farewell, my dear wife, says thy rejoiced husband, whose joy is great that he can yet call thee his own.

JOB SCOTT.

To Joseph Mosher, White Creek.

Gloucester, 27th of 5th month, 1785.

My dear friend, Joseph Mosher,

Thine of the 16th of 1st month came duly to hand, and was truly acceptable, and also refreshing. I have often thought of writing to thee since, and have delayed it principally that I might know the right time, for, truly, my time is not always ready. But this morning, (being our Monthly Meeting day,) I felt willing to try to sketch out some of my feelings, having had to pass through proving seasons of late; wherein, after close exercises, and deep dippings into painful poverty, I have divers times had to see clearly, and even been ready to cry out and say, "his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him." This, my dear friend, may possibly seem strange language, though I am ready to think it may not to thee; for I believe each exercised traveller, who holds on his way, must know something of this within himself, or else I think he will not witness the opening of the seven seals so as to read and understand them in the lines of his own experience. And confirmed I am, they may be, yea, and I think must be, thus witnessed; and though this "death," and this "hell," seem almost too much to endure at times, yet the enlargement that follows is unspeakably comfortable, when we come to see and feel, that he who leads us through all this for our good, has possession and command of the very "keys of death, and hell;" and not only so, but even of a truth to witness" death, and hell too, to give up their dead." Here opens a field of rejoicing, with glorious prospects, may I not say, visions of light, even in the light of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. But though he surely was, and is slain, in a certain sense, when

ever the world, or worldly spirit, comes to have a foundation laid in the mind, and to gain foot-hold and dominion there, yet will he live and reign in every soul that bows to his sceptre. For, though in a sense he was dead, yet to such he is known to be alive, and that he lives forevermore; yea, more than that, for because he lives they live also, and that in spite of death and hell, for death cannot hold him, the grave cannot confine him. He will, in rightly devoted souls, burst the bands of death; lead captivity captive, yea, and, blessed be his name, he will give gifts unto men.

I don't know but I may enlarge too far, seeing something at this time attends which makes words very easy to come at; so, hoping thou wilt read me in that love which plentifully flows towards thee, thy wife, children, and many more in your land, I'll turn to a subject which affected my mind when in your western parts, as well as since; that is, so many Friends' children not being members. This I mourned about, and did believe it might in some degree be remedied, were Friends rightly engaged to request the care of Friends for their children: and why parents who desire to bring up their children in the way they should go, can choose to omit it, is hard for me to conceive. For though I know, the care of mere men, the simple sitting in meetings for discipline, &c., cannot convert the soul, yet the care, advice, and oversight of real men of God, the advantage of sitting in our meetings of church discipline, where Truth's baptizing influence often attends in a very instructive and preserving manner, are such valuable blessings and privileges, that I would not for all earth's treasures and enjoyments, that my dear little babes were deprived of them. I thought some wellminded Friends had let in a fear of disadvantage rather than advantage, in their children's being members. Oh! this, I am confirmed, is a mistaken apprehension, a very delusion; and that which, even in the minds of goodly Friends, is almost ready to persuade them, that a time will come, when there will be no more birth-right members, (as this spirit is ready to call them,) and that that will be a better time. I greatly fear this is the very voice of the stranger whom the sheep ought not to hearken to. And if ever this language gathers the children, and those that

