Visit to Purchase, and engagements at and about home, 1814.
First day, the 17th of 7th month, 1814. Feeling my mind drawn to sit with Friends in their meeting at Westbury, I yielded to the motion. It proved an exercising meeting—but little life to be felt: nevertheless, way opened for a short communication, pointing particularly to the state of the meeting, which I hope was profitable to some. At the third hour in the afternoon, I attended the funeral of a very ancient woman of this neighbourhood, not a member of our society; but the family desiring the company of Friends, a number collected with others. It proved a pretty solemn time. My mind was led to open to the assembly, the especial advantages which would result to us, as rational accountable beings, by a timely preparation for death; and that it was our especial duty, as well as our best interest, to make it, at all times, the primary object of our concern.
Second, third, and fourth days. Spent principally in family cares and my husbandry concerns. What a favour it is for such an active creature as man, possessed of such powers of body and mind, always to have some employment, and something for those powers to act upon: for otherwise they would be useless and dormant, and afford neither profit nor delight.
Fifth day. Attended our monthly meeting. It was an exercising season, especially the meeting for worship, which I think was much hurt by the communication of a Friend in the ministry, who was this day with us. It was attended with so much mere creaturely warmth and animation, as to render it unacceptable, and, as I apprehended, hurtful to the meeting, and the cause it was intended to advance. What a pity it is that any who apprehend themselves called to this very important work, should make such grievous mistakes, and wound the minds of the living sensible members.
Sixth day. Attended our select preparative meeting of Ministers and Elders. It was, I think, a season of profitable exercise, in which some of the hidden things of Esau, or the first nature, were searched out and exposed.
Seventh day. Laboured hard in my harvest field; and, although sixty-six years of age, I found I could wield the scythe nearly as in the days of my youth. It was a day of thankful and delightful contemplation. My heart was filled with thankfulness and gratitude to the blessed Author of my existence, in a consideration of his providential care over me, in preserving me in health, and in the possession of my bodily powers; the exercise of which were still affording me both profit and delight: and I was doubly thankful for the continued exercise of my mental faculties, not only in instructing me how to exert and rightly employ my bodily powers, in the most useful and advantageous manner, but also in contemplating the works of nature and Providence, in the blessings and beauties of the field; a volume containing more delightful and profitable instruction, than all the volumes of mere learning and science in the world.
What a vast portion of the joys and comforts of life do the idle and slothful deprive themselves of, by running into cities and towns, to avoid labouring in the field; not considering that this is one of the principal sources, that the gracious Creator of the universe has appointed to his creature man, from whence he may derive great temporal happiness and delight. It also opens the largest and best field of exercise to the contemplative mind, by which it may be prepared to meet, when this mortal puts on immortality, those immortal joys that will ever be the lot of the faithful and industrious.
First day, the 24th of 7th month. I went to our meeting to-day in much poverty of spirit, and in full expectation of passing it in silence; but I had not sat long before my mind was led into a view of the singular benefit derived to the children of men, by the denial of self, and a daily and faithfully taking up, and bearing the cross; as it is the only way by which we can come to experience real sanctification and justification. The subject spread and opened to communication, in which things were laid home to the states of many present, in a clear manner; and the danger of their situations exposed. It brought a solemn covering over the meeting, for which I was thankful.
Second and third days. I spent in securing my harvest. This week being the time of our quarterly meeting, the meeting for Ministers and Elders opened on fourth day at the tenth hour. It was a season of close search; the deficiencies of Ministers and Elders were laid open; and the hurtful tendency thereof exposed. A number appeared deeply concerned, on account of the prevailing weakness of some in those exalted stations in society. On fifth day the meeting for discipline was held. It was also a very searching time, a season of deep exercise to my mind; in which the hurtful tendency of many apparent deficiencies was laid open and exposed; and Friends exhorted to greater faithfulness and diligence, in the right support of those noble testimonies, given us to bear, for the promotion of righteousness and peace on the earth. On sixth day was a general public meeting, in which my mind was enlarged in gospel communication, wherein truth was exalted and raised into dominion, to the comfort and edification of many minds; and to the sweet peace of my own. After this Friends separated to their several homes in much nearness of affection, and mutual love.
Seventh day. Spent in my temporal concerns.