1725. had Comfort thro' the sweet Influence of the holy Spirit, which Chrift promised his Followers, John xiv. 26.

Thitadel

phia.

On the 18th of the Seventh Month began our Yearlymeeting at Philadelphia, which was large, and our Friends, John Wanton and William Anthony, from RhodeIland, and Abigail Bowles, from Ireland, had good Service therein. From this Meeting an Addrefs was fent to King George for his royal Favour to us as a Society of People, in giving his Affent to a Law made in this Province for prefcribing the Forms of Declaration, Affirmation, &c. inftead of the Forms heretofore us'd.

The Beginning of the Eighth Month, being a little recovered from my Hurt, I had a Defire once more to fee my Friends on the Eaftern Shore of Maryland, at their General meeting at Choptank. The firft Day I fet out, I travelled about thirty Miles, and at Night was very weary, being but weak in Body, and I was almoft ready to faint in my Mind about proceeding any further; but next Day George Robinson (at whofe House I lodged) offering to accompany me, we travelled about forty Miles to Saffafras River, and both of us, though much tired, were comforted in each others Company and Conversation: On the next Day we travelled near twenty Miles to Maryland, the General-meeting in Cecil County in Maryland, where we met with two Friends from Rhode Island, and two from Penfylvania, who were there on the like Occafion. The Meeting was large and quiet, many People being there not of our Society, and were very fober: The Meeting held feveral Days, wherein the Gospel-Difpenfation was fet forth, and the Love of God in Chrift was exalted. From Cecil we went to Chester River, and had a Meeting there, at which the People were exhorted to come to Christ, the eternal Rock, and true Foundation, and to build their Religion on him, against whom the Gates of Hell can never prevail; and they were fo much affected, that they did not

seem

seem forward to leave the Houfe after the Meeting 1725. was over. From Chefter River we went to Tred-Haven, to the General-meeting of Friends for Maryland, which was very large; fome Friends from Penfylvania and Virginia being alfo there, and many People of other Societies: Many Teftimonies were born to the Operation of Chrift by his Spirit in the Soul, and Friends were earnestly defired to be diligent in reading the holy Scriptures, and to keep up the Practice of our wholesome Difcipline; by the Neglect of which, a Door would be opened to loofe living, and undue Liberties. From Tred-Haven we travelled into the Great Foreft, between the Bays of Chefapeak and Dela- The Great ware, and had a fatisfactory Meeting; as yet there Foreft. was no publick Meeting-house in this Place, wherefore I told the People of the House, I was obliged to them for the Ufe of it; but they tenderly answered, they were more obliged to me for my kind vifiting of them; and truly we had a folid, good Meeting there: The People being generally Poor, they had but little Notice taken of them by the Moneyloving Teachers, who preach for Hire. From the Foreft I went to Little Creek, in the Territories of Little Penfylvania, where was a General-meeting for the Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Suffex. The Meeting was large, and Friends parted in great Love and Tenderness. And I went forward to Duck Creek, Duck. where we had a Meeting; divers Perfons of Note Creek, &. being there, and all were quiet, and heard with Attention. From Duck-Creek I went to George's-Creek, and had a Meeting; where a Man of a fober Converfation, faid, That he never heard Things fo fpoken to before; but that he could witness to the Truth of all that was faid. It was a good Meeting before the Conclufion; but I was very low and poor in my Spirit in the Beginning of it. From this Place we fet forward to Newcastle, where we had a Meeting; it was the Time Newcafile. of the Sitting of the General Affembly, and feveral

Members

Creek.

Derby.

1725. Members of the Houfe were at Meeting. The Governor (who has from our firft Acquaintance been very refpectful to me) hearing that I was in Town, fent to defire me to tarry all Night in Newcastle; but being engag'd to a Meeting over the Rivers Christine and Brandywine, and it being near Night, I could not stay, but went away that Evening, and fent my Love to him, defiring to be excufed. That Night I lodged at John Richardson's, and next Day went to George Robinson's, at Newark, where we had. a Meeting on the Firft-day, and on Second-day anoProvidence, ther at Providence; and went from thence to Derby to vifit our worthy aged Friend Thomas Lightfoot, who lay very weak in Body, none expecting his Recovery; I called as I went from Home, and then he was very ill, and told me, He thought that Illness would conclude his Time in this World, but faid, that all was well, and likewise, that he had a great Concern upon his Mind for the Growth and Profperity of Truth in the Earth, and defired with Tenderness of Spirit, that I would give his dear Love to all Friends; and he now faid, I never thought to fee thee more, but am glad to fee thee. I ftaid there all Night, and in the Morning we had a comfortable Heart-melting Time together, in which was revived the Remembrance of the many favourable Seafons of God's Love we had enjoy'd in our Travels in the Work of the Ministry of the Gospel of Chrift, and we tenderly prayed, if we never met more in this World, we might meet in that which is to come, where we might never part more, but might for ever live to fing with all the Saints and holy Angels, Hallelujah to God and the Lamb. From Derby I went to Philadelphia Thirdday-meeting, and from thence to my Houfe, where my dear Wife and Children with open Hearts and Arms received me, and I them with Joy; at which Time I had a gracious Reward of Peace for my Labour of Love, which far exceeded Silver or Gold.

