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 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 DOCTKINES, 
 
 CHRISTIAN ADYICES 
 
 AIs'D 
 
 RULES OF DISCIPLINE 
 
 OF 
 
 NEW engla:n^d 
 
 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS. 
 
 PRINTED I5Y DIRECTION OF THE MEETING. 
 
 NEW BEDFORD: 
 
 E, Antiioxv & Sons, I'ri.ntbiw. 
 
 1872,
 
 -7 C^o'7 
 N 3 A ^ 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The first notices on the records of New England Yearly Meeting, 
 of any rules of Discipline for tlie observance of its members, appear 
 in the raiuutes of that meeting in the years 1708 and 1709. 
 
 The Discipline then adopted consisted of twenty Articles, with an 
 Introduction, declaring it to be the duty of all Friends " to walli in the 
 self-denying way of Truth in all humility and plainness, having regard 
 to the early testimonies of many worthy elders against pride, cov- 
 etousness, and superfluity of every sort," quoting 1st Peter i. 14, 15; 
 Rom. xii. 2; Phil. iv. 8, 9. And the quarterly meetings were directed 
 to recommend these articles to the monthly meetings, " to be given in 
 charge to such Friends as are chosen to visit families, that they may 
 see that Friends live up to Truth's testimony, in these, and in all other 
 respects." 
 
 They are designated as "what was agreed on for ye better regu- 
 lating of Friends in their deportment, and apparel, etc., at our Yearly 
 Meeting held at Newport ye Uth 4 [6] mo., 1708, with some correc- 
 tion at our Yearly Meeting for business held at Newport on Rhode 
 Island ye 13th of ye 4 [6] mo., 1709." 
 
 In 1733, the subject of the Discipline was again before the meeting, 
 and in 1734 a committee was appointed " to consider said minutes 
 and make such remarks toward alterations as they may think needful, 
 and return the same to our next Yearly Meeting, and collect what they 
 may think proper from the minutes of Pennsylvania Yearly Meeting." 
 
 In 1735, the committee reported " that some of the minutes of Penn- 
 sylvania Yearly Meeting may be profitably introduced." The commit- 
 tee refer to the minutes agreed to by the Yearly Meeting in 1709, and 
 conclude that it is not expedient to alter these, but rather, in tender 
 Christian love, to recommend their observance. 
 
 1736. " Our friend John Ilammet is appointed and desired to tran- 
 scribe the whole of our minutes respecting the regulating Friends in 
 their church government or discipline, deportment, etc. — that is to 
 say — one copy for each monthly meeting belonging to this Yearly 
 Meeting, and our friend Clark Rodman as treasurer is to pay for the 
 same." 
 
 No copy of this collection has been found. 
 
 At the Yearly Meeting in 17G0, a committee was appointed "to revise 
 and collect the whole of the Yearly Meeting's minutes for Discipline, and 
 also to peruse tlie English book of Discipline, and also that of Pcnn- 
 
 2137,']4
 
 IV 
 
 sylvania, and extract such parts, in order to join with ours, as tliey 
 shall judge necessary, and lay the whole before this meeting for appro- 
 bation." The following report was presented to the same meeting, viz. : 
 " We, your committee appointed to collect and revise a set of Rules 
 for Church Discipline tliroughout this Yearly Meeting, having several 
 times met and considered the same, do report that the Rules of our 
 Friends of old England are suitable for us with the following remarks." 
 (Here follow nine proposed variations from the English Discipline.) 
 
 "This meeting therefore appoints the following committee to agree 
 with some suitable person or persons, to transcribe two copies more 
 of the English Book of Discipline, one for each quarterly meeting, to 
 be paid out of the Yearly Meeting stock, and see that the several para- 
 graphs brought in by the committee are carefully entered under their 
 proper heads. And this meeting recommends to each quarterly meet- 
 ing, that they furnish each particular of their monthly meetings with 
 transcripts of the same, for the use intended, and that the same be done 
 as soon as possible." 
 
 1783. " The matter of revising the Discipline is committed to the 
 meeting for sufferings, with such women Friends as may be appointed 
 by the women's meeting, to report their progress to our next Yearly 
 Meeting." 
 
 1785. "The meeting for sufferings having gone through the revisal 
 of our Discipline, and laid a digest thereof before this meeting for its 
 disposal, after solidly and weightily considering thereon, it is con- 
 cluded to commit it to our friends, Edward Shove and others, who are 
 to unite with the meeting for sufferings and the committee the women 
 may appoint, to consider thereof, and make alterations and amend- 
 ments, if any may appear necessary, and report to an adjournment of 
 this meeting." 
 
 At a subsequent session, the same year, the following minute was 
 made, viz. : 
 
 " The committee to consider of the Discipline made a report which is 
 to the satisfaction of this meeting, and is as follows : "We, your 
 committee respecting the proposed Discipline, have met with the mem- 
 bers of the meeting for sufferings, and heard it read, and with such 
 alterations as are now made are easy therewith, and submit the dis- 
 posal thereof to the Yearly Meeting. 
 
 "For the committee. Paul Greene. 
 
 Catharine Almy. 
 
 "And the said digest as it now stands is adopted as the Rules of Dis- 
 cipline for this Yearly Meeting, and the communicating of it to the 
 quarterly and monthly meetings is committed to the care and oversight 
 of the meeting for sufferings, in such manner as may appear best." 
 
 The work was printed the same year under the title of " The Book 
 of Discipline agreed on by the Yearly Meeting of Friends for New
 
 England. Containing extracts of minutes, conclusions, and advices of 
 that meeting, and of the Yearly Meetings of London, Pennsylvania 
 and New Jersey, and New York, from their first institution. Alpha- 
 betically arranged. Providence, [in small quarto,] 1785." 
 
 1807. In this year, twenty-two years after the publication of the 
 first printed edition of the Book of Discipline, — " during which period 
 the new reguUitions which had taken place having rendered it an 
 imperfect collection of the rules of the Society, and the book being 
 out of print, the Yearly Meeting committed the revisal of our Disci- 
 pline to the meeting for sufl'erings, and that meeting having with care 
 and diligence completed and laid the same before the Yearly Meeting 
 in the sixth month, 1800," — it was adopted and directed to be printed. 
 The title was now changed to " Rules of Discipline of the Yearly 
 Meeting held on Rhode Island for New England, Printed by direction 
 of the meeting. New Bedford : Abraham Shearman, Jr., printer. 1809." 
 Reprints, With the same title, and such additions as had been dfrected 
 by the Yearly Meeting, were issued in 182G, ISiO, 1846, and 185G. 
 
 In all the issues of the Book of Discipline to this time, the advices 
 were given with little variation from the original phraseology, and the 
 date of issue was appended to each paragraph. 
 
 18G8. The consideration of a revision of our Discipline again en- 
 gaged the attention of the Yearly Meeting at its session this year, and 
 a large committee of men and women Friends were appointed, to give 
 the subject their careful attention, and report such changes as they 
 might think proper to the next Yearly Meeting. 
 
 1871. The committee having been continued in appointment until 
 this year, they then reported as follows, viz. : 
 
 "The joint committee appointed in 18G8 to revise the Book of Dis- 
 cipline have given careful attention to the subject, which involved 
 much time and labor; a different arrangement of the book having been 
 early agreed upon as desirable. 
 
 "A statement of the fundamental belief and Doctrines of our society 
 Is first introduced, which is followed by Advices on Christian Practice, 
 embracing in substance much that has been from time to time issued 
 by this meeting. The Rules which have appeared necessary in the 
 administration of the Discipline are tlien stated. We trust the sys- 
 tem proposed is in accordance with the principles which have ever 
 been maintained by our religious society, and that it is founded on the 
 doctrines and precepts of the New Testament. 
 
 " An earnest desire has, we believe, been prevalent with the commit- 
 tee to seek for best help in the performance of this Important duty, 
 and tlie result of our labors is now submitted, with the hope that it 
 may prove satisfactory to Friends."
 
 VI 
 
 The Yearly Meeting directed the document then presented and read, 
 to be referred back to the same committee, " requesting them to make 
 such changes and alterations, as, in their judgment, may be important 
 to accomplish the concern of the meeting; and to cause an edition of 
 ilve hundred copies to be i)rinted in a pamphlet form, and sent down 
 to our monthly meetings for distribution, as soon as practicable, in 
 order that all Friends may have an opportunity to examine the work, 
 and make any suggestions they may desire, to the committee, which 
 they are encouraged to be prompt in doing." 
 
 1872. The committee on the Discipline reported as follows : 
 "The joint committee on the revision of the Book of Discipline 
 report, that, as directed at our last Yearly Meeting, they have procured 
 the printing of five hundred copies of the essay presented at that time, 
 after some revision. These copies were distributed in the usual pro- 
 portions among Friends in the several quarterly meetings, with a 
 request that they should be returned, with comments, in season for 
 further consideration by the committee, previous to a final revision and 
 report. The work now presented is the result of this subsequent ex- 
 amination and review, and is submitted to the disposal of the Yearly 
 Meeting." 
 
 The work, as then submitted, was read and considered during four 
 joint sessions of the Yearly Meeting, and was, with some modifica- 
 tions, adopted. At the fifth joint session the following minute was 
 made, viz. : 
 
 " The several articles which have been adopted by this meeting have 
 now become its Discipline, and our subordinate meetings are directed 
 to be governed by its provisions, when official copies of this minute are 
 received by them, and also copies of the work." 
 
 Four Friends w^ere appointed "to cause an edition of one thousand 
 copies to be printed in good plain type, and to furnish all our subor* 
 dinate meetings with the number of copies required for their use; 
 the remainder of the edition to be placed in the hands of the treasurer 
 of the meeting, to be sold to our members at cost." 
 
 In accordance with this direction of the Yearly Meeting this book 
 has been printed.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 
 
 Page. 
 
 From an epistle addressed by George Fox and others to the Gov- 
 ernor of Barbadoes, 1G71 ^ 
 
 From a Declaration of Christian Doctrine given forth by the Society 
 of Friends, 1693 4 
 
 From the London General Epistle, 1736 8 
 
 From the Testimony of the Society of Friends, on the Continent of 
 America ^ 
 
 Of the Holy Scriptures, H 
 
 CHAPTER II. CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. 
 
 Meetings for Worship, 16 
 
 Private Retirement and Prayer, 20 
 
 Reading the Holy Scriptures, 22 
 
 On Gifts and Services for the Religious Benefit of Others, 23 
 
 On Simplicity, Moderation, and Self-Denial, 26 
 
 Love and Unity, Part I, 29 
 
 Part II, 31 
 
 Liberality and Benevolence, 32 
 
 Advice in Relation to the Ministry SI 
 
 Education, 38 
 
 Books, 41 
 
 Parents and Guardians, 42 
 
 f Counsel to the Young, 45 
 
 Advice in relation to Marriage, 49 
 
 Advice relating to Temporal Affairs, 51 
 
 Amusements and Recreations, 54 
 
 On the right occupation of the First Day of the Week, 56 
 
 War, S8 
 
 Slavery and Oppression, 59 
 
 Oaths CO 
 
 On Civil Government, 61 
 
 National Fasts and Rejoicings, and what are termed Holy Days, . . 63 
 
 Burials and Mourning Habits, 65 
 
 Covetousness, 66
 
 CONTENTS. Vlll 
 
 CHAPTEli 111. CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. 
 
 PAGIC. 
 
 Introduction. On the Origin of the Christian Discipline estab- 
 lished among Friends, 67 
 
 Meetings for Discipline, 71 
 
 The Yearly Meeting — Its History, Design and' Functions, . ... 75 
 
 Regulations, 80 
 
 Quarterly Meetings, 82 
 
 Monthly Meetings, 85 
 
 Delinquencies, 90 
 
 Ministers, . 04 
 
 Elders, 97 
 
 Memorials, 98 
 
 Preparative Meetings, 99 
 
 General Advices, 100 
 
 Queries, 103 
 
 Unanswered Queries, 106 
 
 Oversight, 106 
 
 Ministers and Elders, 110 
 
 Meetings of Ministers and Elders, Ill 
 
 Queries of the Meetings of Ministers and Elders, 113 
 
 Representative Meeting, 115 
 
 Care of the Poor, 117 
 
 Regulations with regard to Marriage, 119 
 
 Records, , 123 
 
 Removals, 12G 
 
 Difl'erences and Arbitrations, 127 
 
 Appeals, 130 
 
 Trust Property, 133 
 
 Intoxicating Liquors, Tobacco, &c., 135 
 
 Defamation and Detraction, 136
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRWE. 
 
 FROM AN EPISTLE ADDRESSED BY GEORGE FOX AND OTHERS, 
 TO TIip GOVERNOR OF BARBADOES, 1671. 
 
 We do own aud believe in God, the only wise, omnip- 
 otent, and everlasting God, who is the creator of all 
 things both in heaven and in the earth, and the preserver 
 of all that He hath made ; who is God over all, blessed 
 forever; to whom be all honor and glory, dominion, 
 praise, and thanksgiving, both noAV aud forevermore ! 
 And we do own and believe in Jesus Christ, his beloved 
 and only begotten Son, in whom He is well pleased ; who 
 was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin 
 Mary; in whom we have redemption through his blood, 
 even the forgiveness of sins ; who is the express image of 
 the invisible God, the first-born of every creature ; by 
 Avhom were all things created that are in heaven and that 
 are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, 
 or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were 
 created l)y Him. And we do own and believe that He 
 was made a sacrifice for sin, who knew no sin, neither 
 was guile found in his mouth ; and that He was crucified 
 for us in the flesh, Avithout the gates of Jerusalem; and 
 that He Avas buried, and rose again the third day by the 
 power of his Father, for our justification ; and avc do be- 
 lieve that He ascended up into heaven, and now sittctli at 
 the right hand of God. This Jesus, who was the founda- 
 tion of the holy prophets and apostles, is our foundation;
 
 2 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [Chap. I. 
 
 and we do believe that there is no other foundation to be 
 laid but that which is laid, even Christ Jesus ; who, we 
 believe, tasted death for every man, and shed his blood 
 for all men, and is the propitiation for our sins, and not 
 for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world : 
 according as John the Baptist testified of Him, when he 
 said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the 
 sin of the world." John, i. 29. We believe that He alone 
 is our Redeemer and Saviour, even the Captain of our 
 salvation, (who saves us from sin, as well as from hell 
 and the wrath to come, and destroys the devil and his 
 works,) who is the Seed of the woman that bruises the 
 serpent's head ; to wit, Christ Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, 
 the first and the last. That He is (as the Scriptures of 
 truth say of Him) our wisdom and righteousness, sancti- 
 fication and redemption ; neither is there salvation in any 
 other, for there is none other name under heaven given 
 among men, whereby we must be saved. It is He alone 
 who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls : He it is 
 who is our Prophet, whom Moses long since testified of, 
 saj'ing, " A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto 
 you of your brethren, like unto me ; him shall ye hear in 
 all things whatsoever he shall say unto you : and it shall 
 come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that 
 prophet shall be destroyed from among the people." 
 Acts, iii. 22, 23. He it is that is now come "and hath 
 given us an understanding, that we may know Him that 
 is true." And He rules in our hearts by his law of love 
 and of life, and makes us free from the law of sin and 
 death. And we have no life but by Him ; for He is the 
 quickening spirit, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, 
 by whose blood we are cleansed, and our consciences 
 sprinkled from dead works, to serve the living God. And 
 He is our mediator, that makes peace and reconciliation 
 between God offended and us offending; He being the
 
 Chap, i.] EPISTLE BY GEO. FOX, &C. S 
 
 Oath of God, the new covenant of light, life, grace, and 
 peace ; the author and finisher of our faith. Now this 
 Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly man, the Immanuel, 
 God with us, we all own and believe in ; Him whom the 
 high priest raged against, and said he had spoken blas- 
 phemy ; whom the. priests and the elders of the Jews took 
 counsel together against, and put to death ; the same 
 whom Judas betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, whicli 
 the priests gave him as a reward for his treason ; who also 
 gave large money to the soldiers to broach a horrible lie, 
 namely, that his disciples came and stole Him away by 
 night while they slept. And after He was risen from the 
 dead, the history of the Acts of the Apostles sets forth 
 how the chief priests and elders persecuted the disciples 
 of this Jesus, for preaching Christ and his resurrection. 
 This, we say, is that Lord Jesus Christ, whom we own to 
 be our life and salvation. 
 
 And, as concerning the Holy Scriptures, we do believe 
 that they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God, 
 through the holy men of God, who (as the Scripture it- 
 self declares, H Pet. i. 21,) " spake as they were moved 
 by the Holy Ghost." We believe they are to be read, 
 believed, and fulfilled, (He that fulfils them is Christ) ; 
 and they are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor- 
 rection, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of 
 God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
 works," H Tim. iii. 16, 17 ; and are able to make Avise 
 " unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 
 We call the Holy Scriptures, as Christ and the apostles 
 called them, and holy men of God called them — the 
 words of God. 
 
 We do declare, that we do esteem it a duty incumbent 
 on us to pray with and for, to teach, instruct, and admon- 
 ish, those in and belonging to our families, for whom an 
 account will be required by Him who comes to judge both
 
 4 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [Chap. I. 
 
 quick and dead, at the great day of judgment, when every 
 one shall be rewarded accor(Jing to the deeds done in the 
 body, whether they be good or whether they be evil ; at 
 that day, we say, of the resurrection, both of the good 
 and of the bad, of the just and the unjust, " when the 
 Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty 
 angels, in llaming tire, taking vengeance on them that know 
 not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ : who shall be punished with everlasting destruction 
 from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
 power ; when He shall come to be glorified in his saints, 
 and to be admired in all them that believe in that day." 
 II Thess. i. 7-10. See also II Pet. iii. 3, &c. 
 
 FROM A DECLARATION OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE GIVEN 
 FORTH BY THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, 1693. 
 
 We sincerely profess faith in God by his only begotten 
 Son, Jesus Christ, as being our Light and Life, our only 
 way to the Father, and also our only mediator and advo- 
 cate with the Father. 
 
 That God created all things ; He made the worlds, by 
 his Son, Jesus Christ, He being that powerful and living 
 Word of God, by Avhom all things were made ; and that 
 the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, are one, in 
 divine being inseparable ; one true, living, and eternal 
 God, blessed forever. 
 
 Yet that this Word, or Son of God, in the fulness of 
 time, took flesh, became perfect man according to the 
 flesh, descended and came of the seed of Abraham and 
 David ; but was miraculously conceived by the Holy 
 Ghost, and born of the virgin Mary : and also, further 
 declared to be the Son of God, with power, according
 
 Chap. I.] DECLARATION, 1693w 5 
 
 to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the 
 dead. 
 
 That in the Word, or Son of God, was life, and the 
 same life was the light of men ; and that He was that true 
 light which enlightens every man coming into the world ; 
 and therefore that men are to believe in the light, that 
 they may become the children of the light. Hereby we 
 believe in Christ, the Son of God, as He is the light and 
 life within us ; and wherein we must needs have sincere 
 respect and honor to and belief in Christ, as in his own 
 unapproachable and incomprehensible glory and fulness ; 
 as He is the fountain of life and light, and giver thereof 
 unto us ; Christ, as in Himself, and as in us, being not 
 divided. And that, as man, Christ died for our sins, rose 
 again, and was received up into glory, in the heavens, He 
 having, in his dying for all, been that one great universal 
 offering and sacrifice for peace, atonement, and reconcili- 
 ation, between God and man ; and He is the propitiation, 
 not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. 
 
 That Jesus Christ, who sitteth at the right hand of the 
 throne of the Majesty in the heavens, is yet our King, 
 High Priest, and Prophet; in his church, a Minister of 
 the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord 
 pitched, and not man. He is Intercessor and Advocate 
 with the Father in heaven, and there appearing in the 
 presence of God for us, being touched with the feeling of 
 our infirmities^ sufferings, and sorrows. And also by his 
 Spirit in our hearts, He maketh intercession according to 
 the will of God, crying, Abba, Father. 
 
 That the Gospel of the grace of God should be preached 
 in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, being 
 one in power, wisdom, and goodness, and indivisible (or 
 not to be divided) in the great work of man's salvation. 
 
 We sincerely confess and believe in Jesus Christ, both 
 as He is true God and perfect man, and that He is the
 
 B CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [Chap. 1. 
 
 author of our living faith iu the power aud goodness of 
 God, as manifested in his Sou Jesus Christ, and by his 
 own blessed Spirit (or divine uuction) revealed in us, 
 whereby we inwardly feel and taste of his goodness, life, 
 and virtue, so as our souls live and prosper by and in 
 Ilini : and the inward sense of this divine power of Christ, 
 and faith in the same, and the inward experience, are ab- 
 solutely necessary to make a true, sincere and perfect 
 Christian iu spirit and life. 
 
 That divine honor and worship is due to the Son of 
 God; and that He is, in true faith, to be prayed unto, 
 and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ called upon, (as 
 the primitive Christians did,) because of the glorious 
 union or oneness of the Father and the Sou, aud that we 
 cannot acceptably offer up prayers and praises to God, 
 nor receive a gracious answer or blessing from God, but 
 in and through his dear Son. 
 
 Concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the great 
 day of judgment yet to come, beyond the grave, or after 
 death, and Christ's coming without us, to judge the quick 
 and the dead ; what the Holy Scriptures plainly declare 
 and testify in these matters, we have been always ready 
 to embrace. 
 
 1. For the doctrine of the resurrection : "If in this 
 life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most 
 miserable." I Cor. xv. 19. We sincerely believe, not 
 only a resurrection in Christ from the falle;i, sinful state 
 here, but a rising and ascending into glory with Him 
 hereafter ; that when He at last appears, we may appear 
 with Him in glory ; Col. iii. 4 ; I John, iii. 2 ; but that 
 all the wicked who live in rebellion against the light of 
 grace, and die finally impenitent, shall come forth to the 
 resurrection of condemnation ; and that the soul or spirit 
 of every man and woman shall be reserved in its own 
 distinct aud proper being, and every seed, yea every soul,
 
 Chap. I.] DECLARATION OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 7 
 
 shall have its proper body, as God is pleased to give it. 
 I Cor. XV. A natural body is sown, a spiritual body is 
 raised : that being lirst which is natural, and afterward 
 that which is spiritual. And though it is said, this cor- 
 ruptible shall put on iucorruptiou, and this mortal shall 
 put on immortality, the change shall be such as will accord 
 with the declaration, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the 
 kingdom of Go.d, neither doth corruption inherit incor- 
 ruption." I Cor. xv. 50. We shall be raised out of all 
 corruption and corruptibility, out of all mortality ; and 
 the children of God and of the resurrection shall be equal 
 to the angels of God in heaven. As celestial bodies do 
 far excel terrestrial, so we expect our spiritual bodies in 
 the resurrection shall far excel what our bodies now are. 
 Howbeit we esteem it very unnecessary to dispute or 
 question how the dead are raised, or with what body they 
 come : but rather submit that to the wisdom and pleasure 
 of Almighty God. 
 
 2. For the doctrine of the eternal judgment: God 
 hath committed all judgment unto his Son Jesus Christ ; 
 and He is judge both of the quick and the dead, and of 
 the states and ends of all mankind. John, v. 22, 27 ; 
 Acts, X. 42 ; II Tim. iv. 1 ; I Pet. iv. 5. 
 
 That there shall be hereafter a great harvest, which is 
 the end of the world, a great day of judgment, and the 
 judgment of that great day, the Holy Scripture is clear. 
 Matt. X. 15 ; xiii. 39, 40, 41 ; Jude, 6. " When the Son 
 of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels 
 with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory ; 
 and before him shall be gathered all nations," &c. Matt. 
 XXV. 31, 32, to the end, compared with Luke, ix. 26, 
 and I Cor. xv. 52 ; I Thess. iv. 16, and II Thcss. i. 7, 8, 
 to the end; Kcv. xx. 12, 13, 14, 15.
 
 8 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [Chap. I. 
 
 These declarations, "which are in accordance with 
 the testimony of the ni)proved writings of Friends 
 both ancient and modern, were published in the 
 early days of our religious Societj^, as setting forth 
 its faith then, on these momentous points. They 
 have been officially confirmed and sanctioned by, 
 perhaps, every generation of our members since, 
 and they declare the faith of Friends now. 
 
 FROM THE LONDON GENERAL EPISTLE, 1736. 
 
 And, dear Friends, in order that, as we have received 
 Christ, so we may walk in Him, in all holiness and godli- 
 ness of conversation, we earnestly exhort that ye hold fast 
 the profession of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, with- 
 out wavering ; both in respect to his outward coming in 
 the flesh, his sufi\3rings, death, resurrection, ascension, 
 mediation, and intercession at the right hand of the 
 Father ; and to the inward manifestation of his grace and 
 Holy Spirit in our hearts, powerfully working in the soul 
 of man, to the subduing of every evil affection and lust, 
 and to the purifying of our consciences from dead works, 
 to serve the living God ; and that, through the virtue and 
 efllcacy of this most holy faith, ye may become strong in 
 the Lord, and in the power of his might.
 
 Chap. I.] TESTIMONY, 1830. 9 
 
 FKOM THE TESTIMONY OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS ON 
 THE CONTINENT OF AMERICA.* 
 
 The article of belief, which stands foremost in its nature 
 and importance, and that which is the foundation of all 
 others, is the being of one God, — infinite in all His at- 
 tributes, and existing in His own divine perfections, "from 
 everlasting to everlasting." This one, true, eternal, and 
 incomprehensible God, created and still upholds "all 
 things by the Word of his power." In his infinite good- 
 ness. He has been pleased to reveal to mankind a knowl- 
 edge of Himself and of the means of acceptance with 
 Him, so far as, in his wisdom. He saw to be fit, and suited 
 to the condition of the human mind. 
 
 From these revelations of the Spirit of God, proceeded 
 the Scriptures of Truth, which were written by "holy 
 men of God " " as they were moved by the Holy Ghost " ; 
 and by the operations of the same Spirit, He still influ- 
 ences the hearts of the children of men to practical right- 
 eousness, and to a belief in harmonious accordance with the 
 testimony of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 The Society of Friends has declared, both by the con- 
 current testimony of many of its most eminent members, 
 and in a collective capacity, its firm belief in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, as the Saviour of men ; that he was con- 
 ceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, — 
 that He wrought miracles in the land of Judea, was hated 
 and rejected by the chief priests and people of the Jews, 
 betrayed by Judas, and crucified under Pontius Pilate ; 
 that He rose from the dead the third day, appeared to his 
 disciples, and ascended to heaven, and ever liveth to make 
 intercession for us ; that He is now come in Spirit, and 
 hath given us an understanding, being our Prophet and 
 
 * Issued by a General Committee appointed by tlio several Yearly Meetings of 
 Friends on the American Continent. Philadelphia, 1830. 
 B
 
 10 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [Chap. I. 
 
 High Priest, and head over all things to his church ; by 
 Avhom also God Avill judge the world in righteousness, 
 whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that He 
 hath raised Him from the dead. This we say is that Lord 
 Jesus Christ whom we own to be our life and salvation. 
 
 The doctrine of the light of Christ in the hearts of men, 
 taken in connection with the other fundamental doctrines 
 of the Gospel, has been held by the Society from its first 
 being gathered to be a people to the present time. But 
 it ought to be remembered that it is to be carefully distin- 
 guished from every other influence which actuates the 
 human mind. Man being endowed with rational faculties, 
 and moreover subject to be operated upon by the prince 
 of the power of the air, the spirit that now rules in the 
 hearts of the children of disobedience, the admonition of 
 the apostle is of peculiar importance : " Believe not every 
 spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." I 
 John, iv. 1. 
 
 We profess, and firmly believe that this light of Christ 
 in the heart is an unerring guide, and the primary rule of 
 faith and practice ; that it is the only medium through 
 which we can truly and livingly attain to the knowledge 
 of God, and the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom. 
 
 That the influence of the Holy Spirit must be sensibly 
 experienced, in order to be availing to us, is evident in 
 the very nature of divine things. It is this which pro- 
 duces all heavenly afiections and feelings on the obedient 
 mind, which opens the understanding and gives it a right 
 perception, and is in us an operative power, by which we 
 are enabled to resist temptation, and walk in obedience to 
 the law of God. By his powerful operations we are 
 washed and sanctified and justified in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus, for it is " by the Spirit of our God." I Cor. 
 vi. 11. We desire to press the importance of this doc- 
 trine, and to guard it against innovations. Nor can a
 
 Chap. I.] TESTIMONY, 1830. 11 
 
 right belief iu the Holy Spirit and his influences and op- 
 erations upon the human mind as the primary source of 
 divine knowledge in us, and the immediate operative 
 power in the w^ork of sanctification and complete redemp- 
 tion, detract from the value of the Holy Scriptures. For 
 as we believe that they certainly proceeded from the same 
 Spirit, so we believe that w^hatever is contrary to their 
 testimony, in faith or practice, must be a delusion, and in 
 opposition to the immediate influences of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 We have ever believed, and as constantly maintained, 
 the truth of that great and mysterious doctrine that " there 
 are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the 
 Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these Three are One," — 
 one God, infinite, eternal, and incomprehensible, and 
 blessed forevermore. 
 
 The fallen condition of man, as he stands in a state of 
 nature, is a doctrine held forth in the Holy Scriptures, 
 and is of great importance in its application to ourselves, 
 as well as in its intimate connection with the doctrine of 
 redemption by Jesus Christ. 
 
 Man was originally created iu the divine image. " In 
 the image of God created he him," " crowned him with 
 glory and honor," and set him over the works of his hands. 
 But by transgression he fell from this exalted condition, 
 incurred the penalty of death, and so lost the divine 
 image, — the wisdom, purity, and power in which he was 
 made. This lapse of our prime ancestors not only imme- 
 diately aflected the actual transgressors, but remotely all 
 their posterity. The Society of Friends, in declaring its 
 belief of the extension of the cftects of Adam's fall to 
 all his posterity, has been careful to distinguish between 
 those efiects, as they apply to us, simply in a state of 
 nature, or as the posterity of Adam in his fallen state, 
 and the fjuilt or sin which attaches to us in consequence 
 of our own actual transgression.
 
 12 CHRtS'TlAN DOCTRINE. [Chap. 1. 
 
 In taking a, view of the original and present condition 
 of man, at first in the divine image, and afterwards fallen, 
 degenerate, and dead, we arc to consider him composed, 
 in part, of an immortal soul, which must eternally exist 
 iu a. state either of happiness or misery. Thus the doc- 
 trine of the resurrection, both of the just and the unjust, 
 of future judgment, of rewards and punishments, and the 
 realities of heaven and hell, is inseparably connected with 
 the belief of the attributes of God, and the immortality 
 of the soul. 
 
