savage warfare. These eight stations are Europeans, for it is an acknowledged fact that managed by about two dozen missionaries, English stock flourishes abundantly in New most of whom have families with them. A Zealand. Several of the mission families are schooner belonging to the Society is kept very large, and though the second generation constantly plying between the several posts ac- will doubtless assume something of the Creole cessible from the sea, transferring the families temperament and appearance, yet the Anglo or their property, as expediency or necessity New Zealand natives enjoy robust constitumay dictate. The contending clans have tions, and suffer very little from disease. With avoided making enemies of the missionaries, such prospects of a permanent residence in regarding them as a neutral party, and as the country, no attempt is made to prevent the such even among barbarians, entitled to pro- children acquiring the native language; altection; an instance or two to the contrary though in itself I imagine familiarity with nahave unhappily occurred recently, in which tive habits and intellectual and moral degra the teachers appear to have been identified in dation, must be nearly as injurious here as in some degree with their adherents, though even any of the other islands, where the policy of in these cases their persons have not been securing the children from contact with barinjured. barism, has induced the parents to prevent their learning the language of the people.

tremely difficult to obtain much ascendency over them in any other way. Induced by motives of self-interest to submit while young to some degree of restraint, and to receive instruction from their patrons, it is to be hoped their wild, wayward, vicious habits will be corrected, while at the same time, their situation brings them within the religious influence of the missionaries.

The Wesleyans have occupied a part of the western coast, their head quarters being at The New Zealand missionaries keep great Hokianga, but we did not see any of their numbers of native servants about them, and establishments. We were told that the coun- really this practice appears highly advantagetry where they are located is more populous ous under present circumstances; for from than those parts where the Church Missiona- the character of the people, it would be exry Society agents are employed, some of whose stations are entirely deserted, Keri Keri and Tepuna more particularly. Waimate, the inland agricultural settlement, has not many natives near it, but there are several tribes scattered round the neighbourhood, within a moderate distance, whom the missionaries visit and instruct. The same may be said of Paihia; though the villages near the Bay of Islands are hostile to the missionaries, yet there are several places up the rivers Kauakaua and Waikate, where the people listen to their weekly instructions, and have made some progress towards improvement. The whole numerical amount of these teachable natives is insignificant, indeed one hundred persons is considered a large congregation in New Zealand.

The New Zealanders are by far the rudest and most warlike islanders that we have seen, (if I except the few natives of the Marquesas and Fiji groups, whom we met with occasionally among their more docile neighbours; and the accounts we have received from residents here, confirmed every unfavourable impres sion, that their appearance can make on the mind of a stranger.) I confess I never thought The Church Missionary Society, and several the difference between these and the other Paindividuals belonging to the mission, hold large cific islanders, was so very striking as it apparcels of land which have been regularly pears to be. They resemble North American purchased of the natives, partly for the pre- Indians to a degree that you would scarcely sent use of the mission, and in part as a pro- credit, both in appearance, habits and Jewish vision for the rising families of its members. customs. They possess an invincible deterThe children are not, as among some other mination, an independence which acknowmissionaries whom we have visited, destined ledges no restraint, not reconciled by a sup to be sent home at a certain age, nor do the posed decree of fate, and a restless martial parents anticipate the expiration of a term of daring, accompanied by an undying spirit of years, when they and their families will leave revenge, perhaps never more strongly exhibitthe ground, and take up their abode in Eng-ed in the human character. The heart of a land or the colonies. The Church missionaries came out with the intention of remaining, and of establishing their children after them in their adopted country, and several of the sons of the earlier missionaries are already settled on farms, from which they expect to obtain a competency. In this way large portions of the country will soon be colonized by

New Zealander, seems almost insensible, in many instances at least, to the softer emotions, and he does not possess terms to express such foreign influences. Gratitude, meekness, lowliness, grace, and repentance, affection and thankfulness are alike unknown to him; while martial epithets and words significant of cruelty and violence, are abundant and elaborate

