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Politics, the soul, and distemper
If we consider seventeenth and eighteenth century ideas of
enthusiasm and religious melancholy in relation to the
religious and political conflicts of the time, we find that labelling these
states as distemper, instead of treating them as genuine
experiences, was contentious. The medical idea of distemper was being
applied to the religious experiences of
Quakers
and Baptists - experiences
on which such sects based their demands for political and social reform.
Enthusiasm is a term used to denote possession by a superior power.
Maurice Causaubon published the first separate treatise on it in 1655:
Causaubon divided enthusiasm into two kinds:
natural, often mistaken for the real thing, but caused by
insanity
Causaubon's book was published in the period between the execution of the
English King Charles 1st in
1649, and the
restoration of Charles 2nd in
1660.
At this time, religious sects were multiplying profusely and their
conflicting demands for a restructuring of society were creating a threat
to political stability in England.
Enthusiasm is a state of religious excitement associated with many of
these groups. Nowadays we remember particularly the behaviour of the
Quakers (Religious
Society of Friends),
because this group survived
and became an established denomination. The early "Friends" were noted for
the paroxysms of violent shaking when the spirit of God was working in
them. Hence the nick-name
"Quakers". To suggest that these paroxysms might
not be evidence of God's inspiration, but an effect of nature, was not only
to question their religion, but the social and political demands that they
based on these experiences.
Comparing symptoms and religion
Symptoms
Sir Richard Blackmore (1635-1729), in
1725
wrote in his Treatise of the Spleen and Vapours that:
John Moore, in
1692, in a sermon On Religious
Melancholy said that a
symtom of distemper was:
Religion
The religious leaders,
George Fox
and
John Bunyan,
both report how for years they
suffered from experiences that sound very like those described as symptoms
by Blackmore and Moore - despite their earnest seeking after truth.
Bunyan, for example, writes:
and Fox writes that:
The despondence and doubts were not milder than Blackmore would have called
"distemper". Bunyan does not say that they "bordered on despair",
but that "these things did sink me into a very deep despair." (my
emphasis)
naughty and sometimes blasphemous thoughts
Bunyan's autobiography had been in circulation for some years before John
Moore preached his sermon On Religious Melancholy in 1692. In this
sermon, Moore spoke of people being overpowered by "naughty and sometimes
Blasphemous Thoughts" which "start in their minds, while they are exercised
of God".
Such occurences are frequently referred to by Bunyan. For instance, he
records how, when in company with other Christians:
or again:
Treatment or Conviction?
Such states of mind as Bunyan describes require some resolution. A physical
treatment may remove them, or the resolution may be of the mind or soul. If
there is no resolution, the sufferer still presses for one.
Some doctors attempted to treat such states physically. The
Rev. George Trosse
was treated with "Physic, a low diet, and hard keeping", but others
fared better. In
1700, David Irish considered a good
diet to be most
effective. He claimed to
and
But, whatever treatment, and however effective it was, the outcome would be
tragic in the eyes of people like Bunyan, Fox and (later)
Wesley.
As far as
they are concerned, it is not distemper that causes this distress, but the
hand of God. To be assured of one's salvation is the goal, and to be
conscious of the need for that salvation is infinitely more desirable than
being made oblivious of it.
Bunyan writes:
Half a century later,
Susannah Wesley wrote anxiously to her son, John,
about a man who had been visited by
"Monroe" (James
Monro), the physician at
Bedlam:
However be it as 'twill, Monroe last night sent him to a mad-house at
Chelsea, where he is to undergo their usual methods of cure in case of real
madness; notwithstanding in their treatment of him he behaved with great
calmness and meekness, nor ever once swore at them, for which he presently
condemned himself and said, 'Lord, what a sin have I been guilty of', and
cried to God for mercy and pardon. This probably may conform the doctor in
the opinion of his madness, but to me 'tis a proof of his being in a right
mind".
I am sure that our blessed Lord is superior to all the powers of evil
angels and men and that if he hath begun to awaken and call this poor
sinner to himself, neither men nor devils can be able to stand before him!
Dear son, I desire you and your brother would pray for this poor afflicted
man.
The brothers John and Charles Wesley were Church of England ministers whose
emotional awakening (conversion or heart-warming) in 1738 was followed by
by the preaching of sin and hell to convict of sin, and salvation and
heaven as the alternative. John stirred people by his open-air sermons and
Charles by his hymns. I reproduce below a hymn that Charles wrote about his
conversion.
Charles Wesley's conversion hymn
On 23.5.1738, Charles Wesley, John's brother and, like John, a minister in
the Church of England wrote "I
began a hymn on my conversion". The "conversion" had taken place on
23.5.1738. This is the hymn:
Where shall my wondering soul begin?
O how shall I the goodness tell,
And shall I slight my Father's love?
No! though the ancient dragon rage,
Outcasts of men, to you I call,
Come, O my guilty brethren, come,
For you the purple current flowed
John Wesley's journal
In the following year, John Wesley made these entries in his journal
concerning the alternative stories of medical madness and religious
experience:
Friday 21.9.1739 Another of Dr. Monro's patients came to desire my advice.
I found no reason to believe she had been any otherwise mad than every
one is, who is deeply convinced of sin. And I cannot doubt, but if she will
trust in the living God, he will give "medicine to heal her sickness".
Sunday 23.9.1739 I declared to about ten thousand, in Moorfields, with
great enlargement of spirit, "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink ;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
A few months before Susannah's letter, John made this entry in his journal:
"A treatise concerning enthusiasme, as it is an effect of nature, but
is mistaken for either divine inspiration or diabolical possession"
supernatural or "true possession"
"diffidence, scruples and fears concerning the sincerity of faith and
repentance and their everlasting state", are by "distemper increased, even
sometimes to so deep a despondence and self-condemnation as borders on
despair"
"being plagued by dread of punishments which God has threatened to inflict
on unrelenting sinners, despite that they have a 'sincere love of God'"
"also would I pray wherever I was; whether at home or abroad; in house or
field ... yet I knew not where I was. Neither as yet could I attain to any
comfortable persuasion that I had faith in Christ but ... began to find my
soul assaulted with fresh doubts."
