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diff --git a/42164-0.txt b/42164-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..71afbcc --- /dev/null +++ b/42164-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8484 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42164 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 42164-h.htm or 42164-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42164/42164-h/42164-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42164/42164-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + the the Google Books Library Project. See + http://www.google.com/books?id=iHg4AAAAMAAJ + + +Transcriber's note: + + Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + + Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. + + + + + +[Illustration: ELI JONES.] + +[Illustration: SYBIL JONES.] + + + + + ELI AND SIBYL JONES: + + THEIR LIFE AND WORK. + + BY + + RUFUS M. JONES. + + "Our wills are ours, we know not how; + Our wills are ours, to make them Thine." + + _In Memoriam._ + + PHILADELPHIA: + PORTER & COATES. + + + + +COPYRIGHT, 1889, + +BY PORTER & COATES. + + + + + TO + + THE SWEET AND SHINING MEMORY + + OF + + PLINY EARLE CHASE, + + WHOSE SCHOLARSHIP AND CHRISTIAN MANHOOD INSPIRED + YOUNG MEN TO RICHER AND PURER LIVES, AND + WHO AS TEACHER POINTED STUDENTS + + TO THE + + GREAT MASTER, + + THIS BOOK + + IS + AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED + + BY HIS PUPIL. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +In our busy and material lives we all need to be reminded at times +that there have been and still are among us those who have deadened +love of self, whose struggle on earth, far from being to amass any +kind of treasures, is to bring before as many human beings as possible +the great plan of salvation, the means of elevation from degradation +to lofty Christian individuality, and the source of a power and a love +which are making all things new in proportion as submission is given +thereto. + +We are not always conscious of the strength exerted around us by +seemingly trivial forces, but their work is no less important in the +development of the globe than the violent upheavals which overawe us +by their stupendous might. So, often, quiet lives extend a wider +permanent influence for the welfare of man than do those of men and +women who receive the unstinted praise of their contemporaries. + +ELI and SYBIL JONES have done valuable service, and have lived lives +full of teaching to those who wish to enter upon a course of devoted +obedience to the same Master. I have prepared this sketch of their +lives and work from the love which I feel for them, and in the hope +that it will interest and profit others. I am conscious that the stamp +of youth is on the work, but I am certain that it has been undertaken +and accomplished in the spirit of sincerity. + +The visit to Liberia was wonderful in many ways, and should have been +published after their return, so that their work might have brought +forth more decided fruit. The letters from Palestine and Syria were +written for the _Friends' Review_ by Eli Jones and Ellen Clare Miller +(since Pearson). Extracts have been chosen to give their descriptions +of the country and the nature of their work there. + +The book has been prepared in the midst of other work, and that must +in part be the apology for its imperfections. Having as a young man +received invaluable help from these two Friends, and feeling that +their words and lives have done much to throw light on the true path +which broadens into the "highway of holiness," it is my hope that this +simple recital may in a measure repay what I owe them and find a place +of usefulness in the world. + + 3d mo. 13, 1889, FRIENDS' SCHOOL, Providence. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + PAGE + EARLY YEARS, 9 + + CHAPTER II. + + AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME, 18 + + CHAPTER III. + + MARRIAGE WITH SYBIL JONES, 27 + + CHAPTER IV. + + FIRST VISIT, 40 + + CHAPTER V. + + EAST, WEST, AND SOUTH, 54 + + CHAPTER VI. + + VOYAGE TO LIBERIA, 60 + + CHAPTER VII. + + WORK IN ENGLAND AND IRELAND, 108 + + CHAPTER VIII. + + NORWAY, GERMANY, AND SWITZERLAND, 127 + + CHAPTER IX. + + WINTER IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, 141 + + CHAPTER X. + + IN THE MAINE LEGISLATURE, 160 + + CHAPTER XI. + + IN WASHINGTON, 169 + + CHAPTER XII. + + MISSION-WORK, 185 + + CHAPTER XIII. + + LETTERS FROM SYRIA, 199 + + CHAPTER XIV. + + SECOND VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND, 251 + + CHAPTER XV. + + SYBIL JONES: HER LIFE-WORK AND DEATH, 268 + + CHAPTER XVI. + + ALONE AT HOME, 285 + + CHAPTER XVII. + + LATER VISITS TO THE EAST, 292 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + AS A FRIEND, 299 + + CHAPTER XIX. + + HIS PLACE AS A WORKER, 307 + + + + +ELI AND SYBIL JONES. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +_EARLY YEARS._ + + "Man is the nobler growth our soil supplies, + And souls are ripened 'neath our northern skies." + + +The man whose early life was passed in the isolation of primeval +forests, and who grew to manhood carrying on an unceasing struggle to +turn the rough, uncultivated soil into productive fields, gardens, and +pasture-lands, has worked into his life something which no coming +generation can inherit or acquire. He has missed the broad culture of +the schools and universities, he cannot gain the intellectual skill +which long study gives, but he has had a training which lays a +foundation for the keenest judgment and for prompt decision in +complicated circumstances, and his soul in solitude has taken in +truths of God which often escape men lost in the tumultuous world of +business and pleasure. The men who were born during the first quarter +of a century after our national life began have nearly all been +characterized by special traits which will perhaps not appear again in +the more developed growth of the nation. It has not astonished us to +see a man leave his little cottage after twenty-five years of toil +and go through all the grades of honor, reach a position from which he +could hardly go higher, and finally depart from a life unspotted, +respected by mankind. + +But in this development there is no chance: he mounts by a law which, +if we knew it, is as unvariable as that of gravitation. The powers of +the mind and soul seek a field in which they may be put to work at +profit. It cannot be uninteresting to follow the course of a man who +has shown--at least to those who have known him well--that there was +something in him of value to the world. In measuring the worth of any +man, we must not be dazzled by the glare of earthly glory, but calmly +inquire what he has done that has built itself into other lives, and +we must look beyond outward things to see in how far he has been the +honored tool of the Supreme Worker. + +The family of Jones is a large one, and its genealogical table would +make a long story. Welsh John succeeded Welsh John, and was called +John's son until time wore the name down to Jones. Generation after +generation they held their place and did their work among the Welsh +hills, until one of them was called upon to steer the Mayflower with +its precious load to Plymouth. Eli Jones writes in a letter dated 1st +mo. 9th, 1888: "I have been reading Bonvard's _Plymouth and the +Pilgrims_, from which I learn that Isaac Robinson, son of the Rev. +John Robinson, pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers, was an early settler at +Plymouth, and that he became a Quaker. Our grandmother Jepson was a +Robinson, and, for aught I know, great-great-great-grandniece of this +very Isaac Robinson. The captain of the Mayflower was a Jones. With +him we claim kindred, and that claim is readily allowed. Now, if our +great-great-great-grandsire was the venerable patriarch who led in +prayer and gave the memorable parting charge[1] to the Pilgrims, and +if his son, our great-great-greatuncle, was, as history relates, a +trading man in the colony and a 'convinced Friend,' it is certainly +fitting that we should take a lively interest in what occurred among +our kin in 1620." + + [1] John Robinson's charge is as follows: "I charge you, before God + end his blessed angels, that ye follow me no further than ye have seen + me follow the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has more truth yet to break + forth out of his holy word. I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition + of the Reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and + will go at present no further than the instruments of their + reformation. Luther and Calvin were great and shining lights in their + times, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God. I + beseech you remember it--'tis an article of your Church covenant--that + you be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known to you from + the written word of God." + +Much later, after many settlements in different parts of New England +had failed, and the Pilgrim and Puritan colonies were in prosperous +growth, three brothers bearing the name of Jones came to this +continent. One of them found a forest home on the bank of the +Androscoggin River, six miles from Brunswick, in the township of +Durham and District of Maine. Quite a large number of friends +collected here, and a meeting-house was built not far away. There was +a large Friends' meeting at Deering, near Portland, and the name of +Jones was common among its members. The monthly and quarterly meetings +at each place were frequently visited by Friends from the other, +necessitating a foot-journey of fully forty miles through almost +pathless woods. The house is still standing in which Abel Jones was +born. He determined to leave his home and go farther north. He +travelled on horseback up the Kennebec River as far as Vassalboro', +and then rode ten miles east to the north-eastern end of what is now +China Lake, in earlier times often called the "Twelve-mile Pond," +because it is twelve miles from Augusta, the State capital. His young +bride, Susannah Jepson, rode on horseback from North Berwick, a +distance of one hundred and fifteen miles. She was attended by her +brother alone, and brought only what a pair of saddlebags could hold. +Here in a little house, in the year 1807, their first child was born +and named Eli. A letter was at once sent to the young child's +grandfather and grandmother at Durham. The letter came to the nearest +post-station, twelve miles away, and was taken in charge by an elderly +Friend who lived there. He volunteered to start out at once to carry +the letter to its destination, thinking it might contain valuable +information. As he listened to its contents at the end of his journey +he made the significant remark, "Is that all there is in it?" and +jogged back home. + +One's first thought would be that if a child was to be brought up in +the Maine woods, it would make very little difference in what part of +the State the spot happened to be; but it is not at all so. As a young +life is very susceptible to outward scenes and every-day events, we +can hardly estimate the moulding influence of little things. + +The life of the few families in the early history of China would be +exceedingly interesting if we only had a graphic sketch from the pen +of one of its settlers. Owning the acres they cleared and tilled and +the houses in which they dwelt, they called no man master, but they +bowed in reverence before their heavenly King and obeyed His +commandments. They did their day's work week after week, little +thinking that a generation would come which would wish to follow the +story of their trials and triumphs, their joys and sorrows; and now +almost all that is left us is the inherited strength from their sturdy +lives and a few stories of their sufferings. + +Without doubt, nothing in nature had more influence on the bent of Eli +Jones's mind than China Lake and its beautiful shores. A boy placed on +the bank of a lake stretching off seven miles becomes inheritor to a +domain more vast than the acres of water it contains. He feels that he +owns so much of this world's glory, and this feeling of ownership +lifts him out of the common, dull round of life. Year by year he owns +more in proportion as his soul expands and he sees more of God's work +and God's love in the painted sunsets beyond the western shore and in +the forests above and below the placid waters. No one who has not +experienced it can appreciate the worth of a lake to a boy. It is not +simply because he can fish there, or can swim there, or can make a +rude boat and so float on its surface. That is its chief worth to the +thoughtless boy, but it was not all to the keenly perceptive child who +was father to the man Eli Jones. It was his great playmate whom he +loved. It was at the same time his teacher, whose "various language" +spoke a Father's presence and His love. + +It is very monotonous toil changing a rough forest to a productive +farm, but a youth becomes a familiar friend to stumps, hillocks, and +rocks; to him the mounds are Indian graves, the tall stones mark the +final resting-places of mighty chiefs, and his imagination fills the +round of work with marvellous scenes. Very many, doubtless, see only +their work and the fruit of it, but there are a few who see mysteries +and learn lessons wherever they are placed, so that monotony is +changed to endless variety. Eli Jones was one of those boys who make +gain from ethereal things. + +The spot which Abel Jones chose for his home had many of the +characteristics of a scene in Maine. Hills were backed by other hills, +and not far in from the lake was a mile-long "horseback."[2] The trees +were not pigmies in those days, but giant oaks and pines, + + "Whose living towers the years conspired to build, + Whose giddy tops the morning loved to gild." + + [2] These ridges are very abundant in Maine, and are supposed to owe + their origin to glacial action. + +There were dense forests of cedar, and the scattered bass-woods made +the whole place fragrant in the spring. Never had an axe swung in +these solitudes, and the mighty power of the ages was felt as these +stout pines met the breeze. It was no small privilege to be canopied +with such a tent as their meeting tops made. + + "Whoso walks in solitude + And inhabiteth the wood, + Choosing light, wave, rock, and bird + Before the money-loving herd,-- + Into that forester shall pass, + From these companions, power and grace. + On him the light of star and moon + Shall fall with purer radiance down; + All constellations of the sky + Shed their virtue through his eye. + Him Nature giveth for defence + His formidable innocence. + The mounting sap, the shells, the sea, + All spheres, all stones, his helpers be." + +China had first been settled in 1774 by a family of Clarks. There were +four brothers, two of whom were Friends. They cut the first tree that +a white man's axe had ever felled in the township, and began to survey +the land for homes. The two Friends chose the eastern and the others +the western side of the lake. Life in the midst of the Maine forest +implied struggle, and these families were courageous. No report of +possible gold-mines or other hidden wealth drew them and those who +followed them, but the desire to seek out quiet homes for themselves +and their children where the temptations to a life of uselessness +would be few. Trials they expected, and they were not spared. It was a +hand-to-hand contest with want. At one time a cow was nearly the only +valuable possession of the little company, and this was accidentally +shot for a deer. The men went often ten miles through the woods, by +the aid of "spotted" or "blazed" trees, to get their corn ground. We +are told that in one case the mother was forced to put stones, in lieu +of potatoes, in the hot ashes to induce her crying hungry children to +go to bed until they should be called, and often the potatoes which +had been planted were dug up to be eaten. Indians and the wild animals +were around them, continually causing fear. In a cove at the +south-western shore of the lake is a large heart, called the +"Indian's heart," cut in a huge boulder, and in spring nearly covered +by water. This marks the encampment of a tribe of Indians naturally +friendly to their white neighbors, but exceedingly treacherous. On one +occasion they visited the settlers in a body, and while the latter +were unsuspiciously entertaining them they threw water on the guns of +the white men, and only the darkness of the night saved these from +destruction. + +Gradually one family after another was added to the community, and as +they all came for the same purpose, the settlement was composed of +strong characters. These farmers had the idea that it should not be +the chief aim of those who till the soil to grow rich, or to fill the +market with choice vegetables, or to gain an easy livelihood, but +rather to send out from their households sons and daughters marked by +strength of character and able to do manly and womanly work in the +various spheres of the world. Their visible workfield may have seemed +narrow and roughly hedged in, but they felt the needs of the future, +and did their best to raise a tower of strength in the land by +properly training their successors. The horizon which shuts in their +real domain expands as the times grow riper. + +The first Friends' meeting in China was held about 1803, in a private +house two and a half miles from the south end of the lake. Abel Jones +was married to Susannah Jepson in this house in 1806, and about seven +years later a meeting-house was built, to which Eli was taken even +before it was wholly finished. This building was heated by a wood-fire +under an iron kettle, and in every particular it was plain and rough; +but no more sincere praises to the Lord have risen through the arches +of marvellously wrought cathedrals than in this forest meeting-house. +Eli Jones's grandfather on his mother's side was the first +acknowledged minister in this meeting. Eli first heard the gospel +preached in this house, and here he saw the occasional visitors from +afar. Each year, which added its natural increase to the boy's +stature, was marking a no less evident growth of mind and vigor of +spirit. His mother taught him that "serving God and keeping His +commandments was the whole duty of man." He was shown by the quiet +example of both parents that honest work in the right spirit is an +essential part of pure and undefiled religion, while the lives of +Joseph, Samuel, David, and Daniel were put before him, showing him the +justness of God's dealing in the different ages, both in rewarding +righteousness and in punishing unrighteousness. Those heroes of faith +of the Old Testament made a deep impression on him, as they must on +every young person whose mind is not corrupted by the unnatural and +impossible fictions of the present day; but the pages which told of +Christ's work and words, His life and death, were so fixed in his mind +and heart that the great Master early began to shape and strengthen +the character of His chosen disciple. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME._ + + "My mind, aspire to higher things-- + Grow rich in that which never taketh rust." + + PHILIP SIDNEY. + + +The opportunities for study in China were not enough to satisfy a boy +with even a moderately strong desire for knowledge. Books were as rare +as in the days before John Gutenberg, and Eli Jones has often said +that if he had been asked ten times a day what he most wished for, he +would have answered each time, Books. The fact that he longed so to +read, and that he was almost entirely confined to the Bible, resulted +in his becoming thoroughly familiar with the different parts of that +great Book. It furnished him his poetry, his history, and his ethics; +it was his reading-book and his spelling-book. Joseph in his coat of +many colors and David with his sling were as much acquaintances of his +as were the few boys he played with. David's lament for Jonathan and +Deborah's song of triumph, the spiritual melody of the Psalms and +Isaiah's rapt words, made him feel the power of Hebrew poetry, while +the New Testament was helping him to know the manliness and divinity +of Christ. What boys acquired in those days was well acquired, and if +they did not have as much learning, they often were imbued with a +better learning than at the end of the same century. It is certain +that Eli had the spirit to learn, and did what he could to lay a +proper foundation. + +While he was still very young he came with his father and mother to +live at the south end of the lake, and there was built the house which +has been the birthplace and home of so many of the Jones family. +During the years of political excitement and fierce war against the +mother-country--the years between 1812 and 1815--hardly a rumor of the +outside strife had penetrated the long line of unbroken forests. While +men were dying daily to force England to respect American rights, and +while Europe was united to crush Napoleon, the citizens along China +Lake were building brick-kilns to make material for the chimneys of +their houses, doing their every-day work without knowing, perhaps, +that Bonaparte was in the world, and having no fear that a war-cloud +might break over them. Thus the future lover of peace dwelt in peace, +and he did not need to learn the horrors of war by experience to hate +it. + +A schoolhouse was built just over the hill north of his home, and +thither he went to be taught; but the terms were very short, and the +teachers only knew a few first principles, though they faithfully +labored to fix these in the minds of their pupils. One teacher, after +working two days on a problem in long division, gave the result to Eli +Jones, saying, "I know that is right now, but I can't explain it to +you or tell you why it is done that way." Eli had an exalted opinion +of one of the teachers who held sway in this little house, and has +often spoken of him with affection. He spent a whole winter teaching +his older pupils to spell ordinary English words correctly, and took +Eli through the spelling-book until all the words in it were fixed +visibly in his brain, where they have since remained; and in all his +teaching since spelling has been one of the branches which was not +elective in the course. + +During the winter of 1827 he had the benefit of the charitable fund at +the Friends' School in Providence, R. I. He divided the half year with +another scholar, so that he had only three months, but he was prepared +to make the most of this opportunity. He took ship-passage from Bath +to Providence. The first night after his departure from home his +mother passed in walking the floor and worrying for her boy tossed on +the sea, as she supposed, but he was quietly sleeping all the while in +his berth on the ship, which had anchored in the harbor on account of +fog, and sailed the next morning. + +Friends' School, which had been opened at Portsmouth in 1784, was in +its second organization less than ten years old when he came to it, +but it was firmly established, and was often visited by its +foster-father, the venerable Moses Brown. The institution consisted of +one tall, massive brick building looking toward the south, and two +lower transverse wings, to which successive additions have been made +to meet the needs of the times. In front and rear of the buildings +were extensive grounds divided into yards, lawns, and groves of oak +and chestnut trees, then in their youth, now majestic with the +increase of half a century. Beyond the boundary of the school +property, toward the river which Roger Williams had crossed in his +search for a peaceful abode, were great forests of ancient maples, +oaks, and chestnuts, with hillsides of towering hemlocks, and swamps +where the boys, who did not study botany, sought for little beyond the +extermination of a marvellous race of black snakes. From the cupola of +the middle building was a prospect of wide extent, showing to the +new-comers the whole State at a glance, and placing before their eyes +the waters of Narragansett Bay. + +Enoch Breed--called universally "Cousin Enoch"--was at the head of the +school as superintendent, while his wife, "Cousin Lydia," was the +matron. She was a sweet, lovely lady, and her presence was felt by all +in the school. "Cousin Enoch" was not an educator, but he was a kind, +fatherly man, a shrewd manager, a good farmer, and an exemplary +character. He always wore his broad-brimmed hat, and was never seen +outside of his private room with it off; the boys looked upon him as +their patriarch, and, indeed, it is said that on one occasion he was +asked if he were Methuselah, and dryly answered, "No, I am Enoch." + +Isaiah Jones taught the mathematics, and was considered a very +successful teacher. The other instructors were David Daniels, who +taught what Latin was then required; George Jones, Moses Mitchel, +Abigail Pierce, and Mary Almy. + +Reading, spelling, and grammar were the only classes which recited; +all the other work of the school was done privately, each student +being independent and going as slowly or rapidly as his brain-power +and ambition prescribed. Mathematics was the important branch, and +each boy copied problems and their solutions into interminable +copy-books. The school-room was small and lighted by tin oil lamps on +the desks. In this room there were often one hundred and fifty boys: a +number of these were appointed as monitors to report all disorderly +conduct to the teachers. + +The meetings were held in the building in an upper chamber, where boys +and girls and teachers sat in the same room. These were generally +silent meetings, but occasionally William Almy or Doctor Tobey came to +give them counsel. + +Among the schoolmates of Eli Jones were James N. Buffum, since +ex-mayor of Lynn, Mass., and Peter Neal, also since ex-mayor of the +same city, now on the committee of the school. The latter relates that +Eli Jones received the "christening" always given new boys in those +days, and his remark on that occasion was characteristic of him. The +old students were put in line at night on the play-ground, and among +them stood the newcomer. A "dummy" with swollen cheeks came to each +boy in turn, and was answered by all, "Um!" until he reached Eli, who, +as instructed beforehand, said, "Squirt," when suddenly his face was +filled with water. Instead of the attack which the boys expected, Eli +quietly remarked, "_That was cleverly done_." Peter Neal remarks that +if he had been known as he was a month later, he would have received +no christening. + +His schoolmates relate that he was a good boy, and that he was +generally liked. In his youth he was much troubled by an impediment in +his speech, and he early resolved to remedy it as much as possible. He +was the only one of scholars or teachers in the boarding-school who +was accustomed to speak in the Friends' meeting. He had already begun +to speak at home, and, notwithstanding the trial which it was to him +as a young man, he stood up among the boys and forced his voice to say +what was in his heart. Few who heard him on those occasions are alive +now, but these few remember how it impressed them to see one who +played with them on the campus and sat with them in classes speak so +earnestly before them and all the rows of solemn Friends. They +respected his message, for his life was pure. + +He had a dread of the nursery, and resolved to keep out of it, but he +was taken with typhoid fever, and after vainly fighting it off at last +succumbed to be doctored in the vigorous way of those times. He had a +long, hard siege of it, and lost a number of weeks from his brief +term; but this short break from his usual life and the intercourse +with cultivated teachers and scholars could not fail to leave its +impress. It lifted his aspirations and widened somewhat the course of +his thoughts, giving an impulse to his future life more valuable than +mere knowledge. While it is to be regretted that so short a time was +given him for satisfying his longings for a higher education, we +rejoice that he knew so well how to school himself and to be a teacher +to himself. He was a good mathematician, and his copy-books show that +he was no tyro at figures; but he affirms that his drill in the old +spelling-book was of far greater worth to him than his higher +mathematics. + +When he reached home from Providence, he found a young brother +twenty-one years younger than himself. This was Edwin, the youngest of +the family of eleven, and to him fell the homestead and the care of +the father, mother, and sister Peace. + +There is still standing a little red building, about one mile from +South China, called the Chadwick Schoolhouse, in which many a man has +laid his ABC foundation. Its external and internal appearance would +not lead one to suppose that this was a "temple of learning" or any +other kind of a temple, but not a few successful men look back to it +with a feeling of reverence, and the near presence of a yard where +many others of its day tenants of earlier time lie under toppling +stones, just carved enough to tell the names and some of the virtues +of those beneath, gives somewhat of a sacredness to the little +building. It was in this house that Eli first opened his mouth to +speak in the assemblies of the people. He was quite young, less than +fourteen, when he arose in a meeting in that house and said, "Behold +the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." On their way home his +grandfather asked who had spoken in the "body of the meeting," but the +grandmother checked her husband with a slight nudge and answered the +question by a motion of her finger. A few years ago a very aged man +came up to Eli Jones and said, "I remember the first time you ever +spoke in meeting, and I know what you said." From this time on he was +often heard briefly in religious assemblies, and he was encouraged by +older Friends to be faithful in delivering his message when impressed. + +After his return from Providence School, Eli Jones began to be a +definite worker for the bettering of the world, and the seeds he then +planted have brought forth the blade and the ear, and now the full +corn is in the ear. He and a few others organized a temperance +society of which he was the secretary; and many meetings were held in +China and the adjoining town. Essays were written and speeches were +delivered against the use of intoxicating drinks. This organization +was made two years before the Washingtonian movement was started, and +its influence in the State was great, aiding undoubtedly the enactment +of the "Maine Law" which has made itself felt in all our States and in +many of the other countries. + +The same winter he was one of a small company which met to start a +public library. They formed a successful library association. Books +soon began to come in, and from that day Eli Jones has not wanted for +reading matter. With few exceptions, when absent doing higher work, he +has attended the meetings of this association and aided it by his zeal +and counsel. + +It is a matter of interest to notice a young man who had just barely +become a full-fledged citizen turning his mind so strongly toward +enlightening those near him, and that, too, in a community where he +did not have the example of any predecessor to arouse him and spur him +on. He was travelling a new road, and building as he went. The secret +of it all was that there was something in him which forbade rest and +inaction. In early years he saw fully that the part of man which ate +and slept was not the important part, but that there was something +within him which could span space and time, and which was spoken to by +the whisperings of the Spirit of the eternal Ruler. + +At the present time biographies are within the reach of all boys, and +they can see how great men and good men have made their lives +complete--how they shaped their course, what goal they set before +them, and what lifted them to the mark. In his youth, Eli Jones had +almost no possibility of knowing from the record of other lives how +best to build in youth. His father was a righteous man, whose actions +were living epistles, and his mother was a living, teaching Christian. +From both he inherited much and learned much; but "there is a divinity +that shapes our ends," and, once in the hands of the great Potter, +there is a marvellous shaping of the clay. Biographies, all good +books, and directions in the right way are helps, but submission to be +trained and then used by the Master Builder, is infinitely more of a +help in the making of a right man. + +Great men of all ages have recognized a power, a daimon, an +ecstasy--or, better, a Spirit--inspiring them, urging them to seek +truth and beauty, to live lives of truth and beauty and goodness, and +to shun as their greatest enemy everything that distorts and ties +weights to their flying feet. Everything teaches the man who is to be +wise; but most of all the Spirit teaches those who give ear unto Him; +and if any one thing has made the life of Eli Jones a success, it is +that he listened actively to the voice which said, "Give me thine +heart." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_MARRIAGE WITH SYBIL JONES._ + + "I see in the world the intellect of man, + That sword, the energy his subtle spear, + The knowledge which defends him like a shield-- + Everywhere; but they make not up, I think, + The marvel of a soul like thine." + + BROWNING. + + +In 1833, Eli Jones was married to Sybil Jones, the daughter of Ephraim +and Susannah Jones. + +Susannah was the daughter of Micajah Dudley, son of Samuel Dudley, a +great-grandson of Samuel Dudley of Exeter, N. H., the eldest son of +Gov. Thomas Dudley, the pilgrim of Plymouth, said to have been +descended from the lineage of the earls of Leicester. Both Sybil +Jones's parents and grandparents were Friends, and her grandfather and +great-grandfather Dudley were preachers of fine talents and high +character. + +Ephraim Jones was a "noble man" and a strong character. He was often +deeply lost in thought, to such an extent that many anecdotes are +related of his absent-mindedness which are very amusing. He did not +want in vigor of mind, and he was one of the marked men of the town. +Some are still alive who remember him as he stood up at quarterly +meeting and took his text, "If thou hast run with the footmen, and +they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and +if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, +then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" He was a man who +left a remembrance behind him, and the strength of his life has not +been lost. His wife Susannah lived to the good old age of ninety-four, +and was loved by all who saw her. "Grandmother Jewel" was her name in +her old age. Eli's mother, who was nearly as old, was also named +Susannah, and it was a memorable day for the grandchildren when these +two grandmothers talked together of the olden time. "Grandmother +Jewel" was very deaf, but otherwise she was a vigorous woman as long +as she lived, and, ripe with years and blessed with the fruit of those +years, she passed from this world a few months before her daughter. + +It is told that when Eli Jones visited Sybil Jones with the purpose of +asking her to become his life-companion, the latter, not suspecting +the weight of his mission, took down the Bible to read a chapter, as +was always customary in those days before visitors returned home. On +this occasion Sybil Jones opened to the twentieth Psalm, beginning, +"The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of +Jacob defend thee, send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen +thee out of Zion; remember all thy offerings and accept all thy +burnt-sacrifices; grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil +all thy counsel." The mission was accomplished successfully, and for +forty years the lives of Eli and Sybil Jones were linked together by +the bonds of deep and pure love, while their aims, longings, and +desires were merged into the one purpose of showing to the world that +there is a love which transcends all earthly affection, and that God's +love is an unbroken canopy which shelters the races of the round +globe. Herein was their love continually made more perfect. I may +quote as applicable to them the beautiful words of Izaak Walton, +written to express the regard between the saintly George Herbert and +his wife: "For the eternal Lover of mankind made them happy in each +other's mutual and equal affections and compliance; indeed, so happy +that there never was any opposition betwixt them, unless it were a +contest which should most incline to a compliance with the other's +desires. And though this begot, and continued in them, such a mutual +love and joy and content as was no way defective, yet this mutual +content and love and joy did receive a daily augumentation by such +daily obligingness to each other as still added such new affluences to +the former fulness of these divine souls as was only improvable in +heaven." + +Sybil Jones was born at Brunswick, Me., in 1808. Her birthplace was +very near the early home of Abel Jones. Only her youngest years were +spent here, but she always had a love for her first home, and one of +her early poems, written at about the age of twenty-one, speaks of it +with fondness. + +Her early life was spent at Augusta, "which was the birthplace of +those deep religious impressions that formed the motive power of a +life pre-eminently consecrated to the service of her Redeemer and the +human race." She often felt that the sermons and exhortations to which +she listened during her early years were not of such a nature as to +bring her to a saving knowledge of the sacrifice and love of Christ. +Perhaps too little care was taken in those days to fulfil the Lord's +command, "Feed my lambs;" and it is possible that our Society would +have been more strongly built up if those good men who preached +zealously to _edify_ the _Church_ had done so more effectually by +taking the little ones by the hand and pointing them to the Source of +satisfying life. + +A good Methodist minister at Augusta spoke kindly to Sybil Jones of +her highest welfare, and she was very much helped and instructed by +him in the way of life. She came to realize that she must be born +again, and she accepted Christ, by whom alone she could become a child +of God. Her love for the Methodists became very strong, and it was a +most humiliating cross to her to obey her father's will that she +should show her Quakerism by wearing a Friend's plain bonnet. There is +a true anecdote which may properly be told, since it shows what her +will was by nature, as we shall see later what power she had when it +was in harmony with God's will. She was to attend China monthly +meeting with her father, and he insisted that she should wear the +"plain" bonnet. His request conflicted very much with her +determination, but it was not possible to move him from his purpose. +There was no course which could be taken to avoid wearing it, but she +put it on bottom side up, and rode with it so from Augusta to China. +But she fortunately saw and felt the simplicity and sincerity of +Friends, as well as the spirituality of their faith, and she became +firmly fixed in the belief that to be a true Quaker was to be a +genuine Christian, a faithful follower of Jesus as he and his apostles +marked out the road; and I must believe that if we all looked to the +same source for light and guidance, and if we strove as earnestly to +walk closely in His footsteps as she did, we should have little need +of apologies and defences for our simple faith. + +In 1824-25 she attended the Friends' School at Providence, and for the +next eight years she was engaged in teaching. She felt a deep interest +in all that concerned her pupils, and it was the beginning of her +efforts to open to the eyes of the young a new world of knowledge, +beauty, and truth. One who has taught with a heart in the work will +never cease to look upon children with loving eyes; and they were +always the especial objects of her regard irrespective of their race +or color. + +While still a teacher her father took her one day to attend Sidney +monthly meeting, across the Kennebec River, about twelve miles from +China. Lindley M. Hoag, then a young man, was at the meeting. He felt +called to deliver a message to some one in the women's meeting, and an +opportunity was given him to accomplish his purpose. He went to the +women's side of the house and powerfully and clearly set forth the +state of mind of some one present, and with prophetic words he pointed +out the future course of this young Friend if she should be fully +faithful to her inward promptings. Sybil Jones knew that he was +laying open her heart, and she was much moved. When her gift as a +minister was acknowledged, and she went out to hold meetings, she +found Lindley Hoag present at the first one she attended, and for some +time it seemed to her that she could not speak before him; but she +overcame the feeling and was well favored to speak. This guidance from +ministers who were moved to speak to her case, and the power given to +her to declare the condition of others, were strikingly illustrated +during her whole life. + +During these years of teaching she was much given to writing, and she +not only copied many of the poems of her favorite authors, but she +composed numerous poems on various subjects, and wrote short maxims +for the rule of her conduct and life. It is very striking and touching +to see how she regarded the brevity of life, for almost all that is +left of her compositions is tinged with thoughts of death and the +grave. One poem is written "To Consumption," and she seems to have +been impressed with the feeling that her days were to be few, but she +hails with joy the beginning of another life and the freedom from the +cares and troubles of this present world. After saying how soon +"life's sickly dream" will be over she writes-- + + "Oh may my future hours be given + To peace, to virtue, and to Heaven, + My hopes retain immortal birth, + My joys ascend above the earth, + My steps retrace the path they trod, + My heart be fixed alone on God!" + +While still young she burned most of her prose and poetic +compositions, partly because she was so often forced to read them +aloud to company, and very little from those years remains. + +The following short poem may be as interesting as any, as her early +wish here expressed was so perfectly fulfilled in the character of her +accepted life-companion: + + "What! shall a face, then, win my heart, + Mere symmetry of form? + Such thrilling raptures _this_ impart + With _love my bosom_ warm? + As well might ocean's billow heave + When not a wind did rise, + As Fancy thus my heart deceive + And fix my wandering eyes, + No; 'tis the beauty of the soul + That could my bosom fire; + This would my tenderest thought control, + And love and truth inspire." + +The thoughts expressed in some of her maxims show the bent of her +mind, whether they are original or not. For example: "If you are told +that another reviles you, do not go about to vindicate yourself, but +reply thus: My other faults, I find, are hid from him, else I should +have heard of them too;" "Fix your character and keep to it, whether +alone or in company;" "No man can hurt you unless you please to let +him; then only are you hurt when you think yourself so." + +Whatever her early attempts may show, Sybil Jones was certainly of a +highly poetic nature. Her whole organism was so delicate that musical +tones proceeded from her at the slightest touches from within or +without. Melodious words came almost unsummoned to her lips as she +plead with sinners to come to the waters of life and "drink without +money and without price." John Bright told the present writer that it +was always a delight to him to listen to her, and that he regarded her +as a poet of high degree in her thought and expression. + +So with her daily duties and her thoughts of life and the future she +developed from girlhood to womanhood, and at the age of twenty-five +became the wife of Eli Jones. The joy and fruit resulting from their +union show unmistakably how fully they were suited for each other, and +they gave each other mutual help and inspiration. Their married life +was begun at South China upon a farm which has since been divided into +a number of smaller ones. The young wife was very careful in her +expenditures, and an accurate account of all their expenses and their +income was minutely kept by her. + +The Friends' meeting-house was three miles away at Dirigo. Thither +they rode through the long, quiet woods every First and Fifth day to +take their places among the rows of Friends waiting upon the Lord. Few +houses made with hands have received more devoted worshippers, and few +places have been more hallowed by the presence of pure souls met with +one purpose, that of honoring the Ruler of the universe and learning +from His Holy Spirit. Here, in the presence of sympathizing listeners, +the voices of these two young Friends were often heard, and they were +early enrolled among the ministers of the Society. The phrase of the +early Friends was truly fitting in their case: "Their gifts were +acknowledged." The men and women of China meeting made it their +greatest endeavor to serve God acceptably in the path of daily duty +and self-denial. One by one their beautiful lives have ended; happily, +a few of them are yet left as examples, but a Quakerism--or rather a +Christianity--which could round and perfect such characters had no +earthly origin. China meeting at this time did not abound in powerful +ministers, but its members were men and women whose lives were +transparent and pure. They were "diligent in business, fervent in +spirit, serving the Lord," and they lived sermons. There has almost +always been in this community one or two Hymenæuses and Philetuses who +have drawn creeds for their private guidance and who have severely +troubled the Friends; but such disturbances have generally resulted in +the exaltation of the true faith, and as in the natural world the +struggle to overcome hindrances to growth adds strength and vigor, so +a wolf in sheep's clothing within the fold increases the vigilance of +the spirit and the dependence on the great Shepherd. There were many +intricate questions now and then arising for discussion which gave +valuable instruction to the young ministers, and they were gradually +being prepared for useful service. Those of other denominations who +know only of a training in a theological seminary as a fitting for +preaching and teaching cannot understand how they were being taught in +this remote country village; but "by the Spirit's finer ear" they were +hearing truths of life and immortality, and on the Rock they were +building characters of gold, silver, precious stones. + +Eli Jones was a hard-working man, not only doing his farm-work, but at +different times owning shares in mills at Albion and in China and +assisting in the work of running them. After living a few years at +South China he removed to Dirigo and settled on a farm near the +Friends' meeting, where he lived until 1886. + + * * * * * + +While Eli Jones was in London in 1875 he wrote to Sarah Fobey, a +lifelong friend of his beloved wife, for her recollections of their +school-days together, and her thoughts as to Sybil Jones's spiritual +exercises then and since. She wrote from Montreux, Switzerland, as +follows: + +"My mind is filled with sweet and precious memories of the dear one. +She and I met at Friends' School in Providence in 1825. We met as +strangers, but a feeling of sympathy which is not easily explained +soon drew us together, and our intercourse there was the commencement +of one of the most delightful friendships that in all this changing +scene grew stronger and brighter with every passing year. I remember +her as one of the most studious pupils in the school, always coming to +her class with her lessons fully prepared and reciting them in a +manner that gained the admiration of her classmates. She had great +love for the beautiful, and a keen enjoyment of beautiful language +whether poetry or prose, and committing to memory, as she did, with +ease, her mind thus early became stored with much that was an +enjoyment to her in after years. In our Scripture lessons we made our +own selections, hers were always the most beautiful portions of the +Bible, often from Isaiah and the Psalms, a long chapter thoroughly +committed to memory, and recited in a manner which showed she +appreciated the truths it declared. + +"To her schoolmates she was most kind and affectionate, and by her +readiness to assist them in their lessons and in every way to do them +good gained their universal love and esteem. + +"She had a great flow of animal spirits, and entered with warmth and +interest into all our innocent pleasures and amusements; but such was +her sense of justice and of right that she would never overstep the +bounds of order nor disobey the regulations of the school. Of her +religious feeling and experience at that time I cannot speak. It was +not the custom then, as now in our Society, to speak of conversion or +to tell what God had done for our souls; and I had supposed that it +was not until after her return home that she gave her heart to Jesus +and became fully and entirely a child of His, ready to do His bidding, +and desiring above every other consideration to follow Him in the way +of His leading. How faithfully she did so, going from place to place, +from city to city, from State to State, finally from continent to +continent, declaring the unsearchable riches of Christ! One of the +most affectionate and loving of mothers, she counted nothing too near +or too dear to part with for His blessed name's sake. + +"How many sinners she has warned! how many inquirers she has pointed +to Jesus, the door of hope! how many mourners she has comforted! She +faithfully obeyed the injunction, 'Sow ye beside all waters,' and the +seed thus sown has taken root, and will continue to bear fruit long +after we shall have gone to join the dear ones who earlier than we +have entered into their Master's rest. Who can calculate the amount +of good that one such life of dedication and devotion has +accomplished? It seems to me that a faithful record of it should be an +incentive to others to seek to follow her as she followed Christ. To +me she was the most remarkable woman I have ever met, and I feel it to +have been a peculiar blessing to have known her so long and loved her +so well. Now, as I write, 'Memory opens the long vista of buried +years,' and my heart travels through them all. I linger around sunny +spots, happy hours, days of delight, seasons of sweet spiritual +communion, in which she related to me the wonderful dealings of her +heavenly Father toward her, and the remarkable manner in which she was +often supplied with means to accomplish the service she believed He +required of her--how when there seemed no way for her to move He made +a way. + +"She always seemed to me to be so spiritually-minded, and to live so +near her Saviour, as to be led and guided in a remarkable manner by +Him. I remember her when she opened her prospect to go to Europe for +the last time. She rises before me now, as she has often done, as I +saw her then. Soon after the meeting of ministers and elders assembled +Doctor Tobey arose and said, 'If there is a subject of particular +interest and importance to come before the meeting, this seems to be +the proper time.' + +"She had not expected to present it at that sitting, but, as she +afterward told me, she said to herself, 'That surely means me.' + +"She sat a little, while a feeling of great solemnity overspread the +meeting. She then arose with the most beautiful and heavenly +expression of countenance, her whole soul filled with the engrossing +subject, and with a grace and elegance of manner of which she was +entirely unconscious told us in beautiful and touching language what +she felt called to do in the service of her Lord, gratefully +acknowledging His many mercies thus far in her journey of life, and +her unshaken confidence and trust in Him for all that was to come. The +meeting was greatly moved and she was liberated with entire unity. + +"How lovely and sweet she was! and, though she lived so many years and +did so much good in them all, it always seems to me that she died 'in +the midst of her years.' + +"Oh, we should have liked to keep her longer, the dear one! But He who +seeth to the end knew when to close the strife-- + + 'Knew when to loose the silver cord, + To break the golden bowl, + And give to her that richest gift, + Salvation of the soul.'" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_FIRST VISIT._ + + "He who in glory did on Horeb's height + Descend to Moses in the bush of flame, + And bade him go and stand in Pharaoh's sight-- + Who once to Israel's pious shepherd came, + And sent him forth his champion in the fight,-- + He within my heart thus spake to me: + 'Go forth! Thou shalt on earth my witness be.'" + + SCHILLER. + + +In the autumn of 1840, Sybil Jones was liberated by her Friends to +attend meetings and do religious work in the provinces, Nova Scotia, +and New Brunswick. In this work she was attended by her husband, and +they passed through many trying circumstances; but, being sustained +from above, they came home bringing sheaves with them and feeling that +they had been instruments in God's hand of doing good. A brief account +of this journey was kept by Sybil Jones. It has never been published, +but is full of interest to all those who love to follow the steps of +devoted servants of the Lord. + +During the first winter of the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold and +a band of soldiers forced their way over almost insurmountable +obstacles through the Maine woods to capture Montreal, Quebec, and the +other Canadian strongholds. Historians have followed their track, +carefully noting every detail of their march, recording what they +suffered and what injuries they inflicted, and that, too, though the +expedition failed of its end and many a fair young life was lost in +vain. Certainly, we can well afford to follow the pilgrimage of two +soldiers of the cross fully as heroic, carrying to those otherwise +perishing the news of life and salvation. + +Sybil Jones was thirty-two years old when she made this visit; she was +in delicate health, and obliged to leave her two young children, James +Parnell and Narcissa, behind; but her whole soul was in the work, and +she writes as she would have done when years had fully developed her. +In this and her other diaries there often occur expressions which to +the frequent readers of Fox and the early missionary Friends may sound +stated and formal, but there is a life pervading the whole which shows +conclusively to a thoughtful person that these phrases are not forms, +but words clearly expressive of what she felt burning in her heart, +and they add to rather than detract from the weight of her account. +There is a wonderful depth of meaning and originality in the +expressions of Friends which unfortunately is lost sight of by +continual use, just as in all language word-metaphors which subtly +picture thoughts become cold by use and lose their picturesqueness. In +reading the pages recording the earnest labors of long ago let us read +in them all that was put there by looking for the feeling and life +under the words: + +"Left home with a certificate from some of my friends to visit some of +the British provinces, the 23d of 8th mo., 1840, in company with my +husband. He also has a certificate for said service. Being +disappointed in a female companion, we had either to resign the +prospect of a visit this season or proceed with no other company than +our dear friend Daniel Smiley, who, with a minute from his monthly +meeting, concluded to accompany us to Nova Scotia. It was a trying +case, but, feeling as though the present time was the right time, we +informed the committee appointed by the monthly meeting for the +purpose of providing us with suitable company, how it was with us. +They met with the elders, and informed us of their conclusion, which +was that they thought best for us to proceed if it seemed like the +right time, as we had informed them. We had to proceed on the prospect +of apprehended duty under discouraging circumstances, yet I trust with +a humble reliance on Him who hath said, 'I will be a defence unto +Israel.' Being favored to resign ourselves to His direction and +protection, we felt our only strength to be in Him, feeling, too, the +consoling assurance that our dear friends we have left behind will +travail in exercises with us for the Truth's honor and our +preservation from every hurtful thing. We leave our dear children in +the best place we could find.... Above all, we have felt a humble +trust that He who never slumbers will keep them; and in remembrance of +the blessed promise, that all things shall work together for good to +them that love and fear God, I have been enabled under multiplied +discouragement to adopt the language, 'Thy will, not mine, be done.' +Blessed be His name for ever who has been with me in six troubles, +and has given me assurance that He will not forsake even in the +seventh if my place is where Mary's was of old. + +"We attended two meetings the day we left--one in Windsor, the other +in Whitefield--which were very trying meetings.... + +"_Second day, 31st._ Arrived at Joseph Ester's in Calais; had a +favored meeting this evening in the Calvinist Baptist meeting-house. +The people here are so attached to Friends that they think it a +privilege to let us have a house for a meeting. The Baptists claimed +the privilege, and we thought best to improve it. After meeting I took +cold from the damp air so frequent in this place, and was confined to +the house till 9th mo. 4th. Proceeded to an appointment at St. +Stephen's (English side), First day, 9th mo. 6th, at two P. M., at the +Methodist house, which was a humbling season to the poor creatures, +but the eternal truth reigned over all, and I hope the 'blessed Master +of assemblies' had the honor, for it was by the might of His power +that the tall cedars of Lebanon bowed and the oaks of Bashan bent. +Nothing is too great for Him to do for us when our trust is in Him. +May it ever be placed there! Second day, 7th, had a meeting at St. +Stephen's in a Baptist house; put up at Ruggles's temperance house; +felt quite at home here; they were an interesting family. We sat with +the family before leaving them, and divine ability was given to speak +in the language of encouragement to them, assuring them that a +_little_ with the incomparable blessing of a peaceful mind was better +than hoards of gold obtained in a way to injure our fellow-creatures. +The demoralizing effects of the sale and use of ardent spirits were +lamentably felt here. The landlord told us that he was once in the +habit of keeping them for travellers and others, but became convinced +that it was wrong. It brought him into a close trial, he told us, for +this was the chief source of income. He said he prayed to his heavenly +Father to direct him what to do, and the answer was that he must carry +on the baking business. He accordingly entered into it, and with the +assistance of two or three daughters he made a good income. Oh that +all would go and do likewise who are in this iniquitous practice, that +must surely prove, if persisted in, their condemnation! + +"_8th._ Parted from several of our dear friends who came to bid us +farewell, and proceeded on our journey; came about noon to Oak Bay, +parish of St. David's, a small village. Here we paused a little, but +proceeded. My mind became distressed for leaving the place without +trying to have a meeting, which I kept to myself until we had +travelled about two and a half miles, when I was obliged to request +our dear friend to turn about; which was crossing to us all, feeling +very anxious to get along, having been detained from my ill-health, +meetings, etc. beyond our expectations. But on turning toward the +place I think we all participated in the reward of peace. We stopped +at William Josling's, who met us with tears of joy. Oh may we omit +nothing required of us, but be willing to do and suffer His will who +will do all things well! This evening had a meeting in the Baptist +house. It was a solemn season, and to the honor of truth, I trust. +Lodged at William Golding's, who was in a tried state of mind owing to +entanglement with the doctrine of predestination. He spoke of the +circumstance of Pharaoh where the Lord said, 'For this same purpose I +have raised thee up;' also named the passage from the apostle, 'Hath +not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one +vessel for honor and another for dishonor?' He said that he considered +it as a temptation of the enemy, but at times could hardly keep it out +of his mind. As the subjects opened to my mind I endeavored to explain +them.... He seemed satisfied, and said he had never had so clear an +explanation before. Not feeling clear of the place without trying for +another meeting, we accepted the Methodist house, which was kindly +offered. A Universalist encountered me after meeting. I endeavored to +keep near best help. He became silent, and I think the truth sank deep +in his heart. We parted in mutual love and good feeling. He was a +member of the legislative council, a man of talents. We called on the +Methodist minister and his wife, who received us gladly; we thought +them sincere-hearted followers of Christ. Parted under a feeling of +holy relationship. Left this place for Tower Hill, in the parish of +St. David. Arrived in a lonely-looking place, very desolate, where +were a few inhabitants and a schoolhouse. There are few here who +reflect, I think, that they must die, and that it is needful to +prepare for that solemn event. We left them under serious impression, +I think. We called on a woman apparently dying, who said she was not +prepared to die; her sins were not forgiven. The family and several +neighbors present were in great distress. I felt moved to call her +attention to Jesus, who alone could help, reminding her of the +penitent thief upon the cross. Surrounding beholders were warned to +seek the Lord while in health, and not put it off till a dying bed, as +the pains of the feeble body were enough to bear, without the +indescribable pains of a wounded conscience. We called again on the +sick woman, who seemed a little revived. I felt drawn to impart some +words of encouragement, also to supplicate our heavenly Father on +behalf of all present. My dear husband imparted some words of +encouragement to her. We then left her bedside, where extreme poverty +and want were strikingly apparent, with some assurance that she would +find forgiveness and go in peace. We proceeded to meeting. A large +number of thoughtless mortals were assembled. We had to travail in +deep exercises for the awakening of life. Dear husband supplicated for +divine aid, which was mercifully granted. Truth finally obtained the +victory. It is the Lord's doing and marvellous in our eyes. + +"_15th._ Had a meeting at Bearing in a schoolhouse at the fourth hour, +and one at Mehanas, parish of St Stephen's, at seven--the last a truly +contriting season. I proceeded, accompanied by my dear husband, to +visit some public-houses and places where liquor is sold, and to visit +some serious people. This work of apprehended duty was most +humiliating to the poor creature, but cheerful submission clothed my +mind with sweet peace. We were treated kindly by all, and all +expressed their thankfulness to us for calling, and received civilly +what we had to deliver to them, saying they knew the right, but were +unwilling to do it. Not feeling clear of these parts without a meeting +with the Congregationalists at Calais, though I thought it probable +that they would not grant it, I informed our company of it, who +encouraged me to attend to the opening. Accordingly, a messenger was +despatched, and returned word that they were expecting to meet in the +evening for a prayer-meeting, and would cheerfully give up the meeting +to us without a single objection. The Lord will make a way where there +appears to be no way. In the evening we met with them, and had a good +meeting, mutually satisfactory. + +"_17th._ Sat down at the house where we were staying with the family +at meeting hour. Our little number with the family were enough to +inherit the Saviour's blessed promise, 'There will I be in the midst +of them.' We gave no notice, but two or three neighbors somehow got +information and joined our company. At first it was a stripped season. +The cloud as big as a man's hand was hardly discernible, but in the +Lord's own time He blessed us indeed. His power arose to the +contriting of all present. It was truly a refreshing time, in which we +could say, 'The Lord is my goodness and fortress, my high tower.' + +"_18th._ Had a meeting at the Ledge in St. Stephen's at two o'clock. +Some of the true wrestling seed were present, who were visited in +their low dwelling-place and refreshed with the circulating influence +of divine love, which spread even to the skirts of the assembly. I am +ready to say, 'The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.' 