John Woolman
John Woolman's Journal
CHAPTER I
His Birth and Parentage, with some Account of the
Operations of divine Grace on his Mind in his Youth—His first Appearance in the
Ministry—And his Considerations, while young, on the keeping of Slaves
I have often felt a Motion of Love to leave some Hints in
Writing of my Experience of the Goodness of God; and now, in the thirty-sixth
Year of my Age, I begin this Work.
I was born in Northampton, in Burlington County,
West-Jersey, in the Year 1720; and before I was seven Years old I began to be
acquainted with the Operations of divine Love. Through the Care of my Parents,
I was taught to read nearly as soon as I was capable of it; and, as I went from
School one seventh Day, I remember, while my Companions went to play by the
Way, I went forward out of Sight, and, sitting down, I read the 22d Chapter of
the Revelations: "He shewed me a pure River of Water of Life, clear as Chrystal,
proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb,etc." and, in reading
it, my Mind was drawn to seek after that pure Habitation, which, I then
believed, God had prepared for his Servants. The Place where I sat, and the
Sweetness that attended my Mind, remain fresh in my Memory.
This, and the like gracious Visitations, had that Effect
upon me, that when Boys used ill Language it troubled me; and, through the
continued Mercies of God, I was preserved from it.
The pious Instructions of my Parents were often fresh in my
Mind when I happened to be among wicked Children, and were of Use to me. My
Parents, having a large Family of Children, used frequently, on first Days
after Meeting, to put us to read in the holy Scriptures, or some religious
Books, one after another, the rest sitting by without much Conversation; which,
I have since often thought, was a good Practice. From what I had read and
heard, I believed there had been, in past Ages, People who walked in Uprightness
before God, in a Degree exceeding any that I knew, or heard of, now living: And
the Apprehension of there being less Steadiness and Firmness, amongst People in
this Age than in past Ages, often troubled me while I was a Child.
A Thing remarkable in my Childhood was, that once, going to
a Neighbour's House, I saw, on the Way, a Robin sitting on her Nest, and as I
came near she went off, but, having young ones, flew about, and with many Cries
expressed her Concern for them; I stood and threw Stones at her, till, one
striking her, she fell down dead: At first I was pleased with the Exploit, but
after a few Minutes was seized with Horror, as having, in a sportive Way,
killed an innocent Creature while she was careful for her Young: I beheld her
lying dead, and thought these young ones, for which she was so careful, must
now perish for want of their Dam to nourish them; and, after some painful
Considerations on the Subject, I climbed up the Tree, took all the young Birds,
and killed them; supposing that better than to leave them to pine away and die
miserably: And believed, in this Case, that Scripture-proverb was fulfilled,
"The tender Mercies of the Wicked are cruel." I then went on my
Errand, but, for some Hours, could think of little else but the Cruelties I had
committed, and was much troubled. Thus he, whose tender Mercies are over all
his Works, hath placed a Principle in the human Mind, which incites to exercise
Goodness towards every living Creature; and this being singly attended to,
People become tender hearted and sympathising; but being frequently and totally
rejected, the Mind becomes shut up in a contrary Disposition.
About the twelfth Year of my Age, my Father being abroad,
my Mother reproved me for some Misconduct, to which I made an undutiful Reply;
and, the next first Day, as I was with my Father returning from Meeting, he
told me he understood I had behaved amiss to my Mother, and advised me to be
more careful in future. I knew myself blameable, and in Shame and Confusion
remained silent. Being thus awakened to a Sense of my Wickedness, I felt
Remorse in my Mind, and, getting home, I retired and prayed to the Lord to
forgive me; and do not remember that I ever, after that, spoke unhandsomely to
either of my Parents, however foolish in some other Things.
Having attained the Age of sixteen Years, I began to love
wanton Company; and though I was preserved from prophane Language, or
scandalous Conduct, still I perceived a Plant in me which produced much wild
Grapes; yet my merciful Father forsook me not utterly, but, at Times, through
his Grace, I was brought seriously to consider my Ways; and the Sight of my
Backslidings affected me with Sorrow; but, for want of rightly attending to the
Reproofs of Instruction, Vanity was added to Vanity, and Repentance to Repentance:
Upon the whole, my Mind was more and more alienated from the Truth, and I
hastened toward Destruction. While I meditate on the Gulph towards which I
travelled, and reflect on my youthful Disobedience, for these Things I weep,
mine Eyes run down with Water.
Advancing in Age, the Number of my Acquaintances increased,
and thereby my Way grew more difficult; though I had found Comfort in reading
the holy Scriptures, and thinking on heavenly Things, I was now estranged
therefrom: I knew I was going from the Flock of Christ, and had no Resolution
to return; hence serious Reflections were uneasy to me, and youthful Vanities
and Diversions my greatest Pleasure. Running in this Road I found many like
myself; and we associated in that which is the reverse of true Friendship.
But in this swift Race it pleased God to visit me with
Sickness, so that I doubted of recovering; and then did Darkness, Horror, and
Amazement, with full Force, seize me, even when my Pain and Distress of Body
was very great. I thought it would have been better for me never to have had a
Being, than to see the Day which I now saw. I was filled with Confusion; and in
great Affliction, both of Mind and Body, I lay and bewailed myself. I had not
Confidence to lift up my Cries to God, whom I had thus offended; but, in a deep
Sense of my great Folly, I was humbled before him; and, at length, that Word
which is as a Fire and a Hammer, broke and dissolved my rebellious Heart, and
then my Cries were put up in Contrition; and in the multitude of his Mercies I
found inward Relief, and felt a close Engagement, that, if he was pleased to
restore my Health, I might walk humbly before him.
After my Recovery, this Exercise remained with me a
considerable Time; but, by Degrees, giving Way to youthful Vanities, they
gained Strength, and, getting with wanton young People, I lost Ground. The Lord
had been very gracious, and spoke Peace to me in the Time of my Distress; and I
now most ungratefully turned again to Folly; on which Account, at Times, I felt
sharp Reproof. I was not so hardy as to commit Things scandalous; but to exceed
in Vanity, and promote Mirth, was my chief Study. Still I retained a Love for
pious People, and their Company brought an Awe upon me. My dear Parents,
several Times, admonished me in the Fear of the Lord, and their Admonition
entered into my Heart, and had a good Effect for a Season; but, not getting
deep enough to pray rightly, the Tempter, when he came, found Entrance. I
remember once, having spent a Part of the Day in Wantonness, as I went to Bed
at Night, there lay in a Window, near my Bed, a Bible, which I opened, and
first cast my Eye on this Text, "We lie down in our Shame, and our
Confusion covers us:" This I knew to be my Case; and, meeting with so
unexpected a Reproof, I was somewhat affected with it, and went to Bed under
Remorse of Conscience; which I soon cast off again.
Thus Time passed on: My Heart was replenished with Mirth
and Wantonness, and pleasing Scenes of Vanity were presented to my Imagination,
till I attained the Age of eighteen Years; near which Time I felt the Judgments
of God, in my Soul, like a consuming Fire; and, looking over my past Life, the
Prospect was moving.—I was often sad, and longed to be delivered from those
Vanities; then again, my Heart was strongly inclined to them, and there was in
me a sore Conflict: At Times I turned to Folly, and then again, Sorrow and
Confusion took hold of me. In a while, I resolved totally to leave off some of
my Vanities; but there was a secret Reserve, in my Heart, of the more refined
Part of them, and I was not low enough to find true Peace. Thus, for some
Months, I had great Troubles; there remaining in me an unsubjected Will, which
rendered my Labours fruitless, till at length, through the merciful Continuance
of heavenly Visitations, I was made to bow down in Spirit before the Lord. I
remember one Evening I had spent some Time in reading a pious Author; and
walking out alone, I humbly prayed to the Lord for his Help, that I might be
delivered from all those Vanities which so ensnared me. Thus, being brought
low, he helped me; and, as I learned to bear the Cross, I felt Refreshment to
come from his Presence; but, not keeping in that Strength which gave Victory, I
lost Ground again; the Sense of which greatly affected me; and I sought Desarts
and lonely Places, and there, with Tears, did confess my Sins to God, and humbly
craved Help of him. And I may say with Reverence, he was near to me in my
Troubles, and in those Times of Humiliation opened my Ear to Discipline. I was
now led to look seriously at the Means by which I was drawn from the pure
Truth, and learned this, that, if I would live in the Life which the faithful
Servants of God lived in, I must not go into Company as heretofore in my own
Will; but all the Cravings of Sense must be governed by a divine Principle. In
Times of Sorrow and Abasement these Instructions were sealed upon me, and I
felt the Power of Christ prevail over selfish Desires, so that I was preserved
in a good degree of Steadiness; and, being young, and believing at that Time
that a single Life was best for me, I was strengthened to keep from such
Company as had often been a Snare to me.
I kept steadily to Meetings; spent First-day Afternoons
chiefly in reading the Scriptures and other good Books; and was early convinced
in Mind, that true Religion consisted in an inward Life, wherein the Heart doth
love and reverence God the Creator, and learns to exercise true Justice and
Goodness, not only toward all Men, but also toward the brute Creatures.—That as
the Mind was moved, by an inward Principle, to love God as an invisible
incomprehensible Being, by the same Principle it was moved to love him in all
his Manifestations in the visible World.—That, as by his Breath the Flame of
Life was kindled in all animal sensible Creatures, to say we love God, and, at
the same Time exercise Cruelty toward the least Creature, is a Contradiction in
itself.
I found no Narrowness respecting Sects and Opinions; but
believed, that sincere upright-hearted People, in every Society, who truly love
God, were accepted of him.
As I lived under the Cross, and simply followed the
Openings of Truth, my Mind, from Day to Day, was more enlightened; my former
Acquaintance were left to judge of me as they would, for I found it safest for
me to live in private, and keep these Things sealed up in my own Breast. While
I silently ponder on that Change wrought in me, I find no Language equal to it,
nor any Means to convey to another a clear Idea of it. I looked on the Works of
God in this visible Creation, and an Awfulness covered me; my Heart was tender
and often contrite, and universal Love to my Fellow-creatures increased in me:
This will be understood by such as have trodden the same Path. Some Glances of
real Beauty may be seen in their Faces, who dwell in true Meekness. There is a
Harmony in the Sound of that Voice to which divine Love gives Utterance, and
some Appearance of right Order in their Temper and Conduct, whose Passions are
regulated; yet all these do not fully shew forth that inward Life to such as
have not felt it: But this white Stone and new Name is known rightly to such
only as have it.
Though I had been thus strengthened to bear the Cross, I
still found myself in great Danger, having many Weaknesses attending me, and
strong Temptations to wrestle with; in the feeling whereof I frequently
withdrew into private Places, and often with Tears besought the Lord to help
me, whose gracious Ear was open to my Cry.
All this Time I lived with my Parents, and wrought on the
Plantation; and, having had Schooling pretty well for a Planter, I used to
improve it in Winter Evenings, and other leisure Times; and, being now in the
twenty-first Year of my Age, a Man, in much Business at shop-keeping and
baking, asked me, if I would hire with him to tend Shop and keep Books. I
acquainted my Father with the Proposal; and, after some Deliberation, it was
agreed for me to go.
At Home I had lived retired; and now, having a Prospect of
being much in the Way of Company, I felt frequent and fervent Cries in my Heart
to God, the Father of Mercies, that he would preserve me from all Corruption;
that in this more publick Employment, I might serve him, my gracious Redeemer,
in that Humility and Self-denial, with which I had been, in a small Degree,
exercised in a more private Life. The Man, who employed me, furnished a Shop in
MountHolly, about five Miles from my Father's House, and six from his own; and
there I lived alone, and tended his Shop. Shortly after my Settlement here I
was visited by several young People, my former Acquaintance, who knew not but
Vanities would be as agreeable to me now as ever; and, at these Times, I cried
to the Lord in secret, for Wisdom and Strength; for I felt myself encompassed
with Difficulties, and had fresh Occasion to bewail the Follies of Time past,
in contracting a Familiarity with libertine People; and, as I had now left my
Father's House outwardly, I found my heavenly Father to be merciful to me
beyond what I can express.
By Day I was much amongst People, and had many Trials to go
through; but, in the Evenings, I was mostly alone, and may with Thankfulness
acknowledge, that, in those Times, the Spirit of Supplication was often poured
upon me; under which I was frequently exercised, and felt my Strength renewed.
In a few Months after I came here, my Master bought several
Scotchmen, Servants, from on-board a Vessel, and brought them to Mount-Holly to
sell; one of which was taken sick, and died.
In the latter Part of his Sickness, he, being delirious,
used to curse and swear most sorrowfully; and, the next Night after his Burial,
I was left to sleep alone in the same Chamber where he died; I perceived in me
a Timorousness; I knew, however, I had not injured the Man, but assisted in
taking Care of him according to my Capacity; and was not free to ask any one,
on that Occasion, to sleep with me: Nature was feeble; but every Trial was a
fresh Incitement to give myself up wholly to the Service of God, for I found no
Helper like him in Times of Trouble.
After a While, my former Acquaintance gave over expecting
me as one of their Company; and I began to be known to some whose Conversation
was helpful to me: And now, as I had experienced the Love of God, through Jesus
Christ, to redeem me from many Pollutions, and to be a Succour to me through a
Sea of Conflicts, with which no Person was fully acquainted; and as my Heart
was often enlarged in this heavenly Principle, I felt a tender Compassion for
the Youth, who remained entangled in Snares, like those which had entangled me
from one Time to another: This Love and Tenderness increased; and my Mind was
more strongly engaged for the Good of my Fellow-creatures. I went to Meetings
in an awful Frame of Mind, and endeavoured to be inwardly acquainted with the
Language of the true Shepherd; and, one Day, being under a strong Exercise of
Spirit, I stood up, and said some Words in a Meeting; but, not keeping close to
the divine Opening, I said more than was required of me; and being soon
sensible of my Error, I was afflicted in Mind some Weeks, without any Light or
Comfort, even to that Degree that I could not take Satisfaction in any Thing: I
remembered God, and was troubled, and, in the Depth of my Distress, he had Pity
upon me, and sent the Comforter: I then felt Forgiveness for my Offence, and my
Mind became calm and quiet, being truly thankful to my gracious Redeemer for
his Mercies; and, after this, feeling the Spring of divine Love opened, and a
Concern to speak, I said a few Words in a Meeting, in which I found Peace;
this, I believe, was about six Weeks from the first Time: And, as I was thus
humbled and disciplined under the Cross, my Understanding became more
strengthened to distinguish the pure Spirit which inwardly moves upon the
Heart, and taught me to wait in Silence sometimes many Weeks together, until I
felt that rise which prepares the Creature.
From an inward purifying, and stedfast abiding under it,
springs a lively operative Desire for the Good of others: All the Faithful are
not called to the public Ministry; but whoever are, are called to minister of
that which they have tasted and handled spiritually. The outward Modes of
Worship are various; but, wherever any are true Ministers of Jesus Christ, it
is from the Operation of his Spirit upon their Hearts, first purifying them,
and thus giving them a just Sense of the Conditions of others.
This Truth was clearly fixed in my Mind; and I was taught
to watch the pure Opening, and to take Heed, lest, while I was standing to
speak, my own Will should get uppermost, and cause me to utter Words from
worldly Wisdom, and depart from the Channel of the true Gospel-Ministry.
In the Management of my outward Affairs, I may say, with
Thankfulness, I found Truth to be my Support; and I was respected in my
Master's Family, who came to live in Mount-Holly within two Years after my
going there.
About the twenty-third Year of my Age, I had many fresh and
heavenly Openings, in respect to the Care and Providence of the Almighty over
his Creatures in general, and over Man as the most noble amongst those which
are visible. And being clearly convinced in my Judgment, that to place my whole
Trust in God was best for me, I felt renewed Engagements, that in all Things I
might act on an inward Principle of Virtue, and pursue worldly Business no
farther, than as Truth opened my Way therein.
About the Time called Christmas, I observed many People
from the Country, and Dwellers in Town, who, resorting to Public-Houses, spent
their Time in drinking and vain Sports, tending to corrupt one another; on
which Account I was much troubled. At one House, in particular, there was much
Disorder; and I believed it was a Duty incumbent on me to go and speak to the
Master of that House. I considered I was young, and that several elderly
Friends in town had Opportunity to see these Things; but though I would gladly
have been excused, yet I could not feel my Mind clear.
The Exercise was heavy; and as I was reading what the
Almighty said to Ezekiel, respecting his Duty as a Watchman, the Matter was set
home more clearly; and then, with Prayers and Tears, I besought the Lord for
his Assistance, who, in Loving-kindness, gave me a resigned Heart: Then, at a
suitable Opportunity, I went to the Public-house, and, seeing the Man amongst
much Company, I went to him, and told him, I wanted to speak with him; so we
went aside, and there, in the Fear of the Almighty, I expressed to him what
rested on my Mind; which he took kindly, and afterward shewed more Regard to me
than before. In a few Years afterwards he died, middle-aged; and I often
thought that, had I neglected my Duty in that Case, it would have given me
great Trouble; and I was humbly thankful to my gracious Father, who had
supported me herein.
My Employer having a Negro Woman, sold her, and desired me
to write a Bill of Sale, the Man being waiting who bought her: The Thing was
sudden; and, though the Thoughts of writing an Instrument of Slavery for one of
my Fellowcreatures felt uneasy, yet I remembered I was hired by the Year, that
it was my Master who directed me to do it, and that it was an elderly Man, a
Member of our Society, who bought her; so, through Weakness, I gave way, and
wrote; but, at the executing it, I was so afflicted in my Mind, that I said,
before my Master and the Friend, that I believed Slave-keeping to be a Practice
inconsistent with the Christian Religion: This in some Degree abated my
Uneasiness; yet, as often as I reflected seriously upon it, I thought I should
have been clearer, if I had desired to have been excused from it, as a Thing
against my Conscience; for such it was. And, some Time after this, a young Man,
of our Society, spoke to me to write a Conveyance of a Slave to him, he having
lately taken a Negro into his House: I told him I was not easy to write it;
for, though many of our Meeting and in other Places kept Slaves, I still
believed the Practice was not right, and desired to be excused from the
writing. I spoke to him in Good-will; and he told me that keeping Slaves was
not altogether agreeable to his Mind; but that the Slave being a Gift to his
Wife, he had accepted of her.
CHAPTER II
His first Journey, on a religious Visit, into East-Jersey,
in Company with ABRAHAM FARRINGTON—His Thoughts on merchandizing, and
his learning a Trade—His second Journey, with ISAAC ANDREWS,
into Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina—His third Journey,
with PETER
ANDREWS, through Part of West and East-Jersey—Some Account of his
Sister ELIZABETH, and her Death—His fourth Journey, with PETER ANDREWS,
through New-York and LongIsland, to New-England—And his fifth Journey, with JOHN SYKES,
to the eastern Shore of Maryland, and the lower Counties on Delaware
My esteemed Friend, Abraham Farrington, being about to make
a Visit to Friends on the eastern Side of this Province, and having no
Companion, he proposed to me to go with him; and, after a Conference with some
elderly Friends, I agreed to go: We set out the fifth Day of the ninth Month,
in the Year 1743; had an Evening-meeting at a Tavern in Brunswick, a Town in
which none of our Society dwelt; the Room was full, and the People quiet.
Thence to Amboy, and had an Evening-meeting in the Court-house; to which many
People came, amongst whom were several Members of the Assembly, they being in
Town on public Affairs of the Province: In both these Meetings my ancient
Companion was enlarged to preach, in the Love of the Gospel. Thence we went to
Woodbridge, Raway, and Plainfield; and had six or seven Meetings in Places
where Meetings of Friends are not usually held, being made up chiefly of
Presbyterians; and my beloved Companion was frequently strengthened to publish
the Word of Life amongst them: As for me, I was often silent; and, when I
spake, it was with much Care, that I might speak only what Truth opened: And I
learned some profitable Lessons.—We were out about two Weeks.
Near this Time, being on some outward Business in which
several Families were concerned, and which was attended with Difficulties, some
Things relating thereto not being clearly stated, nor rightly understood by
all, there arose some Heat in the Minds of the Parties, and one valuable Friend
got off his Watch; I had a great Regard for him, and felt a strong Inclination,
after Matters were settled, to speak to him concerning his Conduct in that
case: But I being a Youth, and he far advanced in Age and Experience, my Way
appeared difficult; but, after some Days Deliberation, and inward seeking to
the Lord for Assistance, I was made subject; so that I expressed what lay upon
me in a Way which became my Youth and his Years: And, though it was a hard Task
to me, it was well taken, and, I believe, useful to us both.
Having now been several Years with my Employer, and he
doing less at Merchandize than heretofore, I was thoughtful of some other Way
of Business; perceiving Merchandize to be attended with much Cumber, in the Way
of trading in these Parts.
My mind, through the Power of Truth, was in a good degree
weaned from the
Desire of outward Greatness, and I was learning to be
content with real Conveniences, that were not costly; so that a Way of Life,
free from much Entanglement, appeared best for me, though the Income might be
small. I had several Offers of Business that appeared profitable, but did not
see my Way clear to accept of them; as believing the Business proposed would be
attended with more outward Care than was required of me to engage in.
I saw that a humble Man, with the blessing of the Lord,
might live on a little; and that where the Heart was set on Greatness, Success
in Business did not satisfy the craving; but that commonly, with an Increase of
Wealth, the Desire of Wealth increased. There was a Care on my Mind so to pass
my Time, that nothing might hinder me from the most steady Attention to the
Voice of the true Shepherd.
My Employer, though now a Retailer of Goods, was by Trade a
Taylor, and kept a Servant-man at that Business; and I began to think about
learning the Trade, expecting that, if I should settle, I might, by this Trade
and a little retailing of Goods, get a Living in a plain Way, without the Load
of great Business: I mentioned it to my Employer, and we soon agreed on Terms;
and then, when I had Leisure from the Affairs of Merchandize, I worked with his
Man. I believed the Hand of Providence pointed out this Business for me; and
was taught to be content with it, though I felt, at Times, a Disposition that
would have sought for something greater: But, through the Revelation of Jesus
Christ, I had seen the Happiness of Humility, and there was an earnest Desire
in me to enter deep into it; and, at Times, this Desire arose to a Degree of
fervent Supplication, wherein my Soul was so environed with heavenly Light and
Consolation, that Things were made easy to me which had been otherwise.
After some Time, my Employer's Wife died; she was a
virtuous Woman, and generally beloved of her Neighbours; and, soon after this,
he left shop-keeping, and we parted. I then wrought at my Trade, as a Taylor;
carefully attended Meetings for Worship and Discipline; and found an
Enlargement of Gospel-love in my Mind, and therein a Concern to visit Friends
in some of the Backsettlements of Pennsylvania and Virginia; and, being
thoughtful about a Companion, I expressed it to my beloved Friend, ISAAC ANDREWS,
who then told me that he had Drawings to the same Places; also to go through
Maryland, Virginia, and Carolina. After considerable Time past, and several
Conferences with him, I felt easy to accompany him throughout, if Way opened
for it. I opened the Case in our Monthly-meeting; and, Friends expressing their
Unity therewith, we obtained Certificates to travel as Companions; his from
Haddonfield, and mine from Burlington.
We left our Province on the twelfth Day of the third Month,
in the Year 1746, and had several Meetings in the upper Part of Chester County,
and near Lancaster; in some of which, the Love of Christ prevailed, uniting us
together in his Service. Then we crossed the River Susquehannah, and had
several Meetings in a new Settlement, called the Red-Lands; the oldest of
which, as I was informed, did not exceed ten Years. It is the poorer Sort of
People that commonly begin to improve remote Desarts: With a small Stock they
have Houses to build, Lands to clear and fence, Corn to raise, Clothes to
provide, and Children to educate; that Friends, who visit such, may well
sympathise with them in their Hardships in the Wilderness; and though the best
Entertainment such can give may seem coarse to some who are used to Cities, or
old settled Places, it becomes the Disciples of Christ to be content with it.
Our Hearts were sometimes enlarged in the Love of our heavenly Father amongst
these People; and the sweet Influence of his Spirit supported us through some
Difficulties: To him be the Praise!
We passed on to Monoquacy, Fairfax, Hopewell, and Shanando,
and had Meetings; some of which were comfortable and edifying. From Shanandowe
set off in the Afternoon for the old Settlements of Friends in Virginia; and,
the first Night, we, with our Pilot, lodged in the Woods, our Horses feeding
near us; but he being poorly provided with a Horse, and we young and having
good Horses, were free the next Day to part with him; and did so. In two Days
after, we reached to our Friend John Cheagle's, in Virginia; so we took the
Meetings in our Way through Virginia; were, in some Degree, baptized into a
feeling Sense of the Conditions of the People; and our Exercise in general was
more painful in these old Settlements, than it had been amongst the back
Inhabitants: But, through the Goodness of our heavenly Father, the Well of
living Waters was, at Times, opened to our Encouragement and the Refreshment of
the sincerehearted. We went on to Perquimons, in North-Carolina, had several
Meetings, which were large, and found some Openness in those Parts, and a
hopeful Appearance amongst the young People. So we turned again to Virginia,
and attended most of the Meetings which we had not been at before, labouring
amongst Friends in the Love of Jesus Christ, as Ability was given; and thence
went to the Mountains, up James-River, to a new Settlement, and had several
Meetings amongst the People, some of whom had lately joined in Membership with
our Society.
In our journeying to and fro, we found some honest-hearted
Friends, who appeared to be concerned for the Cause of Truth among a
backsliding People.
From Virginia, we crossed over the River Patowmac, at Hoe's
Ferry, and made a general Visit to the Meetings of Friends on the Western Shore
ofMaryland; and were at their Quarterly-meeting. We had some hard Labour
amongst them, endeavouring to discharge our Duty honestly as Way opened, in the
Love of Truth: And thence taking sundry Meetings in our Way, we passed
homeward; where, through the Favour of divine Providence we reached the
sixteenth Day of the sixth Month, in the Year 1746; and I may say that, through
the Assistance of the Holy Spirit, my Companion and I travelled in Harmony, and
parted in the Nearness of true brotherly Love.
Two Things were remarkable to me in this Journey; first, in
Regard to my Entertainment, when I ate, drank, and lodged at free-cost, with
People who lived in Ease on the hard Labour of their Slaves, I felt uneasy;
and, as my Mind was inward to the Lord, I found, from Place to Place, this
Uneasiness return upon me, at Times, through the whole Visit. Where the Masters
bore a good Share of the Burthen, and lived frugally, so that their Servants
were well provided for, and their Labour moderate, I felt more easy; but where
they lived in a costly Way, and laid heavy Burthens on their Slaves, my
Exercise was often great, and I frequently had Conversation with them, in
private, concerning it. Secondly; this Trade of importing Slaves from their
native Country being much encouraged amongst them, and the white People and
their Children so generally living without much Labour, was frequently the
Subject of my serious Thoughts: And I saw in these southern Provinces so many
Vices and Corruptions, increased by this Trade and this Way of Life, that it
appeared to me as a Gloom over the Land; and though now many willingly run into
it, yet, in future, the Consequence will be grievous to Posterity: I express it
as it hath appeared to me, not at once nor twice, but as a Matter fixed on my
Mind.
Soon after my Return Home, I felt an increasing Concern for
Friends on our Sea-coast; and, on the eighth Day of the eighth Month, in the
Year 1746, with the Unity of Friends, and in Company with my beloved Friend and
Neighbour, PETER ANDREWS, Brother to my Companion before-mentioned, we
set forward, and visited Meetings generally about Salem, Cape May, Great and
Little Egg-Harbour; and had Meetings at Barnagat,Mannahocking, and Mane-Squan,
and so to the Yearly-meeting at Shrewsbury. Through the Goodness of the Lord
Way was opened, and the Strength of divine Love was sometimes felt in our
Assemblies, to the Comfort and Help of those who were rightly concerned before
him. We were out twentytwo Days, and rode, by Computation, three hundred and
forty Miles. At Shrewsbury Yearly-meeting, we met with our dear FriendsMICHAEL LIGHTFOOT
and ABRAHAM
FARRINGTON, who had good Service there.
The Winter following my eldest Sister, ELIZABETH WOOLMAN,
jun. died of the Small-pox, aged thirty-one Years. She was, from her Youth, of
a thoughtful Disposition; and very compassionate to her Acquaintance in their
Sickness or Distress, being ready to help as far as she could. She was dutiful
to her Parents; one Instance whereof follows:—It happened that she, and two of
her Sisters, being then near the Estate of young Women, had an Inclination, one
First-day after Meeting, to go on a Visit to some other young Women at some
Distance off; whose Company, I believe, would have done them no Good. They
expressed their Desire to our Parents; who were dissatisfied with the Proposal,
and stopped them. The same Day, as my Sisters and I were together, and they
talking about their Disappointment, Elizabeth expressed her Contentment under
it; signifying, she believed it might be for their Good.
A few Years after she attained to mature-Age, through the
gracious Visitations of God's Love, she was strengthened to live a self-denying
exemplary Life, giving herself much to Reading and Meditation.
The following Letter may shew, in some Degree, her
Disposition.
HADDONFIELD, 1st Day, 11th Month, 1743.
Beloved Brother, JOHN WOOLMAN,—In that Love which desires the Welfare
of all Men, I write unto thee: I received thine, dated second Day of the tenth
Month last, with which I was comforted. My Spirit is bowed with Thankfulness
that I should be remembered, who am unworthy; but the Lord is full of Mercy,
and his Goodness is extended to the meanest of his Creation; therefore, in his
infinite Love, he hath pitied, and spared, and shewed Mercy, that I have not
been cut off nor quite lost; but, at Times, I am refreshed and comforted as
with the Glimpse of his Presence, which is more to the immortal Part, than all
which this World can afford: So, with Desires for thy Preservation with my own,
I remain
Thy affectionate Sister,ELIZ. WOOLMAN,
jun.
In the fore Part of her Illness she was in great Sadness
and Dejection of Mind, of which she told one of her intimate Friends, and said,
When I was a young Girl I was wanton and airy, but I thought I had thoroughly
repented of it; and added, I have of late had great Satisfaction in Meetings.
Though she was thus disconsolate, still she retained a Hope, which was as an
Anchor to her: And sometime after, the same Friend came again to see her, to
whom she mentioned her former Expressions, and said, It is otherwise now, for
the Lord hath rewarded me seven fold; and I am unable to express the Greatness
of his Love manifested to me. Her Disorder appearing dangerous, and our Mother
being sorrowful, she took Notice of it, and said, Dear Mother, weep not for me;
I go to my God: And, many Times, with an audible Voice, uttered Praise to her
Redeemer.
A Friend, coming some Miles to see her the Morning before
she died, asked her, how she did? She answered, I have had a hard Night, but
shall not have another such, for I shall die, and it will be well with my Soul;
and accordingly died the next Evening.
