First day. Attended our own meeting, mostly in silence. The rest of this week was principally taken up in preparing for and attending our quarterly meeting, which was held at Westbury. It was pretty largely attended, both the meeting for discipline, and that for public worship; the latter was somewhat hurt by an unskilful appearance in the ministry, in the forepart, but ended well. In the meeting of Ministers and Elders, as also in that for discipline, a living exercise and concern were prevalent with divers Friends, not only in searching out the causes of the numerous weaknesses and deficiencies that were manifest in society, but also endeavouring for their removal, by much tender and pressing advice and counsel, suited to the states of those who were delinquent. Many minds were brought under an humbling exercise and travail of spirit in those solemn opportunities; and divers young Friends, who were under the forming hand, preparing for usefulness in the Church, came forth at this time, and publicly espoused the cause of truth and righteousness, uniting with their elder brethren in the exercise and travail which were felt to prevail in those favoured meetings. My spirit was led into near sympathy with these, and fervent was the desire and prayer of my mind for their preservation in the path of duty; that so they might grow up and become useful in society, and faithful labourers and pillars in the Lord’s house, that should go no more out. First day, the 29th. We had a comfortable meeting to-day, mostly in quiet silent retirement; except towards the close my mind was quickened and opened to a short communication, in the remembrance of the case of Joseph and his brethren; wherein I was led to recapitulate their envy and hatred towards him, and to show that their wicked intentions in selling him, to prevent his rising to the power and dignity which his dreams appeared to forbode, were the very means in the ordering of divine providence of accomplishing their fulfilment; and of course made their bowing and making their obeisance to him much more humiliating than it would have been had they conducted themselves towards him in the line of true brotherhood, and had he been raised to the dignity and power he was, by some other way. But herein was the true proverb verified: Let envy alone, and it will punish itself. I was led further to open the malignity and baneful effects of those hateful, and very evil propensities. A solemn weight covered the meeting; and we parted under a thankful sense of the favour. The rest of this week I spent in my ordinary vocations, and in visiting some friends under bodily affliction.