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when our feet were turned from the paths of ready to go any where that truth leads, and peace, I affectionately salute thee; earnestly light shines; but think I am near clear of this desiring thy preservation and establishment, that neither heights nor depths may remove thee from the safe abiding of the faithful. Various are the trials, and manifold the afflictions a remnant have to pass through, in their journey towards Zion; some more manifest than others; some within, some without, and some both. But here is the faith and patience of the saints, that nothing may move them from their trust; and these present afflictions may work for us a more exceeding weight of glory. Large hath been thy share in probations and trouble; but he who led Israel through Jordan, and commanded her waters to stand as walls on each hand, hath an everlasting name in his family, and will be his poor children's guide through Jordan's waves and depths, and establish on the firm land of salvation, as humbly followed and trusted in ; and when their hearts may be overwhelmed, will lead to a rock which is higher than they. It behooves us, dear friend, in order to share so great salvation, to be obedient children of our Heavenly Father, to wait for his counsel, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, to purge and redeem, that we may have a claim as children, to the Father's promise, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

land; and have this evidence—I have, in my measure, laboured faithfully. I have seldom known a greater share of the word of life than hath attended in this journey from Philadelphia hither, which hath been about three weeks; nor more frequent scarcity of bread out of meetings, so that I have been ready to say, notwithstanding all my labours, "I am cast out of thy sight, oh Lord, and in sorrow sought my beloved, and for times could not find him." But I believe his pitying eye and gracious ear are open, for good towards Zion's dust, and his arm invisibly near when our heads are overwhelmed by the waters of bitterness. My dear love in the unchangeable covenant of life, salutes the living amongst Friends thereaway. May the mighty God of Jacob preserve in holy, humble waiting, and sustain to his own praise, and keep in his own meekness, wisdom, and purity, that in days of mourning and lamentation for the slain and dying, this land may have to spread innocent hands towards the holy throne, that he may spare his people, and that they may never be a prey to the Gentiles, neither inwardly nor outwardly. So be it, oh Lord God!

SAMUEL FOTHERGILL.

I am, with the salutation of true love, thy friend and brother in the faith, patience, tribuWith respect to myself, I am mercifully sus-lation, and victory of the gospel, tained in health and ability to proceed with diligence in the Heavenly Master's employment. I thoroughly visited Chester county; performed a second visit, to my great satisfaction, to the western shore of Maryland, and through the Jerseys, to this city. I stand

that she ever had either husband or children, or houses, or lands, nor of her nearest friends even, when named; yet her sense of Divine good, and the religious fervour of her mind, are unabated.

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"We stayed about an hour, the whole of which time she was engaged in praising her Maker, in exhorting us to love the Lord, and to lay up treasure in the heavens; several times saying, One hour in his presence is better than a thousand elsewhere: I know it, friends, I know it from experience,' and then her voice would seem to die away in a kind of melody; and after being still a few moments, she would again lift up her voice with much sweetness in praising the Lord, and advising us to love and fear him; and looking round upon us said, 'I love you, dear friends, though you are strangers to me; for I love them that love the Lord, blessed be his name!'

The whole company were in tears whilst we stayed. The remembrance of this season is not off my mind; nor, I hope, ever will be, while memory remains, for I think that she and Mary Griffin are two most memorable instances of the reality and rectitude of the principles of spiritual light and life."

The time of her decease has not been ascer

tained.

SAMUEL FOTHERGILL TO DR. FOTHERGILL.

Philadelphia, Second month 20th, 1756.

Although a variety of painful exercising steps are in the way of my duty and labour, yet all-sufficiency is one of the attributes of our Heavenly Father; and each of them is very deeply significant. It is and has been cause of profitable humbling to my soul, that sure mercy has so signally attended every way. I know it is for his own name's sake, and his people's sake; and may the praise and reverence due, forever arise to him alone, undiminished from me, for I am not worthy of his so great condescension. Neither, in deed, are the professors of his pure truth; and that, I hope, some of them are awakened profitably to consider, and have their hearts stir. and diligent care after true support, though of red up to apply for help to more fruitfulness too many my hope is low.