The following Ejaculations were found amongst her Writings;
written, I believe, at four Times:
I.
Oh! that my Head were as Waters, and mine Eyes as a
Fountain of Tears, that I might weep Day and Night, until acquainted with my
God.
II.
O Lord, that I may enjoy thy Presence! or else my Time
is lost, and my Life a Snare to my Soul.
III.
O Lord, that I may receive Bread from thy Table, and
that thy Grace may abound in me!
IV.
O Lord, that I may be acquainted with thy Presence,
that I may be seasoned with thy Salt, that thy Grace may abound in me!
Of late I found Drawings in my Mind to visit Friends in
New-England, and, having an Opportunity of joining in Company with my beloved
Friend,PETER ANDREWS, we, having obtained Certificates from our
Monthly-meeting, set forward on the sixteenth Day of the third Month, in the
Year 1747, and reached the Yearly-meeting at Long-Island; at which were our
Friends SAMUEL NOTTINGHAM, from England, JOHN GRIFFITH, JANE HOSKINS,
andELIZBETH
HUDSON, from Pennsylvania, and JACOB ANDREWS,
from Chesterfield. Several of whom were favoured in their publick Exercise;
and, through the Goodness of the Lord, we had some edifying Meetings. After
this, my Companion and I visited Friends on Long-Island; and, through the
Mercies of God we were helped in the Work.
Besides going to the settled Meetings of Friends, we were
at a general Meeting at Setawket, chiefly made up of other Societies; and had a
Meeting atOysterBay in a Dwelling-house, at which were many People: At the
first of which there was not much said by way of Testimony; but it was I
believe, a good Meeting: At the latter, through the springing up of living
Waters, it was a Day to be thankfully remembered. Having visited the Island, we
went over to the Main, taking Meetings in our Way, to Oblong, Nine Partners,
and New-Milford.—In these back Settlements we met with several People, who,
through the immediate Workings of the Spirit of Christ in their Minds, were
drawn from the Vanities of the World, to an inward Acquaintance with him: They
were educated in the Way of the Presbyterians. A considerable Number of the
Youth, Members of that Society, used to spend their Time often together in
merriment; but some of the principal young Men of that Company being visited by
the powerful Workings of the Spirit of Christ, and thereby led humbly to take
up his Cross, could no longer join in those Vanities; and, as these stood
stedfast to that inward Convincement, they were made a Blessing to some of
their former Companions; so that, through the Power of Truth, several were
brought into a close Exercise concerning the eternal Well-being of their Souls.
These young People continued for a Time to frequent their publick Worship; and,
besides that, had Meetings of their own; which Meetings were a while allowed by
their Preacher, who, sometimes, met with them: But, in Time, their Judgment, in
Matters of Religion, disagreeing with some of the Articles of the
Presbyterians, their Meetings were disapproved by that Society; and such of
them as stood firm to their Duty, as it was inwardly manifested, had many
Difficulties to go through. And their Meetings were in a while dropped; some of
them returning to the Presbyterians; and others of them, after a Time, joined
our religious Society. I had Conversation with some of the latter, to my Help
and Edification; and believe several of them are acquainted with the Nature of
that Worship, which is performed in Spirit and in Truth.
From
hence, accompanied by AMOS POWEL, a Friend from Long-Island, we rode through
Connecticut, chiefly inhabited by Presbyterians, who were generally civil to
us; and, after three Days riding, we came amongst Friends in the Colony of
Rhode-Island. We visited Friends in and about Newport, and Dartmouth, and
generally in those Parts; and then to Boston; and proceeded eastward as far as
Dover; and then returned to Newport; and, not far from thence, we met our
Friend, THOMAS GAWTHROP, from England, who was then on a Visit to these
Provinces. From Newport we sailed toNantucket; were there near a Week; and from
thence came over to Dartmouth: And having finished our Visit in these Parts, we
crossed the Soundfrom NewLondon to Long-Island; and, taking some Meetings on
the Island, proceeded homeward; where we reached the thirteenth Day of the
seventh Month, in the Year 1747, having rode about fifteen hundred Miles, and
sailed about one hundred and fifty.
In this Journey, I may say, in general, we were sometimes
in much Weakness, and laboured under Discouragements; and at other Times,
through the renewed Manifestations of divine Love, we had seasons of
Refreshment, wherein the Power of Truth prevailed.
We were taught, by renewed Experience, to labour for an
inward Stillness; at no Time to seek for Words, but to live in the Spirit of
Truth, and utter that to the People which Truth opened in us. My beloved
Companion and I belonged to one Meeting, came forth in the Ministry near the
same Time, and were inwardly united in the Work; he was about thirteen Years
older than I, bore the heaviest Burthen, and was an Instrument of the greatest
Use.
Finding a Concern to visit Friends in the lower Counties on
Delaware, and on the eastern Shore of Maryland, and having an Opportunity to
join with my well-beloved ancient Friend, JOHN SYKES, we obtained
Certificates, and set off the seventh Day of the eighth Month, in the Year
1748; were at the Meetings of Friends in the lower Counties, attended the
Yearly-meeting at Little-Creek, and made a Visit to the chief of the Meetings
on the eastern Shore; and so Home by Way of Nottingham: Were abroad about six
Weeks, and rode, by Computation, about five hundred and fifty Miles.
Our Exercise, at Times, was heavy; but, through the
Goodness of the Lord, we were often refreshed; and I may say, by Experience, He
is a strong Hold in the Day of Trouble. Though our Society, in these Parts,
appeared to me to be in a declining Condition; yet, I believe, the Lord hath a
People amongst them, who labour to serve him uprightly, but have many
Difficulties to encounter.
CHAPTER III
His Marriage—The Death of his Father—His Journies into the
upper Part of New-Jersey, and afterwards into Pennsylvania—Considerations on
keeping Slaves, and his Visits to the Families of Friends at several Times and
Places—
An Epistle from the General Meeting—His Journey to
Long-Island— Considerations on Trading, and on the Use of spirituous Liquors
and costly Apparel—And his Letter to a Friend
About this Time, believing it good for me to settle, and
thinking seriously about a Companion, my Heart was turned to the Lord with
Desires that he would give me Wisdom to proceed therein agreeable to his Will;
and he was pleased to give me a well-inclined Damsel, SARAH ELLIS;
to whom I was married the eighteenth Day of the eighth Month, in the Year 1749.
In the fall of the Year 1750 died my Father, SAMUEL WOOLMAN,
with a Fever, aged about sixty Years.
In his Life-time he manifested much Care for us his
Children, that in our Youth we might learn to fear the Lord; often endeavouring
to imprint in our Minds the true Principles of Virtue, and particularly to
cherish in us a Spirit of Tenderness, not only towards poor People, but also
towards all Creatures of which we had the Command.
After my Return from Carolina, in the Year 1746, I made
some Observations on keeping Slaves, which some Time before his Decease I
shewed him; and he perused the Manuscript, proposed a few Alterations, and
appeared well satisfied that I found a Concern on that Account: And in his last
Sickness, as I was watching with him one Night, he being so far spent that
there was no Expectation of his Recovery, but having the perfect Use of his
Understanding, he asked me concerning the Manuscript, whether I expected soon
to proceed to take the Advice of Friends in publishing it? And, after some
Conversation thereon, said, I have all along been deeply affected with the
Oppression of the poor Negroes; and now, at last, my Concern for them is as
great as ever.
By his Direction I had wrote his Will in a Time of Health,
and that Night he desired me to read it to him, which I did; and he said it was
agreeable to his Mind. He then made mention of his End, which he believed was
near; and signified, that, though he was sensible of many Imperfections in the
Course of his Life, yet his Experience of the Power of Truth, and of the Love
and Goodness of God from Time to Time, even till now, was such, that he had no
Doubt but that, in leaving this Life, he should enter into one more happy.
The next Day his Sister Elizabeth came to see him, and told
him of the Decease of their Sister Ann, who died a few Days before: He then
said, I reckon Sister Ann was free to leave this World: Elizabeth said, she
was. He then said, I also am free to leave it; and, being in great Weakness of
Body, said, I hope I shall shortly go to Rest. He continued in a weighty Frame
of Mind, and was sensible till near the last.
On the second Day of the ninth Month, in the Year 1751,
feeling Drawings in my Mind to visit Friends at the Great-Meadows, in the upper
Part ofWestJersey, with the Unity of our Monthly-meeting, I went there; and had
some searching laborious Exercise amongst Friends in those Parts, and found
inward Peace therein.
In the ninth Month of the Year 1753, in Company with my
well-esteemed Friend JOHN SYKES, and with the Unity of Friends, we
travelled about two Weeks, visiting Friends in Bucks-County. We laboured in the
Love of the Gospel, according to the Measure received; and, through the Mercies
of him, who is Strength to the Poor who trust in him, we found Satisfaction in
our
Visit: And, in the next Winter, Way opening to visit
Friends Families within the Compass of our Monthly-meeting, partly by the
Labours of two Friends from Pennsylvania, I joined in some Part of the Work;
having had a Desire some Time that it might go forward amongst us.
About this Time, a Person at some Distance lying sick, his
Brother came to me to write his Will: I knew he had Slaves; and, asking his
Brother, was told he intended to leave them as Slaves to his Children. As
Writing is a profitable Employ, and as offending sober People was disagreeable
to my Inclination, I was straitened in my Mind; but, as I looked to the Lord,
he inclined my Heart to his Testimony: And I told the Man, that I believed the
Practice of continuing Slavery to this People was not right; and had a Scruple
in my Mind against doing Writings of that Kind; that, though many in our
Society kept them as Slaves, still I was not easy to be concerned in it; and
desired to be excused from going to write the Will. I spake to him in the Fear
of the Lord; and he made no Reply to what I said, but went away: He, also, had
some Concerns in the Practice; and I thought he was displeased with me. In this
Case I had a fresh Confirmation, that acting contrary to present outward
Interest, from a Motive of divine Love, and in Regard to Truth and
Righteousness, opens the Way to a Treasure better than Silver, and to a
Friendship exceeding the Friendship of Men.
The Manuscript before-mentioned having lain by me several
Years, the Publication of it rested weightily upon me; and this Year I offered
it to the Revisal of Friends, who, having examined and made some small
Alterations in it, directed a Number of Copies thereof to be published, and
dispersed amongst Friends.
In the Year 1754, I found my Mind drawn to join in a Visit
to Friends Families belonging to Chesterfield Monthly-meeting; and having the
Approbation of our own, I went to their Monthly-meeting in order to confer with
Friends, and see if Way opened for it: I had Conference with some of their
Members, the Proposal having been opened before in their Meeting, and one
Friend agreed to join with me as a Companion for a Beginning; but, when Meeting
was ended, I felt great Distress of Mind, and doubted what Way to take, or
whether to go Home and wait for greater Clearness: I kept my Distress secret;
and, going with a Friend to his House, my Desires were to the great Shepherd
for his heavenly Instruction; and in the Morning I felt easy to proceed on the
Visit, being very low in my Mind: And as mine Eye was turned to the Lord,
waiting in Families in deep Reverence before him, he was pleased graciously to
afford Help; so that we had many comfortable Opportunities, and it appeared as
a fresh Visitation to some young People. I spent several Weeks this Winter in
the Service, Part of which Time was employed near Home. And again, in the
following Winter, I was several Weeks in the same Service; some Part of the
Time at Shrewsbury, in Company with my beloved Friend, John Sykes; and have
Cause humbly to acknowledge, that, through the Goodness of the Lord, our Hearts
were, at Times, enlarged in his Love; and Strength was given to go through the
Trials which, in the Course of our Visit, attended us.
From a Disagreement between the Powers of England and
France, it was now a Time of Trouble on this Continent; and an Epistle to
Friends went forth from our General Spring-meeting, which I thought good to
give a Place in this Journal.
An EPISTLE from our General Spring-meeting of Ministers and
Elders for Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, held at Philadelphia, from the 29th of
the third Month, to the first of the fourth Month, inclusive, 1755.
To Friends on the Continent of America.
Dear Friends,—In an humble Sense of divine Goodness, and
the gracious Continuation of God's Love to his People, we tenderly salute you;
and are at this Time therein engaged in Mind, that all of us who profess the
Truth, as held forth and published by our worthy Predecessors in this latter
Age of the World, may keep near to that Life which is the Light of Men, and be
strengthened to hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering, that
our Trust may not be in Man but in the Lord alone, who ruleth in the Army of
Heaven, and in the Kingdoms of Men, before whom the Earth is as the Dust of the
Balance, and her Inhabitants as Grasshoppers. Isa. xl. 22.
We (being convinced that the gracious Design of the
Almighty in sending his Son into the World, was to repair the Breach made by
Disobedience, to finish Sin and Transgression, that his Kingdom might come, and
his Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven) have found it to be our Duty to
cease from those national Contests productive of Misery and Bloodshed, and
submit our Cause to him, the Most High, whose tender Love to his Children
exceeds the most warm Affections of natural Parents, and who hath promised to
his Seed throughout the Earth, as to one Individual, "I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee." Heb. xiii. 5. And as we, through the gracious
Dealings of the Lord our God, have had Experience of that Work which is carried
on, "not by earthly Might, nor by Power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord
of Hosts:" Zech. iv. 6. By which Operation, that spiritual Kingdom is set
up, which is to subdue and break in pieces all Kingdoms that oppose it, and
shall stand for ever; in a deep Sense thereof, and of the Safety, Stability,
and Peace, there is in it, we are desirous that all who profess the Truth, may
be inwardly acquainted with it, and thereby be qualified to conduct ourselves
in all Parts of our Life as becomes our peaceable Profession: And we trust, as
there is a faithful Continuance to depend wholly upon the Almighty Arm, from
one Generation to another, the peaceable Kingdom will gradually be extended
"from Sea to Sea, and from the River to the Ends of the Earth." Zech.
ix. 10. to the Completion of those Prophecies already begun, that "Nation
shall not lift up a Sword against Nation, nor learn War any more." Isa.
ii. 4.Micah iv. 3.
And, dearly beloved Friends, seeing we have these Promises,
and believe that God is beginning to fulfil them, let us constantly endeavour
to have our Minds sufficiently disintangled from the surfeiting Cares of this
Life, and redeemed from the Love of the World, that no earthly Possessions nor
Enjoyments may bias our Judgments, or turn us from that Resignation, and entire
Trust in God, to which his Blessing is most surely annexed; then may we say,
"Our Redeemer is mighty, he will plead our Cause for us." Jer. 1. 34.
And if, for the farther promoting his most gracious Purposes in the Earth, he
should give us to taste of that bitter Cup which his faithful Ones have often
partaken of; O! that we may be rightly prepared to receive it.
And now, dear Friends, with Respect to the Commotions and
Stirrings of the Powers of the Earth at this Time near us, we are desirous that
none of us may be moved thereat; "but repose ourselves in the Munition of
that Rock that all these Shakings shall not move, even in the Knowledge and
Feeling of the eternal Power of God, keeping us subjectly given up to his
heavenly Will, and feel it daily to mortify that which remains in any of us
which is of this World; for the worldly Part, in any, is the changeable Part,
and that is up and down, full and empty, joyful and sorrowful, as Things go
well or ill in this World; for as the Truth is but one, and many are made
Partakers of its Spirit, so the World is but one, and many are made Partakers
of the Spirit of it; and so many as do partake of it, so many will be
straitened and perplexed with it: But they who are single to the Truth, waiting
daily to feel the Life and Virtue of it in their Hearts, these shall rejoice in
the midst of Adversity," and have to experience, with the Prophet, that
"Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall Fruit be in the
Vines; the Labour of the Olive shall fail, and the Fields shall yield no Meat;
the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold, and there shall be no Herd in the Stalls;
yet will they rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of their Salvation."
Hab. iii. 17, 18.
If, contrary to this, we profess the Truth, and, not living
under the Power and Influence of it, are producing Fruits disagreeable to the
Purity thereof, and trust to the Strength of Man to support ourselves, therein
our Confidence will be vain. For he, who removed the Hedge from his Vineyard,
and gave it to be trodden under Foot, by reason of the wild Grapes it produced,
(Isa. v. 5.) remains unchangeable; And if, for the Chastisement of Wickedness,
and the farther promoting his own Glory, he doth arise, even to shake terribly
the Earth, who then may oppose him, and prosper!
We remain, in the Love of the Gospel, your Friends and
Brethren.
Signed by fourteen Friends.
Scrupling to do Writings, relative to keeping Slaves,
having been a Means of sundry small Trials to me, in which I have so evidently
felt my own Will set aside, I think it good to mention a few of them.—Tradesmen
and Retailers of Goods, who depend on their Business for a Living, are
naturally inclined to keep the Good-will of their Customers; nor is it a
pleasant Thing for young Men to be under any Necessity to question the Judgment
or Honesty of elderly Men, and more especially of such as have a fair Reputation.
Deep-rooted Customs, though wrong, are not easily altered; but it is the Duty
of every one to be firm in that which they certainly know is right for them. A
charitable benevolent Man, well acquainted with a Negro, may, I believe, under
some Circumstances, keep him in his Family as a Servant, from no other Motives
than the Negro's Good; but Man, as Man, knows not what shall be after him, nor
hath Assurance that his Children will attain to that Perfection in Wisdom and
Goodness necessary rightly to exercise such Power: It is clear to me, that I
ought not to be the Scribe where Wills are drawn, in which some Children are
made absolute Masters over others during Life.
About this Time, an ancient Man, of good Esteem in the
Neighbourhood, came to my House to get his Will written; he had young Negroes;
and I asked him privately, how he purposed to dispose of them? He told me: I
then said, I cannot write thy Will without breaking my own Peace; and
respectfully gave him my Reasons for it: He signified that he had a Choice that
I should have written it; but as I could not, consistent with my Conscience, he
did not desire it: And so he got it written by some other Person. And, a few
Years after, there being great Alterations in his Family, he came again to get
me to write his Will: His Negroes were yet young; and his Son, to whom he
intended to give them, was, since he first spoke to me, from a Libertine,
become a sober young Man; and he supposed, that I would have been free, on that
Account, to write it. We had much friendly Talk on the Subject, and then
deferred it: A few Days after, he came again, and directed their Freedom; and
then I wrote his Will.
Near the Time the last-mentioned Friend first spoke to me,
a Neighbour received a bad Bruise in his Body, and sent for me to bleed him;
which being done, he desired me to write his Will: I took Notes; and, amongst
other Things, he told me to which of his Children he gave his young Negro: I
considered the Pain and Distress he was in, and knew not how it would end; so I
wrote his Will, save only that Part concerning his Slave, and carrying it to
his Bed side, read it to him; and then told him, in a friendly Way, that I
could not write any Instruments by which my Fellow-creatures were made Slaves,
without bringing Trouble on my own Mind: I let him know that I charged nothing
for what I had done; and desired to be excused from doing the other Part in the
Way he proposed: We then had a serious Conference on the Subject; at length he
agreeing to set her free, I finished his Will.
Having found Drawings in my Mind to visit Friends on
Long-Island, after obtaining a Certificate from our Monthly-meeting, I set off
on the twelfth Day of the fifth Month, in the Year 1756. When I reached the
Island, I lodged the first Night at the House of my dear Friend, RICHARD HALLET;
the next Day, being the first of the Week, I was at the Meeting in New-town; in
which we experienced the renewed Manifestations of the Love of Jesus Christ, to
the Comfort of the honest-hearted. I went that Night to Flushing; and the next
Day, in Company with my beloved Friend, MATTHEW FRANKLIN,
we crossed the Ferry at Whitestone; were at three Meetings on the Main, and
then returned to the Island; where I spent the Remainder of the Week in
visiting Meetings. The Lord, I believe, hath a People in those Parts, who are
honestly inclined to serve him; but many, I fear, are too much clogged with the
Things of this Life, and do not come forward bearing the Cross in such
Faithfulness as he calls for.
My Mind was deeply engaged in this Visit, both in publick
and private; and, at several Places, observing that they had Slaves, I found
myself under a Necessity in a friendly Way, to labour with them on that
Subject; expressing, as Way opened, the Inconsistency of that Practice with the
Purity of the Christian Religion, and the ill Effects of it manifested amongst
us.
The Latter-end of the Week, their Yearly-meeting began; at
which were our
Friends JOHN SCARBOROUGH, JANE HOSKINS, and SUSANNA BROWN,
fromPennsylvania: The publick Meetings were large, and measurably favoured with
divine Goodness.
The Exercise of my Mind, at this Meeting, was chiefly on
Account of those who were considered as the foremost Rank in the Society; and,
in a Meeting of Ministers and Elders, Way opened, that I expressed in some
Measure what lay upon me; and, at a Time when Friends were met for transacting
the Affairs of the Church, having set a while silent, I felt a Weight on my
Mind, and stood up; and, through the gracious Regard of our heavenly Father,
Strength was given fully to clear myself of a Burthen, which, for some Days,
had been increasing upon me.
Through the humbling Dispensations of divine Providence,
Men are sometimes fitted for his Service. The Messages of the Prophet Jeremiah,
were so disagreeable to the People, and so reverse to the Spirit they lived in,
that he became the Object of their Reproach; and, in the Weakness of Nature,
thought of desisting from his prophetic Office; but, saith he, "His Word
was in my Heart as a burning Fire shut up in my Bones; and I was weary with
forbearing, and could not stay." I saw at this Time, that if I was honest
in declaring that which Truth opened in me, I could not please all Men; and
laboured to be content in the Way of my Duty, however disagreeable to my own
Inclination. After this I went homeward, takingWoodbridge, and Plainfield in my
Way; in both which Meetings, the pure Influence of divine Love was manifested;
in an humbling Sense whereof I went Home, having been out about twenty-four
Days, and rode about three hundred and sixteen Miles.
While I was out on this Journey, my Heart was much affected
with a Sense of the State of the Churches in our southern Provinces; and,
believing the Lord was calling me to some farther Labour amongst them, I was
bowed in Reverence before him, with fervent Desires that I might find Strength
to resign myself up to his heavenly Will.
Until this Year, 1756, I continued to retail Goods, besides
following my Trade as a Taylor; about which Time, I grew uneasy on Account of
my Business growing too cumbersome: I had begun with selling Trimmings for
Garments, and from thence proceeded to sell Cloths and Linens; and, at length,
having got a considerable Shop of Goods, my Trade increased every Year, and the
Road to large Business appeared open; but I felt a Stop in my Mind.
Through the Mercies of the Almighty, I had, in a good
degree, learned to be content with a plain Way of Living: I had but a small
Family; and, on serious Consideration, I believed Truth did not require me to
engage in much cumbering Affairs: It had been my general Practice to buy and
sell Things really useful: Things that served chiefly to please the vain Mind
in People, I was not easy to trade in; seldom did it; and, whenever I did, I
found it weaken me as a Christian.
The Increase of Business became my Burthen; for, though my
natural Inclination was toward Merchandize, yet I believed Truth required me to
live more free from outward Cumbers: and there was now a Strife in my Mind
between the two; and in this Exercise my Prayers were put up to the Lord, who
graciously heard me, and gave me a Heart resigned to his holy Will: Then I
lessened my outward Business; and, as I had Opportunity, told my Customers of
my Intention, that they might consider what Shop to turn to: And, in a while,
wholly laid down Merchandize, following my Trade, as a Taylor, myself only,
having no Apprentice. I also had a Nursery of Appletrees; in which I employed
some of my Time in hoeing, grafting, trimming, and inoculating. In Merchandize
it is the Custom, where I lived, to sell chiefly on Credit, and poor People
often get in Debt; and when Payment is expected, not having wherewith to pay,
their Creditors often sue for it at Law. Having often observed Occurrences of
this Kind, I found it good for me to advise poor People to take such Goods as
were most useful and not costly.
In the Time of Trading, I had an Opportunity of seeing,
that the too liberal Use of spirituous Liquors, and the Custom of wearing too
costly Apparel, led some People into great Inconveniences; and these two Things
appear to be often connected; for, by not attending to that Use of Things which
is consistent with universal Righteousness, there is an Increase of Labour
which extends beyond what our heavenly Father intends for us: And by great
Labour, and often by much Sweating, there is, even among such as are not
Drunkards, a craving of some Liquors to revive the Spirits; that, partly by the
luxurious Drinking of some, and partly by the Drinking of others (led to it
through immoderate Labour), very great Quantities of Rum are every Year
expended in our Colonies; the greater Part of which we should have no Need of,
did we steadily attend to pure Wisdom.
Where Men take Pleasure in feeling their Minds elevated
with Strong-drink, and so indulge their Appetite as to disorder their
Understandings, neglect their Duty as Members in a Family or Civil Society, and
cast off all Regard to Religion, their Case is much to be pitied; and where
such, whose Lives are for the most Part regular, and whose Examples have a
strong Influence on the Minds of others, adhere to some Customs which
powerfully draw to the Use of more Strong-liquor than pure Wisdom allows; this
also, as it hinders the spreading of the Spirit of Meekness, and strengthens
the Hands of the more excessive Drinkers, is a Case to be lamented.
As every Degree of Luxury hath some Connection with Evil,
those who profess to be Disciples of Christ, and are looked upon as Leaders of
the People, should have that Mind in them which was also in Christ, and so
stand separate from every wrong Way, as a Means of Help to the Weaker. As I
have sometimes been much spent in the Heat, and taken Spirits to revive me, I
have found, by Experience, that in such Circumstances the Mind is not so calm,
nor so fitly disposed for divine Meditation, as when all such Extremes are
avoided; and I have felt an increasing Care to attend to that holy Spirit which
sets Bounds to our Desires, and leads those, who faithfully follow it, to apply
all the Gifts of divine Providence to the Purposes for which they were
intended. Did such, as have the Care of great Estates, attend with Singleness
of Heart to this heavenly Instructor, which so opens and enlarges the Mind,
that Men love their Neighbours as themselves, they would have Wisdom given them
to manage, without finding Occasion to employ some People in the Luxuries of
Life, or to make it necessary for others to labour too hard; but, for want of
steadily regarding this Principle of divine Love, a selfish Spirit takes Place
in the Minds of People, which is attended with Darkness and manifold Confusion
in the World.
Though trading in Things useful is an honest Employ; yet,
through the great Number of Superfluities which are bought and sold, and
through the Corruption of the Times, they, who apply to merchandize for a
Living, have great Need to be well experienced in that Precept which the
ProphetJEREMIAH laid down for his Scribe: "Seekest thou great Things
for thyself? seek them not."
In the Winter, this Year, I was engaged with Friends in
visiting Families; and, through the Goodness of the Lord, we had oftentimes
Experience of his Hearttendering Presence amongst us.
A
Copy of a Letter written to a Friend.
In this thy late Affliction I have found a deep
Fellow-feeling with thee; and had a secret Hope throughout, that it might
please the Father of Mercies to raise thee up, and sanctify thy Troubles to
thee; that thou, being more fully acquainted with that Way which the World
esteems foolish, mayst feel the Clothing of divine Fortitude, and be
strengthened to resist that Spirit which leads from the Simplicity of the
everlasting Truth.
We may see ourselves crippled and halting, and, from a
strong Bias to Things pleasant and easy, find an Impossibility to advance
forward; but Things impossible with Men are possible with God; and, our Wills
being made subject to his, all Temptations are surmountable.
This Work of subjecting the Will is compared to the Mineral
in the Furnace; "He refines them as Silver is refined.—He shall sit as a
Refiner and Purifier of Silver." By these Comparisons we are instructed in
the Necessity of the Operation of the Hand of God upon us, to prepare our
Hearts truly to adore him, and manifest that Adoration, by inwardly turning
away from that Spirit, in all its Workings, which is not of him. To forward
this Work, the all-wise God is sometimes pleased, through outward Distress, to
bring us near the Gates of Death; that, Life being painful and afflicting, and
the Prospect of Eternity open before us, all earthly Bonds may be loosened, and
the Mind prepared for that deep and sacred Instruction, which otherwise would
not be received. If Parents love their Children and delight in their Happiness,
then he, who is perfect Goodness, in sending abroad mortal Contagions, doth
assuredly direct their Use: Are the Righteous removed by it? Their Change is
happy: Are the Wicked taken away in their Wickedness? The Almighty is clear: Do
we pass through with Anguish and great Bitterness, and yet recover, he intends
that we should be purged from Dross, and our Ears opened to Discipline.
And now that, on thy Part, after thy sore Affliction and
Doubts of Recovery, thou art again restored, forget not him who hath helped
thee; but in humble Gratitude hold fast his Instructions, thereby to shun those
By-paths which lead from the firm Foundation. I am sensible of that Variety of
Company, to which one in thy Business must be exposed: I have painfully felt
the Force of Conversation proceeding from Men deeply rooted in an earthly Mind,
and can sympathize with others in such Conflicts, in that much Weakness still
attends me.
I find that to be a Fool as to worldly Wisdom, and commit
my Cause to God, not fearing to offend Men, who take Offence at the Simplicity
of Truth, is the only Way to remain unmoved at the Sentiments of others.
The Fear of Man brings a Snare; by halting in our Duty, and
giving back in the Time of Trial, our Hands grow weaker, our Spirits get
mingled with the People, our Ears grow dull as to hearing the Language of the
true Shepherd; that when we look at the Way of the Righteous, it seems as
though it was not for us to follow them.
There is a Love clothes my Mind, while I write, which is
superior to all Expressions; and I find my Heart open to encourage a holy
Emulation, to advance forward in Christian Firmness. Deep Humility is a strong
Bulwark; and, as we enter into it, we find Safety: The Foolishness of God is
wiser than Man, and the Weakness of God is stronger than Man. Being unclothed
of our own Wisdom, and knowing the Abasement of the Creature, therein we find
that Power to arise, which gives Health and Vigour to us.
CHAPTER IV
His Journey to
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North-
Carolina: Considerations on the State of Friends there; and
the Exercise he was under in travelling among those so generally concerned in
keeping Slaves: With some Observations in Conversation, at several Times, on
this Subject—His Epistle to Friends at New-Garden and Cane-Creek—His Thoughts
on the Neglect of a religious Care in the Education of the Negroes
Feeling an Exercise in Relation to a Visit to the southern
Provinces, I acquainted our Monthly-meeting therewith, and obtained their
Certificate: Expecting to go alone, one of my Brothers, who lived in
Philadelphia, having some Business in North-Carolina, proposed going with me
Part of the Way; but, as he had a View of some outward Affairs, to accept of
him as a Companion seemed some Difficulty with me, whereupon I had Conversation
with him at sundry Times; and, at length, feeling easy in my Mind, I had Conversation
with several elderly Friends of Philadelphia on the Subject; and he obtaining a
Certificate suitable to the Occasion, we set off in the fifth Month of the Year
1757; and, coming to NottinghamWeek-day Meeting, lodged at
JOHN
CHURCHMAN'S; and here I met with our Friend BENJAMIN BUFFINGTON,
from NewEngland, who was returning from a Visit to the southern Provinces.
