Maine and Nantucket

From Salem I again returned to Boston, which city I left in May, 1830, in company with a Mrs. Ruby, who had been thither on a visit, and was now returning to Portland, in the State of Maine, in the north-eastern part of America. We had a pleasant passage by water; the night was calm, and we reached Portland about eight o’clock in the morning. It is a beautiful city, situated on the sea coast; built on a considerable elevation, and the houses being white, it presents a very conspicuous and fine appearance from the sea.

On my arrival, I found the friends to be a very benevolent and kind-hearted people: they gave me a very cordial reception; we quickly became well acquainted and at home in each other’s company, and it was a blessed visit to my own soul and to their souls also. The Abyssinian chapel, a very neat and pretty erection, was appropriated to my service: and the news of a female being about to preach therein, attracted a great number of persons from all parts of the city; the Lord applied my message to the hearts of many of them, and they cried to Him for mercy, they sought Him with their whole heart, and He was found of them to be a God merciful and gracious, pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin; and like the eunuch, they went on their way rejoicing. The chapel was constantly filled during my stay, amongst them: many were made happy in the love of God, enjoyed a sense of His approbation and the witness of His Spirit with their spirits that they were the children of God; many strangers were continually attracted to the chapel; and on one Lord’s day, a gentleman was present whose emotion was so strong as to excite much attention; he at length retired to the lobby where he vented his feelings in sobs and tears: he stated to one of the brethren that he was a sea-captain, a stranger to earthly fears, that his heart was attracted and rivetted by the discourse which was in the course of delivery, so that he could not retire from the place; but being unable to repress his feelings, and desirous of evading observation, he preferred standing in the lobby. Another person was there also under similar circumstances, who called upon me the next day, and informed me that he had been a sailor during the last forty years, and had encountered every form of marine danger: that he had belonged to a ship of war, and been accustomed to the roaring of cannons, and all the tragic horrors of naval warfare, but never had felt dismayed by any accumulation of peril; he now wept bitterly, and we both knelt before the Lord in supplication, and the Lord heard and spoke peace to his soul. Many other instances of the Lord’s especial favour to me, and blessing upon my ministerial labours in that city I might relate; but the limits I am compelled to assign to the compass of this volume require their omission.

After remaining a few months in Portland, I was moved to travel further into the State of Maine, and I journied in company with Mr. Black, a Baptist minister to the town of Brunswick; a town eminent in the State for its literary institutions. Mr. Black preached there on the Lord’s-day, and I was invited to occupy the pulpit of the Baptist chapel on the Monday evening; which I did, and preached to a very crowded auditory, of whom a large number were collegians: at the close of the meeting, I was invited to preach there again. After this, my mind was impressed that I must go to Bath; a town about ten miles distant; though I had received no invitation, possessed no introductory means to any one, neither knew any person there, and had been informed that the town was not inhabited by one person of colour; my mind was therefore somewhat saddened on account of this impression; I knew not how to proceed in it; and committed my way unto God, who in His own way and time brought it to pass.

In a few days I went to preach at a small country village; and, a female from Bath being present at the meeting, I sent a message by her to the religious people of Bath, requesting permission to come and preach to them; this was the first time in my life that I had ever requested as a favour to myself, that which in the nature of things is the communication of a favour. In a few days I received an answer from them, intimating that they neither knew nor had heard of me previously; but that they regularly held a prayer-meeting at certain times at a certain house about a mile from the town, at which I might attend if I thought proper.

Although this reply seemed rather uncourteous and grating to the feelings, yet the matter was from the Lord, and I durst not refuse even an invitation so uncouth. Accordingly a kind sister conveyed me in her chaise to the place on the day of their next prayer meeting: having alighted, we inquired of the housewife if that was the meeting-house; she admitted that it was; ‘but,’ says she, ‘who asked you to come here?’ Having given her the name of the friend who had sent to me, she added, ‘Oh! then go to him, go to him, he will tell you all about it.’ It is to be deplored that some Christians have ‘Nabal’ so prominently inscribed upon their tempers, that they display an equal moroseness with the canine snarlers: such are unmindful of the authority and disobedient to the laws of their Master, by which they are required to be courteous, gentle and kind; and they greatly disgrace the Christian profession by their churlishness. We departed from that surly abode, and went into the town; but were unable to find one person belonging to the society or who knew anything of our coming; nor could any of them accommodate us with a night’s lodging: we therefore rode back to the house where the meeting was to be held, and the time for its commencement was nearly arrived. We again alighted and knocked at the door, and it was opened by the female before mentioned, who, when she saw us, shut it again in our faces and turned away. As she did not lock the door, I opened it and entered into the house. A great many people and the preachers were already assembled; I sat down in the meeting and reflected on the repulsive reception I had met with; and conscious that I had now discharged my duty before God, I resolved, if not requested to preach, to sit in silence and wait before Him.

