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of Friends in this country, and the lives of were, locked up from common use. It
individuals distinguished in our annals, may be truly said that the polish and tem-
is now accessible, and must speedily pe- per of the weapons which it has furnished
rish if there be no attempt made to pre- for our warfare with the libertine spirit of
serve it. Communications upon this sub-the day, have been unexpected both by
ject, as well as upon all those which we ourselves and our opponents.
have enumerated, are solicited and will be
gratefully received.

ceeding further, than to a suspension of close communion with the parties offending, or in the ultimate, as occasion might call for it, to declare, that they, being departed from the unity of the body, are no longer of it.

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light of a civil magistracy, to whom the punishment of crimes and immoralities belongs, but as a religious body, to which such offences are no further cognizable, than as they are contrary to its principles, and breaches of its religious order. Immoralities, therefore, stand upon the same footing, in regard to the discipline of the society, with the breaches of its rules, and can be no otherwise noticed by it.

"Thus far the society hath found it requisite to proceed, and no further; for it hath There is scarcely a single false position constantly denied all authority in Christian churches, either to force an hypocritical which has been taken, that is not in some conformity, or to inflict such pains and penIn venturing upon so untried a course one or other of these neglected volumes, stat-alties as tend to the privation of life, liberty, as we have marked out for ourselves, we ed and refuted. It is thus that ignorance is or property. Hence it is evident, that the feel the full force of the objections which perpetually reviving the exploded errors of discipline of the Quakers stands not upon many scrupulous minds may urge against former times. We may here learn that the same foundation with that which is supported by violence; but differs from it in it. But having examined carefully the the whole of these spurious doctrines was nature, as well as in measure. part we have taken; and being convinced sifted and rejected long before the present Respecting the application of their disthat the cause of sound principles has sus-generation attempted in its restless, inno- cipline to injurious and scandalous immoratained a loss for want of means of refuting vating spirit, to pull down the ancient edi-lities, the society considers itself not in the calumny, exposing sophistry, and correct-fice of Quakerism, which had been built ing misstatements, we shall rest our de-up amidst persecution and calumny, and fence with perfect confidence upon the is not, therefore, very likely to fall betemper and discretion which we mean to fore the withering blast of infidelity. exercise. If we redeem the pledge we We have been led into this train of thus give, we trust that we shall succeed thought by a perusal of the pamphlet, the in acquiring for our journal a charac- title of which is prefixed to this article. ter of fairness and fidelity, that shall give It contains a decisive argument upon the authority to its statements, and enable it to necessity of maintaining inviolate the allay much of the irritation which rumour whole discipline, and a clear statement of and calumny are sure to excite, and by the great principle that the original constimeans of which they have so fatally affect-tution of the body is its only legitimate ed the peace of society. In fine, we enter rule of action. The reasoning could not upon the duties of editors with feelings be more appropriate to the circumstances chastened by a sense of the responsibilities of the present day, if it had been penned we have assumed, and of the arduousness with a full knowledge of the pretences of the undertaking; yet animated by the which men, in the constant breach of our prospect of an honourable and useful ca- order, set up to be held as the true representatives of Friends; and of the unfair manner in which the protection of the discipline has been claimed by those, who, Cursory Observations on a late publication, entitled an under its shelter, have been busily engaged Essay on the Simplicity of Truth, signed Catholi-in laying waste both our order and our

reer.

FOR THE FRIEND.

cus, by J. Phipps. London, 1779, p. 40.

It has been the lot of the people called principles. Quakers, to be misunderstood and misre

