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'Y^LEe¥]MII¥IEI^SIIinfo

RULES OF DISCIPLINE

AND

ADVICES

OF THE

YEARLY MEETING

OF THE

Religious Society of Friends

HELD IN^
PHILADELPHIA.
(Fifteenth and Race Streets.)

PHILADELPHIA :
Printed by direction of the Yearly Meeting.
1894.

CONTENTS.

104107 5965
6954

Acknowledgments, Appeals,
Arbitration, Books,Burials,Civil Government,
Conduct and Conver
sation, - 48
Days and Times, 36
Disownment, 105
Family Visits, 34
Gaming and Diversions, 46
Intoxicants and Nar
cotics, 44
Introduction, 7
Marriage, 81
Meeting Funds, 66
Meetings for Discipline, 12
Meetings for Worship, io
Membership, 31
Members in Need, 68
Memorials, 109
Ministers and Elders, 18
Oaths, - 42

Overseers, 29
Parents and Children, 51
Particular Advices, 71
Plainness, - 38
Procedure in Meetings
for Discipline, 92
Queries, 76
Queries for Meetings
of Ministers and
Elders, 27
Records, - no
Representative Com
mittee, 15
Resignations, 103
Schools, 63
Secret Societies, 47
The Gospel Ministry, 35
The Scriptures, 53
Trade, 55
Trusts and Titles to
Property, 67
War, 40
Wills, 62
Yearly Meeting, 9

RULES OF DISCIPLINE
AND
ADVICES.

INTRODUCTION.
It is held by the Religious Society of Friends
that God endows every human being with a
measure of His own Divine Spirit, by which he has
revealed Himself to His children in all generations ;
that this Spirit, which although in man, is not of
man, is the manifestation in our human nature of
the Eternal Word " which was in the beginning,"
and which was manifested without measure in the
person of our Divine Master, Jesus Christ; and
that as we submit ourselves to the leadings of this
Light of Christ in the soul, we are loosed from the
bonds of self and sin, and enabled to live in con
formity with the will of our Heavenly Father.
The Society early recognized that there were
among its members different degrees of spiritual
growth and religious experience, and that those
whose lives had long been dedicated to the obedi
ent service of the Lord might nurture the growth of
those younger in His service. In their engage
ment to meet together for the worship of God in
spirit according to the direction of the Holy Law
giver, they were also exercised to have a tender
care over each other, that all might be preserved in
unity of faith and practice.

To this end, therefore, and as an exterior hedge
of preservation against the many temptations and
dangers to which our situation in the world
exposes us, advices have been issued and rules
adopted from time to time by the Society.
They found their inception in the impressions
made upon concerned minds, and having been sub
mitted individually or through subordinate meet
ings to the judgment of the Yearly Meeting, they
were adopted and issued by that body.
Collections of these Rules and Advices, in manu
script, were formed by the Yearly Meeting as early
as 1704, again in 1719, and at different times later,
notably in 1762 ; and in 1797 the compilation was
issued in print. The book was added to and
changed at various times. In 1892 it was concluded
to revise the whole, and the revision having been
adopted by the Yearly Meeting in 1894, now forms
our Book of Discipline.

[Note. — In the following pages, pronouns of the masculine
gender include the feminine, and the singular number includes
the plural in all consistent cases.
The term Quarterly Meeting includes Half Year Meetings in
consistent cases.]

YEARLY meeting.
Our first Yearly Meeting was held at Bur-
lington, in New Jersey, the thirty-first day
of the Sixth month, 1681, O. S., for the
provinces, of Pennsylvania and New Jersey ;
in 1685 it was agreed that it should be held
alternately at Burlington and Philadelphia ;
in 1755 the time of holding it was changed
to the Ninth month ; in 1760 it was concluded
.that it should be held at the same time at
Philadelphia only ; in 1 798 the time of hold
ing it was altered to the third Second-day in
the Fourth month; in 1827 the time of
holding it was changed to the second Second-
day of the Fourth month ; and in 1838 it was
agreed that it should be held the Second-
day following the second First-day in the Fifth
month, as it now is.
The Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Ministers
Elders is held on the Seventh-day of the an
week preceding.

MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP.
From the rise of our Religious Society,
meetings for worship have been held. As
the attendance of them is an expression of
Our allegiance to our Heavenly Father, and
a means afforded for the renewal of our
spiritual strength, we exhort all to a Chris
tian zeal and exercise in the performance of
this reasonable service.
Reverent As we are not capable of performing Divine
recommended. worship in our own strength, we recommend
a reverent waiting upon God in true silence,
and retirement of mind, for a renewed sense
of the inward power of his Spirit, whereby
we are qualified to worship Him in an ac
ceptable manner. Let our faithfulness and
sincerity herein appear by the humility,
meekness, and circumspection of our lives
and conversation, exemplifying the princi
ples of Truth as they were declared by Jesus
y^thto bT*1 anc^ *"s disciples ; and we earnestly advise
encouraged to that the children and youth of our Societv,
attend. . J .... J
be trained in a knowledge of this important
io

MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP. I I
duty, and encouraged to assemble regularly
at the times appointed, for religious worship.
It is recommended that Friends early cf e to |hose
J who neglect.
extend care, in the spirit of restoring love, to
members who neglect the attendance of our
meetings. We would revive an exhortation of our
Yearly Meeting held in 1 694 :
"Dear Friends, keep your meetings in
the authority, wisdom, and power of Truth, To be held in
and unity of the blessed Spirit, and endeavor of Truth.
to keep out of all contention, personal re
flection, heat and passions. Let all be done
in meekness, and the God of peace be with
you.

MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE.
For the regular and effectual support of
good order in the Society, besides the usual
meetings for the purpose of Divine worship,
there have been instituted meetings for Dis
cipline, which having from experience been
found very beneficial, it is earnestly recom
mended that they be maintained in that au
thority wherein they were established.
Where there is negligence concerning them,
serious spiritual loss is the result.
Order and These meetings, and their subordination
subordination. , . ,,
to one another, are as follows : First, Pre
parative Meetings ; which consist of the
members of a particular meeting for worship,
and are accountable to the Monthly Meet
ings : Second, Monthly Meetings ; each ol
which may consist of one or more Prepara
tive Meetings, and is accountable to the
Quarterly Meeting : Third, Quarterly and
Half-Year Meetings ; each of which consists
of one or more Monthly Meetings, and is ac
countable to the Yearly Meeting : and Fourth,
12

MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. I 3
the Yearly Meeting; which comprises the
whole. Any of these meetings may be held by May be held
' . . separately or
men and women in separate session, or together.
together. The holding of a Preparative Meeting is Preparative
.... . . Meetings,
not enjoined where its membership and when not en-
that of the Monthly Meeting is the same. ]°ir
In such cases business that would "otherwise
come before a Preparative Meeting shall be
attended to by the Monthly Meeting.
A Quarterly Meeting shall not be set up, Order in
laid down, nor omitted, without the consent and laying
of the Yearly Meeting ; a Monthly Meet- down-
ing without the consent of the Quarterly
Meeting ; nor any Preparative or other es
tablished meeting for business or worship,
until application to the Monthly Meeting has
been made ; and when there approved, the
consent of the Quarterly Meeting shall also
be obtained.
No meeting for worship, intended to con- Establishment
,-„.,... of meetings
sist of rnends belonging to two or more for worship.
monthly meetings, shall be set up, until the
proposal shall have been offered to, and ap
proved by, those monthly meetings, and the
consent of their respective Quarterly Meeting
or meetings been obtained. When the meeting

14 MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE.
proposed is opened, it shall be attended by
a few suitable Friends, deputed by each of
the said Monthly Meetings. If at any time
it is thought expedient that a Preparative
Meeting should be held at the same place,
the consent of the said Monthly and Quar
terly Meetings shall, in like manner, be
applied for and obtained ; and the said Pre
parative Meeting shall be annexed to one
or the other of those Monthly Meetings,
as may be most likely to conduce to the
benefit of the individuals who compose it, and
to the advantage of the Society.
Advice These meetings have distinct allotments
concerning r . . . .
attendance, of service. Experience has shown that when
they are attended in dedication of heart,
with a sincere desire for help and edification,
they are often seasons of Divine favor.
Friends are affectionately desired and ex
horted to be diligent in the attendance of
them, and, when met, humbly to seek to be
clothed with the spirit of wisdom and charity.
This will divest the mind of a dependence on
our own strength and abilities, endue us with
patience and condescension toward one
another, and enable us to realize the truth of
the declaration of Jesus : " One is your
teacher, and all ye are brethren." 1
1 Matthew 23 : 8.

REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE. I 5
Thus in our several stations and move
ments, we shall witness a qualification to
strengthen one another in that faith which
works by love to the purifying of the heart.

REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE,
OR
MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS.
In order that the Yearly Meeting may be Manner of
, . . . . appointment.
properly represented when not in session,
it is directed that each Quarterly Meeting
produce annually, in its report to the Yearly
Meeting, the names of four suitable Friends,
to constitute together a Representative Com
mittee to be held and regulated according to
the following rules :
First. Due notice of its meetings shall be Rules
0 regulating.
given to the members.
Second. No fewer than twelve members
shall constitute a meeting capable of trans
acting business.

1 6 REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE.
Third. The said Committee may sit on
its own adjournments, and order these, as
well as the times of its stated meetings, ac
cording to the business before it.
Fourth. The said Committee shall keep fair
minutes of all its proceedings, and annually
lay them before the Yearly Meeting.
Services The services confided to this Committee
confided to are, in general :
First. To represent the Yearly Meeting dur
ing its recess, and to act on its behalf in cases
where the welfare of our religious Society
may render it needful. It is not to interfere
with any matter of faith or discipline.
Second. To procure and distribute such
books or pamphlets as may be a means of
spreading the knowledge of our religious
principles or testimonies ; and. to advise or
assist any of our members, on their own ap
plication, who may incline to publish any
such manuscript or work as may tend to pro
mote the cause of Truth, or be beneficial to
the Society.
Third. To render advice and assistance to
meetings, at their request, on subjects relat
ing to property, titles to lands, the renewal

REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE. 17
of trusts, and the application of public gifts Services
. , . confided to
and legacies.
Fourth. To receive from the several
Quarterly Meetings their accounts of suffer
ings, and also such memorials concerning
deceased Friends as those meetings have
concurred with ; that, when examined and
approved, they may be laid before the Yearly
Meeting, or otherwise be returned to the
respective Quarterly Meetings for revision
or correction.
Fifth. To extend such advice and assist
ance to any individuals under suffering for
our testimonies, as their cases may require ;
and, if necessary, to apply to the govern
ment, or to persons in authority, on their be
half. Sixth. To correspond with representative
bodies of other Yearly Meetings, as occa
sion may require, on subjects of general in
terest to the Society.
Although none are members of the Rep
resentative Committee but such as are ap-
... , -ii Attendance
pointed in the manner herein provided, yet 0f other
other Friends, at the discretion of said Com- Fnends

MINISTERS AND ELDERS.

vacancies

mittee, may be permitted to attend when
they feel a concern to do so.
Supplying When a vacancy occurs by death or other
wise among the members of the Representa
tive Committee appointed by a Quarterly
Meeting, such Meeting should take care to
supply it by a new appointment.

MINISTERS AND ELDERS.
Character of Friends were gathered from the estab
lished churches and a formal service, to own
a living, baptizing gospel ministry free to
all, agreeably to the apostolic injunction :
" Be sober unto prayer : 
according as each hath received a gift,
ministering it among yourselves, as good
stewards ofthe manifold grace of God; if any
man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of
God ; if any man ministereth, ministering as

MINISTERS AND ELDERS. 1 9
of the strength which God supplieth."1 So
the ministers were led frequently to meet
together to encourage and strengthen each
other in a knowledge of the duties they
owed to God and man, that they might more
fully and faithfully minister the Word of life.
As these meetings were found to be bene- Elders-
ficial, a concern arose for Monthly Meetings
to appoint, as elders, some judicious, con
cerned Friends to have a care for the con
ducting of our religious meetings, and to be
companions and counsellors to the ministers,
as tender, loving, spiritual fathers and Duties of
mothers, especially to those young in the eis'
ministry, inciting to a frequent reading of
the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa
ments, and to a dependence on Divine aid
for the right understanding of them; en
couraging all to abide in a simple and
patient submission to the will of God, and to
keep down to the openings of the Divine love
and life in themselves, that they may experi
ence a growth in their gifts, and be preserved
from withholding more than is meet, or
extending their communications beyond the
life and power of Truth.
1 1. Peter 4: 7, 10, n.

20

MINISTERS AND ELDERS.

Elders, how
chosen.

Committee
once in four
years, or
oftener.

Informationto be
forwarded.

It is recommended that each Monthly
Meeting choose four or more Friends to
serve as elders, who shall, with the minis
ters if any, compose a meeting to be denom
inated a Preparative Meeting of Ministers
and Elders ; taking care that those chosen
for that service be prudent, discreet Friends,
who will carefully discharge the trust con
fided to them.
It is directed that a committee be appoint
ed once in four years, or oftener if the
meeting shall consider it desirable or
necessary, to bring forward the names of
suitable Friends to serve as elders ; bearing
in mind that the qualifications required are
not found amongst older Friends only, but
occur, as well, among the middle-aged and
young ; it being distinctly understood that
whether any change is made or not, the
committee shall report all the names to the
Monthly Meeting for its judgment, and those
appointed shall serve until their successors
are duly appointed or they otherwise relieved.
Information of all appointments of elders
shall be transmitted by minute to the Quar
terly and Preparative Meetings of Ministers
and Elders.