 And hence the consequence of sin, and of alienation 
 from God, not being confined to the present state of ex- 
 istence, but of eternal duration, the redemption of man 
 becomes one of the most awful, humbling, and exalted 
 subjects which can possibly engage the attention of the 
 human mind. The depth of darkness into which we have 
 been plunged, the awfulness of the consequences attendant 
 on that state, the riches of the love of God, displayed iu 
 the redemption by Jesus Christ, and the height of happi- 
 ness and glory to which we may be raised through that 
 redemption, combine not only to recommend this doctrine 
 to our frequent meditation, but to clothe the mind with 
 the most humbling feelings, and to inspire it with the 
 most animating hopes. 
 
 From a careful consideration of the doctrines of the 
 Christian religion, it will be seen that there is an intimate 
 connection of all its parts, and a dependence of the whole 
 on Jesus Christ, in his blessed ofiices, as the everlastins: 
 Foundation. It was on his coming, and what He did for 
 us without us, that the previous forms of devotion were 
 abrogated, and a worship introduced, at once simple and 
 sublime ; in which, in humble waiting upon God, we may, 
 as said the apostle, "come boldly to the throne of grace," 
 and hold communion with the Father of mercies, the God 
 of all consolation.
 
 Chai5.»l.] TESTIMONY, 1830. 13 
 
 It was He, who, having been crucified, raised from the 
 dead, and exalted by the right hand of God, shed forth 
 the Holy Spirit, by virtue of which both sous and daugh- 
 ters were to prophesy. And those whom He was pleased 
 to call and qualify for the ministry, being ambassadors for 
 Him, boldly declared the necessity of faith in Christ, and 
 of obedience to his divine precepts. And in the exercise 
 of their gifts they were instructed to depend on Him, to 
 be to them mouth and wisdom, tongue and utterance. 
 
 By his own regenerating power, He leads the soul 
 through those cleansing operations which were repre- 
 sented by outward baptism, and which consist not in " the 
 putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a 
 good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ." I Peter, iii. 21. And in the participation of 
 the divine nature, and through that faith which applies 
 and seals the eflicacy of his propitiation, wo enjoy the 
 communion of the body and blood of Christ. 
 
 He brought life and immortality to light through the 
 gospel, and pointed the minds of the humble believers in 
 Him to a mansion of rest, eternal in the heavens. 
 
 He more clearly revealed the relations we hold to God, 
 and to one another, than had been made known under the 
 previous dispensation. The nature of his peaceful reign, 
 and the social virtues characteristic of his kingdom upon 
 earth, which had been set forth before, in the sublime and 
 figurative language of prophecy. He brought down, in 
 his own divine precepts, to the comprehension of the 
 humblest understanding. He commanded us to love our 
 enemies — to do good for evil, and, as a universal rule of 
 action, to do to others as avc would they should do unto 
 us. Thus the axe was laid to the very root of the princi- 
 ples of war, retaliation, and revenge, and all the various 
 grades of wrong, oppression, and injustice, among men. 
 And by his Spirit in our hearts. He inspires us with those
 
 14 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. [Ckap. I. 
 
 heavenly affectious and feelings, and that universal benev- 
 olence, in which man, in every situation, is the friend of 
 man — and, in the prevalence of which, violence no more 
 would be heard in the land, wasting nor destruction with- 
 in our borders ; and a practical illustration would be given 
 of the anthem of the heavenly host ; " Glory to God in 
 the highest ; and on earth, peace, good will toward men." 
 
 OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 We esteem the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New 
 Testament as the authentic testimony of the Sj)irit, di- 
 vinely preserved ; as the abiding record of the Truth of 
 God ; "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
 for instruction in righteousness," and able to make " wise 
 unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 
 As we do therefore believe that these Scriptures were 
 given by inspiration of God, the declarations contained in 
 them rest on the authority of God Himself, and there can 
 be no appeal from them to any other authority whatsoever ; 
 that they are the only divinely authorized record of the 
 doctrines ^vhich we are bound as Christians to believe, 
 and of the moral principles which are to regulate our 
 actions ; that no doctrine which is not contained in them 
 can be required to be believed as an article of faith ; and 
 that, whatsoever any say, or do, which is contrary to the 
 Scriptures, though they profess the guidance of the Spirit, 
 it must be accounted a delusion. The great end of the 
 Old Testament Scriptures is to testify of Christ, for " to 
 Him give all the prophets witness : " and we accept the 
 writings of the New Testament, as the record which God 
 hath given us of his Son ; and believe that their main 
 purpose is, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to 
 bring us to the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
 Chap. I.] OF THE HOLY SCEIPTURES. 15 
 
 As these inestimable writings were given forth by the 
 Spirit, so a true understanding of the divine will, and 
 spiritual meaning of the application of Holy Scripture, 
 cannot be discerned by the natural, but only by the 
 spiritual man. It is therefore, by the assistance of the 
 Holy Spirit, that they are read with instruction and com- 
 fort.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 CimiSTIAN^ PRACTICE, 
 
 SECTION 1 — MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP. 
 
 The upholding of meetings for the public worship of 
 Almighty God is not only a high privilege, but a solemn 
 duty, for which we are responsible to Him who hath called 
 us ; and Friends are affectionately and earnestly advised, 
 duly to attend all our meetings held for that purpose, and 
 not to allow any slight excuse or engagement in their tem- 
 poral concerns to occasion their absence therefrom, or 
 that of their children or those under their care. And, 
 wheu assembled. Friends should be diligent in waiting 
 upon the Lord, with fervent desires for the quickening 
 influence- of the Holy Spirit, to enlighten the soul to a 
 true sense of its condition ; to enable it acceptably to 
 approach the Throne of Grace ; to be favored with the 
 enjoyment of his life-giving presence ; and to be preserved 
 from wandering thoughts and from a lukewarm and drowsy 
 state. Their deportment should be such as will demon- 
 strate that they are in earnest, in the great duty of waiting 
 upon and worshiping God in spirit. Thus would serious 
 and tender hearted inquirers be encouraged to come and 
 partake, in our solemn assemblies, of that inward and 
 spiritual instruction and refreshment which is, at times, 
 imparted to the souls of such as are humbled before the 
 Lord, and approach his holy presence with reverence and 
 fear. 
 
 Let not the smallness of your numbers discourage you
 
 Chap, n.] MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP. 17 
 
 from constantly attending meetings, inasmuch as the 
 words of Christ remain unchangeably true and steadfast, 
 " Where two or three are gathered together in my name, 
 there am I in the midst of them." But, it has been justly 
 observed, that, where remissuess and neglect of attending 
 meetings for worship have prevailed, it has often proved 
 an inlet to farther declension, and such other liberties as 
 the Truth by no means admits* of. Neither let your 
 meetings be neglected because they are sometimes held in 
 silence, for, as you arc engaged to wait reverently upon 
 the Lord, the hungry seeking for bread, and the thirsty 
 for the water of life, you will receive spiritual refreshment, 
 your strength will be renewed, and you will witness Him 
 to be your sufficient help. 
 
 As the constant attendance of meetincfs for divine wor- 
 ship constitutes an important element in the religious ed- 
 ucation of our youth, we advise Friends to encourage 
 their children in a seasonable and orderly frequenting, as 
 well of week-day as of first-day meetings ; and we would 
 also recommend to those having apprentices or others 
 under their care, to extend kind attention to them, and 
 make such domestic arrangements as may enable them to 
 attend public worship duly and punctually ; and when 
 Friends live distant from meetings we would remind them 
 to hold meetings in their families, there to wait upon God, 
 that their hearts may be brought under the awakening, 
 regenerating power of his spirit, that so his blessing may 
 rest upon them. 
 
 Seasonable preparation and punctual attendance, at the 
 hour appointed for public worship, are of no small im- 
 portance. If we hurry away from our outward occu- 
 pations to the mccting-house, we are in great danger of 
 having our thoughts employed on that in which we have 
 been engaged, and, if late, of interrupting that holy si- 
 lence which, it is believed, would often prevail if all the 
 c
 
 18 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 members of a meeting wore assembled, not only in one 
 place, but at one time, with one and the same great object 
 in view. 
 
 And as our religious meetings are to be attended for 
 the worship and honor of Almighty God, wherein we 
 place ourselves more immediately m his presence, may a 
 reverent sense of our responsibility keep ns humbly 
 watchful before Ilim. As this holy care and waiting are 
 maintained a drowsy and listless- state will be avoided. 
 Should any be overtaken by drowsiness, we entreat them 
 to seek earnestly by prayer in faith to be preserved from 
 thus dishonoring God and his cause. And if any of our 
 members fall into the practice of sleeping in our meetings, 
 may they be tenderly treated with for their recovery. If 
 they have occupied seats facing the meeting, whether min- 
 isters, elders, or others, such are advised to withdraw to 
 a position less conspicuous in the meeting until they are 
 sensible of an overcoming. Where such weakness is 
 apparent in any of our meetings, may all the living mem- 
 bers lay it seriously to heart, that a united concern and 
 labor be witnessed therein for the arising of the spring of 
 divine life among them, that so a prevalence of life in the 
 body may preserve all its members from thus bringing 
 reproach upon the name of Christ. 
 
 May none yield to the idea that there can be worship in 
 any prescribed system of observances, apart from the 
 ministrations of the Lord's Spirit, or conclude that there 
 can be no true worship, even where the immediate opera- 
 tions of his spirit are enjoyed, without the accompaniment 
 of outward teaching or services. And, when assembled 
 in our religious meetings, may none rest in a vacant still- 
 ness or indolent musing, or in thoughts wandering upon 
 earthly things. May all seriously remember that the ob- 
 ject of thus assembling is the worship of the infinite, all- 
 seeing, and ever present God, and that it is through the
 
 Chap, n.] MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP. 19 
 
 mediatiou of Him, "svho died for bis people to save them 
 from their sius, and who ever liveth to make intercession 
 for them, without the necessity of any inferior instrumen- 
 talities, that the Father is to be approached and reverently 
 worshipped. The Lord Jesus has forever fulfilled and 
 ended the typical and sacrificial worship under the Law, 
 by, the offering up of Himself upon the cross, once for all. 
 He has opened the door of access into the inner sanctuary, 
 and appointed spiritual oflerings for the service of his 
 temple, suited to the several conditions of all who worship 
 in spirit and in truth. The broken and the contrite heart, 
 the confession of the soul prostrate before God, the prayer 
 of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, the earnest wres- 
 tling of the spirit, the outpouring of humble thanksgiving, 
 the spiritual song and melody of the heart, the simple 
 exercise of faith, the self-denying service of love ; — these 
 are among the oflerings which He, our merciful and faith- 
 ful High Priest, is Himself pleased to prepare by his 
 spirit, in the hearts of them that receive Him, and to pre- 
 sent with acceptance unto God ; these are the essential 
 features of that true worship which stands neither in forms 
 nor in the formal disuse of forms, and may be without words 
 as well as with them, but must be in spirit and in truth. 
 
 As it hath pleased Divine Goodness clearly to manifest 
 amongst us the way of life and salvation, and to instruct 
 us how to wait for Him, j^i'ize, we beseech you, these 
 precious privileges. Keep all your meetings in the power 
 of God, and when thus gathered, be truly concerned to 
 draw near unto Him who will minister to eve/y state and 
 condition, thougli you may have no outward teaching, and 
 keep you in humble waiting without being restless or un- 
 easy, till it be a proper time to close your meetings. At 
 tlie close, avoid entering hastily into discourses about the 
 aflairs of this life, a practice inconsistent with the Christian 
 gravity, which at such times ought in a special manner to
 
 20 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 influence the minds of persons so lately assembled for the 
 worship of God. 
 
 PRIVATE RETIREMENT AND PRATER. 
 
 We believe that private retirement and prayer is the 
 privilege and indispensable duty of every Christian. It 
 is one of the first enijao-cmeuts of the awakened soul, and 
 becomes the clothing of the minds of those \vhose lives 
 arc regulated by the fear and love of their Creator. In 
 the sacred writings no duty is more clearly set forth. Our 
 Saviour enjoins it upon all his followers by precept, by 
 promise, and by his own blessed example, and we are 
 persuaded that all, who have a just sense of the value of 
 their immortal souls, and of their own sinfulness, helpless- 
 ness, and dependence, will feel the necessity of looking 
 continually to a higlier power, of seeking for better 
 strength, and will thankfully rejoice that they may pray 
 to their Father in Heaven, whose ear is open to their 
 prayers. 
 
 We earnestly desire that all may appreciate this high 
 Christian privilege, and with sincere believing hearts and 
 reverential awe, approach the throne of grace, trusting in 
 the mediation of Him through whom we have access by 
 one spirit nnto the Father ; and, while we know not what 
 we should pray for as we ought, how precious the assur- 
 ance that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh 
 intercession for us according to the will of God. 
 
 Let none be discouraged from the performance of this 
 duty by a sense of their transgressions or a feeling of 
 weakness or poverty, but in humility and sincere repent- 
 ance implore the forgiveness and help of God, who, as they 
 wait patiently before Him will in his own time supply all " 
 their need. And if there be any, who, dealing honestly
 
 Chap. II.] PRIVATE RETIREMENT AND PRAYER. 2l 
 
 with their own hearts, must acknowledge that they feel no 
 necessity for such prayer, and no remorse of conscience 
 for neglecting it, may these deeply reflect upon the danger 
 of their situation, for such indifference is but the fearful 
 sign of an unhumbled, unrenewed, impenitent heart. 
 While the cause remains the effect will continue ; therefore 
 let these beseech God to grant them true repentance 
 through his Holy Spirit, that their indisposition to call 
 upon Him may be removed, and their secret prayers may 
 be accepted and openly rewarded by Him, and the remain- 
 der of their lives be so ^Dure and holy that, at the last, 
 they may come to his eternal joy through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. 
 
 Fervent are our desires that we may be indeed a spirit- 
 ually minded people, and, impressed with the importance 
 to the spiritual life of seasons of retirement before the 
 Lord, we would encourage all, frequently to avail them- 
 selves of this privilege. In a well-ordered family many 
 opportunities occur in which the mind may be turned in 
 secret aspirations to the Author of all our blessings, and 
 which often prove seasons of more than transient benefit. 
 We desire that no exception to this practice may be found 
 amongst us. At our Bible-readings, when assembled at 
 our meals, and even when engaged in our temporal aftairs, 
 may we cherish that spirit of prayer in which the voice of 
 the Heavenly Shepherd may be distinctly heard, and abil- 
 ity may be received to follow Him, in the obedience of 
 faith, in the path of dut}'. May the experience of us all 
 l>e such that we can adopt the words of the Psalmist, 
 "Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray." How 
 ])recious the holy settlement, the quiet confidence of those 
 Avho put their trust in the Lord ; and the more wo seek 
 for this heavenly abiding, the more fruitful shall wo be in 
 that field of offering unto which He may call us, and the 
 more shall we bo enabled to glorify our Father in Heaven.
 
 22 CIIlilSTtAN rKACTlCE. [ChAP. 11. 
 
 ON READING THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 Inasmuch as the Holy Scriptures are the means of pre- 
 serving to us an account of the wonderful dealings of God 
 Avith his people in ancient time, and especially the proph- 
 ecies concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in 
 the flesh, and also plainly set forth his miraculous concep- 
 tion, birth, holy life, blessed example, meritorious death, 
 and his glorious resurrection, ascension, and mediation 
 between God and man, we do tenderly and earnestly 
 advise all our members to be frequent in reading their 
 sacred contents, and meditating thereon, in a humble reli- 
 ance upon the Holy Spirit which gave them forth. And 
 we exhort parents and heads of families to seek that ability 
 from God which alone can enable them to instruct their 
 children and families in the doctrines and precepts of the 
 Christian religion, as contained in the Bible. 
 
 And, dear friends, encourage a frequent and diligent 
 reading of the Scriptures in your families, for in them are 
 contained the promises of salvation and of eternal life. 
 The possession of these inestimable writings is a precious 
 privilege, for which we must give account. May the 
 reading of them in our families ever be conducted with 
 reverence, and with minds gathered under the teachiags 
 of the Holy Spirit. Let not the period of silent waiting, 
 on these occasions, be so short as to exclude or interrupt 
 inward retirement and prayer. And we would encourage 
 Friends so to dwell under spiritual exercise, on account of 
 the children and other members of their household, that 
 the word of tender counsel, or encouragement, or the of- 
 fering of prayer, or thanksgiving, seasoned with grace, 
 may not be withheld. 
 
 In addition to the practice of the daily reading of the 
 Holy Scriptures in your families, be encouraged, dear 
 friends, often to read them in private. Cherish a humble
 
 Chap. II.] ON READING THE SCRIPTURES. 23 
 
 and sincere desire to receive them in their genuine import. 
 Ask of God that your meditations upon the sacred writings 
 may be under the influence of the Hoi}'' Spirit. The 
 Comforter alone can open the understanding to the Truth 
 as it is in Jesus. And, while we fully acknowledge that 
 these Scriptures are given by inspiration of God, let us 
 ever bear in mind that it is only '' through faith which is 
 in Christ Jesus," that they " are able to make wise unto 
 salvation." As this precious faith is sought for, and pre- 
 vails, the evidence of the Spirit of God in our hearts con- 
 firms our belief in the divine authority of these inestima- 
 ble writings, and increases our gratitude for the knowledge 
 of that redemption which comes by the Lord Jesus, of 
 whom they so largely testify. 
 
 ON GIFTS AND SERVICES FOR THE RELIGIOUS BENEFIT OF 
 
 OTHERS. 
 
 We rejoice with thankfulness in the Christian concern 
 evinced by the members of our religious society, and in 
 all rightly directed efforts made by them, for the social, 
 moral, and religious improvement of our fellow-men, and 
 desire to encourage them, individually, to faithfulness in 
 occupying tlie talent received, " as they that must give ac- 
 count," in dependence upon his grace, and in loving ser- 
 vice to Him who loved them and gave himself for them. 
 
 Whilst careful to uphold the gospel standard in the 
 things of God, we desire to be preserved from limiting in 
 any degree the fullness and the freeness of the operation 
 of the Holy Spirit. We thankfully acknowledge the 
 goodness of the Lord in the diversities of gifts, intellect- 
 ual as well as spiritual, which in his care for the church 
 he is pleased to confer upon its several members. 
 
 Believing that the Lord has some service for every
 
 24 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 member of his church, Monthly and Preparative meetings 
 arc rccoinmenclcd, to lend their aid, as way may open, to 
 the promotion of Scripture schools, Mission schools, and 
 other associations for spreading the knowledge of the 
 Gospel, for the instruction of the ignorant, for the refor- 
 mation of the vicious, and for the relief of the sick, the 
 poor, and the distressed ; and to encourage all our mem- 
 bers, particularly our young men and women, to labor 
 faithfully for the good of those around them, in accord-^ 
 ance with the special gifts with which they may be in^- 
 trusted, and in simple obedience to the guiding of the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 When differences occur, Friends are encouraged to be 
 prompt in undertaking, and prudent in exercising the 
 blessed office of peacemaker. The patient endeavors of 
 ftiithful friends in this service will doubtless be crowned 
 with success, in proportion as their own minds are seeking 
 to the Lord Jesus, for assistance in performing an office, 
 on which He has pronounced his blessing, and in endeav- 
 oring to lead the minds of contending persons to a sense 
 of the absolute necessity for all true disciples to live in 
 peace, one with another, and to forgive one another, even 
 as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven them. 
 
 We would especially and earnestly encourage all who 
 are engaged in the important service of instructing the 
 young in the Holy Scriptures, or in their mutual study to 
 edification, to seek by earnest prayer for the help of the 
 Holy Spirit, to enable them to do all to his glory, and for 
 the conversion of souls to Christ. 
 
 Faithful Friends should feel it necessary, and an imper- 
 ative duty, early to visit, in the love of God, young con- 
 vinced and well inclined persons, for their encouragement, 
 help, and furtherance in the truth. 
 
 In the exercise of our various gifts, may there be a 
 constant advancement from strength to strength, and may
 
 Chap. II.] RELIGIOUS BENEFIT OF OTHERS. 25 
 
 zeal for that which is good be ever tempered with heavenly 
 wisdom. Let nothing take the place of that love which 
 draws the soul to Christ as its rest and home. May all 
 keep the eye single unto Him, with subjected hearts, pre- 
 pared to receive every fresh manifestation of his counsel. 
 The services of his household are various, but to each 
 member of it the language is applicable : " Be ye clean 
 that bear the vessels of the Lord." The work of the 
 Lord is ever an humbling work, bringing low and keeping 
 low. Many are its conflicts and humiliations, but un- 
 speakable are its joys. " Where I am," saith our Holy 
 Redeemer, " there shall also my servant be ; " " If any 
 man serve me, him will my Father honor." 
 
 May we ever bear in mind our Saviour's declaration : 
 " Without me ye can do nothing." Great, then, is the 
 necessity of believing in and waiting for the qualification 
 and the prompting of His Spirit to move and guide us in 
 all our attempts at service for the good of others ; whether 
 in the circle of our own religious society, as those of the 
 minister, the elder, the overseer, the committee intrusted 
 with duties in the church, or the member of the body who 
 speaks to the matter before the church, or in that large 
 " field " which " is the world." How carefully should each 
 one wait on Him, that they may neither withhold that 
 which is required, nor move without his requiriiig. 
 "When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide 
 you into all truth." 
 
 And, dear friends, whatever may be the duration of 
 our earthly existence, no life is too long for the perform- 
 ance of the duties which He who measures it out, appoints 
 for it. Beware, then, we entreat you, of the beguile- 
 mcnts of ease and self-indulgence ; of l)cing absorbed by 
 the cares of the world or hindered by its entanglements. 
 Dwell in retirement of spirit before the Lord, and in the 
 habitual exercise of the faith and love of Christ. Whether
 
 26 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 it be in the fiimily, the social circle, the place of business, 
 or more prominently before the public, let the light of 
 the gospel, and the evidence that you have been with 
 Christ, shine through all. The parent, the man of busi- 
 ness, the citizen, each has a testimony to bear for Christ. 
 Let our prayers be fervent, in the name of Jesus, for our- 
 selves and for others. May those upon whom it rightly 
 devolves be diligent in feeding the Lord's flock ; and may 
 none, whatever their position, overlook the lesser open- 
 ings for duty. A Avord of counsel, of reproof, or of en- 
 couragement, spoken in season, in ever so broken a man- 
 ner, in the family and social circle, or more publicly, how 
 jjood it is ! How often does it reach the Avitness in the 
 hearts of others ! How often does the blessing of the 
 Lord attend it ! Let us bear in mind the Christian duty 
 of watching over one another for good. Each may be 
 called to manifest his interest by word or deed on behalf 
 of some brother, or sister, and thus to follow in the foot- 
 steps of our Divine Master, whose whole life was marked 
 by sympathy for the sorrows and infirmities of man. 
 
 ON SIMRLICITY, MODERATION, AND SELF-DENIAL. 
 
 How impressive are the words of our Holy Redeemer, 
 in which he describes his true followers. " They are not 
 of the world, even as I am not of the world." He is the 
 Immanuel, elect and precious, the image of Him who is 
 invisible, in whom the righteousness and grace of God are 
 revealed to man. And it is the high privilege of his dis- 
 ciples to follow his steps, to be conformed to his holy 
 image ; to be like Him, pure, and separated in spirit from 
 the world, meek and lowly in heart, not seeking to gratify 
 self, but in all things given up to spend and be spent for 
 the good of others, to do or to sufier according to the will
 
 Chap. II.] ON siMPLiciTr, moderation, &c. 27 
 
 of God. This is the path which our Divine Master hath 
 Himself marked out and consecrated for us — a path of 
 self-denial, humility, and holiness. Let none therefore 
 deceive themselves by any means. The lust of the flesh, 
 the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, are not of the 
 Father, but are of the world ; and, whether it be in our 
 personal habits or attire, in our style of living, in the 
 general tone of our conversation or reading, in the mode 
 of our spending our time or our money, in the character 
 of our occupation, or in the manner of conducting our 
 outward affairs ; whether it be in that we do or in that 
 which we leave undone, all that in anywise fosters the de- 
 sires of the flesh, or of the vain and unregenerate mind, 
 impairs the health and vigor of the Christian life. In 
 looking at the holy example of his Lord, the humble be- 
 liever is made deeply sensible that much yet remains for 
 him to attain. But, as he advances on his course, he will 
 be more and more constrained by the love of Christ to 
 follow after Him in simplicity and godly sincerity, often 
 faint, yet still pressing forward. The standard is a high 
 one, but it is set before us in infinite wisdom and love, by 
 Him who is willing to supply all our need. 
 
 How important, in its connection with the great work of 
 the Holy Spirit, is the duty of cultivating a tender religious 
 susceptibility ! Christianity is intended to influence the 
 whole life and conversation. Some of its most precious 
 promises relate to the daily conduct and experience of the 
 believer. " I will dwell in them and walk in them," saith 
 the Lord. Marvellous condescension ! Blessed is he, 
 who, in the living sense of it, abides continually in the 
 filial fear of oficnding God. His tastes and affections 
 being renewed from above, he will separate himself from 
 that which the Lord hatcth and which his Spirit reproves. 
 Faithfulness to the Divine requirings in the details of life, 
 leads him into nonconformity with the world ; and in this
 
 28 CnRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 nonconformity he is of necessity a marked man amongst 
 the worldly or less restrained. It was a deep conscious- 
 ness of the practical character of true religion, which led 
 our forefathers to be distinguished from others. Often 
 and feelingly did they declare that they afiected no singu- 
 larity and imposed no merely human restraints ; that they 
 had no pleasure in offending their neighbors, and no stoical 
 indifference to j)ersonal suffering, but that it was in the 
 exercise of a good conscience towards God and man, that 
 they were constrained to differ from others in these re- 
 spects. Like them, we would plead for conformity unto 
 Christ. The testimony which we receive from Him is to 
 simplicity, truth-speaking, and self-denial. These we 
 continue to esteem to be amono- the distino-uishino' features 
 of complete practical Christianity, and by them we trust 
 that our members may ever desire to be known. 
 
 And, forasmuch as a true Christian practice, and every 
 branch of it, is the fruit and effect of the inward sanctifi- 
 cation of the heart by the Spirit of Christ, for which we 
 are required frequently to wait on Him in all humility and 
 lowliness of mind, we tenderly advise that everythiug 
 tendiug to obstruct or divert the minds of children, or 
 those of more advanced years may be carefully avoided 
 and taken out of the way. And, it being evident that the 
 glory and vanity of the world and the pleasures and di- 
 versions of it are of this nature and tendency, we advise 
 that all our members be good examples to their children 
 and those about them, in a humble and circumspect walk- 
 ing, and with all plainness of habit and speech ; and also 
 that they be very careful not to indulge their children in 
 the use and practice of things contrary thereto. 
 
 " It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." 
 Happy is that man who, seeking to maintain a good con- 
 science towards God, hath ceased to live unto himself, 
 and is living unto Him who died for us and rose again.
 
 Chap, n.] lo\t: and unity. 29 
 
 Those who desire that they may be helped to glorify God 
 in their body, and in their spirit, which are God's, will be 
 brouo;ht to feel that this is not the place of their rest ; 
 their hearts being set on heavenly treasure, that which is 
 earthly and perishable will have less place in their affec- 
 tions ; their moderation — the right and temperate use of 
 the Lord's outward gifts — will appear unto all men ; it 
 will be their concern to be kept from the love of ease, 
 from undue creaturely indulgences, and from the luxuries 
 of life. Eegulated by this Christian standard, our per- 
 sonal expenditure, our style of living, the furniture of our 
 houses, the supply of our tables, the plainness and sim- 
 plicity of our apparel, the right use of our leisure time 
 and of our property, will evince, so far as these things 
 are concerned, that the love of the world is losing its hold 
 upon us, and that the love of Christ is growing stronger 
 within us. 
 
 LOVE AND UNITY, 
 
 PART I. 
 
 " God is love." He is omnipresent. His love extends 
 to all, both saint and sinner. "God so loved the world 
 that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
 lieveth on Him might not perish." And the Son so loved 
 the world that he gave Himself for the sins of the world, — 
 the just for the unjust. And the Holy Spirit, who is one 
 with the Father and the Son, and the agency whereby the 
 grace, or " favor and assistance of God" hath appeared. 
 He so loves the world that He saith, "come." And the 
 Church, which is the Bride, the Lamb's Avife, so loves the 
 world that she saith, " come." And the response must bo,
 
 30 LOVE AND UNITY. [Chap. II. 
 
 and is, from every true and living Christian, "come;" 
 and this l)ccause he loves the whole world, the sinner as 
 Avell as the saint. For " if any man have not the spirit 
 (consequently love) of Christ he is none of His." 
 
 This love is broader than unity, because the disciple, 
 the friend of Christ, may and must love even the enemies 
 of Christ. Yet he can have unity only with the friends of 
 Christ, — with such as are engrafted into the same vine, 
 and partake of the same spirit ; and their unity stands not 
 in oneness of idea, but in oneness of Spirit, — in that 
 oneness which Christ prayed the Father that his disciples 
 might experience ; " that they may be one in us." And 
 although gospel love be more extensive and broader than 
 Christian unity, yet the unity of the spirit, which is not 
 dependent upon oneness of idea, is broad enough to em- 
 brace the whole " household of faith," including all true 
 believers, branches of the True Vine, wherever found, in 
 every denomination, in every kindred, tongue, and people. 
 And this gospel love, now so largely and sweetly aug- 
 mented by the unity of the spirit, is yet further enhanced, 
 though its boundaries be narrowed, by oneness of idea or 
 unity of belief, and blessed are they who maintain and 
 enjoy this love and unity in the " bond of peace." 
 
 It is a precious truth to us in our fallen condition, " that 
 God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, 
 not imputing their trespasses unto them." Christ, who 
 knew no sin, who was a propitiatory offering for our sins, 
 and for the sins of all mankind > who eulighteneth every 
 man that cometh into the world, and who is ever present 
 with his people, as " their Teacher to instruct them, their 
 Counsellor to direct them, their Shepherd to feed them, 
 their Bishop to oversee them, and their Prophet to open 
 divine mysteries to them," * was the foundation of our 
 forefathers, and this foundation is ours. 
 
 * George Fox's Journal,
 
 Chap, n.] LOVE AND UNIT!'. 31 
 
 It was to this experimental knowledge of Christ, that 
 our early predecessors were engaged to gather all men, 
 that they might really be prepared, sanctified, and made 
 fit temples for Him to dwell in. By one spirit they were 
 baptized into one body ; and, rooted and grounded in love, 
 they were, through the help of their Lord, united one to 
 another in upholding an open and [decided testimony to 
 the gospel in its primitive purity. 
 
 "Let brotherly love continue." It is the token that we 
 are the children of God, who is emphatically Love. It is 
 the evidence that we belong to Christ. The psalmist 
 compares the unity of the brethren to the anointing oil 
 and the fertilizing dew. Where it is wanting there is no 
 true fragrance nor fruitfulness in the church. May the 
 Lord, Himself, cause this fragrance and this fruitfulness 
 to abound yet more and more amongst you, to his praise. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Among the gospel precepts, we find nothiug more 
 strongly and frequently recommended by our Lord Jesus 
 Christ and his apostles to the primitive laborers, than that 
 they should love one another; and, as we are sensible 
 that nothing will more contribute to the peace and pros- 
 perity of the church, than a due regard to this advice, so 
 we earnestly desire that it may bo the care and concern of 
 all Friends to dwell therein, and in the unity of the spirit 
 to maintain love, concord, and peace, in and among all 
 the churches of Christ. 
 
