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CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE
OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
VOL. II.

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE
OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF
FRIENDS IN GREAT BRITAIN
AND AUSTRALIA . . .

CONSISTING OF EXTRACTS, ON DOCTRINE,
PRACTICE,' AND CHURCH GOVERNMENT
FROM THE EPISTLES AND OTHER DOCU
MENTS ISSUED UNDER THE SANCTION OF
LONDON YEARLY MEETING, 1672 TO 1906

VOL. IL— CHURCH GOVERNMENT
Approved and adopted by the Yearly Meeting of 1906

LONDON: HEADLEY BROTHERS,
14 BISHOPSGATE WITHOUT 1906

West, Newman and Co., Printers, 54, Hatton Garden, London.

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

Introduction.— On the Origin of the Christian Discipline
established among Friends 

I. Yearly Meeting . ... .1
II. Quarterly Meetings ... 6
III. Monthly Meetings : —
Section 1. Powers and Duties  10
2. Admission of New Members ... 15
3. Membership . . . 16
4. Delinquencies ... .19
5. Ministers .... 22
6. Elders and Overseers . ... 26
7. Ministry and Oversight Committees . . 27
8. Ministry Committees  28
9. Testimonies  29
10. Auckland and Cape Town Meetings for
Discipline  29
IV. Preparative Meetings ... 30
V. General Counsel and Regulations in Relation
to Meetings for Discipline .... 33
VI. General Advices  37
VII. Queries ....  41
VIII. Oversight . .  44

viii CONTENTS. PAGE
IX. Elders and Overseers 

X. Committees on Ministry, Oversight, and Extension
Work ... ....
XI. Meeting for Sufferings
XII. Yearly Meeting Fund .
XIII. Home Mission and Extension Committee.
XIV. Central Education Committee
XV. Care of the Poor

53
59
66 68
70
72

XVI. Marriage Regulations: —
Section 1. Counsel . . 74
„ 2. Order of Procedure when both Parties are
Members .... 75
,, 3. Special Regulations when either or both
of the Parties are not in Membership . 84
„ 4. Regulations as to Marriages not solemnized
according to Friends' Usages . . 87
„ 5. Regulations as to Marriages taking place
Abroad  88
„ 6. The Marriage and Registration Acts as
affecting Friends' Marriages . . 89
XVII. Regulations for Recording Births, Deaths, and
Burials  97
XVIII. Removals . . .... 106
XIX. Arbitration and Committees on Legal Proceedings 112
XX. Appeals .... 117
XXI. Trust Property . . . ns
Conclusion ... . 127
Index ... . . . . . 129

The paragraphs contained in the following pages are founded
upon minutes and documents of the Yearly Meeting. It
has not heen thought needful to insert the dates at which
these were issued, except in the case of verbatim extracts.
The letters p.b. added to the date denote that the paragraph
was taken from a printed epistle of that year.

The address of the Central Offices, and of the Recording
Clerk, is Devonshire House, 12, Bishopsgate Without,
London, E.C.

INTEODUCTION.

ON THE ORIGIN OP THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE ESTABLISHED
AMONG FRIENDS.
By the term discipline are to be understood all those
arrangements 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."
It cannot be said that any system of discipline formed a
part of the original compact of the Society. There was not,
indeed, to human appearance, anything systematic in its
formation. It was an association of persons who were
earnestly seeking after the saving knowledge of Divine
truth. They were men of prayer, and diligent searchers
of the Holy Scriptures. Unable to find true rest in the
various opinions and systems which in that day divided
the Christian world, they believed that they found the
truth in a more full reception of Christ, not only as the
living and ever-present Head of the Church in its aggre
gate capacity, but also as the light and life, the spiritual
ruler, teacher, and friend of every individual member.
These views did not lead them to the abandonment of
those doctrines which they had previously held in regard
to the manhood of Christ, His propitiatory sacrifice, media
tion, and intercession. They did lead them, however, to

xii INTRODUCTION.
much inward retirement and waiting upon God, that they
might know His will, and become quick of understanding
in the fear of the Lord; and they were very frequent in
their meetings together for mutual edification and instruc
tion, for the purpose of united worship in spirit and in
truth, and for the exercise of their several gifts, as ability
might be afforded by Him who has promised to be with
the two or three disciples who are gathered together in
His name.
From these meetings, in which the love of God was often
largely shed abroad in the hearts of those who attended
them, even when held in silence, most of those Ministers
went forth who, in the earliest periods of the Society, pro
claimed to others the truth as they had found it, and called
them from dependence on man to that individual know
ledge of Christ, and of His teachings, which the Holy
Scriptures so clearly and abundantly declare to be the
privilege of the Gospel times. As these views struck at
the very root of that great corruption in the Christian
Church by which one man's performances on behalf of
others had been made essential to public worship, and on
which hung all the load of ecclesiastical domination and
the trade in holy things ; so it necessarily separated those
who had, as they believed, found the liberty of the Gospel,
from those who still adhered to that system which was
upheld by the existing Churches of the land.
Being thus separated from others, and many being every
day added to the Church, there arose, of course, peculiar
duties of the associated persons towards each other.
Christianity has ever been a powerful, active, and benefi
cent principle. Those who truly receive it no more "live
unto themselves," and this feature and fruit of genuine
Christianity was strikingly exhibited in the conduct of the
early Friends. No sooner were a few persons connected
together in the new bond of religious fellowship, than they

INTRODUCTION. xiii
were engaged to admonish, encourage, and, in spiritual as
well as temporal matters, to watch over and help one
another in love.
The members who lived near to each other, and who
met together for religious worship, immediately formed,
from the very law of their union, a Christian family or
Church. Each member was at liberty to exercise the gift
bestowed upon him, in that beautiful harmony and sub
jection 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."
Of this right exercise of spiritual gifts, and thereby of
an efficient discipline, many examples are afforded in the
history of the earliest period of the Society. We shall
select one which we believe may be considered as fairly
illustrating the practice of early times. Stephen Crisp,
speaking of his own state soon after his convincement,
which was in 1655, and within a few years of the estab
lishment of a Meeting at Colchester, the place of his
residence, thus expresses himself: — "The more I came to
feel and perceive the love of God and His goodness to flow
forth upon 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 began
to spring in me, and the knowledge of God grew, so I
became a counsellor of them that were tempted in like
manner as I had been ; yet was kept so low, that I waited
to receive counsel daily from God, and from those that
were over me in the Lord, and were in Christ before me,
against whom I never rebelled nor was stubborn ; but
the more I was kept in subjection myself, the more I was
enabled to help the weak and feeble ones. And as the
Church of God in those days increased, and my care daily
increased, and the weight of things relating both to the

xiv INTRODUCTION.
outward and inward condition of poor Friends came upon
me ; and being called of God and His people to take the
care of the poor, and to relieve their necessities as I did
see occasion, I did it faithfully for divers years, with dili
gence and much tenderness; exhorting and reproving any
that were slothful, and encouraging them that were diligent,
putting a difference according to the wisdom given me of
God, and still minding my own state and condition, and
seeking the honour that cometh from God only."*
Thus, then, we believe it may be safely asserted, there
never was a period in the Society when those who agreed
in religious principles were wholly independent of each
other, or in which that order and subjection which may be
said to constitute discipline did not exist. But, as the
number of members increased, those mutual helps and
guards which had been, in great measure, spontaneously
afforded, were found to require some regular arrangements
for the preservation of order in the Church.
The history of these proceedings affords no small evidence
that the spirit of a sound mind influenced the body in its
earliest periods. Contending, as they did, for so large a
measure of individual spiritual liberty, and placing the
authority of man, in religious matters, in a position so
subordinate to that of the one great Head of the Church,
they nevertheless recognized the importance and necessity of
arrangements and of human instrumentality, under the
direction of the Spirit of Christ; and they were led to
establish a system of order at once so simple and efficient,
that, notwithstanding the varying circumstances of the
Society, and the power of every annual meeting to alter it,
it has been found, in its main particulars, adapted to those
changes ; and it remains to this day essentially the same as it
was within forty years of the rise of the Society. Previously,
however, to the establishment of that regular system of
* Memoirs of the Life of Stephen Crisp, by Samuel Tuke, 1824, p. 51.

INTRODUCTION. xv
discipline, and of that mode of representation in the meetings
for conducting it, which now exist, there had been many
General Meetings held in different parts of the nation for the
purpose of providing for the various exigencies of the Society.
George Fox mentions, in his Journal, that some Meetings for
Discipline were settled in the north of England so early as
1653. The first General Meeting of which we are aware that
any records are extant was held at Balby, near Doncaster, in
Yorkshire, in the year 1656 ; and from this meeting a number
of directions and advices were issued, addressed " To the
Brethren in the North." This document refers to most of
the points which now form the chief subjects of our discipline.
It contains instructions as to the Gospel order of proceeding
with delinquents, and advices to husbands and wives, parents
and children, masters and servants, as to the discharge of
their relative duties, and also in regard to strict justice in
trade, and a cheerful and faithful performance of civil offices
in the commonwealth. George Fox mentions attending a
General Meeting in Bedfordshire, in 1658, which lasted three
days ; at which, he says, " Many Friends from most parts of
the nation came to it, and many thousands of people were at
it." He also mentions attending a meeting at Skipton, in
1660, " for the affairs of the Church, both in this nation and
beyond the seas ; " and he says that he had recommended
the establishment of this meeting several years before, when
he was in the North, "for many Friends suffered in divers
parts of the nation, their goods were taken from them contrary
to the law, and they understood not how to help themselves,
or where to seek redress." " This meeting," he adds, "had
stood several years, and divers justices and captains had
come to break it up ; but when they understood the business
Friends met about, and saw their books, and accounts of
collections for relief of the poor ; how we took care one county
to help another, and to help our Friends beyond the seas, and
provide for our poor, that none of them should be chargeable

xvi INTRODUCTION.
to their parishes, the justices and officers confessed we did
their work, and passed away peaceably and lovingly."
Next to General Meetings we must notice the establishment
of Quarterly Meetings, which were constituted of Friends
deputed by the several Meetings within a county. These
Meetings, in several of the counties at least, had existed prior
to the establishment of Monthly Meetings, and they appear
to have had much the same office in the body as the Monthly
Meetings now have amongst us. George Fox, in an epistle
of an early date, writes thus respecting them : — " In all the
Meetings of the county, two or three may be appointed from
them to go to the Quarterly Meetings for to give notice if
there be any that walk not in the Truth, or have been
convinced and gone from the Truth, and so have dishonoured
God ; and likewise to see if any that profess the Truth follow
pleasures, drunkenness, gaming, or are not faithful in their
callings and dealings, nor honest, but run into debt, and so
bring a scandal upon the Truth. Friends may give notice to
the Quarterly Meeting (if there be any such), and some may
be ordered to go and exhort them, and bring in their answers
to the next Quarterly Meeting. And to admonish all them
that be careless and slothful to diligence in the Truth and
service for God, and to bring forth heavenly fruits to God,
and that they may mind the good works of God, and do
them in believing in His Son, and showing it forth in their
conversations, and to deny the devil and his bad works, and
not to do them ; and to seek them that be driven away from
the Truth into the devil's wilderness by his dark power ; seek
them again by the Truth, and by the Truth and power of God
bring them to God again."*
It appears to have been with our Society as it had been
with the primitive Church, that the care and provision for
its poor members were amongst the earliest occasions of dis
ciplinary arrangements. The occasion for this provision was
* Collection of Epistles, 1698, no. 264, p. 276.

INTRODUCTION. xvii
much increased by the cruel persecutions and robberies to
which, on their first rise, the Friends were almost everywhere
exposed. It was no rare occurrence, at that period, for the
father of a family to be thrown into a dungeon, and for the
house to be spoiled of even the children's beds and all
their provisions. Nor was it uncommon to seek their entire
proscription and ruin, by refusing to deal with them. Well
may we say, with reverent thankfulness, in reference to those
times, " If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
when men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us
up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us."
The members of the persecuted Society were most of them
far from opulent, but they proved themselves rich in charity,
as well as in faith and hope ; and the illustration of these
virtues, by the sacrifices which they made for the relief of
their more afflicted associates, and their unbroken constancy
in the sufferings which they endured for the testimony of a
good conscience, were doubtless amongst the practical argu
ments which at length extorted the commendation even of
their enemies.
A second, and perhaps contemporaneous object of the
meetings for the discipline of the Society was the obtaining
of redress for those illegally prosecuted or imprisoned.
Though so patient in suffering, they deemed it their duty to
apprise magistrates, judges, and the Government of illegal
proceedings, and to use every legal and Christian effort to
obtain redress. Several Friends in London devoted a large
portion of time to this object, and regular statements of the
most flagrant cases were sent to them, and were frequently
laid by them before the King and Government. Their con
stancy in suffering was hardly exceeded by their unwearied
efforts to obtain relief for their suffering brethren, and for the
alteration of the persecuting laws ; and through these means
the cause of religious liberty was essentially promoted.
A third object, which at a very early period of the Society 1*

xviii INTRODUCTION.
pressed upon its attention, was the proper registration of
births and deaths, and the provision for due proceedings
relative to marriage. Their principles led them at once to
reject all priestly intervention on these occasions, and hence
the necessity for their having distinct arrangements in regard
to them. In some of the Meetings of earliest establishment
regular registers are preserved from the year 1650 to the
present time. Great care was taken in regard to proceedings
in marriage ; investigation as to the clearness of the parties
from other marriage engagements, full publicity of their
intentions, and the consent of parents, appear to have been
recommended in early times as preliminaries to the ratification
of the agreement between the parties ; and this act took
place publicly in the religious meetings of the Society.
Marriage has always been regarded by Friends as a religious
not a mere civil compact.
The right education of youth, the provision of suitable
situations for them as apprentices or otherwise, and the settle
ment of differences without going to law one with another,
were also among the early objects of the Society's care.
The last object of the discipline, in early times, which we
shall enumerate, was the exercise of spiritual care over the
members. As the Society advanced it was soon reminded of
our Lord's declaration, " It must needs be that offences
come." Evidencing, as the Society did to a large extent,
the fruits of the Spirit, there were those who fell away from
their Christian profession, and walked disorderly ; and sound
as was the body of Friends in Christian doctrine, there were
members who were betrayed into false doctrines and vain
imaginations; and pure, and spiritual, and consistent with
true order and Christian subjection as were the principles of
religious liberty advocated by the Society, there were those
who appear to have assumed them under the false expectation
of an entire independence.
To all these cases the discipline was applied in very early

INTRODUCTION. xix
times ; yet the spirit of tenderness, which breathes through
the writings of George Fox in regard to the treatment of
delinquents, and which, there is good reason to believe, was
practically illustrated, to a large extent, in the conduct of
the Friends of those days, is worthy of especial notice.
From one of his epistles we make the following extracts : —
' ' Now concerning Gospel order, though the doctrine of Jesus
Christ requireth His people to admonish a brother or sister
twice before they tell the Church, yet that limiteth none,
so as that they shall use no longer forbearance. And it is
desired of all, that before they publicly complain, they wait
to feel if there is no more required of them to their brother
or sister, before they expose him or her to the Church.
Let this be weightily considered, and all such as behold
their brother or sister in a transgression, go not in a rough,
light, or upbraiding spirit, to reprove or admonish him or
her, 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 unto and overcome, and they may 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. And so keep
the Church order of the Gospel, according as the Lord Jesus
Christ hath commanded ; that is, If thy brother offend thee,
speak to him betwixt thee and him ; and if he will not hear,
take two or three; if he will not hear two or three, then tell
it to the Church, etc." *
We now proceed to notice the more regular and systematic
establishment of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings, and of
the Yearly Meeting. Though the history of those times
bears ample testimony to the useful part which was taken
in this important work by many faithful Friends, yet it is
* Collection of Epistles, no. 264, p. 284

xx INTRODUCTION.
clear that George Fox was the chief instrument in the
arrangement and establishment of these Meetings. There
was doubtless much reference to his individual judgment ;
but it is worthy of notice how carefully he sought to keep
the body from an improper dependence upon him. As, in
his preaching, he directed his hearers to Christ for them
selves, as alike their and his Teacher, so in the discipline of
the Society, he laboured diligently that the body might be
strengthened to help itself.
Under the date of 1666, George Fox says in his Journal: —
" Whereas Friends had had only Quarterly Meetings, now
Truth was spread and Friends were grown more numerous,
I was moved to recommend the setting up of Monthly
Meetings throughout the nation." In 1667, he laboured
most diligently in this service, under much bodily weakness
from his long confinements in cold and damp prisons. In
1668, he thus writes : — " The men's Monthly Meetings were
settled through the nation. The Quarterly Meetings were
generally settled before. I wrote also into Ireland, Scotland,
Holland, Barbados, and several parts of America, advising
Friends to settle their men's Monthly Meetings in those
countries, for they had their Quarterly Meetings before."
These Monthly Meetings, so instituted, took a large share
of that care which had previously devolved on the Quarterly
Meetings, and were no doubt the means of bringing many
more of the members into a larger sphere of usefulness and
the exercise of their respective gifts in the Church, the
free course for which he 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 every
member hath need one of another." *
The Quarterly Meetings, from this time, received reports
of the state of the Society from the Monthly Meetings, and
gave such advice and decisions as they thought right ; but
* Collection of Epistles, no. 264, p. 290.

INTRODUCTION. xxi
there was not, until some years after this period, a general
Yearly Meeting, at which all the Quarterly Meetings were
represented. Of the establishment of that Meeting we come
now to speak.
In the year 1672, a General Meeting of Ministers was held
at Devonshire House, London.* Amongst its proceedings
we find the following minute, in which we trace the origin
of the Yearly Meeting : — " It is concluded, agreed, and
assented unto by Friends present, that, for the better
ordering, managing, and regulating of the public affairs
of Friends relating to the Truth and the service thereof, there
be a General Meeting of Friends held at London once a
year, in the week called Whitsun-week, to consist of six
Friends for the city of London, three for the city of Bristol,
two for the town of Colchester, and one or two from each and
every ofthe counties of England and Wales respectively."
This representative Yearly Meeting met at the time pro
posed in 1673, and came to the conclusion, that the General
Meeting, constituted as it then was, "be discontinued till
Friends, in God's wisdom, shall see a further occasion ; "
and it was further agreed that "the General Meeting of
Friends who labour in the work of the ministry do continue
as formerly appointed." This Meeting of Friends in the
ministry appears to have been regularly held annually from
1674 to 1677 inclusive.
In 1675, important advices and instructions were agreed
upon, and sent forth to the several Meetings ; they are
contained in an epistle, and are thus introduced: — "At a
solemn General Meeting of many faithful Friends and
brethren concerned in the public labour of the Gospel and
service of the Church of Christ, from the most parts of
the nation." This document is signed by eighty-one Friends,
most of whom are well known as conspicuous in the early
* General Meetings of "Publick Friends" had been held in London
in several previous years.

xxii INTRODUCTION.
history of the Society; and the spirit of fervent piety and
charity which it breathes is well worthy of their character.
In 1677, it was agreed again to convene the Meeting of
representatives in the ensuing year, and then to advise
respecting its continuance. Accordingly, in 1678, the re
presentative Yearly Meeting assembled in London, and,
after agreeing upon several matters, the substance of which
was conveyed to the various Meetings of Friends in the
form of an epistle, with much Christian counsel, concluded
to meet again the next year after the same manner ; and
these Meetings have continued to assemble once a year in
London, with unbroken regularity, to the present time.*
When the General Meeting of Ministers transferred much
of its duties to the representative Yearly Meeting, of which
they formed a part, there were some portions of the service
of these Meetings which more particularly belonged to the
Ministers. Although the power to approve and disapprove of
Ministers rested with the members of the Church to which
they respectively belonged, in the capacity of a Monthly
Meeting, yet it was deemed fitting that the Ministers should
have an especial oversight of each other, and that they should
meet together for mutual consultation and advice in regard
to those of their own station. George Fox, in 1674, writes
thus : — " Let your general assemblies of the Ministry at
London or elsewhere examine, as it was at the first, whether
all the Ministers that go forth into the countries do walk as
becomes the Gospel ; for that, you know, was one end of that
Meeting, to prevent and take away scandal ; and to examine
whether all who preach Christ Jesus do keep in His government
and in the order of the Gospel, and to exhort them that do
not." t About the year 1727, Friends in the station of Elder
were united to these Meetings, which, under the name of
" Meetings of Ministers and Elders," continued to be regularly
* Except that, in 1905, the Yearly Meeting was held in Leeds.
f Collection of Epistles, no. 308, p. 340.

INTRODUCTION. xxiii
held till 1876, when their duties were committed to the
" Meetings on Ministry and Oversight," constituted by the
Yearly Meeting in that year. These Meetings were held till
the year 1906, when the Yearly Meeting decided that the
separate Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight should be
discontinued, its place being taken by sittings of the Yearly
Meeting itself for dealing with such subjects as had before
claimed the attention of the separate Meeting, and at the
same time empowered Monthly and Quarterly Meetings either
to continue their Meetings on Ministry and Oversight as
Committees or to lay them down in order to replace them
by such other arrangements in each locality as should ensure
the efficient discharge of the duties up to that time committed
to them.
The Morning Meeting, which existed for two hundred and
twenty-eight years, and was at different times during that
period charged with the oversight of Ministers labouring in
London and its vicinity, as also with the duty of granting or
withholding certificates for foreign religious service in the
intervals between the sessions of the Yearly Meeting, ceased
to exist in 1901, its functions being then transferred to the
Meeting for Sufferings.
It was one of the earliest features of our religious economy
to elevate the character of the female sex, by recognizing
them as helpers in spiritual, as well as in temporal things ;
holding, in the former as well as in the latter, a distinct
place, and having duties which more peculiarly devolved on
women. 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 passage : — " 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 the men are, might in like manner come into the profession

xxiv INTRODUCTION.
and practice of the Gospel order, and therein be meet-helps
to the men in the service of Truth and the affairs 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 m
the house of God; whereby the poor might be better taken
care of, the younger sort instructed, 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." *
In conformity with the sentiments here expressed, Monthly
and Quarterly Meetings of Women Friends were extensively
organized in the latter years of the seventeenth century.
In 1784, a representative Women's Yearly Meeting was
established, with power to communicate directly with the
subordinate Women's Meetings in this country, and to
correspond with Women's Yearly Meetings in foreign parts.
In 1896, London Yearly Meeting affirmed the position that
" in future women Friends are to be recognized as forming
a constituent part of all our meetings for Church affairs equally
with their brethren." This decision, whilst not intended
entirely to abolish separate women's Meetings for Discipline
by merging them in those of the other sex, necessarily intro
duced large modifications of practice in the whole disciplinary
system of the Society, to which effect has been given in the
regulations affecting Meetings for Discipline, as set forth in
the following pages.
Thus was a system of order and government, in conformity
with the spirit of Christianity, established amongst us in early
times ; and thus a field was opened for the exercise of the
various gifts by which the Church, the body of Christ, is
edified. 1833. 1861. 1883. 1906.
* Journal, under date 1673.

CHAPTER I.
YEARLY MEETING.

1. It is concluded, agreed, and assented unto that for the
better ordering, managing, and regulating of the Establish-
public affairs of Friends relating to the Truth and ment-
the service thereof, there be a General Meeting of Friends
held at London once a year. 1672.*
2. The Yearly Meeting consists of all the members of the
Quarterly and General Meetings in Great Britain Constitution.
and Australia, and of the Monthly Meetings at
Auckland (N.Z.) and Cape Town, and of representatives from
the Yearly Meeting of Friends in Ireland. In order to
provide for the due attendance of the Yearly Meeting, each of
the Quarterly Meetings of Durham; Lancashire and Cheshire ;
London and Middlesex ; and Yorkshire, is to appoint not
more than twenty-four, and each of the other Quarterly and
General Meetings not more than sixteen representatives,
and no Quarterly or General Meeting is to appoint less than
eight representatives where they can conveniently be found.
3. Members of any Yearly Meeting with which London
Yearly Meeting has appointed correspondents t are allowed to
* General Meetings of "Publick Friends" were held in London prior to
this date. George Fox writes of the Yearly Meeting, " From thence [Skipton,
1660] it was removed to London the next year, where it hath been kept ever
since, as being looked upon a more convenient place." — Concerning our
Monthly and Quarterly and Yearly Meetings, 1689.
f These Yearly Meetings, with the dates of their establishment, are now
(1906) as follows: New England (1661), Ireland (1670), Baltimore (1672),
2

2 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
attend the Yearly Meeting, and members of other Meetings in
Attendance Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Syria, India,
by members and elsewhere, with which the Yearly Meeting
or pPT^flin •
other corresponds, are admitted on their producing a
Meetings. letter q£ introduction) s'gne d ty the Clerk of their
Meeting, or otherwise satisfying the Clerk of the Yearly
Meeting of their membership.
The liberty thus granted shall not accord a right to take
part in the deliberations of the Meeting.
4. The following regulations relating to the procedure of
the Yearly Meeting shall be observed : —
a. The Yearly Meeting shall meet in the Fifth
Month, at such time as the Yearly Meeting shall
from time to time direct.
b. Meetings for Worship shall be held on one day
during the sittings.
c. Evening meetings on such subjects as Home and
Foreign Missions, Temperance, or Peace shall be
held.
d. All documents to be presented to the Yearly
Meeting shall, so far as possible, be printed and
circulated beforehand.* The Committee on Ar
rangements shall decide, subject to any direction
given by the Yearly Meeting, which, if any, of
these documents shall be read.
e. When proposals are brought forward affecting the
regulations ofthe Society, finance, or kindred subjects,
the Yearly Meeting, after determining any question
of principle involved, shall, if any action is decided
Philadelphia (1681), New York (1695), North Carolina (1698), Ohio (1812),
Indiana (1821), Western (1858), Iowa (1863), Canada (1867), Kansas (1872),
Wilmington (1892), Oregon (1893), California (1895).
* All documents to be printed should be in the hands of the Recording
Clerk not later than the 1st of Fourth Month.

YEARLY MEETING. 3
on, relegate them without discussion of details to
committees, or to the Meeting for Sufferings ; and
the reports on such subjects shall usually be accepted
without discussion.
5. A committee is to be annually appointed, consisting
of one Friend from each Quarterly and General
Meeting, such Friend being a representative to to propose
the Yearly Meeting and nominated by his Meeting cormrlittee
for this special service, and of any additional on Arrange ments.
members appointed by the Yearly Meeting, to
propose to the next Yearly Meeting the names of Friends —
a. To act as Clerks and Assistant Clerks to the Yearly
Meeting, and to the Women's Yearly Meeting.
b. To form a Committee on Arrangements, of which the
Clerks and Assistant Clerks of both Meetings shall
be members ex-officio.
The Committee so appointed shall meet near the close of
the Yearly Meeting to make preliminary arrangements. It is
to present its report to the first sitting of the next Yearly
Meeting, prior to any other business.
6. The Clerks shall continue in office until Clerks hold
office till
others have been appointed. others
appointed.
7. The Committee on Arrangements shall take charge of
all questions as to the arrangements for the various „
' Committee
sittings of the Yearly Meeting, and of the Women's on Arrange-
Yearly Meeting, and of their committees, except
such as are prescribed by special regulations. During the
Yearly Meeting the control of the Meeting House premises
shall be vested in this Committee, and applications for the
use of the premises shall be made through the Clerk of the
Yearly Meeting.

4 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
8. The Meeting for Sufferings shall every year appoint a
c ., , committee which shall have power, before the com-
to grant mencement of the Yearly Meeting, to grant the use
to°YeSariy01 of the Meeting Houses and Committee Rooms for
Meeting. meetings to be held during the Yearly Meeting,
arrangements for which have to be made in advance. All
such grants may be revoked or altered by the Yearly Meeting
to suit its convenience.
9. Two or three Friends shall be appointed to revise the
minutes of each day's transactions, and to correct
Committee . .
to revise any slight inaccuracies, and, if any alterations or
mmutes. corrections of moment appear necessary, to propose
the same at the next sitting, previously to any other business.
10. A committee is to be annually appointed to examine
the accounts of the Yearly Meeting Fund, and is
Committee .
to examine to consist of one Friend from each Quarterly and
the°Yearly General Meeting, such Friend being a represen-
Meetmg tative to the Yearly Meeting, and nominated by
his Meeting for that special service.
The members of this Committee are to meet at the
conclusion of the first sitting of the Yearly Meeting, to
arrange for an examination by some of their number of the
accounts, which shall be previously audited by a professional
auditor appointed by the Meeting for Sufferings. A report
is to be presented to the whole Committee on its re-assembling,
with the Trustees of the Yearly Meeting Fund, when a report
is to be prepared for the Yearly Meeting.
11. The Yearly Meeting shall make arrangements for the
Meetings of holding, from time to time during its course, of
associations. meetingS of the Friends' Tract Association, the
Friends' Foreign Mission Association, and the Friends'
Temperance Union.

