ness to be considered as making a religious profes sion of which they feel themselves unworthy. In some of the meetings belonging to our Yearly Meeting, a considerable portion of the regular attenders are not in actual membership, while in nearly all there are some, who, if the way were made more easy, would connect themselves with the Society, and the religious interests of both parties would thereby be promoted. By the census of 1863 we are informed that there are within the limits of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting 3480 minors, one of whose parents is a member and the children not members. In our last Yearly Meeting, Monthly Meetings were requested, if way should open, to appoint committees to visit and encourage their members, and if the same encouragement could be extended to the two classes alluded to, there is no doubt there would be a considerable increase of mem. bership. and the early records abundantly attest that many of them were instant in season and out of season, not only in resisting encroachments on their religious liberty, but in extending a knowledge of their principles by personal efforts and through the press. They taught diligently to their children what they found to be sufficient for themselves, and when driven by persecution to seek an asylum in the Western world, they seldom built a meeting-house without providing a school house in the same locality where their children could be instructed under their direction. A large number of men and women among them were engaged in the ministry and travelled extensively in the service, and their powerful appeals were instrumental in gathering thousands to the church. But the times have changed. Persecution for opinion's sake has ceased. The descendants of the persecuted despised Quakers of the early generation have become as a body rich, respectable and ease While there is evidently apathy and indiffer loving, and though they may be strenuous in out-ence in many places, and while we may lament ward observances and careful to observe the requirements of the Discipline, it is to be feared there is a general lack of that zeal for the truth which so eminently distinguished the early fathThe Discipline of the Society has been formed at different periods and adapted to the wants of the generation that formed it; and while the writer would not desire to modify it to meet the weaknesses of its members, yet he believes further changes are needed to adapt it to the present generation. Let any one compare a copy of the Discipline of 100 years ago with our present code, and he will discover how many changes have been made to meet the necessary wants of each generation. Before the alteration of the Discipline of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting on the subject of marriage, it was computed that a large majority of cases that claimed the disciplinary attention of Monthly Meetings were for "outgoings in marriage" and the records of our meetings would probably show that a large number of these offenders against the Discipline lost their right in the Society. ers. the decline of primitive zeal, yet I cannot unite with the discouraging view presented by your correspondent T. H. S., of the present condition and future prospects of our Society. There are evidences of life and energy among its members which, if properly cherished, I have faith to believe will result in much good. There probably was never more unity of feeling and purpose than now exists in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and its branches, and, so far as I know, it extends to similar bodies in unity with us. The disturbing causes which a few years since produced shyness, and a separation of feeling, have in a great measure been removed, and are succeeded by that regard for the views and feelings of each other which is so necessary to an efficient organization. The formation of "Friends' Publication Association," for disseminating cur principles by tracts and the works of approved authors, will produce, we may hope, a revival of interest, and the establishment of First-day schools, and the recent convention held at Westchester, Penna., of teachers, and others interested in the religious instruction of our children, is a step in the right direction. How many in consequence have been scattered, or gathered into other folds, we have no means of ascertaining. These changes in the opinion of the writer have had, and will continue It is a significant fact, too, that both of these to have, a beneficial effect, and there are other movements have been inaugurated by the young provisions which might be profitably modified. er members of the Society, who have felt the Take for instance the admission of members. want of these agencies, and have entered into An applicant must first apply to the overseers the work from a sense of duty; and it is equally and when they are satisfied, the case is forward- noticeable that in the proceedings of the Firsted to the Monthly Meeting, when another com- day School Conference, we are informed that mittee is appointed