'He brought +me into his banqueting-house, and his banner over us was love.' + +"_26th, which was First day._ Had a meeting in the city of St. John, +in the Methodist chapel in Germania street, at 2 P. M., and one at 6 +o'clock in the parish of Portland, in the Methodist house. Several +thousand souls met with us this day, and the Lord blessed us +abundantly to the refreshing of the weary traveller toward the city of +rest. Lodged at the Methodist preacher's, William Temple, who was +truly hospitable. On the morning of the 28th went to the steamboat +bound to Annapolis, but, it being stormy, the captain deemed it +improper to put out to sea. Having our horses and carriage put on +board at high tide, and could not get them off until tide served +again, we felt some anxiety, fearing we had not done right in this +procedure, as the elements seemed against us. We met with a man named +Abial L. Brown on board, who kindly asked us to go home with him and +remain until the boat should go. We gladly accepted his invitation and +went to the house, where the family received us with affection, set +some refreshments before us, of which we gladly partook, not having +taken any breakfast and having walked some distance in the wet and +cold. After being thus refreshed and having warmed ourselves, we felt +inclined to assemble the family for a religious opportunity, which was +gladly acceded to on their parts. The season was a truly comforting +one. Afterward we inquired for a woman who had spoken to us the +evening before after meeting and manifested a great desire to have an +interview with us. From our description one of the daughters kindly +offered to try to find her, though they could not tell her name. She +made a successful attempt, and soon came with Elizabeth Girard, as she +said her name was. She was a Friend in principle, though belonging to +the Methodists. She lamented much the extravagant conformity to the +vain fashions of the world, which is at enmity to Christ--said they +had sorrowfully departed from the simplicity which marked the members +in their rise in Wesleyan days. She spoke of the spiritual worship +very clearly as that which was alone acceptable unto God. The storm +subsided at about ten o'clock. We left, accompanied by E. G., who went +to the steamboat with us. After our imparting some advice to this dear +friend, she left. At about one o'clock we left St. John's City, and in +twelve hours were across the Bay of Fundy at Annapolis. I was not very +seasick; He who holdeth the waters in His hand preserves us yet. +Little vital religion is felt in this part of the heritage. The people +here have many advantages for a livelihood. The land has a rich soil, +and the Annapolis River flowing through it in the midst of an +extensive valley, where many of its farms stretch along its banks, the +rich products may be borne through the river into the Bay of Fundy to +distant parts. Thus was a kind Providence bountifully blessed, but a +worldly spirit is prevailing among them. + +"_14th._ Held a meeting at Granville, and on the 15th went over +Young's Mountain. Again not feeling clear, had a meeting in the +evening, a memorable season of humbling contrition to most present. A +young man named James Van Blarcum, being at this meeting, was +convinced of the truth. May the Lord give him strength to suffer for +His cause, which will no doubt be the case if he proves faithful!"[3] + + [3] James Van Blarcum was at work on a house when the notice was given + for this meeting. On hearing that a woman would preach, he said he + would go and hear what these heretics had to say. It was a revelation + to him; his eyes were opened, and the whole course of his life + changed. A few years after this he came to China, so that he might + know more of Friends and their principles. At first his family were so + displeased at his becoming a Quaker that he was forced to leave his + home, though he was afterward highly respected by them all. He became + a powerful minister in the Society, and was for a number of years + connected with Oak Grove Seminary. He was married to Eunice, sister of + Eli Jones. + +Eli and Sybil Jones attended many more meetings in the provinces, +among them Annapolis, Wilmot Mount, Wolfville, Falmouth, Pictou, and +Truro, making many weary journeys, some days riding as much as +forty-three miles to hold a meeting. These long rides were attended +with many discomforts, as it was the eleventh month, and the weather +extremely raw and cold. The roads were in poor condition, and the mud +oftentimes almost impassable. Sybil Jones describes the difficulties +encountered in making their way to Truro: "Coming to two roads about +noon, we inquired of an innkeeper the direct road to our destination. +We followed his directions, found excellent roads, but, being through +a thick forest, it was rather lonely. The weather being cloudy, night +came on early, without discovering any opening in the dense forest +that encompassed us. The thought did not occur that we might be on the +wrong road until the horses began to wade very deep in mud. My husband +sprang out of the carriage to lead the horses. After proceeding a few +steps, the mire growing deeper, he ordered the carriage stopped, and +after travelling around some time in the dark he exclaimed that we +were on the wrong road--that we had come to the end of a road. Our +feelings can better be imagined than described. Strangers in a +strange land, in a vast wilderness at the end of our road, and the +night being without even starlight, I shall never forget my feelings. +We found our carriage was fast in the mire. After unharnessing the +horses, which with some difficulty leapt out on hard footing, the men +soon pried the carriage out and harnessed to return, while I stood on +a dry spot where my dear husband had placed me. I was afraid that we +had been directed there for a wicked design, when these words came to +me: 'Judah's lion guards the way, and guides the traveller home.' +After going back about fifty rods we discovered a light, and, going to +it, found that it proceeded from a little hut. The people said that we +could get across the woods, to the right road by going a quarter of a +mile, and kindly offered to go with us and show us the way. We +followed through the roughest road I ever passed. One had to hold the +carriage behind to keep it from upsetting. We arrived safe on the +road, happy and thankful." + +They had many "opportunities" in family circles, which they always +found refreshing. They met with great kindness, although in many +places they were greatly grieved to find that the spirit of the world +held sway over the people. In many cases a great controlling power was +felt, and they left believers much strengthened in the Lord to cope +with the adversary. Owing to the inclemency of the weather they deemed +it expedient to return to their homes. The homeward journey was long, +and they were often able to get but scanty accommodations; but they +ever found the "Lord a covert from the storms," and proved Him to be +"as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." They were greatly +cheered on retracing their steps to find that the seed scattered on +their journey of love had fallen in good ground. The tavern-keeper +with whom they had labored so lovingly had given up his sinful +business, and was now keeping a strictly temperance house. Indeed, +there was now no rum sold in the town. With deep interest and love for +the dear people in the field in which they labored, and looking to God +to bless their labors, they took their way to the home where were the +dear children whom to leave was so hard. + +It was the beginning of winter before they prepared to return, so that +it was impossible for them to use the carriage with which they made +the journey, and it was finally decided to put the carriage on +runners, and in this way the long return journey was made. + +Some years later they went over the same ground by carriage on a +second visit to the provinces. In one place, as they were driving +along through a long wood, they were met in the road by a huge bear, +which stood its ground for some time, but finally retreated and +allowed the Friends to go on their mission. Soon after this visit Eli +Jones felt that it was his duty to go over the meetings of Canada and +to speak to the Friends there, both in the different assemblies and by +their firesides. His dear wife in the mean time was making a tour +through New England, doing the work which was laid upon her. It was a +trial for them to be so widely separated, but each was in the proper +place. Sybil Jones was brought low with sickness and forced to hasten +home. Eli Jones came from his field of service, and called on his +friend Daniel Smiley, where he found his wife very ill; but recovery +was granted, and they came rejoicing to the family at home. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_EAST, WEST, AND SOUTH._ + + "I have always been thinking of the different ways in which + Christianity is taught, and whenever I find any way that makes it + a wider blessing than any other, I cling to that: I mean to that + which takes in the most good of all kinds, and brings in the most + people as sharers." + + +After their return from this last visit they passed a few years in +quiet work at home, often attending the different quarterly meetings +in New England, and generally taking an annual trip to Newport to be +present at the yearly meeting, which was occasionally attended by +Friends from the West and from Great Britain, bringing thither +knowledge of far-off lands where the whitening fields called for more +laborers. + +In 1845 they felt called to go over the meetings of Friends in nearly +all parts of the United States, and this and the next year were mostly +taken up with that work. + +Eli Jones has since travelled over this ground many times, and has +often visited the different yearly meetings of America, but always +with quite different feelings from those which were in their hearts at +the first extensive visit. John Wilber had been "disowned" by the +Friends only two years before, and his upholders who had separated +from the Society were in many of the meetings which they visited. +There was a general feeling of sorrow that a second unhappy division +should appear in the midst of peaceful neighborhoods and the animosity +arising from fruitless argument had weakened the loving spirit and +dampened the zealous ardor of many who should have been the unbiased +spokesmen of the gospel of Christ. + +Eli and Sybil Jones endeavored to draw the two parties together into +the house of faith and true belief. It is almost impossible in the +midst of church differences for any one who is interested to be +unprejudiced in his judgment. Bitterness shows itself in the hearts of +the most loving. Differences are exaggerated and words are +misunderstood for things. The main body are over-eager to win back +those they are losing, while they are inflicting deeper wounds by +their too hasty blows at what seems the heresy of their opponents, and +the latter cherish a feeling of glory in the size of the rent they are +making. These two Friends tried sweetly and gently to persuade those +differing with them that the ancient Rock was the only foundation for +their building. They visited the families of nearly all the meetings +and impressed their thoughts on the individual members. If perhaps +they accomplished little in cementing the two bodies, they did much to +strengthen the weak and to point the unsheltered to a Tower of safety +and defence. It may be interesting to follow them in a few extracts +from Sybil Jones's journal: + +"Left home 9th mo., 1845, with a certificate to visit in the love of +the gospel the yearly meetings of Ohio, Indiana, Baltimore, and North +Carolina. We took passage on the steamer John Marshall from Augusta +to Boston, and from there by cars to Lynn, where we attended their +quarterly meeting. Friends in this meeting are brought under deep +exercise on account of the attendance of a committee from the +Separatists and John Wilbur in person. They took full liberty to throw +out their sentiments and bore very hard on Friends, all of which +Friends were mercifully favored to bear with true Christian patience. +After being detained seven hours the meeting adjourned until nine the +next morning, at which time they convened without interruption and +were greatly refreshed together. + +"From Lynn we went to New Bedford, where a small meeting of the +Wilburites is held, some of whom we called to see and were treated +kindly, but were painfully afflicted in spirit under a sense of their +alienation from the unity of the Spirit by which we are called. +Friends here are not numerous, but upright standard-bearers. In the +morning attended Newtown meeting, which was also attended by the +Separatists (a few being here). After a time of solemn retirement +before the Lord truth rose into dominion and a contriting time it +was." + +They went on by boat to New York, and from there to Philadelphia and +Baltimore, where John Meader, Thomas Willis, Richard Carpenter, and +others met them to go in their company farther west: "We reached Mount +Pleasant the day previous to select meeting, which began the 8th of +9th mo. The spirit of bitterness has made sad havoc here. The four +visiting Friends were duly proved in suffering with the suffering. No +notice was taken of any certificates on their minutes. The servants +of the Lord in attendance were of one heart and one mind, and there +were times amid the conflict that the gracious ear, I doubt not, +inclined to the fervent petition, 'Lord, save us or we perish.' A calm +stole over the troubled waves, and ability was vouchsafed to proclaim +the unsearchable riches of Christ. + +"The meeting closed on the 12th of the month, and the next morning we +proceeded on our way to Cincinnati. We took the steamer New Hampshire, +and were more than five days on the Ohio River. The water was low, so +that we were often aground some hours. We had a meeting on board with +the passengers, and it was crowned by the presence of Him who holds +the waters in the hollow of his hand and causeth the mountains to flow +down at His presence. We were treated with great kindness and respect. +The first part of our passage I noticed some playing cards, which +brought me under great exercise, and after carefully examining the +subject I thought it my duty before retiring to rest to walk to the +table and express my feelings. Asking leave of them, I proceeded to +relieve my mind, which was received kindly, and I saw no more +card-playing afterward. I felt great peace in taking up this cross. +May I always be willing to do His will who leadeth safely and +sustaineth the soul amid every conflict! + +"We arrived in Cincinnati on the 18th. After our arrival I informed a +Friend that the subject of visiting families had rested with great +weight upon my mind; which he communicated to some of the select +members, and it resulted in an opportunity with all of them. I opened +the subject before them, and a sweet cementing season of divine +approval was graciously afforded. They fully and feelingly united with +us and encouraged us to proceed therein." + +They visited nearly all the families in that region, and felt +encouraged in the labor. She writes: + +"I believe it is the design of the Head of the Church to pour out a +rich blessing on this part of His inheritance; indeed, He seems +turning His hand upon the little ones, and will, I believe, raise up +valiants among the youth, who will publish with the voice of +thanksgiving and tell of all His wondrous works." + +Having done much work in Ohio and Indiana, they came over the +Alleghany Mountains, and revisited Baltimore, forming many pleasant +acquaintances with the Friends in that city, and holding meeting for +public worship, as well as visiting the families for more quiet work. +They next turned toward the South, and reached North Carolina in time +for the yearly meeting. There was much feeling here in regard to the +separation, and an epistle from the Separatists was rejected at this +yearly meeting. + +In regard to the slaves, she writes: + +"Vital religion is very low. Truth has fallen in the streets, and +Equity cannot enter in some places. Here is a suffering seed in many +portions of this land of slavery. Friends have borne in meekness a +noble testimony against its iniquity, and, though they often feel +disheartened at the shadowy prospect, I believe their upright example +has had, and will still have, salutary influence. The Lord has +inclined His gracious ear to the multiplied cries of the oppressed, +and those who suffer for them as being bound with them, and will +hasten the blessed day when Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hand unto +God and the oppressor shall no more oppress. + +"There are so many rents and divisions throughout Christendom that +many are crying, Who shall show us any good? I earnestly desire that +these overturnings and siftings may tend to draw the people to the +living eternal Substance, to build on the ancient Foundation of all +the holy prophets and apostles. There is great need of more dedication +and a stirring up to greater diligence in this land." + +The work and service in Carolina were carried on in great bodily +weakness, and often Sybil Jones was compelled to remain at home while +Eli Jones and the Friends with them attended the meetings. At the +beginning of the new year they returned to their Maine home to pass a +few quiet years before undertaking a still more extensive journey. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_VOYAGE TO LIBERIA._ + + "Be sure they sleep not whom God needs, nor fear + Their holding light his charge, when every hour + That finds that charge delayed is a new death, + + * * * * * * * + + So intimate a tie connects me with our God." + + BROWNING. + + +There is wonderful harmony in God's work in the different kingdoms and +sub-kingdoms of His domain. When His method of working is resisted, +there is always harsh conflicting, and finally He removes the +obstacle; but wherever we look, so long as there is a submission to +His plan, there is never a jar, never a halt on the road to the great +end which He has in view, be it in the growth of a tree, in the motion +of a world through space, in the maturity of animal or human life, or +in the development of spiritual being. But the first rule that must be +fulfilled before He can rightly use any of His intelligent creations +is that they fully submit themselves to Him to be trained and used. +Just as the brook yields strict obedience to the gentle impulse which +moves it from its source on through its winding channel to its home in +the great ocean of waters, so all who are to be the servants of the +Most High must be _willing_ to become the instruments through which He +works, and must let Him flow through unhindered. Those whom He will +use He prepares just as much, and in a higher sense, as He makes the +lily grow--not by any toiling and spinning on its part, but by putting +a life within it which animates and builds up the whole structure; and +as the lily adorns the spot in which He puts it, so His workmen should +beautify the vineyard where He sets them. + +It is a very marked fact in the lives of the two of whom I am writing +that they not only gave themselves up to be prepared by Him who was to +use them, but they also waited until He showed them where they should +work. There is work everywhere which is waiting to be done, nor does +any one do well who idly sits still until he is told just where to +begin, but God has His chosen workmen fitted on purpose for a special +place, as much as an earthly master-builder, and the time comes to +every one when it is imperative for him to hear the order which he is +to execute. The Lord spake unto Moses often, and He who made known His +ways then has power to tell His will to whom he wishes now, and the +proper messenger does not embark before the message comes. + +I find in the earlier life of Eli and Sybil Jones that their great, +absorbing wish was that they might be in full harmony with Him whom +they served. They looked up to be taught, and He gave just the right +service to enlarge and strengthen their powers, so that they might be +prepared for the more difficult undertaking which now presented +itself. No one who reads the journal which follows will think they +went to Liberia prompted by their own feelings, but the service was +evidently _laid upon them_. + +To understand properly the struggle through which Sybil Jones passed +before leaving her home, it will be necessary to picture to ourselves +the circumstances surrounding her nearly half a century ago. She had +grown to womanhood in a little town in Maine, having exceedingly +limited opportunities for obtaining a knowledge of the world and the +ways of men and women; she was now the mother of five children, who +needed their parents' care; she had just undergone the sorrow of +seeing many dear to her pass from earth, while still others of her +family were already on deathbeds: and now she was to go from all that +earth held dearest to her, perhaps never to see even her own country +again. To-day to travel is the ordinary course; fifty years ago it was +a rare and momentous event for one to go far from home. It would seem +most hazardous to a frail woman to go from Maine to Baltimore, there +to embark, not in a steamer with modern conveniences, but in a +sailing-packet with rough passengers and still rougher crew, for the +west coast of Africa. Let us not wonder as we read her account that +she waited long and counselled earnestly with her own heart, for if +she should go self-sent only perils insurmountable would be before +her, but on God's errands, sent by His command, she knew of nothing to +fear. + +The _Friends' Review_ for 6th mo. 28, 1851, has the following +paragraph: "In the meeting of ministers and elders of New England +Yearly Meeting on Seventh day, 14th, our dedicated friend Sybil Jones +opened a prospect of an extensive religious visit to Great Britain, +Ireland, some parts of the continent of Europe, Sierra Leone, Liberia, +and some islands on the west coast of Africa and in the West Indies; +and her husband, Eli Jones, informed the meeting that he believed it +his duty to bear her company in this extensive and arduous engagement. +The subject obtained the weighty and feeling consideration of the +meeting, and, though Friends were fully sensible to the magnitude and +importance of the undertaking and of the apparently inadequate state +of her health, such a current of unity with the prospect was +experienced that all doubt of its propriety was taken away; and they +were accordingly liberated for the service. The sympathy and prayers +of their friends will unquestionably follow them." + +As the most of the following year's work was in Liberia, it may be +well to speak briefly of the position and condition of that country. + +Liberia is a negro republic on the west coast of Africa. Its length +along the coast is about three hundred and eighty miles, and its +entire area about twenty-four thousand square miles. Sierra Leone, the +country to the north of Liberia, was colonized by colored men from +Great Britain, assisted by such men as Grenville Sharp, Wilberforce, +and Clarkson, the first settlement being made in 1787, and composed +partly of negroes who had served in the British army during our +Revolutionary War. This and successive colonies were terribly weakened +by the death-stroke of the African fever, but they were finally +successful; and American philanthropists, who were eager to help an +unfortunate race, founded here in 1822 a colony of freedmen who might +enjoy the political and social privileges denied to them in the United +States. The town of Monrovia was founded and named after James +Monroe, then President. They landed in the midst of heathendom, and +the first years were years of struggle; but these colored men showed +that they could govern themselves. They drew up a constitution much +like the American, the first article of which read, "All men are born +equally free and independent, and among their natural inherent and +inalienable rights are the rights of enjoying and defending life and +LIBERTY;" and the fourth section, "There shall be no slavery within +this republic." + +The republic has a President, Senate, House of Representatives, and a +judicial department, so that good laws are passed, explained, and +enforced. In 1847 the republic declared its independence, and was +finally in 1861 recognized by the United States as a sovereign state. +The Methodist Church established a mission here in 1833; the +Presbyterian Church followed this example, and sent J. B. Penny into +the field the same year. The American Episcopal Church was at work in +the republic as early as 1836, while the Baptists turned their +attention there in 1845, so that it was in fact a "missionary +republic." The present population of the republic comprises about +18,000 civilized negroes, chiefly of American origin, and 1,050,000 +half-wild natives, who are gradually adopting a settled life and +conforming to the habits of their civilized countrymen. Professor +David Christy said in a lecture in 1855: "If a colony of colored men, +beginning with less than a hundred, and gradually increasing to nine +thousand, has in thirty years established an independent republic +amidst a savage people, destroyed the slave-trade on six hundred +miles of the African coast, put down the heathen temples in one of its +largest districts, afforded security to all the missions within its +limits, and now casts its shield over three hundred thousand native +inhabitants, what may not be done in the next thirty years by +colonization and missions combined were sufficient means supplied to +call forth all their energies?" + +It was during this visit to Liberia that Eli Jones first felt his +heart fill with zeal for missionary work. One day, going to pay a +visit to President Roberts, he found a large band of fierce natives +assembled in the President's room to have him arbitrate their quarrel. +The dispute being settled peacefully, the President introduced Eli +Jones, asking a noble-looking chief if he would like to have this man +go with them to talk about God to their tribe. The prompt and earnest +answer was, "Yes, and we will build him a house if he will come and +stay." At once he saw in mind the needs of these and the thousands of +other human beings waiting for some one to bring to them the fuller +teaching of the way to a higher Christian civilization, and from that +date he was more than ever desirous to be an instrument of help. + +The following poem was written by Elizabeth Lloyd[4] on the departure +of Eli and Sybil Jones for Africa: + + [4] Afterward Elizabeth Howell. She is the author of the beautiful + lines entitled "Milton in his Blindness." + + THE GOSPEL MESSENGER. + + "Behold, I will send my messenger." + + Dedicated to a service high and holy from above; + Guided by the inward teaching of a heavenly Father's love, + Listening to the soft monitions whispered in her spirit's ear, + Answering to the call like Samuel, "Lo, my Father, I am here," + Child-like in her meek submission, His appointing to fulfil, + Trusting in His strength for safety, she went forth to do His will. + + Bearing up His "ark of promise," she the weak became the strong, + In her heart a hymn of praising, on her lips a triumph song; + "Thou hast vanquished, O my Saviour--Thou who bore my sins for me; + Sanctify with thy anointing sacrifices made for thee. + As of old Thou ledst Thy children, showing them the cloud by day + And by night the fiery pillar, so lead me along my way. + + "If I falter, if my heart be tempted by its doubts and fears, + If my eyes, to heaven uplifted, see Thee only through their tears; + If the clinging of love's tendrils bind my thoughts to things of earth, + And between me and my duty come the dreams of home and hearth,-- + Oh have pity on me, Father, and if I should go astray + Let Thy angels, Faith and Patience, point me to the narrow way. + + "Clear before me let the shining of Thy holy light arise, + Far behind me cast the shadow of my own poor sacrifice. + Can I doubt when I remember how the sea was cleft in twain, + And, a wall of waters rising, left a valley in the main + That Thy people might pass over on the golden-sanded path, + So to sing their song of triumph, safe from the pursuer's wrath? + + "Can I fear when I remember Thou didst feed them day by day, + With thy manna, that like hoarfrost round the tents of Israel lay; + In the wilderness wast with them till their tarriance was o'er, + Sweetened Marah's bitter fountain, opened Horeb's rock-bound door? + Nay, Thy power and might, as ever, all omnipotent shall be: + 'Rock of Ages,' what can move me if I lean my soul on Thee?" + + Where the palms of Afric gather up the tropic heats by day, + Where the jerboa and the lion in their evening shadows play, + Where the streams are coral-bedded and the mountains gemmed with gold, + She is bearing forth a treasure human heart alone may hold-- + Oil to pour on troubled spirits, seed to sow in barren place, + Soothing balm of consolation, knowledge of anointing grace. + + "Ethiopia and the islands," far away her mission lies: + From the sweet New England homestead underneath her native skies, + To Liberia's dark-browed children, Sierra Leone's struggling band, + She has messages from heaven, guided by the Father's hand. + She is pointing out salvation: "Christ has no partition-wall; + We are children of one Father, and His love redeemed us all." + + Oh, the fettered slave may hear it, sinking 'neath his weight of woe; + In the northland, in the southland, streams of gospel love may flow. + Not a partial gleam, a star-ray, gilding but a single night, + Was God's thought in His creation when He said, "Let there be light;" + Not a single soul's redemption when that piercing cry went up, + "Eloi lama sabacthani!" ere He drank death's bitter cup. + + But a world-illuminating flood of radiance was born + When the angels sang rejoicing o'er the earth's baptismal morn, + And the souls of all created, and the souls of all to be, + Are partakers of redemption by that death on Calvary, + That divine self-abnegation of the holy Son of man-- + Thought sublime in its expansion, theme beyond our finite scan. + + Oh, the human heart a temple for the Saviour's love may be + In all nations, in all climates, on the land or on the sea: + Sect or color bars not entrance; only Sin her watch may set, + Keeping Him without the portals till with dew his locks are wet; + But He ceases not from calling, "Garnish and make clean for me; + Drive away the money-changers, in their place let angels be." + + Through His instruments He calleth, humble tho' they be and weak, + That the deaf ears may be opened and the sealed lips may speak, + That the maimed may halt no longer, and the blinded eyes may see, + And the lepers, healed and cleansed, glorifying God may be. + Ignorance and sin are blindness, but as morning after night + Is the heart's regeneration when God says, "Let there be light." + +The following account has been selected from Sybil Jones's journal. It +was written to be published soon after their return, but publication +was delayed, and now for the first time it is made public. It will +show, as few other writings, the emotions and strivings of a sincere +seeking soul. Her journals speak little, especially in her earlier +visits, of natural surroundings and ordinary events, for her spiritual +work seemed so weighty that nothing was allowed to turn her eyes from +that: + + * * * * * + +SO. CHINA, _12 mo., 1850._ Painful are the baptisms that my poor +trembling soul tries to endure patiently. Forgive me, most gracious +God, if I dare repine. Death seems again lingering on our borders, and +the remnant of a once large family must soon diminish. My worthy +father seems drawing near the silent grave, but full of bright hopes +of a mansion in the eternal city. Though well knowing that the "Judge +of all the earth" will do right, yet sad is the thought that soon we +must lose his cheerful society and instructive counsel. Oh that this +deep affliction may prove a salutary cup to the soul, though very +bitter to the taste! I learn many awful lessons while sitting by his +bedside. It is a foretaste of heaven sweetly blended with a hope of +reunion around the throne. My soul is weighed down with the prospect +of more extended service in the cause of our holy Redeemer, and +lingers tremblingly on Jordan's banks. Oh, this Jordan seems awful, +but I must descend to its bottom, and may the eternal God be my +refuge, and underneath the everlasting arms! The billows overwhelm, +and I sink in deep mire where there is no standing. My health is frail +and my spirits flag. But amid all, the unchanging Rock is my support. + +_1st mo., 1851._ With the unity of my friends I performed some errands +of love in some portions of our own yearly meetings. I went forth in +fear and much weakness, but through abounding mercy the peace of God +fills my heart. In the course of this visit I had a very interesting +public meeting in Nantucket. My spirit had long lingered around that +little island of the sea, and sweet was our communion together in the +love and power of truth. Dear father met me joyfully and expressed +great thankfulness for being permitted to meet me again below. He said +his soul was filled with a Saviour's love, and he longed to go home to +his heavenly rest, to join with saints and angels in singing the song +of Moses and the Lamb for ever and ever. It was a time of blessed +communion. My mind is deeply impressed with the language uttered +frequently in my inward ear: "Go offer a sacrifice similar to my +servant Abraham's;" which causes great fearfulness to come upon me, +and a sense of utter unworthiness and inability for such a momentous +work, feeling the least and last of those who name the great Name. + +_2d mo._ Dear father seems near his eternal joy. He told me to-day +that he had been thinking I had a prospect of some service in a +distant land, and wished to know if I thought of such a thing. As I +had not named it to any one, and felt restrained from speaking of it, +I hesitated, but at length opened my feelings, at which he seemed +introduced into much sympathy, and desired me to be faithful, and then +placed his hands upon me, and poured out a fervent prayer to our +Father in heaven on my behalf for His holy presence to go with me, and +His almighty power to keep me from all evil. It was a solemn season, +for the painful and yet happy thought mingled in this communion that +when my frail bark must venture on dangerous seas his would be for +ever anchored on the shore of immortal joy. + +This day I have been summoned to my sainted father's bed of death. He +was happy, full of heavenly peace, and, resting his ransomed spirit on +his Saviour's breast, there breathed his life sweetly away. Our loss +is great, but his gain glorious. + +_2d mo._ We have conveyed his cherished form to its last +resting-place, and Jesus was with us and presided over all. Oh let his +name be praised and his matchless goodness be adored. + +_3d mo._ My dear brother Augustine, whose health has been declining +for some years, seems rapidly following father, at which our hearts +are so stricken that sorrow's bitter tears, fast falling on a sainted +father's grave, are even shared by our dearest brother, on whose cheek +flushes the crimson hectic omen of dissolution. The painful thought of +the departure of our dear brother, the last earthly prop of the +family, seemed agonizing to our hearts. While these afflictive +dispensations are meted out, my spirit dwells in the great depths of +self-abasedness, and bears upon it too the burden of a Saviour's love +to sinners in a far-distant land. Oh fix the trust of my +tempest-tossed soul immutably upon the unchanging Rock! + +To-day I have returned from visiting my sweet brother. He thankfully +acknowledges the mercy of being so calm and comfortable, though +rapidly hasting to the silent grave. Soon after the Lord saw fit to +plunge his soul into deep baptism for its purification. His distress +seemed entirely indescribable, but, being encouraged to believe it was +a refining process, though thus painful, to prepare him to partake +more fully of the joys of God's salvation, his faith seemed +strengthened to hope for mercy and deliverance in the Lord's time; +which time at last came, and ushered in the dawn of a glorious morning +without clouds. His heart was full of songs of joy. His constant theme +was the unsearchable riches of Christ. One day when I entered his +sick-room, he exclaimed, "Dear sister, I am glad to see thee: I want +to tell thee the joy of my soul. I have heard the language, as +intelligibly as anything I hear with my outward ear, 'Speak +comfortably unto Jerusalem, cry unto her that her warfare is +accomplished, her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received at the +Lord's hand double for all her sin;' and, though I am most unworthy, I +believe this is applied to me, for my peace flows like a river." He +lived about five weeks from this time, and had indeed no more +conflicts; not a doubt or a cloud obstructed the continual shining of +the glorious Sun of Righteousness. He often said that he was as full +of songs of joy as his poor heart could hold. + +Deep baptisms abide me, and such a painful sense is given me of my own +inability and nothingness that I am ready to shrink from attempting to +open the subject to my friends. My poor tempest-tossed soul dwells +near the valley and shadow of death. Liberia seems to press upon my +mind, but can all this be called for at such weak hands? + +I have omitted to mention in its place a testimony of my dear +brother's to me a short time before his death. In an interview +together he thus expressed himself: "Dear sister, I have thought for +some time past that the Master had a service for thee in distant +lands across the ocean, and I have this to say to thee: _Go_ with thy +life in thy hand. It should not concern thee whether thou sees thy +native land again or not: heaven is as near there as here. Go and tell +the sinner of a Saviour's love; bear the good tidings to lands afar +off. I wish you to make timely arrangements, so as to move along +quietly." I replied: "Dear brother, I do not wish to repine at my lot, +but I have been thinking that thou art soon to be released from the +conflict, and that I must remain still longer in the field, and may +make some misstep and never reach thy glorious home." To which he +replied, looking at me most impressively: "The dear Saviour will never +leave thee; He will never leave thee, but when thy work is finished he +will bring thee to meet me in heaven." This seemed a renewed evidence +that the service was required, but so deep was my sense of frailty and +entire inability to do the work that I could not believe that the +Master would select me to go on such an important embassy, a service +of such vast moment. The evidence had been very clear, but the feeling +of unfitness for the work seemed to hedge up the way entirely, and I +thought unless some person would come to me and tell me the Lord +required it and would fit me for the work, I would not take a step. I +thought I could not receive it but from some one clothed with gospel +authority; and in looking over this class I selected dear Benjamin +Seebohm, who I knew was somewhere in America. I was very much reduced +in health, attributable to painful watchings and partings, for I slept +little and had little appetite for food. Our monthly meeting day +arrived, and, though my health was so frail that I had gotten out to +meeting but little for some time, I felt an almost irresistible +impression to go. I accordingly went. As I entered the door almost the +first person I met was Benjamin Seebohm. I could not have been more +surprised at the appearance of any person. In a moment my request +rushed into my mind, and thought I, "I am caught now; I have done +wrong in asking this sign, and may the Lord forgive me and in mercy +overlook this presumption, and not grant the request unless it is His +will, in condescension to my low estate." The meeting gathered under a +great solemnity. It seemed to me that this weighty service fell upon +it, and after a time of very solemn silence dear Benjamin arose and +took up an individual case, and so exactly described my feelings and +the service that no doubt remained but the Most High had sent him with +this message to me. My soul was poured out like water and all my bones +shook. I thought all present knew it was I, though not one but my +husband had been apprised of it (it having been to me too sacred a +thing to speak of). Indeed, I thought I was a spectacle for men and +angels, while the thoughts of my heart were revealed before many +witnesses and the work of the Lord proclaimed in demonstration of the +Spirit and with power. He spoke most cheeringly--explained feelings of +poverty as preparatory to this work, that the creature may be laid low +in the dust and the blessed Name alone be magnified; said the Lord +would abundantly furnish for every good word and work; that he reduced +the creature that all dependence on itself might be entirely removed, +and our confidence firmly fixed on Himself, who is the eternal +foundation of wisdom and knowledge. I did not see Benjamin again +until the day after my dear brother's funeral, when he came to our +house and lodged. He had a meeting in the place, and precious and +heart-searching was his gospel message. He likewise had a sweet +opportunity with the mourners at the house of my lamented brother's +widow. Long will this beloved Friend and his consoling heavenly +testimony be remembered. + +_5th mo., Seventh day._ To-day is our select meeting, and my trembling +spirit is loth to fly, and yet afraid to yield. Who, indeed, can know +the agony of my spirit, save + + "He who rolls the planets in their spheres + And counts the lowly mourner's tears?" + +I thought it best to name my prospect to my two oldest children, a son +sixteen and a daughter twelve. The reply of both was, "Go, mother," +though their full hearts would hardly allow utterance until tears lent +relief. With me words were nearly lost in feeling as I stood on +Jordan's bank again to tempt its fearful tide and deeper tread beneath +its wave. I had sat down to compose my thoughts for meeting, with my +grief-worn mother, by the side of the cradle where lay (all +unconscious of the deep pangs that rent our hearts) my dear little +Grelet, about ten months old. The rest had all come in and were seated +around, when my dear James Parnell, as if fully conscious of what was +passing in his mother's heart, took a book and commenced reading the +following lines: + + "FORWARD AND FEAR NOT. + + "Forward and fear not; the billows may roll, + But the power of Jehovah their rage can control. + The waves are in anger, but their tumult shall cease; + One word of His bidding will hush them to peace. + + "Forward and fear not; though trials be near, + The Lord is thy refuge; whom shouldst thou fear? + His staff is thy comfort, thy safeguard His rod; + Be sober, be steadfast, and hope in thy God. + + "Forward and fear not; though false ones deride, + The hand of the Highest is with thee to guide; + His truth is thy buckler, His love is thy shield; + On, then, to the combat--be sure not to yield. + + "Forward and fear not; be strong in the Lord, + In the power of His promise, the trust of His word. + Through the sea and the desert thy pathway may tend, + But He who has saved thee will save to the end. + + "Forward and fear not; speed on the way, + Why dost thou shrink from thy path in dismay? + Thou tread'st but the path that thy Leader hath trod; + Then forward and fear not, but trust in thy God." + +So appropriate and touching were the sentiments that we were brought +into tenderness. + +I have had many fears that the weight of the important visit will not +be fully valued by all my dear friends. My earnest prayer has been +that they may feel its weight as I have done, if it is of the Lord; if +not, that they may see it right to take the burden and release me. I +have this day ventured in great fear and much trembling to open my +prospect in the select meeting, and, to my trembling admiration, it +fell with solemn weight and awfulness upon the assembly. The great +Head of His own Church dispensed His holy power and presence and +condescended to be a Spirit of judgment to those who sat in judgment, +and an entire unity prevailed and cemented our hearts together in the +strong bonds of gospel fellowship and love, and the great Name was +held in reverence by those about Him. I feel somewhat relieved, and, +having cast the burden upon my friends, the return of evening finds me +trusting in my Saviour in sweet peace. + +To-day is our monthly meeting, my health very frail, and my spirit +awfully bowed before the Most High. A sense of utter inability to +proceed in this momentous subject brings my soul into the dust of +death, but "I will look unto the hills from whence cometh my +strength." I was unable to attend the first meeting, and in great +bodily infirmity went to the last meeting to attend to the business +before me. I was strengthened to stand up and to open to my dear +friends the service on my mind for the Lord my God in a distant land. +It fell with great impressiveness, and yet as the gentle dew, upon the +solemn assembly, and all present seemed to have a sweet feeling of +unity and sympathy. The mountains indeed flowed down at the presence +of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. + +To-day our quarterly meeting convened, and it was signally owned by +the holy Head. In and over the first meeting was a sweet solemnity, +which lost none of its sweetness after separation to transact the +weighty business of the Church, which to me never seemed more weighty. +I was mercifully helped again to spread the important prospect before +the Church, which received its full and cordial unity, and many living +testimonials were given forth to the power and goodness of Him whose +ways are not as our ways. My heart was reverently bowed before Him who +makes a way through the roaring billows of discouragement and causeth +the mountains to flee away at His presence before the footsteps of His +little ones. + +_6th mo., Newport._ Arrived on the island last evening, and to-day I +have to bring my prospect before the Church in its select yearly +meeting capacity. While I have not a doubt but the great Master +requires me to make the sacrifice of laying the burden upon my friends +for their disposal, I feel a fervent desire that we may not be +permitted to proceed unless it is the Lord's will. May it please Him +in whom are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge to dispense the +spirit of wisdom and judgment to the Church, and may the awfulness of +the service, with a sense of His dread majesty, power, and holy +cementing love, mantle the whole assembly! I took my seat with my +friends as a weaned child, passive in His holy hands whose will only I +wished to know and do, with great fear upon my spirit. The Lord helped +me to declare unto the Church what seemed to be His holy will who +declareth unto man what are His thoughts, who maketh the morning +darkness and treadeth upon the high places of the earth. The Lord, the +God of hosts, is His name. A solemn awe pervaded the assembly, and at +the place of prayer each spirit seemed to wait until a door of +communication was opened by Him who openeth and none can shut. The +mind of the blessed Head through the eternal Spirit was given forth in +many living testimonials. Great unity prevailed. The prophetic +declaration seemed applicable: "God came from Teman and the Holy One +from Mount Paran; His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was +filled with His praise." My soul returns unto her rest with songs of +joy. The endorsements placed upon our certificates by the select +meeting of ministers and elders have been read to-day, which brought +the subject again before the meeting, and it proved the calling of a +solemn assembly and the charge reposed in the Church. Our beloved +Benjamin Seebohm expressed, near the conclusion, that he had never +seen the trust of disposing of these weighty affairs better redeemed +than in the present instance. The convocation was concluded in +reverent, fervent supplication by dear Lindley Murray Hoag, wherein +near access was granted to the mercy-seat. We were committed to the +holy keeping and safe guidance of the blessed Shepherd when we should +be in distant lands across the great deep, and a rich heavenly +blessing was implored upon our tender children, whom for Jesus' sake +we must leave behind. + +This evening we had a youth's meeting, which, as it reflected no glory +upon the creature, may have brought honor to the Creator. Our yearly +meeting was highly blessed with the holy Presence, which continued +through its several sittings. On leaving the island the language of my +heart was, "Thou, O my Father, hast dealt very graciously with the +last and least and most unworthy." But now comes the bitterness of +death, to leave all most dear in this life and go with our lives in +our hands at the bidding of the blessed Master; but my earnest prayer +is that we may be cheerful givers, for the Lord loveth such. Every +step thus far has been taken in the ability which He gives us. As He +has ordered our steps, so may we be fully His. + +After reaching home we began making arrangements for embarking. It +seemed best to break up the family, as no suitable person could be +found to take care of the dear children, and we desired in this thing +to be directed by Him who hath called us to His work. Our eldest son +intends going to Haverford, a Friends' college in Pennsylvania, with +which we are well satisfied. As he is at the tender age of sixteen, we +had felt much solicitude as to his place and associates, and this +prospect seems favorable, as he will have good company, and dear +Marmaduke and Sarah Cope of Philadelphia have most kindly offered to +take particular charge of him. + +Many have been the marks of divine regard to us and ours. We had often +thought of Liberia on the western coast of Africa as our first step, +but thought we must of necessity go by way of England; but in the +midst of our arrangements we received intelligence that the Liberia +packet was daily expected from the coast, and would return soon--that +it was the safest and most comfortable conveyance, and that it would +stop for a few days to two weeks at most of the principal ports on the +African coast, so that we could lodge on board every night; which was, +with little exception, an entire protection from the acclimating fever +so dangerous to the life of a Northerner. We sought in this exigency +divine direction, as we must leave so much sooner than we had planned. +This brought the final parting so near that heart and flesh seemed to +fail, and the dear children seemed much grieved and cast down at this +sudden wrench, as it were, of heart from heart in the most tender and +endearing relations. Our dear brother Cyrus seemed on the verge of +eternity: we had hoped to have seen him quietly at rest ere we left +our native land, and to have more time to visit our other beloved +relatives. We were brought very low, even into the deeps, before the +most high God, and there in fervent supplication raised our hearts to +heaven in this our hour of need; and the watchword was, "Gird on thy +sword, take thy helmet and march; the Lord hath need of thee now, for +the enemy mustereth his host, and my soldiers must be in readiness." +Impalpable mountains seemed to intervene, and high and fearful swelled +Jordan's deep waves. In this great strait the language was +intelligible: "Stand still and see the salvation of God." + +_7th mo. 14th, Second day._ We received a telegraphic despatch that +the ship would sail the 20th, which would occur the next First day. +Our time seemed limited indeed. To-day our monthly meeting occurred, +and it was the greatest solemnity, I think, ever witnessed there. Then +came the pangs of parting; the ties of consanguinity and gospel +fellowship were being suddenly and unexpectedly torn asunder; we might +meet again, but probably it was a final separation to some present. +Our hearts were poured out like water before the Lord and for each +other's welfare. Several touching testimonies were given forth--I +might safely say as the Spirit gave utterance. Dear James Owen from +Indiana delivered a solemn and pathetic message touching the case of +our immediate departure. Our prayers were that our departure from +those with whom we had so long endeavored to labor faithfully might +stimulate them to greater dedication and faithfulness. + +_17th._ Making arrangements for our expedition, believing it to be a +divine opening for us, entirely without our aid or concern. This P. M. +we must leave and proceed as far as Vassalboro' to take the cars +to-morrow morning. What tongue can tell my soul's anguish as the tears +flowed fast from each child's almost bursting heart? Had it not been +for the gentle accents of a Saviour's love, "It is I, be not afraid; +leave thy children with me," I could not have left them. We took our +dear children to the home of dear husband's father, two of whom--viz. +Sybil Narcissa and Richard Mott--we intended to take to Providence +School. There we must bid adieu to dear brother Cyrus, father and +mother, brothers and sisters, and friends who had collected to take +their leave. Here we had concluded to leave our little Susan Tabor, +about three years and a half old, who would often look in my face and +exclaim with a touching look that reached my very heart, "Don't leave +me, mother, thy little daughter; I will be a nice little lady; thee +won't leave me, will thee?" The strength of Israel was my confidence +at that moment. Our dear brother took our hands, and after pronouncing +the words, "The Lord be with you!" he whispered the last and sad +farewell while all around were weeping. We then took an affectionate +leave of all present, and left the sweet scenes of childhood for +perhaps many a year. Then proceeded to our friend Daniel Runnel's, +where was our Eli Grelet, not quite a year old. My heart yearned over +this lovely boy, whom I must cast from me. Then we separated, taking +the train for Providence School and dear James Parnell, who was to +take us to the cars. We arrived at our esteemed friend Alton Pope's, +where many Friends had collected, among whom were the Indiana Friends +and dear John D. Lang and wife. We sat down together for a little +time, and great tenderness and solemnity prevailed. I have lost two +dear brothers and five sisters and an estimable father, but never did +such hallowed, solemn, and unearthly feelings steal over my +overcharged heart as on this memorable day. We rose early in the +morning, and after taking leave of our much-loved friends, Alton and +Theodate Pope, hastened to the cars. Dear James seemed more cheerful +than I supposed he could be. At length we reached the dépôt, and the +painful moment came to bid adieu to our dear child; his bosom swelled +with emotion and fast fell the bitter tears. With a full heart I +pronounced my last parting blessing: "Dearest boy, farewell; God bless +and keep thee! I make this request as though it were my last: give thy +heart to thy dear Saviour now in thy youthful days; He will comfort +thy heart when we are far away." We arrived at New Bedford the same +evening. On our way we paused a few minutes at Portland, met our dear +friends R. and Sarah Horton, had a parting opportunity at the dépôt. +Next stopped a few minutes at Lynn, and several friends accompanied us +to