BX7710 .N8R5 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/riseprogressofsoOOrich THE EISE AND PEOGEESSu OF THE MAY 11 1918 SOCIETY OF FEIENDS iif NOWAY. BY GEORGE RICHARDSON. LONDON : CHARLES GILPIN, o, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT. EDWARD iMARSH, 84, HOUNDSDITCH. DUBLIN: JAMES B. GILPIN, 59, DAME STREET. 1849. INDEX. INDEX TO ENGLISH PROPER NAMES. ALLEN, WILLIAM, visit to Stavanger in company with Stephen Grellett, 25. Scarcity of Bibles, 25. Priest Lange without, 28. Visits Governor Keiland and Dean Storen, 27. Conversation ou the Sacraments (no called), 28. Meetings with Friends, 26, 29. Discipline established, 27- State of education, 29. Plan for schools, 31. Visits Christiansand, Arendal, and Christiania, 30. Interview with Charles John, King of Sweden, at Stockholm, with an address, 33. 83, His promises of protection to Friends, 85. BACKHOUSE, JONATHAN, relief to sufferers by persecution, 63. BACKHOUSE, WILLIAM, proposed visit to Norway and sudden death, 69. Remarks thereon by E. Tasted, 75. BUDGE. JOHN, see E. O. Tregellis. Epistle from, 111. GRELLET I , STEPHEN, visit to the prisoners, x. Visit to Friends in Norway. 25. MARTIN. WILLIAM, visit to prisoners, x. Again, 9. MIDGLEY, JAMES, as-ists in printing tracts, cfec, 107, HI. RICHARDSON, GEORGE, address to the Stavanger justices, on per- secution, 64. RICKMAN, WILLIAM, visits prisoners, xi. Again. 9. SHILLITTOE, THOMAS, visit to Friends at Christiania, 34. Inter- view with the counsellor of state, 36. With Hans Neilsen Houge, 39. Attends meetings for discipline, 42. Benefits of Friends' dis- cipline, 41, Meeting at Christiansand, 43. At the captain s house on his way to Stavanger, 43. Remarks on trials and on Christian charity, 43. Visits Friends of Stavanger, 44, 47. Large public meeting, 46. Advice on registration and discipline, 45. Case of a convinced Friend, 47- Visits Bergen, and interview with the dean on the prevalence of dissipation on the First Day of the iv week, 48. Case of Henry Ottiley and others, who had been craellf persecuted in the King of Wirtenaberg's dominions, 49. A suf- ferer's prophecy fulfilled, 50. Destruction of many who emigrated, 50. SMITH, FREDERICK, visit to the prisoners, x. Letter to Enocb Jacobsen. 9. STEAD'S, LUCY, correspondence with Stavanger, 61, 76. Remarks on her death, 82. TREGELLIS, E. O., visit to Norway, in company with John Budge and Isaac Sharp, 98-106. INDEX TO FOREIGN NAMES, SURNAME LAST. ANDREAS BRYNE, suffering for refusal to bear arms, 115. Visits Newcastle, 122. ASBJORN O. KLOSTER, in England, 107. Keeps school, 107. Ac- companies E. Dahl, 115, 116. BERENT RASMUSSEN, trials on reaching home, 17- CANUTE, or KNUD HALVERSEN. certificate for, x. Letter from, 22. W. Allen meets with, 31. CHARLES ANDREAS JOHNSEN, Roisland, letter from, 122. ELIAS TASTED, convincement, ix. Letters to Friends of Rochester, 7, 33. Release, 16. Marriage, 27. Visits Newcastle, 52. Let- ters to Friends of Shields, 53, 56 ; of Sunderland, 61 ; of Newcastle, 58, 60, 10.9, 111. Trials, 52, 58, 66. Prosecuted for burials, 36, 59 ; for school tax, 59. Address to priests and magistrates, 76. Grateful address to King Oscar, 92. Builds meeting house, 67. His school, 99. Translates and prints C. Meidell's Address to Lutherans and W. Penn's Exhortation to Repentance, 57. His stedfastness, 85. Letters, 58, 60, 74, 108. ENDRE DAHL, convincement, 61. Marriage and prosecution for, 62, 66. Visits Newcastle, 71. Shipwreck, 72. Appears in ministry, 95. Visits Friends, 83, 11.5, 116. Interprets for E. O. Tregelles and companions, 101. Letters, 108. 110, 112 ; to London, 109. ENER RASMUSSEN, letters from, 68, 69, 70, 95. ENOCH JACOBSEN, convincement, ix. Religious experience, 1-6. Letter to W. Forster, 6. Accompanies Stephen Grellett and W Allen, 23-26. Interprets for T. Shillittoe, 35-41. ERASMUS JEP^EN, visits Newcastle, 50. T. Shillittoe meets with, 50. Decease, 51. EVER HALVERSEN, 28. Trials of, and letter to the king, 53. HALVERSEN MICALSEN suffers for refusing baptism to a child, 75. HALVER HARRISTAD ditto, 115. HANS ERICKSEN, S. Grellett and W. Allen's visit to, 32. Hospitality to T. Shillittoe, 35. Decease, 1]0. HANS NEILSEN F OUdE. noticed as the first of the Norway Saints, 11, 16, 18. 20. Thomas Shillittoe's interview with. 38. HELGE ERICKSEN travels as a preacher. 103. 1)0. K A AVER 0. DAHL'S letter to Frederick Smith, 13. KING CHARLES JOHN- S friendly disposition, 85. Meeting for Suf- ferings address to, App. A. S. Grellett and VV. Allen's do., 83. Tver Halversen's letter to, 53. KING OSCAR'S law for toleration of Dissenters, 87. E. Tasted'* address to, 92. KING OF WIRTEMBERG S cruel persecution of Dissenter?, 49, 50. KJELM, Professor, vilifies Friends in the public papers, 62. LARS LARSEN settles at Stavanger, 16. Visited by S. Grellett and W. Allen, 26. Visits London, 34. Assists T. Shillittoe, 42. LARS MONSEN settles at Dram, and visited by S. lirellet and W. Allen, 31. MARIi^ LARSDATT A refuses to swear, 56. Cruel sentence, 78- MATTHIAS PEDERSEN prosecuted for refusing water baptism, 57, 59, 78. OLE BANBERG settles at Holmerstrand, 16. Letter from, 17. OLE EDWARDSEN LOGE, Letter to Fred. Smith, 1 1. Release, 14. OLE FRANK settles at Stavanger, 16. OLE KNUDSEN encloses the burial ground, 37. OLE MOE, of Christiansand, T. Shillittoe's visit to, 42, 43. OSMUND SORENSEN visits Newcastle, 67. Teaches school, 67. SOREN ERICKSEN suffers heavy distraint, 57. Again, 61, 104. Donation to, 63. Thriving flock, 104. Meetings at his house, 61. Visited by E. O. Tregelles and Co., 104; by E. Dahl, 116. SOREN OLSEN refuses to go to the war, 120. STOREN, Dean of Stavanger, friendly and pious spirit of, 25, 28. THORBJORN KNUDSEN. a Howgean, 11. THORNES JOHNSEN. Letter from, 21. TOLLAG TORGRIERSEN, Roisland. letter from, 122. INDEX TO SUBJECTS. ADDRESS of the Meeting for Sufferings in London to Charles John, King of Sweden. App. A. „ of W. Allen and S Grellett to ditto, 83. „ of Iver Halversen, 53. vi ADDRESS to the Storthing of Christiania, by the Meeting for Suffer- ings, App. B. „ to King Oscar, by Elias Tasted, 92. „ to priests and magistrates, by ditto, 76. „ to the magistrates of Norway, by G. Richardson, 64. BAPTISM with water, sufferings for refusing, 57, 59, 61, 78, l04, 115 BIBLE, scarcity of, 25 ; difficulty in obtaining, 26, 28 ; supply of, 72, 104. BOOKS, Barclay's Apology, instrumental in convincement, x. 5 ; supply to prisoners, 16 ; Danish edition revised and reprinted, 106. „ Tracts translated and printed, 57, 81, 106, 107, HI ; in de- mand, 102. „ Tract Society established, 109. BURIALS, prosecution for, 36, 59. Burial ground, 36, 37. CERTIFICAl E from Friends of Rochester for the prisoners, 15. CONVINCED persons amongst the prisoners, list of, 8. CONVINCEMENT, 56, 59, 76, 100, 118, 121. DISCIPLINE established at Stavanger, 27. Meeting for, 57. Extracts from the book of, printed, 41, 46. Suspended, 51, 57. Revived, 56, 57. On registration, 44. „ „ at Christiania, 27, 42. A stranger's remarks on the be- nefit of, 42. EDUCATION, 29. Public plan for, 31. E. Tasted's school, 99. A. Kloster's, 107 ; also 104, 105, 107, 108. EMIGRATION, 27, 52, 57. EPISTLE from the yearly meeting, 86; to the Meeting for Sufferings, 116. GRADUAL DECLENSION, danger of, 22 ; evil of, 96. MARRIAGE, E. Tasted's, 21 ; E. Dahl's, 62. MEETINGS on board prison ships, xi. ; generally silent, xi. At Sta- vanger, 16, 29 ; forbidden, 53 ; pulslic, 29, 46 ; separate, 59 ; for discipline, 27 ; yearly, 106. At Christiania, 18, 22, 32. At Ber- gen, 110. AtBuken, 110, 115, At Walders, 110. At Stagland, 61. At Roisland, 121. Meeting room hired at Stavanger, 29. Meeting house built. 67, 99. MEMBERS chosen at Stavanger, 27. Names of in 1839, 60. Number of in 1846, App. C. Admission, 57. Children, not by registration only, 70. Chosen at Christiania, 32. MINISTERS, visits from, S. Grellett and VV. Allen, 25 ; T. Shillittoe, 34-50 ; E. O. Tregelles and Co., 98, 108. MINISTRY, unsound, rejected, 63. None yet recorded, 70. E. Dabl, 95. Remarks on, 82. NORWAY Saints, or Hougeans, ix., 9, 1 1,21, 30, 31, 38. OATHS refused, sufferings for, 56, 57, 78, 115. PERSECUTION of H. N. Houge, 20, 39. „ in Wirtemberg, 49. for refusing water baptism, Soren Ericksen, 57, 61, 78 ; Matthias Pedersen, 57, 59 ; Halver Harrestad, 115. of E. Tasted for refusing burial in the Lutheran man- ner, 36, 59. of a young man for refusing confirmation in ditto, 57. ' of E. Dahl for his marriage, 62, 66, 67. Vll PERSECUTION for refusing oaths, Maria Larsdatta, 56, 78 ; Peder Mattbiasen, 115. ., for realising school tax, E. Tasted, 59 ; E. Dahl, 1J4. „ for refusing to go to vrar or bear arms, Andreas Bryne, 115 ; Sorendlsen, 120 ; Torbjorn Thorsen Haggem, 121. PRISONERS, awakening and convincement among, ix., 1 ; list of, 8 ; release, 14, 16; dispersion, 14. PRISONS at Christiania, gross abuse of, 32. POOR, care of, 104, 110. PROVIDENTIAL care of the Society, 68. SACRAMENT, discussion on, 28. SCEPTICISM and bigotry, prevalence of, 31. SCHOOL-ROOM wanted, 107, 116, SCHOOLS, itinerating, 31 ; E. Tasted's, 99 ; Osmund Sorensen's, 67 ; A. Kloster's, 107. Tax for, 30, 100 ; oppressive seizure for, 114. Grounds of Friends' objection to, their being under the controul of the clergy, 30. Lutheran Catechism being the chief book, 31 ; con- trary to religious liberty, 115. STRICTURES on the declension of some English Friends, 96. SUFFERINGS from their own families, 28. Account of sufferings to be prepared, 106. See Persecution. TEACHER, the Lord the best, 1^), 1 13. TOLERATION, pleaded for by Meeting for SufiFerings, App. A. and B ; by Iver Halversen, 53. Friends' faithfulness instrumental in pro- curing, 87. King Charles John, friendly to, 85. King Oscar's law for, 87 ; Friends' grateful acknowledgment of, 92. VISITS to the prisoners, 9 ; F. Smith, 10 ; Stephen Grellett, x. „ to Friends in Norway, S. Grellett and W. Allen, 25 ; T. Shil- littoe, 34-51 ; E. O. Tregelles, J. Budge, and J. Sharp, 98, 106. „ E. Tasted to Newcastle, 52; E. Dahl ditto, 71 ; O. Sorensen, 67 ; A. Kloster, 107. „ E. Dahl's to Meetings and Friends, 83, 1 15, 116. ZEAL of a young fisherman, 26 ; of a young woman, 106 ; of Ingeber Jerversdatta, 103: of Helge Erickson, 103; of Berthe Danielsen, 103. INTRODUCTION. Perhaps we cannot better introduce the following pages to the reader, than by noticing a few brief memoran- dums supplied by our dear Friend, Elias Tasted, of Stavanger, who was an eye-witness of several of the events which he describes, being himself one of the per- sons confined for some years on board the prison-ships at Chatham. The document is entitled — " An Account of the Awakening in the Truth, which took place amongst the Danish and Norwegian Prison- ers of War in England, from the Year 1807 to 1814." In the latter part of the year 181 1, Enoch Jacobsen, a young man from Stavanger, was, by the Spirit of Truth, awakened to see his dangerous and forlorn con- dition, by which visitation he was bowed down in deep sorrow over his past careless course of life, whilst making profession of Christianity ; and, through the powerful convictions of the Holy Spirit, he was led to see the emp- tiness of mere forms, and was constrained to forsake all the outward professions of rehgion. He was then a prisoner of war on board the Bahama, in Chatham river. He had, however, his attention turned toward one of his fellow prisoners, named A. Andersen, of Stavanger, who was one of the people called Plougeians, or Saints, with whom he had some conversation and intercourse. He and his companion, with some others, were soon after removed to another prison-ship, called the Fyen ; there X being then six hundred men on beard her. Here, for a season, they were treated with scorn and derision, on account of their circumspect conduct, and stedfast walk in the fear of God. Soon after their removal, Knud (Canute) Halversen and Elias Tasted, both of Stavanger, were added to their little community. Some time after this, Enoch J acobsen got access to a Danish copy of Robert Barclay's Apology for the true Christian Divinity, as professed by the Society of Friends ; a book which, under the Divine blessing, has opened the understandings of many, and carried convic- tion to their hearts. By this book, he discovered that there must be a people in England who were influenced by the same religious views and feelings as himself. By a little enquiry, they gob to hear of some of the Friends belonging to the meeting at Rochester. To one of these, by the help of a Dictionary, Enoch Jacobsen wrote a letter ; soon after which, they received a visit from them. They could not, then^ at all converse intelligibly with each other ; yet, by signs, in love and friendship, they understood a httle of each others' feelings. The individual to whom they had addressed the letter, in company with William Rickman, an aged minister, paid them several visits. They were also visited by Frederick Smith, of Croydon, and William Martin, of Lewes, and other ministers of the Society. On one of these occasions, by permission of the officers on board, they held a meeting for worship in a little chamber, where there were assembled twelve persons from Norway and Denmark, all prisoners, and of similar rehgious views. Through Divine condescension, this proved a heart-tendering, contriting season ; though, none of them understanding English, they could gather but little of the religious communications delivered amongst them by the English Friends. In the year 1818, they had a most acceptable visit from that worthy man and laborious servant of the Lord, Stephen Grellett, of North America, but a native of France. He was accompanied by W. Rickman and others. By permission of the officers, a place was pre- pared for a meeting on the quarter-deck, to be held on XI the first day of the week. The officers were present, and as many of the people as the place would accommo- date. This proved another refreshing season. Three testimonies to the truth, as it is in Jesus, were delivered ; and the opportunity was concluded in prayer, thanksgiv- ing, and praise to the Lord, for this heart-tendering season. EHas Tasted remarks, " We began to hold silent meetings before the Lord, previous to our knowing any thing of the manner in which Friends in England hold their meetings, and were almost strangeis to their wiit- ings. At first, we got a Httle room to meet in, where only three persons could sit at once, until we took our little cabin in the ship for our public meeting place, which was in the view of all the prisoners, who now seemed very kind to us, though previously they appeared to hate us. It then seemed as though the truth had more power over our outward than over our inward enemies. " In the latter part of our captivity, we were about thirty persons, Danes and Norwegians, who professed with Friends. M^e held our meetings for worship thrice in the week ; but there was seldom any instrumental ministry amongst us." In the year 1814, when the time of their release came, they were sent home to their own country, and were se- parated and scattered into several different localities. Of those who went to Christiansand and to Tronhjem (Drontheim), little is now known. Of the Httle company who settled at Christiania, there will be found further notice in the ensuing pages. The four who settled at Stavanger began to bear a faithful testimony against the world and its spirit. They were poor, and despised by many, and were obliged to hold their meetings for wor - ship sometimes at one place, and sometimes at another, none possessing a house of their own. Several of the Society of the Hougeians were, for^a time, very kind to them, and sometimes attended their meetings for worship, until there arose a difference of opinion between Enoch Jacobsen, of Christiania, and Hans Neilsen Houge. Then the latter wTote to his friends at Stavanger, advising them to have nothing to xii do with the Quakers ; and thus they became quite sepa- rated, which tended to the preservation of Friends. See pp. 18, 38. In the attempt to trace the Rise and Progress of Friends in Norway, it has been expedient to have large recourse to the correspondence which they have main- tained with Friends in England, in the absence of per- gonal intercourse or oral communication. The transla- tions of some letters or other documents which they have attempted, or their own letters when they have written m English, though the sense intended may generally be safely gathered, yet, in most cases, the language has required considerable correction, in order to adapt it to the English reader. In many instances, their own phraseology is so simple and full of meaning, that it has been retained. The journals of those Friends who have visited them, have been freely used ; as that of William Allen, who, in company with Stephen Grellett, paid them a visit in the year 1818 ; and that of Thomas Shillittoe, in 1821. Also, a paper has been furnished by Isaac Sharp, who visited them, in company with E. O, Tregelles and John Budge, in 1846. Two or three papers are also inserted by permission of the meeting for sufferings. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EISE AND PROGRESS OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OE FRIENDS IN NORWAY. The first indiTidual who appears to have embraced the principles of Friends, as far as has yet been discovered, was Enoch Jacobsen, of Stavanger, who was born there about the year 1790. His father was a carpenter. When he was eleven years of age, he was apprenticed to an apothecarj-, with whom he remained about five years, when he felt an inclination to go to sea. On the 4th of the 10th mo., 1808, without the consent or knowledge of his parents, he went on board the Havneren, a privateer, which soon put to sea ; but they were out but three days, when they were captured by a British frigate, the Ariadne, and taken to Leith harbour in Scotland, where he was imprisoned. In a letter to a Friend, dated on board the Fyen prison-ship, then at Chat- ham, he thus describes his feelings on the event : — " I am grieved to write this ; but I hope all is past, and that I have witnessed forgiveness, even as the Apostle says, * Ye are cleansed.' When I had been about three years in the prison in Scotland, I was removed hither. B 2 " This voyage, when I was taken prisoner, was the first time I had been at sea, and I had no thought yet as to what would become of my soul when I leave this state of existence ; but I wandered after my bodily senses, and thought that surely I was a Christian, and that I was alive— but I was dead. " I continued so for a time, when the Almighty was pleased to convince me that it was not the way to become a true Christian, so long as I followed such a course ; but that a man must witness repentance, and become a new creature, in order to witness salvation and eternal peace in Jesus Christ," He further adds, " Dear brethren, I will now in short tell you how wonderful and impenetrable the ways of God are. His goodness and his mercy are so wonderfully great, that He would guide me in the right way. I, who am so young, and have sinned so much. He would lead me in the right way, and not suffer me to be overcome of evil, if I would but follow his commands. You may see that I am not a learned person. I do not know when I have read the Holy Bible, and it is but lately that I have obtained a Testament ; but I now read in it often, and have need to do so." He then expresses the difficulty he had in unfolding his views to them, for want of a better knowledge of the lan- guage. He adds, — " I believe as long as you are led and guided by the Spi- rit of truth, that you will rejoice with me for the great grace that I have lately received of the merciful God; and my wish is, that both you and I may remain faithful unto the end, and sacrifice ourselves to the Almighty, with all our hearts and minds, for the sake of Jesus Christ, who came to save perishing sinners, and to shew us his glory that was given him by the Father, if we will follow him in all things.'