more, respecting my notions of liberty in general, such as they are, it shall be as follows:

Having been initiated in youth in the doctrines of civil liberty, as they were taught by such men as Plato, Demosthenes, Cicero, and other renowned persons among the ancients; and such as Sidney and Milton, Locke and Hoadley, among the moderns; I liked them; they seemed rational. Having earlier still learned from the Holy Scriptures, that wise, brave, and virtuous men were always friends to liberty; that God gave the Israelites a king [or absolute monarch] in his anger, because they had not sense and virtue enough to like a free commonwealth, and to have himself for their king; that the Son of God came down from heaven to make us "free indeed;" and that " where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;" this made me conclude that freedom was a great blessing. Having, also, from my childhood up, by the kind providence of my God, and the tender care of a good parent now at rest with Him, been educated to the love of liberty, though not of licentiousness; which chaste and virtuous passion was still increased in me, as I advanced towards and into manhood; I would not, I cannot now, though past middle age, relinquish the fair object of my youthful affection, LIBERTY, whose charms, instead of decaying with time in my eyes, have daily captivated me more and more. I was accordingly penetrated with the most sensible grief, when, about the first of November last, that day of darkness, a day hardly to be numbered with the other days of the year, SHE seemed about to take her final departure from America, and to leave that ugly hag, Slavery, the deformed child of Satan, in her room. I am now filled with a proportionable degree of joy in God, on occasion of HER speedy return, with new smiles on her face, with augmented beauty and splendor.-Once more, then, Hail! celestial maid, the daughter of God, and, excepting his Son, the firstborn of heaven! Welcome to these shores again; welcome to every expanding heart! Long mayest thou reside among us, the delight of the wise, good, and brave; the protectress of innocence from wrongs and oppression; the patroness of learning, arts, eloquence, virtue, rational loyalty, religion! And if any miserable people on the continent or isles of Europe, after being weakened by luxury, debauchery, venality, intestine quarrels, or other vices, should, in the rude collisions, or nowuncertain revolutions of kingdoms, be driven, in their extremity, to seek a safe retreat from slavery in some far distant climate; let them find, O let them find one in America under thy brooding sacred wings, where our oppressed fathers once found it, and we now enjoy it, by the favor of Him, whose service is the most glorious freedom! Never, O never may He permit them to forsake us, for our unworthiness to enjoy thy enlivening presence! By His high permission attend us through life AND DEATH to the regions of the blessed, thy original abode, there to enjoy forever the glorious liberty of the sons of God!"-But I forget myself; whither have I been hurried by this enthusiasm, or whatever else you will please to call it? I hope your candor will forgive this odd excursion, for which I hardly know how to account myself.

66

JOHN WOOLMAN.

"GET," says Charles Lamb, in one of the Essays of Elia, "the writings of John Woolman by heart, and love the early Quakers."

The result is not unlikely to follow, even if the reader stop short of the thoroughness of study recommended. John Woolman's writings are

แ

John Woolman

He was born in Northampton, Burlington county, West Jersey, in 1720, and before the age of seven "began to be acquainted with the operations of Divine love." He remembered sitting down once on his way from school, and reading the description of the new heavens and new earth in the Book of Revelation, and by this and like exercise ; he was preserved from acquiring the habit of using ill language and other evils.

He records an early case of conscience.

A thing remarkable in my childhood was, that once going to a neighbour's house, I saw, on the way, a robin sitting on her nest, and as I came near she went off, but having young ones flew about, and with many cries expressed her concern for them; I stood and threw stones at her, till one striking her, she fell down dead: at first I was pleased with the exploit, but after a few minutes was seized with horror, as having, in a sportive way, killed an innocent creature while she was careful for her young: I beheld her lying dead, and thought these young ones for which she was so careful, must now perish for want of their dam to nourish them; and after some painful considerations on the subject I climbed up the tree, took all the young birds, and killed them; supposing that better than to leave them to pine away and die miserably and believed, in this case, that scripture proverb was fulfilled, "The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." I then went on my errand, but, for some hours could think of little else but the cruelties I had committed, and was much troubled. Thus He whose tender mercies are over all his works, hath placed a principle in the human mind which incites to exercise goodness towards every living creature; and this being singly attended to, people become tender-hearted and sympathizing; but being frequently and totally rejected, the mind becomes shut up in a contrary disposition.

