{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_61777/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_61777","id":"gutenberg_61777","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61777","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Hicks, Elias, 1748-1830 -- Diaries","Hicksites","Quakers -- United States -- Diaries"],"text":"JOURNAL\n\nOF THE\n\nLIFE AND RELIGIOUS LABOURS\n\nOF\n\nELIAS HICKS.\n\n\nWRITTEN BY HIMSELF.\n\n\n NEW-YORK;\n PUBLISHED BY ISAAC T. HOPPER.\n 1832.\n\n\n\u201cEntered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1832, by\nValentine Hicks, and Robert Seaman, in the Office of the Clerk of the\nSouthern District of New-York.\u201d\n\nPUBLISHED FOR THE PROPRIETORS.\n\n NEW-YORK:\n STEREOTYPED BY REES & REDFIELD.\n No 216 William-street.\n\n\nLudwig & Tolefree, Printers, Corner of Greenwich & Vesey sts. N. Y.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nAmong the papers which were left by Elias Hicks, there were several\nmanuscripts, written by himself, containing many particulars respecting\nhis life and religious engagements. His connexions have collected\nthese Memoirs, and now present them to the notice of the public. In\nperforming this office, they believe that they will be rendering an\nacceptable and useful service to his survivors. To those who were\npersonally acquainted with him, it will be interesting to review\nthis brief record of his long and useful life; and to all, it may be\nanimating and instructive to contemplate the feelings and experience of\nan individual, who, it will be seen, was, in his retired moments, as\nfervent in his aspirations for purity and humility of heart, as he was\nfaithful and diligent in his public labours for the promotion of truth\nand righteousness in the earth.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n\n\n PREFACE. 3\n\n\n CHAPTER I.\n\n Birth, 1748. Early visitations of Divine grace. Apprenticeship.\n Trials and temptations. Marriage, 1771. Renewed visitations of\n Divine love. Appearance in the Ministry. Situation of Friends\n during the war. Journey to Philadelphia, 1779. Visit to Friends\n on the Main, 1781. Illness, 1781. Visit on Long Island, 1782.\n Visit to the meetings on the Main, 1782. 7\n\n\n CHAPTER II.\n\n Visit to Nine Partners, 1783. Visit on Long Island, 1784. Visit\n to New-York and Staten Island, 1790. Visit to Vermont, 1790.\n Visit on Long Island, 1791. General visit to Friends of New-York\n yearly meeting, 1791. Visit to the meetings of Ministers and\n Elders, 1792. Visit to Friends in New-England and Vermont, 1793.\n 25\n\n\n CHAPTER III.\n\n Visit to the meetings of Ministers and Elders, 1795. Visit to\n Friends in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and\n Virginia, 1798. 54\n\n CHAPTER IV.\n\n Visit to Connecticut, 1799. Visit to Oblong and Nine Partners.\n 1800. Visit on Long Island, 1800. Visit to Friends in New Jersey,\n and Pennsylvania, 1801. 82\n\n\n CHAPTER V.\n\n Visit to Friends in Canada, and some of the northern parts of the\n yearly meeting of New-York, 1803. Visit on Long Island, Staten\n Island, and New-York, 1806. Visit to Purchase, Nine Partners, and\n Stanford, and some adjacent parts, 1806. Visit to Nine Partners,\n 1807. Visit to Purchase, Nine Partners, and Stanford, 1808. Visit\n to the subordinate meetings, 1808. Visit to Purchase, 1809.\n Visits on Long Island, 1812 and 1813. Visit to Purchase in 1813.\n 106\n\n\n CHAPTER VI.\n\n Engagements at and about home, 1813. Visit to Friends in the\n middle and southern States, 1813. 132\n\n\n CHAPTER VII.\n\n Engagements at and about home, 1813 and 1814. 159\n\n\n CHAPTER VIII.\n\n Visit to Purchase, and engagements at and about home, 1814. 184\n\n CHAPTER IX.\n\n Visit to families of Friends in New-York, and engagements at and\n about home, 1815. 206\n\n\n CHAPTER X.\n\n Engagements at and about home, 1815. Visit to the monthly\n meetings within the circuit of Nine Partners quarterly meeting,\n 1815. 229\n\n\n CHAPTER XI.\n\n General visit to Friends in New England, 1816. 253\n\n\n CHAPTER XII.\n\n Engagements at and about home, and within Westbury quarterly\n meeting, 1816 and 1817. 273\n\n\n CHAPTER XIII.\n\n Engagements at and near home, 1817. Visit to some parts of the\n yearly meetings of Philadelphia and Baltimore, 1817. 294\n\n\n CHAPTER XIV.\n\n Engagements at and near home, and within the limits of Westbury\n quarterly meeting. Visit to some parts of the yearly meeting of\n New-York, 1818. 322\n\n\n CHAPTER XV.\n\n General visit to Friends of the yearly meeting of New-York, 1819.\n 355\n\n\n CHAPTER XVI.\n\n Journey to Ohio in 1819. Visit to the neighbouring inhabitants in\n 1819. Visit to Farmington and Duanesburgh quarterly meetings in\n 1820. Visit to some parts of Pennsylvania, and to Baltimore, in\n 1822. Visit to some of the lower quarterly meetings in 1823. 373\n\n\n CHAPTER XVII.\n\n Visit to Baltimore to attend the yearly meeting in 1824. Visit\n to the inhabitants of the eastern part of Long Island in 1825.\n Visit to Scipio quarterly meeting in 1825. Visit to Southern and\n Concord quarterly meetings in Pennsylvania in 1826. Visit to the\n families of Friends in Jericho and Westbury monthly meetings in\n 1827. Visit to Friends in some parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania\n and Ohio in 1828. 396\n\n\n CHAPTER XVIII.\n\n Continuation of his visit to Friends in some parts of Ohio,\n Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey in 1828. Decease\n of his wife in 1829. Visit to Friends in the yearly meeting of\n New-York in 1829. 411\n\n\n APPENDIX.\n\n Letter to Hugh Judge in 1830. 439\n\n His decease in 1830. Memorial of the monthly meeting of Jericho\n in 1830. 444\n\n\n TRANSCRIBER\u2019S NOTE.\n\n\n\n\nJOURNAL OF ELIAS HICKS.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n Birth, 1748.--Early visitations of Divine\n grace.--Apprenticeship.--Trials and temptations.--Marriage,\n 1771.--Renewed visitations of Divine love.--Appearance in the\n Ministry.--Situation of Friends during the war.--Journey to\n Philadelphia, 1779.--Visit to Friends on the Main, 1781.--Illness,\n 1781.--Visit on Long Island, 1782.--Visit to the Meetings on the\n Main, 1782.\n\n\nHaving experienced many mercies and preservations, both spiritual and\ntemporal, in passing through this probationary state, I am induced to\nrecord some little account of them, under a sense of humble gratitude\nto my gracious and merciful Creator and Preserver.\n\nI was born on the 19th day of the third month, 1748, in the township\nof Hempstead, in Queens county, on Long Island. My parents, John and\nMartha Hicks, were descended from reputable families, and sustained a\ngood character among their friends and those who knew them. My father\nwas a grandson of Thomas Hicks, of whom our worthy friend Samuel Bownas\nmakes honourable mention in his journal, and by whom he was much\ncomforted and strengthened, when imprisoned through the envy of George\nKeith, at Jamaica, on Long Island. Neither of my parents were members\nin strict fellowship with any religious society, until some little time\nbefore my birth. My father was at that period united in membership with\nFriends; but as his residence was mostly at some distance from meetings\nand in a neighbourhood where very few Friends lived, my associates,\nwhen young, were chiefly among those of other religious persuasions,\nor, what was still worse for me, among those who made no profession\nof religion at all. This exposed me to much temptation; and though I\nearly felt the operation of divine grace, checking and reproving me\nfor my lightness and vanity, yet being of a lively active spirit, and\nambitious of excelling in my play and diversions, I sometimes exceeded\nthe bounds of true moderation, for which I often felt close conviction\nand fears on my pillow in the night season.\n\nWhen I was about eight years old, my father removed his habitation\nand settled on a farm which his father had left him, on the south\nside of the island, near the sea shore. This introduced a new scene\nof diversion to my active mind, which was prone to pleasure and\nself-gratification. The shore abounded with fish and wild fowl,\nand I soon began to occupy myself with angling for the former, and\nshooting the latter. These amusements gained an ascendency in my mind,\nand although they were diversions for which I felt condemnation at\nlater periods, yet I am led to believe that they were, at this time,\nprofitable to me in my exposed condition, as they had a tendency to\nkeep me more at and about home, and often prevented my joining with\nloose company, which I had frequent opportunities of doing without\nmy father\u2019s knowledge. My mother was removed by death when I was\nabout eleven years of age, and my father was left with the care of\nsix children, three older, and two younger, than myself; and although\nhe endeavoured to keep his children within the limits of truth, yet\nopportunities sometimes occurred to join with vain companions. But the\nLord was graciously near to my poor soul in my tender years; and he\nfollowed me with his reproofs, and his dread made me afraid.\n\nWhen I was about thirteen years of age, I was placed with one of my\nelder brothers who was married, and lived at some distance from my\nfather\u2019s residence. I was here without any parental restraint; and\nmixing with gay associates, I lost much of my youthful innocence,\nand was led wide from the salutary path of true religion, learning\nto sing vain songs, and to take delight in running horses. Yet I did\nnot give way to any thing which was commonly accounted disreputable,\nhaving always a regard to strict honesty, and to such a line of conduct\nas comported with politeness and good breeding. Nevertheless, I\nbecame considerably hardened in vanity, and on several occasions in\nriding races was exposed to great danger; and had it not been for the\nprovidential care of my heavenly father, my life would have fallen a\nsacrifice to my folly and indiscretion. O my soul, what wilt, or canst\nthou render unto the Lord for all his benefits, for his mercies are new\nevery morning!\n\nAbout the seventeenth year of my age, I was put an apprentice to learn\nthe trade of a house carpenter and joiner, and this by no means placed\nme in a more favourable situation than before; for my master, although\nconsidered an orderly man, and one who frequently attended Friends\u2019\nmeetings, was yet in an eager pursuit after temporal riches, and was\nof but little use to me in my religious improvement. We had to go from\nplace to place, as our business called, to attend to our work, and I\nwas thereby introduced into hurtful company, and learned to dance and\nto pursue other frivolous and vain amusements. During my apprenticeship\nI passed through many trials and much exposure; and I have often\nthought, that had it not been for the interposition of divine mercy and\ngoodness, I should have fallen a prey to the varied temptations which\nsurrounded me; for although I was overtaken in many faults, in which my\npoor soul was deeply wounded, and for which I afterwards felt the just\nindignation of an offended God, yet when I have looked back on this\nscene of my life, and recounted the many snares that I escaped, all\nthat is truly sensible within me has been bowed in humble admiration of\nthe Lord\u2019s mercies and deliverance; and in reverent gratitude, I was\nmade to praise and magnify his great and adorable name, \u201cwho is over\nall. God blessed for ever.\u201d In the midst of my vanity and exposure,\nthe Lord, as a gracious father, was often near; and when I was alone,\nhe inclined my mind to solid meditations.--Some of my leisure hours\nwere occupied in reading the Scriptures, in which I took considerable\ndelight, and it tended to my real profit and religious improvement.\n\nMy youthful companions would often endeavour to persuade me and each\nother, that the amusements, in which we spent much of our precious\ntime, were innocent; yet being very early convinced by the divine\nlight that its teachings were truth, it had, in my calmer moments, an\nascendency in my mind over all the reasonings and persuasions of men.\nNevertheless, I had such a proneness to levity and self-gratification,\nthat I often ran counter to clear conviction, and went on for a\nconsiderable time, sinning and repenting; for the Lord in great mercy\nhad regard to me in my tried condition, and often opened a door of\nreconciliation to my poor soul. But I was too weak to keep my covenants\nin the midst of so many temptations, until by his righteous judgments,\nmixed with adorable mercy, he opened to my mind, in a very clear\nmanner, the danger I was in of falling into eternal ruin.\n\nUnder the weight of this impression, my heart, in the midst of\nmerriment, was often made very sad; and while engaged in the dance\nmy soul was deeply sensible of its evil and folly: even my reasoning\npowers, when thus enlightened by the clear evidence of divine light,\nwere made to loathe it as a senseless and insipid pursuit, and utterly\nunworthy of a rational being. But although I formed resolutions\nto refrain from this evil and others of a like nature, yet it was\ndifficult to resist the importunities of my companions; and I found\nby experience, that if I would altogether cease from them, I must\nwholly withdraw from the company of those who were inclined to such\npursuits. On the last occasion that I was present at a dance, and in\nwhich I was pressed to take a part, I was brought under great concern\nof mind, and was struck with a belief, that if I now gave way after\nforming so many resolutions, and should again rebel against the light,\nI might be left in an obdurate situation, and never have another\noffer of pardon. I also clearly saw that this would be just, and that\nmy blood would be upon my own head; and feeling the dread of the\nAlmighty to cover me, and a cry raised in my soul towards him, when\nI was called to participate in the dance, it seemed as though all my\nlimbs were fettered, and I sat down and informed the company that I\nwas now resolved to go no further. I was deeply tried, but the Lord\nwas graciously near; and as my cry was secretly to him for strength,\nhe enabled me to covenant with him, that if he would be pleased in\nmercy to empower me, I would for ever cease from this vain and sinful\namusement: and he instructed me, that if I would escape the danger of\nanother trial, I must keep myself separate from such companions; and\nblessed for ever be his right worthy name, in that he hath enabled me\nto keep this my covenant with him from that time inviolate.\n\nIn looking back to this season of deep probation, my soul has been\ndeeply humbled; for I had cause to believe that if I had withstood at\nthis time the merciful interposition of divine love, and had rebelled\nagainst this clear manifestation of the Lord\u2019s will, he would have\nwithdrawn his light from me, and my portion would have been among the\nwicked, cast out for ever from the favourable presence of my judge. I\nshould also for ever have been obliged to acknowledge his mercy and\njustice, and acquit the Lord my redeemer, who had done so much for me;\nfor with longsuffering and much abused mercy he had waited patiently\nfor my return, and would have gathered me before that time, as I well\nknew, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but I would\nnot. Therefore it is the earnest desire of my spirit, that the youth,\nand others whom it may concern, may wisely ponder their ways, and not\nthink that the frivolous excuses which those make, who endeavour to\njustify themselves in such vain and wicked diversions, by saying that\ntheir parents judge it innocent, or their teachers have instructed them\nso to believe, or that under the law it was deemed admissible, will\nstand them in any stead in the day of solemn inquisition: for what\nare all these carnal reasonings worth, when weighed in the balance\nof the sanctuary, against one single conviction of the divine light\nin the secret of the heart. The last is clear and self-evident; the\nothers are mere evasive excuses: and I often reflect with surprise\non the conduct of those parents, who are spending their substance in\nhiring idle dancingmasters to teach their children this unnatural and\nunchristian practice, and who plead for excuse the example of righteous\nDavid. But how unlike is their dancing to his, who did it only in\nworship and honour to his God, and in conformity with the outward\ndispensation under which he lived. We have, however, a better and\nhigher example than David, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the mediator\nof a better covenant; this covenant is _inward_, even the law written\nupon the heart, which no outward example of others can ever abrogate\nor disannul; nor do his doctrines or self-denying example in any wise\napprobate or justify this foolish and idle practice, but, in all parts\nthereof, condemn and disapprove it: for if none can be his disciples,\nexcept those who deny themselves, and take up their cross daily, as\nassuredly no others can, how can those be acceptable to him who are\nliving in the daily gratification of their own licentious wills, and\nspending their precious time and talents in such fruitless and vain\nsports.\n\nHis self-denying apostles also have left us neither example nor\nprecept in justification of such wanton and evil amusements; but we\nare exhorted by them to redeem the time, because the days are evil,\nand to use diligence to make our calling and election sure, and to\nfollow them as they followed Christ: there is not a word of learning\nto dance, or of dancingmasters, but an exhortation to abstain from\nall idle and vain sports, and foolish talking and jesting, which are\ncontrary to Christian gravity, and to the self-denying example of the\nblessed Jesus, who, when personally on earth, was a man of sorrows\nand acquainted with grief; and, therefore, the house of mourning is\nrecommended to all who are wise in heart, for it is the fool\u2019s heart\nonly that is captivated in the house of mirth.\n\nMy apprenticeship being now expired, I gradually withdrew from the\ncompany of my former associates, became more acquainted with Friends,\nand was more frequent in my attendance of meetings; and although this\nwas in some degree profitable to me, yet I made but slow progress in\nmy religious improvement, until several years after I had entered\ninto a married state. The occupation of part of my time in fishing\nand fowling had frequently tended to preserve me from falling into\nhurtful associations; but through the rising intimations and reproofs\nof divine grace in my heart, I now began to feel that the manner in\nwhich I sometimes amused myself with my gun was not without sin; for\nalthough I mostly preferred going alone, and while waiting in stillness\nfor the coming of the fowl, my mind was at times so taken up in divine\nmeditations, that the opportunities were seasons of instruction and\ncomfort to me; yet, on other occasions, when accompanied by some of\nmy acquaintances, and when no fowls appeared which would be useful to\nus after being obtained, we sometimes, from wantonness or for mere\ndiversion, would destroy the small birds which could be of no service\nto us. This cruel procedure affects my heart while penning these lines;\nbut my gracious Redeemer was drawing my mind from such low amusements,\nand I was led to consider conduct like this to be a great breach of\ntrust, and an infringement of the divine prerogative. It therefore\nbecame a settled principle with me, not to take the life of any\ncreature, except it was really useful and necessary when dead, or very\nnoxious and hurtful when living. And, in exercising this privilege,\nwe ought to be careful to do it in the most mild and tender manner in\nour power; for I think every candid mind must be convinced, that the\nliberty we have for taking the lives of other creatures, and using\ntheir bodies to support our own, is certainly an unmerited favour, and\nought to be received by us as the bounty of our great benefactor, and\nbe acknowledged with great humility and gratitude.\n\nI have likewise from reflection, founded on observation, and from the\nnature and reason of things, been led to believe, that we frequently\nerr by the liberty we take in destroying what we esteem noxious\ncreatures; and not only abuse the power given us over them by our great\nCreator, but likewise act very contrary to our own true interest.\nFor, as all in the beginning was pronounced good that the good God\nhad made, we ought not to destroy any thing that has life, for mere\ngratification. It is our indispensable duty, as reasonable accountable\nbeings, wisely to ponder our ways, and consider the consequent effect\nof all our conduct; for if we are to give an account of every idle\nword, how much more so of every presumptuous act.\n\nIn the twenty-second year of my age, apprehending it right to change\nmy situation from a single to a married state, and having gained an\nintimate acquaintance with Jemima Seaman, daughter of Jonathan and\nElizabeth Seaman, of Jericho, and my affection being drawn towards\nher in that relation, I communicated my views to her, and received\nfrom her a corresponding expression of affection; and having the full\nunity and concurrence of our parents and friends, we, after some time,\naccomplished our marriage at a solemn meeting of Friends, at Westbury,\non the 2d of 1st month, 1771. On this important occasion, we felt the\nclear and consoling evidence of divine truth, and it remained with us\nas a seal upon our spirits, strengthening us mutually to bear, with\nbecoming fortitude, the vicissitudes and trials which fell to our lot,\nand of which we had a large share in passing through this probationary\nstate. My wife, although not of a very strong constitution, lived\nto be the mother of eleven children, four sons and seven daughters.\nOur second daughter, a very lovely promising child, died when young\nwith the small pox, and the youngest was not living at its birth. The\nrest all arrived to years of discretion, and afforded us considerable\ncomfort, as they proved to be in a good degree dutiful children. All\nour sons, however, were of weak constitutions, and were not able to\ntake care of themselves, being so enfeebled as not to be able to walk\nafter the ninth or tenth year of their age. The two eldest died in the\nfifteenth year of their age, the third in his seventeenth year, and the\nyoungest was nearly nineteen when he died. But, although thus helpless,\nthe innocency of their lives, and the resigned cheerfulness of their\ndispositions to their allotments, made the labour and toil of taking\ncare of them agreeable and pleasant; and I trust we were preserved from\nmurmuring or repining, believing the dispensation to be in wisdom, and\naccording to the will and gracious disposing of an all-wise providence,\nfor purposes best known to himself. And when I have observed the great\nanxiety and affliction, which many parents have with undutiful children\nwho are favoured with health, especially their sons, I could perceive\nvery few whose troubles and exercises, on that account, did not far\nexceed ours. The weakness and bodily infirmity of our sons tended\nto keep them much out of the way of the troubles and temptations of\nthe world; and we believed that in their death they were happy, and\nadmitted into the realms of peace and joy: a reflection, the most\ncomfortable and joyous that parents can have in regard to their tender\noffspring.\n\nIn the spring after our marriage, my wife\u2019s relations gave me an\ninvitation to come and live with them, and carry on the business of\ntheir farm, they having no other child than her. I accepted this\nproposal, and continued with them during their lives, and the place\nafterwards became my settled residence. My advantages, in a religious\npoint of view, were greater than before; as I had the benefit of the\ncompany of several worthy Friends, who were my neighbours, and by whose\nexample I was frequently incited to seriousness and piety; yet, having\nentered pretty closely into business, I was thereby much diverted from\nmy religious improvement for several years. But, about the twenty-sixth\nyear of my age, I was again brought, by the operative influence of\ndivine grace, under deep concern of mind; and was led, through adorable\nmercy, to see, that although I had ceased from many sins and vanities\nof my youth, yet there were many remaining that I was still guilty of,\nwhich were not yet atoned for, and for which I now felt the judgments\nof God to rest upon me. This caused me to cry earnestly to the Most\nHigh for pardon and redemption, and he graciously condescended to hear\nmy cry, and to open a way before me, wherein I must walk, in order to\nexperience reconciliation with him; and as I abode in watchfulness\nand deep humiliation before him, light broke forth out of obscurity,\nand my darkness became as the noonday. I had many deep openings in\nthe visions of light, greatly strengthening and establishing to my\nexercised mind. My spirit was brought under a close and weighty\nlabour in meetings for discipline, and my understanding much enlarged\ntherein; and I felt a concern to speak to some of the subjects engaging\nthe meeting\u2019s attention, which often brought unspeakable comfort to\nmy mind. About this time, I began to have openings leading to the\nministry, which brought me under close exercise and deep travail of\nspirit; for although I had for some time spoken on subjects of business\nin monthly and preparative meetings, yet the prospect of opening my\nmouth in public meetings was a close trial; but I endeavoured to keep\nmy mind quiet and resigned to the heavenly call, if it should be\nmade clear to me to be my duty. Nevertheless, as I was, soon after,\nsitting in a meeting, in much weightiness of spirit, a secret, though\nclear, intimation accompanied me to speak a few words, which were then\ngiven to me to utter, yet fear so prevailed, that I did not yield to\nthe intimation. For this omission, I felt close rebuke, and judgment\nseemed, for some time, to cover my mind; but as I humbled myself under\nthe Lord\u2019s mighty hand, he again lifted up the light of his countenance\nupon me, and enabled me to renew covenant with him, that if he would\npass by this my offence, I would, in future, be faithful, if he should\nagain require such a service of me. And it was not long before I\nfelt an impressive concern to utter a few words, which I yielded to\nin great fear and dread; but O the joy and sweet consolation that my\nsoul experienced, as a reward for this act of faithfulness; and as I\ncontinued persevering in duty and watchfulness, I witnessed an increase\nin divine knowledge, and an enlargement in my gift. I was also deeply\nengaged for the right administration of discipline and order in the\nChurch, and that all might be kept sweet and clean, consistent with the\nnature and purity of the holy profession we were making; so that all\nstumbling blocks might be removed out of the way of honest inquirers,\nand that truth\u2019s testimony might be exalted, and the Lord\u2019s name\nmagnified, \u201cwho is over all, God blessed for ever.\u201d\n\nA war, with all its cruel and destructive effects, having raged for\nseveral years between the British Colonies in North America and the\nmother country, Friends, as well as others, were exposed to many\nsevere trials and sufferings; yet, in the colony of New-York, Friends,\nwho stood faithful to their principles, and did not meddle in the\ncontroversy, had, after a short period at first, considerable favour\nallowed them. The yearly meeting was held steadily, during the war,\non Long Island, where the king\u2019s party had the rule; yet Friends from\nthe Main, where the American army ruled, had free passage through\nboth armies to attend it, and any other meetings they were desirous\nof attending, except in a few instances. This was a favour which\nthe parties would not grant to their best friends, who were of a\nwarlike disposition; which shows what great advantages would redound\nto mankind, were they all of this pacific spirit. I passed myself\nthrough the lines of both armies six times during the war, without\nmolestation, both parties generally receiving me with openness and\ncivility; and although I had to pass over a tract of country, between\nthe two armies, sometimes more than thirty miles in extent, and\nwhich was much frequented by robbers, a set, in general, of cruel\nunprincipled banditti, issuing out from both parties, yet, excepting\nonce, I met with no interruption even from them. But although Friends\nin general experienced many favours and deliverances, yet those scenes\nof war and confusion occasioned many trials and provings in various\nways to the faithful. One circumstance I am willing to mention, as it\ncaused me considerable exercise and concern. There was a large cellar\nunder the new meeting-house belonging to Friends in New-York, which\nwas generally let as a store. When the king\u2019s troops entered the city,\nthey took possession of it for the purpose of depositing their warlike\nstores; and ascertaining what Friends had the care of letting it,\ntheir commissary came forward and offered to pay the rent; and those\nFriends, for want of due consideration, accepted it. This caused great\nuneasiness to the concerned part of the Society, who apprehended it not\nconsistent with our peaceable principles to receive payment for the\ndepositing of military stores in our houses. The subject was brought\nbefore the yearly meeting in 1779, and engaged its careful attention;\nbut those Friends, who had been active in the reception of the money,\nand some few others, were not willing to acknowledge their proceedings\nto be inconsistent, nor to return the money to those from whom it was\nreceived; and in order to justify themselves therein, they referred to\nthe conduct of Friends in Philadelphia in similar cases. Matters thus\nappearing very difficult and embarrassing, it was unitedly concluded\nto refer the final determination thereof to the yearly meeting of\nPennsylvania; and several Friends were appointed to attend that meeting\nin relation thereto, among whom I was one of the number. We accordingly\nset out on the 9th day of the 9th month, 1779, and I was accompanied\nfrom home by my beloved friend John Willis, who was likewise on the\nappointment. We took a solemn leave of our families, they feeling\nmuch anxiety at parting with us, on account of the dangers we were\nexposed to, having to pass not only the lines of the two armies, but\nthe deserted and almost uninhabited country that lay between them, in\nmany places the grass being grown up in the streets, and many houses\ndesolate and empty. Believing it, however, my duty to proceed in the\nservice, my mind was so settled and trust-fixed in the divine arm of\npower, that faith seemed to banish all fear, and cheerfulness and quiet\nresignation were, I believe, my constant companions during the journey.\nWe got permission, with but little difficulty, to pass the outguards\nof the king\u2019s army at Kingsbridge, and proceeded to Westchester. We\nafterwards attended meetings at Harrison\u2019s Purchase, and Oblong, having\nthe concurrence of our monthly meeting to take some meetings in our\nway, a concern leading thereto having for some time previously attended\nmy mind. We passed from thence to Nine Partners, and attended their\nmonthly meeting, and then turned our faces towards Philadelphia, being\njoined by several others of the Committee. We attended New Marlborough,\nHardwick, and Kingwood meetings on our journey, and arrived at\nPhiladelphia on the 7th day of the week, and 25th of 9th month, on\nwhich day we attended the yearly meeting of Ministers and Elders, which\nbegan at the eleventh hour. I also attended all the sittings of the\nyearly meeting until the 4th day of the next week, and was then so\nindisposed with a fever, which had been increasing on me for several\ndays, that I was not able to attend after that time. I was therefore\nnot present when the subject was discussed, which came from our yearly\nmeeting; but I was informed by my companion, that it was a very\nsolemn opportunity, and the matter was resulted in advising that the\nmoney should be returned into the office from whence it was received,\naccompanied with our reasons for so doing: and this was accordingly\ndone by the direction of our yearly meeting the next year.\n\nThe yearly meeting closed on the 2d day of the following week; and\nfeeling my health a little restored, though still very weak, I left\nthe city, and was taken by my kind friend John Shoemaker to his house.\nThe next morning being rainy, and being still unwell, I rested here\nduring the day, but my companion proceeded to attend the monthly\nmeeting at the Falls. The next day I went to Byberry meeting, after\nwhich I rode with our valuable friend James Thornton to John Watson\u2019s,\nat Middletown, where I was again joined by my companion. We attended\ntheir monthly meeting, and found things in but poor order, and\ndiscipline at a low ebb, for want of faithful standard bearers. We then\nattended meetings, to some satisfaction, at Wright\u2019s Town, Plumbstead,\nand Buckingham. From thence we proceeded to the monthly meeting at\nHardwick, where things appeared very low as to the right exercise of\ndiscipline; but feeling our minds engaged, we laboured, in the ability\nreceived, for their assistance and encouragement. After this we passed\non to the Drowned Lands, and attended a meeting with the few Friends\nof that place, and some others who came in; but things, pertaining to\nreligion, seemed at a very low ebb with them, which makes hard work\nfor the poor traveller. From thence we went pretty directly to Nine\nPartners, and after having two meetings there, we proceeded to Oswego\nand Apoquague, and then to the monthly meeting at Oblong, in all which\nmeetings truth was exalted, and I left them with peace of mind. We then\nturned our faces homeward, and after going a few miles on our way, we\nwere overtaken by a constable, with a warrant from a magistrate to\nbring my companion before him, who, after examination, committed him\nto a board of commissioners, as a dangerous person to travel at such\na time. We were led to believe, on inquiry, that this interruption\nwas merely the fruit of envy, and occasioned by two acquaintances\nof my companion, who had fled from the Island for refuge. However,\nafter a short detention, which gave me an opportunity of visiting a\nfew families of my relations, and of attending a small meeting which\nI had passed from in some heaviness before, he was set at liberty,\nand we attended the quarterly meeting at Oblong. After this we passed\non, taking meetings at Peachpond, Amawalk, and the monthly meeting\nat Purchase, and from thence proceeded home. I found my family well,\nwhich, together with the preservations and favours experienced in our\njourney, impressed my mind with thankfulness and gratitude to the great\nand blessed author of all our mercies. I was from home in this journey\nabout nine weeks, and rode about eight hundred and sixty miles.\n\nAfter the close of the aforesaid journey, I felt my mind engaged to\nmake a general visit to Friends on the Main belonging to our yearly\nmeeting; and with the concurrence of Friends, and in company with\nWilliam Valentine, who, under a like concern, had agreed to be my\ncompanion, I left home on the 1st of the week, and 4th of 3d month,\n1781, in order to accomplish the same. We sat with Friends in our\nown meeting, and then proceeded to Flushing; and the next day, the\ncommanding officer of the king\u2019s troops at this place permitting us,\nwe crossed the Sound to Frog\u2019s Neck, and lodged with our friend Joseph\nCaustin. On the following day we attended an appointed meeting at\nWestchester, and then went forward, taking meetings as they came in\ncourse for fifteen days successively, the last at Little Nine Partners:\nand although in many places meetings appeared in a low state, as to\nthe life of religion, yet, through divine favour, help was afforded,\ninsomuch that I generally left them with the satisfactory evidence,\nthat my way had been rightly directed among them.\n\nAfter the last mentioned meeting we set forward towards Saratoga, and\nlodged that night at an inn. The innkeeper\u2019s wife, in the course of\nsome conversation, discovered that my companion and I were from Long\nIsland, where the king\u2019s party bore rule; and she, being a friend to\ntheir cause, seemed to wonder much, that we should leave them, and\ncome out among the Americans, signifying that if she was there, she\nshould not be willing to come away; and when I informed her that I\nexpected we should shortly return thither again, her admiration was\nstill more excited, and she was surprised how we should dare to act\nso: whereupon I took occasion to acquaint her how we stood in regard\nto the contending parties; informing her that as we took no part in\nthe controversy, but were friends to them and to all mankind, and\nwere principled against all wars and fightings, the contending powers\nhad such confidence in us, and favour towards us, that they let us\npass freely on religious accounts, through both their armies without\ninterruption; a privilege, which they would not grant to their own\npeople. This account made her marvel greatly, having never heard of\nthe like before. She acknowledged it was very good, and wished for\nherself that she could come into the same situation, but said she\ncould not, unless she first had retaliation for the wrongs she had\nreceived, after which, she said she should be willing to forgive them;\nnot considering, that there was nothing to be forgiven, where full pay\nor satisfaction had been received. Nevertheless, this is the natural\ncondition and disposition of all worldly-minded men and women, who have\nnot known, through the powerful influence of the gospel of Christ, the\nwork of regeneration and the new birth, whereby they might experience\nredemption from such a malicious and revengeful spirit.\n\nOn the next day we proceeded to Coeman\u2019s Patent, on the west side of\nHudson river, which we crossed at a place called Claverack landing. We\nreached there on 7th day evening, and the following day had a meeting\nwith the few Friends, who had lately settled at that place, and some of\ntheir neighbours, who were mostly Baptists. It was the first Friends\u2019\nmeeting ever held there, and was a satisfactory season. We then rode\nthat afternoon about twelve miles towards Albany, and lodged at an inn;\nand the next day we reached Saratoga, since called Easton, and lodged\nwith our friend Daniel Cornell. It was late in the night before we\narrived, and the evening snowy; and the country being newly settled,\nFriends\u2019 houses were generally but poor, so that several times, while\nin these parts, I felt the snow fall on my face when in bed. This\naffected me with a heavy cold when I first came here, but afterwards\nI was much favoured during the journey, having in good measure become\ninured to the hardships we had to go through. We attended the meetings\nbelonging to this monthly meeting, being four in number; viz. Saratoga\nalias Easton, Danby about forty miles further to the north east, White\nCreek, and Hoosack. The monthly meeting was held alternately at this\nlatter place and Saratoga. We also visited nearly all the families\nbelonging to this monthly meeting, and had good satisfaction, and a\npeaceful reward of our labours. From thence we went to New Britain,\nand visited three families, in each of which there was but one member\nof our Society. We then returned to Nine Partners, and attended their\nmonthly meeting, also several other meetings in that neighbourhood\nwhich we were not at in our way up. After this we attended Oblong\nquarterly meeting, and next the monthly meeting of Shapaqua; and then\ntaking meetings at Purchase, Mamaroneck and Westchester, we passed the\nSound again, and got safe home the 15th day of 5th month. I was gladly\nreceived by my family and friends, having been absent on this journey\nabout ten weeks, and rode about eight hundred and fifty miles. We\nattended thirty-two meetings, six of which were monthly meetings, and\none quarterly meeting, and visited about ninety families.\n\nIt was in the latter part of this journey, between Mamaroneck and\nWestchester, that we met with the interruption, which I before alluded\nto, from some of those robbers, who frequented the country between\nthe two armies. I was a little ahead of my companion and some other\nFriends, and was met, and accosted by two of those persons in a very\nrough manner. I did not see them until they spoke, and one of them\ndemanded very rudely to know where we were going. I looked calmly upon\nhim, and informed him, without the least interruption of mind, where\nwe were intending to go. He then interrogated me further, as to where\nwe had been, what our business was, and where we were from, to all of\nwhich I gave true and suitable answers in a mild and pleasant tone.\nThey seemed thereby to be entirely disarmed of their rage and violence,\nalthough they had just before robbed and beat a man; and the one, who\nhad hitherto stood silent, being the most overcome, said to his fellow,\n\u201cCome, let us go, the Quakers go where they please;\u201d and, then turning\naway, they left us to pursue our journey without further interruption.\nI considered this as a merciful preservation through the interference\nof divine providence, who, by his power, not only sets bounds to the\nsea, and saith, \u201cHitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here\nshall thy proud waves be stayed,\u201d but also limits the rage and will of\nwicked men, and turns them from their purpose; and thereby delivers,\nfrom their power and cruelty, those that put their trust in him.\n\nIn the fall of the year 1781, I was taken sick with a fever, which\nlasted for several months, in the course of which my strength became\nvery much exhausted, and some of my friends were ready to conclude,\nthat I should not continue long with them; yet, through the whole of\nmy indisposition, I had to believe that I should recover. But through\nthe exercise and distress both of body and mind which I experienced,\nit proved a very humbling dispensation to me. One circumstance in\nparticular made it peculiarly exercising to my mind, although it was\nthat on which I principally grounded my belief of recovery. When I\nwas reduced nearly to the lowest state of bodily weakness, a prospect\nopened on my mind to pay a religious visit to some parts of our island\nwhere no Friends lived, and among a people, who, from the acquaintance\nI had with them, were more likely to mock, than to receive me, seeing\nthat I considered myself but a child in such a service. But when the\nprospect first presented, it was very impressive on my mind, and an\ninjunction seemed to attend requiring my assent thereto; and although\nI pleaded as an excuse my weakness and inability of body, as well as\nmy unfitness, even if I was well, for such a service, yet with all my\nreasonings and pleadings I could feel no excuse granted me, and the\nrequisition lay heavy upon me both day and night. By my thus standing\nout, I was brought very low both in body and mind; and finding that\nI could get no peace in this state of refusal, and that if I did not\nyield, my life must be taken for my stubbornness without any prospect\nof peace hereafter, I at length yielded to the heavenly call, which\nbrought immediate peace and comfort to my afflicted soul; and the\nLord was very gracious, opening many things for my encouragement. In\nthe forepart of the next summer, having fully recovered my health,\nand apprehending the right time had arrived to perform this service,\nI opened it to the monthly meeting, and obtained its unity and\nconcurrence, and two Friends agreed to bear me company. We set out\nabout the middle of the 8th month, 1782, and had a very favoured\nmeeting at Jamaica, with a considerable number of the inhabitants.\nAfter this we had a meeting at Samuel Doughty\u2019s, on the south side of\nthe island, and then passed on to a Dutch settlement called Flatlands,\nwhere we had some difficulty to obtain a meeting, in consequence of the\npriest of the place being opposed thereto. The people seemed generally\nafraid to offend him, but said that if he would consent, they should\nbe very willing to attend. However his assent could not be obtained,\nfor he appeared very jealous lest his interest in the people should\nbe affected. But there was one man, who seemed so much master of his\nown house, that he said we were welcome to have a meeting in it, let\nothers say what they might. A meeting was accordingly appointed, which,\nalthough small, was a satisfactory opportunity. The master of the house\nand his wife, in an especial manner, seemed much affected therewith,\nand pressed us to come and see them again. From thence we passed on,\nand had meetings at Gravesend, New-Utrecht, and Springfield, all to\ngood satisfaction. From the latter we proceeded home, feeling the\ncomfortable reward of peace for this service, and very thankful to the\nLord, my gracious helper, for his countenance and support therein. May\nhis name be praised for ever.\n\nIn the latter part of 1782, I attended, with a committee of the yearly\nmeeting, the quarterly meeting on the Main, and the monthly meetings\nthereunto belonging, on a proposition from the said quarterly meeting\nfor a division thereof. We were absent about seven weeks, and rode\nabout six hundred and sixty miles.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n Visit to Nine Partners, 1783.--Visit on Long Island, 1784.--Visit to\n New-York and Staten Island, 1790.--Visit to Vermont, 1790.--Visit\n on Long Island, 1791.--General visit to Friends of New-York yearly\n Meeting, 1791.--Visit to the Meetings of Ministers and Elders,\n 1792.--Visit to Friends in New-England and Vermont, 1793.\n\n\nIn the fall of the year 1783, I attended the quarterly meeting at Nine\nPartners, also the meeting for sufferings, which was held there at\nthis time; and, on my return, I was at the meetings held at Oswego and\nPerquage. I was from home about eleven days, and rode about one hundred\nand seventy miles. The reward of peace which I felt for this little\nservice, and finding my family well on my return, excited gratitude and\nthankfulness of heart to the author of all our mercies and blessings;\nwho richly rewardeth every labour of his dependent and devoted children.\n\nA concern having for some time impressed my mind to pay a religious\nvisit to the inhabitants of some of the adjacent towns, who were not\nin profession with us, and having obtained the unity and concurrence\nof my friends therein, I left home on the 1st day of the week, and\n13th of 6th month, 1784, in order to perform that service. I attended\nour own meeting in the forenoon; and, in the afternoon, one appointed\nat Hempstead Harbour, to good satisfaction. Our next appointment was\non 2d day, at a village called Herricks, where there was but little\nprofession as to religion; nevertheless, we had a refreshing season\namong them. The power and presence of the Lord were witnessed to\npreside amongst us in an eminent manner. Many hearts were tendered;\nand the peaceable kingdom and government of the Messiah was exalted:\nto Zion\u2019s king may all the praise be ascribed, who only is worthy for\never.\n\nFrom thence we went to the widow Cornell\u2019s at Success, where we lodged,\nand had a satisfactory meeting there the next day; many present were\naffected by the power of truth, which ran freely over all, to the\ncomfort and refreshment of the sincere-hearted. After this we rode\nto Benjamin Doughty\u2019s and lodged; and the next day we had a meeting\nat the Little Plains, about a mile from our lodgings, among a loose\nairy people. The Lord\u2019s power was manifest for our help, bringing\nthings close home to their several conditions. The day following,\nwe attended two meetings, one at Jamaica, and the other at a place\ncalled the Fresh Meadows, near Flushing. Although the people were\ntoo generally at ease, and in an unconcerned state, with regard to\ntheir religious improvement, yet, through the interposition of divine\ngoodness and mercy, some hearts were tendered by the convicting power\nof truth, and ourselves comforted in the faithful discharge of duty.\nAfter these opportunities, we rode to our friend Isaac Underhill\u2019s at\nFlushing, and lodged; and the next day attended a meeting appointed in\nFriends\u2019 meeting-house in that town, wherein the Master\u2019s presence was\nwitnessed, to the comfort and satisfaction of the upright in heart.\n\nFrom thence we went to Newtown, and lodged with a man not in profession\nwith us. We had a meeting at his house the following day, wherein\nthe spirit of truth favoured with gospel communication, suited to\nthe states of those present, and relieving to my own mind. The four\nfollowing days we attended meetings at the Kilns in Newtown, Bushwick,\nBrooklyn, Flatbush, Flatlands, and Gravesend. After the last, we turned\nour faces homeward, having a meeting at Samuel Doughty\u2019s, and another\nat a wigwam, among the black people and Indians; both satisfactory\nseasons. The next meeting was at Springfield, among a people, who\nappeared to be in a state of great darkness; but the Lord was pleased,\nby his own power, to command the light to shine in many hearts;\ninsomuch that the meeting ended under divine favour. To Him alone may\nall the praise be ascribed, who is worthy for ever. The day following,\nattended two meetings; one at Foster\u2019s Meadow, the other at the widow\nKeziah Mott\u2019s.\n\nAfter this we rode to my father\u2019s at Rockaway, on the south side\nof the Island; and the next day attended a meeting there. The day\nfollowing attended two meetings at Hempstead South, the latter at\nthe house of our friend John Smith; all I trust, in a good degree,\nprofitable and instructive seasons. Our next and last appointment, at\nthis time, was in the town of Hempstead, the following day. It was a\nlarge satisfactory opportunity; wherein divine help was afforded to\nminister suitably to the states of those present, and to the comfort\nand edification of many minds. To the Master of our assemblies, be the\npraise. Nothing is due to man. From hence I returned home, and found my\nfamily well; having rode, whilst out, about one hundred miles.\n\nA few weeks after my return from the aforesaid visit to the inhabitants\nof some of the adjacent towns, not feeling my mind relieved from the\nservice, I again left home on the 4th of the 8th month following, in\norder to finish the visit. The first meeting I attended was again\nat Hempstead; and from thence proceeded along the south side of the\nisland, having meetings at Thomas Seaman\u2019s near Jerusalem, and Thomas\nSands\u2019 at Huntington South. The next was at Islip, on 7th day; but not\nfeeling clear, I appointed another the following day, being the 1st\nof the week. This proved a satisfactory season. The same afternoon,\nI attended another meeting about thirteen miles farther east, at a\nplace called Blue Point. Thence passing on along the south side of\nthe island, I attended meetings at Patchogue, the Fire Place, South\nHampton, North Sea, Amaganset and Montauk at the east end of the\nisland, among the Indian natives. In all of them, strength was afforded\nto preach the gospel in a good degree of divine authority, and to the\ngeneral satisfaction of those assembled, and the solid peace of my own\nmind.\n\nAfter the meeting at Montauk among the natives, we returned that\nafternoon to a meeting at East Hampton, which we had appointed in our\nway down, and was held at the fifth hour. The priest of the town,\nand a considerable number of his hearers, attended, and all passed\naway quiet. We went from thence to the north part of the island,\nhaving meetings at Sagharbour, Shelter Island, South Hold, Oyster\nPond Point, and Stephen Vail\u2019s, a little back from the Point; thence\nback by Riverhead to St. George\u2019s Manor, where we had a meeting, and\nall satisfactory seasons. We passed from thence by Wading River to\nSetauket, and Stonybrook, holding meetings at the two last places to\ngood satisfaction. The meeting at Setauket, especially, was a solemn\ntime; the Lord\u2019s presence was witnessed, to the tendering many hearts.\nAfter this we took meetings at Jonah Wood\u2019s, and James Oakley\u2019s, and\nfrom thence returned home, and found my family well; for which favour,\nwith the peace and satisfaction I felt in the performance of this tour\nof duty, my mind was inspired with gratitude and humble acknowledgments\nto the Lord, my gracious helper.\n\nIn the 12th month following, feeling my mind drawn to a few places\neastward, on the north part of the island, I again left home on the\n2d of said month, and took meetings at Huntington, Cowharbour, Crab\nMeadow, Smithtown, Setauket, Wading River, Quoram, Joshua Smith\u2019s\nnear the branch; and from thence home. In all those meetings, truth\nfavoured me with ability to discharge myself faithfully, to the peace\nof my own mind; and, I trust, to the edification and instruction of the\nhonest-minded in the several meetings.\n\nHaving felt drawings on my mind to pay a religious visit to some, not\nin profession with us, on the western part of our island, New-York, and\nStaten Island, and obtaining the concurrence of our monthly meeting,\nI proceeded therein, the 28th of 3d month, 1790, Fry Willis kindly\nbearing me company. Our first appointment was at Newtown, at the widow\nSmith\u2019s, who received us, and opened her house for a meeting, which was\nheld to good satisfaction. The next day we had two meetings; the first,\nat Friends\u2019 meeting-house at the Kilns, the other, in the evening, at a\nneighbouring village, called Juniper Swamp; both favoured seasons, many\nhearts being tendered by the prevalence of the spirit of truth, which,\nthrough heavenly help, was exalted over all. The day following, way\nopening therefor, we had a meeting at Hurlgate in the afternoon, to the\ngeneral satisfaction of those present, and to my own comfort; having\nbeen enabled to discharge myself faithfully, in a plain way among them.\nAfter this we proceeded to New-York, and the evening of the next\nday, we had a large, and, I trust, profitable meeting, in a public\nbuilding called the City Tavern. Our next appointment was in Friends\u2019\nmeeting-house, the evening following; it was a very large collection,\nand, through the gracious extendings of divine mercy, the power of\ntruth was exalted over all, to the comfort and strength of my own mind,\nand the solid satisfaction and rejoicing of many present.\n\nThe day following we passed to Staten Island, and the next day, being\nthe 1st of the week, we had two meetings: the first, at the house of\nPeter Prawl, who was favourably inclined towards Friends. It was a\nfavoured season, wherein the Master\u2019s presence was witnessed eminently\nto preside, and in the precious influence thereof, the gospel was\npreached in demonstration of the Spirit, and with power, to the\nawakening and tendering the hearts of many present: to the Lord only\nwise, be the praise and glory of his own work; for he only is worthy\nfor ever. The meeting in the afternoon, held at the house of the widow\nof our friend Thomas Ridgway, proved a trying season, but I trust\nended well. We had two more meetings on the island the next day, and\nthe solemnity attending gave encouragement to hope, that they were of\nsome use to those assembled. After this we returned to New-York with\npeace of mind, accompanied with the good wishes of many of those we had\nvisited.\n\nThe day after our arrival in the city, Friends\u2019 monthly meeting was\nheld, which we attended; and the evening of the next day, we had a\nlarge satisfactory meeting in the suburbs of the town, in a large\nbuilding called the Hospital. The next day, at the tenth hour, visited\nthe poor in the poor house. The visit was comfortable and satisfactory.\nAt the third hour we had a pretty full meeting, in a house belonging\nto the Methodists, which they offered us for that purpose; and in the\nevening we had another large meeting in Friends\u2019 meeting house; both\nsatisfactory seasons, and, I trust, comfortable and edifying to many\nwho attended. The next day we visited a few families of Friends, as\nway opened, which closed our visit for this time to the city. The day\nafter, being the first of the week, and the 11th of 4th month, we had\na satisfactory meeting at Brooklyn. The two following days we attended\ntwo meetings on our way home, the first at Samuel Doughty\u2019s, at Jamaica\nSouth, the latter in Jamaica town; both favoured seasons, although many\nwho attended were light and airy; yet the power of truth rising into\ndominion, a comfortable solemnity was spread over the assemblies. I\nleft them in the enjoyment of true peace of mind, and returned to my\nfamily the evening following, and found all well; which, with other\nunmerited favours, witnessed in the course of this little engagement,\nfilled my mind with thankful acknowledgments to the Shepherd of Israel,\nwho is over all, worthy for ever.\n\nIn the latter part of the summer of this year, I performed a visit,\nin company with James Parsons of New-York, to some people favourably\ndisposed towards Friends, who resided in the towns of Strafford\nand Sharon, in the State of Vermont, about fifteen miles west of\nConnecticut river. I left home the 28th of 7th month, and attended\nPurchase quarterly meeting, and a meeting on first day, at Cornwall\nin Connecticut, on our way, and then passed on to Northampton on\nConnecticut river; from thence up the east side of the river, through\nMassachusetts and part of New Hampshire, as far as Hanover; then\ncrossing the river, we rode about fifteen miles westerly, to the town\nof Strafford, to the house of Timothy Blake, who was principally\ninstrumental in collecting those people. Their first meeting was at\nhis house. He appeared convinced of the principle of the inward light,\nas held by us; and had gathered a number into the same belief, in a\ngood degree. They held two meetings when we came among them, one at\nhis house, and the other at the adjacent town of Sharon; but, for want\nof keeping inward enough to the principle of divine light and grace,\nthey became weak; and those, who apprehended it their duty to teach,\nhad got too much out into words and speculative preaching and doctrine,\nwhich soon produced discord and a schism among them. They appeared\nto have been at times much favoured, and several of them had their\nunderstandings considerably illumined; insomuch that they were joined,\nat their request, in membership with Friends, and their meetings came\nunder Friends\u2019 notice; but being far distant from any other meeting\nof the society, and not keeping low and little enough, they mostly\nbecame bewildered and scattered, and their meetings dropped. Yet a\nfew kept, or regained, their first love; several of whom afterwards\nremoved nearer to Friends. We passed several days among them; and then,\ntaking leave, returned homeward by Danby, Saratoga alias Easton, and\nHudson, to Nine Partners, attending meetings as they fell in our way,\nand reached Nine Partners in time for their quarterly meeting. After\nthis we passed pretty directly home, attending a meeting at Shapaqua on\nfirst day. I was from home, on this journey, about three weeks and five\ndays, attended two quarterly meetings, and seven particular meetings,\nand travelled about five hundred and ninety-one miles.\n\nIn the latter part of the winter, and spring of the ensuing year,\nin the drawings of gospel love, and with the unity of my friends, I\nperformed a visit to a number of the adjacent towns and villages on our\nisland, among those not in profession with us. I was from home about\ntwo weeks, and attended fifteen meetings, and rode about one hundred\nand fifteen miles.\n\nA prospect having for some time impressed my mind to make a general\nvisit to Friends of our yearly meeting, and to have some meetings\namong those not in profession with us, in parts adjacent, with the\nconcurrence of my brethren at home, I set out on this service, the\n23d of 10th month, 1791, and had meetings at Flushing, Newtown and\nBrooklyn, on my way to New-York. Our quarterly meeting was held there\nat this time; it ended on the sixth day of the week, and was a solemn\nseason, and graciously owned by the Master\u2019s presence; many weighty\nsubjects were opened through well qualified instruments, to the\nsatisfaction and encouragement of the living. We were favoured with the\ncompany of our beloved friend Mary Ridgway, and her companion, from\nIreland. The 29th, I proceeded on my journey, with Andrew Underhill,\nwho had kindly given up to bear me company. We went by water to Staten\nIsland, and the next day, being the first of the week, we attended\ntwo appointed meetings, the first at the house of a man inclined to\nFriends, whose wife was convinced of our principles; the latter at the\nhouse of a professor among the Methodists. Both were favoured seasons,\nmany hearts being tendered through gospel communication, which flowed\nfreely to the people. The 31st, we had another meeting on the island,\nat the house of the widow Ridgway; after this, in the evening, we had\na favoured and instructive season with the widow\u2019s family. The next\nday we passed over to Rahway, in East Jersey. And on fourth day, the\n2d of 11th month, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Plainfield, and an\nappointed meeting in the evening at Elijah Pound\u2019s, near Brunswick;\nboth, I trust, profitable seasons to some present.--We returned next\nmorning to Rahway, and attended Friends\u2019 meeting in that place; and\none in the evening at Woodbridge, and returned to Rahway to lodge. The\nnext day we passed over again to Staten Island, and had two meetings\nin the south-western part, wherein help was afforded to discharge\nmyself faithfully, in a plain way, suited, as I believe, to the states\nof those who attended; they were of different professions, being\nEpiscopalians, Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists. We returned\nagain on seventh day evening to our lodgings at Rahway, to the house\nof our kind friend Joseph Shotwell; and the next day, being the first\nof the week, and 6th of the 11th month, we attended their forenoon and\nafternoon meetings; both, I trust, instructive edifying seasons, worthy\nof remembrance. To the Lord only wise, be the praise and glory of his\nown work, for to him it is due.\n\nThe following day we attended an appointed meeting at the eleventh\nhour in Elizabethtown, at the house of our friend Joseph Stackhouse;\nand, although small, yet it proved a satisfactory season; and in the\nevening, one at Newark, held in their court-house, which was large\nand much crowded. I was drawn forth among them in a large doctrinal\ntestimony, I believe to general satisfaction, and greatly to the peace\nand relief of my own mind. Our next appointment was on the evening\nfollowing, at a place called the English Neighbourhood, on the east\nside of Hackensack river, at the house of Thomas Frost, a physician.\nAlthough it was the first meeting appointed by Friends, ever held\nat that place, and the people mostly unacquainted with us and our\nprinciples, yet they came freely together, and generally behaved in an\norderly and commendable manner. The meeting was much favoured, being\nevidently owned by the Head of the Church; and ability was received to\ncommunicate divers things, relative to the true ground of real religion\nand spiritual worship, which appeared to obtain the general assent\nof those present. The next day, in the evening, we had a meeting at\nthe house of our friend Daniel Lawrence, at Tappan, which, although\nsmall, was in the main a satisfactory season. On the three following\ndays, we had two meetings, by appointment, on our way to Cornwall;\none at Kakiat, at the house of the widow Seaman, the other at William\nThorne\u2019s, at Smith\u2019s Clove. In going to the latter place, we rode over\nthe western part of the mountains, called the Highlands. We got to the\nhouse of our friend William Titus, at Cornwall, on seventh day evening.\nThe next day attended Friends\u2019 meeting there, and one, by appointment,\nin the evening at New Windsor; and lodged with our friend James Thorne.\nThe next day crossed the Hudson river, and had a meeting at Fishkill,\nin our way to Nine Partners; where we arrived on 3d day, and attended\nthe quarterly meeting of Ministers and Elders, which opened at the\neleventh hour. The two following days, the meeting for discipline and a\nparting meeting for public worship, were held. They were all favoured\nseasons, in which the faithful had cause to bless the name of the Lord,\nfor his mercy in manifesting his gracious presence for the strength and\nhelp of his people and servants; in a sense whereof, we parted from\neach other with mutual rejoicing.\n\nOn sixth day, we rode to Sharon in Connecticut, and the day following\nheld a meeting for the town\u2019s people in a large upper room in their\nschool-house. A considerable number attended: and, through heavenly\ngoodness, it proved a memorable time; the testimony of truth went\nfreely forth among them, powerfully reaching and tendering many hearts.\nTo the Lord alone, be the praise.\n\nAfter this meeting, we rode to the house of Simeon Prague, about three\nmiles north of the town, and attended a meeting there that evening.\nNext day, being the first of the week, we rode to Goshen, and attended\nthe meeting held there, at the house of Charles Richards; notice\nhaving gone before of our coming, it was a pretty full meeting, and\nended to satisfaction. We passed from thence to Tyringham, in the\nstate of Massachusetts; and, on third day, attended a meeting in that\nneighbourhood. Then travelling on that afternoon and the next day,\nwe got to Westfield, and lodged at an inn; and the following day,\nheld a meeting at our lodgings, for the neighbourhood. After this we\nrode to Norwich, and attended a meeting that evening at the house of\nPhineas Mixer, which proved, through heavenly help, a comfortable\nedifying season, although the general part of those who attended\nwere strangers to us and our principles. The three following days,\nwe passed on through the towns of Northampton, Hadley, Sunderland,\nMontague, Northfield and Walpole, to John Cook\u2019s, in Claremont,\nwhere we appointed a meeting to be held the next day. Our landlord\nundertook to give the notice to his neighbours; and having heard that\nFriends sometimes sit their meetings in silence, he was afraid, as he\nafterwards informed me, to notify any of the meeting, except two or\nthree of his particular friends; lest, if it should prove silent, they\nmight laugh him to scorn. In consequence thereof, the meeting was very\nsmall. But such was the kindness of divine Providence, that he did not\nfail to manifest his presence powerfully among, as it were, the two\nor three, to the conviction and reproof of our unfaithful landlord;\ninsomuch that he informed me, when I came that way again, that his\nfolly and blindness had given him much trouble and distress; and he was\nnow very pressing and desirous I would appoint another meeting, that he\nmight give all the neighbourhood general notice. But we let him know,\nthat we were not at our own disposal; and, as no way appeared open in\nour minds for such an appointment at present, we could not comply with\nhis desire.\n\nAfter the last mentioned meeting, we passed the next day to Windsor,\nthe most south-easterly town in the state of Vermont, on the west side\nof Connecticut river. Here we had a meeting in their court-house,\nwhich was very commodiously fitted up for the purpose, and proved a\nsolid satisfactory opportunity. After this we rode to James Willard\u2019s,\nin the town of Hartland; who, although brought up without any\nparticular knowledge of Friends, was yet so far one in principle with\nus, that he had maintained, by himself alone, a testimony against a\nhireling ministry, against fighting, and oaths, and the superstitious\nobservance of days; and had, by sound reasoning, so far defeated\nall his opponents, that he was permitted to remain quiet; although\nhis residence had mostly been among those rigid in the Presbyterian\nprofession. We had a meeting in his house, which appeared always to\nbe open to Friends, after his gaining an acquaintance with them;\nbut it being on the day set apart by those in authority as a day of\nthanksgiving, the meeting was small.\n\nWe took leave of our kind landlord, and journeyed forward; and got to\nthe town of Sharon the next day, to the house of Jared Bassett, who,\nwith some of his neighbours, who were likewise measurably convinced\nof our principles, held meetings together, after our manner. Here we\ncontinued some days, visiting those people, and attended their meeting\non first day, the 4th of 12th month; which, through favour, was, I\ntrust, a profitable, edifying season.\n\nOn third day we rode over to Hanover, a town on the east side of\nConnecticut river. And the day following had a meeting in the east\npart of said town, among a people mostly of the Baptist profession; it\nwas, I trust, an instructive season; things, relating to true religion\nand spiritual worship, being largely opened. And after the meeting, we\nhad some free conversation on several material points; viz. election,\nfalling from grace, water baptism and the right use of the scriptures,\nall of which were opened apparently to the satisfaction of most\npresent. The evening of the next day, we had an appointed meeting near\nDartmouth College, which proved a very disturbed opportunity, by reason\nof the attendance of the young students, whose behaviour was very rude\nand unbecoming; nevertheless, I hope the season was profitable to some\npresent.\n\nWe returned the next day to Jared Bassett\u2019s, at Sharon, and the\nfollowing day attended two meetings, one at Strafford, and the other in\nthe evening at a place called the Hollow. After this we returned again\nto Jared Bassett\u2019s, and the next day, being the first of the week, and\nthe 11th of 12th month, we attended the meeting at his house; which,\nwith the two last, were, to myself at least, satisfactory seasons;\nfeeling conscious of having discharged my duty faithfully among them,\nand having the answer of peace therein. The next day we set out for\nDanby, the nearest meeting of Friends to this place; but by reason\nof a great fall of snow, and the way being mountainous, we did not\narrive there until the third day after we set out. The next day after\nour arrival, their monthly meeting began, which continued two days.\nIt was a low time, wherein I felt my mind much oppressed with the\napparent careless indifferent way in which Friends there conducted the\nweighty affairs of the Church; many of them appearing to act in their\nown will, in as light a manner, as they would in their own trivial\noutward business. Much labour was bestowed in a plain way, in order to\nimpress their minds with the necessity of being more weighty in their\nspirits, when they presumed to be active in the affairs of truth; and,\nI hope, to the encouragement of the honest hearted. We stayed their\nfirst day meeting, which was large, and proved a trying season; but I\nwas favoured to relieve my mind among them, although they appeared too\ngenerally insensible of the operation of truth.\n\nAfter meeting, we rode that afternoon, on our way towards Lake\nChamplain, about twelve miles, and attended a meeting at the house\nof our friend Joseph Button, that evening, among a people mostly of\nthe Baptist profession. It was a favoured season, and ability was\nreceived to open many things, in a plain way, relating to the Christian\nreligion. The strange doctrine of absolute personal election and\nreprobation was exposed, also that of the impossibility of falling from\ngrace; and the true baptism explained, in opposition to that of water.\nThe next day we pursued our journey towards Lake Champlain, where we\narrived on second day, and were in the neighbourhood of the lake, in\ndifferent towns, for about fifteen days, and attended eleven meetings\namong Friends and others, to general satisfaction, and the peace of my\nmind.\n\nAfter this we returned to Danby, and from thence we passed on, through\nQueensborough, to Saratoga and Easton; in which neighbourhood we had\ndivers comfortable and edifying meetings, among Friends and others.\nThen we went on through Pittstown, Williamstown, East Hoosack, New\nBritain, Kline-Kiln, Coeman\u2019s Patent, crossing the Hudson river on the\nice to the last mentioned place, and from thence to Hudson; most of the\nway upon the ice on the river. We had a meeting at each of those places\nto good satisfaction, also one at Hudson the next day after our arrival\nthere. After this we passed on, attending meetings at Little Nine\nPartners, and one at the house of our friend Tideman Hull; thence to\nthe Creek, where we had a precious opportunity on the first day of the\nweek, in a large meeting of Friends and others. Then having meetings at\nCrum-elbow and Oswego, we got in time to Nine Partners, to attend their\npreparative meeting the fifth day following, which proved a comfortable\nseason; and the next day attended a profitable meeting, appointed at\na place called Chesnut Ridge. The two following days we attended two\nmeetings, one at the Branch, and the other on the hill at Oblong; and\nthe day after, their monthly meeting; and returned to Nine Partners to\nattend the quarterly meeting, which began the next day.\n\nThe quiet and comfort of this meeting seemed much interrupted by the\nforwardness and inexperience of some in the ministry, which was cause\nof much affliction to my mind. Oh what great need there is for those,\nwho apprehend themselves called to that great and solemn office, to\nknow self wholly reduced; for, otherwise, there is danger of their\nendeavouring to clothe themselves with the Lord\u2019s jewels, which,\nnevertheless, will turn to their own shame and confusion. I had some\nclose exercise in the meeting of Ministers and Elders on that account.\nOn sixth day we were at the monthly meeting at the Creek, which was\nattended with a degree of divine power, but not without suffering some\nhurt, by the forward unskilful workmen before mentioned.\n\nFrom this meeting we crossed the Hudson again, and had meetings at\nLittle Esopus, Marlborough, and Newburgh Valley; and then returned to\nNine Partners, and attended their monthly meeting. After this, taking\nleave of Friends there, we turned our faces homewards, having meetings\nat Amawalk, Joseph Weeks\u2019 near Salem, Purchase, Apoquague, Mamaroneck,\nand Westchester; all favoured seasons, especially the last, which\nwas mostly composed of those not in membership with Friends. I was\nenabled, through divine aid, to open much doctrine to them, suitable\nto the occasion, and to the states of those present, to their general\nsatisfaction; and I felt great peace in my labour, not only for the\nservice of this meeting, but for all my past labour in this journey;\nwherein I had been graciously favoured, to my humbling admiration. To\nthe Lord only wise, be all the glory.\n\nThe next day we rode to New-York, where I lodged with my kind\ncompanion, and was cordially received by his beloved wife, and many\nother near and dear friends. We had been from the city four months\nand three days. The next day being the first of the week, I attended\ntheir forenoon and afternoon meetings, which were large; and the day\nfollowing rode to my own home, and, with a mind full of peace and solid\nsatisfaction, the sure reward of obedience, found my dear wife and\nchildren all well: for which favour, also for the manifold unmerited\nmercies and preservations I have from time to time received, my spirit\nbows in humble adoration before thee, O Lord God of our health and\nsalvation, and desires to ascribe unto thee greatness, with glory,\nthanksgiving, and high renown; for thou art worthy to receive it,\nthroughout all ages and generations, world without end. Amen.\n\nI was from home on this journey four months and eleven days; rode about\none thousand five hundred miles, and attended forty-nine particular\nmeetings among Friends, three quarterly meetings, six monthly meetings,\nand forty meetings among other people.\n\nIn the latter end of the 7th month, 1792, I left home, in company with\nsome other Friends, by appointment from the yearly meeting of Ministers\nand Elders, to visit the subordinate meetings throughout the yearly\nmeeting. I was from home nearly a month, in which time we visited\nmost of the meetings of Ministers and Elders, and attended many other\nmeetings; and, I believe, the visit was truly useful. We had many\nseasonable and comfortable opportunities among Friends, and, I trust,\nthe labour was blessed to some, and I felt peace of mind for this\nlittle service.\n\nA concern having for some time rested on my mind, in the feelings of\ngospel love, to pay a religious visit to Friends in New England, in\nthe spring of 1793, I opened it to my friends, and obtained their\ncertificate for that purpose. But I did not proceed therein till after\nour yearly meeting. I left home the 2d of 6th month, being the first\nof the week, and after attending our own meeting, I crossed the Sound\nthat afternoon, and got to the house of our friends Daniel and Samuel\nTitus at Horseneck, that evening. Here I met my companion James Mott\nfrom Mamaroneck, who had kindly given up to be my companion in this\njourney. We set forward next morning through the state of Connecticut,\nwhich took near three days, and arrived on fourth day evening at the\nhouse of our friend Amos Collins in Stonington, and the next day\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting at Hopkinton, in the state of Rhode Island.\nFrom thence we proceeded on towards Newport, attending meetings in our\nway, at Westerly, Richmond, South Kingston, Upper and Lower House,\nand Canonnicut Island; all satisfactory opportunities. After this we\ncrossed the ferry to Newport, and lodged at the house of our kind\nand very hospitable friend, the widow Mary Rodman, who, with her two\nworthy daughters, Sarah and Hannah, treated us with great kindness\nand affection; and where we continued to lodge, during our stay in\nthat town. The meeting of Ministers and Elders opened the next day at\nPortsmouth. After this we lodged that night at our friend Jacob Mott\u2019s,\nand the next day attended a meeting for worship at that place, which\nwas very large; although things appeared very low, as to the life and\nvirtue of truth, both among Friends and others, and lukewarmness and\nindifference seemed to prevail, which made it a laborious time for the\nhonest travellers, yet ability was afforded to discharge myself among\nthem to a good degree of satisfaction, and peace to my own mind; and we\nreturned that evening to Newport.\n\nThe yearly meeting closed on the third day following; and although\nstrength was afforded me to discharge myself in the several sittings\nthereof, both for worship and discipline, in a manner productive of\nthat true peace, which is the sure reward of a faithful discharge of\nduty, yet it was, for the most part, a dull time, and the spring of\nlife seemed very low; occasioned, in part, as I apprehended, by a very\nsmall number taking upon them the whole management of the business,\nand thereby shutting up the way to others, and preventing the free\ncirculation and spreading of the concern, in a proper manner, on the\nminds of Friends; which I have often found to be of very hurtful\ntendency.\n\nOn fourth day morning we left Newport, and rode to Portsmouth, and\nattended their preparative meeting. The forepart of the meeting for\nworship was a heavy season, in which it was my lot to be baptized for\nthe dead; but, as I patiently abode under suffering with the pure seed,\nthe Lord was pleased to arise, and give ability to come forth, and\nsound an alarm to the lifeless; whereby his power and presence were\nexperienced, in good measure, to cover the meeting, to the comfort\nand encouragement of the living travellers; to the Lord alone be the\npraise, who is worthy for ever.\n\nThe next day we passed the ferry, and rode to Tiverton, on the Main,\nand attended a meeting, by appointment, which was chiefly made up of\npeople not of our society. Through the prevalence of divine love,\nafter a season of close labour, strength was afforded me, largely to\nopen the truths of the gospel, in a clear manner, greatly to my own\nsatisfaction, and apparently so to most or all present; for which\nmy spirit was truly thankful. The next day we attended a meeting at\nLittle Compton, which was large, and mostly composed of people of\nother persuasions. It was a comfortable edifying season; the Lord was\ngraciously pleased to be near, and to afford wisdom and utterance; many\nthings were opened in a doctrinal way, suitable to the states of those\npresent, in the clear demonstration of the spirit, and with power; in\na sense whereof, the living were made to rejoice, and return thankful\nacknowledgments for such unmerited mercy.\n\nThe day after, we attended the monthly meeting of Friends of Acoakset,\nheld at Westport; the meeting for worship was very large, and like the\nformer, mostly composed of people of other persuasions. Ability was\nafforded me largely to open the nature of true worship, and to show the\nfruitlessness of mere outward performances in religion, without the\nanimating, quickening virtue of the word of eternal life, influencing\nand assisting the soul in that solemn act. The meeting for discipline\nwas small, and very few of those present appeared to be under right\nqualifications to be active in the affairs of the Church; consequently\ntheir business was conducted in great weakness, and in a way far short\nof maintaining the proper dignity of a monthly meeting. No way seemed\nto open to afford relief; as the disorder and weakness appeared to\nbe much in those, who assumed the place of leaders and heads in the\nmeeting, and great and uncommon rawness in most of the youth. Under the\nconsideration thereof, my mind was deeply affected with concern for\ntheir own, and the testimony\u2019s, sake.\n\nOur next appointment was at Centre, on first day; and previous notice\nhaving been given of our coming, the meeting was very large; there were\nmany more than the house could hold, and it was a precious edifying\nseason. We then rode to Newtown, taking some refreshment on our way;\nand attended a meeting at the fourth hour in the afternoon, which was\nlarge, and proved a satisfactory opportunity, and I felt sweet peace in\nthis day\u2019s labour.\n\nThe next day we attended the monthly meeting of Aponegansett, alias\nDartmouth, which proved a hard, painful season, things being much out\nof order with Friends there. Most of the young people, and some of\nthose that were older, were very raw and ungoverned; insomuch that the\nmeeting was much interrupted by an almost continual going in and out,\nalthough frequently reproved for it. It rendered the prospect very\nafflicting, to see the professors of truth so regardless of their own\nreputation and real good, as well as of the good and reputation of\nsociety. I left this place with a degree of sadness, on account of the\nprevailing darkness and ignorance; yet I felt peace to attend my mind,\nhaving faithfully discharged myself among them.\n\nWe rode after meeting to New Bedford, in company with our beloved\nfriend Thomas Rotch, who met us at this place; and we lodged at his\nhouse, where we found a cordial reception, and kind entertainment from\nhim and his beloved wife, who appeared to be hopeful young Friends.\nThe next day we attended their monthly meeting, which proved a very\ncomfortable, edifying season. This monthly meeting was but newly\nsettled, and Friends appeared desirous of improvement. There were a\nnumber of promising young Friends in this place, to whom my spirit was\nnearly united, and a sympathetic travail experienced for their growth\nand preservation. My mind was covered with much sweetness in the course\nof this meeting, and it proved a time of revival to my spirit; having\nexperienced much depression and discouragement in the two foregoing\nmonthly meetings.\n\nThe next day we rode to Long Plain, and attended a meeting at the\neleventh hour, which proved, through heavenly help, a comfortable,\nedifying season. After this we rode back to Accushnet, and attended\na meeting at the fourth hour that afternoon, in which I found it my\nbusiness to set the people an example of silence; and returned that\nevening to our lodgings at New Bedford. The next day we embarked for\nNantucket, and arrived there before night, having sailed about sixty\nmiles in our way thither. We took our lodgings at the house of our kind\nfriend Samuel Rodman, and stayed on the island several days, in which\ntime we attended their monthly meeting, and a meeting of Ministers and\nElders belonging thereto; and two meetings on the first day of the\nweek. After this, on second and third day, their quarterly meeting was\nheld, and on fourth day I was at their meeting held in the middle of\nthe week, in the north meeting-house. Although things in general were\nmuch out of order with many of the professors of truth in this island,\nand the pure seed of the kingdom much oppressed, and gloominess seemed\nto spread over the camp, yet the Lord Almighty, in the riches of his\nlove, was pleased to furnish ability to sound an alarm to the dead, and\nto press upon the lukewarm and careless professors, the necessity of\nusing all diligence to make their calling and election sure, while time\nand opportunity were yet graciously afforded; and also to administer\nGilead\u2019s balm, to bind up the broken-hearted, and to encourage the\nfaithful labourers in the family, to a perseverance in faith and\npatience. To a remnant of these, my spirit was nearly united in the\nreal bond of Christian fellowship, and our hearts were filled with\ngratitude to the God and Father of all our sure mercies, that he was\ngraciously pleased to distil the heavenly dew for refreshing the weary\ntravellers, and crowning the several meetings with the glorious diadem\nof his holy presence; to him alone be the praise, for he is worthy for\never.\n\nOn fifth day, the 4th of 7th month, we left the island, and crossed\nover to Falmouth, about forty miles, by water; after landing, we\ntravelled about four miles to the house of our friend Richard Lake, and\nlodged. The next day we attended their monthly meeting, which proved a\ntime of deep exercise to my spirit; occasioned, as I believed, by the\ndead and lifeless state of the professors of truth in that meeting. I\nsat through the meeting for worship in silence, under a great weight of\ndeath and suffering, and saw no way of relief until near the close of\nthe meeting for discipline, when a prospect opened in my mind, with a\ndegree of light, to propose to Friends, that the men and women should\nsit together again at the close of their business. This proposition\nwas agreed to by Friends, and way was made to clear my mind, in a\ngood degree, amongst them, of the burden I had sat under, in a close\nsearching communication of my prospect respecting their state, as it\nopened in the view of my mind. This appeared to have considerable\neffect on the minds of some, yet some others appeared too much in that\nstate, of all others the most to be dreaded, of self-justification, and\nof being righteous in their own eyes, which rendered them indisposed to\nimprovement.\n\nI left that place the day following, with some weight on my spirit,\nunder a sense of the low state of things among them, and rode to\nYarmouth, and attended a meeting there the next day, which proved a\nsatisfactory season. The three following days we passed on through\nSandwich, Pembroke, and Boston, to Salem; having meetings at Sandwich\nand Pembroke, both, I trust, profitable edifying seasons to some\npresent. We reached Salem on fifth day, the 11th of 7th month, just\nin time to attend their monthly meeting, having rode diligently\nthe morning and afternoon before to accomplish it; and had a pretty\nsatisfactory time with Friends at this meeting. After this we rode back\nto Lynn, and the next day attended an appointed meeting there, which\nproved a large, favoured, and I trust, profitable meeting to many, not\nsoon to be forgotten; there were a considerable number of hopeful young\npeople in this place. In the afternoon, we had a precious opportunity\nat a Friend\u2019s house, where there were a number of young people and\nothers collected; it was a heart-tendering season. For this, with other\nfavours conferred from time to time, my heart was made truly thankful\nto the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, who is over all,\nblessed for ever.\n\nWe proceeded the next day to Almsbury, and lodged with our friend\nEzekiel Jones, and the next morning rode back to Newbury, and attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting at the eleventh hour. Although the meeting was small,\nFriends being much reduced there, yet some of the neighbouring people\ncoming in we had a precious opportunity together, to our mutual\ncomfort; the way of life and salvation being clearly opened to them,\nin the demonstration of the spirit, and with power; for which my\nspirit was reverently thankful. We rode back and attended a meeting\nat Almsbury that afternoon, at the fourth hour; a large number of\nthose, who were not members of our society, assembled with the few\nFriends of that place, insomuch that the house could not contain them.\nIt proved a painful season, by reason of the prevailing death and\ndarkness that seemed to spread, not only over Friends, but the assembly\nin general. My spirit was brought into a state of deep suffering and\nbaptism, but as I patiently endured the conflict, way was made, and\nability afforded, to open to them their states and conditions, with\nthe necessity of being redeemed therefrom, and the way whereby it must\nbe effected. The people were generally solid, and I trust it was a\nprofitable season to many minds present.\n\nWe returned that evening to the house of our friend Ezekiel Jones,\nand the next day proceeded to Newtown, where we had a meeting, which\nproved, I trust, an instructive edifying season to some present;\nalthough the life of religion appeared very low in that place. We\nlodged here, and the day following we went to Halestown alias Wear,\nand took our lodgings at the house of our friend Ebenezer Breed. We\nattended their monthly meeting next day; things in general appeared in\na low state with Friends here, much of which weakness I apprehended\narose from these two causes. First, from a forward spirit, which\nappeared very predominant in some members, who were not under a right\nqualification to be active in meetings for discipline, not having\ntheir spirits sanctified: and their unseasoned offerings and forward\nactivity were a great burden to the living concerned members, being\noften opposed to the right exercise of discipline, which caused\ndivisions and parties in the meeting: Secondly, those Friends who\nseemed to have the cause of truth at heart, for want of dwelling enough\nin the root, and in that perfect love that casts out all fear, were\nled from an apprehension of necessity, in order to keep down those\nforward spirits, to make use of some undue methods in the exercise of\ndiscipline. This, originating in fear, and being the result of human\ncontrivance, instead of subjecting, had a tendency to strengthen them,\nin their opposition: for nothing can promote the Lord\u2019s work but his\nown peaceable spirit and wisdom, and this stands out of all human\nconsultation and contrivance, which, when given way to, although ever\nso well intended, always mar his work. I was much exercised, both in\nthe meeting for worship, and that for discipline; and I was helped to\nadminister much counsel and advice for Friends\u2019 improvement in general,\nand particularly that those before mentioned difficulties might be\nremoved; and felt much peace in my labour.\n\nThe next day, being the 5th of the week, and 19th of 7th month, we rode\nto Epping, about forty-two miles, and lodged with our friend Joshua\nFulsome, an approved minister, and attended Friends\u2019 meeting there the\nfollowing day. In the forepart of this meeting, my mind was reduced\ninto such a state of great weakness and depression, that my faith was\nalmost ready to fail, which produced great searchings of heart, so that\nI was led to call in question all that I had ever before experienced.\nIn this state of doubting, I was ready to wish myself at home, from an\napprehension that I should only expose myself to reproach, and wound\nthe cause I was embarked in; for the heavens seemed like brass, and the\nearth as iron; such coldness and hardness, I thought could scarcely\nhave ever been experienced before by any creature, so great was the\ndepth of my baptism at this time; nevertheless, as I endeavoured to\nquiet my mind, in this conflicting dispensation, and be resigned to\nmy allotment, however distressing, towards the latter part of the\nmeeting a ray of light broke through the surrounding darkness, in\nwhich the Shepherd of Israel was pleased to arise, and by the light of\nhis glorious countenance, to scatter those clouds of opposition. Then\nability was received, and utterance given, to speak of his marvellous\nworks in the redemption of souls, and to open the way of life and\nsalvation, and the mysteries of his glorious kingdom, which are hid\nfrom the wise and prudent of this world, and revealed only unto those,\nwho are reduced into the state of little children and babes in Christ.\nIt proved a time of renewed strength and consolation to myself, and I\ntrust it was so to many present. Renowned for ever be the name of the\nLord, who hath his way in the cloud, and in the thick darkness, and who\ncan cause the light to shine out of obscurity, when he pleaseth, for\nthe comfort and help of his devoted children, and cause their darkness\nto become as the noonday.\n\nWe passed on from thence through Dover to Berwick, where the monthly\nmeeting for Dover was held the next day. It proved a very exercising\nseason, great weakness attending the meeting, on account of the same\nrending, dividing spirit getting in among Friends there, mentioned at\nthe foregoing monthly meeting at Wear. It had made great havoc among\nthem; a great number of members had been separated, and others were\nabout to be separated, by minutes of denial from the monthly meeting.\nI had some close labour with them, not only by endeavouring to stir\nup and warn the careless and refractory members; but I also found it\nnecessary to caution and warn those, who had the chief management of\ndiscipline. I believed they had too much departed from the meek spirit\nof Jesus, in ordering the affairs of truth; and instead of giving the\nright portion of meat in due season to their fellow members, had given\nway to a spirit of impatience, and therefore did not stand wholly clear\nof beating and abusing their fellow servants. O how necessary it is for\nall those, who think themselves called to be active in the discipline\nof the Church, to know their own spirits fully subjected, that nothing\nof the unmortified will of the creature may be found acting in the\nwork of the Lord; or mixing its own forward unsanctified zeal, with\nthat true and holy fervour of soul, which animates, quickens, and\nconstrains, by the mere force and influence of the pure love of Christ,\nour holy head, and heavenly high priest, from whence it derives all\nits power and authority, in putting right discipline in practice, and\nlaying true judgment on the head of transgressors, and refractory\nmembers. We tarried here the next day, it being the first of the week.\nThe meeting was pretty large, and was composed of Friends and others,\nand favoured with the reachings forth of heavenly regard, consoling\nmany hearts, and refreshing the weary travellers; of these, there\nappeared to be a small remnant preserved in almost every place. The\nmeeting ended with humble supplication, and praise to the great Author\nof every blessing, who is over all, worthy for ever.\n\nThe next day, the 22d of 7th month, we proceeded on towards Falmouth,\nat Casco Bay, attending a meeting at Portland, in our way thither. On\nfourth day we attended the monthly meeting of Falmouth, and, on sixth\nday, the monthly meeting of Durham; they were in general satisfactory\nseasons. The next day we rode to Georgetown, and attended a meeting\nappointed there at the eleventh hour. After this we proceeded on to the\nwidow Gardner\u2019s, in a town called Bordingham; in getting to this place,\nwe had to cross the great river Kennebeck twice. The next day, being\nthe first of the week, and the 28th of 7th month, a large meeting was\nheld there by our appointment, there being no meeting in that place. It\nwas a time of hard labour for a season, by reason of the indifference\nand ignorance of many present; nevertheless, ability was afforded\nto discharge myself among them, to pretty good satisfaction, and, I\nbelieve, generally so to those present; and, I trust, by some, the\nseason will not soon be forgotten.\n\nWe went by water that afternoon up the aforesaid river, about seven\nmiles, to the house of our friend George Ramsdale, having sent\nour horses there the night before. The next day we passed on to\nVassalborough, and the day following rode up the river to Fairfield,\nand attended a meeting, and returned to Vassalborough that afternoon.\nThe next day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting there, which proved a heavy\ndull season, till near the close, when ability was afforded me to clear\nmyself among them, in a close searching communication, which appeared\nto have a good effect, and the meeting ended well.\n\nWe passed on that afternoon twenty miles to Winthrop, and the next\nday had a meeting there. After this we rode to Greene, and from\nthence to Lewistown, having a meeting at each place; both precious\nheart-tendering seasons, especially the latter, which was attended by a\nlarge number of young people, many of whom were greatly affected by the\npower of truth. We left them in a tender loving frame of mind, and rode\nthat afternoon to Durham. The next day, being the first of the week,\nand 4th of 8th month, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting there, in which I\nwas favoured to open many things in a doctrinal way, there being many\npresent, who were not in membership with Friends. I was likewise led to\nspeak largely of the good effects of pure love.\n\nWe passed on from thence through Falmouth to Portland, where we had\na meeting appointed for the town\u2019s people; it was held in their\ncourt-house, and was, through heavenly help, an instructive season.\nMany doctrines of the gospel were clearly opened; and the unsound\ndoctrines of original sin and predestination, also the schemes of the\nUniversalists, Atheists, and Deists, were confuted from scripture and\nreason. And a pressing exhortation was extended to all present, to\nattend to the leadings of the spirit of Christ in their own hearts, so\nas to be sensible of their fallen condition, and to become acquainted\nwith the necessity, means, and manner of their salvation. Truth was\nover all, and I had great peace in my labour.\n\nWe returned that evening to Falmouth, and the next day went to Windham,\nand attended a meeting, wherein I was led to be an example of silence.\nAfter this we rode to the house of our friend John Robinson, and\nlodged; and a prospect opening for paying another visit to Friends\nat Wear, we accordingly proceeded, attending meetings in our way, at\nGorham, Lymington, New Sandwich, and Gilmantown, all satisfactory\nseasons; and reached Wear in time to attend their monthly meeting.\nAlthough the same dividing spirit was still discernible among them,\nwhich produced much weakness, yet we had pretty good satisfaction in\nour visit. We proceeded from thence through Pittsfield, and Lee, in\nour way to Dover, having a meeting at each place, and reached Dover in\ntime to attend their monthly meeting, held on seventh day, the 17th\nof 8th month. Although discipline is at a low ebb with Friends here,\nyet, through divine condescension, I hope the season was profitable\nand instructive to many present. We were at their first day meeting\nin the forenoon; and, in the afternoon, had a satisfactory meeting at\nKittery; and, on second day, we attended meetings at Madersborough,\nand Rochester, both, I trust, profitable seasons. On third day we rode\nto Hampton, and the next day had a comfortable meeting with Friends\nof that place; and from thence we returned to Salem, and attended a\nmeeting. Then we proceeded to Lynn, and attended their forenoon and\nafternoon meetings on first day. On second day we rode to Boston,\nand attended a meeting at the eleventh hour; although the meeting\nwas but small, there being but very few Friends in that place, and\nonly a small number of the town\u2019s people came in, yet we had pretty\ngood satisfaction in giving them this opportunity, and way opened to\nclear ourselves among them. After this we passed on, having a meeting\nat Taunton, and then attended Providence monthly meeting, held at\nSmithfield; things appeared but low with Friends of this monthly\nmeeting, their attention being too much turned to worldly concerns. We\nnext attended the monthly meeting held in the upper part of Smithfield,\nbeing about nine miles from the latter; this was in general a\nsatisfactory season; and the following day we attended Uxbridge monthly\nmeeting, to good satisfaction.\n\nOur next appointment was at Freetown, the first of the week, and\nthe 1st of 9th month, and was a satisfactory opportunity; and, on\nsecond day, we attended the monthly meeting at Swansey; here things\nappeared much out of order, and in a low state; but, through divine\nfavour, ability was given me, to clear my mind among them, in a way,\nthat I hope, will tend to their profit. From thence we passed on to\nProvidence, where we had a satisfactory meeting. The four following\ndays we had meetings at Cranston, Greenwich, Foster and Scituate; all\nsatisfactory meetings, particularly the last; it was an open edifying\nseason, many hearts being comforted by the power of truth, which\nprevailed over all, and was cause of deep thankfulness to my mind.\nOur next meeting was at Wankeg, on first day, the 8th of 9th month;\nit was a profitable edifying season. Then passing on, we had meetings\nas they were laid out for us, on second day at Gloucester, on third\nday at Douglass, and on fourth day at Smithfield. The last was a large\nmeeting, and many things were opened in a clear manner; confuting that\ndark belief in election and reprobation, and the impossibility of\nfalling from grace. Also showing the necessity of regeneration, through\nthe operation of the one essential baptism of the Holy Ghost; and that\nall were the objects of universal, and saving grace, and how all might\nbe saved by it, if they did not reject it to their own destruction.\n\nThe next day we attended a meeting at Mendham; it was a comfortable\nseason to myself, and I believe, to most or all present, and was cause\nof thankful remembrance. From thence we passed on, having meetings at\nNorthbridge, Bolton and Leicester; at this place we also attended a\nburial, and had a favoured opportunity with the people. Then we went to\nRichmond, and attended their monthly meeting, where things were much\nout of order, and the meeting was small, and in a weak situation. I\ncleared my mind in a plain way among them, and found peace therein.\n\nThis was the last meeting we attended in the compass of Rhode Island\nyearly meeting. Then we passed on into the state of Vermont, in order\nto visit Friends of our own yearly meeting, who resided in that state.\nWe reached Sharon, in time to attend their meeting on first day, the\n22d of 9th month; and the next day attended a meeting at Strafford,\nwhich was a dull heavy time, in which I found it my place to be silent.\nThe next day we crossed Connecticut river to the town of Hanover, and\nattended a meeting in a school-house, no Friends living in those parts.\nIt was a satisfactory season. We lodged with a man attached to Friends,\nof the name of John Williams, who with his wife, were convinced of\nthe principles of truth; yet found it a great trial, faithfully to\ntake up the cross, as they lived among a people much opposed to them\nin that respect. We left them the next day in a tender frame of mind,\nand I have a hope they will improve. We returned over the river and\nattended a meeting in the town of Norwich, at the fourth hour of the\nafternoon, which was a small, but favoured meeting. We lodged that\nnight with a person who had requested to be joined to Friends, of the\nname of Zebulon Huntington. The next morning we returned to Sharon, and\nattended a meeting at the eleventh hour, it being their usual meeting\nday, which was a favoured season. The next day we attended a meeting\nin the northeast part of the town of Strafford, among those not of\nour society. After this we set forward for Lake Champlain, and got to\nFerrisburgh just in time to attend their meeting on first day, the 29th\nof 9th month, which I sat in silence; and returned after meeting to the\nhouse of our friend Nicholas Holmes and lodged. The next day we rode to\nour friend Cornelius Halbert\u2019s, and attended a meeting at the fourth\nhour, which proved a comfortable season: it was mostly composed of\nthose not in membership with us.\n\nFrom thence we proceeded to Grand Isle, which is situated nearly in\nthe middle of Lake Champlain, having a meeting at Wiltston, in our way\nthither. We had a comfortable meeting at our lodgings at this place,\nand then crossed over by water to the west side of the lake, to the\nriver Sable. We walked on foot about six miles near this river, to\nthe house of our friend Richard Keese, where we had a satisfactory\nopportunity, in a meeting appointed in his house. It was a newly\nsettled place, and no meeting of Friends within forty miles. We\nreturned then to Grand Isle, and the next day, the first of the week,\nand the 6th of 10th month, we attended another meeting there, and then\nreturned to Monkton, to the house of our kind friend Nicholas Holmes,\nwho had accompanied us in this little tour to the northward. We rested\nthe next day, and the day following had an appointed meeting at the\nhouse of my kinsman Stephen Haight. On fifth day we had a comfortable\nopportunity with Friends here, at their preparative meeting. After this\nwe took leave of our friends of this place, and rode to Vergennes, and\nlodged at our friend Thomas Robinson\u2019s; and the next day proceeded on\nour way to Queensbury, where we arrived on seventh day evening. The day\nafter, the first of the week, and the 13th of 10th month, we attended\ntwo meetings; the first, at Friends\u2019 meeting-house, at the usual time;\nand the latter, at a Friend\u2019s house, where a considerable number of\npeople, who were not in profession with us, assembled.\n\nOn second day we rode to Easton, and lodged at our friend William\nCoffin\u2019s; on third day, it being rainy weather, we rested; and on\nfourth day, we attended the preparative meeting of Ministers and\nElders for Easton monthly meeting. On fifth day their monthly meeting\nbegan, which held three days, and, in general, was conducted to good\nsatisfaction. I felt near sympathy with Friends of this place, as their\nmonthly meeting was bordering on an extensive newly settled country,\nto which Friends were moving from various parts. It made the bounds\nof their meeting very wide, and the members much scattered from one\nanother; and caused much labour and exercise to the concerned part of\nthe meeting, in attending to, and conducting the affairs of truth. It\nlikewise occasioned them to have, almost continually, a great load of\nbusiness before the monthly meeting. The day after, being the first of\nthe week, we attended a meeting at Saratoga. It was a large comfortable\nedifying meeting, and very refreshing to my spirit, which had been much\nexhausted by the exercise and labour of the three foregoing days.\n\nIn the course of this week we attended meetings at Greenfield,\nBallstown, Troy, Albany, and Coeman\u2019s Patent; and reached Hudson on\nseventh day evening. The next day, the first of the week, and 27th of\n10th month, we attended their morning meeting, and then proceeded on,\nbeing desirous of reaching the quarterly meeting at Oblong, which\nbegan on third day. We arrived there on second day evening, where\nwe met with several beloved friends from near our own homes, to our\nmutual comfort. After the close of this meeting, we proceeded directly\nhome; where I arrived the 2d of 11th month, and found my dear wife\nand family in a pretty good state of health, to our mutual rejoicing.\nI had renewed cause to bless the name of the Lord for his preserving\nprovidence and mercy, who is over all, worthy for ever.\n\nI was from home in this journey about five months, and travelled by\nland and water about two thousand two hundred and eighty-three miles;\nhaving visited all the meetings of Friends in the New England states,\nand many meetings amongst those of other professions; and also visited\nmany meetings, among Friends and others, in the upper part of our own\nyearly meeting; and found real peace in my labours.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n Visit to the Meetings of Ministers and Elders, 1795.--Visit to\n Friends in Pennsylvania, New-Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and\n Virginia, 1798.\n\n\nOn the 26th of 7th month, 1795, I left home in order to join a\ncommittee of Friends, appointed by the yearly meeting of Ministers and\nElders this year, to visit the quarterly and preparative meetings, and\nFriends individually, in those stations, throughout the yearly meeting.\nA concern having arisen in that meeting, occasioned by the many obvious\ndeficiencies and departures amongst us as a people, from the purity and\nsimplicity of our holy profession, a minute was issued and recommended\nto the inferior meetings, setting forth the ground of this concern, and\nfor the purpose of stirring up and encouraging Friends to a diligent\nsearch and labour, that the many hurtful disorders might be removed,\nand a right reformation, from those prevailing weaknesses, effectually\ntake place.\n\nThis being the first day of the week, I sat with Friends in their\nmeeting at Westbury; and although it was a dull time in the forepart,\nyet, through the comforting assistance of heavenly help, it was made,\nI believe, an edifying season to many minds. I crossed the Sound\nthat afternoon to New Rochelle, and the next morning met some of the\ncommittee at the house of our friend Hugh Judge. We had an opportunity\nwith his family, which proved a refreshing season, it being evident\nthat he, and his wife, joined heartily with the concern. We visited\nseveral other families that day, and had the satisfaction to believe,\nthat the concern and labour were owned by the Head of the Church, and,\nwe believe, will be blessed to many.\n\nThe next day the quarterly meeting at Purchase began, and through the\nseveral sittings was made, I trust, a profitable season; it ended on\nfifth day. The next day we had opportunities with two families, which,\nthrough the fresh extendings of holy help, proved very instructive and\nencouraging. After this we set out for Nine Partners, their quarterly\nmeeting coming in the ensuing week. I reached there on first day\nmorning, the 2d of 8th month, and attended their meeting, which proved\na heart searching season, it being too manifest that many professors\nhad suffered their minds to be captivated by a worldly spirit, which\nhad introduced great death and darkness into our meetings, to the grief\nand trouble of the honest-hearted. But help was graciously afforded me\nto set forth, in a plain manner, the danger attending such a departure\nfrom the life and power of religion; and to stir up also the lukewarm\nfrom their supineness and ease, and enforce the necessity of a more\nfull dedication of their hearts, and their all, to the Lord\u2019s service.\n\nThe next day we attended the preparative meeting of Ministers and\nElders at the Creek, in which much weakness was apparent. The three\nfollowing days we attended the quarterly meeting at Nine Partners; on\nthe last of which, I was favoured to relieve my mind among them, in\na season of close searching labour, by way of communication. After\nthis we proceeded towards Easton, to attend the quarterly meeting\nthere, and to visit the families of Ministers and Elders within the\ncompass of that meeting, which we performed in about a week. Although\nweakness seemed to abound with Friends there, yet we were comforted\nin believing, that the visit had a profitable effect, and afforded\nencouragement, and a renewal of strength, to the sincere-hearted.\n\nOn seventh day, the 15th of 8th month, we rode to East Hoosac, and the\nnext day attended Friends\u2019 meeting there, which was large, many people\nof other societies attending. It proved an open satisfactory time,\nand ended under a renewed sense of the merciful extendings of holy\ncondescending love; for which, I trust, many minds were made humbly\nthankful. The afternoon and next morning were passed in visiting the\nfamilies of Ministers and Elders; and although things were not all\nwell among them, yet we had satisfaction and peace in our own minds,\nby a faithful discharge of the trust committed to us. The next day we\nrode to New Britain, and visited a Friend in the ministry there, he\nbeing the only select member in that meeting. From thence we passed on\nto Kline-Kiln, where there was likewise but one member of the select\nmeeting, an Elder, whom we visited. We then went to Coeman\u2019s Patent,\nwhere there were three select members, to whom we paid a satisfactory\nvisit, and then proceeded to the city of Hudson. The evening after our\narrival, and the next day, we had opportunities with the Ministers and\nElders of that place. They proved seasons of heart-searching labour,\nthings appearing much out of order with some of them; and, among these,\nthere was a disposition apparent, to lay waste good order in the\nChurch. O the great want of honest, faithful labourers in the vineyard.\n\nAfter our services were finished here, we left them with the answer\nof peace, and rode that afternoon to Nine Partners. The next day we\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting at Stanford, which proved a season of hard\nlabour. There was a great want of solid weight, and a living travail,\nin order to experience the renewals of strength; the power of truth\nwent forth freely, for the stirring up, and arousing the careless and\nsupine from their beds of ease. After this we visited two families of\nFriends, and, the two following days, finished our visit to the rest\nof the families of Ministers and Elders in Creek monthly meeting. The\nrest of the week was taken up in visiting those under the notice of our\nappointment, in the monthly meeting of Nine Partners; and I may truly\nsay, it was, in general, a sorrowful affecting time, in beholding the\ngreat departure of many of the Ministers and Elders, in their families,\nfrom that faithful discharge of duty, which their stations require; for\nwant of this, their children had almost all gone out from plainness. We\nendeavoured to lay before them, in sincerity and simplicity of heart,\nthe great danger attending such a conduct, and the necessity of a\nreform in those things; and felt peace of mind in our labour.\n\nOn seventh day afternoon we rode to Marlborough, and attended Friends\u2019\nmeeting there the next day; it was an exercising season, on account\nof the great rawness and inexperience of the members of the meeting\ntoo generally, and the great lightness manifest, in most of those\nof other societies, a number of whom were present. My mind, after a\ntime of hard labour, and suffering with the seed, was engaged in some\nservice addressed to the latter class. Afterwards way opened to have\nFriends select, to whom my mind was led to communicate some things in\na plain way, with the view of stirring them up to more diligence and\ncircumspection in their families, the better ordering and disciplining\nof their children and household, and keeping things sweet and clean,\nagreeably to the simplicity of our holy profession; and I had peace in\nmy labour. That afternoon, and the two following days, we visited all\nthe families of Ministers and Elders in that monthly meeting, except\none. After this I returned home, and found my family as well as usual;\nwhich I esteemed as a favour from my great and good Master. For this,\nwith all his other mercies and preservations dispensed from time to\ntime, I felt a return of thankfulness and grateful acknowledgment to\nHim, who is the author and giver of every good and perfect gift, and\n\u201cwho is over all, God blessed for ever.\u201d\n\nHaving for several years felt my mind drawn, at times, in gospel love,\nto visit Friends of the yearly meetings of Pennsylvania, New-Jersey,\nDelaware, Maryland and some parts of Virginia, in the fall of the year\n1797, apprehending the time to be nigh for the performance of the\nvisit, I laid my concern before Friends of the monthly and quarterly\nmeetings of which I was a member; and received certificates of their\nunity and concurrence. I left home the 12th of 12th month, accompanied\nby Joseph Cooper, a member of our meeting, in the station of an Elder;\ntaking leave of my family and friends, we rode to New-York, and the\nmeeting for sufferings sitting there the next day, I attended it; and\nthe day following being the meeting day for Friends of that city,\nI felt most easy to stay and attend it, which proved a comfortable\nstrengthening season. After this I took leave of my friends there,\nparting from them in near unity and brotherly affection, and passed the\nnext morning by water to Staten Island. The day following we had two\nmeetings there, and though small by reason of rain, were, nevertheless,\nboth attended with a comfortable degree of divine favour. The next day\nwe left the island and rode to Shrewsbury; and the day after, being\nfirst day, we sat with Friends there, and, I trust, it was a profitable\nseason to some present, and relieving to my own mind; strength and\nutterance being furnished to open divers truths of the gospel, in the\ndemonstration of the spirit, accompanied with a good degree of the\ndivine power; to God only wise be the praise, who is over all, worthy\nfor ever.\n\nOn second day we attended a meeting at a Friend\u2019s house about seven\nmiles from Shrewsbury, on our way to Squan. On third and fourth days\nwe were at Squan and Squancum, both small meetings, as there are but\nfew of our society in those parts; yet they were, for the most part,\nsatisfactory seasons. We also sat with Friends in their preparative\nmeeting in the latter place, which appeared in a state of great\nweakness; but as way opened, I was led to make some remarks, in order\nto stir Friends up to more diligence and circumspection; and to show\nthe necessity of an inward travail for the arising of truth, which can\nonly qualify for the right ordering of the affairs of society. The next\nday we rode to Barnegat, and after an opportunity with Friends there\nthe following day, we passed on to Little Eggharbour, where we remained\ntill first day, the 24th of the month. Notice being spread of our\nintention of attending Friends\u2019 meeting there, many of the neighbouring\ninhabitants came in, and sat with Friends, and were very attentive;\ndivers truths of the gospel were opened in the clear demonstration of\nthe spirit, and I was helped to leave them with a peaceful mind. On\nthe 25th we rode to Great Eggharbour, and the three following days\nattended meetings at the upper and lower meeting-houses of Friends\nthere, also an appointed meeting near the head of Great Eggharbour\nriver, at a place called Stephens\u2019 Creek; they were generally small,\nyet attended with a good degree of favour; for which my spirit was made\nhumbly thankful. On sixth day we attended a meeting at Cape May, which,\nthrough the gracious condescension of the Shepherd of Israel, was made\na truly comfortable season, and His great name magnified and praised,\nwho is worthy for ever.\n\nFrom thence we rode to Morris\u2019 river, and attended a meeting appointed\nat the house of Isaac Buzby, a man inclining to Friends. The spirit\nof truth favoured me with wisdom and utterance, to divide the word\nsuitably to the states of those present; and apparently to their and to\nmy own satisfaction and comfort. We rode that afternoon to the house\nof a Friend of the name of Henry Rulon, where we had an appointed\nmeeting the next day. After this we passed on to Greenwich, and the\ntwo following days attended a meeting there, and one at the head of\nCohansy Creek. Then we rode to the house of our kind friend Mark\nMiller, at Salem, and rested the next day. The day following, being\nthe first of the week, and 7th of 1st month, we attended the meeting\nthere, which was very large, many coming in that were not members; the\npower of truth was exalted over all, to the comfort of many hearts,\nand to the praise and glory of Him, who is the strength and help\nof his dependent children. On second day we attended a meeting at\nWoodstown; I was closely engaged among them in a searching testimony,\npointing out the great danger, and hurtful tendency of the want of\nunity, and joining in with the spirit of the world, and neglecting a\nright conformity to the wholesome order, established among us, as a\nreligious society; whereby many disorders had crept in, wounding to\nmany: strength was afforded me, and utterance given, and truth exalted\nover all opposition and disorderly spirits. The four following days we\nattended meetings at Penn\u2019s Neck, Mullica Hill, Upper Greenwich, and\nWoodbury; they were all seasons of favour, especially the last, where\ntruth was eminently exalted, and the doctrines of the gospel held forth\nin the demonstration of the spirit; and the hearts of the faithful were\nmade to rejoice in a sense of the Lord\u2019s goodness, to whom belongs the\npraise of his own work for ever.