Oh that we, who have tasted that He is good, may never forget him, nor allow our palate to be vitiated by that which our present and future experience will evince is not bread; the artificial, imaginary dainties of this world's

riches, honours, and friendship, have too often as a factious sort of people; and I fear he has been an ensnaring banquet, to which even gained his point. But as the uneasiness of the some of Zion's sons have sat down, tasted, minds of many in the Assembly with such lanand forgot their proper aliment. But this thou guage increases, I believe they will for the fuknows; and may thou ever be guarded in the ture be more guarded. proper exercise of thy senses, and thereby preSAMUEL FOTHERGILL. served healthy, and strong, and meet for that service, which is of infinite importance and everlasting duration.

I wrote to thee from West-river, in Maryland. I finished my second visit to that shore, and was enabled to leave it with great peace, obtained through painful, faithful labour. I returned to the quarterly meeting at Concord, for Chester county, having travelled very hard, and was enabled, through merciful help, to clear myself of that part of the province to great satisfaction; the name of the Lord was gloriously high amongst us, to the melting many of our spirits as into one heavenly lump. I came here on the 11th, and have not been a day unemployed; and have been favoured with some truly good meetings in this city.

SAMUEL FOTHERGILL TO MARY JORDAN.

Upper Springfield, Third month 5th, 1756. If I have not, when personally conversant with thee, given thee proofs of a real affectionate sympathy in thy present afflicting circumstances, thou mayest be assured it has not been the effect of disregard, or occasioned by the want of that sensibility of others' distress which nature and principle have deeply fixed in my mind.

A continued chain of important reflections relative to the whole, may have often diverted my attention from particulars, though not from thee; and, indeed, I have found it expedient, as much as I could, to avoid much dissipation of mind, that I might stand more collected for the labour of the day.

But I have ever desired the favour of a mind susceptible of others' distress; and chosen from the school of affliction to receive the tongue of the learned therein, to speak a word in due season to the weary and pained. That afflictions of body or mind are not joyous, for the present, to nature, is a truth abundantly confessed, yet that they are often sanctified to work a more exceeding weight of glory, hath been fulfilled in the happy experience of multitudes.

The circumstances of this province still continue fluctuating and unpleasant. Many thousand pounds of the province's money, have, by the Assembly's committee, been laid out in erecting forts upon the frontiers, and placing men in them; a step as prudent, and likely to be attended with as much success, as an attempt to hedge out birds, or the deer. The neighbourhoods of those forts have been, since their being erected, the scenes of the greatest barbarity; in contempt and mockery of the attempt, eleven people being destroyed a few days ago, within a mile of one of their forts. Fresh matter of contest hath presented between the Assembly and the Governor. The recruiting officers having enlisted the servants of the inhabitants, they have, many of them, no means of following their several employments; a great number will be ruined, and a greater still exceedingly prejudiced: the Assembly have addressed the Governor respectfully, but received an evasive answer. I so fully concurred with thy sentiments before thou imparted them, about the pointed style of the Assembly's reply to the Governor, as to improve every opportunity I could meet with, to impress the necessity of decency and due * She was the daughter of Mary Pemberton, and respect upon such of the Assembly as I could her former husband, Robert Jordan. Her mother, in an affecting account which she wrote concernpropose to myself to be likely to have any in- ing her, says "She was one whom the Lord had fluence upon, with the manifest inconsistency favoured with a good natural capacity, and having of every inflaming step, with their interest, and his holy fear implanted in her heart, she found it with their religious profession. I found many to be true wisdom; her deportment was grave and pained about it, and sensible it is wrong. It solid; her words were few and savoury, manifestis altogether imputed to B. Franklin, their principal penman; who, I have sometimes thought, intended to render the Assembly contemptible, and subject our religious Society to the imputation of want of respect to authority,

The afflictions incident to these tabernacles of clay, have often a painful effect upon the mind; the weight of them sometimes raises distressing reflections, and prevents our attention to the sole, suitable relief; and when the Lord of our life intends wise instruction, disquietude and secret repining induces the desponding mind to increase its perturbation, by a fear that we are cast out of the notice of the Heavenly Father, forsaken of God, and therefore afflicted.

ing a lively sense of religion, even from her very young years." Her illness was lingering, through which she was preserved in great patience, and uttered many tender and affecting expressions. She died on the 21st of Tenth month, 1759, in the twentieth year of her age.

