Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman (SRSC 12)

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Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman

Woolman’s peers; and (2) it is a trading ship carrying sugar, rum, and molasses. Woolman was in a moral dilemma. Should he travel to visit slaves in a ship that profits by slave trade? Should he confront his elder Friends regarding a matter he considers to be a problem with their very livelihood? In the end, he writes them a gently critical letter (reprinted here in his Journal ). He waits longer and senses the Spirit of God has confirmed his freedom not to go on this journey. He returns home. The rest of the chapter tells of a serious illness and the prophetic experiences he had in this season. The Concerns, a Letter, and the Decision (1769–1770) Twelfth of Third Month, 1769.—Having for some years past dieted myself on account of illness and weakness of body, and not having ability to travel by land as before, I was at times favored to look with awfulness* toward the Lord, before whom are all my ways, who alone has the power of life and death, and to feel thankfulness raised in me for His fatherly chastisement, believing that if I was truly humbled under it, all would work for good. While under this bodily weakness, my mind was at times exercised* for my fellow creatures in the West Indies, and I grew attentive to my own spirit, lest the disagreeableness of the prospect should hinder me from willing obedience; for, though I knew not that the Lord required me to go there, yet I believed that resignation was now called for in that respect. Feeling a danger of not being wholly devoted to Him, I was frequently engaged to watch unto T he T ext A Visitation to the West Indies?