tles from Ireland, New-England, New-York, Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, Virginia, and North and South Carolina and Georgia, we are informed, that love and unity generally subsists among Friends; and that divers persons have been joined to the society by convincement.

We are concerned at this time to press upon your consideration the awful duty of pure and spiritual worship. It is not enough that, after the example of our forefathers, we meet together in one place, in outward silence; rejecting those forms and ceremonies which were invented by the wisdom, as well as that worship which is performed only in the will of man; it is not enough that, with a commendable diligence, we attend all our religious meetings; unless also like them we wait in humble reverence, for spiritual ability to worship acceptably the Lord of heaven and earth. Wait therefore, dear Friends, humbly and diligently wait in the spirit of your minds, for the coming of him who told his disciples "without me ye can do nothing;"* that ye may happily experience the influence of his Spirit to enlighten and quicken the soul to a true sight and sense of its condition; that feeling the spirit of supplication ye may approach the throne of grace, and under a renewed sense of the Father's mercy and goodness, may be enabled to offer the sacrifice of praise. This living and spiritual worship is ever acceptable, and draws down his favour on those who are thus humbly exercised before him.

Being thus qualified to worship together the Father of Spirits, to" eat of the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual "drink," our love to the pure truth, and to each other, will increase. The preservation of love is a duty in every state of religious attainment, and did we faithfully observe the great Master's precept of doing to others as we would they should do to us, its practice would be easy: detraction and enmity would then be destroyed in the seed, and that excellent christian charity, recommended by the apostle, prevail over all." A new commandment," said our Lord, "I give unto you, that ye love one ano"ther; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By "this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."+

We exhort all parents, and those who have youth under their care, deeply to seek the Lord for themselves, and, feel after his baptizing power, that their own spirits being rightly leavened, may, through divine help, be made instrumental to leaver the minds of their tender connections, and the branches of their families; whereby there may be a growth in the spiritual life, † JOHN xiii. 34, 35.

* JOHN XV. 5.

and a succession of living, baptized members in our religious sŐS ciety.

Such members as have the spiritual welfare of the professors of the blessed truth at heart, are pained in beholding the deviation of many amongst us, from that purity of life and conversation, and that plainness and simplicity of manners, into which the holy principle that we profess ever leads its followers. This deviation is apparent not only in the dress, but in the address and deportment of too many of our youth and others. O that our beloved youth would happily submit to the tender impressions of divine grace, often made on their minds in the early part of life; and that they would, by inward retirement, cherish and cultivate the precious and heavenly visitations, graciously renewed to their spirits, as they advance in age; so would that eye be kept open in them, which discerns the beauty and excellency of the gospel of Christ, and that a possession in his saving truth infinitely excels all the profits and honours, the favour and friendship, of a fading and delusive world.

We earnestly recommend to all, the frequent perusal of the Holy Scriptures, according to repeated exhortations; and we at this time also recommend the writings of our faithful predecessors, and the accounts that are published of their experiences, labours, travels and sufferings in the cause of Christ. Those hours of leisure would be profitably employed in this manner, which are often wasted in reading the light and trivial publications, calculated to gratify the vain imagination, and to feed that disposition that is always hankering after some new thing..

It is with particular satisfaction we observe the spreading of those principles of justice, which have long bound us to the cause of the injured Africans, and have now engaged the attention of distinguished persons in this nation, and not in this nation only; and that the inhuman trade is at length manifesting its iniquity to the view of our legislature.

"Now unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to "present us faultless before the, presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

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Signed in and on behalf of the Yearly Meeting, by

JOHN ELIOT,

Clerk to the Meeting this Year:

* JUDE 21.

Dear Friends,

EPISTLE CXIII-1790.

In the tender love of our most gracious and holy helper, we affectionately salute you; and have in humble thankfulness to inform you, that we have been favoured to hold this our annual assembly to a good degree of satisfaction: having; in the various sittings thereof often witnessed a measure of divine love to be the covering of our spirits.

The sufferings of Friends, on account of their religious principles, brought in this year, being principally for tithes and those demands called church-rates, in England and Wales, amount to five thousand six hundred and ninety-two pounds; and in Ireland to one thousand five hundred and sixty-eight pounds. The Friend who was imprisoned for his conscientious testimony against the support of an hireling ministry is since re leased.

