women’s meeting, 1699–1782
fig. 10: Page 1, Women’s Monthly Meeting Records, 1699–1782
1Friends Fellowship must be in ye Spirit and all |
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Friends must know one another in the Spirit & Power of God. |
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1 |
In all ye Meetings of ye County two or three being gathered from ym to go to ye |
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Generall Meetings for to give notice one to another if there be any that walk |
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not in the Truth, & have been convinced, & gone from the Truth, & so dishonour |
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=ed God: yt some may be ordered from the Meetings to go & exhort such & |
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bring in to ye next Generall Meetings what they Say. |
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2 |
If any yt Profess ye Truth follow pleasures, drunkenness, gamings, or is not |
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faithfull in their dealings, nor honest nor just but runs into debt, & so brings |
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a scandall upon the Truth, Friends may give notice to the Generall Meeting |
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if there be any Such; & Some may be ordered to go & exhort ym & bring in their |
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Answer next Generall Meeting. |
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3 |
And if any goes disorderly to get her in Marriage, contrary to ye Pract[ices] |
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of the Holy men of God, & Assemblies of the righteous in all ages; Who declares |
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it in ye Assemblies of the righteous w[he]n. they took one another (all things being |
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clear) & they booth being free from any other; & wn they do go together, & take one |
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another, let there not less than a douzen Friends & Relations present, according |
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to yor former order, having first acquainted the Mens Meeting & they having |
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clearness & unity wth ym & it may be Recorded in a book; according to the Word |
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& Commandment of ye Lord, & If any walk contrary to ye order of Truth herein, |
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let some be ordered to speak to ym & give notice thereof to ye next Generall Meeting. |
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4 |
And all yt be Widdows wch have Children, & do Intend to marry; Let Query be |
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made what she hath done for her Children: If there be no Will made, let such |
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part of her late Husbands Estate be set out for ye Children as is equall, and |
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according to Truth: & what they can do more afterwards let ym do also & where |
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there is a will made Let those Legacies, & Portions be improv’d, & secured before |
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Marriage for the Children of ye deceased wth what more they can do for them |
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& when these things are done let them be Recorded in a Book at ye nex Generall |
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Meeting. |
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5 |
And also all Widdows in yor severall Meetings, let ym be taken notice of & infor[m] |
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=ed & encouraged in their outward business, that there may be no hindrance |
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in their Inward growth; & so carefully looked after that there may be nourished |
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& cherished & so preserved in ye Truth that love may be encreased; & If they |
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have many Children to put out Apprentices, or Servants that may be a |
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burden to ym to bring up, let Friends take care to ease ym by putting ym forth as |
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may be meet: let all these things be looked into by every Meeting; & notice there |
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of given to the next Generall Meeting. & yn [then] some ordered to see yt all things |
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are done according to Truth & Righteousness. |
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And such as Marry by the Priests of Baal who are the rough hands of Esau, |
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& fists of Wickedness, & bloody hands; Who have had their hands in the blows |
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of our Brethren, & who is the cause of all this Banishment of our Brethren, |
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& have spoiled so many of our Goods; casting into Prison, & keeps many |
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hundreds at this day; all such as go ^unto ym for wives or Husbands must come to |
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Judgment, & Condemnation of yt Spirit wch leds them to Baal, & of Baals |
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Priests also: Or else Friends that keep their Habitations must write against these |
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& Baal both; for from Genesis to the Revelations you do never read of any Priest |
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marryed People: But it is God’s Ordinance, & whom God joyns together let no m[an?] |
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put asunder, & they took one another in the Assemblies of the Righteous wn |
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all things were clear: Therefore let all these things be enquired into, & broug[ht] |
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to the Generall Meeting; & from thence some ordered to go to them; & to return |
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what they say to the next Meeting: & all these before they, or any of them be left |
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as Heathens, or written against, let ym be three or four times gone to, that they |
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may have Gospel Order so yt if it be possible they may come to yt which at |
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first did Convince ym to condemn their unrighteous doings: so yt they might |
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not leave a hoof in Egypt. |
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7 |
And also all such as wear their hats wn Friends Pray; & are gotten into the old |
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rotten Principles of the Ranters; who set up the wearing thereof in opposition |
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to the Power of God, & ym yt uphold it is for Condemnation by it: & ye Power |
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of God is gone over it; & ym who ranted from the Truth, & have stopt many |
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who were coming into it, yt ye very world can say you are in confusion, & |
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divided & gone from your first Principle; who said you were of one Heart, |
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& one mind, & one Soul, And therefore yt Spirit must be cut off by the Sword |
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of the Spirit of ye Lord, yt they may come to yt wch at first did Convince ym, & |
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notice must be given to ye Generall Meeting of all these things; & from thence |
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some must be ordered to exhort ym yt be in such things to come to ye first Prin= |
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ciple ye did at first Convince ym, yt they may come out of such things; & |
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Friends must stand in ye Noble Seed of God to Judge ye World, & all ye fallen |
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Angels. |
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8 |
And in all Your Meetings let notice be given to ye Generall Meeting of all |
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ye Poor: And wn you have heard yt there is many more Poor belonging to one |
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Meeting yn [than] to another; & yt Meeting is thereby burdened, & Oppressed let the rest |
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of the Meetings help & Assist ym, so yt they may ease one another, & help to |
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bear one anothers burdens, & so fulfill the Law of Christ, & so see yt there be |
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nothing lacking according to the Apostles Words (mark nothing lacking) |
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yn all is well: for ye Jew Outward tho; they were as the stars of Heaven, & as |
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the Sand of the sea, Yet there was not to be a beggar among ym according to ye Law |
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of God; & Amongst the Christians in ye first Age there was a Mans Meeting set up |
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at Jerusalem to see yt nothing was lacking; wch was ye Gospel Order according to |
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the Law of Jesus; & this continued so long as they lived in ye Spirit, Life, & Power |
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of God, But when ye Apostacy came in, & ye true Church fled into ye Wilderness, |
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who was to Continue there 1260 dayes, & the Witnesses Prophesyed in Sackcloth 1260 |
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dayes; & ye Beast was Worshipped just so long 1260 dayes; & yn [then] all things went |
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out of order, & every thing was wanting in the time they worshipped ye Dragon |
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& ye Beast & wth ym ye false Prophet, Who shall be cast into the lake of fire |
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And the true Church came up out of ye Wilderness; & ye Manchild wch was ~ |
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caught up into Heaven came down again to Rule the Nations wth a Rod of |
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Iron; & ye Marriage of ye Lamb is come; & the Lamb & ye [sts?]ts Shall have ye |
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Victory; & the Everlasting Gospel shall be Preached again as was among ye |
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Apostles, & ye Gospel Order shall be set up as was among ym; & a Mans |
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Meeting as was at the first Conversion to see yt nothing be lacking in ye |
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Church, yn all is well, so there is not to be a beggar now among ye Christians |
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according to ye Law of Jesus as there was not to be any among the Jews |
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according to the Law of God. |
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9 |
And also all the men yt hunt after Women, from Woman to Woman, & also |
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Women whose Affections run sometimes after one man, & sometimes after another, |
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& so hold one another in Affection, & so draw out the affections one of another, & |
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after a while leave one another, & go to others, & do ye same thing; & this doing |
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makes more like Sodom yn Saints, & is not of Gods ^[making?] or joyning where they are not |
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to be parted, for marriage is Gods ordinance, & Gods command, one to another, |
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& in yt they feel the Power of the Lord. |
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10 |
And notice to be taken of all evill Speakers, Backbiters, Slanderers, & foolish |
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talkers, & Idle Jesters, for these things corrupt good manners, & is not according |
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to ye Saints, & Holy ones; whose words are season’d with salt, Ministring |
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Grace to ye Hearers. |
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11 |
And all Such who are Tale-Carriers, & Railers, whose work is to Some Dissention, |
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are to be reproved, & admonished: for such do not bring People into the unity |
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of ye Spirit, but by such doings they lose their own Contion [sic]. ~ ~ ~ |
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12 |
And such as go up & down to cheat, by their borrowing & getting money of |
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Friends in by places, & have Cheated severall; all such are to be stopt & Judged |
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13 |
And If there happen any difference between Friend & Friend of any matters, |
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If it Cannot before the Generall Meeting Let half a dozen Friends from ye Gene= |
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=rall Meeting be ordered to put a speedy end thereto, yt Justice may Speedily |
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be done, yt no difference may rest or remaine among any. And let all your |
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Generall Meetings be once ^in everie quarter of a Year, & to be appointed at such |
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places as may be most Convenient for the most of Friends to Meet in: that ye |
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house may be cleansed of all that is contrary to purity, virtue, light, life & |
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Spirit, so yt Friends may not be one anothers sorrow; & troubles; but one |
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anothers Joy, & Crown in the Lord. |
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14 |
And all Friends, See that yor Children be trained up in the fear of ye Lord, |
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In Soberness, & Holiness, Righteousness, & Temperance, & meekness, & Gentleness, |
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& loveliness, & modesty in their Apparrel & Carriages, & so to exhort your |
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Children, & Families in ye truth, yt ye Lord may be Glorified in yor Families |
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& teach your Children wn they are young, & they will Remember it wn they |
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are old, according to Solomon, so yt your Children May be a blessing to |
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you & not a Curse. ~ |
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15 |
And yt Friends to buy Convenient burying Places, as Abraham did who |
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bought a place to bury his dead, & would not bury among the Egyptians, and |
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Canaanites, & Jacob was brought out of Egypt & Joseph; & they were buryed |
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in their Grandfathers, & Great Grandfathers burying place; & so Friends |
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buy Burying Places for yor Meetings; & to keep out of ye Spirit of ye Sodomites |
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& Egyptians & Canaanites, wch corrupt ye Earth; & let them be decently & |
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well fenced, yt you Condemn ye World of all things. |
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16 |
And also yt Friends buy a Convenient Book for ye Registring of Births, Marri= |
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=ages, & Burials, as ye Holy Men of God of Old did, as you may read, yt every |
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one may be ready to give a Testimony, & Certificate If need Require, and any |
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be called thereunto. ~ |
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17 |
And also all yt all ye Sufferings of Friends of all kind of Sufferings in all ye |
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County be gathered up & put together, & Sent to the Generall Meeting, & so sent |
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to London, yt nothing of ye Memorial of ye blood, & Cruel Sufferings of ye Bre= |
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=thren be lost; wch shall stand as a Testimony against the Murdering Spirit of |
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this World, & be to ye Praise of the Everlasting Power of the Lord in the |
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Ages to come, who supported & upheld ym in such hardships, & Cruelties, who is |
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God over all blessed for evermore amen. ~ |
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18 |
And Enquiry to be made concerning all such as do pay Tythes, wch makes void the |
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Testimony & Sufferings of all our Brethren who have Suffered many of ym to |
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death; by which many Widdows & Fatherless have been made; & wch is contrary |
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to ye Doctrine of ye Apostles, & ye Doctrine of ye Martyrs; & likewise contrary to ye |
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Doctrine of the Righteous in this present Age; All such are to be enquired into. |
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& exhorted. let Query be made concerning all Prisoners that are poor, yt |
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they may be relieved, & so encouraged in their sufferings: & also yt care be |
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taken for their wives, & Families, that they do not suffer for want of |
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supply of Outward things: & let enquiry be made how many Prisoners there |
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are in all your severall Counties; that diligent enquiry be made into all these |
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things at every Monthly Meeting, & at every Quarterly Meeting; & to take |
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diligent care accordingly. |
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Dear Friends be diligent, & let it be your business to serve ye Lord & his |
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Truth, & to keep up your Mens Meetings Monthly two or three out of every |
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Meeting, to Meet together in Some co[n]venient place in ye middle of yor County |
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for to see how all your Meetings is, yt there be nothing lacking among ym: |
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So yt all may be kept as a Family, & nothing be lacking. yn all is well, For at |
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the first Conversion of the Christians at Jerusalem, there was a Mans Meeting |
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chosen out of ye People. Men yt were Faithfull, fearing God, & hating Covetouness |
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& full of ye Holy Ghost; & these men were to see yt ye Widdows, the Fatherless, |
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the Poor, & any that was in necessity did not want; & If nothing was |
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wanting yn all was well, as you may read in the Acts. And so the Chu[r]ch were |
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Ruled by Cou[n]sell six hundred years after Christ till ye Pope got up, & ye false |
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Church, & since the true order of ye true Church hath been lost Whilst the true |
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Church hath been in ye Wilderness, & the false Church hath gotten up, But |
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now ye true Church is coming out of ye Wilderness, & ye Everlasting Gospel |
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is Preached again as it was in the Apostles dayes In ye first Conversion, |
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So that People do now come to ye first Conversion, & so to ye same Order, so you |
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that know the Power of ye Lord God keep up yor Meetings in ye Power of ye Lord, |
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& in his wisdome, & see yt nothing be lacking yn all is well, & If all of you yt |
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belong to the Meeting Should be Imprisoned yn keep to yor Meeting in ye Prison. |
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If that you should be kept So close in Prison as yt you should not know ye Conditions |
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of all ye Meetings, yn whom you think fit you may speak to to keep up ye |
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Meetings, & never let the deceit get advantage of you: for in these Meetings |
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you do come into ye Practice of ye pure Religion, wch is to visit, cherish & |
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preserve &c. And he that disobeys this pure Religion disobeys ye Lord. |
2To the Men and Womens Monthly and
Quarterly Meetings
1 |
Dear Friends: If there be any difference amongst friends, or betwixt |
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Friend & Friend let them speak to one another, & If they will not hear |
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let ym take two or three of the Meeting they belong to & they may end it |
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If they can, & If they cannot end it yn it may be laid before the Monthly |
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Meeting; & If it cannot be ended there yn it may be brought to ye Quarterly |
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Meeting; & there let it be put to half a dozen Friends, & they may go out & End |
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it yt they may keep their Meetings Civil, or ym yt be at difference may chuse |
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three Friends, & Friends may chuse three more to ym, & let ym stand to their |
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Judgment; for there is few that loves quietness & peace will have their Names |
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brought to a Monthly or Quarterly Meeting: to have their Names sounded |
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over the Country yt there is strife, but will rather endeavour to end it |
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amongst ym selves at their common Meetings, before yt they come to ye |
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monthly Meetings. |
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2 |
And yt no one accuse any one either in Monthly or Quarterly Meetings |
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publickly, except they have spoken to ym by themselves first, & by two or three before. |
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3 |
Now concerning Marriages, no man ought to speak to a young Woman concerning |
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marriage before yt he hath spoken to her Father & Mother and have their consent |
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& If she have no Father or Mother, but Guardians, & Trustees, then they must |
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speak to ym if she be under Age yt they may have their consent, & so proceed |
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accordingly; as Abrahams Servant did concerning Isaacs Wife. And you are |
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to see yt all Widdows make provision for their Children before they be Marryed |
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to another, according ^to truth & Righteousness. |
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4 |
And you are to see that every Man & Woman be free from all Intanglements with |
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either Woman or Man before yt they be Married & If they have been engaged |
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you must have a Certificate under the hands of ye Person yt they have been entangled |
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with; so yt all things may be done in peace, & unity & Righteousness according to |
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ye Truth that is in every Man, & Woman, & if ye young Man or young Womans |
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Relations be of the World they must have their consent, & a Certificate from ym. |
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And if ye Man or Woman comes from beyond Sea. or out of another County, |
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Ye must have a Certificate from the Men & Womens Meeting there. how they have |
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lived, & wheither they be free from all other Persons by any engagement, |
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Covenant of Contract concerning Marriage, & if they are not clear they must |
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Answer yt, & cleared by Certificate under their hands before they proceed any farther. |
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5 |
And if any man should defile a Woman he must Marry her If she be a beg |
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gar, & he have never so many hundreds. for he must fulfill the Law of God, so ye |
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Law of God commands it that he must Marry her, & Condemn his Action. |
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& clear Gods Truth. But no such Marriage where the bed is defiled we bring |
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into our Men & Womens Meetings; but four or five Friends (If such a thing hap |
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=pens) draw up a Certificate, & they set their hands to it that they will live faith |
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fully together as Man & Wife & fulfill the Law of God. And this I write If |
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ever such a thing should happen, But I Hope yt Friends will be careful, & keep |
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in the fear of ye Lord, that they may have esteeme of ye Lords Truth & their |
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own bodies, & ye honourable Marriage where the bed is undefiled. |
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6 |
And all true Marriages must be layd first before the Womens Meetings; yt If |
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there be any thing concerning ye Woman they may deal with it, & never let it go so |
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far as the Men: & when things are clear, then three or four Women may go |
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along with ye Man & ye Woman to ye Mens Meeting, & give in their Testimo= |
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=ny concerning ym to ye Mens Meeting, & so yn you may enter into your books that |