When the time for service arrived, one of the preachers came to me and said, ‘Sister, I suppose you wish to address the meeting,’ to which I assented: and as he stated that the assembly were desirous of hearing me, I went into the desk opened the meeting, and preached from Isaiah xlviii. 18, “Oh, that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river; and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” The audience were very numerous and attentive; much feeling was excited and many tears were shed, for the Lord was with me in the work, to give efficacy to the word of His grace. At the conclusion of the service, the society were detained to consult on matters of their own; and I retired to prepare for my departure. When we were ready to enter the chaise, some of the sisters came to us, and informed me that I might be accommodated with a lodging at the residence of a lady in the neighbourhood; but as they did not assign any object for my further stay with them, I declined the offer, and departed. I afterwards learnt that they had been consulting about my preaching in the town on the next Lord’s day, and had arranged for me so to do; though they did not then inform me of it. After the sermon, my soul was filled with an inexpressibly sweet serenity and heavenly peace. On our way home we called at a house on Brunswick plains, which is midway betwixt the two towns, where one of our friends resided; and as they were preparing supper for us, I sat in thoughtful meditation on the varied goodness of God towards me; and looking upwards, the Lord opened my eyes, and I distinctly saw five angels hovering above and engaged in the praises of God: the raptures of my soul were too awful and ecstatic on that occasion for human description: the sensual world are unacquainted with the overwhelming fascinations which thrill through every instinct of the spiritual mind under the complacent manifestation of etherial intelligencies and their enchanting influence. I concluded that this wonderful manifestation was a token for good, and a proof that the Lord was well pleased with the course I had taken; and I was encouraged to hold several meetings throughout the week, and preached on the Lord’s day twice on the plains, and once in Brunswick. I learnt, in the meantime, that a great curiosity had been excited in Bath on account of my visit to that place, and that I was anxiously expected there again. On the Lord’s day morning, immediately after I had commenced the service, one of the Bath preachers came in, and when the service was over, informed me that he was directed to conduct me to Bath to preach there in the evening; but being then engaged to preach in Brunswick in the evening, he was much disappointed at my declining his invitation; however, I promised to call and preach there when on my journey to Bangor, to which town I purposed shortly to go: in a short time, taking leave of the friends at Brunswick, went to Bath, and was very kindly received by Mr. Wilkinson, one of the preachers: in the evening I preached in their spacious chapel to a very large and attentive audience: after service they made a collection, the whole of which they generously presented to me; being a larger sum than I had received from any other congregation in the State of Maine; they then earnestly requested me to remain a few days with them, and preach again ere I proceeded on my journey, to which I was constrained to consent. As the immense concourse retired from the chapel, the noise of so many hundreds of feet unbroken by any human articulation was very remarkable, and excited the surprise of some of the friends as being very unusual in that town; but the people obviously had

“A while forgot their earthly cares,
And soared above this vale of tears,
To yon celestial hill.”

I attended the different meetings of their classes during my stay there, and enjoyed a very pleasant visit among them; and, having preached to them again, they gave me letters of recommendation to the methodist ministers who resided along the course of my journey through the State. I could not but gratefully regard the kind dealings of my Heavenly Father towards me in my visits to this people; although my reception was so rude and repulsive at the first, yet my way was enlarged, my messages welcomed, and my subsequent treatment warmly cordial and affectionate: such are frequently the ways in which the Lord conducts His saints—

“Behind a frowning Providence,
He hides a smiling face.”

Having preached to them on the Thursday evening, my departure was arranged for the morrow; the friends having obtained my promise, that, with the Lord’s permission, I would come and preach to them again on my return. On the morning, before I left, the superintendent minister of the Circuit came on a visit to Bath from Augusta; and hearing of my preaching there, treated it at first as many other ministers do, with great contempt, and reprobated the ministry of a female; but after hearing somewhat more of the matter, his sentiments became changed, he was introduced to me, and became one of my very kind friends.

