A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 3: 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 3: 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
_Particular traits in the Quaker character--The first of these is
benevolence--This includes good will to man in his temporal
capacity--Reasons why the world has bestowed this trait upon the
Quakers--Probability of its existence--from their ignorance of many
degrading diversions of the world--from their great tenet on war--from
their discipline which inculcates equality--and watchfulness over
morals--and from their doctrine that man is the temple of the Holy
Spirit._
[33]Of the good traits in the Quaker character, which may be called
particular, I shall first notice that of benevolence. This benevolence
will include, first, good will to man in his temporal capacity, or a
tender feeling for him as a fellow creature in the varied situations of
his life.
[Footnote 33: The reader must be aware, that all Quakers do not partake
of this good part of the character. That the generality do, I believe.
That all ought to do, I know, because their principles, as will be
clearly seen, lead to such a character. Those, therefore, who do not,
will see their own deficiency, or how much they have yet to attain,
before they can become Quakers.]
The epithet of benevolent has been long given to this society. Indeed I
know of no point, where the judgment of the world has been called forth,
in which it has been more unanimous, than in the acknowledgment of this
particular trait, as a part of the Quaker character.
The reasons for the application of this epithet to the society, may be
various.
It has been long known, that as the early Christians called each other
brethren, and loved each other as such, so there runs through the whole
society of the Quakers a system of similar love, their affection for one
another having been long proverbial.
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