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they have appeared such a day of ye month; & year. And yn two men Friends of the |
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Mens Meeting, & two Women Friends of ye Womens Meeting may enquire |
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betwixt yt & ye next Monthly Meeting If any have ought to say concerning the |
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Couple yt are not clear, & If there be any that hath any thing against them |
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they may come & speak to those two Men & Women concerning of them, & so they |
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may meet together and make an end of it before ye next Monthly Meeting. & so |
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not to trouble the Meeting wth any weakness that may appear, & if they have ended i[t] |
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and there be nothing against it, yn the four Friends may give in their Tes |
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=timony of ym to ye Men & Womens Monthly Meeting, And so when they do |
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take one another they may appoint a Meeting on purpose, & they may let their |
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Relations, & as many of the World as they ^will know of it. so if any thing be upon |
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any Friend to declare of the duty of Marriages they may do as they are moved |
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And yn the Man & ye Woman may stand up & declare how that they take one |
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another in the Presence of God, & in the presence of his People according to the |
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Law and Ordinance of God, & according to the Practise of the Holy Men & |
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Women of God as it is written in the scriptures of Truth to live faithfully together |
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as Husband & Wife so long as they live &c. And they must have a Certificate ready |
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drawn up, with ye day of ye Month & Year, & ye place, & there subscribe to it at that |
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time; & as many Friends & as many of ye World as will, may set their hands to it, |
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as at many Marriages they do: And the Certificate is to be read in the Present |
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Meeting when they take one another publickly among all ye People, & this |
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is the way & order of our Marriages, for we do marry none, But it is Gods |
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Joyning, but we are witnesses; & then it is Recorded in a Book, & this is accord |
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ing to ye Practise of ye Holy Men of God. |
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7 |
Now concerning your Mont[h]ly Men & Womens Meetings, & your Quarterly Men & |
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Womens Meetings; First as concerning your Monthly Men & Womens Meetings |
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all ye Fait[h]full Men & Women are to make up the Mens Meeting & ye Womens |
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Meeting, & let ym yt are not faithfull let ym be admonished in the Lords Power to |
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live in Truth, modesty, & soberness, & so as they walk they may come to your |
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Men & Womens Meetings, & ye Men to Meet in one Room, & ye Women in another, |
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& so to wait upon ye Lord; for all things must be done in his Power & Name & |
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there is many things yt ^is propper for Women to look into both in their Families, |
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& concerning of Women wch is not so propper for ye Men, which Modesty in Wo= |
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=men cannot so well speak of before Men as they can do among their Sex: & Wo= |
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=men are more in their Families, & have more of ye tuition of their Children, & |
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Servants yn ye men; they being alwayes among ym; either for the making of them, |
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or ye marring of ym: and they are to be trained up in ye New Covent, as ye Jews |
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trained up theirs in ye Old. And many Women are of more capacity yn others are, |
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& so they must Instruct, & inform ye rest wn they are met together concerning |
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Ordering of their Children & Families, & that they may prevent many things wch |
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their Children may run into; & they know what will do in a Family, & stir up all |
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to diligence, & serving the Lord: & what the Women cannot do they may three of four |
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of ym go from their Meeting to ye Mens, & lay it before ym which is more propper |
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for them: And what is more propper for ye Women yn ye men ye men may three or |
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four of ym go & lay it before the Women; so that they may be helps meet together |
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in the resturation, in Truth & Righteo^usness as man & Woman was before they fell. |
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8 |
And If poor Friends have many Children to set fort[h] to Apprentices or Servants, |
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If ye Women cannot do it the Men may help ym: & If they cannot find Masters |
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for them, & do it in their Monthly Meetings, they may do it at their Quarterly |
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Meetings, & place ym amongst Friends yt they may be preserved in ye Truth; & so |
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they may come in time to teach their Brethren ye same Trades, And help |
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their Father & their Mother in their Old Age. ~ |
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Now concerning yor Quarterly Meetings yt is made up of your Monthly Meet |
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ings you should speak in your Monthly Meetings who goes to ye Quarterly |
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Meetings, so that one or two of every particular Meeting may go to ye Quarter= |
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=ly Meeting, for they that do go to ye Quarterly Meeting must be substantiall |
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Friends that can give a Testimony of your sufferings, & how things is amongst |
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you in every particular Meeting; so yt none yt is raw or weak yt is not able |
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to give a Testimony of ye affairs of ye Church, & Truth may go to ye Quarterly |
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Meetings, But may be nursed up in you Montly Meetings fit for ye Lords service, |
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So yt two may go one time from every Particular Meeting, & two another time; |
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or as it is ordered in your Monthly Meetings; so yt some may go from all yor |
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meetings, that make up of your Montly Meetings, for ye Quarterly Meetings |
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should be made up of weighty seasoned, & Substantiall Friends that understand |
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the business of ye Church; for no unruly, unseasoned Persons, should come there, |
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nor Indeed in ye Monthly Meetings, but who are Simple, seasoned & honest, for |
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such should be admonished. And If there be any difference come to ye Quarterly |
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Meetings; either of Men or Women, or Monthly Meetings, after you have |
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heard ym one by one (& let but one speak at a time never) & to know of them |
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whether they will stand to yor Judgment, & If they will, let half a dozen Friends |
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go out of ye Meeting & make a finall end of it, for If they will not stand to your |
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Judgment they are not fit to bring it theither. And if any one should speak or |
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tattle any thing out of your Monthly, or Quarterly Meetings to ye blemishing or |
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defaming any Person, or ye meeting, Such are to be brought to Judgment & |
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Condemnation, for it breaks ye Priviledge, & order of your Heavenly societie in |
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yor Meetings, so yt all may be kept, & preserved in ye Power of ye Lord, & in his Spirit |
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in Love, & unity. And therefore keep your Meetings Solid & Sober & ye Authority |
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of your Men & Womens Meetings be in ye Power of God: for every heir of ye Power |
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has right to ye Authority: & in it keep ye King of Kings, of Lord of Lords, peace in |
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his Church, & much more I could write of these things, but this at present. & so ye Lord |
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give you Wisdome that by it you may be Ordered to his Glory. And yt every one |
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may have a care of Gods Glory his name, & Truth, & yt in his power they do see |
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yt all do walk as becomes his Glorious Gospel, wch hath brought life and Immorta= |
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=lity to Light in you which will preserve you in Life & Immortality over the |
|||
Devil that hath darkend you, & before he was, so that nothing may get betwixt |
|||
your souls, & minds, & ye Lord God, yt he may be Gloryfied in you all, & throug[h] |
|||
you all, & over you all, Blessed for ever Amen. |
|||
G. F. [George Fox] |
|||
1 |
3My dear Friends |
||
Live all in the Power of ye Lord, & in his Truth, Light, & Life, yt in it you may |
|||
all with one heart, Soul, & Mind keep Dominion, & in ye Light Life, & Truth & |
|||
Power of God do true Judgment, Justice, & Truth, Righteousness, & Equity, |
|||
in all your Mens, & Womens Meetings, wthout favour, & affections to Relations, |
|||
Kindr[e]d, or Acquaintance, or any respect of Persons; for yt If you do not so, let |
|||
Judgment come upon you from God to put you down from your places, before |
|||
it will If you do not; for ye Power, & Light, & Life, & ye Truth respects not any, but |
|||
Justice, Truth, Righteousness, & Equity. |
|||
2 |
Let Mercy overshade the Judgment seat, and let mercy be mixt with |
||
Judgment. |
|||
3 |
Take heed of a foolish pity. If you be not diligent against all Prophaneness |
||
Sin, & Iniquity, & uncleanness, & loosness & debauchery, & yt which dishonoureth |
|||
God, yn let all those things come upon you wch you should be a stop of, & subdue, & |
|||
Keep down with Righteousness, & ye Truth, & ye Power of God, If not be sure |
|||
they will If you do not. |
|||
And in all your Men & Womens Meetings Let all things be done in Love wch |
|||
doth Edifie ye body, & let nothing be done with strife & vain glory; but keep in |
|||
the unity of ye Spirit which is the bond of peace, & let all things be done in the Wise= |
|||
dome of God which is pure & gentle from above, above the Eartly which is below, |
|||
sensuall, & Develish. And take heed of hurting any concerning Marriage If the |
|||
thing be right) through any Earthly reasoning, lest they do worse, |
|||
5 |
And so all be diligent for the Lord God, & his Truth upon the Earth, & ye |
||
Inheritance of a Life that hath no end; that you may Live in ye Seed which is Bles= |
|||
=sed for ever. |
|||
6 |
And stop all reports & try ym, for thou shalt not raise a false report upon my |
||
People saith the Lord. |
|||
7 |
And be diligent in all your meetings to enquire to see to ye setting forth Appren |
||
=tices, all Fatherless, & poor Friends Children; & yt all the Poor Widdows be careful= |
|||
=ly looked after yt nothing may be lacking among, yn all will be well. |
|||
8 |
And yt all to see the Testimony of Jesus be kept up in all things concerning |
||
his worship, his Way, his Religion, his Church his Testimony against the |
|||
World, their works are evil; & Against Oaths, & against the hireling Priests, |
|||
for his Doctrine is freely you have received, freely give: & Christs Church needs |
|||
not to be mended by men; for he doth mend it himself without Money: & keep |
|||
your Testimony against all ye filthy rags of ye World; & for your fine Linnen |
|||
the Righteousness of Christ Jesus, And keep yor Testimony for your liberty in |
|||
Christ Jesus, & stand fast in it against all ye false Liberties in Old Adam, & |
|||
your Libertie in the Spirit of God, and in ye Gospel of Christ Jesus, |
|||
against all false and loose Liberties in the flesh: And train up all your Children |
|||
in the fear of the Lord, & in his New Covenant (and to keep the sabbath in Christ) |
|||
as the Jewes did their Children & Sevants; in the Old Covenant, & so do you |
|||
admonish yor Children, & Servants, & let no man live to himself, but in ye love |
|||
that seek no her own. ~ |
|||
9 |
And have an Eye over them yt comes to Spy out your Libertie in Christ, & will re= |
||
port out of your Meetings things to make advantage and to the defameing of |
|||
Persons. |
|||
10 |
And let every one seek the good of another and their welfare in the Truth. |
||
11 |
And let one make their Conditions every ones, & not their Conditions theirs, |
||
& this keeps in a Father, or Mother to condiscend to a Child; & all live in the seed wch |
|||
hath ye blessings, & ye Wisdome by that you may Order all things to Gods glory over |
|||
the Evill seed that is out of ye Truth. |
|||
Friends keep to the Antient Principles of Truth. |
|||
1 |
First be at a word in all your callings & dealings without Oppression. |
||
2 |
To the Sound Language thou to every one. |
||
3 |
Your Testimony against the Worlds Fashions. |
||
4 |
Your Testimony against the Priests, & Their Tythes, & maintenance. |
||
Against the Old masshouses, & their repairing. |
|||
6 |
Against the worlds Joyning in Marriage, & ye Priests, & to stand up for Gods Joyning. |
||
7 |
Against Swearing, & the Worlds manners, & fashions. |
||
8 |
And against all looseness, & pleasure, & Prophaneness whatsoever. |
||
9 |
And against all the Worlds Wayes, & Worships, & Religions, & to stand up for Gods. |
||
10 |
And to see that every one that hath done wrong to any one yt they do restore. |
||
11 |
And yt all differences be made up speedily. |
||
12 |
And that all bad things be Judged speedily, that they do not fly abroad to Corrupt Peoples minds. |
||
13 |
And that all reports be stopped to ye defaming of any one. |
||
This is to be read in Friends Meetings as often as they have occasion. |
|||
that people may hear, & fear the Lord. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
4Friends, The Law of Love must be kept among all the Saints in Light, which law |
|||
of love is not provoked; & this Law of love slayes the enmity, & bars all things, |
|||
& endures all things, & hopes all things; & this Law of love must be kept among all |
|||
the Children of God, wherein the unity is preserved, & all is preserved by the Law of |
|||
love in the Love of God, & the Law of Faith must be kept by all the Faithful |
|||
ones, & amongst them, in the faith of Gods Elect is the Law of faith among the |
|||
Elect before the foundation of the World was; wch Law of Faith keeps ym in |
|||
victory, wth faith gaives Victory & Access to God, & purifies the heart, by wch faith |
|||
they are saved; wch faith gives victory over that which seperates from God, in |
|||
wch faith they all please God: And in this Law of faith they have all authority, |
|||
& victory & unity: and so the Law of Faith keeps ever yt wch displeases God, |
|||
& makes People impure, & corrupts them, or brings ym to destruction, and so by this |
|||
Faith they are saved & purified, & please God, wch is the Gift of God; & Christ the |
|||
author of it; & therefore keep this Law of Faith, the Just lives by his Faith, |
|||
for the Just has ye Law of faith to pass Sentence on yt wch would not have him |
|||
have the Victory. but keeps him bondage. all the spiritual have the Law of |
|||
the Spirit, by which Law of the Spirit they have Authority, & a power to Mortifie |
|||
sin, & evil, & Crucifie the Deeds of ye body; and have authority by the Lords Spirit |
|||
to put off the Old man wth his Deeds; & have Power & authority from the Lords spirit |
|||
to Crucifie ye Affections, and the Lusts of ye Flesh; & by the Law of the Spirit |
|||
they have authority & Power to judge all Chambering & wantonness, evil speak= |
|||
=ings, & evil words, & evil Communications, & all manner of evil words, & works |
|||
that proceeds from the evil Spirit out of the Truth, & together with the Works of |
|||
the flesh, as wrath, Malice, Envy, Theft, Murder, Fornication, By the Law of |
|||
the Spirit there is a power & authority given to pass sentence, & Judge all these |
|||
works together wth the Spirit from whence they came. And so by the Law of the Spirit |
|||
of Life yt is in Christ Jesus, ye Saints have power, and authority to Jud[g]e the Law |
|||
of Sin, & the man of sin from whence it came; & to Judge the Law of death with |
|||
the Law of Life, & the Power of death the Devil from whence the Law of death |
|||
came, which Law of Life was before death & his Law was, & has power over him |
|||
and his Law, and the Saints sit on the head of him, freemen by the Law of Life & |
|||
Law of the Spirit that’s in Christ Jesus, that was before sin was & his Law death |
|||
was, & his Law So the Saints have the Law of Love, ye Law of faith ye Law of |
|||
the Spirit, ye Law of Life. In Victory atop Enmity, In Life atop of Death, |
|||
in the Spirit atop of Sin, the Law of sin is in Old Adam, in transgression, & |
|||
disobedience, & amongst his sons, & daughters in disobedience, & transgression |
|||
of Gods Spirit. & such has the Law of sin from the man of Sin, & the Law |
|||
of death from the Prince of Death. ye God of the World that lies in wickedness |
|||
& the Law of Sin & Death they plead for till they go to the grave, & so plead for ye |
|||
prince of Death, & darkness, & the God of their world yt lies in Wickedness as long as |
|||
they live, but the Law of Life, & the Law of the Spirit, ye Law of Faith ye Saints |
|||
have in Christ Jesus the 2d Adam, Who is Author of the Law of Love, & ye Law of |
|||
Faith which the Saints are to keep & walk in, wch they have from Christ, Who never |
|||
transgressed, neither was there any guile found in his mouth; & Christ, Who bruiseth |
|||
the head to the Serpent. Who is the head of the Law of Sin & death it self, & the Law |
|||
in the members. And so in Christ Live. Who bruiseth this; who was, & is the Saints |
|||
Life & will be to all Eternity, Who is first, & last, ye Amen. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
5Dear Friends My love in the Lord to you all among whom I have Laboured, |
|||
and my desires are the God of all peace, & his Son of Peace may fill all yor Hearts |
|||
with his Love, & Peace, & Wisdome, & Knowledge in all things to do his Heavenly |
|||
glorious Will, in that you will know his Sons doctrine, & as you know it obey it, |
|||
& my desires are in the Lord yt you may all walk worth of your Vocation, and |
|||
of him that hath called you to holyness & Righteousness, & to peace; so yt his peace |
|||
may flow as River, & Righteousness run down as a stream to the gladding of |
|||
the City of God, ye walls of wch is power, & Salvation, & Light, & Life. And now |
|||
my Friends first all yor Meetings keep in the Name of Jesus, in whom you have |
|||
all Salvation, wch is above every name under ye whole Heaven, in whom there is |
|||
no Salvation. |
|||
And also all yor Men & Womens Meetings every where keep in the Power of ye Lord |
|||
Jesus Christ his Gospel, by which he hath brought Life & Immortality to Light in |
|||
you, yt you may see over him that hath darkned you, & before he was, wch Power will |
|||
preserve you in Life & in Immortality: So yt now you may all Labor in the Gosp[el] |
|||
the Power of God, in his Glorious Power, & Comfortable Gospel; & Joyfully ser= |
|||
=ving the Lord in his Gospel of Peace, through which Gospel you have peace with |
|||
God: so that in this Gospel the Power of God there can nothing come betwixt you & |
|||
God: Here is your Everlasting Order, not of Man, nor by Man: so that all the faith[=] |
|||
=full Men & Women May in the Lords power be stirred up in their Inheritances |
|||
of the Same Gospel, & to labour in it, helps Meet in the resturation, as Man & |
|||
Woman before they fell. In the Garden of God all are to work in his righteousness, |
|||
in his Image, in his Power, in his Garden to subdue the Earth, & to keep the dominion |
|||
in his power in the resturation as Man & Woman did in the Image of God before |
|||
they fell; & whosoever would hinder you in this Work. it is the same serpents Spirit |
|||
that Led Adam & Eve into the fall from the work of God; which now would keep |
|||
you in the fall to do his work, & Command, & not the Lords, & therefore over yt |
|||
keep your dominion, Authority, & Inheritance in the Resturation in the power |
|||
of God, in which every one of you must give an account to God, & therefore |
|||
be diligent in the Lords power, Light, Life, & Spirit in which you all see your services |
|||
to God; so yt he may be glorifyed among you all, & in you all; & over you all his |
|||
glory may shine. |
|||
And all ye Men & Women in yor Men & Womens Meetings be diligent, Labouring |
|||
in the Light, Life, & the power of God the Gospel in ye Garden, & Church of |
|||
God; so yt Righteousness may flow down amongst you, Truth, & Godliness, |
|||
Purity, Vertue & Holyness over all that is contrary; & that ye weight, & care |
|||
of Gods Glory, and his honour, & his pure holy name, & his Truth, Religion, & |
|||
Worship you may all stand up for against that wch would in any wise cause it |
|||
to be evil spoken of by ill walkers. & talkers. & let all things you do be done in |
|||
love; & condescend one unto another in the Power of the Lord, & in his Truth; |
|||
and in it have es^teem one of another, And let all things be done among you |
|||
without any strife, for it’s love that edifies the body, & knits it together, |
|||
& unites it to Christ the Heavenly & holy head. |
|||
And Now you Women tho you have been under the reproach because |
|||
Eve was first in transgression, but the promise was that the seed of the |
|||
Woman should bruise the Serpents head yt led her first in transgression, |
|||
and the Man also: & this promise of God is fulfilled: A Virgin should have a Child, |
|||
and they should call his name Emmanuel God wth us again; for Man & Woman |
|||
was drove from God out of Paradise, & the Serpent became their head & God of ye |
|||
World; but Christ is come according to the promise of God, & his Prophets who |
|||
was born of a Virgin, & therefore saith Mary my spirit hath rejoyced in God my |
|||
Saviour, my soul doth Magnifie the Lord for he hath regard to the Low estate of |
|||
his handmaid for behold from hence forth all Generations shall call me blessed, |
|||
Now here comes the reproach to be taken off from Women who were first in trans= |
|||
=gression, & wch are not suffered to speak in the Church: But here Mary did speak & |
|||
believe that wch was spoken to her: And also the reproach & transgression taken off |
|||
of men that believe in the Seed Christ Jesus; who bruiseth the head of ye Serpent yt has |
|||
brought Man & Woman into his Image, & his Works, wch Christ destroyes him & his |
|||
works, & renews Man & Woman up into the Image of God as they were in before |
|||
they fell, & into the Power to have dominion to work in his Garden to subdue |
|||
the Earth &c, so that all are now to Labour in the Garden of God yt are in the |
|||
power & Image of God brought by Christ Jesus yt bruises the serpents head, yt has been |
|||
head in them all: so that Christ Jesus may be head in all Men & Women, & every Man |
|||
& Woman may act from him their holy head, Life & Salvation, & keep his heavenly |
|||
peace in his Church. And every Living member believing in the Light wch is the Life in |
|||
Christ, & so grafted into him ye fountain of Life, water of Life, & do feel the Living springs, |
|||
& the Rivers Springing up in ym To Eternal Life, wch are the Living Stones, ye Spiritual |
|||
Household, of wch Christ is both head, Rock & Foundation & Christ is called ye Green |
|||
tree, which green tree never withers, in whom they are Grafted by belief in ye Light, |
|||
which is ye Life in him, from whom they all receive their Heavenly Living nou= |
|||
=rishment, through wch every graft is nourished, yn it comes to bud, & bring forth |
|||
fruit to ye praise of the Eternal God, now every one of these living believers are |
|||
Members of ye Living Church in God wch Christ is ye head of, & every member in ye |
|||
Church hath an Office; & so every member is serviceable in the body in his office. |
|||
wthin the Light wch is over darkness, & was before it was; within the Life over |
|||
death, & before it was; & in the Power of God which was before the power of ye |
|||
serpent was; & so they are in this Light. Life & power to execute their Office: I say |
|||
within this divine Light, Life, & Power, & Spirit of God for Gods glory. In Truth, |
|||
Purity, Virtue, Holyness, & Righteousness they are to stand up for Gods glory, |
|||
& the Honour of his Son, & receive him who hath all power in Heaven & Earth |
|||
given to him; & all that receive him he gives them power to become the Sons & |
|||
Daughters of God; yn in his Power all are to act, & walk, & serve God in their |
|||
Generation, & in it to serve their generation, yea & in the New Creation in |
|||
Righteousness, & Holyness, & stand up in his power for his Glory, & in his Power |
|||
Righteousness, & Holyness yt Christ brings unto them, & renues in ym, & so into ye |
|||
resturation, yt they may Labour in ye Church & Garden of God in his Power to |
|||
his Everlasting Praise & Glory Amen. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
And all Friends stand fast in the Libertie wherewith Christ hath made you |
|||
free, & in the Libertie in the faith which Christ Jesus is the Author, & finiser |
|||
of; which Faith purifieth your hearts, & is the Victory, in which you have access |
|||
to God; the mysterie of which is held in a pure conscience, in which Faith it hath |
|||
its true Ribertie [sic]. And keep in the Liberty of the Everlasting Glorious Gospel of |
|||
Peace which is not of Man nor by Man but from heaven; wch Gospel bringeth |
|||
& hath brought Life, & Immortality to Light & will preserve you in Life, and in |
|||
Immortality over him that hath darkened you: & in this Gospel you have an Ever= |
|||
=lasting Liberty, & Peace & in the Truth wch maketh you free from him yt is out of |
|||
Truth, this free state all are to keep in, & also in ye pure holy spirit of God, & Christ, |
|||
yt doth mortifie all yt is to be mortified, & Circumcised; & doth Baptize you into |
|||
one body: In this Holy Spirit you are to walk, which leadeth you into all Truth, |
|||
in which is your Unity, & Fellowship, & giveth liberty from yt which hath grie[v=?] |
|||
=ed it & vexed, & quenched it, & so in the Liberty, & Fellowship, & Unity if ye Holy, |
|||
Pure Peaceable Spirit; & in ye Unity & Liberty of it you are all to dwell. |
|||
which is the Bond of the Prince of Princes Peace. |
|||
G. F. |
6A Paper given forth from Friends of ye half year
Meeting in Dublin.