It is true, that in the ordinary course of Church arrangement and order, the Apostle Paul laid it down as a rule, that females should not speak in the church, nor be suffered to teach; but the Scriptures make it evident that this rule was not intended to limit the extraordinary directions of the Holy Ghost, in reference to female Evangelists, or oracular sisters; nor to be rigidly observed in peculiar circumstances. St. Paul himself attests that Phœbe was a servant or deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea; and as such was employed by the Church to manage some of their affairs; and it was strange indeed, if she was required to receive the commissions of the Church in mute silence, and not allowed to utter a syllable before them. The apostle John wrote his second epistle to a Christian lady, as a matron of eminence and authority; exhorting her believing children by her, and bidding her to prove the doctrines of those who visited her in the capacity of Christian teachers: honourable mention is made of many other Christian females who promoted the cause of Jesus; and Paul wished every assistance to be given to those women who laboured with him in the Gospel. Tryphena laboured with Tryphosa in the Lord; mention is made of the services of many of the sisters of Nereus, of the mother of Rufus, many others are also very respectfully referred to by St. Paul the prophet Joel predicted that God would pour His Spirit on His handmaids, and that they should prophecy as well as His servants; and this prophecy, Peter, on the day of Pentecost, asserted was fulfilled; and if so, the Christian dispensation has for its main feature the inspirations of the holy prophetic Spirit, descending on the handmaids as well as on the servants of God; and thus qualifying both for the conversion of men, and spread of the Gospel. Priscilla took upon herself the work of a teacher, when, in conjunction with her husband Aquila, she expounded to Apollos the way of God more perfectly; the four virgin daughters of Philip the Evangelist, were prophetesses or exhorters, probably assisting their father in his evangelic labours: being prophetesses or exhorters, the work in which they were employed was prophecy or exhortation; and those brethren certainly err, who fetter all and every ecclesiastical circumstance, and even the extraordinary inspirations of the Holy Spirit with the regulations given by the apostle to a church, the brethren of which extensively possessed the gift of utterance, and were therefore in no need of female speakers; and a Church, too, which owing to its disorders and excesses, required the most stringent rules for its proper regulation. The superintendent minister desired me to tarry some days in Augusta; furnished me with letters of introduction to the brethren there, and in the event of the preacher, who was appointed to preach on the following Lord’s day in his stead; failing to come, he made the necessary arrangements, and directed me to supply his lack of service. I set off for Augusta in the steam boat at two o’clock, P.M., and arrived there at nine in the evening; and it being dark, I was unable to find the inn to which I had been directed; but the Lord was with me to preserve me. Being alone so late at night, I felt uncomfortable, as a female and a stranger, and wandered about until I came to the principal hotel, into which I entered and received great kindness from the landlord. In the morning he went himself to Mr. Robinson, and informed him I was inquiring for him, whereupon that gentleman came to the hotel for me, conducted me to his house, and very kindly entertained me. From the moment I consented to tarry in Augusta, till the next Lord’s day, I felt a very heavy cloud upon my soul, for I had received no direction from the Lord upon it, but had acted upon my own judgment. I went mourning by day, and passed two nights in sleepless sorrow. Mr. Robinson informed me that the committee of the society were about to meet in the evening, that the question of my preaching there must be submitted to them, and he would inform me of their decision, but the time passed by and I heard nothing thereof. On the Lord’s day morning, after breakfast, as I was praying in private to my heavenly Father, and desiring to know why my soul was thus shut up in confusion and obscurity, the Lord was pleased to give me this answer, “Thus saith the Lord, the brethren are divided in their sentiments; nevertheless, though clouds and darkness be with thee, I will deliver thee; my presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” I then went into the parlour, and said to Mrs. Robinson, “My dear madam, since my coming here, I have not enjoyed that rich endowment of the light of the Holy Spirit which I usually experience, nor could I imagine the reason thereof.” I further stated, that my heavenly Father had showed me the reason, viz., that I have come amongst a people who are divided in their sentiments; and that the brethren are not perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. She then burst into a flood of tears, and said, “Well, if they will not receive those whom God is pleased to send, we cannot help it.” When the time came for morning service, I accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Robinson to the chapel. The congregation assembled, but the minister, who was appointed to preach, did not come: after waiting some time for the preacher, and he not coming, Mr. R. came and requested me to take the pulpit; but having made no preparation whatever to conduct the public services, I declined, stating that I had no desire to intrude myself upon the attention of the congregation contrary to the feeling of the church; upon this, a gentleman present said he would not bind the rest of the brethren by his peculiar view; that he would go to another meeting, and leave them at liberty to act as they pleased. He then withdrew; and one of the brethren rose and assured me that all the brethren present were of one mind as to my preaching; and hoped that I would consider myself amongst my friends and not feel the least embarrassment.