 Sceiug our comfort as a people depends upon our care 
 to maintain peace and fellowship amongst brethren, in all 
 our services, we earnestly recommend an humble and con- 
 descending frame of spirit unto alU; that with godly fear, 
 wisdom, and meekness, we may be ordered in all our re-
 
 32 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 spectivo services ; that every high and rough thiug may bo 
 laid low ; that all occasions of striving may be prevented, 
 and the peace of the church of Christ preserved and in- 
 creased amongst us. 
 
 Whilst it is at all times the duty of members of the 
 church faithfully to maintain the truth, and whilst some of 
 them may rightly feel themselves called upon openl}^ to 
 oppose error, we believe that there is hardly anything 
 more inimical to the growth of vital religion, than indul- 
 gence in the spirit of religious controversy. Satan tri- 
 umphs when he can make the name of Jesus a word of 
 strife and debate among the professed followers of the 
 Lord. Let us, therefore, each of us mind our own calling 
 by keeping our eye single to the Lord ; and then shall we 
 know that "the fruit of the spirit" will, in the sight of 
 others, be " in all goodness, righteousness and truth," and 
 to ourselves joy and peace ; that so every one may come 
 to seek peace and pursue it, and none be apt to take of- 
 fence, but each in his own particular, be more careful to 
 rectify his own failings and imperfections, than curious in 
 observing, censuring, and exaggerating those of others. 
 This will lead to the exercise of mutual forbearance and 
 forgiveness, one of another, by which the occasions of 
 contention will be avoided, and the church will be pre- 
 served in a state of peace and tranquillity. " Follow peace 
 with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall 
 see the Lord ; looking diligently lest any man fail of the 
 grace of God ; lest any root of bitterness springing up 
 trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." 
 
 LIBERALITY AND BENEVOLENCE. 
 
 " Blessed is he that •considereth the poor." It is our 
 desire that we may all of us be kept in that state of
 
 Chap. II.] LIBERALITY AND BENEVOLENCE. 33 
 
 watchfulness from day to day, aud in that sense of our 
 responsibility to God, in which Ave may be enabled to as- 
 certain whether a due portion of our time, our sympa- 
 thies, and our substance, is devoted to the great duty of 
 visiting the poor in our respective neighborhoods, to the 
 inspection of their condition, and to the relief of their 
 Avants ; and we wish to appeal to our dear young people 
 to consider whether a larger portion of their time, the 
 means they may have at their disposal, and that which 
 they could spare from the superfluities of life, might not 
 be acceptably devoted to this object. It is important to 
 ourselves, as well as to those who are in need, that the 
 due support of institutions, Avhose object is the relief of 
 human suflering, should not be substituted for the personal 
 visiting of the poor in their own habitations, and the ad- 
 ministering to their wants. We would warn those that 
 are rich in this world, that they apply not the blessings of 
 God to the indulging of their appetites in pleasure and 
 vanity ; but that they be ready to do good, and to con- 
 tribute to the relief of those w^ho are in necessity. The 
 principal, if not the only satisfaction, a man of a truly 
 Christian disposition can have, in the possession of aflilu- 
 cnce and the increase of the things of this world, must 
 arise from the greater opportunities put into his hands of 
 doing good therewith. 
 
 We fear that some of our members are induljrinjr in 
 habits of expense in attire, furniture, and manner of liv- 
 ing, which arc not only inconsistent with the simplicity of 
 the Gospel, but a constant call for much of that property, 
 which would be better employed in feeding the hungry, 
 and of that time, Avhich might be occupied in visiting and 
 cheering the habitations of human misery. "The trim- 
 ming of the vain world," said our Avorthy elder William 
 Pcnn, " Avould clothe the nuked one." It is not, hoAvcvcr, 
 Avith such only that avc plead on ])ehalf of the indigent.
 
 34 CHRISTIAN TRACTICE. [Chap, II. 
 
 We wish those who in appearance and manner are gener- 
 ally consistent with our self-denying profession, to be clear 
 that a due proportion of their time and substance is spent 
 in the relief of distress. The degraded and demoralized 
 state of the poor, in many places, and the great prevalence 
 of crime, are deeply to be deplored. We therefore en- 
 treat Friends in their respective situations, in town and 
 country, to search out the causes of these evils and to 
 encourage their neighbors, and unite Avith them, in their 
 efibrts to apply a remedy. And, seeing it is sin which 
 separates the soul from communion with God, and that 
 ignorance, intemperance, vice, and irreligion so much pre- 
 vail, may our sympathies be awakened for such of oUl' fellow 
 creatures as are suiferiug from these causes, with an 
 earnest endeavor that, under the blessing of God, we may 
 be made instrumental in effecting a real improvement in 
 the domestic, moral, and religious state of these our fellow- 
 men. 
 
 ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE MINISTRY. 
 
 A living, rightly authorized ministry, has ever been a 
 blessing to the Church. It is the prerogative of Christ 
 Jesus, our Lord, to choose and to pat forth his own min- 
 isters. A clear apprehension of Scripture doctrine, or a 
 heart enlarged in love to others, are not of themselves 
 sufficient for this work. W^hatever may be the talents or 
 scriptural knowledge of any, unless there be a distinct 
 call to the ministry, the Society of Friends cannot ac- 
 knowledge it, and, except there be a sense of the renewed 
 putting forth and quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, 
 we believe it to be utterly unsafe to move in this office. 
 Our blessed Lord, just before his ascension, commanded 
 his disciples to wait at Jerusalem until they were endued
 
 Chap, n.] ADVICE IX RELATION TO THE MINISTRY. 35 
 
 with power from on high, knowing their inability, without 
 that power, to speak in his name, for the conversion of 
 the nations. It was this power that enabled them to speak 
 boldly in the nam6 of Jesus, this alone that made them 
 able ministers of Christ, whose preaching was not with 
 enticin£r words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of 
 the spirit and of power. 
 
 The Spirit of God, being the foundation of all true 
 knowledge and experience, both in ministers and in hear- 
 ers, we earnestly exhort that all should reverently and 
 diligently Avait upon and mind it. Ministers, in their pub- 
 lic services especially, ought always to attend closely to 
 their several and peculiar gifts, and minister the word 
 faithfully, as it is manifested and revealed to them, ob- 
 serving a modest behavior in the exercise thereof, and a 
 care, on no occasion, to exceed the measure of their gifts. 
 
 Wc earnestly caution and entreat all such among you 
 as find themselves concerned in Christian love to exhort 
 and admonish others, that they be especially careful of 
 their own conduct ; that by circumspect walking, in all 
 holiness of life and conversation, they may be living ex- 
 Timples of the purity and excellence of the advice they 
 recommend. Looking into the state of this part of our 
 Society, the necessity that such be examples in their daily 
 walk appears exceedingly great, particularly in a diligent 
 attendance of all our meetings for worship and discipline ; 
 therein to be very deep and weighty in spirit, laboring, 
 w^ith an ardor of soul suited to the occasion, for the aris- 
 ing of the ancient spring of life, which of a truth is the 
 crown of our assemblies, and the ground of our joy and 
 rejoicing in Clirist, and one in another. 
 
 Ministers should be frequent in reading, and diligent in 
 meditating upon the Holy Scriptures, and bo careful not 
 to misquote, misconstrue, or misapply them. In preach- 
 ing, writing, or conversing aT)out the things of God, let
 
 36 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 them keep to the use of sound words or scripture terms. 
 They are advised to be cautious of laying undue stress 
 on their testimony, by too positively asserting a divine 
 motion, and frequently repeating the same, as the baptiz- 
 ing power of truth, accompanying the words, is the best 
 evidence of the gift, in all true gospel ministry. 
 
 jNIinisters should be guarded when led into disputed 
 points of doctrine in their testimony, not to make objec- 
 tions which they do not clearly answer, nor give repeated 
 expectations of coming to a close of their remarks. And 
 they are advised to guard against unnecessary preambles 
 and repetitions ; against hurting meetings by unnecessary 
 additions towards their conclusion ; against all unbecom- 
 ing tones, sounds, and gestures ; and against all affecta- 
 tion. They should carefully avoid presuming to prophesy 
 in their own spirits against any nation, city, town, people, 
 or person ; or delivering prophetic declarations of any 
 kind, without the most clear and certain evidence of divine 
 authority. 
 
 As it is one of the duties especially incumbent on elders 
 to be helpful to those engaged in the ministry, a trust 
 which they cannot properly discharge without the aid of 
 that wisdom which is from above, there should be such a 
 prevalence of love between the ministers and elders, that 
 the ministers may feel that they have a kind and sympa- 
 thizing friend in every elder. Where this mutual love 
 and confidence are maintained, they are not only a strength 
 to each other, but arc encouraging examples to the church. 
 We also advise ministers to have it very much at heart, to 
 maintain a perfect harmony and good understanding with 
 the monthly meetings to which they belong ; that as the 
 said meetings may sometimes find themselves concerned 
 to advise ministers respecting their conduct in meetings, 
 or otherwise, they show themselves ready to hear and 
 receive advice, as well as to teach and instruct.
 
 Chap, n.] ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE MINISTRY. 37 
 
 We do in much love caution those who are concerned 
 in the work of the ministry, to watch over their own 
 spirits, and not to be hasty or censorious in passing judg- 
 ment respecting the state of those who hear them, but to 
 manifest that, in the exercise of their ministry, they are 
 led by the love of God, and that their aim is to be instru- 
 mental in administering spiritual consolation and strength 
 to the churches where they may come. 
 
 Ministers and elders should be very careful, whilst they 
 are engaged in necessary business, not to become entangled 
 with the cares of the world, and should guard against an 
 inordinate desire of accumulating wealth, that thus they 
 may be examples of Christian moderation and content- 
 ment in all things ; and let them be careful not to over- 
 charge themselves with trade or other outward engage- 
 ments, to the hindrance of their service for truth, or 
 engage in employments of which they have neither knowl- 
 edge nor experience, but pursue such business as they ai*e 
 acquainted with. 
 
 We tenderly advise all who travel in the work of the 
 ministry, that they not only shut their ears against all 
 private information, tending to the defamation of persons 
 or families, and to stir up disputes and contentions in 
 meetings for discipline ; but that they rebuke and reprove 
 the person or persons who shall attempt to prejudice their 
 minds with any private information of that nature ; and 
 we further advise them, while so travelling, to be very 
 prudent in their conduct, not as busy bodies, nor med- 
 dling with family or personal affairs in which they arc not 
 concerned, or required to assist, that they be careful not 
 'to make their visits burdensome or the gosi)el chargeable, 
 and, as soon as their service in the ministry is over, that 
 they return to their haljitations, and there take a reason- 
 able and prudent care of tlieir own business, households, 
 and families. 
 
 J^137.34
 
 38 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [ChAP. II. 
 
 Miuistoring friends should be careful uot to hurt one 
 another's service in public meetings, but let every one 
 have a tender regard for others ; that nothing be offered 
 with a view to popularity, but in humility and the fear of 
 the Lord. 
 
 When- ministers are favored with a clear intimation that 
 it is required of them to speak to the people, it is advised 
 that they attend to it seasonably, uot deferring it until the 
 meeting becomes too weary to be benefited thereby. 
 
 And lastly, as prayer and thanksgiving are an import- 
 ant part of worship, let them be offered in spirit and in 
 truth, with a right understanding, qualified by grace. 
 When engaged herein, ministers should avoid many words 
 and repetitions, and be cautious of too often repeating the 
 high and holy name of God or his attributes, or of passing 
 from supplication into declaration, as though the Lord had 
 need of information. 
 
 EDUCATION. 
 
 Education, in the most comprehensive sense of the 
 word, constitutes an important part of Christian discipline. 
 
 It has long been the concern of this Society and often 
 expressed, that our children and youth may be brought 
 up in the " nurture and admonition of the Lord," in a love 
 of virtue, and in a strict regard for truth and integrity — 
 and that you, dear friends, who fill the important station 
 of parents, may set that example of an humble Christian 
 life, which so beautifully enforces the pure principles of 
 the gospel. The moral, intellectual, and spiritual condi- 
 tion which prevails in the family, determines more than 
 any other influence in childhood, the character of its indi- 
 vidual members. 
 
 The education of our children in schools and acade-
 
 Chap, n.] EDUCATION. 39 
 
 lilies, has always been au object of care aud solicitude in 
 the Society of Friends, and its institutions of learning 
 have received the praj^erful attention of its most devoted 
 members, from an early period of its history ; aud, at this 
 later day, when the world around us has made such great 
 progress in the general diflusion of knowledge, we trust 
 that Friends will continue to hold an honorable position 
 among their fellow professors in the church universal, as 
 active promoters of sound, liberal, and useful education ; 
 and, to that end, it is earnestly desired that they may be 
 increasingly impressed with the importance of jiroviding, 
 within our own Society, the advantages afforded by schools, 
 colleges, and other higher institutions of learning, which 
 are enjoyed by those who are not in profession with us. 
 
 We may be well assured that the most exalted piety is 
 consistent with the highest attainments in learning, and 
 that truth in science is not in conflict with the faith Avhich 
 Ave profess, but a perpetual testimony to its truth and 
 verity ; and that intellectual discipline tends to the en- 
 largement of the understanding, and thereby extends the 
 field of individual usefulness. The .powers of the mind 
 were given to be cultivated to the fullest extent, in the 
 fear of the Lord, both for the happiness of their possessor 
 and for the advantage of his fellow-men. 
 
 The well educated is no less likely than the ignorant 
 man to be au humble follower of Christ, and, when his 
 powers are consecrated to the service of his Lord, he can 
 ])ring all his gifts as tithes into the storehouse. All truth 
 is from the same Divine Source. Minds rightly tempered 
 by religious experience, and in harmony with the mind of 
 God, are peculiarly fitted to investigate the i^aths of sci- 
 ence, and to cultivate the fields of literature and art. The 
 cultivation of the mind not only prepares for more efficient 
 service under the direction of the Holy Spirit, but it con-
 
 40 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 duces, also, to that wide toleration and charity, Avhich are 
 essential to the preservation of Christian love and unity. 
 
 "We Avould therefore earnestly advise that Friends make 
 liberal provision, and at personal sacrifice, if need be, for 
 the intellectual training of their children, under circum- 
 stances iiivorable to their moral preservation and spiritual 
 growth, and that they cherish that generous disposition 
 towards teachers, which will encourage well qualified per- 
 sons to engage in this responsible work, — not only those 
 who are able to instruct in the difierent branches of learn- 
 ing, but who are also concerned to cooperate with the 
 Society, in its religious endeavors to excite a love of vir- 
 tue, and to show out of a good conversation an example 
 consistent with our principles. 
 
 A care should also be exercised, in the choice of school 
 books, to select such as arc healthy in their moral tone. 
 We are also religiously concerned that our young i^eople, 
 while receiving that education which will fit them for use- 
 fulness, may be trained up in the knowledge of the Holy 
 Scriptures. They should be made acquainted in very 
 early life wdth the iristructive narratives and leading facts 
 of the Old Testament, with the types and prophecies 
 which represented beforehand the coming and the charac- 
 ter of Christ, and especially with that message of love 
 and mercy to fallen man, which is contained in the Gospel. 
 May it also be impressed upon their tender minds, that 
 the same Holy Spirit, which revealed the Divine truths of 
 the Bible to holy men of old, doth in this day, by its per- 
 cej)tible influence, illuminate those truths, and reveal to 
 the understanding of the humble disciple the saving 
 knowledge thereof. 
 
 We esteem it of great importance, that children and 
 youth be led to examine for themselves the external evi- 
 dences of the Christian religion, and that their attention 
 be directed to those parts of Scripture which elucidate
 
 Chap. U.] BOOKS. 41 
 
 our particular doctrines and testimonies. Thus, as they 
 advance in life, they will know on what grounds their 
 profession rests, and be able to give to others an intelli- 
 gent reason for the hope which they entertain. 
 
 While we observe with satisfaction the iucreasinsr inter- 
 est manifested by Friends in First-day schools for scrip- 
 tural instruction; and are fully assured that this service 
 is owned and blessed of the Lord, we desire to caution 
 Friends not to rely too much on this work, and so to neg- 
 lect the moral and religious instruction of their children, 
 either in their families or in schools for secular education. 
 
 Friends Avho have the prosperity of Truth at heart, 
 should take care, if suitable opportunities and occasions 
 ofler, that their children be taught the modern languages, 
 so that, when they are grown up, as it shall please 
 the Lord to dispose and incline them, they may be of 
 service therein to the church. Listances have not been 
 wanting in the earlier and later history of this Society, 
 when such gifts and acquirements have been sanctified, in 
 some of our own members, and they have thereby become 
 serviceable instruments in their Master's hand. 
 
 BOOKS. 
 
 Books may be regarded as companions, which insensibly 
 infuse somewhat of their spirit and character into those 
 who converse with them. It behooves us to exercise a 
 sound discretion as to what publications we admit into our 
 houses ; that neither we nor our children may be hurt l)y 
 that reading wliicli would have a direct, or even a remote 
 tendency to leaven our minds into the spirit of the world, 
 and to unfit us for the sober duties of life. The books 
 which we introduce to the young require careful selection ; 
 tliey may give a l)ias to the mind, and materially influence
 
 42 CIIinSTIAN PKACTICE. [Cluip. II. 
 
 the future character. Some, we fear, fiucl access to our 
 families, which are calculated to give false views of real 
 life, and to lower that standard of morals which Christian- 
 ity upholds ; and others, though they may not stimulate 
 evil passions, are adapted to lessen the attachment of our 
 youth to the principles of their education, or even to rob 
 them of the tenderness of their consciences, and alienate 
 them, it may be, by slow gradations, from the fear of God. 
 We therefore earnestly exhort all parents, heads of 
 families, and guardians of minors, that they not only ab- 
 stain from such reading themselves, but that they prevent, 
 as much as in them lies, their children, and others under 
 their care and tuition, from having or reading books and 
 papers tending to weaken their confidence in the Christian 
 religion, or to create the least doubt concerning the au- 
 thenticity of the Holy Scriptures, or of those saving truths 
 declared in them, or such as malign our religious Society, 
 or distort or misrepresent its principles, lest their minds 
 should be poisoned thereby, and a foundation be laid for 
 great evils. And it is earnestly recommended to all mem- 
 bers of our religious Society, that they discourage and sup- 
 press the reading of pernicious novels, plays, and other bad 
 books. And printers and booksellers, in profession with 
 us, are cautioned against printing, selling, or otherwise 
 circulatino; such books. 
 
 PAEENTS AND GUARDIANS. 
 
 Parents, heads of families, and all who have the care of 
 the young, are earnestly entreated that you diligently lay 
 to heart your work and calling for the Lord, and the 
 charge committed to you, not only in being good examples 
 to the young, but also that you use your power in your 
 own families, in educating your children and wards in
 
 Chap. II.] PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. 43 
 
 modest}^, sobriety, and the fear of God ; and that you fre- 
 quently put in practice the calling together of your children 
 and households, to wait upon the Lord in your families ; 
 that, receiving wisdom and counsel from Him, you may be 
 enabled seasonably to exhort and encourage them to walk 
 in the way of the Lord ; to be diligent in reading the Holy 
 Scriptures, and in observing the duties and precepts of 
 holy living therein recommended ; admonishing them to 
 keep to that plainness and simplicity in apparel, speech, 
 and behavior, which the Spirit of Truth leads into, and 
 which becomes the humble, self-denying followers of 
 Jesus ; and may you also encourage them in the constant 
 attendance of meetings for public worship. 
 
 In the earlier periods of life, much of the care of chil- 
 dren rests upon mothers. To them the precious infant is 
 committed, Avith the implied charge on behalf of its 
 Heavenly Parent, — " Take this child and nurse it for 
 Me," — and we desire that in all cases their pious endeav- 
 ors may be strengthened by the co-operation of the fathers. 
 The youthful mind is very soon susceptible of serious im- 
 pressions, and we believe that if parents are careful to 
 watch the most favorable opportunities, they may instil 
 religious truths, lay a foundation for correct principles, 
 and give a right bias to the aflections, which may be 
 greatly blessed at a future day. The safe ground on 
 which parents can proceed is, so to live and so to wait 
 before the Throne of Grace, as to Ijc enabled to pour forth 
 their earnest prayers for the blessing of the Most High. 
 
 How solemn are the responsibilities thus involved, and 
 how needful that the parental obligations should not be 
 put aside nor turned away from, under any feeling of dis- 
 couragement or want of qualitication ! It is not on the 
 highly gifted parent alone that the duty is imposed of 
 training up his children in the fear of God, and in the 
 knowledge of the Holy Scriptures ; it is a charge laid
 
 44 cimiSTiAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 upon every parent ; and the sense of our own insufficiency, 
 however deeply felt, will prove no valid plea for neglect, 
 when we are called to account for the trust committed to 
 our keeping. Let none, whilst endeavoring, with single 
 minded earnestness and in reliance upon higher aid, to 
 discharge this duty, doubt that ability will be granted to 
 them ; let them rather believe that they will reap the re- 
 ward of their eflbrts in a blessing upon their children and 
 upon themselves. The endearing relation which subsists 
 between parents and their oflspriug, ought surely to awak- 
 en in the hearts of the former, earnest breathings of spirit, 
 that they may be helped to train their children, even from 
 very early years, in tenderness of conscience, in obedience 
 to the restraints and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in 
 the love of Christ our Saviour. 
 
 We aflectionately exhort all who have the car6 of chil- 
 dren and young persons, constantly to bear in remem- 
 brance the great value of a tender conscience ; and to turn 
 their attention to the secret instructions of Divine Grace, 
 reproving for evil, and bringing peace for doing w^ell. Be 
 concerned, dear friends of this class, that the wills of 
 those intrusted to your charge, become subjected to the 
 Divine will in early life ; encourage them to fix their afl:ec- 
 tions on things w^iich are eternal ; set before them the 
 necessity of being converted from the evil of their own 
 hearts, and kept clean from the sin which abounds in the 
 world ; impress them with a sense of the holiness and 
 purity of God, and of His righteous Law ; instruct them 
 in the invaluable truths of the Bible, and lead them to 
 seek after the practical application of its precepts and 
 doctrines, under the influence of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Friends, in every situation in life, are advised to take 
 due care to bring up their children in some useful and 
 necessary employments, that they may not spend their 
 precious time in idleness, Avhich is of evil example and
 
 Chap. II.] COUNSEL TO THE YOUNG. 45 
 
 tends much to their hurt ; and not to suffer their substance 
 to be bestowed upon them, to furnish such things as tend 
 to pride, and to lift them up in vanity, or affect them with 
 the vain fashions of the world. 
 
 COXJNSEL TO THE YOUNG. 
 
 For you, dear young friends, the objects of our sympa- 
 thy and love, we would express our strong desire, our 
 fervent prayer, that the ever-watchful care of the Heaven- 
 ly Shepherd may be over you for good. Yours is a period 
 of life beset, with many and strong temptations. Even in 
 the most favored allotment there are snares both secretly 
 and more openly laid for your feet. Oh that we could 
 prevail with you all to come unto Christ, to confide in him 
 as your Saviour, and to take his yoke upon you. 
 
 If happily your hearts have been made tender before 
 the Lord, and you know what it is for the hand of God to 
 be upon you, be careful that you never resist the working 
 of his power ; be frequent in presenting yourselves before 
 the Lord ; commune with your own hearts ; do not wait 
 too long for miraculous impressions of duty, but watch for 
 the gentlest intimations of the Holy Spirit ; and, in what- 
 ever acts of dedication He may call for the acknowledg- 
 ment of your love and allegiance, give yourselves up to 
 his service with a willing and a ready mind. Think on 
 the blessing pronounced upon the pure in heart ; ask of 
 God that He will keep you from evil thoughts and wrong 
 imaginations, that in your intercourse with the world and 
 one with another, in your words and all your conversa- 
 tion, you may be blameless and harmless. 
 
 Give a portion of each day to reading and meditating 
 upon the sacred volume in private, steadily directing your 
 minds to Him who alone can ojien and apply the Scriptures
 
 46 CHKiSTiAN riiACTicE. [Chap. II. 
 
 to our siDiritual benefit. In these seasons of retirement, 
 enter into a close examination of the state of your own 
 hearts, and, as you may be enabled, pray to the Almighty 
 for preservation from the temptations with which you are 
 encompassed. And here we would especially commend 
 to you the duty and the real necessity of prayer. Be not 
 discouraged at the coldness which you may find, and 
 lament in your own hearts. The warm glow of devotion 
 is not at our own control, but God, who looks into the 
 heart, will see there the real desire to love Him and to 
 serve Him, and as we persevere, we believe our Father in 
 Heaven will mercifully help our weakness, and grant us 
 the warming influence of his grace. 
 
 Be very careful, we beseech you, not to read publica- 
 tions of an irreligious or immoral tendency, or which 
 openly or indirectly inculcate views which would, in the 
 least degree, weaken your faith in the mysterious but 
 sacred and all-important doctrines of that salvation which 
 is in Christ. Feeling your own weakness, and the limited 
 powers of the human intellect, may you accept these doc- 
 trines in reverence of soul, in simplicity, and in godly 
 sincerity. Pray that you may be kept in that humble, 
 dependent state of mind in which the Lord, by his Sjiirit, 
 often gradually unfolds the deep things of his kingdom, 
 and grants a holy faith in the experience of their reality. 
 
 Let not pleasure, profit, or advancement in life, how- 
 ever allowable these may be, take the first place in your 
 desires, but guard in an especial manner against the first 
 sacrifices of duty to inclination. If you check improper 
 or wrong desires in their infancy, your victory over future 
 temptations will be the more easy, and through faith in 
 Him that hath loved us, and hath overcome, you will in 
 time be more than conquerors ; but, if you shrink from 
 the conflict, or resign the victory to the tempter, you will 
 be despoiled of the armor designed to preserve you in
 
 Chap. U.] COUNSEL TO THE YOUNG. 47 
 
 future asscaults ; each eflfort will be more and more difficult, 
 ^aud it may be that you will unhappily feel 3^ourselves 
 unable to resist, in your further progress through life, 
 temptations which, in the fresh morning of your day, you 
 would have held in abhorrence. Cherish carefully, as a 
 priceless treasure, this youthful tenderness of conscience. 
 We earnestly desire that you may all not only be pro- 
 fessors with us, but, by obedience to the spirit of Christ, 
 become real possessors of the truth as it is in Jesus. We 
 arc persuaded that in the eyes of many amongst you, the 
 cause of religion has indeed appeared lovely. Why, then, 
 is there not a full surrender to its power and to its convic- 
 tions? "The Lord loveth an early sacrifice." A sacrifice 
 of what? Nothing, be assured, that will not in the end 
 prove hurtful to your best interests. We fear that the 
 difficulties of entering upon a religious life have been 
 magnified. Many a susceptible young heart, touched with 
 a sense of the Saviour's love, feels drawn towards Him, 
 but fears lest if it once yield itself up to Him, some great 
 sacrifice will be required that it will not be enabled to 
 make ; some painful eftbrt, it knows not what, that there 
 will be no strength to meet. But these anxieties are 
 gi-oundless. " Fear not ! " " It is your Father's good 
 l)lcasure to give you the kingdom." And if such be his 
 gracious design, can you not believe that He will him- 
 self kindly and gently lead you in the way to the king- 
 dom? His promise is sure, — " They that seek mo early 
 shall find me." His service is a service of love. He has 
 himself declared, " My yoke is easy, and my burden is 
 light." He stands at the door of every heart, knocking 
 for admittance. Oh, that none of you may be so unwise 
 as to keep Him out by indificrcncc or lukewarmncss, or 
 l)y too engrossing a love of the things of this life, forget- 
 ting the Giver in the enjoyment of his numberless gifts, 
 but that you may open your hearts mu'cservcdly to the
 
 48 CHRISTIAN riiACTicE. [Chap. II. 
 
 gentle iuflueuces of his pure spirit. Trust in Him with 
 simple, childlike faith, and then you will know of the» 
 blessedness and peace there is in serving Him, and of 
 fmding your OAvn Avills to be not only in subjection to, but 
 in harmony with the Divine will. Then " hard things will 
 1)0 made easy and bitter things sweet," and in the hour of 
 trial and temptation you will know that you have a friend 
 on whom you can rely with confidence and. safety, "Who 
 was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin," 
 and who knows and can help us in all our sorrows and 
 Aveaknesses, "for in that He himself hath sufiered, being 
 tempted. He is able to succor them that are tempted." 
 
 We tenderly sympathize with those of you who feel 
 that you are, as it were, passing through the wilderness, 
 and whose souls are often discouraged because of the way. 
 To the young disciple, the conflict is at times severe. 
 Temptation is strong, whilst the heart is weak ; trem- 
 blingly halting between Christ and the world. In straits 
 such as these, may you never yield to the suggestions of 
 the tempter. Consult not how far 3'ou may safely indulge 
 yourselves, or how nearly you may approximate to the 
 ways and habits of the world. Be in earnest to realize a 
 yet closer and more dependent walk with God. The faith 
 that leads you unto Christ will, as it is exercised, give you 
 the victory through Him. May you more and more feel 
 that you are not your own ; that you are bought with a 
 price. Where much is given, there, in the great day of 
 final account, w^ill much be required. May all your tal- 
 ents be freely ofiered unto the Lord, and consecrated to 
 his blessed service. There, you Avill find true liberty, and 
 abundant scope for the right employment of every talent, 
 and in the enjoyment of his love your cup will overflow 
 with blessing and praise. We desire that as you grow in 
 Christian experience and attainment, you will gladly and 
 cheerfully exercise all those gifts which it may please the
 
 Chap, n.] .VDVICE IN RELATION TO MARRIAGE. 49 
 
 Lord in his mercy to bestow upon you, to your own com- 
 fort, to the help of the church, to the relief and uplifting 
 of suffering humanity, and to the praise of his great and 
 worthy name. The prize is before you ; it is a prize not 
 of earth, but of heaven ; not a corruptible crown, but an 
 incorruptible. It is to be obtained not without effort, but 
 through the exercise of faith, hope, and love. Remember 
 that to her who loved much, much was forgiven. Press 
 on towards this prize, we entreat you. Shrink not from 
 the warfare ; so shall the crown immortal be yours ; so 
 shall you forever rejoice in God, your Saviour, and adore 
 his abundant mercy who hath prepared for those that love 
 Him "an inheritance, incorruptible, uudefiled, and that 
 fadeth not away." 
 
 ADVICE IN RELATION TO MARRIAGE. 
 
