First day, the 3d of 4th month. Our meeting to-day was favoured with the overshadowing wing of divine truth, and its power exalted over all, contriting and comforting many minds. But alas, what small advancements are made by many of those who are often dug about and watered by the compassionate Shepherd of Israel, whose mercy is still eminently dispensed to man, the workmanship of his holy hand. I attended two funerals in the course of this week, one on fifth day, after the sitting of our preparative meeting, and the other on sixth day. Both were young men in the prime of life. The latter unmarried, and was a relation to my wife. His parents had a healthful family of children, and had never met with the like trial before. It was therefore a very affecting scene both to them and their children; they having been before favoured with almost an unbroken scene of worldly prosperity, which made the wound sink deeper. We had a very solemn meeting on the occasion, wherein I was largely opened to preach the gospel in the demonstration of truth; and among other things to show to the people, the necessity and sure felicity of an early preparation for death; and that God was the alone proper object for man to set his heart and affections upon. The auditory were mostly not in membership with Friends. Many of them were much broken and contrited, and a general, and very precious solemnity was spread over the meeting. The hearts of many were made glad, from a sense of the Lord’s continued and unmerited goodness and mercy to the children of men; still showing his unwillingness that any should die in their sins, and that all might repent, turn to him and live. First day, the 10th. I had a hard suffering meeting to-day, in which I witnessed not only deep inward poverty, but had to struggle with unprofitable thoughts, with very little ability to maintain the warfare; yet, under the consideration that it was altogether as good, if not better, than my deserts could justly require, I was preserved from murmuring or complaining at my lot, being willing to receive evil as well as good, at the hand of my gracious and compassionate Lord, when he sees meet to permit or dispense it. “Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not evil?” The rest of this week was principally occupied in a close application to my temporal concerns, except attending our monthly and select preparative meetings, which came at this time. My belief was similar to the apostle’s, that he who is not carefully industrious to labour for his own and household’s comfortable support, may be considered to have denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel; as they are generally careful on those accounts. First day, the 17th. The meeting to-day was pretty open and comfortable. The rest of the week was mostly taken up in attending our quarterly meeting, held at New-York at this time. First day, the 24th. Sat our meeting mostly in silence.