I then repaired to the desk, and conducted the service, though with but little of my accustomed unction and freedom. In the afternoon, however, it pleased God to grant us a time of refreshing indeed. The chapel, which was large and commodious, was densely crowded; and, at the conclusion, one of the brethren arose and proclaimed that a meeting would be held there in the evening also; and in the evening, so great was the concourse, that crowds remained at the chapel doors unable to gain an entrance; and numbers were forced to retire disappointed of any accommodation. The presence of the Holy One was also manifested, and the glory of God filled the house. Although greatly fatigued with the exertions of this day, at five o’clock on the following morning, I took the stage for Bangor, and rode seventy miles that day over a remarkably uneven ground, sometimes ascending the sides of the mountains, and at other times jolting through the rocky valleys. After a very fatiguing journey we arrived at Bangor at four o’clock, P. M., and I was kindly received by Mr. Brown, a very respectable gentleman of colour, who stood in high repute among the people: this gentleman went and apprised the Methodist preacher of my arrival: who soon came to see me, and gave me invitations to the pulpit, the classes, and the family in which he resided. I attended their quarterly meeting, and also a love feast, with very great enjoyment and profit to my own soul: the meeting was attended with divine power of very perceptible density; the people spoke with great feeling, and fluent utterance; the Spirit of the Lord directed and inspired the meeting, and much good was effected on that occasion. My visit to Bangor was replete with reciprocal benefits to them and myself. I truly saw there the grace of God, and was glad; for the Lord sent the Spirit of His Son into the hearts of many, crying, Abba, Father! and sealed them with His Holy Spirit of promise. After remaining with them a few days, I took my leave of them and returned by the route by which I came. The day was very rainy; and the coach was closely shut up, that no inside passenger could be seen; nevertheless, I had not been in Augusta an hour, before Mr. Robinson came to the house where I was, to engage me to preach in the chapel that evening. I accordingly, went and preached, during one of the most terrific thunder-storms I ever witnessed; the heavens gathered blackness; the God of glory thundered, He uttered His voice, and that a mighty voice, which divided the flames of fire: the awfulness of the evening gave an increased solemnity to the service; in the night a vessel was lost upon the coast; and all hands except two perished. In the morning I went by the stage coach to Bath; and two young men, the only survivors of the crew of the wrecked vessel were amongst the passengers. I was very kindly received by my dear friends in Bath; and, according to previous engagement, I preached in their Chapel in the evening; and a delightful visitation of the love of God was enjoyed by the congregation. I felt a most spiritual union with this people, which I believe will be renewed with increased delights in the world of bliss; the Lord had enabled me to endure with meekness and patience, the repulsive treatment I met with from them on my first introduction amongst them; and we afterwards became more closely united and endeared to each other, than we perhaps might have been, if my first reception had been more courteous; their subsequent behaviour was full of kindness and tender affection; we enjoyed many happy hours in each other’s company, and the time of my departure was painfully affecting. I then returned to Portland, after an absence of about three months; and after an abode there of some few weeks, I journeyed to another part of the Lord’s heritage, going from one town to another, the Lord having opened many doors to me, and given me access to every denomination of Christians, my labours greatly abounded. My earthen vessel was continually exhausted, and as continually replenished; my bodily frame was often wearied in the service of my Saviour, Proprietor and Lord; and many an hospitable home was opened by his providential care, to furnish me with refreshment and repose.

“Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Hither by thy help I’ve come,
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.”