"frequently in the night I walked mournfully about by myself, for I was a
man of sorrows in the times of the first workings of the Lord in me."
(Fox's Journal 1647)
"instead of lauding and magnifying God the Lord with others, if I have
but heard him spoke of, presently some most horrible blasphemous thoughts
or other would bolt out of my heart against him ... These things did sink
me
into very deep despair."
"In those days, when I had heard others talk of what was the sin against
the Holy Ghost, then would the tempter so provoke me to desire sin, that I
was as if I could not, must not, neither should be quiet until I had
committed it; now no sin would serve but that: If it were to be committed
by speaking such word, then I have been as if my mouth would have spoken
such word, whether I would or no: And in so string a measure was this
temptation upon me, that often I have been ready to clap my hands under my
chin, to hold my mouth from opening; and to that end also I have had
thoughts at other time, to leap with my head downward, into some muckhill-
hole or other, to keep my mouth from speaking."
"cure all that are curable, whether they be afflicted with any sort of
sickness, or Melancholy, Madness, or any strange Convulsion-Fits"
he allows the Melancholy, Mad, and such whose Consciences are Opprest with
the sense of Sin, good Meat every day etc."
"And though I was much troubled and tossed and afflicted, with the sight,
and sense, and terror, of my own wickedness, yet I was afraid to let this
sight and sense go quite out of my mind. For I found, that unless guilt of
conscience was taken off the right way, that is, by the blood of Christ, a
man grew rather worse for the loss of his trouble of mind than better."
"The reason for my writing so soon is I'm somewhat troubled at the case of
poor Mr Mac-Cune. I think his wife was ill advised to send for that
wretched fellow Monroe for by what I hear the man is not lunatick, but
rather under strong conviction of sin; and hath much more need of a
spiritual than bodily physician."
How shall I all to heaven aspire?
A slave redeemed from death and sin,
A brand plucked from eternal fire,
How shall I equal triumphs raise,
Or sing my great Deliverer's praise?
Father, which Thou to me hast showed?
That I, a child of wrath and hell,
I should be called a child of God,
Should know, should feel my sins forgiven,
Blessed with this antepast of Heaven!
Or basely fear His gifts to own?
Unmindful of His favors prove?
Shall I, the hallowed cross to shun,
Refuse His righteousness to impart,
By hiding it within my heart?
And call forth all his host to war,
Though earth's self-righteous sons engage
Them and their god alike I dare;
Jesus, the sinner's friend, proclaim;
Jesus, to sinners still the same.
Harlots, and publicans, and thieves!
He spreads His arms to embrace you all;
Sinners alone His grace receives;
No need of Him the righteous have;
He came the lost to seek and save.
Groaning beneath your load of sin,
His bleeding heart shall make you room,
His open side shall take you in;
He calls you now, invites you home;
Come, O my guilty brethren, come!
In pardons from His wounded side,
Languished for you the eternal God,
For you the Prince of glory died:
Believe, and all your sin's forgiven;
Only believe, and yours is Heaven!
"
Thursday 20.9.1739 Mrs. C--, being in deep heaviness, had desired . me to
meet her this afternoon. She had long earnestly desired to:receive the holy
communion, having an unaccountably strong persuasion, that God would
manifest himself to her therein, and give rest to her soul. But her
heaviness being now greatly increased, Mr. D--e gave her that fatal
advice,- Not to communicate till she had living faith. This still added to
her perplexity. Yet at length she resolved to obey God rather than man.
And "he was made known unto" her "in breaking of bread". In that moment she
felt her load removed, she knew she was accepted in the Beloved ; and all
the time I was expounding at Mr. B--'s, was full of that peace which cannot
be uttered.
"
Wednesday, 17.9.1740 - A poor woman gave me an account of what,
I think,
ought never to be forgotten. It was four years, she said, since her son,
Peter Shaw, then nineteen or twenty years old, by hearing a sermon of Mr.
Wh y's, fell into great uneasiness. She thought he was ill, and would have
sent for a physician; but he said, " No, no. Send for Mr. Wh ." He was sent
for, and came ; and after asking her a few questions, told her, "The boy is
mad. Get a coach, and carry him to Dr. M . Use my name. I have sent several
such to him." Accordingly, she got a coach, and went with him immediately
to Dr. M 's house. When the doctor came in, the young man rose and said,
"Sir, Mr. Wh has sent me to you." The doctor asked, "Is Mr. Wh your
minister?" and bid him put out his tongue. Then, without asking any
questions, he told his mother, "Choose your apothecary, and I will
prescribe." According to his prescriptions they, the next day,
blooded him largely, confined him to a dark room, and put a strong blister
on each of his arms, with another over all his head. But still he was as
"mad" as before, praying, or singing, or giving thanks continually: of
which having laboured to cure him for six weeks in vain, though he was now
so weak he could not stand alone, his mother dismissed the doctor and
apothecary, and let him be " beside himself" in peace."
| Christian Type | Secular Government | Religious Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Anglican | State Church | Mediated |
| Presbyterian (Moderates) | Church State | Direct, moderated by church |
| Sects (Independents) | Godly, secular state | Direct: authority in Bible or Holy Spirit |
This typology is not supposed to correctly define the position of Anglicans, Presbyterians and Independents. These groups were products of the religious political conflicts of the seventeenth century, and nothing short of a book could do justice to the complexity of positions that developed. The typology serves only to indicate broad connections between church types, favoured forms of government and modes of religious experience.
The Restoration was a victory for the Anglicans, and critical decisions were taken within the following two years as to who should be included within the orthodox church.
Compromise with the groups I have denoted as Presbyterians was theoretically possible and some in fact conformed whilst others did not.
Compromise with the sects was not possible for they rejected a priori any ecclesiastical mediation of divine power.
Bunyan, for instance, was immediately imprisoned, whilst Richard Baxter - the leader of the Presbyterian party, who "consistently endeavoured to exert a moderating influence" was offered the see of Hereford, declined it, and was later persecuted by Judge Jeffreys.
