*

under the shade of trees. He was the first man in these parts who preached against the evil of slaveholding; so far did his conscientious scruples extend that he avoided putting up at places where the labour was done by slaves. His testimony in this respect met with some opposition, and even members of the Society of Friends opposed him; but it happened that in a short time afterwards, two Friends came down on foot and publicly preached against the evil of slavery. Friends then received that testimony which they had refused from Joseph, and in a few years it became general among them to free their negroes. I have heard Joseph, in his public preaching, declare, that it was made known to him of the Lord, that in process of time the slaves would be a freed people. He moreover spoke of the downfall of the hired ministry. He continued in the ministry until his death, which happened (I think) after he had been ten or twelve years exercised in it. I have heard, that being asked on his death-bed in relation to the state of his mind, he said he had delivered the messages of the Lord, had said all he had to say, and had nothing more to say. It is also stated that he closed his own eyes, and thus terminated his days in peace.

The Nicholites were a remarkably plain people, and very kind and loving to each other; such was their love that they helped each other in their necessities, even so far as to bestow land, gratis— and they all freed their negroes.

A remarkable instance of the love of Joseph Nichols occurred in the following circumstance. After

* John Woolman and John Sleeper travelled on foot through the Eastern Shore of Maryland, in the year 1766.-See John Woolman's Journal.

one of his meetings, he took a person by the hand who had been convinced by him, but had backslidden from his profession, and said, "I wish I could take thee home with me, and watch over thy soul as I do over my own."

The foregoing account was received from Lambert Hopkins, in the fall of the year 1817. He then lived at or near Easton, in Maryland-was an aged man, and died a few years after. He had been, at a previous period of his life, for a number of years, intimately acquainted with Joseph Nichols, and in religious fellowship with him; but had fallen away from his religious profession and practice. He however, still retained a high regard for Joseph Nichols, and was very fond of conversing on religious topics, in which he evinced unusual intelligence. His account, so far as it goes, may, no doubt, be relied on.

William Needle's Account of Joseph Nicholsrelated in the year 1817.

Joseph Nichols, when preaching against the priests of the times, would frequently say, that he saw the day approaching, when their "churches should be deserted, so as to become a shelter for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air." Which literal.. ly came to pass-they becoming so deserted that the doors were left open, and the cattle and sheep taking refuge in them from the heat of summer and the cold of winter,-evinced the truth of the prediction of J. Nichols.

Since the American revolution, Episcopacy having lost ground, and the clergy being no longer able to force a maintenance, many of the churches (so called) on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, fell into

neglect, were forsaken, and ultimately pulled down. One, in particular, situated in Caroline county, near to Anthony Wheatley's, after being entirely deserted for about sixteen years, during which time the swallows literally built their nests in it; and undergoing partial decay, the flag-stones with which the aisle was paved, were removed, and used by people for making grindstones, &c. During the Revolution, the lead which capped the brick work, or pillars that projected outside of the building, was also removed, and finally, by general agreement of the neighbours, about the year 1814, the building was entirely pulled down, and the materials carried off, each taking what proportion he chose of them.

John Woolman's Account of Joseph Nichols. 1766.

In a religious visit performed by John Woolman and John Sleeper, on foot, in the year 1766, John Woolman gives the following account of the people called Nicholites.

"From Motherkill, we crossed the country about thirty-five miles to Friends at Tuckahoe, in Maryland, and had a meeting there, and at Marshy Creek.

At these our three last meetings, were a considerable number of people, followers of one Joseph Nichols, a preacher; who, I understand, is not in outward fellowship with any religious society of people, but professeth nearly the same principles as our Society doth, and often travels up and down, appointing meetings, to which many people come. I heard some Friends speaking of some of their neighbours, who had been irreligious people, that were now his followers, and were become sober, well-behaved men and women.

Some irregularities, I hear, have been amongst the people, at several of his meetings; but from the whole of what I have perceived, I believe the man and some of his followers, are honestly disposed, but that skilful fathers are wanting among them." Job Scott's Remarks on the Nicholites--1790.

Job Scott, in his travels in North Carolina, had a meeting with the Nicholites, near Deep River, in the 10th month, 1789. Of them, and of those in Maryland, he gives the following account.

"The Nicholites are a people who profess themselves, at least in most respects, to be real Friends, such as George Fox, and those in his day. The first of them, I understand, was one Joseph Nichols, who resided in the state of Delaware, and who, a number of years past, held meetings, and preaching to such as went to hear him, gathered a little society there, from whence those in Carolina came. They are a very plain people, and I had a lively evidence that some of them were humbly endeavouring to serve the Lord: but at the same time, I saw clearly that many of them rested too much on their outside plainness, and, valuing themselves upon that, had stopped short of a living acquaintance with the well-spring of eternal life.

The 3rd and 4th of 2nd month, 1790, we were at meetings with the Nicholites, at two of their meeting houses. They have three on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; which, with the one I was at in North Carolina, are, I think, all they have. Neither of these two were so lively and pleasant to me as that in Carolina. Though in the last of these, called the Fork Meeting, I did, after a long time of very pain

ful waiting, get, through Divine help, a good degree of relief, and laboured among them, I hope to the benefit of some of their souls. In the first of these two, called the Middle Meeting, I suffered exceedingly, and got scarce any relief. I did, after a long time, stand up, and expressed a little of my exercise, which was rather relieving than otherwise; but way not being open to proceed far in the clearness, I closed in the little life which I felt, and therein found peace, as to myself, but remained much distressed on account of the extreme formality which prevails among this people.

They trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others. This is too general among this people. Though truly, I do believe there is a remnant of true, inward Christians among them,-humble hearted followers of the Lamb. May they keep their eye so single, as to be further enlightened, till their whole body be full of light; then will they, I firmly believe, see clearly beyond that lifeless, superstitious dependance on outward exactness, which so much abounds in many of their minds, greatly to the eating out, or preventing of true Christian charity.

Alas! this is the very disposition our Saviour complained of, as shutting up the kingdom of heaven. It indeed does so, and prevents the individuals themselves, and those under their influence, from entering into a lively inward enjoyment of the coming, and the power thereof in the soul. I plainly saw them sitting in the outward court (as too many are in our own meetings) though in silence; many of them knowing little or nothing of true inward temple worship, in spirit and in truth, under the lively influence of the live coal from the holy altar;