Boston, where we had to wait about an hour, which was very +pleasant, as the company of those dear friends was very cheering to +us. They brought us several packages of useful and interesting things +for our comfort on board of the ship. Our hearts were touched with +grateful feelings for their Christian kindness. At New Bedford lives +my only sister; her health is so frail it is not probable (should we +return) that she will survive till that time. + +_18th._ This morning we took the cars for Providence. The children +seemed to forget their trouble in their interest in new objects. We +stopped about four hours in Providence, where we left the children and +parted with our friends Joseph and Sybil Estes, who had accompanied us +from Vassalboro'. We took our leave of the dear inmates of the +Friends' school in a collective capacity--a very solemn season, our +two little ones being with them. We bowed before the Most High and +commended them to the care of Him whose mercy endures for ever. The +dear children, with several others, went with us to the dépôt, where +dear Samuel Boice and wife joined us. We gave a farewell glance to +all. The dear little ones' faces were bathed in tears. Here it would +be proper to say that we received the kindest attention from the +superintendents, Silas and Sarah Cornell, and many others. These dear +friends exerted themselves to procure some more needful things for us +with great interest. Having so little time, and going by the way of +Africa, we were lacking in some things which they most kindly +supplied. May Heaven's blessings rest upon them! + +_7th mo. 20th, 1851, Chesapeake Bay, on board Liberia packet._ We +arrived in Baltimore about ten o'clock last evening, and found the +ship had left the wharf and stood off about eight miles waiting for +us, and that we should be expected to be on board this morning. Having +taken a solemn and affecting leave of the last familiar face in our +native land, we retired to our room, and, though now separated from +all most dear, we felt the loving presence of our Saviour. + +_21st._ Made some arrangements to fit up our little "floating home" to +make it as agreeable as possible. Captain and officers very kind, and +all seem inclined to try to make us happy. + +_22d._ Retired to our cabin after breakfast to read a portion of +Scripture and to wait upon the Lord. I felt drawn to supplicate the +throne of grace for all on board our frail bark, that the God of our +lives would keep us in safety and bless and protect our precious +children in our absence. Our time is mostly taken up in writing, as +the pilot will return at the capes. Dear Eli is engaged a part of the +day in teaching the emigrants to read, cipher, etc. We have some +interesting conversation with them, and find them as a whole rather +intelligent, and even pious. + +_24th._ Calms and head winds seem to be our daily portion, but the +heavenly Pilot holds the ship and the winds in His holy hands. +Teaching the emigrants and writing to our friends keep us busy; health +comfortable. + +_26th._ To-day brisk wind; we expect to pass the capes. At six o'clock +the pilot-boat came alongside and took off the pilot and a large +package of letters. We shall not hear from home or have any means of +sending intelligence until we reach Africa. + +_27th._ We behold another morning in safety. It is First day, but +fearful has been the night. We had a thunder-shower with furious +winds. The rain fell in torrents and the thunder rolled deep, while +the vivid lightning seemed to envelop the ship in liquid fire. Our +trembling vessel would dash into ocean's depths apparently, and then +rise upon the mountain wave. We were brought to test ourselves whether +we were willing to make our graves in the caverns of the deep or gird +on the armor for the Lord's battles. To-day we entered the Gulf +Stream. We are making ten miles an hour. We are so enfeebled with last +night's rolling that we are neither of us able to sit up. The approach +of night again fills us with apprehension. The night again stormy. We +looked up in that hour of dismay and found an eye to pity and an arm +to save. + +_29th._ Stormy night, exceedingly rough; not safe to stay in our +berths. With loss of appetite we are somewhat reduced. Felt somewhat +as Noah's weary dove that found no place of rest above the cheerless +waters. + +_30th._ Boisterous weather still, but we are rapidly nearing Africa's +distant coast. Our helpless souls hang on Thee. + +_31st._ Rather more calm. My dear Eli is improving, though still +feeble. A number of sweet little birds cheered us to-day, following +the ship some distance. I think that they deserve a better name than +"Mother Carey's chickens." At eleven o'clock we took our seats in our +cabin (it being meeting-day at home) to try and worship Him who +remains with them. Our spirits refreshed in blessed communion. At the +evening sacrifice we had a fresh assurance of the angel of the Lord's +presence. Delightful evening, every sail spread with fair wind. At +twelve o'clock, 1360 miles from Cape Henry. We feel our infirmities, +but can sing of the Lord's judgement and mercies. + +_8th mo. 2d._ We have proceeded rapidly since leaving the capes; this +is the seventh day since leaving them, and we have gone two thousand +miles. Providence has sped us on our way. We find some very +interesting persons among the emigrants, with whom we converse freely; +we find them engaged to serve their God with diligence and love. + +_First day._ A most charming morning. At eleven o'clock we sat down in +our little meeting. We have felt a very painful exercise since being +on board this ship. Our souls have been lifted up to God alone, that +He would order our service for Him among the inmates of the ship, and +the time, not daring to move (whatever we may suffer with the burden +upon our spirits) until the command is given: for this we wait in +watchfulness and prayer. After meeting it seemed best to us to try for +a meeting, and, no obstacle appearing, at the time appointed nearly +all assembled, and the short silence was blessed with His presence who +is invisible. With awfulness and fear we ventured to make known our +requests, and our dependent souls were made joyful in the house of +prayer. Great solemnity pervaded the assembly, and these desperate +spirits seemed contrited and made to fear. We were comforted with the +spirits of a little band of humble followers of the Lord in this +meeting, whom doubtless the Saviour loves. So great was my relief +after this meeting that the language of my soul was, "Return unto thy +rest, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." Last night +seemed sweet and peaceful. We heard neither oaths nor imprecations, +with which our ears had been saluted many painful nights before our +meeting. Fearfulness came upon us often when we heard the great Name +blasphemed, and such angry threats that we thought there was great +danger of their killing each other. A great change is apparent, +especially with the captain. May the Ancient of Days be honored for +His power! + +_5th._ This morning the ocean is very smooth, scarcely a breath to +ruffle the blue. We have made little progress for two days. A sail has +been just in sight since First day P. M. We have been a little +suspicious of it. This morning we discovered a small boat approaching; +there was considerable conjecture with regard to the business of the +little messenger. She came alongside, containing six men, one of whom +tremblingly ascended the side of the ship, assisted by a rope. He +looked around, apparently with mingled emotions of hope and fear; his +first idea must have been that we had a cargo of slaves. He was met +with looks of kindness, and informed us that the first mate was ill +and that he came to obtain some assistance. It seemed they had been as +shy of us as we of them, but at length necessity had driven them to +the hazardous attempt. We had a colored physician on board, but he +seemed very unwilling to go with them, still fearing that some trick +might be played upon us. My husband offered to go with them, for which +my heart rejoiced, for I had felt a secret distress for them, and +thought we might be becalmed for some good to them. The little boat +left the ship, and had not rowed half the distance before a brisk fair +wind arose and filled our flagging sails, and away we made for the +disturbed vessel, and soon came alongside. The boat returned for +medicine, etc. It afforded my dear Eli great satisfaction to give them +a little assistance from our small stock of comforts. To nearly all of +us it seemed a providential interposition. A strong breeze now wafts +us on with thankful hearts, I trust. The ship proved to be a whaler +from Provincetown, out seven months. They wished for some books, and +we had the pleasure of furnishing them with several interesting books, +tracts, and papers, with which they seemed delighted. To-day we take +the trade-winds, so that we have a fair prospect of a quick voyage; +for this we feel we depend on Him who commands the wind. It seems that +all hearts on board try to manifest their kindness and respect. + +_6th._ Every sail filled with a delightful breeze. Were greatly +refreshed together in reading and meditation upon Him who is our only +crown of rejoicing in our low estate. Ability was granted to ask a +blessing on the dear children. We have a very pleasant company--have +not heard a profane word since the meeting. I never saw so great a +change in a ship's crew. It is indeed the Lord's doings. + +Saw a nautilus to-day. It spread its thin sail to catch the rising +breeze. The sailors call it a "Portuguese man-of-war." Dear Eli is +quite seasick to-day. At eleven o'clock sat down with as many +emigrants as could be comfortably seated in our cabin, to try to +worship Him who graciously sustains us upon the rolling deep. It +proved a season of heavenly communion. + +_8th mo. 3d, Sixth day_, lat. 33° 53' N., long. 36° W. A school of +porpoises played round the ship for some time this morning. They +seemed delighted at amusing us, jumping several feet out of the water +and darting to and fro. We seemed nearing the shores of such intense +interest to most on board, and, though a sea-life is not desirable, I +do not feel anxious about reaching Africa. Great and fearful is our +responsibility, and dangers seen and unseen are in this untrod path. +May the God of our salvation have mercy upon us and direct our every +step! + +_First day, 10th._ Unable to sit up this morning. Dear Eli sat by my +birth during meeting-hour, and our hearts were raised in aspiration +heavenward. P. M. Able to sit up toward evening, and we concluded that +it would be best to try for a meeting, which collected a little after +sunset under a clear sky and a full moon, all canvas filled. The moon +shed a mild intermingled gleam through the shrouds of our gallant +ship, and delightful indeed were our meditations. The silence was at +length broken by dear Eli in a feeling testimony to the universality +of divine grace. The people were encouraged to forsake their sins and +come to Jesus the Saviour of the world. It was a sweet, heavenly +season. We felt to tell them that it was not a light thing to be thus +remembered by Him who rolls the planets in their spheres. A great +change is apparent in all on board. Everything is almost as we could +wish, compared with what it was when we came. May we do nothing to +diminish the reputation of our beloved Society! + +The captain says that we are about six hundred miles from the coast of +Africa in a straight line. + +_14th of 8th mo._ Saw a whale to-day: shall pass the tropic of Cancer +to-night; chilly. About two days' sail from Cape Verde. + +_17th._ Cool and pleasant, very different from expectation in a +tropical climate. I have been ill to-day; dear Eli somewhat better. It +being First day, we were present in spirit with our friends at home in +their meeting. Spoke a ship, and the captain and dear Eli took boat +and went off to her. She proved to be the St. Paul, bound to Cowes. We +sent a few lines home by her. + +_20th._ A dreadful storm is on the main, and our ship is like a leaf +in the winds. Several sails are split, and we may lose all before +morning. + +_21st._ My dear Eli is not able to sit up much, which saddens me. + +_25th._ But little progress. I do not feel much anxiety but for my +dear Eli, who seems failing every day from loss of appetite and want +of things to make him comfortable, and for the poor emigrants, many of +whom suffer from the same causes. + +_26th._ This evening there is quite an excitement on board. My Eli +discovered land; the captain thinks it may be Grand Cape Mount. The +captain just called us on deck and a novel scene presented itself. Our +ship seemed gliding through a stream of liquid fire, while each +crested wave shed a beautiful silver light amid sparkling gems that +bespangled the whole face of the deep. Thinking we might soon reach +land, it seemed right to have another opportunity with the emigrants, +which we obtained this P. M. We felt an impression that some one +present would soon be taken home to rest in Jesus. It proved a +satisfactory season, thankfully received by them. + +_28th._ This morning early we were saluted with the joyful +intelligence that we were near Cape Mesurado. We hastened on deck, and +once more beheld the "dark green robes of earth," which never seems so +lovely as after a sea-voyage. The noble promontory is nearly covered +with a thick forest, interwoven with luxuriant vines that hang in rich +drapery from the branches of the trees, and the stately palm tree +rears its lofty head high in air, like some tall cliff. It was Nature +in her chastest charms arrayed. Soon my thoughts were diverted from +this deeply interesting scene to one as novel as can well be imagined. +The native canoes appeared, manned by natives without clothing. Soon +the water seemed almost alive with them, and the air rang with strange +sounds. We made ready to go on shore. I cannot describe my feelings at +this moment, but, like Peter, I thought that I must call nothing +common or unclean that God had cleansed. The captain, dear Eli, and I +were soon seated in one of our boats manned by natives, and in a few +minutes passed the bar in safety and reached the city of Monrovia, +just in rear of the cape, and with grateful emotions set our feet on +the shores of Africa. + +B. V. R. James welcomed us to the shore, and kindly invited us to go +to his house and refresh ourselves. We proceeded up a gentle ascent +through the city as far as his house--were pleasantly received; took +breakfast and dined with them. Called on President Roberts and his +wife, who received us cordially; delivered our papers and letters; +they kindly invited us to call again and make our home with them if +agreeable. Called also at James B. McGill's, a very interesting +family, and returned before nightfall to our floating home. It has +been a fine day, though in the midst of the rainy season. + +_29th._ Just returned from shore; had a pleasant day and a delightful +walk. Took breakfast at James McGill's, who with his pleasant wife +entertained us very cheerfully. Dined with Beverly Wilson, a Methodist +minister, who with his wife interested us highly. Visited the +Alexander high school, B. V. R. James teacher. It contained seventy +scholars, fifty of whom were present. They reflected credit on their +competent teacher by their advancement and circumspect demeanor. We +thought them as good scholars as those of the same age in America. We +imparted some religious instruction and suggested some trifling +improvements, with which the pious teacher and pupils seemed pleased. +One is our Master, even Christ, and all we are brethren. + +_30th._ Morning rainy; dear Eli has been ashore; thinks the place +increases in interest every time he visits it. He has made two +appointments for to-morrow, one at the Methodist and one at the +Baptist house. + +_31st, First day._ Morning rainy, but we thought best to try and meet +our appointments. Arrived in time, but got somewhat wet; changed +clothes. We felt it to be no ordinary occasion as we passed through +the throng to our seats and then mingled in sweet and sacred communion +for the first time with dear brethren and sisters in a distant land, +for whose souls we had long borne the burden of a dying Saviour's +love. The silence was impressive, and the streams of that river that +gladdens the heritage of God circulated sweetly through the assembly. +The holy fervor of gospel love filled our hearts to the great +abasedness of the creature. Ability was given us to show forth that +living faith that works by love to the purifying of the heart, and to +point out the difference between this saving faith and a dead faith +that the world and its spirit will overcome. We were melted together +as the heart of one man. The Lord reigned gloriously. At the close of +this solemnity the people wished to get our hands, giving +demonstrations of great joy at meeting us, and bidding us welcome to +their shores with great blessing. Dined at James B. McGill's. Our +afternoon meeting was increasingly interesting. We were led to explain +the nature of that worship which only can be acceptable to God. +Returned to our ship with the testimony sealed upon our heads. Not +unto us, but unto Thy great Name, be all the honor. + +_9th mo. 1st._ Morning rainy; had to remain in the packet; evening +more pleasant. Passed our time in writing, reading, etc. + +_9th mo. 2d, Third day._ Morning rainy; dear E. went ashore. He seems +quite improved, which is very cheering. We feel quite at home on +board, though far away dwell the hearts bound to us by the tenderest +ties. + +_3d._ We went on shore and called on Sarah Smith, a pious colored +woman who keeps a place of refreshment; then called on President +Roberts and wife, and had a very interesting conversation on several +subjects relative to the interest and welfare of the republic. The +President was truly courteous and affable. In his manner there is an +elegant simplicity adorned with Christian piety. He said, "I am truly +thankful the Lord has sent you here, and for your prayers for us in +your native land." His wife's highest ornament is piety, which is +sweetly cherished in her gentle heart. After dinner, accompanied by +the President and his wife, we repaired to the Presbyterian place of +worship (a previous appointment). The house was crowded, but orderly +and still. It was given us to deal very plainly with the people. + +_4th._ Raining; dear E. went on shore and visited a native town, with +which he was much interested. I felt the privation of remaining in the +ship; I was somewhat impatient at being confined in my cage-like +cabin. The deck being very wet, I was somewhat circumscribed, but in +settling up the day's accounts I did not feel fully satisfied, and my +earnest prayer is that I may keep my mind stayed on the Lord. + +_5th._ Just returned from shore; have enjoyed the day much. Visited a +private school taught by Georgianna Johnson, and suggested some +improvements. Called on President Roberts and wife (they being +directors of two or more female benevolent societies) to obtain their +consent to meet those societies at their own time and place. We met +them the following day, and had a very interesting conference. +Suggested some improvements, such as ameliorating the condition of +those immigrants, many of whom are destitute of employment or not +willing to work, who lead a wretched life of indolence and +consequently vice. The President said that it was a source of much +solicitude to himself; he was fearful of the continuance of this state +of things. We suggested a house of industry. This struck him +pleasantly as the very antidote needed. Called at George R. Ellis's, +who is a magistrate. We were kindly received. + +_6th._ Went on shore; had a very interesting opportunity with the +Ladies' Association (some of the most intelligent females in Liberia). +They managed their business in a correct and orderly manner, and by +their records and accounts show that they are doing much for suffering +humanity here. The emancipated slaves are sent here nearly penniless, +except their portion of land, which is an unbroken forest, and six +months' provisions, which are exhausted during the process of +acclimating. The fever reduces them much. It is the judgment of the +most intelligent residents of Liberia that it is best for the +immigrants soon after their arrival to take up their farms and work a +small portion of each day, clearing their land and planting sweet +potatoes, and with the abundance of fruit growing around them they +could live comfortably. This has been tried by some, and far less die. +With the fever much depends on keeping up the courage; there is but +little chance for those who abandon exercise. + +_7th._ We went on shore at an early hour; took breakfast at Uriah +McGill's. Went to a First-day school containing ninety-four children, +twenty-five of whom are natives; the latter are not able to read the +Bible. At half-past two attended a meeting for the children. The +Baptist house, being the largest, was selected, and was well filled; +they were orderly and attentive. I trust impressions were made that +will never be effaced. + +_8th._ E. went on shore. In the afternoon he returned with our valued +friend James B. McGill and two colored ladies, with their servants, +the latter going to Greenville, Sinon county. We left the shores of +Monrovia with a comfortable evidence that our labors were acceptable +to Him who had sent us forth. We were quite cheered with the prospect +of saying that we had personal acquaintances in Liberia. + +_9th._ Anchored in Bassa Cove. Thank God for the blessings and mercies +that have attended us on this embassy of love! + +_11th._ Came to anchor off Greenville. + +_13th._ Went on shore and made arrangements for meetings--in the +morning at the Baptist house, in the afternoon at the Presbyterian. +The Methodist minister cordially invited us to attend the afternoon +sitting of the quarterly meeting, saying the meeting should be at our +disposal to worship in our own way. We were refreshed in the Lord. + +_First day, 14th._ Had good meetings. At the Presbyterian house many +stood about, not able to get inside. We were blessed together in +heavenly places. Dined at Judge Murray's. + +_Second day, 15th._ Set sail for Cape Palmas; anchored on account of +head winds. I fear we cannot visit the town, Settra Kroo. + +_16th._ We are in sight of Settra Kroo still. May the Lord keep us in +safety! + +_17th._ At anchor off Nasma Kroo; went on shore; called at the only +two colonist houses there, then visited the native village. Here a +strange scene presented itself: the females were entirely naked, +except a small covering about the loins, mothers with their naked +infants on their backs, from one month old and upward; lasses with +their skin painted indelible black and shining with palm oil, with +which they are besmeared, came in crowds and surrounded us, gazing at +me, crying, "White mammy;" others ran from us with fear. We gave the +mothers some crackers, and soon every one that could get a child +(sometimes quite as big as the pretended mother herself) had one +packed on her back to get a cracker also. They are a very shrewd +people--fine forms and well-proportioned. We visited the queen, who +has a separate room in the king's house. He was absent; she received +us quite graciously: her body was striped with white paint. We thought +best to try for a meeting. The king's house was selected. One of the +natives undertook to notify the meeting. He passed on before us, +stopping at each house, and very soon the people might be seen running +from every point toward the house where they were to have a "God +palaver," as they call it. A number gathered. A native named Giando +undertook to interpret for us. They were attentive--promised with +clamorous acclamation that they would do as we told them. The meeting +was relieving, and we have great cause for gratitude. Before we left +the village several females had painted their faces white, which made +them look ridiculous in the extreme. + +_18th._ Set sail for Cape Palmas again. Came to anchor after sunset. + +_19th._ Went on shore; called at Dr. McGill's; they received us +pleasantly. He occupies the vacancy made by the lamented death of +Governor Rupworm. Dined at F. Burns's, the Methodist minister. We +were interested in the information they gave us of the colony and +natives. The latter have three villages very compact, and with all the +heathen customs, the most disgusting of which is their unclad forms +that are seen in every direction, forming a striking contrast to the +neat dwellings, decent clothing, and intelligent countenances of the +colonists. On the outermost point of this high promontory is a +lighthouse, and about it the colonists' houses stand surrounded with +fine gardens and the beautiful African fruit trees. Made an +appointment at the Methodist house for to-morrow. + +_20th._ We have not been able to meet our appointment, the swell is so +great. We have been somewhat disappointed in not getting to town, but +are sure that all is well under the supervision of Him who commands +the elements in His own consummate wisdom. + +_21st, First day._ Beautiful morning; got safely on shore, and had a +large meeting in the Methodist house. In the sweet covenant of peace +and joy the meeting closed. + +_22nd._ Got on shore, and rode in a small carriage drawn by natives +about two miles into the country, accompanied by Dr. McGill and his +amiable wife. Delighted with the scenery. The dwellings of the +colonists are comfortable, but most of their farms are uncultivated; +very rich soil. We have a strong apology to make for the indolence in +Africa: most of the settlers hitherto are emancipated slaves, worn out +with hard service in the land of oppression, from which they have been +sent after their spirits and strength are wasted by unrequited toil. +Then they meet this enervating climate. A number of energetic +husbandmen should be sent out with every colony to inspire them. +Manual-labor schools would doubtless succeed here, but the present +operations must fail to arrive at the happy results anticipated by the +philanthropists. + +_23d._ Went on shore and had a most interesting meeting with the +children. Many youthful eyes were bedewed with tears as they heard the +glad tidings of a Saviour's love. + +_24th._ Had a meeting at the Episcopal house. The Lord was with us. We +gave books and tracts. + +_25th._ We were saddened by the conviction that some of us would meet +no more on earth. We left Cape Palmas with an additional interest for +Africa. We feel that we are only the pioneers--that the Lord will send +yet more honorable members of his household to this land. + +_27th._ Very weak. Came to anchor off Sinon. My E. went on shore, but +I thought best to remain, write, and arrange for to-morrow. E. +returned wearied, but much delighted with his excursion into the +country. + +_28th._ Went early on shore, and, taking our vessel's boat and crew, +proceeded up the Sinon River about two miles to a colonist settlement. +Our meeting was well attended and the word was heard with gladness. We +walked in a footpath some distance in a smart shower, and were wet and +much fatigued. Rested and dried our clothes a little before the +meeting. The people more industrious than any we have seen before in +Liberia. + +_30th._ Went on shore; had a meeting in the Baptist house. It was a +final parting and a heavenly season. No doubt that we shall have the +prayers of these dear people. + +_10th mo. 3d._ Anchored this P. M. off Bassa. + +_4th._ Went on shore, but with much difficulty, it being the worst bar +on the coast. We proceeded along the coast until we found a place to +land in safety. The natives managed with great skill, and as soon as +we came near land they sprang into the water and caught me, and in a +minute set me down high and dry, seemingly highly gratified, +exclaiming "Mammy no wet." We called at a little cabin and got a cup +of tea made, and when the rain subsided we proceeded to the town. +Beautiful country, covered with orange trees and guava, but farms +sadly neglected. I think the plough is needed as much as missionary +labors, for without the former the latter cannot accomplish much. + +P. M. Very rainy; had a ride in a hammock, or rather a substitute for +one--a piece of native cloth with the ends fastened together with +ropes, and a pole passed through loops; the poles rested on the +natives' shoulders. It was placed on the ground for me to step in and +lie down, but I begged the privilege of walking, which was refused, as +it would injure my health, for the rain was pouring. I did not like +it, although I did not get wet. The idea of a bier was constantly +presenting itself, together with the fear that it was too great a +burden for the poor natives. A terrible storm came up on our way back +to the ship, and we nearly lost our lives in the angry waves. + +_5th, First day._ Had a meeting in the evening on board, as it was +very rainy. In retirement this day we could say with the Psalmist, +"How precious are thy thoughts unto me!" + +_7th._ Went ashore and had a meeting at Edina, on the north side of +the St. John's River. It proved a memorable solemnity. + +_8th._ Went on shore and had a meeting on the south side of the St. +John's, at Bassa. The blessed Head of the Church was pleased to feed +the hungering multitudes through His poor instruments. A number +collected to witness our departure, and we took an affectionate leave +of them, mingled with sadness, on our final departure from Bassa Cove. + +Set sail about five o'clock with a brisk wind, which would take us to +Monrovia by sunrise, but it soon became calm, and we came to anchor. +The Lord knows what is best. + +_9th._ We are quite anxious as we approach Monrovia, for here we must +decide whether to remain in Africa and wait a passage to England +(should none offer before the packet leaves), or return to Boston and +thence embark to Liverpool. I trust we are resigned to either as the +Lord wills. + +_10th._ Anchored off Cape Mesurado. Dear Eli went on shore and found +letters from home. We read them together with much joy, as they +contained intelligence that all was well with the dear children and +those at home. Boundless is our debt of gratitude. One of the +immigrants who was in good health at the time of our last meeting on +board is dead. We learned that she died in peace, but was cruelly +treated by her husband. + +_11th._ Went on shore accompanied by the President's wife. I took a +bundle of tracts and visited all the sick and infirm, distributing +tracts and imparting such messages of gospel love as were given me. + +_First day, 12th._ Went on shore quite comfortably, although it was +wet, and attended a meeting at the Baptist house. Our meetings here +have been signally blessed. Truly the Lord's name is great in Zion. + +_13th._ Rainy, but got on shore, and made calls and distributed +tracts. No way opens yet for Sierra Leone. We are wholly dependent on +Him who makes a way. + +_14th._ Called at U. McGill's, J. B. McGill's, Beverley Willson's. I +then distributed tracts, and I think that I never saw so much +gratitude manifested in any part of the world I ever visited. As I +passed their little cots they followed me in numbers; even children +joined, holding out their hands begging for a tract. At length all +were gone, but a few more on board. + +_15th._ Dear Eli went up the river St Paul, and visited New Georgia, +Upper and Lower Caldwell, Virginia, and Kentucky. I spent the day +making calls and giving tracts. + +_17th._ It is a time of seeking the Lord among the people. The youth +are flocking to the Saviour. May a glorious accession be made to the +militant Church from Africa! + +_19th._ Went on shore, and had a meeting at the Methodist house, and +it was a solemn occasion, as it was our final meeting. + +_20th._ Went on shore for the last time, as the ship would sail at +three o'clock. Made several calls, one on a sick immigrant from +Antigua. Has been sick seven months, reduced to a skeleton; said he +had a wife and two children in his native land. As he spoke of them +his eyes filled with tears, and "God's will be done!" fell from his +trembling lips. + +I went with some ladies to the highest point of this commanding +promontory. Had a fine view of the town and mountains toward the +interior. We met many a smiling face and heard many a "Thank you" as +we stopped at the little cots to distribute tracts. The Liberians are +very anxious to get these little messengers, and read them with +interest. We hope they may be a blessing to them. I handed one to an +aged woman, who clasped it to her bosom and exclaimed, "The Lord bless +you! I will keep it to read while I live, and when I die I will have +it put into my coffin." + +We have left Monrovia, and as the land recedes from view the pangs of +separation from many, if not all, are keenly realized, not only by us, +but by the group on shore. But as the clouds dispersed around the +setting sun his last sweet rays rested upon the rich foliage, and +then, veiling his face in a mantle of crimson clouds, withdrew. We +leave Africa with sheaves of peace. + +_21st._ Made little progress to-day. Though our returning in the ship +is very unexpected, yet all is peace, and it seems to us to be in the +will of Him who brought us in safety across the mighty deep. No way +has opened for us to go to Sierra Leone or England. We intend to +return to America (if no new opening appears) and embark at Boston for +Liverpool. In this way we may see our little ones; which seems almost +too great a favor. We have thoughts of stopping at St. Thomas, and +thence prosecuting our contemplated visit among the islands, if we can +make an arrangement with the captain that will answer and it seems +right. + +_22d._ Delightful weather. This morning in silent waiting before the +Lord He gave us to feel His holy presence near, and an assurance that +He would still lead us and instruct us. + +_23d._ The captain concludes to leave us at St. Thomas if we desire +it. We had looked toward home, but the prospect seems somewhat like +closing up. The will of the Lord be done! + +Some swallows appeared this morning and flew into the cabin. They +lingered about all day. They may be emigrants from cold New England's +clime. They brought with them sweet thoughts of scenes and lands far +over the blue depths of ocean. + +_28th._ Clear weather. Think it may be best to abandon the thought of +returning home, and stop at St. Thomas, one of the West Indies, and +commence our next labors. This seems a favorable opening, for a +Northern tour will be too great a change of climate. My health seems +greatly improved by a warm climate. + +_30th, First day._ We sat down for meeting together, it being +meeting-day at home. We felt as the disciples journeying toward +Emmaus; we felt our hearts warmed and tendered together. + +_31st._ St. Thomas is in our minds' view, but whether we shall get +there or not lies in the bosom of futurity. It will probably take two +weeks longer to reach there if the ship touches it. Our daily prayer +is to be directed aright. + +_11th mo. 1st._ Dear Eli is much better, and my health is quite good. +The cook is quite sick; I fear he will not recover. He is in great +distress both of mind and body. How wise to prepare for such an awful +time in health! + +_2d._ Last evening we read a chapter by the bedside of the distressed +sailor. My heart was poured out in prayer. + +_3d._ We are sailing ten knots an hour toward our native land. The +captain does not think, on further reflection, that he can +consistently stop at St. Thomas. We had given up to go if the way had +been clear, and therefore think the hand of the Lord is in it. He will +accept the will for the deed. The cook seems recovering, and truly +penitent. He told me that a testimony delivered at our last meeting on +board was for him. He has been previously a very profane and wicked +man. This is a fresh instance of the mercy and longsuffering of the +Lord. + +_6th._ We are approaching our native land with the sheaves of peace, +but feeling still bound to the work, not knowing the things that may +await us there. May my whole life be dedicated to His service who has +so remarkably blessed my going out and coming in! + +_20th._ The captain concludes to set his course for Baltimore, hoping +to reach Cape Henry before our stores fail. + +_9th._ About ten o'clock a pilot-boat came alongside and left a pilot. +Providence permitting, we may soon set our feet on the wharf at +Baltimore. Soon we must bid adieu to our home upon the ocean. We are +encouraged with the regular and sober deportment of all on board, and, +though our passage has been a protracted one, we do not regret it, +while we have beheld with thankfulness the operation of the Lord's +hand upon the crew of our brave ship, to which, with its inmates, we +shall now bid adieu with emotions of gladness and regret. Oh may all +that have sailed together here anchor at last in the kingdom of God! +Farewell! + + * * * * * + +Soon after their return Eli Jones wrote an article for the _Friends' +Review_ setting forth the conditions of this African colony, and +recommending that some more work be done to help these enterprising +freedmen and the less enlightened native tribes within the republic of +Liberia. The article was reprinted, and was read by many. Still later, +while at work in North Carolina, he received a call from the president +of the African Colonization Society to attend one of their meetings in +Washington, which he accordingly did. As he entered the hall where the +exercises were being held a gentleman was delivering a discourse in +which he endeavored to show the impossibility of an equality between +negroes and white men, and consequently the hazardousness of the +experiment of allowing them to rule themselves. The chairman then +announced that the next speaker was to have been Eli Jones, but that +he had not yet seen him. + +To his surprise, a man rose in the back of the hall, threw off his +overcoat, and came to the platform. He gave his name as the one called +for, and began to give his knowledge and opinion of Liberian +colonization. He took as his text the remark of the former speaker, +saying that he as a landowner and tiller of the soil went from Maine +to Liberia, where he stood on an equality with the landowners there; +but as he came in the presence of President Roberts there was not an +equality, since he, the white man, stood below the vigorous, wise, +strong-minded colored President of the republic. From that he spoke +for an hour feelingly and emphatically on the excellence of the work +going on in Africa, at the same time impressing the need of further +aid. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_WORK IN ENGLAND AND IRELAND._ + + "Their single aim the purpose to fulfil + Of truth from day to day; + Simply obedient to its guiding will, + They held their pilgrim way. + Yet dream not hence the beautiful and old + Were wasted on their sight + Who in the school of Christ had learned to hold + All outward things aright." + + WHITTIER. + + +Eli and Sybil Jones reached Baltimore in the middle of winter, and +experienced the joy of being once more among Friends and in their own +loved country. Having been kept and continually supported to +accomplish their work, they now were filled with thanksgiving to Him +whose pillar of cloud and fire had gone before them by day and by +night, and they were prepared in spirit for the still longer journey +which was before them. They visited friends and relatives on their way +to Maine, and were everywhere joyfully received. Their children had +all passed the time of their absence pleasantly, and had gained in +mental and physical growth. + +It was an interesting sight when their townsmen met to welcome them +home. One can see them in the monthly meeting, which was held at this +time. Many who came but seldom, rode over the hills that day to sit +down on the unpainted seats and listen if they did not worship, and an +unusually large number were present when the hushed stillness told +that meeting had begun. One father and the mothers of the two +ministers were there, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts; many who +had always known them, and some who had never seen them,--all bowed +their heads before the Mighty One, and + + "Low breathings stole + Of a diviner life from soul to soul, + Baptizing in one tender thought the whole." + +Even the cold-hearted felt a warmth steal in, and the low-spirited +were exalted in their minds. No one who sat under that silence doubted +that the Lord was speaking to "the spirit's finer ear;" and when the +seal was broken and the moved lips opened in vocal thanksgiving many +hearts rose in harmony. A brief, quiet prayer from a full heart, when +the spirit of the whole meeting rises with it, reaches where eye +cannot see, and comes not back void. Words are human, but power is +divine. + +We can see Eli Jones rise from his wonted seat and slowly speak his +text: "When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their +tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of +Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and +fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a +pool of water, and the dry land springs of water." His companion sees +many before her who have grown cold while they have been answering the +call from Ethiopia, and sweetly she asks them to whom they will go if +they forsake Him who alone has the words of eternal life. Together +they sound the alarm and call upon their friends and neighbors to +stand firm and quit them like men while they go out again to reap in +other vineyards. At the close of this day Sybil Jones could say, "He +brought us unto his banqueting-house, and the banner over us was +Love." + +Once more they separated from home-friends and took their little +children to West Hill, N. J., the lovely home of Eliza P. Gurney, who +had asked that the two youngest boys, Eli Grelet and Richard Mott, +might be left with her during their parents' absence.... On First day +they attended the meeting at Burlington, and sat in company with +Stephen Grelet and Richard Mott, for whom the boys had been named. +Stephen Grelet, that great apostle, who had given messages from the +King of kings to potentates and princes in all the countries of +Europe, who had shown men's equality by holding his finger to the +Pope's extended finger, and who was now waiting to be ushered into +another and a higher court, addressed them thus: "The Lord has +provided for your children in your absence, and thus given striking +demonstration of His love to you; and now this testimony is applicable +to you, my dear friends: 'I will be with thee whithersoever thou +goest, and will guide thee with mine eye, and afterward receive thee +into glory;' so go, dear friends, cheerfully, for the Lord will be +your all-sufficient Helper." + +After visiting their other children, at Haverford College and at +Providence, they finally sailed from Boston the 31st of 3d mo. on the +steamer "Niagara" for Liverpool. A goodly company of Friends from +Lynn and elsewhere were on the wharf to wave them adieu. + +It was an uneventful passage, except that an iceberg was discovered +exactly in their course just in time to turn the ship from the danger. +Sybil Jones writes of it: "I got on deck while it was in full view, +and gazed with wonder and delight upon this magnificent frosty +traveller from the frigid North to milder skies. It seemed like an +island all of light consolidated into form, or as a cathedral whose +stately spires pierced the eternal sunshine. The first rays of the +morning sun gave to its pure, spotless whiteness a brilliancy and +beauty that seemed almost of heavenly extraction. It reminded us of +the infinitely more splendid and soul-ravishing charms of nature's God +and heaven's eternal King, of whose mercy it seemed the white-robed +harbinger." + +On their return voyage, the ship, sailing at a rapid rate in a dense +fog, found itself almost upon a gigantic iceberg, a mighty pyramid of +ice. It seemed to all on board that the ship must be crushed. An +infidel who was a fellow-passenger hurried on deck and cried out, "In +an hour we shall all be lost, but let us die like philosophers."--"No," +said Sybil Jones, rising to her feet; "if we are to meet death, let +us do it as Christians." In God's goodness all were spared. + +They were delighted with their first sight of England, to find such +abundant verdure instead of the snow and ice which they left on the +hills of New England, and they were more delighted still to find warm +hearts waiting for them, among whom was Benjamin Seebohm, who had +been a former messenger of good to them. It was nearly time for Dublin +yearly meeting to begin, and they crossed over to Ireland to attend +it. This was an occasion of great interest, and the two American +Friends had weighty service to perform; but Sybil Jones was taken ill +with severe irritation of the spine while the meeting was still in +session. She finally found relief for that time, and was able to +attend some of the meetings. Their friend Mary James Lecky was always +ready to attend to their comfort, and they did not want for pleasant +homes. + +Their visit to Balitore is thus described: "We left for Balitore in +the comfortable coach of our dear friend Mary J. Lecky. Our route was +most pleasant and interesting--beautiful groves, rich fields of waving +grain, with herds and flocks scattered over the flowery lawns; stately +dwellings and white cottages, with now and then some ancient castle in +ruins, wearing a vesture of deep green woven by the evergreen ivy, +which flourishes in rich foliage on its time-beaten walls and +dilapidated towers. The golden furze may be seen in abundance on hill +and dale, and is a lovely ornament to the variegated scene. The hedges +that skirt the way are bespangled with yellow and crimson primroses, +bluebells, violets, and many other little wild flowers, forming a +radiant wreath entwined with the graceful ivy. We admired the scene, +and talked much of Erin, the green isle of the ocean. At one o'clock +we arrived at Balitore, or, as it is sometimes called, the 'Classic +Vale.' Dear Elizabeth Barrington--the 'Princess Elizabeth,' as she is +sometimes called--gave us a cordial welcome. The charms of this little +village, loveliest of the plain, are sweetly enhanced by the memory +of departed worth, talent, genius, virtue and piety which once +flourished here."[5] + + [5] It was at Balitore that Edmund Burke received his early education, + at the Friends' school conducted by Richard Shackleton, to whom he + often wrote and attributed much of his careful training. + +Day after day they attended meetings and visited families, though +Sybil Jones was in such a state of health that it was merely her will +which kept her from bed; she continually spoke of the "frailty of the +tabernacle," but the strength of the spirit forced the body to obey +and do its part of the work; and as the time drew near for the London +yearly meeting they turned thither. Everywhere they directed their +eyes a new beauty of landscape, a majesty of mountain, or a charm of +antiquity met them; but Sybil Jones was forced to close her eyes on +all this outward loveliness, and as as she rode along, reclining on +her seat, she comforted herself "in the presence of Him who verily +knows what is best for us; health and life, with every other blessing, +are in his hand." + +The meeting began on the 17th of Fifth month, and now for the first +time in their lives they were sitting in the parent yearly meeting of +the Society of Friends. For more than two hundred years the Friends of +Great Britain have annually assembled in London, and the power of +these meetings is wonderful. Some of England's greatest minds have sat +in silent waiting there, and have raised their voices in regard to the +proper ordering of the household of faith, and some of her lowliest +sons and daughters have not been hindered from sitting in the same +seat with these great lights, and their words have been listened to +with equal deference. English conservatism has kept this meeting much +as it was in earlier days, while broad ideas and liberal notions have +been disseminated, so that no stiff cloak of formalism has settled +over the body. The Spirit which giveth life is sought for, but the +iron yoke of the letter does not rest upon them. The voices of "just +men made perfect" have, in all the generations since George Fox, +pleaded from full hearts that the Lord might have here a "peculiar +people," separated from the world and satisfied with the one honor of +being "fellow-citizens with the saints." + +Eli and Sybil Jones had many comforting sessions in this meeting, and +they not only did the work which was in their hearts for the +strengthening of those assembled, but they were themselves made more +strong and more useful members of the Church for this work in the +harmonious company of united English Friends. + +The effect of their utterances and the impressiveness of the gathering +were beautifully and eloquently described by Elihu Burritt, who was +present, and who was afterward associated with Eli Jones in the Peace +cause. This passage is from his diary, dated the 21st of fifth month: + + + THE QUAKER MEETING. + + "LONDON, May 21, 1852. + + "This has been a day of deep interest. In the morning I went to + the meeting of public worship in the Devonshire House, which was + filled to the utmost capacity by Friends from every part of the + kingdom. As a spectacle no human congregation can surpass it in + impressive physiognomy. The immaculate purity of the women's + dresses as they sat a mountain multitude of shining ones, arising + in long quiet ranks from the floor to the gallery on one side of + the house, the grave mountain of sedate and thoughtful men on the + other, presented an aspect more suggestive of the assemblies of + the New Jerusalem than any earthly congregation I had ever seen. + In a brief time the last-comers had found seats or + standing-places, and then a deep devotional silence settled down + upon the great assembly like an overshadowing presence from + heaven. The still, upbreathing prayer of a thousand hearts seemed + to ascend like incense, and the communion of the Holy Spirit to + descend like a dove, whispering its benediction and touching to + sweeter listening serenity those faces so calm with the breath of + its wing; and out of the deep silence of this unspoken devotion + arose one, with trembling meekness, to unburden the heart of a + few brief message-words to which it feared to withhold utterance, + lest it should sin against the inspiration that made it burn with + them. From another part of the house arose the quavering voice of + prayer, short, but full of the earnest emotion of supplication + and humble utterance of faith and thanksgiving. Then moments of + deeper silence followed, as if all the faculties of the mind and + all the senses of the physical being had descended into the + soul's inner temple to listen to and wait for the voice of the + Spirit of God. How impressive was the heart-worship of those + silent moments! There was something solemn beyond description in + the spectacle of a thousand persons of all ages so immovable that + they seemed scarcely to breathe. The 'Ministers' Gallery' was + occupied by a long rank of the teachers, the fathers, and the + mothers of the Society from different parts of the country, who + seemed to preside over this communion like shepherds sitting down + before their quiet flocks by the still waters of salvation. In + the centre sat a man and a woman a little past the meridian of + life, and apparently strangers in the great congregation. The + former had an American look, which was perceptible even to the + opposite extremity of the building, and when he slowly arose out + of the deep silence his first words confirmed that impression. + They were words fitly spoken and solemn, but uttered with such a + nasal intonation as I never heard before, even in New England. At + first and for a few minutes I felt it doubtful whether the + unpleasant influence of this aggravated peculiarity would not + prevent his words of exhortation from having salutary effect upon + the minds of the listening assembly. But as his words seemed to + flow and warm with increasing unction, little by little they + cleared up from that nasal cadence and rounded into more oral + enunciation. Little by little they strengthened with the power of + truth, and the truth made them free and flowing. His whole + person, so impassive and unsympathetic at first, entered into the + enunciation of these truths with constantly increasing animation, + and his address grew more and more impressive to the last. He + spoke nearly an hour, and when he sat down and buried his fingers + under his broad-brimmed hat, and the congregation settled down + into the profound quiet of serene meditation, I doubted whether + it would be broken again by the voice of another exhortation. + But in the course of a few minutes the form of the woman who sat + by his side--and it was his wife--might be perceived in a state + of half-suppressed emotion, as if demurring to the inward monitor + of the Spirit that bade her arise and speak to such an assembly. + It might well have seemed formidable to the nature of a meek and + delicate woman. She seemed to struggle involuntarily with the + conviction of duty, and to incline her person slightly toward her + husband, as if the tried attributes of her heart leaned for + strength on the sympathy of his, as well as on the wisdom she + waited from above. Then she arose calm, meek, and graceful. Her + first words dropped with the sweetest enunciation upon the still + congregation, and were heard in every part of the house, though + they were uttered in a tone seemingly but little above a whisper. + Each succeeding sentence warbled into new beauty and fulness of + silvery cadence. The burden of her spirit was the life of + religion in the heart as contrasted with its mere language on the + tongue, or what it was to be really and truly a disciple of Jesus + Christ. Having meekly stated the subject which had occupied her + meditations and which she had felt constrained to revive in the + hearing of the congregation before her, she said: 'And now, in my + simple way and in the brief words which may be given me, let me + enter with you into the examination of this question.' At the + first word of this sentence she loosed the fastenings of her + bonnet, and at the last handed it down to her husband with a + grace indescribable. There was something very impressive in the + act as well as in the manner in which it was performed, as if she + uncovered her head involuntarily in reverence to that vision of + divine truth unsealed to her waiting eyes. And in her eyes it + seemed to beam with a heavenly light serene, and in her heart to + burn with holy inspiration and meekness, and to touch her lips + and every gentle movement of her person with an expression + eloquent, solemn, beautiful as her words fell upon the rapt + assembly from the heaven of tremulous flute-like music with which + her voice filled the building. Like a stream welling from Mount + Hermon and winding its way to the sea, so flowed the melodious + current of her message, now meandering among the unopened flowers + of rhymeless poetry, now through green pastures of salvation, + where the Good Shepherd was bearing in his bosom the tender lambs + of his flock; next it took the force of lofty diction, and fell, + as it were, in cascades of silvery eloquence, but solemn, slow, + and searching, adown the rocks and ravines of Sinai; then out + like a sweet-rolling river of music into the wilderness, where + the Prodigal Son, with the husks of his poverty clutched in his + lean hands, sat in tearful meditation upon his father's home and + his father's love. More than a thousand persons seemed to hold + their breath as they listened to that meek, delicate woman, whose + lips appeared to be touched to an utterance almost divine. I + never saw an assembly so moved, but so subdued into motionless + meditation. And the serene and solemn silence deepened to + stillness more profound when she ceased speaking. In the midst of + these still moments she knelt in prayer. As the first word of her + supplication arose the men, who had worn their hats while she + spoke to them, reverently uncovered their heads as she kneeled to + speak to God. Long and fervent was her supplication. Her clear + sweet voice trembled with the burden of the petition with which + her soul seemed to ascend into the Holy of holies, and to plead + there with Jacob's Father for a blessing upon all encircled + within that immediate presence. She arose from her knees, and the + great congregation sat down, as it were under the shadow of that + prayer to silence more deep and devotional. This lasted a few + minutes, when two elders of the Society, seated in the centre of + the 'Ministers' Gallery,' shook hands with each other, and were + followed by other couples in each direction as a kind of mutual + benediction as well as a signal that meeting was terminated.--At + this simple sign the whole congregation arose and quietly left + the house. Such was the experience of a couple of hours in a + Quaker meeting." + +The last day of the yearly meeting Sybil Jones spoke out her feelings +in regard to total abstinence. She was probably the first person who +publicly stated to an English audience the necessity of taking such +high ground to overcome the evils of intemperance, and, though much +sympathy was expressed, there was a deep feeling on the part of some +against her expressed views. She writes: "This day has concluded the +yearly meeting; my spirit was bound down under a weight of exercise, +but divine help came and enabled me to testify the gospel of the grace +of God in a way most humiliating to the creature; but some, it may be +hoped, were led to examine how far their example of righteousness and +temperance had reached to give a check to the crying sin of this +nation, that not only their husbands and brothers be influenced by +their example, but also their neighbors, and whether there was not +something for them to do in this matter, even total abstinence if it +may be required. When this was done my peace abounded, and I hope no +harm was done. Many dear Friends seemed to feel much sympathy, and a +precious solemnity came over us." + +For weeks after leaving London these "two recruiting-officers labored +hard to enlist soldiers for their Captain" through the northern +counties of Ireland. Not only Friends and other Protestants came to +hear them, but often there were priests present at the meetings, and +many Irish Catholics heard them preach the gospel. Sometimes Sybil +Jones seemed to be "standing on the verge of eternity," but as the +body grew frail it seemed the soul waxed strong and her messages +became more impressive. All she saw as they rode from one village to +another attracted her attention, and she rejoiced that the Creator had +made the earth so fair, while she was brought into great sadness at +the poverty and oppression of the unfortunate, and the lack of vital +religion which was often found. There was great need of wisdom in +telling the whole truth to her mixed audiences, to have it come to +them as the one thing they needed to make their unhappy lives happy, +and her soul went out in her utterances to their souls and stirred +them to believe. There was hardly a town which they visited where +error had not been taught and superstitions ruled the hearts of the +people, and many who had suffered deep wrongs felt that there was no +justice in the earth. To such it was announced, "Light is sown for the +righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart;" but they felt that +"nothing short of the omnipotent Arm could deliver these souls from +popish thraldom and make them free through the power of Jesus Christ." + +Mary James Lecky continued to accompany them, and she was an almost +indispensable companion, providing for their comfort and safety and +opening ways for their service which to them alone would have been +closed; and as Sybil Jones was under a daily weight of infirmity, she +was a strong arm to lean upon, and encouraged her as a sister when her +heart grew weak from the abundance of trial.