Our two next appointments were at Pleasant Valley, and the Branch, on second and third days. These were comfortable, and I trust, profitable seasons. The four successive days we attended the monthly meetings of Oswego, Nine Partners, Creek, and Stanford. They were all seasons of great favour, wherein I was largely opened in the line of gospel ministry, in four several searching testimonies, greatly to the comfort of the honest faithful travellers, and to the rebuke and warning of the careless, hypocritical, and worldly-minded professors. On first day we attended the meeting at Nine Partners, and notice having been previously given of our intention of being there, the meeting was very large; and the Lord’s power was present with us, enabling me to discharge myself faithfully among them, and instructingly to divide the word, suited to their several conditions. The season concluded with prayer and thanksgiving, to his great and adorable name, who is over all, God blessed for ever.
After this, apprehending I felt liberty to turn my face homeward, and having for the two successive days meetings, appointed at Chesnut Ridge, and Poughquague, we proceeded accordingly. Although I was under considerable infirmity of body, and travelled in much pain, yet through gracious aid, furnished from the adorable fountain of all wisdom and strength, I was enabled to attend them to my own satisfaction, and the comfort and encouragement of my friends. I was led forth in both of these meetings in large affecting testimonies; the minds of many present were baptized and humbled, and the faithful few refreshed, whom the Lord delights to honour.
On fourth day we crossed the Highlands, and rode down to the mouth of Croton River, about forty-two miles. It was wearisome to my afflicted body, but believing it right for us so to proceed, and having faith in the divine sufficiency, I was sustained even beyond rational expectation. The day following being Friends’ meeting day in that place, we had a comfortable opportunity with them, together with some of their neighbours; and it was, I believe, an instructive edifying season to many. May it fasten as a nail in a sure place.
After this we passed on to New-York, where we tarried over first day, and attended their forenoon and afternoon meetings; also an appointed meeting in the evening, at their new meeting-house. They were large and very exercising, yet, I trust, in the main, profitable meetings. On second day the 26th of 12th month, we rode home, and I found my family well, which, together with the Lord’s mercies and preservations, vouchsafed to me in this arduous journey, caused my heart to be filled with gratitude and thanksgiving to His great and worthy name, to whom belongs all praise, adoration and worship, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
I was out in this journey about three months, and rode about fifteen hundred and seventy-five miles.
In the spring of the year 1806, feeling my mind drawn in gospel love, to pay a religious visit to some of the neighbouring towns and villages on our island, Staten Island and New-York, among those not in profession with us; and opening my concern to our monthly meeting, I received the concurrence and unity of my friends therein. I was from home in this service about twenty days, and had about thirty meetings among those not of our society, generally to good satisfaction, and to the peace of my own mind. Many, in most places, appeared convinced of the truth and propriety of our doctrine and principles, as they were communicated, and divers feelingly expressed their satisfaction therewith, and the heart-felt comfort they witnessed in those opportunities; and I had cause to hope that light was breaking forth in some places, which had long been under the power of great darkness, through the undue force of wrong customs, and a false education, principally propagated by a mercenary, anti-christian ministry. My mind was often affected, in considering the emptiness and fruitless state of many of those professors under different names, who had a form of godliness, and were very zealous in attending to the outside ceremonials, of what they called religion and worship; but in their lives and conduct denied the power thereof, being persuaded by their blind guides, to believe they might be saints, while they were sinners, and stand in a state of justification, without sanctification. But this is a false and very dangerous doctrine. O, saith my spirit, may the light of Israel arise and come forth, and by the brightness of its arising, dispel all those mists and fogs, those works of darkness, which those blind guides have raised up between God and the souls of the people; and deliver the nations out of the hands of all oppressors, that so none, at the awful closing period, may witness verified in themselves, that solemn truth, that “if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
In the fall of the year 1806, feeling my mind drawn to visit some parts of the quarterly meetings of Purchase, Nine Partners, and Stanford, with some adjacent places, not among Friends, and obtaining the unity and concurrence of our monthly meeting therein, I set forward the 8th of 12th month; Thomas Willis kindly joining me as a companion in this journey. On third day we attended the meeting for sufferings in New-York, and in the evening we had an appointed meeting at Brooklyn, which was a solemn, comfortable season. Fourth day, being the day on which Friends’ meeting was held in the city, notice was given of our intention of being there. It was a pretty large meeting, and in a good degree favoured with the spreading of the divine canopy, and strength was afforded to communicate to the various situations of those present; to the honest-hearted and truly exercised travellers, comfort and encouragement, and of this number, I trust, there are a few preserved in this city of great stir and commotion; and to the careless, the unguarded and refractory, caution and rebuke.
After this we passed on to Mamaroneck, and lodged with our kind friend Richard Mott. The three following days of this week, we attended the monthly meetings of Purchase, Shapaqua and Amawalk. We stayed over their first day meeting at Amawalk, which was large, many of other societies coming in; and had an appointed meeting in the evening at Peekskill. These were all seasons of favour, comforting and refreshing to my mind.
On second day, the 15th of the month, we proceeded on our journey, and reached, seasonably in the evening, the house of our kind friend Enoch Dorland, at or near Oswego. On third day we rode to Nine Partners. On fourth day we attended the monthly meeting of Oswego; both the meeting for worship, and that for discipline, were well conducted, and truth reigned; which made them comfortable and instructive. On fifth, sixth and seventh days, we attended the monthly meetings of Nine Partners, Creek, and Stanford. Nothing transpired in either of these unusual. We attended Friends’ meeting at Northeast, on first day, and also a meeting in the evening at Little Nine Partners; both seasons of favour. On second day we rode to Hudson, and the next day attended their monthly meeting, and likewise had a large public meeting in the evening with Friends and others. I have cause to acknowledge the goodness and mercy of the Shepherd of Israel, who has been pleased graciously to manifest his presence and power for our help and encouragement, from season to season, enabling us to labour, to the comfort and refreshment of the honest-hearted and faithful among the brethren and sisters, and to impart counsel and caution to the varied states of those amongst whom our lots were cast, and stirring up the pure mind in many. So that in many places it appeared to be a renewed visitation of divine love to the people, for which many hearts with our own were made thankful.