Journal of the Life and Religious Labours of Elias Hicks

by Elias Hicks

In the latter end of the week, there came to my house my much esteemed friend and kinsman Edward Hicks, from Newtown, in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, on a religious visit to our parts, with his companion James Walton, an elder. I accompanied them the next day to a meeting they had appointed at Westbury. It was very large, in which Edward had very good service, being largely led forth to open to the people many important doctrines of the Christian religion. I accompanied him to all the meetings he had among us except one; and in some of them had a portion of the service laid upon me, particularly in the meeting at Bethpage.

I accompanied my friend to four meetings after this, in which he was generally favoured to open things suitable to the states of the people; his gift being searching and lively. After his service was over in the meeting at Cowneck, on first day, I was led forth in a short testimony; and the meeting closed under an evident sense that truth reigned. Our next meeting was the day following at Rockaway, on second day, the 28th of 2d month. It was in the main a favoured opportunity. My part was to sit in silence. After this meeting I parted with my beloved friend and his companion, in the fellowship of the gospel; they proceeded towards New-York, and I returned home that evening, and found my family well.

First day, the 5th of 3d month. I attended our own meeting, which through heavenly help proved a very precious instructive season. It was larger than usual, many coming in who did not often attend, to whom the gospel was preached in the demonstration of the spirit, through which truth was raised into dominion, causing the hearts of many to be warmed within them by the influence of its power, and manifesting itself by much brokenness and contrition of spirit.

Second day, the 13th. Attended the funeral of our friend Charles Frost, at which there was a large collection of friends and neighbours. A meeting was held on the occasion, which was a favoured one, and, I trust, a profitable opportunity to some present, and worthy of grateful remembrance.

In the fall of 1820, being, with several other friends, on an appointment from the yearly meeting, requiring our care and attention in the northern quarters, and having for some time previously felt my mind drawn to visit some of the meetings of Friends, within the compass of Farmington and Duanesburgh quarterly meetings, I obtained the unity and concurrence of my Friends at home to attend thereto, after accomplishing the service of the yearly meeting. I accordingly set out in the 9th month, and was favoured to go through the visit with peace to my own mind; for He, who is the alone sure helper of all his dependant children, graciously manifested himself to be near, for my help and encouragement in the travail and exercise that I was engaged in, for the promotion of his noble cause of truth and righteousness in the earth; and in a way, that was often marvellous in mine eyes, tending to inspire my soul with deep and humble gratitude and thanksgiving, for the unmerited favour.

In the summer of 1822, I opened to my Friends a prospect, which for a considerable time had been impressive on my mind, to make a visit in the love of the gospel, to Friends and others in some parts of the yearly meeting of Philadelphia; and, if way should open for it, to visit some of the families of Friends in that city, and also to attend the yearly meeting at Baltimore. They united with me in the concern, and left me at liberty to proceed therein. I set out in the 7th month, with David Seaman as my companion. We had a large favoured meeting at Flushing, which was strengthening and comforting to my mind, in first setting out in this arduous engagement, and excited gratitude for the unmerited mercy. After leaving Flushing on our way to New-York, my prospect of a meeting at Hester-street, which I had a view of several weeks before I left home, revived with renewed weight; and although from the consternation and interrupted state of the citizens, owing to the prevalence of fever in the city, I had given up the prospect on leaving home, yet I now saw that I could not depart from the city with a quiet mind, unless I had a meeting agreeably to my former view. Accordingly, when I got into town I opened my concern to some of my friends there, who readily united therewith, and notice was given; and one of the Friends who attended about the door at the gathering of the meeting, said there were more people collected than had ever been at any former time in that place; several hundreds, he said, went away, who could not get into the house for want of room. I had a full opportunity to clear my mind among the people, most of whom were very solid and attentive. Thus we have great cause of gratitude to the gracious Care-taker of his faithfully devoted children, who opens a way for them, when some are ready to conclude there is no way. But he opens a way for those, which none but himself can shut, to the praise of his own great and adorable name, who is over all, blessed for ever.

We then proceeded to Newark, and had a meeting in the court-house. There was a pretty large collection of the inhabitants, among whom I had strength and utterance given to open many important doctrines of the Christian religion, in a clear and impressive manner, which appeared sensibly to affect and impress the minds of the sober and well inclined; but many appeared very ignorant and inexperienced as to the real truths of the gospel. But having fully cleared my mind among them, I left them with the answer of peace, and proceeded to Plainfield. We attended the meeting there, which was large for the place; and it was favoured in an eminent manner, to our mutual comfort. We then rode to Kingwood, and had a full and comfortable meeting there; after which we went to Solebury, in Pennsylvania, and had a meeting at the sixth hour in the evening. It was a large meeting, in which I was led to discharge myself faithfully in a close searching testimony. It was a very solemn quiet opportunity, and I parted with them in peace of mind.

We afterwards attended meetings at Buckingham, Plumbstead, Wrightstown, Makefield, and Newtown: and we have abundant cause to bless the name of Israel’s unslumbering Shepherd, who hath graciously condescended to manifest his presence and power for our help and support, opening my way in a marvellous manner in all the meetings I have attended since I left home, uniting my friends in a joint travail for the promotion of his blessed cause; truth prevailing in every meeting, and running as precious ointment over the assemblies, bearing down all opposition, and spreading, by its power, a sweet and precious solemnity over all. Surely it is the Lord’s doing, and marvellous in our eyes: and what is the greatest cause of gratitude and thanksgiving to the benevolent Author of all our richest blessings, is, that he causes all these favours to bow my spirit in deep humiliation and fear before him, as unworthy of the least of his mercies. To the sufficiency of his grace, may all the praise and glory be ascribed, nothing due to man.

We then attended meetings at Horsham, Upper Dublin, North Wales, Plymouth, Providence, Pikeland, Westchester, London Grove, and Deer Creek; and my spirit is humbled in a deep feeling sense of the Lord’s goodness vouchsafed for our help, opening a way in the minds of my friends generally to receive the testimonies given me to bear, for the promotion of his righteous cause, with marks of apparent joy and satisfaction, and to our mutual comfort. We reached Baltimore on the 25th of 10th month; and the meeting of Ministers and Elders was opened on the next day at the tenth hour. The yearly meeting continued till sixth day evening, and was acknowledged to be the largest and the most favoured meeting they had known for several years past. The unity of Friends with my exercises in the public meetings, and in those for discipline, was truly grateful, and tended to humble and inspire my mind with gratitude and thanksgiving to my heavenly Father.

I did not feel myself at liberty to leave the city at the close of the yearly meeting, believing that some more public service among the people was required of me. I had accordingly a public meeting in the Eastern District, on seventh day evening. It was very large; and among the various subjects that opened for communication to those assembled, I was led to expose the iniquity and deformity of the cruel practice of holding our fellow creatures in bondage, and the injustice and inconsistency of Friends doing any act where the right of slavery was acknowledged and supported; and, I think, I was enabled to do it in a more full and impressive manner than ever before. We had a very interesting and solemn meeting; truth appeared to gain the victory, and reigned over all. On first day I attended Friends’ meetings for the Western District, both in the forenoon and afternoon. They were very large; and I had a full opportunity in the morning of clearing myself among them. We had a precious, powerful meeting; and among the divers states addressed, the slave-holders were peculiarly the objects of my exercise and concern. The afternoon meeting I sat in silence, except the expression of a few words just at the close, in taking leave of them, and bidding all farewell.