 Marriage, being a Divine ordinance, and closely con- 
 nected with the temporal and spiritual condition of man, 
 we earnestly desire that in the choice of companions for 
 life, all may seek unto the Lord for his guidance; not 
 allowing any mere exterior advantages to be the primary 
 motive in this engagement ; ever bearing in mind that an 
 accordance in religious principles is essential to the per- 
 fectness of such a union. 
 
 Parents are advised to exercise a religious care in 
 watching over their children, and to endeavor to guard 
 them against improper connections in marriage ; and that 
 they be joined with persons of religious incliuatious, suit- 
 able dispositions, and diligence in their business. It is 
 particularly recommended to all parents, to endeavor to 
 cultivate such habits of confidence, and freedom in the 
 truth, with their children, as may render it easy for them 
 early to consult their parents, on a subject of such im- 
 portance. 
 
 G
 
 50 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 AntI, seeing that the real enjoyment of life is far more 
 effectually secured by contentment, with simple habits, 
 than by an appearance or mode of living which entails 
 anxiety, or risk, we would strongly advise parents, whilst 
 they exercise a prudent care over the interests of their 
 children, not to be unduly anxious to secure worldly ad- 
 vantages for them, on entering the marriage state. We 
 would also affectionately encourage our younger members, 
 when looking towards this most important step, to be 
 satisfied to set out in life, in a manner befitting their cir- 
 cumstances, instead of seeking to imitate, in their style 
 of living, the example of those who possess larger re- 
 sources. They would, thus, on the one hand, avoid the 
 necessity of unduly deferring their union, and, on the 
 other, be less exposed to the temptation of launching into 
 business beyond their means. 
 
 We desire that the solemnization of marriage may in 
 all cases be conducted in the fear of the Lord, and in 
 humble dependence on his blessing, and that in the details 
 of these highly interesting occasions, our principles with 
 regard to display be observed; and, while the proceedings 
 of the marriage day may naturally be characterized by 
 cheerful enjoyment, that those concerned may never pass 
 the boundary line of Christian simplicity and moderation. 
 
 It is further advised, that, after parents and guardians 
 have suffered their children to engage one another's affec- 
 tions, they do not break off such engagement upon any 
 mere worldly account, and that they wait upon and seek 
 the Lord for their children, in proposals of marriage, 
 before they give any encouragement thereunto. 
 
 We strongly recommend Friends to avoid and discoun- 
 tenance very early proceedings in regard to marriage, after 
 the death of husband or wife ; regarding such conduct as 
 tending to the dishonor and reproach of our Christian 
 profession.
 
 Chap. II.] 51 
 
 ADVICE RELATING TO TEMPORAL AFFAIRS. 
 
 Let friends and brethren, in their respective meetings, 
 watch over one another in the love of God and with 
 Christian care ; particularly admonishing that none trade 
 beyond their ability to manage honorably ; that they 
 use few words in their dealings ; and keep their word in 
 all things, lest they bring, through their forwardness, dis- 
 honor to the precious truth of God. 
 
 It is advised, that the payment of just debts be not de- 
 layed beyond the time promised and agreed upon ; nor 
 occasion of complaint be given to those who are dealt 
 with, by backwardness of payment, when no time is 
 limited. 
 
 And we advise and counsel all Friends, for their own 
 good, that they keep to such lawful and honest employ- 
 ments, for a necessary support of themselves and their 
 families, as they well understand and are able to manage ; 
 and that they be very careful to avoid all inordinate pur- 
 suit after the things of this world, 'by such ways and 
 means as depend too much upon the uncertain probabili- 
 ties of hazardous enteiprises ; but that they rather labor 
 to content themselves with such a plain way of living, as 
 is most agreeable to the self-denying principle of truth 
 which we profess, and which is most conducive to that 
 tranquillity of mind that is requisite to a religious conduct. 
 
 "We would caution every individual against imprudently 
 entering into joint securities with others ; and earnestly 
 desire that Friends keep strictly on their guard, that none, 
 through any specious pretences of rendering acts of friend- 
 ship to any, with safety to themselves, may risk their own 
 peace and reputation, and the security of their families, by 
 disregarding the salutary advice of the wise man, "Be 
 not thou cue of them that strike hands, or of them that 
 are sureties for debts."
 
 52 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. ll. 
 
 It is earnestly recommended, that Friends frequently in- 
 spect the state of their affairs, and promptly settle their 
 accounts; and, when any find themselves unable to pay 
 their just debts, or have not more than sufficient to pay 
 them, that they immediately disclose their circumstances 
 to the overseers or other judicious Friends, and to their 
 principal creditors, and take their advice how to act ; and 
 be particularly careful not to pay one creditor in prefer- 
 ence to another. 
 
 If any fall short of payin<^ their jnst debts, and. an ar- 
 rangement be made with their creditors, to accept a part 
 instead of the whole, notwithstanding the parties may 
 look upon themselves as legally discharged of any obligation 
 to pay the remainder, yet the principle of universal right- 
 eousness enjoins full satisfaction to be made, if ever the 
 debtors are able to do it. And, in order that such may 
 the better retrieve their circumstances, we exhort them to 
 adopt a manner of living in every respect the most condu- 
 cive to this purpose. 
 
 Those who, whilst honestly and diligently endeavoring 
 to provide for their families, have to encounter many diffi- 
 culties, have a strong claim on the sympathy of their ^ 
 Friends ; yet they need not fear, as tbey continue to place 
 their whole trust in our Heavenly Father, but that He will 
 care for them in such way as He sees meet. But if any, 
 whether of the more affluent, or of those ^vho cannot be 
 ranked in this class, are deviating from safe and regular 
 methods of business, if they are carried away by uncertain 
 and hazardous, though plausible, schemes for getting rich, 
 if they yield to a desire rapidly to enlarge their posses- 
 sions — such are in imminent danger. They cannot justly 
 expect the blessing of the Most High on such pursuits ; 
 their spiritual eye becomes dim ; and they do not perceive 
 with clearness that light which would enable them to per- 
 fect holiness in the fear of God.
 
 Chap, n.] ADVICE RELATING TO TEMPORAL AFFAIRS. 
 
 53 
 
 We would tenderly advise those who may have acquired 
 a competency of outward substance, to watch the proper 
 period at which they may withdraw from the cares of busi- 
 ness, and when disengaged from the regular concerns of 
 trade, or other occupations, to beware how they employ 
 their property in investments which may involve them 
 anew in care and anxiety. We affectionately desire that 
 neither these nor other cares may disqualify them from 
 acting the part of faithful stewards, in the employment of 
 their time, their talents, and their substance ; or, from be- 
 ing concerned, above all things, through watchfulness unto 
 prayer, to have their lamps trimmed and oil in their ves- 
 sels, that, when the solemn close of life shall come, they 
 may, through redeeming love and mercy, be prepared to 
 enter into the joy of their Lord. 
 
 Our brethren who are employed in the various active 
 pursuits of life claim our sympathy. Those engaged in 
 trade, especially, are at times exposed to close competition, 
 and to the temptation to pursue their own interest in a 
 way inconsistent with true justice in dealing. They may' 
 be much tried by the small profits often resulting from a 
 course of honest industry and diligent attention to busi- 
 ness ; but it should never be forgotten that there is a ster- 
 ling integrity which the christian should always maintain ; 
 that there is a standard set before him in the New Testa-' 
 ment which he should always keep in view. 
 
 Knowing how suddenly many are removed by death, it 
 is recommended that care be taken that Friends who have 
 estates to dispose of, by will or otherwise, be advised to 
 make their wills in time of health and strength of judg- 
 ment ; to prevent the inconveniences, loss, and trouble, 
 that may fall upon their relations and friends, through 
 their dying intestate. Making such wills in due time, can 
 shorten no man's days, but the omission or delay thereof 
 has proved very injurious to many.
 
 54 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 It is recommended that Friends who have young chil- 
 dren do dcsio-nate in their wills faithful Friends to be their 
 guardians. It is also advised that, in making their wills, 
 they have a strict regard to justice and equity, and be not 
 actuated by caprice or prejudice, to the injnry of those 
 who may from their kindred and near connection, have a 
 reasonable expectation ; nor (although occasion may have 
 been given or taken) carry any resentment to the end of 
 life ; remembering that we all stand in need of mercy and 
 forgiveness. 
 
 Friends are earnestly recommended to employ persons 
 of competent legal ability and of good repute, to write 
 their wills ; as great inconvenience and loss, and some- 
 times the pecuniary ruin of families, have happened 
 through the unskillfulness of some who have taken upon 
 them to prepare wills. And all Friends who may become 
 executors or administrators are advised to proceed without 
 unnecessary delay, to take all the legal measures Avhich 
 the duties and obligations they have assumed may require. 
 
 AMUSEMENTS AND RECREATIONS. 
 
 Parents, and all others, upon whom the training of 
 children devolves, should be careful to provide such at- 
 tractive employment, and means of healthful and innocent 
 recreation, for the leisure hours of those under their 
 charge, in the intervals of study and other daily duties, 
 as become rational and immortal beings, accountable to 
 the Great Giver for the employment of every moment of 
 time, and such as shall, by making home more attractive, 
 remove from them, as far as possible, any temptation to 
 indulge in the popular, and too frequently injurious amuse- 
 ments and diversions of the day. There are recreations,
 
 Chap. II.] AMUSEMENTS AND RECREATIONS. 55 
 
 in the eujoyment of rural life and scenery, in the society 
 of well chosen associates, in examininof the works of ere- 
 ation, and in the pursuits of literature, science, and natural 
 history, which are full of interest, and tend to improve 
 the mental and moral faculties ; and there are occupations 
 for the young, in relieving the distressed and in caring in 
 many ways for the neglected and destitute, which encour- 
 age their sympathies, enlarge their Christian interests, and 
 prepare them for future usefulness in the church and in 
 the world. 
 
 As our time passeth swiftly away, and our delight ought 
 to be in the law of the Lord ; it is advised that a watchful 
 care be exercised over our youth, to prevent their going 
 to stage-plays, horse-races, entertainments of music and 
 dancing, or any such vain sports and pastimes, and being 
 concerned in lotteries, wagering, or other species of 
 ijamino^. 
 
 It is our conviction, that as the mind is renewed by 
 Divine grace, all these vain amusements will seem in- 
 consistent with the restraints of the gospel, and incom- 
 patible with that quietness and peace of mind Avhich are 
 the portion of the watchfid christian. The life of the 
 christian is not a dull and cheerless existence, — there 
 are no joys here below, to be compared with those of 
 the renewed soul, in the faithful service of the Lord. 
 As the heart becomes truly given up to the love of 
 Christ, the services of pure and undefiled religion, the 
 improvement of the mhid, and the varied duties Avhicli wo 
 owe to our fellow-men, will be found abundantly sufficient 
 to employ the energies of the soul ; while the sweet conso- 
 lations of the Holy Spirit will give far truer and more 
 abiding refreshment than any mere gratification of taste 
 or sense can afibrd. It is not, then, for the diminution, 
 but for the increase of their happiness, that we would af- 
 fectionately invito our dear friends to submit all their pur-
 
 ^6 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 suits, cveii those "which may be intended as recreations, to 
 tiie restraints and government of the Holy Spirit. As 
 this is the case, the various duties and enjoyments of the 
 present life will be phiced in their true relation to the life 
 to come. The occupation of our leisure hours, and, with 
 many, these make up a large amount in the sum of their 
 responsibilities, our associations, our reading, all our va- 
 ried engagements of a social or more public nature, will 
 be baptized into the Christian spirit. 
 
 To look upon this life as the training-school for heaven, 
 is at once the christian's duty and consolation. The sense 
 of his responsibilities and dangers is too strong to allow 
 him to court temptation. He has no time to squander 
 upon trifles. His renewed tastes have no relish for vain 
 or frivolous pursuits. He asks not how near he can ap- 
 proach, without danger, to the gaieties and amusements of 
 the world, but rather seeks to know how closely he can 
 follow that Saviour, by Avhom the world is crucified unto 
 him and he unto the world. 
 
 ON THE RIGHT OCCUPATION OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE 
 
 WEEK, 
 
 We believe, from the evidence of Holy Scripture, that 
 it is a duty enjoined upon man by his Creator, to observe 
 one day in seven as a day of rest, to be especially devoted 
 to religious purposes. We therefore regard it as incum- 
 bent on us, to assemble together on the first day of the 
 week, for the public worship of our Father in Heaven, 
 and for an open acknowledgment of our allegiance to Him. 
 This we believe to be in accordance with the practice of 
 the apostles and early christians, who met together on
 
 Chap, n.] RIGHT OCCUPATION OF FIEST-DAY. 57 
 
 this day in the name of their risen Lord ; and we esteem 
 it no small privilege to live in a community where this 
 religious duty is recognized. And, Avhile the remem- 
 brance of our Creator, and of our obligation to Him, 
 should at all times be present with us, it is our concern 
 that the day more particularly devoted to public worship 
 may be rightly observed. 
 
 May we also seriously examine, whether the mode of 
 spending that portion of the day, not occupied with the 
 attendance of our religious meetings, is such as is likely to 
 contribute to the eternal interests of the soul ; or whether 
 the character of our pursuits, and even of our conversa- 
 tion, is not such as shall tend to dissipate any religious 
 impressions which we may have received. Many have 
 derived great increase of spiritual strength, both on this 
 and on other days, from private devotional retirement, 
 from reading the lives and experience of the Lord's faith- 
 ful servants, and from reading the Holy Scriptures, with 
 minds turned to their Divine Author, in desire that He 
 would bless them to their comfort and edification. 
 
 We earnestly recommend to Friends, on this day of the 
 week, to assemble their households for the reading of the 
 Scriptures and for waiting upon the Lord, — a practice to 
 which we wish particularly to call the attention of those 
 who live in remote and secluded situations. And to all 
 Friends, who, either as parents or guardians, are intrusted 
 with the training of children and youth, we would urge 
 that a portion of the day be devoted to their instruction 
 in the Holy Scriptures ; and especially, that these should 
 become familiar with the account of the life and teachingfs 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon earth ; and that such seek 
 for ability to teach them the way of salvation by Him, as 
 recorded in the Scriptures. 
 
 And we desire the encouragement of those of our mem- 
 bers who may bo drawn, in the constraining love of the 
 
 H
 
 58 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 o-ospcl, to engage in the responsible work of Scriptural 
 instruction, either in First-day schools among ourselves, 
 or in mission schools on this day among the poorer and 
 less fovored classes ; and may such prayerfully seek for 
 opportunities to enter upon these services in simple de- 
 pendence on the Divine blessing. 
 
 WAR. 
 
 As it hath pleased the Lord, by the breaking forth of 
 the glorious light of the Gospel, and the shedding abroad 
 of his Holy Spirit, to gather us to be a people, to his 
 praise, and to unite us in love, not only one unto another, 
 but to the whole creation of God, by subjecting us to the 
 government of his Sou, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus 
 Christ, the Prince of Peace, it behooveth us to hold forth 
 the ensign of the Lamb of God, and, by our patience and 
 peaceable behavior, to show that we walk in obedience to 
 the example and precepts of our Lord and Master, who 
 hath commanded us to love our enemies, and to do good 
 to them even that hate us. Wherefore, we entreat all who 
 j)rofess themselves members of our Society, to be faithful 
 to that ancient testimony, borne by us ever since we were 
 a people, against bearing arms and fighting; that, by a 
 conduct agreeable to our profession, we may demonstrate 
 ourselves to be real followers of the Messiah, the peace- 
 able Saviour, of the increase of whose government and 
 peace, there shall be no end. 
 
 This Christian and truly scriptural testimony against all 
 war, is as precious to us as ever it was. We dare not be- 
 lieve that our Lord and Saviour, in enjoining the love of 
 enemies and the forgiving of injuries, has prescribed a 
 series of precepts which are incapable of being carried 
 into practice ; or of which the practice is to be postponed
 
 Chap. II.] SLAVERY AND OPPRESSION. 59 
 
 till all shall be persuaded to act upon them. We cannot 
 doubt that they are incumbent upon the Christian now ; 
 and that we have, in the prophetic scriptures, the distinct 
 intimation of their direct application, not only to individ- 
 uals, but to nations also. 
 
 We recommend that our members, consistently with 
 our ancient and uniform testimony, refuse the payment of 
 all taxes, expressly or specially for the support of war, 
 Avhether called for in money, provisions, or otherwise. We 
 also advise that Friends carefully avoid censuring or judg- 
 ing each other, in respect to the paj^ment or non-payment 
 of any mixed taxes, or such as a part thereof goes to the 
 support of war, and a part for civil government. 
 
 SLAVERY AND OPPRESSION. 
 
 Notwithstanding the legal forms of Slavery in this nation 
 have been abolished, the spirit of oppression remains, 
 and the rights of the neglected and down-trodden still call 
 for the guardian care of the philanthropist and the Chris- 
 tian. We would therefore encourage our members to 
 bear them and their wrongs upon their hearts, and en- 
 deavor to improve every providential opening to do them 
 good, remembering the language of Him who has watched 
 over and done so much for us, — "Inasmuch as ye have 
 done it unto one of the least of these, ray brethren, ye 
 have done it unto Me." 
 
 The testimony which the Society of Friends has so long 
 borne against the iniquitous system of slavery, has, we 
 humbly trust, been blessed of our Heavenly Father, and 
 we believe it right to record our thankfulness that our 
 Holy Head led us in this way. May we be encouraged to 
 follow more closely the guidance of His Spirit, embracing 
 every right opening for service, in promoting the abolition
 
 GO CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 of slavery auil the slave trade, in those countries where 
 unhappily it still exists, and also in healing the wounds, 
 and abating the injuries, which this iniquitous system has 
 produced, wherever it has prevailed, removing, as far as 
 may be, the ignorance, immorality, and helplessness, 
 which have followed in its train. 
 
 We desire that the aborigines of our country may con- 
 tinue to receive, not only the sympathy, but the Christian 
 efforts of Friends, to secure and maintain their rights, 
 both civil and social. May all our efforts for the help and 
 improvement of the oppressed and unfortunate everywhere, 
 be based upon the conviction that they are not only mem- 
 bers of the great brotherhood of mankind, but are, alike 
 with us, the objects of the love and mercy of our common 
 Father, and heirs of the promise of salvation and eternal 
 life. 
 
 OATHS. 
 
 Our Christian testimony should be faithfully maintained 
 against the burthen and imposition of oaths, according to 
 the express prohibition of Christ, " Ye have heard that it 
 hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not for- 
 swear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths ; 
 but I say unto you, swear not at all ; neither by heaven, 
 for it is God's throne ; nor by the earth, for it is his foot- 
 stool ; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great 
 King ; neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou 
 canst not make one hair white or black ; but let your com- 
 munication be yea, yea ; nay, nay ; for whatsoever is more 
 than these cometh of evil." "But," says the apostle, 
 "above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by 
 heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath; 
 but let your yea, be yea ; and your nay, nay ; lest ye fall
 
 Chap. II.] ON CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 61 
 
 into condemnation." Believing therefore as we do, that 
 no argument can invalidate a prohibition thus clear and 
 positive, we are bound religiously to regard it ; and whilst 
 we feel gratitude for the continuance of that indulgence, 
 by which our affirmation is accepted, let us evince our sin- 
 cerity in relation to this testimony, by faithfully maintain- 
 inof it. 
 
 We entreat, that, when any Friend has occasion to make 
 an affirmation, he be very considerate, and sure of the truth 
 of what he is about to affirm, remembering that the com- 
 mand, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," is as binding 
 as " Thou shalt not swear ; " and as well in the gospel as 
 in the law. Also, that the stretching forth the hand in 
 token of appeal to the Most High before the magistrate, 
 forms no part of an affirmation, but of an oath.* If a 
 due sense of the obligation to truth-speaking adequately 
 rests upon the mind, its efiect will be manifest, even in the 
 deportment of those who are giving evidence. 
 
 ON CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 It is our principle, and hath •ever been our practice, to 
 be subject, either by doing or sufleriug, to whatsoever gov- 
 ernment is set over us. AVe have ever maintained that it 
 is our duty to obey all the enactments of civil government, 
 except those which interfere with our allegiance to God. 
 We owe much to its blessings ; through it we enjoy liberty 
 and protection, in connection with law and order; and, 
 whilst bound by our sense of religious conviction not to 
 comply with those requisitions which violate our Christian 
 principles, we desire ever to be found of those who are 
 
 * We desire that our members should understand that no magistrate has authority 
 to bid a Friend to hold up his hand in administering an affirmation, and considering 
 the real difference between an oalli and uu aflinnation, that no Friend can consist- 
 ently do so.
 
 62 CHRiSTiiVN PRACTICE. [Chap. n. 
 
 quiet iu the laud ; a conditiou favorable to true Christian 
 l)atriotism, aud in which, services valuable and useful may 
 be rendered to the community. 
 
 Liberty of conscience being the common right of all 
 men, and particularly essential to the well being of relig- 
 ous societies, we hold it to be incumbent upon us to main- 
 tain it inviolably among ourselves ; aud therefore exhort 
 all in profession with us, to decline the acceptance of any 
 office or station in civil government, the duties of which 
 are inconsistent with our religious principles, or, in the 
 exercise of which, they may be under the necessity of 
 exacting of their brethren any compliances against which 
 we are conscientiously scrupulous. 
 
 Believing that we are called to show forth to the world, 
 in life and practice, the blessed reign of the Prince of 
 Peace, we cannot consistently join with such as form com- 
 binations of a hostile nature against any ; much less in 
 opposition to those placed in authority ; nor can we unite 
 with or encourage such as revile or asperse them, for it is 
 written, "Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy 
 people." Acts, xxiii. 5. 
 
 In fulfilling the duties of life, when occasions occur in 
 which we may consistently* serve the community in a civil 
 capacit}^ let us be concerned to know whether it is right 
 for us to be thus engaged ; and be watchful that such un- 
 dertakings do not mar the work of the Lord in our hearts, 
 or interfere with our line of service in his church. The 
 like watchfulness should be maintained, when taking a 
 public part with others iu associations for the purpose of 
 lessening the mass of vice and miser}'' which may prevail 
 around us, or in works of more extended philanthropy.
 
 Chap, n.] NATIONAL FASTS AND REJOICINGS, &C. 63 
 
 NATIONAL FASTS AND REJOICINGS, AND WHAT ARE TERMED 
 HOLY DAYS. 
 
 Believing as we do in the spirituality and freedom of 
 the gospel, and that the worship and prayers which God 
 accepts are such only as are produced by the influence and 
 assistance of the Holy Spirit, we cannot consistently unite 
 with any in the observance of public fasts, feasts, and 
 what are termed holy days, when such forms are devised 
 by man's will for Divine worship. 
 
 In accordance with our Christian testimony against war, 
 we refrain from the custom of illuminating our houses, or 
 performing any act as a token of joy for victories obtahied. 
 And wo believe all occasions of pul^lic rejoicing frequently 
 lead to practices inconsistent with that meek and quiet 
 spirit which should clothe the disciple of Jesus, and prove 
 an inlet to excesses which estrange the mind from God. 
 It is not in this way that we should manifest our gratitude 
 for national blessings, but by endeavoring, through re- 
 deeming love and power, to live more and more in the 
 spirit of the gospel, and thus to hold out an example of 
 genuine Christian conduct, remembering that righteous- 
 ness alone exalteth a nation. 
 
 We believe that at times the Lord is pleased, in an es- 
 pecial manner, to visit nations by his judgments, and that 
 they call for deep humiliation before Him, and for that re- 
 pentance which includes a real turning away from all our 
 evil works. This was the great feature of that memorable 
 fast which obtained the divine favor for Nineveh, after the 
 prophet had been sent to pronounce its destruction. The 
 true and acceptable fjxst to the Lord was declared by the 
 prophet Isaiah to be, not the bowing of the head for a 
 day, but the right performance of acts of justice and 
 mercy. How loudly then are Ave, as Christians, called 
 upon to beware of depending upon any temporary or
 
 64 CHRISTIAN PRACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 external performances, and to observe that daily and con- 
 tinual fast, which consists in the obedient homage of the 
 soul to its Almighty Creator and Eedeemer ! 
 
 The believers in Christ are spoken of as a royal priest- 
 hood. Under the new covenant, we are all invited to the 
 great privilege of offering "spiritual sacrifices, acceptable 
 to God, by Jesus Christ." As we come to enjoy this priv- 
 ilege, we are brought not to depend one upon another, or 
 upon stated performances in the public worship of God, 
 and are confirmed in the truth, that typical rites and cere- 
 monies are no part of the scriptural dispensation imder 
 which we live. 
 
 In supporting these our views of the liberty of the 
 gospel, let us be careful to prove, by t)ur conduct and 
 conversation, that we walk in the fear of God, w^ho rules 
 in the kingdoms of men, and are engaged to serve Him 
 and worship Him in spirit and in truth. And, while true 
 to our own convictions, let us not needlessly wound the 
 feelings of others, whose views, conscientiously held, lead 
 them into observances with which we cannot consistently 
 unite. May we cherish that true love of our country 
 which would lead us frequently to the Throne of Grace 
 on its behalf, that so, whilst we cannot lift up the sword 
 in its defence, our prayers and intercessions may ascend 
 availingly to Him, in whose hand is the prosperity of 
 nations. 
 
 The names in ordinary use of the days of the week, and 
 of most of the months, are of idolatrous origin, and repug- 
 nant to the Christian testimony borne by faithful Friends, 
 for the sake of which they jDatiently endured many revil- 
 ings. Let not the reproach therefore of singularity turn 
 any aside from denominating the months and days accord- 
 ing to the numerical mode of expression, or from bearing 
 a faithful testimony against these, and all other forms of 
 idolatry and superstition.
 
 Chap. II. 65 
 
 BURIALS AND MOURNING HABITS. 
 
 Our members arc affectionately cautioned against the 
 practice of wearing mourning apparel, on the occasion of 
 the decease of relations and friends. It tends to occupy 
 the thoughts with useless and frivolous subjects, at a time 
 Avheu it is peculiarly important, that nothing should inter- 
 fere Avith those precious visitations of the love of God to 
 the soul, which often in an especial manner accompany 
 the afflictive dispensations of the Most High, in the death 
 of our near connections, contritiug the heart, and com- 
 forting the true mourner. The custom not iiufrequently 
 imposes a straightening burthen on families, which they 
 are little able to sustain, and is, moreover, in many in- 
 stances, a token of sorrow not really felt ; and this in- 
 cludes a departure from that strict truthfulness, which, in 
 deed as well as in word, ought ever to mark the Christian 
 character. 
 
 Friends are advised to avoid all extravagant expenses 
 about the interment of the dead ; and to bear a sound 
 Christian testimony against the erection of monuments in 
 Friends' burial grounds, as well as against all inscriptions 
 of a eulogistic character, over the graves of deceased 
 Friends. Nevertheless, avc consider it to be no violation 
 of such testimony, to place over or beside a grave a plain 
 stone, to be of the dimensions established by this Yearly 
 Meeting in 1852, viz., not to exceed fifteen inches in height 
 above the surface of the ground ; the inscription on which 
 is confined to a simple record of the name, age, and date 
 of the decease, of the individual interred. 
 
 Burials of persons not members of our religious soci- 
 ety, may take place in our burial grounds, -provided they 
 be in all respects conducted as the burial of Friends are 
 conducted. Friends will exercise discretion as to comply-
 
 QQ CIIEISTIAN PEACTICE. [Chap. II. 
 
 ing Avith any application that may be made in such cases, 
 and as to appointing a meeting for worship on the occasion. 
 In order that burials be commendably and decently ac- 
 complished, and our testimonies maintained, as well as for 
 the assistance of those immediately concerned, monthly 
 meetings are advised to appoint a committee to attend 
 thereat, and also to see that all burial grounds are properly 
 enclosed and kept. 
 
 COVETOUSNESS. 
 
 As our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ exhorted and 
 warned to take heed and beware of covetousness, (which 
 is idolatry,) we are concerned that all our members may 
 guard against pride, over-reaching, defrauding, and has- 
 tening to be rich in the world, which are pernicious and 
 growing evils. Let them be watched against, resisted, 
 and suppressed, in the fear and dread of Almighty God, 
 and have no place or countenance among us ; remembering 
 the admonition of the apostle Paul : " They that will bo 
 rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many fool- 
 ish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and 
 perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil ; 
 which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the 
 faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 
 Beware therefore, dearly beloved, lest you, also, being 
 led aside by the love of this world and the deceitfulness 
 of riches, fall from your own steadfastness.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 CHRISTIAlSr DISCIPLINE. 
 
 INTRODUCTION — ON THE ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTIAN DIS- 
 CIPLINE ESTABLISHED AMONG FRIENDS. 
 
 The plau of discipline in the Society of Friends, so 
 wisely laid down for them by their predecessors, has been 
 maintained for nearly two centuries without material alter- 
 ation. This plau is characterized by that simplicity on 
 the one hand, and that precision on the other, which, 
 under Providence, could alone insure its usefulness and 
 stability. 
 
 While we cannot doubt that, in its construction, George 
 Fox and his coadjutors were favored with the gracious aid 
 of the Holy Spirit, it is also evident that their attention 
 was closely fixed upon the pattern of discipline presented 
 to them in the New Testament. Their system was, in- 
 deed, more developed than that of the primitive believers 
 is known to have been, especially as it regards the subor- 
 dination of one class of meetings to another ; but, with 
 regard to main principles, as well as in many distinct par- 
 ticulars, the views and practices of Friends, with respect 
 to church order, appear to be the same as those of the 
 primitive Christians. 
 
 The acknowledgment of Christ as the only Head and 
 priest of his people ; the direct dependence upon Ilim, as 
 the present ruler of the clmrch ; the divine origin of the 
 gift of the ministry and the absence of all human restric- 
 tion, as to the person wlio might exercise it; the voluntary
 
 i^8 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 support of the poor ; the appointment in every monthly 
 meeting, of officers to manage the funds raised for that 
 liurpose, and of elders and overseers to watch over the 
 Hock of Christ, — all being distinct, in their official char- 
 acters, from the prophets or preachers, — the settlement of 
 disputes, not before the magistrates of the land, but by 
 the arbitration of brethren ; the private admonition of of- 
 fenders as the first step in discipline ; the select confer- 
 ences of preachers and elders ; the making of rules, the 
 choosing of officers, the disownment and restoration of 
 offenders, by the assembled believers ; are points which 
 distinguish the simple religious polity of the earliest 
 Christians ; and all these points are steadily maintained in 
 the Society of Friends. 
 
 There are two points connected with our view of 
 church-government which are worthy of special notice. 
 The first is, the absence of all ecclesiastical domination, 
 or of any distinction between a priesthood in power, and 
 a laity in subjection. No such distinction appears to have 
 been known among the immediate followers of Christ, or 
 in the first and purest age of the churches which they 
 planted, and none such exists among ourselves. Our 
 views on this point are, indeed, by no means opposed to 
 the just influence of the more experienced members of the 
 church, or to the proper authority of appointed overseers ; 
 but we consider ourselves to be brethren possessed of 
 equal privileges ; and we conceive it to be the duty of the 
 church to conduct its own affairs, and to govern itself. And 
 here there is no place, on the part of individuals, for a 
 personal independence, or impatience of restraint : be- 
 cause, as far as Christian discipline extends, every mem- 
 ber is controlled and governed by the body at large. 
 
