TESTIMONIES. MOSES ALDRICH. Testimony from the Monthly Meeting of Smithfield, concerning our late deceased and well esteemed friend, Moses Aldrich, of Mendon. He was born in the 4th month, 1690, and was convinced and made profession of the truth amongst Friends, about the twenty-first year of his age; and four or five years afterwards, he was led to engage in the service of the ministry; in which work he was well approved. In the year 1722, he obtained a certificate from Providence Monthly Meeting, recommending him to Friends in the Island of Barbadoes. This Island he visited, laboring in the work of the ministry; and returning, brought a certificate from Friends there, expressive of their unity with his doctrine, consistency of life, and conversation. In 1730, he in like manner visited and labored in the ministry, in most of the provinces on this continent, as far south as Carolina, to the satisfaction of Friends, bringing certificates to that effect. In 1734, he again, with the concurrence of Friends, visited Barbadoes, to the satisfaction of Friends there;—and in 1739, having received certificates of unity from the Monthly Meeting of Smithfield, of which he was then a member, he crossed the Atlantic, and spent the most part of two years in Great Britain and Ireland, in the service of Truth. These labors of love appear to have been satisfactory to Friends there, from their returning certificates, wherein they declare their unity with him in his doctrine, life, and conversation. Divers letters were written by him during his absence, to his wife, children, and friends, giving them tender counsel and advice. He was a man of cheerful mind, pleasant conversation, and exemplary life. He was endowed with a sound understanding as a man, and favored with a large gift in the ministry. He often visited the Meetings of Friends in several parts of New-England, and when at home, was constant in attending the meetings to which he belonged, when of ability of body; often communicating to us, to the comfort and rejoicing of the strong, and to the encouragement and strengthening of the disconsolate and weak ones, through the assistance of that divine grace by which he was supported. Having occasion at one time, to speak of his experience, he said it was about forty years since he was convinced of, and embraced the Truth, and that he had been mercifully preserved from stumbling at it; and we believe he was enabled so to continue to the end. He retained his bodily powers until about a year before his death, at which time they had in a measure decayed, so as to confine him at home in the winter; yet in the summer he visited RhodeIsland, Nantucket, and some other places. In the latter part of the 8th month, 1761, he was taken sick, experiencing great pain of body, which he bore patiently, and in resignation. His children showing themselves troubled with the apparent near approach of his death, he said, "Mourn not for me, but mourn for yourselves; it is well with me, and as well to depart now, as to live longer," or words of this import. He tenderly counselled and advised them to live in love, one with another; giving them to understand that thereby they would receive strength. He appeared to retain his mental faculties until the last, and departed this life on the 9th day of the 9th month, 1761, in the 71st year of his age; and was interred in Friends' burying ground, in Mendon, on the 11th. Although we esteem his departure a great loss to us, yet we have good cause to believe it to be his great gain. Signed at a monthly meeting of Friends, held at Smithfield 30th of 12th month, 1762, by URIAH MOWRY, and 14 other Friends. DANIEL SOUTHWICK. Testimony from the Monthly Meeting held at Smithfield, in New-England, the 26th of 12th month, 1776, concerning Daniel Southwick, late of Mendon, deceased. Forasmuch as it appears probable to us that some account of this, our valued friend, may be beneficial, if committed to record, as an encouragement to virtue, the following is preserved. He was born at Salem, in Massachusetts, in the year 1705, and descended of the family of Southwicks mentioned in Sewell's, and Bishop's histories. His father dying while he was young, he was deprived of his parental instruction, an advantage too lightly prized by many youth, to their own loss. He was educated amongst Friends, and when come to man's estate, was religiously inclined, forsaking youthful follies. In this course, he passed through exercises and discouragements, till, at times, ready to sink; but a language passing through his mind in a season of this kind, "That He who had begun a good work was able to carry it on," so strengthened him, that from thence he took courage, and embracing the cross, persevered in the way he saw to be that of duty, and not long after was concerned to appear in the ministry, in our meetings, to the satisfaction of his friends. He removed from Salem to settle amongst us, in the year 1742; subsequent to which, we were favored with his company most of the time, to the period of his death; and we can say of him, according to our view, that pride, covetousness, and anger had as little room in him, as in any of our acquaintance. In his public testimonies, he was much concerned to shew the nature and value of love, and the pernicious consequences of hatred, ill will, and contention; and also to maintain the universality of the light of Christ, clearly proving this by the testimony of the scriptures. He was very able to point out and illustrate how opposite war and bloodshed are to the precepts of the Gospel, which teach to beat swords into plough-shares, and spears into pruning-hooks, and to learn war no more. And he was sorely affected in viewing the lamentable state of the English nation, at this time. He was constant in the attendance of our religious meetings, and exemplary in his deportment therein. He was peaceable, and a peacemaker in the neighborhood where he dwelt. And as he lived, so he died, evincing, as death drew nigh, his strong love for his friends, and desires for their preservation; and his example being worthy of imitation, we hope his concern may have increasing weight with each of us, to excite watchfulness and care, in order for our preservation in the truth. His understanding remained sound till near his last, and he uttered, during his sickness, many instructive and comfortable expressions, observing that "it much affected him to see persons advanced in life, with families trampling upon the testimonies of truth." At another time, after lying silently for some time, in great pain, he cried out, "I don't know that I could bear this, had it not been that our Master bore it before me, but now I find I can bear this, and more too, patiently," or words to that effect. The evening before his death, he observed, "I think the pains of death are upon me, and that I shall not see the light of another day. The pain of body that I endure is very great, but the peace of mind overbalances all; for my mind is in perfect peace." His last sickness continued about three months, and during that time, he underwent much bodily pain, which he bore with exemplary patience, unto the end. He expired on the 19th of 11th month, 1776, in good unity with his brethren, and has, we believe, arrived "Where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest." And on the 20th, his remains were interred in his own grounds, attended by a large concourse of friends, and others. Signed in, and on behalf of the meeting aforesaid, by BENJAMIN ARNOLD, DAVID BUFFUM, DANIEL ALDRICH, and eleven other Friends. PETER DAVIS. Our beloved ancient friend, Peter Davis, was born at Dover, in Great Britian, the 1st of 3d month, 1680. By his own account he was brought over to Boston, North-America, when very young. He was educated after the manner of the Presbyterians, and was a professor of religion in the order of that denomination. About the thirty-sixth year of his age, he became convinced of the principles of truth as professed by the Society of Friends. He was a minister, well approved; his life and conversation agreeing with his profession-careful to educate his children in plainness of speech and habit, zealous for the cause of truth, a diligent attender of meetings, both for worship and discipline. His religious services were not confined about home. He visited most of the meetings of Friends in New-England, where 'his public testimonies were well received, and were to the edification and comfort of many. He left his home, in Westerly, R. I., on a visit to Friends, in England, the 4th of 5th month, 1747, with the approbation and unity of his friends; travelled through Connecticut into the province of New-York, and visited the meetings of Friends at and about Albany, East and West Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland; thence to Philadelphia, where he took shipping for England; but on his passage was taken by Spaniards and carried into France, and from thence got passage to England. He visited the meetings in London and those in the western and northern parts of that kingdom, pretty generally, where he was also well received and had good service among them, as appeared by certificates. After his return he remained steadfast in the faith and fervent in spirit, often leaving his family and occupation, which was that of a tailor, to visit his brethren in the various parts of the quarterly-meeting and the families of Friends in the adjacent meetings, to their comfort and edification. Like the beloved ancient disciple of our blessed Lord, (to whom he had many times been likened) he frequently exhorted his brethren to love one another and to be faithful, taking occasion in his public testimony to assure those to whom |