oppreffion they feel a rooted abhorrence. As men, and as christians, they would equally revolt from the infliction of conscious perfecution, fully perfuaded that it is utterly repugnant to the mild and peaceable principles of the gospel, and to all the benevolent feelings of humanity. To their confideration it is therefore earnestly and affectionately recommended, whether, if our fellow creatures inflict upon us any evil, or deprive us of any good, folely on account of our religious opinions, fuch conduct can be regarded in any other light than as PERSECUTION ;-and whether this appellation is not strictly applicable to thofe fufferings to which confcientious members of our fociety may be fubjected in confequence of DISOWNMENT?

To affift us farther in this inquiry, let us contemplate the fituation of a person who has been educated in the fociety, and is afterwards difowned, for diffenting from fome of its peculiar opinions or regulations, although he still continues to retain a strong attachment to most of its diftinguishing principles and habits.

Should fickness, age, or infirmity, disable him from fupplying his own wants by honeft industry, he is debarred from the aid of thofe funds, for the maintenance of the poor belonging to the fociety, which are raised, in some places, partly from the bequests of the dead, but more generally from the charity of the living.And this hardship must be peculiarly felt in IRELAND, where there is no legal provision for the maintenance of the poor.

The

The peculiar principles and habits of his own education, differ confiderably from those of other religious focieties, and he confiders the education of his children in the same principles and habits, as a matter of great moment. If these children were born before his difownment, and he is unable to educate them, the society takes upon itself the whole expenfe neceffary for this purpose.* But, if the children are born after the parents' difownment, they are not only without any claim to education by the fociety, but they are not even admiffible into fome of thofe fchools, which are establithed under its patronage, and, in part, supported at its expense; and to which the terms of admiffion are low, for the exprefs purpose of accommodating the children of members in limited circumstances.†

He cannot confcientiously take an OATH, nor can he ferve in the MILITIA, or take part in any MILITARY OPERATIONS. Towards thefe fcruples, the legislature

* In Great Britain, if either of the parents is a member of the fociety, at the time when their child is born, such child becomes a member, by birthright, excepting only in the cafe of the parents having been married contrary to the laws of the fociety. But in Ireland, a child does not gain membership by birthright, in any cafe, unless both the parents are members when the child is born.

+ The three schools established by the fociety in the provinces of Ulfter, Leinster, and Munfter, and alfo the fchool at Ackworth, in Yorkshire, are of this description.

legislature has been particularly indulgent, in framing express provifions for the relief of those who are members of our fociety. But he has now no legal claim to the benefit of these provifions, and whilst acting up to his fenfe of duty, he is in danger of incurring fevere penalties.

To be prefent at thofe periodical meetings, in which the members of the fociety are affembled, for the express purpose of transacting their DISCIPLINE, to take a part in the conduct of it, and to be one of the objects for whofe benefit the difcipline is then, as well as at other times exercifed; has been regarded as an efficient means of promoting the religious improvement of every class in the fociety. Of these advantages, however, he is now wholly deprived.

Nor fhould the effect on CHARACTER be overlooked. To difown, is an expreffion which admits not of being used otherwise than in an unfavourable fenfe. The feparation from membership, is almost always accompanied with express cenfure of the perfon difowned; and throughout all the rules of the discipline, it would be difficult to find a fingle provifion for difownment, in which demerit is not previously fuppofed. Now the opinion of an established society, outweighs that of an individual. His difownment by the fociety, becomes a matter of public notoriety, but the cause of the difownment is frequently mifreprefented and exaggerated by vague and ignorant rumour. Hence the fituation of perfons, in limited and dependant circumftances,

fubfifting,

fubfifting, perhaps chiefly, by the patronage of the members of the fociety, is fometimes rendered precarious and affecting.*

* There is also a species of conduct, which has been too frequently maintained towards individuals, when, in the exercise of the right of private judgment, they adopt a conduct or opinions disapproved of by the church. An inftance of this kind occurred in the cafe of JOHN ROGERS, jun. and the following note is inferted from a letter published by him nearly twelve months after his marriage, and referred to in page 129 of the preceding Narrative,

cr

"Another manner of dealing was handed forth to us, " in order to deter us from pursuing the line of apprehended “ duty; which was pronouncing woes and judgments against us, if we would not conform to the established mode of proceeding, by fome whose zeal overcame their knowledge; as if all other modes, but theirs, were excluded from the "favour of God. It may not be amifs here to observe, "that upon a serious review of our condu&, with respect to "the manner of our procedure, we feel no condemnation, "but are favoured with that peace which this world can "neither give nor take away."-See Friendly Expostulation, by John Hancock, page 51.

PROPHECY and DENUNCIATION have indeed been lamentably too frequent, in every period of the history of our fociety. Inftances of this may be referred to in the journals published by several of its members, and in the conduct of too many of its approved minifters and zealous difciplinarians, From

this

But the cafe, most of all perhaps to be compaffionated, is that of an upright and confcientious individual, who has been, from infancy, taught to regard the judgment of the fociety as dictated by the infallible spirit of God, and at the fame time to regard the inward and individual dictates of the divine fpirit in bis own mind, as the primary rule of conduct, and the unerring guide to truth. Now, if he should afterwards diffent (perhaps reluctantly diffent) from the fociety on fome particular points; and knowing that peace of mind always depends on a faithful obedience to the dictates of duty, he should be honestly defirous of acting confiftently with his own convictions, it will be eafily conceived, that the doubts and fears occafioned by the oppofing dictates of two principles which have been thus early and powerfully impressed on his mind, may produce very embarraffing and diftreffing conflicts.

Thefe

this mifapplication of talents, by persons, whose stations give them a more than ordinary degree of influence in the fociety, fome very forrowful, not to fay fatal, effects have refulted. It may, however, with great fatisfaction, be remarked, that this practice is obviously diminishing, and it is devoutly hoped, it will continue to be ftill further difcountenanced. The pious prayer of a poet of the Roman Catholic Church, well deferves the attention of many Proteftants:

Let not this weak, unknowing hand,

Prefume thy bolts to throw;

Or deal damnation round the land,

On each I judge thy foe.

POPE'S UNIVERSAL PRAYER.