\n\nOn seventh day we rested with our esteemed friend Joshua Evens; and\non first day attended Newtown meeting, and the day following, that at\nHaddonfield, both of which were profitable edifying meetings. In the\nafternoon, after the latter meeting, we crossed the river Delaware\nto Philadelphia, and the three following days attended the three\nmeetings in that city; they were all opportunities of favour, and I\nhad much satisfaction in this short visit to Friends of this place. I\nwas comforted in the experience of an open door among them, both in\nmeetings and in families where my lot was cast; and I felt my spirit\nnearly united to a living remnant, especially a number of the beloved\nyouth, who are under the forming hand, preparing for service; some of\nwhom, I trust and believe, will be as valiants in their day, for the\npromotion of the cause of truth and righteousness in the earth. May the\nLord bless, and keep them faithful to himself, and cover their heads in\nthe day of battle.\n\nOn sixth day, the 19th of 1st month, we left the city in order to\nattend a meeting at Darby, notice having gone before of our intention;\nit proved an open time, but the meeting was hurt by an indiscreet\nappearance towards the end, which clothed my spirit with sorrow, not\nonly on the Friends\u2019 account, but especially on account of the people,\nfor whose information and religious instruction, my mind had been\nclosely engaged. We rode that afternoon to Chester, and the next day\nattended a meeting there, which was owned with manifestations of divine\nfavour; and I was instructed to hand out doctrine, suitable to the\nstates of the people present. After this we rode to Wilmington; and\nthe next day, being the first of the week, and the 21st of 1st month,\nwe attended their forenoon and afternoon meetings. I was silent in the\nfirst; but, through the merciful assistance of the Shepherd of Israel,\nthe latter proved a comfortable strengthening season; after a time\nof close exercise in silent labour, and deep baptism into death and\nsuffering with the seed, the power of truth went forth with authority\nagainst many things that opened to view, as the cause of that deep\noppression of the seed of life among them; the meeting ended under a\nsense of the Lord\u2019s goodness, and many hearts were made to rejoice.\n\nThe six following days we attended meetings at Whiteclay Creek,\nAppoquinamink, Duck Creek, Little Creek, Motherkill, and Camden, which\nis a village where no meeting of Friends is held; things appeared\nlow in most of them, as to the life of religion. But, through the\ncondescending goodness of the Shepherd of Israel, I had an open door\namong them, and many gospel truths were held forth, in the clear\ndemonstration of the spirit, and with power; the last, especially,\nwas a time thankfully to be remembered by me, and, I believe, by many\nothers present; thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, that he is\nnot leaving himself without a witness in the hearts of the people.\nThe next day, first of the week, we attended Millford meeting; things\nappeared very low, and but few of our society in that part, and those\nappeared very indifferent, and several of them were absent. On second\nday we attended a meeting at Cool Spring, and the next day attended\nan appointed meeting on our way towards Third Haven; it was held in a\nFriend\u2019s house, who had lately been received a member, and who before\nwas a professor with the people called Nicholites; he appeared to be a\npretty solid man. The meeting was in a good degree favoured; the way of\npreparation, as held forth in John\u2019s dispensation, for the more full\nmanifestation of the gospel state, was set forth, with the nature of\ntrue Christian or spiritual baptism; and that John\u2019s baptism was only\na figure thereof, and, therefore, was no part of Christ\u2019s baptism,\nand, consequently, had no place in, nor could be of any use under, the\ndispensation of the gospel. The people appeared generally satisfied,\nand I parted with them in peace of mind.\n\nThe six following days we attended meetings at North West Fork,\nMarshy Creek, Centre, Greensborough, Tuckahoe Neck, and Tuckahoe;\nand, although these meetings were attended by but few of those who\nwere joined in fellowship with us, yet they were mostly crowded full\nmeetings, many of the neighbouring inhabitants coming in, divers\nof whom were holders of slaves, and others very raw and ignorant.\nMy spirit was much exercised in travail among them, being baptized\ninto their low and uncultivated states; nevertheless, through the\nmerciful interference of the Shepherd of Israel, their lost and undone\ncondition, without a Saviour, was clearly laid open before them; also\nthe way of return, reconciliation, and salvation. Many present were\naroused and reached by the power of truth, which was graciously\nprevalent in most of these meetings; their spirits greatly tendered,\nand the few faithful among them were made to rejoice; and my spirit was\nhumbly thankful, in a sense of the Lord\u2019s goodness; to him alone be the\npraise; nothing due to man.\n\nThree of the above meetings were held in meeting-houses belonging to\na people under the denomination of Nicholites; many of them were led\ninto great self-denial, particularly in regard to dress and household\nfurniture. They appeared one in principle with us, their faith and\ndoctrine being founded on the manifestation and influence of the divine\nlight, inwardly revealed. Most of them, of late, have requested to be\njoined in membership with Friends, and have been received. Many of\nthem appear to be a worthy people; yet, I fear, some were a little\nhurt by being too tenacious in their dress, particularly in making it\na point to have all parts of their clothing white. Yet, in general,\nthey appeared to be a plain innocent upright-hearted people; and I\nfelt a concern lest they should be hurt by the great and prevailing\ndeficiencies manifest amongst us, by many turning away from the purity\nand simplicity of our holy self-denying profession. This, I believe,\nis a subject worthy of the deep consideration of those delinquent\nbrethren. For if it be a truth, as most certainly it is, that whosoever\noffendeth one of the least of those who believe in Christ, it were\nbetter for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast\ninto the sea; what will become of those, who live in the daily practice\nof those things, which give continual offence to their brethren, and\nare stumbling blocks in the way of honest inquirers.\n\nAfter attending the aforesaid meetings, we passed on, having meetings\nat Choptank, Third Haven and Bayside, on the eastern shore of Maryland.\nThe two first were attended by many of other societies, a number of\nwhom were Methodists, and at each was one of their ministers; both of\nwhom were very solid, and paid great attention; one of them was much\naffected, and wept freely for a considerable time; and, with divers\nothers, manifested their full satisfaction. My spirit was much humbled,\nand made to rejoice in the Lord, that he was graciously near, and made\nbare his arm for our help, and carried us through the exercise of\nthose meetings, to the honour of his own name, who is over all, worthy\nfor ever.\n\nAfter leaving Bayside, we attended a meeting which we had appointed\nthe day before, on our way thither, at a village called St. Michael\u2019s,\namong the Methodists; the people were nearly all of that profession\nin this place. It was held in their meeting-house, and was the first\nmeeting appointed by any Friend in that place, except a small one\nby some women Friends some years before. There was, at this time, a\ngeneral collection; and, considering their unacquaintance with us,\nand our manner of sitting in silence, they behaved pretty well. A\ncomfortable degree of the divine presence was witnessed, and many minds\ntendered and comforted, and divers gospel truths clearly opened to the\napparent satisfaction of most present.\n\nWe left them with peace of mind, and the next day attended a meeting\nat Easton, alias Third Haven, among the black people, which we had\nappointed some days before. It proved a favoured opportunity, and to\nthe edification, comfort, and encouragement of this poor, injured, and\ntoo much despised people; many of whom, I believe, have good desires\nbegotten in their minds after the knowledge of the truth.\n\nThe next day, the first of the week, and the 11th of 2d month, we\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting at this place, and information of our\nintention of being here having been given before, the neighbouring\ninhabitants generally came in, so that the house was much crowded. The\ngospel was largely and freely preached among them, to the apparent\nsatisfaction of all present. How marvellous is thy loving kindness,\nO Lord, to the workmanship of thy holy hand; how art thou graciously\nholding out, from season to season, offers of reconciliation to thy\nrevolting and rebellious children, and art calling to them, by thy\nservants, now, as formerly, return, return, repent and live; for why\nwill ye die, O house of Israel, saith your God. We continued here and\nattended their meeting of Ministers and Elders; and, on fifth day,\ntheir monthly meeting, which was in some degree favoured; divers things\nwere opened for the improvement and encouragement of Friends in well\nordering the affairs of truth.\n\nThe day following we rode to Chester, and the next day attended\nFriends\u2019 monthly meeting at Cecil, which was small; but truth favoured\nme with ability to labour, to stir up Friends to more vigilance, and\ncareful waiting for the arising of the spring of life; as nothing\nshort of the divine power, and renewed quickenings of the holy spirit,\ncan qualify for the promotion of good order and discipline in the\nChurch. The next day, the first of the week, we attended the meeting\nhere. Notice having been given to the neighbouring inhabitants, many\ncame in, most of whom appeared very raw and light; nevertheless, as\nFriends kept down to their exercise, towards the close of the meeting,\ntruth came into dominion; and all that opposed it was made to bow\nand acknowledge its power; for which my spirit was made thankful to\nthe Author of every blessing. On second and third days following, we\nattended two meetings; the first, in Friends\u2019 meeting-house at Chester,\nand the latter at Chestertown in their court-house; both pretty large\nmeetings, and overshadowed with the wing of divine power; although,\nin the latter meeting, we had to arrive at it through deep baptism,\nand suffering with the seed; for those that reign with Christ, must\nbe willing likewise to suffer. The people, in the forepart, were very\nlight, often whispering one to the other; a spirit of licentiousness\nappeared to be prevalent with many of them; but as truth arose, they\nwere gradually subjected, until a becoming solemnity appeared in almost\nevery countenance. I trust some good was effected in some minds; but we\nmust leave the event to the Lord, to whom alone belongs all the praise;\nnothing due to man, but blushing and confusion of face.\n\nThe next day we attended a meeting at the head of Chester; it was\nsomewhat hurt, in the forepart, for want of room. The house was not\nsufficient to contain all who came, and the weather too cold to stand\nwithout; yet, as it settled into quiet, it proved a precious baptizing\nseason, and many hearts were melted into deep contrition. I had cause\nto hope that if the few Friends in that place show forth a good\nexample, there will be some gathered. The day following we attended the\nmeeting at Sassafras, to pretty good satisfaction. The next day we rode\nto East Nottingham, and attended their monthly meeting the day after;\nit proved a very exercising meeting, things being much out of order\namong them. I was led forth in a line of close searching labour, both\nin testimony in the first part of the meeting, and likewise in that for\ndiscipline; but I got little relief, except from a consciousness, in\nmyself, of having discharged my duty faithfully among them. The next\nday, the first of the week, and 25th of 2d month, we attended their\nparticular meeting; in which I had to expose, in a close, arousing\ntestimony, that spirit among Friends, which pleads for joining with\nthose active in civil government, and taking part therein, and adopting\nthe maxims and spirit of the world. Truth reigned triumphantly in this\nmeeting over all opposition and disorderly spirits. The 26th we rested.\nThe 27th we attended West Nottingham meeting to good satisfaction,\nand were made to rejoice in truth\u2019s victory over death and darkness,\nfor which the honest-hearted were made thankful. The 28th we attended\na meeting, lately established, about five miles distant from the\nformer, which I sat mostly in silence, feeling no clear commission for\npreaching the gospel among them.\n\nThe 1st of 3d month, we attended Little Britain meeting, wherein I\nwas opened and led into a large doctrinal communication, suited to\nthe states of many present. The meeting was large and solid, and, I\ntrust, edifying and instructive to a number present. But too many,\nwho have ears to hear, and are led to acknowledge the truth of\ntestimonies delivered, neglect the practical part, which is the most\nessential; and are, therefore, in a situation like those, who, seeing\ntheir natural faces in a glass, turn away, and forget what manner of\npersons they are. The 2d, we passed over the river Susquehannah, and\nlodged at Richard Webb\u2019s, at Fawn, and attended their meeting next\nday. It was a solid, and, I believe to many, a profitable season. The\n4th, and first of the week, we attended Deer Creek meeting, which was\nlarge, and favoured with the overshadowing wing of heavenly regard.\nThe condescending goodness and mercy of a gracious God to his sinful\ncreatures were marvellously displayed. The meeting was composed, in\npart, of a number of dark undisciplined spirits, many of whom, it was\nthought, had not been at any meeting for several years, and some of\nthem never at any of ours before. The meeting appeared to be generally\nbrought under a becoming solemnity, and concluded to our solid comfort.\nThe 5th, we attended Bush River meeting, and although it was composed\ngenerally of a loose careless-minded people, yet truth favoured me;\nand, through divine help, the gospel was preached in the demonstration\nof the spirit, and with power. Many present were made sensible of its\nbaptizing influence; and all contrary spirits appeared subjected, and\nbrought down, and truth reigned triumphant.\n\nThe 6th and 7th of 3d month, we attended the meetings at Little Falls,\nand Gunpowder, both seasons of favour. The 8th we attended Friends\u2019\nmonthly meeting at Baltimore. It was, I trust, a profitable season,\nboth in the meeting for worship, and that for the discipline of the\nChurch. In the meeting for worship, I was led, in a close searching\ntestimony, to set forth the great danger, and hurtful effects, of\nFriends joining in with the spirit of the world, and taking any part\nin the fluctuating governments, customs, and manners thereof. Things\nopened clearly to show, that, in days past, the apostacy took place\nthrough that medium, both among the primitive Christians, and also in\nour own society; and that the only way, for us as a people to regain\nthe primitive state, was to return back into ancient simplicity, to\nseparate from the world, its spirit, governments, manners, and maxims;\nand to make no league with those actuated thereby. Truth rose into\ndominion, and the faithful among them were strengthened. May praises\nfor ever be ascribed to the Shepherd of Israel, who is indeed a God\nnear at hand, and a present helper in every needful time.\n\nThe 9th we rested, and I wrote to my family and friends at home. The\n10th, we visited several families in the morning, and in the afternoon,\nat the third hour, attended a meeting among the poor, at the alms-house\nbelonging to this city. It proved a comfortable season, and I was\nglad I gave up to the service. The 11th being the first of the week,\nwe attended Friends\u2019 meeting in the forenoon, and some notice being\ngiven among the town\u2019s people of our being there, it was large;\nand after sitting a considerable time in silent labour, wherein my\nmind was baptized into the states of those present, I stood up with\na prospect of the hurtful tendency of pride, both in religious and\ncivil society. Truth opened the way, and gradually rose into a good\ndegree of dominion, and, I trust, it was a profitable season to many\npresent. In the afternoon, at the third hour, we had a meeting with the\nblack people; and, except the hurt received by their long and untimely\ngathering, I think it was, in general, a comfortable season; and many\namong them appeared to be brought into a becoming solemnity, and we\nparted under the savour of truth.\n\nOn the 12th, we attended a meeting at Elk Ridge; it proved, in general,\na heavy season, yet, I trust, a time of profit and favour to some. We\nrode that afternoon thirteen miles towards Indian Spring meeting, which\nwe attended the next day. In this meeting, I was led, in a plain and\nfull manner, to expose the enormous sin of oppression, and of holding\nour fellow creatures in bondage, with the pernicious fruits and effects\nof it, to those who are guilty thereof, especially to their children;\nwho, being supported by the labour and toil of those held in slavery,\nand thereby brought up in idleness, were led into pride, and a very\nfalse, and dark idea respecting God, and his superintending providence,\nand into many other evils, fatal to their present and eternal well\nbeing, and tending to disqualify them from being useful in almost any\nrespect, either to themselves or society, and thereby rendering them\nunworthy of the respect of wise and good men. Truth rose into dominion,\nand some present, who were slave holders, were made sensible of their\nconditions, and were much affected. I felt a hope to arise that the\nopportunity would prove profitable to some, and I left them with peace\nof mind. Since then, I have been informed, that a woman, present at\nthat season, who possessed a number of slaves, was so fully convinced,\nas to set them free, and, not long after, joined in membership with\nFriends: which is indeed cause of gratitude and thankfulness of heart,\nto the great and blessed Author of every mercy vouchsafed to the\nchildren of men.\n\nOn the 14th we were at Sandy Spring meeting, to satisfaction. The 15th,\nwe attended Friends\u2019 preparative meeting at Alexandria. It was a small\nweak meeting, very few manifesting any real concern for the support of\nour Christian testimonies. They gathered there from different parts of\nthe country, mostly for the advancement of their temporal interest; and\nthis being uppermost with them, they were disqualified for improvement\nin religious experience. O that we, as a people, were more weaned\nfrom the world and its fading enjoyments, and our affections placed\non celestial treasure; then would the light of the Church break forth\nout of obscurity, and her darkness become as the noonday; thousands\nwould then be gathered from the highways and hedges, and flock to the\nbrightness of her arising, with everlasting joy upon their heads.\n\nThe 16th we rode to Fairfax, about forty-six miles. The 17th we\nattended their select quarterly meeting. The 18th, the first of the\nweek, we attended the meeting at this place, which was large, composed\nof Friends and others. I was led to open the great advantages attendant\non a life of righteousness, from that scripture passage, \u201cRighteousness\nexalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people;\u201d and showing\nthe difference between a righteousness, founded on the laws, maxims,\nand precepts of men, and the righteousness that is witnessed by faith\nin the Son of God, as revealed to the hearts and souls of the children\nof men through the holy spirit. Although there were many raw, and\nuncultivated persons present, yet truth came into a good degree of\ndominion and victory, and, I trust, it was a profitable season to some.\n\nThe 19th we attended the quarterly meeting for discipline, in which\nI had some service, in opening the nature and end of discipline,\nand encouraging Friends to an improvement therein, to the solid\nsatisfaction of the honest in heart. The next day was the youth\u2019s\nmeeting for the last time; the quarterly meeting, the day before,\nhaving concluded to discontinue the same thereafter, from a belief\nthat its usefulness was over; and that it had become more hurtful than\nbeneficial. A great concourse of idle people came together at that\ntime, not so much for the sake of the meeting, as to see and be seen,\nand to make it a place of diversion. I had considerable to say among\nthem, but got but little relief; by reason, as I apprehended, of a\nspirit of infidelity and licentiousness, too generally prevailing among\nthe people. I was satisfied the quarterly meeting had done right in\ndiscontinuing that meeting; believing, if continued, it would have been\nvery prejudicial to the youth, for whose good, in the first institution\nthereof, it was intended.\n\nThe 21st we attended the preparative meeting of South Fork, which is a\nbranch of Goose Creek monthly meeting. I was silent in the meeting for\nworship, but had some close labour with Friends in their preparative\nmeeting. I felt my spirit much oppressed with a sense of the great\nlukewarmness, and love of the world, which appeared to prevail in such\na manner, that the business of the preparative meeting was conducted in\na very weak vague manner, and void of a right sense of the dignity of\nsuch a meeting, or a due concern for the preservation of right order. I\nfelt peace of mind in a faithful discharge of my duty among them.\n\nThe 22d we were at Goose Creek preparative meeting, which was large\nin the first sitting, many of other societies coming in. After a\nconsiderable time of silent labour, in deep baptism with the suffering\nseed, my mouth was opened in a clear full testimony, directed to the\nstates of those present. And many were brought under the influence\nof that power which \u201ccut Rahab, and wounded the dragon.\u201d Truth came\ninto dominion, and a good degree of victory over all was witnessed.\nNevertheless, such is the deadness and indifference of some who go\nunder our name, that, at the close of this very solemn meeting for\nworship, they withdrew with those who were not members, and continued\nout until the preparative meeting had proceeded considerably in its\nbusiness; and then came in one after another, in a very careless\nunthinking manner. My heart was grieved, and I have often been\naffected with similar conduct in many places in those parts, as also\nin some others; a conduct, which appears to me to carry in it great\nindignity to our high and holy profession; and, I believe, is greatly\noffensive to the great Head of the Church, for the promotion of\nwhose righteous cause, these meetings for discipline are established.\nI believe one great cause of this sorrowful weakness and declension\nis owing to a want of due administration of discipline, by those who\nare called thereto. By overlooking one little thing after another,\ncustom establishes those bad habits; and great loss is sustained by\nthe Church in general, and by some of its members in particular. It\nis very observable that meetings, where those things are apparent,\nare generally in a declining state. I was exercised in a plain way of\ndealing with those delinquents, showing them the hurtful tendency of\nsuch conduct. Truth prevailed, and many hearts were much tendered, and\nthe hands of the faithful strengthened; to the Lord only wise be the\npraise of his own work, who is over all, worthy for ever.\n\nThe 23d we attended a meeting at a place called the Gap, where there\nwas a small meeting of Friends. It was, however, a large collection,\nmany of other societies attending, more than the house could hold. Many\nof them appeared to be a raw insensible people, void of any right idea\nor knowledge of true religion, which made the meeting very trying and\npainful; yet not without some degree of favour towards the conclusion,\nby truth\u2019s obtaining the victory over death and darkness.\n\nWhilst in this neighbourhood, my mind was brought into a state of\ndeep exercise and travail, from a sense of the great turning away of\nmany among us, from the law and the testimony, and the prevailing of\na spirit of great infidelity and deism among the people, and darkness\nspreading over the minds of many as a thick veil. It was a time in\nwhich Thomas Paine\u2019s _Age of Reason_ (falsely so called) was much\nattended to in those parts; and some, who were members in our society,\nas I was informed, were captivated by his dark insinuating address, and\nwere ready almost to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience.\nUnder a sense thereof, my spirit was deeply humbled before the majesty\nof heaven, and in the anguish of my soul, I said, \u201cspare thy people, O\nLord, and give not thy heritage to reproach,\u201d and suffer not thy truth\nto fall in the streets.\n\nThe 24th we attended the monthly meeting at Fairfax, which was an\nexercising season, things being much out of order, for want of more\nfaithfulness among the members, and a due attention to discipline. I\nlaboured among them in the ability received, for their encouragement,\nand incitement to their respective duties; but alas for us, most men\nmind their own things, and not the things that are Jesus Christ\u2019s. A\nworldly spirit too much prevails among the professors of truth, to\ntheir great hurt, and to the great grief of the honest-hearted, who are\nin travail for Zion\u2019s prosperity, and Jerusalem\u2019s peace.\n\nThe 25th, we attended their first day meeting, which was large, and\nin it strength was graciously afforded to minister to the people in\ntruth\u2019s authority, which came into dominion over all. This afternoon\nwe passed over the great river Potomac, in our way to Bush Creek,\nin Maryland; this, by reason of rains, was very full, and difficult\nto pass. After we had passed over the river Potomac, we had much\ndifficulty in crossing a creek not far from it. There was a floating\nbridge over it; but the water was so high, that we could not approach\nthe bridge by the road commonly used; and we only succeeded in reaching\nit, by proceeding ourselves on the top of a high fence, and leading\nour horses by our sides. Mine fell into a deep part of the creek; but\nhe soon rose, and swam to the shore. A Friend was in company with us,\nwith a one horse carriage; and there appeared to be no way of getting\nhis conveyance over, but by the horse swimming with it over the creek.\nThis we knew would be attended with considerable risk, as the creek was\ndeep in the middle, and the carriage a heavy one. But as there were\nno inhabitants on this neck of land, nor near to it, and as night was\ncoming on, we pursued that course, and led the horse with the carriage\ninto the creek; and after violent exertions, being at one time drawn\nunder water by the weight of the carriage, he took it safe over. We\nwere thus favoured to surmount this great difficulty, without any\nhurt to ourselves, or our horses; which was cause of thankfulness and\ngratitude to the great Author of every mercy and blessing.\n\nWe proceeded to a Friend\u2019s house by the name of Richard Richardson,\nwhere we had a meeting the next day, with his family, and a number of\nthe neighbouring people, who were not Friends. It proved a favoured\nseason, and I trust will not soon be forgotten by some present; may it\nfasten as a nail in a sure place; and to some I have a hope it may be\nas bread cast upon the waters, to return after many days.\n\nThe day following we attended Bush Creek meeting, notice having gone\nforward some days before, of our intention of being there at this time;\nit was large, and greatly favoured with the prevalence of truth, by\nway of testimony. Many things, relative to true gospel worship, were\nclearly opened, and the fallacy and fruitlessness of all-will worship,\nand mere bodily exercise, in matters of religion, manifested to the\nview of all present, who had eyes to see, and hearts to understand,\nwhat the spirit saith to the Churches. It was a very solemn time,\nworthy of grateful remembrance.\n\nThe 28th we attended Pipe Creek meeting, wherein I was greatly\nafflicted with evil thoughts, which would keep arising in my mind, that\nI was almost at times taken off from my proper exercise. This very\nmuch grieved my spirit; but, as I endeavoured to keep up the warfare,\nI was led to believe it was the case with too many present; and that\nby giving way to such thoughts, some had become captivated by their\nown lusts, wounding one another; and divers disorders, and a want of\nunity, had got in among them, and many hurt thereby. I was led into the\nnecessity of bearing testimony against these things, as way opened, and\ncalling the attention of all present, to the light, spirit, grace, and\ntruth of our Lord Jesus Christ, our holy pattern, as the only place\nof refuge and preservation from these, and all other hurtful things.\nAfter this meeting, the Friend, where we lodged, informed me the next\nmorning, that himself and his wife were uneasy that no Friends had come\nin to see us after the meeting, and were afraid they would judge them\nof having informed me of their condition, the states of many had been\nso exactly described in the meeting; but I told him they need not be\ntroubled, as they knew themselves to be clear.\n\nThe two following days we attended meetings at Menallen and Huntington;\nthey were both exercising seasons; nevertheless, truth favoured me\nwith ability and understanding to communicate in a close searching\nmanner, suited to the states of those present; and a crumb of\nconsolation was handed forth to the few honest-hearted, who were in\ntravail for Zion\u2019s arising, and who went mourning on their way, and\nbowed in spirit, from a sense of the great turning away from the\nlaw and testimony, and the prevalence of a spirit of ease and great\nindifference, whereby many wrong things had entered.\n\nFrom thence we passed on to Warrington and Newberry, in each of which\nmeetings truth favoured with victory; and the hidden things of Esau, or\nthe first nature, which are earthly, were brought to light, searched\nout, detected, and condemned. The manner and way in which the new\nor second birth, which is spiritual, and which has the promise, is\nbrought forth and effected, was clearly shown and pointed out; with\nthe blessing attendant thereon, to the comfort of the faithful, and\nthe few willing minded among them, and to the stirring up and arousing\nthe lukewarm, careless, and indifferent professors, from their beds of\nease and carnal security. The latter meeting especially was a time to\nbe remembered; many hearts were greatly affected, and, I trust, the\nseason will not soon be forgotten by some. I was very thankful for the\nrelief I felt to my own mind, after many days of deep baptism with the\nsuffering seed. Religion appeared to be at a very low ebb in those\nparts, by the prevalence of a worldly spirit, which makes hard work for\nthe poor travellers, who have to go up and down among them, as with\ntheir hands upon their loins for very pain. Did those lukewarm careless\nprofessors rightly consider the great distress and exercise they bring\nupon their concerned brethren, who are in travail for their redemption\nand salvation; and who are going up and down as with their lives in\ntheir hands, through difficulties and dangers, in jeopardy by sea and\nby land, and among false brethren, we might reasonably suppose it would\nbe a means to stir them up to more diligence and circumspection, that\nthey might thereby comfort them in their exercises, and relieve them\nin their tribulations; then they that sow, and they that reap, might\nrejoice together, and joy in the God of their salvation.\n\nOur next meeting was at Yorktown, where we tarried two days, and were\nat their monthly meeting, wherein things appeared distressingly low, as\nto the right conducting of discipline in truth\u2019s authority: indeed the\nmeeting seemed sunk so below any proper sight and sense of right order,\nthat no way opened to administer much or any help; and we left them\nwithout obtaining much relief of mind. We passed on, having a meeting\nnear Wright\u2019s ferry; and then crossed the great river Susquehannah, and\nhad meetings at Lancaster and Lampeter. On first day, the 8th of 4th\nmonth, we attended a meeting at Sadsbury, which, through hard labour,\nproved a season of enlargement, in a line of close doctrine, suited\nto the varied states of those present; some minds appeared to be much\nhumbled; may it not be in vain, but as seed sown on good ground.\n\nThe 10th of 4th month we attended West Caln meeting, the 11th\nFallowfield, both favoured meetings. The 12th we attended London Grove\nmeeting, wherein I was led to open the duty and obligation incumbent on\nministers, elders, overseers, and heads of families. I began with this\nquery of the prophet Isaiah, \u201cWatchman, what of the night;\u201d showing\nthat for want of keeping up a strict watch, with an eye single to that\ninward holy monitor, or spirit of pure unerring wisdom, many hurtful\nand destructive things had got in among us. Especially for want of\na godly care in parents and heads of families, over their children\nand those under their charge, many pollutions had got in, and spread\namong them; particularly the youth, not only in regard to a departure\nfrom the simplicity and purity of our holy, self-denying profession,\nin dress and address, but also in many other unseemly and reproachful\npractices; which is but the natural consequence of parents indulging\nundue liberties in their children. It was a solemn time, worthy of\ngrateful remembrance. The 13th we were at West Grove meeting, in which\nI had to go through a similar exercise; from a sense of the great want\nof faithfulness among the members, whereby many deficiencies were\napparent, wounding the faithful. Truth favoured me with ability to\nclear myself among them, with plainness of speech; which was cause of\nthankfulness to the honest-hearted.\n\nThe 14th we attended New Garden meeting, mostly in silence, in which\nI had peace. The 15th, and first of the week, we attended Hockesson\nmeeting; and, at the fourth hour in the afternoon were at Center; the\n16th at Kennet; these were, for the most part, suffering seasons.\nAlthough there is a small remnant preserved, who are in travail for\ntruth\u2019s arising, yet the greater part are too much captivated by a\nworldly spirit; which leads into a neglect of attending meetings, and\ngreat carelessness in respect to the right ordering their families; by\nreason whereof, many undue liberties have got in among them, wounding\nthe faithful and honest-hearted.\n\nThe 17th we attended Chichester meeting; it was a time thankfully to be\nremembered; the everlasting gospel of peace and salvation was preached\nin truth\u2019s authority; and all contrary spirits were subjected and\nbrought down. Truth reigned triumphantly over all; magnified for ever\nbe the name of the Lord, who made bare his arm for our help, and the\nstrengthening and refreshing of my poor soul. I had been at times, for\ndays and nights past, ready to sink into discouragement and dismay,\nby reason of the deep baptisms I had to pass through, unknown to man,\nbut in fellowship with the suffering seed, which lies smothered and\npressed down in the hearts of many careless and lukewarm professors,\nas a cart under sheaves. Oh how does darkness and death spread itself,\nas a curtain, in this once highly favoured land! Alas for the people,\nfor the professors of truth; what will become of them, unless they\nrepent and turn to the Lord. Parents and children, in some places, are\nso estranged from the law and testimony, that many seem plunged into\nthe condition of Jerusalem formerly, when this pathetic lamentation\nwas taken up by the dear Master; \u201cO Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that\nkillest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how\noften would I have gathered thy children even as a hen gathereth her\nchickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold your house is left\nunto you desolate.\u201d Oh how is this verified; what great desolations,\nin a religious sense, are apparent with many professors; and how are\nthe poor servants, that are sent forth among them for their recovery,\nas with their lives in their hands, as it were stoned, and often so\nplunged into death and sufferings, as almost to despair of life! Oh the\npangs that my poor soul has endured of late, in many places; so that\nI had often to say in secret, with the holy apostle; \u201cwhy stand we in\njeopardy every hour?\u201d No tongue can tell, nor is it in the power of\nlanguage to communicate, the distress and anguish, which is sometimes\nendured by the poor travellers, in filling up their measure of the\nafflictions of Christ, for his body\u2019s sake, the Church. But, in this\nalso, we are sometimes strengthened to rejoice, that we are accounted\nworthy to suffer with Him, that when he is pleased to arise in his own\nstrength, as the light of the morning, we may be permitted to reign\nwith Him; and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.\n\nThe three following days, we were at Concord, Birmingham, and Bradford,\nall favoured meetings, through fervent labour, and the prevalence of\ntruth; may the Lord make it effectual, and fasten it as a nail in a\nsure place. The 21st we were at East Caln, mostly silent. The 22d,\nand first of the week, we were at Uwchlan; the meeting was large,\nwherein I had to expose the danger of self-righteousness, or a trust in\nnatural religion, or mere morality; showing that it was no more than\nthe religion of Atheists, and was generally the product of pride and\nself-will; and, however good it may appear to the natural unregenerate\nman, is as offensive in the divine sight, as those more open evils,\nwhich appear so very reproachful to the eyes of men. I was favoured by\nthe spirit of truth, in a large searching testimony, to the convicting\nand humbling many hearts, and comfort of the faithful.\n\nThe 23d we attended the meeting at Nantmill, mostly in silence. The\nthree following days, we were at Pikeland, Valley, and Willistown\nmeetings; all in a good degree favoured. The 27th we were at Goshen;\nthe meeting was large. I had to caution Friends against mixing with\nthe people in their human policies, and outward forms of government;\nshowing that, in all ages, those, who were called to be the Lord\u2019s\npeople, had been ruined, or suffered great loss, by such associations;\nand manifesting clearly by scripture testimony, and other records, that\nour strength and preservation consisted in standing alone, and not to\nbe counted among the people or nations; who were setting up party, and\npartial interests, one against another, which is the ground of war and\nbloodshed: these are actuated by the spirit of pride, and wrath, which\nis always opposed to the true Christian spirit, which breathes \u201cpeace\non earth, and goodwill to all men.\u201d Those, therefore, who are in the\ntrue Christian spirit, cannot use any coercive force or compulsion by\nany means whatever; not being overcome with evil, but overcoming evil\nwith good. Although there were many opposing spirits present, who,\nin their creaturely wisdom and human policy, are pleading for those\nkinds of associations, and taking part in those political governments,\nyet truth favoured, and came into a good degree of dominion over all,\nstrengthening and encouraging the true travellers for Zion\u2019s prosperity.\n\nThe 29th, and first of the week, we attended Middletown meeting; and\nat the fourth hour in the afternoon, were at Providence; both large\ncrowded meetings, more than the houses could contain. I was favoured\nby the power of truth, in an eminent manner, especially in the former\nmeeting; where many hearts were deeply bowed, from the sensible\nevidence of the prevalence of divine power, which was in dominion over\nall, tendering the hearts of most present. It was a precious season,\nworthy of thankful remembrance, and humble gratitude to the blessed\nAuthor of all our rich mercies and blessings, \u201cwho is over all, God\nblessed for ever.\u201d\n\nThe 30th we attended the monthly meeting at Providence, consisting\nof the particular meetings of Providence, Middletown, Springfield,\nand Chester. Things in this meeting appeared in a low state, as to\nthe right ordering of the affairs of the Church. Numerous, and great,\nwere the apparent deviations among them; many of their youth were gone\nout into the foolish fashions and vain customs of the world to such\na degree, as not to retain any marks of true primitive plainness. \u201cO\nhow is the gold become dim; how is the most fine gold changed!\u201d Many\nparents, who retain a good degree of outward plainness themselves,\nfor want of dwelling enough in the pure spring of divine life, have\nsuffered the eye of their minds to be so far blinded by the god of\nthis world, as not only to suffer these improper indulgences in their\nfamilies, and among their children, but, in some instances, are ready\nto plead for them. The sense of this much affected my mind, and under\nthis exercise I was led forth in a line of close searching labour among\nthem, to stir up Friends to more diligence, and honest care in those\nrespects; which, I trust, afforded a degree of comfort and strength\nto the honest-hearted, and procured peace to my own mind, which is a\ntreasure I prefer to all this world\u2019s glory and honour.\n\nThe 1st of 5th month we attended the meetings of Springfield, and\nHaverford; both favoured, profitable seasons. The 2d we were at\nNewtown, where, in a line of close searching labour, I was led to\nshow the danger of trusting the salvation of our souls to any thing\nshort of a full surrender of our wills, and an entire dedication of\nour hearts to the Lord, in an humble circumspect walking before Him;\nand separating ourselves from the world, its spirit, manners, maxims,\ngovernments, honours and customs; all of which are polluted, and\narising from the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye and the pride\nof life. Truth rose into victory, softening many hearts, and comforting\nand strengthening the faithful. Surely God is good to Israel, although\nin a state of great revolting; yet he delighteth in showing himself\nmerciful; praised and magnified be his great and adorable name, over\nall for ever.\n\nThe 3d and 4th we attended meetings at Radnor and Merion; and then\npassed on to Philadelphia, to attend their quarterly meeting, which\nopened on the 5th, with a meeting for Ministers and Elders, and closed\non third day the 8th of the month, with a meeting for the youth, and\none for the black people, in the afternoon. I think, in general, it was\na time of favour, through much hard labour in the several sittings.\nIndeed we have no reason to expect to come at the spring any other way,\nthan by faithfully digging, as with our staves, while there remains so\nmuch rubbish on the well\u2019s mouth.\n\nThe 9th we attended the select quarterly meeting at Abington; and\nthe day following the quarterly meeting for discipline. I was\nengaged among them, in each meeting, and the favour extended was\ncause of thankfulness to the honest-hearted. The 11th we returned to\nPhiladelphia; and, in the afternoon, passed over the river Delaware to\nHaddonfield in West Jersey. The 12th we attended a monthly meeting at\nUpper Evesham; it was a low time, with not much of that divine life and\npower, which only can qualify for the right conducting of discipline,\nto be felt among them; and left them without much relief of mind.\n\nThe 13th of the month, and first of the week, we attended meetings at\nEvesham, and Cropwell; in the former, I was helped to labour pretty\nlargely in testimony, to the comfort of a few honest-hearted, and\na number of youth with tender minds; but the greater part of the\nmeeting appeared to be in a state of great insensibility and ease; a\nsituation which is generally callous to all the tender invitations,\nand entreaty of their friends, who are in travail for their redemption\nand salvation; and too much like the deaf adder, which will not listen\nto the voice of the charmer, although he charm ever so wisely. In the\nlatter meeting, I was silent as to ministry.\n\nThe 14th we attended the monthly meeting at Haddonfield, in which I\nlaboured, in the ability received, for their help and improvement.\nBut alas, some meetings are so lost to the life of true religion,\nand so many, who go under our profession, are sunk into such a state\nof indifference and lukewarmness, that the affairs of the Church are\ntoo much conducted in a kind of rotation, and creaturely wisdom, void\nof that true weight, and feeling sensibility, which only gives right\nqualification for service in the Church; hence great weakness ensues,\nand the way of right reformation is closed, and truth prevented from\narising in its primitive splendour and beauty.\n\nThe 15th we were at Moore\u2019s Town and Rancocas; in the former meeting,\nthe power that \u201ccut Rahab, and wounded the dragon,\u201d manifestly\nprevailed to the tendering many hearts. Truth came into victory over\nall; praised for ever be the right worthy name of Israel\u2019s King, who,\nin holy condescending love, was pleased to make bare his arm for\nour help; and once more redeemed my poor soul out of adversity, and\nthe deep depressing baptisms, which for some days past it had been\nplunged into, by suffering with the seed, which lies pressed down\nin the hearts of many lukewarm worldly minded professors, as a cart\nwith sheaves. From thence we passed on, having meetings at Mansfield\nNeck, Burlington, Mansfield, and Bordentown; which were all favoured\nmeetings, truth being near for our help.\n\nThe 20th, and first of the week, we were at Trenton; the meeting was\nlarge, many of the town\u2019s people, of other professions, came in.\nStrength was made manifest in the midst of weakness, and, as truth\narose, the gospel was preached in the clear demonstration of the\nspirit; many hearts were tendered and comforted, and the few faithful\nmade to rejoice, in a grateful sense of the Lord\u2019s mercies.\n\nThe 22d we were at Stony Brook meeting, wherein my heart was made glad\nthrough holy help, and I was enabled to labour among them in truth\u2019s\nauthority, to the comfort of the willing-hearted, and the solid peace\nof my own mind. The two following days we were at Plainfield, and\nRahway; in the latter meeting I was wholly silent; but the former was a\ntime of close labour, in a clear plain way, to stir up the minds of the\npeople to more diligence, and an inward humble walking with the Lord;\nwhich appeared to be too much wanting among them.\n\nThe 25th we attended an appointed meeting at Newark, a town wherein\nno Friends reside. The meeting was small, and those gathered appeared\nmostly in a loose uncultivated state of mind; yet, I believe, there\nwere some thoughtful persons present; and, I trust, the meeting was in\nsome degree profitable. I left them with peace of mind, and proceeded\nthat evening to New-York to attend the yearly meeting, which was to\nbe opened there on the next day, with a meeting for Ministers and\nElders. After the first sitting of the meeting, I rode home, not only\nto see my dear wife and family, from whom I had been absent more than\nfive months, but also to assist them in getting out to the yearly\nmeeting. Our rejoicing was precious, and mutual, in and under a sense\nof the Lord\u2019s mercy and goodness, for whose gracious preservation and\nhelp, in this arduous journey, my spirit was made to bow in humble\nadoration and praise, beyond the expression of language. Oh my soul,\nwhat canst thou render unto the Lord for all his benefits! Nothing can\nbe more acceptable, than an entire surrender of thine all to his holy\ndisposing; and to endeavour, as at the present time, to continue humbly\nto worship at the footstool of his holy throne of grace. Amen.\n\nI was absent from home in this journey about five months and two weeks,\nand rode about sixteen hundred miles, and attended about one hundred\nand forty-three meetings.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n Visit to Connecticut, 1799.--Visit to Oblong and Nine Partners,\n 1800.--Visit on Long Island, 1800.--Visit to Friends in New-Jersey,\n and Pennsylvania, 1801.\n\n\nHaving felt a concern, for some time, to pay a religious visit to\nsome towns and places in Connecticut, and, in my way, to be with the\nfew Friends at West Hartford, I laid my prospect before my friends in\nthe fall of the year 1799, and received a minute of concurrence and\nunity from our monthly meeting. I left home the 26th of 10th month,\nand proceeded to Oblong, in order to meet a committee of our yearly\nmeeting, appointed this year, to visit the quarterly meetings of Nine\nPartners and Oblong, and the monthly meetings belonging thereto; a\nproposition having been made for a new arrangement of those meetings,\nso as to establish another quarterly meeting. I accompanied the\ncommittee in the attendance of both quarterly meetings.\n\nAfter this, we proceeded into Connecticut, attending meetings in\nour way to West Hartford, in the following manner, viz: three in\nthe town of Sharon, one at Cornwall, one at Goshen, and one at\nLitchfield. They were all favoured meetings. Four of them were held\nin meeting-houses belonging to the Presbyterians. The latter meeting\nwas but small, considering the largeness of the town, and the great\nopenness manifested by their leading members; there were three of their\nministers, and some other leading men present. Truth was prevalently\nmanifest in this meeting, tendering and comforting the honest-hearted,\na number of whom, I believe, were at the meeting, whose words and\nconduct clearly manifested a hearty thankfulness for, and satisfaction\nwith, the opportunity. Although the great opposition those meet\nwith, in coming out of their old traditions, may prevent any open and\nmanifest effects for the present, yet, I believe, it will be as bread\ncast upon the waters, which will return after many days; so that his\nword which goeth forth, may not return void, but will accomplish the\npurpose for which it was sent, to the praise and glory of his own\nworthy name, \u201cwho is over all, God blessed for ever.\u201d\n\nAfter this meeting, we passed directly to West Hartford, and lodged\nwith our friend Ebenezer Crosby, whose daughter Abigail had come in\ncompany with us from Nine Partners. She was a discreet religious young\nwoman, whose mind, I apprehended, was under the operation of the\nforming hand, for her good; may she be preserved in faith and patience,\nunder the varied turnings thereof upon her; and then, I have no doubt,\nshe will become a useful member in the Church.\n\nThe next day we rode to Springfield, about twenty-six miles north\nof this place; and attended a meeting there the following day.\nAlthough the people appeared generally raw and ignorant, as to the\ninternal work of true religion on the heart, being mostly of those\npersuasions, whose doctrines lead them to place too much trust and\ndependence on the external works of a _Saviour without them_, and an\n_imputative righteousness_; and not experiencing the _internal work\nof sanctification_, wrought by the spirit and power of a _Saviour\nwithin them_; which is a very dangerous errour; nevertheless, I was\nfavoured by the Lord\u2019s power to relieve my mind, and divers appeared\nto be tenderly affected, and manifested much satisfaction with the\nopportunity, as did the auditory in general.\n\nWe rode back that afternoon to West Hartford, and the day following,\nthe first of the week, and 17th of 11th month, we attended Friends\u2019\nmeeting; and another at the house of our friend Ebenezer Crosby, in the\nevening. They were full meetings, many of other societies attending,\nmostly Presbyterians. Truth favoured, in an eminent degree, in both\nopportunities, but especially in the latter, wherein it rose into great\ndominion, breaking down, and apparently reducing every contrary spirit.\nA remarkable calm, and general solemnity was felt to spread over the\nassembly, to the solid rejoicing and comfort of many hearts, and the\nexaltation of the cause and testimony of our God; who, for this, and\nhis multiplied favours and blessings, vouchsafed from time to time, is\nworthy of all honour, dominion and glory, both now and for ever.\n\nThe next day, feeling my mind drawn to some of the adjacent towns, we\nrode about ten miles, to a place called Perquanock, a thickly settled\nvillage in the west part of the township of West Windsor. We had a\nprecious opportunity there that evening, in a large school-house.\nAlthough the notice was very short, it being late in the afternoon\nwhen we came there, yet, when we reached the meeting, which began at\nthe sixth hour, the house was nearly full, and soon after taking our\nseats was crowded with as many as it could well contain. A commendable\nstillness was maintained during the silent part of the meeting, which\nwe thought a little uncommon, as the people were generally strangers to\nus, and our ways. After a time of solemn waiting, my mouth was opened\nin a clear full testimony; wherein the doctrines of the gospel were\nlargely and plainly held forth, in the demonstration of the spirit, and\nwith power, tendering many hearts, and to the apparent satisfaction\nof the people in general; many expressing their thankfulness for the\nfavour. We left them with the answer of peace in our own minds, and\nin a full persuasion, that the Lord is secretly at work in the minds\nof many of the people in these parts, in order to deliver them from\nthe power of their dark and blind leaders, who, for a long time, by\ntheir carnal and lifeless teachings and doctrines, and many _vain\ntraditions_, have formed almost a total eclipse between God and their\nsouls. May the Lord hasten this good work in his own time, that those\nmerchants of Babylon, who are trafficking in the souls of the people,\nthose blind guides may be so discovered, that no man may buy their\nmerchandize any more.\n\nThe day after, we attended a meeting in Windsor town; the people here\nseemed to be more under the dark power of their teachers, being much\nblinded with the prejudice of education, so that the meeting was\nbut small. Nevertheless, truth favoured me with ability to preach\nthe gospel, with a good degree of divine authority, to the comfort\nand edification of some seeking minds present. The two following\ndays we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Hartford, the latter of which\nwas appointed by our friend Jervis Johnson, from Ireland. Both were\ncomfortable seasons.\n\nThe sixth of the week, and 22d of the month, we rode to the city of\nHartford; and way opening for an opportunity with the people, a meeting\nwas accordingly appointed at the sixth hour in the evening, to be held\nin a large meeting-house belonging to the Presbyterians. A great number\nof the citizens assembled, supposed to be near a thousand, among whom\nwere most of the principal inhabitants. The Lord, in whom was our\ntrust, was graciously near, and furnished us with ability to conduct\nthe meeting to the satisfaction and peace of our own minds; and to the\nedification of many present, and general satisfaction of the assembly.\n\nWe rested on seventh day, and, on first day, we were again at Friends\u2019\nmeeting at West Hartford; and notice that we were to be there having\nspread, a considerable number of the neighbouring inhabitants and\nsome from the city came in. It was a season of high favour; many\nweighty truths of the gospel were clearly opened, and the way of life\nand salvation placed before the minds of the people; and a general\nsolemnity appeared to reign, which was manifest in almost every\ncountenance, silencing every opposite spirit. The hearts of Friends,\nwith my own spirit, were bowed in humble acknowledgment and gratitude\nto the Lord our helper, for granting us so great a mercy; and under a\nsolemn sense thereof we parted, and took leave of each other in great\nnearness of spirit.\n\nOn second day we turned our faces homeward, attending meetings in our\nway at Cambridge and Woodbury; at the latter place we had two meetings;\nwe also had meetings at Middlesex, and Stamford, and again at Middlesex\non first day; these were generally seasons of divine favour, edifying\nand instructive. After this we passed on into the state of New-York,\nand had meetings the six following days, at Rye, White Plains, North\nCastle, Shapaqua, Amawalk, and Croton. As my mind was led, in faith\nand patience, to close in with the baptismal influence of the spirit\nof truth, it was reduced into a state of suffering with the precious\nseed in the hearts of the people, and their divers states were felt,\nand way made to divide the word aright to those assembled; who were a\nmixed number of Friends and others. Truth was exalted, and set over\nevery contrary spirit, and the honest-hearted comforted and encouraged\nto persevere in the \u201cwork of righteousness,\u201d which \u201cshall be peace; and\nthe effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.\u201d\n\nThe following first day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at West Chester;\nand in the afternoon we had an appointed meeting at East Chester,\nprincipally among those not of our society. We had cause, in both these\nmeetings, to magnify and adore the name of the Lord, who deigned to be\nnear with his saving help, and furnished with ability to preach the\ngospel of life and salvation, in the clear demonstration of the spirit;\nthe power attending, convicting and tendering many hearts. The few\nFriends, who dwell in that place, were strengthened and encouraged,\nand my spirit refreshed and made to rejoice, in those closing\nopportunities. After this I returned home, and found my dear wife and\ntender children all well, to our mutual rejoicing. I was out about six\nweeks, and attended about thirty meetings, and two quarterly meetings.\n\nOn my return from my late visit in Connecticut, I felt my mind not\nfully clear of a prospect I then had of a few other places; and the\nway opening with greater clearness, and feeling a motion of love to\ndraw towards again attending the ensuing quarterly meetings of Oblong\nand Nine Partners, after attending our quarterly meeting at Westbury,\nin 1st month, 1800, I set out with Amos Whitson as my companion. We\nattended Purchase meeting on first day, which I sat in silence, and\npassed from thence to Oblong, and attended their quarterly meeting.\nAfter this we had a meeting at Kent, in our way to Nine Partners.\nThe people of this place are mostly of the Presbyterian society, and\na considerable number assembled, and behaved in an orderly manner.\nI trust the opportunity was a season of profit, and that the labour\nbestowed may be, to some of those present, as bread cast upon the\nwaters. After attending the quarterly meeting of Nine Partners, we had\ntwo meetings in our way to Cornwall and Goshen, among those not of our\nsociety, though nothing very remarkable occurred in either. We had\na comfortable meeting at Cornwall, and visited Charles Richards and\nsome others, who appeared to be going into a separation from Friends,\nhaving already set up a separate meeting, for which they were not long\nafter disowned. They had given way to some very inconsistent notions,\nin which they became so hardened as not to take the tender counsel\nand advice of their friends, who laboured much with them for their\nrecovery. From thence we returned home, having a few meetings in our\nway, mostly among people of other persuasions. We got well home on\nfirst day evening, the 16th of 2d month, after attending the morning\nmeeting at New-York. As I took this little journey in part to fill up\nwhat seemed lacking in the other, I now felt clear, and my mind was\naccompanied with true peace, which raised in me humble acknowledgments\nand gratitude to the great and blessed Author of all our mercies.\n\nSoon after my return from the above little journey, I felt my mind\ndrawn, in the renewed feelings of gospel love, to pay a religious\nvisit to some of the inhabitants of our island, not of our profession.\nAfter having opened my prospect to Friends and obtained the unity and\nconcurrence of our monthly meeting, I performed that service, in the\nlatter part of the fall, and beginning of the winter following. I was\nout from home twenty-seven days, rode about one hundred and ninety\nmiles, and attended thirty-five meetings; only two of which were held\nin our meeting-houses. They were generally seasons of great favour,\nin which my mind was deeply bowed, under a humiliating sense of the\nLord\u2019s mercy, extended from day to day, not only in opening the hearts\nof the people to receive us and our testimony with manifestation of\nmuch love and good will; but also in furnishing matter suitably adapted\nto the states of those assembled. Truth was raised into victory, in\na remarkable manner, in almost every meeting; and in several, to a\nvery eminent degree, even beyond, as I thought, what I had ever before\nexperienced. It ran over like oil. All appeared broken down by its\nprecious and embalming influence, in which the Lord was worshipped, and\nhis great and glorious name praised and exalted over all, who is worthy\nfor ever.\n\nIn the spring of 1801, feeling my mind engaged, in the love of the\ngospel, to proceed in a visit to Friends, in some parts of Jersey\nand Pennsylvania, and some places adjacent thereto, I left home the\n11th of 4th month, with the concurrence and unity of my friends; and\nwith Edmund Willis as a companion. We rode to New-York, and attended\nFriends\u2019 forenoon and afternoon meetings there, on first day. Although\nthe life of religion appeared at a low ebb with Friends of that city,\nin too general a manner; yet a number of the younger class, and some\nmore advanced in life, gave some hope of improvement. My mind was\ndeeply engaged among them. And, through the condescending goodness of\nthe Shepherd of Israel, strength was witnessed to preach the gospel in\nthe demonstration of the spirit, and with power; insomuch that a fresh\nvisitation was extended to many present. May it rest, and be fastened\nby the Master of assemblies, as a nail in a sure place, to the honour\nof his great and glorious name, who is the blessed Author and finisher\nof every good word and work.\n\nOn second day we left the city, and passed to Elizabethtown Point,\nWoodbridge and upper Freehold. And on fourth day, we attended a meeting\nin the neighbourhood, called Robbins\u2019 meeting, at the usual time;\nand in the afternoon attended Upper Freehold meeting. The former was\nusually a small, weak meeting; but information of our intention to be\nthere, being generally spread, many came in who were not members; and\nit proved a profitable edifying season, worthy of grateful remembrance.\nThe latter was rather a season of suffering with the seed. I was mostly\nshut up as to any ministerial communication. The next day we attended\nthe meetings of Crosswicks, and Upper Springfield; at both of which\nstrength was afforded to communicate what opened in the line of duty,\nin such a manner as to find relief of mind, which I account a great\nfavour.\n\nWe rode to Philadelphia on sixth day, and the next day the yearly\nmeeting of Ministers and Elders opened; and on the ensuing second day,\nthe yearly meeting for discipline, which was very large, and continued,\nby adjournments, through the week, and closed on seventh day. Many\nweighty subjects were opened for deliberation. But through the\nprevalence and mixture of unsubjected spirits, who were too forward and\nactive in their own unmortified wills, much weakness was apparent. This\ngreatly increased the burden of the living, and truly baptized members,\nof which class there were a very considerable number, who were deeply\nengaged for the promotion of the cause of truth, and that the family\nat large might be kept in decent and commendable order, consistent\nwith the gospel of Christ; and become established on the ancient\nfoundation of our holy profession. These were nearly united in spirit\nand in travail for Zion\u2019s arising, and the Lord was graciously pleased\nto water them together, at seasons, with the descendings of heavenly\ndew; by which, encouragement was witnessed, to persevere in patience,\nand in thankful acknowledgment, for his continued mercy; and they were\nfavoured to return from their annual solemnity with rejoicing, for all\nthe good the Lord had been pleased to favour them with.\n\nWe remained in the city over first day, and attended the forenoon\nmeeting at Market-street, which was very large. My spirit was set at\nliberty, and ability afforded to divide the word among them, according\nto their varied conditions, in a large searching and effectual\ntestimony; whereby a holy solemnity was witnessed to spread over the\nmeeting, to the great rejoicing of the honest-hearted. But alas,\nhow oft are those seasons of comfort interrupted and hurt, by the\nindiscreet forwardness of some who have been called to publish the\ngospel; but, for want of dwelling enough in the root, have branched\nout in the fertility of their own natural abilities, and become too\nactive in their own spirits; and are thereby not only in danger of\nlosing their gifts, and falling into a bewildered state, but often\nhurt the service, and take off the savour of many of our most favoured\nsolemnities. This was affectingly the case at this time, by the\naddition of a long, but very lifeless testimony; and although delivered\nin sound words, yet being destitute of the life and power, tended\ngreatly to burden the living, and grieve the upright in heart. Great\nadvantage would redound to the Church in general, and to this class\nof its members in particular, if those, who stand in the station of\nElders, were more deeply centered in their minds to the well-spring\nof eternal life; waiting for, and feeling after a spirit of right\ndiscernment, that so they might be enabled to judge righteous judgment,\nand distinguish rightly between the living and the dead. Then would the\nhand be seasonably laid upon the head of this _transforming spirit_,\nand those, in danger of being deceived thereby, witness preservation.\n\nOn second day, the 27th of 4th month, we left the city, and passed over\ninto West Jersey, in order to take some meetings which I had not been\nat. We were at five in the course of the week; and although the life\nand virtue of true religion appeared to be at a low ebb, among those\nprofessing with us, in too general a manner, in those meetings; yet as\npublic notice was given of our attendance, many of the neighbouring\ninhabitants came in. There were, I believe, some seeking minds among\nthem, and these generally add life to meetings, and draw down the\ncompassion, and tender regard of the heavenly parent, who, in his\ncondescending goodness, made way for the gospel to be preached among\nthem, in those several meetings, in a good degree of divine authority.\nMany minds were tenderly affected, and the assemblies solemnized; the\nlukewarm aroused, and the hypocritical, worldly-minded professors\nforewarned of the danger their situations exposed them to. My spirit\nwas made thankful for the relief I obtained, although through a line of\ndeep inward travail and baptism with the oppressed seed; but the Lord\u2019s\npower rose in victory over all, to the honour of his right worthy name,\nwho will be glorified in his saints, and sanctified in all those who\ncome near him.\n\nWe returned to the city on seventh day, and attended the quarterly\nmeeting of Ministers and Elders; in which I was led, in a short, but\nrelieving testimony, to call Friends\u2019 attention back to primitive\nsimplicity and integrity; the great need there is of being more\nseparated from the world, its spirit, manners, maxims, and customs;\nand to live daily under an exercise and travail, for the arising of\nthat life and power, which only can enable us to separate from those\nthings, that have a tendency to hurt and defile; and through which life\nand power, Ministers and Elders can only be rightly qualified to lead\nand feed the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers,\nconsistent with divine appointment. For want of this fervent labour and\ntravail, great weakness is apparent amongst us as a people, in many\nplaces; and the great and worthy name by which we are called, ofttimes\ndishonoured, to the grief of the upright in heart, who are exercised\nfor Israel\u2019s prosperity, and Jerusalem\u2019s peace; and who go almost\ndaily, as with their hands on their loins for very pain.\n\nOn first day, we attended the north meeting, in the morning, and that\nin Market-street in the afternoon. They were both instructive edifying\nseasons; wherein I had full opportunity to relieve my mind, being,\nthrough gracious assistance, led in the clear openings of the divine\nlight, to set forth the great danger of mixing in with the spirit of\nthe world, which leads to strife and contention, and the promotion of\nparties and party animosities in civil governments: all of which have\na direct tendency to engender war and bloodshed, and are therefore\ninconsistent for us, as a people, to touch or take part with, or to\nsuffer our minds to be agitated thereby; as it always has led, and\nalways will lead those, who are leavened therewith, out of the meek\nspirit of the gospel, which breathes \u201cpeace on earth, and good will to\nall men.\u201d This was the Lord\u2019s doing and marvellous in our eyes. Friends\nwere much comforted and united in this day\u2019s exercise, and my spirit\nmade joyful in the saving help, and continued mercy of Israel\u2019s true\nShepherd, who is over all, worthy, and blessed for ever.\n\nThe quarterly meeting was held on second day, which was likewise a time\nof favour. Divers communications were made, tending to unite Friends\nin an exercise for the advancement of the testimony, that the numerous\ncauses of weakness, which brought pain, and many deep baptisms on the\nliving part of the body, might be done away, and the camp cleansed.\n\nI left the city on third day morning, with a peaceful mind, and rode\nto Frankford; and attended a meeting there in the forenoon, and one\nat Germantown in the afternoon, in both of which I laboured in the\nability received. The first was a very searching season; things were\nlaid open in such a manner, that the dead, in some instances, seemed to\nbe raised, and that power felt, which opened the graves formerly; and\nsome of those, who were settled down in their polluted rests, had their\nheavens shaken, and their rocks made to melt, by the fervent heat of\nthe _divine word_, which was as a fire and a hammer. Truth prevailed,\nand was eminently in dominion over all.\n\nOn fourth and fifth days, we attended the quarterly meeting of\nAbington; in which I was exercised in a line of close fervent labour,\nboth in the meeting for Ministers and Elders, and the quarterly meeting\nat large. It was a season which gave hope of some improvement in many,\nbut others appeared too much in a state of _self-sufficiency_, a most\ndeplorable condition, sickly and wounded, and which refuses to be\nhealed. For these, my mind felt pained. O, that they might, ere the\nday of their visitation pass over, witness their eyes anointed with\nthe eyesalve of the gospel, that so they might be brought to see the\nprecipice on which they stand, and be thereby reduced into the valley\nof humiliation; where alone true honour and right exaltation are\nknown, and where they might experience a being washed from all their\npollutions, and healed of all their wounds.\n\nWe attended a meeting at Byberry on sixth day, and, through the Lord\u2019s\npresiding presence, it proved a day of signal favour. The doctrines of\nfull and complete redemption from sin and death were clearly opened,\nand truth exalted over all the dark tenets, and carnal reasonings of\nmen, which lead to unbelief and infidelity.\n\nOn seventh day we returned to Abington, where we had another large\nfavoured meeting, wherein many things were opened in a plain way,\ntending to gather the minds of the people out of the spirit of the\nworld, which leads to strife and contention, from whence party\nanimosities arise, often a prelude to war; and calling their attention\nhome to the great gospel privilege, the holy _unction_ and _anointing\nwithin_: so that they need not that any man teach them, but as the\nsame anointing teacheth; which, as they come to believe in and obey,\nwould qualify them to judge of all ministry, and from whence it had its\nrise and spring; and thereby be delivered from all false glosses and\nmixtures in religion, and become established in that which never fell,\nthe immoveable rock Christ Jesus, against which the gates of hell will\nnever be able to prevail.\n\nOn first day, the 10th of 5th month, we attended Horsham meeting, and\nin the afternoon, the meeting at North Wales. It was a day of high\nfavour, the Lord\u2019s arm was graciously made bare for our help; and\nthe meetings were very large, many not of our society attended. The\ngospel was freely preached among them, in the clear demonstration of\nthe spirit. They were truly humbling seasons, especially the former,\nwherein a great number were much contrited, and wept freely. The rocks\nseemed to melt at the presence of the mighty God of Jacob, whose power\nwas prevalently witnessed in that large assembly, to the praise and\nexaltation of his great and glorious name.\n\nWe attended the meeting at Plymouth on second day. Although there was\nan evident want, affectingly manifest, of that primitive zeal and\nintegrity which distinguished our worthy predecessors, with too many\nof those, who fill up their places in outward profession; yet it was\ncomforting to find, that the Shepherd of Israel was still graciously\npleased to continue his merciful visitations, and renew his gracious\ncalls to these, to return, and renew covenant with him. This was\nthe substance of this day\u2019s testimony and labour; may the Master\nof assemblies make it effectual, to all that were present of this\ndescription, is my sincere prayer. On third day we were at Providence\nmeeting, which was small; nevertheless, through gracious regard, it\nproved an edifying, heart-tendering season. The states of the people\nwere opened and spoken to, in the authority of truth, to their great\nhumiliation; many hearts were much broken and reduced, and the Lord\u2019s\npower exalted over all.\n\nAfter this meeting, my mind was turned towards the quarterly meeting of\nCaln, to be held this time at Sadsbury, a newly established quarterly\nmeeting, in the county of Chester. Finding it necessary to comply with\nthe motion, believing my peace consisted in it, we set out immediately\nafter dinner, having thirty miles, or upwards, to ride to it. The\njourney proved very wearisome to my infirm body, being much troubled at\nthis time with a painful complaint, with which I was greatly afflicted\nduring the time of this quarterly meeting, especially in the forepart\nof the public meeting, preceding the meeting for discipline. I was\nready to conclude that I should be obliged to leave the meeting, my\ndistress of body was so great; but feeling my mind drawn to the people,\nthere being a large congregation present, I continued, and way opening,\nI was enlarged in clear, pertinent doctrine. Truth rose into dominion,\nin an eminent manner, and ran over all as oil, comforting and breaking\nmany hearts, and reducing, and silencing every opposite spirit. A\nvery precious solemnity was spread over the meeting, rejoicing the\nupright in heart, relieving to my own mind, and alleviating my bodily\naffliction. These are high favours; may an humbling and grateful sense\nthereof rest continually upon thee, O my soul, and mayest thou never\nforget how much thou owest to thy Lord, how deep and solemn are thy\nobligations to the God of thy salvation; how hath he often taken thee\nout of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set thee upon a\nrock, and put a new song into thy mouth, even praises, high praises to\nhim.\n\nFrom this meeting we returned to Caln, and attended their monthly\nmeeting, held the sixth of the week. I was enabled to labour among them\nin much plainness, both in the meeting for worship, and for discipline;\nand left them with a peaceful mind. The three following days we\nattended meetings at Robinson, Exeter, and Reading. The number of\nmembers which constituted these meetings was small, but a considerable\nnumber of the neighbouring inhabitants attended. Ability was graciously\nafforded to preach the gospel freely in each, and the power attending\nbroke and tendered many hearts, and an excellent savour and solemnity\nwas felt to spread over the meetings, in an eminent manner; for which I\nwas made humbly thankful to the bountiful Author of all our blessings.\nThese favours were more than an adequate reward for all my toil and\nexercise; although I had been, for some days past, under the pressure\nof much bodily infirmity, accompanied with seasons of great uneasiness\nand pain; but the Lord\u2019s power was over all, and kept my mind in\npatience, and sweet peace from day to day; blessed for ever, be his\nright worthy name.\n\nThe fourth of the week, and the 20th of 5th month, we attended the\nmeeting at Maiden Creek. The same afternoon, and the next day, we\ncrossed the Blue Mountains to Roaring Creek; and the day after,\nattended a meeting there. Both of these meetings were crowned with the\nLord\u2019s presence, and were edifying and instructive seasons. The morning\nfollowing we rode to Catawissa, and attended their monthly meeting; and\ncontinued there until after their first day meeting. I was enabled,\nthrough the Lord\u2019s good presence attending, to labour among them,\nboth in the meeting for discipline, and those for worship, in much\nplainness; divers matters relative to the well-ordering of the affairs\nof truth were opened, which proved instructive and edifying.\n\nAfter the latter meeting, we passed on that afternoon fifteen miles to\nBerwick, crossing the river Susquehannah in our way. The day following,\nthe 25th of 5th month, although my bodily indisposition still\ncontinued, we had a meeting there, among the town\u2019s people, and the\nfew Friends of that place. It was a comfortable season, edifying and\nstrengthening to Friends; and confirming to a number who were looking\ntowards us with desires for further information. After this meeting,\nwe rode to Fishing Creek, about eighteen miles; and the day following\nhad a very satisfactory meeting at that place. Although in this\njourney, for a considerable time past, I have experienced much bodily\ninfirmity; yet the Lord, in his abundant mercy, hath been graciously\npleased to keep my mind stayed upon him. My trust and confidence have\nnot at any time failed, not even when I have been reduced into a state\nof great distress and suffering; and my poor soul plunged into the\nmighty abyss of surrounding darkness, and sunk, as it were, to the\nbottom of the mountains: for as I patiently abode under those trying\nbaptisms, and was made willing to endure my portion thereof, my spirit\nwas raised out of this horrible pit; wherein I had been a partaker with\nthe suffering seed in the hearts of those, who, through supineness,\nease, forgetfulness, unbelief and a worldly spirit, had become like a\nbottomless abyss of corruption, darkness and errour: and I was enabled,\nthrough a real feeling of their deplorable states, to administer to\ntheir several wants, and open to them their condition. Many were\nreached in heart, and convinced of the errour of their ways, and were\nled to give God the glory of his own work. And, O, saith my soul, may\nall those who are sent out on this solemn embassy and most important\nservice, dwell low in their minds, and keep a single eye to the Lord\u2019s\nhonour, that so self may be thoroughly abased: otherwise, there is\ngreat danger, in those trying and most afflictive dispensations, of\nthe mind getting into a state of impatience, and therein be led to\njudge the people of hardness, and a spirit of opposition. This will not\nfail, if given way to, of centering the minds of such, either into a\nstate of silent sadness and discouragement, that, like the disciples\nformerly, they will be for sending the people away fasting, and empty;\nor else raise in them a hot fiery zeal, in which they will throw out\nsome hard censures, or harsh reproof, untempered with that charity,\nrequisite and necessary always to attend every gospel communication:\nfor want of which, both speaker and hearers will be wounded, much hurt\ndone, and many opportunities, I believe, have been entirely lost by\nthese means, which might have been crowned with the Lord\u2019s presence,\nand his truth exalted. Nay I have no doubt, but some meetings have\nbeen held to the dishonour of truth, and wounding many tender minds.\nAnd I have sometimes been afraid, that some, who are rightly called,\nand sent on this greatest of errands, have so far missed their way,\nwhile under some of those excruciating baptisms, which they have been\nled into, in order to qualify them rightly to administer to the states\nof the people, as to suffer an impatient spirit to rise up; and have\nthus brought a gloom of darkness over their minds, which has continued\nwith them from day to day, greatly to their distress. Although they\nhave continued to attend meetings, they have been so shut up in total\ndarkness, as not to see any way of relief, except in uttering their\ncomplaints, similar to the murmurings of Israel in the wilderness.\nWhere I have found such things left on record, I have thought they\nalways tended to discouragement and dismay, when coming from the\nleaders of the people. Although the Lord was graciously pleased to\ncondescend to the weakness of Israel, and deliver them out of the\ndistress which their impatience had brought upon them; yet he very\nclearly manifested his displeasure thereat. And if only one instance\nof impatience and improper zeal in Moses drew upon him such severe\ncensure, as we read it did, how ought all those, who are now called\nforth as leaders of the people, to stand always on their guard against\nevery motion of impatience, and impure zeal, lest they also fall under\nthe displeasure of the Captain of their salvation.\n\nAlthough, after those gloomy dispensations, we may be again favoured,\nin renewed mercy, and helped out of this horrible pit, and witness the\nlifting up of the light of the Lord\u2019s glorious countenance upon us; yet\nthis is no proof of the rectitude of our conduct, any more than his\nshowing mercy to Israel, after their murmurings, was a justification\nthereof. Yet I have been afraid, that some have considered those\nrenewed favours, as a consequence of their own sufferings; which,\nto me, carries too much of selfishness, and savours of a desire of\nclothing ourselves with the Lord\u2019s jewels, instead of rendering to him,\nwith heart-felt gratitude, the glory of all his works; and receiving\nthis act of unmerited redemption from the gloom, our own impatience,\nand the want of a thorough reduction of self, had cast us into, as\nflowing purely from his forbearing mercy, condescending goodness and\nfree love.\n\nAfter the aforesaid meeting, we rode to Muncy, and lodged with our kind\nfriend William Ellis. The next day, the fourth of the week, and the\n27th of 5th month, their meeting was held; and notice being spread that\nwe were there, it was large. Although I had to sit some time in the\nforepart of the meeting, in much weakness and depression, both of body\nand mind; yet as I abode in patience and resignation to my allotment,\nwilling to be any thing, or nothing, and to do, or to suffer, according\nto the Master\u2019s will; after a time of solemn waiting, a little opening\npresented, attended with some glimmering of light; and as my eye was\nkept steadily to it, I felt a necessity to stand up; and as I proceeded\nin guarded care, it opened to a large field of doctrine, suitably\nadapted, I believe, to the states of those present. A very comfortable\nsolemnity was felt to spread over the meeting, rejoicing the hearts of\nthe faithful.\n\nWe rested for a day or two after this meeting, with our aforesaid\nfriend, in order to recruit, feeling myself very unwell with a cold,\nwhich had attended me for some time; and being much worn down by\nconstant travelling under such bodily infirmities. The 30th of the\nmonth, and seventh day of the week, we attended a meeting at a place\ncalled Pine Grove; a small meeting of Friends being held there. On\nfirst day we had a large meeting, by appointment, at a town called\nWilliamsport, which was held in their court-house; but the room was not\nlarge enough to contain the people, and although very much crowded, and\nmany standing, they behaved soberly, and a blessed meeting we had. I\nwas led forth among them, in a large affecting testimony, wherein the\ntruths of the gospel were clearly opened and explained to the weakest\ncapacities, and the Lord\u2019s power was in dominion, in a very eminent\nmanner. It was a season thankfully to be remembered, and greatly\nrefreshing to my drooping spirit, making up every deficiency for the\nwant of bodily health. I could with heart-felt gratitude cheerfully\nacknowledge, it was the Lord\u2019s doing.\n\nAfter this meeting we set forward on our journey towards Redstone,\nhaving meetings in our way, at Job Packers, Milesburgh, Half-moon\nValley, and Downing\u2019s Creek. Then we passed directly over the Alleghany\nmountains, into the compass of Redstone quarterly meeting. On fourth\nday, the 10th of 6th month, we attended a meeting at Sewickly, on the\nwestern side of the mountains, a branch of Redstone monthly meeting.\nAfter this, we were at Providence on fifth day, Center on sixth, and\nFallowfield on seventh day. Although these were seasons of close\nexercise, accompanied with some painful labour, and deep baptisms, in\nsuffering with the seed; yet my mind was favoured in the openings of\ngospel light, so to discharge myself in those meetings, as to leave\nthem with solid peace of mind. I believe they were seasons of renewed\nvisitation to many who attended, that will not soon be forgotten by\nthem.\n\nOn first day we attended the meeting at Pike Run, and the two following\ndays were at Westland, and Redstone meetings. My mind was under a\nvery great pressure of distress, in passing along through those six\nlast mentioned meetings; both from an inward sense, and an outward\ndiscovery, of great weakness prevailing among them; occasioned by an\nunwarrantable credulity, and letting out their minds to listen to, and\nbelieve in, the vulgar, and shamefully ridiculous notion of witchcraft.\nSome of their leading members openly acknowledged, they believed that\na family of their near kindred, several of whom were troubled with a\nkind of periodical fits, were actually thus affected by one of their\nneighbours. My spirit was exceedingly grieved by their asserting their\nbelief in those abominable reports, and by discovering how their minds\nwere led away thereby; and my grief was also much increased by their\nconfidence in a certain boy in the neighbourhood, who pretended to tell\nsecrets, saying, that he could see persons whom any should inquire\nafter, although in a very distant part of the world, and would tell\nthose who came to see him, notwithstanding they lived on the other side\nof the Atlantic, that he could see the very place of their residence,\nand of what materials their houses were made, as if he was present at\nthe place; and would pretend to tell the conditions and dispositions\nof persons, whom he had never before seen, and what they were guilty\nof, as to their private sins, and who was a witch, and who not; and he\nhad so far got the ascendency in the minds of those who had given way\nto the absurd notion of witchcraft, that whatever he said, in these\nrespects, obtained their implicit belief. And if he impeached the most\nunblemished character of being a witch, or charged such with being\nguilty of any baneful sin, they were ready to believe it; by which\nmeans great hurt was done. I was exceedingly burthened therewith, and\nhad conversation with divers on the subject; but they were so carried\naway with these notions, that reasoning seemed to have no weight with\nthem. While any man or woman can give way to believe in such things,\nand go to dark, undisciplined, and irreligious men, to be healed of\nthose infirmities, which they are told are the effect of witchcraft, it\nis certainly denying the God that made them, who only hath all power\nin heaven and in earth, and can wound and heal, kill and make alive at\nhis pleasure. God forbid, saith my soul, that any, professing the name\nof a Friend, should ever thus desert the God of his salvation; for if\nhe doth, it will no doubt tend to his confusion, and in which state,\nhe will be given over to strange delusions, even to believe a lie; a\nmost wretched state for any poor soul to be in. I was enabled, through\ncondescending goodness, to clear my mind among them, by divers large\nfull testimonies to the truth, and the excellency of its power, to\ndeliver from every thing that tends to hurt or defile.\n\nI left them with peace of mind, and proceeded to Connelstown, where we\nhad a very comfortable heart-tendering season, among a few Friends,\nand the town\u2019s people. Next we attended Sandy Hill meeting; and the\nday following were at Sandy Creek Glades, both comfortable seasons.\nThese closed our visit to Redstone quarterly meeting. We then returned\nacross the Alleghany mountains, with a view to attend the meetings\nbelonging to Hopewell, in the compass of Fairfax Quarterly meeting.\nWe reached Bear Garden particular meeting on first day, having rode\ndiligently the day before, for that purpose; not having much prospect\nthereof when we left Sandy Creek. The distance between the two places\nwas about ninety-two miles, and the way very mountainous, and having\nhad but little more than a day and a half to ride it. This meeting, in\nthe forepart, was heavy, but ended well; and we left them with solid\nsatisfaction, and passed on to Back Creek meeting that afternoon;\nheld near a small town, or village, called Penn\u2019s Town. Many of the\nneighbouring people came in, so that the meeting was pretty large, and\nI had considerable to communicate among them, but without obtaining\nmuch relief of mind.\n\nIn the course of this week we attended meetings at the Ridge, Centre,\nCrooked Run, Mount Pleasant, Hopewell, and Lower Ridge; and on the\nfirst and second days, of the following week, we were at Middle Creek,\nand Berkly meetings. These were, most of them, favoured seasons,\nparticularly that at Middle Creek, wherein the Lord\u2019s presence was\npowerfully manifest. Truth rose into great dominion, preciously uniting\nand edifying the honest-hearted, and breaking down all opposition,\naffecting and mollifying the hearts of, almost, the whole assembly. It\nwas indeed a precious solemnity, not soon to be forgotten, but to be\nheld in grateful remembrance.\n\nAfter those meetings, we turned our faces homewards, attending meetings\nin our way, at Little York, Columbia, Pottstown, and the Great Swamp,\nalias Richland; these were through divine favour, instructive seasons.\nThe next meeting was at Plumbstead, in the compass of Buck\u2019s quarterly\nmeeting, which we attended on third day, the 7th of 7th month: and\non the two following days, we were at Buckingham, and Wright\u2019s Town\nmeetings. My mind, in those meetings, was brought under a close\nexercise, from a prospect of Friends being too much leavened into the\nspirit of the world, its customs and maxims; by which, many appeared\nto be greatly wounded, and had become as dwarfs in our Israel. And I\nbelieve, nothing contributed more to this, than their becoming parties\nin the civil government, and taking offices therein; for here, the\nspirit of contention gets in, and a striving to be uppermost, and fill\nthe principal seats: then party animosities take place, from whence\nare derived envy and jealousy, one against another; and then reviling,\nand neighbours speaking evil of each other; hence wars and fightings\narise, as from their natural ground. As any give way to these things,\nit leavens their minds into the spirit of the world, which is a spirit\nof darkness, that blinds the understanding and hardens the heart, and\ndraws into many hurtful and pernicious practices, such as dealing in\nardent spirits, drinking strong drink, and handing it out in their\nfields to their workmen, to stimulate them to an excess of labour;\nhence an excess of drinking strong drink is gradually introduced among\nthe poor labourers, by means of which many families are ruined.\n\nMy spirit was deeply exercised on those accounts, but as I patiently\nendured the baptisms I had to go through, and submitted to communicate\nwhat appeared clearly to open; I was enlarged in setting forth the\ndangerous and hurtful tendency of such conduct, and its great\ninconsistency with our holy profession, and to exhort Friends to a more\nfrequent recurrence to the first principle of our profession, the light\nwithin; whereby deliverance and preservation could only be experienced.\nThe Lord was graciously with us in those meetings, and the faithful\nwere encouraged and edified, and many hearts greatly tendered, under a\nsense of the Lord\u2019s mercy and goodness extended to us in these seasons.\n\nOn sixth day we attended a meeting at Makefield, and in the afternoon,\nhad a large meeting at Newtown. It was held in their court-house,\nand mostly composed of those not professing with us. I felt in this\nmeeting, the pressure and prevalence of a spirit of darkness and\nunbelief; and was led to open the ground thereof, and to show its\ninconsistency with the self-evident experience of every rational mind.\nFor although men in the ignorance and darkness of their own hearts, may\nstrive to settle themselves in unbelief, in order to live quietly in\nthe gratification of their own wills and creaturely appetites, without\nany controul; yet, they never can fully come to this; for that just\nwitness, placed in every bosom as a reprover for sin, will continue to\ndisturb all those false rests, and shake every heaven of man\u2019s making.\nFor although men, through the hardness of their hearts, may not submit\nto the guidance of this just principle, so as to have a saving belief\ntherein; yet they will thereby be compelled into a belief, similar to\nthat of the devils, and which they will never be able fully to divest\nthemselves of by all their carnal reasonings and fleshly wisdom; but\nit will continue, at times, to make them fear and tremble, and by its\ntremendous power will cause the very top of their Sinai to shake, and\nblast all their false hopes. For it is the determinate counsel of\nunerring wisdom, that the hope of the hypocrite shall perish: therefore\nlet all prize the day of their visitation, while the Lord is graciously\nstriving with them, by the clear, self-evident touches of his light\nin their hearts; in order that the wicked may turn from his wicked\nway, and the unrighteous from his unrighteous thoughts, and turn unto\nthe Lord who will have mercy upon him, and unto our God, who will\nabundantly pardon.\n\nThe meeting at Makefield was likewise a precious opportunity. The Lord\nbeing mightily with us in our passing along, from season to season, to\nour humbling admiration, furnishing with strength for every service;\nso that we indeed found him to be strength in weakness, and riches in\npoverty. For I never felt greater weakness and nothingness, as to self,\nthan in this journey; and could truly say, that our sufficiency was not\nof ourselves, but of God; and that the Lord was our strength from day\nto day, who is over all, blessed for ever.\n\nThe three following days we attended meetings at Middletown, Bristol,\nand the Falls. I was led forth in these meetings to show wherein real\nChristianity consists; and although the people of christendom had the\nname of Christians, yet, so long as they lived in the gratification of\ntheir own wills and carnal lusts, from whence discord, animosities,\nenvyings, strife and every evil work originated, they were only\nheathens in disguise. For true Christianity is nothing else than a\nreal and complete mortification of our own wills, and a full and final\nannihilation of all self-exaltation: and the contrary is the true\nantichrist, that sitteth in the seat of God, who opposeth and exalteth\nhimself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. Therefore,\nnone are any further Christians, than as they come to experience the\nself-denial, meekness, humility and gentleness of Christ, ruling and\nreigning in them, so as to become their real life; and in, and by\nwhich, they become partakers of the divine nature, and know the _life\nof God_ raised up in the immortal soul; which is the new birth, or\n_Christ formed in us_, and without which, as our Lord told Nicodemus,\nno man can see the kingdom of God.\n\nAfter these meetings we crossed the river Delaware into New Jersey,\nattending meetings on our way, at Kingwood, Hardwick, Mendham, and one\nnear Paulingskiln. From thence we passed to Cornwall, in the state of\nNew-York. We reached there seventh day evening, the 18th of 7th month,\nand the next day were at their first day meeting. I was much worn\ndown by constant travelling and hard labour, and felt much fatigue\nwhen we came here; and in going to this meeting, I felt a desire to\nrise in my mind, that I might have a good silent meeting. The prayer\nof my spirit was answered, for I had not sat long before a perfect,\nsweet calm ensued, wherein my whole man was swallowed up in divine\nseraphic enjoyment; so that not only my mind, but also my wearied body\nforgot all its toil; and my soul was so inflamed with gratitude, to\nthe all-bountiful Author of all our rich mercies and blessings, that\npraises and thanksgiving ascended as incense from the altar of my heart\nto his great and glorious name, who remains to be God over all, blessed\nfor ever, world without end. Amen.\n\nIn the course of this week we attended meetings at Newburgh Valley, the\nPaltz, Marlborough, and on fifth day were at Cornwall monthly meeting.\nThe meeting for worship which preceded the business, was large. I was\nled among them in a line of close searching labour, which, for some\ntime, seemed to have but little entrance among them; mankind being too\ngenerally disposed, while in a state of unsoundness, to shut themselves\nagainst _that_, which they know, if they are open to receive, would\nfind out all their secret lurking places, where _self-love_ and\n_self-will_ lie shrouded under a mask _of doing good_, while it is\ngratified in the full enjoyment of all its beloveds, and with whom it\nis daily committing adultery and fornication: but as I continued to\npersevere in faithfulness to the opening, although the prospect for a\ntime seemed discouraging, truth began to make way by its own power,\nand gradually spread over the meeting, breaking down all opposition,\nand tendering and mollifying many hearts. The meeting for discipline\nappeared to be pretty well conducted, there being, I believe, a remnant\nhonestly engaged for the promotion of the cause of truth; and these the\nLord delights to favour, and furnish with strength to carry on his own\nwork of truth and righteousness in the earth; and he will continue to\nreward these with the real enjoyment of his life-giving presence; while\nthose who sit as mere idle spectators, will be sent empty away.\n\nOn sixth day we had an appointed meeting at the house of our friend\nThomas Jones at Walkiln; on seventh day, one at Goshen, and on first\nday, we were at Smith\u2019s Clove. All satisfactory seasons, especially the\nlast, wherein truth was powerfully manifest, tendering the hearts of\nthe people in a remarkable manner; so that a very precious solemnity\nwas witnessed to spread over the meeting. After these meetings we\nturned homewards, attending meetings in our way at Kakiat, Tappan and\nNew-York. We reached home on fourth day evening, the 29th of 7th month.\nI found my family in usual health, which, together with an endeared\nand cordial reception in the feelings of mutual love, and flowings of\nthat peace of mind attendant on a faithful discharge of manifested\nduty, filled my heart with thankful acknowledgments to the great and\nbountiful Author of every blessing.\n\nI was from home in this journey three months and eighteen days, and\ntravelled about sixteen hundred and thirty miles.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n Visit to Friends in Canada, and some of the northern parts of the\n yearly meeting of New-York, 1803.--Visit on Long Island, Staten\n Island, and New-York, 1806.--Visit to Purchase, Nine Partners,\n and Stanford, and some adjacent parts, 1806.--Visit to Nine\n Partners, 1807.--Visit to Purchase, Nine Partners, and Stanford,\n 1808.--Visit to the subordinate meetings, 1808.--Visit to Purchase,\n 1809.--Visits on Long Island, 1812 and 1813.--Visit to Purchase in\n 1813.\n\n\nIn the fall of the year 1803, I performed a visit to Friends of Upper\nCanada, and some other of the northwestern parts of our yearly meeting.\nDaniel Titus was my companion in this journey. We left home the 20th of\n9th month, and proceeded directly to Canada, in company with two other\nFriends, who, with us, were appointed to attend the monthly meeting\nof Adolphustown on a particular concern relative to that meeting. We\nwere at but three meetings in our way thither, two at Hudson on first\nday, and one at Black River. We got well to Adolphustown on third day\nevening, the 3d of 10th month, having rode about four hundred and ten\nmiles, and crossed the great river St. Lawrence, which appeared to\nbe a dangerous passage. We crossed its two branches, an island lying\nin the middle. Each branch was nearly five miles over. We passed the\nlatter in the middle of the night, by the light of the moon, in two\nsmall flat-bottomed boats, one of them so small as to carry only one\nhorse. This latter passage lay open to Lake Ontario, and the wind being\nfrom that quarter, caused the swell frequently to wash into our boats,\nso that we had considerable labour to throw out the water as fast as\nit came in; but my confidence was in Him, who hath the winds and the\nwaves at his command. This kept out fear, and we got safe over about\none o\u2019clock in the morning.\n\nOn fourth day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Adolphustown, as it came\nin course, which proved an instructive favoured season. On fifth day\nwe rode to Green Point, in the township of Sophiasburgh, to the house\nof our friend Daniel Way; and had an appointed meeting there that\nafternoon, at the third hour. In this meeting I was favoured; and by\nthe prevalence of the power of truth, attending the communication,\nmany minds were much bowed, and their hearts tendered by its secret\nmollifying influence. Our next appointment was in the neighbourhood of\nour friend Robert Hubbs, on seventh day, composed mostly of people not\nof our society, which was a comfortable, edifying season. After this\nwe proceeded to the township of Hallowell, to the house of our friend\nThomas Boorman near West Lake; and on first day attended Friends\u2019\nmeeting there. On second day, we had an opportunity with the people at\nthe east end of the lake, which was held at the house of a professor\namong the Methodists. These two last meetings were eminently favoured;\ntruth rose into dominion, and ran as oil over all opposition, to the\ninstruction and comfort of many minds; and the Lord was praised for his\ngoodness, and for his merciful, loving kindness to the children of men.\nWe returned that evening to the west end of said lake, to the house of\nour friend Jacob Cronk, and lodged.\n\nOn third day the 11th of 10th month, we returned to the house of\nCornelius Blount, where the meeting for Friends of West Lake was\nheld. It was the time of their preparative meeting, and many of the\nneighbouring inhabitants came in, and sat with Friends, during the time\nof worship; the forepart of which, was rather low and depressing; but\nas patience was abode in, and right attention given to a small opening\nwhich presented, and as I moved therein with care, truth gradually rose\ninto dominion, powerfully breaking down all that stood in its way. Many\nhearts were comforted and refreshed, and a general solemnity spread\nover the meeting, so that we could truly say, hitherto hath the Lord\nhelped us.\n\nAfter the preparative meeting was over, which was held in an orderly\nmanner, we returned that evening to the house of our friend John\nDorland, in Adolphustown, he having kindly accompanied us since we left\nthat place. On fourth day we attended the preparative meeting there.\nThe meeting for worship was large, many of those who were not members\ncame in, and manifested great willingness to hear the truths of the\ngospel declared; yet too many appeared careless and unconcerned, with\nregard to the practical part, so that in them was fulfilled the saying\nof the apostle: \u201cFor if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,\nhe is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he\nbeholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what\nmanner of man he was.\u201d And this, it is to be feared, is too much the\ncase with many amongst us, as a people, who are pleasing themselves\nwith hearing the truth declared, and rejoice in the privilege of\nsitting under a free, living, gospel ministry, through the labour and\nexercise of the faithful; but suffer the cumbering cares and pleasures\nof this life, so to divert them from a right improvement of their own\ngifts, that they, in a religious sense, may justly be compared to\nidle drones, who live on the labour of the industrious bee, and are\ncontenting themselves in a situation like the foolish virgins, who,\nalthough they have lamps, yet, are without oil in their vessels; but\nalas, what will these do, when the awful midnight cry is heard, \u201cbehold\nthe bridegroom cometh;\u201d then fear and dismay, with an utter exclusion\nfrom the marriage chamber, will be the woful doom of all careless, and\nlifeless professors. O that all might lay these things to heart, and\nendeavour, in awful fear, to have their day\u2019s work done in the day\ntime; for behold the night cometh, wherein none can work.\n\nOn sixth day we attended Friends\u2019 preparative meeting at Kingston;\nand on seventh day, we had a meeting in the town of Kingston, in the\ncourt-house, the first Friends\u2019 meeting ever held in that place. The\npeople appeared much unacquainted with the order of our meetings, and\nsome of the principal men seemed at a loss how to behave themselves in\nthe time of silence; but during the communication, they were generally\nquiet and solemn, and truth rose into victory, furnishing doctrine,\nclothed with divine power, and carrying conviction to the minds of most\npresent.\n\nThe next day, the first of the week, we again attended Friends\u2019\nmeeting held at the house of the widow Brewer; they not having any\nmeeting-house in this place. In the afternoon we had an appointed\nmeeting in the west part of this township, on the bay, which was held\nat the house of John Everit, a man not in strict profession with any\nreligious society. These were both seasons of heavenly refreshment; the\nlife ran as oil over all; many hearts were much broken and contrited,\nunder the precious mollifying influence thereof; praised and magnified\nfor ever, be the name of the Lord, for his mercy and loving kindness to\nthe children of men.\n\nThe 17th we returned towards Adolphustown, and attended a meeting\nappointed at an inn on our way, in the town of Earnest. This also\nproved, through the condescending mercy and goodness of the Lord our\ngracious helper, a blessed season; and through the efficacious power\nattending the word preached, many hearts were pierced, and the whole\nassembly solemnized. We parted from each other with thankful hearts,\nand rode to Adolphustown, and lodged with our friend Daniel Haight.\nThe day following we had an appointed meeting at his house, for the\nneighbouring inhabitants, who were, many of them, professors among the\nMethodists. This, through divine goodness, was to me a season of great\nrefreshment, and the assembly were generally broken and contrited by\nthe convicting power of divine love, which was mercifully vouchsafed to\nus at this season.\n\nWe then proceeded again to our friend John Dorland\u2019s, and rested the\nnext day, as I was somewhat unwell, and considerably wearied by such\nconstant travelling.\n\nOn fifth day, the 20th of the month, we attended Friends\u2019 monthly\nmeeting for the lower part of the Province of Upper Canada, held\nat Adolphustown. This closed our visit in these parts; and we took\nleave of our friends in much brotherly affection; their hearts were\ncontrited, and their cheeks bedewed with tears, when we closed our\nfarewell addresses. After this we rode directly to Kingston about\nthirty-five miles, and there took boat immediately, and crossed one\nbranch of the river St. Lawrence that evening. We likewise crossed the\nisland, which lies between, before dark, it being about five miles\nover; but as the wind was unfavourable, we did not cross the other\nbranch till next morning. We lodged in a small house, being the only\none on that side of the island. Our accommodations were very poor,\nhaving to lie on the floor, and on benches; but having the best of\ncompany, peace of mind, and a firm trust in the divine blessing, it\nkept us comfortable and pleasant.\n\nThe next day, the 22d of the month, we crossed early in the morning,\nand rode that day, to our friend Samuel Brown\u2019s, at Black River. The\nday after, being the first of the week, we tarried there, and had two\nmeetings with his family, and the neighbours; divers of whom were sober\nreligious Baptists. They were both favoured seasons; may the Lord\nbless his own work, and seal it to the lasting advantage of those who\nattended.\n\nThe 24th and 25th, we rode eighty-five miles to Utica, on the upper\npart of the Mohawk river. The 26th, 27th and 28th, we rode about one\nhundred and eighteen miles to Palmyra, in Ontario county, to the house\nof our friend Abraham Lapham. The 29th we rested. The 30th, being the\nfirst of the week, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting in that neighbourhood,\nand one in the evening, appointed at a man\u2019s house whose wife was\na member, about six miles distant from the former. They were both,\nI believe, profitable and edifying seasons. The 31st we attended a\nmeeting in the town of Palmyra, appointed principally for those not of\nour society. It was a large solemn meeting, wherein the truths of the\ngospel were largely opened, affecting, solemnizing and comforting many\nhearts.\n\nOn the 1st of the 11th month, we rode to Bristol about eighteen miles,\nand attended a meeting at the third hour in the afternoon. It was held\nin a Baptist meeting-house, and was a hard exercising season. Those who\nattended appeared to be mostly, very insensible of any right religious\nconcern and exercise; nevertheless, through ability received, after a\nconsiderable time of hard silent labour, the power of truth was exalted\namong them, and some hearts were reached and tendered thereby, and I\nleft them with peace of mind.\n\nWe then rode back thirty-seven miles to Cayuga Lake, and lodged at an\ninn. On the 3d, we rode to a town called Scipio, where a few Friends\nresided, who were indulged with holding a meeting under the care of the\nmonthly meeting of Farmington. Here we had a meeting at the eleventh\nhour, it being their usual meeting day. It was very small and low in\nthe silent part, but as a right exercise in waiting, was patiently\nmaintained, truth gradually rose into dominion, in a very instructive\nmanner, refreshing and comforting our minds, in the sweet enjoyment of\nthe divine presence, who manifested himself to be graciously near for\nour help in the needful time.\n\nAfter dining with our friends we took leave, and turned our faces\nhomeward; and in four days got to Galloway, to the house of our friend\nPhilip Macomber. The next day we rested. The three following days\nwe attended the meetings of Galloway, Ballstown, and Newtown; which\nwere all comfortable edifying seasons. The 12th we rode to Troy. The\n13th, and first of the week, we attended two meetings, the first, at\nthe eleventh hour, at the house of Zachariah Garnrick, about four\nmiles from Troy, where the few Friends of that place and the adjacent\nneighbourhood, hold a little meeting. It was enlarged at this time by\nothers coming in, who were not of our society; and the Lord rewarded us\nbountifully, and gave us a heavenly season together, wherein his name\nwas gloriously exalted over all; and we parted with thankful hearts.\nThe latter meeting was held at Troy, in their court-house. It was a\nlarge gathering, but hard and heavy.\n\nThe 14th we rode to Pittstown, and attended a meeting at the second\nhour, which was a satisfactory season, and, I hope, profitable to\nsome; although others appeared to be too much at ease. The 15th we\nrode to Easton, and attended the quarterly meeting of Ministers and\nElders; and the two following days we attended the quarterly meeting\nfor discipline, and the parting meeting for worship. The latter was\na heavenly baptizing season, wherein truth was raised into dominion\nin a very eminent manner, the hearts of many were much broken and\ncontrited, and a general solemnity spread over the meeting; and the\nLord\u2019s name praised, and exalted over all, who is worthy for ever.\n\nAfter this, we rode that afternoon to Saratoga, crossing the river\nHudson in our way; and the next day went to South Greenfield, and\nattended a meeting at the second hour in the afternoon. The 19th we\nrode to Providence, and after a meeting there, went back again that\nafternoon to North Greenfield. The day following, being the first of\nthe week, we attended a meeting there, which was large and favoured, as\nwere the two former. The 21st, we had an appointed meeting at Saratoga\nSprings, amongst a people not very unlike those, whom the scribes,\namong the Jews, called publicans and sinners. It was a profitable\nedifying season, most of those present appearing to receive the word\nwith readiness, and apparent good will; so that it might have been said\nof some of them, as our Lord said concerning some of this description\nin his day, that they were more likely to enter the kingdom, than many\nof the high professors of religion, who make a great outward show of\ngodliness, but are void of the power.\n\nThe 23d and 24th, we attended the monthly meetings of Saratoga and\nEaston; and the day following had an appointed meeting at White Creek,\nand the next day we rode to East Hoosack. The 27th, and first of the\nweek, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting there. It was a very comfortable\nseason; the Lord was with us, and by his power made way in the hearts\nof the people, for the reception of the testimony given us to bear\namong them. We left them with thankful hearts, and rode that evening to\nour friend David Lapham\u2019s, in the township of Hancock; and the next day\nhad a meeting at his house, at the second hour, for the neighbouring\ninhabitants, who were mostly professors among the Baptists, and who\nbehaved very orderly; and the Lord, in his never failing mercy,\nfavoured us together with a solemn instructive season.\n\nThe next day we passed on to New Britain, and rested the following\nday. The fifth of the week, and the 1st of 12th month, we attended the\nmeeting there, at its usual time; which was very large, occasioned,\nin part, by our being there; and there was likewise a marriage\naccomplished thereat. I think, for the most part, it was a favoured,\ncomfortable season. On sixth day we attended a meeting at Kline Kiln;\nand on first day were at Hudson, where we had, with Friends and others,\nat their meeting, a refreshing opportunity; the Lord was graciously\nnear, furnishing with strength and utterance, and an evidence of the\ndivine power attending, rejoicing the faithful, confirming the weak and\nwavering, and convicting the indolent, the disobedient, and gainsayers.\nOn second day we rode to Little Nine Partners; and the four following\ndays, we attended meetings at that place, Pine Plains, Stanford, and\nCreek; these were comfortable meetings, wherein, through the prevalence\nof truth, many were convicted, their hearts tendered, and the faithful\nfew encouraged, and made to rejoice; and the Lord\u2019s name praised and\nexalted over all. On seventh day evening we had an appointed meeting\nat the house of Thomas Wilbur, about four miles from the latter; and\nalthough hard and low, yet I trust in a good degree profitable and\ninstructive.\n\nOn first day we went to Crum-elbow meeting, which was very much\ncrowded, and the house not sufficient to hold the people. The season\nappeared somewhat to represent the time, when the miracle of the loaves\nand fishes was performed. For the people\u2019s attention appeared to be\ngenerally outward, many having come together out of curiosity, to see\nand hear with their outward senses; which makes hard work for the\ntravellers, who are faithfully engaged in Zion\u2019s cause. I sat long in\nsilence in great poverty and want, for the people appeared to be void\nof any spiritual food, and no offering prepared; but as I abode in\npatience, and in the faith, the query ran through my mind, is there not\na lad present, who may have a few barley loaves and fishes. A young man\nsoon after stood up, who, I believed, had for some time, something on\nhis mind to offer; and by a short but pertinent communication opened\nmy way. Soon after he sat down I stood up, and the Lord made way among\nthe people, while I was led to open, in a very enlarged manner, what\nthe young Friend had dropped; and the Lord\u2019s power was extended in a\nmarvellous manner over the whole assembly, so that it might be said\nindeed, that all did eat and were filled, and many fragments remained\nto be gathered up. It was the Lord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in our eyes.\n\nOur two next appointments were at Pleasant Valley, and the Branch, on\nsecond and third days. These were comfortable, and I trust, profitable\nseasons. The four successive days we attended the monthly meetings\nof Oswego, Nine Partners, Creek, and Stanford. They were all seasons\nof great favour, wherein I was largely opened in the line of gospel\nministry, in four several searching testimonies, greatly to the comfort\nof the honest faithful travellers, and to the rebuke and warning of\nthe careless, hypocritical, and worldly-minded professors. On first\nday we attended the meeting at Nine Partners, and notice having been\npreviously given of our intention of being there, the meeting was\nvery large; and the Lord\u2019s power was present with us, enabling me to\ndischarge myself faithfully among them, and instructingly to divide the\nword, suited to their several conditions. The season concluded with\nprayer and thanksgiving, to his great and adorable name, who is over\nall, God blessed for ever.\n\nAfter this, apprehending I felt liberty to turn my face homeward, and\nhaving for the two successive days meetings, appointed at Chesnut\nRidge, and Poughquague, we proceeded accordingly. Although I was under\nconsiderable infirmity of body, and travelled in much pain, yet through\ngracious aid, furnished from the adorable fountain of all wisdom and\nstrength, I was enabled to attend them to my own satisfaction, and\nthe comfort and encouragement of my friends. I was led forth in both\nof these meetings in large affecting testimonies; the minds of many\npresent were baptized and humbled, and the faithful few refreshed, whom\nthe Lord delights to honour.\n\nOn fourth day we crossed the Highlands, and rode down to the mouth of\nCroton River, about forty-two miles. It was wearisome to my afflicted\nbody, but believing it right for us so to proceed, and having faith\nin the divine sufficiency, I was sustained even beyond rational\nexpectation. The day following being Friends\u2019 meeting day in that\nplace, we had a comfortable opportunity with them, together with some\nof their neighbours; and it was, I believe, an instructive edifying\nseason to many. May it fasten as a nail in a sure place.\n\nAfter this we passed on to New-York, where we tarried over first day,\nand attended their forenoon and afternoon meetings; also an appointed\nmeeting in the evening, at their new meeting-house. They were large\nand very exercising, yet, I trust, in the main, profitable meetings.\nOn second day the 26th of 12th month, we rode home, and I found my\nfamily well, which, together with the Lord\u2019s mercies and preservations,\nvouchsafed to me in this arduous journey, caused my heart to be filled\nwith gratitude and thanksgiving to His great and worthy name, to whom\nbelongs all praise, adoration and worship, from the rising of the sun\nto the going down of the same, throughout all ages, world without end.\nAmen.\n\nI was out in this journey about three months, and rode about fifteen\nhundred and seventy-five miles.