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An Epistle from Thomas Lloyd to the Quarterly Meeting held at Dolobran —— Philada 2d of Yr 6th moth 1684
My dear and well beloved Friends belonging to Dolobran Quarterly Meeting ———————
The warm and tender Salutation of my Love is Unfeignedly to you, with whom I have Conversed and Walked some years in Unity Zeal, Concord, and endeavoured to be Serviceable, you are because of our nearness, familiar yet honourable in my Thoughts and Esteem. May the Truth as it is in Jesus, prosper and encrease daily in your Minds, and rest bountifully on your Habitations —— My Heart is affected with the Remembrance of you, and especially of the Virtue and Operation of that living Principle which traverseth the Deeps, and tho’ it bounds the Seas, yet cannot be bounded thereby, but continues its Being and intireness thro’ and over all Distances, and makes us of many one People to himself, The God of Israel, & the Excellency of Jacob is with us & the present Days are as the former Days of Humility, Days of Holy Fear, Obedience and Refreshment, increase and Growth to the Faithful — We & you are under respective Exercises the way of your Tryal may be in a more severe Manner at present, May the Lord in his wonted Tenderness, bear you up, and grant you a Rejoicing in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity before him, it is no new Thing to you to suffer Joyfully in your Persons and Goods. The Lord give us Strength, Courage, Satisfaction and Honour thereby, whilst he is in our Eyes, and his Holy Fear in our Hearts, whether in Bonds, or Free, in that on This part of the World, we shall witness Preservation — Our Meetings are very full, I judge we had no less Number than eight hundred last first Day, we are glad to see the Faces of Serviceable Friends here, who come and speak in God and Freedom, who are Persons of good Understanding and Conversation, and will discharge their Stations Religiously, such will be a Blessing to the Providence — The favourable Revolutions of Providence, hath founded the Government here, that a Man is at Liberty to serve his Maker without Contempt, Discouragement, or Restraint. Truth indeed makes Men honourable not only here, but at most places at last, but here Truth receives a good Entertainment at first — Our Governor is embarking for England, our well wishes go with him, and attend him, he hopes to have an Opportunity by Testimony or Writing to express his Love and Remembrance to the several Churches of Britain —— Our Friends from the Neighbourhood are generally well, and tolerably Settled, Thomas Ellis, T Humphrey H Roberts, John Eckley, D. Davis and many more are useful and Accepted —— In Love I lived with you, in Love I took my Leave of you, and in Love I bid you a Christian and Brotherly Farewell ——
Your Friend and Brother
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A Testimony Subscribed by several Friends, in Behalf of the Monthly Meeting of Haverford, concerning our Dear and Antient Brother Thomas Lloyd
1694
The Love of God, and the Regard we have to the Blessed Truth constrain us to give forth this Testimony concerning that Faithful Servant of the Lord, our dear Friend Thomas Lloyd, having had a long Acquaintance with him both in Wales where he formerly lived, and also in Pennsylvania where he finished his Course, and laid down his Head in Peace with the Lord, and is at Rest and Joy with him forever. He was by Birth of them who are called Gentry, his Father a Man of Considerable Estate and of great Esteem in his Time, of an antient House and Estate Called Dolobran in Montgomeryshire North Wales, he was brought up at the best Schools, and was removed from thence to the College at Oxford, and because of his great Natural and Acquired parts, many of the Great Ones cast an Eye of Regard upon him, and being Profferd Degrees and Places of Worldly Preferment, he refused them all, the Lord beginning his work in him and causing a Measure of his Light to Shine out of Darkness in his Heart which gave him a sight of the Vain Forms, Customs, and Traditions of the Schools & Colleges, and the Vanity of Philosophy, Logic and the Liberal Arts so called, and hearing of the poor despised People called Quakers, he went to hear them, and the Lords Power reached unto him, and came over him, to the humbling and bowing of his Heart and Spirit so that he was Convinced of Gods Everlasting Truth, and received it, in the Love of it, and was made Willing like Meek Moses The Antient Servant of the Lord, to chuse rather Affliction with the People of the Lord, than the Honour, Preferment, and Riches of this World. ~ hence the Earthly