heart is filled with that love which can sincerely pray for enemies, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do;" "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge," &c., I think that no requirement of "Cæsar" could induce a participation in depriving a fellowbeing of life.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Editors of the American Friend:

self and his work to every man's fact of the laborer commending himconscience in the sight of God. We

DEAR FRIENDS :--I have, in common with other Friends in this city, been much interested in the numbers of your periodical already received, and desire your encouragement. There "Ye know not what manner of are points in which it may be imspirit ye are of, may apply in this proved, but these will, many of them. day to those who desire, or aid in, the suggest themselves to you from time destruction of their enemies, however to time. We should not expect perspecious may be the pretext. It apfection or even an approach to it, pears to me that the command "Love without much effort and experience. your enemies," is a "specific prohibiIt cannot be doubted but that any tion of actual war, information from our absent brethapplying in all ages of the Christian church, from ren on Gospel service, will greatly the apostolic age down to the present. interest every member of our Society. The apostle James tells us "from A letter from England, now before whence come wars and fightings. " me, speaks very encouragingly of the "From your lusts," that is, from the labors of our dear friend, John H. "war spirit. Christ paid tribute, Douglas. It states that English but in all his teaching he never counFriends love the man and love his selled “active performance of duty" ministry. Much of the secret of in the military operations of that ministerial usefulness must lie in the monarch. He came to plant a peaceable kingdom in the earth, and this kingdom "was to triumph by degrees" only because of the obstinacy of the human race. "And when he was come near he beheld the city and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, conversations, to instruct, teach, and the things which belong unto thy enlighten his hearers on Scriptural peace; but now they are hid from truth, to the edification and comfort thine eyes. The teachings of Christ of many. How the gift of Teaching are so clear and comprehensive that needs stirring up amongst us! "the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein." They were practical eighteen hundred years ago. They are practical now. What is a Christian duty in one age is a Christian duty in another. "The intrinsic principles of morality are as eternal as the Gospel. Let us endeavor to uphold the principles of the Gospel in all its fulness, to look to the teach- The following extract from a letter ing of Christ and his Apostles, and from Louis and Sarah Street will inthe examples of early Christians rath- terest all your readers :-"The corer than to those of modern times, and dial recognition and warm sympathy in our endeavors to find out "what of dear Friends, is very strengthenthings are Cæsar's," let us not neglect the more important inquiry, "What things are God's.

SPRINGDALE, IOWA.

J. SHINN.

hear much of our dear David Hunt's devoted and energetic service; in exercising himself by lectures and not only in direct Gospel labor, but

Rebecca Collins, also, is very diligently engaged in the good work of calling sinners to Christ, and building up believers in our most holy faith. She is expecting to return home this Spring; we truly trust with the reward which the good Master never fails to confer upon the loving and willing servant.

ing; they have not been slow to let these feelings be known; we have received many tokens of it, which we highly prize. As the time draws near for us to sail, it may be interesting to some of our dear Friends to

know how the prospect looks at this they been owned by the great Head juncture, as some had expressed the of his Church whose presence has fear that we had not fully counted been sensibly felt to the contriting the cost; they may be informed that of many hearts. His love flowing as we have no misgivings as to our from vessel to vessel has had a uniting calling. So far as the mission to and cementing effect, to the subduing Madagascar is concerned it is without of all opposition, and overcoming all a cloud. The surrender of the com- hard feelings, all resentment, all strife forts of civilized life in exchange for and bitterness. Tendered and with a heathen land, is as nothing, when hearts melted in the constraining love we compare the sacrifices to be made of Jesus, we have been favored with to the worth of winning souls to some sweet and heavenly seasons.Christ. In comparison, earth and its On one occasion two brothers, who pleasures and comforts, are like a had long been at variance, and though plaything of only a day; tomorrow living within two miles of each other, to us it may not be." They close this yet entirely estranged, happened to subject by a quotation from the Apos- meet in one of these meetings. A tle: "But I count not my life dear striking portion of the Scriptures was unto myself; so that I may finish my read on the subject of forgiveness, course with joy; and the ministry some remarks were made by one of that I have received of the Lord our dear brethren on the same subJesus, to testify the Gospel of the ject, a season of prayer followed. grace of God." Joseph S. Sewell, After awhile one of the two brothers who goes with them on the same ser- rose and in a faltering voice and vice, who is a recorded minister of the Gospel, states their prospects of service is not so much to preach as to teach; but as yet no very well defined course of service has been made clear to them. The call seems to be, "Go to Madagascar, and I will find the work. They desire not to be at all sectarian, but as way opens, to work with those Christians, native or European, who are already there; and thus in the Lord's hand to be made useful in spreading the glad tidings of salvation in their clearness and purity.

