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Philadelphia 12 mo 25 1822
Dear Sister
I had been contemplating about writing ^last evening^
to some of you when I receivd [sic] thine & Amey’s [sic] letter &
also one from Lydia. We are now on the brink of leaving
this place, we have visited the families in Green Street M M
^consisting of upwards 130 families^
except three or four greatly to our satisfaction as also
to those visited which was abundantly expresst [sic] in the Monthly
Meetg there was frequently applications for permission for
those who were not members to vit [visit?] with us, as also some friendly
persons requested their families might be favour’d with a visit, which
was in a few instances granted. I do not know when we should have
got through, if all had been visited where it had appeard [sic] to be
desirable But after getting through this Meetg [sic] C felt himself
releast [sic] from attending the other at present which many appeard [sic]
to regret we attended their Monthly Meetg yesterday in which C
was drawn out largely in testimony, & likewise in the Mg for
dicipline [sic] in which he very feelingly addresst [sic] the youth as the
concerns of society must shortly fall on them, he drew a very hand-
some comparrison [sic] respecting Israel, being ^invaded^ by an enemy as mentiond [sic]
in the case of Deaborough [sic] in which the young men were to go fourth [sic]
to drive off the enemy, under the command of the King, & it was necess
ary they should wear the livery of the King otherwise they could not be
known from the enemy. But the Midianitish spirit had enterd [sic]
amongst us & stript [sic] our youth of their ornaments and in treating
on this subject he said Ruben [sic] the eldest who ought to be first
did not turn out to battle, which afterward occasiond [sic] great
searching of heart in Ruben [sic]. We likewise had a Mg last
evening for the colored people of which we have had divers [sic]
since we have been out The Meetings in this City ^have^ been very
large there would be great inquiry where C would be, the houses would
be filld [sic] before the times so that it was dificut [sic] to get in, tho the
people would endeavour to make way for us & evenings our friend
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C is here there would be a great collection last 2 day night
it was thought there was about 100 they appear to manifest
the greatest affection, among others came a priest that had
been at one of our Meetgs, it appear’d he had become uneasy with
their doctrines & practices & as he could not concientously [sic] comply
is now leaving the episcopal Church, & as he expresst [sic] had sacrificed
his means for a living and exposed himself to the scorn and sensure [sic]
of the people, he however said he felt great ^peace^ of mind C spoke
very encouraging to him & told him if he kept to that which
had begun the work he would be favoured to see more & more
It appeard [sic] he had been preaching in one of the churches in this
City about 4 years & from his own account he had been rather a
seeking man his parents were R Catholics he is about 29 years
of age Another a Merchant has been here twice to see C But
was so broken into tenderness could say hardly any thing for a
considerable time I conclude you have heard of
Thomas Eddy’s letter and of the opposition met with in endeav-
ouring to defeat C service in this City they are those who con-
sider themselves leaders in Society. But they appear to have
lost their influence, which I conclude is a mortification to
them we have heard nothing from them for several days
a great Interest is manifest for C support some say he has
nearly a 100 to 1 The Meetings are all laid out for
this week to day [sic] at Frankford [sic] tomorrow at Germantown next
at Abington and so on & first day at Roxbury, we have been
favourd [sic] with the company of John Coneley & others from the
country very agreeably we are [obliterated] seting [sic] our faces home-
ward & shall probably be there in two or three weeks I wish
you to show this to my family as it will save me from writing
to them as I am short of time C Bach got much better I
cannot omit to mention the kindness of S K Fisher in devoting his
carriage horses and man wholly at our service as it has been difficult
for C to walk Elias [?] desires his love to you in [which?] I join
yours &c David Seaman
if our next letters are directed
to Burlington perhaps we may be there in about 8 or 10 day [sic]
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[Address, etc. center of page, running upward]
Letter from David Seaman
Mary Kirby
Jericho Queens County
Long Island New York State
Care of Charles
Hubbs
[M. B. 10/18/2017]