Fox, 1624-1691, was the founder of the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers. Suffering persecution in England and Europe, many Friends had sought refuge in the colonies. Many settled in Pennsylvania and some others in Virginia and North Carolina. In North Carolina they would remain locally strong until the abolitionist controversy before 1850. Although itinerant preaching will become a frontier institution identified with the Methodist circuit riders, Fox's travelling, visiting, and preaching anticipates the pattern of the later circuit rider. The distinctive Friends' doctrine of the "inner light" is reflected in this text in his dispute with the doctor and in his discussion with the Indian. The passage is from Fox's Journal.
The fifth of the ninth month we set sail for Virginia, and in three days came to Nancemum, about two hundred miles from Maryland. In this voyage we met with foul weather, storms, and rain, and lay in the woods by a fire in the night. Here lived a Friend, called the widow Wright. Next day we had a great meeting at Nancemum, of Friends and others. There came to this meeting colonel Dewes, with several other officers and magistrates, who were much taken with the declaration of truth. After the meeting, we hastened towards Carolina; yet had several meetings by the way, wherein we had good service for the Lord: one about four miles from Nancemum water, which was very precious; and there was a men's and a women's meeting settled, for the affairs of the church. Another very good meeting we had at William Yarrow's, at Pagan creek; which was so large that we were fain to be abroad, the house not being big enough to contain the people. A great openness there was, the sound of truth spread abroad, and had a good savour in the hearts of people: the Lord have the glory for ever!
After this, our way to Carolina grew worse, being much of it plashy, and pretty full of great bogs and swamps; so that we were commonly wet to the knees, and lay abroad anight in the woods by a fire: saving one of the nights we got to a poor house at Sommertown, and lay by the fire. The woman of the house had a sense of God upon her. The report of our travel had reached thither, and drawn some that lived beyond Sommertown to that house, in expectation to have seen and heard us; but they missed us. Next day, the twenty-first of the ninth month, having travelled hard through the woods, and over many bogs and swamps, we reached Bonner's creek; there we lay that night by the fire-side, the woman lending us a mat to lie on.
This was the first house we came to in Carolina: here we left our horses, over-wearied with travel. From hence we went down the creek in a canoe to Macocomocock river, and came to Hugh Smith's, where people of other professions came to see us, (no Friends inhabiting that part of the country,) and many of them received us gladly. Amongst others, came Nathaniel Batts, who had been governor of Roanoak. He went by the name of captain Batts, and had been a rude, desperate man. He asked me about a woman in Cumberland, who, he said, he was told, had been healed by our prayers and laying on of hands, after she had been long sick, and given over by the physicians: he desired to know the certainty of it. I told him, we did not glory in such things, but many such things had been done by the power of Christ.
Not far from hence we had a meeting among the people, and they were taken with the truth; blessed be the Lord! Then passing down the river Maratic in a canoe, we went down the bay Connie-oak, to a captain's, who was loving to us, and lent us his boat, (for we were much wetted in the canoe, the water flashing in upon us.) With this boat we went to the governor's; but the water in some places was so shallow, that the boat, being loaden, could not swim; so that we put off our shoes and stockings and waded through the water a pretty way. The governor, with his wife, received us lovingly; but a doctor there would needs dispute with us. And truly his opposing us was of good service, giving occasion for the opening of many things to the people concerning the light and spirit of God, which he denied to be in every one; and affirmed it was not in the Indians. Whereupon I called an Indian to us, and asked him, 'whether or no, when he did lie, or do wrong to any one, there was not something in him that did reprove him for it?' He said, 'there was such a thing in him, that did so reprove him; and he was ashamed when he had done wrong, or spoken wrong.' So we shamed the doctor before the governor and people; insomuch that the poor man ran out so far, that at length he would not own the scriptures. We tarried at the governor's that night; and next morning he very courteously walked with us himself about two miles through the woods, to a place whither he had sent our boat about to meet us. Taking leave of him, we entered our boat, and went about thirty miles to Joseph Scot's, one of the representatives of the country. There we had a sound, precious meeting; the people were tender, and much desired after meetings. Wherefore at a house about four miles further, we had another meeting; to which the governor's secretary came, who was chief secretary of the province, and had been formerly convinced.
I went from this place among the Indians, and spoke to them by an interpreter, showing them, 'that God made all things in six days, and made but one woman for one man; and that God did drown the old world because of their wickedness. Afterwards I spoke to them concerning Christ, showing them that he died for all men, for their sins, as well as for others; and had enlightened them as well as others; and that if they did that which was evil he would burn them; but if they did well they should not be burned. There was among them their young king and others of their chief men, who seemed to receive kindly what I said to them. . . .
We spent about three weeks in travelling through Virginia mostly amongst Friends, having large and precious meetings in several parts of the country; as at the widow Wright's, where many of the magistrates, officers, and other high people came. A most heavenly meeting we had; wherein the power of the Lord was so great, that it struck a dread upon the assembly, chained all down, and brought reverence upon the people's minds. Among the officers was a major, kinsman to the priest, who told me, 'the priest threatened to come and oppose us.' But the Lord's power was too strong for him and stopped him, and we were quiet and peaceable. The people were wonderfully affected with the testimony of truth; blessed be the Lord for ever! another very good meeting we had at Crickatrough, at which many considerable people were, who had never heard a Friend before; and they were greatly satisfied praised be the Lord! We had also a very good and servicable meeting at John Porter's, which consisted mostly of other people, in which the power of the Lord was gloriously seen and felt, and it brought the truth over all the bad walkers and talkers; blessed be the Lord! divers other meetings we had, and many opportunities of service for the Lord amongst the people where we came.