Dear Friends It being Known to us yt ye antient of dayes is come to bring things |
|||
in ye Antient Order yt ye searcher of all hearts is come to search throughly, |
|||
yt ye Rock of Ages is appeared for People to build thereon, that ye comelyness, |
|||
& beauty of him is now seen whose face hath been ^more marred yn ye face of any Man |
|||
whose glorious brightness hath enlightned our understanding; by which Candle |
|||
of ye Lord we see ye state of ye Sons & Daughters of Men, & how ye Enemy of |
|||
mankind goeth about seeking whom he may devour: & entangle again wth ye glory |
|||
and beauty of this world; & setting before Men & Women ye comlyness & decency |
|||
of the severall fashions & Customes of ye World, as also the delight & pleasures wch |
|||
may be had there in, by which we see many are ensnared by looking out at |
|||
those things & not keep constantly upon their watch Tower, whereby they might |
|||
see all the snares, & baits the Enemy of their Souls loads in the broad way, & Crooked |
|||
by pathes for their hurt & destruction, & therefore ye Lord hath put it into our |
|||
Hearts to be Willing, & to beseech all to be willing to come out, & lay aside all |
|||
those dead things. which doth not become the Sons & Daughters Servants & |
|||
Handmaids of ye Living God. after yt so gloriously in life & Power he hath |
|||
appeared unto ym & we desire yt in all Men & Womens Meetings faithfull |
|||
Men & Women be Chosen as have not entered into any of these things, but |
|||
are come out, & kept out of ym all since they were Convinced of the Living Truth of |
|||
God: Or such as now wth a ready & willing mind in ye dread & fear of ye Lord God |
|||
Almighty will come out of ym all to ye end yt they wthout delay in ye meek & |
|||
melting Spirit of ye Lord wth much tenderness may visit all those yt have - |
|||
entred, or keep in ye Worlds fashions in their Apparrel, Household stuff, or |
|||
otherwise: or in selling those things wch ye faithful People of God cannot Law= |
|||
fully use, or wear, & to exhort ym to come out of ym all, & If any are not willing, |
|||
& do not come out of those things after they be twice or thrice exhorted, yn those |
|||
yt exhorted ym to acquaint the Men & Womens Meetings with it to whom they |
|||
do belong, to ye end they may be had before the Meeting to answer for their so doing |
|||
yt the glory & Honour of ye Lord may be over all in us to our Comfort & Consolation– |
|||
This Paper was subscribed by sixty one Men & Women Friends. |
|||
7Concerning hasty Marriage. |
|||
In case the wife dye, now for ye Husband to take another Wife, or ye Widdow |
|||
another man wthin five or six Months or more ye sober part of ye World would |
|||
cry out shame against ym for such unclean Practices: & be ready to say with Chasti= |
|||
=ty, Temporance, or Moderation do they manifest more yn some of us who Marry |
|||
in so short a time, for it is oft-times the Practice of ye People ye World so to do, |
|||
in so much as it is become a common Proverb among ymselve by reason of ye hasty |
|||
Marriage to say, such a Man Married such a Woman (it being within ye year) |
|||
before his wife was scarse cold in her grave, If I say he or she Marry within ye twelve |
|||
month; But such Kind of Marriages doth not shew forth your Chastity, & Prudence, |
|||
& Moderation; whereas we should shew it beyond the World, both Widdowers & Widdows |
|||
that we have power over our selves, & over our affections; & so yt we are loose by ye |
|||
Power of God to God; & so to keep every way a Dominion, whereby you will Judge ye |
|||
World in these things Namely for their too much forwardness Intemperance & want |
|||
of Chastity: & therefore be not too hasty to marry, but shew forth yor moderation and |
|||
Chastity in your Orderly Marrying. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
8If a man find a Maid yt is not betrothed, & take her, & lye with her, yn ye Man yt |
|||
Lay with her shall give to ye Maids Father fifty shekels of silver, & she shall be his |
|||
wife because he humbled her, he cannot put her away, all his Life: Deut: 22.18.19. & |
|||
this was ye Command of God in his Law wch ye Apostle saith in ye 7th of ye Rom: |
|||
is Spiritual, Holy, just & Good: & we establish ye Law Rom: 3:31. Now for any |
|||
to profess ye Gospel whose works & actions be below ye Law they are Judged both |
|||
by Law & Gospel: & so by ye Law of God he must Marry her tho this Marriage is not hono= |
|||
=rable. ~ |
|||
G. F. |
|||
An Epistle from Stephen Crisp To be read in ye Womens Meetings of Friends9 |
|||
Friends In that Love that springs from the Root of Life, which hath brought forth many |
|||
Living Branches, doth my Salutation reach unto you, In which we have our Refresh= |
|||
=ments, & Incouragements in the Work of God, in this our Generation: & the more |
|||
your Minds are gathered into yt Living Root Christ Jesus, the Everlasting Head |
|||
of all Living Members, both Male & female, the more Incouragements you will feel |
|||
in your service to God. And therefore, Dear Friends, though you be weak in yourselves |
|||
yet in him is strength; & when ye Lack Wisdome, wait upon him, & he will Replenish you, |
|||
and fill you with his Heavenly Counsel, to your soul’s Refreshment. ~ |
|||
And my Friends, above all things, live in ye Fear of God, & in love & Tenderness one to= |
|||
=wards another; & Let not the Enemy that lies in wait to destroy, Break the Band |
|||
of your Peace; for while ye keep the peace of God unbroken, ye can communicate |
|||
one to another of the Gifts & Grace of God, & so will daily feel a being the better one |
|||
for another, which will beget a Dearness & Esteem in you towards one another. & in |
|||
yt Dearness & Tenderness meet together about the Lords work Seeking with one Consent |
|||
to Exalt the Name of the Lord, & to honour it above your own Merits; & let none |
|||
seek Exaltation, but know this, that the Humblest & most self=denying, is highliest |
|||
honoured of God, & fittest to do him service; & they that are most long Suffering |
|||
& Patient, are most like to Christ the Head; & in such his Vertue will shine, |
|||
& so make it self known. ~ |
|||
And. Friends, have a care in your Meetings, to give due honour unto every |
|||
Member in the Body, remembering none are useless, but stir up one another to |
|||
their Proper Service in ye house of God, & let not the foot be troubled that it is not |
|||
a hand, nor the hand that is not an Eye, but every one give thanks, that by the |
|||
Grace of God you are what you are; & be Faithful in your place & Service yt ye |
|||
may witness a Growth. & in your Meeting together, wait to feel the Rising if ye Life, |
|||
& opening of ye Wisdom of God in one another, & let that speak and propound |
|||
things needful & necessary for your Welfare, & ye Welfare of ye Church: And in th[e] |
|||
Wisdom chuse out two of you Meeting, to commit the trust & Charge of the Contributio[ns] |
|||
that are among you unto; & let them keep a Booke, in which your Charity and |
|||
good works may be Recorded, for the Comfort & Example of them yt follow afte[r] |
|||
Also chuse out one of each particular Meeting, & Lay it upon ym in ye Lord, to |
|||
take care in their Respective Meeting on your behalf. |
|||
1 |
That no Woman Young nor old. in their Respective Meetings, walk disorderly or |
||
Wantonly, but yt they be Admonished & Counselled speedily. |
|||
2 |
That no Necessities that may fall upon any who are worthy, may be neglected |
||
or disregarded, nor delayed, until a Meeting, but they may be forthwith Comforted. |
|||
that so the Enemy who lies in wait to tempt the Poor in the hour of their distress, |
|||
may be prevented. |
|||
3 |
That no Maids carry themselves unseemly toward their Mistresses, nor Mistresses |
||
toward their Servants: but if such things should happen, let the Matter be take[n] |
|||
up & ended, & not to part asunder with evil in their Minds one toward another; |
|||
for yt will spread & hurt others. |
|||
4 |
That all Women Professing Truth, & having Children, may bring ym up in ye fea[r] |
||
of God; & yt they use no Uncomely, Rash nor Passionate Words unto ym, for yt |
|||
sows an Evil seed in the Children, which may come up & dishonour God in ye ne[xt?] Generation. |
|||
5 |
That no Women-Friends may speak evil of one another, nor fall out wth one |
||
another, nor carry evil in their Minds one against another; nor bear Tales ab[out?] |
|||
to beget others in Evil, & into partyship but yt all such things may be speedily |
|||
suppress’d & borne down in the Power & Judgment of God. |
|||
And let that Woman-Friend give Account to ye Meeting, of such as will not receive |
|||
admonition, yt some other friends may take the care of such a Matter upon them, & |
|||
endeavour to break through the hardiness, In ye Wisdome & Love of God. |
|||
And if yt Woman-Friend have laid out Money, let ye Meeting order ye two friend[s] |
|||
who keep ye Collection, to reimburse her; yt so every one may be encouraged in yt |
|||
work of ye Lord & ye may, as wth one shoulder, bear the Lord’s burden in this d[ay?] |
|||
of Travail, & also ye burdens of ye weak, Who sometimes are neither strong enough,[nor?] |
|||
wise enough to bear their own Burdens; & afterward, they may grow up to be sens[ible?] |
|||
of yor Tenderness, & to bless you in the Name of ye Lord. |
|||
So, my Dear Friends, feel my love, & live in yt from whence it springs, & ye God of |
|||
Love & Life, Bless, Prosper & keep you in his Fear to the End, to be Fellow-helpers |
|||
with the Lord in his Work, Comfort & Refreshment to your Brethren, and to lea[d?] |
|||
a Holy, Innocent, Upright, Testimony & Example to ye Generations yt shall [follow ?] |
|||
I rest your Friend in ye Truth. |
|||
S. C. |
|||
10Concerning Marriage in the Kindred |
|||
We do grant it was there, & after the Law to keep up their Tribes, & their Lands by |
|||
Lott (if yt ye deceased had not Children, they were to Raise up seed to their dead B[ro] |
|||
ther) but Christ is come yt raises up the Seed of his dead Brethren, Who redeems out of the |
|||
Tribes & Earth: For Jew & Gentile all are one without Christ & with in, & (by the Law [of] |
|||
God & Gospel) to Marry in the kindred was forbidden: for it was ye Custome of ye Heath[ens?] |
|||
ye Canaanites, & Egyptians. as you may read in Levit:18. And therefore ye Lord commands to |
|||
Keep his Statutes, & Judgments, & live in ym, for he was their Lord who Orders, & Governs all |
|||
his People, & Commands yt they shall not approach to any that ^was near of kin to him: & yt |
|||
he was not to Marry the Sister ye daughter of ye Father, Nor ye Daughter of ye Mother wheith[er] |
|||
she was born at home or abroad, nor the Sons Daughter, nor thy Daughters Daughter yt is |
|||
the Cousen; nor were they to Marry wth their Fathers Wives Daughter begotten by |
|||
their Father, for she was his Sister they were not to Marry with all, for she was a near |
|||
Kinswoman, Thou shalt not take to Wife thy Aunt; thou shalt not marry Daughter in Law |
|||
nor thy brothers wife, neither shalt thou Marry a Woman & her Daughter, neither shalt thou |
|||
Marry thy Sons Daughter, or her Daughters, or her Daughter. therefore we do utterly |
|||
deny all Marriages to any kindred, to any Cousen, we cannot give Liberty to admit it, |
|||
John Baptist who saw Christ Reproved Herod for Marrying his Kinswoman. Therefore |
|||
Friends live in ye spirit that reproves these things. |
|||
And further if any Friend Intends to Marry a Young Woman or Maid let ym speak to her |
|||
Father & Mother first if in case they go to their house upon Such an Account about |
|||
Marriage & not to draw out the Maids affections first, & yn afterwards to speak to ye |
|||
Father & Mother, that’s the Practice of the Worst of Men in the World, & not the Civil, |
|||
men in ye World: for if they go upon such an Account to marry a Mans Daughter |
|||
they will go & speak wth ye Father & Mother first before they proceed in ye thing wth ye |
|||
Daughter, For Abraham when he sent to take a wife for his Son Isaac, his Servant, |
|||
Eleazar did his Massage unto Bethuel (before he would eat or drink with them) concern |
|||
ing ye Marriage & yn they called the Maid, & speak to her about it, & she Consented, & |
|||
they said it was of ye Lord, & they could not gain say it. So yt If you should Meddle |
|||
with ye young woman first, & draw her Affections, & after speak to her Father, & |
|||
Mother, this brings the Father & Mother into Sorrow & Trouble, & cannot tell many |
|||
times what to do fearing least their Daughter should be spoiled, and that brings con- |
|||
fusion, & is for Judgment as is the worst of Mens Practice, & so I say is for Condemnation |
|||
G. F. |
|||
11All Friends keep in the tender Life of the Lamb over yt Unruly Puffed up, & swelling Spirit |
|||
whose work is for strife, contention & division; drawing into looseness & false Liberty |
|||
under a pretence of Conscience, & dangerous to ye spoiling of youth, & they yt do encou= |
|||
=rage ym will be guilty of their destruction; & set up a sturdy will instead of Conscience |
|||
in their Rage, & Passion; which will both quench the Universal Spirit in themselves |
|||
& in every Man & Woman; & so yt Spirit Shall not have the Libertie in ymselves nor in others; & |
|||
so hath shut up the Kingdome of Heaven in ym selves, & also in others: & so a loose Spirit |
|||
under a pretence of Libertie of Conscience, or a Stubborn Will Making a Profession |
|||
of the Words of Truth in a forme without Power; all loosness & Villany will be |
|||
sheltered & covered under this Pretence which is for Eternal Judgment for yt doth |
|||
dishonour God: And therefore keep to ye tender Spirit of God in all Humility, & in it |
|||
you may know yt you are all Members of one another In the Spirit. & not in ye Flesh; So |
|||
here is no man Ruling over the Woman as Adam did over Eve in the fall, but Christ ye |
|||
Spiritul man among, & over his Spiritual Members which is Edified in ye heavenly |
|||
Love yt is shed in their Hearts from God where all strife ceases. |
|||
11th 5 Month 1678 |
|||
G. F. |
|||
12Dear Friends to whom is my Love in ye Heavenly seed in whom all nations, is blessed: oh there |
|||
fore keep ^all in this Seed in wch you are blessed; & in wch Abraham, & all ye Faithfull was |
|||
blest with out ye Deeds of ye Law, & so ye Promise was, & is with ye Seed, & now wth ye |
|||
Law of ye first Covenant, & in this Seed all Nations & ye are blessed which bruiseth ye |
|||
head of ye seed which broug[h]t the curse, & Seperated between Man & God; this is the Seed wch Reco[n] |
|||
=ciles you to God, & this is ye Seed in which you are blessed both in Temporals, & Spirituals, |
|||
through wch you have an Inheritance yt cannot be defiled among ye Sanctified; neither |
|||
can any defiled thing enter into It’s possession; for all defilement is out of this Seed, this |
|||
is that wch leavens up into ye New lump, & bruiseth the head of ye Wicked Seed yt Leavens into |
|||
ye Old Lump, upon whom the sun of Righteoness goes down, & sets, but never goes down, |
|||
nor sets to ym that walk in ye Seed in which all nations are blessed, by wch seed they are |
|||
brought up to God, wch puts down yt Seed wch Seperated betwixt ym & God, so yt there comes |
|||
to be nothing betwixt ym & God, & so now all my dear Friends my desire is that you may all |
|||
be valiant in this Heavenly Seed for God & his Truth upon ye Earth, & spread it abroad |
|||
answering yt of God in all, yt wth it ye Minds of People may be turned towards ye Lord, yt he |
|||
may come to be known & served, & Worshiped; & yt ye may all be ye Salt of ye earth to make ye unsea= |
|||
=soned Savoury. And in ye Name of Jesus keep yor Meetings who are gathered into it in whose |
|||
name you have Salvation, & he in the Midst of you, Whose Name is above every Name under |
|||
the Whole Heaven; & so you have a Prophet, a Bishop, Shepherd, & Priest & Counsellor above all |
|||
Counsellors, & Priests, Bishops, Prophets, & Shepherds under ye Whole Heaven to exercise his |
|||
Offices among you in your Meetings yt is gathered in his Name; & so Christs Mee[t]= |
|||
=ing & gathering is above all ye Meetings & gatherings under ye Whole Heaven: & so his |
|||
Body his Church & he ye Head of it is above all bodies, & Churches, & heads under ye |
|||
Whole Heaven; & So ye Faith wch Christ is ye Author of, & ye Worship wch he hath set |
|||
up, & his Fellowship in his Gospel is above all Historical Faiths, & ye Faiths wch |
|||
Man hath made together wth their Worships & Fellowships under ye Whole Heaven. |
|||
And now dear Friends keep your Men & Womens Meetings in ye Power of God ye |
|||
Gospel the Authority of ym wch brings Life, And Immortality to Lighten you. & this |
|||
Gospel ye Power of God will preserve you in Life. & Immortality wch hath brough[t] |
|||
it to Light in you. yt ye may see over him yt hath darkened you from Life & Immo[r-] |
|||
-tality (yt would throw down your Men & Womens Meetings) in ye power of God |
|||
ye Gospel; & darken again from this Life & Immortality wch ye Gospel hath brought to |
|||
Light, & Will preserve you in Life & Immortality, as your Faith stands in ye Power of God |
|||
ye Gospel: in wch every one sees your Work & service for God, & ever Heir of ye Power |
|||
of God ye Gospel hath right to this Authority wch is not of Man, nor by Man; wch Gospel |
|||
ye Power of God is Everlasting an Everlasting Order & Everlasting Fellowship, & in |
|||
Gospel is Everlasting Joy, Comfort, & Peace, & will outlast all those Joyes, Comforts, |
|||
& Peace that will have an end, & also that Spirit yt opposes its Order, & the Glorious |
|||
Fellowship. Peace & Comfort in it: And now my Dear Friends my desire is yt you may |
|||
keep in ye Unity of ye Spirit. That Baptizes you all into ^one Body. wch Christ is ye Heavenly |
|||
Spiritual Head of. So yt you may See, & Witness to your Spirituall, & Heavenly Head, |
|||
& so all drink into Spirit: wch all People upon the Earth is not Like to drink into one |
|||
Spirit while they grieve, quench, & Rebell against it nor to be Baptized into one Body, & to |
|||
keep the Unity of ye Spirit wch is the Bond of ye King of Kings, & Lord of Lords |
|||
Peace; wch is ye duty of all true Christians to keep, wch are Inwardly united to Christ. |
|||
And so with my Love in ye Everlasting Seed. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
13Friends; There is a Summer Religion yt is up, & Flourisheth while ye Sun Shineth, & while |
|||
they have ye Club, ye staff & ye Bag; but wn ye Winter & ye Storm & Tempest cometh |
|||
they fly under the hils, & Mountains, & Trees to cover & shelter ymselves (but this is n[?] |
|||
Ye Nature of ye Sheep of Christ,) in their Bestiall Religion, whose flight is in ye Wind |
|||
whom the Powers do Seperate from their Religion, Worship Church (as they call it) their D[?] is |
|||
But ye Nature of ye Sheep is not so; the Sheep will get a top of ye highest hill & mountain, & set |
|||
their backs & Tails against the Storm, Weather, & Tempest, & bleat for one another: & |
|||
the Dogs are abroad among ye sheep they will run all together, but they yt are not ye Sheep in him |
|||
Will scatter, & be scattered wn any thing feareth ym; But part the Sheep asunder, & they will e[?] |
|||
all On heaps again; & will keep together. & neither Storm, Tempest, nor Winter, nor Pow[er?] |
|||
nor Principalities, can Seperate ym from the Love of God wch they have in Christ Jesu[s] |
|||
their shepherd; & so Christs sheep beareth fruit in ye winter, & Tempest. & hath neither |
|||
bag, staff, nor Club, but is in the Vine bearing fruit; sitting atop on ye Highest |
|||
hill & Mountain, with their backs against ye weather. |
|||
G. F. |
14To ye Quarterly Men & Womens Meetings wch are Gathered.
in the Name & Power of Jesus.