ly explicit. There seems to be an untameable nishing perfect models of beauty, are I think spirit and pride about them, which renders a more pleasing than most of the other islanders. concession almost impossible: they will rather They are not however so gentle, nor are their die than yield, a principle no doubt greatly habits so accordant with our notions of female fostered by their Spartan education, which is propriety, being often extremely dirty in their calculated to infuse into the minds of mere personal appearance and domestic managechildren, the hardihood and recklessness of ment; but their countenances are expressive, the tiger. Their notions about satisfaction' and their features well formed. The lips are might have been formed in imitation of the frequently disfigured with tatoo, which gives famous laws of honour.' Every offence must them a singular and unpleasant appearance, be resented or expiated, and where actual like that of persons who have been eating warfare is not the consequence of a false step, black-berries. plunder is liable to follow the smallest insult. The British resident has made one attempt They are said to procure an insult or a false to unite the principal chiefs in a sort of counaccusation merely as a pretext for demanding cil, in which they might act collectively; and satisfaction. The intelligence of the New in theory he succeeded so far as to induce Zealanders is universally admitted, and from them to consent that each one should no longwhat I saw of them I was led to conclude, er act singly, but that in affairs of importance that they possess greater versatility of mind the collective opinions of the chiefs of the than their tropical neighbours, and perhaps united tribes of New Zealand' should conquite as much acuteness. They seem to ex-stitute a decision. The members of this naperience little or no difficulty in acquiring a tional council signed a formal declaration of knowledge of reading and writing, even in their independence, and agreed to meet annuplaces unvisited by regular instructors. I saw, ally for purposes of government, But unhapjust before leaving the country, a very fairly pily these auspicious indications were very written letter, addressed to one of the mis- transient, and the perverseness of some exassionaries by a native who lived at a distance, and who had only occasionally visited the station.

perated individuals, who could not support the dignity of divil rulers, frustrated the design altogether. On the occasion of a dispute Their appearance is very Asiatic,-swarthy about some land which had been sold, the complexions, bald, marked and often spare national assembly was convened at the resi countenances, with dark, restless eye, black, dent's place of abode near the Bay of Islands, straight hair, somewhat raised cheek-bones, to decide the case. This was readily done, and irregular broad mouths; athletic but not but the vanquished party in the rage of disapgenerally graceful figures characterize the appointment, flew to their more congenial arbipearance of the men, whose faces, hips, and trators-their muskets-and fired upon the thighs are often scored with deep tatoo. A assembly. Some lives I believe were lost on shark's tooth, a bird skin, or a piece of iron the occasion, and it has never since been drawn through the ear, and a filthy mat or blanket thrown round the figure, and occasionally exposing every part, in many instances complete the decorations of these aborigines, and render their exterior far less pleasing than that of many other Pacific islanders. The women, who have been praised as fur

deemed expedient to call together such unmanageable counsellors. It is very much to be regretted that the untoward conduct of a few lawless individuals has, for a time at least, set aside a noble attempt to benefit by justifiable means this distracted country.

THE HISTORY OF THE LIFE OF

THOMAS ELLWOOD:

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

"By faith the elders obtained a good report." Heb. xi. 2.

PREFACE.

one much weaker, nay, though by but a babe in Christ.

His countenance was manly and cheerful; his deportment grave, yet affable and courteous, even to the meanest person; his conversation innocent, pleasant and instructive, yet severe against any thing that was beyond the liberty of truth. These, with his other qualifications of body and mind, rendered him very acceptable and useful, as a friend and as a neighbour, and as a member and elder in the church of Christ; and the more, for that his time was chiefly employed in being service. able in one or other of these capacities.

"GATHER up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost," was the direction of our Saviour to his disciples, after he had fed the multitude. This may properly be applied to collecting and preserving the accounts of the lives of good men, who in their day have been eminently useful in those stations of life wherein God, by his good providence, hath placed them. And this is the rather to be done, when themselves leave behind them, in writing, an account of their lives, and of the signal mercies of God to them therein. From such accounts may best be gathered, I might here particularly mention the la their particular state, exercise and growth in bours of our deceased friend, according to the work of restoration out of the fall and their respective times, and the nature of their degeneracy; and, in the reading thereof, we several subjects; but much of this being almay be not only incited to bless the name of ready done in the ensuing pages, I choose to the Lord, on their behalf, but also gain some in- omit it; by which, possibly the reader may struction from the path so fairly tract out, and be incited to the perusal of them; and shall their ground of hope; that by being faithful, we only say concerning them, that his method may likewise attain the same good experience. and style denote him to have been a schoThere is not with me any doubt but lar; and yet not farther so, than the simplisomething of this kind may be the lot of city and purity of the truth, whereof he made many, into whose hands this treatise may profession, would permit him. happen to come; for they will herein meet As it was my lot to be well acquainted with a variety of exercises, and the provi- with him, though only in the latter years of dences of God therein, related with strength his life, and I know that he did neither use nor and plainness of speech. Our deceased friend encourage the bestowing elaborate encomiums Thomas Ellwood, was a man whom God had upon persons deceased; so I shall add no furendued with singular abilities, both as a man, ther concerning him, than to say with the and as a Christian; which is evident, from apostle concerning the faithful, "That he was his many useful labours and services and the righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by many books which he wrote in the defence of it being dead, he yet speaketh." Truth, and the friends thereof. For this service, he was in a particular manner qualified London, the 12th of the Second by spiritual wisdom and Christian obedience; to which, in him, was added great strength

month, 1714.