YEARLY MEETING. 5
These meetings, as well as those of the Friends' First-Day
School Association and the Friends' Christian Fellowship
Union, are expected to report to the Yearly Meeting when
they have been held, and are invited to forward, in addition,
brief reports on the subjects which have claimed their
attention. 12. All propositions from any Quarterly or General Meet
ing to the Yearly Meeting shall be delivered in Propositions
writing, and signed by order of such Meeting. writing.
13. All letters directed to the Yearly Meeting, except from
such Meetings as regularly correspond with it, are Letters to
to be first perused by two or three Friends to be be first
r J perused by a
appointed, who are to consider and report whether committee.
the same be proper to be read in the Meeting or not.
14. The Elders attending the Yearly Meeting shall meet
at the close of any Meeting for Worship, held at Meetings of
that time, at which they may be present. It Elders.
is the proper duty of the Elders thus met to communicate
such advice, and in such manner, as they, in the wisdom
of truth, may find needful, and to make a general report to
the Yearly Meeting.
15. When at any time a separate session of men Minutes of
J "¦ men s
Friends is held, such session shall be considered separate
to be the Yearly Meeting, and the minutes then when held!
made shall be the official records of the Yearly ""^^taof
Meeting. proceedings.

CHAPTEE II.
QUARTERLY MEETINGS.

1. A Quarterly Meeting * consists of all Friends who
are members of any Monthly Meeting within the
Constitution. limits thereof. The Quarterly Meeting is subor
dinate to the Yearly Meeting, and is to appoint representa
tives thereto, t
2. Quarterly Meetings shall nominate one of their repre-
Nomination sentatives to the Yearly Meeting to serve on the
to Yearly J °
Meeting of Committee to nominate Clerks and the Committee
Committees . , •, , . .,
on Clerks on Arrangements, and also one to serve on the
Arrange- Committee to examine the accounts of the Yearly
ments, and u
Accounts. Meeting Fund.
3. No Quarterly Meeting shall be allowed to divide itself
Division or into two or more separate Quarterly Meetings, or
Quarterly to un^te * an°ther Quarterly Meeting, without
Meetings. the consent of the Yearly Meeting.}
* The General Meetings for Scotland and Australia occupy the same
position as Quarterly Meetings.
f Except the General Meeting for Australia, the representation of which
is not obligatory.
J The areas of the Quarterly Meetings were, in 1894, those shown in
the map produced to the Yearly Meeting of that year, signed by the Clerk of
that Meeting, and deposited at Devonshire House.

QUARTERLY MEETINGS. 7
L Quarterly Meetings shall send up to the Yearly Meeting,
once in three years, a report on the state of their Triennial
Meetings, and on the Mission work in which their Reports.
members are engaged. For the purpose of these reports the
Quarterly Meetings are divided into three sections as under :—
1. — South-Western and Australia.
Berks and Oxon.
Bristol and Somerset.
Devon and Cornwall.
Sussex, Surrey, and Hants.
Warwick, Leicester, and Stafford.
Western. General Meeting for Australia.
2. — Eastern.
Bedfordshire.Derby, Lincoln, and Notts.
Essex and Suffolk.
Kent.London and Middlesex.
Norfolk, Cambridge, and Hunts.
3. — Northern.
Cumberland.Durham.Lancashire and Cheshire.
Westmorland.Yorkshire. General Meeting for Scotland.
5. Quarterly Meetings shall transmit annually, in the
Spring, to the Meeting for Sufferings a Tabular Certain
Statement of the number of their members, and ^"made
of such other matters as the Yearly Meeting annually.
shall from time to time direct to be so reported, and shall

8 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
also inform that Meeting of any Meetings that have been
settled, discontinued, or united in the course of the year,
in order that such information may be reported to the
Yearly Meeting. Forms for this return are to be prepared
and distributed by the Meeting for Sufferings.
6. It has often been found to be of great advantage for
Committees Quarterly Meetings to appoint committees to
subordinate attend, in Christian love, the various Meetings
Meetings. within their limits, extending this service some
times to the families of Friends, under a concern for the
growth of their members in the truth and their active service
for Christ. These visits are found to be a means of strength
ening the bond of Christian fellowship, and especially so if
occasionally repeated ; they bring the visitors to a more
thorough knowledge of the trials and cares of their fellow-
members, and afford an opportunity to enter into sympathy
with them, and to administer counsel, encouragement, or help.
7. Ministering Friends who have a concern to travel in
Ireland or Scotland, with a view of holding meetings
terstravelling among those of other religious societies, should
or Scotiand ^ave ^e concurrence and unity of their Quarterly
Meetings, in addition to that of their Monthly
Meetings, when the same can be had with convenience. This
regulation shall not apply to Friends travelling in the work
of the ministry, whose concern is chiefly to the members
of the Society.
8. Whereas cases may arise in which it may be needful
for proceedings at law to be taken, each Quarterly
on Legal Meeting shall appoint a Committee on Legal Pro-
ProcGcd-inss ' ceedings, with power to grant, in its discretion,
permission to proceed at law as the case may appear to
require. Quarterly Meetings shall annually read over the

QUARTERLY MEETINGS. 9
names of the Friends on this Committee, and transmit them
to their Monthly Meetings, and also furnish the Recording
Clerk with a list of them.
9. Quarterly Meetings are requested to print lists of their
members and to send a sufficient supply of copies Printed lists
to the Recording Clerk for use amongst Friends ofmembers-
when required.

CHAPTEE III.
MONTHLY MEETINGS.

SECTION I.  POWERS AND DUTIES.
1. A Monthly Meeting* consists of all the persons who,
under the regulations relating to the subject, are
Constitution. & 6 A
for the time being entitled to be recorded on the
list of its members. Monthly Meetings are subordinate to
the Quarterly Meeting of which they form part, and are to
appoint representatives to attend that Meeting.
2. When any Monthly Meeting thinks it right to establish
any new Particular or Preparative Meeting, or to
ment and dis- discontinue, either wholly or in part, any such
of Matin's6 Meeting already settled, the same shall be re
ported to the Quarterly Meeting for its appro
bation before it be carried into effect.
3. No Monthly Meeting shall divide itself into separate
Division or Monthly Meetings, or unite with another Monthly
union of .
Monthly Meeting, without the consent of the Quarterly
Meetings. Meeting, t
* The regulations as to Monthly Meetings extend to other Meetings exer
cising the powers of Monthly Meetings, although assembling less frequently
than once a month.
t The areas of the Monthly Meetings were, in 1894, those shown in the
map produced to the Yearly Meeting of that year, signed by the Clerk of
that Meeting, and deposited at Devonshire House.

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 11
4. Wheresoever it appears that any Monthly Meetings,
through the smallness of the number of Friends Union 01
attending them, are not sufficiently qualified for Monthly
carrying on the discipline of the Church, we wish Meetmgs-
that such small Meetings might be joined to some other
neighbouring Monthly Meetings, that by such union they
might be assisted and strengthened.* 1752.
5. As it is occasionally necessary to hold a special
Monthly Meeting, the following regulations are „ ,
J ... & fa Eegulations
adopted ; but it is evidently desirable that they for summon-
should be put into operation only under very Meetings.
exceptional circumstances : —
a. The Clerk of a Monthly Meeting, on receiving a
written requisition signed by at least five members
of the Meeting, three of whom either were repre
sentatives to the preceding Monthly Meeting or
are holders of an official position in the Monthly
Meeting, and setting out clearly the reason for
calling a special meeting, shall be at liberty to
summon such special meeting at a time and place
to be fixed by himself.
b. Such special meeting shall be summoned by notice
given at the close of a First-Day morning meeting
in each of the Particular Meetings comprised in the
Monthly Meeting, at which a meeting is held on
the First-Day preceding such special meeting.
c. Such notice shall state the business to be transacted
at the special meeting, and the time and place
appointed for holding the same.
d. The representatives appointed to the preceding
Monthly Meeting shall be representatives to the
special meeting.
* As such changes alter the districts in which Eegistering Officers for
Marriages can act, notice should be at once given to the Eecording Clerk,
in order that he may inform the Eegistrar-General.

12 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
e. The Clerk shall satisfy himself that due notice ot
such special meeting has been given in accordance
with these regulations, and shall produce at the
opening of the special meeting a certificate in
writing, signed by himself, that he has done so,
which shall be read and entered on the minutes of
the special meeting. Such certificate shall, for all
purposes, be prima facie evidence that the meeting
has been regularly summoned.
f. The requisition asking for the special meeting
shall be read before the commencement of busi
ness, and shall be entered on the minutes.
g. No business shall be transacted at any special
meeting except such as was specified in the
notice convening the meeting, or unless there
be at least five adult members of the Meeting
present.
6. In addition to the duties resting upon parents and heads
of families, and the more special services devolving
Pastoral care. . . ,
upon individuals, it is greatly to be desired that
Friends, in their Monthly and other Meetings, should fully
reeognize the responsibility of the Church itself as regards
oversight and pastoral care, religious teaching, and the
religious instruction of the young; and from time to time
consider the state of their respective congregations in relation
to these matters, and endeavour, under the guidance of their
Lord, to make appointments and arrangements for these
purposes. When so met, may they be encouraged, as a col
lective body, to seek in united prayer those gifts which are
essential for these services. Under such a preparation, it is
believed that Monthly Meetings would be enabled to exercise
more efficient pastoral care through the more frequent
appointment of committees for visiting their members in
Christian love.

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 13
7. Monthly Meetings shall annually make appointments of
suitable Friends to impart to those of their Committees to
members to whom it may be applicable, advice ^TaVabs
on the subject of keeping clear and correct and wills.
accounts, and on that of carefully inspecting the state of
their affairs at least once in the year, as well as to recommend
them to make or revise their wills and settle their outward
concerns in time of health. In the discharge of this service,
opportunities are afforded for a kind and brotherly intercourse,
which, without intruding into the private affairs of individuals,
may be productive of real benefit.
8. Monthly Meetings shall take care that the catalogues
of all libraries belonging to them, or to their Care of
Particular Meetings, are revised once in the year, libraries.
and that due consideration is at the same time given to the
question what additions may be suitably made, and what are
the best means of giving publicity to the collection, promoting
the circulation of the books, and affording ready access to all
who may wish to peruse them, whether members of the
Society or not.
9. Monthly Meetings are, in the Winter, to inform their
Quarterly Meetings in writing whether the Annuai re
following duties and matters have been regularly Port on cer-
tain duties.
attended to : —
1st. The regular holding of Meetings for Worship and
Discipline.
2nd. The revision of the lists of Elders, Overseers, and
other appointed members of Ministry and Oversight
Committees, and of the members of Ministry Com
mittees if any are appointed, at least once in three
years.
3rd. The advice to Friends on their outward affairs, and
the timely making and revision of their wills.
4i/'. The regulations respecting removals.

14 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
5th. The revision ofthe lists of members, attenders, and
children identified with the different congregations.
6th. The recording of births, marriages, and burials.
1th. The care of libraries.
8th. The care of trust property, including the revision
of the lists of trustees, and the right appropriation of
the income.
9th. The reading and consideration of the General
Advices and Queries as directed.
10. Monthly Meetings should maintain correspondence
Correspond- with such of their members as have removed out
membersh °f the reach °f t]le oversight of their follow-
abroad, members, so as to bring them under the Christian
notice and sympathy of these Meetings ; and have a special
regard to them when their lists of members are annually
read and revised.
11. Friends are advised in the building of new meeting-
Arrange- houses, and the rearrangement of existing ones,
meeting- to make the gallery less distinct from the body of
houses. the meeting than has been generally the practice,
and to place the seats so as to make it easy for Friends to
be heard from any part of the meeting.
12. The following suggestions with regard to Meetings
Various for Discipline are recommended for their con
sideration and adoption : —
a. That matters of formal and routine character, and
those relating to accounts, be previously digested by
the Clerks or by committees, so as to occupy as little
time as possible.
b. That, especially where Certificates of Removal are
numerous, a simple statement be made of the
names of the Friends to whom they relate, and of

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 15
the Meetings from which they come or to which
they are addressed ; care being taken to ensure the
regularity and correctness of the documents.
c. That a greater variety of subjects of general Christian
interest may rightly engage the attention of these
Meetings.
d. That the social character connected with these
Meetings, which has of late years, in many places,
been largely interfered with by the increased facili
ties for travelling, should be promoted.
13. Two or more Friends shall be appointed in each
Monthly Meeting to take charge of the travelling Committees
arrangements of Friends engaged in religious for Ministers
service therein. When a minute is adopted travelling.
liberating a Friend for religious service, the Clerk of the
liberating Meeting shall at once forward a copy of such
minute to the Clerk of the Quarterly or Monthly Meeting
where the Friend proposes to commence his engagement,
and the Clerk of the latter Meeting shall forward the in
formation to the Friends appointed as above, who shall
likewise, before the conclusion of the visit in their district,
transmit a copy of the liberating minute to the Clerk of the
Meeting which embraces the next sphere of the Friend's
labour. SECTION II.  ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS.
14. The power of admitting new members into Admission of
the Society belongs to Monthly Meetings. u -» ' -
15. Whilst all who are drawn to unite with us in sin
cerity should be welcomed in a spirit of oualifica
Christian kindness and cordiality, we greatly tions for
... admission.
desire that a lovmg care may be exercised that
all such are not only satisfied of the true grounds of our
distinguishing Christian principles, but are also giving

16 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
evidence of conversion of heart, and of love to our Lord
and Saviour. 1883. SECTION III.  MEMBERSHIP.
16. The right of children to membership in the Society
Birthright extends to any child born of parents in member-
membership. s]lip . also to any c^iid either the father or mother
of whom is at the time of its birth a member, provided such
father and mother were both of them members at the time
of marriage.
17. Although we recognize the children of our members
Necessity of aa objects of our care, and partakers of the out-
conversion. ward privileges of Christian fellowship, we would
earnestly remind all that such recognition cannot constitute
them members of the Lord's spiritual Israel. Nothing can
effect this but the power of the Holy Spirit working repent
ance 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
members become such on the ground of true convincement,
and be prepared in their several places to bring forth fruit
unto God. 1861.
18. Monthly Meetings are left at liberty, in their discretion,
Admission to admit into membership, in their infancy, any
of mmors. children whose parents are, or have been
members, or children who are otherwise connected with the
Society, in cases where a reasonable probability appears that
they will be educated in accordance with its religious
principles. 19. In cases where both the parents, or the surviving
parent, of children in membership have, by resignation or
disownment, ceased to be in membership ; and where it does
not appear probable that such children will be educated in

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 17
accordance with the religious principles of the Society, Monthly
Meetings are left at liberty, in their discretion,
and after communicating, when practicable, with parents
their parents or guardians, to declare any such 0r oUstfwned
children, not being above fourteen years of age, to ,. ma7 \e
J ° disunited.
be no longer members of the Society. In every
such case, information of the decision of the Monthly Meeting
is to be communicated in writing to the parents or guardians
of the child or children to whom the same shall relate.
20. Where there are persons in membership who make
little or no profession with Friends, and do not Members not
attend Meetings for Worship, and no advantage Mee^maf
appears likely to arise from their retaining a be dissociated.
membership in the Society, Monthly Meetings are at liberty
to dissociate such persons from the Society, if, after com
municating verbally or in writing with them, they are satisfied
that there is no probability of their resuming the attendance
of Meetings. Information of the action of the Monthly
Meeting must be given to such persons.
21. Where a Monthly Meeting, after enquiry, is unable to
ascertain where any member of that Meeting is
J . b Eemovalof
living, or whether he be alive or dead, that Meet- name from
ing, after the expiration of not less than three
years from the time when he was last heard of, may remove
his name from its list of members. A person whose name
has been removed under this rule, on again communicating
with the Monthly Meeting, may claim, if he wish to do so,
that his name shall be reinstated in the list. Monthly Meet
ings shall at once report to the Recording Clerk the names of
all persons removed from, or reinstated in their lists of
members under this regulation.
22. Each Monthly Meeting is to keep an alphabetical list
of its members, and annually to appoint a committee for
3

18 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
the purpose of examining such list by comparing the entries
Lists of with the Monthly Meeting books.* After being
members. ^ns examine (j) it is recommended that the said
list be read over once a year, either by a committee of the
Monthly Meeting, or by that Meeting in its collective capacity.
23. Lists of the names of attenders of Meetings, not
Lists of in membership, shall be kept and read, for the
attenders. purpose of maintaining a Christian interest on
their behalf.
24. A Particular Meeting is a meeting held regularly every
First-Day, and recognised by the Monthly Meeting,
Definition of
Particular with the approval of the Quarterly Meeting, as a
Meeting for Worship . Where, however, the same,
or nearly the same congregation meets in one building in
the morning and in another in the after part of the day, this
constitutes only one Particular Meeting.
25. An Allowed Meeting is a meeting held not less fre
quently than once a month, with the approval of
Definition of ^ J rr
Allowed the Monthly Meeting, but without the formal
sanction of the Quarterly Meeting.
26. An associate is one who is connected with the
Definition of Society as an associate under a scheme adopted
by a Preparative Meeting, f

associate.

27. Attenders are those who, not being members or asso-
Definition of ciates, make a habit of attending meetings entered
attender. in the Book of Meetings as Meetings for Worship,
and not only such as are entered as Mission Meetings, Read
ing Meetings, and the like.
* The same committee may also with advantage examine the Marriage
Registers, and compare the Birth and Burial Notes with the cheek-margins,
and make out the annual return for the Digest.
t See under Preparative Meetings, page 31.

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 19
28. Monthly Meetings should exercise a religious oversight
and care for children and young persons con- Lists of
nected with their various congregations, though children.
not in membership with Friends, and they are directed to keep
lists of all such children, whether the offspring of members,
associates, or attenders ; such lists to be annually revised for
the addition of fresh names, and the removal of any who have
ceased to be associated with Friends. In the preparation
and revision of these lists, suitable regard should be given to
the wishes of parents.
29. Monthly Meetings should consider the responsibility
which rests upon them to extend such help and sympathy
sympathy as is due not only to their members en- with Mission
gaged in First-Day Schools and Mission work, but
also to the men, women, and children who gather round them
in their work for Christ.
30. A Monthly Meeting may set on foot such arrangements
for the affiliation to itself of Christian Societies,
. . Affiliation
Mission Churches, and the like, in the work of of Mission
which its members take an active part, as shall in ' c'
its judgment tend to promote a closer fellowship of Christian
faith and work between such bodies and the Society of
Friends. SECTION IV.  DELINQUENCIES.
31. We earnestly exhort you to watch diligently over
the flock, and deal in due time, and in a spirit of Proceedings
Christian love and tenderness, with all such as in cases of
walk disorderly amongst you, in order to reclaim
and restore them by brotherly counsel and admonition ; and
when any one of your members commits an offence, and, after
due private labour, it has been communicated to the Monthly
Meeting, that Meeting shall appoint some well qualified

20 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Friends to visit the offending member, and to inquire care
fully into the matter, and labour for the restoration of the
brother or sister who may have been overtaken in a fault,
The Friends so appointed are to report as early as convenient
to the Monthly Meeting. When, after patient waiting, you
find that your Christian labour of love hath not its desired
effect, the Monthly Meeting should, after due consideration,
issue a testimony of disownment against such person. 1883.
32. In the case of delinquency by a Friend who is not a
member of the Meeting in which he resides, care
quent is not should be taken, after due inquiry and private
thS1Mngt'n labour, that the Meeting to which he belongs be
of which he is informed of the case. The Meeting of which he is
a member is then to proceed to visit and deal with
him, unless by reason of distance it be not convenient ; in
which case, it is to apply to the Monthly Meeting in which
the offender resides to visit him on its behalf, and report to
the Meeting of which he is a member ; which Meeting is
to receive his acknowledgment, or disown him, as in its
judgment the case shall require, reporting either conclusion
to the other Meeting. If a testimony of disownment be
issued, a copy thereof is to be sent to the Meeting in the
compass of which the offender resides, which is to acquaint
him therewith, and report the delivery thereof to the dis
owning Meeting.
33. If the offender remove after dealing be commenced, the
When of- Meeting that had him under its care shall continue
pending pro*- the SEme if he be "P*0* within its reach> 0r
ceedings. otherwise shall be at liberty to write to the Meeting
into the compass of which he is removed ; which Meeting is
to proceed therein, and report to the Meeting of which he is
a member, which shall receive his acknowledgment, or pro
ceed to disown him, as aforesaid.

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 21

34. If an offender cannot be found, the Meeting to which
he belongs shall, if the nature of the case require When of
fender cannot
it, issue a testimony of disownment against him. be found.

35. Information of any disownment is to be sent to the
Preparative Meeting (if there be one) to which „ .
x ° ' Notice.
the disowned person belonged ; and in all cases
a copy is to be delivered to the person disowned, if access can
be had to him.
36. When a person, having been disowned, is desirous of
re-admission into the Society, and is not resident „ , . .
Ee- admission
within the compass of the Monthly Meeting by different
which disowned him, it is advised that any °'
committee appointed in the case do communicate with the
Meeting which disowned him.
37. If there be any such gross errors, false doctrines, or
mistakes held by any professing Truth, as are Case of
either against the validity of Christ's sufferings, holding^false
blood, resurrection, ascension, or glory in the doctrine.
heavens, according as they are set forth in the Scriptures ;
or any ways tending to the denial of the heavenly Man
Christ; such persons ought to be diligently instructed and
admonished by faithful Friends, and not to be exposed by
any to public reproach ; and where the error proceeds from
ignorance and darkness of their understanding, they ought
the more meekly and gently to be informed ; but if any shall
wilfully persist in error in point of faith, after being duly
informed, then such to be further dealt with according to
Gospel order; that the Truth, Church, or body of Christ
may not suffer by any particular pretended member that is so
corrupt. 1694.
38. Friends should have a watchful eye over all their
members; and, where they observe any deficient in dis-

22 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
charging their contracts and just debts in due time, so as
to give reasonable suspicion of weakness or
failure in negligence, should earnestly advise them to a
suitable care and necessary inspection into their
circumstances, in order that they may be helped ; and if
any proceed contrary to such advice, and by their failure
bring open scandal and reproach on the Society, then Friends
justifiably may and ought to testify against such offenders.
But Monthly Meetings are at liberty to exercise the discipline
in cases in which no advice may have been given prior to
insolvency. Those Friends who may be appointed by
Monthly Meetings to visit those who have failed should
inquire whether they have kept clear and accurate accounts,
and carefully avoided giving one creditor any undue preference
over others ; and report to the Meeting.
39. Monthly or other Meetings ought not to receive
Caution collections or bequests for the use of the poor, or
against _ "•
receiving col- for other services of the Society, from persons
bequests from w^° have fallen short in the payment of their
hav/not^id J'ust debts' thoug-- legally discharged by their
their debts. creditors ; for until such persons have paid the
deficiency, what they possess cannot in equity be considered
as their own. And Monthly Meetings should exercise due
caution against too early admitting such individuals to take
an active part in the discipline.
SECTION V.  MINISTERS.
40. The increase of true Gospel labourers is greatly
Counsel as to be desired> for the edification of our own
to recording body, and the spreading of the truth as it
is in Jesus. It is therefore recommended that
the Ministers and Elders in the several Monthly Meetings
tenderly advise those who come forth in public testimony,
and, when their fruits afford sufficient evidence of their

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 23
qualifications for so important a service, that the cases of
such Friends be reported by the Ministry and Oversight
Committees, or, if there be none, by the Elders, to their
Monthly Meetings; which, upon solid and deliberate con
sideration, may, as in the wisdom of truth shall seem meet,
record them as Ministers.
41. Ministry and Oversight Committees, and Elders, are
recommended before submitting to their Monthly Quarterly
Meetings the propriety of recording a Friend as .,. .Meeting
a Minister, to apply to, and have the advice of Oversight
the Ministry and Oversight Committee, or, if Elders' to
there be none, of the Elders, of the Quarterly be consultec1'
Meeting ; but no record of these cases is to be made in any
such Meeting.
42. When a proposition for recording a Friend as a
Minister is made to a Monthly Meeting, as „
¦" ° Proceedings
pointed out in the preceding paragraphs, the same for recording
shall be brought forward prior to entering upon
any other business. If the case originate in the Monthly
Meeting itself, the Meeting shall, before considering it, decide
whether the right time has come for entering into the subject.
43. Friends of judgment and experience are advised to
watch with fatherly care over such especially as
.... ii-i <-!are over
may be young in the ministry ; that whilst, on the young
one hand, nothing tending to the glory of God and
the edification of His Church and people may be discouraged,
so, on the other hand, where counsel may appear to be called
for, it may be wisely and faithfully administered.
44. If any person appearing as a Minister shall give cause
of uneasiness or dissatisfaction to Friends, in Mode of
doctrine, behaviour, or conversation, the person eVffendinK
so offending is to be dealt with privately in a Ministers.

24 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Gospel spirit and manner. If this shall not take effect, then
let complaint be made of such person to the Monthly Meeting
to which he may belong, in order that proceedings thereon
may be had accordingly, and the affair settled with all
possible expedition.
45. If any individuals feel disunity with the ministry of
Where dis- any Friend, let them not make any public
withya1S fdt demonstrations of their disapprobation, but rather
Minister. impart their uneasiness privately, either to the
party concerned, or to an Elder or Overseer, according to
Gospel order.
46. Monthly Meetings should be careful that all Friends
Friends tra- travelling from or among them in the work of
veiling in the the ministry go in the unity of the Meeting
to have to which they belong, and with credentials
therefrom. Monthly Meetings should take due
care in giving such credentials to prevent the uneasiness
which sometimes falls on the Church from a weak and
unskilful ministry.
47. Friends who believe it to be their religious duty to
Friends in travel in the service of the Gospel outside the
traveliinR ** United Kingdom shall submit their concerns not
abroad. on'y to their Monthly, but also to their Quarterly
Meetings ; and also (unless the service be confined to those
professing with Friends in the South of France or at Minden)
to the Yearly Meeting, or to the Meeting for Sufferings ; in
order to be favoured with the concurrent testimonies of the
said Meetings, to strengthen them in so great and weighty
engagements. When the Meeting for Sufferings shall have confirmed the
liberation of a Friend, so to travel in the service of the
Gospel, the same shall be reported to the Yearly Meeting.

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 25
In such cases the needful expenses are to be defrayed
by the Meeting for Sufferings out of the Yearly Meeting
Fund.

48. When Monthly Meetings liberate Friends to travel
in the work of the ministry within the United Travelling
Kingdom, and the places at which their labours M^ereand
are likely to commence are at a considerable committees.
distance from their respective residences (as may particularly
occur in the case of visits to Ireland and Scotland), such
Meetings shall provide for the discharge of the necessary
travelling expenses of such Friends, and of a companion
where needful, until they enter upon their service, in like
manner as if the distance were less ; and similar expenses
of any Friends so travelling and returning home from a
place considerably remote shall be defrayed by any Monthly
Meeting in Great Britain in the compass of which their
service may terminate.
The expenses of a ministering Friend passing from one
sphere of labour to another should be paid from the point of
starting to that of arrival ; and when this involves necessary
travelling through the Metropolis, or from one railway to
another, and the payment of a second railway fare, if no one
accompany the Friend, all expenses likely to be incurred
should be carefully ascertained and defrayed.
With reference to the payment of the expenses of com
mittees appointed by the Yearly Meeting and by Quarterly
and Monthly Meetings, or of Friends otherwise travelling by
appointment in the service of the Church, no recommenda
tions that will be applicable to all cases can be made ; each
appointment must be treated on its own merits; but it
is the duty of both Quarterly and Monthly Meetings to make
such arrangements as may effectually preclude the Church
from being deprived of the services of any of its members
by pecuniary considerations.

