Dear W. D. and J. C. are alive in the holy root; their endeared sympathy has been a cordial to my drooping mind. J. took a certificate to visit South Carolina, and Georgia; he expects to go soon after their Quarterly Meeting, which begins seventh day next. I expect to be at it, with my dear companion J. Ladd of Virginia, a solid, exercised Friend, who has a little lively sound testimony in most of the meetings; I understand he is more enlarged sometimes, when the weight of the meetings falls principally on him.

We also expect to go south after the Quarterly Meeting. We shall, I expect, go first to Charleston, then to Georgia, then to meetings about Bush River; these places lie somewhat triangular, and J. C. will, I expect, go round the other way; so that I hope to meet him somewhere on the way.

I had, when I left Philadelphia, strong desires and expectations of getting round to the Yearly Meeting there, in the 9th month; but see now no way of getting on faster than to be back here to this Yearly Meeting in the 10th month, after which there will be in the back settlements of Virginia and Maryland, Delaware, and Eastern Shore of Maryland, as much as I can do, I believe, and do my best, by the spring meeting at Philadelphia next year. I have drove rather too fast sometimes already, though no further on. The weight and toil of the service wear much on my feeble ability, both of body and mind. I sweat abundance, and have frequent slight chills, with vertigo, so as to increase my exercises in some degree; but I dare not repine, for I am wonderfully borne up and helped along, ability being given, and divine enlargement witnessed far beyond my most sanguine expectations. Yet a cup of bitterness is repeatedly filled unto me, whereof I must and do drink for the greater part of the time, but, the divine will be done, is very constantly the language of my soul.

I have not received a letter from New England, since the one from thee. This is a case that has required much exercise of resignation, for I never have been more desirous to hear from home than while I have been in the southern climates; I hope you have not forgotten your exercised though unworthy friend. Well, be it as it may, I have not forgotten you, but have many of

you often in a fresh remembrance, desirous of your firm standing in the life of the precious truth, and in the lively sense and savour of the holy seed. Oh! how often are my cries to the Lord for preservation, both for myself and for my much loved friends.

Please to mention my endeared love, (which is not in formality but in truth,) to such as thou thinkest proper.

Do, my dear friend, let me have a line as soon as thou well canst, if so be that the great Master and Father of the family has kept the door of love and freedom open, which I am not yet willing to doubt.

I hope I need not say much, by way of desire for the extension of sympathy and kindness to my dear widowed wife. I trust the Shepherd of Israel will befriend her, and that her friends will not forsake her.

With real love to thee and family, I conclude, thy affectionate, deeply proved, yet supported friend,

JOB SCOTT.

Dear love,

To his Wife.

Marlborough, N. C. 6th of 8th month, 1789

Although I have, a few days past, written the two enclosed sheets, yet it is in my heart once more to salute thee before I send them forward. For that fulness of endearment which I feel, is not soon exhausted, nor can I with pen and ink express it all; and if it is as desirable to thee to hear often from me, as it is to me to hear from thee, it must be pleasant to know how it fares with me now, even though few days have passed since the other sheets were written. Know then, dear heart, my health is but low. I just keep moving; feel weak in body; stomach weak and uneasy; head dizzy; ideas a little confused at times, on check of perspiration. Yet be not alarmed. The everlasting arm bears up, and wonderfully supports my mind through all. In almost every, or in many places, " bonds and afflictions

abide me." My mind is abundantly depressed, yet truth eminently and often reigns over all; then my cup is filled, and overflows. After Quarterly Meeting at Centre, I expect, if well enough, to go for Charleston, South Carolina, thence to Georgia; thence back to Bush river in this state; thence to the Yearly Meeting at Centre aforesaid. (The Yearly Meeting begins on seventh-day, after the fourth sixth-day in 10th month.) After all that, if favoured to get through with that, there is a wide field of labour in the western parts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the Eastern shore of Maryland, &c. So that I have not even a hope of seeing thy face till some time after the spring meeting at Philadelphia, next year.

Ardent are my desires, and that often, to see thee, but I dare not much indulge that ardency. Young says, "wish ardent, ever wrong." Whether it be always wrong or not, I know our desires may be too ardent; and I sometimes fear mine are growing so therefore they are soon checked. For in resignation only I find peace, and therein I find it abundantly, even in tribulation. Seek it, my beloved: lay hold of it; love it in every trial, and cast thy care on him that never fails; then, I have no doubt, thou wilt be carried through, provided for, and graciously preserved.

