Fifth day. Attended our preparative meeting, at which our overseers brought forward information of one of our members having through unwatchfulness and want of faithful attention to the witness of truth in his own mind, given way repeatedly to use strong drink to excess. This information affected my mind in degree, both with joy and sorrow. I was glad, because from my knowledge of the case, I fully believed it had been too long procrastinated, not only to the hurt and loss of the individual; but also, had brought reproach upon the society, and wounded the noble cause we are engaged to espouse. And it was cause of real sorrow, when I was brought to reflect on the distressed state of the individual, and the great affliction it must necessarily produce to his wife and children, and near connexions. O how necessary to keep up a steady watch and warfare, against this sore evil which destroys so many tens of thousands of the children of men, both in soul and body. A few following days were spent in much bodily pain from a supposed rheumatic complaint in one of my limbs. O how needful a virtue is patience in seasons of affliction, to keep us from ungrateful murmurings: by which men and women often greatly offend their gracious and beneficent Creator, who designs nothing but good to his creature man in all the varied dispensations of his divine providence. First day. At our meeting to-day, I was led to show to the people the great harm and loss neighbourhoods, as well as the community at large, sustain for want of a careful submission to the laws, in all points where they do not interfere with conscience; and that those who from their licentious and immoral pursuits, were often transgressing against the moral precepts of the law, were not worthy of living in a free country, while violating the civil policy thereof merely to gratify their own creaturely and selfish inclinations. An honest and faithful attention to the moral law of the country we live in, will, in a certain degree, (as the apostle expressed in allusion to the law of Moses,) be as a schoolmaster to lead to Christ. He only who is faithful in the unrighteous mammon, is likely to make any proficiency in obtaining the true riches.