:

As he advanced to the age of sixteen, he found himself losing his childish purity. In his own words, "I perceived a plant in me which produced much wild grapes." A fit of sickness, "from which I doubted of recovering," brought serious thoughts to his mind, and with advancing years he became more and more weaned from the world.

He remained with his parents, "and wrought on the plantation" until his twenty-first year, when ་ a man in much business at shop-keeping and baking asked me, if I would hire with him to tend shop and keep books." Accepting this proposal, his employer furnished a shop in Mount Holly, a few miles distant, where Woolman lived alone. He was troubled at first by the visits of

"Several young people, my former acquaintance, who knew not but varieties would be as agreeable to me now as ever;" but these gay companions 800n gave over expecting him as one of their company."

66

He not long after made his first essay as a speaker.

I went to meetings in an awful frame of mind, and endeavoured to be inwardly acquainted with the language of the true Shepherd; and one day, being under a strong exercise of spirit, I stood up, and said some words in a meeting; but not keeping close to the divine opening, I said more than was required of me; and being soon sensible of my error, I was afflicted in mind some weeks, without any light or comfort, even to that degree that I could not take satisfaction in any thing: I remembered God, and was troubled; and, in the depth of my distress, he had pity upon me, and sent the Comforter: I then felt forgiveness for my offence, and my mind became calm and quiet, being truly thankful to my gracious Redeemer for his mercies; and after this, feeling the spring of divine love opened, and a concern to speak, I said a few words in a meeting, in which I found peace; this, I believe, was about six weeks from the first time: and, I was thus humbled and disciplined under the cross, my understanding became more strengthened to distinguish the pure spirit which inwardly moves upon the heart and taught me to wait in silence sometimes many weeks together, until I felt that rise which prepares the creature to stand like a trumpet, through which the Lord speaks to his flock.

We next find him a protester against holiday junketing.

About the time called Christmas, I observed many people from the country, and dwellers in town, who, resorting to public-houses, spent their time in drinking and vain sports, tending to corrupt one another; on which account I was much troubled. At one house in particular there was much disorder; and I believed it was a duty incumbent on me to go and speak to the master of that house. I considered I was young, and that several elderly Friends in town had opportunity to see these things; but though I would gladly have been excused, yet I could not fee my mind clear.

The exercise was heavy: and as I was reading what the Almighty said to Ezekiel, respecting his duty as a watchman, the matter was set home more clearly; and then, with prayers and tears, I besought the Lord for his assistance, who, in loving kindness, gave me a resigned heart: then, at a suitable opportunity, I went to the public-house; and seeing the man amongst much company, I went to him, and told him, I wantel to speak with him; so we went aside, and there, in the fear and dread of the Almighty, I exprest to him what rested on my mind, which he took kindly, and afterwards showed more regard to me than before. In a few years afterwards he died, middle-aged; and I often thought, that had I neglected my duty in that case, it would have given me great trouble; and I was humbly thankful to my gracious Father, who had supported me herein.

On the fifth day of the ninth month he set out on his first journey, in company with an ancient friend, Abraham Farrington, and was absent above two weeks. On his return, "perceiving merchandise to be attended with much cumber, in the way of trading in these parts," he looked

about for a quieter occupation, and settled upon the sedentary calling of a tailor.

I believed the hand of Providence pointed out this business for me; and was taught to be content with it, though I felt at times a disposition that would have sought for something greater; but through the revelation of Jesus Christ, I had seen the happiness of humility, and there was an earnest desire in me to enter deep into it; and, at times, this desire arose to a degree of fervent supplication, wherein my soul was so environed with heavenly light and consolation, that things were made easy to me which had been otherwise.

After "carefully attending meetings for worship and discipline," he "found an enlargement of gospel love in his mind," and "therein a concern to visit Friends in some of the back settlements of Virginia," and finding that Isaac Andrews had "drawings" of a similar character, the pair started on a tour on the twelfth day of the third month, in the year 1746. He found this journey so satisfactory, that he seems to have henceforward adopted itineracy as a regular pursuit.