* " I was glad to observe your zeal, and for that answer you gave me, that you did not use any compliments ; for, by that understanding and wisdom that the just God has given me, and gives to all them that will follow his commands, I thought it must be given you of God, and that it was done to prove what sort of a spirit had led me to this work, whe- ther it was the spirit of the world, or the Spirit of truth, which Jesus Christ gives to all them w^ho do His will and confess His name. And so I beseech the Omniscient God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he will make you sensible that these words that I now speak are not of myself, but of God. My wish and desire is to do the will of God, as much as he will give me strength and instruction for, by his good Spirit. I am satisfied nothing is wanting on his part, for he dispenses his gifts to all : to some he gives one, to some two, to others three pounds (or talents), as they are faithful. I have a great desire to write you a few words, and to obtain an answer, my brethren ; that I may be afresh animated and instructed, and to have my attention more properly fixed in the Spirit, so that the little spark I have may not be extinguished, but more and more enlightened. " Then, I feel that Satan seems determined to prevent me from worshipping God as I should, or getting into the spiri- tual state. But, dear brothers, how ingenious and guileful he is ! Shall he, then, subdue God's children ? Surely he may bite the heel ; but as soon as the Spirit of God draws near to me, I can fully resist him. And as I am still young in Girist, my desire is great to speak with you, my brothers ; for I know that God has given you great grace, and has counted you worthy to suffer for his name's sake, and that he has given you success. You will, therefore, receive your reward. God has done such a thing in you that you should be in Him an elected people. Let Him be honoured and praised through all eternity," B 2 4 He further describes his religious experience ; — " I was often led by the Spirit of God to do his will ; but I found it very difficult to deny myself. I was much distressed, day and night, and anxious after God : then this godly sorrow effected repentance unto blessedness, which cannot vex. I often rejoiced in God for the great grace he had bestowed upon me ; and I had a great desire to read of what God pro- mised them who would follow him, and I had sometime a foretaste of the joy of heaven — which now I may strive after, but cannot attain to, except when the Almighty pleases, whose mercy is great to a sinner who will repent and turn to him. " But Satan, who in his cunning and subtilty prevents us from doing good, and will release none, often inspired the thought that there was no deliverance for me, and that I might desist, as it was of no use. But God, our Lord, was stronger than he : I saw, in the true words of Jesus Christ, that it was such men as I he came to save. " My desire was great to converse with such men as could tell me about the secret workings of the Almighty ; for I could not find that satisfaction that I wished in any thing that I read. Therefore I see that I then was, and still am, in want of wisdom to lead me to the Spirit of our Lord ; for without his assistance, no creature can do any thing. And I am convinced, by this Spirit, that there is a great secret in the word, which no human creature, with his own natural powers merely, can discern ; yet it is opened to those whom the Almighty knows will be faithful, and preserve it in ho- nour. And as it is what cannot be bought with money, as other things can, my wish is to preserve his imrd in a clean heart, and to bear the fruit thereof in a holy course of life ; and that I may follow his commands by the guidance of his Spirit, through the assistance of our Lord Jesus Christ ; that 5 I may be constant to tlie end, and afterwards obtain eternal glory in liim. 0, my brethren, tbat we all could obtain tbis ! — having in view tbe joy and crown which is in reserve for all that will follow Jesus Christ. 0 ! I wish that I were worthy to be a brother in Christ, and to do nothing but what is agreeable to God our Lord. I think you will feel, if you are guided by the Spirit of God, that these words are not fables or fictions, but that it is come as to my mouth what I should speak, being led thereto by the Spirit of God. 0 that I could get something from you, my brethren, to en- large my desire for pleasing God, that Satan may not get the advantage over me, or that I should fall into carnal se- curity and the sin of indifierence, but that I may be watch- ful unto the end. " I was on board another prison-ship, and there I saw one of Robert Barclay's books, and wished to have had it longer ; but it belonged to the ship,* and I was moved from that ship to this. I saw that the Spirit of God had led and en- lightened you, and that you were counted worthy to suffer reproach for his name's sake ; that he had chosen you to be his people, and that you should shine in darkness ; that un- believers should see your good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. " My desire was so great that I had no rest without using every means to mention all these things to you. How could 1 dare to wi'ite and call you brothers, if I had not been led to it by the Spirit of God ? For I do not know you after the flesh, nor you me^ but after the Spirit ; and I can feel * There is reason to believe that the copy of Barclay's Apology, in the Danish language, here alluded to, was placed on board that vessel by that faithful and diligent labourer in the Lord's service, John Abbot, then of Plymouth. B 3 6 that I have unity with your zeal, and that you are led by the Spirit of truth, and that it is God, of his great grace, who doth these things. May he be praised and honoured now and eternally ! " I beg you, my brethren, if you cannot come yourselves on board to speak with me, that you will send me some of your books, and write me a few lines. Now, for the pre- sent, I have relieved my mind. The great and almighty God, who has in a wonderful manner performed all this, be thanked, praised, honoured, and glorified for ever. Amen. " Grace and peace be with your spirit. Enoch Jacobsen. " Fyen prison-ship, 8 mo. 21, 1812." They w^ere thus brought under the notice of Friends of Chatham and London ; and the next letter to be noticed is from the same writer to William Foster, jun., of Tottenham : — " Thou hast rejoiced me greatly by those books thou didst send me, and which I received on the 24th of the 1st mo., 1813 ; and I hope, by the assistance of them, to be greatly forwarded in the English language. I feel that thy love to me is very great, as thou hast taken so great pains to procure them for me. But when I began to study the English Grammar, I found it would be too difficult to learn it before I had a perfect knowledge of my own. I have therefore put a stop to the study of the English for some time, until I have learned the Danish more perfectly. According to the speaking of the English, I am tolerably well acquainted with what occurs in common discourse, and to speak well enough for any to understand my meaning, " Thou didst wish to know if I had received intelligence from any of my friends in Norway, and I feel that it was 7 done by thee vriih tlie intention to comfort me in my solitary situation. I have to answer thee that I do not expect intel- ligence from any, except from those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. I have a mother, sisters, and bro- tlier-in-law, who all feel a tender love for me. Oh I how great is my longing to announce the will of our Father, not only to these, but to all men on the earth ; that they may see and feel their sins, and that it is their Heavenly Father's will to free them from them." The letter from which the last extract is taken is dated Fyen prison-ship, Feb. 4, 1813. In another letter, addressed to a Friend, of Chatham, dated " 20th of April, 1813," he alludes to the efforts which Friends were making to obtain permission from the Transport Board for some of the prisoners to attend Friends' meetings on shore, and alludes to the probability of peace being effected between Denmark and England. He also proposes furnishing a list of those on board who were inclined to em- brace the principles of Friends, most of whom were from Stavanger. This list does not appear amongst the papers. ^\e will now introduce to the notice of the reader another individual, whose name will have to occupy a prominent position in these pages. It appears that the following letter, dated on board the same prison-ship, but the date not fully given, was written about this period. It is addressed to Sa- muel Wheeler, of Chatham. The language is a little cor- rected : — " My dear friend,— I send thee, as thou hast ordered me, a list of the number of us brothers now here on board. We all acknowledge the love thou bearest for us, and the goodness and kindness you feel for us, captivated poor fellows ; and we assure thee that we are not insensible of that Christianity which thou always givest us proof of. Please to salute the 8 Friends on my behalf, dear brother ! I have a good many things to say to thee, if I were not a stranger in this lan- guage ; but I hope thou wilt understand my opinion from these few words. I am very sick (spiritually) for want of medicaments. I have searched, but have not found : I am as one who finds no strength in his bone, I often wish that I could find an experienced, faithful Friend, who could give me some word of consolation, that I may become patient, to wait for the hour of cleansing, and of healing of my severe wounds. May I wait for that happy providential moment. I may likewise assure thee that there are many of my bro- thers here on board, who have already received considerable strength from the Lord. Some ten of us fain desired to get ashore on the First Day. We have written to the agent, Captain Stuckingson, but received no answer. " I remain, with affection, thy sincere, but at present in- consolable friend, — Elias Eliasen Tasted." LIST OF names. Anders Andersen Regends. Peder Rasmussen Sunby. Even Samuel Mogleboust. Peder Waadssrain. Lars Larssen Geilene. Christen Larson Lit. Ellel Sivertsen Kleppe. C. Christiansen Euberg. Isaih Isairsen Brevig. Christen Pedersen Olborg. Lars Monsen Lillesand. Keils Sorensen Ellomg. Konnes JohnsenChristiansand. Peder Andreas Termansen. AsflagKjedelsenChristiansand.Naaver 0. Dahl. Ole Rasmussen Branelberg. Karl Pedersen Boense. Berent Rasmussen Brevig. Lars Nygaard. Jens Jorgensen D'am. Ole Edwartsen Loge. Jens Larsen Fladstrand. Elias Eliassen Taastad. jq", — Enoch Jacobsen's name is not in the above list. Possibly he may have previously obtained liis liberty. I 9 find lie was in London in the eighth month of this year, where he obtained employment in the umbrella manufactory, with Samuel Southall. It appears that in the year 1814, a little before they were liberated, they received another acceptable visit from Frede- rick Smith, of London, accompanied by "William Martin, of Lewis. William Richman, of Rochester, and other Friends of that Meeting, exercised a friendly and fatherly care over them, which appears to have been blessed to several of them, and tended to their establishment in the truth. We cannot better promote the object of these pages than by inserting some extracts from the correspondence between them and some of those Friends who felt so deeply interested in their welfare. From Frederick Smith to Enoch Jocobsen — Croyden, 4th mo. 2, 1814 :— " Dear Enoch, — There will be sent some copies of Bar- clay's Apology and other books, to be distributed to those prisoners who may not have them I wish thee to get any further information thou canst, respecting The Norway Saints, and let me have it as soon as thou canst. I feel very much interested about the poor prisoners, and also re- specting The Saints ; and I want Friends generally to feel the same interest. When thou goest on board, give my dear love to the prisoners, and tell them they are very near my heart, and I hope tliat the Lord will preserve them, so as that nothing may induce them to return back to the world, but continually to remember how he visited their poor souls in their great distress, whereby he shewed them that though they were in trouble, and in much affliction, yet if they kept humble, under the trying dispensation, he could give them that sweet enjoyment of his love and power, that could make up for trials an hundred times greater than they had IQ endured. And this was a foretaste of those heavenly enjoy- ments that those are at times favoured with, who are obedi- ent to him. " But they must remember that while they were thus fed, they were in the infant or child's state, and that as they grow up towards manhood in Christ Jesus, they must expect little difficulties, and they will be tried by his withdrawing himself for a while; and thus we are made to prove our love to him. For if, when he leaves us, we still maintain our love, and are as faithful as when he first visited our poor souls, it is then he strengthens and exercises us many ways, that we may be experienced in the ways of the ever- lasting truth ; that, by this experience, we may be helpful to others, and which we could not be, if we were always living on milk, like babes. But the time must come when we are to be useful to others : we must eat strong meat — so shall we become strong men in the Lord. " This latter part I wish thee to look at, and remember that those who thirst after Divine enjoyments are not the most useful, but rather those that are the most faithful ; and this, I believe, is thy ease. Thou lovest the Lord, and art distressed when he hides his face from thee, and art only desirous that he should love thee. From whence proceeds this desire after his love ? Why, it is from himself. Thou couldst not have this hunger and this thirst, if he had not given it to thee. Then be contented iii the fulfilling of his words in his own time, and that will be when thou art pa- tiently resigned to endure spiritual suffering. It is said, * Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.' 11 " My dear love is to thee and Canute, &c., &c., &c. Thy affectionate friend, — Frederick Smith." Ole Edwardsen Loge to Frederick Smith — Fyen, 6th mo. 9, 1814:— "Dear Friend, — Seeing that it is a great concern with thee, as well as some others, exactly to know and have a true account of the Religious Society in Norway, called Saints, it seems to be my duty to inform thee that lately we have got one or two books relative to this subject, written by the founder of the sect, Hans Neilsen Houge himself. The first is ' Reflections on the Foolishness of the World.' The second book contains ' The Principles of the Literature of Christianity.' Shouldst thou be desirous of getting them sent to thee (although they are likely not to be so delightful to thee as perhaps thou hadst thought), I will instantly send them to Chatham. There is one of the aforesaid Society on board the Belliquer, named Thorbjom Knudsen ; and it is from him we have got these books. " It might be of good consequence for our unfortunate brothers in Norway to become acquainted with you ; for I know they love the Friends in England. I sincerely wish it was in my power, in this language, to express my feelings of thine and thy fellow brothers' goodness towards me and my companions ; for I understand that it is you, next to God, to whom thanks belong, for our knowledge of the blessing of the truth, which I hope we are about to receive. I have been your enemy ; and you have treated me as your friend — your son. I have been one of your persecutors ; and you consider me as your best friend. Oh ! your reward must be great. Enoch Jacobsen knows what sort of man I have been. I constantly disputed with him, and often said to my friends, *They who know something of religion, will not easily be a Quaker.' At the same time, it was as though a 12 man should speak to me these words : * Thou oughtst not to keep more discourse with Enoch relative to that suhject; because it is perhaps not impossible to be doing evil, and not know it thyself.' I thought myself wise enough, but was thus reproved. " It is, indeed, very little that I yet understand ; but I am glad that I have found the way for finding the truth ; and, by the Lord's assistance, I hope to do so. " Yet, weak as I am, I heartily desired it might be in thy mind to send me a few words of confirmation. Thou hast reason to answer me, in truth, that there are many words of this sort for me in the Bible. Yes, there are ; yet some lines of comfort also would be very acceptable,' particularly when they come from an upright and experienced man. Thine and thy companions' words, in your text (preaching), were very pleasing to me ; and I hear of many more who then understood them. I assure thee they will be kept in remembrance. There will, as thou saidst, come a winter season ; but let it come ; if it please God, he can carry me over it. I am not sorry to suffer for a good cause ; but I would be ashamed and afraid to suffer, being a guilty per- son. Sufferings, has the Divine Deliverer pleased, should be the lot of every one that wishes to be a true Christian ; therefore we should be patient " I beg thee to accept my dear love to thee, thy family, and other dear friends ; this salutation being also retaken from my brothers on board here. I bid thee farewell, wish- ing that I could be worthy to remain, thy sincere friend, — " Ole Edwardsen Loge." The next two letters are from another of the prisoners, who thus describes himself ; — " I inhabit in a port called Robervig, of Charmen Island, twenty-four miles northward from Stavanger. I have been master of vessels in the coast 10 O and fishing trade, in the summer ; and, in the winter season, I am busy in teaching young persons writing and naviga- tion. I have never been in the king's service, having got privilege of freedom. I have a wife and two children ; a son, eighteen, and a daughter, fourteen years of age. I have also step-children ; three sons and one daughter. " Kaaver 0. Dahl. " To Frederick Smith." " Fyen, the 10th of June, 1814. " Dear friends, — Your last presence here on board have comforted my soul, and I am joyful in the love of the Lord, and of the true religion of the church of Christ, which I shall bear in mind all the days of my life. You have helped to support me and my friends, both in soul and body. Receive my sincere gratitude, as a token of my love to thee and to all the Friends in your country. " By occasion of the war, I am put in this confinement, and restrained of my bodily liberty ; but feeling myself to be in a sweet liberty as to my soul, I thank God heartily, who has been so kind to me, and brought me here to receive his Divine blessing, and has used you as a means to save me, and drawing me from worldly thoughts to the right way, and to be a child of the Heavenly Father, redeemed by our Saviour, and to be a true believer, and of the church of Christ. My prayer is to be constantly preserved in the true religion, and in the true hope of eternal happiness in the world to come, where our blessed Saviour is gone to prepare a place for us, and for every one who, in faith and true love to him, endures the allotted trials and sufferings with patience, regarding the short troubles and miseries of this life as nothing, in comparison with the glory of that life which is eternal, c 14 " Receive these few lines as a token of the sincere love of your affectionate friend, " Kaaver 0. Dahl." The period now drew near when these brethren in bonds were to be liberated, and separated, in some degree, from that close and tender Christian fellowship in which several of them had, for some time, beneficially participated. The fol- lowing short letter describes their sensations on this event. It is from the pen of Ole Edwardsen Loge, dated Bellequeiux, 17th of 9th mo., 1814 :— " Dear friend (name not given), — Two Swedish frigates are ready for us, and we wait hourly for orders for our being sent on board. It is my duty, on my own and my compa- nions' behalf, to bid thee dearly farewell. We thank thee for all that care and affection thou still hast shewn towards us ; and we desire thou wilt have the goodness to remember our due acknowledgments to all the Friends, who, as well as thyself, have been careful for our true prosperity. The Lord reward you for it ! " We are somewhat afflicted because we are now to be se- parated one from another, and because we may now have to experience severe trials ; but we trust in God. When he is with us, we have to fear for nothing. Wheresoever we ar- rive, we shall give you account, if possible. Receive, all of you, our dear love, and farewell for ever. " Thy unworthy friend, Ole Edwardsen Loge." Three of the Friends, of Rochester, sent, through Canute Halversen, Elias Tasted, and Even Samuelsen, a few lines, by way of certificate. In a letter, accompanying this docu- ment, the Friends observe, " We have endeavoured to word the document in such a way that it may extend to all ; and 15 we hope that if there be a probability of its being of service to any of them, at any time, that you will not fail to use your endeavours for them, if their conduct and conversation correspond with their profession. And we feel very desirous that this may be the case with you all : that your meek, in- offensive deportment, may gain you general esteem, and evince to the world that you are redeemed from the spirit of war, and are the followers of our meek, lowly, crucified Redeemer. This will recommend you to the kind notice of all considerate, religiously disposed persons. " And may the heavenly dew, that descended upon the mountains of Zion, descend and remain on you ! " Your truly affectionate friends.'