A TESTIMONY of the Monthly Meeting of Friends, held in Burlington, the Firstday of the Eighth Month, in the year of our Lord 1774, concerning our esteemedfriend, John Woolman, deceased.
HE was born in Northampton, in the county of Burlington and province of WestNew Jersey, in the Eighth Month, 1720, of religious parents, who instructed himvery early in the principles of the Christian religion as professed by thepeople called Quakers, which he esteemed a blessing to him even in his youngeryears, tending to preserve him from the infection of wicked children. But,through the workings of the enemy and the levity incident to youth, he frequently deviated from those parental precepts, by which he laid a renewedfoundation for repentance that was finally succeeded by a "godly sorrow not tobe repented of"; and so he became acquainted with that sanctifying power whichqualifies for true gospel ministry, into which he was called about the twenty-second year of his age; and by a faithful use of the talents committed to himhe experienced an increase, until he arrived at the state of a father, capableof dividing the word aright to the different states he ministered unto,dispensing milk to babes and meat to those of riper years. Thus he found theefficacy of that power to arise, which, in his own expressions, "prepares thecreature to stand like a trumpet through which the Lord speaks to His people."He was a loving husband, a tender father, and was very humane to every part ofthe creation under his care.
His concern for the poor and those in affliction was evident by his visits tothem, whom he frequently relieved by his assistance and charity. He was formany years deeply exercised on account of the poor enslaved Africans, whosecause, as he mentioned, lay almost continually upon him; and he laboured toobtain liberty for those captives both in public and in private, and wasfavoured to see his endeavours crowned with considerable success. He wasparticularly desirous that Friends should not be instrumental to lay burdens onthis oppressed people, but should remember the days of suffering from whichthey had been providentially delivered, that, if times of trouble shouldreturn, no injustice dealt to those in slavery might rise in judgment againstus, but, being clear, we might on such occasions address the Almighty with adegree of confidence for His interposition and relief, being particularlycareful as to himself not to contenance slavery even by the use of thoseconveniences of life which were furnished by their labour.
He was desirous to have his own mind and the minds of others redeemed fromthe pleasures and immoderate profits of this world, and to fix them on thosejoys which fade not away; his principal care being after a life of purity,endeavouring to avoid not only the grosser pollutions, but those also which,appearing in a more refined dress, are not sufficiently guarded against by somewell-disposed people. In the latter part of his life, he was remarkable for theplainness and simplicity of his dress, and as much as possible avoided the useof plate, costly furniture, and feasting, thereby endeavouring to become anexample of temperance and self-denial which he believed himself called unto;and he was favoured with peace therein, although it carried the appearance ofgreat austerity in the view of some. He was very moderate in his charges in theway of business, and in his desires after gain; and though a man of industry,he avoided and strove much to lead others out of extreme labour and anxietyafter perishable things, being desirous that the strength of our bodies mightnot be spent in procuring things unprofitable, and that we might use moderation and kindness to the brute animals under our care, to prize the use of them as agreat favour, and by no means to abuse them; that the gifts of Providenceshould be thankfully received and applied to the uses they were designed for.
He several times opened a school at Mount Holly, for the instruction of poorFriend' children and others, being concerned for their help and improvementtherein. His love and care for the rising youths among us was truly great,recommending to parents and those who have the charge of them to chooseconscientious and pious tutors, saying, "It is a lovely sight to beholdinnocent children"; and that to "labour for their help against that which wouldmar the beauty of their minds is a debt we owe them."His ministry was sound, very deep and penetrating, sometimes pointout out thedangerous situation which indulgence and custom led into, frequently exhortingothers, especially the youth, not to be discouraged at the difficulties whichoccur, but to press after purity. He often expressed an earnest engagement thatpure wisdom should be attended to, which would lead into lowliness of mind andresignation to the divine will, in which state small possessions here would besufficient.
In transacting the affairs of the discipline, his judgment was sound andclear, and he was very useful in treating with those who had done amiss; hevisited such in a private way in that plainess which truth dictates, showinggreat tenderness and Christian forbearance. He was a constant attender of ourYearly Meeting, in which he was a good example and particularly useful,assisting in the business thereof with great weight and attention. He severaltimes visited most of the meetings of Friends in this and the neighbouringprovinces, with the concurrence of the Monthly Meeting to which he belonged,and we have reason to believe he did good service therein, generally or alwaysexpressing at his return how it had fared with him and the evidence of peace inhis mind for thus performing his duty. He was often concerned with otherFriends in the important service of visiting families, which he was enabled togo through to satisfaction.
In the minutes of the meeting of ministers and elders for this quarter, atthe foot of a list of the members of that meeting, made about five years beforehis death, we find in his handwriting the following observation andreflections:
"As looking over the minutes made by persons who have put off this body hathsometimes revived in me a thought how ages pass away, so this list may probablyrevive a like thought in some, when I and the rest of the persons above namedare centered in another state of being. The Lord who was the guide of my youth hath in tender mercies helped me hitherto; He hath healed my wounds; He hathhelped me out of grievous entanglements; He remains to be the strength of mylife, to whom I desire to devote myself in time and in eternity.
"John Woolman"In the Twelth Month, 1771, he acquainted this meeting that he felt his minddrawn towards a religious visit to Friends in some parts of England,particularly in Yorkshire. In the First Month, 1772, he obtained ourcertificate, which was approved and indorsed by our Quarterly Meeting, and bythe Half-Year's Meeting of ministers and elders at Philadelphia. He embarked onhis voyage in the Fifth Month, and arrived in London in the Sixth Monthfollowing, at the time of their Annual Meeting in that city. During his shortvisit to Friends in that kingdom, we are informed that his services wereacceptable and edifying. In his last illness he uttered many lively andcomfortable expressions, being "resigned, having no will either to live ordie," as appears by the testimony of Friends at York in Great Britain, in thesuburbs whereof, at the house of our friend Thomas Priestman, he died of thesmallpox, on the 7th of the Tenth Month, 1772, and was buried in Friends'
burial-ground in that city, on the 9th of the same, after a solid meeting heldon the occasion at their great meeting-house. He was aged near fifty-two,having been a minister upwards of thirty years, during which time he belongedto Mount Holly particular meeting, which he diligently attended when at homeand in health of body, and his labours of love and pious care for theprosperity of Friends in the blessed truth, we hope may not be forgotten, butthat his good works may be remembered to edification.
Signed in and by order of the said meeting, bySAMUEL ALLISON, Clerk.
Read and approved at our Quarterly Meeting, held in Burlington the 29th ofthe Eighth Month, 1774.
Signed by order of the said meeting,DANIEL SMITH, Clerk.