John Woolman's Journal

ations on the Conduct such should maintain as are concerned to speak in Meetings for Discipline-Several more Visits to such as kept Slaves; and to Friends near Salem-Some

d 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 Cou

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 before-mentioned 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 D

ng to speak much in large Meetings for Business: First, except our Minds are rightly prepared, and we clearly understand the Cas

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, i

e 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 have Cause, in reverent Thankfulness, humbly to bow down

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 as had Slaves.-It was a Time of deep Exercise, looking often to the Lord f

I again joined with John Churchman on a Visit to some more who had Slaves in Philadelphia; and, with Thankfulness to our h

ise, I 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 which he readily agreed: And then, in the Fear of

in, I attended their Quarterly-meeting, and was out seven Days, and at seven Meetings; in some of which I was chiefly silent, and in others, through the baptizing Power of Truth

Opportunity of the Company of such as were named on the Minutes of the Yearly-meeting, I went alone to their Houses, and, in the Fear of t

at some Meetings, and to join again in the Visit to those who had Slaves, I bore h

s Year and last, it was recommended to Friends to labour against buying and keeping Slaves; and in some of them closely treated upon. This Practice had long been a heavy Exercise to me, and I have often waded through mortifying Labours on that Account; and, at Times, in some Meetings be

tion the Integrity and Constancy of many Martyrs, who gave their Lives for the Testimony of Jesus; and yet, in some Points, held Doctrines distinguishable from some which we hold: And that, in all Ages, where People were faithful to the Light and Understanding which the Most High afforded them, they found Acceptance with him; and that now, though there are different Ways of Thinking amongst us in some Particulars, yet, if we mutually kept to that Spirit and Power which crucifies to the World, which teaches us to be content with Things really needful, and to avoid all Superfluities, giving up our Hearts to fear and serve the Lord, true Unity may st

meeting, which I think good to give a P

ia and New-Jersey, from the twenty-second Day of the ninth M

-meetings of Friends belongi

e tender Mercies have long been continued to us in this Land, we affectionately salute you, with sincere and

ngthened them to labour through the Difficulties attending the Improvement of a Wilderness, and made Way for them in the Hearts of the Natives; so that by them they were comforted in Times of Want and Distress: It was by the gracious Influences of his holy Spirit, that they were disposed to work Righteousness, and walk uprightly one towards another, and towards

d ourselves under strong Obligations to the Almighty, who, when the Earth is so generally polluted with Wickedness, gave us a Being in a Part so signally favoured with Tranquility and P

e and consider that the Dealings of God with Mankind in a national Capacity, as recorded in Holy Writ, do sufficiently evidence the Truth of that Saying, "It is Righteousness which exalteth a Nation;" and though he doth not at all Times suddenly execute his Judgments on a sinful People in this Life, yet we see, by many Instances, that where "Men follow lying Vanities, they forsake their own Mercies;" and as a proud selfish Spirit prevails and spreads among a People, so partial Ju

crieth; he crieth to our Country, and his Voice waxeth louder and louder. In former Wars between the English and other Nations, since the Settlement of our Provinces, the Calamities attending them have fallen chiefly on other Places, but now of late they have reached to our Borders; many of our fellow Subjects have suffered on and near our Frontiers, some have been slain in Battle, some killed in their Houses, and some in their Fields, some wounded and left in great Misery, and others separated from their Wives and little Children, who have been carried Captives among the Indians: We have seen Men and Women, who have been Witnesses of these Scenes of Sorrow, and been reduced to Want, have come to our Houses asking Relief.-It is not long since it was the Case of many young Men, in one of th

short Time, afford a pleasing Prospect; yet, while a selfish Spirit, that is not subject to the Cross of Christ, continueth to spread and prevail, there can be no long Continuance in outward Peace and Tranquility. If we desire an Inheritance incorruptible, and to be at Rest in that State of Peace and Happiness, which ever continues; if we d

but if the Lord is become our Enemy, if we persist to contend

Foundation deep; and, by our constant uniform Regard to an inward Piety and Virtue, let them see that we really value it: Let us labour, in the Fear of the Lord, that their innocent Minds, while young and tender, may be preserved from Corruptions; that, as they advanc

e God, are likely to prove Snares that may more grievously entangle them in that Spirit of Selfishness and Exaltation, which stan

Life, and steadily to endeavour to honour God with our Substance, from a real Sense of the Love of Christ influencing our Minds thereto, is more likely to bring a Blessing to our Children, and will afford more Satisfaction to

pure, whatsoever Things are lovely, whatsoever Things are of good Report; if there be any Virtue,

nd on Behalf of our said

Bucks County: This Day being the Meeting of Ministers and Elders, my Heart was enlarged in the Love

I had felt a Draught in my Mind to that Work in the said County, came Home and put Things in Order: On the eleventh Day of the twelfth Month following, I went over the River; a

ess, that I might be strengthened to discharge my Duty faithfully, how hard soever to the natural Part. We proceeded on the Visit in a weighty Frame of Spirit, and went to the Houses of the most active Members, throughout the Country, who had Negroes; and, through the Goodness of the Lord, my Min

re us Company, and was at Makefield on a First-day: At all which Times my Heart was truly thankful to the Lord,