By accounts at this time received from the Quarterly Meetings in England, from North-Britain, and from Wales, and by epis tles from Ireland, New-England, New-York, Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, we have information, that love and unity are generally preserved in our religious society, and that a considerable number, who were not educated amongst us, have been admitted into membership with us, through convincement since last year.

As the cause of the oppressed Africans is now before the legislature, we have no particular advices on that head to communicate; yet we desire Friends may continue united in a fervent concern, that the reproach of a traffic so iniquitous, may be done away from the christian name, and the day spoken of by the Lord's prophet be happily hastened, "for from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the gentiles, and in every place incense shall be "offered unto my name, and a pure offering."

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Friends! high and holy is the profession which we are making to the world. Many who do not openly profess with us, are yet persuaded in their consciences that the inward principle which we, according to the Holy Scriptures, hold forth to the world, is truth, though the cross stands in the way of their public avowal of it. May none of us act as enemies to the cross of Christ, and be stumbling-blocks in the way of sober and unpre* MALACHI i. 11.

judiced inquirers, hurting and hindering, by our outward appearance and practice, the success of that cause which we are called to espouse and promote.

And as we have received information of the removal of many faithful Friends from the field of labour, we greatly desire that the rising generation may lay it to heart, and come up with unreserved dedication of soul to the support and promotion of the cause of vital christianity, according to their several gifts and measures; not only by promulgating its salutary and blessed doctrines and precepts, but by being also living examples of their holy influence on the whole conduct and conversation: as becomes a people believing in the inward and spiritual appearance of Christ.

We hold that there is no need, no absolute necessity, that any man should teach us our religious duties, but as the same anointing which taught the primitive believers, teacheth us. We hold that no offering in worship is acceptable to our great Creator, but that which is produced by the motions of his own Spirit. And though it hath pleased Christ the head of the church, to raise up, qualify, and send forth able ministers amongst us, whose labours and ministration of the free gospel of Christ have been and are truly serviceable; yet the growth and preservation of every individual in true religion, can only be effected by every one deriving his spiritual supplies and abilities from the root of divine life; as Christ himself, when personally on earth declared, "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the "vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me.' Let us therefore evince our belief in, and dependence upon, this inward instruction, this source of all right religious qualification, by a diligent attendance of our meetings for worship, and by a watchful patient waiting therein for divine succour, not only on the First, but on other days of the week. And as there has been a salutary discipline long established amongst us; for the preservation and edification of the body in love; and for the clearing of the reputation of our religious society from the scandal, which might arise from the disorderly walking of any professing with us; we entreat you to consider, that as we all should join in reverent worship of our common Father and Creator; so should we all unite in a religious care and oversight one of another for our mutual good; for indeed, "Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the " Lord."

And, dear Friends; as there are great commotions on the earth, dissentions and animosities among men, and revolutions in states + PSALM Cxliv. 15.

* JOHN XV. 4.

and kingdoms, let none of us be drawn by a party spirit to med dle with matters, which are unsuitable for the peaceable follow, ers of the prince of peace; who declared that his kingdom was not of this world; but let us all be gratefully sensible of, and thankfully commemorate the gracious dealings and merciful in terposition of the Lord our God; who hath extended his protection to us, though widely separated in our different allotments, and hath preserved us a religious body, united in faith and principle. May this precious unity and spiritual fellowship increase amongst us, by our living and believing in Christ, and by being justitied by him, who is the author and finisher of all true faith.

Many are the different opinions as to religion in the world; let it not suffice us, dear Friends, that by education and tradition we are taught to believe that the principles which we profess, are no other than the doctrines of Christ; let us shew forth the soundness of our faith by our works; let us diligently wait for and feel after that divine virtue which renews the inward strength, and qualifies for every good word and work.

In the fresh renewing of gospel love, we commend you to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the alone preserver of men; beseeching you, in the words of the apostle, "That ye walk wor "thy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness " and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in "love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond # of peace."*

Signed in and on behalf of the Yearly Meeting, by

WILLIAM GROVER,

Clerk to the Meeting this Year,

Dear Friends,

EPISTLE CXIV 1791.

In that love which is the bond of religious fellowship, we affectionately salute you who profess the blessed truth, wherever scattered in your several allotments, and wish you health and salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Brethren, we write not to you, as matter of form, but as having our minds impressed with a renewed sense of the state of the church.

We have in humble gratitude to commemorate the continued

* Een, iv. 1,