"But, to my surprise, the first subject she spoke upon, was to call
in question a sentiment I had expressed in the meeting aforesaid,
which appeared to me to be so plain and simple, that I concluded the
weakest member in our society, endued with a rational understanding,
would have seen the propriety of. It was a remark I made on the
absence of three out of four of the representatives appointed by
one of the preparative meetings to attend the quarterly meeting.
And I having long been of the opinion, that much weakness had been
introduced into our society by injudicious appointments, I have
often been concerned to caution Friends on that account. The remark
I made was this: that I thought there was something wrong in the
present instance--for, as we profess to believe in the guidance of
the Spirit of Truth as an unerring Spirit, was it not reasonable
to expect, especially in a meeting of ministers and elders, that
if each Friend attended to their proper gifts, as this Spirit is
endued with prescience, that it would be much more likely, under its
divine influence, we should be led to appoint such as would attend on
particular and necessary occasion, than to appoint those who would
not attend?
"This idea, she contended, was not correct; and the sentiments she
expressed on this subject really affected me. To think that any,
professing to be a gospel minister, called from a distant land to
teach others, and to be so deficient in knowledge and experience, in
so plain a case, that I could not well help saying to her, that her
views were the result of a want of religious experience, and that I
believed if she improved her talent faithfully, she would be brought
to see better, and acknowledge the correctness of my position. But
she replied, she did not want to see better. This manifestation of
her self-importance, lowered her character, as a gospel minister,
very much in my view; and her subsequent conduct, while she was
with us, abundantly corroborated and confirmed this view concerning
her. As to her charge against me, in regard to the Scriptures,
it is generally incorrect, and some of it false. And it is very
extraordinary, that she should manifest so much seeming friendship
for me, when present, and in my absence speak against me in such an
unbecoming manner. Indeed, her conduct toward me, often reminds me of
the treachery of Judas, when he betrayed his Master with a kiss. And,
instead of acting toward me as a friend or a Christian, she had been
watching for evil.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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