\n\nIn the spring of the year 1806, feeling my mind drawn in gospel\nlove, to pay a religious visit to some of the neighbouring towns and\nvillages on our island, Staten Island and New-York, among those not in\nprofession with us; and opening my concern to our monthly meeting, I\nreceived the concurrence and unity of my friends therein. I was from\nhome in this service about twenty days, and had about thirty meetings\namong those not of our society, generally to good satisfaction, and\nto the peace of my own mind. Many, in most places, appeared convinced\nof the truth and propriety of our doctrine and principles, as they\nwere communicated, and divers feelingly expressed their satisfaction\ntherewith, and the heart-felt comfort they witnessed in those\nopportunities; and I had cause to hope that light was breaking forth\nin some places, which had long been under the power of great darkness,\nthrough the undue force of wrong customs, and a false education,\nprincipally propagated by a mercenary, anti-christian ministry. My\nmind was often affected, in considering the emptiness and fruitless\nstate of many of those professors under different names, who had a\nform of godliness, and were very zealous in attending to the outside\nceremonials, of what they called religion and worship; but in their\nlives and conduct denied the power thereof, being persuaded by their\nblind guides, to believe they might be saints, while they were sinners,\nand stand in a state of justification, without sanctification. But\nthis is a false and very dangerous doctrine. O, saith my spirit, may\nthe light of Israel arise and come forth, and by the brightness of its\narising, dispel all those mists and fogs, those works of darkness,\nwhich those blind guides have raised up between God and the souls of\nthe people; and deliver the nations out of the hands of all oppressors,\nthat so none, at the awful closing period, may witness verified in\nthemselves, that solemn truth, that \u201cif the blind lead the blind, both\nshall fall into the ditch.\u201d\n\nIn the fall of the year 1806, feeling my mind drawn to visit some parts\nof the quarterly meetings of Purchase, Nine Partners, and Stanford,\nwith some adjacent places, not among Friends, and obtaining the unity\nand concurrence of our monthly meeting therein, I set forward the\n8th of 12th month; Thomas Willis kindly joining me as a companion in\nthis journey. On third day we attended the meeting for sufferings in\nNew-York, and in the evening we had an appointed meeting at Brooklyn,\nwhich was a solemn, comfortable season. Fourth day, being the day on\nwhich Friends\u2019 meeting was held in the city, notice was given of our\nintention of being there. It was a pretty large meeting, and in a good\ndegree favoured with the spreading of the divine canopy, and strength\nwas afforded to communicate to the various situations of those present;\nto the honest-hearted and truly exercised travellers, comfort and\nencouragement, and of this number, I trust, there are a few preserved\nin this city of great stir and commotion; and to the careless, the\nunguarded and refractory, caution and rebuke.\n\nAfter this we passed on to Mamaroneck, and lodged with our kind friend\nRichard Mott. The three following days of this week, we attended the\nmonthly meetings of Purchase, Shapaqua and Amawalk. We stayed over\ntheir first day meeting at Amawalk, which was large, many of other\nsocieties coming in; and had an appointed meeting in the evening at\nPeekskill. These were all seasons of favour, comforting and refreshing\nto my mind.\n\nOn second day, the 15th of the month, we proceeded on our journey, and\nreached, seasonably in the evening, the house of our kind friend Enoch\nDorland, at or near Oswego. On third day we rode to Nine Partners. On\nfourth day we attended the monthly meeting of Oswego; both the meeting\nfor worship, and that for discipline, were well conducted, and truth\nreigned; which made them comfortable and instructive. On fifth, sixth\nand seventh days, we attended the monthly meetings of Nine Partners,\nCreek, and Stanford. Nothing transpired in either of these unusual.\nWe attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Northeast, on first day, and also a\nmeeting in the evening at Little Nine Partners; both seasons of favour.\nOn second day we rode to Hudson, and the next day attended their\nmonthly meeting, and likewise had a large public meeting in the evening\nwith Friends and others. I have cause to acknowledge the goodness and\nmercy of the Shepherd of Israel, who has been pleased graciously to\nmanifest his presence and power for our help and encouragement, from\nseason to season, enabling us to labour, to the comfort and refreshment\nof the honest-hearted and faithful among the brethren and sisters, and\nto impart counsel and caution to the varied states of those amongst\nwhom our lots were cast, and stirring up the pure mind in many. So that\nin many places it appeared to be a renewed visitation of divine love to\nthe people, for which many hearts with our own were made thankful.\n\nOn fourth and fifth days we had meetings with Friends at Kline Kiln,\nand New Britain; and on sixth day we had an opportunity with those\nnot in profession with us, at a place called Philipstown. The meeting\nwas held in a meeting-house belonging to the Presbyterians, and a\nprecious season it proved, tendering the hearts of most present; truth\nprevailing over all, to the praise and glory of His grace, who hath\ncalled us to labour in his vineyard.\n\nWe went from this place to Troy and attended Friends\u2019 meeting on first\nday; and had a large public meeting in the evening with the inhabitants\nof the town. On second and third day evenings, we had meetings in\nthe towns of Waterford and Lansingburgh; the former was held in a\nmeeting-house belonging to the Methodist society; and the latter,\nby their voluntary permission, in the Episcopal meeting-house. These\nwere all seasons of favour, especially the last, in which truth was\npowerfully manifest, solemnizing the assembly, tendering and melting\nmany hearts into contrition, and raising an acknowledgment to its\ndivine power.\n\nOn fourth day we attended Friends\u2019 preparative meeting at Troy, and\nalso an appointed meeting for the inhabitants of the town in the\nevening. The next morning previous to our leaving there, we had a\nprecious opportunity with three or four families of Friends, the heads\nof which were all brethren and sisters of each other, by blood, or\nmarriage. It was a season wherein the Lord was pleased to magnify his\npower, and cause every heart to bow and acknowledge to its blessed and\nmollifying influence, which prevailed over all to our mutual rejoicing.\n\nThe visit being over we took leave of our friends, and rode that\nafternoon to Albany, and attended a pretty large meeting, held that\nevening in their court-house. It was, I believe, to many, a profitable\nedifying season. On sixth day morning feeling my mind drawn to have\na select opportunity, with the few members of our society resident\nin this city, they were notified thereof, and came together early in\nthe forenoon. We had a satisfactory season with them, in which I was\nfavoured to clear myself of a burden I felt on their account, in a\nplain tender manner, comforting the sincere-hearted, and stirring up\nthe careless and lukewarm. After this we took our leave in brotherly\naffection, with quiet and peaceful minds, and with an evidence of\nhaving faithfully discharged our duty, which made our journeying\nforward pleasant, as we passed on to Duanesburgh, where we arrived that\nevening. On seventh day we rested. On first day the 4th of 1st month,\n1807, we attended the meeting there, and notice being given of our\nattendance, it was a very large meeting, wherein truth reigned. Many\ndoctrinal truths were opened to the people, and the gospel preached in\nthe clear demonstration of the spirit; to the Lord only wise, gracious\nand merciful, be the praise, who is the blessed author thereof; nothing\ndue to man.\n\nThe next day we had a meeting in our way to Otego, near a village\ncalled Charlestown, at the house of a man inclining to Friends, in\nwhich I was enabled to communicate, in gospel authority, to the\ntendering and contriting of many hearts.\n\nWe reached Otego on fourth day, a little before meeting time, it being\nFriends\u2019 usual meeting day, which, therefore, afforded but little\nopportunity of notifying their neighbours; but some hearing thereof,\nattended. It was a glorious meeting, which richly paid us for all our\ntoil in getting there, yea an hundred fold; magnified for ever be the\nname of the Lord, who graciously manifested his power for our help,\ncomforting many hearts, and causing the faithful to rejoice together,\nin the sweet incomes of his love and life. On fifth day, we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting held at Burlington in the middle of the week. The\nneighbouring inhabitants having notice of our coming, generally\nattended, and although the life did not appear to rise so high as in\nthe foregoing meeting, yet, for the most part, I believe, it was a\nprofitable edifying season. We rode to Deruyter on sixth day, and on\nseventh day rested, and mended our carriage, which was much injured and\nbroken by our journey to this place. On first day, we attended Friends\u2019\nmeeting there, which was much crowded, the house being but small. The\nLord was with us, and magnified his power, reaching and tendering many\nhearts; the gospel was freely preached, and appeared to be freely\nreceived by the auditory in general.\n\nOn second day, we had a meeting at a town called Woodstock, at the\neleventh hour, and one in the evening at Cazenovia. There were no\nFriends living in either of these places, and the people in general\nappeared dark and ignorant, yet, they were attentive to what was\ncommunicated; and many of them appeared thankful for the opportunities,\nand desired our longer continuance among them; but we took our leave,\nand left them with our minds clothed with peace. We then turned our\nfaces homeward, being desirous of getting back in time to attend the\nensuing quarterly meeting of Nine Partners, to be held in the forepart\nof 2d month. We felt our minds drawn to return by Burlington, and had\nmeetings in our way there, at Hamilton, Brookfield, Bridgewater,\nand one in the evening between Bridgewater and Burlington, held in a\nschool-house, at a village in the township of Brookfield. These were\nall favoured meetings, comfortable and instructive, many hearts were\nreached and affected with the power of truth, which was prevalently\nmanifest for our help.\n\nWe were at Burlington on first day, and notice being generally spread\nthat we were there, it proved the largest meeting ever held in that\nplace; and through the Lord\u2019s goodness and mercy to us, it was made a\nseason gratefully to be remembered, by, I believe, the greater part of\nthe meeting.\n\nThis being over, we had another meeting in the evening, in a\nneighbouring town called Pittsfield, which was held in a large\nschool-house, there being no member of our society there; this was\nlikewise an edifying opportunity. The next day we proceeded to Otego,\nand attended a meeting there at the eleventh hour, appointed previously\nby our request. It was a large meeting, and graciously favoured with\nthe overshadowing wing of divine kindness. On third day we had an\nappointed meeting in the township of Heartwick.\n\nFrom this place we returned to Duanesburgh, and attended their monthly\nmeeting held on sixth day. This meeting was composed of the preparative\nmeetings of Duanesburgh, Otego, Burlington, and Deruyter. The latter\nmeeting was near ninety miles from the place where the monthly meeting\nwas held at this time. Friends are much scattered in this new country,\nby reason of which, but few, in some meetings, have much opportunity\nof attending their monthly meetings; this is a great loss to many\nfamilies, especially the children, many of whom are thus deprived of\nthe improving company of experienced Friends in meetings for discipline\nor otherwise. I have often thought it a very weighty matter for a\nFriend to move with a family of children so far from meetings, and\nespecially meetings for discipline, which, I have often considered as\nschools of very profitable instruction to well-minded youth. This is\na new monthly meeting, made up of Friends of but small experience,\nmany of them newly received members. The business of the meeting\nwas of course but weakly conducted. We laboured among them in the\nability received, for their instruction and help, and there appeared\na readiness in some to receive, who, I trust, will become useful\nmembers, as they abide in humility, and are faithful to the measure of\ngrace received. On seventh day we rode to Oakhill, and on first day\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting there; it was a very full meeting, and proved\nsatisfactory and instructive.\n\nThe four following days we were at meetings at Scott\u2019s Patent, Bern,\nRensselaerville, one in a Friend\u2019s house between the last mentioned\nplace and Coeman\u2019s Patent, and one at Coeman\u2019s Patent. They were\nseasons of general satisfaction, especially the last, which was a very\nlarge precious meeting, in which the truths of the gospel were largely\ndeclared, in the demonstration of the spirit. Many hearts were tendered\nand contrited, and the Lord\u2019s name praised and magnified, who is over\nall, worthy for ever.\n\nThe sixth, we rode to Hudson, and passed most of the way upon the ice,\non the river, the weather having been, for some days past, extremely\ncold. On seventh day evening we had an appointed meeting at Lunenburgh,\nwhich lies on the west side of the river Hudson, and opposite to that\ncity. On first day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Hudson. Both these\nmeetings were held, I believe, to general satisfaction, and I trust,\nwere profitable and instructive to many who attended.\n\nFrom hence we passed on to Nine Partners, and reached there\nseasonably to meet with the committee who have the oversight of the\nboarding-school, held there by the direction of our yearly meeting,\nwe being members of that committee. By the accounts now rendered, the\nschool appears in a prosperous state; but a considerable difficulty\nattends procuring suitable tutors and caretakers in the family. On\nthird day, the select quarterly meeting of this place was held, and\non fourth day, that for discipline; and although there was a degree\nof favour experienced, yet, in general, it was a trying exercising\nseason. This is a large quarterly meeting; and many who attend are\nmere birthright members, and having never known the baptizing power of\ntruth, to sanctify and prepare for right and useful membership, are but\nas dead weights in our religious meetings; and some others, who have\njoined the society by convincement, for want of faithfully attending\nto that which first convinced them, have lost their first love, and\nsuffered their minds too much to centre back again into the world, and\nthe love of it; and have thereby become stumbling blocks in the way of\nothers. These bring much exercise and concern to the living, who are\ndaily engaged for Zion\u2019s cause, and that truth may prosper and prevail\nin the earth.\n\nOn fifth day, we had an appointed meeting at Pleasant Valley, which was\na comfortable instructive season; and another seasonable opportunity in\nthe evening at Poughkeepsie, composed mostly of those not in membership\nwith us. On sixth day, we were at West Branch meeting, which was pretty\nfull, wherein I had to go down into deep baptism with the dead, being\nplunged into the feeling of a state of great ignorance and unbelief;\nbut as I patiently sat under the burden, light sprang up, and life\ncame into dominion; and I was led, in a clear manner, to show the\nground from whence all this darkness and unbelief proceeded; that it\nwas from a want of due attention to, and right belief in, the _inward\nmanifestation of divine light_, which reveals itself in the heart of\nman against sin and uncleanness; and at the same time shows what is\nright, and justifies for right doing. Therefore while men disregard\nthis inward divine principle, of grace and truth, and do not believe in\nit, as _essential_ and _sufficient to salvation_; they are in danger\nof becoming either Atheists, or Deists--these are also in danger of\nbecoming so blinded as not to believe in that necessary and very\nessential doctrine of perfection, as contained in that clear, rational,\nand positive injunction of our dear Lord: \u201cBe ye therefore perfect,\neven as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.\u201d And we cannot\nrationally suppose they can ever be otherwise, while they continue in\nthis situation; as _nothing but this light_ is sufficient to produce\nthe knowledge, on which this belief is founded. My mind was likewise\nlargely opened to communicate, how we all might, by faithful attention\nand adherence to the aforesaid divine principle, _the light within_,\ncome to know and believe the certainty of those excellent scripture\ndoctrines; of the coming, life, righteous works, sufferings, death,\nand resurrection of Jesus Christ, our blessed pattern: and that _it\nis by obedience to this inward light only_, that we are prepared for\nan admittance into the heavenly kingdom. It was a day of high favour,\nwherein the Lord\u2019s arm was made bare for our help, and the exaltation\nof his own glorious and holy name, who is over all, blessed for ever.\n\nThis favoured opportunity being over, we rode that afternoon to Samuel\nDorland\u2019s, and attended a meeting there appointed for us that evening:\nand lodged with our worthy friend Enoch Dorland. On seventh day we\ncrossed the mountains called the Highlands, in our way homeward,\nand got well to our friend Abraham Underhill\u2019s, at Croton River,\nthat evening. The next day, being the first of the week, we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting there, and notice being given of our attendance,\nthe meeting was pretty full, and graciously attended with the divine\npresence, in which strength was received to preach the gospel in\nthe demonstration of the spirit. It was a season thankfully to be\nremembered.\n\nOn second day, the 9th of 2d month, 1807, we rode to New-York, where\nI was gladly received by my beloved daughter Abigail, and her kind\ncompanion; we being mutually glad to see each other. The next day we\nattended our meeting for sufferings. I then rode home, that evening,\nand found my dear wife and children well, to our mutual rejoicing; and\nwe greeted each other with thankful hearts.\n\nI was from home in this journey about two months, and attended\nforty-five particular meetings, nine monthly meetings, one quarterly,\nand our meeting for sufferings twice; and travelled upwards of seven\nhundred miles.\n\nAfter returning from the aforesaid journey, I continued mostly at\nand about home, for several months, attending our several meetings\nas they came in course; and also at different times, some appointed\nmeetings among those not in profession with us, in some adjacent\nneighbourhoods, to which I could go and return in a few days. In all\nthese seasons, I have thankfully to acknowledge the Lord was near, and\ngraciously manifested himself to be a present helper in every needful\ntime, furnishing with ability to labour in the work of the gospel,\nconvincing, and comforting many hearts; and to the solid relief and\npeace of my own mind.\n\nIn the ensuing fall, having felt my mind renewedly engaged in gospel\nlove to visit a few of the meetings of Friends, in the three lower\nquarterly meetings belonging to our yearly meeting; and to have\nsome meetings in divers places in those parts, among those of other\nprofessions, I left home, with the unity of my friends, the 31st\nof 10th month, 1807, and the seventh day of the week, and went to\nNew-York, having my beloved wife with me; who proposed to be my\ncompanion in part of this journey. We also took our two youngest\ndaughters with us, in order to place them in the boarding-school at\nNine Partners. We remained in New-York over first day, and attended\nFriends\u2019 meetings there; that at Pearl-street in the morning, and at\nLiberty-street in the afternoon. They were both, I trust, profitable\nmeetings, more especially the former; in which truth prevailed, and\ncame into dominion, solemnizing and comforting many hearts; and was\nvery strengthening to my mind, in the prospect before me.\n\nOn second day we set out for Nine Partners, and reached there\nseasonably to attend the quarterly meeting for discipline, the ensuing\nfourth day; and the latter part of the week, we spent in attending\nthe quarterly meeting of Stanford. After this we returned to the\nboarding-school and placed our daughters there; and, as I was one of\nthe committee, who have the superintendence of the institution, I\nremained there about ten days. Then way opening to proceed, I went as\nfar as Hartford in Connecticut; accompanied by two Friends who reside\nat Nine Partners. As the weather was cold and unsettled, my wife\nremained at the school, assisting the managers, until I returned. We\nhad several meetings in our way thither, and one as we returned; and\nwere at several in and about Hartford, mostly among those of other\nprofessions. And the Lord, magnified for ever be his right worthy\nname, was graciously pleased to be with us, and manifested his power\nfor our help; giving wisdom and strength, tongue and utterance, and\nteaching to divide the word aright, to the states of the people;\nwhereby his righteous cause was exalted in many minds, and his glorious\nholy truth raised into dominion over all, in divers of those favoured\nopportunities; to the praise of his grace, \u201cwho is over all, God\nblessed for ever.\u201d\n\nOn my return to the school, I again spent some days with the family,\nassisting them in the management thereof; and then, my wife and myself\ntook leave of our children and friends, in much mutual affection;\nand turned our faces homeward. We attended Oswego monthly meeting in\nour way, on fourth day, the 16th of 12th month; and the next day had\nan appointed meeting at Apoquague. On sixth day we rode through the\nmountains to Peekskill, and lodged with our kind friend Nathaniel\nBrown. We attended their meeting on first day, and on second day, we\nhad an appointed meeting at a place called Crompond; which was held in\na meeting-house belonging to the Presbyterians, by their proposal. On\nfourth day we were at Amawalk, on fifth day at Shapaqua, and on sixth\nday we had an appointed meeting at Mount Pleasant; this was likewise\nheld in a place of worship belonging to the Presbyterians. We rode to\nNew-York on seventh day, and on first day attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nthere. The third day following we left the city on our way home, but a\nstorm came on soon after we left, and increased to that degree, that\nwhen we came to the ferry at Hurlgate, where we intended to cross, we\nfound it impassable. We then turned our course and rode to our friend\nJoseph Byrd\u2019s at Harlem, and lodged. I felt my mind drawn towards\nhaving a meeting at that place when passing down to the city, but\nadmitting some doubts to arise, as to the clearness of the prospect,\nI omitted it; but now, way opening with more clearness, we had one\nappointed the next day, which proved a favoured season. After this we\ncrossed the ferry that afternoon, and rode to Flushing, and the next\nday being the fifth of the week, and 31st of 12th month, we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting there; and then rode home that afternoon, and were\ngladly received by our friends. My spirit was made humbly joyful, in\nbelieving that the Lord Almighty had graciously condescended to be with\nus, to lead us in the way, manifesting his loving kindness and mercy,\nin a greater or lesser degree, in all those opportunities, convicting,\nconvincing, edifying and comforting many hearts; and encouraging the\nhonest travellers Zion-ward. May his right worthy name be praised and\nexalted above all for ever.\n\nAs our return home at this time was hastened by the inclemency of\nthe season, we being out with a carriage, and likely to be prevented\nfrom travelling by the snow, my mind was not relieved of the prospect\nbefore me. Therefore, after remaining at and about home a few weeks, I\nagain set out, with the unity of my friends, in order to finish what\nwas left behind of my former concern. Charles Willets a friend and\nneighbour accompanied me. We set out the 24th of 1st month, 1808, and\nattended the three quarterly meetings of Purchase, Nine Partners, and\nStanford, as they came in course: and likewise five particular meetings\nin the intermediate space, between Purchase and Nine Partners. We were\nfrom home at this time about five weeks; and attended three quarterly\nmeetings, one monthly, and twenty-three particular meetings. And I have\nabundant cause, with humble gratitude, to admire the adorable loving\nkindness, and condescending goodness, of a gracious God to me a poor\ncreature; in enabling me to surrender all up to his heavenly disposal,\nto be any thing or nothing, as he would have me to be; leading me from\nplace to place, as a weaned child, by the guiding of his power, and\nthe influence of his precious love: and teaching me, not only how to\nsuffer want, but likewise, how to abound; and in every situation and\ndispensation which he is pleased to lead into, to be therewith content.\nUnder a renewed sense whereof, my spirit is led to acknowledge, that\n\u201cgreat and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true\nare thy ways, thou King of saints.\u201d Even so. Amen.\n\nIn the spring of the year 1808, our yearly meeting, from an exercise\nin observing the many deficiencies, brought up in the reports from the\nseveral quarterly meetings, issued an epistle, or minute of advice\nand caution, to its subordinate meetings. And in order to strengthen\nand enforce the same, and to make it the more effectual to promote a\nreformation, appointed a committee to attend therewith. And I, being\none appointed with divers other brethren and sisters, willingly engaged\ntherein; as a concern, of a similar nature, had for some time previous\nthereto attended my mind.\n\nAccordingly, at the close of the yearly meeting, we agreed to enter\nupon the service at the succeeding quarterly meeting at Nine Partners;\nand to attend in succession the quarterly meetings of Stanford and\nEaston, as they came in course. Two men, and three women Friends,\njoined me in this northern tour; and several others of the committee\nattended at the quarterly meetings. After those meetings, we proceeded\nto attend with the minute, all the monthly meetings constituting them;\nexcept the three distant ones, of Adolphustown in Upper Canada, and\nFarmington and Scipio, in the western part of the state of New-York:\nalso a considerable number of the preparative meetings, as way opened\ntherefor. Although great and many were the apparent deviations and\ndepartures of many of our members, in the varied classes of society,\nfrom that ancient simplicity and integrity, which marked the conduct\nof our worthy predecessors, in the dawn of this latter gospel day;\nand by this declension, those noble testimonies given us to bear,\nfor the prince of peace, and the promotion of the cause of truth and\nrighteousness in the earth, were by many, but weakly supported; and by\nothers, almost wholly neglected; grieving and wounding the hearts of\nthe faithful, and reproaching our Christian profession: nevertheless,\nwe had abundant cause gratefully to acknowledge the condescending\ngoodness and mercy of the great Head of the Church, in uniting us\ntogether in the work, and in owning the concern from place to place;\ngiving full evidence thereto in a general manner, by the manifestations\nof his love and power; and thereby enabling and qualifying his weak\nand unworthy though devoted servants, who were very sensible they had\nno might nor ability of their own, to perform the service they were\nengaged in, to his honour, or the promotion of his righteous cause;\nand to communicate counsel and encouragement, reproof and caution, as\noccasion required, and opportunity offered; by which the faithful were\nstrengthened, and made at times to rejoice together, the hearts of\nFriends being in a very general manner, opened cordially to receive us\nand the concern, with much unanimity.\n\nWe had many precious opportunities as we passed along, in public\nmeetings, (many of which were much crowded, by those coming in who\nwere not in membership with us,) and also in meetings for discipline;\ntruth being often raised powerfully into dominion over all. So that\nin many of those favoured seasons, we were strengthened to set up our\nEbenezer, and to say, in the heart-felt language of filial and grateful\nacknowledgments, \u201chitherto hath the Lord helped us.\u201d And, I believe, it\nwas a season of renewed powerful visitation, and manifestation of the\nLord\u2019s mercy to many; not only to the members of our society, but also,\nto others that are without, who were favoured with the privilege of\nattending the public meetings.\n\nAfter getting through this part of the service, which took us\nbetween nine and ten weeks, in which time we travelled upwards of\none thousand miles, and attended three quarterly meetings, seventeen\nmonthly meetings, sixteen preparative meetings, and forty public\nmeetings for worship, including those that preceded the monthly and\npreparative meetings, we returned home, and remained until the time\nof the next quarterly meetings\u2019 coming on when I again joined some\nof the committee, and attended the quarterly meetings of Westbury\nand Purchase, and all the monthly meetings constituting them; except\nPurchase monthly meeting. And I may say with gratitude of heart, that\nthe same divine power that attended in the foregoing part of the visit,\nwas again manifested for our help, in going through, and finishing the\nservice, to the humble admiration and solid peace of my own mind, and\nthe praise of his own right worthy name, \u201cwho is over all, God blessed\nfor ever.\u201d How great and wonderful is his goodness and loving kindness\nto the children of men; his mercies are present every moment; and as\nsaith the prophet, \u201cthey are new every morning:\u201d therefore saith my\nsoul let all praise and exalt him above all, for his mercy endureth for\never.\n\nIn the latter part of the winter, and spring of the year 1809, with\nthe concurrence of our monthly meeting, I made a pretty general visit\nto the meetings of Friends, within the quarterly meeting of Purchase;\nand attended some meetings belonging to Nine Partners quarterly\nmeeting; and also appointed a considerable number among others, in the\nadjacent parts. I found great openness generally among the people, to\nhear the truths of the gospel; and a number, I believe, received them\nwith sincerity of heart; and I was made glad in believing, that the\nLord was graciously near, and accompanied the word preached, with his\nheart-tendering power, comforting and refreshing the broken hearted,\nreviving the spirit of the contrite ones, and stopping the mouths of\ngainsayers. For these favours my soul was often bowed, in deep humility\nand contrition of spirit, accompanied with grateful acknowledgments and\nthanksgiving, for his wonderful works to the children of men.\n\nThe year 1810, I spent mostly at home, except performing a visit to\nsome of the neighbouring inhabitants, not in membership with us. I\nwas from home in this service a few weeks in the spring; and in the\nsummer I performed a visit to the half year\u2019s meeting at Canada, by\nappointment from our yearly meeting.\n\nI passed the year 1811 at and near home, in attending our own and some\nadjacent meetings; also some meetings in divers neighbourhoods among\nother societies. I had frequent cause to rejoice in a living hope, that\ntruth was gradually rising, and the true light shining more and more\nin the hearts of the people; and that in the Lord\u2019s time, it would be\nexalted and become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth.\n\nIn the winter and spring of the year 1812, with the concurrence of\nmy friends, I passed about four weeks in visiting the neighbouring\ninhabitants, not of our society. I had twenty-eight meetings, all\nheld in private houses; many of them were very large and crowded,\nand the Lord was graciously near, comforting and refreshing the\nsincere-hearted, and opening counsel to those who wanted information,\nand sealing his testimony on the minds of the people, to the exaltation\nof his own righteous cause, and to the glory of his excellent name,\n\u201cwho is over all, God blessed for ever.\u201d\n\nIn the forepart of the winter of 1813, feeling a renewed concern toward\nthe neighbouring inhabitants of our island, and New-York, not in\nprofession with us; many of whom are as sheep without a shepherd, and\nappeared to be under exercise and concern, to be rightly instructed in\nthe way of peace and salvation, in gospel love, and with the unity of\nmy friends, I paid them a visit. I had upwards of twenty meetings in\nthe different parts, much to my own satisfaction, and, I trust, to the\nedification and comfort of many who attended. The Lord, our gracious\nhelper, was near, and covered the assemblies with his solemnizing\npresence and power; and instructed to divide the word to the several\nstates, in the demonstration of the spirit. For these unmerited\nfavours, I was made at seasons to rejoice, and in deep humiliation and\nthankfulness of heart, to joy in the God of my salvation, who does\nwondrous things in mercy, for the children of men, in order to hide\npride from man, and turn him from his unrighteous purposes, and save\nhis soul from the pit, that so he may know, and seek after God.\n\nBefore I had got fully through this little tour of duty, a further\nprospect opened, toward a visit to Friends and others in the compass of\nPurchase quarterly meeting, and some of the neighbouring parts of the\nstate of Connecticut, where none of our society reside: and under the\nimpression of duty I laid the concern before our monthly meeting held\nin 1st month, 1813, and received its concurrence, in a short minute\nfor that purpose. I left home the 6th of 2d month following, my kind\nfriend Gideon Seaman, an Elder, and member of Westbury monthly meeting,\naccompanied me in this visit.\n\nWe passed to New-York on our way, and on first day attended the\nforenoon meeting at Pearl-street, and the afternoon meeting at\nLiberty-street; and had an appointed meeting on second day evening in\nthe northeast part of the town, in a large room in a public house.\nIt was a favoured season, and largely attended; many more came than\nthe room could contain. The two foregoing meetings were also favoured\nstrengthening opportunities, affording encouragement in my first\nsetting out in the weighty and solemn service before me, which I always\nesteem that of appointing meetings to be, more especially those among\nstrangers; many of whom know but little of us, or of the manner in\nwhich we hold our meetings, and therefore are apt to get restless,\nand sometimes much disquieted at our sitting so long in silence, as\nwe often have to do; that it requires, in Friends, at such seasons, a\nvery deep indwelling with the seed of life, to prevent being jostled,\nor interrupted in our inward travail and waiting, for the pure motion\nof life; lest, by their eagerness to hear words, Friends on those\noccasions, might be led to venture on too small an intimation and\nwithout sufficiently turning the fleece again and again, and to feel\nclearly, that, \u201cwo is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.\u201d For want of\nthis care, there is danger sometimes of our running in vain, and so not\nprofit the people at all, nor procure peace to our own minds.\n\nI was from home in this journey about four weeks, and rode upwards of\nthree hundred miles; and attended twenty-five meetings, and our meeting\nfor sufferings twice. Twelve of these meetings were among people not of\nour society; and where there are no meetings of Friends. Among these I\nfound great openness to receive us, and our testimony; many expressed\ntheir satisfaction with the opportunities, and manifested a desire\nin most places, that we would stay longer with them, and have more\nmeetings. Indeed truth was so prevalent in those meetings, as not only\nto silence, at least for the present, all opposition, but in many of\nthem to reign triumphantly over all; whereby many minds were comforted\nand instructed, and the power of truth exalted; and our hearts made\nglad in believing, that the Shepherd of Israel is still availingly\nstretching forth the crook of his love, and will gather many from\nthe highways and hedges; whom, as they attend to his call, and abide\nfaithful to the end, he will clothe with the wedding garment, and admit\ninto the marriage chamber of the Lamb; while many of those, who have\nbeen long and often invited, but are nevertheless making excuses, in\norder to attend to their farms, their merchandize, their oxen, &c.,\nwill not be able to enter.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\n Engagements at and about home, 1813.--Visit to Friends in the middle\n and southern states, 1813.\n\n\nSixth day, 26th of 3d month, 1813. My worldly concerns engrossed much\nof my time to-day. How true is that saying, \u201cNo man can serve two\nmasters.\u201d O, how hard a master the world is; and from whose servitude I\noften feel strong desires to be fully redeemed; so that all my time may\nbe more fully dedicated to the service of my heavenly master, whom, I\noften feel, I sincerely love.\n\nSeventh day. Part of this day I spent in repairing a vehicle, in which\nI have travelled several thousand miles, in my religious engagements.\nMost of the evening was occupied in reading the excellent doctrine\nof our Lord relative to the Comforter, and the union and communion\nbetween himself and his faithful followers, as recorded by John the\nEvangelist. If it is sweet and pleasant to read, how much more precious\nand excellent is it to know and witness it in our own experience.\n\nFirst day. Our meeting this day passed in silent labour. The cloud\nrested on the tabernacle: and, although it was a day of much rain\noutwardly, yet very little of the dew of Hermon appeared to distil\namong us. Nevertheless, a comfortable calm was witnessed towards the\nclose; which we must render to the account of unmerited mercy and love.\n\nSecond day. Most of this day was occupied in a visit to a sick friend,\nwho appeared comforted therewith. Spent part of the evening in reading\npart of Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Romans.\n\nThird day. I was busied most of this day in my common vocations.\nSpent the evening principally in reading Paul. Found considerable\nsatisfaction in his first epistle to the Corinthians; in which he\nshows the danger of some in setting too high a value on those who were\ninstrumental in bringing them to the knowledge of the truth, without\nlooking through and beyond the instrument, to the great first cause and\nAuthor of every blessing, to whom all the praise and honour are due.\n\nFifth day, 1st of 4th month. At our meeting to-day found it, as usual,\na very close steady exercise to keep the mind centered where it ought\nto be. What a multitude of intruding thoughts imperceptibly, as it\nwere, steal into the mind, and turn it from its proper object, whenever\nit relaxes its vigilance in watching against them. Felt a little\nstrength, just at the close, to remind Friends of the necessity of a\nsteady perseverance, by a recapitulation of the parable of the unjust\njudge, showing how men ought always to pray, and not to faint.\n\nSixth day. Nothing material occurred, but a fear lest the cares of the\nworld should engross too much of my time.\n\nSeventh day. Had an agreeable visit from two ancient friends, whom\nI have long loved. The rest of the day I employed in manual labour,\nmostly in gardening.\n\nFirst day. Felt my mind drawn to attend to-day a meeting, a few\nmiles from home, held, for the present, by indulgence of Friends. I\nwas led forth in a line of encouragement and caution to a seeking\ntravailing remnant; and in warning to the indolent and self-righteous,\nendeavouring to show them the danger of resting in such a polluted\nstate; many hearts were contrited, and a comfortable solemnity clothed\nthe meeting, for which we were made thankful to the gracious Author of\nall our blessings.\n\nSecond day. This day spent in manual labour, a less proportion of which\nwould suffice for me, if every other man was disposed to do his part:\nbut the poor and the indolent must and will be helped.\n\nThird and fourth days. Mostly occupied in my temporal concerns, with\nattendant poverty of spirit, and a longing after spiritual food, free\nfrom condemnation.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting, at which our queries were\nread, and answers prepared to be sent to the yearly meeting; but too\nmuch, I fear, in a formal way, and may, if not well guarded against,\nbecome a snare to us, as the brazen serpent was to Israel.\n\nSixth day. I can say little more than that I wearied myself with hard\nlabour in assisting my workmen to build stone fences. In the evening\nread Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Galatians, in which I think he has fully\nshown the final end and abolishment of all outward ordinances and\nobservations in matters of religion.\n\nSeventh day. This day I spent mostly in manual labour. Some little\ninterruption of mind by the improper conduct of one of my labourers.\nHow hard a thing it is to find, in such persons, honesty, industry, and\na suitable deportment, united in the same individual; and yet it is no\nmore than ought to be in every man, and it is always their duty and\ninterest to be so.\n\nFirst day. At our meeting to-day the fire seemed very low on the altar.\nDulness, and a spirit of heaviness were too predominant with many;\noccasioned, no doubt, by a too near attachment to the world, and the\nthings of it, with some, and by too much lightness and vanity with\nothers. Alas, how much good seed is lost by the wayside, in stony\nplaces, and on thorny ground. Just at the close, I was engaged to call\nthe attention of the people to the necessity of having always a proper\npoint, or object to aim at, a right centre to all their hopes and\ndesires; and that God was the only proper object for man to set his\nheart upon, as the doing his will is the whole sum and substance of all\ntrue religion and worship.\n\nSecond, third and fourth days. Spent in usual labour, with a peaceful\nmind.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting to-day at which I received a\ncertificate of their unity and concurrence with a prospect, which I had\npreviously opened to them, of performing a religious visit to Friends\nand others, in some parts of the yearly meetings of Pennsylvania and\nBaltimore, and the adjacent parts of Virginia. How humbling it is to\nthe natural man to be called to the performance of those duties, for\nwhich he feels himself destitute of every right means and capacity: he\nis therefore brought under the necessity of trusting in, and depending\nupon, that invisible arm of power, which is beyond the reach of all\nmortals to command or controul.\n\nSixth day. Felt much poverty of spirit at our preparative meeting\nof Ministers and Elders. How necessary it is for such as fill those\nstations in society, to dig faithfully with their staves, like the\nprinces and nobles of Israel formerly, by the direction of the\nlawgiver, saying, \u201cspring up, O well, sing ye unto it;\u201d that so\nthey may be favoured both with the upper and the nether spring: for\nhow otherwise can they be good waymarks and ensamples to the flock,\nover whom the Holy Ghost has made all the rightly qualified of this\ndescription overseers, and who will have to give an account of the\nflock under their charge.\n\nSeventh day. Spent in my usual vocation as a farmer or husbandman, in\nwhich I need incessantly to watch against the intrusions of worldly\ncares.\n\nFirst day. Had close exercise, through the greatest part of our meeting\nto-day in opposing a dull drowsy spirit, which, through unmerited\nmercy and help, I vanquished towards the close: soon after which, I\nwas unexpectedly called upon to sound an alarm to the youth, and to\nshow them the danger of suffering the intruding vanities and follies of\nthe world to steal away their affections from their supreme good, and\nblessed Author of their being and well-being, in and on whom they ought\nto fix their only best hope and trust, who is the true and only source\nof all felicity and blessedness in time and in eternity.\n\nSecond day. My temporal concerns necessarily engaged my attention\nto-day; in pursuing of which, nothing transpired to interrupt or turn\nthe mind from its proper centre.\n\nThe four following days were principally occupied in attending our\nquarterly meeting, held, at this time, in New-York. I think it was, on\nthe whole, a favoured season. The canopy of the heavenly Father\u2019s care\nwas sensibly felt to overshadow the meeting in its several sittings.\nI spread before the meeting for discipline my prospect of a religious\nvisit to Friends and others in some of the southern states, with the\ncertificate of concurrence from our last monthly meeting. The meeting\nfully united therewith, and I was left at liberty to pursue the journey\nas way should open therefor. What deep obligations devolve upon us,\nwhen thus liberated by our friends, and separated to travel in the\nservice of the gospel, that we are careful, in no case, to make the\ngospel chargeable to any, nor abuse our power in it; but that, in deep\nhumility and reverential fear, we wait for the putting forth of the\nShepherd of Israel, and know him to go before: then will the Lord\u2019s\ncause prosper in our hands, and his people be edified and instructed,\nand we comforted in our labours of love, to the glory and praise of his\nright excellent name, who is over all, God blessed for ever.\n\nSeventh day. Was busied to-day in my farming business, endeavouring\nto get all my temporal concerns properly arranged, expecting soon to\nproceed on the visit already mentioned; as I consider it my especial\nduty, as much as in me lies, to leave all in a state of order and\nquiet, so that nothing may remain on the mind that would tend to\ninterrupt or disturb it, while travelling in this weighty service, nor\nthat any should have cause to complain, whom I leave behind.\n\nFirst day. Having felt my mind inclined to see Friends in their meeting\nat Bethpage before I left home, I went there to day, accompanied by\nmy wife, our two youngest daughters, and a sober young woman of our\nneighbourhood. Their company was pleasant, and, after a time of deep\ninward travail and suffering, I trust the season was profitable and\nedifying to a number present. How often are the living baptized for\nthe dead, in order for their arising; for if the dead are not raised,\npreaching is vain.\n\nSecond and third days. Spent in preparing my business, looking for the\ntime of setting out on my intended journey. May I be ready and willing\nwhen the time comes, without murmuring or complaining; for, as I trust\nand believe a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me, wo is unto\nme if I preach not the gospel.\n\nFourth day. Alas, how the cares of the world intrude on the mind and\nengross its attention, if they are not carefully watched against with\nfervent prayer!\n\nFifth day. Attended our usual meeting. Found it necessary to engage\nagainst a dull heavy spirit, that seemed very prevalent in the meeting:\nbut, as I maintained the struggle, I was favoured with a good degree of\nvictory towards the close, when a ray of light broke forth, attended\nwith peace and quietude of mind, an ample reward for all my toil.\n\nSixth day. I endeavoured to spend this day as I ought to do. Met\nwith some interruption from a careless neighbour, by the trespass\nof his unruly cattle. How much more comfort and satisfaction would\nneighbourhoods enjoy, if all honestly endeavoured to walk uprightly,\nagreeably to that excellent rule left us by Jesus Christ: \u201call things\nwhatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them;\nfor this is the law and the prophets.\u201d\n\nSeventh day, 1st of 5th month. Still pressing after a more full release\nfrom the world and its cares, endeavouring to redeem the time, because\nthe days are still evil, or attended in many respects, with much evil.\nThe alarm of war is heard in the land, and much contention is among the\npeople. Flee, O my soul, to thy rock, the name of the Lord; for, in it\nis safety, and a sure refuge from all the storms and tempests, that\nassail poor mortals in passing through this vale of tears, and state of\ntrial and probation.\n\nFirst day. Had to suffer through the meeting to-day. Alas, how oft have\nthe poor ministers to be baptized for, and with, the dead!\n\nSecond day. Still pressing after a release from my worldly cares; as\nthe time is near at hand, when I shall proceed on my proposed journey\nto the south and west on my good Master\u2019s business, I hope, in the way\nhe is pleased to lead.\n\nThird day. Felt much poverty of spirit to-day, although nothing\nparticular has occurred either on the right hand or the left;\ntherefore I feel, in a good degree, a peaceful mind which is worthy of\nthanksgiving.\n\nFourth day. Still pressing after a full settlement of my temporal\nconcerns that I may be in a state of readiness to pursue my journey, as\nsoon as the way opens.\n\nFifth day. Was favoured, towards the close of our meeting to-day, to\ndischarge another debt of love and care to my friends, as it was likely\nto be the last opportunity I should have with them before I proceeded\non my intended journey; and, through the prevalence of gospel love, it\nwas made a tendering baptizing season to some, and we parted under a\ndegree of the uniting influence of it.\n\nSixth day. Still aiming at the same mark of readiness and preparation\nfor my journey, expecting to leave home to-morrow, and proceed therein,\nif the cloud is removed from the tabernacle, and the light should lead\nthe way.\n\nSeventh day, 8th of 5th month, 1813. I commenced the journey on this\nday, after a precious solemn season with my family, in which I was\nfavoured, in fervent supplication, to recommend them to the divine\nprotection and preserving care of the Shepherd of Israel. Under a\nthankful sense of his loving kindness we took leave of each other in\nmuch affectionate sympathy and brokenness of spirit, I rode to New-York\nwith a peaceful and quiet mind. My kinsman Isaac Hicks, of Westbury,\nkindly accompanied me in this journey.\n\nFirst day. Attended Friends\u2019 meetings there, in the morning at\nPearl-street, and in the afternoon at Liberty-street. They were both\nexercising seasons, and I hope profitable to some, as in all right\nexercise we are encouraged to believe there is profit. After these\nopportunities, and a favoured season in a family of Friends, the heads\nof which were Elders, I felt a pretty full release from the city at\npresent.\n\nSecond day. Proceeded on our journey to Newark, where we attended a\nmeeting appointed for us at the third hour. It was on the whole, I\nthink, a favoured season; many truths of the gospel were opened to the\npeople, and appeared to have a good degree of entrance to the minds of\nsome present; although others appeared to be too much fettered by the\nprejudice of education to be profited by them. The meeting closed in\nsolemn quiet; and I left them with a peaceful mind. We then rode to\nRahway and lodged.\n\nThird day. This afternoon at the third hour we attended a meeting\npreviously appointed at Elizabethtown. Many of the most respectable\ninhabitants attended, among whom were the governour of the state of\nNew-Jersey and his wife; and a very considerable number of young\npeople. The Lord, who is a never-failing helper to those that trust in\nhim, was near, furnishing with ability to preach the gospel of life and\nsalvation to the people, in the clear demonstration of the spirit; and\nwith a power attending, that produced great brokenness of heart and\ncontrition of spirit among them; and the power of his divine love was\nfelt to spread over the meeting as a precious canopy. We parted with\nthem in humiliation and deep thankfulness of heart, rejoicing that his\nloving kindness was still extended to his backsliding and offending\ncreature man.\n\nFourth and fifth days. We attended Friends\u2019 meetings at Plainfield and\nRahway.\n\nSixth day. We had a favoured meeting at New Brunswick among the\ninhabitants of the town. Many truths of the gospel were opened to their\nconsideration; and a comfortable solemnity was witnessed to spread over\nthe meeting.\n\nSeventh day. We rode to Upper Freehold, intending to be at Friends\u2019\nmeeting at East Branch in that township on first day. We lodged at\nthe house of our friend George Frost, where I had lodged before in my\nway through these parts, about twelve years prior to this time. We\nmet a very kind reception from our said friend and his family; and it\nseemed like a fresh renewal of friendship and affection between us. How\nconsoling it is for the weary traveller to meet with kind friends! it\nis as a brook by the way in a time of drought.\n\nFirst day. We attended East Branch meeting as proposed. The forepart\nwas exercising, for want of a lively travail among the members; too\nmany of whom seemed in a dead, lifeless state, as to a right religious\nconcern. This makes hard labour for the living exercised members, and\nis very trying to those who visit them in the service of truth; yet as\nwe kept up the travail for truth\u2019s arising, and patiently abode under\nsuffering, a degree of light broke forth, and led to a seasonable, and\nI trust, instructive communication; in which I found relief and peace\nin the labour, which I consider a great favour.\n\nSecond day. Were at Upper Freehold meeting. It was a season of deep\nsuffering in the forepart, in which my spirit was deeply baptized\nwith, and for the dead; but as I patiently submitted to the crucifying\noperation of the present dispensation, a degree of light sprang up,\nand in it I was led to view the declaration of the apostle Paul, that\n\u201cdeath reigned from Adam to Moses,\u201d and to show to the people, that all\nthe unregenerate were under the influence and power of the same death.\nFor in Adam, that is, in the transgressing state, all die. And that it\nis only by and through our attention being turned to the inward divine\nlaw, which the apostle calls, \u201cthe law of the spirit of life in Christ\nJesus,\u201d and our yielding full obedience thereunto, that we can be set\nfree and delivered from this law of sin and death, which was typified\nby Israel\u2019s deliverance, from the bondage of Pharaoh, by a full and\nimplicit obedience to the outward commands of God, through his servant\nMoses. As I attended carefully to the opening, truth rose into victory,\nand administered cause of thanksgiving, under a grateful sense of the\ncontinued mercy and loving kindness of our gracious Creator to his\nbacksliding creature man.\n\nThe three following days we attended meetings at Crosswicks, alias\nChesterfield, Upper Springfield, and a meeting called the Mount.\nThese were all favoured meetings, wherein the Lord\u2019s presence and\npower were manifested, tendering and contriting many hearts, giving\ntongue and utterance; and through which the gospel was preached in\nthe demonstration of the spirit, and with a power attending, which\ncarried sharp reproof to the disobedient and unfaithful, strength\nto the weak and feeble minded, confirmation and encouragement to\nthe honest-hearted, humble traveller; and mutually rejoicing the\nsincere-hearted. For all these favours my spirit was made humbly\nthankful to the Shepherd of Israel, to whom all the glory and praise is\ndue, for his mercy endureth for ever.\n\nSixth day. Attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Old Springfield. It was a\nprecious baptizing season, the Lord\u2019s presence and power were felt to\nspread over the meeting, affecting and contriting many present; and\ncomforting and encouraging the honest travellers Zion-ward. The meeting\nclosed under a thankful sense of divine favour, with prayer and praise.\n\nSeventh day. We were at Mansfield. On first day were at Bordentown in\nthe morning, and at Lower Mansfield in the afternoon. These meetings\nwere well attended and very solemn. The two last, Friends informed\nme were unusually large. Oh how good is the Lord, and greatly to be\npraised for his marvellous works, and his never failing loving kindness\nto the children of men.\n\nSecond day. We were at Burlington. In this meeting my mind was opened\nlargely to set forth the nature and design of the gospel dispensation;\nand to show, that as none had ever been perfect in it, but the man\nJesus Christ, we had not a right, as his professed followers, to take\nthe example of any but his own, for our real perfect rule of life. For\nall who have gone before us have in a greater or less degree, through\nthe undue force and prejudice of education, fallen short of the perfect\nrule left us in his example and precepts.\n\nI also showed them that the Christian professors in the varied ages of\nthe Church had very much marred and obstructed the work of reformation,\nby suffering themselves to be too closely attached to their several\nparticular leaders; and have therefore justly thrown themselves\nopen to the censure of the apostle; wherein he blames some of the\nprimitive Christians for setting themselves one against another, by the\npartiality each had for the minister, by whom he had been brought over\nto the Christian faith, one crying, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos,\nand I of Cephas, and some more wise, I of Christ; to whose example all\nought to have looked, and not turned their attention so much to the\ninstruments, by whom they were brought to believe in him. Although\nmany of our worthy predecessors according to their measure of light\nendeavoured faithfully to do the work of their day, yet few, if any\nof them, had been so entirely emancipated from the undue force of\neducation, as to see clearly through the cloud of prejudice produced\nthereby; and therefore were in the practice of divers things, not\nconsistent with that perfect justice which the example and precepts\nof our Lord call for, and which are in full unison with the perfect\nrighteousness of the gospel. The word was preached in a large searching\ntestimony, I trust through divine assistance, in the demonstration of\nthe spirit, to the comfort and encouragement of the sincere in heart,\nand the peace of my own mind.\n\nThird day. Were at Rancocas. The meeting was solemn, and the Lord\u2019s\npresence was felt to preside, humbling many minds; and many truths of\nthe gospel were in an instructive manner spread before the people.\n\nFourth and fifth days. We attended meetings at Mount Holly, Upper\nEvesham, and were at Easton on fifth day afternoon; these were all\nfavoured meetings. In the two former, my mind was largely opened in two\ndoctrinal testimonies, wherein the design and end of all the shadows\nof the law were clearly opened; and the necessity of their entire\nabolishment at the death and resurrection of Christ clearly shown. I\nalso opened to them, that, by the primitive Christians retaining many\nof the shadows of the law, the apostacy broke in upon the Church, and\nthat by the retention of some of the same shadows, the reformation had\nbeen, and is still greatly retarded: and will never advance on its\nright foundation, until those shadows are all discarded and done away.\nMy mind was deeply humbled, under a sense of the Lord\u2019s mercy.\n\nThe three following days we were at Lower Evesham, Cropwell, Chester,\nWestfield, Haddonfield, and at Newtown, attending two meetings each\nday. After the latter meeting, on first day evening, we crossed the\nriver Delaware to Philadelphia. In those meetings my mind was deeply\nhumbled, under a grateful sense of the Lord\u2019s continued mercy to\nan unworthy people; rendered so by the continued disobedience and\nrevolting of great numbers, who go under our name, not only among\nthe youth, but with many of riper age, whose experience and daily\nobservation we might reasonably suppose, had they endeavoured to\nimprove by it, would, ere now, have taught them better. But how true is\nthat saying of the great Master: \u201cIf therefore the light that is in\nthee be darkness, how great is that darkness.\u201d This has fallen to the\nlot of those, by turning their backs upon the true light, and adhering\nto their own carnal reasonings and fleshly consultations, whereby\nthey have been left like Balaam, through his covetousness, to justify\nthemselves in many things, which the true light in them, had they been\nobedient to its manifestations, would not have approved. Therefore\nthese are left as a reward of their disobedience to believe a lie to\ntheir own confusion.\n\nMy mind was largely opened in these meetings, not only to commemorate\nthe Lord\u2019s gracious dealings with the children of men; but likewise\nto set forth and open to the several auditories the subtle workings\nand varied transformations of that diabolical spirit, which lies in\nwait to deceive and counteract the gracious designs of heaven among\nthe children of men. And under a renewed sense of the Lord\u2019s continued\nmercy, my spirit was led to exclaim, as did one formerly: \u201cGreat and\nmarvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are all thy\nways, thou King of saints.\u201d\n\nThe following week we spent in the city, except on seventh day we rode\nout and attended two meetings; one in the morning at Frankford, and the\nother at Germantown, at five in the afternoon. These were both favoured\nseasons. We then returned in the evening to Philadelphia; and the\nnext day being the first of the week, and the 6th of 6th month, were\nat Friends\u2019 meeting at Arch-street in the morning, and at the North\nmeeting in the afternoon. Some previous notice having been given of my\nintention of attending them, they were unusually large; and many had\nto go away for want of room. It was supposed there were three thousand\npeople at the beginning of the meeting, and toward the close many more\nthan the rooms could contain. Through the marvellous condescension\nand loving kindness of our gracious God, my mind was strengthened and\nqualified to preach the gospel of peace and salvation to the people,\nin the demonstration of the spirit, and with a power attending, that\nbrought home the doctrine, to the humbling conviction of many minds. In\nthe first I was engaged to bear testimony to the excellency of a life\nof strict and impartial justice and righteousness, as the only right\nfoundation of every real religious and moral virtue; and without which\nno true virtue could possibly exist. The communication comprehended\nmuch salutary caution, reproof and encouragement, suited to the varied\nstates present; under a sense of which my mind was deeply humbled,\nand had gratefully to acknowledge, \u201cthis is the Lord\u2019s doings, and\nmarvellous in mine eyes.\u201d The latter was likewise a favoured season,\nwherein many truths of the gospel were opened to the people, tending\nto lead their minds off from all dependence on traditional religion\nand worship; and to gather them home to the eternal substance in\nthemselves, Christ, the hope of glory and light of the world; by the\ninfluence of whose light and spirit, we only can be enabled to obtain\nvictory over the world and its spirit, and become qualified to worship\nthe Father in spirit and in truth.\n\nThe 7th we left Philadelphia. In the course of this week and the\nnext first day, we attended eleven meetings in the following order,\nprevious notice having gone forward. On second day at Darby; third\nday at Haverford in the morning, and at Merion at the fifth hour in\nthe afternoon; fourth day at the Valley; fifth day at Radnor, which\nwas their monthly meeting; sixth day at Newtown in the morning, and\nat Springfield in the afternoon; seventh day at Middletown in the\nmorning, and at Providence in the afternoon; first day at Chester in\nthe morning, and at Chichester in the afternoon. And although I was\ntaken very unwell on third day afternoon, before the third meeting\nas above arranged, and continued so through the week, and until the\nlast meeting; insomuch that for several days I could take scarcely\nany nourishment, my stomach loathing all food; yet to my humbling\nadmiration, I was strengthened to go through the service of these\nmeetings, which in each was arduous and extensive. At the close of\nsome of them my strength was so exhausted, being wet from head to foot\nwith extreme sweating, that it seemed to me after divers of those\nexercising seasons, almost impossible for me to reach the next; but\nthat which is impossible to man, we often find easy to the great Helper\nof his people. As my care was wholly cast upon Him, he graciously\naccompanied, by his holy presence, from meeting to meeting. When I\nfirst sat down in many of those meetings, the force of my complaint\nseemed to absorb all my strength both of body and mind; yet as I\nendeavoured to centre in quiet, I seldom sat long before the light\nsprang up, and dispelled all the darkness, and opened doctrine new and\nold; and strengthened to communicate in a way of clear demonstration.\nThe honest-hearted were strengthened and instructed, and conviction and\nreproof brought home to the delinquent, and a visitation of entreaty\nand love extended to the beloved young people, whose minds were not yet\nhardened in vice; showing them, what great and everlasting benefits and\nblessings would redound to them, by an early dedication of their hearts\nto the Lord. My mind at the close of these large solemn meetings,\n(for many were very large, more than the houses could contain,) was\ngenerally centered in perfect peace, wherein I was led to contemplate\nthe Lord\u2019s marvellous loving kindness to me a poor unworthy creature,\nand his wonderful works in mercy to the children of men; waiting in\nlong forbearance for their return, and continuing his call to them by\nhis spirit, through his servants and messengers, rising up early and\nsending them, that no means should be left untried for their recovery\nand reconciliation. O, what shall we render to the Lord for all his\nbenefits!\n\nHaving been very unwell, as before observed, most of the last week, I\nfound it necessary to lay by a day or two, which we did at the house of\nour friend John Talbot. With a little rest I soon found myself better,\nand being desirous to improve the time, we again proceeded. On fourth\nday, the 16th of the month, we were at Concord meeting, at Wilmington\non fifth day, Centre on sixth day, Hockesson on seventh day, and at\nKennet on first day. I was helped to get through the service of these\nmeetings to my own satisfaction and peace of mind; although some of\nthem were very trying and exercising, by the unfaithfulness and great\nwant of a right concern and zeal, for the support and maintenance\nof our Christian testimonies, which in some families were very much\nneglected and let fall. I was led forth generally in those meetings,\nin close searching testimonies, tending to arouse friends from their\nbed of ease and carnal security; brought upon them by an inordinate\nlove of the world, and an increase of temporal blessings; in which\ntheir principal enjoyments were too much centered, loving the gifts\nand forgetting the Giver. I laboured fervently among them, especially\nin the last meeting, wherein my mind was largely opened to unfold to\nthe audience many of the deep mysteries of the gospel state, making\nthem plain and easy to be understood by the most ignorant, whose\nminds were in any degree turned to inquire the way to Zion. It was a\nseason in which the Lord\u2019s power was manifested in an eminent degree,\nbreaking down and contriting many hearts, and truth appeared to reign\ntriumphantly over all, to the praise of _his_ grace who is God, blessed\nfor ever.\n\nThe following week we attended meetings at Birmingham, Willistown,\nGoshen, Westchester, Bradford and Marlborough. These were mostly\npretty full meetings, and generally favoured and satisfactory. In some\nof them, as in many foregoing opportunities, the Lord\u2019s power was\neminently exalted, and set above, and over, all errour and untruth.\n\nOn first day, the 27th of the month, we attended two very large\nmeetings. One in the morning at London Grove, and the other in the\nafternoon at New Garden. In both of these meetings, my mind, I trust,\nwas opened by that divine key, which, when it opens, none can shut, and\nwhen it shuts, none can open. I was strengthened to declare largely of\nthe things of God, and the way to eternal life; to the satisfaction and\npeace of my own mind; and I trust to the edification and instruction,\nas well as conviction and reproof, of many present; the spirit\nassisting to divide the word severally to every one, according to the\nnecessity of their different states. It was a day thankfully to be\nremembered.\n\nIn the course of this week we attended meetings at West Grove, East\nand West Nottingham, Eastland, and Little Britain. These were all\nsatisfactory seasons; that at East Nottingham particularly, was a\nheart-searching opportunity, wherein truth was raised powerfully\ninto dominion over all. Many were broken and contrited, and a number\nwept freely for a considerable time: surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing,\nand marvellous in our eyes. On seventh day we crossed the river\nSusquehannah, and rode into the neighbourhood of Deer Creek; and\nattended the meeting there on first day. This also proved a very\nprecious meeting, wherein the Lord\u2019s power was eminently manifested;\nand every mind appeared to be humbled by its blessed influence. The\nmeeting ended with solemn supplication. The two following days, we\nattended meetings at Little Falls and Gunpowder. After the latter\nmeeting, we rode to Baltimore; and the two following days, attended\nFriends\u2019 meetings there for the Western and Eastern Districts, as they\ncame in course. At the close of each, their monthly meetings were held,\nwhich were exercising seasons, but ended to pretty good satisfaction.\nThere appeared to be a concerned remnant in each meeting, through whose\ncare the discipline appeared to be pretty well supported. After the\nlatter, we left the city and rode to Elk Ridge, to attend a meeting\nappointed for us there the next day, the sixth of the week; which was\na satisfactory opportunity. The day after, we attended Indian Spring\nmeeting. It was a solemn, and I trust profitable season to some: may it\nremain with them as bread cast upon the waters, that may be found after\nmany days.\n\nAfter this meeting, we rode to the city of Washington; and the next\nday, being the first of the week, and the 11th of 7th month, we\nattended a meeting there in the morning; and in the afternoon one at\nAlexandria. These were both very hard trying meetings; the people\nappeared very destitute of real religious engagement, their minds being\nso swallowed up in their political controversies, and other worldly\nconcerns, that there seemed to be very little room in their thoughts\nfor any thing else. I felt but little satisfaction in these meetings,\nexcept a consciousness of having done my duty, in laying before them,\nin a plain manner, divers truths necessary for them to be in the\npractice of, and without which they could not be real Christians, nor\nobtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.\n\nThe three following days we attended meetings at Georgetown, Sandy\nSpring, and Elk Ridge. We had been at the latter place the week before\non sixth day. These were seasons of favour: many truths of the gospel\nwere, I trust, clearly opened to the people, accompanied with right\nauthority, humbling many minds, and truth reigned over all. After the\nlast meeting, we rode to Baltimore that afternoon, and attended a\nmeeting previously appointed for us at the fifth hour; and the next\nday Friends\u2019 meeting in the Eastern District was held, and public\nnotice was given of our intention of attending it. These were both full\nmeetings, in which I was led forth in two large doctrinal testimonies,\nI trust, to the edification and comfort of many minds.\n\nAfter this I felt easy and clear to leave the city. We proceeded that\nafternoon about fourteen miles on our way towards Little York, in\nPennsylvania; where we arrived the next day a little before evening.\nOn seventh day we had a comfortable instructive meeting there. We then\nrode to Columbia, crossing the river Susquehannah in our way. The\nnext day being first day, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting there. It was\nlarge for that place, more came than the house could contain; and was\na favoured season; the Lord\u2019s power was manifest, and truth reigned\nover all; and I was made to rejoice, under an humbling sense of his\ncontinued mercy and gracious assistance from day to day; wherein we had\ncause often to set up our Ebenezer, and say, in the language of one\nformerly, \u201chitherto hath the Lord helped us.\u201d\n\nThe three following days, we attended meetings at Lampeter, Sadsbury,\nand Doe Run. In these, our gracious helper, whom we waited upon, and\ntrusted in, manifested himself to be a God near at hand, and a present\nhelper in every needful time; and was not only mouth and wisdom,\ntongue and utterance; but likewise sealed the truths communicated by\nthe attendant evidence of his own power, humbling and contriting many\nhearts and bringing all under subjection to the authority of truth; so\nthat I had often in deep thankfulness of heart, to query like David:\n\u201cWhat shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me.\u201d\n\nWe then proceeded, attending meetings at Fallowfield, East Caln,\nDowningstown; and on first day, the 25th of 7th month, were at Uwchlan\nmeeting. It was, I trust, a profitable instructive season, as were\nalso the three foregoing; and I found peace in my labours, which I\nesteem above all.\n\nOn second day we crossed the river Schuylkill, in our way to Plymouth;\nwhere, by previous notice, we had a meeting appointed at the fourth\nhour in the afternoon, which we accordingly attended. The next day we\nhad an appointed meeting at Abington. These were both large meetings,\nin which the Lord\u2019s power was felt to preside. The latter especially\nwas a very comfortable satisfactory meeting, wherein many truths of the\ngospel were opened to the people\u2019s consideration, and they pressed to\nan engagement of mind to realize them in their own experience; and were\nshown the great and singular advantage and benefits, that would most\ncertainly result to them and to society, in their so doing. The Lord\u2019s\npower was manifest, and truth reigned over all opposition.\n\nThe four following days we were at Byberry, Middletown, Bristol,\nand the Falls. These were large meetings, wherein, through gracious\nassistance, my mind was strengthened to labour largely in the gospel;\nendeavouring, by plain and conclusive arguments, drawn from scripture\ntestimony and their own experience, to gather the minds and attention\nof the people, from every non-essential and false trust, home to the\nsure foundation, the elect precious corner stone, which is Christ\nin them, the hope of glory. These were solemn seasons, wherein the\npeople\u2019s minds were generally humbled, the honest-hearted comforted,\nthe youth encouraged and instructed, and the lukewarm and refractory\ncautioned and reproved. The Lord\u2019s power was exalted over all,\nrejoicing the sincere-hearted, and giving peace to my own mind.\n\nThe next day being first day, and 1st of 8th month, we attended\nTrenton meeting in the morning, and were at Stony Brook at five in the\nafternoon. The meeting at Trenton was considered to be the largest that\nhad ever been held in that place. It was a favoured precious meeting,\nwherein the Lord\u2019s power was eminently manifest; and my spirit was\nmade to rejoice and joy in the God of my salvation, who had made bare\nhis arm of divine sufficiency; and as I trusted in him, carried me\nthrough, and over, every trial and tribulation, that attended in the\ncourse of this journey; enabling me to labour faithfully in the work of\nthe gospel, I trust to the exaltation of his own righteous cause, and\nto the peace and comfort of my own mind.\n\nThese meetings closed my visit in those parts. We then proceeded\ndirectly to New-York, where we arrived on third day; and as Friends\u2019\nmonthly meeting there was to be held the next day, we concluded to\nstay and attend it. I then rode home and found my family well, for\nwhich favour, together with the Lord\u2019s other multiplied mercies and\nblessings, conferred in the course of my pilgrimage through this vale\nof tears, inspire my heart with gratitude and thanksgiving to the great\nand blessed Author of my being and well-being, \u201cwho is over all, God\nblessed for ever.\u201d\n\nFifth day, 5th of 8th month, 1813. On this, and the two following days,\nI made preparations for again entering into the necessary cares of my\nfamily.\n\nFirst day. After a pretty close exercise in silence in our meeting\nto-day, I was led to call Friends\u2019 attention to more strict\nwatchfulness and circumspection, and to show the necessity of advancing\nin the work of righteousness, and not to continue any longer at ease\nin a formal customary way, which is sure to produce dwarfishness\nand death, not only to individuals, but also languor and dulness in\nmeetings, greatly distressing to the living exercised members.\n\nThe following week was spent in my common vocation as a farmer; except\nthat on seventh day, I went to Setauket, about thirty miles, to visit\na sick Friend, who had lately been received a member. We had a meeting\nwith her and some of her neighbours on first day, after which I\nreturned home that evening.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days, passed, as usual, in a peaceful\nattention to my ordinary vocations.\n\nFifth day. At meeting to-day my mind was solemnly humbled in a fresh\ncommemoration of the gracious dealings of our heavenly Father towards\nthe workmanship of his holy hand, especially to his revolting and\nbacksliding creature man; whom, in great mercy, he is visiting and\nrevisiting in the midst of his iniquities, inviting him in loving\nkindness to repent and return, that he may bring back his soul from the\npit, and be enlightened with the light of the living.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Was occupied with my temporal concerns, which\nwere trying, through indisposition of body, and much poverty of mind.\n\nFirst day. I attended our meeting to-day, not so much with an\nexpectation of comfort, as from a sense of real duty, as my bodily\nindisposition and poverty of spirit still continued; nevertheless, my\nmind, soon after I took my seat, was opened into a view of the great\nhurt man has sustained by suffering himself to be led and governed by\nhis external senses. It is through these avenues that he is principally\nexposed to temptation in this probationary state. And had he watchfully\nattended to the internal sense and voice of God to his soul, which his\ndependent state justly required of him, the tempter would have found no\nmore place in him, than he did in the blessed Jesus. Hence the way of\nour return lies open before us, through the grace of God or Comforter,\nby which the internal sense of the soul is again arrested, and strict\nobedience to its dictates required; and if yielded to in uprightness\nand faithful submission, the external senses are thereby subjected and\nregulated, and every undue desire and passion subdued, and the creature\nreturns a willing subject to the Creator, and primitive harmony is\nrestored. I had largely to communicate on this subject, and to show to\nthe auditory how wonderfully gracious and merciful the Lord is, who\nin longsuffering and loving kindness is dispensing to every state,\naccording to its necessities, not suffering even a sparrow to fall\nwithout his heavenly notice.\n\nThe rest of this week was spent in my ordinary vocations. My farming\nbusiness was very pressing, and it being difficult to procure suitable\nassistance, my mind was over-burdened with care, which seldom fails of\nproducing leanness of spirit in a lesser or greater degree.\n\nFirst day, the 29th of 8th month. Attended our meeting in silence. Oh!\nwhat a precious enjoyment to know both soul and body in humble silence,\nprostrated at the throne of grace.\n\nSecond day. Had invitations to attend the funerals of two deceased\nwomen Friends on the day following. One of them had been lately, at\nher request, received into membership by our monthly meeting, but was\nnever able to attend, she living in the town of Setauket, far distant\nfrom Friends. We had a meeting at her funeral agreeably to her request.\nIt was a large solemn one. A number of the inhabitants of the town\nattended, and many, although generally strangers to us, were glad of\nthe opportunity, and appeared well affected therewith. The rest of this\nweek was spent about home in my usual avocations.\n\nFirst day, the 5th of 9th month. Attended the indulged meeting at\nJerusalem, which, in the main, I think was a favoured season, although\nsomewhat hurt in the forepart by an unsavoury appearance in the\nministry.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Was occupied in attending to my farming\nbusiness, which, for want of suitable, faithful labourers, is often\nattended with much care, and too much bodily labour for my time of\nlife, but which cannot well be avoided without my business suffering.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting, at which our overseers\nbrought forward information of one of our members having through\nunwatchfulness and want of faithful attention to the witness of truth\nin his own mind, given way repeatedly to use strong drink to excess.\nThis information affected my mind in degree, both with joy and sorrow.\nI was glad, because from my knowledge of the case, I fully believed\nit had been too long procrastinated, not only to the hurt and loss of\nthe individual; but also, had brought reproach upon the society, and\nwounded the noble cause we are engaged to espouse. And it was cause of\nreal sorrow, when I was brought to reflect on the distressed state of\nthe individual, and the great affliction it must necessarily produce to\nhis wife and children, and near connexions. O how necessary to keep up\na steady watch and warfare, against this sore evil which destroys so\nmany tens of thousands of the children of men, both in soul and body.\n\nA few following days were spent in much bodily pain from a supposed\nrheumatic complaint in one of my limbs. O how needful a virtue\nis patience in seasons of affliction, to keep us from ungrateful\nmurmurings: by which men and women often greatly offend their gracious\nand beneficent Creator, who designs nothing but good to his creature\nman in all the varied dispensations of his divine providence.\n\nFirst day. At our meeting to-day, I was led to show to the people\nthe great harm and loss neighbourhoods, as well as the community at\nlarge, sustain for want of a careful submission to the laws, in all\npoints where they do not interfere with conscience; and that those who\nfrom their licentious and immoral pursuits, were often transgressing\nagainst the moral precepts of the law, were not worthy of living in\na free country, while violating the civil policy thereof merely to\ngratify their own creaturely and selfish inclinations. An honest and\nfaithful attention to the moral law of the country we live in, will,\nin a certain degree, (as the apostle expressed in allusion to the law\nof Moses,) be as a schoolmaster to lead to Christ. He only who is\nfaithful in the unrighteous mammon, is likely to make any proficiency\nin obtaining the true riches.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting; at the first sitting of which,\nmy mind was opened into a clear view of the necessity of our coming to\nexperience a resurrection from a state of spiritual death, to a renewal\nof spiritual life, through the resurrection of Christ, by his life and\npower in us; as nothing short of that can give full and satisfactory\nevidence of his, and our resurrection, from the dead. On this internal\ntestimony our whole salvation depends; and we know and feel, that\nbecause he lives we live also; and the life that we now live, is by\nfaith in the Son of God, hence we come to know in our own experience\nwhat Paul meant when he thus expressed himself: \u201cmy little children, of\nwhom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.\u201d _Christ\nformed in us_ is the sum and substance of the gospel state.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in manual labour, a reasonable portion of\nwhich I consider my duty and delight; and the more my delight, because\nI esteem it my reasonable and Christian service: and as I also abhor\nidleness and sloth.\n\nFirst day. Sat our meeting in silence under a pretty long testimony of\na ministering Friend on a visit to us, who introduced his communication\nwith the following saying of Christ: \u201cExcept ye eat my flesh and drink\nmy blood, ye have no life in you; for my flesh is meat indeed, and\nmy blood is drink indeed:\u201d and to show that it was to be spiritually\nunderstood and internally received, he further added: \u201cThe words that I\nsay unto you, they are spirit and they are life.\u201d An excellent subject\nindeed, and while he kept to his text and the subject, it seemed\nlively; but he after a time departed from it, and the life, I thought,\nvery much departed with it. How very necessary it is for ministers\nto keep a steady eye to the openings of truth, and not suffer any\npremature birth to rise up and get in and scatter their attention. For\nwant of this care, I have often thought many good openings have been\nmuch lost, and the work thereby marred.\n\nFirst day, the 10th of 10th month. Alas! how fleeting is time: three\nweeks have elapsed since my last note; in the course of which I have\nattended two funerals. Take care, oh my soul! and do not grow careless\nand forgetful when drawing near to the eve of life; lest the world\nand its cares get in and choke the bubblings of the celestial spring,\nthrough the abundant cumber that seems necessarily attendant on my\npresent state in striving to help and comfort others.\n\nFirst day, the 17th of 10th month. Passed the last week principally in\nattending to my outward avocations, except attending the funeral of a\nyoung man, where we had a solemn opportunity. I was exercised publicly\nto set forth the necessity and great propriety of an early and timely\npreparation for death; and to show to the people the way and means\nby which it only can be effected; founded on the declaration of the\napostle Paul, where he asserts that, \u201cnot by works of righteousness\nwhich we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by\nthe washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.\u201d The\nopportunity closed with comfort and peace of mind, which is the true\ncrown of all.\n\nI sat our meeting to-day in silence, feeling nothing to exercise my\nmind in a communicative way.\n\nSeventh day. Spent this week mostly in the busy round of outward cares,\nin my temporal concerns; except attending our monthly meeting on fifth\nday, and our select meeting for Ministers and Elders on sixth day. In\nboth of these my mind was exercised on account of the apparent languor\nrespecting the right management and want of firmness in the execution\nof our discipline, even in Ministers and Elders; by which reason the\nsociety were very much enveloped in a state of weakness.\n\nFirst day. Felt my mind clothed with great weakness, and a feeling\nsense of my own insufficiency, while sitting in our meeting to-day;\nnevertheless, I was led to view in prospect and contemplation, the\ngreat and essential advantages which result to individuals, and society\nin general, by a strict and steady attendance of religious meetings,\nfrom a real sense of duty; as there is scarcely any thing in the\noutward conduct of men and women, which more fully denotes a mind fixed\non God its maker for support and countenance, while passing through\nthe changes and vicissitudes of this mortal life. The subject spread\nand led to communication, and opened to a large field of doctrine, in\nwhich the gospel was preached in the authority of truth, and a very\ncomfortable solemnity covered the meeting.\n\nThird day. Attended the funeral of an acquaintance, a convinced person;\nit being his request on his death-bed; and also that a meeting might\nbe held at his funeral. It was accordingly so ordered, and proved a\nvery solemn affecting season, particularly so to the near connexions\nof the deceased. The Lord was graciously near, furnishing ability to\nbear ample testimony to many truths of the gospel. The people were very\nattentive, and many hearts were broken and contrited, and the Lord\u2019s\nname and power exalted over all.\n\nSeventh day. The three preceding days I attended our quarterly meeting,\nwhich was held at this time at Flushing. The meeting of Ministers and\nElders, and the meeting for discipline were very trying heart-searching\nseasons. The meeting for worship was a quiet favoured meeting. We had\ngreat cause to acknowledge the goodness and continued mercy of Israel\u2019s\nShepherd, who not only furnished wisdom and ability to search out the\nhidden things of Esau, or the first nature; and to set judgment upon\nthe head of the transgressing nature, in those meetings set apart for\nthe well-ordering of the affairs of the church: but also graciously\ncondescended in the closing meeting held for worship, to gladden\nour hearts by the effusions of his love, causing the light of his\ncountenance to shine upon us. The minds of the faithful were influenced\nto return thanksgiving and praise to his ever adorable name, who\nremains to be \u201cGod over all, blessed for ever.\u201d\n\nFirst day. Sat our meeting in silence, and was much interrupted by the\nintrusion of unprofitable thoughts, against which I had to struggle\nthrough most part of the meeting.\n\nSecond and third days. Spent in my necessary avocations; but not\nwithout considerable fear attending, lest my temporal concerns too\nmuch intrude and indispose my mind for heavenly meditations. Nothing\nmaterial occurred the rest of the week.\n\nFirst day. Silence as to words sealed my lips through the meeting again\nto-day; and may they remain shut in all our solemn meetings, unless\nopened by the key of David.\n\nIn the course of this week I attended the funerals of two Friends; at\nboth of which meetings were held. In the first, my mind was largely\nopened on the subject of religion; wherein I was led to show to the\nauditory, that a right consideration and frequent remembrance of our\nlatter end, tended to lead into the realities thereof; which consist\nin nothing but acts of real obedience and humble submission to the\nmanifested will of our heavenly Father, through the inspiration of his\ngrace and light in our own hearts. As we are careful to have this in\nour daily experience, it qualifies to answer the great end for which\nwe were created, to glorify God and enjoy him; and be thereby prepared\nto meet death with an even and tranquil mind, having known its sting,\nwhich is sin, taken away by the death of the cross. I was also led to\nexpose the doctrine of personal and unconditional predestination and\nelection; and to show the fallacy and inconsistency thereof with the\ndivine character.\n\nIn the latter meeting I was concerned to show the dangerous and hurtful\ntendency of our submitting to be led and governed by the customs and\nmanners of others, without a strict and careful examination thereof;\nand bringing them to the test of the light in our own conscience. For\nalthough the frequency of a thing, and an habitual conformity to that\nwhich is not right, often blunts the edge of conviction, and reconciles\nus to that which is contrary to truth, and derogatory to our true\ninterest; yet the custom of sinning will not lessen its guilt. For\nin the awful day of final decision, all our fig-leaf coverings will\nbe torn off, and things will then appear as they really are; and we\nshall all stand in need of that substantial covering, represented by\nthe coats of skins, which the Lord made for our first parents, and\ngave them in lieu of their fig-leaves; that is, something of their own\ninventing, that so their nakedness might no longer be exposed.\n\nMy mind was also opened to set forth the design and end of the shadowy\nor law dispensation; and that by its consistency and harmony in all its\nparts, it was a just figure and representation of the gospel state and\ndispensation. Many of its precepts were not good, nor consistent with\nthe justice and mercy of the all-beneficent and gracious Jehovah; but\nwere only so, as they stood in relation to the very low, degraded and\nwicked state of mankind at that time; and were therefore justly suited\nto Israel\u2019s state, and the states and conditions of the surrounding\nnations concerned therein, as saith Ezekiel: \u201cWherefore I gave them\nalso statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not\nlive.\u201d\n\nFirst day, the 14th of 11th month. Attended Cow Neck meeting to\nsatisfaction.\n\nThe rest of this week I spent at home, being closely engaged in\nbusiness, and in making preparation for the more comfortable\naccommodation of my stock through the inclemency of the approaching\nwinter; considering that a merciful man is merciful to his beast; and\nas I consider it not right to keep in my possession, and under my\nimmediate notice, any more of the animal creation than I can render\nreasonably comfortable.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, in which my mind was engaged\nto show the great benefit that would result to society, and to its\nmembers as individuals, by a right exercise and faithful execution\nof our discipline, without fear or favour; and that some cases of\ndisorder in an individual might turn up, which, with its attendant\ncircumstances, might render it not only necessary to disown the person,\nbut would also prove more to his true interest, and the advancement\nof the cause and testimonies that we as a people are engaged in, than\nthe reception of any untimely or unseasonable acknowledgment could\npossibly be. For I have always considered it required, not only deep\nand solid consideration, but suitable time of waiting, in order rightly\nto qualify a person to make an acknowledgment for an offence committed\nagainst a religious society.\n\nFirst day. My mind was closely engaged, and largely opened, to show\nthe inconsistency and unrighteousness of a conformity to the vain\nand foolish customs of the world; demonstrating from the scriptures,\nthat in all ages since the fall of our first parents, the customs of\nmen and women in their natural estate, were vain, and that there was\na certain degree of wickedness attached to every vanity; hence the\nnecessity of our carefully guarding against the conformity to any\ncustom or tradition, until we have first brought it to the test of the\nlight in our own consciences, and the reason of things; and also to its\nconsistency with the precepts and example of our Lord Jesus Christ: and\nif relating to our duty towards our fellow creatures, examine whether\nit comports with that most excellent rule given by him as a criterion\nof conduct: \u201cAll things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,\ndo ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.\u201d\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Nothing particular occurred. On fifth\nday I was invited to the funeral of a friend who was a member of\nBethpage particular meeting, which I attended. After the interment\na solemn meeting was held, in which my mind was largely opened to\nset forth to the people, the great necessity, as well as wisdom and\npropriety, of an early preparation for death; and showing them the way\nwhereby it could only be rightly effected. It was a season of renewed\nvisitation to a remnant, and many hearts were broken and contrited.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\n Engagements at and about home, 1813 and 1814.\n\n\nFirst day, the 28th of 11th month, 1813. Feeling my mind drawn last\nevening and this morning to attend Friends\u2019 meeting at Martinicock, I\nsubmitted thereto and went alone. In the forepart of the meeting, I\nhad to combat a spirit of ease and stupefaction, which is generally\nprevalent among the worldly-minded, although they may be pretty\nsteady in attending meetings; yet it is to be feared with little or\nno profit, if it be true what the beloved apostle has affirmed, that:\n\u201cIf any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.\u201d\nIn the latter part of the meeting I was led to view the excellency\nof the pacific principles of the gospel, as promulgated by Jesus\nChrist and his apostles; and to show to the people, the very great and\nessential benefit and blessing which would result to the professors\nof Christianity by a strict adherence and submission thereunto; as\nthey stand in direct opposition to the spirit of violence and war,\nand breathe forth nothing but peace on earth and good will to men. It\nproved through mercy a season of favour; many hearts were contrited,\nand the faithful and poor in spirit comforted and strengthened; and my\nown mind inspired with gratitude and thankfulness for such unmerited\nmercy.\n\nFirst day, the 5th of 12th month. The six working days of last week\nwere principally spent in my worldly concerns, except attending our\nfifth day meeting, and the Charity Society meeting yesterday; an\ninstitution of Friends for educating the children of poor black people.\nOur funds, agreeably to the last report of a settlement with the\nTreasurer, amount to upwards of thirteen hundred dollars; the interest\nof which is yearly expended for the above purpose, by a committee\nof the Society, who superintend the educating of said children. The\ndirectors of the Society are limited to thirty members, who meet\nquarterly for the promotion and oversight of the institution. I\nattended our fifth day meeting in silence, and sat our meeting in like\nmanner to-day, in poverty of spirit, which terminated in a peaceful\nclose.\n\nFirst day, the 12th of 12th month. At our meeting to-day, my mind was\nlargely opened to set forth before the people the difference between\nthe law state and that of the gospel. It was, I trust, an instructive\nedifying season, worthy of grateful remembrance.\n\nSecond day afternoon I rode to New-York, in order to attend the meeting\nfor sufferings to be held there the next day. It opened at the ninth\nhour. We got through the business at two sittings, and closed in the\nevening. Fourth day afternoon I rode home. Fifth day was our monthly\nmeeting. The meeting for worship was, I think, a favoured comfortable\nseason; and the testimonies communicated instructive and edifying: such\nrepeated favoured seasons make it evident beyond controversy, that we\nare still a highly favoured people, and shall be accountable according\nto the manifold mercies and blessings bestowed upon us: and we have\ngreat cause often to query, like the psalmist formerly, \u201cWhat shall I\nrender unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me;\u201d for his mercies\nare new every morning; great is his faithfulness.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in my ordinary concerns; yet, I trust, my\nmind was preserved in a state of watchfulness and care, that what I do,\neven in my temporal business, may all be done to the glory of God, and\nbe useful to myself and to my fellow creatures.\n\nFirst day, the 19th of 12th month. While silently musing in our meeting\ntowards the latter part, a subject opened which led to the necessity\nof communication, wherein that petition in the prayer our Lord taught\nhis disciples, viz: \u201cThy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth as it\nis in heaven;\u201d was opened to the audience; and the necessity of our\nindividually witnessing it fulfilled in us, as the only medium through\nwhich we can obtain salvation, and a preparation for the kingdom of\nheaven. This was pressed upon the people, showing from the analogy of\nthings, that as there is nothing but the Lord\u2019s will done in heaven, a\nsoul that is not reconciled thereto, cannot enter therein, nor partake\nof its celestial enjoyment.\n\nThe rest of the week was carefully employed in my household concerns,\nwith the attendance of our fifth day meeting, agreeably to my\ninvariable practice when at home, if not prevented by indisposition. It\nwas a quiet comfortable meeting.\n\nSixth day. Attended the funeral of our honest friend Richard Townsend.\nThere was a large collection of Friends and neighbours, he being\ngenerally esteemed. A meeting was held on the occasion, which proved a\nvery solemn season. The people\u2019s attention was called to the necessity\nof a timely preparation for death, in a large arousing testimony;\nsetting forth the great and singular advantages which would redound to\nthe children of men, by their obtaining right ideas and apprehensions\nof God. The want of these left them to be led away into a belief of\nmany strange and ideal notions concerning him, particularly that of\nforeordination; the inconsistency of which, my mind was led to unfold\nto the auditory, by this and other undeniable arguments;--that, as\nGod\u2019s ordination, and God\u2019s creation, and God\u2019s will, are always in\nperfect unison, and cannot be diverse one from the other; and as all\nthat he wills and creates is immutably good, agreeably to his own\ndeclaration in the work of creation; hence, whatever he ordains must\nlikewise be immutably good: therefore, if there is any such thing as\nsin and iniquity in the world, then God has neither willed it, nor\nordained it; as it is impossible for him to will contradictions. And\nsecondly, if he has, previous to man\u2019s creation, willed and determined\nall his actions, then certainly every man stands in the same state of\nacceptance with him, and a universal salvation must certainly take\nplace; which I conceive the favourers of foreordination would be as\nunwilling as myself to believe. And moreover, if man was not vested\nwith the power of free agency, and a liberty of determining his own\nwill, in relation to a choice of good or evil, he could not be an\naccountable creature; neither would it be in his power to commit sin.\nIt was a time of favour, and the Lord\u2019s blessing on the labours of the\nday was reverently supplicated. O, saith my soul, may they have the\ndesired effect.\n\nFirst day, the 26th of 12th month. Sat the greater part of our meeting\nin much weakness and poverty of spirit, to which I felt perfectly\nresigned, believing it to be agreeable to the Lord\u2019s will. But towards\nthe close an honest elderly Friend, though young and small in such\nservice, expressed a sentence or two accompanied with a degree of\nlife, which seemed to give spring to a concern on my mind, which led\nto communication. The subject which opened was to show, that plainness\nand simplicity were the true marks and badges of the Lord\u2019s people and\nchildren in every age of the world, witnessed to by the true nature and\nanalogy of all things in the universe; and confirmed by the testimony\nof the grace and good spirit of God through his servants in all the\ngenerations of mankind. The youth were exhorted and tenderly invited\nto submit to the _cross of Christ_, with the assurance assented to by\nthe experience of all the faithful; that if they bowed willingly to\nhis yoke, it would become not only easy but delightful. But alas! how\ntrue is that declaration of the prophet: \u201cwho hath believed our report,\nand to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?\u201d Certainly to none but\nthe obedient, which number, if we are to judge by their fruits, is\ndoubtless very small.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Spent mostly in my temporal business,\nbut not without a watchful care lest it should engage too much of my\nattention. The evenings were partly spent in reading the scriptures,\nin which I greatly delight. How excellent are those records! although\nold, yet they seem ever new. The prophecy of Micah was a part of my\npresent reading; what a dignified sense and clear view he had of the\ngospel state and worship; and how exceedingly it lessened the service\nand worship of the law in his view, in the clear sense given him of\nits full and complete abolishment, with all its shadowy rituals; when\nhe was led to set forth its insufficiency, in this exalted language:\n\u201cWherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the\nhigh God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves\nof a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or\nwith ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for\nmy transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?\u201d No,\nnone, nor all of these were sufficient to give access to the divine\npresence, or to the divine law under the gospel; they being only\nshadows, and therefore could only give access to the outward law and\noutward lawgiver Moses, and the law and ordinances given by him; which\nwere also shadows of the true substance. For Moses, and his outward law\nand ordinances, stood in the same relation to outward Israel, under the\nshadowy dispensation, as Christ the spiritual Moses, with his spiritual\nlaw written in the heart, does to his spiritual Israel under the\ngospel; \u201cwhich is a dispensation not\u201d of shadow, but of substance; as\nis clearly shown by the sequel of the testimony of Micah above alluded\nto, where he goes on as follows: \u201cHe hath showed thee, O man, what is\ngood;\u201d then certainly not shadow nor sign, but real substance, \u201cand\nwhat doth the Lord require of thee,\u201d not only by an outward, but by\nhis inward, divine law, \u201cbut to do justly, and to love mercy, and to\nwalk humbly with thy God.\u201d This is the sum and substance of all true\nreligion and worship, and needs not the continuance of any outward\nelementary washings or eatings or drinkings; but opens to the necessity\nof our drinking at that spiritual river, the streams whereof make glad\nthe whole heritage of God. For those that drink thereof will never\nthirst again, at least for the water of any other stream.\n\nFifth day. Sat our meeting to-day in silence. It is not unpleasant to\nfeel ourselves sometimes circumstanced as Mordecai formerly, sitting at\nthe king\u2019s gate, and, in its season, is as grateful to the truly humble\nand submissive mind, as riding on the king\u2019s horse, and all bowing\nbefore us.\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 1st month, 1814. Another year is ended. Oh my\nsoul, how hast thou improved it, and what progress hast thou made in\nthy heavenly journey? As I sat in our meeting to-day, my mind was\nled to contrast the law and gospel, or shadow and substance. \u201cWhile\nI was musing the fire burned,\u201d and my heart became warmed within me;\n\u201cthen spake I with my tongue,\u201d and endeavoured in a zeal for the\nLord\u2019s cause, to open to the people, the superiour excellency of the\ngospel, above and beyond that of the law, as set forth by the precepts,\ndoctrines, example and commands of our great and gracious lawgiver\nJesus Christ. The life rose towards the close of the meeting into\na good degree of dominion, through hard labour and toil. For many\nprofessors lie so securely in their graves, that nothing short of the\npowerful voice that raised Lazarus formerly, is sufficient to quicken\nand raise them therefrom.\n\nSecond day. This day principally spent in making provision more\nfavourably to meet the inclemency of the ensuing winter.\n\nThird day. Spent as yesterday. In the evening read Thomas Ellwood\u2019s\nrelation of his sufferings and cruel usage from his father, because,\nfor conscience\u2019 sake, he could not pull off his hat and stand bare\nbefore him; and for using the plain language of thou and thee, instead\nof the plural you. Alas! what a spirit of pride, arrogance and cruelty\ngoverns the children of men, while living in the lusts of their\nfallen nature, estranged from God and from his true nature and image.\nAnd it is to be feared that many in this day, who profess to be the\nsuccessors of those primitive sufferers, our worthy predecessors, who\nstood faithful, and patiently bore the burden and heat of the day,\nthrough many years of cruel persecution, are now turning back like a\nbroken bow; and through the fear or favour of men, are disregarding\nthe testimonies which their forefathers in the truth purchased at so\ndear a rate; and are ready to account many of them but small, or as\nindifferent things, which may, or may not, be attended to at their own\npleasure. But alas for these, it is to be feared they will never have a\nview, much less be permitted to enter the promised land, the heavenly\nCanaan: but will fall in the wilderness as did the unbelieving and\nrebellious in former ages. I often mourn and take up a lamentation,\nwhen I behold the children of believing parents, turning aside,\ndisobedient to their parents, and disregarding the travail and exercise\nof their concerned Friends, who are labouring for their return: but\nthose who are faithful to give the watchword in season, will be clear\nof their blood, and the Lord will be clear. For he will have a people,\nand, as formerly, will send his servants into the highways and hedges,\nand gather from thence, that his house may be filled: but those\nchildren of the kingdom, who are making excuses, and will not come when\nthey are bidden, will be cast out into outer darkness, where will be\nweeping and gnashing of teeth.\n\nFourth day. I was occupied as a carpenter, in making some conveniences\nfor my stock. I felt wearied at evening with the labour of the day, but\nwas comforted with a peaceful mind, feeling myself at peace with all\nmen. A blessed privilege; it is the Lord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in\nmine eyes.\n\nSeventh day. Attended the funeral of an ancient Friend. A meeting was\nheld on the occasion, wherein I was exercised in a large arousing\ntestimony suited to the occasion. May it be to the honest inquirers, as\na nail fastened in a sure place; and to those who yet remain unwilling\nto surrender, as bread cast upon the waters, found after many days.\n\nFirst day, the 9th of 1st month. At our meeting to-day I was led\nto reflect on my frequent appearances in the ministry at home, and\nready to wonder why I was led so often to communicate to almost\nthe same assembly. But these meditations were soon superseded by a\nrenewed living concern, which opened again to communication, in a\ndeep searching testimony; wherein I was led to show the fallacy and\nweakness of all man\u2019s creaturely and carnal reasoning, that it was\nall estranged from God, and stood in the ignorance and corruption of\nhis fallen nature; and that man never had, nor could have, consistent\nwith his nature as a dependent being, a right to assume a power to use\nhis reason at his own discretion and will; but only in submission and\nsubservience to the dictates of the light and spirit of his Creator,\nas paramount both to his reason and animal senses. For his reason is\ngiven him as an agent under his Creator, to govern and keep in due\norder the animal senses; not according to his own discretion and will,\nbut agreeable to the manifestations of the divine spirit, or inward\nlaw and will, of his heavenly Father. It was an humbling season, and\nmany hearts with mine own were bowed in reverence, under the sensible\nimpress of the divine power.\n\nThe rest of the week I passed in my usual engagements, and in visiting\nsome of my friends.\n\nFirst day, the 16th of 1st month. Sat our meeting in silence to-day.\nThe three following days I spent in attending to my usual avocations,\nand in visiting two of my sick neighbours. One of them was a young man,\nwho was convinced of the truth, as held by us, in his young years. He\nspoke very sensibly of the work of truth on his mind in the early part\nof his convincement, and of the awe that covered his spirit, through\nthe sensible impressions of the divine power; and recapitulated the\nprecious seasons he had witnessed in the fields, sitting on rocks,\nand stumps of trees; and that he now felt his love to reach forth and\nembrace the whole human family. He appeared to be in a sweet and quiet\nframe of mind, though so weak, as not to be able to speak louder than a\nwhisper. What a precious thing it is when the youth submit willingly to\nthe visitations of divine love in their tender years; how amiable they\nappear, and how peaceful their close; a pearl to be valued above all\ntemporal enjoyments.\n\nFifth day. This being the time of our monthly meeting, we had the\ncompany of two Friends on a visit to us. One of them appeared largely\nin the line of the ministry, but a fear attended my mind, lest he had\nnot sufficiently attended to that command, which forbids sowing our\nground with mingled seed; or suffering a garment of linen and woollen\nto come upon us: Oh how necessary it is for all those who apprehend\nthey are called to the work of the ministry, to know self fully\nreduced; otherwise they may be in danger of endeavouring to cover the\nharlot, with the Lord\u2019s jewels; and with fair words, and fine speeches,\ndeceive the hearts of the simple.\n\nSixth day. Attended our preparative meeting of Ministers and Elders.\nI had to drop a caution, founded on the failure of Moses and Aaron at\nthe rock; when instead of speaking to it, as commanded, Moses smote\nit with his rod, with the addition of, \u201chear now, ye rebels; must we\nfetch you water out of this rock?\u201d This act, being the effect of mere\ncreaturely zeal and warmth of natural passions, lost them much; as it\nprevented their entering into the promised land. Oh how needful it\nis for those who are called to stand as a medium between God and the\npeople, to be deeply attentive to the word of command, and not add\nthereto, nor diminish therefrom, under the penalty of his displeasure.\nFor if he spared not Moses who was only guilty of this one fault in his\nadministration, how much less can we expect that he will spare us, if\nwe should add to, or diminish from, the word of prophecy.\n\nSeventh day. Assisted a sick neighbour to settle his outward business\nby writing his will and seeing it executed. I then endeavoured to\nstimulate his mind with a concern rightly to improve the few remaining\nmoments which might be permitted him on this side the grave; that so he\nmight be prepared to meet death with a peaceful and tranquil mind.\n\nFirst day, the 23d of 1st month, 1814. Attended Westbury meeting, at\nwhich there was a funeral of a deceased ancient woman Friend. It was\na large meeting. Many Friends and neighbours came from a distance to\nattend the funeral. I had good service among them in the line of the\nministry, by way of caution, encouragement and reproof; and was led\nto press upon the auditory the necessity of a submission of our wills\nto the divine will, as the only medium through which we could become\nqualified to answer the great end of our creation; which is to glorify\nGod and enjoy him.\n\nSecond day. Attended the funeral of a pious young Friend of our meeting\nwho departed this life by a consumption, after lingering a few months.\nHis corpse was carried into our meeting-house at Jericho. There was a\nlarge meeting on the occasion, and through the prevalence of the divine\npower that presided over the assembly, it proved a very solemn time.\nMany hearts were broken and contrited by the force of the testimony,\nwhich went forth powerfully clothed with the demonstration of the\nspirit, and the Lord\u2019s name was exalted over all.\n\nSeventh day. This being the time of our quarterly meeting, I was\nmostly employed through the week in attention thereto. It was, I\nthink, through the several sittings a solemn searching time. My mind\nwas closely engaged on several subjects appertaining to our Christian\ntestimonies; but more particularly that against war, which was now\nin the land. Friends, with others, were called upon for supplies by\nway of taxes to carry it on, which were levied various ways on the\ninhabitants. I felt my mind deeply engaged to lay before Friends\nthe inconsistency of our actively complying with any such military\nrequisitions, believing that if we did, we should not only become\naccessaries in the war, but should have to bear a part of the guilt of\nshedding the blood of our fellow creatures. The Lord\u2019s power was felt\nto preside, and the testimonies borne on the occasion were evidently\nclothed with divine authority, keeping down all opposition. The minds\nof the faithful were inspired with humble gratitude and thanksgiving to\nthe Lord our gracious helper, under a renewed sense of his continued\nmercy to us as a people; and to all the workmanship of his holy hand.\n\nFirst day, the 30th of 1st month, 1814. As I was sitting in our meeting\nmy mind became exercised in contemplating the danger that some of my\nfellow professors of the Christian name are exposed to, by placing\ntheir dependence for justification and salvation on the _imputative\nrighteousness of Christ which he performed without them_, without\ncoming to know a complete remission of their sins, and living a life of\nrighteousness through faith in the operation of God, and a submission\nto the work of _his spirit in their minds_; by which, according to\nthe apostle\u2019s exhortation, they can only be enabled to work out their\nown salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God that worketh\nin the willing and obedient soul, both to will and to do of his own\ngood pleasure; but this can only be witnessed by such as experience\ntheir own wills to be mortified and slain by the power of the cross\ninwardly revealed, whereby the true spiritual atonement is made. I was\nlargely opened to communicate on some of these subjects; and to show\nto the people wherein the true harmony between the law dispensation,\nand that of the gospel consisted. It was a season worthy of grateful\nremembrance; the meeting closed with thanksgiving and prayer, under a\nrenewed sense of the continued mercy of our gracious God, who is over\nall, blessed for ever.\n\nSecond day. Being unwell with a cold I kept house and read.\n\nThird day. Having the evening before received an invitation to attend\nthe funeral of a deceased neighbour about four miles distant from my\ndwelling, and understanding it was the desire of the deceased on her\ndeath-bed that I would attend; I felt inclined to go, although still\nunwell. I was glad I gave up thereto, as it proved, through heavenly\nhelp, a solemn instructive season, wherein my heart and mouth were\nopened to declare largely of the way of life and salvation to the\npeople in the clear demonstration of truth. The assembly in general\nwere bowed and humbled, and many hearts contrited; to the Lord alone be\nthe praise, for to him only it is due.\n\nFourth day. Still unwell: mostly kept house.\n\nFifth day. Ventured out to our meeting, but was considerably afflicted\nwith my cold and cough. The meeting was held in silence.\n\nThe two following days, and the forepart of the next week, I employed,\nmostly, in preparing for the press a small treatise on slavery; and\non the use of the produce of the labour of slaves. I laid it before\nour meeting for sufferings which met this week; and obtained their\nconcurrence for printing it. As I was in the city, I attended Friends\u2019\nmeetings as they came in course on fourth and fifth days, and returned\nhome on sixth day. Nothing particular transpired on seventh day.\n\nFirst day, the 13th of 2d month. Was largely opened in communication on\ndivers subjects in a very searching testimony, which brought a covering\nof great solemnity over the meeting. The honest-hearted were comforted:\nbut it was a season of sharp reproof to the unfaithful and lukewarm.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, at which nothing opened worthy\nof particular notice.\n\nSeventh day. I attended the funeral of the wife of John Wine, a Friend\nof Flushing. We had a very solemn meeting on the occasion, in which I\nwas exercised in a large affecting testimony, tendering and contriting\nthe hearts of the assembly in general. The truth was raised into\ndominion, breaking down all before its influential searching power;\nwhich was cause of deep gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord our\ngracious helper, for his unmerited mercy, still dispensed in his\nlongsuffering loving kindness to the children of men.\n\nFeeling my mind inclined to sit with Friends here the next day, which\nwas first day, the people were notified thereof at the close of the\nforegoing opportunity. It was a full meeting, in which truth favoured\nand furnished with matter suited to the states of those present; which\nmade it an instructive edifying season. The canopy of love was felt to\nspread sweetly and very comfortably over the assembly, and I parted\nwith them in the fresh feeling thereof; and with a peaceful mind, and a\nthankful sense of the Lord\u2019s mercy.\n\nNothing particular occurred in the course of the next week; but\nthe precious savour that was witnessed in the two forementioned\nopportunities, remained as a canopy over my mind, and was cause of\nhumble gratitude and thankfulness to the blessed Author of all our rich\nmercies and blessings.\n\nFirst day, the 27th of 2d month. My mind, in our meeting to-day,\nafter a considerable time of humble quiet waiting, and seeking to be\ngathered to Shiloh, was led in prospect to view the great and singular\nadvantages which would redound to the children of men by an early\nacquaintance with the Lord; and by continually looking to him, and\nrelying on him, as the primary and only object of their faith and hope.\nThe prospect enlarged and opened to a communication, and the truth\nwas raised into a comfortable degree of dominion, and spread a solemn\ncovering over the assembly; and many hearts were contrited and made\nglad from a feeling sense of the Lord\u2019s mercy vouchsafed to us at this\nseason. O how good is the Lord, and how greatly to be praised, for his\nmercy endureth for ever.