On my return from Holland I received thy long and very interesting letter.  Martha Savory and her companion Martha Towell are now acceptably with us.  They expect to spend two or three months with us, and then we have some prospect of going in company to the South of France.  As this has fallen out in a rather remarkable manner, it may not be amiss just to explain it to thee.  We were entire strangers to each other’s concern; but as soon as my friends in London heard of my prospect from the copy of the minutes of our Two-months’ Meeting and of my certificate, dear William Allen wrote to me desiring a more particular description of my views, time of departure, &c., and mentioned at the same time M.S.’s concern, which had already passed the Quarterly Meeting, and it was fully expected she would be liberated [by the Meeting of Ministers and Elders] to visit Pyrmont and Minden, and afterwards, if suitable company offered, proceed to some parts of the banks of the Rhine, Switzerland, and Congenies, in the south of France.  I wrote to W.A., and explained to him my prospect, which was to visit a few individuals in the neighborhood of Cologne and pass through Switzerland to Congenies.  I then received a letter from our dear friend M. Savory, stating that she and W.A. had been much struck with the remarkable coincidence in our views; our prospects being to the same places and in the same way; and that it seemed in the pointing of Truth for us to join in company.

Fifth mo. 26th, I left Friedensthal to visit my friends in Minden and its neighborhood; and after spending about two weeks there, I felt very much inclined to give our friends the meeting at Rotterdam.  I set off, accordingly, the 7th of the Sixth Month, and travelled seven days through a desert country to Amsterdam, I went almost one half of the way by water, across the Zuider Zee from Zwolle to Amsterdam.  After spending a few days in Amsterdam, I went, with J.S.  Mollet, who is the only Friend in that city, to Rotterdam, where we met with M.S. and M.T.  Thomas Christy, junior, had accompanied them, from London.  M.S. had letters of recommendation to many persons in Amsterdam, whom we visited; and though some of them were first-rate characters in the place, it is surprising with what affection and kindness they received us.  J.S.  Mollet accompanied us to Pyrmont.

An account of his journey, both going and returning, is also contained in J.Y.’s diary:  it presents some additional notices which claim a place here.

Before leaving Minden for Rotterdam, he twice visited Eidinghausen, and saw some young men who were under suffering because of their refusal to serve in the militia.

One in particular (he says, in writing up the diary), a sweet young man, at this moment may be in torture.  O, how I feel for him!  My soul breathes to the Almighty Father of mercies on his account, that he may he strengthened to endure all with patience for the sake of his Lord, who has given him a testimony to bear against the spirit of war and fighting.