26 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
If, in any of the cases which may come within the pre
ceding recommendations, neither the Monthly Meeting, nor
the Quarterly Meeting of which it forms a part, should be in
a situation suitably to bear the expenses so incurred, the latter
Meeting is at liberty to apply to the Meeting for Sufferings ;
which Meeting may, at its discretion, reimburse the whole or
any part thereof out of the Yearly Meeting Fund.
49. When a Friend is liberated for lengthened religious
service within the United Kingdom, and when his circum-
stances are such that pecuniary assistance is
expenses of required for himself and his family during his
absent on absence from home, beyond that provided in
long service. acc0rdance with the practice hitherto followed by
Monthly Meetings, the liberating Monthly Meeting, or the
Quarterly Meeting of which it forms a part, is authorized
to pay the expense of providing the requisite assistance ; and
if neither the Monthly Meeting nor the Quarterly Meeting is
in a position suitably to bear the expense of such assistance,
the latter Meeting may apply to the Meeting for Sufferings,
which Meeting may, at its discretion, reimburse the whole,
or any part thereof, out of the Yearly Meeting Fund.
SECTION VI.  ELDERS AND OVERSEERS.
50. Monthly Meetings are desired to appoint some serious,
Elders to be discreet, and judicious Friends tenderly to en-
appointed, courage, help, and advise Ministers and others,
as they, in the wisdom of God, see occasion.
51. When a Friend appointed to the station of Elder in any
When an Monthly Meeting removes into another, such
mto^nother station is retained, provided such removal be
Meeting. within the same Quarterly Meeting ; but in case
the removal of an Elder be out of the limits of the Quarterly
Meeting to which he belongs, such Elder shall not be con-

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 27
tinued in that station, unless a reappointment be made,
pursuant to the rules for the choice of Elders.
52. Monthly Meetings shall appoint as Overseers suitable
Friends, who are entreated to enter into and overseers to
discharge this labour with a ready mind. So be appointed.
far as circumstances will admit, at least two men and two
women Friends shall be appointed as Overseers in each
Particular Meeting.
53. Dear Friends, we earnestly recommend that, in all
your Meetings, in the choice of Elders or Overseers of the
flock, you be especially careful to choose such as are them
selves of upright and unblamable conversation ; that the
advice which they shall administer to other Friends may
be the better received, and carry with it the greater weight
and force on the minds of those whom they shall be
concerned to admonish. 1752.
SECTION VII.  MINISTRY AND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES.
54. It being important that Ministry and Oversight Com
mittees, and those standing committees appointed who to be
in place thereof, should include, so far as prac- appointed.
ticable, individuals of varied ages, gifts, and qualifications,
Monthly Meetings shall be careful, in making appointments
thereto, not to limit the selection to Friends in later life ;
those being appointed, whatever their age, who give evidence
of love to Christ and of attachment to the principles professed
by Friends. Monthly Meetings, when making appointments,
should not only take into consideration the exercise of gifts
in connection with our Meetings, but also consider whether
they can rightly appoint such of their members as are engaged
in Foreign Mission work.
55. In the selection of Friends to fill the office of Elder or
Overseer, and in the appointment of other Friends as members

28 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
of Ministry and Oversight Committees, it is recommended that
. , the nomination be made by a committee appointed
How appoint- J
ments to be for the purpose. Small Monthly Meetings,
especially, are recommended to apply for the
assistance of a committee of the Quarterly Meeting, to unite
with their own committee in the selection or revision of the
names to be submitted to the Monthly Meeting. Monthly
Meetings are to make similar arrangements for the careful
revision of the appointments referred to in this paragraph,
at least once in three years.
SECTION VIII.  MINISTRY COMMITTEES.
56. In the hope of fostering a helpful ministry in our
Meetings, and giving the sympathy of the Church
to Friends who take some part in the vocal
ministry, but whose names may not have been recorded
as Ministers, the Yearly Meeting has empowered such
Monthly Meetings as may think it desirable, to appoint,
triennially, Ministry Committees, consisting of such members
as are thought suitable in virtue either of their own service
in the vocal ministry of Meetings for Worship or Mission
Meetings, or of their concern for the right exercise of the
ministry (whether otherwise members of a Ministry and Over
sight Committee or not); all members of these Committees
becoming, on such appointment, members of the Ministry and
Oversight Committee, if any.
57. Ministry Committees (in addition to any duties
Duties devolved upon them by Ministry and Oversight
Committees) shall meet from time to time for
fellowship and conference, and may find service in arranging
conferences on subjects connected with the ministry, to
which others, whether members, associates, or attenders, can
be invited as may seem desirable ; and also in promoting,
by Bible study or otherwise, the preparation of the heart
and mind for the ministry.

MONTHLY MEETINGS. 29
58. It will be an advantage if Ministry Committees are
sufficiently representative of local Meetings for Local
the members of them belonging to each Particular mto^eet
Meeting to meet separately. separately.
SECTION IX.  TESTIMONIES.
59. Monthly Meetings should exercise due care and
deliberation before they conclude on issuing testi- Testimonies
,, ... ,. concerning
monies or minutes concerning the religious lives deceased
and services of deceased Friends, whether Friends.
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 should pay due regard to conciseness,
and especially bear in mind that the object is not eulogy
but to preserve a record of the power of Divine grace in the
lives of the Lord's faithful servants. Testimonies, when
agreed upon by the Monthly Meeting and signed by its Clerk,
are to be forwarded to its Quarterly Meeting, which Meeting is
recommended, in each case, to revise the testimony so pre
sented (by the appointment of a committee or otherwise) ; and
it is left to the discretion of the Quarterly Meeting either to
send forward the same, or a new testimony prepared by itself,
to the Yearly Meeting ; or, if thought expedient, to withhold
altogether any such testimony.
SECTION X.  AUCKLAND AND CAPE TOWN MEETINGS FOR
DISCIPLINE.
60. The Meetings for Discipline established at Auckland,
in New Zealand, and at Cape Town, are recog- , , , ,
*¦ Auckland
nized as regularly constituted Meetings, having and Cape
the standing of Monthly Meetings subordinate to Meetings for
London Yearly Meeting. They are encouraged Discipline.
to correspond with the Meeting for Sufferings, and one or
two of their members are to be appointed as correspondents.

CHAPTEE IV.
PREPARATIVE MEETINGS.

1. Monthly Meetings may, with advantage, establish and
discontinue in connection with their Particular
Duties. Meetings, with the approval of the Quarterly
Meeting, Meetings subordinate to themselves, to be called
Preparative Meetings, and to meet periodically. The
proper business of such Meetings should include the
following : —
a. To attend to the efficient discharge of the duties of
the congregation to the Friends and others con
nected with the Preparative Meeting.
b. To attend to the duties of the congregation with
respect to the promotion and encouragement of the
Christian work of its members and to the spread of
the Redeemer's kingdom in the locality.
c. To arrange, if thought desirable, for the breaking
up of Meetings for Worship by Elders or other
suitable Friends.
d. To inquire after births, burials, and removals, for
the information of the Monthly Meeting, and to
prepare such statistics, returns, and reports as the
Monthly Meeting may require.
e. To read and consider the Queries.

PREPARATIVE MEETINGS. 31
/. To appoint representatives to the Monthly Meeting.
g. To attend to financial, secular, and trust matters
especially affecting the Preparative Meeting.
h. To report, in the Winter, to the Monthly Meeting
whether Meetings for Worship have been regularly
held, and whether the Preparative Meeting has met
regularly.
i. To keep lists of all children identified with the
congregation, whether the offspring of members,
associates, or attenders, such lists to be annually
revised for the addition of fresh names and the
removal of any who have ceased to be associated
with Friends.
2. A Preparative Meeting may —
a. Allow persons not in membership to be present
at all or any of its meetings in such Various
manner as it may determine ; powers.
b. Where desirable, under the special circumstances
of the congregation, band together the members
of the congregation by such arrangements in the
way of associateship or otherwise, as may be de
termined on, provided that no such arrangement
interfere with the powers of Monthly Meetings in
the admission into, or removal from membership
in the Society, the administration of discipline,
or other matters;
c With the consent of the Monthly Meeting, set on
foot such arrangements for the affiliation to itself
of Christian Societies, Mission Churches, and the
like, in the work of which its members take an
active part, as shall in its judgment tend to promote
a closer fellowship of Christian faith and work
between such bodies and the Society of Friends.

32 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
3. In the discharge of the aforesaid duties and powers,
Subordina- a Preparative Meeting shall at all times be
Monthly subordinate to the Monthly Meeting of which
Meeting. ft forms part.
4. While the practice of holding Preparative Meetings at
Days of the close of a Meeting for Worship on First-Day
meeting. ^\ probably be continued in many places, yet
Preparative Meetings may with advantage meet, regularly or
occasionally, on a week-day, and, further, may with advantage
refer business of a financial or secular character to a com
mittee of Friends appointed for the service.

CHAPTEE V.
GENERAL COUNSEL AND REGULATIONS IN
RELATION TO MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE.

1. Let all your affairs be managed in your Meetings in the
peaceable wisdom and spirit of our Lord Jesus The spirit
Christ ; not striving, but bearing one with and for in which
the business
another ; that the power of Christ may rest upon should be
you, and rule in all your assemblies. 1696 p.e. 'jh
2. We earnestly desire, that Friends concerned in Meetings
of Business do labour to know their own spirits subjected by
the Spirit of Truth ; that, thereby being baptized into one
body, they may be truly one in the foundation of their love
and unity, and that therein they may all labour to find a
nearness to each other in spirit ; this being the true way to a
thorough reconciliation wherever there is, or may have been
any difference of apprehension. Thereby Friends will be
preserved in that sweetness of spirit that is, and will be,
the bond of true peace throughout the Churches of Christ.
1717 p.e.
3. The true nature and spirit of Christian discipline are
thus instructively unfolded by the apostle Paul : " Brethren,
if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering
33 4

34 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
thyself, lest thou also be tempted." From this passage we
may learn that the first object of our discipline ought to be
to restore offenders; and that it should ever be conducted
in the spirit of humility, meekness, and love.
While it is our steadfast endeavour, in the government of
the Church, to maintain our integrity in the Truth, a due
sense of our own frailty will discourage all harsh judgment
of our brethren ; and the love of Christ, who came to seek
and to save that which was lost, will lead His servants into
earnest and patient endeavours to gather again those who are
gone astray. Nor ought this Christian care to cease when
disownment has taken place. It is the earnest desire of this
Meeting that such individuals may not be overlooked in
any part of the Society, but that they may be the objects of
the tender and watchful care of Friends, in order to their
restoration. 1833.

4. We tenderly recommend you all to the God of love and
Mutual peace, that nothing be done through strife and
subjection. contention, or vain glory, murmuring, or dis
puting ; but in the spirit of meekness, love, and humility, carry
yourselves towards one another ; and the younger brethren
endeavour to know their places, as living members of one
body, and preserve a due regard to their elders in Christ
Jesus. 1718 p.e.
5. We recommend that such Friends as are concerned in
Example and *be affairs of the Church in Quarterly, Monthly,
encourage- 0r Particular Meetings be careful to act therein
ment to
younger in the wisdom of God, whereby they will be
exemplary to the young. And, as such young
persons are found to be qualified with a real sense of Truth
on their spirits and subjection thereunto, and thereby made
capable to come up to a service in their respective Meetings,

COUNSEL AS TO MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. 35
Friends are desired to encourage and bring them forward
therein; whereby they may be helpful to the ancients, and
brought up in a life of righteousness, to walk and act to the
praise of God's holy name ; and, standing in their lot, may
supply the place of the elders in such Meetings, through the
same Spirit, when they are gone. 1722 p.e.
6. In order to unite us the more nearly one to another, as
members of the same body, and to strengthen our y. ., ,
hands to promote the general cause of Truth, it is neighbouring
r Meetings.
recommended to Friends to stand open to the
leadings of the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord ;
and when they feel drawings in their minds to sit with any of
their neighbouring Monthly or Quarterly Meetings, that they
attend thereto ; and that such Monthly or Quarterly Meetings
as are visited receive such as they know to be well approved
at home, in the love of God, and not look upon them as
intruders ; so shall mutual help be given and received
amongst us, and we truly be a people led by one and the
same Spirit. 1759.

7. In making appointments, care should be taken to judge
of the respective qualifications of those who are
' _ Care in
employed in the service of the Church, and not making ap-
to introduce Friends to matters which may be
beyond their religious strength.

8. Representatives, in reporting their attendance to the
duties of their appointment, are encouraged to
embrace in their report information, even if tatives to
but brief, of such parts of the proceedings of the U'"J' "'
Meeting to which they were deputed as may conduce to the
interest and profit of their friends.

36 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
9. Meetings may, acting according to their discretion
and judgment, allow those not in membership,
Non-members ,-,.,,, * -*r l- c
may be who are habitual attenders ot our Meetings tor
present. Worship, to be present at Meetings for Disci
pline, regard being had, in granting such permission, to the
nature of the business to be taken into consideration.
10. It is desirable that, by the appointment of committees
or otherwise, the details of accounts and other
Financial and routine routine business be excluded, so much as may
be, from the proceedings of our Meetings for
Discipline. 11. In order that no pecuniary obstacle should prevent
Friends from attending their Meetings for
Fund to assist
Friends in Discipline, or fulfilling appointments connected
therewith, arrangements should be made for
maintaining a fund, under the care of the Overseers, or other
Friends, for the express purpose of rendering aid in cases
of this description.
12. Quarterly, Monthly, and Preparative Meetings shall
Men's and consider and decide what subjects, if any, shall
separate3 De dealt with by men and women Friends in
sessions. separate meetings.

13. When at any time Quarterly, Monthly, or Preparative
Minutes Meetings decide that women Friends shall not
of men s
separate be present at certain sessions of their Meetings,
when held, sucn sessions shall nevertheless be considered
record°sffio0fial to be the Quarterly, Monthly, or Preparative
proceedings. Meetings, as the case may be, and the minutes
then made shall be the official records of those Meetings

CHAPTEE VI.
GENERAL ADVICES.

1. In order to bring the following important Advices
before all the members of our religious Society, Advices to
and before those not in membership who attend be reacl
our Meetings for Worship, they shall be read at the close of
a First-Day morning Meeting for Worship, once in the year.
They are also to be read in Quarterly and Monthly Meetings
either consecutively, or in such portions as well as at such
times as may be deemed most desirable,
2. ADVICES ADDRESSED TO OUR MEMBERS, AND TO ALL
WHO MEET WITH US IN PUBLIC WORSHIP.
Take heed, dear Friends, we entreat you, to the convic
tions of the Holy Spirit, who leads, through unfeigned
repentance, and living faith in the Son of God, to
reconciliation 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.
Be earnestly concerned in religious meetings reverently
to present yourselves before the Lord ; and seek, by the
help of the Holy Spirit, to worship God through Jesus
Christ.
Prize the privilege of access by Him unto the Father.
37

38 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
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 Scriptures;
and let 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, and sympathising with each other in
the trials and afflictions of life. Watch over one another
for good, manifesting an earnest desire that each may
possess a well-grounded hope in Christ.
Follow peace with all men, desiring the true happiness
of all. Be kind and liberal to the poor ; and endeavour
to promote the temporal, moral, and religious well-being
of your fellow-men.
With a tender conscience, 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 the
spirit of speculation, and the snare of accumulating
wealth. Remember that we must account for the mode
of acquiring, as well as for the manner of using, and
finally disposing of our possessions.
Observe simplicity and moderation in your deportment
and attire, in the furniture of your houses, and in your
style and manner of living. Carefully maintain in your
own conduct, and encourage in your families, truthful-

GENERAL ADVICES. 39
ness and sincerity; and avoid worldliness in all its
forms.
Guard watchfully against the introduction into your house
holds of publications of a hurtful tendency ; and against
such companionships, indulgences, and recreations,
whether for yourselves or your children, as may in any
wise interfere with a growth in grace.
Avoid and discourage every kind of betting and gambling,
and such speculation in commercial Ufe as partakes of
a gambling character.
In view of the manifold evils arising from the use of
intoxicating liquors, prayerfully consider whether your
duty to God and to your neighbour does not require you
to abstain from using them yourselves or offering them
to others, and from having any share in their manu
facture or sale.
Let the poor of this world remember that it is our
Heavenly Father's will that all His children should be
rich in faith. Let your lights shine in lives of honest
industry and patient love. Do your utmost to maintain
yourselves and your families in an honourable inde
pendence, and, by prudent care in time of health,
to provide for sickness and old age, holding fast by
the promise, " I will never leave thee nor forsake
thee."
In contemplating the engagement of marriage, look prin
cipally to that which will help you on your heavenward
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
practice. Ask counsel of God ; desiring, above all
temporal considerations, that your union may be owned
and blessed of Him.
Watch with Christian tenderness over the opening minds
of your children; inure them to habits of self-restraint

40 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
and filial obedience ; carefully instruct them in the
knowledge of the Holy Scriptures ; and seek for ability
to imbue their hearts with the love of their Heavenly
Father, their Redeemer, and their Sanctifier.
Finally, dear Friends, let your whole conduct and con
versation be such as become the Gospel. Exercise
yourselves to have always a conscience void of offence
toward God and toward men. Be steadfast and faithful
in your allegiance and service to your Lord ; continue in
His love ; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.

CHAPTEE VII.
QUERIES.

1. The following Queries are to be read and seriously
considered, at least once in the year, by Monthly Queries to
and Preparative Meetings, in such order and dis- be reaii-
tribution throughout the year, and otherwise in such manner,
as may seem to each Meeting most suitable ; and Quarterly
Meetings are to make such arrangements for the periodical
reading of them as may appear to them best. Meetings may,
at their discretion, have these Queries, or any of them, read
at the close of their Meetings for Worship, whenever it may
be thought profitable to do so.
2. Monthly Meetings are encouraged to report to their
Quarterly Meetings from time to time on such of Queries to
the subjects contained in these Queries as they be reported
may think desirable. Quarterly Meetings are upon'
recommended to transmit such reports, or a summary of them,
to the Yearly Meeting. 3. QUERIES.
1st. What is the religious state of your Meeting ? Are you
individually giving evidence of true conversion of heart,
and of loving devotedness to Christ ?

42 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
2nd. Are your Meetings for Worship regularly held ; and
how are they attended ? Are they occasions of religious
solemnity and edification, in which, through Christ, our
ever-living High Priest and Intercessor, the Father is
worshipped in spirit and in truth ?
3rd. Do you " walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us"?
Do you cherish a forgiving spirit ? Are you careful of
the reputation of others ; and do you avoid and dis
courage tale-bearing and detraction?
4,th. Are you individually frequent in reading, and diligent
in meditating upon the Holy Scriptures ? And are
parents and heads of households in the practice of
reading them in their families in a devotional spirit,
encouraging any right utterance of prayer or praise ?
5th. Are you in the practice of private retirement and
waiting upon the Lord ; in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, making your requests
known unto Him ? And do you live in habitual depend
ence upon the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit ?
6th. Do you maintain a religious life and conversation as
becometh the Gospel ? Are you watchful against con
formity to the world ; against the love of ease and self-
indulgence ; or being unduly absorbed by your outward
concerns to the hindrance of your religious progress
and your service for Christ ? And do those who have
children or others under their care endeavour, by
example and precept, to train them up as self-denying
followers of the Lord Jesus ?
1th. Do you maintain a faithful allegiance to the authority
of our Lord Jesus Christ as the one Head of the Church,
and the Shepherd and Bishop of souls, from whom alone
must come the true call and qualification for the
ministry of the word? And are you faithful in your
testimony to the freeness and spirituality of the Gospel
dispensation ?

QUERIES. 43
8th. Are you faithful in maintaining our Christian testi
mony against all war, as inconsistent with the precepts
and spirit of the Gospel ?
9th. Do you maintain strict integrity in all your trans
actions in trade, and in your other outward concerns ?
And are you careful not to defraud the public revenue ?
10th. Are your Meetings for Church affairs regularly held,
and how are they attended? Are these Meetings vigilant
in the discharge of their duties towards their subordinate
Meetings, and in watching over the flock in the love of
Christ? When delinquencies occur, are they treated
timely, impartially, and in a Christian spirit ? And do
you individually take your right share in the attendance
and service of these Meetings ?
11th. Do you, as a Church, exercise a loving and watchful
care over the young people in your different congrega
tions ; promoting their instruction in fundamental
Christian truth and in the Scriptural grounds of our
religious principles ; and manifesting an earnest desire
that, through the power of Divine grace, they may all
become established in the faith and hope of the Gospel ?
12th. Do you fulfil your part as a Church, and as indi
viduals, in promoting the cause of truth and righteous
ness, and the spread of the Redeemer's Kingdom at
home and abroad ?

CHAPTEE VIII.
OVERSIGHT.

1. If any weakness, shortness, failure, or unfaithfulness
p • d d appear in any professing the same Truth with us,
vised to help, We hope faithful Friends and brethren will con-
instruct, and . . . <¦ , i • i i •
admonish tinue their Christian care tor their help, mstruc-
eac ot er. ^^ an(j admonition, in the love and power of the
Lord, as in His wisdom they shall see cause ; still aiming at
their good, their inward peace of conscience, and salvation in
Christ Jesus. 1701 p.e.
2. Beware of that wisdom which descendeth not from
above, but is earthly, sensual, and puffeth up the
Sincere en-
quirers to be mind ; but be ye, like our great Pattern, the Lord
encourage . jesuSj meek and lowly in heart, not seeking your
own glory, but the honour of Him that hath called you. Be
ready to every good office of love, even to the least of Christ's
disciples, and He will esteem it as done unto Himself ; delight
to encourage those who are honest and sincere in heart, and
to strengthen the feeble-minded under their trials and con
flicts; so shall ye become as nursing fathers and nursing
mothers in the Church of God, and be qualified with wisdom
from above to administer suitably to the conditions of others,
to the comfortiDg of their souls, that they may have cause to
bless the Lord on your behalf. 1743 p.e.

OVERSIGHT. 45
3. This Meeting earnestly recommends to all Friends who
are concerned for the prosperity of the Truth to Care over
exercise a tender care over the younger members younger
of our Society, bearing in mind the exposed situa
tion of many of them, and their critical period of life. We
would encourage Friends to cultivate an acquaintance with
such, to call upon them at their places of abode, and to
manifest, by the general tenor of their conduct towards them,
a kind interest in their welfare and preservation from harm,
and a solicitude that they may be established on the right
foundation, in the faith and hope of the Gospel. We believe
this feeling of regard, if cherished, will induce Friends, when
any are not diligent in attending our religious meetings,
to press upon them the advantage and importance of this
primary duty. It will lead them also to encourage our young
people to read the Holy Scriptures daily, with desires that
the Lord may bless these invaluable writings to their spiritual
instruction. And we entreat Friends to promote, especially
among the younger part of our body, an acquaintance with
the writings of our approved authors ; in which are set forth
the grounds of our religious testimonies, the persecutions
suffered by our faithful predecessors in the support of them,
and many instances of the visitations of Divine love, so often
mercifully granted in early life. 1833.

CHAPTEE IX.
ELDERS AND OVERSEERS.

1. You that are Elders and Overseers in the Church, and
Cauti t concerned in the maintenance of good order and
Elders and the preservation of the discipline, keep your own
Overseers as
to their hands clean, and garments unspotted ; that you
'"' " may be enabled to rebuke with all authority,
and, being clothed with the meekness and gentleness of the
Lamb, may steadfastly persevere in the support of that
testimony committed to you ; that when the Great Shepherd
shall appear, you may come before Him with reverent assur
ance, and receive the reward of " Well done, good and faithful
servant ; enter into the joy of thy Lord." 1753.

2. Elders and Overseers are entreated to be diligent
Elders and in the discharge of their important duties ;
be^nfgent in that the ignorant may be informed, the weak
their duties, strengthened, the tender encouraged, the scat
tered sought out, the unwary cautioned, the unruly warned.
If private labour be faithfully and early administered when
necessary, the hands of those concerned in the further exer
cise of the discipline will not be weakened by a consciousness
of their having themselves departed from the true order of
the Gospel. 46

ELDERS AND OVERSEERS. 47
3. The offices of Elder and Overseer amongst us are of
great importance, and, when rightly filled, of great counsel to
value. We feel much for our Friends who are Elders and
Overseers
appointed to these stations. In the right perfor- as regards
«... . , , ... .. their duties
mance ol then- service much humiliation may towards
prevail ; but, whilst it is well that they should be ^ young-
sensible of their own infirmity, this consideration ought not
to be allowed to interfere with the right discharge of their
duty. We encourage them to cherish an interest in the
spiritual welfare of all then fellow-members, to exercise a
watchful care and affectionate oversight, and more especially
to manifest their sympathy with their younger Friends, in
the peculiar circumstances in which some of them may be
placed. We invite them to be diligent in warning and
counselling the young, in privacy, faithfulness, and love ;
endeavouring to attract them to the paths of virtue and self-
denial, and to a living experimental faith in Christ, as then-
Shepherd, their Saviour, and their King. Nor would we limit
the performance of these duties to those who occupy such
stations ; we are all to watch over one another for good, and
to be mutually interested one for another, being united
together as lively stones in the spiritual building, of which
the Lord Jesus Christ is the chief corner-stone. 1851 p.e.

elders.
4. To seek for true discernment in respect to offerings in
the ministry, and to be loving and faithful in Tjje ^.^ties
the exercise of that discernment, to be frequent of Elders.
in spiritual travail and prayer for those on whom the ministry
of the word devolves, to sympathise with them in seasons of
conflict and discouragement, by no means comprise all the
duties of an Elder. It is his part also to consider how
far the varied needs of the congregation are met by a
corresponding variety in the vocal ministry, so that young

48 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
and old, uninstructed and educated, may be alike edified by
means of a due exercise of a diversity of spiritual gifts. In
connection with this service, he may at times be called upon
to consider prayerfully, in consultation with his fellow Elders,
whether any Friends, in older or younger life, are failing
to offer such service as they may be qualified to render,
and, if this appear to be the case, lovingly to urge upon
such a faithful obedience to the voice of the Divine Guide
within the heart.
5. The duties of Elders extend also to the whole flock.
Not less important, therefore, is it that Elders yield their
minds to earnest and prayerful solicitude on behalf of all
their brethren and sisters, not restraining the expression of
it in our Meetings for Worship on account of the office they
hold. Such service is often, we believe, peculiarly appro
priate and helpful. The impressive injunction of the Apostle
is applicable alike to Elders and to Ministers, " Take heed
unto 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."
6. This Meeting, feeling the importance of extending care
Elders to be and counsel, as well as manifesting due sympathy
TA^AA towards those who are liberated to travel in the
ttC L U 111 u di U V
Ministers. work of the ministry, wishes to encourage Friends
under the appointment of Elders to be willing, as way may
open, to accompany Ministers when thus travelling ; believing
that their cordial union in such service may be a strength
to the Minister. And it is the judgment of this Meeting,
that when such companions, or other Friends who may
travel in a similar character, are likely to go far from home,
or to be absent for a length of time, they be furnished with
a minute of the approbation of the Monthly Meeting to which
they belong, when the same can suitably be obtained. 1833.