* " To all whom these may concern. " Canute Halversen, whilst having been a prisoner of war at this port, has, we believe, been favoured with the tender- ing influences of the love of God ; and becoming a little acquainted with us, members of the Religious Society of Friends (called Quakers), a people, in those parts, who, amongst other noble testimonies (an able Apology for which he has with him, in his own language), hold the inconsis- tency of war with the Gospel Dispensation, and therefore cannot, for conscience sake, engage therein. And we be- lieve that he, with others of his countrymen, are made par- takers, with us, of the same precious peaceable testimony ; and we are desirous of recommending him to the kind atten- tion of those with whom his lot may be cast, that he may be permitted to have their support in this religious scruple, and witness preservation. " Chatham, county of Kent, England, 12th of the 2nd month, 1814." c2 16 A considerable number of Friends' books, part of them in the Danish language, were supplied by the Meeting for Sufferings, to be distributed amongst the prisoners on their return to their respective homes. Elias Tasted thus describes the events of this period : — " In the latter part of the year 1814, we were discharged from our imprisonment, and taken, by two Swedish frigates, to Christiania in Norway, and the Danes to their own place. Then this poor and mournful little flock became separated and scattered, each to his own place of abode, far distant one from another, scarcely two or three Friends to any one place. We were, however, four, belonging Stavanger, viz., Lars Larsen, Ole Franck, Even Samuelsen, and Elias Tasted. On our return, we were as poor and strange servants ; yet we came to live so near one another, that we kept up our meetings for worship, two or three times in the week, con- stantly ; when a few others sometimes came and sat with us, either in a loft or in a chamber. We were then as a strange and despised people to the great professors ; but the Lord preserved us in our testimonies, through many and various trials and afflictions, which we then had to endure for the truth's sake. Our sufferings were principally caused by the clergy, who stirred up the magistrates to persecution." On the arrival of the Friends at Christiania from their imprisonment, they became a little acquainted with the founder of the people called Hougeans, viz., Hans Neil son Houge. He appears to have been the first of those called Saints, alluded to by Frederick Smith. He received these Friends kindly for a time, but afterwards became their op- ponent. Some of tbem remained in Christiania ; others got settled near Tronhjim ; others went to Christian sand, and one to Holmerstrand. In 1847, Elias Tasted had a letter from this 17 last mentioned, Ole Banberg, stating that lie still loved the truth, of which he became convinced in their captivity ; al- though, being alone, he had not borne such a public testi- mony against the world as becomes a true self-denying follower of Christ. Berent Kasmussen, in a letter to a Friend, of Rochester Meeting, thus describes some of his own trials : — " When I came to Norway, I got a situation in a shop, though the master did not just want me at that time ; but as Hans Neilsen Houge is brother-in-law to my master, it was thought best to keep me here, to try my conversation, and become acquainted with the principles I professed. The family have been very kind to me, though I often fell into many exercises ; but the Lord of heaven and earth has been graciously pleased to strengthen me from time to time. I often feel myself in weakness and in fear, lest I should lose those divine favours which I had received of the Lord. I have often thought of you, my friends, desiring that the Father of Mercies would be pleased to keep you in his own bosom, as he has been pleased to condescend to us his blessed Spirit, through our Lord Jesus Christ ; and as here, in this world, there are many temptations which may surround us, yet, if we keep near to the fountain of life, it will preserve us in every state, as I can a little witness of the mercies of God ; though I feel myself not so perfect as perhaps the Lord requires ; but as my desires to be guided of Him con- tinue, I hope he will strengthen me, by his own power, to overcome that which may displease him. " It did not, at first, seem so pleasant to me, and was a great exercise, because I had none to unite with me in the mode of worship, which the Lord himself had taught me. I sometimes met together with the ' Saints ;' but it did not satisfy me, as their mode of worship consists in praying and c 3 18 singing, whenever they come together. Thus, it is in their own will. I M^as fearful of being drawn into the same. I did not understand so much of these people as I have known since ; for they tried very much to have got me into the same way of worship, had not the Lord been pleased to shew me that it was wrong, and did not please him. " 1 sometimes waited in silence by myself ; but, as I was a servant, I did not demand of the master any room in the house for religious worship : and thus I continued until my friend Enoch Jacobsen came to this place ; and he is here in this house still. He did not like, neither, to hear such singing, but told them that it did not please our Lord, as it was done in their own will. Enoch and I have had many sweet opportunities together ; and we have regular meetings for worship, every first day forenoon and afternoon ; and we are greatly strengthened by our heavenly Father. " The mistress of the house attends our meetings, and also the master ; though he has not yet got a true sense of the ' still small voice ;' but has, no doubt, been visited by Christ Jesus, though he has rather fed in a wrong way ; so that he must be brought down (in his mind) before the life can rise afresh. His wife, who is a sister of Hans Neilsen Houge, is much persecuted of her brother, and many others of the same Society : but she has confessed openly to them that true religion does not consist in such outward things. And I think it is a great blessing to me that the Lord has been pleased to open the way thus. May he be pleased to strengthen her in his fear, and carry on his great work to his own glory. " It is remarkable how He has thus visited us poor crea- tures. May we never forsake him, but wait on his conde- scending love, and humble ourselves before him, and walk with fear in his sight. 19 " I feel much for ttee, and wish your preservation in the love -which comes by Jesus Christ. May the Lord be pleased to reward thee for all the kindness to me and my other com- panions. My dear love to William Rickman. " Thy affectionate friend and brother, " Berext Rasmussen." There is, amongst the papers, another letter written about this period ; and though it is unsigned, yet it is so descrip- tive of the constancy of these poor Friends, and of some of the trials to which they were exposed, that it will be perused with interest : — " Dear friend and brother, — If this letter reach thee, I believe it will satisfy both thee and other friends that I am well in Christ. I shall first inform thee how it has been with me since I have been in Norway. When I got home to my mother, she began to cry, and told me that she had been expecting pleasure in seeing me, but now I came home to give her sorrow ; and I found it hardly possible to satisfy her. But the priest came, and would speak with me. I was not then at home. He asked if I had any books, and my mother took the New Testament, and shewed him. He asked again if I had any other books. My mother said they were all lent out. Then the priest wished me to call on him, and take with me all the books I had of the people called Quakers. When I came home, my mother seemed more satisfied, as the priest had not said any thing unfa- vourable of the principles I professed ; and told her she should not lament so over her son. I went to the priest, and took with me R. Barclay's Apology, William Penn's Key, and Dell on Baptism. Tliere was in company with him a gentleman, and they desired me to let them have the books, and I replied they were welcome. They asked me if 20 I knew the Bible and New Testament. I said I was not much learned in the Scriptures. They enquired, ' Why do you not take off your hat ?' and also about oaths and war. When they could take no advantage of me in these points, they told me if I would come forth in the moving of the Spirit, and declare it in the French and Greek languages, they would believe me. The priest said he thought it would be best for me to go over to England, among my friends there, where I should enjoy peace. When they had used all the means they could with me, and discovered that I was not much versed in the Scriptures, they told me it was the devil that had entered my heart, and that of every Quaker. As they found that though I was not much ac- quainted with Scripture, and yet answered discre3tly, they grew tired. I then remembered what Frederick Smith told me, that when we were brought before magistrates, &c., it should be given us what we ought to speak, and I found it verified. " At another time, as I was on business for my master, to pay money to a lieutenant, he struck me because I could not take my hat off, and was so angry as to pull it off my head, and pull me by the hair, and forced me out of doors, and it was with difficulty I could get my hat again. He gnashed his teeth at me, and appeared very angry. " At another place, I was told that I must leave the country in twenty-four hours, as no other religions are to- lerated than the Lutheran ; and that, if I would not desert my religion, I must post over to England ; for there was no Quakers in this country ; and that if one stopped here, he would make an uproar, and would be worse than Hans Neilsen Houge, who had deceived many. I have been with H. N. Houge. He said he had been in eleven prisons for 21 his religious principles. He told me I was but a young brother, and could not yet bear strong food." There is also a letter to a Friend, of Rochester, from Thomes Johnsen, who appears to have gone as captain of a vessel sailing from, and belonging to, Christiansand. It is dated, 4 mo. 24, 1815. He writes, " May the Lord hold us in his blessed hands for ever. I have seen the Lord's great wonders and strength in a distant land, so that He is every where. He is the light that shines in our hearts, and has chosen a people from all the earth to be his sons and daugh- ters, and he will be their God. I see that many of the peo- ple go the road that leads to destruction ; and not many know of the blessed spirit within, the light of life that is given, in measure, to all people. " The people of Norway are under a hard press by the cler- gy, for they do what he says, whether it be wrong or right. Those books given to me, I have lent out. The people called Saints are very near to them [the principles set forth in the books] ; and they confess that it is the same blessed Spirit that has called them to repentance. Many of them are real true Christians ; and there is great hopes of others. Many of them are farmers. " May the Lord God of all preserve us in the path of life ! I will say, for my part, that it was the best voyage I have done over the sea, that time I came to England ; for then I found God, my real Father and Preserver. And I will say, in the language quoted by Job Scott, * For all I thank thee : most for the severe.' " He then speaks of the effects of the war in depressing the value of the currency, and the suffering consequent thereon. In the course of the year 1815, some of the little company at Christiania became unsettled ; one of them in reference to a marriage rather too hastily contracted, and not accom- 22 plished in a manner satisfactory to his brethren ; though, some time afterwards, he appears to have been measurably restored. His wife also evinced a friendly spirit. Some of them, giving themselves up to a wayward course, attempted to excuse themselves on the plea of Divine guidance ; thus allowing Satan, the adversary, to assume the garb of an angel of light. In 1816, Enoch Jacobsen, who had been left in England, as before mentioned, joined the little com- pany at Christiania. His presence appeared to contribute to the restoration of love and harmony. They met at times, in their meetings for worship, about eleven persons. It is probable that H. N. Houge, by his subtilty, contributed to the unsettlement amongst them ; at least that appears to have been the opinion of Enoch Jacobsen. In a letter describing some of these occurrences, which ap- pears to be from Canute Halversen (though it is not signed), he thus expresses himself : — " Many may call Friends' principles, or some of them, of little consequence, and small things. But the small things, when despised, open the way for the greater : and so, by degrees, little by little, until the mind becomes so darkened that all this will be called * nothing.' Thus are poor crea- tures deceived ! And as the love of infinite wisdom is, in a great degree, afresh extended to lead back again such poor mortals, yet the cross will be greater than before, and more difficult to bear. Oh ! how I often sigh under a sense of weakness. How difficult it is to stand on the right ground, when no support can be felt. Oh ! I do feel the necessity of drawing near to Him who taketh away the fear of men, and can make his people stand as firm as in a battle.'* "We now have to notice an important event in the history of the Society of Friends in Norway — the visit of Stephen 28 Grellett and William Allen to the various little settlements of them there ; which was of a very comforting, strengthen- ing character to them. Perhaps it cannot be better intro- duced than by an extract from a letter from Enoch Jacobsen, then in London, to a Friend, of Rochester : — *' London, 7th mo. 30th, 1818. "My dear friend, — I arrived here the 12th, being only ten days from Christiania until we landed at Gravesend. I left our Friends at home pretty well, and Canute desired his love to thee ; also, L. Larsen and Lars Monsen. I had also a letter from Elias E. Tasted, in which he desired his love to thee." He then alludes to some application* made to the Swedish government for the relief of Friends in Norway, adding, " I may say there are no laws yet made in favour of Friends ; so that those who stand firm to their principles, act contrary to the laws of the country. Friends must be resigned to take the consequence ; and I should be very glad, at the present moment, that our Friends, with myself, might be so strengthened as to endure any hardship which Providence may see meet to permit to be inflicted upon any of those who may be willing to stand faithful to the truth, in order, for the more or greater breaking forth of his light, and the glo- rious knowledge ; though I do not think that he is willing to inflict more than his poor followers will be enabled to bear. " All is quiet at present, so that we have not suffered any imprisonment yet ; though we may, in some respects, have many difficulties. " Thou wilt be much surprised at dear Stephen Grellett's intention to visit our country ; also some parts of Sweden, • See Appendix, A. 24 thence to Russia, and by the Black Sea to Constantinople. William Allen is to accompany him. " I was favoured with a letter from Tliomas Christy, be- fore I left home ; and I was glad to reach this country at a very good time. I wish much that strength and ability could be so far extended to me, that I could render the Friends all the assistance they may want. " Thou wilt conclude, from what I have said, that I shall have to accompany the Friends through Norway and Swe- den, and so far as I can see my way to go. A vessel is en- gaged, lying at Harwich, to take us to Stavanger, and to stop there a few days, and thence to Christiansand ; from which we intend to travel by land to Christiania. From thence it is thought to go to Gottenburgh and Stockholm, in order to cross the Gulf of Bothnia, then travel to Petersburgh. " Thus, dear friend, I have given thee a short statement of our intended voyage ; and I have no doubt that Provi- dence will be pleased to make things comfortable for the Friends. We are making ready to start the 6th of next month. " Thy affectionate friend, " Enoch Jacobsen." 25 CHAPTER II. ^^SIT OF STEPHEN GRELLETT AKD WILLIAM ALLEN TO FRIENDS, AND OTHERS, IN NORWAY. The best source, to whicli we have access, for an account of this visit to the Friends in Norway, is the first vol. of the Life of William Allen, p. 863, &c. After describing their pleasurable sensations on landing at Stavanger, 8 mo. 25th, 1818, W. A. remarks, " The pilot expresse'd to Enoch a great anxiety to purchase a Bible, and stated that the single copy that they had amongst them had almost excited a quarrel ; so many wishing to possess it, that they were at last obliged to decide it by lot. It was con- cluded to give the old pilot one, which he very gratefully received. His son afterwards came down, and entreated permission to buy one, saying he had the money for it ; but, as Norwegian Bibles are scarce with us, and we had given one to his father, we gave him a Testament ; enjoining them both to read them to their neighbours." A few of the inhabitants of Stavanger recognise the reli- gious principles of the Society of Friends. W. A. says, " On our return, Enoch made arrangements with some of those persons who profess with us, respecting the meeting on fifth day. " In the afternoon, we went to wait upon a person, who is a Lutheran, and holds the ofiice of dean. We sj)ent about an hour with him, and were kindly received. We conversed about Bible Society business. He says that there is a great want of Bibles amongst them ; and that, out of five or six hundred families in Stavanger, not more than fifty have a D 26 Bible ; that the people are willing to subscribe and pay for them ; and some have actually paid ; but they cannot get them from the so-called Bible Society of Christiania. We purpose to attend to this subject when we go there The dean expressed great regard for our religious Society as a body ; and, after this conference, which seemed of consi- derable importance, we parted in love. " We then went to the house of Lars Larsen, a carpenter, who is considered firmly settled in the principles of Friends. A young man, a fisherman, who lives with him, also pro- fesses with us, and had been rowing a considerable distance in his boat, till his hands were blistered, to give notice of the meeting to-morrow. We sat down together to wait upon the Lord, and, presently, two young women, in the station of servants, came in also ; and, truly, we were favoured in silence, to feel that which is beyond words. Our hearts were contrited ; and, after a considerable time, dear Stephen ad- dressed them, Enoch Jacobsen interpreting sentence by sen- tence. These simple-hearted people were much afiected, and yet comforted. I added a few words towards the close. " We next went to the farther end of the town, to call upon Enoch's mother. His sister, who is married, and has four children, lives with her ; and his youngest sister was also there. We had a religious opportunity with them, in which Stephen had much valuable matter to communicate. They seemed contrited. " 8th mo. 27th. We went a little way out of Stavanger to Lars Larsen' s, to attend the usual meeting. There were seven men, besides ourselves, and about as many women ; also two children. After we had remained some time in silence, S. Grellett spoke in ministry, Enoch, as usual, inter- preting ; prayer was then vocally offered, which was also interpreted. Towards the close of the meeting, the propriety of establishing a system of discipline, adapted to the circum- 27 stances of those professing with Friends in this place, was submitted to them. Several expressed their concurrence with our proposal ; they appeared in a tender state, and I believe were much comforted. " A few plain rules of discipline were accordingly pre- pared ; and, being much approved by the little community, were gladly received and adopted.'* The help thus afforded to these sincere-hearted people was evidently very seasonable ; and W. A. speaks with satisfac- tion of the religious intercourse which he and S. G. had with them. He, however, enlarges less on this than on some other subjects, observing, that a particular account of their visit here had been sent to their friends in London. We must, therefore, have recourse to other documents, by which it appears that the first meeting of discipline was held at Stavanger, on the 29 th of the 8th month, 1818, when eight individuals were recognised as members of the Society. Elias Tasted was appointed clerk of the two months' meeting. He had been married on the 15th of the 7th month, this being the first marriage amongst Friends in Norway.* The queries and other matters relating to the discipline, were sent to Christiania, that they might correspond with the meeting at Stavanger ; but this correspondence was only kept up about two years. William Allen and his companion were invited to dine at the country house of G. S. Keiland, the governor of Stavan- ger, who treated them with great kindness. He had invited Judge L(5wold, Dean Storen, and the young priest Lange, to meet them. It appeared that the governor had attended Friends' meetings in London, and professed great respect for the Society. In the course of conversation, it appeared, such • Four of this little company afterwards emigrated to America. Elias Tasted and his wife are all that remain of them now, in the year 1848, at Stavanger. p2 28 is the scarcity of Bibles, that even Priest Lange is obliged to borrow one for himself. W. A. remarks, " I think this visit will render the way easier for the Friends here." In another conversation Avith Dean Storen and the Priest Lange, they again urged them to exertion to supply the peo- ple with Bibles, and pointed out how they might obtain help from the Bible Society. " The subject of those pro- fessing with us was brought forward ; and the dean again expressed, very strongly, his approbation of the principles of our religious Society. On entering further into them, we came to what are called the Sacraments. I told the young priest we were far from condemning those who think it right to use what they call the ordinances : on the contrary, I be- lieved that many pious persons found comfort in them ; but then, he must allow that the edification did not arise from the form, but from a feeling of the Divine Spirit operating in the heart ; that the forms, without this, would do nothing for us ; and where it was witnessed, the forms were not ab- solutely necessary. We parted in love, giving a Bible to the young priest, for which he seemed thankful." After describing a walk of four miles into the country, to visit Even Halversten, he adds, " We were glad that we came here, if it were only to enable us to sympathise with these poor people. Stephen had something very suitable to offer (in one family), which Enoch interpreted ; and I felt it my duty to state the nature of the Christian religion, that its fruit was love, &c. I had relief and peace in these re- marks." Some of those professing with Friends suffered much from the opposition of members of their own family. 