gathered together in your little week-day meetings, as well as other meetings, Oh! the earnest concern that you ought to be in, that a dull, heavy, or negligent frame of mind do not prevail upon any of you, but that you may all labour in that gift which the Lord has graciously bestowed on you in the secret of your souls, that so in that good exercise of mind when thus met together, you may witness the promise fulfilled, that wheresoever two or three are met together in my name (saith the Lord) there am I in the midst of them: that you may thus witness his powerful presence accompanying you in your solid waiting before the Lord, is the earnest desire of my spirit before the Lord for you.

My dear Friends, I find a concern in my mind to give you a caution to watch over your own spirits, that there may not any thing arise in any of you to disquiet the peace of the church, but all endeavour to live in love one with another, so that it may be demonstrated to the world, that you are the disciples of Christ indeed; and here you will come to witness your fellowship to be with the Father and with the Son, to whom be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. You are often in my remembrance, and it would be matter of great joy to hear of your welfare and growth in the Truth. I remain with desires to be your fellow traveller towards a city which has foundations, whose maker and builder is God, and with the salutation of unfeigned love to you all, I bid you farewell in the Lord, and subscribe myself your loving friend and brother in the unchangeable Truth, JAMES LORD.

From Flushing, on Long Island, the 27th of 8th mo. 1727.

FRIENDS' MISCELLANY.

No. 5.]

EIGHTH MONTH, 1835.

[VOL. VII.

Testimony concerning Hannah Churchman. HANNAH CHURCHMAN, the daughter of Mordecai James, by his first wife, Gaynor Lloyd, was born at Goshen, Chester county, in the 1st mo., old style, 1728; her mother died when she was an infant, about seven months old. In the year 1736, her father married again, and settled in East Nottingham, where she was educated by him and her step-mother, Dinah James; whose religious care over her, according to her account of them in that respect, proved very useful in preserving her out of undue liberties, more than many other young people. She was in a good degree innocent and religiously inclined in her youthful days, and when grown up was favoured with a good share of understanding and natural abilities. In the 5th month, 1752, she entered into a marriage state with George Churchman, being turned of twenty-four years of age; between that time and the year 1772, she became the mother of ten children, nine of whom lived to grow up.

She was a woman early impressed with a sense of the necessity of an unremitting religious care in bringing up her children, which she in a good degree practiced amongst them whilst they were very young, endeavouring to keep them in subjection, and to nip the early buddings which are apt to apVOL. VII.-17

pear in children, to seek to be gratified in an unsuitable manner; fully believing, and afterwards finding, from thirty-six years solid experience, that a diligent care of this kind, made the way much easier for maintaining government in a family, than where fond indulgence and improper gratifications are allowed to take place. It is well known to some, that for many years she frequently mourned in secret from a sense of the want of proper care, and a truly religious education among many Friends' children, and had a hint of it in family visits which she was, at times, engaged in, as well as in the women's meetings for discipline; being fully apprehensive that where young people were thus indulged, and not kept under proper subjection and restraint in their minority, but suffered to begin to grow unruly, heady, and high-minded, if they afterwards go further astray from the discipline and simplicity of Truth,-those parents who thus incautiously lose their authority, are in danger of becoming chargeable with their children's misdemeanors, if not (some of them) with their downfall.

She appeared to be favoured with a gift for the maintenance of order, as well as endowed with prudence, in the exercise of church discipline, wherein she was firm for the cause of Truth, to the best of her knowledge, and very useful in meetings for that purpose; kind and tender-hearted towards penitent transgressors, as well as to her neighbours in general, especially when under distress by sickness: diligent and exemplary both as to herself and family in the attendance of religious meetings, and in a labour for lively offerings to be presented there. In the year 1778, she was chosen to the station of an elder, in

which, we believe, she was concerned to be upright and faithful according to her capacity; and a covering of religious exercise frequently attended her mind for the prosperity of Truth.

In the summer, 1777, she was concerned, with the concurrence of her friends, to attend the Quarterly meeting at Fairfax, in Virginia, and in the 11th month following, from a like concern, attempted, with several other Friends, in a very difficult time, to attend Philadelphia Quarterly meeting, and to visit the wives and children of several Friends of that city, who were then in a state of banishment; but was stopped in Darby by a part of the continental army, who refused to let them go in. It also appears that twice since that time, she, from a religious draught which she felt, attended the Yearly Meeting in Maryland, once the Quarterly meeting at Haddonfield, and once the general and Quarterly meeting at Salem; and likewise in the 5th month, 1788, from a religious draught, she, with her friends' approbation, attended Philadelphia, Abington, and Chester Quarterly meetings, which was followed with satisfaction of mind, as she expressed, for her attention to such little items of duty. Some other times formerly, we find she went to different monthly meetings, according to like drawings which she felt, one of which it appears was at an awful season, when she found her mind not easy to forbear endeavouring to attend the monthly meeting at Kennet, on the day, and near the place where that called the Brandywine battle happened, in the year 1777, having to go along not far behind a part of the British army, who had that morning passed on the same road; on her return, although she found but

few Friends collected there, many being prevented by the difficulties which prevailed, she expressed peace in giving up to the motion to go thither, wherein she was accompanied by one man Friend, her neighbour, at her request.

Upon the whole, on recollecting her exercises, and viewing the steps of her pilgrimage thro' life, though some of them might appear singular to many; also, observing the peaceable manner of her close, as hereunto annexed, we have cause to believe she was an honest, religious Friend, who tho' missed among us, is doubtless gone to rest in safety. She departed this life at her own habitation, in East Nottingham aforesaid, in Cecil county, Maryland, the 16th of the 10th month, 1789, in the sixty-second year of her age, and was decently interred the 19th, in Friends' burying-place there, accompanied by a large collection of her friends and neighbours; after which, a solemn, satisfactory meeting was held, where the power and instructive savour of Truth was measurably in dominion, and praises given therefor to the Holy Author of blessings. We conclude with expressing, it appears to be a fresh instance that the real value of some servants may be better known after their decease, than whilst they are living.

The following is an account of some Expressions dropt by our friend Hannah Churchman, in her last illness, and of the disposition of her mind previous thereto; the substance whereof was taken down for the satisfaction and benefit of others.

She had received a fall in the 5th month, 1789, on which account she was confined nearly three