1662 to 1689 marked a period of penal sanctions against all dissenters, but in 1689 the Act of Toleration for dissenting Worship was passed.
It is in this period following the Act of Toleration that the majority of texts on "Religious Melancholy" that Hunter and MacAlpine quote date from. They are not written predominantly by those who are furthest away from the "sects" in religious experiences and convictions. That is they are not written by those to whom the experiences of Quakers and Baptists might seem the most strange or unaccountable. Apart from the Sermon on Religious Melancholy, they are all, in fact, written by moderate dissenters, people who are themselves very close in religious belief and experience to the sects, and had themselves been persecuted for their religious practices prior to 1689. Timothy Rogers and George Tross, in fact, base their accounts on their own experiences.
It seems to me that these facts need to be related to the political circumstances following on the revolution of 1688. Prior to the ascent of William and Mary to the English throne the legitimacy of the monarch was defended by the doctrine of the divine right of Kings.
To dissent from the established church, and to claim recourse to religious knowledge that could contradict the authority of that church was necessarily a political act at the same time as being a religious act.
Dissenter and traitor would appear to be synonymous terms, or at least dangerously close. Under such circumstances no group of dissenters would have any political motive for dissociating himself from any other. The act of dissent was the crime.
By participating in a political change of sovereign, however, the Tory party conceded that the legitimacy of sovereigns did not rest on divine right, but that under certain circumstances the ruled could determine who ruled them. By this constitutional change the toleration of dissent was made politically possible and the Act of Toleration followed a year later.
In the new circumstances the dissenters do have political motivation for differentiating themselves from one another, for the political situation is far more flexible. One can, for instance, lawfully continue to worship as a dissenter, but technically qualify for political office by the practice of "occasional conformity". To the groups susceptible to such compromise with the world, the representation of certain extremes of religious experiences as the product of distemper would thus:
-
a) Enable them to deny the authority of such experiences in
their own lives and so accommodate to "the world" with a
good conscience
b) Demonstrate their political reliability by dissociating them from the extreme enthusiasme of the sects which were the source of such politically dangerous doctrines as the Quakers refusal to fight for the King and their attitude to the civil magistrates.
Were the mad doctors right?
The experiences of many of the early dissenters seem so weird that it is
difficult for us not to feel convinced that the mad doctors
were on the right track when they suggested these experiences were
exacerbated by distemper. Bunyan and Fox both had visions, heard voices,
and acted out the most amazing convictions.
For example:
Our beliefs and experiences of what is normal today should not
be allowed to cloud our judgement with respect to the past.
The credibility of Fox and Bunyan's accounts was not so low in their time
that
anyone tried to inter them as mad. Maybe if their social position had
been weak enough, or there had been a family dispute over property, it
would have been different.
Cruden, who was interred in the eighteenth century proved difficult to
keep in a mad-house because of his single-minded conviction of purpose. He
escaped, and convincing the Lord Mayor of his sanity was "set at liberty".
Neither was Wesley, in the same
period, ever at risk himself, only his followers and those showing signs
of being his followers.
From accounts such as those that Wesley gives,
it would appear that the "sufferer" needed to be ambiguous enough in his
conviction to be willing, under pressure, to co-operate with the doctor,
before his experience could be successfully invalidated as exacerbated by
distemper.
This situation is analogous to one described by
Jock Young
in his
analysis of 1960s drug-takers. Two roles are open to the dissenter and the
drug-
taker, the normal one of his subculture or the
sick role.
The
latter role tends to be adopted by isolated deviants, people under
particularly intense social strains and in ambiguous positions that can be
resolved by becoming tame deviants.
A major difference is that the dissenters experiences were far more
culturally acceptable as normal in their time than those of drug-users in
ours.
The orthodox (Anglican) church was, of course, a far more influential
authority in the late seventeenth century than now. It taught and
maintained belief in the literal truth of the Bible where such things as
the dissenters experienced are described, and it taught belief in the
active intervention of God and the devil in human affairs. Furthermore,
its teachings established the importance of such issues for human affairs,
for the unbeliever and the unregenerate were condemned to a life in Hell
during the hereafter.
The culture of the seventeenth century thus maintained the conditions in
which Bunyan and Fox's testimony was likely to be believed, and accepted as
evidence of the hand of God rather than a distempered imagination.
Nor is this climate of opinion necessarily due to superstitious
credulity on the part of the "masses" which led them to believe in the
reality of hallucinations rather than their own senses. In other words
the mad doctors were not simply urging an empirical scientific approach
to the problem as against the simple credulity of the populace. Beliefs
can determine perceptions to a large extent as Paul Feyerbend points out
in a lengthy footnote to Problems of Empiricism. There is, he
says, a
"In this reaction, the knowledge acquired, the beliefs held, the emotional
condition of the receiver, his fears and his expectations, play a most
important role. It is these that are (partly) responsible for the
formation of well-defined wholes out of indefinite patterns of stimuli ...
the tendency to perceive a well-defined objective situation may make the
observer see things that are not really there .. The very same process is
responsible for the existence of genuine observational reports (emphasis
given by Feyerbend) concerning devils and gods. We are all aware of
thoughts, impulses, feelings that run counter to our conscious intentions.
Usually we disregard them, for they do not occur in a very coherent
fashion. It is quite different with a person believing in the existence of
demons. He would perceive a meaningful pattern in such occurrences."
(Feyerbend, P.
1965, note 8, p.220)
The sensual experiences that Bunyan and Fox had, of supernatural
direction are perhaps the most incredible aspect to our minds of their
reports. But these may well have been fairly commonplace to their
contemporaries. Indeed, contemporary doctors emphasise the persistent
melancholy rather than the visions. They laid emphasis on the period of
conviction of sin which was the part of the religious experience where
the sufferer was actually suffering and was most likely to be willing
to accept help from a mad-doctor. Furthermore, the argument for
considering this the product of distemper rather than the hand of God
appears to have been theological in origin not medical or an empirical
observation of incidence.
