wonderfully to our refreshment : then upon our parting from thefe three Ships, we were brought to afk counfel at the Lord, and the word was from him, Cut through and fteer your ftreighteft courfe, and minde nothing but me, unto which thing he much provoked us, and caufed us to meet together every day, and he himself met with us, and manifefted himself largely unto us, fo that by Storms we were not prevented above three times in all our Voyage ; The Sea was my figure, for if any thing got up within, the Sea without rofe up againft me, and then the Floods clapt their hands, of which in time I took notice, and told H. N. Again in a vifion in the night I Jaw fome Anchors Swimming above the water, and fome- thing alfo of a Ship which croft our way, which in our meeting I faw fulfilled, for I my felf with others, had loft ours, fo that for a little feafon the veffel ran loofe in a manner ; which afterwards by the wisdom of God was recovered into a better
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condition than before : Alfo upon the twenty-fifth day of the fame Moneth in the morning, we faw another great Veffel making up towards us, which did appear far off to have been a Frigot, and made her fign for us to come to them, which unto me was a great cross, we being to windward of them ; and it was faid, Go fpeak him, the crofs is fure, did I ever fail thee therein ? and unto others there appeared no danger in it, fo that we did, and it proved a Tradesman of London, by whom we writ back : Alfo it is very remarkable, when we had been five weeks at Sea in a dark fea- Jon, wherein the powers of darkness appeared in the greatest Strength against us, having fayled but about 300 leagues H. N. falling into communion with God, told me that he had received a comfort- able Answer, and alfo that about fuch a day we Should land in America which was even fo fulfilled; Alfo thus it was all the Voyage with the faithful, which were carried far above forms and tem- pefts, that when the Ship went either to the right or left hand, their lines joyned all as one, and did direct our way, fo that we have feen and faid, we See the Lord lead our Veffel, even as it were a man leading a horfe by the head, we regarding neither latitude nor longitude, but kept to our Line, which was, and is our Leader, Guide and Rule, but they that did, failed. Upon the last day of the fifth Moneth we made land, it was a part of the Long Island far contrary to the expecta- tion of the Pylot ; Furthermore our drawing had been all the Voyage to keep to the Southwards,
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until the evening before we made land, and then the word was, There is a Lion in the way, unto which Lion we gave obedience, and faid, Let them Steer Northwards until the day following, and Soon after the middle of the day, there was draze- ings to meet together before our usual time, and it was faid, That we may look abroad in the evening, and as we fate waiting upon the Lord, they dis- covered the land, and our mouthes was opened in Prayer and Thanksgiving ; as way was made, we made towards it, and espying a Creek, our advice was to enter there, but the will of man refifted, but in that eftate we had learned to be content, and told him both fides was fafe, but going that way would be more trouble to him ; also he faw, after he had laid by all the night, the thing fulfilled.
Now to lay before you in fhort, the largeness of the Wisdom, Will and Power of God, Thus this Creck led us in between the Dutch Plantations and Long Island, where the moving of fome friends whereunto, which otherwife had been very difficult for them to have gotten too : Alfo the Lord God that moved them, brought them to a place appointed, and us into our way, according to the word which came to C. H. You are in the road to Road Island. In that Creek came a Shal- lop to meet us, taking us to be Strangers, making our way with our Boat, and they Spoke English unto us, and informed us, and alfo guided us along : The power of the Lord fell much upon us, and an unreftable word came unto us, That the Seed in America fhall be as the fand of the fea.
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It was published in the ears of the Brethren, which caused tears to break forth with fulness of joy, fo that presently for thefe places they prepared themselves, which were Robert Hoggen, Richard Dowdney, Sarah Gibbins, Mary Witherhead, and Dorothy Waugh, which the next day we put fafely afhore : Into the Dutch Plantation called New Amsterdam, we came and it being the first day of the week, Several came aboard on us, and we began our work : I was caused to go to the Governor, and Robert Hoggen with me ; he was moderate both in words and actions. Robert and I had Several days before feen in a vifion the Veffel in great danger; the day following this was ful- filled, there being a paffage between two Lands, which is called by the name of Hell-gate, we hap- pened very conveniently of a Pylot, and into that place we came, and into it were forced, and over it was carried, which I never heard of any before that was ; and the Scripture is fulfilled in our eyes, in the Figure, Hells gates cannot prevail againft you : rocks many on both Sides, Jo that I believe one yards length, would have endangered lofs of both Veffel and Goods ; Alfo there were a Scull of fifhes purfued our Veffel, and followed her Strongly, and along close by our Rudder; and in our meeting it was showed me, Thefe fifhes is to thee a Figure, Thus doth the Prayers of the Churches proceed to the Lord for thee and the reft : furely in our Meeting did the thing run through me as oyl, and did me much rejoice.