MINISTERS AND ELDERS. 21
Ministers and elders are affectionately To have care
desired to exercise a watchful care over the °^;er member-
membership for its preservation in the way
of righteousness, always approving them
selves by their good examples in conversa
tion and conduct to be such as endeavor
faithfully to maintain the testimonies of
Truth. The ministers and elders of each Monthly preparat;ve
Meeting are to meet once in three months, Meeting of
. Ministers and
at such time and place as the Monthly Eiders.
Meeting may direct, in the capacity of a
Preparative Meeting of Ministers and
Elders ; when, after a time of solid retire
ment, the Queries addressed to such meet- Queries to be
ings are to be read and considered, and dis- answered,
tinct answers made to them in writing, which, etc'
when signed by the clerk, are to be forwarded
to the ensuing Quarterly Meeting of Minis
ters and Elders, to attend which as repre
sentatives two or more Friends should be uXt^be'
appointed. If, upon inquiry, any deficiency aPP°inted-
appear, care should be taken that it is
remedied. And in the said Quarterly Meeting the
queries are also to be read, with the answers Queries in
^ ' Quarterly
from the several Preparative Meetings, and Meeting.
the state of the members carefully consid-

22 MINISTERS AND ELDERS.
Answers to be ered> that> where occasion requires, advice
signed and anj COunsel may be extended ; and once a
forwarded. J .
year these answers, comprised in a written
summary and signed by the clerk, are to be
forwarded to the Yearly Meeting of Minis
ters and Elders, to attend which four or
more representatives should be appointed.
In this meeting also the queries are to be
read, with the answers from the several
Quarterly Meetings, and duly considered;
and if deemed necessary, suitable advice and
counsel may be issued to the subordinate
branches.
Not to inter- None of the said meetings of Ministers
fere with ancj Elders are in anywise to interfere with
Meetings for J
Discipline, the business of any meeting for discipline ;
nor is the Yearly Meeting of Ministers and
Elders to allow its adjournments to interfere
with the sittings of the Yearly Meeting for
Discipline.
Manner of When any Friend has frequently appeared
acknowiedg- in our religious meeting's as a minister, and
ing ministers. ° ° '
the Preparative Meeting of Ministers and
Elders apprehends that it is seasonable,
the subject should be forwarded by minute
to the Monthly Meeting of which he is
a member, for its attention and judgment;
and if that meeting be united in believing

MINISTERS AND ELDERS. 23
that a gift in the ministry has been commit
ted to him, a minute expressive thereof
should be forwarded to the Quarterly Meet
ing of Ministers and Elders, where the
case should be carefully considered, and if
the judgment of the Monthly Meeting be
concurred in, information thereof should be
sent by minute to the Monthly Meeting
of which he is a member, and to the Prepar
ative Meeting of Ministers and Elders there
of, by its representatives. Until the approval
of the Quarterly Meeting of Ministers and
Elders has been thus obtained, such Friend
is not at liberty to attend any of their meet
ings, or travel abroad as a minister.
When an acknowledged minister believes Religious
it right to make a religious visit and appoint ^[tssb0efyond
meetings beyond the limits of the Quarterly Quarterly
. . . Meeting.
Meeting to which he belongs, the concern is
to be opened in the Monthly Meeting (both
men's and women's branches when held sep
arately) for consideration and judgment, and
if approved a suitable minute expressive Minute to be
thereof signed by the clerk or clerks should glv<
be given.
If the concern is to attend a Yearly orToattenda
Quarterly Meeting, and such meetings as Yearl.y
. . . 7 Meeting, etc.
may lie in the way going and returning, a

24 MINISTERS AND ELDERS.
certificate of the Monthly Meeting signed
by the clerk or clerks, will be sufficient.
Religious t-> •<- i • • •*. j • »
visits beyond But it the concern is to visit and appoint
Y"ariy°f *" meetings beyond the limits of Philadelphia
Meeting. Yearly Meeting, and the approbation of the
Monthly Meeting be obtained, the concern
Quart°eVrSof should also be brought before the Quarterly
Meeting to be Meeting for its consideration, and, if united
obtained. _ °
with, its endorsement.
When a minister is set at liberty to make
a religious visit within the limits of the
Reii ious Yearly Meeting, the Monthly Meeting of
visits to be which he is a member should extend care
necessary. that the service be not hindered, or the Friend
oppressed for means to meet the necessary
expenses thereof; and when the concern is
united with, and a minute endorsed by the
Quarterly Meeting, a like care should rest
with it.
If the concern is to go beyond the sea, or
on a very extended religious visit on this
Religious . c .
visits beyond continent, after the approval and certificates
sea, etc. of the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings have
been obtained, the Friend so concerned
should lay his prospect before the Yearly
Meeting of Ministers and Elders, for its con
sideration, and if it be there united with, a
certificate to that effect should be signed by

MINISTERS AND ELDERS. 2$
the clerk and forwarded to the Yearly Meet-j
ing for Discipline. If the concern be there
approved the certificate should be endorsed
by the clerks. The Friend is then at liberty committee to
to proceed, and a committee should be ap- sive neces-
. . sary care.
pointed by the Yearly Meeting to take fur
ther care, and if necessary to draw from its
funds to enable him to perform the service
for which he was liberated.
When a Friend has been liberated to When service
make a religious visit, and the service has is completed,
. minute to be
been accomplished, the meetings that ap- returned.
proved thereof should be so informed and
the certificates returned to the respective
meetings from which they were issued, with
out unnecessary delay.
As the occasion of our religious meetings
is solemn, a care should ever be maintained 0 u o^o,, t0
to guard against anything that tends to dis- ministers,
° *> Jo admonished.
order, or confusion therein ; therefore if any
feel aught against what is publicly delivered,
they should speak of it to the person pri
vately and kindly ; and if anyone shall openly
oppose an acknowledged minister, or mani
fest a dislike to such while thus engaged, let
him be speedily admonished in brotherly
love.

26 MINISTERS AND ELDERS.
Treatment of If a minister at any time by negligence,
those who unfaithfulness, or otherwise, be thought by
have lost .
their service, the Preparative Meeting of Ministers and
Elders where such Friend belongs, to have
lost his service in that station, it is ad
vised that a timely and tender care be ex
tended according to gospel order ; first by the
Friends feeling the concern, and then by the
Preparative Meeting of Ministers and Elders
to which he may belong. If these labors
prove unavailing, report of the case should
be made by that meeting to the Quarterly
Meeting of Ministers and Elders, and there
a few Friends should be appointed to assist
the said Preparative Meeting in a further
extension of labor. If this also prove un
availing, and by the report thereof to the
said Quarterly Meeting, it appears that the
said Preparative Meeting has fully discharged
its duty to the individual, the Quarterly
Meeting, when clear to do so, shall trans
mit the case to the Monthly Meeting for
Discipline of which the party is a member,
and leave it under its care ; and he shall, from
that time, refrain from attending meetings
of Ministers and Elders unless he be again
acknowledged as at first.

QUERIES FOR MEETINGS OF MINIS
TERS AND ELDERS.
Of the following four queries, for the use
of the Meetings of Ministers and Elders, where to be
the first three are to be read and distinctly answered.
answered in writing three times a year, by
each Preparative Meeting of that kind, to
its respective Quarterly Meeting ; and the
four queries are to be in like manner
read and answered, by the Preparative to
their Quarterly Meetings next preceding the
Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders ;
that the Quarterly Meetings may be enabled
to transmit a clear and distinct statement of
those answers to that meeting.
First Query. Are Ministers and Elders Queries.
careful to attend meetings for Divine wor
ship, and for discipline, encouraging their
families and others to this important duty ?
Second Query. Are Ministers sound in
word and doctrine ; careful to minister in the
ability which God gives ? 27

28 QUERIES.
Queries. Third Query. Are the lives and conversa
tion of Ministers and Elders clean and blame
less amongst men ? Are they in unity with
one another, and with the meeting to which
they belong, harmoniously laboring for the
Truth ?
Fourth Query. Are they good examples
in uprightness, temperance and moderation ;
and careful to train up their families in
plainness of dress and simplicity of manners,
becoming our religious profession ?
It is earnestly and affectionately recom-
Mmistersand . .
Eiders to mended that Ministers and Elders watch
TneCanother over one another for good, and help those
for good. wi^0 are j-jghtiy exercised in the ministry;
discouraging such as run into words, without
life and power ; advising against affectation
of tones and gestures, and everything that
would hurt their service ; yet encouraging
the humble, careful traveller. And let all
dwell in that which gives ability to labor
successfully in the church of Christ ; so will
they show forth the fruits of the doctrine
which they deliver to others, being examples
to their brethren in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

OVERSEERS.
It is directed that in every Monthly Meet- To be
ing a proper number of faithful and judicious aPPoulte •
men and women be appointed to the station
of overseers. Where a Monthly Meeting
consists of two or more Preparative Meetings
each of them should be represented.
It is the duty of the overseers to exercise Duties of.
a vigilant and tender care over their fellow
members ; and if anything repugnant to the
harmony and good order of the Society ap
pears among them, it should be seasonably
attended to. To prevent the introduction
of all unnecessary and premature com
plaints to meetings for discipline, it is ad-
advised that if any member shall have cause
of complaint against another, it be men-^^f°
tioned to the overseers, who are to see overseers.
that the person complained of has been
treated with according to Gospel order,1 pre
viously to the case being reported to the
Preparative or Monthly Meeting. It is earn
estly desired that in dealing with any, over-
i Matthew 18 : is. 29

3o

OVERSEERS.

Duties of,
continued.

seers do it in the spirit of meekness and love,
patiently endeavoring to instruct and advise
them ; informing the Preparative Meeting
when the labor proves ineffectual, or where
the nature of the case requires it, that, if need
ful, the case may be laid before the Monthly
Meeting, notice of which should be given to
the party when it can conveniently be done.
changes to be It is recommended to Monthly Meetings,
considered. ^^ a committee be appointed once in
three years, or as much oftener as the case
may require, to consider the propriety of
changing the overseers, and bringing forward
in the improvement of their gifts, other
Friends on whom a concern for the welfare
of the Society rests.
It is further advised that the overseers of
a Monthly Meeting meet frequently to
gether, at least once in three months, to
consider carefully the welfare of the flock,
and to strengthen, encourage and aid each
other in the faithful performance of their
responsible duties.
And we tenderly exhort all our members
who may be rightly called into this or any
other service of the church, not hastily to ex
cuse themselves therefrom, but solidly to
ponder the weighty advice of the apostle:

To meet
frequently.

Exhortationto those
called into
service.

MEMBERSHIP. 3 1
" Tend the flock of God which is among you,
exercising the oversight, not of constraint,
but willingly, according unto God ; nor yet
for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither
as lording it over the charge allotted to you,
but making yourselves ensamples to the
flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall
be manifested, ye shall receive the crown of
glory that fadeth not away." 1

MEMBERSHIP.
Children whose parents are both members Birthright
of our Religious Society are, by birthright, members-
members also, and are to be recorded as such ;
where one parent only is a member their
children shall not have a right of member- one p^ent a
ship unless application for their admission is member.
made either by themselves or by their parent,
parents, or guardian, on their behalf, and the Record of
Monthly Meeting applied to, admits them or whose6" rents
any of them in the usual order. It is directed ^££^*f*
that children of parents belonging to different Monthly
r & ° Meetings.
1 1. Peter 5: 2, 3, 4.

32 MEMBERSHIP.
Monthly Meetings of Friends shall be consid
ered members of the Monthly Meeting of
which the father is a member ; and the rec
ord of their birth shall be made in that
Monthly Meeting.
Order in It is directed that the following order be
forPmember- observed respecting persons who desire ad-
shiP- mission into membership ; that application
be made to the overseers, who, when they
are satisfied, are to lay it before men's or
women's Preparative Meeting, as the case
may be, when they are not held together ;
and when there approved, the case should
be laid before the Monthly Meeting, which
meeting shall appoint some suitable Friends
to inquire into the person's life and conver
sation, and also to take an opportunity for a
serious conference with him in "order the
better to understand whether the motives for
such request be sincere, and report their
sense of the person's fitness to become a
member ; and when the meeting is satisfied, a
minute should be made signifying the accep
tance of such into membership, and appointing
one or more Friends to acquaint the person
thereof, and invite his attendance at our
meetings for discipline.

MEMBERSHIP. 33
It is earnestly recommended that on every Consideration
application of persons to be received into °ionsPfora
membership, Monthly Meetings be deep and membership.
weighty in their deliberations and in reach
ing a conclusion, the neglect of such caution
having often been injurious both to the in
dividual and to the Society ; but, when
united in believing that the applicants are
convinced of the truth of our religious prin
ciples and in a good degree subject to the
Divine Witness in their own hearts, man
ifested by a circumspect life and conduct,
said meetings are at' liberty to receive such
into membership, without respect to nation ^'pe""^
or color. nation or
color.
As there are those not in membership
with any religious organization who frequent
ly attend our meetings for worship, who are Loving
, , 1 r 1 • i-i attention to
serious and thoughtful in their deportment non-members
and who manifest an interest in our princi
ples and testimonies, who might with profit
to themselves and the meeting become
members of our Religious. Society, it is rec
ommended that . overseers and other con
cerned Friends give loving attention to such,
with a view to their becoming members.

FAMILY VISITS.

Such concerns
to be
cherished.

Approval of
monthly meetings
required.

As the visiting of Friends in their families,
in the openings of Heavenly Wisdom, is a
service which hath often been blessed to the
minds of the visitors and visited, it is advised
that concerns of this nature be tenderly cher
ished, and those who are rightly exercised
therein encouraged to move forward in due
season and in humble dependence on the
Shepherd of Israel, who not only puts His
own forth, but goes before and enriches all
who are faithful to His appointments with
the reward of sweet comfort and solid
peace. When a Friend has a religious con
cern to visit the families belonging to any
particular meeting or meetings, it should be
opened in his Monthly Meeting for concur
rence and approval, when, if the concern is
united with and the Friend set at liberty to
perform the same, the matter should be laid
before the meeting, the members of which it
is proposed to visit, and if there approved,
way should be opened for the accomplish
ment of the visits.

34

THE GOSPEL MINISTRY.
Let us keep in remembrance that it is „. , .
r Worship and
under the immediate teaching and influence ministry
ofthe Holy Spirit that all acceptable worship mediate
is performed, and all true Gospel Ministry mntnCge of
supplied. This pure and powerful influ- gh<jr^oly
ence, in vessels sanctified and prepared by
the Divine hand, is the essential qualification
to that work, and, as the gift is Divine,
the service is to be discharged freely and
faithfully without any view to reward from
man. One of the earliest testimonies developed „ t.
r 1 estimony
in the religious experience of Friends was against
. . r professional
against a ministry founded on human author- ministry.
ity, relying for its qualifications on human
abilities or learning, and maintained by pe
cuniary support.
In great love and tenderness we exhort
..... Exhortation
those of our members who are in the habit to observe
of attending places of worship where this testimony.
principle is violated, to a closer attention and
greater obedience to this important testimony,
desiring them to remember that they owe
35

36 DAYS AND TIMES.
their allegiance to the Society of which they
are members, and that by indifference to its
testimonies and absence from its meetings
they deprive it of the strength which is its
due.

DAYS AND TIMES.
Friends have ever had a testimony against
Ground of . • 1 1 1
our testimony, formal worship, being convinced by the pre-
cepts of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the testi
monies of his Apostles, and- by individual
experience, that the worship and prayers
which God accepts are such only as are
produced by the influence and assistance
of his Holy Spirit. We cannot therefore
consistently unite with any in the observance
of public fasts, feasts, and what they' term
holy days ; or such injunctions and forms as
are devised in man's will for Divine worship.
The dispensation to which outward observ
ances were peculiar having long since given
place to the spiritual dispensation of the
gospel, we believe the fast to which we are
now called is not the bowing of the head
like a bulrush for a day, but an universal

DAYS AND TIMES. 37
and continual fasting and refraining from
everything which has a tendency to defile the
soul, and unfit it for becoming the temple of
the Holy Spirit ; according to the injunctions
of Christ to his primitive disciples : " If any
man would come after me, let him deny him
self, and take up his cross daily, and follow
me:" ' "Watch ye at every season, making
supplication, that ye may prevail to escape
all these things that shall come to pass, and
to stand before the Son of man." 2 That
the primitive believers saw an end to these
shadows of good things, by coming to Him
in whom all figures and shadows end, is
evident by the words of the apostle Paul :
' ' For Christ is the end of the law unto
righteousness to every one that believeth."3
" But now hath he obtained a ministry the
more excellent, by how much also he is
the mediator of a better covenant, which hath
been enacted upon better promises." 4 "Let
no man therefore judge you in meat, or
in drink, or in respect of a feast day or
a new moon or a sabbath day : which
are a shadow of the things to come ; but
the body is Christ's." 6 And the same
i Luke 9 : 23. 2 Luke 21 : 36. 3 Romans 10 : 4.
* Hebrews 8 : ^. 5 Colossians 2 : 16, 17.