Thence we crossed the River Susquehannah, and lodged at WILLIAM COX'S in
Maryland; and, soon after I entered this Province, a deep and painful Exercise
came upon me, which I often had some Feeling of since my Mind was drawn towards
these Parts, and with which I had acquainted my Brother before we agreed to
join as Companions.
As the People in this and the southern Provinces live much
on the Labour of Slaves, many of whom are used hardly, my Concern was, that I
might attend with Singleness of Heart to the Voice of the true Shepherd, and be
so supported as to remain unmoved at the Faces of Men.
The Prospect of so weighty a Work brought me very low; and
such were the Conflicts of my Soul, that I had a near Sympathy with the
Prophet, in the Time of his Weakness, when he said, "If thou deal thus
with me, kill me, I pray thee, if I have found Favour in thy Sight," Numb.
xi. 15. But I soon saw that this proceeded from the Want of a full Resignation
to the divine Will. Many were the Afflictions which attended me; and in great
Abasement, with many Tears, my Cries were to the Almighty, for his gracious and
Fatherly Assistance; and then, after a Time of deep Trial, I was favoured to
understand the State mentioned by the Psalmist, more clearly than ever I had
before; to wit: "My Soul is even as a weaned Child." Psalm cxxxi. 2.
Being thus helped to sink down into Resignation, I felt a Deliverance from that
Tempest in which I had been sorely exercised, and in Calmness of Mind went
forward, trusting that the Lord Jesus Christ, as I faithfully attended to him,
would be a Counsellor to me in all Difficulties.
The seventh Day of the fifth Month, in the Year 1757, I
lodged at a Friend's House; and the next Day, being the first of the Week, was
at PotapscoMeeting; then crossed Patuxent River, and lodged at a Public-house.
On the ninth breakfasted at a Friend's House; who, afterward, putting us a
little on our Way, I had Conversation with him, in the Fear of the Lord,
concerning his Slaves; in which my Heart was tender, and I used much Plainness
of Speech with him, which he appeared to take kindly. We pursued our Journey
without appointing Meetings, being pressed in Mind to be at the Yearly-meeting
in Virginia; and, in my travelling on the Road, I often felt a Cry rise from
the Center of my Mind, thus: O Lord, I am a Stranger on the Earth, hide not thy
Face from me.
On
the eleventh Day of the fifth Month, we crossed the
Rivers
Patowmack and Rapahannock, and lodged at Port-Royal; and on the
Way we happening in Company with a
Colonel of the Militia, who appeared to be a thoughtful Man, I took Occasion to
remark on the Difference in general
betwixt a People used to labour
moderately for their Living, training up their Children in Frugality and
Business, and those who live on the Labour of
Slaves; the former, in my View, being the
most happy Life: With which he concurred, and mentioned the Trouble arising
from the untoward, slothful,
Disposition
of the Negroes; adding, that one of our Labourers would do as much in a Day as
two of their Slaves. I replied, that free Men, whose Minds
were
properly on their Business, found a Satisfaction in improving, cultivating, and
providing for their Families; but Negroes, labouring to support others who
claim them as their Property, and expecting nothing but Slavery during Life,
had not the like Inducement to be industrious.
After some farther Conversation, I said, that Men having
Power too often misapplied it; that though we made Slaves of the Negroes, and
the Turksmade Slaves of the Christians, I believed that Liberty was the natural
Right of all Men equally: Which he did not deny; but said, the Lives of the
Negroes were so wretched in their own Country, that many of them lived better
here than there: I only said, there are great odds, in regard to us, on what
Principle we act; and so the Conversation on that Subject ended: And I may here
add, that another Person, some Time afterward, mentioned the Wretchedness of
the Negroes, occasioned by their intestine Wars, as an Argument in Favour of
our fetching them away for Slaves: To which I then replied, if Compassion on
the Africans, in Regard to their domestic Troubles, were the real Motive of our
purchasing them, that Spirit of Tenderness, being attended to, would incite us
to use them kindly; that, as Strangers brought out of Affliction, their Lives
might be happy among us; and as they are human Creatures, whose Souls are as
precious as ours, and who may receive the same Help and Comfort from the holy
Scriptures as we do, we could not omit suitable Endeavours to instruct them
therein: But while we manifest, by our Conduct, that our Views in purchasing
them are to advance ourselves; and while our buying Captives taken in War
animates those Parties to push on that War, and increase Desolation amongst
them, to say they live unhappy in Africa, is far from being an Argument in our
Favour: And I farther said, the present Circumstances of these Provinces to me
appear difficult; that the Slaves look like a burthensome Stone to such who
burthen themselves with them; and that if the white People retain a Resolution
to prefer their outward Prospects of Gain to all other Considerations, and do
not act conscientiously toward them as fellow Creatures, I believe that Burthen
will grow heavier and heavier, till Times change in a Way disagreeable to us:
At which the Person appeared very serious, and owned, that, in considering
their Condition, and the Manner of their Treatment in these Provinces, he had
sometimes thought it might be just in the Almighty so to order it.
Having thus travelled through Maryland, we came amongst
Friends at CedarCreek in Virginia, on the 12th Day of the fifth Month; and the
next Day rode, in Company with several Friends, a Day's Journey to Camp-Creek.
As I was riding along in the Morning, my Mind was deeply affected in a Sense I
had of the Want of divine Aid to support me in the various Difficulties which
attended me; and, in an uncommon Distress of Mind, I cried in secret to the
Most High, O Lord, be merciful, I beseech thee, to thy poor afflicted Creature.
After some Time, I felt inward Relief; and, soon after, a Friend in Company
began to talk in Support of the Slave-Trade, and said, the Negroes were
understood to be the Offspring of Cain, their Blackness being the Mark God set
upon him after he murdered Abel his Brother; that it was the Design of
Providence they should be Slaves, as a Condition proper to the Race of so
wicked a Man as Cain was: Then another spake in Support of what had been said.
To all which, I replied in Substance as follows: That Noah and his Family were
all who survived the Flood, according to Scripture; and, as Noah was of Seth's
Race, the Family of Cain was wholly destroyed. One of them said, that after the
Flood Ham went to the Land of Nod, and took a Wife; that Nod was a Land far
distant, inhabited by Cain's Race, and that the Flood did not reach it; and as
Ham was sentenced to be a Servant of Servants to his Brethren, these two
Families, being thus joined, were undoubtedly fit only for Slaves. I replied,
the Flood was a Judgment upon the World for its Abominations; and it was
granted, that Cain's Stock was the most wicked, and therefore unreasonable to
suppose they were spared: As to Ham'sgoing to the Land of Nod for a Wife, no
Time being fixed, Nod might be inhabited by some of Noah's Family, before Ham
married a second Time; moreover the Text saith, "That all Flesh died that
moved upon the Earth." Gen. vii. 21. I farther reminded them, how the
Prophets repeatedly declare, "That the Son shall not suffer for the
Iniquity of the Father; but every one be answerable for his own Sins." I
was troubled to perceive the Darkness of their Imaginations; and in some
Pressure of Spirit said, the Love of Ease and Gain is the Motive in general for
keeping Slaves, and Men are wont to take hold of weak Arguments to support a
Cause which is unreasonable; and added, I have no Interest on either Side, save
only the Interest which I desire to have in the Truth: And as I believe Liberty
is their Right, and see they are not only deprived of it, but treated in other
Respects with Inhumanity in many Places, I believe he, who is a Refuge for the
Oppressed, will, in his own Time, plead their Cause; and happy will it be for
such as walk in Uprightness before him: And thus our Conversation ended.
On the fourteenth Day of the fifth Month I was at
Camp-Creek Monthlymeeting, and then rode to the Mountains up James-River, and
had a Meeting at a Friend's House; in both which I felt Sorrow of Heart, and my
Tears were poured out before the Lord, who was pleased to afford a Degree of
Strength, by which Way was opened to clear my Mind amongst Friends in those
Places. From thence I went to Fort-Creek, and so toCedar-Creek again; at which
Place I had a Meeting; here I found a tender Seed: And as I was preserved in
the Ministry to keep low with the Truth, the same Truth in their Hearts
answered it, that it was a Time of mutual Refreshment from the Presence of the
Lord. I lodged at JAMES STANDLEY'S, Father of WILLIAM STANDLEY,
one of the young Men who suffered Imprisonment at Winchester, last Summer, on
Account of their Testimony against Fighting; and I had some satisfactory
Conversation with him concerning it. Hence I went to the Swamp Meeting, and to
Wayanoke Meeting; and then crossed James-River, and lodged near Burleigh. From
the Time of my entering Maryland I had been much under Sorrow, which so
increased upon me, that my Mind was almost overwhelmed; and I may say with the
Psalmist, "In my Distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my
God;" who, in infinite Goodness, looked upon my Affliction, and in my
private Retirement sent the Comforter for my Relief: For which I humbly bless
his holy Name.
The Sense I had of the State of the Churches brought a
Weight of Distress upon me: The Gold to me appeared dim, and the fine Gold
changed; and though this is the Case too generally, yet the Sense of it in
these Parts hath, in a particular Manner, borne heavy upon me. It appeared to
me, that, through the prevailing of the Spirit of this World, the Minds of many
were brought to an inward Desolation; and, instead of the Spirit of Meekness,
Gentleness, and heavenly Wisdom, which are the necessary Companions of the true
Sheep of Christ, a Spirit of Fierceness, and the Love of Dominion, too
generally prevailed. From small Beginnings in Errors, great Buildings, by
degrees, are raised; and from one Age to another are more and more strengthened
by the general Concurrence of the People; and, as Men obtain Reputation by
their Profession of the Truth, their Virtues are mentioned as Arguments in
Favour of general Error, and those of less Note, to justify themselves, say,
such and such good Men did the like. By what other Steps could the People of
Judah arise to that Height in Wickedness, as to give just Ground for the
Prophet Isaiah to declare, in the Name of the Lord, "that none calleth for
Justice, nor any pleadeth for Truth." Isaiah lix. 4. Or for the Almighty
to call upon the great City of Jerusalem, just before the Babylonish Captivity:
"If ye can find a Man, if there be any who executeth Judgment, that
seeketh the Truth, and I will pardon it."Jer. v. 1. The Prospect of a Road
lying open to the same Degeneracy, in some Parts of this newly-settled Land of
America, in Respect to our Conduct toward the Negroes, deeply bowed my Mind in
this Journey; and, though, to briefly relate how these People are treated is no
agreeable Work; yet, after often reading over the Notes I made as I travelled,
I find my Mind engaged to preserve them. Many of the white People in those
Provinces take little or no Care of Negro Marriages; and, when Negroes marry
after their own Way, some make so little Account of those Marriages, that, with
Views of outward Interest, they often part Men from their Wives by selling them
far asunder; which is common when Estates are sold by Executors at Vendue.
Many, whose Labour is heavy, being followed, at their Business in the Field, by
a Man with a Whip, hired for that Purpose, have, in common, little else allowed
but one Peck of Indian Corn and some Salt for one Week, with a few Potatoes;
the Potatoes they commonly raise by their Labour on the first Day of the Week.
The Correction, ensuing on their Disobedience to Overseers,
or Slothfulness in Business, is often very severe, and sometimes desperate.
The Men and Women have many Times scarce Clothes enough to
hide their Nakedness, and Boys and Girls, ten and twelve Years old, are often
quite naked amongst their Master's Children: Some of our Society, and some of
the Society called New-Lights, use some Endeavours to instruct those they have
in reading; but, in common, this is not only neglected, but disapproved. These
are the People by whose Labour the other Inhabitants are in a great Measure
supported, and many of them in the Luxuries of Life: These are the People who
have made no Agreement to serve us, and who have not forfeited their Liberty
that we know of: These are Souls for whom Christ died, and, for our Conduct
toward them, we must answer before him who is no Respecter of Persons.
They who know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he
hath sent, and are thus acquainted with the merciful, benevolent Gospel Spirit,
will therein perceive that the Indignation of God is kindled against Oppression
and Cruelty; and, in beholding the great Distress of so numerous a People, will
find Cause for Mourning.
From my Lodging I went to Burleigh Meeting, where I felt my
Mind drawn into a quiet resigned State; and, after long Silence, I felt an
Engagement to stand up; and, through the powerful Operation of divine Love, we
were favoured with an edifying Meeting. The next Meeting we had was
atBlack-Water; and so to the Yearly-meeting at the western Branch: When
Business began, some Queries were considered, by some of their Members, to be
now produced; and, if approved, to be answered hereafter by their respective
Monthly-meetings. They were the Pennsylvania Queries, which had been examined
by a Committee of Virginia Yearly-meeting appointed the last Year, who made
some Alterations in them; one of which Alterations was made in Favour of a
Custom which troubled me. The Query was, "Are there any concerned in the
Importation of Negroes, or buying them after imported?" Which they altered
thus: "Are there any concerned in the Importation of Negroes, or buying
them to trade in?" As one Query admitted with Unanimity was, "Are any
concerned in buying or vending Goods unlawfully imported, or prize Goods?"
I found my Mind engaged to say, that as we professed the Truth, and were there
assembled to support the Testimony of it, it was necessary for us to dwell
deep, and act in that Wisdom which is pure, or otherwise we could not prosper.
I then mentioned their Alteration; and, referring to the last-mentioned Query,
added, as purchasing any Merchandize, taken by the Sword, was always allowed to
be inconsistent with our Principles; Negroes being Captives of War, or taken by
Stealth, those Circumstances make it inconsistent with our Testimony to buy
them; and their being our Fellow-creatures, who are sold as Slaves, adds
greatly to the Iniquity. Friends appeared attentive to what was said; some
expressed a Care and Concern about their Negroes; nonemade any Objection, by
Way of Reply to what I said; but the Query was admitted as they had altered it.
As some of their Members have heretofore traded in Negroes, as in other
Merchandize, this Query being admitted, will be one Step farther than they have
hitherto gone: And I did not see it my Duty to press for an Alteration; but
felt easy to leave it all to him, who alone is able to turn the Hearts of the
Mighty, and make Way for the spreading of Truth on the Earth, by Means
agreeable to his infinite Wisdom. But, in Regard to those they already had, I
felt my Mind engaged to labour with them; and said, that, as we believe the
Scriptures were given forth by holy Men, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,
and many of us know by Experience that they are often helpful and comfortable,
and believe ourselves bound in Duty to teach our Children to read them, I
believe, that, if we were divested of all selfish Views, the same good Spirit,
that gave them forth, would engage us to teach the Negroes to read, that they
might have the Benefit of them: Some, amongst them, at this Time, manifested a
Concern in Regard to taking more Care in the Education of their Negroes.
On the twenty-ninth Day of the fifth Month, at the House
where I lodged, was a Meeting of Ministers and Elders, at the ninth Hour in the
Morning; at which Time I found an Engagement to speak freely and plainly to
them concerning their Slaves; mentioning, how they, as the first Rank in the
Society, whose Conduct in that Case was much noticed by others, were under the
stronger Obligations to look carefully to themselves: Expressing how needful it
was for them, in that Situation, to be thoroughly divested of all selfish
Views; that living in the pure Truth, and acting conscientiously toward those
People in their Education and otherwise, they might be instrumental in helping
forward a Work so necessary, and so much neglected amongst them. At the twelfth
Hour the Meeting of Worship began, which was a solid Meeting.
On the thirtieth Day, about the tenth Hour, Friends met to
finish their Business, and then the meeting for Worship ensued, which to me was
a laborious Time; but, through the Goodness of the Lord, Truth, I believe,
gained some Ground; and it was a strengthening Opportunity to the
Honest-hearted.
About this Time I wrote an Epistle to Friends in the
Back-settlements of NorthCarolina, as follows:
To Friends at their Monthly-meeting at New-Garden and
Cane-Creek, in NorthCarolina.
Dear Friends,—It having pleased the Lord to draw me forth
on a Visit to some Parts of Virginia and Carolina, you have often been in my
Mind; and though my Way is not clear to come in Person to visit you, yet I feel
it in my Heart to communicate a few Things, as they arise in the Love of Truth.
First, my dear Friends, dwell in Humility, and take Heed that no Views of
outward Gain get too deep hold of you, that so your Eyes being single to the
Lord, you may be preserved in the Way of Safety. Where People let loose their
Minds after the Love of outward Things, and are more engaged in pursuing the
Profits, and seeking the Friendships, of this World, than to be inwardly
acquainted with the Way of true Peace; such walk in a vain Shadow, while the
true Comfort of Life is wanting: Their Examples are often hurtful to others;
and their Treasures, thus collected, do many Times prove dangerous Snares to
their Children.
But where People are sincerely devoted to follow Christ,
and dwell under the Influence of his holy Spirit, their Stability and Firmness,
through a divine Blessing, is at Times like Dew on the tender Plants round
about them, and the Weightiness of their Spirits secretly works on the Minds of
others; and in this Condition, through the spreading Influence of divine Love,
they feel a Care over the Flock; and Way is opened for maintaining good Order
in the Society: And though we meet with Opposition from another Spirit, yet, as
there is a dwelling in Meekness, feeling our Spirits subject, and moving only
in the gentle peaceable Wisdom, the inward Reward of Quietness will be greater
than all our Difficulties. Where the pure Life is kept to, and Meetings of
Discipline are held in the Authority of it, we find by Experience that they are
comfortable, and tend to the Health of the Body.
While I write, the Youth come fresh in my Way:—Dear young
People, choose God for your Portion; love his Truth, and be not ashamed of it:
Choose for your Company such as serve him in Uprightness; and shun, as most
dangerous, the Conversation of those whose Lives are of an ill Savour; for, by
frequenting such Company, some hopeful young People have come to great Loss,
and have been drawn from less Evils to greater, to their utter Ruin. In the
Bloom of Youth no Ornament is so lovely as that of Virtue, nor any Enjoyments
equal to those which we partake of, in fully resigning ourselves to the divine
Will: These Enjoyments add Sweetness to all other Comforts, and give true
Satisfaction in Company and Conversation, where People are mutually acquainted
with it; and, as your Minds are thus seasoned with the Truth, you will find
Strength to abide stedfast to the Testimony of it, and be prepared for Services
in the Church.
And now, dear Friends and Brethren, as you are improving a
Wilderness, and may be numbered amongst the first Planters in one Part of a
Province, I beseech you, in the Love of Jesus Christ, to wisely consider the
Force of your Examples, and think how much your Successors may be thereby
affected: It is a Help in a Country, yea, and a great Favour and a Blessing,
when Customs, first settled, are agreeable to sound Wisdom; so, when they are
otherwise, the Effect of them is grievous; and Children feel themselves
encompassed with Difficulties prepared for them by their Predecessors.
As moderate Care and Exercise, under the Direction of true
Wisdom, are useful both to Mind and Body; so by this Means in general, the real
Wants of Life are easily supplied: Our gracious Father having so proportioned
one to the other, that keeping in the true Medium we may pass on quietly. Where
Slaves are purchased to do our Labour, numerous Difficulties attend it. To
rational Creatures Bondage is uneasy, and frequently occasions Sourness and
Discontent in them; which affects the Family, and such as claim the Mastery
over them: And thus People and their Children are many Times encompassed with
Vexations, which arise from their applying to wrong Methods to get a Living.
I have been informed that there is a large Number of
Friends in your Parts, who have no Slaves; and in tender and most affectionate
Love, I beseech you to keep clear from purchasing any. Look, my dear Friends,
to divine Providence; and follow in Simplicity that Exercise of Body, that
Plainness and Frugality, which true Wisdom leads to; so will you be preserved
from those Dangers which attend such as are aiming at outward Ease and
Greatness.
Treasures, though small, attained on a true Principle of
Virtue, are sweet in the Possession, and, while we walk in the Light of the
Lord, there is true Comfort and Satisfaction. Here, neither the Murmurs of an
oppressed People, nor an uneasy Conscience, nor anxious Thoughts about the
Events of Things, hinder the Enjoyment of it.
When we look toward the End of Life, and think on the
Division of our Substance among our Successors; if we know that it was
collected in the Fear of the Lord, in Honesty, in Equity, and in Uprightness of
Heart before him, we may consider it as his Gift to us; and with a single Eye
to his Blessing, bestow it on those we leave behind us. Such is the Happiness
of the plain Ways of true Virtue. "The Work of Righteousness shall be
Peace; and the Effect of Righteousness, Quietness and Assurance for ever."
Isa. xxxii. 17.
Dwell here, my dear Friends; and then, in remote and
solitary Desarts, you may find true Peace and Satisfaction. If the Lord be our
God, in Truth and Reality, there is Safety for us; for he is a Stronghold in
the Day of Trouble, and knoweth them that trust in him.
ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, IN VIRGINIA,29th of the 5th Month, 1757.
From the Yearly-meeting in Virginia, I went to Carolina;
and, on the first Day of the sixth Month, was at Wells Monthly-meeting, where
the Spring of the Gospel Ministry was opened, and the Love of Jesus Christ
experienced amongst us: To his Name be the Praise!
Here my Brother joined with some Friends from New-Garden,
who were going homeward; and I went next to Simond's Creek Monthly-meeting,
where I was silent during the Meeting for Worship: When Business came on, my
Mind was exercised concerning the poor Slaves; but did not feel my Way clear to
speak: In this Condition I was bowed in Spirit before the Lord; and with Tears
and inward Supplication besought him so to open my Understanding, that I might
know his Will concerning me; and, at length, my mind was settled in Silence:
Near the End of their Business, a Member of their Meeting expressed a Concern,
that had some Time lain upon him, on Account of Friends so much neglecting
their Duty in the Education of their Slaves; and proposed having Meetings
sometimes appointed for them on a Week-day, to be only attended by some Friends
to be named in their Monthly-meetings: Many present appeared to unite with the
Proposal: One said, he had often wondered that they, being our
Fellow-creatures, and capable of religious Understanding, had been so
exceedingly neglected: Another expressed the like Concern, and appeared
zealous, that Friends, in future, might more closely consider it: At length a
Minute was made; and the farther Consideration of it referred to their next
Monthly-meeting. The Friend who made this Proposal had Negroes: He told me,
that he was at New-Garden, about two hundred and fifty Miles from Home, and
came back alone; and that in this solitary Journey, this Exercise, in Regard to
the Education of their Negroes, was, from Time to Time, renewed in his Mind. A
Friend of some Note in Virginia, who had Slaves, told me, that he being far
from Home on a lonesome Journey, had many serious Thoughts about them; and that
his Mind was so impressed therewith, that he believed that he saw a Time
coming, when divine Providence would alter the Circumstances of these People,
respecting their Condition as Slaves.
From hence I went to Newbegun Creek, and sat a considerable
Time in much Weakness; then I felt Truth open the Way to speak a little in much
Plainness and Simplicity, till, at length, through the Increase of divine Love
amongst us, we had a seasoning Opportunity. From thence to the Head
ofLittle-River, on a First-day, where was a crowded Meeting; and, I believe, it
was, through divine Goodness, made profitable to some. Thence to theOld-Neck;
where I was led into a careful searching out the secret Workings of the Mystery
of Iniquity, which, under a Cover of Religion, exalts itself against that pure
Spirit, which leads in the Way of Meekness and Self-denial. From thence to
Pineywoods: This was the last Meeting I was at inCarolina, and was large; and,
my Heart being deeply engaged, I was drawn forth into a fervent Labour amongst
them.
From hence I went back into Virginia, and had a Meeting
near JAMES
COWPLAND'S; it was a Time of inward Suffering; but, through the
Goodness of the Lord, I was made content: Then to another Meeting; where,
through the Renewings of pure Love, we had a very comfortable Season.
Travelling up and down of late, I have had renewed
Evidences, that to be faithful to the Lord, and content with his Will
concerning me, is a most necessary and useful Lesson for me to be learning;
looking less at the Effects of my Labour, than at the pure Motion and Reality
of the Concern, as it arises from heavenly Love. In the Lord Jehovah is
everlasting Strength; and as the Mind, by a humble Resignation, is united to
him; and we utter Words from an inward Knowledge that they arise from the
heavenly Spring, though our Way may be difficult, and require close Attention
to keep in it; and though the Manner in which we may be led may tend to our own
Abasement; yet, if we continue in Patience and Meekness, heavenly Peace is the
Reward of our Labours.
From thence I went to Curles Meeting; which, though small,
was reviving to the Honest-hearted. Thence to Black-Creek and Caroline
Meetings; from whence, accompanied by WILLIAM STANDLEY, before-mentioned,
we rode to Goose-Creek, being much through the Woods, and about one hundred
Miles.—We lodged the first Night at a Publick-house; the second, in the Woods;
and, the next Day, we reached a Friend's House, at Goose-Creek. In the Woods we
lay under some Disadvantage, having no Fire-works nor Bells for our Horses; but
we stopped a little before Night, and let them feed on the wild Grass which was
in plenty; in the mean Time cutting with our Knives a Store against Night, and
then tying them, and gathering some Bushes under an Oak, we lay down; but, the
Musquettoes being plenty, and the Ground damp, I slept but little: Thus, lying
in the Wilderness, and looking at the Stars, I was led to contemplate on the
Condition of our first Parents, when they were sent forth from the Garden; but
the Almighty, though they had been disobedient, continued to be a Father to
them, and shewed them what tended to their Felicity, as intelligent Creatures,
and was acceptable to him. To provide Things relative to our outward Living, in
the Way of true Wisdom, is good; and the Gift of improving in Things useful is
a good Gift, and comes from the Father of Lights. Many have had this Gift; and,
from Age to Age, there have been Improvements of this Kind made in the World:
But some, not keeping to the pure Gift, have, in the creaturely Cunning and
Self-Exaltation, sought out many Inventions; which Inventions of Men are
distinct from that Uprightness in which Man was created; as the first Motion to
them was evil, so the Effects have been and are evil. At this Day, it is as
necessary for us constantly to attend on the heavenly Gift, to be qualified to
use rightly the good Things in this Life amidst great Improvements, as it was
for our first Parents, when they were without any Improvements, without any
Friend or Father but God only.
I was at a Meeting at Goose-Creek; and next at a
Monthly-meeting at Fairfax; where, through the gracious Dealing of the Almighty
with us, his Power prevailed over many Hearts. Thence to Manoquacy and
Pipe-Creek, in Maryland; at both which Places I had Cause humbly to adore him,
who supported me through many Exercises, and by whose Help I was enabled to
reach the true Witness in the Hearts of others: There were some hopeful young
People in those Parts. Thence I had Meetings at John Everit's in Monalen, and at
Huntingdon; and I was made humbly thankful to the Lord, who opened my Heart
amongst the People in these new Settlements, so that it was a Time of
Encouragement to the Honest-minded.
At Monalen, a Friend gave me some Account of a religious
Society among the Dutch, called Mennonists; and, amongst other Things, related
a Passage in Substance as follows:—One of the Mennonists having Acquaintance
with a Man of another Society at a considerable Distance, and being with his
Waggon on Business near the House of his said Acquaintance, and Night coming
on, he had Thoughts of putting up with him; but passing by his Fields, and
observing the distressed Appearance of his Slaves, he kindled a Fire in the
Woods hard by, and lay there that Night: His said Acquaintance hearing where he
lodged, and afterward meeting the Mennonist, told him of it; adding, he should
have been heartily welcome at his House; and, from their Acquaintance in former
Time, wondered at his Conduct in that Case. The Mennonist replied, Ever since I
lodged by thy Field, I have wanted an Opportunity to speak with thee: The
Matter was; I intended to have come to thy House for Entertainment, but, seeing
thy Slaves at their Work, and observing the Manner of their Dress, I had no
liking to come to partake with thee: Then admonished him to use them with more
Humanity; and added, As I lay by the Fire that Night, I thought that, as I was
a Man of Substance, thou wouldst have received me freely; but, if I had been as
poor as one of thy Slaves, and had no Power to help myself, I should have
received from thy Hand no kinder Usage than they.
Hence I was at three Meetings in my Way; and so I went
Home, under a humbling Sense of the gracious Dealings of the Lord with me, in
preserving me through many Trials and Afflictions in my Journey. I was out
about two Months, and travelled about eleven hundred and fifty Miles.
CHAPTER V
The draughting of the Militia in New-Jersey to serve in the
Army; with some Observations on the State of the Members of our Society at that
Time—His Visit to Friends in Pennsylvania, accompanied by BENJAMIN JONES—Proceedings
at the Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly-Meetings, in Philadelphia, respecting
those who keep Slaves
On the ninth Day of the eighth Month, in the Year 1757, at
Night, Orders came to the military Officers in our County (Burlington),
directing them to draught the Militia, and prepare a Number of Men to go off as
Soldiers, to the Relief of the English at Fort-William-Henry, in
New-YorkGovernment: A few Days after which there was a general Review of the
Militia at Mount-Holly, and a Number of Men chosen and sent off under some
Officers. Shortly after, there came Orders to draught three Times as many, to
hold themselves in Readiness to march when fresh Orders came: And, on the 17th
Day of the eighth Month, there was a Meeting of the military Officers at
Mount-Holly, who agreed on a Draught; and Orders were sent to the Men, so
chosen, to meet their respective Captains at set Times and Places; those in our
Township to meet at MountHolly; amongst whom was a considerable Number of our
Society. My Mind being affected herewith, I had fresh Opportunity to see and
consider the Advantage of living in the real Substance of Religion, where
Practice doth harmonize with Principle. Amongst the Officers are Men of
Understanding, who have some Regard to Sincerity where they see it; and in the
Execution of their Office, when they have Men to deal with whom they believe to
be uprighthearted, to put them to Trouble, on account of Scruples of
Conscience, is a painful Task, and likely to be avoided as much as easily may
be: But where Men profess to be so meek and heavenly-minded, and to have their
Trust so firmly settled in God, that they cannot join in Wars, and yet, by
their Spirit and Conduct in common Life, manifest a contrary Disposition, their
Difficulties are great at such a Time.
Officers, in great Anxiety, endeavouring to get Troops to
answer the Demands of their Superiors, seeing Men, who are insincere, pretend
Scruple of Conscience in Hopes of being excused from a dangerous Employment,
such are likely to be roughly handled. In this Time of Commotion some of our
young Men left the Parts, and tarried abroad till it was over; some came, and
proposed to go as Soldiers; others appeared to have a real tender Scruple in
their Minds against joining in Wars, and were much humbled under the
Apprehension of a Trial so near: I had Conversation with several of them to my
Satisfaction. At the set Time when the Captain came to Town, some of those
last-mentioned went and told him in Substance as follows:—That they could not
bear Arms for Conscience-sake; nor could they hire any to go in their Places,
being resigned as to the Event of it: At length the Captain acquainted them
all, that they might return Home for the present, and, required them to provide
themselves as Soldiers, and to be in Readiness to march when called upon. This
was such a Time as I had not seen before; and yet I may say, with Thankfulness
to the Lord, that I believed this Trial was intended for our Good; and I was
favoured with Resignation to him. The French Army, taking the Fort they were
besieging, destroyed it and went away: The Company of Men first draughted,
after some Days march, had Orders to return Home; and those on the second
Draught were no more called upon on that Occasion.
