_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
Publick-house, 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
Brute-creatures, 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_, _Duck-Creek_, _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_ and _Third-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 _New-Jersey_ were settled by many Friends, who were
convinced of our Principles in _England_ 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 of _Maryland_, on a religious Visit; and, having obtained
a Certificate from Friends of our Monthly-meeting, 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
_Philadelphia_ Counties; 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 _Chester-River_; and, crossing the Bay
with Friends, was at the Yearly-meeting at _West-River_; 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.