In 1749, he married " a well-inclined damsel," Sarah Ellis. In 1753, he submitted a tract against slavery, which he had prepared some years before, "to the revisal of Friends, who having examined and made some small alterations in it, directed a number of copies thereof to be published and dispersed amongst Friends." This was a subject on which he spoke and wrote frequently. Anticipating the removal of the system from his own neighborhood, he was equally desirous of its extinction in all parts of the country.

At a drafting of militia in 1757, during the French War, he, with others whom he influenced, declined to bear arms or hire substitutes. They were told they might return home for the present, and to be in readiness when called upon. The emergency never occurred. Woolman carried his scruples still further.

On the fourth day of the fourth month, in the year 1758, orders came to some officers in MountHolly, to prepare quarters, a short time, for about one hundred soldiers: and an officer and two other men, all inhabitants of our town, came to my house; and the officer told me, that he came to speak with me, to provide lodging and entertainment for two soldiers, there being six shillings a week per man allowed as pay for it. The case being new and unexpected, I made no answer suddenly, but sat a time silent, my mind being inward; I was fully convinced, that the proceedings in wars are inconsistent with the purity of the Christian religion; and to be hired to entertain men who were then under pay as soldiers, was a difficulty with me. I expected they had legal authority for what they did; and after a short time, I said to the officer, if the men are sent here for entertainment, I believe I shall not refuse to admit them into my house; but the nature of the case is such, that I expect I cannot keep them on hire: one of the men intimated that he thought 1 might do it consistent with my religious principles; to which I made no reply, as believing silence, at that time, best for me. Though they spake of two, there came only one, who tarried at my house about two weeks, and behaved himself civilly; and when the officer came to pay me, I told him I could not take pay for it, having admitted him into my house

in a passive obedience to authority. I was on horseback when he spake to me; and as I turned from him, he said he was obliged to me: to which I said nothing; but thinking on the expression, I grew uneasy; and afterwards being near where he lived, I went and told him on what grounds I refused taking pay for keeping the soldier.

In 1763 he determined to visit the Indians on the east branch of the Susquehannah, some of whom he had met at Philadelphia. Some Friends who had heard of his intention came from that city to him, "so late, that friends were generally gone to bed," to warn him that the Indians "had taken a fort from the English westward, and slain and scalped English people in divers places, some near Pittsburg," and of the consequent dangers of the journey; but he was not to be deterred, and on the following morning set out with two companions and a guide. The journey occupied the greater portion of the month of June; and its record forms some of the pleasantest portions of our Friend's Journal. We extract some passages:

We reached the Indian settlement at Wioming: and here we were told that an Indian runner had been at that place a day or two before us, and brought news of the Indians taking an English fort, westward, and destroying the people, and that they were endeavouring to take another; and also, that another Indian runner came there about the middle of the night before we got there, who came from a town about ten miles above Wehaloosing, and brought news, that some Indian warriors, from distant parts, came to that town with two English scalps; and told the people that it was war with the English.

Our guides took us to the house of a very ancient man; and soon after we had put in our baggage there came a man from another Indian house some distance off; and I, perceiving there was a man near the door, went out; and he having a tomahawk, wrapped under his matchcoat out of sight, as I approached him, he took it in his hand; I, however, went forward, and, speaking to him in a friendly way, perceived he understood some English: my companion then coming out we had some talk with him concerning the nature of our visit in these parts; and then he, going into the house with us, and talking with our guides, soon appeared friendly, and sat down and smoaked his pipe. Though his taking the hatchet in his hand at the instant I drew near to him, had a disagreeable appearance, I believe he had no other intent than to be in readiness in case any violence was offered to him.

Hearing the news brought by these Indian runners, and being told by the Indians where we lodged, that what Indians were about Wioming expected, in a few days, to move to some larger towns, I thought that, to all outward appearance, it was dangerous travelling at this time; and was, after a hard day's journey, brought into a painful exercise at night, in which I had to trace back, and view over the steps I had taken from my first moving in the visit; and though I had to bewail some weakness, which, at times, had attended me, yet I could not find that I had ever given way to a wilful disobedience: and then, as I believed I had, under a sense of duty, come thus far, I was now earnest in spirit, beseeching the Lord to show me what I ought to do. In this great distress I grew jealous of myself, lest the desire of reputation, as a man firmly settled to persevere through dangers, or the fear of

disgrace arising on my returning without performing the visit, might have some place in me: thus I lay, full of thoughts, great part of the night, while my beloved companion lay and slept by me; till the Lord, my gracious Father, who saw the conflicts of my soul, was pleased to give quietness: then I was again strengthened to commit iny life, and all things relating thereto, into his heavenly hands; and getting a little sleep toward day, when morning came

we arose.

