GOD HAS A SEED EVEN IN THIS PLACE
A Summary of a Sermon Delivered by DANIEL WHEELER, 25th of 1st Month, 1834, in
Rio de Janeiro.
Memoirs of Daniel Wheeler. In: Evans, William & Evans, Thomas, eds. Friends' Library,
Vol. VII. Philadelphia: Joseph Rakestraw, 1843, pages 110-111.
This Is The Quaker Homiletics Online Anthology, Part 3: The 19th Century.
...The meeting being concluded, James Thornton read the Morning meeting's certificate; and after
commenting a while on its contents, we were favoured to drop into a solemn silence, which
continued until interrupted by my having to state, that it had never been contemplated before
leaving England, that we should have to touch at a place where bigotry, superstition, and slavery
stalk unmasked with an open face, particularly as it had not come within the range of the prospect
before us. I acknowledged having mentioned to my son(1) some days ago, that I thought our
coming here must be for some object unknown to us at that time; but since we had been sitting
together, I found that the Lord had a seed, even in this place, that fear him and think upon his
name; and unto these in an especial manner, my heart was enlarged in the love of the everlasting
gospel,--that love which would gather all mankind into the heavenly garner of rest and peace. I
had not proceeded much further in the expression of a desire that their "faith might not stand in
the wisdom of men, but in the power of God," before I had to turn their attention to the solemnity
so evidently spreading over us,, as the crown and diadem of every rightly gathered religious
assembly; a feeling not at our command, nor in the power of man to produce, and which could
only be felt, when the great Head of the Church fulfills his gracious promise,--"where two or three
are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." After this the way seemed
more fully opened, and a door of entrance also for the doctrines of the gospel in plainness and
freedom. I had particularly to speak of the nature of true spiritual worship, and waiting upon the
Lord,--the necessity of knowing for ourselves the great work of regeneration to be going on,--the
true faith of the gospel as it is in Jesus the Author and Finisher thereof, which worketh by love,
purifyeth the heart, and giveth victory over death, hell, and the grave,--stating that I had nothing
new to offer,--that "other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ;"--reviving the terms prescribed by himself to those who would become his disciples and followers:--"the poor in spirit" were reminded, that to them the blessing appertains, and the kingdom
belongs;--the woeful sentence to the unprofitable servant, was contrasted with that of the faithful
occupier of his Lord's talents; the beauty, purity, and spirituality of the true gospel church, and
the necessity and practicality of becoming members thereof, while here on earth, were held up to
view. Considerable brokenness appeared in some individuals; and I believe it may be said, that
Truth rose into dominion, and reigned over all.
1. Charles Wheeler, who accompanied his father on this ambitious voyage throughout the Pacific,
which they had, of course, not yet reached.