An attempt has been made by Murphy, Wittkower, Fried and Ellenberger (1965)
to identify those of the accepted symptoms of schizophrenia which are most
likely to vary with culture. They found, in their cross-cultural study,
that delusions of destruction and religious delusions were frequently
reported from Christian and Mohammedan cultures and quite infrequently from
Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto and other East Asian religious cultures. They say
that these types of disturbance cannot therefore be considered an intrinsic
part of the schizophrenia process.
This finding would appear to indicate that techniques of cultural analysis
rather than medical analysis are the correct ones to the religious
experiences of the sects in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
John Marrant (1755-1791) - 18th century echoes of George Fox
An American black writer of the second half of the eighteenth century
called John Marrant wrote an account of his life retrospectively to explain
how he became a Methodist preacher (in England and America). George Fox's
account of his part in the creation of Quakerism in England a hundred years
before is also retrospective. Both give spiritual explanations of their
experiences, but mention that some thought they were mad or crazy. Both had
experiences detached from their normal experience of reality when they were
in a state of hunger. Fox deliberately resorted to fasting to bring about
this detachment. Marrant records his going without food and entering a
spiritual state and may have, afterwards, fasted with the intent of
repeating the experience.
John Marrant writes that he was born in New York
on
15.6.1755. He does not say anything to suggest his family were
slaves. New York had a population of "half slaves" with their own homes but
an obligation to do work at certain times. His father died four years later
[1759?] and his mother moved
with her family to St Augustine, then in Spanish Florida. He began his
schooling there, being taught to read and write. After about eighteen
months in Florida
[1761?], and at the outbreak of the
Seven Years' War, his mother
took her family to the British colony of Georgia and then to Charles Town.
Charles Town and
New York were cities with large slave populations.
When he was eleven years old they
moved to Charles Town, (Charleston. South Carolina). There he was
apprenticed to a
carpenter and learned to play the French horn and violin. He says he was
was thirteen when he had a dramatic spiritual experience in a Methodist
meeting he intended to disrupt, followed by some kind of spiritual rebirth.
After friction with his family, and in a mental state induced by hunger,
Marrant went into the wilderness, trusting
God to sustain him. Befriended by a Cherokee Indian he was then sentenced
death by the Indian chief, but reprieved after strange experiences
involving curing the chief's daughter of an illness divinely brought on by
the sentence.
Extracts from: A NARRATIVE OF THE LORD'S wonderful DEALINGS WITH JOHN
MARRANT, A BLACK,
I John Marrant, born
June 15th, 1755, in New York, in North-America,
wish these gracious dealings of the Lord with me to be published, in hopes
they may be useful to others, to encourage the fearful, to confirm the
wavering, and to refresh the hearts of true believers. My father died when
I was little more than four years of age, and before I was five my mother
removed from New-York to St. Augustine, about seven hundred miles from that
city. Here I was sent to school, and taught to read and spell; after we
had resided here about eighteen months, it was found necessary to remove to
Georgia, where we remained; and I was kept to school until I had attained
my eleventh year. The Lord spoke to me in my early days, by these removes,
if I could have understood him, and said, "Here we have no continuing
city."
We left Georgia, and went to
Charles Town, where it was intended I
should be put apprentice to some trade. Sometime after I had been in
Charles Town, as I was walking one day, I passed by a school, and heard
music and dancing, which took my fancy very much, and I felt a strong
inclination to learn the music. I went home, and informed my sister, that
I had rather learn to play upon music than go to a trade. She told me she
could do nothing in it, until she had acquainted my mother with my desire.
Accordingly she wrote a letter concerning it to my mother with my desire.
Accordingly she wrote a letter concerning it to my mother, which, when she
read, the contents were disapproved of by her, and she came to CharlesTown
to prevent it. She persuaded me much against it, but her persuasions were
fruitless. Disobedience either to god or man, being one of the fruits of
sin, grew out from me in early buds. Finding I was set upon it, and
resolved to learn nothing else, she agreed to it, and went with me to speak
to the man, and to settle upon the best terms with him she could. He
insisted upon twenty pounds down, which was paid, and I was engaged to stay
with him eighteen months, and my mother to find me every thing during that
term. The first day I went to him he put the violin into my hand, which
pleased me much, and, applying close, I learned very fast, not only to
play, but to dance also; so that in six months I was able to play for the
whole school.
In the evenings after the scholars were dismissed, I used to resort
to the bottom of our garden; where it was customary for some musicians to
assemble to blow the French-horn. Here my improvement was so rapid, that
in a twelve month's time I became master both of the violin and of the
French-horn, and was much respected by the Gentlemen and Ladies whose
children attended the school, as also by my master: This opened to me a
large door of vanity and vice, for I was invited to all the balls and
assemblies that were held in the town, and met with the general applause of
the inhabitants. I was a stranger to want, being supplied with as much
money as I had any occasion for; which my sister observing, said "You have
now no need of a trade." I was now in my thirteenth year, devoted to
pleasure and drinking in iniquity like water; a slave to every vice suited
to my nature and to my years. The time I had engaged to serve my master
being expired, he persuaded me to stay with him, and offered me anything,
or any money, not to leave him. His entreaties proving ineffectual, I
quitted his service, and visited my mother in the country; with her I
stayed two months, living without God or hope in the world, fishing and
hunting on the Sabbath-day. Unstable as water I returned to town, and
wished to go to some trade. My sister's husband being informed of my
inclination provided me with a master, on condition that I should serve him
one year and a half on trial, and afterwards be bound, if he approved of
me.
Accordingly I went, but every evening I was sent for to play on
music, somewhere or another; and I often continued out very late, sometimes
all night, so as to render me incapable of attending my master's business
the next day; yet in this manner I served him a year and four months, and
was much approved of by him. He wrote a letter to my mother to came and
have me bound , and whilst my mother was weighing the matter in her own
mind, the gracious purposes of God, respecting a perishing sinner, were now
to be disclosed. One evening I was sent for in a very particular manner to
go and play for some Gentlemen, which I agreed to do, and was on my way to
fulfill my promise; and passing by a large meeting house I saw many lights
in it, and crowds of people going in. I enquired what it meant, and was
answered by my companion, that a crazy man was hallooing there; this raised
my curiosity to go in, that I might hear what he was hallooing about. He
persuaded me not to go in, but in vain. He then said, "If you will do one
thing I will go in with you." I asked him what that was? He replied,
"Blow the French horn among them." I liked the proposal well enough, but
expressed my fears of being beaten for disturbing them; but upon his
promising to stand by and defend me, I agreed.
