ON the 8th of Sixth Month, 1772, we landed at London, and I went straightway tothe Yearly Meeting of ministers and elders, which had been gathered, I suppose,about half an hour.(1)In this meeting my mind was humbly contrite. In the afternoon the meeting forbusiness was opened, which by adjournments held near a week. In these meetingsI often felt a living concern for the establishment of Friends in the pure lifeof truth. My heart was enlarged in the meetings of ministers, that forbusiness, and in several meetings for public worship, and I felt my mind unitedin true love to the faithful labourers now gathered at this Yearly Meeting. Onthe 15th I went to a Quarterly Meeting at Hertford.
First of Seventh Month. -- I have been at Quarterly Meetings at Sherrington,Northampton, Banbury, and Shipton, and have had sundry meetings between. Mymind hath been bowed under a sense of divine goodness manifested among us; myheart hath been often enlarged in true love, both among ministers and eldersand in public meetings, and through the Lord's goodness I believe it hath beena fresh visitation to many, in particular to the youth.
Seventeenth. -- I was this day at Birmingham: I have been at meetings atCoventry, Warwick, in Oxfordshire, and sundry other places, and have felt thehumbling hand of the Lord upon me; but through His tender mercies I find peacein the labours I have gone through.
Twenty-sixth. -- I have continued travelling northward, visiting meetings.
Was this day at Nottingham; the forenoon meeting was especially, through divinelove, a heart-tendering season. Next day I had a meeting in a Friend's family,which, through the strengthening arm of the Lord, was a time to be thankfullyremembered.
Second of Eighth Month and first of the week. -- I was this day at Sheffield,a large inland town. I was at sundry meetings last week, and feel inwardthankfulness for that divine support which hath been graciously extended to me.
On the 9th I was at Rushworth. I have lately passed through some painfullabour, but have been comforted under a sense of that divine visitation which Ifeel extended towards many young people.
Sixteenth of Eighth Month and the first of the week, I was at Settle. It hathof late been a time of inward poverty, under which my mind hath been preservedin a watchful, tender state, feeling for the mind of the Holy Leader, and Ifind peace in the labours I have passed through.
On inquiry in many places I find the price of rye about five shillings;wheat, eight shillings per bushel; oatmeal, twelve shillings for a hundred andtwenty pounds; mutton from threepence to fivepence per pound; bacon fromsevenpence to ninepence; cheese from fourpence to sixpence; butter fromeightpence to tenpence; house-rent for a poor man from twenty-five shillings toforty shillings per year, to be paid weekly; wood for fire very scarce anddear; coal in some places two shillings and sixpence per hundredweight; butnear the pits not a quarter so much. Oh, may the wealthy consider the poor!
The wages of labouring men in several counties toward London at tenpence perday in common business, the employer finds small beer and the labourer findshis own food; but in harvest and hay time wages are about one shilling per day,and the labourer hath all his diet. In some parts of the north of England, poorlabouring men have their food where they work, and appear in common to dorather better than nearer London. Industrious women who spin in the factoriesget some fourpence, some fivepence, and so on to six, seven, eight, nine, ortenpence per day, and find their own house-room and diet. Great numbers of poorpeople live chiefly on bread and water in the southern parts of England, aswell as in the northern parts; and there are many poor children not even taughtto read. May those who have abundance lay these things to heart!
Stage-coaches frequently go upwards of one hundred miles in twenty-fourhours; and I have heard Friends say in several places that it is common forhorses to be killed with hard driving, and that many others are driven tillthey grow blind. Post-boys pursue their business, each one to his stage, allnight through the winter. Some boys who ride long stages suffer greatly inwinter nights, and at several places I have heard of their being frozen todeath. So great is the hurry in the spirit of this world, that in aiming to dobusiness quickly and to gain wealth, the creation at this day doth loudlygroan.
