gion, have become as the heath in the desert, or as the deaf adder. Thomas a Kempis makes this just remark; "Vanity, most certainly it is, with great solicitude to seek, and place our hope and confidence in riches;-vanity, to cherish our ambition, and strive by all possible means to attain a high and honourable station:vanity most exquisite, to be anxiously concerned for living long, and perfectly indifferent, or but coldly affected, about living well." And such is the vanity of coveting great possessions, that the learned, wise, and rich of this world, when alarmed with the solemn prospect of death, and verging on the brink of an awful eternity, have had to acknowledge the insufficiency thereof. Great numbers of instances of the truth of this might be collected. Some, even of the great and learned, have had to lament and say, "Ah! I have consumed a great part of my life in laboriously doing nothing." And is it not to be feared that great numbers will see at last, that they have consumed their time in things that do not profit,in laboriously doing nothing? "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it." Yet, is it not strange to think and to see how trifling, lukewarm and indifferent, the generality of people spend their time? and how inconsistent and contradictory their practice is to the profession and life of a christian? and is it not also to be feared that great numbers suffer irreparable loss, for want of living agreeable to the following precepts: Let thy thoughts be divine, awful, godly. Let thy manners be sober, courteous, cheerful. Let thy will be compliant, obedient, resigned. Let thy reason be clear, evident, unbiassed. Let thy diet be temperate, convenient, frugal. Let thy apparel be grave, plain, convenient. Let thy sleep be moderate, quiet, seasonable. Let thy retirement be serious, holy, pure. Let thy prayers be devout, awful, fervent. Let thy meditations be of death, judgment, eternity. The following remark appears worthy of attention: "Notwithstanding all the vices and cruelties of the Algerine Turks, some good qualities are observable among them. It is said the most abandoned wretch never presumes to utter the name of God in vain, nor to add it by way of decoration to his ribaldry." When will this be said of men who boast and even glory in their superior light and information? 26th. We hear of dreadful slaughters amongst the Indians and white people, and many are taken prisoners; also of a very mortal sickness of which many have died lately, in the American camp, in the wilderness country, towards Upper Canada. Much sickness also prevails in many places nearer our borders, particularly a disease, called typhus fever; and we hear of many sudden deaths. 3rd mo. I think I see a growth in several young ministers in divers places. Notwithstanding the indifferency and lukewarmness that too generally prevail, clear, bright, able ministers are raised up in various places; and did the people rightly consider it, they must needs see and acknowledge that the finger of God is in it. A blessing, a favour, and mercy, that such are raised up among us, and that there is a succession of living ministers, who are like the lilies of the valleys, growing and flourishing in the Truth; whilst those of human invention are consuming away as a moth; as Jerome, the martyr, prophesied would be the case, several hundred years ago. In the 4th month, I was mostly about home, often very poorly, so as not to be able to attend Yearly Meeting, through bodily infirmities. About the 1st of 5th month, Caleb Mackumber from the Genesee country, had an appointed meeting at Moorestown, and had much to say; but many of the people seemed dull and heavy, and some very sleepy, even whilst he was preaching. We read that Christ did not many great or mighty works, where the people's hearts were not prepared to receive him;-and that the word preached did not profit, because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it. So, when strangers come among us and appoint meetings, the people's minds are so much outward and unprepared that there seems often but little animation. Powerful preachers and dull hearers, is like music to a sleepy man; said one of modern time. 5th month, 4th. The following expressions taken from Barclay's Apology, are worthy of our attention: "Inasmuch as our communion with Christ is, and ought to be, our greatest and chiefest work, we ought to do all other things with a respect to God, and our fellowship with him." Again, speaking of Paul's writing to the Corinthians, he says, "Of which communion [with Christ] they would rob themselves, if they did evil." If this be so, what multitudes of people have robbed, and are daily robbing themselves of the very greatest of blessings that VOL. X.-30 ever were bestowed on mankind! For, as one justly observed, Of all the blessings of the great Creator, himself is the crown of all. And our Friends in early time said they would rather be in prison, enjoying the Lord's favour, than out of prison and out of his favour; for the Lord's presence and favour could make a prison as pleasant as a palace, and bread and water as satisfactory as the most delicious dainties. To this may be added the testimony of John Hallowell of Philadelphia; when giving his last advice to his children, he says, "To be blest with the presence of the Lord in a dungeon, is preferable to liberty enjoyed in palaces without it." 9th. At our meeting to-day, a great number of people assembled. Susanna Horne, from England, had sent word that she intended to be there; but was disappointed by reason of the very sudden death of Caleb Shreve of Philadelphia. He had travelled much with her, as a companion, and was about to take leave of his family to go with her again to New York Yearly Meeting, when, during a solemn pause with his family, he was suddenly struck with death, and expired in a fit of apoplexy. 13th. Our meeting, though small, was an open, owning, healing, strengthening time to me. If we are but favoured with a peaceful mind, whom, or what have we to fear? Stephen Crisp says, "If I do but answer my own conscience, I fear no man: this makes a man as bold as a lion." Again he " If my own heart doth not condemn me, all the world cannot condemn me." And may I not add, If all the world justify me, and yet my own heart condemn me, I must stand condemned? as say the scrip says, tures, "If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." 20th. In reading the History of the rise and progress of Friends in Ireland, it is observable that soon after Friends were gathered in that nation, a dreadful war broke out, and produced great sufferings, distress and destruction; yet Friends were generally preserved through it all. Great sickness and mortality also prevailed; and some seemed to grieve at their losses and low estate, and so languished and died.Which troubles Friends were greatly supported over, having an eye to the Lord who not only gives, but takes, or suffers to be taken away. Now after these days of trouble and scarcity and sickness, there succeeded a time of great plenty, after a wonderful manner, beyond what could have been expected: and the time of getting great riches came on as fast as the season of losses had before been experienced; and many too eagerly pursued them, which proved very injurious to their children. "Beware," said the prophet, "lest your hearts deceive you, and ye be drawn aside after other gods." It is said some Friends who stood firm in all the troubles and trials of adversity, fell in this time of prosperity. Their persecutors could not frighten them from keeping up their meetings, with all their swords and guns, and bitter abuses; yet in this time of outward peace and freedom from sufferings of divers kinds to which they had been exposed,—cause was given for complaints of the breach of unity, and the prevalence of a loose, libertine spirit among many of the youth, as well as a careless, slothful spirit with respect to religious duties, among some more aged. Near the conclusion of this interesting History of |