That true religion consisted in an inward life, wherein the heart does love and reverence God the Creator, and learns to exercise true justice and goodness, not only toward all men, but also toward the brute creation. (ch. 1)

 One day, being under a strong exercise of spirit, I stood up and said some words in a meeting; but not keeping close to the divine opening, I said more than was required of me. (ch. 1)

 My employer, having a negro woman, sold her, and desired me to write a bill of sale. (ch. 1)

 A way of life free from much entanglement appeared best for me, though the income might be small. (ch. 2)

 In our journeying to and fro we found some honest-hearted Friends, who appeared to be concerned for the cause of truth among a backsliding people. (ch. 2)

 With people who lived in ease on the hard labour of their slaves, I felt uneasy. (ch. 2)

 We were taught by renewed experience to labour for an inward stillness; at no time to seek for words, but to live in the spirit of truth, and utter that to the people which truth opened in us. (ch. 2)

 As I looked to the Lord, he inclined my heart to His testimony. I told the man that I believed the practice of continuing slavery to this people was not right. (ch. 3)

 Deep-rooted customs, though wrong, are not easily altered; but it is the duty of all to be firm in that which they certainly know is right for them. (ch. 3)

 Observing that they had slaves, I found myself under a necessity, in a friendly way, to labour with them. (ch. 3)

 When men take pleasure in feeling their minds elevated with strong drink, and so indulge their appetite as to disorder their understandings, neglect their duty, and cast off all regard to religion, their case is much to be pitied. (ch. 3)

 To be a fool as to worldly wisdom, and to commit my cause to God, not fearing to offend men, who take offence at the simplicity of truth, is the only way to remain unmoved at the sentiments of others. (ch. 3)

 Conduct is more convincing than language, and where people, by their actions, manifest that the slave-trade is not so disagreeable, there is not a sound uniting with some Friends who visit them. (ch. 4)

 I was troubled to perceive the darkness of their imaginations. (ch. 4)

 When I was at Newbegun Creek a Friend was there, Samuel Newby, who laboured for his living, having no negroes, and who had been a minister many years. (ch. 4)

 As scrupling to pay a tax on account of the application [for war] hath seldom been heard of heretofore, even amongst men of integrity, who have steadily borne their testimony against outward wars in their time, I may therefore note some things which have occurred to me. (ch. 5)

 Orders came at night to the military officers in our county (Burlington), directing them to draft the militia, and prepare a number of men to go off as soldiers. (ch. 5)

 All true Christians are of the same spirit, but their gifts are diverse, Jesus Christ appointing to each one his peculiar office, agreeably to His infinite wisdom. (ch. 5)

 And though none did openly justify the practice of slave-keeping in general, yet some appeared concerned lest the meeting should go into such measures as might give uneasiness to many brethren. (ch. 5)

 It is a weighty thing to speak much in large meetings for business. (ch. 6)

 It was a time of deep exercise, but, looking often to the Lord for His assistance, He in unspeakable kindness favoured us with the influence of that Spirit which crucifies to the greatness and splendour of this world, and enabled us to go through some heavy labours, in which we found peace. (ch. 6)

 In the winter of this year, the smallpox being in our town, some things were opened in my mind. (ch. 6)

 As the present appearance of things is not joyous, I have been much shut up from outward cheerfulness, remembering that promise, "Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord." (ch. 7)

 In the heat of zeal, I made reply to what an ancient Friend said, and when I sat down I saw that my words were not enough seasoned with charity. (ch. 7)

I told him I was free to have a conference with them all together in a private house; or, if he thought they would take it unkind to be asked to come together, I was free to spend some time amongst them, and to visit them all in their own houses. (ch. 7)

 I considered that the formation of the earth, the seas, the islands, bays, and rivers, the motions of the winds and great waters, which cause bars and shoals in particular places, were all the works of Him who is perfect wisdom and goodness. (ch. 7)

 Appointing meetings never appeared more weighty to me, and I was led into a deep search whether in all things my mind was resigned to the will of God. (ch. 7)

 Do I, in all my proceedings, keep to that use of things which is agreeable to universal righteousness? (ch. 8)

