feel it as evidently, or nearly so, as when constrained to stand up.

I find when truth is felt to rise, or its stream to run somewhat like a torrent, a great difficulty in keeping enough in the modera tion; but in divers other meetings, the life is so low from first to last, that I can but just find the safe stepping stones, and advance from one to another of them with much weakness and moderation. But even in this, if I keep as low as the seed, I find peace.

In true love and affectionate good will to thee, my dear friend, and all thine, I conclude and am thy exercised friend,

JOB SCOTT.

P. S. J. L. wishes his love mentioned to thee, thy wife and children; and by thee to Patience Brayton when convenient.

My dearly beloved wife,

To his Wife.

First-day morning, 31st of 5th month, 1789.

I am now at Gravelly Run, over James' river, Virginia; have been to a number of meetings on the other side, among people mostly not of our society; which in my last I informed thee I was then just given up to engage in: but I found little satisfaction in it. Indeed I have found little in any thing, since the date of that letter, about two weeks past, till yesterday. It has been one of the most stripping times I ever knew. It seemed nearly impossible ever to enjoy good, in any considerable degree, again. And yet I found something to do; hard work indeed! almost like doing without strength. Is not this to "walk with moderation in the valley, without might?" Truly, I have been deeply experiencing the gloom and distress which I had such awful forebodings of before I left home. But through some, (not to say much,) experience of the disadvantage, rather than advantage, of greatly sinking under these strippings, I have been mostly more cheerful than in some for

mer trials; yet scarcely able to be sociable at some pinching

moments.

It came into my mind yesterday, before meeting, when I felt as empty as an empty cask, and when it seemed as if I could never again be filled, that if unexpectedly the meeting should prove a time of favour, I should be ready to say, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not." But when the time came, it was indeed one as good time, as almost any I have ever known. Waters broke forth in the desert, and out of the parched ground flowed springs of water. Oh! that I may ever trust in him, who knows when and how long to empty, and why he does so seeing, after he has emptied, he finds an acceptable time to pour his water into his poor empty buckets, and thus to cause his tried and thirsty seed to be in many waters.

Thine, and thy dear father's very welcome tokens of affectionate remembrance, dated 5th of 4th month, I received last second-day. And truly, Solomon knew what he said in comparing "good news from a far country," to "cold water to a thirsty soul." I was in the midst of my greatest discouragements; had long waited for a line of consolation, till I had even despaired of ever seeing the letter that my kind friend Moses Brown had informed me our dear father had written me; and as I had got where it might be difficult for letters to find me, I did not much expect to get any very soon, if at all; and this added not a little to my trial: but when the letters came, my bosom beat for joy, though they were of so old a date. Thine, indeed, was short, but sweeter to my taste than honey, or the honey-comb. O my dearest! never give way to think thou canst not write; for, verily I say unto thee, thou canst. And if thou couldst feel the satisfaction I felt, and still feel in thy few lines, thou wouldst not be backward to let me know thy heart, if it were but in a few broken sentences, flowing from that sacred repository of mine, where are centred, (as to things short of heavenly,) most of my joys. Oh! write me again, and again, dear love. I have written thee seven before this; this is the eighth. I grudge not the time, nor the pains; though pains herein I have none. My pen moves with pleasure whenever it VOL. II.-13

is moved towards thee. I have divers times of late, had the satisfaction of thy company in sleep. I scruple not to call it a satisfaction; for so it was to me. But enough.

My way has been much hidden; clouds have intervened; that I have thought much of returning, even since my last; but could never feel the bands taken off. I expect I must crawl on through the other southern states, perhaps mostly, almost without might. But the divine will be done. I have received too much kindness from him whose I am, and wish ever to be, for me now to be willing to turn my back on his service, or draw away my shoulder from his ark, even though he should keep my feet much of the time in the very bottom of Jordan, as has of late been mostly the case. For, blessed be his holy name, the stones of memorial are now and then brought up, with songs of heart-felt joy, as was yesterday eminently the case.