Wisdom, or that of the World came to be of no Reputation with him but he became a Fool to it for Christs Sake, to be as the Reproaches of the World, to the Admiration of all who knew him formerly, and Thro’ self Denial, and taking up the Daily Cross of Jesus Christ which Crucified his former Will Affections and Pleasures, became to be a Scholar in Christs School, and in the Fear of God to learn true Wisdom,, which is from above, and by departing from the Vanities and Iniquities of the World, and following the Leadings, Guidance and Instructions of the Divine Light, Grace and Spirit of Christ Jesus, he came more and more to have an Understanding of the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom, and of the Things that did belong to his Peace with the Lord forever, and so made an able Minister of the Everlasting Gospel of Peace and Salvation, and his Acquired Pasts were Sanctified to the Truths Service his sound and effectual Ministry, his Godly Conversation, meek and Lamblike Spirit, his great Patience, Temperance, Humility and slowness to Wrath, his Love to the Brethren, his Godly care in the Church of Christ, that Things might be kept sweet and Savoury, and in good Order, his helping Hand to the Weak, and gentle Admonitions, we are fully satisfied have a Seal and Witness in the Hearts of all the Faithful that knew him, both in the Land of his Nativity and afterwards in America, and cannot be forgotten by them, we may in Truth say, he sought not himself, nor the Riches of this World, but his Eye was to that which is Everlasting, and was given up to spend and be spent for the Truth, and for the sake of Friends. — He never turned his Back on the Truth, nor was weary in his Travel Lion wards, but a Sound Pillar in the Spiritual Building of the Lord, in many Disputes both with them called the Learned Clergy of England, and with some called the Peers of the Realm, and in Imprisonment and much Loss of outward Things, to the Honour of Truth, and the Stopping in Measure the Mouths of Gain, sayers, and Persecutors, yet these Exercises and Tryals which he bore thro’ the Ability God gave him in the Land of his Nativity, are small compared to the many and great Exercises, Grief, and Sorrow he met with and went thro’ in Pennsylvania, tis hard to declare what we have known of them, he with much Meekness & Patience bore all, and we are well satisfied his Reward is great with the Lord. Oh! the Revilings, the great Provocations, the bitter and wicked Language and rude Behaviour which the Lord gave him Patience to bear and overcome, he reviled not again, nor took any Advantage, but loved his Enemies, and prayed for Those that despite fully abused him, his Love was Sincere to the Lord, his Truth and People to the very last, and altho’ it has pleased the Lord to take him to himself from the many Tryals, Exercises and Temptations of this World, yet his innocent Life and Meek Spirit lives with us, and his Memorial is sweet and Comfortable to us, and will be had in Remembrance by the Faithful. ~ He was taken with a Malignant Fever the Fifth Day of the seventh Month 1694, and tho’ his Bodily Suffering was great, yet he bore it with much Patience, and on the tenth Day of the same Month being the Sixth of his Sickness, it pleased the Lord to remove him from the Sorrows, Grief, and Trouble of this World, to the Kingdom of Everlasting Joy and Peace, which is his Unspeakable Gain, Tho’ a great Loss to this Country ~ His Dying Words or last Expression a little before his Departure, were taken in Writing, for the Satisfaction of Friends, many of whom being present, he spoke as followeth Viz — Friends I Love you all, and am going from you, and die in Love and Unity with all Faithful Friends, I have fought a good Fight, and kept the Faith, which stands not in the Wisdom of Words, but in the Power of God, I have fought, not for Strife, or Contention, but for the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Simplicity of the Gospel, I lay down my Head in Peace and I desire you may all do so ——Friends farewell all” — he also spake further to G Owen — I desire thee to mind my Love to Friends in Old England if thou livest to go over to see them, I have lived in Unity with them, & desire the Lord to keep them all faithful to the End in the Simplicity of the Gospel ~~
Griffith Owen
John Bevan
Hugh Roberts
Richard Walters
John Evans
John Roberts
Robert Owen
Stephen Evans
Edward Jones
Rees Johns
Philip Price
Daniel Humphrey
Cadwal Morgan
Ellis Ellis
Edward Reese
John Humphrey
David Lawrence
Griffith Jones
Morris Lewden
William Edwards
William Lewis
With many more—
James Dickinson’s Testimony concerning his Dear Friend Tho’ Lloyd