So we went and with much difficulty got within the doors. I was
pushing the people to make room, to get the horn off my shoulder to blow
it, just as Mr. Whitefield was naming his text, and looking round, and , as
I thought directly upon me, and pointing with his finger, he uttered these
words, "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." The Lord accompanied the word
with such power, that I was struck to the ground, and lay both speechless
and senseless near half an hour. When I was come a little too, I found two
men attending me, and a woman throwing water in my face and holding a
smelling-bottle to my nose; and when something more recovered, every word I
heard from the minister was like a parcel of swords thrust into me, and
what added to my distress, I thought I saw the devil on every side of me.
I was constrained in the bitterness of my spirit to halloo out in the midst
of the congregation, which disturbing them, they could neither walk or
stand, they carried me as far as the vestry, and there I remained till the
service was over. When the people were dismissed Mr. Whitefield came into
the vestry, and being told of my condition he came immediately, and the
first word he said to me was, "JESUS CHRIST Has got thee at last." He
asked where I lived, intending to come and see me the next day; but
recollecting he was to leave the town the next morning, he said he could
not come himself, but would send another minister; he desired them to get
me home, and then taking his leave of me, I saw him no more. When I reached
my sister's house, being carried by two men, she was very uneasy to see me
in so distressed a condition.
She got me to bed, and sent for a doctor, who came immediately, and
after looking at me, he went home, and sent me a bottle of mixture, and
desired her to give me a spoonful every two hours; but I could not take any
thing the doctor sent, nor indeed keep in bed; this distressed my sister
very much, and she cried out, "The lad will surely die." She sent for two
other doctors, but no medicine they prescribed could I take. No, no; it
may be asked, a wounded spirit who can cure? as well as who can bear? In
this distress of soul I continued for three days without any food, only a
little water now and then. On the fourth day, the minister Mr. Whitefield
had desired to visit me came to see me, an being directed upstairs, when he
entered the room, I thought he made my distress much worse. He
wanted to take hold of my hand, but I durst not give it to him. He
insisted upon taking hold of it, and I then got away from him on the other
side of the bed; but being very weak I fell down, and before I could
recover he came to me and took me by the hand, and after a few words
desired to go to prayer.
So he fell upon his knees, and pulled me down also; after he had
spent some time in prayer he rose up, and asked me now how I did, I
answered, much worse; he then said, "Come, we will have the old thing over
again," and we kneeled down a second time, and after he had prayed
earnestly we got up, and he aid again, "How do you do now;" I replied
worse and worse, and asked him if he intended to kill me? "No, No, said
he, you are worth a thousand "dead men, let us try the old thing over
again," and so falling upon our knees, he continued in prayer a
considerable time, and near the close of his prayer, the Lord was pleased
to set my soul at perfect liberty, and being filled with joy I began to
praise the Lord immediately; my sorrows were turned into peace, and joy,
and love. The minister said, "How is it now?" I answered, all is well,
all happy. He then took his leave of me; but called every day for several
days afterwards, and the last time he said, "Hold fast that "thou hast
already obtained, till Jesus Christ come." I now read the Scriptures very
much. My master sent often to know how I did, and at last came himself,
and finding me well, asked me if I would not come to work again? I
answered no. He asked me the reason, but receiving no answer he went away.
I continued with my sister about three weeks, during which time she often
asked me to play upon the violin for her, which I refused; then she said I
was crazy and mad, and so reported it among the neighbors, which opened the
mouths of all around against me.
I then resolved to go to my mother, which was eighty-four miles from
CharlesTown. I was two days on my journey home, and enjoyed much communion
with God on the road, and had occasion to mark the gracious interposition's
of his kind providence as I passed along. The third day I arrived at my
mother's house, and was well received. At supper they sat down to eat
without asking the Lord's blessing, which caused me to burst out into
tears. My mother asked me what was the matter? I answered, I wept because
they sat down to supper without asking the Lord's blessing. She bid me,
with much surprise, to ask a blessing. I remained with her fourteen days
without interruption; the Lord pitied me, being a young soldier. Soon,
however, Satan began to stir up my two sisters and brother, who were then
at home with my mother, they called me every name but that which was good.
The more they persecuted me, the stronger I grew in grace. At length my
mother turned against me also, and the neighbors joined her, and there was
not a friend to assist me, or that I could speak to; this made me earnest
with God. In these circumstances, being the youngest but one of our
family, and young in Christian experience, I was tempted so far as to
threaten my life; but reading my Bible one day, and finding that if I did
destroy myself I could not come where God was, I betook myself to the
fields, and some days stayed out from morning to night to avoid the
persecutors.
I stayed one time two days without any food, but seemed to have clearer
views into the spiritual things of God. Not long after this I was sharply
tried, and reasoned the matter within myself, whether I should turn to my
old courses of sin and vice, or serve and cleave to the Lord; after prayer
to God, I was fully persuaded in my mind, that if I turned to my old ways I
should perish eternally. Upon this I went home, and finding them all as
hardened, or worse than before, and everybody saying I was crazy; but a
little sister I had, about nine years of age, used to cry when she saw them
persecute me, and continuing so about five weeks and three days, I thought
it was better for me to die than to live among such people. I rose one
morning very early, to get a little quietness and retirement, I went into
the woods, and stayed till eighty o'clock in the morning; upon my return I
found them all at breakfast; I passed by them, and went upstairs without
any interruption; I went upon my knees to the lord and returned him thanks;
then I took up a small pocket Bible and one of Dr. Watt's hymn books, and
passing by them went out without one word spoken by any of us.