ELDERS AND OVERSEERS. 49
7. Let the Elders, when they see occasion, advise
Ministers to be very prudent in their conduct, not
J r ' Elders to
as busybodies, nor meddlers with family or per- counsel
, ~. . 1 • i ji , i Ministers.
sonal anairs in which they are not concerned or
required to be assisting ; and that they be very tender of one
another's reputation, and that of Friends among whom they
travel; neither giving ear to, nor spreading reports apt
to raise in the minds of others a lessening or disesteem of
any of the brotherhood ; and, as soon as their service in
the ministry is over, that they return to their habitations, and
there take a reasonable and prudent care of their own busi
ness, household, or family. And we advise that Ministers
have it very much at heart to maintain a perfect harmony and
good understanding with the Monthly Meetings to which they
belong, and that they show themselves ready to hear and
receive advice, as well as teach and instruct. 1731.
OVERSEERS.
8. Let not Friends in the station of Overseer take a
limited view of their duties. To them is committed ^he duties of
the oversight of the flock, in the love of Christ. Overseers.
Let them give themselves to this blessed duty in faith and
prayer, seeking, in the wisdom of God, to encourage all in
the right way of the Lord ; to bind up that which is broken ;
to bring home the wanderers ; to visit the sick and the
afflicted; and to extend a loving, nurturing care over the
young and inexperienced. Desirable as it is that some
should be specially entrusted with these duties, an earnest
concern has prevailed that all may take their right share
in the privilege of watching over one another for good.
1871 p.e.
9. The following is a summary of the duties of Overseers.
Each Overseer is asked to consider carefully _
" Summary of
which of them he is personally called upon to duties of
Overseers.
undertake : — 5

50 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
a. The general visiting of members, associates, and
attenders.
b. Exercising a tender care over the younger members,
and over children who are connected with the
Society though not in actual membership.
c. The early visiting of newly admitted members.
d. Personal intercourse with members, associates, and
attenders, desiring that each may be led to true
conversion of heart ; instructing them in the dis
tinguishing principles of the Society ; drawing their
attention to the points of Christian life and conver
sation indicated in the General Advices and Queries.
e. Suggesting and arranging work for those who might
suitably engage in Christian service.
/. Care of the poor, and careful thought for their
children's education.
g. Care for young men and women seeking lodgings
or situations.
h. Rendering aid, in suitable cases, to Friends in humble
circumstances, to enable them to attend Meetings for
Discipline and appointments connected therewith.
i. Giving information of the Society's procedure to those
about to marry, and, where necessary, encouraging
them to conform to the usages of the Society.
j. Noting that all births, marriages, and deaths are
duly recorded ; that marriages contrary to usages
are reported ; that the regulations in reference
to Notices of Removal and Certificates of Removal
are promptly attended to, and that Certificates are
applied for when not duly received.
k. Attention to the suitable seating of Friends in
meeting ; to the welcoming of strangers ; and to
the admonishing of late-comers.
I. Advising against frequently attending other places
of worship, to the neglect of Friends' meetings.

ELDERS AND OVERSEERS. 51
m. Dealing in due time, and in a spirit of Christian
love , and tenderness, with any who act contrary to
the Christian profession of the Society of Friends.
n. Giving advice to those who appear deficient in
discharging their contracts and just debts.
o. Advising Friends, where necessary, to refer dif
ferences to arbitration under the regulations of the
Society.
p. Keeping in communication with Friends residing
abroad, and in distant parts of this country.
q. Holding periodical meetings of Overseers, in which
full opportunity should be taken for united prayer.
r. Reading over the lists of members and attenders
at least once a year, and, where desirable, adopting
the plan of placing each individual under the
special care of one Overseer.
The service of Overseers may often be divided amongst
them, with advantage to themselves and to the Church ;
and these duties should be largely shared by unofficial
members of Ministry and Oversight Committees, and by
all well-concerned members of the Society, although the
organization of the work is necessarily committed to those
under appointment. Overseers should be careful to keep
strictly private any information received in carrying out
their duties, especially in cases of delinquency.
10. An Overseer may be broadly defined as one who should
tend, as a shepherd tends his flock, the individuals
in his section of the Church. The Overseer needs 0f overseer.
to carry out all his duty in a brotherly spirit.
He should, so far as practicable, make himself personally
acquainted with the individual members of his Meeting. For
this purpose, home visiting, and the habit of speaking
to all Friends as opportunity may arise, are appropriate.
Each Overseer will thus be better able to select and pursue

52 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
that particular branch of the work to which he is best adapted.
Some are qualified to sympathize with children ; others may
have a gift for calling on invalids ; or a facility for saying a
word in season to the hard-pressed business man, or to young
men and women entering on the field of life. Though it is
one part of their service to deal with those who go astray, it
is only a small part, and if the Overseers' other duties are
faithfully and well carried out, there will be less of this
painful duty involved.
11. Under Christ the Head, it largely rests upon Over
seers to keep " the body fitly framed and knit
Responsi
bilities of together." The position is no sinecure, but
posi ion. one o^ prjvjjege an(j responsibility before God :
seek by prayer how best to fulfil the charge. "It is
required in stewards that a man be found faithful." Be
alert to do anything God requires of you. Remember the
Lord's injunction : " AjJart from Me ye can do nothing."
Seek to enter into the experience of the Apostle, when he
said, " can do all things in Him that strengtheneth me."

CHAPTEE X.
COMMITTEES ON MINISTRY, OVERSIGHT,
AND EXTENSION WORK.

1. A Quarterly Meeting may form a Ministry and Over
sight Committee, which shall consist of the Quarterly
members of the similar Committees, and of the Meeting
Ministry and
Ministry Committees (if any), formed by its Oversight
constituent Monthly Meetings ; and of the
recorded Ministers, Elders, and Overseers, and of the
members of the Ministry Committees (if any), in any of
its Monthly Meetings in which no Ministry and Oversight
Committee is formed.
2. A Monthly Meeting may form a Ministry and Over
sight Committee, which shall consist of the Monthlv
recorded Ministers, Elders, and Overseers, and Meeting
«... r. ¦ / Ministry and
of the members of the Ministry Committee (if Oversight
any) in such Meeting, and such may appoint as
members of such Committee any other suitable Friends likely
to prove helpful to such Committee and to be themselves
helped by association therewith.
3. If a Quarterly or Monthly Meeting does not form a
Ministry and Oversight Committee, it shall pro- Proeedure ^
vide for the special consideration during its own Ministry and
Oversight
sittings of such of the subjects especially com- Committees
mended to the care of Ministry and Oversight no appoin e
Committees (see paragraph 9) as it shall think desirable ;
53

54 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
and shall make provision, by the appointment of one or
more standing committees with adequate executive powers,
for fostering helpful ministry, for pastoral work, and for
extension and evangelistic work, and for bringing the Advices
and Queries set out in paragraphs 10 and 11 under the con
sideration of those members of the Meeting to whom they
are especially addressed.
4. The Ministry and Oversight Committee appointed by
Times of anv Monthly Meeting shall, so far as can suit-
meeting and J J °
duties of ably be done, meet at least once in three months
Meeting f°r mutual conference and edification, and for
Oversrhtand *be PurPose °f attending to the subjects which
Committees, are especially commended to the care of such
Committees. The Advices and Queries addressed to these
Committees are also to be read therein. Such Committees
are to appoint representatives to attend the Ministry and
Oversight Committee of the Quarterly Meeting of which they
form part, if such a Committee is formed.
5. The Ministry and Oversight Committee appointed by
Times of anv Quarterly Meeting shall assemble at some
meeting and J . °
duties of convenient time before the meeting of the
Meeting y Quarterly Meeting, for the purpose of attending
Ministry and to the duties especially committed to the care of
Oversight ' •"
Committees, such Committees, and of reading the Advices and
Queries addressed to Ministry and Oversight Committees.
6. Each Ministry and Oversight Committee appointed by
l a Monthly Meeting shall, once in the vear,
Reports to j >
superior report in writing to the Monthly Meeting by
which it is appointed its regular holding and
attendance, with a notice of its proceedings and of any
subject in connection therewith that may appear desirable.
A copy of such report is to be sent to the Ministry and
Oversight Committee appointed by the Quarterly Meeting,

COMMITTEES ON MINISTRY, OVERSIGHT, ETC. 55
if any such is formed,* which, in like manner, shall report
to the Quarterly Meeting.
7. The members of Ministry and Oversight Committees
who belong to each Particular Meeting are en- Ministry and
couraged to meet at shorter intervals, as way commltteesto
may open, for conference on matters especially meet locally.
affecting their own Meetings.
8. Any Quarterly or Monthly Meeting may at any time
lay down its Ministry and Oversight Committee, Ministry and
formed under paragraph 1 or 2, and appoint Oversight
in place thereof one or more standing committees may be laid
under paragraph 3.
9. The following subjects, with any others which
belong to the teaching and shepherding of Subjects
the flock, are especially commended to the commended
' r J to Ministry
care of Ministry and Oversight Committees, and Oversight
Committees.
viz. : —
1st. The religious condition of the particular congregations
within the limits of their Meetings, and whether the
Meetings for Worship are held to edification and to
the honour of God.
2nd. The counsel, encouragement, and help of those en
gaged in the work of the ministry, especially of the
younger and more inexperienced.
3rd. The making of arrangements for attending, from time
to time, the Meetings for Worship within the limits
of their Meetings, especially those in which little
or no ministry is exercised.
Ath. The visiting of the infirm, the sick, and the afflicted.
5th. The religious care of the children and young people
* Such reports shall, if called for, be produced to the Quarterly Meeting.

56 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
who attend meetings, and the promotion of their
religious and Scriptural instruction.
6th. The propagation of the Gospel in the district, as way
may open.
10. The following Advices are to be read and considered,
at least once a year, in every Ministry and Oversight Com
mittee : —
Be constant in your endeavours, through the power of
the Holy Spirit, to live under the government of Christ.
Be frequent in reading, and diligent in meditating upon the
Holy Scriptures, and be careful not to misquote or mis
apply them. In preaching, writing, or conversing about
the things of God, keep to the use of Scripture terms
or other sound words.
Be careful to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all
things ; keep yourselves unspotted from the world ; and be
examples of meekness, temperance, patience, and charity.
Be watchful not to become entangled with the cares of this
world ; and guard against the snare of accumulating
wealth ; manifesting Christian moderation and content
ment in all things.
Cherish a deep religious interest on behalf of those who
speak in the ministry ; watching over the young and in
experienced with tender Christian concern ; encouraging
all in the right way of the Lord.
In the exercise of the ministry wait for the renewed putting
forth of the Holy Spirit ; be careful not to exceed the
measure of your gift, but proceed and conclude in the life
and authority of the Gospel.
Preach not yourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord ; reve
rently asking wisdom of God, that you may be enabled
rightly to divide the word of truth. Let nothing be
done or offered with a view to popularity, but all in
humility and in the fear of the Lord.

COMMITTEES ON MINISTRY, OVERSIGHT, ETC. 57
Bearing in mind that the treasure is in earthen vessels,
beware of laying stress on the authority of your ministry;
the baptizing power of the Spirit of Truth accompanying
the words being the true evidence.
Be tender at all times of each other's reputation, and
watchful lest you hurt each other's service. As servants
of the same Lord, with diversities of gifts but the same
Spirit, maintain a lively exercise harmoniously to labour
for the spreading and advancement of the truth.
Let Ministers endeavour to express themselves audibly and
distinctly, and guard against all tones and gestures in
consistent with Christian simplicity. Let them beware
of using unnecessary preambles, and of making additions
towards the conclusion of a meeting, when it was left
well before.
When travelling in the service of Christ, be careful to move
under His guidance. Let your visits be neither short
and hurried, nor burdensome or unnecessarily expensive ;
giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be not
blamed.
Prayer and thanksgiving are important parts of worship.
May they be offered in spirit and in truth, with a right
understanding seasoned with grace. When engaged
herein avoid many words and repetitions ; and be cautious
of too often repeating the high and holy name of God ;
neither let prayer be in a formal and customary way, nor
without a reverent sense of Divine influence.
Finally, dear Friends, take heed to yourselves, and to all the
flock amongst whom you have been called to labour. Be
faithful; be patient; be in earnest to fulfil your appointed
service, that when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye
may receive the crown of glory that fadeth not away.
11. The following Queries are to be read and considered,
at least once in the year, in every Ministry and Oversight

58 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Committee, in such order and distribution throughout the
year as may seem most suitable : —
1st. Are you engaged to watch unto prayer ; that you
may yourselves be preserved in humble dependence
upon Christ, and in earnest religious exercise for the
conversion of sinners, and for the edifying of the body
in the faith and hope of the Gospel ?
2nd!. Do you occupy the spiritual gifts entrusted to you
faithfully, and to the honour of God ?
3rd. Do you overcharge yourselves with trade or other
outward engagements, to the hindrance of your service?
4th. Are you careful to rule your own houses well ? And
do you endeavour, by example and precept, to train up
your families in a religious life and conversation con
sistent with our Christian profession ?
12. Every Ministry and Oversight Committee may, as it
Ministry and shall seem meet in the wisdom of truth, advise,
Oversight exhort, and rebuke, in Christian tenderness and
Committee to
counsel its faithfulness, any of its members, or any who may
Ministers tra- be travelling in the work of the ministry within
iteMoltSy* the comPass of its Monthly Meeting. But if the
Meeting. Monthly Meeting to which such Minister belongs
shall take the case under its own care, then, on notice being
given of the same, the proceedings of the Committee shall
cease.

CHAPTEE XI.
MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS.

1. The Meeting for Sufferings (so called from the nature
of its original object) is a standing representative
committee of the Yearly Meeting, and is general
entrusted with a general care of whatever may
arise during the intervals of the Yearly Meeting affecting
the Society.

2. The Meeting for Sufferings shall be held in course on
the first Sixth-Day in each month, subject, on Time 0f
any emergency, to the call of any five of the meeting.
appointed members thereof, but power is given to the Meeting
to vary its date of meeting when occasion arises.
3. Upon consideration of sufferings in general, it is the
advice of this Meeting that, in cases of difficulty, cases of
and where Friends who are sufferers stand in need suffering.
of advice in any particular case, they send up their respective
cases to the Meeting for Sufferings in London. 1682 p.e.
4. The Yearly Meeting, having considered the nature and
importance of the affairs transacted by the Meeting ^ho should
for Sufferings, is impressed with the necessity Reappointed.
of their being managed by such as are of clean hands,
59

60 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
and who adorn the doctrine they profess, in their lives and con
versation. And it is the earnest desire of the Yearly Meeting,
that Friends be particularly careful in their choice of such
as are to act as members of that Meeting, informing them
selves, as much as may be, of the qualifications of those who
are intended for such service ; and that such only may be
nominated as are faithful in the several branches of Friends'
Christian testimonies, and exemplary in their conduct and
conversation amongst men.
5. The Meeting for Sufferings consists of Friends appointed
_ ,. in accordance with the following regulations;
Constitution. ° °
of those in other lands appointed as Correspon
dents by Meetings corresponding with London Yearly Meet
ing ; and of members of that Meeting who are in the station
of Minister or appointed as Elders.
6. London and Middlesex Quarterly Meeting is from time
to time, as there may be occasion, to nominate as members
any number of Friends, so that there be not less than thirty
or more than sixty for the time being appointed under
this regulation.
7. Each of the five Quarterly Meetings adjoining that of
London and Middlesex — viz., Bedfordshire; Berkshire and
Oxfordshire ; Essex and Suffolk ; Sussex, Surrey, and Hants ;
and Kent, is from time to time, as there may be occasion, to
nominate as members Friends so circumstanced as to be
able to perform with regularity the duties of the Meeting for
Sufferings ; and the other Quarterly Meetings are encouraged
to make similar nominations. In no Quarterly Meeting
are there to be more than fifteen Friends for the time being
appointed under this regulation.
8. The Meeting for Sufferings shall, immediately after its
meeting in the Twelfth Month, report to the Quarterly

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS. 61
Meeting to which he belongs the number of times that
each member appointed under the foregoing and Attendance to
following regulations has attended its meetings be reported.
during the current year. Such Quarterly Meeting shall, if it
think fit, suggest to the Yearly Meeting that any member (not
being a member appointed at the last preceding Yearly
Meeting), who has not attended six meetings of the Meeting
for Sufferings during the year, should be discharged from the
appointment. 9. Each Quarterly Meeting may nominate to the Yearly
Meeting Friends to fill any vacancies that may How to fln
exist in the list of the members appointed from vacancies.
such Meeting, and to fill the place of any Friend whose
discharge it may suggest under the preceding regulation.
10. The names of Friends to be nominated under the
preceding regulations, and the discharge of any Nomination
member under paragraph 8, are to be proposed to of members-
the Quarterly Meeting by a committee appointed, either by
the Quarterly Meeting itself, or by the Monthly Meetings
composing it, as the Quarterly Meeting thinks best. If such
nomination, or such proposed discharge, be approved by the
Quarterly Meeting, it shall make such nomination or suggest
such discharge to the Yearly Meeting. Every such nomina
tion or proposed discharge shall be sent to the Recording
Clerk not later than the 1st of Fifth Month.
11. The names of Friends nominated and of those whose
discharge is suggested shall be submitted to the Appointment.
Yearly Meeting ; and if the proposal be approved
by it, the Friends shall be appointed and recorded as members
of the Meeting for Sufferings, or removed from the list of
its members, as the case may be.

62 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
12. If, owing to the refusal of the Yearly Meeting to
If too many discharge any member on the suggestion of a
nominated. Quarterly Meeting, or by any other means a
Quarterly Meeting shall at any time nominate as members of
the Meeting for Sufferings a greater number of Friends than
the vacancies actually to be filled up, the representatives
from such Quarterly Meeting to the Yearly Meeting may
decide which of the Friends nominated shall be considered
nominees of the Quarterly Meeting.
13. In every Quarterly Meeting the list of its members
List to appointed on the Meeting for Sufferings is to be
be read. rea(j over annually.
14. Correspondents for Ireland, for the Yearly Meetings in
North America, and for other Meetings with
Correspon- _
dents for which we correspond, are to be proposed by the
' ' Meeting for Sufferings from among its own
members, for confirmation by the Yearly Meeting.
As a rule each Friend shall be a correspondent for one
Yearly Meeting only.
15. The Meeting for Sufferings is to extend such
Care of Christian care as it may deem necessary in
toveilmg aiding Friends liberated to travel abroad in
abroad. the work of the ministry in the prosecution
of their concerns, and to exercise its discretion in
regard to the companions of such travelling Friends ; care
being taken that, when convenient, a minute be obtained
of the approbation of the Monthly Meeting of which any
such companion is a member.
16. It is the duty of the Meeting for Sufferings to judge
of the religious concerns of such Friends as have been

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS. 63
liberated by their Monthly and Quarterly Meetings to travel
abroad in the service of the Gospel, when great Liberation of
,, „ ,, . ... Ministers.
inconvenience would ensue from their waiting
for the occurrence of the Yearly Meeting. The Meeting
for Sufferings is also at liberty to grant certificates to
ministering Friends returning to America, under similar
circumstances. On all such occasions it is to inform
the Yearly Meeting of its proceedings.
17. When any Friend from America arrives within the com
pass of the Yearly Meeting on religious service, Certificates
he should produce his certificates to the Friends Ministers to
of the Meeting within the compass of which be verified.
he may land ; and the said certificates, or copies of them,
should be forwarded to the Meeting for Sufferings ; which
Meeting is, without delay, to proceed to an examination of
them, and inform the Friend by a minute, duly attested by
the signature of its Clerk, of the result of such examination.
Correspondents in America are requested to inform the
Correspondents of London Yearly Meeting as soon as any
Friend has obtained certificates for religious service in this
country. 18. The circumstances of Friends who come from America
to this country in the work of the ministry have
engaged our brotherly consideration. Whilst visitingiSthis
feeling the importance of in nowise interfering country from
with the blessed guidance ofthe Spirit of Truth in
their religions movements, this Meeting is of the judgment
that advantage would arise from such Friends proceeding to
London as soon as may be after their arrival in this country,
whenever they can conveniently do so, and feel it not incom
patible with the pointings of duty. This course is recom
mended in order that, in accordance with the regulations of
the Yearly Meeting, their certificates may be verified by the
Meeting for Sufferings, and an opportunity be at the same

64 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
time afforded them for attending that Meeting, and thus early
partaking of the sympathy and aid of its members. But, in
offering this suggestion, we desire that our brethren and
sisters from a distant land, travelling amongst us in the
service of the Gospel, may continue to receive from Friends
everywhere, a large measure of kind assistance and Christian
sympathy. 19. Certificates shall not be granted to Ministers of other
Yearly Meetings for service abroad, as the
Kj 6 7. till C 3it 6 S
not granted responsibility of liberation can only rightly be
of other " exercised by the Yearly Meeting that has full
Yearly knowledge of the Ministers applying for such
travelling certificates. The Yearly Meeting will not be
abroad. . . .
responsible for expenses incurred in such visits.

20. The Meeting for Sufferings is at liberty to print or
Distribution purchase, and distribute in such manner as it
of books. may <jeeni proper, such works as it may think
desirable, with the distinct understanding that the Society of
Friends is not thereby committed to everything contained
in such books.
21. The Meeting for Sufferings, having given much
attention to the arrangement and proper preser-
CareofMSS. . „ , . , -, .
vation ot the manuscripts and documents in its
possession, is desirous of directing the attention of Friends
generally throughout the country to this subject ; and,
believing that there is an additional value in these docu
ments when gathered together, is prepared —
a. To accept and take charge of any original docu
ments, letters, or papers, illustrative of the early
circumstances or history of the Society, which their
present owners may incline to give up to it ; or,

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS. 65
b. In cases where their present owners may prefer to
retain possession of the originals, to accept certi
fied copies of them ; or,
c. When the making of such copies by the parties
themselves is inconvenient, to have them made,
if the papers be entrusted to its care, and to
return these so soon as the transcripts are com
pleted.

CHAPTEE XII.
YEARLY MEETING FUND.
{Formerly known as The National Stock.)

1. This is a fund, raised, under the direction of the Yearly
Meeting, by the Quarterly Meetings,* and applied,
under the care of the Meeting for Sufferings, to
defray the general expenses of the Society.
2. A banking account shall be kept in the names of
Trustees trustees appointed by the Meeting for Suffer
ings, who shall be members of the Society of
Friends, and whose numbers shall be made up to six when
ever, by death, or other cause, they shall be reduced to
three. The names of the trustees shall be read over once
a year in the Meeting for Sufferings. Drafts shall be signed
in the meeting by three of the members present, and shall be
countersigned by one or more of the trustees.
3. The travelling expenses of Friends, liberated by the
Expenses of Yearly Meeting, or by the Meeting for Sufferings,
F ^nds™8 ^or seryice abroad, and of the accredited corn-
travelling panions of such Friends, shall be defrayed by
the Meeting for Sufferings out of the Yearly
Meeting Fund.
4. The expenses of Friends from other Yearly Meetings,
engaged in this country in the work of the ministry with
* The General Meeting for Australia is not expected to contribute to the
Yearly Meeting Fund. 66

YEARLY MEETING FUND. 67
properly authenticated certificates, whilst travelling within
the compass of a Quarterly Meeting, and also
when passing from any Quarterly Meeting to Expenses of
any adjoining one, are to be defrayed as in the from other
case of members of London Yearly Meeting, but Meetings,
when such Friends pass from one Quarterly (j'eatB'ritain1
Meeting to another which is not adjoining, and
without having any public religious service or engagement
within the compass of an intermediate Quarterly Meeting,
the Quarterly Meeting from which they have passed shall
be at liberty to apply to the Meeting for Sufferings ; which
Meeting may, in its discretion, reimburse the whole or any
part of the expenses so incurred out of the Yearly Meeting
Fund. 5. The expenses of ministering Friends, and of such
companions as may be needful, in visiting any
of the islands adjacent to Great Britain, travelling in
including those of Guernsey and Jersey, may, at uernsey>e c-
the discretion of the Meeting for Sufferings, be paid out of
the Yearly Meeting Fund.
6. Any expenses incurred by the Quarterly Meeting of
Sussex, Surrey, and Hants, in its care of the
. Expenses in
members of the Society in the islands of Guernsey and
Guernsey and Jersey, may be applied for by ersey-
that Quarterly Meeting, and paid, at the discretion of the
Meeting for Sufferings, out of the Yearly Meeting Fund.

CHAPTEE XIII.
HOME MISSION AND EXTENSION COMMITTEE.

1. This Committee was first appointed in the year 1882.
Its duty is now to promote the healthy growth
of Home Mission and Extension work within the
compass of the Yearly Meeting.
2. The Quarterly Meetings shall, once in three years,*
in the Spring, nominate Friends to serve on
Constitution. this Committee, through committees of selection
specially appointed for the purpose. The Friends' First-
Day School Association shall also, once in three years,
nominate two Friends to serve on this Committee. All
the names shall be reported to the Yearly Meeting for
approval and appointment.
The representation of the Quarterly Meeting of London
and Middlesex shall consist of not more than eight Friends.
The representation of the Quarterly Meetings of Bristol and
Somerset ; Durham ; Lancashire and Cheshire ; Warwick,
Leicester, and Stafford ; and Yorkshire, shall consist of not
more than six Friends each. The representation of the
remaining Quarterly Meetings shall consist of not more
than four Friends each.
* The first triennial appointment was made in the year 1900.

HOME MISSION AND EXTENSION COMMITTEE. 69
3. The nominating bodies may nominate to intermediate
Yearly Meetings Friends to be appointed to fill Filling up
up any casual vacancies amongst their represen- vacancies.
tatives caused by death or resignation, or otherwise.
4. This Committee shall report to the Yearly Ee|°eratr{0
Meeting annually. Meeting.
5. This Committee is authorized to correspond directly
with committees for Extension, Home Mission, Correspon-
or similar work, formed by Quarterly or Monthly ioca?com-
Meetings. It may also receive reports on their mittees.
work, and give any assistance in its power by providing
Friends to act as Extension secretaries, or in any other ways,
if asked by such local committees.

CHAPTEE XIV.
CENTRAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE.

1. This Committee was first appointed in the year 1902 to
continue the work of the Central Education Board,
Objects. .
which had been originally appointed in the year
1881, and to supervise, sustain, and promote the educational
work and interests of the Society of Friends, acting in harmony
with Meetings for Discipline, or committees of schools or
educational institutions, in all matters in which they may
be concerned.
2. The Committee shall be constituted as under : —
a. Two members from each of the Quarterly Meetings.
b. One member from each of the eight English
schools which report to the Yearly Meeting, viz.,
Ackworth, Saffron Walden, Sidcot, Wigton, Rawdon,
Penketh, Ayton, and Sibford, and from each of the
following : Bootham School, York ; The Mount
School, York; Leighton Park School, Reading; The
Flounders Institute, Leeds ; and The Dalton Hall,
Manchester ; and from any other educational institu
tion of the Society of Friends which the Committee
may from time to time desire to associate with it.
c. The Head Masters or Principals of the above-named
thirteen institutions (ex-officio).
d. Five members from the Friends' Guild of Teachers.
70

CENTRAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE. 71
e. One member from each of the following : The
Friends' Home Mission and Extension Committee,
The Friends' Foreign Mission Association, and
The Friends' First-Day School Association.
/. Twelve members appointed by the Yearly Meeting.
g. Not more than six members, co-opted by the
Committee.
3. The Committee shall report annually to the Yearly
Meeting on its proceedings and on the educational Report to
work of the Society, and also on any changes in Yearly
J J 6 Meeting.
its membership which may have taken place.
4. Quarterly Meetings and other bodies concerned shall
appoint Friends, once in three years, to repre- Appointment
sent them on the Committee. of members.
5. The Meeting for Sufferings shall fill up any casual
vacancies amongst the members of the Committee Filling up
appointed by the Yearly Meeting, and each body vacancies.
represented has power to fill up any casual vacancies
amongst the members appointed by it, which may be caused
by death, resignation, or otherwise.

CHAPTEE XV.
CARE OF THE POOR.

1. Where Friends want ability in the world, their Monthly
and Quarterly Meetings are desired to assist them ;
helped and that the children of the poor may have due help
c^lldrerl of education, instruction, and necessary learning ;
and that children both of rich and poor may be
early provided with industrious employments, that they
may not grow up in idleness, looseness, and vice, but that
being thus seasoned with the Truth, sanctified of God, and
taught our holy, self-denying way, they may appear a repu
tation to our holy profession, the comfort of their honest
parents, instrumental to the glory of God and to the good
of the generation coming on. 1709 p.e.
2. With respect to the poor among us, it ought to be
considered that the poor, both parents and children, are of
our family ; and although some may think the poor a burden,
yet be it remembered, when our poor are well provided for,
and walk orderly, they are an ornament to our Society ; and
the rich should consider, "It is more blessed to give than
to receive." " He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto
the Lord ; and that which he hath given will He pay him
again." 1861.
3. We have ever esteemed the duty of ministering to the
wants of the poor as one of primary obligation. This duty

CARE OF THE POOR. 73
ought to be exercised cheerfully and without grudging; and
in assisting our poorer brethren, care should be taken not to
wound their feelings. It highly becomes a people professing
to be united in the faith and hope of the Gospel to provide
for the relief of their own poor. The care of the poor was
one of the earliest evidences which Christianity afforded to
the Gentiles of the superiority and Divine character of its
principles ; and a similar provision for those who are united
with us in religious fellowship appears to have been one of
the earliest occasions of our Meetings for Discipline.
The provision made for its poor by our Society is, however,
it should be remembered, entirely a voluntary one ; and its
only ground is Christian charity. Whilst enjoining the duty
of charity on those who are of ability to extend it, we would
remind our poor Friends that it is their duty, by frugality
and industry, to use their strenuous endeavours to maintain
themselves and their families, and, by small savings in time
of health, to provide for sickness and old age, so as not
to be dependent on others.
We would also observe, that the provision of the Society
was never designed to contract the duty of charity between
individual Friends, or to lessen the claims which near relations,
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 minister to the wants
and comforts of their parents with an affectionate cheerful
ness, and not to throw the care of them on others. 1833.