to take charge of the case," the younger portion of those who expressed and it is often several months before a final report is made. themselves on this interesting subject, very generally deplored the want of co-workers from There can be no doubt that many serious, among those of riper years and fuller experiseeking minds, have been discouraged from mak- ence.' The Bible classes and religious confering application through a diffidence of their ences which have been formed in various neighqualifications for membership and an unwilling.borhoods, are also evidences, to my mind, of a revival of religious interest, and most cordially do I respond to your Editorial in the 28th No., in which these subjects are embraced. I would call attention to the statement of T. H. S. respecting the census of 1829 and 1863. When the first census was taken, the Society was in a state of ferment growing out of the separation, which was then hardly effected, and many of the records were in possession of Orthodox Friends. Under these circumstances, it is not probable entire accuracy was arrived at, and it is quite likely the numbers were over-estimated. The census of 1863 was taken by direction of the Representative Committee, in order that the documents issued by it might be furnished to all the members, and we presume it is generally accurate. "JUDGE NOT THAT YE BE NOT JUDGED.' There is no denying that the world is full of such judgments as are here forbidden; needless, uncharitable, false, and hypocritical judgments. How little of our conversation upon the faults of others is in any sense necessary! Most often we go out of our way to introduce it. We want something to talk of, and this comes. No sense of duty actuates us. Our little help is not wanted in branding crimes which society is ashamed of. And as for the smaller faults or follies of our neighbors, if they pass without censure no harm is done. Our judgments are often gratuitous, willing, wanton judgments; passed in idleness and unconcern; prompted by no feeling of duty; far, far worse, therefore, than any dulness, than any silence. In the census of 1829, Shrewsbury and Rah- And if needless, then uncharitable too. way Quarterly Meeting is reported as having There can be no charity in taking for our sub685 members, and soon after they were attach-ject one whom we cannot praise and need not ed to New York Yearly Meeting, and of course are not included in the census of 1863. In connection with the subject of statistics, I would call attention to the plan pursued by - London Yearly Meeting which might be profitably adopted by similar bodies in this country. The Subordinate Meetings are required to furnish annually a tabular statement, which is forwarded to the Yearly Meeting, in which the following questions are answered. How many particular meetings are there and what are the number of members, and how many habitual attenders not members, and how many marriages, births and deaths, convincements, resignations, reinstatements and disownments? By answering these questions, every Monthly Meeting would annually revise its records, a supervisory care would be exercised over members and attenders, and the objects of a Christian church would, it appears to me, be more fully carried P. out. 10th mo. 6, 1867. MAXIMS OF BISHOP MIDDLETON. blame. But far more than this. Examine the judgments. How full of suspicion! How unwilling to allow merit not patent! How ready to imagine a bad motive, where by the nature of the case (man being the judge) we cannot see nor know it! How prone to put the worst possible construction, instead of the best! How unwilling to regard any man as actuated by a pure disinterestedness or a lofty principle! The judgments passed in society upon our fellow-men are as uncharitable in their nature as they are needless in their utterance.-C. J. Vaughan. THE HIDDEN MANNA. BY H. W. B. I "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna." We are incessantly tempted, in this life, to conform our ethical conduct either to our direct or implied rhysical condition. There is a natural, but not too good a tendency to make the metes and bounds of ethical truth and duty conform to natural law and then to interpret natural law on the side of selfishness. Persevere against discouragements. Keep In all the relations of life-in the family, your temper. Employ leisure in study, and in the neighborhood, in business, in their whole always have some work in hand. Be puuctual estate-men are strongly inclined, if not to give and methodical in business, and never procras-up right and duty, yet to moderate their ideas tinate. Never be in a hurry. Preserve selfpossession, and do not be talked out of conviction. Rise early, and be an economist of time. Maintain dignity without the appearance of pride; manner is something with everybody, and everything with some. Be guarded in discourse, attentive and slow to speak. Never acquiesce in immoral or pernicious opinions. Be not forward to assign reasons to those who have no right to ask. Think nothing in conduct unimportant or indifferent. Rather