APB 24

From our Yearly Meeting of Women Friends, held in London, by Adjournments from the 21^st of the fifth Month, 1792, to the 28^th of the same, inclusive —

To the next Yearly Meeting of Women Friends in Philadelphia —

Beloved Friends —

Being again permitted to Assemble for the important purpose of promoting the honour of God, and the edification of the Church, we may with thankfulness inform you, the humbling presence of Divine regard hath Mercifully continued to own This gathering, by a fresh causing the covering of profitable quiet to be spread over it; under which The important business thereof has been conducted with much concord --- The reading of your last truly Acceptable Salutation of Sisterly Sympathy, raised sincere desires amongst us, that these communications might be preserved in the line of true Gospel Fellowship which with the interesting intelligencies Therein contained, hath not failed to awaken in the Minds of a Number, a sense of those exercises in which you have so evidently partaken, for the preservation and growth of that precious remnant, who are honestly and fervently traveling for the prosperity of Zion —— Nor are our feelings less Awakened under the prevalence of Divine Love, and from the fresh flowing, thereof towards the different ranks, Some of whom yet stand at a distance from becoming the free partakers of the Commonwealth of Israel; unto whom the calls and clear distinct Sounding of the Gospel Trumpet, have often been and continue to be renewed; we hope, to the tendering of many of their Spirits, Yea, to the pulling down of the strong partition Wall in some, if only as one of a family and two of a tribe. — Our Minds are therefore often secretly bowed in Gratitude, in beholding the aboundings of Divine favour so frequently renewed, even to the rebellious and stout-hearted under our name, who have not cherished the Lords reproofs, although dispensed in love. One Account of these the livingly Exercised amongst us have still to Mourn, and when Strengthened Thereto, can plead in the language of the prophet, Weeping as between the porch and the Altar “Spare Thy people O Lord, and give not thy Heritage to reproach” —

Our hearts are, we trust, Also enlarged in Christian Sympathy with those, who may be especially called to the Arduous Service of Extending the Gospel invitation to the several tribes and families of the Earth; being with You encouraged to look with the Eye of living faith, for the gradual and full Accomplishment of the Divine prediction; Viz, that “Righteousness shall cover the earth, as the Waters cover the Sea,” believing the day is thus come, wherein the feet of the Gospel Messengers are, and will be more turned towards such in many of whose Minds an enquiry is raised from the immediate touches of the Holy finger, after the pure principle as professed by us; and greater, we believe would have been the ingathering of some of These, if the visited Children of the family had kept their ranks; who instead of holding up the ensign to the Nations, by a Steady self denial in supporting the Testimonies of Truth in their purity and Simplicity, are opposers of it in heart and conduct; thus holding it in unrighteousness, and beclouding the way of honest enquirers, who being weak in experience, in the openings They have witnessed, Stumble thereat, until it is feared some are in danger of perishing in the Wilderness. After they have quitted the borders of Egypt —— We therefore feel solicitous that those amongst you, and us, who may have heard, as they have been kept abiding in the Divine gift, the renewed Commands, “Lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are already white to harvest.” Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers. May these wait low, and with an increasing care, and weight on their Spirits, till they perceive the clear Manifestations of duty; that in all their Movements they may clearly understand to whom They are sent; Remembering, our dear Lords language to his immediate disciples, was, to call their attention with an eye of faith to behold the great ingathering to himself, the true Light Commanding them to Pray the Lord to send forth labourers; which hath impressed some of our Minds with this belief, who so goeth, must be of his sending; for it is not love to God, his precious cause upon earth, or an ardour to do good, that can alone be Sufficient, or truly beneficial to gather unto Christs fold —— Oh’ that The pure Anointing which can qualify for Service, whether it be more or less extensive, may be reverently waited for, by all who apprehend a call either to the Ministry or Discipline, and then, having Thankfully to believe in the Condescension of Unutterable kindness and Mercy, he whose hand is still turned upon Zion, willing to Strengthen her Stakes and lengthen her cords, will make her as in antient days, perfect in beauty, and be afresh, the joy and Song of many generations ——— We unite with you in concern, that there still remains obstructions to the liberating the Oppressed Africans, but trust Friends are convinced of the Necessity of a vigilant care in this respect, and hope through the continued Mercy of Divine Providence Their liberty will be effected in his time —— We have had nearly to feel the recent loss sustained by the Church, in The reading of the testimonies concerning divers favoured and Chosen Instruments in their great Masters hand, both in this land and Ireland; under the humbling prospect opened thereby, we secretly hope that He who hath seen it right to call home such as These, will yet powerfully lay his hand upon others, whom He may please to call and separate unto this great work ——