\n\nThe rest of this week I was occupied in my temporal concerns. Sat our\nfifth day meeting in silence, in which I had to maintain a steady\nwarfare against the intrusion of unprofitable thoughts. O how precious\nit is to be favoured to gain a complete victory over these, and to have\nthe mind brought to witness a profound stillness, where nothing reigns\nbut Jesus, in his inward spiritual government.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 3d month. In our meeting to-day I had again to\nbear testimony against the prevailing evils of the day; some of which\nI had to expose, and to show how we must enter the church militant, if\never we enter right, and become useful members thereof, and be truly\ncomforted and profited thereby. The communication was introduced by the\nparable of the supper, which shows that those who have something of the\npleasures and treasures of this world to gratify and comfort themselves\nwith, will not come in, although invited: but those who are brought to\na full sense of their wretched and forlorn condition, without God and\nwithout a Saviour, compared, in the parable, to those who are poor and\ndestitute of every comfort, and scattered in the highways and hedges,\nwill seek a place of refuge; and having tried every means they had in\ntheir power, and every invention that man has sought out in the way of\nsalvation, and after all finding themselves still left in a state of\ndisappointment, are made willing to surrender all up, and sell all;\nthat so they may be enabled to purchase the field wherein the pearl of\ngreat price lies. The word went forth with power, and struck home to\nmany minds, and a very solemn weight appeared to cover the assembly in\ngeneral.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Spent in a quiet attention to my\ntemporal concerns with the attendant blessing of peace of mind; yet not\nwithout some intervals of interruption from the loose and the vain,\nwith which this neighbourhood is too much disturbed. Alas, what has so\ngained the ascendency in and over the mind of man, as to cause him to\ndelight and take pleasure in wickedness.\n\nFifth day. Was our preparative meeting, in which the overseers brought\nforward information against one of our members, a young man, for\ndeviations from plainness, and being guilty of attending horse races,\nand suffering his horse to run for a wager; all which manifest a very\nthoughtless disposition, and much vanity of mind, very unworthy the\nleast member in our community. The meeting felt tenderly for him, as\nhe had not had a guarded education; he being left an orphan, when\nsmall, by the death of his father. In considering his condition, I\nwas induced to enlist myself voluntarily in the meeting\u2019s service,\nto pay him a visit; and the meeting added another Friend to join me\ntherein. I was likewise engaged in the meeting for worship, to call\nFriends\u2019 attention to the necessity of greater purification both in\nbody, soul, and spirit; as the only medium through which we could gain\nan inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. I showed by the analogy of\nreason, that a purified soul could not be content to inhabit a polluted\nbody; and that if the inside was made clean, the outside would be clean\nalso; and that true and genuine Christianity will lead to cleanliness\nin our persons, in our houses, and in all our concerns. All this will\nproceed from real love and duty to our Creator, and not from any germ\nof pride, or vainly to make a show, but from a real desire of effecting\nholiness in the fear of the Lord.\n\nFirst day, the 13th. A comfortable meeting to-day, mostly in silence,\nbut closed with solemn supplication, wherein I was led to set forth how\nour gracious and beneficent Creator, although he sees all our wants,\nand stands always disposed, before we ask him, to redress all our real\ngrievances, and dispense good to us whenever he finds us in a condition\nfit to receive: yet as he is a God of justice and truth, he delights\nto see his people and children grateful and humbly sensible of their\ndependence on him for every blessing; therefore, he permits them, at\ntimes, when he sees meet to influence their minds thereto, to approach\nhis sacred presence in humble and devout prayer, and which also affords\nto those who are thus devoted, sweet and heavenly consolation and joy.\n\nI passed this week mostly at home overseeing my temporal concerns.\nAttended our monthly meeting on fifth day, at which we received\ninformation, from the women\u2019s meeting, of the departure of one of our\nmembers, a young woman, who had gone out in her marriage with one not\na member, whom they concluded ought to be disowned; with which the\nmen\u2019s meeting concurred. This is a weakness among our young members,\nwhich is, in general, very pernicious in its consequences, and too\noften happens through the neglect of care and right concern in parents\nand guardians, who, for want of living near the truth, and under\nright religious engagements themselves, are too often led away to seek\nafter riches for their children, and are more desirous that their\nchildren should obtain companions who are wealthy and rich in this\nworld\u2019s treasure, than such as are truly religious and virtuous. Thus\na foundation is often laid, by such indiscreet parents, for many very\nunhappy connexions, by which the religious improvement and advancement\nof their tender offspring is often entirely intercepted and prevented,\nand their prospects of temporal comfort and joy rendered abortive; and\nthey have to drag out a miserable existence until death dissolves their\nobligations.\n\nFirst day, the 20th. As I sat in our meeting my mind was brought under\nexercise in taking a view of the life of Solomon, that wise king of\nIsrael, as delineated by his own pen; and from which we learn the\ninsignificance of all consolation and joy which have their source in\ntemporal and mortal things, as they must and will end, in vanity and\nvexation of spirit: and that to fear God and keep his commandments,\nis not only the whole duty of man, but likewise the only blessed and\neternal source of all true joy and never ending felicity. The subject\nspread on my mind and led to communication, in which I endeavoured, in\nthe ability afforded, by persuasive arguments, to engage the minds of\nthe auditory, both old and young, in the pursuit of that invaluable\ntreasure that waxeth not old, but endureth for ever, which will bring\ntrue joy to the immortal soul and adds no sorrow.\n\nNothing particular occurred in the course of this week, except that a\ncare and fear attended my mind, lest the cares of this world and the\nincrease of temporal things might too much interrupt, and intrude,\nupon my spiritual concerns; for riches are ever deceitful, and always\npromise more than they have in their power to perform.\n\nFirst day, the 27th. Feeling my mind inclined to sit with Friends at\nBethpage to-day, I yielded to the motion and attended their meeting;\nand although I had not a great deal to communicate, yet what I had,\nappeared to reach home to many minds, and rendered it a comfortable\nmeeting, not only to myself, but to the assembly in general. The\nsubject which opened for communication was the necessity and excellency\nof integrity; and that although we might be so wise and knowing as to\ncomprehend all knowledge, yet if we were destitute of integrity and\nsincerity of heart, we should but share the fate of fools at last, and\nbe not a whit better for all our wisdom and knowledge.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Spent in close attention to my\ntemporal concerns, the care for which, and for their right ordering,\nis constantly necessary; insomuch that I often wonder how it is, that\nI sometimes hear people say, they seem at a loss how to spend their\ntime; when not only my temporal, but in an especial manner my spiritual\nconcerns, are always urgent and pressing; so that I find not a moment\nto be idle: so true is that declaration of the Most High verified:\n\u201cIn the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto\nthe ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art and unto\ndust shalt thou return.\u201d The wise man also saith: \u201cAll things are full\nof labour\u201d therefore we ought not to repine or murmur at our lot, but\nreceive all, as at the hand of the Lord with thanksgiving.\n\nFifth, sixth, and seventh days. I attended three funerals, one on each\nday successively. The first was a very ancient female, upwards of\nninety years of age, belonging to Westbury meeting. We had a solemn\nmeeting on the occasion, in which truth favoured, opening suitable\ndoctrine, and bringing it home to the states of those present, who\nwere mostly Friends. The hidden things of Esau, or the first nature,\nand the secret lurking places of self, were searched out and exposed;\nfor which my mind, with the honest-hearted present, was made glad in\nthe Lord, and in the apparent working of his power and wisdom. The two\nlast were not members of our society, but were favourably disposed to\nFriends. They were seasons of favour. A meeting, was held at each, and\nboth largely attended by the neighbouring inhabitants. The doctrines\ndelivered were well adapted to the conditions of the hearers, and were\nbrought home to many minds in the demonstration of truth, breaking and\ncontriting many hearts; and thanksgiving and praises were returned to\nthe Shepherd of Israel, as a tribute of gratitude for such unmerited\nmercies.\n\nFirst day, the 3d of 4th month. Our meeting to-day was favoured with\nthe overshadowing wing of divine truth, and its power exalted over all,\ncontriting and comforting many minds. But alas, what small advancements\nare made by many of those who are often dug about and watered by the\ncompassionate Shepherd of Israel, whose mercy is still eminently\ndispensed to man, the workmanship of his holy hand.\n\nI attended two funerals in the course of this week, one on fifth day,\nafter the sitting of our preparative meeting, and the other on sixth\nday. Both were young men in the prime of life. The latter unmarried,\nand was a relation to my wife. His parents had a healthful family\nof children, and had never met with the like trial before. It was\ntherefore a very affecting scene both to them and their children; they\nhaving been before favoured with almost an unbroken scene of worldly\nprosperity, which made the wound sink deeper. We had a very solemn\nmeeting on the occasion, wherein I was largely opened to preach the\ngospel in the demonstration of truth; and among other things to show\nto the people, the necessity and sure felicity of an early preparation\nfor death; and that God was the alone proper object for man to set his\nheart and affections upon. The auditory were mostly not in membership\nwith Friends. Many of them were much broken and contrited, and a\ngeneral, and very precious solemnity was spread over the meeting. The\nhearts of many were made glad, from a sense of the Lord\u2019s continued and\nunmerited goodness and mercy to the children of men; still showing his\nunwillingness that any should die in their sins, and that all might\nrepent, turn to him and live.\n\nFirst day, the 10th. I had a hard suffering meeting to-day, in which\nI witnessed not only deep inward poverty, but had to struggle with\nunprofitable thoughts, with very little ability to maintain the\nwarfare; yet, under the consideration that it was altogether as good,\nif not better, than my deserts could justly require, I was preserved\nfrom murmuring or complaining at my lot, being willing to receive evil\nas well as good, at the hand of my gracious and compassionate Lord,\nwhen he sees meet to permit or dispense it. \u201cShall we receive good at\nthe hand of God, and shall we not evil?\u201d\n\nThe rest of this week was principally occupied in a close application\nto my temporal concerns, except attending our monthly and select\npreparative meetings, which came at this time. My belief was similar to\nthe apostle\u2019s, that he who is not carefully industrious to labour for\nhis own and household\u2019s comfortable support, may be considered to have\ndenied the faith, and is worse than an infidel; as they are generally\ncareful on those accounts.\n\nFirst day, the 17th. The meeting to-day was pretty open and\ncomfortable. The rest of the week was mostly taken up in attending our\nquarterly meeting, held at New-York at this time.\n\nFirst day, the 24th. Sat our meeting mostly in silence.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Were taken up principally in caring for\nmy temporal concerns. Alas, how much precious time is expended for the\naccommodation of those houses of clay, which must shortly return to\nthe dust from whence they were taken; and which often burden, and too\nmuch indispose the mind for heavenly and spiritual meditations, unless\ncarefully watched and strongly guarded against.\n\nFifth day. I was wholly silent in our meeting to-day; in the course\nof which I had full evidence of the truth of that saying of the great\nMaster, that of ourselves, without him, we can do nothing.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Were accompanied with heart searchings,\ndiscouragement, and dismay; in which I witnessed the truth of that\nsaying, that vain is the help of man, whose efforts often tend more to\nsully and weaken, than to brighten and strengthen the minds of those\nthey strive to help. This is principally owing to their dwelling on the\nsurface, and judging from the outward appearance, instead of digging\ndeep in search of the mind of truth, which only can enable to judge\nwith righteous judgment.\n\nFirst day, the 1st of 5th month. Sat our meeting in silence, and in\nmuch poverty of spirit; and when the season for closing the meeting\nseemed near at hand, I looked over the assembly, which was pretty\nlarge, with a degree of sympathy and commiseration, which brought to my\nremembrance the compassionate saying of our Lord to his disciples, on,\nas I apprehended, a similar occasion, viz: \u201cIf I send them away fasting\nto their own houses, they will faint by the way.\u201d This put a stop to my\nmind with regard to closing the meeting; and as I knew I had nothing to\ngive, I looked around to see what was to be done. A friend then stood\nup with something comparable to the five loaves and the two fishes,\nwhich were found formerly in the lad\u2019s basket. As they were broken, she\nhanded them to the company, until all appeared satisfied; for which I\nwas thankful.\n\nSeventh day. The week hath passed away. Oh time, precious time, how\nswift thou passest on, by us almost unenjoyed and unimproved! How soon\nthou wilt land thy travelling pilgrim in the house appointed for all\nliving; where, oh my soul, thou knowest there is no repentance nor\namendment known! Prepare then, oh prepare, for thy final change!\n\nFirst day, the 8th of 5th month. A poor silent meeting until near the\nclose, when a little light sprang up and dispelled the darkness, and\nsweetened all the bitter. By such things we are instructed, and learn\nto know our dependent state, and that it is the Lord\u2019s doings, and\nmarvellous in our eyes.\n\nNothing uncommon transpired in the course of this week, save as\nusual, bonds and afflictions for the gospel\u2019s sake, spiritually and\ninwardly experienced, await me; from a view and sense of the spread\nof evil, and the great want of faithful testimony-bearers in society;\nand the languor and weakness which abound; that I am sometimes almost\ninvoluntarily led to cry, alas for the day.\n\nFirst day, the 15th. My mind was deeply exercised in our meeting to-day\non divers important subjects, and largely led forth in communication:\nbut for want of a more full openness and preparation in the auditory to\nreceive, the labour was arduous and exercising, yet I trust profitable\nto some.\n\nThe rest of the week was employed in my usual attention to my necessary\ntemporal concerns, and an unfailing attention to those of a religious\nnature. Our monthly meeting was held this week. The meeting for\nMinisters and Elders belonging to the yearly meeting was held on\nseventh day, at the tenth hour, which my wife and myself attended.\nIt was, I think, in a good degree a favoured time; as were the public\nmeetings on first day, both forenoon and afternoon. On second day the\nyearly meeting for discipline opened at the tenth hour, and continued\nby adjournments until fifth day evening. It was for the most part a\ncomfortable profitable season, evidencing in the several sittings,\nthat the Lord had not forsaken his people, but was still graciously\nmanifesting his presence and power for our comfort and help, in\nordering the affairs of the Church. On sixth day Friends turned their\nfaces towards home, where I arrived at evening with my wife and two\nyoungest daughters, who constitute my present family, except servants.\n\nThe next day I felt myself in a cheerful readiness to put my hands to\nwhatever they found to do, as right to be done.\n\nFirst day, the 29th. Felt myself so much indisposed with a cold and\nconsiderable pain of body, as to be prevented from attending our\nmeeting to-day; in reflecting thereon, and how very seldom I had been\nthus prevented for many years past, my mind was filled with gratitude\nand thankfulness to our gracious Helper and Preserver, for the portion\nof bodily health allotted me in the course of his divine providence;\nwhereby, I have been almost invariably of ability of body for a number\nof years, to attend all our religious meetings, which I consider and\nnumber among our chiefest blessings and benefits.\n\nThe latter end of this week I joined our friend William Flanner, who\nwas here on a religious visit from Ohio; and attended a number of\nmeetings in divers places, where no meetings of our society were held.\nI had had a prospect of visiting those places some time before. We were\nout three days and attended five meetings. The first was with Friends\nat Bethpage, the rest among people inclining to Friends, and those of\nother professions. They were, I think, all favoured seasons. The Lord\u2019s\npresence and power were manifested for our help, furnishing ability\nto minister suitably to the different states of the people, in the\ndemonstration of the spirit. Many hearts were humbled and contrited,\nand the assemblies solemnized, and truth raised into dominion over\nall; and our hearts were made glad under an humbling sense of the\ncontinuation of the Lord\u2019s mercy and compassion, still extended to the\nchildren of men. We returned home on first day evening, the 5th of 6th\nmonth.\n\nThe three following days I was about home, mostly employed in my\ntemporal concerns.\n\nOn sixth day attended the funeral of a friend of Westbury meeting.\nIt was a solemn time, in which I found it my place to be an example\nof silence. Seventh day spent at home. On first day, the 12th of 6th\nmonth, I attended two meetings, by appointment, among those not of\nour society. One in the morning at Cold Spring, and the other at four\no\u2019clock in the afternoon at Huntington. They were both seasons of\nextensive labour, and I hope profitable to some; and productive of\npeace to my own mind.\n\nOn second day I went to New-York in order to attend the meeting for\nsufferings, which I accordingly attended the next day, and returned\nhome at evening. On fourth day attended to my temporal concerns with\nusual industry.\n\nFifth day attended our monthly meeting, at which several matters\noccurred producing exercise to my mind, which led to a communication of\nprospects; and although some diversity of sentiment was expressed, yet\nI was favoured so to unfold the subjects, that they were concluded in a\ngeneral unity.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in attending to my usual affairs.\n\nFirst day, the 19th of 6th month. I was led in our meeting to-day, to\nset forth the excellency of real poverty of spirit; as it is that only,\nwhich can produce that truly humble state, to which the blessing is\nannexed.\n\nFifth day. As I was sitting in our meeting enjoying the especial\nadvantages which are attached to silent meetings, when the mind\nis silently prostrated at the throne of grace, and helped to be\nsequestered from all intruding thoughts, and wholly centered in and\nupon Jehovah, the alone object of worship and adoration; a subject\nopened and spread in a way which led to communication; in which I had\nto show, that there were but two proper motives or inducements for\nour rightly attending religious meetings. The first related to such\nas were unbelievers, or those who were ignorant of the right way of\nworshipping God in and under the dispensation of the gospel, which\naccording to our Lord\u2019s declaration to the woman of Samaria, is only to\nbe performed in spirit and in truth. The principal benefit to these,\nis to be informed and instructed; for which more especially, the Lord\nhath ordained a ministry in his Church, by means of instruments rightly\nqualified therefor, by the baptismal influence of the Holy Ghost. The\nsecond relates to such as are already instructed and informed, whose\njudgments are convinced, and whose motive as it relates to themselves\nis, to meet together to wait upon and worship God in spirit and in\ntruth, without any regard or consideration to any external ministry\nor means whatever: as it is only in a state of entire sequestration\nfrom every thing of an outward or external nature, that the soul is\npermitted to enter into the holy place, not made with hands; and\nadmitted into the immediate presence of Jehovah, and rendered capable\nof worshipping him, in spirit and in truth, as the gospel requires.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in my usual vocation as a farmer.\n\nFirst day, the 26th of 6th month. Attended two meetings by appointment,\namong those principally not of our society. The first was held in a\nFriend\u2019s house at a place called the Half Hollow Hills. The latter at\nthe fourth hour in the afternoon, at a village called New Babylon, in\nthe township of Huntington. It was held in a school-house, and was\na large meeting, mostly of the Presbyterian persuasion. The people\nbehaved very soberly, becoming the occasion. It was a very solemn\nfavoured season; many hearts were contrited and made thankful for the\nopportunity; and my heart was much enlarged in love to the assembly.\nI trust I felt a mutual return of the same feeling from most present,\nfor which I was made thankful to the Shepherd of Israel; and for the\ncontinuation of his gracious regard in manifesting his presence, and\nmaking bare his arm, for the help of his devoted servants; showing\nhimself indeed to be a God near at hand, and a present helper in the\nneedful time, worthy to be praised and adored by the children of men,\nthroughout all ages, world without end.\n\nThe rest of this week I spent mostly about home, being closely engaged\nin making hay, which for want of suitable help, made it necessary for\nme to labour myself, beyond what seemed suitable for one of my age;\nbut I felt peace of mind in so doing, although I suffered some pain of\nbody, as the result of my exertion.\n\nFirst day, the 3d of 7th month. Sat our meeting in silence. At the\nthird hour in the afternoon attended the funeral of a deceased\nneighbour. Although my mind was brought under some exercise, which\nled to communication; yet I found very little relief, owing, as I\napprehended, to the prevalence of a libertine spirit in many present.\nFor these are generally disposed to mock at, and ridicule every\nthing serious, or that has the appearance of religion and godliness:\nrebellious children who hate the light, because their deeds are evil,\nand who take more delight in revelling and drunkenness than in the\nfear of the Lord. I often feel sad for such as these, and my mind goes\nclothed as it were with sackcloth, unseen by the world. O, when will\nthey be awakened to a right sense of their miserable condition! I often\nfear that some of them have nearly sinned out their day; and to whom\nthe scripture declaration will apply: \u201cHe that, being often reproved,\nhardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without\nremedy.\u201d\n\nSecond, third and fourth days. Busily employed in my husbandry\nconcerns, with my mind clothed with peace towards all men, and with\nhope towards God my Saviour: and comforted at times in the remembrance\nof that apostolic declaration, where it is asserted: \u201cWe know that we\nhave passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.\u201d\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting in silence, the fire being low on the\naltar.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Closely engaged in making and securing hay for\nthe accommodation of my stock the ensuing winter; as I consider it a\nduty to provide plenty of good provender for them, so as to render\ntheir lives as comfortable as may be, whilst under my care.\n\nFirst day, the 10th. As I sat in our meeting to-day, my mind was led\ninto a consideration and prospect of the excellency and amiableness\nof justice, and of the vast advantage which would accrue to the\nchildren of men by a strict adherence thereto; as it would greatly\ntend to regulate our conduct, both as it relates to our duty to God\nour creator, and also to man, our fellow creature: and therefore ought\nto be the governing principle and main spring of all our conduct, as\nwell in our temporal, as in our spiritual concerns. The subject spread\nand enlarged and opened to communication; and, I trust, proved an\ninstructive comfortable season to some present; and I felt a reward of\npeace in my labour.\n\nSecond day. Attended the funeral of a deceased neighbour, who was not\na member of our society, but being convinced of our principles, and\ninclined to Friends, the family desired a meeting might be held, which\nwas accordingly agreed to. It was a large collection of people of\nvarious denominations, and a considerable number of the looser sort.\nI had an open favoured time among them, in which the power of truth\nrose into dominion over all, humbling and contriting many hearts, and a\ngeneral solemnity was felt to cover the meeting to the praise of Him,\nwho is over all, God blessed for ever.\n\nThird and fourth days. Occupied in my usual concerns, but did not\nfeel that full peace of mind with my fourth day\u2019s exercise that is\ngenerally my experience, owing, as I apprehended, to a want of a more\nfull attention to a small intimation respecting that day\u2019s employment.\nRemember, oh my soul! that all thy success in temporals, as well as all\nthy sweet inward heavenly consolations, depend upon thy faithfulness\nand ready submission to those inward divine intimations; although\nsometimes small, they ought to be considered by thee, binding and\nobligatory, as the only source from whence all thy true peace and joy\nare derived.\n\nFifth day. This was our preparative meeting, and as it was the one\npreceding the quarterly meeting, the queries were read and answered;\nbut I apprehended in a way not tending to much profit, either by reason\nof one or two improper questions being added to the queries of late,\nwhich to many Friends appeared inconsistent to be answered; or from\nthe want of a more lively spiritual exercise with the members; or\nboth might have had a share in producing a dull distressing season.\nNo way seemed to open for any relief, so we had patiently to bear it.\nAnd indeed I thought it required a large share of patience to sit the\nmeeting through without murmuring; the chariot wheels seemed to go very\nheavily on, as though almost sunk in the slough of despond; but we did\nwhat we could, and so left the matter; and I returned home with a heavy\nheart, and was preserved, I trust, from murmuring at my lot.\n\nSixth day. Spent in gathering in my harvest and some other small\nexercises. The day closed with a quiet and peaceful mind. What a\nparadise it is when this is our lot.\n\nSeventh day. Visited two Friends who were under some bodily infirmity.\nThe visits were mutually comfortable. Such opportunities, when rightly\nconducted, tend to the increase of friendship and mutual love.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\n Visit to Purchase, and engagements at and about home, 1814.\n\n\nFirst day, the 17th of 7th month, 1814. Feeling my mind drawn to sit\nwith Friends in their meeting at Westbury, I yielded to the motion. It\nproved an exercising meeting--but little life to be felt: nevertheless,\nway opened for a short communication, pointing particularly to the\nstate of the meeting, which I hope was profitable to some. At the\nthird hour in the afternoon, I attended the funeral of a very ancient\nwoman of this neighbourhood, not a member of our society; but the\nfamily desiring the company of Friends, a number collected with\nothers. It proved a pretty solemn time. My mind was led to open to the\nassembly, the especial advantages which would result to us, as rational\naccountable beings, by a timely preparation for death; and that it was\nour especial duty, as well as our best interest, to make it, at all\ntimes, the primary object of our concern.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Spent principally in family cares and\nmy husbandry concerns. What a favour it is for such an active creature\nas man, possessed of such powers of body and mind, always to have some\nemployment, and something for those powers to act upon: for otherwise\nthey would be useless and dormant, and afford neither profit nor\ndelight.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting. It was an exercising season,\nespecially the meeting for worship, which I think was much hurt by the\ncommunication of a Friend in the ministry, who was this day with us. It\nwas attended with so much mere creaturely warmth and animation, as to\nrender it unacceptable, and, as I apprehended, hurtful to the meeting,\nand the cause it was intended to advance. What a pity it is that any\nwho apprehend themselves called to this very important work, should\nmake such grievous mistakes, and wound the minds of the living sensible\nmembers.\n\nSixth day. Attended our select preparative meeting of Ministers and\nElders. It was, I think, a season of profitable exercise, in which some\nof the hidden things of Esau, or the first nature, were searched out\nand exposed.\n\nSeventh day. Laboured hard in my harvest field; and, although sixty-six\nyears of age, I found I could wield the scythe nearly as in the days\nof my youth. It was a day of thankful and delightful contemplation. My\nheart was filled with thankfulness and gratitude to the blessed Author\nof my existence, in a consideration of his providential care over me,\nin preserving me in health, and in the possession of my bodily powers;\nthe exercise of which were still affording me both profit and delight:\nand I was doubly thankful for the continued exercise of my mental\nfaculties, not only in instructing me how to exert and rightly employ\nmy bodily powers, in the most useful and advantageous manner, but also\nin contemplating the works of nature and Providence, in the blessings\nand beauties of the field; a volume containing more delightful and\nprofitable instruction, than all the volumes of mere learning and\nscience in the world.\n\nWhat a vast portion of the joys and comforts of life do the idle and\nslothful deprive themselves of, by running into cities and towns, to\navoid labouring in the field; not considering that this is one of\nthe principal sources, that the gracious Creator of the universe has\nappointed to his creature man, from whence he may derive great temporal\nhappiness and delight. It also opens the largest and best field of\nexercise to the contemplative mind, by which it may be prepared to\nmeet, when this mortal puts on immortality, those immortal joys that\nwill ever be the lot of the faithful and industrious.\n\nFirst day, the 24th of 7th month. I went to our meeting to-day in\nmuch poverty of spirit, and in full expectation of passing it in\nsilence; but I had not sat long before my mind was led into a view\nof the singular benefit derived to the children of men, by the\ndenial of self, and a daily and faithfully taking up, and bearing the\ncross; as it is the only way by which we can come to experience real\nsanctification and justification. The subject spread and opened to\ncommunication, in which things were laid home to the states of many\npresent, in a clear manner; and the danger of their situations exposed.\nIt brought a solemn covering over the meeting, for which I was thankful.\n\nSecond and third days. I spent in securing my harvest. This week\nbeing the time of our quarterly meeting, the meeting for Ministers\nand Elders opened on fourth day at the tenth hour. It was a season of\nclose search; the deficiencies of Ministers and Elders were laid open;\nand the hurtful tendency thereof exposed. A number appeared deeply\nconcerned, on account of the prevailing weakness of some in those\nexalted stations in society. On fifth day the meeting for discipline\nwas held. It was also a very searching time, a season of deep exercise\nto my mind; in which the hurtful tendency of many apparent deficiencies\nwas laid open and exposed; and Friends exhorted to greater faithfulness\nand diligence, in the right support of those noble testimonies, given\nus to bear, for the promotion of righteousness and peace on the earth.\nOn sixth day was a general public meeting, in which my mind was\nenlarged in gospel communication, wherein truth was exalted and raised\ninto dominion, to the comfort and edification of many minds; and to the\nsweet peace of my own. After this Friends separated to their several\nhomes in much nearness of affection, and mutual love.\n\nSeventh day. Spent in my temporal concerns.\n\nFirst day, the 31st of 7th month. A silent meeting to-day, for which\nI was thankful. Although faithfully labouring in the Lord\u2019s vineyard\nproduceth peace and joy to the willing mind, even should it have to\nbear the burden and heat of the day; yet when permitted, a season of\nrest is also sweet and grateful.\n\nHaving for some days past felt my mind inclined to attend the ensuing\nquarterly meeting at Purchase, I spent most of this week in that\nservice. On second day I left home, and returned on the following sixth\nday at evening. I felt but little satisfaction in this short tour of\nduty, except in one or two visits in Friends\u2019 families. Most of the\nsittings of the quarterly meeting seemed to be clothed with great\nweakness, and some of them distressingly so.\n\nSeventh day. Exercised in my husbandry business; and the evening closed\nwith a peaceful mind.\n\nFirst day, the 7th of 8th month. Felt so much bodily indisposition as\nto prevent my attending meeting; but even this induced thankfulness and\ngratitude, in recollecting how very seldom this had been my lot for\nmany years. Oh what shall I, a poor worm, render unto the Lord for all\nhis benefits!\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Spent principally in looking to, and\noverseeing, my temporal business; and still feeling some slight touches\nof bodily indisposition, which seemed to announce this language, in\nunison with every thing that is mortal, _remember to die_.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting: what a privilege! the very\nname points to care, as saying, \u201cBe ye therefore ready.\u201d\n\nSixth day. Did as Peter and some of his fellow disciples, when not\ndirectly employed by their Master, but waiting and watching for his\ncoming.\n\nSeventh day. Laboured in the field; and the day closed with a quiet and\npeaceful mind, which I esteem the greatest treasure.\n\nFirst day, the 14th of 8th month. As I sat in our meeting to-day,\nmy mind was impressed with the remembrance of the declaration of\nthe prophet Isaiah, when reproving the house of Israel, under the\nsimilitude of a vineyard, for their backsliding and breach of covenant\nand great wickedness, which he closes with this notable saying:\n\u201cTherefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without\nmeasure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and\nhe that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.\u201d He showed them thereby\nthe natural tendency of evil, and certain destruction of evil doers,\nwho harden themselves in sin. The subject opened and led to a large\nexhortatory and cautionary communication; also setting forth the great\nobligations of parents and guardians to their tender offspring and\nchildren under their charge; and the incalculable loss that children\nsustain where parents and guardians neglect their duty in timely\ncare for their right instruction. It was a solemn time, and I hope\nprofitable to some, by stirring them up to more diligence.\n\nThe rest of this week, except attending our monthly meeting on fifth\nday, was spent in close attention to my temporal concerns. The urgent\nnecessity attending my present business induced me to labour beyond\nwhat my judgment approved; which, though somewhat painful to the body,\nwas nevertheless, I trust, free from sin.\n\nFirst day, the 21st of 8th month. A silent meeting to-day, which closed\nwith a peaceful mind.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Passed without any thing transpiring\nworthy of particular notice.\n\nFifth day. A silent meeting, as it respects myself.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in my salt-meadows, about ten miles from\nhome; assisting my men in making and securing hay. On my return visited\na poor widow, with the surplus of our provisions, for which she was\nvery thankful.\n\nFirst day, the 28th. My lips, at our meeting to-day, were closed in\nsolemn silence.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Diligently employed in what my hands\nfound to do: for I see no time when it would be right to indulge in\nidleness.\n\nFifth day. Sat our meeting in much weakness and poverty of spirit, but\nfelt peace at the close.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Closely engaged in my temporal business; but\ndid not forget my accountability to my great Lord and Master, for the\nright use of every portion of precious time, he is pleased to dispense\nto me.\n\nFirst day, the 4th of 9th month. My mind, while sitting in our meeting\nto-day, was led into a contemplation of the great and excellent\nadvantages resulting to those, who have placed their supreme trust\nin the arm of divine sufficiency; and while musing thereon, and the\nmanifold blessings attendant on such a state, there was brought to my\nremembrance the exhortation of Solomon: \u201cTrust in the Lord with all thy\nheart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.\u201d The subject spread,\nand opened to a communication, in which the audience were pressingly\ninvited and encouraged to lay hold and make choice of this only sure\nrock of refuge, an entire trust and confidence in God, and in the arm\nof his salvation. For those who trust in the name of the Lord, have\nnever been confounded.\n\nThe rest of this week was spent in my usual vocations, except attending\nour preparative meeting on fifth day. Nothing transpired worthy of\nparticular notice.\n\nFirst day, the 11th. As I was sitting in our meeting to-day, my mind\nwas led into a train of solemn reflection, from the revival of these\nexpressions of Christ to his disciples: \u201cIn the world ye shall have\ntribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.\u201d An\nenlightened view was opened to me of the especial advantages, and deep\nconsolation, derived to the true Christian, by a firm belief therein:\nas the expressions evidently carry in them an earnest to the true\nbeliever, of his being likewise enabled to overcome, as he is faithful\nin treading in the path of self-denial, agreeably to his heavenly\npattern. The subject opened to communication, in which the audience\nwere pressingly invited and encouraged to enter earnestly into this\nmost necessary and interesting warfare; as nothing short of overcoming\nthe world, the flesh, and the devil, can restore to us an uninterrupted\npeace, and entitle us to the white stone in which the new name is\nwritten; which none can read, but he who hath it.\n\nThe succeeding days of this week were attended to as they passed; but\nnothing transpired unusual. Our monthly meeting was on fifth day; and\nalthough we had a pretty trying case before us, yet we got through\nwithout interruption, or any breach of Christian harmony.\n\nFirst day, the 18th of 9th month. A satisfactory meeting to-day,\nmore so than for several weeks past; the testimony of truth went\nforth freely, and, I think, clothed with a good degree of power and\ndemonstration of the spirit, which produced a peaceful and thankful\nmind. The rest of this week I was closely engaged in preparing my\nfallow ground, and sowing my wheat and rye. I am willing to do my part\ncarefully and industriously; and then I can with more confidence, place\nmy trust and dependence on a gracious and beneficent Providence, for\na blessing on my labour: for if care and industry be wanting, there is\nnothing for him to bless.\n\nFirst day, the 25th. A silent meeting to-day, as to any vocal\ncommunication; but my mind was too much intruded upon by unprofitable\nthoughts, and interrupted by the unchristian commotions and din of\nwar, which are at present mightily prevailing in our land, and by the\nfrequent reports of blood and slaughter witnessed among professed human\nrational beings: but alas! how inhuman and irrational do they prove\nand proclaim themselves to be, who can deliberately imbrue their hands\nin each other\u2019s blood for this world\u2019s honours and profits; and dare\nat the same time to call themselves Christians, although so utterly\nestranged from the real Christian spirit and life.\n\nThe remaining part of this week spent in my usual vocations.\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 10th month. I was led, in my communication\nto-day, to show the unreasonableness of some people, in looking to,\nand depending on, being made Christians, by the ministration of men,\nand information derived from books and writings; when, alas, the\nministration of angels would be entirely insufficient for that purpose.\nThe ministration of the _Son and sent of God_, even the _divine word_\nthat was in the beginning with God, and was God, is only sufficient to\neffect that great and blessed end: and that, not by any thing which he\nhas _spoken, commanded, or done without us_, but by what he _speaks,\ncommands, and does within us_; we yielding and submitting thereto by\nfaithful obedience. For there is no other way by which any have been,\nor can be, made real Christians, or true, sincere, sensible followers\nof Christ, in spirit and life.\n\nNothing unusual transpired in the course of the remaining part of this\nweek.\n\nFirst day, the 9th. Whilst sitting in our meeting to-day, there was\nbrought to my remembrance the following portion of Paul\u2019s exhortation\nto his son Timothy, as recorded in his first epistle: \u201cFor bodily\nexercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things,\nhaving promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.\nThis is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore\nwe both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living\nGod, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe.\u201d\nThe subject spread, and my mind was opened to take an enlightened, and\nenlarged view thereof; so as to be induced to believe that a necessity\nwas laid upon me to communicate it to the assembly; and as I yielded\nthereto, it still enlarged, and led to an open field of doctrine. I was\nclothed with gospel authority, which produced a most precious solemnity\nand calm over the meeting. It was evidently the Lord\u2019s doing, and it\nwas marvellous in my eyes; and my spirit was made thankful for the\nrenewed, and unmerited mercy and favour.\n\nSecond and third days. Were spent in attending our meeting for\nsufferings, at which information was received, through one of its\ncorresponding members, that the Legislature of our state, now sitting,\nwere about forming a bill to lay a heavy tax on the members of our\nsociety, to be paid in lieu of personal military service; which, if\npassed into a law, would be likely to expose many of our members to\nsevere suffering. The subject brought considerable exercise over the\nmeeting, which led into a discussion of our testimony against war; in\nwhich it appeared manifest, that the deficiency of many of our members,\nin regard to a right support thereof, tended to obstruct, in a very\nconsiderable degree, our stepping forward, consistently with the nature\nof our appointment, to seek redress therein: nevertheless, after a\nconsiderable time spent thereon, and many different prospects opened,\nthe meeting so far agreed, as to separate a committee of six Friends,\nto pay especial attention to the subject: who were directed to proceed\ntherein, as the necessity of the case might require, and way should\nopen for.\n\nFourth day. Spent in assisting two of my neighbours to settle their\nbusiness; and wrote a _will_ for each of them. This is a business that\nevery man ought to attend to, and complete, in time of health.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting, and it being the one\npreceding our quarterly meeting, the queries were to be answered.\nAs one of the overseers was likely to be necessarily absent from\nthe preparative meeting, they met a day or two previous thereto, and\nprepared essays of answers; and the one who attended, produced them\nto the meeting at the time of entering upon reading and answering the\nqueries. As I had long believed, from observation and experience, that\nthis method was inconsistent with the nature of our profession, and\nright order of our discipline, as well as in its tendency very hurtful\nand weakening to the meeting, my mind was very much exercised on the\noccasion; and the more so, in finding several Friends willing to adopt\nthe practice: but, after the matter had been pretty fully spoken to,\nunder a weight of concern, Friends agreed to lay the essays aside, and\nnot notice them; which was a considerable relief to my mind.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Passed without any thing particular to notice.\n\nFirst day, the 16th. My mind was brought under a renewed exercise\nin our meeting, from a view and consideration of the very small\nimprovement and progress made by a great portion of our society in\nreligious experience, when compared with the opportunities they\nwere so abundantly favoured with from time to time. It led to a\ncommunication on the subject, which was introduced by a revival of\nPaul\u2019s reprehension of the Hebrews: \u201cFor when for the time ye ought to\nbe teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first\nprinciples of the oracles of God: and are become such as have need of\nmilk, and not of strong meat.\u201d The subject spread, and brought a solemn\nweight over the meeting, and Friends were pressingly excited to greater\ndiligence in the right improvement of their precious time; that so when\nthe day of solemn inquisition comes, they may be prepared to give in\ntheir account with joy, and receive the desired and peaceful answer of:\n\u201cwell done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over\na few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into\nthe joy of thy Lord.\u201d\n\nOur monthly meeting was held on fifth day; and, I think, the business\nwas well and harmoniously conducted. The rest of the week I was busily\nemployed in my usual vocations; and divers things occurred, which\ninduced gratitude and thankfulness of heart to the blessed Author of\nall our mercies.\n\nFirst day, the 23d. A silent meeting to-day. What a precious thing it\nis, to be taught to know when to speak, and when to be silent.\n\nOur quarterly meeting was held this week at Flushing. It was, I think,\nthrough the several sittings, a searching, instructive, favoured\nseason. In the meeting of Ministers and Elders, and meeting for\ndiscipline, many of the hidden things of Esau, or the first nature,\nwere searched out and made manifest; and their inconsistency with\nthe gospel dispensation, and hurtful tendency, exposed; particularly\nthat of coveting and grasping after riches; to obtain which, many of\nthe members of our society had launched into extensive business, more\nparticularly in the line of commerce, and, in order to carry it on,\nhad involved themselves in debt beyond their ability to pay; and, to\nkeep up a false credit, had, by a show of friendship, and a deceptive\nappearance of having great possessions, drawn in others to lend them\nmoney, and become their sureties for large sums; until both the\nborrower and lender were involved in utter ruin, to the great scandal\nof themselves, the distress of their families, and reproach of our\nholy profession. Others there were, who, for want of keeping close to\nthe foundation principle of our profession, the inward divine light,\nand faithful testimony-bearer in the heart and conscience, had given\nway to busy themselves, and take a part in, the political disputes and\ncontroversies among the people, relative to the governments of this\nworld; which at this time ran high, and had produced war and distress\nin the land; by which, they not only grieved their concerned Friends,\nbut brought much reproach upon themselves and their profession. My mind\nwas deeply exercised on account of these things; and I was constrained\nto bear a full and faithful testimony against all such inconsistent and\nunchristian conduct; and to call Friends\u2019 attention to the necessity of\na more close adherence to the internal principle of divine light and\ntruth, as the only sure Director and Preserver, in times of trial.\n\nThe closing meeting, held for worship, was eminently favoured with the\nDivine presence; and the concurring testimonies borne, gave evidence\nof his presiding power; and his great name was supplicated, and\ngratitude and thanksgiving were rendered to him for his continued mercy.\n\nFirst day, the 30th. In the forepart of our meeting to-day, my mind\nseemed clothed with great weakness, and much interrupted by the\ncontinued succession of unnecessary and unprofitable thoughts: but\nas I continued to endeavour to draw my attention from them, although\nto little effect, till towards the close of the meeting, my mind was\nunexpectedly arrested with a subject very interesting to every immortal\nsoul, that of coming to believe in, and become settled on, the eternal\nand unchangeable rock of salvation, _Christ the divine light_, as\nprophesied of, not only as \u201ca light to lighten the Gentiles,\u201d but\nto be God\u2019s salvation to the ends of the earth. The subject spread,\naccompanied with life; which, as communicated under the influence\nthereof, spread over the meeting, and it became a comfortable\nrefreshing season. It was evidently the Lord\u2019s doing, and worthy of\nthankful acknowledgment, for the unmerited mercy.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Busily employed with my workmen,\nassisting them in securing our corn, &c. It was a bountiful crop, which\nmade the labour pleasant, and the heart thankful.\n\nFifth day. At our meeting to-day, which was larger than usual,\noccasioned by the marriage of one of my daughters, I was led to set\nforth, by public testimony, the excellency of the divine fear, and its\nblessed and salutary effects on the minds of those, who live daily\nunder an humbling sense thereof; and, by the persuasive language of\nentreaty, endeavoured to arrest the minds of the tender and beloved\nyouth present, with a sense of the necessity of having it to dwell\nrichly in their hearts, as the only sure means of preservation, from\nthe many evils and temptations which abound in the world. A comfortable\ncalm was brought over the meeting, a fit preparative for the quiet\nand orderly accomplishment of the intended marriage. It was cause of\nthankfulness to my mind, having been favoured to have four daughters,\nout of five, agreeably married, in the comely order of Friends: the\nother, yet single, a tender precious young woman, observing with pious\nsubmission her parents\u2019 counsel. But this is a blessing which few\nparents enjoy, except those who live under a daily concern, with timely\nand continued care, to watch over and nurture their tender offspring in\nthe fear of the Lord.\n\nSixth day. Accompanied our daughter with her husband to his father\u2019s\nhouse, and returned in the evening.\n\nSeventh day. Spent in my family cares, and ended the week with a\npeaceful mind.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 11th month. My lot was silence to-day. A pleasant\nlot indeed, when the Master wills it so.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Employed diligently in my ordinary\naffairs. The rest of the week was devoted to religious concerns. We\nhad the company of a ministering Friend from West Jersey on fifth\nday at our meeting, through whose fervent labour the life was raised\ninto dominion; which made it a comfortable and instructive season.\nAccompanied him the two following days to Bethpage and Jerusalem,\nhaving a meeting at each place; both of which were seasons of favour.\n\nFirst day, 13th. Passed our meeting again in silence, under the\ncomfortable feelings of a mind resigned either to speak or to be silent.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Spent in my usual concerns.\n\nFifth day. Was our monthly meeting, at which we had the company of the\nsame Friend, who attended our meeting the fifth day preceding. I had\nnear unity with him in his exercise; and had to bear a corresponding\ntestimony, both in the men\u2019s and women\u2019s meeting. It was a season\nof favour; and much suitable counsel was administered, tending to\nexcite Friends to greater faithfulness and circumspection in the right\nordering of their families, and in bringing up and educating their\nchildren, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, consistent with\nour holy profession.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Returned, as respects the mind, like Mordecai\nto the king\u2019s gate; while my hands were busily employed in my family\naffairs.\n\nFirst day, the 20th. Having felt my mind for some time increasingly\ninclined to sit with Friends in their meeting at Martinicock, I\nthought it right at this time to attend thereto; but when I came there,\nmy mind felt so vacant and void of concern, that for some time I was\nready to conclude, that if my coming was of any use, it would all be\nincluded in my personal presence, as an example of silence: but after a\ntime of quiet waiting, a subject presented, and the life rose with it,\nand opened to a large communication, in which the gospel was preached\nin the demonstration of the spirit, and with such power attending as\nproduced a very solemn covering over the meeting; and many hearts\npresent were broken and contrited. For this favour my mind was clothed\nwith gratitude and thanksgiving to the bountiful Author of all our\nmercies and blessings, \u201cwho is over all, God blessed for ever.\u201d\n\nThe rest of this week I spent about home, mostly employed in my\ntemporal concerns. Passed our fifth day meeting in silence; and the\nweek ended with a peaceful mind, which I account an unmerited favour.\n\nFirst day, the 27th. Feeling my mind drawn to sit with Friends at\nWestbury, I accordingly attended their meeting, in which I was led to\nset forth the excellency of the state described by the apostle Paul,\nwhich is freed from condemnation, and is effected by a full submission\nand obedience to the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which\nsets free from the law of sin and death. It was an open, and, I trust,\na profitable opportunity to some present; and I felt peace in my labour.\n\nSecond day. Attended the funeral of a neighbour, whose wife was a\nmember of our society; and, although he had been a very intemperate\nman, yet, towards his close, he signified a desire to be laid in\nFriends\u2019 burial ground, which was allowed. His widow being desirous\nI should attend the funeral, I went accordingly with several other\nFriends. The neighbourhood was chiefly Dutch people, and a considerable\nnumber attended. We had a solemn opportunity among them: the testimony\nborne had a very reaching effect on many, especially among the youth;\nand I was made thankful for the opportunity.\n\nThird and fourth days. Occupied in laying in my winter store of\nprovisions.\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting. It was a quiet encouraging season.\nTowards the latter part, I was concerned to show to Friends the hurtful\ntendency of evil thinking, which I introduced by that short saying:\nEvil be to him, that evil thinks. The subject enlarged, and spread\nincreased weight over the meeting; and many minds were humbled and\ncontrited; and we parted under the solemn covering.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Occupied in my usual concerns, with attendant\npeace of mind.\n\nFirst day, the 4th of 12th month. A quiet silent meeting to-day.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Diversely engaged. Part of the time\noccupied with many other Friends, in collecting some relief for the\npoor in the city of New-York; the present tumultuous state of public\naffairs having reduced many of the labouring part of the citizens to a\nsuffering state, for want of the necessaries of life.\n\nFifth day. In the meeting for worship which preceded our preparative\nmeeting, I felt my mind renewedly engaged to call Friends\u2019 attention\nto a faithful support of our Christian testimonies; particularly those\nagainst war and injustice; and that all might with firmness maintain\nour Christian liberties, without fear, favour, or affection, against\nevery encroachment of the secular powers; as, in the present disturbed\nstate of public affairs, laws had recently been enacted, levying taxes\nand other requisitions for the support of war; which was now spreading\nand making its destructive ravages in our once peaceful land. A solemn\nweight covered the meeting during the communication; and I was favoured\nto relieve my mind for the present, from the weight of concern and\nexercise it lay under on those accounts.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Busily engaged in my family concerns; believing\nwith the apostle, that he who doth not take the necessary care for\nhis own, and families\u2019 comfortable support, may be considered to have\ndenied the faith, and in that respect is worse than an infidel.\n\nFirst day, the 11th. Being invited to attend the funeral of a woman\nattached to Friends, though not a member; a widow of my acquaintance\nin our neighbouring town of Hempstead; and feeling an inclination\nthereto, I attended accordingly. There was a considerable collection,\nmostly made up of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Methodists; among\nwhom my mind was enlarged in gospel love, and led to sound forth the\nglad tidings of life and salvation, through Jesus Christ the second\nAdam, the Lord from heaven, a quickening spirit; showing that by a full\nsubmission to the inward operation of this spirit, a manifestation of\nwhich is given to every man to profit withal, we experience the truth\nof that remarkable saying of the apostle Paul: For as in Adam, or the\nfirst fallen nature, all die; so in Christ, the second Adam, or the\nrenewed and quickened state, all are made alive; and therefore born\nagain, not of corruptible seed, but of the incorruptible seed and word\nof God, that liveth and abideth for ever. It was a highly favoured\nseason, in which the Lord\u2019s power was exalted, and the truth reigned\nover all, bowing the assembly generally; and many hearts were broken\nand contrited. It was evidently the Lord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in\nmine eyes; and engaged renewed gratitude and thankfulness of heart for\nthe unmerited mercy.\n\nSecond and third days. Spent in attending our meeting for sufferings\nin New-York, in which an opportunity opened to relieve my mind of a\nconcern I had been for some time exercised under, on account of some\nrecent laws enacted by the general government of this country, and the\nlegislature of the state of New-York; which, in their tendency, were\nopposite to our testimony against war and injustice; and were likely\nto produce much suffering to the faithful in our society, who saw they\ncould not yield to the requisition of those laws, without balking their\nChristian testimonies in these respects. I was led to excite Friends to\nunity in this concern; as the want of uniformity would very much tend\nto lay waste those precious testimonies, and increase the sufferings of\nthe society.\n\nFourth day. Attended our neighbouring monthly meeting of Westbury.\nMy mind was engaged to call Friends\u2019 attention to a more close\nadherence to discipline; the right management of which could not be\nprofitably effected, without keeping to a right and sound form. I felt\nsatisfaction in my labour, in a belief that the honest-hearted were\nstrengthened and encouraged.\n\nFifth day. Attended our own monthly meeting, at which we had the\ncompany of our friend John Winslow, from the district of Maine, in\nNew England. His gospel labours, in the line of the ministry, were\nacceptable and edifying. At this meeting, I opened to my friends a\nprospect, which had for some time attended my mind to make a visit to\nsome scattered families of our society, who resided in the outskirts\nof our quarterly meeting; some of whom, being distant from meeting,\nbut seldom attended. I had also a view of visiting some families who\nwere not members, and of appointing some meetings, among some of the\nneighbouring inhabitants of other societies. The meeting united with\nthe prospect, and left me at liberty to pursue it, as way might open.\n\nOn sixth and seventh days, I accompanied our friend John Winslow to\nBethpage and Jerusalem; attending a meeting in each place. The Lord our\ngracious helper was near, strengthening and qualifying to preach the\ngospel of life and salvation in the clear demonstration of the spirit,\nand with power; humbling and contriting many present, and rejoicing the\nminds of the honest-hearted.\n\nFirst day, the 18th. I attended our own meeting; and was favoured\ntherein with a lively impressive testimony which produced a very\ncomfortable solemnity over the meeting, and rendered it an instructive\nedifying season.\n\nOn second day, by appointment, I met our friend John Winslow at a\nmeeting in the town of Oysterbay; where we again witnessed the Shepherd\nof Israel to be near, enabling us to discharge ourselves faithfully\nto the people; setting the truth above errour, and left it upon them,\nwhether they will hear, or forbear.\n\nOn third day evening, had an appointed meeting for the black people\nin our meeting-house at Jericho. It appeared to be owned in a very\nespecial manner by the Master of our assemblies, who furnished doctrine\nsuited to their states and conditions; and the truth reigned over all,\nfully evidencing that the Lord our God is no respecter of persons, but\nis gracious and merciful unto all; and that in every nation, kindred,\ntongue, and people, those that fear him, and work righteousness, are\naccepted of him.\n\nFourth day. Attended an appointed meeting, about four miles easterly\nfrom Jericho. It was a highly favoured season; most present were\naffected by the prevalence of truth, that ran as oil. Surely it was the\nLord\u2019s doing, and worthy of grateful acknowledgments and thanksgiving,\nfor the unmerited favour.\n\nIn the evening we attended another meeting at Cold Spring; and although\nnot so open as the former, yet we were favoured to clear ourselves\namong them; and left them with the reward of peace in our labour.\n\nFifth day. Attended a meeting in the morning at the house of a man not\na member, at Huntington West Neck; and in the evening one at the west\nend of the town of Huntington, at Peleg Woods\u2019. The first was a very\nprecious season to the visiters, and, I trust also, to most or all of\nthe visited: the latter a stripping time in the forepart, but ended\nwell.\n\nSixth day. Visited some families on our way home, which visits, I\nbelieve, were mutually comfortable.\n\nSeventh day. Spent partly in repairing the travelling vehicle of our\nfriend aforenamed, who had accompanied me in the above tour.\n\nFirst day, the 25th. My mind, while sitting in our meeting, was opened\non the subject of faith, in the revival of that Scripture passage, viz:\n\u201cAll men have not faith.\u201d I was led, in a clear full testimony, to show\nto the auditory, why all men have not faith; although the means of\nobtaining it are freely offered to the acceptance of all; yet it is not\nto be obtained by man\u2019s natural wisdom or acquirements, but only by and\nthrough the operation and inspiration of the grace and spirit of God,\nas man yields in obedience and submission thereunto: hence he comes\nto know God, by the inward experimental touches of his own life and\npower in his soul; and hence springs up in him, as he patiently submits\nthereunto, that living operative faith, that works by love to the\npurifying of the heart; but such as are exercising themselves in their\nown speculative wisdom, and refuse submission to the manifestations of\ndivine grace, have not faith, because they reject the only means by\nwhich it can be obtained. The truth was raised into dominion, to the\npraise of him who is over all, God blessed for ever.\n\nSecond and third days. Busily employed in my husbandry and family\naffairs; each day closing with a peaceful mind.\n\nFourth and fifth days. I attended the meetings at Westbury and Cowneck;\nand previous notice being given of my intention of attending them, they\nwere larger than usual at that time in the week. Through the gracious\ncondescension of Israel\u2019s never-failing Helper, my mind was opened to\ndeclare to the people of the things concerning the kingdom of God,\nin two large doctrinal testimonies, one at each place, suited to the\nstates of the auditories. The doctrines delivered distilled as the dew\non the minds of many who were present; causing tears of contrition to\ntrickle down their cheeks. Surely such seasons are as a brook by the\nway to the honest exercised traveller Zion-ward; as they tend to an\nincrease of faith, and inspire with fresh courage to persevere in the\nheavenly journey.\n\nI also attended an appointed meeting in the intermediate evening at\nHempstead Harbour. Although I was led in my communication to treat in\na full clear manner divers particular doctrines of the gospel: yet\nit seemed to have but little entrance in the minds of those present,\nwhich made the exercise arduous, and afforded but little satisfaction\nin the end. This I have found mostly to be the case, in neighbourhoods\nwhere the minds of the people are led to adhere to outward, formal\nand ceremonial performances in religion; and especially where much\nself-activity and bodily exercise is superadded, which is very much\nthe case with the principal part of this neighbourhood: and those not\nof this description are, except a few, in a state of lukewarmness and\nalmost entire indifferency, respecting those things which belong to\ntheir soul\u2019s salvation.\n\nOn sixth day, I attended the funeral of a person who died in a\nFriend\u2019s family, wherein he had been a labourer for many years, in\nthe neighbourhood last mentioned. Although but few collected, yet the\nopportunity was solemn; and the testimony borne had a reaching effect\non the minds of divers present especially on several of the youth. May\nit be fastened by the Master of assemblies, as a nail in a sure place.\n\nSeventh day. Occupied in my temporal concerns; and the week, and the\nyear, ended with a peaceful mind.\n\nFirst day, the 1st of 1st month, 1815. My mind, while silently\nwaiting in our meeting, was opened to view in prospect the beauty\nand excellency of order. As it spread on my mind, I felt constrained\nto communicate on the subject; and to show, that all things, which\ncontinued in full subjection to the divine will, were preserved in the\nsame beautiful order they were arranged in from the beginning; and\nthat all disorder sprang from, and was the effect of, a will separate\nand distinct from the divine will. For as God is a God of order, and\nis also the creator of all things, of course there can be no order\nand right harmony in his creation, but what he is the sole author of:\nhence the necessity of every created being becoming wholly subject to\nhis heavenly and divine will, as nothing else can possibly restore the\ncreation to its primitive order and harmony: and when this is effected,\nthere will be a perfect subjection of every distinct and separate will,\nto the will of our heavenly Father. Then the whole creation will stand\nin a state of subservience to the divine will; then will the morning\nstars again resume their song, and all the sons of God shout for joy.\nO! happy day, may the Lord hasten it in his own time.\n\nSecond day. I attended the funeral of a young man, who was killed by\nthe falling of his horse. He was in company with a number of loose\nyoung men at a tavern, where they had been running horses; and his\nhorse threw him off in a fearful manner; nevertheless he escaped\nunhurt: but shortly after, as he was riding from the tavern, his horse\nfell with him, and he died with the hurt he received by the fall, in\nabout a week after. The accident had considerable effect on his young\ncompanions; and impressed their minds with sadness and alarm. They\nwere generally present at his funeral; as also were most of the youth\nin the neighbourhood, for a considerable distance round; who, with\nothers of riper years, made a large collection. The Lord, who is always\ngraciously near, and ready to help in every needful time, opened my\nmouth among them in a large affecting testimony, suiting the occasion.\nIt was a very humbling solemn season, not soon to be forgotten by many\npresent; and my spirit was made thankful for the unmerited favour.\n\nAfter the funeral, I went, with my wife and daughter Elizabeth, to\nIslip, to see our grandson, who is in a weakly declining state. We\nreturned home the next evening.\n\nFourth day. Engaged in my family concerns.\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting to-day in silence. We had the company\nof our friend Phebe I. Merritt, from New-York, who also sat most of\nthe meeting in silence; but appeared towards the close in a short\ntestimony, which spread a good degree of life over the meeting; which\nwas truly gladdening.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Part of the time occupied in temporal concerns;\nand part in assisting an ancient Friend, upwards of ninety years of\nage, in settling his business, and writing his will. He appeared\ncompetent to the purpose, both as to memory and understanding.\n\nFirst day, the 8th. My mind was in unison with the exercise and\ntestimony of our friend Phebe I. Merritt, who was again with us at our\nmeeting to-day; and I found it my duty towards the close of the meeting\nto set my seal thereto, in a short impressive testimony: and, I trust,\nthe meeting closed under a sensible degree of divine favour, worthy of\nour thankfulness and gratitude.\n\nSecond and third days. While my hands were busily employed in my\ntemporal business, my mind was often led to rise above all temporal\nenjoyments; and to contemplate on things of an eternal nature. In the\ncourse of my meditations I was led to contrast those who are _led and\ninfluenced_ by the wisdom and will of man, with those who are _led\nand influenced_ by the wisdom and will of God; and it was opened to\nme that, of necessity, the former must be _ruled and governed_ by the\nwisdom and power of man: hence the necessity of coercion, and hence the\nnecessity of war; as every government of coercion, must of necessity\nbe set up and maintained by the force and fear of the sword, as that\nis the last alternative, in every government, set up in the wisdom and\nwill of man. But those, who are _led and influenced_ by the wisdom and\nwill of God, have no necessity of being governed by any thing else\nthan the divine wisdom and will, through the power of persuasive love;\nand no other coercion can ever be necessary in the kingdom of heaven,\nwhere nothing reigns but love, peace, and joy undefiled, without\nintermission. And O! that every rational being was so inspired with\na real soul-craving desire, after the enjoyment of this heavenly and\npeaceful kingdom, as not to rest until he had gained a satisfactory\nassurance, that his name was enrolled in that city, which hath\nfoundations whose builder and maker the Lord is.\n\nFourth day. I rode to New-York, in order to attend the funeral of our\nbeloved friend, Matthew Franklin, to take place the next day. He was\ntaken with an apoplectic fit while speaking in the morning meeting\nin Pearl-street, on the preceding first day. He appeared lively in\ntestimony, but was suddenly stopped by indisposition, and sat quietly\ndown: but soon arose and withdrew, and was followed by some of his\nfriends, and would have fallen as soon as he got out, had he not been\nupheld by them. In a few minutes he fell into an almost senseless\nstate, as to the body, not being able to speak afterwards; and quietly\nexpired at about half past seven in the evening of the following day:\nand, we trust, has safely landed in that celestial port, where the\nwicked cease from troubling, and the weary soul is at rest.\n\nHe appeared amiable in his life and conversation, and was generally\nbeloved by his friends and acquaintance, especially the youth; for\nwhose improvement and preservation, he often appeared very solicitous.\nThe unusually large attendance at his funeral, and the solemnity\nthat appeared in the countenances of the multitude assembled, (the\nmeeting-house though large not containing perhaps more than two-thirds\nof those that gathered,) carried full evidence of the correctness of\nthe foregoing representation, as did also the testimonies borne on that\nsolemn occasion.\n\nI attended, besides the funeral on fifth day, two other meetings; one\nat Liberty-street in the morning, it being Friends\u2019 meeting day at that\nplace, and a meeting for the people of colour in Pearl-street. The\nlatter was very large. My mouth was opened in each assembly to speak\nof those things which relate to the kingdom of God, especially at\nthe funeral; and in the meeting for the people of colour, my mind was\nlargely opened to preach the gospel in the demonstration of the spirit,\nand the Lord\u2019s power attended, humbling and solemnizing the assemblies.\nIt was evidently the Lord\u2019s doing. May all the honour and praise be\nascribed to him, for he only is worthy, both now and for ever. Lie\nlow, O my soul! and be humbled in the dust, from a due sense of such\nunmerited mercy.\n\nOn sixth day, I rode to Manhattanville, and attended a meeting there in\nthe evening. It was for the most part, I think, a favoured season. The\ntruth was largely declared, and appeared to have a reaching effect upon\nmost present.\n\nSeventh day. Returned to the city, and attended a meeting in the\nevening in the Bowery; which I had appointed the day before I left\ntown. It was a very solemn quiet meeting, the power of truth flowed\nfreely, and I hope had a profitable entrance with some. May it prove as\na nail, fastened in a sure place.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\n Visit to families of Friends in New-York, and engagements at and\n about home, 1815.\n\n\nFirst day, the 15th of 1st month, 1815. I attended Friends\u2019 meetings\nin New-York. Was at Pearl-street in the morning, and the other in\nthe afternoon. My mind was opened to communicate largely in both\nmeetings; and was led, in the course of the testimonies, to open divers\nparticular doctrines of the gospel; and to distinguish between the\nlaw state, and that of the gospel; and to show to the people, that as\nall the shadows of the law stood in, and consisted of, outward and\nelementary things, they must end in the gospel, which is the substance\nof all shadows; and of course supercedes them all. It was a day of\nfavour, in which the Lord\u2019s power was exalted; and his name and truth\nset above all errour and untruth.\n\nOn second day evening I attended the meeting for sufferings, which was\nadjourned to that time on a particular occasion. We sat again the next\nday, when we finished the business before us. In the evening I attended\na meeting I had appointed for the labouring class of the community,\nand for those in low circumstances. The weather was very inclement; it\nbeing a snow storm; which prevented most of the women from attending:\nbut there was a considerable number of men, who behaved with great\norder and solemnity. They received, with much attention, the truths\ndelivered: which inspired a hope, that the opportunity would be blest,\nand a real benefit experienced by many of them.\n\nFourth day. I attended Friends\u2019 meeting in Pearl-street, which proved\na comfortable, and, I believe, instructive season to some, especially\namong the youth. After this, I returned home with peace of mind, and a\nthankful sense of the continued mercy of a gracious God to his creature\nman, amidst all his backslidings and transgressions.\n\nFifth day. Attended our own monthly meeting; in which I had to lay\nbefore Friends the great advantage that would result, not only to us\nas individuals, but also to society, by individual faithfulness, and\na full belief and trust in the divine providence; and a strict and\nundeviating adherence to the order and discipline of the Church, for\nwhich labour I had peace.\n\nSixth day. I attended the funeral of Charles Valentine, son of David\nValentine, at Moscheto Cove. It was very largely attended by Friends\nand others. I had an open time among them; which was introduced with\nthis scripture exhortation: \u201cStand fast therefore in the liberty\nwherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with\nthe yoke of bondage.\u201d The subject was largely opened, showing that\nall the works of the flesh did in a lesser or greater degree bring\nthe mind under a yoke of bondage; and that the fear of death was a\nprincipal one, out of which many others originated; such as every\nmeans of self defence, that consisted in war and warlike preparations.\nEvery ceremonial performance in matters of a religious nature; such\nas water baptism, and what is called the ordinance of the supper, in\nthe use of outward bread and wine, not being essential bring a yoke\nand burden on the believer in Christ; as _he_ came purposely to set\nhis followers free from all signs and shadows, and bring them into the\npossession and enjoyment of the substance; whereby we come to know all\nthe shadows to flee away and come to an end; as _Christ manifested_,\nis the _substance_ and end of all shadows. It was a highly favoured\nseason. The truth was raised into dominion and ran freely, humbling\nand contriting many hearts. May the praise, the honour, and the glory\nbe all ascribed to Him, who opens and none can shut, and who shuts and\nnone can open; and who remains to be \u201cGod over all, blessed for ever.\u201d\n\nSeventh day. Attended to some necessary repairs about my farm and\ntenements. For as I am much from home attending to my religious\nengagements, when I feel a liberty to be at home, I find it needful to\nbe industriously employed, to keep my temporal concerns in order; so\nthat when I leave home on truth\u2019s account, my mind may be at liberty,\nwithout thinking much about them.\n\nFirst day. Attended our own meeting, mostly in silence. The rest of\nthis week was principally taken up in preparing for and attending\nour quarterly meeting, which was held at Westbury. It was pretty\nlargely attended, both the meeting for discipline, and that for public\nworship; the latter was somewhat hurt by an unskilful appearance in\nthe ministry, in the forepart, but ended well. In the meeting of\nMinisters and Elders, as also in that for discipline, a living exercise\nand concern were prevalent with divers Friends, not only in searching\nout the causes of the numerous weaknesses and deficiencies that were\nmanifest in society, but also endeavouring for their removal, by much\ntender and pressing advice and counsel, suited to the states of those\nwho were delinquent. Many minds were brought under an humbling exercise\nand travail of spirit in those solemn opportunities; and divers young\nFriends, who were under the forming hand, preparing for usefulness in\nthe Church, came forth at this time, and publicly espoused the cause\nof truth and righteousness, uniting with their elder brethren in the\nexercise and travail which were felt to prevail in those favoured\nmeetings. My spirit was led into near sympathy with these, and fervent\nwas the desire and prayer of my mind for their preservation in the path\nof duty; that so they might grow up and become useful in society, and\nfaithful labourers and pillars in the Lord\u2019s house, that should go no\nmore out.\n\nFirst day, the 29th. We had a comfortable meeting to-day, mostly in\nquiet silent retirement; except towards the close my mind was quickened\nand opened to a short communication, in the remembrance of the case\nof Joseph and his brethren; wherein I was led to recapitulate their\nenvy and hatred towards him, and to show that their wicked intentions\nin selling him, to prevent his rising to the power and dignity which\nhis dreams appeared to forbode, were the very means in the ordering of\ndivine providence of accomplishing their fulfilment; and of course made\ntheir bowing and making their obeisance to him much more humiliating\nthan it would have been had they conducted themselves towards him in\nthe line of true brotherhood, and had he been raised to the dignity\nand power he was, by some other way. But herein was the true proverb\nverified: Let envy alone, and it will punish itself. I was led further\nto open the malignity and baneful effects of those hateful, and very\nevil propensities. A solemn weight covered the meeting; and we parted\nunder a thankful sense of the favour.\n\nThe rest of this week I spent in my ordinary vocations, and in visiting\nsome friends under bodily affliction.\n\nFirst day, the 5th of 2d month. I left home in order to proceed again\nin the concern I had engaged in, to visit some of the inhabitants\nin some of our neighbouring towns, and some scattered families of\nFriends and others. I spent the week in this service, and attended\nnine meetings, all by appointment in places where no meetings are\nheld except one; and visited eleven families of Friends, and persons\nnot members. Although I left home under much depression of spirit,\nattended with great discouragement, insomuch that I was brought near\nto a conclusion that it would be safest to tarry at home, and wait for\na more full manifestation; yet, as I brought the subject to the test\nin my own mind, and patiently waited for an answer in much abasedness\nand humiliation, a small degree of light sprang up, in which the\nvoice said, go and trust in the Lord to open the way. My mind was\nthen centered in a state of perfect acquiescence; and I proceeded\naccordingly, seeing nothing further when I left home, than to attend\nthe meeting of Friends at Bethpage. This was the first I attended;\nbut before the close of that meeting, light sprang up, and the way in\nwhich I should advance clearly opened; and as my trust and dependence\nwere fixed in the arm of divine sufficiency, strength and ability\nwere furnished from season to season, faithfully to espouse the cause\nof truth and righteousness, and to preach the gospel in the clear\ndemonstration of the spirit, and with power; convincing and contriting\nmany minds, and relieving and comforting my own. My heart was inspired\nwith continual thankfulness and gratitude to the blessed Author of all\nour mercies. I returned home on seventh day evening, accompanied with\ntrue peace of mind.\n\nFirst day, 12th. Attended our own meeting; and after a pretty long\nseason of solemn silence, my mind was opened to communication, in the\nrevival of the following declaration of the apostle James: \u201cFor as\nthe body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead\nalso.\u201d The subject was largely and impressively opened, which brought a\nsolemn covering over the meeting, and made it a season of comfort and\nedification. Surely such seasons administer cause for all the humble\nand contrite in heart to thank God and take courage; and press forward\nin the holy and heavenly way.\n\nSecond day. I found liberty to occupy this day in my temporal concerns.\n\nThird day. I attended the funeral of a man, not a member, at Jerusalem.\nThere was a very large collection of people, composed of the different\nclasses of civil society; and although it was a time of extreme cold,\nand the means for rendering the rooms, wherein the people assembled,\ncomfortable, very inadequate for that end, yet they were generally very\nquiet and orderly, and appeared to pay great attention to the doctrines\ndelivered. My heart and mouth were opened among them, to speak of\nthe things concerning the kingdom of heaven, and to set forth, in a\nclear and forcible manner, the way and means of man\u2019s salvation; and\nthat nothing short of a freedom from sin, and the experience of real\nrighteousness, would be sufficient to effect that great and happy end.\n\nFourth day. I attended the monthly meeting at Westbury; and had some\nclose searching exercise, both in the meeting for worship and that for\ndiscipline, tending to quicken Friends\u2019 minds to a more lively concern\nfor the arising of the divine life in their meetings; that so their\nfaith might be productive of good works; and they qualified to serve\nthe Lord in newness of life, and not in the oldness of the letter.\n\nFifth day. I attended our own monthly meeting. We had but little\nbusiness to attend to at this time. I found it incumbent, before the\nmeeting closed, to submit a prospect that attended my mind to the\nconsideration of the meeting, to visit the families of Friends of the\nmonthly meeting of New-York; and received Friends\u2019 united concurrence\ntherein.\n\nSixth day. I spent with my family, and in my family concerns; and in\nthe evening attended a meeting I had appointed at Woolver Hollow, a\nneighbourhood consisting mostly of Dutch people. It was a very solemn\nquiet meeting, and I had good service among them, to the mutual comfort\nand edification of most present.\n\nSeventh day. I left home again on my former concern in visiting some\nmore of the scattered families of Friends and others, in the suburbs\nof our quarterly meeting; having not fully accomplished that service.\nOur first meeting was the next day at Rockaway, among my relatives\nand acquaintance, this having been the place of my former residence.\nAlthough the meeting at this time was small, partly occasioned by the\ninclemency of the weather, yet, through the gracious extendings of\ndivine love, it proved a favoured season.\n\nAfter this, we proceeded eastward on the southern part of the island,\nand had five more meetings among those not in membership with us,\nexcept here and there a scattered family, or part of a family; yet\nnumbers of them appear to be convinced of the truth of the doctrines\nand principles of Friends; and many of them, I believe, if they\ncontinue faithful to their convincement, will in time become members\nwith us. We also had some edifying seasons in the few scattered\nfamilies of Friends in this quarter, and in a number of families of\nthose inclining to Friends. We returned home on fifth day evening; and\nI found sweet peace in thus dedicating myself to the promotion of the\ncause of truth and righteousness in the earth.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Devoted to the care of my family and household\nconcerns; which I find to be my incumbent duty, when at liberty from my\nreligious engagements and gospel services.\n\nFirst day, the 26th. Attended our own meeting to-day.\n\nSecond day. Attended the funeral of a woman not a member; and the\nfamily being inclined to Friends, a meeting was held on the occasion,\nwhich proved a profitable edifying opportunity.\n\nThird day. I proceeded to New-York, in order to attend the monthly\nmeeting the next day; in which I opened my prospect of visiting the\nfamilies belonging thereto, with which the meeting united. But feeling\na concern to attend the monthly meeting to be held at Flushing the\nfollowing day, before entering on the family visit, I accordingly\nwent. The meeting for worship, which preceded that for discipline,\nwas a favoured season, in which truth reigned. I likewise had a large\nfavoured meeting with the inhabitants of the town in the evening; and\nthe next day returned to New-York.\n\nSeventh day, the 4th of 3d month. I began the family visit. Sat with\ntwelve families, in some of which I felt the renewed visitation of\nthe heavenly Father\u2019s love, in which the visited and visiters were\nunited in the bond of Christian fellowship; which tended to inspire\nwith strength to persevere and trust in the Lord, who hath graciously\npromised, that they who trust in him shall not be confounded: but in\nothers, things were much out of order, and darkness spread over us at\ntimes as a curtain, when we found it needful to be clothed with faith\nand patience; and as these were abode in, after a time of suffering\nwith the seed, way was mostly made to set the testimony of truth over\ndarkness and errour. Many were convicted and instructed; and peace\nafforded to my own mind. Samuel Parsons kindly accompanied me in the\ngreater part of the visit; and cordially united and sympathized with me\ntherein.\n\nFirst day. I attended the meetings at Liberty-street, both forenoon and\nafternoon, and sat with four families; and, in the course of the week,\nseventy more. In these we met with a variety of states and conditions,\nwhich renders such services truly arduous and exercising, requiring\ngreat inward attention to the divine gift; as nothing else can open\nto the diverse states of the people, and qualify to speak suitably to\ntheir several conditions, to their improvement and help; and give the\nanswer of peace to those under such exercises. I also attended Friends\u2019\nmeetings, held in the middle of the week, at Pearl and Liberty streets.\nAt the former was a marriage. It was a time of unusual favour, in\nwhich the descendings of the heavenly Father\u2019s love were felt to cover\nthe very large assembly, in an eminent manner. My mouth was opened in\na large impressive testimony, in which, in a clear instructive manner,\nI had to set forth the great difference between a believer and an\nunbeliever; showing that the former was, by faithfulness and obedience\nto the inward divine gift of grace, daily improving and advancing in\ndivine wisdom and knowledge, and in the enjoyments and consolations\nalways attendant thereon; while the latter was sinking deeper and\ndeeper into a state of darkness and errour, and the distresses and\nvexations, which naturally result from unbelief. It was a day of high\nfavour, in which the truth was exalted over all opposition and errour,\nrejoicing many minds; and bowing my heart in deep thankfulness and\ngratitude to the Author of every blessing. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s\ndoing; therefore let all the praise be ascribed to Him who is over all,\nblessed for ever.\n\nFirst day, the 12th. Attended Pearl-street meeting in the forenoon\nand afternoon. Both meetings were much hurt by a long, tedious and\nlifeless communication in each, by a Friend, not a resident here, who\nattended those meetings at this time. It very much shut up my way,\nand was, I apprehend, a great loss to the meetings; as it very much\nhurt the solemnity. In the course of this week I sat with twenty-nine\nfamilies; and attended Pearl-street meeting on fourth day. After this I\nrode home, in order to attend our own monthly meeting, and returned on\nseventh day to New-York. On first day, I attended Pearl-street meeting\nin the forenoon, and Liberty-street in the afternoon, both comfortable\nseasons. In the course of this week, I sat with seventy-seven families.\n\nFirst day, the 26th. Attended Pearl-street meeting in the forenoon and\nafternoon, and an appointed meeting at Liberty-street in the evening.\nThey were large full meetings; and through the condescending goodness\nof Israel\u2019s Shepherd, they were eminently favoured. My mouth was opened\nin each, to preach the gospel in the demonstration of truth, to the\ncomfort, edification and instruction of many who attended, as appeared\nby their solemn and satisfactory deportment; and I was truly thankful\nthat I had been enabled to get through this day\u2019s exercise, to the\npeace of my own mind, which I esteem the best treasure.\n\nSecond day. Sat with five families in the city, and in the afternoon\ncrossed the ferry to Brooklyn, and visited three families of Friends\nin that neighbourhood, they being members of Liberty-street meeting.\nI also had an appointed meeting in the evening, for the inhabitants\nof Brooklyn. It was well attended, and proved an instructive favoured\nseason, gratefully to be remembered.\n\nThird day. Rode to Manhattanville, and visited the families of Friends\nin that place, and three families on the way; and returned to the\ncity next morning, and attended Friends\u2019 preparative meeting in\nPearl-street. It was the time for answering the queries; and it proved\nan exercising meeting, Friends having too generally got in the habit\nof making use of words which rendered their answers evasive, and not\ngiving a direct one to the question; by which the deficient members\nwere very much covered; and which tended rather to set them at ease,\nthan to stir them up to more diligence and care. My mind was deeply\nexercised, things appearing very much out of order with many in this\ncity; and the number of the faithful very small. I endeavoured to\ndischarge myself faithfully among them, and found peace in my labour.\n\nIn the afternoon, I had a select opportunity with the Ministers, Elders\nand Overseers. In this opportunity, I, in a good measure, relieved my\nmind from a burden I had been under for some time, respecting Friends\nin those stations. In the evening I had an appointed meeting in the\neast part of the town, principally among those not in membership\nwith us. It was held in a large, commodious building, erected for\nthe purpose of educating the children of such poor people as did not\nbelong to any society of professed Christians. There was at this time\na school held in it, consisting of nearly four hundred such children.\nThe expenses were defrayed by the charitable donations of the citizens\nat large. It is a benevolent institution, and well conducted. The\nmeeting was large, consisting, as was supposed, of a thousand people;\nto whom the truths of the gospel were largely opened, comforting and\ninstructing many minds, and administering reproof to the lukewarm, the\nlicentious, and immoral. A general solemnity spread over the meeting;\nand we parted under a deep and humbling sense of the unmerited favour.\n\nFifth day. Attended the preparative meeting at Liberty-street, which\nwas a comfortable meeting. The queries appeared to be answered with\nmuch more consistency than at the other. The afternoon and evening\nspent in the family visit; as also the two following days.\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 4th month. I attended Pearl-street meeting in\nthe morning, and that at Liberty-street in the afternoon; and public\nnotice being given of my intention of attending the latter, it was\nlarge. I also had an appointed meeting in the evening at Pearl-street,\nwhich was also very large. They were all seasons of favour, especially\nthose at Pearl-street, wherein truth reigned, and the people\u2019s minds\nwere solemnized, and the faithful comforted and made glad together,\nunder a grateful sense of the continued mercy, and longsuffering loving\nkindness of Israel\u2019s Shepherd to the workmanship of his holy hand.\n\nSecond day. Sat with four families in the forenoon; and, in the\nafternoon, had an appointed meeting at Flatbush, near the west end of\nLong Island, where no Friends live. The inhabitants were mostly Dutch\npeople, the descendants of the ancient Hollanders: they had but little\nacquaintance with us or our principles. The meeting was held in their\ncourt-house. A respectable number collected, and behaved quietly,\nbecoming the occasion. Our gracious Helper was near, furnishing\ndoctrine suited to their states and conditions; which had a reaching\nand salutary effect upon many minds; and through the prevalence of the\npower of truth, which rose into dominion, divers hearts were broken and\ncontrited. We parted from them with thankful hearts, and returned to\nthe city that evening.\n\nThird day. Attended the meeting of Ministers and Elders, composed of\nthe select members of the monthly meetings of New-York and Flushing. It\nwas a solemn, and, I hope, a profitable time. The next day the monthly\nmeeting of New-York was held, in which I was favoured to close my\nvisit to Friends there, in an opportunity with the members generally\ntogether, both male and female, select from others. At this meeting\nI discharged myself fully to the peace of my own mind, and, I trust,\nto the comfort and encouragement of the faithful; and at the same\ntime administered reproof and correction to the lukewarm, and unsound\nmembers, and strength to the weak and feeble-minded. The Lord was\nsupplicated in behalf of his people, that he would still strive with\nthem, both in mercy and judgment, as he may see meet, in his matchless\nwisdom and loving kindness, and not give his heritage to reproach, lest\nthe people without be led to inquire, where is their God.\n\nFifth day. I turned my face homeward, having a meeting at Newtown\nKilns, at the eleventh hour, and another in the town at evening. They\nwere favoured seasons; although the latter was somewhat interrupted\nat the close, by a hireling minister, of the Presbyterian persuasion,\nwho took some exceptions to the doctrines delivered respecting water\nbaptism, imputative righteousness, and the hire of ministers. The\narguments he advanced in support of these appeared very weak, being\nunfounded and fallacious; and the scripture passages which he quoted to\nprove his positions, were in direct opposition thereto. For his proof\nof water baptism, he made use of the doctrine of the apostle Paul; and\nespecially that part wherein he thanks God that he had baptized but a\nvery small number, positively asserting, that Christ sent him not to\nbaptize; therefore, if so great a minister as Paul had no commission or\nauthority to baptize, that is with water, who had converted so many to\nthe Christian faith, and set up and established many churches, in parts\nwhere no other of the primitive ministers had yet travelled, surely he\ncould not think it needful, or otherwise he must have fallen very far\nshort of fulfilling his ministry; but if we conclude, as I apprehend\nwe are all bound to do, that Paul, as he himself asserts, was not a\nwhit behind the chiefest of the primitive apostles, we may then safely\nconclude that water baptism has no part in the commission of a gospel\nminister, and consequently is no part of the gospel dispensation, but\nwas only made use of in condescension to the weak state of the Jewish\nbelievers, in the same way as circumcision was made use of by Paul.\nIndeed it is abundantly evident, that the rituals of the law were\ncontinued for many years by many of the Jewish Christians. It is clear,\nhowever, that it was all in condescension to the weak state that the\nbelievers were in, through the force of tradition and custom. Having\nbeen long in the use of outward shadows and types, the way did not\nopen to shake them all off at once; but as the light of the glorious\ngospel should arise, they would gradually recede and give place to\nthe substance, just as when the sun rises above the horizon, all the\nshadows of the night flee away.\n\nAnd with regard to imputative righteousness, some Christians affirm\nthat the righteousness of Christ, wrought without us, being imputed\nto believers, they are thereby justified, without any works of\nrighteousness carried on in us, by and through the operation of the\ngrace of God, we yielding thereunto, and co-operating therewith.\nBut the apostle Paul asserts that \u201cthe grace of God, that bringeth\nsalvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying\nungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously,\nand godly in this present world.\u201d Now will any be so inconsistent with\ntruth and righteousness, as to assert, that a man is justified merely\nby the righteousness that Christ wrought in the outward manifestation,\nwithout his coming to know in his own experience, those works of\nrighteousness wrought in him, as above expressed by the apostle; and\nwhich he must be a party to and in, or they cannot be wrought. For\na mere belief in grace does not do the work of righteousness; but\nfaith in the sufficiency of the grace is the first previous work of\nthe mind of man; but if that belief is not carried into effect, such\nfaith cannot save him; for faith without works is dead, being alone,\nas a body without the spirit. I think the conclusive arguments of the\napostle James are quite sufficient to prove these things to every\njudicious mind. For although the harlot Rahab had, from what appears, a\nfull belief that Israel\u2019s armies would conquer the land of Canaan, and\nit is likely many thousands more of the Canaanites had the same belief;\nyet as none of them added good works to their faith but her, none\nothers were saved. Abraham also believed he was required to sacrifice\nhis son, as the scripture assures us; but had he not gone forward to\nput it in execution, his faith, instead of being imputed to him for\nrighteousness, would have greatly administered to his condemnation; and\ninstead of becoming the friend of God, he would have been cast out of\nhis favour; so that by his works only was his faith made perfect.\n\nBut the great errour, of the generality of professed Christians, lies\nin not making a right distinction between the works that men do in\ntheir own will, and by the leadings of their own carnal wisdom, and\nthose works that the true believer does, in the will and wisdom of\nGod. For although the former, let them consist in what they will,\nwhether in prayers, or preaching, or any other devotional exercises,\nare altogether evil: so on the contrary, those of the latter, let them\nconsist in what they may, whether in ploughing, in reaping, or in any\nhandicraft labour, or in any other service, temporal or spiritual,\nas they will in all be accompanied with the peace and presence of\ntheir heavenly Father, so all they do, will be righteous, and will be\nimputed to them as such. And these, and these only, will witness the\nblessing pronounced by the royal psalmist, where he saith: \u201cBlessed is\nhe whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is\nthe man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit\nthere is no guile.\u201d And who are those whom the royal prophet here\ndesignates; why none but such as have carefully and strictly adhered to\nthe teaching of the grace of God; and who by its teaching and aid have\ndenied themselves of all ungodliness, and worldly lusts; and have come\nto live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.\n\nAnd in order to prove the consistency of Christian ministers taking\npay, and making contracts with the people for their preaching, and\nletting themselves out to the highest bidders, he brought forward\nquotations from the same Paul, who is so very severe against hirelings;\nshowing, both by his example and precepts, that it is more blessed to\ngive than to receive; and that parents or leaders ought to care for the\nchildren, and not the children for the parents.\n\nThe quotations he brought forward were founded principally on these\ntwo passages from the epistle to the Corinthians: \u201cDo ye not know that\nthey which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple,\nand they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so\nhath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gospel should live\nof the gospel.\u201d\n\nIn order to understand correctly how far proof will arise from these\npassages of scripture, it will be necessary to consider the ground upon\nwhich the priesthood was established under the law; and likewise the\nreason and ground, upon which their maintenance was instituted: for it\nwas all a work of perfect wisdom. And first, the dispensation of the\nlaw was outward and local; so likewise was the priesthood: none being\neligible to that office but the family of Levi: and in consequence of\ntheir being appointed to that office, they were deprived of having\ntheir portion or allotment in the land; but the Lord was to be their\nportion: except that they were to have room for residence, and some\nsuburbs about their dwellings, for their convenience. Their office\nwas to kill and prepare the sacrifices which the people brought of\ntheir holy things, as offerings to the Lord; so that they were under\nthe necessity of doing a great deal of manual labour for the people.\nTherefore, in order that they might have a livelihood among their\nbrethren, the Lord had let one-twelfth, that is Levi\u2019s lot, to farm\namong his brethren; and they were bound to return to their brethren,\nthe Levites, one-tenth of their increase; to reward them not only for\nthe abundant manual labour they were bound to do for them, but also in\nconsideration of their having the improvement and profits arising from\nLevi\u2019s portion of the promised land.\n\nNow to make a right bearing between the shadow and substance, and\nrender it eligible under the gospel for its ministers to take pay, they\nmust be such as are immediately called, as was the house of Levi; and\nbe deprived of any allotment in the land, except room for residence,\nand some small suburbs: they must likewise be under the unavoidable\nobligation of doing a great deal of manual labour in outward things,\nor otherwise they are not entitled to any outward pay: and all this\nonly as their duty to him, who hath called and appointed them, without\nmaking any contract with the people at all for their service; for\nthis was not admissible under that dispensation: and all that did were\nreproached by the Lord\u2019s prophets as hirelings. An instance to the\npoint is the case of Micah, who had a house of idol gods; and he hired\na Levite to be his priest, and gave him for his service ten shekels of\nsilver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and his victuals. Indeed we\nhave in this Levite a true specimen of a hireling; for when the Danites\nproposed to his consideration, which would be best for him, whether\nto be a priest to the house of one man, or to a tribe and family in\nIsrael, he soon solved the question; and it made his heart glad, and\nhe took Micah\u2019s ephod, teraphim, and graven image, and added theft to\ncovetousness; and went with the Danites, and became their idol priest.\n\nSecondly, we are next to consider the perfect analogy between the\nservice of the priesthood under the law, and their wages, agreeable\nto Paul\u2019s expressions: \u201cDo ye not know that they which minister about\nholy things, live of the things of the temple, and they which wait\nat the altar, are partakers with the altar?\u201d Now the things of the\ntemple and of the altar were all the Lord\u2019s things; and as the priests\nand ministers were also the Lord\u2019s, he rewarded them out of his own\nholy things, and justice required that it should be so. Therefore\nthe priests under the law had no right to call on the people for any\npay, because there was no contract between them: so likewise under\nthe gospel, the Lord\u2019s true ministers must be such as are immediately\ncalled of God, as was Aaron: but as there is no outward holy land\nunder the gospel, so neither is there any outward holy offerings or\nsacrifices, nor any outward holy temple or altar of man\u2019s building;\nso likewise no outward victims to be slain or consecrated, hence no\noutward reward: but the Lord\u2019s ministers under the gospel are all\ncalled and commissioned by his spirit, and clothed with his power and\nauthority to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the\ncross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of\nthe cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto such as are\nsaved it is the power of God. Hence those who preach the gospel live\nof the gospel; that is, as the gospel is the power of God, which is\ncommunicated to the people by gospel ministry, by which they are fed\nand comforted spiritually, as the Israelites were outwardly, by their\noutward sacrifices, of which the priests who ministered took their\nshare with the people: so likewise the ministers of the gospel, who\nminister to the people spiritually in holy things; they also take their\nshare, and are made to rejoice together spiritually and mutually. And\nherein consists the true analogy between the shadow and substance;\nthe first being the type, which consisted in outward things, and the\nlatter the antitype, consisting in spiritual things. For if the reward\nof the Lord\u2019s ministers under the gospel for their gospel labours is\nto consist in outward temporal things, and likewise the reward of the\nLord\u2019s ministers under the law was of the same kind, then it would no\nlonger hold as is generally agreed by Christians, that the first is\ntype, and the latter its antitype: but it will be only type for type,\nand shadow for shadow; of course we must look for another dispensation\nin order to do away the shadow, and make way for the substance. \u201cBut\nthanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus\nChrist.\u201d He is the end of the law to all those who believe, and are\nwitnesses of his spiritual appearance in their hearts, to take away sin\nand finish transgression, and fulfil all righteousness, in those who\nwillingly deny themselves, and take up their cross daily, and follow\nhim in the way of regeneration. Even so let it be, saith my spirit,\nwith the spirits of the faithful. Amen for ever.\n\nSixth day. I had an appointed meeting in the town of Jamaica, at the\nthird hour in the afternoon. It was for the most part a favoured\nmeeting, although long in gathering. The truths delivered had an\naffecting reach on many minds, and I was made thankful for the precious\nsolemnity which prevailed over the meeting, and we parted under a\ncomfortable sense thereof. After this I returned home, and found my\nfamily well; and my mind was clothed with peace, which favour inspires\ngrateful acknowledgments to the bountiful Author of every blessing.\n\nSeventh day. Rested with my family.\n\nFirst day. Attended our meeting to good satisfaction. The three\nfollowing days spent with my family, and in my family concerns.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting, previous to the sitting of\nwhich, I attended a funeral of one of our neighbours. The corpse was\nlaid in our burial-ground, and the people, after the interment, came\ninto the meeting. It was a large collection, to whom the truths of the\ngospel were largely opened, and the humbling power of truth spread over\nthe assembly, contriting many hearts.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in my family concerns.\n\nFirst day, the 16th. Attended our own meeting, sat it through in\nsilence. It was exercising in the forepart, in which I felt reduced\ninto a state of baptism, with and for the dead: but as I abode in the\npatience, toward the close light sprang up and I was relieved from the\nburden.\n\nSecond day. I spent in my temporal concerns. What a strict and\ncontinual guard and watch it requires, when engaged in any worldly\nbusiness, to keep the mind free and loose from every thing of a\nterrestrial nature; so that, at the first beck or motion of the divine\nintelligence, we may be ready to obey, and submit willingly to its holy\nrequiring, without consulting with flesh and blood.\n\nThird day. I attended the funeral of a deceased Friend. A meeting was\nheld on the occasion at the place of her residence. The neighbourhood\nwere mostly of the Presbyterian order, many of whom attended. I had\nan open time among them, to declare of the things pertaining to the\nkingdom of heaven; and many gospel truths were plainly set forth and\nexalted over all untruth and errour. It was indeed a season thankfully\nto be remembered, and my heart was bowed in grateful acknowledgments to\nthe great and blessed Author of all our mercies.\n\nFourth day. At the funeral yesterday, I was requested by several of my\nfriends to attend the funeral of an individual who had been a professor\namong the Methodists, but whom I had for some time believed was pretty\nfully convinced of the principles of our profession; but the trial of\nparting with his fellow professors, and making a full surrender, had\nkept him back, until being brought on a bed of languishing, he yielded\nand acknowledged to the truth, and desired that in future his family\nwould attend Friends\u2019 meetings: and towards his close, in order to\ngive full testimony to his belief, requested in a solemn manner that\nafter his decease his body might be taken into Friends\u2019 meeting-house\nat Bethpage, which was not far from his dwelling, and a meeting held\nthere at his funeral, and desired that I might be requested to attend.\nOn consideration of the subject, Friends were easy to comply with his\nrequest, and a meeting was held accordingly. It proved a very solemn\naffecting time; many hearts were tendered, and much brokenness and\ncontrition were manifest in the meeting, through the prevalence of\nthe divine power which accompanied the word preached. Surely it was\nthe Lord\u2019s doing, and truly marvellous in the eyes of his people. And\noh! saith my spirit, what shall we render unto the Lord for all his\nbenefits, for his mercies are new every morning.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, and on sixth day our\npreparative meeting of Ministers and Elders. In both of these, my mind\nwas engaged to stir up Friends to more watchfulness and circumspection,\nfor the right ordering of the concerns of the society, and maintenance\nof our Christian discipline.\n\nSeventh day. Spent in my family concerns, and ended the week with a\nquiet mind.\n\nFirst day, the 23d. Attended our meeting in silence. It was rather an\nexercising dull time; but we ought not to murmur, for if we had had our\ndeserts, it might have been more so.\n\nThe rest of this week principally taken up in attending our quarterly\nmeeting in New-York. It was in general rather an exercising time; for\nnot only the answers to the queries from the several monthly meetings,\nmanifested many deficiencies as to the right support of our Christian\ntestimonies and discipline, but the diversity of sentiment among the\nactive members respecting the full support of our testimony against\nwar, also produced much exercise to the faithful; especially with\nregard to the active compliance in the payment of a tax, levied by the\ngeneral government of the United States, for carrying on war, and other\npurposes of the government, which many Friends believed could not be\nactively complied with, consistently with our testimony on that head.\nFor refusing the payment of this tax, a number of Friends had suffered\nin their property by distraint, to a considerable amount more than the\ntax demanded, some even three or four fold; whilst some others actively\ncomplied and paid the tax, and justified themselves in so doing,\nwhich caused considerable altercation in the meeting: nevertheless, I\nbelieve, Friends were generally preserved in a good degree of harmony\nwith each other.\n\nMy mind was deeply baptized into the weak state of society, and I\nlaboured in the ability received to stimulate and encourage Friends to\nfaithfulness and perseverance, that so all our precious testimonies for\nthe Prince of Peace might be held up and exalted as a standard to the\nnations.\n\nFirst day, the 30th. A silent meeting. The rest of this week spent in\nmy family cares, except attending our fifth day meeting, which I sat in\nsilence.\n\nFirst day, the 7th of 5th month. I sat our meeting again in silence.\nThe repeated seasons of rest that I have witnessed, since returning\nfrom my arduous labour in New-York, have brought to my remembrance the\nsaying of the dear Master to his disciples, when they returned from the\nservice they had been sent about, in visiting and preaching repentance\nto the Israelites, and healing their sick, &c.: \u201cCome ye yourselves\napart into a desert place, and rest awhile.\u201d I accounted it a favour,\nfor which I was thankful to the bountiful Author of all our blessings.\n\nNo particular call to any religious service during this week, except in\nattention to our preparative meeting. Silent in the meeting for worship.\n\nFirst day, the 14th. Indisposition of body prevented my attending\nmeeting. I therefore spent the day quietly at home; and in reading a\nportion of Moshiem\u2019s Ecclesiastical History of the Fifth Century, and\nwhich is indeed enough to astonish any sensible, considerate man, to\nthink how the professors of that day could be hardy enough to call\nthemselves Christians, while using every artifice that their human\nwisdom could invent to raise themselves to power and opulence, and\nendeavouring to crush down their opposers by almost every cruelty\nthat power, envy and malice could inflict, to the entire scandal\nof the Christian name; and changing the pure, meek, merciful, and\nundefiled religion of Jesus, into an impure, unmerciful, cruel,\nbloody, and persecuting religion. For each of those varied sects of\nprofessed Christians, in their turn, as they got the power of the\ncivil magistrate on their side, would endeavour, by the sword, and\nsevere edicts, followed by banishment, to reduce and destroy all those\nwho dissented from them, although their opinions were not a whit\nmore friendly to real genuine Christianity, than the tenets of their\nopposers; for all were, in great measure, if not entirely, adulterated\nand apostatized from the true spirit of Christianity, which breathes\npeace on earth, and good will to man.\n\nThe rest of the week I spent in my family cares, except fifth day,\nwhich was the time of our monthly meeting; in which the women\u2019s meeting\nbrought forward, for our consideration and concurrence, requests to be\njoined in membership for eight individuals. Six of these were children,\nat the request of their father; another, a minor of about ten years of\nage, who appeared very desirous of membership: she sent forward her\nrequest, joined by her parents. The other was an adult of a promising\naspect, the mother of several children. She had been brought up and\neducated in the Episcopal profession; but being favoured with an\nopportunity of attending Friends\u2019 meetings, she was convinced of the\ntruth as held by us; and cheerfully submitted to the cross, accounting\nthe reproaches of Christ a greater treasure, than all the comfort and\ndelights that could be found among her former associates in an outside\npompous profession. Their requests were all admitted by the meeting;\nand it was, I think, a comfortable instructive season.\n\nFirst day, the 21st. While sitting in our meeting my mind was led\ninto a consideration of the testimony of the apostle John, where he\nassures us, agreeably to truth and right reason, that God is love, and\nthat they who dwell in love, dwell in God, and God in them. My mind\nwas opened to set forth to the people the excellency of this state\nand the certainty of its attainment, by all such as sincerely desire\nsalvation; and in order therefor, are willing, through and by the\nleading and teaching of divine grace, which the apostle Paul assures\nus, agreeably to our own sensible experience, has appeared to all men,\nto forego all our selfish and creaturely inclinations, and to deny\nself; and by bearing our cross daily, come to a full crucifixion of\nthe old man, with all his corrupt and ungodly deeds. We thereby come\nto know a putting on the new man, even Christ, or a salvation state,\nagreeably to another declaration of the same apostle, where he asserts:\n\u201cTherefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things\nare passed away, behold all things are become new, and all things are\nof God.\u201d I was likewise led to show the good fruits that would be the\nnatural result of such a state, as certain as good fruit is produced\nby a good tree; for we should no longer love as man loves in his\nfallen state, from a selfish motive, self being slain; but we should\nlove as God loves, with a disinterested love, and then we should love,\nnot our friends and neighbours only, but our greatest enemies also;\nand we should become qualified sincerely to pray to God for them. We\nshould then be brought to discover, that all such among Christians\nas pray for the downfall, or overcoming of their enemies by force of\nwar, or by any other means than pure disinterested love, pray not in\na Christian spirit, nor by the leading and influence of the spirit of\nGod; but in their own spirit, and by the leading and influence of the\nspirit of antichrist. Therefore, such prayers are not heard, but are\nan abomination in the sight of a pure and holy God, who cannot behold\niniquity with approbation. My mind was largely and impressively opened\non the subject; and with solemn weight I left it upon the auditory,\nwhich was larger than usual: may it have its desired effect, is the\nsincere desire of my spirit.\n\nSecond day. I attended the funerals of two elderly men of Bethpage\nmeeting. They were neighbours; and were both interred in the meeting\u2019s\nburial-ground at the same time. One of them was a member; and the other\nwas educated among Friends, but had lost his right. A meeting was held\non the occasion, and there was a large collection of people. It proved\na solemn, and, I trust, an instructive time to some present: may it\nfasten as a nail in a sure place.