"With regard to the occasional extension of its ultimate degree of discipline to offenI apprehend, that when any religiously ces merely against its principles and rules, united body hath, in its collective capacity, according to the best of its understanding, as received from the holy spirit and the holy scriptures, fixed the terms of its commaterial, to see that they are preserved inmunion, it has a right, in all points it deems violate by its members, and to acknowledge, or reject any, according to their faithfulness, or unfaithfulness thereunto; and where it judges any have justly forfeited their membership, it hath a right to declare it: otherwise, litigious and refractory members might render the church a stage of perpetual contention, a huddle of confusion, or, as a kingdom divided against itself, which cannot The pamphlet is an answer to a writer stand. For its own preservation therefore, it can do no less than to withdraw itself presented in a remarkable degree. Attack-who appears to have been disowned for from every brother that walketh disorderly; ed at one time as Jesuits and at another as paying tithes, and who accused Friends of (2 Thess. iii. 3,) which it can do by no other Deists; censured now for their libertin-a popish and persecuting spirit in the ex-means, but by declaring its disunion with ism and now for their bigotry,-there is ercise of discipline. It is chiefly occuscarcely a point of their doctrine or a rule pied with a discussion respecting tithes, of their discipline which they have not subject little understood, and, happily, not been compelled to defend. But these vafelt in our own country. rious defences are by so many different hands are so spread over the face of our history, are, as regards many of them, so inaccessible to the general reader, and "The doctrine and order deliberately and so unattractive in composition and appear-conscientiously received and settled by the ance,—that few, even of our own mem-united concurrence of the body, it hath all bers, are aware of their value, and how along held it to be its indispensable duty to complete an exposition of the doctrines maintain, not by external severities, but by and testimonies of the society they pre- and admonition: and in cases of disorderly compelled to abide in fellowship with one that the gospel methods of instruction, advice, "This is a reason why he ought not to be sent. The "evil times" on which we walking, which have a tendency to infringe he believes not to be so governed; but it canhave fallen, have compelled us to resort to upon the peace and unity of the church, it not entitle him, either to insist upon the sothis great armoury, which has been, as it hath always been principled against pro-ciety's rescinding any of its rules, against

a

The following extracts refer to the general principles by which all religious societies subsist, and will amply reward a perusal.

them.

"This is the ultimate process of the peo

ple called Quakers; which is not intended by them for the punishment of any, but for keeping the church as clear from disorder as may be.

This author allows, (page 19,) that every civil society hath an undoubted right to exclude every member that breaks the rules and orders formed by it; but denies it to a Christian Society, because every member has a right to examine and judge whether the society, of which he is a member, is in fact governed by the laws and rules laid down in the sacred records.

its own conscience, or retaining him in membership with it, whilst he either professionally, or practically, lives in the disbelief of its principles, or the infringement of its established order. The liberty of individuals to examine, implies not a power in them to control the body, any more in a religious than a civil one.

"Rules are necessary to the support of order in religious, as well as civil societies. There must be some power in the collective body, which is not in every particular singly, to answer the end of order. This cannot be less than a power to accept, or reject, particular members, according to the suitableness, or unsuitableness of their conduct with its doctrines and rules. The nature of society, and the fitness of things, require thus much; and the discipline of the Quakers extends no further: it intrudes not upon the civil rights of its members, affects no secular authority, either over their persons or property, but leaves them in a reasonable freedom, either to continue in membership, by a conduct agreeable to its principles and rules, or to separate from it if they think fit. "The nature of society requires unity and PICTURE OF THE ATHEISM AND REVOLUTIONharmony. A continued infraction of the terms of its communion, is not only a continual interruption to the peace of it, but has a tendency to its dissolution. Hence it behooves every regular, united body to support the observance of its rules among its members, for its own peace and preservation: sensible of this, the apostle, in his epistle to the Romans, writes thus: "I beseech you, brethren, mark them who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them." This a church cannot do, but by clearing itself from them; which is not persecution, but a necessary exertion of gospel discipline towards those, who, by their turbulence, might give disturbance to it, or, by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple. (Rom. 16, 17, 18,)

(To be continued.)

IMPORTANT DECISION.

Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Illinois to his friend in Philadelphia, dated August 23, 1827. "A late judicial decision of the Supreme Court of Missouri has afforded me infinite pleasure, the more so as I have long had the object very much at heart, and been exceed ingly anxious to see it effected.

ARY SPIRIT OF THE FRENCH.

