First day, the 23d. Our meeting to-day was a season thankfully to be remembered. The subject that arrested my mind and led to communication, was a comparative view of man with the rest of the animal creation; showing that man, although endued with a rational understanding, and blessed with a measure and manifestation of the spirit of God, to guide him infallibly in the way of his duty, had nevertheless swerved much further from the state of rectitude in which he was created, than any other creature; and was much more changeable and unstable than they. This is a sure mark of his fall: and although continually liable and willing to change, to gratify his own will and the humour of others, in following the changeable customs and manners of a vain world; yet averse to that necessary and laudable change, whereby he might regain paradise and renew communion with his Maker. This and much more I was led to open to the auditory, in the demonstration of the spirit, showing the way of man’s return; whereby many minds present were humbled and contrited, and solid satisfaction and comfort afforded to my own. On fourth day, I attended a marriage at Bethpage. It was, I think, a solid instructive season. On fifth day attended our own meeting which was held in silence. The rest of the week I was busily attentive to my usual avocations. First day, the 30th. I attended Westbury meeting, wherein my mind was opened into a view of man’s primitive state, the manner and means of his fall, and the way whereby he only can be restored, all which I had largely to spread before the meeting. In addition to this, I had also to caution Friends, particularly the youth, against letting their minds out in their own will and wisdom, into a search and pursuit after forbidden knowledge, particularly that of the _origin of evil_, which in the present day is a subject of much conversation and inquiry. For man in the beginning was forbidden the knowledge of good and evil, and that command is as binding and obligatory in the present day as it was in the primitive state; therefore all those who presume in their own wills and creaturely wisdom, independent of the teaching of the spirit of God, to know good and evil, do thereby desert God, and so become dead to the divine life; and this is man’s fall, and leads to Deism and Atheism. I was much engaged in the course of this week in endeavouring to arrange and settle some difficulties in the neighbourhood, and in regulating some of my own temporal affairs. Sat our meeting on fifth day in silence. First day, the 6th of 4th month. Sat our meeting to-day in silence. In the afternoon at the fourth hour, we had a meeting appointed by a Friend from abroad, who was accompanied by another Friend in the ministry, both of whom appeared in public testimony.