\n\nThe rest of this week, except the usual weekly attendance of our\nmeeting, was spent in family cares, and in preparation for the\nattendance of our approaching yearly meeting. Indisposition in a\nbranch of my family, prevented my attending the meeting for Ministers\nand Elders; but got to the city in time to attend the first day\nmeetings. In the morning I was at Pearl-street, and in the afternoon at\nLiberty-street; and although the latter was pretty large, and in a good\ndegree solemn, yet it was an exercising season to the living sensible\nmembers.\n\nIn those large meetings, where Friends are collected from various\nparts, the weak and the strong together, and especially in those\nfor worship, it is essentially necessary that Friends get inward,\nand wait in their proper gifts, keeping in view their standing and\nplace in society, especially those in the ministry. For otherwise\nthere is danger, even from a desire to do good, of being caught\nwith the enemies\u2019 transformations, particularly with those that are\nyoung, and inexperienced; for we seldom sit in meetings but some\nprospect presents, which has a likeness, in its first impression, to\nthe right thing; and as these feel naturally fearful of speaking in\nlarge meetings, and in the presence of their elderly friends, and\napprehending they are likely to have something to offer, they are\nsuddenly struck with the fear of man, and thereby prevented from\ncentering down to their gifts, so as to discover whether it is a right\nmotion or not; and the accuser of the brethren, who is always ready\nwith his transformations to deceive, charges with unfaithfulness\nand disobedience, by which they are driven to act without any clear\nprospect, and find little to say, except making an apology for their\nthus standing; by which they often disturb the meeting, and prevent\nothers, who are rightly called to the work, and thereby wound the minds\nof the living baptized members.\n\nOn second day the meeting for discipline opened, and continued by\nadjournments until sixth day. Although divers weaknesses were manifest,\nin transacting the business, for want of a deep indwelling with the\npure spring of life, and each patiently abiding in his own proper gift,\nwithout envying others, yet, I think, in the main it was a favoured\nmeeting. Divers brethren were largely opened to speak to subjects\nof concern, which came before us, in the life, and in the clear\ndemonstration of the spirit, as scribes well instructed, bringing out\nof the heavenly treasury things new and old.\n\nFirst day, the 4th of 6th month. Being invited to the funeral of a\nyoung woman within the compass of Westbury meeting, I attended that\nmeeting, which was very large, much more so than usual, occasioned in\npart by the funeral. Although the forepart of the meeting was dull\nand exercising, yet, as my mind centered under a patient exercise and\ntravail, way gradually opened to communication, in which I was enabled,\nthrough adorable condescension, largely and livingly to declare to\nthe people of the things concerning the kingdom of heaven, and their\nown present and everlasting peace. It was a season of great favour,\nthankfully to be remembered.\n\nThe rest of this week I spent at home, in peace of mind.\n\nFirst day, the 11th. My mind was brought under exercise, as I sat in\nour meeting, in remembrance of Paul\u2019s declaration, where he says,\n\u201cFor all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ\u2019s.\u201d As\nI continued under the exercise, way opened to communication, which\nbrought a comfortable solemnity over the meeting.\n\nSecond and third days. I spent in attending our meeting for sufferings\nin New-York; an appointment which I have been under for nearly forty\nyears.\n\nFourth day. Most of this day spent in some necessary repairs about my\nhouse. Much is saved by timely and prudent care.\n\nFifth day. Was our monthly meeting, at which we had the acceptable\ncompany of our friend John Comly, a fellow-labourer in the gospel, with\nwhom I felt near sympathy and unity in travail. I accompanied him the\nnext day to a meeting he had appointed at Martinicock; in which he was\nfavoured with a pretty large testimony, in the plainness and simplicity\nof the gospel. I took my leave of him and his companion Stephen Comfort\nthat afternoon, and returned home.\n\nSeventh day. Spent in my common avocations, and the week closed with a\npeaceful mind.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\n Engagements at and about home, 1815.--Visit to the monthly meetings\n within the circuit of Nine Partners quarterly meeting, 1815.\n\n\nFirst day, the 18th of 6th month, 1815. My mind towards the close of\nour meeting, was opened into a view of the excellency and advantage\nof having our minds actuated invariably, by a principle of strict and\nimpartial justice, and of having just ideas and apprehensions of the\ndivine character. For nothing short of this, is able to establish our\nfaith in God on its right basis, and to give us an unshaken hope and\ntrust in his divine sufficiency, and bring us to experience that love\nof our benevolent Creator, and of our fellow creatures which casteth\nout all fear. As I communicated, the prospect enlarged and brought a\nsolemn weight over the meeting, and we parted under a sense of the\nfavour.\n\nThe rest of the week was spent in close attention to my temporal\nconcerns, except attending our fifth day meeting.\n\nFirst day, the 25th. Sat our meeting to-day in solemn silence, being\nmuch depressed in mind on account of the improper conduct of some of my\nfriends, fellow members in society, by which I apprehended the noble\ncause we had espoused was in danger of being hurt, and the unity of the\nChurch broken, which to me was a cause of real sorrow of heart.\n\nExcept attending our fifth day meeting, which I sat in silence, the\nrest of this week was occupied in my common avocations, and ended with\na peaceful mind, which is a hidden treasure of more value than the\ngolden wedge of Ophir.\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 7th month. As I sat in our meeting, my mind was\nearly impressed with that important scripture passage of the psalmist:\n\u201cLet God arise, let his enemies be scattered.\u201d It led to communication,\nin which I was largely opened to set forth the very necessary truths it\ncomprehended, especially as it regards man\u2019s salvation. For it shows\nclearly that man may prevent his thus arising, and thereby hinder his\nown salvation: and it also shows, that unless we know him to arise and\nbecome supreme and chief ruler in our hearts, agreeably to his own good\nwill and pleasure, we cannot be saved nor come to know his enemies\nto be scattered. Therefore it becomes us as poor helpless creatures,\npatiently to wait, and quietly to hope for his arising, with penitent\nhearts and willing minds, ready to receive him in the way of his\ncoming; although it may be \u201cas a refiner with fire, or as a fuller with\nsoap.\u201d It is also necessary for us to know this arising to be within\nus and not without us; and to be with power, binding the man of sin\nand son of perdition, which is self, or the strong man armed; whose\ngoods, while he rules, are at peace: but when we permit a stronger than\nhe, who only is God, to come in or arise with power, \u201che will bind\nthe strong man armed, and cast him out; and then he will spoil his\ngoods,\u201d that is, cleanse the heart from all the old rubbish of sin and\nuncleanness, and purify his temple and make it a fit receptacle for his\nholiness to dwell in. It was a season of favour. Many gospel truths\nwere clearly opened to the auditory who gave solid attention; may they\nfix as a nail in a sure place.\n\nI was under considerable bodily indisposition most of this week. On\nfifth day, so much so, as almost to give up the prospect of getting\nto meeting; but I put on my usual resolution and went, and was glad\nin so doing, as there I met with that peace of God that passeth all\nunderstanding, which is only known by being felt. I had to declare to\nmy friends how good it is to trust in the Lord with all the heart, and\nlean not to our own understandings, lest they fail us.\n\nOn sixth day I attended the funeral of a kinsman, a neighbour, who had\nspent much of his life in a careless irreligious manner, very seldom\nattending any religious meetings, and was very ignorant as it respected\nthe things of God and his own salvation; but for a year or more before\nhis death, he was greatly afflicted with bodily indisposition, from\nwhich he suffered long and very deeply. It brought him to a solemn\nconsideration respecting his latter end, and I had a hope it worked\nfor his good, as he manifested a state of resignation; so that he\nbore his affliction with much patience and quietude of mind. My heart\nand my mouth were opened on the occasion, to warn the people, and to\ncall their attention to the necessity of an early preparation for\ndeath; showing them that it bordered even on presumption, for such\npoor impotent helpless creatures as we are, whose time is dealt to us\nby moments, even to dare to close our eyes to sleep, without first\nbeing well assured that our peace was made with our great and gracious\nCreator. Many minds were considerably humbled, and I hope the labour\nwill not be lost, but be as bread cast upon the waters, that some may\ngather after many days.\n\nFirst day, the 9th. We had a comfortable favoured meeting to-day. My\nmind was set at liberty to preach the gospel in the clear demonstration\nof the spirit; and to show unto the people that the reason why they\nwere not healed of their many infirmities, was not because there was\nnot \u201cbalm in Gilead,\u201d and \u201ca Physician there;\u201d but because they were\nnot willing to seek him in the right way, and receive him in the way\nof his coming, which is inwardly, as a refiner with fire, or a fuller\nwith soap; to purify from all the old leaven of self, and to cleanse\nthe heart from all self-righteousness, and self-sufficiency; that a\nthorough crucifixion of the old man, with all his unrighteous deeds\nmay be witnessed; and the creature set at liberty to serve the Lord\nin newness of life. The meeting closed with solemn supplication and\nthanksgiving to the Lord for his continued mercy.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. Spent in my family affairs, mostly\nattended with sweet peace of mind; although accompanied with much\nbodily pain, which is more or less my common lot. But what a great\nportion of severe bodily pain may be endured without a murmuring\nthought, while accompanied with true peace of mind, and a conscience\nvoid of offence toward God and man: a rich consoling treasure.\n\nFifth day. This being the time of our preparative meeting, at which\nour queries were answered, I had to admonish Friends to feel deeply\nafter their own states. For as it is by individuals that meetings are\ncomposed, so every individual ought to know how far his particular\nstate corresponds with what is queried after; that so by a united\nlabour, and an inward investigation of our own particular states, we\nmay be enabled to form true and righteous answers to the superiour\nmeetings. For if they are false, it will be accounted lying and that\nnot unto men, but unto God; and thereby our queries be rendered very\nhurtful to us, instead of being helpful.\n\nSixth and seventh days. I occupied myself in my usual business, not\nfeeling any particular religious draft; except the necessity of keeping\nup the daily watch, that no intruding thoughts lead into temptation, or\nprevent my daily converse with the God of my salvation; whose presiding\nfear, I have long experienced to be the only sure antidote against all\nevil.\n\nFirst day, the 16th. My mind was led forth in our meeting to-day\nin a large clear testimony, clothed with gospel authority, which\nwas introduced with the following apostolic exhortation: \u201cLet love\nbe without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that\nwhich is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly\nlove; in honour preferring one another.\u201d I was led to show that this\nundissembling love was not to be known by man in his fallen nature; but\nonly by the regenerated soul, the new man in Christ, who had come to\nknow, in degree, a partaking of the divine nature, as no other nature\nis congenial with this love; a love, which the beloved apostle tells\nus, casteth out all fear. It was a season of favour, thankfully to be\nremembered.\n\nThe remaining part of this week was principally employed in helping to\ngather in our harvest, except attending our monthly meeting on fifth\nday, and preparative meeting of Ministers and Elders on sixth day:\nboth of which were rather dull, poor meetings. Alas! how the cares and\ncumbers of this world, like thorns and briars, choke the good seed and\nprevent its bringing forth fruit. Be watchful, O my soul! that so thou\nmayest know thy seed time and harvest not to fail.\n\nFirst day, the 23d. My present allotment is a state of depression and\npoverty of spirit: but considering myself deserving thereof, I do not\ncomplain. In this condition I accompanied my family to meeting as the\nbest thing I could do, not feeling the least qualification to be in any\ndegree useful to myself or to others; except in a voluntary surrender\nof myself to be any thing or nothing, as He, who has a right to dispose\nof his own workmanship at his own pleasure, should see meet. But I had\nnot sat long in this submissive state, before a prospect presented to\nmy mind, that opened to a field of labour, in which I had to espouse\nthe Master\u2019s cause, and demonstrate to the people present the just and\nindubitable right he had to them and all their labours, without the\npromise of any reward: and that our true and real felicity, in time\nand in a future state, solely depended on this complete and willing\nsurrender of ourselves and all we have, to his holy and gracious will;\nas nothing short thereof can produce our real sanctification and\nadoption.\n\nSecond and third days. Nothing occurred worthy of particular notice.\n\nFourth day. Was our quarterly meeting of Ministers and Elders, held\nat Westbury. I attended under great depression and poverty of spirit,\nwhich sealed my lips, as to any communication, the greater part of\nthe meeting. I sat resigned to my lot, and heard my friends, or some\nof them, express their exercise, which was principally directed to\nMinisters and Elders, especially in regard to an honest, careful\nexercise of their gifts as such; and also alluding to the dulness and\nwant of life that too generally attended those meetings. I felt very\nlittle effect wrought in the meeting from their labour, and could\ntake no part in it; but as I sat patiently waiting, and endeavoured\nquietly to endure the cloud that was spread as a veil over the\nmeeting; it clearly opened on my mind, that it was not brought over\nus in consequence of a deficiency in ministers, as it respects their\nministerial gifts, nor from a want of care in elders in watching over\nthem; but from a much more deep and melancholy cause, viz: the love and\ncares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches; which, springing\nup and gaining the ascendency in the mind, choke the good seed like the\nbriars and thorns, and render it fruitless; and produce such great\ndearth and barrenness in our meetings. As the matter spread with a\ndegree of animation on my mind, I found it my place, near the close of\nthe meeting, to open the prospect and sound an alarm to Friends, which\nappeared to have a quickening effect on many minds, and enabled us at\nparting, to renew our trust in the Almighty arm of divine sufficiency,\nand still to believe that the Lord had not altogether forsaken his\npeople, but was mindful of the seeking remnant of his heritage, and\ncontinued his gracious calls to his backsliding children.\n\nFifth day. Was the meeting for discipline. It was likewise rather an\nexercising season, but I hope attended with some profit.\n\nSixth day. Was the parting meeting held for public worship. It was\na large crowded meeting, but was somewhat hurt in the forepart, by\nthe appearance of one young in the ministry standing too long, and\nmanifesting too much animation: yet, I believed, he was under the\npreparing hand, fitting for service in the Church, if he only keeps\nlow and humble, and does not aspire above his gift, into the animation\nof the creature. For there is great danger, if such are not deeply\nwatchful, of the transformer getting in and raising the mind into too\nmuch creaturely zeal, and warmth of the animal spirit, whereby they may\nbe deceived, and attribute that to the divine power, which only arises\nfrom a heated imagination, and the natural warmth of their own spirits;\nand so mar the work of the divine spirit on their minds, run before\ntheir gift and lose it, or have it taken away from them. They thereby\nfall into the condition of some formerly, as mentioned by the prophet,\nwho, in their creaturely zeal, kindle a fire of their own, and walk in\nthe light thereof; but these, in the end, have to lie down in sorrow.\n\nTowards the close of the meeting, as Friends kept quiet and solid, way\nopened for further communication, which brought a comfortable solemnity\nover the meeting; and we parted from each other with gladdened hearts,\nunder a grateful sense of the Lord\u2019s mercy to his unworthy creatures.\n\nSeventh day. I turned my hand again to my usual industry in my family\naffairs, with a peaceful mind.\n\nFirst day, the 30th. Devoted this day, as usual, to the attendance of\nour own meeting, in which I had not sat long, silently musing, before\nmy mind was opened into a view of the divine attributes, especially\nthat of God\u2019s unchangeableness, and with which I had to contrast the\nchangeable and unstable state of man. I was led, in the view thereof,\nto show to the people, that all our infelicity arose out of our\nunsettled state, and for want of being established, or fixed on some\nsteadfast and invariable principle; and as there is no other but God,\nconsequently all our true felicity and salvation depends on our being\nentirely settled and fixed in and upon him, by which we are brought to\nwitness an unchangeable state, having the feet of the mind established\non the immoveable rock, _Christ, the light of the world_, and the\nreal spiritual life of all true believers. For nothing short of this\nexperience ought to satisfy, or give rest to any seeking, panting soul\nafter God its redeemer.\n\nThe rest of this week I attended to my family avocations with,\ngenerally, peace of mind, attending our fifth day meeting, as it came\nin course; nothing unusual occurring, but having daily and continual\ncause of thankfulness to the bountiful Author of every blessing, both\ntemporal and spiritual.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 8th month. My lot was to suffer the greater\npart of our meeting to-day, until near the close, when I found it my\nplace to unite in a short testimony with a female fellow labourer, in\ncalling the attention of the people to an inward exercise and faithful\nimprovement of the gift or talent committed to them, while time and\nopportunity are afforded, that so when called, they might be prepared\nto render up their accounts with joy.\n\nSpent the remainder of this week as usual, at and about home, feeling\nno call abroad to any religious service; but felt it my incumbent duty\nsimply to wait, and to watch at the King\u2019s gate.\n\nFirst day, the 13th. Towards the close of our meeting, my mind was\nled to view the great and singular advantages which would result to\nmankind, by a full surrender of their wills to the divine will, not\nonly in religious concerns, but also in things of a temporal nature,\nand indeed in every thing they do. The subject became very impressive,\ninsomuch that I found it my place to spread it before the auditory; and\nto set forth the inconsistency of people, in first acknowledging the\nentire supremacy of the divine Being, and their own dependant state,\nas tenants at will of the sovereign Lord of the universe; and at the\nsame time presumptuously exercising an independent will and judgment\nin their temporal, and, mostly so, even in their religious concerns.\nTherefore, without breach of charity, we may safely conclude, that\nthe generality, even of professed Christians, serve and worship the\ncreature, more than they do the Creator. To this we may refer the\nsource of all the misery and wretchedness of man; and that to rise out\nof his fallen state, he must come to know a complete sinking down into\na state of nothingness of self, and a full surrender of his will to the\ndivine will, and not to move in any thing without being conscientiously\nsatisfied it is in correspondence therewith; then should we move on\nsafely, and peace of mind would be our daily attendant.\n\nIn the course of this week I was indisposed, being afflicted with\nmuch bodily pain; but was enabled to attend our monthly meeting on\nfifth day, at which we received extracts from our yearly and quarterly\nmeetings, with the printed epistle from London. They furnished suitable\nadvice on several subjects, particularly relative to a right attendance\nof our religious meetings. I was impressed also with a similar concern,\nto call the careful attention of Friends thereto, as that upon which\nour religious advancement greatly depends.\n\nFirst day, the 20th. Feeling a draft on my mind to sit with Friends\nof Bethpage, I yielded thereto. I sat the meeting mostly in silence,\nit being rather a dull, low time, and but little life discoverable\nin the meeting; yet near the close, I felt a small motion leading\nto communication, and as I gave way thereto, a small stream of life\narose, and ran through the meeting, and we parted under a sense of its\ncomforting influence, with thankful hearts.\n\nFirst day, the 27th. My mind was solemnly exercised during the greater\npart of our meeting, and deeply impressed with the spirit of prayer and\nsupplication. Oh, how awful is the prospect of approaching the Majesty\nof heaven in solemn prayer! How it reduces the creature, and shows him\nhis entire unworthiness and helpless state. Well might the prophet\nthus exclaim: \u201cWhen I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at\nthe voice; rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself,\nthat I might rest in the day of trouble.\u201d As I sat under the humbling\nprospect, I was strengthened, towards the close of the meeting, with\na bowed down mind and bended knees, to address my humble petition, on\nbehalf of myself and my friends, to the throne of grace, expressive of\nthe desire of my soul, that we might be kept, both old and young, at\nall times, under an humbling sense of the divine fear, as that on which\nall our safety and preservation depends.\n\nSecond and third days. I spent with a family of my friends some\ndistance from home, my wife accompanying me. I had been for some time\nunder considerable exercise and concern on account of some uneasiness\nand disunity which subsisted among them, greatly to their hurt. I\nentered fully into the subject, and was favoured, through patient\nperseverance, to bring matters to a peaceful close, for which I was\nthankful, as the harmony of the family had been for several years very\nmuch interrupted.\n\nFourth day. We returned home.\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting held this day, in which I was silent.\n\nSixth day. I spent principally in assisting a friend, who was somewhat\nstraitened in getting along with his husbandry concerns; he having been\nindisposed.\n\nSeventh day. Attended the funeral of a very ancient woman Friend,\nan elder in society. She lived to the age of ninety-seven years,\nan example of prudence and plainness; of an innocent life and\nconversation, and generally beloved by her acquaintance. A large\ncollection of Friends and others attended it. I was led to set forth\nthe great advantages the true believer has over the unbeliever; and to\nshow to the people the great necessity of care that we did not place\nany confidence in a mere traditional or historical belief, without\ncoming to a real experimental knowledge of God and Christ. It was a\nsolemn time; many hearts were tendered with the savour of truth, that\nspread over the meeting.\n\nFirst day, the 3d of 9th month. Feeling a small draft of love and\nconcern to sit with Friends of Westbury meeting to-day, I yielded\nthereto. It proved rather a low dull season, very little life felt to\nbe stirring in the meeting; but a little before the close, I felt my\nmind quickened with the remembrance of the occurrence which took place\nwith Jesus and his disciples a short time previous to his being taken\nprisoner, and carried before Pilate; but, in a particular manner,\nmy mind was impressed with the proceedings of Judas the traitor. It\nopened on my mind that he was a true figure of self in man, which is\nthe son of perdition, and man of sin. I was led, in the opening, to\nwarn Friends to beware of him, each one in themselves, for otherwise\nhe would deceive, and betray them, as Judas did his Master; and who\nwill as certainly destroy the precious life in us, as he brought Christ\nto his crucifixion; his delight is to scatter and expose to trial and\ntemptation. It spread with weight over the meeting, and many minds were\nsolemnly affected. Surely the Lord\u2019s mercy is still great towards his\nbacksliding people, as he continues striving to gather and preserve\nthem from all evil.\n\nThe rest of the week I spent as usual, nothing particular occurring.\n\nFirst day, the 10th. This day I was pretty closely engaged. Attended\nour own meeting in the morning, and an appointed meeting at Jerusalem\nin the afternoon. Both were meetings of favour, and comforting seasons\nto the upright in heart.\n\nSecond day. Visited a sick brother. Found him very ill, his case being\nsuch as to render his recovery very doubtful. It caused much distress\nin the family. Oh! how wise it is for such dependant creatures as we\nare, and whose stay here is so uncertain, to be always in a state of\nreadiness to meet every event. What consolation it affords in such\ntrying seasons, when we can come to say, Lord, thy servant is ready.\n\nI returned home on third day evening. Fourth and fifth days employed as\nusual. On sixth day paid him another visit, and found him much better,\nand the family cheerful. Oh, how unstable a creature is man! full and\nempty, joyful and sorrowful, as things go well or ill. All this is for\nwant of having the mind centered in and on God, its alone proper object\nand sure balance.\n\nI tarried until first day, and had an appointed meeting in the\nneighbourhood; and although not so large as I have sometimes had in\nthat place, yet it was in the main an open favoured season, exciting\nthankfulness to the blessed Author of all our mercies. I returned home\nthat evening, leaving my brother in a favourable way of recovery, with\na hope that the visitation will be profitable to him and his family, if\nthey rightly improve it.\n\nThe rest of the week I spent at and about home. Attended our monthly\nmeeting on fifth day, and the funeral of a female relative on sixth\nday, who was taken off very suddenly with an apoplectic fit. Such\ninstances speak a language to survivors very urgent and expressive: \u201cBe\nye therefore ready also.\u201d\n\nFirst day, the 24th. After a considerable time of silent waiting in\nour meeting, my mind was quickened in the remembrance of the following\ndeclaration of the apostle Paul: \u201cFor by grace are ye saved, through\nfaith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,\nlest any man should boast.\u201d The subject opened to communication,\nwherein I had to unfold to the people the utter incapacity of man, in\nhis fallen or natural state, doing any thing that would, in the least\ndegree, further his salvation, or be acceptable to God, as a part of\nhis necessary duty or service to him. For it would be very unwise and\ndangerous to presume or attempt any such thing: unwise, because it\nis impossible for him to effect it, and dangerous, lest he should do\nsomething that might warm or stir up his own passions, or those of\nothers, in such manner as to apprehend that a degree of the divine\npower attended. For this would tend to lead to a very fatal errour,\na continuance in the presumption; which can produce no other, than\ndarkness and death to the soul. In this state he could not possibly\navoid boasting, and thereby counteract the apostle\u2019s doctrine; and\nindeed it would be justifiable to boast, if we could do the least\nthing of ourselves, without the immediate aid of divine grace. For\nstrict justice cannot deny the ascription of merit to any cause that\nproduces a real good work; but as no mere man can possibly ever be\nsuch a cause, so he can never merit any good from his own works, and\ntherefore he never can have a right to boast. All this the truly humble\nare abundantly sensible of, and therefore dare not attempt any thing\nin a religious way, in their own time and will, but wait patiently for\nthe immediate inspiring of divine grace, to whose power only, as the\nprocuring cause of our salvation, all merit is due.\n\nThe rest of the week I spent in my usual avocations, not omitting my\nreligious duties as they opened on my mind.\n\nFirst day, the 1st of 10th month. My mind, while sitting in our meeting\nto-day, was led into the consideration of the real necessity there\nwas for each individual to know God, before he could worship him\nacceptably, in spirit and in truth. For if we are ignorant of him,\nour worship would be no better than the worship of the Athenians to\nan unknown God. The subject enlarged and opened to the communication\nof divers gospel truths, and gave cause gratefully to acknowledge the\nmercy and goodness of our heavenly Father to his backsliding children.\n\nThe six following days I was occupied at and about home, with a\ngrieved mind most of the time, on account of the conduct of some of my\nneighbours, particularly one of my tenants, and one other, who spent\nthe week principally attending horse races; a most pernicious practice,\nleading to more evil than almost any other wicked custom that the loose\nand the vain are so foolishly addicted to; for it is not only spending\nour precious time in a vain and wanton manner, but likewise manifests\ngreat ingratitude to the Author of all our blessings, if not a total\ndisbelief in him: for how can it be supposed that a rational mind,\nthat has a real belief in God, could have hardiness enough to drive a\nhorse in a race, to gratify a number of idle and vain spectators; and\nif for a bribe or a wager, it adds greatly to the sin, as it is then\naccompanied with covetousness and dishonesty. When we consider that\nthe horse is one of the great temporal blessings conferred on man, by\na gracious and beneficent providence, to abuse him without cause, by\ndriving him in a race, is both cruel and wicked; for his life, and the\nlife of his rider are both at stake, as it sometimes happens that both\nare killed. And not one single real good ever has arisen, or ever can\nbe looked for, from it: for the truth of which, I dare appeal to any\nrational man who was ever in the practice, that it has never produced\none hour of real peace to the mind.\n\nFirst day, the 8th. As I sat in our meeting, the declaration of Paul,\nintroductory to his epistle to the Hebrews, presented to my mind, and\nopened to a very interesting communication, showing that \u201cGod, who at\nsundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers\n[in Israel] by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by\nhis Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things.\u201d This renders it\nnecessary for every true follower of him, to hear him in all things, as\nnow, under the gospel dispensation, we have no other sufficient teacher\nbut the Lord Jesus Christ, by his spirit in our hearts; therefore, they\nwho do not hear and obey him, cannot be saved, but, agreeably to the\ntestimony of Moses, \u201cthe wrath of God abideth on them.\u201d\n\nSecond and third days. Were taken up in attending our meeting for\nsufferings. The rest of the week I was occupied in my temporal\nconcerns, except attending our preparative meeting on fifth day.\n\nFirst day, the 15th. Although in going to meeting to-day my mind was\nunder the impression of poverty and spiritual want, yet I had not sat\nlong, ere light sprang up, and opened to the communication of divers\nweighty gospel truths. In the unfolding of these, I was led to open\nto the people, that every birth was clothed in its own proper nature,\nand which must be congenial to the spring or source from whence the\nbirth derived its existence. Hence, agreeably to the apostle Paul\u2019s\ndeclaration, \u201cThe first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is\nthe Lord from heaven; and as we have borne the image of the earthy, we\nshall also bear the image of the heavenly.\u201d Therefore, as the earthy\nor animal part in man, must draw all its succour and support from\nthe earth, and cannot be comforted nor subsist without earthly food;\nso neither can the spiritual part, or the immortal soul of man, be\ncomforted or subsist in its true life, without spiritual food.\n\nThis, and much more, I was led to open in the light of truth, at this\nsolemn time; for the Lord\u2019s power spread over the meeting in a very\nweighty and sensible manner, and we parted under the precious covering.\nOh that our hearts might be continually warmed with gratitude for such\nunmerited mercy!\n\nFifth day. Since first day, I have been busily employed in putting\nmy family affairs in order, so as to leave home in company with a\ncommittee appointed by the yearly meeting, to visit the quarterly\nmeeting of Nine Partners, with the monthly meetings constituting it,\nthis being the time to set out. I also attended the funeral of a\ndeceased neighbour, on fourth day, where I had a favourable opportunity\nof expostulating with a large assembly, on the fallen, weak, and\nhelpless state of man, and the necessity of his witnessing, through the\naid of divine grace or spirit of his Creator, a redemption therefrom,\nas the only means whereby he can be saved, and be again renewed into\nhis divine image and become a partaker of his real nature, as no other\nnature can be happy in the enjoyment of him.\n\nI accordingly left home on sixth day, the 20th of 10th month. My wife\nand daughter Elizabeth set out with me, with a view of bearing me\ncompany in part of the visit. We rode through New-York to Westchester,\nand lodged with our kind friends Thomas and Elizabeth Underhill, in\nour way to West Hartford, in Connecticut, that being the first monthly\nmeeting we were to attend, in the arrangement made by the committee. On\nseventh day we continued our journey to Middlesex, and lodged with our\nfriends Samuel and Phebe Bishop. On first day attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nthere; and some notice being given to the neighbouring inhabitants,\nof our intention of attending it, the meeting was large, and through\nthe condescending goodness of the Shepherd of Israel, it proved a\ncomfortable edifying season. The doctrines of the gospel were freely\nand largely communicated, and the truth raised into dominion above all,\nto the glory of him who is over all, God blessed for ever. On second\nday we proceeded on our journey, going by way of Bridgeport, in order\nto visit a female Friend of our acquaintance who lived in that town,\nfar separated from her friends and relatives; and whose husband being a\nseafaring man, was from home on a voyage. She was comforted, and glad\nof the visit, although short. After dining with her, and staying as\nlong as our time would admit, we proceeded that afternoon to Woodbury,\nand lodged with Elijah Sherman, a person of the Methodist persuasion,\nand an old acquaintance, where we were hospitably entertained. The\nnext day we rode to West Hartford, and put up with our kind Friend\nRuth Gilbert, widow of Charles Gilbert. Fourth day, being the day\ntheir usual meeting was held, we attended it; and although small, was\nnevertheless a precious favoured season. The states of those present\nwere spoken to in the fresh flowings of gospel love, tendering and\ncontriting the hearts of most present. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing,\nand worthy of deep thankfulness to him, as the alone author of every\nblessing.\n\nFifth day. Was their monthly meeting, held at this time out of its\nusual course to accommodate the yearly meeting\u2019s committee. It proved\na satisfactory season. The few Friends constituting it, appeared to\nconduct the business which came before them, in a good degree of\npropriety and harmony.\n\nOn sixth day we took leave of our friends there, and rode to Oblong;\na long journey of about fifty-five miles, and the way rough and\nhilly. We lodged with our friend Azariah Howland, and the next day\nattended Oblong monthly meeting, which proved, through heavenly help,\nparticularly the part for worship, a comfortable edifying meeting.\nNear the close, feeling a draft on my mind to be there the next day at\ntheir first day meeting, I informed Friends thereof before we parted;\nand notice being given to the neighbouring people of my intention,\nthe meeting was large; and through the unmerited condescension of our\ngracious Helper, ability was given to preach the gospel in the clear\ndemonstration of the spirit, and with power. The spirits of most\npresent were humbled and contrited, and the truth raised into dominion,\nto the praise of Him, who calleth us to glory and virtue.\n\nAfter this favoured meeting, we parted with our friends, under a lively\nsense of the Lord\u2019s goodness, and rode that evening to Nine Partners\nand took quarters with our kind relations Isaac and Anne Thorne.\n\nThe two following days we attended the monthly meetings of Nine\nPartners and Oswego, which were, in the main, solemn edifying seasons.\n\nOn fourth day we rode to Cornwall, leaving my wife and daughter with\nour relations at Nine Partners. The three following days, attended\nthe monthly meetings of Cornwall, Marlborough, and Rosendale Plains.\nWith grateful hearts, we had abundant cause to acknowledge the\ngoodness, and never-failing loving kindness of our heavenly Father, in\ncondescending to be with us from day to day, making bare his arm for\nour help and furnishing with ability for the work we were engaged in,\nboth in meetings for worship, and those for the right ordering of the\naffairs of the Church. The several opportunities were crowned with His\ngracious presence, solemnizing and tendering the hearts of the people,\nand comforting and gladdening the sincere in heart, who prefer the\nprosperity of Zion to their chiefest joy.\n\nFirst day. We attended Marlborough meeting; and some notice having been\ngiven to those of other societies, of our intention of being there, the\nmeeting was large, and the house much crowded. Through divine favour\nextended to us, it proved an awakening precious season; the testimony\nto the power of truth went forth and reigned victoriously over all. We\ntarried here until the next day, and then returned to Nine Partners,\nin order to attend the quarterly meeting, which opened the next day\nwith a meeting for Ministers and Elders. Here I again met my wife and\ndaughter. The quarterly meeting closed on fourth day afternoon, and\nwas in the main an instructive favoured season, although considerably\ninterrupted by the imprudence of a Friend, in his unwarrantable\nopposition to a concern, which was opened to draw Friends off from the\ntoo free and unnecessary use of articles, which were the produce of\nthe labour of the poor enslaved black people; and which was wrung from\nthem, while in a state of cruel bondage, by their hard-hearted task\nmasters. For the sufferings of those oppressed people, my mind was\ndeeply exercised.\n\nFifth day. Rode to Stanford, and attended the quarterly meeting of\nMinisters and Elders, which through condescending goodness proved\na comfortable edifying opportunity, as was that for discipline.\nThe following day the quarterly meeting closed, with a meeting for\nworship on seventh day. It was a season thankfully to be remembered\nby every sensible mind present; for he that opens and none can shut,\nand shuts and none can open, was graciously near, and condescended to\nopen many deep doctrines of the gospel, in a full and clear manner,\nin the demonstration of the spirit, attended with power; humbling and\nsolemnizing the minds of most present, and exalting the truth, which\nwas raised into dominion, and ran sweetly over all.\n\nWe returned that evening to Nine Partners, intending to sit with\nFriends there the next day; and some public notice being given that\nwe were there, the meeting was large. Although it proved rather an\nexercising season, and the labour hard, yet, I trust, it was a season\nof profit and instruction to many.\n\nAfter this meeting, feeling myself released from any further service,\nthe committee having fulfilled their appointment, and my wife feeling\nanxious to return home, we took leave of our friends on second day\nafternoon and rode to our friend Enoch Dorland\u2019s at Beekman. The next\nday we rode to Croton, and lodged with our friend James Jordan. On\nfourth day we proceeded on our journey to Manhattanville, and lodged\nwith our friend Joseph Byrd; and the following day, attended the\nlittle meeting of our friends at that place. After this we rode down\nto New-York, and took up our quarters at the house of our friend and\nkinsman Whitehead Hicks. We tarried in town until seventh day morning,\nand then took leave of our friends and rode home, where we arrived just\nbefore evening.\n\nWe were from home about four weeks, in which time I travelled four\nhundred and eighty-four miles, and attended two quarterly meetings\nwhich held five days; seven monthly meetings, and five particular\nmeetings. We had especial cause of gratitude and thankfulness of heart,\nto the great and beneficent Author of every blessing, in that our\njourney was prosperous, and ourselves preserved in a comfortable degree\nof bodily health during the time, although a season of very general\nindisposition with those among whom we travelled.\n\nFirst day, the 19th of 11th month. I sat with our friends again in our\nown meeting, and found it my place to set them an example of silence,\nfeeling my situation like Mordecai\u2019s when sitting at the king\u2019s gate:\na state as grateful to an humble mind as riding the king\u2019s horse, and\nmore safe, as there is less danger of falling.\n\nFifth day. Another silent meeting.\n\nSeventh day. Attended the funeral of a deceased neighbour. My mind\nwas largely opened, to set forth to a large auditory assembled on\nthis solemn occasion, the great and blessed effects of a firm belief\nand faith in the living God; as it has proved an antidote to all evil\nin every age of the world, and to every individual who has had this\ntrue and living faith. For it is that by which the just live, and\nthis the apostle saith, is our victory, even our faith; and without\nit, it is impossible to please God. The Lord\u2019s power accompanied\nthe communication, and many hearts were broken and contrited by its\nheavenly influence; may it not pass away as the morning dew, but fasten\nas a nail in a sure place, driven by the Master of our assemblies, is\nthe fervent desire and prayer of my mind.\n\nFirst day, the 26th. I passed our meeting to-day mostly in silence,\nexcept just before the close, I found it my place to remind the meeting\nof the complaint of the apostle Paul in his epistle to his beloved\nTimothy, concerning some in that day, who were ever learning, and\nnever able to come to the knowledge of the truth. The occasion of this\nwas, as it opened on my mind, their neglect of practical duty, and\nunfaithfulness in what they styled little things; and thereby rendered\nthemselves unfit and unworthy of being made rulers over more; and yet\nwere continually seeking after knowledge in greater things, through\nthe medium of the outward ear, and creaturely comprehension; loving\nto hear the truth declared and doctrines communicated, but unwilling\nand neglectful of putting them in practice; and therefore made no\nadvancement in true learning. I had to warn my friends to be careful\nnot to render themselves liable to the same reprehension, and found\nsweet peace in this small portion of duty.\n\nThe rest of the week I spent about home, being somewhat indisposed. Sat\nour fifth day meeting in silence, quietly waiting, as at the king\u2019s\ngate, for renewed instruction.\n\nFirst day, the 3d of 12th month. My mind has been much shut up since\nI returned home. Sat our meeting again to-day in silence; but felt\na daily exercise and concern relative to a religious visit in New\nEngland, which has for months past, been ripening on my mind; but have\na prospect of some services about home, ere I engage therein. Lay low,\noh my soul! that thou mayest be rightly and wisely directed therein;\nfor thou well knowest the greatness, and vast importance of the work\nthou art called to; and that of thyself, thou art utterly destitute of\nany right ability to perform it to thy own good, or to the glory and\nhonour of thy chiefest good, who is the Lord alone, thy gracious and\nall-sufficient helper.\n\nSecond and third days. Attended to some necessary concerns about home,\npreparatory to the approaching winter. On fourth day afternoon rode\nto Flushing, in order to attend the monthly meeting the following\nday, with a further prospect of having two other meetings on sixth\nand seventh days, one at Newtown, and the other at the Kilns, in my\nway to New-York, where I felt drawings on my mind to be on first day.\nAccordingly after attending the monthly meeting, having the company\nof my kind kinsman Isaac Hicks from Westbury, with the assistance of\nsome Friends of Flushing, we procured the appointment of a meeting the\nnext evening at Newtown at the sixth hour, principally for those not in\nmembership with us. As there were no Friends residing in the village,\nthe meeting was held in a large upper room at an inn, which was nearly\nfilled with sober and orderly behaved people. Through heavenly help, it\nproved a comfortable edifying season; the doctrines of the gospel were\nfreely and largely opened, apparently to the general satisfaction of\nthose present, and many hearts were humbled and contrited.\n\nThe next day we attended an appointed meeting in Friends\u2019\nmeeting-house at the Kilns. Although not large, yet it proved a\nprecious tendering opportunity to most present, worthy to be remembered\nwith thankfulness and gratitude to the blessed Author of all our\nmultiplied favours and blessings. After this we dined with our kind\nfriend Jane Betts, and then proceeded to the city.\n\nFirst day. We attended Pearl-street meeting in the morning, and that at\nLiberty-street in the afternoon. In the former, the testimony of truth\nwent forth with power, and its dignity and excellency were exalted over\nall opposition, to the praise of Him who is calling and leading all\nhis devoted and obedient children out of darkness into his marvellous\nlight, wherein they are brought to witness a full remission of their\nsins, and an inheritance among all those that are sanctified. The\nlatter meeting I sat mostly in silence; but towards the close, I was\nled forth in a short searching testimony, which brought a solemnity\nover the meeting, under which covering the meeting closed.\n\nSecond day. I attended a committee of the meeting for sufferings, and\nin the afternoon a funeral of one not a member, but whose parents were\ninclined to Friends, and frequently attended Friends\u2019 meetings. They\nhearing of my being in town, requested my attendance at the funeral;\nand being disposed thereto, I attended accordingly, and had an open\ntime to declare the truth to those present, suited to the occasion, and\nmany minds were humbled.\n\nThird day. I attended the meeting for sufferings, and on fourth day the\nmeeting held in the middle of the week at Pearl-street, at which there\nwas a marriage; which occasioned the meeting to be quite large, and in\nwhich my mind was exercised in an unusual manner. For the subject which\nfirst presented, after my mind had become silenced, was the remembrance\nof the manner in which the temporal courts among men are called to\norder; and it became so impressive, as to apprehend it right to make\nuse of it as a simile, much in the way the prophet was led to make use\nof some of the Rechabites, to convict Israel of their disobedience and\nwant of attention to their law and lawgiver. I accordingly was led to\ncry audibly three times, \u201cO yes, O yes, O yes; silence all persons,\nunder the pain and penalty of the displeasure of the court.\u201d This\nunusual address had a powerful tendency to arrest the attention of all\npresent, and from which I took occasion, as truth opened the way, to\nreason with the assembly, that if such a confused mass of people as are\ngenerally collected together on such occasions, and from very different\nmotives, and many from mere curiosity to hear and see the transactions\nof the court, should all in an instant so honour and respect the\ncourt, as immediately to be still and silent at the simple call of the\ncrier: how much more reasonable is it, for a collection of people,\npromiscuously gathered to the place appointed in a religious way, to\nwait upon, and worship the Judge of heaven and earth, to be still, and\nstrive to silence every selfish and creaturely thought and cogitation\nof the mind. For such thoughts and cogitations would as certainly\nprevent our hearing the inward divine voice of the King of heaven, and\nas effectually hinder our worshipping him in spirit and in truth, as\nthe talking of the multitude at a court of moral law, would interrupt\nthe business thereof. As I proceeded with this simile, the subject\nenlarged and spread, accompanied with gospel power and the evident\ndemonstration of the spirit, whereby truth was raised into victory, and\nran as oil over all. The meeting closed with solemn supplication and\nthanksgiving to the Lord our gracious Helper, to whom all the honour\nand glory belong, both now and for ever.\n\nWe left the city that afternoon, under a grateful sense of the Lord\u2019s\ngoodness, and rode to Flushing, where we had a large public meeting\nthat evening, mostly of those not in membership with us. It was a\nsolemn season, instructive and edifying. I returned home the next day,\nand found my family in a reasonable state of health; surely may I not,\nwith propriety and humility of heart, exclaim with one formerly: \u201cWhat\nshall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?\u201d Are not\nhis mercies new every morning? his faithfulness faileth not.\n\nSixth and seventh days. I was industriously occupied in my family\naffairs, and the week ended with peace of mind.\n\nFirst day, the 17th. I was led in our meeting to-day, to call Friends\u2019\nattention to the cross; assuring them, that if we lived without the\ncross, we must expect to die without the crown. For as the cross\nconsisted only in doing right, and doing right only in a conformity to\nthe will of our heavenly Father, and doing all our works agreeable to\nhis good pleasure and not our own, therefore, doing right is always a\ncross to our fallen nature, as nothing can do right in the sight of\nGod, but a birth or child of God. For although a man in his fallen\nstate may do a moral act, that in itself is a right work, yet, doing it\nfor his own pleasure and will, and not because it is agreeable to the\nwill and pleasure of his Creator, it cannot be accepted as a good act,\nbecause the motive and principle were evil, being selfish and not of\nGod.\n\nSecond day. Busily employed about home and in home affairs.\n\nThird day. Visited a sick friend at his request. Assisted him in\nsettling his business and wrote his _will_. Surely this is a work which\nrequires sound judgment and discretion, therefore ought always to be\ndone in time of health, with proper deliberation, and not in haste.\n\nFourth day. Attended Westbury monthly meeting, to my own, and I trust,\nmy friends\u2019 comfort and satisfaction. I believe it was a season of\ninstruction and profit to many who were present; may it fasten as a\nnail in a sure place.\n\nFifth day. Attended our own monthly meeting. The meeting for worship,\nthrough close labour, proved a quickening tendering season to many\npresent. In the meeting for discipline, I found it my duty to spread\nbefore my Friends, a concern which had for many months been, at times,\nvery impressive on my mind, to pay a visit in gospel love, to Friends\nand others in some parts of the yearly meeting of Rhode Island. After\ndue deliberation thereon, they united with it and gave me their\ncertificate, leaving me at liberty to pursue the prospect, as truth\nmight open the way. This brought me under serious reflections, in a\nview and consideration of the great responsibility which naturally\nattaches to those who thus go out on this solemn embassy, with the\nconcurrence of their Friends. For not only their own reputation as\nministers of the gospel, must rise or fall, according to their good\nor ill conduct, but likewise that of their Friends, and the society\nthey profess to be ministers of; and also, the truth which they seem\nto espouse, instead of being advanced, may be retarded thereby. Lay\nprostrate, O my soul, at the throne of grace, and seek that wisdom\nwhich is only profitable to direct, that thou mayest be thereby\nstrengthened to endure hardness, as a good soldier and servant of the\nPrince of Peace.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Busily employed in so arranging matters at\nhome, as to leave it with a peaceful mind.\n\nFirst day, the 24th. A profitable edifying meeting with my Friends\nat home. I was led to sound forth a gospel message among them, in an\narousing searching testimony, by which many minds were humbled and\ncontrited.\n\nSecond and third days. Employed in making preparation for my proposed\njourney.\n\nFourth day. Attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Westbury, at which there were\ntwo marriages accomplished; which occasioned the meeting to be very\nlarge. Many of other societies came out of curiosity to see the manner\nof our marriages, amongst whom, I was largely opened in communication,\nto set forth many gospel truths necessary to be believed and witnessed\nin our own experience, in order to our salvation. It was a season of\nfavour, and a very solemn time; may it be blessed and sanctified to\nthe lasting benefit of all who were present, is the fervent desire and\ntravail of my spirit.\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting in silence. The two following days\nbusily engaged in arranging my temporal concerns, and putting them in\norder, that I may leave home with a peaceful mind.\n\nFirst day, the 31st. A solemn meeting to-day, in which my mind was\nled forth in humble supplication for support and preservation in\nmy proposed journey; and that the Lord our gracious helper, in his\nguardian care, would be pleased to be near my dear family and friends\nat home, and be their comfort and strength in every needful time; and\nthat all those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, might be\nredeemed therefrom, and translated into the kingdom of God, that so his\ntruth might prosper and spread from sea to sea, and from the rivers\nto the ends of the earth; that his great and excellent name might be\npraised and magnified by all the nations of the earth, from the rising\nof the sun, to the going down thereof, world without end. Amen.\n\nSecond and third days. Still busily engaged preparatory to leaving\nhome, with a prospect of setting out on fourth day morning, if way\nshould open.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\n General visit to Friends in New England, 1816.\n\n\nFourth day, the 3d of 1st month, 1816. After taking a solemn and\naffecting opportunity with my dear wife and children, I took leave of\nthem under a sense of the Lord\u2019s goodness and gracious regard, and\nproceeded on my intended journey. Called on my kind kinsman Isaac\nHicks, of Westbury, who had previously concluded to go with me as a\ncompanion. We proceeded that afternoon to New-York, where we tarried\nover the next day. On sixth day morning we left the city, and arrived\nat Bridgeport, in Connecticut, on seventh day evening, where we had\na small though comfortable meeting, the next day, at the house of\nThomas Woodward, whose wife was a member of our society. After this we\nproceeded to New Haven, and lodged. On second day we rode to Hartford,\nand lodged.\n\nOn third and fourth days, rode to Leicester, and lodged with our\nfriend Pliny Earle. On fifth day had an appointed meeting there, at\nthe eleventh hour. A number of the neighbouring people, not of our\nsociety, attended with Friends, among whom was their priest. It was,\nI think, a season of favour, in which my heart and mouth were opened,\nunder, I trust, the influence of gospel love, to declare the way of\nlife and salvation to the people; proving from the scriptures, and\nclear rational demonstration, that nothing short of the inspiring\nspirit of truth, could enable any rational creature to make the least\nprogress in a real Christian life, or qualify to worship the Father\nof spirits, in spirit and in truth; and that a confession to all, or\nany creeds or forms of religion, however specious in their appearance,\nwithout the immediate aid of this inspiring spirit, would, in the end,\nleave the soul in utter disappointment. I was also led to show the\nunreasonableness and inconsistency of the doctrine of unconditional\nelection and reprobation, and that it was impossible to be drawn from a\nright and enlightened view of the divine character.\n\nThere occurred one circumstance in the meeting, which, as it was in\nitself improper, and gave some interruption to my mind, I am willing to\nmention as a caution. When the meeting had got pretty quietly settled,\nand my mind opened with a prospect to stand up, just before I was about\nto rise, there came in a stranger, in appearance; and a Friend who sat\nnear me spoke to him to come forward, and called him _parson_, meaning\na priest, which I was very sorry to be informed of: for I think that\nFriends ought to be exceedingly careful, never to inform travelling\nministers the state or condition of those who attend their meetings,\nas it not only has a tendency to close up the way very much, of real\ngospel ministers, but when close and plain things are delivered, they\noften are judged of having outward information of the condition of\nthose to whom it applies; which, if it be the case, it would most\nlikely be the means of rendering their labour useless; but if from\ninquiry such find that the speaker was utterly ignorant of them, from\nany outward discovery, it is then much more likely to fix on their\nminds and become useful.\n\nAfter dining with our friends, we proceeded on our journey about\nthirteen miles that evening, with a view of endeavouring to get\nan opportunity with Friends at Bolton, the next day; but the\nmorning opened with a pretty severe snow storm, which rendered it\nimpracticable. However, we proceeded in the morning through the snow,\nand with much difficulty reached that place, where we tarried until\nfirst day. We had then a very comfortable edifying meeting with\nFriends; and continued there, at the house of our kind friend John Fry,\nuntil second day morning, and then proceeded to Lynn.\n\nOn third day, the 16th, we proceeded to Seabrook, in order to attend\nthe quarterly meeting, which opened the next day with a meeting of\nMinisters and Elders. On fifth day was the quarterly meeting for\ndiscipline, preceded by a meeting for worship. It was a season of\nfavour, especially the meeting for worship, wherein my mind was largely\nopened to preach the gospel in the demonstration of the spirit, to the\ncomfort and edification of the upright in heart; many being reduced\ninto a state of humble contrition and thankfulness for the unmerited\nmercy.\n\nOn sixth day we proceeded to Epping, where, by previous notice, we\nhad a meeting in the evening, in which the Lord\u2019s power and presence\npresided in a very eminent manner; and his truth raised into victory\nover all, and ran as oil, quieting and solemnizing every thing that\nstood in opposition to its pure holy influence. I scarcely ever was at\na meeting, wherein all were so swallowed up in a profound solemnity,\nthat when the meeting closed, it was sometime before any removed from\ntheir seats. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing.\n\nFrom thence we went the next day to Lee, and had a small comfortable\nmeeting at the eleventh hour, and then proceeded to Dover. On first\nday attended Friends\u2019 meeting there at the eleventh hour, at the close\nof which, feeling a draft of love towards the inhabitants of the town\nat large, with the unity of Friends, there was a meeting appointed in\nthe evening, and general invitation given; at which there was a very\nlarge collection of the various sects, amongst whom my mind was largely\nopened, and my tongue loosed, I trust, by Him who opens, and none can\nshut, and shuts and none can open, to declare of the things concerning\nthe kingdom of God, and to point out to the people, in a very clear\nmanner, the way of life and salvation, unfolding many important\ndoctrines of the gospel, in the clear demonstration of the spirit,\nbowing and humbling many minds present, and rejoicing the hearts of the\nfaithful; under a sense whereof my mind was bowed in deep abasedness\nfor the favour.\n\nNext morning we proceeded to Berwick, and had an instructive edifying\nmeeting there in the evening, wherein many hearts, with mine own,\nwere made thankful. The next day we proceeded to Portland, a town on\nCasco Bay. The following day, being the fourth of the week, we rode\nto Falmouth, and attended their select meeting, constituted of the\nMinisters and Elders belonging to Falmouth meeting. It was small,\nand the business conducted in a very weak, and, in my view, a very\nimproper manner; for, previous to the meeting, it appeared that the\nclerk had, at his leisure, entered the business of the meeting, as\nthough at meeting, and made answers to all the queries; so that when\nthe meeting collected, they had nothing to do, but to hear him read\nover what he had before written, and which, without any alteration,\nwas approved; some representatives to the quarterly meeting appointed,\nand the meeting closed. On taking a view of the subject, I was led to\nbelieve that meetings, held in such a way, brought no honour to the\ncause, nor strength nor profit, to those who attend them.\n\nAt the close of the meeting, we rode to our friend John Winslow\u2019s, and\nlodged; and the next day attended Falmouth monthly meeting. The two\nfollowing days we attended the select meeting at Windham, and their\nmonthly meeting. First day attended Windham meeting; and on second day,\nan appointed meeting at Gorham. On third day we rested, and wrote. On\nfourth day their quarterly meeting opened at Windham, which closed on\nfifth day. Sixth day, had an appointed meeting at Falmouth. On seventh\nday rode to Durham; and on first day attended their meeting, which was\nlarge, notice having been given to the neighbouring inhabitants of\nour coming. Second day, rode back to Portland, and had an appointed\nmeeting with Friends and others that evening. On third day attended an\nappointed meeting at Cape Elizabeth, and then returned to Portland, and\nhad a large public meeting in the evening. On fourth day we were at\nScarborough.\n\nI then felt my mind released from any further service in this quarter;\nbut before I proceed, am led in humble gratitude and thankfulness of\nheart, to acknowledge the goodness and mercy of Israel\u2019s Shepherd, who,\nin his never-failing love, was graciously near from place to place,\nand clothed the assemblies with his presence and power, opening my\nmind in every meeting for worship, to preach the gospel, humbling and\ncontriting many minds, and comforting and edifying the willing and\nupright in heart. Surely it is the Lord that worketh in us and for us;\nmagnified and adored be his right worthy name, both now and for ever,\nto whom all the praise belongs: nothing due to man.\n\nAfter the meeting at Scarborough, I went with my kind friend William\nCobb to his house at Gorham, he having taken me in his chaise from\nPortland to Scarborough; for our way of travelling was with a sled:\nbut the snow on the seacoast was so wasted as to render it difficult\ngetting along with it. It was therefore concluded that my companion\nshould go back into the country to Gorham, where the snow was more\nabundant; and William accompanied me as aforesaid. We met again in the\nevening at his house, and the next day returned to Berwick, and the day\nfollowing to Dover.\n\nOn seventh day I proceeded to Rochester, accompanied by Thomas\nStackpole. My companion being unwell, it was thought best for him to\nrest until our return. We attended the upper meeting in that town\nin the evening; and the next day, at the eleventh hour, were at the\nlower meeting. After this we returned to Dover, to attend a meeting in\nthe evening, which had been concluded to be appointed previous to my\ngoing out; and general notice having been given, it was very large.\nThey were all seasons of favour, in which the Lord\u2019s presence was felt\nto preside, and truth raised into dominion; particularly the last,\nwherein my heart and mouth were largely opened, and the gospel preached\nin the demonstration of the spirit, attended with power, solemnizing\nthis large assembly. Truth reigned, and the meeting closed with humble\nsupplication and prayer to the Lord.\n\nSecond day, the 12th of 2d month. We returned to Seabrook, to the house\nof our kind friend Joseph Phillbrick, and had an appointed meeting\nthere that evening. The next day proceeded to Almsbury and Newbury, and\nhad a meeting at each place, the latter in the evening. They were open\nfavoured seasons, particularly the meeting at Almsbury, in which truth\nprevailed, and ran as oil over all. A ministering friend observed,\nafter the meeting, that he believed the witness was raised in every\nmind present. It was indeed a precious strengthening opportunity to\nmy own mind: may the honour and praise be all ascribed to Israel\u2019s\nShepherd, to whom it is altogether due. How deeply humbling are such\ncontinued mercies, dispensed to us poor unworthy creatures. Lay low,\nO my soul! for thou well knowest that it is the Lord\u2019s power only,\nclothed in righteous judgment and never-failing mercy, that has raised\nthee from the dunghill, where thou hadst plunged thyself by thy own\nfollies; yea, it is he who has plucked thy feet out of the mire and\nclay of sin, and set them on a rock, and strengthened thee in faith to\nbelieve, that as thou dwellest in deep humiliation before him, resting\non his mercy, until self is fully mortified, and the old man with his\ndeeds is utterly crucified, he will establish thy going, and put a new\nsong into thy mouth, even eternal praises to thy God. Even so be it.\nAmen.\n\nWe left Newbury on fourth day morning, and returned to Salem, and\nattended their meeting, the next day, as it came in course, at which\nthere was a marriage accomplished between two worthy Friends, elders\nin society. It was a comfortable edifying season, in which I was led\nto set forth the deep and solemn obligations which mutually attach\nto the parties entering into the marriage covenant--obligations that\ncan never be rightly and harmoniously fulfilled, so as to render the\nparties truly happy together, unless they are of one mind and one\nheart, in all matters of importance, but more especially in regard\nto their principles of religion and faith; for if these are diverse,\nit will most likely imbitter their enjoyments, and produce discord\nin their family, and tend to wound and distract the minds of their\nchildren, should they be favoured with any. It therefore bespeaks great\npresumption and folly in young people to risk the attempt, especially\non such slender reasons as are commonly brought forward as a plea, that\none of the parties may change their opinion, and come to unite with the\nother. This, however, is very fallacious, as such change is uncertain;\nand no man of reason will trust thereto in the most trivial matters,\nfor each generally suppose themselves in the right, and look for the\nother to condescend and conform; and therefore the breach often becomes\ngreater.\n\nOn sixth day evening, we had an appointed meeting for the inhabitants\nof the town in general. It was very large, consisting of the various\nreligious sects, and some of almost every description of people, who\ncommonly reside in such populous towns. I was largely opened among\nthem in the line of the ministry, in which I was led to set forth the\nexcellency of man\u2019s primitive state, before the fall, in which he\nwas placed by the wisdom and goodness of his all-wise and gracious\nCreator, and furnished with sufficient light and understanding to\nknow that he was altogether the work of his almighty power, and that\nhe derived his life and existence, with every other blessing he had,\nor could have, from his bountiful hand; under a just sense whereof,\nwhile he stood in this happy state, every desire of his soul flowed\nwith a continual ascent to him, as his only comforter and preserver.\nIn this state he realized the condition the apostle reminds us of in\nthis exhortation: \u201cRejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; and in every\nthing give thanks:\u201d this being the only true delineation of a faithful\nservant of God. But from this happy state man fell, by a wrong use and\nabuse of those powers and capacities conferred on him as a free agent,\nand without which he neither could have known nor served his God:\ntherefore, man\u2019s fall was altogether an act of his own choice, contrary\nto known duty; and had it not been so, he could not possibly have felt\nguilt and condemnation for what he had done.\n\nI was also led to open to the people that the great end of Christ\u2019s\ncoming was to introduce the gospel, which is the last and most blessed\ndispensation of God to the children of men, as by it only can man be\nrestored to this primitive state, and without which restoration he\ncannot effectually serve God in spirit. This gospel our Lord told his\ndisciples his Father would send them in his name, and which is the\nHoly Ghost or power of God sent down from heaven, which well agrees\nwith the doctrine of the apostle Paul, where he tells us, that the\ngospel of Christ \u201cis the power of God unto salvation, to every one that\nbelieveth.\u201d This therefore supposes, that those who do not obey the\nspirit of truth, or Holy Ghost, which convinces them of sin, do not\nbelieve the gospel, and therefore are not benefitted by it: of course\nthey remain under the power and dominion of sin.\n\nAfter this favoured meeting, I felt myself much indisposed with a very\nsevere cold and fever, and had to keep house until the next third day,\nwhen we proceeded to Lynn. The following day we attended their meeting\nheld in the middle of the week; and notice being given of our intention\nof being there, it was large. The power of truth went forth freely,\ntendering many minds, and comforting the faithful and upright in heart.\n\nThe next day we proceeded on our way to Long Plain, where we arrived\nthe day following, about noon. Had a meeting there that evening. The\nday after had a meeting at the eleventh hour, at Accushnet. They were\nboth favoured meetings.\n\nWe then proceeded to New Bedford; and the next day, the first of the\nweek, and 25th of 2d month, we attended their forenoon and afternoon\nmeetings. In these my mind was largely opened in gospel communication,\ntending to expose the man of sin and son of perdition, manifesting that\nhe was nothing but self in man, and showing that, in his mysterious\nworkings, in leading man to endeavour to imitate God, in doing good\nand performing acts under the show of religion and religious worship,\nbut all done in his own will and time, the whole mystery of iniquity\nis comprehended. For in man\u2019s thus turning away from God and the\ninspirings of his holy spirit, consists his fall, as he takes upon\nhimself an independent state, and assumes the right of self-government,\nand becomes his own director; therefore, his salvation wholly consists\nin surrendering up this self-ability, letting it die on the cross,\nand returning into a state of full submission to the leading and sole\nguidance of the inspiring spirit of God. My mind was largely opened on\nthese and other truths of the gospel in those meetings, whereby truth\nwas raised into dominion over all, to the comfort and peace of my own\nmind, and to the apparent satisfaction, instruction, and edification of\nthe rightly exercised and seeking minds present.\n\nThe three following days we attended meetings at Newtown, Centre, and\nthe monthly meeting of Dartmouth, or Aponegansett. In each of these I\nwas largely opened in gospel communication, particularly in the last.\nThe truth was powerfully raised into dominion over all, spreading a\nprecious solemnity over the meeting, and much contrition of spirit was\nmanifested. It was the Lord\u2019s doing, and to him belongs all the praise\nof his own work, nothing due to the creature but blushing and confusion\nof face.\n\nFifth and sixth days. We had meetings at Acoaksett, alias West Port,\nand Little Compton. In both the gospel was preached in truth\u2019s\nauthority; the latter especially was a powerful melting season to most\npresent, inspiring the mind with deep thankfulness and gratitude to the\nbountiful Author of every blessing.\n\nOn seventh day we proceeded to Newport, on Rhode Island, and attended\nFriends\u2019 forenoon and afternoon meetings on first day. On second day,\nhad an appointed meeting at Portsmouth. After this, with peace of\nmind, we left the island that afternoon, and went to Tiverton, and\nlodged with our kind friend Joseph Barker. We had an appointed meeting\nthere the next day, and the day following were at Swansey. Truth was\neminently exalted in these meetings, especially the latter, which was a\npowerful baptizing season, in which the Lord\u2019s presence was witnessed,\nand much brokenness and contrition of spirit was spread over the\nmeeting. This was witnessed, not only by Friends, but by many others\nnot in profession with us, encouraging and gladdening every sincere\nmind for the unmerited favour. After this solemn meeting, we took leave\nof our Friends, and rode that afternoon to Providence.\n\nThe next day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting there, as it came in course,\nin which my mind was led to exemplify and set forth, the excellency\nand blessed effects of true and strict justice in all our dealings\nand commerce between man and man, as rational social beings; which\nwas introduced into my mind by the remembrance of this saying of the\nwisest of men, viz. Solomon: \u201cRighteousness exalteth a nation, but sin\nis a reproach to any people.\u201d My mind was opened to show the great\nand essential difference there is, between the righteousness of man,\nas comprehended in, and tolerated by the laws, customs, edicts and\ntraditions of men, and the righteousness of God, which is altogether\ncomprehended in pure, equal, impartial and unchangeable justice:\nshowing that every act of man, which is not in conformity to this\npure and impartial justice, is sin; and that whatever we do that has\na tendency, either directly or indirectly, to counteract this pure,\nsimple, impartial justice, cannot be considered as any part of that\nrighteousness which exalts a nation, as it cannot bring glory to God;\nfor no righteousness, but God\u2019s righteousness, wrought in man by this\npure principle of justice, can possibly glorify him, as this must be\nthe foundation of every virtue in man.\n\nIt was a season of close searching labour, by which the hidden things\nof Esau, or the first nature, in which the serpentine wisdom works,\ndeceiving multitudes; was brought to light and exposed: especially that\ncunning sophistical reasoning in the wisdom of this world, which many\npeople are making use of to justify themselves, and thereby stifle\nand put to silence the convictions of conscience, while acting in\ndirect opposition to this pure principle of justice; by continuing a\ntraffic in, and making themselves rich, by a commerce in the produce\nof the labour of the poor, afflicted and deeply oppressed Africans and\ntheir descendants, held in a state of slavery by the mere force of\nwar, and which is wrested from them without their consent. Truth was\nexalted over all, and unrighteousness exposed, and its evil effects on\nsocieties and individuals manifested.\n\nAfter this arduous meeting, not feeling myself clear of the town, I\nappointed another meeting in the evening. Public notice being given,\nit was large, not only of the white inhabitants, but a large number\nof the people of colour also attended. It was a season of favour, and\nmuch doctrine was communicated, suited to the states of those present;\ntending to the edification and instruction of the seeking minds of the\nvaried sects, many of whom were collected in this solemn assembly. I\nclosed with a peaceful mind, and the next day we proceeded to Scituate,\nand had a very edifying tendering meeting there.\n\nThe day following, being the first of the week, we were at Friends\u2019\nmeeting at Foster. It was a small meeting of Friends, but a very\nconsiderable number of the neighbouring people came in of different\npersuasions. I was led to open and explain among them many essential\ndoctrines of Christianity, which, crossing the carnal views of these\noutside professors, and striking at their creaturely activity in\ntheir religious services, I felt as I proceeded a strong spirit of\nopposition in some of this description, but truth favoured so that\nno outward opposition was manifested, and the meeting closed under a\ncovering of solemn quiet.\n\nOn second day evening we attended an appointed meeting in Friends\u2019\nmeeting-house at Plainfield. There are but few Friends belonging\nto this meeting, the whole consisting of but three families; but a\nconsiderable number of their neighbours came in and sat with us. We\nlikewise appointed another meeting the next day at a Friend\u2019s house in\nthe northern part of this town, at the second hour in the afternoon,\nwhich was well attended by the neighbouring people. These two last\nmeetings closed my visit to Friends and others, in the compass of Rhode\nIsland yearly meeting. They were opportunities of favour, in which\nmuch gospel instruction was communicated, to the general edification,\ncomfort and satisfaction of the people, and which was acknowledged by\nmany of them. In parting with them I felt the incomes of sweet peace,\nas a crown to all my deep exercises and ardent gospel labours, in this\nvisit to Friends and others in the compass of that yearly meeting: a\nsense of which humbles my mind in deep thankfulness and gratitude, to\nthe bountiful Author of all our mercies and blessings, who is over all,\nGod blessed for ever.\n\nWe proceeded from thence on fourth day, directly to the city of\nHartford; and on fifth day evening had a large meeting there, held in a\nmeeting-house belonging to the Baptists. I was led forth among them in\na large doctrinal testimony, showing that Christ\u2019s coming in the flesh,\nwas designed to supersede the dispensation of Moses, which stood in\nmere legal righteousness, consisting of carnal ordinances, and relating\nonly to the outward or animal body, made up of circumcision, outward\nsacrifices, elementary washings and cleansings, and the blood of slain\nbeasts, &c.: all which were only outward, and therefore could not\neffect the soul, nor make the comers thereunto perfect, as pertaining\nto the conscience.\n\nI was likewise led to open the nature of the true Christian Sabbath,\nwhich is the antitype of the typical one, and does not consist in a\nrest to the body merely for a day, but in a perpetual rest to the\nsoul by its coming into Christ, and submitting to the government of\nhis spirit, and entirely ceasing from its own willings and runnings,\nby which reconciliation is witnessed, and peace made with our heavenly\nFather. These things and much more, I had to open to the people, in the\nfresh feelings of the love and life of truth, which was exalted over\nall. The next day we rode to Woodbury, with a prospect of obtaining\na religious opportunity with the people; but way not opening for it,\nwe proceeded the day after to New Milford, and the next day being the\nfirst of the week, we had a comfortable edifying meeting with Friends,\nand a large collection of their neighbours with them.\n\nAfter this, we rode that afternoon to Oblong, and the next day attended\nthe monthly meeting there. In the meeting for worship, the Lord\u2019s power\nwas eminently exalted, and truth was raised into dominion; the season\nwas deeply instructive and edifying. The day after we had an appointed\nmeeting in the town of Patterson, where no Friend resides. It was held\nin a school-house, and proved, through divine favour, an instructive\nbaptizing season. From thence we proceeded to the Valley, and the\nfollowing day had a precious strengthening opportunity with Friends and\nothers, in Friends\u2019 meeting-house there.\n\nWe then rode to North Salem, and the next day being their meeting day\nin the middle of the week, we attended it: and notice being given\nthat we were there, it was considerably enlarged by a number of the\nneighbouring inhabitants coming in. The forepart of the meeting was\nexercising: my mind, in silent waiting, was dipped into a deep sense\nof poverty and darkness, and as I sat patiently under the impression,\nI was led gradually into a view of the cause, which appeared to be\ntoo much creaturely activity and a froward will. As light began to\narise and expel the darkness, there was brought to remembrance these\nexpressions of Solomon: \u201cKeep thy foot when thou goest to the house of\nGod, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools:\nfor they consider not that they do evil:\u201d and also, \u201cBut the talk of\nthe lips tendeth only to penury.\u201d These were opened in a way that led\nto communication, in which I had to show the very hurtful tendency of\ncreaturely activity in matters of religion and religious worship, and\nthe absolute necessity of a complete redemption from self, and all self\nmotives, in the great work of our salvation. As I proceeded, the life\nrose, and truth prevailed and spread over the meeting in an eminent\nmanner. After this favoured meeting, I found there was sufficient cause\nfor my exercise; and I was glad that I was altogether ignorant of it\nfrom any outward information.\n\nThe next day we had an appointed meeting at Amawalk. It was favoured\nwith the Lord\u2019s presence and power; and many hearts were contrited and\nmade thankful, under a sense of his continued mercy.\n\nWe proceeded from thence to Peekskill, where, by previous appointment,\nwe had a meeting the following day, which was crowned with the Lord\u2019s\nblessing. Surely the Lord is good and gracious, and his mercy endureth\nfor ever; for did he deal with us according to our deserts, surely\nwe might ere now all have been consumed: for as I passed along from\nplace to place, I discovered great unfaithfulness, and want of right\nsubmission to the divine will, with many Friends as well as others;\nunder a feeling sense whereof, I was often led in a line of close\nsearching doctrine, by which the hidden things of Esau, or the works\nof the first birth or fallen nature were brought to light and exposed,\nin a way that showed it was the Lord\u2019s doing: and my heart, with\nthe hearts of the faithful few were made glad in his power, and his\neverlasting loving kindness to the children of men.\n\nThe next day being the first of the week, we attended Croton meeting.\nThe number of Friends there is small, but the meeting was large for\nthat place, for many of other societies came in. The doctrines of the\ngospel were freely and largely preached among them, to the instruction\nand edification, I believe, of most present, and to the peace and\ncomfort of my own mind.\n\nOur next meeting was at Shapaqua, which was large, and a favoured\nseason. The two following days we had meetings at Croton Valley and\nNorth Castle, in both of which I was helped to clear myself among the\npeople in a line of plain doctrine. The next day and the fifth of\nthe week, we had an appointed meeting at Purchase, which was a large\nsatisfactory meeting. The two following days we attended meetings at\nMamaroneck and Westchester; in both of which, the Lord\u2019s power was\nmanifested for our help, and the gospel preached in the demonstration\nthereof, and its divine influence tendered and contrited many hearts;\nespecially in the latter, which being the last meeting I had in this\njourney, it proved a crowning season, in which truth was raised into\nvictory over all, and the Lord\u2019s name praised and magnified for his\ngoodness and marvellous loving kindness to the children of men. After\nthis solemn meeting I felt myself at liberty to return home, where I\narrived safe that evening, and found most of my family in usual health.\n\nI was from home nearly three months in this journey, travelled upwards\nof one thousand miles, and attended fifty-nine particular, three\nmonthly, and two quarterly meetings.\n\nFirst day, the 31st of 3d month, 1816. Having returned from my\naforesaid journey last evening, sat with Friends in our own meeting\nto-day. I felt things to be very low in a religious sense, and my mind\nclothed with much poverty, which appeared to me in the openings of\ntruth, to be occasioned by Friends suffering their minds to be too much\noverwhelmed with the surfeiting cares of this life, which I was led to\nopen to them in a plain though tender manner. It had a reaching effect\non the meeting, and contrited many hearts; may it fasten as a nail in a\nsure place, is the fervent desire of my mind.\n\nFifth day. Since first day I have been somewhat circumstanced as\nMordecai formerly at the king\u2019s gate, waiting and watching in much\npoverty of spirit, against intervening temptations, while making some\nnecessary arrangements respecting my temporal affairs; being desirous\nthat they may all be so conducted, under the ordering and limitation of\ntruth, as to accord with the will of my heavenly Father, and thereby\nbring glory to his excellent name. Sat our meeting to-day in silence.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Nothing transpired requiring particular notice.\n\nFirst day. I was led in our meeting to-day, under a sense of the great\nwant among mankind in general of a right concern to become acquainted\nwith their Creator, to set forth the great loss and suffering which\nmust necessarily result to them from this state of ignorance, and want\nof the true knowledge of God, and of his will concerning them.\n\nSeventh day, the 13th of 4th month. This week has passed since first\nday, without feeling sufficient to warrant making a short note; but\nbeing at present musing on the past time, and feeling no condemnation,\nalthough I had passed the present week mostly in caring for my temporal\nconcerns; yet not so much, I trust, from the love I have for the world\nor the things of it, but more especially from a sense of duty, that\nI may honestly provide for the outward welfare of myself and family,\nand have, through the blessing of a kind and benevolent Providence on\nmy frugal industry, a sufficiency when called from my home and from\nevery temporal enjoyment there, for the gospel\u2019s sake, to keep the\ngospel free from charge, and that I abuse not my power in the gospel.\nFor this care, I often fear is too much wanting by some who go out on\nthat solemn embassy; which, if not guarded against, may not only tend\nto frustrate the end of their labours, but prove a stone of stumbling\nto many seeking minds. For how inconsistent it must appear in those\nwho profess to have taken up their cross to self and the world, to\nfollow their self-denying Saviour in the plain path of duty, to be\nanxious about what they shall eat or drink, or what they shall wear;\nor manifest a desire after praise or applause from their Friends or\nothers, or have their hands and hearts open to receive the gratuities\nof the rich. For all these may be considered when sought after, as\nbribes to the receivers, and it places such under the appellation of\nhirelings; for although there may not have been any previous contract,\nyet, receiving benefits in that way, I conceive, will bring the\nreceiver under obligations to the giver, and place the individual in a\nsituation not fit for a free minister of the gospel.\n\nFirst day. Sat our meeting to-day mostly in silence, and in suffering\nwith the seed, that lies oppressed as a cart under sheaves, in the\nminds of most of the professors of Christianity; but towards the close\na gleam of light broke forth, in the remembrance of that saying of\nChrist, where he tells us, that the kingdom of God is within, and that\nit doth not come through outward observation. The subject opened in a\nlively manner on my mind, which led to communication, and brought a\nsolemn weight over the meeting, and we parted under the favour.\n\nThe three following days I kept much within, being under very\nconsiderable bodily affliction, although, at intervals, so as to pay\nsome necessary attention to my family affairs, not being willing to let\nany portion of precious time pass away unimproved, as I cannot suppose\nthat any part of our time is dispensed to us for nought.\n\nFifth day. This was the time of our monthly meeting, at which the\nqueries were answered, and accounts prepared to go up to the yearly\nmeeting. How deep and solemn our deliberations are on such occasions,\nnot only that our answers may be consistent with truth, without\nany false colouring or evasion, but that all may be done under the\ninfluence of that divine power, which humbles and abases the creature,\nand which only can qualify for the Lord\u2019s work and service, whether in\nministry or discipline. At this time I returned the minute I had from\nthe meeting, to perform my late visit to Friends in New England, with a\nshort account of my journey.\n\nSixth day. Attended our meeting for Ministers and Elders, at which\nnothing unusual occurred.\n\nSeventh day. Quietly spent in my temporal concerns.\n\nFirst day, the 21st. My mind, in our meeting to-day, was brought\nunder a deep feeling exercise, in sympathy with backsliders, and such\nas, having been often reproved, continue still to revolt. The power\nof truth went forth to these in a searching arousing manner: may it\nprove effectual to produce in such more stability and faithfulness to\nthe convictions of divine grace, which, as they become fully obedient\nthereunto, will work their salvation; otherwise these may share the\nfate described by one formerly: \u201cHe that, being often reproved,\nhardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without\nremedy.\u201d\n\nThe rest of this week I spent principally in attending our quarterly\nmeeting, held at this time in New-York. It was for the most part a\nfavoured season, but would have been more so, had not some in the\nministry quite exceeded the mark by unnecessary communication. For very\ngreat care ought to rest on the minds of ministers, lest they become\nburthensome, and take away the life from the meeting, and bring over it\na gloom of death and darkness, that may be sensibly felt.\n\nFirst day, the 28th. A silent meeting to-day.\n\nSecond day. In the afternoon of this day I accompanied a friend to\na meeting he had appointed at Jerusalem. There was a considerable\ncollection; but the meeting proved trying, not only in the silent part,\nbut when our friend was communicating, there seemed to be a great\nweight of death over the meeting, and the people appeared generally\nvery dull and lifeless. I was very much borne down under a feeling\nsense of it, so that I had not the least prospect that I should have\nany thing to communicate, as I felt nothing in myself to offer, nor did\nthere appear any disposition or fitness in the people to receive; but\njust before the close, some time after the Friend had sat down, there\nwas a small presentation opened on my mind, attended with a degree of\nlife, which, as I yielded thereto, it spread a comfortable calm over\nthe meeting generally, insomuch that I thought that the fragments which\nwere left, after each had had their portion, were more than the whole\nstock in the beginning, like the fragments of the loaves and fishes,\nwhen the multitude were fed formerly.\n\nI accompanied the aforesaid Friend on fourth day to Bethpage, but sat\nthe meeting in silence. He appeared in a pretty long testimony, but it\nwas rather a dull heavy season, and but little life to be felt, so true\nis that saying, that, \u201cExcept the Lord build the house, they labour in\nvain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh\nbut in vain.\u201d He returned with me and attended our meeting the next\nday, and had a pretty favoured time in the meeting, and was led to open\ndivers passages of scripture in a pretty clear manner, which rendered\nthe season instructive and satisfactory.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Passed without any thing transpiring worthy of\nremark.\n\nFirst day, the 5th of 5th month. Being invited to attend the funeral\nof one of my wife\u2019s cousins, on Cowneck, I accompanied her thereto.\nThere was a large collection of people; but by their untimely and\nirregular gathering, the opportunity was much interrupted; yet, through\nthe condescending goodness of Israel\u2019s Shepherd, the power of truth\nwent forth freely to the people, tendering and contriting many hearts,\nparticularly among the youth: may it fix on their minds as a nail,\ndriven by the Master of assemblies, in a sure place.\n\nThe rest of this week I spent about home, being somewhat unwell; yet\nnot so much so, but that I attended our preparative meeting on fifth\nday.\n\nFirst day, the 12th. Feeling considerably indisposed, I did not get\nout to meeting to-day; yet had to reflect how very seldom I had been\nprevented by indisposition for many years past, being generally\npreserved in health, a favour worthy of grateful acknowledgments.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting. It was a low dull season,\nthrough the greater part of the first meeting; but just before\nthe close, a small gleam of light appeared, which, with a short\ncommunication from a female, brought the meeting to a pretty\ncomfortable conclusion.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in my family avocations, clothed with\npoverty of spirit, yet not altogether cast down, being encouraged at\ntimes with the remembrance of the divine promise succeeding the flood,\nthat, \u201cWhile the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and\nheat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.\u201d As\nin my past winter journey, I witnessed summer and harvest, so now I\nmay rest patiently in the divine promise, with the assurance, that as\nwinter in due course has succeeded summer, so likewise summer by and\nby, in its turn, will succeed winter, and the time of the singing of\nbirds will come, and the drooping spirit will again rejoice in the\nLord, and joy in the God of its salvation.\n\nNothing requiring a note the following week, except, that on seventh\nday, the 25th of the month, I proceeded to New-York, in order to\nattend our approaching yearly meeting, which opened for Ministers and\nElders at the tenth hour this morning; but the morning being rainy,\nwe did not arrive in season to attend the first sitting. The meeting\ncontinued by adjournments until the following sixth day, and was in\nthe main, I think, a favoured meeting, the Lord graciously manifesting\nhimself to be near, suppressing forward spirits, that would now and\nthen start up to the hurt of the meeting, and uniting the living\nbaptized members in a joint travail for the promotion of right order,\nand the increase of the Messiah\u2019s kingdom in the earth. We returned\nhome on seventh day.\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 6th month. Attended our meeting in the morning\nin silence; but in the afternoon meeting, appointed by a friend from\nPennsylvania, I had a pretty full opportunity, after the Friend who\nappointed the meeting had relieved his mind, to call the people\u2019s\nattention to the only sure guide, the light of God\u2019s spirit in their\nown hearts and minds, which reveals to every man and woman all things\nthat they had ever done, as Jesus did to the woman of Samaria,\nreproving for the evil, and justifying for the good: and were men and\nwomen all as faithful to themselves, as this divine reprover is to\nthem, they would all witness the blessing of peace; and if they held\nout in faithfulness and obedience to the end, the answer of \u201cwell done,\nthou good and faithful servant\u201d, would be the happy portion of them all.\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 9th. Had the company of two female Friends from\nPhiladelphia, who were travelling in the ministry, at our meeting.\nIt proved a hard trying season: one of them was exercised in public\ntestimony, and although she appeared to labour fervently, yet but\nlittle life was felt to arise during the meeting. This makes the work\nhard for the poor exercised ministers, who feel the necessity publicly\nto advocate the cause of truth and righteousness, and yet obtain but\nlittle relief, by reason of the deadness and indifference of those\nto whom they are constrained to minister. I found it my place to sit\nsilent, and suffer with the seed.\n\nSecond day. Went to New-York, in order to attend our meeting for\nsufferings, which was held the next day at the ninth hour in the\nmorning. I accordingly attended, and returned home that afternoon.\n\nThe rest of the week I spent about home. Attended our preparative\nmeeting on fifth day. The meeting for worship was held in silence, and\nwas a hard trying meeting.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\n Engagements at and about home, and within Westbury quarterly meeting,\n 1816 and 1817.\n\n\nFirst day, the 16th of 6th month, 1816. My wife being under an\nappointment to meet some women Friends at Bethpage meeting, I\naccompanied her thither. It proved an exercising meeting, especially in\nthe forepart; but as I submitted cheerfully and patiently to endure the\npresent baptism, which, indeed, as the experienced Paul well observes,\nis being baptized for the dead, towards the latter part of the meeting,\nthat all-quickening and vivifying power that raises the dead to life,\nwas felt gradually to arise, by which my mind was quickened and led to\nminister to the states of many present. Life spread over the meeting\ntendering many hearts, and we parted under a grateful sense of the\nLord\u2019s mercies; so that indeed the query of the royal Psalmist is\nworthy to be had in continual remembrance: \u201cWhat shall I render unto\nthe Lord for all his benefits towards me?\u201d\n\nSpent the rest of this week about home. Attended our monthly meeting on\nfifth day, but nothing unusual transpired.\n\nFirst day, the 23d. Had the company of our friend Mary Post from\nWestbury, she being engaged in a visit to the families of Friends in\nour monthly meeting, a very useful service when rightly entered into.\nMy mind in this meeting, was brought under exercise, in the remembrance\nof the following exhortation of the wise king Solomon, viz: \u201cKeep thy\nheart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.\u201d From\na consideration of which, I was led to believe there was a very great\nwant of care among people generally, in duly guarding their rising\ncogitations and thoughts, as it is the avenue by which all temptations\nenter, and get place in the mind; and, if suited to our natural\npropensities, too often overcome and lead to undue conduct. The subject\nspread on my mind, and led to an impressive, and, I trust, to some,\nan instructive communication; for which my mind was made gratefully\nthankful to the Author of every blessing.\n\nFifth day. Had the company of our aforesaid Friend at our meeting\nto-day, whose simple and plain communication, tended to quicken. A\ncomfortable degree of life accompanied my mind during the meeting,\nwhich I accounted a favour, having for some time past witnessed much\npoverty of spirit in our meetings. The rest of the week I attended to\nmy temporal concerns, as much as my state of health permitted; but\nbeing much indisposed with bodily pain, it was but little I could do,\nexcept to take some oversight of my business. This I consider one,\namong many other such like mementos, to remind me of the approach of\nmy bodily dissolution. Be attentive, O my soul! that so thou mayest be\nin a state of readiness when the midnight cry is heard: \u201cBehold the\nbridegroom cometh.\u201d\n\nFirst day, the 30th. My mind was led into close exercise and travail,\nin the prospect of the very great apparent want of truth and justice\namong the generality of the professors of Christianity, even of the\nforemost classes of the different sects. The subject spread and\nopened to communication, in which the attention of the auditory was\nimpressively called to the subject, as one of the greatest moment,\nboth in respect to our temporal, and, in a very especial manner, our\nspiritual good; as every other virtue must fail, and prove abortive,\nwhere truth and justice are wanting.\n\nThe rest of this week passed away without any thing worthy of remark,\nexcept great poverty of spirit being almost continually my attendant.\n\nFirst day, the 7th of 7th month. My mind was opened and enlarged in\ncommunication in our meeting to-day, on the subject of the universal\nlove of God to the children of men. For he not only extends his\ngracious call to all, but causes them to hear it; yet, agreeably to\nthat scripture testimony, \u201call have not obeyed the gospel.\u201d There are\nalso many other plain testimonies in the scriptures of the same import;\nclearly showing, that man\u2019s destruction and misery is altogether the\nresult of his own misconduct, and disobedience to divine requisition,\nwithout any necessity laid upon him by his gracious Creator to err, or\nto swerve from the path of rectitude; so that the Lord will be clear\nof the blood of all his rational creation, as saith the prophet: \u201cO\nIsrael, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help;\u201d and there\nare many other passages which express the same. My mind was led to open\nthese subjects in a clear manner to the people, and to show that the\nwant of a right faith in God and Christ, as inwardly revealed, was one\nof the greatest obstacles to their living a just and righteous life\nin the sight of their Creator, as the just can only live by faith.\nThe meeting was large, and many hearts were convicted, comforted and\ncontrited; to the Lord only belongs all the praise, nothing due to man\nbut blushing and confusion of face.\n\nIn the course of this week I was much unwell, forewarning me that\nmy glass is almost run, and my day of labour drawing to a close. My\nindisposition prevented my attending our preparative meeting on fifth\nday. These things all unitedly conspire to sound forth this language,\n_remember to die_. Oh that I might witness with the worthy Paul, more\nand more a daily death, to every thing that tends to hinder my steady\nwalking in the path of duty, that so my day\u2019s work may be finished in\nthe day time.\n\nFirst day, the 14th. Having so far recovered from my indisposition as\nto get to our meeting to-day, my mind was opened in a living powerful\ntestimony to the excellency of the gospel dispensation, in which\nChrist by his light and spirit was come to teach his people himself;\na Teacher not to be removed into a corner, a Shepherd ever present to\nlead and feed all his sheep that hear his voice and follow him; and\ndo not follow the stranger, nor listen to the voice of any outward\nhireling teachers, although they charm ever so wisely. It was a season\nof favour, and many hearts were warmed and contrited by the prevalence\nof truth, and the Lord\u2019s name was praised, who is over all worthy for\never.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, at which the queries were\nread and answers prepared to go to the quarterly meeting. To judge\nfrom these, it would appear that we were generally an upright people;\nbut I fear our answers are becoming too much like many of us, more\nin show and outside appearance, than in spirit and substance. For by\nthis formal way of answering them, unless great care is taken, our\nqueries may do us much more harm than good; and this fear often attends\nmy mind, and induces me to call the attention of my friends from the\nletter of discipline, to the spirit and substance; without which all\nletter and outward order, however beautiful in the outward appearance,\nis but as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, and will in the end only\ndeceive and disappoint us, and unveil our nakedness.\n\nSixth day. Was our preparative meeting of Ministers and Elders, in\nwhich our answers made a similar appearance; insomuch, that there was\nbut little to find fault with. I hope it may stand the test in the day\nof trial; this we ought carefully to consider, otherwise, in the end,\nwe may fall short when it may be too late to retrieve the loss.\n\nThe rest of the week I attended to my temporal business as far as my\nbodily infirmity would permit, although at times my exercise produced\nvery acute pains. I find it needful however, to keep up a continual\nwatch, that I do nothing to promote or encourage idleness, that bane\nto every Christian virtue; and especially at such a time as this, when\nmost of our capable well-looking young men are running into cities\nand populous towns to engage in merchandise, or some other calling by\nwhich they may live by their wits, being unwilling to labour with their\nhands: although it is the most sure way marked out by divine wisdom for\nour truest comfort and peace here, and a right preparation for eternal\njoy hereafter. And, although many fatal consequences have befallen\nmany of those who have thus run out in trade and mercantile business,\napparently to the ruin of both body and soul, and the great injury and\ndistress of their families: yet, because some few have made themselves\nrich in temporal things by those pursuits, it has so blinded the minds\nof many that they will not take warning, but go on in their wilful way\nto their own utter ruin.\n\nFirst day, the 21st. This day at our meeting, my mouth was opened in a\nfull testimony introduced by this scripture passage: \u201cWherewithal shall\na young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy\nword.\u201d I was led in my communication to show to the people, that in\nthis word was comprehended the great gospel privilege, the word nigh in\nthe heart and in the mouth; and that it was not a _literal or outward\nword_, nor any created thing, but the _uncreated word_, _Christ_, by\nwhom all things were created, or at first spoke into existence and\norder. For nothing else could enable us to cleanse our way, or live a\nrighteous holy life; and that it was only by a living faith in this\ninward, operative, powerful word, that any could please God or be\nacceptable to him, and was the only means by which we could be saved:\nand that it was offered to the acceptance of all, and therefore all\nwere encouraged to lay hold of the offered mercy, and not slight the\nday of their visitation.\n\nSecond and third days. I was busied in overseeing my temporal business,\nattended, at times, by much bodily pain; and which, I trust and hope,\nI endured without improperly complaining or murmuring. The three\nfollowing days, I attended our quarterly meeting, held this time at\nWestbury. I think, in the main, it was a favoured season. The meeting\nwas large and solemn: the divine presence and power were evidently felt\nto preside, humbling many minds and producing contrition of spirit, and\nthe gospel labours were instructive and edifying.\n\nFirst day, the 28th. A quiet day. Sat our meeting in silence.\n\nFifth day. A silent meeting. The rest of the week, as to bodily\nexercise, mostly occupied in my temporal affairs.\n\nFirst day, the 4th of 8th month. My mind settled in quiet with the\nexercise of this day. Besides the usual care and industry necessary\nin my temporal concerns, that all things might be rightly arranged, I\nattended, in the course of this week, our preparative meeting on fifth\nday, and the funeral of a deceased neighbour on sixth day. At the\nfuneral was a large promiscuous assembly, amongst whom my mouth was\nopened in a large searching testimony, suiting the occasion; whereby\nmany hearts were tendered, and much brokenness appeared in the meeting.\nThe truth delivered being brought home to the consciences of many, by\nthe prevalence of the divine power, which was eminently in dominion\nover all.\n\nFirst day, the 11th. I trust the exercise and travail of our meeting\nto-day tended to profit.\n\nSecond day. I attended the funeral of our friend Edmund Pearsall, of\nFlushing. His corpse was carried into the meeting-house there; and a\nlarge solid meeting was held on the occasion.\n\nThird day. I attended our meeting for sufferings in New-York, which, I\nthink, was an instructive season.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, in which I opened to Friends\na prospect, which had for several months attended my mind, to pay a\nreligious visit to the bordering inhabitants of our quarterly meeting;\nand had their unity therein.\n\nSixth and seventh days. I spent in my usual avocations.\n\nFirst day, the 18th. My mind, as I sat in our meeting, was opened\ninto a view of the great benefits, and supreme felicity, which man\nderives, and only can derive, from the true knowledge and right fear\nof his Creator; and which knowledge and fear no man can witness or\nhave experience of, but by the revelation of the spirit of God, or\nby the aid of that light, which Jesus Christ told the Jews was the\ncondemnation of the world, or of all those who did not believe in and\nobey it; and which is an _inward_ and not an _outward light_; and all\nits manifestations are in the mind or heart of man. I was led to show\nto the people, that this doctrine was altogether the most rational,\nand such as no man of right reason could doubt or dispute. I hope the\nseason was instructive to some, and might tend to remove doubts from\nsome doubting minds, as, from the sensations which I had, I was led to\nbelieve there were some such present.\n\nSecond, third, and fourth days. I attended to my temporal concerns,\nclothed with much poverty of spirit; yet, not altogether cast down nor\ndiscouraged, respecting my spiritual welfare.\n\nFifth day. A silent quiet meeting.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Paid some attention to my temporal business,\nalthough, at times, in much bodily pain, which, more or less, attends\nme daily, and has for several months past.\n\nFirst day, the 25th. According to the prospect opened at our last\nmonthly meeting, I attended two appointed meetings in the neighbouring\ntown of Hempstead; one in the morning, at the eleventh hour, at the\nhouse of Samuel Carman, a person inclining to Friends, and the other at\nthe fourth hour in the afternoon, at John Raynor\u2019s, about four miles\ndistant from the former, he also being kind and well disposed towards\nFriends.\n\nThese were both pretty full meetings, there being as many people as\nthe rooms could well accommodate. Through the gracious condescension\nof the Shepherd of Israel, the word went forth freely among them, in\na full impressive testimony at each place, tendering and contriting\nmany hearts, and to the increase of love to the truth, and to the\npromoters of it. I took my leave of them in the fresh feelings of\nmutual Christian affection, and returned home that evening with a quiet\npeaceful mind, the assured reward of faithfulness.\n\nThe rest of the week I spent in my usual avocations, not omitting the\nattendance of our meeting on fifth day, which I sat in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 1st of 9th month. I attended an appointed meeting among\nmy relatives and acquaintance at Rockaway, the place of my former\nresidence, when young, while living in my father\u2019s house. The meeting\nwas not large, but proved a precious tendering season. Many hearts\nwere much broken and contrited by the prevalence of divine love and\npower that accompanied the testimony borne, and spread generally over\nthe meeting, to the praise of His grace who is calling us to glory and\nvirtue.\n\nA concern for the guarded education of the youth among Friends has\nfor many years past exercised our yearly meeting; and many advices\nand recommendations have been issued therefrom to the quarterly and\nother subordinate meetings, in order to stir up Friends to vigilance\nand care therein, that proper schools might be established among\nthem, under the care of pious tutors, that so Friends\u2019 children,\nwhile getting their necessary school learning, might be religiously\ninstructed, and preserved from evil examples, and the company of such\nchildren as are viciously inclined; by which their tender minds might\nbe wounded, and led from the simplicity of truth. In order further\nto stir up Friends to this concern, our last yearly meeting directed\nthe quarterly meetings to appoint committees to visit the monthly and\npreparative meetings, to encourage Friends therein. As I was one among\nother Friends appointed by our quarterly meeting for that purpose, we\nattended the monthly meetings of New-York and Flushing, in the course\nof this week. And I am thankful in believing that the service was owned\nby the Head of the Church, who was graciously near, and furnished with\nmatter suited to the occasion; insomuch, that I have cause to believe\nthat the opportunities at each place were instructive and edifying,\naffording encouragement to the willing-minded.\n\nFirst day, the 8th of 9th month. I found it my place to be at home\nto-day, and of course attended our own meeting. Although most of the\nforepart of the meeting, I apprehended I should be permitted to sit\nit in silence; yet about the middle thereof, my mind was quickened in\nthe remembrance of the testimony of Solomon, where he tells us, that\n\u201cWisdom is the principal thing.\u201d As the subject spread on my mind, I\nwas led to consider how it is that all men speak highly of it, and\nyet, at the same time, are not at all rightly acquainted with its\nbeginning; and are therefore mostly living all their days without the\nright knowledge of, and acquaintance with it. For it is not to be\nderived through any other medium than the true fear of the Lord, which\nwe are told is the beginning of wisdom; and as it is only begun in man\nby this true fear, so likewise it is the middle and the end; as every\nadvancement in true wisdom is only by the fear of the Lord: surely,\nthen, it is the most precious of any thing to the children of men.\n\nI spent the rest of the week about home. Attended our preparative\nmeeting on fifth day. The meeting for worship was held in silence. Our\nyearly meeting\u2019s minute of advice on the subject of schools was at\nthis time received; but as it was expected that the quarterly meeting\u2019s\ncommittee, on that subject, would shortly attend the preparative\nmeeting, the consideration thereof was deferred to the time of their\nattendance.\n\nFirst day, the 15th. By appointment I attended two meetings; one at\nCold Spring at ten o\u2019clock in the morning, and the other in Friends\u2019\nmeeting-house at Oysterbay, at the third hour in the afternoon. Both\nwere pretty well attended by the neighbouring inhabitants, among whom\nI was helped to preach the gospel in the demonstration of the spirit,\naccompanied with such a degree of the Lord\u2019s power and presence, as\nto produce a precious solemnity over the assemblies, especially the\nlatter, wherein many truths of the gospel were largely opened, humbling\nand contriting the hearts of a number present. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s\ndoing, to whom all the praise and glory are, and ought to be ascribed,\nboth now and for ever.\n\nIn the course of this week, I attended our own and Westbury monthly\nmeeting, in company with the quarterly meeting\u2019s committee, on the\nsubject of schools. These were both favoured opportunities. The concern\nwas opened in a very impressive manner, and spread weightily over\nthe meetings, the men and women sitting together while this subject\nwas before them. And I have a hope that Friends will be strengthened\nand encouraged to persevere in the concern, and keep it on its right\nbasis, that is, a concern for the religious and moral instruction\nof our youth, while at school, by placing them under the care of\npious tutors, who may co-operate with the endeavours of religiously\nconcerned parents, who are more desirous that their children may be\nbrought up and educated in the fear of the Lord, and in his nurture and\nadmonition, than that they should make great advancements in scholastic\nscience, or obtain the riches and popularity of the world; all of\nwhich are of momentary duration, and unworthy of much of the care of a\nrational immortal being, especially when compared with the blessings\nattendant on a truly moral and religious life, and walking in the fear\nof the Lord.\n\nFirst day, the 22d. In prosecution of the concern I had engaged in to\nvisit the neighbouring inhabitants, notice was sent to Friends of\nMartinicock, that I proposed to attend their meeting at this time; and\ndesiring that public notice might be given to their neighbours who were\nnot members, it was accordingly done. By this means the meeting was\nvery large, more so than I had ever seen it before; among whom I was\nhelped to labour in the cause of the gospel, opening many important\nscripture passages, tending to elucidate and confirm many points of\nour doctrine and principles, to my own, and apparently to the general\nsatisfaction of the assembly. At three o\u2019clock in the afternoon I\nattended another meeting at Moscheto Cove, held in the house of the\nwidow Hannah Valentine. This was also a large favoured meeting, in\nwhich many truths of the gospel were clearly and satisfactorily opened.\nI returned home that evening with peace of mind, from an inward sense\nthat I had faithfully discharged myself among the people, concerning\nthe things which relate to their salvation.\n\nThe rest of the week I was at and about home, attending to my usual\noccupations. Sat our fifth day meeting in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 29th. I attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Cowneck; and\nprevious notice having been sent of my intention to be there,\nthe meeting was large, and favoured in a good degree with the\novershadowing of the divine presence, enabling to preach the gospel\nin the demonstration of the spirit, and with power; breaking and\ncontriting many hearts. At the third hour in the afternoon, by previous\nappointment, had a meeting at Hempstead Harbour, at the house of Daniel\nRobbins. This was rather a hard exercising meeting, yet, I trust, in\nthe main a profitable season.\n\nThe following part of the week I spent mostly in the oversight of my\nfarming business. Sat our fifth day meeting again in silence, at which\nwe had the company of our Friends Isaac Martin and Henry Shotwell, from\nJersey.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 10th month. Attended our meeting in silence. It\nwas in the main, I think, a weighty, solemn season. At three o\u2019clock in\nthe afternoon, I had an appointed meeting in the neighbourhood for the\npeople of colour. It was held in one of their houses, and was a season\nof favour. I hope it may prove profitable to them. For this portion of\ndedication to duty in the cause of righteousness, I felt peace in my\nown mind.\n\nSecond day. A Friend from the western part of this state, being on a\nreligious visit among us, had an appointed meeting at our place at the\neleventh hour. It proved a comfortable edifying season. After this I\nrode to New-York in order to attend our meeting for sufferings, held\nthe next day at the ninth hour. In the course of the business that\ncame before us, the meeting was led into an exercise, on behalf of\nthat portion of the descendants of the Africans who are still held\nin bondage in our state. A proposition was made for addressing our\nstate legislature on their account, in order, if possible, to obtain\na law for their emancipation; apprehending, that as the greater part\nof these long-oppressed people had now obtained their freedom, those\nwho were still held, felt their condition much more aggravating, and\ntheir bondage more intolerable; insomuch, that it appeared to us\naltogether just and consistent with the duty of the legislature, to\nrestore to them the just right of freedom. After due consideration, the\nproposition was acceded to, and a committee named to draft an essay of\nan address accordingly.\n\nFifth day. This being our preparative meeting, in which our queries\nwere read, and answers prepared to go to the quarterly meeting. I\nfelt my mind exercised on account of the many deficiencies apparent,\nparticularly in the non-attendance of our religious meetings, as a\nfailure in that often leads to greater deficiencies in other respects.\n\nFirst day, the 13th. My mind was pretty largely opened in testimony to\nthe sufficiency of the divine light. The season was solemn, and I hope\ninstructive and profitable to many present.\n\nAt three o\u2019clock in the afternoon, I attended an appointed meeting in\nWoolver Hollow, a neighbourhood composed mostly of the descendants of\nthe Dutch. The season was instructive, and tending to edification; and\nI parted with them under an humbling sense of the favour.