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RESIDENCE OF NATHAN HUNT, NORTH CAROLINA ANECDOTES RELATING TO NATHAN HUNT.15 ANECDOTES RELATING TO NATHAN HUNT. [Through the kindness of Joshua L. Baily, the editor has the privilege of placing before the readers of the Bulletin, some anecdotes of Nathan Hunt during his visit to Great Britain, in 1820-1821. The writer of the letter probably had not thought of his words being published, but as there is much of general interest in them, we have taken his consent for granted. John Hilton, the writer, is one of the oldest and most respected members of London Yearly Meeting. He is a leader in the Temperance cause, not only among Friends, but in the National Temperance Alliance. In further illustration of Nathan Hunt's life a view of his house is reproduced for this number.] My Dear Friend, Joshua L. Baily : I am glad to hear from thee again. Please accept my warm thanks for No. 3 Bulletin, Friends' Historical Society. I am glad to have a likeness and some particulars of Nathan Hunt. I have heard something about him from the late Samuel Rosling [1796-1885], of Reading, a kinsman of mine, a substantial Friend in high esteem. In the early part of his life he was a member of Southwark Meeting, now gone—Meeting House and all. He told me that one First-day morning the Meeting House yard was crowded with Friends, and he wondered what was the cause, but soon Nathan Hunt walked in. The fact that he intended to be there had got known, and Friends had flocked to the place. He said that they had silence till rather late, when Nathan Hunt rose and gave Friends a rather strong reprimand for running away from their own Meetings. On another occasion at the same place, on a week-day, the place was crowded, and the weather was exceedingly hot. Nathan gave them a great sermon, with much energy. Immediately after the Meeting broke up, a gentleman, not a Friend, who had followed Nathan about, went up the room through the crowd, with, as Samuel Rosling described it, "a foaming pot of ale, and offered it to Nathan, who took it, had a good draught, and said, 'Well, Thomas, thou hast hit my mark.' " I don't know the date, but think it must have been before 1830. By the Bulletin the use of alcoholic beverages was common in North Carolina at that time. i6BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOCIETY. I have one more story which I should have hardly accepted had I not had it from a very careful Friend. Samuel Rosling told me that Nathan Hunt, accompanied by Peter Bedford,* an Elder, visited Epping week-day Meeting. Epping is a small town in Essex. Epping Meeting had long been, and has continued to be, very small, though some substantial Friends have belonged to it. On the occasion of the visit, three Friends were present, and to the dismay of Peter Bedford, Nathan Hunt said "This is a queer sort of a Meeting. One of you thinks himself the cleverest chap in the county; one spends all his time in gazing at the stars without thinking of Him who placed them where they are; and the other goes from his farm to the market and comes to Meeting to reckon up his gains." Now, Peter Bedford was afraid he had described them to Nathan Hunt, for the facts were—one was a school master, I think, at the time, but I am not sure; another was named Squire, an Astrologer, and who cast up the horoscope for Moore's Almanac, the standard almanac in England in my younger days, sold at 2s. 6d. ; the third was a farmer, and some Friends did not think the description far wrong. I chanced once to tell the story to the late Shipley Neave, of Manchester, and he said, "That is quite correct, Peter Bedford related it to me himself." I relate the stories as I had them, believing them to be absolutely accurate, and thinking they may be of some interest to thee as an American Friend. ... I am keeping as well as I ought to expect in my...

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