A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 1: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of FriendsClarkson, Thomas
Religion
A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 1: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of Friends
Clarkson, Thomas
Society of Friends
In the same manner as the different congregations in a small division of
a county have been shewn to have sent deputies to the respective monthly
meetings within it, so the different monthly meetings in the same county
send each of them, deputies to the quarterly. Two or more of each sex
are generally deputed from each monthly meeting. These deputies are
supposed to have understood, at the monthly meeting, where they were
chosen, all the matters which the discipline required them to know
relative to the state and condition of their constituents. Furnished
with this knowledge, and instructed moreover by written documents on a
variety of subjects, they repair at a proper time to the place of
meeting. All the Quakers in the district in question, who are expected
to go, bend their direction hither. Any person travelling in the county
at this time, would see an unusual number of Quakers upon the road
directing their journey to the same point. Those who live farthest from
the place where the meeting is held, have often a long journey to
perform. The Quakers are frequently out two or three whole days, and
sometimes longer upon this occasion. But as this sort of meeting takes
place but once in the quarter, the loss of their time, and the fatigue
of their journey, and the expences attending it, are borne cheerfully.
When all of them are assembled, nearly the same custom obtains at the
quarterly, as has been described at the monthly meeting. A meeting for
worship is first held. The men and women, when this is over, separate
into their different apartments, after which the meeting for discipline
begins in each.
I shall not detail the different kinds of business, which come on at
this meeting. I shall explain the principal subject only.
The society at large have agreed upon a number of questions, or queries
as they call them, which they have committed to print, and which they
expect to be read and answered in the course of these quarterly meetings
The following is a list of them.
I. Are meetings for worship and discipline kept up, and do Friends
attend them duly, and at the time appointed; and do they avoid all
unbecoming behavieur therein?
II. Is there among you any growth in the truth; and hath any
convincement appeared since last year?
III. Are Friends preserved in love towards each other; if differences
arise, is due care taken speedily to end them; and are Friends careful
to avoid and discourage tale-bearing and detraction?
IV. Do Friends endeavour by example and precept to train up their
children, servants, and all under their core, in a religions life and
conversation, consistent with our Christian profession, in the frequent
reading of the holy scriptures, and in plainness of speech, behaviour
and apparel?
V. Are Friends just in their dealings and punctual in fulfilling their
engagements; and are they annually advised carefully to inspect the
state of their affairs once in the year?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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