\n\nFifth day. Our monthly meeting being held at this time, answers were\nreceived from our preparative meetings, to the five queries usually\nanswered, in which divers deficiencies were stated; but this being\nfrequently the case, it produced little or no concern to the greater\nportion of the members; and I have been afraid at times, that the\nqueries would become a snare to us, and prove rather hurtful than\nhelpful.\n\nFirst day, the 20th. Had a conflicting season in the forepart of our\nmeeting to-day with a worldly spirit, and the benumbing consequences\nof a desire after riches. And while labouring under a feeling of these\nstates, with their stupifying effects, which were even intolerable to\nbear, it often ran through my mind, that \u201cthe cares of the world, the\ndeceitfulness of riches,\u201d and the lust of other things, like briars and\nthorns, choke the good seed and prevent its growth. And as I continued\npatiently under the labour, towards the close of the meeting light\nsprang up and dispelled the darkness; in which strength and ability\nwere dispensed to communicate in a lively and clear manner, showing\nthe pernicious effects of those things, wherever they obtained the\nascendency in the minds of men and women; elucidating the subject\nby the parable of our Lord, concerning the rich man and Lazarus the\nbeggar. It was, I believe, a season of real instruction to some\npresent, which I hope may not be soon forgotten.\n\nAt three o\u2019clock in the afternoon, I attended a meeting I had\npreviously appointed in a neighbouring village. It proved a\nsatisfactory season to my own mind, and generally so, I believe, to all\nwho attended. These favours are not to be lightly esteemed, but held in\ngrateful remembrance.\n\nIn the course of this week was our quarterly meeting, held at this\ntime at Flushing. Although some of the sittings were exercising and\narduous, yet in the main, I think, it was a favoured edifying season;\nand we parted at the close of the public meeting on sixth day, under a\nthankful sense that the Shepherd of Israel had not forsaken his people,\nbut was still graciously near, a present helper to all his faithful\nand devoted children. In the course of this meeting, on the evening of\nfifth day, I had an appointed meeting in the town of Jamaica, among\nthose not in profession with us, which proved a very satisfactory\nseason. The people\u2019s minds appeared to be gathered into true stillness,\na situation most suitable to be taught and instructed.\n\nFirst day, the 27th. Sat our meeting mostly in silence, but towards the\nclose my mind was opened and led to communicate a short, but lively\ntestimony, which was introduced by the greatest part of the first psalm\nof David: in the opening of which, the meeting appeared generally to\nbe gathered into a sweet, comfortable solemnity, and we parted under a\nsolemn sense of the unmerited favour.\n\nIn the course of this week, I attended, in company with most of the\ncommittee of the quarterly meeting on the concern relative to schools,\nthe two preparative meetings in New-York, and that at Flushing; also an\nappointed meeting at Brooklyn on third day evening, and one at Newtown\non fifth day evening. The last was a very instructive favoured meeting.\n\nFirst day, the 3d of 11th month. Sat our meeting to-day altogether in\nsilence. Spent the rest of the week principally in attention to my\ntemporal concerns, which I believe to be a Christian\u2019s reasonable duty;\nexcept that I attended in company with some of the quarterly meeting\u2019s\ncommittee on fifth day, the preparative meeting at Cowneck. I sat the\nmeeting for worship in silent suffering; but was led in the preparative\nmeeting, pretty largely to open the nature and design of the concern\nof the yearly meeting, with regard to the pious and guarded education\nof the youth of our society, particularly while young and at school,\nin getting their necessary school learning; that they might as much\nas possible, be kept out of harm\u2019s way, by being placed at schools\nunder the care of pious religiously concerned persons, members in\nsociety; who would be likely to co-operate with the religious concern\nof their parents, in endeavouring, as much as might be, to bring them\nup agreeably to apostolic exhortation: \u201cIn the nurture and admonition\nof the Lord.\u201d For there is nothing that can more nearly and necessarily\nengage the minds of rightly exercised parents, next to their own souls,\nthan the religious welfare of their children: for parents who can live\nin the neglect of this great and incumbent duty, must be dead to every\nright exercise and concern for the preservation and everlasting welfare\nof their tender offspring.\n\nFirst day, the 10th. Sat our meeting in silence: then rode several\nmiles to visit a person who was sick, and returned the next day.\n\nI had to reflect on the great and serious loss sustained by a large\nportion of mankind, from the want of due attention and a right\nperseverance in the way of known duty while young in years; that when\nthey are advanced in age, and bodily infirmities interfere and increase\nupon them, they are tossed up and down in their minds, and can find no\nsure place of refuge for their souls; like a ship in the midst of the\nocean without a helm, and which can find no safe anchoring ground.\n\nOn fourth day attended the funeral of a young woman on Cowneck, who was\ntaken away very suddenly, with about three hour\u2019s illness. I had an\nopen time among the people that were assembled on this solemn occasion,\nand was led to call their attention to the propriety and necessity\nof an early preparation for death; and to show that it manifested\ngreat presumption in such a poor impotent creature as man, who was so\nsensible of the uncertainty of time, to dare to lay his head down at\nnight to take his natural rest, without knowing his peace made with his\nGod.\n\nFifth and sixth days. Attended, in company with some of the committee\nof the quarterly meeting on the subject of schools, the preparative\nmeetings of Martinicock and Bethpage; both of which were open favoured\nseasons, while the subject of our appointment was under consideration.\n\nOn seventh day I attended the funeral of a very aged man of my\nacquaintance, being upwards of ninety years old, who lived in the town\nof Hempstead. There was a pretty large collection of the neighbouring\ninhabitants present, among whom I was led and strengthened to open\ndivers necessary and important doctrines of the gospel, in the clear\ndemonstration of the spirit; and, I trust and hope, to the edification\nand religious instruction of many present. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s\ndoing, and to him belongs all the praise and honour of his own works,\nand nothing due to man.\n\nFirst day, the 17th. Sat our meeting in silence. It was a quiet solid\nseason. The rest of the week I was occupied in my husbandry business,\nexcept attending our monthly meeting on fifth day.\n\nFirst day, the 24th. My mind in our meeting to-day, was led into an\nhumbling exercise, under a sensible view of the great ascendency of\nevil over the good among mankind in general, not excepting the best\nregulated society among men. I was also led, under the saddening\nprospect, to communicate to the meeting the feeling impressions of my\nmind thereon, together with the causes of this great degeneracy from\nthe simplicity of the gospel of Christ; and that it was the effect of a\nspirit of ease and carnal security, and being led and governed in our\nconduct and works by custom and tradition, without taking the pains\nto examine whether they were founded in truth and righteousness or\nnot; and when at times they are awakened by the convicting evidence of\ntruth on the mind, instead of willingly submitting thereto, they call\nto their aid all the powers of their reasoning faculties to drown the\nreprover\u2019s voice, that so they may rest secure in their ceiled houses.\nAlas for these in the trying hour of final decision! how dreadfully\nsaddening will be their prospects in a dying hour!\n\nFirst day, the 1st of 12th month. I sat with Friends at Westbury. The\nmeeting was for the most part a dull exercising season; but towards the\nclose I had a short testimony given me to communicate, in which the\nstate of the meeting was so opened as to have a very reaching effect on\nmost present; which spread life over the meeting, and much tenderness\nand contrition were apparent. Surely have we not cause for these\nfavours, often to say with one formerly: \u201cWhat shall I render unto the\nLord for all his benefits towards me.\u201d\n\nSecond day. I attended the funeral of a near kinsman at Far Rockaway,\nat which I had a very open time amongst the people collected on that\nsolemn occasion.\n\nI returned home on third day, and the weather being cold and inclement\nI was indisposed for several days after, which prevented my attending\nour meeting on fifth day; a circumstance which very seldom happens, as\nI am generally preserved in the enjoyment of such a state of health,\nas to attend meetings when at home without much omission: and which I\nconsider as one among many especial blessings and favours, dispensed by\na kind and beneficent Providence to me, a poor unworthy creature.\n\nFirst day, the 8th. I left home this morning and rode to New-York, and\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting at Pearl-street in the afternoon, in which\nI had to suffer, being dipped into a state of death. I felt as though\nbaptized for the dead, but as I patiently endured I was helped towards\nthe close to spread my exercise before the meeting, and a degree of\nlife was felt to arise, and some were quickened, but with too many\nthere appeared to be a great want of a right inward engagement and\ntravail of spirit, and these were sent empty away.\n\nI tarried in town until fourth day, it being the time of our meeting\nfor sufferings. In the course of this meeting, we prepared a memorial\nto lay before the legislature of our state, on behalf of the black\npeople still held in bondage among us. A committee was separated to\nattend therewith, and we have a hope that it may prove effectual for\ntheir relief.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting, and had to spread before\nmy Friends the exercise of my mind, on account of the neglect of too\nmany among us in respect to the due observance of discipline; which is\na source of great weakness to society, and especially so to those who\nare delinquent.\n\nSixth and seventh days. Spent in my usual vocations, accompanied with\nquietness and peace of mind.\n\nFirst day, the 15th. Almost as soon as I had taken my seat in our\nmeeting to-day, there was brought to my remembrance the following\nexhortation of the apostle, accompanied with a degree of life: \u201cTo do\ngood, and to communicate, forget not.\u201d As I quietly attended to the\nimpression, it led to communication and opened to a field of doctrine,\ntending to show the indispensable obligation every real Christian\nlies under, let his allotment in the Church or in the world at large\nbe what it may, to comply therewith, it being a divine requisition.\nIt is therefore reasonable to suppose that by a life of steady and\nuniform industry, and from which man derives great earthly felicity,\nand through the divine blessing, most individuals would be enabled to\nfulfil the obligation; by which means all the misery and distress\nthat arise from poverty and want would be done away from the Church\nof Christ, and agreeably to the prophecy of Isaiah, no wasting or\ndestruction be found within her borders; and Christians would witness\nin their own experience, that it is more blessed to give than to\nreceive; as we should thereby approach nearer to our divine original,\nfrom whom we receive every blessing both spiritual and temporal.\n\nThe following part of the week I spent in my usual occupations, except\nattending our monthly meeting on fifth day.\n\nFirst day, the 22d. This day I attended the funeral of my brother\nStephen Hicks at Rockaway. There was a pretty large collection of\npeople on the occasion, among whom I was led to labour fervently in the\ngospel, and largely to declare of the things concerning the kingdom of\nGod. The season was solemn, and by the prevalence of the divine power\nthat attended, many hearts were contrited and a precious solemnity\nwas spread over the assembly, worthy of our deepest gratitude and\nthankfulness of heart. I returned home that evening with sweet peace of\nmind.\n\nHaving for some time felt a draft on my mind to appoint a few meetings\nin some adjacent neighbourhoods, to the south and east of us, I left\nhome on the seventh day of this week, accompanied by my neighbour Jacob\nWillits, jr. We rode that afternoon to our friend James Rushmore\u2019s,\nat the Half-way Hollow Hills; where, by previous notice, we had a\ncomfortable satisfactory meeting in the evening, mostly made up of\nthose not in membership with us. The next day, the first of the week,\nwe had two meetings; one in the town of Islip in the morning, at the\nresidence of my son-in-law Joshua Willits, the other at the third hour\nin the afternoon, in the school-house at the village of Babylon. These\nwere very solemn affecting meetings, wherein many truths of the gospel\nwere largely and livingly opened, in the demonstration of the spirit,\nattended with a power that humbled and contrited many hearts, and\nbrought a general solemnity over the meetings.\n\nThe next day we rode to our friend Thomas Whitson\u2019s, on the south\nside of our township. Had an appointed meeting there that evening,\nwhich was also favoured with attendant gospel power; whereby my mind\nwas opened and led to sound forth an arousing testimony, in order to\nstir up many present, who, for want of faithfulness and obedience to\nmanifested duty, were much behind in their day\u2019s work: and which, as it\nopened on my mind, I expressed to them to be not only a cause of great\nloss and disadvantage in a religious sense to themselves, but also\nto their families and their tender offspring. Things were laid close\nhome to these, and they excited to more faithfulness and religious\nengagement.\n\nAt this place I was informed of the death of our Friend and neighbour\nElizabeth Jones, wife of Samuel Jones, whose funeral was to be the next\nday. This information induced us to return home early in the morning in\norder to attend the same. As she had many connexions, there was a very\nlarge collection of people on the occasion, many of whom were of divers\npersuasions. My heart and mouth were opened to preach the gospel among\nthem, and to explain to the people the principles of the Christian\nreligion, in a full and clear manner, in the authority of truth. It was\na highly favoured season, in which truth reigned triumphant; and the\nLord\u2019s name and power were praised and exalted over all.\n\nFifth day, the 2d of 1st month, 1817. I attended our meeting as usual.\nIt was quiet and comfortable. Near the close I had a short testimony to\ncommunicate, to the excellency and exalted privileges of the Christian\nstate, which brought a precious covering over the meeting.\n\nFirst day, the 5th. Very soon after I took my seat in meeting to-day,\nmy mind was brought into a feeling sense and view of the superiour\nexcellency of the true Christian religion; and this can only be known\nand possessed by a full and entire subjugation of our wills to the\ndivine will, and living in the practical part of that reasonable\ninjunction of our blessed Lord, to seek first the kingdom of God\nand his righteousness; then every other blessing that is needful\nand comfortable for us will be added, in the openings of the divine\ncounsel. But alas, how few there are who pay any right attention\nto this excellent requisition, but on the contrary go on in their\nown wills, and in the prosecution of their own schemes of profit\nand pleasure, most generally at least until they marry, and settle\nthemselves in the care and concerns of a family. In all this time,\nscarcely one in ten thousand of the human family even think of seeking\nfirst the kingdom of God and his righteousness, or even asking counsel\nof him in the weighty concern of marriage; upon a right procedure\nin which, their present and future happiness greatly depend, and\nfor want of this previous care, they are often very unequally yoked\ntogether; and when these have a family of children about them, without\nany right ability and qualification to instruct them, confusion and\ndisorder ensue; and the poor children are left to grow up without\nright cultivation, as brambles in the wilderness, a lamentable case\nindeed: a view of which has often clothed my mind with mourning. I was\nled largely to open these subjects to the meeting under the influence\nof gospel love, and found peace in my labour, the sure reward of\nfaithfulness to manifested duty; and whether the people will hear or\nforbear, it is not the business of the instrument to be careful about,\nas the word that goeth forth will not return void, but will accomplish\nthe thing whereto it is sent; either to instruct and comfort, or to\nreprove and condemn.\n\nThe rest of the week I was mostly employed in my temporal concerns,\nexcept attending our preparative meeting on fifth day. The meeting for\nworship was, I think, a favoured season.\n\nFirst day the 12th. A silent meeting to-day.\n\nFourth day. Feeling my mind drawn to attend the monthly meeting\nof Westbury, which was held to-day, I proceeded accordingly. In\nthe meeting for worship, I was led to show to Friends, under the\nsimilitude of Israel\u2019s travel, that it was not enough to be delivered\nfrom our former sins, nor from the red sea of trials and obstructing\ntemptations, so as to rejoice on the banks of deliverance, and be fed\nwith heavenly manna, even angels\u2019 food; nor to journey on towards the\npromised Canaan, as far as Korah and his company; and to see like\nthem, the wonder-working power of Jehovah in the wilderness, unless\nthey also came to witness a complete death to their own wills, so as\nto be entirely submissive to the will of our heavenly Father; for\notherwise they would be left to encompass as it were, a mountain in\nthe wilderness, until the old man, that is, self-will, is entirely\nworn out and dies there, on this side Jordan: for nothing short of\nthat will open Jordan\u2019s streams, and enable us to go through on dry\nland. I had largely to open to Friends the mystery of our redemption,\nin the demonstration of the spirit, showing the necessity of continual\nperseverance and making progress in our heavenly journey, otherwise we\nshall be liable to fall into a state of ease and carnal security; and\nthereby make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, and our latter\nend be worse than the beginning; like those of Israel, who fell in the\nwilderness and never obtained the promised land.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting. As it was the time of\nanswering our queries, I was engaged to stir up Friends to more\ndiligence, by faithfully scrutinizing their own individual states\nthrough the medium of the queries, by which means they would be truly\nuseful to us; for otherwise the reading and answering them would become\na dead lifeless form.\n\nFirst day, the 19th. A silent meeting to-day, in which my spirit was\ngrieved, as is too often the case in our meetings, from a sense of\nthe great want of real spiritual life, and the apparent deadness and\nformality which too generally prevail; whereby it often happens that a\nnumber appear drowsy and nodding, and some falling asleep, to the great\ntrouble and exercise of the living concerned members, who are often led\nto mourn in secret on these accounts.\n\nIn the course of this week I attended our quarterly meeting held at\nthis time at Westbury. It was a season of close solemn searching, and\nthrough the animating influence of the divine light and life, the\nhidden things of Esau or the first nature, were brought to light and\njudged. Although some, who had long covered themselves as with thick\nclay, and were solacing themselves in their ceiled houses, kicked like\nJeshurun of old, when they were made to feel the piercing edge of that\nsword which divides between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is\na discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; yet the truth had\nits way over all their opposition, and in the closing meeting reigned\ntriumphant over all. Blessed be the Lord for his unspeakable gifts\ndispensed to his faithful children.\n\nFirst day, the 26th. My mind in our meeting to-day, was led to reflect\non the excellency and powerful effect of true faith. As the subject\nopened, I found it my place to spread the prospect before the meeting;\nin the communication whereof, life sprang up and the truth was raised\ninto dominion over all, and my heart was made thankful for the\nunmerited favour.\n\nThe rest of the week I was busily employed in my domestic affairs,\nand in taking the oversight and care of my stock; the weather being\nvery cold and frosty, and the earth covered with snow. Attended our\nmeeting on fifth day, at which there was a funeral of a deceased\nFriend, an ancient maiden. I sat the greater part of the meeting in\nsilence, in which time there were two short testimonies delivered, but\nwithout much apparent effect, as the seed of immortal life was too\nmuch pressed down, as a cart with sheaves; and nothing is sufficient\nto raise a meeting from such a state of death and stupor, but the\nlife-giving presence and powerful word of Him, who raised Lazarus from\nthe grave. As I patiently endured the necessary baptism for the dead,\ntowards the close of the meeting a little gleam of light appeared, in\nwhich was brought to my remembrance that passage of the wise man, that\n\u201cRighteousness exalteth a nation.\u201d And as my inward eye was kept to\nthe opening, it spread, and light sprang up, in which I felt the truth\nof that saying, that \u201cthe Lord\u2019s people are willing in the day of his\npower;\u201d and as I yielded to communication, the life was raised into\ndominion, and ran as oil over all. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing and\nmarvellous in mine eyes.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\n Engagements at and near home, 1817.--Visit to some parts of the\n yearly meetings of Philadelphia and Baltimore, 1817.\n\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 2d month, 1817. I was largely led forth in our\nmeeting to-day, on the different dispensations communicated to man\nby his gracious Creator, in order for his recovery out of the fall,\nand pointing out to the people the difference between the law state\nand that of the gospel: showing that the former was a mere figure or\nprelude to the latter, and that the first, with all its elementary\nrituals, ceased where the latter begun; the first only affecting the\nbody, the latter principally the soul; the first only the shadow of\ngood things, the latter the substance of all good to man; by which he\nis altogether redeemed from sin and death, as he submits willingly\nand fully to the power of the gospel, and is thereby prepared for an\ninheritance in eternal life.\n\nIn the course of this week, besides giving the necessary attention to\nmy temporal affairs, I made several friendly visits to the families\nof some particular friends, in company with my wife and daughter\nElizabeth. Although I met with some occurrences, one in particular,\nwhich produced considerable exercise on my mind, yet I had satisfaction\nin the visits; believing that when they are properly made, they often\nprove mutually comfortable and encouraging. Sat our meeting on fifth\nday in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 9th. Had a silent meeting to-day. This week afforded\noccasion of deep inward exercise, and seasons of heart-searching, in\na view of the manifest declension of many among us from that honest\nsimplicity and faithfulness which so eminently characterized our worthy\npredecessors, as also the increase of vanity and immorality among the\npeople without; and which I fear may have been increased by the want of\nfaithfulness among us, in the right and full support of our Christian\ntestimonies.\n\nFirst day, the 16th. Soon after I took my seat in our meeting to-day,\nmy mind was quickened and led into a sympathetic feeling with the state\nof Elijah, when he fled from the wrath and persecution of Ahab and\nJezebel, and when under great discouragement and dismay he bemoaned his\ncondition; saying, that they had pulled down the Lord\u2019s altars, slain\nhis servants, and he only was left and they sought his life; but the\nLord told him for his encouragement, that there were seven thousand\nyet left in Israel, who had not bowed their knee to the image of Baal.\nBut these no doubt were so scattered and dispersed among the people,\nthat Elijah could scarcely find one to whom he might open his mind, and\ntherefore felt himself as one alone. This no doubt is the lot of some\nof the Lord\u2019s most faithful servants in the present day, and was it not\nfor the same divine help and succour that Elijah experienced, some of\nthese at times would be altogether cast down and discouraged.\n\nThe subject spread and enlarged, and opened to a field of doctrine;\nwherein I was led to show to the people that the mystery of iniquity\nhad wrought in and under every dispensation of God to the Church\nthrough its varied transformations, and always resembling as much as\nmay be, an angel of light; by which it lies in wait to deceive, and has\ngenerally deceived, and still deceives, the greater part of the people\nof all the nations under heaven; setting up its post by God\u2019s post, and\nleading its votaries to perform their worship and works just like the\nLord\u2019s servants, with only this difference, that it is done in a way\nand time of their own heart\u2019s devising. But the Lord\u2019s children are all\ntaught of the Lord, and they are made to know it; for in righteousness\nthey are established, and great is the peace of these children; and\nthere is no peace to the wicked, to such as walk in their own wills,\nand in the way of their own heart\u2019s devising.\n\nOn fifth day of this week, was our monthly meeting, at which we had the\ncompany of a Friend in the ministry from one of our upper quarterly\nmeetings. He preached the truth to us in a pretty correct manner;\nbut I thought I never saw, with greater clearness than at this time,\nthat ministers might preach the literal truth, and yet not preach the\nreal gospel: and herein is witnessed the truth of that saying of the\napostle, that \u201cthe _letter_,\u201d however true, \u201c_killeth_;\u201d \u201cbut the\n_spirit_,\u201d and the spirit only, \u201c_giveth life_.\u201d And it is a great\nthing when ministers keep in remembrance that necessary caution of the\ndivine Master, not to premeditate what they shall say; but carefully to\nwait in the nothingness and emptiness of self, that what they speak may\nbe only what the Holy Spirit speaketh in them; then will they not only\nspeak the truth, but the truth, accompanied with power, and thereby\nprofit the hearers.\n\nFirst day, 23d. A silent meeting to-day. Nothing transpired in the\ncourse of this week, which required particular notice. Sat our meeting\non fifth day in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 3d month. Having felt my mind for several weeks\npast drawn to visit Bethpage meeting, I rode thither to-day in company\nwith my wife. It was rather a low dull time, but as I continued in the\npatience, a small prospect opened on the excellency of justice, and the\nright bringing up of children. It led to a communication instructive\nand edifying, for which I was made thankful.\n\nFirst day, the 9th. This day as I sat in our meeting, my mind was\nled to view the exalted and precious state those enjoyed, who were\nbrought by their faithfulness to witness in themselves the fulfilment\nof the first and great commandment, that of loving God above all;\nas they would thereby likewise know the fulfilment of the second,\nthat of loving their neighbour as themselves. As the subject spread\non my mind I believed it right to express it to the assembly, which\nbrought a precious solemnity over the meeting, and, I trust, it was an\ninstructive season to some present.\n\nThis week principally spent in the care of my temporal concerns and in\nlending assistance to the needy, and in the course of which my mind\nwas often attended with comforting ejaculations after this manner.\n\u201cThe Lord is my strength and my song, the lifter up of mine head and\nmy salvation; therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me. He\nleadeth me about and instructeth me, and preserveth me from the snare\nof the fowler, and from the strife of tongues.\u201d\n\nFirst day, the 16th. Our meeting to-day was large and solemn, and\nmostly silent. A little before the close, an exhortation of the apostle\nPeter was brought before the view of my mind: \u201cBe sober, be vigilant;\nbecause your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about\nseeking whom he may devour.\u201d As the subject opened I found it my duty\nto spread it before the meeting, with some observations thereon,\ntending to excite the people to diligence, inasmuch as there could\nbe no doubt of the truth of the apostle\u2019s testimony; hence it was\nnecessary for each one to keep the watch, resisting him steadfast in\nthe faith. The communication though short, was so attended with the\nquickening power of the gospel, as to reach, affect, and tender many\nminds, and brought a solemn awe over the meeting. Such seasons are\nworthy of grateful acknowledgments to the blessed Author of all our\nrich mercies.\n\nSpent this week mostly at and about home, enjoying sweet peace of mind,\nand the solace of heart-felt thankfulness to the Shepherd of Israel\nfor the unmerited favour. Attended the funeral of a deceased neighbour\non fourth day and our monthly meeting on fifth day. The funeral was\nlargely attended by the neighbouring inhabitants, among whom I was led\nforth vocally to espouse the cause of the gospel, in a large impressive\ntestimony. Many hearts were humbled, and the assembly in general\nsolemnized; may it be to these as bread cast upon the waters, gathered\nafter many days.\n\nFirst day, the 23d. Our meeting to-day was a season thankfully to be\nremembered. The subject that arrested my mind and led to communication,\nwas a comparative view of man with the rest of the animal creation;\nshowing that man, although endued with a rational understanding, and\nblessed with a measure and manifestation of the spirit of God, to guide\nhim infallibly in the way of his duty, had nevertheless swerved much\nfurther from the state of rectitude in which he was created, than any\nother creature; and was much more changeable and unstable than they.\nThis is a sure mark of his fall: and although continually liable and\nwilling to change, to gratify his own will and the humour of others,\nin following the changeable customs and manners of a vain world; yet\naverse to that necessary and laudable change, whereby he might regain\nparadise and renew communion with his Maker. This and much more I\nwas led to open to the auditory, in the demonstration of the spirit,\nshowing the way of man\u2019s return; whereby many minds present were\nhumbled and contrited, and solid satisfaction and comfort afforded to\nmy own.\n\nOn fourth day, I attended a marriage at Bethpage. It was, I think, a\nsolid instructive season. On fifth day attended our own meeting which\nwas held in silence. The rest of the week I was busily attentive to my\nusual avocations.\n\nFirst day, the 30th. I attended Westbury meeting, wherein my mind was\nopened into a view of man\u2019s primitive state, the manner and means of\nhis fall, and the way whereby he only can be restored, all which I\nhad largely to spread before the meeting. In addition to this, I had\nalso to caution Friends, particularly the youth, against letting their\nminds out in their own will and wisdom, into a search and pursuit after\nforbidden knowledge, particularly that of the _origin of evil_, which\nin the present day is a subject of much conversation and inquiry. For\nman in the beginning was forbidden the knowledge of good and evil, and\nthat command is as binding and obligatory in the present day as it was\nin the primitive state; therefore all those who presume in their own\nwills and creaturely wisdom, independent of the teaching of the spirit\nof God, to know good and evil, do thereby desert God, and so become\ndead to the divine life; and this is man\u2019s fall, and leads to Deism and\nAtheism.\n\nI was much engaged in the course of this week in endeavouring to\narrange and settle some difficulties in the neighbourhood, and in\nregulating some of my own temporal affairs. Sat our meeting on fifth\nday in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 4th month. Sat our meeting to-day in silence.\nIn the afternoon at the fourth hour, we had a meeting appointed by\na Friend from abroad, who was accompanied by another Friend in the\nministry, both of whom appeared in public testimony.\n\nMost of this week I was occupied about home. Attended our preparative\nmeeting on fifth day, which being the time of answering our queries to\ngo forward to the yearly meeting, I was led to make several remarks\nto Friends to stir them up to more faithfulness, in order that we\nmight profit by the queries, and be prepared to answer them with more\nclearness and propriety, according to truth and justice.\n\nFirst day, the 13th. Sat our meeting to-day in silence. This week our\nmonthly meeting was held, at which the state of society as represented\nby the answers to the queries from our preparative meetings was\nattended to, and a summary thereof forwarded to the quarterly meeting\nto be held the following week. This order of reading and answering the\nqueries quarterly, if rightly attended to, and Friends were generally\nkept lively in spirit, and were zealously engaged for the promotion of\ntruth, would, I believe, be productive of much good to the society: but\nalas! there are so many who seem lulled asleep in the lap of the world,\nand their minds clothed with so much indifferency, that it is to them\nbut a dead lifeless form. Surely these reap little or no advantage from\ntheir right of membership among us.\n\nSixth day. Was our preparative meeting of Ministers and Elders, in\nwhich nothing transpired worthy of notice.\n\nFirst day, the 20th. Our meeting to-day, as well as at some former\ntimes, has been rather heavy and dull. In the course of this week I\nattended our quarterly meeting, held at this time at New-York. It was\nin general rather a low time, although not without some manifestations\nof divine favour: therefore we had no cause for murmuring but rather of\nrejoicing, in that we were not cast off and forgotten.\n\nFirst day, the 27th. Sat our meeting again in silence. My present\nallotment is to be mostly at home, generally engaged in temporal\nconcerns for myself and others. But, I trust, instead of increasing\nmy love to the world and the things of it, I am fast weaning from it,\nand my love continually increasing and strengthening to higher and\nbetter objects; as my attention to the world and its cares arises\nfrom necessity and duty, and not from love, except that I love to do\nmy duty in all respects to God my Creator, and man my fellow creature,\nbelieving that there is no real Christianity without it.\n\nOur fifth day meeting was quiet and solemn, wherein I had to remind\nFriends that it was not enough to say with Peter, when queried of by\nhis Master whether he loved him, \u201cyea Lord,\u201d for this is no more than\nevery professor is ready to say, although they may be quite void of any\ntrue sense thereof; but we must come to know him and love him in such\nmanner, as when brought to a full trial of our faith and love, we can\nsay as Peter did in his third answer: \u201cLord thou knowest all things,\nthou knowest that I love thee.\u201d For this is the situation of mind which\nprepares to be at his disposal, and to endure hardness for his sake in\nthe Christian warfare.\n\nFirst day, the 4th of 5th month. My mind was led into an interesting\nview and reflection on the following gracious invitation of our Lord:\n\u201cCome unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give\nyou rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and\nlowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.\u201d As the subject\nspread on my mind attended with a degree of life, I was constrained\nto communicate the prospect, showing that Christ\u2019s yoke was nothing\nless nor more than the revealed will of his, and our, heavenly Father;\nwhich, as it is faithfully submitted to, yokes down and keeps in\nsubjection every desire and propensity of the human mind which stands\nin opposition thereto. So that the creature hereby knows God\u2019s kingdom\nto be come, and his will to be done, in earth as it is done in heaven;\nand the reward of rest and peace promised in the closing part of the\ninvitation is experienced.\n\nThe following part of this week spent principally in my usual\nvocations, except attending our preparative meeting on fifth day; and\nat the third hour in the afternoon, the funeral of our Friend Joshua\nPowell of Westbury, who was taken from us after a short illness, by a\nsudden inflammation and mortification in one of his arms. How true is\nthat saying of the prophet: \u201cAll flesh is grass, and all the goodliness\nthereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the\nflower fadeth;\u201d just such is man, alive to-day, to-morrow is dead.\nThis subject very sensibly impressed my mind at the funeral, and led\nto an awakening communication, which had a very reaching effect on the\nassembly. I hope the word that went forth will not return void, but\nprove a blessing to some who were present.\n\nFirst day, the 11th. Our meeting to-day was a trying season, but little\nfelt of the real virtue and life of religion. It seemed as though we\nwere in a worse condition than the multitude formerly; for there was a\nlad found among them with five barley loaves and a few fishes, which\nserved for the blessing to operate upon and enlarge, so as to suffice\nthe multitude and leave fragments remaining; but we were almost, or\naltogether destitute of any thing for the blessing of heaven to act\nupon. Therefore we ought not to murmur, although we were sent empty\naway.\n\nExcept attending our monthly meeting on fifth day, and assisting some\nof my neighbours to settle their business in which a dispute had\narisen, I was principally occupied in my temporal concerns through the\nweek.\n\nFirst day, the 18th. A silent meeting to-day. The rest of this week\nbusily employed preparatory to leaving home to attend our approaching\nyearly meeting. Left home early on seventh day morning, and got into\nthe city seasonably to attend the opening of the yearly meeting of\nMinisters and Elders at the tenth hour. On second day at the same\nhour, the meeting for discipline opened, and continued by adjournments\nuntil the seventh day following. In the forenoon of that day at about\neleven o\u2019clock it closed, under a comfortable evidence that the divine\npresence presided; and which, with thankfulness and gratitude we have\nhumbly to acknowledge, has, in gracious condescension, been vouchsafed\nto us in the several sittings of our large solemn assembly, in as\ngreat, if not greater degree, than has been witnessed in any previous\nseason: tending to unite all the rightly concerned members in a living\ntravail, for the promotion of the cause of truth and righteousness, and\nthe spreading and exaltation of those precious testimonies given us as\na people to bear for the Prince of Peace.\n\nFirst day, the 1st of 6th month. Attended our own meeting to-day in\nhumbling silence. Spent the week at and about home, except attending\nthe funeral of our ancient Friend Isaac Underhill of Flushing, on sixth\nday; on which occasion a meeting was held in Friends\u2019 meeting-house at\nthat place. It was a very solemn, and, I trust, a profitable season to\nsome present. My mouth was opened among them to testify of the things\nconcerning the kingdom of God, in a large affecting testimony, whereby\nmany hearts were contrited and made humbly thankful for the present\nfavour, and I was glad in believing that the Lord is still mindful of\nhis people, and is graciously disposed to strengthen and support them\nin the needful time; as their eye is kept single to him, looking to him\nonly for help and salvation.\n\nFirst day, the 8th. Had a comfortable meeting to-day. The testimony\nto the power of truth went forth freely to the people, comforting and\ncontriting many minds present. This is the Lord\u2019s doing and is worthy\nof grateful acknowledgments from his people, for such continued yet\nunmerited mercy.\n\nOn third day I attended a meeting at Bethpage, appointed by our friends\nElizabeth Coggeshall and Ann Shipley of New-York, who were now among us\non a religious visit. It was, I think, a season of great favour; not\nonly the two women appeared in seasonable and appropriate testimonies,\ntending to gather the minds of the people into a very comfortable\nsolemnity, but also, my heart and mouth were opened in a large\naffecting testimony, which found a ready entrance into the minds of\nmost present, breaking down all opposition and contriting many hearts\nby the prevalence of truth, which ran as oil over all. After this, our\nfriend Elizabeth closed the service in solemn supplication. It was a\nday of favour, worthy of grateful remembrance.\n\nOn fifth day I attended our preparative meeting, in which I had some\nservice for the promotion of truth\u2019s cause. The four other days of this\nweek, I spent in my usual necessary avocations.\n\nFirst day, the 15th. Nothing in particular to remark respecting the\nexercise of this day.\n\nOn the fourth day of this week, our monthly meeting was held, in which\nI was led into some close searching exercise, in order to stir up\nFriends to more diligence and circumspection, that so their light\nmight shine forth to the help of others, and their conduct appear\nconsonant with their profession. In this meeting I found it expedient\nand consistent with my duty, to open to Friends a prospect and concern\nwhich had for a considerable time rested on my mind, to pay a visit in\ngospel love, to Friends and others in some parts of the yearly meetings\nof Philadelphia and Baltimore. The subject obtained the solid attention\nof the meeting, and some Friends were appointed to confer with me on\nthe subject, and, as way opened, prepare an essay of a certificate for\nthat purpose, and produce it to our next meeting.\n\nFirst day, the 22d. Whilst sitting in our meeting to-day, my mind was\nled into a view of the great and singular advantages that would accrue\nto the children of men, from their having right and just ideas of\nreligion, the want of which was the principal cause of all the distress\nand misery that fell to their lot, both here and hereafter. The subject\nspread, and, as I communicated, opened to a large field of doctrine,\nwhich had a very reaching effect upon the assembly, and a very precious\nsolemnity was spread over the meeting; for which my heart was made\ntruly glad, with that gladness that hath no sorrow with it.\n\nThe rest of the week I was busily employed in the care of my temporal\nconcerns, which nevertheless has no tendency, if kept within right\nbounds, to prevent internal religious exercises, and spiritual\nmeditations and soliloquies. Sat our fifth day meeting in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 29th. I sat our meeting to-day in a sense of great\nweakness, in which I realized the truth of David\u2019s testimony: \u201cVerily\nevery man at his best estate is altogether vanity.\u201d\n\nExcept attending in silent meditation our fifth day meeting, and the\nfuneral of the only daughter of my brother Samuel, on seventh day, I\nwas engaged as usual during the week, in my family cares; which indeed\nis an arduous task, if rightly performed, and every department duly\ncared for in its right season, consistent with our moral and religious\nduty. The funeral mentioned above was a solemn one, in which I was\nlargely led forth to testify of the things concerning the kingdom\nof God; opening the way of life and salvation to the people, in the\ndemonstration of the spirit. The assembly were generally solemnized by\nthe efficacy of the power which attended, and truth raised into victory\nover all. Such favours are truly worthy of deep heart-felt gratitude\nand thanksgiving to the God and Father of all our sure mercies, who is\nover all, worthy for ever.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 7th month. Soon after I took my seat in our\nmeeting to-day, my mind was opened into a view of the great need man\nstands in of a Saviour, and that nothing can give him so full and\nlively a sense thereof, as a true sight and sense of his own real\ncondition; by which he is not only brought to see the real want of a\nSaviour, but is also shown thereby, what kind of a Saviour he needs.\nFor it must not only be one, who is continually present, but who is\npossessed of a prescience sufficient to see, at all times, all man\u2019s\nenemies, and every temptation that may or can await him; and have power\nsufficient to defend him from all, and at all times. Therefore, such a\nSaviour as man wants, cannot be one without him, but must be one that\nis always present, just in the very place man\u2019s enemies assault him,\nwhich is _within_, in the very temple of the heart: as no other Saviour\nbut such an one, who takes his residence in the very centre of the soul\nof man, can possibly produce salvation to him: hence, for man to look\nfor a Saviour or salvation any where else, than in the very centre of\nhis own soul, is a fatal mistake, and must consequently land him in\ndisappointment and errour.\n\nI was led forth to communicate largely to the people on the subject;\nand on the blessed effects that do, and will result to all those who\nfind such a Saviour, and who, in humility and sincerity of heart,\nfollow him faithfully in the way of his leadings. It was a solemn\nseason, and a day thankfully to be remembered.\n\nI was taken up principally the rest of this week, except attending our\npreparative meeting on fifth day, in my hay harvest. It is a laborious\nseason; and is made much more so by reason of there being so few\nfaithful labourers, among those who offer themselves as such. Most of\nthem are more anxiously careful how they may obtain the highest wages,\nthan to be engaged honestly to strive justly to earn them. This makes\nthe care and oversight of such business rather irksome and unpleasant,\nwhich otherwise would be agreeable and often delightful.\n\nFirst day, the 13th. I sat our meeting in silence. This week I was\nmostly taken up in caring for and assisting in, my hay harvest. For by\nthe fertility of the season, our fields have brought forth plenteously.\nOn fifth day our monthly meeting was held, in which Friends united with\nthe concern I had laid before them at the preceding monthly meeting,\nto pay a visit in gospel love to Friends and others, in some parts of\nthe yearly meetings of Philadelphia and Baltimore. A certificate was\nprepared for the purpose, leaving me at liberty to proceed therein, as\nway should open.\n\nFirst day, the 20th. A solemn, and, I trust, a profitable meeting\nto-day, in which the gospel was preached freely in the demonstration of\ntruth, and a precious covering was felt to spread over the assembly;\nand sweet peace clothed my mind at the conclusion. Surely the Lord is\na bountiful and rich rewarder of all his faithful servants, who serve\nhim, not for reward, but for the sake of that love wherewith he loveth\nthem, and which he so abundantly sheddeth abroad in their hearts, that\nthey are thereby drawn to love him above all; and in and under the\ninfluence of this precious love, they are led and constrained to serve\nand worship him freely for his own sake, because he is worthy, and not\nfor any reward to themselves, because they are altogether unworthy; and\nbecause that precious love wherewith he hath loved them, and with which\nhe hath filled their hearts, hath banished and dispelled therefrom\nevery germ of self-love, and all kind of selfishness. Nevertheless,\nof his own rich bounty and free will, without any real merit on our\npart, he abundantly and plenteously bestoweth his blessings upon\nall his faithful servants and children, whereby their love to him\nis continually increased, until he becomes their all in all, their\nalpha and omega, and they are brought into the possession of that\nperfect love that casteth out all fear; and in which they are enabled\ncontinually to worship and adore Him who liveth for ever, and who only\nis everlastingly worthy of all blessing and praise.\n\nIn the course of this week was our quarterly meeting, which was held\nat this time at Westbury. It was a season of exercise to all who were\nconcerned for the promotion of right order in the Church; and much\ncounsel, reproof, and admonition, were communicated, under right\ninfluence, to stir up the negligent and refractory members to more\nfaithfulness and attention to their several duties, and a more full\nsubmission to the manifestations of divine grace in their own minds,\nthat they may be thereby strengthened to arise, and shake themselves\nfrom the dust of the earth, and separate themselves from those\nhindering and annoying things, which divert and turn them aside from\ntheir Christian duty, and those things in which their best interest\nconsists. The meeting for worship was likewise a favoured season.\nMany very important truths of the gospel were clearly opened in the\ndemonstration of the spirit; and the meeting closed under a thankful\nsense of the unmerited mercy; and the living among us separated to\ntheir several homes with grateful hearts.\n\nI laid before this meeting my prospect of a religious visit as\naforementioned, and received the unity and concurrence of the men\u2019s\nand women\u2019s meetings; and an endorsement thereof was made on my\ncertificate. Being now left at liberty, and separated to the work\nwhereunto I believed myself called by the Holy Spirit, and knowing\nmy own insufficiency, and that of myself I can do nothing, all that\nremains for me is to cast my care wholly on him, in full faith,\nwho hath called me; and, as I abide in the patience and in a full\nsubmission to his heavenly will, he that putteth his servants forth,\nwill in his own right time go before them and make way for them,\nwithout which there is no way; and will make darkness light before\nthem, and not forsake, but safely carry them through and over all the\nopposition and discouragements, that either men or devils may or can\ncast in the way, to the exceeding praise of his grace, and to the glory\nand exaltation of his great and excellent name, who is over all, God\nblessed for ever.\n\nFirst day, the 27th. My mind while sitting in our meeting to-day, was\nled into a view of the great necessity there was of more faithfulness\nand attention to the inward principle of divine truth, or inward\nteacher in the mind, as professed by us as a people. For want of this,\nmany were led into divers errours and deficiencies, which in their\ntendency not only led to great weakness, but to the encouragement of\nevil doers in their evil practices; a sight and sense of which had\nfor some time been a cause of much exercise to my mind. The subject\nbecame very impressive, insomuch that I found it necessary to spread\nit before the meeting in a large arousing testimony; laying before the\nauditory the great danger many were in for want of a living concern to\nwork out, through the assistance of divine grace, their salvation while\nthe day of visitation was lengthened out. For nothing short of a full\nsubmission to the operation of divine truth on their minds could fit\nand prepare them for the awful approaching season, when the pale-faced\nmessenger shall arraign us before the judgment seat of Him, whom we\ncan neither awe nor bribe, to give an account of the deeds done in the\nbody, whether good or evil. A solemn weight spread over the meeting and\nmany minds appeared to be deeply humbled. May the exhortation be fixed\nin their remembrance, as a nail in a sure place that may not be moved,\nis the fervent desire of my mind.\n\nThe rest of this week I was busily employed in endeavouring so to\narrange my temporal matters, that when I leave home on the prospect\nbefore me, I may feel my mind at full liberty therefrom, and that\nno occasion may be given, through the medium of any of my temporal\nengagements, for the enemies of truth to gainsay or find fault, to the\ndisadvantage or reproach of the great and dignified cause I was about\nto embark in. For I have been led to believe some who have gone out on\nthis solemn embassy, for want of this care have given too much occasion\nfor censure, and have thereby wounded the cause they have proposed to\npromote, and brought much exercise on the minds of the faithful.\n\nOn fifth day at our meeting, my mind was deeply bowed in commemoration\nof the Lord\u2019s continued mercies, and that indeed it might be said of\nus as it was of Israel formerly, that it was of the Lord\u2019s mercies we\nwere not consumed; and I was made thankful in believing, that there was\na small remnant who were preserved faithful to his name and cause,\nand who were the salt of the society, and for whose sake he would not\nutterly cast us off nor forsake us. Surely it is of his unmerited mercy\nthat we are not swallowed up in the mass of the people, and numbered\namong the unstable multitude who have no sure and solid foundation to\nrest their hopes upon, but are trusting in a ceremonial religion, of\nman\u2019s invention; all which in the day of trial will fail them, and\nafford no succour to the soul.\n\nFirst day, the 3d of 8th month. My mind was brought under exercise in\nour meeting to-day, in a view of the great want of diligent attention\nto the light within, or that measure of the spirit given to every one\nof God\u2019s rational creatures to profit withal; even those who were\nso far convinced as to acknowledge its excellence, yet were almost\ndaily neglecting its reproofs, and turning aside from its teachings;\nby which their understandings became darkened, and they were left in\na dwarfish unstable condition, without any solid ground of hope. The\nsubject spread, and my mind was led into a large arousing testimony,\nsetting forth the danger of such a state, and the fatal consequences\nthat would naturally and certainly follow such delinquency if continued\nin. Truth prevailed, and many minds were sensibly bowed and affected by\nits power, and a very general solemnity spread over the meeting, to the\npraise of Him who is calling all his faithful and obedient children out\nof darkness into his marvellous light. The rest of the week spent as\nusual without occasion for any remark.\n\nFirst day, the 10th. A peaceful quiet meeting to-day in silent waiting.\nThe rest of the week, except attending our meeting for sufferings and\npreparative meeting on fifth day, was taken up in my outward business;\nwith a steady view to my religious engagement, that with all readiness\nI might be prepared to embark therein when the full time arrived.\n\nFirst day, the 17th. A silent meeting. This week was taken up\npreparatory to my journey. Attended our monthly meeting on fifth day,\nand feeling my mind drawn towards an opportunity with the people of\ncolour before I left home, I mentioned it to the meeting; and with the\nunity of Friends, a meeting was appointed for them on the following\nfirst day at the fourth hour in the afternoon. I also gave Friends of\nBethpage meeting information, that I felt my mind drawn to sit with\nthem in their meeting the next first day, and left them at liberty to\ninform their neighbours thereof.\n\nFirst day, the 24th. Agreeably to my prospect I attended Bethpage\nmeeting in the forenoon. It was large, and I think, greatly favoured\nwith the overshadowing wing of divine kindness. Truth rose into\ndominion, and bowed the assembly by the prevalence of its power, for\nwhich my spirit was made deeply thankful.\n\nThe meeting for the coloured people was held at the fourth hour, and\nI was enabled to clear my mind among them, although it was a season\nof hard labour. After this I felt my mind clear to set forward on my\nintended journey.\n\nFourth day, the 27th of 8th month. I left home in the afternoon in\norder to accomplish my contemplated visit to Friends and others, in\nsome parts of the yearly meetings of Philadelphia and Baltimore. My\nson-in-law Valentine Hicks, accompanied me in the journey. Feeling my\nmind drawn to attend the meeting of Friends at Flushing the next day,\nwe rode there and lodged. Notice being given in the neighbourhood of my\nintention to be there, the meeting was large, and the Lord graciously\nmanifested himself to be near, and enabled me to discharge myself\nfaithfully among them under the feeling influence of gospel love. Many\nhearts were contrited and truth appeared in dominion over all, for\nwhich favour I was made reverently thankful, not only on my own account\nand the account of those present, but especially so on account of my\ndear family and friends at home, who gave me up with great reluctance\non account of my present bodily indisposition, being under the pressure\nof a heavy cold and very hard cough, which, in their apprehensions,\nrendered me unable to travel in so arduous a service until I might be\nrecovered therefrom. But the time appearing to be come for my setting\nout, and the way appearing open, I considered it safest to cast my care\nwholly upon Him in faith, who, I believed, had called me to the work;\nand that as I continued to go forward, as he was graciously pleased to\nopen the way and make it clear before me, all would be well, whether it\nterminated in life or in death.\n\nThe next day, being the sixth of the week, we had an appointed meeting\nin Friends\u2019 meeting-house, at the Kilns, in Newtown. The meeting there,\nhad been discontinued for a number of years, and now there was but one\nmember of our society left in the neighbourhood. There was, however, a\nconsiderable number of people of other persuasions collected; and the\nLord graciously condescended to enable me to preach the gospel among\nthem, and to open divers doctrines of the Christian religion, suited\nto their several conditions, in the demonstration of truth, for their\nconsideration and instruction. The people were very solemn and quiet;\nand, I hope, the labour will not prove in vain, but be to some of them,\nas bread cast upon the waters, gathered after many days. We rode, after\nthis meeting, to New-York, and rested on seventh day.\n\nFirst day, the 31st. We attended Pearl-street meeting in the morning,\nand that at Liberty-street, in the afternoon. They were both full\nmeetings; and, although I was still under considerable bodily\nindisposition, yet, through condescending goodness, I was strengthened\nto discharge myself faithfully in both opportunities, and felt peace\nin my labours of love among them; being led in each meeting to declare\nlargely of the things concerning the kingdom of God, and to point out\nto the people, in a clear manner, the way to peace and salvation.\n\nOn second day afternoon, we proceeded on our journey to Newark, a town\nin New Jersey, where we attended a meeting at the fourth hour, previous\nnotice having been given in the town, of our coming. I had had several\nmeetings there before; but this was larger than usual for the place.\nThere is no member of our society residing in the town; the inhabitants\nbeing principally of the Presbyterian order. All was quiet, and a\ngeneral solemnity spread over the meeting; and truth and its testimony\nwere raised into dominion. Surely, it is the Lord\u2019s doing, and my\nspirit was made gratefully thankful for the unmerited favour.\n\nThe next day we attended a meeting appointed for us in Elizabethtown.\nHere, likewise, there is no member of our society. The meeting was\nsmall, yet through condescending goodness it proved, I trust, a\ncomfortable instructive season to some present; and I parted with them\nin peace of mind, the sure reward of faithfulness.\n\nFrom this place, we rode home with our kind friend Henry Shotwell, of\nRahway, who met us here. The next day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at\nPlainfield. Notice having been given that we intended to be there,\nthe meeting was large, in which the Lord\u2019s power was manifested, and\nhis arm made bare for our help; and through which, way was made and\nutterance given, to preach the glad tidings of life and salvation\nto the people, in the demonstration of the spirit. Many hearts were\nbroken and contrited by the prevalence of its power. May the glory and\nthe praise be all ascribed to our gracious Helper, for such continued\nmercy; for he only is worthy thereof, as nothing is due to the\ncreature, but blushing and confusion of face.\n\nAfter this favoured meeting, we rode back, towards evening, to Rahway.\nThe next day, being the fifth of the week, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nthere. The meeting was much enlarged by many of the neighbouring\ninhabitants coming in, who were not members. Many gospel truths were\nopened to their consideration, and its power ran as oil over the\nassembly, silencing all opposition, and a perfect calm was witnessed\nto spread over all. I have not often beheld such a perfect quiet; such\nseasons are truly encouraging, and worthy of thanksgiving and praise to\nthe blessed Author of such unmerited favours.\n\nOn sixth day morning, we took leave of our kind friends at Rahway, and\nrode to Mendham, alias, Randolph. The next day we had an appointed\nmeeting there, at the tenth hour, which proved a solemn, instructive\nseason. I left them with peace of mind, and proceeded that afternoon to\nHardwick. The following day being the first of the week, we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting there. It was large for the place, as notice had\nbeen given that we expected to be there. And, through heavenly help,\nthe gospel was preached in the demonstration of the spirit; and, by\nthe influence of its power, a general solemnity was spread over the\nassembly, and many hearts were broken and contrited.\n\nOn second day we proceeded to Stroudsburgh, in Pennsylvania, where we\narrived about three o\u2019clock in the afternoon. Here we had a meeting, by\nappointment, the next day, at the third hour. It was well attended by\nthe Friends of that place, and many of the neighbouring inhabitants;\nand was a very solid, instructive season. Surely, such unmerited\nfavours greatly enhance our obligations to our all-gracious Benefactor,\nand tend to inspire the minds of his humble dependant children with\ngratitude and thanksgiving.\n\nFrom this place we proceeded to Richland, and attended Friends\u2019 meeting\non fifth day. It was much enlarged by many who were not members\ncoming in. From thence we went to Plumbstead, where, by previous\nappointment, we had a meeting the next day. Both these meetings were\nseasons of favour. Surely, it is cause of deep humiliation, when we\nconsider the many sorrowful deviations which are obvious among us\nfrom the simplicity and purity of our holy profession, and the great\nwant of faithfulness in the support of those noble testimonies given\nus to bear, for the Prince of peace: yet, nevertheless, in the midst\nof all our backslidings, the condescending goodness of our heavenly\nFather is such, as to break the bread and distil the water of life,\noften, on our gathered assemblies; satisfying the hungry and thirsty\nsoul, and causing his heavenly rain to descend on the thoughtless and\nworldly-minded professors, whose hearts are like the dry and barren\nground, in order that they may be softened and rendered fit for the\nseed of his heavenly kingdom to take root in and grow, to the praise of\nhis grace, and the glory of his great and excellent name.\n\nFrom Plumbstead we proceeded to Buckingham, and rested on seventh day,\nas I was still unwell with a cough, although much better than when I\nleft home. On first day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting here, which was\nlarge, and favoured with the overshadowings of the heavenly Father\u2019s\nregard, which caused the faithful to rejoice. On second day we rested\nwith our ancient and worthy friend, Oliver Paxton, who was under deep\nbodily affliction, and appeared drawing fast towards his close. He\nwas lively in spirit, and cheerfully and patiently resigned to his\nheavenly Master\u2019s will. It was comfortable and instructive to be in\nhis company.\n\nOn third day we were at Solebury meeting, of which our aforesaid friend\nwas a member; and, although in much weakness and affliction of body,\nhe accompanied us thereto, and a blessed meeting we had. After this,\nI parted with him in near unity of spirit, which was a final parting\nto us, as to the body: for he lived but a short time after. He was an\nelder and judge in Israel; and his memory will be precious to all the\nliving, who were acquainted with him, and knew his worth.\n\nThe three following days we attended meetings at Wright\u2019s Town,\nMakefield, and Newtown. These were all large, favoured meetings, in\nwhich the power of truth was exalted over all opposition.\n\nOn seventh day we rested, and wrote to our families.\n\nOn first day, the 21st of 9th month, we attended Horsham meeting,\nwhich was very large. Strength was afforded me to communicate to the\npeople, and open many gospel truths, to the relief of my own mind,\nand, I trust, to the general satisfaction, comfort and instruction of\nthe assembly, which was composed of various denominations of professed\nChristians, besides Friends.\n\nSecond and third days. We attended meetings at Upper Dublin and North\nWales. In both of these meetings the heavenly Father\u2019s power and\npresence were felt to preside, in an eminent degree, breaking down and\nreducing by its blessed influence all opposing and contrary spirits,\nand covering the assemblies with a precious solemnity, especially the\nlatter, in which, truth reigned triumphantly over all.\n\nOn fourth day we had an appointed meeting in a village called\nNorristown. It was held in their court-house, there being only a few\nscattered members of our society living in the place. The meeting was\npretty large, principally of people of other professions; among whom\nwas the chief judge, and several lawyers and priests. All were quiet,\nand through the condescending goodness of the Shepherd of Israel, it\nwas, I trust and believe, to most present, a very instructive and\nprecious season.\n\nFifth and sixth days. We were at Friends\u2019 meetings as they came in\ncourse, at Plymouth and Providence. Notice having been given of our\ncoming, they were much enlarged by the attendance of the neighbours\nwho were not members. These were precious opportunities, in which\nhelp was afforded to preach the gospel of life and salvation to the\npeople, accompanied with a power which broke down and subjected all\nto its blessed influence; for which unmerited favour, the hearts of\nthe faithful were made to rejoice, and in deep humiliation, to return\nthanksgiving and praise to the benevolent and gracious Author of all\nour blessings.\n\nOn seventh day we rested at Charlestown. On first day attended the\nmeeting at that place, which was large, many more attending than the\nhouse could contain. The three following days we attended meetings at\nthe Valley, Pikeland, and Nantmill. These were all precious meetings,\nin which the Lord\u2019s presence and power were manifested for our help.\n\nOn fifth day we proceeded to Columbia, a town situated on the east side\nof the river Susquehannah. We had an appointed meeting there the next\nday, in which truth prevailed; nevertheless, a hireling priest who\nattended the meeting, afterwards made some objection to the doctrine\ndelivered, as it counteracted his traditional belief concerning the\natonement, the carnal ordinances of water baptism, and the outward\nbread and wine, and preaching for hire, and the scriptures being the\nonly rule of faith and practice; the fallacy and inutility of all which\nhad been laid open and exposed. This roused his opposition; and indeed,\nit is not to be wondered at, as it goes to overthrow all their craft,\nby which they have their wealth.\n\nWe proceeded from thence to Little York, and rested on seventh day.\nOn first day, attended Friends\u2019 meeting there. It was a pretty large,\nfavoured meeting, but not feeling my mind fully clear, I proposed\nanother meeting in the evening; and, notice being given accordingly,\nit was very large, more than the house could contain. It was a blessed\nmeeting, in which the Lord\u2019s presence and power were manifested, and\ntruth raised into dominion over all.\n\nThe four following days, we had meetings at Newbury, Warrington,\nHuntington and Menallen. In these opportunities my mind was much\nengaged to turn the attention of the people from man, and from all\ndependance on any thing without them, to the inward principle of divine\nlight and truth, the great gospel minister; which, as it is heeded and\nobeyed, leadeth into all truth, and out of all errour; and without\nwhose teaching, the true and saving knowledge of God and Christ, which\nonly brings eternal life to the soul, can never be obtained, although\nwe may be favoured to sit under the most powerful gospel ministry,\nthrough the instrumentality of man, however divinely qualified to that\nend, from youth to old age. For all that the best outward instrumental\nhelp, either from reading the scriptures, or hearing the gospel\npreached in the clear demonstration of the spirit, can do for any man,\nis only to point to, and lead the minds of the children of men home to\nthis divine inward principle, manifested in their own hearts and minds.\n\nThese were all favoured, instructive seasons, worthy of grateful\nremembrance.\n\nFrom Menallen we rode to Baltimore, in order to attend the yearly\nmeeting at that place, where we arrived on sixth day evening, the\n10th of 10th month. The yearly meeting of Ministers and Elders opened\nthe next day at the tenth hour, and the yearly meeting for discipline\nat the tenth hour, on the following second day; and continued by\nadjournments until the next sixth day at evening, when the meeting\nclosed under an evident sense of divine favour, and which had been\ngraciously extended through the several sittings of the meeting. I had\nmuch general and particular service in the course of the meetings,\nboth in those for worship, and those for discipline; tending to gather\nFriends\u2019 minds, to an inward, faithful exercise for the support and\npromotion of those noble testimonies, that we, as a people, are called\nto bear for the Prince of Peace; and for the exaltation of truth and\nrighteousness in the earth. The Lord our gracious helper, by his\npresence and power, manifested himself to be near, setting home the\ndoctrines delivered to his witness in the hearts of most present;\nwhereby Friends appeared generally to be united in spirit, and\ncomforted together under a renewed sense of the Lord\u2019s goodness; and we\nparted from each other with thankful hearts.\n\nThe meeting being ended, we left the city the next morning, in order\nto take a few meetings which lay westerly, or southwesterly from this\nplace. We were out from the city about two weeks, and attended the\nfollowing meetings, viz: Pipe Creek, Bush Creek, Fairfax, Goose Creek,\nSouth Fork, Alexandria, Washington, Sandy Spring, Indian Spring,\nand Elk-Ridge. All favoured meetings, in which the Lord\u2019s power and\npresence were manifested for our help, enabling to preach the gospel in\nthe authority of truth, to the comfort and instruction of the honest\nseekers, and rejoicing the hearts of the faithful, and administering\nreproof and caution to the disobedient and ungodly, and to such as\nare living at ease without God in the world. I felt sweet peace in my\nlabours of love among them.\n\nAfter the latter meeting, we returned again to Baltimore on sixth day\nafternoon, the 31st of 10th month. Here we continued until the 11th of\n11th month, not only attending Friends\u2019 usual meetings as they came in\ncourse in the city, but likewise their monthly meetings, and quarterly\nmeeting, which were held during the time. In all of these I was led\ninto much exercise and religious labour, both in the ministry and in\nthe discipline and order of the Church. We had, likewise, during our\nstay in the city, three very large, satisfactory evening meetings with\nthe citizens at large. Two were for the white people, and one for the\npeople of colour. I was led forth among them, and strengthened largely\nto declare of the things concerning the kingdom of God, and to open\nto their consideration divers important doctrines of the gospel, in\nthe authority and demonstration of truth, apparently to their general\nsatisfaction, and to the comfort and edification of my friends, and\nthe solid peace of my own mind. I then took leave of them, under the\nprecious uniting influence of the heavenly Father\u2019s love, and the\ncovering of deep thankfulness and gratitude for the unmerited favour.\n\nOn third day, the 11th of the month, we left the city and proceeded to\na place called the Bush, where there is a small meeting of Friends.\nThe three following days we attended meetings at that place, at Deer\nCreek, and East Nottingham, all favoured seasons. After the latter\nmeeting on seventh day, we proceeded to Wilmington, and attended\nFriends\u2019 meetings there the next day, both forenoon and afternoon,\nin which truth favoured with ability to preach the gospel in the\ndemonstration of the spirit, suited, I trust, to the states of many, or\nmost, of the people which composed those large assemblies, and I left\nthem with peace of mind.\n\nOn second day I rode to London Grove, accompanied by my kind friend\nWilliam Poole of Brandywine, my companion being disposed to tarry a day\nlonger at Wilmington. On third day the quarterly meeting opened there\nwith a meeting of Ministers and Elders; in which I was led to open to\nFriends of that meeting, the great obligations and accountability which\nattached to those who consented to take seats in such meetings. For it\nplaced us in the front of society, and consequently we were looked to\nas the leaders of the people; and therefore if we should fall short in\nfaithfully holding up those precious testimonies we are called to bear\nfor the Prince of Peace, and in leading forward the flock by advancing\nthe reformation as truth opens the way, we shall become stumbling\nblocks in the way of the honest travellers, and thereby shut up their\nway to improvement, by which they may be discouraged and fall back and\nbe lost; in consequence whereof it is to be feared, their blood might\nbe required at the hands of such unfaithful and dilatory shepherds. It\nwas an instructive searching opportunity, in which truth prevailed in\nan humbling degree.\n\nThe next day was the meeting for discipline. It was also a very\nfavoured searching season, in which many of the hidden things of Esau\nor the first nature were brought to light and exposed, and the careless\nworldly-minded professors reproved, and the honest-hearted comforted\nand encouraged.\n\nAfter this, feeling a draft of love to those not in membership with\nus, I proposed an opportunity for them the next day; and Friends\nuniting therewith, a meeting was accordingly appointed. It was a\nlarge gathering and mercifully owned by the Head of the Church, by\nthe gracious manifestation of his divine presence; under the blessed\ninfluence of which, the gospel was preached in the demonstration of the\nspirit, and I parted with them under a thankful sense of the Lord\u2019s\nmercy, accompanied with a peaceful mind, and rode that afternoon to\nConcord.\n\nOn sixth day we rode to Darby and lodged with our kind friend Edward\nGarrigues, who accompanied us the next morning to Philadelphia. Here\nwe continued about a week, attending Friends\u2019 meetings in the city as\nthey came in course. As information of our coming had spread in the\ntown the meetings were greatly thronged, and at some places many more\nthan the houses could contain; people of varied professions, and some\nof almost every description, high and low, appeared eager to attend.\nIt seemed a renewed visitation to the people in general, Friends and\nothers; and not only at meetings but in Friends\u2019 families where we\nvisited, large numbers, especially of the younger classes, would soon\ncollect; so that those opportunities were made seasons of instruction\nand edification. For the Lord, I believe, beheld them with a gracious\neye, and opened my heart and mouth in converse and communication, to\nthe comfort and satisfaction of their inquiring minds, and enabled\nme in each meeting to communicate in the line of the gospel in large\nimpressive testimonies, affording instruction, comfort and edification\nto the assemblies in general; and I felt a great power of love to flow\nfreely towards them, which caused my heart to rejoice, and I was made\nglad in believing that it was the Lord\u2019s doing, and it was marvellous\nin mine eyes.\n\nAfter I had got through Friends\u2019 meetings, I felt my mind drawn to\nhave a public opportunity for those not of our society; and Friends\nuniting therewith, it was concluded to be held on the evening of sixth\nday. Friends apprehending that the numbers who would be desirous of\nattending would be very great, it was appointed at Mulberry-street,\ntheir largest house. As the notice was given at the monthly meeting\nat that house, Friends likewise appointed a large committee of men\nand women to have the oversight of its gathering, and to keep Friends\nout until their neighbours should first have seats: but the number\nthat collected of other people was so great, that it was supposed as\nmany went away after the house was filled, and the yard around the\nhouse as far as they could hear, as there was in the house. Every\navenue in the house was filled with people, standing as close as they\ncould crowd together. Such a collection of people I never saw together\nbefore on any such occasion. It was with great difficulty that I got\ninto the meeting, and when I had taken my seat, in viewing the crowded\nstate of the multitude, I was ready to fear that the pressure of the\npeople upon one another would destroy the solemnity of the meeting;\nbut as I centered down to the gift, life and strength sprang up, and\nfaith was increased; and the Lord made bare his arm for our help, and\nsoon opened my mouth among them, which brought a precious calm over\nthe assembly. Indeed I could scarcely have thought it possible had I\nnot seen it, that such a large promiscuous multitude, made up almost\nof every description of people, should in a few moments be brought\ninto such a perfect state of quiet and remain so for hours, until the\nmeeting closed; especially as in the midst of the meeting while I\nwas communicating, some ill advised persons, in order to disturb the\nmeeting, made a great cry of fire, rattling their engines along the\nstreet near the house, but it had no tendency to break the solemnity\nof the meeting. My heart and all that was alive within me, was bowed\nin humble thankfulness to the Lord our gracious helper, for such a\nmarvellous and unmerited favour. As my whole man was filled with a flow\nof heavenly love to the multitude, it was likewise very comfortable\nto feel a mutual return from them, for all that could come near me\nmanifested it, both by conduct and converse; such a time I never\nwitnessed before: surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing, and to him belongs\nall the praise and glory of his own work, nothing due to the creature\nbut blushing and confusion of face. So let it be. Amen, saith my spirit.\n\nAfter having got thus favourably through my service in the city, the\nnext morning I took an affectionate farewell of my friends there, in\nmuch unity of spirit, and passed over the Delaware to Newtown, in\nJersey: where by previous appointment I had a meeting at the eleventh\nhour. A considerable number of Friends accompanied me thither from\nthe city. Here we had another precious instructive meeting. The next\nday being the first of the week, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at\nWoodbury; and notice being spread of our intention of being there it\nwas unusually large; and through the condescending goodness of Him who\nopens and none can shut, my heart and mouth were opened in a large\neffective testimony, in which was opened to the people divers of the\nmost essential doctrines of Christianity, I trust, to the general\ninstruction and edification of those present, and to the comfort and\npeace of my own mind.\n\nThe seven following days we attended meetings at Mullica Hill, Upper\nGreenwich, Penn\u2019s Neck, Piles Grove, Salem, Alloway\u2019s Creek, and Lower\nGreenwich. These were all large favoured meetings, particularly the\none at Salem; at which place the county court was then sitting, which\nwas adjourned by the judge in order to give the people generally an\nopportunity to attend the meeting, which they did; the judge and\nlawyers with the rest of the court also attended. The gospel was\npreached to them and the doctrines of Christianity largely opened,\napparently to the satisfaction of all; and truth was raised into\ndominion over all that was contrary to its blessed influence.\n\nFrom the latter place we proceeded on second day, the 8th of 12th\nmonth, to Morris River, alias Port Elizabeth, where we had a very\ninstructive edifying meeting the next day. The day following we rode\nto Little Eggharbour; and the next day being the fifth of the week,\nwe attended Friends\u2019 monthly meeting there. The meeting for worship\nwas favoured, and truth prevailed by way of testimony; and many gospel\ntruths were opened to the consideration of the people, whereby many\nhearts were humbled and contrited.\n\nThe meeting for discipline was very weakly conducted. The order of\ntruth being at a low ebb with Friends of this place, and but little\nhope of improvement, unless the younger classes in society come forward\nin more faithfulness than their elder brethren have done. For most of\nthe few that are left appeared to be settling on their lees, without\nany thought or prospect of advancing the noble testimonies we are\ncalled to bear.\n\nOur next meeting was at Barnegat: the day being rainy it was small,\nyet a precious favoured season. The next day being the seventh of the\nweek we rode to Squan, and the two following days attended the meeting\nat that place and at Squancum; but the weather being still rainy, these\nwere also small meetings: but the power of truth being present for our\nhelp, rendered the opportunities instructive and edifying. After the\nlatter meeting we proceeded to Shrewsbury, and on third day, the 16th\nof 12th month, we had an appointed meeting there which was large and\nsatisfactory. Many gospel truths were fully and clearly opened to the\napparent satisfaction, and, I trust, to the instruction and edification\nof the assembly in general. It was a very solemn meeting, in which\ntruth was raised into dominion, humbling and contriting many hearts;\nand which brought my religious labours in this journey to a peaceful\nclose.\n\nAfter this, the three following days I passed directly home, and\nfound my dear wife, children, and grand-children in usual health, to\nour mutual rejoicing. For this favour, together with the continued\nevidence of the divine favour which had accompanied me in this journey,\nstrengthening and enabling me from day to day, faithfully to perform\nthe work and service the Lord had appointed me, my mind was impressed\nwith deep thankfulness and gratitude for the unmerited mercy.\n\nPraise the Lord, O my soul! and forget not any of his benefits, for he\nhath dealt bountifully with thee, and set thee above all thine enemies,\nto the exaltation of his own glorious name and power; and who is God\nover all, blessed for ever.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\n Engagements at and near home, and within the limits of Westbury\n quarterly meeting--Visit to some parts of the yearly meeting of\n New-York, 1818.\n\n\nFirst day, the 21st of 12th month, 1817. I again met with my friends at\nhome, in our own meeting, and was glad to see them; having been absent\nnearly four months, in which time I travelled about eleven hundred\nmiles, and attended eighty-five meetings for worship, and eleven for\ndiscipline. And now, at home, I find no time to be idle; for in this\nfirst meeting, my mind was brought under exercise, and I had to tell my\nfriends, that if we would be Christians, we must be united to Christ,\nand learn by his example to do good for evil; as it is no certain\nmark of a real Christian, to be in the practice of mutual returns of\ngood offices to one another. For sinners give and lend to sinners, to\nreceive as much again. I found afterwards that there was just occasion\nfor my exercise, as some of my neighbours, members of society, had been\ndisputing and differing about trivial matters of property. Alas for\nsuch! what peace can they have on earth, and much less can they hope\nfor any in heaven, when done with time. For such dispositions cannot\npossibly be happy in the presence of a just, holy, and merciful Being,\nwho is love ineffable.\n\nI sat our meeting on fifth day in silence, and nothing unusual occurred\nthe rest of the week.\n\nFirst day, the 28th. I was led, while sitting in our meeting to-day,\ninto a view of the great want generally manifested by the people, of\nliving in the fear of the Lord, and of seeking to be initiated into his\nkingdom of peace and love; as nothing short of it can administer to\nany the joys of salvation, or produce a real redemption from the power\nof evil. The subject spread on my mind, and opened to a pretty full\ncommunication, in the line of close caution and warning to the indolent\nand unconcerned, respecting the necessary preparation for our final\nchange. A solemn weight spread over the assembly, and I have a hope the\nlabour will not be all lost, but sink deep and remain on some minds.\n\nIn the course of this week my case seemed to resemble Mordecai\u2019s of\nold; after riding the king\u2019s horse, he had to retire to the king\u2019s\ngate, and there wait for fresh direction. I also felt my mind brought\ninto a waiting quiet state, in poverty of spirit. Attended our fifth\nday meeting mostly in silence, except just before the close I had to\nremark to Friends the great advantage that accrued to us by being\nembodied together in religious society, under the influence of truth,\nas our duties and religious obligations became more binding upon us,\nespecially the diligent attendance of meetings for worship, which gave\nus frequent opportunity of inquiring into our own states, and how far\nwe stood accepted in the divine sight, and were at peace with Him and\nwith all men; for this is a very requisite care which ought not to be\nneglected, but always be first in our minds.\n\nFirst day, the 4th of 1st month, 1818. Having felt my mind for several\ndays drawn to sit with my friends at Martinicock, I accordingly went\non this day, accompanied by my wife and daughter Elizabeth. Although\nthe meeting was not altogether so large as at some other times on this\nday of the week, the weather being cold, yet the opportunity, through\nthe manifestation of divine regard, by which I was enabled to preach\nthe gospel in the demonstration of truth, was rendered an instructive\nedifying season, and we were comforted together under a renewed sense\nof the Lord\u2019s goodness.\n\nSecond day. I attended the funeral of a neighbour. It was a promiscuous\ngathering of different societies of professed Christians. I was largely\nled forth among them to declare of the things concerning the kingdom of\nGod, and to open to the people in a clear and impressive manner, the\nway and means by which we may come to have an inheritance therein, and\nthat nothing short of our coming into a passive state without a will\nof our own, as a little child, agreeably to the doctrine of our Lord,\nwill ever qualify us for that blessed inheritance, where nothing that\nworketh an abomination or maketh a lie can ever enter. It was a season\nof favour, in which truth had the victory, and I felt peace in my\nlabour of love among them.\n\nOn third day I went to New-York, accompanied by my son-in-law Valentine\nHicks, in order to attend the monthly meeting of Friends there,\nwhich came the next day. I attended it accordingly. It was a pretty\nfull meeting, in which I was led in a close, searching line in my\ntestimony, which agitated some of the worshippers in the outer court,\nand made them fretful. Alas for such professors! what will they do\nin the end, when the winds blow and the rains descend? Surely their\nsandy foundation will fail them; then will they be made to call to the\nrocks and mountains of their own exalted self-righteousness, to cover\nthem from the prevailing indignation which they have brought upon\nthemselves, by their own neglect of a right improvement of the talent\nwith which they had been entrusted, and which they had buried in an\nearthly mind; but their cries will be in vain, as the hypocrite\u2019s hope\nwill perish.\n\nFifth day. I attended Friends\u2019 meeting held in the middle of the week\nat Flushing, at which there was a marriage, which caused it to be much\nenlarged, by many of the neighbouring inhabitants coming in who do\nnot usually attend. It was a favoured season, in which I was led to\ncommunicate divers important doctrines of the Christian religion, and\nto open the true ground of the marriage covenant, whereby male and\nfemale may be rightly joined together, so as to become true helpers and\nblessings to each other. After this, I returned home that evening with\nthe blessing of peace, the sure reward of faithfulness, and retired\nwillingly to the waiting gate of inward trust, and poverty of spirit.\n\nFirst day, the 11th. My mind was led into a view of the necessity of\ndoing all our works to please God, and not to please ourselves, or one\nanother; and the only way to please our neighbours to edification, was\nto do all to please the Lord, who hath promised that if our ways please\nhim he will make our enemies to be at peace with us. The subject spread\nand led to communication, in which the people were invited to acquaint\nthemselves with God, and be at peace with him by doing his will, and\nnot our own, whereby good would come unto us; hence we should please\none another to our mutual edification and comfort.\n\nOn fifth day our monthly meeting was held. It was a season of exercise,\noccasioned by a case of difficulty being improperly introduced into the\nmeeting.\n\nI saw clearly the meeting could not get along with it in its present\nform, as it had taken ground which was not tenable. It was therefore\nagreed to dismiss the subject for the present, and let it be taken up\nanew, unless on a further investigation by the overseers, it should be\nsettled.\n\nHow necessary it is for those who take an active part in the discipline\nof the Church, to wait for a right qualification, and not to put a\nhand to the work until they are rightly called and furnished, with\nthat wisdom which is profitable to direct; for otherwise, instead of\nadvancing the cause of righteousness, they may retard its progress,\nand do harm to themselves, like Uzza of old, when he put forth an\nunsanctified hand to steady the ark.\n\nI opened in this meeting to my friends, a prospect I had of paying\na religious visit to some of the neighbouring inhabitants not in\nmembership with us, within the borders of our quarterly meeting; with\nwhich the meeting united, and left me at liberty to pursue the prospect\nas way might open for it.\n\nThe rest of this week was spent in the care of my necessary temporal\nconcerns, and the week ended with peace of mind and a thankful heart,\nfor the continued blessings of a gracious Providence.\n\nFirst day, the 18th. Our meeting to-day was favoured, and the power\nof truth exalted, and the gospel preached in its own authority, and a\nprecious solemnity spread over the meeting, which ended in thanksgiving\nfor the mercy, and solemn supplication for the continuance of divine\nregard.\n\nIn the course of this week our quarterly meeting was held at Westbury.\nIt was a favoured season, particularly the last day or closing meeting\nfor public worship, in which the Lord\u2019s presence and power were\nmanifested in an eminent degree, and truth was exalted and a precious\nsolemnity spread over the assembly, convicting, contriting, and\ncomforting many hearts; to the praise of Him who is calling us out of\ndarkness into his marvellous light.\n\nFirst day, the 25th. A silent meeting on my part to-day. How\ncomfortable it is to sit silently under the shadow of our own vine and\nour own fig-tree, where none can make afraid.\n\nSecond day. I attended the funeral of my eldest and last surviving\nbrother. I am now the last and only survivor of six brethren, and am\nmyself arrived nearly to the age of three score and ten; therefore\ncannot expect many more days, as I continually feel time making\nits ravages on the animal system, and which, as a faithful herald,\nexclaims repeatedly to the inward ear, \u201cprepare to die.\u201d There was a\nlarge promiscuous collection of people of different societies attended\nthe funeral. I was largely led forth among them to declare the way\nof life and salvation, and to open many very important doctrines\nof the Christian religion. The assembly were generally very quiet\nand attentive, and, I believe, to many, it was a season of solid\ninstruction and edification. I left them with peace of mind and a\nthankful heart.\n\nI attended our fifth day meeting as usual, and mostly in silence. On\nsixth day I attended the funeral of a person not in membership. It was\nprincipally made up of the poorer kind of people, who made little or no\nprofession of religion, except a few Friends and some of the Methodist\nsociety. I was deeply baptized into a feeling of their weak state, in\nwhich I was led to communicate according to their capacity to receive;\nwhich brought a comfortable solemnity over the assembly to their\ngeneral satisfaction, and I felt peace in my labour of love among them.\n\nFirst day, the 1st of 2d month. As I sat musing in silence in our\nmeeting, my mind was led into a view of the great mischief and harm\nwhich result to mankind, by their giving way to harbour and indulge\nvain and evil thoughts. The subject spread and led to communication, in\nwhich I had to show to the assembly that our redemption and salvation\nprincipally depended on a right government of our thoughts, and that\nif men and women were as fearful of evil thinking as they are of evil\ndoing, and as desirous of avoiding one as the other, they would soon\nfind themselves empowered as fully to avoid evil thinking as to avoid\nevil doing; and this would be a suppression of sin in its first rise:\nand there is no other way for any man or woman to become righteous\nand holy in the sight of God, who as certainly at all times sees our\nevil thoughts, and more so than man can see our evil actions: yet\nnevertheless poor blind forgetful man will please and entertain himself\nwith abundance of evil thoughts in the open view of his Maker, while at\nthe same time he would dread to expose them by overt acts, in the view\nof men. This shows how much more predominant the fear of man is with\nthe most of mankind, than the fear of God their Creator. I hope the\nopportunity was profitable and instructive to some present.\n\nSecond day, the 9th. I rode to New-York in order to attend the\nmeeting for sufferings which came the next day, and which I attended\naccordingly. After this I spent several days in the city and\nneighbourhood, in prosecuting the concern I opened before our last\nmonthly meeting. My kinsman Isaac Hicks accompanied me.\n\nI attended Pearl-street meeting as it came in course on fourth day,\nand had an appointed meeting at the same place in the evening, for the\ninhabitants of the town at large. It was a very full meeting, many\nmore collected than the house could contain. The next day I attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting at Manhattanville, and in the evening had a public\nmeeting in the city, at Friends\u2019 meeting-house in Liberty-street. These\nwere all full favoured meetings, in which truth reigned and subjected,\nat least for the present, all contrary spirits, which was cause of\nhumble thankfulness to my mind.\n\nWe left the city on sixth day and had an appointed meeting at Brooklyn\nin the evening. On seventh day we had two meetings in Newtown, the\nfirst at Friends\u2019 meeting-house at the Kilns, and the latter at the\ntown in the evening. These three last meetings were principally made up\nof people of other societies, who behaved very commendably and appeared\nwell affected with the meetings; and truth\u2019s testimonies were largely\nand satisfactorily opened in each meeting, comforting and contriting\nmany hearts, and to the solid peace of my own mind.\n\nOn first day, the 15th, I attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Flushing, and\nsome notice having been spread of my coming, it was large; and was\nadded to by a number from Newtown, of other societies who had attended\nthe two meetings held there the day before. This was also an open\ninstructive meeting, in which divers doctrines of the gospel were\ncommunicated in the life, to the edification of the people. The next\nday I returned home and found my family well, which, with the peace of\nmind that accompanied, produced thankfulness of heart to the blessed\nAuthor of all our mercies and blessings.\n\nFifth day. I attended our monthly meeting. It was rather a dull\nexercising season, in which I was led into some painful labour.\n\nOn sixth day, I proceeded again on the visit to some of the\nneighbouring inhabitants. Had an appointed meeting in the evening at\nHempstead Harbour, and the next evening at the lower part of Cowneck.\nBoth were full meetings. In the former I was largely opened by way of\ntestimony, and many important doctrines of the gospel were communicated\nfor the instruction and edification of the people, and I left them\nwith peace of mind. In the latter I was mostly silent. On first day I\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting at Cowneck, which was well attended; many\nof the neighbouring inhabitants coming in that were not members, who\nbehaved soberly. It was a favoured satisfactory season, in which truth\nreigned.\n\nIn the evening I had a pretty large instructive meeting in the village\nof Herricks. It was a solemn time, in which many truths of the gospel\nwere clearly opened, apparently to the satisfaction and edification of\nthe assembly in general, and I returned home next morning with peace of\nmind.\n\nOn fourth day I attended Bethpage meeting, at which there was a\nmarriage, which occasioned the meeting to be very large. I think it\nwas much the largest I had ever seen in that place. There was a large\nnumber of young people, and although many of them appeared raw and\nundisciplined, yet they generally behaved orderly during the meeting,\nand I had a pretty open time among them. I was led to set forth the\nnature and dignity of the marriage covenant when rightly entered\ninto, and the sad reverse, when rashly and unadvisedly undertaken;\nand especially so when unequally yoked together, and of different\npersuasions as to religion: for being disunited in the main point, it\nmost certainly must tend to disturb their quiet and imbitter their\nenjoyments. And the offspring of such connexions are greatly to be\npitied; attached by nature to both parents, how confused must be their\nideas with regard to which they shall follow; and as it often happens,\nthe boys going with their father, and the daughters with their mother;\nhence, children which ought to be bound together in the strongest ties\nof natural affection and consanguinity, are in early life divided in\nprinciple and in conduct, by which they become alienated from each\nother. To avoid which the youth were earnestly and affectionately\ninvited and admonished to put in practice the exhortation of Jesus\nChrist to his immediate followers, and the people which resorted to\nhear him, viz: To seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,\nin a full belief that as we comply therewith, all other things needful\nand consolatory will be added.\n\nI attended our own meeting the next day in silence, and feeling a stop\nin my mind as to proceeding further at present in the visit before me,\nI turned my attention to my family concerns, not being willing to spend\nany of my precious time in idleness.\n\nFirst day. Sat our meeting in silence. It is a precious thing and very\nconsoling, to all Zion\u2019s exercised travellers in the path of duty, to\nbe instructed how and when to speak, and when to keep silence.\n\nFifth day. A silent meeting. Spent the rest of the week in attention to\nmy family concerns.\n\nFirst day, the 8th of 3d month. A favoured open time in our meeting\nto-day, in which the gospel was preached in its own authority, and in\nwhich the excellency and reality of the divine principle of grace and\ntruth was opened and explained; showing it to be the same breath of\nlife which was breathed into man on the day of his creation, and which\nconstituted the divine image in man, and is the Lamb or innocent life\nof God, and which innocent life was slain in our first parents by\ntheir first transgression. Hence it is called the Lamb slain from the\nfoundation of the world, agreeably to the scriptures; but no otherwise\nslain than by man\u2019s rejecting it, and turning away from it, into the\nserpentine wisdom; by which man became dead to this divine life, and\nthat dead to him. Hence the denunciation was fulfilled on man, in the\nday thou eatest thereof, that is, in the day thou turnest away from\nthis divine life, and presumest to know good and evil for thyself,\nthou shalt, or wilt, surely die; which was accordingly fulfilled on\nour first parents in the day of their transgression, and consequently\non all their offspring who have followed their example. Agreeably to\nthe apostle Paul\u2019s doctrine, it then follows, that as in Adam all\ndie, that is, as in our transgressing like Adam, we take upon us\nAdam\u2019s nature in the fall, which nature is a state of death; so on the\ncontrary, as we turn inward to the divine light and law, and repent\nof our transgressions, and become sincerely obedient thereunto, by\ndenying ourselves and taking up our cross daily, we then come into\nthe obedience of Christ; not doing our own will, but the will of our\nheavenly Father. We then put on Christ and become partakers of his\ndivine nature, and thereby come to witness in our own experience, not\nonly that in Adam, that is, in Adam\u2019s nature in the fall, which we\nhave taken upon us by our own transgression, and not by Adam\u2019s, we die\nor witness a state of death to the divine nature: so likewise in our\ncoming into the obedience of Christ, we take upon us his divine nature;\nand are thereby made alive and come to witness the Lamb which was slain\nin us, while we remained in Adam\u2019s nature, to rise from the dead and\nbecome Christ in us the hope of glory, or the Lamb of God which taketh\naway the sin of the world. Therefore all the varied names given in\nscripture to this divine light and life, such as Emmanuel, Jesus, sent\nof God, great Prophet, Christ our Lord, Grace, Unction, Anointed, &c.\nmean one and the same thing; and are nothing less nor more, than the\nspirit and power of God in the soul of man, as his Creator, Preserver,\nCondemner, Redeemer, Saviour, Sanctifier and Justifier.\n\nSpent the rest of the week at and about home. Attended our preparative\nmeeting on fifth day. The meeting for worship I sat mostly in silence.\n\nFirst day, the 15th. In the course of our meeting I felt constrained\nto communicate some plain truths in doctrine and in caution, to the\nunguarded and refractory; but which seemed too much to rebound, for\nwant of a disposition in such to receive the word preached, as they are\napt to kick against the truth when it is plainly told them; this causes\nhard labour to the messengers, who, although they feel the woe and are\nconstrained to labour, yet find little satisfaction therein, except\nin the consciousness of having faithfully done their duty to their\ncareless and deficient brethren and fellow creatures.\n\nIn the afternoon I proceeded in the concern before expressed, in\nvisiting some of the neighbouring inhabitants. Had an appointed meeting\nat Jerusalem in the evening, and on second day, a meeting about four\nmiles westerly from thence. On third day I had one further on, in a\nsouthwesterly direction, among a people in moderate circumstances as\nto this world, but whose minds seemed generally open to receive the\ndoctrines of truth. I also had a meeting in the evening of this day\nin the town of Hempstead. These were all large favoured meetings,\nespecially the last, which was unusually so, and in which the truths of\nthe gospel were largely communicated, apparently to the satisfaction\nand edification of the assembly, and to the peace of my own mind. We\nreturned home the next day, attending Westbury monthly meeting in our\nway.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting. In the meeting for worship I\nwas led to open to Friends the many precious advantages and privileges\nresulting from a firm faith and sincere trust in the Almighty Jehovah.\nFor thereby we come to witness all those great and precious promises\nfulfilled which the scriptures mention, and know in our own experience\nthat they who trust in the Lord are never confounded.\n\nThe rest of the week I was busily employed in a variety of temporal\nconcerns, as I find no time to be idle, either in body or mind, for\nnothing affords so much true peace as a consciousness of the right\nimprovement and employment of precious time.\n\nFirst day, the 22d. By previous appointment I attended a meeting at the\nhouse of our friend James Rushmore, at the Halfway Hollow Hills, at the\neleventh hour, and in the evening at a place called Babylon, on the\nsouth side of the Island. These meetings, by the extreme inclemency of\nthe weather, were small, especially the first, where it was like the\ntwo or three as to number, yet I found a good degree of satisfaction\nin faithfully attending to the appointment, although I had to ride\na dozen miles or more through the storm, which was so extreme as to\nprevent nearly all the neighbours from attending the meeting, and in\nour passing from one meeting to the other, the wind blew with such\nviolence, that our carriage seemed several times near blowing over; but\nwe got along safe, and had a comfortable meeting at the latter place\nin the evening. After this I rode to my son-in-law Joshua Willits\u2019, at\nIslip, and lodged. I spent most of the next day at his house, and on\nthird day at the eleventh hour had a pretty large favoured meeting at\nthe house of our friend Thomas Whitson, at Oysterbay South. After this\nI returned home.\n\nIn our fifth day meeting I was made an example of silence.\n\nFirst day, the 29th. In our meeting to-day I was led into an\nenlightened view of the excellency of faith, and its blessed effects on\nthe minds of those who come to witness its lively operation.\n\nThe subject opened to communication in a large affecting testimony,\nrecapitulating its wonder-working power in the holy ancients, and\nshowing that its efficacy was the same now as in former days, to those\nwho become rightly initiated into it through faithful obedience to\ndivine requiring, as nothing else will establish us in that living\nfaith which works by love, and gives victory over the world.\n\nFifth day. Attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Martinicock, in which I was an\nexample of silence. At the second hour in the afternoon, I attended\nthe funeral of Charles Thorne, a person inclining to Friends, in\nthe neighbourhood of Moscheto Cove. There was a large collection of\nthe neighbours, among whom I was led to communicate and open divers\nessential doctrines of the gospel, and to set forth the design and end\nof the types and shadows of the law dispensation given to Israel, and\nto Israel only; and to show that they were finished and abolished by\nthe introduction of the gospel state, or the diffusion of the spirit\nof truth, or Holy Ghost, in the minds of the believers, by which only\nwe can come to have a living faith made perfect by good works, because\nfaith without works is dead.\n\nFirst day, the 5th of 4th month. A silent meeting to-day. This week\nbusily employed in my temporal concerns, even so as to occasion\nwearisomeness at times. What a comfortable state would even this world\nafford, if men and women were all honest enough to do their light\nportion of labour, for want of which thousands in every country are\ninventing pitiful and unrighteous schemes to obtain a livelihood from\nthe labours of others. These, let them be high or low, learned or\nunlearned, rich or poor, make up that class of mankind, who grievously\noppress and grind the faces of the poor.\n\nFirst day, the 12th. I had a precious open time in our meeting to-day,\nin which I was led largely to open many truths of the gospel, in a\nclear instructive manner, which brought a precious solemnity over the\nmeeting, and which closed under the sensible covering of divine favour.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting. It was the time for preparing\nanswers to the queries to go up to the yearly meeting, and was, I\nbelieve, a season of profitable exercise.\n\nFirst day, the 19th. I had good service in our meeting to-day, and\nthrough the overshadowing wing of divine kindness, it proved a precious\nopportunity. In the course of this week I attended our quarterly\nmeeting, held at this time in New-York. It was a favoured season in the\nseveral sittings of it, affording encouragement to the honest-hearted,\nto persevere on in their heavenly way without turning aside to the\nright hand or the left, through fear, favour or affection. The labour\nin the line of communication fell mostly to my lot.\n\nFirst day, the 26th. I was made an example of silence through our\nmeeting to-day. Nothing of particular notice occurred in the course of\nthis week.\n\nFirst day, the 3d of 5th month. I attended the funeral of our ancient\nworthy friend Jacob Underhill, of Cedar Swamp. There was a very large\ncollection of Friends and neighbours assembled on the occasion, he\nbeing very generally beloved and esteemed by his acquaintance and\nFriends. A very solemn meeting was held at the meeting-house at\nMartinicock, on the occasion, in which I was largely led forth in\nministry and doctrine, so that many hearts were contrited, to the\ngeneral satisfaction and edification of the assembly, and to the peace\nof my own mind.\n\nIn the afternoon I had an appointed meeting at the house of Amos\nCheshire, about four miles easterly from our village. Through divine\nfavour it was made an instructive, profitable season, in which truth\nwas exalted over all opposition.\n\nFifth day. I attended the funeral of my kinswoman the widow Sarah\nAlbertson. A solemn meeting was held on the occasion, at Friends\u2019\nmeeting-house at Westbury, in which I had good service. I was led\nto open in a clear manner, the superiour excellence of the divine\nprinciple of light and truth, borne testimony to by the society\never since we have been a people, and showing that, where that is\nwanting, or is not given heed to, every thing else will and must fail\nof effecting the great work of our salvation, as no other means are\nadequate to that end. It was a season of favour, in which I was largely\nopened to declare of the things concerning the kingdom of heaven, and\nto open to the people many truths of the gospel, in the demonstration\nof the spirit, accompanied with power; which solemnized and tendered\nmany minds. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing, and to him belongs all the\npraise: nothing due to man.\n\nFirst day, the 10th. A hard trying meeting, mostly silent.\n\nFifth day. Had the acceptable company of our friend Mary Naftel,\nfrom England. She laboured in the ability afforded for our help and\nencouragement, which honest travail does not fail of meeting its own\nreward, true peace of mind, the richest treasure.\n\nFirst day, the 17th. Silent in our meeting to-day.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, at which we had the company\nof our esteemed friend Phebe Field from Scipio. Her company, together\nwith her lively, simple, plain testimony, corresponding with our\nprofession, were truly acceptable and refreshing.\n\nSeventh day, the 23d. I left home early in the morning in order\nto attend our yearly meeting, accompanied by my wife and daughter\nElizabeth. We arrived in New-York in time to attend the first sitting\nof the meeting of Ministers and Elders, which opened at the tenth\nhour. The meeting for discipline opened the following second day at\nten o\u2019clock, and closed on fifth day evening. It was shorter as to\ntime than usual; but I think, in the main, it was a favoured meeting,\nand closed well, under an humbling sense of divine condescension and\nregard, and Friends separated to their several homes, under a feeling\nsense of brotherly love.\n\nFirst day, the 31st. Attended our meeting in silence, and in much\npoverty of spirit, and although we had the company of a Friend who was\ntravelling in the ministry, and who appeared pretty large in testimony;\nyet it seemed void of life to me, which I was willing to conclude was\nmy own fault. We had another meeting appointed at the fourth hour in\nthe afternoon, by two women Friends from West Jersey. This was also a\nmeeting of exercise to me, without laying any thing to the charge of my\nfriends.\n\nFifth day. A silent meeting. The rest of the week laboriously exercised\nin my temporal concerns. Oh how killing too much bodily labour is to\nour best spiritual life, and although it may be no more than is our\nduty to do, in order comfortably to accommodate our families, and the\ntimely payment of our just debts, and the punctual performance of\nall our contracts, yet even then divine wisdom has so wisely ordered\nthe events of things, as to impress caution on our minds, by not\nsuffering us to reap much spiritual content or inward enjoyment from\nbodily exercise, or worldly care, lest as man is naturally prone to\nseek earthly things, he might become so swallowed up in his temporal\nenjoyments, as to neglect the one thing needful, that of laying up\ntreasure in heaven.\n\nFirst day, the 7th of 6th month. We had a large meeting to-day, and\nhaving been made an example of silence for a number of meeting days\npast, I also looked for the same at this time, till nearly half the\ntime of our meeting was expired. I sat clothed in darkness, a darkness\nwhich could be felt; but after wrestling for about an hour a gleam of\nlight sprang up, and a prospect revived, which had presented at the\nopening of the meeting, and enlarged with increasing weight until it\nled to communication. In the course thereof, the original state of man\nwas considered, and presented to the view of the audience; and the\nstate of rectitude in which he was placed by his gracious Creator;\nalso the way shown, by and through which he fell, in a way clearly to\ndischarge and exculpate the all-equitable and perfect Jehovah from any\nblame, as having any part or hand in man\u2019s fall and ruin, and placing\nit wholly on his own turpitude, by making a wrong use of his liberty,\nand by making his election to evil instead of good, when both lay open\nbefore him, at his own choice. Therefore, if he would pursue evil\ninstead of good, he had none to blame but himself: the Lord would be\nclear, and his faithful servants would be clear; his blood will be upon\nhis own head.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting. My exercise and testimony\nled to show the excellency and necessity of silence to man, in all his\nattempts to approach the divine Being in solemn spiritual worship; not\nonly the body but also the mind must be silenced, according to that\nsaying of the prophet, \u201cBe still and know that I am God;\u201d with which\nthe testimony of Christ well agrees, where he assures his disciples,\n\u201cThat he is the vine, and they are the branches; and except the branch\nabide in the vine it withereth,\u201d and that \u201cwithout him they can do\nnothing.\u201d As it is the sap from the vine that can only quicken and\nvivify the branch; so nothing short of the will, life and power of\nthe Creator, spiritually dispensed to the creature, can enable him to\nperform worship in spirit and in truth. For nothing but man\u2019s assuming\nan independent will, in opposition to the divine will, and becoming\nactive therein, occasioned his fall and separation from his Maker; so\nlikewise nothing but a renunciation of that will, and a cessation from\nall self-activity as an independent creature, can unite and restore him\nagain, or enable him to worship in spirit and in truth.\n\nFirst day, the 14th. Having not fully performed my contemplated visit\nto our neighbouring towns and villages, and way opening for a further\nprocedure, I attended two appointed meetings to-day, one in the morning\nat Cold Spring, and the other at the fourth hour in the afternoon at\nHuntington. Both these were pretty full meetings, in which my exercise\nwas laborious, but I had a hope they were profitable meetings to some\npresent. I returned home in the evening.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, at which we had the company of\na Friend from Pennsylvania. His plain lively testimony, together with\nhis company and solid deportment, did my heart good, as it brought to\nmy remembrance some of our primitive worthies.\n\nSixth day. I attended the funeral of our friend Jacob Smith of\nWestbury. His death was very sudden and unexpected, which made it the\nmore trying to his family. A meeting was held on the occasion, which\nwas largely attended by his friends and the neighbouring inhabitants.\nThe opportunity was solemn and instructive, and the gospel was preached\nin the demonstration of the spirit, and many hearts were humbled and\ncontrited. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.\n\nFirst day, the 21st. I proceeded again in order to accomplish my\naforesaid visit to the neighbouring towns and villages. By previous\nnotice, a meeting was appointed at Cow Harbour, about twelve miles to\nthe eastward, at the fourth hour in the afternoon, at the house of a\nperson by the name of Henry Scudder, which was large and favoured. The\nfive following days, I attended meetings appointed at the following\nplaces, viz: at Elias Smith\u2019s, in the west part of Smithtown, on second\nday, at the fourth hour in the afternoon; at the Branch on third day,\nat the eleventh hour; at Stony Brook, on fourth day at eleven o\u2019clock;\nat Setauket on the same day, at the fourth hour in the afternoon; on\nfifth day had one at a place called the Hopfrogs, at the fourth hour\nin the afternoon; on sixth day at the eleventh hour, one near Commack,\nat the house of our friend Jacob Harnad, and at the fourth hour, had\nour last meeting in this town, at the house of Jonah Wood, at Dixhills.\nThis is a grandson of Jonah Wood deceased, who resided in the same\nplace, where I often had meetings while he was living. He was a man\nconvinced of the principles of Friends, but never came forward to join\nthe society, which I apprehended was a loss to himself and family.\nThese meetings were all owned by the Master of our assemblies, although\ngreat weakness and ignorance were manifest in many who attended,\nnevertheless the Lord was graciously pleased to condescend to their low\nestates, and opened my mouth in doctrine suited to their states and\nconditions. I returned home on seventh day, with a thankful heart and a\npeaceful mind, the result of faithfulness in the Lord\u2019s work.\n\nFirst day, the 28th. Attended our own meeting, which I sat the greater\npart in silence; but towards the close had a short testimony to\ndeliver, which was introduced by the remembrance of the account given\nby the evangelist of the pool of Bethesda, and our Lord\u2019s healing the\nimpotent man who had long waited there to be healed, but was not;\ntherefore our Lord had compassion on him, and healed him. This shows\nhow good it is to have a steady persevering faith and hope in the means\nGod appoints for our salvation.\n\nFifth day. A silent meeting. The rest of the week I was busily employed\nin the oversight of my hay harvest, and in assisting in getting it into\nthe barn; the fields having brought forth bountifully, which greatly\nenhances our obligations to the benevolent Giver.\n\nFirst day, the 5th of 7th month. My mind in our meeting to-day, was\nhumbled under an awakened sense of my own imperfections, and the\nimpotency of our common nature. In this humiliated state, my mind\nbecame clothed with the spirit of prayer and supplication, which gave\nutterance vocally to present a petition to our heavenly Father for the\ncontinuance of his mercy; and that he would increase our faith and\nconfident dependance on him, as our only source of help and salvation.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting. The meeting for worship\nwas a lively meeting, although silent or nearly so. The diffusion of\nreal friendship and brotherly love was warmly felt.\n\nFirst day, the 12th. I sat our meeting in silence, endeavouring to be\nedified by a communication from a young minister from Cowneck, which\nwas sensible and in a good degree lively. How much more comfortable\nit is to sit under a testimony that comprehends good sense, and by\nwhich the understanding of the people is spoken to, than such as are\ndelivered in a high sound of many words, and yet so unconnected, as\nto render it difficult to comprehend the subject matter the speaker\nreally aims at; or such as are delivered in a kind of prophetic strain,\nwithout power, which some speakers are too apt to fall into; so that we\nare sometimes ready to doubt their call to that highly important and\ndignified office. These often cause deep exercise and concern to the\nliving baptized members.