A Cadwallader D. Colden, Not. Public. To all to whom these presents shall concern, Greeting: THE BEARER HEREOF, LORENZO DOW, A citizen of the United States of America, having occasion to pass into foieign countries, about his lawful affairs, these are to pray all whom it may concern, to permit the same Lorenzo Dow, (he demeaning himself well and peaceably,) to pass wheresoever his lawful pursuits may call him, freely without let or molestation in going, staying, or returning, and to give him all friendly aid and protection, as these United States would do in the like case. IN FAITH WHEREOF I have caused the seal of the Department of State for the said United States, to be hereunto affixed. Done at Washington, this 23d day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, and of the independence of these States the thirtieth. JAMES MADISON, B VIRGINIA, to wit. Cadwallader D. Colden, Not. Pub. Be it known to all whom it may concern, that the Reverend Lorenzo Dow, who declares himself a native of Connecticut, one of the United States of America, has for two or three years past occasionally travelled through this commonwealth, as an itinerant preacher of the Gospel; that his appointments to preach have, according to report, been attended by considerable numbers of the inhabitants of this state; that on all occasions his conduct has been inoffensive, and his manners impressive. It is believed that his views are confined to the promotion of human happiness, by diffusing, to the utmost of his abilities, a knowledge of the Christian religion, and by a conviction, on his part, of its tendency to that desirable object. This certificate is granted to the said Reverend Lorenzo Dow, at the request of his friends, in consequence of a meditated voyage to Europe for the restoration of his impaired health. [SEAL.] Given under my hand as Governor, with the Seal of the Commonwealth annexed, at Richmond, this 19th day of October, 1805. JOHN PAGE C Cadwallader D. Colden, Not. Public. Humphrey B. Dow and Tabitha Parker were joined in marriage, Oct. 8th, A. D. 1767. Lorenzo Dow, son of Humphrey B. Dow and Tabitha his wife, was born in Coventry, October 16th, A. D. 1777. (A true copy of record, examined by) NATHAN HOWARD, Town Clerk. STATE OF CONNECTICUT, ss. COVENTRY. October 11th, A. D. 1805. I, the subscriber, do hereby certify that by the law of the State aforesaid, all marriages, births and deaths are to be recorded in the records of their respective towns, and Nathan Howard, Esq. who hath attested the aforesaid from the town records, is the clerk of said town, duly appointed and sworn, and that the above signature is in his own proper handwriting, and that faith and credit is to be given to his attestation in court and country. In testimony hereof I have subscribed my hand and seal. [SEAL.] JESSE ROOT, Chief Justice of the Superior Court STATE OF CONNECTICUT, ss. TOLLAND COUNTY, COVENTRY. October 15th, 1805. This certifies that the above Lorenzo Dow was born in Coventry, as above stated, of a reputable family, and he the said Lorenzo is by profession a Metho dist preacher; he is a man of decent morals and of peaceable behavior, so far as our knowledge of him extends. And that the above said Jesse Root is the Chief Justice of the Superior Court in the State of Connecticut, and that full credit is to be given to his certificate in court and country. [SEAL.] JEREMIAH RIPLEY, one of the Judges of the Court of HIS EXCELLENCY JONATHAN TRUMBULL, GOVERNOR IN To all who may see these presents-maketh known, That Jesse Root, Esq. the person whose signature is set to the within Certificate is Chief Judge of the Superior Court within said State.-That Jeremiah Ripley, Esq., signer of the within Certificate, is one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, for the County of Tolland in said State.-That Eleazer Pomeroy, Esq., also one of the within signers, is a Justice of Peace, within and for the mentioned County. That each of the above named gentlemen have been legally qualified and duly appointed to do and perform all and singular the duties appertaining to their several offices. And that full faith and credit is to be given to their several acts and signatures in their respective capacities. In faith and testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, at the City of New Haven, in said State, the 15th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1805. JONATHAN TRUMBULL. Ꭰ Cadwallader D. Colden, Not. Pub. GEORGIA. By his excellency JOHN MILLEDGE, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of this State, and of the Militia thereof.-To all whom these presents shall come, Greeting: KNOW YE, that Abraham Jackson, Risden Moore, Bolling Anthony, Zachariah Lamar, James Terrell, John Clark, David Dickson, Solomon Slatter, Walter Drane, Jared Irwin, Thompson Bird, Robert Hughes, Drury Jones, George Moore, Wormly Rose, Joel Barnet, William H. Crawford, Samuel Alexander, George Philips, John Hampton, Elijah Clark, William W. Bibb, David Bates, Buckner Harris, Allen Daniel, William Fitzpatrick, James H. Little, John Davis, and James Jones, Esqrs, who have severally subscribed their names to the annexed recommendation, in favor of the Reverend Lorenzo Dow, are Members of the Legislature of this State, and now in Session. THEREFORE all due Faith, Credit and Authority, are and ought to be had and given to their signatures as such. JOHN MILLEDGE IN TESTIMONY whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand, and caused the Great Seal of the said State to be put and affixed, at the State House in Louisville, this third day of December, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and three, and in the twenty-eighth year of Ameri can Independence. By the Governor, STATE OF GEORGIA. To all whom these presents shall come or concern. BE it known, that the Reverend Lorenzo Dow, an Itinerant Preacher of tne Gospel, hath travelled through this state several times, in the course of two years, and has maintained the character of a useful and acceptable Gospel Preacher; and now being about to leave the State, We, in testimony of our high regard for him, recommend him to all Christians and lovers of virtue, as a man whose sole aim appears to be the propagating useful Principles through the Christian religion. Given under our hands at Louisville, this 3d December, 1803. This publication is for the benefit of society when I am dead and gone † The press is next to the pulpit, for usefulness, and many having desired the "quintessence of my writings," with difficulty they have been collected and concentrated accordingly.