meeting this morning, in a quiet state of mind, endeavouring to look to the "Minister of the sanctuary," yet I felt so little of the state of the meeting, and seemed so sensible of blindness, that I doubted whether I was in a capacity to be helpful to any; but after a time I was afresh convinced, that in this apparently ignorant state, we are sometimes permitted to have a glimmering of light. After sitting in apparent darkness, I saw afresh, that it is only as we are reduced to a state of childlike simplicity, we can hope to be instructed in the mystery of godliness.

10th mo. 5th. This evening I was in company with some young people, who pretty freely indulged in speaking of the failings of their seniors, especially those in the foremost ranks in the society. I durst not join in all they said, wishing to discourage, as well as to avoid tale-bearing and detraction; yet I did not feel much liberty to vindicate the absent, fearing lest an injudicious attempt of this sort should wear the appearance of a partiality, which is blind to the failings of those we esteem, while censuring the same in different characters. I said but little, except that we can much sooner find failings in others than in ourselves; but I afterwards wished I had more freely expressed my disapprobation of such conversation. How desirous I feel that there may be amongst those in conspicuous stations in the Society, a diligent attention to their whole conduct, that so their good may not be evil spoken of!

8th. Last evening I heard of a young woman who appeared to be expiring; and fearing she was not in a

state of preparation, the prayer of my heart was, that she might be favoured with the gift of sincere repentance, and that if it were in accordance with the divine will, her life might be spared till she had made her peace with God. I felt a forcible impression, that it would be right for me to see her, if her life were prolonged until this morning. After an exercising time, I went, and found her so far revived as to admit of my imparting to her what was on my mind. I also exhorted her mother to a more watchful care over her children, believing that she had not restrained them from wrong things. She was much tendered, and the daughter seemed to take the visit kindly, but manifested little sensibility.

13th. This morning I again visited the young person, who was much better. She said she had thought a great deal of what I had said to her, and wished to see me again. I explained the cause of my visit, and mentioned how much my mind had been engaged for her future well-being; and after a time of silence had an opportunity to exhort her to examine how it was with her soul; expressing a desire that she might be favoured to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and that, without sincere repentance, the sinner cannot hope for pardon and salvation; that it is vain to suppose that the Son of God offered up his life that we might continue in sin; on the contrary, He came to save us from sin, that those who repent and forsake it might have everlasting life.

27th. This day, and for several days past, I have had a hard struggle with a disposition which I hoped

had long since been conquered—a wish to avoid singularity in the quality of my apparel. I have found a strong desire to conform a little to others on the occasion of a marriage, which I am about to attend ; but this evening I was made sensible, that if my will is so strong, it must be crossed, although the thing may appear trifling in itself; and I hope I shall not lose my strength by reasoning away these impressions. Perhaps the necessity of taking up the cross was more sensibly felt and brought home to me, by the recollection of having lately written to a beloved friend, when I remarked that there must be a total surrender, and that we must not plead for the reserving of this and the other, as Saul did, when he kept alive some of the sheep and oxen.

2nd mo. 23rd, 1799. My dear friend Abigail Pim and myself, having obtained certificates to visit the counties of Bedford and Hertford, we set off this morning, accompanied by our friends George Stacey and John Bevans, Jun., for Baldock. My mind was humbled under a deep sense of my own extreme weakness, and I felt so poor and low that my faith almost failed: yet I had to consider how fully I had been made to believe that strength would be afforded for the performance of every requiring, and this tended to increase my desire to centre in a state of humble confidence in the all-sufficiency of that power, which is able to qualify the meanest instruments, and make them useful in their allotments.

[Accompanied by her friend A. P. she visited, with one exception, the meetings, and, in most places, the families of friends in the above-named counties. On

her return home, after parting with her beloved companion, she was much tried with the conduct of her fellow-passengers in the stage coach. Her own words will best describe her feelings, and may her faithfulness be an excitement to others to do likewise, under similar circumstances.]

Almost every sentence was accompanied with swearing, and taking the sacred Name in vain, till my spirit was grieved within me. I sat silent till I no longer dared to be an ear-witness to such profane discourse, without manifesting my dislike to it. I hesitated long, but considering on what an errand I had been, and how I had been enabled hitherto to do what appeared to be my duty, it would be sorrowful, if, by unfaithfulness, I should after all discover that I had a greater desire to spare myself a little mortification, than to shew myself on the Lord's side. Then, under a pressure of spirit, I ventured to inquire whether they really believed there is a God? The query struck one of them forcibly, and putting his hand on his heart, he said, "Certainly." I then observed that it must be displeasing to that Divine Being to have his sacred name thus profaned; reminding them that it was a breach of the commandments, consequently of the vows made for them at baptism (as it is called). One of them laughed at this remark, but immediately acknowledged his incivility, and afterwards behaved respectfully; another thanked me, and said he knew I meant it for their good. We rode several miles afterwards, and they were so far on their guard, as, with only one exception, to avoid every expression of the kind. I was

thankful that I was thus preserved from partaking in other men's sins, which I sometimes think is the case, when we omit to testify against evil, if a way open for

it.

3rd mo. 18th. I reached home just in time to attend the funeral of dear Sophia Pope, who died in her twenty-second year, not ten months after her sister, who was removed by the same complaint-consumption-in the eighteenth year of her age. The removal of these dear girls, in the bloom of youth, seems loudly to proclaim this language, "Be ye also ready, for at such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh."

6th mo. 20th. I spent some time waiting on my dear Father, who had been more than two weeks at Staines. He had been poorly several days, and had now become so ill as to take to his bed. I was comforted in observing the sweet calm that was over him : in a most affecting manner he related to me, that of late he had experienced some deliverances from the snares to which his nature was prone; that in the decline of life he was exercised before the Lord, under a sense of his departure from his righteous law, and that He had condescended to arise for his help and deliverance. How was my spirit bowed before the Lord in grateful acknowledgments for his abundant mercy!

"What shall I render unto Thee, most gracious God, that Thou hast enabled him to wait for thy salvation in the evening of his day? Enable me to adore Thee, and bow before Thee, under a sense of the multitude of thy tender-mercies; and O that the remnant of

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