and give them instant freedom. One of indeed, there is no such thing to be found as
these unfortunate negroes* having been re- any regular system of infidelity, scarcely
moved from this state to Missouri, and there even a single firm principle, or settled phi-
having been treated with cruelty, and finally losophical opinion, or even precise form of
transported and sold in Louisiana, found his philosophical doubt. As the sophists of an-
way back to St. Louis, and there instituted tiquity took a pleasure in showing the versa-
a suit for his freedom under the ordinance of tility and ingenuity of their spirit, by de-
1787. The Circuit Court having decided fending first one opinion and then the one
against him, he took his case to the Supreme exactly opposite to it, so Voltaire wrote one
Court, where although two out of the three book in favour, and another in contradiction
Judges were advocates of slavery, the deci- of providence. Yet in so far is he sincere,
sion was reversed, and it was unanimously that he cannot help letting us see, very
decided that he was a freeman. This deci- plainly, which of these works is his own fa-
sion has produced considerable excitement vourite. Throughout all his writings, what-
in this state, and it is said there have been ever be their subject, he cannot resist any
several suits instituted by the negroes to re- opportunity of introducing his impious wit,
cover their liberty-and I cannot for a mo- and showing his aversion for Christianity,
ment doubt but what our Supreme Court will and, in part at least, for all religion. In
concur in the decision made in Missouri. If this point of view his spirit operated as a cor-
so, this foul blot will be immediately washed rosive and destructive engine for the dissolv-
out, and the friends of man will have a new ing of all earnest, moral, and religious modes
cause to felicitate themselves on the progress of thinking. Yet it appears to me that Vol-
of correct principles, and on the restoration taire has done even more harm by the spirit
of his long lost rights."-African Observer. and purpose which he has thrown over his-
tory, than by his derision of religion. He
felt what was the defect of French litera-
ture in this department, as well as in that of
poetry. Since the time of the Cardinal
Retz, the abundance of historical memoirs,
alike interesting from their subjects, and the
lively mode of their composition, had in-
creased to such a degree, that they might
almost be said to be a proper literature by
themselves and certainly to form one of
the most brilliant parts of the whole litera-
ture of France. But in consequence of these
memoirs, there is no doubt that history de-
clined too much into the tone of conversation,
became split into particulars, and lost itself
at last, to the great injury of historical truth,
in an endless variety of anecdotes. How-
ever delightful the perusal of such works
may be, they are, after all, only the harbin-
Voltaire was the first who contributed, in gers and materials of history, not histories
in the proper acceptation of the word. At
a great degree, to bring the philosophy of least there is much space intervening be-
Locke and Newton into France. It is sin- tween the best possible style of writing such
gular with what a perversity of genius this anecdotes, and a style of historical composi-
man makes use of all the marvellous great- tion such as that of the ancients was, or
ness of nature as revealed to him by the among the moderns, that of Machiavelli.
science of England, not for the purpose of The French literature possesses many excel-
exalting the character of the Creator, but lent narrators, some well collected, and
for lowering that of men;-how fond he is of (even as pieces of writing) praiseworthy tracts
dwelling on the insignificance of this earth- concerning the older history of the country,
worm, amidst the immeasurable splendours but no truly classical, national, and original
of stars and planets. As if the spirit, the work of history. Voltaire was very sensible
thought which can comprehend all this uni- of this defect in the literature of his nation,
verse of suns and stars, were not something and with his usual vanity of universal genius,
greater than they; as if God were some attempted to supply it himself. That in re-
earthly monarch, who, among the millions gard to art he was not entirely unsuccessful,
over which he rules, may well be supposed that as a writer of history, even in respect
never to have seen, and almost to have for- to the mode of composition adapted for
gotten the existence of some paltry village works of that kind, he can sustain no com-
on the border of his dominions. The eigh-parison, I do not say with the ancients, but
teenth century in general made no use of
the physical knowledge it inherited from the
seventeenth, except one extremely hostile
to the higher truths of religion. In Voltaire,

Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot.
In the eighteenth century, the English
were the first people of Europe, in litera-
The whole of
ture as in every thing else.
the modern French philosophy was produced
by that of Bacon, Locke, and other English-
men; at least, it borrowed all its first prin-
ciples from them. In France, however, it
soon assumed an appearance quite different
from what it had ever had in England. In
Germany, on the other hand, the mighty re-
generation of literature in the middle of this
century, received its first impetus and ruling
direction, principally from the poetry and
the criticism of the English.

"I had always been of opinion that the ordinance of Congress of 1787 had emancipated the slaves in the territory North West of the Ohio. But as the people of this state have acquiesced in a contrary decision of an inferior court near 40 years, I had repeatedly urged on the Legislature to make provision for the gradual but speedy emancipation of this remnant of servitude, and had laboured to convince the masters that it was their interest to have such a law adopted, as it would have the effect of lulling the Of this description of negroes there are many negroes for a time, and preventing their taking the hundreds in Missouri, and still a greater number in Illinois, I sorry that they now question to the highest Courts of Justice, ruinis, and mam sand to and then in the lower which must decide in favour of the negroes, country.

