mind, under the present difficulties that exist in finding suitable companions who are able to leave home for any length of time.

Fourth-day I reached Evesham, and attended the select quarterly meeting of Haddonfield: I felt well satisfied in sitting down once more with the few Friends of this meeting, who remain attached to the ancient order of our religious Society.

Fifth day, attended the quarterly meeting for the general concerns of the Society: Friends were obliged to meet men and women apart, with the shutters closed, to avoid the interruptions they had experienced from those who had no right to sit these meetings. In this quarterly meeting a desire appears to prevail that the discipline may be supported, and gospel order maintained in all their meetings after the meeting closed I returned to Philadelphia, to prepare for my journey in prospect. On my way across the Delaware in the steam-boat, a large company of separatists were on board, who had been to attend their quarterly meeting at Haddonfield. Friends having refused to open the meeting-house to them, they had obtained forcible entrance: some of them in a loud tone of voice, evidently for me to hear, boasted what a comfortable quarterly meeting they had, which led me to query in my own mind, how could that be, under the circumstances in which they had gained admittance into the house to hold that quarterly meeting; but silence appearing best for me, I observed it.

Sixth-day; my bodily debility so increased, it was found necessary I should get into the country; I went out accordingly to the house of my kind friend Israel Morris.

First-day, attended Merion meeting, which was held in a school-house, the meeting-house being occupied by the separatists: our company was not very small; it proved a quiet, and I believe, a comfortable meeting.

Third-day, 17th of 6th mo., accompanied by my kind friend Israel Morris, I rode to Haverford, and attended their week-day meeting; the separatists having the controul of the meetinghouse, had changed the day of holding the week-day meeting, and locked the meeting-house against Friends on the usual day of meeting; in consequence of which, I was informed by a Friend of the meeting, they met for about two months at the gates of the meeting-house yard, on the day for holding their mid-week meeting, and sitting in their carriages, [waggons, &c.] they held their meetings in that way. A private house being empty in the neighbourhood, Friends have since held all their meetings there. I felt well satisfied in sitting down with the little company I found

here.

Fifth-day morning, I left my friend I. Morris's, much improved in my strength, and proceeded to Middle-town, to attend the preparative meeting. Friends here have separated as re

VOL. II.

spects meetings for discipline, but still meet with the Hicksites in meetings for worship: when the preparative meeting was opened, a young man, one of the separatists' party, remaining in the meeting, was requested to withdraw, before Friends proceeded with the business; but this he positively refused to do, and after a considerable exercise of patience on the part of Friends, the meeting was adjourned to a private house. Men and women united in considering the subject of a separation in meetings for worship: on going into the subject, a fear prevailed in some minds, lest Friends should become weary of suffering, and by this means get from under these trials before the right time; some acknowledging, that, trying as their situation in these meetings for worship had been, yet they would rather endure these sufferings longer, than that the meeting should take any premature steps for relief: it proved, I believe, a humbling time to most. A committee was proposed of men and women Friends, to take the subject under consideration, and report to the preparative meeting; and Friends separated under an evidence that the step they had taken thus far, was owned by Divine goodness; and they believed the time was not very distant, when way would clearly open for their release. Friends were not much longer tried by being obliged to meet with this unchristian-like company; for shortly after the subject of a separation had been considered by Friends, the separatists themselves prepared the way for Friends' release. At one of their week-day meetings, before the meeting had sat its usual time, the disaffected part of the meeting rose up in a body, and left the house with a view of breaking up the meeting, but Friends quietly kept their seats; and when they broke up the meeting, an elder reported, that a visit had been made him by one of the separatists on behalf of the whole, telling him they should no longer submit to his breaking up the meeting.

First-day morning, attended meeting at New Town: the opposing spirit was so chained down, although what I had to offer amongst them was such, that I looked for no other than many would leave the meeting, yet all kept their seats; after meeting, two women Friends, who had been drawn away by the separatists, came to a member of the meeting, melted into tears, saying, "We could acknowledge to the whole truth of what the aged Friend had to offer in the meeting, and wish our love to be remembered to the dear old man." I mention not these things as taking any thing to myself, but from a sense of Divine mercy, in these times of treading down, in permitting these little earnests to be in this way dispensed of that better inheritance, if a holding out unto the end in the way of well doing and the daily cross, is but in faith and faithfulness experienced.

Fifth-day, attended Middle-town week-day meeting, and the day following Chichester meeting, which was small, but still and comfortable.

First-day, attended Stanton meeting, which consisted very much of young people; it was pleasant to observe the quiet and order that prevailed; although it was evidently to be felt, that the life of religion was at a very low ebb in this meeting. I felt satisfied I had yielded to come and sit down with this company: I was told it was the most quiet meeting that had been known at Stanton for a long time, there being some very bitter spirits amongst them. We returned to Wilmington in the evening.