With the Salutation of Unfeigned Love,

We remain your Affectionate Sisters ——

Signed in and on behalf of the Meeting

By Patience Chester Cl k

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A Dream, Dreamed by a Woman Friend in Chester County, in the Year 1757, and repeated again, some Years after – as follows ——

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I thought I was going towards Philadelphia, when I arrived at the entrance of Chesnut Street, the Sun was Setting, and behold I was at the Gable end of the State House, and there was the Appearance of a Man in Bright Cloathing with wings at his Shoulders, who beckoned to me to come to Him, so when I came forward He said, “come, I will shew thee, the Calamities that is coming on this City of Philadelphia for their Pride, Deceit and other Backsliding.” He stood upon about the third Round of a long Ladder raised against the House, and He took hold of me, and said, Ascend with me, for I must shew thee this Calamitous Situation from the Ridges of the Houses,’ I said, O how shall we walk on such a Difficult Place. He said, stick by me and there will be no Danger. About this Time it was in a Manner Night, So I advanced in great fear to the Top, and when he arrived the Ridges of the Houses became Level and smooth before us, so that we could walk easily; “Now, said He, look down and over this great City. He holding me, and said, “Observe what thou canst see and behold. I thought I saw a Multitude of Black Carts, or Waggons, one after another, with four Black Horses in each, and two Men in Mourning, with Black Caps on their Heads, and lighted Torches in their Hands, to each Carriage as Driver? Their loading was Dead Bodies of the Human Species heaped up of different Sexes; and the Screeches of Men, Women, and Children were terryfying to mine Ears beyond Expression, so I said to my Guide, what meaneth this, and He said, “Let us walk further and I will shew the reason presently” so we walked along the Ridges of the Houses, which continued Level as before till we came to Front Street; then He said, “look down now,” and behold I looked,, and reckoned about Seventy five Waggons, with Black Horses,, Drivers, and loading as before going up the Street, all very Black and Dismal as was the Sky, or upper Hemisphere, but I thought I saw all their Actions, and positions, by the Torches the Mourners had in Their Hands, and in the Midst of these Seventy five Waggons, was one Dismal Black Waggon, with Eight Black Horses and no Drivers, it went on very regular, and in the Waggon there stood upon its end a very large Tun, in the shape of a Wine Tun with its upper head out, and out of this Head, or Mouth There Issued a Column of Black Smoak — which Ascended up to the Sky, so thick and Dark that it put me in Mind of the Darkness of Egypt, which might be felt as we read — And as the Waggons gradually advanced, the Cries, Screeches, and Lamentations of Men, Women, and Children were if possible ten Times more dismal than what I heard before, and as it advanced,, Men, Women, and Children fled with Terror on all Sides from it, and made into their Houses, and up and down the Street endeavouring to escape it, Shutting to their Doors, Windows and Shutters to keep it out, which with their Lamentations in mine Ears were so piercing that the sound thereof, cannot be easily forgotten by me. I said to my Guide, may I know the Reason of all this! He said “now I will tell Thee, The Black Waggon with Eight Black Horses, in it is contained the Plague or Pestilence which is sent upon the People of This great City of Philadelphia for their Pride, Deceit, and other Backslidings. Now I will shew thee their Interment-“ So we walked up the Street upon the Houses, till He brought me to the Burying Place, some call Christ Church, and looking down, I saw great Pitts dug like the Foundations of Houses and saw many of these Waggons unloaded by the Mourners or Drivers with Pitchforks, both Sexes thrown in, in a Promiscuous Manner. He shewed me the same at other Burying places, but do not remember what sect They belonged to. I then said, pray shew me Friends Suffering likewise, and how it will go with them. He shewed me another place of Internment, but I am not sure it was it. I looked, and saw Graves not Pitts and put in promiscuously as before, but this latter part did not seem to me as the first or former. Now, He said, I have shewed thee all, come, I will conduct thee to the place from whence I brought thee —— So taking me back unto the long ladder, He helped me down to the Third round, and bid me look forward, and behold the Skies was clear and Serene, and the Sun was in its full Lustre Just Rising. He said, now, return to the Country. So I awoke methought with the Dismal Lamentations of the People in mine Ears ———

