wheat: and being in the winter season, it required my rising before day in order to accomplish my task of work before I went to school. But the Lord inclined my heart to seek him in those my youthful days; though at times, through hard usage, I revolted and gave myself up to a reprobate life. Some times I was tempted to run away, not caring much what became of me, and thinking I could not fare much worse if I spent my days in a prison. But thou, O Father, restrained me, for thou hadst a work for me to do; and as thou wast preparing me for it, thou turnedst those crosses and disappointments into blessings. Thou wast my father and my friend, for I had none to cry unto but thee, and thou didst hear me and comfort me. Thou madest hard things easy, and bitter things sweet, and thou reconciled me to my situation.

As I grew up, I had this consolation, that I was faithful in my master's business. He was for the most part a quiet, inoffensive man; but my mistress and myself were too much of a temper to agree well together; until Truth took hold of my mind and chained down my strong passions, which with hers used to rise very high at times. She was a woman of ungovernable passion, and would sometimes break out upon me in great rage about my work, although I was but young in years. Oh! the injury done to youth, by being placed under such who have no government of their own tempers! I believe many have been ruined thereby, and driven into things that have brought lasting shame and disgrace upon them. It was nothing short of the goodness of the Shepherd of Israel that kept me from falling into gross enormities: for even when I was tempted

thereto, he raised an abhorrence in my mind against it. He stepped in between, as it were, and would not suffer me to fall into the jaws of the devourer. Oh! matchless, unfathomable love! What shall I render,-what have I to render unto thee, O Father of mercies, for all thy benefits? My tongue and my pen are far too short to set forth one half thy praise. It is thine own works that praise thee, and I record it to thy honour.

During those days of the tendering visitations of Divine love to my soul, I used frequently when I went out to work in the fields, to take my book along with me, and when I had a little leisure, I found great satisfaction in reading.

In the neighbourhood where I lived, there were many young people, who used frequently to collect together and make merry nights, as they called them. Their amusements were such as card-playing, singing, dancing, &c. in which I also took much delight, and often went to these night meetings; insomuch that there was a prospect of my becoming a proficient in these vanities. But, to the praise of the ever worthy name of my God, be it spoken,-he left me not, but followed me with reproof; his light and his Truth showing me that the course I was pursuing led down to the chambers of death, and thither I was hastening, if I continued in that way. This alarmed me, and caused me to bemoan my situation; so that under these convictions I endeavoured to keep from going into company. Sometimes, I concluded I would associate with them no more; and in order to shun them on the first day of the week (for it was customary for us to collect together on that day) I have at times taken my book and gone from the house,

either into the woods or to some place where they could not find me; and there I have sat and read for hours together. At these seasons I was often deeply affected, and particularly so on reading in the New Testament; especially concerning the sufferings of Jesus Christ;-severely condemning in my own mind the conduct of the Jews towards him, and saying at times within myself, that had I lived in those days, I would have been his follower: not knowing that it was his holy Spirit that was then offering to be my leader, director and support in the way of life and salvation.

O blessed Shepherd of Israel, how tenderly thou didst deal with me in those days of my childhood! Thou tookest me by the hand as a most tender father, to lead me out of the vanities and follies and sinpleasing pleasures to which I was prone by nature. Thou corrected me in mercy, and in great lovingkindness thou reproved me. In the riches of thy adorable goodness, thou revealedst thy son Jesus Christ in me, and caused me clearly to understand that thou wast speaking to me by and through the spirit of thy son in my heart. Here I saw that it was this which had been and was still smiting me for my evil ways, and bringing sorrow over the mind for speaking and doing amiss;-and that this was and is the only means offered by God for our reconciliation to him. I saw that there was power in that which smote for sin, to deliver from it, and I understood what I read of Christ that all power was given unto him of the Father.

Oh! this was indeed a glorious day, never to be forgotten by me while I retain my memory. Oh! what rejoicings of soul I felt! What ravishings of

love swallowed me up, as it were, in the embraces of heavenly goodness! Many blessed and glorious seasons I had both by night and by day; for the goodness of God was great towards me, a poor ignorant lad. He was my comfort, my rejoicing, and my song all the day. He made hard things become easy to me, and reconciled me to my outward condition. I went through my work cheerfully, and with integrity of heart; for he taught me to be honest and just to all men, and to observe the injunction, to do as I would be done by. Thus, having the Lord, my greatest good, before mine eyes always, when I turned to the right hand or to the left, behold I saw him, and his presence was with me in an admirable manner, insomuch that the time of my servitude went on without my thinking much about it, and I served it out with honour and reputation.

But I did not stay one day after I was free from my apprenticeship; for, having some time before fixed in my mind that I would go and get insight or acquaintance with the milling business, I accordingly went to Samuel Levis, a miller, at Springfield, and agreed to stay with him for one year. I was to find myself in clothes, and when I worked out of the mill, he was to give me wages. The milling business seemed to come naturally to me, and I improved fast in a knowledge of it; so that when my year was up, I went and hired for chief miller at a mill on Wessahickon creek, about eight miles from Philadelphia.

During the last two years, I had attended Friends' meetings constantly on first-days. I was often deeply thoughtful, and cried to the Most High for preservation. I had not much thought about joining Friends, and knew nothing of the order of society;

but was fully satisfied with their manner of worship. I remembered what was said by the son and sent of the Father, that God was a Spirit, and they that worshipped him aright, must do it in spirit and in truth;— also that he was seeking such worshippers, and where they were thus met and gathered into his name, he was in the midst of them. Oh! what an excellency appeared in the order, to be waiting on God in the silence of all flesh,-truly and humbly waiting upon the alone Object of adoration and worship! Oh! what refreshing seasons I have witnessed, when there has not been a word spoken. Here, I was clearly shown that many had come to the experience of the apostle, when he said, "We are of the circumcision that worship God in the spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." O glorious day indeed! having the Lord, most high, for their teacher, as he had spoken by the mouth of his inspired prophet, that he would teach his people himself, and that they need not say, one to another, Know the Lord; "for," said he," they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them." I saw clearly to be the case, and my soul rejoiced greatly and thanked the God of heaven for so great a favour, bestowed on me a poor, unworthy creature.

This

Not intending to write a minute history of my life, I only mean to give a touch here and there of my coming along in a religious line, for my own satisfaction. If my dear children should outlive me and take good ways, it may also be satisfactory to them to look over these minutes of their father's journey through life.

It was in the 11th month, in the year 1772, that I first appeared in the work of the ministry, whilst I