OHAPTEE XVI.
MARRIAGE REGULATIONS.

SECTION I.  COUNSEL.
1. Marriage being an ordinance of God, appointed for
man's help and blessing, ought to be entered upon
Counsel in
relation to in the fear of the Lord, and with a reverent atten
tion to His counsel and guidance. That love
in which our Heavenly Father would unite those who rightly
enter into this solemn engagement is a love chastened and
sanctified by love to Him, and fitted to endure the test of the
multiplied trials and vicissitudes of life.
2. We think it right to remind our members of the ancient
Marriage a testimony of our Society, that marriage is not a
notga°mereC ' mere civil contract, but a religious act ; that it
civil contract. js G0<l's ordinance, and not man's ; and therefore,
seeing that the Legislature has fully confirmed us in our
privilege of solemnizing marriage according to our own
long-established religious usages, we desire that none of om
members may be found departing therefrom. We further
think it right explicitly to state our judgment, that marriages
of our members before the Superintendent Registrar, though
not open to the special religious objections connected with
marriages by a priest, are nevertheless inconsistent with the
good order of our discipline, and with our testimony to the
true nature and character of the marriage ordinance. 1848.
n

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 75
3. As compliance with the laws of the land, in cases
wherein conscience is not violated, is an ac- Marriages
knowledged principle of Friends, the Society ""^alorfeto
cannot, consistently with this principle, allow, in be passed.
its Meetings, the passing of marriages which are not
authorized by the law on this subject, and which are
included in the degrees of consanguinity or affinity pro
hibited thereby. SECTION II.
ORDER OF PROCEDURE WHEN BOTH PARTIES ARE MEMBERS.
4. The Clerks of Monthly Meetings will be furnished
with the printed Marriage Forms set forth in ,,
' ° Marriage
paragraph 6, which will be delivered, on applica- Forms to be
tion, to members desiring to be united in marriage.
When delivering the Marriage Forms, the Clerk is to
exercise due care in advising the applicant as to the necessary
notice being given to the Superintendent Registrar of the
district, since, unless the regulations required by law be
complied with, the parties cannot be liberated for the solemni
zation of the marriage.
5. Notice of the intended marriage (in the form prescribed
by the Marriage Act and accompanied by a fee of Notice to
one shilling) must be given to the Superintendent Pendent
Registrar of the district, or districts, within which Registrar.
the parties may respectively have resided for not less than
seven days previously. After the expiration of twenty-one
days, the Superintendent Registrar will, on application, deliver
his certificate of the notice required by law having been duly
complied with ; for which he will require another fee of
one shilling. The said certificate or certificates (as the
case may be), or the licence if the marriage is to be
solemnized by licence, must be produced with the other
papers to the Clerk of the Monthly Meeting to which the

76 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
woman belongs (which is hereinafter called "the liberating
Monthly Meeting"), without which the parties cannot be
liberated for marriage.
6. The following are the Marriage Forms :—
Form C. No. I. — Declaration of Intention.
To  (a) Monthly Meeting of Friends.
I,A.B.,of  , son [or daughter] of E. B., and of
F. his ivife, hereby inform you that it is my intention to
take in marriage C. D., of  , daughter [or son] of
G. D., and of H. his wife, if the Lord permit, and that I
am clear of any other marriage engagement. I am proceed
ing in this matter with the consent of my parents [or surviving
¦parent, or guardian, or guardians] .
Witness my hand this  day of  Month, 19...
Signed, A.B., a member of  Monthly Meeting.
Witness  of 
(a) Each party will fill in the name of his or her Monthly Meeting.

Form C. No. II.— Certificate of Publication of Intention.
I hereby certify that public notice of the above-mentioned
intention of marriage was given at the close of the usual
First-Day morning Meeting for Worship in  Meeting
house, on the  day of  Month, 19..., and that I
have not received notice of any objection to the solemnization
of the intended marriage (a).
Signed,  Clerk of  Monthly Meeting.
 of  Month, 19...
(a) Should the Clerk receive notice of objection (which, by paragraph 8,
must be in writing), the Certificate may conclude in the following words :
and that I have received the annexed notice of objection.

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 77
7. Each of the persons intending marriage must sign a
copy of the Form C. No. I., after it has been FormC.No.l.
filled up ; the signature to be attested by one to be signed'
adult witness.
8. Each of the parties is to forward the copy of Form
C. No. I., which he or she has signed, to the Clerk Public notice.
of his or her Monthly Meeting ; and such Clerk
is to take care that public notice of the intended marriage is
given, as early as possible, at the close of the First-Day
morning Meeting which such party usually attends, or
within the limits of which he or she resides. Such notice
is to be in the form or to the effect following (Form F) : —
Friends, — There is an intention of marriage between
A. B. of  and C. D. of  If any
person has anything to object, let timely information be given,
in writing, to J. S., the Clerk of this Monthly Meeting.
If the Clerk receive any notice of objection, he shall at
once inform the parties thereof.
9. After the expiration of seven days from such public
notice, the Clerk is forthwith to fill up and sign jiorm c
Form C. No. II. , and in cases where the parties No. II. to be
1 signed.
belong to different Monthly Meetings, the Clerk
of the non-liberating Monthly Meeting (without previously
presenting them to his own Monthly Meeting) is then to
forward his copy so signed, together with the copy of Form C.
No. I., signed by the man, to the Clerk of the liberating
Monthly Meeting.
10. The Clerk of the liberating Monthly Meeting, upon
receiving copies of Form C. No. I., signed by each
of the parties, and having signed Form C. No. II., by Clerk
and, where the parties belong to different Monthly
Meetings, having received Form C. No. Unsigned by the Clerk

78 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
of the man's Monthly Meeting, and having also received the
needful certificate or certificates or licence (as the case may be)
of the Superintendent Registrar or Superintendent Registrars
or other duly authorized public officer (see paragraphs 36 to
42), shall present the same to an Overseer of the liberating
Monthly Meeting, and upon being satisfied that the foregoing
proceedings have been regularly taken, that the Forms are
completely filled up, and that no objection has been made,
the said Clerk and Overseer may, and unless they consider that
there is some matter of importance in the case, upon which
the opinion of the Monthly Meeting ought to be expressed,
they shall sign a document in the following form, liberating
the parties to solemnize their intended marriage (Form D.) : —
A. B. of  (a) son of E. B. and o/F. his wife,
and C. D. of  (a) daughter of G. D. and of H.
his icife, being desirous of taking each other in marriage, and
having complied tvith the regulations of the religious Society of
Friends in relation thereto, the needfid documents, including
the  of the Superintendent Registrar. . . , having
been produced to us, 
the Clerk of  Monthly Meeting
of the said Society, and  , an
Overseer of the same Monthly Meeting, and examined by us,
and the necessary public notice having also been given, we,
acting as such Clerk and Overseer, and on behalf of the said
Monthly Meeting, and in accordance with the usages of the
Society, do set the parties at liberty to solemnize their intended
marriage in the Friends' Meeting-house at 
Signed the  day of  Month, 19...
 , Clerk )of. 
 , An Overseer j Monthly Meeting.
(a) In the case of a non-member, add, not in membership.
11. If there be any omission in the copy of Form C. No. I.,
signed by either of the parties, or if any objection is made

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 79
in manner provided by paragraph 8, or if the Clerk and
Overseer, or either of them, consider that there Refusal by
Clerk and
is some matter of importance in the case upon Overseer.
which the opinion of the Monthly Meeting ought to be
expressed, they shall refuse to liberate the parties, and shall
inform the parties in writing of this decision.
Where both the parents of an adult are dead, the omission
from Form C. No. I., as signed by him or her, of all reference
to the consent of parents, shall not be an omission within the
meaning of this regulation.
12. Under special circumstances the liberating Monthly
Meeting may, at its discretion, dispense with the Power to
consent of parents, in the case of adults ; but this eonsenTof
discretion can only be exercised by the Monthly parents.
Meeting itself.
13. If the Clerk and Overseer refuse to liberate the parties,
the copies of Form C. No. I., signed by each of the
A Liberation
parties, the Form C. No. II. , duly signed, with the by Monthly
lyj ppf" l Y) cr
notice of objection, if any, are, if the parties
so desire, to be presented to the liberating Monthly Meeting
at its next or a future meeting, together with the needful
certificate or certificates or licence (as the case may be) of
the Superintendent Registrar or Superintendent Registrars, or
other duly authorized public officer (see paragraphs 36 to 42) ;
and such Monthly Meeting, on being satisfied that the foregoing
proceedings have been regularly taken, and that no sufficient
objection has arisen, may at once direct its Clerk to record
a minute in the following form, liberating the parties to
solemnize their intended marriage (Form E.) : —
A. B., of.  , (a,) son o/E. B. and o/F., his wife, and
C. D. , of.  , (a) daughter ofG. D. and of H., his wife,
being desirous of taking each other in marriage, and having com
plied with the regulations of the religious Society of Friends

80 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
in relation thereto, the needful documents, including the 
of the Superintendent Registrar..., having been produced to
this Meeting, and the necessary public notice liaving also been
given, the parties are left at liberty to solemnize their intended
Marriage in the Friends' Meeting-house at 
(a) In the case of a non-member, add, not in membership.
A copy of such minute is to be signed by the Clerk on
behalf of the Meeting.
14. A copy of the document signed by the Clerk and
Authority to Overseer liberating the parties (Form D.), or, in
and report of case the matter has been brought before the
Registering Officer. Monthly Meeting, a copy of the minute of the
Monthly Meeting (Form E.), together with the certificate or
certificates or licence (as the case may be) of the Superin
tendent Registrar or Superintendent Registrars, or other
duly authorized public officer, is to be delivered, previously
to the day proposed for the marriage, to the Registering
Officer of the Monthly Meeting (see paragraph 43) within
which the marriage is to be solemnized, as his authority
to register the marriage ; and he is to report, in the form
or to the effect stated below (Form G.), to the liberating
Monthly Meeting the date and accomplishment, as well as
the legal registration of the marriage, the reception
of which report is to be recorded on the minutes of the
liberating Monthly Meeting. If either party be not in mem
bership, the liberating Monthly Meeting is to be informed
thereof, and is to include the information in its record. In
cases where the parties have been liberated by the Clerk and
an Overseer of the liberating Monthly Meeting, the report
shall include a statement of this fact also.
Form G.
The Clerk of  Monthly Meeting is hereby
informed that the marriage of.  (a)
and  (a) was solemnized in the Friends'

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 81
Meeting-house at  , on the 
day of  Month, 19..., and has been legally
registered. The liberation of the parties ivas by 
Signed 
Registering Officer of.  . ..Monthly Meeting.
 of.  Month, 19...
(a) In the case of a non-member, add, not in membership.
15. Marriages are to be solemnized at a Meeting for
Worship, held at some seasonable hour between Time and
the hours of eight in the forenoon and three in Plaoe-
the afternoon ; being either a Meeting on some convenient
week-day, of which public notice shall have been given at
the close of the Meeting for Worship in the same house
on the previous First-Day morning, or the usual week-day
Meeting.* They are to be solemnized in the meeting-house
which the woman usually attends or in the neighbourhood
of which she resides, or in some other meeting-house, with
the previous consent of Friends of such other Meeting;
but no marriage is to take place in a meeting-house in
which a Meeting for Worship is not regularly held.
16. After a seasonable time, the parties are to stand up,
and, taking each other by the hand, to declare in an
audible and solemn manner to the following effect :
the man first, viz. : — Friends, I take this my friend, C. D.,
to be my ivife, promising, through Divine assistance, to be unto
her a loving and faithful husband, until it shall please the
Lord by death to separate us. And then the woman in like
manner: — Friends, I take this my friend, A. B., to be my
husband, promising, through Divine assistance, to be unto
him a loving and faithful wife, until it shall please the Lord
by death to separate us.
* In the case of a meeting-house in whioh a Meeting for Worship is
regularly held on First-Day afternoon or evening, and not in the morning,
such notice given at such afternoon or evening Meeting shall be sufficient. 7

82 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
17. A certificate* to the following effect is then to be
Marriage signed by the parties ; the man first ; the woman
Certificate. nexb, wjth her maiden or widow name ; and after
it has been signed by a few of those present as witnesses, it
is to be read audibly by some proper person. Such other
persons present at the marriage, as think proper, may sign
after the conclusion of the meeting.
Form of Marriage Certificate.
A. B., of  , in the county of.  , son of E. B.,
of  , in the county of  , and of F., his wife,
and C. D., daughter of G. D., of  , in the county of
 , and of H., his wife, having duly made known
their intention of taking each other in marriage, and public
notice of their said intention having been given, the pro
ceedings of the said A. B. and C. D. were allowed by [the
proper officers o/(a)]  Monthly Meeting of the religious
Society of Friends. Now these are to certify that, for the
solemnization of their said marriage this  day of
 Month, in the year one thousand nine hundred
and  , they, the said A. B. and C. D., appeared
at a public Meeting for Worship of the aforesaid Society, in
their Meeting-house at [or iii]  ; and the said A. B.,
taking the said C. D. by the hand, declared as followeth : —
[see paragraph 16]
And the said C. D. did then and there, in the said assembly,
declare as followeth : — [see paragraph 16]
* * * # *
(a) Omit these words when the parties were liberated by the Monthly
Meeting itself.
* This certificate should be prepared by the parties. Forms can be
obtained from Headley Brothers, 14, Bishopsgate Without, London, E.C, at
the price of one shilling on paper, four shillings on parchment, and seven
shillings and sixpence on vellum.

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 83
And the said A. B. and C. D., as a further confirmation
thereof, and in testimony thereunto, did then and there to
these presents set their liands.
A. B.
C. D.
We, having been present at the abovesaid marriage,
have also subscribed our names as witnesses
thereunto, the day and year above written.

18. Where the parties are members of different Monthly
Meetings, the copy of Form C. No. I. signed by Report to
the man, and that of Form C. No. II. signed by Monthly
the Clerk of the Monthly Meeting of which he is Meeting.
a member, and also a copy of the document or minute of
liberation, with a statement of the day and place of the
solemnization of the marriage, signed by the Clerk of the
liberating Monthly Meeting, are, after the marriage, to be
furnished to the Clerk of the Monthly Meeting of which the
man is a member; and the woman is then to be recorded
as a member of her husband's Monthly Meeting.
In case the woman be in the station of a Minister, informa
tion of her being in that station is to be communicated by
minute; and the same course is to be pursued in the case
of an Elder, who, by her marriage, becomes a member of
another Monthly Meeting within the limits of the same
Quarterly Meeting.
19. All powers and duties hereby given to, or imposed upon
the Clerk of a Monthly Meeting are, in case of
. Provision
his absence or incapacity, to be exercised by the when clerk
Assistant Clerk of the same Meeting, or by a
Friend appointed by the Monthly Meeting to act as Clerk
in the absence of both Clerk and Assistant.

84 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
20. Any Monthly Meeting in which there is no Overseer,
Appointment other than the Clerk or Assistant Clerk of the
haverpoUwer°s Monthly Meeting, shall appoint any one Friend
of Overseer. not being the Clerk or Assistant Clerk of the
Monthly Meeting to perform the duties by these regulations
given to an Overseer, and such Friend shall, within the
compass of that Monthly Meeting, have all the powers
and authorities by these regulations given to, or vested in
an Overseer.
21. Notwithstanding anything in these regulations con-
Saving tained, a Monthly Meeting may liberate parties
Monthly ^or marriage upon the proper documents being
Meeting. brought before it, although such marriage has
not been previously considered by the Clerk and an Over
seer, or they have not refused to liberate the parties.
22. The expression "Monthly Meeting," in these regula-
Meaning of tions, is to be applicable to Meetings for Dis-
" Monthly . ' . . .
Meeting." cipline exercising the functions of a Monthly
Meeting, though held less frequently than once a month.
SECTION III.  SPECIAL REGULATIONS WHEN EITHER OR BOTH
OF THE PARTIES ARE NOT IN MEMBERSHIP.
23. The Legislature having (by the Acts 23 & 24 Vict.
oo „ n, tt- , c- 18, and 35 Vict. c. 10) legalized marriage,
23 & 24 Vict. ° °
o. 18, and 35 according to the usages of the Society of Friends,
between parties, one or both of whom may not be
in membership with the Society, the following regulations are
to be observed in reference to such marriages.
24. In all cases of intended marriage, where one or both
, of the parties shall not be in membership, but
Non-members _ L
must obtain shall desire to be married in accordance with
permission. -p, . , , , , ,
£ nends usages, such person, or each such person,
shall, in the first place, sign a declaration, attested by

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 85
two adult members of the Society of Friends in the form
or to the effect following (Form A.) : —
To  Monthly Meeting of Friends, or the
Registering Officer thereof.
I hereby declare that I am desirous of being married
according to the ttsages of the Society of Friends, and, if
permission so to do be granted, I undertake to comply in all
respects ivith the regidations of the Society in relation to
marriage. Signed this  day of  Month, 19. . .

We, the undersigned ivitnesses to the foregoing signature,
are of opinion that permission to be married according to
our usages may suitably be granted by the Monthly
Meeting to 
 of  ] Adidt members of the
 of  } Society of Friends.
And such declaration, or each such declaration (as the case
may be), is then to be presented to the Registering Officer
of the Monthly Meeting within the limits of which the party
making the declaration resides, who may either accede thereto
or refer the application to the Monthly Meeting, which may
accept or refuse the application at its discretion. Upon
acceding to such an application, the Registering Officer is at
once to give notice to the Clerk of the Monthly Meeting.
25. On the application being acceded to, the Registering
Officer shall issue a certificate (Form B.) (which, certificate of
in cases where the parties intending marriage permission.
reside in the districts of different Superintendent Registrars,
he must issue in duplicate) in the form or to the effect
following. One copy of this certificate must be produced to

86 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
the Superintendent Registrar,* when the notice required by
law is given to him, or to each of the Superintendent
Registrars where the parties reside in different districts.
In the second case a copy of the certificate must be
produced to each Superintendent Registrar, whether both or
only one of the parties be not in membership.
Form B.
I hereby certify that  is a person duly authorized,
under the general rules of the Society of Friends, to proceed
to the accomplishment of  marriage according to the
usages of the said Society.
As witness my hand this  day of  Month, 19...
Signed 
Registering Officer of  Monthly Meeting.
26. Subject to the production of such declaration or
Subsequent declarations (as the case may be), and the
procedure. consent of the Registering Officer or Officers,
or of the Monthly Meeting or Monthly Meetings (as the
ease may be), whose consent is required by paragraph 24,
the proceedings, in relation to all marriages coming within
the present regulations, shall be conducted throughout
according to the foregoing regulations, in the same manner
as if the person or persons so desiring to be married in
accordance with Friends' usages were a member or members
of the Monthly Meeting, or Monthly Meetings, within which
he, she, or they shall respectively reside.
27. Marriages, under these circumstances, are not to
Membership confer on the contracting parties, or on their
not acquired
by marriage, children, any rights of membership.
* The certificate is required by the provisions of the Statute 35 Vict. c. 10,
except in cases where the party giving such notice shall declare either
verbally, or in writing if required, that both parties are " in profession with,
or of the persuasion" of the Society of Friends. It is, however, desirable that
this certificate should, as a general rule, be obtained in the case of all non-
members.

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 87
28. A woman who is a member, marrying a man not in
membership who resides within the limits of Woman's
another Monthly Meeting, is not to become a membership
member of such other Monthly Meeting without n0 ° ange
the usual Certificate of Removal.
SECTION IV.  REGULATIONS AS TO MARRIAGES NOT SOLEMNIZED
ACCORDING TO FRIENDS' USAGES.
29. When it shall come to the knowledge of Friends
that any member of a Monthly Meeting is in-
J . Overseers to
clined to be married in a manner not in accord- advise prior
ance with Friends' usages, the Overseers or other b" 
Friends shall, by the payment of visits or otherwise,
endeavour to induce the parties to be married in accord
ance with Friends' usages.
30. Whenever it shall come to the knowledge of the
Overseers of any Monthly Meeting that any
member of the Meeting has been married other- record of
wise than in accordance with Friends' usages, they
shall ascertain and report to the Monthly Meeting the names
of both parties, and the place and date of the marriage, which
shall be recorded on the minutes of the Monthly Meeting.
31. If, in the judgment of the Monthly Meeting, there
should be circumstances in any particular case power of
that appear to require further notice, the Meet- Monthly
rr 1 . Meeting to
ing is not precluded from dealing with the case deal with par-
, . y ., . •, • i , ticular cases.
in any manner which it may consider right.
32. In cases where the parties are both members of the
Society, but belong to different Monthly Meet- pr00edure
ings, the Clerk of one such Meeting shall, on when parties
5 ' . belong to diffe-
receiving the information as to the marriage, rent Monthly
Ty| ppj"l"n cr*3
take care that the Clerk of the other Monthly
Meeting is also informed, and a record of the facts shall be
made in the minutes of both Meetings, and the woman is

88 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
then to be recorded as a member of her husband's Monthly
Meeting. SECTION V.  REGULATIONS AS TO MARRIAGES TAKING PLACE
ABROAD.
33. In any case where it is intended to solemnize a marriage
Within a between a member of London Yearly Meeting
Meeting6 an^ a member of a Meeting recognized by the
abroad. Yearly Meeting, on the American Continent,
or in the Southern Hemisphere, or elsewhere abroad, within
the limits of any such Meeting, the first named member is
left at liberty to conform, in all respects, to the usages of the
said Meeting. The Monthly Meeting within the limits of
which such marriage shall take place is desired to give early
information thereof to the Monthly Meeting in this country
to which the first named member belongs ; upon the receipt
of which, the Monthly Meeting in this country is to forward
such Certificate of Removal, or record such transfer of mem
bership, as the circumstances of the case shall require.
The foregoing regulations are to extend, so far as applic
able, to marriages, under like circumstances, according to
Friends' usages, between members and non-members.
34. When any members of London Yearly Meeting, resident
Beyond the in foreign parts, intend to solemnize their marriage
recognized17 abroad, and beyond the limits of any Meeting recog-
Meeting. nized by the Yearly Meeting, they are recommended
to conform, as closely as the laws of the country and of our own
Legislature* will permit, to the usages of the Society in respect
to marriage ; and to report their course of procedure, and
to furnish evidence of such marriage to the Monthly Meeting
* See Statutes 4 Geo. IV. c. 91 ; 12 & 13 Vict. u. 68 ; under which
marriages in countries out of the limits of Christian civilization may be
solemnized, after certain notices, in the presence of the British Consul for
the district. Further particulars may be obtained from such Consul, or
from the Recording Clerk. For marriages in India see also 14 & 15
Vict. c. 40.

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 89
in this country to which he, she, or they may respectively
belong ; which Monthly Meeting is to make such record or
transfer of membership, or to take such other proceedings as,
in its judgment, the circumstances of the case require.
35. Marriages according to Friends' usages in Scotland
have for some time been valid as " irregular " scotch
marriages. Under the Marriage Notice (Scotland) marriages.
Act, 1878,* a marriage contracted and solemnized according
to the usages of the Society of Friends is declared a " regular "
marriage, provided that both of the parties be members, and
that notice of their intention be given to the Registrar or
Registrars of Marriages of the district or districts in which
the parties reside, and his or their certificate or certificates
shall have issued in manner provided by the Act.
SECTION VI.  THE MARRIAGE AND REGISTRATION ACTS AS
AFFECTING FRIENDS' MARRIAGES.
36. The Marriage Act t (6 & 7 Wm. IV. c. 85) expressly
provides that the Society of Friends, commonly 6 & 7 Wm IV
called Quakers, may continue to contract and c- 85-
solemnize marriage according to the usages of the said
Society ; and every such marriage is thereby declared and con
firmed good in law, I provided that the parties to such marriage
be both of the said Society ; § provided also that notice to
* 41 & 42 Vict. c. 43.
t This Act applies only to marriages in England. The law relating to
marriages in Ireland differs in some respects from that in force in England.
The most important statutes affecting them are 7 & 8 Vict. c. 81 ; 26 & 27
Vict. kz. 27 ; and 33 & 34 Vict. e. 110. s. 37.
{ By the Act 10 & 11 Vict. c. 58 the marriages of Friends, solemnized
according to their usages in England before the Act of 6 & 7 Wm. IV., are
declared to have been and to be valid.
§ By the Acts 23 & 24 Vict. c. 18, and 35 Viet. u. 10 this proviso is
repealed. But by the last-mentioned Act any person, not a member, must
on giving notice of his intention to the Superintendent Registrar produce a
certificate from some Registering Officer of the Society of Friends that he is
authorized to solemnize the marriage according to Friends' usages ; unless he
be in profession with or of the persuasion of the Society. (See paragraph 25.)

90 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
the Superintendent Registrar shall have been given, and
his certificate shall have issued in manner provided by the
Act. 37. "One of the parties" is to "give notice" of the
Notice to intended marriage, "under his or her hand,"
tenant" "to the Superintendent Registrar* ofthe dis-
Beristrar. trict within which the parties shall have dwelt
for not less than seven days then next preceding ; or, if the
parties dwell in the districts of different Superintendent
Registrars, shall give the like notice to the Superintendent
Registrar of each district." Every such notice must be
accompanied with the payment of a fee of one shilling to
the Superintendent Registrar for entering the same. The
said notice is in a printed form kept at his office.
By the statute 3 & 4 Vict. c. 72, sec. 1, the building in
Place of which the marriage is to be solemnized must
mamage. ^e ^thin the district wherein one of the parties
shall have dwelt for the time required by the Marriage Act.
Marriages according to the usages of the Society of Friends
are exempted from this provision, so that the building
wherein the marriage is to be solemnized need not be situate
within either of the districts in which the parties respectively
dwell. 38. After the expiration of twenty-one days after the
Certificate entry of the foregoing notice, the Superintendent
tenderer™ Registrar, upon being requested by, or on behalf
Registrar. 0f the party by whom the notice was given, is to
issue a certificate in the form provided by the Act, which
should certify the date of the notice given and the several
* In districts under the Registration Act (6 i " Wm. IV. c. SO) there
are sometimes appointed Deputy Registrars, as well as Registrars and
a Superintendent Registrar ; care must be taken to give the notice to the
Superintendent Registrar or the Deputy Superintendent Registrar.