Copied 8^th mo^th 28^th 1793

First day Night – 11^th month 18^th 1792

A Friend of this City attended the Meeting this Evening, and took Notice of some Expressions Delivered by our Worthy Friend David Sands in a very Solemn Prophetic Manner —— He began in this Manner, “It is appointed to all Men once to Die, and then come to judgement.” He then said “There is something like Death painted on your Houses which you have with great pains and expences erected, and there is something like the hand Writing on the Wall on all your pleasant and costly furniture, that are in them, and on all your pleasant walks, fine Gardens and beautiful Trees, your lofty Buildings and pleasant Streets, and what if these Things which you have taken so much delight in should become some of your Graves, and all these things become a ruinous heap, and some of you be buried in the midst of Them, for we know, and you must all allow that such things have been, and what Sins were committed in Sodom, that are not committed here now? Like causes produce like effects; and some of you that are now present may become Vessels of Wrath and of displeasure, in the Hand of an Offended God, and be swallowed up in the Waves, or in the holes of the Earth, that may open and take them in part, and a part of their Bodies may remain above the Earth, for Striking examples to them that may see it, and what if I say the Child is born that may live to see this City swallowed up, and the place where it now stands, a stinking ‘Hole’ and Them that pass by say “where is the Goodly Things, and all the lofty Buildings, and the pleasant Streets. — if There be not a speedy turning to Him, who hath all Power in His Hands, and, will cause the Earth to reel as a Drunken Man == and if there is not Repentance and Amendment of Life According to my present prospect This may come to pass and shortly ———————————————

From our Yearly Meeting, of Women Friends, held in London, by Adjournments, from the twentieth of the fifth Month 1793 to the 27^th of the Same Inclusive ——

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To the next Yearly Meeting of Women Friends,, held in Philadelphia for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Eastern Parts of Maryland, and Virginia ———

