Fr^ nds, Society of 
 
 1 
 
 \ Narrative of Facts and 
 ^ and Circunstsnces that have 
 
 tended to -oroduce a 
 ^ cecession from the Society 
 of Friends, in Neu-England 
 "^'early Meeting. 
 
NOV 
 
.\-\ 14- 
 
V 
 
 NOV 1918 
 
 NARRATIVE 
 
 OF 
 
 FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES 
 
 THAT HAVE TENDED TO PRODUCE A SECESSION FRO»f 
 
 THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, 
 
 NEW-ENGLAND YEARLY MEETING, 
 
 PROVIDENCE: 
 PRINTED BY KNOWLES AND VOSE. 
 
 184 5. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2015 
 
 https://archive.org/details/narrativeoffactsOOsoci 
 
NARRATIVE. 
 
 It is for the cause of truth, and for the information of 
 those who from the want of a true understanding of the 
 case, are Hable to be deceived by unfounded and improp- 
 er representations; that we feel called upon to set forth 
 the following account of the secession from Friends, 
 that has taken place within this Yearly Meeting. 
 
 In order to give a faithful history, it seems neces- 
 sary to go back several years, and advert to some circum- 
 stances that then transpired ; and unpleasant as is the 
 duty, we are subjected to tlie painful necessity of expo- 
 sing the course of an individual, formerly a minister in 
 unity with us, who has been prominent as a leader in 
 this schism, and, for the same reason, we are induced to 
 state various other causes and circumstances that have 
 tended to produce the secession which we are about to 
 describe. 
 
 In the year 1832, John Wilbur was liberated to make 
 a religious visit to Friends i:i Great Britain and Ireland. 
 While absent on this visit, he wrote a series of Letters 
 relating to the doctrines and practices of the Society of 
 Friends, which were published, having evidently been 
 
4 
 
 written for that purpose, without being submitted to tliti 
 inspection of any body of the Society authorized to ex- 
 amine such publications ; a procedure which he well 
 knew was viewed by our Yearly Meeting as always im- 
 proper, and contrary to the express provisions of our Dis- 
 cipline. As this publication was made but a short time 
 before his return home, no action was taken in the case 
 until he arrived ; when the Meeting for Sufferings, feel- 
 ing that a dangerous precedent had been set by a Minis- 
 ter, and former member of their body, thought some ex- 
 planation was called for from him ,• and they named a 
 committee of three Friends to have an interview with 
 him on the subject ; but that there might be no unneces- 
 sary exposure, no minute was made in the case. This 
 committee sought an interview with him, and labored in 
 tenderness and love to convince him of the impropriety 
 of departing from the Discipline of his own Yearly Meet- 
 ing, while traveling as a Minister with the requisite cer- 
 tificates of that Meeting, as well as of the hurtful ten- 
 dency in an abstract point of view, of encouraging pub- 
 lications on doctrinal subjects, without the previous in- 
 vestigation and approbation of some authorized body of 
 the Society. But so far from giving any satisfaction to' 
 this Committee, he manifested a disposition to justify 
 himself, and to call in question the correctness of the pro- 
 cedure of the Meeting for Sufferings in the case. After 
 considerable delay and much ineffectual labour, as the 
 publication had received but Httle circulation in this coun- 
 try, and as a desire was felt to exercise all tenderness and 
 forbearance towards him, the subject was suffered to rest, 
 so far as any official action wag concerned. But we have 
 reason to believe that this honest concern, and faithful 
 labour in the case by his brethren, was not received by 
 him in the spirit in which they were offered. A want 
 of that charity, unity and love, which so become breth- 
 ren, was painfully observable in his conduct towards manf 
 
5 
 
 Friends, so as to cause uneasiness on his account, and to 
 induce individual labor to be extended to him. 
 
 It was under the profession of supporting sound doc- 
 trines, that he pursued a course, and indulged in a spirit 
 of detraction, tending to injure the religious character of 
 divers Friends in our own and other Yearly Meetings, 
 representing them as unsound in doctrine, and holding 
 views inconsistent with those always held by the Society 
 of Friends. Letters were written and circulated by him 
 having this end in view, and intended to lessen the stand- 
 ing of individuals, and to obstruct their religious labours. 
 
 In the autumn of 1837, John Wilbur made a religious 
 visit within the limits of New- York Yearly Meeting ; 
 and during the course of this journey he continued to in- 
 dulge in this detracting spirit, both in speaking and writ- 
 ing, until he produced much exercise with well-concern- 
 ed Friends, — Ministers, Elders, and others, — among 
 whom he was traveling, and some of them treated with 
 him on this account. In one of the conferences held 
 with him upon this subject, he used the following lan- 
 guage ; " I consider the course I am taking in respect to 
 the Friend from England and his writings, to be in the 
 line of my religious duty, and this I hold to be more 
 binding upon me than any rules of Discipline." 
 
 After his return home from this visit, he continued to 
 manifest the same unwarrantable course, producing much 
 uneasiness in the minds of those friends to whom know- 
 ledge of it came, and who felt the importance both of 
 supporting our own Discipline, and of treating other Year- 
 ly Meetings with that christian confidence and regard to 
 which as bodies in unity with us they were justly en- 
 titled, and tender labor was bestowed on him by different 
 individuals, to induce him to desist from his improper 
 proceedings. 
 
 In the 7th month, 1839, a minister and aged elder 
 
6 
 
 sought an interview with him, the progress and result of 
 which are thus described by the latter : 
 
 " The manner in which John Wilbur had spoken of a 
 Friend, when about to visit this country as a minister, 
 having the approbation of his friends at home, and by 
 them liberated in the usual way, gave some of his friends 
 concern on his account; and after the friend arrived in 
 this country, John Wilbur being then out on a religious 
 visit to Friends in some parts of the State of New-York, 
 continued to manifest his aversion to the friend and to his 
 writings, as I understood. In the course of the following 
 summer, I believe in the 7th month, a friend from New- 
 Hampshire called on me to accompany him on a religious 
 visit to the meetings of Friends in South Kingstown 
 Monthly Meeting. I bore him company ; and after hav- 
 ing dined at John Wilbur's, we asked for a personal and 
 select interview with him ; this was readily granted, and 
 the subject of the good order of the Society in reference 
 to the manner in which ministers traveling abroad on 
 religious concerns, in the authority of the Church, ought 
 to treat each other, was brought into view, and contrast- 
 ed with the course he had pursued while out on a reli- 
 gious visit to Friends in the State of New-York. We 
 endeavored to convince him that his manner of treating 
 the friend above referred to, boih in speaking and writing 
 respecting him, was not only contrary to the express scrip- 
 tural injunction of doing to others as we would that oth- 
 ers should do to us, but was likewise contrary to the in^ 
 junction of our own Discipline. He appeared disposed, 
 and repeatedly attempted to shield himself by alleging 
 that the writings of the friend were unsound. We as 
 often unhesitatingly assured him, that our concern to 
 have an interview with him had no reference to writings, 
 but that our object was to persuade him to refrain from 
 pursuing such a course. The friend was here, recom- 
 mended to us by a meeting with which we were in uni- 
 ty ; should he advance any thing nnsonnd in public or in 
 private, or otherwise conduct himself disorderly, ho would 
 become a subject, li'ie all other ministers traveling among 
 us, over whom the care of the Society ought to be ex- 
 tended. 
 
 The conversation was open and free, and he was re- 
 peatedly enjoined not to blend our concern for him as 
 
7 
 
 having any connection with, or reference to the writings 
 of the friend. And we again assured him that it was a 
 concern growing out of, as we believed, a clear convic- 
 tion in our own minds that his past course in reference to 
 that individual, would ultimately, if persisted in, be pro- 
 ductive of serious loss to himself and injury to the So- 
 ciety. 
 
 It may not be improper here to remark, that I did not 
 converse with an individual member of South Kingstown 
 Monthly Meeting on the subject, that did not manifest re- 
 gret at the manner J. W". was conducting towards the 
 minister referred to." 
 
 In the following winter, 1S39-40, John Wilbur hav- 
 ing obtained a certificate from South-Kingstown Monthly 
 Meeting, to enable him to visit some of the meetings in 
 this Yearly Meeting, a committee then under appoint- 
 ment from the Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, 
 were tenderly concerned on his account, and a few of their 
 number were deputed to have an interview with him 
 previous to his leaving home to enter on this engage- 
 ment ; but failing to effect their object, they addressed to 
 him the following communication, through one of their 
 number. The letter is dated 1 mo. 6, 1840. 
 
 Having written thee a few days ago, and forwarded 
 it by mail, at the request of some of the Select Yearly 
 Meeting's committee, proposing an interview with thoe 
 at our house on the fifth inst., the few friends referred to 
 came at the time appointed, but as thou wast not present, 
 — which we readily admitted may have been occasioned 
 by reasonable causes — it was proposed that I should 
 again address a few lines to thee, pointing out in some 
 measure the subjects of concern that induced the com- 
 mittee of the Select Yearly Meeting, assembled from va- 
 rious parts of the Yearly Meeting — twelve in number — 
 to seek an interview with thyself as proposed, and named 
 a few friends for this purpose. Such an interview was 
 more desirable than correspondence, and would probably 
 have been further attempted, but from uncertainty of thy 
 being at home, and from the expectation of those friends 
 that were here, of leaving their several homes to-day or 
 tortuorrow, to go in a different direction. 
 