As my journey hath been without a horse, I have had several offers of beingassisted on my way in these stage-coaches, but have not been in them; nor haveI had freedom to send letters by these posts in the present way of riding, the stages being so fixed, and one boy dependent on another as to time, and goingat great speed, that in long cold winter nights the poor boys suffer much. Iheard in America of the way of these posts, and cautioned Friends in theGeneral Meeting of ministers and elders at Philadelphia, and in the YearlyMeeting of ministers and elders in London, not to send letters to me on anycommon occasion by post. And though on this account I may be likely not to hearso often from my family left behind, yet for righteousness' sake I am, throughdivine favour, made content.
I have felt great distress of mind since I came on this island, on accountof the members of our Society being mixed with the world in various sorts oftraffic, carried on in impure channels. Great is the trade to Africa forslaves; and for the loading of these ships a great number of people areemployed in their factories, among whom are many of our Society. Friends inearly times refused on a religious principle to make or trade in superfluities,of which we have many testimonies on record; but for want of faithfulness,some, whose examples were of note in our Society, gave way, from which otherstook more liberty. Members of our Society worked in superfluities, and boughtand sold them, and thus dimness of sight came over many; at length Friends gotinto the use of some superfluities in dress and in the furniture of theirhouses, which hath spread from less to more, till superfluity of some kinds iscommon among us.
In this declining state many look at the example of others and too muchneglect the pure feeling of truth. Of late years a deep exercise hath attendedmy mind, that Friends may dig deep, may carefully cast forth the loose matterand get down to the rock, the sure foundation, and there hearken to that divinevoice which gives a clear and certain sound; and I have felt in that which dothnot receive, that, if Friends who have known the truth, keep in that tendernessof heart where all views of outward gain are given up, and their trust is onlyin the Lord, he will graciously lead some to be patterns of deep self-denial inthings relating to trade and handicraft labour; and others who have plenty ofthe treasures of this world will be examples of a plain frugal life, and paywages to such as they may hire, more liberally than is now customary in someplaces.
Twenty-third of Eighth Month. -- I was this day at Preston Patrick, and had acomfortable meeting. I have several times been entertained at the houses ofFriends who had sundry things about them that had the appearance of outwardgreatness, and as I have kept inward, way hath opened for conversation withsuch in private, in which divine goodness hath favoured us together with heart-tendering times.
Twenty-sixth of Eighth Month. -- Being now at George Crosfield's, in thecounty of Westmoreland, I feel a concern to commit to writing the followinguncommon circumstance: -In a time of sickness, a little more than two years and a half ago, I wasbrought so near the gates of death that I forgot my name. Being then desirousto know who I was, I saw a mass of matter of a dull gloomy colour between thesouth and the east, and was informed that this mass was human beings in asgreat misery as they could be and live, and that I was mixed with them, andthat henceforth I might not consider myself as a distinct or separate being. Inthis state I remained several hours. I then heard a soft melodious voice, morepure and harmonious than any I had heard with my ears before; I believed it wasthe voice of an angel who spake to the other angels; the words were, "JohnWoolman is dead." I soon remembered that I was once John Woolman, and beingassured that I was alive in the body, I greatly wondered what that heavenlyvoice could mean. I believed beyond doubting that it was the voice of an holyangel, but as yet it was a mystery to me.
I was then carried in spirit to the mines where poor oppressed people weredigging rich treasures for those called Christians, and heard them blasphemethe name of Christ, at which I was grieved, for His name to me was precious. Iwas then informed that these heathens were told that those who oppressed themwere the followers of Christ, and they said among themselves, "If Christdirected them to use us in this sort, then Christ is a cruel tyrant."All this time the song of the angel remained a mystery; and in the morning,my dear wife and some others coming to my bedside, I asked them if they knewwho I was, and they telling me I was John Woolman, thought I was light-headed,for I told them not what the angel said, nor was I disposed to talk much to anyone, but was very desirous to get so deep that I might understand this mystery.
My tongue was often so dry that I could not speak till I had moved it aboutand gathered some moisture, and as I lay still for a time I at length felt adivine power prepare my mouth that I could speak, and I then said, "I amcrucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son ofGod, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Then the mystery was opened and Iperceived there was joy in heaven over a sinner who had repented, and that thelanguage "John Woolman is dead," meant no more than the death of my own will.