“They that be wise shall shine as brightness of the firmament & they that turn many to Righteousness as stars for ever and ever He was a Man that the Lord visited by his Eternal Power and Blessed Spirit, and thereby gathered him to the Knowledge of himself, with many Thousands more, and waited in Humility and Fear till he knew his Heart purged by the Spirit of Judgment and burning, and was Baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire and so put on Christ whom he knew to be the Author of his Faith, upon whom his Eye was fixed, and so knew him to be his Divine Saviour and also to pour forth of his Spirit upon him, and give a Gift of the Ministry to him amongst many of his Brethren whom the Lord raised up to proclaim the Day of glad Tidings to many Thousands, and he was Zealous for the progress of Truth upon Earth, and stood in the Defence of the Gospel and against the Opposers of it, to the Conclusion of his Days — His Care was to keep to the opening of the Power of Truth in his Gift, as one who knew a Mortification to all his own Abilities and acquired Parts, which made him the more comely in the Eyes of all that loved the Truth for the Truths Sake, and kept in the Simplicity of the Gospel which he loved in all, and was tender over all who professed Truth and ready to serve all, both Professors and Prophane not regarding his own Interest, that, had the least Share in many of his Concerns, but that Truth & Righteousness might be established in the Earth and that God might Reign in the House of Jacob. ~ The loss of him Occasions my Spirit to mourn, yet not as one without Hope, being well Satisfied he is at Rest with Christ his Redeemer who lives forever, and shall stand at the Last Day upon the Earth, Judging all who rise up against him, and his Faithful Followers, whose Care hath been to follow him, thro many Tribulations, and have Washed their Garments in the Blood of the Lamb, who have not loved their Lives unto Death, but given up all for Christ’s Sake. These are they, who shall reign with him upon Mount Zion, and shall Stand with Palms in their hands as the Signs of Victory — of the Number of whom, I doubt not at all, was, this my Dear Friend Thomas Lloyd, his Love and Care were great over the Flock of God, and he loved the Unity of the Brethren, in which he finished his Testimony, he was a Pattern of Humility to his tender Children, over
whomwhom he was very Watchful desiring their Growth in the Truth above all, and I pray God that they may follow his Example, and keep to the same Power that hath Preserved him, so will the Blessing of the Lord rest upon them, and will enrich Them every Way — He is removed from us, and tho’ it be our Loss, it is his Everlasting Gain, and we rejoice, in that his Spirit Lives amongst us, as Those that are brought to the general Assembly and to the Church of the first born, to God the Judge of all, to Jesus the Mediator, and to the Blood of Sprinkling, that speaketh better Things than that of Abel that cried for Vengeance. ~ He is removed out of this Troublesome World, and I do believe is entered into that Mansion of Glory, where the Wicked cease from Troubling and where the weary are at Rest, and where the Strife of Tongues cannot reach him. he needs not These Characters to set forth the Excellency of his Pious Life, neither shall I attribute any Thing to him, but to that Power, that really made him what he was to God, and what he was that was that was good to all Mankind, desiring that we who remain may walk as if we had him for an Example, who was a faithful follower of our great Pattern and Example the Lord Jesus Christ who preserved him, and is only able to preserve us, to whom I commit all, and remain a true Lover of the Souls of all Men. “They that be Wise Shall Shine as the Brightness of the Firmament, and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars forever and ever” Daniel 12th Chap 3d Verse ~~~~~________________________________________________
A Testimony from Friends and Brethren of the Quarterly Meeting held at Dolobran in Montgomeryshire North Wales the 30th 8th moth 1711 concerning our Dear and Worthy Friend Thomas Lloyd ——
