near the beginning of the Yearly Meeting, a private conference with this elder and his wife, concerning theirs; so that the way seemed clear to me, to advise with him about the manner of proceeding. I told him, I was free to have a conference with them all together in a private house; or if he thought they would take it unkind to be asked to come together, and to be spoken with in the hearing of each other, I was free to spend some time among them, and visit them all in their own houses. He expressed his liking to the first proposal, not doubting their willingness to come together; and as I proposed a visit to ministers, elders, and overseers only, he named some others, who he desired might be present also. As a careful messenger was wanted to acquaint them in a proper manner, he offered to go to all their houses to open the matter to them; and did so. About the eighth hour next morning, we met in the meeting-house chamber-when, after a short time of retirement, I acquainted them with the steps I had taken in procuring that meeting, opened the concern I was under, and we proceeded to a free conference on the subject. My exercise was heavy, and I was deeply bowed in spirit before the Lord; who was pleased to favor with the seasoning virtue of Truth, which wrought a tenderness amongst us; and the subject was mutually handled in a calm and peaceable spirit. At length, feeling my mind released from the burden which I had been under, I took my leave of them in a good degree of satisfaction."

In 1763, under gospel solicitude for the welfare of the Indian natives of Pennsylvania, he paid a religious visit to the Indians residing about Wyoming and Wehaloosing on the Susquehanna River, nearly two hundred miles from the city of Philadelphia; in which visit he was drawn into near sympathy with these poor people, and qualified at times by his divine Master, to impart counsel, and direct them to that unerring Guide in the secret of the heart,

which would lead all men, without distinction of color, to a saving knowledge of the Lord, their Maker and their Redeemer. He often spoke to them through interpreters; but on one occasion, feeling his mind covered with the spirit of prayer, he expressed his willingness for them to omit interpreting. The meeting ended with feelings of solemnity; and before the people went away, one of the Indians who had been zealously laboring for a reformation among them, remarked to the interpreter, "I love to feel where words come from;" thus manifesting that though the language was foreign, yet there was a savor accompanying this heaven-prompted prayer, which had met a sympathetic feeling in the mind of this simple child of the forest.

Another Christian concern which came upon him this year, was occasioned by a juggler coming to Mount Holly, the place of his residence, and attracting many of the inhabitants to a certain public house to see his foolish tricks. He says, "I heard of it the next day, and understanding that the show was to be continued, and the people to meet · about sunset, I felt an exercise on that account. So I went to the public house in the evening, and told the man of the house that I had an inclination to spend part of the evening there; with which he signified that he was content. Then sitting down by the door, I spoke to the people as they came together, concerning this show; and more coming and sitting down with us, the seats at the door were mostly filled; and I had conversation with them in the fear of the Lord, and labored to convince them that thus assembling to see those tricks, or sleights of hand, and bestowing their money to support men who in that capacity were of no use in the world, was contrary to the nature of the Christian religion. There was one of the company, who, for a time, endeavored by arguments to show the reasonableness of their proceedings; but after considering

some texts of Scripture, and calmly debating the matter, he gave up the point. Having spent about an hour amongst them, and feeling my mind easy, I departed."

In the year 1770, John Woolman was brought very low by a severe attack of pleurisy; during which dispensation his mind was kept calm, and favored with some openings into the excellency of heavenly wisdom. One day he dictated the following instructive remarks on prayer:

"The place of prayer is a precious habitation; for I now saw that the prayers of the saints were precious incense: and a trumpet was given me, that I might sound forth this language, that the children might hear it, and be invited to gather to this precious habitation, where the prayers of the saints, as precious incense, arise up before the throne of God and the Lamb. I saw this habitation to be safe; to be inwardly quiet, when there were great stirrings and commotions in the world. Prayer at this day, in pure resignation, is a precious place: the trumpet is sounded — the call goes forth to the church that she gather to the place of pure inward prayer; and her habitation is safe."

He had for some time had an impression on his mind that he should be called to labor in the gospel beyond the sea; and this concern ripening, he sailed with the unity of his friends for England in 1772, in company with Samuel Emlen. In travelling up and down in England, he was greatly affected in observing the splendor and delicacy in which many indulged themselves, while multitudes of their fellow-creatures were not able to obtain the necessary comforts of life; and he labored faithfully to encourage those of his own Society to simplicity and purity of life, in accordance with their self-denying profession. The last sentence in his journal on this journey is worthy of preservation.

"In this journey a labor hath attended my mind, that the ministers amongst us may be preserved in the meek,

feeling life of Truth, where we may have no desire, but to follow Christ and be with him; that when He is under suffering, we may suffer with Him-and never desire to rise up in dominion, but as He by the virtue of his own Spirit may raise us."

"In

A few days after writing this, he came to the city of York, where he was soon taken ill of the small-pox. During his illness, he uttered many heavenly expressions; ejaculating on one occasion in the following manner: the depths of misery, O Lord! I remembered that thou art omnipotent,-that I had called thee Father-and I felt that I loved thee and I was made quiet in thy will -and I waited for deliverance from thee. Thou hadst pity upon me when no man could help me. I saw that meekness under suffering was showed to us in the most affecting example of thy Son, and thou taughtest me to follow Him and I said, thy will, O Father, be done!" On another occasion, he said, "I feel the disorder making its progress, but my mind is mercifully preserved in stillness and peace." Again, "My mind enjoys a perfect calm." In the night he exclaimed with great earnestness, "O my Father! my Father! how comfortable art thou to my soul in this trying season!" And being invited to take a little nourishment, he remarked, "I seem nearly arrived where my soul shall have rest from all its troubles."

A day or two afterwards, he broke forth in supplication in this manner: "O Lord, it was thy power that enabled me to forsake sin in my youth; and I have felt thy bruises for disobedience; but as I bowed under them thou healedst me, continuing a father and a friend. I feel thy power now; and I beg that in the approaching trying moment, thou wilt keep my heart steadfast unto thee." Perceiving a

Friend to weep, he said, "I would rather thou wouldst guard against weeping for me, my sister. I sorrow not, though I have had some painful conflicts; but now they

seem over, and matters well settled, and I look at the face of my dear Redeemer, for sweet is his voice and his countenance is comely." Some time after, he said to his medical attendant, "My dependence is on the Lord Jesus, who I trust will forgive my sins, which is all I hope for." Thus humbly, yet confidently, did this devoted servant of Christ look to the mercy of his Lord: who took him to Himself in sweet peace, without sigh, groan, or struggle, in the fiftysecond year of his age.

CHAPTER XLII.

ACCOUNT OF JOHN CHURCHMAN.

N the year 1775, died John Churchman, one of John

I Wool men's fellow laborers in the gospel of peace, and

in the cause of his afflicted brethren of the African race.

He was born in the county of Chester, Pennsylvania, in the year 1705, and was tenderly educated by his parents in the profession of the Society of Friends, and early habituated to a diligent attendance of religious meetings. He felt the reproofs of the Lord's Holy Spirit for evil words and actions at a very early period of his life; but knew not whence they came, until he was about eight years of age; when sitting one day in a small meeting, the Lord by his heavenly love and goodness overcame and tendered his heart, and by his glorious Light, discovered to him a knowledge of Himself. He was enabled to see where he was in the Divine sight, even in a state of vanity and estrangement from his Heavenly Father; and was mercifully made to feel also, that the forgiveness of his sins