lence.

not being willing to take their horses and car-lieve would have been the case had I kept siriages across, the wind and the current being very strong; but after waiting a considerable time, the wind rather abated, and the boatmen consented to take us over. Our horses and carriage filled the boat, so that but little room was left for us comfortably to stow ourselves: it proved a tossing time, the wind ahead, and a rapid current running against us, some of our horses appeared not a little terrified; about six o'clock in the evening we were favoured to land on the opposite shore, for which mercy, thankfulness was the clothing of my mind, causing my cup to overflow with feelings of gratitude to our Almighty Care-taker. We proceeded to the hospitable abode of our kind friend Moses Brown, of Providence.

Seventh-day, I proceeded to Lynn, and took up my abode with my friend Isaac Bassett. On our way to our quarters I observed many people collected in the front of a house, and persons sitting in the windows, which led me to inquire what was the cause of it; on which I was informed a burial of a young woman who had a birthright amongst Friends was about to take place; but who having imbibed those anti-christian principles, which had deprived many in that meeting of their membership in the Society, became one amongst them. My mind was arrested with apprehensions of duty to give my company at the burial; but on making inquiry whether the body was to be buried in the grave-yard of Friends, I was informed that was not to be the case, but in a piece of ground joining Friends' burialground, which had been purchased by those who had left the Society, for their separate use. This information brought me into a great strait; I found the father of the young woman, who was a member of Society, had Seventh-day, attended the Meeting for Suf- requested some Friends to take the charge of ferings, which was held at the school. First-conducting the funeral for him, which they day morning, attended meeting in Providence; had undertaken to do. How to proceed under where the number of Friends is small. In these circumstances, felt difficult; the ground the afternoon I attended the meeting held at the school; this, to me, was a very suffering time, occasioned, I had cause to believe, for want of timely yielding to rise on my feet, and give the meeting what I was entrusted with for communication; yet I felt it to be cause for thankfulness that I was not permitted to take away that which, I had no doubt in my own mind, was given me for others.

Sixth-day morning, attended the schoolcommittee held at the Institution, a fine healthy situation, on an agreeable eminence, and a short distance from the town of Providence. After the examination of the children closed, a suitable pause took place, and I felt well satisfied with the manner in which this day had been passed over.

Second-day, 6th of eighth month, 1827, we rode to Smithfield Quarterly Meeting, and attended the Select Meeting, which was small; the answers to the queries were read and passed over in silence by the members of the meeting, as if all was well with the heads of the tribes, which did not appear to be the case; by endeavouring after a right qualification to relieve my mind on various subjects, more particularly applicable to this part of the Society, I left the meeting thankful for the help afforded.

in which the body was to be deposited, had been purchased by persons, who, as well as the deceased, had manifested themselves hostile to the Society and to its fundamental principles; but trying the fleece, as I hope I may say I endeavoured sincerely to do, I concluded it would be best for me to go to the house of a Friend, where we should be able to see when the corpse left the house, which I accordingly did; but the company had arrived at the grave-yard before I had strength to proceed, and did not reach the grave-side until the parents had turned from the grave in order to quit it; on which I requested the company, if they were easy so to do, would make a halt, which appeared to be readily complied with. After a short pause had taken place, strength was given me to plead the cause of my Divine Master amongst them, and declare, as we all had but one journey to perform through this world, before we arrived at our eternal abode, Fifth-day morning, the meeting for worship it behoved us to be especially careful that we was numerously attended by Friends and performed this journey well; inasmuch as others; after which, the meeting for the affairs there would be no returning to correct any of the Society commenced: the answers to errors that had been made, either in religious the queries were the chief business that came principles or in practice: great quietness was before the meeting. Although much weak-to be felt, and the minds of many appeared to ness was manifested in these answers, yet they be solidly affected. I was led humbly to hope were passed over almost in silence. I ven- I had not been out of my place in taking this tured to relieve my mind on some subjects, step. and in having done my best, I left the meet- First-day morning, attended meeting here; ing more peacefully, than I had reason to be- it was a large gathering: many of those who