Would it not be well for children in our First-day schools to be interested in the mission of these dear Friends? Money has been subscribed in England, chiefly, I think, by First-day school scholars, to purchase a good town clock for the capital of Madagascar, where 'they have very little idea how we calculate time.

NEW YORK CITY, 3 mo. 20th, 1867.

D.

ROLLIN, Mich., 3 mo. 24, 1867. OUR circulating meetings from house to house are still continued, and have been kept up thus far with unabated interest and increasing life and power. Most graciously haye

broken manner confessed, that, although he had made a profession of religion, he had not been happy in it or enjoyed peace of mind, because he had harbored resentment against his brother. Then stepping forward and pressing through the crowd, he reached out his hand toward his brother, and begged his forgiveness. The other brother, pressing forward. grasped his proffered hand cordially. saying, "I meet you half-way, broth. er,-forgive me; I, too, have offended," &c. A touching scene of reconciliation succeeded, and they left the house together when the meeting closed, feeling the sweetness of forgiveness and brotherly love.

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"

Several who have been great wanderers, have been found by Him who came to seek and to save the lost. Some who were pronounced by those around them to be "very hard cases, seem to be entirely reclaimed. Formerly drunkards, Sabbath breakers and profane swearers, now sitting and clothed, and in their right minds, and speaking the words of truth and soberness. Some of these are regular attenders at our mid-week as well as First-day meetings, and give evidences of a change of heart. Some, who have been skeptics, have been brought

humble supplicants to the Saviour's the reply was, "Friends! who are feet, crying out, "Lord, I believe, they?" The epithet Quakers was help thou mine unbelief!" then given, and the response was, are they the people that sit still and do nothing?

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The gracious visitation of our heavenly Father has extended to our own members. Most of them have "I rejoice that in so many places been thoroughly awakened and arous- within our borders the trumpet blast ed, and are now ready to exclaim with has been sounded, "Arise, shine for astonishment, "This is the Lord's thy light is come, that heed is given doing and it is marvellous in our to it, and that the Glorious Lord is eyes!" We have been greatly helped working with his people, leading them and strengthened by the visits of on to battle and victory. some travelling Friends who have attended some of our meetings in private houses and who have felt that they were under right authority, and rewarded and blessed by the great Head of the Church.

Our own regular meetings are better attended by our own members, and we have quite a flocking to them, from those not of our Society. Since commencing last 11th month, we have had more than seventy meetings from чouse to house. The largest number ever present on these occasions was 200. The house was crowded to its utmost capacity, many standing for want of room for seats.

"We have never known a time like the present, wherein the Lord is so manifestly visiting his people, and imploring them to work for and with Him. Surely this is the time for his children to work."

E. L. C.

THE following extract from a letter written by Dr. Eli Jessup, of Iowa, who has recently been engaged in extensive religious service amongst Friends in some of the Eastern States, will doubtless be interesting to our readers, viz:

"I have often inquired in my mind whether [the declension of our SociWe rejoice to hear that similar ety in certain places,] was not owing meetings are being held in different to two causes. 1st. That there parts of this land as well as the other are more religious denominations side of the Atlantic. We greatly now, than in the early rise of the Rehope that they may prove a blessing ligious Society, so that there are more to our Society, as well as to many inducements and better openings for who have heretofore felt as though Friends to associate with others who no man cared for their souls.