Beloved Friends,

In a degree of that Love, “That many Waters cannot Quench,” We Salute and inform You, that your Acceptable Communications of last Year, hath been read amongst us, to the humbling of many of our Minds, in this, our large and Solemn gathering, wherein we have had, renewedly, to feel, The need there is, for us to dig deep for the Arising of That Spring”- which lieth low.” And Altho this hath been our Experience at this time, Yet we have Cause to bow in Thankfulness to the Father and Fountain of all our Mercies, that there are a Considerable Number, we hope Preserved in desire “That their flight, may be unto us, “As a Spring shut up, as a Fountain Sealed” but rather, that they may profitably retain in Remembrance the Counsel of the Holy Pattern to His Immediate Followers — when He pointed out to them the Approach of Tryals, “In Your Patience Possess Ye your Souls,” believing as we abide in this State of Resignation; the Humble Dependent Children of every Rank in the Family, will have to Experience that the Great Shepherd of Israel, still careth for them, as in former Years, when it was declared thro’ the Mouth of His Prophet, “He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd, He shall gather the Lambs, with His Arm and carry them in His Bosom, and shall gently Lead those that are with Young” fervent, we Believe is the Solicitude of The Exercised part of the Body, to have more Companions, in travail. Being, at Times, Sorrowfully Affected, that many of the Daughters amongst us, Resemble those, Complained of, by the Prophet Isaiah, We therefore Tenderly Counsel such, both with you and us, to be frequent in Reading, the Third Chapter of his Prophesy, and Let the “Witness for God” Speak in them, and then, they Will become Sensible, that the (same) Cause, produceth the (same) Effects, in Heart and Conduct, and if, not, turned from, The (same) Righteous Judgments will await them, as were Spoken of, concerning the Daughters of Zion — in that day, Yet while we Mourn over, some, and Nearly Sympathize with Others, of this Class — We are Comforted, in Hope, Concerning many of our Beloved Young Friends, in Various Parts of the Vineyard, who are United to us in Spirit. Thro’ a Resignation of their Wills, to the Will of their Heavenly Father, Whose steady Perseverance in The Way and Work of Truth, According to Divine Appointment, We, Humbly Crave, that thereby they may come to know an Establishment therein, and so Escape the Snare, which attends those, who after having Run well for a Time “become Offended in Christ,” or turned aside from following Him! We have Also, gratefully to Acknowledge, that thro’ the Sufficiency of the Pure Principle of Truth, we are making Profession of, Divers have been gathered as, “from the Highways and the Hedges”, and by Yielding Obedience unto its Manifestations, brought into a Consistent walking therewith, and are become Preachers of Righteousness unto us — Thus, Dear Sisters, under the renewed Influence of Gospel Love, Wherein there is Liberty — We have been now Led, to Communicate a little of our State, knowing that many Among You – “Are our Helpers in the Lord” — Whose Spirits will Unite with ours, in Prayer unto Him (Who sheweth His Servants, the Harvest is great) That He may send forth more Labourers, in the Room of Those, who have Closed their Days Work in His Peace, = We Note your Remarks of the Continued Obstruction to the Compleat Liberation of the Oppressed Africans which also deeply Affects some of our Minds, and wish to unite in Breathing Desire to the Author of all Good, That, in His time — Their Bonds may be fully Broken. — The Company of our Beloved Friend Sarah Harrison, hath been Strengthening to us, in the Settings of this Meeting, unto whom our Spirits are nearly United in Gospel fellowship, although it may be, “As when Deep calleth unto Deep” — Our truly valuable Friends, Samuel Emlen, and Job Scot, are likewise in this City Whose Company and Religious Labours have been very Acceptable to those who have been Partakers of them —— Our Beloved Friends, Deborah Derby, and Rebecca Young, being about to pay a Religious Visit to your Land, We Affectionately Recommend them unto your Notice and Sisterly Sympathy, with Desires for their Preservation — We Remain in Christian Affection, your Friends —

Signed in, and on Behalf of the Meeting by

Patience Chester

Clerk ——

I G Testimony concerning D. S.

Altho’ Fools accounted his Life Madness, and his end to be without Honour, how is he numbered among the Children of God, and his Lot among the Saints —