Tho’ we may truly say with the Apostle Paul, that not many Wise Men after the Flesh, not many Mighty, not many Noble, are called, yet it hath pleased the Lord in his Mercy to visit and reach unto some few, who have been Acknowledged Men of Wisdom and Learning, and They have received the Blessed Truth in the Love of it, and continued faithful thereunto, until The End of Their Days, thro’ all their Sufferings, Tribulations and Exercises of many kinds, amongst which Number our honourable Friends Charles Lloyd of Dolobran, and this our Friend Thomas Lloyd his Youngest Brother, may be accounted, who were Esteemed Wise and Learned Men, by the Wise and learned of the Age — both the said Brothers were Men of great Natural Pasts as the Enemies and Adversaries of Truth who knew Them, were obliged to confess and Acknowledge — They were both brought up Scholars in some of the best Schools, and under the Care and Tutorship of the most able Teachers that were in these Parts, where they Profited very much in their Learning, from where they were sent to the University at Oxford, where they Continued Students for some years, and improved themselves much and were accounted Men of Extraordinary Abilities Our Friend, Charles Lloyd was convinced of the Truth about the 8th month in the year 1662 in the twenty fifth year of his Age by the Ministry of our Worthy and Dear Friends Richard Moore and Richard Davis ~~ He was a Noble and Valiant Champion for Truth and an eminent Instrument in the Hand of the Lord, for the Strengthening and Confirming many in the most Holy Faith, and was an able and Faithful Minister of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he had a living Powerful and searching ministry, was the first of that Family who received the Truth, and was Instrumental in the Convincement of his Brother our said Friend Thomas Lloyd and others, — he Departed this Life in Peace with the Lord the 27th of ye 9th month 1698 == Our Dear Friend Thomas Lloyd was Convinced of the Truth about the year 1663 and he gave up in all Faithfulness and Obedience there unto, and after some years he had a Gift in the ministry committed unto him, and he was very Serviceable to Truth and Friends in many Places, he practiced Physick and had great Knowledge and Experience therein, having generally good Success, and he was Conscientiously careful over his Patients whether Rich or poor, he had great Practice whereby it was as often his Lot to be amongst many of Account in the World, and he was much loved and respected by Them, yet being a Man of a tender Spirit, Their Company became Bitterness to his Soul, and he went many Days Mourning on his Way, because their Life was in that, which Crucified the Just, — He was very Charitable to the Poor and Compassionate unto such as were in Affliction and Distress doing good freely to all, he had in a remarkable Degree the Power of Softening Harsh Spirits, and exciting Mildness in them towards Friends in their Sufferings. he was a Man of an Extraordinary Temper, very obliging, humble & Courteous in his Behaviour and Deportment, he had a good Utterance and could express himself elegantly and was very instructive in his Discourse, pleasant and Chearful in his Conversation, so that his Company was very desirable being a Man of Circumspect Life ~ Much more might be written concerning him, but it is not our design to set up or Exalt Man, who is but a Creature, all Praise and Honour belong to the Lord our Creator, yet when outward Wisdom is Sanctified by the Lord, it may be and is Serviceable in its Place, and there have been some Men of Extraordinary Parts who have received the Truth in its own Way, among a despised People who have denied themselves and their outward Wisdom for Christ’s Sake chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season, Esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than any outward Treasures, for they had a respect unto the Recompense of Reward. ~ Our said Friend suffered Chearfully the Spoiling of his Goods, rather than disobey the Lord his God, he had many Considerable Offers from some Noted Men who had Power to bestow great Places & if he could have been prevailed upon to change his Religion and holy Profession, but being firmly established on the true and sure Foundation, even the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ, neither the Frowns nor Smiles of Men or Devils could move or shake him from his Foundation. ~ In the year 1681 his Brother Charles Lloyd and himself held a Publick Dispute the greater Part of two Days with William Lloyd Then Bishop of this Diocess (now Bishop of Worcester) and the Dean of Bangor of Hereford, and with one Henry Dodwell a Learned Man at the Town Hall in Llannwilling in this County of Montgomery, our said Friend Thomas Lloyd managed the Dispute most — Part of the Time with great Reputation, but it was agreed betwixt both Parties that the said Dispute should not be published. — Our said Friend continued among us for many Years in great Love and unity, and he was a very Serviceable Man while he Continued in these Parts, and many People of most Persuasions, greatly lamented the Loss