kept slaves and many Friends said, that they believed liberty was the negroes right to which at length no opposition was made publicly. A minute was made more fully 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 who 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.-His thoughts on the small-pox spreading-and on inoculation.

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 London Grove, it being the first held at that place. Here we met again with all the beforementioned 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 is a weighty thing to speak much in large meetings for business; for 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 burden 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 I have cause, in reverent thankfulness, humbly to bow down before the Lord, who was near me, and preserved my mind in calmness under some sharp conflicts, and begat a spirit of sympathy and tenderness in me to

ward 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 who 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, 1 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