38 PLAINNESS.
apostle thus expostulated with some who
had fallen from the true faith in these re
spects : " But now that ye have come to
know God . . . how turn ye back again to
the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereun
to ye desire to be in bondage over again ?
Ye observe days, and months, and seasons,
and years. I am afraid of you, lest by any
means I have bestowed labour upon you in
i) 1
vain.

PLAINNESS.
Plainness and The SPirit of Truth which led our early
simplicity Friends to lay aside things unbecoming the
encouraged. .
Gospel of Christ still leads in the same path
all who submit to its guidance ; we therefore
earnestly encourage all Friends to watch
over themselves in this respect, and seriously
to consider the plainness and simplicity
which the Gospel enjoins, manifesting it in
their conversation, apparel, furniture, build
ings, salutation, and manner of living, exer-
1 Galatians 4 : 9, 10. n.

PLAINNESS. 39
cising plainness of speech without respect of
persons in all their converse among men, not
balking their testimony by varying their
language according to their company.
We tenderly advise that Friends avoid im- immodera-
moderation in the use of lawful things, which ^ng^toTe'11
though innocent in themselves may thereby avoided.
become hurtful ; and that they endeavor to
maintain a consistent bearing as members of
the Religious Society of Friends in their busi- Consistent
ness relations, as well as in every other walk businefs"1
in life, remembering that to uphold the relations.
standard of simplicity as shown to them, our
forefathers patiently suffered long imprison
ments and great persecutions ; being con
vinced that it was their duty thus to bear a
testimony against the vain spirit of the world.
The example of our blessed Saviour, his
immediate followers, and virtuous and holy
men in all ages, ought to make a due impres
sion on every considerate mind, and espec
ially on such as have the advantage of a
guarded education.
We desire that our members may so real- Exhortatjon
ize the saving power of the grace of God to sobriety of
that they will be enabled to deny all worldly
allurements, and to live soberly, righteously,
and godly in this present world, that they may

40 WAR.

adorn the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
in all things ; so may they feel his blessing
and be instrumental in his hand for the
good of others.

WAR.
Faithful Friends are exhorted to adhere faithfully
testimony to '
be maintained, to our ancient testimony against wars and
fightings, and in no way to unite with any
warlike measures, either offensive or defen
sive : that by the inoffensiveness of our con
duct we may convincingly demonstrate our
selves to be subjects of the Messiah's peace
ful reign, "and be instrumental in the promo
tion thereof toward its desired completion
when, according to ancient prophecy, "the
earth shall be filled with the knowledge of
the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the
sea," ' and its inhabitants shall learn war no
more. We fervently recommend to the deep at
tention of all our members that they be re-
1 Habakkuk 2 : 14.

WAR. 41
ligiously guarded against approving of or Caution
participating in military operations, paying mihtary'11 mg
taxes levied for the express purpose of war, operations.
or assisting in conveying military stores :
and that they labor to experience a settle
ment on the sure foundation of unchange
able truth, whereby through the prevalence of
Christian love and good will to man we may
demonstrate that the kingdom we seek is not
of this world, but a kingdom and govern
ment whose subjects are free indeed, re
deemed from those captivating lusts whence
come wars and fightings.
A living concern for the advancement of
the peaceable kingdom of Christ continuing . . . f
r o o Avoidance ot
with us, a fervent desire prevails that the tradeor
... 111 business
members of our Religious Society should promotive of
carefully avoid engaging in any trade or busi- w;
ness promotive of war, or in any way shar
ing or participating in the spoils of war ; that
through close attention to the monitions of
Divine grace they may be preserved in a
conduct consistent with our holy profession ;
not at all doubting that He who is the source
of all wisdom and power will continue to
carry on His blessed cause of peace in
the earth.

42
Arbitration
between nations.

Capitalpunishment.

OATHS.
Friends are recommended to use their in
fluence in favor of arbitration as a means of
settling differences between nations.
We earnestly desire that capital punish
ment shall cease, and advise our members to
bear a faithful testimony in this direction.

Exhortationto the
maintenance
of the
testimony.

OATHS.
Our members are exhorted faithfully to
maintain our Christian testimony against the
burden, administration, and imposition of
oaths, according to the express command of
Jesus : "I say unto you, Swear not at all ;
neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of
God ; nor by the earth, for it is the foot-stool
of his feet ; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the
city of the great King. Neither shalt thou
swear by thy head, for thou canst not make
one hair white or black. But let your speech
be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay ; and whatsoever

OATHS 43
is more than these is of evil." l And also
according to the injunction of the apostle
James : " But above all things, my breth
ren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor
by the earth, nor by any other oath : but let
your yea be yea, and your nay, nay ; that ye
fall not under judgment." 2
Friends in all places are exhorted carefully Avoidance of
to avoid electing or promoting their brethren ftati?ns
or » tending to
to such stations in civil government as may violation of
. . testimony.
subject them to the temptation of violating
this testimony ; and where any members
show an inclination or desire to solicit or
accept such offices, timely care should be
taken to caution them against it. In the
execution of instruments of writing re- Attesting
quiring witnesses, it is recommended that ^^ation
Friends endeavor to procure such persons
for this purpose as will attest the same by
affirmation.

i Matthew 5 : 34, 35, 36, 37. 2 James 5 : 12.

INTOXICANTS AND NARCOTICS.
Advice wE earnestiy anc[ fovingly advise our
against use of. J ° ....
members to abstain from the use of all intox
icants, either as a drink or in the preparation
of food, and to use their influence to induce
. ., c others to do "likewise ; to avoid frequentino;
Avoidance of 1 ©
places where places where such drinks are sold, and gath
erings wherein they are likely to give coun
tenance to their use ; that they do not en
gage either in the manufacture, sale, impor-
in0ma°nufacage tation, or distillation of any alcoholic liquors,
ture, sale, etc. unless it be for medicinal purposes, or use in
the arts ; and that they abstain from renting
their property or furnishing any material for
Not to rem a purpose whereby our testimony against
properties . . . . . .
for, etc. intoxicating drinks will be violated, or doing
aught that will in any way compromise this
testimony.
Treatment of jf any member become addicted to the
those who vio- \
late the testi- use of intoxicants, and uphold his course,
mony. . ..
or sign applications for licenses to sell the
same, rent his property for such purpose,
or engage in the business in violation of
44

INTOXICANTS AND NARCOTICS. 45
our testimony, it should concern the Monthly
Meeting to which such person belongs, ten
derly to advise with him as to his course,
and if after earnest labor he still continues
in the practice, the meeting may testify its
disunity with him.
As the granting of licenses to sell intox- Advice
... r against
icants is contrary to the best interests ot so- license
ciety, Friends are earnestly entreated to bear svstem'
a faithful testimony, by precept and example,
against a system which gives to individuals
the sanction of government to engage in
such a business.
As the use of tobacco is injurious in its Advice
rr ... . . against use of
effects, especially upon the young, it is earn- tobacco.
estly advised that Friends abstain, and
encourage their children and those under
their care to abstain, from the use of this
narcotic in any of its various forms ; and
also that Friends shall not engage in its cul
tivation, manufacture or sale.
Realizing that danger attends the use Caution as
of all intoxicants, narcotics and opiates, j^cine. &S
Friends are advised to be cautious in their
use as medicine, since the appetite acquired
grows with the indulgence.

GAMING AND DIVERSIONS.
As our time passeth swiftly away, and
our delight ought to be in the law of the
Lord, we tenderly entreat all to submit to its
restraining influence, which if lived under
will lead us to recognize and avoid the great
¦ temptations and immorality surrounding the
stage, the corrupt associations and debasing
influences of horse-racing, and of lotteries,
wagering, or any other species bf gambling.
It is earnestly advised that a watchful care
be exercised over our members, to call them
away from these things to that purity of life
which is essential to their well-being.

46

SECRET SOCIETIES.
Under a tender concern for the preserva- caution
tion of our members in that purity and *&mst-
simplicity which become our Christian pro
fession, we earnestly caution them against
connecting themselves with societies requir
ing of their members a pledge of secrecy.
These frequently draw their members away
from their families and their business into
places and practices inimical to their best
interests, and may also lessen their interest
in their religious meetings. The convivial
meetings of some of these societies, their
ostentatious processions, and high sounding
titles, are inconsistent with our religious
profession. Our Divine Master encouraged
his disciples to stand as a city set upon a
hill, which could not be hid. They were to
let their light shine before men, that others
seeing their good works, might glorify our
Father who is in Heaven. Overseers and Overseers,
etc., to
other concerned Friends are advised to ex- extend care.
tend timely caution and admonition to all
cases where any of our members have joined
such societies, and may be in danger of thus
being led astray by them. 47

CONDUCT AND CONVERSATION.

Faithfulness
enjoined.

Exhortation
against tale
bearing and
detraction.

Whatever exercises we may meet with on
account of a faithful testimony to the Truth,
in all godliness of conversation, and to the
end that we may not faint in our minds, let
us consider the Captain of our salvation, who
endured the contradiction of sinners, bearing
his cross and despising the shame, that fol
lowing him and under his banner fighting the
good fight of faith, we may finally obtain the
crown of righteousness which fadeth not
away. Friends are earnestly exhorted to main
tain a strict watch over themselves and each
other against the subtle and mischievous
spirit of tale-bearing and detraction, the
manifest tendency of which is to lay waste
the unity of the body by sowing the seeds of
disesteem, strife and discord among brethren
and neighbors, as well as to unfit those who
either propagate or listen to evil reports for
being of that service to the person reflected
upon which they might be if the order pre-

48

CONDUCT AND CONVERSATION. 49
scribed by our blessed Lord to his church
was strictly observed, viz. : " If thy brother
sin against thee, go show him his fault
between thee and him alone ; if he hear thee,
thou hast gained thy brother." '
It is advised that when there is any appear- Caution
ance of dissension and variance, or of un- afs^sions.
kind resentment and shyness among our
members, the parties be timely and tenderly
apprised of the danger to which they thereby
expose both themselves and others, and ear
nestly exhorted to the mutual condescension
and forgiveness becoming Christ's followers,
whose mission should be the promotion of
peace on earth and good-will amongst men.
Members of our Religious Society are Caution
advised against applying to those who by any against
art or skill whatsoever pretend to a knowl
edge of future events, of hidden transactions,
or of the place where things lost or stolen
may be found ; and shall any of our members
pursue such a course or make pretence to
any such art or skill they should receive the
attention of the Monthly Meeting.
If any of our members be guilty of im- Disorderly
..... , c ¦ conduct, etc.
moral or disorderly conduct, ot notorious to have care.
crimes, or of such unseemly practices as
1 Matthew 18 : 15.

50 CONDUCT AND CONVERSATION.
shall occasion public scandal, they shall be
visited or labored with by the overseers or
other concerned Friends to endeavor to con
vince them of their serious deviation from
our good order, and such offenders, if brought
to a sense of their error, ought without
improper delay to remove the cause of
offence, as far as they have ability, and
endeavor to order their lives consistently
with our holy profession.
Blasphemy. If any one in membership with us blas
pheme, or speak profanely of Almighty God,
Christ Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, or shall
deny the divinity of Christ, the immediate
revelation of the Holy Spirit, or the -inspir
ation of the Scriptures, he ought to be
tenderly treated with for his instruction, and
the convincement of his understanding, that
he may experience repentance and forgive
ness.

PARENTS AND CHILDREN.
In much love to our young people we ex- Exhortation
- . -ii • • i against
hort them to avoid the many vanities and vanities and
ensnaring corruptions to which they are commtions.
exposed. It is written, " Thou shalt worship
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve." ' Take the advice of godly parents,
guardians and friends, ever remembering that
next to our Creator children ought to obey
their parents, and that disobedience to them
is a breach of the moral law, and always
offensive in the Divine sight. Submit to
their reasonable requirings with cheerful
ness, though these may sometimes thwart
your own inclinations, and answer not fro-
wardly or crossly. They watched over you
and .took care of you when you were utterly
unable to help or take care of yourselves ;
why then should you grieve or wound their
anxious minds by running into vain and
expensive fashions, associating with corrupt
or frivolous persons, wasting precious time
in idle conversation and harmful diversions ;
all of which, we have no doubt, the Divine
monitor in your own breasts often pleads
1 Matthew 4 : 10. Si

52

PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

Exhortation
to simplicity
in dress, etc.

Habits of
industryadvised.

Children to
be placed
with Friends

against, and shows to be destructive of your
peace. We beseech you to attend to this Inspeak-
ing Word, and dutifully yield to the tender
advice of your friends. Shrink not from the
cross of Christ in your garb, language or man
ners, but through a subjection of your wills to
the Divine will in these and all other respects
walk answerably to the purity of our profes
sion, and the simplicity and spirituality of our
worship ; so may you be instructive exam
ples to serious inquirers after truth. To
walk close with God individually means
greater strength for accepted work, wiser
discriminations of duty, and a refuge when
sorrows and trials assail us. It gives a calm
assurance which few things can disturb.
" Remember, O my soul, the quietude of
those in whom Christ governs."
Friends are advised to bring up their child
ren to habits of industry, placing them with
sober and exemplary persons for instruction
in such occupations as are consistent with
our religious principles and testimonies.
And when it is necessary for them to leave
home, let them board if practicable in a
Friends' family, so that their surroundings
and intercourse may tend to preserve them
in a becoming conduct and demeanor.

THE SCRIPTURES. 53
And it is desired that those whose circum- Those able,
stances furnish ability for instructing the affluent.
children of members less affluent in useful
and . suitable employments, may extend to
them such aid and encouragement as will
remove every reason for placing them with
those not in membership with us.

THE SCRIPTURES.
We tenderly and earnestly advise and ex- Reading of
hort all parents and heads of families that ^^g^8
they endeavor to instruct their children and
families in the doctrines and precepts of the
Christian religion as contained in the Script
ures ; and that they incite them to the dili
gent and reverent reading of those excellent
writings, which set forth the miraculous con
ception, birth, holy life, wonderful works,
blessed example, death, resurrection and as
cension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ ; and to educate their children in the
belief of the inward manifestation and opera- Fundamental
tion of the Holy Spirit on their own minds, bends'6 °f
which is the fundamental principle of our
Society, that they may reap the benefit and
advantage thereof for their own peace and
everlasting happiness.

CIVIL GOVERNMENT.

Liberty of
conscience.

accepting office.

Liberty of conscience being the common
right of all men, and particularly essential to
the well-being of religious societies, we hold
it to be indispensably incumbent upon us to
maintain it inviolably amongst ourselves ;
and therefore advise and exhort all in pro
fession with us to decline the acceptance of
Caution as to any office or station in civil government,
the duties of which are inconsistent with our
religious principles, or in the exercise of
which they may. be, or think themselves to
be, under the necessity of exacting of their
brethren any compliance against which we
are conscientiously scrupulous.
We believe that we are called to show to
the world in life and practice that the blessed
reign of the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, is
begun, which will, we believe, proceed until it
attains its completion in the earth, when, ac
cording to the prophecies of Isaiah and
Micah, " Nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war
any more." L We cannot, therefore, consis
tently join with such as form combinations of
i Isaiah 2 : 4.
54

Friends'
beliefconcerning Peace.

