church. This the people could not confent to do. He foon sent another, who preached amongst us for fome time; but alas! he fewed diffenfion. And poured out a flood of the rankeft Antinomianifm; which afterwards produced difmal fruits. At the time he came, we had about two hundred in the Society, which met regularly in the Claffes, and about one hundred and thirty of them profeffed faith in Jefus. He tarried about a month with us. Several of the friends, befides myself, reafoned with him on the evil tendency of his doctrines; but all in vain. At laft, ten of the principal friends wrote him a letter; in which they informed him, that if he continued to preach fuch doctrines, they could not in confcience hear him. The letter did not reach his hand; but he never returned to Cumberland fince. Yet though he was gone, his doctrines took root and fpread, and foon after tore the Society into pieces. I took a tour up the river Pedicodiach, and spoke to the people of the goodness of God; and the way of falvation through faith; but they remained in general, hard and stupid. However the word did not wholly fall to the ground, one being then awakened, and the next time I vifited the river, fet at liberty. It was up this river, where I firft ventured to take a text, to prevent a fameness in my difcourfes. After my return, I continued as ufual, working at my father's in the day time, and in the evenings, and on the Sabbath-days, exhorting and preaching at different places, according as it fuited the people beft. One night having called at a friend's house, where a number of thofe that were awakened, had got together, a hymnbook being put into my hand, I gave out a verfe and began to expound it. One of thofe that had been under great distress, began to praise God, and to tell what he had done for her foul, Soon after another and another, till four that night profeffed redemption in the blood of Jefus Chrift. I continued to labour at home, until November the thirteenth, when I fet off again, to vifit the poor, hardened people of Pedicodiach river, and laboured amongst them until the twentieth. I preached to them fixteen or feventeen times, and perceived the word reached their hearts, as appeared from their heaving breasts and weeping eyes. At Hillsborough, and alfo at the village, many were pricked to the heart, and began to enquire the way to Zion, in a manner they had never done before. One cried vehemently for mercy, who had just before been mocking. The word faftened on his mind, fo that he was ready to cry out, but left the house to avoid it: foon after he returned and found it to have the fame effect. He attempted to leave the room as at the first, but before he reached the door, was conftrained to cry out for mercy. On the twenty-first, I returned to Tantramar, and preached in the evening with very great freedom. Jefus was in the midst of us, both to wound and to comfort; and many of the friends were remarkably happy. One little girl about feven or eight years old got upon a form and told, in a wonderful manner, what God had done for her foul. Out of the mouths of babes and fucklings he can and does perfect praife. After preaching several times at Tantramar, on the 26th I rode over the marshes, and on the 28th by God's bleffing, arrived fafe at home, having found this a blessed journey to my foul. I laboured about home as usual, and for about fix weeks was forely grieved to fee the enemy likely to gain fo great an advantage. Antinomianifm now began to rear its dreadful head. The commandments of God, more precious than gold, yea than much fine gold, were dreffed up as fcarecrows. God's law was, by many, rather vilified, than magnified and made honourable. To prefs it on the confciences of our audience was looked upon as a mark of our ignorance, if not of our being - total strangers to the grace of God. All this they did under pretence of honouring free grace, and taught publickly, that no believer could make fhipwreck of his faith that his foul never finned, though he fhould lie, or get drunk: that David himfelf or his foul never finned, while in Uriah's bed: it was his body body only. Thus were the flood-gates of iniquity set open; and many fucked in the poison; as if it had been the marrow of the gospel. So that fome of my own children rose up against me; even thofe that once loved me as the apple of their eye. Yea, even two of our Leaders, and many of our principal members were drawn away, by thefe corrupt notions. Hence diffenfions arofe; their zeal was fpent upon notions and opinions, and the life of God gradually died away. January 9th, 1782. I fet off for Pedicodiach river, and stopped the first night at a place, where I found one, whom I had left in great distress, now rejoicing in the Lord. The next morning I fet forwards on Snow-fhoes, for the French fettlement on the North fide of the river, in company with one or two of our