[6] + + [6] Mary James Lecky filled her carriage with loaves of bread from the + baker's, and as they drove along roads where poverty was everywhere + terribly present, she distributed her stores for the bodily needs of + the poor suffering peasants, while Sybil Jones earnestly told them of + the Bread of life. In the original meaning of the word, "lady" is the + _bread-giver_. Did ever two more worthy the name go out to fulfil the + duties belonging to that title? + +A few passages from their journal will tell much of their earnest +efforts and ceaseless longings to help this people, and also the +difficulties with which they were beset. At Galway, once a famous +seaport town on the west coast of Ireland, they write: + +"_9th mo. 15th._ Called at an early hour upon the vicar, an Episcopal +clergyman, D'Arcy, who attended our meeting and kindly invited us to +come to his residence and he would take us to the school and make way +for any religious service to which we felt called. He received us +heartily and entered into the plans we wished to execute. He +accompanied us, with his amiable wife, to the asylum for aged females +and to the school. We had service for Him who sent us, much to our +comfort, and, we may trust, to their edification. The dear children +listened with delight and interest to all that was offered, and many +appeared tender. They are improving finely and getting a good +knowledge of the Scriptures, which may be of lasting benefit to them; +but oh the hunger and rags were apparent enough to pain the hardest +heart. Our company distributed some relief among them as seemed most +prudent; the evil might be wholly remedied by giving them work and a +fair compensation. The Irish are not naturally idle; there is abundant +proof to the contrary. + +"_16th, Fifth day._ This morning visited the poor-house and school +connected with it; all neat and orderly, good improvement; about +thirteen hundred inmates. We had the children collected for religious +service, and it was a good time. They were mostly Roman Catholics. +They were serious and seemed contrited." + +"_17th._ Two friends with my Eli called on the Roman priest and +informed him of our intention to hold a meeting for the inhabitants; +he was civil, but said none of his people would attend." + +At another time, while they were in the city of Galway, Eli Jones was +told that he would be stoned by the Catholics if he attempted to +preach. He at once called on the priest, told him that he was an +American, and obtained a promise from him that his people should be +allowed to come to the meeting that evening. Before a large audience +of the most bigoted Roman Catholics he arose to preach the gospel of +redeeming love. It was the part of wisdom to gain his hearers, for +their souls could not be reached until the barrier of their prejudice +was broken down. He began: "A virgin shall conceive and bring forth a +son, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty +God, The Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace;" "Hail, thou +that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among +women;" "They found Joseph and Mary and the babe." After hearing these +passages they were all ready to listen to him, and then, as he says, +"I soon left the _mother_ and talked to them of the _child_." + +"_The 20th, at Conamarra._ People mostly in rags worn to strings, +winter near, hunger everywhere; but a better time is coming, we hope. +They seem emerging from the shades of superstition and moral darkness, +having seen in some degree the light which enlightened the Gentiles +and the glory of Israel. May the bright and morning Star shine in its +resplendent beauty over this neglected land! May the labors of the +faithful ministers of Christ be more abundant and their service for +Him be crowned with cheering success! and may the seed sown, though +often with weeping, trembling, and much fear, bring forth an +hundred-fold! + +"_21st._ We arrived at Clifden in time for a meeting held in a +courthouse. Many sober people came who seemed glad to hear of the way +of life, but others, set on by the priests, disturbed the meeting, so +that it was not a very comfortable time; but I secretly rejoiced in +being counted worthy to suffer for His name's sake who sent us forth." + +On the 28th Sybil Jones was taken very ill with influenza. They were +fortunately at Kilnock, among very kind friends. Here they were kept +nearly a month. Eli Jones improved all the time, holding meetings +almost continually, while his wife, confined to her room, "was in +great peace" and the triumphal anthem was on her lips: + + "If Thou shouldst call me to resign + What most I prize--it ne'er was mine-- + I only yield Thee what was Thine; + Thy will be done." + +After six weeks, nearly all of which had been weeks of illness and +hence time taken from the work, she writes: "I like to note now and +then the fleet footsteps of Time. I perceive he will not stay his +rapid course for me, and therefore I most earnestly pray so to number +my days and to apply my heart with diligence unto wisdom that each +golden hour may bear upward the incense of a grateful, devotional +spirit still more and more dedicated to the work and service, of so +vast and infinite importance, that my heavenly Father has assigned to +His poor, unworthy child, and that the holy discipline of the cross of +Christ may nurture and increase every grace of the eternal quickening +Spirit of my dear Redeemer. While the truth is indelibly stamped upon +my spirit that I can do nothing without Him, I believe 'I can do all +things through Christ that strengtheneth me.' May these afflictions of +the shattered citadel, which now confine me to a lonely room and often +a sleepless couch, be sanctified to the promotion of righteousness and +true holiness in myself and others, that in every dispensation +thanksgiving may arise to the blessed name of the Lord!" + +Near Lisburn she was again a prisoner from sickness for about four +weeks, and earnestly she prayed for guidance and strength to bear +whatever came for her. + +"_The 30th of 1st mo., 1853_. I think I have seen, by the light that +has never yet deceived me, my path across the Channel to +Liverpool--that if I trust in my Saviour alone for bodily and +spiritual strength, it will be accomplished and marvellous deliverance +wrought. This morning I mentioned my prospect to my dear husband of a +speedy release from this place. He seemed doubtful of its +practicability with safety to my health. I replied, 'Nothing is +impossible with God. I believe He will bring us through this Jordan.' +We thought of Third day, as a steamer would sail at 4 P. M., but it +did not seem clear, and I was thrown into doubting and fear. After +seeking divine direction I felt a blessed trust that on Fifth day we +might with safety leave these shores. + +"_Third day._ My dear Eli mentioned a prospect of a public meeting at +Carrickfergus, and this was a confirmation that our plan was right." + +On Fourth day they held a farewell meeting, and there was much +expression of mutual love, and, the Irish Friends gave thanks for the +long service which had been performed in their land. For almost a year +the gospel had been preached over the island to high and low, to rich +and poor. Eli Jones visited, with perhaps one exception, every meeting +in Ireland, and met personally some members of nearly every Friend's +family on the island. No suffering or other hindrance had kept these +two servants from sowing seed in all kinds of soil, and they came from +the field believing that their sowing would bring forth fruit after +many days. Sybil Jones went to her train on a couch, and was obliged +to make the whole journey to Liverpool in the same way, but she was +soon at work again at Manchester. Here she rested while Eli Jones +visited the surrounding meetings, and the prospect of still more +extended work began to appear to them. Certainly, few laborers have +gone out in a more determined spirit to overcome all obstacles to +carry the gladdest of all news to ears as yet ungladdened by it. They +visited the quarterly meetings at York, Leeds, Lancaster, Darlington, +and Birmingham, and Sybil Jones rested while Eli attended Dublin +yearly meeting. She was visited by Harriet Beecher Stowe, and they had +a time of prayer together. There were many interesting incidents +connected with their visits at the different cities and the various +homes. Joseph Sturge came to talk with them of temperance and slavery, +and told them he intended to contribute to the support of New Garden +Boarding-school, where some of the children of the South might have +the privilege of gaining better knowledge. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_NORWAY, GERMANY, AND SWITZERLAND._ + + "A voice spake in their ear, + And lo! all other voices far and near + Died at that whisper full of meanings clear." + + WHITTIER. + + +Eli and Sybil Jones attended the London yearly meeting of 1853, and +were liberated to go to the Continent for gospel work in Norway, +Germany, and France. Mary James Lecky was their companion, and was in +all respects a most suitable person for this service. Unknown +difficulties were before them; new races of people were to be touched +through an unknown language; hard journeys were to be made by a +feeble, almost invalid woman; still, they turned toward the shores of +Norway, believing that He whose finger pointed the way would shield +them with His hand. Once more they unquestioningly gave immediate +obedience to the word of their great Captain, and they knew His ways +well enough to be assured that the result would be the desired one. + +Joseph Crosfield offered to go as a caretaker for the little party, +and he was of great help to them. When they arrived at Liverpool from +Ireland, an elderly doctor was called to see Sybil Jones. After +examining her trouble carefully, he said, "You know David had it in +his heart to build the Lord an house. In his case the will was taken +for the work; so it must be in yours. You must stop your work and go +south, or go to your home at once." If this doctor had followed his +patient, he would have found her in the northern latitude of Norway. +The great Physician's order conflicted with that of the doctor, and +there could be no doubt which was to be followed. + +On the 11th of 6th month they embarked on the steamer "Courier" for +Christiansand, being joined by James Backhouse and Lindley M. Hoag, +making a company of six. The passage was very rough, and all on board +were brought low with sea-sickness, but the German Ocean was soon +crossed, and they came into port at Christiansand, finding it light +enough at midnight to read and write and to see the beautiful +Norwegian scenery around them. + +The western coast of Norway is everywhere indented by arms of the sea +called fiords; the coasts are rough and rugged, overhung with crags of +rock beaten and worn by the age-long dash of these northern waters. +Into these fiords has rushed the ship of many a bold seaman, and the +shores are tilled by a hardy race, carrying in their veins the +civilized blood of the old Norse warrior. These descendants of +Northern mythology rejoice when messengers come to tell the simple way +of life and joy through the Saviour, and their boats are ready to bear +strangers from one promontory across the fiord to another. They come +in crowds to hear of the better way, and yet in many places they have +escaped the thraldom of Thor and Odin only to bow their necks to the +yoke which the priests make them bear. + +"There are many flourishing towns and villages pleasantly situated on +the fiords, easily accessible by boat. The scenery is grand and +picturesque--lofty mountains, verdant lawns, and flowery vales, with +now and then a beautiful cascade or mountain-torrent rushing and +mingling its snow-white foam with the crystal waters below. Formerly +the Friends' meeting was held at Stavanger Fiord, but there were +numerous Friends scattered along the coast. + +"_6th mo. 25, 1853._ This day the Norway yearly meeting commenced at +ten o'clock. A deep solemnity came over us. A few words with life and +feeling from dear Mary J. Lecky opened the way for L. M. Hoag, who +testified the gospel of the grace of God to a deeply interested +assembly. In the afternoon we assembled for business, which was +conducted under a good influence and very orderly. The subject of +addressing King Oscar on account of the suffering of some of the +members by the exaction of tithes was discussed and referred to a +committee. Two persons were received into membership, and two more +applied. The certificates of ministers present were read, after which +several lively testimonies were borne and counsel offered, and all +ended well." + +When the yearly meeting was finished the Friends held meetings with +the prisoners and visited the different schools, holding meetings also +at their hotels and once or twice in a barn. They went as far north as +Bergen, where they had remarkable assemblies of people notwithstanding +the fact that the priests spread the report that these Quakers were +dangerous people and did not believe in God. They were refused +permission to visit the prisoners; however, they sent Bibles and +tracts to them, not being allowed to distribute them in person. The +inhabitants of Bergen were highly displeased at the conduct of the +ecclesiastics, and it seemed that many more came to hear the Friends +for themselves on account of the unchristian spirit which was +manifested toward them, and numbers came to their hotel to be +instructed. It was very touching to their tender spirits to see an +eagerness for better things so crushed out by so-called teachers. "The +flock look up and are not fed." Having done what they could, they +returned to Stavanger, and spent much time visiting families and +holding public meetings. When they took the boat to leave this place +the people wished they would send them more "good bodies" to teach +them. + +They travelled all the way from Stavanger to Christiansand, a distance +of ninety-four miles, in an open boat, walking across the isthmuses +from one fiord to another and carrying the boat over with them. From +Christiansand they went by boat to Christiania, where they had a +meeting with the seamen, besides other public meetings, all well +attended. Then they prepared to leave Norway for Kiel, Denmark, on +their way to Germany, having travelled twelve hundred miles in Norway, +mostly by boat, and having held fifty meetings, besides visiting many +families; in all of which work they were wonderfully helped with +strength, and the Spirit of the Lord was with them. + +The 16th of 7th month they left Norway, bound for Denmark. They +sailed down by Jutland and entered the Cattegat. Along the shores they +saw "highly-cultivated fields of grain, white for harvest, shepherds +keeping their flocks beside the meandering streams, reposing beneath +the shade, while the sheep were feeding in green pastures, which were +interspersed with neat red-roofed cottages." + +They went directly to Minden, where most of the few German Friends +live, who, unfortunately, are becoming fewer and fewer. After visiting +these families and attending their mid-week meeting, they rode to +Oberkirchen in Hesse. "Soon after reaching our hotel," they write, "we +were visited by the police, who inquired our business, telling us we +could not be allowed to hold any public meetings in the place--that it +would be contrary to the law to allow any dissenter from the Lutheran +Church to hold a meeting. We informed them we had no such purpose, but +came to visit those who had left the public worship and professed with +us. They then withdrew, appearing quite ashamed of their business; but +after coffee, when we were engaged in prayer, they again appeared, +telling us that if we intended to have a public meeting they must +request us to leave the place. We told them again our intention, and +they took our names and withdrew. We asked our landlord why peaceable +American citizens were molested by the police and their business +inquired into, assuring him that it was the first time in all our +travels in various countries that we had been remanded before the +authorities--that many of their countrymen came unmolested to our +country and were treated civilly. He replied that the conduct of the +police had highly displeased him, and on inquiring into the cause of +it he found that the priests had sent them." + +From Minden, Eli and Sybil Jones went on to Pyrmont, where they +attended the "two-months" meeting. They held a public meeting in the +Friends' house, and some people of note came to hear them. One, a +Russian noble of high birth; Dr. Menke, one of the privy council of +the prince of Waldeck, who was said to be one of the most learned men +in Prussia; also Frederick Fickenscher, the son of the dean of +Nuremberg; besides many Jews, all of whom heard "Jesus Christ, and Him +crucified," preached. + +Eli Jones had some opportunities for conversation with Fickenscher, +and he impressed on him the importance of our opinions in regard to +war, oaths, and other subjects, and he was urged to accept the gospel +in all its fulness. Dr. Menke came to express to them his satisfaction +with the meeting, saying that he _had_ thought that the views of +Friends were rather _fabulous_, but he was now satisfied that they +were evangelical, and he hoped what he had heard would be useful to +him. They revisited Minden, and had much service among Friends and +others, both publicly and in private. They held a large meeting in the +Minden theatre, of which Eli Jones writes: "A full attendance, several +clergymen present. Some Friends seemed to doubt the propriety of +holding a meeting in a building usually applied to theatrical +purposes; but, to my mind, there was a fitness in the place, that we +might have an opportunity to speak to a class which we could hardly +reach anywhere else." + +From Minden they journeyed by short stages south, stopping at +Düsseldorf, where they visited the schools and charity institution; at +Cologne, Bonn, Strasbourg, Basle. In Basle they held a meeting with +sixty young men, students at the Basle mission-house, who were looking +forward to becoming missionaries in the different parts of the world. +A fellow-feeling led them to point these young men to the words of the +Lord: "Without me ye can do nothing." They then took a carriage, going +as far as the Lake of Geneva. It was so arranged that Sybil Jones +could recline, being then far from well. + +Sybil Jones writes: + +"_10th mo. 8th._ This morning set off for Geneva by steamboat from +Vevay. It being near the head of the lake, our starting-point was +delightful, and our trip on the fair blue water interesting amid the +grand mountains which encircle the lake. They rise like vast +battlements above the clouds in some places. Mont Blanc, the monarch +of mountains, was pointed out. We arrived at the ancient, interesting +city of Geneva about four o'clock. From our room at the Hôtel du Rhône +we have a fine view of the Rhone, which leaves the lake a few yards +above and dashes by our windows, washing the basement story with its +blue waters, hastening on to mingle with the great Mediterranean. + +"_9th._ The work never seemed more weighty and watchfulness and prayer +more needful. Our company attended a meeting held by Merle d'Aubigné, +the author of the _History of the Reformation_. He made a report of +the proceedings of the Evangelical Alliance held at Berlin, giving +interesting information of the state of feeling existing between the +different religious denominations on the Continent, who find +themselves more in unison than formerly. + +"_11th._ Held a large meeting in the Casino. The Lord was with us. +Dear Christine Alsop interprets well; indeed, we lack nothing. + +"_12th._ To-day several serious persons have called, with whom we have +had very interesting conversations about the things which appertain to +eternal life. A very agreeable person came to offer his thanks for the +privilege of the meeting, adding, 'I think it will do good, for I have +been examining the Epistle of Paul, and I am certain he did not mean +to forbid a woman's preaching the glad tidings of a risen Saviour, but +rather counselled the women not to be asking improper questions in +their church-meetings nor to exercise authority or teach in the matter +of church discipline; for it is plain that holy women of old _did_ +prophesy (that is, preach), and that Paul did not attempt to hinder +them. He also informed us that a philosophical deist was present last +evening whom he had never seen at a religious meeting before, and that +he fully expected that he would turn it all into ridicule, but, to his +astonishment, he looked serious and said, 'I never heard anything like +this; I scarcely know what to say. It was surely an interesting +discourse.' So we do indeed see that God sometimes chooses 'the weak +things of this world to confound the mighty.' We were informed that +many came who were never seen at meetings on ordinary occasions. +Attended another meeting at the 'Locale,' which was sweet and +refreshing. + +"_13th._ Some pious persons have called, among them a very devoted +_pasteur_ with his daughter, whose name is Lalia. They called just as +we were seated for reading the Scriptures, and joined us. During the +silence I felt the spirit of supplication, but it seemed not to belong +to me to pray vocally, and I said that if any person felt it a duty to +pray I hoped that he would be faithful. Unknown to me, the _pasteur_ +had just asked C. Alsop in French if there was liberty; she replied in +my words. It was a precious season of prayer and praise. In the +evening we attended an appointment for youth and children. It was +large and solemn, and I reverently trust Christ was preached. + +"_14th._ The interest of the people in our meetings still increases, +and many inquirers come to see us, thanking us for the privilege and +asking if there will be more meetings. Jane Bingham and sister, with +Maria Ferris, arrived to-day from Montreux, not having heard of our +meetings until we had left. They are Friends from England; it was +pleasant to meet them. A female superintendent and teacher of young +ladies called and took tea, and seemed very devoted to the cause of +her Redeemer. She follows this business not for gain to herself, but +for gain to others. Her pupils are occupying prominent places, adorned +with wisdom and virtue. + +"_15th._ Robert Fox, son, and daughter arrived to-day and took +lodgings with us. Our party numbers twelve. It is pleasant to meet +these dear friends while on a tour for their health. We took a short +ride this morning in a carriage provided by dear M. J. L. to the +country-seat of the Count de Selon, who was an ardent advocate of +peace. In the grounds is an obelisk raised over his remains, with +interesting inscriptions on the subject of peace. We hope his faithful +labors may not be lost. From this beautiful place we had a fine view +of Mont Blanc at sunset; which was magnificent. The snows of ages +changed to crimson; the beautiful azure lake and the fine city of +Geneva lay in loveliness before us. + +"_16th._ To-day held two precious meetings at our hotel, to which a +number of serious people came, and expressed themselves especially +pleased with the _silence_, saying that it was needed in these times +of commotion. + +"_17th._ Returned by steamer to Lausanne. Took lodgings at a hotel +which is on the spot where Gibbon wrote his celebrated _History of the +Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire_. Had meeting of much interest; +many _pasteurs_ present. A _pasteur_ full of the spirit of peace +informed us that many who had preached against war in Lausanne had +suffered imprisonment. The _pasteur_ wished us to go to Lyons and +preach two such sermons there, saying that they were needed. He did +not understand that we could not preach except we were sent, nor give +forth anything but what we receive at the time. + +"Took steamer for Vevay; dined at the hotel, and in the evening held a +meeting in the Casino, after which we rode to Montreux and took +lodgings at a _pension_. Next day held a large meeting at the national +place of worship called the 'Temple.' It was a solemn and instructive +convocation. The forenoon was occupied in a pleasant walk by the lake +at the foot of a mountain, on the side of which stands the village +and old chapel of Montreux; on the left and before us the ancient +castle of Chillon, and the Dent du Midi Mountain covered with snow. On +the right lay the lovely lake, on the other side of which rises a +majestic range of mountains. I became weary of walking, and we called +at a mansion just on the border of the lake. The master is a young +Jew, and of a very tender Christian spirit. We had delightful +conversation with him on heavenly things. He had attended one of our +meetings, and was much struck with our manner of worship. He said that +when we began to speak (Christine and myself) he imagined we had +composed the discourse and committed it to memory, but soon he +perceived the interpreter made a mistake, which rather puzzled him, +and another mistake convinced him that she could not have known what I +was to say previously. Indeed, he thought it was spoken so rapidly it +must come from the heart as it was uttered. He was much edified, and +spoke of those solemn truths with great diffidence and tenderness. His +name is Samuel Samelson. May Israel's gentle Shepherd lead him to the +blessed knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus and enable him to +confess Him before men! Our young friend provided me with a donkey, +which conveyed me to the residence of the Hustlers, who have resided +here some time. They were formerly English Friends, and received us +with joy. The wife is in very delicate health. We sat together in +sweet heavenly silence, and the language of the Spirit through the +poor instrument was encouraging and humbling. Returned on the donkey +by a shorter route on the side of the mountain. My heart responded to +the music of birds and the smile of Nature. After dining we took a +drive to Chillon, the ancient château where Bonnivard was imprisoned +on account of his political views for several years. The château +stands in the lake. Within it is a range of dungeons below the surface +of the water where prisoners of state and the condemned are confined. +Across one of the vaults is a beam black with age where the executions +took place. It is said two thousand Jews perished here by the hands of +enemies. As we viewed these walls and sombre apartments we were struck +by a sense of man's inhumanity to man and the rapid flight of events +so momentous. How long, O Lord, ere thou takest unto thyself the great +power and reignest? + +"_22d._ Called on a bereaved father and mother who were mourning the +death of an only child. We told them of Him who wounds that He may +heal. We also visited a widow and her daughter who knew dear Stephen +Grelet, and remembered his heart-searching ministry among them. +Pasteur Godet was with us a short time. He is a pious, humble +Christian from Neufchatel, who has left the honors of the world (he +had been tutor of the king of Prussia), a man of learning and talent; +which qualities seem sweetly sanctified. At two o'clock P. M. attended +a youths' meeting. + +"_23d._ A meeting was held at the Hustlers', which our party attended, +but I was quite ill in bed, but reposing in Him who is my only source +of joy. + +"_24th._ Not able to proceed. Dined in the _salle_, and with a +grateful heart was able to return thanks vocally, which seemed to +impress the large company with a serious air. After dining, several +spoke to us kindly, among whom was a baroness from Sweden, who warmly +pressed us to go thither, saying there were many in Sweden who would +receive us warmly, and her own house should be at our disposal for a +home. Invited the family and boarders to our evening reading. Much +tenderness was shown. Many have called on us and expressed their +gratitude for our visit and gospel labors among them. We are sweetly +united to a living seed in this land. + +"_25th._ Took our departure from this highly interesting field of +labor after an affectionate parting. We took the omnibus to Villeneuve +and found the steamer ready. After passing the most magnificent +scenery we were soon again at Lausanne. Made arrangements for a +meeting next day. + +"_26th._ In the morning held a meeting with the prisoners in the +beautiful prison here. I think it the finest and most comfortable I +have ever seen in any land. Our visit was deeply interesting, and the +poor girls were nearly all in tears, and seemed truly grateful for the +message of love to them. In the evening held a large and favored +meeting at the Casino. Our boat was detained by the dense fog, so we +were obliged to remain another day, which seemed providential, as a +_pasteur_ called and told us of two Moravian schools taught by +pasteurs, one of whom had expressed regret at not hearing of our +meeting or not seeing us. He offered to accompany us to one of the +schools. C. Alsop, our interpreter, had gone to visit an acquaintance, +so Mary Millman, a sweet-tempered girl who spoke English well and who +accompanied us, acted as interpreter. The kind pasteur received us +cordially, and offered to assemble the girls; which was agreeable to +us. I think we have seldom known a more heavenly season. The Lord +poured out a rich blessing upon us. We returned with songs of praise +to our hotel. Have had many calls to-day from Christian brothers and +sisters, expressing their interest in our labors among them. A very +zealous person called who spoke with much tenderness of J. and M. +Yardly, who were instrumental in her conversion. Held a meeting in the +evening which was much blest. + +"_28th._ Set off early this morning to visit the Moravian school for +boys, taking the same kind interpreter with us. We received a hearty +welcome, and were informed that the boys had just assembled to +commence Scripture history, and that if we could feel something good +to say to them they would be so glad. Dear E. replied that we came for +that purpose. We were soon seated in a pleasant youthful congregation. +Some countenances testified that they had been with Jesus. The pasteur +read a chapter; solemn silence ensued, then a gentle shower of gospel +love descended and the little plants revived. I cannot doubt but there +are young men in this institution who will fill important places of +usefulness, perhaps ministers of the gospel who will publish the glad +tidings to lands remote. Surely such men, fearing God, are much needed +in this degenerate age. The pasteur offered a sweet-spirited prayer +with tears of gratitude, and we came away. Reached the steamer in good +time. We feel much fellowship with many dear friends in Lausanne. +Arrived at Geneva, and, concluding to go on to Lyons at once, we had +to sacrifice our desires to see the dear friends again." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_WINTER IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE._ + + +Before going on to speak of the work of Eli and Sybil Jones among the +Friends and other Protestants in the south of France, a brief sketch +of the rise and growth of the little branch of our Society there may +be in place. The story is full of interest and could be studied to +greater length with profit, but only the briefest reference to it is +admissible here. + +Louis XIV. of France decided in 1685 to revoke the "Edict of Nantes," +passed in 1598 by Henry of Navarre, granting liberty of worship and +repose to all parties in the Church. The revocation was the most cruel +order ever issued by any king. It commanded the demolition of all the +Protestant chapels that remained standing, and forbade any assembly or +worship; all opposing ministers were ordered to leave the kingdom +within fifteen days; the schools were closed; all newborn babes were +to be baptized by the parish priests; evangelical religionists were +forbidden to leave the kingdom, on pain of the galleys for men and +confiscation of person and property for women. It is calculated that +six hundred thousand Protestants left France during the twenty years +following the revocation, while many suffered cruel deaths and many +others spent their lives in the galley-ships. The great struggle made +against this royal edict was along the Cévenne Mountains in the +departments of Lozère, Drôme, Ardèche, Gard, and Hèrault. The +Protestants were called Camisards, perhaps from the word _camisarde_, +a night-attack, but its origin is unsettled. Many of the ministers in +Cévenne had been executed, and enthusiasm was raised to the highest +pitch. Deprived of their pastors, men, women, boys, and girls became +animated by the spirit of prophecy. "Young girls had celestial +visions; the little peasant-lasses poured out their utterances in +French, sometimes in the language and with the sublime eloquence of +the Bible." They assembled under the name of "Children of God," and +marched commanded by two chiefs, Roland and Cavalier. The insurrection +was widespread, and for a long time they overcame or evaded the royal +troops. "The Lord of hosts is our strength!" said one prophet. "We +will intone the battle-psalms, and from the Lozère to the sea Israel +shall arise." + +They are thus pictured by a contemporary sent to deal with them: "They +are stark mad on the subject of religion, absolutely intractable on +that point; the first little boy or girl that falls a-trembling and +declares that the Holy Spirit is speaking to it, all the people +believe it, and if God and all his angels were to come and speak to +them they would not believe them any more; they walk to execution +singing the praises of God and exhorting those present, insomuch that +it has been necessary to surround the criminals with drums to prevent +the pernicious effect of their speeches." No men and women were ever +more in earnest or filled with more zeal, but it was often a misguided +zeal and the cause was dishonored by fearful bloodshed. Their camp +was named the "Camp of the Eternal," and they marched to battle +singing the grand version of the 68th Psalm, "Que Dieu se monte +seulement." Among them were many who were sincere, many on whom the +Spirit rested, and there was a grand principle animating them. Much +that seems so excessive may be excused on the consideration that they +were driven to fury by persecution and they bore in their veins the +hot blood of a southern race. + +How the little company of peace-loving Friends came from these +_Camisards_, these _Children of God_, has been a question. There is a +manuscript still in existence of a letter supposed to have been +written by some pastors of Geneva which was received and circulated +through the Cévenne. It was an appeal for these struggling brethren to +throw away the sword and cease from bloodshed. "It must be the Lord's +arm," it goes on to say, "and not yours, which shall put an end to +your captivity. Do all you can to obtain the desired object by a holy +life, and not by the works of darkness." + +After receiving this letter there was some abatement from their +accustomed acts of cruelty. Among those who claimed the gift of +prophecy was a young woman named Lucretia. Her influence over the +people excited the jealousy of the leaders. When they attempted to +silence her she called out, "Let those who love me follow me." Many +followed her, and her house became a place for meetings. From this +company, it has been said, the Friends in Congènies are descended. The +author has seen a wine-cellar at Fontanés, in the house of Samuel +Brun, where these Friends met for many years. The walls were lined on +the inside with wine-casks to keep the sound from going out, and +Samuel Brun has in his possession a large Bible which for a generation +was built into the wall of the building. Everything which has been +recorded shows the sincerity and quiet determination of these people +to worship God as the New Testament required. Year after year they +took their flocks out on the hills or tilled the more gentle slopes of +the mountains, and they never forgot to meet in their secluded vault +to praise God together for the blessings which He gave them. There was +a tower of Constance at Aiguesmontes of terrible repute, but they were +undaunted and possessed "the brave old wisdom of sincerity." + +And this is how they became known to their brother Friends, as is told +in a tract compiled by Friends at Manchester, England: "In the +struggle for independence in 1776 the American colonies received +sympathy and aid from France. There was at that time living at +Falmouth a surgeon named Joseph Fox, a member of the Society of +Friends, who both by education and conviction regarded war in every +shape as forbidden by the gospel. He was part owner of the 'Greyhound' +and the 'Brilliant,' two cutters which traded along the Cornish coast. +The other owners of the cutters decided to fit them out with license +to waylay and capture merchant-vessels of the enemy. Joseph Fox of +course protested. Being one alone, his protest was disregarded and the +vessels were armed. The war broke out so unexpectedly that many French +crafts fell an easy prey to the English cruisers, and the 'Greyhound' +and 'Brilliant' succeeded in capturing two valuable merchantmen, +together with some small coasting-vessels. Joseph Fox believed it to +be his Christian duty to claim his share and hold it in trust to be +restored to the rightful owners. In 1783 peace was restored, and the +next year Joseph Fox sent his son, Dr. Edward Fox, to Paris to +advertise for the owners of the plundered property. A proceeding so +unheard of was naturally looked upon with suspicion, and before the +doctor could obtain leave to insert his advertisement in the _Gazette_ +he had to communicate with the Count de Vergennes, one of the French +ministry, who required a formal declaration that his real object was +such as it professed to be. + +Meantime, Joseph Fox died. In consequence of the public notice +application was made by numerous parties; all the claims were proved +to be well founded, and a chief part of the money was proportionally +distributed amongst the owners of the two merchantmen and their +cargoes. Those who had been sufferers by the capture made an +acknowledgment through the _Gazette_ of this rare act of restitution, +stating their desire "to give the publicity which it merits to this +trait of generosity and equity, which does honor to the Society of the +Quakers and proves their attachment to the principles of peace and +unity by which they are distinguished." + +"Besides the applications for the restored property, Dr. Fox received +at the same time a reply of a very different character. It was a +letter with this address: 'The Quakers of Congènies-Calvisson to the +virtuous Fox.' The writers describe themselves as a little flock of +about a hundred persons, and express their joy to hear of the efforts +used by the advertiser to fulfil the commands of Christ. They +represent themselves as opposed to war on Christian principle, and as +being in consequence an object of hatred and contempt to their +fellow-citizens, both Catholics and Protestants. Especially do they +condemn the wars engaged in by the latter to keep possession of their +religious liberties. This letter led to further correspondence and to +a journey to London by De Marsillac, one of their community. From his +accounts English Friends discovered, to their surprise, that there had +existed in the south of France for sixty or seventy years a Christian +Church which, besides its testimony against war, held spiritual views +regarding worship and the ministry identical with their own." + +The origin and discovery of these Friends can hardly fail to interest +those who are not already familiar with them. They were often visited +by Stephen Grelet, who greatly strengthened them and increased their +influence. One who has not been among them can hardly realize how this +little flock, surrounded on all sides with perils and enemies, rejoice +to welcome those who come to bring them strength and cheer. Many leave +the country to escape the army, some marry with other Protestants, and +the outlook is not encouraging for their continuance as a distinct +body; but they have a good history behind them, and should receive +every possible support to hold firm for the help of coming +generations. + +When Eli and Sybil Jones went among them it was a time of +discouragement, and they both felt that there was a great service for +them to do. It is not easy to find just what they did, but we know +that for three months they carried on almost ceaseless labor to help +and instruct not only the Friends, but all the Protestants and +Catholics where it was possible. The pastors with one accord opened +their places of worship and approved and welcomed them. + +There are many now in Nismes and vicinity who speak with great feeling +of them, and it is evident that all were deeply impressed by their +consecration and earnestness. We need not seek too eagerly for the +results of such work, for it is impossible to measure the good done, +either in counting those converted or those renewed. Two earnest +Christian ministers exert an influence and power in a community which +can be no more easily weighed than the ripples on the sea can be +counted. + + + SOUTH OF FRANCE. + +"Set off in the diligence for Lyons, ninety miles distant; fine roads, +good accommodation. The grand scenery delighted us, though tinged with +autumnal frosts. We did not make ourselves known in Lyons. It was +First day, and it was odd and deeply affecting to an American guest to +rise on this morning and behold it a market-day, all bustle and +tumult. The state of morals is very low on the Continent. + +"_31st._ Took steamer on the Rhone for Avignon. Met a very interesting +missionary from New York going to Rome. We had an interesting +conversation on the qualifications of missionaries, their trials, +painful separations, etc. Having both known them, we could the more +readily enter into sympathy and fellowship. Lodged in a hotel in the +dull popish town of Avignon. + +"_1st of 11th mo._ Set off by rail for Nismes, where we were greeted +by our friends. + +"_2d._ Attended Friends' meeting, and received visits from several +members. We were comfortably settled at a hotel near the Friends' +school, which we wish to visit when we have leisure from other +service. + +"_3d._ Dear Eli went to Congènies to-day to attend meeting. We have +seen dear John Yardly on his return from his Russian mission. He gave +us pleasant accounts of the work of the Lord in that land and in +Turkey--said he found much openness and many Christian brethren. Some +have suffered loss of nearly all things for the excellence of the +knowledge of Christ. + +"_5th._ The two-months' meeting commenced. Great discouragement seems +to prevail, and little contending for the faith once delivered to the +saints. It is indeed to be lamented that the light burns so dimly that +was no doubt kindled by divine love, but for want of watchfulness it +gleams but faintly amid surrounding darkness. If those who profess the +blessed Name in this land were real converted characters! But, as in +ancient time, 'All are not Israel that are of Israel.' Oh may it +please the Lord to revive His work in this day! Toward the close life +seemed to spring up, and much solemnity prevailed. Meeting for +business assembled in the afternoon, and was a refreshing season. We +trust some were made to see where they had been straying. The meeting +concluded with more religious weight and signs of life, and from the +hearts of some arose the song of thanksgiving. Dear John Yardly's +company was indeed precious. I like his evangelical spirit and +devotion to the gospel of Christ. + +"_7th._ Attended a meeting at the Methodist house, which was much +favored. Spoke from the first of John. My dear husband and our kind +helpers, R. and C. Alsop, went to St. Giles for a meeting. + +"_9th._ We took a walk to an old ruin said to be the temple of Diana. +We also went to La Fontaine, where a large volume of water springs +from the earth. We also saw a beautiful Corinthian temple--'la Maison +Carrée'--said to be eighteen hundred years old. + +"_11th._ Held a meeting for some serious soldiers who have lately left +the Roman Catholic worship. We had a good meeting with them; one of +their number spoke very well, at the close of our meeting, on the +immediate teaching of the Holy Spirit. This evening went to Congènies +by diligence, accompanied by R. and C. Alsop, leaving dear Eli to +attend meeting at Nismes." + + * * * * * + +After this Eli and Sybil Jones and their kind friends and helpers +attended many meetings at Nismes and at neighboring towns, going often +to Congènies and Fontanés. Meetings at the latter place seemed +especially opened and favored. Also held meetings, much assisted and +encouraged by the _pasteurs_, at Calvisson, Cordonion, Aujargues, +Aubais, and Vistric, many of which, they had evidence, were singularly +blessed by the Master of assemblies. They had many pleasant meetings +with the young people, and were helped to utter words of cheer and +encouragement to those whose life-work was just beginning. Very frail +in body, and at times almost sinking under the felt duty, yet they +sought to improve every moment of time, not wishing to make any plans +without a direct showing from their heavenly Leader. All places of +Protestant worship were open to them, and they often used the large +national places of worship called "temples." In Fontanés they held a +greatly blessed meeting in the parlor of their friend Daniel Brun. +They were always saddened, especially after a meeting at Saint Giles, +by the noticeable scarcity of men in meetings. Indeed, they found in +their meetings generally in France mostly women and children. + +One of the morning meetings in the Friends' house at Nismes was a most +remarkable instance of the overshadowing of the divine Spirit. The +solemnity was most impressive, so that many wept before a word was +uttered. Sybil Jones was favored to see the time to rise and testify +to the people that a "pure spiritual worship is what is required, and +is the highest joy of Christians." The visitors attended meeting at +the school supported by Friends in England, and felt it to be a +profitable occasion for all present. + +Sybil Jones's mind was often occupied with deep thoughtfulness of the +infinite importance of their mission to this land, and she besought +the Lord earnestly that their dependence might be on no other, and +that all their labors might be Heaven-directed. It was very cheering +to these tired laborers to have persons come to them after meetings to +acknowledge that they had been strengthened and to converse on those +things which pertain to godliness. + +They attended a meeting sustained by young men in Nismes for general +improvement, reading useful books, etc. They were invited most +cordially to come by the young men, who told them that if they wished +to speak to them on religious subjects, they would be pleased to hear +them. E. and S. Jones felt it a providential opening, and S. Jones was +led to speak from the text, "The Lord loveth an early sacrifice." + +They felt especially moved to thank the Lord for the "way" so +wonderfully made for them. They had not had to ask for a place to hold +a meeting, but when they felt the impression a place was always +offered. This seemed most wonderful to them, as the laws of France +forbid an assembly exceeding twenty persons at any place except in a +"temple" or consecrated place. Sometimes they had but "crumbs" to hand +out to the spiritually hungry, but at other times they had abundant +refreshing from the Master's table. They prayed ever that the +"creature might be abased" and that whether in "heights or depths" +they might wear the entire "armor of faith." + +On the last day of the year 1853 they were at the home of Lydia +Majolier at Congènies. Sybil Jones writes: "This is the close of the +second year since I left the land I so dearly love. The retrospect of +the whole affords consolatory reflection. With the remembrance of +innumerable mercies my poor little sacrifices sink into +insignificance. May they be accepted by Him who looks at the heart! If +any good has been done, it is the Lord's doings.--Grant, most merciful +God, that the year 1854 may all be devoted to Thy service, with more +faith and love!" + +The next two-months' meeting was a season of great encouragement. The +meeting for worship was large, and the Master honored it with His +life-giving presence. The meeting for business was a blessed season, +and all felt that the power of the Lord had been abroad in the land; +two members were received and two young men requested to be admitted. +At meeting of the school committee it was concluded "to solicit +subscriptions from Friends here, and see what amount could be raised, +and propose to Friends in England that the school be continued under +the care of Justine Paradon as superintendent and Clarence Benoit as +teacher, and that a school for boys be opened under the instruction of +Jules Paradon, with an assistant. The committee were encouraged to +persevere in the work, as the school had already proved a blessing to +the youth, and by some changes for the better might be more so." + +A long rainy period hindered these dear Friends from holding many +meetings. They occupied the time when they were confined to the house +in writing to America, studying French, etc. + +At a meeting held in an outlying village at the house of a woman named +Ann Mapit all seemed tendered before the Lord. Near the close a woman +left and went to her aged father, who had not attended a religious +meeting for fifty years, and begged him to go and hear these people, +"for they preached as though they would take them all to heaven." The +old man came and was quite moved, and spoke highly of the meeting, +although he had said on a former occasion, when a meeting was proposed +for a Friend, that they "would beat the drums." They saw plainly the +wonder-working power of God. On every side they saw evidences of the +"shaking" power. + +In Calvisson the pasteur himself, a kind Christian man, chose to +interpret for them, which they thought a great condescension, as it +would doubtless expose him to ridicule from some who did not approve +of a woman's gift in the ministry. They held a powerful meeting at +Congènies, and found that many were there who had not attended a +religious meeting before for twenty years. They thought it prudent for +a time, being much worn by long service, to rest and try and gain some +strength to go on. Eli Jones's health was especially poor. After this +short respite they were much refreshed for the work, and attended a +meeting at Auvergne numbering fully eight hundred or a thousand +people. They appreciated fully the support of the pasteurs, which was +so lovingly tendered them. + +They felt everywhere the disastrous effects of the degraded position +of women. Having so much manual labor to perform, they are unfitted +for the proper care of their children; consequently, both their minds +and bodies are frequently uncared for, and the home, that great +training-school, is not rendered as bright and attractive as it should +be. This, S. Jones thought, is what makes the French people so +volatile and often skeptical. The places of public amusement are often +sought in preference to the home. + +Their work among the soldiers was a wonderful thing. Many came to +their meetings, and, laying aside their swords and taking off their +caps, sat meekly down to hear the glad tidings of "peace on earth and +good-will toward men." A remarkable movement sprang up among them. +One of their number said that at one time but three of them met for +worship, but lately nine had joined their number, and they felt much +encouraged. Many meetings were attended by these soldiers, who seemed +to appeal directly to Eli and Sybil Jones's sympathies. + +They held a meeting at St. Hippolyte with the few Friends there, at +the Moravian meeting-house, and were very urgently pressed to hold +more meetings in that place. Fears were often felt by their friends +that order could not be maintained in their meetings, owing to the +novelty of the thing; but they always, even in very large audiences, +met with the utmost respect and attention. They went on one occasion +to Marseilles, and took a short trip on the Mediterranean, and felt +that they gained some strength by the change. Sybil Jones, accompanied +by some of her friends and the good pasteur Abausit, who had been such +a kind friend and interpreter, went to Montpellier to visit the +prison. They were much pleased with the neatness and order of the +entire establishment, and met the most courteous treatment from the +chaplain and director. There was much tenderness shown by the +prisoners. There were in the prison eight hundred Catholic and +fourteen Protestant prisoners. They were not allowed to speak to the +former, but were enabled to pray earnestly for the other poor souls. +They held a very large meeting in the afternoon, and it was to them a +precious season. Sybil Jones visited two prisoners in their cells, and +pleaded tenderly with them. + +They then returned to Nismes and held a large meeting. One of the +pasteurs told them, in explanation of their kind reception on every +hand, that the Society of Friends moved along so prudently, peaceably, +and happily that they were received by all as Christian brethren. At a +meeting in St. Hippolyte great contrition was felt by a man who had +not attended meeting for many years, and would not permit his wife to +go, and forbade his sister to enter his house because she was +religious. He received his sister after the meeting, and seemed +greatly humbled. They felt that the Lord was speaking through his +instruments, and were encouraged to go forward. They held many large +and much-blessed meetings at Gallargues and Congènies, and visited +many to whom they were attracted, as they showed a concern for their +souls' welfare. Many came to inquire of them the "way," and they +formed many acquaintances and felt a binding interest in the people, +whose souls were so precious. + +When the two-months' meeting again assembled they had renewed cause +for encouragement. It was a meeting graciously ordered by the Lord. +The meeting for worship on First-day morning was remarkably covered +with divine power and goodness, and Eli Jones seemed unusually +"clothed upon with gospel unction." The meeting for business admitted +into membership a man who had been a Methodist minister, and received +requests from twelve others. They were once invited to the home of a +good pasteur named Mensard, where they met five other pasteurs, and +their conversation was most pleasant concerning the ministry and +"things of the kingdom." + +And now they felt that the burden of souls in the south of France was +rolled off, and they were sweetly released for service in other +fields. They held a large parting meeting, and many came to take +leave, among them a poor soldier in whom they were greatly interested. +He had been ordered to Constantinople without the companionship of any +of his religious friends. Of this they were not aware, and it was +remarkable that they felt impressed to read the ninety-first Psalm, +which seemed so suited to his case, and Sybil Jones was wonderfully +helped to pray for the poor soldier. The parting with the +school-children was an affecting season, and they at last set off, +leaving a large group of friends at the hotel-door for whom their +hearts reached out in tenderness and love. + +They went to Avignon, and from there by boat on the Rhone to Lyons. On +First day they attended three meetings in that city; where they found +an earnest, seeking people. They lodged with a dear friend who was +received into membership at the last meeting. He seemed to be exerting +a religious influence about him. They enjoyed their intercourse with +his interesting family, and M. J. Lecky offered to take their youngest +son, Benjamin, to England to obtain a knowledge of the English +language; which pleased his parents and he was committed to her care. +They spent one day in the great capital, and admired the magnificent +and stupendous works of art with which Paris is adorned. Sailed from +Havre for Southampton. There they attended one meeting, and thence +proceeded to London. They attended Suffolk quarterly meeting. The +power of the Lord was felt, especially by the young. Lodged at +Richard Dikes Alexander's. + +In London they lodged at Thomas Norton's, and attended London +quarterly meeting. Attended Brighton select meeting, and stayed at +Daniel Prior Hack's. They also attended meetings at Croydon and Lewes, +and Gloucester quarterly meeting; all of which were honored by the +Master's presence. On the 11th of 4th mo. they set off for Plymouth, +and soon after sailed for the dear home in America, leaving all their +work with the Master, for it was all done in His name. They carried +with them sweet memories of the aid and fellowship extended to them by +the French pasteurs. They also carried with them numerous written +testimonials of the pasteurs' appreciation of their labor of love +among them. The following is a letter from the pasteurs and elders of +Calvisson expressive of their feeling toward these laborers in the +Master's vineyard who had come from a distant land: + + * * * * * + +"We, the pasteurs and elders of the church of Calvisson (Gard), +declare that we have received the visit of Eli and Sybil Jones, +ministers of the Society of Friends. They have held two edifying +public meetings in our temple, before a numerous and attentive +audience, as well as a special meeting for the children of our +schools. Moreover, they have held a pastoral conference at Calvisson +(Gard), at which eleven pasteurs of our consistory and the neighboring +churches were present. We are happy to thank these dear friends for +the evangelical words they have brought to us. Their presence has been +for us a means of edification and of encouragement. Their prayers and +their exhortations, impressed with great spirituality, have produced +deep convictions and been visibly blessed, and have penetrated into +the hearts of all those who have had the privilege of hearing them. +The interest they have manifested for the salvation of souls and the +advancement of the kingdom of God has touched us in a lively manner, +and has given us the impression that they do not propose any other end +nor any other recompense for their sacrifices and their labors. They +have spoken amongst us the words of peace and charity, nor has +anything in their discourses wounded any faithful soul, either as +regards his faith or his individual opinions. We ask that in an +especial manner the divine blessing may attend the spiritual ministry +of Mr. and Mrs. Jones. We desire that the dear brother and sister may +be instrumental in shedding around them, wherever the Lord may call +them, that humble confidence in the wisdom from above that +characterizes all their discourses and their lives. May the Father of +spirits, who holds our hearts in His hand, grant to their prayers and +their efforts the awakening of souls and of consciences! Our Church +will always preserve a precious remembrance of these dear friends, and +sends them, through us, the expression of its prayers and its +gratitude. We declare that we know individually that Eli and Sybil +Jones have also visited the greater part of the numerous churches +which surround us, and that everywhere their preaching has been heard +with the same interest and the same edification. All our brethren have +been, like ourselves, moved and charmed by the unction and the grace +of their Christian exhortations. In the belief thereof we have given +to them the present certificate. + +"TEMPIE, Pastor-President of the Consistory of Calvisson. + +"THEODORE ABAUSIT, Pastor. + +"REANT, Moderator of the Consistory. + +"C. BERNARY, Treasurer. + + "CALVISSON (Gard), _March 10, 1854_." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +_IN THE MAINE LEGISLATURE._ + + "When Christ came into the World peace was sung; and when He went + out of the world peace was bequeathed." + + +The first decided action of the Maine Legislature in regard to the +sale of intoxicating liquors was taken in the autumn of 1846. Much +work had been done during the two preceding years in the towns to +arouse the people to the necessity of bringing about an entire +revolution, and the temperance organizations worked zealously to base +all the structure they built on total abstinence. The foundation truth +was laid by Jesus Christ in Judea in words that meant, "If any one of +thy passions or appetites causes thee to do wrong, cut it off and cast +it from thee." The _necessity_ for total abstinence was vigorously +enforced by Eli Jones whenever he spoke. Enough believers in +temperance were sent to the Legislature in 1846 to pass a law "to +restrict the sale of intoxicating drinks." This was followed in 1851 +by an "Act for the suppression of drinking-houses and tippling-shops." +This was the well-known "Maine Law," and forbade the manufacture for +sale of intoxicating liquors, except cider. Unadulterated cider in +quantities of five gallons and upward might be sold. There were +thirty-nine other sections directed against liquor-selling, +drunkenness, and the habit of drinking in the community. This law +accomplished a very beneficial work. One of its great results was to +bring the temperance question more emphatically before the other +States and nations. At home it made drinking disgraceful and took away +to a great extent the temptation from the young men. While in small +towns it was nearly a perfect success in closing all shops, in the +cities there was not vigilance enough to carry out its purpose, and +many felt that more vigor must be used. + +Three years later, in 1854, the town of China elected Eli Jones by a +large majority over two other candidates to represent it in the +"House" of the Legislature. It was expected that he would carry to the +State capital the views which he unceasingly expressed at home, and +that he would agitate a still further reform, or, as he expressed it, +"put new teeth into the old law." The choice was wholly unexpected to +him, and he was working for the election of his lifelong friend, +Ambrose Abbot. He was given a prominent place on the committees, and +especially the Committee on Temperance. He worked almost continuously +to bring about the desired legislation, but seldom spoke, most of his +work being in the committee. + +This was a memorable winter at Augusta, and many excellent men were +there in the different branches of the State government. It was a +great opportunity for a true Friend to show to legislators the worth +of his principles. Eli Jones was the only man who refused to rise when +the governor called upon the united House and Senate to take the oath +of office, and he stood alone to give _affirmation_ that he would +faithfully perform his work. As was said before, Eli Jones, though +earnestly at work for the good of the people of the State, did not +address the House. Some members, who knew him intimately and wished to +call him to his feet, arranged a plan, not as a personal jest, but as +a scheme to gain a speech. In the course of the session the +appointment of a major-general to the second division of the Maine +militia came in order. + +In 1838, Maine had undertaken to assert by force of arms her title to +a region near the northern boundary claimed both by her and by Canada. +There was much mustering of troops at the capital, and fully ten +thousand soldiers marched through the deep snow and fierce cold to +drive the enemy from Aroostook county. Though they were brave and +ready for battle, happily no blood was shed and peace was wisely made; +but the "Aroostook War" became famous as a subject of banter and many +jokes were made at the expense of its officers. The old nursery rhyme +was quoted: + + "The king of France, with forty thousand men, + Marched up the hill and then--marched down again." + +Primarily for these two reasons, to urge Eli Jones to his feet and to +joke the former officers by appointing a Quaker, an avowed +peace-advocate, he was chosen unanimously to fill the vacancy in the +office of major-general. + +The nomination was so wholly unexpected that he was at first perplexed +at his situation. Much was at stake and wisdom and caution were +needed. Having his horse at Augusta, he drove that night to his home +at Dirigo, fifteen miles away, chiefly perhaps to discuss his course +with his family and the Friends most suitable for counsel. After +talking into the night with his brother-in-law, James van Blarcom, he +walked the floor alone until the new day was dawning. On arriving +again at Augusta he found the occasion far more important than he had +anticipated. The news had spread that the Quaker was to speak in +regard to his appointment; and the Representatives' Hall was crowded, +not only most of the Senate being present, but numbers from the city. +The subject of the business was introduced, and Eli Jones, rising, +spoke in substance as follows: + +"Whatever my ambition may have been in times past, my aspirations have +never embraced such an office as this as an object of desire. I can +assure the House that my election as major-general was an honor wholly +unexpected. It is true that when the governor announced to this House +the existence of the vacancy, a member privately remarked to me, 'I +shall vote for you,' but I replied to him, declining the honor and +proposed to return the compliment. + +"To my mind there is something ominous in this occurrence. I regard it +as one of the wonderful developments of the times. Who of us that +assembled ten years ago in quiet and retired places to affix our +signatures to pledges of abstinence from intoxicating drinks would +have believed that in 1855 we should be elected to the seats we now +occupy amidst the overwhelming rejoicing of the people, pledged to the +support of the Maine Law? Who that at that time had visited the +plantations of the South, and seen the slave toiling under the lash of +the taskmaster, would have believed that in 1855 the people of the +larger portion of this great land would have roused up with a stern +determination to subdue the encroachments of the slave-power, and +pledge themselves never to cease their labors until the wrongs of +slavery should be ameliorated--nay more, till slavery itself should be +abolished? Still more wonderful, who would have believed that the +State of Maine, that a few years since gloried in an Aroostook +expedition, and was noisy with military training and the din of arms, +would in 1855 exhibit the spectacle of a peaceable member of the +Society of Friends being elected to the post of major-general of a +division of the militia, and that too by the Representatives of the +people in their legislative capacity? + +"But I have endeavored to regulate my own conduct by the principle +that legislation should not go very far in advance of public +sentiment, and it seems to me that this election may possibly be ahead +of that sentiment. I submit this suggestion in all candor. It is +generally understood that I entertain peculiar views in respect to the +policy of war. If, however, I am an exponent of the views of the +Legislature on this subject, I will cheerfully undertake to serve the +State in the capacity indicated. With much pleasure I should stand +before the militia of the second division and give such orders as I +think best. The first would be, 'Ground Arms!' The second would be, +'Right about face! beat your swords into ploughshares and your spears +into pruning-hooks, and learn war no more!' And I should then dismiss +every man to his farm and his merchandise, with an admonition to read +daily at his fireside the New Testament and ponder upon its tidings +of 'Peace on earth and good-will to men.' + +"If, on the other hand, it should be determined that my election is a +little in advance of the times, I am willing, as a good citizen, to +bow to the majesty of law, and, as a member of the Legislature, to +consult its dignity and decline the exalted position tendered me by +the House; and I will now decline it. With pleasure I will surrender +to the House this trust and the honor and retire to private life." + +This speech was delivered amid interruptions of loud applause, and +made a great sensation throughout the State. And not in Maine only; it +was commented on in many of the newspapers and appeared in the columns +of English journals. Pictures of the fighting Quaker were made, with +the order to his troops printed below. It even came out in an African +journal; so that what seemed like an unimportant pleasantry on the +part of the members of the Legislature gave Eli Jones an opportunity +to preach peace to a very extended audience, and his voice was heard +far beyond the little State capital. From this time he was regarded +with much respect by all the members, and he received encouragement +and support in whatever he desired to accomplish. + +At the close of the session he called to thank the governor for his +kindness to him and his help in different ways, and he remarked to the +latter that he had been in rather a peculiar place during the winter +and had felt somewhat like a "speckled bird." The governor said, "Mr. +Jones, what you call being a 'speckled bird' has given you more +influence than anything else could possibly have done." Whatever he +may have accomplished in other lines during his term of office, he +gave powerful testimony in favor of peace and temperance and against +the use of oaths, and he went back to his quiet farm in China +thoroughly respected by all with whom he had been associated. + + + OAK GROVE SEMINARY. + +It may be a fitting place to speak of his connection with Oak Grove +Seminary, as he was at work for its interests not long after this +time. As I have in my possession a letter written by him in regard to +the beginning and early days of the school, I will insert it here: + +"Oak Grove Seminary was started about the year 1850 by John D. Lang, +Samuel Taylor, Ebenezer Frye, Alden Sampson, and Alton Pope. They had +in view the guarded and religious education of the children of +Friends. It was to be a '_select_' school. William H. Hobbie was the +first principal. I visited his school and thought him a wonderful +teacher. He stood before his class without a book, and seemed to be +himself the book. Up to that time I had never seen the like. Franklin +Paige, the present publisher of the _Friends' Review_, followed +William Hobbie in the principalship. Financially, the undertaking +after a while proved a failure, and the school was closed. + +"At a meeting of the yearly meeting's committee on education, held in +China in the autumn of 1856, I advocated an effort being made to open +Oak Grove Seminary again. It was opposed by some on the ground that we +needed primary schools more than high schools: to that idea my answer +was, We must first have high schools to prepare teachers for the +primary schools. A meeting of the original proprietors of the seminary +was called, and the question put to them, 'Are you willing to have +other Friends join you in opening the seminary?' Samuel Taylor +replied, 'We want to know first what you will do; we do not want to +depend upon a rope of sand.'--'What are the conditions on which we can +join you?'--'Do as much as we have; give $2500.' To this Alden Sampson +replied, 'It is useless to think of opening the school with $2500; we +must have $15,000. If you will raise that amount I will give $1000.' +Ebenezer Frye responded as liberally. A committee was appointed to +raise the fifteen thousand dollars. Eli Jones, William A. Sampson, +Joseph Estes, and Thomas B. Nichols were the chief workers in raising +the proposed sum. They were successful. It was nearly all subscribed +by six hundred Maine Friends. They constituted an association for the +opening and management of Oak Grove Seminary. + +"In the summer and autumn of 1857 the boarding-house was built. James +van Blarcom was chosen principal, and Sarah B. Taber of Albion +teacher. It was found that James van Blarcom's engagements would not +allow of his occupying the place for one year, consequently Eli Jones +took this position for the first year. The school opened in the 12th +month, 1857. The season had been wet, and the building and preparation +for the school proceeded slowly. Much hard work devolved upon the +principal and teachers. The pupils were numerous, and the spring term +brought 140. A case of scarlet fever, resulting in the death of a +lovely girl, rapidly reduced the number, which has not been reached +since. + +"At the opening of the second year Albert Smiley became principal and +James van Blarcom governor and boarding-master. + +"Albert Smiley was followed by Augustine Jones, and he by Richard M. +Jones. + +"Oak Grove has furnished principals for Friends' School at Providence +for nearly a quarter of a century, and to the Penn Charter School of +Philadelphia for about thirteen years. Ten or twelve of its pupils +have been or are ministers in the Society of Friends; some are to-day +leading business-men. + +"The writer of this notice has been connected with the management of +the institution for the last thirty years, sometimes influentially, +sometimes wellnigh powerless. As the record has been made, so it will +stand. I have rejoiced in the times of its prosperity; I have wept +over the ashes of its fine buildings, its library, its geological +museum. I now see the second temple rising from the ashes of the first +with an unlooked-for splendor. May it long stand for the benefit of +our race and the glory of God!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_IN WASHINGTON._ + + "Follow with reverent steps the great example + Of Him whose holy work was 'doing good;' + So shall the wide earth seem our Father's temple, + Each loving life a psalm of gratitude. + Then shall all shackles fall; the stormy clangor + Of wild war-music o'er the earth shall cease; + Love shall tread out the baleful fire of anger, + And in its ashes plant the tree of peace." + + WHITTIER. + + +Sybil Jones was at work in the Southern States during a part of the +year 1860, and returned to her Northern home only a few weeks before +the attack on Fort Sumter. The sound of war carried sorrow to the +hearts of herself and her husband. They were loyal to their country +and the great cause of human freedom, but they were loyal also to the +Prince of peace. + +"They prayed for love to lose the chain; 'Twas shorn by battle's axe +in twain!" + +For years they had longed to see the light of freedom break in on the +South, but they had hoped no less for the day "when the war-drum +should throb no longer" and universal peace should gladden the long +watchers for its dawn. Now they saw the oncoming of a most terrible +civil war, threatening the life of the nation. They mourned for +mothers and fathers who must see their boys go to the field; they +thought of the homes shattered for ever; but they did not yet realize +that their eldest son was to go forth to return only on his +shield--that the son who had urged them to go forward in the work of +love in Liberia, their noble son, was to be demanded as a sacrifice. + +The war was hardly begun when James Parnel Jones resolved to +volunteer. President Lincoln's call seemed a call to him. He had been +a logical reader of Sumner, and had closely watched the development of +slavery, and to his mind the war to save our nationality would +necessarily free the slaves. He wrote from the South: "Did I not think +this war would loose the slave's chains I would break my sword and go +home." + +That it was hard for him to go when his parents were praying for peace +there can be no doubt, but his mind was filled with the thought of +saving the life of a nation, and he certainly felt that the path of +duty was in that direction. + +The members of the Society of Friends felt almost universally that +they owed allegiance to two fatherlands. "There was a patriotism of +the soul whose claim absolved them from the other and terrene fealty," +and there was a manifest inconsistency between being members of +"Christ's invisible kingdom" and taking arms in support of a dominion +measured by acres.[7] Some felt otherwise, and they took upon +themselves the hard duty of turning from society and friends to do +battle. + + [7] Whittier thus gives the position which the Society of Friends + held: + + "Nursed in the faith that Truth alone is strong + In the endurance which outwearies wrong, + With meek persistence baffling brutal force, + And trusting God against the universe; + Are doomed to watch a strife we may not share + With other weapons than a patriot's prayer; + + "Yet owning with full hearts and moistened eyes, + The awful beauty of self-sacrifice, + And wrung by keenest sympathy for all + Who give their loved ones for the living wall + 'Twixt law and treason." + +James Parnel came home wounded, but returned to his command before his +furlough had expired. He went back with the feeling that the days left +him were few: he indistinctly saw what awaited him. In an engagement +to carry a strong point held by the enemy at Crystal Springs, near +Washington, he was struck by a ball from a sharpshooter. The ball had +glanced from a tree and brought him a mortal wound. The two hearts +deeply wrung to have their son go into the war at all were pierced at +the news of his death. We can hardly conceive their grief for him for +whom they had so earnestly prayed and agonized in his absence. +Henceforth whoever wore a soldier's uniform had a place in Sybil +Jones's heart. Her unspent love went out to all who were suffering on +the field and in the hospitals, and she could not rest at home. +Obtaining the needful credentials, she took up in a new form the +arduous service of her active and consecrated life, bearing the gospel +cheer to the wounded and dying in Philadelphia and Washington. She +could tell the soldiers of her own son, and so touch their hearts, and +her sympathy and love brought joy to many a poor sufferer. The +aggregate of her visits shows that she preached and talked to thirty +thousand soldiers. To and from the field of her labor, at the dépôts, +wherever she saw a uniform, she went to speak gentle words and to bear +good news; and only those to whom the balm came can tell the good +accomplished. Once more she met a kind reception from all. Soldiers +and prisoners welcomed her, and those high in power listened with +respect to her messages. She comforted the widow of President Lincoln, +and twice stood before his successor, President Johnson, and +faithfully warned him to rely on the Ruler of the universe for counsel +in guiding the helm of state. + +She left home in 1st mo., 1865, with a certificate for service. On her +way to the field in which she felt called to labor she visited her +children in Philadelphia, and attended meeting at Germantown, where +she was favored with a gospel message. She also attended Twelfth +street meeting and the large quarterly meeting in Arch street, where +she was constrained to speak for her Master. She then proceeded to +Baltimore, accompanied by Lydia Hawkes of Manchester, Maine. In this +city she met her dear husband, who had been separated from her for +three months. He was much worn by his labors as distributing agent of +the New England Friends. He had distributed to the necessities of the +freedmen food, clothing, beds, etc., according to the quantity sent to +the mission. He had visited them from hut to hut, administering as +well to their spiritual as to their temporal needs. They together +attended Baltimore quarterly meeting, and on the 9th of 2d mo. arrived +in Washington. + +Sybil Jones rested a few days, and then commenced the labors for which +she was liberated. Her first service was in Judiciary Square. She, +with her companion, was taken there in an ambulance, and they were +preceded and introduced by their dear friend Jane James, who often +gave them like aid. They were pleasantly received, and permission was +granted them to perform any religious service. They visited nine wards +and had service in the chapel, speaking words of comfort to those +confined to their beds. Much seriousness and tenderness was apparent. +They also went to the hospital at Armory Square, visited all the wards +of the sick and wounded, and had chapel service. It seemed that some +were turning to the Lord. + +Eli Jones went for a short time to Philadelphia to try and gain a +little strength, being very weary with his labors among the colored +people. The mud was very deep and the work of distributing very hard. +Their son, Richard Mott, accompanied his father, having spent the +vacation from his studies at Haverford College with his parents at +their post of duty. + +Camp Hospital was also visited. They were taken out in an ambulance by +Dr. Upton, who was courteous in every way. The poor wounded ones +seemed thankful for the interest exhibited for their souls' welfare. +Carm Hospital was visited, and all freedom was given them to point the +sick and suffering to the Lamb of God. Many were in tears at the close +of service in the chapel. Her own torn mother's heart gave Sybil Jones +great earnestness in prayer for the bereaved ones in the far-away +homes as she was called upon to attend the funerals of the soldiers. +Often more than one coffin stood on a form before them, and the +occasion was made a solemn admonition to the survivors to be ready +when the Lord should call. One of the meetings was attended by a +surgeon who had led a profane and dissolute life. He was reached by +the Spirit of God, and in a meeting rose and said, "I have been living +for hell; I looked toward it as my home, and fully expected it; but +God has had mercy on my soul and pardoned my sins, and I mean to serve +Him the rest of my days." Nearly all were in tears. When the service +was over the soldiers rushed to his arms weeping with joy. He said to +them: "I have treated you badly and sworn at you, but by the grace of +God I will never swear again." His conversion had a wonderful effect +and was a powerful testimony for the truth. + +Columbia Hospital was visited. They found a very conscientious, loving +superintendent in one of the wards, a lady named O. L. Pomeroy. In +this ward they held a most blessed meeting and made an appointment for +another. + +They were obliged to move from their lodgings on account of sickness +in the family, and were most kindly received by their good friends +William and Jane James. They found it a great privilege to be so cared +for. + +They went to Lincoln Hospital, where were five thousand men. Their +ministrations were much blessed: at a later visit they found four +hundred more wounded soldiers from City Point. The afflicted men were +all broken down with suffering and were ready for the consolation of +the gospel. The field indeed seemed white unto the harvest. A lad told +them that he had been in the Crimean War, and had served two years in +this. He was an Englishman. He showed them a silver medal gained by +valor in the former war. Sybil Jones said, "I hope thou art seeking a +crown in that higher warfare?" He quickly replied, "I am pressing +after it with all my might; I am looking to Jesus as my Captain." + +She sighed for "universal peace to reign" as she witnessed the untold +miseries of cruel war. It was wonderfully touching to hear the bright +testimonies of those poor feeble ones who had lain for months on their +emaciated backs. Many were passing away. No one could bear to tell one +poor dying youth that he could not live, and in all tenderness Sybil +Jones said to him, "I think thou cannot get well; what is thy hope?" +He replied, "In Jesus I believe; he has forgiven my sins. Tell my +father and mother I have gone to heaven." Some seemed insensible of +their danger, but were faithfully warned to prepare to meet their God. +As these faithful messengers of good tidings saw the terribly mangled +brought in, and beheld their patience and tenderness, they were sick +at heart and prayed for the terrible tide of war to be stopped. They +met with much kindness from Surgeon-general Barnes, who gave Sybil +Jones a pass to all the hospitals in the United States, and a special +one for the department of the South, with half-fare on Government +transports. + +Sybil Jones was presented to General Auger, the military commander of +the District of Columbia. He said that he was much pleased with her +mission. He was spoken to concerning the interests of eternity. She +was presented to Secretary Stanton and Colonel Harder, and was pleased +with their demeanor and readiness to aid her work in every possible +way. The Centre Guardhouse was visited and its four hundred inmates +lovingly warned to be ready. + +On 4th mo. 1st, 1865, great excitement was felt in the capital city, +as the President was personally directing affairs at Richmond, and the +fall of the rebellious city was hourly anticipated. On the morning of +the 3d came the joyful intelligence that the Confederate capital had +been evacuated, and a great tide of rejoicing swept over the loyal +States. Sybil Jones describes the scene in Washington as follows: + +"I was very fearful the inhabitants would be too full of joy to +remember their great Deliverer and give thanks unto His name. We went +to Camp Fry, and had to press our way through the throng, often +pausing to note the variety of emotions exhibited--all joyful, but +neither ridiculous nor profane. A subdued awe seemed to hold in check +the lawless and dissipated, and tears of joy suffused the eyes of +passers-by. The whistles of the engines, the roar of cannon, the music +of the various bands, and the shouts of the multitude, mingled with +the prayers, praises, and hallelujahs of the colored people, some down +on their knees in the dust of the street, others dancing like David +before the ark of the covenant on its return to its place,--all +commingled in one mighty jubilant song which I trust was not devoid of +the grateful tribute of praise to the great God of heaven and earth. +We at length entered the ward of the sick and wounded of two +regiments, about two thousand men. As we passed in I said, 'To-day is +the nation's jubilee, and we have come to present our thank-offering +with you, as you cannot join the street celebration.' A smile and +'Thank you' went round and brightened up the scene. We read a +beautiful psalm and bore a testimony to the power and goodness of God, +not only in hope of the full and entire emancipation of the slaves, +but in disclosing to us to-day, behind the folds of the dark +war-cloud, the silver lining of peace. We besought them to come to the +Lamb of God, seeing his mercy and loving-kindness had been so great to +them as to spare them amid the din of battle when their comrades had +fallen all around them." + +Sybil Jones and her friends visited Seminary Hospital, and found among +the wounded a young Friend from Illinois, who was much comforted by +hearing the gospel tidings from a member of the Society he loved so +well. A sad scene presented itself in Douglas Hospital. There had just +arrived three hundred terribly mangled soldiers, some passing away, +some in agony with lost limbs. It was an indescribably painful scene, +and the one "Physician of value" was recommended to the poor +sufferers. + +They addressed many prisoners of war, deserters from the South, and +refugees. They were listened to with seriousness, and many were in +tears. On a visit to Stanton Hospital, Sybil Jones met a young man +from Maine named Eben Dinsmore. He told her that her son, James Parnel +Jones, had been his captain when he first enlisted, and afterward his +major. He spoke in the highest terms of his kindness to the men and +his unspotted name, and said he heard a soldier of the same regiment +say that he was with him from the time he was wounded until his death, +and never saw a person die so happy, singing as he passed away. + +At this time Sybil Jones and friends moved their lodgings, at the kind +invitation of their friend Isaac Newton, to make their home with him +for a while. + +On the 15th of 4th mo. came the dreadful news that the good man who +had stood so nobly at the head of the nation in this dreadful crisis +had gone from works to reward, slain by the hand of the assassin. The +great joy was turned into deepest mourning that he who was so endeared +to all loyal hearts could not be with them to enjoy the restful time +of peace. They held a meeting in the rooms of the Agricultural +Department, and were comforted in their great grief by the presence of +Him who said to the troubled waves, "Peace, be still." A visit was +made to Stone Hospital, and it was found that the suffering ones there +had had little religious instruction, but seemed grateful for +Christian counsel. One poor fellow, who was dying and felt his lost +condition, was entreated to look to the "Lamb of God." + +A young lady came one day to Isaac Newton's and asked if a Quaker lady +who preached was there. She said that some one had been thinking how +appropriate it would be to have a Friends' meeting, for the awful +stroke inclined them to be silent. Isaac Newton offered his parlors, +and Sybil Jones consented. She says in her diary: "We met at seven +o'clock, and it was one of the most blessed seasons I have enjoyed in +this city. The silence seemed to have healing in its wings and balm +to the stricken spirit." Much service was done in Emory Hospital; the +poor fellows on their beds were visited one by one, and each was +lovingly spoken to. They held meetings at Emory Hospital for the +convalescent soldiers, and by all they were most gladly received. +Harwood and Finley Hospitals were fields of labor, and in each the +gospel message was thankfully received. At first the surgeon in charge +said that he never allowed service in the wards where the men were +badly wounded or passing away. Sybil Jones said to him, "Doctor, +wouldst thou take the responsibility of keeping the gospel from dying +men, the suffering soldiers of our country, far from their homes and +mothers?"--"No," said he, "but I do not want them disturbed."--She +said, "Our services never disturb; we are a quiet people." She then +told him that she had a pass to all hospitals in the United States, +but would not insist upon entering without his full permission. He +then gave it most freely. The service was gladly received, and it +seemed like drops of rain on a dry and thirsty land. + +Sybil Jones felt that she must bear a message of her heavenly Father's +love and sympathy to the widow of the lamented President. She had been +ill, confined to her bed in the White House, since the fatal stroke. +Sybil Jones says of the visit: "All crushed and broken under the heavy +stroke, I spoke to her of the heavenly Chastener's love and care, and +said that He could bind up the broken heart and give peace. She +cordially invited us to come again. Her two sons, one about ten and +the other about twenty, were at home, and very affectionate and +attentive to their suffering mother, though themselves evidently +feeling very deeply the sad event." + +Sybil Jones felt that she was given a message for Secretary Stanton. +She in company with others went to his house in the evening, and, +passing a guard of soldiers, was most kindly received by his +interesting wife, the Secretary being absent. They spent an hour in +pleasant conversation, and then the Secretary came and greeted them +kindly. Very soon silence reigned, and Sybil Jones, after asking +permission, rose and addressed the Secretary, telling him that as he +had been raised up by the Almighty for the important duties of his +office, he must dispense justice and judgment in the fear of God, +plead the cause of the oppressed, and humbly in all things do the will +of the great King, and the eternal God should be his refuge. She told +him that, though his life had been sought, the angel of the Lord had +guarded him, and if his trust was in Him no harm should befall him. +After her remarks the Secretary rose and thanked her most profoundly, +and told her that her gospel message was most grateful, and said that +he needed the prayers of the people and that his trust was in God. + +Sybil Jones went again by invitation to call on the President's widow. +She was still in bed, much prostrated. The rooms were all lighted as +in the days when their master paced through them with the weight of +his mission pressing upon him. One lone sentinel guarded the +mansion--a strange contrast to the past, when a strong guard was +deemed necessary. The desolate lady gave them a sweet welcome, and +told them some cheering incidents of her husband's last days. She +said that several times during the last day he lived he said, "This is +the happiest day of my life." He seemed to feel that the great work +was done, and he rejoiced that the cloud which hung over his beloved +America had lifted. Sybil Jones then spoke to her cheeringly of the +sympathy of Jesus with the sorrowing sisters of Bethany--that in her +boys she had a charge to keep for the King. After a season of feeling +prayer they parted tenderly. + +Stone Hospital, a beautiful home for the weary, suffering soldiers, +was visited, and a wonderfully convicting season it proved. Sybil +Jones was greatly saddened on a visit to the jail by its filthy +appearance. Old and young were crowded in together, and the young in +crime were by association with the vicious and degraded hastened in +their downward course. + +Feeling that she was called to labor in Alexandria, Sybil Jones went +across the river to that place, and found a kind welcome at the +temporary home of James P. Barlow, he, with his family, having fled +from his own home on account of rebel persecution and confiscation. +She had a meeting with the convalescents in the colored hospital, and +had most interesting services in Slough Barracks. She also had a large +meeting at the Soldiers' Rest, where she addressed thousands of +soldiers, all orderly and attentive, while a tear might often be seen +tracing down the bronzed cheeks. Wonderful changes were apparent in +this place since the abolition of slavery. Slave-pens were +appropriated to useful purposes. One was used as a court of justice, +where traitors took the oath of allegiance to their country and to the +government. + +Sybil Jones then returned to Washington, and did what she could in the +hospitals there, and then, feeling again the call to Alexandria, she +returned to that place, and after more service owned and blessed by +the Master she left this great field of labor and went once more to +her children in Philadelphia, and thence to her own home. + +On the 16th of 4th mo., in 1866, she again left her home, accompanied +as far as Providence by her son Grelet, and bearing a certificate from +her friends granting freedom for such service as she was called to +perform. She attended meetings at Salem, Lynn, and Burlington, +visiting prisons, hospitals, and reformatory institutions. She went to +Richmond, Va., and attended the small meeting of Friends there, and +with them praised the Lord for bringing them through the bloody +rebellion and allowing them once more to assemble under the banner of +peace. She attended many meetings here; had a meeting in a +penitentiary, where the poor inmates had not heard the gospel sound +for five years, since before the dreadful struggle. Many Bibles were +distributed and families visited. + +In a town near Richmond it was thought very doubtful if she could +obtain a meeting, as the feeling against the North was so strong. When +the Methodist minister was applied to, a young man present exclaimed, +"That Quaker lady must have a meeting; she is the mother of my college +classmate, Major Jones. She must have a meeting, and we will do our +best to get the people out." The meeting was a large one and blessed, +and the people expressed their thanks at the close. + +After much loving service in the prisons and elsewhere, Sybil Jones +went once more to Washington, holding meetings and doing all she could +to "lift the skirts of darkness." She felt that she had another +message to bear to the White House, where now, at the head of affairs +of state, was the late President's successor, Andrew Johnson. She had +a most touching interview with the President's daughter, the wife of +Senator Patterson. They mingled their prayers and tears, and then +Sybil Jones was presented to the President. He was surrounded by +supplicants, mothers, advocates of right, and artful politicians. +While waiting for audience the President's little granddaughter +offered to her a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and, drawing her close, +Sybil Jones spoke to her of the infinitely more beautiful flowers of +heaven. The President courteously gave her permission to speak. She +told him her message, and told him that it was in the name of the +"King of kings." He thanked her seriously, and many were in tears. It +was a most impressive scene. + +After this, Sybil Jones returned to Maine, but she was not permitted +long to enjoy the sweet associations in the home so dear to her. The +impression seemed to gather force daily that she must once more cross +the ocean. These words came to her often with great emphasis: "Get +thee out of thy own country and from among thy own kindred to a land +which I shall show thee." Once more she cast her burden upon the +meeting, and found, as ever, the sweet sympathy and unity with her +call to go forth that were ever accorded her. She was liberated for +the service that she felt was hers to perform, and her "peace flowed +like a river." + +Before engaging in the work in Europe, Sybil Jones obtained a +certificate from the monthly meeting to visit the prisons and +penitentiaries in some of the Southern States. She visited most +institutions of that character in many of the large Southern cities, +bearing the news of life and salvation to the poor erring ones. Many +tracts and Bibles were distributed and much work was done in the +vineyard of the Lord. Once more she bore a message to President +Johnson. She went to the White House on a reception day for the +President's daughter, and passed in with the throng. On every side +were seen the glory and parade of this world that will pass away, but, +obtaining audience with the President and his daughter, she spoke to +them of the pleasures that are eternal. The Lord helped her to declare +the truth, and she went away trusting that it would not be "in vain in +the Lord." Her whole soul was rejoiced to see the great change that +had swept over the South since the shackles of slavery had been +removed. Those who had been slaves now stood up men. She felt that +there is indeed "a God who judgeth in the earth, and He only worketh +wonders." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_MISSION-WORK._ + + "'Tis time + New hopes should animate the world, new light + Should dawn from new revealings to a race + Weighed down so long." + + BROWNING. + + +There was comparatively little known among Friends about the land of +the Bible from personal observation before 1870, and some of the best +works on the history, the geography, the manners, and customs of +Palestine have been written since that date. The visits of Eli and +Sybil Jones to Syria, and the letters which they and their companions, +Alfred Lloyd Fox and Ellen Clare Peason (born Miller), wrote from +there have done much to bring that country to the careful notice of +Friends; and the interest felt in the missions at Brumanna and +Ramallah has induced many to study their situations and to become +better acquainted with that whole region, incontestably the most +important on the globe if we associate with the soil what has +transpired there for the benefit of the race. We call it the "Holy +Land," and the religious enthusiasts of the Middle Ages felt that it +was a profanation for infidels to hold the sepulchre of the Lord and +the cities where He taught; so that thousands rose from all Christian +lands to win back the captured territory, and blindly gave their +lives for what they thought a sacred cause. In those days the Crusades +opened the eyes of Europe and showed to the people the civilization +and wonders of this Eastern land, and they brought back accounts from +the cradle of early civilization which changed the thoughts and ideas +of the age. American missionaries began to work in Syria in 1823, not +to win the soil from the hands of infidels, but to gain the souls of +those living in blindness, ignorance, and sin; and their endeavors +have been greatly blessed, although these strongholds yield slowly to +the most vigorous assaults. + +Until the fourth century after Christ feasts were held annually in +Syria to commemorate the death of Adonis--or Tammuz, as he was called +in Syria--and his birth was celebrated again in the spring. These +rites came from the story of Adonis being killed at the sources of the +river which bears his name. This stream, which comes down with a +swollen current in autumn, carries away much red iron ore; this gives +the water a reddish color, which was said to be caused by the blood of +Adonis, while in the spring Adonis was supposed to rise from the dead +in all his beauty, at which time all gave themselves up to +unrestrained joy. It was this mourning for Adonis of which Ezekiel +speaks: "He brought me to the door of the Lord's house, and, behold, +there sat women weeping for Tammuz" (or Adonis). All the heathen +temples were destroyed and the worship stopped by Constantine the +Great. At present there are in Syria about one million Mohammedans, +two hundred and fifty thousand Maronites, two hundred and thirty-five +thousand members of the Greek Church, eighty thousand Roman Catholics, +eighty thousand Druses, thirty thousand Jews, but only five thousand +Protestants; besides many other kinds of religions. + +The Maronites are thought by some to have taken their name from +Maroon, an abbot who lived near the Orontes in the sixth century. He +was considered as a saint by these people, though by the pope he was +deemed a heretic. In the time of the Crusades the Maronites joined the +Christian army from the West, and so came in contact with the Roman +Church. They are divided into four orders--Jesuits, Franciscans, +Lazarists, and Capuchins--over whom one patriarch is the governor. The +order of the Jesuits, with the influence of the patriarch, has from +the first opposed the work of all missionaries, and a heap of stones +near the convent of Kanobin marks the spot where a missionary was +martyred in 1830 by the will of the Maronite patriarch. + +The Druses are perhaps the most remarkable people of Syria, and they +are, too, the most mysterious. It was formerly thought that they were +the descendants of a band of the crusaders who were left behind and +finally forgot their land and religion, taking their name from the +count of Dreux. There is a more plausible theory which identifies them +with some of the tribes introduced into the Palestine by Esarhaddon, +the great Assyrian, in the seventh century, B. C. Their name seems to +have come from Ismael Darazi, and dates no farther back than the +eleventh century A. D. + +Hakim, one of the caliphs, who reigned in 1019, and who seems from his +tyranny and fanaticism to have been a madman, maintained that he had +direct intercourse with the Deity, and that he was an incarnation of +the divine intelligence. The claim was made known in the mosque at +Cairo by Ismael Darazi, whose testimony was hostilely received by the +people and he himself compelled to flee; but he at last succeeded in +winning over the ignorant inhabitants of Mount Lebanon, whence the +origin of this religion. The Druses hold that there is only one God, +indefinable, incomprehensible, ineffable, and passionless--that he has +made himself known by ten successive incarnations, lastly by Hakim. +They believe in the transmigration of souls, and they say that +virtuous souls pass into Chinese Druses, but those of the wicked into +dogs or camels. These people have a high reputation for hospitality, +and especially toward the English or Americans. God, they say, is +great and liberal and all men are brothers, though in their bloody +massacres they forget this, as Christians sometimes do. + +The last hundred years have witnessed fearful struggles between the +Maronites and Druses, and the rivers have run red--not from the +supposed blood of Adonis, but from that of human beings--and many +Christians have fallen victims. + +Another sad fact is the low position which woman holds in Palestine. +It is only Christianity that can put her in her true place as man's +equal. + +Those, then, who go to Syria to herald the gospel and plant the seeds +of progress in the hearts of these people have as much to contend with +as those who go among uncivilized heathen, or perhaps more. Here they +are opposed by uncompromising bigotry, by the despotic hand of a +mighty ruler, and they must find untold obstacles in a land where the +muezzin's voice is heard from a thousand Moslem minarets, with the +hate which has ever existed between the two religions, and has not +been lessened by the contests around Jerusalem for the possession of +the holy sepulchre. But missionaries are peacemakers, and it is well +that members of the Society of Friends have been led to do work +here--a Society which would proclaim the "truce of God to the whole +world for ever;" a Society which would give to woman the nobility for +which she was created. We may hope that the hills which witnessed the +chorus of angels singing, "Peace on earth, good-will to men," shall +look on a community in which this is fulfilled, and, though +Jerusalem's altar-fires have gone out, there may a brighter light +shine into the hearts of a people worshipping God in spirit and in +truth. + +We can hardly realize that this important land, "the cradle of +revelation," is so small that it is only about the size of Wales. +"From Dan on the north to Beersheba on the south is a distance of only +one hundred and thirty-nine miles, and the paltry breadth of twenty +miles from the coast to the Jordan on the north increases slowly to +only forty between the shore of the Mediterranean at Gaza and the Dead +Sea on the south." + +To this little country, made great and again humbled, raised up and +again degraded, to this people divided into so many religions, Eli and +Sybil Jones felt a call to bear the gospel first promulgated from its +hills and in its valleys. + +They were liberated by China monthly meeting, Vassalboro' quarterly +meeting, and New England yearly meeting, and embarked from Boston on +the 10th of 4th month, 1867. + +"The last meeting attended by them before leaving their home in Maine +was thronged by their townspeople, many of whom had known them through +life, and several ministers from other societies from the overflowing +of their hearts expressed their desire for the divine blessing upon +their labors as ambassadors for Christ. Between our two friends, and +upon the same bench, sat their two aged mothers, respectively in their +eighty-fourth and eighty-ninth years. The latter arose in the presence +of the large assembly, and, referring to the prospect that she should +not meet her dear children again in this life, expressed her +willingness to give them up for the sake of the Lord. They were +attended on board their steamer by a large delegation of Friends from +Lynn, Salem, New Bedford, and Providence. Here they mingled in +Christian sympathy and in a season of religious fellowship, giving +their fellow-passengers the opportunity of witnessing such brotherhood +in Christ as used in the olden time to induce the exclamation: 'See +how the Quakers love one another!'" Among those who came to bid them +adieu and attend their religious exercises were John A. Andrew, +governor of Massachusetts, and General Banks. It was especially +interesting, as marking a striking contrast to the treatment which the +missionary Quakers two hundred years before received at the hands of +the Boston officials. + +John G. Whittier, who at one time had a desire to accompany them, +wrote the following beautiful verses for the occasion: + + "TO ELI AND SYBIL JONES. + + "As one who watches from the land + The lifeboat go to seek and save, + And, all too weak to lend a hand, + Sends his faint cheer across the wave,-- + + "So, powerless at my hearth to-day, + Unmeet your holy work to share, + I can but speed you on your way, + Dear friends, with my unworthy prayer. + + "Go, angel-guided, duty-sent! + Our thoughts go with you o'er the foam; + Where'er you pitch your pilgrim tent + Our hearts shall be and make it home. + + "And we will watch (if so He wills + Who ordereth all things well) your ways + Where Zion lifts her olive hills + And Jordan ripples with His praise. + + "Oh! blest to teach where Jesus taught, + And walk with Him Gennesaret's strand! + But whereso'er His work is wrought, + Dear hearts, shall be your Holy Land." + +Letters from Eli Jones and his companions will be given farther on to +show the nature of their work, the places visited, and something of +the good accomplished. Many of these letters are exceedingly +interesting, and, being written on the spots which they describe, they +throw new light on the scenes of the Bible-land. For the present I +wish to follow out briefly the part these two Friends have taken in +what may be called distinctive mission-work. + +After being engaged for about a month attending meetings in and about +London, mostly among the poor, and doing some work in Scotland, they +began their journey, stopping with the Friends in the south of France, +embarking from Marseilles for Greece, and thence going pretty directly +to Beirut in Syria. They had as companions and helpers that earnest +and sweet-spirited Christian, Alfred Lloyd Fox of Falmouth, England, +and Ellen Clare Miller of Edinburgh, for whom, as she is still living, +words of eulogy are happily not yet in place. They spent some months +holding meetings, visiting schools, and doing much quiet work up and +down nearly the whole length of Palestine. Sybil Jones being all the +time in feeble health, they finally returned to England to spend the +summer. Sybil went to Ireland, and Eli held meetings in different +parts of England. Meantime, Alfred Fox and Ellen Clare Miller, who had +become much interested in the work going on in Palestine, had raised a +considerable sum of money to assist the mission-schools and general +religious work in the Holy Land, and about seven hundred pounds were +collected, some of which was sent to those needing it. As the summer +went on, Eli and Sybil Jones each separately, began to feel that they +had still further work in the East to do, and the way opened for them +to return to the work which they had left unfinished. Ellen Clare +Miller again attended them, also Richard Allen and Captain Joseph Pim. +What money remained was put into their hands to be spent as they saw +fit to promote education and spread the gospel in Syria. + +While in the neighborhood of Jerusalem they visited Ramallah. There +was a boys' school in this place, and here they were met by a young +woman who asked that she might be helped to teach a girls' school. Eli +Jones asked her if she could teach, to which she answered, yes. After +consideration it was decided to take some of the money which had been +entrusted to them to start this young woman--Miriam--in the work of +educating the girls of the neighborhood. On returning to England at +the end of their visit, and reporting what they had done at Ramallah, +it was at once accepted by the English Friends, and the little school +thus begun was adopted and liberally supported. Ramallah became the +seat of the mission and school of the London Friends, and was +carefully watched over, built up, and maintained until 1888, when it +was decided to be best for American Friends to take it in exchange for +their interest in the Brummana mission on Mount Lebanon. It will be +called the Eli and Sybil Jones Mission, and the New England Friends +are ready zealously to take up and carry on the good work which for +eighteen years has received the support of English Friends. + +During this same visit, while at Beirut in the year 1869, they met +Theophilus Waldmeier, who was engaged in the British Syrian schools. +He became much interested in the strangers, and desired to learn more +of their religious principles. "Their addresses were so powerful and +edifying," he writes, "that our hearts were touched, and I began to +think that their religious principles must be of a superior nature. I +went to the hotel where they lodged and made their acquaintance, and +from that time I have believed that the Quaker principles are the +right basis for a true spiritual Church. When these dear Friends left +the country their blessed influence remained upon my heart, though +they had not the slightest idea of it, nor had I any hope of seeing +them again." + +Two years later Theophilus Waldmeier met Stafford Allen, and +accompanied him, his son, and Joseph Price to Baalbek, so that they +became closely acquainted, and he was invited to come to Stafford +Allen's house in London, which he did in 1872, and here he made the +acquaintance of Hannah Stafford Allen, Robert and Christine Alsop, and +others, and he became more and more familiar with the spiritual views +of Friends, and later he joined himself to their Society. + +He visited the different missions around Mount Lebanon, and he found +that there was none at Brummana. It was told him that the inhabitants +of Brummana were the greatest thieves and liars in the world. "They +are Maronites, Greeks, and Druses, and the evil report of them has +filled the country even unto Egypt. Every one is afraid of them. The +American missionaries wanted to establish a mission among them, but +they were expelled from the place in 1831, and the Bibles and +Testaments which they distributed among the people were publicly +burned." This showed that here was indeed the spot for a mission, but +it would take courage and manly work to establish it. But the order +seemed to come to Theophilus Waldmeier, "Go forward;" and on the 9th +of the 4th month, 1873, he gave in his resignation to the committee of +British Syrian schools, and it was not long before he was settled with +his family at Brummana. But, unsupported, he felt he could do little, +and he wrote an earnest letter to Hannah Allen for assistance; and +this letter was sent to Eli Jones. Hannah Allen sent pecuniary aid to +Theophilus Waldmeier for his family. Eli Jones received the letter a +little before New England yearly meeting opened, and took it with him +to that meeting, not knowing what it would be best to do. Charles F. +Coffin attended this yearly meeting, and he made an earnest plea that +New England Friends should identify themselves with some mission-work. +The subject was taken up and a committee appointed, the names of Eli +and Sybil Jones being among the number. Eli Jones at once urged that +something be done to help Theophilus Waldmeier, and fifty dollars was +raised to be sent to him. Eli Jones was requested to write and find +how the religious views of Theophilus agreed with those of Friends, +and the answer gave satisfaction to all. American Friends were now +ready to take hold of the work on Mount Lebanon, and were anxious to +join with English Friends in support of a mission there. Eli Jones +wrote to Theophilus Waldmeier: "I am glad to be able to say that our +Friends in New as well as in Old England seem much interested in thy +work on Mount Lebanon. I think that thyself and dear wife and your +helpers may be encouraged to give yourselves to the work of the Lord +there, with full trust that your temporal wants will be supplied." +After much correspondence it was arranged for English Friends to join +those of New England yearly meeting in furnishing funds for the +support of the new mission; committees, secretaries, and treasurers +were appointed. T. Waldmeier was encouraged to go on with what he had +begun, with the certainty that his wants would be supplied. He did +so, and the work prospered. He has had much to endure, but he has +persevered, and much of the success of Friends' work on Mount Lebanon +is due to his faithfulness and courage. English Friends have from the +first nobly done their part to support this post of service, and they +have shown an untiring interest in it. Eli Jones has felt almost a +father's love for this Mount Lebanon mission. He has worked for it, +begged for it, and prayed for it. His original fifty dollars, +collected from New England Friends, was the first contribution sent to +it, at least by Friends, and from that time on he has not ceased to +stretch out his hands and heart to help it. He would be the last to +claim any honor for the success of either of the missions in +Palestine; he is among those who have helped to plant and water, and +God himself has given a good increase. + +In 1876, Eli Jones, Alfred Lloyd Fox, and Henry Newman again visited +the Holy Land, and especially the slope of Mount Lebanon. A meeting +was held there, and Eli Jones read an epistle from the foreign mission +committee appointed by New England yearly meeting, expressing the +belief that a meeting should be organized at Brummana. After +deliberation a meeting was organized in the usual manner, consisting +of six native Christians and the family of T. Waldmeier. + +During this same visit they started a boys' training-home. The winter +was spent in getting the training-home ready to open and putting it on +a proper working basis. A house was rented from one of the emirs of +Mount Lebanon, in which the boys of the mountain began to be trained. +This house and the one occupied by T. Waldmeier were those in which +lived the two emirs who gave the order to burn the Bibles and +Testaments of the early American missionaries. The spot is still +marked near the training-home where these Bibles were burnt, and some +of the inhabitants still live there who helped execute the order; so +that the children of the men who put fire to the Bible are now being +taught on this same spot from this same book. + +In the spring of 1880 an appeal was made for a girls' training-home at +Brummana, T. Waldmeier judging the cost of building and current +expenses would be about ninety-five pounds. Not long after Eli Jones +wrote: "At our New England yearly meeting thy appeal for a girls' +training-home was read, and elicited a ready and remarkable response. +Soon after the meeting we found that the subscription had reached +eleven hundred dollars. The women Friends of New York yearly meeting +also raised two hundred dollars, thus making thirteen hundred dollars +in the hands of our treasurer, George Howland, for the purpose of +erecting a home for girls on Mount Lebanon." + +So much money was collected that during the winter Eli Jones in the +name of the committee authorized the work to begin, and on the 27th of +10th month, 1882, the new building was completed. Eli Jones, then in +his seventy-sixth year, again crossed the water to be present at the +dedication of it. Three hundred persons, among them princes and +princesses, were there to see and hear the ceremony. Eli Jones read +Prov. xxxi., and spoke for an hour and fifteen minutes on the subject +of female education. The fifteen girls who were to be educated sat in +a semicircle on chairs before Eli Jones, and stood up and sang a hymn +at the close of the meeting. Charles M. Jones of Winthrop, Maine, had +attended Eli, and they worked for three months to accomplish the +transference of the mission into the hands of three English and three +American trustees. The management of the work was considerably +remodelled during this winter. It is a difficult matter to obtain a +perfectly clear title to land in Palestine, and the Friends were +obliged to go through eight different courts before the affair was +thoroughly settled. + +The Ramallah Friends' mission was visited, and much was done to +encourage the workers there. New England Friends at present are +earnest to accomplish much good at Ramallah, and there has been a +striking liberality manifested by them in this field. Eli Jones, now +in his eighty-second year, can never again visit in the body these two +spots which he fondly loves, but he rejoices in his last days that the +cause so near his heart is receiving so warm a support, and the +advance which has been made prophesies the day when the Syrian wife +shall have a woman's voice and a woman's power, and when the +marvellous blessing of Christ's immeasurable love shall be felt in the +hearts of those who now sit in darkness, though in the land where "the +great Light has shined." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_LETTERS FROM SYRIA._ + + +Eli and Sybil Jones were most cordially liberated by Friends for the +work in Europe, which was shown them as a field white unto harvest in +which they were called to labor. They set sail from Boston in the ship +"China," 4th mo. 10th, 1867. They attended Dublin and London yearly +meetings, and visited the meetings throughout England, and then +carried their labors into Scotland. Of the visit in this country Eli +Jones writes to the _Friends' Review_: + + LONDON, 9th mo. 6, 1867. + +Having returned to this city again from what has been to us a very +pleasant and satisfactory tour throughout parts of Scotland, and +especially to those towns where members of our religious Society +reside, I take my pen to give a few jottings from my note-book. On the +12th of 8th mo. we left Newcastle-upon-Tyne for Glasgow in Scotland, +distant by rail one hundred and twenty-five miles. The day was +delightful, and as we passed on at the rate of thirty or more miles +per hour we saw much calculated to please and instruct. Crossed the +Tweed near its mouth, where the old town of Berwick enjoys a fine +outlook upon the German Ocean, and where a halt of a few minutes +reminded us that we had really reached the land of Scott and Burns, +of Jaffrey and the Barclays, and of others whose names are familiar to +the readers of Scottish history. Our course after leaving Berwick lay +through extensive fields of ripening corn--or, as we Americans would +say, of grain--interspersed with broad belts of potatoes and turnips, +the whole indicating careful culture and a higher type of agriculture +than I had previously noticed. As we approached Edinburgh there was +less land under the plough, and instead green pastures cropped by +numerous flocks of sheep, with an occasional sprinkling of other +stock. Passing through the last-named city, we noticed the monument +erected to the memory of Walter Scott. Its architectural beauty can +hardly fail to catch the eye of the traveller. Another hour, through a +valley of great fertility, brought us to Linlithgow, the birthplace of +Mary queen of Scots. The royal castle is still standing. At the close +of the day's travel we found ourselves at Glasgow, and, taking a +hurried lunch at the house of William Smeal, were seated in the +meeting of ministers and elders at the hour of seven, when visitors +and visited were comforted together. + +_13th._ Were present at the two-months' meeting--a favored season. At +a joint meeting following that for worship the ministry of Eliza +Wigham was approved. It was instructive to witness the freedom of +expression, not only of the aged, but of young men and women, who +cheerfully lent their aid to help the Church redeem her "charge" in so +important a matter. Attended two meetings in Edinburgh; lodged at the +house of William and Jane Miller. The next day, in company with these +dear friends and others, went by rail to Aberdeen by way of Stirling, +Perth, Dunbar, and Stonehaven. This ancient city of the North, of +which Alexander Jaffrey was provost (or mayor), and in whose prisons +many of the early Friends were incarcerated for conscience' sake, is +in 57° 8' 57" north latitude, and lies upon the river Dee. It is built +of gray granite. The houses are from two to four stories high, and +present a clean and substantial appearance. A statue of Queen Victoria +standing near the centre of the town is much admired. It is of white +marble upon a pedestal of red granite highly polished. In the chapel +at King's College a structure of the fourteenth century is shown, a +pulpit--a relic from an ancient cathedral of the twelfth. Great labor +must have been performed by hands no longer active to produce in the +solid oak the carved figures and forms seen in this edifice of a +bygone age. The other college buildings are of modern date. The +general meeting of ministers and elders was held on the 17th. Godfrey +Woodhard, William Ball, Thomas Wells, and Sarah Tatham in the ministry +were present from England. The latter has been for some weeks our kind +companion and caretaker. + +_10th, First day._ Two meetings for worship were held, both well +attended, the latter more numerously than could be accommodated in the +house, several remaining near the door; all quiet and attentive. Most +Friends present in the ministry took part in the vocal exercises, in +which Christ was exalted as the rightful Head of His Church and as the +world's only Saviour. The business of the general meeting is the same +in character as that of a quarterly meeting. It was held on the 19th +of the month, preceded by a meeting for worship. We may trust both +were seasons of encouragement to Friends in this land, so remotely +situated one from the other and accustomed to meet for worship in +comparatively small numbers. While in Aberdeen we visited Barbara +Wigham, now nearly ninety-three years of age, a valued minister who +seems quietly waiting the pleasure of her Lord to leave her post of +watching for a seat among the blessed. How delightful to look upon the +ripe corn in the ear ready to be garnered! She is the daughter-in-law +of John Wigham, who some years since travelled extensively in America, +going as far east as Nova Scotia. + +Left Aberdeen the morning of the 21st for Stonehaven, sixteen miles +distant, where we had arranged for a meeting in the morning. This is a +neat little town, nearly two miles from Ury, the ancient home of the +Barclays, including the noted Apologist. The present "laird of Ury," +John Baird, and his wife, Margaret Baird, kindly showed us about their +palace-home and its extensive gardens redolent with fruit and flower, +and in other ways continued to make our call a very pleasant one. +Among things of special interest was shown a stool of rather clumsy +make labelled "Library Stool of Robert Barclay the Apologist." +Tradition and facts point to this as the veritable seat of that +eminent Christian scholar while writing his unrefuted and as yet +unanswered book, _The Apology_. A lengthened walk through field and +pasture brought us to the "Sarcophagus" of the Barclay family, located +upon an eminence overlooking the estate and its surrounding country, +including Stonehaven and parts of the German Ocean. The building is of +stone, with recesses in the interior walls containing tablets +descriptive of members of the family, from Colonel David Barclay to +Robert the Younger, who died in 1854, there being five in a direct +line of the name of Robert. A larger tablet contains a synopsis of the +history and genealogy of the family, running back many years prior to +the time in which the name of Barclay finds a place in the history of +Friends. The estate is large. One of its owners during his life +cultivated two thousand acres and planted out one thousand five +hundred other acres. At the time of our visit its pastures were +enlivened by the presence of large herds of horned cattle and a flock +of eight hundred ewe sheep, four hundred lambs, a portion of this +year's increase having been disposed of previously. Numerous beeches +of startling dimensions grace the lawn, and near where stood the old +homestead an old yew tree, now in the strength of its power, reminds +one that it might have enjoyed, and probably did enjoy, youth +contemporaneously with the ancient "laird of Ury" and with his son the +Apologist. The present dwelling is one of modern date; its predecessor +and the "old Ury meeting-house" were removed to give it place. + +Our meeting at Stonehaven was a relieving one. The family from Ury +attended, and we were glad of their company. Thence we went forward to +Glasgow by way of Dundee, accompanied by our kind friend, Robert +Smeal, the gifted editor of the _British Friend_. Held large meetings +at each of the above-named cities. + +On the 24th, after a meeting at Kilmarnock, went that night to +Edinburgh. Next day and first of the week met Friends and others at +their place of worship. Here closed our religious labors in that +interesting country, and we came pretty directly to this place, taking +in meetings at Carlisle, Manchester, and Birmingham. Affectionately +thy friend, + + ELI JONES. + +Eli Jones, in a letter dated 9th mo. 26th, thus alludes to service +ahead: "We intend to leave London this evening for Paris, and after a +few days there and among Friends in the south of France, embark at +Marseilles for Greece; call at a few places in that classic land; +thence pretty directly to Beirut in Syria, where, if the Lord shall +make a way for us to labor in His service, we may spend some weeks in +visiting school-missionaries and such others as may be disposed to +hear the good news in the land of the Crucified One, and return by way +of Jaffa, Alexandria, Cairo, and the island of Malta. We have as +companions and helpers in the work our young friends Alfred Lloyd Fox +of Falmouth, England, and Ellen Clare Miller of Edinburgh. Much kind +interest has been manifested by Friends here in relation to this new +field of labor." + +One of the companions of E. and S. Jones wrote the following account +of their labors in the south of France to the _Friends' Review_: + +"Eli and Sybil Jones and party left London on the 16th for Paris, +_viâ_ Folkestone and Boulogne, having letters of introduction from the +secretaries of the Turkish Mission, Church Missionary, and Jewish +Church Mission societies, and to various persons in the East. We had +a smooth, pleasant passage of about two hours, S. J. reclining most of +the time, and E. J. and companions remaining on deck watching the +disappearing lights on the English coast and then those on the French +shore coming into view. We spent the night in Boulogne, going on the +next afternoon to Paris. The three following days we spent in Paris. +We visited the Exhibition and went to the stand of the Bible Society, +where we were greatly interested in the account of the work done +during the time of the Exhibition. They have distributed, thus far, +1,800,000 copies of the Scriptures or portions of the Scriptures. +Among others, eight hundred priests have received these, so that we +cannot but hope that a large amount of good has been effected. While +Eli and Sybil Jones were at the stand numbers of people came for the +little gratuitous French, German, and Italian Gospels, and seemed much +pleased to receive them. Our friends had the pleasure themselves of +giving some copies to soldiers and others. The gentlemen at the stand +were much interested in E. and S. J.'s mission to the East, and +supplied us with Arabic and Turkish portions for distribution there. +On First day we attended the Friends' meeting at the Congregational +chapel, 23 Rue Royale, at 9 A. M. About forty persons were present, +among others L. Mellor and her husband from Philadelphia, whom it was +pleasant for E. and S. Jones to meet. The meeting was a memorable and +impressive one, ministry and supplication flowing freely. Soon after +the Friends' meeting the usual Congregational meeting was held, at +which we remained, the pasteur inviting E. and S. Jones to come to +his afternoon meeting in the Avenue des Ternes, where they might have +an opportunity of addressing those present. We accordingly went, and +found a small but serious gathering of English and Americans; the song +of the angels on the night of our Saviour's birth was dwelt upon. Next +day E. and S. J., having been invited by the secretary of the +Evangelical Alliance to be present at the usual service in the Salle +Évangélique, we went thither at the appointed time, but were sorry to +find on arriving that, though free opportunity was offered for Eli +Jones to speak, the committee could not allow Sybil Jones to do so. +Under these circumstances Eli Jones declined to take any part in a +service which would so distinctly have compromised one of our +Society's leading views. On Third day we left Paris for Lyons. E. and +S. J. much enjoyed the country with its long lines of poplar trees +edging the streams and canals, and vineyards terracing the slopes of +Côte d'Or. We slept at Lyons, setting out the following morning for +another day's journey to Nismes. Nismes was reached between nine and +ten P. M., our Friends less tired than after the journey of the day +before, having much enjoyed the scenery. Jules Paradon, who for so +many years had been an interpreter for Friends and their kind helper +in the south of France, came early to the hotel on the following +morning to welcome the Friends back to Nismes. Lydia Majolier and +other Friends also called, and an arrangement was made for a meeting +to be held at the Free Church the same evening, the pasteur kindly +giving up his usual service to E. and S. Jones. A good meeting was +held, about one hundred being present. Jules Paradon interpreted the +free gospel message and the prayer for France, her rulers, her +pasteurs, and her people. Much joy was expressed at seeing E. and S. +J. again. Much fruit of their labor here fourteen years ago is +evident. There seems much good stirring among the young people who are +connected with Friends. Some of those who were at school when E. and +S. J. were last here bear marks of their influence. On the 3d we drove +to Congènies, about twelve miles from Nismes, through the rich +vineyards and oliveyards of the South. There are not many Friends at +Nismes, but the little meeting-house was well filled. In the evening a +meeting was held, and about ninety present, half of them men. It was +an interesting sight to see the men in their working dress and the +women--many of whom had been working hard all day--listening so +attentively and seriously to the loving and encouraging words spoken +to them. Much feeling was shown as they spoke to the Friends after +meeting. E. and S. Jones and their party were kindly lodged at the +house of George and Lydia Majolier, and the following day were driven +to Fontanés to see Friends in that neighborhood. We were hospitably +entertained at the house of Daniel Brun, a minister of our Society. A +meeting was held in the afternoon, about forty present; L. Majolier +interpreted. E. and S. J. addressed words of warning and encouragement +to all. Daniel Brun prayed for a blessing upon the seed sown. On First +day the meeting convened at 10.30 A. M. at Congènies, many Friends +coming from other places, so that the little meeting-house was again +filled, J. Paradon having come over to interpret. Sybil Jones dwelt +upon the nature of true worship. Eli Jones dwelt earnestly upon +woman's part in regenerating and elevating the world, reminding us of +what a prominent part she played in the fall, and, on the other hand, +both in the Old Testament history, and still more in the New, how many +noble women are written about. These were held up as not unattainable +examples. A large and very interesting meeting was held at 4 P. M. at +Nismes in one of the Protestant places of worship. On Second day E. +and S. J. visited two girls' schools for the poorer classes, at both +of which they spoke to the children, encouraging them to pray morning +and evening for help for the day and forgiveness for what they had +done amiss. + +"On Third day we were at St. Gilles, where we were very kindly +entertained at Anna Vally's, where a meeting was held in the afternoon +for the few Friends in the place, and in the evening a good meeting +was held in the temple. The following day a large meeting was held at +Calvisson, six hundred being there, and Pasteur Abausit himself +interpreting. On Fifth day a farewell meeting was held with the +Friends, thirty or forty in number, at which much tenderness of +feeling was shown while S. J. urged and encouraged them to fight for +the faith once delivered to the saints. She dwelt earnestly on the +need of their forgiving those who had injured them, as they hoped to +be forgiven. Many tearful farewells were said and earnest desires +expressed for E. and S. J.'s welfare, and for a blessing on the labors +of their hands. On Sixth day we left Nismes at noon, reaching +Marseilles about 5 P. M., whence we hope to sail this afternoon for +Athens, thence to Beirut, where we look to be about the end of the +month." + + * * * * * + +We give below a letter from Ellen Clare Miller, written on board the +steamer "Godavery" to the _Friends' Review_: + + SMYRNA, 10th mo. 25, 1867. + +It falls to my lot to give some account of the very interesting visit +to Athens of our dear friends Eli and Sybil Jones.... It was a time +never to be forgotten. Our account was written from Marseilles, from +which port we embarked on Seventh day, 10th mo. 12th, reaching the +Piræus on Fifth day morning. We had a safe and pleasant voyage, +receiving much kindness from the captain, who seemed a superior man. +There was not opportunity for much outward service on board, but +earnest desires were felt and loving prayers raised that our tarriance +there might be for good to those who sailed with us.... + +On the 16th the fine ramparts of the rocky, sterile hills of Southern +Greece came into view, and all that day we coasted along that most +interesting country, with its mountains rising up from the very edge +of the sea, here and there a poor little village with its scanty olive +trees set in the hollows of the hills, or a solitary house for the +shepherd or goatherd. It was past midnight when we sailed into the +Piræus, very calm, with beautiful starlight and a very soft air; and +so we landed in Greece. + +We did not know quite what we should do, landing at midnight in a +strange country and hearing only a strange tongue, but we were +wonderfully provided for in this respect. A Greek gentleman, who was +our fellow-passenger returning to Athens, very kindly did for us all +that could be done, getting our baggage through the custom-house +without detention--which at that late hour was a great relief--and +taking us to a comfortable hotel. It is difficult to convey the great +interest of our visit to Athens, which should, I think, be confirming +to all who go in simple faith where they feel themselves required to +go, believing that the way and the work will be opened up before them. +Such has been everywhere the openness to receive our dear friends that +surely He who put it into their hearts to visit this place, and who +when "He putteth forth His own sheep goeth before them," prepared the +hearts of the people in a wonderful manner to receive them, and opened +the way for their mission among all. It was very interesting next +morning to find ourselves opposite the Acropolis with its ancient +ruined temples and fortifications, and the less conspicuous but still +more interesting little eminence beside it, Mars Hill, from whose +rocks, where the council of the Areopagus sat, Paul spoke. + +On Fifth day, the 17th, Eli Jones and Alfred Lloyd Fox delivered +letters of introduction to J. H. Hill, chaplain of the English +embassy, who for more than thirty years, with his wife, has been +teaching the Greek children. There is a great work going on in Athens +in reference to the poor Cretans who have fled from their own islands +and taken refuge in Greece. Thousands have come to Athens, where they +have been provided with food and clothing, and schools have been +opened for the education of their children. We visited five of +these--some more than once--where E. and S. Jones had an opportunity +of speaking to the children, and often to the poor Cretan women. Some +were widows; others had lost their children, others whose husbands and +children are still engaged in the war. All had lost their homes and +their whole possessions. It was a very affecting sight to see these +poor sorrowing creatures thronging to speak to the friends, thanking +them for their words of loving sympathy and comfort, and for the help +and sympathy sent them from America. At all the schools the message of +our dear friends was to point both children and parents to Jesus as +the one who is able under all circumstances to give peace and +happiness to the soul. The message, which to many was a new one, +seemed to go home to their hearts, and seed was sown with fervent +prayer which we must believe will be blessed to these poor creatures +and to Greece by Him who giveth the increase. Demetrius Z. +Sackellarios, editor of _The Star in the East_ and treasurer of the +American and Greek fund for the support of the Cretan schools, very +kindly and efficiently interpreted on several occasions. He is a Greek +by birth, but spent several years in America, and his wife, A. +Josephine Sackellarios, is an American lady. There are indeed several +Americans in Athens, with whom we had some very delightful +intercourse. + +We spent First day evening with Dr. Hill and his family, and (through +the medium of Edward Masson, a Scotchman, and formerly one of the +judges of the supreme court of Areopagus) E. and S. Jones had an +opportunity of addressing a school at Dr. Hill's house for between +twenty and thirty Greek girls of the upper classes. Several were +introduced to them from Macedonia, Asia Minor, and many parts of +Greece and the islands, besides Athens. An impression seemed to be +made that evening which we trust will not soon be forgotten. After +visiting another of the schools on First day, where we saw five +hundred children taught on the national-school system, and some Cretan +women spinning and weaving their native silk, we went to the prison, +where Sybil Jones had obtained permission to speak to the prisoners. +Leave was granted for all the prisoners, about one hundred and fifty +in number, to come into the courtyard, in the centre of which was a +large plane tree, under the shadow of which all stood, the poor men +forming a large semicircle around S. Jones and D. Sackellarios, her +interpreter, and the others. It was a striking scene and a time of +great interest. The men were exceedingly attentive, and many were +moved while S. J. spoke to them for nearly an hour. She sympathized +with them in their present condition. She related some narratives of +prisoners who, having found their Saviour in prison, had been filled +with joy, and she prayed for them that they too might be brought to +Him. The governor of the prison seemed very grateful--said he hoped +the words spoken would be blest to the souls of the poor prisoners; +and many said it was a day never to be forgotten. It was found that +the prisoners had no Bibles, but an arrangement was made that each +should be supplied with at least a Gospel. We spent the evening very +pleasantly at the house of Dr. Kalopothakes, where we met most of the +missionaries, to whom, after the First of Romans had been read, E. and +S. J. addressed many words of encouragement, as they did on a similar +occasion on Third day morning, when many came to the hotel to take +leave, alluding to the refreshment it had been in coming to a strange +land to meet with those to whom, as servants of the same blessed +Master, they could feel united in one common love and faith, partaking +together of the one true communion and speaking together the language +of Canaan. All present were deeply affected, and a strong impression +was made there as on all other occasions. Some said that the visit of +these dear Friends to Athens was just what they had long desired and +prayed for--that what they had brought was as a message from the +Saviour to encourage them in their work; and D. Sackellarios said that +the day of his interpreting for them was the happiest of his life. The +same morning E. and S. Jones visited the theological college for the +education of young Greek priests. It is under the superintendence of a +young Greek, who seems a serious man. He has one or two Friends' +books, and is desirous to know something of our Society. S. J. +addressed a few words both to him and to the students, encouraging +them to give their hearts to the Saviour and to attend to the teaching +of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. + +E. and S. J. also received a visit from the Cretan bishop of Kissaruss +to thank them for their visits to the schools and their interest in +the Cretan children, and through them to express gratitude to the +American people for their help and sympathy. He also asked for the +prayers of Americans that Crete might be made free. + +We sailed from the Piræus 10th mo. 22d, landing at Syra the following +morning, where E. and S. J. visited the school for Greek children +under the care of F. A. Hildner, a Basle missionary, who has been for +thirty-seven years engaged in work on this island. Here, as before, +the gospel message was spoken to the children and a cheering visit +paid to the missionary. We re-embarked on Fifth day, and after running +for some time pretty near the coast we sailed into the beautiful bay +on which Smyrna stands. The city looks bright and Eastern with its +light-painted, square, flat-roofed houses, among which towers and +minarets rise. Behind the city rises a steep bare hill crowned with a +mosque and the ruins of an old castle. The mountains rise all round +the bay, greener than any we had seen since leaving the south of +France, and with olive trees and vineyards round their base. + +To-day, the 25th, we went on shore, and were driven up and down the +narrow, roughly-paved streets of Smyrna, in which we saw many sights +reminding us we were in Asia--the trains of laden camels, the veiled +Turkish women, the fine large cypress trees shading the graveyards +with their painted inscriptions in foreign characters. We visited the +deaconesses' home, where fourteen of the sisterhood educate between +two hundred and three hundred children, many of the upper class. The +establishment is in beautiful order, and a bright and Christian spirit +appeared to reign in it. We hope to-morrow to continue the voyage to +Beirut. Our dear friends are pretty well, though needing rest. Thine +sincerely, + + ELLEN CLARE MILLER. + +Ellen Clare Miller writes again in 11th mo. to the _Friends' Review_: + + BEIRUT, Syria. + +The account of the journey of our dear friends E. and S. Jones was +brought down to the time of our leaving Smyrna. Having now reached +Beirut in safety, they wish thee and their friends in America to know +as soon as may be of their welfare, and of the pleasant and very +interesting voyage which we were favored to make safely and +comfortably. Since our arrival here, on Sixth day, the weather has +been so broken and stormy that we do indeed feel that there is great +cause for thankfulness to Him who holds the winds and waters under His +control. + +We sailed from Smyrna about noon on the 26th, gradually losing sight +of the beautiful mountains which rise up on the south-west side of the +bay with their fine coloring of gray, pink, green, and purple, which +gives such a charm to the hills about this coast. We passed Chios and +Samos--Patmos with its great interest as the isle to which the beloved +disciple was banished by the emperor Domitian, and where the wonderful +visions were revealed to him. The following day, First day, the 27th, +we reached Rhodes, and, the steamer stopping for a few hours, we went +on shore, going up the steep street where on either hand stand the +half-ruined, strongly-built castles and houses once occupied by the +Knights of St. John. Over each doorway may still very plainly be seen +the various coats-of-arms of the members of the order, the grand +master having a larger house and more elaborate escutcheon. We passed +a mosque at the time when the congregation were coming out, and saw +each man resume his shoes at the door; there were no women. We were +allowed to look inside, but not to enter more than a step or two. It +was a plain, whitewashed building, with matting, but no seats; texts +from the Koran painted here and there upon the walls, and a kind of +pulpit from which the Koran is read. There are many Jews and +Mohammedans at Rhodes. It was sorrowful to think how many there were +who were professing to worship God, but in so mistaken a manner. E. +Jones and A. Fox distributed a great many portions of Scripture and +tracts in Arabic, Turkish, and Hebrew, as they did all along the coast +at our various stopping-places, so sowing much good seed, some of +which at least may, we hope, take root and bear fruit. + +The whole of the following day was spent in coasting along that part +of Anatolia formerly called Lycia, Pamphylia, and Cilicia, keeping +very near the shore. It was a great privilege to pass near scenes of +such interest as those regions through which Paul and his companions +passed, and to see the very places on which their eyes must have +rested. Cyprus was visible on the right, but too distant from us to +obtain much idea of its appearance. Early in the morning of the 29th +we found ourselves in the harbor of Mersina, the port of Tarsus, about +ten miles from that city, of which Paul was a citizen. This latter +place itself we could not see, but we were shown the direction in +which it lay among the mountains, and the point where the Cydnus flows +into the sea with its cold waters fresh from Taurus, whose snowy tops +we plainly saw. The ship remained here till the afternoon, shipping +wheat, and we were much interested in seeing a train of one hundred +and fifty camels winding down from the direction of Taurus and moving +slowly along the shore to discharge their freight at the warehouses +upon the quay. We then turned our faces southward, passing not far +from Antioch, which, however, cannot be seen from the sea. We stopped +a few hours at Latakia, near which rises the cone-shaped Mount +Cassius. Soon after passing this we had our first view of one of the +spurs of Mount Lebanon, crowned with snow. This grand and extensive +range became more and more conspicuous until we reached Tripoli, which +lies beautifully at its feet in a fine wide bay. We sailed very near +the island of Aradus, the ancient Arvad, opposite to which lies "the +entering in of Hamath" so often mentioned in the Bible, the boundary +of the Land of Promise, though never of that really possessed by the +Israelites. The weather was very fine, but extremely hot, all the time +we were on the water. + +The first day we were in Beirut the sirocco was blowing a hot, +enervating wind. Beirut looks beautiful, either from the sea or land. +It is built along the shore at the foot of Mount Lebanon. We find +several American and English missionaries, many of whose schools we +have visited and have been much interested in them; also attended some +religious meetings. As it is the rainy season, the Friends are not +able to get on quite so fast with their work as might otherwise be +the case; but they have been warmly received, and their visit seems to +be a very opportune one. Our party are all in usual health. The dear +Friends think their health is improved, decidedly so, since they left +America. Thine sincerely, + + ELLEN CLARE MILLER. + +Another letter from Ellen Clare Miller, from Mount Lebanon in 11th +mo., 1867, to the editor of the _Friends' Review_, says: + +"The last account forwarded to thee of our dear friends E. and S. +Jones was brought down to the 12th of this month. The great storms +which had prevailed up to that time, severer for the season than had +been known for many years, passed away on that day. A remarkably fine +rainbow, double and sixty degrees in height, one foot resting on the +sea and the other on the base of Lebanon, appeared that evening just +before sunset, giving very welcome promise of the return of fine +weather. This was very cheering, as the heavy rains had for the time +suspended the work of visiting schools, except that of E. B. Thompson, +which adjoins M. Mott's house. We are not able yet to give a very +clear statistical account of the many schools in Beirut and Lebanon +for the education of boys and girls, but there is, indeed, a great +work going on through their agency--a work of very widely extended +influence. E. B. Thompson has fourteen schools under her influence, +some in Beirut, some in the mountains. E. Saleeby, a Syrian, who has +spent some time in Scotland and England, and whose efforts are +principally supported by subscriptions from the former country, has +many more under his care. The American missionaries have stations at +Beirut and in several towns in the mountains, and we are at present at +a boarding-school for training Syrian girls for teachers, conducted by +two young ladies from England, sent out by the Society for Promoting +Female Education in the East. They have at present only eighteen +girls, on account of their limited means; the school will accommodate +thirty, and the education given and the Christian influence extended, +here as at other schools which we have seen, are very telling, and are +raising the women to a very different position from that which they +formerly occupied even among the nominal Christians in the country. +The prejudice against their education was very great among all sects, +and still exists, from the Mohammedans, who believe that woman has no +soul, among the Druses, Maronites, and Catholics, and the somewhat +more enlightened Protestants, who are now, through these schools, +awaking to the advantage of having their daughters educated. + +"The people everywhere seem very intelligent, and there seems much +openness to receive missionaries from the Society of Friends, whose +spiritual teaching is much needed in these parts; and we hope the feet +of some may be directed to this Bible land, where the fields are +already white unto harvest and the laborers few, and that Friends may +see their way to lend funds to carry on this great work of Christian +education among the females of the East. There is an innate nobility +in them, and a gentleness and warmth of feeling in the women, which, +when so developed, produce a fine character. Those who cannot speak +English look at us with eyes full of love and interest, and by their +expressive gestures convey more than many of our words would do. We +became much interested in the girls of E. B. Thompson's principal +school, which we frequently visited, Eli Jones taking the Scripture +class several times. He found their knowledge of the Bible and their +understanding of its truths equal, if not superior, to what we should +find in our own schools in America and England. Besides this school, +E. and S. J. visited the infant school in connection with it, also +three smaller branch schools under E. B. Thompson's direction, and a +boys' school conducted by two very superior young men, native +teachers, but also under her superintendence. They also went to the +Prussian Deaconesses' Institution, where the children receive a good +education under Christian influences; then to the school for girls +under the care of Dr. Bliss, the American missionary: of this latter a +native Syrian and his wife have the immediate superintendence, +residing in the house with the boarders. The children everywhere are +well instructed in the Bible, and commit a great deal to memory both +from the Arabic and English Scriptures. In all the schools the Friends +delivered their message, exhorting all to use diligence to advance in +their education, that through the instrumentality of her young men and +young women Syria may rise among nations, and encouraging them to seek +earnestly and prayerfully after a knowledge of Him without knowing +whom, with all their learning and knowledge, they cannot be truly +great--often kneeling in prayer with the teachers and scholars before +leaving the school. They attended also a meeting for the Home Mission +Society, where they addressed, through the medium of M. Bosistani, its +principal, the college for the education of Syrian young men, as well +as the American and E. B. Thompson's school, who were all present. + +"On Sixth day morning we started for Sook-el-Gharb, a little village +twelve miles from Beirut on the side of Lebanon, two thousand feet +above the sea, where we intended to remain an hour or two visiting the +schools there, and then to continue our journey a little farther to a +village which we might make our headquarters while visiting the +schools in that neighborhood, it being considered that the +mountain-roads would have sufficiently recovered from the effects of +the storm to be passable. The wind and the rain had, however, been so +much more violent than is usual at this season that the road was much +worse than had been expected, the path being in some places washed +away by the torrents, which, wearing themselves a rough channel down +what had been the road, had thrown up a wall of large loose stones on +each side, making the journey in some parts dangerous, and so +fatiguing that Sybil Jones was very much exhausted on arriving at +Sook, and unable to proceed farther without a rest of two or three +days. As much care as possible had been used in getting her up the +mountain, riding being the only means of travelling on these steep, +rough mountain-roads, with their ascents and descents more precipitous +than can be well imagined without being seen; but the shaking and +exertion were quite too much for her back, unused to such exercise, +and she was confined to bed, suffering much from pain and weakness, +until Third day, the 19th, when she was carried in a chair to this +place, twenty minutes' ride distant from Sook, by a comparatively +level path. The exertion of this so tired her that with great +reluctance she had to decide that she must give up the prospect of +going farther into the mountains. Eli Jones and A. L. Fox are +accordingly visiting the various mountain-schools, while she is +remaining at the school in Shumlan. It is a great disappointment and a +trial of faith to both the dear Friends that it has thus been ordered +so differently from what had been planned; but we cannot but believe +that it will be overruled for the best. The ride from Beirut to +Sook-el-Gharb is a very interesting one. We halted for some time at a +little rude khan at the side of a little stream of clear cold water, +where we rested a while under the shade of a fine evergreen oak, and +had some refreshments, being offered cakes of the Arab bread, which is +very thin and flat and baked of coarse flour, producing the effect of +a small sheet of chamois leather; though rather tough, it is sweet and +quite edible, and in constant use in this part of the country. They +tear off a piece, roll it up, and dip it into their food, instead of +using knives and forks; and we were much interested in hearing that it +was still the practice in doing honor to another at table to present +him with such a piece dipped in the choicest part of the mess, +reminding us of our Saviour's gift to Judas. Our view from this +village is very fine. We look down on the Mediterranean, ten miles or +more distant, but looking in this deceptive atmosphere not more than +three or four miles off. Between us and it intervene the terraced +sides of Lebanon, laid out in mulberry-gardens or newly sown with +wheat. Our stay at Sook, though unintentional, seemed to be in right +ordering, for service opened up there. The mistress of the house where +we were, E. Saleeby's wife, was dangerously ill, and has since died, +and her husband felt the dear Friends' visit one of great comfort and +entertained us with much kindness. E. Jones and A. Fox visited the +boys' and girls' school there, as well as at Abeih and Bhamdûn, some +hours' ride from Sook, E. J. examining the children in Scripture and +in other branches, speaking to and praying with them, and distributing +English and Arabic books. He also held meetings at Sook and Shumlan in +the school-house, attended by the schools and several of the +villagers, where the words earnestly spoken were attentively and +gladly received. We have heard twice from E. J. and A. L. F. since +they left us--good accounts. We were hoping to have seen them back +last evening, but they did not appear. We suppose that they must have +gone farther than was at first intended." + + * * * * * + +The following is a letter from Eli Jones, written to the _Friends' +Review_ a few days later than the above letter from E. C. Miller: + + + SYRIA AND PALESTINE. + + SHUMLAN, 12th, 21st, 1867. + +My dear Sybil feeling unable to go farther over these almost trackless +mountains without time for more rest, it seemed best for her and E. +C. Miller to remain at the boarding-school for girls at this place +under the care of two English ladies, Lucy Hicks and Mary M. Jacombs, +while A. L. Fox and I should proceed in the work. Accordingly, on the +22d of last month we left at eight o'clock in the morning on +horseback, attended by an efficient dragoman named Georgius, an +interpreter, Ibrahim, and Abdallah and Hassan, muleteers. After a ride +of two hours we reached Abeih, and were kindly cared for at the house +of Simon Calhoun and wife, American missionaries. He has been many +years in this country, and is, we learn, much esteemed by all classes. +Our first call was at the school of the Druses. The provost of the +school and the teacher of English met us at the gate and gave us a +cordial welcome; then led us to an apartment where sweetmeats and +coffee in tiny cups, according to the custom of the country, were +served. In answer to our question whether the Holy Scriptures were +read in the school, the teacher of English assured us that they were +read by his class. He is a student from the American school, and will +do what he can, I doubt not, in his delicate position to inculcate +Christian sentiment among this peculiar people. + +In the afternoon we visited the boys' and also the girls' school, +under the care of the American mission, and were pleased with the +advance they have made in their education: we spoke to the children in +each school, William Bird interpreting, as he did in the evening, when +we met the young men at the Abeih seminary for the education of native +teachers. This institution has been in successful operation for the +last twenty-five years. Each student is expected to devote from one to +two hours each day to the study of the Holy Scriptures. These students +may now be met in almost all parts of Syria and in Mesopotamia and +Egypt. + +_Seventh day, 23d._ Rode to Deir-el-Kamr; found lodgings at the +school-house, where E. B. Thompson has a small school. After dinner +took an hour's ride to Beteddin; called at the palace of Douad Pasha, +governor of the pashalic of the Lebanon. The governor was not at home; +we were met by some of his subordinate officers, with whom we had +interesting discourse. + +_First day, 24th._ At an early hour we mounted our trusty steeds, and +reached Mukhtârah about ten A. M. Riding up to the palace of the great +Druse chief, Said Beg Jumplatt, we found the two young princes about +to set out on a ride to pass the day with friends in a neighboring +town, accompanied by N. Gharzuzee, the tutor of the younger prince, +and other officials. They offered us the hospitalities of the house as +long as we were disposed, which we accepted, and were soon informed +that the princes had given up their anticipated pleasure, saying they +preferred to spend the time with us. The elder prince is nearly +eighteen years of age, and married; the younger is about thirteen +years old, bright and intelligent, and really "the hope of my house." +His tutor, N. Gharzuzee, who is a native of Syria, has spent several +months in England; he speaks our language well and appears to be an +earnest Christian. As Christians we could not fail to feel greatly +interested in seeing such a man in so important a position, where he +is teaching this young man, destined, so far as we can see, to fill +the highest place of influence among this heterodox people--not only +sciences and languages, but the pure and unsophisticated doctrines of +the Bible. At one P. M. we met the children of the American mission +and of E. M. Thompson's schools, with several of the parents. After +listening to a very satisfactory examination of the children in the +Scriptures, I addressed them, N. Gharzuzee interpreting in an able +manner. The meeting was one to which I recur with sincere +satisfaction. + +_25th._ Had our morning reading in Arabic, after which prayer was +offered in English, in which strong desires were expressed in the name +of Jesus, on behalf of the young princes, for the various members of +the household and for Syria. We left after many a cordial shake of the +hand and with many a "God bless you!" and "May you return to your own +country in peace!" Near one o'clock P. M. we saw in the distance the +snow-clad top of Hermon, which we seemed approaching. What thoughts +filled our minds--thoughts too big for utterance--as we stood upon +"the heights of that goodly mountain Lebanon," and saw the noble cone +of Hermon rising majestically toward the meridian sun, while southward +near its base lay the division of Naphtali, a portion of the "land of +possession," where we hoped to arrive on the following day! "The north +and the south, Thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice +in Thy name." + +Passed near a peasant at work with a curious plough drawn by a pair of +tiny bullocks. We each took a turn in guiding the plough, and felt a +pleasure for the time in occupying a place so often honored by +prophets and good men of old in this historic land. About the time of +the going down of the sun we reached Jezzin. Weary from the long +journey, I lay for a time upon a rug near the fountain while our +dragoman went to look for lodgings. During that brief time many a +maiden came forth with her pitcher to draw water. What strong evidence +this that we are nearing the Bible land! Lodgings were soon announced. +On reaching the room intended for our reception we found several +members of the family busily engaged in covering the floor with +matting, and near the seat of honor a fine carpet was spread. +Presently, finding I was weary, a thin mattress--or perhaps, as would +be better understood in our country, a thick comfortable--was added as +a bed. Here, stretching my weary limbs, I sought needed rest. By the +time, however, that we were fairly domiciled a large circle of men +came in and engaged in their favorite occupation, smoking. Though the +fumes of the pipe have for us no attraction, but rather the contrary, +still, finding our neighbors inclined to be social, we strove to make +the conversation profitable and if possible edifying. In the course of +the evening our kind hostess inquired if we would like water for our +feet? On our replying in the affirmative, "a lordly dish" well filled +was brought, and we were told all things were ready. Think what must +have been our surprise on being told that the young woman standing +near had volunteered to wash the strangers' feet! Fearing that our +refusal might be misunderstood, we placed them at the disposal of the +"little Syrian maid." With what thrilling interest ought we hereafter +to read the account of what transpired when He whose blood cleanses +from all sin "girded Himself and washed His disciples' feet," saying +to them, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye +also ought to wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example +that ye should do as I have done unto you!" + +The morning of the 26th the priest of the place came in, with whom we +had some pleasant intercourse. After breaking our fast we told the +family that it was our practice, before proceeding on the journey of +the day, to read a portion of Scripture and endeavor to lift up our +hearts to God in prayer, and we gave them an invitation to be present. +They all remained with us, as did the priest. We need not inquire to +what society these people belonged; suffice it to say, they +entertained strangers, they washed our feet, they fed the hungry, they +bade us go in peace, and refused our money as a recompense. After a +ride of two hours we halted at Cafer Huney, a little village on our +route, to have our horses' feet examined by a blacksmith and shoes set +if needful. While waiting we went to the fountain, where several +persons collected. After a time spent in pleasant conversation we +spoke to them of the heavenly country and of salvation by Jesus +Christ. We left with them copies of our Lord's miracles in Arabic, +which they received gladly. One of these rustic villagers, a lame man, +offered me his cane as a walking-stick with such hearty good-will, +saying he had others at home, that I took it and found it very useful +in making the steep descent of Lebanon in the afternoon. Near sunset +we reached the foot of the Lebanon range, and then crossed the Litany +(named on many maps Leontes) on one of the few bridges to be found in +this country. An hour and a half more brought us to the little town of +Abbel, toward which we had looked as an Arab village where it might be +difficult to find secure and comfortable lodging for the night. Ere we +entered all was shrouded in darkness, for the night had set in, but, +as it proved, a glad surprise awaited us. In reply to our first +inquiry for lodgings we were told that "the American church would be +the best place for us to stop at." A little farther on we were +accosted by one with whitened locks, who, taking our hands, shook them +with both of his with brotherly cordiality, and then with a light led +the way to the comfortable house erected within the past year as a +place for worship and a school-house by that devoted band of men whose +praise is in all the churches in this land--the American missionaries. +By the time we had entered several of the brethren had arrived. The +house is without seats. Mats were quickly arranged for us; then +followed the arrangements for supper. A _canoon_ filled with charcoal +with which to heat the water for tea first arrived; then one brought +bread, another eggs, a third sugar, and another melons; and _such +melons_! worthy the land that produced them. All things being ready, +the travellers sit upon the floor about the inviting meal, and while +they are busily engaged in satisfying the calls of hunger the company +increases; and here our responsibilities widen, for as we have been +privileged to partake of their good things for the sustenance of the +body, we are in duty bound, as far as may be our power, to meet their +spiritual and intellectual wants. I trust this evening, our first in +Palestine, was spent to the mutual benefit of all concerned. On the +morning of the 27th the school-children and several of the parents +came in, to whom we spoke words of encouragement in the pursuit of +useful knowledge, and especially that which "maketh wise unto +salvation." An hour more brought us to Krhyam, where we met another +school. We spoke to them of Him who is the only "Hope of Israel." +Again in the saddle, we rode away across the extensive and fertile +valley of Marjaiyum. + +Just before reaching D'Mimas we met William Eddy of New York State, a +minister in connection with the American mission. On learning our +intentions, he kindly proposed to return to D'Mimas, that he might be +with us during our stay; his presence and kind care contributed +largely to our comfort. Here we visited another school and met several +of the brethren socially. The subject of education, and especially the +education of women, was freely discussed. We endeavored to show them +that no people can be happy or prosperous while woman holds a degraded +position among them, and that it is in vain to look for great men +where good and virtuous mothers are not to be found. As we press +onward what a view opens before us! One short hour farther we stand +upon a rocky knoll near the ancient town of Abel, where Joab claimed +Sheba the son of Bichri as a condition of peace. Looking eastward, +toward our right are the hills of the ancient Bashan, thickly dotted +with oaks, those emblems of strength; toward the left Hermon lifts +his head to heaven in solemn and solitary majesty. Not far are the +sites where stood Laish, Dan, and Cæsarea Philippi of the Scriptures, +which we hope to visit before nightfall, and all around on either hand +we have spread out before us one of the great battlefields of the +Bible. We spent a short time in the town distributing a few Arabic +books, and met with, as far as we could learn, the only +school-teacher, who told us he had under his instruction fourteen +boys. We tried to give him encouragement in the work, and gave him a +copy of the Psalms. + +Soon after mid-day we reached Tell-el-Kady, "the hill of the judge," +the Dan of Scripture. Two things are here worthy of special notice: +the fountain of the Jordan and the site of the ancient city of Dan. +The Tell is cup-shaped, and bears evidence of being an extinct crater. +On an island of rocks in size little more than sufficient to +accommodate our party, and beneath the wide-spreading branches of an +ancient oak, we took our humble mid-day meal. We had scarcely begun to +satisfy our own appetites when a mounted Arab, armed to the teeth, +rode up and asked for food, to whom we gladly gave a portion, for, +once fed from our store, he becomes an ally, not a foe. Perhaps I +ought here to add that on our way to this place from Abel we were +accosted by an armed Arab, who demanded "backsheesh" as I rode abreast +of him: feeling that we owed him naught but love and good-will, we +gave him no money, and were suffered to pass without further +molestation. The ruin of the ancient city of Dan is very complete; a +few broken walls, fallen stones, and pieces of pottery are all that +are left to tell of a people long since passed away. + +The story of Dan is soon told. Originally an agricultural colony of +the Phoenicians, called Lessem or Laish, it was captured by six +hundred Danites from the towns of Zorah and Eshtaol. The capture of +Laish by the Danites in the north was the fulfilment of Moses's +prophetic blessing to the tribe: "Dan is a lion's whelp; he shall leap +from Bashan." Deut. xxxiii. 22. + +Another hour's ride brought us to Banias, standing amid the ruins of +the ancient Cæsarea Philippi. The modern village is inhabited by some +one hundred persons of the Moslem faith, who live in wretched +ignorance and poverty. We lodged at the house of the sheik; a room was +assigned us and mats spread. There we stretched our weary limbs, but, +as the sequel proved, not so much to sleep as to contemplate upon the +fact that we had nearly reached the base of Hermon and the site of +Cæsarea Philippi, and upon the record that our Lord, after healing the +blind man at Bethsaida, "came into the coast of Cæsarea +Philippi"--that not far from this place He made that striking appeal +to His disciples: "Whom say ye that I am?" and soon after, taking +three of His disciples, "He went up into a mountain, and was +transfigured before them." Yes, + + "I tread where the Twelve in their wayfaring trod, + I stand where they stood with the Chosen of God-- + Where His message was heard and His lessons were taught, + Where the blind were restored and the healing was wrought." + +The next morning, before leaving, we conversed with a son of the +sheik, himself a husband and father, upon the importance of education. +He acknowledged his own inability to read, and further said that the +children were all needed by their parents to work; and as to woman, +her business was to care for the house and meet the wants of men, and +if she did not do this well she must be beaten to make her do it. Such +is the state of civilization where once stood a great and prosperous +city, whose architectural ruins attest the fact that its citizens must +have been men of skill and taste. Again in the saddle, we turned our +course northward. Near noon we ascended a high elevation, where our +dragoman halted and called out, "Look! look!" Facing southward, we +looked and saw Hermon on our left standing in majestic greatness, and +beyond, far to the south, the waters of the Sea of Galilee. Mid the +glare of a noonday sun the little sea seems a molten mass of silvery +hue. We have within the scope of our vision a mountain whose name is +accepted as a word of beauty, a valley of great natural fertility, and +the arena of mighty deeds done by men whose record is found in the +"Book of books," and whose God is the Lord. Here young Jordan springs +into life and links its destiny with the waters of Merom, and onward +the eye stretches to that now placid sheet where in a dark and stormy +night the chosen band were troubled, and where a compassionate Saviour +allayed their fears. + +We dined at Rasheiyet,[8] at the house of a native Protestant +minister, where we were kindly entertained. He accompanied us to the +school of the American mission. We were pleased with what we saw, +more especially with the students' knowledge of scriptural history. +Several hours more brought us to Hasbeiya; we lodged at the +school-house and had our mats spread upon the seats, thus +extemporizing a bedstead. Next morning about twenty of the girls came +in to meet us, and also two of the female teachers. We spoke of the +way of life and salvation, with such words of encouragement as we +found in our hearts. A ride of several hours brought us to Rasheyyá +el-Wady. We lodged at the house of one Moses, the first person of the +place who embraced Protestant views. + + [8] In tracing out the course of these travels I have used the + spelling given in Bradley's _Atlas of the World_. + +Next day, 1st of 12th mo., held a meeting at the school-house. I felt +strengthened, as I trust, to preach "Christ, and Him crucified," as +the only way of life and salvation. On the following day at an early +hour we passed out of the town by the light of a lantern. At half-past +one P. M. we began to ascend Lebanon. At one place near the top we +found our path literally strewed with fossils (bivalves); some of +these we collected to take home with us. After a journey of nearly +fifteen hours we reached Shumlan, our mountain-home, and were glad to +find our companions in comfortable health, and I trust a feeling of +thankfulness was felt to our heavenly Father for His protecting care +so mercifully granted during our separation. Very sincerely, thy +friend, + + ELI JONES. + +We give below some extracts from letters written to the _Friends' +Review_ by Ellen Clare Miller, giving a definite account of the number +and working of the schools in Beirut and Lebanon for the education of +the young sons and daughters of Syria. E. and S. Jones have visited +the greater number of them, and found many different kinds of +laborers--Americans, English, Scotch, and Syrian--all doing a good +work for the land: + +"Most of those among the natives who are true Christians, and who are +exerting a good influence upon the people here, refer gratefully to +the American missionaries as those who were instrumental in bringing +them to the truth. The American mission has stations at many places +among the mountains, most of which have been visited by Eli Jones and +A. L. Fox; and besides those in the north of Syria, which we shall not +see, they have three in Sidon and its neighborhood under the care of +W. Eddy, which we hope soon to visit. The Syrian Protestant college of +which Dr. Bliss is president is an institution where Druses, +Maronites, Greeks, Armenians, and Protestants together receive a +literary, scientific, and medical training under Protestant influence. +E. and S. Jones visited this college last week, when they met +twenty-eight of the young men, whom they were invited to address. Eli +Jones set before them clearly and forcibly the great power of +individual influence possessed by each student, the influence their +institution must exert on the land, the measure it was of the power of +the country, as no stream can rise higher than its source, and as the +fountain is the stream will be. Sybil Jones, as an American mother who +knew much of such institutions in her own land, affectionately urged +them to work perseveringly and prayerfully in their studies, that each +one might leave the world better for his having been in it. It was a +very interesting visit; the young men, a fine, intellectual-looking +company, listened with great attention, and afterward gathered round +the Friends to express their thanks for their kind interest in them. + +"There is a large girls' school in Beirut, under the immediate care of +a Syrian and his wife, but superintended by the wife of Dr. Bliss, Dr. +Thompson's wife, and other ladies. This we have visited more than +once, when E. and S. Jones have spoken to the children." + +"Besides the school at Shumlan, which is under the care of the English +Society for Promoting Female Education in the East, the schools +supported by England are all in the hands of Elizabeth Bowen Thompson, +whose work is a very extensive one. Her schools are at present twelve +in number--five at villages in the mountains--all (with the exception +of one recently opened at Ainzabatté, where an English young lady is +stationed) taught by natives who have been trained by E. B. Thompson +herself. Her work here began in 1860, when the fearful struggle +between the Druses, Maronites, and Mohammedans made so many widows and +orphans. These Elizabeth Thompson gathered around her at Beirut, +providing for and educating them. Since then the field has gradually +opened before her, until she has now seven day-schools in Beirut and +its immediate neighborhood, and a normal training-school of upward of +sixty boarders. All of these E. and S. J. have visited, many of them +frequently." + +"There are many daughters of Jews and Mohammedans among E. B. +Thompson's scholars, and it is very interesting to hear these little +girls singing Christian hymns with the others and repeating and +listening to passages predicting the coming of the Messiah alike of +the Jew and the Christian, and testifying of Jesus as the Christ. E. +and S. Jones had a very interesting meeting with about forty of the +native teachers and others connected with these British schools. There +is a large girls' school, with an orphanage, under the care of the +Prussian deaconesses, similar to the one we visited at Smyrna. Here +Sybil Jones had an interesting time with the sisters and the children. +She also visited the hospital, an establishment in beautiful order, +under the care of four of the sisterhood, where, in a large house +finely situated near the seashore, the very poor are kindly nursed and +cared for. A school for Jewish children, conducted by missionaries +sent out by the Jews' society in Scotland, has lately been established +in Beirut. To this also the Friends paid a visit, which was spoken of +by teachers as very helpful." + +"We left the terraced sides of Lebanon on the last day of the year, +returning to the region of the palm, orange, and prickly pear. The +weather has this month been very fine, though broken now and then by +one of the fierce, sudden winter storms with their rushing rain and +violent thunder and lightning. This wild climate suits Sybil Jones +remarkably well; she has been better since returning to Beirut than +she remembers to have been before, and she enjoys the riding on +donkey-back. Eli Jones is better than when we first landed in Syria, +though the bracing air of the mountains suits him better than this +more relaxing temperature. We have visited most of the missionaries. +Friends and their principles were almost unknown here, but we have +been most kindly received, and we hope way has been made for others of +our Society who may come to this country. E. and S. Jones one day +visited the Beirut prison, into which they were admitted without +hesitation, and where they had the pleasure of speaking to about forty +poor creatures, and of pointing them to Him who alone has power to +break our spiritual fetters." + + * * * * * + +Below we give extracts from a letter of Eli Jones to the _Friends' +Review_, written from Jaffa in Palestine: + +"_2d mo. 17th, 1868._ E. C. Miller's health appearing not quite equal +to a long journey, and finding it not possible to obtain more than +three seats in the diligence for Damascus on the 25th of 1st mo., it +was arranged that our young friend should 'stay by the stuff' in +Beirut while the other members of our party went forward. Accordingly, +at the early hour of two o'clock A. M. we arose, breakfasted at +half-past two, and at three took conveyance for the station, and at +four precisely, with shawls, wraps, sandwiches, etc., were nicely +packed in the coupée of the diligence." + +"Our ride increased in interest as the young day grew upon us, and by +the time the sun had thrown his full blaze of light athwart the +western slope of Lebanon the objects seen through the transparent +atmosphere of this land presented a most delightful view. Our course +was sufficiently tortuous to enable us at times to look down upon +Beirut and its surrounding olive- and mulberry-orchards, stately +palms, and suburban villages, while beyond lay the Great Sea, dotted +here and there with the sail of many a merchant-ship, and then again +Sunnin, the highest western point of Lebanon, snow-capped, stood +majestically before us clad in the changing hues of early morning." + +"Reached the summit near ten, and after another hour's ride of almost +flying speed we looked down upon the great valley of Buka'a or +Coele-Syria, bounded on the east by the Anti-Lebanon, clothed in its +snowy vesture, while far to our right Hermon, the imperial monarch of +Syrian mountains, was seen, in its appearance fully justifying the +appellation sometimes applied to it--that of a silver breastplate." + +"Just as the darkness of night shut out from our view the fertile +valley in which Damascus stood, our last relay of animals was attached +to the carriage, consisting of six white horses; and fine specimens +they were. A little farther on our attention was arrested by the sound +of water on our right, and we were told that it was the Barada River, +the Abana of Scripture. 'Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of +Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?' The remainder of our +journey lay along the fertile valley of this ancient river. It may, +with the strictest propriety, be termed a 'river of Damascus,' as it +divides the city into two parts and furnishes a liberal supply of +water to many of its inhabitants. We found comfortable quarters at the +Dimitris' hotel. The proprietor, a Greek, speaks broken English and +strives to make the stay of his guests as agreeable as circumstances +will admit. + +"_26th._ Sent our certificates to the missionaries for their perusal. +At 12 M. attended the prayer-meeting of the few persons here who speak +English. After some singing and prayers, and a rather long theological +discussion, liberty was given to others to speak. My dear Sybil +availed herself of the opportunity to express the feelings which lay +with weight upon her heart. This was done briefly, when she knelt in +earnest supplication on behalf of those present and for the spread of +the glorious gospel of God our Saviour." + +"The next day visited two of the schools under the care of the +missionaries; strove to encourage teachers and pupils to act well +their part. Then went to the home of one of the Bible-women employed +by E. B. Thompson to go from house to house and teach such women as +desire to read the Bible." + +"During our stay in the city we had frequently at our morning readings +of the Holy Scriptures the company of the Bible-women and a few +others, when our hearts were made glad in the Lord."