Page images
PDF
EPUB

66

had no longer in his custody those, against whom his prejudice and indignation chiefly burned: that he might, therefore, appear to have some generosity and feeling towards the poorer class, he came to the conclusion, that, as the greater ones among the Quakers" had all escaped, he would let go the smaller ones. They were nine in number; and among them, is the name of poor George Gray, the weaver, who has been before noticed as an example in patient suffering. Accordingly, on the 23rd of the 3rd month, 1677, these presumed offenders against the laws were dismissed from their confinement; but with the fixed intention, on the part of the provost, to recommit them, on the earliest occasion of their meeting together for their well-known conscientious purpose,the worship of an Almighty Creator, the Father of

mercies!

CHAPTER XII.

1677: OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURE OF THE TESTIMONY COMMITTED TO THESE WITNESSES OF CHRIST-ANDREW JAFFRAY'S VERY UNUSUAL EXERCISEFRESH IMPRISONMENTS OF FRIENDS, ON ACCOUNT OF MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP-CASE OF ROBERT GERARD-THE FIRMNESS AND MEEKNESS OF THE SUFFERERS LETTER OF GEORGE FOX "TO THE SUFFERING FRIENDS IN SCOTLAND"-THEIR SITUATION AT MONTROSE; THEY ARE DEBARRED, IN THE WINTER SEASON, FROM WORKING FOR THEIR FAMILIES-ALEXANDER SEATON CONFINED AMONG THEM-ALL PASSAGES FOR LIGHT OR AIR CLOSED, TO HINDER HIS PREACHING TO THE PEOPLE-ANDREW JAFFRAY BOLDLY EXPOSTULATES WITH THE CHIEF INSTIGATOR OF PERSECUTION AT THAT PLACE; AND IS THRUST INTO A DUNGEON VAULT, AND CRUELLY BEATEN-REMARKABLE SENSE OF RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.

THE present was the first time, since the commencement of the persecution, that the prison of Aberdeen was altogether clear of these sufferers. But thus it did not long continue: for very shortly afterward, as might be anticipated, were they more closely imprisoned and more hardly used than ever; so as to leave little doubt on their minds, that the design with some of the persecuting parties, was nothing short of cutting off the very lives of such faithful and uncompromising witnesses to the Spirit of Christ Jesus. The plain and constant testimony of these, by conduct and conversation, by word and doctrine, by doing and by suffering, was no other than it still remains to be at the present day,—and will yet continue, so long as they are preserved a living remnant on the sure Foundation. They could not, when and as they felt Divine Love and Wisdom constraining, neither dare they, withhold the word of warning, where they believed it to be due,"to flee from the wrath to come;"-they could not spare sin, nor soothe people in sin, nor prophesy

66

sin-pleasing deceits, neither could they approve of those who did so. It was this that rendered them, as it always must, an eyesore and an offence to evil doers, and to all who corrupt or pervert the doctrine of Christ, which is indeed "according to godliness;" it was this that occasioned them to be reputed, and actually called, "a trouble," "a plague," a contagion," of which it were well to cleanse the polluted district; and thus the language of an apocryphal writer of old, became well fitted to the mouths of these persecutors: "Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings.. -He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and he calleth himself the child of the Lord. He was made to reprove our thoughts. He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion. We are esteemed of him as counterfeits he abstaineth from our ways as filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed. Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his tience." Wisdom of Solomon, ii. 12, &c. During such a state of things,-when evil was called good, and good evil, when darkness was put for light, and light for darkness, bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter;-when, independently of the gross and defective moral condition of the people generally, they that worked wickedness were set up, such leaders amongst them causing them to err, and keeping them from the light of righteousness, so that judgment was turned away backward, and justice stood afar off; (for truth might be said to have fallen in the street, and equity could not enter;)-yea, when. truth as it were failed, and he that departed from

[ocr errors]

pa

evil made himself a prey,—a snare being laid for him that reproved sin in the gate ;-was it to be marvelled at, was it to be stumbled at, that singular burdens, suited in some sort to unsound, unreasonable times,— burdens similar to those, that were laid upon servants of the Holy One in ancient days, should be also devolving upon such, as endeavoured to follow in their footsteps, upholding the same testimony, speaking the same language, standing upon the same ground of faith, upon the same Rock?

But, quitting the line of presumptive reasoning from analogy, as to what the supreme Orderer of human affairs and human conduct might see meet, on peculiar occasions, to require at the hands of any,as, indeed, "he giveth not account of any of his matters," further than he may please ;-and without venturing to denounce sentence on such cases;— the reader is now to be made acquainted with the very unusual impression of duty which befell the zealous son of our humble-minded Diarist.

Andrew Jaffray, of whose parentage, condition in life, education, and conversion to the faith and practice of this Society, some intimation has been already given, became deeply affected and laden in his mind, under an unusual sense of the corrupt and ungodly condition of many of his fellow-citizens. Their practices, however highly esteemed or justified by men, he had reason to apprehend, were as an abomination in the sight of One, who seeth not as man seeth, and whose eyes are as a flame of fire. He believed they were covering themselves with a covering, but not of the Lord's Spirit, and that their case resembled that of the "whited sepulchres," which inwardly were full of all uncleanness. This religious exercise growing upon him, he wrote an address to his neighbours,

urging upon them to turn to the Lord with a true heart, from whom they had deeply revolted, and with full purpose of soul to serve him. At length he was led to believe, that he could not divest himself of the burden that lay upon him, nor obtain relief to his tried spirit, so as to be "clear of the blood" of such, without himself becoming as a spectacle and a sign among the people, to rebuke and expose, in a prophetic manner in his own person, the offensiveness of sin. He accordingly gave up to the humiliating act, of passing through the streets of Aberdeen, on the 1st of the 4th month, being the market-day,(the scene where his honoured father had obtained the favour even of royalty)—the upper part of his body being naked, and having in his hand, that which might prove in the view of beholders, as fit an emblem as could be chosen, of the loathsomeness of all their performances and profession in religion, without washing their hearts from iniquity.

This very significant, though uncommon appearance of his, from which poor nature revolted, was accompanied by a zealous exhortation to timely repentance, and thorough amendment of life. His sincere and Christian earnestness for their reformation, harmless and also disinterested as at least it must have been, but prompted, he avers, by true love to their immortal souls, met with such reception from the magistrates, that he was violently dragged away to prison, and closely shut up as a most dangerous person. The windows of the prison (where it appears there were others of the Friends by this time in durance,) were thereupon ordered to be effectually blocked up; which, however, by no means precluded some powerful addresses from being sounded

D D

« PreviousContinue »