assimilate more nearly with their "I have just procured a minute views of doctrine and worship. 2nd. from my Monthly Meeting for mis- That as the western country was sionary and other labor, chiefly with- opened out for settlement, the young in the limits of my own Yearly people emigrated westward, hence Meeting, including Sing Sing, and diminishing the size of the meetings other State Prisons, Hospitals, Vassar, farther east. But these reasons are College, and other Schools, and to go not satisfactory. We find no greater out into the highways and hedges, number of religious sects in proporinto the streets and lanes of some of tion to the population now, than 180 the cities, and compel them to come years ago. Is it not for want of faithin. The fields for missionary labor fulness on the part of the individual are large and white already unto the members of the church, and on the harvest, and I do rejoice and give part of the church collectively? thanks that so many in our beloved Have we not sustained much loss by Society are entering into the labor. secluding our religious testimonies, When our dear friend, Gideon Hark- and being too fearful of talking of ness, visited the Indians, in the North the things that pertain to the soul's part of this State, and made some peace, to our children, to our neighenquiries as to whether a Friends' bors,and neighbor's children? Would Meeting could be held among them, it not be well for our ministers not

to be too hasty in leaving a meeting from established meetings, yet they or neighborhood, but after the seed manifest an interest and concern truly has been sown and the heart quickened to tarry for a season and water the tender plants? I am satisfied that there is a spirit now working like leaven in the meal, which will bring the church up out of the wilderness-our beloved Society will again shine as in the days of old."

THE following information is furnished by a minister of Ohio Yearly Meeting:

commendable, and worthy of encouragement. To reach these settlements we had some wearisome journeyings over the mud roads, in hacks, on horseback and on foot-in one instance walking about eighteen miles. Yet, we felt well repaid, by the comforting evidence we had furnished us, that our visit did cheer these lonely, isolated members of our precious family.

In passing to and from these little colonies of Friends, we held several "It may not be uninteresting to the meetings among those not of our rereaders of the AMERICAN FRIEND, to ligious Society. Some, where there hear that there is a little colony of had been previously very little knowlFriends situated in Shelby county, edge of it, or its doctrines,-in one Ills., about six miles from Neoga, a instance there was no Protestant orstation on the I. C. R. R. The Friends ganization near, except a German are mostly emigrants from Grant Lutheran, in all these, we felt that county, Ind., and the patriarch of the holy help was furnished us, and the colony is Robert Carey. It was my joy our visit seemed to give those privilege, in company with J. B., of who hear so little Gospel ministry, Walnut Ridge, Ind., to visit them, was a sweet reward. and hold a meeting with them and their neighbors, on the 30th of 12th month last, and at that time, there seemed to us a Life among them truly precious; parents and children alike, seemed dipped into a fellowship that gave sweet evidence of discipleship. They are in a locality where there is still unimproved land, and they hope it may suit Friends seeking homes in the West, to visit their settlement before going farther. They wish to hold a meeting as soon as a suitable house can be erected, which they expect to accomplish the coming sum

mer.

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Also, there is another colony in the southern part of the State, in Saline county, where there are six or seven families, formerly from Clinton county, Ohio. They, too, are in a newly settled district, and have the hardships and privations incident to a new country, to endure. Their location is so far South, that their winters are less severe than ours. Their country is susceptable under fair cultivation of great improvement-it is a well-timbered district.

"A part of these dear Friends have for a long time been remotely situated

"We also visited a neighborhood about sixteen miles South of Terre Haute, Ind., where a little colony of Friends once settled, who have-in consequence of their isolation from meetings-attached

themselves to other religious bodies. There we found an open door, and both visitors and visited were cheered, and I hope encouraged. We called at another near Prairieton, (once Friends,) but the seeds of unbelief were too deeply rooted for us to find an easy entrance, and we left them without any public opportunity, but not without secret prayers, that they may yet become so enlightened as to accept Jesus as their hope of salvation.

"In visiting the Friends in parts of Indiana and Michigan, where my mission called me, there seemed to be in many localities an evidence of a true awakening, and willingness to come forth to the help of the Lord. Much has appeared in this respect to cheer me, and I have felt to rejoice many times at the evidence furnished that the Holy Leaven is at work. May it work on, until the whole lump is leavened, is my earnest prayers. E. G. Y."

LAWRIE TATUM, of Springdale, Iowa, She hath not mingled with the hollow world,