DISCIPLINE OF THE QUAKERS. CHAPTER I. SECTION I, Discipline of two kinds-as it relates to the regulation of the internal affairs of the Society-or to the cognisance of immoral conduct-Difficulty of procuring obedience to moral precepts—this attempted to be obviated by George Fox-outlines of his system for this purpose-additions made to his system since his time-objections to the system considered this system, or the discipline of the Quakers, as far as this branch of it is concerned, the great foundation-stone on which their moral education is supported. THE Discipline of the Quakers is divisible into two parts. The first may comprehend the Regulation of the Internal Affairs of the Society, N 2 Society, such as the management of the poor belonging to it; the granting of certificates of removal to its members; the hearing of their appeals upon various occasions; the taking cognizance of their proposals of marriage, and the like. The second may comprehend the notice or observance of the moral conduct of individuals, with a view of preserving the rules which the Quakers have thought it their duty to make, and the testimonies which they have thought it their duty to bear, as a Christian people. It is to the latter part of the discipline that I shall principally confine myself in the ensuing part of my work. Nothing is more true than that when men err in their moral practice, it is not for want of good precepts, or of wholesome advice. There are few books from which we cannot collect some moral truths; and few men so blind as not to be able to point out to us the boundaries of moral good. The pages of revelation have been long unfolded to our view, and diffusively spread among us. We have had the advantage, too, of having their contents frequently and publicly repeated in our ears. And yet, knowing what is right, we cannot pursue it. We go off, better know on the contrary, against our ledge, into the road to evil. Now, it was the opinion of George Fox that something might be done to counteract this infirmity of human nature, or to make a man keep up to the precepts which he believed to have been divinely inspired, or, in other words, that a system of discipline might be devised for regulating, exciting, and preserving the conduct of a Christian. This system he at length completed, and, as he believed, with the divine aid, and introduced into the Society with the approbation of those who belonged to it. The great principle upon which he founded it was, that every Christian was bound to watch over another for his good. This principle included two ideas. First, that vigilance over the moral conduct of individuals was a Christian duty. Secondly, that any interference with persons who might err, was solely for their good. Their refor mation was the only object in view. Hence, religious advice was necessary. Hence, it was to be administered with tenderness and patience. Hence, nothing was to be left undone, undone, while there was a hope that any thing could be done, for their spiritual welfare. From this view of the subject, he enjoined it to all the members of his newly-formed Society to be watchful over the conduct of one another, and not to hesitate to step in for the recovery of those whom they might discover to be overtaken with a fault. He enjoined it to them, again, that they should follow the order recommended by Jesus Christ upon such occasions: "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between him and thee hear thee, thou hast alone. If he shall gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that, in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen-man or publican*." For the carrying of this system into execution in the order thus recommended, he * Matthew, xviii. 15, 16, 17. appointed appointed courts, or meetings, for discipline, as the Quakers call them, with the approbation of the Society, where the case of the disorderly should be considered, if it should be brought to the cognisance of the church; and where a record should be kept of the proceedings of the Society respecting it. In these courts, or meetings, the poor were to have an equal voice with the rich. There was to be no distinction but in favour of religious worth. And here it is to be remarked, that he was so desirous that the most righteous judgment should be pronounced upon any offender, that he abandoned the usual mode of decision, in general so highly valued, by a majority of voices, and recommended the decision to be made according to the apparent will of the virtuous, who might be present. And as expulsion from membership with the church was to be considered as the heaviest punishment which the Quakers, as a religious body, could inflict, he gave the offender an opportunity of appealing to meetings, different from those in which the sentence had been pronounced against him, and where the decisive voices were again to be col lected |