On the fourth Day of the fourth Month, in the Year 1758,
Orders came to some Officers in Mount-Holly, to prepare Quarters, a short Time,
for about one hundred Soldiers: And an Officer and two other Men, all
Inhabitants of our Town, came to my House; and the Officer told me, that he
came to speak with me, to provide Lodging and Entertainment for two Soldiers,
there being six Shillings a Week per Man allowed as Pay for it. The Case being
new and unexpected, I made no Answer suddenly; but sat a Time silent, my Mind
being inward: I was fully convinced, that the Proceedings in Wars are
inconsistent with the Purity of the Christian Religion: And to be hired to
entertain Men, who were then under Pay as Soldiers, was a Difficulty with me. I
expected they had legal Authority for what they did; and, after a short Time, I
said to the Officer, If the Men are sent here for Entertainment, I believe I
shall not refuse to admit them into my House; but the Nature of the Case is
such, that I expect I cannot keep them on Hire: One of the Men intimated, that
he thought I might do it consistent with my religious Principles; To which I
made no Reply; as believing Silence at that Time best for me. Though they spake
of two, there came only one, who tarried at my House about two Weeks, and
behaved himself civilly; and when the Officer came to pay me, I told him I
could not take Pay for it, having admitted him into my House in a passive
Obedience to Authority. I was on Horseback when he spake to me: And, as I
turned from him, he said, he was obliged to me: To which I said nothing; but,
thinking on the Expression, I grew uneasy; and afterwards, being near where he
lived, I went and told him on what Grounds I refused taking Pay for keeping the
Soldier.
Near the Beginning of the Year 1758, I went one Evening, in
Company with a Friend, to visit a sick Person; and, before our Return, we were
told of a Woman living near, who, of late, had several Days been disconsolate,
occasioned by a Dream; wherein Death, and the Judgments of the Almighty after
Death, were represented to her Mind in a moving Manner: Her Sadness on that
Account, being worn off, the Friend, with whom I was in Company, went to see
her, and had some religious Conversation with her and her Husband: With this
Visit they were somewhat affected; and the Man, with many Tears, expressed his
Satisfaction; and, in a short Time after, the poor Man being on the River in a
Storm of Wind, he, with one more, was drowned.
In the eighth Month of the Year 1758, having had Drawings
in my Mind to be at the Quarterly-meeting in Chester County, and at some
Meetings in the County of Philadelphia, I went first to said Quarterly-meeting,
which was large, and several weighty Matters came under Consideration and
Debate; and the Lord was pleased to qualify some of his Servants with Strength
and Firmness to bear the Burthen of the Day: Though I said but little, my Mind
was deeply exercised; and, under a Sense of God's Love, in the Anointing and
fitting some young Men for his Work, I was comforted, and my Heart was tendered
before him. From hence I went to the Youth's Meeting at Darby, where my beloved
Friend and Brother,BENJAMIN JONES,
met me, by an Appointment before I left Home, to join in the Visit: And we were
at Radnor, Merion, Richland, NorthWales,Plymouth, and Abington Meetings; and
had Cause to bow in Reverence before the Lord, our gracious God, by whose Help
Way was opened for us from day to day. I was out about two Weeks, and rode
about two hundred Miles.
The Monthly-meeting of Philadelphia having been under a
Concern on Account of some Friends who this Summer (1758) had bought Negro
Slaves, the said Meeting moved it to their Quarterly-meeting, to have the
Minute reconsidered in the Yearly-meeting, which was made last on that Subject:
And the said Quarterly-meeting appointed a Committee to consider it, and report
to their next; which Committee having met once and adjourned, I going to
Philadelphia to meet a Committee of the Yearly-meeting, was in Town the Evening
on which the Quarterly-meeting's Committee met the second Time; and, finding an
Inclination to sit with them, was, with some others, admitted; and Friends had
a weighty Conference on the Subject: And, soon after their next
Quarterly-meeting, I heard that the Case was coming to our Yearlymeeting; which
brought a weighty Exercise upon me, and under a Sense of my own Infirmities,
and the great Danger I felt of turning aside from perfect Purity, my Mind was
often drawn to retire alone, and put up my Prayers to the Lord, that he would
be graciously pleased to strengthen me; that, setting aside all Views of
Self-interest, and the Friendship of this World, I might stand fully resigned
to his holy Will.
In this Yearly-meeting, several weighty Matters were
considered; and, toward the last, that in Relation to dealing with Persons who
purchase Slaves. During the several Sittings of the said Meeting, my Mind was
frequently covered with inward Prayer, and I could say with David, that Tears
were my Meat Day and Night. The Case of Slave-keeping lay heavy upon me; nor
did I find any Engagement to speak directly to any other Matter before the
Meeting. Now, when this Case was opened, several faithful Friends spake weightily
thereto, with which I was comforted; and, feeling a Concern to cast in my Mite,
I said in Substance as follows:
"In the Difficulties attending us in this Life,
nothing is more precious than the Mind of Truth inwardly manifested; and it is
my earnest Desire that, in this weighty Matter we may be so truly humbled as to
be favoured with a clear Understanding of the Mind of Truth, and follow it;
this would be of more Advantage to the Society, than any Medium not in the
Clearness of divine Wisdom. The Case is difficult to some who have them; but if
such set aside all Self-interest, and come to be weaned from the Desire of
getting Estates, or even from holding them together, when Truth requires the
Contrary, I believe Way will open that they will know how to steer through
those Difficulties."
Many Friends appeared to be deeply bowed under the Weight
of the Work; and manifested much Firmness in their Love to the Cause of Truth
and universal Righteousness on the Earth: And, though none did openly justify
the Practice of Slave-keeping in general, yet some appeared concerned, lest the
Meeting should go into such Measures as might give Uneasiness to many Brethren;
alledging, that if Friends patiently continued under the Exercise, the Lord, in
Time to come might open a Way for the Deliverance of these People: And, I
finding an Engagement to speak, said, "My Mind is often led to consider
the Purity of the divine Being, and the Justice of his Judgments; and herein my
Soul is covered with Awfulness: I cannot omit to hint of some Cases, where
People have not been treated with the Purity of Justice, and the Event hath
been lamentable: Many Slaves on this Continent are oppressed, and their Cries
have reached the Ears of the Most High. Such are the Purity and Certainty of
his Judgments, that he cannot be partial in our Favour. In infinite Love and
Goodness, he hath opened our Understandings, from one Time to another,
concerning our Duty towards this People; and it is not a Time for Delay. Should
we now be sensible of what he requires of us, and, through a Respect to the
private Interest of some Persons, or through a Regard to some Friendships which
do not stand on an immutable Foundation, neglect to do our Duty in Firmness and
Constancy, still waiting for some extraordinary Means to bring about their
Deliverance, it may be by terrible Things in Righteousness God may answer us in
this Matter."
Many faithful Brethren laboured with great Firmness; and
the Love of Truth, in a good Degree, prevailed. Several Friends, who had
Negroes, expressed their Desire that a Rule might be made, to deal with such
Friends as Offenders who bought Slaves in future: To this it was answered, that
the Root of this Evil would never be effectually struck at, until a thorough
Search was made into the Circumstances of such Friends as kept Negroes, with
respect to the Righteousness of their Motives in keeping them, that impartial
Justice might be administered throughout. Several Friends expressed their
Desire, that a Visit might be made to such Friends as kept Slaves; and many
Friends said, that they believed Liberty was the Negroes Right: To which, at
length, no Opposition was made publickly. A Minute was made more full on that
Subject than any heretofore; and the Names of several Friends entered, who were
free to join in a Visit to such as kept Slaves.
CHAPTER VI
His visiting the Quarterly-meetings in Chester County; and
afterwards joining with DANIEL STANTON and JOHN SCARBOROUGH in a Visit
to such as kept Slaves there—Some Observations on the Conduct such should
maintain as are concerned to speak in Meetings for Discipline—Several more
Visits to such as kept Slaves; and to Friends near Salem—Some Account of the
Yearly-meeting in the Year 1759; and of the increasing Concern, in divers
Provinces, to labour against buying and keeping Slaves—The Yearly-meeting
Epistle
On the eleventh Day of the eleventh Month, in the Year
1758, I set out for Concord; the Quarterly-meeting, heretofore held there, was
now, by reason of a great Increase of Members, divided into two by the
Agreement of Friends, at our last Yearly-meeting. Here I met with our beloved
Friends, SAMUEL SPAVOLD and MARY KIRBY, from England, and with JOSEPH WHITE,
from Bucks County, who had taken Leave of his Family in order to go on a
religious Visit to Friends in England; and, through divine Goodness, we were favoured
with a strengthening Opportunity together.
After this Meeting I joined with my Friends, DANIEL STANTON
and JOHN
SCARBOROUGH, in visiting Friends who had Slaves; and at
Night we had a Family-meeting at WILLIAM TRIMBLE'S,
many young People being there; and it was a precious reviving Opportunity. Next
Morning we had a comfortable Sitting with a sick Neighbour; and thence to the
Burial of the Corpse of a Friend at Uwchland Meeting, at which were many
People, and it was a Time of divine Favour; after which, we visited some who
had Slaves; and, at Night, had a Family-meeting at a Friend's House, where the
Channel of Gospel-love was opened, and my Mind was comforted after a hard Day's
Labour. The next Day we were at Goshen Monthly-meeting; and thence, on the
eighteenth Day of the eleventh Month, in the Year 1758, attended the
Quarterly-meeting at LondonGrove, it being the first held at that Place. Here
we met again with all the before-mentioned Friends, and had some edifying
Meetings: And, near the Conclusion of the Meeting for Business, Friends were
incited to Constancy in supporting the Testimony of Truth, and reminded of the
Necessity which the Disciples of Christ are under to attend principally to his
Business, as he is pleased to open it to us: And to be particularly careful to
have our Minds redeemed from the Love of Wealth; to have our outward Affairs in
as little Room as may be; that no temporal Concerns may entangle our
Affections, or hinder us from diligently following the Dictates of Truth, in
labouring to promote the pure Spirit of Meekness and Heavenly-mindedness
amongst the Children of Men in these Days of Calamity and Distress, wherein God
is visiting our Land with his just Judgments.
Each of these Quarterly-meetings was large, and sat near
eight Hours. Here I had Occasion to consider, that it was a weighty Thing to
speak much in large
Meetings for Business: First, except our Minds are rightly
prepared, and we clearly understand the Case we speak to, instead of
forwarding, we hinder, Business, and make more Labour for those on whom the
Burthen of the Work is laid.
If selfish Views, or a partial Spirit, have any Room in our
Minds, we are unfit for the Lord's Work; if we have a clear Prospect of the
Business, and proper Weight on our Minds to speak, it behoves us to avoid
useless Apologies and Repetitions: Where People are gathered from far, and
adjourning a Meeting of Business is attended with great Difficulty, it behoves
all to be cautious how they detain a Meeting; especially when they have sat six
or seven Hours, and have a great Distance to ride Home. After this Meeting I
rode Home.
In the Beginning of the twelfth Month of the Year 1758 I
joined in Company with my Friends, JOHN SYKES and DANIEL STANTON,
in visiting such as had Slaves: Some, whose Hearts were rightly exercised about
them, appeared to be glad of our Visit; but in some Places our Way was more
difficult; and I often saw the Necessity of keeping down to that Root from
whence our Concern proceeded; and have Cause, in reverent Thankfulness, humbly
to bow down before the Lord, who was near to me, and preserved my Mind in Calmness
under some sharp Conflicts, and begat a Spirit of Sympathy and Tenderness in me
toward some who were grievously entangled by the Spirit of this World.
In the first Month of the Year 1759, having found my Mind
drawn to visit some of the more active Members, in our Society at Philadelphia,
who had Slaves, I met my Friend JOHN CHURCHMAN there, by an Agreement: And we
continued about a Week in the City. We visited some that were sick, and some
Widows and their Families; and the other Part of our Time was mostly employed
in visiting such as had Slaves.—It was a Time of deep Exercise, looking often
to the Lord for his Assistance; who, in unspeakable Kindness, favoured us with
the Influence of that Spirit, which crucifies to the Greatness and Splendour of
this World, and enabled us to go through some heavy Labours, in which we found
Peace.
On the twenty-fourth Day of the third Month of this Year, I
was at our general
Spring-meeting at Philadelphia: After which, I again joined
with JOHN
CHURCHMAN on a Visit to some more who had Slaves in
Philadelphia; and, with Thankfulness to our heavenly Father, I may say, that
divine Love and a true sympathising Tenderness of Heart prevailed at Times in
this Service.
Having, at Times, perceived a Shyness in some Friends, of
considerable Note, towards me, I found an Engagement in Gospel Love to pay a
Visit to one of them; and, as I dwelt under the Exercise, I felt a Resignedness
in my Mind to go; So I went, and told him, in private, I had a Desire to have
an Opportunity with him alone; to which he readily agreed: And then, in the
Fear of the Lord,
Things relating to that Shyness were searched to the
Bottom; and we had a large Conference, which, I believe, was of Use to both of
us, and am thankful that Way was opened for it.
On the fourteenth Day of the sixth Month, in the same Year,
having felt Drawings in my Mind to visit Friends about Salem, and having the
Approbation of our Monthly-meeting therein, I attended their Quarterly-meeting,
and was out seven Days, and at seven Meetings; in some of which I was chiefly
silent, and in others, through the baptizing Power of Truth, my Heart was
enlarged in heavenly Love, and found a near Fellowship with the Brethren and
Sisters, in the manifold Trials attending their Christian Progress through this
World.
In the seventh Month, I found an increasing Concern on my
Mind to visit some active Members in our Society who had Slaves; and, having no
Opportunity of the Company of such as were named on the Minutes of the
Yearly-meeting, I went alone to their Houses, and, in the Fear of the Lord,
acquainted them with the Exercise I was under: And thus, sometimes, by a few
Words, I found myself discharged from a heavy Burthen.
After this, our Friend JOHN CHURCHMAN, coming into
our Province with a View to be at some Meetings, and to join again in the Visit
to those who had Slaves, I
bore him Company in the said Visit to some active Members,
and found inward Satisfaction.
At our Yearly-meeting, in the Year 1759, we had some
weighty Seasons; where the Power of Truth was largely extended, to the
strengthening of the Honestminded. As Friends read over the Epistles, to be
sent to the Yearly-meetings along this Continent, I observed in most of them,
both this Year and last, it was recommended to Friends to labour against buying
and keeping Slaves; and in some of them closely treated upon. This Practice had
long been a heavy Exercise to me, and I have often waded through mortifying
Labours on that Account; and, at Times, in some Meetings been almost alone
therein. Now, observing the increasing Concern in our religious Society, and
seeing how the Lord was raising up and qualifying Servants for his Work, not
only in this Respect, but for promoting the Cause of Truth in general, I was
humbly bowed in Thankfulness before him.
This Meeting continued near a Week; and, for several Days,
in the fore Part of it, my Mind was drawn into a deep inward Stillness; and
being, at Times, covered with the Spirit of Supplication, my Heart was secretly
poured out before the Lord: And, near the Conclusion of the Meeting for
Business, Way opened, that, in the pure Flowings of divine Love, I expressed
what lay upon me; which, as it then arose in my Mind, was "first to shew
how Deep answers to Deep in the Hearts of the Sincere and Upright; though, in
their different Growths, they may not all have attained to the same Clearness
in some Points relating to our Testimony: And I was led to mention the
Integrity and Constancy of many Martyrs, who gave their Lives for the Testimony
of Jesus; and yet, in some Points, held Doctrines distinguishable from some
which we hold: And that, in all Ages, where People were faithful to the Light
and Understanding which the Most High afforded them, they found Acceptance with
him; and that now, though there are different Ways of Thinking amongst us in
some Particulars, yet, if we mutually kept to that Spirit and Power which
crucifies to the World, which teaches us to be content with Things really
needful, and to avoid all Superfluities, giving up our Hearts to fear and serve
the Lord, true Unity may still be preserved amongst us: And that if such, as
were, at Times, under Sufferings on Account of some Scruples of Conscience,
kept low and humble, and in their Conduct in Life manifested a Spirit of true
Charity, it would be more likely to reach the Witness in others, and be of more
Service in the Church, than if their Sufferings were attended with a contrary
Spirit and Conduct." In which Exercise I was drawn into a sympathizing
Tenderness with the Sheep of Christ, however distinguished one from another in
this World; and the like Disposition appeared to spread over others in the
Meeting. Great is the Goodness of the Lord toward his poor Creatures!
An Epistle went forth from this Yearly-meeting, which I
think good to give a Place in this Journal; being as follows:
From the Yearly-meeting held at Philadelphia, for
Pennsylvania and NewJersey, from the twenty-second Day of the ninth Month, to
the twenty-eighth Day of the same, inclusive, 1759.
To the Quarterly and Monthly-meetings of Friends belonging
to the said Yearlymeeting.
"Dearly beloved Friends and Brethren,—In an awful
Sense of the Wisdom and Goodness of the Lord our God, whose tender Mercies have
long been continued to us in this Land, we affectionately salute you, with
sincere and fervent Desires, that we may reverently regard the Dispensations of
his Providence, and improve under them.
The Empires and Kingdoms of the Earth are subject to his
almighty Power: He is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh, and deals with his
People agreeable to that Wisdom, the Depth whereof is to us unsearchable: We,
in these Provinces, may say, he hath, as a gracious and tender Parent, dealt
bountifully with us, even from the Days of our Fathers: It was he who
strengthened them to labour through the Difficulties attending the Improvement
of a Wilderness, and made Way for them in the Hearts of the Natives; so that by
them they were comforted in Times of Want and Distress: It was by the gracious
Influences of his holy Spirit, that they were disposed to work Righteousness,
and walk uprightly one towards another, and towards the Natives, and in Life
and Conversation to manifest the Excellency of the Principles and Doctrines of
the Christian Religion; and thereby they retain their Esteem and Friendship:
Whilst they were labouring for the Necessaries of Life, many of them were
fervently engaged to promote Piety and Virtue in the Earth, and educate their
Children in the Fear of the Lord.
If we carefully consider the peaceable Measures pursued in
the first Settlement of the Land, and that Freedom from the Desolations of Wars
which for a long Time we enjoyed, we shall find ourselves under strong
Obligations to the Almighty, who, when the Earth is so generally polluted with
Wickedness, gave us a Being in a Part so signally favoured with Tranquility and
Plenty, and in which the Glad-tidings of the Gospel of Christ are so freely
published, that we may justly say with the Psalmist, "What shall we render
unto the Lord for all his Benefits?"
Our own real Good, and the Good of our Posterity, in some
Measure, depend on the Part we act; and it nearly concerns us to try our
Foundations impartially. Such are the different Rewards of the Just and Unjust
in a future State, that, to attend diligently to the Dictates of the Spirit of
Christ, to devote ourselves to his Service, and engage fervently in his Cause,
during our short Stay in this World, is a Choice well becoming a free
intelligent Creature; we shall thus clearly see and consider that the Dealings
of God with Mankind in a national Capacity, as recorded in Holy Writ, do
sufficiently evidence the Truth of that Saying, "It is Righteousness which
exalteth a Nation;" and though he doth not at all Times suddenly execute
his Judgments on a sinful People in this Life, yet we see, by many Instances,
that where "Men follow lying Vanities, they forsake their own
Mercies;" and as a proud selfish Spirit prevails and spreads among a
People, so partial Judgment, Oppression, Discord, Envy, and Confusions, increase,
and Provinces and Kingdoms are made to drink the Cup of Adversity as a Reward
of their own Doings. Thus the inspired Prophet, reasoning with the degenerated
Jews, saith, "Thine own Wickedness shall correct thee, and thy
Backslidings shall reprove thee: Know, therefore, that it is an evil Thing and
bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my Fear is not in
thee, saith the Lord God of Hosts." Jer. ii. 19.
The God of our Fathers, who hath bestowed on us many
Benefits, furnished a Table for us in the Wilderness, and made the Desarts and
solitary Places to rejoice; he doth now mercifully call upon us to serve him
more faithfully.—We may truly say, with the Prophet, "It is his Voice
which crieth to the City, and Men of Wisdom see his Name: They regard the Rod,
and him who hath appointed it."—People, who look chiefly at Things
outward, too little consider the original Cause of the present Troubles; but
such as fear the Lord, and think often upon his Name, see and feel that a wrong
Spirit is spreading among the Inhabitants of our Country; that the Hearts of
many are waxed fat, and their Ears dull of hearing; that the Most High, in his
Visitations to us, instead of calling, lifteth up his Voice and crieth; he
crieth to our Country, and his Voice waxeth louder and louder. In former Wars
between the English and other Nations, since the Settlement of our Provinces,
the Calamities attending them have fallen chiefly on other Places, but now of
late they have reached to our Borders; many of our fellow Subjects have
suffered on and near our Frontiers, some have been slain in Battle, some killed
in their Houses, and some in their Fields, some wounded and left in great Misery,
and others separated from their Wives and little Children, who have been
carried Captives among the Indians: We have seen Men and Women, who have been
Witnesses of these Scenes of Sorrow, and been reduced to Want, have come to our
Houses asking Relief.—It is not long since it was the Case of many young Men,
in one of these Provinces, to be draughted, in order to be taken as Soldiers;
some were at that Time in great Distress, and had Occasion to consider that
their Lives had been too little conformable to the Purity and Spirituality of
that Religion which we profess, and found themselves too little acquainted with
that inward Humility, in which true Fortitude to endure Hardness for the
Truth's Sake is experienced.—Many Parents were concerned for their Children,
and in that Time of Trial were led to consider, that their Care, to get outward
Treasure for them, had been greater than their Care for their Settlement in
that Religion which crucifieth to the World, and enableth to bear a clear
Testimony to the peaceable Government of the Messiah. These Troubles are
removed, and for a Time we are released from them.
Let us not forget that "The Most High hath his Way in
the Deep, in Clouds and in thick Darkness"—that it is his Voice which
crieth to the City and to the Country; and oh! that these loud and awakening
Cries may have a proper Effect upon us, that heavier Chastisement may not
become necessary! For though Things, as to the Outward, may, for a short Time,
afford a pleasing Prospect; yet, while a selfish Spirit, that is not subject to
the Cross of Christ, continueth to spread and prevail, there can be no long Continuance
in outward Peace and Tranquility. If we desire an Inheritance incorruptible,
and to be at Rest in that State of Peace and Happiness, which ever continues;
if we desire, in this Life, to dwell under the Favour and Protection of that
almighty Being, whose Habitation is in Holiness, whose Ways are all equal, and
whose Anger is now kindled because of our Backslidings; let us then awfully
regard these Beginnings of his fore Judgments, and, with Abasement and
Humiliation turn to him, whom we have offended.
Contending with one equal in Strength is an uneasy
Exercise; but if the Lord is become our Enemy, if we persist to contend with
him who is omnipotent, our Overthrow will be unavoidable.
Do we feel an affectionate Regard to Posterity; and are we
employed to promote their Happiness? Do our Minds, in Things outward, look
beyond our own Dissolution; and are we contriving for the Prosperity of our
Children after us? Let us then, like wise Builders, lay the Foundation deep;
and, by our constant uniform Regard to an inward Piety and Virtue, let them see
that we really value it: Let us labour, in the Fear of the Lord, that their
innocent Minds, while young and tender, may be preserved from Corruptions;
that, as they advance in Age, they may rightly understand their true Interest,
may consider the Uncertainty of temporal Things, and, above all, have their
Hope and Confidence firmly settled in the Blessing of that Almighty Being, who
inhabits Eternity, and preserves and supports the World.
In all our Cares, about worldly Treasures, let us steadily
bear in Mind, that Riches, possessed by Children who do not truly serve God,
are likely to prove Snares that may more grievously entangle them in that
Spirit of Selfishness and Exaltation, which stands in Opposition to realPeace
and Happiness; and renders them Enemies to the Cross of Christ, who submit to
the Influence of it.
To keep a watchful eye towards real Objects of Charity, to
visit the Poor in their lonesome Dwelling-places, to comfort them who, through
the Dispensations of divine Providence, are in strait and painful Circumstances
in this Life, and steadily to endeavour to honour God with our Substance, from
a real Sense of the Love of Christ influencing our Minds thereto, is more
likely to bring a Blessing to our Children, and will afford more Satisfaction
to a Christian favoured with Plenty, than an earnest Desire to collect much
Wealth to leave behind us; for "Here we have no continuing City;" may
we therefore diligently "seek one that is to come, whose Builder and Maker
is God."
"Finally, Brethren, whatsoever Things are true,
whatsoever Things are just, whatsoever Things are pure, whatsoever Things are
lovely, whatsoever Things are of good Report; if there be any Virtue, if there
be any Praise, think on these Things and do them, and the God of Peace shall be
with you."
Signed, by Appointment, and on Behalf of our said Meeting,
by seven Friends.
On the twenty-eighth Day of the eleventh Month, in the Year
1759, I was at the Quarterly-meeting in Bucks County: This Day being the
Meeting of Ministers and Elders, my Heart was enlarged in the Love of Jesus
Christ; and the Favour of the Most High was extended to us in that and the
ensuing Meeting.
I had Conversation, at my Lodging, with my beloved Friend,
SAMUEL
EASTBURN; who expressed a Concern to join in a Visit to some
Friends, in that County, who had Negroes; and as I had felt a Draught in my
Mind to that Work in the said County, came Home and put Things in Order: On the
eleventh Day of the twelfth Month following, I went over the River; and on the
next Day was at Buckingham Meeting; where, through the Descendings of heavenly
Dew, my Mind was comforted, and drawn into a near Unity with the Flock of Jesus
Christ.
Entering upon this Visit appeared weighty: And before I
left Home my Mind was often sad; under which Exercise I felt, at Times, the
Holy Spirit, which helps our Infirmities; through which, in private, my Prayers
were, at Times, put up to God, that he would be pleased to purge me from all
Selfishness, that I might be strengthened to discharge my Duty faithfully, how
hard soever to the natural Part. We proceeded on the Visit in a weighty Frame
of Spirit, and went to the Houses of the most active Members, throughout the
Country, who had Negroes; and, through the Goodness of the Lord, my Mind was
preserved in Resignation in Times of Trial, and, though the Work was hard to
Nature, yet through the Strength of that Love which is stronger than Death,
Tenderness of Heart was often felt amongst us in our Visits, and we parted from
several Families with greater Satisfaction than we expected.
We visited JOSEPH WHITE'S Family, he being in England; and also a
Familysitting at the House of an Elder who bore us Company, and was atMakefield
on a First-day: At all which Times my Heart was truly thankful to the Lord, who
was graciously pleased to renew his Loving-kindness to us, his poor Servants,
uniting us together in his Work.
CHAPTER VII
His Visit, in Company with SAMUEL EASTBURN,
to Long-Island, Rhode-Island,
Boston, etc. in New-England—Remarks on the Slave-Trade at
Newport, and his Exercise on that Account; also on Lotteries—Some Observations
on the Island of Nantucket
Having, for some Time past, felt a Sympathy in my Mind with
Friends Eastward, I opened my Concern in our Monthly-meeting; and, obtaining a
Certificate, set forward on the seventeenth Day of the
fourth Month, in the Year 1760, joining in Company, by a previous Agreement,
with my beloved
Friend, SAMUEL EASTBURN. We had Meetings at Woodbridge,
Rahaway, and Plainfield; and were at their Monthly-meeting of Ministers and
Elders in Rahaway. We laboured under some Discouragement; but, through the
invisible Power of Truth, our Visit was made reviving to the Lowly-minded, with
whom I felt a near Unity of Spirit, being much reduced in my Mind. We passed on
and visited the chief of the Meetings on Long-Island. It was my Concern, from
Day to Day, to say no more nor less than what the Spirit of Truth opened in me;
being jealous over myself, lest I should speak any Thing to make my Testimony
look agreeable to that Mind in People, which is not in pure Obedience to the
Cross of Christ.
The Spring of the Ministry was often low; and, through the
subjecting Power of Truth, we were kept low with it; and from Place to Place,
such whose Hearts were truly concerned for the Cause of Christ, appeared to be
comforted in our Labours; and though it was in general a Time of Abasement of
the Creature, yet, through his Goodness, who is a Helper of the Poor, we had
some truly edifying Seasons, both in Meetings, and in Families where we
tarried; and sometimes found Strength to labour earnestly with the Unfaithful,
especially with those whose Station in Families, or in the Society, was such,
that their Example had a powerful Tendency to open the Way for others to go
aside from the Purity and Soundness of the blessed Truth. At Jericho, on
Long-Island, I wrote Home as follows:
24th of the 4th Month, 1760.
"Dearly beloved Wife,—We are favoured with Health;
have been at sundry Meetings in East-Jersey, and on this Island: My Mind hath
been much in an inward watchful Frame since I left thee, greatly desiring that
our Proceedings may be singly in the Will of our heavenly Father.
"As the present Appearance of Things is not joyous, I
have been much shut up from outward Cheerfulness, remembering that Promise,
'Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord:'—As this, from Day to Day, has
been revived in my Memory, I have considered that his internal Presence on our
Minds is a
Delight, of all others, the most pure; and that the Honest-hearted
not only delight in this, but in the Effect of it upon them. He regards the
Helpless and Distressed, and reveals his Love to his Children under Affliction;
they delight in beholding his Benevolence, and feeling divine Charity moving
upon them: Of this I may speak a little; for though, since I left you, I have
often found an engaging Love and Affection toward thee and my Daughter, and
Friends about Home, that going out at this Time, when Sickness is so great
amongst you, is a Trial upon me; yet I often remember there are many Widows and
Fatherless, many who have poor Tutors, many who have evil Examples before them,
and many whose Minds are in Captivity, for whose Sake my Heart is, at Times,
moved with Compassion; so that I feel my Mind resigned to leave you for a
Season, to exercise that Gift which the Lord hath bestowed on me; which though
small, compared with some, yet in this I rejoice, that I feel Love unfeigned
toward my Fellow-creatures. I recommend you to the Almighty, who, I trust,
cares for you; and, under a Sense of his heavenly Love, remain,—Thy loving
Husband,
We crossed from the East End of Long-Island to New-London,
about thirty Miles, in a large open Boat; while we were out, the Wind rising
high, the Waves several Times beat over us, so that to me it appeared
dangerous; but my Mind was, at that Time, turned to him, who made and governs
the Deep, and my Life was resigned to him: And, as he was mercifully pleased to
preserve us, I had fresh Occasion to consider every Day as a Day lent to me;
and felt a renewed Engagement to devote my Time, and all I had, to him who gave
them.
