tized for the dead;' though not that I know of from any particular fear of man. I was helped (I believe I may say) as to power, tongue and utterance. That Meeting might be said to end well.

"Yesterday was a day indeed; one that may be called a mark of the times. We first attended a General Meeting of the Bible Society where it was sweet to observe so many of various sentiments all uniting in the one great objectfrom the good Bishop of Norwich (Bathurst), for so I believe he may be called, to the dissenting minister and young Quaker (my brother Joseph). We afterwards, about thirtyfour of us, dined here; I think there were six clergyman of the Establishment, three dissenting ministers, and Richard Philips, beside numbers of others. A very little before the cloth was removed such a power came over me of love, I believe I may say life, that I thought I must ask for silence after Edward Edwards had said grace, and then supplicate the Father of mercies for His blessing, both of the fatness of the earth and the dew of Heaven, upon those who thus desired to promote His cause by spreading the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures; and that He would bless their endeavors, that the knowledge of God and His glory might cover the earth as the waters cover the sea; and also for the preservation of all present, that through the assistance of His grace we might so follow Him and our blessed Lord in time that we might eventually enter into a glorious eternity where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. The power and solemnity were very great. Richard Philips asked for silence; I soon knelt down: it was like having our High Priest amongst us. Independently of this power His poor instruments are nothing; and with His power how much is effected. I understood many were in tears; I believe all were bowed down spiritually. Soon after I took my seat; the Baptist minister said, "This is an act of worship; adding that it reminded him of that which the disciples said. 'Did not our heart burn within us

while He talked with us by the way?' A clergyman said, We want no wine for there is that amongst us which does instead. A Lutheran minister remarked that although he could not always understand the words, being a foreigner, he felt the spirit of prayer, and went on to enlarge in a striking manner. Another clergyman spoke to this effect: How the Almighty visited us, and neither sex nor anything else stood in the way of His grace. I do not exactly remember the words of any one, but it was a most striking circumstance for so many, of such different opinions, thus all to be united in one spirit; and for a poor woman to be made the means, amongst so many great, wise, and I believe good men, of showing forth the praise of the great 'I Am.'"

One of the secretaries of the Bible Society, Mr. Joseph Hughes, thus describes this occasion:

"On the Monday after my return, I proceeded with my excellent colleagues for Norwich where a numerous and respectable meeting was held on Wednesday in a very spacious and commodious hall. The mayor presided; the Bishop spoke with great decision and equal liberality; and the result of the whole was the establishment of the Norfolk and Norwich Bible Society. About seven hundred pounds was subscribed and one happy, amiable sentiment appeared to pervade the company. My colleagues and myself adjourned to Earlham, two miles from Norwich where we had passed the previous day and where we witnessed emanations of piety, generosity and affection in a degree that does not often meet the eye of mortals. Our hosts and hostesses were the Gurneys, chiefly Quakers, who, together with their guests amounted to thirty-four. A clergyman, at the instance of one of the family and I presume with the most cordial concurrence of the rest, read a portion of the Scriptures morning and evening, and twice we had prayers; Ishould have said thrice, for after

dinner, on the day of the meeting, the pause encouraged by the Society of Friends, was succeeded by a devout address to the Deity, by a female minister, Elizabeth Fry, whose manner was impressive, and whose words were so appropriate that none present can ever forget the incident, or ever advert to it without emotions alike powerful and pleasing. The first emotion was surprise; the second awe; the third pious fervor. As soon as we were re-adjusted at the table, I thought it might be serviceable to offer a remark that proved the coincidence of my heart with the devotional exercise in which we had been engaged; this had the desired effect. Mr. Owen and others suggested accordant sentiments, and we seemed generally to feel like the disci ples whose hearts burned within them as they walked to Emmaus."

Elizabeth Fry's engagements in the Gospel ministry thus received the approbation, not only of her own Society, but also of ministers belonging to several other denominations, whose testimony is the more valuable because it was both cordial and spontaneous.

CHAPTER THIRD.

MOTHER AND MINISTER.

Ministers in the Society of Friends, both men and women, are usually called to a very active life. In addition to their ordinary avocations, which they are expected to leave only when summoned temporarily to higher duties, and to the regular semi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly gatherings, they frequently make excursions of various lengths to neighboring communities of their own, or other people, following as nearly as they can the intimations of the good Shepherd, as to where His thirsty flocks most need attention. Elizabeth Fry soon became engaged in this missionary labor, for which she was admirably adapted, as well as in services within and about her own home. A few of the most important of these earlier engagements will now be noticed. The first is dated February, 1812, about four and a half months after the events last related.

"3rd.—The prospect I have had for some months of going to Norfolk to attend the Monthly and Quarterly Meetage is now brought home to me, as I must apply to my next Monthly Meeting for permission. It is no doubt a sacrifice of natural feeling to leave the comforts of home and my beloved husband and children; and to my weak. ner"ous habits, the going about, and alone (for so I feel it in

one sense,

without my husband is, I have found from ex perience, a triai greater than I imagined; and my health suffers much I think, from my habits being necessarily so different. This consideration of its being a cross to my nature I desire not to weigh in the scale; though no doubt, for the sake of others as well as myself, my heath being so shaken is a serious thing. What I desire to consider most deeply is this:-Have I authority for leaving my home and evident duties? What leads me to believe I have? for I need not doubt that when away, and at times greatly tried, this query is likely to arise. The prospect has come in that quiet, yet I think powerful way, that I have never been able to believe I should get rid of it; indeed hitherto I have hardly felt anything but a calm cheerfulness about it, and very little anxiety. It seems to me as if in this journey I must be stripped of outward dependences, and my watchword appears to be, 'My soul, wait thou ONLY upon God; for my expectation is from Him.'

"20th.-My sister, Elizabeth Fry, means to go with me into Norfolk: my Uncle Joseph is likely to go another way: it appears as if I could not mind much who is to go with me. But I feel disposed to a very single dependence, and if I be rightly put forth to this service, may He who puts me forth be with me; if I have to minister food to others may it be that which is convenient for them, and which will tend to their lasting nourishment. I have often though: that in this little prospect I must go like David, when he went to slay the giant. I am ashamed of the comparison; but I only mean it in this respect, I go not trusting in any power or strength of my own; I feel I dare look to no helper outwardly. I feel young and a stripling, without armor, yet I trust the Lord will be with me, and make the sling and stone effectual, if He please to make use of His poor child to slay the giant in any one.

"Earlham, Third Month, 14th.-Have I not renewed reason for faith, hope and confidence in the principle whic