believed themselves called upon to bear a conspicuous testimony, by deed as well as word, to the purity and spirituality of the Christian religion. Reverently accepting the doctrines of Christ and his apostles in their comprehensive fulness as recorded in the New Testament, they felt that they could not rest in a mere profession even of these blessed truths. Their souls longed for the possession of the substance, even reconciliation with the Father, and communion with him, by his own Spirit, through the one living Saviour, Advocate, and Intercessor for us, Christ Jesus. That which they sought was not to be found in outward observances. Their spiritual necessities required spiritual refreshments. The ancient sacrifices and ceremonies under the law, though expressly instituted by Divine authority, were given but for a season, to be fulfilled and ended by Christ. The new covenant of life and salvation was not in these. Much less could they find it in those outward rites and observances, which, having no such Divine institution, had been intruded by human authority into the professing church, spoiling it of its ancient simplicity and beauty, and gradually usurping the place of Christ himself in the hearts of his professed disciples.

The attention of the reader is invited to a

consideration of some of the points that more especially distinguish the Society of Friends from others of the Christian name.

Although the early Friends maintained that immediate guidance was still granted to the children of God, they fully recognized the Divine authority of the Holy Scriptures, and were ever ready to have their doctrines and practices tried by them. They accepted them, indeed, unequivocally, as given by inspiration of God, and loved and valued them as the genuine records of his dealings with his creature, man; and as communicating to him the knowledge of that gospel covenant by which life and immortality are brought to light. They read and quoted them freely, referred to them for the proof of the soundness of their own faith and doctrine, and recommended them strongly to the perusal of others. But they warned men against fancying themselves in a state of salvation, because of possessing a knowledge of the Scriptures, whilst remaining strangers to that true faith in Christ, through which alone they make wise unto salvation.

Believing in the Scripture promise of Christ's spiritual guidance and teaching, they could not conform to the customary modes of worship. They met together to worship God, who is a Spirit, in spirit and in truth;' not offering to

him words which did not truly express their feelings. The communion of the invisible and spiritual soul of man with its unseen Creator is not confined to outwardly sensible communications; nor are outward rites or outward words necessary to it. Hence, they felt bound in their assemblies for Divine worship reverently to wait upon the Lord in solemn stillness, desiring to be individually gathered in spirit unto Christ their Saviour, Prophet, and High Priest, and through him to find access by the one Spirit unto the Father;' to worship him in spirit and in truth,' in reverent humiliation of soul. But they did not limit the operations of the Spirit to one particular mode. They believed that this spiritual worship may be with words, as well as without them, and were far from excluding the vocal exercises of prayer or thanksgiving, when offered in the fresh quickening of the Lord's Spirit.

When assembled, they were often strengthened and comforted together in silent waiting before the Lord; whilst, individually, they breathed their secret aspirations unto God, and realized that Christ was indeed amongst them by his Spirit, uniting their hearts together in mutual love to him and his great cause. And when any, under this deep feeling of true worship,

were constrained to speak the word of exhortation, of prayer, or of praise, they gratefully accepted it, as from the Lord, and as drawing to him. But preconcerted human arrangements for preaching or prayer-the setting up of one man as the sole teacher in the congregationthe establishment of a body of such ministers by the state-the imposition of their maintenance upon those who differed from them-all these were, in their view, violations of great Christian principles, interfering with Christ's authority and government in his church, and excluding the free exercise of the various gifts bestowed by him for its edification. They admitted freely the preaching of women, as well as that of men, according to the practice of the apostolic age, when sons and daughters prophesied, and the Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon 'servants and handmaidens,' not limiting the number in any church.

They instituted no colleges for educating ministers, because they believed that the qualification for the ministry is not human learning, but a spiritual gift; nor had they any funds provided for their maintenance, because this gift is free, and according to the doctrine of Christ, being freely received, it ought to be freely dispensed.

Believing that no typical or ceremonial rites were appointed by Christ or his apostles, for the continual or universal observance of the church, and in connection with the views which these Christian people entertained of the spirituality of the gospel dispensation, they abstained from the use of water-baptism, and from what is called the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. In the declaration of Christ, that the time was at hand when they that worship the Father must worship him in spirit and in truth,' they saw the essential abolition of all ritual religious services, and the opening of that real spiritual relation and intercourse between man and his Creator, which is the glory of the gospel of Christ. Under the Christian dispensation there is one, and but one, baptism. I indeed,' said the forerunner of Christ, 'baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire' (Matt. iii. 11). This baptism of the Spirit, by which conversion of heart is known, and the repentant sinner is brought, through living faith in Christ, into his adopted family, was fully asserted by the early Quakers; as was also that spiritual communion with Christ, whether alone or in fellowship with the brethren, in which the