John Woolman's Journal Part 18

That Holy Spirit which affected my Heart when I was a Youth, I trust is often felt by the Negroes in their Native Land, inclining their Minds to that which is righteous, and had the professed Followers of Christ in all their Conduct towards them, manifested a Disposition answerable to the pure Principle in their Hearts, how might the Holy Name have been honoured amongst the _Gentiles_, and how might we have rejoiced in the fulfilling of that Prophecy, _I the Lord love Judgment, I hate Robbery for Burnt-offerings, and I will direct their Work in Truth, and make an everlasting Covenant with them. Their Seed shall be known amongst the_ Gentiles, _and their Offspring amongst the People: All that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed_, Isaiah lxi. 8, 9.

But in the present State of Things, how contrary is this Practice to that meek Spirit, in which our Saviour laid down his Life for us, that all the Ends of the Earth might know Salvation in his Name!

How are the Sufferings of our blessed Redeemer set at nought, and his Name blasphemed amongst the _Gentiles_, through the unrighteous Proceedings of his profess'd Followers!

My Mind hath often been affected, even from the Days of my Youth, under a Sense of that marvellous Work, for which G.o.d, in infinite Goodness, sent his Son into the World.

The opening of that Spring of living Waters, which the true Believers in Christ experience, by which they are redeemed from Pride and Covetousness, and brought into a State of Meekness, where their Hearts are enlarged in true Love toward their Fellow Creatures universally; this Work to me has been precious, and the Spreading the Knowledge of the Truth amongst the _Gentiles_ been very desirable. And the professed Followers of Christ joining in Customs evidently unrighteous, which manifestly tend to stir up Wrath, and increase Wars and Desolations, hath often covered my Mind with Sorrow.

If we bring this Matter home, and as _Job_ proposed to his Friends, _Put our Soul in their Soul's stead_, Job xvi. 4.

If we consider ourselves and our Children as exposed to the Hardships which these People lie under in supporting an imaginary Greatness.

Did we in such Case behold an Increase of Luxury and Superfluity amongst our Oppressors, and therewith felt an Increase of the Weight of our Burdens, and expected our Posterity to groan under Oppression after us.

Under all this Misery, had we none to plead our Cause, nor any Hope of Relief from Man, how would our Cries ascend to the G.o.d of the Spirits of all Flesh, who judgeth the World in Righteousness, and in his own Time is a Refuge for the Oppressed!

If they who thus afflicted us, continued to lay Claim to Religion, and were a.s.sisted in their Business by others, esteemed pious People, who through a Friendship with them strengthened their Hands in Tyranny.

In such a State, when we were Hunger-bitten, and could not have sufficient Nourishment but saw them in fulness pleasing their Taste with Things fetched from far:

When we were wearied with Labour, denied the Liberty to rest, and saw them spending their Time at Ease: When Garments answerable to our Necessities were denied us, while we saw them cloathed in that which was costly and delicate:

Under such Affliction, how would these painful Feelings rise up as Witnesses against their pretended Devotion! And if the Name of their Religion was mention'd in our Hearing, how would it sound in our Ears like a Word which signified Self-exaltation, and Hardness of Heart!

When a Trade is carried on, productive of much Misery, and they who suffer by it are some Thousands Miles off, the Danger is the greater, of not laying their Sufferings to Heart.

In procuring Slaves on the Coast of _Africa_, many Children are stolen privately; Wars also are encouraged amongst the Negroes, but all is at a great Distance.

Many Groans arise from dying Men, which we hear not.

Many Cries are uttered by Widows and Fatherless Children, which reach not our Ears.

Many Cheeks are wet with Tears, and Faces sad with unutterable Grief, which we see not.

Cruel Tyranny is encouraged. The Hands of Robbers are strengthened, and Thousands reduced to the most abject Slavery, who never injured us.

Were we for the Term of one Year only to be an Eye-witness to what pa.s.seth in getting these Slaves:

Was the Blood which is there shed to be sprinkled on our Garments:

Were the poor Captives bound with Thongs, heavy laden with Elephants Teeth, to pa.s.s before our Eyes on their Way to the Sea:

Were their bitter Lamentations Day after Day to ring in our Ears, and their mournful Cries in the Night to hinder us from Sleeping:

Were we to hear the Sound of the Tumult when the Slaves on board the Ships attempt to kill the _English_, and behold the Issue of those b.l.o.o.d.y Conflicts:

What pious Man could be a Witness to these Things, and see a Trade carried on in this Manner, without being deeply affected with Sorrow?

Through abiding in the Love of Christ we feel a Tenderness in our Hearts toward our Fellow Creatures, entangled in oppressive Customs; and a Concern so to walk, that our Conduct may not be a Means of strength'ning them in Error.

It was the Command of the Lord through _Moses, Thou shalt not suffer Sin upon thy Brother: Thou shalt in anywise rebuke thy Brother, and shalt not suffer Sin upon him_, Lev. xix. 17.

Again; _Keep far from a false Matter; and the Innocent and Righteous slay thou not_, Exod. xxiii. 7.

The Prophet _Isaiah_ mentions Oppression as that which the true Church in Time of outward Quiet should not only be clear of, but should be _far from it_; _Thou shalt be far from Oppression_, Isaiah liv. 14. Now these Words, _far from_, appear to have an extensive Meaning, and to convey Instruction in regard to that of which _Solomon_ speaks, _Though Hand join in Hand, the Wicked shall not go unpunished_, Prov. xvi. 5.

It was a Complaint against one of old, _When thou sawest a Thief, thou consentedst with him_, Psal. l. 18.