8th mo. 29. " The afternoon was devoted to the meeting for the settlement of the Rules of Discipline. Feelings of solemnity and sweetness prevailed, and the business was got through satisfactorily." 29 8th mo. 30. " The Friends here hold two meetings on First Day. They have hired a large room, which is well adapted for the purpose. More came this morning than we expected, and there were about fifty present in all. The people were remarkably quiet, and it was a satisfactory time. After dinner, I felt sweetly comforted with a sense of the Divine presence and love ; and, about three o'clock, we pre- pared to go to the afternoon meeting. I was apprehensive that it would be crowded, curiosity having been excited by the meeting in the morning ; and, moreover, they have no public -^rship in the afternoon, every third First Day, be- cause the preacher goes to another place, and this happened to be the case to-day. " When we reached the place, we found it rather difficult to get in ; the room was soon filled, and many were on the stairs. Indeed, I was afraid of some mischief, from squeez- ing, more than two hundred being in the room : most of them were standing. Considering all circumstances, they behaved as well as we could expect; and Stephen had a long and satisfactory cx3mmunication in ministry. After it was over, the people seemed desirous of shaking hands with us, and nothing but respect was shewn us. Enoch acquitted himself exceedingly well as an interpreter. " In the evening, the good old dean brought the letter which we advised him to write to Dr. Steinkopfi", represent- ing the want of Bibles here. We had some religious con- versation with him, and found him very near in spirit. He seemed a good deal affected at parting with us. Thus the dear Master was pleased to crown this day's work with success. " It is said that all the children of the poor are educated, and the regulations of the country make it absolutely neces- sary ; for they cannot set up in business, or marry, or per- form any acts as citizens, unless they are able to read. All D 3 so irmst "be examined, and confirmed when they are fifteen years of age ; and, for this purpose, they must be able to read. This statement must obviously relate to towns and villages ; as those who are scattered in the country have not the means. They have several small schools ; but education is not well conducted. " The general state of morals is reported to be pretty good ; and the police is so well conducted, that if any thing were lost in the middle of the street, it would be soon found and restored. " All poor schools are maintained by a tax upon ^e inha- bitants, and are absolutely under the controul of the clergy. A school might, however, be supported by subscription, in which case the clergy would have nothing to do with it." 8th mo. 31. " In the afternoon, we had a precious reli- gious opportunity with those who are considered members of our Society. About twelve were present. These poor peo- ple were very tender and broken, and we parted with them under strong feelings of sympathy and affection." 9th mo. 7. They arrived at Christiansand. Here they do not appear to have found any Friends ; but W. A. men- tions some of those persons called " Saints." " They attend public worship, but have also their own meetings. We have not found it our place to go after them ; but, as some of them had wished to see us, we consented to go, and found between thirty and forty assembled to meet us ; most of them were men. They listened very attentively to what we said. Some of them seemed in a very tender, feeling state ; and all were respectful and loving." On their way to Christiania, they stopped at Arendal, a great sea-port. Amongst other occurrences here, he remarks, on some of his own exercises, " On returning to the inn, I retired to my chamber, and felt my mind, which had been low before, comfortably stayed on God. 31 " A person, who is one of those denominated ' Saints,* called upon us, and asked us to visit them, which we agreed to do, and went to take coffee with them about seven o'clock. He and his wife seem pious, well-disposed persons. We afterwards had a religious opportunity with about seven or eight of them, when there was something precious to be felt." Proceeding on their journey, W. A. remarks, " One of our drivers is a steady, intelligent man, and a schoolmaster. The plan for the country schools is to have a schoolmaster for the parish, who keeps a school for a week at one farm- house, then a week at the next ; and so, taking them in course, all the children following from one house to an- other, he is about a year in making his round. The most remote of the children have only about three miles to go. He had no Testament, and was made happy in being pre- sented with one. Their Catechisms, (fcc, are the principal books read in the schools.* Among the higher classes in Norway, there appears to be a tendency to scepticism ; and among the lower, to bigotry. 9th mo. 19. They arrived at Dram, or Drammen, and held a satisfactory meeting at their lodgings on the 20th. They also had an interview with the principal magistrate, a sedate, elderly man. " We afterwards had a time of worship with Lars Monsen, (see page 8,) a person who has some connexion with Friends, and his housekeeper, who seems in a tender state. Our landlord and landlady supped with us ; a pause for religious retirement ensued, and we both addressed them : the latter was much broken and contrited." 9th mo. 21. " Arrived at Christiania ; delivered some of our letters of introduction." 23rd. " Fifth day. We went to Canute Halversen'e, a • Here we see one ground of the scrnple of Friends, in refusing to pay the school tax. 32 person professing witli Friends, to attend their small meet- ing, which is held in a room well adapted for the purpose. There were about eight men present, besides ourselves, and four women. I felt something sweet and peaceful." In a visit to one of the prisons in Christiania, W. A. re- marks, " We were shocked to find about twenty young per- sons confined here, not for any crime, but merely because they had neglected to learn their Catechism, and conse- quently could not be confirmed by the priest. Thus they were sent, literally and avowedly, to be prepared for con- firmation, to a place where they were confined with felons and criminals of all descriptions. Some amongst them were from twenty to thirty years of age. The ofl[icers-who accom- panied us joined in expressing their abhorrence of this mea- sure ; but in this country, such is the sway of the clergy, that a person not confirmed is almost considered an outlaw. We stated our feelings very freely, and have reason to think that the matter will be taken up. " In the afternoon, we had a solid religious opportunity with Enoch Jacobsen, Canute and Ann Halversen, and the young lawyer, Soren Schutz, who are to become the first members of our Society here, according to the principles agreed to at Stavanger. It ended satisfactorily. In the clos- ing pause, I had to ofier them a little encouragement. We afterwards went some distance to take tea at the house of a merchant, named Ericksen, who, with some of his family, were piously disposed, and seemed leaning towards the prin- ciples of Friends. We had a precious religious meeting with them." 9th mo. 27. " We went to meeting at ten. There were about twelve men present, and seven women. My mind was low ; but I thought we were favoured with the Lord's presence amongst us. In the afternoon, a few more persons attended than in the morning. I ventured to precede my 33 dear companion in addressing them, and had solid peace in this movement." They proceeded to Stockholm, taking Enoch with them. They arrived there 10th mo. 4th. W. A. writes, " Enoch has been relating to us the particulars of his imprisonment, and convincement of the truth of our principles. It is highly interesting, and I advise him to write an account of it." (See pp. 363-388 of Life of W. Allen.) We must now take leave of this interesting Journal, hav- ing extracted what relates to the Friends of Norway, and insert extracts from another letter from Elias Tasted, of Stavanger, to one of the Friends, of Rochester. CHAPTER III. LETTER FROM ELIAS TASTED — VISIT OF THOMAS SHILLITTOE, ETC. " Stavanger, 6th mo. 1st, 1819. " I HAVE received thy last epistle to me, by E. Palmergreen. I perceive, by the same, thy constant love, as well as care, for thy fellow travellers. I dare say thou cannot even think how agreeable it was to me to hear from thee. Youth blushes when writing to the aged : a child can give parents neither instruction nor consolation. The poor can afford to give but little. If I should send thee an account of some of the trials I have gone through, thou mayest perhaps have gone through the same thyself. When I feel these trials pressing upon my mind, my soul becomes quite impotent of grief, on account of my fellow wanderers, who may be in the same condition with myself, for want of sufiBcient patience to undergo them ; although I am sure that patience is the (frame of mind) whereby they can be endured and conquered. S4 I must confess that I have felt what judgment is sufEciently to learn to have compassion for them who walk in mourning. I wish only that true earnestness and living desires may be in their clay cottages : then will they, without doubt, see the Morning Star, some time or other, again arise for their help and comfort. They will be given to comprehend that it is only from the Prince of Peace that they must expect true peace. They will learn to understand that the allotted trials are just as necessary as consolations, for those who would be partakers of his glory. I expect my friend, Lars Larsen, will give thee further information. As every day that passes draws us nearer to the end, so should we become more diligent in watching. We are as Israel of old, scat- tered on the mountains. Greet affectionately thy wife, F. Smith, Sam. Wheeler, Wm. Martin, &c. I wish ye would think of us in your prayers to the Almighty. " E. Eliasen Tasted." In this same year, 1819, Lars Larsen came over to Lon- don, being desirous of learning the English language. He hoped to have found employment as a cabinet maker, and to have devoted his leisure hours to learning the language; but not finding proper employment readily, he was advised to return home. On the 16th of the 12th month, 1821, our dear friend, Thomas Shillittoe, arrived at Christiania, being engaged on religious service in Norway, &c. He appears to have conti- nued to labour, in and near that city, nearly six months, attending the little meetings of Friends regularly as they occurred, both on First Days and during the week. His notice of his religious services on these occasions, in his Journal, is extremely brief ; nor does he mention either the names or number of those who attended, except in a very few instances. He appears to have had useful service in 35 visiting persons of power and influence in and about the city ; to liave laboured for tbe correction of their faults with much plainness ; and, in general, this, his faithfulness, ap- pears to have been duly appreciated. He was treated with much kindness and hospitality. On arriving at Christiania, he was taken by Enoch Jacob- sen to a tavern, where he was expected to lodge ; but feeling uncomfortable there, he was kindly accommodated at Hans Ericksen's, where he remained during the whole of his stay in that city. Their religious meetings were sometimes attended by a few strangers, in addition to those who usually attended ; Enoch ^acobsen acting as interpreter. On one occasion, he remarks, " In the aftemoon, I was led to speak so pointedly to a state, present, as tried me not a little, after I took my seat again ; fearing I had been led astray, in what I had thus communicated, by the grand adversary. This buffeting I was permitted to endure, doubtless in great wisdom, to humble and keep dovm the creature ; until a Friend, who might observe the sadness of countenance I manifested, in- fonned me that what I had to deliver in the meeting was as -applicable to the conduct and general character of an indivi* dual present, as it could have been had I been acquainted with his whole proceedings for a long time past, and that the individual received it as belonging to himself. " I thought I never more sensibly felt, than during my labours this afternoon, the necessity of the instrument be- coming like a clean tube, through which liquor passes from one vessel to another, free from the defilements of all crea- turely wisdom or activity, and from all the obstructions of the creaturely will, in doing or not doing." T. Shillittoe's Journal, vol. i., p. 314. First Day. " Attended the usual meetings, and passed the evening comfortably in the family I am in ; the day 36 closing with tlie language of, ' Return to thy rest, 0 my soul ; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.' " First Day (the day of the month is rarely given in this journal). " The meeting this morning was a season of di- vine refreshment to those possessed of a sincere desire to be found travelling Zion-ward. What a mercy is this, to know that the Lord is yet with Zion, willing to comfort all her mourners, and to satisfy her poor with bread, wherever scat- tered, up and down, on the face of this earth. " In the afternoon meeting, for some time, I had hard work to come at any true settlement of mind ; but, after awhile, I was favoured to get under exercise ; and, in time, life was felt to arise. "We had four strangers, in addition to our usual number. The meeting closed under a sense that He who promised to be with the two or three, had, in mercy, been mindful of us." Seventh Day. " I was introduced to one of the counsel- lers of state in the ecclesiastical department, in consequence of some difficulties a Friend of Stavanger was brought into. He gave me a full opportunity of freely conversing with him on the subject that had thus brought us together." The following letter explains it : — " From the Bishop Sorensen, of Christiansand, to the con- stituted Dean of Stavanger. " In a letter, 26th of last month, the Church department has informed me that it has written to the chief- lieutenant of Stavanger county, that Elias Eliasen Tasted is to be pro- secuted by law for having caused a man to be buried in the same manner as he, some time ago, did with two deceased children,* and for which he already is prosecuted ; and also • These burials were in the field of a Friend, near Stavanger, there not being a burial place belonging to Friends. In reference to this 87 required me, on account of the specification from Elias Tasted, containing tlie names of those Quakers wlio live in and about Stavanger county, to ask those persons, who are mentioned in the specification, if they belong to the before- mentioned sect ; and then, if the answer be confirmed, to demand of them a certificate or testimony, that they, by any true Quaker Society, are acknowledged or admitted as Qua- kers. Each of those persons who profess themselves as Quakers, must, besides, be told, that he, without such certi- ficate, cannot be allowed to live in this country or kingdom in quality of a Quaker ; and that, even if he has the said certificate, he must, if he intends to live here, pursuant with the rescript of the 5th of March, 1754, seek for allowance, by sending his humble petition, for this pui-pose, to his ma- jesty the king ; which, according to what there, in a like case, is determined, cannot be expected graciously to be granted or permitted, unless they bind themselves not to make proselytes, and from admitting new members, as also to pay taxes and duties as other subjects or bergers of the state. " 1822." " C. SOREXSEX." occurrence, one of the Stavanger Friends writes, " In the year 1821, Elias Tasted was brought under justice process for not having buried two of his children in ground that was consecrated. For this, he was sentenced to pay five specie dollars (about one pound English money) a day until he should dig his children out again, and inter them in the consecrated burial ground, and follow the outward ceremonies and cus- toms of the state church. But when this sentence came under the review of the king, Elias Tasted was entirely acquitted." In the year 1823, the burial ground at Waaland, about a mile from Stavanger, used by Friends, was fenced in. chiefly at the expense of Ole Knudsen. one of their members. It is about forty feet square. The proprietor of the ground receives a dollar, or about four shillings English, for each interment. E 38 Thomas Shillittoe remarks, further, that, In the course of conversation with the counseller, it was evident that he had imbibed sentiments to the prejudice of our religious Society, but which we were enabled to answer to his satisfac- tion. He candidly acknowledged they had nothing of an immoral tendency to charge Elias Tasted -with ; but that he and others took upon themselves to marry and bury, with- out giving notice to those in authority previous thereto ; also of births, when they occurred ; refusing also to comply with the ceremonies of the Lutheran church. In such cases, he considered such irregularities, undertaken by illiterate per- sons, would lead to great inconvenience, being contrary to the laws of the country, and would be attended by serious consequences to Friends of Stavanger ; and as he had given instructions to the Bishop of Christiansand and the Dean of Stavanger in the case, he could not at present do any thing to relieve Elias Tasted ; but when the case came before the government, he would give it as favourable a turn as he thought it would bear. I felt well satisfied with our visit, believing, from the kind manner in which the counsellor took his leave of me, that his mind was much softened down towards Friends." P. 319. Norway Saints. In the course of these pages, there have been frequent al- lusions to the people called " Saints." The following ac- count of Thomas Shillittoe's visit to the founder of the sect, is the most explicit we have met with. Many years ago — probably about the year 1814 — there was a little tract published by the late William Alexander, of York, giving some account of this people ; probably the result of the enquiry after them, and thair principles, by Frederick Smith and others. 