of him when he removed himself and Family into Pennsylvania. His first Wife Mary Lloyd was a Woman of a good Life and Conversation and well beloved among us, by whom he had many Children, Sons and Daughters who went over into Pennsylvania —— As to his Services for Truth after he went to America we shall leave that to Friends there who knew him, and we doubt not they can give a good Testimony of him whilst he lived with them. We desire the Lord may raise up many more such faithful and Servicable Labourers who may work in his Harvest, for the gathering of many to the Lord that they may also at Last receive a Crown of Righteousness as we firmly believe this our Worthy Friend with many more of the Servants of the Lord Jesus in our Age have received who are entered into Eternal Rest with the Saints in Glory ——— Signed in and on Behalf and by the Appointment of the said Meeting by
He was born in the year 1646
Charles Lloyd
Wm Reynolds
Convinced in the Year 1663
Robert Griffith
Owen Roberts
Died the 10th of ye 7th mo 1694
Richard Lewis
Amos Davis
John Humphrey, Letter to Charles Lloyd concerning his Deceased Brother Thomas Lloyd ~~
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If these Lines should come to thy Hands I assure thee they proceed from a Heart that wisheth thee and Thine Health and Eternal Happiness, I may say I am deeply Affected with Sorrow and Grief in the Removal of thy dear Brother, yet we are assured our Sorrow is Accompanied with a well grounded Hope of his Eternal Happiness, for his Life of Love, Charity, Patience, Meekness, and Moderation was known unto all Men, that knew him, and testified that the Fear of God was always before his Eyes, and these are a Cloud of Witnesses to the Divine and Heavenly Virtues that adorned his Life, and prepared his Soul for Transcendant Glory, he was a Faithful, compassionate tender Hearted Man who followed after Peace with all Men, he never turned his Back upon his Friends in Adversity, nor rejoiced at the Calamity of his Foes — In the Time of his Administration among us he delighted in remitting rather than inflicting Punishments, many Times he would rather say to the Offender, go and do so no more, Than say to the Constable stone him or whip him, so that many of our Zealots Judgest him not fit to bear the Sword because he was not Terror enough to the evil Doer, but sure I am by his Senity more ever acclaimed than by Punishing, he might well say with Samuel, whose Ox, or whose Ass have I coveted, or, at whose Hands have I taken Bribes to blind mine Eyes ~ For several years together he served his Country upon his own proper Charge never suffering the Well doer to go without Praise, or Offenders without Seasonable Admonition He was a Man that divided the Word aright, and knew how to behave himself in the House of God — I believe his Patience, and Moderation vex’d his Adversaries, who were apt to be soon Angry because they could not with all their fierceness provoke him to Wrath, great have been his Exercises since the beginning of These Jarrings among us, which he patiently bore, and with sound Words & Wholesome Doctrine he many Times stopped the Mouths of Gain sayers and obtain’d a Witness that he was Righteous. God testifying by his Gift, and by that Gift he being dead, yet speaketh among us ~ Let his Adversaries Write Book or Books and keep to Truth, I know his Friends need not be ashamed to carry them upon their Shoulders, I walked in Society with him about thirty five years, and never knew him to be the Man that sought himself, but whatever Honours, Favours, Praises, or Profits were due to him on account of his Practice, Parts, or Education, he always employ’d them in the Service of Truth that the least Member in the Body might be an equal Sharer with him of the same, I know there are many in the Land of his Nativity that can witness with me, how God made him many Times Instrumental to stop the Mouths of greedy Lyons and to quench the Violence of Fiery Persecution, when the Blast of the Terrible one was as a Storm against the Wall, he hath been a Means often to open the Prison Door to the needy and to let the Captive go free, and to rescue the Prey out of the Paw of the Greedy Bear — I know there are many Monuments of his Virtuous and pious Life among you in the Land of his Nativity, so that I need not repeat them to thee, nor to the Generality of Friends in Wales but find myself obliged to give this brief Account of his Life and Death among us, being well acquainted with him from the Time he came to America to the last Hour of his Life — He departed with these Words, farewell John, Farewell my Friends all at once ——
John Humphrey ~