... "A few weeks +previous to the abdication of Louis Philippe the French obtained a +foothold in Algeria, after a lengthened struggle of fifteen years or +more, when Abdel-Kader, the sultan of the Arabs and one of the most +remarkable men of his nation, was induced to surrender to the power of +the French, on the condition that he might be allowed to retire to a +Mohammedan country as a stipendiary exile."... "He is a follower of +Mohammed, the founder of Islamism, and has shown his devotion to the +teachings of the Koran by a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina and by a +lifelong adherence to the religion of his fathers. In 1860 thousands +of Christians in the Lebanon and in Damascus were massacred in cold +blood, instigated by the deadly hate of the followers of the false +Prophet, while hundreds of others, men, women, and children, fled from +their pursuers and took refuge in the house and about the premises of +Abdel-Kader, who in the exercise of the influence his position gives +him, and from the promptings of a kind heart, aided by his trusty +followers, shielded the helpless ones from the fury and fanaticism of +his co-religionists. Once the mob approached his house and demanded +with frantic yells that the Christians within it should be delivered +up to them. He, accompanied by a strong body of his followers, went +out to confront the yelling crowd. 'Wretches!' he exclaimed, 'is this +the way you honor your prophet? May his curse be upon you! Shame on +you! shame! You will yet live to repent. You think you may do as you +like with the Christians, but the day of retribution will come. The +Franks will yet come and turn your mosques into churches. Not a +Christian will I give up. _They are my brothers._' The mob +withdrew."... "Abdel-Kader[9] was at length enabled to repose. He had +rescued _fifteen thousand souls_ belonging to the Eastern churches +from death, and worse than death, by his fearless courage, his +unwearied activity, and his catholic-minded zeal. All the +representatives of the Christian powers then residing at Damascus, +without one single exception, had owed their lives to him. Strange and +unparalleled destiny! An Arab had thrown his guardian ægis over the +outraged majesty of Europe. A descendant of the Prophet had sheltered +and protected the (professed) Spouse of Christ. The day previous to +our leaving Damascus it seemed right to seek an interview with this +noble exile, and from a full heart, in my own name and in behalf of my +country and fellow-professors, thank him for his kind and humane +interposition, by which, under Providence, so many fellow-beings were +rescued from an untimely and a cruel death. Passing up the street upon +which the house of the great chief stands, and having Abou Ibrahim for +a guide (who, by the way, claims descent from Aaron), we observed +Abdel-Kader enter the gateway just before we reached it, where he was +standing when we arrived. Our guide having addressed him, he kindly +noticed A. L. Fox and myself, and, cordially beckoning us to follow +him, led us to a simple reception-room, where, being seated, we had an +opportunity of saying what lay nearest to our hearts, and enjoyed the +pleasure of feeling that it was kindly taken.[10] While in Damascus we +were in the 'street called Straight,' and visited the place indicated +by tradition as the house of Judas, where the blind Saul of Tarsus +lodged. We were shown the house of Ananias, who was sent to cure the +penitent of his blindness, and the place in the wall where the +disciples took him by night and let him down in a basket. I am not +surprised that the Christian traveller feels some misgivings as to the +identity of these places when he remembers that the evidence is mainly +traditional. There is, however, scarcely room to doubt that the modern +city occupies the site of the Damascus of Scripture, and that the +'street called Straight' is the identical one entered by Saul on that +memorable day that gave to the Gentile world a great apostle and to +the Christian Church one of its brightest luminaries."... "The +conversion of Paul was one of the most momentous events of Scripture +history. The fiery zeal of Saul the persecutor was not extinguished--it +was sanctified."... + + [9] From _Life of Abdel-Kader_, by Col. Churchill. + + [10] Eli Jones spoke his mission in English. Alfred Fox translated it + into German, and the Jew gave it to the Arab sultan in his own + language. Through the medium of three of the world's great languages + the representatives of these three great religions expressed their + thoughts to each other, and the burden of the thoughts was love and + gratitude. The message being given, refreshments were put before the + strangers, and then Abdel-Kader withdrew as a courtesy, so that these + visitors might not be constrained to go out backward from his + presence--an honor due to him as sultan. + +"Paul the missionary retained all his former energy, boldness, and +determination. In Damascus he first preached 'Christ crucified;' then +he went into Arabia, then to Antioch, then through Asia Minor; then he +passed the Hellespont to Greece; and then he went a prisoner to Rome, +where he preached the gospel though chained to a heathen soldier. The +apostle Paul occupies the first place among the New-Testament +worthies."... "Damascus is as old as history itself. It has survived +generations of cities that have risen up in succession around it and +have passed away. While they all lie in ruins, Damascus retains the +freshness and vigor of youth."... "Outside of the eastern gate of the +city is a leper hospital, which to this day is supposed by the +inhabitants to occupy the site of Naaman's house."... "There are in +the city about thirty thousand Christians, ten thousand Jews, one +hundred thousand Mohammedans, and of Protestant Christians less than +one hundred, all counted." + +"On the 31st of the month we returned to Beirut by diligence. During +our stay of five days at Damascus snow had fallen upon the mountains, +but not so as materially to retard our progress until we had nearly +reached the summit of Lebanon, when, being furnished with a train of +twelve animals and four outriders, aided by a strong force of men, we +proceeded without much detention, arriving at our comfortable quarters +in good time."... "We anticipate leaving in a few days for Jerusalem, +should the weather permit and the health of our party prove equal to +the effort."... "With love to all who love the truth as it is in Jesus +Christ, + + "ELI JONES." + +The following are extracts from a letter from Ellen Clare Miller, +written a few days after the return of Eli Jones and A. L. Fox from +Damascus: + +"Eli Jones had a meeting at Beirut with some of the young Syrian men +of the town, which, though it was a stormy night, was well attended +and an interesting time. On First day, the 9th, he had a very good +meeting in a suburb of the town at the house of one of the principal +men in the neighborhood."... "It was a very interesting group, upward +of one hundred being present, some of the turbaned old men leaning +forward on their staves with their eyes fixed on Eli Jones while, +after the reading of the twelfth of Ecclesiastes from the Arabic +Bible, he addressed them through the aid of our kind interpreter, +Maalim Saleem, seeking to bring all before him, old and young, to +enter into the service of Him whom he had from his youth proved to be +a good Master." + +"On the 7th, Sybil Jones had a meeting with the women connected with +E. M. Thompson's school, at which she spoke to them for about an hour +of our need of a Saviour."... "Many of these women have learned to +read, and they are very anxious that a school should be opened for +them where they may be taught to read and sew by a native teacher." ... +"She visited also some of the poor women at their own homes and +the Bible-women employed by E. M. Thompson, all of whom seemed very +ready to receive a visit from one having their best interests at +heart, and to listen gladly to the word spoken."... "On Second day +evening a meeting was held by Eli and Sybil Jones with the +Arabic-speaking congregation at Beirut, who readily responded to the +invitation to meet them. Eli Jones addressed them from the words, 'The +law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.'"... +"Sybil Jones followed, urging the necessity of a heart-changing +repentance."... "Sybil Jones paid interesting visits to some of the +harems at Beirut, the first time we had been inside any of those +'gilded cages,' where the poor women, without the resource of books, +for they cannot read, or of work, for they cannot sew, talk, sleep, +dream, and smoke life away, without the variety of walking out, for +they cannot be trusted abroad, and unable to look out into the world +except through a lattice. We went under the care of E. M. Thompson, +who obtains ready access." ... "We were driven as near the first house +as the carriage could be taken, but on alighting had to ascend a +steep, rough, narrow road, crossing a watercourse here and there, then +a branch road of steps, then another torrent-path. The roads of +ill-governed Syria are deplorable indeed. At last we reached the door +of a large but unpretending-looking house, or rather group of houses, +for one opened out of another. Here lived four families, related to +each other, of the first rank in Beirut, the grandmothers, the wives +of the house, girls, and children, in the flowing dress of the East, +sitting on the floor by the ashes of the braziers or crouching on the +divan, all but the youngest smoking the unfailing nargileh with its +long flexible tube. They received us most cordially and +affectionately, and seated us by their sides, and through the medium +of one of E. M. Thompson's native teachers Sybil Jones spoke to them, +and also E. M. Thompson; but it was very difficult to secure the +attention of the company for any length of time; they could not +refrain from laughing and chatting together. Poor creatures! some of +them looked almost devoid of intellect with the long pipe-tubes in +their mouths; others were very pretty and seemed quite to appreciate +the loss they sustained by being uneducated. Some of the highest +Mohammedan families are very anxious that E. M. Thompson should open a +school for their elder girls, where they would send them if no man was +allowed to look upon them. The desire for education is waking up among +them in a remarkable manner." ... "The ladies are all waited upon by +dark, white-teethed African female slaves in scanty clothing. Sherbet, +coffee, and sweetmeats were handed round, and it is an insult to +decline partaking, however many houses we may have visited." ... "Poor +creatures! we could not but desire that the true light might enter +their dwellings and shine into their hearts." + +"We sailed from Beirut on the 12th, and came down the coast in the +night, passing in the darkness Sidon, Tyre, Mount Carmel, and Cæsarea. +After a rather stormy passage we anchored next morning before Jaffa, +which rises up from the sea on a round hill, at each side of which is +a sandy bay."... "It is difficult by description to give much idea of +Jaffa with its steep, narrow, dirty, and muddy lanes, and +street-stairs which climb up the hill among the old, dilapidated +houses crowded irregularly together."... "Jaffa is very ancient, and, +notwithstanding its extreme dirtiness, an interesting place."... "The +most interesting place to visit in the town itself is the +supposed--and, indeed, well-authenticated--site of the house of Simon +the tanner, which stands by the sea-side, rising up above the +town-wall. The building now standing is not supposed to be the very +one in which Peter lodged, but to have been built on the spot where it +stood. In the courtyard is a very ancient well which helps to identify +the place, and beside it is a large stone trough of undoubted +antiquity, probably used to soak hides in, and partly covered by a +large flat stone like a currier's table." + +"There is mission-work going on at Jaffa; P. Metzler, a German +educated at the Basle institution, carries on a mill, with part of the +profits of which he supports a girls' day-school."... "Eli Jones with +A. L. Fox visited this school the other day, when he spoke to and +examined the children, with whose intelligence and answers he was much +pleased." + +"While the Friends were in Damascus I was present at a native wedding, +where the honored guests were each furnished with a taper to hold; +which had a great interest as a remnant of the going forth with lamps +to meet the bridegroom alluded to in the parable of the Ten Virgins. +New light too has been thrown on the expression 'heaping coals of fire +on his head' by finding that it is customary for the baker when he +clears his oven at night to give away the living embers to those who +will accept the kindness; and we have met persons in the evening +carrying these coals away on their heads in large open braziers. It is +remarkable how little the customs of the people have changed within +the last two or three thousand years." + + * * * * * + +After the above letter was written the Friends went from Jaffa to +Jerusalem, thence to Marseilles, having held many meetings and +interviews with teachers and scholars in the schools, which are doing +a great work toward causing the light of day to dawn upon unfortunate +Syria. The following extracts from a letter written by Eli Jones to +the _Friends' Review_ from London will state clearly the reasons for +their leaving Palestine sooner than was expected: "We are again in +this great city, and comfortably quartered at the house of our very +kind friends Stafford and Hannah S. Allen, where we are seeking rest +and a renewal of strength for further service for our good Master. For +more than two months past my dear Sybil has been suffering from an +attack of disease, leaving her at times very weak; consequently, we +were unable to accomplish fully what we had in view in the Orient, +leaving several places in Palestine and in Egypt that we might hasten +the time of embarkation at Alexandria in order to bear our invalid to +a more favorable climate, as the only thing likely to facilitate a +cure. The voyage, with the use of remedies prescribed by the physician +on shipboard, arrested the disorder for a time, and we hoped the cure +might prove permanent; but the journey by train from Marseilles to +Nismes proved too much for the strength of our charge, and the +disorder rallied with fresh force and continued for some time, but +again yielded to skilful treatment and nursing by our dear friend +Lydia Majolier, whose kindness and sympathy, with those of our +much-loved friends in the south of France, greatly cheered all our +party. Near noon of the 8th we took the train for Paris, and thence to +London by way of Boulogne, where we arrived after a journey of +thirty-three hours' continuance. Dear S. bore the journey admirably, +and we now entertain the hope that a few days of quiet and rest may be +of great use, so that we may be able to proceed to Dublin in season +for the yearly meeting. Our long sojourn in the East has not been +without its trials. Sometimes they seemed to us peculiar, and when we +attempted to look into the future it seemed doubtful if not dark. +Still, that kind Hand always stretched out to save has gently led the +way and shielded us from harm. Blessed be the name of the Lord!"... +"A. L. Fox left us last evening for his home, where we now fancy him +in the society of wife and child, father and mother, brothers and +sisters, to whom he is tenderly attached and by whom he is greatly +beloved. Dear E. C. Miller intends to remain until Second or Third day +of next week before she leaves to join the home-circle, by whom she +will receive a warm welcome, but saddened by the thought that one dear +sister waits not on earth to welcome the coming one, but in another +and higher scene of existence." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_SECOND VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND._ + + +The cause for which the two Friends came to England before fully +accomplishing their work in Syria was the extreme feebleness of Sybil +Jones. A change and partial rest seemed imperative. + +They soon began to labor in Cornwall, and they were gratified to find +"Quakerism still vital" in this place where George Fox had sowed the +seed exactly two centuries before. Considerable time was spent and +much edifying work done at Falmouth, where they were pleased to find +so many Friends of high literary and scientific attainments. The small +meetings of the neighboring villages received new life from the +earnest words and encouraging advice of the travellers. + +One of their letters describes the visit to a meeting at Come-to-Good +in the parish of Kea: + +"Here is a meeting-house belonging to Friends built more than two +hundred years ago. It has a most primitive appearance. The walls are +of stone, the abutments of the same material; the roof is thatched +with straw. It is in a rural and retired spot. Only one Friend, and he +of more than fourscore years, resides in the neighborhood; but the +many grassy mounds that press about the door tell of generations that +have passed away. The meeting here was one of great interest, and one +to which we recur with unfeigned pleasure. He who, we doubt not, has +from time to time met his servants here and at that altar of 'unhewn +stones,' was now present to bless the waiting ones. In this humble +structure George Fox proclaimed the good news with his wonted zeal and +with all the energy of a reformer." + +In the same letter Eli Jones writes with great feeling: + +"A little farther on we reach the Land's End. Here it stands, a bold +promontory, with granite fingers pointing toward the New World. As I +climb these mighty bulwarks that have successfully defied the power of +Old Ocean through every change of time, and look out upon the unstable +waters toward the setting sun, what thoughts of kindred and country +fill my breast! Lord of life, great Spirit in the centre of all +worlds, bless thou them!" + +For more than two months they dwelt at Plymouth, during which time +Sybil Jones gained strength rapidly, although she was in a very +critical condition. A Friend from that city writes of their message +there: "I believe there are many in this part of the country who will +have reason to bless God in eternity for the visit and gospel labors +of Eli and Sybil Jones." Members who had never before opened their +lips in public bore testimony that they desired to be on the Lord's +side. + +The southern part of England was faithfully travelled over, and the +joys of a "life hid with Christ in God" proclaimed to the people, who +everywhere received the messengers and the message gladly. The various +meetings of Ireland were again attended. A warm reception was given to +the American workers, who were already well known there from their +previous efforts, and an earnest and loving spirit seemed to pervade +many hearts. As this year (1868) was closing, Eli Jones, with a heart +full of love to God for his immeasurable blessings, wrote to one of +his friends in the land which he so loved: + +"As we turn to other households and to our country, and to other +countries and peoples, we see everywhere evidences of the +superintending care of Him in whom we live and move and have our +being. And are we not reminded by divers tokens for good that light is +advancing? And may we not accept as true the words of the poet: + + 'Upon the great dial-plate of ages + The light advanced no more recedes'? + +If this be so, let us bind on our armor, and as the newborn year takes +its place as the successor of those that are past, and after it shall +have done its full measure of service in the long line of years shall +give place to others, who we hope may be blessed in their deed and +doing far beyond their progenitors. + +"On the closing day of the last year I stood with my fellow-travellers +upon the western slope of Mount Lebanon, and there reviewed the past +and looked prayerfully forward to the incoming year--a year whose +history will soon be complete. And what a history! and what a work has +been accomplished!--work in which millions have been actors. The +citizens of the two great English-speaking nations, Great Britain and +the United States, have with unprecedented unanimity at their late +elections declared in favor of religious liberty and of political +equality. In Spain multitudes seem only waiting to claim for +themselves and their countrymen these inalienable rights of all men. + +"Even in Turkey, where the teachings of the Koran and the False +Prophet have dominated so long, see we not bright rays of light here +and there amid the darkness? I think we do. The Christian woman with +her firman from the sultan is diligently instituting schools where the +children of the Jew, the Christian, and the Mohammedan are taught +_not_ the _Koran_, but the _page_ written by inspiration of God. + +"If we turn to Madagascar, that far-off island of the sea, we observe +much with which to fill a large page in the history of the year just +closing. A queen has reached the throne who looks approvingly upon the +workers among her pagan subjects, while thousands press about those +who tell the good news of salvation by Jesus Christ, and hear them +gladly; while Liberia, India, China, and Japan can each furnish a page +that shall tell of light advancing and declare to the world that 'God +is love' and the 'Father of us all.'" + +As the winter passed and Sybil Jones felt new strength come from her +partial rest in Great Britain, while her husband continually carried +on the work, sometimes alone, sometimes with her help, they each began +to feel that there was more work to be done in the East, though +neither had spoken to the other in regard to it. The 22d of 2d mo., +their prospect having become definite, with the full approval of +English Friends they once more embarked for Syria. They spent nearly a +week in the south of France, revisiting their many friends there and +encouraging them all to continue on in their lives of service to the +Master. The meetings were very large, sometimes fully five hundred +being present, and they found their work done sixteen years before had +left a lasting impression. + +After a delightful voyage over the blue waters of the Mediterranean +they came to Alexandria, where there were many opportunities offered +for spreading the news of the way of life through the Saviour. Here +and at Cairo there were many who gladly listened to the great truths +which they were inspired to preach. There, where Napoleon had told his +soldiers that forty centuries looked down upon them from the heights +of the Pyramids, these missionaries of love labored to point their +hearers to the Ancient of Days, whose habitation is from eternity and +which standeth sure. The different mission-schools of Northern Egypt +were visited and helped in various ways. + +Of this work Ellen Clare Miller, again their companion, writes: + +"The visit to Egypt was altogether of remarkable interest, there +being, especially among the native Christians at Alexandria, an +interesting and open field for the spread of _spiritual Christianity_, +and an earnest longing in the minds of some after a closer +_acquaintance with the teaching of the Holy Spirit and His appearing +in the soul_." + +The 16th of 4th mo. they came to the end of their journey, and camped +outside the city of Jerusalem. At once they began the work of visiting +schools and holding little meetings for all who wished to hear the +gospel, not only in Jerusalem, but in all the surrounding villages. As +these laborers rose before the groups gathered round them on the very +spots where the works of our Master were wrought and where his words +were spoken, with the scenes of the greatest historic events +stretching out before them, a new power seemed to fill them, and their +souls were stirred for the salvation and upbuilding of the people of +this Holy Land. No class of its inhabitants was neglected; even the +lepers were recipients of their message. Eli Jones visited the +community of these unfortunate beings, and tried to induce them to +come to the hospital prepared for them, telling them also of Him who +came into this world to deliver us from even a worse disease than +leprosy. + +A letter from Eli Jones, written from Burkin, will suffice to give the +reader an idea of their travels and a description of some of the +places visited. Among others he speaks of Ramallah, where the +mission-school was begun during their visit there. The letter was +written for the _Friends' Review_: + +"Tented near this little town, the time of day something past 'high +noon' and the heat at 94° in the shade, I take the time to jot down a +few thoughts, or perhaps I should say facts, for the perusal of my +North American correspondents. Since I last wrote thee we have passed +through portions of the ancient country of Egypt, have looked with +feelings of admiration and wonder upon her pyramids and hieroglyphics, +the former standing out to-day in all their primeval strength to tell +of the _greatness_, or perhaps more correctly of the _folly_, of their +builders, and the latter as we saw them upon the lasting rock +apparently as clearly defined as when fresh from the hand of the +recorder. + +"The Nile, emphatically 'the river of Egypt,' still flows onward to +the sea, and in its season annually waters the country, giving +abundant fertility to the soil, which if cultivated with skill and +care would make the adopted country of Joseph again the granary of the +world. We had a very pleasant sail upon this wonderful river, +embarking near the spot where floated the ark of bulrushes containing +the Hebrew child who in the fulness of time became the leader and +deliverer of Israel from their long bondage in the land of the +Pharaohs. At the time of our visit the river was spanned by a bridge +of boats, thrown across by order of the viceroy on the occasion of the +marriage of some members of his family: this circumstance gave us a +carriage-ride for several miles where otherwise we must have had +recourse to donkeys as a mode of conveyance. + +"A canal has been constructed extending from the Nile near Cairo to +Suez upon the Red Sea; these places are also connected by the +railroad; much of the way this runs parallel to the canal. On our way +to the latter place we followed the iron horse for five or six hours +across the desert of sand which must needs be passed, and which is +enlivened only by the moving sails upon the canal, the untiring steeds +that bore us on, and those tell-tale wires which, as with loving +arms, are embracing not only the seas and fertile lands, but also the +desert wilds. An highway (Isa. xi. 16) _is_ here, and shall not _this_ +desert yet blossom as a rose? To our party the Red Sea was an object +of much interest: as we sailed out upon it we beheld at our right the +mountains through whose defiles the Lord's people are supposed to have +passed on their approach to the water's edge, where, notwithstanding +the hot pursuit of their enemies, they were to hear the assuring +language: 'Fear ye not; stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, +which He will show to you to-day; for the Egyptians which ye have seen +to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever;' and on our left was +the gently-sloping strand where they made their exit from their watery +way, and where we subsequently landed, some of our party going a +little way into the interior to drink of the waters at the 'well of +Moses,' which remaineth unto this day. Let the God of Israel be +magnified, and let not His wonderful works be forgotten by the +children of men. + +"During our brief stay in this part of Egypt we had occasionally the +opportunity of observing the progress of the work upon the projected +ship-canal across the Isthmus of Suez. Of its ultimate completion and +success its projectors are very sanguine, and it is equally clear that +for the attainment of that end great engineering skill has been +displayed and a large expenditure of money been made, and such a +measure of unfaltering perseverance and of unflagging determination to +overcome opposing difficulties brought into requisition as have been +manifested in few other enterprises undertaken by man. + +"On the 6th of the 5th mo. the male members of our party left for +Jericho, travelling the very road, we may suppose, upon which the man +was journeying who 'fell among thieves, who stripped him of his +raiment and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.' We +halted near mid-day under the 'shadow of a great rock,' and not far +from the spot made ever memorable and dear to the Christian by one of +the most beautiful and instructive parables of our blessed Lord--that +of the Good Samaritan. + +"We found the way rough and in some places difficult, yet there are in +several places indications that in the centuries past, perhaps in the +days of Roman rule, there was a highway here where the chariots of +Jehu and Jabin might have 'rolled harmlessly on.' + +"Our tents we located near the modern Jericho, which is supposed to +occupy the site of Gilgal, the camping-ground of the host commanded by +Joshua, and where he did 'pitch those twelve stones which they took +out of Jordan' in commemoration of their miraculous passage through +the waters. Almost immediately upon reaching this place we put +ourselves in communication with the people. Found the entire +population Moslem, not one of whom can read, and the evidences of +moral degradation, especially among some of the females, were +remarkable. It should be said, however, that when we spoke to them of +matters of the highest moment, and read to them from the sacred +volume, the majority listened with some approach to respectful +attention. + +"In the evening the sheik and some twenty or more of the men of the +village responded to an invitation to come to our tent: we read a +portion of Scripture and spoke to them of the beneficial effects of +education upon a people, and of our individual duties to God. Our +remarks were ably seconded by Prof. E. C. Mitchell of Alton, Ill., who +kindly united with us in striving to stimulate the inhabitants of +Jericho in the way of mental and moral improvement. At the close of +the interview they assured us that we were the first persons who had +ever offered them a helping hand or spoken to them of a better way +than the one they were then pursuing, and added that on the next +evening they would tell us whether they would accept our offer to give +them a school. At an early hour next morning we were on our way to the +Dead Sea, where we enjoyed the luxury of a bath in its bitter and +buoyant waters; thence we passed on to the Jordan, to the place where +thousands of pilgrims come in commemoration of the passage of the +pilgrim band from Egypt under the lead of Joshua, and of the baptism +of the world's great Deliverer by John, that the righteousness of the +law might be fulfilled. Here we lunched and duplicated our bath in the +Dead Sea: found the current of the river strong and rapid, requiring +much care to retain one's position. The water is shoal, but of +sufficient depth in places to allow of baptism by immersion. + +"On our return to Jericho the sheik kindly engaged to convene some of +the people in the town, where we met fifty or sixty persons, and among +the number several females, who brought their long pipes and engaged +in smoking as they took their seats upon the ground. Their faces and +breasts were sadly tattooed, and on the whole they presented a +spectacle not easily matched short of the Western wilds of America. It +is, however, but justice to this country to say that during my long +stay here I have nowhere else seen its like. The motley company were +addressed by Prof. Mitchell and others of our party, and we cherish +the hope that this labor will not be in vain in the Lord, but that in +due time fruit may appear. Soon after reaching our tents several of +the men called to say that they wished a school for their children, +and if we would send a teacher they would gladly receive him. I hope +the means may be found to support a school at this place. The good +influence would extend rapidly to the towns around. + +"First day, 9th of the month, some of our party at an early hour in +the morning were at Bethany, the town of Mary and Martha, where we +collected upon the top of a house such persons as we found at liberty, +and read the account of the raising to life of Lazarus, as recorded by +the evangelist, after which we trust Jesus Christ was preached as the +resurrection and the life. + +"At half-past two P. M. of the 11th we left Jerusalem on our journey +northward, and soon after reached the top of Mount Scopus, where on +our right we enjoyed a delightful view of the Dead Sea, the valley of +the Jordan near its mouth, and beyond the mountains of Moab, and, +turning to review the ground travelled over, we had Jerusalem full in +view; and perhaps from no other point is the city seen to greater +advantage than from this, unless it be from Olivet. Tradition tells us +that Titus, the Roman invader, selected the top of Scopus for his +camping-ground, from which he could easily observe much that was +transpiring in and around the doomed city. + +"We now leave, probably for the last time, the city dear to Jew and +Greek, to Moslem and Christian, and especially dear to us who have +found an open door to preach there Christ, and Him crucified. + +"Some half hour on our way from Scopus we turned aside a little to +look upon the village of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, the home of +Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah. Resuming our course, we soon reached +'Gibeah of Saul.' The place is indicated by little more than a conical +hill, which lay to our right. On our left and more distant, capping a +high eminence, Mizpah was seen. Farther on Ramah was reached, the home +of the good Samuel, 'and Samuel judged Israel all the days of his +life. And he went from year to year in circuits to Bethel and Gilgal +and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. And his return was +to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel, and +then he built an altar unto the Lord.' + +"Reaching Ramallah, some three hours from Jerusalem we found our tent +in readiness to receive us. The town occupies an elevated position +overlooking the distant plain of Sharon. The air was cool and bracing. +12th, visited a boys' school at Ramallah. In the afternoon some of our +party visited one at Jifneh, the Gophna of Josephus. 13th, went to +Bethel, distant one and a half hours from our encampment. + +"On approaching this place, so noted in Scripture records, we observed +the remains of a cistern 314 feet by 217 feet, constructed of massive +stones; the southern side is entire, the other sides are more or less +ruined. A portion of the enclosure is now used as a threshing-floor. +Here also is a fountain at which the cattle of Abraham often drank in +former days, and at which the maidens of Sarah were wont to fill their +pitchers as the Arab maidens do still. + +"The Bethel of to-day is a miserable Moslem village with a low, +uneducated population, amongst whom we were unable to find more than +one person who could read. He is the one who calls the people to +prayers; to him we gave a tract and the Psalms of David in Arabic. + +"As we spoke to some of the inhabitants of our great Father in heaven, +and of our obligations to serve Him, we were answered with little more +than a vacant stare and an expressed wish for backsheesh. What a +contrast between these followers of the False Prophet and him who is +called the 'father of the faithful,' who here spread his tent and here +rendered true homage to the great _I Am!_ and how unlike the patriarch +Jacob, who here, beneath heaven's broad canopy, slept, as many an Arab +now sleeps, on the bare ground with a stone for his pillow! Here he +dreamed of the ladder which reached from earth to heaven, and on which +the angels were ascending and descending, and on awakening was so +impressed with the holiness and majesty of Jehovah that he +exclaimed,'How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the +house of God.' And here the cheering promise was given him: 'In thee +and all thy _seed_ shall all the families of the earth be blessed; and +behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou +goest.' + +"Here Samuel, worthy of double honor, a prophet of God and a judge in +Israel, came on his yearly circuit from Gilgal and Mizpah to hold his +court and render righteous judgment between brethren; and thitherward +turned the steps of Elijah and Elisha while fulfilling their high +commission as servants of God. + +"And here too came the youthful king Josiah, as foretold by the +prophet, and brake down the high-places of Jeroboam, and burned down +to the ground the grove that grew up on the hill for the worship of +Astarte. + +"On our return from Bethel we held a meeting at Beeroth--now called +Bireh--with a few Christians and Moslems. Our interpreter read the +fifth chapter of Matthew, after which I drew their attention to the +teaching of the gospel, dwelling at some length upon the words, +'Therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even +so unto them.' They listened with marked attention to all that was +said. On leaving we were told that a few years since a difficulty +arose from a very slight cause between two families in the town, and, +spreading to others, the spirit of strife and revenge grew higher and +higher till in their murderous fury forty-four persons lost their +lives, and since then the spirit of revenge had shown itself in other +ways. Only the night before our meeting valuable fig trees had been +destroyed from the same cause, and we were told that some of the +parties concerned were present and heard our words of exhortation. + +"Beeroth was one of the four cities of the Gibeonites, whose curious +story the name will at once recall. It is also thought to be the +halting-place of Joseph and Mary when they found that the child Jesus +was not among their friends and kinsfolk of the party. Ramallah, +twenty minutes from Beeroth, is professedly a Christian village, +occupying a commanding position from which we get a fine view westward +down the mountain-sides of Benjamin and Ephraim, and over the broad +plain of Sharon to the Mediterranean. + +"Toward evening we held a meeting at the Protestant school-room in +this town. The crowd of men, women, and children became so dense that +nearly every one assumed a standing position, and all seemed very +eager to see the strangers, and, as I thought, very curious to hear a +woman address a public assembly. My S. J., taking her stand upon a bed +in a corner of the room, spoke earnestly and at considerable length +upon the way of life and salvation, to which many listened with fixed +attention. + +"_14th._ At the request of S. J., a meeting was appointed for females; +many responded, and a satisfactory meeting was held. Meantime, the +male members of our party called at the Latin convent. Found the monk +at its head with a school of eight or ten boys, which he summarily +dismissed upon our entering, assigning as a reason that it was time +for them to leave, though it was but ten o'clock in the morning. From +the answers which he gave to our numerous inquiries we were induced to +think that although he and his associates may not do much to enlighten +the people around them, yet that as an individual he is really loyal +to the Church of which he is a member, and that he considers +salvation very unlikely, if not impossible, apart from conformity to +its rules and its traditional observances. + +"In the evening a meeting was held with males only, in which they were +exhorted to prepare to meet their God in peace by repentance toward +Him and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and also to a faithful +performance of their several duties as husbands, fathers, and +brothers, that so the position of women may be elevated in this land +and her children prepared for a useful career among men. + +"I am closing this sheet at Beirut, the 12th of 6th mo.; and as the +mail closes very soon, I have only time to add that our party are in +good health and look to turning their faces homeward in a few days. + + "Thy loving and sincere friend, + "ELI JONES." + +It will not be possible to give the further details of the faithful +efforts of this little party to promote the highest earthly and +eternal welfare of the inhabitants of this once highly favored land. +They visited all the spots made sacred by the steps of Him whom they +followed, but they went not to satisfy their desire of beholding: they +bore tidings of joy to the sorrowful. They pursued their journey as +far north as Beirut, preaching in every city and village, and leaving +in many places money behind them for the advancement of education. +Wholly devoted as they were to the service of the Lord, with great +love for all the human souls where they went, and power being given +them to tell the story of a mighty Deliverer, the fruit of work must +have been very abundant. We do not need to count those converted in +such work for the Lord, and even if we could we should still be unable +to estimate the value of the seed thrown broadcast over the land, +which may long lie dormant and finally bud into new grain. + +On the 22d of 6th mo. Eli and Sybil Jones, with their companions, E. +C. Miller, Joseph Pim, Richard Allen, and T. C. Wakefield, sailed from +Beirut for the Occident, stopping on their way at Athens, Marseilles, +and Geneva, and reaching London the 10th of 7th mo. Soon after their +arrival in England the two American Friends embarked for their home. +Sybil Jones's work in the Eastern continent was now complete, and she +had the great satisfaction of feeling that she had in every particular +obeyed the call of Him whom she served. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_SYBIL JONES: HER LIFE-WORK AND DEATH._ + + "For ever blessed be His name who bore + Her blood-washed, white-robed spirit on and on, + Through dark, deep waters to the radiant shore, + Her warfare ended and the victory won. + + "Her children, underneath her native skies, + Rise in the North, the South, the East, the West: + In Europe, Asia, Africa they rise, + Her sons and daughters, and pronounce her blessed. + + "Oh for a zeal like hers, to never tire! + Oh for a faith like hers, to follow still + The cloud by day, by night the glowing fire, + That led her on to do her Father's will!" + + DELPHINA E. MENDENHALL, "_To Sybil Jones._" + + +After the return from the East a few more days were left for Sybil +Jones to tell the same story to men and women nearer her own home. Her +frail body had carried her to many shores, and had not given way until +she was once more among lifelong friends. + +She had presented Christianity to Mohammedan women "from the standard +of equality of sex in social life, religion, and the ministry of the +word." She had entered the "gilded cages" of Eastern harems and "borne +the gospel with a sister's love to those unhappy inmates--glad tidings +which they had never heard until proclaimed by her lips." With no +relaxation of fervor, with no diminution of power, she continued to +tell those not living in communion with God that "to be +carnally-minded is death," and with the earnestness of one saving +drowning men from the depths of the sea she stretched forth her hands +and raised her touching voice to save them from a still worse death, +the wages of their sins. The series of general meetings which Friends +had just begun to hold gave her an opportunity to come before large +audiences of all denominations, of the different classes. Many who +came were unconverted; many more were in a dangerously lukewarm state; +others needed strength and comfort. To one and all she proclaimed the +great truth that whosoever liveth unto himself dieth, but "whoso hath +the Son hath life;" and to the hearts where sorrow and discouragement +and doubt dwelt she spoke of a joy for the world, an encouragement "to +press toward the mark for the prize," a faith and belief that +overcome. Over those long Maine hills, in the balmy air of autumn, +fresh from the yellow grain and mellow fruit, or creaking through the +snowdrifts of mid-winter, she and her husband, both with the same +thought uppermost, rode to sit down on the high seats of those +broad-based, low-eaved Friends' meeting-houses, and to rise again and +speak messages of healing inspired by the great Physician. She loved +to live, for every day gave her one more chance to call to the unhappy +to be made happy. She loved to live, because she enjoyed the beautiful +things which God brought daily before her eyes in His book written +with His own hand. It was, too, a joy to her to be with her family, to +be a mother to her dear children, a wife to her wedded fellow-laborer, +and a friend to the many who loved her; but while she loved life she +knew enough of our God to be assured that when her "bark sank it would +be but to another sea," and that what we call death is but going from +a chrysalis life to a fulness of knowledge and a fulness of life. No +change that merely freed her of what could die and left her wholly +immortal could be terrible to her, and so she had never, in all the +days of extreme sickness which she had passed, had other thought than +that she was being kept from work. To the very last she pleaded with +her wonted earnestness: "I beseech you in Christ's stead, be ye +reconciled to God," and she loved to quote the hymn which expressed +the aspiration of her soul: + + "Oh, if _one soul_ I've pleaded with + Meets me at God's right hand, + My heaven will be two heavens + In Immanuel's Land." + +The thought has often been expressed that as the spiritual life of a +man or woman grows, develops, and gains complete mastery, the body +gradually takes on a new and deeper beauty; a something which had not +formerly existed shines out and hallows the face, and somewhat as the +setting sun puts over the clouds a glory which throughout all the long +sunshiny day had not been seen, so a brighter gleam comes out from a +ripened soul, and it becomes more than ever evident that the +inhabitant of the clay house had come "trailing clouds of glory from +God who is its home." This was decidedly true with her. The tall, +erect, queenly person, the large head, high forehead, deep hazel +eyes, the smile which so often played upon the lines of her +countenance,--all took a new meaning as the "light which never was on +sea or land" shone through them, proving that her "citizenship was in +heaven" and that she indeed was "a fellow-citizen of the saints." We +know not what is beyond our ken for such as she, but we believe that +He who created such a wondrous home for the mortal part has otherwhere +a proportionally magnificent domain for that which dieth not. A few +hours before she died she exclaimed in the words of the martyr +Rutherford: + + "Oh, well it is for ever, + Oh, well for evermore, + My nest hung in no forest + Of all this death-doomed shore." + +And on the afternoon of the 4th day of 12th month, 1873, she left the +life of toil and struggle for the life of reward. + +Ellen Congdon of Providence wrote in fitting words: "I have taken +comfort in the midst of this great bereavement to the Church militant +in thinking of the rejoicing and the welcome as her ransomed spirit +took its place among the redeemed of all generations. Yet, far, far +beyond even this must have been the holy rapture with which she +realized the fulfilment of that gracious promise: 'Thine eyes shall +behold the King in His beauty, and thou shalt see the land that is +very far off.'" + +The governor of the State showed his appreciation of the departed one +in the following extract from a letter to her son Richard: "Had it +been possible I should have been present at the funeral services. I +remember your mother from my boyhood, and received the news of her +death with profound sorrow. She exemplified the true Christian +character in a degree rarely equalled in this life; indeed, she has +always appeared to me more in the heavenly than the earthly. In her +death the Christian religion has lost one of its brightest ornaments +and noblest defenders. Yours is the priceless consolation which the +gospel and the remembrance of a life so full of noble deeds afford. +Any words of mine would be poor and weak, but I cannot forbear +conveying to you and your much-esteemed father, whom I have known and +honored for many years, my heartiest sympathy. Yours very truly, + + "SIDNEY PERHAM." + +Her funeral, held in the Friends' meeting-house, was attended by a +large company of friends, relatives, and neighbors. The citizens of +the town came in large numbers to look for the last time on the one +whom they loved and reverenced. Harriet Jones, Samuel Taylor, Sarah +Tobey, and others spoke feelingly. "All hearts were moved," says one +who was present, "as our venerable and highly esteemed friend Eli +Jones arose, controlling the feelings of a heart filled with sorrow, +and revealed what had heretofore been kept by him--viz. the +manifestation of divine power that had attended her mission while they +travelled in foreign lands; also the blessing following her labors +during the past few months in attending some one hundred and forty +meetings, principally in her own State, in which she appeared like a +reaper gathering the harvest." + +It is never well for us to speak over-highly of any one or of the +service of any one. Power speaks for itself. We spend no breath of +praise on the might of Niagara or the majesty of Mont Blanc. God has +made them so that they tell us themselves continually of their +grandeur. In like manner, the character and work of his human +creatures tell to their generation and the following ones their +strength and worth without the aid of man's voice. + +What Sybil Jones did and said has been felt and has made its +impression in the world, and no word which now might be spoken could +add to what she really accomplished. For sixty-five years she went +about doing what she seemed to have been sent to do. She was under no +shackles of creed, but she had a faith which anchored her; she built +on a foundation which had already been laid, and she wasted none of +her energy seeking answers to unnecessary questions. Her whole heart +was in her work, and nothing held her back in her desire to go on +herself to perfection and to call others thereto. The power of her +spiritual discernment was shown in numerous cases where she told +minutely the state and feeling of some before her, and she felt out +wonderfully the proper course for her to take. She seemed to grow +stronger as she engaged in a new field of work, and not unusually she +left her bed of sickness to undertake an arduous journey for an +absence of one or two years. She went from Ireland to Norway on a +couch, and there endured remarkable hardships, but grew stronger as +she worked, and was almost daily before the people for the next six +months. She had a striking influence over unprincipled and dangerous +men, and she never hesitated to go alone among the greatest outcasts. +The swearing sailors on the ship for Liberia grew more gentle as they +knew her, and she walked fearlessly into the cell of one of the worst +prisoners in the United States: he was touched to tears and blessed +the day that brought her to him. + +As a minister she was especially gifted in exhortation and prayer, but +she knew the Bible, and she knew experimentally the meaning of its +promises and commandments. Her use of language was remarkable: every +thought she wished to express was clothed richly, every truth was made +clear to her hearers, and no words were wasted. God gave her a voice, +not like Milton's, "whose sound was like the sea," but soft as the +wind in the trees and strong to reach the farthest seats. There was a +music in it which charmed, and a reserved power and volume which she +could use when the occasion called for it. + +The good people in the south of France still say, "She seemed to us +like an angel;" which shows how her earnest tones and kind deeds +impressed these simple-hearted people, who saw too few that loved to +feed the sheep and the lambs. Her active work in the ministry began +with her first visit to the provinces. Between that time and her death +she went as a herald through her own land; to Liberia, to England, +Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and France; to +Scotland, Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land. Few women, if any, before +her had been called to so many and so widely separated peoples. By +every race and nation she was kindly received, and she was enabled to +speak to them boldly and with such power that the lives of those who +heard her were noticeably changed. Standing often where woman never +stood before to speak, she lovingly urged the multitudes of ignorant, +unsaved hearers to come to the Lord for teaching and salvation. The +effect of her live words on those who had heard only formal preaching +can hardly be described. When in her most earnest attitude, she was +calm in her pleading, avoiding all that was sensational and speaking +simply to reach the heart. There has never been a more striking +instance of reliance on the divine Voice in the soul. There were +numerous occasions in her life when not only all her friends, but +skilful physicians, concurred in advising her to rest her exhausted +body when she felt work immediately before her. In every case she +replied, "I have this work to do now; I cannot take another course;" +and in no case was she mistaken. Once at least she went from her own +home to the train on a couch, but the results of the visit could leave +no one in doubt from whence came the command for her to go forth. + +Like Madame Guyon, it was her unceasing desire to bring her individual +will into full harmony with the will of God, and like her she sought +earnestly to distinguish minutely between her own impulses and the +promptings of the Spirit of God; not unlike Madame Guyon, she knew her +place to be where she could work actively among men for their +enlightenment. No small part of her work was with soldiers and +prisoners. Following the example of Elizabeth Fry, she went where sin +had made the deepest stains. Not only did the inmates of wards and +cells become gentler as she