and King, who has redeemed them from the low pit of pollution. O dear soul, whoever thou art that hast been washed from the filth of corruption, ever remember the loving-kindness of the Lord thy God to thee. If thou livest under a feeling sense of thine own nothingness, he will keep thee lively and green, and thou wilt know a hungering after a daily supply of that bread which comes down from above; by the living virtue of which, as it is feelingly experienced, there will ascend a sweet smelling savour of spiritual worship unto God, that he will have respect unto, as he had to the firstlings of the flock which Abel offered. Oh! that all who have known the Arm of everlasting kindness, mercy and love, stretched out for their gathering, may keep down to the Seed of life, wherein alone stands our safety, our strength, and our preservation.

5th. Our meeting to-day was silent, except a few words communicated by dear William Canby. May we in silence more and more learn the counsels of wisdom, even the deep things of God, which are by no other means so likely to be attained, as in profound silence. In this state, the mind is drawn, at times, to view things with great clearness, and is carried above these lower regions, to see and contemplate things of a higher nature. The apostle could tell some in that day, that they were come to mount Sion, to the city of the living God, to the general assembly and church of the first-born: all of which is to be come at and known in the silence of all flesh, our own wills being subjected and brought to be as nothing. Oh! the wonderful privileges of the gospel. The more any are emptied of self, the more they are filled with Christ; and from being sons of men, they

become sons of God, heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. Oh! that the minds of men were more raised above these lower enjoyments, to contemplate on things that are indeed excellent! Many are slaves to earth and earthly things; the mind, like the inn of old, has no room, and there is scarcely time to spare to think seriously on things that are durable. Great hurt and `loss is thus sustained by letting the mind so constantly run after the gain and pleasures of this fading world. Was not this the case, how many more bright and shining lights there would be, than what there now is, in the great cause of truth and righteousness in the earth! My soul travails for greater redemption both in myself and others.

24th, I got home from attending the Spring meeting of ministers and elders in Philadelphia. At this meeting, Samuel Smith obtained a certificate to visit the brethren on the other side of the water. Our beloved friend and brother in the Truth, Job Scott, and his companion, Daniel Aldrich, were at this meeting, on their way to the southern states. Thus, the servants are moving about, some one way and some another, in the cause of truth and righteousness. Oh! that the labours of love bestowed, may prove effectual to the gathering of many to the true Shepherd and the one sheep-fold. "I am the door," said Christ; "by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."

How

clear it is, that the soul-sustaining food, the bread from heaven, is no further known, than as we are united to Christ. The more we are influenced by the holy Spirit, the clearer we see that all true riches, all right knowledge, all comfort and consolation come from God. It is impossible for the children of men

to attain to any degree of the riches and joy of the holy Spirit, in any other way than by Divine inspiration. All knowledge and understanding, without this, is from beneath; and the wisdom of this world, instead of bringing people to God, leads them to a greater distance from him.

4th month 6th. Happy are they that fear always, that set the Lord always before them, and who have him in all their thoughts from morning till evening, when they lie down and when they rise up, and as they move on through the business of the day. Oh! all ye inhabitants of the earth, come away from your toys and your pastimes, your sports and diversions;come, ye dreamers, ye speculators,-come, enter into your own souls and be still, that ye may know God: there the true knowledge of him is to be found, and not in the regions of self-imagination. However high the tower may be that ye have been labouring to build, know assuredly that confusion will attend it: it is but Babel still. Come, then, thou toiler, enter into thyself, that thou mayst know, as thou art passing along, an acquaintance with the best of company. Oh! come, my dear children, fear God always, and keep him continually before your eyes, that he may direct you in all your goings. If I have not an earthly inheritance to leave you, I leave you this counsel. I have never sought the honours and riches of this world; but from my youth up, I have sought an acquaintance with my God; and I have now for many years past (to the praise of his everworthy name be it spoken) found that which my soul thirsted after. Therefore, whatever station you fill in this life, whether as masters or servants, devote a part of your time to wait upon Him who made

you. I do know that this advice is good. The satisfaction that my soul has partaken of, at such seasons, I hope never to forget. But I would recommend to you most earnestly, to go through the course of your whole business daily as though you saw the Almighty with your outward eyes. Endeavour to have an inward sense of his being always present with you, the overseer of all your ways, words, and actions. This will tend to keep the heart clean.

O my dear children, and all who may read these lines, let me intreat you to bow to the power of God in you; for this is the way to become co-workers with the holy Spirit. Never be ashamed of the cross of Christ; give up your wills to its requirings. Remember, the Lord loves a cheerful giver. Believe me, you cannot begin too early to wear the yoke of Christ and to bear his cross. Do not, I intreat you, trifle with a matter of such momentous consequence. Eternal life is purchased upon no other terms than what are laid down in the gospel; namely, the selling of all. If you love any thing more than Christ, you render yourselves unworthy of him. And what will all the world signify in a day that is hastening upon us all, if he should hide his face from us,—if he should say, I know you not? Therefore, while you have time and opportunity, obey the gracious calls of heaven, and close in with the offers of his love, that thereby you may be enabled to work out your soul's salvation with fear and trembling.

15th. At our monthly meeting, our friend Zachariah Ferris had a certificate granted, to visit Friends in New York and New England governments; Robert Johnson of White-clay Creek to be his companion.

The state of our religious society, at times, appears

mournfully low. To look at our meetings on firstday morning, we show out large. Those in the afternoon, and on other days of the week, are often small: and while this is the case, leanness will be likely to be our portion. The frequent, or even constant attendance of first-day meetings, while others are neglected, looks at best but like offering the lame of the flock; I mean by those whose religious principles enjoin them to attend all their meetings. Yet I am sensible that barely going to meetings will do little for any of us; but when it becomes a matter of indifference to men and women, and they can go or stay at home as it suits them, feeling nothing to bind them. to this reasonable duty, they are of little worth in society; for those who are slack in the attendance of meetings, are often idlers when there, and frequently subject to drowsiness or other weaknesses. Surely, there will a day of awakening overtake the professors of Truth;—a day of purging and cleansing the camp. We are become a great multitude,- a large hody of people; and I often see and feel that things are much in the mixture among us. Many are employed in the discipline of the church who are not sound, healthy members of the body; whereby weakness is increased in society: for how can a man be supposed fit to labour for the restoration of offenders, when he is unfaithful to his Maker, a delinquent himself, and a poor example to his own family? A fountain cannot send forth salt water and fresh at the same time. The gospel direction remains unalterably the same, "First cast the beam out of thine own eye, then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye." I feel more and more a care in naming Friends to weighty services in society;