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 91
particulars thereof. Where the parties reside within different
districts, a separate certificate of notice must be obtained
(as before stated) from each Superintendent Registrar. The
Superintendent Registrar is entitled to a fee of one shilling
for every such certificate. The said officer is required to
preserve all such notices, and to enter them in a book
kept by him ; which notice-book is to be open to inspection
without charge. If the marriage should not take place within
three calendar months after the entry of the notice or notices,
such notice or notices become void ; and all the proceedings
above described, namely, the notice or notices, entry and issue
of the certificate or certificates, must be gone through again.
The certificate or certificates thus obtained must be delivered,
previously to the marriage, to the Clerk of the Monthly
Meeting of which the woman is a member, or within the
limits of which, if not a member, she shall reside, and
which is herein referred to as "the woman's Monthly
Meeting." 39. In order to ensure due compliance with the foregoing
legislative provisions (without the observance of To be pro-
which the marriage will be void in law) , neither liberating
the Clerk and an Overseer of the woman's Monthly . , Month1*;
J Meeting and
Meeting, nor that Monthly Meeting itself, shall be delivered to
at liberty to clear the parties for marriage unless ° officer.
the certificate of the Superintendent Registrar, or the certifi
cates or the licence (as the case may be), shall have been pro
duced to them or it. The said Clerk and Overseer, or Meeting,
are also to take due care that such certificate or certificates or
licence be delivered, previously to the marriage, to the Regis
tering Officer of the Monthly Meeting (see paragraph 43)
within the limits of which it is intended to solemnize the
marriage; accompanied by a document or minute, signed by
the Clerk, informing him that the parties are cleared accord
ingly. Timely notice should be given to the Registering

92 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Officer of the day and place intended for the solemniza
tion of the marriage, in order that, as he is the person
to register the marriage, he may, if practicable, be present
thereat. 40. It is not necessary that meeting-houses should be
Meeting- registered for the solemnization of marriages.
neednot be ^lA having regard to the position of the Society
registered. under the Act in this respect, and to the tenor of
these regulations (see especially paragraph 15), no marriage
shall take place at a meeting-house in which a Meeting for
Worship is not regularly held.
41. The Act 19 & 20 Vict. c. 119 authorizes marriages
Marriage by ky licence between members of the Society,
licence. under the restrictions specified in the Act, and
slightly modifies or explains the provisions of the former
Acts, where one of the parties is resident in Ireland.
With regard to the licence, upon notice of the intended
marriage being given to the Superintendent Registrar of the
district where either of the parties resides, such Superinten
dent Registrar may grant a certificate and licence on the
next day but one after the entry in his book of the notice;
and the granting of such licence to one of the parties, where
they reside in different districts, supersedes the necessity of
giving notice of . the marriage to the Superintendent Regis
trar of the district where the other party resides. Where a
licence is taken out, the parties are made liable, under the
Act, to the observance of certain formalities, and to the pay
ment of an additional fee and stamp, as therein specified.*
Friends adopting this mode of procedure must of course
produce the licence to the Clerk and an Overseer of the
woman's Monthly Meeting, or to that Monthly Meeting, before
* The additional fee and stamp amount to £'2, and a 2s. 6d. stamp is
payable on the declaration.

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS. 93
they can be set at liberty for the accomplishment of their
marriage. 42. The same Act also provides that where a marriage
is about to take place in this country without
i- ¦, Marriage
licence, and one of the parties resides in Ireland, when one
a notice in the form there used in that behalf, PartyIrish-
and a certificate issued in pursuance thereof, shall be as valid
and effectual for authorizing the solemnization of a marriage
in this country as the usual notice to, and certificate from a
Superintendent Registrar in England would be.
43. In every Monthly Meeting a suitable Friend is to be
appointed to register all marriages that may be Registering
solemnized within the limits of such Meeting. Officer.
The importance of the duties of the office renders it
necessary that it should be kept constantly filled by a person
fully competent to act therein, according to the provisions
of the law, and who may not be likely to be interrupted in
the performance of his duties by absence from home or
other causes. On every fresh appointment of such Friend
(who, according to the Registration Act, 6 & 7 Wm. IV.,
c. 86, is designated " a Registering Officer of the Society
of Friends"), Monthly Meetings are to take care to
report, without delay, by minute signed by the Clerk,
his name and address to the Recording Clerk, who is
required by the Act to certify the same in writing to the
Registrar-General in London.* The requisite marriage
* Each Registering Officer acts only within the district or Monthly
Meeting for which he has been certified as above. An account of the several
Monthly Meeting districts has been rendered to the Registrar-General. If a
marriage be solemnized at a meeting-house out of the limits of the woman's
Monthly Meeting (see paragraph 15), the marriage is to be registered by
the Registering Officer of the Monthly Meeting wherein the said meeting
house is situated ; in which case the certificates of notice and the document
or minute clearing the parties (see paragraph 39) must be delivered to the
said officer previously to the marriage.

94 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
register-books, are furnished from the office of the Registrar-
General.*

44. The Act directs that, so soon as may be after the
Registration.

solemnization of a marriage, the Registering

Officer (of the Monthly Meeting within the limits
of which it has been solemnized) " shall register, or cause
to be registered," in duplicate books supplied to him, "the
several particulars relating to the marriage"; and that " such
Registering Officer, whether he shall or shall not be present
at such marriage, shall satisfy himself that the proceedings
in relation thereto have been conformable to the usages of
the Society " ; and that " every such entry shall be signed by
the said Registering Officer, and by the parties married, and
by two witnesses."
In order to fulfil these requisitions of the Act, the register-
books should be filled up, signed, and witnessed, at the time of
the marriage, or immediately after, t The Registering Officer,
having received the certificates of notice, as well as the docu
ment signed by the Clerk and an Overseer of the woman's
Monthly Meeting, or the minute of that Monthly Meeting,
informing him that the parties are cleared for marriage (as
directed by paragraph 39), is, after the solemnization of the
marriage, to register, or cause to be registered, the several
particulars in his duplicate register-books according to the
following form : —

•'i-i

* Printed forms for certified copies of the Register of Marriages may be
purchased from Shaw & Son, Fetter Lane, London, E.C.
t The arrangements necessary to accomplish the object of the due
registration of a marriage, under the various circumstances which may
occur, must be left to the care and discretion of Monthly Meetings as well
as other parties concerned. Should the Registering Officer be unavoidably
prevented from being present at the solemnization of the marriage, care
must be taken that the entries be, notwithstanding, duly made and
signed by the parties and witnesses ; and the Registering Officer, having
satisfied himself of the regularity of the proceedings, is afterwards to add
his signature.

MARRIAGE REGULATIONS.
Marriage Register.

95

Residence at
Father's
Rank or
No.
Married.
and
S uiname.
Age.
Condition.
Pro
fession-
tho time
of Marriage.
Name
and Sur
name.
Profession of
Father.
jVo. 46,
James
Of full
Car
High Street,
John
Car
Smith.
age.
Bachelor.
penter.
Stepney,
Smith.
penter.
6th of
Middlesex.
1
8th
month,
Martha
1837.
Green.
Minor.
Spinster.
Grove Farm,
near Maid
stone, Kent
James Green
Far mer.
Married in the Friends' Meeting-house, Maidstone, accord
ing to the usages of the Society of Friends by licence or by
certificate. A.B., Registering Officer.
This mar-} ( in ^e ]
riage was I James Smith, r,reSence I C- D-' mUer> Maidstone.
solemnized j Martha Green, 0f us, [ E- F-' Dntg<JistAochester-
between us J \ I
[The words and figures in italics are to be filled up as the case may be.]
45. In filling up the registers great care must be used
that no error be committed.* On the discovery Correction
of any error in an entry, the Registering Officer o£ errors-
is required by the Act, within one calendar month after
such discovery, in the presence of the parties married,
or, in case of their absence, then in the presence of the
Superintendent Registrar of the district, and of two other
witnesses (who are respectively to attest the same),
to correct the error " by entry in the margin, without any
alteration of the original entry " ; and he is to sign
the marginal entry, and add thereto the date when the
correction was made. (See Section 44 of the Registration
* It is recommended that the several names and particulars to be
registered be written down distinctly on a separate paper, previously to
their being entered in the registers, in order to ensure greater accuracy.
96 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Act.) In general, the several particulars of a marriage
register should correspond with those in the marriage forms.
By Section 38 of the Act, certified copies of entries in the
Certifi d register, sealed with the seal of the Register
copies Office, are to be received as evidence of the
evidence. marriage " to which the same relate ; and, by
other Sections, penalties are imposed for wilful injury or
loss of registers.*
46. Every Registering Officer is required to make a
Registering quarterly return, in the First, Fourth, Seventh,
quarterly an<^ Tenth Months, of copies of the entries of
returns. marriages which have been registered by him in
the three calendar months preceding ; or, if no marriage
has been registered by him in that period, a certificate that
such is the case.t Blank forms for these certified copies
are supplied from the Office of the Registrar-General. This
quarterly return must be delivered to the Superintendent
Registrar of the district within which the Registering Officer
resides, notwithstanding that the marriages registered by him,
or some of them, may have been solemnized at meeting-houses
situated out of that district, but within the limits of the
Monthly Meeting of which he is Registering Officer.
47. As soon as may be after the close of every year,
Monthly Monthly Meetings are to make a return to the
Meeting Recording Clerk, on forms supplied by him for
returns. the purpose, of all marriages which have been
solemnized in meeting-houses within their compass during
the year.
* The Act directs that, when the duplicate register-books are filled, one
of them is to be delivered to the Superintendent Registrar of the district ;
the other is to remain under the care of Friends, and be kept with their
other records.
f A penalty, not exceeding £10, is imposed for neglecting to make the
return regularly.

CHAPTER XVII.
REGULATIONS FOR RECORDING BIRTHS,
DEATHS, AND BURIALS.

1. The Registration Act having established a public civil
registry of all births and deaths in England and Eirth and
Wales, in a mode free from objection in refer- ^"^j^f!
ence to the religious testimonies of the Society, andpreserved.
which registry came into operation on the 1st of the Seventh
Month, 1837, the registry of births and deaths amongst
Friends, from that time, became incorporated with, and forms
part of such public civil registry. Great part of 37 & 38 vict.
this Act was repealed by the Statute 37 & 38 °- 88,
Vict. c. 88, which contains the law on the Registration of
Births and Deaths now in force. This is the Act referred
to in the following paragraphs. The registers of births
and burials formerly in use by Monthly and Quarterly
Meetings have been discontinued ; but, in order that lists
of members may be correctly kept, and that evidence may
be preserved of all interments which take place in Friends'
burial-grounds, one or more suitable Friends are to be
appointed, in every Monthly Meeting, to issue Birth and
Burial Notes. The persons so appointed, on filling up such
Notes, are to enter, m a check-margin, the requisite parti
culars, and the name of the person to whom the Notes are
delivered. After Birth and Burial Notes have been read in
the Monthly Meeting, and any necessary entries made in the
97 8

98 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
list of members, they are to be delivered to the Friend who
issued them, and affixed to the check-margins from which
they were taken ; * and when such books, after having been
filled up, are no longer required for reference, they are
to be delivered up to the Monthly Meeting, to be deposited
with its records. BIRTHS.
2. In the case of a birth, notice should be given thereof by
the parent, or the occupier of the house in which
Registration. ....
it took place, withm forty-two days after the
birth, to the Registrar of the district within which it took
place ; who is required, without fee, to make an entry of the
name of the child, and other particulars to be registered.!
Parents neglecting to give notice within forty-two days are
liable to a fine of forty shillings, as well as the fees mentioned
below. The birth can be registered, without fee, within three
months ; after three months, and within twelve, there is a fee
of five shillings payable to the Registrar ; after twelve months
a birth cannot be registered without the leave of the Registrar-
General, and a fee of ten shillings is payable ; such leave will
not be given when a child is seven years old. The informant
should see that the entry on the register is correctly made. I
3. In order to secure the evidence of the right of member-
„. , „ ship in the Society to those children who are
Birth Notes. m J
entitled thereto according to its regulations, and
to bring them regularly under the notice of the respective
* In the case of Burial Notes, the Registrar's certificate should also be
affixed, when practicable.
t Day of birth, name, sex, name and surname of father, name and maiden
name of mother, rank or profession of father, date of registry, signature and
address of informant, and signature of Registrar.
' A certified copy of the entry may be had at the time of the registra
tion of the birth, for which a fee of two shillings and sixpence and stamp
of one penny are payable, or if applied for later a fee of three shillings and
sixpence and stamp of one penny are payable. This certified copy is legal
evidence of the birth.

BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND BURIALS. 99
Monthly Meetings to which they belong (in addition to
giving notice of the birth of any such child to the Registrar
of the district), there is to be prepared forthwith a Birth Note,
to be signed by the parent or some other friend of the child ;
and such Note is to be produced to the Monthly Meeting in
which the child is entitled to membership. Birth Notes are
to be in the following form : —

Form of Birth Note.
The Monthly Meeting of  is hereby informed
that on the  day of  Month, one thousand
nine hundred and  , was bom at  , in the
 of  , unto  , of 
in the  of  , (a)  , and 
his wife, a  , who was named  , and whose birth
icas registered at the public registry -office for the district of
 ,on the  day of  Month, 19...
(b) 
Read and entered at  Monthly Meeting of the
Society of Friends, held the  day of  Month, 19. . .
..,  , Clerk.
(a) Here insert description, as ' Grocer," " Merchant," etc.
(b) To be signed here by the parent or other friend of the child.
4. On the production of a Birth Note to the Monthly
Meeting in which the child is entitled to member- To be re-
ship, a record is to be made thereat, noticing the °Monthly
production of such Note, the date of the birth, the Meeting.
names of the parents and of the child, and the place and date
of public registry ; after which, the Friend who has the care
of the list of members is to enter the particulars thereof in
such list.
Monthly Meetings should exercise a watchful care, either
through their Overseers or by the Friends appointed to issue

100 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Birth Notes, or in such other way as may be judged best, to
ensure the early and regular production of these Notes, as
above directed. DEATHS AND BURIALS.
5. In the case of a death, some person present at the death
Registration or *n attendance during the last illness, or the
of death. occupier or some inmate of the house in which
such death occurred, should, within five days of such death,
give information to the Registrar of the district of the name
of the deceased, and other particulars to be registered.*
6. The Act further provides that the Registrar, upon
Certifi t f registering any death, shall forthwith, or as soon
death. after as he is required, give, without fee or reward,
either to the person giving information concerning the death,
or to the undertaker or other person having charge of the
funeral of the deceased, a certificate under his hand that he
has registered the death. This certificate is to be delivered
to the person who buries the body of the deceased, under
penalty of a fine of forty shillings ; and any person burying
a dead body without receiving such certificate is to inform
the Registrar within seven days, under penalty of a fine
of £10.
In order to ensure attention to the foregoing provisions of
the Act, care should be taken that the certificate of the
Registrar of the district within which the death took place
be obtained by the person having charge of the funeral,
previously to any interment taking place.
* Day of death, name and surname, residence, age, rank, profession or
trade of the deceased, cause of death; to which are also to be added the
signature and address of informant, the date of registry, and the signature
of Registrar. A certified copy of the entry, which is legal evidence of the
death, may be had on payment of a fee of two shillings and sixpence and
stamp of one penny if taken at the time, or of three shillings and sixpence
and stamp of one penny if taken afterwards.

BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND BURIALS. 101
7. Care is to be taken that no grave be made in any
Friends' burial-ground without an Order for Burial 0rder for
from the Friend appointed to issue Burial Notes, Burial.
which Order is to be in the following form : —
Form of Order for Burial.
To the grave -maker at Friends' burial-ground at  ,
in the  of. 
Make a grave for the interment of the body of.  ,
which is appointed to take place on the  day of
 Month, 19..., at  o'clock in the  noon.
(a) 
 of  Month, 19...
(a) To be signed here by the Friend appointed to issue Burial Notes.
All Orders for Burial are to be preserved by the grave-
maker, but not to be produced to the Monthly Meeting.
8. In every case of the burial of a member of the Society,
whether in a Friends' burial-ground or in a public
& r Burial Note.
cemetery, and also in every case of the burial in a
Friends' burial-ground of any person not a member, a Burial
Note is to be filled up and signed immediately after the inter
ment, and is to be produced without delay to the Monthly
Meeting within the compass of which the burial-ground or
cemetery is situated. Burial Notes are to be in the following
form : — Form of Burial Note.
This is to certify that the body of.  , of.  ,
in the  of  , (a)  , who died the  day of 
Month, one thousand nine hundred and  , aged about  ,
and ivhose death tvas registered at the public registry-office for
the district of  , on the  day of 

102 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Month, 19..., teas buried [or cremated (b)] in the (c) 
 at  , in the  of.  ,
on the  day of  Month, 19. . .
Witness (d) 
Read and entered at  Monthly Meeting of
the Society of Friends, held the  day of 
Month, 19....  , Clerk.
(a) Here insert description, as "Grocer," "Merchant," etc.; and in the
case of a wife, widow, or child, the name or names of the husband or
parents. (b) If information is received as to the disposal of the ashes after crema
tion, the following words may be inserted : the ashes being buried or
deposited, as the case may be, at 
(c) Friends' burial-ground or cemetery, as the case may be.
(d) To be signed here by the undertaker, grave-maker, or superintendent
of cemetery, stating which of these capacities the person signing fills.

9. If the deceased was a member of another Monthly
Meeting, a notification of the name, age, descrip-
Notification s' » 6 > ±-
from one tion, residence, date of death, and places and
Meeting to dates of public registry and interment, is to be
another. transmitted to the Monthly Meeting to which
the deceased belonged, in the following form : —

Form of Notification of Burial.
To  Monthly Meeting of Friends.
We hereby inform you that the body of.  
of.  , in the county of.  (a) 
(a member of.  Monthly Meeting) , ivho died the 
day of  Month, one thousand nine hundred and  ,
aged about  , and ivhose death ivas registered at the public
registry-office for the district of.  on ihe 
day of  Month, 19..., icas buried [or cremated (b)] in
the  (c) at  , in the county of.  , on the
 day of.  Month, 19....

BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND BURIALS. 103
Signed in and on behalf of.  Monthly Meeting, held
at  the  day of  Month, 19....
 , Clerk.
(a) Here insert description, as "Grocer," ''Merchant," etc.; and in the
case of a wife, widow, or child, the name or names of the husband or
parents. (b) If information is received as to the disposal of the ashes after crema
tion, the following words may be inserted : the ashes being buried or
deposited, as the case may be, at 
(c) Friends' burial-ground or cemetery, as the case may be.
10. On the production of a Burial Note, or of such Notifi
cation as aforesaid (as the case may be), to the
Monthly Meeting of which the deceased was a Monthly
member, a record is to be made of the name Meeting.
and date of death, and the place and date of public registry
and of interment ; after which the Friend who has the care of
the list of members is to enter the particulars thereof in such
list. The same course is to be pursued in regard to the Burial
Note of a member of another Monthly Meeting, or of a person
not a member of the Society ; except that no entry thereof is
to be made in the list of members, and that a record is to
be made on the Burial Note and in the Monthly Meeting
records, specifying the Monthly Meeting of which the deceased
was a member, or that the deceased was not a member (as the
case may be) .
11. Notwithstanding the establishment of the public civil
registry of deaths, the Bank of England and many c rtifioate «
other public bodies, by way of precaution, insist Burial.
on the production of a Certificate of Burial. The Friend in
whose custody, for the time being, is the book containing the
Burial Note, is the person to give this Certificate. With the
view of promoting accuracy and uniformity in these Certi
ficates, blank forms (see next page) will be supplied by the
Recording Clerk.

104

CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

Form of Certificate of Burial.

No.

This is to certify that the body of.  , of  ,
in the county of  , who died the  day of 
Month, one thousand nine hundred and  , aged about  ,
and ivhose death was registered at the public registry-office for
the district of  , on the  day of 
Month, 19..., was buried [or cremated] in the  , at
 , in the county of  , on the  day of
 Month, 19.... Witness 

I,  , having the custody of Burial Notes,
within  Monthly Meeting ofthe Society of Friends,
do hereby certify that the above is a true copy of the Burial
Note of.  No  in my custody.
Witness my hand this  day of.  Month, 19....

One Penny

Stamp.

12. As soon as may be after the close of every year,
Monthly Monthly Meetings are to send to the Recording
annual8 Clerk, on forms supplied by him for the purpose,
returns. certified extracts from all Birth and Burial
Notes and Notifications of Burial recorded by the Monthly
Meeting during the year.

13. Burials of persons not members of the Society
may take place in Friends' burial-grounds, pro
vided they be in all respects conducted as the
burials of Friends are conducted. Friends are to
exercise discretion as to complying with any application that

Burial of
non-members.

BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND BURIALS. 105
may be made in such cases, and as to appointing a Meeting
for Worship on the occasion.
14. Friends are left at liberty to adopt the use of plain
gravestones in any burial-grounds ; it being dis-
, n A . „ , Gravestones.
tinctly understood that, m all cases, they are to
be provided and put down under the direction of the Monthly
Meeting ; so that, in each particular burial-ground, such an
entire uniformity may be preserved, in respect to the
materials, size, and form of the stones, as well as in the
mode of placing them, as may effectually guard against any
distinction being made in that place between the rich and
the poor.

CHAPTER XVIII.
REMOVALS.

1. We feel it our present concern to caution Friends to be
very circumspect how they remove themselves and
Counsel. families from the places of their residence, and to
give close attention to the pointings of Divine wisdom, and
also timely to consult experienced Friends, previously to their
fixing a resolution of changing their situation. 1784 p.e.
2. In choosing a place of residence, its distance from
a meeting-house should be an important consideration.
Many have greatly suffered from settling in places where
they have been in great measure deprived of the privileges
attaching to association and meeting for worship with their
fellow-members. 3. In view of the importance of an early intimation
of the removal of members, associates, and
Notice of attenders from a Monthly Meeting, Monthly
Removal. Meetings shall appoint one or more Friends
in each Particular and Allowed Meeting within
their limits, whose duty it shall be on ascertaining or
receiving information of the removal of a member, associate,
or attender, immediately to forward to the Clerk of the
Monthly Meeting into which the removal has taken place
the name and new address of the party removed, in the
106

REMOVALS. 107
form following, reporting the issue of such Notice in each
case to the Clerk of his own Monthly Meeting, who shall
report the same to the Monthly Meeting at its next sitting.
The Clerk of the Monthly Meeting into which the removal
has taken place shall, on the receipt of such Notice, at once
forward the information to the Friend or Friends appointed
to issue Notices in the Particular or Allowed Meeting con
cerned, so as to bring the removing party forthwith under the
kind notice of the Friends of the new Meeting.
Such Notice does not, in the case of a member, transfer
membership to the Monthly Meeting into which removal has
taken place.
Form of Notice of Eemoval not involving Transfer of
Membership.
To the Clerk of  Monthly Meeting.
 , a  (a) of this Meeting,
has removed (b)  to 
in the compass of yours.
The kind Christian interest of Friends in the neighbour
hood is requested.
Signed on behalf of.  Monthly Meeting,

.of.  Month, 19...

(a) Insert member, associate, or attender, as the case may be.
(b) Add, if needful, with his wife and family, or as the case may be.
4. All Friends removing from one Monthly Meeting to
another are to have Certificates of Removal from Certificate of
the Monthly Meeting of which they are members, Removal.
recommending them to that into the compass of which they
are removed ; and it is considered as obviously of importance
that such recommendation should take place without any un
necessary delay, in order that the individuals may come under
the early notice and oversight of the Meeting within the dis
trict of which they are residing. If, on removal, any Friend

108 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
does not himself apply for a Certificate of Removal, the
Monthly Meeting from which he is removed is to recommend
him without such application. In case this should be omitted
for the space of three months, the Monthly Meeting into
which such Friend is removed is at liberty to apply for a
Certificate of Removal ; and any Monthly Meeting, to which
an application of this kind shall be made, is to comply there
with, or assign sufficient reasons for not doing so.
5. Before issuing a Certificate of Removal, Monthly Meet-
tings are, except in the case of a young person
under or about the age of sixteen years, to satisfy
hemselves (making appointments of suitable Friends to make
the necessary inquiries, except in cases where the Preparative
Meeting has made inquiries to the satisfaction of the Monthly
Meeting) that so far as appears there is nothing in the con
duct of the person removing, including that which relates to
his pecuniary engagements, to require its notice of him as a
delinquent, and, upon being so satisfied, they shall proceed to
issue a Certificate of Removal on his behalf.
No person should be recommended to another Monthly
Meeting who has disreputably omitted to discharge, or to
make proper arrangements relative to his just debts, or who
for any other cause is under dealing or is liable to be dealt
with as a delinquent.
6. The Certificate ot Removal is to be in the following
form : — Form of Certificate of Removal.
To  Monthly Meeting of Friends.
Dear Friends, (a)  , a member of this
Meeting, has removed to  in
the compass of yours. We know of nothing in his conduct to
prevent the issue of a Certificate on his behalf, and we there-

REMOVALS. 109
fore recommend him to your Christian care, (b) 
and remain with love, Your Friends,
Signed on behalf and by direction of  Monthly
Meeting, held the  clay of.  Month, 19...
 , Clerk.
(a) Insert the name of the Friend, adding, if under 16, a minor, or, if his
wife is included, and  his wife.
(b) If children are included, add with  children, inserting the
names. 7. A wife is to be included in the same Certificate
of Removal with her husband. Children under „,.„Wife and
the age of sixteen years (or about that age, children
at the discretion of Monthly Meetings) are, on
removal with their parents, to be also recommended with
out separate Certificates of Removal.
8. If a Friend, on whose behalf a Certificate of Removal is
issued, is in the station of a recorded Minister, in- „,. . ,
' ... Minister
formation thereof is to be included in the Certifi- or Elder
cate. The same course is to be pursued in the case
of an Elder, if the removal be into another Monthly Meeting
within the limits of the same Quarterly Meeting.
9. The signature of the Clerk is to be considered as
sufficiently authenticating a Certificate of Re- Removals
moval. If the Certificate of Removal be addressed to America.
to any Monthly Meeting in America, it is to be sent to the
Recording Clerk and forwarded by him to America, after being
countersigned by one of our correspondents for the Yearly
Meeting of which the said Monthly Meeting forms a part.
10. In all cases a Certificate of Removal is to be accom
panied by the address of a Friend to whom the acknowledge
ment of its acceptance may be sent.

110 CHURCH GOVERNMENT
11. On receiving Certificates of Removal, Monthly
Procedure on Meetings are to make appointments to visit the
receipt of
Certificate. persons recommended.
These visits will furnish occasion for giving advice which
may prove helpful to the Friends visited, and may be the
introduction to an acquaintance fruitful of future advantage,
which may in an especial manner prove a blessing to young
persons placed in exposed situations, if they should thus
obtain the care and counsel of judicious Friends.
12. On accepting a Certificate of Removal, either upon
Acceptance receiving the report of such a visit or previously,
and acknow- an acknowledgment is to be transmitted to the
ledgment. Monthly Meeting which issued it, in the following
form : — Form of Acceptance of Certificate.
To the Monthly Meeting of. 
We hereby inform you, of our acceptance, this day, of
your Certificate on behalf of.  , dated the  day
of.  Month, 19...
Signed in and on behalf of.  Monthly Meeting,
held at  , the  day of.  Month, 19...
 , Clerk.
13. If the Monthly Meeting receiving a Certificate of
Return of Removal shall find that the party recommended
Certificate. jg not resident within its district, it may forward
the Certificate of Removal to any other Monthly Meeting,
within the compass of which he does reside, informing the
recommending Monthly Meeting thereof. But if this be not
done, or if, on any ground, the Monthly Meeting receiving
the Certificate of Removal shall deem the same improper to
be accepted, it shall return such Certificate of Removal to the
Monthly Meeting issuing it, and state the reason. Such

REMOVALS. Ill
information, or return and statement, is to be sent with as
little delay as possible. Should delay occur, the Clerk of the
issuing Monthly Meeting is to write to the Clerk of the
Monthly Meeting to which the Certificate of Removal has
been forwarded, drawing attention to the delay, and requesting
information of its acceptance, or the reasons for its non-
acceptance. 14. Upon the acceptance of a Certificate of Removal,
a Friend becomes a member of the accepting Effect of
Monthly Meeting. acceptance.
15. In the case of a Friend removing to America, on whose
behalf no acknowledgment of the acceptance of Where no
his Certificate of Removal is received within six acm"n7from
months from the date of issue, the Recording America.
Clerk shall be asked to communicate with the Clerk of the
.American Meeting ; and if no reply is received within a
period of twelve months from the date of issue, the removal
shall be deemed complete, and the name shall be removed
from the list of the recommending Monthly Meeting. The
Friend recommended should be informed thereof, when
practicable. 16. In order to diminish the time occupied by routine
business, it is desirable to adopt the plan Separate
of recording the removals of members into record of
and out of the Meeting in separate books, removals.
ruled in columns for the purpose, and in other ways to
abbreviate, so far as practicable, the proceedings relative
to removals.

