First day, the 20th. Our meeting to-day, as well as at some former times, has been rather heavy and dull. In the course of this week I attended our quarterly meeting, held at this time at New-York. It was in general rather a low time, although not without some manifestations of divine favour: therefore we had no cause for murmuring but rather of rejoicing, in that we were not cast off and forgotten.

First day, the 27th. Sat our meeting again in silence. My present allotment is to be mostly at home, generally engaged in temporal concerns for myself and others. But, I trust, instead of increasing my love to the world and the things of it, I am fast weaning from it, and my love continually increasing and strengthening to higher and better objects; as my attention to the world and its cares arises from necessity and duty, and not from love, except that I love to do my duty in all respects to God my Creator, and man my fellow creature, believing that there is no real Christianity without it.

Our fifth day meeting was quiet and solemn, wherein I had to remind Friends that it was not enough to say with Peter, when queried of by his Master whether he loved him, “yea Lord,” for this is no more than every professor is ready to say, although they may be quite void of any true sense thereof; but we must come to know him and love him in such manner, as when brought to a full trial of our faith and love, we can say as Peter did in his third answer: “Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.” For this is the situation of mind which prepares to be at his disposal, and to endure hardness for his sake in the Christian warfare.

First day, the 4th of 5th month. My mind was led into an interesting view and reflection on the following gracious invitation of our Lord: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” As the subject spread on my mind attended with a degree of life, I was constrained to communicate the prospect, showing that Christ’s yoke was nothing less nor more than the revealed will of his, and our, heavenly Father; which, as it is faithfully submitted to, yokes down and keeps in subjection every desire and propensity of the human mind which stands in opposition thereto. So that the creature hereby knows God’s kingdom to be come, and his will to be done, in earth as it is done in heaven; and the reward of rest and peace promised in the closing part of the invitation is experienced.

The following part of this week spent principally in my usual vocations, except attending our preparative meeting on fifth day; and at the third hour in the afternoon, the funeral of our Friend Joshua Powell of Westbury, who was taken from us after a short illness, by a sudden inflammation and mortification in one of his arms. How true is that saying of the prophet: “All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth;” just such is man, alive to-day, to-morrow is dead. This subject very sensibly impressed my mind at the funeral, and led to an awakening communication, which had a very reaching effect on the assembly. I hope the word that went forth will not return void, but prove a blessing to some who were present.

First day, the 11th. Our meeting to-day was a trying season, but little felt of the real virtue and life of religion. It seemed as though we were in a worse condition than the multitude formerly; for there was a lad found among them with five barley loaves and a few fishes, which served for the blessing to operate upon and enlarge, so as to suffice the multitude and leave fragments remaining; but we were almost, or altogether destitute of any thing for the blessing of heaven to act upon. Therefore we ought not to murmur, although we were sent empty away.

Except attending our monthly meeting on fifth day, and assisting some of my neighbours to settle their business in which a dispute had arisen, I was principally occupied in my temporal concerns through the week.

First day, the 18th. A silent meeting to-day. The rest of this week busily employed preparatory to leaving home to attend our approaching yearly meeting. Left home early on seventh day morning, and got into the city seasonably to attend the opening of the yearly meeting of Ministers and Elders at the tenth hour. On second day at the same hour, the meeting for discipline opened, and continued by adjournments until the seventh day following. In the forenoon of that day at about eleven o’clock it closed, under a comfortable evidence that the divine presence presided; and which, with thankfulness and gratitude we have humbly to acknowledge, has, in gracious condescension, been vouchsafed to us in the several sittings of our large solemn assembly, in as great, if not greater degree, than has been witnessed in any previous season: tending to unite all the rightly concerned members in a living travail, for the promotion of the cause of truth and righteousness, and the spreading and exaltation of those precious testimonies given us as a people to bear for the Prince of Peace.

First day, the 1st of 6th month. Attended our own meeting to-day in humbling silence. Spent the week at and about home, except attending the funeral of our ancient Friend Isaac Underhill of Flushing, on sixth day; on which occasion a meeting was held in Friends’ meeting-house at that place. It was a very solemn, and, I trust, a profitable season to some present. My mouth was opened among them to testify of the things concerning the kingdom of God, in a large affecting testimony, whereby many hearts were contrited and made humbly thankful for the present favour, and I was glad in believing that the Lord is still mindful of his people, and is graciously disposed to strengthen and support them in the needful time; as their eye is kept single to him, looking to him only for help and salvation.