15G Fs Testimony at a Yearly Meeting in London
3d Month 1681
To Friends; Blessed be ye Name of the Lord who hath been ye Preserver of his Peopl[e] |
|||
to this day, in wch the great Love of God to Mankind hath been made manifes[t] |
|||
For Christ said God so Loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son |
|||
Yt [That] whosoever Believeth in him should not Perish, but have Everlasting |
|||
Life Joh. 3.16. |
|||
Now my Friends yt this you may mind; Man was drove from God when |
|||
he had disobeyed him; & all are in ye Corrupt state while man is drove from God: |
|||
But now God so Loved ye World yt he gave his only begotten Son; His Begotten; |
|||
not ye Begotten of Adam in the Fall, Son, nor Daughter, but his Begotten; |
|||
For God did not take a Son, or Daughter of Adam, but his Own Son, his only |
|||
Begotten: Now wn [when] his Son came who Received him? Who had Faith in him? |
|||
For it’s said wn the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith in ye Eart[h]. |
|||
For ye Son of God ye Beloved is ye Author & Finisher of Faith to the |
|||
Sons & Daughters of Men; Men may make Faiths, & Creeds, but what are they |
|||
all good for? So now ever Man yt hath ye true Faith must have it from God; |
|||
& his Son Christ Jesus; & not from the Sons & Daughters of Adam in ye fall. |
|||
& Transgression. |
|||
For God so Loved ye World yt he gave his Only Begotten Son into ye World, |
|||
The first born of every Creature; he gave his Son, who by ye Grace of God tasted |
|||
Death for every Man to be a Propitiation for our Sins, He did not take |
|||
a Son or Daughter of Adam in ye Fall yt they should be a Sacrif[i]ce for ye Sins |
|||
of ye World, but Gods Son; Here was a Promise ye Seed of the Woman shall |
|||
bruise ye Serpents Head. Here is another Promise w[ht?] his Name should be: |
|||
Immanuel ^God with us |
|||
So Now Friends Man being drove from God ye Seed of ye Woman bruises |
|||
the Head of ye Serpent yt so Man may come back again to God; And therefore |
|||
every Man & Woman must feel this Emmanuel (God wth us) in ym for it’s not Professing |
|||
ye Saints Words, & Painting their Sepulchres as ye Scribes, & Pharisees did. So now |
|||
Friends, Man & Woman being drove from God, every Man & every Woman must feel |
|||
this Emmanuel, if you feel God in you or with you; the Promises are yea & Amen in Christ |
|||
ye Seed forever; ye Prophets Prophesied of him, & ye Tipes & Figures, & Shadows did |
|||
Tipify him forth who is ye Substance that hath appeared ye second time without Sin |
|||
unto Salvation. |
|||
The Pharisees & Priests could tell by ye Scriptures where Christ should |
|||
be Born, but who did Receive him, this Emmanuel? Men all Confess yt wee |
|||
have been drove from God, & all Dyed in Adam, they have put on Adam by |
|||
Death: Here Death & Destruction may talk of ye Fame of God, & Christ Jesus; we |
|||
by Nature are ye Children of Wrath as Well as others saith ye Apostle; But before |
|||
People come to be grounded & Established in ye Truth, & Light of Christ Jesus they |
|||
must be turned Inward, & Baptized by one Spirit into one Body. |
|||
But now being all dead in Adam, & Batized into his unclean Ghost, this |
|||
foul Spirit out of Truth, & Plunged into the Death of Adam in transgression |
|||
in Sin, & Unrighteousness, & all Ungodliness; Here was the Plunging into ye foul |
|||
unclean Spirit; wn Adam went from God, & his Holy spirit he dyed, & all dyed in him |
|||
Now come to ye Second Adam ye Lord of Glory who was not begotten by the |
|||
Will of Man, he is a Baptizer: wth wt: by the Holy Ghost; Now this foul unclean |
|||
Ghost hath brought all miserie & Darkness, Malice, Envy, & wrath into Man, & by it |
|||
they are plunged into it. |
|||
Now ye second Adam is come; he shall Baptize you wth Fire & ye Holy Ghost |
|||
to burn up ye Chaff, wch must be burned out of every Man & Woman if ever they come to |
|||
God; for all having been Baptized into Adam in ye Fall, they must know a Renewing, |
|||
& a Baptizing again by Christ, before they come into ye Paradise of God again where |
|||
this Chaff is cleansed out of ye Heart. |
|||
Here is one Lord, one Faith. one Baptisme. All dead in Adam they must know |
|||
a Baptism again: Many may go into Outward Water, but they must come to this Bap= |
|||
=tism to be plunged wth this Spirit, this Holy Ghost to have their Corruptions burned up, |
|||
& Plunged down by him yt Gathers ye wheat into ye Garner, & burns up ye Chaff wth |
|||
unquenchable Fire. this must be plunged down, & burned up before Man comes to God. |
|||
So now my Friends, they that have been Baptized into ye Death of Adam |
|||
in Transgression have put him on; they have not put on Christ: But they yt are |
|||
Batized into ye Death of Christ have put him on, & put off ye Old Man, & are Renew= |
|||
=ed in their Minds to God again, so every Man & Woman must know this |
|||
Baptism of Christ, and as the Apostle did say to some ye are all Baptized into |
|||
one Body by one Spirit: So now this Holy pure Spirit of God yt doth plunge |
|||
down Sin & Iniquity, this pure Spirit is yt which was in Man before ye foul Spirit |
|||
got into Man & Woman by Transgression, the Pure Spirit of God was before yt was; |
|||
And this pure Spirit brings & Unites all into ^one Spirituall Body wch the Spiritual |
|||
man is ye Head of; Who is ye first-born of every Creature; He is not that Son yt was |
|||
Born by ye Will of Man, but by ye Will of God; So yt No Son or Daughter of Adam |
|||
in ye Fall can be Head of the true Church, but he that was ye first begotten of |
|||
God, Who tasted Death for every Man, this must People know, & every man feel in |
|||
their own Particulars by his Grace & Truth If they will come to Life & Salvation |
|||
by Jesus Christ, who is ye Head & Saviour of his Church. |
|||
So now Man being drove from God, ye Emmanuel God wth us Christ Jesus |
|||
is come into his Temple: There was Figures, Types, & Shaddows in ye time of |
|||
the Law, & Severall things did Tipe forth, yt ye Substance was to come wch is now |
|||
come: Therefore Said ye Apostle it pleased ye Father to Reveal his Son; ye Son of God; |
|||
not of Old Adam, Reveal his Son in me, yn he did Preach Emmanuel ^God with us: |
|||
& yt ye believers were ye Temple of God: The Faith of Gods Elect was known |
|||
in Christ; & here is no Life out of this Faith in Christ, but in him is enjoyment of |
|||
Peace; Here is ye Comfort of Christ Jesus, ye Emmanuel God with us; here is the seed of |
|||
ye Woman yt bruises ye Head of ye Serpent: so as it was said ye Gospel was preached |
|||
to Abraham, saying in thy Seed shall all nations of ye Earth be blessed. So now ye |
|||
Gospel was Preached to Adam, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob; it is in ye Seed Christ. |
|||
And so Friends all People must come into this Seed yt are blessed, & standing |
|||
& Living in this seed here is Glory to God in ye Highest, here is ye standing Rock |
|||
ye Rock of Ages, & standing foundation. He that bruises ye Serpents Head is come, |
|||
who is ye Foundation, & Rock of all true Believers in ye Light, ye Light in Christ |
|||
ye seed to build on, so bruises the Head of all other false Foundations, all yt wch must |
|||
have an end, yt had a Beginning among men; all their Formallities must have an |
|||
end, ye Substance is come; here is ye Foundation, yea ye Heavenly & Holy Foundation, |
|||
a Foundation not of Man, but of ye Heavenly Man: not of ye Sons & Daughters of |
|||
Old Adam, but ye Son of God. In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed; & no nation |
|||
can be in ye Blessing except in the Seed, O ye Everlasting Love of God to all Mankind: |
|||
Here the pure God hath his Glory, & Praise, & Honour over all in his Pure Seed Blessed for |
|||
ever: & here is ye Emmanuel God wth Man; here is stability & Settlement upon this Rock |
|||
this Seed yt bruises ye head of ye Serpent (yt leads from God) in which all Nations are blessed, |
|||
Thee out of this seed to talk of ye Prophets, Talk of ye Figures & Shaddows yt Tipe forth |
|||
ye Seed thou hast not ye Blessing: So here in ye Seed Christ Jesus in ye Gospel shall all |
|||
Nations be blessed; So all Nations Must come into this Seed in wch ye Living God hath his |
|||
Praise, his Living Praise, his Living Honour, who is over all in his Heavenly Power. |
|||
There is a setled established state, being built on him ye Emmanuel God with us, |
|||
by whom Man is Reconciled to God: So every man know & feel him your Possession, in |
|||
whom all ye Promised Figures, Tipes & Shaddows end, in him ye Substance, here |
|||
is comfort of the Promises enjoying ye Substance, & here Praises arise to ye Everlasting |
|||
God thorow Christ, & to him yt was, & is to come, ye second Adam ye Lord from |
|||
Heaven: So now my friends this Answers to that of ye Apostles in their Dayes, wt [what] they |
|||
saw & enjoyed: But now as People come again to this Light & Life, Grace & Truth, |
|||
& ye Seed Christ Jesus from whence ye same comes: So they come to enjoy him again |
|||
as ye Apostle saith, E[x]amine your selves, prove your own selves. know you not your |
|||
own selves, how yt Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates; the Apostle here |
|||
would not have People to live in a Profession of God & Christ in Ungodliness. |
|||
but enjoy & Possess Christ; & to examine ym selves wheither they are Reprobates, |
|||
or not, but wt is a Reprobate? one yt is Wandred & dr^iven from God & Christ |
|||
out of ye Way of Truth, one yt talks, & has not ye Possession, a Reprobate: There |
|||
fore ye Apostle would have all to be true Christians, & to have Christ in them |
|||
Christ in you the Hope of Glory, as Christ was in him. |
|||
Therefore all Christians are to come to Try & Examine wheither Christ be |
|||
in ym yea or Nay: wt they Dye unto, & wt they Live unto, Who it is yt makes ym |
|||
alive again; So he being in ym ye Emmanuel God with us, here is no Repro= |
|||
=bation; Examine your selves: If Christ be not in you. yn [then] you are Reprobates, |
|||
the Apostle would have ym sound Christians, Possessors of Life & not Professors |
|||
only: & therefore he bid ym Examine ym selves, this is ye day Wherein all must |
|||
come to Examination, or how can they Preach Christ If he be not Revaled |
|||
in ym: for saith ye Apostle wn it pleased ye Father to Reve^al his Son in me |
|||
consulted not &c. And so he that had ye Son of God, & knoweth him to be Revealed |
|||
in him hath Life Everlasting; this must all know & feel in their own particulars |
|||
He yt doth Inherit him hath Peace, So now my Friends as People come out of ye |
|||
Apostacie into ye Possession of this Heavenly Seed. Christ Jesus; If you have him |
|||
you have Life Eternal, you have Peace with God, ye Emmanuel who Reconciles you |
|||
to God again; & here you all come to Eat of ye Living bread yt comes down from Hea= |
|||
=ven & drink of ye Living Waters, here is a Living Well comes to be Opened. O Blessing |
|||
& Praises to ye King of Sion, him yt Lives & Reigns forever; So now Friends here |
|||
is a Rock known; & we can say wt Rock is like our Rock who bruises ye Head of ye |
|||
Serpent; All must come to him yt is over all false Foundations to him yt brings |
|||
Man again ^into ye Image of God to build on Christ ye sure Foundation; So here |
|||
People come all to Witness to be Baptized into him & put him on; & to know ye |
|||
true Baptism yt plunges down ye false Spirit, & his works as ye Apostle saith |
|||
we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one body, & here we all drink into one |
|||
pure Spirit; ye Holy Spirit of God; drink in it here is unity. |
|||
To drink in this one pure Spirit wch is over ye foul Spirit, or else how |
|||
can it Baptize Man, or Plunge down Corruption if it be not above ye foul |
|||
Spirit? So drink in this Pure Holy Spirit, here is ye Pure standing Fellow= |
|||
ship; meet here, Feed here, drink here; many may come to sights, & Talk of these |
|||
things, but Few come to be possessors of this Pure Spirituall standing. Baptism [?] |
|||
yt Baptizeth into one Body, & to know Christ who was not Begotten by ye Will |
|||
of Man but of God; Who came from ye bosome of ye Father to be the Head of ye |
|||
Church: Now ym yt drink here will not drink of ye Whores Cup will not |
|||
drink of any Profession of Leligion [sic] set up without ye pure Spirit of God, |
|||
Because their drinking is in ye Spirit: Now here is a Fello^wship & perfect |
|||
Unity in ye Heart & Spirit wch is ye Bond of Peace unites to God & one unto |
|||
another in an intire Fellowship wch will stand wn all ye Fellowships in ye |
|||
world are gone, this unites & makes us known one unto another in yt wch |
|||
is Everlasting; not only in this World but in yt wch is to come; so this |
|||
pure Spirit Baptizes into one Body this Spirit brings in Life, & Love, & |
|||
Peace, & strength, & fills all wth good things; Ye foul Spirit hath No room |
|||
in Man here drinking in this Holy pure Spirit. |
|||
So now Friends here in this one pure Spirit is ye Unity of ye |
|||
Church in God yt Christ is ye Head of, O blessed be God for ever: You Read of the |
|||
Circumcision in ye Old Covenant to be Outward; & ye Men were to be Circum |
|||
=cised before they did eat of ye Sacrifices: for the Uncircumcised were to go |
|||
down into the Pit; this was in ye Old Testament; But Now in the New- |
|||
=Testament ye Circumcision is in ye Spirit yt cuts off ye Body of Death & Sin in |
|||
the Flesh wch hath got up into Man & Woman by Transgression; This all must come |
|||
to Witness ye Circumcision in ye Spirit before they come to feed on ye Sacrifice |
|||
Christ Jesus ye Bread yt comes down from Heaven. |
|||
You must consider yt Father Adam & Mother Eve had not a Body |
|||
of sin & Death before they went from God, But when they hearkened to ye Serpent |
|||
they fell from ye Image of God; Therefore there must be a Circumcision in [?] |
|||
ye Spirit to put off ye Body of Sin & Death wch hath got into Man & Woman |
|||
by Transgression before they come to Feed on ye Heavenly Sacrifice Christ the |
|||
Heavenly Spiritual Offering; for If they do not come to this Circumcision |
|||
with ye pure Spirit they cannot come to feed on ye Heavenly Bread; for he yt |
|||
is heavenly must be fed on by this Holy Heavenly Spirit; So every Man & |
|||
Woman must know this Heavenly Circumcision, who is ye Circumciser & |
|||
Baptizer: ye second Adam ye Heavenly Man, he Will baptize & Circumcise you |
|||
he is ye Substance, this Heavenly Man; Every Mans Eye must be to him in ye light |
|||
& Life, Grace, & Truth yt comes from him. |
|||
The Light wch is ye Life in Christ hath been often talked of, & called |
|||
Naturall, but this is a Mistake; for it is said in ye beginning was ye Word, & in |
|||
ye Word was Life; so it was Life in ye Word before any Naturall Created Lights |
|||
were, & before man was made, or Conscience either, ye Life in ye Word was |
|||
before Old Adam; So they yt call it Naturall Created Light, or Conscience, |
|||
are mistaken, Now this Light in Christ wch is ye Light in Man we have not |
|||
from any of ye Sons, & Daughters of Old Adam; from whom yn [?] from ye |
|||
second Adam whose name is called ye Word of God, by whom all things |
|||
was made; So now every Man yt comes to be a Believer in ye Light, ye Life, |
|||
in ye Word Christ; comes to be Grafted into Christ Jesus; here ye Root bears ye |
|||
branches; these be living Members, & make up a Spiritual Household, So this |
|||
Light, & Life comes not from Old Adam, or any of his Sons & Daughters, |
|||
but from ye Second Adam ye Lord from Heaven, therefore they yt say to ye |
|||
Contrary, & give ye Light other Names know not what they say; But they |
|||
who are come into this Light ye Life in ye Word they are established upon |
|||
Christ who is ye first & Last, & will be to all Eternity, Glory to God for ever: |
|||
This Light was before all Naturall Lights were (& this Word was before all false |
|||
words were) This was yt wch Christ taught to believe in, and they yt did Believe |
|||
were setled & Established in Christ; For Gods Love was so great to Mankind yt |
|||
he sent his Son a Light into ye World yt whosoever believes in him should not |
|||
perish but have Everlasting Life; He yt believeth not is Condemned already: |
|||
By one Mans Disobedience Condemnation came upon all. He yt comes out must |
|||
believe; He yt believeth cometh out of Condemnation: Therefore now I say this |
|||
Light ye Life in Christ keeps every Mans Eye to him from whom they Receive Power, |
|||
& from whom they Receive his Law, they come to be a Subject under, his Government; |
|||
here comes every one in their own Hearts to have a Testimony to ye Light, ye Second |
|||
Adam ye Lord From Heaven, he yt never transgressed nor Sinned, nor never fell, |
|||
So yn he in you, & you in him; here is ye Generall, Universal Love of God to all man= |
|||
kind; therefore the Gospel hath & must be Preached to all Nations; for they yt have |
|||
Received this Gospel of ye Son of God have received him, but you may say ye Apostle |
|||
calls it his Gospel, yes, he Received it, & was Heir of ye Everlasting Gospel by yt wch |
|||
came from God, & Christ came by none of Adams Sons: So this Order of ye Gospel ye |
|||
Power of God is not from Old Adam, for this brings under ye Government of Christ, |
|||
& this Power of God keeps Man clean, & Preserves him, being stronger yn ye Power |
|||
of ye Devil: So all Mankind hath a Visitation of ye Gospel of Life & Salvation |
|||
sounded to their Souls; but it is only ym yt Receive it & Obey it yt have ye Comfort |
|||
of it for they that are established in ye Gospel are established in ye Power of God, |
|||
Then this Gospel is their stability; So Glory to God for ever, this Gospel is from |
|||
Heaven & not from Man, the Enemy cannot come into it every Man & Woman |
|||
wth this Gospel wch hath brought Life & Immortality to Light they will see Christ, |
|||
& come under his Government. Power & Wing yt will preserve, & he will gather ym as |
|||
a hen gathers her Chickens under wings to keep ym from ye Vermin: Now Christ |
|||
preserves from under ye Power of Darkness ye Devil yt is ye great devourer of Mankind; |
|||
& so here under his Power & wing we can say thy Kingdome is an Everlasting Kingdom, |
|||
it is established in his Power, So stability is in ye Gospel the Power of God. |
|||
So now Friends two things are in my mind: first God poured out of his |
|||
spirit upon all Flesh in ye New Covenant. But in ye Old Covenant God poured |
|||
forth his Spirit on ye House of Israel & Judah; & they that were in ye Spirit of |
|||
God yn saw this day of ye New Covenant: & yt God would poure of his Spirit upon all Flesh. |
|||
So now all Flesh must come to this Spirit of God, & know this Spirit to be poured upon ym; |
|||
this was general & ye other particular, he will pour of his Spirit upon all Flesh, so all |
|||
Flesh must come to this Spirit if they will worship God. this Spirit doth not come from |
|||
Adam, nor none of his Sons & Daughters, but from God. God Almighty must have ye eye, or |
|||
Ear in his Spirit, so all come to this Spirit here is ye Comfort & Joy; this is that wch is |
|||
not of Man; So this Holy Spirit makes all Subject, & settles ym upon Christ & God, |
|||
let Waves & Persecutions, & wt ever come, here in this stand to be Preachers, & Possessors |
|||
of this, they know in it their End even Everlasting Life |
|||
So now here you may see the Love of God to Mankind yt he would not have ym to |
|||
Perish, but to have Everlasting Life in Christ Jesus, but some will say how shall I come to |
|||
know & have this good Spirit? you must leave ye bad Spirit yt leads into all badness, |
|||
Wickedness, & all manner of Evill, but this Pure, Holy Spirit leads into all manner |
|||
of Vertue, & all yt is good, there is a distinction one from ye other; as ye Apostle saith |
|||
ye Fruit of ye good Spirit is love &c. |
|||
So now Friends none to vex & quench, or give ye Spirit of God; for the Apos= |
|||
tle saw some in his day going from ye Light Spirit & Gospel, ye Power of God, & |
|||
went into ye Apostasie; therefore come again to ye Spirit & Truth yt leads out |
|||
of the Apostasie, & so come to Christ; for as ye Law was given by Moses in ye |
|||
Old Testament, so Grace & Truth came by Jesus Christ in ye New; In ye Old |
|||
Testament they had their Offerings of ye Blood of Bulls, Goats, Rams, & Tythes, |
|||
Swearing Temple, & all those Outward things: : But in ye New Testament ye |
|||
Lamb Christ Jesus Offered up himself for all; & Said freely you have received freely |
|||
give: Swear not at all; & hath abolished those Outward things; so there is a distinction |
|||
between ye Old Covenant & ye New. |
|||
Now as there was a going into ye Apostasie from ye Light, & Grace, & Truth, |
|||
& Spirit of God in ye Inward parts, So there must be a coming again to ye Grace & |
|||
Truth yt is come by Jesus ye Second Adam, & not by ye first Adam if they come |
|||
out of ye Apostasie; so every Man & Woman must come to this Grace which must be |
|||
their Teacher; every man come to Jesus from whom they have it; look to him yt |
|||
keeps your Eyes, Ears, & Hearts up to himself: But some will say this a Common |
|||
Grace, a natural Grace, & such Talk. |
|||
How can this be a Common or Natural Grace? The Grace of God yt brings |
|||
Salvation hath appeared unto all Mankind: The Grace & favour of God to all |
|||
Mankind; If all men do not Receive this Grace how can they come into ye Favour of |
|||
God? If this be a Naturall & Common Grace yn they are in ye Naturall Estats, & ye |
|||
Naturall Man perceives not the things of God; Nay yt is a Speciall Grace yt brings |
|||
Salvation, this is yt wch turns every Man & Womans eye to Jesus yt Receives it ye |
|||
Second Adam ye Lord from Heaven to his Light, Grace, & Truth from Death, & |
|||
Darkness, yt thereby in him all may be setled, & grow in Grace, yea from Grace to |
|||
Grace, & may encrease; So here in this & by this all is kept in ye sence & feeling of |
|||
ye Love of God wch ye Grace, Truth, Spirit, & Power yt comes from Jesus Christ, & so |
|||
comes from God; This keeps every Mans Eye out of old Adam: keeps out of all Carnall |
|||
Worships, Religions, & Fellowships & keeps up to him yt is Worshipped in ye Spirit |
|||
& Truth; & in ye true Worship yt ye Devil is out of; This is ye standing pure |
|||
path; here doth every Man & Woman by ye Grace, Truth, & Spirit, keep their Eye |
|||
to Jesus, so to God through him; by this comes every Man & Woman to know |
|||
Christ Jesus their Rock & Foundation, & come to be established, & setled on him ye |
|||
Rock over all other Foundations in ye World: So now Friends ye Love of God, |
|||
his blessing is come for every Man & Woman yt Receives it comes to know him |
|||
to Reigne in his Grace & Truth, Light, & Life, & Gospel wch is ye Power of God; |
|||
every Man & Woman in it Eye him, & he in you dwelling in you, & you in him, such |
|||
are sound Christians in Substance & in deed; & therefore prove your selves as ye |
|||
Apostle saith know you not your own selves how yt Jesus Christ is in you except |
|||
you be Reprobates; & If he be in you here is ye substance of ye Tipes, Figures, & |
|||
Shadows: Here is a setled Rest, & Sabbath in Christ Jesus for all his Believers in |
|||
his Light: O Glory to God for ever. |
|||
For saith ye Apostle look unto Jesus ye Author & Finisher of your Faith, |
|||
So now Friends he being ye Author & Finisher of your Faith every Man & Woman |
|||
must Receive it from him, & not from Old Adam nor none of his Sons, & Daughters |
|||
O let him come into your Hearts yt came from ye bosome of ye Father let him have |
|||
Room: wt Room had he formerly but in ye Manger among ye Outward Professing |
|||
Jews; let him have Room in your Hearts; For he has but a little Room in ye Profes= |
|||
=sors without Possession, who will not receive his Light, for he hath no Room in yt |
|||
Proud Lifty mind, therefore let him have ye Reign in you; If he be not in you wt |
|||
is all talk of Religion good for? for If Christ be not wth in, Man is Seperate |
|||
from God, from ye Emmanuel God wth us; & in yt Estate Man doth not Witness |
|||
Peace wth God; but If Christ be known wth in here will be no Reprobate, but |
|||
stability; he being wth in, yt bruises ye Head of ye Serpent. |
|||
Therefore to him yt is ye God of all Power I shall commit & commend you, |
|||
& to ye Word of his Grace to establish you upon Christ Jesus & Therefore every Man |
|||
& Woman come to know yt you have Received his Faith, his Spirit, his Grace his Life, |
|||
his Light, & Truth growing up in Christ from whence this comes yt bruises ye Head |
|||
of ye Serpent & Destroys him & his Works; who is above all, Glory to God for ever; |
|||
He was & he is & will be to all Eternity: He is a Prophet to open to his People; A. |
|||
Bishop to Oversee you: a Priest to sanctifie; a King to Rule & Reign in your heart |
|||
by Faith, exercising his Offices among you; so yt you may all come to sit down in |
|||
him in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus: If you want Life, Salvation, Wisdome, |
|||
Righteousness, Peace, he is ye Treasure, So come to ye Treasure; he was a Priest, |
|||
& Prophet, & he is, & will be forevermore to all his believers in his Light; And as |
|||
every one has Received Christ Jesus so to Walk in him; tis not talking only but |
|||
walking in Christ Jesus; not only to talk of the Light but walk in it, many may |
|||
talk of Grace & Truth, but walk in unrighteousness, & unholyness. God is Righteous, |
|||
& Holy, who will Judge such; to whom I leave you, & yt People may Live to God |
|||
& Receive ye good things, & blessings that come from God through Jesus Christ, Let |
|||
your eye be to him from whom you Receive Life, from whom you Receive Grace, |
