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It seems you do not love Christ so well as you should, since you want so many outward mementos of his ' outward appearance; but the primitives had the mind ' and spirit of Christ; they bore in their own bodies the 'dying of the Lord, and wore his cross in their hearts, 'by which they were crucified to the world, and the 'world unto them, with all its show and vain-glory: 'and this cross is that living virtue and life of Christ appearing in men's hearts now, as well as in those 'days; working the same effects in all who believe, 'follow, and obey it, being the saving grace and light of 'Christ unto all people.' This seemed strange to him, as appeared by his countenance, yet I believe it answered his conscience, for he made no reply."

ACCOUNT OF SOME INDIANS.

Among the many instances, tending to prove the universal operation of divine grace on the human heart, a particular one appeared some years ago, among a number of Indians in the Province of Pennsylvania. These people were very earnest for the promotion of piety among themselves, which they apprehended to be the effect of an inward work, whereby the heart became changed from bad to good. When they were solicited to join other Indians in the war against the English, they absolutely refused, whatever might be the consequence to themselves, even if the fighting Indians should make slaves, or as they expressed it, negros, of them, rendering this reason for it, that when

God made men, he did not intend they should hurt or kill one another.*

Upon being further conversed with, respecting their religious prospects, he who had been a principle instrument in raising them to a sense of good, gave in substance the following account. That being by a particular providence brought under difficulty and sorrow, he was led into a deep consideration of the state of things in the world; when seeing the folly and wickedness that prevailed amongst men, his sorrows increased. Nevertheless, being impressed with a belief that there was a great Power, who had created all things, his mind was turned from beholding this lower world, to look towards Him who had created it, and strong desires were begot in his heart for a further knowledge of his Creator. He was then made sensible, that evil not only prevailed in the world, but that he himself partook much of its baneful influence; and he at last found his own heart was bad and hard. Upon this, great dejection and trouble seized his mind, with an enquiry, what would become of his soul? In this situation he cried unto that powerful Being, who he was sensible had made the heart of man; and after a long time of sorrow and perseverance in seeking for help,

* In this disposition they have continued about thirty years, notwithstanding the ill-treatment they have received from Indians and others; more especially of late that they have been pillaged, their settlements at three towns broken up, and they carried away captives towards Canada. Those Indians who carried them away, giving as a reason for this violence, that they were in their way, and a great obstruction to them when going to war.

See the Pennsylvania Packet, for the 12th Mo. 22, 1781.

God was pleased to reveal himself to his mind, and to put his goodness in his heart. He found he was, as he expressed it, raised above himself and above the world, and felt that his heart had undergone some great change; the hardness and badness he had so long groaned under, was taken away, it was now become soft and good; he found so much love to prevail in it to all men, that he thought he could bear with their revilings and abuses without resentment, appearing sensible, that as the hearts of all men were bad and hard, till God made them good, the ill-usage he received from them, proceeded from the same evil seed, under which he himself had so long groaned. This sense of the corruption of human nature, accompanied with a constant application to his Maker, to take away the badness and hardness of the heart, and make it soft and good, was what he called religion; and what, upon feeling the power of God to his comfort, he was concerned to exhort his brethren to seek the experience of in themselves. And further said, that under this dispensation he was made sensible the spirit of religion was a spirit of love, which led those who obeyed it into love to all men; but that men not keeping to this spirit of love, an opposite spirit got entrance in their hearts; that it was from hence all those disorders arose, which so much prevailed amongst men. He was also sensible there was still an evil spirit labouring to get the mastery in his heart, in opposition to the gospel spirit; but that those who had been visited by a power from God, and were obedient to the degree of light and love he was pleased to favour them with, would be more and more

strengthened and established therein. He had also a prospect of the necessity of that baptism of the Spirit and fire, which the scriptures and the experience of the faithful in all ages testify every true disciple of Christ must undergo, whereby, through mortification and death to self, the root of sin is destroyed. This he described by the prospect he had of something, like as an outward fire would be to the natural body, which he must pass through in order to attain to that purity of heart he desired. He further observed, that whilst he was anxiously beholding this fire, he saw a very small path close to it, by walking in which he might go round the fire, and the painful trial be avoided. This he understood to represent the way, by which those who were esteemed wise had found means to avoid that probation they ought to have passed through, and yet retained a name amongst men, as though they had been purified by it. Thus this Indian, untaught by books and unlearned in what is called divinity, through the inshining of the light of Christ on his understanding, explained the mystery of godliness in a plain and sensi ble manner; shewing that true religion remains to be the power of God to salvation, changing and purifying the heart, and bringing it into true contrition and a submissive resignation to the will of God. This has ever been found to be the effect of its operation on all those. who by devoting themselves to God; are become the true followers and disciples of Jesus Christ.

Extract from A. Benezet's Preface to "The

Plain Path to Christian Perfection."

GEORGE WHITEHEAD'S TRAVELS AND HARDSHIPS. Those of our Society, who in the present day enjoy a tranquil and easy life, as respects outward persecution and suffering for conscience sake, and who have no want of "this world's good," may derive some important instruction from a view of the various trying circumstances under which their Christian predecessors in many instances were placed. The faith, the zeal, the courage, the patience of these, whether known by our name or any other, are to be often recurred to and remembered, not only as so many proofs of the divine efficacy of revealed Truth, but as so many stimulating calls to follow them as they have followed Christ, exemplifying like them the excellency and glory of his proffered salvation.

The passages subjoined, from George Whitehead's journal, are not perhaps so fully calculated to set forth the Christian's conduct and conflicts in a general point of view, as some others that might have been chosen ; yet, to a certain extent, and in a particular direction, they have their weight and import; and the little abstract first given is especially introduced with an earnest hope, that the youthful reader may regard that all-sufficient Power, through which so much was accomplished, through which also they may live acceptably to Him who died for them, fulfilling the end of their existence in the obedience of faith.

Abstract. In the year 1654, George Whitehead, then not eighteen years of age, travelled on foot in the work of the ministry out of Westmorland with Edward Edwards to York, about sixty miles, in harvest time.