Hereby we are prompted to wrest the inscriptions Heaven has written upon all his messengers, whether sickness or health, sorrow or joy, and are in danger of defeating the end of their being sent. What more particularly endangers our misconstruction of the message of sickness and distress, is its being sent in the time of sprightly, blooming youth, when the gayer, easier scenes are most likely and more eligible; advanced years submit to it, of course, but youth by force. The language of Hezekiah upon such an occasion is very natural, and the result of most minds in parallel circumstances: "I said, in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave, I am deprived of the residue of my years." Not only the gloomy prospect of nature's decay, and the dissolution of the body, affected his mind, but a painful solicitude about an hereafter aggravated his sorrow, even the fear of an exclusion from future joy: "I said I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living."

Peradventure, dear Mary, disquieting sentiments from both these awful reflections may at times have supplied hours of anxiety; and a combination of real causes of complaint, aggravated by the anticipation of those suggested by fear, may have furnished thee with a variety of fears; and the vigilant accuser of the brethren improved the opportunity at times, to cast down below the proper place.

available on their children's account; and I hope at least one of the successors of that worthy man of God, Robert Jordan, may know and be happy with his God, and may know the same result of anxiety Hezekiah knew: " Thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of destruction."

That all things work together for good to those who fear the Lord, is an undeniable truth, if we, through impatience and inattention, render not the visitation of Heaven unprofitable to us. This consideration hath often induced my reverent kissing the rod, and humble inquiry into that instruction which ever attends it: who knows what scenes of temptation a confinement to a sick chamber prevents our being tried with; peradventure it may be the hollow of an Almighty hand, hiding us until the causes of indignation are past by. Yet when that is gone by, the call, "My people, come out of thy chambers," claims equal regard, for we have various relations in life to discharge, and holy diligence and watchfulness will be rewarded with a bulwark of defence; and placed in the midst of this world and its commotions, we shall know our situations to be as a garden enclosed. Great is the want of such examples, though there are some yet preserved, and I trust among the youth of thy sex an increasing number, who know salva. tion as walls and bulwarks; and though little sisters, yet in the lineage of the immortal family, and though weak, surrounded with allsufficiency; and I hope thy place amongst these happy relatives to the King in Zion will not be vacant, here or hereafter.

SAMUEL FOTHERGILL.

SAMUEL FOTHERGILL TO JOHN CHURCHMAN.
Burlington, Third month, 1756.

What may conduce to remove the whole cause, is not in my power to prescribe, but an affectionate regard may suggest; and I would hint moderate exercise, as often as thou canst; the approaching season invites, and the My regard and strong desires for thee are tender indulgence of affectionate parents will more than I can express, and hope accompaoften furnish thee with the means; endeavour nies my mind that thou wilt be helped to live to exert thyself, and let not an apprehension to thy Creator, be a comfort to such as may of inability render thee incapable of contribu- expect it from thee, and know a time of more ting all in thy power to thy restoration to true relief every way. health; this, I believe, would tend to thy advantage, and repair the breach in thy constitution a state of inaction may have occasioned. Not only thy own advantage requires it, but I believe it would happily tend to the comfort of an affectionate, worthy parent, whose mind I think I have very little worth notice to hath been exceedingly depressed by affliction send thee, but the token of affectionate rememfor her dear children's sake; thy indisposi-brance, in a degree of the revival of that love tion, which thou could not prevent, and also which never dies, which at first baptized and thy poor brother's, having, at times, been as united our spirits, and remains our joy, and much as she could bear, and indeed insupport- at times is cause of it one to another. I beable, if Almighty regard had not sustained. lieve, in proportion to our access to the Father I am abundantly convinced the great Phy-of lights, its lustre and animating rays will sician of souls is not far away from thee, to help in the necessary hour, and as reverently inquired after, will establish in innocence and virtue, and bring salvation and peace to thy house. Though virtue is not hereditary, yet the intercessions of religious parents are often VOL. IX.-No. 5.

retain and increase their splendour, and in times of traversing the gloomy, remote regions of the shadow of death, its reflection, though not in direct lines, will be relieving, and its genuine, though faint beams, convey hope.