Wisd Sol 5.4

Various are the Dispensations of Providence in Order to effect his Divine and Unsearchable purposes, ad who may say unto him what doest thou? This is a Language that may be proper for us to adopt on the present Occasion (to wit) the removal of our valued Friend and Brother in Christ Daniel Stanton, whose departure is sensibly felt to be a great loss to this City, in particular, and may be so said of the Church in general, nevertheless having the consolation of Assurance that it is his Eternal gain, we must quietly submit to this dispensation of unerring Wisdom, saying in the Language of holy writ Great and Marvellous are Thy Works Lord God Almighty, just and true are all thy Ways — the practice of the Prophets and Apostles formerly coinciding with the judgment of many at this day, confirms us in the belief that something is due to the Memory of the Righteous, who for the cause of God have valued not their Lives going with them as in their hands, on his Heavenly errands, of which Number this our Dear Friend was one. He was Born in this City in the year 1708 his Parents dying when he was very young. Nevertheless thro’ the Love and Mercy of that One, who careth for and taketh up the destitute, He was early touched with the incomes of Immortal Sweetness, and tho’ in his tender Years he met with some inconveniencies and hardships in his religious progress, yet keeping near to that hand which at first Visited him, he became further and further instructed in the way and work of Regeneration, and about the 20^th year of his Age was endow’d with a Gift in the Ministry of the Gospel, which he received not of Man neither was taught, but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and thro’ the Virtue and Nourishment of the sincere Milk of the Word, which his Soul desired, and which alone raised up and enabled for Divine Services, he witnessed a growth in this Gift and in it continued living and powerful to the day of his Death — In his setting out in Life, he might be rank’d among the Apostles, poor of this World “Nevertheless rich in Faith” which led him to believe that He who feeds the Ravens, and cloaths the Lillies of the field, would not suffer him to want those things that were convenient and through the power of that living principle Accompanied with works of industry and care, he became at length blessed with a sufficiency for the Support of his Family and accommodation of his Friends so that he was enabled not only to be spent, but to spend for the Service of his Heavenly Master and to experience that saying of the Youth “it is more blessed to give than to receive” Often recommending to Industry, being greatly grieved that any professing with us should fall short of paying their just debts, saying, he would rather submit to the meanest employment than any should suffer on his account — The solemn and reverent frame both of Body and Mind with which this our Dear Friend was cloathed in his waiting upon God in our religious Meetings tho’ in Silence. Yet spake loudly to the beholders, intelligibly declaring his abstractedness from those thoughts which unfit the Mind for the Service of the Divine Being, and strongly evinced that he was gathered into the Name and Power of God, which was frequently and abundantly verified by the living and powerful Testimonies he had to bear to the honour of the Heavenly Master, and edification of his Church and people, when tho’ not endow’d with much of the learning of this World, yet like a Scribe well instructed in the Heavenly School he was favoured to bring forth out of the Divine Treasury, things both new and Old, suitable to the various States of the People, into a Sense of whose conditions he was often times dipped, Strongly Sympathizing with, and encouraging the Afflicted and distressed, being made like the Samaritan formerly, and instrument for the Administring of the Wine of the Kingdom to the faint in heart, and the Oil of Divine Joy to the Mourners in Zion — Nor did he fail at the word of the Lord frequently to sound a piercing alarm in the Camp of the Church Militant blowing the Trumpet as in Tekoa, and setting up as a Sign of Fire in Beth haceerim, to warn the careless and negligent of the Evil that appeared to be coming upon them with great destruction, being concerned with Divine Authority to admonish and rebuke for such things as were out of the Way, and that with an holy Zeal, wherewith at Times he was “clad as with a Cloak,” Yet at the same