The journal of George Fox, vol. 1 of 2 : $b Being an historical account of his life, travels, sufferings, and Christian experiences.Fox, George
Religion
The journal of George Fox, vol. 1 of 2 : $b Being an historical account of his life, travels, sufferings, and Christian experiences.
Fox, George
Fox, George, 1624-1691
Now the keeper of the prison, being a high professor, was greatly
enraged against me, and spoke very wickedly of me: but it pleased the
Lord one day to strike him so, that he was in great trouble and under
great terror of mind. As I was walking in my chamber I heard a doleful
noise; and standing still, I heard him say to his wife, “Wife, I have
seen the day of judgment, and I saw George there, and I was afraid of
him, because I had done him so much wrong, and spoken so much against
him to the ministers and professors, and to the justices, and in taverns
and ale-houses.” After this, towards the evening, he came up into my
chamber, and said to me, “I have been as a lion against you; but now I
come like a lamb, and like the jailer that came to Paul and Silas
trembling.” And he desired that he might lodge with me; I told him that
I was in his power, he might do what he would: but he said nay, he would
have my leave, and he could desire to be always with me, but not to have
me as a prisoner; and he said “he had been plagued, and his house had
been plagued for my sake.” So I suffered him to lodge with me; and then
he told me all his heart, and said he believed what I had said of the
true faith and hope to be true; and he wondered that the other man that
was put into prison with me did not stand to it; and said, “That man was
not right, but I was an honest man.” He confessed also to me, that at
those times when I had asked him to let me go forth to speak the word of
the Lord to the people, and he had refused to let me, and I had laid the
weight thereof upon him, that he used to be under great trouble, amazed,
and almost distracted for some time after; and in such a condition that
he had little strength left him. When the morning came, he rose, and
went to the justices, and told them, “that he and his house had been
plagued for my sake:” and one of the justices replied (as he reported to
me), that the plagues were on them too for keeping me. This was Justice
Bennet of Derby, who was the first that called us Quakers, because I bid
them tremble at the word of the Lord. This was in the year 1650.[8]
Footnote 8:
The designation “Quakers,” which was at first applied in scorn, has
ever since been used by the world to distinguish Friends from other
professors of religion. The first use of the term in the records of
Parliament, occurs in the journals of the House of Commons in 1654.
After this the justices gave leave that I should have liberty to walk a
mile. I perceived their end, and told the jailer if they would show me
how far a mile was, I might walk it sometimes; for I believed they
thought I would go away. And the jailer confessed afterwards, that they
did it with that intent, to have me escape, to ease them of their
plague; but I told him I was not of that spirit.
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