The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-09-30
THE EPISTLE

From the YEARLY MEETING held in LONDON
by APPOINTMENTS, from the Goth of the Fifth
Month, to the goth Of the same, inclusive,
1929;
To the Quarterly and Monthly Meetings of
Friends, in Great Britain, ireland, and else
1ohere.
DEAR FRIENDS,
We are reverently thankful that we have
been permitted to meet together on the pres
ent occasion, and to know the love of God shed
abroad In our hearts, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. We have been favored to proceed with
the usual yet important business of this meet
ing in brotherly harmony, and have felt that
our spiritual strength has been renewed by
thus uniting in religious travail for the best
welfare of our Society.
Amidst the ordinary engagements of this
meeting, we have received accounts of the suf-
ferngs of our members, in support of our
Christian testimony against tithes and other
ecclesiastical demands; as we'll as in conse-
qence OF few claims for military purposes
the amount thus reported is upwards of thir-
teen thousand eight hundred pounds.
In proceeding to unfold the Christian solicit
tude which had prevailed in this meeting, VIC
would express an earnest desire that the conf
dence of all our dear brethren and sisters NAV
be humbly, yet firmly, fixed upon God. He
changeth not his compositions g are new every
morning ;"(a) his promises are sure and 81 his
kingdom ruleth over aE."(D His word is
settled in heaven re and his " faithfuness is
unto all generations" His name is strong
tower; the righteous ruEneth into it, and
is safe(G
1t pleased the Father, in his abundant mercy
and love to the human race, in their fallen and
lost state, to give his only begotten Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, that whatsoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
!iie."(e) Oh then, that not one amongst us
may, by neglecting or undertaking this bles-
sed means, come short of that rest which is
prepared for the people of God. May we all,
in true and living faith, accept the Saviour of
men, as our redeemer, and deliverer from the
thraldom of sin. In Him dwelleth all the
fulness of the Godhead bodily.''(f He is that
eternal Word which in the beginning was with
God, and was God; and who was made flesh
and dwelt among men.(g) He offered himself
sacrifice for our transgressons, -" the just for
the unjust ;"N) "we have redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness of sins ri He,
our ever living intercesso. and "advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,"( y ais
passed into the heavens, (k) and sat down on
the right hand OF the Majesty ON High."(D
These sacred and essential truths of the
| Christian religion, were The faith of our early
predecessors, and have been uniformly upheld
by our Society, from their day TO the present
period. II is cause circumstances TO us, that
we can entertain the full persuasion that these
truths are dear TO Friends in this land, in Ire.
land, and on the American continent; although
we have to mourn over many, on the other side
OF the Atlantic. once in fellowship with u.s. who
have widely departed from the true faith of the
Gospel. The Epistolary intercourse with our
dear brethren, in those countries, has been
maintained at this time, to our instruction and
comfort
In contemplating those highly important
truths, TO which we have already adverted, we
( are renewedly convinced Of the great need
there is for deep and constant sense of the in
finite power and wisdom of God. and of the
very limited faculties of the human mind. We
| ought to mediate on these things in humility
and sincerity of heart and rcverently and fer
vently to desire that our understandings may
be Illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Then will
our faith in their vital Importance become
more firmly established, and our hearts glow
more and more with gratitude to God, for the
inestimable blessings provided for us, in the
Gospel Of life and salvation.
We are thankful that, as Christian people,
we are, through Divine mercy, one in faith
but how highly incumbent is it that we should
be individually concerned, not only to accept
in simplicity the doctrinal truths Of the Holy
Scripture, but earnestly to strive that we may
be coming up in the practice of every Chris.
tan virtue Look then unto Christ, dear
Friends, we beseech you; that you may come
to know him to "dwell in your hearts by
faith, "(m) and to rule thereby the power of his
blessed and eternal Spirit. Be awakened to
the necessity OF working /" out your own saliva
ton with fear and trcmbling."(n) Lot the
knowledge Of your proneness, by nature, to