We had five Meetings in Narraganset; and went thence to
Newport on RhodeIsland. Our gracious Father preserved us in an humble
Dependence on him through deep Exercises, that were mortifying to the
creaturely Will. In several Families in the Country, where we lodged, I felt an
Engagement on my Mind to have a Conference with them in private concerning
their Slaves; and, through divine Aid, I was favoured to give up thereto:
Though, in this Concern, I appeared singular from many, whose Service in
Travelling, I believe, is greater than mine; I do not think hard of them for
omitting it; I do not repine at having so unpleasant a Task assigned me, but
look with Awfulness to him, who appoints to his Servants their respective
Employments, and is good to all who serve him sincerely.
We got to Newport in the Evening, and on the next Day
visited two sick Persons, and had comfortable Sittings with them; and in the
Afternoon attended the Burial of a Friend.
The next Day we were at Meetings at Newport, in the
Forenoon and Afternoon; where the Spring of the Ministry was opened, and
Strength given to declare the Word of Life to the People.
The next Day we went on our Journey; but the great Number
of Slaves in these Parts, and the Continuance of that Trade from thence to
Guinea, made deep Impression on me; and my Cries were often put up to my
heavenly Father in secret, that he would enable me to discharge my Duty
faithfully, in such Way as he might be pleased to point out to me.
We took Swansea, Freetown, and Tanton, in our Way to
Boston; where also we had a Meeting; our Exercise was deep, and the Love of
Truth prevailed, for which I bless the Lord. We went Eastward about eighty
Miles beyond Boston, taking Meetings, and were in a good Degree preserved in an
humble Dependance on that Arm which drew us out; and, though we had some hard
Labour with the Disobedient, laying Things home and close to such as were stout
against the Truth; yet, through the Goodness of God, we had, at Times, to
partake of heavenly Comfort with them who were meek, and were often favoured to
part with Friends in the Nearness of true Gospel-fellowship. We returned to
Boston, and had another comfortable Opportunity with Friends there; and thence
rode back a Day's Journey Eastward of Boston: Our Guide being a heavy Man, and
the Weather hot, and my Companion and I considering it, expressed our Freedom
to go on without him, to which he consented, and we respectfully took our Leave
of him; this we did, as believing the Journey would have been hard to him and
his Horse.
We visited the Meetings in those Parts, and were measurably
baptized into a feeling of the State of the Society: And in Bowedness of Spirit
went to the Yearly-meeting at Newport; where I understood that a large Number
of Slaves were imported from Africa into that Town, and then on Sale by a
Member of our Society. At this Meeting we met with JOHN STORER
from England, ELIZABETH
SHIPLEY, ANN GAUNT, HANNAH FOSTER, and MERCY REDMAN,
from our Parts, all Ministers of the Gospel, of whose Company I was glad.
At this Time my Appetite failed, and I grew outwardly weak,
and had a Feeling of the Condition of Habakkuk as there expressed: "When I
heard, my Belly trembled, my Lips quivered, I trembled in myself that I might
rest in the Day of Trouble;" I had many Cogitations, and was sorely
distressed: And was desirous that Friends might petition the Legislature, to
use their Endeavours to discourage the future Importation of Slaves; for I saw
that this Trade was a great Evil, and tended to multiply Troubles, and bring
Distresses on the People in those parts, for whose Welfare my Heart was deeply
concerned.
But I perceived several Difficulties in Regard to
petitioning; and such was the Exercise of my Mind, that I had Thought of
endeavouring to get an Opportunity to speak a few Words in the House of
Assembly, then sitting in Town. This Exercise came upon me in the Afternoon, on
the second Day of the Yearlymeeting, and, going to Bed, I got no Sleep till my
Mind was wholly resigned therein; and in the Morning I enquired of a Friend how
long the Assembly were likely to continue sitting; who told me, they were expected
to be prorogued that Day or the next.
As I was desirous to attend the Business of the Meeting,
and perceived the Assembly were likely to depart before the Business was over;
after considerable Exercise, humbly seeking to the Lord for Instruction, my
Mind settled to attend on the Business of the Meeting; on the last Day of
which, I had prepared a short Essay of a Petition to be presented to the
Legislature, if Way opened: And being informed that there were some appointed,
by that Yearly-meeting, to speak with those in Authority, in Cases relating to
the Society, I opened my Mind to several of them, and shewed them the Essay I
had made; and afterward opened the Case in the Meeting for Business, in
Substance as follows:
"I have been under a Concern for some Time, on Account
of the great Number of Slaves which are imported in this Colony; I am aware
that it is a tender Point to speak to, but apprehend I am not clear in the
Sight of Heaven without speaking to it. I have prepared an Essay of a Petition,
if Way open, to be presented to the Legislature; and what I have to propose to
this Meeting is, that some Friends may be named to withdraw and look over it,
and report whether they believe it suitable to be read in the Meeting; if they
should think well of reading it, it will remain for the Meeting, after hearing
it, to consider, whether to take any farther Notice of it at a Meeting or
not." After a short Conference some Friends went out, and, looking over
it, expressed their Willingness to have it read; which being done, many
expressed their Unity with the Proposal; and some signified, that to have the
Subjects of the Petition enlarged upon, and to be signed out of Meeting by such
as were free, would be more suitable than to do it there: Though I expected, at
first, that if it was done it would be in that Way; yet, such was the Exercise
of my Mind, that to move it in the hearing of Friends, when assembled, appeared
to me as a Duty; for my Heart yearned toward the Inhabitants of these Parts;
believing that by this Trade there had been an Increase of Inquietude amongst
them, and a Way made easy for the spreading of a Spirit opposite to that
Meekness and Humility, which is a sure Resting-place for the Soul: And that the
Continuance of this Trade would not only render their Healing more difficult,
but increase their Malady.
Having thus far proceeded, I felt easy to leave the Essay
among Friends, for them to proceed in it as they believed best. And now an
Exercise revived on my Mind in Relation to Lotteries, which were common in
those Parts: I had once moved it in a former Sitting of this Meeting, when
Arguments were used in Favour of Friends being held excused who were only
concerned in such Lotteries as were agreeable to Law: And now, on moving it
again, it was opposed as before; but the Hearts of some solid Friends appeared to
be united to discourage the Practice amongst their Members; and the Matter was
zealously handled by some on both Sides. In this Debate it appeared very clear
to me, that the Spirit of Lotteries was a Spirit of Selfishness, which tended
to Confusion and Darkness of Understanding; and that pleading for it in our
Meetings, set apart for the Lord's Work, was not right: And, in the Heat of
Zeal, I once made Reply to what an ancient Friend said, though when I sat down,
I saw that my Words were not enough seasoned with Charity; and, after this, I
spake no more on the Subject. At length a Minute was made;
a Copy of which was agreed to be sent to their several Quarterly-meetings,
inciting Friends to labour to discourage the Practice amongst all professing
with us.
Some Time after this Minute was made, I, remaining uneasy
with the Manner of my speaking to the ancient Friend, could not see my Way
clear to conceal my Uneasiness, but was concerned that I might say nothing to
weaken the Cause in which I had laboured; and then, after some close Exercise
and hearty Repentance, for that I had not attended closely to the safe Guide, I
stood up, and reciting the Passage, acquainted Friends, that, though I durst
not go from what I had said as to the Matter, yet I was uneasy with the Manner
of my speaking, as believing milder Language would have been better. As this
was uttered in some Degree of creaturely Abasement, it appeared to have a good
Savour amongst us, after a warm Debate.
The Yearly-meeting being now over, there yet remained on my
Mind a secret, though heavy, Exercise in regard to some leading active Members
about Newport, being in the Practice of Slave-keeping. This I mentioned to two
ancient Friends, who came out of the Country, and proposed to them, if Way
opened, to have some Conversation with those Friends: And, thereupon, one of
those Country Friends and I consulted one of the most noted Elders who had
Slaves; and he, in a respectful Manner, encouraged me to proceed to clear
myself of what lay upon me. Now I had, near the Beginning of the Yearlymeeting,
a private Conference with this said Elder and his Wife concerning theirs; so
that the Way seemed clear to me to advise with him about the Manner of
proceeding: I told him, I was free to have a Conference with them all together
in a private House; or, if he thought they would take it unkind to be asked to
come together, and to be spoke with one in the hearing of another, I was free
to spend some Time among them, and visit them all in their own Houses: He
expressed his Liking to the first Proposal, not doubting their Willingness to
come together: And, as I proposed a Visit to only Ministers, Elders, and
Overseers, he named some others, who he desired might be present also: And, as
a careful Messenger was wanted to acquaint them in a proper Manner, he offered
to go to all their Houses to open the Matter to them; and did so. About the
eighth Hour, the next Morning, we met in the Meetinghouse Chamber, and the
last-mentioned Country Friend, also my Companion, and JOHN STORER,
with us; when, after a short Time of Retirement, I acquainted them with the
Steps I had taken in procuring that Meeting, and opened the Concern I was
under; and so we proceeded to a free Conference upon the Subject. My Exercise
was heavy, and I was deeply bowed in Spirit before the Lord, who was pleased to
favour us with the seasoning Virtue of Truth, which wrought a Tenderness
amongst us; and the Subject was mutually handled in a calm and peaceable
Spirit: And, at length, feeling my Mind released from that Burthen which I had
been under, I took my Leave of them, in a good Degree of Satisfaction; and, by
the Tenderness they manifested in Regard to the Practice, and the Concern
several of them expressed in Relation to the Manner of disposing of their
Negroes after their Decease, I believed that a good Exercise was spreading
amongst them; and I am humbly thankful to God, who supported my Mind, and
preserved me in a good Degree of Resignation through these Trials.
Thou, who sometimes travellest in the Work of the Ministry,
art made very welcome by thy Friends, and seest many Tokens of their
Satisfaction, in having thee for their Guest, it is good for thee to dwell
deep, that thou mayst feel and understand the Spirits of People: If we believe
Truth points towards a Conference on some Subjects, in a private Way, it is
needful for us to take heed that their Kindness, their Freedom, and Affability,
do not hinder us from the Lord's Work. I have seen that, in the midst of Kindness
and smooth Conduct, to speak close and home to them who entertain us, on Points
that relate to their outward Interest, is hard Labour; and sometimes, when I
have felt Truth lead toward it, I have found myself disqualified by a
superficial Friendship; and as the Sense thereof hath abased me, and my Cries
have been to the Lord, so I have been humbled and made content to appear weak,
or as a Fool for his Sake; and thus a Door hath opened to enter upon it. To
attempt to do the Lord's Work in our own Way, and to speak of that which is the
Burthen of the
Word in a Way easy to the natural Part, doth not reach the
Bottom of the Disorder. To see the Failings of our Friends and think hard of
them, without opening that which we ought to open, and still carry a Face of
Friendship; this tends to undermine the Foundation of true Unity.
The Office of a Minister of Christ is weighty; and they,
who go forth as Watchmen, had need to be steadily on their Guard against the
Snares of Prosperity and an outside Friendship.
After the Yearly-meeting, we were at Meetings at New-Town,
Cushnet, LongPlain, Rochester, and Dartmouth: From thence we sailed
forNantucket, in
Company with ANN GAUNT and MERCY REDMAN,
and several other Friends: The Wind being slack, we only reached
Tarpawling-Covethe first Day; where, going on Shore, we found Room in a
Publick-house, and Beds for a few of us, the rest sleeping on the Floor: We
went on board again about Break of Day; and, though the Wind was small, we were
favoured to come within about four Miles of Nantucket; and then, about ten of
us getting into our Boat, we rowed to the Harbour before dark; whereupon a
large Boat, going off, brought in the rest of the Passengers about Midnight:
The next Day but one was their Yearlymeeting, which held four Days; the last of
which was their Monthly-meeting for Business. We had a laborious Time amongst
them: Our Minds were closely exercised, and I believe it was a Time of great
Searching of Heart: The longer I was on the Island, the more I became sensible
that there was a considerable Number of valuable Friends there, though an evil
Spirit, tending to Strife, had been at Work amongst them: I was cautious of
making any Visits, but as my Mind was particularly drawn to them; and in that
Way we had some Sittings in Friends Houses, where the heavenly Wing was, at
Times, spread over us, to our mutual Comfort.
My beloved Companion had very acceptable Service on this
Island.
When Meeting was over, we all agreed to sail the next Day,
if the Weather was suitable and we well; and, being called up the latter Part
of the Night, we went on board a Vessel, being in all about fifty; but, the
Wind changing, the Seamen thought best to stay in the Harbour till it altered;
so we returned on Shore; and, feeling clear as to any farther Visits, I spent
my Time in our Chamber chiefly alone; and, after some Hours, my Heart being
filled with the Spirit of Supplication, my Prayers and Tears were poured out,
before my heavenly Father, for his Help and Instruction in the manifold
Difficulties which attended me in Life: And, while I was waiting upon the Lord,
there came a Messenger from the Women Friends, who lodged at another House,
desiring to confer with us about appointing a Meeting, which to me appeared
weighty, as we had been at so many before; but, after a short Conference, and
advising with some elderly Friends, a Meeting was appointed, in which the
Friend, who first moved it, and who had been much shut up before, was largely
opened in the Love of the Gospel: And the next Morning, about Break of Day,
going again on board the Vessel, we reached Falmouth on the Main before Night;
where our Horses being brought, we proceeded toward Sandwich Quarterly-meeting.
Being two Days in going to Nantucket, and having been there
once before, I observed many Shoals in their Bay, which make Sailing more
dangerous, especially in stormy Nights; also, that a great Shoal, which
encloses their Harbour, prevents their going in with Sloops, except when the
Tide is up; waiting without which, for the Rising of the Tide, is sometimes
hazardous in Storms; waiting within, they sometimes miss a fair Wind. I took
Notice, that on that small Island was a great Number of Inhabitants, and the
Soil not very fertile; the Timber so gone, that for Vessels, Fences, and
Firewood, they depend chiefly on the buying from the Main; the Cost whereof,
with most of their other Expences, they depend principally upon the
Whale-fishery to answer. I considered, that as Towns grew larger, and Lands
near navigable Waters more cleared, Timber and Wood require more Labour to get
it: I understood that the Whales being much hunted, and sometimes wounded and
not killed, grew more shy and difficult to come at: I considered that the
Formation of the Earth, the Seas, the Islands, Bays, and Rivers, the Motions of
the Winds and great Waters, which cause Bars and Shoals in particular Places,
were all the Works of him who is perfect Wisdom and Goodness; and, as People
attend to his heavenly Instruction, and put their Trust in him, he provides for
them in all Parts where he gives them a Being. And as, in this Visit to these
People, I felt a strong Desire for their firm Establishment on the sure
Foundation, besides what was said more publickly, I was concerned to speak with
the Women Friends, in their Monthly-meeting of Business, many being present;
and, in the fresh Spring of pure Love, to open before them the Advantage, both
inward and outward, of attending singly to the Guidance of the Holy Spirit, and
therein to educate their Children in true Humility, and the Disuse of all
Superfluities, reminding them of the Difficulties their Husbands and Sons were
frequently exposed to at Sea; and that, the more plain and simple their Way of
Living was, the less Need of running great Hazards to support them in it;
encouraging the young Women in their neat decent Way of attending themselves on
the Affairs of the House; shewing, as the Way opened, that, where People were
truly humble, used themselves to Business, and were content with a plain Way of
Life, it had ever been attended with more true Peace and Calmness of Mind, than
they have had who, aspiring to Greatness and outward Shew, have grasped hard
for an Income to support themselves in it: And, as I observed they had few or
no Slaves amongst them, I had to encourage them to be content without them;
making mention of the numerous Troubles and Vexations which frequently attend
the Minds of People who depend on Slaves to do their Labour.
We attended the Quarterly-meeting at Sandwich, in Company
with ANN
GAUNT and MERCY REDMAN, which was preceded by a Monthly-meeting;
and in the whole held three Days: We were various Ways exercised amongst them,
in Gospel-love, according to the several Gifts bestowed on us; and were, at
Times, overshadowed with the Virtue of Truth, to the Comfort of the Sincere,
and stirring up of the Negligent. Here we parted with ANNand MERCY,
and went to Rhode-Island, taking one Meeting in our Way, which was a
satisfactory Time; and, reaching Newport the Evening before their Quarterly-meeting,
we attended it; and, after that, had a Meeting with our young People, separated
from those of other Societies. We went through much Labour in this Town; and
now, in taking Leave of it, though I felt close inward Exercise to the last, I
found inward Peace; and was, in some Degree, comforted, in a Belief, that a
good Number remain in that Place, who retain a Sense of Truth; and that there
are some young People attentive to the Voice of the heavenly Shepherd. The last
Meeting, in which Friends from the several Parts of the Quarter came together,
was a select Meeting; and, through the renewed Manifestation of the Father's
Love, the Hearts of the Sincere were united together.
That Poverty of Spirit, and inward Weakness, with which I
was much tried the fore Part of this Journey, have of late appeared to me as a
Dispensation of Kindness. Appointing Meetings never appeared more weighty to
me; and I was led into a deep Search, whether in all Things my Mind was
resigned to the Will of God; often querying with myself, what should be the
Cause of such inward Poverty; and greatly desired, that no secret Reserve in my
Heart might hinder my Access to the divine Fountain. In these humbling Times I
was made watchful, and excited to attend the secret Movings of the heavenly
Principle in my Mind, which prepared the Way to some Duties, that in more easy
and prosperous Times, as to the Outward, I believe I should have been in danger
of omitting.
From Newport we went to Greenwich, Shanticut, and Warwick;
and were helped to labour amongst Friends in the Love of our gracious Redeemer:
And then, accompanied by our Friend, JOHN CASEY, from Newport, we rode through Connecticut
to Oblong, visited the Meetings of Friends in those Parts, and thence proceeded
to the Quarterly-meeting at Ryewoods; and, through the gracious Extendings of
divine Help, had some seasoning Opportunities in those Places: So we visited
Friends at New York and Flushing; and thence to Rahaway: And here, our Roads
parting, I took Leave of my beloved Companion, and true Yoke-mate, SAMUEL EASTBURN;
and reached Home on the tenth Day of the eighth Month, 1760, where I found my
Family well: And, for the Favours and Protection of the Lord, both inward and
outward, extended to me in this Journey, my Heart is humbled in grateful
Acknowledgments; and I find renewed Desires to dwell and walk in Resignedness
before him.
CHAPTER VIII
His Visits to Pennsylvania, Shrewsbury, and Squan—His
publishing the second Part of Considerations on keeping Negroes—His visiting
the Families of Friends of Ancocas and Mount-Holly Meetings—His Visits to
the Indians at Wehaloosing on the River Susquehannah
Having felt my Mind drawn toward a Visit to a few Meetings
in Pennsylvania, I was very desirous to be rightly instructed as to the Time of
setting off: And, on the tenth Day of the fifth Month, 1761, being the first
Day of the Week, I went to Haddonfield Meeting, concluding to seek for heavenly
Instruction, and come Home, or go on, as I might then believe best for me; and
there, through the springing up of pure Love, I felt Encouragement, and so
crossed the River. In this Visit I was at two Quarterly and three
Monthly-meetings; and, in the Love of Truth, felt my Way open to labour with
some noted Friends, who kept Negroes: And, as I was favoured to keep to the
Root, and endeavoured to discharge what I believed was required of me, I found
inward Peace therein, from Time to Time, and Thankfulness of Heart to the Lord,
who was graciously pleased to be a Guide to me.
In the eighth Month, 1761, having felt Drawings in my Mind
to visit Friends in and about Shrewsbury, I went there, and was at their
Monthly-meeting, and their First-day-meeting; and had a Meeting at Squan, and
another at Squankum; and, as Way opened, had Conversation with some noted
Friends concerning their Slaves: And I returned Home in a thankful Sense of the
Goodness of the Lord.
From the Care I felt growing in me some Years, I wrote
Considerations on keeping Negroes, Part the Second; which was printed this
Year, 1762. When the Overseers of the Press had done with it, they offered to
get a Number printed, to be paid for out of the Yearly-meeting Stock, and to be
given away; but I being most easy to publish them at my own Expence, and,
offering my Reasons, they appeared satisfied.
This Stock is the Contribution of the Members of our
religious Society in general; amongst whom are some who keep Negroes; and,
being inclined to continue them in Slavery, are not likely to be satisfied with
those Books being spread amongst a People where many of the Slaves are taught
to read, and especially not at their Expence; and such often, receiving them as
a Gift, conceal them: But as they, who make a Purchase, generally buy that
which they have a Mind for, I believe it best to sell them; expecting, by that
Means, they would more generally be read with Attention. Advertisements being
signed by Order of the Overseers of the Press, directed to be read in
Monthly-meetings of Business within our own Yearly-meeting, informing where the
Books were, and that the Price was no more than the Cost of printing and
binding them, many were taken off in our Parts; some I sent to Virginia, some
to New-York, and some to Newport, to my Acquaintance there; and some I kept,
expecting to give Part of them away, where there appeared a Prospect of
Service.
In my Youth I was used to hard Labour; and, though I was
middling healthy, yet my Nature was not fitted to endure so much as many
others: So that, being often weary, I was prepared to sympathize with those
whose Circumstances in Life, as free Men, required constant Labour to answer
the Demands of their Creditors, and with others under Oppression. In the
Uneasiness of Body, which I have many Times felt by too much Labour, not as a
forced but as a voluntary Oppression, I have often been excited to think on the
original Cause of that Oppression, which is imposed on many in the World: And,
the latter Part of the Time wherein I laboured on our Plantation, my Heart,
through the fresh Visitations of heavenly Love, being often tender, and my
leisure Time frequently spent in reading the Life and Doctrines of our blessed
Redeemer, the Account of the Sufferings of Martyrs, and the History of the
first Rise of our Society, a Belief was gradually settled in my Mind, that if
such, as had great Estates, generally lived in that Humility and Plainness
which belongs to a Christian Life, and laid much easier Rents and Interests on
their Lands and Monies, and thus led the Way to a right Use of Things, so great
a Number of People might be employed in Things useful, that Labour, both for
Men and other Creatures, would need to be no more than an agreeable Employ; and
divers Branches of Business, which serve chiefly to please the natural
Inclinations of our Minds, and which, at present, seem necessary to circulate
that Wealth which some gather, might, in this Way of pure Wisdom, be
discontinued. And, as I have thus considered these Things, a Query, at Times,
hath arisen: Do I, in all my Proceedings, keep to that Use of Things which is
agreeable to universal Righteousness? And then there hath some Degree of
Sadness, at Times, come over me, for that I accustomed myself to some Things,
which occasioned more Labour than I believe divine Wisdom intends for us.
From my early Acquaintance with Truth I have often felt an
inward Distress, occasioned by the striving of a Spirit in me against the
Operation of the heavenly Principle; and in this Circumstance have been
affected with a Sense of my own Wretchedness, and in a mourning Condition felt
earnest Longing for that divine Help, which brings the Soul into true Liberty;
and sometimes, in this State, retiring into private Places, the Spirit of
Supplication hath been given me; and, under a heavenly Covering, I have asked
my gracious Father to give me a Heart in all Things resigned to the Direction
of his Wisdom.
In visiting People of Note in the Society who had Slaves,
and labouring with them in brotherly Love on that Account, I have seen, and the
Sight hath affected me, that a Conformity to some Customs, distinguishable from
pure Wisdom, has entangled many; and the Desire of Gain, to support these
Customs, greatly opposed the Work of Truth: And sometimes, when the Prospect of
the Work before me has been such, that in Bowedness of Spirit, I have been
drawn into retired Places, and besought the Lord with Tears that he would take
me wholly under his Direction, and shew me the Way in which I ought to walk, it
hath revived, with Strength of Conviction, that, if I would be his faithful
Servant, I must, in all Things, attend to his Wisdom, and be teachable; and so
cease from all Customs contrary thereto, however used amongst religious People.
As he is the Perfection of Power, of Wisdom, and of
Goodness, so, I believe, he hath provided, that so much Labour shall be
necessary for Men's Support, in this World, as would, being rightly divided, be
a suitable Employment of their Time; and that we cannot go into Superfluities,
or grasp after Wealth in a Way contrary to his Wisdom, without having
Connection with some Degree of Oppression, and with that Spirit which leads to
Self-exaltation and Strife, and which frequently brings Calamities on Countries,
by Parties contending about their Claims.
In the eleventh Month of the Year 1762, feeling an
Engagement of Mind to visit some Families in Mansfield. I joined my beloved
Friend, BENJAMIN JONES, and we spent a few Days together in that
Service. In the second Month, 1763, I joined in Company with ELIZABETH SMITH
and MARY
NOBLEon a Visit to the Families of Friends at Ancocas; in both
which Visits, through the baptizing Power of Truth, the sincere Labourers were
often comforted, and the Hearts of Friends opened to receive us. And, in the
fourth Month following, I
accompanied some Friends in a Visit to the Families of
Friends in Mount-Holly, in which my Mind was often drawn into an inward
Awfulness, wherein strong Desires were raised for the everlasting Welfare of my
Fellow-creatures; and, through the Kindness of our heavenly Father, our Hearts
were, at Times, enlarged, and Friends invited, in the Flowings of divine Love,
to attend to that which would settle them on the sure Foundation.
Having many Years felt Love in my Heart towards the Natives
of this Land, who dwell far back in the Wilderness, whose Ancestors were the
Owners and
Possessors of the Land where we dwell; and who, for a very
small Consideration, assigned their Inheritance to us; and, being
atPhiladelphia, in the eighth Month, 1761, in a Visit to some Friends who had
Slaves, I fell in Company with some of those Natives who lived on the East
Branch of the River Susquehannah, at an Indian Town called Wehaloosing, two
hundred Miles from Philadelphia, and, in Conversation with them by an
Interpreter, as also by Observations on their Countenances and Conduct, I
believed some of them were measurably acquainted with that divine Power which
subjects the rough and forward Will of the Creature: And, at Times, I felt
inward Drawings toward a Visit to that Place, of which I told none except my
dear Wife, until it came to some Ripeness; and, then, in the Winter, 1762, I
laid it before Friends at our Monthly and Quarterly, and afterwards at our
general Spring-meeting; and, having the Unity of Friends, and being thoughtful
about an Indian Pilot, there came a Man and three Women from a little beyond
that Town to Philadelphia on Business: And I, being informed thereof by Letter,
met them in Town in the fifth Month, 1763; and, after some Conversation,
finding they were sober People, I, by the Concurrence of Friends in that Place,
agreed to join with them as Companions in their Return; and, on the seventh Day
of the sixth
Month following, we appointed to meet at SAMUEL FOULK'S,
atRichland in Bucks County. Now, as this Visit felt weighty, and was performed
at a Time when Travelling appeared perilous, so the Dispensations of divine
Providence, in preparing my Mind for it, have been memorable; and I believe it
good for me to give some Hints thereof.
After I had given up to go, the Thoughts of the Journey
were often attended with unusual Sadness; in which Times my Heart was
frequently turned to the Lord with inward Breathings for his heavenly Support,
that I might not fail to follow him wheresoever he might lead me: And, being at
our Youths Meeting at Chesterfield, about a Week before the Time I expected to
set off, I was there led to speak on that Prayer of our Redeemer to his Father:
"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the World, but that thou
shouldest keep them from the Evil." And, in attending to the pure Openings
of Truth, I had to mention what he elsewhere said to his Father; "I know
that thou hearest me at all Times:" So that, as some of his Followers kept
their Places, and as his Prayer was granted, it followed necessarily that they
were kept from Evil: And, as some of those met with great Hardships and
Afflictions in this World, and at last suffered Death by cruel Men, it appears,
that whatsoever befals Men while they live in pure Obedience to God, as it
certainly works for their Good, so it may not be considered an Evil as if
relates to them. As I spake on this Subject, my Heart was much tendered, and
great Awfulness came over me; and then, on the first Day of the next Week,
being at our own Afternoon-meeting, and my Heart being enlarged in Love, I was
led to speak on the Care and Protection of the Lord over his People, and to
make mention of that Passage, where a Band of Assyrians endeavouring to take
captive the Prophet, were disappointed; and how the Psalmist said, "The
Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him." And thus, in
true Love and Tenderness, I parted from Friends, expecting the next Morning, to
proceed on my Journey, and, being weary, went early to Bed; and, after I had
been asleep a short Time, I was awaked by a Man calling at my Door; and,
arising, was invited to meet some Friends at a Publickhouse in our Town, who
came from Philadelphia so late, that Friends were generally gone to Bed: These
Friends informed me, that an Express arrived the last Morning from Pittsburgh,
and brought News that the Indians had taken a Fort from the English Westward,
and slain and scalped English People in divers Places, some near the said
Pittsburgh; and that some elderly Friends in Philadelphia, knowing the Time of
my expecting to set off, had conferred together, and thought good to inform me
of these Things, before I left Home, that I might consider them, and proceed as
I believed best; so I, going again to Bed, told not my Wife till Morning. My
Heart was turned to the Lord for his heavenly Instruction; and it was an
humbling Time to me. When I told my dear Wife, she appeared to be deeply
concerned about it; but, in a few Hours Time, my Mind became settled in a
Belief, that it was my Duty to proceed on my Journey; and she bore it with a
good Degree of Resignation. In this Conflict of Spirit, there were great
Searchings of Heart, and strong Cries to the Lord, that no Motion might be, in
the least Degree, attended to, but that of the pure Spirit of Truth.
