The Autobiography of a Cornish Smuggler: (Captain Harry Carter, of Prussia Cove) 1749-1809Carter, Harry
History
The Autobiography of a Cornish Smuggler: (Captain Harry Carter, of Prussia Cove) 1749-1809
Carter, Harry
Carter, Harry, 1749-1829; Smuggling -- Great Britain -- History
young Reader, to take care who to declare thy mind to, for it is not
evry old prefessor that knoweth moste of the things of God, but in the
genral him who's soul is most alive to God. So as I was but as a babe
in the way, I still wanted to be teached in the ways of God, and I fell
in company with John Bettens, to whom I opened my mind freely. I have
thought many times since I never found such faith, no, not in all the
men I ever talked with. Well, then, I was not confined to Trevean house
only, but I went aboute all through the country. But no place where I
was asked where the housen was not full of people, and sume would not
contain all the people. Shorley I was a wonder to myself, and in genral
I found great freedom to speak to the people in my simple way. I
remember once I went about eight or nine miles from home, and as I came
to the door where I was expected, a young man came out and said, "Are
you Captain Harry Carter?" I answered, "My name is Henry Carter." He
said, "We have been expecting of you, for it is given out for you to
preach to-night." When I heard of the name preach, I was struck with
such fear and trembling, I could not tel whether it was best to return
home again or stay there. So I went in, and the good man received me
very kindly, and when the time came took me to the chaple, where it was
so full the people could harley stand. Sume that know nothing of
preaching caled it preaching, but I never presumed to take a text, but
laid a little foundation as a text in disguise, so that I had room to
ramble. But it was not for what I could say only that the housen was so
full of people, but it was like the Jews of old, came not to see Jesus
only, but Lazreth[58] also. Where I was not known before, they heard of
me, and they believed that there was a great chainge upon me. I think
the people believed I was really what I professed to be, but many times
after I had been speaking, so dejected in my own mind, wishing that I
may stand up no more, for it was seldam a day passed but what I had
doubts whether I was cal'd or not, and I was much afraid to run before I
was sent. And likewayse the cross was so great, I have often[59] thought
if the people knew what I suffered, they never would ask me to exercise
in that way at all. Oh, how I did tremble and sweat just as the time
were come. Well, then, still the work of God continued to go on in
Trevean society, and lively meetings all through this neighberhood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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