had separated themselves from the Society and meeting for discipline, to me, was a low, tryour religious meetings, I was told, gave their ing time; yet, by endeavouring to feel a reattendance. It proved a time of close inward newal of Divine strength, to be enabled rightly exercise for the arising of Divine life, which to acquit myself, I left the meeting under feelis the crown of all our assemblies, and which ings of gratitude for the help which had in was, in degree, mercifully experienced. The mercy been vouchsafed to me. In the afterafternoon meeting, I was informed, was nu-noon, in company with two other Friends, I merously attended by those who had separated called upon one of the families, who, with themselves from our religious Society. After many others in this place, had been carried I did my best, as I apprehended, in endeavour-away with these unsound principles-the soring, as ability and matter were afforded, to rowful effects of which had occasioned Friends plead my great Master's cause; yet I sat so much suffering: I went in fear and tremdown short of that relief which I had hoped bling. On our sitting down, conversation took for, when closing my communication, which place, which continued to be kept up on the plunged me into some discouragement. In part of the family as long as there was power the evening we had a great collection of left; but when He, who has all power in heaFriends at my quarters. The evening was ven above and in the earth beneath, sees meet passed over, partly in social conversation and to proclaim in the ear of the soul of man, partly in a religious opportunity, and we sepa-"Be still,"-notwithstanding all the opposition rated under an evidence that holy help had been near to us.

that may be felt in the mind to silence, how remarkably is that disposition to keep up conSecond-day morning, 13th of eighth month, versation, and that fear of silence which has I rode to Boston, where, in the early period of been manifested, subdued, which was the case our religious Society, Mary Dyer and others at this time. After patiently enduring quessuffered death on account of their religious tion after question to me, in order to keep up principles. The Society of Friends are now conversation, a solemn pause took place, which here no more; the meeting-house belonging continued some time; during which I had great to Friends was so far gone to decay, as to strugglings to obtain the victory over that render it expedient to pull it down, since which creaturely fear, and those doubtings which the ground has been disposed of, it being pretty came into my mind like a flood, lest, if any much in the heart of the city. Friends have thing was given me for communication, it it in prospect to purchase a more retired spot, would not be received; but endeavouring to and build a new house for the accommodation | be found faithful to that which was called for of public meetings, and to fulfil the will of the at my hands, strength was given me to break donor who gave the ground on which the old meeting-house stood.* I was informed, if I had a desire to have a meeting with the inhabitants, a place could easily be procured for me. I could not say, I had not at times had some expectations such a service might be called for; but as no way opened with any degree of clearness, to take such a step as this, after I had visited one of my fellow-passengers to America, we returned again to Lynn in the evening.

Attended the Select Quarterly Meeting for Salem, held at Lynn, which was very small; the disaffection that had taken place in this Quarterly Meeting having, I understood, swept away some of its once useful members. I felt thankful in partaking with those who remain, in the sufferings they were still in degree, at times, labouring under, for the body's sake, even the church.

silence; and although a part of what I had to communicate, was trying to my nature to utter, yet, at our separation, all the parties acknowledged the thankfulness that they felt for the visit; to the truth of which I thought their countenances and conduct bore testimony.

The next day we proceeded to Salem, where we were kindly received. First-day morning, attended meeting there, which was large, many of other religious persuasions giving us their company. That share of religious service which fell to my lot, there was reason to believe, had a solemnizing effect on the minds of not a few. The afternoon meeting was also largely attended by those not of our religious Society.

21st of eighth month, 1827. This evening reached Dover, in the state of New Hampshire. Fourth-day morning we left Dover for Fifth-day, the Quarterly Meeting for trans- Berwick, where the Quarterly Meeting is to acting the affairs of the Society commenced be held. We were favoured to reach in time with a meeting for worship, which was largely to attend the Select Quarterly Meeting, which attended by Friends and others; it was con- was small; and if I was qualified to form a sidered to be a time of Divine favour. The correct judgment of the state of Society as it respects this part of the body, things are at a low ebb.

*It has since been built.