The Prophet _Jeremiah_ represents the Degrees of Preparation toward Idolatrous Sacrifice, in the Similitude of a Work carried on by Children, Men, and Women: _The Children gather Wood, the Fathers kindle the Fire, and the Women knead the Dough to bake Cakes for the Queen of Heaven_, Jer. vii. 18.

It was a complaint of the Lord against _Israel_, through his Prophet _Ezekiel_, that _they strengthen'd the Hands of the Wicked, and made the Hearts of the Righteous sad_, Ezek. xiii. 12.

Some Works of Iniquity carried on by the People were represented by the Prophet _Hosea_, in the Similitude of Ploughing, Reaping, and eating the Fruit; _You have ploughed Wickedness, reaped Iniquity, eaten the Fruit of Lying, because thou didst trust in thy own Way, to the Mult.i.tude of thy mighty Men_, Hosea x. 13.

I have felt great Distress of Mind since I came on this Island, on Account of the Members of our Society being mixed with the World in various Sorts of Business and Traffick, carried on in impure Channels.

Great is the Trade to _Africa_ for Slaves; and in loading these Ships abundance of People are employ'd in the Manufactories.

Friends in early Time refused, on a religious Principle, to make or trade in Superfluities, of which we have many large Testimonies on Record, but for want of Faithfulness some gave way, even some whose Examples were of Note in Society, and from thence others took more Liberty: Members of our Society worked in Superfluities, and bought and sold them, and thus Dimness of Sight came over many. At length, Friends got into the Use of some Superfluities in Dress, and in the Furniture of their Houses, and this hath spread from less to more, till Superfluity of some Kind is common amongst us.

In this declining State many look at the Example one of another, and too much neglect the pure Feeling of Truth. Of late Years a deep Exercise hath attended my Mind, that Friends may dig deep, may carefully cast forth the loose Matter, and get down to the Rock, the sure Foundation, and there hearken to that Divine Voice which gives a clear and certain Sound.

And I have felt in that which doth not deceive, that if Friends who have known the Truth, keep in that Tenderness of Heart, where all Views of outward Gain are given up, and their Trust is only on the Lord, he will graciously lead some to be Patterns of deep Self-denial, in Things relating to Trade, and handicraft Labour; and that some who have Plenty of the Treasures of this World, will example in a plain frugal Life, and pay Wages to such whom they may hire, more liberally than is now customary in some Places.

The Prophet, speaking of the true Church, said, _Thy People also shall be all righteous._

Of the Depth of this Divine Work several have spoken.

_John Gratton_, in his Journal, p. 45, said, "The Lord is my Portion, I shall not want. He hath wrought all my Works in me. I am nothing but what I am in him."

_Gilbert Latey_, through the powerful Operations of the Spirit of Christ in his Soul, was brought to that Depth of Self-denial, that he could not join with that proud Spirit in other People, which inclined them to want Vanities and Superfluities. This Friend was often amongst the chief Rulers of the Nation in Times of Persecution, and it appears by the Testimony of Friends, that his Dwelling was so evidently in the pure Life of Truth, that in his Visits to those great Men, he found a Place in their Minds; and that King _James_ the Second, in the Times of his Troubles, made particular Mention in a very respectful Manner of what _Gilbert_ once said to him.

The said _Gilbert_ found a Concern to write an Epistle, in which are these Expressions; "Fear the Lord, ye Men of all Sorts, Trades, and Callings, and leave off all the Evil that is in them, for the Lord is grieved with all the Evils used in your Employments which you are exercised in.

"It is even a Grief to see how you are Servants to Sin, and Instruments of Satan." See his Works, Page 42, _etc._ _George Fox_, in an Epistle, writes thus: "Friends, stand in the Eternal Power of G.o.d, Witness against the Pomps and Vanities of this World.

"Such Tradesmen who stand as Witnesses in the Power of G.o.d, cannot fulfil the People's Minds in these Vanities, and therefore they are offended at them.

"Let all trust in the Lord, and wait patiently on him; for when Trust first broke forth in _London_, many Tradesmen could not take so much Money in their Shops for some Time, as would buy them Bread and Water, because they withstood the World's Ways, Fashions, and Customs; yet by their patient waiting on the Lord in their good Life and Conversation, they answer'd the Truth in People's Hearts, and thus their Business increased." Book of Doctrinals, Page 824.

Now Christ our Holy Leader graciously continueth to open the Understandings of his People, and as Circ.u.mstances alter from Age to Age, some who are deeply baptized into a Feeling of the State of Things, are led by his Holy Spirit into Exercises in some respect different from those which attended the Faithful in foregoing Ages, and through the Constrainings of pure Love, are engaged to open the Feelings they have to others.

In faithfully following Christ, the Heart is weaned from the Desires of Riches, and we are led into a Life so plain and simple, that a little doth suffice, and thus the Way openeth to deny ourselves, under all the tempting Allurements of that Gain, which we know is the Gain of Unrighteousness.

The Apostle speaking on this Subject, asketh this Question; _What Fellowship hath Righteousness with Unrighteousness?_ 2 Cor. vi. 14. And again saith, _Have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness, but rather reprove them_, Ephes. v. 11. Again, _Be not Partaker of other Men's Sins, keep thyself pure_, 1 Tim. v. 22.

Where People through the Power of Christ are thoroughly settled in a right Use of Things, freed from all unnecessary Care and Expence, the Mind in this true Resignation is at Liberty from the Bands of a narrow Self-Interest, to attend from Time to Time on the Movings of his Spirit upon us, though he leads into that through which our Faith is closely tried.