The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-10-06
THE EPIsTLE,
From The Yearly Meeting, held an London,
an The Fifth month, 1880, TO the Quarterly
and Monthly Meetings. Of Friends in Great
I-.In.,I .n.,I nIoo,rh.,r.o


Gospel, and have to acknowledge that we have felt
taprvilege again to meet in this our annual assem-
bly,, and to be united in religious exercise Tor the
welfare Of our Society, and the prosperity OF the
kingdom of our blessed Lord and Savior. Broth
erly harmony and love have prevailed in the most
important deliberations with which we have been
occupied; our coming together has tended to the
confirmation of faith; and humble gratitude
has been raised to our Heavenly Father for his
-numberess and unremitted nercies.
Our dear brethren in Ireland and on the Ameri-
can Continent, have been afresh brought to our
remembrance, by eps;les from all their Yearly
Meetings. We take comfort in the persuasion,
that although locally distant from each other, we
are united in the faith and hope of the Gospel. In
the great and sore trials among Friends in Ameri-
Ga Y5ih bb2aEa9 nef ae ib remen Who
have been strengthened to stand firm in their allie
glance to our Holy Redeemer
Reports of the sufferings of our members which
amount, including the cost and charge of distrant,
to upwards Of fourteen thousand six hundred pounds
and almost exclusively for ecclesiastical demands
have been read in this meeting. We renewedly
desire that our ancient and well known testimony
on behalf of true gospel ministry and against all
the demands made upon US TO uphold a system
from which we conscientiously dissent, may be
maintained with christian consistency, and in fhe
spirit of meekness.
Dear friends, we are again made sensible that
we cannot mediate on a subject more raught with
instruction and comfort than the coming of the
Son of God. in the flesh, and the many blessings
which through him have been conferred on the
human race-the coming of Him who, being born
OF virgin, :" was made in the likeness of men :;
'who, being in the form of God thought it not
robbery to be equal with God !; but made himself
OF no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant" He assembled on high, he led captivity
captive he received gifts for men, yea for the
bellious also that the Lord God might dwell among
them. He " sitteth the right hand of God
and maketh intercession for US. He is made unto
Us of God, wisdom and righteousness, and sanctih-
cation and redemption; :" and unto him we must
look mediator and advocate with the Father.
He emphaticaly describes himself the good
Shepherd" He is our lawgiver; and solemn in
deed is the declaration that must all appear be-
fore his Judgment seat. TO receive reward, ac-
cording to the deeds done in tie body, whether
they be bad or good.
Wefeel that it is not a light matter thus to advert
again to the various offices of the Son and sent of
the Father aud VIC beseech all whom ad-
dressing to contemplate these solemn truths with
due reverence; yet frequently to mediate thereon,
seeking for the assistance of the grace of God to
direct their understanding Alright. As this is done
with humble and believing hearts, the conviction
will increase, and ultimately become settled, that
1t is great mercy to know individually that
have not High Priest who cannot be touched
with feeling of our nfrmities out who was in all
points tempted like yet without sim
But blessed be God, He has not only J~oyded
the means of reconciliation unto himself, through
the sacrifice of Christ He hath also, through the
same compassionate Savior, granted unto the
gift of the Holy Spirit. By this the patriarchs and
holy men Of old who lived under the law, walked
acceptably before God. Its more plenteous effu-
son and It's powerful and life-giving effects were
distinctly foreold by the ancient prophets. Christ
himself declared, that it was expedient that He
might send the comforter, the Spirit of Truth who
should guide into all truth in alluson 10 whose
coming he also said " | will not leave you COM
FORTRESS, will come to YOU To be guided by his
Spirit is the practical application of the Christian
religion II is The light Of Christ which enlightens
the darkness OF the heart of man and by following
this light, we are enabled to enjoy and maintain
communion with him. The children Of God are {
led by the Spirit of God and this is the appointed
means Of bringing into that state of holiness
without which no man shall see the Lord" 1t is
not doctrine of mysticism, but one of practical
piety. The great Office of the Holy Spirit we
firmly believe TO be, to convince of sin to bring
the soul to state of deep and sincere repent /
ance, and TO effect the work of sanctication :
holy and constant watchfulness is required to
preserve the mind alive to the guidance Of this d.
vine Teacher who, if diligently sought after and /
waited for will be found to be a swift witness for
God in the soul, producing that tenderness Spirit
and that quckness of understanding in the fear of
the Lord, which essential 10 our growth in /.
Grace. Il is through Him "whom God hath set
forth to be Precipitation through faith in his blood
that we obtain pardon for sin and il is through the
the power of his Spirit working nightly in US that
we come eventually to experience freedom from
sin.
You know, beloved friends, that faith in the helm
and guidance of the Holy Spirit has been an i'm
portant part of our Christian profession from the
origin of our society TO the present day. And it
IS at this time renewed desire, that, from early
ilie an acquaintance with this power NAV be ncul-
Gated and cherished. We affectiouately exhort
parents, and all VINO have the care Of children and
OF young persons, constantly to bear in remen-
urance the great value of tender conscience and
to turn their attention to the secret Instructions
rem vfuur for ors,l all hi
peace for doing we'll Be concerned, dear friends
OF this class, early TO subject the wills of those
entrusted to your charge encourage them to fix
their affections on things which are eternal set
before them the necessity of being converted from
the evil of their own hearts, and kept clean from
the sin which abounds in the world impress them
with sense of the holiness and purity of God
and Of his righteous law and whilst we would ex-
hort you continue to instruct them in the invaua-
BILE truths OF the Bible may you lead them to seek
after the practical application of these preceps and
doctrines under the influence Of the Holy Spirit
BY such Of religious care and Christian in
struction, carried on in simple, humble dependence
upon God, you will perform the great and incum-
bent duty of bringing them up in the nurture and
.admoniton Of the Lord
1t IS, in our apprehension Of the highest nome mt
that faith in the operation of the Holy Spirit and
a humble reliance on its guidance, should regulate
the lives and conduct of all who profess the Chris
tan name. BY the power of the Spirit of God. in
wardy revealed and obeyed, we are raised from
our fallen and undone condition, and prepared to
inherit place in the kingdom Of Christ, to which
IT is his gracious design that every Of should
come. We are called to walk in that light we are
called to purity o then, that we may all seek to
be brought low before the Lord-to be laid pros
trate at the ootstoo of his throne-to be contrited
and broken in his holy presence. Let not value
ourselves on any esteem that we may think VIC have
amongst men, or place our trust upon what we NAV
have done Of ourselves or may have been enabled
to ds; but acknowledge in sincerity, that all we
have, and all that are, is of the free and un-
merted goodness of God. Let us each be concern
ed through the help Of the Holy Spirit, to expert
oafeJE4e. repept1ncer and to put away the evil Of
ing after an entire delyerance from The world the
hesh, and the devil remembering that all un-
righteousness is sim" and that 10 him that know,
eth to DO good, and doeth it not, it is SIM"
May VIC all. dear friends, avail ourselves of the
great privilege Of drawing nigh unto God in PRAYER
-of asking the assistance Of his grace to help in
time OF need-of looking unto Him as our merciful