Fifth-day, the Quarterly Meeting for discipline was held; the meeting for Divine worship was large, and many not of our religious Society attended. To me it was a very trying one, occasioned, I was led to fear, because so few of those present, who were making a profession of the necessity of silently waiting before the Lord to become qualified by him to perform that worship which he calls for from his dependent creature man, were willing to accept of the means that would be afforded, if rightly sought after and patiently waited for. The business of the meeting for discipline seemed to go on heavily: the meeting was large, but those who were rightly qualified to help forward the concerns that came before it, appeared to be very few in number. Much of the business rested with the clerk; and when this is the case, those who are endeavouring to fill such a situation rightly, claim the sympathy of their friends, it too often occurring, that those who sit silent in the meeting when subjects are before it, are the readiest, out of the meeting, to pull to pieces what the clerk has done according to the best of the judgment given him.

before first-day, and two Friends of that place, calling upon us this morning, who were anxious to reach their own homes, proposed our moving forward with them early after we had taken our breakfast; but feeling very unexpectedly to myself, a stop in my mind as respected proceeding, it appeared safest for me to set these two Friends at liberty to return home at their own time. By endeavouring to get into that inward quiet, where the still small voice of the High and Holy One is clearly and distinctly heard, the way opened in my mind to have the few Friends here called together, who hold their meeting in a private house, leaving the time to be fixed by themselves: eight o'clock this evening was concluded upon as most suitable, on account of the absence of part of some families. Du ring conversation with the family I was in, I was led to ask the female head,-if any individual of late years in that neighbourhood had joined the Society by convincement? I was informed, a woman had joined Friends some years ago by convincement, who lived in the neighbourhood. She was, for awhile after she was received into membership, a very diligent attender of meetings, a clean-handed woman, and much beloved by Friends and others, and had been very useful in meetings for discipline; but Friends had been deprived of her company for nearly two years, she having sunk into a despairing state of mind. Feeling my mind drawn to make her a visit, I proposed it to the Friend at whose house I was staying, and we proceeded to her resi We rode to Rochester, where we visited a dence. Her husband, who does not profess Friend declining fast in her bodily strength, with our religious Society, received us kindly, having a family of ten children to leave be- and introduced us to his wife: the weather hind her to lament her loss: we had an agree- was very warm, yet we found her shut up in able religious opportunity with her and her a close room, with pieces of woollen cloth numerous family; there was cause for believ- hung against the windows, and placed at the ing that what was given me to communicate, bottom of the door, to prevent the air from felt as a balm to her deeply tried mind. blowing upon her. The room was so oppresFourth-day, attended meeting, which was sive, I scarcely knew how to bear it, and she largely attended by Friends and others; the herself was clothed as if it had been a cold people appeared generally to sit solidly, and winter's day; her countenance manifested a when it was over, although it lasted nearly mind harassed beyond describing, and wholly three hours, they manifested an unwilling- absorbed in caring for her poor body. Beness to depart. Fifth-day, attended meeting lieving from the impressions my mind received, at ; some Friends from Rochester also that it was a temptation of satan she was lamet us, so that the house was nearly filled; bouring under, in order to prevent her usefulwe sat a considerable time in silence, and al-ness in her neighbourhood, and in the Monthly though it was late before I had strength to stand on my feet, and deliver what I believed was given me for communication, yet the people's minds appeared to be kept very quiet to the last. After meeting we proceeded to the high-road, which, being rocky and hilly, we did not reach our quarters until a late hour.

First-day attended meeting at Dover: on reaching the meeting-house, we found a crowd standing in the yard; the bottom part of the house soon became filled; it appeared that half of the meeting were not of our own religious Society-the people behaved solidly and attentively, and when the meeting closed, seemed to manifest rather an unwillingness to separate.

