1.    Thomas Camm from The memory of the righteous revived
2.    Charles Marshall on the 1654 visit of John Camm and John Audland to Bristol: from The memory of the righteous revived
3.    Ann Audland (later Camm) on her husband John Audland: from The memory of the righteous revived

Thomas Camm on his friend John Audland:
from The memory of the righteous revived (1689)

John Audland was Born in the same County [Westmorland], not above a Mile from Camsgil, his Parents and Kindred of good Repute; who when he was but a Child was of a very ripe and quick wit of Understanding and Apprehension, though somewhat inclineable to youthful Play, execept which; never addicted to any Vice; about the Age of seventeen or eighteen Years, the Lord inclined his Heart to Sobriety, and reading the holy Scriptures, and to be very Religious in what was then manifested; so that he chose the Company and Society of the best and most Religious in that day, and having a large Understanding, and great Memory, he became able in the Knowledge of the Scriptures; and could largely discourse of things relating to Religion, and the Duties thereof; in so much, that amongst a Society then gathered, or separated from the common National way of Worship, he became an eminent Teacher, and highly esteemed of amongst them; and not only so, but many times he would have gone to Chappels, or the Parish Steeple-house, where there was some Idle Sottish Priests, and there would have Preached, and abundance of People was taken and affected with him; and in great Multitudes would have flocked after him: Now being grown upward of twenty years of Age, he took to Wife a Sober, Vertuous, and Religious Maid, of the same Separated Society, called Ann Newby of Kendal, and the Lord made them a great Comfort and Blessing each to other, while they both lived together, which was about thirteen years. Since the Death of her Husband, the Lord by his Providence hath Blessed me with the enjoyment of her being given me to Wife.

But in the fulness of God's appointed time, as aforesaid, the Lord sent his Messenger and Servant George Fox, and by the Message of Life by him Preached, in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus Christ: This John Audland was reached the first time that ever he heard him; and he received George Fox into his House, being fully satisfied that he was one that possessed, what he himself had but a notion and profession of; and then by the Revelation of Jesus Christ, in the Light of God's eternal day he came to see the emptiness of his great Profession, and high flown Notion, and that all his own Righteousness was but as filthy Raggs, Dross and Dung; so that he sat down in silence and astonishment, like Job, for many daies; and great and weighty was the Work of the Lord upon his Spirit, being as a Man stript of all his earthly Wisdom, and his Profession being confounded and brought to nought, under the exercise of the Hand of the Lords Power; he did Mourn and Weep bitterly, biding adieu, adieu to all the World, and all the empty Professions therein; a great Hunger and Thirst the Lord having raised in his Heart and Soul, for a Saviour ...

As he was diligent and laborious in the Work and Service of the Lord in many parts of the Nation, so was he furnished for that Service, as the effects and Fruits thereof hath abundantly demonstrated, in many places where the Lord made him as a Father through the Word of his Power and Spirit, to beget and turn many to God, but most especially in and about Bristol, and several Counties in the West of England, where many can speak and bear Testimony, to the effectual working of that Word of Reconciliation that God had given him to publish, by which they were turned from Darkness to the blessed Light thereof.

In those Countries and many others his Labours and Travels were great, being often accompanied by my Father, John Camm; as long as he had strength outwardly to Travel, their Hearts being firmly knit together, as David and Jonathan, by the Bond of unspeakable Love, their very Lives being endearedly bound up in each other, in which Bond of Love their Unity was kept inviolated unto the end; whereby their Labours and Travels together were-very comfortable and joyous, being perfectly of one heart and spirit, and minding the same things, the glory of God, and the gathering of his Israel, in which Service they spent their daies & strength ...