TRADE. 5 5
a hostile nature against any, nor can we Respect for
unite with or encourage such as revile or authority
asperse those in authority. It is written,
" Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy
people." '

TRADE.
We affectionately desire that Friends may Caution
wait for Divine counsel in all their engage- j^^inate
ments, and not suffer their minds to be hur- d.e?ire for
riches.
ried away by an inordinate desire for worldly
riches ; remembering the observation of the
Apostle in his day, so often sorrowfully
verified in ours, that "They that desire to be
rich fall into a temptation and a snare and
many foolish and hurtful lusts." 2 Even when
riches to any extraordinary degree have been
amassed by the successful industry of par
ents, how often have they proved like wings
to their children, carrying them beyond the
limitations of Truth into liberties repugnant
to our religious testimonies, and sometimes
into undertakings which have terminated in •
irreparable damage to their temporal affairs,
if not an entire forgetfulness of the great
work of the soul's salvation.
1 Acts 23 : 5. 2 I. Timothy 6 : 9.

sc>

TRADE.

Caution
againsthazardous enterprises.

Advice
againstbusinessbeyond
ability to
manage.

Contracts to
be strictly
fulfilled.

It is earnestly desired that Friends be care
ful to avoid all pursuit after the things of this
world, by such ways and means as depend
too much on hazardous enterprises ; but
rather labor to content themselves with such
a plain way and manner of living as is most
agreeable to the self-denying principle
which we profess, and most conducive to
that tranquillity of mind which is insepara
ble from the right enjoyment even of tem
poral things. It is advised that where any
among us err, or are in danger of erring in
these respects, they be faithfully and timely
admonished. Being earnestly concerned that the service
of our religious Society may not be ob
structed, or its reputation dishonored by any
imprudence of its members in their worldly
engagements, we recommend to all that they
be careful not to venture upon such business
as they do not well understand, nor launch
out in trade beyond their abilities, and at the
risk of others, especially on the credit which
may be derived from a profession of the
Truth ; but that they bound their engage
ments by their means, and when they enter
into contracts or make promises, that they
endeavor on all occasions strictly to fulfil
them.

TRADE. 57
Friends are recommended frequently to Affairs to be
inspect the state of their affairs, and to keep inspected^
their accounts clearly and accurately, that a^ourus™'6
they may thus more easily know whether kept-
they live within the bounds of their circum
stances, and that the settlement of their
estates after death may be less perplexing.
It is also recommended that when any find
they have not, or are in danger of not having
more property left than is sufficient to dis- consulted.
charge their debts, they promptly disclose
their circumsfances to some judicious Friends
and ask their advice how to act.
When overseers or other concerned Friends Counsel to be
have reason to fear that any of our members extended-
are declining in their circumstances and likely
to fail, it is recommended that such be sea
sonably counseled with.
When it is known that any member of our
Society has become unable to discharge his
obligations, the Overseers should, unless after overseers.
consideration they believe such action un
necessary or inexpedient, inform the Prepara
tive or Monthly Meeting. Upon receipt of
such information the Monthly Meeting should Monthly
¦ , ... . . . , . Meeting
appoint a committee to inquire into the cir- action.
cumstances of the case, and upon their
report, take such further action as may appear
proper.

58

TRADE.

Assignments
to be without
condition, etc.

Advice to
trustees and
assignees.

Caution to
managers of
corporations.

Subscriptions,
etc., not to be
received from

Just debts to
be paid when
able.

We urge upon the attention of Friends
that assignments of property for the benefit
of creditors be without condition or reser
vation ; and that, when practicable, the
creditors be consulted as to the person to be
appointed assignee ; that when a Friend ac
cepts the office of trustee or assignee, he be
active in collecting the effects of the estate,
and prompt in making distribution, and that
trustees of all kinds be careful to keep trust
funds clearly separate from their personal
estates. We desire to warn our members who are
managers or stockholders of incorporated
companies, to be careful how they assume
that acts which would be improper for them as
individuals are allowable in such companies.
Our meetings should not receive subscrip
tions, donations, or bequests from persons
who have fallen short in the payment of their
debts until they shall have paid off their de
ficiencies, or been voluntarily released there
from by their creditors ; for it should be re
membered that though in such cases the person
may have been legally discharged, the prop
erty he may afterwards acquire is not proper
ly his own till the former debts have been
fairly paid to the satisfaction of the creditors.

ARBITRATION. 59
We caution all in membership with us to caution
be careful how they enter into joint obliga- obHeations"'
tions with others under the plea of rendering
acts of kindness ; many by so doing have
been suddenly ruined, and their families re
duced to deplorable circumstances.

ARBITRATION.
When differences arise between any of Mode advised
our members about property, it will usually 0"^ffere™ces
be best to proceed substantially as follows ;
and we should endeavor to pursue a similar
course where we have differences with per
sons not members of our Society.
Let the party who thinks himself aggrieved
calmly and kindly ask the other to comply
with the demand for settlement. If this be
refused, the complainant, or if he lives at too
great a distance, some friend whom he may
authorize, should take with him one or two
of the overseers, or other discreet persons,
and in their presence, repeat the request.
If this should fail of the desired effect, Arbitrators
let the parties choose a suitable number a vise '

6o

ARBITRATION.

Duties of
arbitrators.

Arbitrators
may take
legal advice.

Advice to
arbitrators.

of arbitrators, and mutually engage, by
suitable written instrument, to abide by their
determination. When arbitrators are chosen they should,
as speedily as circumstances will admit,
appoint a time and place of meeting, and
attend to the business without unnecessary
delay, giving the parties fair and full hearing
in the presence of each other, but listening
to neither apart ; they should shun all pre
vious information respecting the case, or,
having heard anything on it, endeavor to
stand unbiased thereby, and should reject no
evidence proposed if considered by either
arbitrator as pertinent. They should not
suffer their own opinions to be known till
they have carefully considered the subject
and come to a decision, and in their award
they need not assign a reason for their
determinations. When arbitrators are at a loss for want of
legal knowledge in the matter referred to
them, it may be proper for them, at the joint
expense of the parties, to take the opinion of
counsel learned in the law, in order to come
to a proper judgment. They ought not to
consider themselves as advocates for those
by whom they are chosen, but as friends of

ARBITRATION. 6 1
both parties, whose duty it is to judge right
eously ; thus they may the better answer
the end of their appointment, and be helpful
in conciliating the minds of the parties.
It is desired that persons differing about Ministers as
worldly affairs shall, as little as may be, en- advised r
gage Friends in the ministry as arbitrators. a€ams.t-
It is further earnestly advised that Friends
do not go to law, particularly one with Advice
another. If, for any reason, one should think toTaw. g°mg
himself under necessity to bring an action
against a fellow-member, let him consult the
overseers or other judicious Friends before
proceeding. Where loss or responsibility Cases
might result by delay, the Monthly Meeting excepted.
should hold members excused if they proceed
differently from the course defined in this
chapter, provided they respect in their action
the spirit of the testimony we thus present,
and proceed in love and moderation, without
anger, animosity, or purpose of oppression.

WILLS.

Dispositionof property
to be
considered while in
health.

Ancientadvicerenewed.

Realizing the uncertainty of life, it is
affectionately advised that those who are in
the possession of property shall carefully
consider whilst in health, the just disposition
of it, regarding themselves as stewards only,
and remembering their responsibility for the
right use of all which has been placed in
their care.
The advice long contained in our Book of
Discipline, addressed to those who have
property which should be disposed of by
will, rather than through the ordinary distri
bution of the law, is here renewed. It is
tenderly advised that such Friends make their
wills in time of health and strength of judg
ment ; and therein direct their substance as
in justice and wisdom may be to their satis
faction and peace, laying aside all resentment,
though occasion therefor may have been
given, lest it should go with them to the grave,
remembering we all stand in need of mercy
and forgiveness. Making such wills in due
time can shorten no one's days, buttheomis-
62

SCHOOLS. 63
sion or delay thereof to a time of sickness,
when the mind should not be diverted from a
consideration of the approaching solemn
period of life, has often proved very injurious
to many, and been the occasion of creating
animosities in families, which the seasonable
performance of this duty might have effect
ually prevented.
The caution is added that the drawing of „..„
° Wills to be
wills be not left to incompetent persons, but drawn by
that due care be taken to employ for the persons.
purpose those skillful and of good repute.

SCHOOLS.
As the education of our youth in piety j
virtue, and useful learning under the care of
prudent, religious persons, has ever been
one of our important concerns, children
being much influenced by their surrounding's, T . .
0 J o ' Institution
it is renewedly desired that Quarterly, Month- and support
ly, and Preparative Meetings be incited to
proper exertions for the institution and sup
port of schools.

64

SCHOOLS.

Funds to be
raised.

Committees
to be
appointed.

Friends as
teachers.

P'irst-day
schools.

It is therefore advised that where schools
can be maintained, funds be raised in the
meeting -to aid in their establishment and
support ; that committees be appointed in
Monthly or Preparative Meetings to have
the oversight thereof, and that they employ
teachers of our religious persuasion when
ever practicable, who are not only capable of
instructing the children in useful learning,
but also of training them in the knowledge
of their duty to God and toward one
another. The importance of training our children
and youth in a knowledge of our religious
principles and a love for our testimonies,
being widely felt, Preparative and Monthly
Meetings are recommended, when a living
concern arises, to establish and encourage
First-day schools within their limits, over
which a guarded care should be extended
through committees appointed by the meet
ings.

BOOKS.
Parents, heads of families, and guardians
are earnestly exhorted, to abstain, and as
much as in them lies, prevent the children
under their care and tuition from having Exhortation
or reading books or other publications asainst
° L pernicious
tending to prejudice the profession of the reading.
Christian religion, or to weaken their faith
in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures or
of the saving truths declared in them. Our
members are advised to bear a faithful testi
mony against all forms of sensational and
corrupt publications ; and, in order to en
courage a taste for good literature and „
° . . ° Good reading
to discourage pernicious reading, they are to be
earnestly exhorted to provide good books pi°
and reading matter for their children and
families, and frequently to read with them.
If any of our members print or publish
any writing which tends to excite disunity or tendinfS
discord among us, they should be earnest- to dlsumtv-
ly labored with, and if they cannot be con
vinced of the impropriety of their conduct,
the monthly meeting to which they belong
may declare its disunity with them. 65

MEETING FUNDS.
A fund being necessary to meet the ex-
annuaiiy penditures of the Society, it is directed that
the same be annually raised by a collection
from each Quarterly Meeting, to be paid to
the treasurer appointed by the Yearly Meet
ing, and subject to be drawn out by its di
rection, or by that of the Representative
Committee, as the exigencies of the Society
may require.
Quotas. Any re-arrangement of the quotas of the
several Quarterly Meetings shall be produced
by a Committee of the Yearly Meeting
appointed for that purpose.
The present arrangement is as follows :
Philadelphia Quarter . . . . to pay $20.00 jn every $100.
Abington Quarter . . . . to pay $14.50 in even $100.
Bucks Quarter  to pay $14.50 in every $100.
Concord Quarter  to pay $14.50 in every $100.
Cain Quarter  to pay $ 2.00 in every $100.
Western Quarter  to pay $13.50 in every $100.
Southern Quarter . . . . to pay $ 2.00 in every $100.
Burlington Quarter  to pay $ 5.00 in every $ 1 00.
Haddonfield Quarter ... to pay $ 6.00 in every $100.
Salem Quarter  to pay $ 7.00 in every $100.
Fishing Creek H. Y. Meeting to pay $ 1.00 in every $100.
$100.00
66

TRUSTS AND TITLES TO PROPERTY. 6"]
It is advised that each Monthly and Pre- Monthiy
parative Meeting raise and maintain a fund Meeting
1 , _ ° _ funds, etc.
sufficient for its needs, and appoint a treas
urer to have charge thereof, whose accounts
shall be settled annually by two or more
Friends appointed for the purpose, who shall
report their condition to the meeting.

TRUSTS AND TITLES TO PROPERTY.
Quarterly, Monthly and Preparative Meet- A ,
ings are directed to make careful inspection inspection
... , . . r 1 -1 r directed.
annually into the situation ot the titles ot
the meeting properties, burial grounds, and
other estates which have been vested in
trustees and by them held for the use and
benefit of any of those meetings or of the
Society at large ; and, if it should appear TimeI
needful from the death of any trustee or renewal
, , , , , of trusts.
trustees, or other cause, due and seasonable
care should be taken to appoint others to
the trust, and to have the new conveyance
duly recorded ; that future difficulties and the toh^e7ax>cei
danger of being deprived of such estates may recorded.
be avoided.

MEMBERS IN NEED.
It is recommended to each Monthly Meet-
Necessary ing to have a standing committee of men
extended. and women Friends whose duty it shall be
to see, by visits or otherwise, that advice and
relief are seasonably extended to members
in need, and assistance afforded them in such
business as they are fitted for ; and the ex
pense which their support and the education
of their children necessarily occasions, shall
be drawn from the treasury of the meeting,
Cases not to upon the order of the committee, remember-
be exposed. ... ..... . ,
ing that in exercising this benevolent and
Christian care, the names or situation of such
members should not be exposed.

68

BURIALS.
It is affectionately advised that Friends Moderation
keep to true moderation in all things apper- advised.
taining to interments ; that they avoid the
custom of wearing or giving mourning habits,
the use of elaborate caskets, and all osten
tatious display or extravagant expenditure.
It is recommended that Friends encourage iTunera]s
the holding of funerals in our meeting- from.°ur
° ° meeting
houses, and that one or more suitable friends houses
.... , encouraged.
be appointed to be present to see that good
order is observed, and that the body be
removed for burial at a suitable time.
It is further recommended that at all inter- Pause at
ments time be allowed for a solemn pause, grave' etc
both before and after the coffin is lowered
into the grave, and that forms and observ
ances not consistent with our testimonies be
avoided. As some who attend burials may have a ,. ,
J Moderation
considerable distance to travel and need in needful
.... r i • ¦ ii-i refreshment.
bodily refreshment, it is earnestly advised
that in all preparations for such occasions
moderation be observed, and that Friends 69

70

BURIALS.

Committees
for care of
burial grounds.

Provisionsconcerning
marks of
graves.

demean themselves in all respects with
gravity.
To prevent improper interments among
us, it is recommended that two or more
Friends be appointed by Monthly or Pre
parative Meetings to have the care of our
several burying-grounds, and that no person
not in membership be buried therein without
a permit in writing signed by one or two of
these Friends, who should also take care that
our burial-grounds are properly enclosed and
kept in good order.
That no costly or showy monuments be
affixed to graves in any of them, it is directed
that the size be kept within the limits of
eighteen (18) inches in width, nine (9) inches
in thickness, and ten (10) inches in height
above the level of the ground, with only
such inscription as is necessary for identifica
tion. But Monthly or Preparative Meetings
may regulate the size of grave stones in.
their grounds, provided the dimensions here
stated be not exceeded.

PARTICULAR ADVICES.
The following particular advices to our where and
members are directed to be read seriously beread°
and deliberately in Quarterly and Monthly
Meetings at least once a year. And Month
ly Meetings are encouraged to read, or have
read in subordinate meetings as way may
open, these or other parts of the Discipline,
with the caution to present them always
weightily and earnestly, and at times suit
able to the purpose.
In conducting the affairs of our meetings Conduct of
Friends are exhorted to do so in the peace
able spirit and wisdom of Jesus, with dignity,
forbearance, and love of each other. Those
who may favor the adoption of any measure
should not, after having fully expressed their
views, manifest an over-anxious concern
that they should prevail, and those who may
not feel prepared for the adoption of a
proposition should not endeavor to prevent
it by undue opposition. 7i

72 PARTICULAR ADVICES.
Waiting in Frequent waiting in stillness on the Lord
for the renewal of strength keeps the mind
at home in its proper place and duty, and out
of unprofitable association and converse.
Much hurt may be done to the religious
mind by excessive and absorbing attention
to outward affairs, for this, if suffered to pre
vail, benumbs the soul, and prevents its as
cending in living aspirations toward the
Fountain of Eternal Life.

ance.