FINIS
Copied in the British Museum, July 5, 1897, by C. H.
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RICHARD SMITH'S TESTIMONY AGAINST SLAVERY.
I Richard Smith of Groton in the County of New London and Colony of Connecticut upon Confideration and Knowing it Required of me I have written this in Order to Show the reafon and make it manifeft to mankind why that I Discharge & Sett free my Negro Girl named Jane at Eighteen Years of Age Daughter of Sarah which is now in Slavery with her other Children Among the kein of Stephen Gardner of Norwich Deceafed their Girl Jane was Given to my Wife Abigail by her Father Stephen Gardner by will in Order to be a Slave all her Days According to the Common Cuftom of Slavery. But She falling into my hand by my Wife and the Lord by his free Goodnefs having Given me a clear Sight of the Cruelty of making a Slave of one that was by Nature as Free as my Own Children and no ways by any Evil She had Committed brought herfelf into Bondage and Slavery and therefore can no ways be Gilty of Slavery, and to argue becaufe her Mother was made a Slave being by force and Violence brought Out of her Own Land againft her mind and will and Deprived of What She had there & made a Slave of her Should be a Sufficient Rea- fon that her pofterity Should be Opreft in bond- age with Slavery. I fee no Juftice for it nor Mercy in fo Doing but Violent Opprefsing the Inocent without Caufe For this thing of Ser- vants it hath pleafed God to fett before us in a
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Clear manner the cafe of Servants and Espe- cially the Unreafonablenefs of thefe mafters and miftreffes who profefs to be the followers of Chrift how they will buy & fell and be per- takers in making Marchandize in Great Babylon of the Slaves that is the bodys of men and women and of thefe Strangers as Indians & Ne- grows that are taken Out of there Own Country or taken in War one among a nother and Sent out which when brought here in Sed of being Relieved are Sold into Slavery all there Days and there pofterity after them they being never fo Innofent in Ronging of any and thefe mas- ters and miftreffes that buy them or Other ways by their parents have them, all this while pro- fefs them-felves to be the followers of Chrift or Chriftians and yet how they will plead the Reafonablenefs of Keeping them in Slavery and their pofterity after them. But when they have pleaded all they can and ufed the beft Argu- ments they have, it is only to have there work done with cafe & they to be great and to be Lord Over there fellow Creatures, Becaufe they have power & Authority to Opprefs the helplefs by a Cuftomary Law of the Nations to keep them in Bondage under Slavery, Quite Renoun- cing and rejecting and Hating to Obey the Law & command of there great Lord and Mafter Chrift as they call him who charge them faying Therefore all things whatfoever ye would that man fhould do to you do ye even fo to them for this is the Law and the prophets faid Our Great
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Lord Matt. 7 & 12 Now if it fhould be afked of any of thefe Mafters or Miftreffes if they in like Manner with there Childeren fhould be car- ried away unto any Strange People in the world and be Sold into Slavery whether they would be willing to Serve a ftrange Nation in Slavery & their Children after them and be Deprived of what they Injoyed in there Own Country (for this is the Cafe) I Suppofe there Answer would [be] no nor any of Our Children upon any acct. No not if they were in a Chriftian Land as they call this Well then how can any of them plead the Reafonableness of Keeping of any of them in Slavery with there pofterity and not to fet them free in a Reafonable Time as they themfelves with their Children would be willing to be done by According to Chrifts words above mentioned for by Nature all Nations are free One from the Other and the apoftle Saith God is no Refpecter of perfons, the Apoftle Likewife Saith that God hath made of One Blood all Nations of men to Dwell on all the face of the Earth Acts 17 & 26 So that by Nature & Blood we are no better in Gods Sight than they and it is plain that Chrift taught a Doctrine that was to releive the Op- preffed and to Unbind heavy Burdens and let the Innofent prifoners go free, and hath Commanded us to love Our Enemys, and to entertain Stran- gers, & not to Opprefs them in Bondage with Slavery and Said, he came not to Deftroy Mens Lives but to fave them Luke 9 & 56 So that the way that brings them into Slavery is forbidden
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by Chrift for by war Violence & Stealth and tradeing in them is the way by which they are firft Ordered to go into Slavery, and they that buy them or otherways have them and keep them in Slavery as they do there Beafts for to do there Labour & not to releive them and fet them free, are pertakers of the Same evil, Therefore I Leave this as a faithfull Teftimony in the fear of the liveing God againft all such wicked pro- ceedings, and upon true Confideration of what is written I hereby Declare that now at this Time that my Negrow Girl Jane hath arrived to Eigh- teen Years of Age that fhe Shall now go out Free from Bondage and Slavery as free as if the had been free born and that my Heirs, Execu- tors or Adminiftrators fhall have no power Over her to make a Slave of Her or her pofterity no more than if She had been free born, for I freely give her her freedom now at the arrival of the aforefd age which is now fullfilled in this pre- fent Year 1757 as witnefs my hand
(Signed) RICHARD SMITH.