|||
& Faith, Who is your Redeemer, by which Grace, & Faith your Hearts come to be |
|||
purified from dead Works to serve ye Living God; This is he wch Destroyes ye Devil |
|||
& his Works; In this Faith ye Holy men of God did believe in wch they pleased God, |
|||
Whereas tis said Heb.11. They all Dyed in ye Faith, not Receiving ye Promises; |
|||
So they all Dyed in yt wch came from God; they Dyed in yt wch Pleased God; & in |
|||
yt wch they had access to him, & in which is ye Unity in ye Faith of Gods Elect, |
|||
wch leads out of all ye bad wayes of old Adam; This is ye Faith yt Jesus Christ |
|||
is ye Author, & Finisher of ye Second Adam: this brings People to an Inward |
|||
Intire Life, out of all yt wch will fade away to a Holy Faith, a Holy Life, into |
|||
a pure, divine, precious Unity, & so to have access to ye Pure Holy God: in wch you |
|||
have life, & salvation, & in wch Faith you Please God. |
|||
So God hath ye Glory who is over all from Everlasting to Everlasting |
|||
blessed for evermore |
|||
G. F. |
|||
16G Fs Prayer |
|||
Dear Friends & Brethren: as I was at Prayer in my Chamber upon ye 23:12th Month |
|||
1678. & making Interecssion [sic] to ye Lord for Friends his People, yt ye Lord would be |
|||
pleased to preserve them from this Rough, & Foul Spirit yt was risen up: & ye Lord did |
|||
Answer me in my Prayer yt this Spirit was Risen up for ye Tryall of his People In ye Life, |
|||
& Light, & Power, & Grace, & Truth, & I saw more yn can be Expressed in Words: for it was |
|||
Risen to try ym, & yt they might keep in ye Power of ye Lord, as in their Habitations: |
|||
And so wn ye Lord hath tried his People, & their Singleness to him, & When this Spirit |
|||
hath spent its strength, & gone ye Way of all yt has Risen before it yn they may see |
|||
how all things work together for good to ym yt Love God: And therefore stand fast in ye |
|||
Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free in his Light, Grace, & Truth, & Power, & |
|||
Spirit, & Faith, to Christ, from whence it comes: Christ yor Rock, & Foundation yt |
|||
cannot be shaken, & in whom is this Election, Life, & Salvation so yt all may stand |
|||
to Christ their Lord & Master to be Ordered by him with his Glorious Gospel wch is |
|||
not of Man but from Heaven. |
|||
For I saw all Friends as If they were bedewed from Heaven, & they |
|||
sate as in a Valley, & wet wth ye dew of Life, & ye other hard dead Spirit was |
|||
floating atop wth Words of Truth; wch Spirit is for ye Triall of his People, of their |
|||
standing singly in ye Life to god upon their own Foundation. And so as I was at Prayer ye Lord |
|||
Answered me that this Spirit of J S & J W, & their company was Raised up for ye Triall of |
|||
Friends their standing to God for it was High, & Friends was low in ye Power & |
|||
Spirit of God & wet with his dew, & sate in ye Valley, & will Rise wn their High |
|||
will Fall, & therefore Friends are to stand to God. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
The Truth is above all, & Will stand over all ym yt hate it, who Labour in |
|||
vain against it, & will bring their Old house on their own Head in great |
|||
Trouble, & in their Winter, & cold Weather, when that their house is down, |
|||
& their Religion is Frozen, & their Rivers dried up, & their husks gone, & |
|||
ye Swine begin to cry about their Plantations, & ye Vermine run up & down |
|||
their Old Rubbish, & their sparks & Candles ^are gone out, & hail, & storm lighteth |
|||
upon ye head of ye Wicked, yn Woe be to Gog & Magog who hath no covering. |
|||
In christ you have Peace, In ye world you have trouble, In Christ you have Peace, |
|||
In ye World you have trouble, No Peace wth God but in ye Light, No Peace wth God but |
|||
in ye Covenant of Light, wth out is Trouble Amen. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
Dear Friends be faithfull in ye Service of God, & mind ye Lords business; be diligent, |
|||
& bring ye Power of ye Lord over all those yt have gain said it; and all you yt be |
|||
faithful go to visit ym all yt have been Convinced from house to house, that if it |
|||
be possible you may not leave a hoof in Egypt: And so every one go seek ye Lost |
|||
sheep: & bring him home on your back to ye fold, & there will be more Joy of yt |
|||
one sheep yn of ye ninety nine in ye fold. |
|||
G. F. |
|||
17You may Read this in your Monthly, Quarterly, & Yearly Meetings. |
|||
from our Womens County Meeting in Lancashire to be |
|||
dispersed abroad among ye Womens Meetings every where |
|||
Dear Sisters. In ye blessed unity in ye Spirit of Grace, our Souls salute you |
|||
who are Sanctified in Christ Jesus, & called to be Saints, who are of ye true & |
|||
Royal Offspring of Christ Jesus, who is ye Root & Offspring of David, & who |
|||
is ye Resurrection & ye Life of all ye Saints in Light. |
|||
To you yt [that] are of ye true seed of ye Promise of God in ye beginning yt was to |
|||
bruise ye Serpents Head, & wch is fulfilled in Christ Jesus, of wch we are made pertakers, |
|||
wch is ye Seed ye Promise is to, wch ye Apostle spoke of & said God sent forth his |
|||
Son made of a Woman, made under ye Law to Redeem ym yt were under the Law |
|||
yt we might Receive ye Adoption &c. Gal. 4.4. |
|||
To you all every where, where this may come is this written yt in this |
|||
blessed Seed wch hath ye Promise of ye Eternal God annexed yt he should bruise |
|||
ye Serpents Head, & yt in this Seed you all Live & dwell in ye sensible feeling |
|||
thereof; in wch Seed all Nations of ye Earth is blessed. |
|||
That so we may be all Helps Meet for God in ye Restoration, & Co=heirs |
|||
wth Christ Jesus, who hath purchased us wth his precious blood, & hath washed us, |
|||
& Loved us, who is no Respecter of Persons: but hath a care, & regard unto all; ye |
|||
weak as well as the strong. yt he may have ye Glory of his own Work, who treadeth |
|||
ye Wine-press alone. |
|||
And yt every particular of us may be ready & willing to answer wt [what] ye Lord |
|||
Requires of us in our several places, & Conditions. |
|||
For as many of us as are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ; for we |
|||
are all ye Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus; where there is neither Male nor |
|||
Female &c, but we are all one in Christ Jesus. |
|||
And so being in Christ Jesus we are all Abrahams Seed & Heirs according |
|||
to ye Promise: not of ye Bond-woman but of the free Jerusalem from above, wch is ye |
|||
Mother if us all. |
|||
And so here is our Possession, & Inheritance; yt every Faithful Mem= |
|||
=ber of us may claim a Right unto, & an Interest in: yt all the Powers of Darkness, |
|||
nor all the Enmity of ye Old Serpent (whose Head is coming to be bruised) can |
|||
never Seperate us from, tho he may twine, & twist, & Rage, & Storm yt his Power shuld |
|||
be taken from him, but all to no purpose: for ye Word of ye Eternal God yt endureth |
|||
for ever stands upon his Head that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the |
|||
Serpents Head. |
|||
And this is fulfilled, & fulfilling in this ye Day of ye Lords Power, & of the |
|||
Restoration, & Redemption of his Seed, & Body wch is his Church; wch is coming out |
|||
of the Wilderness leaning on her beloved; wch is coming in his Power & Great |
|||
Glory, tho in the Clouds; and every Eye yt is open sees him; & every Ear yt is unstopped |
|||
hears him, & every understanding, & Heart yt is Enlightened & opened, is Converted, & |
|||
healed in this Glorious Day, Praise to ye Highest. |
|||
So here is the Blessed Image of ye Living God Restored again, in wch he |
|||
made ym Male, & Female in the beginning; & in this his own Image. God Blessed |
|||
ym both, & said unto ym Increase & Multiply, & Replenish ye Earth & subdue it, |
|||
& have dominion over ye Fish of ye Sea, & have dominion over ye Fowls of ye Air, |
|||
And have dominion over ye Beasts, & over ye Cattell, & over ye Earth: & over ever creep= |
|||
=ing thing upon ye Face of ye Earth. & in this Dominion & Power ye Lord God is esta= |
|||
blishing his own seed in ye Male, & in ye Female over ye Head of ye Serpent, & over |
|||
his Seed, & Power. |
|||
And he makes no difference in the Seed between the Male & ye Female, as |
|||
Christ saith Matth. 19.4.6. yt he yt made ym in ye beginning made ym Male & Female; |
|||
they were both in ye work of God in ye Beginning; & so in ye Restoration. |
|||
But it is ye Work of ye Old Serpent to put ym out of ye Work of God as he did, |
|||
in ye Beginning, Tempt ym to Sin & transgression, & Disobedience; so he would still keep |
|||
ym there, & make a difference, & keep a Superiority, one over another, yt Christ ye |
|||
Head should not Rule in Male & Female, & so keep ym in Bondage, & in slavery, |
|||
& in difference, & dissension one wth another, & yn they are fit for his Tentations. |
|||
But ye Lord God is coming to destroy this Tongue of ye Egyptian Sea, & to |
|||
smite it in ye Seven Strams thereof; as in Isai. 11.15. And to make all as a Plain |
|||
before him: & he will level down, & lay low all the loftiness of Man, & ye Harctiness of |
|||
Men shall be made low, So yt ye Lord alone will be exalted in his own Seed & Power |
|||
in Male & Female in this his day. Isai. 2.17. |
|||
And therefore all dearly beloved Friends & Sisters, let us every one be bold, |
|||
& Valiant, & Faithful, & diligent for ye Lords everlasting Truth upon ye Earth in our |
|||
Day, & Generation: yt as good stewards we may give a good account unto God of his mani= |
|||
fold Graces, yt we have Received, & do receive of him & from him daily. |
|||
And yt as we have a Cloud of Witnesses yt is gone before us wch ye Scriptures |
|||
of Truth Testifie of that hath Born Witness to his Eternall Truth, & hath been |
|||
made partakers of the Divine. Blessings, favours, & Graces of Almighty God. |
|||
And so God is the same to us in our age & Generation as he was to ym |
|||
in their day & Age; we being Taught & led, & Guided by ye same Eternal Spirit as |
|||
they were wch proceeds from ye Father & ye Son. |
|||
So let none be weary, nor faint in their minds, but let all be given up faith- |
|||
fully to ye Leading & Guiding of ye good Spirit of ye Living God: yt by it every one |
|||
may know freedome & Redemption from ye Bondage of Corruption: wch Spirit ye |
|||
Lord is Powring forth in these last dayes upon Sons & Daughters, Servants & |
|||
Handmaidens, so yt ye General Universal Love of Almighty God is descending, & |
|||
pouring upon all Flesh in this his Day of Grace, even as he did wn [when] he bid ym wait at |
|||
Jerusalem to Receive Power from on high wn they were all gather together in an |
|||
upper Room: & continued wth one Accord, Praying & Making Supplication wth ye |
|||
Women, & Mary ye Mother of Jesus, & wth his Brethren. Act.1.14. |
|||
And ye Holy Ghost was poured upon ym so plentifully yt ye Multitude |
|||
were all amazed, but Peter stood up to witness ye fulfulling of wt was spoken by ye |
|||
Prophet Joel, yt God would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh: & your Sons & |
|||
Daughters shall Prophesie, & on my Servants, & on my Handmaids will I pour out of |
|||
my Spirit in those dayes, & they shall Prophesie Acts 2.17.19. Here Peter bears witness |
|||
to ye same Truth & pouring forth ^of ye same Spirit in yt day wch we are Living Witnesses |
|||
of in this our Day Praises to ye Lord for ever. |
|||
So all Dear Friends, & Sisters, make full proof of ye Gift of God yt is in you |
|||
& neglect it not in this your day & Generation, but yt you may be helps meet in the |
|||
Restoration, & Resurrection of ye body of Christ wch is his Church, & yt every one |
|||
may know their place, & calling therein as ye Godly Women under ye Law did. |
|||
For all yt were wise in Heart put their hand to ye work about ye Taber= |
|||
=nacle & all the Women whose Hearts stirred ym up in wisdome had their several place |
|||
to work in about ye Tabernacle as well as ye Men; for all ye Congregation of ye |
|||
Children of Israel, every one both Men & Women, whose Spirit was made |
|||
willing they brought ye Lords Offering to ye Work of ye Tabernacle as yo may Read in |
|||
Exodus [35.?] 25.26. |
|||
And likewise Miriam ye Prophetess ye Sister of Aaron took a Timbrel in her |
|||
hand & all the Women went out after her in Triumph, & singing Praises to ye Lord |
|||
who by his mighty Power had overthrown Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea. |
|||
Exod. 15.20.21. |
|||
And there was an assembly of Women wch Assembled at ye door of ye Taber= |
|||
-nacle of ye Congregation. Exod. 38.8. |
|||
And likewise Hannah wn she had weaned her Son Samuel took him & went |
|||
up to ye House of ye Lord, & took wth her three Bullocks, one Ephah, & a Bottle of wine |
|||
& slew one Bullock, & brought the Child to Eli & offered him up to ye Lord, & sayd, for |
|||
this Child, I have prayed, & ye Lord hath given me my portion which I asked of him. |
|||
as you may see 1Samu. 24.25.26.27. And this Child Samuel did Minister unto ye |
|||
Lord before Eli ye Priest. |
|||
And Hannah Prayed: & O ye Gracious words, & Prayer that proceeded out |
|||
of her mouth by ye Powerful demonstration of ye Eternal Spirit, & ye Power of Al- |
|||
mighty God, in her! 1 Sam 2.1 to 11. wch all ye Adversaries & Gain sayers against Womens |
|||
Meetings is not able to gain say. nor resist. |
|||
Therefore let all mouths be stopped wch would limit the Spirit of ye Lord |
|||
God in Male, or Female wch he hath not limitted. But ye Lord hath regard unto & takes |
|||
notice of ye Women, & despises ym not. |
|||
And you may Read in Isaiah 32. Where ye Kingdome of Christ Jesus is |
|||
Prophesied of, Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness, & Princes shall Rule in |
|||
Judgment; & ye Eyes of ym yt see shall not be dimm, & ye Ears of ym yt Hear shall hear= |
|||
ken, & the Heart also of the Rash shall understand knowledge, and ye Tongue of the |
|||
Stammerer shall be ready to speak plainly. |
|||
Here is ye Glorious Work of ye Lord Prophesied of; & here ye Lord calls. |
|||
Rise up ye Women yt are at ease, hear my voice ye careless Daughters, give ear to my |
|||
Speech, many dayes & years shall ye be troubled, ye careless Women, for ye Vintage |
|||
shall fail, ye gathering shall not come: Tremble ye Women yt are at ease; be troubled |
|||
ye careless ones: strip ye & make ye bare; gird sackcloth upon your Loyns; they shall |
|||
lament for ye teats, for ye Pleasant Fields, & for ye Fruitful Vines (see here what a |
|||
Requiring, or Ariel charge ye Lord layes upon ye Women) until ye Spirit be poured |
|||
upon us from on high; & ye Wilderness be a fruit field; & ye work of Righteousness |
|||
shall be peace, & ye effect of Righteousness quietness, & assurance for ever. Here ye Lord |
|||
had a care & regard to ye Women as well as ye Men and have a Blessing, & a Mer= |
|||
-cie in store for ym. |
|||
And also in Jeremiah 9th Chapt. throughout where ye Lord brought destruc- |
|||
-tion, & wo & misery upon ye Jews, & ye destruction of Jerusalem, because they had for= |
|||
=saken ye Law of ye Lord. wch he had set before ym, & disobeyed his Voice, & walked |
|||
not therein, I will scatter ym among ye Heathen saith ye Lord; & I will send a sword |
|||
amongst ym till I have consumed ym. |
|||
More over thus saith ye Lord call for ye mourning Womon yt they |
|||
may come; for a Voice of Mourning is heard out of Zion; yet hear ye Word of ye |
|||
Lord O Ye Women, & let your Ear Receive the Word of his Month; & Teach your |
|||
Daughter. Waiting, & every one her Neig[h]bour Lamentation for Death is come up |
|||
into our Windows, & is entred into our Palaces, to cut off ye Children from wth out, & ye |
|||
young from ye Streets; speak thus saith ye Lord ye Carcases of Men shall fall as Dung |
|||
upon ye Open field, & as ye handful after the Harvest Man, & none shall gather ym. |
|||
Here ye Women had ye Word of ye Lord to speak to ye Men; & here ye Lord |
|||
makes use, & had a Service for ye Women yt they should Speak his Word from his mouth |
|||
in this dreadful & terrible day. |
|||
And also thus saith ye Lord, let not ye Wise Men Glory in his Wisdome, |
|||
neither let ye mighty Man Glory in his Might, nor let ye Rich man Glory in his |
|||
Riches; but let him yt glorieth Glory in this yt he understandeth & knoweth me yt I am |
|||
ye Lord wch exerciseth Loving Kindness, Judgment & Righteousness in ye Earth, for in these |
|||
things I do delight saith ye Lord. |
|||
Here ye Lord clearly manifesteth yt he delights in ye knowledge of himself, |
|||
& of his Righteousness, & Judgment, & Loving kindness, & this he hath a Regard unto both in |
|||
Man & in Woman, & not in Wise, nor mighty, nor Rich Men. |
|||
And In Micah 2.9.10. The Lord saith ye Women of my People have ye cast |
|||
out from their Pleasant Houses, & from their Children have ye taken away my Glory; |
|||
rise ye and depart, for this is not your Rest because it is polluted; it shall destroy you |
|||
even wth a sore destruction. &c. |
|||
And Christ Jesus in ye days of his Flesh had a dear & tender care, & Re |
|||
-gard unto Woman, who Received many Gracious blessings, & favours from him; he de- |
|||
spised not ye Woman of Canaan wn she came unto him for her Daughter yt was vexed wth |
|||
a Devil wn she Worshipped him; & said Lord help me – And wn he saw her Faith he |
|||
said Woman great is thy Faith, as in Mat.15. |
|||
And also ye Woman of Samaria in John 4. Christ Jesus directed her to ye |
|||
gift of God, & told her whosoever drinketh of ye Water yt he giveth should never thirst |
|||
but ye water yt he did give should be in her a Well springing up to Eternal Life. So he |
|||
Reasoned & spoke wth her so long till he opened her understanding so yt she perceived |
|||
yt he was a Prophet. |
|||
But Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me (so here you may see |
|||
ye mind of Christ was yt ye Woman should Believe his Doctrine yt he yn spoke unto |
|||
her) ye Hour cometh wn ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem |
|||
Worship ye Father; but ye Hour cometh & now is wn ye true worshipers shall wor- |
|||
ship ye Father in Spirit & in Truth; God is a Spirit, & they yt worship him must |
|||
Worship him in Spirit & in Truth. &c. |
|||
The Woman said unto him, I know yt Messias commeth yt is called |
|||
Christ; Wn he cometh he will tell us all things – Jesus saith unto her I yt speak |
|||
unto thee am hee. |
|||
See wt Love, & plainness he manifested unto this Woman not despising |
|||
her weakness, nor under valueing her, but he spoke ye plain Everlasting Truth unto |
|||
her; & set up yt Worship in his own Spirit unto her there; wch Remains, & will remain |
|||
for ever: glorious Praises to his Holy Name for evermore. |
|||
And all those Women yt he healed. As Peters Wifes Mother wch |
|||
he healed of a fever; & ye Woman yt had an Issue of Blood; & certain Women yt |
|||
had been healed of Evil Spirits: & Infirmities; Mary Called Magdalene; out of whom |
|||
he had cast out Seven Devils; & Joanna ye Wife of Chusa Herods Steward; and |
|||
Susannah, & many others wch ministered unto him of their Substance. |
|||
And ye Woman yt had ye Alablaster Box. of Precious Oyntment wash- |
|||
ed his feet & wiped ym wth ye hair of her Head; all these wth many more Lament him |
|||
(as ye Scriptures mention) yt had received precious favours, & blessings from him |
|||
they all Lamented him as they led him away to be Crucified, & all ye People, & |
|||
Women Followed him, & bewailed him as they led him away; But Jesus turned |
|||
unto ym & said, Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for your selves, & |
|||
your Children. And ye Women yt followed him from Galilee followed after, & |
|||
beheld ye Sepulchre, & how his body was layd; & they Returned, & prepared spices, |
|||
& Oyntments; & they Rested ye Sabbaoth, as you may see in Luke 23 Chap. |
|||
And upon ye first day of ye Week very early in ye Morning they came |
|||
unto ye Sepulchre (to wit ye Women) bringing their Spices wch they had Prepared, & |
|||
certain others wth ym, & they found ye stone rolled away from ye Sepulchre; & |
|||
they entred in & found not ye body of ye Lord Jesus. |
|||
And it came to pass as they were much perplexed, behold Two |
|||
Men stood by ym in shining Garments: & as they were afraid, & bowed down |
|||
their faces to ye Earth they said unto ym, why seek ye yt Living among ye Dead ? |
|||
He is not here, but is Risen — Remember how he spake unto you wn he was |
|||
yet in Galilee saying ye Son of Man must be delivered into ye Hands of Sin |
|||
=ful Men, & be Crucified, & ye third day Rise again, & they Remembred his Words; |
|||
& Returned from ye Sepulchre, & told all these things unto ye Eleven, & to all |
|||
ye Rest; It was Mary Magdalene, & Joanna, & Mary ye Mother of James, & other |
|||
Women yt were wth ym wch told these things unto ye Apostles, & their words seemed unto ym |
|||
as [?]ole Tales, & they believed ym not as you may see in Luke 2.4. & Mark 15.40.41. & |
|||
Matth. 27.35. & Matth. 28.5 So these Women were ye first Preachers of ye Resurrecti= |
|||
=on of Jesus. |
|||
And Jesus himself spoke wth Mary before he was ascended unto his Father |
|||
& said unto her go unto my Brethren; & say unto ym I ascend to my Father & your |
|||
Father, & to my God, & your God. |
|||
And Mary Magdalene came & told ye disciples yt she had seen ye Lord, |
|||
& yt he had spoken these things unto her. |
|||
So here ye Lord Jesus Christ sends his first Message of his Resurrec= |
|||
=tion by Women unto his own Disciples, & they were faithful unto him, & did his |
|||
Message, & yet they could hardly be Believed. |
|||
And Paul & Silas wch was sent forth by ye Apostles, & Elders, & |
|||
Brethren of ye Church wth ye Decrees yt were Ordained of ye Apostles & Elders at |
|||
Jerusalem for ye Churches to keep; & so were ye Churches established in ye Faith, |
|||
& Increased in Number daily. &c |
|||
And this same Paul & Silas who had ye Decrees went to ye place |
|||
where Prayer was wont to be made, & sate down & spoke to ye Women which |
|||
Resorted as in Acts. 16. |
|||
So these yt were chosen Men of ye Apostles & Elders, & ye Whole Church |
|||
wn they were assembled together, who had their Letters & Decrees for ye Churches to |
|||
Keep; & as they went through the Cities they deliverd ye Decrees, so established ye |
|||
Churches in ye Faith: And tho ye Holy Ghost Suffered ym not to Preach at Asia |
|||
nor Bithinia, yet they went among ye Women as well as ye Men |
|||
So we having a Cloud of Witnesses of ye Order of ye Gospel, & of ye |
|||
good Works, & Charitable practises wch is Multiplyed in the Scriptures, & ye Practise |
|||
of ye Saints in Light in ye Primitives times, Women as well as Men yt is gone before |
|||
us, we may be encouraged in ye Lords name, Power & Spirit to follow their Example, |
|||
& Practises. |
|||
And having ye same Rule wch is in Christ Jesus where neither Circum |
|||
cision, nor uncircumcision availeth but a New Creature; & as many as walk according |
|||
to & in this Rule, Peace be unto ym, & Mercy upon ye Israel of God. |
|||
And as yt Apostle saith let us Press forward towards ye mark for ye price of ye |
|||
high calling of God in Christ Jesus. |
|||
And let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded, & if in any |
|||
thing we be otherwise minded, God shall Revoal even this unto us; Nevertheless |
|||
where unto we have already attained let us walk by ye same Rule, & mind ye same thing. |
|||
And let us come into our practise, & into our possession of our portions, |
|||
& Inheritances yt we have Received from ye Lord. |
|||
And let us Stand Faithfull & True witnesses for him in our day against |
|||
all deceit & Wickedness. |
|||
And let us meet together & kept our Womens Meeting in ye Name & |
|||
Power, & Fear of ye Lord Jesus whose Servants, & Handmaids we are, & in ye good |
|||
Order of ye Gospel Meet. |
|||
1 |
And first for ye Women of every Monthly Meeting where ye Mens |
||
Monthly Meeting is established; Let ye Women likewise of every Monthly Meeting |
|||
Meet together to wait upon ye Lord, & hearken wt ye Lord will say unto ym, & to know |
|||
his mind & Will, & be ready to obey & Answer him in every Motion of his Eternal Spirit, |
|||
and Power. |
|||
2 |
And also to make enquiry into all your several Particular Meetings |
||
that belongs to your Monthly Meeting if they be any yt walks disorderly (as doth |
|||
not to become ye Gospel) or lightly, or wantonly, or yt is not of a good Report, yn to |
|||
send to ym as you are Ordered by ye Power of God in ye Meeting wch is ye Authority |
|||
of it, to Admonish & exhort ym, & to bring ym to Judge & Condemn wt hath been |
|||
by ym done or Acted contrary to ye Truth. |
|||
3 |
And If any transgression or action yt hath been done among Wo= |
||
men, or Maids yt hath done any thing yt hath been more Publick, & yt hath got into |
|||
ye Word; or yt hath been a Publick offence amongst Friends; yn let ym bring in a Paper |
|||
of Condemnation to be Published as far as ye offence hath gone, & yn to be Recorded in a |
|||
Booke. |
|||
4 |
And if there be any that goes out to Marry wth ye Priests, or Joyneth in |
||
Marriage wth ye World, & doth not obey ye Order of ye Gospel as it is established among |
|||
Friends; Then for ye Womens Monthly Meeting to send to ym to Reprove ym, & to bear |
|||
their Testimony against their acting contrary to ye Truth, & If they come to |
|||
Repentance, & sorrow for their offence, & have a desire to come amongst Friends |
|||
again, before they can be Received they must bring in a Paper of Condemnation, & |
|||
Repentance, and Judgment of their action, wch must be Recorded in Friends Book. |
|||
And also carry a coppy of yt Paper to ye Priest yt Marryed ym, & Judge, & Condemn, & deny |
|||
