in myself.  Sometimes predominated a fear that intellectual interest interfered with spiritual simple reception of good, that this would vanish when that was over; sometimes the responsibility of being thus ministered to was truly a weighty thought; for never more than on that morning did I so understand, “Go preach, baptizing.”  Sometimes I thought that God had indeed brought me to this Yearly Meeting to make me then and there his own; and when I heard of passing by transgressions as a cloud, I was ready to think my own were indeed dissolving as one.  I felt strongly the superiority of religion to every other thing, not merely for its external aim, God, but for its internal power on self, how these masterpieces of the human creation were not only made the most of by religion, but that it alone can make any thing of the whole man.  How strongly do we feel, when with a clever, talented, irreligious man, that he has a latent class of moral powers which have not been called into action, that on this point he may be inferior to the veriest child; but God, who has made man for himself, has made in every man a royal chamber, for himself spiritually to dwell in; and if this be not reappropriated to him, (which is religion,) his capacity for the Divine is not exercised, and he is not only not made the most of, but his best nature is not even made use of.  What a privilege to have intercourse with those in whom the very reverse is the case!  What a stimulus to the little mind, to become not equal to the great, but proportionally Christianized—­i.e. equally devoted! and this is Christian perfection; not to have arrived at the highest attainment of intercourse with God ever granted to man, but to have the will thoroughly willing God’s will.  This is, indeed, better far than a mere knowledge of what that will is.  But in some whom I have seen, there is a beautiful union of a high degree of this knowing and willing; and these are they to whom it is given to edify the Church.

* * * How shall I enough praise and thank the Lord, who has so condescended to my weak and sinful condition, that though my head perhaps knew all before, and my heart was disobedient, He has so brought me under the mighty ministry of His Word of life, that for a while all seemed melted and subjected, and my heart longed to accept Him and his reconciliation to me on the blessed terms, not the harsh terms, but the privileged terms, of my being reconciled to Him.  Oh, what an error to think any thing harsh or hard in the requirements of the gospel!  It is a mercy beyond man’s conception, that we are commanded, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.”

6th Mo. 12th.  Yesterday my twenty-third birthday.  In the evening a song of praise seemed to fill my heart for the vast mercy shown me of late.  God, who is rich in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved me when I was dead in sins, has truly begun to quicken my