„ ' . . It being evident that where the manifesta-
1 ruth is safe °
in its guid- tions and restraints of the Spirit of truth are
duly prized and regarded, it leads out of a
bondage to the spirit of this world, and pre
serves the minds of its followers from many
fettering and disqualifying entanglements ;
and contrariwise that inordinate love and
pursuit of worldly riches often betray those
who are captivated by them into many diffi
culties and dangers, to the great obstruction
of the work of Truth in the heart, it is affec
tionately desired that the counsel and gra
cious promise of our 'blessed Master to his
followers may be borne in remembrance by
us : " Seek ye first his kingdom and his
righteousness ; and all those things shall be
added unto you." 1
1 Matthew 6 : 33.

PARTICULAR ADVICES. 73
Our members are earnestly entreated to Music
consider Weightily the disposal of their time, dancing,
. . . card-playing.
that, receiving it as a gift of God for the stew
ardship of which an account must be ren
dered, they may not lightly squander it in
music, nor indulge in the questionable diver
sions of card-playing and dancing, for we
believe that attention given to these things
has often diverted the mind from the higher
purposes of life, and dwarfed the growth in
religious experience.

It has ever been a principle of the Society Moderaiioi
of Friends to live in all ways in moderation aPd ,. .
J simplicity.
and simplicity. Thus the powers granted us
may be put to their true use, and by
proper industry and economy, and the
avoidance of excess and vain display we
may be able to meet our obligations, main
tain those dependent upon us, and aid in our
measure those who need a helping hand.
The neglect of this truly Christian rule of
life leads inevitably into difficulty and. em
barrassment, and, often, to disaster and the
reproach of the profession which we make.

74

PARTICULAR ADVICES.

Intoxicantsandnarcotics.

As it is our duty to strive to preserve
unimpaired the strength, physical, mental,
and spiritual, which has been mercifully given
us, it is an earnest exhortation to all that
they not only abstain from the use of in
toxicating liquors as a drink, not allowing
themselves to become concerned in their
manufacture or sale for that purpose, but
that they be very cautious also in their use
as medicine ; and further, that, as way may
appear consistently with our profession, they
endeavor to spread these salutary principles.
And believing the use of tobacco to be not
only offensive, but generally injurious, es
pecially to the young, it is affectionately
advised that Friends abstain from its cultiva
tion, manufacture, sale, and use ; and also
that in the use of other narcotics, regarded
as medicines, great care be exercised.

Marriage.

As suitable marriage connections greatly
promote happiness and comfort in life, it is
earnestly advised that when any of our mem
bers are inclined to marry they seek for Di
vine counsel and direction therein, and that
their parents or guardians be early acquainted
with their prospect. Let marriages be ac-

PARTICULAR ADVICES. 75
*
complished in an orderly manner, gravely
and weightily ; let moderation be observed,
and no cause for reproach occur, but let all
behave with such sobriety as becomes a peo
ple loving God. The testimony of Friends
concerning marriage is earnestly commended
to all, that it be regarded as an engage
ment solemnly to be made in the Divine
presence by the parties thereto, who, proceed
ing in sincerity and truth, must seek Divine
blessing and approval, which, if graciously
bestowed, can receive no increase or enhance
ment through the intervention or assumed
authority of human ministry.

All public gifts and legacies should be , .r
. .... & Gifts and
strictly applied to the uses intended by the legacies.
donors, or, if any unforeseen circumstances
should render this difficult or impracticable,
an early application should be made to the
Representative Committee for its advice or
aid. Monthly and other meetings of busi
ness are cautioned to see that timely care is
taken for the renewal of trusts, and they are
exhorted to be diligent and particular as to
the careful investment of trust funds.

76 QUERIES.
4
inspection of Friends are earnestly advised to inspect
affairs^ ^e state °f their outward affairs at least
once in the year, and to consider carefully,
whilst in health, the just disposition of their
estates by will or otherwise.

QUERIES.
The following Queries are all to be read,
When and & ~ '
where read, deliberately considered, and answered, once
a year, in those Quarterly Meetings which
next precede the sitting of the Yearly Meet
ing, and in the Preparative and Monthly
Meetings reporting to them, and the sum
mary answers thereto adopted by the Quar
terly Meetings are to be forwarded to the
Yearly Meeting, so that it may be informed
of the general condition of the Society.
The First, Second, and Eighth Queries
First, second ¦, , , • 1 l 1 1
and eighth, are aiSO to be read, considered, and answered
asto'3 1 rU'e *n tne two Quarterly Meetings preceding the
one before mentioned, and in the Preparative
and Monthly Meetings which report thereto,
but they are not required to be read or
answered in the Quarterly Meetings immedi-

QUERIES. J"]
ately following the Yearly Meeting, or in
the subordinate meetings reporting to them.
The reading and answering of any of the
Queries is not enjoined upon Preparative
Meetings identical in membership with their
Monthly Meetings.
First Query. Are all our religious meet
ings for worship and for discipline regularly
held ? Do Friends duly attend ? Is the
hour observed, and is the behavior of those
assembled becoming ?
Second Query. Are love and unity main
tained amongst you ? Are tale-bearing and
detraction discouraged ? When differences
arise, are endeavors used speedily to end
them ?
Third Query. Do you maintain a faithful
testimony in favor of the free ministry of the
gospel, and against the system of a pro
fessional ministry ?
Fourth Query. Do you bring up those
under your care in plainness of speech, be
havior, and apparel ? Do you encourage them
in the frequent reverent reading of the Holy
Scriptures, and guard them from pernicious
reading and the corrupting influences of the
world ? And are you, yourselves, good ex
amples in these particulars ?

78 QUERIES.
Fifth Query. Are you clear of the manu
facture, sale, and use of intoxicating liquors
as a drink, and careful to discourage the
same? Are you cautious in their use as
medicine, clear of signing applications for
license to make or sell them as drink, and of
renting your property for these purposes ?
Do you avoid the unnecessary frequenting
of taverns, and the attendance of places of
harmful diversion ? Do you maintain mod
eration and simplicity at marriages and
funerals, and on other occasions ?
Sixth Query. Do you take care of such of
your members as need aid, and assist them
in business if they are capable of it ? Are
their children freely instructed to fit them for
suitable occupation and self-support ? And
are any of these or other Friends' children
placed from amongst Friends ?
Seventh Query. Are you careful to live
within the bounds of your circumstances,
without ostentation or vain display, and to
keep to moderation in your trade or busi
ness ? Are you punctual to your promises,
prompt and just in the payment of your
debts, and are such as give reasonable ground
for concern on these accounts, seasonably ad
vised or labored with, for their preservation or
recovery ?

QUERIES. 79
Eighth Query. Do you take due care to
treat with offenders in the spirit of meekness
and love, without partiality or unnecessary
delay, in order for their help, endeavoring to
reach a judgment in the authority of Truth?
Ninth Query. Do you maintain a faithful
testimony in favor of peace and arbitration
and against war and the preparations for and
excitements to it, fraudulent or clandestine
trade, oaths, and all forms of lotteries and
gambling ?
Tenth Query. Has due care been taken to
record each birth, removal and death that has
occurred among the members of your meeting
during the last year ? Has a duplicate or
copy of each marriage certificate been care
fully made and preserved ? Have all disused
or completed record or minute books of the
meeting been deposited in a place of safety,
approved by the meeting ?
Eleventh Query. Are there First-day
Schools held in connection with your meet
ings ? Are they under care of committees
appointed in the Preparative or Monthly
Meetings, and are they conducted in accord
with our principles and testimonies ?
Twelfth Query. Are there schools estab
lished amongst you for the education of

80 QUERIES.
your children, under the charge of teachers
in membership with us, and superintended
by committees appointed in your business
meetings ? Do the teachers and pupils
attend mid-week meetings ?
Thirteenth Query. What changes have
been made in the times and places of holding
your meetings, and what new meetings have
been established?
Fourteenth Query. Are the several Quer
ies regularly read and answered as directed ?
[Note. — In connection with the nth and 12th Queries
full and orderly returns as to numbers of teachers, pupils,
etc., are directed to be sent up through the several meet
ings to the Yearly Meeting, according to such form and
arrangement as may be approved by the Yearly Meeting.]

MARRIAGE.
The Society of Friends has ever regarded view of
Friendsconcerning.

the marriage contract as one of a religious F !

nature, and as affecting all the relations of
life. It is therefore earnestly and affection
ately advised, that, previously to making any .
procedure in this important concern, our counsel to be
members seriously and humbly wait upon ug
the Lord for counsel and direction. When
favored with satisfactory clearness therein, Advice of ,
* parents to be
they should acquaint their parents or guardi- sought.
ans with their prospect and seek their advice.
In this way they may be preserved from
unsuitable connections. Parents and con
cerned Friends should discourage the mar- with those
riage of our members with those of other professions
principles and professions of religion ; be- discouraged
cause unhappiness often results from want
of harmony and sympathy in religious con
victions, and serious difficulties may arise in
the training of children.
The following are principles upon which
the good order in our Religious Society, in
relation to the accomplishment of marriage, is
founded : —

82 MARRIAGE.
Consent of First. That the consent of parents or
parents or guardians should be early obtained by the
guardians. ° J
parties, in order to preserve harmony, peace
and unity in families ; and to guard against
hasty and improper connections.
Proposal to Second. That the Society may extend a
S^ 'aid before watchful care over its members, and that
Monthly . '
Meeting. Friends may proceed commendably in this
important connection, the proposal of mar
riage should be laid before the Monthly
Meeting.
Assistance of Third. That Friends maintain a testi-
prie.st or , mony in support of the free ministry of the
minister to be J l 1 '
avoided. Gospel, by avoiding the assistance of a priest
or minister in accomplishing this solemn en
gagement.
Order to be F°r the purpose of maintaining these prin-
foiiowed. ciples and testimonies, it is agreed that the
following order be observed in the accomplish
ment of marriage : —
Notice of The man and woman making the proposal
intention, Qf marriage should communicate their inten
tions to the Monthly Meeting in writing,
signed by them both, substantially as fol
lows : —

MARRIAGE. 8 3
To  Monthly Meeting of Friends.
With Divine permission, and Friends'
approbation, we intend marriage with each
other. A. B.
D. E.
If they have parents or guardians, the Consent of
consent of these, when it may reasonably presented. e
be obtained, should be expressed in the
meeting, or certified thereto in writing.
If the persons belong to the same month.-
ly meeting, a committee of men and women
Friends should be appointed to inquire re- Committee of
specting their clearness of other similiar en- m(iimy-
gagements, and to take any needful care
that the provisions of state laws in such cases
will be complied with ; and that the rights of Rignts of
children by a previous marriage (where there previous
are such) are legally secured. Where either m !;
is a member of another monthly meeting, he
or she should, in ample time for inquiry, ask
therefrom a certificate of membership, and of When not
x members of
clearness of other marriage engagements ; same Monthly
and in this case a committee appointed as
above, directed by the meeting having gen
eral charge, may, at its discretion, consist of
Friends of but one sex.

84

MARRIAGE.

MonthlyMeeting's Procedure.

Time and
place.

Committee of
oversight.

Maybe
proposed.

Order at
marriagegathering.

Friends'
marriage
ceremony.

If at the next meeting, the committee shall
report that inquiry has been made, and that
no obstruction to further proceeding appears,
and where one party is a member of another
meeting, if a satisfactory report shall be re
ceived therefrom, the Monthly Meeting should
grant the parties liberty to accomplish their
marriage according to our order, at a public
meeting for worship, or at a meeting at such
other time and place as it may approve, ex
cept on the First day of the week, and should
appoint two Friends of each sex to have care
and oversight thereof. Nominations of such
overseers may be made in writing, and those
so proposed, if thought suitable by the meet
ing, may be appointed.
A marriage having been authorized, and
the meeting gathered at which it is to be ac
complished, it is advised that a season of
quiet solemnity be observed, after which the
parties to the marriage should rise in the
presence of the assembly, and, taking each
other by the hand, the man should declare
audibly in words to this effect: — "In the
presence of the Lord, and before this assem
bly, I take thee, D. E., to be my wife, promis
ing, with Divine assistance, to be unto thee
a loving and faithful husband until death
shall separate us."

MARRIAGE. 8 5
Then the woman should, in like manner,
declare : "In the presence of the Lord, and
before this assembly, I take thee, A. B., to
be my husband, promising, with Divine
assistance, to be unto thee a loving and faith
ful wife until death shall separate us."
After this declaration the marriage certifi- „ L.c ,
o Certificate to
cate should be read by some one approved be read and
by the overseers appointed to attend the
marriage, and should then be signed by the
contracting parties.
A period of silence should follow, after Meeting to
which the meeting should be closed by the be closed.
overseers or other Friends approved by
them. Marriage certificates, before they are „ t.r ,
o _ J Certificates to
read and signed, should be examined, and, be examined.
if necessary, corrected by the overseers in
charge of the marriage.
The form of the certificate shall be as
follows :
Whereas, A. B. of , in the Form of
county of , in , son of Certificate.
C. B. of and H. his wife ; and
D. E. daughter of F. E. of
and M. his wife, having declared their inten
tions of marriage with each other, before a
Monthly Meeting of the religious Society of

86 MARRIAGE.

certificate,

Form of Friends, held at , according to the
good order used among them [where the
parties are under the care of parents or
guardians add] and having consent of parents
or guardians concerned [as the case is]
their said proposal of marriage was allowed
of by the said meeting.
Now these are to certify whom it may
concern, that for the full accomplishment of
their said intentions, this day of
the month, in the year of our Lord
, they, the said A. B. and D. E.
appeared in a public meeting * of the said
Society, held at aforesaid ; and
the said A. B. taking the said D. E. by the
hand, did, on this solemn occasion, openly de
clare, that he took her, the said D. E. to be
his wife, promising, with Divine assistance,
to be unto her a loving and faithful husband,
until death should separate them ; and then,
in the same assembly, the said D. E. did in
like manner declare, that she took him, the
said A. B. to be her husband, promising,
with Divine assistance, to be unto him a lov
ing and faithful wife, until death should sep-
* When the marriage is accomplished at a private house, instead
of the words, " in a public meeting of the said Society, held at
aforesaid;" say, "at a meeting at the house of
 in the .... of  "

MARRIAGE. 87
arate them. And morover, they, the said
A. B. and D. E. (she according to the cus
tom of marriage, assuming the name of her
husband) did, as a further confirmation there
of, then and there to these presents set
their hands. A ^
A. ri.
D. B.
And we whose names are also hereunto
subscribed, being present at the solemniza
tion of the said marriage and subscription,
have, as witnesses thereto, set our hands, the
day and year above written.
It is affectionately advised that marriages Gravity and
be accomplished gravely, weightily and sol- D° observed"
emnly, and that the parties themselves, their
parents, and others concerned take care that
moderation be observed, that no reproach
arise or occasion of offence be given ; but
that all behave with such sobriety as becomes
a people fearing God. If anything to the If otherwise
*• ° jo overseers to
contrary be observed, the overseers, or other admonish.
concerned Friends present, ought in brother
ly love to extend suitable admonition.
The said overseers shall report to the next Overseers
Monthly Meeting whether this advice con- to report
cerning good order and moderation has. been
observed, that the duplicate marriage cer-

88

MARRIAGE.