time Accompanied with and Under unfeigned Love (as himself often express’d) to the Souls of those who had erred, for whom his deep travail in Spirit both Night and Day, was that they might give up to the Heavenly Call, and Obey the reproofs of Instruction, that so they might witness a being turned from Darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan, to that of the Living God Great and wonderful, was the fervency and power with which he was favoured when engaged to Supplicate the Majesty of the Heavenly Throne, wherein he signally Manifested the Universality of his Love, and the breathing desires of his Soul, for the restoration and Salvation of the People, even from him that weareth Purple and Crown to him that is humbled in Earth and Ashes, and such was the fruit of the Prayers of this righteous Man, that they were very Effectual to the tendering of the hearts of Those present, and we doubt not entered with holy prevalence the Ears of the Most High, and could not but beget in the true Worshipper, an Union of praise to the Father of all our Mercies, whereby this our Friend according to Divine Testimony approved himself one that glorified God = These were Seasons the effects whereof are not to be forgotten by some, and deserve particular Notice, and remembrance, and which if they be not engraven in Tables of Brass, or of Stone, Yet have left deep and strong impressions in the Hearts of many which (we trust) will not be erased, but remain as full proofs of his Ministry, and evident Seals of that commission which he received at the hand of the King Eternal — As to the World and the concerns thereof, he was one very little conversant therein, living in a very retired quiet manner, choosing to keep free from the hurries and incumbrances Thereof — that so he might the better attend upon the Ministry and Work whereunto he was called, and by this his manner of Life evinced the conformity of his Sentiments with one formerly who bore testimony that the Divine Voice had always thwarted him when he meaned to meddle with the Affairs of the World, for if he had engaged in such matters, he had long before neither benefited himself, nor the people, Saying, it was absolutely Necessary that he who stood up for the cause of Virtue should live a plain private Life” this was much the case of our Dear Friend who signally proved his being a possessor of that Religion which is pure and undefiled before God and the Father, inasmuch as he was a true Sympathizer with and frequent visitors of the Widows and Fatherless and such as were in affliction, whose Spirits were frequently refreshed through the copious effusions of Divine Virtue, wherewith he was charged as a Cloud full of Rain in the time of great drought, whereby they had to Acknowledge with one formerly to the Praise and Honour of the Great Name, that it was neither Herb nor Mollyfying Ointment that revived them, but Thy Word, O Lord which healeth all things, and if it may be said of any unspotted from the World — Thus lived this Man of God, having been an example unto the Believers walking as with his hands upon his Loins, and as one who looked for the coming of his Lord, shewing himself a pattern of good Works, in Doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, Sincerity, which even They that were of the contrary part had to Acknowledge at length after a laborious travel and fight of Afflictions for the cause of God, which he endured with an unremitting firmness, he was visited with an Asthma and Dropsy in which he Underwent much Pain and Distress, not being able to lie down in his Bed for several Weeks, yet in all and under all manifested the possession of abundant Christian Fortitude, Resignation and Patience through the Presence and Enjoyment of that Divine Power and Spirit that had been the Companion and Support of his Life, and now Apprehending his Days work nigh done, was qualified to say, he was ready to be offered up — And not long before his end, upon a retrospection of his Life, and a Probability has the time of his Departure was at hand, said to some present that if he did not live to see the light of another Day, his Peace was made with God — And accordingly in This Peace he breathed breathed his last on the next Morning, being the 28^th of the 6^th month 1770, and no doubt is now one of the Number of the saved of the Lord being translated from the Troubles of This World to an Inheritance incorruptible and Undefiled and that fadeth not away —

