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 those should maintain who are concerned to speak in meetings for discipline-Several visits to such who 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 smallpox spreading-and on inoculation.

On the 11th 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 18th 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 before-mentioned Friends, and had some edifying meetings. 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 were large, and sat nearly eight hours. Here I had occasion to consider that it is a weighty thing to speak much in large meetings for business. 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 afar,

which crucifies to the world, manifest a temper distinguishable from that of an entire trust in God. In calmly considering these things, it hath not appeared strange to me, that an exercise hath now fallen upon some, which, as to the outward means of it, is different from what was known to many of those who went before us.

Some time after the Yearly Meeting, a day being appointed and letters written to distant members, the said committees met at Philadelphia; and by adjournments, continued several days. The calamities of war were now increasing; the frontier inhabitants of Pennsylvania were frequently surprised, some slain, and many taken captive by the Indians; and while these committees sat, the corpse of one so slain was brought in a wagon, and taken through the streets of the city, in his bloody garments, to alarm the people, and rouse them up to war.

Friends thus met were not all of one mind in relation to the tax; which, to such who scrupled it, made the way more difficult. To refuse an active payment at such a time, might be construed into an act of disloyalty, and appeared likely to displease the rulers, not only here but in England. Still there was a scruple so fastened upon the minds of many Friends, that nothing moved it: it was a conference the most weighty that ever I was at, and the hearts of many were bowed in reverence before the Most High. Some Friends of the said committees who appeared easy to pay the tax, after several adjournments withdrew, others of them continued till the last. At length, an epistle of tender love and caution to Friends in Pennsylvania, was drawn by some Friends concerned, on that subject; and being read several times and corrected, was then signed by such of them as were free to

sign it, and afterwards sent to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings.

On the 9th day of the eighth month, in the year 1757, at night, orders came to the military officers in our county, (Burlington,) directing them to draft the militia and prepare a number of men to go as soldiers, to the relief of the English at fort William Henry, in New York government. A few days after, 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 draft 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 draft, 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 were 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, who, in great anxiety, are endeavouring to get troops to answer the demands of their superiors, seeing men who are insincere, pretend a scruple of conscience, in hopes of being excused from a dangerous employment, are likely to handle them roughly. 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 these 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 drafted, after some days march, had orders to return home; and those on the second draft, were no more called upon on that occasion.

On the 4th 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: an officer and two other men, all inhabitants of our town, came to my house; and the officer told me that he came