He was a Man beloved of God and all good Men, and esteemed of by most that knew him; of a quick Apprehension, and great understanding, of a noble Spirit, yet in humility condescending to serve the least in Truth; his Company was exceeding delightful and pleasant, being always cheerful, his discourse good and tending to Edification, exceeding ripe in the Knowledge of the holy Scriptures, and of a strong Memory; he was often concerned in Disputations with Priests and other Opposers of the Way of Truth, that he bore Testimony too, and walked in; and the Lord had richly furnished him for that Service, to the stopping the Mouthes of Gain-sayers to Truths honour; his Declaration and Testimony exceeding large, free and affecting, almost to all sorts of People, many with great delight would flock to hear him in many places, which made his Service very great, in opening the way of Truth unto all; he having a Word in season to all Conditions, insomuch that he regarded not his outward Body, but many times went beyond the natural strength thereof, notwithstanding that he was young and strong, yet in this Service was much spent several Years before he departed and laid down his Head ...

When J. A. did grow weaker, by his lingering Distemper of a sore Cough, his Lungs wasting, he would often complain of an inward soreness in his Breast, though he seemed to look well, being of a Ruddy and fair Complexion, and would often say; Ah! those great Meetings in the Orchard at Bristol, I may not forget; I would so gladly have spread my Net over all, and have gathered all, that I forgot my self, never considering the inability of my Body; but its well my reward is with me, and I am content to give up, and be with the Lord, for that my Soul values above all things.

Betwixt two and three weeks before he died, he was taken (as was supposed) with an hective Feaver, and daily it encreased upon him; so that his sleep for many days and nights was taken from him, in which time I was often with him, being his desire and my delight to serve him; in which time Friends in abundance flocked to visit him from several parts; for, as I said before, he was a man greatly beloved of the Lord, and all his People, yea, many of the World had a good esteem of and loved him, and many times the Lord did wonderfully open his Mouth in Testimony to Friends (as if he had been without sence of his Sickness) to their great refreshment and exceeding joy; and often he would be raised upon his Knees upon his Bed, and supplicate the Lord in the behalf of his whole Heritage; and to prosper his Work in the Nation and Nations round about: he said that there was nothing in all the World, that he desired to live to enjoy, except the comfortable enjoyment of beloved Wife; whose desolate condition he often bemoaned; being so big with Child (as that she was delivered of a Son about ten days after his decease) but in this he said his will was in true subjection, submitting to the Will of the Lord, whether life or death; to God he often and again committed and recommended all the whole saying that he would be a Husband to his desolate Widow, and a tender Father to his fatherless Children, often entreating his dear Wife freely to give him up to the Will and disposing of the Almighty, whose he was, being made acceptable in the beloved Son; often sweetly comforting her in her Sorrow and great Distress, making as little shew of his illness (for her sake) as ever he might: yet we saw that he was under a great weight of Sickness, and that his strength daily wasted, so that in less then three weeks time after the Feaver took him, he finished here, and was sweetly taken to rest in the joy of the Lord for ever more, it being the day of the first Month 1663. and the next day was accompanied to his Grave, by many Friends and others, and his Body enterred in the aforesaid burying place at Birkrigge-Park.

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Charles Marshall on the visit of John Camm and John Audland to Bristol in 1654:
from The memory of the righteous revived (1689)

John Camm was an Ancient man, full of Zeal and Fervency in the Gospel; endued with the precious Gift of discerning, and sound Judgment; terrible to the man of Sin, and full of bowels and tenderness to the travelling Souls; Sharp and terrible to the evil, but sweet and Friendly to the tender; and well inclined unto the way of Righteousness, not sparing his weak body, which he offered up, even unto Death, to serve the Lord God in his blessed work of gathering, which he saw in a plentiful manner to his great satisfaction ... His memory is blessed, and his place is among the living Ancients in Jerusalem.