My natural understanding now returned as before, and I saw that peoplesetting off their tables with silver vessels at entertainments was oftenstained with worldly glory, and that in the present state of things I shouldtake heed how I fed myself out of such vessels. Going to our Monthly Meetingsoon after my recovery, I dined at a Friend's house where drink was brought insilver vessels, and not in any other. Wanting something to drink, I told him mycase with weeping, and he ordered some drink for me in another vessel. Iafterwards went through the same exercise in several Friends' houses inAmerica, as well as in England, and I have cause to acknowledge with humblereverence the loving-kindness of my Heavenly Father, who hath preserved me in such a tender frame of mind, that none, I believe, have ever been offended atwhat I have said on that subject.
After this sickness I spake not in public meetings for worship for nearly oneyear, but my mind was very often in company with the oppressed slaves as I satin meetings; and though under his dispensation I was shut up from speaking, yetthe spring of the gospel ministry was many times livingly opened in me, and thedivine gift operated by abundance of weeping, in feeling the oppression of thispeople. It being so long since I passed through this dispensation, and thematter remaining fresh and lively in my mind, I believe it safest for me tocommit it to writing.
Thirtieth of Eighth Month. -- This morning I wrote a letter in substance asfollows: -BELOVED FRIEND, --My mind is often affected as I pass along under a senseof the state of many poor people who sit under that sort of ministry whichrequires much outward labour to support it; and the loving-kindness of ourHeavenly Father in opening a pure gospel ministry in this nation hath oftenraised thankfulness in my heart to Him. I often remember the conflicts of thefaithful under persecution, and now look at the free exercise of the pure giftuninterrupted by outward laws as a trust committed to us, which requires ourdeepest gratitude and most careful attention. I feel a tender concern that thework of reformation so prosperously carried on in this land within a few agespast may go forward and spread among the nations, and may not go backwardthrough dust gathering on our garments, who have been called to a work so greatand so precious.
Last evening during thy absence I had a little opportunity with some of thyfamily, in which I rejoiced, and feeling a sweetness on my mind towards thee, Inow endeavour to open a little of the feeling I had there.
I have heard that you in these parts have at certain seasons Meetings ofConference in relation to Friends living up to our principles, in which severalmeetings unite in one. With this I feel unity, having in some measure felttruth lead that way among Friends in America, and I have found, my dear friend,that in these labours all superfluities in our own living are against us. Ifeel that pure love towards thee in which there is freedom.
I look at that precious gift bestowed on thee with awfulness before Him whogave it, and feel a desire that we may be so separated to the gospel of Christ,that those things which proceed from the spirit of this world may have no placeamong us.
Thy friend, JOHN WOOLMAN.
I rested a few days in body and mind with our friend, Jane Crosfield, who wasonce in America. On the sixth day of the week I was at Kendal, in Westmoreland,and at Greyrig Meeting the 30th day of the month, and first of the week. I have known poverty of late, and have been graciously supported to keep in thepatience, and am thankful under a sense of the goodness of the Lord towardsthose who are of a contrite spirit.
Sixth of Ninth Month and first of the week. -- I was this day at Counterside,a large meeting-house, and very full. Through the opening of pure love, it wasa strengthening time to me, and I believe to many more.
Thirteenth of Ninth Month. -- This day I was at Leyburn, a small meeting;but, the towns-people coming in, the house was crowded. It was a time of heavylabour, and I believe was a profitable meeting. At this place I heard that mykinsman, William Hunt, from North Carolina, who was on a religious visit toFriends in England, departed this life on the ninth of this month, of thesmallpox, at Newcastle. He appeared in the ministry when a youth, and hislabours therein were of good savour. He travelled much in that work in America.
I once heard him say in public testimony, that his concern in that visit was tobe devoted to the service of Christ so fully that he might not spend one minutein pleasing himself, which words, joined with his example, was a means ofstirring up the pure mind in me.