8 
 
 I feel it to be a very delicate situation to be placed in, 
 that of being the instrument to convey the religious im- 
 pressions and views of the Committee ; and probably I 
 should have at once excused myself, had not the com- 
 mittee named me as one of those who were requested to 
 have such interview. If I should be found incorrect, my 
 apology to them and thyself must be, that I was not pre- 
 sent with the committee in their deliberations, and have 
 not rightly comjjrehended their concern ; but as I under- 
 stand the subject, the committee in taking into consider- 
 ation the state oi the Ministers and Elders in this Yearly 
 Meeting, and the duties that devolve upon them as mem- 
 bers of the Select Yearly Meeting's Committee, became 
 tenderly regardful of thyself, knowing that thou hadst 
 been liberated by thy Monthly Meeting for the purpose of 
 visiting the (Quarterly Meetings, and that thou hadst com- 
 menced the fulfilment oi thy prospect. And trusting that 
 thou wilt kindly receive the manifestations of their ten- 
 der regard for thy welfare and that of the chuich, in 
 bringing into view in this way, a portion of ancient Dis- 
 cipline to which we doubt not thy own judgment and re- 
 ligious experience will readily assent — ' That ministers 
 be very tender of one another's reputation, neither giving 
 ear to, nor spreading reports, tending to raise in the minds 
 of others a lessening or disesteem of any of the brother- 
 hood. That by circumspect walking in all hohness of 
 life and conversation, they may become living examples 
 of the purity and excellence of the advices they recom- 
 mend.' This advice was intended, no doubt, for all 
 practically to regard, and it appears to have specially in 
 view those traveling in the ministry; and I understand 
 the committee felt themselves constrained in Christian 
 love to bring this subject before thy view at the present 
 time, from a persuasion that in time past there had not 
 been that circumspection and care on thy part, which are 
 the fruits of that charity that is the Christian's ornament, 
 and the bond of our religious communion ; in that as 
 they believe thou hast indulged thyself, and countenanc- 
 ed in others, both in conversation and writing, the saying 
 of many things tending to close up the way in Friends' 
 minds to the reception of the labors of one who Hke thy- 
 self apprehends that he has a reUgious duty to discharge, 
 and in the order of Society is endeavoring to accomplish 
 
9 
 
 this object. And I am requested to add as the united 
 concern of the committee, and as their advice, that if 
 thou shouldst pursue thy prospect of visiting the Quar- 
 terly Meetings, that, for thy own preservation and the 
 harmony and good order of Society, thou wilt be careful 
 to refrain from introducing the subject to any with whom 
 thou mayst associate, and will not open the way for 
 others to introduce it. The committee likewise recom- 
 mend thy omitting to take with thee any of thy corres- 
 pondence, either written or printed, relating to the indi- 
 vidual alluded to. And the Committee were also united 
 in prospect that thou wouldst not be traveling in that 
 unity of the body, so essential to the preservation of 
 Christian fellowship, until thou mayst give evidence of 
 thy intention to regard this advice. 1 was likewise re- 
 quested to bring into thy view in a tender and affection- 
 ate manner, the suspension for the present of thy visit, if 
 it may be done consistently with thy own apprehensions 
 of religious duty. 
 
 I have thus endeavored to discharge the duties assigned 
 me according to my understanding, although I am aware 
 of its being far short of producing that mutual interest 
 which a personal interview would have produced, yet I 
 trust thou wilt give the subject referred to, due place in 
 thy mind, and justly appreciate the interest manifested by 
 the Committee for thy welfare and that of the Church." 
 
 Notwithstanding the counsel thus offered him, he pro- 
 ceeded on his journey ; and from testimonies which we 
 have received, it appears that the advice thus feelingly 
 given and intended for his own preservation, and the 
 good of the Church, was disregarded by him. 
 
 In the 5th month, 1840, in consequence of deficiences 
 in the answers from subordinate meetings, and " under a 
 concern for the cause of Truth," Rhode-Island Cluarterly 
 Meeting of Ministers and Elders appointed a committee 
 " to visit subordinate meetings and individuals as way 
 may open for, and occasion may require, and to labor for 
 the restoration and preservation of harmony amongst us." 
 
 The Committee thus appointed, obtained an early in- 
 terview with John Wilbur, and stated to him the vari- 
 2a 
 
10 
 
 ous causes of uneasiness on his account. He was re- 
 minded of his improper course in relation to divers 
 friends of our own and other Yearly Meetings, whom he 
 had represented as unsound in religious faith ; and that 
 ministers, elders, and other friends were departing from 
 the ancient views of our Society in relation to Baptism, 
 the Supper, &c., producing in many instances a totally 
 unfounded prejudice against those friends: that he had 
 spoken of a division of the Yearly Meeting as being a 
 probable result, soon to take place. He did not deny 
 these charges, but plead in justification the alledged un- 
 soundness of certain writings of a Friend traveling as a 
 Minister amongst us, and offered a paper purporting to 
 contain extracts from these writings, to prove his posi- 
 tion. To this the committee entirely objected, as not 
 being the matter at issue ; doctrines not being at all in 
 question ; but the support of Christian order and the Dis- 
 cipline of the Yearly Meeting. When inquired of if he 
 knew of an individual amongst us who had imbibed un- 
 sound principles, he objected to the question ; and when 
 pressed for an answer, in consequence of his having cir- 
 culated such statements, he absolutely declined to give it. 
 His improper course, and the injurious effects resulting 
 therefrom to various friends, and above all to the precious 
 cause of Truth, were fully unfolded to him; but after a 
 full conference, in which much brotherly admonition and 
 advice were bestowed upon him, the opportunity termi- 
 nated without the Committee's receiving any satisfaction 
 from him. 
 
 In the 4th month of this year, (1840,) a Minister from 
 a distant Yearly Meeting traveling amongst us on a reli- 
 gious visit, with his companion, put up at John Wilbur's 
 house in the course of their journey, soon after their ar- 
 rival within our limits. To these friends John Wilbur 
 spoke very freely of many members of Society among 
 whom they would probably pass in pursuance of their 
 
11 
 
 prospect of religious service, and did not hesitate to name 
 various individuals, ministers and others, designating 
 them as unsound, and warning these friends not to go to 
 their houses or to use freedom with them. Before leav- 
 ing this part of the country, and soon after the occurrence 
 of the Quarterly Meeting, these friends believed it to be 
 their religious duty to call together the Select Quarterly 
 Meeting's Committee and to inform them of the commu- 
 nications made to them by John Wilbur, in order that 
 proper care might be extended to him, as his observa- 
 tions about individuals had been very burdensome to them 
 and had much tended to embarrass them in their religious 
 service. A letter from the companion of the friend above 
 alluded to, written after his return home, to a member of 
 the committee, will serve to show something of the na- 
 ture of these communications. We make from it the 
 following extracts : 
 
 "When we first arrived within the limits of your 
 Yearly Meeting, we fell in with John Wilbur, who kind- 
 ly entertained us at his house, excepting that we found 
 him, as both of us thought, much soured against many 
 friends. He spoke freely of the unsoundness of a min- 
 ister from England, who was at that time engaged in a 
 religious visit to Friends in America, exhibiting a long 
 list of written charges against him. He also told us he 
 was, and would be supported by your Yearly Meeting, on 
 account of a like unsoundness in many of its members. 
 
 " It had been our prospect, cn entering the limits of 
 your Yearly Meeting, to proceed early to Providence, 
 though nothing definite had been settled upon ; but John 
 Wilbur proposed a different route, in which he said we 
 could attend more Quarterly Meetings, and that he would 
 accompany us as far as Newport. Wishing to attend as 
 many Quarterly Meetings as we could, and being depend- 
 ent upon our friends for conveyance, we accepted his pro- 
 posal, and were thus thrown into his company and the 
 company of such friends as he introduced us to, lor a 
 considerable time ; and hence arose as thou knowest, (and 
 not without some grounds,) a fear on our account in the 
 
IS 
 
 minds of many of our dear friends in your Yearly Mt'.et- 
 ing, which led me, and I think I may say us, on thy 
 kindly letting us know that such was the case, to believe 
 it necessary for the opening of our way, if for no other 
 cause, to let Friends know that we did not believe with 
 John Wilbur, on many points, and that we were not in- 
 sensible of the spirit which he indulged towards Friends. 
 This, together with the fact of our knowledge of the 
 danger to which he was exposing both himself and others, 
 may aci^ount for our divulging to thee and to other friends 
 of a committee of your Quarterly Meeting of Ministers 
 and Elders, sentiments expressed by him. 
 
 " In addition to what has been already related, he 
 spoke of a controlling influence in your Yearly Meeting 
 that was not a religious, but a moneyed one, and that if 
 we were not on our guard, they would buy us — that they 
 had already got T. and E. R., from England. On our 
 inquiring about two ministers, who we said were account- 
 ed sound friends, and were much beloved when in our 
 country, he said, as nearly as I now remember, that they 
 were once such, low, humble-minded friends, but that 
 they had now got to Providence, and were bought over 
 to the same influence. He also said something about 
 their aged parent being distressed about them. He told 
 us too of a friend of New-Hampshire being bought over, 
 telling the particulars, but I cannot now remember them. 
 He spoke freely and unreservedly of a division in your 
 Yearly Meeting, which he believed must and would take 
 place. I remember that on my saying that I did not think 
 it would, he remarked I was as one of Job's comfort- 
 ers, for you could not live as you were. He appeared to 
 me to be looking to no other alternative than a division, 
 for an improvement in your condition. I have but little 
 doubt that to nearly all the foregoing facts, there are many 
 friends in your parts that could, if they would, bear am- 
 ple testimony." 
 