Second-day, Friends held their monthly meeting here; several of the quarterly meeting's committee gave their attendance: Friends believing it would be to advantage to meet separately, in a meeting for worship capacity, from those who had seceded, a committee was appointed to do the needful in effecting it. I rejoiced that this step was about to be taken, not doubting but that it would prove one means of their being better qualified to deal with their delinquent members, some of whose cases they had now taken up. After meeting I rode to Concord, and was kindly received by Nathan Sharpless.

Third-day, 1st of 7th mo. attended monthly meeting here; the business of the meeting chiefly consisted in attending to cases of delinquency, on account of the separation which had taken place in the meeting.

Fourth-day, attended the monthly meeting for West Chester. The meeting was occupied in the consideration of a separation in meetings for worship; a committee was appointed to consider the subject, and, if way opened for it, to propose measures for their relief. The cases of their delinquent members also occupied much time. Friends appeared to move along in much harmony. Fifth-day, returned to Philadelphia.

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CHAPTER XXXVIII.

SEVENTH-DAY, (5th of 7th mo. 1828,) my kind friend James Emlen and myself took our departure, for our intended visit to Ohio. First-day, attended Plymouth meeting, held at the house of Hannah Williams. Here we met with from sixty to seventy Friends, many young people, whose countenances I thought denoted they were under the preparing Hand for usefulness in the Society.

On our way towards Sadsbury, we understood Elias Hicks was before us, and had been holding a large meeting in an orchard. Falling in company with a serious Episcopalian, who had been at the meeting, I queried with him, was he satisfied with the doctrine he had heard? to which he replied, "His doctrine will not do for me; he cries down all laws, both moral and Divine; if people receive his doctrines, I should not be safe out of my house in the evening, nor in my bed at night." Having some pamphlets, and the declaration printed by the meeting for sufferings in Philadelphia, in which the doctrines of Friends are contrasted with those of E. Hicks, by extracts taken from his printed sermons, I gave him some for distribution, to wipe away any reproach that might attach to the Society, in consequence of any sentiments advanced, which he appeared gladly to accept.

Third-day, attended monthly meeting at Lampeter; it being harvest-time, I was told the meeting was thinly attended. My mind had been early in the meeting brought under exercise for service, but my faith was at such a very low ebb, it was not until the meeting had sat a very long time, that I had strength to stand up and endeavour to cast off that which I believed I was commissioned with. The meeting for discipline was to me a very trying one; fear and dismay evidently prevailed in the minds of the few well-concerned Friends who were left in the meeting, to the hinderance of their coming forward in the right exercise of the discipline: most of the overseers being gone with the separatists, I requested the meeting to be willing to turn its attention to the subject of overseers, and try to settle down into quiet; and then I believed truth would point out the necessity of a few Friends being nominated to bring into the meeting the names of the

most suitable Friends amongst them, to fill up the vacancy in the number of overseers in both meetings. Although there was a disposition manifested in some to put off taking this step a little longer, yet the meeting went into a nomination which it appeared was a relief to some minds. It was known to Friends of this meeting, that E. Hicks was at Columbia meeting-house, where those who had separated from Friends in this meeting were holding their monthly meeting, and that E. Hicks intended having a meeting in Friends' meeting-house here. This circumstance appeared to bring some of the members of this meeting under difficulty how they should proceed in the case; as it appeared all the trustees of this meeting-house were with Friends, I thought it was right for me to encourage them to be faithful and do their duty, by warning the door-keeper against opening the house on his or his party's request, whereby, should the doorkeeper be prevailed upon to open the house for E. Hicks, Friends would be clear. After meeting we rode to Lancaster, and took up our abode for the night at the house of one of the judges of the supreme court, by whom we were kindly cared for.

We proceeded by Abbot's Town to Chambersburgh. When opportunity was afforded in passing through the different towns and villages, I endeavoured to obtain an interview with the preachers and serious members of the different denominations of professing Christians, with whom I left a number of the Declaration and other pamphlets printed by the meeting for sufferings in Philadelphia: it appeared as I went along, that the principles of E. Hicks were known, and great opposition to them was manifested. As it was understood he was to take this same route, I felt it required of me to inform people thereof, that they might not be taken by surprise should a request be made by his party for the use of any of their meeting-houses in the name of Friends.

At two places where we stopped, I met with some serious individuals, with whom I left some of the Declaration and pamphlets; they appeared to receive them gladly, saying they had heard of E. Hicks, and the dangerous doctrines he was endeavouring to propagate. We had hoped to reach Redstone on First-day, but this was not practicable. On inquiry, we found there was a settlement of Friends near Bedford, a distance we could comfortably reach by Seventhday night; but on further information, it appeared that this meeting was a part of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, which involved me in some serious considerations, not knowing but it might be a part of the separatists' Yearly Meeting of Baltimore; and yet how to dispose of ourselves on First-day I could not see: I therefore found it best for the present to leave this subject, hoping some way would more clearly open for us when we reached Bedford. Our journey to-day was over a very mountainous country; the day was clear and the scenery fine; but, to me, travelling on a road unprotected on