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, at which the queries were read\nand the usual number answered, in order to represent our state to the\nquarterly meeting. Things appeared well with us, if the answers given\nin, were a true representation of our state.\n\nFirst day, the 19th. I was again made an example of silence. In the\ncourse of this week our quarterly meeting was held. It was, I think,\nin the main a favoured season, in which divine goodness manifested a\nrenewed extension of unmerited mercy to us poor, helpless and unworthy\ncreatures. We had at this quarterly meeting the company of our esteemed\nfriend Gerard T. Hopkins from Baltimore. He appeared lively in his\ngift, to our mutual edification.\n\nIt fell to my lot in the meeting for discipline, to revive the concern\nfor the melioration of the condition of the Africans and their\ndescendants; not only as it respected those who are still held in a\nstate of abject bondage and oppression, but also on behalf of those\nwho have been set free, but who, nevertheless continue, in a very\ngeneral manner, in a degraded and helpless state, for want of being\nplaced upon the ground of equality with the rest of the inhabitants,\nas strict justice would dictate, if rightly adhered to by the people\nand government. And I am fully in the belief, that divine justice will\nnot be satisfied, nor the black stain of shedding innocent blood and\ncruelly oppressing this people, ever be taken from the inhabitants of\nthis land, until strict justice is done them, and they placed by the\nlaws of our country, in the same state of equality in every respect as\nthe rest of its inhabitants, and in the enjoyment of the full right\nof civilized man. This is their just and righteous due, and these\nprivileges, if duly and rightly administered to them, would bring them\nto be as good and useful citizens as those of any other nation.\n\nI was also led to call upon my Friends to persevere in this noble and\nrighteous concern, that nothing might be left undone on our part, in\nrestoring strict justice and right to this deeply oppressed part of\nour fellow creatures; not only on their account and for their relief,\nbut on our own account also. For, I believe, we are in a very peculiar\nmanner called upon, agreeably to our profession, of being led and\nguided by an unerring principle of perfect righteousness, to exalt the\nstandard of truth and righteousness in the earth: and believing, as\nI do, that it is not in the power and wisdom of man to effect this,\nby all the coercive laws which can be enacted, nor by all the force\nof the arm of flesh. For nothing can destroy and put an end to sin\nand wickedness, but a principle in man of perfect righteousness and\njustice; and this adhered to by man in so full and complete a manner,\nas to have no fellowship or communion, either immediately or remotely,\ndirectly or indirectly, with any acts of injustice or oppression.\nHence, I believe, that if we as a people were faithful and obedient to\nthis first principle of our profession, we should be led thereby to\nabstain from all kinds of commerce or dealings in the produce of our\ncountry or elsewhere, which we had cause to believe originated out of,\nor through the medium of, the labour of slaves, wrung from them and\nsold by their tyrannical masters. And I am well assured that nothing\nshort of such an exalted testimony to truth and righteousness will ever\nput a full end to oppression and injustice; and, I believe, He who\ncalled our worthy predecessors to exalt the testimony of truth in the\nearth, and who is still calling us to advocate this noble cause, is\nlooking for this testimony of strict justice and righteousness at our\nhands.\n\nO, saith my soul! that we as a people, called as we are to be a light\nto the world, might so persevere in faithfulness and obedience to the\nteachings and inspirings of light and truth in our hearts, by which\nwe should be enabled to unite together for the exaltation of this\nnoble testimony, and the increase of the Messiah\u2019s kingdom of truth,\nrighteousness, and peace in the earth; and which in its progression\nwill break down and dissolve all the kingdoms of this world, until they\nbecome the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he comes to\nreign whose right it is.\n\nThe subject spread with unusual weight over the meeting, and many\nbrethren appeared deeply affected therewith, and divers came forward\nby expression to encourage its progress, and to stimulate each other\ntherein; so that my heart was truly gladdened under a sense of the\nprevalence of truth, which was felt to preside in the meeting, clearly\nmanifesting that the concern was owned by the Head of the Church.\n\nFirst day, the 26th. A silent meeting to-day. Passed this week in much\npoverty of spirit, accompanied with a peaceful mind. Sat our fifth day\nmeeting in solemn silence.\n\nFirst day, the 2d of 8th month. Feeling my mind disposed to sit with\nFriends in their meeting at Bethpage, I went thither to-day accompanied\nby my wife. Although my mind felt rather depressed from a sense of the\nlow state of things among them, yet I was led to communicate some plain\nthings; showing that true religion did not consist in going to meetings\nand making a profession of it, but in works of real righteousness,\nand in a strict and daily conformity and submission to the cross, and\na steady obedience to the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus,\nwhich only can set free from the law of sin and death.\n\nFifth day. A silent meeting on my part. The rest of the week I was\ntaken up in temporal matters, having workmen of various kinds to\noverlook and assist, even at times to a degree of wearisomeness;\ninsomuch that was it not from the calls of necessity and duty, I\nshould endeavour to quit them all and be free from their cumber and\ninterruption; as they do often interfere with better concerns, and\nthose of a higher and more excellent nature.\n\nFirst day, the 9th. A silent meeting.\n\nFifth day. Was our preparative meeting. Silence was my lot in the\nmeeting for worship.\n\nFirst day, the 16th. Our meeting was larger than usual by the\nattendance of strangers, who did not usually attend. Very soon after\ntaking my seat, my mind was impressed with a view of the baneful\ntendency of pride, and its hurtful effects on the children of men\nuniversally. The prospect led to communication, and opened into a\npretty full testimony, tendering and humbling many minds. May it fasten\nas a nail in a sure place, that so it may continue in remembrance for\nmany days and bring forth fruit, is my fervent prayer.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting. In the meeting for worship I\nrenewed the example to silence.\n\nFirst day, the 23d. In the course of our meeting, my mind was led into\na view of the necessity of the cross, consistent with that saying of\nthe lip of truth: \u201cIf any man will come after me, let him deny himself\nand take up his cross and follow me.\u201d The subject spread and led to the\nnecessity of communication, in which the way and work, and its effect\nupon the man of sin or self, was opened; showing that when the cross is\nsubmitted to and borne, the transgressing nature in us is reduced and\nsubjected by the operation of its power, through which true liberty is\nknown, and the captive soul set free, and made to rejoice on the banks\nof deliverance.\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting in silence. In the afternoon attended\nthe funeral of a man inclined to Friends, at which there was a large\ncollection of people of various professions. My mouth was opened to\ntestify among them of the things concerning the kingdom of heaven,\nand to open the way of life and salvation to the people, and the only\nmeans by which it ever was or can be effected, viz: by the grace of\nGod or light of truth, revealed in the hearts and consciences of men\nand women, as a swift witness against all manner of sin and iniquity.\nLife sprang up and the gospel was preached in the demonstration of the\nspirit, wherewith many were affected and edified.\n\nFirst day, the 30th. The consideration of the great advantages which\nwould result to the children of men, were they possessed of right\nideas, and a right understanding of the divine character opened to\nan exercise and concern, from an impressive belief that there was a\ngreat shortness in that respect, even among professing Christians in\na general way; and a great want of a right improvement of the talent\nor talents dispensed by our gracious Creator to his creature man, or\nthat manifestation of the spirit given to every man to profit withal.\nFor this, if rightly improved, would bring us to know and witness the\ntrue and saving knowledge of God, and give us right ideas of the divine\ncharacter; and by which, if rightly adhered to, our salvation would be\neffected. I was led to communicate on the subject, which brought a very\ncomfortable solemnity over the meeting.\n\nFifth day, the 3d of 9th month. A silent meeting to-day.\n\nFirst day, the 6th. Having for some days past felt drawings on my\nmind to attend Friends\u2019 meeting at Westbury, and way opening for it\nto-day, I went thither accompanied by my wife. It was rather a trying\nexercising season in the forepart, but towards the close my spirit was\nset at liberty, and an opening presented, attended with life; in which\nI was led to open and show to those present, the necessity of an entire\nrenunciation of self, in order to come to a saving knowledge of God,\nand a qualification to worship him in spirit and in truth; and of an\nentire cessation from all our own willings and runnings, both in body\nand spirit and in thought. Although this is an attainment which man\ncannot arrive at by the dint of his own sufficiency, yet, nevertheless\nhe may, by a right faith in God and in the sufficiency of his power.\nTherefore we ought not to let in discouragement from a sense of our\nown impotent state, but continue to strive to enter in at the straight\ngate of self-abasement and renunciation, and persevere therein, leaving\nthe rest to the Lord; and then, no doubt, we may be brought to the\nexperience of one formerly who exclaimed: \u201cThou wilt ordain peace for\nus, for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.\u201d\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting as usual when at home. I was much\ncumbered in the forepart of the meeting with unprofitable thoughts,\nsuch as relate to our temporal concerns. For these produce poverty of\nspirit in religious meetings, and ought to be strove against in order\nto obtain a release from them: and, although it is what we cannot do\nin our own time and strength, yet as we continue to strive and do not\ngive over the struggle, but persevere in faith and patience to obtain\nthe blessing, as Jacob did when he wrestled with the angel, we shall\nwitness an overcoming in the Lord\u2019s time and strength, and know our\nlight to rise out of obscurity, and our darkness to be as noonday. Then\nare we qualified to worship the Father in spirit and in truth, in the\nbeauty of holiness, and nothing can hinder or let. Then can we do the\nLord\u2019s work with a willing heart agreeably to his will, without the\nfear or favour of mortals. We can then minister, if called thereto, in\nthe demonstration of the spirit, accompanied with power, which causes\nit to be instructive and edifying to the hearers.\n\nFirst day, the 13th. My mind, as I sat in our meeting to-day, was led\nunder exercise from the remembrance of the following passage of Isaiah:\n\u201cLook unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God,\nand there is none else.\u201d I was largely opened on the subject, and as\nI communicated, truth was raised into dominion; whereby the minds of\nmany were humbled and contrited, the meeting generally solemnized and\nedified, and sweet peace afforded me in the labour.\n\nFifth day. This was the time of our monthly meeting. We had the company\nof our friend William Rickman from England, now on a religious visit\nin this country. Having felt my mind drawn for some considerable\ntime past, to make a visit in the love of the gospel, to Friends\nin the compass of our yearly meeting, with a view also to appoint\nsome meetings among those of other persuasions, it appeared right to\nspread the concern before my Friends at this time; who, after due\nconsideration, united with me therein, and directed the clerk to\nfurnish me with a minute of concurrence with my prospect, leaving me at\nliberty to pursue it as truth might open the way.\n\nFifth day, the 24th. A quiet silent meeting. On seventh day I attended\nthe funeral of a young Friend, a kinsman, who, for more than a year\nprevious to his dissolution, had been in a declining state of health.\nThere was a large collection of Friends and neighbours on the\noccasion. The corpse was taken into the meeting-house, and a meeting\nheld before it was interred, which is mostly the case among Friends\nin this part of the society. It proved a very exercising season in\nthe forepart, and although divers ministers were present, yet all\nseemed shut from any communication, until the meeting seemed drawing\nto a conclusion, when my mind was set at liberty from its bonds, and\na degree of light arose and dispelled the darkness, in which I was\nled to open the cause and ground of the prevailing darkness which had\nbeen so generally spread over us; and to show that it was owing to the\npeople\u2019s living too much to self, and serving self, when they ought\nmore faithfully to serve the Lord and live unto him. I was led, in a\nbrief way, in a close, searching testimony, which I hope will have its\nuse, at least with some present.\n\nFirst day, the 27th. In our meeting to-day, my mind was largely opened\ninto the substance of things referred to by the shadows and symbols of\nthe law, or outward dispensation. As the prospect spread and enlarged,\nI found it necessary to spread it before the assembly, and to show\nthe difference between the law state and that of the gospel, and that\nas the shadows and symbols of the outward law dispensation, stood and\nconsisted in real essential and substantial things, suited to our\noutward nature and life; so likewise the substance of those shadows,\nas they were intended to point to spiritual things, must also consist\nin real, essential and substantial things, suited to our inward and\nspiritual nature and life, and therefore of course all the shadows of\nthe law are at an end, where the gospel state is known and experienced.\nIt was a season of favour, and renewedly strengthening to my mind, and\nI believe, instructive and edifying to many present. Thanks be given to\nIsrael\u2019s Shepherd, for his continued mercy.\n\nFifth day. Attended our preparative meeting, at which the queries were\nread, and answers given to the usual five, to go to the quarterly\nmeeting; and I thought, from the tenour of the answers, if correct, we\nwere a favoured people.\n\nFirst day, the 11th. Our meeting was large, in which the gospel axe was\nlaid close to the root of the corrupt tree; showing that every tree\nwhich did not bring forth good fruit must be hewn down, let it have\never so specious an outward appearance.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, at which answers to the\nqueries were produced from the preparative meetings. Although I feared\nthe answers from our preparative meeting made us appear more correct\nthan we really were, yet those from the other branch of the monthly\nmeeting were still more perfect, and although I felt some doubting, yet\na degree of gladness attended in a hope that we were improving.\n\nAfter this meeting, nothing in particular transpired, until I proceeded\non my intended journey, which was on the 21st of 10th month, 1818,\nand fourth day of the week. Samuel Willis, a member of our meeting,\nand an elder, joined me as a companion. We proceeded to Flushing, in\norder to attend our quarterly meeting, which opened with a meeting of\nMinisters and Elders at the tenth hour. The next day was the meeting\nfor discipline, and the day following a public meeting for worship.\nThrough the condescending goodness of the Shepherd of Israel, the\nseveral seasons were truly comfortable, instructive and edifying, in\nwhich the power of truth was exalted over all opposition, to the praise\nof Him who is calling us to glory and virtue.\n\nFrom Flushing we proceeded to Newtown, on sixth day afternoon, and\nattended a public meeting in the evening, of those belonging to other\nsocieties.\n\nThe next day we had an appointed meeting in Friends\u2019 meeting-house at\nthe Kilns, and another in the evening at Brooklyn, generally composed\nof those not in membership with us, and many not in strict fellowship\nwith any religious society. And we had thankfully to acknowledge, that\nHe who opens and none can shut, was graciously near for our help, and\nopened doctrine suited to the states of those who attended in the\nseveral opportunities, to the peace and comfort of my own mind, and, I\ntrust, to the instruction and edification of the people.\n\nFrom thence we proceeded to New-York, and attended the meetings in\nthe city, on first day. They were large: many not in profession with\nus came in, as previous information had been given of our intention\nto be there. The gospel was freely preached among them in both\nopportunities, particularly that at Pearl-street, wherein truth was\nraised into dominion over all.\n\nOn second day we attended a meeting by appointment at West Chester,\nwhich was also a precious edifying opportunity. After this we proceeded\nto Purchase, in order to attend the quarterly meeting at that place,\nwhich opened the next day at the eleventh hour, and continued three\ndays. The meeting for discipline was well conducted, in which I was led\nto call upon Friends, to rally to our standard, the _light within_,\nwhich is a principle of perfect rectitude and justice, and if rightly\nattended to, will lead us to withdraw from all kind of conduct and\ncommerce, which is in the least degree tinged with injustice and\noppression. And in a particular manner from a commerce in, and the\nuse of, articles which are the product of the labour of slaves; the\ninjustice of which was clearly opened and brought home to Friends\u2019\nminds, showing them that nothing short of a principle of immutable\njustice, which may so pervade the minds of mankind, as not to have any\nintercourse with the oppressor, in the produce of the labour of the\noppressed, will ever be sufficient fully to suppress that monstrous\nevil, and put a final end thereto. It was a very solemn season. The\nmeeting for worship was likewise favoured, in which the divine presence\nwas witnessed for our help and comfort.\n\nThe four following days we attended meetings at North Castle, Salem,\nOblong and the Branch. These were all large for the places, and\nfavoured with the overshadowing of heavenly regard, in which ability\nwas received to preach the gospel, in the demonstration of the spirit,\nand wisdom afforded to divide the word to the different states of those\npresent. Each meeting was composed of a variety of professions and\nconditions; and such was the gracious condescension of the Shepherd\nof Israel, as not to send any away empty, if they were willing to\nreceive the portion justly allotted them; and if they refuse, because\nit is not agreeable to their own inclinations, the Lord will be clear,\nand his faithful servants will be clear; and if they are not saved,\ntheir blood will be upon their own heads. These several seasons were\ncomfortable and encouraging to the honest-hearted, and strengthening\nto my exercised mind; a sense of which filled my heart with gratitude\nand thanksgiving to the blessed Author of all our mercies.\n\nAfter these meetings we proceeded to Nine Partners. On third day,\nthe 3d of 11th month, their quarterly meeting came on. The meeting\nof Ministers and Elders opened at the tenth hour, and the meeting\nfor discipline the next day. These were both profitable instructive\nmeetings to many present, in which way opened fully to relieve my own\nmind; and I felt sweet peace in my labours of love among them.\n\nThe three following days we attended the quarterly meeting at Stanford.\nI had but little active service in the meeting of Ministers and Elders,\nyet I found it my place to remind Friends of the danger and bad effects\nof covering or hiding, and of the advantage of laying ourselves open\nto the just witness, and of entering into an individual investigation,\nwhen answering the queries, lest we overlook some things even in\nourselves, and so make our answers more clear than truth and equity\nwill warrant. And when the answers to the queries came to be read,\nI thought there was occasion for the caution, as their answers were\ngenerally full and clear.\n\nIn the meeting for discipline, I was led to call Friends\u2019 attention to\nthe fundamental principle of our profession; and to show the drift and\ndesign of those precious testimonies, as good fruit naturally emanated\nfrom a good tree; especially those two, the most noble and dignified,\nviz: against war and slavery. And whether while we were actively\npaying taxes to civil government for the purpose of promoting war or\nwarlike purposes in any degree, we were not balking our testimony in\nthat respect; and pulling down with one hand, what we are pretending\nto build with the other. And in like manner with regard to slavery.\nFor although we had freed our own hands from holding, by active force,\nany of this oppressed people, the Africans and their descendants, in\nunconditional slavery; yet, whether so long as we voluntarily and of\nchoice, are engaged in a commerce in, and the free use of the fruits of\ntheir labour, wrested from them by the iron hand of oppression, through\nthe medium of their cruel and unjust masters, we are not accessary\nthereto, and are partakers in the unrighteous traffic of dealing in\nour fellow creatures, and in a great measure lay waste our testimony\nagainst slavery and oppression. These subjects were largely opened, and\nthe inconsistency of such conduct placed before the minds of Friends;\naccompanied with strong desires, that they might have their proper\neffect, in convincing them of the unrighteousness of such conduct.\n\nThe meeting for worship, or closing meeting, was mostly made up of\nsuch as were not members. It was a favoured, solemn meeting, and, I\ntrust, instructive and comfortable to many present; as it was to the\nsatisfaction and peace of my own mind.\n\nFirst day, the 8th of 11th month. We returned and attended the meeting\nat Nine Partners. As notice was given of our intention of attending it,\nit was very large; the house was filled with a mixed company of various\nprofessions, besides Friends. I was largely led forth among them, to\ndeclare of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Truth was raised\ninto dominion, and a precious solemnity spread over the assembly. May\nall the praise be ascribed to the Shepherd of Israel, for the unmerited\nfavour.\n\nIn the course of this week, after resting on second and third days,\nin which time I visited some of my relatives, we attended meetings at\nChestnut Ridge, Apoquague, Beekman, and Oswego. These meetings were\ngenerally well attended, and were, I trust, profitable and instructive\nto many who attended them.\n\nFirst day, the 15th. I attended West Branch meeting in the morning, and\nthat at Pleasant Valley in the evening. They were both very crowded\ngatherings. At the latter meeting, there were many more than the house\ncould contain, composed, principally of such as were not in membership\nwith Friends, being of the varied religious professions common among\nus; and many who were not in strict fellowship with any. At such\nseasons, where, of course, there must be a great variety of states and\nconditions, I have found it necessary to dwell deep, and wait patiently\nfor the arising of the pure spring of gospel ministry, which alone can\nenable and qualify to divide the word aright, so that each may have\nhis due portion, and be spoken to in his own language; a language\nwhich sets home the truth to every mind, as was the case on the day of\nPentecost.\n\nOn second day evening, we had a very large meeting in Poughkeepsie. It\nwas held in their court-house, which was a very commodious room for the\npurpose, being well seated, and was thought sufficient to hold nearly a\nthousand people. It was much crowded, and proved a very solemn, quiet\nopportunity, in which truth had the dominion.\n\nThe five succeeding days, we attended a large meeting by appointment\nat Crum-elbow, the monthly meetings of Oswego, Nine Partners, Creek,\nand Stanford. In all these meetings I had good service; the several\nopportunities being favoured with the overshadowings of heavenly regard.\n\nFirst day, the 22d. We had a very crowded meeting at Little Nine\nPartners. The next day we were at an appointed meeting, in Friends\u2019\nmeeting-house, in the town of Northeast, which was likewise a very\nfull meeting. In both of these the gospel was freely preached, and its\ndoctrines largely opened, and set home to the minds of the people; and\nthe fallacy and and emptiness of all formal and ceremonial religion\nexposed, and the people pressingly invited to gather inward, to the\nimmutable principle of _light_ and _truth_ in their own souls, as the\n_sure rock of ages_, and the _only means_ whereby we can be enabled to\nwork out our salvation. The Lord\u2019s power was felt eminently to preside\nin those solemn assemblies, to the praise of his great and excellent\nname, who is over all worthy for ever; and I parted with them in true\npeace of mind, the sure result of faithfulness.\n\nOn third day we rode to Canaan, a town in Connecticut, and the next\nday had an appointed meeting there, with the few Friends at that\nplace, and some of their neighbours. It was a comfortable, instructive\nseason. The following day we had another meeting by appointment, in an\nadjacent neighbourhood which was held in a school-house. This was also\na favoured meeting. Divers present were much broken and contrited, and\ntruth reigned over all.\n\nOn sixth day we proceeded to Hartford, and on seventh day evening had\nan appointed meeting in the city. It was held in a meeting-house,\nbelonging to the Presbyterians; as there were only two or three members\nof our society in the place. The meeting was small, occasioned, as I\nsupposed, by the inclemency of the weather, and want of proper notice;\nnevertheless the divine presence was felt to preside, and truth was\ndeclared among them in the demonstration of the spirit; and I parted\nwith them, under a thankful sense of the Lord\u2019s mercy.\n\nThe next day, being the first of the week, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nat West Hartford. This was likewise very small, Friends being but\nfew in number in that place, and those mostly appeared in a lukewarm\nstate; and I apprehended they had taken but little care to inform their\nneighbours of our intention to be there, although we had seasonably\nrequested them so to do. Such conduct manifests great insensibility,\nand want of regard for their friends who have left all their outward\nenjoyments, for the promotion of the gospel, and the religious\nimprovement of the people; and are going up and down in travail and\nlabour, as with their lives in their hands, as truth leads the way; and\nyet, Friends whom they visit in some places, either think it too much\ntrouble, or are so unconcerned as to take little or no care to give\ntheir neighbours notice; a sense of which caused me to take leave of my\nFriends at this place with a heavy heart.\n\nFrom thence, on second day, we proceeded to Woodbury, and put up at\nthe house of a person of the Methodist society, where we had a large\nmeeting the next evening with the neighbouring inhabitants, composed of\nMethodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and some others, not in strict\nfellowship with any religious society. It was a very solemn, favoured\nmeeting, in which the Lord\u2019s presence and power were felt eminently\nto preside; and many hearts were broken and contrited, and manifested\nmuch satisfaction with the opportunity, especially the man at whose\nhouse we were, who in much brokenness of spirit, and with gratitude and\nthankfulness of heart, acknowledged the favour.\n\nThe next morning, after a tendering opportunity in the family, we took\nleave of them in mutual affection, and rode to Middlesex, upwards of\nforty miles. Here we lodged with our kind friend Samuel Whiting, who,\nwith his affectionate wife and children, received us with marks of\ntrue friendship, which is a brook by the way to the weary traveller;\nand which was our case at this time. What added further to our comfort,\nwas the readiness of mind and concern they manifested, in giving their\nneighbours information of our intention to attend their meeting the\nnext day, which we accordingly did. The Lord graciously condescended to\nopen my mouth among them, in a living, powerful testimony to the truths\nof the gospel. It was a season of great favour. May the word preached\nnot return void, but accomplish that to which it was sent, is the\nfervent desire of my spirit.\n\nAfter this solemn meeting we proceeded on our journey, and rode that\nafternoon to our friend Charles Field\u2019s, at a place called the Saw\nPits. Here we had a meeting the next day at the eleventh hour. There is\nbut one family of Friends in this village, the Friend and his family\nabove named, and one other member. The inhabitants consist of the\nvarious professions common among us, and some others not in communion\nwith any religious society. A considerable number assembled, with whom\nwe had a very solemn instructive opportunity, to the comfort and peace\nof my own mind.\n\nThe evening of the next day, we had a precious favoured meeting at\nManhattanville on New-York Island, with Friends of that place. It was\nattended by a considerable number of the neighbouring inhabitants,\nwho conducted themselves very soberly, suiting the occasion. Many\nhearts were broken and contrited, and we parted with them under an\nhumbling sense of the Lord\u2019s goodness, and with grateful hearts for the\nunmerited favour.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 12th month. We rode to the city. As Friends of\nthe monthly meeting there had recently opened a new meeting in the\neastern part of the town, we attended it both forenoon and afternoon.\nAnd as notice was given at the close of the forenoon meeting of our\nintention to attend in the afternoon, it was a full meeting, more than\nthe house could well contain. These were both memorable meetings, in\nwhich the Lord\u2019s presence and power were manifested in an eminent\ndegree, breaking and contriting many hearts, and truth reigned over\nall. It was the Lord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in our eyes, that he\nshould thus condescend, in matchless mercy, to notice us poor unworthy\ncreatures.\n\nAt evening, we had a very large meeting by appointment, in Friends\u2019\nmeeting-house in Pearl-street. Although I was much worn down by arduous\nlabour in the three foregoing meetings, yet I was strengthened to\ncommunicate in this, in a full plain testimony, opening to the people\nthe danger and disadvantage of resting in the forms and empty shadows\nof the law state; and continuing in the traditions and ceremonies\nintroduced into the professed Christian Churches, in the time of\nthe apostacy from primitive simplicity; and the hurtful tendency of\nobserving days and times, like the carnally-minded in the Galatian\nChurch; for which they were sharply reprehended by the apostle Paul, in\nhis epistle to that Church. The people were very quiet and attentive,\nand a precious solemnity was spread over the meeting, which closed in\na solemn manner. Thanks be given to Israel\u2019s unslumbering Shepherd for\nthe unmerited favour.\n\nWe tarried in town until third day, in order to attend the meeting\nfor sufferings which came in the course at that time. We also had\nan appointed meeting in Liberty-street, on second day evening. It\nwas pretty well attended, in which I was led to open to the people\nthe way of redemption by Christ, the only Mediator between God and\nman; and the way of his working in man, in the accomplishment of his\nsalvation. I also opened to them the emptiness of all shadows and\noutward ordinances, under the Christian dispensation; such as water\nbaptism, and the ordinance called the supper or communion; also the\nhurtful tendency of observing days and times, such as a seventh day\nsabbath, days of thanksgiving, and fast days of man\u2019s appointing.\nThey were shown that all these were of Jewish or Heathenish original,\nbeing a part of the law dispensation, and of course ended with it, and\ntherefore the continuance of them under the gospel dispensation was\nirrational, non-essential, and contrary to truth; tending to keep the\nminds of Christian professors under the veil of carnal ordinances,\nand greatly retarded the progress of reformation, and the advancement\nof real Christianity. I was led to use great plainness of speech,\nand the people sat very quiet and attentive, and the word preached\nappeared to have free course. It was a highly favoured season, and the\nhonest-hearted were made to rejoice, under an humbling sense of the\nLord\u2019s mercy, and I parted with them in true peace of mind. The next\nday, after attending the meeting for sufferings, we rode home and found\nour families well, which I considered as an additional favour from my\nheavenly Father, whose mercy is over all his works.\n\nI was from home at this time about forty-nine days, and attended\nforty-nine meetings, and travelled about four hundred and fifty miles.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XV.\n\n General visit to Friends of the yearly meeting of New-York, 1819.\n\n\nI continued at and about home, until the commencement of the year 1819,\nattending our meetings as they came in course. I also attended two\nfunerals, at which I had good service; and the meeting at Westbury, on\na first day, in which I was led to open to Friends the three principal\nrequisites to the being, and well-being, of a Christian. The first\nbeing a real belief in _God_ and _Christ_, _as one undivided essence_,\nknown and believed in, _inwardly_ and _spiritually_. The second, a\ncomplete passive obedience and submission to the divine will and\npower inwardly and spiritually manifested; which, when known, brings\nto the Christian state, through a crucifixion of the old man, with\nall his ungodly deeds. The third, in order for the preservation and\nwell-being of a Christian, it is necessary that they often meet and\nassemble together, for the promotion of love and good works, and as\ngood stewards of the manifold grace of God. For this purpose the Lord\u2019s\npeople and children have been led by his spirit to appoint times and\nseasons in which to present themselves before him. Of these times, all\nbeing apprized, and living within a reasonable distance of the place\nso appointed, it becomes their bounden duty to attend, in order to\nwait upon, and thereby become qualified to worship God, in spirit and\nin truth; and no temporal concern of the greatest magnitude ought be\nconsidered as a sufficient excuse for omitting this great and necessary\nduty. For the experience of many ages has shown, that those who suffer\ntheir temporal business to divert them from a steady attendance on\ntheir religious meetings, never make any real proficiency in religion,\nor the true spiritual life. The communication was impressive, and\nreached the witness in many minds, and truth was exalted, and the\nhonest-hearted comforted, and I was made glad in believing that my\nlabour had not been in vain. Such seasons are truly worthy of grateful\nremembrance.\n\nAs, on my return home, I did not feel myself released from a further\nprosecution of my concern, and visit to Friends of our yearly meeting,\nwith the concurrence of my friends, I retained the minute I had\nreceived for that purpose, and on the 2d of 1st month, 1819, I again\nleft home, and proceeded in the engagement. My son-in-law Valentine\nHicks joined me as companion in the journey. We proceeded to New-York;\nand, the next day being the first of the week, we attended Friends\u2019\nmeeting at Pearl-street in the morning. After this, in the afternoon,\nwe proceeded on our journey as far as our friend Thomas Walker\u2019s, at\nWest Farms, near West Chester, where we had a meeting, at the sixth\nhour in the evening. On second day, we had an appointed meeting at\nMamaroneck. These meetings were in a good degree favoured, in which the\npresence and love of our heavenly Father were felt to preside.\n\nOn third day we had another opportunity, by appointment, at White\nPlains, in the court-house. It was rather a season of hard labour,\nas the truths communicated did not appear to have free course, in\nany general way; but, I trust, some were instructed and edified. On\nfourth and fifth days, we attended Friends\u2019 meetings at Purchase, and\nShapaqua. As notice was given of our intention to attend them, they\nwere large; and through divine condescension, they proved seasons of\nfavour, in which the truths of the gospel were largely declared in the\ndemonstration of the spirit, to the edification of the assemblies, and\npeace of my own mind.\n\nThe two following days we attended meetings at Croton Valley, and\nAmawalk. They were well attended by Friends, and some others. I was\nled to open among them many essential doctrines of the Christian\nreligion; and to show to the people, in the openings of truth, the way\nand means by which, and by which only, our redemption and salvation\ncan be effected. The testimonies had a very reaching effect upon the\nauditories: many present were much broken and contrited, and truth\nwas raised into victory, and a precious solemnity was spread over the\nmeetings, to the comfort and edification of the honest-hearted, which\nwas cause of thankfulness and gratitude to the beneficent Author of all\nour mercies.\n\nFirst day the 10th. We attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Croton in the\nmorning, and at Peekskill in the evening. Both were full meetings, in\nwhich the power of the gospel was felt to preside, furnishing with\nwisdom and strength to divide the word, to the several states present,\nin a way which seemed to give each his due portion, and none sent empty\naway, but those who refused to take their own part. Many hearts were\nbroken and contrited, and the honest-hearted comforted; and the Lord\u2019s\nname and power praised and exalted over all, who is worthy for ever.\n\nOn second day we rode to Nine Partners; and on third day evening had an\nappointed meeting at Dover. It was held in a pretty large school-house,\nthere being no other place so convenient in the neighbourhood; but it\nwas too small to contain the people who assembled, some being obliged\nto stand without, for want of room. It was a very solemn, instructive\nmeeting.\n\nOn fourth day we attended Pleasant Valley meeting; and notice being\ngiven of our expectation to attend it, the meeting was large. A\nconsiderable number of other societies were present who behaved\nsoberly, consistent with the occasion. It was a season of great favour,\nunder a sense of which the honest-hearted were made to rejoice.\n\nAfter this, we proceeded to Poughkeepsie, and attended an appointed\nmeeting in the evening, at the sixth hour. It was held in their\ncourt-house, a large convenient room, but not sufficient to contain\nthe people who assembled; many were obliged to withdraw for want of\nroom. It proved, through the condescending goodness of our heavenly\nFather, a blessed meeting to myself, and, we had cause to believe, to\nthe assembly in general. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift:\nyet we have reason to believe there were some present watching for\nevil, as carpers and opposers, if we may judge from the conduct of\nthe hireling priests, since I was there a few weeks before, as I was\ninformed at this time, that they had joined together to calumniate me,\nan endeavour to lay waste the testimony I then had to bear. We tarried\nhere most of the next day, visiting some of our friends.\n\nOn sixth day we proceeded to Hudson, where we arrived at evening.\nThe following evening, we had an appointed meeting in the town of\nClaverack, about four miles distant from Hudson. The inhabitants were\nmostly Dutch; a considerable number attended, and behaved pretty\nsoberly; and way opened to communicate divers truths of the gospel,\nin a clear and impressive manner among them, to which they paid good\nattention, and appeared to be generally well satisfied. The next\nday, being first day, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting in Hudson, and an\nappointed meeting in the evening. The latter was very large, more than\nthe house could contain. These were favoured meetings, in which I was\nlargely led forth in testimony to the truths of the Christian religion,\nsetting forth, in a clear manner, the ground and source from whence all\ntrue religion and true worship have their spring and origin. A general\nsolemnity prevailed, and truth was raised into dominion over all.\n\nOn second day, we proceeded to Kinderhook, and had a meeting in the\nevening in a school-house, and on third day afternoon, we had an\nappointed meeting in Spencertown. These were both crowded meetings,\nmostly made up of the different societies common among us; many of them\nwere the descendants of the old Dutch inhabitants, not much acquainted\nwith our customs and order; yet they generally behaved soberly, and\ngave good attention to the testimonies borne. Many gospel truths were\nopened to their consideration, and the Lord\u2019s presence and power were\nfelt to crown these solemn assemblies; and I parted from them in true\npeace and thankfulness of heart.\n\nOn fourth and fifth days, we attended Friends\u2019 meetings at Kline Kiln,\nand New Britain. In both of these meetings, I had good service for\ntruth and its blessed cause, and the hurtful tendency of a dependance\non forms, and outward ordinances and ceremonies in religion and\nworship, was laid open and exposed.\n\nOn sixth day, we proceeded to Troy, where we rested on seventh day, and\nwrote to our families. On first day, we attended Friends\u2019 meetings at\nTroy, both forenoon and afternoon, and, information being given that we\nwere there, they were large. At the forenoon meeting, more assembled\nthan the house could contain; and that gracious Being, who never leaves\nnor forsakes his dependant children, whose trust is fixed on him, was\nnear for our help; and opened my heart and mouth in both meetings, to\ndeclare largely of the things concerning the kingdom of God, and to\nopen many gospel truths to the people, and to show the fallacy and\nhurtful tendency of all ceremonial religion, which consists in the\nobservance of days and times, and outward ordinances. The people were\ngenerally attentive; and I found solid peace in my labours of love\namong them.\n\nOn second day, we proceeded to Pittstown, and the next day had a\nmeeting appointed there, at the eleventh hour, which was a large,\nfavoured meeting. After this we proceeded to White Creek, and attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting as it came in course the next day; and, information\nbeing given that we were there, it was largely attended. The Lord\u2019s\npresence was felt to preside, and truth was raised into victory. Oh\nmy soul! what wilt thou, or canst thou render unto the Lord, for all\nhis benefits; \u201cfor his mercies are new every morning, and great is his\nfaithfulness.\u201d\n\nOn fifth day we attended an appointed meeting in the town of\nShaftsbury, on our way to Danby. In this place, none of our society\nreside, except one female member, the wife of a well-disposed man,\nat whose house we put up, and were very hospitably entertained. The\nmeeting, although small, was attended by the governor of the state, and\ndivers of the judges and magistrates. It was a season of favour; many\nessential doctrines of the Christian religion were opened to them, in\nthe demonstration of truth, and I parted with them in thankfulness of\nheart, and with a peaceful mind; and the next day rode to Danby.\n\nOn seventh day, we attended an appointed meeting near a village called\nthe Borough, in the east part of the town; and on first day, attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting on the Hill. Both were fully attended by Friends, and\nthe neighbouring inhabitants; and were both solemn instructive seasons,\nin which the power of truth was felt to preside, enabling to preach\nthe gospel in the demonstration of the spirit, to the comfort and\nencouragement of the living, faithful few, and to the instruction and\nedification of the honest inquirers, whose faces were turned Zion-ward;\nlikewise spreading caution and reproof to the indolent and careless.\n\nOn second day we proceeded towards Ferrisburgh, where we arrived on\nthird day afternoon, and the next day attended the monthly meeting\nat that place. The four following days, we attended meetings in the\nfollowing order: On fifth day we had an appointed meeting at Monkton.\nIt was large, and proved a very solemn, favoured meeting, in which the\npower of truth prevailed, silencing all opposition, and ran as oil, to\nthe comfort, encouragement and instruction of the honest-hearted. Bless\nthe Lord, O my soul, and forget not any of his benefits! On sixth day\nwe attended Friends\u2019 monthly meeting at Starksborough. On seventh day\nhad an appointed meeting in a school-house, in the southeast part of\nthe town, where Friends hold a small meeting; and on first day was at\nFriends\u2019 meeting at Lincoln. These were all favoured meetings, in which\nI had good service for truth and its cause.\n\nOn second day, we returned into the south part of Monkton, and had an\nevening meeting in a kinsman\u2019s house, by the name of Stephen Haight.\nHe was convinced of the principles of Friends, but failed in the\npractical part. This proved a pretty exercising season, by reason of\nthe unsettled state of some who attended; especially in the silent\npart of the meeting: for being brought up and educated in the belief\nthat, unless they are engaged in some bodily exercise, such as outward\nand vocal singing, praying, preaching, and the like, there is no\nmeeting; being so instructed by their teachers, it is very difficult\nto get them into stillness, or into any right condition to hear.\nThis makes hard work for the true gospel minister, whose labour and\ntravail is to get into, and bring others into, a state of true solemn\nsilence; that he may therefore become baptized into the state of the\npeople, and be qualified to administer to their real conditions; for\notherwise preaching is vain. But as I continued patient in travail,\nmy mouth was opened in a large searching testimony, showing the\nfallacy and emptiness of all outward ceremonial worship; and that it\nmust inevitably land all those who trust therein, in a state of sad\ndisappointment, in the end. I was led also to open, in a clear manner\nto the people, the most essential doctrines of the Christian religion,\nto the information and satisfaction of the honest inquiring minds.\n\nThe next day we returned to Ferrisburgh, in order to attend the\nquarterly meeting which opened on fourth day, with the meeting of\nMinisters and Elders, which I attended, and had good service among\nthem. I was led to open in the life the order of true gospel ministry,\nand the necessity all are under, who are called to that solemn and\nimportant office, of keeping their vessels clean, not only from sin\nand every pollution of flesh and spirit, but also in their ministry\nfrom all the dregs or remains of former offerings. For if, through the\nstrength of memory, any act upon former offerings, such communications\ntend to produce death, rather than life. We find, under the law, that\nthe vessels in the Lord\u2019s house were not only at first made pure and\nholy, but when they were made use of in the Lord\u2019s offerings, and had\nbeen filled with the Lord\u2019s holy things, when that season of offering\nwas over, they were then cleansed from all the remains and dregs of\nsuch offering, and put up in their places clean and empty. This also\nagrees with the doctrine of Christ to his apostles: \u201cEvery branch in\nme,\u201d he says, \u201cthat beareth fruit, my heavenly Father purgeth it, that\nit may bring forth more fruit.\u201d It was, I trust, an instructive season,\nthere being a number present who were young in the ministry.\n\nAfter this meeting we rode to Vergennes, and attended an appointed\nmeeting at six in the evening. It was pretty well attended by the\ninhabitants of the town, who generally behaved soberly. I was led to\nopen divers important doctrines of the gospel for their consideration,\nand to caution them against having any fellowship with, or affording\nany support to the dark, and what I esteem, pernicious system of Free\nMasonry. They were generally attentive, and withdrew quietly.\n\nThe two following days, we attended the quarterly meeting for\ndiscipline; and the parting meeting for worship. These, I trust, were\nprofitable opportunities. The latter was a highly favoured meeting,\nin which truth reigned over all; and I took leave of my friends in the\nsensible feeling of true gospel fellowship.\n\nWe rode, that afternoon and evening, to Shoram, and lodged with our\nkind friends Zebulon and Elizabeth Frost. The next day at evening, had\nan appointed meeting there, which many of the neighbouring inhabitants\nattended. It was a solemn time, in which many doctrines of the\nChristian religion were opened for their instruction and consideration;\nand I parted with them with a peaceful mind.\n\nThe next day we rode to Granville; and the following day had an\nappointed meeting there, at one o\u2019clock in the afternoon. This was a\ngreatly favoured opportunity, the power of truth breaking down and\ndispelling every opposite spirit, humbling and contriting many hearts,\nand comforting and strengthening the honest-hearted. Surely it was the\nLord\u2019s doing; a sense of which inspires gratitude and thankfulness of\nheart, for the unmerited favour.\n\nOn third day we rode to Easton. On fourth and fifth days we attended\ntheir quarterly meeting for discipline, and public meeting for worship.\nTheir meeting of Ministers and Elders was held on third day previous\nto our arrival. On sixth day we had an appointed meeting at Cambridge.\nThese meetings were all comfortable instructive seasons, in which\nthe doctrines of truth were largely opened, for the information and\nedification of the people.\n\nWe rested on seventh day, feeling myself pretty much worn out with such\ncontinual and almost incessant labour in travelling and in meetings.\nOn first day I again attended Easton meeting which was also a large\nfavoured meeting, in which the power of truth was exalted.\n\nOn second day we proceeded on our way to Queensbury, and attended a\nmeeting in our way, which I had previously appointed at a large village\ncalled Whipple City. It was largely attended by the neighbouring\ninhabitants. There were no members of our society in the place. It was,\nI think, a favoured opportunity, in which I was enabled to declare the\ntruth among them, in a large, effective testimony. Many present were\nhumbled and contrited, and I parted with them in true peace of mind.\n\nAfter this we proceeded to Queensbury, where we arrived in the evening.\nThe three following days we attended the quarterly meeting held\nthere at this time for Saratoga and Queensbury. I also attended two\nevening meetings in two neighbouring villages, which I had appointed\nfor the benefit of those of other societies, who pretty generally\nattended. I think the quarterly meeting in general was an instructive\nfavoured time. The two other meetings were exercising seasons; the\nminds of the people appeared to be very much veiled, and in a state\nof much ignorance; being generally too much swallowed up in worldly\npursuits, and self-gratifications. This makes hard work for the\ndevoted traveller, who is engaged for the advancement of the cause of\ntruth and righteousness in the earth. But as I waited, and patiently\nendured the baptisms necessary to be brought into a feeling of their\nreal conditions, way opened to communicate doctrine suitable for their\ninstruction and help; and, although there did not appear much effect\nwrought for the present, yet I had reason to hope, that the labour\nwould not be all lost; nor the word return void, but would, in the\nend, accomplish the thing whereunto it was sent, and be as bread cast\nupon the waters to return after many days. My hope in this respect was\nstrengthened from the satisfaction and true peace I felt in the ardent\nlabour I passed through, in these seasons of exercise.\n\nThe quarterly meeting being over, we proceeded to Saratoga, and\non sixth day had an appointed meeting there at two o\u2019clock in the\nafternoon. This was a large favoured meeting, in which truth was raised\ninto victory over all, and under its precious influence the gospel was\npreached in the clear demonstration of the spirit. Thanks be to God for\nhis unspeakable gift.\n\nFrom thence we proceeded to Milton, and on first day, the 28th of 2d\nmonth, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting there. It was largely attended by\nFriends and others, and through the condescending goodness of Israel\u2019s\nunslumbering Shepherd it proved an instructive edifying season.\n\nThe five following days, we attended meetings at Greenfield, Galloway,\nProvidence, Mayfield, and Northampton. Although things in most\nplaces, as it regards the life of religion, appeared rather low, and\nconsiderable rawness was apparent in many in that respect, yet such\nis the unmerited kindness of the heavenly Father, that he graciously\ncondescended to break the bread, and caused it to be distributed to the\npeople, in these several opportunities, so that none were sent empty\naway, except those who either neglected or refused to take the portion\nallotted them; and my spirit was comforted, under an evident sense that\nI had faithfully discharged my duty among them.\n\nFrom Northampton we proceeded to Newtown, and on first day the 7th of\n3d month, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at that place; and, information\nbeing given that we were there, it was large. A very considerable\nnumber more assembled, than the house could contain, who were obliged\nto stand without. For these I felt much sympathy and concern, as the\nweather was very cold, and those without, not willing to lose the\nopportunity, continued until the meeting ended, which held nearly three\nhours. But I had cause to hope they did not go away unrewarded, as the\nseason proved a very favoured one, in which the divine presence was\nfelt to preside, enabling to preach the gospel of the grace of God to\nthe people, in the demonstration of truth, and to the comfort and peace\nof my own mind.\n\nOn the evenings of the two following days, I attended meetings by\nappointment, at Waterford and Troy. Both were largely attended by those\nnot in membership with us. On fourth day, attended Friends\u2019 monthly\nmeeting at Troy. On fifth day evening, had a very large meeting in\nAlbany, which was held in the state-house, a large, commodious room\nfor the purpose. In these several meetings truth was felt to arise\ninto dominion, and ability afforded to discharge myself faithfully in\ncommunication to the people who assembled, I trust, to their general\nsatisfaction and edification; may it instructively fasten on their\nminds, as a nail in a sure place, driven by the Master of assemblies,\nthat so the word preached may tend to real profit, and not return void,\nbut accomplish the end to which it was sent.\n\nFrom thence we proceeded to Bern, within the compass of Duanesburgh\nquarterly meeting, where we arrived on sixth day evening, and lodged\nwith our kind friend Samuel Cary, who, with his affectionate wife and\nchildren, treated us with great hospitality. The next evening we had\nan appointed meeting at a village about four miles distant, where\nno member of our society resides. We intended to return and attend\nFriends\u2019 meeting at Bern, on first day; but a snow storm coming on\nseventh day, and increasing towards evening and all next day with such\nviolence, that, although we got to the evening meeting, which was\nsmall, by reason of the storm, we were not able to return until the\nfollowing second day, and then it was with great difficulty that we got\nalong, the snow was so deep, and the roads drifted full. We however\nmade the attempt to return on first day morning, and got on our way\nabout half a mile, but could proceed no farther. We then called at a\nhouse on the way, a good looking mansion belonging to a professor among\nthe Presbyterians. Here we tarried over first day, not being able to\nproceed. We held a little meeting there with this family, and three\nof their friends, who were with them on a visit, in which my mind was\nopened to communicate to them the grounds of our profession, and the\ndoctrines of the Christian religion, as held by us. This had a very\nconsiderable effect on the man\u2019s wife, so that she openly acknowledged\nto the truths, delivered, and assured all present that she should\nvindicate them, as certain undeniable truths, which she felt to be so,\nin her own experience.\n\nOn the following fifth day, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Bern. The\nweather being again stormy and inclement, it was small. The roads\nwere blocked up, so as to prevent many from attending. The next day\nwe proceeded to Duanesburgh, and had a meeting there on seventh day,\nwhich was a large favoured season. On first day we attended meetings\nat Charlestown in the morning, and at Carlisle in the evening. On\nsecond day we proceeded to Middleburgh, and the next day had a meeting\nthere. The day following, had meetings at Oakhill in the morning, and\nat Rensselaerville in the afternoon. After this we returned with our\nfriend Samuel Cary to his house, who had kindly accompanied us in this\nlittle tour. I felt true peace of mind, from a consciousness that I\nhad faithfully discharged myself in the service allotted me, in those\nseveral meetings, void of any influence from the fear or favour of man.\n\nOn fifth day, we attended Friends\u2019 monthly meeting at Bern. The\nmeeting for worship was attended by a very considerable number of\nthe neighbouring inhabitants, not in membership with us, who behaved\nthemselves soberly, and were very attentive to what was communicated.\nMany were broken and contrited by the prevalence of truth, which was\nraised into dominion in this favoured meeting. Not only the meeting for\nworship, but likewise that for discipline was a comfortable instructive\nseason.\n\nThe two following days, we had meetings at New Baltimore, and a village\nwhere several families of Friends reside, by the name of Dickenson,\nfrom whom they call the meeting \u201cDickenson\u2019s meeting;\u201d and at Coeman\u2019s,\nalias, Stanton Hill. I had good service in those several meetings, in\nwhich Friends appeared to be brought near together, in the feeling\ninfluence of the truth, and in the oneness of the spirit. In a sense of\nthis, we had gratefully to acknowledge that the Lord is still mindful\nof his people, fulfilling all his promises to those who seek him with\nsincerity of heart; and they that seek him early will find him to be\nnear at hand, a present helper in every needful time.\n\nAfter the latter meeting, we proceeded to Athens; and, the next day\nbeing the first of the week, and the 28th of 3d month, we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting there in the morning, and had another meeting\nby appointment in the afternoon. These were exercising meetings,\nparticularly so in the forepart of the latter. A great power of\ndarkness seemed so to prevail, as entirely for a considerable time, to\nclose up the way to any public service; but as I patiently submitted\nto the baptism and willingly became baptized, with and for the dead,\nfor it is only through death, that the resurrection from death can be\nwitnessed, a little glimmering of light appeared, in which I felt the\nnecessity of standing up; and as I proceeded, keeping my eye single\nto the light that led the way, the light more and more arose, and the\ndarkness vanished; and He that opens and none can shut, and shuts and\nnone but himself can open, made way for the promotion of his own\nrighteous cause, and the exaltation of truth\u2019s testimonies. It was the\nLord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in mine eyes.\n\nWe left here on second day morning, and proceeded to Alexander Young\u2019s\nat the east part of Esopus, about forty miles. This was a day of very\nhard travel, both for man and horse, the roads being bad, as the winter\nwas just breaking up; but we arrived safe in the evening, and were\nkindly received by our friends, which made up in part for the toil of\nthe day.\n\nAt this place we had an appointed meeting the next day. The five\nfollowing days we had meetings at Rosendale Plains, Paltz, Plattekill,\nNewburgh Valley and Marlborough. Attending these meetings, with\nthe exercise of travelling on the heavy, rough roads, produced a\nlarge portion of exercise, both to body and mind. But the Lord\u2019s\nstrengthening and consoling presence, vouchsafed from season to season\nfor our help, carried us through and over all, to the praise of his\ngrace, and to the comfort and peace of our own minds.\n\nOn second day, the 5th of 4th month, we proceeded to Cornwall, and\nattended a meeting by previous appointment, at the eleventh hour.\nThe next day, had an appointed meeting at Smith\u2019s Clove, and the day\nfollowing were at a place called the Upper Clove, alias Blooming Grove.\nIn these several meetings I was led largely to open to the people the\nlaw state, or dispensation of figure, as comprehensively set forth\nin the Old Testament, and to show the difference between that and\nthe gospel, and that the first ends where the latter begins, and are\nas distinct from each other, as the body is from the soul. The first\ncomprehends the salvation of bodies from outward servitude, the latter\nthe salvation of the soul from sin, and the death consequent on it. I\nalso set forth the use and necessity of the rituals, or shadows of that\ndispensation, during its continuance; and that they were all abolished\nunder the gospel, and have no part nor lot under that dispensation. I\nhad much service in these meetings, and great cause of gratitude and\nthankfulness to the bountiful Author of all our multiplied favours.\n\nThe next day, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Kakiat, alias Hempstead.\nWe had a tedious time in getting there, the road, part of the way,\nbeing deep with mud and wet, and much cut up. But the Lord richly\nrewarded us for all our toil, in giving us a precious meeting with our\nfriends, and a considerable number of the neighbouring inhabitants. It\nwas truly a season of grateful remembrance, both by us and our friends;\nwe were made to rejoice together for the unmerited favour.\n\nAfter this we proceeded to Tappan, to the house of our friend John\nLawrence. Here is not any meeting of Friends; but feeling the way open,\nwe appointed a meeting there at two o\u2019clock next day. Although it was\nnot large, yet, I trust, it was a comfortable instructive season to\nsome present.\n\nThis meeting closed our visit, and the next morning we proceeded to\nNew-York, where we heard of the decease of my kinsman Benjamin Hicks,\nwith information that he was to be interred the next day.\n\nThis induced us to proceed home that afternoon, where we arrived\nbetween eight and nine at night, much wearied, having travelled in\nthe course of the day upwards of fifty miles, and some of the way but\nindifferent travelling. Finding, however, our dear families well,\naccompanied with sweet peace of mind, it made rich amends for all our\ntoil, and my heart was inspired with gratitude and thankfulness to the\ngreat and gracious Author of all our blessings.\n\nI was from home in this journey fourteen weeks, attended seventy-three\nmeetings, three quarterly meetings, four monthly meetings, and\ntravelled one thousand and eighty-four miles.\n\nThe next day I attended the funeral of the aforesaid Friend, which was\non first day the 11th of 4th month, 1819. It was largely attended by\nFriends and others, he being a man much esteemed by his friends and\nneighbours, and a useful member of society, both in a religious and\nmoral relation, and his memory will be blessed. It was a very solemn\ntime, in which my heart and mouth were largely opened to declare to the\npeople of the things concerning the kingdom of God; and to point out\nto them in a full and clear manner, the only way and means by which an\nentrance therein is attainable by the children of men. It was a season\nof favour, and many hearts were made to rejoice under an humbling\nsense of the gracious extending of heavenly regard to the workmanship\nof His holy hand.\n\nAfter this my lot seemed similar to Mordecai\u2019s of old, when sitting\nat the king\u2019s gate; I had but little public service when at and about\nhome. This brought to my remembrance, the saying of our Lord to his\ndisciples, on their return from the service he had sent them out to\nperform in the land of Israel. When they had given him an account how\nwell they had succeeded, he invited them to retire awhile and rest.\nI was mostly silent in our meetings at home, and was not from home,\nexcept to attend a funeral in a neighbouring town, and our quarterly\nmeeting at New-York, until our yearly meeting.\n\nThis opened on seventh day, the 22d of 5th month, with a meeting of\nMinisters and Elders. The yearly meeting for discipline opened on\nthe following second day, and closed near evening, on the fifth day\nfollowing. It was, I think, in general, a favoured meeting, although\nthe weaknesses and deficiencies still among us, as manifested by the\naccounts from our quarterly meetings, were cause of exercise and\ntravail to the honest-hearted who are engaged for the promotion of the\ncause of righteousness and peace in the earth; yet the condescending\ngoodness of the Shepherd of Israel, in manifesting his life-giving\npresence for our encouragement and support, inspired the hearts of the\nliving with thanksgiving and gratitude for his unmerited mercies. We\nreturned home the next day.\n\nI now found it my duty to pay some attention to my temporal concerns,\nand to see that all accounts between myself and others were truly\nadjusted and settled, as is my general rule from year to year. A rule\nwhich every honest man will be led to pursue, to prevent trouble and\npreserve harmony; as a contrary course often leads to vexation and\nlitigation, by which both parties are often hurt and wounded.\n\nFirst day the 30th of 5th month. I attended our meeting as usual,\nwhen at home. Had a short communication, tending to excite Friends to\nfaithfulness, and an inward labour, that the true end of our meeting\ntogether might be answered. I was busily employed in the course of this\nweek, in my temporal concerns. Attended our fifth day meeting; and\nclosed the week in quiet.\n\nFirst day, the 6th of 6th month. I was led, in our meeting, to show\nFriends the fallacy of trusting in the outside appearance of things,\nwithout coming to possess the real substance, as the day is hastening\nwhen every foundation will be tried, and all will receive according as\ntheir works have been. I was considerably enlarged, and the power of\ntruth was exalted over all.\n\nI found it my place at this time, to keep close at home, both in an\ninward and outward sense, to arrange my temporal concerns, and set\nthings in order; not knowing how soon I may be called to leave them\nall, and surrender them, with myself, to the guardian care and disposal\nof a gracious Providence, who doth not suffer a sparrow to fall to the\nground, without his heavenly notice. I attended our preparative meeting\non fifth day, and the meeting of the Charity Society, for educating the\nchildren of the poor black people, on seventh day; in both of which I\nfelt satisfaction and peace of mind.\n\nFirst day, the 13th of 6th month. Towards the close of our meeting\nto-day, I had to open to Friends the necessity of our individually\ncoming to know what life we are living; whether it be a life after\nthe flesh, which worketh death to the immortal soul; or a life of the\nspirit, by which we become spiritually-minded. For if we live after the\nflesh, it will prove in the world to come an eternal death to the soul;\nbut if it be a life in the spirit, and in the things of heaven, it will\nprove an everlasting life to the soul, in the world to come; and will\ncrown it with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, at God\u2019s right hand\nfor evermore.\n\nFrom this time to our monthly meeting in 7th month, I was pretty\nsteadily at home. Attended our meetings as they came in course; and was\nvery busily and necessarily engaged in my temporal concerns, having a\nprospect before me of attending the ensuing yearly meeting of Ohio, and\nalso some other meetings in that, and in the compass of Baltimore and\nPhiladelphia yearly meeting. This concern I spread before my Friends,\nat our monthly meeting the 15th of 7th month; and obtained their unity\nand concurrence.\n\nFirst day, the 18th of 7th month. Attended our meeting. We had the\ncompany of our ancient honest friend Thomas Titus. He communicated for\nour consideration, some plain truths, in order to stir up and encourage\nFriends to industry and faithfulness in those things which belong to\ntheir everlasting peace and welfare. I felt unity with him in his\nexercise, and found it my place and duty to make some addition, to\nbring the matter close home to the minds of Friends. It was a favoured\nsolemn meeting, and most minds seemed well affected with the heavenly\npower which was felt to preside.\n\nIn the course of this week our quarterly meeting was held at Westbury.\nIt was well attended by Friends; and the public meeting was very\nlarge. It was in the main a favoured meeting. I likewise opened to\nthis meeting, my prospect of attending the yearly meeting of Ohio; and\nproduced the minute of unity and concurrence from our monthly meeting.\nIt was fully united with by the quarterly meeting, and an endorsement\nthereof made on my certificate.\n\nFirst day the 25th. A silent meeting to-day. When such meetings are\nattended with full acquiescence, and entire peace of mind, how precious\nthey are. Thus are the Lord\u2019s dedicated children led and instructed;\ntaught how to suffer want, and how to abound; being content in every\ndispensation of his divine will and pleasure: and in this condition,\nall things work together for good to these. Hence we are led to\n\u201cRejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks.\u201d\n\nThe rest of this week I was diligently employed in preparing for my\nintended journey; and in arranging my temporal concerns, that no\noccasion might be given to the adversaries of truth, to reproach\nthe truth, or its cause, by any neglect or omission on my part; and\nendeavouring that all things might be left sweet and quiet at home,\nthat so I might leave it with peace of mind, freed from every burden\nand care on that account; and be fully at liberty to devote myself\nwholly to the service of my great and good Master, until the allotted\nportion is accomplished, which he hath called me forth to fulfil. For\nto him belong obedience and worship, who is over all, God blessed for\never. Amen.\n\nFirst day the 1st of 8th month. At our meeting to-day, my mind was led\ninto a view of the excellence and necessity of a right faith in God\nand Christ; it being that by which the just live. For nothing else\ncan qualify to live a life of true righteousness and justice, but a\ntrue and living faith in God and Christ; and without this faith, it is\nimpossible to please God. The subject spread and led to communication\nin a large testimony, by which many minds were reached and comforted,\nand a precious solemnity spread over the meeting; and we parted from\neach other with grateful hearts for the unmerited favour.\n\nOn fifth day I was led to call the attention of my friends to\nfirst principles, and to recur to the uprightness, simplicity, and\nfaithfulness of our worthy predecessors, and to recount the great\nand sorrowful deviations therefrom by those who are making the same\nprofession in the present day, in departing from a full reliance and\ndependance on the power and spirit that actuated and governed them.\nHence weakness and darkness pervade their minds, by which great\nreproach is brought upon the society, and occasion given for many to\nspeak evil of the truth, and the principle we hold out to the world,\nas the only sure guide to blessedness; to the wounding of the faithful\nfew, who are yet preserved in a good degree of gospel simplicity, and\nwho live under a daily exercise for the promotion and advancement of\nthe Messiah\u2019s kingdom here on earth, and that it may arise and become\nthe peace and glory of all nations.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVI.\n\n Journey to Ohio in 1819.--Visit to the neighbouring inhabitants in\n 1819.--Visit to Farmington and Duanesburgh quarterly meetings in\n 1820.--Visit to some parts of Pennsylvania, and to Baltimore, in\n 1822. Visit to some of the lower quarterly meetings in 1823.\n\n\nHaving, as before noted, had it on my mind to attend the next yearly\nmeeting of Friends in the state of Ohio, and some other meetings in\ngoing there and returning home; and having obtained a minute of unity\nand concurrence from our monthly and quarterly meeting, I left home\nin order to accomplish the service, the 17th of 8th month, 1819, and\nproceeded to New-York. The next day, being first day, I attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting in Pearl-street in the morning, which proved a\nfavoured season, in which I witnessed a renewal of strength, and a\nsatisfactory evidence that my procedure was under right direction;\nfor which my mind was reduced into a state of humble gratitude for\nthe unmerited mercy; having left my home in weakness and poverty of\nspirit, and nothing to lean on in crossing this Jordan, but my slender\nstaff of faith. I attended the meeting at Liberty-street in the\nafternoon, which, although small, was in a good degree comfortable, and\nencouraging to my much exercised mind. As our meeting for sufferings\nwas the succeeding third day, I staid in town and attended that meeting.\n\nAfter this I proceeded on my journey, accompanied by my kind friend\nand neighbour Willet Robbins, who had joined me as a companion in this\njourney. We attended the quarterly meeting at Rahway on our way, which\nopened the next day with the meeting of Ministers and Elders. The\nmeeting for discipline was held the day after; and a meeting for public\nworship, as a parting meeting, the succeeding day. In these several\nopportunities, way opened to discharge myself faithfully in the\nexercise of gospel communication to my friends and others who attended,\nfully to the relief of my own mind, and, I trust, to the instruction\nand encouragement of many who attended; the Lord having been graciously\npleased to manifest his presence and power for our help, to the glory\nand praise of his own excellent name, who is over all, God blessed for\never.\n\nAfter these solemn opportunities were closed, we took leave of our\nfriends, and proceeded on our journey; and arrived at Easton on seventh\nday evening. This is a town on the west side of the river Delaware,\nin the state of Pennsylvania. Having felt my mind led to pass through\nthis town, attended with a concern to have a religious opportunity with\nthe inhabitants, we tarried with them the next day, and had a meeting\nappointed, which was held in their school-house, at the fourth hour in\nthe afternoon. It proved, through heavenly help, a favoured, and, I\ntrust, an instructive season to many; several of their ministers and\nmost of the principal people attended, and appeared all to go away\nsatisfied; and many apparently with thankful hearts for the present\nfavour; and I parted with them in true peace of mind.\n\nThe next morning we proceeded on our journey, and rode to Maiden Creek,\nand lodged with our kind friend Isaac Penrose. The day following being\nthird day, we had an appointed meeting at Reading, about eight miles\nfarther on our way. It was held in their court-house. Many of the\ninhabitants of the town attended, and behaved soberly; and the gospel\nwas preached among them in the plain demonstration of truth, and, I\ntrust, was as a sword or hammer to some present, who were not prepared\nto meet sound doctrine; but was comfortable and instructive to others,\nsuch as were tender in spirit, and were honestly seeking the way to\npeace. It was a solemn, and, I trust, profitable opportunity.\n\nAfter the meeting I made a short visit to a sick woman, who appeared\nto be drawing fast toward her close. She was comforted in the visit,\nand when I parted with her, appeared in a quiet resigned state of mind.\nHer bodily affliction, which had attended her for a considerable time,\nhad, I believe, wrought a good work in her. After this opportunity\nwe proceeded immediately on our journey, which we continued the four\nfollowing days, through a number of towns and villages, where no\nFriends live.\n\nWe arrived on seventh day evening at Dunning\u2019s Creek, where there is a\nmonthly meeting of Friends. They lie very much detached from the body\nof society; the nearest meeting to them is about sixty miles distant.\nWe attended their meeting on first day, which proved, through heavenly\nhelp, a comfortable, strengthening opportunity. We lodged with our kind\nfriend Thomas Penrose.\n\nThe next morning we proceeded on our journey, having the Alleghany,\nand several other mountains and high and rough ridges of land to pass\nover, in our way to the settlements of Friends in the Redstone country.\nThe roads were excessively bad, and in some places almost impassable;\nbut with two days hard travelling we got safe to Connelsville, on the\nwest side of the mountains, on third day evening. We put up with a man\nby the name of John Gibson, who had once a right of membership in our\nsociety, but by some means had lost it; yet he appeared to retain his\nlove to Friends, and was very kind and benevolent, and appeared very\nglad of the opportunity of entertaining Friends. His family likewise\nappeared very kind and friendly, and signified it as a matter of\nconsiderable regret, that they were so far distant from Friends, as not\nto have the privilege of attending their meetings. There was one family\nof Friends in the town; and one of their children, an infant of about\neight months old, had died a little before our arrival; and the funeral\nbeing the next day, we attended it. It was a very solemn opportunity,\nin which many hearts were contrited by the tendering power of truth,\nwhich was felt to cover the assembly in a very general manner. Such\nseasons are as a brook by the way, to the poor exercised travellers,\nwho often go mourning on their way, from a sense of the prevalence of\nsin and iniquity in the land.\n\nAfter this solemn opportunity we proceeded on our journey, and the\nnext day attended Friends\u2019 monthly meeting at Westland, in Redstone\nquarterly meeting. I had some service, both in the meeting for worship,\nand that for discipline; but things appeared rather low as to the right\norder of the gospel, in both meetings. It being a day of ease and\noutward tranquillity; and this hath a tendency to produce lukewarmness,\nif not watchfully and diligently guarded against.\n\nFrom this place we proceeded directly to Mount Pleasant, in Ohio,\nwhere the yearly meeting is held; where we arrived on seventh day, the\n28th of 8th month. On first day, the 29th, attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nat Short Creek in the morning, and had an appointed meeting at Mount\nPleasant in the afternoon. They were both largely attended, and proved\nvery instructive satisfactory meetings, in which I had good service;\nand found sweet peace as the result of my labours of love amongst them.\n\nThe five following days, meetings were appointed for us at Concord, St.\nClairsville, Plainfield, Flushing, and Harrisville. These were all full\nmeetings; generally more collected than the houses could contain; but\nFriends were industrious, and provided seats out of doors, about the\nhouse, by which the people were generally accommodated.\n\nOn seventh day the yearly meeting of Ministers and Elders opened;\nand continued by adjournments until fifth day. I think they were\ngenerally favoured opportunities. The Head of the Church graciously\ncondescending to manifest his presence for the help of his devoted,\ndedicated children; and this is the crown and diadem of all our\nreligious assemblies. On first day public meetings for worship were\nheld, both forenoon and afternoon, in both Friends\u2019 meeting-houses in\nthe neighbourhood; that in the town of Mount Pleasant, held in their\nnew meeting-house, which is one of the largest I ever saw belonging\nto Friends, was very large. I attended that meeting both forenoon and\nafternoon, in which I had much service by way of testimony; which\nappeared to be much to the comfort and general edification of the\nassemblies, and resulted in the solid peace of my own mind.\n\nOn second day, the yearly meeting for discipline opened, and continued\nby adjournments until seventh day toward evening. It was a season of\nmuch travail and exercise to the rightly concerned active members;\nhaving before them, in addition to their usual business, the revisal of\ntheir discipline. I was led under close exercise on the account, and a\nvery considerable portion of active service fell to my lot, with other\nFriends. It was thought, I believe, by Friends generally, to have been\nthe most favoured yearly meeting they had had since its institution,\nand was worthy of grateful remembrance.\n\nI tarried here over first day, and attended their meeting at the old\nmeeting-house. It was a season of deep travail in the forepart of the\nmeeting, in which my spirit was led into deep baptism with, and for,\nthe dead; and I was brought into sympathy and fellowship with the\nsuffering seed, which appeared to me to be pressed down in the hearts\nof the formal professors, as a cart under sheaves. This, I believed,\nwas too much the situation of a considerable number in that assembly;\nbut as I continued patiently to endure the exercise, and kept up the\ninward travail, light sprang up and dispelled the darkness, accompanied\nwith a motion of life to stand up; and my mouth was opened in a large\nsearching and effective testimony, whereby the dead were raised, the\nlukewarm stirred up, the honest seekers encouraged, and the rightly\nexercised minds comforted and edified. It was the Lord\u2019s doing, and\nmarvellous in mine eyes.\n\nThe six succeeding days, meetings were appointed at the following\nplaces, which we attended. On second day, at a little village called\nYork, where a few Friends were privileged with an indulged meeting; a\nmeeting not being established. On third day at Smithfield; on fourth\nday at Cross Creek; on fifth day at Franklin, where was also only a\nsmall indulged meeting. On sixth day, at Augusta, at the tenth hour in\nthe morning, and at Sandy Spring, at the third hour in the afternoon;\non seventh day at New Garden. These were all seasons of favour, wherein\nI was strengthened to labour in the work of the gospel, and to declare\nlargely to these several assemblies, of the things concerning the\nkingdom of God; endeavouring, by persuasive arguments, founded in the\nclear demonstration of the spirit, accompanied with a lively evidence\nof divine power to gather the minds of the people to the _light\nof Christ_, or _Christ the light, in their own hearts; as the only\nsure guide to blessedness_, and _foundation rock on which to build\nall our hopes of redemption and salvation_. A precious solemnity was\nfelt to prevail in those several meetings, most of which were crowded\ngatherings, many more often collecting than their meeting-houses could\ncontain; and truth was exalted over all, to the praise of Him who is\nover all, God blessed for ever.\n\nAfter the latter meeting we proceeded to Salem, intending to be at\nFriends\u2019 meeting there the next day, which was first day, the 19th of\n9th month. We attended the meeting in the forenoon, but not feeling\nmyself clear, I was led to appoint an afternoon meeting; which was\naccordingly held at the third hour, and was largely attended by Friends\nand others; among whom way opened fully to discharge and clear myself,\nand I found peace in my labour of love among them.\n\nOn second and third days, I attended meetings by appointment at\nSpringfield and Goshen, two neighbouring villages. These were likewise\nvery solemn instructive seasons, wherein I was largely led forth in\nministerial labour, apparently to the comfort and edification of most\npresent. From Goshen we returned back to Salem, intending to be at\ntheir monthly meeting to be held the next day, which we accordingly\nattended. I had good service among my Friends, both in the meeting for\nworship and that for discipline.\n\nAfter this we took a final leave of them, in the fresh feelings of\nmutual love and Christian fellowship, and proceeded on our journey that\nafternoon to Fairfield, where we had a meeting the next day. On sixth\nday, was at Columbiana. On seventh day, at Middleton. And on first\nday, the 26th, had two meetings; one in the morning at Elk Run, and\nthe other at the third hour in the afternoon at Carmel. These meetings\nwere all well attended; wherein I was led forth largely in testimony,\napparently to the general satisfaction and edification of the people,\nand to the comfort and peace of my own mind.\n\nOn second day we proceeded to New Lisbon, and attended a meeting in\ntheir court-house at the eleventh hour. It was a large collection,\nmostly made up of other societies, there being but few Friends residing\nin that place. I was led to open several doctrinal points of our\nprofession, and to show the great difference between profession and\npossession; and that no profession of religion was worth esteeming as\nany thing, unless it was the effect of the real possession of the thing\nprofessed; as no profession of a thing, could of itself give any a\npossession thereof; but a real possession, will manifest itself by its\nfruits. It was a day of great favour, in which truth reigned over all.\n\nOn third day, we proceeded to Beaver Falls. Had a meeting there the\nnext day to good satisfaction. After this we travelled on our way\nto Pittsburg, where we arrived the next day about noon, and had an\nappointed meeting there in the evening in their court-house. It was\na large spacious building, but more collected than the house could\ncontain. I had much service among them, and the Lord\u2019s power was felt\nto preside, quieting and solemnizing the assembly; and many hearts were\nhumbled and contrited, and truth raised into dominion over all.\n\nOn sixth day afternoon, we left Pittsburg on our way to Brownsville,\nwhere we arrived in the afternoon of the next day. On first day we\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting there; and notice being spread among the\npeople at large that we were there, it was a very crowded assembly,\nmore than the house could well contain. Through the condescending\ngoodness of the Shepherd of Israel, I was helped to discharge myself\nfaithfully among them, in an effective testimony to the truths of\nthe gospel; proving from clear scripture testimony, accompanied with\nthe demonstration of the spirit, in harmony with right reason, that\nnothing short of a full belief in, and obedience to, the revelation of\nthe spirit of truth, (a manifestation of which is given to every man\nand woman to profit withal,) as the only rule of faith and practice,\ncan make a real Christian, and produce redemption and salvation to\nan immortal soul. It was a very solemn instructive season, worthy of\ngrateful remembrance.\n\nOn second day we had an appointed meeting at Sandy Hill, at the\ntenth hour; and another in the evening at Uniontown, held in their\ncourt-house. These were both seasons of favour, producing solid peace\nto my own mind, and, I trust, instructive and edifying to the people in\ngeneral who attended. These meetings closed my labours among Friends\nand others, in the compass of the yearly meeting of Ohio.\n\nOn third day we set out on our journey over the mountains, towards\nWinchester in Virginia; in order to attend the meetings of Friends\nin that neighbourhood, on our way to Baltimore. The distance was\nabout one hundred and sixteen miles. It took three days to accomplish\nthe journey, with hard travelling; a considerable part of the way\nbeing very rocky, as well as mountainous. We arrived among Friends\nat Pughtown, on fifth day evening; and had a meeting appointed there\nthe next day, at two o\u2019clock in the afternoon, which we attended\naccordingly. On seventh day had a meeting at the Ridge. On first day\nat Centre, near Winchester; and the two following days had meetings at\nHopewell and Berkley. I was largely led forth in these meetings, to\nshow to the people the inconsistency and unrighteousness of holding\nour fellow creatures in bondage, and the evil tendency of bringing\nup our children and families on the fruits of their labour, wrested\nfrom them by violence, without paying them an adequate reward for the\nsame. I likewise opened to them the folly and deception of all their\nprofession of worshipping that Being, who is perfect in justice, purity\nand holiness, while their hands are full of violence and oppression,\nand they living in luxury and idleness on their unrighteous gain. The\nLord\u2019s power was exalted in these meetings, and truth reigned.\n\nAfter the latter meeting we proceeded on our way towards Baltimore,\nwhere we arrived on seventh day evening; attending meetings at\nFredericktown and New Market, on our way thither. On first day, the\n17th of 10th month, I attended Friends\u2019 meetings in that city; the\nWestern District in the morning, and the Eastern District in the\nafternoon. I was silent in the former, but in the latter, I was largely\nled forth in gospel communication. As notice had been spread among the\ncitizens of other professions, the meeting was large, and the divine\npower was felt to preside, which brought a precious solemnity over the\nmeeting, and truth was raised into dominion.\n\nHere we met with our friend Elizabeth Coggeshall from New-York, with\nher companion Judith Coffin, from Nantucket; also our ancient friend\nWilliam Rickman, from England. We were mutually glad in seeing each\nother. Elizabeth felt a concern to see the members of our society,\nselect from those of other societies in each meeting, accordingly a\nFriend, at her request, in the morning meeting when the service of the\nfirst meeting was over, proposed the same to the assembly; when those\nwho were not members quietly withdrew, and our dear friend had good\nservice among them. This also opened an opportunity for me to throw\nin my mite, and set a seal to the service. A similar opportunity was\nlikewise had with Friends at the close of the afternoon meeting in the\nEastern District, which was also a favoured time.\n\nAnd as I had felt my mind somewhat similarly engaged in coming into the\ncity, it opened the way to spread my exercise before Friends; which\nwas that of the more select service of seeing the active members and\nheads of families of both sexes together. I had an opportunity with\nthose of this description in the Western District, and afterwards with\nthose of the Eastern; and was glad in believing that divine love was\nnear, favouring with His enlivening, reconciling presence; which raised\na hope, that through the divine blessing, the opportunities would not\nprove altogether unfruitful, for some disunity and jealousies had\nprevailed among the members of society in this city.\n\nThe next day being Friends\u2019 meeting day, I felt most easy to stay and\nattend it. I also found my mind led to some further service among the\ncitizens at large: for although I had had a public opportunity on\nfirst day evening, which seemed for the present to ease my mind, yet a\nrenewed exercise on that account induced a belief it would be right to\ngive the citizens generally another invitation; which Friends readily\nagreed to, and spread the notice accordingly. It was a very large\nmeeting, and through gracious condescension a highly favoured season;\nthe Lord\u2019s power was felt to preside, and a precious solemnity spread\nover the assembly, and I took my leave of them in much peace of mind.\n\nThis closed my service among them. The two following days we rode\nto Wilmington, where we arrived on sixth day evening. On seventh\nday evening we had a large meeting by appointment, with Friends and\nthe inhabitants of the town. This was a solemn instructive season,\nworthy of grateful remembrance. We also attended the morning meeting\nof Friends the next day, and then proceeded to Chester, parting with\nmy Friends in much sweet peace and unity. Here we had a large solemn\nmeeting in the evening, among the few Friends of that place and the\ninhabitants of the town. I trust, through heavenly goodness, it proved\nan instructive edifying season to many.\n\nThe two following days, I attended the monthly meetings of Providence\nand Darby. On fourth day morning we proceeded to Philadelphia. We\nstaid in the city until the following third day, and attended all the\nmeetings of Friends there; some by appointment, and the others as they\ncame in course. We were at two of their monthly meetings, and their\nquarterly meeting. The meetings were generally crowded, and at several\nmany of the people were obliged to stand outside of the doors, for want\nof room. Through unmerited mercy the Lord\u2019s power was felt to preside,\nproducing a precious solemnity over those large promiscuous gatherings,\nand by which truth was raised into dominion. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s\ndoing, and marvellous in mine eyes. It was, I trust, a time of renewed\nvisitation to many, especially to the beloved youth.\n\nWe left the city on third day morning, and proceeded to Germantown,\nwhere by previous appointment we had a large meeting at the eleventh\nhour. The two following days we attended Friends\u2019 quarterly meeting at\nHorsham; and on sixth day, had a large public meeting at Byberry. These\nwere all favoured instructive seasons, in which the Lord\u2019s presence was\nmanifested for our help, and were worthy of grateful remembrance.\n\nOn seventh day we attended a meeting at Bristol; and at evening crossed\nthe river Delaware to Burlington, and attended Friends\u2019 forenoon and\nafternoon meetings on first day. These were large favoured meetings, in\nwhich truth reigned.\n\nOn second day, the 8th of 11th month we proceeded to Trenton and had a\nlarge meeting there in the evening, with the few Friends of that place,\nand the inhabitants of the town, in which divers essential doctrines\nof the gospel were opened to the consideration of the assembly. It was\na solemn meeting, and I parted with them in true peace of mind, which\nis the certain and consolatory result of disinterested obedience, and\nfaithfulness to manifested duty.\n\nWe proceeded on third day, on our way to New-York, where we arrived the\nnext day in season to attend Friends\u2019 meeting in Pearl-street; it being\ntheir usual meeting day. The meeting was generally gathered when I got\nin, having had some distance to travel to reach there, which occasioned\nmy being a few minutes after the time. My mind, soon after taking my\nseat, was brought under a renewed exercise, on account of the members\nof our society mixing in with the associations of other people, in\ntheir governments and politics, their Bible and Missionary societies,\nand pretended charity associations; which had a very hurtful tendency,\nby leavening the minds of Friends, and leading them to assimilate with\nthe spirit of the world; and turning them away from the simplicity,\nof our profession, thereby neglecting to support our Christian\ntestimonies, as it regards plainness of speech, deportment, and\napparel. Such conduct is particularly wounding to some of the beloved\nyouth, for they seeing their elder brethren, and especially some who\nwere sometimes active in our meetings for discipline, join with such\nassociations, it leads them into a free familiarity and friendship\nwith such as are light and vain in their conversation and deportment,\nby which their tender minds are greatly wounded; and they led off from\nthe cross, and a strict regard to that sobriety of conduct, which truth\nrequires of all its professors. I was led to communicate largely on\nthose subjects, in a close searching testimony; and the Lord\u2019s power\nwas felt to prevail, and the meeting generally brought under a solemn\ncovering. It proved a season of favour, and the right-minded were made\nto rejoice.\n\nFeeling my mind impressed with a concern to appoint a meeting for\nthe citizens at large, the appointment was accordingly made at seven\no\u2019clock the ensuing evening. It was a very large collection, more than\nthe house could contain; and was a highly favoured season. A very\nprecious solemnity was spread over the assembly in general; and when\nI sat down, after standing nearly two hours, I turned my eyes over\nthe congregation, and all was quiet and still, and every countenance\nseemed expressive of the solemnity felt, which united us together and\nclothed us as with a mantle of love. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing,\nand marvellous in our eyes.\n\nThe next day I attended Friends\u2019 meeting near the Bowery, as it came in\ncourse; and some notice being given of my intending to be there, we had\nthe company of a number of their neighbours of other societies. This\nwas also a very instructive favoured season.\n\nThe ensuing evening I had another appointed meeting for the citizens at\nlarge, in Friends\u2019 meeting-house at Liberty-street. This was rather a\ntrying meeting; as many who attended were such as had settled down in\na form, and were difficult to reach, which makes hard labour for the\ntruly exercised ministers. However I had a hope the season would prove\nprofitable to some, and I left them with peace of mind.\n\nThis meeting closed my labours in this journey, and the next morning\nwe rode home, the 12th of the 11th month, 1819. I found my family and\nfriends in usual health, and glad to see me, which rendered it a cause\nof mutual joy, and filled my heart with gratitude and thanksgiving\nto the God and Father of all our sure mercies, who had led about,\ninstructed and preserved me, through all, to the praise of his great\nand excellent name.\n\nI was from home in this journey about three months, and travelled\nnearly twelve hundred miles, and attended eighty-seven meetings.\n\nFirst day, 14th. I sat with my Friends in our own meeting, in which I\nwas largely led forth in ministry, setting forth, as it opened on my\nmind, the cause why so little progress was made in reformation, and\nthe true spiritual or real Christian life; and showing that it was\nprincipally, as it then appeared in the openings of truth, occasioned\nby the visited children of our heavenly Father, not keeping close to\nthat which first visited them, and opened their understanding; but\nletting their minds out to worldly things, and that by opening the\nway to a free and familiar converse with the people of the world,\nmany were led and induced thereby to join with them in their manners,\nmaxims, interests and worldly policies, by which means they were so\nyoked together in a free and open friendship, as thereby to become\nweakened and brought into bondage to them; so as to be ashamed and\nafraid to stand upright, and bear a faithful testimony against this\nworldly spirit and its fruits; by which the testimonies of truth\nwere in a great measure let fall, for fear of offending these their\nworldly-minded associates, by which the promotion of the cause of truth\nwas greatly obstructed, and its faithful testimony-bearers grieved, and\nmade to go mourning on their way.\n\nFifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, in which I also had some close\nsearching labour to stir up Friends to more diligence and faithfulness\nin the support of our Christian testimonies; and cautioning them\nagainst a worldly spirit, which would lead to extortion and grinding\nthe faces of the poor; for this is very reproachful for any Christian\nprofessor, and more so for us, who are making a more exalted profession\nthan any others who go under the Christian name.\n\nFirst day, the 21st. My mind to-day was led into a near feeling\nsympathy with such as had been visited with the day-spring from on\nhigh, but who had not so fully given up to the pointing of truth, in\nwhat are generally termed little things, as they ought; the natural\ntendency of which is to lead the mind into a doubting state. For\nwhen the creature, in his own will, takes the liberty of judging for\nhimself, of what is little, or what is great, he departs from the true\nstandard, and has no certain evidence to walk by; for if he has a\nright to judge for himself in one case, why not in every other. Here\ndoubting will arise in his mind, of what is, or is not, agreeable to\nthe divine will; as nothing can give the mind certain evidence, but\nfaithfully complying with the evident sensations which the light of\ntruth opens upon it, let them be what the creature may judge to be\nsmall or great; for we have no more reason or right to refuse complying\nwith a small requisition, than we have a great one, if the requisition\nproceeds from the same source. The subject was so opened as to affect\nmany minds with tenderness and contrition; and had an humbling,\nsolemnizing effect on the meeting in general, and was, I believe,\ngladdening to many minds.\n\nFifth day. Attended our meeting in silence, which was very acceptable\nto me.\n\nFirst day, the 28th. Mostly silent in meeting to-day.\n\nOn my return home from my late journey, I felt my mind drawn in\nsympathy, attended with a concern to pay a religious visit to the\nneighbouring inhabitants in the compass of our quarterly meeting.\nThis concern I opened to my friends the first monthly meeting after\nmy return, and received their full unity therein; but taking a severe\ncold soon after I came home, I continued indisposed for some weeks,\nwhich with some necessary concerns, prevented my entering on the visit,\nuntil after our succeeding monthly meeting. The fourth day following,\nthe 22d of 12th month, I proceeded therein, accompanied by my wife and\nmy kinsman, Isaac Hicks, of Westbury. We were from home five days, and\nattended six meetings, mostly among those of other societies. It was a\ntime of deep exercise to me, being led in the line of searching labour,\npointing to a reform in manners and conduct; and showing the fallacy of\nall ceremonial religion in the observation of days, and complying with\noutward ordinances; which do not in the least tend to make the comers\nthereunto a whit the better, as it respects the conscience, but lead\nthe observers thereof into a form, without the power.\n\nWe returned home the following second day. I tarried at home until\nthe beginning of the next week, when feeling my mind drawn to attend\nthe monthly meeting of Friends in New-York, I again left home,\naccompanied by the aforesaid friend. We were at the monthly meeting\non fourth day, in which I had some close exercise, the meeting having\nmuch business before it, and one case in particular was very trying, in\nwhich Friends were divided, and two or three unqualified individuals\nseemed determined, for a considerable time, to compel the meeting to\ncomply with their unsanctified wills; but as Friends who were rightly\nexercised, patiently kept up the travail, and withstood them, truth was\nraised into dominion, and by its power silenced all their cavilling,\nand united the meeting in a right conclusion. The meeting for worship\nand that for discipline continued upwards of six hours.\n\nWe left the city soon after the close of this long meeting, and\npassed over the river to Brooklyn, where by previous appointment we\nhad a meeting that evening, composed of the different professions of\nthe inhabitants of that place, very few Friends residing there. The\nmeeting was pretty large, and in the main satisfactory. The next day\nwe proceeded to Flushing, and attended their monthly meeting. I was\nsilent in the meeting for worship, but had some good service in that\nfor discipline. We also had an appointed meeting in the evening for the\ninhabitants of the town, which was large and solemn. The next day we\nreturned to Newtown, and had a meeting at Friends\u2019 meeting-house at the\nKilns in that place, at the eleventh hour; and another in the evening\nat the sixth hour, in the village. They were both favoured meetings.\nWe returned to Flushing after the latter meeting, and lodged with our\nkind friend Walter Farrington, and the next day rode home and found my\nfamily well.\n\nFirst day, the 9th of 1st month, 1820. I sat with my friends at home in\nour own meeting to-day, which I considered as no small privilege.\n\nOn second day morning I was early informed, that my kinsman and kind\nfellow traveller Isaac Hicks, was taken with a severe illness, about\nten o\u2019clock the preceding evening, and lay at the point of death. I\nhastened to see him, and found him nearly breathing his last, being\npast noticing any thing by his external senses. It was a sudden and\nunexpected trial to me, to be thus almost instantaneously separated\nfrom such a kind and valued friend, who had for a number of years\ndevoted himself in divers ways, to promote the cause of truth and\nrighteousness in the earth; and in particular, by encouraging and\naccompanying Friends in the ministry, when travelling in truth\u2019s\nservice, especially myself, having been with me in several long\njourneys, as well as divers short ones. I parted with him at the close\nof one of the latter, on the seventh day afternoon before his death,\nat his own house, and apparently in usual health: although he had been\nfor a considerable time previous thereto, much afflicted, at times,\nwith severe pain in his breast and shortness of breath, which created\ngreat suffering during their continuance. He had a return thereof the\nevening before I last parted with him, which occasioned him to observe\nto me, that he thought he should ere long be taken off in one of those\nattacks; but I then thought quite otherwise, as in other respects he\nappeared to be in very good health, and had a very healthy countenance.\n\nSuch sudden attacks prove with indubitable evidence, that mortality is\nso closely interwoven in the very constitution of these animal bodies,\nthat the present moment is the only time we can call our own; and which\ncontinually announce the impressive language: \u201cBe ye therefore ready.\u201d\n\nSuch sudden and unexpected separations from our endeared friends make\nthe loss seem greater, not only to their families and near connexions,\nbut to their friends in general, and particularly so to those who knew\ntheir real worth. But it ever affords a soothing consolation, and\ninduces to acquiesce in the divine will, when we have evident cause to\nhope that our loss, which is but for a short time, is their eternal\ngain.\n\nI attended the funeral of my beloved friend, which was large and\nsolemn; and I was led forth in an impressive testimony to the truths\nof the gospel; inviting the people to inquire, and see, and taste for\nthemselves, that the Lord is good.\n\nI continued at home until the following seventh day, when I again\nproceeded on my visit to the neighbouring towns and villages. I\nwas from home about thirteen days and attended fifteen meetings,\nreturning home on sixth day, the 11th of 2d month, 1820. My service\nin many of those opportunities was very arduous; the lukewarmness and\ninsensibility of the people, as to any right religious concern, make\nhard work for the honest labourers, in this day of ease and carnal\nsecurity. But true peace of mind, the sure result of faithfulness,\ncrowns the attempts at doing good, as it makes hard things easy and\nbitter things sweet.\n\nI tarried at home until the latter end of the next week, in the course\nof which I had a very severe attack of bodily indisposition, occasioned\nby the gravel, with which I have been afflicted at times, for near\ntwenty years. These warnings are designed to spur us on to our duty,\nas they continually announce to the enlightened mind this very useful\nmemento: \u201cRemember to die.\u201d\n\nIn the latter end of the week, there came to my house my much esteemed\nfriend and kinsman Edward Hicks, from Newtown, in Bucks county,\nPennsylvania, on a religious visit to our parts, with his companion\nJames Walton, an elder. I accompanied them the next day to a meeting\nthey had appointed at Westbury. It was very large, in which Edward had\nvery good service, being largely led forth to open to the people many\nimportant doctrines of the Christian religion. I accompanied him to\nall the meetings he had among us except one; and in some of them had\na portion of the service laid upon me, particularly in the meeting at\nBethpage.\n\nI accompanied my friend to four meetings after this, in which he was\ngenerally favoured to open things suitable to the states of the people;\nhis gift being searching and lively. After his service was over in the\nmeeting at Cowneck, on first day, I was led forth in a short testimony;\nand the meeting closed under an evident sense that truth reigned. Our\nnext meeting was the day following at Rockaway, on second day, the 28th\nof 2d month. It was in the main a favoured opportunity. My part was to\nsit in silence. After this meeting I parted with my beloved friend and\nhis companion, in the fellowship of the gospel; they proceeded towards\nNew-York, and I returned home that evening, and found my family well.\n\nFirst day, the 5th of 3d month. I attended our own meeting, which\nthrough heavenly help proved a very precious instructive season. It was\nlarger than usual, many coming in who did not often attend, to whom the\ngospel was preached in the demonstration of the spirit, through which\ntruth was raised into dominion, causing the hearts of many to be warmed\nwithin them by the influence of its power, and manifesting itself by\nmuch brokenness and contrition of spirit.\n\nSecond day, the 13th. Attended the funeral of our friend Charles Frost,\nat which there was a large collection of friends and neighbours. A\nmeeting was held on the occasion, which was a favoured one, and, I\ntrust, a profitable opportunity to some present, and worthy of grateful\nremembrance.\n\nIn the fall of 1820, being, with several other friends, on an\nappointment from the yearly meeting, requiring our care and attention\nin the northern quarters, and having for some time previously felt\nmy mind drawn to visit some of the meetings of Friends, within the\ncompass of Farmington and Duanesburgh quarterly meetings, I obtained\nthe unity and concurrence of my Friends at home to attend thereto,\nafter accomplishing the service of the yearly meeting. I accordingly\nset out in the 9th month, and was favoured to go through the visit\nwith peace to my own mind; for He, who is the alone sure helper of\nall his dependant children, graciously manifested himself to be near,\nfor my help and encouragement in the travail and exercise that I\nwas engaged in, for the promotion of his noble cause of truth and\nrighteousness in the earth; and in a way, that was often marvellous in\nmine eyes, tending to inspire my soul with deep and humble gratitude\nand thanksgiving, for the unmerited favour.\n\nIn the summer of 1822, I opened to my Friends a prospect, which for\na considerable time had been impressive on my mind, to make a visit\nin the love of the gospel, to Friends and others in some parts of the\nyearly meeting of Philadelphia; and, if way should open for it, to\nvisit some of the families of Friends in that city, and also to attend\nthe yearly meeting at Baltimore. They united with me in the concern,\nand left me at liberty to proceed therein. I set out in the 7th month,\nwith David Seaman as my companion. We had a large favoured meeting at\nFlushing, which was strengthening and comforting to my mind, in first\nsetting out in this arduous engagement, and excited gratitude for the\nunmerited mercy. After leaving Flushing on our way to New-York, my\nprospect of a meeting at Hester-street, which I had a view of several\nweeks before I left home, revived with renewed weight; and although\nfrom the consternation and interrupted state of the citizens, owing\nto the prevalence of fever in the city, I had given up the prospect\non leaving home, yet I now saw that I could not depart from the city\nwith a quiet mind, unless I had a meeting agreeably to my former view.\nAccordingly, when I got into town I opened my concern to some of my\nfriends there, who readily united therewith, and notice was given;\nand one of the Friends who attended about the door at the gathering\nof the meeting, said there were more people collected than had ever\nbeen at any former time in that place; several hundreds, he said, went\naway, who could not get into the house for want of room. I had a full\nopportunity to clear my mind among the people, most of whom were very\nsolid and attentive. Thus we have great cause of gratitude to the\ngracious Care-taker of his faithfully devoted children, who opens a way\nfor them, when some are ready to conclude there is no way. But he opens\na way for those, which none but himself can shut, to the praise of his\nown great and adorable name, who is over all, blessed for ever.\n\nWe then proceeded to Newark, and had a meeting in the court-house.\nThere was a pretty large collection of the inhabitants, among whom\nI had strength and utterance given to open many important doctrines\nof the Christian religion, in a clear and impressive manner, which\nappeared sensibly to affect and impress the minds of the sober and well\ninclined; but many appeared very ignorant and inexperienced as to the\nreal truths of the gospel. But having fully cleared my mind among them,\nI left them with the answer of peace, and proceeded to Plainfield. We\nattended the meeting there, which was large for the place; and it was\nfavoured in an eminent manner, to our mutual comfort. We then rode to\nKingwood, and had a full and comfortable meeting there; after which we\nwent to Solebury, in Pennsylvania, and had a meeting at the sixth hour\nin the evening. It was a large meeting, in which I was led to discharge\nmyself faithfully in a close searching testimony. It was a very solemn\nquiet opportunity, and I parted with them in peace of mind.\n\nWe afterwards attended meetings at Buckingham, Plumbstead, Wrightstown,\nMakefield, and Newtown: and we have abundant cause to bless the name\nof Israel\u2019s unslumbering Shepherd, who hath graciously condescended to\nmanifest his presence and power for our help and support, opening my\nway in a marvellous manner in all the meetings I have attended since\nI left home, uniting my friends in a joint travail for the promotion\nof his blessed cause; truth prevailing in every meeting, and running\nas precious ointment over the assemblies, bearing down all opposition,\nand spreading, by its power, a sweet and precious solemnity over all.\nSurely it is the Lord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in our eyes: and what\nis the greatest cause of gratitude and thanksgiving to the benevolent\nAuthor of all our richest blessings, is, that he causes all these\nfavours to bow my spirit in deep humiliation and fear before him, as\nunworthy of the least of his mercies. To the sufficiency of his grace,\nmay all the praise and glory be ascribed, nothing due to man.\n\nWe then attended meetings at Horsham, Upper Dublin, North Wales,\nPlymouth, Providence, Pikeland, Westchester, London Grove, and Deer\nCreek; and my spirit is humbled in a deep feeling sense of the Lord\u2019s\ngoodness vouchsafed for our help, opening a way in the minds of my\nfriends generally to receive the testimonies given me to bear, for\nthe promotion of his righteous cause, with marks of apparent joy and\nsatisfaction, and to our mutual comfort. We reached Baltimore on the\n25th of 10th month; and the meeting of Ministers and Elders was opened\non the next day at the tenth hour. The yearly meeting continued till\nsixth day evening, and was acknowledged to be the largest and the most\nfavoured meeting they had known for several years past. The unity of\nFriends with my exercises in the public meetings, and in those for\ndiscipline, was truly grateful, and tended to humble and inspire my\nmind with gratitude and thanksgiving to my heavenly Father.\n\nI did not feel myself at liberty to leave the city at the close of\nthe yearly meeting, believing that some more public service among the\npeople was required of me. I had accordingly a public meeting in the\nEastern District, on seventh day evening. It was very large; and among\nthe various subjects that opened for communication to those assembled,\nI was led to expose the iniquity and deformity of the cruel practice\nof holding our fellow creatures in bondage, and the injustice and\ninconsistency of Friends doing any act where the right of slavery\nwas acknowledged and supported; and, I think, I was enabled to do it\nin a more full and impressive manner than ever before. We had a very\ninteresting and solemn meeting; truth appeared to gain the victory, and\nreigned over all. On first day I attended Friends\u2019 meetings for the\nWestern District, both in the forenoon and afternoon. They were very\nlarge; and I had a full opportunity in the morning of clearing myself\namong them. We had a precious, powerful meeting; and among the divers\nstates addressed, the slave-holders were peculiarly the objects of my\nexercise and concern. The afternoon meeting I sat in silence, except\nthe expression of a few words just at the close, in taking leave of\nthem, and bidding all farewell.\n\nIn the evening I had a precious interesting opportunity with the\ncoloured people, in Friends\u2019 meeting-house in the Western District.\nIt was said by Friends to be much the largest known in that place. It\nwas a very quiet, solemn meeting; and the minds of all, both white\nand coloured, seemed animated with gladness and joy for the favour\ndispensed, and gave manifestations of their thankfulness and gratitude\nfor the opportunity.\n\nWe then proceeded towards Philadelphia, attending several meetings\non our way, which were greatly favoured, and crowned with the divine\npresence and power, in such a manner as to be marvellous in our eyes.\n\nWe arrived in Philadelphia in the early part of 12th month; and I\nimmediately entered on the arduous concern which I had had in prospect,\nand which I was favoured soon comfortably to accomplish. We visited\nthe families composing Green-street monthly meeting, being in number\nabout one hundred and forty; and we also attended that monthly meeting,\nand the monthly meeting for the Northern District. This closed my\nvisit there, and set me at liberty to turn my face homeward. We left\nPhiladelphia on the 25th of 12th month, and attended several meetings\nin Pennsylvania and New Jersey, on our way home, which were large and\nsolemn opportunities. We were favoured to reach our homes with feelings\nof thanksgiving to our gracious Preserver, and with the enjoyment of\nthat precious peace, which is experienced by those whose minds are\nstayed on God; as the prophet declared in his appeal to Jehovah: \u201cThou\nwilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because\nhe trusteth in thee.\u201d And he subjoins, for our encouragement: \u201cTrust in\nthe Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.\u201d\nMay we all dwell here; then nothing can hurt or harm us; for the Lord\nour Preserver will turn all the designs and cunning devices of those\nthat rise up against us upon their own heads, and cause them to fall\ninto their own pit.\n\nIn the latter part of 1823, I felt myself engaged to make a religious\nvisit to Friends and others in several of the lower quarterly meetings;\nand having obtained the unity of my friends, I set out in the 10th\nmonth, with Samuel Willis as my companion. After having meetings at\nWestchester and Mamaroneck, we attended the select quarterly meeting\nat Purchase, which was small, many of the members being absent. They\nappeared to be clothed with much weakness: I was led into a feeling\nsympathy with them, and way was opened to communicate to their states,\nin a way that was comforting and encouraging to the honest-hearted. The\nnext day was the quarterly meeting of discipline. It was large; and,\nI think, in the main it was a favoured instructive season, although\nconsiderably hurt by a long tedious communication from a Friend, not\nsufficiently clothed with life to make it useful. But the society is in\nsuch a mixed and unstable state, and many who presume to be teachers\nin it are so far from keeping on the original foundation, _the light\nand spirit of truth_, and are so built up in mere tradition, that I\nfear a great portion of the ministry amongst us is doing more harm than\ngood, and is leading back to the weak and beggarly elements to which\nsome seem desirous to be again in bondage.