 About three weeks after the interview of the Select 
 Quarterly Meeting's Committee with John Wilbur, a 
 member of the committee received a long and in some 
 points very objectionable letter from him, in which he 
 implies that the committee were treating with him for 
 supporting sound doctrines, and that they themselves 
 
48 
 
 were upholding doctrines which were unsound. The 
 premises taken in this letter, and the conclusions dedu- 
 ced therefrom, were objected to by every member of the 
 committee present at the interview, as uncandid and un- 
 just ; and in divers respects untrue in points of fact. 
 This letter now became an additional cause of concern 
 to the committee, and during the time of our Yearly 
 Meeting in the 6th mo. following, several long opportuni- 
 ties of conference were had with him, without his ren- 
 dering Friends any satisfaction. In the 8th mo. 1840, 
 another interview took place, which was extended to great 
 length, most members of the committee being present, 
 and all united in sentiment, who imparted much affec- 
 tionate advice, without inducing any favorable result, 
 there being a determination manifested by him to defend 
 himself in his course, and to condemn all those who 
 questioned its correctness ; and the interview closed, 
 leaving an impression of regret and sorrow on the minds 
 of the committee. In the 11th mo. he was again unavail- 
 ingly labored with by the committee at large, and at the 
 conclusion of the interview, a few friends were requested 
 again to see him, who accordingly visited him in the 12th 
 mo., and had an opportunity with him in presence of the 
 select members of his particular meeting ; but he con- 
 tinued to justify himself and to condemn Friends. 
 
 In the 2d mo. following, the committee again attempt- 
 ed unavailingly to produce a change in his mind, and to 
 induce him to give Friends satisfaction. 
 
 The labors of the committee appointed by the Quar- 
 terly Meeting of Ministers and Elders failing to produce 
 the desired result, they believed it right to submit the 
 case to a committee then under appointment by the Year- 
 ly Meeting, for purposes specified in the following minute 
 of their appointment : 
 
 At our Yearly Meeting of Friends for New England, 
 held on Rhode-Island in the 6th mo., 1840, the joint 
 
14 
 
 committee of men and women Friends appointed to visit 
 subordinate meetings and individuals as way might open 
 for, and circumstances in their judgment require, made 
 report of their attention to that service during the past 
 year, and proposed the appointment of a similar commit- 
 tee at the present time, which being deliberately consid- 
 ered, was united with ; and at a subsequent sitting, the 
 following friends being named for that service, were ap- 
 pointed to extend a general care on its behalf, for the 
 maintenance of our Christian principles and testimonies, 
 and the preservation of love and unity among our mem- 
 bers ; and in that ability which may be afforded them, to 
 assist and advise such meetings and members as circum- 
 stances may require and way open for, under the direc- 
 tion of best wisdom : and they were requested to report 
 to this meeting next year." 
 
 Accordingly a number of this committee had an inter- 
 view with John Wilbur, at East Greenwich, the 4th of 
 5th mo., 1841. They were fully united in sentiment as 
 to the impropriety of the course pursued by him in the 
 several particulars brought to their notice by the commit- 
 tee of the Select (Quarterly Meeting, and they laboured 
 faithfully and affectionately to convince him of his errors, 
 and to endeavor to induce him to give Friends satisfac- 
 tion. The interview was long continued, and was again 
 renewed next morning, without producing any sensible 
 change inliis feelings, or at all reconciling him to Friends. 
 
 He contended for the propriety of his course on ac- 
 count of alleged unsoundness in some of the writings of 
 the Minister from England ; while the Committee wholly 
 denied this to be the point at issue ; these primed writ- 
 ings not being at all involved in the case, but the simple 
 question being whether John Wilbur could with impuni- 
 ty violate our Discipline and the Christian order of our 
 religious Society. They stated, among other things, that 
 the friend alluded to, would, while among us, as any one 
 of our own members, be held answerable to, and be 
 judged by our Discipline, for whatever he should ad- 
 
15 
 
 vance. That any action attempted by us, for acts com- 
 mitted, or sentiments advanced, prior to the date of his 
 certificates, would be a virtual transgression of that safe 
 rule of our society at large, which considers members 
 every where, for their conduct while at home, amenabla 
 to the meetings to which they belong. This rule ap- 
 pears by the general consent of all the Yearly Meetings 
 to have been heretofore carefully respected. It necessa- 
 rily supposes but one and the same qualification through- 
 out the Society for the exercise of Christian care over its 
 members ; and consequently any act which should reach 
 within the hmits of another Yearly Meeting, intended to 
 arraign one or more of its members for any alleged error 
 of earlier date than that of the certificates they may 
 bring, must be viewed as a breach of the established or- 
 der amongst us. Such a course would be to judge not of 
 the individual only, but of the meetings that granted the 
 certificates. If this order should be departed from, no 
 one, in a case of real or imputed error, could know the 
 extent of his liability, or the conclusion of the Society, 
 till judged, severally, by every branch of our church. 
 
 During thismterview, he stated that in his letter to a 
 member of the Select (Quarterly Meeting's Committee, 
 he did not intend to charge the Committee with holding 
 unsound doctrines ; and being inquired of whether he 
 was willing to say further that he did not intend to make 
 any reflections upon them injurious to their standing in 
 society, he requested them to commit to paper what they 
 wished him to state. 
 
 The Committee adjourned to meet again the following 
 morning, and in the recess the subjoined paper was pre- 
 pared, with a hope that John Wilbur might be convinced 
 of the propriety of signing it, so as to remove so far as he 
 could now do it, the unjust charges and insinuations 
 brought by him against the Select Quarterly Meeting's 
 Committee. 
 
16 
 
 Feelings of uneasiness having rested on the minds of 
 the Select Quarterly Meeting's Committee, in conse- 
 quence of some expressions contained in a letter written 
 by me to one of their number under date of 5th month, 
 SOth, 1840, from an apprehension that I meant therein 
 to charge the members of that Committee with holding 
 unsound doctrines, I feel willing to relieve their minds 
 from such apprehension by now saying that it was not 
 my intention to be so understood. And further I am 
 willing to say that I regret that any thing was so un- 
 guardedly expressed in said letter as to bear the construc- 
 tion that I meant to reflect upon said Committee to the 
 prejudice of their standing in society. And having in 
 said letter attributed to that committee expressions that 
 they do not own as having been made by them, I am wil- 
 ling to believe that I misunderstood the sentiments they 
 meant to convey ; and consequently to withdraw such 
 charges." 
 
 On presenting this essay to him, although as the com- 
 mittee thought it was so worded that he could hardly 
 fail to receive it, especially as he proposed at the previous 
 interview that a paper of this purport should be prepared, 
 he declined to sign it, and the interview ended. On the 
 13th of 6th month, the committee again met at Newport, 
 agreeably to their adjournment, twenty-seven members 
 being present. A long conference was again held with 
 him, resulting as heretofore. A few friends were separ- 
 ated, aff'ectionately and earnestly to labour with him, and 
 the committee adjourned to the 15th inst. At this ad- 
 journed meeting, John Wilbur was not present, and the 
 friends who had by request had an interview with him in 
 the recess of the meetings, now reported that they had 
 not been able to induce him to give Friends satisfaction, 
 but that they thought the case nearly hopeless. 
 
 The Yearly Meeting at this time being apprehensive 
 that the existing state of things in the Society still de- 
 manded an extension of care from them, continued their 
 committee, with a similar minute to that made in their 
 appointment last year. The committee thus appointed. 
 
17 
 
 met on the 17th, and named four friends to have an in- 
 terview with John Wilbur, and adjourned to the next 
 morning. On the 18th, they met according to adjourn- 
 ment, 25 members being present. 
 
 The original cause of concern on the part of Friends 
 with him was again stated ; his letter to a member of the 
 Select (Quarterly Meeting's Committee was read, and also 
 part of a letter from him dated 3d mo. 11th, 1841, to 
 a young friend in Dover Quarterly Meeting, calling upon 
 certain friends to give him the state of things in that 
 quarter. John Wilbur being present, was called upon to 
 reply to the case, if he saw fit ; upon which he made 
 some remarks, but not to much extent, saying he wanted 
 the charges in writing, ifcc. During this meeting, much 
 tender brotherly counsel and advice, by several of the 
 committee, was bestowed, in order for his restoration to 
 the unity and harmony of friends. On leaving the com- 
 mittee, he said he was wiUing they should proceed in the 
 case in the manner they thought best, and remarked as he 
 departed from the room, " Friends, do as you please, I 
 have no concessions to make." 
 
 Subsequent to this time, the Yearly Meeting's Com- 
 mittee frequently met and solidly considered this sorrow- 
 fid case, that had produced so much uneasiness, and in 
 relation to which so much patient but ineffectual labor 
 had been bestowed ; and two of the committee were en- 
 couraged to visit him again at his own house, and make 
 another effort to convice him of his departures from right 
 order and discipline, and to persuade him to return and 
 be reconciled to Friends. They accordingly waited upon 
 him and spent the night under his roof, and with great 
 tenderness and brotherly regard, entreated him to turn 
 from his course and make those concessions which the 
 cause of truth required. But to this he turned a deaf ear 
 and refused to give any satisfaction. 
 
 At the close of South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, in 
 3 a 
 
1^ 
 
 11th mo., 1841, John Wilbur called together the select 
 members, and after stating some instances of what he 
 considered encroachments on the privileges of Monthly 
 Meetings, and individuals, all of which had reference to 
 his own case, he desired that the select members might 
 take a firm stand against the measures of the Quarterly 
 Meeting. The proposition being disapproved, was aban- 
 doned. 
 
 It now appearing fully evident that any attempt at 
 further labor would be unavailing, on the 23d of the 4th 
 mo., 1842, the following statement of the case was pre- 
 pared and signed by the Yearly Meeting's Committee, 
 and presented to South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, 
 viz : 
 
 " We the Committee appointed by the Yearly Meet- 
 ing to extend a general care on its behalf 'for the main- 
 tenance of our Christian principles and testimonies, and the 
 preservation of love and unity among our members, and 
 in that ability that may be afforded us, to assist and ad- 
 vise such meetings and members as circumstances may 
 require and way open for, under the direction of best 
 Wisdom,' having had our minds introduced into deep 
 concern and exercise on account of the course pursued 
 for some time past by John Wilbur, a member of South- 
 Kingstown Monthly Meeting, in the station of a Minister, 
 believe that the time has now come for us to state some 
 of the particulars wherein he has departed from the good 
 order of our religious Society, in the disregard of our 
 Christian Discipline. 
 
