of denial signed for both men and women, others ordered for next monthly meeting, and fresh cases were brought forward.

The next day, attended the select quarterly meeting, held at Stillwater the meeting was informed before it was fully gathered, that some persons were on their way who had been members of this select meeting, but who had been disowned in consequence of uniting themselves with the separatists: on their making the attempt to enter the house, and the door-keepers preventing them, they assembled on the meeting-house lot, where they held their meeting, preaching and praying, so much to the annoyance of Friends, that they were obliged to close the widows of the meeting-house.

Fourth-day morning, 27th of 8th mo., the day of Stillwater quarterly meeting; my companion and myself on proceeding towards the meeting-house, observed a vast crowd of people assembled; the nearer we approached, the more awful the commotion appeared; the countenances and action of many manifested a determination to make their way into the house, by resorting to violent means, if no other way would effect their designs: by pressing through the crowd we gained admittance. The tumult increased to an alarming degree; the consequence of keeping the doors fastened any longer were to be dreaded, as the mob were beginning to break the windows to obtain an entrance that way, and to inflict blows on some of the door-keepers; it was therefore concluded to open the doors. The door of the men's house being opened, to attempt to describe the awful scene to the full, would be in vain for me to do. The feelings of alarm awakened in my mind were such, as almost to overpower my confidence in the all-superintending care of a Divine Protector; the countenances of many as they entered the house, seemed to indicate that they were ready to fall upon the little handfull there was of us in the ministers' gallery, there being few others in the house. Some of their party forced up the shutters between the men's and women's house, as if they would have brought the whole of them to the ground, others ran to the doors which had been made secure, seizing them, tearing them open, and some off the hinges; the like outrage they committed in the women's house; the cracking and hammering this occasioned for the short time it lasted was awful to me, not knowing where, or in what, this scene of riot and excess of wickedness of temper would end. The house was very soon crowded to an extreme, the separatists taking possession of one end of the men's house and Friends the other; no sooner was the meeting become a little quiet, than the preachers of the separatists began uttering their Deistical doctrines, one after another; they attempting to prove man had not suffered loss through the disobedience of our first parents, endeavouring to make the sacrifice of Christ of none effect, and speaking irreverently of the Scriptures. I durst not do otherwise, trying as it appeared to be, than stand up and say,

If there were any present not in profession with our Society, I wished them to understand that the doctrines which had been advanced, were not the doctrines of Friends, and therefore I hoped we should not be charged with holding such unsound principles, nor considered accountable for what had been offered. I stated that

it was my belief, that the sorrowful confusion and distress which had taken place that morning, had grown out of those unsound doctrines, which of late had been disseminated and received by many amongst them.

Trying as the prospect of our situation was, it appeared best to proceed with the business amidst the host of opposers and strangers present; the representatives were called over, the answers to the queries read, and a summary prepared: had I not been present I could not have conceived it would have been possible for Friends to have conducted the business of a quarterly meeting so quietly, and given attention to the several matters before the meeting, circumstanced as they were,-the separatists going on with the business of their new quarterly meeting at one end of the house and Friends at the other. One of the most active in this riot exhibited charges against me and other ministers, and against some active members of Stillwater quarterly meeting, charging us with acts of violence towards him, signing the same, and circulating it in a Hicksite work, called "The Friend, or Advocate for Truth." The door-keeper, and other Friends who were present at the time, drew up certificates clearing me and others of the charges so wickedly brought against us, signed it, and published it in a weekly publication of the Society, called "The Friend," and also in Bates's Repository, to which no reply ever appeared. Friends were favoured to get comfortably through their business, closing under a grateful sense, that it was the Lord who had in mercy been the stay and staff to their minds through the difficulties of this day; and desires were put up to the throne of grace to be enabled to be found walking worthy of these his favours.

First-day, 31st of 8th mo., 1828, we rode to Benjamin Vale's, where the meeting is now held, composed of those who remain with Friends of Plainfield, Clairsville, and Concord meetings, the separatists having possession of these three meetinghouses. The room being small, many were obliged to sit outside the house. I went to meeting in a tried state of mind: a thorn in the flesh is often my companion, doubtless in great mercy to keep down the creaturely part, lest any thing like being exalted above measure should appear and take root, through the acknowledgments made in meetings of approbation of my ministry and services amongst my friends: the meeting was held much in the quiet, and proved a comfortable, and, I hope, an encouraging one to many of our company.

Fourth-day, attended meeting at Mount Pleasant; on first

sitting down in the meeting-house the wing of Ancient Goodness was in mercy spread over us; as Friends came into the house one after another, the awe that was brought over their minds was to be observed, from the manner in which they took their seats: I had cause to say, it was good for me I was there.

Seventh-day morning, the first sitting of the Select Yearly Meeting commenced at the time appointed for the meeting to assemble, Elias Hicks and two other preachers of his party tried to gain admittance, but being refused, they replied that they could hold their meeting in the open air, as George Fox did, furnishing themselves with chairs; in company with about twelve of the select members of this Yearly Meeting, who had united themselves to the Hicksite party, they accordingly held their meeting on the outside of the meeting-house fence: although their voices were at times heard in our meeting, yet it did not appear the meeting suffered thereby, except as it respected the minds of Friends being affected with sorrow on their account. In the afternoon, attended the meeting for sufferings. Friends being aware of the difficult situation they were likely to be placed in, on the day when the Yearly Meeting for the general concerns of the Society was to commence, a consultation took place on the subject; and it was concluded, to have the usual doors open, and that the door-keepers should be requested to do their best to keep the meeting select, but not to use force.