On the fourteenth day of the sixth month, we sought out and visited all the Indians hereabouts that we could meet with; they being chiefly in one place, about a mile from where we lodged, in all perhaps twenty. Here I expressed the care I had on my mind for their good; I told them, that true love had made me willing thus to leave my family to come and see the Indians, and speak with them in their houses. Some of them appeared kind and friendly. So we took our leave of these Indians, and went up the river Susquehannah, about three miles, to the house of an Indian called Jacob January, who had killed his hog; and the women were making store of bread, and preparing to move up the river. Here our pilots left their canoe when they came down in the Spring, which, lying dry, was leaky; so that we, being detained some hours, had a good deal of friendly conversation with the family; and, eating dinner with them, we made them some small presents. Then, putting our baggage in the canoe, some of them pushed slowly up the stream, and the rest of us rode our horses: and swimming them over a creek called Lahawahamunk, we pitched our tent a little above it, being a shower in the evening; and in a sense of God's goodness in helping me in my distress, sustaining me under trials, and inclining my heart to trust in him, I lay down in an humble bowed frame of mind, and had a comfortable night's lodging.

In 1772, after a long and debilitating sickness, "having been some time under a religious concern to prepare for crossing the seas," he made preparations to visit England. In consequence of singular religious scruples he took passage in the steerage.

I told the owner, that on the outside of that part of the ship where the cabbin was, I observed sundry sorts of carved work and imagery: and that in the cabbin I observed some superfluity of workmanship of several sorts; and that according to the ways of men's reckoning, the sum of money to be paid for a passage in that apartment, hath some relation to the expence of furnishing it to please the minds of such who give way to a conformity to this world; and that in this case, as in other cases, the money received from the passengers, are calculated to answer every expence relating to their passage, and amongst the rest, of these superfluities: and that in this case, I felt a scruple with regard to paying my money to defray such expences.

As my mind was now opened, I told the owner, that I had, at several times in my travels, seen great oppressions on this continent, at which my heart had been much affected, and brought into a feeling of the state of the sufferers. And having many times been engaged, in the fear and love of God, to labour with those under whom the oppressed have been borne down and afflicted, I have often per ceived, that a view to get riches, and provide estates for children to live conformable to customs, which stand in that spirit wherein men have regard to the honours of this world—that in the pursuit of these things, I had seen many entangled in the spi

rit of oppression; and the exercise of my soul had been such, that I could not find peace in joining in any such thing which I saw was against that wisdom which is pure.

His account of the voyage contains many humane and sensible suggestions for the better care of sailors, and abounds in devout and well penned reflections. On his arrival in England he visited a few meetings of his sect. He refused to travel by stage-coach or receive letters by post, on humanitarian grounds.

As my journey hath been without a horse, I have had several offers of being assisted on my way in the stage coaches; but have not been in them: nor have I had freedom to send letters by the posts, in the present way of their riding; the stages being so fixed, and one boy dependent on another as to time, that they commonly go upwards of one hundred miles in twenty-four hours; and in the cold long winter nights, the poor boys suffer much.

I heard in America of the way of these posts; and cautioned friends in the general meeting of ministers and elders at Philadelphia, and in the yearlymeeting of ministers and elders at London, not to send letters to me on any common occasion by post. And though, on this account, I may be likely to hear seldomer from my family left behind: yet, for righteousness' sake, am, through Divine favour, made content.

He was also troubled about dye-stuffs.

Having of late travelled often in wet weather, through narrow streets in towns and villages, where dirtiness under foot, and the scent arising from that filth, which more or less infects the air of all thick settled towns; and I, being but weakly, have felt distress both in body and mind with that which is impure.

