I passed the year 1811 at and near home, in attending our own and some adjacent meetings; also some meetings in divers neighbourhoods among other societies. I had frequent cause to rejoice in a living hope, that truth was gradually rising, and the true light shining more and more in the hearts of the people; and that in the Lord’s time, it would be exalted and become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth.
In the winter and spring of the year 1812, with the concurrence of my friends, I passed about four weeks in visiting the neighbouring inhabitants, not of our society. I had twenty-eight meetings, all held in private houses; many of them were very large and crowded, and the Lord was graciously near, comforting and refreshing the sincere-hearted, and opening counsel to those who wanted information, and sealing his testimony on the minds of the people, to the exaltation of his own righteous cause, and to the glory of his excellent name, “who is over all, God blessed for ever.”
In the forepart of the winter of 1813, feeling a renewed concern toward the neighbouring inhabitants of our island, and New-York, not in profession with us; many of whom are as sheep without a shepherd, and appeared to be under exercise and concern, to be rightly instructed in the way of peace and salvation, in gospel love, and with the unity of my friends, I paid them a visit. I had upwards of twenty meetings in the different parts, much to my own satisfaction, and, I trust, to the edification and comfort of many who attended. The Lord, our gracious helper, was near, and covered the assemblies with his solemnizing presence and power; and instructed to divide the word to the several states, in the demonstration of the spirit. For these unmerited favours, I was made at seasons to rejoice, and in deep humiliation and thankfulness of heart, to joy in the God of my salvation, who does wondrous things in mercy, for the children of men, in order to hide pride from man, and turn him from his unrighteous purposes, and save his soul from the pit, that so he may know, and seek after God.
Before I had got fully through this little tour of duty, a further prospect opened, toward a visit to Friends and others in the compass of Purchase quarterly meeting, and some of the neighbouring parts of the state of Connecticut, where none of our society reside: and under the impression of duty I laid the concern before our monthly meeting held in 1st month, 1813, and received its concurrence, in a short minute for that purpose. I left home the 6th of 2d month following, my kind friend Gideon Seaman, an Elder, and member of Westbury monthly meeting, accompanied me in this visit.
We passed to New-York on our way, and on first day attended the forenoon meeting at Pearl-street, and the afternoon meeting at Liberty-street; and had an appointed meeting on second day evening in the northeast part of the town, in a large room in a public house. It was a favoured season, and largely attended; many more came than the room could contain. The two foregoing meetings were also favoured strengthening opportunities, affording encouragement in my first setting out in the weighty and solemn service before me, which I always esteem that of appointing meetings to be, more especially those among strangers; many of whom know but little of us, or of the manner in which we hold our meetings, and therefore are apt to get restless, and sometimes much disquieted at our sitting so long in silence, as we often have to do; that it requires, in Friends, at such seasons, a very deep indwelling with the seed of life, to prevent being jostled, or interrupted in our inward travail and waiting, for the pure motion of life; lest, by their eagerness to hear words, Friends on those occasions, might be led to venture on too small an intimation and without sufficiently turning the fleece again and again, and to feel clearly, that, “wo is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” For want of this care, there is danger sometimes of our running in vain, and so not profit the people at all, nor procure peace to our own minds.
I was from home in this journey about four weeks, and rode upwards of three hundred miles; and attended twenty-five meetings, and our meeting for sufferings twice. Twelve of these meetings were among people not of our society; and where there are no meetings of Friends. Among these I found great openness to receive us, and our testimony; many expressed their satisfaction with the opportunities, and manifested a desire in most places, that we would stay longer with them, and have more meetings. Indeed truth was so prevalent in those meetings, as not only to silence, at least for the present, all opposition, but in many of them to reign triumphantly over all; whereby many minds were comforted and instructed, and the power of truth exalted; and our hearts made glad in believing, that the Shepherd of Israel is still availingly stretching forth the crook of his love, and will gather many from the highways and hedges; whom, as they attend to his call, and abide faithful to the end, he will clothe with the wedding garment, and admit into the marriage chamber of the Lamb; while many of those, who have been long and often invited, but are nevertheless making excuses, in order to attend to their farms, their merchandize, their oxen, &c., will not be able to enter.
CHAPTER VI.
Engagements at and about home, 1813.—Visit to Friends in the middle and southern states, 1813.