89 T. Shillittoe remarks, " I felt my mind engaged to make a visit to Hans Neilsen Houge, the founder of the sect called the Saints, in Norway, which he, being previously in- formed thereof, had requested should be select. Accompa- nied by my interpreter, I proceeded to his dwelling, about four miles from the town (Christiania). He is far advanced in life ; his constitution appeared very much broken, it is supposed from his long imprisonment, on account of his reli- gious principles. He gave me an interesting account of his first becoming awakened to a sense of true religion ; from which it appeared to me, had he proceeded as it was evident he had begun, he would in time have become an instrument, in the Divine hand, of rousing the people of Norway from that lethargic state into which they appear to be so gene- rally sunk, professors as well as profane. He informed me he had read Barclay's Apology, and made many remarks on its contents, more particularly on the ministry. He said, when he first found it his duty to preach, such power at- tended his ministry, that great numbers were convinced, at difierent places where his mind was drawn to hold meetings ; and several males and females, of those who united with him in holding meetings, came forth in the ministry also, and meetings were settled in difierent places. Whilst thus pur- suing the path of apprehended duty, he was cast into prison by the government ; and his followers were threatened with imprisonment also, if they continued to hold meetings and keep on preaching. " Feeling himself in this situation, he wrote to such as had joined themselves to him in religious fellowship, advising them, for their own safety, to obey the government, and cease from holding their meetings and preachings as they had done, and to hold them in private. He had sufiered a long imprisonment, and been fined in two sums ; one for holding meetings and for his preaching in those meetings, e2 40 and a further sum for liis botli having preached and pub- lished against an hireling ministry, and the reproachful con- duct of some of the clergy of the establishment. In order to obtain his liberty, he paid the fines, and compromised with the government for his enlargement again, by promis- ing not to hold meetings or preach as heretofore ; and that he and his followers should attend the Lutheran places of worship again, conforming to all their religious rites and ceremonies. " He himself is now filling the office of a priest's assistant in the parish where he resides. I had to call his attention to that declaration of our Holy Redeemer, respecting those who had put their hand to the plough and looked back ; that such were not fit for the kingdom of heaven ; and to give it as my belief, in the state of mind he was at present in, this awful sentence was sorrowfully applicable to his si- tuation ; and, further, to bring before the view of his mind the situation of the son, who, when his father bid him go, said, ' I go,' but went not ; but with this difference, — he had in part obeyed the command, which he acknowledged had been given him, but — sorrowful to relate — had stopped short in faithfully fulfilling the whole of it, whereby the designs of heaven, respecting his being thus called or commanded to go forth in the Lord's name, had been frustrated. " His countenance manifested, in a very striking manner, his conviction of the truth of what I had offered. Before we parted, I was constrained to allude to his conduct, after having suffered fines and imprisonment, for protesting against an hireling ministry, that he should so fall away again from his then good purposes, as to be receiving pay, and to become a priest's assistant, and collector of the priest's wages. At our parting, he manifested an affection- ate disposition ; and I returned home, mourning over the 41 dark and dismal spot he appeared to be in, craving that by others' harms I might be warned." P. 322. T. Shillittoe proceeds, " Sixth day. Unlooked-for trials have come upon me. My dear friend and interpreter (Enoch Jacobsen), who has been a true yoke- fellow, willing to enter into the consideration of my religious prospects, be- ing at times subject to great depression, has become, spiri- tually, both deaf and dumb ; no ears to hear what is given me to communicate through him in meetings, and to those who call upon me ; and he has lost the power of that clear utterance he once possessed." T. S. relates how, in being called on to visit the dean, his interpreter became a little roused from his state of depres- sion, and was again helped to do his part of the work faithfully. Similar trials took place two or three times afterwards. In reference to one of these occurrences, T. S. adds, " My mind was afresh plunged into suffering, my interpreter being again unable to render me service, through great depression. I mourned in secret on his account, as well as my own, from the renewed evidence given me that liis mind had been, in a very peculiar manner, preciously visited by the Lord his Grod, who, I was frequently led to believe, had designed him for the top-stone of that spiritual building which He in- tended to have been set up in these more northern regions, had he submitted to be hewn and squared by the great Master-builder." P. 329. In the course of his service, T. S. had many interviews with persons of power and influence, in which he was ena- bled to explain the views of Friends in a manner so satisfac- tory, that several of them not only shewed much kindness to him, but evinced their willingness to make the way easy for the Friends resident there. A part of the book of disci- E 3 42 pline having been printed in the Danish language, he gave copies of it to some of these persons ; one of whom, convers- ing on the subject, remarked, " I think the members of your Society are highly privileged ; for if I happen to do wrong, I have no one who will come and act the kind part to me, by informing me of it, and giving me suitable advice on the occasion, as is the case with you and your members. I ad^' mire the advantages your members enjoy. It would be a happy world if all mankind were of your Society ; for if I do wrong, people will laugh at my faults, instead of helping me to amend my ways." P. 334. " I found I should not leave comfortably to myself, with- out urging the holding the two months' meeting (for disci- pline), which had not yet met during my stay, nor for a long time before. This meeting was held accordingly. An agree- able account was received and read from the two months' meeting of Stavanger." P. 337. On leaving Chiistiania (probably about the beginning of the 6th mo., 1822), in order to proceed to Stavanger, T. Shil- littoe very unexpectedly met with Lars Larsen, a Friend of Stavanger, who spoke English, which added much to his comfort, having parted with Enoch Jacobsen. On their way, they put in to Christiansand, where T. S. called on some persons of influence in the place. Here he also called on Ole Moe, a serious man, of the people called Saints," and spent some time with him and his wife. They pro- ceeded a few miles from the port ; but the wind and weather being unfavourable, they put back, and returned to Chris* tiansand, which proved relieving to T. Shillittoe. " First Day morning, my interpreter, a young man from New Bedford, in North America, and myself, held our meet- ing, which was mercifully owned of Him who condescended to promise to be with the two or three gathered in his name, which I was led to hope was, in a good degree, our 43 case. At tlie close of the meeting, the young man, -who, from his own account, had a birthright in the Society, in a very tender and affectionate manner expressed his thankful- ness for such an unexpected opportunity of sitting down with me." The same evening, T. S. had a satisfactory meeting with ahout one hundred persons, in a room provided by Ole Moe, and, the same night, went on board and sailed for Stavanger. On their way, they landed on a small island, where the captain resided, where T. S. had the few inhabitants col- lected at the captain's house ; when he felt his mind inclined to offer them a little advice, for the improvement of their outward circumstances, as well as being engaged to labour for their spiritual benefit. He remarks : — " They manifested attention to what was offered ; and when the meeting closed, I was informed, many of them expressed their thankfulness that they had been thus no- ticed, and for what had been said to them. They left us apparently in a serious, thoughtful frame of mind." Finding the vessel had difficulty in making way to Sta- vanger, T. S. prevailed on the captain to land him at Egar- sund, about two miles up the river Seroog. Here he met with a young man who had once joined the little meeting of Friends at Christiania by convincement, but who had lately resigned his membership. T. S. laboured very earnestly for his restoration, but without much hope. He appeared to be a young man of engaging person and manners, and highly esteemed in the town for his upright conduct and humane disposition ; but the bent of his mind seemed turned to the world. In reviewing the trials, dangers, and hardships with which lie had to contend, T. Shillittoe makes the following excel- lent observations : — " I believe we suffer ourselves to be plundered of much of that peace, which a beneficent 44 Almighty Creator designs for us in this life, through yielding to a selfish disposition of mind, and an unwillingness to take our share with others, in the difficulties and inconveniences of life. Oh ! may I ever remain willing that my luxuries in life may be given up, in order to supply others' wants and comforts ; and my comforts, at times, be given up to supply others' wants of necessaries ; and that even my necessaries, at times, may be given up, to relieve the extreme distress of others, is what I crave, from the assurance that such conduct is consistent with the true Christian character." P. 352. On his arrival at Stavanger, he soon had an opportunity of attending their meeting for worship, as also their two months' meeting. " Fifth day. Attended the usual meeting for worship of Friends at this place. Most of their members, and many strangers, gave their attendance. At the close of the meet- ing, a solid countenanced man, unknown to Friends, stood up, under much apparent exercise of mind, and expressed himself in a feeling manner, which produced a solemnity over the meeting. We afterwards learned, that a person, who was at the meeting I had at Christiansand, had written an account of that meeting to some of his friends at Stavan- ger, which had brought this and other persons to the meet- ing that day. " At the close of their meeting for worship, their two months' meeting for discipline was held. The laws of this country require all, without distinction of sect, to render an account, to persons appointed by government, of all mar- riages, births, and deaths, that take place in each parish ; which requisition Friends here had not complied with, whereby they had brought themselves under difficulty. As I had been informed, by some in authority, that this omis- sion, on the part of Friends here, was deemed obstinacy and opposition to the orders of government, and as I could see 45 no ground for their refusal to comply with the requisition, in order to prevent a continuance of this omission on the part of Friends, I drew up the following minute, and had it translated for the approval of the two months' meeting, to become a standing minute on their minute-book, and be the first minute always read, and to be replied to by Friends who should be appointed to receive these accounts, and hand them to the persons appointed by the government to receive this information. " ' Are there two or more Friends appointed in this two months' meeting, to see that due notice is timely given to those appointed by the government to receive the same, when marriages, births, or deaths have taken place ? Has any case occurred since last meeting ? and has it, or have they (if more than one), been attended to V Which minute, being approved, was entered on their two months' meeting- book accordingly. " Feeling constrained to labour with Friends here to bring about a better observance of true Gospel order amongst them, I recommended that when they discovered that any of their members, or those who were constant attenders of their meetings, walked disorderly, or heard reports of them to their disadvantage, they should labour with them in pri- vate, as being the way to promote the unity of the one Spirit, which is the bond of true peace ; and that they should be especially careful how they judged those of other religious Societies, or meddled with them, relative to their religious rites and ceremonies, unless they were well assured in their own minds that necessity was laid upon them so to do. " Also, to avoid a too familiar intercourse with those of other religious professions ; but to keep in view, that Israel (of old) was to dwell alone ; because, if we run into the way of temptation, for the sake of gratifying our natural inclina- tion, let it be in whatsoever way or manner it may, we can- 46 not expect to receive tliat Divine support and protection es- sential to our escaping tlie danger we thus willingly expose ourselves to. I felt thankful in believing these remarks, from ouservations they produced, were seasonable and well received." P. 354-5. Thomas Shillittoe gives an account of a large, crowded meeting, in which he spoke without the assistance of an in- terpreter, yet to the contriting of many hearts, and much to his own relief. Many present knew a little of the English language ; and some who did not were much affected by the power of truth. He met with a young man, who was kindly assisting, by way of interpreting, to persons on whom T. Shillittoe found it his duty to call ; but not being accus- tomed to attend Friends' meetings, he shrunk from attempt- ing to interpret in the public assemblies. One or two of the Friends knew a little of English, but not enough to translate with facility. The meetings, on the usual meeting days, were largely attended, and generally very satisfactory, not- withstanding the absence of competent interpreters. Several of the persons in power and authority, upon whom he called, evinced a considerate and kind disposition towards the Society, but laid great stress on those of Stavanger being duly recognized by the Society in England. T. S. shewed some of these the epistles which the Meeting for Sufferings in London had addressed to the Friends of Stavanger ; also the Book of Extracts which had been printed for their use, taken from the Book of Discipline published and used in England. This information appeared to give good satisfac- tion. On one occasion, he says, — " Accompanied by my young friend, I made a visit to one of the clergy, who manifested a good degree of concern for the promotion of the Lord's cause, and a desire that Friends here should be careful in keeping their proper places amongst the people. He also expressed the high esteem he had for 47 our religious Society, and his desire that tenderness should be manifested towards Friends respecting their principles, if they could produce testimonials, from Friends in England, that they were a part of the same religious body." P. 357. Thomas Shillittoe appears to have remained at or near Stavanger about a month ; but as he rarely inserts dates in his journal, it is difficult to determine the exact period. He writes — " Previously to my departure, I received a visit from two young persons, who have, of late, become diligent attenders of Friends' meetings here ; respecting whom, a comfortable hope was raised in my mind, that if they hold on their way as they have begun, they will add strength to this meeting. They were members of the Lutheran church. The young woman had been a diligent attender of her own place of worship, but afterwards absenting herself for a considerably time, the priest sent for her, and inquired if she had any thing against him that was the cause of it ; she said she had, and told him she had attended the burial of a man, who was well known to be an irreligious, immoral character ; that, in a sermon he preached at the grave, he endeavoured to set him forth to the hearers as a man of good conduct, one who had walked amongst men as uprightly as the Patriarch Jacob did ; that she durst no longer sit under his preaching ; that, for some time, she spent her First Days at home, until her mind was divinely turned towards the meeting of Friends. At first, she met with great opposition from her brother ; but, in time, her steady conduct so wrought upon his mind, that he has become her steady companion in attending Friends' meetings. They appeared to be coming veiy near to that principle of light and life, which, if fully yielded to, they would become true way-marks to others, and be made instruments, in the Divine hand, of increasing this meeting." P. 362. 48 After leaving Stavanger, T. Sliillittoe proceeded in a small boat to Bergen, where lie had one small religious meeting, to his own satisfaction ; hoping that though what was given him to express might be imperfectly translated, yet that the broken fragments might be accompanied by the Divine blessing. In his journal, he says, — " I made a visit to the Dean of Bergen. He received me kindly, spoke some English, but understood it better than he could speak it. I presented him with some books, which he received freely. It appearing to be required of me to lay before him the reproachful manner in which the whole of the First Day of the week was abused at Bergen, he gave me a full opportunity to relieve my mind on the subject." On many other occasions, in the course of this journey, T. S. had laboured earnestly to impress on the minds of those in power, the necessity of a general reformation, in reference to this practice. His mind was often pained in noticing the habits of dissipation, attending theatrical exhi- bitions, and other vain and hurtful pursuits, in which the inhabitants of these countries generally indulge, more espe- cially in the afternoon or evening of that day ; and even some of the clergy countenance the practice by their own example. " At our parting, the dean expressed the solicitude he felt that my views, in taking such a journey, might be blessed to those I visited ; and that God would preserve me, and grant me a peaceful return to my family. He then added, although there were so many distinctions amongst men, with regard to their profession of religion, yet religion being a heartfelt work, it must become the experience of all who are favoured to find acceptance with God." P. 365. " The preacher of the German congregation, and the con- sul, had informed me there were two members of our religious Society in Bergen. They were described as very poor, but 49 highly respected by people generally, for their uniform, steady, good conduct. The man came to my lodgings, and brought his wife with him. I was much struck with their neat, clean, and respectable appearance. They were not of our Religious Society, but part of a company, who, several years ago, suffered great persecution, on account of their religious principles, in the late King of ^Viitemberg's domi- nions. On inquiry, it appeared that, in many respects, they held the principles of Friends, with regard to war, oaths, language, and respect of persons. The woman, who ap- peared very intelligent, gave me an account of some of their sufferings, on their leaving the established religion of the nation. Their number was small ; their good conduct so gained the esteem of the king, that he gave them a parcel of land for a settlement ; but, in time, their number increased to several hundreds. When this great increase came to the king's knowledge, he withdrew his kindness, and began to persecute them, in which, it was supposed, he was put on by others ; casting into prison men, women, and even childi-en (as young as ten years of age) ; having the men flogged al- most daily, until the blood ran into their shoes, to compel them to renounce those scruples which they believed they were called upon to maintain, against war, oaths, flattering language, hat-honour, and other matters of faith. The go- vernor of the castle, fearing lest their constancy under their sufferings should excite compassion towards them, in the minds of those appointed to execute this rigour of the law, generally attended in person, to see that no part of the pu- nishment designed to be inflicted should be omitted. One day, the individual who had been an instrument in the Divine hand of gathering this religious body, being brought out to undergo his punishment, the governor standing by to see that it was thoroughly inflicted, the poor man, whilst under his sufferings, addressed the governor in nearly the 50 following words : — ' The Lord will reward thee for thy cruelty, in that thou art so unmerciful towards us.' At which the governor smote the poor man several times over his breast with his sword, saying, ' Dost thou thou me ?' To which the poor man replied, ' I say the Lord will reward thee for thy cruelty towards us ; and thou shalt never again be able to witness such acts of cruelty towards us.' At which the governor spurred his horse, and the beast set off with such speed that he fell with him, whereby his sword was forced out of its sheath, and entering his body at the hip, wounded him in such a manner that he never was able to leave his bed while he lived. This circumitance reaching the king's ears, he gave orders that those who had the poor sufferers in their power should be careful not to endanger their lives when punishing them. Another of the officers was equally cruel After long and severe imprison- ment, the king gave them their liberty, on condition that they left his dominions." This they attempted to do ; but most of them perish 3d on their passage, through the cruel usage of the captain with whom they embarked for Ame- rica ; vxnd, finally, this Henry Otiley and his wife were left at Bergen. T. Shillittoe became so deeply interested for these persons, that he got forward a subscription at Bergen, to help them over to America. P. 366-8. Before leaving Bergen, T. S. adds, " Fifth day, we held our little meeting. In addition to the Friends who came with me from Stavanger, we had the company of Captain Erasmus Jepsen,* who resides at Marstal Poa Eroe (in the * I well remember Erasmus Jepsen : he frequently came, with his vessel, to the port of Newcastle-on-Tyne, attending Friends" meetings, and taking pleasure in their company. On one occasion, he had two girls (his children) with him, his wife being deceased. He was a pious minded, intelligent man, of agreeable demeanour, and appeared closely 51 Little Belt), in Denmark, wlio lias long separated himself from the established worship, and sits down in his own house with his family, in order to perform religious worship as Friends do ; and, from what I was able to understand, his conduct was much the same as that of a consistent Friend. I was led to hope, that this, our little parting meeting, proved a season in which we were enabled each one to renew our covenants. May we each one be favoured to keep our covenants ; and then, should our parting prove a final one as to this world, our souls will again unite in praises and thanksgiving to Him, who in mercy has condescended to snatch us as brands out of the burning." P. 370. From Bergen, Thomas Shillittoe sailed for Altona. CHAPTER IV. PROGRESS OF THE DISCIPLINE — CASES OF SUFFERING — IVER HALVERSEN's MEMORIAL TO THE KING — EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS — CONTINUED PERSECUTION REMONSTRANCE WITH THE MAGISTRATES. In a memorandum furnished by a Friend of Stavanger, it is stated, that in the year 1822, Thomas Shillittoe, from Eng- land, paid the Friends of Stavanger a religious visit, and several things relating to the Society were then regulated. They continued to hold their meetings for worship and dis- cipline regularly, till the year 1825, when the meetings for discipline ceased to be kept up. The cause of their being attached to Friends and their religious principles. He visited New- castle again in the year 1837, when I was from home. I have in my pos. lession a sweet, grateful, short letter from these two girls, written in the year 1826. He died, after a short illness, in the year 1838.