In this Journey I travelled above three hundred 1725. Miles, had nineteen Meetings, and was from Home above three Weeks, in which Time I recovered of my Lameness to Admiration; fo that I had with Satisfaction to remember the Apoftle's Saying, that All Things work together for Good to them that love God, Rom. viii. 28.

After my Return Home, I was at the General-meeting at Frankfort; and in the Beginning of the Ninth Month, I was at Meetings at Abington, German-town, and divers Times at Philadelphia, particularly at the Youths-meeting, wherein feveral Teftimonies were phia, born, and the Youth exhorted to Piety and Humility.

On the Fifth Day of this Month in the Morning, being under a Confideration of the many fore Exercises and Trials I had met with from my Childhood, I was much affected; but the following Portions of Scripture being brought to my Remembrance, afforded me fome Relief, viz. Whom the Lord loveth be chaSteneth And if ye be without Chaftifement, ye are Bastards, and not Sons And in this World ye shall bave Trouble, but in me Peace,So that I patiently bore my Affliction, and prais'd God under it.

Philadel

Burial at

In this Month I was at the Funeral of our worthy Thomas antient Friend Thomas Lightfoot. He was buried at Lightfoot's Derby; the Meeting was the largest that I had ever Derby. feen at that Place. Our dear Friend was greatly beloved for his Piety and Virtue, his fweet Difpofition, and lively Miniftry: The Lord was with him in his Life and Death, and with us at his Burial.

After this Burial I was at one at Abington; the Meeting was large, and, on that Occafion, feveral Things fuitable to the States of the People were treated on.

German

I was alfo about this Time at German-town, and at a General-meeting at Plymouth, to my great Satisfac- town, tion, being accompanied by my antient Friend Rowland Ellis; and at the Third-day Meeting in Philadelphia, at the Time of our Fall-Fair; there were

fervent

1725. fervent Defires, and Prayers, in feveral of us, That the Youth might be preferved from the Evils too prevalent at fuch Times of Liberty and Prophaneness.

Woodbridge

Flufbing.

WeAbury.

About the 20th of the Month I went for LongIfland, being drawn in true Love to make a general • Vifit to Friends there; and likewife having fome Bufiness to tranfact there. On the fifth Day of the Week, Thomas Mafters and I fet out from Frankfort, and in the Evening we got to a Friend's Houfe near the Falls of Delaware; where we were kindly entertained, and our Horses taken good Care of: To take due Care of Travellers Horfes, is a commendable Thing; and more grateful to fome Travellers, than to take Care of themselves. From the Falls of Delaware, we travelled next Day to Pifcattaway, and lodged at an Inn; and on the next Day we went to Woodbridge to John Kinfey's, and on Firft-day we had a fatisfactory Meeting there with Friends and others; and the next Day John Kinfey went with us to Long-Island, and that Night got to John Rodman's, and next Day we refted, being weary with travelling fo far in the Cold. Our dear Friends in that Inland very lovingly, and kindly, received my Vifit to them; fo that I had Occafion to remember that Saying of the holy Scripture, As Iron Sharpeneth Iron, fo doth the Countenance of a Man bis Friend!

The fifth Day of the Week we had a large Meeting at Flushing, and another in the Evening at Obadiab Lawrence's, which was an open, tender Time. Cor Neck. From Flushing we went to Cow-Neck, to Jofeph Latham's, who went with me to Westbury Meeting, which (confidering the Cold) was much larger than I expected. From Westbury, Nathaniel Simmons, Samuel Underhill, and Phebe Willet, went with us to Bethpage; where we had a comfortable Evening-meeting at the Houfe of Thomas Powell, who went with us next Setauket. Morning to a Town called Setawket; it was as cold a Day's Travel as ever I went thro' in all my Life; the

Bethpage.