Journal of the Life and Religious Labours of Elias Hicks

by Elias Hicks

Fifth day. A silent meeting. The rest of the week laboriously exercised in my temporal concerns. Oh how killing too much bodily labour is to our best spiritual life, and although it may be no more than is our duty to do, in order comfortably to accommodate our families, and the timely payment of our just debts, and the punctual performance of all our contracts, yet even then divine wisdom has so wisely ordered the events of things, as to impress caution on our minds, by not suffering us to reap much spiritual content or inward enjoyment from bodily exercise, or worldly care, lest as man is naturally prone to seek earthly things, he might become so swallowed up in his temporal enjoyments, as to neglect the one thing needful, that of laying up treasure in heaven.

First day, the 7th of 6th month. We had a large meeting to-day, and having been made an example of silence for a number of meeting days past, I also looked for the same at this time, till nearly half the time of our meeting was expired. I sat clothed in darkness, a darkness which could be felt; but after wrestling for about an hour a gleam of light sprang up, and a prospect revived, which had presented at the opening of the meeting, and enlarged with increasing weight until it led to communication. In the course thereof, the original state of man was considered, and presented to the view of the audience; and the state of rectitude in which he was placed by his gracious Creator; also the way shown, by and through which he fell, in a way clearly to discharge and exculpate the all-equitable and perfect Jehovah from any blame, as having any part or hand in man’s fall and ruin, and placing it wholly on his own turpitude, by making a wrong use of his liberty, and by making his election to evil instead of good, when both lay open before him, at his own choice. Therefore, if he would pursue evil instead of good, he had none to blame but himself: the Lord would be clear, and his faithful servants would be clear; his blood will be upon his own head.

Fifth day. Attended our preparative meeting. My exercise and testimony led to show the excellency and necessity of silence to man, in all his attempts to approach the divine Being in solemn spiritual worship; not only the body but also the mind must be silenced, according to that saying of the prophet, “Be still and know that I am God;” with which the testimony of Christ well agrees, where he assures his disciples, “That he is the vine, and they are the branches; and except the branch abide in the vine it withereth,” and that “without him they can do nothing.” As it is the sap from the vine that can only quicken and vivify the branch; so nothing short of the will, life and power of the Creator, spiritually dispensed to the creature, can enable him to perform worship in spirit and in truth. For nothing but man’s assuming an independent will, in opposition to the divine will, and becoming active therein, occasioned his fall and separation from his Maker; so likewise nothing but a renunciation of that will, and a cessation from all self-activity as an independent creature, can unite and restore him again, or enable him to worship in spirit and in truth.

First day, the 14th. Having not fully performed my contemplated visit to our neighbouring towns and villages, and way opening for a further procedure, I attended two appointed meetings to-day, one in the morning at Cold Spring, and the other at the fourth hour in the afternoon at Huntington. Both these were pretty full meetings, in which my exercise was laborious, but I had a hope they were profitable meetings to some present. I returned home in the evening.

Fifth day. Attended our monthly meeting, at which we had the company of a Friend from Pennsylvania. His plain lively testimony, together with his company and solid deportment, did my heart good, as it brought to my remembrance some of our primitive worthies.

Sixth day. I attended the funeral of our friend Jacob Smith of Westbury. His death was very sudden and unexpected, which made it the more trying to his family. A meeting was held on the occasion, which was largely attended by his friends and the neighbouring inhabitants. The opportunity was solemn and instructive, and the gospel was preached in the demonstration of the spirit, and many hearts were humbled and contrited. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

First day, the 21st. I proceeded again in order to accomplish my aforesaid visit to the neighbouring towns and villages. By previous notice, a meeting was appointed at Cow Harbour, about twelve miles to the eastward, at the fourth hour in the afternoon, at the house of a person by the name of Henry Scudder, which was large and favoured. The five following days, I attended meetings appointed at the following places, viz: at Elias Smith’s, in the west part of Smithtown, on second day, at the fourth hour in the afternoon; at the Branch on third day, at the eleventh hour; at Stony Brook, on fourth day at eleven o’clock; at Setauket on the same day, at the fourth hour in the afternoon; on fifth day had one at a place called the Hopfrogs, at the fourth hour in the afternoon; on sixth day at the eleventh hour, one near Commack, at the house of our friend Jacob Harnad, and at the fourth hour, had our last meeting in this town, at the house of Jonah Wood, at Dixhills. This is a grandson of Jonah Wood deceased, who resided in the same place, where I often had meetings while he was living. He was a man convinced of the principles of Friends, but never came forward to join the society, which I apprehended was a loss to himself and family. These meetings were all owned by the Master of our assemblies, although great weakness and ignorance were manifest in many who attended, nevertheless the Lord was graciously pleased to condescend to their low estates, and opened my mouth in doctrine suited to their states and conditions. I returned home on seventh day, with a thankful heart and a peaceful mind, the result of faithfulness in the Lord’s work.

First day, the 28th. Attended our own meeting, which I sat the greater part in silence; but towards the close had a short testimony to deliver, which was introduced by the remembrance of the account given by the evangelist of the pool of Bethesda, and our Lord’s healing the impotent man who had long waited there to be healed, but was not; therefore our Lord had compassion on him, and healed him. This shows how good it is to have a steady persevering faith and hope in the means God appoints for our salvation.

Fifth day. A silent meeting. The rest of the week I was busily employed in the oversight of my hay harvest, and in assisting in getting it into the barn; the fields having brought forth bountifully, which greatly enhances our obligations to the benevolent Giver.