her husband's testimony, and to the journal wise scribe, who was well instructed to the itself; the serious perusal whereof, is especially kingdom, "Brought forth out of the good recommended to those who are young in the treasury of her heart, things both new and ministry. old," so that she became an able minister thereof, to the comfort and edification of the churches where she came. Many who were

John Bell's Testimony concerning his wife, DE- unacquainted with the work of the blessed

for the cause of Truth, yet by nature, she was that peace and comfort, with which he is of a weakly constitution, and through hard pleased to favour his obedient servants; and travail and close exercise, which often was that she apprehended her day's work was upon her for the Truth's sake, her bodily in-nearly finished, for she saw no more work her firmities increased before old age came on. great Master had for her to do; and she had no desire to live, but to serve and glorify him.

Towards the latter part of her time, being often infirm, she frequently rejoiced in the Lord, and expressed the great comfort, peace and satisfaction, which she had in having devoted her youthful days to his service, and being freely given up faithfully to obey his holy requirings, whilst a degree of health and strength were granted, and she was able to undergo such service; often saying, An early devotion was very acceptable to God, and the strength of youth could never be so well and profitably employed, as in faithfully serving the Lord in humility and sincere obedience, in whatsoever work he in his wisdom may be pleased to qualify them for, and call them into; for where it happened, that any such lived to be attended with the infirmities of old age, the comfort and peace they would enjoy, would be abundantly more to them than all the comforts of this life; and she could by living experience say, That nothing in this world was worthy to be compared with it. She often earnestly desired that the sense thereof might lay hold of our youth; that they might give up their minds to seek the Lord early, and devote the strength of their time to his service, that in the end they might be made partakers of the same comfort and peace, which was her greatest joy and real cause of rejoicing, and became more and more so as she drew near her conclusion. And this I publish for their perusal, that if by any means they might be prevailed on, and stirred up to consider, how necessary and truly profitable it is to begin early in that great duty recommended by the wise man; "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them."

The last time she was at the evening meeting at Bromley, about two weeks before she died, she bore a living testimony to the Truth, and was engaged in supplication to the Lord in a particular manner, praying in great fervency for the preservation, growth and settlement of the youth amongst us, in the living eternal Truth, to the affecting and tendering of many hearts. When she came home from the meeting, she was filled with Divine comfort, and said, "It is now finished, I do not expect you will have me with you at that meeting any more." Her weakness of body increased, and she taking cold, it seized her lungs, and occasioned a hoarseness, to which she was often liable. On the 22nd day of the eighth month, being the first-day of the week, we went to London to meeting, but being much indisposed, she was under some difficulty to stay the time of it, and did not go in the afternoon, but waited for me at a Friend's house until meeting ended; and coming home, she continued weakly, though a little better at times till fourth-day evening, but grew much worse again that night and had the advice of a physician, but it had not the desired effect. On sixth-day morning a pleurisy came on, which much affected her breathing; and though means were used to remove it, she found no relief; the pain grew more violent, so that her affliction was great, and in an humble submission she earnestly desired the Lord, that he would give her strength to bear her pain and affliction patiently. Her petition was fully granted, for she was endued with patience to an uncommon degree, and bore her affliction with a firm resignation and thankfulness of heart, and with tender love and condescension to all about her; and Being under a concern to visit a few meet- abundance of sweetness she still enjoyed, as ings in Hertfordshire, and as far as Hunting- appeared by many precious and lively exton, though in a weak state of health, she pressions, which deeply affected, and often undertook that journey, which proved her tendered the hearts of all about her. When last, towards the middle of the seventh month, her pain was very great, she expressed herself 1738. She was from home ten days, and had at times after the following manner; "This is six meetings, and although weak in body, yet hard work indeed; one had need to have noshe appeared strong in her ministry, and had thing else to do at such a time as this. I am good service, much to the satisfaction and sure it is as much as I am able to endure to comfort of Friends where she came; and bear the afflictions of the body; one had need when she came home, she rejoiced much and not to have terror of mind besides." And apsaid, She was humbly thankful to the Lord, pealing to a young woman standing by her who had enabled her to perform that journey, whom she dearly loved, and who had duly atand had given her strength to discharge tended her in her illness, she said, "Thou herself faithfully of the concern she was knowest I have had very little respite from under; and that her heart was filled with pain since I was first taken ill; I would have