set than follow examples. Practice strict temperance, and in your transactions, remember the final account. of what is right; to take on milder conceptions of duty; to see if the cross cannot be evaded or avoided, or to make it as inconspicuous as possible. That tendency is natural, using the word natural in its lowest acceptation. There is always present, more or less obtrusively, the economic argument in the soul, and we often find ourselves resorting to it to excuse ourselves from adhering to that which is incumbent upon us. When we are irradiated with conceptions of Christian life, when we have heroic ideals, we mean to be absolutely true men; we mean to have an unadulterated faith in God; we mean to have the utmost sincerity of life; we mean to burn with a courage that shall never know obliquity; we mean to be enterprising, abounding in work. And yet, when we come out of the inspirational hours that sometimes come to us, and enter upon the actual experience of life, we come into the economic and argumentative mood. And the question arises whether it is proper in our circumstances-which are always peculiar for us to do so and so. And in this mood we are always tempted as much as possible to avoid the cogency and urgency of the reasons which incline us to fulfil our duties, and to argue whether it is best for us, or ours, and for the world about us, to press forward in the path of duty which is opened before us. been best fed and best sustained when they have followed Christ the nearest. I will not say that those who follow Christ at all hazards will be best sustained outwardly, (though they will have enough for their outward wants; or, when they do not have this, what is better, they will die); but they will have, in spite of their circumstances, more of those ends for which men strive than they could have attained if they had conformed to the world. Why do men strive? There is a pleasure in the use of our faculties that makes men industrious and enterprising; that leads them to become engineers, mechanics, labouring men, or scholars. There is pleasure in a life of activity. But mainly men are living for the sake of Now, I do not undertake to say that these supplying themselves with a multitude of worldcasuistical questions are not a part of our neces-ly benefits; that they may have a broader founsity, but I do say that the application of truths and principles requires right judgment and the continuous exercise thereof. It is not half so much trouble to know what the truth is in general as it is to know what the truth is at any particular time, and in its applications to particular phases of experience. And it is at this point, not that we are necessarily deceived, but that we are extremely liable to lean toward a compliance with worldly ways and customs, for the sake of getting along easier; for the sake of having more certain, solid, assured success. "Man shall not live by bread alone," said the Saviour, when he was himself tempted. And the promise of our text is, Do not comply with evil under any circumstances; do not give way to worldly counsels, where they are distinctly opposite to spiritual counsels; do not consume yourselves with anxieties; do not use your strength needlessly; do not expend it on this thing or that when it might be better spent on something else; do not judge your prosperity by outward signs alone, and you shall have your reward. I will give to every man that means to maintain a godly and pure life-to every such man, whatever may be his trials, whatever may be his perils, and whatever may be his inducements, if he only will overcome bis temptations, I will give a hidden support. I will feed him inwardly. As the Israelite had visible manna, so he shall have manna that is invisible, hidden, mystic. dation for their family; that they may, if possible, derive more enjoyment from leisure; that they may multiply the sources of their improvement. In other words, various joy, that shall develop the mind, and fill up the heart; the evading of evil, which is a reflex seeking for possible joy-this is that which is the universal spring, the grand motive, of human action; and when you take away from a man the fear of evil and the hope of joy, you paralyze him. No man would be more than a leaf on a stream that had not this fear or this hope. Now, it is the experience of men, and one of those experiences which we come to slowly and reluctantly, and which dawn upon us only after we have gone through a long course of struggle, that, after all, we find more happiness in the faithful performance of Christian duty at every hazard and sacrifice than we would have found with unobstructed freedom along the course of prosperity. Let me take the case, for instance, of a man that pursues the most innocent course of life. It is thought of industry that it is good; that it is right; that it is praiseworthy. It is. But little by little man in the course of duty perils himself for others' sake, and begins to undermine his health and strength. And men say, "It is a pity that this man should not have avoided this