These were all favoured, instructive seasons, worthy of grateful remembrance.
From Menallen we rode to Baltimore, in order to attend the yearly meeting at that place, where we arrived on sixth day evening, the 10th of 10th month. The yearly meeting of Ministers and Elders opened the next day at the tenth hour, and the yearly meeting for discipline at the tenth hour, on the following second day; and continued by adjournments until the next sixth day at evening, when the meeting closed under an evident sense of divine favour, and which had been graciously extended through the several sittings of the meeting. I had much general and particular service in the course of the meetings, both in those for worship, and those for discipline; tending to gather Friends’ minds, to an inward, faithful exercise for the support and promotion of those noble testimonies, that we, as a people, are called to bear for the Prince of Peace; and for the exaltation of truth and righteousness in the earth. The Lord our gracious helper, by his presence and power, manifested himself to be near, setting home the doctrines delivered to his witness in the hearts of most present; whereby Friends appeared generally to be united in spirit, and comforted together under a renewed sense of the Lord’s goodness; and we parted from each other with thankful hearts.
The meeting being ended, we left the city the next morning, in order to take a few meetings which lay westerly, or southwesterly from this place. We were out from the city about two weeks, and attended the following meetings, viz: Pipe Creek, Bush Creek, Fairfax, Goose Creek, South Fork, Alexandria, Washington, Sandy Spring, Indian Spring, and Elk-Ridge. All favoured meetings, in which the Lord’s power and presence were manifested for our help, enabling to preach the gospel in the authority of truth, to the comfort and instruction of the honest seekers, and rejoicing the hearts of the faithful, and administering reproof and caution to the disobedient and ungodly, and to such as are living at ease without God in the world. I felt sweet peace in my labours of love among them.
After the latter meeting, we returned again to Baltimore on sixth day afternoon, the 31st of 10th month. Here we continued until the 11th of 11th month, not only attending Friends’ usual meetings as they came in course in the city, but likewise their monthly meetings, and quarterly meeting, which were held during the time. In all of these I was led into much exercise and religious labour, both in the ministry and in the discipline and order of the Church. We had, likewise, during our stay in the city, three very large, satisfactory evening meetings with the citizens at large. Two were for the white people, and one for the people of colour. I was led forth among them, and strengthened largely to declare of the things concerning the kingdom of God, and to open to their consideration divers important doctrines of the gospel, in the authority and demonstration of truth, apparently to their general satisfaction, and to the comfort and edification of my friends, and the solid peace of my own mind. I then took leave of them, under the precious uniting influence of the heavenly Father’s love, and the covering of deep thankfulness and gratitude for the unmerited favour.
On third day, the 11th of the month, we left the city and proceeded to a place called the Bush, where there is a small meeting of Friends. The three following days we attended meetings at that place, at Deer Creek, and East Nottingham, all favoured seasons. After the latter meeting on seventh day, we proceeded to Wilmington, and attended Friends’ meetings there the next day, both forenoon and afternoon, in which truth favoured with ability to preach the gospel in the demonstration of the spirit, suited, I trust, to the states of many, or most, of the people which composed those large assemblies, and I left them with peace of mind.
On second day I rode to London Grove, accompanied by my kind friend William Poole of Brandywine, my companion being disposed to tarry a day longer at Wilmington. On third day the quarterly meeting opened there with a meeting of Ministers and Elders; in which I was led to open to Friends of that meeting, the great obligations and accountability which attached to those who consented to take seats in such meetings. For it placed us in the front of society, and consequently we were looked to as the leaders of the people; and therefore if we should fall short in faithfully holding up those precious testimonies we are called to bear for the Prince of Peace, and in leading forward the flock by advancing the reformation as truth opens the way, we shall become stumbling blocks in the way of the honest travellers, and thereby shut up their way to improvement, by which they may be discouraged and fall back and be lost; in consequence whereof it is to be feared, their blood might be required at the hands of such unfaithful and dilatory shepherds. It was an instructive searching opportunity, in which truth prevailed in an humbling degree.
The next day was the meeting for discipline. It was also a very favoured searching season, in which many of the hidden things of Esau or the first nature were brought to light and exposed, and the careless worldly-minded professors reproved, and the honest-hearted comforted and encouraged.
After this, feeling a draft of love to those not in membership with us, I proposed an opportunity for them the next day; and Friends uniting therewith, a meeting was accordingly appointed. It was a large gathering and mercifully owned by the Head of the Church, by the gracious manifestation of his divine presence; under the blessed influence of which, the gospel was preached in the demonstration of the spirit, and I parted with them under a thankful sense of the Lord’s mercy, accompanied with a peaceful mind, and rode that afternoon to Concord.
On sixth day we rode to Darby and lodged with our kind friend Edward Garrigues, who accompanied us the next morning to Philadelphia. Here we continued about a week, attending Friends’ meetings in the city as they came in course. As information of our coming had spread in the town the meetings were greatly thronged, and at some places many more than the houses could contain; people of varied professions, and some of almost every description, high and low, appeared eager to attend. It seemed a renewed visitation to the people in general, Friends and others; and not only at meetings but in Friends’ families where we visited, large numbers, especially of the younger classes, would soon collect; so that those opportunities were made seasons of instruction and edification. For the Lord, I believe, beheld them with a gracious eye, and opened my heart and mouth in converse and communication, to the comfort and satisfaction of their inquiring minds, and enabled me in each meeting to communicate in the line of the gospel in large impressive testimonies, affording instruction, comfort and edification to the assemblies in general; and I felt a great power of love to flow freely towards them, which caused my heart to rejoice, and I was made glad in believing that it was the Lord’s doing, and it was marvellous in mine eyes.
After I had got through Friends’ meetings, I felt my mind drawn to have a public opportunity for those not of our society; and Friends uniting therewith, it was concluded to be held on the evening of sixth day. Friends apprehending that the numbers who would be desirous of attending would be very great, it was appointed at Mulberry-street, their largest house. As the notice was given at the monthly meeting at that house, Friends likewise appointed a large committee of men and women to have the oversight of its gathering, and to keep Friends out until their neighbours should first have seats: but the number that collected of other people was so great, that it was supposed as many went away after the house was filled, and the yard around the house as far as they could hear, as there was in the house. Every avenue in the house was filled with people, standing as close as they could crowd together. Such a collection of people I never saw together before on any such occasion. It was with great difficulty that I got into the meeting, and when I had taken my seat, in viewing the crowded state of the multitude, I was ready to fear that the pressure of the people upon one another would destroy the solemnity of the meeting; but as I centered down to the gift, life and strength sprang up, and faith was increased; and the Lord made bare his arm for our help, and soon opened my mouth among them, which brought a precious calm over the assembly. Indeed I could scarcely have thought it possible had I not seen it, that such a large promiscuous multitude, made up almost of every description of people, should in a few moments be brought into such a perfect state of quiet and remain so for hours, until the meeting closed; especially as in the midst of the meeting while I was communicating, some ill advised persons, in order to disturb the meeting, made a great cry of fire, rattling their engines along the street near the house, but it had no tendency to break the solemnity of the meeting. My heart and all that was alive within me, was bowed in humble thankfulness to the Lord our gracious helper, for such a marvellous and unmerited favour. As my whole man was filled with a flow of heavenly love to the multitude, it was likewise very comfortable to feel a mutual return from them, for all that could come near me manifested it, both by conduct and converse; such a time I never witnessed before: surely it was the Lord’s doing, and to him belongs all the praise and glory of his own work, nothing due to the creature but blushing and confusion of face. So let it be. Amen, saith my spirit.