IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MTS) V. // •<° C^x k //4 ^t \° Q... y 5r /^v/. 4 1.0 I.I 11.25 '- ilM I&3 ^^^_ .t 1^ ^ t 1^ |M 2.0 1= M. nil 1.6 <^ 4. /, >m / # -V^' ^ / y ^ Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ ■1>^ :\ \ la 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas et6 film6es. □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film^es ci nouveau de facon ci obtenir la meilleure image possible. □ Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppl6mentaires; This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X / 12X 16X 20X 26X 30X 24X 28X n 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Bibliothdque nationale du Quebec L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grSce d la gin^rositd de: Bibliothdque nationale du Quebec The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. 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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour §tre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 w This moet-ini^ having issuo.i a Tesliniony 11 nio., 21,1877, in which was shown the ])i-iiu-i]>al causes which led lo the 8o Yeai'l^' Meetinj.', which proposition was conscqudntl}' no reports wei'e forwai-ded to Ling, noitiier were there any representatives 1 it. h a step! (aa a matter of oxpedienc}') man}- (l^eawiyo that it was not riirht, but that it n^pmg tjhan to prolong a discussion which rly'abortiva of good. sriy Meeting, which was held at Pelham in many of^ tho members of Pelham Monthly I great concern on account of such non-re- ing it i^8^bordinntion, and contempt, of the :, and asserted that Norwich members were id for taking part in tlie business of the . To wljich Norwich Friends replied, that 18 niemboiis were disallowed the Meeting was d for acting in an official ciipacil}*, for, ac- le. Quai'tj^rly Meetings sliould be composed nthly Motetingi. But the members of Pel- r-rnled, and ijrooeeding with the business with Norwich Monthly Meeting foi* e of tho act of the meeting by an unfinished minute is not ea.sy to conjecture, they not having been personally at t»»H meet- ing. This interference of the committee being objectea lO, after some uncomfortable discussion the meeting adjourned. Some members remained in tho house and proeoedod to organize what they styled Norwich Monthly Meeting, tho committee remaining with them in violation of their own form- er advice, advised and encouraged those members in the mea- sure above described. Tho Monthly Meeting in 9th month was so disturbed by those who had set up a new Meeting that after the opening minute was read. Friends remained quiet until the others with- drew, when the qtierics were answered and representatives ap- pointed to the Quarterly Meeting. At the Quarterly Meeting held at Pelham in 9th months the Clerk, after calling the names of the representatives from Pelham Monthly Mootln|jftfia I'ecdrdfng their altendanco, calfed for tho report of the committee in reference to Norwich Moathly actffJg tho business claiming its attention, according to our lunlermul- diauipliaoL . Tlirn'ofara it wa» A4ljou4H»e^ to the usual time next month. At the Meeting held in tho 12th. month, a joint committee of men and women Friends were appointed i:i each of the two requests that had hecn forwarned bj' Women Friends At this time the Men's Meeting concurred with the Women in receiving into membership three other persona who had mnde application, there being no manifeNt obsti'uctions to their i-eception. Further business was deferred and the meeting adjourned. At our Monthl}'' Meeting in First Month, 187Y, a minute was made as follows: A portion of the Joint Committee in case made a report which the meeting was not united in accepting. Not being able to proceed with tho business be- fore us the meeting was adjourned to meet at the rise of our next Preparative Meeting. At the adjourned session held 2nd Mo 7, a proposal of marriage was admitted and forwai'dod after which the following minute appears : " Not being able to proceed in unit}'' with the remaining business of the mooting a proposition was made and united with to adjourn." Tho meet- ing was then adjourned to the usual time next month. It is meet to describe more clearlj' what those differences were, or rather the view taken by tho I'espective parties. One portion held that the Societ}'- of Friends had ever maintained a testimon}^ against artificial music, and to admit a person into membership who was in the practice thereof would commit the Monthlj'- Meetintr to a compromise of principle and that they felt conscientiously scrupulous in the maintenance of our testimonies. Another poition maintained that the applicant or applicants was or were converted, and a child or children of God, and therefore ought to be received. And oven went so far as to assert that their future well-bein', and moi-e speakers engaged in it, hence, the expression so often made i(sc of. thai a few ])er.so!is 1 tile the meeting. whiUt much of pci'soiudily and epithet was indulged in. dtaa mittee to which the.