In these journies I have been where much cloth hath been dyed; and sundry times walked over ground, where much of their dye stuffs have drained

Some, who are great, carry delicacy to a great height themselves, and yet the real cleanliness is not generally promoted. Dyes being invented partly to please the eye, and partly to hide dirt, I have felt in this weak state, travelling in dirtiness and affected with unwholesome scents, a strong desire that the nature of dying cloth, to hide dirt, may be more fully considered.

To hide dirt in our garments, appears opposite to the real cleanliness.

To wash garments, and keep them sweet, this appears cleanly.

Through giving way to hiding dirt in our garments, a spirit which would cover that which is disagreeable, is strengthened.

Real cleanness becometh a holy people: but hiding that which is not clean by colouring our garments appears contrary to the sweetness of sincerity.

Through some sorts of dyes, cloth is less useful; and if the value of dye-stuffs, the expence of dying, and the damage done to cloth, were all added together, and that expence applied to keep all sweet and clean, how much more cleanly would people be.

The journal closes abruptly, a few pages after, with some remarks on eloquence, which have much of the quality of which they treat.

The natural man loveth eloquence, and many love to hear eloquent orations; and if there is not a careful attention to the gift, men who have once laboured in the pure gospel ministry, growing weary of suffering, and ashamed of appearing weak, may kindle a fire, compass themselves about with sparks, and walk in the light, not of Christ who is under suffering; but of that fire, which they, going from the gift, have kindled: And that in hearers, which are gone from the meek, suffering state, into the worldly wisdom, may be warmed with this fire, and speak highly of these labours. That which is of God gathers to God; and that which is of the world is owned by the world.

In this journey a labour hath attended my mind, that the ministers amongst us may be preserved in the meek feeling life of Truth, where we may have no desire, but to follow Christ and be with him; that when he is under suffering we may suffer with him; and never desire to raise up in dominion, but as he by the virtue of his own spirit may raise

His disorder appeared to be the small-pox: being asked to have a doctor's advice, he signified he had not freedom or liberty in his mind so to do, standing wholly resigned to his will, who gave him life, and whose power he had witnessed to raise and heal him in sickness before, when he seemed nigh unto death; and if he was to wind up now, he was perfectly resigned, having no will either to live or die, and did not choose any should be sent for to him: but a young man, an apothecary, coming of his own accord the next day, and desiring to do something for him, he said he found a freedom to confer with him and the other friends about him, and if any thing should be proposed, as to medicine, that did not come through defiled channels or oppressive hands, he should be willing to consider and take, so far as he found freedom.

The disease made rapid and fatal progress. His last act, "about the second hour on fourth-day morning," was to call for pen and ink, and, being unable to speak, write, "I believe my being here is in the wisdom of Christ, I know not as to life or death." "without sigh,

Four hours after, he expired groan, or struggle."

Woolman's chief productions, in addition to his Journal, are-Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes, the tract already referred to; Considerations on Pure Wisdom and Human Policy, on Labour, on Schools, and on the Right Use of the Lord's Outward Gifts, 1768; Considerations on the True Harmony of Mankind, and how it is to be Maintained, 1770; Remarks on Sundry Subjects, 1773; An Epistle to the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of Friends, 1772; and A Word of Remembrance and Caution to the Rich. Our extract is taken from the Remarks on Sundry Subjects.

Worship in silence hath often been refreshing to my mind, and a care attends me that a young generation may feel the nature of this worship.

Great expence ariseth in relation to that which is called Divine worship.

A considerable part of this expence is applied toward outward greatness, and many poor people, in raising of tithes, labour in supporting customs contrary to the simplicity that there is in Christ, toward whom my mind hath often been moved with pity.

In pure, silent worship, we dwell under the holy anointing, and feel Christ to be our shepherd.

Here the best of teachers ministers to the several conditions of his flock, and the soul receives immediately from the Divine fountain that with which it is nourished.

As I have travelled, at times, where those of other societies have attended our meetings, and have perceived how little some of them knew of the nature of silent worship, I have felt tender desires, in my heart, that we, who often sit silent in our meetings, may live answerable to the nature of an inward fellowship with God, that no stumbling-block, through us, may be laid in their way.

Such is the load of unnecessary expence which lieth on that which is called Divine service, in many places, and so much are the minds of many people employed in outward forms and ceremonies, that the opening of an inward silent worship in this nation, to me, hath appeared to be a precious opening.

