most profitable exercise of mind, and one which he has graciously been pleased eminently to own and bless.

MINISTRY.

As it is the prerogative of the great Head of the church alone to select and call the ministers of his gospel, so we believe both the gift, and the qualification to exercise it, must be derived immediately from Him;-and that as in the primitive church, so now also, he confers them on women as well as on men, agreeably to the prophecy recited by the apostle Peter, "It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;" "and on my servants and on my handmaidens, I will pour out, in those days, of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:" respecting which the apostle declares, “the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

The gift being free, the exercise of it is to be without money and without price, agreeably to the command of our Lord, "freely ye have received, freely give."

The apostle Paul, in speaking of his ministry declares, "I neither received it from man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ;" that the exercise of it was "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;" and that his "speech and his preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that the faith of his hear

ers might not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." We believe that the experience of every true minister of Christ will correspond with that of the apostle; and therefore, our religious Society, from its first rise, has borne a constant and faithful testimony against a man-made and hireling ministry, which derives its authority and qualification from human learning and ordination; which does not recognise a direct divine call to this solemn work, nor acknowledge its dependence for the performance of it, upon the renewed motions and assistance of the Holy Spirit, vouchsafed on every occasion; and which receives pay for preaching.

We apprehend, that the selection of one man to speak to an assembly, who is always to perform that service at the stated times of meeting, whether divinely called to it and assisted, or not; to the exclusion of all others, whatever may be their religious exercises or apprehended duty, is an unauthorized assumption of power, greatly prejudicial to the welfare of the church; and a direct interference with the divine prerogative of Christ, whose right it is to dispense his gifts to whom he will, as saith the apostle, “to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another faith; to another the gifts of healing-to another the working of miracles—to another prophecy— to another discerning of spirits-to another divers kinds of tongues—to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

It is our earnest concern, that none of our mem

bers may countenance or encourage a hireling and man-made ministry, by attending at places where it is allowed, or in any other way; but that all may faithfully uphold our Christian testimony herein, for which our forefathers suffered deeply, both in their property and persons, many of them even unto death.

PRAYER.

PRAYER is a duty inseparable from the life and growth of a Christian. Whenever he is upon the watch, it is the clothing of his spirit. He cannot maintain the watch against the insidious machinations of his unwearied enemy, without the constant aid of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit, which reminds him of his need of holy aspirations to the throne of grace for preservation, and for forgiveness of his misteps when off the watch, influences and prepares his heart to breathe forth fervent desires before the Lord, for strength to stand against the wiles of the devil, that he may be built up and preserved upon the Rock Christ Jesus. When through divine love he is made sensible of the Lord's holy presence, prayer or praise arises in his soul; and thus he is permitted to hold communion with the Father of mercies, the God of all consolation. But it is only through the Spirit of our Holy Intercessor and Advocate with the Father, that the heart is thus influenced and enabled to put up availing prayer. None need doubt that this indispensable qualification will be furnished if they humbly seek it, and are obedient to the divine will in this and other duties.

At those seasons of divine visitation, when the convictions of that grace which strives with all to save

them, are pressing upon the rebellious transgressor, as they are yielded to, a cry for mercy and forgiveness is raised by the Holy Spirit in the heart, which will reach the gracious ear of Him against whom they have sinned, and will be accepted.

Were the command of our Lord to "watch and pray continually," lived up to, there would be no formal prayers; and where that is not regarded, formal prayers will not avail as a substitute. Many of our early Friends had been educated in the habit of " saying their prayers," as it is termed, at stated periods; and when it was given them, in the light of Christ Jesus, to see their own conditions, and that he required a thorough change of heart, they were convinced that those customary prayers, in which the spirit of supplication was not poured forth from on high upon the individual, would not avail anything, and they were restrained from the practice and from teaching them to their children. They clearly saw and felt, that He only, to whom the apostles applied, could teach them how to pray and what to pray for; under his guidance their lives became lives of prayer and watchfulness, and many of them attained to an extraordinary growth and fixedness in the blessed truth.

Like the qualification for gospel ministry, we have always believed that the putting forth of the Shepherd of Israel is requisite for the duty of vocal prayer in our religious assemblies, a service in which the spiritual worshipper can fervently and cordially unite, when it is performed under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is one of the most solemn acts in which man can be engaged, and when prostrated in the presence of the great I AM, our words should be few and weigh

ty. We would carefully avoid discouraging any from a faithful compliance with this duty, when divinely opened to them; but there is need of caution, lest any fall into a habit of kneeling in meetings, as though they could hardly be commenced or concluded properly, without vocal addresses of this nature. Such a practice tends to lessen that reverence and holy fear, which all ought scrupulously to maintain in approaching the sacred presence; and meetings are greatly injured by such unauthorized communications,-sometimes running into lifeless declaration, and also asking amiss, which bring death over a meeting instead of life, and eclipse the excellency of the gift of prayer.

May all then be watchful and attentive to the gentle intimations of our holy high Priest, who will clothe with deep humility and awe; and when he sees it proper, will grant to his servants the spirit of supplication, and strengthen them to offer living prayers, with the spirit and with the understanding also, which will find acceptance with him, and tend to the refreshment of his church and people.

WAR.

Ir being the nature and design of the Christian religion, to subject the angry and revengeful passions of human nature to its benign influence and government; those who have fully submitted to its transforming power, must necessarily be redeemed from the spirit in which wars and fightings originate. The gospel of Christ breathes peace on earth and good will to men,— and the precepts of its divine Author entirely preclude the indulgence of a disposition which would resent an