John Boweter's "Testimony Concerning George Fox"

JOHN BOWETER'S TESTIMONY CONCERNING GEORGE FOX 143 he thought there was 800 people at meeting, which I suppose is not larger than usual in such good weather. More than half the number were females. Their plain appearance attracted my attention. I did not see a straw bonnet nor a bow upon a bonnet in the house. I thought if they were as careful to guard their hearts from evil, as they had been to make a plain and comely appearance, it would be happy for them. But many cf their young men in this respect greatly err. . . .Third day morning . Yesterday we visited twenty families. "... .1 shall [now] leave the island the first opportunity. The path which seems marked out for me after leaving here, is to go to Martha's Vineyard , lying between this and New Bedford. .. .On Martha's Vineyard we put up with William Coffin—the only family of members on the Island." JOHN BOWETER'S "TESTIMONY CONCERNING GEORGE FOX." "John Bowater's TESTIMONY. A short Testimony for our Honourable Brother in the Faith, G.F. It is about Thirty Years since I first heard him; his Matter was sound and weighty, though not with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and Power of God, opening many weighty Things ; he travelled up and down in God's Power, to gather People from the Idol-Shepherds (that only feed themselves ) to God, that People might know the true Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul, and his Voice in them ; through many Trials the Lord upheld him, and delivered out of many Prisons him he was cast into ; he travelled into many Countries and Islands beyond the Seas, into some of which I afterward travelled, and saw the Fruit of his Labours in many Places, where he had settled many Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly Meetings, that are of great Service in many Parts of the world, though some angry and unruly Spirits were offended, as some were against Moses: though there was not a Meeker Man upon the Earth, yet some 144 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOCIETY said that he took too much upon him, as some have, concerning this faithful Servant of Christ, whose labour and Care was all along to promote Truth ; since God first sent him forth to preach his Gospel, his Care was, to keep things Sweet, Clean, and Savoury in the Church of Christ, and that Care might be taken for the Poor, Fatherless and Widows ; and not many Days before his Decease, to wit, the ¡th of the nth Month, 1690 [ist Month, 1691, New Style], about Eight Days before his Departure , at our 2d Days Morning-Meeting, I much minded his Exhortation to us, encouraging Friends that have Gifts, to make use of them, mentioning many Countries beyond the Seas that wanted Visiting, instancing the Labours and hard Travels of Friends, in the beginning of the spreading of Truth in our Days, in breaking up of Countries, and of the rough plowing they had in Steeple-Houses, &c. but now it was more easie; and he complained of many Demases and Cains, who imbrace the present World, and incumber themselves with their own Businesses, and neglect the Lord's, and so are good for nothing; and said, They that had Wives should be as tho' they had none ; and who goeth a Warfare, should not entangle himself with the things of this World. The Lord took him away from the Evil to come, and delivered him out of the Hands of his Enemies, who hated him without a Cause." One of twelve "Testimonies Concerning George Fox" prefixed to "Gospel-Truth Demonstrated, in a Collection of Doctrinal Books, Given forth by that faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, George Fox," etc. London, 1706. Folio pages, 14, 1090, vi. ...