peace, and perfectly easy." At another time she looked upon me and said, "The Lord gave me to thee, and thou must give me up to him again." And towards the latter part of her illness, being in great pain, and observing the concern I was in for her, she said, “My dear, I am afraid thou holdest me." I answered resigned in the will of God;" she looked pleasantly upon me, and replied, "That is very good in thee." Afterwards her affliction and pain being very great and heavy upon her, she prayed fervently, and said, "Lord, be pleased to grant me a little ease before I go hence and be seen of men no more." And the Lord was pleased to answer her fervent supplication; for the day before her departure, all pain and affliction seemed to be removed, and she continued quiet and easy, in a still sweet frame of mind; and although she spoke not much during that time, which could be perfectly heard, yet she remained very sensible, and her sweet and lively breathings plainly declared she continued in inward prayer and praises unto the Lord, her lips often moving, and sometimes expressions were heard, tending to signify the full assurance she had of an inheritance in eternal felicity and glory amongst the just. Many more precious and weighty expressions she dropped during her illness, which the distress of my mind prevented me from remembering perfectly.

none put off the great work of repentance till such a time as this; if I had that work to do, what a dreadful thing it would be." At another time, divers young people being present, she said, "I would have our young people be willing to bear the cross in their youth, and despise the shame, for that is the way to have true peace in themselves." And another time" no, I have freely given thee up, and stand she said, "I now feel that which my soul has longed for." Seeing divers young women standing round her bed, for whose growth and settlement in the blessed Truth she had often been concerned, she looked solidly upon them and spake on this wise; "I was early convinced, that unless I was born again, I could not see the kingdom of God. I have witnessed it, and you know I have preached this doctrine to you, and you must know it for your selves." This she spake with such authority as pierced the hearts of all present, and I believe will not easily be forgotten. At another time, looking steadily upon us, with a composed countenance said, "I have always been sincere, and never had any thing in view but the great cause of God, and that I might be clear of the blood of all men, and I have discharged myself faithfully; for whatsoever my hand found to do, I did it with all my might, and never spared myself; and I am fully clear and easy, and my day's work seems to be done." At another time, observing the distress I was in, she looked earnestly upon me, and said, "The Lord brought us together, and has About the fifth hour in the evening, being been with us, and thou must give me freely up the fifth-day of the week, and the 2nd of the to him again, and he will support thee, and ninth month, 1738, she sweetly finished her take care of thee." At another time, being in course, and went away like an innocent lamb. great distress of mind, under the consideration And notwithstanding the great affliction and of my great loss of so dear a companion, if pain she underwent for seven days and seven she should be removed, I asked her, If she had nights, that brightness and innocency, which not rather live with me a little longer, if Pro-Truth had impressed, remained on her counvidence saw meet? She looked pleasantly upon me, and after a little pause, said, "I have no desire or will of my own, I stand in the will of God." At another time, under the sense of her great pain, she said, "I earnestly desire the Lord may release me whilst I have strength and patience to bear my afflictions, but I neither murmur nor repine." And observing the sadness of my countenance, she said, "Why should I not go now? I can never go better." I told her, If Providence pleased to raise her again, she might be with me longer, and be of service, and yet go well; she readily answered, "There may be danger in that, I am now ready." At another time, I told her, when bemoaning myself, if the Lord should see meet to remove her from me at that time, I believed he would receive her into the mansions of glory; she replied, "I never doubt that; I trust through Christ to be removed into eternal bliss, for I am in

tenance when the soul was released and had taken its flight into the regions of bliss and glory.

She was aged about forty-nine years, and a minister upwards of thirty years; she was endued with many eminent gifts and qualifi cations, an able minister, rightly dividing the word of Truth through that wisdom received from God, which proved effectual to the convincing of divers, and the edifying and reaching of many; she was zealous for the cause of God, and of a discerning spirit and good understanding, so that the enemies of Truth could not stand before her, for her bow abode in strength, and her arrows were often carried to the mark, and were sharp against undue liberty, deceit, and the works and workers of unrighteousness.

She dearly loved the children of the light, and sincerely sympathized with such in their afflictions who were seeking the way to Zion,

LIFE OF DEBORAH BELL.

and often had a word of comfort to them.
Her heart and house were always open, accor-
ding to the example of her pious parents, to re-
ceive the ambassadors of Christ, remembering
what he said; "And whosoever shall give to
drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of
cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily
I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his
reward." And likewise what he told his disci-
ples; "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that
receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me:
and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that
sent me." And her delight was in the com-
pany of those who laboured for the promotion
of the Gospel, and through a good degree of
experience, she had sometimes a word of ad-
vice and encouragement to such.