yt Action before him, or any of ye World before whom it hath come. |
|||
And Dear Sisters it is a Duty Incumbent upon us to look into our |
|||
Families, & to prevent our Children of Runing into ye World for Husbands or for |
|||
Wives, & so to ye Priests: for you know before ye Womens Meetings were set up many |
|||
have done so wch brought dishonour both to God, & upon his Truth, & People. |
|||
Therefore it is our Duty & care to prevent such things in ye Power & |
|||
Wisdome of God; & to see yt our Children are trained up in ye Fear of God in ye |
|||
New Covenant: for ye Jews were to train their Children up in ye Old: For you |
|||
know yt we are much in our Families amongst our Children, Maids, & Servants, |
|||
& may see more into their Inclinations yn ye Men : And so see yt none Indulge any to |
|||
Loosness & Evil, but Restrain it. For you see wt became of Old Eli, & his Family |
|||
for not Restraining his Children. |
|||
5 |
And also all Friends yt keep in ye Power of God & in Faithfull Obedience |
||
to ye Truth yt according to ye Order of ye Gospel yt is Established, yt they bring |
|||
their Marriage twice to ye Womens Meeting & twice to ye Mens. |
|||
The first time they are come to ye Womens Meeting yt ye Women of ye Meeting |
|||
do examine both ye Man ye Woman yt they be clear & free from all other Persons, |
|||
& that they have their Parents, & Friends, & Relations Consent. |
|||
And ye enquiry be made of their cleernesss in each Particular Meeting wch |
|||
they belong to before their next appearance in ye Womens Meeting. |
|||
And If nothing be found but yt they come in cleerness to ye Next Monthly |
|||
Meeting yn they proceed according to ye Order of ye Gospel, & Perfect their Marriage in |
|||
ye Meeting of Friends, as Friends wch they belong to sees it convenient. |
|||
But If any thing be found yt they are not cleer but yt others layes challenge |
|||
or charge to ym either by promise or otherwise. That yn they do not proceed till they |
|||
have given satisfaction both to ye Party’s & Friends concerning yt matter according to ye |
|||
Order of ye Gospel; And yt If any thing be amiss concerning ye Woman yt ye Woman |
|||
Examine it, & look into it, wch may not be so proper f [sic] ye Men. |
|||
6 |
And likewise ye Women of ye Monthly Meetings take care & oversight of |
||
all ye Women yt belongs to their several Particular Meetings yt they bring in their |
|||
Testimonies for ye Lord, & his Truth against Tythes, & Hireling Priests once every |
|||
Year; since ye Priest claims & challenges a Tythe wch belongs to Women to pay as well as |
|||
Men, not only for Widdows, but for ym yt have Husbands: as Pigs & Geese, Hens, & Eggs, |
|||
Hemp, & Flax, Wooll & Lambs, all wch Women may have a hand in. |
|||
So it concerns ye Womens Meetings to look strictly through every Parti= |
|||
cular Meeting yt every Woman bring their Testimony against Tythes, & yt those |
|||
Testimonies be Recorded in ye Quarterly, or half years book once every Year. |
|||
7 |
And yt every Monthly Meeting give timely Notice to every Particular |
||
Meeting yt they make ready their Testimonies against Tythes to be brought in at |
|||
their Qurterly or half years Meeting as aforesaid. That so all Hearts, & Consciences may |
|||
be kept cleer, clean, & sweet to our Precious High Priest of our Profession Christ Jesus. |
|||
who is ye Author of our Faith yt becomes us; who Is Holy, & Harmless, & undefiled, & |
|||
Seperate from Sinners, Who is made higher yn ye Heavens (Christ Jesus) Who is ye Mi= |
|||
nister of ye Sanctuary, & of ye True Tabernacle which God hath Pitched, & not Man; |
|||
He is our Everlasting High Priest forever. And so in him we deny all other |
|||
Priests both in the time of ye Law & Since yt takes Tithes. |
|||
8 |
And also all Friends in their Womens Monthly & Particular Meetings yt |
||
they take speciall care for the Poor & for all those yt stand in need, yt there be no want, |
|||
nor suffering for outward things amongst the People of God, for ye Earth is ye Lords, |
|||
& ye fulness of it, & his People is his Portion, & ye Lot of his Inheritance, & he gives freely |
|||
& Liberally unto all & upbraids none. |
|||
So it Concerns all yt Fear ye Lord yt he hath endued wth an Outward |
|||
Substance yt they be free, & Liberal in their Hearts to any yt stand in need, but espe= |
|||
cially as ye Apostle saith to ye Houshold of Faith. |
|||
And so let care be taken for ye Poor, & Widdows yt hath young Children |
|||
yt they be Relieved & helped till they be able, & fit to be put out Apprentices, or Servants. |
|||
And all ye sick, & weak, & Infirm, or Aged, and Widdows, & fatherless yt |
|||
they be looked after, & helped, & Relieved in every Particular Meeting either |
|||
wth Clothes, or Maintenance, or wt they stand in need of; So yt in all things ye Lord |
|||
may be Glorified, & Honoured; so yt there be no want, nor Suffering in ye House |
|||
of God, who loves a cheerfull giver. |
|||
9 |
Also let care be taken yt every Particular Womens Monethly Meeting |
||
have a Book to set down, & Record their businesses & Passages in yt is done or agreed |
|||
upon in every Monthly Meeting, or any Service yt any yt any [sic] is to go upon; let yt |
|||
Book be Read ye Next Monthly Meeting, & see yt ye business be performed according |
|||
to what was Ordered. |
|||
And also yt ye Collections be set down in ye Book; & ye Receipts & |
|||
Disbursments of every Particular Meeting be set down in their Booke & Read |
|||
at their Womens Monthly Meeting; yt every Particular Meeting may see & know |
|||
how their Collections are Disbursed. |
|||
And yt Some Honest Faithful Woman or Women Friends yt can Read & |
|||
write keep ye Book & Receive ye Collections; & give a just & true Accont in ye Book |
|||
of ye Disbursments of ym according as ye Meeting shall Order, wch must be Read every |
|||
monthly Meeting; & so give notice wt is in ye Stock, & wn it is near out, to give notice |
|||
yt it may be supplied. |
|||
10 |
And Likewise yt there be a General Book in every County for their Quarterly |
||
or half years Womens Meeting. |
|||
And yt there come & appear at ye Quarterly Meeting, some (or as many as |
|||
can conveniently) of every Monthly & Particular Meeting of their Whole County; & |
|||
yt Enquiry be made at ye Quarterly Meeting, or Half years Meeting whether there be |
|||
some of every Montly Meeting; & one or more of every Particular Meeting. |
|||
And yt ye Quarterly Meeting set down ye name of every Particular Meeting |
|||
in ye Book yt is wthin, or Pertains to ye Whole County. |
|||
And yt at every Quarterly Meeting they call over every Monthly, & |
|||
Particular Meeting to see yt some of every Meeting be there. |
|||
And yt they bring in every Particular Womans Testimony against Tythes. |
|||
From every Particular Meeting of cleerness of their Meetings from all ye things |
|||
before Mentioned; & yt they do all walk & act as becomes ye Gospel. |
|||
And yt every Particular Meetings Testimonies be Recorded as ye Meetings |
|||
stand severally in ye Quarterly Booke. |
|||
And yt all other businesses as is there presented or done yt day may be |
|||
Recorded in yt Book. |
|||
And so here in ye Power & ye Spirit of ye Lord God Women come to be |
|||
Co-heirs; & Fellow Labourers in ye Gospel as it was in ye Apostles dayes; Who Intrea- |
|||
=ted ^his true Yoke-Fellow to help those Women yt Laboured wth him in ye Gospel. Philip. 4:3. |
|||
And in his first Epistle to Timothy 5.3. he Exhorted yt Elder Woman yt they |
|||
should be as Mothers, & ye Younger as Sisters wth all Purity. |
|||
And in Titus. 2.3 The Aged Women likewise yt they be as becometh |
|||
Holyness, & Teachers of Good things; And yt they Teach ye Younger Women to be sober, |
|||
to Love their Husbands, to Love their Children, to be discreet, Chast keepers at home; |
|||
Good, Obedient to their own husbands yt ye Word of God be not Blasphemed. |
|||
So here was Womens Meetings, & Womens Teachings of one another, so yt |
|||
this is no New thing, as some raw, unseasoned Spirits would seem to make it. |
|||
So dear Sisters in ye everlasting Truth, we do conclude in ye Apostles |
|||
Words to his Brethren in Phil. 4.8.9. wtsoever things are true, wtsoever things are Ho= |
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=nest. wtsoever things are just: wt soever things are Pure; wtsoever things are Lovely; |
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wtsoever things are of Good Report; If there be any virtue, If there be any Praise |
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think on these things wch ye have both Learned, & Received, & heard, & seen in me, |
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& do ym, & ye God of Peace shall be wth you Amen. |
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And tho we be looked upon as ye Weaker Vessels yet ye strong & Powerful |
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God whose strength is made manifest, & Perfect in Weakness, he can make us good, |
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& valiant, & bold souldiers of Jesus Christ; if he Arm us wth his Armour of Light. |
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& give unto us ye sword of his Eternal Spirit; wch is ye Word of ye Eternall God, & |
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cover our Hearts wth ye Breastplate of Righteousness, & Crown us wth ye Helment |
|||
of Salvation & give unto us ye holy shield of Faith; wth wch we can quench all ye |
|||
fiery darts of Satan, & shooe our feet wth ye preparation of ye Gospel of Peace, & |
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set our feet upon ye Mountains, so yt we stand there, & publish glad tidings of great |
|||
Joy, & say unto Sion thy God Reigneth; & if he bring us to his banquetting house, & |
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Spread his banner over us wch is Love, there we can stand our ground, & fight our |
|||
Lords Battles boldly & valiantly under our Lords Banner, & in our Lords Armor; He |
|||
who Respects no Persons, but chuseth ye weak things of ye World, & ye Foolis |
|||
things of ye World to confound ye Wise; our sufficiency is of him; & His Armor |
|||
& strength is in him: And all ye great strength yt is in Men if they want this |
|||
Armor they can do nothing for God; nor he will have none of their service in ye |
|||
state, who will have no Flesh to Glory in his presence: Our Glory^ing in him is, wh[ich?] |
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doth not, nor will not despise, nor contemn ye weak. And so to him be all Glory |
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& Power, & Dominion forever & ever Amen. |
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This is given forth for Information, Instruction & direction yt in ye |
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blessed unity of ye Spirit of Grace all Friends may be, & Live in ye Practise |
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of ye Holy Order of the Gospel. |
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Signed by 96 Women Friends |
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From ye Generall Womens Meeting |
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4th Month 1677. |
[blank page]
the womens meetings in Dartmouth began at Peleg Slocoms hous |
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the • 26 of the 4 month • i699 |
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|
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the • 23 • of the 5 • [illegible] Month ^1699 was our womens meeting held in Dartmoth |
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at this meeting John Hedly [Headley] and Mary Slocom [Slocum] laid their intention of |
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marriage before the meeting the meeting chose two women freinds |
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Hannah Tucker and Ruth Tucker to see after the young womans clear |
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=ness against the next monthly meeting |
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at this meeting Ruth Smith undertook to sweep the meeting hous |
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a year at this meeting it was agreed that the meeting at Mehetable [Mehitable] |
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Russells shall be the 4 day of the next week after the womens meeting |
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|
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the 26 of the . 6 month i699 |
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---|---|---|---|
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting John |
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Hedly [Headley] and Mary Slocom [Slocum] came the second time to receiue their an |
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=swer enquiry being made acording to the order of truth ^and they [illegible] |
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being clear haue [have] the consent of the meeting to proseed in marriage |
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|
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the 18 of the 7 month . i699 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the 16 of the . 8 . month . i699 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the . 13 of the . 9 month . i699 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth agreed of at this meet |
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=ing that that[?] weekly meeting that was at peleg Slocums the . 4 day before |
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the monthly meeting . shall be at Stephen Wilcocks [Wilcox] . one fourth day before |
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the monthly meeting and one fourth day before the monthly. at James |
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Trips [Tripps]. and the rest of the fourth day meetings. at the meeting Hous |
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|
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the 11 of the i0 month i699 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. it was ordered by this meet |
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ing that their shall be a colection the next monthly meeting |
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|
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the 8 . of the . 11 . month i699 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Mary Slocum |
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was chose to keep the mony colected by the meeting. colected by this meeting |
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and deliuered to Mary Slocum |
0-i5-2 |
||
it was ordered by this meeting that their shall be a colection once a quarter |
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|
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the 5 . of the 12 month i699 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting John Lapkam [Lapham] |
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and Mary Russell laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting. the |
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meeting chose two women freinds Ruth Tucker and Hannah Tucker to |
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see after the inquire conserning the young womans clearness from all others |
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against the next monthly meeting |
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|
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the . 4 . of the first . month i700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where John Lapkam [Lapham] and |
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Mary Russell ^came the secund time to receiue their answer enquiry being made |
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acording to the order of truth. and they being clear of al others haue the |
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consent of the meeting to proseed in marriage |
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|
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the i of the 2 month i700 |
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was our womens meeting D held in Dartmouth. colected by this meeting 0-15-0 |
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taken out of the stock for the use of freinds |
0-12-0 |
||
|
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the . 29 of the . 2 month 1700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the . 27 . of the . 3 month . 1700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the 24 of the 4 month . 1700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-12-0 |
||
|
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the . 22 . of the 5 month . 1700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Da[r]tmouth taken out of the stock at this meeting |
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for the use of freinds |
0-12-0 |
||
at this meeting Ruth Smith [n?]undertook the sweeping of the meeting hous for a year |
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|
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the 2i9 . of the . 6 . month . I700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the . 16 of the . 7 . month i700 . |
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was our womens held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-16-1 |
||
|
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the i4 of the . 8 . month i700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the• 11 of the • 9 • month • I700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth taken out of the stock at |
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this meeting for the use of freinds |
1-4-0 |
||
|
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the . 9 . of the . 10 month i700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-11-0 |
||
|
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the . 6 . of the . 11 . month . I700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. where Abraham booth and |
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abigaill howland laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting |
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the meeting chose two women freinds Mary Slocum and Ruth Tucker to |
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inquire after the young womans clearness, from all others against the next monthly meeting |
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taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-17-0 |
||
|
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the 3 . of the . 12 . month 1700 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where Abraham booth |
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and abigaill howland. came the second time to receiue their answer inquiry |
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being made acording to the order of truth and they being clear from all |
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others have the consent of the meeting to proseed in mariage |
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|
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the . 3 . of the i month . 17001[sic] |
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was our women meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-13-3 |
||
0-9-0 |
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|
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the . 31 of the . i month . 17001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth agreed of at this meeting that the |
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first days and weekly meetings shall begin at the eleuenth hour. and that the |
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meetings that were at Sephen Wilcoks [Stephen Wilcox] and James Trips [Tripps] |
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Shall be kept at the meeting hous |
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|
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the . 28. of the . 2 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting m held in Dartmouth agreed of at this meeting that the |
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fourth day meeting at James Trips [Tripps] shall remain there once in two months. |
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|
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the . 26 . of the . 3 . month 17001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-15-2 |
||
to at this meeting two women freinds were Chose to giue [give] an acount to the yearly |
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Meeting at Roadisland of any business that may consern the meeting |
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|
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the 25 of the . 4 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the 2i of the . 5 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. taken out of the stock / at this |
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meeting for the use of freinds |
0-8-9 |
||
at this meeting hannah brigs [Briggs] . undertook the sweeping. the meeting hous |
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for a year |
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|
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the i8 . of the . 6 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting — 0-16-8 |
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|
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the i5 of the . 7 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the i3 of the 8 month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth taken out of the stock at this |
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meeting for the use of freinds |
i-14-6 |
||
|
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the . 10 . of the . 9 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting -0-9-0 |
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at this meeting Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker were chose for the disburs= |
|||
ment of monys out of the stock for the use of freinds as they shall see ocation |
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|
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the . 8 . of the . 10 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the 5 . of the . 11 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the . 2 . of the . 12 . month i7001 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
-0-5- |
||
taken out of the stock for the use of freinds |
0-8-1 |
||
|
|||
the . 2 . of the . i . month i7002 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the 27 of the . 2 . month i7002 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at the meeting hous |
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colected by this meeting |
0-12-1 |
||
|
|||
the 25 . of the . 3 . month i7002 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women |
|||
freinds Ruth Tucker and Hannah Tucker were chose for the yearly meeting at |
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roadisland to giue acount of any business that may consern the meeting |
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|
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the 22 . of the . 4 . month i7002 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth . at this meeting Casander Mott and |
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abigail wood were chose to make inquiry conserning James Trips [Tripps] clearness |
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upon the acount of mariage. against the next monthly meeting |
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|
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the . 20 of the . 5 month i702 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-16-? |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-8-0 |
||
|
|||
the 17 of the 6 month i702 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Mary Smith |
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undertook the sweeping of the meeting hous for a year |
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|
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the i4 of the . 7 month 1702 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
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|
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the . i2 . of the . 8 . month 1702 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in ^Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-12-2 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0 i-4-0 |
||
|
|||
the . 9 of the 9 . month i702 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Ralph Chapman and |
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Deliverance Slocom [Slocum] laid their int intentions of mariage before the meeting the chose |
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two women freinds Ruth Tucker and Hannah Tucker to inquire conserning the young |
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womans Clearness from all others against the next monthly meeting |
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|
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the . 7 . of the . i0 . month i702 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting Ralph Chapman and |
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Deliverance Slocom [Slocum] Came the Second time to receiue their answer. inquiry being made |
|||
acording to the order of truth. and they being clear of all others have the consent |