Sixth-day, we had in prospect reaching Sandwich to-night, so as to have a day's rest

Meeting to which she belonged, I ventured boldly to declare to her my belief, calling her a cumberer of the ground,-finding if I spoke to any good purpose, it must be in plain terms; and yet I was fearful, as I proceeded, she would not bear my plain dealing; her hus band sitting by, I knew not what he would. think of me, a stranger as I was. After delivering to her what arose in my mind, which

sion continuing with her, and her mind becoming confirmed in its truth, she was obliged to cease from attending the place of worship she had frequented, and withdraw herself from the company of the minister she had so much esteemed, to the great grief of those in profession with her, by whom she was universally beloved. She also felt herself enjoined to remain in retirement at home, her husband attending their place of religious worship alone; this she continued to do for a considerable

I believed Truth warranted me in doing, I entreated her to accept of that Divine help which, from the feelings of my own mind, still awaited her acceptance, and to break off from that bad companion in her own heart, which had brought her into this situation, and was depriving her family and the religious Society of which she was a member, of the usefulness she was designed for. Her mind was somewhat reached, and a little turned to that Divine Witness in herself, which manifests all things; her countenance became more placid-length of time. A Friend being in this neighthat harassed appearance it had borne gradually disappeared, and she began to brighten up, as if she had been favoured afresh to lay hold on that faith, which gives the victory over the accuser and tormenter of the brethren. She then began to speak as follows; "I have been hoping that some Friend would be sent for my relief, who would be able to dip into my tried situation, and my mind was confirmed in the belief that this would be the case." Her plea for absenting herself from meeting had been the want of health; she now acknowledged her belief that her declining state of health, and being plunged into her deplorable state of mind, was through the ascendency the adversary had obtained over her, and arose from her unfaithfulness in not being willing, when called upon, to open her mouth as a minister: dwelling on her small capacity for such a work, and that nothing she might communicate would be likely to profit others, and thus continuing to withstand the call, instead of becoming a useful member of religious Society, and of that service in her own family and to mankind at large, which she was designed to have been, she felt herself a cumberer of the ground. At our parting, she, in an animating manner, expressed a hope she should get out to meeting again, and the desire she felt this visit might be blessed to her, and that I might never be permitted to become rusty, as she was, for want of being willing to be useful in the Master's service. She and her husband pressed us to make a longer tarriance; but it appeared safest to leave her under her present impressions, lest conversation should prove the means of dissipating them. On our way home I was furnished with the following particulars respecting this individual. She had been a zealous member of another religious society; and was highly esteemed by those she then was in profession with, for her piety and strict attention to all their religious rites and ceremonies. One night, whilst lying in bed, it was revealed to her, that there was a teacher in every man and woman, that could teach them more effectually the way of life and salvation, than any outward minister could do: this impresVOL. III.-No. 10.

bourhood, had a concern to have a meeting with the inhabitants, on which account a general invitation was requested to be given; but as the residence of this family was remote from the place where the meeting was to be held, some Friends considered, as they were rigid professors in their own way, not knowing any thing of what was the state of this woman's mind, it would be of no avail to inform them thereof. But by some means the information reached her, and she with her husband came to the meeting: from which time she continued steadily to attend Friends' meetings, her husband, on meeting-days, bringing her to the end of the lane, that led to the house where the meeting was held, and afterwards coming to meet and take her home again. After awhile he came with her to meeting, continuing to do so as long as she kept to meeting. She had been much given to dress and following the vain fashions of the world; but her mind being further visited by the Divine power which at first awakened her, she came to see the inconsistency of all these things with a true Christian walking; and was enabled to put away all her finery, and in time it became very evident, the chief adorning she was aspiring after, was the hidden man of the heart. She applied after awhile to be received into membership with Friends, which request was complied with. Being a woman naturally of much sweetness of disposition, added to her honest simplicity and becoming deportment, she became an ornament to our religious Society, and continued so for some years; but, alas! it appears the enemy enviously strove against her, and against the cause she so faithfully espoused, and by little and little prevailed, and turned her mind aside from the right way of the Lord.*

The meeting, which had been appointed at my request, proved a quiet, solid opportunity; afterwards I retired to rest, thankful I was not permitted to proceed with the Friends to Sandwich.

[* By a communication from a Friend at Providence, Rhode Island, dated seventh month, 1829, to her "esteemed and faithful labourer in the Gospel,

50

CHAPTER XXXV.