-e remurlcjj do not a] Aftfiv two KOAHioHH of-tlte -metrttni spent said Committee insisted that the i" its minutes: " It was advised by the Qui mittee that we adjourn. It was furtlu mittee that when we meet as a Monthly cause we cannot proceed with the busi unity we forthwith adjourn." It Avill here be noticed that this same course that seemed to awaken s with the members of Pelham Monthly } the authority of a Quarterly Meeting, of tho meeting on that occasion tho Co dissolution of the Monthly Meeting; als opportunity previouslj' had with the mittee stated distinctly that thet/ jf( Monthly Neeting, and when told that su the Quarterly Meeting, replied, we uull i In 4th and 5th Months nu busine the forwarding a mai-riage through it issuing a renioval certiticalo on behalf o At the Preparative Meeting in 6th was manifested to answering the Quei minute was made and lorwarded to *' After an attempt being made to read it was discontinued because protested a members." At our Monthly Meeting i great also was the opposition, that the made : " Information was received froi ing that the queries wore not answered* quently the reading of them was not No Representatives were appelated, Fric proceeding with the business. Take Jonathan H. lioger. Clerk." The prin swering the queries was founded on under dealing by the Quarterljr Meetin, a situation for doing business. The above minute of the Monthl}' I to tho Quai-tely Meeting, ( which was 1 same month ) and read by the Clerk, raised as to whether the members of Meeting had any right to ])articipate Quarterly Meeting. Tho Clerk at once tlio negative, from which many Friend controvc'i'sy the Clerk ruled it to be the ing that Norwich Friends take no part i alternative was presented either to a their rights in tho meeting, or to rejc( wich as unofficial. The latter course b( was made stating that no official report Norwich Monthly Meeting, and it Avas meeting that the niembers of that meet business of the Quarterly Meeting. Sa false statement, as the report in qucstio the minutes of tho meeting, and attoste( Clerk, which rendered it official. The members of Norwich Monthly pi'ived of their just rights by the illegj exercised by the Clerk of the Quarterh members of Pelham Monthl}- Meeting, all from that meeting, one of \Mhom (b( tee) dissented from the course ifiirsued. fioiii Pelham then, as the act ol! iho Qti nod the case of Norwich Month y Meet three months Ioniser, thereby o prove !*e rcmurlcH do not apply ioiiH of- fills mccttntijhntl bcon unprofilably 00 insisted ihiit tho following bo entoi-ed on IS advised by tho Qiuirterl}' Meotingis' Coin- oiirn. It was furlhoi" advised by said Coin- e moot as a Monthly Mooti'i«r, if from any •ocoed with tho business of tho mooting in adjourn." je noticed that this Committee advised tho eenu'd to awiilven such deep concern with of Pelham Monthly Meeting while assuming [uarterly Meeting. Before the adjournment that occasion tho Committee threatened the lonthly Meeting; also, after tho clo.so of the )usly had witn the Clerk, one of tho Com- inctly that they would lay down Norwich id when told that such an act would destroy iog, replied, we will establish another. Lh Months no business was transacted, save marriage through itH remaining stages and eitificalc on behalf of a member, itive Meeting in 6th month, such opposition answering the Queries thsit the following and forwarded to the Monthly Meeting, being made to read and answer the queries 1 because piiotostod against by a number of r Monthly Meeting in tho same month so opposition, that the following minute was tion was received from tho Preparative Meet- s wore not answered* in that mooting, conso- le of them Avas not proceeded witli in this, were appelated. Friends not being united in tho business. Taken from tho Minutes. I", Clerk." The principal reason for not an- os was founded on tho plea that wo were le Quarlerljf Meeting, and therefore not in g business. uto of the Monthl}' Meeting was