and next day we had a meeting in the meet- This evening we went to see another young woman who was in a deep consumption, but in a very comfortable state of mind; having a great desire to see me before she died, she sent for me to come to her, and her desire was answered, her spirit being revived with a fresh visitation of the love of Jesus Christ, the holy physician of value, and our supplications were, that the Lord would be pleased to be with her, and support her to the end, and grant her an easy passage from this life to his glorious kingdom, when it should please him to remove her; which prayer we have cause to hope was answered. also large, and several in authority were there, and were very loving and respectful. The next first-day we had a large meeting at Cow. neck, which was somewhat crowded. Though my exercises were very great, I was glad that there was such openness and room in people's hearts to receive the doctrine which I had to declare unto them, in the name and power of Christ; afterwards we had an evening meeting with the widow Titus, to which divers Dutch people came, and were very attentive and sober. On the third-day of the week we had a meeting near the place called Hurlgate, a narrow passage in the great sound or bay, between Long island and the main land. Several justices and their wives attended it, one of whom had disowned his son and turned him out of doors for coming among us; but beholding his son's sober conversation, he grew more moderate, and after meeting he and his wife invited us to dine with them; but we were engaged to visit the widow Stephens that evening, at whose house we had a meeting. Going thither, it being very cold and Though the days were short and the wea- stormy, my hands were touched with the ther exceedingly cold, we rode about fifteen frost, and perceiving it when I came to the miles and made these two visits, after that fire, I called for a bason of cold water, which great meeting at Westbury; but our good soon cured them: I note this that others may Master supported us, and was with us in our reap benefit thereby. Next day we went to exercises and service for his name and truth's the week-day meeting at Newtown, and on sake. I lodged this night at Joseph Rodman's, fifth-day to Flushing meeting, which was and was next day at Flushing week-day meet- large and to edification, and in the evening ing, which was very large and satisfactory; had a meeting at our ancient friend Hugh had a meeting the same evening at Samuel Cowperthwait's, which was acceptable to him, Bowne's, and the next day went to New-York, as he expressed when it was ended; and to us and had a quiet, good meeting in the evening at Samuel Harrison's, and on the morrow had an evening meeting at a place called the Kills, at the house of Richard Hallet, and the next day being first-day, had a large meeting at Newtown, to the edification of Friends and other sober people. also. On seventh-day we had a very large evening meeting at Thomas Pearsall's, and likewise a large, good meeting, the day after, being first-day, at Matinicock, wherein the kingdom of Christ was exalted, and the deformed state of sin and iniquity represented, and the example and doctrine of Christ closely It being now generally known that I was recommended, in order to the overcoming of on the island, the people flocked to meetings, sin, this being not only possible, but the duty though the weather was extremely cold, for of Christians, through the power of Christ the Lord in the riches of his love manifested and true faith in his holy name. The danger himself unto us in our meetings for the wor- of believing that it is impossible to overcome ship of his holy name. The next meeting sin was opened to them, and that such a bewas at James Jackson's, at Rocky-hill, where lief is contrary to, and against Christ and his was Judge Hicks, the high sheriff, and a jus- doctrine, and darkens and blinds the hearts tice of the peace, with several other persons of men; but the love of Christ enlightens the of note, with whom, and our friends, we had soul, and strengthens it to believe that all a good time to set forth the work of grace things are possible with God; for this great and reformation, I think, to general satisfac- work cannot be done in the will, wit, and tion, for which we blessed the holy name of God, and humble prayer was put up to him for all men, and particularly for our king George, as also for all in authority under him, and that they might be a terror to evil doers, and the praise of them that do well. The next meeting was at Jamaica, which was power of man, but through the power and grace of Christ, which he promised to true believers in him. I was faint after this meeting, but resting a little, soon grew better, so that we had an evening meeting at James Cock's, where one came and told us, we must not eat any flesh, evening we had a meeting with the wife of Matthew Farrington, who was too weakly to go abroad; the neighbours came in, and we had a seasonable opportunity. On third-day was the youths' meeting at Flushing, in which