JOSEPH WYETH.

and depth of judgment, wherein he could dis- GEORGE BOWLES' testimony concerning THOMAS

ELLWOOD.

DEAR FRIENDS,

cern the spirits of others, and was very much the master of his own, as appeared to such who knew him, not only by the soundness of his reasoning and the seasonableness of his It is in my heart on this occasion, briefly to words; but also by his great and exemplary commemorate the tender dealings of the Lord modesty, in that he was not hasty to propose, with his people in this latter age of the world, nor rudely tenacious to insist on what he had when it hath pleased him, in love to poor lost proposed, if any thing, though not well ex-man, graciously to appear, by the breaking pressed, yet well intended, was offered by any forth of his glorious gospel-day. And by the

secret divine reaches of the hand of God, pings, stockings, revilings, imprisonments, and which have been felt and seen in the light of spoiling of goods; rejoicing in the Lord, that it, many have been drawn in their spirits to they were counted worthy to suffer for his seek after the Lord, and to inquire after the name-sake. In this respect, my dear friend knowledge of the way of life and salvation. was a good example, he being a man of a Blessed be his holy name, who was graciously steady mind, and very patient in suffering, as pleased, by the inshinings of this divine light well as faithful in his testimony for truth, and in the hearts of many, to expel the darkness took joyfully the spoiling of his goods, wherein and rend the veil. Then was the arm of his he was tried but a few years before his death. mighty power made bare, for the gathering He was often engaged in defence of truth's many thousands to the saving knowledge of testimony, both against professed adversaries, himself. In that day was the Lord pleased, and also against the libertine spirit which apaccording to his promise, to pour forth of his peared in some, professing the same truth Spirit upon sons and upon daughters; yea, with us, who opposed themselves against that upon servants and upon handmaids, and many good order and discipline which the truth led were made to prophesy. These being quali- Friends into. This will abundantly appear. fied by the Holy Spirit, which they received, from the books themselves, which are in and were baptized by it into his name, became print, written upon various occasions and willing, and were freely given up in obedience divers subjects; and let not his great labour to the Lord, and in bowels of tender love to and industry be forgotten, in writing those the souls of mankind, in his power to preach two historical volumes relating to the Old the gospel of life and salvation to those to and New Testament: a work truly great, and whom they were sent, and many were turned may be of great use and service. By his from darkness to light, and from the power many labours, it may be perceived that the of satan unto God, by their ministry. Amongst Lord had endowed him with an excellent gift, these, our dear deceased friend and brother, and qualified him for the service of truth, his Thomas Ellwood, was one whose conscience church and people; which he employed to was reached and awakened by the powerful the honour of the great Giver, and to the ministry of dear Edward Burrough. Of that comfort and edification of the church of day and time, and the worthy instrument by Christ. whose ministry he was convinced and turned unto God, and made sensible of the divine principle of life and light in his own heart, I have heard him speak with great regard; and also relate the sufferings which attended him after he received the truth, in his father's family, for the truth's sake; and how the Lord preserved him in that time, under the various exercises which he passed through for truth's testimony. This, for Christ's sake, he was conscientiously concerned to stand in, according to that plainness and simplicity which truth then led, and still continues to lead, the sincere disciples of Christ into, by which they were distinguished from the world; and for the sake thereof, were despised of men and hated of the world. Such was the plain language of thou to one, and refusing the hat honour; for which, dear Thomas Ellwood suffered not a little in that day, as by the following account of his life, more fully appears. It were well, if all who come up in a profession of the blessed truth in this time, were faithful in these, and in the other It may be truly said of this dear friend, branches of its testimony. Let all consider, that as the Lord fitted him for his service, so that the neglecting thereof, is in degree, was he eminently serviceable in his hand, in strengthening the hands of evil doers, and the church of Christ; of which there are making void the sufferings of the faithful, many living witnesses in this and the adjacent who for the sake of their testimony, loved counties. The sense of which toucheth me not their lives to the death; but underwent and others with the deeper sense of the great cruel mockings, buffetings, stonings, whip-loss the church hath by his removal. But

But more especially were his services known to the brethren in this county of Bucks; most of whom are fallen asleep, and but few remaining, who knew him in his beginning, or his first services for the Lord, his church and people; amongst whom he was a zealous assertor of that excellent discipline the Lord had opened and led his people into, for preserving his church as a garden enclosed. For this cause, many of those libertines set themselves fiercely against him, and shot their arrows at him; but the Lord defended him, and covered his head in the day of battle, and his bow abode in strength, and his bough spread over the wall, and continued fresh and green: but a blast from the Lord came upon their evil work; and how have they melted away? How is their strength failed, and their work brought to naught? But the blessing of the Lord is with his people, even with the faithful, to this day, whom he hath preserved as a peculiar treasure to himself: blessed be his holy name for evermore.

