The four following days we were at Byberry, Middletown, Bristol, and the Falls. These were large meetings, wherein, through gracious assistance, my mind was strengthened to labour largely in the gospel; endeavouring, by plain and conclusive arguments, drawn from scripture testimony and their own experience, to gather the minds and attention of the people, from every non-essential and false trust, home to the sure foundation, the elect precious corner stone, which is Christ in them, the hope of glory. These were solemn seasons, wherein the people’s minds were generally humbled, the honest-hearted comforted, the youth encouraged and instructed, and the lukewarm and refractory cautioned and reproved. The Lord’s power was exalted over all, rejoicing the sincere-hearted, and giving peace to my own mind.
The next day being first day, and 1st of 8th month, we attended Trenton meeting in the morning, and were at Stony Brook at five in the afternoon. The meeting at Trenton was considered to be the largest that had ever been held in that place. It was a favoured precious meeting, wherein the Lord’s power was eminently manifest; and my spirit was made to rejoice and joy in the God of my salvation, who had made bare his arm of divine sufficiency; and as I trusted in him, carried me through, and over, every trial and tribulation, that attended in the course of this journey; enabling me to labour faithfully in the work of the gospel, I trust to the exaltation of his own righteous cause, and to the peace and comfort of my own mind.
These meetings closed my visit in those parts. We then proceeded directly to New-York, where we arrived on third day; and as Friends’ monthly meeting there was to be held the next day, we concluded to stay and attend it. I then rode home and found my family well, for which favour, together with the Lord’s other multiplied mercies and blessings, conferred in the course of my pilgrimage through this vale of tears, inspire my heart with gratitude and thanksgiving to the great and blessed Author of my being and well-being, “who is over all, God blessed for ever.”
Fifth day, 5th of 8th month, 1813. On this, and the two following days, I made preparations for again entering into the necessary cares of my family.
First day. After a pretty close exercise in silence in our meeting to-day, I was led to call Friends’ attention to more strict watchfulness and circumspection, and to show the necessity of advancing in the work of righteousness, and not to continue any longer at ease in a formal customary way, which is sure to produce dwarfishness and death, not only to individuals, but also languor and dulness in meetings, greatly distressing to the living exercised members.
The following week was spent in my common vocation as a farmer; except that on seventh day, I went to Setauket, about thirty miles, to visit a sick Friend, who had lately been received a member. We had a meeting with her and some of her neighbours on first day, after which I returned home that evening.
Second, third, and fourth days, passed, as usual, in a peaceful attention to my ordinary vocations.
Fifth day. At meeting to-day my mind was solemnly humbled in a fresh commemoration of the gracious dealings of our heavenly Father towards the workmanship of his holy hand, especially to his revolting and backsliding creature man; whom, in great mercy, he is visiting and revisiting in the midst of his iniquities, inviting him in loving kindness to repent and return, that he may bring back his soul from the pit, and be enlightened with the light of the living.
Sixth and seventh days. Was occupied with my temporal concerns, which were trying, through indisposition of body, and much poverty of mind.
First day. I attended our meeting to-day, not so much with an expectation of comfort, as from a sense of real duty, as my bodily indisposition and poverty of spirit still continued; nevertheless, my mind, soon after I took my seat, was opened into a view of the great hurt man has sustained by suffering himself to be led and governed by his external senses. It is through these avenues that he is principally exposed to temptation in this probationary state. And had he watchfully attended to the internal sense and voice of God to his soul, which his dependent state justly required of him, the tempter would have found no more place in him, than he did in the blessed Jesus. Hence the way of our return lies open before us, through the grace of God or Comforter, by which the internal sense of the soul is again arrested, and strict obedience to its dictates required; and if yielded to in uprightness and faithful submission, the external senses are thereby subjected and regulated, and every undue desire and passion subdued, and the creature returns a willing subject to the Creator, and primitive harmony is restored. I had largely to communicate on this subject, and to show to the auditory how wonderfully gracious and merciful the Lord is, who in longsuffering and loving kindness is dispensing to every state, according to its necessities, not suffering even a sparrow to fall without his heavenly notice.