xvni A TRUMPET ON THE WALLS OF ZION 241 



toiled hard in his visits amongst the Friends, finding 

 much declension ; large fortunes, fruits of the fathers' 

 industry, had introduced pride and indolence ; " drunken- 

 ness and revelling " were not unknown at a Yearly 

 Meeting ; " the well of life is oppressed with rubbish " ; 

 elsewhere a " splendidly delusive " spirit had gone forth ; 

 and it was dull heavy work in some places. Yet he had 

 glorious and memorable meetings, and many of the public 

 came to hear him, including at times the clergy and men 

 of rank. Cultured, graceful and affable, he possessed a 

 gift of persuasive eloque'nce which made some of his 

 friends tremble lest he should be led away from true 

 simplicity. He was the polished orator of the society, 

 and his voice was compared to a silver trumpet. Such 

 indeed he felt himself to be, a trumpet set upon the walls 

 of Zion, in a dark and cloudy day, when the world was 

 corrupt and the church dull and indifferent, to summon 

 the saints to their high calling. He spoke with authority 

 as one who had received a divine commission, though 

 unto himself in his humility belonged only " blushing and 

 confusion of face." 



In 1754 Samuel Fothergill paid a memorable visit to 

 the American colonies. It occupied him for nearly two 

 years, and in its course he went through all the provinces 

 of North America, travelling 8765 miles, mostly on horse- 

 back. Although far from robust in health, he endured 

 no little bodily hardship as well as spiritual toil. In the 

 unsettled parts of the country he had often to lie down 

 at night as he was, upon a bearskin or on the rough floor 

 of a cabin ; sometimes he slept in the woods under the 

 canopy of heaven. At one place he begged Indian bread, 

 and divided it honestly, he tells us, between his horse and 

 himself. The memory of his father ensured him a kind 

 welcome, and soon he was loved and revered for his own 

 sake. Much prayer and waiting had prepared him for 

 the service, and kept him in quiet of mind during its 

 fulfilment, weaned, as he said, from all at home. " My 

 soul is bound to the testimony and seed of God in these 

 parts." 



R 



