PREFACE

And now the glorious Gospel is again preached in and to them that dwell upon the earth so that all may fear God and give glory to his name and worship him who made heaven and earth, the seas and fountains of water. And the Lord hath endued many with power from on high and sent them forth, as he did his messengers formerly, to direct and turn people's minds from darkness to light and from Satan's power to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus. Many have received the glad tidings of peace and salvation freely preached to them by the Lord's ministers in the authority of the Spirit and power of God in this mighty day of the Lord which is again revealed. He is come nigh to judgment, that the prince of this world may be cast out of the temple in which he had exalted himself and been worshipped as God. The kingdom of God is come, and coming more and more, and the power of his Christ is exalted in the hearts of many, whose right it is to reign. And though the devil and his angels war against him, and for a season be suffered to prevail in dark places of the earth so as to destroy the bodies of some of the followers of Christ, yet the Lamb and his followers shall have the victory, and the devil and his angels must be cast into the lake that burns for ever.

The Lamb's warfare is not for the destruction of men's lives, but of sin, the works of the devil in men. And the weapons of his followers are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Howbeit the Lamb, who is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah, hath power to rule the nations with a rod of iron. Therefore blessed are they that abide with and follow the Lamb through tribulations, in faith and patience, until they overcome and have their garments washed and made white in his blood, for they shall reign with him for ever. Of this number, we have cause to believe that this worthy servant of the Lord, William Edmundson, author of the ensuing journal, was one.

He was early visited with the inshining of the glorious light of this Gospel day in his own heart, whereby his state was often opened to him, though for a time he did not understand what it was that so enlightened him. He was left an orphan when young and thereby exposed to hardship. And after he grew up, he went into the army and continued a soldier some time under the parliament in the late civil wars in England and Scotland. Being religiously inclined he grew weary of that manner of life and delivered up his charge, returning towards his native place in England. Having been before contracted to a young woman in Derbyshire, he married her, and soon after came into the nation of Ireland with an intention to settle and trade. But he was under inward affliction upon his soul's account.

In a little time he went again to England to buy more goods, and being in the northern part among his relations, having an inclination in his mind, he went with two of them to a meeting of the people called Quakers, where, by the ministry of some of the said people, both he and his two relatives were convinced of the way of life. His understanding being opened by the truth, he then perceived that it was the Lord by his Holy Spirit who had been at work in his heart from his youth up. Wherefore he gave up to its manifestations and loved the Lord's judgments, because of sin, until he was purified and prepared thereby to be a partaker of mercy and a chosen vessel for the Lord's service.

Returning again to Ireland and being made willing to bear the cross of Christ, he soon met with various trials for the truth's sake and had the greater exercise, because there was not then any of the people called Quakers in that nation to have conversation with. His behaviour and deportment so reached both his wife and brother that they were soon convinced of the truth and willing to meet with him in his own house to worship God in spirit, though in outward silence, having refreshing seasons together in the presence of the Lord. And in a little time four more joined with him. About this time John Tiffin, a servant of the Lord, came over from England, who was a strength and comfort to Friends. Several were convinced and added to their number.

The Lord was pleased to open the mouth of our said Friend, William Edmundson, in the testimony of Jesus; and being faithful, his gift for the ministry was enlarged so that he became an able minister of Christ Jesus, skillful in dividing the word of righteousness, plain and powerful in preaching, sound in doctrine, and profound in the mysteries of God, which were largely communicated to him. As a faithful steward and good scribe instructed into the kingdom, he, by direction of his Lord and Master, brought out of his treasury things new and old, suitable to the service required of him, for the glory of God and good of souls. Being willing to spend and be spent in doing the will of him that called him and not counting his life dear to himself so that he might finish the service and charge committed to his trust with joy, but being sensible of the Lord's call thereunto, he gave up cheerfully to follow the Lamb through many tribulations which attended for his testimony's sake.

He preached the Gospel of Christ freely in this nation in which he lived and suffered persecution, being often imprisoned in divers places. Once he spent about fourteen weeks in a close nasty dungeon among felons and malefactors, where he was almost stifled. He was frequently stocked, reviled, abused, and his goods made havoc of by covetous men. He also went many times into England, laboring in the work of the Gospel in divers parts, and three times into the Islands and English plantations in America, going the warfare at his own cost, that the Gospel might not be chargeable. He endured hardship as a good soldier of the Lamb, approving himself a faithful minister of Christ in much patience in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses for the Gospel's sake, in watchings, in fastings, in weariness and painfulness, by pureness, by knowledge, and by the power of God in his ministry, of which he had many seals in this nation and England and in the Islands of America, whom he had been instrumental in converting to God.

He was in journeys often, in perils by sea and land, and in the wilderness, both by wild beasts and bloody men in the time of the Indian wars in America, and by robbers in this nation in the time of the late calamity, who burnt his house and carried him away with his two sons, almost naked in the winter season, to kill them. But after much hard usage for several days, they were all three, by the good providence of God, delivered out of their hands.

This our ancient Friend had also exercise and grief by false brethren that opposed the testimony given him of the Lord to bear for his name, and he was not without affliction from some of his own offspring. Yet out of all the Lord delivered and preserved him faithful to a good old age, through good report and evil report so that near the conclusion of his time he could say that the Lord was his song and his strength. He was strong and courageous in the Lord's work and service, even after a decay came upon the outward man by reason of age and infirmities, being sound and clear in his understanding to the last.

As he had an excellent gift for the ministry, he was also endued with a large understanding and gift for government and religious discipline in the church of Christ. And having a discerning spirit, he stood firm in his zeal against those things that opposed the good order into which the Lord had gathered his people, and such men as under fair pretense would open a gap for false liberty. The care of the churches was upon him, especially in this nation where he lived and labored many years both in doctrine and discipline. And as an elder that ruled well, he was esteemed highly by the faithful for his work's sake. Temperate he was in eating and drinking, decent and plain in apparel, in discourse weighty, being mostly concerning the things of God tending to instruction and edification. His countenance and deportment were manly and grave, expressing a noble and religious disposition of mind.

He was a loving husband, a careful and tender father, a firm friend and kind neighbor, given to hospitality, and though it was often his lot to be separated from his wife and children for the Gospel's sake, yet he ordered his affairs with discretion so that there might be no want in his family, either of commendable employment or necessaries. But his greater concern and labor was for the public good of the churches and promoting the government of Christ Jesus therein, for which he was zealous to the end, as appears by divers expressions from him a little before his departure, some of which follow as a supplement to the ensuing journal. And when upon due consideration with reflection on past time he was persuaded that his day's work was done, he humbly desired, in submission to the will of God, to be dissolved and be with Christ, to rest from his labor and affliction of body that attended, which in the Lord's time was granted him.

To conclude concerning this our well-beloved friend and elder, who by faith hath obtained a good report and whose memorial is and shall be blessed among the righteous, I refer the reader to a serious perusal of his following journal and those testimonies given forth by faithful Friends and brethren concerning him, with sincere desire, that the blessing of God may so attend thy reading as to excite thee to a faithful improvement of thy time and the gift of grace bestowed on thee through Christ Jesus so that thy latter end may be peace, and thy future state eternal happiness. So in Christian love I remain thy well-wishing friend,

John Stoddart.

Dublin, the 26th of the Eighth month, 1714.