The Subjects before-mentioned, on which I had so lately
spoken in publick, were now very fresh before me; and I was brought inwardly to
commit myself to the Lord, to be disposed of as he saw best. So I took Leave of
my Family and Neighbours, in much Bowedness of Spirit, and went to our
Monthly-meeting at Burlington; and, after taking Leave of Friends there, I
crossed the River, accompanied by my Friends, ISRAEL and JOHN PEMBERTON;
and, parting the next Morning with ISRAEL, JOHN bore me Company to SAMUEL FOULK'S,
where I met the before-mentioned Indians, and we were glad to see each other:
Here my Friend, BENJAMIN PARVIN, met me, and proposed joining as a
Companion, we having passed some Letters before on the Subject; and now, on his
Account, I had a sharp Trial; for, as the Journey appeared perilous, I thought,
if he went chiefly to bear me Company, and we should be taken Captive, my
having been the Means of drawing him into these Difficulties would add to my
own Afflictions: So I told him my Mind freely, and let him know that I was
resigned to go alone; but, after all, if he really believed it to be his Duty
to go on, I
believed his Company would be very comfortable to me: It
was indeed a Time of deep Exercise, and BENJAMIN appeared to be so
fastened to the Visit, that he could not be easy to leave me; so we went on,
accompanied by our Friends, JOHN PEMBERTON, and WILLIAM LIGHTFOOT
of Pikeland, and lodged atBethlehem; and there, parting with JOHN,
WILLIAM
and we went forward on the ninth Day of the sixth Month, and got Lodging on the
Floor of a House, about five Miles from Fort-Allen: Here we parted with WILLIAM;
and at this Place we met with an Indian Trader, lately come from Wioming; and,
in Conversation with him, I perceived that many white People do often sell Rum
to the Indians, which, I believe, is a great Evil; first, they being thereby
deprived of the Use of their Reason, and their Spirits violently agitated,
Quarrels often arise, which end in Mischief; and the Bitterness and
Resentments, occasioned hereby, are frequently of long Continuance; Again,
their Skins and Furs, gotten through much Fatigue and hard Travels in Hunting,
with which they intended to buy Clothing, when they become intoxicated, they
often sell at a low Rate for more Rum; and afterward, when they suffer for want
of the Necessaries of Life, are angry with those who, for the Sake of Gain,
took the Advantage of their Weakness: Of this their Chiefs have often
complained, at their Treaties with the English. Where cunning People pass
Counterfeits, and impose that on others which is good for nothing, it is
considered as a Wickedness; but, to sell that to People which we know does them
Harm, and which often works their Ruin, for the Sake of Gain, manifests a
hardened and corrupt Heart, and is an Evil, which demands the Care of all true
Lovers of Virtue to suppress: And while my Mind, this Evening, was thus
employed, I also remembered, that the People on the Frontiers, among whom this
Evil is too common, are often poor; who venture to the Outside of a Colony,
that they may live more independent on such as are wealthy, who often set high
Rents on their Land: Being renewedly confirmed in a Belief, that, if all our
Inhabitants lived according to sound Wisdom, labouring to promote universal
Love and Righteousness, and ceased from every inordinate Desire after Wealth,
and from all Customs which are tinctured with Luxury, the Way would be easy for
our Inhabitants, though much more numerous than at present, to live comfortably
on honest Employments, without having that Temptation they are often under of
being drawn into Schemes to make Settlements on Lands which have not been purchased
of the Indians, or of applying to that wicked Practice of selling Rum to them.
On the tenth Day of the Month we set out early in the
Morning, and crossed the Western Branch of Delaware, called the Great Lehie,
near Fort-Allen; the Water being high, we went over in a Canoe: Here we met an
Indian, and had some friendly Conversation with him, and gave him some Biscuit;
and he having killed a Deer, gave the Indians with us some of it: Then, after
travelling some Miles, we met several Indian Men and Women with a Cow and
Horse, and some Household Goods, who were lately come from their Dwelling at
Wioming, and going to settle at another Place; we made them some small
Presents, and, some of them understanding English, I told them my Motive in
coming into their Country, with which they appeared satisfied: And, one of our
Guides talking a While with an ancient Woman concerning us, the poor old Woman
came to my Companion and me, and took her Leave of us with an Appearance of
sincere Affection. So, going on, we pitched our Tent near the Banks of the same
River, having laboured hard in crossing some of those Mountains called the
Blue-Ridge; and, by the Roughness of the Stones, and the Cavities between them,
and the Steepness of the Hills, it appeared dangerous; but we were preserved in
Safety, through the Kindness of him, whose Works in those mountainous Desarts
appeared awful: Toward whom my Heart was turned during this Day's Travel.
Near our Tent, on the Sides of large Trees peeled for that
Purpose, were various Representations of Men going to, and returning from the
Wars, and of some killed in Battle; this being a Path heretofore used by
Warriours: And, as I walked about viewing those Indian Histories, which were
painted mostly in red, but some in black; and thinking on the innumerable
Afflictions which the proud, fierce, Spirit produceth in the World; thinking on
the Toils and Fatigues of Warriours, travelling over Mountains and Desarts;
thinking on their Miseries and Distresses when wounded far from Home by their
Enemies; and of their Bruises and great Weariness in chasing one another over
the Rocks and Mountains; and of their restless, unquiet, State of Mind, who
live in this Spirit; and of the Hatred which mutually grows up in the Minds of
the Children of those Nations engaged in War with each other: During these
Meditations, the Desire to cherish the Spirit of Love and Peace amongst these
People arose very fresh in me. This was the first Night that we lodged in the
Woods; and, being wet with travelling in the Rain, the Ground, our Tent, and
the Bushes, which we proposed to lay under our Blankets, being also wet, all
looked discouraging; but I believed, that it was the Lord who had thus far
brought me forward, and that he would dispose of me as he saw good; and therein
I felt easy: So we kindled a Fire, with our Tent open to it; and, with some
Bushes next the Ground, and then our Blankets, we made our Bed, and, lying
down, got some Sleep; and, in the Morning, feeling a little unwell, I went into
the River; the Water was cold, but soon after I felt fresh and well.
The eleventh Day of the sixth Month, the Bushes being wet,
we tarried in our Tent till about eight o'Clock; when, going on, we crossed a
high Mountain supposed to be upwards of four Miles over; the Steepness on the
North Side exceeding all the others. We also crossed two Swamps, and, it
raining near Night, we pitched our Tent and lodged.
About Noon, on our Way, we were overtaken by one of the
Moravian Brethren, going to Wehaloosing, and an Indian Man with him, who could
talk English; and we, being together while our Horses ate Grass, had some
friendly Conversation; but they, travelling faster than we, soon left us. This
Moravian, I understood, had spent some Time this Spring at Wehaloosing, and
was, by some of the Indians, invited to come again.
The twelfth Day of the sixth Month, and first of the Week,
it being a rainy Day, we continued in our Tent; and here I was led to think on
the Nature of the Exercise which hath attended me: Love was the first Motion,
and thence a Concern arose to spend some Time with the Indians, that I might
feel and understand their Life, and the Spirit they live in, if haply I might
receive some Instruction from them, or they be in any Degree helpedforward by
my following the Leadings of Truth amongst them: And, as it pleased the Lord to
make Way for my going at a Time when the Troubles of War were increasing, and
when, by Reason of much wet Weather, Travelling was more difficult than usual
at that Season, I looked upon it as a more favourable Opportunity to season my
Mind, and bring me into a nearer Sympathy with them: And, as mine Eye was to
the great Father of Mercies, humbly desiring to learn what his Will was
concerning me, I was made quiet and content.
Our Guide's Horse, though hoppled, went away in the Night;
after finding our own, and searching some Time for him, his Footsteps were
discovered in the Path going back again, whereupon my kind Companion went off
in the Rain, and, about seven Hours after, returned with him: And here we
lodged again; tying up our Horses before we went to Bed, and loosing them to
feed about Break of Day.
On the thirteenth Day of the sixth Month, the Sun
appearing, we set forward; and, as I rode over the barren Hills, my Meditations
were on the Alterations of the Circumstances of the Natives of this Land since
the Coming in of the English. The Lands near the Sea are conveniently situated
for fishing; the Lands near the Rivers, where the Tides flow, and some above,
are in many Places fertile, and not mountainous; while the Running of the Tides
makes passing up and down easy with any Kind of Traffic. Those Natives have, in
some Places, for trifling Considerations, sold their Inheritance so favourably
situated; and, in other Places, been driven back by superior Force: So that in
many Places, as their Way of clothing themselves is now altered from what it
was, and they, far remote from us, have to pass over Mountains, Swamps, and
barren Desarts, Travelling is very troublesome, in bringing their Skins and
Furs to trade with us.
By the extending of English Settlements, and partly by
English Hunters, the wild Beasts, they chiefly depend on for a Subsistance, are
not so plenty as they were; and People too often, for the Sake of Gain, open a
Door for them to waste their Skins and Furs, in purchasing a Liquor which tends
to the Ruin of them and their Families.
My own Will and Desires were now very much broken, and my
Heart, with much Earnestness, turned to the Lord, to whom alone I looked for
Help in the Dangers before me. I had a Prospect of the English along the Coast,
for upwards of nine hundred Miles, where I had travelled; and the favourable
Situation of the English, and the Difficulties attending the Natives in many
Places, and the Negroes, were open before me; and a weighty and heavenly Care
came over my Mind, and Love filled my Heart toward all Mankind, in which I felt
a strong Engagement, that we might be obedient to the Lord, while, in tender
Mercies, he is yet calling to us; and so attend to pure universal
Righteousness, as to give no just Cause of Offence to the Gentiles, who do not
profess Christianity, whether the Blacks from Africa, or the native Inhabitants
of this Continent: And here I was led into a close laborious Enquiry, whether
I, as an Individual, kept clear from all Things which tended to stir up, or
were connected with Wars, either in this Land or Africa; and my Heart was
deeply concerned, that, in future, I might in all Things keep steadily to the
pure Truth, and live and walk in the Plainness and Simplicity of a sincere
Follower of Christ. And, in this lonely Journey, I did, this Day, greatly
bewail the Spreading of a wrong Spirit, believing, that the prosperous,
convenient, Situation of the English, requires a constant Attention to divine
Love and Wisdom to guide and support us in a Way answerable to the Will of that
good, gracious, and almighty Being, who hath an equal Regard to all Mankind:
And, here, Luxury and Covetousness, with the numerous Oppressions, and other
Evils attending them, appeared very afflicting to me; and I felt in that which
is immutable, that the Seeds of great Calamity and Desolation are sown and
growing fast on this Continent: Nor have I Words sufficient to set forth that
Longing I then felt, that we, who are placed along the Coast, and have tasted
the Love and Goodness of God, might arise in his Strength; and, like faithful
Messengers, labour to check the Growth of these Seeds, that they may not ripen
to the Ruin of our Posterity.
We reached the Indian Settlement at Wioming; and here we
were told, that an Indian Runner had been at that Place a Day or two before us,
and brought News of the Indians taking an English Fort westward, and destroying
the People, and that they were endeavouring to take another; and also, that
another Indian Runner came there about the Middle of the Night before we got
there, who came from a Town about ten Miles aboveWehaloosing, and brought News,
that some Indian Warriours, from distant Parts, came to that Town with two
English Scalps, and told the People, that it was War with the English.
Our Guides took us to the House of a very ancient Man; and,
soon after we had put in our Baggage, there came a Man from another Indian
House some Distance off; and I, perceiving there was a Man near the Door, went
out; and, having a Tomahawk wrapped under his Matchcoat out of Sight, as I
approached him, he took it in his Hand; I, however, went forward, and, speaking
to him in a friendly Way, perceived he understood someEnglish: My Companion
then coming out, we had some Talk with him concerning the Nature of our Visit
in these Parts; and then he going into the House with us, and talking with our
Guides, soon appeared friendly, and sat down and smoked his Pipe. Though his
taking his Hatchet in his Hand, at the Instant I drew near to him, had a
disagreeable Appearance, I believe he had no other Intent than to be in
Readiness in case any Violence was offered to him.
Hearing the News brought by these Indian Runners, and being
told by the Indians where we lodged, that what Indians were about
Wiomingexpected, in a few Days, to move to some larger Towns, I thought that,
to all outward Appearance, it was dangerous Travelling at this Time; and was,
after a hard Day's Journey, brought into a painful Exercise at Night, in which
I had to trace back, and view over the Steps I had taken from my first Moving
in the Visit; and though I had to bewail some Weakness which, at Times, had
attended me, yet I could not find that I had ever given way to a wilful
Disobedience: And then, as I believed I had, under a Sense of Duty, come thus
far, I was now earnest in Spirit, beseeching the Lord to shew me what I ought
to do. In this great Distress I grew jealous of myself, lest the Desire of
Reputation, as a Man firmly settled to persevere through Dangers, or the Fear
of Disgrace arising on my returning without performing the Visit, might have
some Place in me: Thus I lay, full of Thoughts, great Part of the Night, while
my beloved Companion lay and slept by me; till the Lord, my gracious Father,
who saw the Conflicts of my Soul, was pleased to give Quietness: Then I was
again strengthened to commit my Life, and all Things relating thereto, into his
heavenly Hands; and, getting a little Sleep toward Day, when Morning came we
arose.
On the fourteenth Day of the sixth Month, we sought out and
visited all the Indians hereabout that we could meet with; they being chiefly
in one Place, about a Mile from where we lodged, in all perhaps twenty. Here I
expressed the Care I had on my Mind for their Good; and told them, that true
Love had made me willing thus to leave my Family to come and see the Indians,
and speak with them in their Houses. Some of them appeared kind and friendly.
So we took our Leave of these Indians, and went up the River Susquehannah,
about three Miles, to the House of an Indian, called JACOB JANUARY,
who had killed his Hog; and the Women were making store of Bread, and preparing
to move up the River. Here our Pilots left their Canoe when they came down in
the Spring, which lying dry, was leaky; so that we, being detained some Hours,
had a good deal of friendly Conversation with the Family; and, eating Dinner
with them, we made them some small Presents. Then, putting our Baggage in the
Canoe, some of them pushed slowly up the Stream, and the rest of us rode our
Horses; and swimming them over a Creek, called Lahawahamunk, we pitched our
Tent a little above it, there being a Shower in the Evening: And, in a Sense of
God's Goodness in helping me in my Distress, sustaining me under Trials, and
inclining my Heart to trust in him, I lay down in an humble bowed Frame of
Mind, and had a comfortable Night's Lodging.
On the fifteenth Day of the sixth Month, we proceeded
forward till the Afternoon; when, a Storm appearing, we met our Canoe at an
appointed Place; and, the Rain continuing, we stayed all Night, which was so
heavy, that it beat through our Tent, and wet us and our Baggage.
On the sixteenth Day, we found, on our Way, abundance of
Trees blown down with the Storm the Day before; and had Occasion reverently to
consider the kind Dealings of the Lord, who provided a safe Place for us in a
Valley, while this Storm continued. By the falling of abundance of Trees across
our Path, we were much hindered, and in some Swamps our Way was so stopped,
that we got through with extreme Difficulty.
I had this Day often to consider myself as a Sojourner in
this World; and a Belief in the All-sufficiency of God to support his People in
their Pilgrimage felt comfortable to me; and I was industriously employed to
get to a State of perfect Resignation.
We seldom saw our Canoe but at appointed Places, by reason
of the Path going off from the River; and, this Afternoon, JOB CHILAWAY,
an Indianfrom Wehaloosing, who talks good English, and is acquainted with
several People in and about Philadelphia, met our People on the River; and,
understanding where we expected to lodge, pushed back about six Miles, and came
to us after Night; and in a While our own Canoe came, it being hard Work
pushing up Stream. JOB told us, that an Indian came in Haste to their Town
yesterday, and told them, that three Warriours, coming from some Distance,
lodged in a Town above Wehaloosing a few Nights past; and that these three Men
were going against the English at Juniata. JOBwas going down the River
to the Province-store at Shamokin. Though I was so far favoured with Health as
to continue travelling, yet, through the various Difficulties in our Journey,
and the different Way of living from what I had been used to, I grew sick; and
the News of these Warriours being on their March so near us, and not knowing
whether we might not fall in with them, was a fresh Trial of my Faith; and
though, through the Strength of divine Love, I had several Times been enabled
to commit myself to the divine Disposal, I still found the Want of my Strength
to be renewed, that I might persevere therein; and my Cries for Help were put
up to the Lord, who, in great Mercy, gave me a resigned Heart, in which I found
Quietness.
On the seventeenth Day, parting from JOB CHILAWAY,
we went on, and reached Wehaloosing about the Middle of the Afternoon, and the
first Indianthat we saw was a Woman of a modest Countenance, with a Bible, who
first spake to our Guide; and then, with a harmonious Voice, expressed her
Gladness at seeing us, having before heard of our Coming: Then, by the
Direction of our Guide, we sat down on a Log; and he went to the Town, to tell
the People we were come. My Companion and I sitting thus together, in a deep inward
Stillness, the poor Woman came and sat near us; and, great Awfulness coming
over us, we rejoiced in a Sense of God's Love manifested to our poor Souls.
After a While, we heard a Conkshell blow several Times, and then came JOHN CURTIS,
and another Indian Man, who kindly invited us into a House near the Town, where
we found, I suppose, about sixty People sitting in Silence; and, after sitting
a short Time, I stood up, and in some Tenderness of Spirit acquainted them with
the Nature of my Visit, and that a Concern for their Good had made me willing
to come thus far to see them; all in a few short Sentences, which some of them
understanding interpreted to the others, and there appeared Gladness amongst
them. Then I shewed them my Certificate, which was explained to them; and the
Moravian, who overtook us on the Way, being now here, bade me welcome.
On the eighteenth Day: We rested ourselves this Forenoon;
and the Indians, knowing that the Moravian and I were of different religious
Societies, and as some of their People had encouraged him to come and stay a
While with them, were, I believe, concerned that no Jarring or Discord might be
in their Meetings: And they, I suppose, having conferred together, acquainted
me, that the People, at my Request, would, at any Time, come together, and hold
Meetings; and also told me, that they expected the Moravian would speak in
their settled Meetings, which are commonly held Morning and near Evening. So I
found Liberty in my Heart to speak to the Moravian, and told him of the Care I
felt on my Mind for the Good of these People; and that I believed no ill
Effects would follow it, if I sometimes spake in their Meetings when Love
engaged me thereto, without calling them together at Times when they did not
meet of course: Whereupon he expressed his Good-will toward my speaking, at any
Time, all that I found in my Heart to say: So, near Evening, I was at their
Meeting, where the pure Gospel-love was felt, to the tendering some of our
Hearts; and the Interpreters, endeavouring to acquaint the People with what I
said in short Sentences, found some Difficulty, as none of them were quite
perfect in the English and Delaware Tongues; so they helped one another, and we
laboured along, divine Love attending: And afterwards, feeling my Mind covered
with the Spirit of Prayer, I told the Interpreters that I found it in my Heart
to pray to God, and believed, if I prayed aright, he would hear me, and
expressed my Willingness for them to omit interpreting; so our Meeting ended
with a Degree of divine Love: And, before the People went out, I observed PAPUNEHANG
(the Man who had been zealous in labouring for a Reformation in that Town,
being then very tender) spoke to one of the Interpreters; and I was afterwards
told that he said in Substance as follows: "I love to feel where Words
come from."
On the nineteenth Day, and first of the Week: This Morning,
in the Meeting, the Indian, who came with the Moravian, being also a Member of
that Society, prayed; and then the Moravian spake a short Time to the People:
And, in the Afternoon, they coming together, and my Heart being filled with a
heavenly Care for their Good, I spake to them a While by Interpreters; but none
of them being perfect in the Work, and I, feeling the Current of Love run
strong, told the Interpreters, that I believed some of the People would
understand me, and so I
proceeded: In which Exercise I believe the Holy Ghost
wrought on some Hearts to Edification, where all the Words were not understood,
I looked upon it as a Time of divine Favour, and my Heart was tendered and
truly thankful before the Lord; and, after I sat down, one of the Interpreters
seemed spirited to give the Indians the Substance of what I had said.
Before our first Meeting, this Morning, I was led to
meditate on the manifold Difficulties of these Indians, who, by the Permission
of the six Nations, dwell in these Parts; and a near Sympathy with them was
raised in me; and, my Heart being enlarged in the Love of Christ, I thought
that the affectionate Care of a good Man for his only Brother in Affliction
does not exceed what I then felt for that People.
I came to this Place through much Trouble; and though,
through the Mercies of God, I believed, that if I died in the Journey, it would
be well with me; yet the Thoughts of falling into the Hands of Indian Warriours
were, in Times of Weakness, afflicting to me; and, being of a tender
Constitution of Body, the Thoughts of Captivity amongst them were, at Times,
grievous; as supposing, that they being strong and hardy, might demand Service
of me beyond what I could well bear; but the Lord alone was my Keeper; and I
believed, if I went into Captivity, it would be for some good End: And thus,
from Time to Time, my Mind was centered in Resignation, in which I always found
Quietness. And now, this Day, though I had the same dangerous Wilderness
between me and Home, I was inwardly joyful that the Lord had strengthened me to
come on this Visit, and manifested a fatherly Care over me in my poor lowly
Condition, when in mine own Eyes I appeared inferior to many amongst the
Indians.
When the last-mentioned Meeting was ended, it being Night,
PAPUNEHANG
went to Bed; and, one of the Interpreters sitting by me, I observedPAPUNEHANG
spoke with an harmonious Voice, I suppose a Minute or two; and, asking the
Interpreter, I was told, that "He was expressing his Thankfulness to God
for the Favours he had received that Day; and prayed that he would continue to
favour him with that same, which he had experienced in that Meeting." And
though PAPUNEHANG had before agreed to receive the Moravian, and join with
them, he still appeared kind and loving to us.
On the twentieth Day I was at two Meetings, and silent in
them.
The twenty-first Day: This Morning, in Meeting, my Heart
was enlarged in pure Love amongst them, and, in short plain Sentences, I
expressed several Things that rested upon me, which one of the Interpreters
gave the People pretty readily; after which, the Meeting ended in Supplication,
and I had Cause humbly to acknowledge the Loving-kindness of the Lord towards
us; and then I believed that a Door remained open for the faithful Disciples of
Jesus Christ to labour amongst these People.
I now feeling my Mind at Liberty to return, took my Leave
of them in general, at the Conclusion of what I said in Meeting; and so we
prepared to go homeward: But some of their most active Men told us, that, when
we were ready to move, the People would choose to come and shake Hands with us;
which those who usually come to Meeting did: And, from a secret Draught in my
Mind, I went amongst some who did not use to go to Meeting, and took my Leave
of them also: And the Moravian and his Indian Interpreter appeared respectful
to us at parting. This Town stands on the Bank of Susquehannah, and consists, I
believe, of about forty Houses, mostly compact together; some about thirty feet
long, and eighteen wide, some bigger, some less; mostly built of split Plank,
one End set in the Ground, and the other pinned to a Plate, on which lay
Rafters, and covered with Bark. I understand a great Flood last Winter
overflowed the chief Part of the Ground where the Town stands; and some were
now about moving their Houses to higher Ground.
We expected only two Indians to be our Company; but, when
we were ready to go, we found many of them were going to Bethlehem with Skins
and Furs, who chose to go in Company with us: So they loaded two Canoes, which
they desired us to go in, telling us, that the Waters were so raised with the
Rains, that the Horses should be taken by such as were better acquainted with
the Fording-places: So we, with several Indians, went in the Canoes, and others
went on Horses, there being seven besides ours. And we meeting with the
Horsemen once on the Way by Appointment, and that near Night, a little below a
Branch called Tankhannah, we lodged there; and some of the young Men going out
a little before Dusk with their Guns, brought in a Deer.
On the twenty-second Day, through Diligence, we reached
Wioming before Night, and understood the Indians were mostly gone from this
Place: Here we went up a small Creek into the Woods with our Canoes, and,
pitching our Tent, carried out our Baggage; and before Dark our Horses came to
us.
On the twenty-third Day in the Morning their Horses were
loaded, and we prepared our Baggage, and so set forward, being in all fourteen;
and with diligent Travelling, were favoured to get near half-way to Fort-Allen.
The Land on this Road from Wioming to our Frontier being mostly poor, and good
Grass scarce, they chose a Piece of low Ground to lodge on, as the best for
grazing; and I, having sweated much in Travelling, and being weary, slept
sound; I perceived in the Night that I had taken Cold, of which I was favoured
to get better soon.
On the twenty-fourth Day we passed Fort-Allen, and lodged
near it in the Woods.
Having forded the westerly Branch of Delaware three Times,
we thereby had a shorter Way, and missed going over the Top of the Blue
Mountains, called the second Ridge. In the second Time fording, where the River
cuts through the Mountain, the Waters being rapid, and pretty deep, and my
Companion's Mare being a tall, tractable Animal, he sundry Times drove her back
through the River, and they loaded her with the Burthens of some small Horses,
which they thought not sufficient to come through with their Loads.
The Troubles westward, and the Difficulty for Indians to
pass through our Frontier, I apprehend, was one Reason why so many came; as
expecting that our being in Company would prevent the outside Inhabitants from
being surprised.
On the twenty-fifth Day we reached Bethlehem, taking Care
on the Way to keep foremost, and to acquaint People on and near the Road who
theseIndians were: This we found very needful; for the Frontier Inhabitants
were often alarmed at the Report of English being killed by Indianswestward.
Amongst our Company were some whom I did not remember to
have seen at Meeting, and some of these, at first, were very reserved; but, we
being several Days together, and behaving friendly toward them, and making them
suitable Returns for the Services they did us, they became more free and
social.
On the twenty-sixth Day and first of the Week, having
carefully endeavoured to settle all Affairs with the Indians relative to our
Journey, we took Leave of them, and I thought they generally parted with us
affectionately; so we, getting to Richland, had a very comfortable Meeting
amongst our Friends: Here I parted with my kind Friend and Companion, BENJAMIN PARVIN;
and, accompanied by my Friend, SAMUEL FOULK, we rode to JOHN CADWALLADER'S,
from whence I reached Home the next Day, where I found my Family middling well;
and they, and my Friends, all along appeared glad to see me return from a
Journey which they apprehended dangerous: But my Mind, while I was out, had
been so employed in striving for a perfect Resignation, and I had so often been
confirmed in a Belief, that whatever the Lord might be pleased to allot for me,
would work for Good, I was careful lest I should admit any Degree of
Selfishness in being glad over much, and laboured to improve by those Trials in
such a Manner as my gracious Father and Protector intends for me. Between the
English Inhabitants and Wehaloosing we had only a narrow Path, which in many
Places is much grown up with Bushes, and interrupted by abundance of Trees
lying across it; these, together with the Mountains, Swamps, and rough Stones,
make it a difficult Road to travel; and the more so, for that Rattlesnakes
abound there, of which we killed four: People, who have never been in such
Places, have but an imperfect Idea of them; but I was not only taught Patience,
but also made thankful to God, who thus led me about and instructed me, that I
might have a quick and lively Feeling of the Afflictions of my
Fellow-creatures, whose Situation in Life is difficult.
CHAPTER IX
His religious Conversation with a Company met to see the
Tricks of a Juggler— His Account of JOHN SMITH'S Advice, and of the Proceedings of a
Committee, at the Yearly-meeting in 1764—Contemplations on the Nature of true
Wisdom, occasioned by hearing of the Cruelty of the Indians to their
Captives—His visiting the Families of Friends at Mount-Holly, Mansfield, and
Burlington, in 1764, and the Meetings on the Sea-Coast, from Cape-May, toward
Squan, in 1765—His Visit to the lower Counties on Delaware, and the eastern
Shore of Maryland, in 1766, in Company with JOHN SLEEPER; with some
Account of JOSEPH NICHOLS and his Followers; and Observations on the
different State of the first Settlers in Pennsylvania, who depended on their
own Labour, and those of the southern Provinces, who kept Negroes—His visiting
the northern
Parts of New-Jersey the same Year, and the western Parts of
Maryland and Pennsylvania in 1767, and afterwards other Parts of Pennsylvania,
and the Families of Friends at Mount-Holly; and again, several Parts of
Maryland in 1768—Farther Considerations on keeping Slaves; and his Concern for
having formerly, as an Executor, been Party to the Sale of one; and what he did
in Consequence of it—Thoughts on Friends exercising Offices in civil Government
The latter Part of the Summer, 1763, there came a Man to
Mount-Holly, who had before published, by a printed Advertisement, that, at a
certain Publickhouse, he would shew many wonderful Operations, which he therein
enumerated.
This Man, at the Time appointed, did, by slight of Hand,
sundry Things; which, to those gathered, appeared strange.
The next Day, I, hearing of it, and understanding that the
Shew was to be continued the next Night, and the People to meet about Sun-set,
felt an Exercise on that Account: So I went to the Publick-house in the
Evening, and told the Man of the House that I had an Inclination to spend a
Part of the Evening there; with which he signified that he was content. Then,
sitting down by the Door, I spake to the People as they came together,
concerning this Shew; and, more coming and sitting down with us, the Seats of
the Door were mostly filled; and I had Conversation with them in the Fear of
the Lord, and laboured to convince them that, thus assembling to see those
Tricks or Slights of Hand, and bestowing their Money to support Men, who, in
that Capacity, were of no Use in the World, was contrary to the Nature of the
Christian Religion.
There was one of the Company, who, for a Time, endeavoured,
by Arguments, to shew the Reasonableness of their Proceedings herein; but,
after considering some Texts of Scripture, and calmly debating the Matter, he
gave up the Point. So, having spent about an Hour amongst them, and feeling my
Mind easy, I departed.
At our Yearly-meeting at Philadelphia, on the twenty-fifth
Day of the ninth Month, 1764, JOHN SMITH, of Marlborough, aged upwards of eighty
Years, a faithful Minister, though not eloquent, stood up in our Meeting of
Ministers and Elders, and, appearing to be under a great Exercise of Spirit,
informed Friends in Substance as follows: to wit, "That he had been a
Member of the
Society upwards of sixty Years, and well remembered, that
in those early Times Friends were a plain lowly-minded People; and that there
was much Tenderness and Contrition in their Meetings.—That, at twenty Years
from that Time, the Society, increasing in Wealth, and in some Degree
conforming to the Fashions of the World, true Humility was less apparent, and
their Meetings, in general, not so lively and edifying.—That, at the End of
forty Years, many of them were grown very rich; that wearing of fine costly Garments,
and using of silver (and other) Watches, became customary with them, their Sons
and their Daughters, and many of the Society made a specious Appearance in the
World; which Marks of outward Wealth and Greatness appeared on some in our
Meetings of Ministers and Elders; and as these Things became more prevalent, so
the powerful Overshadowings of the Holy Ghost were less manifest in the
Society.—That there had been a continued Increase of these Ways of Life even
until now; and that the Weakness which hath now overspread the Society, and the
Barrenness manifest amongst us, are Matter of much Sorrow." He then
mentioned the Uncertainty of his attending these Meetings in future, expecting
his Dissolution was now near; and, having tenderly expressed his Concern for
us, signified that he had seen in the true Light that the Lord would bring back
his People from these Things into which they were thus degenerated; but that
his faithful Servants must first go through great and heavy Exercises therein.
