might be happy; but if I killed him, he dying in his wickedness, would consequently be unhappy; and if I were killed, he might live to repent; but if I killed him, he would have no time to repent: so that if he killed me, I should have much the better, both in respect to myself and to him. This discourse had made so much impression, and so affected him, that he said, he could not but often remember it. And when we parted at Bridge-Town, we embraced each other, in open arms of Christian love, far from that which would hurt or destroy. After I had been at home some time, I visited the meetings at Philadelphia, Burlington, and German-Town, in which places I had service of divers kinds, and was lovingly received by friends and others. In the Fifth month, Joshua Fielding and John Oxley had a large and satisfactory meeting at Frankfort. Joshua came from London on a religious visit to America, and having been on divers islands, he landed on the main at South-Carolina, and from thence travelled through the wilderness 400 miles, or more, where no public friend had ever travelled before. The journey was perilous, but the Lord was with him; who may in his own time, make way for his servants in those desert places. John Oxley came on the same account from Barbadoes, and had good service among friends in his public ministry. In this month, we thinking it convenient to send our little children to school, and not having a school-master of our society near us, concluded to put our son and daughter under the care of Nathaniel Walton, to whom I thought it my duty to write a few lines about the salutation and language I would have them trained up in, which were on this wise, viz. "Frankfort, 30th of 5th mo. 1727. "Loving friend, Nathaniel Walton, "I hope thou wilt excuse this freedom which I take with thee, in writing this on account of my children, in these particulars, viz. respecting the compliment of the Hat, and Courtesying, the practice thereof being against my professed principle:-1st. Because I find nothing like it in the bible; but, as I think, the contrary. Thou knows the passage of the Three Children of God, who stood covered before a mighty monarch; and Mordecai, who could not bow to great Haman. And, 2dly, I believe those practices derived from vain, proud man. And as to Language, I desire my children may not be permitted to use the plural language to a single person; but I pray thee to learn them to say Thee, and Thou, and Thy, and to speak it properly, divers using it improperly; and the rather I desire it, because it is all along used in the Divine inspired holy writings. I suppose thou art not a stranger of its rise being from the grandeur and apostasy of the Romish church; and, also, that You to a single person, is not consonant to the Book of God, nor the true rules of grammar. I know it is generally objected, That the end of speech is to be understood: but it is understood better in and according to the language of God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost, in the Bible, and the language of kings, and all people, as we read it in the holy Scriptures; why then should we be ashamed of it, or shun it; and bring in and uphold a custom contrary to it? The same care I would have thee take about the names of the Days and Months, which are derived from the names of the gods of the Heathens, and are not found in the bible. I suppose I have thè mind of all those of our society in the above, it being consonant to our principle and profession, and I write in a motion of Divine love to all. "As to the school-learning of my children, I leave to thy management, not questioning thy ability therein; and if they want correction, spare not the rod. "I hope thou wilt observe this direction in teaching my children, in which thou wilt oblige thy assured friend, T. CHALKLEY." The latter end of the Fifth, and the beginning of the Sixth months, the weather was exceeding hot, so that divers people died suddenly of the heat, as it was supposed. The beginning of the Sixth month I was at the youth's-meeting at Abington, which was large and open to many; and I not having been there since I came from sea, divers expressed their gladness to see me; and we were that day favoured with some showers, both celestial and elementary, to our comfort. In the same month I was also at the youth'smeeting in Philadelphia: it had been a sickly 'time, but many had recovered. That passage opened on my mind, to speak of in the meeting, concerning the lepers, which Christ cleansed and healed, being ten in number, and that but one came to return thanks to God, for being healed and restored to health, Luke xvii. 12. 19.- Friends were exhorted to prize their health, and to shew their thankfulness to God, the giver of it, by fearing and serving him, and taking heed to Christ, the Word in their hearts. The meeting was in a good, solid frame, and we praised the Lord together, and gave him thanks for his merciful visitation. About this time I heard of the death of our king (George the First) a prince whom I loved and honoured; which news was very sorrowful to me on divers accounts: his love and kindness to our society, was well worthy our grateful remembrance. On a third-day, being our week-day-meeting at Frankfort, Elizabeth Whartnaby and Mary Smith were there it was a comfortable opportunity. They were two nights at my house. Elizabeth : was preparing to leave this land for Barbadoes, and Europe, intending a religious visit to Friends. The 20th of the Sixth month, going into my closet, I there met with a paper of my son-in-law Isaac Brown's, and finding the contents were religious, as I had done of several of his late writings, I found it on my mind to write to him after this manner : "Dear Son Isaac, "By several writings of thine, of late, I perceive that a good thing is at work in thy mind, the which I pray the All-wise and Infinite Being to promote in thy heart, to thy eternal salvation, and his glory. I now begin to be in some hopes that my prayers and tears for thee, in the Lord's time, may be answered: and I do believe, if thou keeps low in thy mind, that God will more and more visit thee. The advice of David to his son Solomon, when he also gave him the kingdom, comes before my mind to give thee. My son, know thou the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts; if thou seek him, he will be fond of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.' 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Dear Isaac, this was counsel from one of the greatest and best of kings, to a wise young prince, who petitioned the Almighty for Divine wisdom, before riches, or honour, or long life; |