Marriageunder care
of meeting
with a non
member.

tificate, or, if a duplicate has not been made,
the certificate itselfa has been delivered to
the Recorder, and that the legal requirements
have been complied with.
If a person not in membership with us
proposes to marry one of our members, ap
plication may be made to the overseers of
the Monthly Meeting to which the member
belongs, and if the said overseers are satis
fied, the proposals of marriage, accompanied
by their consent, may be laid before the
Monthly Meeting in the usual form, and the
meeting shall make inquiry, and have the
same care and oversight of the marriage,
proceeding in the manner prescribed by
Discipline, as where both parties are mem
bers of the same Monthly Meeting.
No Monthly Meeting should entertain a
proposal of marriage sooner than one year
after the death ofthe husband or wife of either
party to the marriage.
It is advised that no misdemeanor be
treasured up against a person until the time
treasured up ^ j^s presentjng proposals of marriage, and
then be. brought forward, though perhaps long
before known to those who make objections.
As serious consequences frequently follow
to offspring from the marriage of persons
aSee page 112, second paragraph.

No marriage
sooner than
one year.

Misdemeanors
not to be

MARRIAGE. 89
nearly related by consanguinity, we cannot Marriage of
, . r . first cousins
approve or consent to the marriage ot those not consented
so near akin as first cousins. The term
"first cousins " applies to every description
of grandchildren descended from one com
mon parent.
Marriage being a solemn covenant for life, Divorce.
and the fulfilment of its obligations essential
to the welfare of the family and the mainten
ance of society, we cannot consent to divorce
under any circumstances, or to any marriage
or re-marriage in violation of this testimony ; Le al
but a legal separation, without divorce, may separation.
be allowed in extreme cases.
It is advised that Friends exercise a re- impr0per
ligious care in watching over their children, connections
0 o to be guarded
and endeavor to guard them against improper against.
connections in marriage ; that they be not
anxious to obtain for them large portions,
but that they encourage their marriage with
persons of religious inclinations, suitable dis
positions and habits of industry.
In order as much as may be to prevent the
marriage of our members with those who are Care f h
not in accord with our religious principles youth
... . *L . f r tenderly
and testimonies, parents and friends are ten- advised.
derly advised to an increasing care of the
youth, early to instruct them in the principles

9°

MARRIAGE.

Our good
order to be
observed.

Overseers
should visit
those who
violate.

Procedure in
in case of
violation.

Retention of
member.

of Truth, by upright example as well as pre
cept, impressing their minds with the duty of
religiously observing them ; and endeavoring
to restrain them from such company as is
likely to entangle their affections in an im
proper manner.
Our members are most earnestly advised,
when contemplating marriage, to proceed in
all cases in the good order set forth in our
Discipline. If, however, notwithstanding
these advices, which experience has proven
to be of very great value, marriages of our
members do occur contrary to our order, the
Overseers should promptly visit such mem
bers in a spirit of love, and endeavor to re
store them to unity and fellowship with our
Society, which ever desires the temporal and
spiritual welfare of all its members.
When one of our members accomplishes
marriage with a person not in membership
with us, and in so doing violates our testi
mony to the free ministry of the Gospel, or
does so without observing our order in rela
tion to the accomplishment of marriage, he
should be treated with by the Overseers.
If it shall appear from their report that the
person sympathizes with Friends in their tes
timonies, expects to attend our meetings, and

MARRIAGE. 9 1
desires to retain his right of membership,
Monthly Meetings may retain such member,
and the overseers shall report the name as
sumed by the wife for official record, if she
be a member.
If, however, the report of the overseers procedure if
should not satisfy the meeting, it shall ap- re^ortTnot
point a committee to visit the party and satisfactory.
extend further labor ; should this prove in
effectual, the meeting may discontinue the
membership of the party, who should be fur
nished with a copy of the concluding minute
in the case, with information of his right of
appeal. When two of our members shall unite in procedure
marriage without observing the good order where two
o ... members
recommended by Discipline, overseers shall unite in
. . -ii • • 1 r 1 marriage out
labor with the parties to convince them ot the of order.
weight of the testimony which may have been
violated, or of the importance of our order,
that they may be willing to acknowledge to
the Monthly Meeting that they regret having
violated our Discipline, in which case the over
seers shall then report the name assumed by
the wife.
If, after patient labor, the efforts of the
overseers shall be unavailing, they shall re
port the case to the Monthly Meeting, which

92 PROCEDURE IN
may discontinue the membership of both or
either of the parties, who should be furnished
with a copy of the concluding minute in the
case, with information of their right of appeal.
Or, if thought desirable, the Monthly Meet
ing may appoint a committee to extend
further labor.

PROCEDURE IN MEETINGS FOR
DISCIPLINE.
... All meetings for business should keep
Records to be & x
kept. neat, plain and correct records of their pro
ceedings in convenient books, with marginal
references and index, and provide suitable
places in which to preserve them. They
Business to are particularly advised to attend to and
be punctually finish all business with care and dispatch,
completed. . .
that it may at no time suffer by improper
delay.
clerks ^ committee should be annually appointed
in each Preparative, Monthly and Quarterly
Meeting for the nomination of a clerk, and
when needed an assistant clerk, which may

MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. 93
afford opportunity for their being seasonably
changed, and for more of our qualified mem
bers to be exercised in these services.
The use and design of Preparative Meet- Duties of
ings is, in general, to digest and prepare busi- wlrtm atslve
ness, which may be proper to be laid before
the Monthly Meeting, and Friends should
be careful therein not to occasion unneces
sary delays, or undertake to decide on any
business which should claim the attention
and care of Monthly Meetings ; and they
shall not take cognizance of proposals of
marriage, this being exclusively the business
of Monthly Meetings. When it is agreed „
J & & Cases to be
that cases are to be carried forward, they forwarded in
should be furnished to the Monthly Meet- w" "
ing in writing.
When men's and women's Monthly Meet- Certificates
ings are not held together, certificates of re- of rem°val-
moval prepared and approved by one meeting
must be sent to the other, and if there ap
proved, signed by the clerks of both. All
certificates received must be read and minuted
in both men's and women's meetings.
When a Monthly Meeting is engaged to Inquiry to be
prepare a certificate on account of the re- raade °?
* r application
moval of a Friend to another Monthly for
Meeting, careful inquiry should be made

94 PROCEDURE IN
by a committee appointed for that purpose
respecting the situation of his temporal
affairs, and also, if single, concerning his
situation in relation to marriage engage
ments ; and if on such inquiry no impediment
be found, the certificate should state that on
inquiry no obstruction appears relative to his
outward affairs to granting a certificate.
Acceptance of When a certificate of removal from one
optt i ncstcs ox
removal, Monthly Meeting addressed to another is
produced therein, and no sufficient objection
appears, it should be accepted, and the party
recorded as a member of that meeting.
If any such person shall fall into circum
Pecuniary stances requiring pecuniary relief within one
relief needed r , r . . . r
by persons year after the acceptance ot his certificate,
amoved ^e meeting to which he has removed, should
assist him, giving speedy notice thereof to the
other, whereupon that meeting should imme
diately assume the care of him until he is
again self-supporting, and repay the expense
which has been incurred on his account. But
if any Friend be reduced in his circumstances
by fire or other sudden unavoidable losses,
though it may be within one year after his
removal as aforesaid, he should be kindly as
sisted and relieved by the meeting whereof
he is a member.

MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. 95
Friends removing out of the limits ofFriends
their Monthly Meetings for any considerable removing
r ° J advised to
length of time, are advised to apply to their apply for
respective meetings for certificates directed
to those within which they propose to sojourn
or settle. If any one remove without so
applying, the Monthly Meeting of which he
is a member, should without improper delay,
if, after the usual inquiry, no obstruction applied for
. . r r . . . to be sent.
appears, send a certificate for him to the
Monthly Meeting within which he has re
moved. When apprentices or persons under age Certificates
, , r . r for minors,
are under the necessity ot going from one etc.
place to another, their parents or guardians
should apply for certificates for thein recom
mending them to the care and oversight of
the Monthly Meetings to which they remove.
It is advised that Monthly Meetings, as Those
„ • 1 bringing
way may open, appoint two or more rriends certificates to i
to visit those who come recommended by be vlslted-
certificate to settle amongst them.
Monthly Meetings are advised to take due Certificates
care that certificates of removal be seasona- seasonably
bly forwarded through the correspondents to forwarded-
the Monthly Meetings to which they are
directed, they being the exclusive property
pf such meetings.

96

PROCEDURE IN

Caution
advised in
changingresidence.

Dealing with
offenders in
meetingshel* separately.

Persons
under dealing
not to sit in
meetings for
discipline.

Friends are advised to be very cautious in
changing their places of residence, it having
been observed that the dissolving of old, and
the forming of new connections, have in
many instances been attended with effects
prejudicial to a growth in the Truth and the
service thereof, both in the heads and
younger branches of families. We therefore
recommend that before any determine to
change their places of abode, they consult
with their experienced fellow-members, and
that a close attention be paid to the pointings
of Divine Wisdom.
In dealing with offenders where Month
ly Meetings are not held together, the
men's or women's meeting should proceed
separately until a judgment is arrived at,
when, if the labor shall have been effectual,
a suitable minute may be made and the case
closed ; but if not, it should be presented to
the other meeting, that if further labor be
thought best it may be jointly proceeded in,
and the result united with by both, which re
sult shall be communicated to the individual
by the meeting in which the case originated.
After a charge against a member for dis
orderly conduct is entered on the minutes of
a Monthly Meeting, he should not be per-

meet iri<ss for discipline. * 97
mitted to sit in any of our meetings for Disci
pline until the case is closed and the Monthly
Meeting satisfied. In all cases where a
Monthly Meeting apprehends itself under the Procedure
j o 1 x ^ where
necessity to discontinue the membership of a membership
person, let such person, if the occasion and continued.
his situation will admit of it, be previously in
formed thereof, and when the judgment of the
meeting is issued let a copy thereof be de
livered to him with notification of his right of
appeal. Persons who have been discontin
ued as members, and who incline to be rein
stated, may be received as other applicants.
If a person whose conduct has been such Dealing with
as to require that he should be dealt with, distance?
reside at so great a distance that he cannot
conveniently be conferred with personally, it
may be done by correspondence ; and when
a conclusion is reached, he may be informed
thereof in the same manner ; or if such a per
son reside within the compass of another
Monthly Meeting, it may be requested to
treat with him according to our order, and to
i report the effect of its care. If this be satis-
| factory, the person's membership should be
transferred by certificate ; but if otherwise,
a minute of denial may be made, and a
i copy thereof sent to the meeting within the

98

PROCEDURE IN

Disorderly
persons appearing as

limits of which he resides, for the information
of said meeting, and with a request that it be
delivered to the person, with information of
his right of appeal.
If any person appearing as a Friend come
within the compass of a Monthly Meeting,
Friends, to be not being recommended by certificate, and
admonished. m° J
be of disorderly conduct, the overseers or
other concerned Friends shall inquire whether
or not he is a member of our Society, and if
he prove so to be, admonish him ; and if the
occasion require it, the overseers should
report the case in the usual order, and the
Monthly Meeting may thereupon inform the
meeting of which he is a member of the
circumstances, and take the direction of said
meeting for dealing further with him accord
ing to our rules in cases of that nature.
As there are members of our Religious
Society living beyond the limits of any
Monthly Meeting, and as it is important
for the maintenance of good order that
Monthly Meetings should be acquainted with
the situation of their members, it is advised,
that each Monthly Meeting, through its cor
respondent or other suitable person, at least
once a year, address a friendly letter to its
members who are thus isolated, endeavor-

Correspond
ence with
absent members.

MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. 99
ing to ascertain whether they continue their
interest in the religious principles pro- Treatment of
fessed by Friends, and in a good degree live *0tsreq5° do
in accordance therewith. Should no satisfac
tory reply be received for the period of five
years, the Monthly Meeting shall be at
liberty to make a minute declaring that they
are no longer members thereof. Due effort
should be made to furnish the parties with
information of this action.
It is advised that when any transgress the Labor t0 be
rules of our Discipline, they shall, without jnvsepirit of
partiality, be sought and admonished in the
spirit of love and Divine charity, so that it
may be seen by all that the restoring spirit
of meekness and Christian love abounds ;
and that a gospel spirit is our spring and
motive, as well in discipline as in worship.
If any case under consideration prove too Assistance of
weighty or difficult for a Monthly Meeting to Meetingyin
determine, it should apply to the Quarterly difficult cases.
Meeting for assistance, or if the circumstances
be such as to require it, refer the subject
thereto by minute.
When any Monthly or Quarterly Meeting Copies of
, • c i f records
has occasion tor, and requests copies ot any shoui<i be
of, the papers, minutes, or records of another ®^£?L
Monthly or Quarterly Meeting, it is advised
that the same be granted.

100

PROCEDURE IN

Grantingcopies of
minutes to
individuals,
discretionary.

Accounts of
sufferings to
be sent up,
etc.

Correspon
dents to be
appointed.

Duties of.

Names to be
placed in
Extracts.

Representa
tives to
Quarterly and
Yearly Meetings.

Should differences arise among Friends,
and the record thereof be made in any
Monthly or Quarterly Meeting book, the
granting of copies of such entries to the par
ties shall be discretionary with the Meeting.
It is advised that Monthly and Quarterly
Meetings collect and send up accounts of
sufferings of their members for conscience'
sake, and that they be preserved and recorded
agreeably to the practice of our ancient
Friends. Each Monthly and Quarterly Meeting
should appoint a correspondent to whom
certificates or other communications intended
for the meeting should be addressed, and
whose duty it is to acknowledge promptly,
by letter or otherwise, the reception of such
communications, and also to forward from
the meeting such papers as may be placed in
his charge for that purpose. The name and
post office address of each correspondent
shall be forwarded annually to the Yearly
Meeting, and published in the Extracts.
A suitable number of men and women
shall be appointed in each Monthly Meeting
to attend the service of the Quarterly Meet
ing as representatives, and also at least four
of each sex shall be appointed in each Quar-

MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE. IOI
terly Meeting to attend the Yearly Meeting, Representa.
and such representatives are encouraged to tives
, . . ° . encouraged
make a brief verbal report of the exercises to report.
of the meeting to which they were sent to
the next session of the meeting appointing
them. And it is earnestly advised and desired Punctual
that all Friends who submit to these, or any appointments
other services of the Society, be punctual enJomed-
in their attendance thereon ; or, if prevented
by sickness or any other unavoidable occur
rence, that they be careful to send informa
tion thereof ; also that those who are under S1?°u,ld not
' withdraw
appointments to meetings shall not withdraw without
r r i ¦ -i consent.
therefrom before the conclusion without
obtaining the meeting's consent.
When it is thought expedient to make or Method of
alter any rule of Discipline, or when it may revismgg °r
appear advisable to make a general revision Discipline.
ofthe Book of Discipline, the subject shall first
claim the attention of a Monthly Meeting, and
in case the proposition be there united with, it
is to be forwarded to the Quarterly Meeting,
and if there united with in like manner, it shall
be forwarded to the Yearly Meeting for its
consideration and decision.
All letters or papers directed to the
Yearly Meeting, except from such meetings

102

PROCEDURE IN MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE.