 Now, it is very obvious, that such a form of church- 
 government can be safe and salutary, only while we main- 
 tain a still higher principle — that of the supremacy and
 
 Chap. III.] ORIGIN OF THE CHRISTIAN DISCll'LINE. 69 
 
 perpetual superintendence of Christ himself. This is a 
 doctrine in which Friends have at all times believed. 
 Often have they been led to call to mind the words of the 
 prophet : " Unto us a child is born, unto us a sou is given : 
 and the government shall be upon his shoulder." Isaiah, 
 ix. 6. Often have they found occasion to recur to the 
 doctrine of the apostle, that God hath put "all things" 
 under the feet of Jesus, and given "Him to be the Head 
 over all things to the church." Eph. i. 22. 
 
 What, then, is the agency by which Christ conducts his 
 reign, and orders the affairs of his universal people? 
 Scripture and experience alike declare that it is the agency 
 of the Holy Spirit. It is by his Spirit that He brings his 
 children into subjection to his will, qualifies them for their 
 respective offices in the body, and guides them, individ- 
 ually and collectively, in their course of duty. 
 
 The second subject alluded to is, the belief of Friends, 
 that a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to 
 profit withal; and that the living members of the church, 
 in their endeavors to promote the religious welfare of 
 others, will not fail to receive, as they humbly seek it, 
 his gracious aid and guidance. Whether, in such endeav- 
 ors, we act as private individuals, or in the official char- 
 acter of overseers of the flock, it is still in dependence on 
 our Divine Master, and in obedience to the government 
 of his Spirit, that our duties ought to be performed. We 
 l)elieve that it is thus, and thus only, that wc can with 
 confidence ofler up the prayer of the Psalmist ; " Establish 
 thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of 
 our hands establish thou it." Ps. xc. 17. 
 
 But further — when christians meet in their collective 
 capacity, for the purpose of regulating the affairs of the 
 church, and of promoting the cause of religion, Christ is 
 their rightful President. And, it is our firm belief, that, 
 as they reverently wait upon Him, they will find Him
 
 70 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 present to assist their deliberations, to prompt their ef- 
 forts, and to direct their decisions. That such was the 
 happy experience of the primitive believers, may be shown 
 from the Scriptures ; and there is surely no good reason 
 why christians, in the present day, did they fully rely on 
 God, should not enjoy the same blessed privilege. 
 
 We, therefore, consider it to be our duty to conduct all 
 our meetings for discipline, with immediate reference to 
 the government of Christ, and to the guidance of the 
 Holy Spirit. Whether we are engaged in appointing offi- 
 cers ; in acknowledging ministers ; in deliberating upon 
 their prospects of service; in admitting members; in 
 dealing with delinquents ; in extending advice to subordi- 
 nate meetings ; or in discussing propositions made with a 
 view to the welfare of the body; — whatever subject, in- 
 deed, connected with religion and morality may occupy 
 our attention, — we believe it to be right, humbly to wait 
 for Divine direction, and to yield to that judgment, on the 
 subject before us, which appears to be most consistent 
 with the mind of Christ. 
 
 Believing that, of every question which can arise in the 
 church, there must be a right conclusion, and in the fur- 
 ther belief that, as they diligently seek his counsel, Christ 
 will lead his dependent followers into that conclusion, we 
 admit in our meetings for discipline, of no division of mem- 
 bers — of no settlement of any point by majority. The 
 Clerk gathers and records the judgment of the meeting, 
 and it is his duty, during the course of every discussion, 
 to take care that proper order be preserved. But he has 
 no personal authority over the assembl}^, no power to put 
 any subject to the vote, and no casting vote of his own. 
 
 That this is a principle worthy of our Christian profes- 
 sion, and eminently conducive to the welfare of the church, 
 cannot be denied ; and, although its full effect may often 
 be prevented by the infirmity of our nature, we are bound
 
 Chap, in.] MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. 71 
 
 to acknowledge that it has worked well in practice ; and 
 it continues to be the case, that questions are never settled 
 in our meetings for discipline — monthly, quarterly, or 
 yearly — by a division of the members. Have we not, 
 then, much cause for thankfulness to Him who is Head 
 over all things to the church, that He still condescends to 
 preserve us, as a people, in some degree of practical de- 
 pendence on his own authority ; that He still brings us, 
 from time to time, into the same judijment; that He still 
 enables us, when our opinions differ, to condescend one to 
 another in love ? 
 
 Certain it is, that the more we are weaned from the 
 eagerness of the carnal mind, and brought to wait patient- 
 ly on the Lord, the better we shall be prepared to receive 
 and follow his counsel ; the more eminently we shall enjoy 
 the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
 
 MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Early after the establishment of meetings for M^orship, 
 those for discipline were instituted ; and, as the right 
 maintenance of these is indispensable to the welfare of 
 the society, Friends are entreated to be diligent in the 
 attendance of them, and to encourage the attendance of 
 their families. 
 
 By the term discipline, is to be understood all those ar- 
 rangements and regulations which are instituted for the 
 civil and religious benefit of a christian church. The 
 meetings for discipline are, of course, for the purpose of 
 carrying those objects into effect. Their design was said 
 by George Fox to be, the promotion of charity and piety. 
 He mentions in his journal, that some meetings for disci- 
 pline were settled in the north of England in 1G53. The
 
 72 CHRISTIAN DiscirLiNE. [Chap. III. 
 
 earliest meetings of this character, of which we have any 
 account, in this country, were established in 1658. 
 
 Christianity has ever been a powerful, active, and be- 
 neficent principle. Those who truly receive it, no more 
 " live unto themselves ; " and this feature and fruit of gen- 
 uine Christianity was strikingly exhibited in *he conduct 
 of the early Friends. No sooner were a few persons con- 
 nected together in the new bond of religious fellowship, 
 than they were engaged to admonish, encourage, and, in 
 spiritual as well as temporal matters, to watch over and 
 help one another in love. Each member was at liberty to 
 exercise the gift bestowed upon him, in that beautiful 
 harmony and subjection which belong to the several parts 
 of a living body, from the analogy to which the apostle 
 Paul draws so striking a description of the true church : 
 *' Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." 
 
 It was one of the earliest features of our religious econ- 
 omy, to elevate the character of women by recognizing 
 them as helpers in spiritual as well as in temporal things ; 
 holding in the former, as in the latter, a distinct place, 
 and having duties which more peculiarly devolved on 
 them. For this purpose, meetings were established among 
 them with a special regard to the care and edification of 
 their own sex. The views of George Fox in regard to 
 the establishment of these meetings are conveyed in the 
 following passages: "Faithful women, called to a belief 
 of the truth, and made partakers of the same precious 
 faith, and heirs of the same everlasting gospel of life and 
 salvation as thamen are, might in like manner come into 
 the profession and practice of the gospel order, and there- 
 in be meet-helps to the men, in the service of truth and 
 the aflfairs in the church, as they are outwardly in civil 
 and temporal things ; that so all the family of God, women 
 as well as men, might know, possess, and perform, their 
 offices and services in the house of God ; whereby the
 
 Chai3. III.] 3LEETIXGS FOR DISCIPLINE. 73 
 
 poor might be better taken care of; the j'ounger sort iu- 
 structed, informed and taught in the way of God; the 
 disorderly reproved and admonished, in the fear of the 
 Lord ; the clearness of persons proposing marriage more 
 closely and strictly inquired into, in the wisdom of God ; 
 and all the members of the spiritual body, the church, 
 might watch over and be helpful to each other in love." 
 
 And in order for the regular and easy proceeding in the 
 service and discipline of the church, coordinate meetings 
 of each sex have been, by Divine assistance, set up and 
 established, serviceable and subordinate one unto another ; 
 as Prejiarative i consisting of Friends belonging to one or 
 more particular meetings for worship ; Montlihj, consist- 
 ing of as many preparatives as may most usefully compose 
 the same ; Quarterhj^ to consist of as many monthly meet- 
 ings as are thought useful to constitute the same, to meet 
 together once in three months ; Yearly, consisting of all 
 the quarterly meetings in New England, east of the Con- 
 necticut river, having the general care and oversight of 
 all the meetings within its limits, to meet annually ou 
 Rhode Island. No quarterly meeting can be set up, di- 
 vided into two, or discontinued, but by the Yearly Meet- 
 ing; no monthly meeting, but by the quarterly meeting; 
 no preparative meeting, or meeting of worship, but by 
 the monthly meeting, which is the lowest meeting that 
 has the right of disowning members. These meetings are 
 subordinate and accountable, thus : the preparative to the 
 monthly, the monthly to the quarterly, and the quarterly 
 to the yearly meeting; so that, if at any time, either of 
 these bodies bo dissatisfied with the proceedings of any 
 subordinate meeting within its limits, such subordinate 
 meeting, when required thereto, ought, with readiness and 
 meekness, to render a satisfactory account accordingly. 
 Althouijh the men's and the women's meetings arc held
 
 74 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 separately, joint sessions may be held at any time, by 
 mntiial consent. 
 
 These meetings, so instituted, are, no doubt, instrumen- 
 tal in bringing many more of the members into a larger 
 sphere of usefulness, and into the exercise of their re- 
 spective gifts in the church, the free course for which 
 George Fox was so anxious to promote. With reference 
 to this subject, he observes, in one of his epistles, "The 
 least member in the church is serviceable, and all the 
 members have need one of another." 
 
 While Friends are at liberty to exercise a prudent dis- 
 cretion, with respect to the admission of well disposed 
 and serious persons, who are not members, to sit in our 
 meetings for discipline, we advise that no persons under 
 dealing for any misconduct, be allowed to sit in meetings 
 for business, nor should their contribution be received, 
 until they give satisfaction. 
 
 The Book of Discipline should be present in all our 
 meetings for discipline, that it may be consulted or read, 
 as occasion may require. 
 
 Meetings for business should endeavor to bring all sub- 
 jects to a seasonable close ; and when a meeting is unable 
 to come to a satisfactory determination of any matter be- 
 fore it, it should apply to its superior meeting for its 
 advice and assistance therein. 
 
 The minutes and reports, which go from inferior to su- 
 perior meetings, should be signed b}^ their clerks. 
 
 All the provisions in this article, or elsewhere in this 
 book, in relation to the organization, management, and 
 modes of proceeding of meetings for discipline, and all 
 advices relative thereto, shall be construed as applying 
 alike, to both men's and w^omen's meetings, unless other- 
 wise specifically provided.
 
 Chap. III.] YEARLY MEETING; ITS HISTORY, &C. 75 
 
 THE YEARLY MEETING; ITS HISTORY, DESIGN, AND 
 FUNCTIONS. 
 
 New Englaud Yearly JNIeeting, being the first in Amer- 
 ica, was not set up like those of the present day, which 
 have been set oil* from a parent stock, and organized at 
 once, but gradually grew up as the Society grew ; assum- 
 ing more and more a definite form and organization, as 
 the people, ncAvly convinced, and as yet held together 
 only by the bands of sympathy, love, and gospel unity, 
 came to perceive their need. Khode Island, in these times 
 of persecution, was a place of quiet and Christian liberty ; 
 and Newport being easily accessible and constantly passed 
 and repassed by the ''laborers," in their journeys between 
 New Amsterdam, Oyster Bay, and other localities south- 
 ward, and Sandwich, Plymouth, Boston, Salem, and Pis- 
 cataqua, at the eastward, became naturally the place of 
 meeting, and this was favored still more, by the toleration, 
 and even countenance of the authorities. The house of 
 William Coddiugton, the Governor, soon became, and con- 
 tinued to be, the place of meetings, both for worship and 
 discipline, until his death in 1688. As early as 1657, in 
 the sixth month, five ministers from England landed at New- 
 port from the little ship Woodhouse, and they, with the 
 master, also a minister, were engaged in that vicinity from 
 the 3d to the 12th of the month ; but what meetings were 
 lield docs not appear. In 1658, there were fifteen minis- 
 ters laboring in New England, viz., eleven from England, 
 three from Bar1)adoes, and one from llhode Island. In 
 the sixth month of this year, most of these were in prison 
 in various places. 
 
 "In 1659," says Peter Pearson, "upon the Otli day of 
 the 4th [now 6th] mo., and 4th day of the week, all of us, 
 Englisli Friends, that were abroad in the country, had a 
 meeting upon Rhode Island."
 
 7G CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 1G(30. Persecution was sharp this year, and there is no 
 account of any meeting. William llobinson, a merchant 
 of London, and Marmaduke Stevenson, of Yorkshire, 
 sullered death for truth's sake, on the 27th of 8th mo. 
 In this year, Mary Dyer was hung. William Leddra was 
 hung the 14th day of 1st mo., 16G1. 
 
 "In 1661," says George Bishop, "a Yearly or general 
 meeting was held on Rhode Island,* at which the people of 
 Boston were much alarmed, fearing Friends were assem- 
 bling to attack them." There is good reason to believe that 
 the meeting was regularly held from this time. It was at- 
 tended in 1671 by John Burnyeat, who says, "It begins 
 the 9th of 4th [now 6th] mo. every year, and continues 
 much of a week ; and is a general meeting for Friends 
 of New England." George Fox attended it in 1672, (the 
 year the call was issued for the first Representative Yearly 
 Meeting held in London,) and says it held six days ; four 
 for worship, one for the men's and one for the women's 
 meeting for business, and that it was not a Yearly Meeting 
 for New England only, but for other colonies adjacent ; "in- 
 cluding, doubtless," says BoAvden, "Long Island, Jerseys, 
 Maryland, and Virginia." In these, several men's and 
 women's meetings for other parts were agreed upon and 
 settled, to take care of the poor, and other affairs of the 
 church, and to see that all who profess the truth, walk 
 according to the glorious Gospel of God. G. Fox's 
 Journal, pj). 156-7. But no records of the general meet- 
 ing at this place are preserved, prior to 1683, when the 
 following minutes appear, which are not only the oldest 
 
 * Where the meeting was tlien held does not appear, but in 1072 George Fox at- 
 tended it, at the house of Gov. William Coddington, and probably from that time, 
 certainly from 1683 to 1088, it was held at the same place; from 1689 to 1697 it was 
 held at Walter Newbury's house; 1098 at his widow's, Anne Newbury's. In 1701, the 
 record says, " Met at our meeting-house," and " On 6th day Public Friends had a 
 meeting at 8 o'clock, at our old meeting-house, till 10 o'clock -^ then began our Yearly 
 Meeting at our new meeting-house."
 
 Chap. III.] YEARLY meeting; its history, &c. 77 
 
 existing records of this meeting, but all the records of 
 this session, viz. : 
 
 " It is Agreed on and settled at A general yearly meet- 
 ing at the house of Wm. Coddingtou in Ehode Island, ye 
 11th 4th [Gth] mo. 1683. — The yearly general meeting 
 of Friends worshipping God, — Theare assembly at Rhoad 
 IsUmd Begins ye second dayo of ye 4th [Gth] month in 
 every yeare, til friends see cause in ye wisdom and couu- 
 sell of God to alter it. 
 
 " At Duxbury, ye geuerall yearley meeting Begins on 
 ye last sixth daye in every 7th [9th] M : & since, it is 
 altered to ye first Gth daye in every 8th [10th] month. 
 
 "At Piscatua ye generall meeting Begins ye second 
 first-daye after duxbury meeting. 
 
 " At Salem ye geuerall meeting Begins ye next first- 
 daye After duxbury meeting. 
 
 " At dartmo'h ye generall yearley meeting is to Begin 
 ye 4th first daye After Duxbury meeting. 
 
 " At Warwick A yearley meeting is appoynted ye sec- 
 ond first-day in every 3d [5th] mo." 
 
 These meetings are doubtless the same, or part of the 
 same, referred to in the Journal of George Fox, as " set- 
 tled" in 1G72 ; but the times and places of holding them 
 were now arranged in more definite order. The meeting 
 at Sandwich,* one of the oldest and largest, is not named 
 in the list, probaljly because the time was not changed. It 
 was held on the third Gth day in the 1st [3d] mo. Nan- 
 tucket meeting was not set up until 4th [Gth] mo. 23d, 
 1708. Although the meeting at Newport, from the various 
 causes alluded to, was more prominent, and gradually in- 
 creased in relative importance, it does not appear to have 
 dificred in character from the general yearly meetings 
 
 *The meetings at Sandwich and Duxbury can be truccd back to 1079.
 
 > 
 
 No business from any of them does 
 present to this meeting. 
 
 78 ciiiiiSTiAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 liold at Sandwich, Scituate, Salem, Piscataqna, &c., until 
 1GU3, when the folloAviug document was issued by it : 
 
 " At a general Yearly Meeting at the house of Walter 
 Newbury on Khodc Island the 13th of 4th [6th] mo. 1693. 
 
 " The several particular meetings being called upon, 
 Rhode Island, 
 Sandwich, 
 Situate, 
 Salem, 
 Piscataway, 
 Oyster-Bay, 
 
 " It is agreed at this meeting, that the weighty friends of 
 the several meetings do appoint one or two faithful friends 
 to attend this Yearly Meeting, and give their attendance 
 at tlie usual place, on the 6th and 7th days, in the morn- 
 ing, by the 8th hour, before the public meeting of worship 
 do begin ; and bring in an account of sufieriugs, if any be, 
 or other business that may relate to this meeting ; and if 
 the business is not ended then, the 2d day in the morning 
 may be appointed, that all things may be done in order, 
 and have reasonable time to end thin2:s that shall come 
 before us." 
 
 The other " general meetinirs" within New En2:land now 
 began to be held quarterly, and soon took the name of 
 Quarterly' Meetings, agreeably to propositions made in 
 1686, 1687, and 1693, occupying an intermediate place 
 and office, between the "Yearly Meeting for New Eng- 
 land " and the monthly meetings. Two of the latter had 
 been set up, viz.. Sandwich, believed to be the oldest in 
 America, as early as 1658, (when eighteen families re- 
 corded their names) ; and Duxbury, which is noticed in 
 the Old Colony Records of 1660. Monthly meetings 
 were not yet generally established in England, — but in
 
 Chap. III.] YEARLY meeting; its history, &c. 79 
 
 1666 and 1667 George Fox made special effort Idj " writ- 
 ing into all parts," as he says, " to stir up Friends to move 
 in it, and establish their monthly meetings." 
 
 Following these " general meetings," in their change to 
 quarterly meetings, we find, not a definite and decided 
 change to the present organization, and subordination of 
 inferior to superior meetings ; nor to the present division 
 of duties, or functions ; but rather, a gradual growth or 
 perfecting of the system through a series of years. 
 
 The name of " Duxbury General Yearly Meeting " was 
 changed to Scituate, and then to Pembi'oke ; but the meet- 
 ing was soon after absorbed in Sandwich Quarterly Meet- 
 ing, which, being held first as a yearly meeting, was, in 
 1685, held as a "Half Year's Meeting," but in 1686 was 
 changed to a quarterly meeting, and dates from that time. 
 
 "Dartmouth General Meeting" was first included in 
 Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting ; and then set ofi" to 
 Sandwich in 1788. 
 
 " Warwick," or " Greenwich," and " Swanzy," were also 
 soon included in Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting. 
 
 " Oyster Bay " was set oS, and with other meetings was 
 organized as New York Yearly Meeting, in 1695. 
 
 " Salem " took the name and form of Salem Quarterly 
 Meeting, probably in 1687, at first including " Piscataqua," 
 which was afterwards set off in 1815 as Dover Quarterly 
 Meeting. 
 
 In all this work of organization, George Fox was not 
 the only laborer, but rather a prominent instrument in 
 "making ready a people prepared of the Lord." He was 
 laboring in this country Avhen the call for a representative 
 Yearly Meeting was issued from London, by that Yearly 
 Meeting of Ministers, in 1672. The fields were already 
 white unto harvest, and George Fox, as a true servant of 
 the Lord, sought not to be regarded as a leader, but 
 pointed all to Christ as the Head ; and exhorted all to
 
 80 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send forth laborers into 
 liis harvest. And " many were raised up in various local- 
 ities to preach the Gospel in its spirituality and fullness." 
 As early as 1652, there were twenty-five ministers Avho 
 gave themselves to the work in England, and multitudes 
 were convinced. "In 1654, there Avere no less than sixty 
 travelling in nearly all the counties of England and Wales, 
 and in parts of Scotland and Ireland, and meetings for 
 worship Avere established in most parts of the nation." 
 And, notwithstanding the persecution, in a few years after, 
 we find them earnestly engaged in all the colonies of this 
 country, and some even among the aborigines. 
 
 THE DESIGN AND FUNCTIONS OF THE YEARLY MEETING. 
 
 It is called " The Yearly Meeting of Friends fpr New 
 England," embracing in its limits all New England east of 
 the Connecticut river. 
 
 The intent and design of our annual assemblies, in 
 their first constitution, was, for the great and weighty 
 oversight, and Christian care of the afiliirs of the churches, 
 pertaining to our Christian communion, in all those things 
 wherein we may be capable to serve one another in love. 
 
 In 1695, the records say, "The good and blessed intent 
 and end of this and of all our assemblies, is, with the 
 Lord's assistance, fof his honor, in promoting and main- 
 taining our Christian society and religion, in life and prac- 
 tice, in all the parts and branches thereof." 
 
 REGULATIONS. 
 
 The Yearly Meeting is to be held on Eliode Island, be- 
 ginning with a meeting of Ministers and Elders at nine
 
 Chai3. in.] REGULATIONS. 81 
 
 o'clock A. M., on the second sixth day of the sixth month, 
 at Newport ; the meeting for church discipline to begin 
 at 9 o'clock on seventh day morning, at Newport ; the 
 meetings for worship on tirst day following, to begin at 
 10 o'clock in the morning, and at 4 o'clock in the after- 
 noon, both at Portsmouth and Newport. 
 
 The clerks, or in their absence, the assistant clerks, 
 shall act as clerks at the first session for discipline of the 
 Yearly Meeting in each year. The representatives of the 
 men's and women's meetings respectively shall meet at the 
 close of such first session, and shall, when so met, nomi- 
 nate clerks and assistant clerks from among the members 
 of the meeting. The said nominations shall be reported 
 to the next session of the Yearly Meeting for confirma- 
 tion, previously to any other business ; and the clerks 
 shall continue to serve until others are appointed. 
 
 No representative should withdraw from the meeting 
 before it ends, without leave ; that the service of the 
 meeting may not be neglected. 
 
 All papers that come before the meeting, except such as 
 are from its recognized official correspondents, shall be 
 first examined by a committee appointed for the purpose, 
 to determine the propriety of their introduction, before 
 they are read in the meeting ; and the same rule shall apply 
 also to quarterly and monthly meetings. 
 
 Collections shall be made when called for by the meet- 
 ing for defraying the expenses of the Society, and shall be 
 lodged in the hands of a treasurer (to be annually appoint- 
 ed,) and shall be subject to be drawn out for its service by 
 those properly authorized, who shall account for the same. 
 The treasurer's accounts shall be audited annually by a com- 
 mittee of the Yearly ]Meeting api)ointed for that purpose. 
 
 The sums which may be thought necessary to be raised, 
 shall be apportioned to each quarterly meeting l)y the 
 representatives present ; and cacli quarterly meeting is 
 
 K
 
 82 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 desired to be punctual in sending up the amount thereof 
 accordingly. 
 
 The business of the Yearly Meeting should be conducted 
 in the fear of Gotl, without contention or striving ; and 
 with as few Avords, and in as pertinent expression to the 
 matter in hand, as may be, for expediting the affjiirs there- 
 of without loss of time, or in any way disturbing the 
 meeting ; one only at a time standing and speaking, that 
 all things may be done decently and in order. 
 
 QUARTERLY MEETINGS. 
 
 A Quarterly Meeting shall consist of oiie or more 
 monthly meetings, and shall extend a kind and tender 
 Christian care over its subordinate meetings, and shall be 
 subordinate to the Yearly Meeting. It shall be organized 
 by the appointment annually of clerks, assistant clerks, 
 and a treasurer, who shall servo until others are appointed 
 to take their places. 
 
 Until further directed, the several quarterly meetings 
 shall be held as follows, viz. : Rhode Island quarter, in the 
 8th month, at Newport, 11th month, at Fall River, 2d 
 month, at Providence, and 5th month, at East Greenwich ; 
 on the first fifth-day in the month, at each place : Salem 
 quarter, on the third fifth-day in the 1st month, at Salem ; 
 on the 4th fifth-day in the 5th month, at Amesbury ; on 
 the tliird fifth-day in the 8th month, at Lynn ; on the 3d 
 fifth-day in the 10th month, at Weare : Sandwich quar- 
 ter, on the first fifth-day in the month ; at New Bedford, 
 in the 4th and 12th months, at Falmouth in the 7th, and 
 at Sandwich in the 10th : Falmouth quarter, on the fifth- 
 day before the first sixth-day in the month ; at Windham, 
 in the 2d and 9th, at Falmouth, Maine, in the 6th, and 
 at Durham in the 11th month : Smithfield quarter, on the
 
 Chap, in.] QUARTERLY MEETINGS. 83 
 
 second fifth-day in the mouth; at Worcester in the 2d, 
 at Xorthbridge in the 5th, at Bolton in the 8th, and at 
 Smithfield in the 11th month: Vassalborough quarter, on 
 the second sixth-day in the 2d, 9th and 11th months, and 
 the Last sixth-day in the 5th month ; at Vassalborough, in 
 the 2d and 9th months, and at East Vassalborough, in the 
 5th and 11th months : Dover quarter, on the fourth fifth- 
 day in the month ; at the upper meeting-house in Roches- 
 ter, (Meaderborough,) in the 1st, at Dover in the 4th, 
 at Sandwich, New Hampshire, in the 10th, and at 
 North Berwick on sixth-day after the fourth fifth-day in 
 the 8th month : Fairfield quarter, at IManchester, on 
 fourth-day before the second sixth-day in the 2d and 
 9th mouths"; at Fairfield on fourth-day before the last 
 sixth-day in the 5th month, and at the same place on 
 fourth-day before the second sixth-day in the 11th month. 
 *A meeting for divine worship shall be held on the first 
 day of holding each quarterly meeting, preceding their 
 opening the business, according to the ancient and general 
 practice of Friends. 
 
 The several quarterly meetings shall transmit annually 
 to the Yearly Meeting information of any meetings which 
 have been settled, discontinued, or united in the course of 
 the year ; and when any quarterly meeting thinks it right, 
 under special circumstances, to give permission to a 
 monthly meeting to be held less frequently than once in 
 the month, the same shall be reported to the Yearly Meet- 
 ing. If any quarterly meeting shall, upon deliberate con- 
 sideration, judge it right and expedient to lay down or 
 dissolve any of the monthly meetings belonging thereto, 
 and join the members thereof to another of its monthly 
 meetings, it is authorized so to do ; and the members of 
 those dissolved meetings arc to be accepted and recognized 
 as under the care of the said meetuig to which they are 
 joined. And when a (quarterly meeting hath come to a
 
 84 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 jiKlgmcnt on this or any other matter relative to any 
 monthly meeting belonging to it, and notified the same in 
 Avriting to such monthly meeting, the said monthly meet- 
 ing ought to submit to the judgment of the quarterly 
 meeting ; but, if such monthly meeting shall not be satis- 
 fied therewith, then the monthly meeting may appeal to 
 the Yearly Meeting, against the judgment and determina- 
 tion of the quarterly meeting. 
 
 And, if a monthly meeting shall refuse to take the advice 
 and submit to the judgment of the quarterly meeting, and 
 notwithstanding will not appeal against the determination 
 of the said meeting to the Yearly Meeting ; in such case, 
 the quarterly meeting shall be at liberty either to dissolve 
 such monthly meeting, or to bring the affair before the 
 next or the succeeding Yeai-ly Meeting. And, in case a 
 quarterly meeting shall dissolve a monthly meeting, the, 
 dissolved monthly meeting, or any part thereof, in the 
 name of the said meeting, shall be at liberty to appeal to 
 the next or the succeeding Yearly Meeting, against such 
 dissolution ; but, if the dissolved monthly meeting, or a 
 part thereof in its behalf, shall not appeal to the Yearly 
 Meeting, the quarterly meeting shall join the members of 
 the said late monthly meeting to such other monthly meet- 
 ing as it may think most convenient ; and, until such time, 
 shall take care that no inconvenience doth thereby ensue 
 to the members of such dissolved meeting, respecting any 
 branch of our discipline. And, if any of the monthly 
 meetings to which the quarterly meetings shall join the 
 whole or a part of the late monthly meetings do think 
 themselves aggrieved, they shall be at liberty to appeal 
 against the quarterly meeting to the Yearly Meeting; and, 
 until such appeal is heard and determined, the Friends 
 added by the quarterly meeting to them shall be deemed 
 their members. 
 
 All minutes and written epistles from the Yearly Meet-
 
 Chap. III.] JEONTIILY MEETINGS. 85 
 
 ing shall be entered by the quarterly meethig in books 
 properly kept, that all Friends of the said quarter may 
 have recourse to them, as occasion shall require. 
 
 Each quarterly meeting shall appoinf two or more rep- 
 resentatives to attend the Yearly Meeting. 
 
 The attention of quarterly meetings is recommended to 
 the circumstances of the very small meetings for worship, 
 and the small monthly meetings, within their limits. We 
 desire that the condition of these meetings may obtain the 
 care of well concerned Friends, and that a brotherly and 
 christian intercourse, so far as is practicable, may be kept up 
 between all the members of a quarterly meeting. 
 
 MONTHLY MEETINGS. 
 
 A Monthly Meeting consists of one or more preparative 
 meetings, and holds its sittings monthly, and is subordinate 
 to the quarterly meeting. Clerks and assistant clerks 
 shall be appointed annually, to serve until others are 
 chosen. 
 
 Each monthly meeting shall also appoint a treasurer, 
 who shall keep a regular account of all moneys received 
 and paid on behalf of the meeting. Also a correspond- 
 ent, to authenticate all documents sent from one monthly 
 or quarterly meeting to another. 
 
 Information of the appointment of correspondents shall 
 be forwarded to the (quarterly meeting, and by the quar- 
 terly meeting to the Yearly Meeting. A recorder shall 
 also be annually appointed. (See article on Records.) 
 
 In every monthly meeting a proper number of faithful 
 and judicious men and women Friends, belonging to each 
 of the particular or preparative meetings, should be ap- 
 pointed to the station of overseers within the same ; whoso 
 duty it is to exercise a vigilant and tender caro over their
 
 86 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 fellow-members ; that if anything repugnant to the har- 
 mony and good order of the Society appears among them, 
 , it may l)e timely attended to. And they are also entreated 
 to be especially cait^ful to maintain an upright life and 
 unl)lamable conversation, that the advice which they give 
 to others may be better received, and carry with it greater 
 weight and force, on the minds of those whom they may 
 be concerned to admonish. 
 