\n\nAfter leaving Purchase, we had a pretty large and favoured meeting\nat North Castle; and next day we went to Oblong, and attended their\nmeeting on first day. It was large, and I had an open time among them,\nthrough the prevalence of that power which opens and none can shut, and\nwhen he shuts none can open. Truth reigned, and the people generally,\nI believe, were instructed, comforted, and edified. I parted with them\nin true peace of mind, which leads my heart into deep humility, and\ninspires it with gratitude and thanksgiving to the great and blessed\nAuthor of all our mercies. We had a meeting at the Branch, and then\nproceeded to Nine Partners, and attended the select quarterly meeting.\nIt was much like some other meetings of this kind, hard and not very\nfruitful. The members of those meetings are too generally falling\nmore short of coming up faithfully, according to their stations,\nthan most of the other departments of our society. We attended the\nquarterly meeting for discipline, also that at Stanford, and soon\nafter turned our faces homeward; where we arrived, accompanied with\nthe fresh feelings of that love that many waters cannot quench; even\nthat powerful love that is stronger than death, and binds together\nin an indissoluble bond, all the new-born children of the heavenly\nFather. May we all seek for it, and dwell in it. It will cast out all\nfear, and clothe with that innocent boldness, which will enable us to\nwithstand all the dark powers of antichrist and his agents, and all\ntheir deceivableness of unrighteousness; and will raise above the fear\nof death, with all his mis-shapen and ugly forms, and clothe with the\njoys of God\u2019s salvation here and for ever, as we continue steadfast in\nthe faith that overcomes the world.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVII.\n\n Visit to Baltimore to attend the yearly meeting in 1824.--Visit to\n the inhabitants of the eastern part of Long Island in 1825.--Visit\n to Scipio quarterly meeting in 1825.--Visit to Southern and Concord\n quarterly meetings in Pennsylvania in 1826.--Visit to the families\n of Friends in Jericho and Westbury monthly meetings in 1827.--Visit\n to Friends in some parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio in\n 1828.\n\n\nIn the summer of 1824, I had the concurrence of my friends to attend\nthe quarterly meeting of Cornwall and Stanford, which I accomplished\nto my own peace and comfort. And in the fall of the same year, they\nalso united with a concern which had impressed my mind, to attend the\nensuing yearly meeting in Baltimore. This engagement, through the\nmercy of Him who has hitherto helped me, I was favoured to accomplish\nto the peace and satisfaction of my own mind. The yearly meeting for\ndiscipline opened on second day, and continued by adjournments until\nthe following fifth day, in the afternoon of which it closed, under a\ncomfortable evidence of divine favour attending. I think it was, in its\nseveral sittings, one of the most satisfactory yearly meetings I ever\nattended, and the business was conducted in much harmony and brotherly\nlove.\n\nIn Philadelphia, on my return, I had a severe attack of bodily\nindisposition; so that, for some time, there seemed but little prospect\nof my recovery. I lodged at the house of my very kind friend Samuel\nR. Fisher, who, with his worthy children, extended to me the most\naffectionate care and attention; and I had also the kind sympathy of a\nlarge portion of Friends in that city.\n\nIn the summer of 1825, I obtained the concurrence of my friends to\nmake a visit, in gospel love, to the inhabitants of the eastern part\nof Long Island, and I proceeded therein, with Samuel Willis as my\ncompanion. The people appeared open to receive us, and the meetings at\nthe several places we visited, were pretty fully attended. Many minds\nwere humbled and contrited, and truth\u2019s testimonies exalted, and the\npeople generally comforted, and, I trust, edified.\n\nIn the fall of 1825, being on an appointment of the yearly meeting to\nattend the opening of Scipio quarterly meeting, I obtained the unity\nof my friends to attend some meetings among Friends and others, on my\nway going and returning. The quarterly meeting in its several sittings,\nwas conducted in much apparent harmony and condescension; the truth\nwas so effectually raised into dominion over all, that if there were\nany discordant spirits present, they were all kept down and subdued\nby the prevalence of its power; and Friends were united in the bond\nof brotherly affection, and the faithful were made to rejoice for the\nunmerited favour. The meeting closed on the 30th of 9th month, with a\nvery large solemn public meeting; the public service therein fell to\nthe lot of Thankful Merritt and myself, and Thankful closed the meeting\nin sweet solemn supplication. In returning home, I attended several\nmeetings which were large, and, through the condescending goodness of\nthe Shepherd of Israel, were favoured satisfactory seasons, in which\ntruth was raised into dominion, and a precious solemnity prevailed.\n\nIn the latter part of 1826, my friends united with a concern, which had\nbeen for a considerable time impressive on my mind, to make a visit in\nthe love of the gospel, to Southern and Concord quarterly meetings,\nin the yearly meeting of Philadelphia. I accordingly set out in the\n11th month, with Jesse Merritt as my companion. In passing through\nPhiladelphia, we attended Mulberry-street meeting in the forenoon, and\nGreen-street in the afternoon. They were both very large meetings,\nmany more coming together than the houses could contain. Truth was\npowerfully raised into dominion, and at the close of each meeting,\nmany Friends manifested, in an affectionate manner, their unity and\nsatisfaction with my labours amongst them. We then proceeded on the\nfurther service on which we had set out, taking several meetings on\nthe way, which were large and solemn opportunities, and favoured with\nthe overshadowing wing of divine kindness; and having accomplished the\nprospects in view, we turned our faces homewards, having thankfully\nto acknowledge that best help had been near, enabling me to discharge\nmyself faithfully in the various meetings, to the comfort and peace of\nmy own mind.\n\nIn the early part of 1827, with the unity of my friends, I entered into\nthe engagement of making a religious visit to the families of Friends\nwithin our own and Westbury monthly meeting, and I was favoured to go\nthrough this arduous service to the satisfaction and peace of my own\nmind.\n\nHaving felt an exercise and travail of spirit in the course of last\nyear, to make a religious visit in the love of the gospel, to Friends\nand others in some parts of our own yearly meeting, and in the compass\nof the yearly meetings of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Ohio, Indiana,\nand a few meetings in Virginia; and apprehending the time had come\nto move therein, I spread the concern before my friends at Jericho\nmonthly meeting, held the 20th of 3d month, 1828, and obtained their\nunity and concurrence therein. This concern, with the certificate\nfrom our monthly meeting, I laid before our quarterly meeting held at\nWestbury, the 24th of 4th month following; and obtained their unity and\nconcurrence, with an endorsement thereof on my certificate from the\nmonthly meeting.\n\nI left home the 28th of 4th month, the week after our quarterly\nmeeting, in order to accomplish the service above alluded to; and\nattended the three quarterly meetings of Purchase, Nine Partners,\nand Stanford, as they came in their usual course. On my way home, I\nattended Oblong monthly meeting, also four particular meetings, three\nof which were appointed at my request. In all these meetings the Lord,\nour gracious helper, manifested himself to be near for our support,\nmaking way for us at times where there seemed to be no way, to our\nhumbling admiration. I was from home in the prosecution of this little\ntour of duty, two weeks and two days. After this I tarried at and about\nhome until after our yearly meeting.\n\nSoon after this I again left home, on the 14th of 6th month, and\nrode to New-York. The day following being the first of the week, we\nattended the morning and afternoon meetings of Friends in the city,\nwhich, through the gracious extendings of heavenly help, proved to\nbe comfortable edifying seasons. My esteemed friend Jesse Merritt,\nan elder of our monthly meeting, accompanied me in this journey. We\nleft New-York on second day, after taking a sympathetic farewell of\nour friends in the city, and proceeded on our journey to Rahway in\nNew Jersey, and lodged with our kind friend William Shotwell, and\nthe next day had an appointed meeting in that village. It was truly\na comfortable edifying opportunity; many truths of the gospel were\nclearly opened to the audience, humbling and contriting many who\nwere present; a sense of which inspired our minds with gratitude and\nthanksgiving to the blessed Author of all our mercies.\n\nThe next day being the fourth of the week, we attended Friends\u2019 monthly\nmeeting held at Plainfield, for Rahway and Plainfield. The meeting for\nworship was large, many of the neighbouring people of other societies\ncoming in, to whom the gospel was freely preached in the demonstration\nof the spirit, solemnizing the assembly, and truth was raised into\nvictory over all. My mind was also comforted in the meeting for\ndiscipline, in observing the harmony and brotherly condescension of\nFriends, in the orderly conducting the affairs of the Church.\n\nThe next day we proceeded on our journey to Kingwood, and put up with\nour kind friend Henry Clifton. We had an appointed meeting here the day\nafter at the tenth hour, and although the number of Friends was small\nthat constituted this meeting, yet Friends being careful to give their\nneighbours of other societies information thereof, we had a very full\nmeeting; and it proved a very solemn impressive opportunity in which\ntruth reigned, comforting and contriting many minds.\n\nAfter this we passed on to Solebury in Pennsylvania, and lodged with\nour kind friend Watson Fell, who met us at Kingwood and kindly took\nus to his house. The next day we had an appointed meeting here at\nthe fourth hour in the afternoon. It was a solemn opportunity, and\nI parted with them under a thankful sense of the unmerited favour.\nWe then rode home with our kind friend Moses Eastburn; and the next\nday being first day, and the 22d of 6th month, we attended Buckingham\nmeeting in the morning, and had an appointed meeting at Plumbstead\nat four o\u2019clock in the afternoon. After this we rode home with our\nworthy friend Israel Lancaster, and on second day had a meeting at\nWrightstown; on third day in the forenoon, we attended Newtown meeting;\nand at the fourth hour in the afternoon had an appointed meeting at\nMakefield. These were all large favoured meetings, in which the gospel\nwas preached in the demonstration of the spirit, and many hearts\nwere humbled and contrited, and a precious solemnity spread over the\nmeetings, comforting and rejoicing the honest-hearted, and to the\npraise of Him, who is calling us to glory and virtue.\n\nOn fourth day, the 25th, we attended a meeting at the Falls; on fifth\nday were at Middletown; on sixth day at Byberry; and on seventh day\nat Abington. These meetings were all large and very solemn, and the\ncanopy of love, in a very comforting manner, was felt to spread over\nthe assemblies; and much kindness and friendly regard were manifested\ntowards us, not only by our friends, but by the people in general of\nother societies, who attended the meetings.\n\nWe attended Horsham meeting in the morning, on first day, the 29th,\nand had an appointed meeting at Upper Dublin at the fourth hour in the\nafternoon. They were very large; more attended than the houses could\ncontain. As the last meeting was assembling there came on a heavy\nshower of rain, accompanied with an uncommon time of lightning, and\nvery heavy peals of thunder: many flashes of the lightning appeared\nto strike down to the earth within a very small distance of the\nmeeting-house, which brought a great solemnity over the meeting, and\nI was thankful in observing the stillness and quiet which prevailed\ngenerally among the people. These meetings were very solemn seasons, in\nwhich truth reigned, and I parted with them in peace of mind, and the\nfresh feelings of gospel love.\n\nOur kind friend Joseph Foulke met us at Horsham; and after the latter\nmeeting conducted us to his house, where we met a very cordial welcome,\nand were favoured with the company and conversation of his ancient and\nvery worthy father Hugh Foulke. The two following days we attended\nmeetings at North Wales and Plymouth. These were large favoured\nmeetings, in which many truths of the gospel were largely opened to\nthe edification, comfort, and apparent satisfaction, of those large\nassemblies, and to the peace of my own mind. It was the Lord\u2019s doing,\nand to him belongs all the praise, nothing due to man.\n\nFrom thence we proceeded to Charlestown, and lodged with our kind\nfriend James Wood; and the next day, being the fourth day of the week,\nwe attended their meeting. After this we rode to Pikeland, where we\nwere very kindly entertained by our friends Emmor Kimber and wife, and\nhad an appointed meeting there the next day. We tarried here until the\nnext morning; and then proceeded on to Uwchlan, where we had a meeting,\nby previous appointment, at the eleventh hour; and although it was in\nthe midst of their harvest, and the care necessary for getting it in,\nvery urgent, as many of their fields of grain appeared to be over-ripe,\nyet to our own and our friends\u2019 admiration, the meetings were unusually\nlarge, frequently many more assembled than the houses could contain.\nThe people were generally very solid and quiet, and very attentive\nto hear what was communicated; and many minds were humbled and\ncontrited, and truth\u2019s testimonies exalted, to the mutual comfort and\nencouragement of the honest-hearted, and to the general satisfaction\nof the assembled multitudes; and my mind was deeply humbled and made\nthankful for the continuance of those unmerited favours.\n\nOn seventh day, the 5th of 7th month, we attended a meeting at\nDowning\u2019s Town, held in an orchard, under the shade of the apple trees;\nwhich was a large, solemn, satisfactory meeting. A division having\ntaken place in the Society of Friends, and the meeting-house in this\nplace being in possession of the party termed Orthodox, they refused to\npermit Friends to occupy it on this occasion. There were, however, more\nattended the meeting, than could have got into the house, if we had\nbeen permitted to use it. The next day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at\nEast Caln; and notice having been given of our intention of attending\nit, the house, although very large, did not contain more than three\nquarters of the people that assembled. It was a season to be remembered\nwith gratitude, in which the Lord\u2019s presence was felt to preside,\nhumbling and contriting many hearts, and truth was raised into victory\nover all.\n\nOn second day we attended a meeting, by appointment, at Sadsbury; and\non third day their monthly meeting. On fourth day we had an appointed\nmeeting at Lampeter. These were all favoured opportunities, wherein the\nLord\u2019s power was manifested for our help, rejoicing and encouraging\nthe honest-hearted, and settling and confirming the wavering, who\nwere halting between two opinions, but were now satisfied, and openly\ndeclared themselves on the side of Friends, some of whom had previously\ngone with our opposers, but were now convinced of the impropriety of\ntheir conduct, and cheerfully united with Friends.\n\nAfter the latter meeting, we dined with our friend Thomas Peart. We\nthen took leave of our friends in near unity, and proceeded on our\njourney to Columbia, and lodged with our kind friend William Wright,\nwho, with his worthy and affectionate wife, entertained us with great\nhospitality. We had an appointed meeting at this place the next day.\nThe two following days we attended meetings at Little York and Newbury.\nAll of these were favoured opportunities, in which truth was raised\ninto dominion, and many hearts were humbled and contrited, and the\nfaithful comforted and made to rejoice together in the unity of the one\nspirit, _Christ_, the only sure foundation, on which the true Church\nhas been built in all the varied ages of mankind, from the beginning\ndown to the present time; and on which all future generations must\nbuild, or their building must and will fall.\n\nOn first day, the 13th of 7th month, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at\nWarrington, and the two following days the meetings of Huntington and\nMenallen. These were all favoured opportunities, in which ability\nwas vouchsafed, by the blessed Author of all our sure mercies, to\npreach the gospel to the people in the simplicity, plainness, and\ndemonstration of the spirit, which brought a precious solemnity over\nthe assemblies; and I parted with them with the satisfactory evidence\nof having faithfully discharged myself among them, feeling that true\npeace of mind, which the world, with all its fading enjoyments, cannot\ngive nor take away. The next day, the 16th, we proceeded on our journey\nthrough the mountains to Redstone, about one hundred and sixty-one\nmiles; and arrived there on first day, the 20th, about eight o\u2019clock\nin the morning, at the house of our kind friend Jesse Townsend. We\nattended their meeting at the eleventh hour, which was large and\nfavoured. We lodged with our aforesaid friend, during the time we spent\nin this place.\n\nOn second day we rested. On third and fourth days we attended meetings\nat Providence and Centre. On fifth day we attended Westland monthly\nmeeting; and the neighbourhood being informed of our coming, there\nwere more people assembled than the house could contain; and I had a\nfull opportunity to discharge myself among them in a large effective\ntestimony, which brought a precious solemnity over the meeting, and\nmany minds were humbled and contrited.\n\nA Friend from abroad attended this meeting, and after I sat down he\nrose and made opposition, which greatly disturbed the meeting.\n\nOn sixth day we attended an appointed meeting at Pike Run. It was held\nin the side of a wood, the meeting-house having been burnt. There being\nbut few Friends in this place, they met in a small private room: this\ninduced them to make seats out of doors, as the house would not have\nheld half the people that met. It was an unusually favoured season. In\nthe silent part of the meeting, the divine presence was felt to spread\nover the assembly, producing such a sweet and precious solemnity,\nas I scarcely ever before witnessed in the same fullness, and which\ncontinued through the course of my communication. Surely it was the\nLord\u2019s doing, and it was marvellous in our eyes.\n\nAfter this meeting we dined with our kind friend John Grave, and then\nproceeded on our way about three miles towards Brownsville, and lodged\nwith our friend Isaac Walker. On seventh day night we lodged at the\nhouse of our friend Solomon Philips, near Brownsville; and the next\nmorning crossed the river Monongahela into the town. Here we put up\nagain with our kind friends Jesse and Edith Townsend, where we had\nthe company of many Friends, and many of the inhabitants of the town\nnot members of our society, also came in to see us; as the unfounded\nreports of those who style themselves Orthodox, having been generally\nspread over the country, it created such a great excitement in the\nminds of the people at large, that multitudes flocked to the meetings\nwhere we were, to hear for themselves; and many came to see us, and\nacknowledged their satisfaction.\n\nAt this place we again fell in with the Friend from abroad, who\nattended the meeting with us; he rose in the early part of the meeting,\nand continued his communication so long, that a number left the\nmeeting, by which it became very much unsettled: however, when he sat\ndown I felt an opening to stand up; and the people returned and crowded\ninto the house, and those that could not get in stood about the doors\nand windows, and a precious solemnity soon spread over the meeting,\nwhich has been the case in every meeting, where our opposers did not\nmake disturbance by their disorderly conduct. The meeting closed in a\nquiet and orderly manner, and I was very thankful for the favour.\n\nOn second day we rested and wrote to our friends. On third day we\nattended their preparative meeting for Ministers and Elders, and on\nfourth day their monthly meeting. Here the Friend who had before made\nopposition opposed me publicly and personally in the meeting for\nworship; but I nevertheless had a favoured opportunity, to the general\nsatisfaction of the meeting, and to the peace of my own mind.\n\nWe attended Westland meeting again on fifth day as it came in course.\nIt was pretty large, many of the neighbouring inhabitants coming in.\nWe had a very favoured meeting; Friends were comforted together, and\nthe people went away satisfied; and my mind was fully relieved, and\ninspired with thankfulness and gratitude.\n\nOn sixth day we attended the quarterly meeting of Ministers and Elders\nheld at Westland, where we met with but little opposition; and the\nnext day we attended the quarterly meeting of discipline. I had good\nservice in the meeting for worship, which preceded that for discipline.\nIt was very large, a great number of those not in membership with\nFriends came in, and behaved very orderly. Here we met with some\nopposition, more particularly in the meeting for discipline from the\nFriend above mentioned. And Friends were so disturbed with the conduct\nof this Friend and his companion, that they proposed that the Elders\nand Overseers should take an opportunity with them, and see if they\ncould not put a stop to such disorderly conduct; accordingly they\nhad an interview with them, in which Friends relieved their minds\npretty fully; but the few termed Orthodox, used their influence in\ntheir favour, which greatly prevented their being benefited by the\nopportunity.\n\nPublic notice was given at the close of the meeting on seventh day,\nthat my companion and myself intended to be at their meeting the next\nday. A great number more assembled than the house could contain; and\nalthough the Friend above alluded to, had so fully discovered that not\nonly Friends, but the people generally, had no unity with him, yet\nsoon after the meeting was settled, he rose and stood a considerable\ntime. After he sat down, I was favoured to clear myself among them in a\nlarge impressive testimony, that soon brought a precious solemnity over\nthe meeting; and many hearts were broken and contrited, and I took an\naffectionate farewell of the assembly in the fresh feelings of gospel\nlove. As I was about to close the meeting, the same individual again\nrose, and began to oppose what had been said by me; this so offended\nthe people, Friends and others, that they rose up and went out in great\nnumbers, he at the same time begging them to stay; but they refused and\ncontinued going out until he was discouraged and sat down. Soon after\nI closed the meeting, feeling very sorry for the people to see them so\nimposed upon.\n\nAfter this meeting we proceeded that afternoon about seven miles, on\nour way to Pittsburg. On second day we rode to Pittsburg, and lodged\nwith Robert Townsend; who, although not in membership with Friends,\nentertained us with much kindness and hospitality. The day following\nat evening, we had a large satisfactory meeting in their court-house,\nFriends having no meeting in that town. On fourth day we proceeded on\nour journey, crossing the Alleghany river at Pittsburg, and arrived\nthat evening at a village, at the great falls of the river Beaver. The\nnext day we had an appointed meeting there, held in a field under some\ntrees, which made a comfortable shade, the weather being very warm,\nand Friends meeting-house much too small to contain the people who\nassembled. It was a very solemn opportunity, in which truth was raised\ninto victory over all, and the people appeared thankful for the favour;\nand I witnessed the consoling evidence of true peace, in faithfully\ndischarging my duty among them.\n\nAfter this favoured meeting, we went forward that afternoon towards\nSalem, in order to attend the quarterly meeting at that place, which\nopened the next day at the eleventh hour, with a meeting of Ministers\nand Elders. Friends met in a school-house which one of them had built\non his own premises, with which, and a temporary shed that Friends\nput up adjoining to it, the meeting was pretty well accommodated.\nThey conducted the business of the quarterly meeting in much unity\nand concord, and the Lord\u2019s presence was evidently felt to cover the\nassembly. The next day being first day, and as notice was spread of\nour being there, the meeting was very large. It was judged by Friends\nthat upwards of two thousand people attended. It was a highly favoured\nseason, in which I was enabled by Him, who when he opens none can shut,\nand when he shuts none can open, to declare the truth to the people\nin the demonstration of the spirit, and with a power attending which\nbrought a precious solemnity over the meeting, and many hearts were\nhumbled and contrited.\n\nThe next day we had a meeting by appointment at Fairfield. This was\nalso a very large meeting, many more assembled than the house could\ncontain. I had a favoured time among them, and was made thankful for\nthe opportunity, and had cause to believe my labour was not in vain.\n\nThe day following we attended New Garden quarterly meeting. Here\nFriends had a trying time, as those called Orthodox, although they were\nbut a small part of the meeting, had undertaken to disown a number\nof Friends; but Friends did not acknowledge their authority, nor\nconsider their disownments of any effect, and they all came together\nas usual in the quarterly meeting. The Orthodox strove hard to get\nFriends to withdraw, but they refused, and proceeded with the business\nof the meeting, which those called Orthodox interrupted for a time;\nbut finding that Friends would not give way, they finally left the\nmeeting, and retired to a school-house, and Friends had a comfortable\nseason together, and conducted their business in much harmony and\ncondescension, and were evidently owned by the Head of the Church.\n\nI appointed a meeting on fourth day for the public at large, Friends,\nand others. A large number assembled; many more than the house could\ncontain. We had a precious meeting: the Lord\u2019s power prevailed in an\neminent manner. It was a season thankfully to be remembered, and was\ntruly an humbling time among the people.\n\nAfter this we proceeded to New Lisbon, to attend a meeting there the\nnext day, which we had previously appointed. It was held out of doors,\nthere being no house in the town sufficient to hold the people that\nFriends apprehended would assemble. Being aware of this, they erected\na booth or shed, by setting up posts, on which they laid long poles,\nand covered them with branches of trees to make a shade, as the weather\nwas very warm. Under this we had a very large favoured meeting, to the\ngeneral satisfaction of the people, and peace of my own mind.\n\nThe two following days we attended meetings, by appointment, at\nSpringfield and Goshen. Those called Orthodox had possession of the\nmeeting-houses at those places, and refused to admit us; but although\nthey could shut us out of the meeting-houses, yet they could not shut\nus out from the divine presence, for this was felt eminently to preside\nin both these highly favoured meetings.\n\nThe next day, being first day and 17th of 8th month, we attended\nMarlborough meeting. It was very large, notice having been previously\ngiven of our intention to be there, so that hundreds assembled who\ncould not get into the house. I had an open opportunity among them, to\nproclaim the everlasting gospel in the demonstration of the spirit,\nto the comfort and satisfaction of this large assembly, except those\ncalled Orthodox, who, when I sat down, made great opposition, which\ngreatly offended the people.\n\nWe then proceeded to Canton, a pretty large country town, and attended\na meeting at the fourth hour in the afternoon, and notice was publicly\ngiven that we were to be there. As there were no members of our society\nin the town, the meeting was held in their court-house. Many of the\nrespectable inhabitants attended, and information being given to\nFriends of Kendal, a small meeting about seven miles distant, most of\nthem attended, and many other inhabitants of that place came also to\nthe meeting. We had a favoured opportunity with them, and left them\nwith peace.\n\nAfter this we returned to New Garden, and put up with our kind friend\nNathan Galbreath. The next day being the fourth of the week, we rode\nto Salem, and attended Friends\u2019 monthly meeting, in which I was led\nto stir up Friends to faithfulness, in support of our religious\ntestimonies, as the eyes of the people were upon us, watching our\nmovements in this time of trial, Friends separating from each other,\nand setting up separate meetings, which caused a great breach of unity\nand confusion in most of our meetings, which a few years previous\nthereto had been united together in the bonds of Christian fellowship;\nbut a few individuals who had gained some influence in society, letting\nin the spirit of jealousy, began to accuse some of their friends of\npromulgating unsound doctrines, without any just cause for so doing, by\nwhich they greatly disturbed the peace and quiet of society; and being\nencouraged therein by several Friends from England, who as ministers,\nhad obtained liberty from their friends at home, to come over on a\nvisit to Friends in this country, they blew up the fire of discord,\nuntil they brought about a division in our once peaceful society; a\nsmall minority of which, in many places, separated themselves from the\nbody, and set up separate meetings, assuming the names of the yearly,\nquarterly, and monthly meetings; and these, in their presumption, have\ntaken upon them to deal with and disown the great body of the society.\n\nThe next day we returned to New Garden and attended Friends\u2019 monthly\nmeeting there; and the neighbouring inhabitants being apprized of our\nreturn, a great number came in, and greatly enlarged the meeting; and\nHe that openeth, and none can shut, graciously condescended to open my\nmouth among them, in a large effective testimony to the truths of the\ngospel; and many hearts were humbled and contrited. It appeared as a\nrenewed visitation of the heavenly Father\u2019s love to Friends and others;\nand it was a season gratefully to be remembered by all present; for\nsurely it was the Lord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in our eyes.\n\nThe day following we had an appointed meeting at Sandy Spring, at\nthe fourth hour in the afternoon. The meeting was very large, and\nfavoured with the overshadowing wing of divine kindness; and a precious\nsolemnity pervaded the assembly, and my mind was opened to declare\nthe truth to them, to the apparent satisfaction and comfort of the\nassembled multitude; and I took leave of them with thankfulness and\npeace of mind. We remained here until the next morning, and then\nproceeded on our journey to Richmond, about thirty-five miles, where\nwe took up our lodging at an inn. The next day being first day, and\n24th of 8th month, we had an appointed meeting in the town. The\ninhabitants were mostly Presbyterians and Methodists. It was held in\ntheir school-house, a large convenient room. The people came in freely,\nand behaved with great propriety and order, and appeared to go away\nsatisfied; and I felt true peace in having faithfully, in gospel love,\ndischarged myself among them.\n\nAfter this we proceeded about five miles on our way to Smithfield, and\nthe next morning rode to that place; but being somewhat unwell, we\nrested there through the day, and the next day had an appointed meeting\nthere, at the fourth hour in the afternoon. Those called Orthodox,\nshut the meeting-house against us; but Friends provided seats under\nthe shade of trees, in an adjacent wood, where we had a very solemn,\nfavoured meeting, in which the Lord\u2019s power prevailed over all in an\neminent degree, and broke down all opposition, and many hearts were\nbroken and contrited; and we parted with them under a grateful sense of\nthe Lord\u2019s mercy for the unmerited favour.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVIII.\n\n Continuation of his visit to Friends in some parts of Ohio,\n Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey in 1828.--Decease\n of his wife in 1829.--Visit to Friends in the yearly meeting of\n New-York in 1829.--Letter to Hugh Judge in 1830.--His decease in\n 1830.--Memorial of the monthly meeting of Jericho in 1830.\n\n\nOn the 27th of 8th month, 1828, we proceeded on our journey to Mount\nPleasant, and attended on that day, their meeting in the middle of\nthe week; it was large, by the attendance of many of the inhabitants\nwho were not members of our society, and was, in the forepart, a\nsolemn, quiet meeting; but the latter part of it was disturbed and its\nusefulness marred, by a long, tedious communication from a minister\namong those called Orthodox, who, after I sat down, publicly opposed\nand endeavoured to lay waste what I had said.\n\nThe next day we attended Short Creek meeting. Here also the meeting\nin the forepart, was truly a solemn season, in which I was favoured\nto open and declare many important truths of the gospel to the\npeople, which brought a precious solemnity over the assembly, and\nmany minds were contrited; but an opposition from the same person who\ncaused the disturbance the day before, again took place, much to the\ndissatisfaction of the principal part of those assembled.\n\nThe next day being the sixth of the week, we attended an appointed\nmeeting at Harrisville. Here we met with no interruption. This was a\nlarge crowded meeting, and very solemn and quiet. I had an open time\namong the people to declare many things, both old and new; setting\nforth the great declension of the professed Christian Churches, from\nthe simplicity and integrity of the primitive disciples; and showing\nthat it was all brought about by a departure from the only sure\nfoundation of true and real Christianity, the _light within_, or\n_spirit of truth_, _the immediate revelation of the spirit of God_, in\nthe immortal souls of men and women; the only and alone true teacher\nof the things of God under the gospel. And as a departure from this\nonly sure guide, and turning back to the letter and external evidence,\nand building up, from these outward materials, many diverse systems of\nreligion, in their own creaturely wisdom, brought confusion and anarchy\ninto the Church, which enveloped it in a state of midnight darkness\nand death, as to the life and spirit of real Christianity; by which\nthe worst of persecution, and the most cruel and sanguinary wars were\nintroduced among Christians: so nothing short of a full and entire\nreturn to this only sure foundation and first principle, and placing an\nentire dependance thereon for our salvation, can ever produce a real\nrestoration from the apostate state in which Christendom is at present\ninvolved. I was also led to lay before the people the inconsistency\nand hurtful tendency of Bible and Missionary societies; as believing\nthem all to be set up and associated together in the will and wisdom of\nman, which never did, nor ever can, produce the righteousness of God,\nbut tend to lead the mind down to a state of darkness and death, as a\ndependance on the letter and external evidence ever has, and ever will\nkill, as to the real spiritual life, agreeably to Paul\u2019s doctrine: \u201cThe\nletter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.\u201d\n\nThe next day we had an appointed meeting at Westgrove. The day\nfollowing being the first of the week, and 31st of 8th month, we\nattended Concord meeting; and the three following days attended\nmeetings at St. Clairsville, Plainfield, and Wrightstown. These were\nall large satisfactory meetings, in which the gospel was preached to\nthe people, and by the power attending, many hearts were broken and\ncontrited; and a precious sense of the divine presence was felt to\npreside, to the comfort and encouragement of the honest-hearted; a\nsense of which inspired my mind with thanksgiving and gratitude, to the\nblessed Author of all our sure mercies.\n\nOn fifth day, the 4th of 9th month, we had an appointed meeting at\na place called Stillwater. It was a very large comfortable meeting,\nand I had a full opportunity in an effective testimony, to ease my\nexercised mind among them, to the comfort and apparent satisfaction of\nthe people, both Friends and others. The next day we rode back to Mount\nPleasant, and the day following being the seventh day of the week, and\n6th of 9th month, the yearly meeting opened with a meeting of Ministers\nand Elders. When the time came for meeting, Friends gathered to the\ngate which led into the yard where the meeting-house stood, and found\nit guarded by a number of men of the opposing party, who refused to let\nus in; and Friends had to hold their meeting in the open air, outside\nof the yard; but after the first sitting, adjourned to a school-house\nnear by, and afterwards held the remaining sittings in a private room,\nin Israel French\u2019s house.\n\nThe next day and first of the week, we attended Mount Pleasant meeting\nin the morning, and that held at Short Creek in the afternoon. In\nthe morning meeting Elisha Bates and Anna Braithwaite made great\nopposition, endeavouring by long and tedious communications to lay\nwaste what I had previously communicated, which very much disturbed\nmany present. But the afternoon meeting was not interrupted, as none of\nthose opposers attended.\n\nOn second day morning, the yearly meeting for discipline opened at the\ntenth hour. Not being present at this sitting, I was informed that\ngreat confusion and disorder took place; both Friends and those called\nOrthodox wished to retain possession of the meeting-house, and both\nparties went on with their business with separate clerks, for some\nlittle time, when the Orthodox adjourned their meeting to ten o\u2019clock\nthe next day, and left the house in the possession of Friends, who then\nproceeded quietly on with the business of the meeting until some time\nin the afternoon, and then adjourned to nine o\u2019clock the next day; when\nthey again met, and near the tenth hour a deputation from our opposing\nFriends came and demanded the use of the house, in the name of the\nyearly meeting of Ohio. Friends informed them that the yearly meeting\nwas now sitting, and the doors were open, and they might come in; and\nafter some further requisition for Friends to withdraw, and give them\nthe entire use of the house, which Friends could not think right to\ndo, as being entirely unreasonable, they then went away and did not\ngive Friends any more interruption in that way. But they had recourse\nto the law and prosecuted a number of Friends, some in an action for a\npretended trespass, for going into their own meeting-house, and some\nas rioters; and compelled them to leave their meeting and go before\nthe magistrates, to answer for crimes they, without a just cause, had\naccused them of having committed. And a considerable number, it was\nsaid about thirty of their own principal members, such as Ministers and\nElders, and other active members, left the sittings of their yearly\nmeeting, and went to a town twenty miles distant, where they had\ncompelled a number of Friends to attend, to be tried by the court then\nsitting, and were two days absent from the sittings of their meeting.\nAfter this they interrupted Friends no further, and Friends quietly\nproceeded with their business, and closed on sixth day.\n\nWe proceeded on our journey next day to Flushing, and the day after\nbeing the first of the week, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting there; and\nas notice had been given of our intention to be there, the meeting\nwas very large, more than the house could contain. At this meeting\nthose styled Orthodox made great opposition; for as soon as I came\nnear the meeting-house several of them met me, and desired I would not\ninterrupt the meeting: and soon after the meeting was gathered, before\nit became fully settled, Charles Osborn, an Orthodox minister, kneeled\nin supplication and continued on his knees, I believe, more than an\nhour. It was truly a distressing scene, and it greatly disturbed the\nmeeting; and very soon after he took his seat, he rose and began to\npreach, and continued for more than an hour. However, when he sat\ndown, although the meeting was much wearied with his long and tedious\ncommunications, I felt the necessity of standing up and addressing\nthe people, which brought a precious solemnity over the meeting; but\nas soon as I sat down, he rose again to contradict, and tried to lay\nwaste my communication, by asserting that I had not the unity of my\nfriends at home; which being untrue, I therefore informed the meeting\nthat I had certificates with me to prove the incorrectness of his\nassertions, which I then produced, but he and his party would not stay\nto hear them, but in a disorderly manner arose and left the meeting;\nbut the people generally stayed and heard them read, to their general\nsatisfaction.\n\nThe next day we went to Cambridge, about thirty-seven miles; and\nthe day following rode to Zanesville, twenty-four miles, and had an\nappointed meeting there in the evening, held in their court-house, a\nlarge room, but not sufficient to contain all the people who assembled.\nIt was a very solemn instructive opportunity, and I parted with them\nunder a thankful sense of the favour, and with peace of mind. The two\nfollowing days we rode to Wilmington, and put up with our friend Warren\nSabin, where we lodged the two next nights.\n\nOn seventh day the 20th of 9th month, we rode to Centre, and attended\nFriends\u2019 monthly meeting, composed of the preparative meetings of\nCentre and Wilmington. It was the first monthly meeting they had held\nsince the separation; and notice being given of our attendance, the\nmeeting for worship was very large, more than the house could contain;\nand the Lord, our never-failing helper manifested his presence,\nsolemnizing the assembly and opening the minds of the people to\nreceive the word preached; breaking down all opposition, and humbling\nand contriting the assembly in a very general manner; and we parted\nfrom each other with grateful hearts, from an humbling sense of the\nunmerited favour.\n\nWe returned that evening to Wilmington, and the next day attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting in that town; and as their meeting-house was small,\nFriends procured the court-house in that place to hold the meeting in.\nThe meeting was very large, and we had a very favoured opportunity to\ndeclare the truth among them, to their general satisfaction; and the\nhonest-hearted were comforted and edified, and Friends were made to\nrejoice for the unmerited favour. At the fourth hour in the afternoon,\nwe had an appointed meeting at a place called Lital\u2019s Creek, a short\ndistance from Wilmington. Here we had a favoured opportunity with the\npeople, greatly to their satisfaction.\n\nThe next day being the second of the week, and 22d of the month, we\nproceeded on to Springfield. Here those called Orthodox shut the\nmeeting-house and set guards at the doors to keep us out, and we held\nour meeting under some trees near by. It was a precious season, wherein\nthe Lord\u2019s power and love were exalted over all opposition, and many\nminds were humbled and contrited; and thanksgiving and praise were\nascribed to His great and adorable name, who is over all, blessed for\never.\n\nWe had a favoured meeting the day after, at a place called the Grove.\nFriends\u2019 meeting-house there being small, we had to hold the meeting\nout of doors to accommodate the people. It was a very satisfactory\nopportunity. The following day we had an appointed meeting at Lebanon,\na pretty large country town, where there were no members of our\nsociety, but many sober people. It was held in the court-house, but it\nwas not sufficient to contain the people; about one third of those who\nassembled had to stand out of doors. It was an instructive opportunity;\nmany gospel truths were opened to the people, and they appeared to go\naway well satisfied; and I parted from them with true peace of mind.\n\nOn seventh day, the 27th of the month, we attended the opening of\nIndiana yearly meeting, with the first sitting of the meeting of\nMinisters and Elders; and although small, it was a favoured encouraging\nopportunity to the few who assembled. The next day, being first day,\na large concourse assembled with Friends. A great number had to stand\nwithout, although the house was very large. And he that openeth and\nnone can shut, and when he shutteth none can open, opened my mouth\namong them in a large effective testimony to the truths of the gospel;\nin which, through adorable condescension, I was enabled to bring\nforth, out of the Lord\u2019s treasury, things new and old; and truth was\nraised into dominion over all, to the comfort and rejoicing of the\nhonest-hearted, and to the apparent satisfaction and edification of\nthe people in general. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing, and it was\nmarvellous in our eyes. The next day the meeting for discipline opened,\nand continued by adjournments until sixth day evening; and Friends were\nfavoured, through the several sittings, to conduct the business in much\nharmony and brotherly condescension.\n\nThe day after, we proceeded on our journey towards Richmond, in\nIndiana; attending meetings on our way, at Springborough, Elk,\nWestfield, and Eaton. All these were seasons of favour, the Lord\ngraciously manifesting his presence for our help. Blessed be his great\nand excellent name, for his mercy endureth for ever.\n\nFrom Eaton we rode home with our kind friends John and Elizabeth\nBarnes, and lodged. The next day, being the fourth of the week, and 8th\nof 10th month, we rode to Richmond, where those called Orthodox were\nholding their yearly meeting; and as this day was the time for holding\na meeting for worship, notice was given of our intention of being\nthere. It was very large, and proved, through adorable condescension, a\nsolemn heart-tendering season, in which truth reigned over all.\n\nThe three following days we attended meetings by our appointment, at\nCentreville, West Union and Milford. After this we returned again to\nRichmond, in order, agreeably to appointment, to attend their first day\nmeeting. It was large like the former; a multitude of people assembled;\nand was a precious meeting, in which truth was triumphant, and ran as\noil over the assembly, breaking down all opposition, and melting a\ngreat portion of the assembly into tears of contrition. Surely it was\nthe Lord\u2019s doing, and marvellous in our eyes; and to him belongeth all\nthe praise, who is over all, blessed for ever.\n\nWe parted from them with solid satisfaction, and peace of mind; and\nafter dinner took a solemn and very affectionate leave of our friends,\nand rode on our journey about four miles, and spent the evening at the\nhouse of our esteemed friend Benjamin Stokes. We returned and lodged\nwith our kind friend John Barnes; and the following day attended a\nmeeting, by our appointment, at a place called the Ridge; it was a\ncomfortable opportunity. The next day we attended a meeting at Orange.\nHere those called Orthodox made great disturbance, and hurt the meeting\nvery considerably. The day after, we had a meeting at a place called\nSilver Creek. This was a precious meeting, in which truth reigned over\nall.\n\nWe then proceeded on our journey towards Cincinnati, and arrived there\non seventh day, the 18th of 10th month. The next day being first day,\nwe attended Friends\u2019 meeting at that place, at the usual time, which\nwas very large, many more attending than the house could contain: and\nat three o\u2019clock in the afternoon, we appointed a meeting to be held in\nthe court-house. Both these meetings were highly favoured seasons, in\nwhich truth was raised into dominion over all opposition, to the praise\nof Him, who is calling us to glory and to virtue.\n\nOn second day morning we proceeded on our journey, towards home; and\nattending meetings in our way, in the course of the week, at Salt\nCreek, Salem, alias Rochester, Newberry, and Clear Creek. All these\nmeetings were composed of people of varied professions, to whom the\ngospel was preached in the demonstration of the spirit, attended with\na power which silenced all opposition, humbling and contriting many\nhearts, without respect of persons or sects; and Friends were comforted\ntogether, and made to rejoice for the unmerited favour; and we parted\nfrom them under a thankful sense of the Lord\u2019s mercy, and with peace of\nmind.\n\nThe next day being first day, and 26th of 10th month, we attended\nFairfield meeting; and notice being given of our intention of attending\nit, the meeting was very large. Here those called Orthodox made public\nopposition in the early part of the meeting; one of them informing the\nassembly that I was travelling without having the unity of my Friends,\nand other incorrect declarations, which I passed over without notice\nat the time. The meeting was soon gathered into a solemn quiet, and\nI had a favoured opportunity to declare the truth among them, which\nwas raised into dominion, and many hearts were humbled and contrited.\nBefore, however, I had concluded my communication, those called\nOrthodox, to manifest further disunity, rose and left the meeting; but\nFriends and others kept their seats, and we had a very solemn close,\nand great brokenness and contrition were manifest among the people;\nand to do away the false reports spread by the Orthodox, I had my\ncertificates read, which gave full satisfaction to the assembly; and we\ntook an affectionate farewell of our friends and others present.\n\nWe then proceeded on our journey to Wheeling in Virginia, a town\nsituated on the east side of Ohio river. We arrived here on sixth day,\nthe 31st, a little before noon, and had an appointed meeting in the\nevening. As Friends have no meeting-house in this place, it was held\nin the Methodist meeting-house, which they kindly offered of their own\naccord. It was a pretty large collection of people, mostly made up of\nother societies, the number of Friends there being very small, insomuch\nthat they have no steady meeting in the place. It was a comfortable,\nfavoured opportunity.\n\nWe left them with peace of mind, and proceeded on our journey to\nWestland, in the limits of Redstone quarterly meeting, where we arrived\non first day, the 2d of 11th month, in time to attend their meeting. It\nwas a very solemn edifying opportunity, in which the power of truth was\nexalted over all opposition. After this we proceeded on to Redstone,\nabout seven miles, crossing the Monongahela river in the way; and the\nnext day had an appointed meeting in that town, at two o\u2019clock in the\nafternoon.\n\nThe day after we passed on towards Waterford, alias Fairfax, in\nVirginia, where we arrived on first day the 9th of 11th month, and\nattended their meeting at the usual hour. At two o\u2019clock in the\nafternoon, we had an appointed meeting for the inhabitants of the\ntown in general; and the two following days attended meetings, by\nappointment, at Goose Creek and Southwest Fork. These were all large\nfavoured meetings, particularly the two last, wherein I was led to\nexpose the great evil of oppression, especially that enormous sin of\nholding our fellow creatures in slavery. Although in my communication\nI was led to lay judgment to the line, and justice to the plumb line;\nyet the slave-holders, divers of whom were present, were so brought\ndown and humbled with the force and correctness of the testimony,\nthat they frankly acknowledged the truth and propriety of it; and we\nparted from them with true peace of mind, and the honest-hearted were\nmade to rejoice for the favour dispensed from the hand of the gracious\nBenefactor of every blessing.\n\nThe next day we rode to Alexandria, forty-three miles, and lodged\nwith our kind friend Phineas Janney, and the day after attended their\nmeeting as it came in course, and in the evening had another meeting\nfor the inhabitants of the town in general. These were opportunities\nof favour: many truths of the gospel were set forth before the people,\nin the demonstration of the spirit, which brought a solemnity over the\nassembly, to the comfort and edification of the upright in heart. The\nnext day we rode to Washington, and attended a meeting there in the\nevening. This was rather a trying season in the forepart, but, I trust,\nit ended well.\n\nWe then proceeded to Sandy Spring, in Maryland, and on first day,\nthe 16th of 11th month, attended Friends\u2019 meeting there; and notice\nbeing given of our expectation of attending it, the meeting was large;\nand through condescending goodness, it proved to be a very favoured\ninstructive season, and I parted with them with a thankful heart, and\ntrue peace of mind. The next day we proceeded on our journey to Elk\nRidge, and lodged with our kind friend George Ellicot; and the day\nfollowing being third day, we had, by appointment, a very comfortable,\nfavoured meeting with Friends: many of the neighbouring inhabitants\nlikewise attended, and appeared well satisfied with the opportunity.\nMany minds were humbled and contrited, and a precious solemnity\nprevailed over the meeting.\n\nAfter this meeting we dined at our lodgings, and that afternoon\nproceeded in company with our kind friend John Marsh, who met us at\nthis meeting, six miles on our way to Baltimore, and lodged at his\nhouse. In the morning we rode into the city, and on that and the\nfollowing day attended Friends\u2019 meetings held in the middle of the\nweek, at the upper and lower houses; and not feeling fully clear, on\nsixth day evening, we had an appointed meeting for the inhabitants\nof the town in general, at the upper house. This was a very large\nmeeting, made up of almost every class of the people, among whom, as\nto religious profession, were Romanists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians,\nBaptists, Methodists, Unitarians, and others of divers descriptions,\nand some slave-holders. These meetings were seasons of favour,\nparticularly the last, in which truth in a very extraordinary manner\nwas raised into victory over all, bowing and breaking down all under\nits baptizing influence, so that it appeared as though the whole\nassembly were baptized into one body; and when the meeting closed, all\nseemed desirous to take me by the hand. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing,\nand marvellous in mine eyes; and I parted with them with gratitude and\nthankfulness of heart.\n\nThe day following we rode to Gunpowder Falls; and the next day being\nfirst day, and 23d of the 11th month, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nthere; and information being given of our intention of attending it,\nthe meeting was large, and through the condescending goodness of\nIsrael\u2019s unslumbering Shepherd, whose mercy is over all his works,\nit proved a precious favoured opportunity, in which many hearts were\nhumbled and contrited, and truth was raised into dominion. The day\nfollowing we went to the Little Falls, and on third day, the 25th,\nattended Friends\u2019 meeting in that place, and the day after attended\nDeer Creek meeting. These were very large favoured opportunities. After\nthis we proceeded on our journey, crossing the river Susquehannah on\nour way to Little Britain; and on the three following days we attended\nmeetings at Little Britain, West and East Nottingham. These were\nseasons to be remembered, in which the Lord\u2019s power was eminently\nmanifested by its solemnizing influence. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing.\n\nOn second day, the 1st of 12th month, we proceeded to West Grove, in\nChester county. Here our opposing brethren shut the meeting-house\nagainst us, and the care-taker of it refused to open it. However,\nwhen the people assembled, which they did in great numbers, many\nmore than the house could contain, it was opened; and we had a very\nfavoured, solemn opportunity with them, in which truth reigned over\nall. The three following days we attended the monthly meetings of\nLondon Grove, New Garden, and Fallowfield, as they came in their\nusual course; and notice being given, of our attending them, to the\nneighbouring inhabitants, great numbers of the varied classes of the\npeople assembled with Friends; insomuch that none of the houses were\nlarge enough to contain the multitude, and in some instances there were\nnearly as many standing without as the houses contained. These were\nall highly favoured seasons, the Lord\u2019s power evidently presiding over\nthese large assemblies, solemnizing and humbling with its overshadowing\ninfluence, and causing a profound silence to prevail over all, to the\npraise of him who is over all, God blessed for ever.\n\nOn the two following days we attended meetings at Marlborough and West\nChester. The first was by our appointment, the latter on first day.\nThese meetings were like the former; great numbers attended more than\nthe houses could contain: nevertheless, order and stillness prevailed\nin a remarkable manner in and without the houses, in every place,\nto the comfort and rejoicing of Friends, and to the instruction and\nedification, I trust, of the assembled multitudes. We took leave of\nthem under an humbling sense of the unmerited favour, and with true\npeace of mind.\n\nOn second day, the 8th of the month, we attended Kennet meeting, and\non third and fourth days we had meetings at Kennet Square and Centre.\nThese were all crowded meetings, and in them all the divine presence\nwas felt to preside, solemnizing the assemblies, and comforting and\nrejoicing the honest-hearted.\n\nOn fifth and sixth days we attended meetings at Hockesson and Stanton.\nBoth were crowded, solemn meetings, and, I trust, instructive and\nprofitable to many who were present. After the latter, we rode that\nafternoon to Wilmington, and rested on seventh day with our friend\nWilliam Poole, who was in a weak state from bodily indisposition, but\nwas so far recovered as to walk about. On first day, the 14th, we\nattended Friends\u2019 meetings in Wilmington, both forenoon and afternoon.\nThey were both very large. In the forenoon meeting I had good service,\nbut in the afternoon I was mostly silent, as the people appeared to\nbe too much hungering for words, and too indifferent and careless in\nputting in practice what they had already heard and knew to be their\nduty. Hence I was led to set them an example of silence.\n\nWe left Wilmington on second day morning, and proceeded to Concord, and\nattended a meeting there by previous appointment. The four following\ndays we attended meetings at Middletown, Providence, Chester, and\nDarby. These were all very large favoured opportunities, in which the\nLord\u2019s power was felt to preside, causing a precious solemnity to\nspread over the assemblies, and humbling and contriting many minds. To\nthe Lord be the praise and glory of his own work; nothing due to man.\n\nLeaving Darby, we proceeded on to Philadelphia; and on first day, the\n21st of 12th month, we attended Friends\u2019 meetings in the city, that at\nCherry-street in the morning, and at Green-street in the afternoon.\nAt both these meetings hundreds more assembled than the houses could\ncontain. On second day we left the city, and attended meetings, in the\ncourse of the week, at Haverford, Radnor, Newtown, Willistown, and\nthe Valley. All these meetings were unusually large; the houses were\ngenerally too small to contain the people; many had to stand out of\ndoors for want of room; nevertheless, the people behaved orderly, and\nthe Lord\u2019s presence was felt to preside, solemnizing those crowded\nassemblies, in all of which my mind was opened, and ability afforded,\nto preach the gospel to the people in the demonstration of the spirit\nand with power, and many hearts were broken and contrited, and went\naway rejoicing, under a thankful sense of the unmerited favour.\n\nAfter this we returned to the city, and on first day, the 28th of the\nmonth, we again attended Friends\u2019 meetings there, in the same order as\nbefore. On second day we attended Frankfort meeting by appointment.\nThese were all large favoured meetings; many had to leave those in\nthe city for want of room. My opposing brethren had, by their public\nopposition and erroneous reports, created such excitement in the minds\nof the people generally of every profession, that it induced multitudes\nto assemble to hear for themselves; and they generally went away\nsatisfied and comforted.\n\nOn third day we took leave of our friends in Philadelphia, and passed\nover into New Jersey; and the four following days attended meetings at\nMullica Hill, Piles Grove, Salem, and Woodbury. These were very large\nfavoured meetings; and I felt true peace of mind as a rich reward for\nmy labour and exercise among them.\n\nWe attended Haddonfield meeting on first day, the 4th of 1st month,\n1829. Here Friends, and those who styled themselves Orthodox, met\ntogether in the same house. As notice was given of my attendance, the\npeople assembled in great numbers; and as soon as the meeting was fully\ngathered, a precious solemnity was felt to spread over the assembly;\nand the Lord, our gracious helper, was near for our support and\nstrength, and the truth was raised triumphantly over all opposition.\n\nThe four following days we attended meetings at Moore\u2019s Town, Evesham,\nCropwell, Mount Holly, and Upper Evesham. These were very large\nmeetings, in which the Lord our gracious helper made bare his arm for\nour support, enabling to hand forth out of the treasury things new and\nold, to the comfort and edification of the honest-hearted, and solid\npeace of my own mind; to Him be all the praise, nothing due to man.\n\nOn first day the 11th, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Rancocas. This\nwas said to be the largest meeting ever known in that place; in which\nthe Lord\u2019s presence was felt to preside, humbling and contriting many\nminds, and baptizing the whole assembly into a very precious solemnity;\nand causing the upright in heart to rejoice, under a thankful sense of\nthe unmerited favour.\n\nIn the course of this week we attended meetings at Old Springfield on\nsecond day, Mansfield on third day, Upper Springfield on fourth day,\nArney\u2019s Town on fifth day, Crosswicks, alias Chesterfield on sixth day,\nBordentown on seventh day, and Trenton on first day. All these were\nfavoured opportunities, and in them all, although under considerable\nindisposition of body, I was favoured with strength, and way opened\nto labour in the Lord\u2019s cause in which I was engaged, and which\nproduced that true peace of mind, that the world with all its perishing\nenjoyments cannot give, nor all its frowns and opposition take away.\n\nOn second day we proceeded on our journey towards New-York, being\ndesirous of reaching our quarterly meeting to be held there on the\nfollowing fifth day. We arrived in the city on third day afternoon,\nwhere I met my beloved wife and daughter Elizabeth, and several other\nbranches of my family, and a number more of my near and intimate\nfriends. It was truly a season of mutual rejoicing, and my spirit was\ndeeply humbled under a thankful sense of the Lord\u2019s preserving power\nand adorable mercy, in carrying me through and over all opposition,\nboth within and without. He caused all to work together for good, and\nthe promotion of his own glorious cause of truth and righteousness\nin the earth, and landed me safe in the bosom of my dear family and\nfriends at home, and clothed my spirit with the reward of sweet peace\nfor all my labour and travail. Praises, everlasting high praises, be\nascribed unto our God, for his mercy endureth for ever.\n\nOn seventh day, after the quarterly meeting we returned home, having\nbeen out on this journey seven months and ten days, and travelled\nnearly twenty-four hundred miles.\n\nSoon after my return from the aforesaid journey, I had to experience a\nvery severe trial and affliction in the removal of my dearly beloved\nwife. She was taken down with a cold, and although, for a number of\ndays, we had no anticipation of danger from her complaint, yet about\nfive days after she was taken, the disorder appeared to settle on\nher lungs, and it brought on an inflammation which terminated in a\ndissolution of her precious life, on the ninth day from the time she\nwas taken ill. She had but little bodily pain, yet as she became\nweaker, she suffered from shortness of breathing; but before her close,\nshe became perfectly tranquil and easy, and passed away like a lamb,\nas though entering into a sweet sleep, without sigh or groan, or the\nleast bodily pain, on the 17th of 3d month, 1829: And her precious\nspirit, I trust and believe, has landed safely on the angelic shore,\n\u201cwhere the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest.\u201d To\nmyself, to whom she was a truly affectionate wife, and to our children,\nwhom she endeavoured, by precept and example, to train up in the paths\nof virtue, and to guard and keep out of harm\u2019s way, her removal is a\ngreat and irreparable loss: and nothing is left to us in that behalf,\nbut a confident belief, and an unshaken hope, that our great loss is\nher still greater gain; and although the loss and trial as to all my\nexternal blessings, are the greatest I have ever met with, or ever\nexpect to have to endure, yet I have a hope, that, though separated,\nI may be preserved from mourning or complaining; and that I may\ncontinually keep in view the unmerited favour dispensed to us, by being\npreserved together fifty-eight years in one unbroken bond of endeared\naffection, which seemed if possible to increase with time to the last\nmoment of her life; and which neither time nor distance can lessen or\ndissolve; but in the spiritual relation I trust it will endure for\never, where all the Lord\u2019s redeemed children are one in him, who is God\nover all, in all, and through all, blessed for ever. She was buried\non the 19th, and on this solemn occasion, the Lord, who is strength\nin weakness, enabled me to bear a public, and I trust a profitable\ntestimony, to the virtues and excellences of her long and consistent\nlife.\n\nOn the 24th of 6th month, 1829, I again left home with Cornwell Willis\nfor my companion, to complete the visit to Friends and others in the\ncompass of our yearly meeting, agreeably to a certificate I received\nfrom our monthly and quarterly meetings, expressive of their unity\nwith me therein. This certificate I received in the spring of the year\n1828, expressive of my concern to pay a religious visit to Friends and\nothers, in parts of the yearly meetings of Philadelphia, Baltimore,\nVirginia, Ohio, Indiana, and New-York. I accomplished my visit to the\nfirst four last season; that is, I visited parts of them, but found my\nmind released without going into the yearly meeting of Virginia.\n\nSince I left home, we have attended meetings at Flushing, Newtown,\nBrooklyn, and two at New-York last first day. These were favoured\ncomforting opportunities, affording encouragement to persevere in the\npath of duty.\n\nWe left New-York on second day the 29th, after taking an affectionate\nfarewell of our friends there, and proceeded to West Chester, and\nattended a meeting at that place at the eleventh hour; and on the two\nfollowing days, attended meetings at Mamaroneck and Purchase. On fifth\nday we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Middlesex; and on sixth and seventh\ndays, had meetings appointed for us at a place called the Saw Pits,\nand at Friends\u2019 meeting-house at North Castle. All these meetings were\nseasons of favour, in which the divine presence was felt to preside,\nsolemnizing the assemblies, and affording ability to minister to the\npeople in gospel authority, and tendering and contriting many hearts.\nTo the Lord be all the praise, nothing due to man.\n\nOn first day, the 5th of 7th month, we attended Shapaqua meeting in\nthe morning, and had an appointed meeting at Croton Valley, at the\nfourth hour in the afternoon. The three following days we attended\nmeetings by appointment at Amawalk, Salem, and at the Valley, called\nHaviland\u2019s Hollow. These were all unusually large meetings, in which\ntruth reigned over all, to the praise of His great name, who giveth us\nthe victory. From the latter meeting we proceeded to Oblong, and put up\nwith our kind friend Daniel Merritt, and the next day attended their\nmeeting. The two following days we had meetings by our appointment at\nthe Branch, and Poughquague; and on first day attended Nine Partners\nmeeting. Those four meetings were unusually large, and very solemn\nopportunities; in which truth\u2019s testimony went forth freely, tendering\nand contriting many hearts, and rejoicing the faithful travellers\nZion-ward.\n\nThe two following days, we had meetings at Chestnut Ridge and Oswego.\nThese were likewise large satisfactory meetings. We then proceeded by\nthe way of Poughkeepsie, to Marlborough, in order to attend Cornwall\nquarterly meeting, held at Marlborough at this time. It opened on\nfourth day, the 15th of 7th month, with a meeting of Ministers and\nElders. The next day the meeting for discipline was held. Both were\nvery favoured seasons. As I did not feel easy to leave the place\nwithout having a public opportunity with the people at large in that\nneighbourhood, a meeting was appointed the next day. This was likewise\na large favoured opportunity. The following day being seventh day, we\nreturned to Poughkeepsie, in order to attend Friends\u2019 meeting on first\nday; and having also appointed a meeting to be held there, at the fifth\nhour in the afternoon, for the inhabitants of the town at large. These\nmeetings were largely attended, in which the power of truth was exalted\nover all.\n\nThe four following days we attended meetings at West Branch, Pleasant\nValley, Creek, and Crum-elbow. Although it was in the midst of harvest,\nsuch was the excitement produced amongst the people by the opposition\nmade by those of our members who had gone off from us, and set up\nseparate meetings, that the people at large of other societies flocked\nto those meetings in such numbers, that our meeting-houses were seldom\nlarge enough to contain the assembled multitude; and we had abundant\ncause for thanksgiving and gratitude to the blessed Author of all our\nmercies, in condescending to manifest his holy presence, and causing\nit so to preside as to produce a general solemnity, tendering and\ncontriting many minds, and comforting and rejoicing the upright in\nheart.\n\nAfter the last mentioned meeting we proceeded on our journey, attending\nmeetings at Stanford, Milan, and on first day the 26th of 7th month,\nthe forenoon and afternoon meetings at Hudson. On second day we rested,\non third day attended a meeting at Athens, on fourth day at Ghent,\non fifth day at Chatham, on sixth day at Nassau, and on seventh day\nevening we had a large meeting in Albany, held in their state-house,\ngenerally composed of people of other professions and inhabitants of\nthe town, who behaved themselves very soberly, becoming the occasion.\nIt was a solemn, and, I trust, a profitable opportunity, in which truth\nwas raised into dominion; and which in like manner was witnessed in all\nthe foregoing meetings, the people coming together very freely and in\ngreat numbers, and a general solemnity prevailed over the assemblies\nfrom meeting to meeting. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing, and it was\nmarvellous in our eyes; witnessing that he had not left himself without\nan evidence of the truth in each mind, by which their understandings\nwere opened to receive, and many of them to bear testimony to the\ndoctrines delivered in those large solemn meetings.\n\nFrom Albany we proceeded on first day morning, the 2d of 8th month, to\nTroy, and attended their forenoon and afternoon meetings. These were\nvery large meetings. The first was held in Friends\u2019 meeting-house, but\ngreat numbers collected more than the house could contain: this induced\nFriends to accept the offer of a house belonging to the Episcopalians,\nwhich was not occupied, for the accommodation of the afternoon\nmeeting. They gave the citizens an invitation to attend; and although\nit was a very large building, yet it did not contain the people who\nassembled, many had to go away for want of room. This was likewise a\nhighly favoured opportunity, in which truth reigned to the comfort and\nedification of the upright in heart, and to the general satisfaction\nof the assembled multitude. It was, in the estimation of Friends, the\nlargest meeting which had ever been assembled on any occasion before in\nthat city.\n\nOn second day we had an appointed meeting at Greenbush, a village on\nthe east side of the river, opposite Albany. After this we proceeded on\nour journey about eleven miles to the town of Bethlehem, southwesterly\nfrom Albany. Here we lodged with our kind friend Thomas Rushmore, and\nattended a meeting in his house by appointment, on third day; the\nfew Friends of that place were privileged with holding a meeting for\nworship in this Friend\u2019s house. On fourth day we attended Friends\u2019\nmeeting at Stanton Hill; and the three following days attended meetings\nat New Baltimore, Rensselaerville, and Oak Hill. These were all large\nsatisfactory meetings.\n\nOn first day we were at Bern meeting in the morning; and at the fourth\nhour in the afternoon had an appointed meeting at a village called\nRensselaerville City, which was held in a large meeting-house belonging\nto the Methodist society. These were very large favoured meetings,\nin which the truths of the gospel went forth freely to the people,\nand appeared to be gladly and satisfactorily received by them; and I\ntook leave of them with true peace of mind. On second day we had an\nappointed meeting at Middleburgh, much to our satisfaction. It was a\nvery solemn instructive opportunity, and the people appeared to receive\nthe word preached with much readiness of mind, and we left them with\nthankful hearts.\n\nWe proceeded on third day to Duanesburgh, in order to attend their\nquarterly meeting, which opened there the next day with a meeting of\nMinisters and Elders, and was a favoured opportunity. The meeting for\ndiscipline was large, and the business conducted in much harmony and\ncondescension; and the public meeting the next day was very large;\nhundreds had to stand out of doors for want of room; and it was a\nhighly favoured season, worthy of grateful remembrance.\n\nFrom thence we proceeded to Charleston, and attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nthere on first day, the 16th of 8th month. This was likewise a very\nlarge meeting, the largest, Friends said, that had ever been known\nthere before. It was judged, that as many stood without for want of\nroom, as the house contained; and it was a very solemn time, both\nwithin and without the doors. The divine canopy was felt to spread over\nthe whole assembly, and we took leave of them with true peace of mind\nand thankfulness of heart, under a grateful sense of the unmerited\nfavour.\n\nOn second day we rode to Utica; and the next day had an appointed\nmeeting there at the eleventh hour. After this we proceeded to\nBridgewater, and attended their fourth day meeting. These were not so\nlarge as in some other places, neither was there as much openness to\nreceive our testimony as had generally been the case elsewhere. Our\nopposing Friends had filled their heads with so many strange reports,\nto which they had given credit without examination, by which their\nminds were so strongly prejudiced against me, that many in the compass\nof these two last meetings, were not willing to see me, nor hear any\nreasons given to show them their mistakes, and that the reports they\nhad heard were altogether unfounded: however, I was favoured to\ncommunicate the truth to those who attended, so that they generally\nwent away fully satisfied, and I left them with peace of mind.\n\nFrom this place we proceeded to Deruyter, having a meeting at Smyrna,\non sixth day, in our way. On first day we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at\nDeruyter in the morning, and at the fifth hour in the afternoon had an\nappointed meeting in Deruyter village for the inhabitants generally,\nwhich was held in the Baptist meeting-house. These two meetings were\nvery large, and they were highly favoured opportunities, in which truth\nwas raised into dominion over all opposition; and we parted from them\nwith true peace of mind, a rich reward for a faithful discharge of duty.\n\nThe next day, the 24th of 8th month, we proceeded to Sempronius, having\na meeting by previous appointment on our way, in the town of Homer, at\nthe eleventh hour. It was held in a large meeting-house belonging to\nthe Methodist society, which they freely offered for the accommodation\nof the people, there being no Friends in the place. A very considerable\nnumber of the inhabitants attended, and behaved soberly, giving good\nattention to what was communicated, and went away apparently satisfied;\nand we parted with them under an humbling sense that the appointment,\nand our labour and service in this meeting, were owned by the Head of\nthe Church. We arrived at Sempronius about sunset, and had an appointed\nmeeting there the next day, held in Friends\u2019 meeting-house at the third\nhour in the afternoon. This was likewise a favoured opportunity, in\nwhich the power of truth went forth freely, humbling and contriting\nmany minds.\n\nAfter this we proceeded to Skeneateles, and put up with our kind friend\nWilliam Willets, and rested here the next day. On fifth day we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting at this place, as it came in course; and notice\nbeing given of our intention of attending it, the meeting was large.\nThis was a very comforting satisfactory opportunity, apparently so to\nall present, although composed of many of the members of the varied\nsocieties of professed Christians common in our land, and divers of\ntheir ministers.\n\nOn sixth day we had an appointed meeting in the town of Auburn, at the\nthird hour in the afternoon; and on seventh day, an appointed meeting\nat North-street, in Scipio. These meetings were largely attended, and,\nI trust, instructive profitable opportunities to many who were there.\nAfter the latter meeting, we visited several families of Friends, and\ntook lodgings with our kind friend John Merritt.\n\nThe next day being the first of the week, and 30th of 8th month, we\nattended the meeting at South-street. The three following days we had\nmeetings, by appointment, at Salmon Creek, Aurora, and Union Springs.\nThese were all very large favoured meetings, in which the power of\ntruth went forth freely, and appeared to have a ready entrance into\nthe minds of the people in a very general manner, bringing a very\ncomfortable solemnity over these large assemblies; and we took leave of\nthem with thankful hearts and in true peace of mind.\n\nWe then proceeded on our journey to Junius, crossing Cayuga lake on the\nway. Here we had a meeting the next day, the fifth of the week, and 3d\nof 9th month; and the day following had an appointed meeting at Galen.\nThese were highly favoured opportunities, in which the Lord\u2019s presence\nwas felt to preside, reducing the assemblies into a very solemn state,\nand truth was raised into dominion over all, to the comfort and\nestablishment of Friends on the ancient foundation, _the light within_;\nby the power and efficacy of which, our primitive worthies were\ngathered to be a people, from among the varied societies of professed\nChristians. For they were settled on that unshaken rock, which Jesus\ntold his disciples he would build his Church upon, viz: the revelation\nof his heavenly Father, against which the gates of hell should never be\nable to prevail; and although the powers of the earth rose up against\nthem, and used all their power and policy, both priests and people,\nto overthrow them, yet they were never permitted to prevail; for the\nLord Jehovah, on whose almighty arm they had placed their entire trust\nand confidence for support and defence, delivered them from all their\ntribulations, and set them above their persecutors, and caused them to\nrejoice on the banks of deliverance. And he is the same God of power\nthat he ever was, and a present helper in every needful time; and\nalthough many in the present day, who have left their first love, are\nrising up, and charging their fellow-professors with holding unsound\ndoctrines, and are endeavouring, by unfounded and reproachful epithets,\nto destroy and undermine their religious and moral character among men,\nand have separated from their brethren, and set up separate meetings,\ngiving them the names of the meetings of Friends; and in their usurped\nauthority undertake to disown their fellow-members, who could not\nsubmit to their usurpation: yet all their formal disownments being\naltogether out of the order of the gospel, our meetings consider them\nof no effect.\n\nFrom Galen we proceeded to South Farmington, and attended a meeting\nthere on seventh day, at the third hour in the afternoon; and the next\nday being first day, we attended North Farmington meeting. The three\nfollowing days we had meetings at Macedon, Palmyra, and Williamson.\nThese were likewise large favoured meetings, in which truth was exalted\nover all, and we parted with them in true peace of mind, and proceeded\non our journey to Rochester, and had a meeting on sixth day, by\nappointment: we also staid and attended their meeting on first day.\n\nAfter this we proceeded to Wheatland, and had an appointed meeting\nthere on second day, the 14th of 9th month; on third day we were\nat Henrietta, and on fourth day at Mendon. These were all favoured\nopportunities; the people\u2019s minds seemed to be open to receive us and\nour testimony with gladness. From this place we turned back through\nFarmington and Scipio, to Skeneateles, and attended a meeting by\nour appointment at a village about five miles from the village of\nSkeneateles, on the east side of the lake. On first day we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting at Skeneateles; on second day we proceeded to Verona;\nand the next day had a meeting there, held in a meeting-house occupied\nby the Baptists, Friends\u2019 meeting-house being too small to contain the\npeople who assembled.\n\nThe next day being fourth day, we proceeded to Utica, and had an\nappointed meeting in the evening. Here we remained over the next day,\nand attended Friends\u2019 meeting as it came in course. From this place\nwe proceeded to Charleston, and attended their meeting on first day.\nThese meetings, in like manner, were all solemn seasons; and, I trust,\nprofitable and comfortable to many; and I left them with peace of mind.\nAfter the last meeting, we rode about thirteen miles, and lodged with\nour kind friend Zacheus Mead. The following day we proceeded on our\njourney to Newtown; and the next day attended Friends\u2019 meeting there.\nAfter this we proceeded to Saratoga, and attended Friends\u2019 preparative\nmeeting at that place; and not feeling clear to leave it, we had an\nappointed meeting there the day after, of which public notice was\ngiven. It was very large; and it proved a highly favoured season; the\nLord\u2019s presence was manifested for our help, and truth was raised into\ndominion, and ran like oil over the assembly. Many hearts were broken\nand contrited, and the upright in heart were made to rejoice for the\nunmerited favour.\n\nThe following day we had an appointed meeting at Milton. After this\nwe proceeded to Galway, and lodged with our ancient friend Philip\nMacomber, who was in the ninety-first year of his age. Here we had\na meeting on seventh day. The next day, the 4th of 10th month, we\nattended Providence meeting, which was very large. On second day we had\nan appointed meeting at Mayfield. These were all seasons of favour,\nparticularly that at Providence, in which truth was exalted over all\nopposition, and many hearts were contrited; from a sense of which, our\nminds were bowed in reverence and humiliation before Him, who is the\nauthor of all our sure mercies.\n\nWe proceeded from Mayfield to Greenfield, and on fourth day attended\nFriends\u2019 monthly meeting at that place, which was composed of that and\nMilton preparative meetings. We had good satisfaction in sitting with\nour Friends, and in observing their commendable order, and the harmony\nand condescension manifest in conducting the affairs of the Church.\n\nFrom thence we proceeded to Easton, and had an appointed meeting there\non sixth day. On seventh day we were at Cambridge, on first day at\nWhite Creek, and on second day we rode to Danby, and the next day had\na meeting there. These were all large and very solemn seasons, in\nwhich the great Head of the Church manifested his gracious presence,\nconvicting and contriting many minds, and the upright in heart were\nedified. From Danby we proceeded to Granville, and had an appointed\nmeeting there the next day, which was a large solemn opportunity. The\nday after we proceeded on our journey to Shoram, a town on the eastern\nshore of Lake Champlain. Here we had a meeting the next day with the\nfew Friends of that place, and some of the neighbouring inhabitants.\nIt was a comfortable opportunity, and we left them with peace of mind.\nWe then rode to Ferrisburgh, and on first day, the 18th of 10th month,\nhad a very large favoured meeting at that place. On second day we had\nan appointed meeting at Monkton. This was likewise a large favoured\nopportunity, in which truth reigned over all opposition, to the praise\nof his own excellent name, who is over all, God blessed for ever.\n\nAs I was somewhat unwell, we rested on third day with our kind friends\nThomas and Rowland T. Robinson; and feeling my mind now clear from\nany further service in these parts, on fourth day we turned our faces\nhomewards, and proceeded back to Shoram. On fifth day we had an\nappointed meeting in that village, principally for those not members of\nour society. Although the people came together in a negligent manner\nas respected the appointed time, yet they generally behaved orderly,\nand appeared to give good attention to what they heard; and my mouth\nwas opened by Him who opens and none can shut, in a large effective\ntestimony to the truths of the gospel; which brought a precious\nsolemnity over the assembly, and they appeared to go away satisfied,\nand we left them with the answer of peace in our own minds.\n\nThe next day we proceeded on our journey to Granville, and from thence\nthe following day to Queensbury. On first day, the 25th of 10th month,\nwe attended Friends\u2019 meeting there; and notice being given to the\nneighbouring inhabitants of our attendance, they came in until the\nhouse was filled, and a number had to stand without for want of room;\nand a blessed meeting we had, in which the power of truth ran as oil\nover the assembly, tendering and contriting many minds, and to the\ncomfort and rejoicing of the upright in heart.\n\nWe had an appointed meeting on the following day at Moreau, which was\na large favoured meeting. From thence we proceeded to Saratoga, and\nlodged with our kind friend Thomas Wilbur, and the next day Thomas\naccompanied us to Pittstown, where we had an appointed meeting on\nfourth day. This was truly an humbling season, in which truth was\nexalted over all; great brokenness and contrition of spirit were\nmanifested among the people, and we were edified together in love,\nwhich inspired our minds with thanksgiving and gratitude for the\nunmerited favour.\n\nFrom this place we proceeded to Troy, and as I was somewhat unwell, we\nrested the following day with our kind friend Isaac Merritt. On sixth\nday we proceeded on our journey to the neighbourhood of Hudson, and put\nup with our kind friend Thomas Wright; and seventh day being very rainy\nand inclement we continued here, and attended Hudson meeting on first\nday, which was a large satisfactory meeting.\n\nOn second day we proceeded on our journey to Stanford, and lodged with\nour kind friend John Hull. The two following days we attended the\nquarterly meeting at Nine Partners. At this place there is a very large\nbody of Friends united together in gospel fellowship, and they were\nfavoured to conduct the business of the quarterly meeting in harmony\nand condescension. The public meeting was very large. It was attended\nby a great number who were not in membership with us, and who behaved\norderly, and it was indeed a very solemn edifying season.\n\nAfter the close of this meeting, we returned that evening to Stanford,\nin order to attend the quarterly meeting at that place, which opened\nthe next day with a meeting of Ministers and Elders. I attended\nthis, and the following day, the meeting for discipline. A large\nnumber of the neighbouring inhabitants attended this meeting, and\nsat with Friends, until the partition between the men and women was\nclosed. They behaved very orderly, and a precious solemnity spread\nover the assembly, and many essential doctrines of the gospel were\nopened to the people in the demonstration of the spirit, truth was\nraised into victory over all, and the upright in heart were edified\nand comforted. The meeting of Ministers and Elders was likewise a\nprecious opportunity, in which comfort and encouragement were freely\nadministered to them.\n\nFrom Stanford we proceeded on our journey to Cornwall, crossing the\nHudson river on our way. We arrived here on seventh day evening, and\nattended their meeting on first day, the 8th of 11th month. This\nmeeting was large, and a truly baptizing season, in which many hearts\nwere humbled and contrited, and truth reigned over all; thanks be to\nGod, who giveth us the victory, nothing due to man.\n\nThe two following days we had meetings appointed at the Lower and Upper\nClove. These were well attended, and, I trust, profitable edifying\nseasons to many present. They were composed of people of various\nprofessions, conditions, and states; yet all appeared to be brought\ndown and subjected by the solemnizing influence and power of truth,\nthat reigned victoriously over all. Surely it was the Lord\u2019s doing,\nand it was marvellous in our eyes. These meetings closed my labour and\nexercise in the gospel, to Friends and others in the yearly meetings of\nPhiladelphia, Baltimore, Ohio, Indiana, and New-York, as expressed in a\ncertificate of unity and concurrence, given me by the monthly meeting\nof Jericho, and quarterly meeting of Westbury.\n\nFrom the latter meeting we proceeded the next day directly to New-York,\nwhere we arrived on fourth day evening. The day after we attended\nFriends\u2019 meeting at Hester-street, it being their usual meeting day;\nand a marriage being accomplished at the close of it, it was larger\nthan usual, as many of the neighbouring inhabitants attended. Way\nopened for me to declare the truth among them, to the peace of my own\nmind, and to the mutual comfort and encouragement of the upright in\nheart. I rested here until first day, and attended Friends\u2019 meeting\nat Rose-street in the morning, and that held at Hester-street in the\nafternoon. They were both very large solemn meetings. On second day\nevening I had an appointed meeting at Brooklyn, likewise a large and\nvery favoured season. In all of these meetings the word preached had\nfree course, and I had, in the openings of truth, to declare to these\nlarge mixed assemblages many things concerning the kingdom of God; and\nthe only sure way by which an admittance into his kingdom of peace and\njoy may be obtained by the children of men.\n\nThe foregoing meetings were times of favour, and as a seal from the\nhand of our gracious and never-failing Helper, to the labour and\ntravail which he has led me into, and enabled me to perform, for the\npromotion of his great and noble cause of truth and righteousness in\nthe earth, as set forth in the foregoing account, and not suffering\nany weapon formed against me to prosper. \u201cThis is the heritage of the\nservants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the\nLord.\u201d For all these unmerited favours and mercies, in deep humiliation\nmy soul doth magnify the Lord, and return thanksgiving and glory to his\ngreat and excellent name; for his mercy endureth for ever.\n\nOn third day we proceeded homeward, and attended Westbury monthly\nmeeting on fourth day, on our way. After this I rode home, and found my\nfamily well, to our mutual rejoicing; and we greeted each other with\nthankful hearts for the unmerited favour.\n\nWe travelled in this journey nearly fifteen hundred miles.\n\n ELIAS HICKS.\n\n * * * * *\n\nE. H. here closed his Journal, and signed his name; after which he\nlived a little more than two months.\n\n\n\n\nAPPENDIX.\n\n\nLETTER TO HUGH JUDGE, OF OHIO.\n\n _Jericho, 2d mo. 14th, 1830._\n\nDear Hugh,\n\nThy very acceptable letter of the 21st ultimo, was duly received, and\nread with interest, tending to excite renewed sympathetic, and mutual\nfellow-feeling; and brought to my remembrance the cheering salutation\nof the blessed Jesus, our holy and perfect pattern and example, to\nhis disciples, viz: \u201cBe of good cheer, I have overcome the world.\u201d By\nwhich he assured his disciples that, by walking in the same pathway of\nself-denial and the cross which he trod to blessedness, they might also\novercome the world; as nothing has ever enabled any rational being, in\nany age of the world, to overcome the spirit of the world, which lieth\nin wickedness, but the cross of Christ.\n\nSome may query, what is the cross of Christ? To these I answer, it is\nthe perfect law of God written on the tablet of the heart, and in the\nheart of every rational creature, in such indelible characters that\nall the power of mortals cannot erase nor obliterate. Neither is there\nany power or means given or dispensed to the children of men, but this\ninward law and light by which the true and saving knowledge of God\ncan be obtained. And by this inward law and light, all will be either\njustified or condemned, and all be made to know God for themselves, and\nbe left without excuse, agreeably to the prophecy of Jeremiah, and the\ncorroborating testimony of Jesus in his last counsel and command to his\ndisciples, not to depart from Jerusalem until they should receive power\nfrom on high; assuring them that they should receive power, when they\nhad received the pouring forth of the spirit upon them, which would\nqualify them to bear witness of him in Judea, Jerusalem, Samaria, and\nto the uttermost parts of the earth; which was verified in a marvellous\nmanner on the day of Pentecost, when thousands were converted to the\nChristian faith in one day. By which it is evident, that nothing but\nthis inward light and law, as it is heeded and obeyed, ever did, or\never can make a true and real Christian and child of God. And until the\nprofessors of Christianity agree to lay aside all their non-essentials\nin religion, and rally to this unchangeable foundation and standard\nof truth, wars and fightings, confusion and error will prevail, and\nthe angelic song cannot be heard in our land, that of \u201cglory to God in\nthe highest, and on earth peace and good will to men.\u201d But when all\nnations are made willing to make this inward law and light, the rule\nand standard of all their faith and works, then we shall be brought\nto know and believe alike, that there is but one Lord, one faith, and\nbut one baptism; one God and Father, that is above all, through all,\nand in all; and then will all those glorious and consoling prophecies,\nrecorded in the scriptures of truth be fulfilled. Isaiah ii. 4, \u201cHe,\u201d\nthe Lord, \u201cshall judge among the nations, and rebuke many people: and\nthey shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into\npruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither\nshall they learn war any more.\u201d Isaiah xi. \u201cThe wolf also shall dwell\nwith the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the\ncalf, and the young lion, and the fatling together; and a little child\nshall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones\nshall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And\nthe sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned\nchild put his hand on the cockatrice\u2019s den. They shall not hurt nor\ndestroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth,\u201d that is our earthly\ntabernacles, \u201cshall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters\ncover the sea.\u201d\n\nThese scripture testimonies give a true and correct description of the\ngospel state, and no rational being can be a real Christian and true\ndisciple of Christ, until he comes to know all these things verified\nin his own experience, as every man and woman has more or less of all\nthose different animal propensities and passions in their nature; and\nthey predominate and bear rule, and are the source and fountain from\nwhence all wars, and every evil work proceed, and will continue as\nlong as man remains in his first nature, and is governed by his animal\nspirit and propensities, which constitute the natural man, which Paul\ntells us \u201creceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they\nare foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are\nspiritually discerned.\u201d This corroborates the declaration of Jesus to\nNicodemus, \u201cthat, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom\nof God;\u201d for \u201cthat which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which\nis born of the spirit is spirit.\u201d Here Jesus assures us, beyond all\ndoubt, that nothing but spirit can either see or enter into the kingdom\nof God; and this confirms Paul\u2019s doctrine, that \u201cas many as are led by\nthe spirit of God are the sons of God,\u201d and \u201cjoint heirs with Christ.\u201d\nAnd Jesus assures us, by his declaration to his disciples, John xiv.\n16, 17, \u201cIf ye love me, keep my commandments; and I will pray the\nFather, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with\nyou for ever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive;\u201d\nthat is, men and women in their natural state, who have not given up to\nbe led by this spirit of truth, that leads and guides into all truth;\n\u201cbecause they see him not, neither do they know him, but ye know him,\nfor he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.\u201d And as these give up\nto be wholly led and guided by him, the new birth is brought forth\nin them, and they witness the truth of another testimony of Paul\u2019s,\neven that of being created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works, which\nGod had foreordained that all his new-born children should walk in\nthem, and thereby show forth by their fruits and good works, that\nthey were truly the children of God, born of his spirit, and taught\nof him; agreeably to the testimony of the prophet, that \u201cthe children\nof the Lord are all taught of the Lord, and in righteousness they are\nestablished, and great is the peace of his children.\u201d And nothing can\nmake them afraid that man can do unto them; as saith the prophet in his\nappeal to Jehovah, \u201cThou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is\nstaid on thee, because he trusteth in thee.\u201d Therefore, let every one\nthat loves the truth, for God is truth, \u201ctrust in the Lord for ever,\nfor in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength.\u201d\n\nI write these things to thee, not as though thou didst not know them,\nbut as a witness to thy experience, as \u201ctwo are better than one, and a\nthreefold cord is not quickly broken.\u201d\n\nI will now draw to a close, with just adding, for thy encouragement,\nbe of good cheer, for no new thing has happened to us; for it has\never been the lot of the righteous to pass through many trials and\ntribulations, in their passage to that glorious, everlasting, peaceful,\nand happy abode, where all sorrow and sighing come to an end--the\nvalue of which is above all price; for when we have given all that we\nhave and can give, and suffered all that we can suffer, it is still\ninfinitely below its real value. And if we are favoured to gain an\ninheritance in that blissful and peaceful abode, \u201cwhere the wicked\ncease from troubling, and the weary are at rest,\u201d we must ascribe it\nall to the unmerited mercy and loving-kindness of our heavenly Father,\nwho remains to be God over all, blessed for ever.\n\nI will now conclude; and in the fulness of brotherly love to thee and\nthine, in which my family unite, subscribe thy affectionate friend,\n\n ELIAS HICKS.\n\nTo Hugh Judge.\n\nPlease present my love to all my friends, as way opens.\n\n * * * * *\n\nThe writing of the preceding letter was the last act in the life of\nthis eminent individual, and the attentive reader will not fail to\nregard it as an act of peculiar interest. It was as a seal to the\nlabours of a long life, and evinced the abiding and lively efficacy\nof that internal principle which he had uniformly sought as his\ndirector and preserver. But the work of this faithful servant was now\naccomplished; \u201cthe silver cord was loosed,\u201d and that spirit which had\nbeen so diligently active in the service of its Divine Master, was\nnow to rest from its labours, and to reap its reward. Just when he\nhad finished the letter alluded to, he was attacked with a paralytic\naffection, under the effects of which he became gradually weaker; but\nhis mind remained established in great peace and serenity, and on the\n27th of 2d month, 1830, he calmly expired, aged nearly eighty-two years.\n\nOf the character of this extraordinary man, it is not necessary now\nto speak. The preceding pages describe the nature of his engagements;\nand an estimate may thence be formed, of the fervency of his spirit,\nand the brightness of his example. In his general deportment, and\nin the expression of his countenance, there was a remarkable union\nof gentleness and dignity, indicating the habitual benevolence\nand solemnity of his feelings; and his public communications were\naccompanied with a power and an authority which demonstrated the purity\nof the source from whence they were derived. The promotion of spiritual\nholiness and practical righteousness in the earth, were the objects of\nhis constant solicitude; and he endeavoured, through divine assistance,\nto exemplify in his own daily experience, the comprehensive command of\nthe prophet, \u201cTo do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy\nGod.\u201d\n\n THE MEMORIAL OF JERICHO MONTHLY MEETING OF FRIENDS CONCERNING OUR\n ANCIENT FRIEND ELIAS HICKS.\n\nWe believe the example exhibited in the life and religious exercise\nof this our beloved Friend, is eminently calculated to set forth the\nefficacy and sufficiency of that divine grace, which, when believed in\nand obeyed, bringeth salvation.\n\nHe was born in the town of Hempstead, Queens county, Long Island, state\nof New-York, the 19th day of the 3d month, 1748. His parents\u2019 names\nwere John and Martha Hicks. At the age of seventeen he was placed as an\napprentice to learn the trade of a carpenter; on the expiration of his\nterm, he returned to his father, with whom he lived until the time of\nhis marriage, which took place about the twenty-third year of his age,\nto Jemima, daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Seaman, of Jericho, in\nsaid county, where he resided the remainder of his life.\n\nFrom his own account we learn, that when very young, he was favoured\nwith clear and powerful impressions of divine grace operating on his\nmind as a reprover for evil, which not duly regarding, and being\nnaturally of a lively and active disposition, he associated with those\nwho indulged in the vanities and amusements too common in the world,\nthough mostly in things deemed innocent by the generality of mankind.\nBut the gift of divine grace, which was so early manifested, did not\nforsake him, though he often strove to stifle its convictions, but\nfollowed him in judgment and in mercy, until a willingness was wrought\nin him to give up all to follow Christ, in the regeneration. On one\noccasion, when preparing to join in the dance, and surrounded by his\njovial companions, the pure witness rose so powerfully in his mind,\nand so clearly set before him the evil tendency of the course he was\npursuing, that he reasoned not with flesh and blood, but gave up to\nthe heavenly vision, and in deep contrition and prostration of soul,\nentered into covenant with the God of his life, that if he would be\npleased to furnish him with strength, he would endeavour not to be\nagain found in the like disobedience; which covenant, through mercy,\nhe was favoured to keep inviolate. Thus, submitting to the purifying\noperation of the Holy Ghost and fire, he was, in due time, qualified\nand called to declare to others what God had done for his soul; under\nthe divine anointing, he was enabled to unfold the truths of the\ngospel, in the demonstration of the spirit and with power. And, through\na faithful obedience to that which had begun the good work in him, he\nbecame an eminent instrument in the Lord\u2019s hand, for the promotion of\ntruth and righteousness in the earth.\n\nHe first appeared in the ministry, about the twenty-seventh year of his\nage, and from this period, his time and talents were devoted to the\ncause of his Divine Master, labouring diligently for its advancement,\nnot only at home, and in his own neighbourhood, but in most parts of\nthis continent where there are settlements of Friends, and also, in\nmany places amongst those not of our society. In declaring what he\nbelieved to be the counsel of God, he was bold and fearless, and his\nministry, though unadorned with the embellishments of human learning,\nwas clear and powerful. In argument he was strong and convincing,\nand his appeals to the experience and convictions of his hearers,\nwere striking and appropriate. He saw, and deeply lamented the great\ndeparture of many in the society of Friends, from that plainness and\nsimplicity, and that godly sincerity, which characterized it in the\nbeginning. Hence he felt himself called upon, under the influence\nof the love of the gospel, to admonish his brethren in religious\nprofession, to rally to the ancient standard, the light of truth\nmanifested in the heart, and to follow no man any further, than he\nshould be found a follower of Christ. He assailed the strong holds\nof superstition and bigotry with great boldness, which sometimes\nalarmed the timid, and roused the prejudices of others. Yet to the\ncandid inquirer and sincere seeker after truth, he breathed the\nlanguage of encouragement, of consolation and of comfort. His great\nand primary concern was to draw the minds of the people to practical\nrighteousness--from all outward dependance to the sure foundation,\nthe rock of ages, the spirit of truth, the comforter, \u201cChrist within,\nthe hope of glory.\u201d He generally corroborated the doctrines which he\npreached, by appropriate references to the testimonies and experience\nof those who have gone before us, as recorded in the scriptures of\ntruth. Through the efficacy of that power which enabled him to say, \u201cBy\nthe grace of God, I am what I am,\u201d many were convinced of the truth,\nthrough his ministry.\n\nSo full and pointed was his testimony against a hireling ministry,\nwhich he held to be, not only in direct violation of the great gospel\nprecept \u201cFreely ye have received, freely give,\u201d but fraught with\nincalculable injury to the best interests of mankind, that he sometimes\ngave offence to those, whose minds were strongly biased in its favour.\nYet such was the general kindness and benevolence of his character,\nthat he did not willingly give offence to any. While he condemned\nthe practice, he was kind and charitable to those, who, through the\ninfluence of education and early prejudice, differed from him on this\nsubject. Such was his concern that his examples should comport with his\ntestimony, that he was scrupulously careful to defray his own expenses\nwhen travelling as a minister.\n\nWhen his meetings were attended by a large concourse of persons of\nvarious denominations, the solemnity and stillness that prevailed,\nwere often very remarkable, reminding us of the testimony of\nprimitive Friends, that the power accompanying their gospel labours\nso overshadowed the assemblies, that truth reigned over all. Being\ndeeply sensible of his own inability to promote the cause of truth and\nrighteousness, without divine aid, he was engaged to dwell near the\nfountain of light and life, and to minister as this opened and gave\nability. He was indeed an example of Christian humility, and eminently\npreserved from being elated by the applause of men, or depressed by\ntheir censure. Many were the exercises which he felt on account of\nthe evils which abound in the world, and the oppressed condition of\nthe African race excited his tenderest sympathy. Their cause engaged\nhis earnest solicitude for the greater part of his life, and he was\noften led feelingly and powerfully to advocate it. We believe that many\nwere convinced, through his labours, of the cruelty and injustice of\nholding them in bondage. He bore for many years a faithful testimony\nagainst slavery, by carefully abstaining from the use of articles which\nhe believed to be produced by the labour of slaves. When at home, and\nnot engaged in services more strictly of a religious character, he\nlaboured diligently with his own hands, believing it the duty of all\nto be usefully employed in obtaining the necessaries of life; and when\nacquired, he acted as a steward under the direction of the bountiful\nGiver, being restrained from using them for selfish gratification.\nIn the various relations of life he was a bright example, worthy\nof imitation: he was an affectionate husband; and as a father and\nguardian, his concern for the religious and moral education of his\nchildren, and those placed under his care, was very great, that they\nmight be brought up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. For these\nends he exercised the authority of a parent with firmness, but in\nmuch tenderness and love. His tender sympathy was excited for the\npoor, to whom he was a kind and liberal friend, often supplying their\nnecessities. It may be truly said of him, that he was a man fearing God\nand hating covetousness. He was a peace-maker, endeavouring, both by\nprecept and example, to promote harmony in his neighbourhood; and in\nthis respect he was very useful, his Christian deportment having gained\nthe confidence and affection of his neighbours. He was very diligent\nin the attendance of religious meetings, and often led to encourage\nothers, assuring them, from his own experience, that none could expect\nto increase in the divine life, until they considered that important\nduty paramount to temporal concerns: he was also conspicuously useful\nin supporting the discipline of the society.\n\nAt a very advanced age he continued to labour in the Lord\u2019s vineyard,\nwith the same fervent zeal, the same dedication of heart, for which he\nhad been so eminently distinguished in the earlier stages of his life;\nand in the exercise of his gift in the ministry, he was as lively,\nclear, and cogent, as at any former period. Having been long taught in\nthe school of Christ, and being deeply experienced in the things which\nconcern our eternal well-being, he was well qualified to administer\ncounsel and encouragement to others; and was frequently led, feelingly\nand forcibly, to impress upon the minds of the rising generation, the\nimportance and necessity of early attention to the inward discoveries\nof divine light; cautioning them not to rest in the tradition of their\nfathers, but to walk by the same rule, and to mind the same thing,\nwhich has led the righteous in all ages safely through time; nor to\ndepend upon the teachings of men, for that knowledge which brings life\nand immortality to light in the soul; declaring that faithfulness and\nobedience to the influence of divine grace in their own hearts, could\nonly qualify them to advance the standard of truth and righteousness\nin the earth. His dedication to the law of the spirit of life in\nChrist Jesus, his firmness in the support of those testimonies\nwhich he felt himself called upon to maintain, and his plainness in\nreproving unfaithfulness in others, and bearing testimony against every\nappearance of evil, gave offence to some; yet none of these things\nmoved him, neither counted he his life dear to himself, so that he\nmight finish his course with joy, and the ministry he had received,\nto testify the gospel of the grace of God; and we are persuaded that\nhis feet were established upon that rock, against which the powers of\ndarkness shall never be able to prevail. He was favoured, in times\nof the greatest trial, to experience the truth of the prophetic\ndeclaration, \u201cThou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed\non thee, because he trusteth in thee.\u201d\n\nHe was favoured with a good constitution, and in the decline of\nlife, was still actively engaged in the concerns of society, and\nindustriously employed in his temporal avocations.\n\nHis mental powers continued strong and vigorous to the end of his\nlabours. His comprehensive and energetic mind was apparently but very\nlittle impaired by the revolution of more than fourscore years. Within\nthe last two years of his life, he travelled extensively in the work of\nthe ministry.\n\nWhen he was eighty years of age, he opened in this monthly meeting a\nconcern to pay a religious visit to Friends and others in some parts of\nthe yearly meetings of New-York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Virginia,\nOhio, and Indiana. He obtained a certificate of unity and concurrence\nfrom this monthly meeting, endorsed by Westbury quarterly meeting.\nIn this visit he experienced many deep probations on account of the\nunsettled state of society. \u201cFor the divisions of Reuben, there were\ngreat searchings of heart.\u201d Yet he was enabled to accomplish his visit\nto the southern and western yearly meetings, agreeably to his prospect.\nShortly after his return from this journey, he met with a severe\naffliction in the loss of his beloved companion, with whom he had lived\nin near union and affection for fifty-eight years.\n\nIn the summer of 1829, in pursuance of his prospect as before\nmentioned, he visited most of the meetings of Friends in the northern\nand western parts of our yearly meeting. His gospel labours, during\nthese arduous and extensive visits, were productive of satisfaction and\npeace to his own mind, and were peculiarly seasonable and acceptable\nto his friends, as appears by numerous certificates of near unity,\nwhich he produced to this meeting on his return home; after which, he\nattended all the meetings of Friends in the city of New-York, and on\nthis island, very much to their satisfaction. In these last visits,\nas heretofore, his gospel labours were remarkably clear and powerful,\nand we trust are profitably remembered by many. He seemed renewedly\nconcerned on account of the deviations from that plainness and\nsimplicity into which the truth would lead; and expressed the comfort\nit would be to him to see a reformation in these respects.\n\nOn first day morning, the 14th of 2d month last, he was engaged in\nhis room, writing to a friend, until a little after ten o\u2019clock, when\nhe returned to that occupied by the family, apparently just attacked\nby a paralytic affection, which nearly deprived him of the use of his\nright side, and of the power of speech. Being assisted to a chair near\nthe fire, he manifested by signs, that the letter which he had just\nfinished, and which had been dropped by the way, should be taken care\nof; and on its being brought to him, appeared satisfied, and manifested\na desire that all should sit down and be still, seemingly sensible\nthat his labours were brought to a close, and only desirous of quietly\nwaiting the final change. The solemn composure at this time manifest in\nhis countenance, was very impressive, indicating that he was sensible\nthe time of his departure was at hand, and that the prospect of death\nbrought no terrors with it. During his last illness, his mental\nfaculties were occasionally obscured, yet he was at times enabled to\ngive satisfactory evidence to those around him, that all was well, and\nthat he felt nothing in his way.\n\nHis dependance had long been upon that arm of power alone, which\nsupported him under every probation, and near the conclusion of the\nletter above alluded to, he thus expressed himself: \u201cAnd if we are\nfavoured to gain an inheritance in that blissful and peaceful abode,\nwhere the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest, we\nmust ascribe it all to the unmerited mercy and loving kindness of our\nheavenly Father, who remains to be God over all, blessed for ever.\u201d He\ncontinued gradually to decline until the evening of the 27th, when he\nquietly passed from the trials of time, we doubt not, to receive the\nreward of the righteous.\n\nHis funeral took place on fourth day, the 3d of 3d month. It was\nattended by a large concourse of Friends and others, and a solid\nmeeting was held on the occasion; after which, his remains were\ninterred in Friends\u2019 burial ground at this place.\n\n\nSigned by direction and on behalf of Jericho Monthly Meeting, held 4th\nmonth, 15th, 1830.\n\n WILLET ROBBINS, } _Clerks_.\n ABIGAIL HICKS, }\n\n\nAt Westbury Quarterly Meeting held at Westbury, the 22d of 4th month,\n1830.\n\nA memorial of Jericho Monthly Meeting, concerning our late beloved\nfriend Elias Hicks, was produced and read, and being satisfactory to\nthe meeting, was approved, directed to be endorsed, and forwarded to\nthe Meeting for Sufferings.\n\nSigned on behalf of the meeting by\n\n STEPHEN UNDERHILL, } _Clerks_.\n SARAH COCK, }\n\nAt a Meeting for Sufferings held in New-York, 5th month, 26th, 1830,\n\nThe memorial from Jericho Monthly Meeting, endorsed by the Quarterly\nMeeting of Westbury, concerning our beloved friend Elias Hicks,\ndeceased, being deliberately attended to, was approved and directed to\nthe Yearly Meeting.\n\nExtract from minutes of said meeting.\n\n JOHN BARROW, _Clerk_.\n\n\nAt the Yearly Meeting of New-York, held by adjournments, from the 24th\nof the 5th month, to the 28th of the same inclusive, 1830,\n\nA testimony of Jericho Monthly Meeting, endorsed by Westbury Quarterly\nMeeting, and approved by the Meeting for Sufferings, concerning our\nancient beloved friend Elias Hicks, was read and approved. Much\nsolicitude was felt and expressed that it may, with the remembrance of\nhis exemplary life, encourage us to walk by the same rule, and to mind\nthe same thing, which enabled him to become so eminently useful in his\nday and generation.\n\n SAMUEL MOTT, } _Clerks_.\n ANN M. COMSTOCK, }\n\n\n\n\nTRANSCRIBER\u2019S NOTE.\n\n\nArchaic and obsolete spellings and usage were left as originally\nprinted, however obvious typos were fixed. Place names are often\nmisspelled by current standards, but are easily recognizable.\n\nDetails of the changes are below, the correction being inside square\nbraces.\n\n Page 019 proceeded to Oswego and Appoquague[Apoquague], and then to\n Page 037 at Little Esopus, Marlborough, and Newburg[Newburgh] Valley;\n Page 038 near Salem, Purchase, Apoquage[Apoquague], Mamaroneck, and\n Page 051 Champlain, and got to Ferrisburg[Ferrisburgh] just in time\n Page 054 occasioned by the many obvious deficiences[deficiencies] and\n Page 061 travail among them, being baptised[baptized] into their low\n Page 072 following days we attended meetings at Monallen[Menallen]\n Page 079 15th we were at Moore\u2019s Town and Rancocus[Rancocas]; in the\n Page 114 at Chesnut Ridge, and Poquague[Poughquague], we proceeded\n Page 210 manner, the way and means of man\u2019s salvavation[salvation];\n Page 217 own experience, those works of righeousness[righteousness]\n Page 220 it made his heart glad, and he took Micha\u2019s[Micah\u2019s] ephod,\n Page 223 attend Friend\u2019s[Friends\u2019] meetings: and towards his close,\n Page 232 business, not feeeling[feeling] any particular religious\n Page 275 the excellency of the gospel dispenpensation[dispensation],\n Page 290 covering over the meeeting[meeting].\n Page 301 to-day, to morrow[to-morrow] is dead. This subject very\n Page 301 funeral, and led to an awkening[awakening] communication,\n Page 301 our aproaching[approaching] yearly meeting. Left home early\n Page 306 more faithfulnes[faithfulness] and attention to the inward\n Page 311 attended Friend\u2019s[Friends\u2019] meeting at Plainfield. Notice\n Page 315 Huntington and Monallin[Menallen]. In these opportunities my\n Page 315 From Monallin[Menallen] we rode to Baltimore, in order to\n Page 320 seven following days we attended meetings at Mulica[Mullica]\n Page 352 the Saw Pitts[Pits]. Here we had a meeting the next day at\n Page 359 Creek, and attended Friend\u2019s[Friends\u2019] meeting as it came in\n Page 360 day we proceeded towards Ferrisburg[Ferrisburgh], where we\n Page 369 return from the service he he[duplicate] had sent them out\n Page 373 that my proceedure[procedure] was under right direction; for\n Page 376 Concord, St. Clairville[Clairsville], Plainfield, Flushing,\n Page 402 Huntington and Monallin[Menallen]. These were all favoured\n Page 424 11th, we attended Friends\u2019 meeting at Rancocus[Rancocas].\n Page 429 in this Friends\u2019[Friend\u2019s] house. On fourth day we attended","title":"Journal of the Life and Religious Labours of Elias Hicks","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":167748}