 " He has circulated an anonymous pamphlet which 
 impeached the character of our Society, and in which 
 some of its important doctrines, as exemplified in the re- 
 ligious engagements of some of its faithful ministers, are 
 reproachfully held up to view ; and which purports to 
 contain the proceedings of London Yearly Meeting of 
 Ministers and Elders, with the sentiments of divers friends 
 therein named, when the subject of liberating a minister 
 to visit this country was before that meeting ; the object 
 of which, together with sundry letters which he has cir- 
 culated, appears to he, to induce the belief that the con- 
 
19 
 
 cern did not receive the unity of the meeting, and that 
 the clerk did not act in conformity with the true sense 
 and judgment of the meeting, in signing the certificate ; 
 thus endeavoring to invalidate both the proceedings and 
 conclusions of a meeting in unity with this Yearly Meet- 
 ing, and whose certificate on behalf of the same friend 
 was received and united with as entered on our records. 
 And while the friend was in this country and engaged in 
 the discharge of his apprehended religious duty, with full 
 certificates of unity from the Monthly and Q^uarterly 
 Meetings of which he is a member, and the Yearly Meet- 
 ing of Ministers and Elders of London, and which were 
 duly presented, received and accredited in all the Yearly 
 Meetings in this country, except one which he did not 
 attend ; — and thus was he at liberty for religious service 
 within their limits, in the full and acknowledged charac- 
 ter of an approved and authenticated minister of the So- 
 ciety of Friends, — John Wilbur, for want as we believe 
 of an humble abiding in the Truth, has circulated divers 
 letters, one or more of which appears to have been writ- 
 ten in England, and others originating with himself, ad- 
 dressed to different friends in this country, which were 
 intended to shew that the minister thus liberated for reli- 
 gious service, was not in unity with his friends at home, 
 contrary to the long established order of our religious So- 
 ciety, and designed to close his way in the minds of 
 Friends. And we also believe, for want of maintaining 
 his integrity in that dependence upon the Holy Spirit, 
 which would have preserved him in unity with Friends, 
 he has indulged in a spirit of detraction, in speaking and 
 writing, by which the religious character of divers friends 
 in our own and other Yearly Meetings has been much 
 misrepresented. Many friends were introduced into deep 
 concern on his account, and several of them treated with 
 him in tenderness and love in relation to it ; but without 
 producing any apparent change in his mind ; and there 
 having been a committee appointed by Rhode-Island 
 Quarterly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, in the 5th 
 mo., 1840, of which body he was a member, on account 
 of existing deficiencies, as manifested by the answers to 
 the queries, and under a concern for the cause of Truth ; 
 and they having been made acquainted with John Wil- 
 bur's course as last above stated, and he having made di- 
 
20 
 
 vers assertions tending to induce dissatisfaction among 
 Friends, and with the proceedings of our Yearly Meet- 
 ing in various particulars^ and calculated to produce divis- 
 ions therein ; and also to disturb the unity of different 
 Yearly Meetings, and to alienate the feelings of their 
 members from each other ; sought an opportunity with 
 him, in which they endeavored to show him the effects 
 of his proceedings, both upon himself and others ; but he, 
 so far from receiving these labors of love in the spirit in 
 which they were administered, soon after wrote a letter to 
 one of the committee, in which he made unjust insinua- 
 tions, and preferred charges against them which they 
 deny in points of fact. They nevertheless continued 
 their care and labor, but his mind appearing closed against 
 their advice, in the 5th mo., 1841, we at their request 
 believed it to be our duty to extend care in his case. And 
 it is with deep regret and sorrow, we have observed the 
 effect his course of couJuct has produced in lessening that 
 regard for tlie wholesome restraints of the Discipline, and 
 for the labor of faithful friends for the preservation of that 
 good order, love and unity which are essential to the peace 
 and welfare of the body. 
 
 We have had repeated opportunities with him in which 
 we have labored to convince him of his errors ; but this 
 desirable object not having been accomplished, and after 
 having waited several months to afford him opportunity 
 to make satisfaction for his deviations, and two of the 
 committee having unavailingly visited Iiim at his own 
 house, and there not appearing that change in his mind, 
 which is necessary to his being restored to the unity of 
 Friendh^ we now believe it incumbent upon us in dis- 
 charge of the service confided to us by the Yearly Meet- 
 ing, to recommend his case to the immediate notice and 
 care of South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting."* 
 
 ■* The Discipline of our Yearly Meeting provides no specific mode of 
 bringing the case of offenders before our Monthly Meetings. The more 
 general practice of Friends with us, is that complaints come to the 
 Monthly Meetings from the overseers, either through the Preparative 
 Meetings or otherwise. But the support of good order and discipline, 
 from the existing state of things in different meetings, has rendered a 
 departure from this course necessary in divers instances, both in early 
 and later time, as fully appears from the Records of various meetings. 
 
21 
 
 The Yearly Meeting's Committee having in full unity 
 adopted the foregoing document, appointed several of their 
 number to attend South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, to 
 be held on the 25ih of the 4th mo., and lay the same be- 
 fore that meeting : to which service they attended and 
 presented the communication to said meeting, which was 
 read and directed to be recorded ; and a committee of 
 four friends was appointed to visit John Wilbur on the 
 occasion. When the above communication was read in 
 the meeting, it appeared he did not expect it would be en- 
 tered upon the records, and he manifested much objection 
 to it, notwithstanding he remarked, "I am glad it has 
 come here, it has long been a suffering case, and now I shall 
 be tried by my friends.''' The friend who was now 
 clerk of the meeting, a Avorthy elder in Society, it was 
 believed vrould act impartially in the ca.se. At the next 
 Monthly Meeting, it being their usual time for the ap- 
 pointment of clerk, and the usage of that meeting being, 
 for the representatives from the Preparative Meetings to 
 propose the name of a clerk to the meeting, they met, but 
 could not agree upon a name : a part of them being in 
 favor of the re-appointment of the old Clerk, ^vA the 
 others for substituting a person in his place who, 
 in divers respects, was considered unsuitable for the sta- 
 tion. The meeting was informed that the representatives 
 could not agree upon a clerk, and it was proposed by those 
 in favor of sustaining the order of Society, that the sub- 
 ject should be deferred one month ; while on the other 
 hand violent opposition was made to this course, and an- 
 other person proposed as clerk, whose name had not been 
 under consideration by the representatives, when together 
 for that service. Much tumult and disorder ensued; many 
 taking an active part in producing it, vvho were not in 
 the practise of regularly attending meetings for discipline, 
 nor careful in the support of our Christian testimonies. 
 After a scene of great disorder, which was continued for 
 
22 
 
 a long time, the clerk, after bearing his testimony against 
 their proceedings, withdrew from the table without making 
 any minute in the case ; and the individual who had thus 
 been proposed out of the established practice of that 
 meeting, assumed the place, and made a minute appoint- 
 ing himself as clerk for the ensuing year. Thus was a 
 person placed at the table in an irregular manner, and con- 
 trary to the judgment of many well concerned and con- 
 sistent friends. The next irregular step was to make an 
 addition to the committee appointed the previous month 
 in the case of John Wilbur. Five persons were added to 
 the committee ; four of whom were his family connex- 
 ions, and all of them it was believed, very much under his 
 influence. As an evidence of the arrangement made out 
 of meeting, in relation to the appointment of this addi- 
 tion to the Committee, it may be mentioned, that when a 
 friend was named, who it was believed would act with 
 impartiality, a son-in-law of John Wilbur objected to his 
 name, alleging as a reason, that he was requested by John 
 Wilbur to do so, should he be nominated ; and the acting 
 clerk accordingly refused to take his name. 
 
 In the 6th mo. 1842, the Yearly Meeting again appoint- 
 ed a Committee to act on its behalf, with the same con- 
 cern in view as heretofore. At a meeting of this Commit- 
 tee at Newport the 17th of 6th mo. 1842, twenty-three 
 members being present, they were united in advising 
 Timothy C. Collins, the former Clerk, not to give up the 
 books and papers of South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, 
 but to keep them safely, as the proceedings of that meet- 
 ing in the appointment of Clerk had not been regular. 
 
 On the 27th of 6th mo. a number of the Yearly Meet- 
 ing's Committee again attended South-Kingstown Month- 
 ly Meeting. The following is an extract from the minutes 
 made on the occasion : 
 
 " Most of the proceedings of the Monthly Meeting were 
 
23 
 
 conducted in a very exceptionable manner ; and on the 
 part of some of its members disorderly in no small de- 
 gree, and the Committee became apprehensive that the 
 members who constitute this meeting in their present dis- 
 jointed and unsettled state, are not in a situation to hold a 
 Monthly Meeting to the honor and reputation of society. 
 And finding as we did that they had at their priivious 
 Monthly Meeting displaced the Clerk in an unusual and 
 abrupt manner, and appointed another to that office as be- 
 fore stated, all of which was against the judgment and 
 wishes of the solid portion of the members ; we, therefore, 
 with a view to the promotion of unity and harmony 
 among them, believed it right to advise the meeting to re- 
 instate the former Clerk, and the present one to withdraw 
 from the table. This advice and proposal a considerable 
 portion of the members objected to, and refused to com- 
 ply with, and manifested great disrespect towards the 
 Committee, by many unkind expressions and insinuations. 
 We were likewise informed that at their last meeting they 
 made an addition of five to the committee appointed in 
 the 4th mo. last, in the case of John Wilbur ; which ad- 
 dition or appointment, with its attendant unjustifiable cir- 
 cumstances, was cause of regret to the rightly exercised 
 members of the meeting, and we think is evidently cal- 
 culated to embarrass, if not entirely defeat any just de- 
 cision in that case. In taking a view of the state and 
 condition of that meeting, and the transactions here de- 
 tailed, we are induced to believe that what has already 
 transpired, is only the precursor of a still greater depar- 
 ture from good order and the truth, even to open revolt. 
 