we were concerned to exhort them to obedience to God and their parents, and to follow their parents as they follow Christ; for where any leave Christ, there we are to leave their example, though they were our fathers or mothers; and the right honouring of our parents was set forth, and they exhorted not to despise the day of small things; the happy state of the obedient, and the unhappy state of the disobedient, with many other weighty truths were delivered to them in that meeting, by several experienced Friends. From Flushing I went to the week-day meeting at Newtown, and in the evening we had a meeting in, we had a good time with them: the parable of the ten virgins was treated of, and the great disadvantage of wanting the divine oil of grace in our vessels, was shown to them. and produced Thomas Tryon's works for his proof. I took the Bible and showed him proof to the contrary, and told him we were resolved to believe our book before his, and showed him from the apostle, that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, nor divers washings, but righteousness, peace and joy, in the Holy Ghost. Though at the same fime, according to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles, I was for temperance in meats and drinks, as well as moderation in apparel. The next day we had a very large meeting at Oyster bay, many being there who were not of our Society, who steadily gave attention to what was declared; and there being many young people, they were persuaded to give up their blooming years to do the will of God, and to remember him their Creator, in their youthful days. Friends said there had not been such a meeting there a great at the widow Way's; the neighbours coming while, for which opportunity I was humbly thankful to the Lord. After meeting we went to Samuel Underhill's, and had an evening meeting with his brother, who through sickness and lameness, could not get out for a long time. Next day Samuel Bowne being with me, we went to visit a young woman who was weak in body, but lay in a comfortable frame of mind; she was thankful for our visit, and said the visits of her friends were comfortable to her. Next day being the fourth of the week, we had a meeting at the widow Taylor's, who desired it on account of her father, then in the eighty-eighth year of his age, and so infirm, that he could not get to meetings; he was very clear in his understanding and memory, and was much refreshed with this meeting, as were divers of us also. Next day we had a meeting at Flushing, which was large and open, and the grace and power of Christ was with us in the ministration of the gospel. After this meet-pany, who through some difficulty got on ing we had an evening meeting with our ancient friend Joseph Thorne, who by reason of his age and infirmity could not go abroad as far as the meeting house: many of his neighbours and friends came, and we had a solid, good time together. While at Flushing, I went to visit a young woman who was a most sad spectacle to behold, an object of great pity: her face, hand, and foot, being much eaten away by the king's evil; our prayers were, that now in her great misery, the Almighty would be pleased to support her soul by his grace and spirit, and sanctify her affliction to her, that it might work for her a more exceeding weight of glory in that world which is to come. The next first-day we had a large meeting at Flushing, wherein many weighty truths were opened to the satisfaction and edification of the auditory, and in the The next day being the fifth of the week, we had a very large, satisfactory meeting at the widow Alsop's, at the Kills; and from thence with several Friends went to NewYork, where we had three meetings to our edification, the weather still remaining very cold, but we felt the love of Christ to warm our hearts, and though I think I never felt it colder, I never had my health better. Several Friends accompanied us to the boat at New-York, the water being open on that side, we took our leave of each other, and put out for the other shore; but before we got there, we were blocked up in the ice, and it was a considerable time before we could work our way through, but at last got well on Long island, where I waited some hours for com shore. We went to the Narrows through a storm of wind and snow, but the wind being high, we could not get over that night nor the next day, the ice having come down and filled the bay: when the tide had drove away the ice, we put out and got well over, and lodged at the ferry-house on Staten island. Next morning we went to the ferry at the Blazing Star, over against Woodbridge, but it was all fastened with ice, and we not daring to venture over it, went to the ferry at Amboy, and got comfortably over, stayed there that night, and next day went to Trenton and lodged at Captain Gould's, who treated me very kindly, I being much tired with travelling. Next morning I went over Delaware river on the ice, as we had done the day before over the Rariton, and that day being the 5th of twelfth month, I got safely home to my loving spouse