even with the best English historiansHume and Robertson; this is now universally admitted even in France itself. Nevertheless, the spirit in which he viewed history, very soon acquired very great influence even over English writers-particularly Gibbonand became almost the ruling historical spirit of the eighteenth century. The essence of this mode of thinking in respect to history

which proceeded from Voltaire, consists in
expressing, on every opportunity, and in
every possible form, hatred for monks, cler-
gymen, Christianity, and, in general, for all
religion. In regard to politics, its prevalent
spirit is a partial, and, in the situation of
modern Europe, an absurd predilection for
the republican notions of antiquity, accom-
panied very frequently with an altogether
false conception, or at least extremely im-
perfect knowledge of the true spirit and es-
sence of republicanism. Among the follow-
ers of Voltaire this went so far as to take the
appearance of a decided and bigotted hatred
of all kingly power and nobility, and in ge-
neral, of all those modes of life and govern-
ment which have been produced by what is
called the feudal system; and all this, in
spite of Montesquieu, who characterized and
praised with the acuteness and liberality of a
true philosopher, what these comparatively
ignorant writers were only capable of re-
viling. How much was set in a false light,
how greatly historical truth was injured, and
the whole of the past unworthily condemned,
begins now to be discovered, since historical
inquirers have adopted a more profound and
accurate method of research. For after the
philosophy of the eighteenth century had en-
tirely accomplished its own destruction, and
the religion which it would have overthrown
had come victorious out of the struggle,
every thing in history and in the past has
begun to be seen in a more just and natural
point of view. Yet there remain many fal-
sifications, errors, and prejudices, with re-
gard to past ages, which have still to be
amended; for in no department did the phi-
losophy of the last century so deeply and so
extensively establish its influence as in his-
tory, where its wickedness and falseness are,
of course, less observable to those who take
facts upon trust, than when their spirit
is brought distinctly forward in the shape
of philosophical doctrine and opinion.
(To be continued.)

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Our Poetical Correspondent, "W." is a young
man, belonging to the Society of Friends in this
town, only 17 years of age, an apprentice to a me-
advantages of education than such as are afforded
chanical business, and has never enjoyed any other
in our common district schools. His effusions indi-
cate, we should say, considering his disadvantages,
a genius unparalleled among American poets. Such
richness and sublimity of language, such brilliancy
of imagination and delicacy of sentiment, have not,
tions of the most celebrated modern poets.
we believe, distinguished any of the early produc-
[Essex Gazette.

OCEAN.

Unfathom'd deep, unfetter'd waste
Of never-silent waves,
Each by its rushing follower chas'd,
Through unillumin'd caves,

And o'er the rocks, whose turrets rude,
E'en since the birth of time,
Hath heard amid thy solitude,

The billow's ceaseless chime.
Thro' what recesses, depths unknown,
Dost thou thy waves impel,
Where never yet a sunbeam shone,
Or gleam of moonlight fell?
For never yet did mortal eyes

Thy gloom-wrapt deeps behold,
And naught of thy dread mysteries,
The tongue of man hath told.
What, though proud man presume to hold
His course upon thy tide,
O'er thy dark billows uncontroll'd
His fragile bark to guide-
Yet who, upon thy mountain waves,
Can feel himself secure,
While sweeping o'er thy yawning caves,
Deep, awful and obscure?

But thou art mild and tranquil now-
Thy wrathful spirits sleep,
And gentle billows, calm and slow
Across thy bosom sweep.
Yet where the dim horizon's bound
Rests on thy sparkling bed,
The tempest-cloud, in gloom profound,
Prepares its wrath to shed.

Thus, mild and calm in youth's bright hour,
The tide of life appears,

When fancy paints, with magic power,
The bliss of coming years;
But clouds will rise, and darkness bring
O'er life's deceitful way,
And cruel disappointment fling
Its blight on hope's dim ray.
Haverhill, (Massachusetts,) 1st mo. 1827.

paper

W.

Nothing of interest had occurred in Greece since the fall of Athens. The war dragged

Lord Cochrane was at Poros with the Hellas, heavily, without much activity on either side. and some smaller vessels. A great naval force was assembled at Smyrna, of French, English, Russians and Austrians; about twenty sail were in Smyrna, and many in the neighbouring ports. The whole of the American squadron was in the Archipelago, destined for Smyrna,

Mr. Washington was shot by the Greeks in a broil at Acripoli, and died on board the English line of battle ship Asia, Admiral Codmington.