Do let me hear from thee, and know thy state. My heart is with thee. My spirit sympathizeth with thine, and my prayers are often put up to him, who is able to help, that in all thy afflictions, he may be near, and do infinitely more for thee, than the kindest husband can. Don't expose thyself, nor endanger thy health. Look not too much at any expense that every necessary attendance and supply may occasion. I had rather it would cost all my little outward substance, than to lose thee, or have thy health ruined. Thou art more to me, an hundredfold, than all my little worldly interest. That, we may, (with Master's help,) rub along without; but were I to be deprived of thy dear company, I evidently feel that it would more nearly try my resignation, than the loss of all outward estate, even had I much more than I ever shall have. Therefore, I wish thee to see well to thy own health; and may now express my earnest desires that our dear children be kept in the way of truth; in

some little business; from too much play, and running about. Do have them read often, and write as much as may be. Guard them against lying, and all bad words. Don't let them strike one another, nor quarrel. Let them keep mostly at home. Don't whip, or chide unnecessarily, nor yet too much spare the rod. Endeavour, dear love, to attain to, and maintain an even calmness of mind, guarding against all fretfulness. Be kind to my dear old father. He is my father, and I have much heartfelt love and affection for him. Let us make the best of all things, and do the best we can, under all our difficulties; and then, though we may have erred in some things, the Lord will undoubtedly be with us, bless us, and comfort us, and our dear children, as they are brought forward in the truth.

Dear Zachariah Dicks desired me to give his endeared love to thee. He expressed it very affectionately, though a stranger. He is alive in the true vine. He took me aside after a highly favoured meeting, and said to me thus: "We must now part. I don't expect to see thee again, till our Quarterly Meeting, and I wish thee to be encouraged. I have near and dear unity with thee. I don't know when ever I met with a friend that I felt more of an endeared love and affection for." These words flowing from a heart of sensibility, nearly affected my mind, and drew tears from my eyes; for I felt very low, and was humbly bowed, and much emptied; (though highly favoured, a little before;) I felt myself indeed, as a pilgrim, and as a stranger in a strange land, yea, as an unworthy messenger. Marvellous are thy dealings, O my God, with my soul! I said to my dear friend, "Thy words are as a cordial to my mind, and much to my encouragement; for I go drooping along, no man fully knows my path." To this, he feelingly replied, "I believe it-I believe it." Thus the Lord, not only bears up, by his invisible presence, but also begets a near sympathy in his faithful servants, and sometimes causes them to speak a few words fitly, and in season; which are truly "as apples of gold, in pictures of silver." Blessed be the Lord for all his favours.

Centre, 9th of 8th month. Truth is still eminently near, and supports. I have had three good meetings, the last three days; that yesterday was the select Quarterly Meeting, where things

opened wonderfully, though quite unknown to me, till after the openings and expression of them, when in the course of the business, great confirmation appeared. Such confirmations I have often had; but I find it is only as I know nothing, and attempt not to do any thing, but simply as it is immediately impressed and opened, that I find peace, or get at the state of things; and am thankful that I find myself more and more unable to move in my own time, being emptied of all. Yet in this state, there seems no lack of matter, after a little patient waiting, out of all haste, or creaturely desires, my own will quite laid aside, and so in the renewed opening and ability, on every occasion. I am more constantly and largely employed, than ever before, even to the constant wearing upon my feeble frame; but he that assigns the degree of labour, graciously proportions the ability. Hence, I dare not repine; nor think of drawing away the shoulder from the work and service. May thy mind be borne up in patience, till I return rejoicingly, to enjoy the much wished satisfaction of thy dear company with that of the children, and other dear relatives and friends. My love to neighbours, relations, and friends, particularly my own dear father and our dear parents. It still continues fervent to them and all theirs. Our dear afflicted sister, in particular, if living; whose state I much desire to hear. Her consolation in the Lord, I often feel a rising petition to the Father of mercies for.

In fulness of heart-felt affection, I now conclude, and rest thy exercised husband,

JOB SCOTT.

Dear wife,

To his Wife.

Charleston, S. Carolina, 27th of 8th month, 1789.

I yesterday arrived here, and received thy, and my dear father's letter of 13th of 5th month, being the first and only letter from home, since the one of 4th month from him, inclosing one