talked to them, but they regarded this +world and the next from a different standpoint when she had finished +speaking to them of the one hope which she had come to bring them. + +As she understood the New Testament, and as she interpreted the +whisperings within her, it seemed clear that the disciple of Christ +must devote himself or herself to uplifting a larger or smaller +portion of the human race, the radius of influence depending on the +number of talents received--that each servant's work might be +different, but each one must get into an attitude to _find_ his task, +and then all must work to produce fruit for the same harvest-home. + +The following is quoted from Harriet Beecher Stowe in her _Sunny +Memories of Foreign Lands_: + +"C. had been with Joseph Sturge during the afternoon to a meeting of +the Friends, and heard a discourse from Sybil Jones, one of the most +popular of their female preachers. Sybil Jones is a native of +Brunswick, Maine. She and her husband, being both preachers, have +travelled extensively in the prosecution of various philanthropic and +religious enterprises. + +"In the evening Joseph Sturge said that she had expressed a desire to +see me. Accordingly, I went with him to call upon her, and found her +in the family of two aged Friends, surrounded by a circle of the same +denomination. She is a woman of great delicacy of appearance, +betokening very frail health. I am told that she is most of her time +in a state of extreme suffering from neuralgic complaints. There was a +mingled expression of enthusiasm and tenderness in her face which was +very interesting. She had had, according to the language of her sect, +a concern on her mind for me. To my mind there is something peculiarly +interesting about the primitive simplicity and frankness with which +the members of this body express themselves. She desired to caution me +against the temptations of too much flattery and applause, and against +the worldliness which might beset me in London. Her manner of +addressing me was like that of one who is commissioned with a message +which must be spoken with plainness and sincerity. After this the +whole circle knelt, and she offered prayer. I was somewhat painfully +impressed with her evident fragility of body compared with the +enthusiastic workings of her mind. In the course of the conversation +she inquired if I was going to Ireland. I told her yes, that was my +intention. She begged that I would visit the western coast, adding, +with great feeling, '_It was the miseries which I saw there which have +brought my health to the state it is in._' + +"She had travelled extensively in the Southern States, and had in +private conversation been able very fully to bear witness against +slavery, and had never been heard with unkindness. The whole incident +afforded me matter for reflection. The calling of women to distinct +religious vocations, it appears to me, was a part of primitive +Christianity; has been one of the most efficient elements of power in +the Romish Church; obtained among the Methodists in England; and has +in all these cases been productive of great good. The deaconesses whom +the apostle mentioned with honor in his epistle, Madame Guyon in the +Romish Church, Mrs. Fletcher, Elizabeth Fry, are instances to show +how much may be done for mankind by women _who feel themselves +impelled to a special religious vocation_. The example of the Quakers +is a sufficient proof that acting upon this idea does not produce +discord and domestic disorder. No people are more remarkable for +quietness and propriety of deportment and for household order and +domestic excellence. By the admission of this liberty the world is now +and then gifted with a woman like Elizabeth Fry, while the family +state loses none of its security and sacredness. No one in our day +charges the ladies of the Quaker sect with boldness or indecorum, and +they have demonstrated that even public teaching, when performed under +the influence of an overpowering devotional spirit, does not interfere +with feminine propriety and modesty. The fact is, that the number of +women to whom this vocation is given will always be comparatively few: +they are, and generally will be, the exceptions, and the majority of +the religious world, ancient and modern, has decided that these +exceptions are to be treated with reverence." + +John G. Whittier writes in his poem, the "Meeting:" + + "Welcome the silence all unbroken, + Nor less the words of fitness spoken-- + Such golden words as hers for whom + Our autumn flowers have just made room, + + * * * * * + + Or haply hers whose pilgrim tread + Is in the paths where Jesus led; + Who dreams her childhood's Sabbath dream + By Jordan's willow-shaded stream, + And of the hymns or hope and faith + Sung by the monks of Nazareth + + Hears pious echoes in the call + To prayer from Moslem minarets fall, + Repeating where His works were wrought + The lessons that her Master taught-- + Of whom an elder Sibyl gave + The prophecies of Cumæ's cave." + +In conclusion, it will be proper to insert the following brief sketch +from one who knew her most intimately: + +"Naturally extremely timid, when duty called her fearlessness was +wonderful. With nerves so sensitive that the closing of a door would +often startle her, in God's service she looked calmly upon death and +danger in every form. Though much and acceptably before the public, +the truly feminine graces ever stood forth prominently in her +character. With her own hands she often performed the duties of her +household, always entertaining much company, not only from neighboring +States, but from foreign lands; guided to manhood and womanhood five +children, and soothed the last hours of many of her kindred. With a +bodily frame very much enfeebled by a complication of diseases, she +was constantly being reminded of the uncertainty of her life, and ever +lived nearer to heaven than earth. Her mind was frequently absent, and +when called back it was found to have wandered after some poor soul +who had not yet received the 'good news' which her life was +consecrated to publish. So little did she notice the landmarks of this +earthly journey that the writer of this can affirm that scenes and +places through which she had passed a score of times were ever new and +unfamiliar to her absent gaze. When engaged in missionary labors her +faith that God would care for her and hers was deep and constant. +God's commands were her sole guide of her life; when these reached her +she prepared to obey them without a thought of the means. Her +invariable remark was, 'I am the King's daughter: the gold and silver +are mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.' Before her +faith-inspired energy every difficulty vanished. She left the aged and +enfeebled mother or the babe at her breast, committing them to the +Master in child-like trust. Through all she clung with the relentless +grasp of an abiding faith to the promises of her prayer-answering God, +and if ever a cloud came over her way she remained on her knees until +she saw its 'silver lining.' It may, then, with truth be said of this +woman that her leading aim on earth was the winning of souls to Jesus +Christ of Nazareth, the staff on which she leaned the faith of +Abraham, and prayer her 'vital breath.'" + + * * * * * + +There are a few extracts from some of the letters written by Sybil +Jones very near the end of her life which will be read with interest, +since they set forth the progress of the active religious work which +Friends in New England were just beginning at that time, and also give +expression to her faith in regard to such work with reference to the +necessity of an abiding defence against everything which might hinder +permanent blessing. + +She writes, 1st mo. 31, 1870, to her dear friend S. T.: + +"I agree with thee that a revival is greatly needed, and that one is +really begun and is prospering is cause for grateful songs of +thanksgiving and praise to Him who causeth the outgoings of this +brighter dawning to rejoice. Let our united prayers go up to the +'throne of God and the Lamb' that upon all the glory there may be a +defence. That this glorious visitation will have its temptations we +must know, for whenever the Spirit of Christ begins to work for the +salvation of souls through the blood of the Lamb, Satan presents +himself to defeat by various stratagems, if possible, the blessed +work. My faith is, however, that the Most High will protect his own +children and his own work, and cause it to prosper and spread +abundantly. The bow of promises spans the whole. There is a great +awakening in these parts; many old sinners are turning to the Lord and +speaking of His great love. Young people too are bringing their early +offerings to Him, for which my heart rejoices greatly." + +_9th, 22d, 1873._ She writes from Oak Grove Seminary in Maine: "My +dearest S., I am still here, and have been so ill I thought I might +not see my dear sister any more below or reach my dear little home, my +earthly tent; but my gracious Lord has led me up from 'the crossing' +again thus far, and I rejoice in His will, whatever it may be. I have +reached this place on my way home, and hope to be able to go in a few +days if the Lord will. + +"Thou may have heard of the wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit at +the general meeting in Winthrop. I attended only one session, but I +never was more happy. Peace and glory reigned around while poor +sinners were coming to Jesus. The gospel full and free and in +apostolic simplicity was preached, and great was the company of those +who heard it and were moved by its power through the Spirit. + +"I cannot tell thee much now. I was laid aside with _my Beloved_, and +oh the richness and fulness of His love to His weak child! I seemed to +enjoy all that was passing in that wonderful tent where three thousand +were present on First day. Many from city and country said they never +heard such a powerful gospel message before. People are calling in +every direction for the Friends to come and hold meetings. Let us be +instant in prayer, ready to do our part in the vineyard of the Lord." + +_4th mo. 20, 1873._ Not many months before her own departure she +writes of her mother's death in a letter to S. T., headed "Travellers' +Home:" "I have been watching a sweet loving mother to the banks of the +stream where all of my own family save my lonely self had passed +before. I felt sure she would see the beautiful summer-time on earth +no more; of this she too was aware, and made all needful arrangements +for the event to her desirable. She appeared more and more angelic in +expression and features as the time drew near to leave us. Her prayers +and exhortations at the family altar were offered in great +self-abasement, but wonderfully beautiful and fervent. The last night +was a glorious time to her: though in great suffering, her face +appeared so youthful and fair, beaming with such serenity, that all +could bear witness to her victory through the blood of the Lamb. Her +last sentence only will I mention. Near the close she exclaimed with +both cold hands uplifted: 'Glory! glory! glory! I see the angels!' +after this only the word 'glory,' faintly uttered could be heard." + +The last public religious service of this dear Friend was at Windham, +Maine, during a general meeting held there. Of this last visit a +Friend who was present writes: + +"First day evening, 11th mo. 3d, 1873, to a crowded house she preached +for half an hour from the text, 'If I will that he tarry till I come, +what is that to thee? Follow thou me.' As the meeting was to close, +she stood and most impressively repeated a farewell hymn, dwelling +upon the lines, 'Farewell, poor sinner.' Pausing, she three times +repeated these lines. None of us ever listened to a voice of such +melody: it is indescribable--so solemn the message, so full of +entreaty the tone. + +"Her husband attended meeting at Deering on Fourth day following, but +she remained in the house. Her messages to individuals in our +neighborhood are treasured as coming from one so near the border as to +be freighted with heavenly sanctity. + +"From report of quarterly meeting committee I quote: 'We cannot close +this report and do justice to appointment and the precious memory of +Sybil Jones (since gone to the eternal rest) without referring to her +attendance at the general meeting in company with her husband. It was +a great blessing to us to be recipients of this closing labor of her +peculiarly devoted life. Many can bear witness to the heavenly +expression of her countenance, her calmness, earnestness, yet +tenderness of spirit, and the unusual unction which attended her +ministrations as she pleaded _with_ and _for_ the erring and labored +to restore the waste places of our Zion." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_ALONE AT HOME._ + + "Nor blame I Death because he bare + The use of virtue out of earth: + I know translated human worth + Will bloom to profit otherwhere."--_In Memoriam._ + + +It need not be told, and it could not, how the loss of his wife +affected Eli Jones, already venerable with age. Those only who have +borne a like sorrow know the depth of the wound. The strength of his +character and the weight of his love were never shown more fully than +in the first years of his widowed life. War had taken his first-born, +his sons were at their work in the world, his eldest daughter was +married, and the youngest daughter alone was still with him. Though +sixty-six years of age, he was yet strong, and knew that much more +work was before him if his life should be spared. There was no time +given him to rest. Not his to question the ways of Providence, but to +work while the day lasted. He could turn his face to no field where he +was not reminded of her who had diligently stood by his side, and his +loneliness gave a new power to his words. As Tennyson of his departed +friend, he could say: + + "Far off thou art, but ever nigh; + I have thee still, and I rejoice; + I prosper circled by thy voice; + I shall not lose thee though I die." + +For the first few years after the separation he was generally engaged +near home. The duties of farm-work filled up the spaces between the +monthly, quarterly, and general meetings which he attended. The little +black horse that all his townsmen knew so well grew very familiar with +the winding roads to Vassalboro', Brooks, St. Albans, Manchester, and +other near-lying towns. "Uncle Eli has come" made all who had gathered +at the meeting-house rejoice, and, whether the subject was peace, +temperance, or salvation, he spoke strong words to stir the listeners. + +During all his life he has loved to till the soil; trees seem to be +near friends of his. Lowell is + + "Midway to believe + A tree among his far progenitors, + Such sympathy is his with all the race." + +Eli Jones hardly claims relationship with the birches, but they are +his close friends, and he has had many happy hours working among his +trees. Perhaps he never was a farmer such as the editors of +agricultural journals would extol, and it is certain that the hilly +fields, with here and there a ledge of rock, in his farm at Dirigo +would never have allowed him to accumulate wealth, even if his work +had been exclusively there; but he felt the nobility of the calling. +There was no yoke of bondage to the soil over him, and he got nearer +Nature's heart as he planted, as he dug, and as he harvested. Those +who exhort to a higher spiritual life can never know too much of the +mysteries of animal and plant life; they can never be too conversant +with the trials and pains which daily toil brings to those to whom +they preach. Paul could touch hearts when he appealed to tentmakers; +Peter had an unwonted power when fishermen were before him; and he who +holds up hands hardened by hoe and spade will gladly be heard by those +who have left the oxen in the furrow to listen to the gospel. Slavery +to work narrows the mind, as any slavery does, but diligence in some +business will never lessen the depth of a true Christian or weaken the +influence of an endowed minister. Eli Jones has always been loved by +all the animals in his house and barn, for there is true philosophy in +the line, "For Mary loved the lamb, you know." His sheep would come +from all corners of the pasture when he came to their feeding-place, +and often he took his cane and walked out to give them salt and to +learn their ways. Sheep that are loved grow best, and his flock was +proof of it. After work he sat under one of the large maples near the +house, and while resting, if alone, carefully studied the higher and +lower laws of the birds over his head and the insects at his feet. I +do not believe he ever knowingly stepped on a worm or beetle, and no +life of any kind was ever willingly destroyed by him. He could mow on +Fifth day until time for meeting, and then hay-making, and the +possibility of showers were out of the realm of his thought, for there +was a higher work which needed an undivided mind. + +Nothing inanimate has interested him more than fossils and geological +specimens. He made a large collection of them, and whenever an unusual +stone showed itself under his hoe, it was examined. The perfection of +the minute shells, and consequently of the long-dead animals that once +dwelt in them, deeply impressed him. The variety of trees and flowers +which were growing in his garden and grounds astonished those who were +acquainted only with the birches, beeches, maples, pines, hemlocks, +the ordinary growth of the Maine woods; but he was delighted to see +trees of other climes flourish in the hard Northern soil of his +fields. His apples, pears, and grapes have reached the heart of many a +boy who has wondered why his father has always lived contented with +"Bitter Sweets" when "Early Harvests" are so good and easy to raise; +and an invitation to spend a day in this garden of the Hesperides was +not soon to be forgotten; and in fact it was a day of growth in the +boy's better nature. + +There was something still more gratifying than such an invitation: it +was to sit in the "South Meeting-house" when "little David" or Samuel +or Joseph was the text. Others might instruct the heads of the +meeting, but little eyes, sometimes heavy with sleep, opened and grew +larger as the shepherd on the hills of Bethlehem had his arm nerved by +the strength of the Lord or as Samuel cried, "Speak, Lord, for thy +servant heareth." He drew pictures of those far-off scenes until a +panorama seemed unrolled and young and old saw the mighty characters +of the early dispensation working before them; and it was not long +before a new light came over those same hills and new songs filled the +air: "Rejoice, for unto you is born, this day, in the city of David a +Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." + +During these days of farm-life Eli was often chosen to fill the +different town offices. As "supervisor of schools" he used to hear the +geography lessons and make the map look so large and real that the +scholars felt that it in fact represented solid earth. Then he was +sure to ask the whole school some question which would start a train +of new thoughts, and he was not likely to leave the school-house +without setting forth in a novel way the need of learning how to spell +and the mistake of trying greater fields of work before this one was +conquered. + +It was in the "town-meeting--the old "New England town-meeting"--that +he showed his peculiar tact and strength. The men of the town were +there to settle the knotty question of "new roads," "improved +schools," "care of the poor," and a long list of similar points. It is +always a question with boys "how they make Presidents," and it is no +less so how they make "selectmen and supervisors;" and on these great +days young statesmen were being taught there. The speakers for and +against the different articles in the "warrant," stood up on benches +and spoke. A moderator was appointed who kept order and decided +difficult points. The younger, non-voters, were surprised to hear such +eloquence and to see such weighty matters handled by men whom they +knew only as great woodcutters or haymakers; but it really seemed to +them that another Demosthenes must be in the midst of them when Eli +Jones began to argue down the weak schemes and prop up the wise plans +for public improvement. At least one listener remembers how one +important point was settled. The question had been discussed whether +the town should pay up its "war debt" and by taking on itself a double +tax for one year throw off the burden of a heavy tax each year to pay +interest-money. It had been decided affirmatively, but after the +meeting was over and the citizens had gone home and talked with their +wives, it began to seem to many that too great a step had been taken, +and a call was issued for a new meeting to rescind the vote. There was +much feeling, and the signs of a strongly divided camp were evident. +The stir indicated that the question was momentous. A plain but strong +argument was given to rescind the vote on the ground that it would be +wiser to divide the amount and take a number of years to pay it than +to impoverish the poor farmers by forcing such a tax upon them at one +time. It may have been because the writer was very young and +impressible, but the reply seemed to him masterly and worthy of a much +greater occasion. Not a word was lost; the answer was brief, and its +burden was that it was time to be free from the stigma of this debt, +which either those present or their children must pay, and that if +every citizen would play the man and do his duty now the debt would be +blotted out, and easily. A vote was taken, and by a large majority it +was agreed to leave the next generation free from debt by paying it at +once; which was done. + +The work of a man for the bettering of his own town is not +unimportant, though it may seem so when we consider the greater fields +of usefulness. He who has roused his neighbors and helped them find a +better way of educating their sons and daughters has accomplished a +work of immense importance. If all the towns and villages were taken +care of, the State would soon rest on a sure foundation, and he is a +skilful physician who labors to _heal_ the troubles in the towns which +supply _life_ to the cities. Eli Jones has always said that the great +aim must ever be to get the individual home in a proper condition. It +is not possible to show how much he quietly did in the years he spent +at Dirigo, but certainly it was time well used, and we need not lament +that he was "hemmed in" by county lines. What he did is poorly and +briefly recorded here, but it is written imperishably somewhere, not +infrequently on the impressible hearts of men. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_LATER VISITS TO THE EAST._ + + +The later visits of Eli Jones to Palestine and their object have +already been spoken of. With an accurate knowledge of the land and its +customs, as well as of the needs of its people, he was especially +adapted to taking a prominent part in directing the work of education +there. He has always had a faculty for raising funds, and, having been +especially successful in gathering money for building and necessary +expenses, the time seemed to have come for opening a boy's +training-home on Mount Lebanon. It had seemed best to organize a +meeting of the Society of Friends at Brummana, so that he went in 1876 +to assist in person the accomplishment of these two designs. + +He sailed alone to Liverpool, and then with Alfred Lloyd Fox, who had +accompanied him on his first visit, and Henry Newman, proceeded to +Beirut, and thence to Brummana. + +They rode on horseback up Lebanon, and not far from Brummana beheld a +most touching sight. The children of the school stood at a bend in the +road, each carrying a bouquet of flowers, which they held aloft as +their aged benefactor approached, and all these _Syrian maidens_ +together gave their greeting in English: "Welcome, our dear friends!" +This simple, sincere manifestation of affection deeply impressed the +venerable messenger of Christ and cheered his heart. It was like the +loving welcome from his own children upon nearing his own home. + +A winter of work was passed pleasantly at the mission and among the +natives. In company with Theophilus Waldmeier, the American and +English messengers visited Rustin Pasha, the governor of Lebanon, who +not only received them courteously and gave them much assistance, but +has ever shown himself a good friend of the Friends' mission. + +Eli Jones has had the good fortune to win the favor of those high in +authority, and he has used well his opportunities to impress the +dignitaries of those lands. On the way from Joppa to Jerusalem he was +in the same hotel with the governor of Palestine. The latter, hearing +that a missionary of the Society of Friends was in the house, wished +to see him. They met and talked together as friends. The governor +showed himself a man of wide culture and liberal views, believing in +the elevation of woman as a potent means of civilization, his own +daughters being students of science and literature. He had a clear +conception of American civilization, and understood the position and +history of Friends, showing much interest in their work at Ramallah. +As they parted he asked with much feeling that his aged American +friend would pray for him and Palestine. + +Again, in 1882, Eli Jones sailed for England on his way to the Holy +Land, to be present at the opening of the girls' training-home and to +obtain a legal transference of the mission to the Society of Friends. +Charles M. Jones of Winthrop, Me., was his valuable companion. They +were met in Liverpool by Alfred Fox, who, though not able to attend +them on this journey, went as far as Marseilles to see them well on +their way. They landed in Joppa, and soon after their arrival were +invited by the Episcopalian clergyman to come to his house to meet and +address a little company. They found a large number assembled, and Eli +Jones was told that he might address them in English, with the +assurance of being perfectly understood; so that here, in that ancient +city where Peter was taught to regard as clean all cleansed by God, +the walls of division were again taken down and a minister of the +Quakers preached the gospel in the English language to an assembly of +Episcopalians. + +On landing at Beirut they visited the American school in that city, +and were asked to address the scholars, which they did. After the +exercises were over the lady in charge of the school, finding from +their conversation that they were Friends, said with much surprise, "I +thought you were Presbyterians." They were warmly welcomed at the +Mount Lebanon Mission-school, and were occupied there and at the +Ramallah mission until the spring of 1883. + +On their return, Alfred Fox stood on the wharf at Marseilles to greet +them. He did not leave them until their steamer sailed from Liverpool, +and there waved them a long farewell. His death not long after removed +from this world a grand Christian gentleman, the dearest friend of Eli +Jones's later life. + +The fourth journey of the latter to Palestine successfully +accomplished, the faithful servant of God returned to the familiar +scenes of his own home, not to seek the rest of one who puts the armor +off, but to spend the last years which God's goodness had given him in +declaring with the zeal of vigorous manhood the business of soldiers +commissioned by the Prince of peace. Each year which puts its weight +upon him lessens the probability of his re-seeing Lebanon and +Jerusalem, but no spot except that which eighty years have made almost +sacred to him as home has so many memories and attractions touching +his heart. When he went from home bowed with age to undertake his last +visit some one said, "I fear thou wilt never come back to us." He +replied, "Lebanon's top is as near heaven as my native China is." + +He has twice visited the missions in person, and each time found work +for three or four months. He has always been greatly loved by those +for whom the work is being done. Being asked once the reason for his +success with these Arabs, he replied, "Because I am of the people. I +go down to their condition, but do not stay there; I endeavor to bring +them up." They are very strong in their affections, and dislikes as +well, and they are exceedingly keen to see their real benefactors. Eli +Jones experiences his greatest pleasure taking these children around +him and teaching them in his characteristic way, while they love him +as a good father. In the answers to his questions he was often +surprised by the originality of the little pupils. One day as he was +talking to a class of girls he asked where the Jordan rises; +immediately came the answer. Again, "Where does it end?"--"In the Dead +Sea." "And what becomes of the water, as the Dead Sea has no outlet?" +There was a long silence, when a little Arab girl replied, in a +simple, beautiful metaphor, "The sun drinks it up." On one occasion he +found the children sitting on the floor to be taught; he at once +ordered seats for the room, though he was told they would not use +them. He replied, "We will see; if you get them from the floor upon +good seats, you have raised them so much from their low condition." +When he next went to the room he found them proudly sitting on their +new seats. One little girl who could speak English came over by his +side and said, "We thank you for these seats." When he was about to +come back and to separate from them they stood round him with tears in +their eyes to wave him a farewell. + +The questions are often asked, "Is the gain worth the cost? Does the +improvement correspond to the outlay and effort?" There is but one +answer. These Druse boys and girls are eager to be taught, not only to +read and write, but to understand the story and teachings of Christ. +They go from the school entirely different persons, and they are +wholly unwilling to go back to their unchristian manners of life. They +are capable of becoming good scholars, and many of them are ready to +teach others. The character of the natives around Mount Lebanon has +completely changed, while those being trained are now in a condition +to exert an elevating influence on those about them. + +Mission-work, like all other work, must consent to be tested by its +fruits. The work of Friends on Lebanon and at Ramallah will stand this +test well. + +In a letter to his friend S. F. T., Eli Jones writes to express his +feeling of loneliness without his wonted companion, and the nature of +the work being done in the Holy Land at the time of his third visit +there in 1876: + + BRUMMANA, 1st mo. 8, 1876. + + While my fellow-travellers and Th. Waldmeier have gone to a + distant village to attend to matters of business, I have been + left to my own reflections, and I have in an unusual manner + missed the sympathy and the words of cheer in times of trial that + I was sure to receive from her who has been called up higher + before me. Her words were as balm to my troubled breast, but now + I plod on alone. My life would be too sad and weary to be borne + did I not trust that an Eye of compassion beholds me here even as + when in my native land surrounded by loved friends. + + We left England on the 9th of 11th mo., and spent several days in + France attending ten meetings in that country; then embarking at + Marseilles for Alexandria, where we spent a few days meeting old + acquaintances and attending to what seemed called for. Again we + went on board ship, and next day came to Port Said at the mouth + of the Suez Canal, the morning after we were in Joppa. Here we + visited the institution under the instruction of Jane Arnot, a + woman of _great faith_ and of _much works_, who has a school of + sixty girls. We found her occupying a new house erected on the + very spot where our tent was pitched a few years ago, and where + we had a meeting one First day afternoon with the people of + Joppa. + + We reached Beirut the 31st of 12th mo., and the next day came to + Brummana, where we received a warm welcome. Hanne Ferach, my + little Bethlehem girl, rushed forward and grasped the hand of her + old friend with the cordiality of a loving daughter; also several + of the citizens came to bid us welcome to their town. All this + was unexpected, and, to speak honestly, it moved our hearts and + was a delightful ending of a long journey. + + We are much pleased with the work begun here. On First day our + meeting frequently numbers over one hundred, the Bible meeting in + the middle of the week over thirty. + + In the room where I am setting a teachers' meeting is going + forward preparatory to the labors to-morrow, which will be the + first of the week. Sitting around the table are ten preachers and + teachers; two of these are female. Their conversation is all + Greek to me, but it is very interesting to see them arming for + their work from such an armory. + + The Sabbath-school numbers sixty, while there are six schools in + operation through the week, reaching at least two hundred and + thirty children; all these are emphatically Bible-schools. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +_AS A FRIEND._ + + "Be ye complete in Him." + + "God's own hand must lay the axe of inward crucifixion + unsparingly at the root of the natural life; God in Christ, + operating in the person of the Holy Ghost, must be the principle + of inward inspiration _moment_ by _moment_, the crucifier of + every wrong desire and purpose, the Author of every right and + holy purpose, the Light and Life of the soul."--UPHAM. + + +Eli Jones was a birthright member of the Society of Friends, and as +far back as there is any record the family had been a Friends' family, +so that he inherited an inclination to the manners and views of the +Society; and it was as much expected of him that he would make these +views his own as it was that he would be a worthy son of his parents +and grandparents. Quakerism was the air which a Friend's child +breathed seventy-five years ago, and it was a poor child that longed +for another atmosphere. It was a startling revelation to a boy that +there were people in the world who said _you_ to one person, and it +required an explanation. + +Eli had little opportunity of reading the lives of the Friends of +former times, and he had no way of finding out the "philosophy of +Quakerism," but his father and mother and the whole circle of his +connections had a definite idea of what they believed, and their +lives were more teaching than many books would have been. The +different meetings were regularly attended by the young members, and +they early became accustomed to the ways of doing the necessary +business. He learned to respect the body which transacted its business +so quietly and orderly, and which had such a loving and successful +plan for reaching the state and standing of the different members. + +The monthly readings of the "Queries" placed each soul in the silent +confessional before its Lord, while the general "Answers" gave +opportunity for efficient counsel. It was a living Church, and its +light shone before men. There were excellent examples of pure +Christian character in the Society at China--ministers, elders, and +members who would deeply impress the young, who thought of no other +course than following in the steps of their predecessors. The quiet +strength and sweetness of the best members of the Society, their +guilelessness and sincerity, have had great weight in holding young +men, and have done what austere teaching could never have done. The +call to confess Christ, as they proclaimed it, was also a call to a +higher manhood and nobler living. + +Eli Jones early loved Friends, and his love has continually augmented. +He has done his work in the Society, going out on his own various +missions each time with its sanction; and he has experienced fully the +help which comes from the united and loving support of the Church at +home. His life has been widely useful in great measure because he was +a Friend, for the work he has done could properly have been done only +in Friends' way, and he could never have succeeded under the +restrictions of any other church organization. He was qualified to be +a Friend minister, but he was not adapted to be one of any other +denomination. + +About forty years ago, as he was beginning to preach, there appeared +in New England a new phase of thought. Its centre was at Concord, +Mass., and its adherents were called _Transcendentalists_. They held, +among other things, that to really know man must have something in him +which transcends human knowledge or the knowledge of the senses. In +order to know truth a light must shine into man's mind from the Source +of light, and who ever would know himself, the world and the Supreme +Being must have a God-given teacher in his own breast; but these men +maintained that this was a _natural_ endowment of the human mind--a +wonderful gift, but given in the _same way_ as memory. The difference +between Transcendentalism and Quakerism has been thought slight; it +is, however, immense. The Society of Friends has never believed that +man by _nature_ has any power or light within him capable of +satisfying his longings or of gaining salvation for his soul. While +Friends do not lose sight of the facts that Christ the Son of God came +to be a perfect ensample for us; that He came to give us life, and to +give it more abundantly; that He is the Light of the world; that the +true follower of Christ should strive to be Christ-like, to come up to +"the full stature of Christ;" and that there can be no compromise with +any sin, but a gradual growth in firm character, high manliness, a +daily striving for sincerity and purity,--their great theme for the +comfort of a lost world has been that there is life in the acceptance +of Christ; that there is health through our abiding union in Him, and +thenceforth growth and development by virtue of our oneness with Him +whose blood cleanses and whose Spirit quickens. Manliness and high +morality, necessary graces of the Christian, have been attainable by +all nations and all ages to a higher or lower degree. "_Jesus Christ +came into the world to save sinners_," and all men of every degree are +there included. Felt necessary in all ages, foretold in types and by +inspired prophets, and heralded by messengers from heaven, at length, +in the fulness of time, the Saviour came. He came not to bring a creed +or bonds or forms: He came to bring salvation, freedom, spirituality. +He came to publish a new kingdom, which could be entered only through +Him. He finished His work fully, and, about to depart, He promised to +"pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter +(strengthener), that He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit +of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, +neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for he dwelleth with you, and +shall be in you;" having said before, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, +He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and +_greater works shall he do; because I go unto my Father_;" "Howbeit, +when the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all the +truth;" "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh +into the world." Whoever believes the truth of the gospel record to +its fullest extent, and actually accepts salvation through Christ, +becomes not only a better man, but a new man; he will live henceforth +not for this world, but for that which is to come; he will conquer +and throw aside all his besetting sins; and he will be a "living +epistle" publishing the greatness of the good news to all others: +furthermore, no work for his Lord will seem to be too great to be +undertaken, for the promise is, "greater things shall ye do; for I go +unto my Father." + +Now, Eli Jones while a young man accepted his Saviour and experienced +this new birth, and, seeking first the kingdom of God, he has not +ceased to labor for the greatest possible bettering of the world. +This, he believed, could be best done by spreading a knowledge of +Christ and by endeavoring to bring about a literal fulfilment of His +teaching. Christ, the source of life, the source of light, and a +perfect example to be followed, has been his theme. Peace, total +abstinence, and high education came in course as proper causes for him +to uphold. He has always believed in supreme guidance, and before +undertaking work has waited until the inward ear heard the voice, and +so his going forth has been blessed. His whole life testifies that he +has not deceived himself, and that he has not worked for his own +material gain. He has always stood against formalism and spoken for +spirituality, and he has wished for life to so abound that formality +in any way could not exist. He has felt that all Christ's devoted +followers must in some way, by life or voice, obey the command given +to the first apostles: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the +gospel to every creature;" and the message which he has carried has +always been, "Ye must be born again." The equality of man and woman +and the equality of all men and all women, equality of worth before +the Creator, has made him earnest to gain for woman her _real rights_, +and he has felt the necessity of raising in the social scale all who +have been bound down in any degree by the bonds of prejudice. + +Points of doctrine have been little discussed by him, for he has felt +called to live and preach the gospel, the same tidings which Paul went +to Macedonia to declare--not to discuss and argue in regard to +questions which can be settled only when we enter "the land which is +very far off." There are some things which must be clearly fixed, +great cardinal truths on which to be wrong is to be wholly wrong; but +a broad spiritual interpretation of the whole Bible, by the aid of the +Holy Spirit, gives any seeking man enough teaching on necessary points +to guide him; and Eli Jones has gladly received in addition all the +help he could receive from the _wisdom given_ to other men and women, +such as fathers, counsellors, and elders. + +Penn asked, "How shall I know that a man does not obtrude his own +sense upon us as the infallible Spirit?" and he answers, "By the same +Spirit." Whatever is said contrary to the Scriptures, though the +guidance of the Spirit is professed, must be accounted a delusion.[11] +No man regrets more than Eli Jones that there are those who speak +their own words as the truth given to them, for words become lifeless +whenever the brain is allowed to speak for the Spirit, whenever any +one deceives himself and gives his own thoughts for oracles; and he +has felt that Friends, of all people, should beware of self-love and +self-will, and that the individual members should ever be ready to +receive benefit from the counsel of others. Each human being has a +special field to till in the great vineyard. He who has climbed a +height is more than ever duty bound to reach down hands of help to the +weak. The gifts differ, but it is every man's business to find out for +what he was sent, and then do the mission--do it "ever in the great +Taskmaster's eye;" do it for no reward, but for the truth's sake; and +He who sends the workmen into the field will send the basket for their +supply. Whether doing quiet work at home or more extensive work +abroad, Eli Jones has had one mind--to obey orders; and whenever he +has been free to do temporal work for his own support and for his aid +in gospel work, he has improved every opportunity, imitating the +example of the tentmaker, while Friends have generously furnished the +means for him to go out into distant fields. + + [11] _New England Discipline_, p. 14. + +He has lived to see a decided change come over the Society in his own +section--a change almost universally apparent. In his early manhood +came the great separation of the "Hicksites," and he felt keenly the +want of harmony in 1840-45, when John Wilber opposed Joseph John +Gurney; but he has ever hoped that the small body of spiritually-minded +Friends would hold fast to their faith, maintaining harmony +throughout, and not provoking or exaggerating differences of opinion. +Most who grew old with him have passed away, and some with the belief +which saddened their old age that the end of their Society was near. +He has continually--and never more than in his old age--believed in +the progress of humanity; he has seen in history and in his own life +how one generation carries on the truth rejected by the former one; +and in his thoughts faith and hope have been united. He trusts that in +God's plan there is endless progress, and until something higher and +purer and more perfect than Friends' conception of Christ's work and +teaching appears the Society will be needed, and there will not be +wanting those who hold fast the excellent spiritual truths of +Quakerism, and a practical Christianity lived out with daily +circumspection in their thoughts and words and deeds. He is impressed, +as were the founders of our Society, with the truth that Christianity +is both a faith and a corresponding life. The words of his old age +have been not less acceptable and effective than those of his early +manhood, and he has not changed his message. The earnestness with +which he has pleaded for the essentials, the liberality he has shown +in regard to non-essentials, and the rounded completeness of his life +have given him a wide influence and have made him justly loved; but +his strength has always been his calm faith in Jesus Christ. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +_HIS PLACE AS A WORKER._ + + "Quit you like men." + + +The people of a city or country in which is some great natural wonder +or some magnificent work of man become so accustomed to its grandeur +that only the largest-minded of them continue to appreciate its +excellence and gain culture from it. This is not true of men. A man +who has the qualifications to instruct and the power to inspire his +deemsmen will have renewed power, and will gain a stronger influence +over all of them, as age brings matured wisdom. Few greater blessings +can come to a community than to have a strong man working like leaven +in the midst of it, and few posts of honor are more to be coveted than +to be a part of all that is best in one's environment. + +Eli Jones has decidedly influenced his township, and he has the +satisfaction of feeling in his old age that he is without enemies and +in possession of a numerous company of friends, the "uncle" of all who +know him. He has had the good fortune--or, better, the good +judgment--to know just what his place was. He has done each duty, +never wishing that he might have found something greater to do, and +now his services combined into one whole make a record which men of +great fame often fail to gain. + +One of the best tests of a man's power is his influence over the +young. There is a time in early life when there is a longing for real +help, when a young person feels groping in the dark for the right +road, which he wants, but cannot find. Eli Jones has been at hand to +throw, by his counsel and Christian advice, light on the right path, +and many a man and woman stands to-day fixed firmly in a good place +and on a high road to a better because he spoke a good word or reached +out his hand when there was need of just that word or encouragement. + +His love of education and his fondness for books have made themselves +felt. He has been one of the foremost in founding and sustaining two +schools--"Oak Grove Seminary" and the "Erskine High School." The +latter partly owed its existence to him. He has started and built up a +number of libraries, and he has wished to leave coming sons and +daughters supplied with a fountain from which to draw. Not a few of +the college graduates who have gone out from China received their +first impulses to higher aspirations from him, in one way or another. + +In temperance work he has taken his part. He began to speak for total +abstinence as a boy, which has been his theme ever since, and he took +active part in securing a majority for the Prohibition amendment in +the State of Maine. + +For many years he was an active member of the "Sons of Temperance," +and as Grand Worthy Patriarch of that organization he did much +permanent good in the State. In this work he was intimately associated +with Ex-Governor Sidney Perham, Neal Dow, John Kimbal of Bangor, D. +B. Randal, the aged patriarch of the Methodist Church, and others of +the ablest advocates of the Maine law. + +It was once a law of the State that the selectmen of each town should +appoint some suitable man to fill his cellar with various liquors, and +whose sole right it should be to sell such articles. For one year Eli +Jones was appointed to act as liquor-agent for the town. Strange +picture, that of a well-known Quaker minister and prominent advocate +of total abstinence holding the office of drink-dispenser to his +townsmen! It can be imagined with what feelings the toper would enter +his yard, make known his desire, and what words of advice he would +receive instead of the foaming glass. + +It is needless to say that no cellar was stored that year, and during +his term of office the community abstained. + +In 1852, at the time of his first visit to England and Ireland, but +few Friends in those countries had heartily espoused the cause of +total abstinence. Since that time a great change has taken place. "To +hail from Maine is _now_ no discredit to the visitor. _Then_ a +specimen from Maine was looked upon with some distrust." + +It will not be out of place to refer here to his connection with the +origin of the "United Kingdom Alliance." Its essential declarations +are as follows: "1. That it is neither right nor politic for the state +to afford legal protection and sanction to any traffic or system which +tends to increase crime, to waste the national resources, to corrupt +the social habits, and to destroy the health and lives of the people. +2. That the traffic in intoxicating liquors, as common beverages, is +inimical to the true interests of individuals and destructive of the +order and welfare of society, and ought therefore to be prohibited. 3. +That the history and results of all past legislation in regard to the +liquor traffic abundantly prove that it is impossible satisfactorily +to _limit_ or _regulate_ a system so essentially mischievous in its +tendencies.... 7. That, rising above class, sectarian, or party +considerations, all good citizens should combine to procure an +enactment prohibiting the sale of intoxicating beverages, as affording +most efficient aid in removing the appalling evil of intemperance." + +This was a union against intemperance on a most uncompromising +platform, and its work during the last quarter of a century has been +enormous. The simple facts of Eli Jones's connection with this +organization are as follows: As he was returning from Dublin yearly +meeting to London he found himself in company with Nathaniel Card, a +Friend of Manchester, England. Their conversation turned upon +temperance, for our friend had not been silent on this subject during +his stay in Ireland. Nathaniel Card became much interested, and wished +to take an American temperance paper, as well as to have a copy of the +Maine prohibitory law. He was given the address of Neal Dow, and a +correspondence was opened. About eighteen months after this +conversation, Eli Jones being in Manchester, three gentlemen called on +him. Nathaniel Card was one of them, who as speaker said, "We are the +officers of the British and Foreign Temperance Alliance, and whatever +results come from its formation _began_ with our conversation on our +return journey from Ireland." + +Many English Friends have been connected with this organization, and +Eli Jones had the opportunity at the time of his later visits to +England to attend some of the meetings and to hear the beneficent +results of its far-reaching influence. + +His work for the advancement of peace has been lifelong. He has +strained his eyes to catch glimpses of a better era, in which the +literal and spiritual teaching of Christ shall be fulfilled in a +universal brotherhood of men and nations; and he has lived to see +already "a flood of prophesying light." When over eighty years old he +was sent as a delegate to the Friends' Peace Conference at Richmond, +Indiana, in 1887, and his voice was often heard discussing with +younger men and women the wisest course for binding nations into +families by bonds of love, so that rust may dull the carnal weapons of +war, + + "And the cobweb be woven across the cannon's throat, + To shake its threaded tears in the wind." + +He has always looked with joy on the advance of the human race, and he +has had uncompromising faith in actual and triumphant progress. +Nothing has made his crowning years more bright than the thought, ever +present with him, that the good is gaining a gradual ascendency, and +that man's lot, already a happy one, is becoming more happy. He has +seen nations that have sat in darkness rising to stand in the +joy-bringing light, and he has trusted the future will bring mature +fruit. This buoyant hope has not only made his life joyous, but has +pervaded all the messages of his later years, and he has shown that +optimism which every true Christian must feel, for his Master "doeth +all things well." + +He felt called above everything else to preach the gospel, but he was +sent to preach not only from the text which John the Baptist gave, but +also he has "spoken unto men to edification." He has held up the +perfect mark, the goal, "a life hid with Christ in God." Every power +of man, physical, moral, mental, spiritual, is to be developed and +expanded to its fullest extent, and then brought into strict obedience +to the will of God. We are not in our place until we yield the same +obedience to the celestial laws that we yield to the laws of +gravitation. Character--which implies integrity, purity, +unselfishness, love, patience, self-forgetfulness, and temperance--means +the truth we have received, made our own, and put in action. Hence Eli +Jones has spent his life telling all people to seek first of all the +kingdom of heaven, which is righteousness and peace and joy in the +Holy Ghost--to give their whole lives and beings to the Lord, and to +build up pure Christian characters. The strength and manliness of his +life have made his messages weighty, and the clearness of his thought, +with his abundance of strong English words forcibly arranged, has +caused his speaking on whatever subject to be effective. His speaking +has always been from the fulness of his heart and with all the energy +of his individuality. Never has he been known to speak weakly or +unemphatically. If he had no message, he kept his seat, and if he +rose to speak it was because he had something which he deeply felt and +which it was important for those present to hear. + +Of medium height, possessing a very large head, penetrating, earnest +eyes, and impressive in his movements, his rising always gained him +attention. His voice, which in childhood had been imperfect, grew +clearer and more emphatic with use, and by constant attention to +careful enunciation he gained the power of distinct expression to such +a degree that after having on one occasion found it necessary to speak +continuously in the Newport meeting-house for three hours, he was told +by those in the farthest galleries that not a word had been lost. In +his most earnest appeals he is decidedly eloquent, and many there are +who have heard in his vigorous words that call which lifts souls from +dreamy thought to action. Not one of his sermons has been put on +paper, for he spoke as the words came to his mouth, and reporters were +not present; but there was a clearness and connection as marked as was +the strength of the individual parts, so that his utterances if +printed would be highly valued. If those men do us the greatest +service who give us the clearest view of our relation to God and our +duty to man, then we owe him gratitude, for he successfully helped +feet that were failing to find a surer foothold on the abiding base of +the Rock of Ages. + +Further, he performed the true part of the citizen of a democracy, the +part of one who sees the brother and sister mark on every forehead. +Every person who hopes and prays for the highest success of the +principles of our government will have moments of trial for his faith +as he sees the multitudes of responsible citizens who exercise their +high privileges in town and State moved by no higher thought than the +accomplishment of a selfish aim; he will feel a deeper gloom still +when he learns in how many hearts respect for pure men and sacred +principles and reverence for the Ruler of men and nations have been +obscured by the mists of party schemes and personal self-love. Eli +Jones as a Quaker has clearly proclaimed the only basis on which a +democracy can build with a reasonable hope of a beautiful and +permanent structure. In a nation where every man is a legislator, +every man must + + "Feel within himself the need + Of loyalty to better than himself, + That shall ennoble him with the _upward_ look;" + +nor can he be a safe sharer in the rights of government who has not +intimate converse with the Voice which calls for an _inward_ look. +Through a life of over eighty years he has sought to act at the +ballot-box so that the largest number of human beings might feel the +good effects of his vote. + +Again, his life is an interesting example of continuous development. +Though beginning early to obey the voice of duty in regard to public +speaking, he had reached nearly the age of forty before he was really +at work. Year after year since he has seen with clearer vision, and, +catching the teaching of the nautilus, he has made + + "Each new temple, nobler than the last, + Shut him from heaven with a dome more vast," + +and, feeling more truly each year the serious business of a denizen of +earth, he has doubled his diligence to quit himself like a man. + +There has been a deep vein of humor running through his whole life, +and the genuine "mother wit" often found in New Englanders has shown +itself in him to a marked degree. His answers to difficult questions +always come at once, and have a keenness which goes to the marrow of +the subject. Those who have listened to his conversation and heard his +illustrative anecdotes need no example to call to their mind his +native humor, for it has continually shown itself. The uniformity of +his disposition should be spoken of. Calm and equable under trying +circumstances, he was a strong support to his beloved wife when in +feeble health she seemed almost weighed down, and he was especially +fitted by this quality for the perplexing difficulties which +necessarily beset a laborer in foreign lands. + +His ripe years have been passed at the foot of China Lake near his +boyhood's home, and he has sat in the meeting as a father in the midst +of his family. Now and then called forth for short service, he has +loved to hasten back and to be at home. + +At the time I write he is still permitted to dwell among us, and we +are fortunate in having before our eyes one who has the weight of many +years of experience and wisdom. + +When riding with him around China Lake one lovely summer day some of +us younger members of the party pointed out a church-spire in the +distance, and asked him if it was not a beautiful picture--the spire +rising from the abundant green of the surrounding trees and pointing +to the cloudless blue sky. Slowly he said, "Yes, but it would be +better if we knew that all who sit there owned what is above the +spire;" and we felt, as we looked at his genial face lighted up as he +gazed aloft, that "his citizenship was in heaven" and that "for him to +die" would be "gain." There is a domain on earth which only the true +servant enters, and there is a realm of which we do not speak +definitely that opens its gates to admit those who hear the "Well +done!" of the great Master. Blessed indeed is he whose life has been a +preparation for the city where no sun is needed, but where the glory +of God is the light, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Variations in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained +except in obvious cases of typographical error. + +Some mismatched double quotation marks were left as in the original. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42164 *** |