Having of late often travelled in wet weather through narrow streets in townsand villages, where dirtiness under foot and the scent arising from that filthwhich more or less infects the air of all thickly-settled towns weredisagreeable; and, being but weakly, I have felt distress both in body and mindwith that which is impure. In these journeys I have been where much cloth hathbeen dyed, and have, at sundry times, walked over ground where much of theirdye-stuffs has drained away. This hath produced a longing in my mind thatpeople might come into cleanness of spirit, cleanness of person, and cleannessabout their houses and garments.
Some of the great carry delicacy to a great height themselves, and yet realcleanliness is not generally promoted. Dyes being invented partly to please theeye and partly to hide dirt, I have felt in this weak state, when travelling indirtiness, and affected with unwholesome scents, a strong desire that thenature of dyeing cloth to hide dirt may be more fully considered.
Washing our garments to keep them sweet is cleanly, but it is the opposite toreal cleanliness to hide dirt in them. Through giving way to hiding dirt in ourgarments a spirit which would conceal that which is disagreeable isstrengthened. Real cleanliness becometh a holy people; but hiding that which isnot clean by colouring our garments seems contrary to the sweetness ofsincerity. Through some sorts of dyes cloth is rendered less useful. And if thevalue of dye-stuffs, and expense of dyeing, and the damage done to cloth, wereall added together, and that cost applied to keeping all sweet and clean, howmuch more would real cleanliness prevail.
On this visit to England I have felt some instructions sealed on my mind,which I am concerned to leave in writing for the use of such as are called tothe station of a minister of Christ.
Christ being the Prince of Peace, and we being no more than ministers, it isnecessary for us not only to feel a concern in our first going forth, but toexperience the renewing thereof in the appointment of meetings. I felt aconcern in America to prepare for this voyage, and being through the mercy ofGod brought safe hither, my heart was like a vessel that wanted vent. Forseveral weeks after my arrival, when my mouth was opened in meetings, it waslike the raising of a gate in a water-course when a weight of water lay uponit. In these labours there was a fresh visitation to many, especially to theyouth; but sometimes I felt poor and empty, and yet there appeared a necessityto appoint meetings. In this I was exercised to abide in the pure life oftruth, and in all my labours to watch diligently against the motions of self inmy own mind.
I have frequently found a necessity to stand up when the spring of theministry was low, and to speak from the necessity in that which subjecteth thewill of the creature; and herein I was united with the suffering seed, andfound inward sweetness in these mortifying labours. As I have been preserved ina watchful attention to the divine Leader, under these dispensations,enlargement at times hath followed, and the power of truth hath risen higher insome meetings than I ever knew it before through me. Thus I have been more andmore instructed as to the necessity of depending, not upon a concern which Ifelt in America to come on a visit to England, but upon the daily instructionsof Christ, the Prince of Peace.
Of late I have sometimes felt a stop in the appointment of meetings, notwholly but in part: and I do not feel liberty to appoint them so quickly, oneafter another, as I have done heretofore. The work of the ministry being a workof divine love, I feel that the openings thereof are to be waited for in allour appointments. Oh, how deep is divine wisdom! Christ puts forth Hisministers and goeth before them; and oh, how great is the danger of departingfrom the pure feeling of that which leadeth safely! Christ knoweth the state ofthe people, and in the pure feeling of the gospel ministry their states areopened to His servants. Christ knoweth when the fruit-bearing branchesthemselves have need of purging. Oh that these lessons may be remembered by me!
and that all who appoint meetings may proceed in the pure feeling of duty!
I have sometimes felt a necessity to stand up, but that spirit which is ofthe world hath so much prevailed in many, and the pure life of truth hath beenso pressed down, that I have gone forward, not as one travelling in a road castup and well prepared, but as a man walking through a miry place in which arestones here and there safe to step on, but so situated that, one step beingtaken, time is necessary to see where to step next. Now I find that in a state of pure obedience the mind learns contentment in appearing weak and foolish tothat wisdom which is of the world; and in these lowly labours, they who standin a low place and are rightly exercised under the cross will find nourishment.