friends. We lay at a French houfe that night on a little straw, and had only about two yards of a thin linen wrapper, to cover us, though it was one of the coldeft nights in all that winter. But "Labour is reft, and pain is fweet, The next day we went forward and walked about nineteen miles. I was much fatigued with the Snow-fhoes; yet I preached in the evening, but felt little life in my own foul. O Lord, what are we without thy love. Sunday 12. I preached at the village, where many were deeply affected, and, with floods of tears, declared they fought the Lamb that taketh away the fins of the world. After preaching, I walked about nine miles to the head of the river, where we met a fmall company in the evening. The next day I preached twice, and the day following returned to the village again, where I found fome fruit of my labours. Wednesday 16. We walked as far as Ricars-point, where I preached in the evening, but the people appeared quite unmoved. On Thursday we reached Hillsborough, where we were received received with joy. Many appeared to be in fore diftrefs, and one found comfort. Monday 21. I walked about twenty miles, on Snow-fhoes, and preached at night. Many were deeply, affected, and one in particular cried, "Oh! Mr. Black! what fhall I do? my heart is ready to burft." I pointed him to Jefus, and exhorted him to believe. Others declared what God had done for their fouls, and many hung around, ready to catch every word, and fome with tears crying, "O that I might re-, ceive my fight! O that my eyes were opened! What shall I do? My heart is almost broken, &c. &c." Wednesday 23. I preached at the village, and having left the people weeping, went on my journey. At night I preached at a friend's houfe, where a young man trembled greatly, and cried" O Lord, if thou doft not fave, I am undone." About bed time, I went out of the house to the barn, where I found him kneeling on the fnow, crying and praying in the bitterness of his foul. The next morning we commended him to the grace of God, and fet off for Membromcook, where we tarried all night amongst the French again, and the next day reached Mr. Weldon's. Saturday 26. about one o'clock I arrived at Sacville; but found a proud, barren heart, many times wandering from God. O my God! I hate this felf, and will not give up my claim to thee. Sunday 27. I preached twice, but felt great caufe to mourn my barrennefs, my diftance from, and unlikeness to Jefus. [To be continued.} The EXPERIENCE of ELIZABETH SCADDAN; in a Letter to the Rev. Mr. WESLEY. Rev. and dear Sir, Feb. 3, 1783. AT your defire, 1 fhall endeavour, though I am at a lofs Α where to begin, to give the recital of that goodness and mercy, which hath followed me all the days of my life, and which I can trace back to my earlieft remembrance. I reflect with pleasure on the kindness manifefted toward me by a young lady, who was one of my fponfors, in endeavouring to instil into my tender mind an early fenfe of my duty to God and my neighbour. Nothing in her power was wanting, in order to effe& this, and from her I learned, both by example and principle, that the duties of religion demanded my chief concern. Her endeavours fo far fucceeded, as to give my mind a religious turn; and before I was ten years old, I felt a concern whenever I thought I had offended God. I had a heart that was gay and volitile, alive to pleasure, though not insensible to the miferies of my fellow-creatures. As I grew in years, I was often led to reflect on the many evils attendant on this flate of existence, and the joys that awaited those who patiently continued in welldoing. I often meditated on the glories of heaven, and have been happy in the thought of one day being a partaker of them; though death wore a dreadful afpect, even when I confidered him the meffenger of my releafe from a world, where fin and pain abounded, to partake of the happiness of heaven. I had fometimes a fear, left I should not be admitted there; but for the most part valued myself on having better principles and morals than the generality of those I converfed with; which quieted my fears of judgment, but did not make me willing to pafs through the valley of the fhadow of death. In this respect I was fubject to bondage, from which nothing but the coming in of a better hope, than what arofe from the view of moral rectitude, could deliver me. I remember once while very young, I was ill and wept much left I should die, and had fome fear of not going to heaven, as I faw myfelf a finner, and not prepared for that celeftial city; but as I foon recovered, these impreflions wore off, and gayer reflections took poffeffion of my thoughts. I indulged my difpofition for mirth and the enjoyment of the plea fures of the world, fo far as I could, practifing what I deemed the duties of religion, when they did not interfere with my worldly delights; nor did I find that bitter nels |