LIFE & JOURNAL - Christian Israelite Church

1819-1822
I saw anything in my life, yet I did not join them then, for I
thought it was the Jews whom I was to join.
But there was yet no rest for me neither day nor night. In the
former part of the year 1820, I was commanded to go to
London, and to Liverpool, to the Jews; and I had the synagogue
at Liverpool transfigured before me, both inside and out. I had
no money, and I set off without anything but what covered my
nakedness (it is about seventy miles from Bradford to
Liverpool), and I went to Huddersfield, which is about ten
miles, where I was in company with three Methodist preachers,
who asked me many questions, and the Lord enabled me to
answer them, and they relieved me. I then walked to
Manchester, about twenty-five miles from Huddersfield, and I
asked a boy in the street if he knew where I could get lodgings,
for I had but sixpence in my pocket. He took me to a house,
and the master understanding where I came from, asked me if I
knew a man of the name of John Wroe, and I said “Yes”. He
said, “What sort of a man is he?” I said, “Some men give him a
very indifferent character, but time proveth all things.” And he
looked very earnestly at me, and asked me if I was the man? I
said, “I believed I was.” And they said I should be welcome
there while I stopped, without paying anything. The next day a
man of the name of Morrison came to me, and told me of some
visions which he had seen with his eyes open in the element -
two swords, and a serpent which twisted every way.
In the evening I went to a watchmaker’s shop on Shude-hill,
where were two Jews; and I told them that the God of Israel had
told me to travel three years, and to tell them that he would set
his hand the second time to the covenant which he made with
Abraham, and he would cause those which were joined amongst
the Gentiles to come and join them. I said do not your
Scriptures say, “Ye shall suck the milk of the Gentiles?” What
is the milk? And they said, “The Word”. And they made sport
of me, and said they would circumcise me, but one gentleman
who lived about a mile out of the town, said if I would go with
him his house should be free for me, but I told him I would stop
at the house which I had been at. I told him I was going to
Liverpool, to the synagogue, and that I had had the synagogue