for us from day to day. I was out about two weeks, and rode about two hundred miles.

The monthly-meeting of Philadelphia having been under a concern on account of fome friends who this fummer (1758) had bought negro flaves, the faid meeting moved it to their quarterly-meeting, to have the minute reconfidered in the yearly-meeting, which was made laft on that fubject: and the faid quarterly-meeting appointed a committee to confider it, and report to their next; which committee having met once and adjourned, I, going to Philadelphia to meet a committee of the yearly-meeting, was in town the evening on which the quarterly-meeting's committee met the fecond time; and, finding an inclination to fit with them, was, with fome others, admitted; and friends had a weighty conference on the fubject: and, foon after their next quarterly-meeting, I heard that the cafe was coming to our yearly-meeting; which brought a weighty exercise upon me, and under a fenfe of my own infirmities, and the great danger I felt of turning afide from perfect purity, my mind was of ten drawn to retire alone, and put up my prayers to the Lord, that he would be graciously pleafed to ftrengthen me; that, fetting afide all views of felf-intereft and the friendship of this world, I might stand fully refigned to his holy will.

In this yearly-meeting, feveral weighty matters were confidered; and, toward the laft,

that in relation to dealing with perfons who purchase flaves. During the feveral fittings of the faid meeting my mind was frequently covered with inward prayer, and I could fay, with David," That tears were my meat day "and night." The cafe of flave-keeping lay heavy upon me; nor did I find any engagement to speak directly to any other matter before the meeting. Now, when this cafe was opened, feveral faithful friends fpake weightily thereto, with which I was comforted; and, feeling a concern to caft in my mite, I faid in fubftance as follows:

"In the difficulties attending us in this life, nothing is more precious than the mind of truth inwardly manifefted; and it is my earnest defire that, in this weighty matter, we may be fo truly humbled as to be favoured with a clear understanding of the mind of truth, and follow it; this would be of more advantage to the fociety, than any medium not in the clearness of divine wifdom. The cafe is difficult to fome who have them; but if fuch fet afide all felf-intereft, and come to be weaned from the defire of getting eftates, or even from holding them together, when truth requires the contrary, I believe way will open that they will know how to steer through those difficulties."

Many friends appeared to be deeply bowed under the weight of the work; and manifefted much firmnefs in their love to the cause of truth and univerfal righteousness on the earth and, though none did openly justify

the

the practice of flave-keeping in general, yet fome appeared concerned, left the meeting fhould go into such measures as might give uneafinefs to many brethren; alledging, that if friends patiently continued under the exercife, the Lord, in time to come, might open a way for the deliverance of these people: and, I finding an engagement to speak, faid, "My mind is often led to confider the purity of the divine Being, and the juftice of his judgements; and herein my foul is covered with awfulness: 1 cannot omit to hint of fome cafes, where people have not been treated with the purity of juftice, and the event hath been lamentable: many flaves on this continent are oppreffed, and their cries have reached the ears of the Moft High, Such are the purity and certainty of his judgements, that he cannot be partial in our favour. In infinite love and goodness, he hath opened our understandings, from one time to another, concerning our duty towards this people; and it is not a time for delay. Should we now be fenfible of what he requires of us, and, through a refpect to the private intereft of fome perfons, or through a regard to fome friendships which do not stand on an immutable foundation, neglect to do our duty in firmness and conftancy, ftill waiting for fome extraordinary means to bring about their deliverance, it may be by terrible things in righteoufnefs God may aniwer us in this matter.'

Many faithful brethren laboured with great firmneis; and the love of truth, in a good

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degree,

degree, prevailed. Several friends, who had negroes, expreffed their defire that a rule might be made, to deal with fuch friends as offenders who bought flaves in future: to this it was answered, that the root of this evil would never be effectually ftruck at, until a thorough fearch was made into the circumftances of fuch friends as kept negroes, with refpect to the righteoufnels of their motives in keeping them, that impartial juftice might be adminiftered throughout. Several friends expreffed their defire, that a vifit might be made to fuch friends as kept flaves and many friends faid, that they believed liberty was the negroes right; to which, at length, no oppofition was made publicly: a minute was made more full on that fubject than any heretofore; and the names of feveral friends entered, who were free to join in a vifit to fuch as kept flaves.

CHA P.

СНАР. VI.

His vifiting the quarterly-meetings in Chefter county; and afterwards joining with Daniel Stanton and John Scarborough in a vifit to Such as kept flaves there-Some obfervations on the conduct fuch should maintain as are concerned to speak in meetings for difciplineSeveral more vifits to fuch as kept flaves: and to friends near Salem-Some account of the yearly meeting in the year 1759; and of the increafing concern, in divers provinces, to labour against buying and keeping flavesThe yearly-meeting epiftle.

Ο

N the eleventh day of the eleventh month,

in the year 1758, I fet out for Concord; the quarterly-meeting, heretofore held there, was now, by reafon of a great increase of members, divided into two by the agreement of friends, at our last yearly meeting. Here I met with our beloved friends, Samuel Spavold and Mary Kirby, from England, and with Jofeph White, from Bucks county, who had taken leave of his family in order to go on a religious vifit to friends in England; and, through divine goodness, we were favoured with a strengthening opportunity together.

After this meeting I joined with my friends, Daniel Stanton and John Scarborough, in visiting

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