— Editor. F 2 52 discontinued appears to have been a division or strife amongst the members, on account of a person, not in mem- bership, pretending to have had high revelations, and want- ing to be regarded as a gospel minister. Some of the members embraced his views, accepted his testimonies, and wished him to be admitted as a member of the Society. Others, on the contrary, were dissatisfied, and could not agree with him. Amongst these was Elias Tasted, who earnestly contended for what he believed to be the pure testimony of truth. A few uniting with him, and remain- ing firm, most of the others resigned their membership. The small number remaining, of about four persons, kept up their meetings for worship stedfastly ; though many pro- phecies and hard speeches were pronounced against them by those who had left. Elias Tasted having been regarded, from an early period after they were first gathered, as an elder and overseer of the little Society, it was the aim of the dissentients to preci- pitate his downfall. But having, from his first awakening, been very zealous for the honour of the truth and the glory of God, he was enabled, during this season of sore conflict and trial of faith, to stand as an upright pillar in the church ; and therefore he did not " go out," but stedfastly maintained his testimony. Neither did he seek to avoid afflictions in bearing the cross, by going to America, as se- veral of this little company have done. The Lord has crowned the desires of his heart ; he having been heard to express that he had no desire of living in this world for any thing so much as to see the progress and growth of the truth amongst the young Friends. In the year 1828, he came to England, and spent a little time amongst Friends of Newcastle, Shields, and Sunder- land, where he was kindly received, and which visit opened 53 the way for future correspondence with some Friends of these meetings, to mutual comfort. In a letter to a Friend of Shields, dated 5th mo., 1828, after his return from the afore- mentioned visit, he expresses himself in the most grateful terms for the kindness which he had experienced. He thus writes, " How happy I was dur- ing the time I was amongst you ! I am glad, also, that I feel my love to Almighty God to be increased ; for, without that, I would be dead, and know nothing even of that which I have witnessed, and have acknowledged to be best for our salvation. I hope the days that I have to live may be amongst Christians, and that I may live as one not ungrate- ful to God. Whilst I was with you, I felt very poor (spiri- tually) ; but I have learned from the Lord to be thankful for what he gives, and to be willing to pass through the wilderness, as did Israel of old. Thus will I, in the end, find the way to heaven made clear and open to me. When I came to visit you, it was not as a spy, but in true love to Almighty God and to his people. This was my greatest pleasure. The books that I got of you have been most valuable to me and my Friends." In the year 1830, Friends in Norway were forbidden to hold their religious meetings ; and those of Stavanger were required, by the local authorities, to keep within three- quarters of a mile around the town. One of them, named Iver Halversen, whose farm lay at a greater distance, wrote a letter of remonstrance to the government. It was dated Stavanger, 7th mo. 19th, 1830. It is addressed — " To the king, or those into whose hands this may come. " The reasons assigned by Iver Halversen for dissenting from the public worship. " I have lived on my farm twenty-two years, and have attended to the king's laws, although I am cliarged with F 3 54 not submitting to liis commands like others. I wish him to examine our principles, and uphold us in our just rights — a people who desire that peace and morality may prevail in our native country, and that the king's government may ob- tain the blessing of God. " To bereave me of my land, will cause the ruin of myself and family. I am a free man, endeavouring honestly to live by my daily labour. " Eemember Gamaliel's counsel to the Jews, in the case of the apostles, by which we may perceive (in his pleading for the truth) that true Christianity is through faith in Christ ; therefore we look higher than ourselves. We look beyond compliments and mere outward observances, desiring to experience a pure, upright heart, and a freedom from sin, even in this life, through the blood of the Lamb — through Him who knows all our thoughts, words, and actions. " They who exert their authority to the disturbance and injury of peaceable men, should consider that their power is limited to the body, and to this present life. The prophet Daniel, who faithfully attended to his duty to God, was delivered from his persecutors ; and we trust that He who preserved him, will also protect us, whom we must serve and obey rather than men. Many thousand persons are permitted to dwell quietly under their respective govern- ments, who have embraced the same truth as we have, seek- ing to do the will of God. " The righteous (as we read in the New Testament) walk in the light ; and though they meet with many trials, they forsake wi-ath and bitterness, and endeavour to live in peace ; for the Spirit of Christ enables them to bring forth good fruit, which all experience who fulfil liis law. I have wit- nessed this in my own heart, and have seen the Lord's goodness towards those who live in his fear, and keep his commandments. 55 " The magistrates of Stavanger have forbidden us to hold our religious meetings ; but they cannot limit our conscience towards God. Over this, the king and government have no controul. We have no command of men for our faith, any more than Daniel had, when a decree was made by the king, which was likely to ensnare him. Even now, as at that period, there have been, and are, some who valiantly confide in God. Should it fall to our lot to have our freedom taken from us, yet we must do the will of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples, ' Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.' The apostle James, addressing some in his day, says, ' Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you.' " We love religious freedom, exempt from persecution, and seem to be compelled to this vindication of our conduct. We desire that the king and our rulers may walk in the light and strength of the Lord, and be clothed with that lamb-like nature, which establishes unity (and peace) amongst men. " I am aware that some, under the Christian name, have not abode in the truth, but are an offence and a stumbling- stone. The offences of these are imputed to those of the same profession ; yet we wish our own hearts to be esta- blished in the truth, rather than specify the errors of others. " We earnestly crave the king's influence, being often engaged in prayer to God for his welfare, that of our coun- try, and that his people, of every class, may walk uprightly all their days, to the honour and praise of God. " I entertain a hope that government will not prevent us from serving Christ, who will judge all, and visit for injury done to his faithful people. " IvER Halversen Revem." 56 Elias Tasted to a Friend of Shields : — 5th mo. 20th, 1832. After acknowledging the kind inte- rest which Friends in these parts had evinced for their wel- fare, he adds, " Friends here are well, and desire their love to you all. We do not suffer persecution now, although few agree with us in principle ; yet some are yearly added to our number, by being convinced of the truth. I wish that each of us may be seeking to be clothed with the only true gar- ment ; that an inward, as well as an outward accordance with our principles, may be manifest in all our conduct ; for we are called to uprightness and simplicity in every respect, in order to our preservation." He expresses their strong desire for more Friends' books in their language, such as " Penn's Key," and " Barclay's Apology," of which they could usefully distribute a large number. He notices some propositions which they had lately sent to the king and government. 5tli mo. 7th, 1833, in a letter to a Friend of Sunderland, he mentions the case of Maria Larsdatta, a young woman not in membership, who, because she refused taking an oath according to law, was deprived of property, left her by her parents, of the amount of ten pounds sterling. The sentence against her was, that she should be imprisoned ten days, and fed on bread and water. At his earnest solicitation, the governor was prevailed on to suspend the execution of the sentence ; and E. T. made a representation of the case to the king, but without effect. In the year 1834, the discipline was again revived, and endeavours were used to restore the good order of the So- ciety, and a few were received into membership. Two Friends were chosen to be overseers, and two that were to have the care of the poor. But this good order appears to have been again broken in upon by some arising who sought to scatter the flock. This was a fresh trial ; but those who 57 had the welfare of the Society most at heart, were enabled to bear it. The meetings for discipline were again sus- pended until the year 1838, when they were revived, and more young Friends were received into membership, some of whom proved as living plants, supplying the place of those who were removed. The discipline was now regularly maintained : some fresh life appeared amongst the little flock, and a gradual increase has continued to be witnessed. 4th mo. 19th, 1837. In the course of this year, with the assistance of Friends of Shields, Elias Tasted translated and printed Christopher Meidel's address to the Lutherans on the subject of baptism and the supper, and William Penn's exhortation to repentance. He remarks in this letter, " These translations have been read to Friends here to their comfort." He also observes, " That of those who attend their meet- ings, some of them from year to year emigrate to America ; but frequently as those leave, others come forward, but that the number of members continue small. Many con- fess to the rectitude of the principles of Friends, who do not acknowledge the necessity of attending silent meetings, who are yet suffering persecution on account of their refusal to pay ecclesiastical demands." He mentions the suffering case of Soren Ericksen of Stag- land, who, for a claim of ten shillings English, has had goods taken to the amount of nearly three pounds. Matthias Pedersen also, for refusing to bring his child to the water baptism, was sentenced to a severe penalty ; and another individual, whose name is not given, was under pro- secution for refusing to swear : and a young man, twenty- two years of age, was sentenced to be confined in the house of correction, for refusing to go to the priest for confirmation ; but when the case was brought before another court, it was abandoned. 58 In allusion to liis own exertions, he writes ; " Oli ! that neither I nor any of those who have experienced of the Lord's goodness may flee in this time of trial, or turn our backs in the day of battle. At this very time, we are ready to cry, ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?' We feel ourselves as new born children, which cannot help themselves ; thus may we know that it is only by the free grace of God, and of his mercy, that we can be saved." 4th mo. 4th, 1839. After noticing a former communica- tion, E. Tasted adds, " It is at all times pleasing to hear from true Friends, and of their welfare ; but sorrowful to hear of their decay and falling away from the truth, and of the great harm such do to the true seekers after the way to Zion ; and, above all, that the great name of the Lord should thus be dishonoured. " Ah ! how great sorrow does it cause to the true labour- ers in the Lord's vineyard, to look on those who once were called disciples, when they become scattered (by the enemy), and as sheep without a shepherd. May those who behold such instances with sorrow and distress, be stedfast and faithful in maintaining the Lord's standard, even although they may be standing alone, and none to help them. " Oh ! how many times have we felt ourselves as strangers in a strange land, where we must sit alone, sorrowing as a dove which has lost her mate. It is at such times that the Lord seems to shake and lay waste the very heavens, in which we may have been trusting. May we in such times of difiiculty and distress, (as they ever must be,) desire with David, to fall into the hands of the Lord, (for his mercies are very great.) and not into the hands of men. 0 ! may those who have gone through these trials, or even a small part of them ; may they not many times lament and cry, ' Who can stand in thy sight when once thou art angry, O Lord !' May that be experienced which was spoken of by 59 the Prophet : * Although it come to pass that the vine ^ve no fruit, and the oil of the olives is wanting, neither is there anv oxen in the stable,' may -sve at such times tmly hope, and wait on our God. " Friends here are few, yet there is an increase ; and some are brought amongst us by conviction ; yet the grand adversarv'. like Pharoah with his army, is striving to catch, and bring them back again into bondage." (He mentions the case of Matthias Pederson, who had no chattels to distrain on, being impnsoned and fed on bread and water), and adds : — " The governor of this town has sued me at law, two or three times, because I cannot pay to their school, because of tlie kind of books (the Lutheran Catechism, (tc.) which they keep to teach the children by, and some other con- siderations. " I was also sued many years since, for not burying my children in their graveyard. It amounted to between three and four pounds (English), but they never took the whole of it." See page 36. " These things are all as nothing, so long as our dear Lord does not withdraw his grace from us ; for if he did, all would be lost. " My health is lately a little better, and I feel a desire to see some of you once more. I desire so to live before my God, that in his love I may always continue to remember my brethren and sisters, who are travelling through this wilder- ness of proving and affliction. May such seek after the eternal crown. May the times of darkness never be such as to separate us from this, is tlie desire of thy affectionate friend, Elias Tasted." He mentions the decease of Erasmus Jepsen. See paze 50. In 1840, a fresh trial arose, from several of those who had been disunited, attempting to establish a separate meeting, 60 and seeking to draw away some of the younger members to them. This did not arise from any disagreement in judg- ment as to religious principles, but from local circumstances. The attempt did not succeed, and most of them returned to the little flock from which they had separated. 5th mo. 23rd, 1840. Elias Tasted to a Friend of New- castle : — " Thy letter of 10th mo. 23rd, 1839, with a parcel of tracts, I have received. I often feel my heart raised when I think of you, and of many of your fathers, who laid down their lives in a good cause. 0 that we may truly follow their steps, and get down to that which raised them up to be so great a people ! I believe there has been a decay from this primitive zeal, and also that there are yet many who stand on the same true foundation, and who maintain the standard of truth, Happy are they who daily strive to come out from the world, and who make God their refuge. I believe a time of trial has been known among you, which is necessary, for thereby the faithful will be known. It is also amongst us a time of trial. There are some gone to keep up meetings by themselves. They were not members. The cause I cannot at present explain ; but, I believe, they are not yet satisfied amongst themselves. They might have had all that was just amongst us ; but we could not satisfy them. We are few in number, and desire not to admit any but those whom we know well. Our members' names are as follows :-— Iver Halversen, a countryman. Osmund Sorensen, a hatter. Ener Rasmussen, a joiner, is poor, has a wife and three children, not members. Soren Ericksen, Stagland, countryman. Elias Eliasen Tasted. 61 Inger Iversen. her husband not of her mind. Ingeber Andersdatter, sickly, Ingeber Omdahl, young. Guri Olsdatter, my wife. " I expect, at the next two months' meeting, there will be four young people admitted :— Endre Jacobsen Dahl. a Maria Ingberg, a young joiner. woman. A. Andersen, a countryman. Berthe Soronsen, do. " Soren Ericksen, of Stagland. lives 24 English miles northwards, over the water. He has a wife and six children, all of his mind. He keeps weekly meetings at his house. He has been sued by law for not baptizing two children ; and one horse, six cows, and some sheep, have been dis- trained, which are nearly all the cattle that he possesses. They are worth £13 English. They are not sold yet (but were sold), except the sheep. "We keep up meetings up stairs in my house, twice on First Days, and have two even- ing meetings during the week. The meeting for discipline is held every two months, and the queries respecting Friends' principles are read amongst us. Our meetings for worship are mostly held in silence. We liave plenty of Friends' books in English, which I read (and interpret) to my Friends and others ; and often have they caused the tears to run from their eyes May the peace of Zion be amongst all of you who love the Lord Jesus Christ. " Elias Tasttld." 3rd mo., 21st, 1841. Elias Tasted to Lucy Stead, of Sunderland :— " I received thy letter last autumn. Thy hearty desires for the benefit ot Friends in Norway are evident. I hope Q 62 that God will reward thee for it. I am one of the poorest of the ffock, yet I trust not forgotten. By the Lord's mercy, may we all experience salvation, but not as of merit or for service. " Endre I. Dahl and Maria Endberg, two estimable young Friends, having been married agreeably to the rules of our Society, are, for this cause, sentenced to be sent to prison, to be kept ten days on bread and w^ater, which treatment is to be repeated as often as the magistrate appoints, until all ex- penses that are required of them are paid. The marriage, also, was to be annulled." (This sentence, after being referred by the inferior courti to the superior, was finally set aside by the king.) "The government is much against Friends ' residing in Norw ay, and would not send our remonstrance to the king, as we desired." After describing their meetings, he mentions that Ingeber Omdahl, a young woman who had married one not profess- ing with them, was disowned , and adds, "We have, this year, printed one thousand copies of William Penn's Key, cost seven pounds. A large number of people speak well of our principles, and upright Friends are much esteemed by them. " Professor Kjilm, a person under government at Christi- ania, frequently writes in the public papers against us, endeavouring to vilify our proceedings, and to enjoin sub- mission to the laws of the land, and would tolerate no dis- senter. He has much influence as regards the laws, but knows little about Friends' principles. " He asserts that we cannot have greater freedom without taking an oath, and that refusing to swear, shows that our in- tent cannot be good. With a view to clear ourselves of mis- representation, I have composed and had printed a paper, of which I send thee a copy. 63 " My health is very poor ; therefore I can show forth rery little fruit. But, I desire not to neglect or hide the small talent given me of God ; knowing that both the poor and the rich may, by the grace and mercy of God, be saved, if they do not sin against knowledge. We have had many trials from such as desired to throng themselves in amongst us as teachers, who have proposed great things. But, I may say with the Apostle, we gave no place to them by submission ; no, not for one hour. But they have done harm among the young and the weak : but it has given the humble and the faithful a good teaching. — Elias Tasted." About this time, the heavy sufferings to which the Friends of Stavanger were subjected, excited the tender sympathy of Friends in England. Our late dear friend, Jonathan Backhouse, of Darlington, sought to alleviate their sufferings a little, by a donation of ten pounds ; of which, seven pounds was directed to be given to Soren Ericksen, Stagland, in consideration of the very heavy distraint made upon him. See page 61. Elias Tasted remarks that he felt diffident in receiving the kind benevolent gift ; and with great tenderness and love, wished his thankfulness to be conveyed to the liberal-minded donor. Three pounds were tendered to the new married couple,* under an apprehension that they had already been subjected to the suffering awarded by the court, on account of the manner of their marriage : but these dear Friends positively declined receiving the kind offer on two grounds ; first, that the threatened suffering had not yet been inflicted ; and secondly, that they were in circum- stances not requiring such aid. It was therefore directed to be given to other poor persons. f * Endre and Maria Dahl. See page 62. t The society has no fund for reimbursing any of their memhers who •ufiFer distraint for their testimony. G 2 ^4 On the same occasion, an appeal was made on belialf of oar suffering fellow professors, to those in authority at