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LIST OF PERSONS OWNING SLAVES, NAMES OF SLAVES AND DATE WHEN SET FREE
Name of slave
Owned by
Date of emancipation 1757
Jane
Richard Smith
Pegg
Stephen Richmond
27th 12th mo 1773
Phillis and her two children Casper and Judith
John Knowles
ist 11th mo 1773
Richard
Jeremiah Browning
27th 9th mo 1773
Israel
William Robinson
15th Ist mo 1780
Dick
John Congdon
29th 12th mo 1783
Luce
Jack
William Congdon
29th 3d mo 1784
Fan
Barshebe Knowles
24th 7th mo 1783
Robert Knowles
Cuff, otherwise Cuff
Joseph Knowles
Knowles
John Congdon
Charles Congdon
Hannah Knowles
Job
William Peckham 4th Sth mo 1786
Rose
William Peckham
24th 8th mo 1786
PETER DAVIS' OLD AGE
We the Committee appointed to provide for the Support of Peter Davis and wife have met on fª Businefs and propofe the following agree- ment made with Peter Hoxfie for one years fupport of fd Peter Davis and wife that He will keep Martha Davis for the confideration of her Anuity or income free & clear from any expence to friends, and that he will keep and support Peter Davis includeing victualling, elotheing, Doctrineing, lodgeing &c for the fª term of one year, for the confideration of fifty dollars, twenty Seven of which is due to the fª Peter Davis from IVm Sweet Peckham, which he agrees to Collect
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of him, which will leave twenty three Dollars for the Monthly meeting to pay, - Or in that Pro- portion if the fª Peter should deceafe before the expiration of that time. And the fd Peter Hoxfie agrees that they fhall be as well clothed at the years end as they are when he receives them - his year is to commence the 8th day of the 7th Mo. I 80S.
All which we fubmit to the Mo. Meeting.
PETER HOXSIE JOHN CONGDON JEREMIAH BROWNING, JR. JOSEPH COLLINS, JR.
Hopkinton the Ioth of 7th Mo. A. D. 1808.
INDEX
INDEX
ADVICE to debtors, 109. Albro, Samuel, 161. Allen, Matthew, 112. Aquidneck, 5. Arnold, Benedict, 7. Atherton, Humphrey, 51 ; death of, 52. Austin, Anne, 10.
Barber, John, 104. Books subscribed for, 174. Bounds of meeting, 65. Braddock, General, 168. Bradstreet, Simon, 5-51. Brand, William, 15. Brayton, Preserved, 121. Briggs, John, 54. British garrison, 170. Bull, Jireh, 48. Burnyeate, John, 49.
Cartwright, John, 49. Clark, Mary, 13. Collins, Hezekiah, 124. Collins, John, 87. Congdon, Joseph, 59. Congdon, Samuel, 167. Commissioners of the United Colonies, 3. Copeland, John, 13. Corn, price of, 163. Creditors, 108.
Dancing, 1 30. Davis, Content, 99. Davis, Nicholas, 25. Davis, Peter, 63; his travels, 78; his old age, 81. Deceased wife's sister, 90. Debts and debtors, 105. Diman, Professor J. L., 5. Dyer, Mary, 24 ; sentenced, 26; letter to the court, 27; on the gallows, 29; reprieved, 30; executed, 35.
Easton, Nicholas, 6. Endicott, John, 9, 26. Epistles, London, 156.