 " It seems proper further to note that the becoming 
 moderation and christian meekness evinced by the rightly 
 exercised part of the meeting, afforded us the comfortable 
 assurance that the true seed, although oppressed and borne 
 down, is far from being extinct. 
 
 On the 11th of the 7th mo. following, six of the Year- 
 ly Meeting's Committee met those appointed by South- 
 Kingstown Monthly Meeting in the case of John Wilbur 
 and proceeded to lay before them full documentary evi- 
 dence to establish each point contained in the communi- 
 cation addressed to the Monthly Meeting against him. 
 After going through with which, he in his defence 
 
24 
 
 brought before the committee what purported to be ex- 
 tracts from the writings of the friend from England, to- 
 wards whom he had manifested his opposition. To this 
 they objected as being wholly irrelevant to the case ; the 
 complaint against him being for a violation of the order 
 and discipline of the Society ; and upon its being finally 
 decided by most of the Monthly Meeting's Committee^ to 
 allow him to take what course he chose in jushfication of 
 himself, the Yearly Meeting's Committee presented them 
 with the following written memorandum, and withdrew, 
 viz.: "As you have decided not to confine the investiga- 
 tion to the charges submitted in the document presented 
 to the Monthly Meeting ; but allow the subject of doc- 
 trines to be introduced in justification of the charges ; we 
 must decline remaining any longer present with the Com- 
 mittee." 
 
 0.1 the 25th of 7th mo., several of the Yearly Meet- 
 ing's Committee attended South-Kingstown Pt'Ionthly 
 Meeting. It was very apparent that those who attempted 
 to control the proceedings of the meeting, through the 
 assitance of their clerk, who was irregularly and improp- 
 erly appointed, were not qualified to conduct the affairs of 
 the Church : being apparently deficient in a religious 
 sense of the weight and importance of the work. 
 
 After this meeting, the Yearly Meeting's Committee 
 presented the following communication to Rhode-Island 
 Quarterly Meeting, held the 4th of 8th month, 1842. 
 
 "To Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting: 
 
 " A number of the Yearly Meeting's Committee, hav- 
 ing several times recently attended South-Kingstown 
 Monthly Meeting, have become satisfied, that from the 
 want of love and unity, and from the spirit of insubor- 
 dination manifest amongst them, in the management of 
 the concerns of Society, they are not in a suitable state 
 to conduct the affairs of the Church to the honour of 
 
25 
 
 Truth : and we are united in judgment that the imme- 
 diate care of the Quarterly Meeting needs to be extended 
 in the case. 7th mo. 25th, 1842." 
 
 The subject being thus brought before the (Quarterly 
 Meeting, and the answers to the queries from South- 
 Kingstown, and also from Swanzey Monthly Meeting, 
 manifesting great deficiencies, a committee was appointed 
 and the following minute ma^e in the case, viz : 
 
 " At Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting, held at Ports- 
 mouth, the 4th of 8th mo., 1842, the following communi- 
 cation from the Yearly Meeting's Committee was received 
 at rhis time. And it appearing by the answers to the 
 queries that there is a want of that love and unity which 
 are essential to the best interests of the body, both in 
 South-Kingstown and Swanzey Monthly Meetings; the 
 whole subject received our deliberate and solid considera- 
 tion, and we appoint the following friends to visit those 
 meetings and labor in conjunction with the Yearly Meet- 
 ing's Committee, for the preservation of right order and 
 the promotion of love and unity ; and they are requested 
 to act in our behalf in rendering such advice and assist- 
 ance to said meetings and individuals as best Wisdom 
 may direct, and report to our next meeting." 
 
 On the 22d of the 8th mo., 1842, a number of the 
 Yearly Meeting's Committee, in conjunction with the 
 Committee of the Quarterly Meeting, agnin attended 
 South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting. The following ex- 
 tract from the minutes of the first named committee, 
 gives an account of their proceedings, viz : 
 
 " When the opening minute, and the minute of the 
 Quarterly Meeting, making the appointment of a com- 
 mittee, were read, a report from the committee in John 
 Wilbur's case was called for by a member ; which was 
 immediately presented and read. It was signed by seven 
 members, and stated in substance, that they had heard 
 the Yearly Meeting's Commitfee and John Wilbur, and 
 that tfiey were of the jadgmerjt that the evidence addu- 
 ced did not support the charges ; and it ended in recom- 
 mending the dismissal of the complaint against him. 
 
 A report was also presented signed bv two of the 
 4a 
 
26 
 
 committeej stating, snbstantiall/j that they considered all 
 the charges fully verified, and that they differed entirely 
 in judgment from the other members of the committee, 
 &c. This report they refused for a considerable time to 
 read. In favor of the reading, it was stated, that they 
 being a part of the committee, had a right to be heard as 
 to their judgment in the case, as that would give the 
 meeting an understanding of the whole matter as viewed 
 by all the Committee. They at length yielded, and after 
 it was read, they urged the reception of the report signed 
 by the seven ; and it appeared that those who were in 
 favor of receiving it, were nearly all of them John Wil- 
 bur's near relatives : — among them were one son, four 
 sons-in-law, and a number of his connexions more re- 
 mote ; there being only one or two who were unconnect- 
 ed either by consanguinity or affinity. It therefore ap- 
 peared, as far as the preparing of the report and advoca- 
 ting its reception were concerned, to be almost entirely a 
 family matter. 
 
 The committee held up to their view the serious con- 
 sequences of the course they were pursuing, in attempt- 
 ing thus to restore him, as it would be done without his 
 making any concession, and he thereby would be left a 
 member while he was out of unity with the great body 
 of Friends. To obviate which, it was proposed that the 
 case be deferred one month, to give the committee an op- 
 portunity of further labor with him to produce, if it 
 might be, a reconciliation with friends, that his restoration 
 might be in the harmony and unity of Society. This 
 was also the united advice of the Quarterly Meeting's 
 Committee to the Monthly Meeting. This course was 
 earnestly opposed ; some saying they were aware of the 
 authority of the Quarterly Meeting to give them advice, 
 but as the Monthly Meeting had a right to act indepen- 
 dently according to their own judgment, they might re- 
 ceive or reject it, as they thought proper : if they had no 
 independence of action, it was not advice, but a mere 
 mandate. Thus they continued to set at nought and en- 
 tirely reject the counsel and advice administered to them, 
 by both Committees then present ; and finally a minute 
 was made accepting the report of the Committee of 
 seven, restoring John Wilbur to membership, contrary to 
 
27 
 
 the expressed sense and judgment of divers well concern- 
 ed and consistent members of that meeting."* 
 
 T'lid Quarterly Meeting's Committee again attended 
 South-Kiijgstown Monthly Meeting, the 24th of 10th 
 mo., 1842, and presented to it the following communica- 
 tion, viz : 
 
 " The Committee appointed by the (Quarterly Meeting 
 to visit South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, and for 
 other services, now believe it right to state to South- 
 Kingstown Monthly Meeting, that having taken into our 
 deliberate consideration the proceedings of that meeting 
 in the eighth month last, and other proceedings connected 
 with it, which have had the effect to produce the present 
 unhappy differences existing in that meeting, and the 
 state of insubordination in which it now is, have come 
 to the conclusion, that the placing of Samuel Sheffield 
 at the table, to act as Clerk, in the fifth month last, in 
 the irregular and disorderly manner in which it was ef- 
 fected ; and by which procedure the feelings and views 
 of many of the members were wholly disregarded ; and 
 being satisfied that he took his seat at the table and made 
 the minute appointing himself, out of the usual and long 
 established order of South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting 
 in appointing their Clerk: We do therefore unite with 
 the advice previously given to Timothy C. Collins, by 
 the Yearly Meeting's Committee, that he should continue 
 for the present to retain the records of that meetmg. 
 And as this committee were also fully united in the ad- 
 vice given in the eighth month last to South-Kingstown 
 Monthly Meeting, not to accept the report in the case of 
 John Wilbur, presented by that portion of the committee, 
 five of whom were added contrary to the general usage 
 of our Society, to the committee appointed in the fourth 
 month to have charge of the case, after Samuel Sheffield 
 took his seat at the table in the fifth month : and as we 
 have cause to apprehend, from the manner in which they 
 
 * Two of the Yearly Meeting's Committee, present at this time, have 
 been charged with attempting to break up the meeting, while the report 
 in the case of John Wilbur was under consideration in the Women's 
 Meeting, which charge they utterly deny. 
 
28 
 
 were selected, and from their relationship to the individ- 
 ual under care, it was with a view to prevent the impar- 
 tial exercise of our Christian Discipline : We, therefore, 
 now on behalf of the Quarterly Meeting, advise South- 
 Kingstown Monthly Meeting at this time to remove 
 Samuel Sheffield from acting as Clerk, and to re-appoint 
 Timothy C. Collins to the service ; — to dismiss the case 
 of Timothy C. Collins from their records, and discharge 
 the Committee appointed last month to visit him as an 
 offender for retaining the records of said meeting as ad- 
 vised to do by this Committee ; — and likewise that the 
 decision in the eighth month last, as entered on their min- 
 utes in relation to John Wilbur, against the judgment of 
 many concerned friends of that meeting, and regardless 
 of the united advice of this Committee, be now set aside, 
 and be made void and of no effect." 
 