SEVENTH-DAY morning, 1st of ninth month, 1827, we proceeded to Sandwich, and reached the house of Cyrus Beede, where we took up our abode for the night.

The next day attended their usual meeting, which was very large, owing to the coming in of those of other societies; at the close I requested the men and women members to stop, which they accordingly did, to whom I proposed for consideration, the members of the meeting being numerous, and not out of the reach of the meeting-house twice on a firstday, their holding an evening meeting during the summer-season: this appeared to be a relief to many minds. In the afternoon we proceeded to the north meeting-house, where a meeting was appointed to be held at my request; the house was greatly crowded, and the weather so oppressive, I much feared our being able to hold a meeting in quiet, but we were not only favoured with a quiet, but a solemn time together; under a sense of which we separated.

Third-day, we rode to Falmouth; and on fourth-day attended the Select Quarterly Meet ing, which was small; the queries were answered in such a summary way, that the true state of the meeting could not be come at; if my feelings were correct, this part of the body was in a very low, feeble condition. I endeavoured, as strength was afforded me, faithfully to impart to Friends of this meeting, what I believed was given me for them.

Fifth-day, 6th of ninth month, 1827, the Quarterly Meeting for discipline commenced with a meeting for worship; which was large, being attended by those not in profession with our religious Society. I marvelled not at the plungings I endured, on taking my seat in the

Thomas Shillitoe," the following additional information is obtained respecting the individual visited by the author, as above described, which, it is believed, will be interesting to the reader.

"The next meeting-day, after Thomas Shillitoe's visit, she attended; after which her kind husband, who appeared to be a person of some note, yet not a member of the Society of Friends, called on a neighbour of his, who observed to him, that his wife attended meeting this morning; to which he replied, with animation, Yes, an aged gentleman came from Old England, to tell my wife her duty; and she thinks it is time to attend to it.'

"From that time she has enjoyed her family and friends, and diligently attended meetings; and is thankful that she is released from that state of depression she had for a long time been afflicted with; and is desirous that Thomas Shillitoe may know, previous to his leaving this country, that his visit was a blessing to her."]

meeting-house, from the close searching testimony I had to declare to the members of this Quarterly Meeting; which I was thankful to find found entrance into some minds; so as to call forth public expression from individual members of the meeting, in confirmation of the truths that had been given me to deliver. The meeting for discipline was equally trying; the answers to the queries exhibited a sorrowful picture of the state of the Society in this Quarterly Meeting; and yet there was cause for rejoicing to find, there were a few individuals left, who manifested a desire for the welfare of the cause of Truth and righteousness; but I was not able to divest my mind of a fear, that faintheartedness was a disposition prevalent with such; for the defects that were noticed in the answers to the queries, instead of being seasonably attended to, were suffered to remain and be passed over in silence from quarter to quarter. By endeavouring to acquit myself faithfully in the meeting for discipline, I was favoured to retire from it with a peaceful mind, thankful that I had been made willing to share in the sufferings, which the well-concerned members of this meeting have, at times, to wade through.

Sixth-day, the breakfast being over, some of our company were on the move; but my mind feeling charged with something for communication before we separated, I was obliged to express it, which produced a quiet settling down again, affording an opportunity for my relief; after which we proceeded towards Brunswick, in the state of Maine.

First-day, attended Durham meeting, which was large; Friends considered it to be a solid, favoured meeting. The next day, we rode to Litchfield. I had been apprehensive, for several days, I must have a meeting with Friends at this place before the Quarterly Meeting: I opened my prospect to suitable Friends of the settlement, and they appeared readily to unite with it; to accommodate us on our journey afterwards, the meeting was appointed to be held at an earlier hour than usual next morning.

Third-day morning, from the early hour the meeting was appointed, I was led to fear it would gather stragglingly, and be thinly attended; but this was not so in either respect, the house being nearly full. I felt much tried with poverty and strippedness on taking my seat, which led me to fear I had not suffi ciently digested the subject, before I took this step; I was suffered to remain for a consider. able time in this tossed state, to the abasing of all that was of the creature, whereby a willingness was brought about to become any thing or nothing, as my Great Master willed I should be: but he condescended, in