The course of my experience, since I left

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Philadelphia, hath taught me a practical para- its usual course, by a living, sensible ministry, phrase on what the Apostle meant by living into the muddy pipes of the licentious.

by faith, and at the same time all within me hath been repeatedly humbled by the wise alternations of light and darkness. Seldom, in my spiritual progress, in my own individual case, am I more deeply poor out of meetings, and more reduced to a poor morsel of bread, and sometimes not that, except the word of patience; and in meeting, not often more opened in the powerful Word of Life; but alas! I feel like a tube; some liquid, crystal stream runs through me to others, but I doubt little remains. May the cleansing efficacy of the holy stream purify the channel, and run into that reservoir constructed by Eternal wisdom, out of my reach, but whence he can water my garden, even with his foot.

SAMUEL FOTHERGILL.

SAMUEL FOTHERGILL TO HIS SISTER.

Philadelphia, Fourth month 28th, 1756. I often feel called upon, by the voice of unfeigned affection, to remember thee; there is something in my mind stronger than [what] mere nature inspires, which suggests strong and sincere desires for thee every way, as for myself; and as thou well knows, from a measure of experience, the path of true happiness, may thy strength be renewed with the increase of thy knowledge, that through all the intricacies and probations of life, thy race may be steady, and its termination be within the everlasting gates of that city, whose inhabitants are established in peace without alloy.

The first perception of approaching liberty to revisit my native land, was allowed on my return from a laborious and painful visit to the western shore of Maryland. I never, until then, found myself at liberty, or even much desirous to draw the curtain aside, but it was then rather lifted up by the Master's hand, and a two-fold sense was given, of peaceful approbation, and a view of release. Nevertheless, my mind is quietly calm, yet under the weight of some remaining service, and solemnly still, without any tumultuous emotion, in the view of my again being personally conversant with those to whom I am united in the ties of nature, and the closer cement of grace.

I have gratefully and reverently to acknow. ledge, that the unspeakable mercy of an allsufficient Hand has been plentifully extended, in such a manner as loudly to demand a humble abasement and faithful subjection to his holy requirings.

I was favoured with some open, relieving times in Philadelphia. I left that place on the 21st of last month, and came hither to the quarterly meeting for ministers and elders, which was, through very hard labour, at last well. I was at Mount Holly on first-day, and in this town in the evening; both meetings large and well; at the quarterly meeting here on second-day, and the youths' on third, both large, and the latter memorably comfortable. On fourth-day, at the quarterly meeting for ministers and elders, at Wrightstown; very close labour, but strength proportioned to the work: a large, profitable meeting succeeded, held that evening in the court-house, at Newtown. Next day the quarterly meeting, very large, and a thorough good meeting, through manifest support in the extending of the fan and the axe, and the oil of consecration to those who waited for it. I left that county easy, and came to this place. On seventhday, had a large meeting in a Baptist meeting-house, about eleven miles off; yesterday, a large meeting at Mansfield, and this day a Being made to know I go not in this warlarge and heavenly meeting at the monthly fare at my own expense, but though spiritumeeting here. ally without bag, scrip, staff, or shoes on my Our epistle from Philadelphia to the month-feet, of my own providing, yet the inexhaustible ly meetings meets with a different reception, store-house, armoury, and wardrobe, where as the people differ; the libertines, worldlyminded, and opposers of the reformation in themselves and others, cavil and rage; but the seed is relieved, and the honest-hearted are strengthened. I see it will be a time of division between wheat and chaff, and that we shall find some amongst the latter we thoughtful pilgrimage; and though I have travelled would have been more deeply weighty, and perhaps the contrary in some other instances. But the company, in which some who dissented from us find themselves left, will, I believe, awaken some weak, honest hearts to ponder, whether Divine wisdom hath changed the channel of instrumental intelligence from

all the living generations have sought and received supplies, is often opened to my humbling admiration; and though I have travelled at great expense, the bag continues to be filled with fresh riches, the scrip with suitable bread, and the staff strong to support in arduous, pain

amongst sharp, cutting rocks, rending thorns, and even amongst scorpions and serpents, my feet are not bruised, but shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace and light.