The gift is pure; and while the eye is single in attending thereto theunderstanding is preserved clear; self is kept out. We rejoice in filling upthat which remains of the afflictions of Christ for His body's sake, which isthe Church.
The natural man loveth eloquence, and many love to hear eloquent orations,and if there be not a careful attention to the gift, men who have once labouredin the pure gospel ministry, growing weary of suffering, and ashamed ofappearing weak, may kindle a fire, compass themselves about with sparks, andwalk in the light, not of Christ, who is under suffering, but of that firewhich they in departing from the gift have kindled, in order that those hearerswho have left the meek, suffering state for worldly wisdom may be warmed withthis fire and speak highly of their labours. That which is of God gathers toGod, and that which is of the world is owned by the world.
In this journey a labour hath attended my mind, that the ministers among usmay be preserved in the meek, feeling life of truth, where we may have nodesire but to follow Christ and to be with Him, that when He is undersuffering, we may suffer with Him, and never desire to rise up in dominion, butas He, by the virtue of His own spirit, may raise up.
A few days after writing these considerations, our dear friend in the courseof his religious visits came to the city of York, (2) and attended most of thesittings of the Quarterly Meeting there, but before it was over he was takenill of the smallpox. Our friend Thomas Priestman, and others who attended him,preserved the following minutes of his expressions in the time of hissickness:-First day the 27th of the Ninth Month, 1772. -- His disorder appeared to bethe smallpox. Being asked to have a doctor's advice, he signified he had notfreedom or liberty in his mind so to do, standing wholly resigned to His willwho gave him life, and whose power he had witnessed to raise and heal him insickness 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 notchoose any should be sent for to him; but a young man, an apothecary, coming ofhis own accord the next day and desiring to do something for him, he said hefound a freedom to confer with him and the other Friends about him, and ifanything should be proposed as to medicine that did not come through defiledchannels or oppressive hands, he should be willing to consider and take it, sofar as he found freedom.
Second day. -- He said he felt the disorder to affect his head, so that hecould think little and but as a child, and desired, if his understanding shouldbe more affected, to have nothing given him that those about him knew he had atestimony against.
Third day. -- He uttered the following prayer: -- "'O Lord, my God! theamazing horrors of darkness were gathered around me, and covered me all over,and I saw no way to go forth; I felt the depth and extent of the misery of myfellow-creatures separated from the divine harmony, and it was heavier than Icould bear, and I was crushed down under it; I lifted up my hand, I stretchedout my arm, but there was none to help me; I looked round about and was amazed.
In the depth of misery, O Lord! I remembered that Thou art omnipotent; that Ihad called Thee Father; and I felt that I loved Thee, and I was made quiet inmy will, and I waited for deliverance from Thee. Thou hadst pity upon me whenno man could help me. I saw that meekness under suffering was showed to us inthe most affecting example of Thy Son, and Thou taught me to follow Him, and Isaid, 'Thy will, O Father, be done.'"Fourth day morning. -- Being asked how he felt himself he meekly answered, "Idon't know that I have slept this night; I feel the disorder making itsprogress, but my mind is mercifully preserved in stillness and peace." Sometime after, he said he was sensible that the pains of death must be hard tobear, and if he escaped them now, he must sometime pass through them, and hedid not know that he could be better prepared, but had no will in it. He saidhe had settled his outward affairs to his mind, had taken leave of his wife andfamily as never to return, leaving them to the divine protection, adding,"Though I feel them near to me at this time, yet I have freely given them up,having a hope that they will be provided for." And a little after said, "Thistrial is made easier than I could have thought, my will being wholly takenaway; if I was anxious for the event it would have been harder; but I am not,and my mind enjoys a perfect calm."In the night, a young woman having given him something to drink, he said, "Mychild, thou seemest very kind to me, a poor creature; the Lord will reward theefor it." Awhile after he cried out with great earnestness of spirit, "O myFather! my Father! how comfortable art Thou to my soul in this trying season!"Being asked if he could take a little nourishment, after some pause he replied,"My child, I cannot tell what to say to it; I seem nearly arrived where my soulshall have rest from all its troubles." After giving in something to beinserted in his journal, he said, "I believe the Lord will now excuse me fromexercises of this kind; and I see no work but one, which is to be the lastwrought by me in this world; the messenger will come that will release me fromall these troubles, but it must be in the Lord's time, which I am waiting for."He said he had laboured to do whatever was required according to the abilityreceived, in the rememberance of which he had peace; and though the disorder was strong at times, and would like a whirlwind come over his mind, yet it hadhitherto been kept steady and centred in everlasting love; adding, "And if thatbe mercifully continued, I ask and desire no more." Another time he said he hadlong had a view of visiting this nation, and some time before he came, had adream, in which he saw himself in the northern parts of it, and that the springof the Gospel was opened in Him much as it was in the beginning of Friends,such as George Fox and William Dewsbury, and he saw the different states of thepeople as clear as he had ever seen flowers in a garden; but in his going alonghe was suddenly stopped, though he could not see for what end; but, lookingtoward home, fell into a flood of tears, which waked him.