Infant School.-Those who feel an interest in the welfare and moral improvement of the rising generation of the poorer classes of society, who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, will, doubtless learn with pleasure, that in the Infant School in Chesterstreet, which was opened on Monday, the 1st inst. with 50 scholars, there where on Saturday upwards of 90, and that there is every prospect that within a week or two the whole number that can be accommodated in that school, viz. about 130, will be entered. About a fifth part of the whole have paid the little sum required, that is, three cents per week. This requisition is made, not for the sake of the amount to be received, but to save the feelings of such parents, as from a pride which springs from a laudable motive, are unwilling to have their children taught by charity.-Am. Daily Advertiser.

Stockton and Darlington Railway-The proprietors, who belong chiefly to the Society of Friends, encountered a good deal of opposition in Parliament and elsewhere; but the work promises to remunerate them in the most ample manner. The cost of the railway, which is twenty-five miles long, and is carried over two hills by inclined planes, was less than 200,000l. 120,000 tons of minerals and merchandize have been conveyed along it in the course of the year exFrom England. The ship Antioch, arriv-pired, generally at the rate of 2d. per ton ed at New York, from Liverpool, brought a per mile, including haulage, and wagons London of the 3d ult. No further ar- found; and the receipts for tonnage have exrangements in the new ministry were made ceeded 2,000l. per The coaches month. public. It was however said Mr. Herries that ply on it have travelled 45,469 miles, had accepted the office of Chancellor of the carrying passengers at the rate of 1d. per Exchequer. mile outside, and 14d. inside, with a velocity The disturbances in Catalonia had become of eight miles an hour, and without one sinmore serious. Mr. Lamb, the British Min-gle accident occurring to injure man, horse, ister at the Court of Madrid, had demanded or coach. In consequence of this cheap and an explanation as to the extent of the distur- easy conveyance the amount of intercourse bances, and the measures adopted to prevent between Stockton and Darlington has inthem, and in consequence all the Counsel- creased more than tenfold-the coach forlors of State and Ministers, had been summerly having plied only three times a week. moned to St. Ildefonso, to prepare an an-Government, too, is not without its share of swer, and regulate the number of troops to be the benefit, for the stage-coach duty has risen sent against Portugal. from 281. per annum to 140l.-Liv. Adv.

The Russians gained a victory on the 17th of July, over the Persians, on the banks of the Araxes.

Thomas Young, of London, has been chosen a Foreign Associate of the Paris Academy of Sciences.

Robert A. Parrish has made a trip in his steamboat up the Delaware to Easton in 36 hours and 15 minutes; distance between 90 and 100 miles.

THE FRIEND.

TENTH MONTH, 13, 1827.

The

COMMUNICATION.

THE BURIAL.

Philadelphia, are held in joint tenure by trustees appointed in each monthly meetThere is scarcely any circumstance con- ing. The trustees are merely the instrunected with the recent separation of the ments by which the title to the property is followers of Elias Hicks from the religious held, and have no more control over it, As a part of the design of the Editors Society of Friends, that is productive of than the deeds which record the conveyin establishing the FRIEND, is to circulate more pernicious consequences, than the ance. A committee of two Friends is information relating to their own peculiar misrepresentations which are circulated, appointed in each of the monthly meetings interests, amongst the members of the So- with the view of producing excitement, to act jointly, to whom is entrusted the ciety of Friends, we have been restrained and awakening prejudices against those per- entire care and control of the burying from the usual practice of advertising our sons who continue their attachment to the grounds. This committee employ the sexplan in the common newspapers. long established government and princi- ton, and to them only he is accountableProspectus on our first page will explain ples of the Society. In the country, es- it is their business to give him directions at large the course we mean to pursue. pecially, the mischievous effects of this relative to the duties of his office, and in a In order to give it an extensive circulation, practice are lamentably obvious. Indivi- word, to have the exclusive oversight and and at the same time exhibit a specimen of duals whose sources of information are direction of the grave yards. our paper, we have printed a large edition very few, and who have not the means of of this number, which will be widely dis- detecting the impositions practised upon tributed. Persons out of the city, who them, frequently have their minds prejuare disposed to encourage us, will receive diced by the representations of those on their papers by mail, or as they may direct, whose veracity they have been accustomed upon remitting to our publisher a year's to rely with implicit confidence, but who, subscription in advance. The second num-under the influence of party feeling, are ber will be printed in two weeks, and induced to give them a colouring which thenceforth the papers will be regularly the truth will not justify. To this cause issued once a week. Although we are may be attributed the antipathy to Philaassured of having enlisted sufficient ta-delphia Friends which is apparent in some lents, learning and zeal in our cause to places, and which has contributed in no support the Journal with credit, we earn- inconsiderable degree to protract the unestly solicit original communications for happy dissensions that have so long agiAs "Moderation" is in- tated our once peaceful community. Could scribed on our door posts and our threshold, those persons whose feelings toward their we shall always think ourselves bound to brethren have been embittered by false scrutinize closely, whatever may be offer- reports, ascertain correctly the undisguised ed for our pages relating to Principles and truth, there are few among them who Men. We shall endeavour to render the would not perceive that their prejudices lighter department of our journal accepta- are unfounded that the pictures of opble to our young readers, without making pression, of persecution and intolerance which have been exhibited to their view, with such high colouring, are mere phantoms of an imagination diseased by envy

