xcept when we feel a Divine intimation to uphold
them, and may it not open the door to great laxity in our
practice? While I fully believe that the true disciple of Christ
will be favored with the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit
whenever it is needful to direct his steps; it appears to me
especially important, that, in matters of self-sacrifice and
conflicting with our worldly interest or reputation, we should
guard against being deluded into a neglect of duty, by waiting
for this direct Divine intimation, where the path of duty is
obvious and clearly understood, and when testimonies are
concerned, which we have long considered it our duty, on all
occasions, to support. If, under such a view of the subject, we
do believe it our duty to cease to act ourselves, and discourage
our brethren from laboring in the cause of the slave; a close
self-examination surely is needful, in order to ascertain if we
are consistently carrying out the same principle in our daily
walk in life--in our mercantile transactions--our investments of
property--in our connection with public institutions,--and with
political parties.

[Footnote A: "It is right to state, that I was much encouraged
by the lively expression of sympathy in the anti-slavery cause
in the Yearly Meetings of Philadelphia and New York: that at the
former place Friends opened a room at the meeting house for my
friend John Candler to give some information on the subject, and
at New York the large meeting house was not only readily granted
to him and me for the same purpose, but the clerks of the Yearly
Meeting kindly gave notice and invited Friends to attend."]

"It should be borne in perpetual recollection, that we are in no
small danger of shrinking from a faithful maintenance of those
testimonies which are unpopular with the world, as well as of
not seeing our own neglect of duty, while censuring the zeal or
supposed indiscretion of others. Besides, if this good cause be
really endangered by popular excitement, and the indiscretion of
its imprudent advocates, the obligation of consistent Friends to
be found at their posts, faithfully maintaining the testimony of
truth on its behalf, is greatly increased; and it is under such
circumstances that I think I have seen the peculiar advantage
and protection to our young friends