root downwards and spring upwards, but which is almost choked with the tares of superstition.  Are there not scattered up and down in ——­, many whose souls are verging from under the clouds of thick darkness, and from under the bonds of idolatrous superstition, towards that glorious liberty which is brought to light by the gospel?  Something in me secretly craves an opportunity to tell those precious creatures that the time appears near at hand when this glorious gospel light will shine so clearly that they will discover a Saviour in the secret of their own hearts; and it is to him (I could tell them) that they must look for the perfection of their salvation.  Should there be anything of the right savor in my heart concerning this matter, I humbly hope that in due time it will be brought to maturity, and my way made plain and easy—­plain, so that I cannot possibly mistake the pointing hand of divine wisdom, and easy, so that when I hear the command I may be enabled to obey.

A very instructive time at meeting.  The subject abovementioned glanced in my view, and with it the Dover-failing objection, If I am at all “apt to teach,” can it or will it be required of me to leave those here and others in this land who have need of instruction?  This objection was immediately answered in a way which I never before experienced.  They have, besides many teachers, the unerring light of Jesus in their own hearts unto which they know they ought alone to look for direction.  And if they neglect or overlook the means in themselves, it is not in my power, a poor instrument, to do them any good.  So it may be said of others to whom I may apprehend myself called.  It all revolves on this single and important point,—­What is the divine will concerning me?  If I can only know this and am enabled to do it, all will be well.

In the Autumn he attended Liverpool Quarterly Meeting, an occasion which was one of the most memorable seasons of his life.  His narrative of it is very characteristic:—­

9 mo. 19.—­My dear wife and I left home to attend Liverpool Quarterly Meeting.  Through mercy we arrived safe there, but I, as usual when from home, felt very low and poor in spirit, and was ready to call in question my coming to the place.  For although I received, as I thought, a proper signal before I left home, yet one or two circumstances occurred to discourage me from going, which I pressed through with some firmness; however, such was my uneasiness the first night in Liverpool, that I was very desirous, if my being there was in right wisdom, something might turn up to convince me that I had not done wrong in leaving home.  And blessed be the name of Jesus, I had not been long in the first meeting (their Monthly Meeting the day before the Quarterly,) before I was perfectly satisfied.  There were present Willett Hicks and Huldah Sears from America, and Mary Watson from Ireland.  In the early part of the meeting my mind was engaged in meditating on—­“God will enlarge Japhet and dwell in the tents of Shem,” and so it proved.  The silence was broken by W. Hicks with these words:  “Great men are not always wise, neither do the ancients understand wisdom.”  Others present were much favored, and the meeting ended in heavenly harmony.