and tender children, where I found all well and a hearty reception, having travelled six hundred miles, and attended above sixty meetings. After having been at home, at our own meeting at Frankford, I went to the quarterly meeting at Philadelphia, where Friends were glad to see me. On the next fifth-day I was at the marriage of Thomas Masters and Hannah Dickinson, where were many sober people not of our Society. Having been lately among Friends at Long island, and been comforted in the many opportunities we had together, it came into my mind to visit them with an epistle at their quarterly meeting at Flushing, which was as followeth: "Frankford, Twelfth month, 1725. crafty or cunning, it will do more hurt than good in the church of Christ. Christ's spirit must govern Christ's church; and when and where that is over all, then and there Christ's church and kingdom are exalted, of whose kingdom and peace there will be no end; and happy will all those be, whose end is in it. Moses, that man of God, governed in the Jewish church in the spirit of God, and when he found the work too heavy for him, the Lord put his spirit on seventy more, who were help meets in the government; so that it was God's spirit that governed; and while that ruled, all was well; but when they went from that, they fell into error and disobedience. At length the Messiah came, and he governed his own little flock himself; and when he ascended up on high, he promised that his spirit should be with and in his church forever, and be their holy guide into all truth, in which he would also comfort them: and Christ fulfilled this his promise; for when his disciples waited at Jerusalem to be endued with power from on high, according to the advice of their Lord, they were filled with the gift and grace of the holy Spirit. And when the brethren and elders met together about the affairs and government of the church, they gave forth rules and orders from that general meeting to the particular ones; and the Holy Ghost presided amongst them, which they signified to the other meetings, saying, 'It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to put you in mind of such and such things.' And while this Holy Ghost, or spirit, governed in the primitive Christian church, all was well; God and Christ was glorified, and his church and people edified; but by going from that the apostacy came in. "My dear and well beloved friends, "Believing it might be acceptable to you to hear that I was got well to my habitation in such a difficult time of the year as that in which I set out from you; and also feeling the sweet influence of the love of the heavenly Father, and his dear Son our Lord Jesus Christ, to arise and spring in my heart, and flowing towards you, it came into my mind to write a few lines to the quarterly meeting of Friends at Flushing, by way of epistle, well knowing also that many of us are as epistles written in one another's hearts by the finger of the Most High; and those characters of divine love so written will not easily be erased. I could willingly have been at your quarterly meeting, but had been so long from my family, that I was much wanted therein, and my coming home was seasonable and acceptable, both to them and my friends; and I humbly thank the Lord, I found all well. That which is on my mind to your quarterly meeting, is concerning the government of the church of Christ, of which he is the holy head and lawgiver; wherefore we are to seek and wait for counsel and wisdom from him, in all our monthly and quarterly meet- "And dear friends, the testimony of Jesus, ings, for the well ordering of our little So- in the spirit of prophecy, opens in me after ciety, which is growing and increasing in the this manner, that if our Society keep and live earth, and also in your island, notwithstand-up to the spirit and truth of Christ, which ing the invidious attempts of some men of hath been manifested to our forefathers, and corrupt minds; and it will grow and increase to us also in this age, the great Lord of all more and more, as we keep our places, our will prosper his work in our hands, and bless heavenly places in Christ Jesus. both us and our children, as we and they keep therein. "Dear friends, the good order of truth and the government of Christ in his church, is a great help to us and our children, when carried on in Christ's spirit; [pray observe or mind that] for if our order and church government be carried on in the spirit of man, as he is mere man, though he is ever so "Wherefore, dear friends, keep close to the spirit, power, light, and divine life of Christ Jesus, in your monthly and quarterly meetings for the government of the church, as well as in your meetings for the worship of the Almighty; for if we go from that he will go from us. "And as we have kept close to this our heavenly guide, how hath the Lord sweetly manifested his love and power to us in our meetings for the well ordering of our Society? which many times hath filled our hearts with pure praises and holy thanksgiving, to the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, and