 In the selection of overseers the monthly meeting should 
 appoint a joint committee of men and women Friends, to 
 propose to the succeeding monthly meeting the names 
 of one or more suitable men, and also of women 
 Friends, in each preparative meeting, for that service ; and 
 the appointment of these overseers shall be by concurrent 
 action of both meetings. 
 
 Notwithstanding overseers are appointed for a particular 
 preparative meeting, yet, if circumstances require it, they 
 may act in another preparative meeting belonging to the 
 same monthly meeting. 
 
 The monthly meeting should also appoint two or more 
 Friends, men and women, from each preparative meeting, 
 as overseers of the poor, who shall attend to the necessi- 
 ties of those who may need assistance, and give such aid 
 and advice as may appear needful. 
 
 Two or more Friends should be appointed annually, as 
 auditors to settle the accounts of the treasurer, overseers 
 of the poor, and of the trustees of all trust funds held by 
 the meeting, or under its direction. 
 
 The foregoing appointments are to be made annually ; 
 but those appointed, and all others under annual appoint- 
 ment, shall serve until others are appointed in their stead. 
 
 Monthly meetings should appoint one or more Friends 
 as representatives to each quarterly meeting, whose duty 
 it is to attend to the seasonable dispatch and completion 
 of the business intrusted to their care, taking with them
 
 Chap. III.] MONTHLY MEETINGS. * 87 
 
 what may be specially committed to them by the monthly 
 meeting, which should be in writing. 
 
 The right to membership in the Society extends to any 
 child born of parents in membership ; to any child, of 
 which either the father or mother is at the time of its birth 
 a member, provided such father and mother were both of 
 them members at the time of marriage ; and to such as 
 may have been admitted to the right, on request or other- 
 wise. 
 
 Monthly meetings are at liberty, in their discretion, to 
 admit into membership in their minority, any children 
 whose parents are or may have been members, or who may 
 be otherwise connected with our Society, in cases where a 
 sincere desire is manifest to train and educate such chil- 
 dren in accordance with our religious principles; and, 
 when but one of the parents is a member of our Society, 
 such are encouraged to bring up their children agreeably 
 to Truth, as far as is in their power, and, when they think 
 it suitable for them to be members, not to neglect asking 
 the care of Friends in their behalf. 
 
 Although we recognize the children of our members as 
 objects of our care, and partakers of the outward privi- 
 leges of Christian fellowship, we would earnestly remind 
 all, that such recognition cannot constitute them members 
 of the church of Christ. Nothing can eflect this but the 
 power of the Holy Spirit working repentance towards 
 God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ : therefore, 
 let the words of our Divine Master have their due place 
 with us all: "Ye must be born again." May all our 
 memljcrs become such, on tlie ground of true conversion 
 and convincement, and be prepared in their several places 
 to bring forth fruit unto God. 
 
 Requests from those who desire to be received into 
 membership should ])e introduced through the preparative 
 meeting, but tlic overseers may, in exceptional cases, to
 
 88 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 save time, bring such requests directly to the monthly 
 meeting; and, in either case that meeting may appoint 
 some suitable Friends, who shall inquire into the life and 
 conversatic^n of the applicants, and also take an opportu- 
 nity for serious conference with them, the better to under- 
 stand whether their motives for such request be sincere 
 and from religious conviction, and make report of their 
 suitableness to become members accordingly. If such 
 report be satisfactory to the meeting, a record shall then 
 be made of the acceptance of such persons as members of 
 our society, and a committee be appointed to inform them 
 thereof. 
 
 Monthly meetings are required to keep an alphabetical 
 list of their members, and annually to appoint a committee 
 for the purpose of examining such list, by comparing the 
 entries on the monthly meeting's records, who shall also 
 prepare an abstract of statistics, showing the number of 
 births, deaths, removals into or out of the meeting, admis- 
 sions by request, disowned, and the total number of mem- 
 bers, in time to be forwarded through the quarterly meet- 
 ing to the Yearly Meeting annually. 
 
 Monthly meetings are desired to maintain a correspond- 
 ence with such of their members as have removed out of 
 the reach of the oversight of their friends, and beyond 
 the limits of any recognized meetings for discipline, so as 
 to bring them under the Christian notice and sympathy of 
 these meetings, and that they have a special regard to 
 them, when their lists of members are annually read and 
 revised ; and absent members are desired to forward annu- 
 ally their address to the clerk of the monthly meeting to 
 which they belong. 
 
 In case of resignation of membership, the monthly 
 meeting, unless it should consider such action unnecessary, 
 should appoint a committee to visit the person offering it, 
 for the purpose of removing, if practicable, the cause of
 
 Chap. III. J MONTHLY MEETINGS. 89 
 
 such resignation. If this hibor prove unavailing, the 
 meeting may release him from membership, and appoint 
 a committee to inform him thereof, unless the circum- 
 stances of the case, in their judgment, require a testimo- 
 ny against him; but no objection shall be interposed, 
 which is based on any alleged infraction of the discipline, 
 heretofore committed, for which the meetinof or its offi- 
 cers, having had reasonable opportunity so to do, has not 
 taken him under dealing. 
 
 When any person requests to be admitted into member- 
 ship with us, and when any member asks a dismissal, or 
 is taken under dealing in a monthly meeting, the meeting, 
 whether men's or women's, in which the business originates, 
 shall acquaint the other meeting thereof, in order for their 
 united sympathy and help, if they think it best; and when 
 the meeting to w^hich the application is made, or by which 
 the member may be under dealing, is about to receive, 
 restore, dismiss, or disown the person whose case is under 
 consideration, both meetings should be acquainted there- 
 with, and their concurrence be manifested, before the con- 
 clusion is entered ; and when the approbation of both 
 meetings is obtained, the same shall be entered on the 
 minutes of both. And it is advised that men and women 
 be attentive and ready in their meetings, to lend their 
 assistance to each other, when it appears to be useful and 
 best. 
 
 Mouthl}^ meetings should take special care, on suitable 
 occasions, to appoint proper, prudent, and judicious 
 Friends, to visit their brethren in their families, to inform, 
 advise, or admonish, as circumstances ma}'^ require, and 
 such Friends should labor faithfully, in a spirit of love, 
 and in the meekness of wisdom, to convince the judgments 
 of the respective visited members of the necessity of their 
 coming up with their brethren, in practice agreeably to 
 our christian principles ; that so, the several brunches of 
 
 L
 
 90 CHEiSTiAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 the testimony given us to bear, may be maintained in- 
 violate. 
 
 Delinquencies. — Friends are earnestly exhorted in the 
 love of Christ, to watch diligently over the flock, and 
 labor seasonably, and in a spirit of Christian love and 
 tenderness with all snch as walk disorderly amongst us, 
 in order to reclaim and restore them by brotherly counsel 
 and admonition. When any one of our members shall 
 have transgressed the rules of our discipline, and such duo 
 private labor has been bestowed without effect, informa- 
 tion of the transgression should be communicated by the 
 overseers, through the preparative meeting, to the monthly 
 meeting. That meeting shall thereupon appoint some well 
 qualified Friends to visit such member, and to inquire 
 carefully into the matter, and labor for the restoration of 
 the member thus transgressing. The Friends so appointed 
 shall report in due time their care and labor in the case, 
 when the monthly meeting may proceed to dispose of the 
 same ; and the person so labored with shall be informed 
 of its decision, and, in case of disownment, of his right 
 of appeal. 
 
 In case of the delinquency of a Friend who is not a 
 member of the meeting in which he resides, care should 
 be takeli, after due inquiry and private labor, that the 
 meeting to which he belongs be informed of the case. 
 The meeting of which he is a member shall then proceed 
 to visit and labor with him, unless by reason of distance 
 it be not convenient ; in which case it shall apply to the 
 monthly meeting in which the delinquent resides to act for 
 it, and visit him, and report its proceedings to the meet- 
 ing of which he is a member ; which meeting may then 
 take such action thereon as in their judgment the case 
 may seem to require, reporting its conclusion to the other 
 meeting.
 
 Chap. III.] MONTHLY MEETINGS. 91 
 
 If said delinquent remove after the consideration of his 
 case be commenced, the meeting that had him under its 
 care shall continue the same, if he be equally within its 
 reach ; or otherwise, is at liberty to write to the meeting 
 into the limits of which he is removed ; which meeting 
 may be requested to proceed therein, and report to the 
 meeting of which he is a member ; which meeting may 
 then take such action thereon as in its judgment the case 
 may require, as aforesaid. 
 
 If an individual commit an offence which the monthly 
 meeting judge to be of such a nature as to require its 
 speedy action for the clearing of truth, it is at liberty, on 
 satisfactor}^ evidence thereof, to proceed even to the dis- 
 ownment of the offender, without the appointment of a 
 committee. 
 
 In case offenders shall remove to places not within the 
 acknowledged limits of any monthly meeting, they may 
 be placed under the care of the meeting to which they are 
 nearest situated. 
 
 If an offender cannot be found after reasonable inquiry, 
 the meeting to which he belongs shall issue a testimony 
 against him, if the nature of the case require it. 
 
 In all proceedings for disorderly walking, the complaint 
 shall be based on the discipline, as it stood when the al- 
 leged offence was committed ; and no advice, rule, or regu- 
 lation subsequently adopted, shall be allowed to influence 
 the proceedings or decision thereon, to the disadvantage 
 of the person offending. 
 
 If any member shall make, or countenance, any false 
 entry of goods or merchandise, or in any other way at- 
 tempt to defraud the public revenue, or intentionally buy 
 or sell any goods, knowing them to have been falsely en- 
 tered, or by incorrect returns or statements, or in any 
 other way, seek to defraud the government, monthly meet- 
 ings should labor with such as disorderly walkers.
 
 92 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINiE. [Chap. III. 
 
 When liny of our members, either in courts or else- 
 where, violate our testimony by either taking or adminis- 
 tering oaths, monthly meetings are desired to extend 
 brotherly labor towards them, and, if they cannot be pre- 
 vailed upon to give satisfaction, to testify their disunity 
 with them. 
 
 Friends cannot consistently with our well known prin- 
 ciples against all wars and fighting, engage in any prepar- 
 ation or combination of a warlike or military character 
 whatever, nor in any occupation or business pursuit, the 
 object of which is to contribute to the support of war, 
 nor can they procure substitutes, nor pay any war tax or 
 contribution, in lieu of personal service. Should any of 
 our members depart from a consistent maintenance of our 
 testimonies in these respects, tender advice should be ex- 
 tended to them, in order for their convincement and resto- 
 ration, and, should this labor prove ineffectual, monthly 
 meetings should proceed to disown them. 
 
 As it is not consistent with our testimony against war, 
 for any of our members to receive pensions for military 
 services from the government, though they may be re- 
 duced to necessitous circumstances, this necessity should 
 be relieved by monthly meetings, who will thereby pre- 
 serve our religious testimony against the anti-christian 
 practice of war, and manifest their sympathy for their 
 brethren by contributing to their comfortable support. 
 
 A tender care should be exercised by Friends over one 
 another for good, and should they observe any to be defi- 
 cient in discharging their just debts in due time, or neglect- 
 ing to keep their word, promises, or engagements, in their 
 dealings, or should any trade beyond their ability, and thus 
 give reasonable suspicion of inability or negligence ; such 
 should be seasonably advised or cautioned herein, in order 
 for their help or improvement ; and if any proceed contrary 
 to such advice, or by their failure bring reproach upon
 
 Chap. III.] MONTHLY MEETINGS. 93 
 
 the church, Frieuds may justifiably proceed to testify 
 against such offenders. 
 
 If any of our members absent themselves from our re- 
 ligious meetings, and disregard the repeated advice and 
 endeavors of Frieuds to induce them to attend to this im- 
 portant duty, they should be tenderly treated with for their 
 restoration, by the monthly meeting to which they belong. 
 
 It being recommended to the representative meeting to 
 take the oversight of all writings proposed to be i^rinted, 
 relating to our religious principles or testimonies, for 
 which the society is to be held responsible, our members 
 who may have any such publications in view, are required 
 to lay them before said meeting for its advice and concur- 
 rence. And if any of our members shall print or publish 
 any such writing against the advice of said meeting, such 
 persons shall be complained of to the monthly meeting to 
 which they belong, and if they cannot be convinced of the 
 impropriety of their conduct, and led to condemn the 
 same, to the satisfaction of said meeting, they should bo 
 disowned, as opposed to the peace and good order of the 
 society. 
 
 Friends are cautioned against printing, publishing, or 
 circulating any writings which may be hurtful in their 
 tendency, or which may excite disunity or discord, and 
 where any disregard this advice monthly meetings should 
 deal with them as offenders. 
 
 If a member of our society shall accept any office in 
 the civil government, such as is advised against in the ar- 
 ticle on that subject, and shall persevere in conduct thus 
 adverse to our principles, such case should be reported for 
 action to the monthly meeting. 
 
 If any member of our society shall arrest, sue, or im- 
 plead at law, any other member thereof, except in cases 
 provided in the article on Differences and Arbitrations, 
 and except also in the case provided below, such person
 
 y4 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 should bo dealt with for the same, by the meeting to which 
 ho belongs ; and if he shall not give satisfaction for such 
 disorderly proceedings, he may be disowned by the meet- 
 ing. Or, if the party so sued or arrested, taking with 
 him, or, if under confinement, sending, one or two Friends 
 to the person who goes to law, shall complain thereof, the 
 said person shall be required immediately to stay proceed- 
 ings : and, if he do not comply with such requisition, the 
 monthly meeting to which he belongs may disown him if 
 the case require it. But, in case there is good reason to 
 believe that a debtor is about to remove himself, or his 
 efiects, for the purpose of defrauding his creditors, or to 
 avoid the payment of his just dues, or by any other means 
 is attempting to effect such purpose, the prohibition of re- 
 sort to legal process shall not apply ; and, in such case, the 
 monthly meeting is the proper judge of the circumstances, 
 and should see that justice is done between the parties 
 concerned. 
 
 With regard to the attendance at stage plays, horse 
 races, entertainments of music and dancing, or being en- 
 gaged in lotteries, wagering, or other species of gaming-; 
 when any of our members are found engaging therein, or 
 are in the practice of any immorality, or other reproach- 
 ful conduct, the monthly meeting where such transgressors 
 belong should deal with them. 
 
 Our members are affectionately and earnestly advised 
 not to connect themselves with any secret societies, even 
 though they may profess to be instituted for the promo- 
 tion of good and benevolent ol)jects. And when the cause 
 of truth appears likely to suffer from a disregard of this 
 advice, the case should be reported to the monthly meet- 
 ing for action thereon. 
 
 Ministers. — The following order is to be observed in 
 acknowledging the gift of any Friend in the ministry.
 
 Chap. III.] MONTHLY MEETINGS. 95 
 
 "Where any Friend appears in public ministry whose life 
 and conversation shall be clean and blameless, and the 
 monthly meeting, within the limits of which the Friend be- 
 longs, is convinced that the Lord hath called him or her to 
 that weighty work, the name having been introduced by a 
 committee appointed by the monthly meeting for that pur- 
 pose, or by the preparative meeting of ministers and 
 elders, through its clerk, and the monthly meeting being 
 united in approving him or her as a minister in the church, 
 it shall acquaint the quarterly meeting therewith, which, 
 after solidly waiting for the concurring unity of men and 
 women Friends, and finding nothing to hinder, shall 
 minute the same, and acquaint the quarterly meeting of 
 ministers and elders thereof, which shall also enter the 
 acknowledgment on its minutes, as, from the period of 
 their acknowledgment, they become members of that meet- 
 ing. Information of such acknowledgment shall be given 
 by the quarterly meeting to the person so acknowledged, 
 and to the Yearly iSIeeting, and by the Yearly Meeting, 
 through its clerk, to the Yearly Meeting of ministers and 
 elders, and the names are to be entered on the records of 
 those meetings. 
 
 Should the monthly meeting desire assistance in this 
 proceeding, after having appointed a judicious committee 
 of men and women Friends, application may be made to 
 the quarterly meeting, which shall appoint a few Friends, 
 both men and women, who, with those appointed by the 
 monthly meeting, shall form a committee for judging of 
 the gifts and qualifications of such as may be thus projiosed 
 for this important station. Their report shall be presented 
 to the monthly meeting for its consideration and decision, 
 the same as in the former case. 
 
 If any Friend appearing as a minister shall give cause of 
 uneasiness or dissatisfaction in doctrine, behavior, conver- 
 sation or ministry, the person so offending should be treated
 
 96 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 with privately, in a gospel spirit and manner. If this 
 shall not take cftect, let complaint be made of snch person 
 to the monthly meeting to which he or she may belong, in 
 order that proceedings thereon may be had accordingly, 
 and the matter be settled with all suitable expedition. 
 
 Monthly meetings should be careful that all Friends 
 travelling from or among them in the work of the ministry, 
 go in the unity of the meeting to which they belong, and 
 with written testimonials therefrom ; and monthly meet- 
 ings are advised to take due care in giving such testimo- 
 nials, in order to prevent the uneasiness which sometimes 
 falls on the church from an unqualified ministry. 
 
 None should travel abroad as ministers, without having 
 been first recommended to the quarterly meeting, and ac- 
 cepted by it as such, and none should appoint meetings 
 out of the limits of the quarterly meeting they belong to, 
 without a certificate from the monthly meeting or the con- 
 currence thereof. 
 
 When any ministers have a concern to travel in the 
 work of the ministry, and to appoint meetings out of the 
 quarterly meeting they belong to, or to attend the sittings 
 of other yearly meetings, or of meetings belonging there- 
 unto, they should seasonably communicate information 
 of the same to the preparative meeting of ministers and 
 elders to which they belong, (for which purpose a spec- 
 ial meeting may be called, if necessary,) for its consent 
 to lay the concern before the monthly meeting. If such 
 consent is obtained, they should then apply to their month- 
 ly meeting for a written testimonial of its concurrence, 
 which, if it be granted, shall be prepared and signed by the 
 clerks and correspondent of the monthly meeting ; and 
 monthly meetings are requested to take care that Friends, 
 to whom certificates or minutes to travel have been issued, 
 return them seasonably. When such concern extends to 
 visiting the churches within any other yearly meeting on
 
 Chap. III.] MONTHLY MEETINGS. 97 
 
 this continent, they should proceed in like manner. And, 
 when the monthly meeting has given its certiticate, they 
 should acquaint the quarterly meeting therewith, for -its 
 concurrence, which must be had before the Friend pro- 
 ceeds. When the concern is for a general or extensive 
 visit, or to a foreign land, or beyond sea, it is recom- 
 mended that the approbation of the Yearly Meeting of 
 ministers and elders should likewise be obtained, unless 
 such considerations as the monthly and quarterly meetings 
 may judge sufficient shall prevent. 
 
 Elders. — Monthly meetings are desired to look care- 
 fully, from time to time, among their own members, and 
 endeavor, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to seek 
 for such, not ministers, as give evidence that the gifts and 
 qualifications necessary to fit them for the station of elders 
 in the church have been conferred upon them, in order for 
 their recognition and appointment to that weighty and 
 important service. In this engagement neither age nor 
 wealth should influence the choice, but such should be ap- 
 pointed as fear God, love his truth in sincerity, are sound 
 in Christian doctrine, and are of clean hands. 
 
 In the appointment of elders, the following order should 
 be observed. Let the monthly meeting, after it has ap- 
 proved such as it adjudges duly anointed and qualified for 
 that service, (the name or names having been introduced 
 by a joint committee, appointed by the monthly meeting 
 for that purpose, or by the preparative meeting of minis- 
 ters and ciders, through its clerk,) acquaint the quarterly 
 meeting thereof ; and further proceedings in the case shall 
 be the same as are provided in the case of ministers. 
 Friends are advised, in these proceedings, to be weighty 
 in their spirit and careful in their conversation, that no 
 harm may come to the individual or to the church, from a 
 disclosure before the time, of Avhat may be under con-
 
 OS CHKISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 sideratioii, that all may be kept in the love and unity of 
 the gospel. 
 
 If monthly meetings desire assistance in this concern, 
 they should apply to the quarterly meeting, as directed in 
 the case of ministers. 
 
 Monthly meetings are at liberty, after the exercise of 
 due care and admonition, to displace such elders as appear 
 to be either disqualified or unftiithful. 
 
 MEMOEIALS. 
 
 Monthly meetings are advised to appoint suitable Friends 
 to prepare memorials or minutes concerning deceased 
 Friends, whether ministers or others, whose lives have 
 been marked by devotedness to the cause of their Lord, 
 and to the service of the church. In drawing up such 
 documents, monthly meetings are desired to pay due re- 
 gard to conciseness, and especially to bear in mind that 
 the object is not eulogy, but to preserve a record of tte 
 power of divine grace in the lives of the Lord's faithful 
 servants. Such testimonies, when drawn up, are to be 
 presented by the monthly meeting to its quarterly meeting, 
 which meeting is recommended in each case to revise the 
 testimony so presented, (by a committee appointed for 
 the purpose, or otherwise,) and it is left to the discretion 
 of the quarterly meeting, either to send forward the same 
 or a new testimon}^, prepared by itself, to the representa- 
 tive meeting, or if thought expedient, to withhold alto- 
 gether any such testimony. Testimonies thus prepared, 
 when approved by the representative meeting, shall be 
 laid before the Yearly Meeting to be read and recorded.
 
 Chap. III.] 99 
 
 PREPARATIVE MEETINGS. 
 
 Each established meeting for worship shall be a prepar- 
 ative meeting, except in cases when the monthly meeting 
 deems it expedient to unite two or more meetings for 
 worship in one preparative meeting. 
 
 The preparative meeting shall hold a sitting preceding 
 the monthly meeting to which it belongs, and shall be 
 subordinate to the monthly meeting. 
 
 It shall read and consider the queries and advices, as 
 settled by the Yearly Meeting, and conclude on written 
 answers to the queries, essays of which should be sub- 
 mitted by the overseers, and these answers, when adopted, 
 should be sent to the monthly meeting. 
 
 Applications from persons desiring to become members 
 of our religious society should be made in writing to the 
 monthly meeting, through the preparative meeting ; or, 
 when circumstances render such course inconvenient, such 
 applications may be made directly to the monthly meeting, 
 through the overseers. 
 
 Neither the preparative meeting, nor the overseers, may 
 judge of a request for membership so as to prevent its 
 going to the monthly meeting, though either may call the 
 attention of the applicant to any manifest obstruction : 
 but should he continue desirous to have it laid before the 
 monthly meeting, it should be forwarded accordingly. 
 
 Information of any dilfference between members which 
 the overseers are unable to reconcile, or complaints against 
 any member, must also be sul)mittcd to the preparative 
 meeting in writing, signed by two or more of the over- 
 seers ; and such business as may require the care of 
 the monthly meeting should be forwarded to that meeting 
 without unnecessary delay. 
 
 All couiplaints mauo- by the overseers should be sub- 
 mitted by them to the preparative meeting, which body,
 
 100 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 if it iipprovc thereof, should forward the same to the 
 monthly meeting ; and when the overseers believe it right 
 to carry a complaint, or information respecting the conduct 
 of any member, to the preparative meeting, timely notice 
 should be given to the party, when it can reasonably be 
 done, previously to its being laid before the preparative 
 meeting. 
 
 It is advised that, in general, two representatives be 
 appointed by each preparative meeting, to attend the 
 monthly meeting. 
 
 Small preparative meetings, at the discretion of the 
 monthly meeting, may be permitted to act as a united pre- 
 parative meeting of men and women Friends. The an- 
 swers to the queries therefrom should be sent, both to the 
 men's and women's monthly meeting, and representatives 
 appointed to each, when practicable. 
 
 When the monthly meeting consists of but one particu- 
 lar meeting, the preparative meeting may be dispensed 
 with, if deemed expedient by the monthly meeting. 
 
 It is apprehended that advantage might be derived from 
 occasionally reading, in preparative meetings, portions of 
 the counsel contained in the book of discipline. 
 
 GENERAL ADVICES. 
 
 These are to he read in the monthly meetings^ either con- 
 secutively , or in such ])ortions, as tvell as at such times, as 
 may be deemed by than jnost desirable. 
 
 Take heed, dear Friends, we entreat you, to the convic- 
 tions of the Holy Spirit, who leads, through unfeigned 
 repentance and living fiiith in the Son of God, to recon- 
 ciliation with our Heavenly Father, and to the blessed 
 hope of eternal life, purchased for us by the one offering 
 of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
 
 Chap. III.] GENERAL ADVICES. 101 
 
 Be earnestly concerned, in your religious meetings, 
 reverently to present yourselves before the Lord, and to 
 seek, by the help of the Holy Spirit, to worship God in 
 spirit and in truth. 
 
 Prize the privilege of access by Him unto the Father ; 
 continue " instant in prayer," and " watch in the same with 
 thanksgiving." 
 
 Be in the frequent practice of waiting upon the Lord in 
 private retirement, honestly examining yourselves as to 
 your growth in grace, and your preparation for the life to 
 come. 
 
 Be diligent in the private perusal of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures ; and let it be your earnest endeavor that the daily 
 reading of them in your families be devoutly conducted. 
 
 Be careful to make a profitable and religious use of 
 those portions of time, on the first day of the week, which 
 are not occupied by our meetings for worship. 
 
 Live in love as Christian brethren, ready to be helpful 
 one to another, sympathizing with each other in the trials 
 and alilictions of life, and manifesting an earnest desire 
 that each may possess a well grounded hope in Christ. 
 
 Watch over one another for good. When occasions of 
 uneasiness first appear in any, let them be treated with, 
 in privacy and tenderness, before the matter is communi- 
 cated to another. Should differences arise, be Avilling 
 early to avail yourselves of the advice and judgment of 
 your brethren ; and may Friends be ready to undertake, 
 and be prudent in executing, the blessed office of peace- 
 maker. 
 
 Cherish a Christian interest on Ijchalf of such attenders 
 of your meetings as arc not in membership ; evincing a 
 lively concern for their religious welfare, and growth in 
 the truth. 
 
 Follow peace with all men, desiring the true happiness 
 of all ; bo kind and liberal to the poor, and endeavor to
 
 102 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 promote the temporal, moral, and religious well-being of 
 your fcllow-meu. 
 
 With a tender conscience, and in accordance with the 
 precepts of the gospel, take heed to the limitations of the 
 Spirit of Truth, in the pursuit of the things of this life. 
 
 Maintain strict integrity in your transactions in trade, 
 and in all your outward concerns. Guard against a spirit 
 of speculation, and the snare of accumulating wealth. 
 Remember that you will have to account for the mode of 
 acquiring, as well as for the manner of using, your pos- 
 sessions ; and be equitable and judicious in the final dis- 
 position of them. 
 
 In contemplating the engagement of marriage, look 
 principally to that which will help you on your heaven- 
 ward journey. Pay filial regard to the judgment of your 
 parents. Bear in mind the vast importance, in such a 
 union, of an accordance in religious principles and prac- 
 tice. Ask counsel of God ; desiring, above all temporal 
 considerations, that your union may be owned and blessed 
 of the Lord. 
 
 Watch, with Christian tenderness, over the opening minds 
 of your children ; inure them to habits of self-restraint 
 and filial obedience ; carefully instruct them in the knowl- 
 edge of the Holy Scriptures ; and seek for ability to imbue 
 their hearts with the love of their Heavenly Father, their 
 Redeemer, and their Sanctifier. 
 
 Be careful to maintain in your conduct, and to encourage 
 in your families, that simplicity in deportment and attire, 
 that avoidance of flattery and insincerity of language, and 
 that nonconformity to the world, which become the disci- 
 ples of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 Guard watchfully against the introduction into your 
 households of pul)lications of a hurtful tendency. Ob- 
 serve simplicity and moderation in the furniture of your 
 houses, and in your style and manner of living.
 
 Chap. III.] QUERIES. 103 
 
 Avoid such vain sports and places of diversion as are 
 hurtful in tl>eir tendency, all kinds of gambling, the unnec- 
 essary frequenting of taverns and other public houses, 
 and the use of intoxicating liquors ; and guard against 
 such companionships, indulgences, and recreations, as by 
 their influence may interfere with your growth in grace. 
 
 Finally, dear Friends, let your conversation be as it 
 becometh the gospel. Exercise yourselves to have alwaj's 
 a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men ; 
 endeavoring to maintain the unity of the Spirit, in the 
 bond of peace. 
 
 QUERIES. 
 
 Our members are reminded that the intention of direct- 
 ing queries to be answered, relative to the conduct of 
 individuals, in the several branches of our Christian pro- 
 fession, is not only for the purpose of being informed of 
 the state of our meetings, but also to impress on the minds 
 of Friends a profitable examination of themselves, to de- 
 termine how far they act consistently with their religious 
 principles. 'Every member therefore is earnestly recom- 
 mended, more especially when the answers are under con- 
 sideration, to examine whether he, himself, is coming up in 
 that life of self-deniul and devotedness unto God, which 
 so highly becomes all who make profession of the name 
 of Christ. Yet, it is not to arrangements however per- 
 fect, but to individual faithfulness to Christ, in daily de- 
 pendence upon the help of the Holy Spirit, that we must 
 look for growth in the truth, and vitality in the church. 
 As this faithfulness and dependence are maintained, we 
 believe these queries Avill tend to promote the religious 
 welfare of our members, and to the upholding of our 
 Christian discipline in a lively and healthy condition. 
 
 NOTK. — This paragraph Is to be read In tliosc preparative and monthly meetings, in 
 wliich all the iiueries arc directed to be rend and answered, previously to entering 
 n7»on them.
 
 104 CHRISTIAN DiscirLiNE. [Chap. III. 
 
 QuEEY 1. Arc all meetings for religious worship and 
 discipline regularly held? Do Friends attend them duly, 
 and at the hour appointed ; and are they preserved from 
 unbecoming behavior therein ? 
 
 Query 2. Are love and unity maintained among you? 
 Is detraction guarded against? And, when any differences 
 arise, are endeavors used to end them speedily? 
 
 Query 3. Are Friends careful to maintain a religious 
 life and conversation? And, do those who have children 
 or others under their care, endeavor, by example and pre- 
 cept, to train them up in accordance with our Christian 
 profession ? 
 
 Query 4. Do Friends frequently read the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, individually, as well as collectively in their families, 
 encouraging their children and others in the daily practice 
 of this religious duty? Do they faithfully maintain our 
 testimony to a free gospel ministry? 
 
 Query 5. Do Friends abstain from the use of intoxi- 
 cating liquors as a beverage ? Are they careful to avoid 
 amusements and diversions inconsistent with a Christian 
 character ; and to observe true moderation in all things ? 
 