excessive taxation upon his physical system. There is moderation in all things." But I have taken notice that, when it is moral things, moderation is known to all men; and when it is physical things, moderation is known to nobody. There is a general public sentiment that There is nothing that seems more apparent to men of the world than for a man to stand, as it is said, in his own light; for a man to give up posi-zeal and fervor for the animal system is all tive, in many respects, it may be innocent good, for the sake of some notion, some ism, some moral scruple. But yet it has been the experience and the testimony of more than one can count of blessed saints in heaven, and of multitudes that still dwell upon earth, and are engaged in its conflicts, that, no matter how rugged or steep the path may have been, they have right enough; but that for the moral nature there should be great moderation and self-restraint. And so men look with pity upon a man that has been laid aside from activity by reason of over-exertion in the discharge of the most solemn duties that can be known in the providence of God. It is hard to stand still enforcedly; and yet many a man has learned, after the first days of ver nor gold. Why, you have come to that bitterness, that he could reap more joy bed-state in which all the holy men on earth were! ridden than he could on his feet. It is the royal road to learn of love. Is there anything better than that a man should love his wife, or that a woman should love her husband? Is there anything nobler than the love which they give to their children? Is there any thing that is a more fit emblem of heaven than a Christian family, where conscience, and knowledge, and pure and true love unite all the members of it? And may not a man say, with some reason, "Let us build here three tabernacles, and abide in this paradise of God?" But in the providence of God one child dies, and another child is prostrated with sickness, and alienations come in to disturb the peace of the family circle, and the household is divided and scattered, and the paradise is invaded, and thorns and thistles come up where were blossoms and fruits; and under such circumstances a man is tempted to charge God falsely. And where there has been such temptation, and waste, and sickness, and desolation, and the heart has been burdened with sorrow, Prophets, patriarchs, apostles, ministering teach- POWER OF A GENTLE REBUKE. me; he A number of passengers were discussing the exciting questions of the day on board a steamboat on one of our Western rivers. Oaths were frequently heard; and one man, in particular, in almost every sentence used the name of his and the head has been bow-Maker in a most irreverent manner. ed down with grief, and suffering has written its lines on the face, at last, though for the present these things are not joyous, they begin to bring patience, and inwardness, and hunger for that which the earth cannot supply, and to cause the soul to cry out, "O God, feed me, and give me the manna out of the cloud and darkness. How many persons have come at last to bear witness, "I have learned what I could not have learned if I had been spared from sorrow." them. Away from this excited party, but within hearing distance, sat a young lady with her husband and friends. The profanity was noticed by them, and they seemed shocked by its boldness. They could talk, but the timid, shrinking lady could act. "I can bear it no longer," she said, as she left her seat, and glided into the circle of the now loud aud angry disputants. Placing her hand on the arm of the one who had shocked her by his oaths, and There is nothing that is better, seen from a trembling with emotion, she begged him not purely economic point of view, than to build up to take the name of God in vain; to think how society by material productions and external soon he might be called to meet Him in eterniwealth. Far be it from me to say a word that ty. She said a few more words, and, frightened undervalues these things. But you know very at her boldness, she burst into tears and left well that we are dwelling in communities where everything is as uncertain as a shepherd's tent. The next day, before the boat reached its You build up your fortune, and God takes it destination, the man came to this lady, took her down almost as often as the patriarchs did by the hand, thanked her earnestly for her re. their tents. You are feeding from pasture to proof, and said, "I will not forget your kind pasture. And you are finding that here and words; I will try and be a different man, and there God meets you with overthrow and re- live for the eternity awaiting me." A few verse. And you feel, "To what profit is it months after, the lady was called from earth. that I have served God? What is there for me, The influence of that open and decided rebuke whose whole life seems cross-plowed and cross-will only be known when the secrets of all harrowed ?" And you are tempted to com- hearts shall be revealed. plain of the allotments of Providence. But do you suppose a man's life consists