Papers sent to as regularly correspond therewith, shall be
Meetingto be first perused by a few Friends, appointed
examined. to consijer and report whether the same
be proper to be read in the meeting.
Certificates of The certificates of Friends, members of
visiting other Yearly Meetings, who from a religious
Friends to be J a ' °
read. concern are drawn to attend this Yearly
Meeting, are to be read therein.
Friends appointed to prepare epistles
shall meet together before they proceed on
the service, and also examine the several
essays previous to their being laid before the
Yearly Meeting.
Extracts from the minutes of the Yearly
Meeting should be sent to the subordinate
meetings in order that each meeting, family
and adult member may have a copy thereof,
to have recourse to, as occasion may require ;
and Monthly and Preparative Meetings are
directed to exercise a care in the distribu
tion thereof.

Committee on
Epistles,
duties of.

Extracts to
be sent to
subordinate
meetings.

RESIGNATIONS.
When a member of our Religious Soci
ety shall offer a resignation of his right of
membership, it is advised that the Monthly
Meeting, if way opens, appoint a committee
to visit him in love and inquire into the cause
of his resignation ; and if his mind continue
unchanged, and the meeting be prepared, a
minute may be made stating that he is re
leased at his own request ; of this action the
party should be informed, and such person
shall not be a member of our Society unless
received again, according to our usual order.

103

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
A member inclining to make an acknowl
edgment of a violation of our Discipline
should prepare the same in writing ; and if
on consulting the overseers or other judicious
Friends the purport appears suitable to the
occasion, he may send it, or present it to the
meeting in person, and remain until it is read ;
when, after a suitable pause, he should with
draw, before that or any other business is
proceeded upon. The meeting is then to
consider the case, and after a decision is
reached, appoint a committee to inform him
of the result.

104

DISOWNMENT.
An essential object of our religious organ
ization being to strengthen and support its ™* over ty'S
members in the upholding of our Christian members.
testimonies, it has always exercised a care
over their outward behavior, admonishing
those who depart from its order, and disown
ing those who after patient labor appear
irreclaimable. Nevertheless, the help of the Society being
by none so much needed as by the weak and Tudgment not
the wayward, the caution has always been to be hasty;
extended that no judgment be placed hastily, and loving.
or in the spirit of condemnation, but that all
offenders be labored with lovingly, patiently,
and so long as a reasonable hope of benefit
therefrom appears.
It is the desire of the Society that no one
be disowned except when his retention would p°scJtf0ynSas to
be to weaken our testimony for the Truth, disownments.
impair the good example which we desire to
set, or confuse our sense of right living.
With these objects in view, Monthly Meet
ings have authority to exercise disciplinary 105

io6

DISOWNMENT.

Authority of
MonthlyMeetings for
labor and
disownment.

General
grounds of
disownment.

labor, and, where such labor proves ineffec
tual, to proceed to disownment, upon the
general grounds stated below, as well as
upon those particularly stated elsewhere in
this Book of Discipline. These general
grounds are :
i. Breaches of the Moral Law, not ac
knowledged, repented, and repaired to the
satisfaction ofthe Monthly Meeting.
2. Wilful disregard of those provisions of
the Discipline which by their language are
made obligatory or prohibitory.
3. Such transgressions of our Testimonies
(stated under the headings of Gospel Min
istry, War, Oaths, Trade, Arbitration, and
Gaming and Diversions), continued, and after
labor unamended to the satisfaction of the
Monthly Meeting, as clearly prove the per
son not to be in sympathy with the Truth as
held by us.
4. Habitual absence from our meetings,
without sufficient cause ; or connection with
other religious organizations.

APPEALS.
If any one be dissatisfied with, or think „T .
J Notice to
himself aggrieved by, the judgment of a Monthly
Monthly Meeting, he may, after a copy ofthe
testimony is delivered to him, notify the first
or second meeting thereafter of his intention
of appealing to the ensuing Quarterly Meet
ing ; which notification the Monthly Meeting
should enter on its minutes, and appoint a Monthly
committee of four or more suitable Friends Me.et»>g'saction.
to attend the Quarterly Meeting with it, and
a copy of the minutes of the Monthly Meeting
relative to the case, signed by the clerks,
there to show the reasons whereon its judg
ment was founded, and submitting it to the
said meeting. The Quarterly Meeting is
then to refer the same to a suitable committee
of Friends (omitting those of the Monthly
Meeting from which the appeal comes), and
. & r i-i Quarterly
upon its report to confirm or reverse the said Meeting's
judgment, or return the case to the Monthly ac
Meeting for further care, as, on impartial
deliberation, shall appear to be right, taking
care to inform the parties ofthe result. 107

1 08 APPEALS.
Yearly ^ If, on being informed thereof, such appel-
action"g S lant is dissatisfied with the judgment of the
Quarterly Meeting also, and shall notify that
meeting or the next thereafter of his intention
to apply to the Yearly Meeting for a further
hearing, the said Quarterly Meeting, after re
cording such notification, is in like manner to
appoint at least four suitable Friends to at
tend the Yearly Meeting with copies of the
records of both the Monthly and Quarterly
Meetings in the case, signed by their clerks.
Here it is to be finally determined, and a
copy of the determination is to be sent to the
meeting from which the appeal came.

MEMORIALS.
When a Monthly Meeting, after solid con
sideration believes that benefit would accrue
from a record of the life and services of a
deceased member, it may prepare such a
memorial. If approved by the meeting, and
it is thought desirable, it may be forwarded
to the Quarterly Meeting, for its attention,
and if there thought advisable, it may be for
warded to the Representative Committee for
consideration and revision, not later than its
meeting in the Third month ; if thought suit
able by that body, it should be forwarded to
the Yearly Meeting.

109

RECORDS.

Meetings to
keep plain
and correct
records.

Records of
membership
to be
carefullykept.

Tenth Query
to be
explicitly answered.

All meetings for business should keep neat,
plain and correct records of their proceedings,
in convenient books with marginal reference-
notes and index, and provide suitable places
in which to preserve them.
As great inconvenience may arise from the
want of due attention in keeping a regular
and correct record of membership, it is earn
estly enjoined on each Monthly Meeting that
it appoint a careful Friend whose duty it shall
be, in books provided for the purpose at the
Monthly Meeting's expense, to keep a full
and accurate record of all births, marriages,
removals, and deaths that shall occur among
its members. And in order to engage the
attention of Monthly Meetings more closely
to this subject, it is further advised that an
explicit answer be annually given to the
Tenth Query by Monthly to Quarterly Meet
ings and through them to the Yearly Meeting.
It is recommended that the form of the
record be as follows : —

no

Page i. (Left-ham page.) Monthly Meeting of Friends.

Wife's or Hus
band's Father.

Wife's or Husband's
Mother.

Father.

Mother.

Where Married.

Date of Mar
riage.

To Whom Mar
ried.

Hezekiah Brown
Amos Atkinson

Beulah Brown (Shinn)
Hester Atkinson (Thomas)

Charles Abbott
James Wilson

Rachel Abbott (Jones)
Emily Wilson (Lamb)

M. M., Green St., Phila.

2 mo.
10 mo.

10
16.

1825
1820

Jane Brown
Charles Atkinson

J-ietter A.

-LVXUIllUUl Si
11JJ
(Right-hand page.) Page a.
List of Members.
How Admitted.
Date of
Admission.
How Departed.
Date of
Departure.
Age of
Dec's'd
Where Buried.
Remarks.
Abbott, George
Birthright.
10 mo.
6
1800
Death.
imo.
1
1850
50 years
Fairhill, Phila.
An elder.
Atkinson, Rebecca R.
Convincement and application
Imo.
1
1826
Certificate to Darby Meet
1 mo.
1
1856
Andrews, Charles
Request of parents.
4 mo.
7
1827
Removed, parts unknown.
Antrim, Sarah
Certificate from Burlington.
6 mo.
4
1828
Resigned.
3 mo.
7
1880
Archer, Elizabeth
7
1828
Disowned.
4 mo.
6
1860
1 1 2 RECORDS.
Copies of The Representative Committee shall pro-
certificates to vide and keep on hand for the use of Monthly
furnfsnednd Meetings, to be distributed through its mem
bers, as occasion may require, neat, compact
copies of our approved form of Marriage
certificate, on durable material, and suitable
for being firmly fastened in a book.
Duplicate A committee appointed to have care and
maybTmade oversight of a marriage should see that one
and kept, or 0f said marriage certificate blanks be prOD-
Copy ° *¦ 1
recorded. erly filled, and signed by the principals and
witnesses, at the time the original marriage
certificate is signed, endeavoring to make it
in wording and signatures a duplicate of the
original certificate ; and when finished, deliver
it to the Recorder for binding and safe
custody ; or if the Monthly Meeting shall so
direct, the Recorder shall make, instead of
such proposed duplicate, a full copy of the
original certificate with all the signatures.
Recorders to Each Monthly Meeting should furnish its
with book. Recorder with a suitable book in which to
bind duplicates, or make copies, of Marriage
Certificates.
Preservation As the record and minute books of Friends'
of record and . .
minute books, meetings are very valuable, and in scattered
places of deposit are inconvenient for refer
ence, and in some instances in danger of being

RECORDS. 113
lost, a central and secure place of deposit
has been provided for them, and is under the
care of the Representative Committee. And
all meetings for business in the Yearly Meet
ing are encouraged to place therein such
books as are not in present use.

APPENDIX.
[The testimony of Friends concerning Slavery, incorporated in the Discipline
in 1755, through the earnest labors of John Woolman and others, and at different
times later repeated and extended, is here inserted as a matter of historic interest,
having been omitted by the Committee of Revision from the body of the book,
in view of the abolition of Slavery in the United States, in the year 1865.]
NEGROES OR SLAVES.
It appears to have been the concern of this Testimony
Meeting, revived from time to time with in- slavery and
creasing weight, to testify their entire disunity ^dg ave
with the practice of enslaving mankind, (and
particularly to guard all in membership with
us against being concerned in the purchase of
slaves from the coast of Africa), yet as we have
with sorrow to observe, that in some parts of
our country this shameful practice is still con
tinued and connived at, we think it proper to
revive the advices heretofore issued, and again
exhort our members to be no way accessory
to this enormous national evil, but to dis
courage it by all the justifiable means in their
power ; it being obvious, that wherever it
prevails it tends to corrupt the morals of the
people, so as' not only to render them obnox
ious to the displeasure of the Almighty, but
deaf to his warnings, and insensible and re
gardless of his impending judgments. "5

I 1 6 APPENDIX.
This op- And we earnestly desire it may become
pressed class , r -, 11*.
to be in- the concern of our members generally, to use
vfsedeandad" tne influence they have with those who hold
assisted. slaves by inheritance or otherwise, that they
may be treated with moderation and kindness,
and instructed as objects of the common
salvation in the principles of the Christian
religion ; as well as in such branches of
school-learning as may fit them for freedom,
and to become useful members of civil
society. Also that Friends in their several
neighborhoods advise and assist such of the
black people as are at liberty, in the educa
tion of their children, and common worldly
concerns.
Hiring Understanding that some in membership
with us, either through inadvertence or from
selfish motives, have hired slaves to assist
them in their business ; we desire such to
consider, that in so doing they promote the
unrighteous traffic and oppose our testimony
against it. And it is our sense, that when
slaves are thus hired, and the price of their
services is intended for the benefit of those
who claim the right of ownership, and not
designed or applied to promote the liberation
of the slave or slaves, such conduct is a vio
lation of our testimony. And where any

slaves.

APPENDIX. 117
among us cannot be persuaded to relinquish
the practice, monthly meetings be at liberty,
after patient labor has been found unavail
ing, to testify their disunity with them.
Friends are also cautioned against acting caution to
as executors or administrators to estates anrTadmLis-
where slaves are bequeathed ; and doing any trators.
thing whereby their bondage may be pro
longed. We are united in judgment, that the state Kindness to
of the black people who have been held as tbem'
slaves by any of us or our predecessors, calls
for a deep inquiry and close examination, how
far we are clear of withholding from them
what under such an exercise may be opened
to our view as their just right ; and we earn
estly and affectionately entreat those in par
ticular who have released any of them, to
attend to the further openings of duty. Even
if no such obligations to this people existed
among us, it is worthy of our serious con
sideration, whether any object of beneficence
is more deserving of our regard, than that of
training up their youth in such virtuous prin
ciples and habits, as may render them useful
and respectable members of the community, importing,
. selling,
It is the sense and judgment of this Meet- purchasing or
1 • r r 1 giving away
ing, that if any of our members are con-s]aVes.

I 1 8 APPENDIX.
cerned in importing, selling, or purchasing ;
or shall give away or transfer any negro or
other slave, with or without any other con
sideration than to clear their estate of any
future incumbrance, or in such manner that
their bondage is continued beyond the time
limited by law or custom for white persons ;
and also those who accept of such gift or
assignment ; — they ought to be speedily
treated with in the spirit of true love and
wisdom, and the - iniquity of their conduct
laid before them. And if, after Christian
labor, they cannot be brought to such a sense
of their injustice, as to do every thing which
the monthly meeting shall judge to be rea
sonable and necessary, for the restoring such
slave to his or her natural and just right to
liberty, and condemn their deviation from the
law of righteousness and equity, to the satis
faction of the said meeting, that such mem
ber or members be testified against as other
transgressors are by the rules of our disci
pline for other immoral, unjust, or reproach
ful conduct.
The meeting It appearing that, notwithstanding the
to^scourage many afflictive dispensations with which
tradelave Divine wisdom has seen meet to visit this
land, many of its inhabitants are so deaf to

APPENDIX. I 1 9
the language of the rod, as to continue in the
nefarious traffic for slaves to the coasts of
Africa ; and that the importation of them is
still connived at : this Meeting, considering
such a conduct as a bold and impious defiance
of the Ruler of nations, and pregnant with
the most alarming consequences to our coun
try, earnestly recommends to the meeting for
sufferings to embrace every suitable opportu
nity for advancing our testimony in this
respect, and for calling the attention of the
public mind to this awfully interesting
subject.

INDEX.

