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1675, thirty-two persons were fined for being at a funeral, and had cows, corn and other goods taken from them for penalties, amounting to upwards of eighty-two pounds.

So offensive to the public mind was the mode of sepulture adopted by Friends, that it became a proverb of reproach "That the newly-risen Society buried its members like dogs." This accusation was not likely to lessen the sufferings of Friends, and accordingly we find George Fox, ever equal to an emergency, issuing an address from the press, under the title of "Encouragement to All to Trust in the Lord." In this document he remarks:

You see what entertainment the Lord of glory had when He came into the world—a manger, instead of a cradle; and when He went out of the world the Scripture doth not say that He had so much as a coffin. Joseph of Arimathea wrapped his body in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre in a garden. And all you that say we bury like dogs, because that we have not superstitious and needless things upon our coffins and a white and black cloth with escutcheons, and do not go in black, and hang scarfs upon our hats, and white scarfs over our shoulders, and gold rings, and have sprigs of rosemary in our hands, and ring bells-how dare you say that we bury our people like dogs, because we cannot bury them with the pomps and glory of the world? Whereas ye do not read that Christ, the Prince of Life, our Lord and Saviour, had any of these things, neither when He came into the world, nor when He went out of the world; and refused the pomp and glory of it when the devil tempted Him with it; . therefore, follow not the pomps and glory of this world at your children's coming into the world, nor bring them up in the pomp and glory of the world the times while they live, nor use them at going forth out of the world; but follow Christ Jesus, who is not of the world, who is your Redeemer, your Saviour, your Way, your Truth and Life, your Bishop, your Shepherd, your Priest, your Prophet-and let Him rule. in your hearts by faith, who will give you life abundantly,

who is from above and not from below. That you may be built upon Him, the living rock, and the foundation of God standeth sure. Amen, amen, saith my soul.

The testimony of William Edmundson as to the concern that rested on the minds of early Friends to be preserved from the inroads of any worldly spirit is instructive. He says:

At the first, when the Lord called and gathered us to be a people, and opened the eyes of our understandings, then we saw the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the wickedness that was in the world; and a perfect abhorrence was fixed in our hearts against all the wicked, unjust, vain, ungodly, unlawful part of the world in all respects. And we saw the goodly and most glorious lawful things of the world, were abused and misused and that many snares and temptations lay in them, with troubles and dangers of divers kinds, which we felt the load of, and that we could not carry them, and run the race the Lord had set before us, so cheerfully as to win the prize of our salvation. Wherefore our care was to cast off this great load and burthen; viz: great and gainful ways of getting riches, and to lessen our concerns therein; that we might be ready to answer Christ Jesus, our Captain, who had called us to follow Him in a spiritual warfare under the discipline of his daily cross and self-denial. Then the things of this world were of small value with us, so that we might win Christ, and the goodliest things thereof were not near us, so that we might be near the Lord; for the Lord's Truth outbalanced all the world, even the most glorious part of it.

CHAPTER IV.

CONVINCEMENT.

The early members of our Society felt themselves to be servants of the Lord Jesus, and to the extension of his grace and good spirit they looked for any good fruits from their labors in his cause. For, as William Penn expresses it: "Without this secret, Divine power, there is no quickening and regenerating of dead souls. The bent and stress of their ministry was conversion to God, regeneration and holiness; not schemes of doctrine and verbal creeds, or new forms of worship." They were not satisfied that men should accept the truth of the doctrine they preached, merely from a conviction of the intellect; but they earnestly pressed the necessity of their being thereby changed in heart and life.

Robert Barclay in his Apology interestingly relates his own. experience. He says:

It was not by strength of argument, or by a particular disquisition of each doctrine, and convincement of my understanding thereby, I came to receive and bear witness of the Truth, but by being secretly reached by this life; for when I came into the silent assemblies of God's people, I felt a secret power among them which touched my heart, and as I gave way unto it, I found the evil weakening in me, and the good raised up, and so I became thus knit and united unto them, hungering more and more after the increase of this power and life whereby I might feel myself perfectly redeemed. And indeed this is the surest way to become a Christian, to whom afterwards the knowledge and understanding of principles will not be wanting, but will grow up so much as is needful, as the natural fruit of this good root, and such a knowledge will not be barren nor unfruitful. After this man

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ner we desire therefore all that come among us to be proselyted, knowing that though thousands should be convinced in their understanding of all the truths we maintain, yet if they were not sensible of this inward life, and their souls not changed from unrighteousness to righteousness, they could add nothing to us. For this is that cement whereby we are joined, as to the Lord, so to one another. Yea, if such should come among us, and from that understanding and convincement they have of the Truth, speak ever so true things and utter them forth with ever so much excellency of speech, if this life were wanting, it would not edify us at all, but be as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

In the records of our Society there are preserved many interesting narratives of the work of Divine grace in effecting convincement and conversion. One of these is the account left of her experiences by Jane Fenn, afterwards Jane Hoskins. It contains so much of spiritual instruction and is so full of life, that an outline of it may profitably be inserted here.

She was a native of England, and brought up as an Episcopalian coming under the operations of Divine grace, she felt that it was the Lord's will that she should go to Pennsylvania. She was quite young, and her father being opposed to her removal, she found no way of carrying out her concern except by persuading one, Robert Davis who was himself going over the sea, to pay her passage, with a promise that she would repay him out of her future earnings. After her arrival in Philadelphia, Robert insisted that she should bind herself as a servant for four years to a person that was an utter stranger to her; and on her refusal, had recourse to law, and by process laid her under confinement.

This was a trying experience for a poor young creature among strangers. But, she says, the Lord heard her cries, raised up friends, and provided for her.

The principals of four families living at Plymouth who had

several children, agreed to purchase a sober young woman, as a school mistress, to instruct them in reading, etc. On applying to their friends in town, I was recommended for that service. When we saw each other, I perceived it my place to go with them. Wherefore on their paying Davis twelve pounds, currency, being the whole of his demand against me, I bound myself to them, by indenture, for the term of three years, and went cheerfully with them to Plymouth.

I have since thought, how wonderful it was, that though various scenes and trials attended me, yet I was enabled to perform the service they had for me. The children learned very fast; which afforded comfort to me, and satisfaction to their parents. My love to them was great, and theirs equally so to me; so that all my commands were obeyed with pleasure. And afterwards, when we met, we could tell one another of it, with sincere regard and affection. They proved sober, religious men and women.

I served my time out faithfully, and never had cause to repent. The people with whom I lived, were those called Quakers. As I had not been among any of that denomination. before, I had a desire, in my mind, to become acquainted with their principles and manner of worship. Having liberty, I was ever ready to go to their meetings, though at first, only as a spy. But after I had been some time among them, and took notice of their way and manner of performing Divine worship to God, I was ready to conclude, and say in my mind, surely these are his people. A brave, living people, they really were; there being then divers worthies among them, who, I believe, are now in the fruition of "Joy unspeakable, and full of glory," the earnest of which they, through mercy, then at times partook of, to the satisfaction of their hungry and thirsty souls. The solid, weighty, and tender frame of spirit, which some of them were many times favored with, in meetings, brought serious considerations over my mind, with this query: “Why is it not so with me?" and I said in my heart: These people are certainly better than I am; notwithstanding I have made a great deal more to do about religion than they."

As I pondered on these things, that saying of the apostle,

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