Fayerweather, Rev. Mr., 96. Fisher, Mary, Io; in Turkey, 14. Fothergill, Samuel, 161. Fowler, Robert, 10. Fox, George, 12; meetings in Newport, 46; in Narragan- sett, 48; established wo- men's meeting, 117. Friends denied, 169. Friends' judgment in contro- versies, 103. Friends' meeting accounts, 73. Friends' spiritual service, 172. Friends' sufferings in Eng- land, 72.
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INDEX
George III., proclaimed, 162. Gibbons, Sarah, 1 5.
Gorton, Samuel, 6.
Greene, David, 139.
Greene, Nathaniel, 175.
Greene, Patience, 120; her travels, 122-23. Greene, Peter, 54.
Hazard, Elizabeth, 124.
Hazard, Robert, 86.
Hazard, Sarah, 148. Hazard, "Nailor Tom," 160; diary, 165.
Ilazard, Thomas, 59; serves as clerk, 85; frees his slaves, 86; preaching, 161. Holder, Christopher, 13.
Horse-racing, 170.
Hoxsie, John, 127.
Hoxsie, Solomon, 87; makes complaint, 102 ; marriage of niece, 127. Hoxsie, Stephen, 82.
Hutchinson, Mrs. Anne, 5.
Inflated currency, 67. Irish, Job, 110-112.
Kirby, Mary, 123. King's Province, 50. Knowles, John, 102. Knowles, Robert, 87; visits Boston, 112.
Laws against Quakers, 18. Little Rest, 62. Liquor license, 101. Longfellow, 17.
Marriages, 128. Marriage in a shift, 133.
Marrying out of unity, 132. McSparran, Dr., 95. Meeting-house in Greenwich, 53. Ministerial lands, 95. Mulkins, Henry, 97. Murray, Lindley, 123.
New Lights, 97-100. Nichols, Andrew, 121. Niles, Rev. Samuel, 95. Norton, John, 15.
Old meeting-house, 62. Overseers, 91.
Paper money for war purposes, 163.
Peace Dale, 147.
Peckham, Peleg, 84.
Pemberton, John, 141.
Perry, Alice, 128. Perry, Anna, 118, 125.
Perry, James, gives land for meeting-house, 68. Perry, Jonathan, 1 30. Perry, Samuel, 130.
Quakers, acts of law against, 18. Quakers, travelling, 23. Queries, 88-90. Query, the tenth, 146.
Ranters, 4. Rathbun, Joshua, 144; sells his slave, 146; denied, 147; restored to membership, 1 50; death, 153. Rathbun, Joshua, Jr., 153. Rawson, Edward, 22. Records of meeting, 77.
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INDEX
Regulars at Point Judith, 166. Rhode Island, the " back door," 22. Richmond meeting-house, 69. Robinson, Mrs. C. E., 160.
Robinson, Hannah, 124.
Robinson, Rowland, 54.
Robinson, Sylvester, 129.
Robinson, William, 24, 126.
Rodman, Benjamin, 153. Rodman, Samuel, denial of, 144. Rodman, Thomas, 54.
Separators, 97. Sewall, Samuel, 51; entry in diary, 62. Sewel, historian, 16.
Slave legislation, 140.
Slaves in South Kingstown, 139. Slaves in the women's meet- ing, 148.
Slocum, Ebenezer, 62.
Smith, Elizabeth, 123. Smith, Richard, frees slave, 141.
Temperance, 170. Testimony against war, 163. Torrey, Dr., 96.
Tower Hill, 49; letting money at, 162.
Tucker, Nathan, 103. Thurston, Gardner, 161.
Upsal, Nicholas, 11 ; banished, 21.
Usquepaug, 70.
Watson, Jeffrey, 1 59; accounts, 163.
Watson, Job, 166.
Watson, Jolın, 160.
Washington, George, 167.
Waugh, Dorothy, 15.
Westerly meeting-house, 66. Whittier, " A Spiritual Mani- festation," 43. Widders, Robert, 45.
Wilbour, Thomas, 89.
Wilkinson, Jemima, 171. Williams, Roger, 8; charter procured by, 41 ; goes to Newport, 47.
Winthrop, Governor, 6.
Woman's meeting records, 118. Woodhouse, voyage of, 12. Woolman, John, 140.
Youths' meetings, 73.
1197 1 ١
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