on which a true Christian is built, is the spirit of Christ; let this therefore direct you in all things, both respecting your private conversation, and whatever you do for God in his church. This is the only true means to preserve you holy and blameless in the one, as well as serviceable and useful in the other; in this every one will have a single regard to the service that comes before him, in monthly and quarterly meetings, without partiality or respect of persons. "Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's." Deut. i. 16, 17. And in the management of such affairs, they will find their own spirits rightly seasoned and prepared for every work and service to which they may be called; and all disorderly proceedings, arising from the heat of our own spirits, will thereby be shut out; and thus the church will be preserved, on her ancient, solid, and permanent foundation, to the glory of God, and her own quiet and comfort. 1726. And in order for the regular and easy proceeding in the service and discipline of the church, meetings have been by divine assistance, as above hinted, set up and established, serviceable and subordinate one unto another, as Preparative, consisting of friends belonging to one or more particular meetings for worship; Monthly, consisting of as many preparatives as may most usefully compose the same: Quarterly, to consist of as many monthly meetings as are thought useful to constitute the same, to meet together once in three months: Yearly, consisting of all the quarterly meetings in New England, [except Vermont,] to meet annually, in the sixth month, on Rhode Island, for a great and weighty oversight and Christian care of the affairs of the churches, pertaining to our holy profession and Christian communion; that good order, true love, unity and concord, may be faithfully followed and maintained among all of us as a peculiar people, called and chosen out of the world, and the errors and corruptions thereof. And as it hath been experienced, that in those meetings great comfort and satisfaction have been received and enjoyed, when the members have attended them in awe, humility and love, with no other view than the service of God, and the help and assistance one of another; this meeting doth therefore, in brotherly love, exhort all friends carefully to gather in uprightness and singleness of heart, suitable to our calling, and the dignity of that power, which as we behave wisely and meekly, will preside and govern in all our meetings. This will divest us of partiality and stiffness of opinion, and all high thoughts of ourselves, and raise in us patience and condescension, according to that excellent admonition of our blessed Lord, that he that is greatest among you be your servant. Agreed that no quarterly meeting be set up, divided into two, or discontinued, but by the yearly meeting; no monthly meeting, but by the quarterly; no preparative meeting or meeting of worship, but by the monthly meeting, which is the lowest meeting that has the right of disowning members. These meetings are to continue subordinate and accountable, thus: The preparative to the monthly, the monthly to the quarterly, and the quarterly to the yearly meeting; so that if at any time the yearly meeting be dissatisfied with the proceedings of any of the said meetings, or the quarterly meeting with the proceedings of any of the monthly meetings, or the monthly meeting with the proceedings of any of the preparative meetings within its limits, such meetings ought with readiness and meekness to render a satisfactory account accordingly; and that our records be open to any of our meetings, particular members, and to such others as the respective monthly meetings may think necessary, for the ascertaining of marriages, births, or other rights. That each monthly meeting choose two or more sober and judicious men friends, and two or more women friends, to be overseers in each preparative meeting, which overseers are to render account of their service to the monthly meeting at least once a quarter, and to be annually appointed or re-chosen. That there be a sufficient number (at least two) of friends appointed by each monthly meeting, as representatives to attend the service of the quarterly meeting to which they belong; such as are qualified for, and whose business it is to attend to, the seasonable dispatch and completion of the same; they taking with them what may be specially committed to them by the monthly meeting, which should be in writing. And in like manner, the quarterly meeting is to appoint at least four representatives to the yearly meeting, who are to make report to the meeting that appoints them. That full endeavors be used in every monthly meeting seasonably to end all business or cases that come before them; and where any such meetings need assistance, to the due accomplishment thereof, they apply to superior meetings for their advice, assistance, or determination therein, as the nature of the case may require; and in like manner, after due care and endeavors are used, to end any matter before a quarterly meeting, it apply to the next yearly meeting. Let a necessary inquiry be raised in the minds of all the members of the church, who have had any part of the Lord's work upon them, how they have acquitted themselves therein and discharged themselves in the sight of God; forasmuch as a day comes on apace, in which an account of our stewardship will be required at our hands. The discipline of the society, in some places at a low ebb, would again be revived and strengthened, if this awful sense of rendering an account of our trust, and the importance of being clear from the blood of all men, were enough impressed upon all minds. And, dear friends, as it is the Lord's work, let it be done as in his sight. Let all our answers to the queries be plain and explicit. Let a due sense of the state of the church prevail on your minds, rather than an unwillingness to appear deficient among your brethren. May a suitable engagement of mind prevail on all the active members of the church, to acquit themselves with faithfulness, that they may at last receive the crown of righteousness which will never fade away. 1760. It is the judgment of this meeting, that no persons who are out of unity with friends, or under |