Two other epistolary communications are also recorded, as being about this time welcomed by those, who had learned in the school of Christ Jesus to love one another, and that "with a pure heart fervently," -being engaged in good measure to purify their "souls in obeying the Truth, through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren." 1 Peter, i. 22. The first of them is as follows.

66

Edinburgh, 16th of 11th month, 1676. "Dearly beloved Friends in and about Aberdeen, and especially you that are in bonds, who suffer for the testimony of a good conscience! As you keep innocent and blameless before God, and labour continually so to do, and look back and read in your hearts the ground and cause for which you suffer, it will minister joy and soul-satisfaction unto you. For it ever did so to me: I bless my God, outward imprisonment was never a prison to me; though I suffered near two years together in Edinburgh, and was never a quarter of an hour all that time from under their fingers; being deprived of the enjoyment of all good Friends, and was cast among thieves, and robbers, and murderers, such unclean spirits, as I never yet did see worse upon the earth. And, as I remember, for the space of two months and upwards, I could not say there was one quiet hour either by night or day; and this fell to my lot even in the time of my weakness. Then, the consideration what I suffered for, did still minister satisfaction unto me; for I could take the Lord to record, that I suffered for the testimony of a good conscience; the remembrance of which caused my inward man exceedingly to rejoice. And so, blessed for ever be the God of my salvation, that caused me, in his love which is stronger than death,' to rejoice over all my sufferings! Thus, in this love of God, I reigned over all my enemies; and though in prison, yet was I a freeman, for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.' And my sufferings were

even joyous unto me, but never grievous; for the Lord revealed it unto me, that it was a more honourable crown than all the crowns of the whole creation, to be a sufferer for the Truth of God! And this he made clear to me, at a time when I was near to sink; then he raised me up above all, and gave me strength to press forward towards the mark for the prize of our high calling.

"And now, my dear Friends, be faithful, noble, and valiant for the Truth upon the earth! for you may bless the day, that ever you were born, who are called unto such a blessed calling, as to suffer for the testimony of a good conscience. So, my dear Friends, keep your testimony, for it is your life.

"And now, my dear Friends, I beseech you, keep in innocency, and commit your cause unto the just God, for he will certainly plead the cause of the innocent: this I do infallibly know. Therefore, my dear Friends, love your enemies, and pray for them, and entreat the Lord, that he may open their eyes, if it be his blessed will, and convince them of the evil of their doings.

"RICHARD RAE."

It will be readily perceived, that the foregoing production came from the pen of one, very differently qualified, in respect both to education and natural endowment, from the writer of the epistle that precedes it. In fact, Richard Rae was by trade a shoemaker; and it may be remembered, he has been already noticed in preceding pages of this volume, as one of the first in Scotland that became a "Quaker-preacher;" being also the individual who, earlier than any other of that people, tasted imprisonment at Aberdeen, whither he had come in the love of the gospel to visit his brethren. It is not by any means improbable, that the following circumstance, named by Robert Barclay in his "Apology," may have allusion to this Friend: namely, That he knew a poor shoemaker, not able to

read a word, who was taken before a magistrate of a city, for preaching to some few that came to hear him; when, being assaulted with a false citation of Scripture from a learned professor of divinity, who constantly asserted his saying to be a Scripture sentence, the poor man still maintained, that the Spirit of God never said such a thing as the other affirmed: a Bible was brought, and it was found to be as the illiterate shoemaker had said. Should the reader be of the number of those, who can believe with William Penn himself, that from among the shoemakers, mechanics, and husbandmen may be, and once were called forth, "our best preachers;" and with Robert Barclay, that "the Spirit and grace of God can make up the want of literature in the most rustic and ignorant;" he will be likely no less to appreciate the "savour of Life" and simplicity of the Truth, conveyed through homely language, than through a more refined medium. See "Select Anecdotes" relating to the Society of Friends, by the Author of this volume, p. 10; also R. Barclay's Works 1692, fol. p. 423.-Indeed, to the quickened mind, that has the spiritual "senses" "by reason of use" "exercised to discern both good and evil," it is beautiful to observe, what a harmonizing tendency there is, in all the various administrations of Divine virtue to the different members of the one body; each part that is "fitly compacted together," being rendered subservient to the well-being of the whole--" to the edifying of the body in love." The little "household of faith" at Aberdeen, no doubt had their occasion, to feel the worth and import of what the Apostle Paul declared to the Corinthians: "The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee." For "those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary," and such also as "we think to be less honourable" seeing "God hath set the members, every one of them, in the body as it hath pleased him," "that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another."

1 Cor. 12. This subject is beautifully touched upon in the next letter, addressed to the same party; and which afresh discovers, how this people watched over each other for good, and by love served one another.

"Dear Friends,

"Leith, 3rd of 11th month, 1676.

"In the sense of that Life, which visited me in the beginning, am I drawn forth to write unto you, who are now stayed for the blessed testimony of our God. I know the Lord is with you, and his everlasting arm is near, and underneath to uphold you in this great trial, [even He] who hath not been wanting to prepare you for this honourable service. Dear Friends, I am one with you in your sufferings and in your joy; and I feel a travail for you in the general, that you may stand faithful witnesses for the Lord, as many faithful brethren have done before you, in this and former generations, who now reap the fruit of their labours, and their memory is blessed [even] to all eternity.

"Friends! feel the everlasting Life, and drink of the living springs that proceed therefrom, which God hath opened unto you: this is your reward at the hand of the Lord; let your minds be stayed in that, and you are over all that the devil and his instruments may do unto you. Look not out, neither be weary in welldoing, and your deliverance will come in the Lord's season. He that hath wrought your soul's deliverance, is not unmindful of you that are faithful unto him. But if any draw back, they will lose their reward, and the Lord will be provoked.

"So, dear Brethren, encourage one another in the Lord and you that are strong, (whom the Lord hath made so,) help the weak, and bear with them, and travail one with and for another, in the spirit of love and meekness; and have a high esteem of, and respect unto, the weakest member for the Head's sake, Christ Jesus our Lord, who shed his blood for all, and is near unto you to behold your conversation inwardly and

outwardly. Grieve him not, nor oppress his seed in one another; so shall you be known to be the children of the heavenly and royal birth; and, in due time, when the Lord hath done his work in you and by you, he will bring you forth with a high hand in the sight of your enemies, and you shall shine with the beauty of the Lord, and the Lord will add unto you, and you will rejoice to behold the wisdom and power of God. And care not for your outward loss, which in the end will be great gain: they that have laid down their heads in our Father's bosom, repent not, that they have suffered these things for Christ's sake.

"So, in the love of our God, have I written these few things unto you, my dearly beloved Friends; in this let us dwell together, and we are sure our dwelling is in God, whatever the world may say. And to Him that is able to keep you, both in soul and body, both in your inward and outward afflictions and temptations, I leave you, who is God only wise and powerful, blessed for ever!

"From your Friend and Brother,

"HECTOR ALLANE.”

CHAPTER XI.

1677: Pretence, that the "Quakers" were popishly affected-the King's Commissioners grant them present relief: some of the prisoners obtain their liberty, others are removed to Banff-previous to this, Friends address the Council, and Robert Barclay writes to Archbishop Sharpe-misunderstanding hetween the magistrates of Aberdeen and the under-sheriff-disgraceful affair among the instigators of persecution John Forbes, deputy-sheriff, and the magistrates of Banff, treat the prisoners with great civility-Aberdeen prison for a short interval cleared of Friends.

ONE of the chief pretences, which the public preachers and magistrates made use of, to palliate their un