_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-York_ Government: 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 _Mount-Holly_; 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 upright-hearted, 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_, _North-Wales_,
_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 Yearly-meeting; 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.