At one little town that I visited, it having been announced that I should preach in a large school room usually appropriated for that purpose; when I was proceeding thither, accompanied by some friends, at the time appointed, my mind suddenly became disquieted; and I said, ‘what is the matter, for I feel that there is something not right; the friends who were with me, however, made light of my inquiry; but it soon appeared that some dissolute and ruffianly persons had conspired together to come and break up the meeting; and they had so far intimidated the brethren who should have opened the doors, that they durst not go forward to prepare the place! One of the sisters then procured the key, and opened the room. A great concourse of people assembled; and I commenced the service in entire ignorance of the disturbance which was projected. In a short time afterwards the conspirators entered the room, their leader tarrying at the door; the power of the Lord was visibly present; and the rabble were overawed and restrained from then purpose. Their champion growing impatient, then made his appearance—an unusually stout and ferocious looking man: he came close up to me, making a demonstration as if he intended to seize or strike me, but this producing no impression upon me, he stood over me as if he would take my life; but God was with me, and I felt no fear. He then seated himself beside his companions, pulled their hair, and groaned aloud, in derision of the Methodists! Those groans rested upon my spirit; the thread of my discourse was suspended, and I was directed to rebuke and exhort him personally, telling him that those groans would soon be repeated in reality; and it was not improbable that he might be suddenly cut off from the land of the living, and required to give a woeful account of himself at the bar of God. I thus cleared my soul of his blood, and left him in the hands of God. On the next day, as I was walking in the town, this very man came and civilly accosted me, and invited me to call at his house, which I did, and prayed with him and his family, and departed. Proceeding further, I met with the gang of his confederates; who addressed me, and entreated my forgiveness for their misbehaviour on the previous evening; and while I assured them of my forgiveness, I exhorted them to seek forgiveness from God, whose majesty had been insulted by their disrespectful conduct toward His servants and the ordinance of His worship. I then left the town; and, in a few days afterwards, I learnt that their champion had died suddenly, from the rupture of a blood-vessel in the lungs! having gone from his house but fifteen minutes before in perfect health: this event made a deep impression on the minds of the people in that locality, and caused the fear of God to rest upon many. I then visited another part of that country, where an abundant field of labour was presented before me; and the Lord applied His word as a two-edged sword, to the conviction and awakening of many souls; but lest I should be too much elated with my ministerial prosperity, my course received a check by the oversetting of the chaise in which I was returning one evening from the house of God, by which my ancle was broken, and I was laid by for a time; but after a few months, my hurt was recovered, and I resumed my work in the vineyard of the Lord. I then returned to Portland, and thence proceeded to Boston, which I left for Rhode Island; where I passed some time amongst the Christian brethren. In the town of Providence there was a great shaking among the dry bones; the Spirit of God entered into them, and many began to live. I proceeded from thence to New Bedford, where I was cordially received by the minister of the Freewill Baptist congregation. I preached there many times; and then went to the Island of Nantucket, intending, in a few days, to return to New York and see my daughter, from whom I had been absent more than two years, and whom I had a great desire to see: but God ordered it otherwise; for when about to sail for New York, the wind shifted, and was so contrary, that the vessel could not go out of the harbour, and I returned again on shore to the house of my friend; before the wind became favourable, I was attacked with a very severe fit of illness, by which I was confined for a long time: I therefore sent for my daughter to come to me; and, on her arrival, the interview was very affecting to us both. The physician gave no hopes of my recovery, but prayer was made on my behalf by day and night. Miss Sarah M. Coffin, a young lady in the vicinity, incessantly visited me, and prayed much and fervently for me. One evening, while praying by my bed-side, she used these words, which were written on my heart as with an iron pen, or the point of a diamond—“Lord, if consistent with thy will, spare our sister Elaw, and take my life in her stead; for she is useful to thy cause, and I am but a feeble worm, and but of little worth.” Her affection for me was as great as that of Aquila and Priscilla for St. Paul, who would have laid down their own necks upon the block for him. One day I was so ill, that my attendants were expecting my breath to cease. The medical attendant came in, and informed them, that he was about to fetch the principal physician on the island to see me. The friends were then sitting around me, and an elderly lady, a Baptist, came into the chamber, sat down, and looked at me awhile, and then said, “Mrs. Elaw, I am bidden to tell you, that you will get better; God has a great work for you yet to do, and I think you will travel some thousands of miles yet.” On her departure, our second preacher came in, and such was the weakness of my faith in the word of Him who had said, “Thou shalt see London, and declare my name there,” that I requested the minister to attend my funeral; gave him a portion of Scripture to preach from, and the hymns I wished to be sung on the occasion. Having promised compliance, if the event so required, he kneeled down and prayed the Lord to grant that I might yet be raised up, to stand forth in the name of God and declare His truth. While he was praying, I felt the evidence of the Holy Spirit, witnessing, that his prayer was heard, and that God had granted the request of his lips. From that very hour I began to amend; and some time after, Miss Coffin came in and asked how I was, saying, that she had requested a lady with whom she was acquainted, a Quakeress, to make special prayer to the Lord for me; for said she, “We cannot have thee die.” She further stated that the friendly Quakeress had waited upon God on my behalf, and had received this answer by the Holy Ghost: “She shall get better, and in this Island shall hereafter be her home.” As far as my own mind was concerned, I had no anxiety either to live or die, knowing, that for me to live would be for Christ’s service, but to die, my gain. I sometimes thought, I shall never see England: yet it was generally met by an internal whisper, “the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” However after an illness of eight months’ duration, my health was re-established, and I was again brought forth to the service of my heavenly master; and the kind friends would not consent for me to leave the island: my daughter also married and settled in it, thus verifying the prediction of the prophetess, that my home should hereafter be on this delightful spot. The Lord thus established my goings here; and, as my strength increased, so also did my labours. I had a numerous class to lead, and much employment in the ministry also. There were two chapels in the occupation of the society; in the one, situated in the upper part of the town, I statedly preached on the Lord’s-day afternoon; and, in the evening, I assisted our beloved minister in the large chapel, where we enjoyed a little heaven below. Numerous souls were awakened and converted to God; and inquiry after the way of life and salvation was prevalent in every part of the town. The work of God was our entire pursuit; and we knew nothing among the people, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was constantly going from house to house, both early and late; and thus I spent two happy years in the pleasant island of Nantucket, the Lord blessing both my going out and my coming in.

