Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-08-25
The Yearly EDistlc,


4 and EIse,chere.
I Dear Frends-We salute you in love
Of the everlasting gospel; fervently de-
slrlng that grace, mercy, and peace
"may abound toward you from God the
Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our
Saviour"
Our meeting has been large, and we
have cause thankfully TO acknowledge
that the great Head of the church, who
has often made himself known among us,
on these solemn occasions, has not with
, drawn from us, but has again permitted
us to rejoice in his favor. We desire
that we may yet more and more approve
ourselves the disciples of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by evincing lervent love one
toward another. The grace Of brother
ly love has long marked our society as
Christian community; and may it ever
be preserved among US! We believe
tha it is at all times acceptable in the
sight of our Father in heaven, and we
regard il as an evidence that the life Of
religion is vigorous in our souls, when a
close watch is maintained against every
thing which tends to break in upon this
precious bond The spirit Of enmity is
truly the spirit Of the devil. How conf
prehonsive is the precept Of our blessed
Lord, "Whatsoever yc would that men
should do unto you, do We also to them"
The carrying out this principle in our in
dividual conduct would exclude all evil
surmises, and harsh and hasiy Judging
one of another, and would be one great
means of maintaining The church in har-
mony and spiritual health. How tender
would it make us of the reputation of one
another, how careful not to offend, and
equally careful not to receive oilence!-
We earnestly press it upon Friends eve
ry where, that at all times, and under all
circumstances, they labor to cultivate so
holy and heavenly spirit.
Il We have received epistles from our
F,iends in Ireland, and from each Of the
yearly meetings in America, and have
felt that it is good for us thus to have
our dear brethren brought to our affec-
tionate remembrance.
. The amount Of suffering of our mem
bers for tilhcs and other ecclesiastical de-
mands, including the charges of distraint,
reported to this meeting, is upward Of e.
levcn thousand one hundred pounds
| The Friend, whom we noticed last year
as prisoner in Carlow, i'm Ireland, in sup
port Of our ancient Christian testimony
against tilhes, has been liberated under
the authority Of a clause in an act o.. the
legislature, passed during the last ses-
sion of parliament.
Often as our religious society has de-
clared its belief in the divine authority
Of the Holy Scri pturos, and upheld the
sacred volume as the only divine author.
ised record of the doctrines of true re-
ligion, we believe it right at this time to
revive some important declarations of
scripture itself on the subject.
! 1t is expressly declared by the apostle
Peter, that "The prophecy camo not Of
old time by the will Of man; but holy men
Of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost" Q Pet. i. 81. The a
postlc John declares respecting the gos.
pei which he wrote, "i hese are written
that ye might believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the son of God; and that, beiev-
ing, ye might have life through his
name" John Xxx. 81. Very pertinent
and comprehensive is the language
which the apostle Paul addressed to,
Timothy, ,"Erom a child thou hast known
the Holy Scriptures, which are able TO
make thee wise unto salvation, through
faith which is in Jesus Christ. All
Scripture is given by inspiration Of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproo(,
Tor CORE elton, and for instruction in
righteousness: that the man of God may
be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all
good works" 9 Tin. iii. 15-l7. "A
gain the apostle says, "Whatsoever
things were written aloretime, were
written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the Scriptures,
might have hope" Rom. XIV. 4. FIJI
nally, our blessed Lord, in reference to
those divine writings, ofwhich the grand
object, according to his own declaration,
was to testify Of himself, emphaticaily
declares, "The Scripture cannot be
broken"
! Although most Of these passages re-
late TO the Old Testament, our society
has always freely acknowledged that
the principl developed in them are c.
qually applicable to the writings of the
evangeliss and apostles. In conformi-
ty with these principles, it has ever been,
and still is, the belief Of the society of
Friends, that the holy scriptures Of the
Old and New Testament were given by \
the inspiration Of God; that, therefore,
the declarations contained in them rest
on the authority of God himself; and
there can b. no peal from them to any