On the twenty-ninth Day, the Committee, appointed by the
Yearly-meeting to visit the Quarterly and Monthly-meetings, now gave an Account
in Writing of their Proceedings in that Service; in which they signified, that,
in the Course of it, they had been apprehensive that some Persons holding
Offices in Government, inconsistent with our Principles, and others, who kept
Slaves, remaining active Members in our Meetings of Discipline, had been one
Means of Weakness more and more prevailing in the Management thereof in some
Places. After this Report was read, an Exercise revived on my Mind, which, at
Times, had attended me several Years, and inward Cries to the Lord were raised
in me, that the Fear of Man might not prevent me from doing what he required of
me; and standing up, I spake in Substance as follows: "I have felt a
Tenderness in my Mind, towards Persons, in two Circumstances mentioned in that
Report; that is, toward such active Members as keep Slaves, and such as hold
Offices in civil Government; and have desired, that Friends, in all their
Conduct, may be kindly affectioned one toward another. Many Friends, who keep
Slaves, are under some Exercise on that Account; and, at Times, think about
trying them with Freedom; but find many Things in their Way: And the Way of
Living, and annual Expences of some of them, are such, that it seems
impracticable for them to set their Slaves free, without changing their own Way
of Life. It has been my Lot to be often abroad; and I have observed in some
Places, at Quarterly and Yearly-meetings, and at some Houses where travelling
Friends and their Horses are often entertained, that the yearly Expence of
Individuals therein is very considerable: And Friends, in some Places, crouding
much on Persons in these Circumstances for Entertainment, hath often rested as
a Burthen on my Mind for some Years past; and I now express it in the Fear of
the Lord, greatly desiring that Friends now present may duly consider it."
In the Fall of this Year, having hired a Man to work, I
perceived, in Conversation, that he had been a Soldier in the late War on this
Continent; and, in the Evening, giving a Narrative of his Captivity amongst the
Indians, he informed me that he saw two of his Fellow-captives tortured to
Death in a very cruel Manner.
This Relation affected me with Sadness, under which I went
to Bed; and, the next Morning, soon after I awoke, a fresh and living Sense of
divine Love was spread over my Mind; in which I had a renewed Prospect of the
Nature of that Wisdom from above, which leads to a right Use of all Gifts, both
spiritual and temporal, and gives Content therein: Under a Feeling thereof, I
wrote as follows:
"Hath he, who gave me a Being attended with many Wants
unknown to Brutecreatures, given me a Capacity superior to theirs; and shewn
me, that a moderate Application to Business is proper to my present Condition;
and that this, attended with his Blessing, may supply all outward Wants, while
they remain within the Bounds he hath fixed; and no imaginary Wants, proceeding
from an evil Spirit, have any Place in me? Attend then, O my Soul! to this pure
Wisdom, as thy sure Conductor through the manifold Dangers in this World.
"Doth Pride lead to Vanity? Doth Vanity form imaginary
Wants? Do these Wants prompt Men to exert their Power in requiring that of
others, which they themselves would rather be excused from, were the same
required of them?
"Do these Proceedings beget hard Thoughts? Do hard
Thoughts, when ripe, become Malice? Does Malice, when ripe, become revengeful;
and, in the End, inflict terrible Pains on their Fellow-creatures, and spread
Desolation in the World?
"Doth Mankind, walking in Uprightness, delight in each
other's Happiness? And do these Creatures, capable of this Attainment, by
giving way to an evil Spirit, employ their Wit and Strength to afflict and
destroy one another?
"Remember then, O my Soul! the Quietude of those in
whom Christ governs, and in all thy Proceedings feel after it.
"Doth he condescend to bless thee with his Presence?
To move and influence to Action? To dwell in thee, and walk in thee? Remember
then thy Station, as a Being sacred to God; accept of the Strength freely
offered thee; and take heed that no Weakness, in conforming to expensive,
unwise, and hard-hearted, Customs, gendering to Discord and Strife, be given
way to. Doth he claim my Body as his Temple, and graciously grant that I may be
sacred to him? O! that I may prize this Favour; and that my whole Life may be
conformable to this Character!
"Remember, O my Soul! that the Prince of Peace is thy
Lord: That he communicates his unmixed Wisdom to his Family; that they, living
in perfect Simplicity, may give no just Cause of Offence to any Creature, but
may walk as he walked."
Having felt an Openness in my Heart toward visiting
Families in our own Meeting, and especially in the Town of Mount-Holly, the
Place of my Abode, I mentioned it in our Monthly-meeting the Fore-part of the
Winter, 1764; which being agreed to, and several Friends of our Meeting being
united in the Exercise, we proceeded therein; and, through divine Favour, were
helped in the Work, so that it appeared to me as a fresh reviving of godly Care
amongst
Friends: And, the latter Part of the same Winter, I joined
my Friend WILLIAM JONES, in a Visit to Friends Families in Mansfield; in
which Labour I had Cause to admire the Goodness of the Lord towards us.
Having felt my Mind drawn toward a Visit to Friends along
the Sea-coast from Cape-May to near Squan; and also to visit some People in
those Parts, amongst whom there is no settled Worship; I joined with my beloved
Friend, BENJAMIN JONES, in a Visit there, having Friends Unity therein:
And, setting off the twenty-fourth Day of the tenth Month, 1765, we had a
prosperous and very satisfactory Journey; feeling, at Times, through the
Goodness of the heavenly Shepherd, the Gospel to flow freely toward a poor People
scattered in those Places: And soon after our Return, I joined my
Friends, JOHN SLEEPER and ELIZABETH SMITH,
in visiting Friends Families at Burlington, there being at this Time about
fifty Families of our Society in that City; and we had Cause humbly to adore
our heavenly Father, who baptized us into a Feeling of the State of the People,
and strengthened us to labour in true Gospel-love amongst them.
An Exercise having, at Times, for several Years attended
me, in regard to paying a religious Visit to Friends on the eastern Shore of
Maryland: Such was the Nature of this Exercise, that I believed the Lord moved
me to travel on Foot amongst them, that, by so travelling, I might have a more
lively Feeling of the Condition of the oppressed Slaves, set an Example of
Lowliness before the Eyes of their Masters, and be more out of the Way of
Temptation to unprofitable Converse.
The Time now drawing near in which I believed it my Duty to
lay my Concern before our Monthly-meeting, I perceived, in Conversation with my
beloved Friend, JOHN SLEEPER, that he was under a Concern to travel
the same Way, and also to travel on Foot in the Form of a Servant amongst them,
as he expressed it. This he told me before he knew aught of my Exercise.
We, being thus drawn the same Way, laid our Exercise and
the Nature of it before Friends; and, obtaining Certificates, we set off the
sixth Day of the fifth Month, 1766; and were at Meetings with Friends at
Wilmington, DuckCreek, Little-Creek, and Motherkill; my Heart being sundry
Times tendered under the divine Influence, and enlarged in Love toward the
People amongst whom we travelled.
From Motherkill, we crossed the Country about thirty-five
Miles to Friends at Tuckahoe in Maryland, and had a Meeting there and at
Marshy-Creek.
At these, our three last Meetings, were a considerable
Number of People, Followers of one JOSEPH NICHOLS, a Preacher; who, I understand, is not
in outward Fellowship with any religious Society of People, but professeth
nearly the same Principles as our Society doth, and often travels up and down
appointing Meetings, to which many People come. I heard some Friends speaking
of some of their Neighbours, who had been irreligious People, that were now his
Followers, and were become sober well-behaved Men and Women.
Some Irregularities, I hear, have been amongst the People
at several of his Meetings; but, from the whole of what I have perceived, I
believe the Man and some of his Followers are honestly disposed, but that
skilful Fathers are wanting amongst them: From hence we went to Choptank
andThird-Haven; and thence to Queen Anne's. The Weather having some Days past
been hot and dry, and we, to attend Meetings pursuant to Appointment, having
travelled pretty steadily, and had hard Labour in Meetings, I grew weakly, at
which I was, for a Time, discouraged; but, looking over our Journey, and
thinking how the Lord had supported our Minds and Bodies, so that we got
forward much faster than I expected before we came out, I now saw that I had
been in Danger of too strongly desiring to get soon through the Journey, and
that this bodily Weakness, now attending me, was a Kindness to me; and then, in
Contrition of Spirit, I became very thankful to my gracious Father, for this
Manifestation of his Love; and, in humble Submission to his Will, my Trust was
renewed in him.
On this Part of our Journey, I had many Thoughts on the
different Circumstances of Friends, who inhabit Pennsylvania and Jersey, from
those who dwell in Maryland, Virginia, and Carolina. Pennsylvania and NewJersey
were settled by many Friends, who were convinced of our Principles inEngland in
Times of Suffering, and, coming over, bought Lands of the Natives, and applied
themselves to Husbandry in a peaceable Way; and many of their Children were
taught to labour for their Living.
Few Friends, I believe, came from England to settle in any
of these southern
Provinces; but, by the faithful Labours of travelling
Friends in early Times, there were considerable Convincements amongst the
Inhabitants of these Parts. Here I remembered my reading of the warlike
Disposition of many of the first Settlers in those Provinces, and of their
numerous Engagements with the Natives, in which much Blood was shed, even in
the Infancy of those Colonies. These People, inhabiting those Places, being
grounded in Customs contrary to the pure Truth, when some of them were affected
with the powerful preaching of the Word of Life, and joined in Fellowship with
our Society, they had a great Work to go through. It is observable, in the
History of the Reformation from Popery, that it had a gradual Progress from Age
to Age: The Uprightness of the first Reformers, in attending to the Light and
Understanding given them, opened the Way for sincere-hearted People to proceed
farther afterward; and thus, each one truly fearing God, and labouring in those
Works of Righteousness appointed for him in his Day, findeth Acceptance with
him: Though, through the Darkness of the Times, and the Corruption of Manners
and Customs, some upright Men have had little more for their Day's Work than to
attend to the righteous Principle in their Minds, as it related to their own
Conduct in Life, without pointing out to others the whole Extent of that, which
the same Principle would lead succeeding Ages into. Thus, for Instance, amongst
an imperious warlike People, supported by oppressed Slaves, some of these
Masters, I suppose, are awakened to feel and see their Error; and. through
sincere Repentance, cease from Oppression, and become like Fathers to their
Servants; shewing, by their Example, a Pattern of Humility in living, and
Moderation in governing, for the Instruction and Admonition of their oppressing
Neighbours; those, without carrying the Reformation farther, I believe, have
found Acceptance with the Lord. Such was the Beginning; and those who succeeded
them, and have faithfully attended to the Nature and Spirit of the Reformation,
have seen the Necessity of proceeding forward, and not only to instruct others,
by their Example, in governing well, but also to use Means to prevent their
Successors from having so much Power to oppress others.
Here I was renewedly confirmed in my Mind, that the Lord
(whose tender Mercies are over all his Works, and whose Ear is open to the
Cries and Groans of the Oppressed) is graciously moving on the Hearts of
People, to draw them off from the Desire of Wealth, and bring them into such an
humble, lowly, Way of Living, that they may see their Way clearly, to repair to
the Standard of true Righteousness; and not only break the Yoke of Oppression,
but know him to be their Strength and Support in a Time of outward Affliction.
We, passing on, crossed Chester-River; and had a Meeting
there, and at Cecil and Sassafras. Through my bodily Weakness, joined with a
heavy Exercise of Mind, it was to me an humbling Dispensation, and I had a very
lively Feeling of the State of the Oppressed; yet I often thought, that what I
suffered was little, compared with the Sufferings of the blessed Jesus, and
many of his faithful Followers; and may say, with Thankfulness, I was made
content.
From Sassafras we went pretty directly Home, where we found
our Families well; and, for several Weeks after our Return, I had often to look
over our Journey: And though it appeared to me as a small Service, and that
some faithful Messengers will yet have more bitter Cups to drink in those
southern Provinces, for Christ's Sake, than we had; yet I found Peace in that I
had been helped to walk in Sincerity, according to the Understanding and
Strength given me.
On the thirteenth Day of the eleventh Month, 1766, with the
Unity of Friends at our Monthly-meeting, in Company with my beloved Friend,BENJAMIN JONES,
I set out on a Visit to Friends in the upper Part of this Province, having had
Drawings of Love in my Heart that Way a considerable Time: We travelled as far
as Hardwick; and I had inward Peace in my Labours of Love amongst them.
Through the humbling Dispensations of divine Providence, my
Mind hath been brought into a farther Feeling of the Difficulties of Friends
and their Servants south-westward; and being often engaged in Spirit on their
Account, I believed it my Duty to walk into some Parts of the western Shore
ofMaryland, on a religious Visit; and, having obtained a Certificate from
Friends of our Monthlymeeting, I took my Leave of my Family under the
heart-tendering Operation of Truth; and, on the twentieth Day of the fourth Month,
1767, I rode to the Ferry opposite to Philadelphia, and from thence walked to WILLIAM HORNE'S, at
Derby, that Evening; and next Day pursued my journey alone, and reached Concord
week-day Meeting.
Discouragements and a Weight of Distress had, at Times,
attended me in this lonesome Walk; through which Afflictions I was mercifully
preserved: And now, sitting down with Friends, my Mind was turned toward the
Lord, to wait for his holy Leadings; who, in infinite Love, was pleased to
soften my Heart into an humble Contrition, and did renewedly strengthen me to
go forward; so that to me it was a Time of heavenly Refreshment in a silent
Meeting.
The next Day I came to New-Garden week-day Meeting, in
which I sat with Bowedness of Spirit; and, being baptized into a Feeling of the
State of some present, the Lord gave us a heart-tendering Season; to his Name
be the Praise.
I passed on, and was at Nottingham Monthly-meeting; and at
a Meeting at Little-Britain on First-day: And in the Afternoon several Friends
came to the House where I lodged, and we had a little Afternoon-meeting; and,
through the humbling Power of Truth, I had to admire the Loving-kindness of the
Lord manifested to us!
On the twenty-sixth Day, I crossed Susquehannah; and coming
amongst People in outward Ease and Greatness, chiefly on the Labour of Slaves,
my Heart was much affected; and, in awful Retiredness, my Mind was gathered
inward to the Lord, being humbly engaged that in true Resignation I might
receive Instruction from him, respecting my Duty amongst this People.
Though travelling on Foot was wearisome to my Body; yet
thus travelling was agreeable to the State of my Mind.
I went gently on, being weakly; and was covered with Sorrow
and Heaviness, on Account of the spreading prevailing Spirit of this World,
introducing Customs grievous and oppressive on one Hand, and cherishing Pride
and Wantonness on the other. In this lonely Walk, and State of Abasement and
Humiliation, the State of the Church in these Parts was opened before me; and I
may truly say with the Prophet, "I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I
was dismayed at the seeing of it." Under this Exercise, I attended the
Quarterly-meeting at Gunpowder; and, in Bowedness of Spirit, I had to open,
with much Plainness, what I felt respecting Friends living in Fullness, on the
Labours of the poor oppressed Negroes; and that Promise of the Most High was
now revived: "I will gather all Nations and Tongues; and they shall come
and see my Glory."—Here the Sufferings of Christ, and his tasting Death
for every Man, and the Travels, Sufferings, and Martyrdoms, of the Apostles and
primitive Christians, in labouring for the Conversion of the Gentiles, were
livingly revived in me; and, according to the Measure of Strength afforded, I
laboured in some Tenderness of Spirit, being deeply affected amongst them: And
thus the Difference, between the present Treatment which these Gentiles, the
Negroes, receive at our Hands, and the Labours of the primitive Christians for
the Conversion of the Gentiles was pressed home, and the Power of Truth came
over us; under a Feeling of which, my Mind was united to a tender-hearted
People in those Parts; and the Meeting concluded in a Sense of God's Goodness
toward his humble dependent Children.
The next Day was a general Meeting for Worship, much
crouded; in which I was deeply engaged in inward Cries to the Lord for Help,
that I might stand wholly resigned, and move only as he might be pleased to
lead me: And I was mercifully helped to labour honestly and fervently amongst
them, in which I found inward Peace; and the Sincere were comforted.
From hence I turned toward Pipe-Creek, and passed on to the
Red-Lands; and had several Meetings amongst Friends in those Parts. My Heart
was often tenderly affected, under a Sense of the Lord's Goodness, in
sanctifying my Troubles and Exercises, turning them to my Comfort, and, I
believe, to the Benefit of many others; for, I may say, with Thankfulness, that
in this Visit, it appeared like a fresh tendering Visitation in most Places.
I passed on to the western Quarterly-meeting in
Pennsylvania; during the several Days of this Meeting, I was mercifully
preserved in an inward feeling after the Mind of Truth, and my publick Labours
tended to my Humiliation, with which I was content: And, after the
Quarterly-meeting of Worship ended, I felt Drawings to go to the Women's
Meeting of Business; which was very full: And here the Humility of Jesus
Christ, as a Pattern for us to walk by, was livingly opened before me; and in
treating on it my Heart was enlarged; and it was a baptizing Time. From hence I
went on; and was at Meetings at Concord, Middletown, Providence, and
Haddonfield, and so Home; where I
found my Family well. A sense of the Lord's merciful
Preservation, in this my Journey, excites reverent Thankfulness to him.
On the second Day of the ninth Month, 1767, with the Unity
of Friends, I set off on a Visit to Friends in the upper Part of Berks and
PhiladelphiaCounties; was at eleven Meetings in about two Weeks; and have
renewed Cause to bow in Reverence before the Lord, who, by the powerful
Extendings of his humbling Goodness, opened my Way amongst Friends, and made
the Meetings (I trust) profitable to us. And, the Winter following, I joined
Friends on a Visit to Friends Families, in some Part of our Meeting; in which Exercise,
the pure Influence of divine Love made our Visits reviving.
On the fifth Day of the fifth Month, 1768, I left Home
under the humbling Hand of the Lord, having obtained a Certificate, in order to
visit some Meetings in Maryland; and to proceed without a Horse looked clearest
to me. I was at the Quarterly-meetings at Philadelphia and Concord; and then
went on to ChesterRiver; and, crossing the Bay with Friends, was at the
Yearly-meeting at WestRiver; thence back to Chester-River; and, taking a few
Meetings in my Way, proceeded Home. It was a Journey of much inward Waiting;
and, as my Eye was to the Lord, Way was, several Times, opened to my humbling
Admiration, when Things had appeared very difficult.
In my Return, I felt a Relief of Mind, very comfortable to
me; having, through divine Help, laboured in much Plainness, both with Friends
selected, and in the more publick Meetings; so that (I trust) the pure Witness,
in many Minds, was reached.
The eleventh Day of the sixth Month, 1769. Sundry Cases
have happened, of late Years, within the Limits of our Monthly-meeting,
respecting that of exercising pure Righteousness toward the Negroes; in which I
have lived under a Labour of Heart, that Equity might be steadily kept to. On
this Account, I have had some close Exercises amongst Friends; in which, I may
thankfully say, I find Peace: And, as my Meditations have been on universal
Love, my own Conduct in Time past became of late very grievous to me.
As Persons, setting Negroes free in our Province, are bound
by Law to maintain them, in case they have Need of Relief, some, who scrupled
keeping Slaves for Term of Life, in the Time of my Youth, were wont to detain
their young Negroes in their Service till thirty Years of Age, without Wages,
on that Account; and with this Custom I so far agreed, that I, being joined to
another Friend, in executing the Will of a deceased Friend, once sold a Negro
Lad till he might attain the Age of thirty Years, and applied the Money to the
Use of the Estate.
With Abasement of Heart, I may now say, that sometimes, as
I have sat in a Meeting, with my Heart exercised toward that awful Being, who
respecteth not Persons nor Colours, and have looked upon this Lad, I have felt
that all was not clear in my Mind respecting him; and as I have attended to
this Exercise, and fervently sought the Lord, it hath appeared to me, that I
should make some Restitution, but in what Way I saw not till lately; when,
being under some Concern that I may be resigned to go on a Visit to some Part
of the West-Indies, and under close Engagement of Spirit, seeking to the Lord
for Counsel herein, that of my joining in the Sale aforesaid, came heavily upon
me; and my Mind, for a Time, was covered with Darkness and Sorrow; and, under
this sore Affliction, my Heart was softened to receive Instruction: And here I
first saw, that, as I had been one of the two Executors, who had sold this Lad
nine Years longer than is common for our own Children to serve, so I should now
offer a Part of my Substance to redeem the last Half of that nine Years; but,
as the Time was not yet come, I executed a Bond, binding me and my Executors to
pay to the Man, he was sold to, what, to candid Men, might appear equitable for
the last four Years and a Half of his Time, in case the said Youth should be
living, and in a Condition likely to provide comfortably for himself.
The ninth Day of the tenth Month, 1769. My Heart hath often
been deeply afflicted under a Feeling I have had, that the Standard of pure
Righteousness is not lifted up to the People by us, as a Society, in that
Clearness which it might have been, had we been so faithful to the Teachings of
Christ as we ought to have been: And, as my Mind hath been inward to the Lord,
the Purity of Christ's Government hath been opened in my Understanding; and,
under this Exercise, that of Friends being active in civil Society, in putting
Laws in force which are not agreeable to the Purity of Righteousness, hath, for
several Years, been an increasing Burthen upon me; having felt, in the Openings
of universal Love, that where a People, convinced of the Truth of the inward
Teachings of Christ, are active in putting Laws in Execution which are not
consistent with pure Wisdom, it hath a necessary Tendency to bring Dimness over
their Minds: And, as my Heart hath been thus exercised, and a tender Sympathy
in me toward my Fellow-members, I have, within a few Months past, in several
Meetings for Discipline, expressed my Concern on this Subject.
CHAPTER X
His preparing to visit Friends in England—His embarking at
Chester, in Company with SAMUEL EMLEN, in a Ship bound to London—His deep
Exercise, in observing the Difficulties and Hardships the common Sailors are
exposed to—Considerations on the Dangers to which Youth are exposed, in being
trained to a sea-faring Life; and its Inconsistency with a pious Education—His
Thoughts in a Storm at Sea: With many instructive Contemplations on the
Voyage—And his Arrival at London
Having been some Time under a religious Concern to prepare
for crossing the Seas, in order to visit Friends in the northern Parts of
England, and more particularly Yorkshire; after weighty Consideration, I
thought it expedient to inform Friends, at our Monthly-meeting at Burlington,
of it; who, having Unity with me therein, gave me a Certificate; and I
afterward communicated the same to our Quarterly-meeting, and they likewise
certified their Concurrence therewith. Some Time after which, at the general Spring-meeting
of Ministers and Elders, I thought it my Duty to acquaint them of the religious
Exercise which attended my Mind; with which they likewise signified their Unity
by a Certificate, dated the twenty-fourth Day of the third Month, 1772,
directed to Friends in Great-Britain.
In the fourth Month following, I thought the Time was come
for me to make some Enquiry for a suitable Conveyance; being apprehensive that,
as my Concern was principally toward the northern Parts of England, it would be
most proper to go in a Vessel bound to Liverpool or Whitehaven: And, while I
was at Philadelphia, deliberating on this Occasion, I was informed, that my
beloved Friend, SAMUEL EMLEN, jun., intending to go toLondon, and
having taken a Passage for himself in the Cabbin of a Ship, called Mary and
Elizabeth, of which JAMES SPARKS was Master, and JOHN HEAD,
of the City of Philadelphia, one of the Owners; and I feeling a Draught in my
Mind toward the Steerage of the same Ship, went first and opened to SAMUEL
the Feeling I had concerning it.
My beloved Friend appeared glad that I had Thoughts of
going in the Vessel with him, though my Prospect was toward the Steerage; and
he, offering to go with me, we went on board, first in the Cabbin, a commodious
Room, and then into the Steerage; where we sat down on a Chest, the Sailors
being busy about us: Then the Owner of the Ship came, and sat down with us.
Here my Mind was turned toward Christ, the heavenly
Counsellor; and I feeling, at this Time, my own Will subjected, my Heart was
contrite before him.
A Motion was made, by the Owner, to go and sit in the
Cabbin, as a Place more retired; but I felt easy to leave the Ship, and made no
Agreement as to a Passage in her; but told the Owner, if I took a Passage in
the Ship, I believed it would be in the Steerage; but did not say much as to my
Exercise in that Case.
I went to my Lodgings, and soon after went to Bed, and my
Mind was under a deep Exercise before the Lord; whose helping Hand was
manifested to me as I slept that Night, and his Love strengthened my Heart. In
the Morning I went with two Friends on board the Vessel again; and, after a
short Time spent therein, I went, with SAMUEL EMLEN,
to the House of the Owner; to whom, in the Hearing of SAMUEL only, I opened
my Exercise, in relation to a Scruple with regard to a Passage in the Cabbin.
After this I agreed for a Passage in the Steerage; and,
hearing in Town that JOSEPH WHITE had a Desire to see me, I felt the
Reviving of a Desire to see him, and went then to his House, and next Day Home;
where I tarried two Nights; and then, early in the Morning, I parted with my
Family, under a Sense of the humbling Hand of God upon me; and going to
Philadelphia, had Opportunity with several of my beloved Friends; who appeared
to be concerned for me, on Account of the unpleasant Situation of that Part of the
Vessel where I was likely to lodge.
Having
stayed two Nights in Philadelphia, I went the next
Day to Derby Monthly-meeting; where,
through the Strength of divine Love, my Heart was enlarged toward the Youth
then present; under which I was helped to labour in some Tenderness of Spirit.
Then, lodging at WILLIAM HORNE'S, I, with one Friend, went to Chester; where,
meeting with SAMUEL EMLEN, we went on board, the first Day of the
fifth Month, 1772; and, as I sat down alone, on a Seat on the Deck, I felt a
satisfactory Evidence that my Proceedings were not in my own Will, but under
the Power of the Cross of Christ.
Seventh Day of the fifth Month. We have had rough Weather
mostly since I came on board; and the Passengers, JAMES REYNOLDS,
JOHN TILL-ADAMS,SARAH LOGAN
and her hired Maid, and JOHN BISPHAM, were all sea-sick, more or less, at
Times; from which Sickness, through the tender Mercies of my heavenly Father, I
have been preserved; my Afflictions now being of another Kind.
There appeared an Openness in the Minds of the Master of
the Ship and of the Cabbin-Passengers toward me: We were often together on the
Deck, and sometimes in the Cabbin.
My Mind, through the merciful Help of the Lord, hath been
preserved in a good Degree, watchful and inward; and I have, this Day, great
Cause to be thankful, in that I remain to feel Quietness of Mind.
As my lodging in the Steerage, now near a Week, hath
afforded me sundry Opportunities of seeing, hearing, and feeling, with respect
to the Life and Spirit of many poor Sailors, an inward Exercise of Soul hath
attended me, in regard to placing our Children and Youth where they may be
likely to be exampled and instructed in the pure Fear of the Lord; and I, being
much amongst the
Seamen, have, from a Motion of Love, sundry Times taken
Opportunities, with one of them at a Time alone, and in a free Conversation
laboured to turn their Minds toward the Fear of the Lord: And this Day we had a
Meeting in the Cabbin, where my Heart was contrite under a Feeling of divine
Love.
Now, concerning Lads being trained up as Seamen; I believe
a Communication from one Part of the World to some other Parts of it, by Sea,
is, at Times, consistent with the Will of our heavenly Father; and to educate
some Youth in the Practice of sailing, I believe, may be right: But how
lamentable is the present Corruption of the World! how impure are the Channels
through which Trade hath a Conveyance! how great is that Danger, to which poor
Lads are now exposed, when placed on shipboard to learn the Art of sailing!
O! that all may take Heed and beware of Covetousness! O
that all may learn of Christ, who was meek and low of Heart! Then, in
faithfully following him, he will teach us to be content with Food and Raiment,
without respect to the Customs or Honours of this World.
Men, thus redeemed, will feel a tender Concern for their
Fellow-creatures, and a Desire that those in the lowest Stations may be
assisted and encouraged; and, where Owners of Ships attain to the perfect Law
of Liberty, and are Doers of the Word, these will be blessed in their Deeds.
Rising to work in the Night is not commonly pleasant in any
case; but, in dark rainy Nights, it is very disagreeable, even though each Man
were furnished with all Conveniences: But, if Men must go out at Midnight, to
help manage the Ship in the Rain, and, having small Room to sleep and lay their
Garments in, are often beset to furnish themselves for the Watch, their
Garments or something relating to their Business being wanting and not easily
found, when, from the Urgency occasioned by high Winds, they are hastened and
called up suddenly, here is a Trial of Patience on the poor Sailors and the
poor Lads their Companions.
If, after they have been on Deck several Hours in the
Night, and come down into the Steerage soaking wet, and are so close stowed
that proper Convenience for change of Garment is not easily come at, but for
Want of proper Room, their wet Garments are thrown in Heaps, and sometimes,
through much crouding, are trodden under Foot in going to their Lodgings and
getting out of them, and they have great Difficulties, at Times, each one to
find his own, here are Trials on the poor Sailors.
Now, as I have been with them in my Lodge, my Heart hath
often yearned for them, and tender Desires have been raised in me, that all
Owners and Masters of Vessels may dwell in the Love of God, and therein act
uprightly; and, by seeking less for Gain, and looking carefully to their Ways,
may earnestly labour to remove all Cause of Provocation from the poor Seamen,
either to fret or use Excess of Strong-drink; for, indeed, the poor Creatures,
at Times, in the Wet and Cold, seem to apply to Strong-drink to supply the Want
of other Convenience.
Great Reformation in the World is wanting; and the
Necessity of it, amongst these who do Business on great Waters, hath, at this
Time, been abundantly opened before me.
The eighth Day of the fifth Month. This Morning the Clouds
gathered, the Wind blew strong from South-eastward, and before Noon increased
to that Degree that Sailing appeared dangerous. The Seamen then bound up some
of their Sails, and took down some; and, the Storm increasing, they put the
Deadlights, so called, into the Cabbin-Windows, and lighted a Lamp as at Night.
The Wind now blew vehemently, and the Sea wrought to that
Degree, that an awful Seriousness prevailed in the Cabbin, in which I spent, I
believe, about seventeen Hours; for I believed the poor wet toiling Seamen had
Need of all the Room in the crouded Steerage, and the Cabbin-Passengers had
given me frequent Invitations.
They ceased now from Sailing, and put the Vessel in the
Posture called, lyingto.
My Mind, in this Tempest, through the gracious Assistance
of the Lord, was preserved in a good Degree of Resignation; and I felt, at
Times, a few Words in his Love to my Ship-mates, in regard to the
All-sufficiency of him who formed the great Deep, and whose Care is so
extensive, that a Sparrow falls not without his Notice; and thus, in a tender
Frame of Mind, spake to them of the Necessity of our yielding, in true
Obedience, to theInstructions of our heavenly Father, who sometimes, through
Adversities, intendeth our Refinement.
About eleven at Night I went out on the Deck, when the Sea
wrought exceedingly, and the high-foaming Waves, all round about, had in some
Sort the Appearance of Fire, but did not give much, if any, Light.
The Sailor, then at the Helm, said he lately saw a
Corposant at the Head of the Mast.
About this Time I observed the Master of the Ship ordered
the Carpenter to keep on the Deck; and, though he said little, I apprehended
his Care was, that the Carpenter, with his axe, might be in Readiness, in case
of any Extremity.
Soon after this, the Vehemency of the Wind abated; and,
before Morning, they again put the Ship under Sail.
The tenth Day of the Month, and first of the Week, it being
fine Weather, we had a Meeting in the Cabbin, at which most of the Seamen were
present: This Meeting to me was a strengthening Time.