 The meeting not being willing to receive this advice, 
 as it was bound to do by the provisions of Discipline, and 
 then, if not satisfied therewith to appeal therefrom ; and 
 the advice being offered in the name and on behalf of the 
 Cluarteily Meeting, the Committee deemed it proper to 
 make the following report of the case to the Quarterly 
 Meeting in the 11th month, proposing that South-Kings- 
 town Monthly Meeting should be dissolved, viz : 
 
 " To Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting to he held at 
 Somerset : 
 
 The Committee appointed to visit Swanzey and South 
 Kingstown Monthly Meetings, and for other services, re- 
 port: — that several of their number attended two sittings 
 of Swanzey Monthly Meeting, and communicated such 
 advice as appeared to them suitable at the time and as way 
 opened for : that they attended the Monthly Meeting of 
 South-Kingstown in the eighth month, and in conjunc- 
 tion with a number of the Yearly Meeting's Committee 
 then present, endeavored to labor, we trust in a spirit of 
 love^ for the preservation of right order in the exercise of 
 the Discipline, and to encourage a proper submission to 
 the advice of superior meetings, so essential to the best 
 interests of our Society. We regret to inform that our 
 counsel did not meet on the part of many with a kind re- 
 
29 
 
 ception, and the disposition was manifest and prevailed, 
 to act as an independent body. 
 
 The following communication was prepared and pre- 
 sented at their last meeting, viz.: [cited above.] This 
 communication was read in the meeting and directed to 
 be recorded, and its further consideration referred to their 
 next meeting. Several friends expressed their desire that 
 its recommendations should be conformed to by the meet- 
 ing. From what has been witnessed by the Committee, 
 and from authentic information derived from others, they 
 have come to the conclusion after a careful consideration 
 of the subject, that South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting 
 is not in a suitable state to conduct the affairs of the 
 church in accordance with our Christian Discipline, nor 
 consistently with our religious profession. We therefore 
 submit it to the (Quarterly Meeting as our judgment, that 
 South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting be dissolved, and that 
 the members constituting it be joined to those constitut- 
 ing Greenwich Monthly Meeting." 
 
 This report was weightily considered and fully united 
 with, and the meeting accordingly dissolved : and the 
 following minute made in the case, viz : 
 
 The Committee appointed at our last meeting to visit 
 Swanzey and South Kingstown Monthly Meetings, and 
 for other services, made the following report, viz : [see 
 said report above] which is accepted ; and after a solid 
 consideration of the subject, this meeting concluded, with 
 the unity of the Women's Meeting, to discontinue and 
 dissolve South Kingstown Monthly Meeting, and to join 
 its members to those composing Greenwich Monthly 
 Meeting, and to join the Select Preparative Meeting to 
 those of Greenwich Monthly Meeting : the books of re- 
 cord and papers of the former are to be delivered to such 
 person as the latter may appoint to receive them. The 
 proceedings of South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting 
 against Tmiothy C. Collins, after being informed by the 
 Committee acting on our behalf of the advice given to 
 him, are hereby annulled and declared to have no effect 
 whatever. And the minute made in the 5th month, 
 adding to the Committee appointed in the 4th month, 
 upon the complaint made against John Wilbur, of five 
 members, and the minute made in the 8th month, accept- 
 
30 
 
 ing the report of a part of the Committee in his case, be- 
 ing at the time made against the direct advice of the 
 Quarterly Meeting's Committee, are also hereby annulled 
 and declared void. All other unfinished business now be- 
 fore that meeting, is directed to be transferred to Green- 
 wich Monthly Meeting, and Committees and others under 
 appointment by South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, are 
 reijuested to report to Greenwich Monthly Meeting. The 
 Committee now under appointment are requested to have 
 a copy of this minute, signed by the Clerkj read at the 
 opening of their next Monthly Meeting at Hopkinton, 
 and to request those assembled quietly to separate and 
 consider themselves of Greenwich Monthly Meeting, and 
 under its care. At Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting held 
 at Somerset lllh mo. 3d, 1842." 
 
 The Committee of the Quarterly Meeting attended the 
 next Monthly Meetmg of South-Kingstown held at Hop- 
 kinton, the 21st of the 11th month, and read the minute 
 of the Quarterly Meeting ; when all those who were in 
 unity with said meeting quietly withdrew from the house; 
 while the others remained together and came to the con- 
 clusion to appeal to our next Yearly Meeting from the 
 judgment of the Quarterly Meeting. 
 
 At Greenwich Monthly Meeting of Friends held at 
 Cranston 11th mo. 28th, 1842, the foregoing communica- 
 tion from the Quarterly Meeting was read, and the fol- 
 lowing minute made in relation thereto, viz : 
 
 After deliberate consideration on the contents of said 
 extracts from the minutes of the Quarterly Meeting, and 
 in due submission as a subordinate branch of said meet- 
 ing, we acquiesce therein, and acknowledge and receive 
 the members heretofore constituting South Kingstown 
 Monthly Meeting, as members of this meeting, subject 
 alike with our other members to its future disciplinary 
 action and decision ; and in this we have the concurrence 
 of our Women's Meeting : and the members heretofore 
 constituting South Kingstown Select Meeting are in like 
 manner joined to Greenwich Select meeting. And it is 
 the conclusion of this meeting, that Preparative meetings 
 be held as heretofore until otherwise directed, viz r at 
 
31 
 
 South Kingstown, Western, and Hopkinton ; and the 
 said meetings are requested to report to this meeting, and 
 the Clerk is requested to furnish each of the said Prepar- 
 ative meetings with a copy of this minute. 
 
 The Clerk of this meeting is appointed to call for and 
 receive the books of record and papers of the late Month- 
 ly Meeting of South-Kingstown." 
 
 At Greenwich Monthly Meeting of Friends, held at 
 East Greenwich 1st mo. 2d, 1843, the following minute 
 was made, viz : 
 
 " It appearing by the records of the late Monthly Meet- 
 ing of South Kingstown, that a Committee was appoint- 
 ed in the 4th month last, in the case of John Wilbur, to 
 labor with him, and report their sense to a future meet- 
 ing : agreeably to the directions of the (Quarterly Meet- 
 ing, as by minute of said meeting sent down and received 
 by us at our last Monthly Meeting will appear — said Com- 
 mittee are now requested to report to this meeting." 
 
 The following action was taken in the case at the next 
 Monthly Meeting, viz : 
 
 " At Greenwich Monthly Meeting of Friends held at 
 Coventry 1st mo. 30th, 1843. The Committee in the 
 case of John Wilbur as referred to by minute of our last 
 Monthly Meeting, and who were thereby requested to re- 
 port to this meeting, made the following, viz : 
 
 We of the Committee appointed by South-Kingstown 
 Monthly Meeting in the 4th mo. last, in the case of John 
 Wilbur, report : that we have attended to the duties as- 
 signed us by meeting John Wilbur and the Yearly Meet- 
 ing's Committee, and hearing the evidence in the case ; 
 and which was in our judgment sufficient to substantiate 
 the charges preferred against him ; which charges having 
 relation altogether to his departure from Discipline and 
 good order, it was evident to us that his defence ought to 
 be predicated on that ground alone ; and whereas the oth- 
 er part of the Committee were willing to allow him to 
 make his defence, by leaving this,- the only legitimate 
 ground, and go into a justification of his conduct by al- 
 lusions to doctrines, which in our view was entirely for- 
 eign to the subject matter under consideration : we there- 
 fore felt ourselves bound to dissent from such a course al- 
 
32 
 
 together ; and it is our united sense and judgment that he 
 is not in a situation and state of mind to be continued a 
 member of our religious society ; which we submit to 
 Greenwich Monthly Meeting of Friends next to be held 
 at Coventry. HEZEKIAH BABCOCK, 
 
 WILLIAM S. PERRY. 
 South-Kingstown, 1st mo. 21, 1843. 
 
 Which report, after a time of solid and deliberate consid- 
 eration of the subject was united with: and he, the said 
 John Wilbur, is accordingly disowned the right of mem- 
 bership in our religious Society ; having the unity of the 
 Women's Meeting herein." 
 
 At Greenwich Monthly Meeting of Friends, held at 
 Cranston, 2d mo. 27th, 1843, the following minute was 
 made : 
 
 " The Committee to prepare an essay of a minute to be 
 placed on our records m relation to the disownment of 
 John Wilbur as a member of our religious Society, pro- 
 pose the following, — to be preceded by the communica- 
 tion made to South-Kingstown, viz : The Committee 
 appointed by South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, in the 
 4th mo. last, in the case of John Wilbur, on account of 
 the preceding communication, and in accordance with 
 the decision of the (Quarterly Meeting, requested to re- 
 port to this meeting ; having at our last meeting, besides 
 their written report, verbally reported that two of their 
 number sought an interview with him on the subject of 
 their appointment, which he declined ; and that the other 
 two members of the Committee, declining to act in the 
 case, we were induced to unite with them in the conclu- 
 sion that further attempts to labor with him would not be 
 productive of benefit, and that it was incumbent on us 
 for the clearing of Truth, to disown him as a member of 
 our religious Society. 
 
 In coming to this painful conclusion, the meeting has 
 been deeply and solemnly impressed with the conviction, 
 that his departures from our Christian order have been 
 the result of a want of a humble dependence on the 
 teachings of the Holy Spirit, which would have preserved 
 him in the path of propriety and safety. We feel an 
 earnest desire that through mercy, he may yet be brought 
 to a living sense of his situation, and be favored to at- 
 
tain that place of true humility, in which he will be con- 
 cerned to seek reconciliation with Friends." 
 
 From the decision of Greenwich Monthly Meeting, 
 John Wilbur appealed to Rhode-Island duarterly Meet- 
 ing, which confirmed the judgment of the Monthly 
 Meeting, in disowning him from our religious Society. 
 From this decision of the (Quarterly Meeting, he appeal- 
 ed to the Yearly Meeting, in the 6th month, 1844, and 
 that meeting, by a very united voice, confirmed the 
 judgment of the Quarterly Meeting. The following is 
 the minute of the Yearly Meeting made in his case, viz : 
 
 " The Committee appointed on third day forenoon, the 
 18th, to take into consideration the case of John Wilbur's 
 appeal from the judgment of Rhode-Island (Quarterly 
 Meeting, in confirming the judgment of Greenwich 
 Monthly Meeting, in disowning him, made a report signed 
 by all the Committee, [twenty-one in number,] except 
 one : that having all attended to their appointment, they 
 had heard the appellant and the Committee of the said 
 Quarterly Meeting, fully in the case, as acknowledged by 
 the parties, and that after a time of solemn deliberation, 
 they had come to the conclusion that the judgment of 
 Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting ought to be confirmed ; 
 which, after a time of deliberate consideration thereon, 
 was united with and accepted by this meeting ; and the 
 judgment of said meeting confirmed accordingly. 
 