in the abun dance of the things that he possesses? Is this your estimate of man, that he is a thing to put raiment on? Is it your idea of life to build a treasure-house and put gold in it? Have you never had a conception of the royalty of sonship, THE CHARACTER OF RICHTER is too marked and learned to love God and your fellow men? to be easily misunderstood. His prominent And though all your worldly possessions have traits are tenderness and manliness-qualities been scattered, is there nothing left for you? which are seldom found united in so high a deAre you bankrupt because you have neither sil-gree as in him. Over all he sees, over all he Many of us can shudder, and deplore the open wickedness about us, but how many of us have the decision of Christian character to enable us to reprove sin in the right spirit when the opportunity is given us? A writes, are spread the sunbeams of a cheerful spirit-the light of inexhaustible human love. Every sound of human joy, as human sorrow, finds a deep-resounding echo in his bosom. In every man he loves his humanity only, not his superiority. The avowed object of all his literary labors was to raise up again the downsunken faith in God, virtue, and immortality, and in an egotistical, revolutionary age, to warm again our sympathies which have now grown cold. Not less boundless is his love for nature -for this outward, beautiful world. In his mind all this became idealised. In the prime of life this Friend has been removed from the midst of an interesting family, to whom she was a faithful wife and mother. Having properly fulfilled her duties here on earth, may she not be entitled to the reward of the righteous-an everlasting home in the Heavenly Kingdom. on the 11th inst., WILLIAM P. PUSEY, in the 76th year of his age; a member of Darby Monthly Meeting, Pa. This spirit of love was not weakness but on the 12th inst., near Attleboro, MARY R. PAXSON, in the 31st year of her age, daughter of ERRATA.-Page 481, second column, 8th line, for mockery "read "working." Page 482, second column, 8th line, for "conventionable," read " ventional." con THE PENNA. PEACE SOCIETY Will hold a Meeting at Friends' Meeting-House, 2 o'clock. FRIENDS' INTELLIGENCER. Gwynedd, on First-day afternoon, the 20th inst., at PHILADELPHIA, TENTH MONTH 19, 1867. FIRST-DAY SCHOOLS. As it may be interesting to Friends, the following list of First-day Schools is published. Although full reports have not been received, it will be safe to say that nearly or quite 1000 children attend, more or FRIENDS' SOCIAL LYCEUM.-The Second Meeting of the Lyceum was held on the 8th inst. It was one of great interest, and the at tendance was large. Several original, instruc-less tive essays were read, one of which, "The Cricket," is published in our present number. frequently. Full reports from all schools of this kind is particularly requested, and should be addressed to the care of " EMMOR COMLY, 144 N. Seventh St., Philadelphia." Reading, Pa.; Green St. Meeting-House, Philadelphia; Germantown, Phila.; Alloway's Creek, N. J.; Salem, N. J; Goose Creek Meeting-House, Liacoln, Va.; Colored School, Lincoln, Va.; West Branch, Pa.; Kennett Square, Pa.; Baltimore, M.; Race St. Meeting-House, Phila.; Boston, N. Y. Goshen, Chester Co., Pa.; West Chester, Pa.; Miami Meeting-House, Ohio; Richmond, Ind.; Mt. Pleas THE FREEDMEN'S APPEAL.-We call atten tion to the "Appeal," which will be found in another column, from "Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen." During the vacation of the Teachers, we mingled socially with them, and were deeply im-ant, Ohio. pressed with the earnest steadfastness with which they devote themselves to the work, regardless of the many privations to which they are subjected. The last Annual Report has been generally circulated, and we hope will be read. The letters from the Teachers, which are incorporated in it, are full of interest, and give to the reader a correct idea of what has been ac complished through their instrumentality. MARRIED, at Oak Hill, Phila., Tenth month 10th, 1867, under the care of the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia, of which the groom is a member, JOSEPH S., son of Joseph S. and Ann C. Lovering, and MARY B., daughter of Daniel C. and Susan S. Cowgill, of Dover, Del. The last named is taught by members of both divisions of Friends. FIRST-DAY SCHOOL CONFERENCES. The Committee have appointed the following conferences, in regard to First-day Schools, and invite the attendance of Friends generally. At Friends' Meeting-house, Lombard St., Baltimore, on Fourth-day evening, Tenth month 30th, at 7 o'clock, (being Yearly Meeting week ) At Race St. Meeting-House, Phila., on Seventhday morning, Eleventh month 2d, at 104 o'clock. Communications from absent Friends, and accounts of any First-day Schools amongst Friends, will be acceptable, and may be addressed to Eli M. Lamb, 171 McCulloh St., Baltimore, or to the care of E. Comly, 144 N. Seventh St., Phila. Reason cannot show itself more reasonably than to leave reasoning on things above reason. -Sir Philip Sydney. |