CHAPTEE XIX.
ARBITRATION AND COMMITTEES ON LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS. •

1. It is advised that, in all cases of controversy and differ-
Arbitration ence, the persons concerned therein either speedily
advised. compose the difference between themselves, or
make choice of some faithful, unconcerned, impartial Friends
to determine the same ; and that all Friends take heed of
being parties with one or another. 1833.
2. Let Friends everywhere be careful that all differences
about outward things be speedily composed, either between
themselves, or by Arbitrators : and it would be well that
Friends were at all times ready to submit their differences,
even with persons not of our religious persuasion, to arbi
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."
1833. 3. It is the advice of this Meeting that persons differing
about outward things do, as little as may be, trouble minister
ing Friends with being Arbitrators in such cases. 1697.
GENERAL REGULATIONS.
4. If any Friend shall refuse speedily to end a difference in
which he is a party concerned, or to refer it as before advised,

ARBITRATION— LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 113
or shall fail to appoint an Arbitrator within the period of one
month after notice in writing so to do has been ProcGcIurG
given him by the Overseers or other Friends who on refusal
have given advice on the subject (they being of to refer'
opinion that such case of difference should be referred to
arbitration, and having unavailingly endeavoured to effect
the same), the case should then be reported to the Monthly
Meeting to which the Friend belongs. If such Meeting is
also of the judgment that the case ought to be so referred,
and the Friend shall still refuse to refer it, or fail to appoint
an Arbitrator without further delay, the Monthly Meeting,
after the exercise of due care, and with a just regard to the
interest of all parties, is to express its disunity with his
conduct, and may proceed to disown him as a member of the
Society. 5. When cases of difference are referred, and judgment
and award are made, signed, and given thereupon, 0n refusal to
the parties concerned are to stand to, and perform obey award.
the said award; and if any one shall refuse so to do, the
Monthly Meeting to which such person belongs, upon notice
thereof to them given, shall admonish him thereunto ; and
if, after admonition, he persist to refuse, the Meeting may
then proceed to disownment.
6. In cases of differences between Friends, a person,
or persons, not belonging to the Society may be Non-mem-
chosen to the office of Arbitrator, if both parties bers as
unite in agreeing thereto, but the concurrence r l ra ors-
of the Overseers, or of the Monthly Meeting, shall be had,
if the case is under their or its notice. The long-established
practice of confining the choice to Friends should, however,
so much as circumstances will admit, be still observed.
7. Where cases arise in which it may be needful for
proceedings at law to be taken, the approval of the Committee 9

114 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
on Legal Proceedings * is to be obtained before proceedings
are begun. If all the parties are members of the
on Legal same Quarterly Meeting, the Committee of that
Meeting is to be the approving one; if not, the
approbation is to be obtained of all the Committees of the
respective Quarterly Meetings of which any one individual on
either side is a member. Any such Committee is to be
summoned, in the cases under this regulation, at the instance
of either party, by any one of its members ; and not less than
three are to be competent to act.
8. If, however, any members of the Society, after having
contracted debts, or otherwise become legally
Procedure , ° J
in case of responsible, should prove so unworthy as to
remove themselves, or to remove or appropriate
property or effects, or to act in any other way inconsistent
with justice and fair dealing, permission in writing to take
legal proceedings may be granted by any two members of one
of the before-mentioned Committees, after having together
heard the circumstances of the case, and being unitedly
satisfied that it is one which does not admit of delay.
9. If any member of the Society shall sue, or implead
Procedure at law any other member thereof (except under
0° these 10D permission granted as provided in the two pre-
regulations. ceding regulations), such person ought to be
dealt with for the same by the Monthly Meeting to which he
belongs ; and, if he shall not give satisfaction to such Meeting
for such his disorderly proceeding, then he may be disowned.
Or, if the party so sued, taking with him one or two Friends
to the person who goes to law, shall complain thereof, the said
person shall be required immediately to stay proceedings;
and if he does not comply with such requisition, the Monthly
Meeting to which he belongs may disown him, if the case
require it. * See under Quarterly Meetings page 8,

ARBITRATION— LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 115
10. The regulations for the settlement of differences about
property are not to be considered as binding upon „
Regulations
trustees or executors acting for others, in the not binding
r zz ii • n , • i on trustees.
performance of their duties as such ; nor upon
any Friends acting on behalf of, and so as to incur a legal
responsibility to persons not belonging to the Society.
11. Matters of defamation are not subjects to be arbitrated,
until the defamation is proved, as well as the fact
... , Defamation.
that some injury is sustained by the defamed in
his trade or property ; and in that case the damage should
be submitted to arbitration.
12. Every arbitration shall be conducted in the following
manner : —
a. Each party having chosen one or two indifferent,
impartial, and judicious Friends, those
so chosen are to agree upon a third, or conducting
a fifth Friend (unless the parties first
agree in the nomination), whose name is to be
inserted with the others in the bonds of arbitra
tion, or other written agreement.
b. The Arbitrators so appointed, or the majority of
them, are to fix the time and place of their meeting.
c. The Arbitrators are not to consider themselves as
advocates for the party by whom they are chosen,
but as men whose incumbent duty it is to judge
righteously, fearing the Lord. They are to shun
all previous information respecting the case, that
they may not become biassed in their judgments
before they hear both parties together.
d. The parties are to enter into written engagements,
or, if either of them require it, into bonds in the
usual form, to abide by the award of the Arbi
trators, or of a majority of them, to be made in
a limited time.

116 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
e. Every meeting of the Arbitrators is to be made
known to the parties concerned, until they have
been fully heard ; and there are to be no separate,
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 party, either by writing or other
wise, is to be admitted, without its being fully
made known to the other, and, if required, a copy
is to be delivered to the other party.
/. The Arbitrators are to hear both parties fully, in
the presence 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 be withheld or rejected.
g. If there should appear to the Arbitrators, or to one
or more of them, to be any doubtful point of law,
the majority of them are to agree upon a case, and
consult Counsel thereupon. The Arbitrators are
not required to express in the award the reasons for
their decision. One copy of the award signed by
the Arbitrators is to be delivered to each party.
h. Arbitrators are to propose to the parties that they
should give an acknowledgment in writing, before
the award be made, that they have been fully and
fairly heard.

CHAPTEE XX.
APPEALS.

[The regulations on this subject are not printed in this
edition. A copy of them, in pamphlet form, may be obtained
from the Eecording Clerk.]

117

CHAPTEE XXI.
TRUST PROPERTY.

1. The registration of places of religious worship in England
„ . ± , is now regulated by the Act 18 & 19 Vict. c. 81 ;
Registry of ° J
places of and forms of certificate for the purpose of effect
ing the registration of our meeting-houses under
this Act may be obtained (without payment) upon application
to the Superintendent Registrar of births, deaths, and mar
riages for the district in which the meeting-house is situated.
Such certificate, when properly filled up, is to be delivered
in duplicate (accompanied by the payment of a fee of 2s. 6d.)
to the Superintendent Registrar, for transmission to the
Registrar-General, who, after recording the same, will return
one copy to be delivered to the certifying party. A certificate
of registry under the seal of the General Register Office may
be afterwards obtained from the Registrar- General on pay
ment of a fee of 2s. 6d. And such certificate is to be
received in any court as evidence of the facts therein
mentioned.

2. Whenever any freehold, copyhold, or leasehold property
is newly acquired for meeting-houses or burial-
Conveyance °
of trust grounds, or for the benefit of Quarterly, Monthly,
t-»(-'pf-i '¦ Preparative, or other Meetings, or for any other
charitable purpose under the care of Friends, the trusts should
118

TRUST PROPERTY. 119
be declared, either in the deed or instrument of conveyance,*
or in a contemporaneous separate deed or instrument ; care
being taken that the formalities prescribed by the Mortmain
and Charitable Uses Act, 1888, and other Acts relating to
the conveyance of land to trustees for charitable purposes
are strictly complied with.t The Mortmain and Charitable
Uses Act, 1891, 54 & 55 Vict. c. 73, facilitates the gift by
will of land for charitable purposes.
3. Whenever an appointment of new trustees of any real or
personal property belonging to, or under the direc- „, ,
tion or care of a Quarterly, Monthly, Preparative, trustees.
or other Meeting, may become desirable, either from reduction
of the number of the existing trustees, who are solvent
members of the Society and resident within the United
Kingdom, to two, or from other circumstances, it is recom
mended that such appointment be speedily made, and the
trust property legally transferred accordingly.
4. Appointments of new trustees may be made either —
a. By deed or other instrument as in the case of
private trusts. J For this purpose forms supplied
by the Recording Clerk may in general be used.*
But especial care should be taken not in any
way to alter the trust, or to interfere with any
special provision for appointing trustees made at the
original creation of the trust ; and the forms must
only be followed so far as the circumstances will
* Forms of clauses applicable to the conveyance of freehold, copyhold,
and leasehold property respectively, are now printed separately, and kept
by the Recording Clerk for the use of Friends. There is considerable
advantage in uniformity being observed in all such trusts.
t See 26 & 27 Vict. c. 106 ; 31 & 32 Vict. c. 44 s. 3 ; 36 & 37 Vict. c. 50 ;
45 & 46 Vict. c. 21 ; 51 & 52 Vict. c. 42 ; 54 & 55 Vict. c. 73.
{ As regards appointment of trustees for meeting-houses, etc., see
Trustees' Appointment Acts, 1850 to 1890 (13 & 14 Vict. c. 28; 32 & 33
Vict. c. 26 ; 53 & 54 Vict. c. 19).

120 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
properly admit. The formalities required by the
Mortmain Acts before referred to are not necessary
on transfers to new trustees ; or,
b. By an order of the Charity Commissioners,*
which is made upon the application of the trustees
or persons administering the charity. This pro
cedure usually obviates legal expenses and also
the difficulties which sometimes arise in ascertain
ing who are the proper persons to make the
appointment, or in tracing absent trustees.
5. Monthly and Preparative Meetings are strongly recom
mended not to sell disused meeting-houses or
Caution re
specting sale burial-grounds, or to put them out of their power
pei y' by granting leases of them or otherwise, without
very carefully considering any possible use they may be to the
Society in the future; which consideration, in the case of
outlying places, should not be confined to the needs of the
Meeting within the compass of which they are situated, but
should include the possible needs of adjoining Meetings.
6. Monthly and Preparative Meetings, especially when
these are small, are advised to consult their Quarterly
Meetings before deciding to sell any such old meeting
houses or burial-grounds, or to put them out of their
power ; and Quarterly Meetings whose advice is asked in
any such matter should be careful before coming to any
decision to inform themselves of the circumstances of the
case, either by referring the matter to a committee or
otherwise. 7. In cases where the maintenance of a meeting-house
or burial-ground that it is proposed to sell or dispose of
is somewhat of a burden financially, or otherwise, on the
Monthly or Preparative Meeting to which it belongs, a
* Or Board of Education (see paragraph 17).

TRUST PROPERTY. 121
Quarterly Meeting, when recommending that it be not sold
or disposed of, should consider whether it should not give
some financial or other assistance to the Monthly or Pre
parative Meeting in maintaining it.
8. Whenever a disused meeting-house is let to a tenant,
provision should be made for determining the tenancy at
reasonably short notice, in case the house should at any
future time be required for the use of Friends.
9. In settling the trusts of any new meeting-house or
burial-ground, Friends are advised to vest the control and
power of selling, leasing, or disposing of the property in
Monthly rather than in Preparative Meetings.
10. Care is to be particularly taken that all title-deeds
and writings relating to meeting-houses, burial- Custody of
grounds, and trust property of any kind held for fecwds of
the use of any part of the Society, as well as all trusts.
deeds and records relative to donations and legacies, be
deposited in a place of security, free from damp and from
danger by fire ; and that the custody of them be entrusted
to two or more Friends appointed for the purpose. It is
suggested that, where practicable or convenient, the title-deeds
of such property situate within the limits of any one Quarterly
Meeting be deposited (under the direction of the said Meet
ing) in the most suitable and, so far as practicable, central
place, combined with security ; that it may be more generally
known where they are to be met with.
Monthly Meetings are to take care that a correct account
of the nature of all trusts, with the names of the trustees of
such real or personal property as they are entrusted with or
entitled to, be recorded in a book kept for that purpose; in
which should be inserted the place of deposit of the title-deeds
of such property. In all cases of legacies or donations, copies
of the wills, or of the clauses of the wills, with the date of

122 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
probate and of the deeds of gift, are, so far as practicable, to
be procured and carefully recorded in the said book.
11. Trust funds held by individual trustees may, where
Official it is thought desirable, be transferred into the
Charitabk corporate name of "The Official Trustees of
Funds. Charitable Funds," by whom the dividends will
be regularly remitted to the administering trustees free of
income tax. Such transfer, which can readily be made on
application to the Charity Commissioners, whose Order
affords a statutory indemnity to the persons making the
transfer, obviates the trouble and expense of periodical
transfers of stock on the death of stockholders or the
appointment of new trustees, and does not prevent a change
of investment into trust securities (other than mortgages)
should occasion arise. The Official Trustees have no power
to interfere in the administration of the income or in the
management of a charity for which they hold stock.
12. Monthly Meetings are to exercise due care that all
legacies and donations be properly secured and
Accounts. 8 , A. . „ .
duly applied, according to the directions of the
testators and donors ; and, in order that the appropriation
of these, as well as of all other trust funds under the care of
Monthly Meetings, may be duly attended to, distinct accounts
are to be regularly kept of the receipts and expenditure
thereof ; which accounts are to be annually examined by the
Monthly Meeting, or a committee appointed by it, when the
list of trustees is to be read over with reference to the advice
given in paragraph 3, as to the appointment of new trustees.
13. Monthly Meetings are to furnish the Quarterly Meetings
of which they form parts with a brief account of
Reports to '
superior the nature of the trusts and the names of the
"J ° trustees of the real and personal property pos
sessed by them ; and also to transmit from time to time

TRUST PROPERTY. 123
accounts of any additions thereto or alterations therein.
Quarterly Meetings are to record such accounts in a proper
book, with an index ; and the names of the trustees are
to be annually examined by, or on behalf of the Quarterly
Meeting. Where the trust property belongs to, or is under the care
of Preparative or Particular Meetings, the Monthly Meeting
is to exercise a general superintendence over them, in con
formity with the spirit of the foregoing regulations.
Where the trust property belongs to, or is under the care
of Quarterly Meetings, they are to conform to the foregoing
regulations so far as applicable to their case. But it is not
expected that they should furnish to the Yearly Meeting any
account of the trusts or trustees, unless specially required.
Where the trust property belongs to, or is under the care
of any distinct body or committee of Friends, as in the case
of schools and other charitable foundations, it is recommended
that the spirit of the above regulations should be attended
to, and the provisions complied with, as far as the circum
stances will permit.
14. Should any Meeting be dissolved, or cease to retain its
distinct character, care should be taken that a Case of a
minute be previously entered on its books, for Meeting
regularly transferring the property under its
direction to the superintendence of the Meeting which may
succeed it in authority, in all instances where the nature
of the trust admits of this being done. This will be the
case with every trust created agreeably to any of the forms
referred to in paragraph 4.
15. The Mortmain and Charitable Uses Act, 1888, does
not extend to Scotland; but the foregoing re- „ „ ,
Scotland.
commendations, which relate to the general care
and oversight of trusts by Quarterly, Monthly, and other

124 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Meetings, are to be considered applicable to the General
Meeting for Scotland and its subordinate Meetings.
16. All estates and property held by, or under the care of
Charitable any 0I" °ur Meetings, in trust for any charitable
Trusts Acts. or pU^ijc pUrp0se, including property the capital
or income of which is held as part of the general funds of
any Meeting, are subject to the operation of the Charitable
Trusts Acts,* which contain provisions to the following
effect, viz. : —
a. The trustees of every charity are required, on or
before the 25th of Third Month, in every year, to
transmit to the Charity Commissioners t for
England and Wales, in London, an account of the
income and expenditure of the charity. \
b. The Charity Commissioners t are authorized, upon
application by the trustees of any charity, to
sanction the leasing, sale, or exchange of any
landed property belonging to such charity, upon
such terms as the Commissioners may think fit,
although no power of leasing, sale, or exchange
may be vested in the trustees ; and unless the
trustees are authorized by a scheme legally
established, which expression does not include a
trust deed establishing a charity, they are not
competent to sell or exchange land belonging to
* See 16 & 17 Vict. c. 137 ; 18 & 19 Vict. c. 124 ; 23 & 24 Vict. c. 136 ;
32 & 33 Vict. c. 110 ; 50 & 51 Vict. c. 49 ; 54 & 55 Vict. c. 17 ; 57 & 58
Vict. c. 35.
t Or Board of Education (see paragraph 17).
' Printed forms for making out these accounts, so far as regards charities
under the care of any of our Meetings, may be obtained from the Recording
Clerk. And it is advised that the same, when filled up, be sent to him for
transmission to the Commissioners, on or before the 1st of Third Month,
in every year. Any Monthly or other Meeting may print and employ its
own forms adapted to its peculiar trusts if such form be approved by the
Commissioners. A specimen form which has received their approval may
be obtained from the Recording Clerk.

TRUST PROPERTY. 125
the charity, or to grant a lease of it for more
than 21 years, without the consent of the Com
missioners or the Court.
c. The Charity Commissioners * have power, on appli
cation by the trustees, to make effectual orders for
the establishment of new schemes for the manage
ment of any charity, or for the appropriation of trust
funds, in a manner as nearly as may be in accord
ance with the original trusts; and Friends are
advised, where such a change has become desirable,
to endeavour to avail themselves of this means of
effecting it, and they are encouraged, should any
difficulty arise, to state the facts of such case, or
cases, to the Meeting for Sufferings, with a view to
obtaining its advice and assistance therein.
A building registered as a place of religious worship and
bona fide used as such (together with any yard, garden, burial-
ground, or caretaker's house in respect of situation connected
with and held upon the same trusts as any such building) is
exempted from the operation of the Charitable Trusts Acts ;
except that the Charity Commissioners may, on the appli
cation of the trustees, appoint or remove trustees, vest the
property, or establish a new scheme for the administration
of any such exempted charity, and may also extend all or
any of the provisions of the said Acts to exempted charities.
17. By the Board of Education Act, 1889 (62 & 63 Vict.
c. 33) and the Orders in Council made thereunder, the powers
and functions of the Charity Commissioners (except as regards
the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds and the Official
Trustee of Charity Lands) are transferred to the Board of
Education in the case of all charities held solely for educa
tional purposes. In the case of charities held partly for
* Or|Board of Education (see paragraph 17).

126 CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
educational and partly for non-educational purposes, it rests
with the Commissioners to determine what part of the endow
ment is held for educational purposes.
There are therefore now two Government Departments
exercising jurisdiction under the Charitable Trusts Acts. In
case of mixed endowments, or in case of doubt as to which
Department the particular charity is under, application should
be made to the Charity Commissioners.

CONCLUSION.
Finally, Friends, collectedly and individually, farewell !
May all our meetings be held with weight as in the
. Conclusion.
immediate presence of the Heavenly President.
May the aged in Christ be encouraged to keep the word of His
patience, maintaining their watch, as servants in waiting;
knowing Him, amidst the infirmities of their declining years,
to lift them above every wave of discouragement, with the
sweet assurance that their redemption draweth nigh. May
the middle-aged be stirred up to continued diligence, calling
often to remembrance the days of their early visitations and
the vows of their espousals ; may they especially guard against
the benumbing, deadening influence of the earthly mind.
Now is your time, dear Friends, to labour, and to prove
your faithfulness to your Lord ; let not the sun go down
upon you before your work is done. And for you, beloved
younger Friends, who have enjoyed many privileges both in
your training and in your education, greatly do we desire
that you may be encouraged to devote yourselves with all
earnestness to the service of your Lord and Redeemer, and
that all that you have, and all that you are, may be sanctified
to His use. And in the end, in the Lord's unmerited mercy,
may it be given to all, of every age and condition, through
heartfelt subjection to the powerful work of redeeming love,
to have their part in the unspeakable blessedness of them
that enter in through the gates into the city of God, to go
no more out for ever. 1799 p.e. 1857 p.e.
127

INDEX TO VOL. II.
/ denotes following pages or paragraphs.
Accounts : PAGE PAB.
Monthly Meeting Committees to advise  13 7
Monthly Meetings to report on advice given  13 9
Monthly Meeting enquiry  21 38
(See Finance.)
Advices, Geneeal :
Monthly Meetings to report on reading and con
sideration  14 9
Regulations for reading  37 1
List  37/ 2
Overseers to recommend them  50 9d
Advices, Ministry and Oversight :
To be read and considered  53/ 3/
List  56/ 10
Affiliation :
Of Mission Churches, etc., to Monthly Meetings 19 30
Of Mission Churches, etc., to Preparative Meetings 31 2c
Allowed Meetings :
Definition  18 25
American Ministers :
Certificates  63/ 17/
Travelling expenses  66 4
American Yearly Meetings :
In correspondence with London Yearly Meeting... 1 3
Correspondents members of Meeting for Sufferings 60 5
Marriages with members of London Yearly Meeting 88 33
Removals to  j -,,-, ,r
Amusements :
General Advice  39
Appeals  117
Arbitration :
Overseers' counsel  51 9o
Counsel  112 1/
Ministers need not act  112 3
129 1Q

130 INDEX.
PAGE PAR.
Arbitration {continued) —
General regulations  112/ 4/
Cases of urgency  114 8
Violations of regulations  114 9
Regulations not binding on trustees  115 10
Defamation  115 11
How to be conducted  115 12
Arrangements, Committee on :
To decide what to read in Yearly Meeting  2 4d
Constitution  3 5
To arrange for sittings of Yearly Meeting  3 7
To control premises during Yearly Meeting  3 7
Associates :
Definition  18 26
Children to be cared for  19 28
May be invited to Ministry Committee conferences 28 57
To be visited by Overseers  50 9ad
Removals to be notified  106 3
Associateship :
Established by Preparative Meetings  31 2b
Attenders :
Definition  18 27
Children to be cared for  19 28
May be invited to Ministry Committee conferences 28 57
May attend Meetings for Discipline  36 9
To be visited by Overseers  50 9ad
Removals to be notified  106 3
(See Lists of Attenders.)
Auckland (N.Z.) Monthly Meeting :
Position in Yearly Meeting  j on go
Australia, General Meeting for :
Occupies same position as Quarterly Meetings  6 1
Need not appoint representatives to Yearly Meeting 6 1
Need not contribute to Yearly Meeting Fund  66 1

Bequests :
„ ,. (22 39
Care respecting  (121 10
Betting and Gambling :
General Advice  39
Births :
Monthly Meetings to report on registration  14 9
To be reported by Preparative Meetings  30 Id
Registration  97/ 1/
Public registration  98 2

INDEX. 131
t, .. page pah.
.birth Notes :
To be examined by Monthly Meetings  17 22
To be issued and preserved  97/ 1/
To be produced to Monthly Meetings  98 3
Form  99 3
Birthright Membership :
(See Membership, Birthright.)
Books :
General Advice  39
Friends' literature to be read  45 3
Meeting for Sufferings may print, purchase, and
distribute  64 20
(See Literature.)
Burials :
Monthly Meetings to report on registration  14 9
To be reported by Preparative Meetings  30 Id
Registration  j ^ 1
Not to take place without Registrar's certificate ... 100 6
No grave to be made without Order  101 7
Form of Order  101 7
Form of Notification to another Monthly Meeting 102 9
Certificates to be issued  103 11
Form of Certificate  104 11
Of non-members  104 13
Burial Grounds :
(See Gravestones ; Trust Property.)
Burial Notes :
To be examined by Monthly Meetings  17 22
To be issued and preserved  97 1
To be produced to Monthly Meetings  101 8
Form  101 8
Business :
Condition to be annually inspected.  13 7
Careful inspection advised  21 38
Cases of failure  21 38
No undue preference to creditors  21 38
General Advices  38/
Sixth and ninth Queries  42/
Overseers' counsel  51 9n
Ministry and Oversight Query  58 11

Cape Town Monthly Meeting :
Position in Yearly Meeting  j 29

2
60

132 INDEX.
PAGE PAR.
Central Education Committee :
Objects and constitution  70/ 1/
Charitable Funds, Official Trustees of :
(See Trust Property.)
Charitable Trusts Acts :
Certain provisions  124 16
Charity Commissioners :
(See Trust Property.)
Children :
Membership by birthright  16 16
(See Membership, Birthright.)
Necessity of conversion  16 17
Admission as minors  16 18
Dissociation  16 19
General Advice  39
Fourth and sixth Queries  42
Non-members to be under care of Overseers  50 9b
To be cared for by Ministry and Oversight
Committees  55 9
(See Education; Lists of Children (Non-members);
Parents ; Young, The.)
Christian Societies :
Affiliation to Monthly Meetings  19 30
Affiliation to Preparative Meetings by consent of
Monthly Meetings  31 2c
(See Home Missions.)
Clerks of Yearly Meeting, Committee to propose :
Constitution  3 5
Collections :
Not to be taken from those who have not paid
their debts  22 39
(See Finance.)
Committees : ( 25 48
Travelling expenses  < 36 11
( 50 9h
In place of Ministry and Oversight Committees ... ( 27 54
i 53 3
Companions, Travelling :
-p j 25 48
Expenses  j fifi 3
Elders encouraged to act  48 6
To be considered by Meeting for Sufferings  62 15
To have minutes from Monthly Meetings  62 15
(See Ministers, Travelling.)
Conversion :
A necessity  16 17

3
14

INDEX. 133
_ PAGE PAB.
Conversion (continued) —
First Query  41
Overseers' care  50 9d
Ministry and Oversight Query  58 11
Correspondents :
Appointed by Yearly Meeting  j J:
Correspondents, American :
Members of Meeting for Sufferings  60 5
To send early intimation of liberation of Ministers 63 17
Correspondents, Irish :
Members of Meeting for Sufferings  60 5
Cremation :
(See Burial Notes.)

Deaths :
Registration  j 10(y g,
(See Burials.)
Debts :
(See Business ; Collections.)
Deeds :
To be deposited in places of safety  121 10
Defamation :
In relation to arbitration  115 11
Delinquencies :
Monthly Meeting regulations  19/ 31/
Private admonition  19 31
To be reported to Monthly Meetings  19 31
Re-admission into membership  21 36
Tenth Query  43
Overseers' care  51 9m
(See Disownment.)
Denmark :
Members may attend London Yearly Meeting  2 3
Disownment :
For delinquencies  19 31
(See Delinquencies.)
Christian care to be exercised afterwards  34 3
Dissociation :
Of children  16 19
Of members not attending Meetings for Worship... 17 20
Doctrine, False :
To be dealt with  ,  ,  „ 21 37

134 INDEX. PAGE PAB.
Duties :
The nine, to be reported upon by Monthly Meetings 13 9
The six, commended to Ministry and Oversight
Committees  55 9
Education :
Overseers to instruct in Friends' principles  50 9d
Of poor children to be considered by Overseers ... 50 9f
(See Central Education Committee.)
Education, Board of :
(See Trust Property.)
Elders :
To attend Meetings for Worship at Yearly Meet
ing and report thereon  5 14
Monthly Meetings to report on revision  13 9
To advise young Ministers  22 40
Procedure in recording Ministers  22/ 40/
To be informed of unsatisfactory ministry  24 45
To be appointed by Monthly Meetings  26 50
, Qualifications for office and duties  J™ &0
£ ZiJ uo
Position lost on removal out of Quarterly Meetings 26 51
To be nominated and revised by committees  27 55
Or other suitable Friends to break up Meetings for
Worship  30 lc
Caution as to their own lives  46 1
Counsel  46/ 1/
To discharge diligently their duties  46/ 2/
Not to restrain offerings in ministry  48 5
Encouraged to accompany travelling Ministers ... 48 6
Members of Ministry and Oversight Committees 53 1/
Members of Meeting for Sufferings  60 5
Position to be stated on Certificates of Removal f 83 18
within the same Quarterly Meeting  \ 109 8
Executors :
(See Trustees.)
Families :
Quarterly Meeting committees to visit  8 6
General Advices  38
Fourth and sixth Queries  42
Ministry and Oversight Query  58 11
Finance :
(See Accounts ; Collections ; Travelling Ex
penses ; Trust Property ; Yearly Meeting
Fund.)

INDEX.