I afterwards took my daughter with me, and went into the land of our nativity to visit our brethren and see how they did: we came to the city of Philadelphia, had a joyful meeting with our brethren, and abode in that city for a little space: while there, I engaged to go to a small town at some distance, whither I had been once before; but my arrangements for this journey were twice frustrated; and on returning from my second disappointment I called upon a friend in Philadelphia, and remarked, that it appeared to be contrary to the mind of God for me to go thither: while thus talking, there appeared a young man standing before me, and although conscious that it was a supernatural appearance, I involuntarily exclaimed, “what is this?” The suggestion then took possession of my mind, that if I yet persisted in going thither, the Lord would there convert this young man by my ministry as a token that He had sent me. In a third attempt I was more successful; and when I appeared in the congregation, I looked for him; but saw no young man whose person and apparel I could identify as the man whom I had seen in my vision: however, on the last evening of my stay there, after I had preached, the same young man, habited in the very apparel I had beheld in the vision, came forward and shook hands with me; testifying, that the Lord had sent me to awaken his soul, and separate him from his sins unto the Lord. He corresponded with me several years afterward, and gave evidence that he was standing fast in the faith, and progressing in the knowledge of God, and I was informed that he continually made mention of me in his prayers in the public congregations as well as in private. Having tarried some time with my friends in those parts, we returned back to New York; and having promised to accompany the brethren there to a camp-meeting in the neighbourhood, the time for holding which had not arrived, I left my daughter there, and proceeded on to Albany, which is distant about three hundred miles: the Lord graciously preparing the way by His providential operations. I preached in many chapels throughout that region; and the Methodists opened an extra house purposely for me; a very large and commodious building, but greatly insufficient to contain the masses who flocked thither to hear the word of God: the presence of the Lord accompanied my ministry, and rendered it the power of God to the salvation of many. When it was first announced that a female would preach in that chapel, a gentleman in the vicinity had a strong desire to come and hear me, and proposed for his lady to accompany him; but she objected, that it was unbecoming in a woman to preach; and, also, that God never commissioned women to preach: he however, very much urged her, and at length he overcame her objections by persuasions; and they came, and the word was effectually sown in her heart with quickening power from God, her former sentiments became completely reverted; for, as she had never before experienced the searching and converting power of the word under a sermon, she was ready to imagine that none beside myself on earth had received the commission of God to preach the gospel; when she got home, she read of Christ sending the women to inform the disciples and Peter, that he was risen from the dead; she then reprobated the folly of her former objections; for said she, I now perceive that the first preachers of the resurrection were women: thus the Scriptures become as a new volume, when the Lord opens and illuminates the eyes of our mind. The Scriptures ever develope new and surprising truths to the regenerate soul; and in proportion to our measure of grace, and of the Spirit of God, is the illumination which accompanies our perusal of the Scriptures: that soul is not in the enjoyment of spiritual life, who reads the Scriptures without some perception of their unparalled glories, the divine lustre of which is so peculiar that the expositions furnished by the wisdom of this world, and all the elucidations of human learning, fail of any imitation of its radiance: it is the high privilege of those who are begotten by the Word of truth to read the Scriptures, not as the word of man, but as they are indeed, the Word of God, a sacred volume, the production of the infinite God; the true key of this heavenly book is the Spirit of truth; under whose guidance and illumination we ascertain and enter into the mind of God; therein beholding as in a mirror, the glory of Jesus, we become increasingly assimilated to the same image, from one degree of glory to another, as by the Spirit of the Lord.