SLEEPING IN OUR RELIGIOUS MEET INGS.

FORASMUCH as our religious meetings are to be attended for the honour and worship of our Almighty Creator, the promotion and enlargement of our own peace, and good example to others; it is an incumbent duty of every member of our fociety reverently to attend them; waiting for and obeying the measure of grace and light received; fuch therefore who fo far neglect their duty herein as to fleep, or by nodding or bowing the head, or other apparent figns of fleep, reproach themselves, bring a burthen on the faithful, and dishonour the truth, are to be treated tenderly with for their recovery; and if, after due waiting and admonition in meeknefs and wisdom, any shall continue in fo difreputable and dishonourable a practice, they be not employed nor active in any calling, business or appointment of fociety, until an overcoming be witneffed, to the fatisfaction of the brethren: And if he or she be fuch as have usually fat facing the meeting, whether minifter, elders or others, they withdraw from fuch feats,

that their ill example and reproach may be lef fened, and take their feats with the members at large, until they and friends are fenfible of an overcoming. And, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken with a fault, ye which are fpiritual restore such an one in the fpirit of meekness, confidering thyself, left thou also be tempted." Gala. vi. 1.

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SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS.

THE exceffive use of spirituous liquors, of all kinds, having for a long time been seen by our fociety to be a practice tending to lead from calmness and innocency, to the many evils which are the confequences of intemperance; and a concern having arofe for the spreading of this teftimony, not only to the difufe of distilled spirituous liquors among us, except as medicine, but that others alfo may by our example be encouraged to restrain its use within the limits of truth: We recommend to all friends every where, carefully to look at the motives of being concerned therewith, not only of using but dif tilling, importing, trading in or handing out to others, who from habit may have acquired a thirft and inclination after it, tending to their hurt. We tenderly advise all fuch as are concerned therein, to centre down to the principle leading to universal righteousness; and as we apprehend a continuance in fuch practices will, in this day of light, weaken the hands not only of thofe individuals concerned to further the reformation, but tend greatly to obftruct society from holding up a standard to this important testimony, as becometh our holy profeffion.

We entreat therefore those who have begun well, and made advances in the way towards their own peace, that as soon as may be, they forbear the faid practices, that a line may in due time be drawn, and the ftandard raised and fpread to the nations. 1784.

It appearing, that notwithstanding the advice and intreaty of this meeting in 1784, and last year; divers of our members have been fo inattentive thereto as not yet to forbear the practice of importing, trading in, and handing out diftilled fpirituous liquors, to the weakening of their own hands, and obftructing fociety from holding up this important teftimony as becometh our holy profeffion, and a fresh exercise arifing, that this obftruction be removed; it is recommended to monthly-meetings, that committees be appointed to labour with all such as may continue in either of faid practices or distilling, and endeavour to prevail with them to a cordial compliance with the advice of this meeting; and if any should continue fo difregardful of the unity of the body, as to counteract them in this important concern, it is recommended that they be dealt with, and if unreclaimed, teftified against, as those who difregard the advice of their brethren. 1788.

S T O C K.

AGREED that a collection be occafionally anade for defraying the expenses of society, and that it be lodged in the hands of a treasurer to be annually appointed, and subject to be drawn out for the fervice of truth, by the meeting for fufferings, who are to account for the fame; the treafurer's accounts to be audited annually by a committee, to be from time to time appointed for that purpose.

The fums which may be thought neceffary to be raised, is agreed to be proportioned to each quarter by their representatives prefent, from time to time; and each quarterly-meeting is defired to be punctual in fending up the fame accordingly.