First-day morning, attended the meeting at Mount Pleasant : it may easily be supposed, the prospect of going to meeting this morning must have been formidable in appearance: the house was crowded, and before the meeting was fully gathered, Elias Hicks stood up and occupied much time in setting forth doctrines opposed to all Christian principles. After he had taken his scat, a Friend rose and informed the audience of the situation in which Elias Hicks stood with his friends at home; this he did in order to do away any unfavourable impressions respecting Friends, which might have been made upon the minds of any from the doctrines which E. H. had advanced. From the great concourse of people we passed in the afternoon on their way to Short Creek meeting, where E. Hicks was to be, I had cherished a hope we should have had a quiet meeting at Mount Pleasant; but we had not long been settled down before two of the preachers of the separatists rose one after the other; on their being requested again and again to sit down, the Hicksite party shouted from various parts of the meeting, manifesting such violence of temper, that it appeared safest to suffer them to go on. Although it was as distressing a meeting as most I ever sat in, yet when it closed, I could not say I regretted my lot was thus cast amongst Friends, to share with them in their exercises.

Second-day, 8th of 9th mo.: at eight this morning the com

mittee of men and women Friends on Indian affairs met, to which committee strangers were invited, of which number I considered myself to be one. When the business of this committee closed, Friends and the clerks remained in the house: the time for the gathering of the Yearly Meeting on the general concerns of the Society being nearly come, these Friends filled up the ministers' gallery and front seats. Printed notices had been served on E. Hicks and others, and copies nailed on the doors of the men's and women's house, signed by the trustees of the property, warning them not to enter the meeting-house during the sittings of the Yearly Meeting; the numerous door-keepers were also in attendance, but the separatists became so violent, it appeared no longer possible for the door-keepers to maintain their posts, unless they repelled force by force. Friends conferred together, when it appeared safest to request the door-keepers to desist from their charge, and leave the doors; this taking place, the mob, headed by two of the preachers of the separatists, poured into the house like a torrent, accompanied by some of the rude rabble of the town; they violently forced open the doors that had been kept fast, some young men entering the women's house, committed the same outrage. After the meeting had become quiet, beyond what could have been expected, all circumstances considered, the clerk, Jonathan Taylor, opened the Yearly Meeting amidst this crowd of intruders; on which one of the separatists' party stood up, and declared he was authorized by the members of Ohio Yearly Meeting to order the clerks that were then at the table to quit, and give place to such clerks as they should choose for themselves, at the same time naming an individual for the office; which nomination was confirmed by many of the separatists shouting out at the same time" That's my mind, that's my mind;""Why does not our clerk come forward?" The separatists then crowding between the front seats, and up to the table, ordered the Friends who were standing near the clerks' table to quit; but their demand not being complied with, they began to use violence, on which the clerks were ordered to take down the names of such as appeared to take an active part in such proceedings. The taking down the names of such as were the most active in this riot did not check their proceedings; finding they were not likely to succeed in driving Friends from the front of the table, they endeavoured to do so by a door behind the clerk: my seat being next to the clerk, a man of large stature and bulk came over the gallery-rail almost upon me, and after him two young men. I was on the point of getting up to leave the house; but before I was upon my feet, one of the separatists near me looking up, exclaimed the gallery that was over our heads was falling: a great crash at this moment was heard over our heads, which it was afterwards proved had been produced by one of the separatists'

party breaking a piece of wood. Immediately on an alarm being given the gallery was falling,' from the other side of the house there was an outcry, The house is falling;' The door of the women's house was thrown open, and they were told the house was falling; a sudden rush in every direction produced a sound not unlike thunder, and brought down a small part of the ceiling in the gallery; this raised a considerable dust, and had the appearance of the walls giving way, and the ceiling coming down altogether. Whilst I was making my way from my seat, a Friend informed the meeting it was a false alarm; the separatists, who had crowded into the ministers' gallery, and given this alarm, instead of making their way themselves out of the house, called out, "Make way for the old Friend;" others said, "Let the old Friend come by;" so that I had no difficulty until I reached the door, where the crowd was very great. Some were thrown down and were in danger of being trampled to death; a young Friend (who was one amongst many more) told me they forced the sashes out with their feet, and tumbled out of the windows: one young man, (report says,) in his fright, dropped out of an upper window. The separatists having now obtained access to the door at the back of the clerks' table, voices were heard above the general uproar, "Now is the time, rush on," which they did, but not being able to get possession of the table, it was broken to pieces. In a short time I returned into the meeting again. When the tumult and uproar had somewhat subsided, it was proposed that we should leave this scene of riot; which being united with, Friends adjourned to Short Creek meeting-house, and the clerk made a minute, stating the cause whereby Friends were brought under the necessity of quitting their own house. On taking our seats in Short Creek house, many minds were afresh contrited before the Lord for his merciful deliverance.. The chief subject that occupied attention at this time was, what measures Friends were to adopt to secure a peaceable enjoyment of their privileges in holding their meetings select the names which had been taken down of those who had been the most active in the riots, and in breaking the clerks' table, were read over; a very becoming care was manifested on the part of Friends, where mercy could be shown, to strike such names off the list; Friends were called upon to make such statement to the meeting, as they would be able to do if brought forward as witnesses in the case before a court. After which four Friends had it in charge to wait upon a judge at Stuben-ville, to lay before him the situation Friends were placed in, and to deliver to him the names of such as had been the authors of their difficulties.

Third-day morning, a few Friends met in the meeting-house lot at Mount Pleasant, and opened the adjournment of the select meeting, and adjourned again to Short Creek meeting-house,