 Some Friends were apprehensive that my wearing such a hat [the natural color of the fur] savoured of an affected singularity; those who spoke with me in a friendly way I generally informed, in a few words, that I believed my wearing it was not in my own will. (ch. 8)

 I fell in company with some of those natives who lived on the east branch of the river Susquehanna, at an Indian town called Wehaloosing, two hundred miles from Philadelphia. (ch. 8)

 When I told my dear wife, she appeared to be deeply concerned about it; but in a few hours' time my mind became settled in a belief that it was my duty to proceed on my journey, and she bore it with a good degree of resignation. (ch. 8)

 Tenth of Sixth Month. -- We set out early this morning and crossed the western branch of Delaware, called the Great Lehie, near Fort Allen. (ch. 8)

 Here I was led into a close and labourious inquiry whether I, as an individual, kept clear from all things which tended to stir up or were connected with wars, either in this land or in Africa, (ch. 8)

 Perceiving there was a man near the door I went out; the man had a tomahawk wrapped under his match-coat out of sight. As I approached him he took it in his hand; I went forward. (ch. 8)

 The Indians knowing that this Moravian and I were of different religious societies, and as some of their people had encouraged him to come and stay awhile with them, they were, I believe, concerned that there might be no jarring or discord in their meetings. (ch. 8)

 We reached Bethlehem on the 25th, taking care to keep foremost, and to acquaint people on and near the road who these Indians were. (ch. 8)

 Religious conversation with a company met to see the tricks of a juggler. (ch. 9)

 Having felt an openness in my heart towards visiting families in our own meeting, and especially in the town of Mount Holly, the place of my abode, I mentioned it at our Monthly Meeting. (ch. 9)

 Through the darkness of the times and the corruption of manners and customs, some upright men may have had little more for their day's work than to attend to the righteous principle in their minds as it related to their own conduct in life. (ch. 9)

 Coming among people in outward ease and greatness, supported chiefly on the labour of slaves, my heart was much affected, and in awful retiredness my mind was gathered inward to the Lord. (ch. 9)

 "I believe it is required of me to be resigned to go on a visit to some parts of the West Indies." (ch. 10)

 My mind was resigned, but I did not feel clearness to proceed. (ch. 10)

 A Friend laid before me the great inconvenience attending a passage in the steerage, which for a time appeared very discouraging to me. (ch. 11)

 How lamentable is the present corruption of the world! How great is the danger to which poor lads are exposed when placed on shipboard to learn the art of sailing! (ch. 11)

 They mostly appeared to take kindly what I said to them; but their minds were so deeply impressed with the almost universal depravity among sailors, that the poor creatures in their answers to me have revived in my remembrance, as repeated by Jeremiah the prophet, "There is no hope." (ch. 11)

 In the love of money and in the wisdom of this world, business is proposed, then the urgency of affairs pushes forward, and the mind cannot in this state discern the good and perfect will of God concerning us. (ch. 11)

 "No man can see God and live."As death comes on our own wills, and a new life is formed in us, the heart is purified and prepared to understand clearly (ch. 11)

 John Woolman sat silent for a space, profoundly affected by the unfavourable reception he met with, and his tears flowed freely. (Whittier's note, ch. 12)

 So great is the hurry in the spirit of this world, that in aiming to do business quickly and to gain wealth, the creation at this day doth loudly groan. (ch. 12)

 Friends in early times refused on a religious principle to make or trade in superfluities; but for want of faithfulness, some, whose examples were of note in our Society, gave way, from which others took more liberty. (ch. 12)

 In these journeys I have been where much cloth hath been dyed, and have, at sundry times, walked over ground where much of their dye-stuffs has drained away. (ch. 12)

 Of late I have sometimes felt a stop in the appointment of meetings, and I do not feel liberty to appoint them so quickly, one after another, as I have done heretofore. (ch. 12)

 Woolman's last days. (ch. 12)

 Testimony of Friends in Yorkshire (1773)

 Testimony of the Monthly Meeting of Friends, held in Burlington, NJ (1774)