She was a loving and affectionate wife, and the gift of God to me, and as such I always prized her, a help-meet indeed both in prosperity and adversity, a steady and cheerful companion in all the afflictions and trials which attended us, and a true and faithful yoke-fellow in all our services in the church; for being ever one in spirit, we became one in faith and practice, in discerning and judgment, and our concern and labour was the same; which nearly

united us, and a life of comfort and satisfaction
we lived, our souls in the nearest union delight-
ing in each other; and the love and presence
of God, wherewith we were often favoured in
our private retirements, sweetened every bitter
cup, and made our passage easy and pleasant
But alas! What shall I say, the Lord,
to us.
who is allwise, and only knows what is best for
us, hath called her hence, who is worthy to do
whatsoever he sees meet; therefore in humble
submission to his will who gave, and hath taken
away, as knowing though it is my loss, it is
her everlasting gain, I rest, and can in sin-
JOHN BELL.
cerity and Truth bless his name, who is wor
thy for ever.

On the seventh day of the month aforesaid, her body was accompanied from our dwellinghouse at Bromley, to the meeting house in Grace-church street, London; whence, after a solemn meeting, many being affected with the removal of so near a friend, it was carried to Friends' burying ground near Bunhill-fields, and buried by her mother, according to her desire.

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."

A SHORT JOURNAL OF DEBORAH BELL.

In the year 1707, Susannah Saunders came from London into our country on a visit to Friends, and having no companion, with the consent of my mother and some ancient Friends of our meeting, I accompanied her to several meetings in our parts.

concern, lest what he said should hurt the Friend, and discourage her in her service.

Afterwards he directed his discourse to me, saying, I was of a wrong spirit, or I would not have come along with that woman, for they were a faithful people, and had stood for The 14th day of the eighth month, we had their testimony in the persecuting times, when a meeting at Highflats, where my companion others had shrunk and been unfaithful. I told had hard labour in a plain and close testimo- him, I was glad to hear they stood faithful in ny. After the meeting, an ancient man who that persecuting time, and desired they might had been of some note among Friends, but retain their integrity, and be enabled to stand falling into reproach, and not taking the ad- if such another time should come; that I had vice of the church, had lost his condition and not seen much of that persecution, but hoped become troublesome, reflected upon the Friend, he had nothing to accuse my parents of in and told her, she had not a right sense of the that respect. The value he had for them forstate of their meeting, for they were a faithful merly not being entirely erased, he made me no people; and bid her go into the world and reply; and the Lord gave me strength to bear gather a people, and then come and preach testimony against the spirit he was in; and to them; and more to that purpose. I was divers worthy ancient Friends present, fully young, and had not appeared in the work of expressed how glad they were of our visit, the ministry at that time, therefore sat quietly having true unity with the Friend's testimony, and heard what passed, though under a great and earnestly desired we might not be dis

In the year 1708, Elizabeth Richardson, an ancient and worthy woman, was at York Quarterly Meeting, and having a concern to go into Cumberland, our friend William Ellis, and divers other ancient Friends, being unwilling she should travel alone, proposed to my mother that I should accompany her, who freely consented; and I being inclined from my childhood, to be serviceable in any thing in my power, to the true messengers and min-me, and according to the ability received, I isters of Christ, I gave up to go.

discharged myself, and sat down in the enjoyThe 19th of the fourth month I set forward, ment of peace. It was an extraordinarily good and got to William Ellis's, where I lodged that meeting; and here I met with many worthy night, and next day went to Settle, where I ancient Friends, with whom I had been ac met with my companion, and there we had a quainted from my childhood, by their frequentmeeting; we had one also at Kendall; and ly being at my mother's house, in their travels passing through Shap, came to Thomas Priest-on Truth's service, and their fatherly notice man's, and next morning to the Quarterly was a great comfort and strength to me in that meeting for Cumberland, where was a large women's meeting. Their affairs were managed in wisdom and great unanimity, and a good meeting it was. Next day was held a select meeting for ministers and elders, where I had the privilege of being present, and it was a glorious meeting; divers living testimonies were borne by some young ministers, and suitable advice given by ancient Friends of