ciably, and took out their
work, but were evidently prepared to lay it aside in the hope of having
another religious sitting. But as we believed there were those present who
had come from too great a desire to hear words, we were on the guard not
to satisfy this excited inclination; and the evening was spent in
agreeable conversation. Before we separated, however, we thought it well
to read our Yearly Meeting's Epistle, which was acceptable to all. Pastor
M. especially was pleased with the part about church-discipline, and said
he considered it of real advantage that the epistle had been read in
that company, as there were several young women present who might receive
benefit from it.

Feeling attracted towards the inhabitants of Muehlheim on the Ruhr, the
Friends again turned out of the direct road and crossing the Rhine a
little beyond Duisburg, arrived in the evening at Muehlheim. They found a
company of Separatists in the neighborhood of the town, some of whom they
visited; and the next day they passed over the Ruhr, and, with the
assistance of a school-master, convened a meeting for worship. At the time
appointed nearly three hundred persons assembled, mostly of the poorer
class. They were seated in a large school-room, the men on one side and
the women on the other, waiting in silence. They had a good meeting, and
at the conclusion the auditory expressed their unwillingness to part, and
their desire that those who had ministered to them should visit them
again.

On the 27th, after calling upon some descendants of Gerhard Tersteegen,
our Friends proceeded through Duesseldorf to Cologne. They were
disappointed of finding in the neighborhood of this city, that company of
religious people on whose account they had felt much interested, and of
whom they had heard that "they held principles like the Quakers, and were
as obstinate in them as they are." They did no more here than call upon a
few serious persons in the city, and then went forwards to Neuwied, hoping
there to hear of them.

At Neuwied, besides becoming acquainted with the Moravian preachers and
others, they were called upon by some of the _Inspirirten_, who
invited them to their meetings. They attended one of these; but, being
dissatisfied with the manner of the service, and not finding relief for
their spiritual exercise, though the opportunity of speaking was offered
without reserve, they in turn invited the company to meet with them the
next morning