Extracts from a Diary: Also Extracts from Letters, Addressed to Different Branches of His Family

Extracts From A Diary: Also Extracts From Letters, Addressed To Different Branches Of His Family by John Benwell. This volume compiles the diary entries and selected letters of John Benwell, a 19th-century English Quaker elder and schoolmaster. Prepared posthumously by an editor from material found in his papers, it includes a Brief Memoir of the author's life and an extended Diary spanning years 1809–1823, with reflections on faith, humility, perseverance, and a desire for spiritual thoroughness. The editor notes Benwell's humility, his care for pupils, his concern for religious education, and his ongoing striving after sanctification, often expressing weariness with human weakness, but steady trust in divine mercy. The Extracts from Letters to family members provide practical counsel to children and reminders of virtue, patience, and devotion, framed by a devotional voice that emphasizes contentment, duty, and a readiness for suffering. Overall, the work offers insights into early 19th-century Quaker spirituality, parental guidance, and the intimate textures of daily faith, struggle, and hope.