 " And John Wilbur being called in, agreeably to his 
 request, the conclusion of the meethig in his case, as em- 
 braced in the above minute, was read in his presence." 
 
 While present in the Meeting, he acknowledged that he 
 had been kindly and fully heard by the Committee. 
 
 Agreeably to notice given, a portion of the members 
 of the late South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, appealed 
 to the Yearly Meeting in 1843, from the decision of 
 Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting in dissolving said Month- 
 ly Meeting, and attaching its members to Greenwich 
 Monthly Meeting, and the judgment of the Quarterly 
 Meeting was confirmed by the Yearly Meeting. The 
 following is the minute in the case : 
 5a 
 
34 
 
 ** The Committee appointed on third day morning last 
 to take into consideration the case of appeal from the 
 judgment of Rhode-Island (Quarterly Meeting, in dissolv- 
 ing South-Kingstown Monthly Meeting, and annexing 
 the members constituting it to Greenwich Monthly Meet- 
 ing, now produced a report signed by thirteen of their 
 number, informing the meeting, that having given a full 
 hearing to the parties respectively, they had, upon delib- 
 eration, come to the conclusion that the judgment of 
 Rhode-Island (Quarterly Meeting ought to be confirmed ; 
 which after a time of deliberate consideration thereon, 
 was united with and accepted by this meeting, and the 
 judgment of said meeting confirmed accordingly."* 
 
 As further evidence of the insubordination existing in 
 this Yearly Meeting we proceed to state, that in Swanzey 
 Monthly Meeting, for a long time past, there has been a 
 want of that love and unity which are essential to the 
 right conducting of the alfairs of Truth. More than 
 two years since, Committees were appointed in that meet- 
 ing to propose the names of Clerk and Overseers of So- 
 ciety, but they were unable to agree upon friends for 
 those stations. The state of this meeting had claimed 
 the attention of the Yearly Meeting's Committee, and al- 
 so of a Committee of Rhode-Island (Quarterly Meeting 
 previous to our last Yearly Meeting ; and much labor had 
 been bestowed by them to remedy the existing difficul- 
 ties, and to produce that organization of the meeting that 
 would enable it to carry into effect the Discipline, the 
 administration of which had been seriously interrupted. 
 
 At our Yearly Meeting in 1844, the Committee to visit 
 subordinate meetings reported, that in one or more of our 
 Monthly Meetings, our Christian Discipline was not main- 
 
 * This committee consisted of twenty-one Friends — six of whom pre- 
 sented a counter report, in which they dissented from the above report, 
 on account of what they apprehended irregularity in some of the pro- 
 ceedings : and two declined to sign either report ; but when the case 
 was under consideration in the meeting, one expressed his unity with the 
 report of the majority. 
 
S5 
 
 tained to the honor of Truth, and a Committee was again 
 appointed to extend a general care on our behalf for the 
 preservation of love and unity among our members ; the 
 maintenance of our Christian principles and testimonies, 
 and in the support of the Discipline of the Church, and 
 in the ability that may be afforded them, to assist and 
 advise such meetings and members as circumstances may 
 require and way open for under the direction of best Wis- 
 dom." 
 
 The Yearly Meeting's Committee with a number of 
 the (Quarterly Meeting's Committee then under appoint- 
 ment, met with those two committees in the 7th month, 
 and united with a part of them in their proposing to the 
 meeting the names of certain persons for Clerks and Over- 
 seers. 
 
 With the exception of two or three individuals, all the 
 members of those committees of the Monthly Meeting, 
 either united with the names proposed or expressed their 
 acquiescence therein, when in the presence of the com- 
 mittee ; but those who had thus acquiesced, subsequently 
 did not sign the reports to the Monthly Meeting. The 
 names of the individuals thus agreed upon, were accord- 
 ingly reported to the Monthly Meeting, and the reports 
 were fully united with by the large body of the members 
 of that meeting, although a few individuals opposed it. 
 
 The Yearly Meeting's Committee then presented to the 
 meeting the following written advice, viz : 
 
 " jTo Swanzey Monthly Meeting : 
 
 " Dear Friends, — The Committee appointed by the 
 Yearly Meeting to extend a general care on its behalf for 
 the preservation of love and unity among our mem- 
 bers, the maintenance of our Christian principles and tes- 
 timonies, and the support of the Discipline of the Church, 
 and in the ability that may be afforded them, to assist 
 and advise such meetings and members as circumstances 
 may require and way open for, under the direction of 
 best Wisdom ; having, from a belief that our duty under 
 
S6 
 
 our appointment required it, met with the committees of 
 
 yonr meeting, appointed about two years since, to pro- 
 pose the names of Overseers and Clerks ; and apprehend- 
 ing that the cause of Truth and the right exercise of our 
 Christian Disciphne, urgently demand that there should 
 he no further delay in the cases, were united in giving 
 the following advice : — It appearing by the voluntary de- 
 claration of those members of a committee, who were 
 present, appointed as we apprehend without the authority 
 of discipline, and out of the usual order of Society, to 
 assist the overseers when they presented a complaint 
 against an individual, that they believed Edmund Chase 
 to be innocent of the charges preferred against him by 
 said individual ; and that they did not intend in their re- 
 port to the Monthly Meeting, to implicate him ; we were 
 united in judgment that this document ought not to be 
 retained by the Monthly Meeting among its papers, but 
 destroyed. 
 
 The Committee on Overseers informed us that they 
 had agreed upon five friends for this station, and there 
 being but one of them from within the limits of Fall 
 River Preparative Meeting, (it being usual to appoint two 
 from that meeting,) in view of the circumstances, we 
 were united in advising the committee to propose to the 
 meeting to appoint Edmund Chase, in addition to those 
 named, there not appearing any ground for the objection 
 originally urged against his appointment. The Commit- 
 tee in relation to Clerks, informed us that they could not 
 agree upon names, and after a full consideration of the 
 case, we thought it right to advise the committee to pro- 
 pose to the Monthly Meeting to appoint David Shove for 
 Clerk, and Jonathan Freeborn for Assistant Clerk ; and 
 we are now united in advising the Monthly Meeting to 
 make these appointments, and carry into effect these rec- 
 ommendations, believing that thereby the best interests 
 of the Monthly Meeting and its preservation in unity 
 with the (Quarterly and Yearly Meetings will be promo- 
 ted. On behalf of the Committee, 
 
 ROWLAND GREENE." 
 Swanzey, 7th mo. 29, 1844. 
 
 The same individuals who opposed making the ap- 
 pointments, now opposed the acceptance of this advice, 
 
37 
 
 and Thomas Wilbur, the Clerk, who was one of the 
 number, and who is a son of John Wilbur, refused to re- 
 cord the clearly expressed sense of the meeting, although 
 earnestly advised to do so, by the Yearly Meeting's Com- 
 mittee in attendance. 
 
 The condition of this meeting as it then stood was pre- 
 sented to the (Quarterly Meeting in the 8th month, which 
 released its committee previously under appointment, and 
 appointed another to visit Swanzey Monthly Meeting 
 and assist in its due organization, that our Christian Dis- 
 cipline might be supported as in former days to the honor 
 of Truth. 
 
 At the following Monthly Meeting the individual who 
 had previously acted as Clerk, still persisting to hold that 
 station, contrary to the fully expressed sense of the meet- 
 ing, and to the earnest entreaty and advice of the Yearly 
 Meeting's Committee, and the Monthly Meeting having 
 again at this time, (with the exception of those persons 
 who had manifested their opposition at the last meeting,) 
 united in the appointment as Clerk, of the friend who 
 had been selected at the previous meeting, the individual 
 thus selected proceeded to open the meeting, and the rep- 
 resentatives from all the Preparative Meetings presented 
 to him the reports from those meetings, and all answered 
 to the calling of their names. During the time that he 
 was preparing his opening minute, one of those who had 
 opposed his appointment, walked to the Clerk's table, 
 which Thomas Wilbur continued to occupy and refused 
 to leave, and placed upon it a paper, which he immediate- 
 ly arose and read, without the liberty of the meeting, 
 which was believed to be an extract from the revised 
 statutes of Massachusetts, showing what was the penalty 
 for disturbing meetings for Divine Worship, and other re- 
 ligious assemblies. 
 
 Notwithstanding the meeting had thus appointed Da- 
 vid Shove as Clerk, and he was acting in that capacity, 
 
38 
 
 Thomas Wilbur continued to sit at the table, and to form 
 and read minutes ; and to prevent confusion, Friends, af- 
 ter having read the minute of the (Quarterly Meeting ap- 
 pointing its Committee, adjourned to a later hour in the 
 afternoon ; by far the larger part of the Men's Meeting 
 and all the Women, withdrawing from the house, and 
 mostly assembling again at the hour of adjournment, to 
 transact the business of the meeting. The persons who 
 sustained the former Clerk in his decision against the 
 judgment of the meeting, with several women who were 
 also disaffected towards Society, continued to hold what 
 they call Monthly Meetings ; and at Rhode-Island Quar- 
 terly Meeting, in the eleventh month, they presented an 
 account purporting to come from Swanzey Monthly 
 Meeting, which was not received or in any way acknowl- 
 edged. After the business of the (Quarterly Meeting was 
 concluded, these individuals, with a few from the other 
 Monthly Meetings, both men and women, most of whom 
 had for a length of time openly manifested a want of 
 unity with Friends, remained in the house, and called 
 themselves Rhode-Island Gluarterly Meeting, appointing 
 Clerks, and a committee to visit subordinate meetings. 
 This Committee, thus appointed, has since visited the 
 Monthly Meetings, and attempted to sit in them, and to 
 be recognized as a Committee from the Gluarterly Meet- 
 ing, organized as we have described, in a wholly unpre- 
 cedented and irregular manner. Most of them being al- 
 ready under dealing as offenders in their respective Month- 
 ly Meetings, and refusing to leave Friends select — for the 
 support of our Discipline, adjournment has been resorted 
 to, in order to be freed from this intrusion. A few indi- 
 viduals have been found in each of the Monthly Meet- 
 ings in Rhode-Island duarter. who being disaffected to- 
 wards the body of Friends, have, under the advisement 
 of this committee, united in forming what they denomi- 
 
39 
 
 nate Monthly Meetings, assuming to themselves the 
 names of those meetings respectively. 
 