 Query 6. Are the circumstances of the poor, and of 
 such as appear likely to need assistance, duly inspected, 
 and their necessities relieved ? Are they assisted in ob- 
 taining suitable employment? And is proper care taken 
 to educate their children? 
 
 Query 7. Do Friends faithfully maintain our testi- 
 mony against bearing arms and other military matters ; 
 against oaths, and against defrauding the public revenue? 
 
 Query 8. Do Friends frequently inspect their affairs 
 and settle their accounts? Are they punctual to their 
 promises, "and just in the payment of their debts, and care- 
 ful to live within the bounds of their circumstances ? 
 
 Query 9. Are Friends careful to have all their mar- 
 riages, births, deaths, and burials duly recorded ? Are
 
 Chap. III.] QUERIES. 105 
 
 there any Friends removed from, or come amongst you, 
 without certificates ? 
 
 Query 10. Is the discipline administered in christian 
 tenderness, timely and impartially? And is judgment 
 placed, when it appears necessary, in the authority of 
 Truth, and according to discipline? 
 
 The answers to the queries should be full and explicit, 
 comprising the substance of every part of each query, in 
 order that the superior meeting, being rightly informed of 
 the state of the church in general, may duly administer 
 the needful advice and assistance. 
 
 It is also directed, that, to this purpose, the queries be 
 first read in the preparative meetings preceding the quarter- 
 ly^ meeting, and distinct answers be given in said meetings, 
 to the first, second, and tenth; except previous to the 
 spring quarter, when all are to be answered ; and these 
 answers are to be carried to their respective monthly meet- 
 ings, where the queries are also to be read, and the answers 
 aforesaid ; and those answers digested in each monthly 
 meeting, and sent thence to the quarterly meeting, v-'here 
 the queries are to be again read, and the answers thereto, 
 which came from the monthly meetings ; and a summar}'' 
 account made in the spring quarterly meeting, compre- 
 hending the state thereof, founded on the answers to all 
 the queries, should be entered on their records, and trans- 
 mitted to the yearly meeting, and there read. A sum- 
 mary of these reports should be entered in the yearly 
 meeting record.
 
 106 CHRISTIAN DiscirLiNE. [Chap. III. 
 
 UNANSWERED QUERIES. 
 
 In order to realize (lie benefit of serious self-examination, 
 and to induce an earnest desire to j^roniote the good of 
 others, the four folloiving queries shall be read in pi-epara- 
 tive and monthly meetings at least once in the year, at such 
 time as by these meetings may be deemed the most desirable; 
 and are to be then seriously and deliberately considered, but 
 not answered. 
 
 1. What is the religious state of your meeting; and 
 is there among you evidence of a growth iii the truth ? 
 
 2. Are you individually giving evidence of true cou- 
 version of heart ; of love to Christ, and self-denying de- 
 voteduess to Him ; and of a growing preparation for the 
 life to come ? 
 
 3. Do you maintain a watchful care against conformity 
 to the world ; against the love of ease and self-indulgeuce, 
 or being unduly absorbed by your outward concerns to 
 the hindrance of your religious progress ; bearing in mind 
 that " here have we no continuing city ? " 
 
 4. Do you in gospel love seek to arouse the careless 
 and indifierent, and to bring back those that go astray ? 
 Do you exercise a religious care over your younger mem- 
 bers, manifesting an earnest concern that, through the 
 power of Divine grace, they may all become established 
 in the faith and hope of the gospel ? 
 
 OVERSIGHT. 
 
 Very early after the rise of this Keligious Society, 
 which had been drawn from a dependence upon outward 
 ceremonials to the immediate teachings of the Holy S^jirit 
 in the heart, care was manifested therein, in accordance
 
 Chap. III.] OVERSIGHT. 107 
 
 with the practice of the primitive christians, that all its 
 members might be preserved in unity together, and in a 
 diligent occupation of the gifts conferred upon each. 
 Gathered together by a Divine Hand, and taught to love 
 as brethren, they were also engaged to w^atch over each 
 other for good. The writino:s of George Fox contain 
 frequent allusions to the concern which he felt, that all 
 those who had been enlightened by the day-spring from 
 on high, which had visited their souls, should not only 
 walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they had been 
 called, but should labor, under right qualification, for the 
 help and encouragement of the diSerent members of the 
 body. "As the church of God in those days increased," 
 said Stephen Crisp, " m}^ care daily increased, and the 
 weight of things relating both to the outward and inward 
 condition of poor Friends, came upon me ; the more I 
 came to feel and perceive the love of God and his good- 
 ness to me, the more was I humbled and bowed in my 
 mind to serve Him, and to serve the least of his people 
 among whom I walked ; and, as the word of wisdom be- 
 gan to spring in me, and the word of God grew, so I 
 became a counsellor of those who had been tempted in 
 like mauuer as I had been." 
 
 When one christian, in this spirit, reproves another for 
 his fault, and thus endeavors to restore him to the fold of 
 Christ, tliis is no improper interference with individual 
 liberty, — it is but one legitimate fruit of the law of love ; 
 and not only is the duty incumbent "to warn them that 
 are unruly," Ijut also to "comfort the feeble minded," to 
 " support the weak," and " be patient toward all men." 
 
 "Now concerning gospel order," said George Fox, 
 " though the doctrine of Jesus Christ requireth his people 
 to admonish a brother or sister twice before they tell the 
 church, yet that limitcth none, so that they shall use no 
 longer forbearance. Let such as behold their brother or
 
 108 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 sister in a transgrcssiou, go not in a rough, light, or up- 
 braiding spirit, to reprove such, but in the power of the 
 Lord and spirit of the Lamb, and in the wisdom and love 
 of the Truth, which suffers thereby, to admonish such an 
 offender. So may the soul of such a brother or sister be 
 seasonably and effectually reached and overcome, and 
 have cause to bless the name of the Lord on their behalf, 
 and so a blessing may be rewarded into the bosom of that 
 faithful and tender brother or sister, who so admonished 
 them." 
 
 As you are concerned for the maintenance of good order 
 in the church, keep your own hands clean and garments 
 unspotted, that you may rebuke, if need be, with author- 
 ity ; and, being clothed with meekness and gentleness, 
 steadily persevere in the discharge of the duty committed 
 to you. Thus, the ignorant may be informed, the weak 
 strengthened, the tender encouraged, the scattered sought 
 out, and the unwary cautioned. May you exercise a ten- 
 der care over our younger members, bearing in mind the 
 exposed situation of many of these at this critical period 
 of life. Cultivate an acquaintance wdth them ; call upon 
 them at their places of abode ; and manifest, by the gen- 
 eral tenor of your conduct towards them, a kind interest 
 in their welfare, and a solicitude that they may be estab- 
 lished upon the right foundation,— the faith and hope of 
 the gospel. Encourage them to a diligent perusal of the 
 Holy Scriptures, with desires that these may be blessed 
 to their spiritual instruction. 
 
 This care and interest, one for another, is highly condu- 
 cive to the welfare and growth of the church. Those who 
 may be called to the ministry of the word should be dili- 
 gent in their gifts, and fjiithful to their calling ; instant in 
 season, out of season, exhorting with all long-suffering 
 and doctrine. Let the elders consider the importance of 
 their position, that upon them, in great measure, rests the
 
 Chap. III.] OVERSIGHT. 109 
 
 burden of the church, and that, although no unimportant 
 part of their duty is to encourage ministers, and particu- 
 larly to help forward those who are young in the work, 
 yet their various services to the whole body are scarcely 
 less than are included in the comprehensive charge of the 
 Apostle to the assembled officers of the Ephesian church : 
 " Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the 
 which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed 
 the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own 
 blood." And, may you that are in the station of overseers 
 remember that, while your various duties may not be dis- 
 tinctly defined, yet the right performance of these duties 
 is essential to tke church, and may be a means of 3'our 
 own advancement in the spiritual life. May the sick and 
 afflicted claim your assiduous care, and may those who 
 are struggling with the perplexities or pecuniary losses 
 incident to trade and business receive your sympathy and 
 friendly advice. Should you have reason to fear that any 
 of this class are going behind hand in their business con- 
 cerns, l)e prompt to render, in christian freedom, and 
 without intrusion, such counsel or help as may tend to 
 raise them out of their present difficulty ; or otherwise, to 
 place them in such open relation to their creditors as shall 
 lead to an amicable settlement of their aflairs, and thus 
 avert much of the suffering, and even the scandal, often 
 attendant upon the unaided efforts of these to relieve 
 themselves from pecuniary embarrassment. May you be 
 careful to encourage in all, and especially in the young, 
 the diligent attendance of our religious meetings ; and 
 particularly, may you endeavor to guard faithfully against 
 a breach of that fellowship and unity between the differ- 
 ent members of the l)ody, so becoming the christian, and 
 so essential to a religious growth. And may all, what- 
 ever may be your station in the church, strive to be fel- 
 low-helpers one of another, seeking to provoke unto love
 
 110 CIIKISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chlip. III. 
 
 and to good works, and "as every man hath received the 
 gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good 
 stewards of the manifold grace of God." 
 
 MINISTERS AND ELDEES. 
 
 We are fnlly persuaded that the ministry of the gospel 
 is not received of man, but by the revelation of Jesus 
 Christ, according to that apostolical direction, " As every 
 man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one 
 to another ;" "if any man speak let him speak as the oracles 
 of God ; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability 
 which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified." 
 And as this ministry is of divine origin, the motives and 
 inducements thereunto should be disinterested, and no 
 way mercenary, but concurrent with the precept Christ 
 gave to his apostles and immediate followers : " Freely ye 
 have received, freely give." 
 
 As to the elders among you, and those whom God, 
 having indued with knowledge and experience of the 
 cleansing operation of his spirit, hath concerned to min- 
 ister unto others, let them adorn the doctrine of the gos- 
 pel, by showing, out of a good conversation, their works, 
 with meekness of wisdom. Such as these, being clothed 
 with humility, and being exemplary to the flock whom 
 they feed not by constraint, but willingly — " not for filthy 
 lucre, Imt of a ready mind — " are worthy of double honor, 
 and to be highly esteemed in the church of Christ. 
 
 If any one who has been a public minister, or elder, shall 
 be guilty of such practices as may justly deserve public 
 censure, and shall be disowned, and afterwards, upon 
 tokens of repentance, be again admitted into membership, 
 such readmission shall not be interpreted so as to give
 
 Chap. III.] MEETINGS OF MINISTERS AXD ELDERS. , 111 
 
 him or her the liberty of appearing as a public minister, 
 or of exercising the office of an elder, until the monthly 
 meeting they belong to shall judge the scandal, given by 
 such person, to be so far removed, that such public ministry, 
 or exercising the office of an elder, may not administer 
 occasion of reproach, either from Friends or others. And 
 should any show themselves forward in so appearing, the 
 meeting to which they belong is desired to give them such 
 advice as it shall deem suitable to the circumstances. 
 
 Where it shall appear, upon due inspection made, that 
 any minister or elder neglects, or omits, the due attendance 
 of meetings for worship or discipline, through sloth, in- 
 dolence, love of the world, lukewarmness in religion, or 
 other cause, the monthly meeting should take care that 
 all such be timely visited in love, and acquainted with the 
 desive of Friends in that case, and admonished to faithful- 
 ness therein. And if, notwithstanding the due christian 
 labor and admonition, he shall continue in the said neglect 
 or omission, if a minister, his public testimony should be 
 denied ; and if an elder, he should be dismissed from that 
 station. 
 
 MEETINGS OF MINISTERS AND ELDERS. 
 
 As much depends on the conduct and example of min- 
 isters and elders, meetings have been established amouirst 
 them for the purpose of examining whether they all main- 
 tain an exemplary life, answerable to their station. The 
 meetings of ministers and elders are constituted and held 
 in the following manner : a clerk for each is to be appointed 
 anmially, and records of the proceedings should l)e care- 
 fully preserved. 
 
 Preparative MeetiiKjs. — The ministers and ciders of 
 each monthly meeting compose a preparative meeting of
 
 112 . CHRISTIAN DiscirLiNE. [Chap. 111. 
 
 ministers and elders, (unless the quarterly meeting for 
 tliscipline, from some peculiar circumstances, should judge 
 it most advisable that it be constituted of the ministers 
 and elders of more than one monthly meeting,) and meet 
 once in three mouths, at some time previous to the 
 monthly meeting, which immediately precedes the quar- 
 terly meeting ; in which meetings, after some time spent 
 in solid retirement, the queries addressed to ministers and 
 elders are to be read, considered, and then and there an- 
 swered in writing, and such answers forwarded to the 
 quarterly meeting of ministers and elders. Opportunity 
 ma}^ here also be given for tender advice and assistance, 
 as the nature of any case may require ; and representa- 
 tives, taken from the members in either station, should be 
 appointed to attend the quarterly meeting of ministers 
 and elders. • 
 
 Quarterly Meetings. — A quarterly meeting of ministers 
 and elders, composed of the representatives from the pre- 
 parative meetings, and of the other approved ministers 
 and ciders of the quarterly meeting, shall be held on the 
 day preceding each quarterly meeting for discipline, at 
 which meeting the queries are to be read, and the answers 
 thereto from its subordinate meetings ; to which latter 
 meetings such advice should be extended as circumstances 
 may require. A list of the names of all the ministers 
 and elders of the several monthly meetings shall be kept 
 by this meeting, and annually revised. 
 
 At the quarterly meeting of ministers and elders next 
 preceding the Yearly Meeting, general answers are to be 
 drawn up, to be sent by at least two representatives to 
 the yearly meeting of ministers and elders, which yearly 
 meeting is also to be furnished Avith the names of these 
 representatives, together with a report in w^'iting of the 
 regular holding of the quarterly meeting of ministers and 
 elders during the year.
 
 Chap. III.] MEETINGS OF MINISTERS AND ELDERS. 113 
 
 Yearly Meeting. — A Yearly meeting of ministers and 
 elders shall be held at Newport, on the day preceding the 
 first sitting of the Yearly Meeting, at 9 o'clock in the 
 morning, which meeting shall consist of the representa- 
 tives from the quarterly meetings of ministers and elders, 
 and such recorded ministers and appointed elders of the 
 Yearly Meeting as may be in Xewport at the time. This 
 meeting may be continued from time to time, by adjourn- 
 ments, provided such adjournments do not interfere with 
 the sittings of the Yearly Meeting, and that such meeting 
 do not in any wise take upon it, or interfere with, any 
 part of the discipline of the church, belonging either to 
 the Yearly Meeting, or to any subordinate meeting. The 
 meeting shall receive and read the answers to the queries 
 from the quarterly meetings of ministers and ciders, by 
 which an opportunity will be given to impart such advice 
 as shall be necessary ; and, after having informed itself, 
 by means of the answers received, of the state of the 
 ministers and elders in the several quarterly meetings, it 
 shall lay annually before the Yearly ^Meeting a summary, 
 vet clear, account thereof. 
 
 QUERIES OF THE YEARLY MEETING OF MINISTERS AND 
 
 ELDERS. 
 
 The three introductory Queries are to be read and weiyJit- 
 ily considered, hut not answered. 
 
 The other four are to he answered in ivritiny to the 
 quarterly meetiny of ministers and elders, andf i)i the 
 sjrriny, to the yearly mectiny of ministers and elders. 
 
 Arc ministers and elders engaged to watch unto prayer, 
 that they may themselves bo preserved in humble depen- 
 dence upon Christ, and in an earnest religious exercise for 
 o
 
 114 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 the conversion of smncrs, and for the edifying of the body 
 in the faith and love of the gospel ? 
 
 Are ministers and elders concerned foithfnlly to occupy 
 the spiritual gifts entrusted to them, to the honor of God? 
 
 Are ministers, in the exercise of their gifts, careful to 
 wait for Divine ability, and are they preserved thereby 
 from being burdensome? 
 
 1. Are ministers and elders diliofent in attending; their 
 meetings for worship and discipline, and careful to pro- 
 mote the attendance of their families ? 
 
 2. Are the lives and conversation of ministers and 
 elders clean and blameless amongst men ? Are they in 
 unity one with another, and with the meeting to which 
 they belong, harmoniously laboring together for the honor 
 of truth? " 
 
 3. Are they careful to rule their own houses well ; 
 and do they endeavor, by example and precept, to train 
 up their families in a religious life and conversation, con- 
 sistent with our Christian profession ? 
 
 4. Are they preserved in love ; administering encour- 
 agement or counsel, as occasion may require, in reference 
 to ministry or conduct? 
 
 ^J^ The following advice should be read after the read- 
 ing and consideration of the queries and answers : 
 
 It is earnestly and afl'ectionately recommended, that 
 ministers and elders watch over one another for good, that 
 they help those that are young in the ministry, discourag- 
 ing forward spirits, that run into words without life and 
 power, advising against aifectation of tones and gestures, 
 and every thing that would hurt their service ; yet encour- 
 aging the humble, careful traveler, speaking a word in 
 season to them that are weary. And let all dwell in that 
 which gives ability to labor successfully in the church of
 
 Chap. III.] REPRESENTATIVE MEETING. 115 
 
 Christ, acloruing the doctrine they deliver to others, being 
 examples to the believers, in word, in conversation, in 
 charity, in spirit, in faith and in purity. 
 
 REPRESENTATIVE MEETING. 
 
 The Yearly Meeting, in view of the necessity of having 
 a representation during the time intervening between its 
 yearly sessions, appoints annually a committee, to act as a 
 representative meeting, which shall consist of not less than 
 twenty-five members. It is entrusted with a general care 
 of whatever may arise during the intervals of the Yearly 
 Meeting, aflfectiug our religious society, and requiring im- 
 mediate attention. 
 
 The appointment of the representative meeting shall 
 be made by the Yearly Meeting, on nomination thereto, 
 by the representatives of the men's and women's meet- 
 ings, the confirmation thereof to be by the concurrent 
 action of both bodies ; and, when any portion of the 
 nomination, so made, is not confirmed, the subject shall 
 be recommitted to the representatives, to give an oppor- 
 tunity for the substitution of other names in the place of 
 those omitted. 
 
 Considering the nature and importance of the afiairs 
 which may claim the attention of the representative meet- 
 ing, it is necessary that it be composed of such as are of 
 clear discernment and clean hands, who adorn the doctrine 
 they profess, in their lives and conversation. 
 
 Members of this meeting arc desired to attend its ses- 
 sions diligently, or, as often as circumstances will admit ; 
 and, if any member is prevented from attending any ses- 
 sion, he should forward to the same his excuse therefor. 
 
 The duties of the representative meeting are, to cor-
 
 11 G CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 respond with similar committees of other Yearly Meetings ; 
 to examine testimonies concerning Friends deceased, and 
 similar papers issued by our subordinate meetings ; also 
 manuscripts of a doctrinal character submitted by indi- 
 vidual members or others ; and, in general, to represent 
 the Yearly Meeting in all cases where the reputation and 
 interest of our religious society are concerned : but, in 
 the exercise of these functions, it shall not meddle with 
 matters of faith and discipline, not already determined by 
 the Yearly Meeting. It shall, also take cognizance of all 
 grievances arising amongst us, wherein any Friend may 
 be affected in person or property, in regard to our chris- 
 tian testimony, to advise, counsel, and assist, as best wis- 
 dom may direct ; and any aggrieved Friend or Friends 
 may apply to it for that purpose. 
 
 This meeting should take care to provide suitable books 
 for distribution, in such manner and in such places as it 
 may judge proper, and particularly in the families of the 
 poor, and such among us as are destitute of this means of 
 instruction. 
 
 The meeting is authorized to draw upon the treasurer 
 of the Yearly Meeting, in its recess, for such sums of 
 money as occasion may from time to time require, being 
 accountable for the same, and keeping records of all its 
 proceedings ; which records shall annually be laid before 
 the Yearly Meeting, or such committee as it may appoint 
 to inspect the same. 
 
 Kegular meetings of the representative meeting shall 
 be held at such times as may be determined upon at the 
 first session after its annual appointment ; and special 
 meetings may be held on any emergency, at the written 
 request of any five of the members thereof, reasonable 
 notice being given to the members, as fully as is practi- 
 cable, especially in matters of importance. At least ten 
 members are necessary to constitute a meeting for action.
 
 Chap. III.] CARE OF THE POOR. 117 
 
 Should less than fifteen be present, it is required that they 
 should be unanimous on all measures determined. 
 
 CARE OF THE POOR. 
 
 VTe have ever deemed it a commendable and christian 
 practice, of good report, to care for and assist our own 
 poor, to relieve their wants, and to comfort the atHicted 
 among us, thereby improving the opportunity of doing 
 good, especially to the household of faith. In watching 
 over one another for good, as christian brethren and as 
 Friends, seeking to be helpers one of another, in our 
 moral and spiritual welfare, there should also be a kind 
 and watchful care over those who need assistance, or may 
 appear likely to need it, in their outward afiairs, that their 
 necessities may be relieved, either by counsel or pecuniary 
 aid, as the case may require, and they be assisted in such 
 business as they are capa1)le of ; and, that their children 
 may so partake of learning, as to fit them for the active 
 duties of life. It ought to be considered, that the poor, 
 both parents and children, are of our family, and ought 
 not to be turned off to any others, for their support or 
 education ; and the rich should remember, it is more 
 blessed to give than to receive, and that "he who hath 
 pity on the poor, Icndeth to the Lord, and that which he 
 hath given will he pay him again." 
 
 AVhilst enjoining the duty of charity on those who arc 
 able to extend it, we would encourage those of limited 
 means, to use their strenuous endeavors, by frugality and 
 industry, to maintain themselves and their families, and, 
 by small savings in time of health, to provide for sickness 
 and old age. We would also observe, that the provision 
 made by this society for the relief of the necessitous, 
 was never designed to narrow the duty of charity between
 
 118 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 inclividual Friends, nor to lessen the claims -which near 
 relatives, in times of necessity, have upon each other. 
 In an especial manner, we esteem it the privilege and the 
 duty of the children of persons who are destitute, to min- 
 ister to the Avauts and comfort of their parents, with an 
 affectionate cheerfulness, and not to throw the care of them 
 on others. Those who require pecuniary aid ought to ac- 
 cept the deliberate advice of their friends, as to their out- 
 ward affairs, and to manifest a becoming disposition to 
 conform therein to their judgment. And where there is 
 an obstinate refusal to conform to such advice, committees 
 should be governed in the distribution of the intended 
 liberality by a prudent discretion. 
 
 In order that this concern may be carried into effect, a 
 suitable number of men and women Friends, in each pre- 
 parative or local meeting, should be annually appointed 
 by each monthly meeting, as overseers of the poor, with 
 liberty to draw on the monthly meeting's treasurer for 
 such funds as may be needed. (^See article on monthly 
 meetings.) We desire such overseers to proceed with 
 great tenderness towards the feelings of those who are the 
 objects of their appointment, carefully avoiding any unnec- 
 essary disclosure of their names, or of the assistance 
 rendered them.
 
 Chap. III.] 119 
 
 REGULATIONS WITH REGARD TO MARRIAGE. 
 
 Persons in membership with us, before they make any 
 procedure with a view to marriage, should seek for right 
 direction in this important concern, and early acquaint 
 their parents or guardians with their intentions ; and, hav- 
 ing with due deliberation, and free and mutual consent, 
 absolutely contracted upon the account of marriage, they 
 should not be allowed, in any unfaithfulness or injustice 
 one to another, to violate any such engagement. 
 
 For the accomplishment of marriage, the parties should 
 inform both the men's' and women's monthly meeting to 
 which the woman belongs, of their intentions, (through 
 the preparative meeting when convenient,) that, "With 
 Divine permission and Friends' approbation, the}' intend 
 maiTiage with each other." This may be done either by 
 a written communication signed by both parties, or by 
 verbal declaration. Whereupon two Friends in each 
 meeting, (if both the parties belong to the same meeting,) 
 should be appointed, l)y minute, to make the necessary 
 inquiries respecting the clearness to proceed in marriage, 
 of the party or parties who shall be members of said 
 monthly meeting. If the parties have parents or guar- 
 dians present, their consent should be expressed ; or if 
 the man is a member of another monthly meeting, the 
 consent in Avriting of his parents or guardians, if he have 
 any, with a certificate from his monthly meeting, of his 
 clearness to proceed therein, should be produced, either 
 then or at the next meeting. If the woman be a widow, 
 having children, two or more Friends should be appointed, 
 to see that the rights of her children are legally secured. 
 At the next meeting, if the committee report that careful 
 inquiry has been made, and that the parties have consent 
 of parents, where it has not l)ecn before manifested, and 
 they appear clear to proceed in marriage with each
 
 120 CHRISTIAN DiscirLiNE. [Chap. III. 
 
 other, the meeting shall leave them at liberty to accom- 
 plish their marriage according to our rules. It shall ap- 
 point two Friends of each sex, to attend, and see that good 
 order is observed, and that a certificate be prepared, which, 
 after being signed by the parties at their marriage, shall 
 be audibly read ; and that a sufficient number of witnesses 
 be thereto subscribed ; and the said committee shall make 
 report to the next monthly meeting, and take care that 
 the marriage certificate be duly recorded. 
 
 If in any case, a monthly meeting be satisfied, on report 
 of the committee to that eflect, or otherwise, that the con- 
 sent of parents is unreasonably withheld, such meeting is 
 at liberty, in its discretion, to permit proceedings in mar- 
 riage without such consent. 
 
 It is advised that our marriages be solemnized at the 
 usual week day meetings to which the woman belongs, or 
 at the close of a monthly meeting, in a public meeting of 
 men and women Frieiids, or at such other place and time 
 as may be requested by the parties, or their friends on 
 their behalf, and approved of by the monthly meeting. 
 The parties should be present at the monthly meeting 
 when permission is granted them to accomplish their mar- 
 ria«"e, if it be their intention to do so at the close of said 
 meeting. 
 
 Monthly meetings are at liberty, when they think any 
 peculiarity of circumstances of either of the parties pro- 
 posing marriage, warrant a deviation from our general 
 practice, to shorten the time of receiving their answer, by 
 adjourning a monthly meeting ; having special care that 
 the time for inspecting the clearness of the parties, and 
 receiving the meeting's ansv/er, be not less than two 
 weeks from the time of making their proposals. 
 
 Towards the conclusion of the meeting at which the mar- 
 riao-e is to be solemnized, the parties should stand up, 
 and, taking each other by the hand, should declare audibly
 
 Chap. III.] FORM OF A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE. 121 
 
 and iu a solemn manner, to the following eflect, the man 
 first, viz. : 
 
 "In the presence of the Lord, and before this assembly, 
 I take thee, D. E., to be ray wife; promising, with Di- 
 vine assistance, to be unto thee a loving and faithful hus- 
 band, until death shall separate us." 
 
 And then the woman in like manner : " In the presence 
 of the Lord, and before this assembly, I take thee, A. 
 B., to be my husband, promising, with Divine assistance, 
 to be unto thee a loving and faithful wife, until death 
 shall separate us. 
 
 FQRM OF A MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE, 
 
 (AS NEAR AS CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ADMIT.) 
 
 Whereas, A. B. of , son of D. and E. B. of , 
 
 in the county of , and state of , and S. T. daugh- 
 ter of M. and M. T. of , in the county of , and 
 
 state of , having declared their intentions of taking 
 
 each other in marriage, to monthly meeting of the 
 
 Societ}'- of Friends, held mo. A. D. 18 — , 
 
 according to the good order used among them; which, 
 being considered by the said meeting, and no obstruction 
 appearing, they were liberated to accomplish their mar- 
 riage. 
 
 Now, these are to certify to all whom it may concern, 
 that, for the full accomplishing of their said intentions, 
 
 this day of the montli, in the year of our Lord 
 
 one thousand eight hundred and , they, the said A. 
 
 B. and S. T. ap[)earcd at a religious meeting of the afore- 
 said society in ; and he the said A. B. taking the 
 
 said S. T. by the hand, did openly declare to the follow- 
 ing effect: "In the presence of the Lord, and before this 
 assembly, I take thee, S, T., to be my wife, promising,
 
 122 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 •with Divine assistance, to he unto thee a loving and faith- 
 ful husband, until death shall separate us." 
 
 And the said S. T. did then and there declare in like 
 manner: "In the presence of the Lord, and before this 
 assembly, I take thee, A. B., to be my husband, promising, 
 with Divine assistance, to be unto thee a loving and faith- 
 ful wife, until death shall separate us." 
 
 And the said A. B. and S. T., as a further confirma- 
 tion thereof, have hereunto set their hands, she, after the 
 custom of marriage, adopting the name of her husband. 
 
 A. B. 
 
 S. B. 
 
 And we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, 
 being present at the solemnization of their said 
 marriage, have set our hands as witnesses there- 
 unto, the day and year above written. 
 
 No monthly meeting shall permit any marriages to be 
 proposed in the said meeting, sooner than one year after 
 the decease of a former husband or wife ; and it is most 
 advisable that no such proposals be made between the 
 parties within that time. 
 
 No monthly meeting shall receive proposals of marriage 
 between first cousins, and we earnestly desire all Friends, 
 whenever they know or hear of any first cousins design- 
 ing or intending to intermarry, that they immediately 
 advise them against it. And, if any, notwithstanding, 
 shall marry contrary to this rule, being previously cau- 
 tioned and advised against it, the monthly meeting where 
 such belong shall give forth a testimony against them. 
 
 When any, who are in the habit of attending our meet- 
 ings though not in membership with us desire the ac- 
 complishment of their marriage according to our rules, 
 the same procedure may be allowed, as Avhen both are 
 members, the monthly meeting noting the fiict of non- 
 membership on its records.
 
 Chap. III.] RECORDS. 123 
 
 RECORDS. 
 
 Matters to he Recorded. 
 
 1. All meetings for discipline shall keep foir records 
 of the usual minutes of their proceedings, in a suitable 
 book, provided for the purpose. 
 
 2. The Yearly Meeting should record all advices, epis- 
 tles, and conclusions, issued to its subordinate meetings, 
 and to meetings al)road, with which it corresponds ; also, 
 a summary of the answers received annually from the 
 quarterly meetings. 
 
 3. The quarterly meetings, shall keep a record of ad- 
 vices, epistles, and conclusions, received from the Yearly 
 Meeting, and of all such papers, issued by them to their 
 monthly meetings ; also, a summary account of the state 
 of their monthly meetings, compiled from the answers to 
 the queries, once a year. ^ 
 
 4. Monthly meetings shall record all advices, epistles, 
 and conclusions, from the Yearly Meeting, or from the 
 quarterly meeting, to which they belong ; also, marriages, 
 births, deaths, and burials, marriage certificates, papers 
 of acknowledgment, certificates of removal from or to 
 the meeting, certificates granted to Friends travelling in 
 the ministry, and correspondence with other meetings'; 
 also, accounts of suflerings forwarded to the representa- 
 tive meeting. 
 