Stavanger, in a paper written by a Friend of Newcastle-on- Tyne, which was attended with a favourable result. It was as follows : — " To the justices, magistrates, and' persons in authority at Stavanger, a?id such other places in Norway, where there may he any of the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, residing. " The undersigned, being an acknowledged minister of the aforesaid religious Society at Newcastle-on-Tyne, in Great Britain, sendeth greeting. " Permit me to plead with you on behalf of my fellow pro- fessors of the same faith, your countrymen ; some of whom, as I have been informed, are at times treated as evil doers, and punished as such by fine and imprisonment, merely be- cause they conscientiously endeavour to serve God in the way which they believe is acceptable to Him, but which happens not to be in rxcordance with the practice of the professors of the Lutheran Church, of which, as I under- stand, yourselves, with the majority of the people of your nation, are members. " To compel men to worship God in a manner which they are persuaded would not be acceptable unto Him, the God of the spirits of all flesh, and to practise rites and ceremonies in the efficacy of which they have not faith, and which they are conscientiously persuaded are not called for at their hands by our Lord Jesus Christ, whom God hath given to be the Head over all things to his own church ; this would only be to grieve and oppress tender consciences, and cannot promote true religion ; for, as the apostle declares, in these things every man should be fully persuaded in his own mind, for ' whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' 65 " About two years ago, under the government of the late King of Prussia, an attempt was made to compel the mem- bers of the ancient Lutheran church to adopt a Liturgy, and to worship God in a manner which they did not believe was right for them to do, and to have their children baptized and instructed by ministers chosen and approved by the king and government, but not of the ancient Lutheran Confession. The consequence was, that a large number of the poor Lutherans fled from their oppressors, and sought refuge in foreign lands, as in South Australia and North America. " Several hundreds of those who went to America, came from Hamburgh to Newcastle-on-Tyne, on their way to Liverpool and New York. Several members of the Reli- gious Society of Friends, called Quakers, of this town, on hearing of their arrival, were drawn, by Christian good- will, to visit them, and endeavoured to soothe their afflictions, and to relieve their wants ; and a considerable sum of money was collected and handed to them for their help and com- fort. They were not of the same religious profession with us, in various respects ; but we believed them to be sincerely desirous of worshipping God, and of doing his will, accord- ing to the degree in which their minds were enlightened by his grace and good Spirit ; and we regarded them as Chris- tian brethren, and fellow disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, and fellow pilgrims toward the heavenly inheritance pre- pared for those who truly love, fear, and serve God. " So much has the sympathy of the Society of Friends for these poor Lutherans been excited, that nearly three hun- dred pounds sterling has been contributed, which is now about to be sent to Hamburgh, to assist upwards of two hundred of the same people, who are about to embark for South Australia. The chief part of this money has been given by members of our Religious Society. F 3 €6 " Thus, whilst we in England are seeking to comfort and assist the Lutherans from Prussia, the magistrates of Nor- way are fining and imprisoning our poor fellow members, who happen to be resident amongst them. Coe ider, I tenderly beseech you, whether the course you are pursuing is such as our Heavenly Father, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, will accept at your hands, as an acceptable service, or as at all for the advancement of his honour and glory. " Your sincere Friend, " George Richardson. " Newcastle upon Tyne, 4th month 25th, 1841." 9th mo. 20th, 1841, Elias Tasted informed the writer of the foregoing appeal that the document had been printed, " and well spoken of, even by the judge, in this place ; but a clergyman attacked the letter by writing an apology, say- ing that judges and persons in authority could not do other- wise than the law of the land directed ; which," says E. T. " I gave an answer to, and offered to the press ; but they were unwilling to print it, especially as it would make their own remarks of no effect. I yet hope to get it published." A copy of the document was also sent to London ; and our late dear Friend, William Allen, gave a copy to the Swedish ambassador ; and there is reason to believe that it reached the hands of the King of Sweden. In reference to Endre Dahl's marriage, Elias Tasted re- marks, " The verdict of the superior court is not yet an- nounced ; but a letter from the court was sent from the judge of the district, inquiring whether the new-married couple were real members of the Society of Friends, and whether they were married in the manner and according to the principles of Friends in England. Being requested to answer, I replied in the affirmative. 67 "I had an interesting conversation with our judge, and we parted in a friendly manner. He sent a favourable re- ply, and kindly commended us to the court, accompanied with a plea to the king." It has been already stated that the king reversed the sen- tence of the courts, relieving the dear Friends from their painful position, both as regarded the legality of their mar- riage, and the other penalties. (See page 62.) 3rd mo. 25th, 1842, Elias Tasted writes, " Persecution is quiet at present, and the people generally are respectful and friendly towards us. May we all ever keep close to the Lord, travailing in humility before him. Then shall we see that He alone is the Preserver of his people, so that nothing can hurt them. The principal, or chief cause, both of men's temporal and eternal unhappiness, is the craving after things which are forbidden. " My friend, Ener Rasmussen, and myself, received the two copies of Barclay's Apology in Danish, which are very dear to some of us. We have not many books in our language ; but we have plenty of Friends' books in the English tongue, which some of the Friends strive to learn Elias Tasted." In the spring of 1842, by the advice of Friends of Stavan- ger, Osmund Sorensen, by trade a hatter, came over to Newcastle, to gain a knowledge of the English language. He was in low circumstances ; and, though he attended a few days at one of our public schools, he got discouraged, and went home by the same vessel. He was of a sweet, innocent disposition ; and some of those Friends, with whom he became acquainted, were much pleased with him, and interested in his conversation. On his return home, he ap- plied himself to make his livelihood, by teaching children, chiefly in the country. In this year, 1842, Elias Tasted built, chiefly at his own expense, a little meeting-house, for the use of the Society of 68 Friends. It is about 30 feet long, and 24 feet wide. Four pounds sterling was contributed toward the expense by Christian Ericksen, of Christiania, though not in member- ship. Thus has the Shepherd of Israel, the Bishop of souls, continued to watch over this little portion of his heritage. He has been pleased to preserre a little seed, and to nourish and w^ater it from time to time ; though, at sundry times, they have been tossed with tempests, and tried with sore afflictions. At the present time, the Society at Stavanger consists of about forty members, children included. They have gained the respect and good will of the local, as well as of the ge- neral government ; and a disposition appears to be prevalent to shelter them from persecution, though some trying in- stances of it have occurred. The following lively little letter is from Ener Rasmussen, one of the Friends of Stavanger, and belongs to the period to W'hich we have now arrived. He had applied to a Friend of Newcastle, to obtain for him a copy of Barclay's Apology, in the Danish language, as has been already noticed. "4th mo. 14th, 1842. " Beloved Friend, — Thou art thanked heartily for the book sent me I am infirm, yet address thee a few- words ; for we may not see each other in this life, but be- lieve I have fellowship with you in spirit. " We, in this strange land, are far separated from one an- other, and from you ; but when we do our Heavenly Fa- ther's will, we have confidence, that when our time here in this world is done, we shall be gathered together into our Heavenly Father's presence with gladness. The love and respect shewn to the poor Friends in Norway, convinces me that we are one spiritual family ; when one member feels for the other, it is that love which the Lord Jesus describes * Bj 69 this shall all men know that ye are m v disciples, if re have love to one another.' " My low moments are often enlivened by a hope that should I never see you in this life, we may, by an upright walk, find communion in the heavenly life. I feel love and re- gard flow to vou all. Salute all the Friends. From a feeble Friend in Norway, who desires the grace of God for you and for himself. " ExER Rasmussen." In the year 1844, our dear Friend, William Backhouse, of Darlington, obtained the needful certificates, liberating him to pay a religious visit to Friends in Xorway ; his ne- phew, Edwai'd Backhouse, of Sunderland, offering to be his companion. But, a few days before their intended depar- ture, it pleased Infinite "Wisdom to remove our beloved Friend from works to rewards. His death was awfully sudden ; but we trust he was found " with his loins girt about, and his light burning." The circumstance is alluded to in the letter from which the following extracts are taken, as it also is in another, from Ener Basmussen, without date. After expressing his feelings in a similar manner to the above, he adds, " There are about nine years gone since God called me out of Egypt (spiritually), and led me, as through the wilder- ness, to the land of promise. He was pleased to give me a foretaste of that which he hath reserved, which taste conti- nues to be very precious to me, strengthening me in my fur- ther progress through tha wilderness, which has since been my allotted path. My companions are those which my soul has sweet unity with, having experience of what travelling pilgrims have to pass through at times, in the gloomy and cloudy wilderness. 70 Here is not any sounding instrument, as a minister of the Society, in our religious meetings ; but the sounding, in our silent gatherings, is a low sigh or groan to the outward ear, and tears rolling dow^n Friends' cheeks to the outward eye ; which, I believe, is that sacrifice which the Lord, to this day, graciously accepts. And we have a hope that a day of greater clearness, or brightness, will arise in the Lord's time. " We hope it will be cause of gladness to you to hear that the Lord is at w^ork among the people of this town, in our apprehension, more than heretofore. Amongst the young people, some are inclining to attend our meeting, and others are enquiring after the true way, which is cause of gladness to us. " When that letter, giving account of the death of that Friend who had intended to visit us, was read in our meet- ing, it softened many hearts, and an inward cry arose that the Lord may be near for the support of his family, and strengthen them in this time of trial." He proceeds to give an account of his family, and how, having since their convincement, declined to have their children baptized with water, but had got several of their births registered by the two months' meeting, he enquires whether such registry did not confer permanent membership. A suitable reply was given, in accordance with the practice of Friends in England. His next letter refers to another interesting event ; that of Endre Dalil, a young man much esteemed amongst them, coming over to Newcastle, to gain some further acquaintance with the English language, chiefly with a view to his greater usefulness amongst them, in the way of reading and trans- lating English Friends' books or writings, for their instruc- tion and edification. He obtained permission from the governor, as a special favour, and in consideration of the esteem in which he held him. 71 " Stavanger, 4th mo. 4tli, 1843. " To you, my dear Friends in England, " The river of the love of God extends itself over land and sea : it extends also to you, my beloved Friends. I often seem as if I was amongst you, and beheld you ; and I can say that we, as young Friends here, will be glad to see any of you, dear Friends, in our country, if it please Divine Providence to send them, so that we could see and speak to them. And we hope the way would be made easier, if our beloved Friend, Endre Dahl, who is coming to see some of you, could stop a little time amongst you, to learn the Eng- lish language, and become a little more acquainted witli vou. We will greatly feel the want of him, whilst he is amongst you ; but the desire of my heart is, that the grace of God may rest upon him. My love is to all them that love the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Your Friend, " Ener Rasmussen." CHAPTER V. ENDRE DAHL'S VISIT TO NEWCASTLE — SC.\JICITY OF BOOKS AXD OF THE SCRIPTURES — E. TASTED's ADDRESS TO THE JUSTICES AND PRIESTS — EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 4th mo. 1st, 1843. Elias Tasted's letter of this date intro- duces to the notice of the Friends of Newcastle, the young man already mentioned, who was about twenty- three years of age, and was desirous of acquiring a better knowledge of the English language, Endre Jacobsen Dahl, whose marriage has been noticed. He remained at Newcastle three months, made good progress, and was mucb beloved by the Friends there for bis pious frame of mind, and amiable conduct. 72 When tlie time came for liis return home, he took his pas- sage in a small vessel, where he was in imminent danger of heing lost, by the vessel being run down in the night by a Scotch ship, and sunk The five persons on board with much difficulty escaped in the boat, and reached the vessel which had occasioned the accident, and were brought back to Sunderland, from whence E. Dahl rejoined his friends at Newcastle, and soon afterwards got safe home. In the above letter, E. T. mentions the receipt of the yearly meeting's epistle, " which has been often read to Friends and others. We now hold our meetings in our little new-built meeting house ; and we have many more attend- ing our meetings than before. Our meetings are mostly held in silence ; but after meeting, we sometimes read in Friends' books, with which Friends and others are well satis- fied. Here is a little distraining for the school tax, and priest's tithes. Elias Tasted." When Endre Dahl returned home, he was liberally fur- nished with a number of Friends' books by the meeting for sufferings, and a good number of Bibles and Testaments at the expense of a few Friends of Newcastle monthly meet- ing. At the instance of Josiah Forster, a grant was ob- tained from the Bible Society in London, which were to be obtained from their agent at Stavanger, to whom the Friends there were to account for the produce of sales, whether at reduced prices or otherwise. From a letter to a Friend in London, on transmitting the answers to the queries, the following remarks are extracted : " There is a very inadequate supply of the Holy Scrip- tures amongst them,* the price being too high for many of them to obtain a proper supply for themselves or their young people. They are much interested in the perusal of Friends' • Friends of Newcastle monthly meeting subscribed about sixteen pounds to remedy this deficiency in books, especially the Scriptures. 73 books ; but their supply of tliem, in tlieir own language, is extremely scanty. A list is subjoined. They have been liberally supplied with Friends' books in English, but only Elias Tasted can read thera ; except Osmund Sorensen, who can read a little. Imperfect as these means are, they have been resorted to, much to their edification. When we con- sider the evidently increasing number of serious enquirers into the principles of the Society, they do appear to have a stror g claim upon the attention of the meeting for sufferings, whether more ample and effectual aid should not be afforded them. " It appears that Friends and their views are often ad- verted to in the provincial newspapers, and much that is erroneous is mixed up with such notices. " It does not appear that they have any fragment in their language respecting Greorge Fox ; and the few Barclay's Apologys which they have are lent about from hand to hand. " The Tracts, lately printed by the Tract Association in London, in the Danish language, are well understood, and are very useful. The following are desirable to be translated into the Danish language : — Penn's Rise and Progress ; Turford's Grounds of a Holy Life ; some short treatise on Oaths ; The Summary of the History, Doctrine, and Discipline of Friends ; some of the documents which, of late years, have been issued by the yearly meeting ; The Way of Salvation by Christ ; Gurney's Letter on Redemption ; The Society's Testimony against War ; Tuke's Principles of Friends ; The Authority of Christ in his Church. " From what we know of the Friends of Stavanger, they appear to be a tender spirited people, well worthy of encou- ragement. The books in the Danish language, now in their possession, are as follows : — " About eight copies of Barclay's Apology. H 74 " Penn's Key, printed there. " Christopher Meidel on Baptism and the Supper — 100 on hand. " On Silence and Watchfulness, by Richard Philips — printed at Bergen. " Allen's Carnal and Spiritual State considered. " Memoir of Thomas Chalkley — a Tract, by the London Association. *' On the Love of God, by do. do. " On the Teaching of the Holy Spirit. " On the Holy Scriptures, and the Duty of reading them, by Hans Ericksen of Christiania. " Whether any thing can be done to obtain relief for them in reference to oaths, and for their affirmation to be in all cases accepted where an oath is required, is a subject worthy of the consideration of the meeting for sufferings. Your affectionate Friend, G. B. " Newcastle, 5th mo. 5th, 1843." The following extract will show that they continued liable to sufferings : — " 3rd mo. 2nd, 1844. Affliction and distress are as neces- sary for our humiliation, even as outward bread is needful for our bodily sustenance ; and happy are they who can abide in patience, during these seasons of creaturely abase- ment. It is such who will be happy in the end. All this, my dear Friend, I am aware thou knowest. I have many things in my heart to say to thee in my own case ; but I cannot find words for it in your language. I often feel tenderly for you, and also for my Friends here, and desire that all of us may be kept subject to the grace of God. Then, I hope, we will, from time to time, feel something of his mercy ; and then we shall love him for his goodness, tlirough all. 75 " I am among the poorest of his fiock : it is through poverty of spirit that the kingdom is to be received. Something of this poverty is the experience of Friends here. I believe they will learn obedience by the things which they suffer. The people generally are kind, and speak well of the Society ; the magistrates, also, are kindly disposed ; but there is one of our Friends, who, by the law, is required to pay, until he bring his child to the baptism, for the first week as much as two shillings and sixpence English, and double every week after. His name is Halversen Micalsen." 6th mo. 26th, 1844. In this letter, Elias Tasted very feelingly alludes to the death of AVilliam Backhouse, and makes some instructive remarks on the event. " It was a hard blow to us ; and what may it not be to his dear family and Friends in your parts ? But we must believe that what God, in his wisdom, has appointed, he will exe- cute to his own honour and praise. All who know him as a God, know him as a Father of mercy. Even when it feels to his children as though he was taking their life away, yet a secret hope is felt, even in the time of deep humiliation, that he will eventually favour them with a true sense that their life is hid with Christ in God. Happy are all those who hold out in patience, passing through death to life. These magnify the mercy of God to their souls, giving glory to him, and celebrate his praise for the least as well as the greatest of his mercies. 