being also sensible through the Lord's good- we sat down together under a weighty exerness, that our loss is his eternal gain, I feel cise of spirit, waiting upon the Lord in deep in my heart an humble submission to the will silence, with our eye to him; it pleased the of Him, who doeth whatsoever pleaseth him, Lord eminently to appear amongst us, and to both in heaven and in earth: and who shall fill our hearts with the refreshing streams of say unto Him, What doest thou? It is the his divine love, and to open the mouth of tender breathing of my spirit to the God and one of us in prayer and supplication. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he Lord was graciously pleased abundantly to would be graciously pleased, in pity and com- replenish our spirits, to our mutual comfort, passion to his people, to raise up, fit and fur-in a living sense of divine goodness; and this nish more faithful servants for his work and service, and make them zealous for his name and truth upon the earth, that the place of this dear friend, and other faithful servants of the Lord and his people, of late removed from amongst us in these parts, may be supplied; and that the spouse of Christ may, amidst all her tribulations, afflictions and sore exercises, be made to praise the Lord, and bless his holy name, who taketh away one, and raiseth up another, and blesseth his children with his goodness, according to his promise made of old, by the holy prophet, say. ing, "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." ." Thus hath the Lord preserved Zion from age to age: and I doubt not, but am fully persuaded, that he will still bless his people and preserve Zion, and deliver her from all her enemies.

our dear friend, expressed himself in great tenderness and brokenness of spirit, on this wise, "I am sensibly comforted and refreshed in this visit." And that afternoon, fixing his eyes upon me, with great earnestness of spirit he expressed, as well as he could at that time, a great concern that was upon his mind for Truth, and the friends of it, in divers particu lars; especially, in relation to our own monthly and quarterly meetings, the writings of both which, had been under his care for more than forty years. After this, he was much eased in his spirit, and so continued to the last, so far as I perceived; often saying, when asked how he did? I am easy, I am quiet.' And he was often very tender in his spirit, ex. pressing his resignation to the will of God, whether in life or death, saying, 'If the Lord hath no more work for me to do, I am content And my dear friends, brethren and sisters, and resigned to his will; and my hearty farealthough it be matter of sorrow to us to part well to all my brethren.' And at another time, with our dear friends, especially such as have nearer his end, he said to us present, in much faithfully served the Lord and his people in brokenness of heart, I am full of joy and their generation, as it may, I hope without peace-my spirit is filled with joy;' or to this just occasion of offence to any, be said of dear effect. His speech was so weakened, that Thomas Ellwood; yet may we not sorrow several things which he spake at times, in a unseasonably, as those who sorrow without tender sense of the Lord's goodness, could not hope, but believing that the Lord hath taken well be collected; the sense of which deeply him to himself in mercy, let us all learn re-affected some of us who were with him. signation to his blessed will, and say with My heart is sorrowfully affected at this holy Job, "The Lord giveth, and the Lord time, in a sense of the great loss which the taketh away: blessed be the name of the church of Christ hath by his removal: but in Lord." I may farther signify unto you, that this I am comforted, in a living sense of the it being my lot to be with this dear friend Lord's mercy and goodness towards him, in almost every day of his last illness, I did carrying him through his affliction in great observe in him, to my great comfort and patience and quietness; under which he was satisfaction, a quiet composed frame of mind sweetly refreshed by the streams of divine and spirit, and resignation to the will of love, and his cup was often made to overflow. God. When I came first to him, which was We, who were present, being touched with a soon after I heard of his being taken ill, sense thereof, were comforted; being in a traon the 24th of the second month, I found vail of spirit for him, and did in our measures him very much disabled by the distemper, truly sympathize with him under his affliction. which was thought to be a palsy, that had And I am fully satisfied he laid down his head seized him, especially on his right side, so in peace with Lord, and is gathered to his that he could not stand alone, nor help him- everlasting rest. He departed this life the 1st self, but a little with his left hand; and his of the third month, 1713, about the second speech was also very much interrupted, inso-hour in the morning, in the seventy-fourth much that it was with great difficulty, for the most part, that he expressed himself so as to be understood. Some time after I came to him, there being also other friends with him,

year of his age. He received the truth in the year 1659, and lived in fellowship with the friends of it about fifty-three years. And I think it may be truly said of him, that as he