|||
of the meeting to proseed in mariage |
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|
|||
the . 4 . of the . 11 . month i702 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. colected by this meeting |
0-9-8 |
||
|
|||
the i . of the i2 . month i702 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where Nathaniell Chase and Abigaill Share |
|||
man [Abigail Sherman] laid their intentions of mariage before the meeting. the meeting chose two women |
|||
freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] and hannah tucker to inquire after the young womans clearness |
|||
from all others against the next monthly meeting taken out of the stock at this meeting for the |
|||
use of freinds |
i-0-0 |
||
|
|||
the . i . of the i . month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. where Nathaniell Chase and Abigaill Share |
|||
man [Sherman] came the second time to receiue their answer inquiry being made acording to the |
|||
order of truth. and they being clear of all others haue the consent of the meeting to proseed |
|||
in marriage taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-10-0 |
||
|
|||
the . 29 . of the . i . month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-10-3 |
||
|
|||
the . 26 . of the . 2 . month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting of freinds held in Dartmouth it was ordered at this meeting |
|||
that the meetings the other side cocset riuer [river] shall be at William Woods the next first |
|||
day come week. after the monthly meeting. and one first day come week. after the |
|||
monthly meeting at James Trips [Tripps] till furder order |
|||
|
|||
the . 24 of the . 3 month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Mary |
|||
m Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker were chose to giue acount to the yearly meeting at road |
|||
island of any business that may consern this meeting. at this meeting. it was ordered that |
|||
the next men and womens monthly meetings of business. shall be at the meeting hous |
|||
|
|||
the . 2i . of the . 4 month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where Joseph Russell and Mary Tucker |
|||
laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting. the meeting chose two women freinds |
|||
Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker to see after the young womans clearness, from all others against the next |
|||
monthly meeting. colected by this meeting |
0i-i4-2 |
||
|
|||
the . 19 of the 5 . month 1703 |
|||
was our womens meeting of held in Dartmouth where Joseph Russell and Mary Tucker |
|||
the second time to receiue their answer. inquiry being made acording to the order of |
|||
truth and they being clear from all of others haue the consent of the meeting to proseed |
|||
in marriage |
|||
|
|||
the . 16 . of the . 6 . month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use |
|||
of freinds |
i-0-0 |
||
at this meeting Mary Smith undertook the sweeping of ^the meeting hous |
|||
|
|||
the i3 . of the . 7 month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-16-[?] |
||
|
|||
the . 11 . of the 8 month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth taken out of the stock for the use freinds |
0-8-[?] |
||
|
|||
the . 8 . of the . 9 . month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting william born [Bourne] and |
|||
hannah Sharman [Sherman] laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting. the Meet= |
|||
ing Chose two women freinds Ruhamah Smith and hannah Tucker to see after |
|||
the young womans clearness from all others. against. the next. monthly meeting |
|||
|
|||
the . 6 . of the . 10 month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where william born [Bourne] and hannah |
|||
Sharman [Sherman] came the second time to receiue their answer enquiry being made acording to |
|||
the order of truth, and they being clear from all others haue the consent of the |
|||
meeting to proseed in marriage. colected by this meeting |
0-9-8 |
||
it was ordered at this meeting. that the meetings the other side Cocset river shall be one |
|||
first day at William Woods. and one first day at James Trips [Tripps] and the fourth day of |
|||
the week at Stephen Wilcocks [Wilcox] till furder order |
|||
|
|||
the . 3 of the . 11 . month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the . 31 . of the . 11 . month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the 28 . of the i2 month i703 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-10-[?] |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
1-0-[?] |
||
|
|||
the . 27 . of the i month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where John Russell and Rebekah |
|||
Riketson [Rebecca Ricketson] laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting the meeting chose two |
|||
women freinds Ruth Tucker and Rachell Allin [Allen] to enquire after the young womans clear |
|||
ness f[r]om all others against the next monthly meeting. at this meeting Ruhamah Smith and |
|||
Hannah Sole [Soule, Sowle] were chose to enquire after Heniry [Henry] Tuckers clearness on the acount of |
|||
marriage against the next monthly meeting |
|||
|
|||
the 21 . of the . 2 . month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where John Russell and Rebecah |
|||
Riketson [Ricketson] came the second time to receiue their answer enquirie being made acording to the |
|||
orde of truth and they being clear of all others haue the consent of the meeting to proseed |
|||
in marriage = taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-18-[?] |
||
|
|||
the . 22 of the 3 month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth, at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker were chose to giue an acount to the yearly meeting at |
|||
Roadisland of any business that may consern the meeting colected by this meeting |
0-12-[?] |
||
|
|||
the . i9 . of the 4 month 1704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the . i7 . of the 5 month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Rose howland. were chose to take notise of any diferance |
|||
or disorderly walking of any of the woman freinds. that belong to this meeting. and |
|||
bring it to the monthly meeting if their be ocation for it at this meeting. eliashib Smith |
|||
and Dinah allin [Allen] and Benjamine allin [Allen] and Deborah Russell laid their intentions of marria[ge] |
|||
before this meeting. the meeting chose two women freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker to |
|||
enquire after the young womens clearness from all others against the next monthly meeting. |
|||
|
|||
the . 2i . of the . 6 . month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. where eliashib Smith and Dinah allin [Allen] |
|||
and Benjamine allin [Allen] and Deborah Russell came the second time to receive their answer |
|||
enquiry being made acording to the order of truth. and they being clear of all others |
|||
haue the consent of the meeting to proseed in marriage. at this meeting two women |
|||
freinds were cho Ruth Tucker and Ruth Smith. were chose for the yearly meeting at |
|||
Sallim [Salem ?] and Ruhamah Smith and Rose Howlland [Howland] for the quarterly meeting at roddisla[nd] |
|||
to give an acount of any business that may consern the meeting. at this meeting hezekiah Smi[th] |
|||
wife took the sweeping of the meeting hous for a year. colected by this meeting |
0-17-1 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
1-0-0 |
||
|
|||
the . 18 . of the . 7 . month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the 16. of the 8 month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the. 20. of the . 9 . month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting two women freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] |
|||
and Ruth Tucker were chose for the quarterly at Roadisland [Rhode Island] to give an acount of any |
|||
business that may consern the meeting. colected by this meeting |
0-i7-i0 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
1 - 1 - 8 |
||
|
|||
the. 18 of the . 10 . month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the 15 . of the . 11 . month i704 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where James Burrill and Mehetabell [Mehitable] Russell |
|||
laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting. the meeting Chose two women freinds |
|||
Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Hannah Tucker to enquire after the womans clearness from all others against |
|||
the next monthly meeting. at this meeting Ruth Tucker and Rose Howland were chose at next |
|||
business that may consern the meeting |
|||
|
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. where James Burrill and Mehetabell [Mehitable] Russell |
|||
Came the Second time to receive their answer enquirie being made acording to the order of truth |
|||
and they being clear of all others haue the consent of the meeting to proseed in marriage |
|||
at this meeting peter Eston [Easton] and Content Slocom [Slocum] laid their intentions of marriage before the |
|||
Meeting the meeting Chose two women freinds Rachel allin [Allen] and Hannah Sole [Soule, Sowle] to see after the |
|||
young womans clearness from all others against the next monthly meeting. at this meeting |
|||
Mary Slocom [Slocum] was ^chose for the quarterly meeting at Roadisland. and Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker |
|||
for the yearly meeting at Sandwich. taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of |
|||
freinds |
1-0-0 |
||
|
|||
the i9 of the i . month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where Peter Eston [Easton] and Content Slocom [Slocum] |
|||
Came the second time to receive their answer. enquiry being made acording to the order |
|||
of truth - and they being clear from all others haue the consent of the meeting to proseed |
|||
in marriage |
|||
|
|||
the i5 . of the . 2 month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the ^2i of the . 3 . month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Datmouth colected by this meeting — — 0-012-0 |
|||
at this meeting two women freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker were chose for the quarter= |
|||
=ly meeting at roadisland to giue an acount of any business that may consern the meeting. at |
|||
this meeting Ruhamah Smith and Ruth Tucker ^were chose for the ouersight of this meeting |
|||
|
|||
the i8 of the 4 month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. it was ordered at the yearly meeting at |
|||
roadisland . 1705 . that their shall be a meeting called on purpose for marriages |
|||
|
|||
The i6 of the 5 month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. At this meeting Ruhamah Smith and Rachell |
|||
allin [Allen] were chose to see after Jacobs Motts Clearness upon the acount of marriage. taken out |
|||
of the stock for the use of freinds at this meeting |
0-3-2 |
||
|
|||
the 20 of the . 6 . month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. where edward perry and eliphell [Eliphal] Smith |
|||
laid their intentions of mariage before the meeting. the meeting chose two women |
|||
freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Hannah Tucker to enquire after the young womans clear |
|||
=ness from all others against the next monthly meeting. at this meeting two women |
|||
freinds - Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Tucker were chose for the quarterly meeting at |
|||
roadisland. for any business that may consern the meeting. colected by this meeting - 0-16-8 |
|||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
i-0-0 |
||
|
|||
the 17 of the . 7 . month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. where edward perry and eliphell [Eliphal] Smith came |
|||
the second time to receive their answer. enquiry being made acording to the order of truth |
|||
and they being clear of all others haue the consent of the meeting to proseed in marriage |
|||
at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Smith and Rose Howland were chose for the |
|||
yearly meeting at Situate. |
|||
|
|||
the i5 of the 8 9 month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Rachell Allin [Allen] was |
|||
chose to be one to see after the disbursments of mony out of the stock with the women |
|||
that were chose before |
|||
|
|||
the i9 of the 9 [blot] month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting two women freinds Mary |
|||
Slocom [Slocum] and hannah Tucker were chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland at |
|||
this meeting two women freinds were ch Ruth Tucker and hannah Cadman were chose |
|||
to goe to Elizebeth Macumbor [Elizabeth Macumber] to enquire ^the reason of her absenting from the freinds meetings |
|||
the acounts of the monys record and the acount ballanced: colected by this meetingi 0-8-8 |
|||
|
|||
the i7. of the 10 month 1705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] |
|||
and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose to goe the second [?] time to elizebeth Macumbor [Elizabeth Macomber] to discours her about[?] |
|||
her absenting her self from the meetings of freind |
|||
|
|||
the 2i of the . 11 month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Tuck[er] |
|||
and Rachell allin were chose to goe to Deborah Gifford to discours her - about sum reports they |
|||
had heard of her |
|||
|
|||
the i8 of the i2 month i705 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
Ruth Tucker and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland for |
|||
any business that may consern the meeting – and Ruth Smith and Rose howland for |
|||
the yearly meeting at Sandwich colected by this meeting |
0-12-6 |
||
|
|||
the i8 of the i month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. taken out of the stock ^at this meeting for the use |
|||
of freinds |
i-0-0 |
||
|
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the 20 of the 3 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. colected by this meeting |
0-9-2 |
||
at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Smith and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose for the quarterly |
|||
meeting at roadisland and Ruth Tucker and hannah Tucker for the yearly meeting at roadisland |
|||
for any business that may consern the meeting at this meeting Mary Slocom [Slocum] and hannah Sole [Soule, Sowle] |
|||
were chose to uisit [visit] Catharine hudlstone [Huddleston] and to know the reason of her not coming to meeting |
|||
at this meeting Rachell allin [Allen] and hasadiah Russell were chose to goe to Mary brigs [Briggs] the |
|||
younger about her marrying without her mothers consent, and conterary to the order of freinds |
|||
at this meeting these following lines were read |
|||
these are to the monthly meeting of women freinds in Dartmouth |
|||
whereas I have commited a trespass against the lord and against the truth in commiting of |
|||
sin which I have been condemned for in my self and am sorry for it and desire the Lord to give |
|||
me true repentance and forgiveness for the same. and I doe desire freinds to pass by the samo |
|||
my transgression |
|||
given under my |
Sarah Sherman |
||
hand the 20 of |
|||
the 3 month i706 |
the younger |
||
|
|||
the i7 of the 4 month i706 . was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
was our mon |
|||
|
|||
the i5 of the 5 month 1706 . was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the i9 of the 6 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Mary Slocom [Slocum] was chose for |
|||
the yearly meeting at Salim colected by this meeting |
0-i3-3 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
i-5-6 |
||
from this meeting Judah Smith undertakes for a year the tending of the meeting hous |
|||
|
|||
the i5 of the 7 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting two women freinds, Ruth Smith |
|||
and eliphell Slocom [Slocum] were chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
|
|||
the 2i of the 8 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the 18 of the 9 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-i6-8 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-6-6 |
||
at this meeting Ruhamah Smith and Ruth Tucker were chose to see after the disorderly |
|||
walking of any that belong to this meeting |
|||
|
|||
the i6 of the 10 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Mary Slu |
|||
Slocom and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose for the quarterly meeting at Roadisland |
|||
|
|||
the 20 of the 11 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the i7 of the i2 month i706 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected at this meeting |
0-10-7 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-12-” |
||
at this meeting two women freinds mary Slocom and hannah Sole [Sowle] were chose to goe to Deborah |
|||
Gifford about her not coming to meeting. at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Tucker and |
|||
Rachell allin [Allen] were chose to take notice if any women or woman should come to this our womans |
|||
meeting that is not of us to enquire there business. and if they have none to desire their absence |
|||
at this meeting two women freinds hannah Tucker and elizebeth Russell were chose to goe to |
|||
Hezekiah Smiths wife about her not coming to meeting |
|||
|
|||
the i7 of the 1 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting a woman freind Hannah |
|||
Tucker was chose for the yearly meeting at Sandwitch and two women freinds Mary Slocom |
|||
and Ruth Tucker for the quarterly meeting at roadisland at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
Rahamah Smith and Ruth Tucker were chose to see after the disorderly walking of any that |
|||
belong to this meeting |
|||
|
|||
the 2i of the 2 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Rachell allin [Allen] |
|||
and Hasadiah Russell were chose to goe to Deborah Gifford about her not coming to meeting |
|||
|
|||
the i9 of the 3 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Mary |
|||
Slocom and Hannah Tucker were chose for the quarterly ^yearly meeting at roadisland |
|||
colected by this meeting |
0-i0-0 |
||
|
|||
the 23 of the 4 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Ruth Smith was chose for |
|||
the quarterly meeting at roadisland taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of |
|||
freinds |
i-0-0 |
||
|
|||
the 2i of the 5 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Mary Slocom |
|||
and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose to goe to Meribah Slocom about her proseedings conserning |
|||
marriage contrary to her parents minds and the order of freinds |
|||
|
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where Isaak barker and elizebeth Slocom |
|||
[Elizabeth Slocum] laid their intentions of marriage before this meeting the meeting chose two women freinds ^Ruth Tucker |
|||
and Rachell allin to see after the young womans clearness from all others against the next |
|||
monthly meeting. colected by this meeting |
0-14-4 |
||
taken out for the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-13-0 |
||
|
|||
the i5 of the 7 month 1707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the 20 of the 8 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where Isaak barker and elizebeth Slocom |
|||
came the second time to receiue there answer enquiry being made acording to the order of truth |
|||
and they being clear haue the consent of the meeting to proseed in mariage |
|||
|
|||
the i7 of the 9 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected by this meeting |
0-6-1 |
||
|
|||
the i5 of the i0 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
Ruth Smith and Hannah Tucker were chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
|
|||
the i9 of the 11 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Tucker |
|||
and Hannah Tucker were chose to goe to Hannah Jenny [Jenney] to labour with her about |
|||
her praying publickly in meetings |
|||
|
|||
the i6 of the 12 month i707 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. colected by this meeting |
0-15-1 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-15-6 |
||
at this meeting the two women freinds returned hannah Jennys [Jenneys] answer conserning her praying publickly in meetings. which was that she should doe so no more. except the lord |
|||
required it of her. at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Tucker and Rachell Allin [Allen] |
|||
were chose to viset freinds at Sepecan |
|||
|
|||
the i5 of the i month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
Ruth Smith and hannah Tucker chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Tucker and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose overseers |
|||
for this meeting. at this meeting two women freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Hannah Tucker |
|||
were chose visitors to goe with them to visit freinds famillys |
|||
|
|||
the i9 of th . 2 . month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at and wheras formerly there has been |
|||
that were chose of publick freinds for visitors upon consideration find an ill conveniency |
|||
in it. have from this meeting apointed Ruth Tucker and hannah Tucker and Rachell |
|||
allin [Allen] and it is ordered that they shall be in the performance of this service. it is |
|||
likewise suspected that after a genarall viset. of both men and women that these |
|||
women give an acount to the womens meeting. ensuing before the quarterly meeting |
|||
how they find things. |
|||
|
|||
the i7 of the 3 month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
hannah Tucker and Ruth Tucker were chose for the, yearly quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
colected by this meeting |
0-17-0 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-5-0 |
||
|
|||
the 2i of the 4 month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting two women freinds |
|||
hannah Tucker and abigaill allin [Abigail Allen] were chose for the quartely meeting at |
|||
roadisland |
|||
|
|||
the i9 of the 5 month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth |
|||
|
|||
the i6 of the 6 month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Samuell howland |
|||
and Mary Meriho [Merrihew] and Georg thomas and Martha Tucker and william Rickison [Ricketson] |
|||
and Meriba Slocom [Meribah Slocum] laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting the meeting |
|||
chose two women freinds to se[e] after the womens clearness from all others against |
|||
the next monthly meeting Colected by this meeting |
0-i6-2 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
i-0-0 |
||
|
|||
the 20 . of the 7 month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth where Samuell Howland and georg |
|||
Thomas Mary Meriho [Merrihew] and georg [George] Thomas and Martha Tuker [Tucker] and William Rickison [Ricketson] |
|||
and Meriba Slocom [Meribah Slocum] came the second time to receive there answer enquiry being made |
|||
acording to the order of truth and they being clear of all others have the consent of |
|||
the meeting to proseed in marriage at this meeting six women freinds were chose to |
|||
see the marriages performed acording to the order of freinds at this meeting two women |
|||
freinds Ruth Tucker and Ruth Smith were chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
|
|||
this meeting was a journd from the i8 of the 8 of month to the i day of the 9 month |
|||
1708. at this meeting it, was ordered that there should be a pap?? preparitive meeting |
|||
the fourth day of the week before the monthly meeting |
|||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-12-8 |
||
|
|||
the i5 . of the . 9 month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth colected at this meeting |
0-8-9 |
||
at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Tucker and Mary lapham were chose to goe to |
|||
abigaill Howland to know the reason of her not coming to lay her intention of marriage |
|||
before the meeting |
|||
|
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting the two women freinds make |
|||
return of abigaill howlands answer which was that the fault was not hers that she |
|||
had not come [blot] at this meeting two women freinds Ruth Tucker and Rose howland were |
|||
chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
no womens meeting of business in the . 11 . month i708 by reason of the violentness of the wether |
|||
|
|||
the 2i . of the . i2 . month i708 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. colected by this meeting |
0-i7-1 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-10-0 |
||
|
|||
the . 2i . of the i . month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Darmouth at this meeting Charls dyer [Charles Dyer] and Mary |
|||
lapham laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting the meeting chose two |
|||
women freinds Hannah Tucker and Rose Howland to enquire after the young womans |
|||
clearness from all others against the next monthly meeting at this meeting two women |
|||
freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Ruth Smith were chose for the quarterly meeting at |
|||
roadisland |
|||
the i8 of the . 2 . month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. Charls [Charles] dyer and Mary lapham |
|||
coming for their answer is referd till the next monthly meeting: this meeting chose two |
|||
women freinds elizebeth [Elizabeth] Russell and Mary lapham to goe to Hannah Jenny [Jenney] to desire |
|||
her to forbear speaking or praying or singing publickly in meetings |
|||
|
|||
the i5 of the 3 month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. colected by this month |
0-i5-8 |
||
|
|||
the 20 . of the . 4 . month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting three women freinds Ruth Tucker |