PAGE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, Chapter on,  104
Procedure as to,  104
should be in writing,  104
Advices, See Particular Advices,  71
Affirmation, to be encouraged,  43
APPEALS, Chapter on,  107
Monthly Meeting's action upon,  107
Notice to Monthly Meeting of,  107
Quarterly Meeting's action upon,  107
Yearly Meeting's action upon,  108
AKBITKATION, Chapter on,  59
Advised that differences be settled by,  59
and Peace, see 9th Query,  79
Procedure recommended in,  59
Proceedings at law, when permissible,  61
in differences between nations,  42
to be preceded by personal labor,  59
Arbitrators, see Arbitration,  59
Advice that ministers be not engaged as,  61
Duties of, and advice to,  60
may take legal counsel, etc.,  .60
are not advocates of either party;  60
Assignees, and trustees, advice to,  58
Assignments,  58
Creditors to be consulted when practicable,  58
to be without condition,  58

122 INDEX. PAGE
Bequests,  75
Birthright membership,  31
Blasphemy,  50
BOOK OF DISCIPLINE, formation of,  8
Procedure to amend or revise,  101
BOOKS, Chapter on,  65
Good, to be provided,  65
Pernicious, reading of, to be discouraged,  65
Pernicious, reading, see 4th query,  77
Printing or publishing, tending to disunity, ... 65
Eepresentative Committee to assist in publishing, . . 16
to be distributed by Representative Committee, ... 16
BURIALS, Chapter on,  69
from meeting-houses, encouraged,  69
Grounds, committee to have care of,  70
Moderation in refreshments at,  69
Moderation in things pertaining to, advised, .... 69
Size of gravestones,  70
Solemn pause at, recommended,  69
Suitable Friends to be appointed to be present at, . . 69
Business, see Trade,  55
Capital punishment, testimony against,  42
Card playing,  73
Children, rights of, when parent marries,  83
Children, see Parents and Children,  51
Record of, where parents belong to different monthly
meetings,  32
Membership rights,  31

INDEX. 123

PAGE

CIVIL GOVERNMENT, Chapter on,  54
Caution as to accepting office under,  54
Friends' belief concerning Peace,  54
Liberty of conscience,  54
Respect for those in authority,  55
CONDUCT AND CONVERSATION, Chapter on, ... 48
Blasphemy, etc. , to be treated with,  50
Caution against dissension or variance,  49
Caution against sorcery,  49
Immoral or disorderly conduct, etc.,  49
Tale-bearing and detraction,  48
Corporations, caution concerning,  58
Correspondents, duties of,  100
Dancing,  73
DAYS AND TIMES, Chapter on,  36
Reasons for non-observance of,  36
DISCIPLINE, formation of, .... '.  8
Procedure to amend or revise,  101
Disorderly persons appearing as Fnends, procedure, .... 98
DISOWNMENT, Chapter on,  105
Discretion of monthly meetings concerning, .... 105
Grounds on which it may be proceeded to,  106
Loving, patient labor to be extended before, .... 105
Position of the Society in relation to,  105
Breaches of moral law, ground for disciplinary action, 106
Divine Witness, subjection to, a qualification for member
ship, . .1  33

124 INDEX. PAGB
Divorce, prohibited,  89
Legal separation, without,  89
Education, see Schools  63
Elders, origin of appointment,  19
Duties of,  19
How appointed,   20
Minute of appointment to be sent,  20
Epistles, committee on, instructions to,  102
Extracts from proceedings of Yearly Meeting to be sent
down,  102
Monthly and Preparative Meetings to distribute, . 102
FAMILY VISITS, (Chapter on),  34
Approval of Monthly Meeting required,  34
Fasts, feasts, etc., public, ground for non-observance of, . . 36
First-day Schools,  64
See 11th Query,  79
Fundamental Principle of Friends,  7, 53
Funds, Meeting,  _  66
Gambling,  m  46
See Ninth Query,   79
GAMING AND DIVERSIONS, Chapter on,  46
See Particular Advices,  73
See 5th and 9th Query,  78, 79
GOSPEL MINISTRY, Chapter on,  35
Essential qualification for, influence of the Holy Spirit, 35
Exhortation to observe testimony concerning, .... 35
Living and baptising, owned by Friends, .... 18
Professional, testimony against,  35
Service in, to be freely and faithfully discharged, . . 35

INDEX. 125

PAGE

Grave-stones, size of,  70
Monthly Meetings may make rules concerning, within
limits stated,  70
Hazardous enterprises, caution concerning,  56
Horse-racing,  46
Immoral and disorderly conduct, see Conduct and Conver
sation,  49
See Disownment,  106
Industry, habits of, for children,  52
INTOXICANTS AND NARCOTICS, Chapter on, ... . 44
Advice against Tobacco,  45
Caution in use of, as medicine,  45
Furnishing material for,  , 44
Manufacture, sale, importation of, distillation of, . . 44
Renting properties for sale of,  44
See Particular Advices,  • . . 74
System of licenses, testimony against,  45
Use of as drink, or in food,  44
Violation of testimony, provision against,  45
Law, see Arbitration,  59
Arbitrators may take legal counsel  60
Friends advised against resorting to,  61
Proceedings at, when permissible,  61
Legacies and Bequests,  75
Liberty of Conscience,  54
Life and conduct, circumspect, a qualification for member
ship,   33
Lotteries, see Gaming and Diversions,  46
See 9th Query,  79

126 INDEX.

PAGE

MARRIAGE, Chapter on,  81
Advice concerning engagements of,  81
Ceremony of,  84, 85
Certificate of, to be read,  85
Form of,  85, 86, 87
Copies or duplicates of, for record,  87, 88
Committee of inquiry, duties of,  83
Committee of oversight,  84
Duties of,  85, 87, 112
Consent of parents or guardians required,  82
General advice, duties of parents concerning, .... 89
Intentions of, notice to Monthly Meeting,  82
Member of another Monthly Meeting, certificate required, 83
Misdemeanors not to be treasured against the parties, 88
Moderation and sobriety at, directed,  87
of divorced persons prohibited,  89
of first cousins not allowed,  88, 89
Order to be observed at, ... .  84
Paragraph in Particular Advices,  74
Principles of, on which good order is founded, ... 82
Procedure in, where one party not member, .... 88
Re-marriage not permitted within one year, .... 88
Violations of order in, one party a member, . . . 90, 91
Both parties members,  91, 92
with others than members discouraged,  81
MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE, Chapter on,  12
Exhortation to diligence in attending,  14
Men's and women's together or separately,  13
Names and subordination of,  12
Order of setting up or laying down,  13, 14
Principles on which established, ... . . .12
Spirit to be sought for, therein,  14
Where Preparative and Monthly are the same, ... 13

INDEX. 127 PAGE

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS, Chapter on,  15
MEETINGS FOR WORSHIP, Chapter on,  10
Attendance of children at,  10
Exhortation of 1694, concerning,  11
Exhortation to zeal in attendance of,  10
Neglect of, care to be extended,  11
Order in establishment of,  13
Reverend waiting recommended,  10
MEETING FUNDS, Chapter on,  66 -
Monthly and Preparative Meetings should maintain, . 67
Quarterly Meetings, quotas of,  66
Re- arrangement of quotas of,  66
Yearly Meeting, to be annually raised,  66
MEMBERS IN NEED, Chapter on,  68
Advice and relief to be extended to,  68
Children of, to be educated,  68
Children of, to be aided,  53
Circumstances of, not to be exposed,  68
Monthly Meetings to have committee on, ... .68
MEMBERSHIP, Chapter on,  31
Application for, children one parent a member, ... 31
by birthright,  31
Frequent attenders, not members, to have loving
attention,  33
Monthly Meetings may discontinue, after five years'
neglect,  99
of children whose parents are members,  31
One parent a member, ....  31
Order of procedure, in application for, . ... 32
Qualifications of applicants for,  33
Termination of, by resignation,  103

128 INDEX. PAGE
Membership — Continued.
Where recorded, when parents members of different
monthly meetings,  31
without respect to nation or color,  33
MEMORIALS, Chapter on,  109
Duties of Representative Committee concerning, . . 17
MINISTERS, early led to meet together, . •  19
Assistance of, for religious visits,  24, 25
Minutes of, where returned,  25
Public opposition to, admonished,  25
Recommendation of,  22
Visits of, beyond Quarterly Meeting,  23
beyond sea,  24
beyond Yearly Meeting,  24
who have lost service, procedure concerning, .... 26
MINISTERS AND ELDERS, Chapter on,  18
Advice to,  28
Meetings of, not to interfere with meetings for discipline, 22
Preparative meetings of,  21
Quarterly meetings of,  21
Queries for meetings of,  27
Queries of, to be read and answered,  21
Representatives to be appointed,  22
Watchful care of, over membership,  > 21
Ministry, founded on human authority, testimony against, . . 35
See The Gospel Ministry,  35
Moderation, see Plainness, ....  38
Monuments, costly or showy, not allowed,  70
Moral law, Breaches of, a ground for disownment, .... 106
Narcotics, see Intoxicants and Narcotics,  44
See Particular Advices, . . , , ,  74

INDEX.

129

Non-attendance of meetings, without sufficient cause, a ground
for disownment,  10g
OATHS, Chapter on,  42
Affirmations to be encouraged,  43
Offices requiring administration of, to be avoided, . . 43
See 9th Query,  79
Testimony against, to be maintained,  42
OVERSEERS, Chapter on,  29
Advised frequently to meet together,  30
Appointment directed,  29
Duties of,  29, 30
should be seasonably changed,  30
when appointed, not hastily to excuse themselves, . 30
PARENTS AND CHILDREN, Chapter on,  51
Assistance by those able to those less affluent, . 53
Children exhorted to simplicity, etc., .... 52
Children to be placed with Friends, .... 52
Habits of industry for children advised,  52
Parents' care for children, . .  51
Rights of children, when parent marries,  83
See Marriage,  . 81, 82, 89
Vanities, etc., children advised against, 51
PARTICULAR ADVICES, Chapter on,  71
On careful investment of trust funds, . 75
On conducting the affairs of our meetings, ... . 71
On inordinate love and pursuit of worldly riches, . . 72
On inspection of outward affairs and the disposition of
estates,  76
On intoxicants and narcotics, . . • .74
On marriage,  • ' 4
On moderation and simplicity,  73

1 30 INDEX. PAGE
Particular Advices — Continued.
On amusements,  73
On strict application of gifts and legacies,  75
On timely care in renewal of trusts,  75
On waiting in stillness for renewal of strength, ... 72
When and where to be read,  71
Peace, Friends' belief concerning,  54
PLAINNESS, Chapter on,  38
Immoderation in lawful things, caution against, ... 39
Plain way and manner of living advised, . . .56
See 4th Query, ......  77
to be manifested in conversation, apparel, etc., 38
Preparative meetings, subordination of, to monthly meetings, . 12
not enjoined where members same as monthly meeting, 13
Queries need not be read in, where membership same
as monthly meeting, . . . . ... 77
Use and design of,  .... 93
not to consider proposals of marriage,  93
Principle of Friends, Fundamental, ... ... 7
PROCEDURE IN MEETINGS FOR DISCIPLINE,
Chapter on,  92
Business to be carefully and promptly dispatched, . . 92
Cases of difficulty, advice of quarterly meeting may be
asked,  . ... 99
Certificates of removal,  93
Certificates of visiting Friends to be read in Yearly
Meeting,  102
Committee on epistles, directions to,  102
Committees in, annually, to propose clerks of, . 92
Copies of papers advised to be granted,  99
Correspondents to be appointed,  100

INDEX. I 3 I

PAGE

Procedure in Meetings for Discipline— Continued.
Correspondence with distant members,  98
Dealing with offenders,  96
Duties of correspondents,  . . 100
Extracts to be sent down,  . .102
Letters or papers, except from meetings regularly cor
responding, to be examined,  102
Members under dealing not to sit in,  96
Offenders at a distance,  97
Plain and correct records of, to be kept,  - 92
Preparative meetings, duties of,  93
Representatives, their duties,  100
Transgressors to be admonished in love and charity, 99
When not held together,  93
QUERIES, Chapter on,  76
Summary answers to, to be forwarded,  76
When and where to be read and answered,  76
1st, 2d, 3d, 4th,  77
5th, 6th, 7th,  78
8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th,  79
13th, 14th,  80
QUERIES FOR MEETINGS OF MINISTERS AND
ELDERS, Chapter on,  27, 28
QUOTAS,  A 66
RECORDS, Chapter on,  110
Form of record recommended,  Ill
Recorder of births, deaths, etc., to be appointed, 110
to be deposited in places of safety,  112
to be kept by all meetings for business, . . 110
of marriages,  88, 112

I32 INDEX. PAGE
Religious principles, convincement of our, a qualification
for membership,  33
Removal, certificate of,  93
Certificate to be asked,  . . . 95
Minors or apprentices, ...  95
Caution as to,  96
REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE, Chapter on, ... . 15
How appointed,  15
Others permitted to sit with,  18
Rules regulating meetings, . . . . . 15, 16
Services confided to,  16,17
Vacancies in, how supplied, .... . 18
Representatives, see Procedure in Meetings for Discipline, . 100
Representatives, duties of,  101
RESIGNATIONS, Chapter on,  103
Procedure as to,  103
When may be accepted, .-  103
Riches, worldly, caution against inordinate desire for, ... 55
Rights of Children, when parent marries,  83
SECRET SOCIETIES, Chapter on,  47
Advice to overseers concerning,  47
Connection with, cautioned against,  47
SCHOOLS, Chapter on,  . . . 63
Committees to be appointed, . . . . • . 64
First-day Schools recommended,  64
Friends as teachers of,. . .  64
Funds to be raised,  . . 64

INDEX. I33 PAGE
Schools — Continued.
Quarterly, Monthly and Preparative Meetings incited
to support,  . . . . 63
See 11th and 12th Queries,  79
SCRIPTURES, THE, Chapter on,  \ . 53
Reading of encouraged,  53
See Books,  65
See Conduct and Conversation,  50
Simplicity, see Plainness,  38
enjoined by the Gospel,  38
upheld by our fathers,  39
Sorcery, .  49
Statistical returns to be sent up with answer to 11th and
12th Queries, (note),  80
Suffering members, advice or aid by Representative Com
mittee,  17
Sufferings, accounts of to be sent up,  100
Teachers, Friends recommended as,  64
Tobacco, advice against,  45
Cultivation, manufacture and sale of,  45.
See Particular Advices,  .» . . . . 74
TRADE, Chapter on,   55
Accounts to be kept clearly and accurately, .... 57
Advice not to launch out in, beyond abilities, ... 56
Advice not to venture upon business not well under
stood,  56
Affairs to be frequently inspected,  57
Assignments to be without condition,  58
Caution against inordinate desire for worldly riches, 55
Caution as to corporations,  58

I 34 INDEX. PAGE
Trade — Continued.
Caution concerning hazardous enterprises, . ... 56
Contracts to be kept,  56
Creditors to be consulted in assignments, when practi
cable,  58
Engagements should be bounded by means, ..... 56
In failing circumstances, Friends to be consulted, . 57
Joint obligations, caution against,  59
Just debts to be paid, notwithstanding legal release, 58
Monthly meeting action in insolvency,  57
Overseers may inform monthly meeting concerning
Friends insolvent,  . 57
Subscriptions, etc., not to be received from persons
insolvent,  58
Those in danger of failure to be advised,  57
Trustees and assignees advised,  58
TRUSTS AND TITLES TO PROPERTY, Chapter on, 67
Recording of conveyances, etc.,  67
Representative Committee may advise concerning, . . 16
See Particular Advices,  75
to be seasonably renewed,  67
Trustees, and assignees," advice to,  58
to be seasonably appointed,  67
Wagering, see Gaming and Diversions,  46
WAR, Chapter on,  40
Arbitration, between nations,  42
Faithful testimony against,  40
Preparations for, caution against participation in, . . 41
Trade or business promotive of, to be avoided, . . 41

INDEX. I35
PAGE
WILLS', Chapter on,  g2
Ancient advice concerning renewed,  62
-Disposition of property by, to be considered, . . . 62
See Particular Advices,  75
should be drawn by competent persons,  63
Worship, acceptable, how performed,  35
and prayers, acceptable to God,  36
YEARLY MEETING, Chapter on,  9
Certificates of visiting Friends to be read in, . ... 102
Committee on Epistles, duties of,  102
Extracts from Proceedings of, to be sent down, ... 102
History of,  . 9
of Ministers and Elders, when held,  9
Relation to subordinate meetings,  12
to hear cases of appeal,  . 108