From our Yearly Meeting of Women Friends, held in London, by Adjournments from the 19^th of the 5^th month 1794, to the 28^th of the same Inclusive — to the Yearly Meeting of Women Friends, held in Philadelphia, for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Eastern Parts of Maryland and Virginia — — — — — —

Beloved Friends

In the fresh feeling of that Love, which many Waters cannot Quench, our Minds are Constrained once more, to Salute you, and under the Influence thereof, wish Grace, Mercy and Peace from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord, may encrease and abound amongst us, being renewedly Convinced, that herein Consists all our Spiritual Strength and Consolation, and that by this alone we are enabled to become Living Branches in the Vine, growing in the Root of Divine Light and Life. —We received your Acceptable Epistle of 9^th month last — Conveying the Intelligence of The Awful Dispensation with which the City of Philadelphia hath been recently Visited — Many of our Minds, have been renewedly and deeply Humbled, and drawn into near Sympathy with those amongst you, who in this furnace of Affliction, (Unusually Heated) have experienced the ties of Nearest Connections Dissolved, Yet we have to Believe, that the secret sustaining Arm of Omnipotence, which preserved his faithful Children, Unhurt, (thro a Heat, Sevenfold Hotter, than it was wont to be,) Hath been Mercifully extended, for The Support of Those, who trusted in Him Amongst you, so that the flame hath yet been suffered to kindle upon, or hurt the Birth of the Heavenly Seed. But the Angel of His Presence, that was with His Church formerly, in every Affliction, hath led in The Paths of Resignation, to pierce the Clouds, which often Obstruct the View of Matchless Love, beneath the Chastening Rod; And has borne up their Heads, thro the Anguish and Dismay, which Nature feels, when Death so awfully appears on every side, Then, who shall say to Him “What dost thou” We have, with you, thankfully to Acknowledge, in the staying of the Contagion “That the Lords Hand is not Shortened, that it Cannot Save, Neither His Ear heavy that He cannot hear” And tho in the Course of this awful Visitation, the Prepared Purified Spirits of Divers worthies Amongst you, in the Church Militant, hath exchanged their Mortal Cloathing ~ for Immortality and Eternal Life; and Joyn’d The Church Triumphant, The just of all Generations who thro Tribulations have entered the Kingdom, Yet believing, These are among you, Who are disposed to stand open to The Gracious Designs of the Shepherd of Israel, who in turning his hand on the little ones to Prepare Eleasers to receive their Garments, we Sorrow not in these Stripping Times of the Church, as those without Hope, of a Rising Generation in your Land and ours, encreasingly feeling the Weight of the Work devolving on Their Shoulders, believing He is turning his hand upon Zion, and in His own Time by means of His Infinite Wisdom, Purifying His Church and People, from the Dregs of Sorrowful Corruption and Impurity, which have gradually Crept in amongst us, who were Design’d, by the Holy head of the Church, to be as Lights in a Degenerate World “as a City set on a Hill, which Cannot be Hid,” That the Lord in His Mercy, may hasten His own Work, is the desire of our Minds, for Beloved Friends, a Remnant are Convinced, that in your Borders, as well as ours, He yet Blows the Trumpet in Zion, and Sounds an Alarm in His Holy Mountain, and in the Language of Sacred Writ the Call is going forth,, “Come out from amongst them, and be ye Separate, Touch not the unclean Thing, and I will receive you, and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters, Saith the Lord Almighty,” Many Amongst us Travail for the Beloved Youth, a Precious Part of His Heritage — who are thus, Called unto, in the extendings of His Matchless Goodness,, May they be Quickened to a Lively Sense of the Importance of Joyning in, with the Heavenly Vision, and receive, with Meekness the Ingrafted Word, “which is able to save Their Souls” Take, then, dear Friends, His Yoke upon you, and Learn of Him, who is Meek and Lowly in Heart, and ye shall find rest, unto your Souls, for His Yoke is easy, and His Burthen is light; Remember who it was, that Declared This, and tenders the Invitation freely. Ah how many amongst us, by Slighting it, have neglected their own Mercies, and Pierced themselves through, with many Sorrows — We feel our Minds enlarged in the Love of the Gospel towards these, and are often engaged to Travail “That they may not, Count the Blood of the Covenant, an Unholy Thing”, bearing in Mind, that we are not our own,, Being “Bought with a Price” and thro Adorable Compassion, we are Comforted, in an Hope, that Numbers among us, have turned, and are turning their Backs on the Multitude, evinceing, that they have fallen upon that Stone, which have broken them to Pieces, May none of this Class, either with you, or us, flinch from These Operations, because Those who have endured Them, are ready to Testify, that His Powerful Arm is Underneath, and that, He will under every Conflict and Baptism be their “Alpha and Omega” proclaiming, Intelligibly, to their Understanding “That He is God, and Changeth not,” and those who Trust in Him, shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be Removed, and Therefore, Beloved Youth, suffer not, The Insinuations of the Grand Deceiver, to Magnify your Difficulties,, whereby your Sorrows would be Multiplied, and the Divine Intention, Concerning You, Protracted — We Recommend the Attention of your Minds being turned, Beloved Sisters, to the Advantage we conceive may be Derived, by Looking toward the Younger Class, for filling the Offices of Clerks, we having experienced the Benefit of it in Divers Places, and Believe, this Concern was brought upon many of us in the openings of Divine Light — We Salute every Rank and Class among you, earnestly Desiring, that those, on whom the Burden falls, may walk with Reverence and Humility, that so no means of Stumbling may be Cast in the Way, or any Conflicting Traveller, be turned Aside —— The Company of our Beloved Friends, Samuel Emlen and Sarah Harrison, have been truly Acceptable, and Strengthening to us, and it is with Concern, that we have to Mention, our Dear Friend Elizabeth Drinker has been prevented sitting with this Meeting thro Indisposition ———

This,, our Annual Assembly, hath been Larger Than usual, and the Sittings Thereof, Measurably owned, with the extension of best Help — and in that Love, which Desires the Wellfare of All, We Affectionately Salute You, and bid you farewell — Signed in, and on Behalf of the Meeting — by Patience Chester

Clerk

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