suck the breast, to the true fold, I am willing to be looked upon as one deceived. Nay, verily; it will scatter, if I have any true sight about it at this time. "Suffer little children, and forbid them not;" bring them up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Now this nurture, which means nourishment, nursing, and instruction, is often administered in meetings of business, where the living members are, at times, engaged in caution, counsel, and the admonition of the Lord. Indeed, as often as our meetings for worship or discipline are as they ought to be, so often Christ is there in the midst of us. Oh! suffer, suffer the children to come there unto him, and forbid them not. Why will parents eat their morsel alone, while the sea-monster draws forth the breast, and gives suck to her young! So long as our children behave well, they ought to be allowed to have a right to partake with us in the favours bestowed on our religious assembling together in a way of church care; and to suppose there is nothing in those meetings, nor in the care and advice which Friends bestow on their members, that tends to instruct, strengthen, encourage, and preserve a tender youth, would be a reflection highly reproachful and shameful to our poor society; and if it were true, surely to exclude the tender offspring, would not be the way to mend the matter, but would rather tend to increase the abomination of desolation among us. But this is not yet the case, as poor as our meetings are. For, though our shortness may be great, and through our fault, the meetings may sometimes be unhappily tinctured with something discouraging, yet through his loving kindness who still favours his people, there are times when that attends, and reigns in dominion in these meetings, through which even men are enabled to baptize with the holy ghost. Oh! the meetings!-the brokenness, contrition, and fervency of devotion which attend these blessed seasons! And Oh! what pity that one of the dear well-disposed youth of our offspring should be deprived of such opportunities. My soul, and all that is in me, is moved with gratitude and thanksgiving to the great Author of my existence and of every favour, that my little lambs are at present in a way to enjoy, as far and as fast as they are capable, these great privileges.

VOL. II.-6

In much love, I remain, dear friend, a constant well-wisher to thee and thine, and to the prosperity of Zion's cause.

To his Wife.

JOB SCOTT.

Dearly beloved,

Westbury, (Long Island,) 7th month 28th, 1786.

That endeared affection which renders parting hard, engages my pen thus early to endeavour a small supply of that satisfaction to thy mind, (and indeed my own too,) which each other's company, in a far greater degree, affords. And at the same time that I own it to be not a little unpleasant to my own natural inclinations to be thus separated from the dearest object of my affections here below, I could wish to encourage thee to bear my absence with that fortitude, patience, and resignation, which becomes the importance of the occasion; for had not a travailing engagement for the good of souls, and the enlargement of the embondaged, suffering seed, called me away, I had not left thee alone to struggle with the cares of our little flock; but, as my engagements abroad, throw a double engagement on thee at home, do, dear heart, endeavour to acquit thyself worthily in the diligent watching over, and guarding of those little ones, which our gracious Creator has given us, not only as pledges of his love, but also as a field for labour and cultivation. Be it thy often concern, to seek to him for ability to perform the arduous task. And in order to lend a little hand of help, I desire thee to tell them, that their father thinks much of them, though about two hundred miles from them. Tell them, he wants them to be good little children, and to love one another. Not to quarrel. Not to lie; nor use any bad words: but to do as their mother bids them; read their books, and keep out of all mischief; that when their poor father comes home again, he may rejoice in his dear little babes, and in their good behaviour. O my dear wife! my heart yearns towards thee and them, with all the wishes

of the husband and the father. May the Lord my God, supply the place of both, till I " come again rejoicing ;" and, if it be his holy will," bringing sheaves of solid joy with me." My dear love is to my poor old father; to Phebe; to Benedict, and all his family; Daniel Aldrich; Jaazaniah; Elisha Thornton; William Bassett, James Smith, Israel Sabin, and their families; with all my dear friends. And if my dear sister Remember is with thee, or comes to thee, my endeared remembrance extends affectionately to her. May her mind be set on things above, and not on things uncertain and unsubstantial. The same is my wish for our sister Ruth, and all our brothers and sisters. If she is with thee, let her know that though Remember was sent for, yet she is not without a share of my affectionate remembrance and good wishes. As occasion offers, convey my mention of love to sister Lapham, her husband, and children.

We got on to Long Island, on second-day, late at night, and pressed hard for Friends, fifty miles the first day, on the Island; next day, got amongst brethren; and without knowing of the Quarterly Meeting, laid out so that we got to Westbury meeting the very day the Quarterly Meeting was held there. I may find time to write again from New York, after attending a number of Meetings on this Island; so rest for the present, thy truly loving husband,

To his Wife.

JOB SCOTT.

Dear wife,

New York, 5th of 8th month, 1786.

We have now attended all the meetings belonging to this Quarter, and expect to go very soon for Rahway, in Jersey. The few first meetings, were times of much lowness. The third, that is, at Oyster Bay, was the very depth and extremity of sufferings. My distress, I thought, was like a person almost starving to death for want of nourishment. Considerably more than two hours, my bands were in silence, like the confinement of the