The thirteenth Day of the Month. As I continue to lodge in
the Steerage, I feel an Openness this Morning, to express something farther of
the State of my Mind, in Respect to poor Lads bound Apprentice to learn the Art
of Sailing. As I believe Sailing is of some Use in the World, a Labour of Soul
attends me, that the pure Counsel of Truth may be humbly waited for in this
Case, by all concerned in the Business of the Seas.
A pious Father, whose Mind is exercised for the everlasting
Welfare of his Child, may not, with a peaceable Mind, place him out to an
Employment amongst a People, whose common Course of Life is manifestly corrupt
and prophane; so great is the present Defect amongst Seafaring Men, in regard
to Piety and Virtue: And, through an abundant Traffic, and many Ships of War,
so many People are employed on the Sea, that this Subject of placing Lads to
the Employment appears very weighty.
Prophane Examples are very corrupting, and very forcible.
And as my Mind, Day after Day, and Night after Night, hath been affected with a
sympathizing Tenderness toward poor Children, put to the Employment of Sailors,
I have sometimes had weighty Conversation with the Sailors in the Steerage, who
were mostly respectful to me, and more and more so the longer I was with them:
They mostly appeared to take kindly what I said to them; but their Minds have
appeared to be so deeply impressed with that almost universal Depravity amongst
Sailors, that the poor Creatures, in their Answers to me on this Subject, have
revived in my Remembrance that of the degenerate Jews a little before the
Captivity, as repeated byJEREMIAH the Prophet, "There is no Hope."
Now, under this Exercise, a Sense of the Desire of outward
Gain prevailing amongst us hath felt grievous, and a strong Call to the
professed Followers of Christ hath been raised in me, that all may take Heed,
lest, through loving this present World, they be found in a continued Neglect
of Duty, with respect to a faithful Labour for a Reformation.
Silence, as to every Motion proceeding from the Love of
Money, and an humble Waiting upon God to know his Will concerning us, has now
appeared necessary: He alone is able to strengthen us to dig deep, to remove
all which lies between us and the safe Foundation, and so direct us in our
outward Employments, that pure universal Love may shine forth in our
Proceedings.
Desires arising from the Spirit of Truth are pure Desires;
and when a Mind, divinely opened toward a young Generation, is made sensible of
corrupting Examples, powerfully working, and extensively spreading amongst
them, how moving is the Prospect!
The sixteenth Day of the Month. Wind for several Days past
often high, what the Sailors call squally, rough Sea and frequent Rains. This
last Night a very trying Night to the poor Seamen: The Water, chief Part of the
Night, running over the main Deck, and sometimes Breaking-waves came on the
Quarterdeck. The latter Part of the Night, as I lay in Bed, my Mind was humbled
under the Power of divine Love; and Resignedness to the great Creator of the
Earth and Seas, renewedly wrought in me; whose fatherly Care over his Children
felt precious to my Soul: And Desires were now renewed in me, to embrace every
Opportunity of being inwardly acquainted with the Hardships and Difficulties of
my Fellow-creatures, and to labour in his Love for the spreading of pure universal
Righteousness on the Earth. The Opportunities were frequent of hearing
Conversation amongst the Sailors, in respect to the Voyages to Africa, and the
Manner of bringing the deeply-oppressed Slaves into our Islands. The Thoughts
of their Condition, frequently in Chains and Fetters on board the Vessels, with
Hearts loaded with Grief, under the Apprehensions of miserable Slavery; my Mind
was frequently opened to meditate on these Things.
On the seventeenth Day of the Month, and first of the Week,
we had a Meeting in the Cabbin; to which the Seamen generally came. My Spirit
was contrite before the Lord; whose Love, at this Time, affected my Heart.
This Afternoon I felt a tender Sympathy of Soul with my
poor Wife and Family left behind; in which State, my Heart was enlarged in
Desires that they may walk in that humble Obedience wherein the everlasting
Father may be their Guide and Support, through all the Difficulties in this
World; and a Sense of that gracious Assistance, through which my Mind hath been
strengthened to take up the Cross and leave them, to travel in the Love of
Truth, hath begotten Thankfulness in my Heart to our great Helper.
On the twenty-fourth Day of the Month, and first of the
Week, a clear pleasant Morning: And, as I sat on Deck, I felt a Reviving in my
Nature; which, through much rainy Weather and high Winds, being shut up in a
close unhealthy Air, was weakened.
Several Nights of late I felt Breathing difficult; so that
a little after the rising of the second Watch (which is about Midnight) I got
up, and stood, I believe, near an Hour, with my Face near the Hatchway, to get
the fresh Air at the small Vacancy under the Hatch-door; which is commonly shut
down, partly to keep out Rain, and sometimes to keep the Breaking-waves from
dashing into the Steerage.
I may, with Thankfulness to the Father of Mercies,
acknowledge, that, in my present weak State, my Mind hath been supported to
bear the Affliction with Patience; and have looked at the present Dispensation
as a Kindness from the great Father of Mankind, who, in this my floating
Pilgrimage, is in some Degree bringing me to feel that, which many thousands of
my Fellow-creatures often suffer in a greater Degree.
My Appetite failing, the Trial hath been the heavier; and I
have felt tender Breathings in my Soul after God, the Fountain of Comfort,
whose inward Help hath supplied, at Times, the Want of outward Convenience: And
strong Desires have attended me, that his Family, who are acquainted with the
Movings of his holy Spirit, may be so redeemed from the Love of Money, and from
that Spirit in which Men seek Honour one of another, that in all Business, by
Sea or Land, we may constantly keep in View the coming of his Kingdom on Earth,
as it is in Heaven; and, by faithfully following this safe Guide, shew forth
Examples, tending to lead out of that under which the Creation groans!
This Day we had a Meeting in the Cabbin; in which I was
favoured in some Degree to experience the fulfilling of that Saying of the
Prophet, "The Lord hath been a Strength to the Poor, a Strength to the
Needy in their Distress;" for which, my Heart is bowed in Thankfulness
before him!
The twenty-eighth Day of the Month.—Wet Weather of late,
small Winds inclining to Calms: Our Seamen have cast a Lead, I suppose about
one hundred Fathoms, but find no Bottom: Foggy Weather this Morning.
Through the Kindness of the great Preserver of Men my Mind
remains quiet; and a Degree of Exercise, from Day to Day, attends me, that the
pure peaceable Government of Christ may spread and prevail amongst Mankind.
The leading on of a young Generation in that pure Way in
which the Wisdom of this World hath no Place; where Parents and Tutors, humbly
waiting for the heavenly Counsellor, may example them in the Truth, as it is in
Jesus;—this, for several Days, hath been the Exercise of my Mind. O! how safe,
how quiet, is that State, where the Soul stands in pure Obedience to the Voice
of Christ, and a watchful Care is maintained not to follow the Voice of the
Stranger!
Here Christ is felt to be our Shepherd, and, under his
Leading, People are brought to a Stability; and, where he doth not lead
forward, we are bound, in the Bonds of pure Love, to stand still and wait upon
him. In the Love of Money, and in the Wisdom of this World, Business is
proposed; then the Urgency of Affairs pushes forward; nor can the Mind in this
State, discern the good and perfect Will of God concerning us.
The Love of God is manifested in graciously calling us to
come out of that which stands in Confusion: But, if we bow not in the Name of
Jesus; if we give not up those Prospects of Gain, which, in the Wisdom of this
World, are open before us, but say, in our Hearts, I must needs go on, and, in
going on, I hope to keep as near to the Purity of Truth as the Business before
me will admit of; here the Mind remains entangled, and the Shining of the Light
of Life into the Soul is obstructed.
In an entire Subjection of our Wills the Lord graciously
opens a Way for his
People, where all their Wants are bounded by his Wisdom;
and here we experience the Substance of what Moses the Prophet figured out in
the Water of Separation, as a Purification from Sin.
Esau is mentioned as a Child red all over, like a hairy
Garment: In Esau is represented the natural Will of Man. In preparing the Water
of Separation, a red Heifer, without Blemish, on which there had been no Yoke,
was to be slain, and her Blood sprinkled by the Priest seven Times toward the
Tabernacle of the Congregation; then her Skin, her Flesh, and all pertaining to
her, were to be burnt without the Camp; and of her Ashes the Water was
prepared. Thus the crucifying the old Man, or natural Will, is represented; and
hence comes a Separation from that carnal Mind, which is Death.
"He who toucheth the dead Body of a Man, and purifieth
not himself with the Water of Separation, he defileth the Tabernacle of the
Lord; he is unclean." Numb. xix. 13.
If any, through the Love of Gain, go forth into Business,
wherein they dwell as amongst the Tombs, and touch the Bodies of those who are
dead; if these, through the infinite Love of God feel the Power of the Cross of
Christ to crucify them to the World, and therein learn humbly to follow the
divine Leader;—here is the Judgment of this World;—here the Prince of this
World is cast out.
The Water of Separation is felt; and, though we have been
amongst the Slain, and, through the Desire of Gain, have touched the dead Body
of a Man, yet, in the purifying Love of Christ, we are washed in the Water of
Separation; are brought off from that Business, from that Gain, and from that
Fellowship, which was not agreeable to his holy Will: And I have felt a renewed
Confirmation, in the Time of this Voyage, that the Lord, in his infinite Love,
is calling to his visited Children, so to give up all outward Possessions and
Means of getting Treasures, that his holy Spirit may have free Course in their
Hearts, and direct them in all their Proceedings.
To feel the Substance pointed at in this Figure, Man must
know Death, as to his own Will.
"No Man can see God, and live." This was spoken
by the Almighty to Moses the Prophet, and opened by our blessed Redeemer.
As Death comes on our own Wills, and a new Life is formed
in us, the Heart is purified and prepared to understand clearly. "Blessed
are the Pure in Heart; for they shall see God." In Purity of Heart the
Mind is divinely opened to behold the Nature of universal Righteousness, or the
Righteousness of the Kingdom of God. "No Man hath seen the Father, save he
that is of God; he hath seen the Father."
The natural Mind is active about the Things of this Life;
and, in this natural
Activity, Business is proposed, and a Will in us to go
forward in it. As long as this natural Will remains unsubjected, so long there
remains an Obstruction against the Clearness of divine Light operating in us;
but when we love God with all our Heart, and with all our Strength, then in
this Love, we love our Neighbours as ourselves; and a Tenderness of Heart is
felt toward all People for whom Christ died, even such who, as to outward
Circumstances, may be to us as the Jews were to the Samaritans. Who is my
Neighbour? See this Question answered by our Saviour, Luke x. 30.
In this Love we can say, that Jesus is the Lord; and the
Reformation in our Souls is manifested in a full Reformation of our Lives,
wherein all Things are new, and all Things are of God; 2 Cor. v. 18. in this
the Desire of Gain is subjected.
When Employment is honestly followed in the Light of Truth,
and People become diligent in Business, "fervent in Spirit, serving the
Lord;" Rom. xii. 11. here the Name is opened: "This is the Name by
which he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Jerem. xxiii. 6. O!
how precious is this Name! it is like Ointment poured out. The chaste Virgins
are in Love with the Redeemer; and, for the promoting his peaceable Kingdom in
the World, are content to endure Hardness, like good Soldiers; and are so
separated in Spirit from the Desire of Riches, that in their Employments they
become extensively careful to give none Offence, neither to Jews nor Heathen,
nor the Church of Christ.
On the thirty-first Day of the Month, and first of the
Week, we had a Meeting in the Cabbin, with near all the Ship's Company; the
Whole being near thirty. In this Meeting, the Lord, in Mercy, favoured us with
the Extendings of his Love.
The second Day of the sixth Month. Last Evening the Seamen
found Bottom at about seventy Fathoms.
This Morning, fair Wind, and pleasant. As I sat on Deck, my
Heart was overcome with the Love of Christ, and melted into Contrition before
him; and, in this State, the Prospect of that Work, to which I have felt my
Mind drawn when in my native Land, being in some Degree opened before me, I
felt like a little Child: and my Cries were put up to my heavenly Father for
Preservation, that, in a humble Dependence on him, my Soul might bestrengthened
in his Love, and kept inwardly waiting for his Counsel.
This Afternoon we saw that Part of England called the
Lizard.
Some Dunghill-fowls yet remained of those the Passengers
took for their Seastore; I believe about fourteen perished in the Storms at
Sea, by the Waves breaking over the Quarter-deck; and a considerable Number
with Sickness, at different Times. I observed the Cocks crew, coming down
theDelaware, and while we were near the Land; but afterward I think I did not
hear one of them crow till we came near the Land in England, when they again
crowed a few Times.
In observing their dull Appearance at Sea, and the pining
Sickness of some of them, I often remembered the Fountain of Goodness, who gave
Being to all Creatures, and whose Love extends to that of caring for the
Sparrows; and believe, where the Love of God is verily perfected, and the true
Spirit of Government watchfully attended to, a Tenderness toward all Creatures
made subject to us will be experienced, and a Care felt in us, that we do not
lessen that Sweetness of Life, in the animal Creation, which the great Creator
intends for them in our Government.
The fourth Day of the Month. About Noon a Pilot came off
from Dover; where my beloved Friend, SAMUEL EMLEN, went on Shore, and thence toLondon; but I
felt easy in staying in the Ship.
The seventh Day of the Month, and first of the Week. Clear
Morning; we lay at Anchor for the Tide, and had a Parting-meeting with the
Ship's Company; in which my Heart was enlarged in a fervent Concern for them,
that they may come to experience Salvation through Christ. We had a Head-Wind
up the Thames; lay sometimes at Anchor; saw many Ships passing, and some at
Anchor near; and had large Opportunity of feeling the Spirit in which the poor
bewildered Sailors too generally live.—That lamentable Degeneracy, which so
much prevails on the People employed on the Seas, so affected my Heart, that I
cannot easily convey the Feeling I have had to another.
CHAPTER XI
His attending the Yearly-meeting in London; and, after it,
proceeding towards Yorkshire, visiting several Quarterly and other Meetings in
the
Counties of Hertford, Warwick, Oxford,
Nottingham,
York, and Westmoreland; and thence again into Yorkshire,
and to the City ofYork; with some instructive Thoughts and Observations, and
Letters on divers Subjects—His hearing of the Decease of WILLIAM HUNT;and
some Account of him—His Sickness at York; and End of his Pilgrimage there
On the eighth Day of the sixth Month, 1772, we landed at
London; and I went straightway to the Yearly-meeting of Ministers and Elders,
which had been gathered (I suppose) about half an Hour.
In this Meeting my Mind was humbly contrite: In the
Afternoon the Meeting of Business opened; which, by Adjournments, held near a
Week. In these Meetings I often felt a living Concern for the Establishment of
Friends in the pure Life of Truth; and my Heart was enlarged in the Meeting of
Ministers, Meeting of Business, and in several Meetings of publick Worship; and
I felt my Mind united in true Love to the faithful Labourers now gathered at
this Yearlymeeting.
On the fifteenth Day of the Month, I left London, and went
to a Quarterlymeeting at Hertford.
The first Day of the seventh Month. I have been at
Quarterly-meetings at Sherrington, Northampton, Banbury, and Shipston; and had
sundry Meetings between: My Mind hath been bowed under a Sense of divine
Goodness manifested amongst us; my Heart hath been often enlarged in true Love,
both amongst Ministers and Elders, and in publick Meetings; that through the
Lord's Goodness, I believe it hath been a fresh Visitation to many, in
particular to the Youth.
The seventeenth Day of the Month. Was this Day at
Birmingham: Have been at Meetings at Coventry, Warwick, in Oxfordshire, and
sundry other Places; have felt the humbling Hand of the Lord upon me; and
through his tender Mercies find Peace in the Labours I have gone through.
The twenty-sixth Day of the Month. I have continued
travelling northward, visiting Meetings: Was this Day at Nottingham; which, in
the Forenoon especially, was, through divine Love, a Heart-tendering Season:
Next Day had a Meeting in a Friend's House with Friends Children and some
Friends; this, through the strengthening Arm of the Lord, was a Time to be
thankfully remembered.
The second Day of the eighth Month, and first of the Week.
Was this Day at Sheffield, a large inland Town: Have been at sundry Meetings
last Week; and feel inward Thankfulness for that divine Support, which hath
been graciously extended to me.
The ninth Day of the Month, and first of the Week, was at
Rushworth: Have lately passed through some painful Labour; but have been
comforted, under a Sense of that divine Visitation, which I feel extended
toward many young People.
The sixteenth Day of the Month, and first of the Week, I
was at Settle: It hath of late been a Time of inward Poverty; under which my
Mind hath been preserved in a watchful tender State, feeling for the Mind of
the holy Leader, and I find Peace in the Labours I have passed through.
I have felt great Distress of Mind, since I came on this
Island, on Account of the Members of our Society being mixed with the World in
various Sorts of Business and Traffick, carried on in impure Channels. Great is
the Trade to Africa for Slaves! and, in loading these Ships, abundance of
People are employed in the Factories; amongst whom are many of our Society.
Friends, in early Times, refused, on a religious Principle, to make, or trade
in,
Superfluities; of which we have many large Testimonies on
Record; but, for Want of Faithfulness, some gave way; even some, whose Examples
were of Note in our Society; and from thence others took more Liberty. Members
of our Society worked in Superfluities, and bought and sold them; and thus
Dimness of Sight came over many: At length, Friends got into the Use of some
Superfluities in Dress, and in the Furniture of their Houses; and this hath
spread from less to more, till Superfluity of some Kinds is common amongst us.
In this declining State, many look at the Example one of
another, and too much neglect the pure Feeling of Truth. Of late Years, a deep
Exercise hath attended my Mind, that Friends may dig deep, may carefully cast
forth the loose Matter, and get down to the Rock, the sure Foundation, and
there hearken to that divine Voice which gives a clear and certain Sound; and I
have felt in that which doth not deceive, that if Friends, who have known the
Truth, keep in that Tenderness of Heart, where all Views of outward Gain are
given up, and their Trust is only on the Lord, he will graciously lead some to
be Patterns of deep Self-denial in Things relating to Trade and
Handicraft-labour; and that some, who have plenty of the Treasures of this
World, will example in a plain frugal Life, and pay Wages, to such as they may
hire, more liberally than is now customary in some Places.
The twenty-third Day of the Month. Was this Day at
Preston-Patrick, and had a comfortable Meeting. I have, several Times, been
entertained at the Houses of Friends, who had sundry Things about them which
had the Appearance of outward Greatness; and, as I have kept inward, Way hath
opened for Conversation with such in private, in which Divine Goodness hath
favoured us together with heart-tendering Times.
I rested a few Days, in Body and Mind, with our Friend JANE CROSFIELD;
who was once in America: Was, on the sixth Day of the Week, at Kendal
inWestmoreland; and at Greyrig Meeting the thirtieth Day of the Month, and
first of the Week.
I have known Poverty of late, and been graciously supported
to keep in the Patience; and am thankful, under a Sense of the Goodness of the
Lord toward those that are of a contrite Spirit.
The sixth Day of the ninth Month, and first of the Week.
Was this Day at Counterside, a large Meeting-house, and very full; and, through
the Opening of pure Love, it was a strengthening Time to me, and (I believe) to
many more.
The thirteenth Day of the Month. Was this Day at Richmond,
a small Meeting; but, the Town's People coming in, the House was crowded: It
was a Time of heavy Labour; and (I believe) was a profitable Meeting.
At this Place I heard that my Kinsman WILLIAM HUNT,
from North-Carolina, who was on a religious Visit to Friends in England,
departed this Life on the ninth Day of the ninth Month, Instant, of the
Small-pox, at Newcastle.—He appeared in the Ministry when a Youth; and his
Labours therein were of good Savour. He travelled much in that Work in America.
I once heard him say, in publick Testimony, that his Concern was (in that
Visit) to be devoted to the Service of Christ so fully, that he might not spend
one Minute in pleasing himself: Which Words, joined with his Example, were a
Means of stirring up the pure Mind in me.
On this Visit to England I have felt some Instructions
sealed on my Mind, which I am concerned to leave in Writing, for the Use of
such as are called to the Station of a Minister of Christ.
Christ being the Prince of Peace, and we being no more than
Ministers, I find it necessary for us, not only to feel a Concern in our first
going forth, but to experience the renewing thereof, in the Appointment of
Meetings.
I felt a Concern, in America, to prepare for this Voyage;
and, being, through the Mercy of God, brought safe here, my Heart was like a
Vessel that wanted Vent; and for several Weeks, at first, when my Mouth was
opened in Meetings, it often felt like the raising of a Gate in a Water-course,
where a Weight of Water lay upon it; and in these Labours there appeared a
fresh Visitation to many, especially the Youth; but sometimes, after this, I
felt empty and poor, and yet felt a Necessity to appoint Meetings.
In this State I was exercised to abide in the pure Life of
Truth, and in all my Labours to watch diligently against the Motions of Self in
my own Mind.
I have frequently felt a Necessity to stand up, when the
Spring of the Ministry was low; and to speak from the Necessity, in that which
subjecteth the Will of the Creature; and herein I was united with the suffering
Seed, and found inward Sweetness with these mortifying Labours.
As I have been preserved in a watchful Attention to the
divine Leader, under these Dispensations, Enlargement at Times hath followed,
and the Power of Truth hath risen higher, in some Meetings, than I ever knew it
before through me.
Thus I have been more and more instructed, as to the
Necessity of depending, not upon a Concern which I felt in America, to come on
a Visit toEngland, but upon the fresh Instructions of Christ, the Prince of
Peace, from Day to Day.
Now, of late, I felt a Stop in the Appointment of Meetings,
not wholly, but in Part; and I do not feel Liberty to appoint them so quick one
after another as I have heretofore.
The Work of the Ministry being a Work of divine Love, I
feel that the Openings thereof are to be waited for, in all our Appointments.
O! how deep is divine Wisdom! Christ puts forth his
Ministers, and goeth before them: And O! how great is the Danger of departing
from the pure Feeling of that which leadeth safely!
Christ knoweth the State of the People; and, in the pure
Feeling of the GospelMinistry, their States are opened to his Servants.
Christ knoweth when the Fruit-bearing Branches themselves
have Need of purging.
O! that these Lessons may be remembered by me! and that all
who appoint Meetings may proceed in the pure Feeling of Duty.
I have sometimes felt a Necessity to stand up; but that
Spirit which is of the World hath so much prevailed in many, and the pure Life
of Truth been so pressed down, that I have gone forward, not as one travelling
in a Road cast up and well prepared, but as a Man walking through a Miry place,
in which are Stones here and there, safe to step on, but so situated, that, one
Step being taken, Time is necessary to see where to step next.
Now I find that, in the pure Obedience, the Mind learns
Contentment, in appearing weak and foolish to that Wisdom which is of the
World; and in these lowly Labours, they who stand in a low Place, rightly
exercised under the Cross, will find Nourishment.
The Gift is pure; and, while the Eye is single in attending
thereto, the Understanding is preserved clear: Self is kept out. We rejoice in
filling up that which remains of the Afflictions of Christ, for his Body's
Sake, which is the Church.
The natural Man loveth Eloquence, and many love to hear
eloquent Orations; and, if there is not a careful Attention to the Gift, Men
who have once laboured in the pure Gospel-ministry, growing weary of Suffering,
and ashamed of appearing weak, may kindle a Fire, compass themselves about with
Sparks, and walk in the Light; not of Christ who is under Suffering; but of
that Fire which they, going from the Gift, have kindled; and that in Hearers,
which is gone from the meek suffering State, into the worldly Wisdom, may be
warmed with this Fire, and speak highly of these Labours. That which is of God
gathers to God; and that which is of the World is owned by the World.
In this Journey a Labour hath attended my Mind, that the
Ministers amongst us may be preserved in the meek feeling Life of Truth, where
we may have no Desire but to follow Christ and be with him; that, when he is
under Suffering, we may suffer with him, and never desire to rise up in
Dominion, but as he, by the Virtue of his own Spirit, may raise us.
A few Days after writing these Considerations, our dear
Friend, in the Course of his religious Visits, came to the City of York, and
attended most of the Sittings of the Quarterly-meeting there; but, before it
was over, was taken ill of the Small-pox. Our Friend, THOMAS PRIESTMAN,
and others who attended him, preserved the following Minutes of his Expressions
in the Time of his Sickness and of his Decease.
First-day, the twenty-seventh of the ninth Month, 1772. His
Disorder appeared to be the Small-pox.
Second-day. He said he felt the Disorder to affect his
Head, so that he could think little, and but as a Child.
Third-day he uttered the following Prayer.—O Lord my God!
the amazing Horrors of Darkness were gathered around me and covered me all
over, and I saw no Way to go forth; I felt the Depth and Extent of the Misery
of my Fellowcreatures separated from the divine Harmony, and it was heavier
than I could bear, and I was crushed down under it; I lifted up my Hand, I
stretched out my Arm, but there was none to help me; I looked round about and
was amazed; in the Depths of Misery, O Lord! I remembered that thou art omnipotent,
that I had called thee Father, and I felt that I loved thee, and I was made
quiet in thy Will, and I waited for Deliverance from thee; thou hadst Pity upon
me when no Man could help me: I saw that Meekness under Suffering was shewed to
us in the most affecting Example of thy Son, and thou taughtest me to follow
him, and I said, "Thy Will, O Father! be done."
Fourth-day-morning, being asked how he felt himself, he
meekly answered, I do not know that I have slept this Night, I feel the
Disorder making its Progress, but my Mind is mercifully preserved in Stillness
and Peace: Sometime after he said he was sensible the Pains of Death must be
hard to bear; but, if he escaped them now, he must sometime pass through them,
and he did not know that he could be better prepared, but had no Will in it. He
said he had settled his outward Affairs to his Mind, had taken Leave of his
Wife and Family as never to return, leaving them to the divine Protection;
adding, and though I feel them near to me at this Time, yet I freely give them
up, having a Hope that they will be provided for. And a little after said, This
Trial is made easier than I could have thought, my Will being wholly taken
away; for if I were anxious for the Event, it would have been harder; but I am
not, and my Mind enjoys a perfect Calm.
In the Night a young Woman having given him something to
drink, he said, My Child, thou seemest very kind to me, a poor Creature, the
Lord will reward thee for it. A While after he cried out with great Earnestness
of Spirit, O my Father! my Father! and soon after he said, O my Father! my
Father! how comfortable art thou to my Soul in this trying Season! Being asked
if he could take a little Nourishment; after some Pause he replied, my Child, I
cannot tell what to say to it; I seem nearly arrived where my Soul shall have
Rest from all its Troubles. After giving in something to be inserted in his
Journal, he said, I believe the Lord will now excuse me from Exercises of this
Kind; and I see no Work but one, which is to be the last wrought by me in this
World; the Messenger will come that will release me from all these Troubles;
but it must be in the Lord's Time, which I am waiting for. He said he had
laboured to do whatever was required, according to the Ability received, in the
Remembrance of which he had Peace; and, though the Disorder was strong at
Times, and would like a Whirlwind come over his Mind, yet it had hitherto been
kept steady, and centered in everlasting Love; adding, and if that be
mercifully continued, I ask nor desire no more. Another Time he said, he had
long had a view of visiting this Nation, and, sometime before he came, had a
Dream, in which he saw himself in the northern Parts of it, and that the Spring
of the Gospel was opened in him much as in the Beginning of Friends, such as GEORGE FOX and
WILLIAM
DEWSBERRY, and he saw the different States of the People, as clear
as he had ever seen Flowers in a Garden; but in his going along he was suddenly
stopt, though he could not see for what End; but, looking towards Home, fell
into a Flood of Tears which waked him.
At another Time he said, My Draught seemed strongest
towards the North, and I mentioned, in my own Monthly-meeting, that attending
the Quarterly-meeting at York, and being there, looked like Home to me.
Fifth-day-night, having repeatedly consented to take
Medicine with a View to settle his Stomach, but without Effect, the Friend,
then waiting on him, said, through Distress, What shall I do now? He answered
with great Composure, Rejoice evermore, and in every Thing give Thanks; but
added a little after, this is sometimes hard to come at.
Sixth-day-morning, he broke forth early in Supplication on
this wise: O Lord! it was thy Power that enabled me to forsake Sin in my Youth,
and I have felt thy Bruises for Disobedience; but, as I bowed under them, thou
didst heal me, continuing a Father and a Friend: I feel thy Power now, and I
beg that, in the approaching trying Moment, thou wilt keep my Heart stedfast
unto thee.—— Upon his giving Directions to a Friend concerning some little
Things, she said, I will take Care, but hope thou wilt live to order them
thyself. He replied, My Hope is in Christ; and, though I may seem a little
better, a Change in the Disorder may soon happen, and my little Strength be
dissolved; and, if it so happen, I shall be gathered to my everlasting Rest. On
her saying she did not doubt that, but could not help mourning to see so many
faithful Servants removed at so low a Time, he said, All Good cometh from the
Lord, whose Power is the same, and can work as he sees best. The same Day he
had given Directions about wrapping his Corpse, perceiving a Friend to weep, he
said, I would rather thou wouldst guard against weeping for me, my Sister; I
sorrow not, though I have had some painful Conflicts; but now they seem over,
and Matters well settled, and I look at the Face of my dear Redeemer; for sweet
is his Voice, and his Countenance is comely.
First-day, fourth of the tenth Month, being very weak, and
in general difficult to be understood, he uttered a few Words in Commemoration
of the Lord's Goodness, and added, How tenderly have I been waited on in this
Time of Affliction! in which I may say, in JOB'S Words, Tedious Days and
wearisome Nights are appointed unto me: And how many are spending their Time
and Money in Vanity and Superfluities, while thousands and tens of thousands
want the Necessaries of Life, who might be relieved by them, and their
Distresses, at such a Time as this, in some degree softened, by the
administering suitable Things!
Second-day-morning, the Apothecary, who appeared very
anxious to assist him, being present, he queried about the Probability of such
a Load of Matter being thrown off his weak Body; and, the Apothecary making
some Remarks implying he thought it might, he spoke with an audible Voice on
this wise:—My Dependance is on the Lord Jesus, who, I trust, will forgive my
Sins, which is all I hope for; and, if it be his Will to raise up this Body
again, I am content; and, if to die, I am resigned; and, if thou canst not be
easy without trying to assist Nature, I submit. After which his Throat was so
much affected, that it was very difficult for him to speak so as to be
understood; and he frequently wrote when he wanted any Thing. About the second
Hour, on Fourth-day Morning, he asked for Pen and Ink, and, at several Times,
with much Difficulty, wrote thus:
I believe my being here is in the Wisdom of Christ; I know
not as to Life or Death.
About a Quarter before six, the same Morning, he seemed to
fall into an easy Sleep, which continued about Half an Hour; when, seeming to
awake, he breathed a few Times with more Difficulty, and expired, without Sigh,
Groan, or Struggle!
END OF THE JOURNAL