After spending some time in the fields I was persuaded to go from
home altogether. Accordingly I went over the fence, about half a mile from
our house, which divided the inhabited and cultivated parts of the country
from the wilderness. I continued traveling in the desert all day without
the least inclination of returning back. About eight o'clock next morning
I descended from the tree, and returned God thanks for the mercies of the
night. I went on all this day, taking my Bible out of my pocket, I read
and walked for some time, and then being wearied and almost spent I sat
down, and after resting awhile I rose to go forward; but had not gone above
a hundred yards when something tripped me up, and I fell down; I prayed to
the Lord upon the ground that he would command the wild beasts to devour
me, that I might be with him in glory I made this request to God the third
and part of the fourth day. The fourth day in the morning, descending from
my usual lodging, a tree, and having nothing all this time to eat, and but
a little water to drink, I was so feeble that I tumbled half way down the
tree, not being able to support myself, and lay upon my back on the ground
an hour and a half, praying and crying; after which, getting a little
strength, and trying to stand upright to walk, I found myself not able;
then I went upon my hands and knees, and so crawled till I reached a tree
that was tumbled down, in order to get across it, and there I prayed with
my body leaning upon it above an hour, that the Lord would take me to
himself.
Such nearness to God I then enjoyed, that I willingly resigned myself
into his hands. After some time I thought I was strengthened, so I got
across the tree without my feet or hands touching the ground; but
struggling I fell over on the other side, and then thought the Lord will
now answer my prayer, and take me home: But the time was not come. After
laying there a little, I rose, and looking about, saw at some distance
bunches of grass, called deer-grass; I felt a strong desire to get at it;
though I rose, yet it was only on my hands and knees, being so feeble, and
in this manner I reached the grass. I was three-quarters of an hour going
in this form twenty yards. When I reached it I was unable to pull it up,
so I bit it off like a horse, and prayed the Lord to bless it to me . and
I thought it the best meal I ever had in my life, and I think so still, it
was so sweet. I returned my God hearty thanks for it, and then lay down
about an hour. Feeling myself very thirsty, I prayed the Lord to provide
me with some water. Finding I was something strengthened I got up, and
stood on my feet, and staggered from one tree to another, if they were near
each other, otherwise the journey was too long for me.
I continued moving so for some time, and at length passing between
two trees, I happened to fall upon some bushes; among which were few large
hollow leaves, which had caught and contained the dews of the night, and
lying low among the bushes, were not exhaled by the solar rays; this water
in the leaves fell upon me as I tumbled down and was lost, I was now
tempted to think the Lord had given me water from Heaven, and I had wasted
it. I then prayed the lord to forgive me. What poor unbelieving creatures
we are! though we are assured the Lord will supply all out needs. I was
presently directed to a puddle of water very muddy, which some wild pigs
had just left; I kneeled down, and asked the Lord to bless it to me, so I
drank both mud and water mixed together, and being satisfied I returned the
lord thanks, and went on my way rejoicing. This day was much chequered
with wants and supplies, with dangers and deliverance's. I continued
traveling on for nine days, feeding upon grass, and not knowing whither I
was going; but the Lord Jesus Christ was very present, and that comforted
me through all. The next morning, having quitted my customary lodging, and
returned thanks to the Lord for my preservation through the night, reading
and traveling on, I passed between two bears, about twenty yards distance
from each other. Both sat and looked at me, but I felt no fear; and after
I had passed them, they both went the same way from without growling, or
the least apparent uneasiness. I went and returned God thanks for my
escape, who had tamed the wild beast of the forest, and made them friendly
to me: I rose from my knees and walked on, singing hymns of praise to God,
about five o'clock in the afternoon, and about 55 miles from home, right
through the wilderness.
As I was going on, and musing upon the goodness of the Lord, an
Indian hunter, who stood at some distance, saw me; he hid himself behind a
tree, but as I passed along he bolted out, and put his hands on my breast,
which surprised me a few a moments. He then asked me where I was going? I
answered I did not know, but where the Lord was pleased to guide me.
Having heard me praising God before I came up to him, he enquired who I was
talking to? I told him I was talking to my Lord Jesus; he seemed
surprised, and asked me where he was? for he did not see him there. I
told him he could not be seen with bodily eyes. After a little more talk,
he insisted upon taking me home; but I refused, and added that I would die
rather than return home. He then asked me if I knew how far I was from
home? I answered, I did not know; you are 55 miles and a half, says he,
from home. He farther asked me how I did to live? I said I was supported
by the Lord. He asked me how I slept? I answered, the Lord provided me
with a bed every night; he further enquired what preserved me from being
devoured by the wild beasts? I replied, the Lord Jesus Christ kept me from
them.
He stood astonished, and said, you say the Lord Jesus Christ do this,
and do that, and do every thing for you, he must be a very fine man, where
is he? I replied, he is here present. To this he made me no answer, only
said, I know you, and your mother and sister, and upon a little further
conversation I found he did know them, having been used in winter to sell
skins in our town. This alarmed me, and I wept for fear he would take me
home by force; but when he saw me so affected, he said he would not take me
home if I would go with him. I objected against that, for fear he would
rob me of my comfort and communion with God: But as last, being much
pressed, I consented to go. Our employment for ten weeks and three days,
was killing deer, and taking off their skins by day, which we afterwards
hung on the trees to dry till they were sent for ; the means of defense and
security against our nocturnal enemies, always took up the evenings: We
collected a number of large bushes, and placed them nearly in a circular
form, which uniting at the extremity, afforded us both a verdant covering,
and a sufficient shelter from the night dews. What moss we could gather
was strewed upon the ground, and this composed our bed. A fire was kindled
in the front of our temporary lodging room, and fed with fresh fuel all
night, as we slept and watched by turns; and this was our defense from the
dreadful animals, whose shining eyes and tremendous roar we often saw and
discard during the by constant conversation with the hunter, I acquired a
fuller knowledge of the Indian tongue: This, together with a sweet
communion I enjoyed with God, I have considered as a preparation for the
great trial I was soon after to pass through.
The hunting season being now at an end, we left the woods, and directed
our course towards a large Indian town, belonging to the Cherokee nation;
and having reached it, I said to the hunter, they will not suffer me to
enter in. He replied, as I was with him, nobody would interrupt me.