0 ! happy day for that soul who knows him thus, through all his dispensations. You know these things; but the love I feel constrains me, as a partaker of the sufferings, and of the unity which we have in Christ. " At our last two months' meeting, there came seven Friends here, who desire to be members ; and some of them are Avell known to us, and felt near to us in the bond of unity. But, in our youthful days, there are many diffi- culties and dangers to be encountered ; and there are few H 2 76 fathers amongst us. Many believe our principles to be right ; but the way of the cross is too hard for them. " I hear that Lucy Stead (of Sunderland) is ill. Thou must give my love to her. She has had a deep concern for our help and welfare, for many years ; frequently writing to us, and evincing her love in various ways." (He also desires his love to several other Friends by name.) " Some time ago, I gave forth a paper, which was pub- lished, concerning the sufferings of our Friends, addressed to the magistrates and priests. It has been generally read to the satisfaction of the people." The following is a transla- tion of the said paper. See below. " I think the increase of our members is from twelve to twenty-four in two or three years ; and the two months' meeting is kept as usual. *' I hear our dear and beloved Friend, William Allen, is gone to his long home. His memory is very precious to me, and I hope to many ; and I believe he rests in peace with the Lord. " I hope thou wilt remember me when thou bowest down before the throne of grace. Thy sincere Friend, " Elias Tasted." From ike Stavanger County News and Advertiser^ 3rd mo, Uth, 1844 " To you, ye justices and priests in Norway. " These lines are principally to those amongst you who practise and cherish a hostile spirit against all who se- parate themselves from you and your state church ; for the peaceable and well-meaning amongst you, they do not so much concern. I beseech you, beware of the spirit of persecution, which brought our Saviour to the cross ! You know that it was in this spirit the chief priests and scribes effected their murderous deeds, whereby they purchased a 77 Judas to betray our Saviour, and afterwards induced a ma- gistrate (Pilate) to effect tlioir bloody purpose ; and in this manner have true Christians been treated in all ages. " The first who were the cause of the arising of persecution wei'e impelled by the same spirit, in that they accused the innocent and the peaceable, who separated themselves from their ])ublic religion, before the magistrates ; and thus they make use of these as instruments to effect their murderous designs — namely, to plunder, imprison, and kill the inno- cent, who never made any resistance, which is in accordance with the apostle James's declaration, ' Ye kill the just, and he doth not resist you.' " I believe you all know that this wolfish spirit of perse- cution raged in Paul, before his conversion : and it rages in every one, in a greater or less degree, previously to true conversion. I think we may be ashamed, amid our profes- sion of Christianity, so long as we permit the least measure of this spirit to remain, or rule in our hearts, against such as conscientiously depart from our profession ; for compul- sion of the conscience is soul-murder. Christ will have none forced into his church or communion ; but, on a cer- tain occasion, he said to his disciples, ' Will ye also go away ?' Here were no violent means resorted to, to force them to remain with him. And thus ought we also to be minded, if we will be true Chiistians ; for a religious sect which countenances or allows of the persecution of another sect, of whatever name or profession, exhibits an infallible sign of a false and anti-christian church. It is known to me, that this above-said spirit of wickedness has ruled in and near Stavanger for many years, by the persecution of the Friends, commonly called Quakers, only because they, for conscience sake, cannot unite with the public state church of the country ; as in baptism, laying on of hands, H 3 78 oaths, &c. On account of these things, have not a few of these innocent men suffered, even by those who made the greatest profession of the Lutheran doctrines ? And what they have endured, from one time to another, is gone into oblivion, because of their silence ; and the same is, there- fore, little known, except by the bench of magistrates. " Thus, one P. M, was put in prison, upon bread and water, one to four weeks, because he, for conscience sake, could not bring his child to the public water baptism ; dragging him out of his house, in a very sickly condition, and in cold weather, to prison, wherein he must endure the whole of his punishment. " May not such treatment be considered as capital (endan- gering life) ? and yet was he not respected of his neighbours, as a peaceable and friendly person, whose poverty permitted him not to rid himself of the fine adjudged ? (had he been free to do it.) " One S. E. was, on the same account, plundered of all his cattle, seven in number, with the exception of one calf re- maining ; and also for priests' tithes, from one time to an- other, distrained upon to three or four times the amount of the original demand. " M. L., who, for conscience sake, could not take the oath required by law, lost her inheritance of 60 to 70 spd. (£12, 13s.), and was sentenced afterwards to imprisonment for many days, on bread and water, and is now left poor. " One H. M. is lately fined, because he cannot bring his children to baptism, and probably he will also come under the like suffering ; and yet for such ceremonies and usages (sprinkling of infants) as are the inventions and contrivances of man alone, and which may be fully proved, by the Holy Scriptures, to be neither commanded nor used by the first and true Christians. "From E. T., E. R., and 0. R., is taken, at various 79 times, by distraint for other of the state church's demands, three or four times as much as was legally asked. " Besides these, there are many things and matters which I will not here recite. And all this have those above men- tioned suffered in silence, and this even from those who consider themselves as the chiefest members of the Lutheran church. All others, who have given their consent and al- lowance hereto, are yet not innocent. Examine now, friends ! both ye who have had a hand and consented in the above- mentioned persecutions, and ye who have not yet consented and partaken of the same, whether the light of Christ's spirit, in your hearts and consciences, can say yea and amen to such unchristian deeds ; and if ye believe that (you) may stand (approved) before Christ's judgment seat for the same ; and if ye could permit, consent to, or countenance those evil works in your last moments, when ye shall render your last account, and stand before the Judge of quick and dead ? I believe that the light of Christ in your consciences will say nay, let your profession be what it will. "When we, after Christ's commandment, and after the con- victions of his spirit in our souls, are bound to love our ene- mies, how much more (should we love) our peaceable neigh- bours, who endeavour, each in his way, to love, honour, and worship a gracious God, who alone can correct the errors and mistakes of men ? He has created us to assist and do good to each other, and not to afflict, coerce, persecute, and destroy one another. I love you 'and all men, and wish both your temporal and eternal peace, which none of us can attain to before the spirit of animosity becomes destroyed and overthrown in us, and trodden under foot. And this can alone happen by Christ's spirit, power, and work in our souls. When this gets a degree of dominion in our souls, it is then not difficult to love our enemies, according to Christ's commandment. 80 " And you, ye magistrates, judges, and chief officers ? ye who say that ye are obliged and bound to prosecute, to sentence and judgment, all that the before-mentioned priests allege and insinuate as complaints before you, in cases of conscience, in spiritual things, and for things which man has between himself and his God alone ; know ye also that these laws and judgments, which are contrary to God's law and judgment, in your inmost souls, will not justify you in the great day of account. Touch not, therefore, these causes, neither meddle you therein. Let the (oppressing) spirit's power have liberty to fight against that (meek, suf- fering) spirit ; but should these two spirits fall into conten- tion together, to the hurt of the body, then it belongs to you, as rulers, not to bear the sword in vain. Ye know that in spiritual causes, the judgment belongs to the Lord alone ; but if ye entangle yourselves in spiritual causes and judg- ments, then ye are not assured of keeping your hands from innocent blood ; for, in this manner, ye may easily come to persecute Christ in his members, Him who is the Head to them. But, in such causes, and weighty and spiritual (matters), I wish that you may remember the counsel of the ancient and honourable teacher of the law and judge, Gama- liel, to the Jews, (Acts v. 33-42,) when he said, ' And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone ; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought ; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it ; lest, haply, ye be found even to fight against God.' " In conclusion, this is my fervent and earnest desire for you, ye priests and magistrates. Lay down the hostile spirit of persecution ; so will ye be loved of God and your fellow men, and be honoured and obeyed of every one who loves God and his way of truth ; for love to all men, whe- ther they be our friends or enemies, is the true sign and stamp of our Christianity. " Elias Tasted." 81 The Friends of Stavanger, having got further assistance in the work of translations, by the better knowledge of the English language acquired by Endre Dahl, in the course of his three months' application to the study of the language at Newcastle, now proceeded to translate and prepare for the press two additional tracts, viz., " A brief Memoir of George Fox,* by E. B. ;" and, " The Testimony to the Authority of Christ in his Church." The following extract from E. D. to a Friend of Sunderland, is of an encouraging character : — 10th mo. 18th, 1844, E. D. to E. B., of Sunderland :— " It rejoices me that I can inform thee and thy Friends that we experience a growth in our little society ; many at- tend our assembly who appear to be touched by the tender conviction of the Divine Witness in their own souls. They have found no true peace in their former ceremonial wor- ship ; and although we have no minister who (speaks) to our outward ear, yet we believe the Bishop of our souls is often present amongst us ; and we have learned the necessity which is laid upon us, as a Christian body, not to place our dependence upon man. Some of the young convinced Friends appear to be very ardent in their spirit, and a great love is felt toward them. We are persuaded that they are not convinced of men, but by the Divine Grace alone, which called them out of Egypt spiritually, and by the light of Christ, which sliined unto them, and showed them which way they should go. And thus have we a hope that the plants which the Heavenly Father himself hath planted, will bear fruit. I believe a mutual love to be maintained among Friends ; and as we are few in number, we appear to love one another the more ; and we would therefore more feel the want of the con- versation of a single one of those to whom the affairs of the society are their chiefest concern. • They had no book in their language respecting George Fox.— Editor. 82 " We also feel that the spirit of this world much chokes the seed of the Kingdom, so that it bears not fruit. The Apostle warns us not to be conformed to this world. So ought we, according to our high and holy profession, to be very self-denying in our lives and conversation. And I re- joice to perceive that the young convinced Friends amongst us, have their attention directed to a true self-denial in their apparel, and the simplicity which the Cross of Christ led Friends into in the beginning. " The death of Lucy Stead was much felt among the Friends here, for whom she has had great solicitude for many years. Please to salute her sister Alice from me, and my wife and Friends ; as also the Wilson family, from whom, I, when in distress (after being shipwrecked), re- ceived great proofs of love, at the time I was in, Sunderland, Avhich remain with me in thankful remembrance. The liv- ing ministry with which we were favoured in the quarterly meeting there, remains in abiding remembrance with me. "E. D." 7th mo. 11th, 1845, E. D., in allusion to the accounts which he had received of the late yearly meeting and of the minis- terial services, remarks : — " Although the Lord in his wisdom has seen fit and useful for us to be yet in want of such qualified ministry, notwith- standing this there has still been some added to the church. We have learned in the school of Christ not to depend upon man, but only upon the Lord Christ, the Bishop of souls. — He said to his disciples, * I am among you as he that serveth.' Let us, therefore, examine ourselves, how far we have been willing, like Mary, to sit at Christ's feet, choosing that good part which should not be taken away from her ; that thus he may thoroughly purge his floor. For many seem willing to do much for the Lord, who are not willing 83 to separate from all that prevents tlie work of the Lord going forward. " On the 7th of last month, arcompanied hj my wife and other two Friends, we set out to visit some Friends and others who profess with us, living at a distance from Stavanger. We took a boat and travelled by land and water 120 English miles. We visited many pious people, and distributed tracts amongst them. " A few weeks after this, we made another visit by sea in a little boat, to a similar class of persons, which was to our own edification. In both these visits, we met with several who received us kindly ; and I hope some of them will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. *' E. D." CHAPTER VI. MEMORIAL OF THE MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS TO THE KING A^'D GOVERNMENT OF SWEDEN .^'D NORWAY — STATE OF THE SO- CIETY — LAW OF KING OSCAR, GRANTING GREATER LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE TO DISSENTERS — GIL\TEFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THEREOF TO THE KING — EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 1845. Early in this year, the meeting for sufferings was seriously occupied with the consideration of how far it could benefically interfere in bringing the suffering case of Friends in Norway before their own government. It was understood, that the propriety of granting a larger degree of toleration, was occupying the mind of the king of Sweden and Norway ; and that of some other persons of influence in those countries. The late king had been visited by William Allen and Stephen Grellett, in the year 1818, when, in the address which they prepared and presented to him, they say, " We 84 are deeply convinced that in proportion as the benign spirit of the Gospel is submitted to, in the hearts of men universally, it will lead to order, to subordination, and to peace in the earth ; for, proceeding from the source of infinite love, it produces nothing but good-will towards the whole human family ; it teaches charity for those who differ from us ; and, accordingly, the true church has been under persecution, at times, from the earliest ages, but has never persecuted. " We have been particularly gratified in being informed of thy disposition to grant liberty of conscience and indulgence to religious scruples ; for as every man must give account of himself unto God ; he is bound to perform worship in the manner which he is convinced, in his own mind, is most ac- ceptable in the Divine sight ; and we take the liberty to solicit thy kind protection of those who, though they may differ in sentiment from the religion of the country, yet, by their lives and conduct, give proof that their only object is to preserve a conscience void of offence toward God and to- ward men. It is by concentrating all the talent and all the good feeling which exist in the body of the people, and directing it to one object — the general good — that nations be- come strong ; and we are sure, with thy enlightened mind, it is not necessary for us to dwell on the happy effects pro- duced by a free toleration, in matters of religion, in those countries in which it is enjoyed." In the interview which they had with the king, on pre- senting the address from which the above is extracted, William Allen remarks, that " The king told us a great deal about the state of Norway, and what he had done for that country, regretting that there were some things in their old constitution, which were very hurtful ; he said the peasants were not represented in their government, &c We spoke of the Friends in Norway, and he told us that the affair of marriage had been before the council, and it was 85 concluded that, provided it was performed after the manner of Friends, and registered, it should be la^yful, and that he ■would protect, not only the Friends there at present, but those who might join them in future." " He said, ' Your Friends cannot avenge themselves ; all that their principles permit is, if possible to parry the blows which may be aimed at them ; but they cannot, otherwise, defend themselves ; they, therefore, have a double claim to protection ;' and this, he assured me, they should have.*' Life of W. Allen, vol. i., p. 405. Entertaining a strong persuasion that the government was rerv favourably disposed, and that the subject of granting greater liberty to Dissenters was to be brought before the Storthing or Pai'liament which was to assemble at Christiania, in 1845, in the first month, the meeting for sufterings pro- ceeded to prepare a full and strong, but respectful memorial on behalf of the Friends of Stavanger and other parts of Korway. The points adverted to in it were. The free liberty of public worship, of marriage, a reference to water baptism, exemption from oaths, and relief in the case of ecclesiastical demands. (See Appendix B.) In one of his letters, about this period, Elias Tasted, in allusion to his many trials and discouragements, remarks, " I have, at no time, been in doubt as to our way of confes- sion ; through these trials, I have often been labour- ing in my own strength to get out of these troubles, until I was made sensible that it is not in him that willeth, or that runneth, but of God who showeth mercy ; and that this mercy is extended to him that worketh not, but who believ- eth on Him who justifieth the ungodly — his faith is counted to him for righteousness. " ' Seekest thou great things to thyself ?' said the Lord to the prophet : ' seek them not.' My desire is, that all I 86 of us, who make this great confession, may seek after greater humility. " The attendance of our meetinsrs is increasinor ; and I hope there are some who increase in their experience of the truth, although we are too generally in a state of childhood to endure the storm." 7th mo. 12th. 1845. " I have received the epistle from the yearly meeting, which was read at the conclusion of our meeting for worship. It was encouraging to hear of the Lord's great mercy, which he so richly gives you to partake of, to your souls' refreshment. We may, through many afflictions, learn to understand that the times and seasons are in tha Lord's hand, and that when he opens, none can shut : and that all good things come from him. " Our meeting is increasing ; although the growth, in my view, appears small amongst us, and that the mournful are more in number than the joyful. " When the earth appears dry, and the old stock of provi- sions are fast decreasing, yet the inhabitants of the land live in a little hope. Our feeble and secret sighs and breath- ings ascend, that the Lord, in his own time, of his great mercy, will look upon us from on high, and cause his mild and fruitful drops to descend, for the refreshment of the dry, and the strengthening of the feeble, and to the increase of the new provision for the sustenance of his people, and cause it to spring forth from the land, after it has been cleansed. After this precious experience, some amongst us are hungering and thirsting. " But may we all be willing to take up the cross, and be willing to part with all the old provision, seeking after the Lord's great goodness, which he conceals from the wise and prudent of this world, but makes manifest to the sincere hearted little ones. " Elias Tasted." 87 It 13 worthy of observation how the little hodj of YnenAs - 1 Norway, abiding; faithful in their allegiant the hierarchical system of Rome, which they believed had left but too obvious traces of its powerful influence upon the religious establishments of most of the Reformed Churches. " Doctrines like these, and the practices which grew out of them, exposed our forefathers to grevious persecution at the first rise of the Society, when the principles of religious liberty were little understood. Notwithstanding this persecution, which they were enabled to bear with remarkable constancy and meekness, their number increased in this country, and in Ireland and America. It soon began to be ob- served, even by their persecutors, that their Christian principles brought forth the fruits of a holy life ; that they were men of upright and peace- able conduct, fearing God and honouring the king ; loving their neigh- bours, and obedient to the laws, where their sense of religious duty was not violated thereby. And as more enlightened views of govern- ment prevailed, the executive and legislative authorities of this and other countries within which they were found, relaxed, and eventually abolished all. or nearly all the laws by which they were oppressed ; and the British parliament has now not only admitted them, together with other Dissenters from the Established church, to all the rights and privileges of the constitution, but has in various ways, by special pro- visions in their favour, afforded them relief in cases in which their religious scruples prevented them from actively complying with the requirements of the general law of the land. "By the accompanying acts of parliament,