-L. D. + Note by the Editor.-After a course of thirty years' preaching, having travelled over England and Ireland, and visited almost every part of the United States, Mr. Dow died at Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, on the 2d of February, 1834. THE JOURNAL OF LORENZO DOW. CHAPTER I. MY CHILDHOOD. I was born, October 16, 1777, in Coventry, Tolland County, State of Connecticut. My parents were born in the same town and descended from English ancestors. They had a son, and then three daughters, older than myself, and one daughter younger. They were very tender towards their children, and endeavored to educate them well, both in religion and common learning. When I was two years old, I was taken sick; and my parents having been a long journey and returning homeward, heard of my dangerous illness, and that I was dead, and they expected to meet the people returning from my funeral. But to their joy, I was living; and beyond the expectation of all, I recovered. When I was between three and four years old, one day, while I was at play with my companion, I suddenly fell into a muse about God and those places called heaven and hell, which I heard people converse about, so that I forgot my play, which my companion observing, desired to know the cause. I asked him if ever he said his prayers, morning or night; to which he replied, "No." Then said I, "You are wicked, and I will not play with you." So I quit his company and went into the house. My mind, frequently on observing the works of creation, desired to know the cause of things; and I asked my parents many questions which they scarcely knew how to answer. Being for a few weeks in another neighborhood, I associated with one who would both swear and lie, which proved some harm to me. But these serious impressions did not leave me until in my eighth year, when my parents removed to another vicinity, the youth of which were very corrupt; and on joining their company, I too soon learned their ways, grieved the tender feelings of my mind, and began to promise myself felicity when I should arrive to manhood. One day I was the means of killing a bird, and upon seeing it gasp, I was struck with horror. And upon seeing any beast struggle in death it made my heart beat hard, as it would cause the thoughts of my death to come into my mind. Death appeared such a terror to me, I sometimes wished that I might be translated as Enoch and Elijah were; and at other times I wished I had never been born. About this time a query arose in my mind, whether God would answer prayer now as in primitive times; and there being a small lottery in the neighborhood, and I wishing for the greatest prize, promised within myself, that if it was my luck to obtain the prize, I would take it as an answer to prayer, and afterwards would serve God. No sooner had I gotten the prize, which was nine shillings, than I broke my promise. My conscience condemned me, and I was very uneasy for some weeks. After I had arrived to the age of twelve years, my hopes of worldly pleasure were greatly blasted by a sudden illness, occasioned by overheating myself with hard labor, and drinking a quantity of cold milk and water. I than murmured and complained, thinking my lot to be harder than that of my companions; for they enjoyed health, while I was troubled with an asthmatical disorder or stoppage of breath. Oh! the pain I endured! Sometimes I could lie several nights together and sleep sound; and at other times would be necessitated to sit up part or all night. And some times I could not lie down at all for six or seven days together. But as yet I did not consider that the hand of God was in all this. About this time, I dreamed that I saw the prophet Nathan, in a large assembly of people, prophesying many things. I got an opportunity to ask him how long I should live. Said he, "UNTIL YOU ARE TWO-AND-TWENTY." This dream was so imprinted in my mind, that it caused me many serious and painful hours at intervals. When past the age of thirteen years, and about the time that JOHN WESLEY died, (1791,) it pleased God to awaken my mind by a dream of the night, which was, that an old man came to me at mid-day, having a staff in his hand, and said to me, "Do you ever pray?" I told him, “No.” Said he, "You must;" and then went away. He had not been long gone before he returned; and said again, "Do you pray?" I again said, "No." And after his departure I went out of doors, and was taken up by a whirlwind and carried above the skies. At length I discovered, across a gulf, as it were through a mist of darkness, a glorious place, in which was a throne of ivory overlaid with gold, and God sitting upon it, and Jesus Christ at his right hand, and angels and glorified spirits celebrating praise.-Oh! the joyful music! I thought the angel Gabriel came to the edge of heaven, holding a golden trumpet in his right hand, and cried to me with a mighty voice to know if I desired to come there. I told him I did. Said he, "You must go back to yonder world, and if you will be faithful to God, you shall come here in the end." With reluctance I left the beautiful sight and came back to the earth again. And then I thought the old man came to me the third time and asked me if I had prayed. I told him I had. "Then," said he, "BE FAITHFUL, AND I WILL COME AND LET YOU KNOW AGAIN." I thought that was to be when I should be blest. And when I awaked, behold it was a dream. But it was strongly impressed on my mind, that this singular dream must be from God; and the way that I should know it, I should let my father know of it at such a time and in such a place, viz. as he would be feeding the cattle in the morning, which I accordingly did. No sooner had I done it than keen conviction seized my heart. I knew I was unprepared to die. Tears began to run down plentifully, and I again |