There was an Indian fortification all round the town, and a guard
placed at each entrance. The hunter passed one of these without
molestation, but I was stopped by the guard and examined. They asked me
where I came from, and what was my business there? My companion of the
woods attempted to speak for me, but was not permitted; he was taken away,
and I saw him no more. I was now surrounded by about 50 men, and carried
to one of their chiefs to be examined by him. When I came before him, he
asked me what was my business there? I told him I came there with a
hunter, whom I met with in the woods. He replied, "Did I not know that
whoever came there "without giving a better account of themselves "than I
did, was to be put to death?" I said I did not know it. Observing that I
answered him so readily in his own language, he asked me where I learnt it?
To this I returned no answer, but burst out into a flood of tears; and
calling upon my Lord Jesus.
At this he stood astonished, and expressed a concern for me, and said
I was young. He asked me who my Lord Jesus was? To this I gave him no
answer, but continued praying and weeping. Addressing himself to the
officer who stood by him, he said he was sorry; but it was the law, and it
must not be broken. I was then ordered to be taken away, and put into a
place of confinement. They led me from their court into a low dark place,
and thrust me into it, very dreary and dismal; they made fast the door, and
set a watch. The judge sent for the executioner, and gave him his warrant
for my execution in the afternoon of the next day. The executioner came,
and gave me notice of it, which made me very happy, as the near prospect of
death made me hope for a speedy deliverance from the body: And truly this
dungeon became my chapel, for the Lord Jesus did not leave me in this great
trouble, but was very present, so that I continued blessing him, and
singing his praises all night without ceasing: The watch hearing the
noise, informed the executioner that somebody had been in the dungeon with
me all night; upon which he came in to see and to examine, with a great
torch lighted in his hand, who it was I had with me; but finding nobody, he
turned round, and asked me who it was? I told him it was the Lord Jesus
Christ; but he made no answer, turned away, went out, and locked my door.
At the hour appointed for my execution I was taken out, and led to the
destined spot, amidst a vast number of people. I praised the lord all the
way we went, and when we arrived at the place I understood the kind of
death I was to suffer, yet, blessed be God, none of those things moved me.
The executioner shewed me a basket of turpentine wood, stuck full of small
pieces, like skewed; he told me I was to be stripped naked, and laid down
in the basket, and these sharp pegs were to be stuck into me, and then set
on fire, and when they had burnt to my body, I was to be turned on the
other side, and served in the same manner, and then to be taken by four men
and thrown into the flame, which was to finish the execution. I burst into
tears, and asked what I had done to deserve so cruel a death! To this he
gave me no answer. I cried out, Lord, if it be thy will that it should be
so, thy will be done: I then asked the executioner to let me go to prayer;
he asked me to whom? I answered, to the Lord my God; he seemed surprised,
and asked me where he was? I told him he was present; upon which he gave
me leave. I desired them all to do as I did, so I fell down upon my knees,
and mentioned to the Lord his delivering of the three children in the fiery
furnace, and of Daniel in the lion's den, and had close communion with God.
I prayed in English a considerable time, and about the middle of my prayer,
the Lord impressed a strong desire upon my mind to turn into their
language, and pray in their tongue. I did so, and with remarkable liberty,
which wonderfully affected the people. One circumstance was very singular,
and strikingly displays the power and grace of God. I believe the
executioner was savingly converted to God. He rose from his knees, and
embraced me round the middle, and was unable to speak for about five
minutes; the first words he expressed, when he had utterance, were, "No man
shall hurt thee till thou hast been "to the king."
I was taken away immediately, and as we passed along, and I was
reflecting upon the deliverance which the Lord had wrought out for me, and
hearing the praises which the executioner was singing to the Lord, I must
own I was utterly at a loss to find words to praise him. I broke out in
these words, what can't the Lord Jesus do! and what power is like unto his!
I will thank thee for what is passed, and trust thee for what is to come.
I will sing thy praise with my feeble tongue whilst life and breath shall
last, and when I fail to found thy praises here, I hope to sing them round
thy throne above: And thus, with unspeakable joy, I sung two verses of Dr.
Watts's hymns:
Passing by the judge's door, he stopped us, and asked the executioner
why he brought me back? The man fell upon his knees, and begged he would
permit me to be carried before the king, which being granted, I went on,
guarded by two hundred soldiers with bows and arrows. After many windings
I entered the king's outward chamber, and after waiting some time he came
to the door, and his first question was, how came I there? I answered, I
came with a hunter whom I met with in the woods, and who persuaded me to
come there. He then asked me how old I was? I told him not fifteen. He
asked me how I was supported before I met with this man? I answered, by
the Lord Jesus Christ, which seemed to confound him. He turned round, and
asked me if he lived where I came from? I answered, yes, and here also.
He looked about the room, and said he did not see him; but I told him I
felt him. The executioner fell upon his knees, and entreated the king, and
told him what he had felt f the same Lord. At this instant the king's
eldest daughter came into the chamber, a person about 19 years of age, and
stood at my right-hand. I had a Bible in my hand, which she took out of
it, and having opened it, she kissed it, and seemed much delighted with it.