our pages.

it frivolous.

-Happily to steer

From grave to gay, from lively to severe, has always been accounted the great secret of winning the youthful mind to the love

of virtue.

and ill will.

Beside this committee, there is another appointed also by each monthly meeting, to receive applications for interment and grant the requisite order to the sexton for opening the ground-here their duties cease. The trustees have no right whatever to interfere with the duties of either of these committees, and we believe there never was an instance in which they attempted such interference, except in the recent transactions.

There were five monthly meetings in this city, all branches of, and subordinate to the quarterly meeting of Philadelphia. Each of them appointed such committees as we have described. Green street monthly meeting, one of the five, declared itself independent of Philadelphia quarterly meeting, and, in violation of the discipline, applied to, and was received as a component part of Abington quarter; which meeting never had, nor can it have, either collectively, or by its subordinate meetings, any title to, or control over, the property of Friends in Philadelphia.

In consequence of the disorderly manner in which Green street monthly meeting had been held; its continued disregard of the discipline, and its rejection of the authority of its superior meeting, to which “the compact agreed to by both parties," made it accountable, the quarterly meeting of Philadelphia was subjected to the painful necessity of dissolving it, and attaching its members to the monthly meeting for the Northern District, of which they had formerly been a part. The dissolution of the monthly meeting, of consequence, released from their appointments all those who acted under its authority, and among the rest,

A circumstance has recently taken place in this city, which furnished a favourable opportunity for indulging this odious haWe are desirous of rendering this mis-bit. Our readers will readily perceive that cellany a favourite parlour and fireside we allude to the burial of a deceased memcompanion with Friends throughout Ame-ber of the Northern District monthly rica. The want of a common medium of meeting, who had lived within the limits intellectual intercourse has long been felt of the late monthly meeting of Green street. among us. If we can by means of this The facts respecting this painful event paper, direct our young people to elevated have been shamefully, and we may add, pursuits and studies, assist in guiding their wilfully misrepresented, to the disadvantaste, in maturing their judgments, in form-tage of the Society in Philadelphia. Jusing them to habits of manly and serious tice to the injured reputation of the parties thinking-in cultivating in them senti- concerned, demands that the facts should ments congenial with the doctrines and be impartially and accurately stated. the two committees whose duties we have testimonies of our religious Society—our In attempting this unpleasant duty, it defined. Their existence necessarily ceashighest ambition as to this enterprise will will be proper first to observe, that the ed simultaneously with that of the meeting burial grounds belonging to Friends of which created them.

be satisfied.

Thus circumstanced, it became the obvious duty of the committee entrusted with the care and control of the burying ground, to inform the sexton that orders for the interment of persons who deceased within the limits of the late monthly meeting of Green street, would hereafter be granted by the committee of the Northern District, of which monthly meeting Green street Friends had now become members. A desire was generally felt that this business might be arranged in the most friendly manner possible, and every facility afforded for procuring the requisite orders for interment. In accordance with this amicable feeling, the monthly meeting of the Northern District appointed several Friends resident within the former limits of Green street meeting to grant orders, and as threats of violence had been repeatedly held out, endeavours were used to remove every shadow of excuse for resorting to any disgraceful or illegal measures.