I have none principally to recommend thee to, but him that by day sleeps not, nor slumbers e'en by night. On him, dear heart, rely; he will succour thee and thine, if trust is in him, as it ought to be, reposed. No doubt herein o'ershades my mind. To him, in confidence deep-anchored, I resign my all, and therefore thee, as most beloved of all that's truly mine,-and with thee those dear pledges of his love and ours; as, next to thee, a place they surely claim, and in my heart a place they surely have. Oh! teach their tender minds the fear of him, without whose fear, true wisdom none attain.

I have a number more meetings to take in Virginia, going down; and if I go through, there will be divers more on the return, further back in the country, both in Virginia and Maryland. So that if I get to the Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia in the fall, I must have one or two considerable journeys afterward, as, over the mountains, and what is called the eastern shore of Maryland, and in the Delaware state, where Warner Mifflin lives-a peninsula where I have not been. I have had a severe cold, and been much unwell; but now am nearly well. My dear parents must excuse me this time; opportunity fails me to write them. My dear love is to them all three; all the children, theirs and mine; all my relations, friends, and neighbours;

and most of all, dear heart, to thee, wherein farewell. I remain thy faithful and affectionate husband,

JOB SCOTT.

Dear wife,

To his Wife.

Pascotank, North Carolina, 20th of 6th month, 1789.

I got to Carolina last second-day, and have, in order to get forward, had six meetings in the last four days. But it is al most too much for me; the weather being veay warm, I sweat much, especially in meetings; so that I am not so well as I have been for several weeks past. Since my drooping health about Yearly Meeting time in Virginia, I have been uncommonly well and hearty, till now a few days. Hot weather began here, (or where I was,) about the time I began to be well, and suited me much better than the colder weather before. But its steady continuance, and increasing degree, with much fatigue, are almost too much for me. However, I am about, and am better than yesterday; though I was yesterday at two meetings ten miles apart, and after the last, which began at five o'clock in the afternoon, I rode ten miles more. So that I hope I may not be much unwell this time. Dear John Lloyd has been agreeably with me since Yearly Meeting in Virginia, till last first-day, when, after a most heavenly and almost transporting opportunity with a considerable number of Virginia Friends, whose faces we expected to see no more, we were obliged to submit to a separation ourselves, as his certificate did not extend here. I expect a dear friend (James Ladd) to meet me in a few days, from Wayne-Oak, Virginia, to join me for at least a short season. He is an approved minister. I know little of his gift. Friends speak very well of him; and I have reason to think so of him, I am glad I am to have his company; though being alone is not so trying as it was. I find I have but one to depend upon, and am happy in being reduced, I hope, very nearly to an absolute

dependance on him; and find the more I am so, the more he is all things to me; so that there has seemed to be little or no lack for some time past. It is true, I am pretty often quite shut up; but believing it is best so, and quietly in faith submitting to it, the way soon opens again, with unexpected strength, utterance, and enlargement.

Thus, according to the desire expressed, my dearly beloved, in thy dear letter, I am to have a smoother path than I had some time past. But I am almost afraid to mention it; for I suppose it is as true, that after a calm often comes a storm, as that after a storm comes a calm. But, Oh! the benefit of resignation! Great has been my need of it. Great my help from it. Indeed, I don't know how I could have got along, or scarcely how I could have lived without it. I was shut up from all open prospect. I was stripped naked, and emptied of all but faith, a little grain of faith and resignation; and they have removed mountains. My way seems comfortably open. I look forward with much more satisfaction than I ever expected to, not only toward the southern limits of the present journey, but also through life. Blessed, forever blessed and adored, be the name and marvellous power of the Lord, my God and redeemer. May I, may thou, and all that we love, and all that love the truth, forever trust in him; not only in prosperity, but in the deepest adversity. Oh! he has wonderfully stood by me, and supported my soul in the most trying moments of my life, or I had utterly fainted. He is good indeed. My poor soul knows he is good; and I often have to proclaim his goodness aloud, and call on others to come taste and see that he is so.

There is oft a very open door, and highway ready cast up; but at divers other times the door seems scarcely open, but that it may be gradually opened; and instead of a plain highway, only a little dim path in the woods, as it were; yet footsteps may be seen. And though there is a degree of fear to rise up and walk in so obscure a path, lest it should lead astray, or run quite out into the wide wilderness, where no path or footstep is; yet whenever a gentle command is heard, to arise, and follow on in that small path, it has never failed, as care has been