When she had put it into my hand again, the king asked me what it was? and
I told him, the name of my God was recorded there; and, after several
questions, he bid me read it, which I did, particularly the 53rd chapter of
Isaiah, in the most solemn manner I was able; and also the 26th chapter of
Matthew's Gospel; and when I pronounced the name of Jesus, the particular
effect it had upon me was observed by the king. When I had finished
reading, he asked me why I read those names with so much reverence? I told
him, because the Being to whom those names belonged made heaven and earth,
and I and he this he-denied. I then pointed to the sun, and asked him who
made the sun, and moon, and stars, and preserved them in their regular
order? He said there was a man in their town that did it. I labored as
much as I could to convince him to the contrary. His daughter took the
book out of my hand a second time; she opened it, and kissed it again; her
father bid her give it to me, which she did; but said, with much sorrow,
the book would not speak to her. The executioner then fell upon his knees,
and begged the king to let me go to prayer, which being granted, we all
went upon our knees, and now the Lord displayed his glorious power. In the
midst of the prayer some of them cried out, particularly the king's
daughter, and the man who ordered me to be executed, and several others
seemed under deep conviction of sin: This made the king very angry; he
called me a witch, and commanded me to be thrust into the prison, and to be
executed the next morning. This was a enough to make me think, as old
Jacob once did, "All these things are against me;" for I was dragged away,
and thrust into the dungeon with much indignation; but God, who never
forsakes his people, was with me. Though I was weak in body, yet was I
strong in the spirit: The Lord works, and who shall let it? The
executioner went to the king, and assured him, that if he put me to death,
his daughter would never be well. They used the skill of all their doctors
that afternoon and night; but physical prescriptions were useless. In the
morning the executioner came to me, and, without opening the prison door,
called to me, and hearing me answer, said, "Fear not, "thy God who
delivered thee yesterday, will "deliver thee today." This comforted me
very much, especially to find he cold trust the Lord. Soon after I was
fetched out, I thought it was to be executed; but they led me away to the
king's chamber with much bodily weakness, having been without food two
days. When I came into the king's presence, he said to me, with much
anger, if I did not make his daughter and that man well, I should be laid
down and chopped into pieces before him. I was not afraid, but the Lord
tried my faith sharply. The king's daughter and the other person were
brought out into the outer chamber, and we went to prayer; but the heavens
were locked up to my petitions. I befought the Lord again, but received no
answer: I cried again, and he was entreated. He said, "Be it to thee as
"thou wilt;" the Lord appeared most lovely and glorious; the king himself
was awakened, and the others set at liberty. A great change took place
among the people; the king's house because God's house; the soldiers were
ordered away, and the poor condemned prisoner had perfect liberty, and was
treated like a prince. Now the Lord made all my enemies to become my great
friends. I remained nine weeks in the king's palace, praising God day and
night: I was never out but three days all the time. I had assumed the
habit of the country, and was dressed much like the king, and nothing was
too good for me. The king would take off his golden ornaments, his chain
and bracelets, like a child, if I objected to them, and lay them aside.
Here I learnt to speak their tongue in the highest stile.
I began now to feel an inclination growing upon me to go farther on,
but none to return home. The king being acquainted with this, expressed
his fears of my being used ill by the next Indian nation, and, to prevent
it, sent 50 men, and a recommendation to the king, with me. The next
nation was called the Creek Indians, at 60 miles distance. Here I was
received with kindness, owing to the king's influence, from whom I had
parted; here I stayed five weeks. I next visited the Catawar Indians, at
about 55 miles distance from the others: Lastly, I went among the Housaw
Indians, 80 miles distant from the last mentioned; here I stayed seven
weeks. These nations were then at peace with each other, and I passed
among them without danger, being recommended from one to the other. When
they recollect, that the white people drove them from the American shores,
the three first nations have often united, and murdered all the white
people in the back settlements which they could lay hold of, man, woman,
and child. I had not much reason to believe any of these three nations
were savingly wrought upon, and therefore I returned to the Cherokee
nation, which took me up eight weeks. I continued with my old friends
seven weeks and two days.
I now and then found, that my affections to my family and country
were not dead; they were sometimes very sensibly felt, and at last
strengthened into an invincible desire of returning home. The king was
much against it; but feeling the same strong bias towards my country, after
we had asked Divine direction, the king consented, and accompanied me 60
miles with 140 men. I went to prayer three times before we could part, and
then he sent 40 men with me a hundred miles farther; I went to prayer, and
then took my leave of them and passed on my way. I had 70 mils now to go
to the back settlements of the white people. I was surrounded very soon
with wolves again, which made my old lodging both necessary and welcome.
However it was not long, for in two days I reached the settlements, and on
the third I found a house: It was about dinnertime, and as I came up to
the door the family saw me, were frightened, and ran away. I sat down to
dinner alone, and eat very heartily, and, after returning God thanks, I
went to see what was become of the family. I found means to lay hold of a
girl that stood peeping at me from behind a barn. She fainted away, and it
was upwards of an hour before she recovered; it was nine o'clock before I
could get them all to venture in, they were so terrified
My dress was purely in the Indian stile; the skins of wild beasts
composed my garments, my head was set out in the savage manner, with a long
pendant down my back, a sash round my middle without breeches, and a
tomahawk by my side. In about two days they became sociable. Having
visited three or four other families, at the distance of 16 or 20 miles, I
got them altogether to prayer on the Sabbath days, to the number of 17
persons. I stayed with them six weeks, and they expressed much sorrow when
I left them. I was now one hundred and twelve miles from home. On the
road I sometimes met with a house, then I was hospitably entertained; and
when I met with none, a tree lent me the use of its friendly shelter and
protection from the prowling beasts of the woods during the night. The God
of mercy and grace supported me thus for eight days, and on the ninth I
reached my uncle's house.
This web page is based on Psychiatry and Social Conflict. A Study in the
History of Psychiatry in England during the Seventeenth, Eighteenth and
Nineteenth Centuries an essay by Andrew Roberts, 1973. Typescript.
© Andrew Roberts 1973-
Andrew Roberts likes to hear from users:
"I lifted up my head and saw three steeple house spires, and they struck at
my life... the word of the Lord came to me, that I must go thither ... I
was commanded by the Lord to pull off my shoes ... it was winter, but the
word of the Lord was like fire in me ... I went up and down the streets,
crying with a loud voice: Woe to the bloody city of Lichfield. As I went
down the town, there ran like a channel of blood down the streets, and the
market-place was like a pool of blood."
(Fox, writing about an experience he dates
Winter 1651, shortly after his release from prison)
"partial dependence of perception upon belief. What we receive from the
outer world (and from the so-called 'inner' world are certain clues, which
most of the time are pretty vague and indefinite. Perception is the result
of the reaction of the total organism to these clues."
"We must very much take heed lest we ascribe Melancholy Phantasms and
Passions to God's Spirit ..• I advise all ... to take heed of placing
Religion too much in Fears and Tears and Scruples."7
"My God, the spring of all my joys,
The life of my delights;
The glory of my brightest days,
And comfort of my nights.
In darkest shades, if thou appear,
My dawning is begun;
Thou art my soul's bright morning star,
And thou my rising sun."
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