The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Foreward
THE
LABORS, TRAVELS, AND SUFFERINGS
OF
THAT
FAITHFUL MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST
JOHN BANKS
COMPILED FOR THE FRIENDS' LIBRARY
1838
REVISED AND PRINTED
BY
THE FRIENDS OF JESUS CHRIST
175 CROSWELL ROAD
FARMINGTON FALLS, MAINE 04940
USA
2002
THE EDITOR'S FOREWORD
It pleased God to reveal his most precious truth to thousands of men and women ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Preface
Friendly Reader,
The labors of the servants of God ought always to be precious in the eyes of his people and for that reason the very fragments of their services are to be gathered up for edification. It is this which induces us to exhibit the following pages to public view, as well as the hope that it may please God to make them profitable to suc ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 1 - John Whiting's Testimony Concerning John Banks
Since it pleased the Lord in his infinite love to cause his day to dawn and his truth to break forth in this nation of England, even in an acceptable time, when many were seeking the Lord and wandering like sheep without a shepherd upon the barren mountains of lifeless profession, seeking rest but finding none, many messengers have been raised up a ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 2 - A Testimony From Friends
A TESTIMONY FROM FRIENDS OF PARDSHAW MONTHLY MEETING IN CUMBERLAND
He was one upon whom the Lord poured forth of his Holy Spirit and gave a large gift thereof to serve him. The Lord's love is universal to all. He would have none to perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. And for that end he gives gifts to men ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 3 - John Bousted's Testimony
He was a faithful minister of Christ in this his glorious Gospel day after that long and dark night of apostasy which had spread itself over the nations, in which many were made drunk with the cup of fornication. After it had pleased the eternal, wise God to open his understanding and to let him see his own state and condition, and reveal his Son i ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 4 - Christopher Story's Testimony
As the labors, travels, and exercises of our dear friend John Banks were great, both in doing and in suffering for the name of the Lord, I shall here give a relation of some part of them wherein I was present with him.
The first time I saw him was at a meeting at John Iveston's of Jerishtown in Cumberland in the latter end of the year 1672, or abo ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 5 - Journal of John Banks, Part 1
I came of honest parents. My father's name was William and my mother's name Emma. I was their only child, born in Sunderland, in the parish of Issell in the county of Cumberland. My father having no real estate of his own he took land to farm and by trade he was a felt monger and glover.
In some years after, he removed within the compass of Pardsh ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 6 - Journal of John Banks, Part 2
My wife's letter to me.
Dear Husband,
After long expectation to hear from thee, I have, before the writing hereof, received two letters whereby I was much satisfied and refreshed. But in thy last from Somersetshire I observe that thou hast been under weakness of body for some time. At the first hearing of this I was sad in my spirit, but consider ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 7 - Journal of John Banks, Part 3
In my return after ten weeks it came upon me that I must go to Wicklow again. And when I came to Dublin, there was a letter from Wicklow, informing that the people desired another meeting and that the sergeant who took me before the governor was willing we should meet in his house. The priest hearing thereof threatened him and he was afraid so that ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 8 - Journal of John Banks, Part 4
When my friend John Watson and I had traveled through the nation of Ireland, visiting Friends therein, and had been much comforted and refreshed together with them, a concern came upon us to visit Friends in Scotland. So we sailed in a half-decked boat from Donaghadee in Ireland and landed at Portpatrick in Scotland. From Portpatrick we traveled se ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 9 - Journal of John Banks, Part 5
This year I went to Ireland again, from whence I wrote the following letter to my wife:
Dear Wife,
In that which openeth my heart to the Lord and maketh me truly tender before him am I at this time enlarged in tenderness towards thee, with our dear children and servants, desiring to the Lord that by the same power thy heart may be kept open in te ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 10 - Journal of John Banks, Part 6
On the 15th of the same month, in the evening, came the jailer and ordered Thomas Hall and myself to the common jail because we could not answer his unreasonable demands. Howbeit there was not room in the common jail, for it was wholly taken up with poor debtors and thieves. I having been sick for some time and not well recovered, a Friend said to ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 11 - A Supplement to His Journal
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF HIS LATTER END AND DYING WORDS.
After settling in Somersetshire as aforesaid and his marriage with his second wife, Hannah Champion, an honest woman of Mear in the said county, in the eighth month, 1696, he traveled in the work of the ministry in the western and adjacent counties while he was of ability, particularly into Devo ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 12 - Epistles and Papers
Unto You With Whom I Once Had My Conversation
The truth in soundness held forth and declared unto those with whom I formerly had my conversation, who are yet remaining in the cloudy dark day, tossed from mountain to hill, and cannot find a place of rest for your souls, but are crying, "There are so many ways, worships, and opinions held forth in t ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 13 - Unto You Who Once Knew the Truth
UNTO YOU WHO ONCE KNEW THE TRUTH, THE LIGHT, TO YOUR JUSTIFICATION; BUT BEING TURNED FROM IT INTO THE UNCLEAN WORLD, IT IS NOW YOUR CONDEMNATION
That all in whom there yet remains any tenderness, or breathings towards the Lord and his truth, and whom the enemy of their souls' peace may be tempting to forsake the truth, for the enjoyment of that ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 14 - For Friends of Pardsay Meeting
FOR FRIENDS OF PARDSAY MEETING, OR ELSEWHERE IN CUMBERLAND; TO BE READ AMONG THEM IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
Dear Friends,
The foundation of God standeth sure and they whose building is thereupon dwell in safety, where the enemy cannot come. Dear Friends, keep the watch, that nothing may have any entrance into your hearts but the beloved of your ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 15 - The Testimony of Truth
THE TESTIMONY OF TRUTH AGAINST ALL THE CUSTOMS, FASHIONS, WAYS, WORDS, WORSHIPS, CARRIAGES, AND BEHAVIORS THAT BE IN THE WORLD, WHICH ARE OUT OF THE TRUTH
With an exhortation and warning to all that profess the truth and come amongst God's people, and yet are found in the said customs, fashions, ways, words, &c., and plead for them. The people o ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 16 - An Epistle on Good Order
Dear Friends and Brethren, unto whom the salutation of my love reacheth.
In all your meetings together to do service for the Lord, his truth, and people and to see that good order be kept in the churches of Christ, wait diligently to be endowed with power and wisdom from above, which is pure and peaceable, that by the same you may be guided to jud ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 17 - The Blessed Effects of True and Saving Faith
With encouragement to all Friends everywhere that suffer for the sake of truth and righteousness.
Dear Friends,
The great work of God in the sons and daughters of men is to purify the heart and make clean the inward parts, which is through faith in his Son. Faith is the gift of God and the work of it is to purify the heart and cleanse from dead ...read
The Life and Ministry of John Banks: Chapter 18 - An Exhortation to Friends
Dear Friends,
Many have been the mercies, privileges and deliverances of which the Lord your God hath made you rich partakers as you have stood faithful, ever since he gathered you out of the world by an arm of mighty power stretched forth.
And first of all, let me put you in mind of his love and good will towards you in so calling and gathering ...read