 5. jNIonthly meetings should appoint a recorder, an- 
 nually, with an assistant recorder in each preparative 
 meeting, if needed, whose duty it shall be to record all 
 marriages, births, deaths, and burials, marriage certifi- 
 cates, and certificates of removal from or to the meeting. 
 The annexed form of this record, having been found con- 
 venient and valuable, is commended to the use of Friends. 
 It is also rcconnuendcd to monthly meetings, to transcribe 
 their past records into a book of similar form.
 
 124 CHRISTIAN DtsciPLiNE. [Chap. Iir. 
 
 Monthly meetings arc advised to see that all their rec- 
 ord books, and other papers, are carefully collected and 
 preserved ; those of earliest date in the older meetings 
 being especially valuable. Much desirable information 
 may be lost for want of care in this respect. Record 
 books should be provided with proper alphabets, that re- 
 course may be had more readily to any particular, when 
 occasion requires. 
 
 Our records shall be open to any of our meetings, or 
 individual members, and to such others as the respective 
 monthly meetings shall allow, for the ascertaining of facts 
 relative to marriages, births, or other rights. 
 
 If any quarterly meeting requests the records or min- 
 utes on any subject of another quarterly meeting, or any 
 monthly meeting those of another monthly meeting, it is 
 directed that copies of such records or minutes be accord- 
 ingly communicated to the meeting requesting them.
 
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 126 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 REMOVALS. 
 
 When Friends have a prospect of removing, they should 
 be careful not to sufler wrong motives to influence their 
 conclusions ; and, before such steps are taken as may close 
 the way of receiving advice, they are advised to take the 
 counsel of some of their experienced Friends, on the pro- 
 priety of the proposed removal ; particularly when they 
 propose removing entirely away from Friends ; and elders, 
 and overseers, and other concerned Friends, when they 
 hear of any inclining to remove, should consider it their 
 duty, in brotherly love, to counsel them to observe the 
 foregoing advice. 
 
 When a Friend removes, a certificate, should be for- 
 warded from the monthly meeting of which he is a mem- 
 ber, to the meeting where he is going to reside, expressive 
 only of the right of membership and settlement of tem- 
 poral concerns, as the case may require — to be founded 
 on inquiry, made by a committee appointed in each case 
 for that purpose ; and the committee should not confine 
 their inquiries to the monthly meeting where the person 
 resides, if there be reason to believe that his afl^airs are 
 not settled elsewhere. If the certificate be for an ac- 
 knowledged minister, or elder, it should so state. It 
 being obviously important that such recommendation 
 should take place without unnecessary delay, in order that 
 the individual may come under the early notice and over- 
 sight of the meeting within the limits of which he removes, 
 if the Friend does not himself apply for a certificate, 
 within six months from the time of his removal, the 
 monthly meeting should forward one for him, without such 
 application. 
 
 When a certificate of removal is received by the meet- 
 ing to which it is directed, it shall be the duty of that 
 meeting to accept it, unless there be some manifest ob-
 
 Chap. III.] DIFFERENCES AND ARBITRATIONS. 127 
 
 struction ; and, when accepted, the Friend recommended 
 by it shall be a member of that meeting. 
 
 Removal certificates should be forwarded for apprentices 
 and others under age, who are placed within the limits of 
 another monthly meeting. 
 
 When a meeting accepts a certificate, it should inform 
 the meeting which issued it, of such acceptance. 
 
 All certificates of removal, issued by our monthly meet- 
 ings, should be signed by the clerks of both the men's and 
 women's meetings. 
 
 No Friend shall gain a settlement by marriage certificate 
 or other recommendation, unless a removal be expressed 
 therein. 
 
 DIFFERENCES AND ARBITRATIONS. 
 
 It is advised that in all cases of controversy and differ- 
 ence, the persons concerned thcreiu either speedily adjust 
 the difference between themselves, or make choice of some 
 faithful, disinterested, impartial Friends, to determine the 
 same ; and that all Friends avoid taking sides in any per- 
 sonal controversy or differences, and it would be well that 
 Friends were at all times ready to sublnit their differences, 
 even with persons not of our religious persuasion, to arl)i- 
 tration rather than to contend at law. " Hear the causes 
 between your brethren, and judge righteously between 
 every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with 
 him." 
 
 It is advised that persons differing about outward things 
 do, as little as may be, trouljle ministering Friends in any 
 respect, iu relation thereto.
 
 128 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 If any Friend shall refuse speedily to end a difference 
 iu which he is a party concerned, or to refer it, as before 
 advised, or shall fail to appoint an arbitrator within the 
 period of one month after notice to do so has been given 
 him, by the overseers or other Friends who have advised 
 him to refer it, the case should be referred to the monthly 
 meeting to which the Friend belongs ; and if such meet- 
 ing also judges that the case ought to be so referred, and 
 the Friend shall still refuse to refer it, or Ml to appoint 
 an arbitrator without further delay, the monthly meeting, 
 after the exercise of due care, and with a just regard to 
 the interests of all parties, shall express its disunity with 
 his conduct, and may proceed to disown him as a member 
 of our society. 
 
 When cases of difference are referred, and judgment 
 and award are made, signed, and given thereupon, the 
 parties concerned shall stand to and perform the said 
 award ; and, if any one shall refuse so to do, the monthly 
 meeting to which such person belongs, upon notice to it 
 o-iven, shall admonish him thereto, and if, after admoni- 
 tion, he persists to refuse, the meeting may then proceed 
 to disownment. 
 
 The rules for the settlement of differences about proper- 
 ty shall not be considered as binding upon trustees and 
 executors, acting for others, in the performance of their 
 duties as such ; nor upon any Friends acting on behalf of 
 persons not of our religious society, and so as to incur a 
 legal responsibility to them. 
 
 Matters of defamation are not subjects to be arbitrated, 
 until the defamation is proved, as well as the fact that 
 some injury is sustained by the defamed, in his trade or 
 property ; and, in that case, the damage should be sub- 
 mitted to arbitration.
 
 Chap. III.] • 129 
 
 MODE OF COXDUCTIXG ARBITRATIONS. 
 
 Each party having chosen one or two indifferent, impar- 
 tial, and judicious Friends, those so chosen shall agree 
 upon a third or a fifth Friend, (unless the parties first 
 agree in the nomination,) whose name shall be inserted 
 with the others, in the bonds of arbitration or other writ- 
 ten asrreement. 
 
 The arbitrators, so appointed, or the majority of them, 
 shall fix the time and place of their first meeting, within 
 three months after their appointment. At the hearing, 
 all the arbitrators shall be present and act. 
 
 The arbitrators shall not consider themselves as advo- 
 cates for the party by whom they are chosen, but men 
 whose incumbent duty it is to judge righteously, fearing 
 the Lord. They shall shun all previous information re- 
 specting the case, and especially avoid any bias in their 
 judgments, before they hear both parties together. 
 
 The parties shall enter into written agreements, if either 
 of them require it, to abide by the award of the arbitra- 
 tors, or a majority of them, to be made in a limited time, 
 and it would be well that this agreement should be in the 
 form of a rule of court, duly authenticated, so that, if 
 occasion should re(iuire it, the award may be legally en- 
 forced, without resort to a suit at law. And, in the event 
 of a failure of cither party to abide by such award, monthly 
 meetings may, in their discretion, give permission to en- 
 force the same, should a resort to law become necessary. 
 
 Every meeting of the arl)itrators shall be duly made 
 known to the parties concerned, until they have been fully 
 heard ; and there should not be any separate or private 
 meetings, between some of the arbitrators, or with one 
 party separate from the other, on the business referred to 
 them ; and no representation of the case of one jiarty, 
 either by writing, or otherwise, shall be admitted, without
 
 130 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 its being fully made knoAvn to the other, and, if required, 
 a copy shall bo delivered to the other party. 
 
 The arbitrators shall hear both parties fully, in the pres- 
 ence of each other, whilst either has any fresh matter to 
 offer, until a certain time, to be limited by the arbitrators. 
 Let no evidence or witness, pertinent to the case, be re- 
 jected or withheld. 
 
 If there should appear to the arbitrators, or to one or 
 more of them, to be any doubtful point of law, the ma- 
 jority of them shall agree upon a case, and consult coun- 
 sel thereupon. The arbitrators are not required to express, 
 in the award, the reasons for their decision. When the 
 arbitrators do not act under a rule of a court, a copy of 
 the award shall be delivered to each party. 
 
 Arbitrators should propose to the parties that they give 
 an acknowledgment in Avriting, before the award be made, 
 that they have been candidly and fully heard. 
 
 APPEALS. 
 
 If any person shall, after a final decision in his case, by 
 any monthly meeting, think himself injured or aggrieved 
 by its proceedings, he may appeal to the quarterly meet- 
 ing, of which such monthly meeting forms a part. 
 
 Notice of such intended aj^peal must be given in writing 
 to the monthly meeting, within three months after such 
 decision is communicated, by, or on behalf of, such meet- 
 ing, to the party concerned. 
 
 When an appeal is made to the quarterl}' meeting, by 
 any person dissatisfied with the proceedings of the month- 
 ly meeting, the quarterly meeting shall proceed to nom- 
 inate a committee of seven disinterested Friends, to hear 
 the same and judge thereof. The appellant should not be 
 present, and no member of the monthly meeting appealed
 
 Chap. III.] APPEALS. 131 
 
 t 
 
 from, should be at liberty to take any part in nominating 
 the committee of the quarterly meeting, neither should 
 any member of said monthly meeting be appointed thereon. 
 
 After the nomination has taken place, the appellant shall 
 be called in, and the names of the proposed committee 
 shall be read in his presence, and each party shall have 
 the liberty of objecting to any part of the committee, not 
 exceeding three, and the places of those objected to shall 
 be supplied by other nominations being made ; which 
 nominations shall be final. 
 
 The committee shall then withdraw and hear the parties 
 concerned in the appeal, and the appellant shall have the 
 liberty of taking with him one or two of his friends, to 
 assist him in the management of his case ; and, when the 
 committee have come to judgment in regard to it, they 
 shall prepare a report of their decision, signed by those 
 uniting in judgment, as the report of the committee. If 
 the report in the case of the disownraent of any person 
 be signed by less than two-thirds of the committee, the 
 appellant shall be restored to membership. 
 
 If any person shall think himself aggrieved by the judg- 
 ment of any quarterly meeting, he may appeal from such 
 judgment to the Yearly Meeting ; in which case, notice in 
 writing, of his intention to appeal, shall be given by him, 
 not later than the second quarterly meeting after that at 
 which such judgment has been recorded. 
 
 If any appellant or appellants do not bring his, her, or 
 their appeal to the Yearly Meeting next ensuing, due 
 notice once given them, if such appellants continue their 
 appeal, notice shall be repeated, in writing, to the meeting 
 against which they may appeal, at least three months pre- 
 ceding the Yearly Meeting. 
 
 When the appeal from the judgment of the (juurtcrly 
 meeting shall have been read in the Yearly Meeting, a 
 committee of disinterested Friends, consisting of two from
 
 132 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 each quarterly meeting, except the meeting appealed from, 
 shall be appointed ; and no member of said quarterly meet- 
 ing shall take part in the nomination of said committee. 
 The appelhmt shall then be called in, and the names of 
 the committee shall be read in his presence ; and each 
 party shall have the liberty of objecting to any member 
 of the committee, thus nominated, not exceeding five ; 
 and the vacancies thus made shall be filled by other nomi- 
 nations, which shall be final. 
 
 The committee shall then withdraw and hear the parties 
 concerned, and the appellant shall have the liberty of tak- 
 ing with him two or three of his friends, to assist him in 
 the management of his case. 
 
 When, in the committee, the whole or the greater part 
 of them have agreed in a judgment of the case, a report 
 in writing shall be prepared, which shall be signed, as the 
 report of the committee, by those so uniting in judgment. 
 If the report of a committee in the case of a disownment 
 of any person, be signed by less than two-thirds of their 
 number, the judgment of the quarterly meeting shall be 
 reversed, and the appellant restored to the rights of mem- 
 bership. 
 
 The committee shall not be expected to assign any rea- 
 sons for the judgment expressed in their report; and it is 
 recommended that such report be simply the confirming 
 or annulling of the decision of the quarterly meeting, un- 
 less it be annulled for irregular dealing, in which case it 
 should be so expressed. 
 
 When the personal rights of a member under dealing 
 are afl'ected by nonconformity to the discipline, or by other 
 irregularity in the proceedings, the decision in the case, 
 if he be disowned, shall, on appeal therefrom, be reversed 
 for that cause ; but monthly meetings shall have the right, 
 when their decisions are reversed on account of irregu- 
 lar dealing o?«??/, to take up the case again, and proceed
 
 Chap. III.] TRUST PROPERTY. 133 
 
 according to the discipline, the same as if it had not already- 
 been acted upon. 
 
 Appeals to the Yearly Meeting, shall be entered and 
 acted upon, on the second day of the week. 
 
 TRUST PROPERTY. 
 
 In the tenure and management of property, held in 
 trust, or otherwise, monthly meetings should observe the 
 following course. 
 
 Particular care should be taken by the proper and re- 
 spective meetings concerned, that all title deeds and writ- 
 ings relating to meeting-houses, burial-grounds, and trust 
 property of any kind, held for the use of our society, or 
 for any part thereof, as well as all deeds and records rela- 
 tive to donations, and legacies, be deposited in a place of 
 security ; and that the custody of them be entrusted to two 
 or more of the overseers of the monthly meeting, or to 
 other Friends appointed for that purpose. 
 
 In the acceptance of trusts, monthly meetings are de- 
 sired to be very careful that the trust proposed does not, 
 in any way, do injustice to those Avho have a reasonable 
 expectation from their kindred or near connections,* 
 
 Executors and trustees, concerned in wills and settle- 
 ments, are advised to take special care that they faithfully 
 discharge their respective trusts according to the intent of 
 the donors and testators ; that all charitable gifts, lega- 
 cies, bequests, donations, and settlements of estates, by 
 will or deed, intended or given for the use or benefit of 
 the poor, for education, or for promoting the cause of 
 morality and religion, or for any purpose consistent with 
 our moral and religious principles, be not converted or 
 
 • Sec article on Temporal Aflfalrs.
 
 134 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 appropriated to any other use than that directed and en- 
 joined by the donors and testators ; and should any un- 
 forseen occurrence render such performance difficult or 
 impracticable, early application should be made to the 
 Representative meeting for its advice or assistance. 
 
 And, in order that it may appear, not only now, but in 
 all future time, that all gifts and legacies have been prop- 
 erly and strictly applied, according to the intention and 
 direction of the donors and testators, monthly meetings 
 or other meetings concerned, should take special care, an- 
 nually, to know that proper books are kept by the trustees 
 in which are recorded as follows, viz. 
 
 First, — the will or clauses, with the date of probate 
 thereof; — or the title deed, with the date of the record 
 thereof; — or any other writing by which trust property 
 of any kind is conveyed. 
 
 Second, — the place of deposit of such will, deed, or 
 conveyance. 
 
 Third, — the names of the trustees. 
 
 Fourth, — an inventory or exhibit of the trust property. 
 
 Fifth, — a regular and systematic account of all incomes 
 and disbursements of said property. 
 
 Sixth, — that an annual exhibit of the state of the funds 
 or property be made therefrom for the donees ; and a set- 
 tlement be made with them, when competent thereto, by 
 the outgoing trustees, and also for the acceptance of the 
 incoming trustees. 
 
 Seventh, — that a clear and correct account may be open 
 at all times to the donees, and such others as may have 
 right to know the state thereof; and also to the courts, if 
 it should be required. 
 
 When the trust property belongs to preparative or par- 
 ticular meetings, the monthly meeting should exercise the 
 same care and jurisdiction as in all other cases.
 
 Chap. III.] INTOXICATING LIQUORS, TOBACCO, &C. 135 
 
 Overseers are not at liberty to accept trusts by will, 
 donation, or otherwise, until they are directed to do so by 
 the monthly meeting ; and they shall be subject to the 
 direction of the monthly meeting in the management, or 
 disposition, of such trusts or other property. 
 
 When the trust property belongs to an}^ distinct body 
 or committee of Friends, or is under their care, as in the 
 case of schools and other charitable foundations, it is re- 
 commended that the spirit of the above rules should be 
 attended to, and the provisions be complied with, as far as 
 circumstances will permit. 
 
 Should any meeting be dissolved, or cease to retain its 
 distinct character, care should be taken, that a minute be 
 previously entered on its books for regularly transferring 
 the property under its direction, to the superintendence of 
 the meeting which may succeed it in its authority or rights, 
 in all instances, where the nature of the trust admits of 
 this beins: done. 
 
 INTOXICATING LIQUORS, TOBACCO, &C. 
 
 All our members are cautioned carefully to avoid the 
 distillation, importation, trading in, or in any way using, 
 or encouraging the use in others, of all intoxicating 
 liquors. And if any of our members shall be found in 
 either of these practices, monthly meetings should labor 
 with all such, and endeavor to prevail with them to a cor- 
 dial compliance with the advice here given ; and if, not- 
 withstanding, any continue therein, they should be testified 
 against. 
 
 We also recommend to all our members to abstain from 
 the use of tol)acco, opium, and other narcotic substances 
 or preparations.
 
 136 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 DEFAMATION AND DETRACTION. 
 
 Friends are admonished to stand upon their . guard 
 against all whispering, backbiting, and evil speaking one 
 of another, and to discourage every practice of that nature, 
 observing the advice of the apostle, " Let all bitterness, 
 and wrath, and auger, and clamor, and evil-speaking, be 
 put away from you, with all malice : and be ye kind one 
 to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as 
 God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you," Eph. iv. 31, 32 ; 
 always mindful of the precept of our Lord, " Whatsoever 
 ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to 
 them." Matt. vii. 12. 
 
 "Charity," saith the apostle, "hopeth all things." It 
 divulges not the faults of others, because, in its unbounded 
 hope, it desires their removal without exposure. For the 
 mind in which it dwells, ascribes its own preservation and 
 the cleansing of its former sins, to the unbounded love of 
 God in Christ Jesus, and it prays that all may partake of 
 the same benefit. How opposite that disposition which 
 delights to report evil, and to accuse ! Shun it, dear 
 Friends, as the poison of asps. The sacred writings em- 
 phatically denominate the grand adversary of mankind by 
 the name of the accuser of the brethren. " Follow," 
 therefore, "peace with all men, and holiness, without 
 w^hich no man shall see the Lord : looking diligently, lest 
 any man fail of the grace of God ; lest any root of bit- 
 terness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be 
 defiled." 
 
 If, however, any person be charged with defiimation or 
 scandal, he should be proceeded against in the manner and 
 by the several steps following : 
 
 First, the person defamed, or supposed to be defamed, 
 himself, or any other Friend to whom the knowledge 
 of the case shall come, should go to the accused, and tell
 
 Chap, III.] DEFAMATION AND DETRACTION. 137 
 
 him his fault, or supposed fault, between them aloue, and, 
 by the best method he is capable of, labor to convince 
 him of it, in order to his acknowledgment of the truth, 
 and to his repentance, if he appear to be guilty. But, if 
 the accused shall refuse to make such satisfaction as the 
 nature of the case requires, let the accuser take with him 
 one or two Friends of the monthly meeting to which the 
 accused belongs, if it may be conveniently done ; and if 
 the accused think fit, he may bring with him one or two 
 Friends also of the same monthly meetiug ; and they, 
 together, shall endeavor to obtain the true knowledge of 
 the case, by hearing witnesses, if there be occasion. And, 
 if they all judge him guilty, and he doth not make satis- 
 faction ; or, if they do not all agree that he is innocent ; in 
 either of these cases happening, the person charging is at 
 liberty to bring the matter before the monthly meeting, 
 which is the only judge now remaining, both of the nature 
 of the fact, and the validity of the proof of it ; and 
 Friends in the "wisdom of God, shall deal with him for 
 the good ends before mentioned ; and, as they see cause, 
 upon mature and deliberate consideration, shall justify or 
 condemn him. And, if the church shall see meet to com- 
 mit the consideration of a case of this nature, for better 
 dispatch, to certain persons of its own body, w^e recom- 
 mend it as our tender advice, in case the accused shall 
 object against one or more of the Friends so chosen, that 
 the church have due regard to such objection, and set 
 aside the person or persons so objected against, and sub- 
 stitute another or others in his or their room, provided 
 such objection doth not extend to the major part of the 
 Friends so chosen. And, in general, we desire all tender- 
 ness and regard may be had to a person under such cir- 
 cumstances ; and that Friends in a spirit of love and 
 condescension, deal with such, keeping up at the same 
 time the authority of their meetings, 
 
 B
 
 138 CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE. [Chap. III. 
 
 If jiny Friend hear an injurious report of another, he 
 should discountenance it, by showing the reporter the 
 evil and injustice of spreading such reports; and then, 
 without further spreading it, if it appear expedient, he 
 should go to the person whom it concerns, or advise him 
 of it, that he may have opportunity to clear himself if in- 
 nocent, or to make satisfaction if guilty ; and should this 
 private labor prove ineffectual, the overseers should be 
 informed, that he may be treated with, consistently with 
 our discipline. 
 
 Any one circulating a report, injurious to another, and 
 refusing to give his authority for the same, should be held 
 responsible, as the author thereof, and be dealt with 
 accordingly.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 *** The large capitals denote the headings of chapters, the S7naller capitals the 
 headings of sections. 
 
 Acceptance of Certificates of Remov- 
 al 127 
 
 Aborigines, Concern relating to CO 
 
 Absent members, Correspondence 
 
 with 88 
 
 Accounts, Prompt settlement of. 52 
 
 Advice ik relation to Marriage 49 
 Advice in relation to Temporal 
 
 Affairs 51 
 
 Advice in relation to the Minis- 
 try 34 
 
 At>viCKS, General lOO 
 
 Advicks to I!E read in mketings 
 
 OF Ministers and Elders 114 
 
 AlUrmations, Caution respecting.... 01 
 Amusements and Recreations — 54 
 
 APPEALS 130 
 
 to Quarterly Meetings 130 
 
 to the Yearly Meeting 131, 133 
 
 Proceedings in relation to.. 131, 132 
 
 Attendance of Meetings 17 
 
 Additors, Appointment of S(i 
 
 IJenkvolevce and Liberality 32 
 
 Hirths, Deaths, &c., to be recorded.. 123 
 
 liOOKS 41 
 
 Pernicious 42, 40 
 
 provided for distribution 1V'> 
 
 TJook of Discipline to be present in 
 
 Meetings for Discipline 74 
 
 Kci'.ial and Molrnino Habits — 65 
 i;urial Urounds <>5, 06 
 
 Care OF the Poor 117 
 
 Certificates of Marriage, Form of 121 
 
 to Travelling ^linisters 'M 
 
 of Removal 1211 
 
 on account of Marriage U'.' 
 
 Chlldrcu, Parent h' care for 12, 4.0 
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 1 
 
 PRACTICE 16 
 
 DISCIPLINE 07 
 
 Civil Government oi 
 
 Office, Holding of. 02, 93 
 
 Complaints against members 99, 100 
 
 Convinced Persons to be visited 24 
 
 Correspondents 85 
 
 Counsel to attendance of Meetings 
 
 for Worship 10, 19 
 
 against self-indulgence and a 
 
 worldly spirit 25, 20, 33 
 
 to exercise of forbearance and 
 
 forgiveness .32 
 
 to Ministers and Elders 34,38 
 
 to Parents and Guardians 42 
 
 to the Young 45 
 
 against joint securities with oth- 
 ers 51 
 
 against too eager pursuit of 
 
 riches 52 
 
 to avoid vain sports and pas- 
 times 55 
 
 against joining secret societies. 94 
 to the poor and such as are in 
 straitened circumstan- 
 ces lir, 11^ 
 
 against the use of intoxicating 
 
 liquors, &c 135 
 
 to avoid detraction and evil 
 
 speaking 130 
 
 covetocsness 00 
 
 Defamation and Detraction 13(; 
 
 Proceedings in case of. 130 
 
 DELiNQt'ENCiES — how treated. .. .90, 91 
 
 Defrauding the Revenue 01 
 
 Aiiliiig in warlike matters 92 
 
 Military Pensions 92 
 
 Failing to li.'iy just Debts y2
 
 140 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Absenting from Religious Meet- 
 ings '•'•' 
 
 Printing, publisliing, or circu- 
 lating hurtful works 03 
 
 Accepting certain oflices 9;^. 
 
 Arresting or suing members... '.Ki 
 Attending improper places, im- 
 moralities, &c 91 
 
 Joining Secret Societies 94 
 
 Kcfusing to Arbitrate or abide 
 
 by award of Arbitrators 128 
 
 Making, using, or trafUcking in 
 
 intoxicating liquors 135 
 
 Detraction 13(' 
 
 Differences AND Arbitrations.. 127 
 
 General Regulations 1-8 
 
 not binding on Trustees, &c., 
 
 in certain cases I'-S 
 
 Conducting of Arbitrations. . . . 129 
 
 Discipline, Christian 67 
 
 Historical sketch of 67 
 
 Meetings for Discipline 71 
 
 Drowsiness in Meetings 18 
 
 Economy in Living 33, 52 
 
 Education 38 
 
 Choice of Books » -to 
 
 ElderS) Qualifications of 97 
 
 Appointment of. 97 
 
 Displacement of 98 
 
 ELDERS AND MINISTERS 110 
 
 Executors and Administrators 54 
 
 Families, Committees to visit 89 
 
 Easts and Rejoicings 03 
 
 First Dat of the week. On the 
 
 RIGHT occupation OF 50 
 
 Form of Record of Births, &c 125 
 
 of Marriage Certificate 121 
 
 General Advices lOO 
 
 Gifts and SERvacES for the re- 
 ligious benefit of others 23 
 
 Gravestones C5 
 
 Guardians, Designation of. 54 
 
 and Parents 42 
 
 Holy Days, So called 03 
 
 Holy Scriptures 14 
 
 On Reading the 22, 57 
 
 Insolvency, Advice respecting 52 
 
 Intoxicating Liquors, Tobacco, 
 &c 135 
 
 Love AND Unity, Part 1 28 
 
 Part II 31 
 
 Liberality and Benevolence — 32 
 Marriage, Advice in relation to 49 
 
 Regulations ^. H'J 
 
 deviations from Rules, Wlien 
 
 allowed 120 
 
 certificate. Form of 121, 122 
 
 between first cousins disallow- 
 ed 122 
 
 with persons not in member- 
 ship 122 
 
 Meetings for Worship 10 
 
 Meetings for Discipline 71 
 
 Subordination of. "3 
 
 Members, Lists of to be kept 88 
 
 absent, To be corresponded 
 
 with ?8 
 
 Proceedings in cases of Admis- 
 sion, Resignation or Exclu- 
 sion of S9 
 
 Membership, Who entitled to 87 
 
 what minors may be admitted 
 
 to 87 
 
 Requests for admission to.... 87, 99 
 
 Resignation of 88, 89 
 
 Memorials 98 
 
 Ministers, Recognition of. 94 
 
 causing dissatisfaction 95 
 
 certificates for travelling 96 
 
 Ministers and Elders no 
 
 Displacement of Ill 
 
 Disowned, If restored do not 
 thereby regain their standing 110 
 Ministers and Elders, Meetings 
 
 OF Ill 
 
 Prepai-ative Meetings of Ill 
 
 Quarterly Meetings of. 112 
 
 List of its Members to be an- 
 nually revised 112 
 
 Yearly Meeting of 113 
 
 Queries to be read in 113 
 
 Advices to be read in 114 
 
 To present Summary Account 
 to Yearly Meeting annually.. 113 
 Ministry, Advice relating to the 34 
 
 MONTHLY' Meetings 85 
 
 Organization of. 85 
 
 How laid down 83 
 
 Appointments to be annually 
 
 made 80 
 
 Lists of members 88 
 
 Admission, disowning or dis: 
 missal of members to be by 
 concurrent action 89
 
 INDEX. 
 
 141 
 
 Visiting Committees 89 
 
 Delinquencies 90 
 
 Ministers, Aclinowledgment of. 94 
 
 Elders, Appointment of 97 
 
 Montlis and Days, Names of. 64 
 
 Mothers, Counsel to 43 
 
 MocRKiXG Habits axd Bciiials... 05 
 
 Kames of Months and Days of the 
 week (VI 
 
 Oaths 60, 92 
 
 Overseers, Appointment of 85 
 
 Duties of. SO, 109 
 
 Overseers of the Poor 86, 118 
 
 Oversight 106, 1 10 
 
 Offenders, Dealing with 90, 95 
 
 Contributions not to be received 
 from persons under dealing. . 74 
 
 Parexts and Guakdiaxs 42 
 
 Payment of war taxes 59, 92 
 
 Pensions for military services 92 
 
 Pernicious Books, Caution against.. 42 
 
 Poor. Cake of the 117 
 
 Overseers of 86, 118 
 
 Preparative Meetings 99 
 
 Duties of. 99 
 
 small, May be held jointly 100 
 
 when dispensed with 190 
 
 complaints by Overseers 99, 100 
 
 Private Uetiuemext axd Prater 20 
 
 Quarterly Meetings 82 
 
 Time of holding 82 
 
 QI7ERIES 103 
 
 of Meetings of Ministers and 
 
 Elders 113 
 
 Requests for Membership 87, 89, 99 
 
 Resignations of Membership 88, 89 
 
 Representative Meeting 115 
 
 How api)ointed 115 
 
 Members to send excuse for 
 
 non-attcndancc 115 
 
 to take oversightof publications 
 relating to our religious prin- 
 ciples 93 
 
 Representatives 81, 85, 86, 100 
 
 not to withdraw without leave 81 
 
 Records 123 
 
 Form of 125 
 
 Removals 126 
 
 Reading THE HoLV Scriptures ... 22 
 
 Settlement of Accounts, Frequent.. 52 
 
 Scriptural Instruction recom- 
 mended 24, 41, 57 
 
 SiMPLiciTV, Moderation and Self- 
 denial 26 
 
 SLAVERY AND Oppression 59 
 
 Testimonies concerning Friends de- 
 ceas ed 98 
 
 Temporal Affairs, Advice relat- 
 ing to 51 
 
 Tobacco, Opium, &c 135 
 
 Travelling, Certificates for Ministers 9(5 
 
 Trust Property 133 
 
 Course in relation to 133 
 
 Custody of Deeds, Records, &c. 133 
 To be applied to purposes in- 
 tended by the Donors 133 
 
 Trustee Books, how kept 131 
 
 Overseers subject to Monthly 
 Meetings in accepting and 
 
 managing Trusts 135 
 
 Case of Meetings dissolved.... 135 
 
 Unanswered Queries loo, 114 
 
 Visiting Families 89 
 
 War 08 
 
 Taxes for support of .59, 92 
 
 Pursuits connected with 92 
 
 Procuring Substitutes 92 
 
 Wills, Advice respecting 53, 54 
 
 Womens' Meetings, 72, 73, 74 
 
 YEARLY' Meeting. Its History.... 75 
 
 Design and Functions 80 
 
 Regulations 80 
 
 Appointment of Clerks 81 
 
 Collections for Expenses 81
 
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