Journal of the Life and Religious Labours of Elias Hicks

by Elias Hicks

Engagements at and near home, and within the limits of Westbury quarterly meeting—Visit to some parts of the yearly meeting of New-York, 1818.

First day, the 21st of 12th month, 1817. I again met with my friends at home, in our own meeting, and was glad to see them; having been absent nearly four months, in which time I travelled about eleven hundred miles, and attended eighty-five meetings for worship, and eleven for discipline. And now, at home, I find no time to be idle; for in this first meeting, my mind was brought under exercise, and I had to tell my friends, that if we would be Christians, we must be united to Christ, and learn by his example to do good for evil; as it is no certain mark of a real Christian, to be in the practice of mutual returns of good offices to one another. For sinners give and lend to sinners, to receive as much again. I found afterwards that there was just occasion for my exercise, as some of my neighbours, members of society, had been disputing and differing about trivial matters of property. Alas for such! what peace can they have on earth, and much less can they hope for any in heaven, when done with time. For such dispositions cannot possibly be happy in the presence of a just, holy, and merciful Being, who is love ineffable.

I sat our meeting on fifth day in silence, and nothing unusual occurred the rest of the week.

First day, the 28th. I was led, while sitting in our meeting to-day, into a view of the great want generally manifested by the people, of living in the fear of the Lord, and of seeking to be initiated into his kingdom of peace and love; as nothing short of it can administer to any the joys of salvation, or produce a real redemption from the power of evil. The subject spread on my mind, and opened to a pretty full communication, in the line of close caution and warning to the indolent and unconcerned, respecting the necessary preparation for our final change. A solemn weight spread over the assembly, and I have a hope the labour will not be all lost, but sink deep and remain on some minds.

In the course of this week my case seemed to resemble Mordecai’s of old; after riding the king’s horse, he had to retire to the king’s gate, and there wait for fresh direction. I also felt my mind brought into a waiting quiet state, in poverty of spirit. Attended our fifth day meeting mostly in silence, except just before the close I had to remark to Friends the great advantage that accrued to us by being embodied together in religious society, under the influence of truth, as our duties and religious obligations became more binding upon us, especially the diligent attendance of meetings for worship, which gave us frequent opportunity of inquiring into our own states, and how far we stood accepted in the divine sight, and were at peace with Him and with all men; for this is a very requisite care which ought not to be neglected, but always be first in our minds.

First day, the 4th of 1st month, 1818. Having felt my mind for several days drawn to sit with my friends at Martinicock, I accordingly went on this day, accompanied by my wife and daughter Elizabeth. Although the meeting was not altogether so large as at some other times on this day of the week, the weather being cold, yet the opportunity, through the manifestation of divine regard, by which I was enabled to preach the gospel in the demonstration of truth, was rendered an instructive edifying season, and we were comforted together under a renewed sense of the Lord’s goodness.

Second day. I attended the funeral of a neighbour. It was a promiscuous gathering of different societies of professed Christians. I was largely led forth among them to declare of the things concerning the kingdom of God, and to open to the people in a clear and impressive manner, the way and means by which we may come to have an inheritance therein, and that nothing short of our coming into a passive state without a will of our own, as a little child, agreeably to the doctrine of our Lord, will ever qualify us for that blessed inheritance, where nothing that worketh an abomination or maketh a lie can ever enter. It was a season of favour, in which truth had the victory, and I felt peace in my labour of love among them.

On third day I went to New-York, accompanied by my son-in-law Valentine Hicks, in order to attend the monthly meeting of Friends there, which came the next day. I attended it accordingly. It was a pretty full meeting, in which I was led in a close, searching line in my testimony, which agitated some of the worshippers in the outer court, and made them fretful. Alas for such professors! what will they do in the end, when the winds blow and the rains descend? Surely their sandy foundation will fail them; then will they be made to call to the rocks and mountains of their own exalted self-righteousness, to cover them from the prevailing indignation which they have brought upon themselves, by their own neglect of a right improvement of the talent with which they had been entrusted, and which they had buried in an earthly mind; but their cries will be in vain, as the hypocrite’s hope will perish.

Fifth day. I attended Friends’ meeting held in the middle of the week at Flushing, at which there was a marriage, which caused it to be much enlarged, by many of the neighbouring inhabitants coming in who do not usually attend. It was a favoured season, in which I was led to communicate divers important doctrines of the Christian religion, and to open the true ground of the marriage covenant, whereby male and female may be rightly joined together, so as to become true helpers and blessings to each other. After this, I returned home that evening with the blessing of peace, the sure reward of faithfulness, and retired willingly to the waiting gate of inward trust, and poverty of spirit.

First day, the 11th. My mind was led into a view of the necessity of doing all our works to please God, and not to please ourselves, or one another; and the only way to please our neighbours to edification, was to do all to please the Lord, who hath promised that if our ways please him he will make our enemies to be at peace with us. The subject spread and led to communication, in which the people were invited to acquaint themselves with God, and be at peace with him by doing his will, and not our own, whereby good would come unto us; hence we should please one another to our mutual edification and comfort.