Reedy Island

Monday, December 1. Came to Reedy-Island last Tuesday morning, and had a wonderful presence of God in the assembly in the afternoon. Several of my dear Philadelphia friends came to take their last farewell. The Holy Ghost enabled me to preach with such power to them and some others in the evening that one was thrown into strong convulsions, by the violence of her convictions. Others were in great agonies. All I believe were melted down. On Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday I preached again. The Lord was with us every time. My soul enjoyed much of the divine presence in the sloop, and I was greatly delighted to see the captains of the ships, and their respective crews, come constantly to attend to hear the Word on shore, and join with us in religious exercises on board. Dear Captain H—l, Matthew-like, was very busy in bringing his brother publican sailors to hear the glad tidings of salvation, and he rejoiced my heart with the news that some of them felt the power of God. This morning the wind springing up fair set sail from Reedy-Island. But before I go on, stop, O my soul, and look back a little on the great things the Lord has done for you during this excursion. I think it is now this 75th day since I arrived at Rhode Island. My body was then weak, but the Lord has much renewed its strength. I have been enabled to preach, I think, 175 times in public, besides exhorting very frequently in private. I have travelled upwards of 800 miles and gotten upwards of 700 pounds sterling in goods, provisions, and money for my poor orphans. Never did God vouchsafe me such great assistances. Never did I perform my journeys with so little fatigue, or see such a continuance of the divine presence in the congregations to whom I have preached. All things concur to convince me that America is to be my chief scene for action. May the Lord prepare me for every thing he has appointed for me to do and suffer, and then I need not fear being more than conqueror through his love.