John Audland was a younger man, of a sweet ruddy and amiable Countenance, and of a chearful Spirit; one of the Wise in heart, filled with the excellent bright sparking glorious Power of the Lord God everlasting; in which he appeared many times so filled, that immortallity shined in his Face, and his Voice was as Thunder, therein dreadful in the Strengh of the Lord of Hosts against the man of Sin, and those in Covenant therewith; terrible in the dread of God against the Workers of iniquity; but livingly tender to the sensible Travellers, and poor in spirit. Ah! my Soul hath a sensible remembrance, how the Doctrine given him of Christ Jesus dropt as dew, and sweetly descended as the refreshing Rain: He was a Labourer indeed, Night and Day in the Labour of the Gospel; in which he extreamly spent himself; and his fervent and unexpressible Travells in and about the City of Bristol, I am well satisfied, laid a Foundation for the wasting his natural Life; which was spent, and offered up for the Truth, and in the work of it ... These two faithful Ministers of Christ Jesus came to the City of Bristol, in the 5th Month 1654. and first they came amongst a seeking people, who kept one day in the week in fasting and praying, waiting for, and breathing in Spirit after the Morning and Visitation of God, and Day of Redemption; and amongst us they spoke the powerful Word of Life, in the dread of his Name that lives forever; and we were seized on, and smitten even to the Heart; and that Day, and the Visitation of it over took us, which we had longed and waited for ...

On a first day in the morning I went with these two Servants of God, about a mile and half from the City, to a little spring of Water, where I often had spent many Solitary hours in my tender years, seeking the Lord; where we sat some time, and drank of the spring. After some hours of the morning were spent, I saw in them a great travel in Spirit; Trembling, J. A. said, let us be going into the City; so we came to the Street called Broadmead, to a house where were several People met together, enquiring after these two men of God. John Audland was under a great exercise of Spirit, and said, Is here any one that has any interest in any Field? An ancient man said, I have in a Field prety near; notice being given to the People in the house, they came forth; and as we went along, people in the Streets went also to the Field, called Earls-mead; so that we came a pretty number, where some Seats or Stools were brought; Dear John Camm began to speak tenderly, and in great Zeal, directing to the heavenly Grace of God, and [t]estifying against Sin and Iniquity fervently; to which some were attentive in this season; I perceived a great exercise of Spirit on my dear Friend, and Father in Christ Jesus, J. Audland who very much trembled. After dear John Camm stood down, he stood up, full of dread and shining brightness on his countenance, lifted up his Voice as a Trumpet, and said, I proclaim spiritual War with the Inhabitants of the Earth, who are in the Fall and Seperation from God, and Prophesie to the four winds of Heaven; and these words dropt amongst the Seed; and so went on in the mighty Power of God Almighty, opening the way of Life. But, ah! the seizings of Souls, and prickings at heart, which attended that season; some fell on the Ground, others crying out under the sence of opening their States ... Indeed it was a notable day, worthy to be left on Record, that our Children may read ...

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Ann Audland (later Camm) on her husband John Audland:
from The memory of the righteous revived (1689)

He was a man of an exceeding sweet disposition, unspeakably loving and tenderly affectionate, always ready to lend a helping hand to the weak and needy, open-hearted, free and near to his Friends, deep in the understanding of Heavenly Mysteries, willing and able to give advice and counsel to the afflicted and bowed down, with whom he alwayes did sympathize in their sufferings; he was abundantly filled with Love and endeared kindness to all his Brethren, and fellow Labourers in the Gospel, and had an honorable esteem of the least that was faithful in that work, and his life was bound up in the unity and fellowship of the Spirit with them; whatever would in the least appear to break that bond amongst Friends, he was sharpe in the Authority of Truth against, to judge the same.

He was greatly beloved, and highly esteemed of in the Lord, for his works sake; notwithstanding, not lifted up thereby, but preserved in great humility and lamb-like lowliness, never seeking to Lord over Gods Heritage; but to serve the least for the Gospels sake, always detesting self exaltation in whom soever it appeared.

His Body and outward Strength was much spent, through his great Labours for several Years before the Feaver took him, of which he dyed, so that he under-went many wearisome nights, through the exercise of a most violent Cough, though he bore it with unspeakable patience and contentedness ...

The memory of the righteous revived being a brief collection of the books and written epistles of John Camm & John Audland, those two faithful
and honourable servants of the Lord ... together with several testimonies relating to those two faithful labourers /
edited Thomas Camm & Charles Marshal (London: Andrew Sowle, 1689)     Early English Books Online.

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