Fifth day. As I was sitting in our meeting enjoying the especial advantages which are attached to silent meetings, when the mind is silently prostrated at the throne of grace, and helped to be sequestered from all intruding thoughts, and wholly centered in and upon Jehovah, the alone object of worship and adoration; a subject opened and spread in a way which led to communication; in which I had to show, that there were but two proper motives or inducements for our rightly attending religious meetings. The first related to such as were unbelievers, or those who were ignorant of the right way of worshipping God in and under the dispensation of the gospel, which according to our Lord’s declaration to the woman of Samaria, is only to be performed in spirit and in truth. The principal benefit to these, is to be informed and instructed; for which more especially, the Lord hath ordained a ministry in his Church, by means of instruments rightly qualified therefor, by the baptismal influence of the Holy Ghost. The second relates to such as are already instructed and informed, whose judgments are convinced, and whose motive as it relates to themselves is, to meet together to wait upon and worship God in spirit and in truth, without any regard or consideration to any external ministry or means whatever: as it is only in a state of entire sequestration from every thing of an outward or external nature, that the soul is permitted to enter into the holy place, not made with hands; and admitted into the immediate presence of Jehovah, and rendered capable of worshipping him, in spirit and in truth, as the gospel requires. Sixth and seventh days. Spent in my usual vocation as a farmer. First day, the 26th of 6th month. Attended two meetings by appointment, among those principally not of our society. The first was held in a Friend’s house at a place called the Half Hollow Hills. The latter at the fourth hour in the afternoon, at a village called New Babylon, in the township of Huntington. It was held in a school-house, and was a large meeting, mostly of the Presbyterian persuasion. The people behaved very soberly, becoming the occasion. It was a very solemn favoured season; many hearts were contrited and made thankful for the opportunity; and my heart was much enlarged in love to the assembly. I trust I felt a mutual return of the same feeling from most present, for which I was made thankful to the Shepherd of Israel; and for the continuation of his gracious regard in manifesting his presence, and making bare his arm, for the help of his devoted servants; showing himself indeed to be a God near at hand, and a present helper in the needful time, worthy to be praised and adored by the children of men, throughout all ages, world without end.