 At the opening of the Yearly Meeting, on second day 
 morning, the 16th of 6th mo., the Clerk proceeded to 
 call over the names of the Representatives from the sev- 
 eral Quarterly Meetings, [eight in number,] which had 
 been previously entered, as customary, from the accounts 
 that had been handed him from those meetings ; when it 
 appeared that all the Friends named in those accounts 
 were present, except three, for whose absence satisfactory 
 reasons were given. 
 
 After commencing to read the minute in which the 
 names of the Representatives had been thus entered, 
 another paper addressed to New-England Yearly Meet- 
 ing of Friends," was laid upon the table, also purporting 
 to be an account from Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting ; 
 and by direction of the Yearly Meeting, the names of the 
 persons therein given as Representatives to this meeting 
 were also entered upon the minutes and called, when it 
 appeared that they were all present. The last named ac- 
 count was signed by Charles Perry, Assistant Clerk, it 
 being stated that the Clerk was prevented from acting by 
 sickness. 
 
 A proposition was then made, and united with by the 
 meeting, that the Representatives from the other seven 
 Quarterly Meetings, those named in the two accounts 
 from Rhode-Island being excluded, should constitute a 
 Committee, before whom the persons claiming to be Rep- 
 resentatives from that Quarterly Meeting should be fully 
 heard on the subject of their claims respectively : and 
 that the Committee, after deliberating thereon, should re- 
 port to the Yearly Meeting which of the two bodies thus 
 claiming, was, in their judgment, the true Rhode-Island 
 Quarterly Meeting, in unity with and subordinate to this 
 meeting, and entitled to send Representatives thereto — 
 
40 
 
 no objection being made to the case being opened in the 
 meeting in its collective capacity, should this be subse- 
 quently judged best. The persons who claimed to be ag- 
 grieved, denied the jurisdiction of this committee, and 
 declined entering into any investigation of their case be- 
 fore them, notwithstanding they had previously submitted 
 it to the meeting, preferring charges of unfairness in the 
 appointment of the Representatives in the (Quarterly 
 Meetings. They stated that the Representatives were 
 appointed with reference to this business, and that pre- 
 scriptive measures were employed in one (Quarterly Meet- 
 ing at least, to obtain such as were desired. It was dis- 
 tinctly denied by Friends that any such intention exist- 
 ed — that no friend from any part of the Yearly Meeting 
 could have had any expectation of such a reference when 
 the Representatives were appointed ; and in a subsequent 
 sitting, this denial was cofirmed by the statements of 
 Friends from each of the Ctuarterly Meetings so ac- 
 cused. 
 
 It may be proper here to remark, that as the meeting 
 had previously expressed its sense, that all those claiming 
 to be members of Rhode-Island (Quarterly Meeting ought 
 to leave the discussion and decision of the question to 
 members from the other (Quarters ; and as the Represent- 
 atives from the other Quarters would, under the proposed 
 reference, be judges in the case, these two classes being 
 excluded, the number of those who opposed the reference 
 of the subject to the Representatives, was very small. 
 
 This subject having been thus far disposed of, the 
 Meeting came to the conclusion that no other business 
 could with propriety be entered upon by the Yearly Meet- 
 ing till it was fully determined. And instead of proceed- 
 ing to the appointment of Clerks on 2d day afternoon, as 
 usual, decided that the Clerks then under appointment 
 should continue to serve the Meeting until the question 
 was settled. 
 
41 
 
 Two accounts purporting to be from Rhode-Island 
 Cluarter, were also presented to the Women's Yearly 
 Meeting, and the whole subject was similarly disposed of 
 by that meeting, by referring it to all the representatives, 
 except those from Rhode-Island, to report thereon. 
 
 Soon after the opening of the afternoon sitting, a per- 
 son under appointment as one of the Representatives from 
 Sandwich (Quarter, rose and said, that a portion of the 
 Representatives had been together, and concluded to pro- 
 pose the name of Thomas B. Gould for Clerk, and Charles 
 Perry for Assistant Clerk. Upon this, several individuals 
 rose in quick succession, and expressed unity with the 
 nomination. The large body of the Representatives in- 
 formed the meeting, that they had no knowledge that any 
 such proposition was about to be made, and by a very 
 general expression of the members of the Meeting, as well 
 as of the Representatives, the course proposed was wholly 
 disapproved. On calling the names of all the Represen- 
 tatives in attendance from the several (Quarterly Meet- 
 ings, except Rhode-Island, it appeared by their express 
 declaration, that forty-one of their number were not con- 
 sulted in relation to the appointment of Clerks, and that 
 they now entirely dissent from the appointment of Thomas 
 B. Gould and Charles Perry, while four made no response 
 when their names were called, forty-five being the whole 
 number in attendance, with the exception of those na- 
 med in the accounts from Rhode-Island. But the persons 
 thus nominated to act as Clerks, with others, their adher- 
 ents, proceeded in reading and speaking, to the disturb- 
 ance of the meeting. The Clerk of the Yearly Meeting, 
 by its fully expressed direction, solemnly protested against 
 their proceedings, and desired them to desist. To this, 
 however, they paid but litte attention, and continued to 
 carry on their own business till the adjournment of the 
 meeting. Similar disorderly proceedings took place in 
 
 6a 
 
42 
 
 tlie Women's Meeting, with the exception that the Sece- 
 ders left the house before the meeting adjourned. 
 
 During these disorders, Friends were preserved ni much 
 quietness, patiently waiting for an opportunity to com- 
 mence the business of the Yearly Meeting. 
 
 On third day morning, the 17th, the committee in the 
 case of Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting, made a report, 
 in which, after giving a statement of the various circum- 
 stances connected with the subject referred to their con- 
 sideration, they express their united sense and judgment, 
 that the accounts from Rhode-Island Quarterly Meeting, 
 signed by David Bulfum and Sarah F. Tobey, as Clerks, 
 should be received as the true accounts from said Quar- 
 terly Meeting, and that the representatives" therein na- 
 med should be considered and acknowledged as the rep- 
 resentatives from that Quarterly Meeting to this Yearly 
 Meeting." This report was signed by forty-one men, 
 and thirty-eight women, being all the representatives in 
 attendance in the Men's Meeting, except four, and all in 
 the Women's Meeting, except two, apart from the repre- 
 sentatives named in the two accounts from Rhode-Island- 
 After the Report was read, two friends were appointed to 
 inform the representatives named in the account signed 
 by Charles Perry, Assistant Clerk, that the Committee to 
 whom their claims were referred, had made a report, 
 which was about to be considered, and that they might 
 be heard thereon. After a short absence, one of the 
 friends reported that he had delivered the message in- 
 trusted to them, to a number of those persons named in 
 the report, whom they found assembled in the yard, in 
 company with others. Having waited a sufficient time, 
 the meeting, after hearing the report a second time, by a 
 very general expression confirmed its conclusions, and 
 thus acknowledged the meeting, of which the accounts 
 were signed by David Buffum and Sarah F. Tobey, as 
 Clerks, to be the true Quarterly Meeting of Rhode-Island. 
 
43 
 
 and the Representatives named therein, to be the Repre- 
 sentatives from Rhode-Island Q^uarterly Meeting to this 
 Yearly Meeting. 
 
 While this subject was under consideration, three per- 
 sons came into the meeting and demanded the use of the 
 Clerk's table, and the transfer to them of the books and 
 papers belonging to the Yearly Meeting, stating that they 
 were deputed by what they called " New-England Year- 
 ly Meeting," to make this demand. The Clerk, in reply, 
 stated that New-England Yearly Meeting was then sit- 
 ting in this house, and could not deliver the books and 
 papers, nor the occupancy of the Clerk's table or of the 
 house to any other persons. 
 
 Since this time, the persons who disturbed us have not 
 attended with us, and we have been favored to transact 
 the various concerns of society claiming our attention, 
 with great harmony and brotherly love. 
 
 We believe the number of those disaffected towards 
 Friends, within our limits, to be comparatively small, and 
 are comforted in the view, that the body of Friends 
 among us are united in harmonious labor for the promo- 
 tion of the cause of Truth. 
 
 At New-England Yearly Meeting, 6th mo. 1845. 
 
 " The Committee appointed to consider various sub- 
 jects connected with the welfare of Society, laid before 
 this meeting the foregoing Document, being a Narrative 
 of facts and circumstances that have tended to produce a 
 secession from Friends in this Yearly Meeting, which was 
 read, and being considered, it was united with by a full 
 expression of this Meeting, as being proper information 
 for our own members, and those of otherly Yearly Meet- 
 ings, and the Clerk was directed to sign it on our behalf." 
 From the Minutes of said Meeting, 
 
 ABRAHAM SHEARMAN, Jun., Clerk. 
 
 HANNAH GOULD, Jun., Clerk. 
 
PHOTOMOUNT 
 PAMPHLET BINDER 
 
 Manu/aclured by 
 SAYLORD BROS. Inc. 
 Syracuse, N. Y. 
 Stockton, Calif. 
 
BX7762 .F914 
 
 Narrative of facts and circumstances 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library