At another time he said, "My draught seemed strongest towards the north, andI mentioned in my own Monthly Meeting, that attending the Quarterly Meeting atYork, and being there, looked like home to me."Fifth day night. -- Having repeated consented to take medicine, but withouteffect, the Friend then waiting on him said through distress, "What shall I donow?" He answered with great composure, "Rejoice evermore, and in everythinggive thanks"; but added a little after, "This is something hard to come at."On sixth day morning he broke forth early in supplication on this wise: "OLord, it was Thy power that enabled me to forsake sin in my youth, and I havefelt Thy bruises for disobedience, but as I bowed under them Thou healedst me,continuing a father and a friend; I feel Thy power now, and I beg that in theapproaching trying moment Thou wilt keep my heart steadfast unto Thee." On hisgiving directions to a Friend concerning some little things, she said, "I willtake care, but hope thou wilt live to order them thyself." He replied, "My hopeis in Christ, and though I may seem a little better, a change in the disordermay soon happen, and my little strength be dissolved, and if it so happen Ishall be gathered to my everlasting rest." On her saying she did not doubtthat, but could not help mourning to see so many faithful servants removed atso low a time, he said, "All good cometh from the Lord, whose power is thesame, and He can work as He sees best." The same day he had directions givenabout wrapping his corpse; perceiving a Friend to weep, he said, "I wouldrather thou wouldst guard against weeping for me, my sister; I sorrow not,though I have had some painful conflicts, but now they seem over, and matterswell settled; and I look at the face of my dear Redeemer, for sweet is Hisvoice, and His countenance is comely."First day, 4th of Tenth Month. -- Being very weak and in general difficult tobe understood, he uttered a few words in commemoration of the Lord's goodness,and added, "How tenderly have I been waited on in this time of affliction, inwhich I may say in Job's words, tedious days and 'wearisome nights areappointed to me'; and how many are spending their time and money in vanity andsuperfluities, while thousands and tens of thousands want the necessaries of life, who might be relieved by them, and their distress at such a time as thisin some degree softened by the administering of suitable things."Second day morning. -- The apothecary, who appeared very anxious to help him,being present, he queried about the probability of such a load of matter beingthrown off his weak body; and the apothecary making some remarks implying hethought it might, he spoke with an audible voice on this wise: "My dependenceis on the Lord Jesus, who I trust will forgive my sins, which is all I hopefor; and if it be His will to raise up this body again, I am content; and if todie, I am resigned; but if thou canst not be easy without trying to assistnature, I submit." After this, his throat was so much affected that it was verydifficult for him to speak so as to be understood, and he frequently wrote whenhe wanted anything. About the second hour on fourth day morning he asked forpen and ink, and at several times, with much difficulty, wrote thus: "I believemy being here is in the wisdom of Christ; I know not as to life or death."About a quarter before six the same morning he seemed to fall into an easysleep, which continued about half an hour, when, seeming to awake, he breatheda few times with more difficulty, and expired without sigh, groan, or struggle.