Within the last four hundred years many pious people have been deeply exercised in soul on account of the superstition which prevailed amongst the professed followers of Christ, and, in support of their testimony against oppressive idolatry, some, in several ages, have finished their course in the flames.

It appears by the history of the Reformation, that, through the faithfulness of the martyrs, the understandings of many have been opened, and the minds of people from age to age, been more and more prepared for a real, spiritual worship.

My mind is often affected with a sense of the condition of those people who, in different ages, have been meek and patient, following Christ through great afflictions; and while I behold the several steps of reformation, and that clearness to which, through Divine goodness, it hath been brought by our ancestors, I feel tender desires that we, who sometimes meet in silence, may never, by our conduct, lay stumbling-blocks in the way of others, and hinder the progress of the reformation in the world.

It was a complaint against some who were called the Lord's people, that they brought polluted bread to his altar, and said, the table of the Lord was contemptible.

In real, silent worship the soul feeds on that which is Divine; but we cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and that table which is prepared by the god of this world.

If Christ is our shepherd, and feedeth us, and we are faithful in following him, our lives will have an inviting language, and the table of the Lord will not be polluted.

SAMUEL HOPKINS,

THE author of a System of Divinity, was born September 17, 1721, in Waterbury, Connecticut. He was educated at Yale College. While at New

S. Hopkins.

Haven, he took part in the religious excitement caused by the preaching of Whitefield, Gilbert

Tennent, and Jonathan Edwards. The missionary Brainerd was then in the college, and influenced Hopkins. On leaving Yale, he bent his way to Edwards, at Northampton, with whom he continued his studies for some time. He then, in 1743, was ordained at Sheffield (now Great Barrington), where he remained for twenty-five years-being soon joined by Edwards, in his neighborhood, at Stockbridge. In 1770, he was ordained minister of a congregation at Newport, which he was compelled to leave when the British took possession of the island. In 1780 he returned, and remained there till his death, December 20, 1803. "He died calmly,” says Whittier, in a tribute to the memory of the man, "in the steady faith of one who had long trusted all things in the hand of God. The language of my heart is,' said he, 'let God be glorified by all things, and the best interest of His kingdom promoted, whatever becomes of me or my interest.' To a young friend, who visited him three days before his death, he said, I am feeble, and cannot say much. I have said all I can say. With my last words, I tell you, religion is the one thing needful. And now I am going to die, and I am glad of it. Many years before, an agreement had been made between Dr. Hopkins and his old and tried friend, Dr. Hart, of Connecticut, that when either was called home, the survivor should preach the funeral sermon of the deceased. The venerable Dr. Hart accordingly came, true to his promise, preaching at the funeral from the words of Elisha, My father, my father; the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.' In the burialground adjoining his meeting-house, lies all that was mortal of Samuel Hopkins."*

Dr. Channing, though widely differing from Hopkins in theology, has celebrated the moral grandeur of the man. Their points of sympathy were a common ardor of independence, shown by Hopkins in his modification of Calvinism and theory of benevolence. "His system," says

Channing, "however fearful, was yet built on a generous foundation. He maintained that all holiness, all moral excellence, consists in benevolence, or disinterested devotion to the greatest good. He taught that sin was introduced into the creation, and is to be everlastingly punished, because evil is necessary to the highest good. True virtue, as he taught, was an entire surrender of personal interest to the benevolent purposes of God. Self-love he spared in none of its movements. The system of Dr. Hopkins was an effort of reason to reconcile Calvinism with its essential truths." Allen, who has pointed out his modifications of the Calvinistic theology, with less sympathy for his free spirit of inquiry, pronounces him "a very humble, pious, and benevolent man. Humility pervaded his whole conduct. It preserved him from that overbearing zeal, which is the offspring of self-confidence and pride."

Hopkins early took part in the abolition of the slave trade, announcing his views on the subject to his congregation at Newport, who were interested in the traffic, and giving to the cause, not

Whittier's Old Portraits and Modern Sketches, p. 161

+ Discourse at Newport, 1886. Works, iv. 342,

Dr. Allen's Biog. Dict., Art. Hopkins,