dwells in the highest heavens, and is light for ever: to whom, with the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, I recommend you, my dear and well beloved friends, brethren and sisters in Christ, with my own soul. "THOMAS CHalkley. ing at Springfield; the house was pretty much thronged, and Friends were exhorted thankfully to commemorate the mercies and favours of the Almighty to them, and desired to enlarge their meeting houses as their number increased; for in those parts there was such an openness in the hearts of the people and increase of their number, that Friends had already agreed on building two meeting houses "P. S. Since my return I have been between Crosswicks and Burlington; their zeal thankful to God for the many favourable vis- and unanimity therein, were worthy of comitations and good opportunities he was pleased mendation. Fifth-day being the week-day to grant me with you and divers sober people meeting at Burlington, Friends of the town on your island, in which there is an open door desired I would stay at it. I thought we had among many to receive the testimony of truth. just before had divers good opportunities, and I commend your nobility in building good my own inclination seemed to lead to my houses, and making room for your sober family; but Friends being desirous of my neighbours to sit with you in your meetings; staying, I did so, and we had a good meeting. this is of good report concerning you, both After it, a solid Friend said, "he thought we far and near, and if I apprehend right, there had the best wine at last ;" and indeed the is more work of that kind for you to do. I love of God, through Christ, is so sweet to thought often, when among you, and now his people, that the last often seems the best, also, that there would be a large gathering, if when it is only a renewed visitation of the there were a house built at the upper end of same love to his children. I went home rethe Great Plains, not far from Foster's mea-joicing that I was in some measure accounted dow; but every one may not think or see worthy to serve so good and so gracious a alike; though I know some solid Friends Master. among you, thought the same with me, about the prospect of a large gathering thereaway, if a house were built; to which Friends and well inclined people might come from Hempstead, Rocky-hill, Rockaway, Foster's meadow, &c. "THOMAS CHALKLEY." After my service on Long island, I had great sweetness upon my spirit for some time, which sometimes caused my heart to sing for joy; and yet I rejoiced in a trembling frame of spirit, and had the true sense of what is written in the holy Scriptures, where it is said, "Serve the Lord with fear," I take it to be filial fear, "and rejoice with trembling," for fear of losing that precious sense of the love of God which is in Christ. On the 6th day of the first month, being the first of the week, I was at the morning and afternoon meetings in Philadelphia, wherein those who call themselves freethinkers, were exhorted to be careful of drinking too freely, lest they might justly be called free-drinkers; for many times such, when they drink too freely of strong liquor, think and speak too freely their own corrupt notions to the dishonour of God, and to the scandal of religion in general. In this month I went to the Jerseys, and was at three large meetings in company with Abigail Bowles, in which our said friend had good service, to the comfort of Friends, convincing of gainsayers, and confirming the weak, and the people were glad of our visit. The 15th day of this month I was at BurOn the 20th of the twelfth month, the first-lington, at the burial of my good friend and day of the week, I was at Abington meeting, in which the love of Christ was manifested to us, in the opening of his saying, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." The next day I was at Germantown, at the burial of a son of Dennis Conrad, at which also was our friend Abigail Bowles. On the sixth-day following, I went to the general meeting of ministers and elders at Burlington, where I again met with our said friend and divers others. The first-day meeting was large; and on second-day was the quarterly meeting for the county; and on third-day was their youths' meeting, where many weighty truths were delivered. On fourth-day we were at a meet old acquaintance, Abraham Bickley, at whose funeral were great numbers of people, he being well beloved of his neighbours. Christ's raising Lazarus out of the grave, and his tenderness and weeping there, were spoken of, in order to stir people up to a tender, religious exercise of mind, which is much wanting among many of the professors of his holy name, who have too little sense of that which should bring true tenderness over their minds, being more in earth than heaven; so that they are dry and barren, as to the things of God. The meeting ended to satisfaction, with supplications to the Almighty. A few days after I was at our general spring meeting in Philadelphia, which was large; where our friends Robert Jordan and Abigail