135

_ _ PAGE
First-Day :
General Advice  38
First-Day Schools :
Workers to receive help and sympathy from
Monthly Meetings  19
Those attending to receive help and sympathy from
Monthly Meetings  19
(See Friends' First-Day School Association.)
Foreign Missions :
Meeting during Yearly Meeting  2
Missionaries may be appointed on Ministry and
Oversight Committees  27
Twelfth Query  43
(See Friends' Foreign Mission Association.)
France :
Members may attend London Yearly Meeting ... 2
Certificates for Ministers travelling in  24
Friends' Christian Fellowship Union :
To report to Yearly Meeting  5
Friends' First-Day School Association :
To report to Yearly Meeting  5
To nominate to Home Mission and Extension
Committee  68
To appoint to Central Education Committee  71
(See First-Day Schools.)
Friends' Foreign Mission Association :
Meeting during Yearly Meeting  4
To report to Yearly Meeting  5
To appoint to Central Education Committee  71
(See Foreign Missions.)
Friends' Guild of Teachers :
To appoint to Central Education Committee  70
Friends' Temperance Union :
Meeting during Yearly Meeting  4
To report to Yearly Meeting  5
(See Temperance.)
Friends' Tract Association :
Meeting during Yearly Meeting  4
To report to Yearly Meeting  5
(See Literature.)
General Meetings :
Occupy same position as Quarterly Meetings  6
(See Australia; Scotland.)

2929 4c
54 3
47 11
11 2
2e

11 11 2e

2d
1111

1111

136 INDEX.
PAGE PAR.
Germany :
Members may attend London Yearly Meeting ... 2 3
Certificates for Ministers travelling in  24 47
Gravestones :
To be simple and uniform  105 14
Guernsey Expenses of care and visitation may be paid by
Meeting for Sufferings  67 5/
Home Mission and Extension Committee :
Object, constitution, etc  68/ 1/
To appoint to Central Education Committee  71 2e
Home Missions :
Meeting during Yearly Meeting  2 4c
To claim the attention of Preparative Meetings ... 30 lb
Twelfth Query  43
To claim the attention of Ministry and Oversight
Committees  55 9
(See Christian Societies ; Mission Churches ; etc.)
India :
Members may attend London Yearly Meeting  2 3
Ireland, Yearly Meeting in :
Representatives members of London Yearly Meeting 1 2
Members may attend London Yearly Meeting  1 3
Correspondents members of Meeting for Sufferings 60 5
Ireland :
Ministers travelling in  ¦]
Laws respecting marriage  89 36
Irish Ministers :
Travelling expenses  66 4
Jersey :
Expenses of care and visitation may be paid by
Meeting for Sufferings  67 5/
Law :
(See Legal Proceedings, Committees on.)
Legacies :
Care respecting  ¦] .
Legal Proceedings, Committees on :
Appointed by Quarterly Meetings  8 8
Names to be read over by Quarterly Meetings and
sent to Monthly Meetings and Recording Clerk 8 8
General regulations  112/ 4/

8 7
25 48

22 39
121 10

INDEX.

137

T PAGE
Libraries :
To be catalogued and cared for  13
Monthly Meetings to report on their care  14
(See Literature.)
Lists of Attenders :
Monthly Meetings to report on revision  14
To be kept and read by Monthly Meetings  18
To be read over by Overseers  51
Lists of Children (Non-members) :
Monthly Meetings to report on revision  14
To be kept by Monthly Meetings  19
To be kept by Preparative Meetings  31
Lists of Members :
To be printed by Quarterly Meetings -  9
Monthly Meetings to report on revision  14
To be read and revised by Monthly Meetings  14
To be kept by Monthly Meetings  j ^
To be read over by Overseers  51
Births to be recorded  99
Burials to be recorded  103
Literature :
(See Books ; Friends' Tract Association ; Libra
ries; Manuscripts.)

9
23 9r 9
28 li

9
10
22 1
9r4
10

Manuscripts :
To be preserved, copied, etc  64 21
(See Literature.)
Marriages :
Monthly Meetings to report on registration  14 9
Registers to be examined by Monthly Meetings ... 17 22
General Advice  39
Overseers' care  50 9ij
Counsel  74/ 1/
When both parties are members  75/ 4/
(75 5
Notice to Superintendent Registrar  < qr,^ on f
Notice of objection  1 77 8
Consent of parents  j 7n 1 1 f
Public notice to be given  77 8
Liberation by Clerk and Overseer  77/ 10/
Liberation by Monthly Meeting  79 13

138 INDEX.

Marriages (continued) —
Registering Officer to receive documents and
report marriage to liberating Monthly Meeting 80 14
Time and place  i an on
Declaration by the parties  81 16
Witnesses to sign Certificate  82 17
Report to man's Monthly Meeting  83 18
Transfer of woman's membership  83 18
Provision in absence of Clerk of Monthly Meeting 83 19
Appointment of Friend to have power of Overseer 84 20
Saving powers of Monthly Meeting  84 21
Definition of Monthly Meeting  84 22
When either or both parties are non-members ... 84/ 23/
Non-members no claim to membership through
marriage  86 27
Woman's membership not transferred by marriage
with non-member of another district  87 28
When not according to usages  87/ 29/
Powers of Monthly Meetings in particular cases ... 87 31
When taking place abroad  88/ 33/
Acts affecting Friends  89/ 36/
By licence  92 41
When one party in Ireland  93 42
Appointment and duties of Registering Officers ... 93/ 43/
Marriage Forms :
A. Application of Non-member  85 24
B. Certificate of Permission to Non-member  86 25
C. No. I. Declaration of Intention  76 6
C. No. II. Certificate of Publication of Intention 76 6
D. Liberation by Clerk and Overseer  78 10
E. Liberation by Monthly Meeting  79 13
F. Publication of Intention  77 8
G. Report  80 14
Certificate  82 17
Meeting for Sufferings :
Committee to grant use of premises for Yearly
Meeting time  4 8
To appoint auditor of accounts of Yearly Meeting
Fund  4 10
To consider Ministers' concerns for service abroad 24 47
To report to Yearly Meeting liberation of Ministers 24 47
May pay Ministers' travelling expenses  26 48
May pay travelling Ministers' home expenses  26 49

INDEX. 139
PAGE PAB.
Meeting for Sufferings (continued) —
Correspondence with Auckland (N.Z.) and Cape
Town Monthly Meetings  29 60
Name and general duties  59 1
Time of meeting  59 2
Cases of suffering to be reported  59 3
Constitution  59/ 4/
To report attendances to Quarterly Meetings  60 8
To nominate correspondents for other Yearly
Meetings  62 14
To extend care to Ministers travelling abroad  62 15
To consider Ministers' concerns during intervals of
Yearly Meeting  62 16
May grant returning certificates to Ministers from
other Yearly Meetings  62 16
To inform Yearly Meeting of liberation of
Ministers, etc  62 16
Certificates of American Ministers  63/ 17/
May print, purchase, and distribute books  64 20
Respecting manuscripts  64 21
To administer Yearly Meeting Fund  66 1
To appoint trustees of Yearly Meeting Fund and
read their names annually  66 2
To pay expenses of Ministers travelling abroad ... 66 3
May pay travelling expenses of Ministers from
other Yearly Meetings  66 4
May pay expenses of travelling Ministers visiting
adjacent islands  67 5
May pay expenses of care and visitation in
Guernsey and Jersey  67 5/
To fill up certain casual vacancies in Central
Education Committee  71 5
May be consulted respecting Trust Property  125 16c
Meeting Houses :
Internal arrangement  14 11
Need not be registered for marriages  92 40
Registration as places of worship  118 1
(See Trust Property.)
Meetings for Discipline :
To exercise pastoral care  12 6
Monthly Meetings to report on regular holding ... 13 9
Formal or routine matters to take as short a time ( j-^a
aspossible  ) m ig

140 INDEX.
PAGE PAB.
Meetings for Discipline (continued) —
To record short statement only respecting removals 14 12b
To consider subjects of general interest  15 12c
Social character to be promoted  15 12d
f 25 48
Expense of attendance may be defrayed  < 36 11
( 50 9h
Counsel  33/ 1/
For restoration of offenders  33 3
Encouragement to visit them  35 6
Care to be taken in making appointments  35 7
Attenders may be present  36 9
Tenth, eleventh, and twelfth Queries  43
Meetings for Worship :
Held during Yearly Meeting  j ^ ^
Monthly Meetings to report on regular holding ... 13 9
As Particular and Allowed Meetings  18 24/
By whom to be broken up  30 lc
Regular holding to be reported by Preparative
Meetings to Monthly Meetings  31 lh
General Advice  37
Second Query  42
Overseers to give attention to seating  50 9k
„ to welcome strangers  50 9k
„ to admonish late-comers  50 9k
Commended to care of Ministry and Oversight
Committees  55 9
Ministry and Oversight Advice  56/ 10
Members :
Numbers to be reported in Tabular Statement  7 5
Dissociation for non-attendance at Meetings for
Worship  17 20
Names may be removed when residence unknown 17 21
(See Lists of Members ; Non-Members.)
Members Abroad :
Monthly Meeting correspondence  14 10
Overseers' care  51 9p
Members, New :
Admission by Monthly Meetings  15 14
Qualifications for admission  15 15
To be early visited by Overseers  50 9c
Membership :
Monthly Meeting regulations  16/ 16/

INDEX.

141

-r PAGE PAB.
Membership (continued) —
Re-admission  21 36
Transfer  Ill 14
Membership, Birthright :
Conditions  16 16
To be recorded by Birth Note  98/ 3/
Ministers :
Increase desired  22 40
Young to be advised  22 40
„ to be cared for  23 43
To be encouraged  \fi ^
Counsel  49 7
Ministry and Oversight Advice  56 10
Not to be troubled respecting arbitration  112 3
Ministers, Recording of :
Counsel and procedure  22/ 40/
Ministers, Recorded :
Members of Ministry and Oversight Committees... 53 1/
Members of Meeting for Sufferings  60 5
( 8*1 1 ft
Position to be stated on Certificates of Removal... -j -.„„ „
Ministers, Travelling :
Certificates for Ireland or Scotland  8 7
Monthly Meeting Committees to assist  15 13
Certificates  24/ 46/
Payment of expenses  25/ 48/
( 49 7
Counsel  { 57 10
( 58 12
If abroad to be under care of Meeting for Sufferings 62 15
Liberation by Meeting for Sufferings  62 16
(See American Ministers ; Companions, Travel
ling ; Irish Ministers.)
Ministry :
Monthly Meetings to deal with, when unsatisfactory 23 4-i
Dissatisfaction to be privately expressed  24 45
Seventh Query  42
To receive careful consideration of Elders  47 4
Counsel  55 9
Ministry and Oversight Advices  56 10
Ministry Committees:
Monthly Meetings to report on revision  13 9
Constitution  28/ 56/

142 INDEX.
PAGE PAR.
Ministry and Oversight Committees :
Constitution  53/ V
Procedure if such not appointed  53 3
Reports to superior Meetings  54 6
Members to meet locally  55 7
May be laid down  55 8
To consider special subjects and duties  55 9
,, ,, ,, Advices  56 10
,, ,, ,, Queries  57 11
Ministry and Oversight Committees, Monthly
Meeting :
Monthly Meetings to report on revision  13 9
Recording of Ministers  22/ 40/
UT X. 1.- j 27 54/
Membership  ¦} gg %
Duties  54 4
To counsel members, and also Ministers travelling
within the limits of their Meetings  58 12
Ministry and Oversight Committees, Quarterly
Meeting :
Recording of Ministers  23 41
Membership  53 1
Duties  54 5
Minors :
Admission into membership  16 .18
Mission Churches :
Affiliation to Monthly Meetings  19 30
,, to Preparative Meetings by consent of
Monthly Meetings  31 2c
Mission Meetings :
Those present not " attenders "  18 27
Monthly Meetings to help and sympathise with
those who attend  19 29
Friends who take vocal part eligible for Ministry
Committees  28 56
Mission Work :
To be referred to in Triennial Reports  7 4
Mission AVorkers :
Monthly Meetings to give help and sympathy  19 29
(See Home Mission and Extension Committee ;
etc.)
Monthly Meetings :
(8 7
To consider Ministers' concerns  < „.- ,„,.

INDEX. 143

PAGE

Monthly Meetings (continued)—
To receive names of Committees on Legal Pro
ceedings  8 8
Powers and duties  10/ 1/
To appoint representatives to Quarterly Meetings 10 1
Constitution  '  10 1
Membership  10 1
Subordinate to Quarterly Meetings  10 1
Not necessary to meet monthly  10 1
Not to establish or discontinue Particular or Pre- c
parative Meetings without approval of < „n {
Quarterly Meetings  I
Division or union with approbation of Quarterly
Meetings  10 3
Areas in 1894  10 3
Small Meetings to be joined to larger ones  11 4
Changes in boundaries to be reported to Recording
Clerk  11 4
Special meetings  11 5
To consider needs of congregations  12 6
To appoint visitation committees  12 6
To appoint committees re accounts and wills  13 7
Care of libraries  13 8
To report on certain nine duties  13 9
To report on regular holding of Meetings for Wor
ship and Discipline  13 9
To report on revision of membership of Ministry
and Oversight Committees and Ministry Com
mittees  13 9
To report on giving advice re outward affairs and
wills  13 9
To report on attention to regulations respecting
removals  13 9
To report on revision of various lists  14 9
To report on registration of births, marriages,
and burials  14 9
To report on care of libraries  14 9
To report on care of trust property  14 9
To report on consideration of General Advices and
Queries  14 9
To correspond with members abroad  14 10
To appoint committees to arrange for travelling
Ministers  15 13
Admission of new members  15 14/

144

INDEX.

Monthly Meetings (continued) —
Membership  16/ 16/
May admit children as minors  16 18
Dissociation of children  16 19
Dissociation for non-attendance of Meetings for
Worship  17 20
Lost members may be removed from list  17 21
To keep, revise, and read over lists of members •¦¦ ] on i
To keep and read lists of attenders  18 23
E stablishment of Particular Meetings  18 24
Establishment of Allowed Meetings  18 25
To care for young people attending meetings  19 28
To keep lists of children connected with the dif
ferent congregations  19 28
To help and sympathise with Mission attenders ... 19 29
May affiliate Mission Churches, etc  19 30
Delinquencies  19/ 31/
Business failures  21/ 38/
Not to receive money from debtors  22 39
Ministers  22/ 40/
Recording of Ministers  22/ 40/
Proposals to record Ministers to have priority over
other business  23 42
When proposals to record Ministers originate in
Monthly Meetings  23 42
To deal with unsatisfactory ministry after private
advice fruitless  23 44
Travelling expenses of Ministers  25 48
Travelling expenses of committees  25 48
May apply to Quarterly Meetings for payment of
Ministers' travelling expenses  26 48
May pay home expenses of Ministers travelling ... 26 49
May apply to Quarterly Meetings for payment of
travelling Ministers' home expenses  26 49
Elders and Overseers  26/ 50/
Ministry and Oversight Committees  27/ 54/
Ministry Committees  28/ 56/
Testimonies concerning deceased Friends  29 59
To welcome visitors from other Meetings  35 6
Men's and women's separate sessions  36 12/
To read the General Advices  37 1
To read the Queries  41 1
To report on subjects contained in Queries  41 2

INDEX. 145
PAGE PAR.
Monthly Meetings ^continued) —
To give minutes to Elders and others accompanying (48 6
travelling Ministers  ( 62 15
!49 7
Special subjects for consideration  53 3
To receive reports from Ministry and Oversight
Committees  54 6
Care for the poor  72 1
Marriages  78/ 11/
To appoint Registering Officers for Marriages and
to report appointment to the Recording Clerk 93 43
To appoint Friends to issue Birth and Burial Notes 97 1
Birth Notes  '.  98/ 3/
To record production of Burial Notes  103 10
Removals  106/ 3/
Arbitration  112/ 4/
Trust Property  118/ 2/
Change of boundaries as affecting Trusts  123 14
(See Auckland, N.Z. ; Cape Town ; Finance ;
Meetings for Discipline.)
National Stock, The :
(See Yearly Meeting Fund.)
New Zealand :
(See Auckland.)
Non-Members :
Marriages  84/ 23/
Burials  104 13
May act as arbitrators  113 6
Norway :
Members may attend London Yearly Meeting  2 3
Overseers :
Monthly Meetings to report on revision  13 9
To be informed of unsatisfactory ministry  24 45
To be appointed by Monthly Meetings  27 52
If possible two of each sex in each Particular
Meeting  27
Qualifications for office  27/ 52/
To be nominated and revised by committees  27 55
Caution as to their own lives  46 1
Counsel  46/ */
To discharge diligently their duties  46/ 2/
11

52

146 INDEX. PAGE par.
Overseers (continued) —
Summary of duties  49/ 8/
Definition  51 10
Members of Ministry and Oversight Committees 53 1/
To advise prior to marriage  87 29
To report marriages not according to usages  87 30
To ensure production of Birth Notes  99 4
To agree to non-member arbitrators  113 6
Oversight :
Counsel  44/ 1/
Parents :
To be communicated with when their children
dissociated  16 19
To be considered when list of their non-member
children prepared  19 28
Fourth Query  42
Ministry and Oversight Query  58 11
(See Children ; Marriage.)
Particular Meetings :
Established or discontinued with approval of
Quarterly Meetings  10 2
To announce special Monthly Meetings  11 5b
Care of libraries  13 8
Definition  18 24
Members on Ministry Committees to meet  29 58
Members on Ministry and Oversight Committees
to meet  55 7
Pastoral Care ;
To be exercised by Monthly and other Meetings ... 12 6
Pastoral Work :
To be fostered by Monthly and Quarterly Meeting
committees  53 3
Peace :
Meeting during Yearly Meeting  2 4c
Places of Worship, Other :
Overseers to advise against frequent attendance at 50 91
Poor, The :
General Advices  38/
To be cared for by Overseers  50 9f
Counsel  72/ 1/
Preparative Meetings :
Established or discontinued with approval of ( 10 2

Quarterly Meetings  { 30 1

I

INDEX. 147

j, „, PAGE PAB.
Preparative Meetings (continued.)—
To be informed when members disowned  21 35
Duties and powers  30/ 1/
Subordinate to Monthly Meetings  80 1
Men's and women's separate sessions  36 12/
To read the Queries  41 1
Trust Property  118/ 2/
Change of boundaries as affecting Trusts  123 14
(See Meetings for Discipline.)
Printing in Advance of Yearly Meeting:
When reports are required  2 4d
Quarterly Meetings :
To appoint representatives to Yearly Meeting  ) (\ i
To nominate for Yearly Meeting Committees re ( 3 5
Clerks, etc  X 6 2
To nominate for Yearly Meeting Committee to ( 4 10
examine accounts of Yearly Meeting Fund ... I 6 2
Communications to Yearly Meeting to be in writing 5 12
Membership  6 1
Subordinate to Yearly Meeting  6 1
Not to divide or unite without consent of Yearly
Meeting  6 3
Areas in 1894  6 3
Triennial Reports  7 4
Tabular Statement to go to Meeting for Sufferings 7 5
Committees to visit Meetings and families  8 6
To consider Ministers' concerns  •]
To appoint Committees on Legal Proceedings  8 8
(See Legal Proceedings, Committees on.)
To print lists of members and send supply to
Recording Clerk  9 9
To approve of establishment or discontinuance of ( 10 2
Particular and Preparative Meetings  ( 18 24
To approve of division or union of Monthly
Meetings  10 3
To receive reports from Monthly Meetings as to
certain duties  13 9
Travelling expenses of committees  25 48
May apply to Meeting for Sufferings for pay
ment of Ministers' travelling expenses  26 48
May apply to Meeting for Sufferings for pay
ment of travelling Ministers' home expenses 26 49

8 7
24 47

148 INDEX. PAGE PAB.
Quarterly Meetings (continued) —
Committees may assist Monthly Meetings in
appointments to Ministry and Oversight
Committees  27 55
To receive and revise testimonies sent up from
Monthly Meetings  29 59
To welcome visitors from other Meetings  35 6
Men's and women's separate sessions  36 12/
To read the General Advices  37 1
To read the Queries  41 1
To forward Monthly Meeting reports on Queries to
Yearly Meeting  41 2
Formation of Ministry and Oversight Committees 53 1
Special subjects for consideration  53 3
To receive reports from Ministry and Oversight
Committees  54 6
May call for reports from Monthly Meeting
Ministry and Oversight Committees  54 6
To nominate for Meeting for Sufferings  -j A A
To receive reports of attendances at Meeting for
Sufferings  60 8
To read annually lists of their members of Meeting
for Sufferings  62 13
To contribute to Yearly Meeting Fund  66 1
To pay travelling expenses of Ministers from other
Yearly Meetings  66 4
May apply to Meeting for Sufferings for payment
of travelling expenses of Ministers from other
Yearly Meetings  66 4
To nominate for Home Mission and Extension
Committee  68 2
To appoint to Central Education Committee  70/ 2/
Care for the poor  72 1
Trust Property  118/ 2/
Change of boundaries as affecting Trusts  123 14
(See Meetings for Discipline.)
Queries :
Monthly Meetings to report on reading and con
sideration  14 9
Preparative Meetings to read and consider  30 le
To be read in various Meetings  41 1
List  41 3
Overseers to recommend them  50 9d

INDEX. 149

PAGE

Queries, Ministry and Oversight :
To be read and considered  57 11
List  58 H
Reading Meetings :
Those present not " attenders "  18 27
Recording Clerk :
His address  ix
Recreations :
General Advice  39
Registering Officers for Marriages :
Districts affected by changes in Monthly Meeting
areas  11 4
Appointment and duties  93/ 43/
Registers :
Of marriages to be examined by Monthly Meetings 17 22
Monthly Meeting annual return for Digest  17 22
Registration :
Overseers' care  50 9j
Marriages  94/ 44/
Births, Deaths, and Burials  97/ 1/
Meeting Houses  118 1
Removals :
Monthly Meetings to report attention to regula
tions  13 9
To be reported by Preparative Meetings  30 Id
Overseers' care  50 9j
Consequent on marriage  83 18
Counsel  106 1/
General regulations  106/ 1/
Notices of Removal  106 3
Form of Notice of Removal  107 3
Certificates of Removal  107/ 4/
Form of Certificate of Removal  108 6
109 9

To America  ... ....  'Mil i<;

\

Form of Acceptance of Certificate  110 12
Representatives :
From Quarterly Meetings to Yearly Meeting  j „

21
From Ireland to Yearly Meeting  1 2
Nominated for Yearly Meeting Committees re ( 3 5
Clerks, etc  I 6 2
Nominated for Yearly Meeting Committee to ( 4 10
examine accounts of Yearly Meeting Fund... (6 2

150 INDEX.
PAGE PAB.
Representatives (continued) —
From Monthly Meetings to Quarterly Meetings ... 10 1
From Preparative Meetings to Monthly Meetings 31 If
To report attendance and on proceedings of Meet
ings attended  35 8
From Monthly Meeting Ministry and Oversight
Committees to Quarterly Meeting Ministry
and Oversight Committees  54 4
To act for Quarterly Meetings under certain
circumstances  62 12
Schools :
(See Central Education Committee.)
Scotland :
(8 7
Ministers travelling in  -j og ^g
Marriage  89 35
Trust Property  123 15
Scotland, General Meeting for:
Occupies same position as Quarterly Meetings ... 6 1
Scriptures, The Holy :
Statements respecting Christ  21 37
Study to be promoted by Ministry Committees ... 28 57
General Advices  38/
Fourth and eleventh Queries  42/
To be read by the young  45 3
Youth to be instructed by Ministry and Oversight
Committees  55 9
Ministry and Oversight Advice  56 10
South Africa :
(See Cape Town.)
Sussex, Surrey, and Hants Quarterly Meeting :
Expenses of care and visitation in Guernsey
and Jersey may be paid by Meeting for
Sufferings  67 5/
Syria :
Members may attend London Yearly Meeting  2 3
Tabular Statement :
Certain returns to be made annually  7 5
Tale-bearing and Detraction :
Third Query  42
Temperance :
Meeting during Yearly Meeting  2 4c
General Advice  39
(See Friends' Temperance Union.)

INDEX. 151

PAGE

Testimonies concerning deceased Friends:
Their preparation and revision  29 59
Testimonies of Disownment :
(See Delinquencies ; Disownment.)
Travelling Expenses:

Of Ministers and companions  -f 2^
( DO

48 2
f 25 48
Of attendance at meetings and committees  ¦! 36 11
( 50 9h
Of Ministers from other Yearly Meetings  66 4
(See Finance.)
Triennal Reports :
To be sent by Quarterly Meetings to Yearly Meeting 7 4
Trust Property :
Monthly Meetings to report thereon  14 9
General regulations  118/ 2/
(See Finance.)
Trustees :
Of Yearly Meeting Fund  66 2
Not bound by regulations respecting arbitration ... 115 10
Of Trust Property  119/ 3/
Visitation :
By Quarterly Meetings  8 6
Its value  8 6
By Monthly Meetings  12 6
Encouragement to visit neighbouring Monthly
or Quarterly Meetings  35 6
Of young in their homes  45 3
BA.e^erS  { gj jg
Of invalids, etc., by Ministry and Oversight
Committees  55 9
Of Meetings by Ministry and Oversight Committees 55 9
On removals  110 11
War: Eighth Query  43
Wills :
Monthly Meeting committees to advise  13 7
Monthly Meetings to report on advice given  13 9
Women Friends :
Separate sessions  \ gg .„/

152 INDEX.
PAGE PAB.
Women's Yearly Meeting :
Committee to propose Clerks  3 5a
Clerks hold office till others appointed  3 6
Committee on Arrangements to arrange sittings ... 3 7
Separate sessions  5 15
Yearly Meeting :
Establishment  1 1
Constitution  1 2
Representatives from Quarterly Meetings and from
Ireland  1 2
Attendance by members of other Meetings  1 3
Clerk to be satisfied of membership of visitors  1 3
Visitors must produce proof of membership  1 3
Visitors have no right to take part  2 3
Procedure  2 4
Whenheld  2 4a
Documents to be printed and circulated beforehand 2 4d
Proposals relegated to committees  2 4e
To appoint committee to propose Clerks  3 5a
To appoint committee to propose Committee on
Arrangements  3 5b
(See Arrangements, Committee on.)
Clerks hold office till others appointed  3 6
Clerk to be applied to for use of premises during
Yearly Meeting  3 7
To appoint committee to revise minutes  4 9
To appoint committee to examine accounts of
Yearly Meeting Fund  4 10
To arrange for meetings of associations and to
receive reports  4/ 11
Propositions to be sent up in writing  5 12
Letters to be first read by a committee  5 13
Elders to report on Meetings for Worship  5 14
Minutes of men's separate session, when held, to
be official  5 15
Area in 1894  6 3
To consider Ministers' concerns for service abroad 24 47
Travelling expenses of committees  25 48
To receive testimonies from Quarterly Meetings ... 29 59
To receive reports on subjects contained in Queries 41 2
Meeting for Sufferings its representative com
mittee  59 1
To appoint members of Meetings for Sufferings ... 61 11

INDEX. 153

PAGE

Yearly Meeting (continued) —
To order collections for Yearly Meeting Fund  66 1
To appoint Home Mission and Extension Com
mittee  68/ 2/
To appoint to Central Education Committee  71 2f
(See Finance ; Meetings for Discipline.)
Yearly Meetings Abroad
(See American Yearly Meetings ; Ireland.)
Yearly Meeting Fund :
Committee to examine accounts  4 10
May be drawn upon for Ministers' travelling
expenses  25 48
May be drawn upon for travelling Ministers' home
expenses  26 48
Objects and management  66 1
(See Finance.)
Young, The :
Religious instruction  12 6
Admission as minors  16 18
Age at which independent action is desirable  ) I08r" 5r"
To know their places in the Church  34 4
To be brought forward in Church work  34 5
Eleventh Query  43
Care and oversight needed  45 3
To be visited at home  45 3
To receive sympathy and counsel from Elders and
Overseers  47 3
To be cared for by Overseers  50 9bg
To be cared for by Ministry and Oversight Com
mittees  55 9
(See Children.)

3?rinted by West, Newman and Co., 54, Hatton Garden, London 12

3 9002