I have not an exulting thought in my heart to appropriate these favours to my own wisdom or worthiness, but my exultation is in the

name of Him whose mercy is unutterable, and not at all proportioned to my merits, which would issue in eternal misery, if interposing condescension averted not the stroke. Oh! that every succeeding day of my life may produce a testimony of my awful regard to the riches of Divine forgiveness.

I have had another smart attack of my old complaint; it was not of long duration, confining me only eight days, but for four days exceedingly grievous pain in my side, breast, and back. It seized me at New York, in a house where both inclination and ability concurred to render me every service possible. I was so disabled as not to be able to ride on horseback, but came in a chaise from New York hither, and in about fourteen days was bravely recovered.

Another circumstance it may not be improper to mention, lest it should come some other way. The day I came to New York, one of the ferry-boats was overset, and eleven people drowned. As it was pretty generally known that I intended to cross the ferry that day, it was suggested that I was amongst the people who were lost, and the report circulated through the neighbouring provinces with surprising swiftness, even down to Maryland in four days. I was apprehensive some forward person might transmit it to England, and therefore, with a grateful heart to the great and good Preserver, give thee and my friends, if such a rumour should come, this intelligence. I passed the ferry the same day in safety. I had a meeting that day in the seat of government of the Jerseys, in the Presbyterian meeting-house; the Governor, J. Belcher, procured it, and attended the meeting. I dined with him afterwards, and met with a kind, affectionate reception; he is old, and his body enfeebled, but I think his immortal part not far from the kingdom.

I could not pass by this circumstance, as in that town, i. e. Elizabethtown, our dear and worthy father met with bitter opposition when last here, from the former priest, and with difficulty got a meeting in the place; and such is the change, that the present priest voluntarily offered me, in his terms, " his pulpit." I did not ascend his rostrum, but, as no place could be procured equally large for the reception of the people, accepted the house. It was a day of memorable mercy, and I hope as such will be remembered. The general spring meeting here was very large, Friends from remote places coming to see and take leave of the Europeans, and it was a great and good meeting in its various sittings.

Since that time I have travelled several hundred miles, visiting some fresh places, and re-visiting others where I thought duty led,

and have now gone through all the provinces of North America, as fully as any that ever came into these parts, excepting one remote corner in New England, where are two small meetings. Yet am I fastened here; Joshua Dixon sailed some days ago, in a vessel for London. Some weeks ago I went aboard the vessel, but it seemed to me no place of rest, nor my business here finished. Joshua thought he was released, and the ship appeared pleasant. I too, with humble submission, desire when I may, to return, but M. P., C. P., and myself, felt our minds alike restrained from returning; and although we now see little before us, yet we are bound to this place and land, for what end we cannot fully see; but the Lord is with us, and therein we desire humbly to acquiesce.

There are several very large quarterly meetings coming on, which I am ready to believe will tend to our discharge.

The distress of this province is great-its commotions violent-all the desolations of a cruel Indian war impending, and the legislature in a great degree infatuated; it seems like a judicial desertion of all their counsels, and every step they take increases their perplexity. Friends have interposed for the restoration of peace, and borne their testimony faithfully; I hope it will issue in their dismission from government, their connexion with which hath been of great dis-service of later times to the real end of our being raised up as a peculiar people, to bear our testimony to Him whose kingdom is in peace and righteousness. The love of power, the ambition of superiority, the desire of exemption from suffering, strongly operate with many under our name, to continue in stations wherein they sacrifice their testimony, and are as salt which hath lost its savour. But as it now appears that we can scarcely keep the Truth and its testimony inviolate, and retain those places, many stand up on the Lord's side, and declare they have none on earth in comparison with the God of their fathers.

I am already sensible of perils amongst false brethren, and am afraid they will be strength. ened from your side of the water; some letters are already received, disapproving Friends' conduct here, in a crisis in which there appeared to me an awful inquiry, Who is on my side, who?

I intended to have written to dear brother, but am not allowed time; the present posture of affairs is not to be described in a short compass, and I cannot meddle with gathering a bundle of sticks to lay upon a fire which already burns too fiercely, lest I should gather a viper to bite my hand.

My dear love attends M. W., and what can

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