Bowles, had good service. visit us, as at this time he doth some of our neighbours; there being a great sickness and mortality in some of the adjacent places. This week I was at four very large meet- In the second month I visited the meetings ings at Philadelphia, Frankford and Abing- of Friends at Haverford, Newtown, Radnor, ton, much to my satisfaction, though I had and Merion; which meetings consist chiefly no vocal service therein; yet my heart was of ancient Britons, who are a religious, indusbroken into tenderness and tears, under seve- trious, and increasing people; among whom ral weighty, solid testimonies, that were borne my service was, as they expressed, to our by living ministers, qualified to preach the mutual satisfaction. After my return home, gospel in the demonstration of the spirit, and I went to visit Friends at the falls of Delawith power. ware, and was at a large meeting in their The 26th of the first month, 1726, I went | new meeting house. After a satisfactory to Germantown meeting, which was large, meeting at Frankford, on the fifth-day of the and I was opened therein to speak of the same week I went with Ennion Williams to vision of the prophet Ezekiel, of the holy his son's marriage; next day he and several waters, which proceeded from under the other Friends accompanied me to Woodbury threshold of the sanctuary, which the angel creek, and had a good, open meeting, and measuring, they grew deeper and deeper, that night went to James Lord's, and next until they became a river to swim in. Which morning towards Salem, and lodged at Isaac showeth the work of grace, conversion, and Sharp's; where I was informed of a great regeneration; and that these holy waters of mortality at Cohansey. The 24th of the sewhich the soul must drink and be washed, cond month was the general meeting at Saand baptized in, are spiritual and supernatural, and therefore not to be measured by the spirit and will of man, in his natural state, according to the prophet Isaiah. Man, before he can swim therein, must be stripped of all his self-righteousness and artificial religion, though as splendid and beautiful as a gallant ship, or galley with oars, in which respect it is agreeable to the state of men swimming in elementary water, where the most skilful have sometimes lost their lives, for want of being unclothed. Those who had not yet attained much experience, were advised not to go out of their depth, but to wait in patience and humility, to enjoy the medicinal virtue of the trees growing by the side of this river, whose fruit is for meat, and its leaves for medicine. The people of this meeting were generally Germans, several of whom staid in the house after it was over, and were broken into tenderness, in a sense of the presence and love of God unto us, for which I was also humbly thankful and bowed in spirit. lem, which was a large gathering of people of different persuasions, from many parts of the country, where the doctrine of the gospel was preached in great love to the people, which they heard with solid attention. From Salem I went to Alloway's creek and Cohansey, and had meetings there. I was informed that more than seventy persons had lately died here of a malignant distemper, though it seemed to abate, none dying while we were there. At Cohansey the meeting was large and solid, though but few of our Society reside there; and they were earnestly admonished to a proper disposition of mind, to fit them either for life or death, and reminded of the regard of the Almighty to such as live in his fear, who will have peace in their death, and their change will be glorious, when they are taken out of this life; but with the wicked it is not so. From Cohansey I went through the wilderness over Maurice's river, accompanied by James Daniel, through a miry, boggy way, I was at the third-day weekly meeting in in which we saw no house for about forty Philadelphia, which was but small, consider-miles, except at the ferry, and that night we ing the large number of those professing to got to Richard Townsend's, at Cape May, be of our Society in this city; those present where we were kindly received. Next day were closely and tenderly exhorted to be zeal-we had a meeting at Rebecca Garrison's, and ous for good works, and against bad works; the day after a pretty large one at Richard not respecting the person of any man. The Townsend's, and then went down to the Cape, abominations committed by some under our profession in this city and province, call for humiliation; and as the promise of God's favour was to those who mourned with sighs and cries for the abominations among his people formerly, so now, as many as are under the same concern, may hope for preservation and salvation, if he should in like manner and had a meeting at John Page's, and next day another at Aaron Leaming's; several expressed their satisfaction with those meetings. I lodged two nights at Jacob Spicer's, my wife's brother. From Cape May we travelled along the sea coast to Great Egg Harbour, had another meeting much larger than the first, at Rebecca |