The Wilmingtonian., 1824-01-08
ADVICE OF
OHIO YEARLY MEETING,

SINE, inclusive, 1898: recommended 10 thel,
particular attention of Meetings, and friends NH
their individual capacities.
On review of the state OF Society, and con /
sderation Of the weaknesses which prevail among
MS. and the dangers by which We are surround. /
ed. our minds have been introduced into an ear
nest desire, that, by IN increasing attention toll
the Light of Christ, revealed in the heart, state
ofpreservation may be experienced by our mem
bers. both in PRINCIPLE and practice.
Seeing that we have to contend with an unwea-
ried enemy, who can lay waste by false pri Gil
pies, as well as by wrong practices. we are enga,
ged to adopt the injunctions Of our blessed Lord
10 his immediate followers. "What say untol
,ou, i say unto ALL Watch" "Watch and pray.
lest We enter into temptation" In this state OIL
wstchfulness and prayer, we shall be humbied,l
,nder sense of the limited powers OF the human|
mind, and its total incapacty TO comprehend the|
great truths of redemption by Jesus Christ III
is by an improper dependence on the human nn,
dersanding, that many have been led out into|
wide fields of speculation, to the darkening OIL
their own minds and the ensnaring OF m~,y
(more simple butt honest inquirers. 1t remains
TO be an interchangeable truth, that "the natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit OF God
for they are foolishness unto him, neither indeed
can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned"
Let us therefore labour, so to keep under the|
humbling power and direction of the divine
p,inciple-that We may "maintan the faith oncel
delivered to the Saints" speaking the same Ian.
guage and mnding the same thing"
believing, as we do, that all scripture was CIV
en- by the inspiration of God"-" that they were
written for our instruction." and "are able to-
make wise unto salvation through Faith which
is in Christ" we desire that none of our mem
bers may lightly esteem the MANNER in which Al
mighty God has been pleased to reveal divine
things. Though we believe that they are not to
be understood, but by the illumination of thar
Shirt by which they were at first given forth,
vet we also believe that the teachings OF this Spl-
rit will never so convert them into alegories as
10 destroy the plain and obvious truths to which
they bear testimony. To these invaluable wri.
tipcs. and to that Spirit by which, both the mat.
Ter and manner of them were dictated, we recon.
mend all our members. The daily reading OF
them in families, is practice long recommended
BY the Society, and to which We desire to call in
creasng attention.
Were families in collective capacity, at suta
Bile times to read portion of the Holy Scriptures
with minds attentive to the inspeaking Word o.
Wisdom-we believe they would be found, as th'
Apostle ascribes hem to be "proftable"-." fo
instruction in Righteousness" And this practices
would open the way to more frequent opportu
mites ofretirement in spirit.
How much more profitable would be the tint
thus employed, than that spent in the vain conyer
sation so easily excited. or in reading the roman
tic and corrlptng publications with which thi
age abounds Against such publications, in a
especial manner, We wish to caution our youni
friends. They not only indispose the mind I
sober and serious reflection, and to those exerc
ses which are essential to our advancement an
preservation, but even the feelings Of sympath
and commiseratiun are disqualified for exertio
on the common occurrences OF human lite.
With solcitude for every class and descriptio
in society, we desire that this practice of retir,
mcnt in familie may more and more prevail
would prove means OF preservation, and sourt
Of consolation. They would introduce into
deep feeling for one another-and bind togeth
the different branches of the family, in the BON
of GOSPEL Love. In this Love, parents would a
ouire command and authority over their o
spring, powerfully tending to bring them nnd
the Cross OF Christ; and children would
brought in the howngs of this Love, to "ob
their parents in the Lord"
Were We thus exercised in our own hear
and in our families, we should be strengthened
the performance OF every social and religious Z
~ We should be willing to acknowledge 0
gratitude to Almighty God and our dependen
upon Him, by publicly assembling to wait up
Him. we should neither be willing to withhc
the little sacrifice of time, by fursaking the
semhling OF ourselves together nor yet come
pether in formal or careless manner But VIII
assembled we should endeavour to abstract G
minds from every thing Of perishab|e Dat,l
and centre them on Him, who is the object
all adoration--the Judge Of quick and dead
Thus, and thus alone, the important tcsimon
committed to us can be exalted, and our "liI
SO shine before men, that they may see our &c
works, and glorify our Father who is in II
ven.
Besides the rules OF moral rectitude, which
acknowledge in common with other religions
nominations, there are important testimon
which we believe have peculiarly devoved nI
us, to hold up to the world, and which have
yet obtained the practical assent of mankind
Such are our testimonies against Slavery, Spi
uous Liquors, and War. Through the faith
ness many, both Of the present day, and OF th
who have gone before us-we believe that i
has been diffused among the nations around
in relation to these subjects-subjects in VIII
the present and eternal happiness of mankir'
deeply involved We desire that these test
nes may not only be supported, and their d
ty and excellence maintained, but that they
be advanced to that contamination, which we
lieve is designed by the Head of the Church
In relation to Sprituous Liquors, often
subec. of exercise to the body, and on which
sense Of this Yearly Meeting has been Gle
expressed, we desire that monthly meetings
overseers, may be stirred up, to support the
cipine and maintain the authority OF Truth.
The practice Of Slavery and war are depent
upon one common principle-the principle Of
lence and injustice, which is ever at vari
with the precept of Jesus Christ, " whatso
20 ~,ould that men should do unto YOU, do