presented soting, ( wliich was held at Norwich in tho read by the Clerk. The question was then >or the members of the ^N^orwich Monlh^j' ight to participate in the business of the . Tho Clerk at onco gave his judgment in which many Friends dissented; after some erk ruled it to be the judgment of tho incot- Triends take no part in tho business. But the esonted either to allow Norwich Friends meeting, or to reject the report from Nor- The latter course being ])ursued, a minute hat no official i-eport had been I'occived from Meeting, ani it was tho judgment of tho nembers of that meeting take no part in the irterly Mooting. Said minute containing a the report in question was an extract from meeting, and attested by the signature of its ii-ed it official. of Norwich Monthly Meeting were thus de- t rights by the illegal and aibitrar}- power ilcrk of the Quarterly Meeting and si.x other VI Monthly Meeting, there being but eight in ing, one of whom (being one of the coinu»it- 1 the course jUirsued. Those seven members as the act ol! ilic Qiiailei'f3' Meoliii;:. coiiliii- iwich Monthly Meeliug under llioir care for prevcut its going before the ei', thereby ^' Clerk, after calling tlio names of tbe rcpresentativos from lam Monthly Meeting and recording their attondanco, called lor the rcp»rt of the committee in reference to Norwich Monthly Mooting, which was objected to as contrary to good order for a meeting to transact business previous to its proper oi-pan- izalion, there being representatives from Norwich Monthly Meeting, also a report from that meeting on the table yet un- read. Most of the Pelham members contended that Norwich Monthly Meeting was still under dealings and not entitled to a hearing until after its caso was decided, nnd in order to give such decision the report of tho oommitteo must first be read, thus assuming the unheard of precedent that one Monthly Mealing has the right of exorcising the functions of a Quarterly Heel- ing and deal with another Monthly Meeting. The result was the reading of said report and the minutes of the newly set up mooting wero received as emanating from Norwich Monthly Meeting. Five of the Pelham committee attended Norwich Mooting in 8th month, counselled a separation and aided in affecting it. Fiight of them signed a report advising that the newly set up Meeting be accepted as the true one. One of that committee refused to sign said report, and the members of Pelham Month- ly Meeting gave decision in the matter, b}' which act Pelham Monthly Meeting identified itself and entered into official re- lationship with those who have separated from Norwich Month- ly Meeting, and thereby became separatists themselves. It be- ing the time for the appointment of Clerks tho representatives from Norwich Monthly Meeting having conferred together pro- posed Adam Spencer for Clerk, and William B. Stover for As- sistant, which being approved they were appointed to those ser- vices for one j'ear. After which Friends remained quiet until the others left the house when tho business of tho Quarterly- Meeting was proceeded with. We aie persuaded that the a8sum])tion of the whole con- trol of the Quarterly Meeting by members of Pelham Monthly Meeting and the appointment of said committee was not ac- cording to th,o mind of Truth, and that the action of said mcm- bei's and their committee did not tend to the healing of breaches but to hasten a separation. Tho whole aim and object of those wlto have separated from us seemed to bo to commit tho Monthlv Meeting to tho official acknowledgement of the erroneous views set forth in our Testimony' nnd to tiie sanction of practices contrary to tho the order and discipline of our religious society. Therefore tne alternative was before us, either to abandon the meet- ing to those errors and their attendant evils, or to "con- tend for the faith once delivci'cd to the Saints." and for the maintenance of order and discipline. The spirit of controvci'sy manifested bv those who have thus separated was not confined to meetings for discipline, but those for worship have frequently been scenes of confusion. Utterances in the line of the Ministry have been replied to, crit- icised and misinterpreted to the dishonor of Truth. Buf by the step they have taken they have b-^rne testimony that they are not of us ; therefore the Religious Society of Friends as tar "~ as assurance ilmt " they shall pros|ier that kn-o thee.'* By diiectioti of tho aforefatd Mce;in^' held Fourth 1 Month, 10th, 1878. I ADAM SPENCER, Clerk. 71883