Notwithstanding the dissolution of Green street monthly meeting by its superior meeting, a number of individuals, regardless of the subordination which they owed to the quarter, continued to assemble at the meeting house, under the assumed title of a monthly meeting; and although they declared their connexion with Philadelphia quarter to be dissolved, and that they had become members of Abington, yet they attempted to interfere with, and to act in the management of the concerns of Friends of Philadelphia, as though they still considered themselves a monthly meeting belonging to their quarter.

cease took place, a consultation was held out to the western burial ground, and was among some of the leading members of the there informed by the person who resides meeting, to decide what was to be done. on the premises, that Gabriel Middleton We should have thought that the sad and and William Stevenson had been there; subdued feeling which the dissolution of a that Gabriel Middleton had broken open fellow being was calculated to produce, the gate, by forcing out the staple which would have calmed the tumult of party secured the lock, and that they had adfeeling, and hushed every unkind and an- mitted a person into the yard, who by gry emotion. But not so-the solemn ac- their direction was then employed in digcompaniments of death were to be employ-ging a grave. Henry Cope went to this ed as a means of kindling excitement. It man, and inquired his authority for openwas determined to force an interment, on ing the ground, and by whom he was eman order from the committee whose pow-ployed. He replied that one of the persons ers had become defunct by the dissolution was John Simmons-(who is not a member of Green street monthly meeting.

of the Society of Friends) the names of Previously to learning that such a con- the others he had either forgotten, or was clusion had been come to, an order for the not disposed to give. He was then ininterment of the deceased was signed by formed by Henry Cope, that as one of the Leonard Snowden and Edward Randolph, committee appointed to have the care of two of the committee appointed by the the property, it was his duty to forbid his Northern District monthly meeting. digging the grave. The man replied, that Anxious to evince the friendly disposition the persons by whom he was employed, which was entertained toward the mem- had promised to indemnify him, and intibers of Green street, and to afford every mated that he should not desist. Henry facility to the bereaved relatives, Edward Cope then withdrew; and neither he nor Randolph and Joseph Rakestraw called any other member of the committee visitupon the father of the deceased, and pre-ed the ground again until some time after sented him with the order-he declined the interment had taken place. On the receiving it. They then waited upon the following morning, the 31st of 8th month, relative before alluded to, who had charge a forcible entry into the grave yard was of the funeral arrangements, and tendered again made, and the body interred; but no the order to him-he also refused it. Some opposition of any kind was offered to its mild persuasion was used to convince him accomplishment, except simply forbidding of the propriety of accepting it, rather than the grave digger to proceed, as has been resort to violent measures, but he gave the already related. most peremptory refusal, observing that he would rather bury the corpse in his own yard, than receive the order from them.

These preliminary statements will ena- It should be particularly noticed, that ble our readers to judge of the position of the reception of the order by any individuaffairs at the time when the individual de-al, could in no way affect any supposed ceased, whose interment has given rise to so much misrepresentation. We shall relate the circumstances of the transaction minutely; and as our information is from undoubted authority, the statement may be implicitly relied upon.

The individual died on the 29th of the 8th month, and immediately on receiving intelligence of the occurrence, a near connexion called upon the family and offered his services to procure the interment in the regular order of Society, by an order from the committee of the Northern District monthly meeting. This friendly offer was declined, on the ground that another relative (who was an officer in the meeting at Green street) had taken on himself the necessary attention to the obsequies. It is proper to observe, that soon after the de

right which the meeting at Green street
might claim-no principle would have
been compromited as regarded it, and the
burial might have been peaceably and re-
putably solemnized in the regular order of
society. Friends had now done every
thing that brotherly kindness and a just
sense of propriety could possibly require;
and finding the parties determined to pro-
ceed to unlawful violence, they had only
calmly to await the issue.

On the morning of the 30th of 8th month,
John Chapman informed the committee
appointed to the care of the burying ground,
that the death had occurred, and stated his
belief that a forcible entry would be made
into the grave yard, in order to inter the
corpse. In the afternoon of the same day,
Henry Cope, one of the committee, went

Such are the facts connected with this extraordinary proceeding, We have given a plain and impartial narration of them, and leave every reader to draw his inference. We apprehend, however, that every unprejudiced mind must perceive that the dignity and authority of the quarterly meeting, the preservation of good order, and the support of our christian discipline, all required that the course adopted should be taken-and we can perceive in it nothing incompatible with that friendly feeling which ought ever to be maintained to ward all our brethren.

OBSERVER.

The Sheffield (English) Courant, says-Hannah Kilham, our persevering townswoman, is preparing for a second visit to Africa. Her former one was but very short, being undertaken at the express request of the friends who promoted her journey. She remained there, however, sufficiently long to observe the wants and to form plans for the improvement of the poor Africans; and, since her return, she has been actively employed in acquiring a knowledge of the

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