|||
and Hannah Tucker and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose for the viseting freinds familys. at |
|||
his meeting two women freinds. Hannah Tucker and Rose Howland were chose for |
|||
the quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
|
|||
the i8 of the 5 . month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting the two women freinds |
|||
make return from the quarterly meeting at roadisland. no business for this meeting |
|||
|
|||
the i5 . of the . 6 . month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting Charls dyer and Mary |
|||
lapham. came the second time to receive their answer. enquiry being made acording to |
|||
the order of truth. and they being clear of all others have the consent of the meeting to proseed |
|||
in mariage. the meeting chose two women freinds to see this marriage performed acording |
|||
to the order of freinds: colected by this meeting |
0-i3-6 |
||
|
|||
the i9 - of the 7 month i709 . |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting two women freinds Ruth |
|||
Smith and Rachell allin [Allen] were chose for the quarterly meeting at roadisland |
|||
|
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting James Russell and |
|||
Rebeckah Howland laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting the meeting chuse |
|||
two women freinds to enquire after the young womans clearness from all others against |
|||
the next monthly meeting. at this meeting the two women freinds make return from |
|||
the quaterly meeting. no business for this meeting. only to desire that these quiries may |
|||
be observed. quiery for the monthly meeting to query of the representives of weekly |
|||
Meeting. how doe freinds keep their chilldren to the plain language of truth doe freinds |
|||
attend weekly meetings with their children and servants. |
|||
|
|||
the . 2i . of the 9 . month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting James Russell and |
|||
Rebeckah Howland came the second time to receive their answer. enquiry being |
|||
made acording to the order of truth. and they being clear of all others have the |
|||
consent of the meeting to proseed in marriage - colected by this meeting |
0-i2-10 |
||
taken out of the stock at this meeting for the use of freinds |
0-i2-10 |
||
|
|||
theof the . 10 month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting John Green and |
|||
Mary allin [Allen] laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting. the meeting chose |
|||
two women freinds Mary Slocam [Slocum] and Hannah Tucker to enquire after the young |
|||
womans clearness, from all others against the next monthly meeting. at this meeting two women |
|||
freinds Mary Slocom [Slocum] and Hannah Tucker. were chose for the quarterly meeting at |
|||
roadisland |
|||
|
|||
the i6 of the 11 month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting John Green and |
|||
Mary allin [Allen] came the second time to receiue their answer. enquiry being made |
|||
acording to the order, of truth and they being clear of all others. have the consent |
|||
of the meeting to proseed in mariage. at this meeting Jabes barker [Jabez Barker] and Rebeckah |
|||
Russell laid their intentions of marriage before the meeting. the meeting chose two |
|||
women freinds rose howland and hannah Sole [Soule, Sowle] to see after the young womans |
|||
clearness against the next monthly meeting. taken out of the Stock at this meeting for the use |
|||
of friend |
i-0-0 |
||
|
|||
the 29 of the i2 month i709 |
|||
was our womens meeting of held in Dartmouth. colected by this meeting |
0-18-3 |
||
|
|||
the 27 of the i month i7010 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth. at this meeting Jabes barker [Jabez Barker] |
|||
and Rebekah Russell came the second time to receive their answer. enquiry be- |
|||
ing made acording to the order of truth and they being clear of all others haue [have] |
|||
the consent of the meeting to proseed in mariage. two women freinds Hannah Tucker |
|||
and hannah Sole [Soule, Sowle] were chose to see the marage orderly consumated at this |
|||
meeting Joseph Chase and Abigaill Tucker laid their intentions of mariage before |
|||
the meeting. this meeting chose two women freinds18 Mary; Slocum & Ruth; Tucker |
|||
to see into ye young womans clearness. our visiters brings in their account to this meeting; this |
|||
meeting chose Ruth; Tucker to draw up an Epistle to Send to ye Quarterly meeting two |
|||
women friends Rachel; Allen & Ruth; Tucker & Mary; Lapham are chose to speake wth |
|||
Abigaill; Howland: concerning her going to marry out of ye good order of friends; R. T. |
|||
is chose to be helpfull to write for ye Meeting |
|||
|
|||
The 17th day of ye 2th mth in ye year 1710; ~ |
|||
was our womens meeting held in dartmouth: inquiry being made whether Jabez: Barker & |
|||
Rebekah; [Rebecca] Russell had solemnized their marriage in ye good order of Truth; ye Answer was yes; that matter concerning Joseph; Chase & Abigail; Tucker comming for their Answer is refered to next monthly meeting; ye women frds [friends] yt were chose to attend ye Quarterly Meeting but one of ym [them] went by reason of sicknesse; no businesse from ye Quarterly meeting to this meeting; ye ~women yt were chose to speake wth Abigaill; Howland conserning her going to marry out of good order of frds did speake wth her & she gives no satisfaction; ~ ~ ~ |
|||
|
|||
The 15th of 3d mo in ye year 1710 ~ ~ |
|||
Was our womens meeting held at dartmouth; collected by this meeting 9s-8d ~ ~ ~ |
|||
Joseph: Chase & Abigaill Tucker coming for their Answer is refered to ye next: monthly~ |
|||
meeting; three women frds were chose with ye men to End ye business concerning Abigail; |
|||
Howlands marrying out of ye order of frds & they agree yt a paper of Condemnation ~ ~ |
|||
Shall goe against her; |
|||
|
|||
The 19th of ye 4th mo in ye year 1710 ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ |
|||
Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth where Joseph: Chase & Abigaill Tucker |
|||
came for their Answer concerning their taking Each other in marriage; inquirey being |
|||
made & we find nothing to ye contrary but yt ye may proceed in marriage According to ye |
|||
good order of Truth established amongst frds the women frds mary: Slocum & Ruth; Tu[cker] are Chosen to see ye marriage orderly consumated; ye two women frds yt were Chose to |
|||
Attend ye Quarterly Meeting gives an accompt yt ye desire of ye Quarterly meeting |
|||
is yt our collection may be Every mo; it is agreed at this meeting. ye monthly collect[ion] |
|||
shall begin at our next Quarterly meeting it is ye order of ye yearly meeting at |
|||
Rhoad Island yt all intentions of marriages Shall be brought first to ye prepar[ative] |
|||
meeting before ye monthly meeting; this meeting chose two women frds mary; Sloc[um] |
|||
and Hannah Tucker to attend ye Quarterly meeting; at this meeting our frd |
|||
Ruth; smith being about to travail unto pensilvania to visit her Children & friends |
|||
there; desires a Sertificate from this meeting upon yt account which was granted her ~ ~ |
|||
|
|||
The 17th of ye 5th mo 1710 |
|||
Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth at this meeting we received an Epistle ~ |
|||
from ye Quarterly meeting of women frds held in Newport on Rhoad Island ye 14th of |
|||
5th month in ye year 1710 which was kindly Excepted []: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
|||
|
|||
The 22th of ye 6th month in ye year 1710: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
|||
Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 3s[?]:11d:16s taken |
|||
out of ye stock ye use of frds; accompt being given into this meeting concerni= |
|||
=ng Joseph; Chase & Abigail; Tuckers Marriage yt it was orderly consumated; ~ ~ ~ |
|||
|
|||
The 18th of ye 7th month in ye year 1710; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 6s ~ ~ ~ |
|||
this meeting made choyce of Elizabeth; Summers & sarah; Davis for visiters to ~ ~ ~ |
|||
visit frds families at Rochester; this meeting chose two women frds to attend ye |
|||
Quarterly meeting: Ruth; Tucker & Rachel; Allen; this meeting is ajourned untill |
|||
ye 4th day before ye Quarterly Meeting: no account brought into this meeting by ye |
|||
Visiters by reason of sicknesse; this meeting Chose Mary; Lapham to draw up an |
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Epistle to send to ye Quarterly Meeting; ~ ~ |
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The 16th of ye 8th mo 1710 ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth collected by this meeting 5s no ~ ~ ~ |
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Account of any businesse from ye Quarterly meeting to this meeting: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 20th of ye 9th month 1710; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth collected by this meeting; 7s:11d ~ ~ ~ |
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The 18th of ye 10th month . 1710 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth collected by this meeting 12s:4d this ~ |
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meeting chose two women frds. Hannah; Tucker; & Mary; Layton [Lawton?] to attend ye |
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Quarterly meeting; this meeting Chose hannah . Tucker & Ruth Tucker to draw up |
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an Epistle to send to ye Quarterly meeting: ~The 15th day of ye 11th month 1710; ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting: 3s=8d; taken |
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out of ye stock 21s; ye women frds yt were chose to attend ye Quarterly meeting went |
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And they bring no account of any businesse to this meeting; ⁄ The 19th of ye 12th mo 1710 |
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Was our womens meeting held at Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 4s;10d ~ ~ |
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The 26th of ye first month 1710: ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting; 9s ~ |
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taken out of ye stock for ye use of frds at this meeting 11s: at this meeting ~ |
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ye visiters brings in their account of visiting frds families this meeting chose two ~ |
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women frds Rachell; Allen & Ruth; Tucker to attend ye Quarterly meeting |
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this meeting chose Ruth: Tucker & Hannah: Tucker to draw up an Epistle |
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to send ye Quarterly meeting; ~ |
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The 16th of ye 2th mo 1711 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth collected by this meeting, 9s=2d at this ~ |
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ye two women frds makes their return from ye Quarterly meeting of no businesse to this |
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meeting; this meeting chose Ruth: Tucker & Rachel Allen to speake wth Deborah; smith |
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about her going to marry out of ye order of frds this meeting chose three women frds Hann[ah] cker Ruth Tucker & Judeth Howland to speak wth Abigail; allen about ye abusing |
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of her servant: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 21th of ye 3d mo 1711 . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth; collected by this meeting 7s:6d ~ye three women |
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frds yt were chose to speake wth Abigaill; Allen; & David: Akin her accuser face to face he not |
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to be had at yt time; they speaking wth her conserning the cruel whipping her negro servan[t] She signifying her consenting to it or rather incouraging of it; this meeting Chose three women frds Hannah: Tucker; Rachell; Allen & Ruth Tucker wth three men frds to draw up her condemnation this meeting by ajournment ye 30th day of ye 3d mo; Draws up ye ~ |
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aboue sd Abigaill Allens condemnation & orders it to be read before ye next monthly ^meeting |
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ye two women friends yt were chose to speake wth Deborah: smith concerning her going |
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to marry out of ye good order of frds brings in this account from her yt her frds has not been |
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so carefull in advising her in time to ye contrary; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 18th of ye 4th mo yeare 1711 - |
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Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting 2s:10d ~ ~ |
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Hannah; Tucker & Mary; Layton [Lawton?] are chose are for to attend ye Quarterly meeting. held at Newport on Rhoad Island ye 14th day of ye 7th mo; Hannah; Tucker & Ruth; Tucke[r] are chose to draw up an Epistle to send to ye Quarterly meeting Mary; slocum & Rachel; Allen & Hasadiah; Russell are chose to look over ye monthly meeting book & |
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Collection ^& ballan[ce] the accompts ~ ~ |
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The 16th of ye 5th mo 1711 |
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Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting 8s:8d taken out |
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Of ye stock at this meeting for ye use of frds 1£ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 20th of ye 6th mo 1711 ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this Meeting 10s ~ taken ~ |
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out of ye stock at this meeting for ye use of frds 9s=9d at this meeting ye women |
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yt were appointed to Look over ye accompts; brings into this meeting ye accompts are |
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ballanced & there is in ye stock 3£=12s=4d it was agreed upon at this meeting yt ~ |
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there should be an accompt taken of ye Collection & disburstments of money once |
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yearly frds yt were chose by ye Last preparitive meeting to goe to Susanna; Allen to |
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know whether ye report is true of her being wth child ye frds appointed makes |
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brings into this meeting they have been wth her & she nows yt she is wth child |
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And takes all ye blame & shame to her self clears her parents; This meeting finding |
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an necessity to draw up a condemnation against her for it wch being read & signed here - |
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is ordered to be read Publickly on a first day of ye weeke at this meeting house by ~ |
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William; Soule [Sowle] and make Returne to next monthly meeting ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 17th day of ye 7th mo 1711 ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting ?5s at this ~ |
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Meeting Ruth; Tucker was chose to keep ye Collection of ye monthly meeting ~ |
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taken out of ye stock at this meeting for ye use of friends 1£:12s: This meeting is |
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ajournd till ye 5th day of ye 8th mo 1711 at this meeting our visiters brings in accompt |
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they have visited frds families & for ye most part were Kindly Excepted; & where |
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any thing was amiss & spoken to there seems to be a Spiritt of Condecention ~ |
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Signifying yt they would indeavour it should be soe no more: Ruth; Smith ~ |
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& Mary; Layton were chose to attend ye Quarterly meeting; Hannah; Tucker |
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And Ruth; Tucker were chose to draw up an Epistle to send to ye Quarterly |
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Meeting: |
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The 15th of ye 8th mo 1711 ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 5s; taken out |
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of ye stock for ye use of frds 5s: Rachel; Allen & Ruth; Tucker is chose to speake |
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wth Sarah; Gifford to know how She stands in her testimonie concerning her ~ |
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Childrens marrying out of ye order of frds; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 19th day of ye 9th mo 1711 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 5s ~ |
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The 17th day of 10th mo 1711; ~ ~ ~ |
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was our womens Meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 3s=7d |
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Taken out of ye stock for ye use of frds 1[?]: our visiters signifies yt they have not |
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visited frds families this Quarter; Hannah; Tucker & Ruth Tucker are ~ |
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Chose to attend ye Quarterly meeting. Ruth; Tucker was chose to draw up an |
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Epistle to send to ye Quarterly meeting: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 21th day of ye 11th mo 1711 ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting 5s.6d |
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Ye women frds yt were chose to attend ye Quarterly meeting did not goe nor send |
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by reason of ye hardnesse of ye weather |
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The 18th of ye 12th mo 1711 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 9s:5d |
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|
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The 17th day of ye 1th mo 1712 ~ |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 6s |
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at this meeting our visiters gives accompt yt things in ye generall are pretty well this Meeting makes choyce of Hannah; Tuckor [Tucker] & Mary; Layton to attend ye Quarterly meeting |
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At this meeting it was agread upon yt ye Paper of ye condemnation should goe forth against |
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Deborah Smith for marrying out of ye order of frds not withstanding frds care & advice |
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has been to ye contrary; her condemnation is signed & ordered to be read on ye first day |
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of ye week; |
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The 21th of ye 2th moth 1712 ~ was our womens meeting |
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held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting 8s=7d ye women yt were chose to attend |
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ye the Quarterly meeting but one of ym [them] went She brings no accompt of any businesse |
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for this meeting; |
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The 19th of ye 3d mo th 1712 ~ ~ ~ |
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was our womens meeting held in dartmouth collected by this 7s: 6d ~ ~ |
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The 23d day of ye 4th mo 1712 ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth collected by this meeting 12s .10d |
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Taken out of ye stock. for keeping ye meeting house 2£ taken out of ye stock |
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for ye use of frds 1£ 2s 6d this meeting chose two women frds mary; slocum |
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And Rachel: Allen to attend ye Quarterly meeting: |
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The 21st day of ye 5th |
|||
month 1712, was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth collected by this ~ |
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meeting 2s ~ ye women yt were chose to attend ye Quarterly meeting did not goe by |
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reason of sickness; 5s disbursted for ye use of frds; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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|
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The 18th day of ye 6th mo 1712 |
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was our Womens meeting held in Dartmouth collected by this meeting 8s |
|||
Our aged friend sarah; Allen desires a Sertificate having some intention to Leave |
|||
this meeting Hannah: Tucker. & Ruth; Tucker are Appointed to draw up |
|||
a Sertificate against ye next monthly meeting ~ The 15th day of ye 7th mo 1712 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting 8s ~ |
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disbursted for ye use of frds 14s; our visiters brings in an accompt to this meeting |
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That they have visited frds families & in ye generall things pretty well ~ ~ |
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Some things not well we have taken care further conserning it: Rachell Allen |
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And Ruth; Tucker are chose to attend ye Quarterlie meeting: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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The 20th of ye 8th mo 1712 ~ |
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Was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth collected by this meeting 3s:3d |
|||
at this meeting mary: Dyre [Dyer] desires a Sertificate She intends to goe with her |
|||
Husband to Providence to settle: frds has taken care yt it may be done |
|||
against next monthly meeting. |
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The 17th day of ye 9th mo 1712 |
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was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 5s:10[?]d |
|||
disbursted for ye use of frds 18s: Mary: Dyres [Dyers] sertificate is not drawn for |
|||
Some consideration at this meeting frds finding nothing to hinder has |
|||
Chose two frds Hannah;Tucker & Ruth;Tucker to draw a Sertificate ~ |
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Against next monthly meeting ~ The 15th day of ye 10th moth 1712 |
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Was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting 9s 4d |
|||
Our visiters Signifies they have not visited frds families this Quarter: two |
|||
frds are chose to attend ye Quarterly meeting Hannah: Tucker & Rachel: Allen |
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Ruth Smith is chose to be helpfull to make up ye accompts wth Ruth; Tuck[er] |
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Accompts ballanced; & there is in ye stock two pound two shillings & six pe[nce] |
|||
Ruth; Tucker is chose to draw up an epistle to send to ye Quarterly meeting |
|||
|
|||
The 19th day of ye 11th mo 1712 ~ ~ ~ |
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was our womens meeting held in dartmouth Collected by this meeting 7s:3[d] |
|||
the women yt were chose to attend ye Quarterlie meeting did not goe by |
|||
Reason of some Hinderances yt could not be avoided we have no |
|||
Accompt from ye Quarterly meeting to this meeting; 7s:3d disbursted for ye use of frds |
|||
|
|||
The 16th day of ye 12th 1712 |
|||
was our womens meeting held in Dartmouth Collected by this meeting 3s:10d |
|||
|
|||
The 16 of th i mo 1713 |
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Was our monthly meeting of women frinds held in dartmouth |
|||
Collected by this meeting 7s five pence 43 disbusted for the |
|||
youce of frinds mary Slocom [Slocum] hannah tucker are chose to atend |
|||
thay quarterly meeting this meeting is agurned tel thay 3 day of |
|||
the 2 mo: our visitars gives acount to this meeting that thay |
|||
haue visited frinds families and for the most part find things |
|||
prety wall; hannah tucker and Ruth tucker are chos to draw |
|||
up an acount to send to the quartarly meeting ^Abigail Allins [Allen] condemnation whare as i haue |
|||
ben consenting to the beting of my negro saruent beyound what |
|||
I now think was convenent being ty ed by his hands and stript |
|||
for which i have ben consarned in my self and in much trobel |
|||
for it and do on i was of my wach at that time and so hard |
|||
ness of hart got in which if i had kept to the Spirit of truth |
|||
had not consented as above sade: for the clering of truth and |
|||
the testimony thare of i give thes lines de[s]ireing that the |
|||
lord might pas it by and that i migh come into younity |
|||
with the Lords peepel again. abygel allen [Abigail Allen] |
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