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The EPISTLE to the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings of Friends in England, Wales, and elsewhere.

From our Yearly Meeting held in London, on the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th Days of the Third Month, 1695.

To our Dear and Tenderly Beloved Friends and Brethren in our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

T

His our Solemn Yearly Meeting fendeth Greeting and Christian Salutation, in him, who is our Life, in whom our Living Union, Peace and Safety for ever stands; Blessed, TRULY and Renowned be his most Glorious Power, excellent Name; To whom be Glory and Honor, and over his whole Church and Heritors for ever and ever.

We being really perfwaded, you are not Unfensible, that the good and bleffed Intent and End of this, and all our Affemblies, is ( with the Lord's Affirmance ) for his Honour, in the promoting and maintaining of our Christian Society and Religion, in Life and Practice, in all the Parts and Branches thereof, do not efteem it neceffary frequently and exprefly to remind you of all Particulars thereof; We therefore Refer you Chiefly to the Faithful Writnels of God, and his Truth in your own Hearts, for the Reviewing and Continuance of your Godly Care and Concurrence, for the more Effectual Practice and Performance of thofe weighty Matters and Things heretofore, and now in the Love of God Recommended to you.

Many Living and Weighty Accounts were given to this Meeting from the several Counties in England and Wales, of the Prevalency and Prevalency of the Bleffed Truth, and Progrefls of the Lord's Work, and the Unity, Peace and Concord, and Increase of Love among Friends; together with the great Convincent, Openneſs, and Preparation in many People and Places, to receive the Truth in the Love of it: As alſo of the Addition of feveral Meetings, and Meeting-houſes in ſome Places, and Friends true Zeal and Care therein: All which were to the great Satisfaction and Comfort of this Meeting.

And this Meeting Desires and Hopes, that you whom the Lord To Visit May have Gifted with a Publick Teſtimony for his Name and Truth, will in this Meeting be diligent to Visit the Heritage of God in their Meetings; and more efpecially thofe leaſt frequented.

And from ſome Foreign Parts; as in America, from Long-Iſland and Foreign Road-Iſland; and in Europe, from Holland, Ireland and Scotland, we have Parts, alſo received good Accounts.

But we have not had particular Advice directed to this Meeting of the late Differences in ſome Parts of America; but hope, things are better there than they have been; yet the Senſe, Chriſtian Advice and Counſel given by our laſt Yearly Meeting to G. K. &c. having been openly flighſt and oppoſed by him in Print, and otherwife: And he manifeſting himself to be gone out of the peaceable Spirit of our Lord Jefus Chriſt, and to continue in the fame Spirit of Diſcord and Oppoſition, whereby he hath given great Trouble and Sorrow to the Church of Chriſt, and particularly to the laſt Yearly Meeting, and this alſo; he is further Teſtified againſt, until he unſeignedly Repent, and be Reconciled to Faithful Friends and Brethren; which for his Soul's ſake we fincerely define.

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Holland, &c.

From Amsterdam by an Epistle we received Account, that Friends are in Peace and Quiet, and Meetings kept up, and great Reform thereto in that City: And that there is an Openneſt to Truth in North-Holland, Frieſland, Embden and Frederickſtadt: Out dear Friends and Brethren James Fletcher, Heskin Fell, and Roger Haydock, are going for Holland in Truth's Service.

This Meeting having Account of the preſent Low and Indigent Condi-
tions of the preſent Low and Indigent, we understand by several Accounts from the Counties this Year, that there remain Prifoners on Truth's Account for Tythes, &c. to the Number of One Hundred Thirty Four Friends; whose Cafe being lately prefented, and opened to the King, by ſome Friends from the Meeting for Sufferings, had a Favourable Reception and Reſentment. Since which the Act of General and Free Pardon being come forth, it is hoped, that many Friends, who are Prifoners on Contempts, may receive Relief thereby, on Improvement thereof, by duly moving the J udges and Courts thereupon; which you are deſired not to omit.

Relief for
Poor Friends.

Prefent Prifoners.

We understand by several Accounts from the Counties this Year, that there remain Prifoners on Truth's Account for Tythes, &c. to the Number of One Hundred Thirty Four Friends; whose Cafe being lately prefented, and opened to the King, by ſome Friends from the Meeting for Sufferings, had a Favourable Reception and Reſentment. Since which the Act of General and Free Pardon being come forth, it is hoped, that many Friends, who are Prifoners on Contempts, may receive Relief thereby, on Improvement thereof, by duly moving the J udges and Courts thereupon; which you are deſired not to omit.

Act of Free
Pardon.

Of Sufferings
Record.

And it is deſired, that the Accounts of Faithful Friends Sufferings for the Testimony of Chriſt Jefus in this Gofpel Day, on all Accounts be truly flated and kept on Record; and alſo in due time called for, and carefully Examined by Appointment of ſome Knowing Friends from the Quarterly Meeting, that they be ſent up in due Order and Time; together with true Copies of the Warrants, Writs or Proceſſes of Commitments, Atteſted by the Jaylors.

Of J udgments
on Perfecu-
tors.

And remember the laſt Yearly Meetings' Advice, to keep true Records of manifeſt J udgments upon Perſecutors, and ſend up Accounts thereof, with your Sufferings, (as ſome have already done) for a Warning to Pomerities: And be ſure they be well Atteſted.

Application
to Members
of Parliament.

And it's requisite, to Recommend to the ſeveral Quarterly Meetings, to take Care, that timely Application be made in their reſpective Counties, (by ſome ſober, diſcreet Friends) to Members of Parliament, before their coming up to Sit; giving them right Information, and intreating them, that in their Places, they would be pieaſed to uſe their Endeavours and Interſt for the Eafe of our Suffering Friends, (as aforefaid) when prefented to them in Parliament. This Method having been found of Service in ſome Places, it is deſired, it may be obſerved.

Education of
Children.

And it's Deſired, and we Judge it meet to remind you, that all Friends that are or may be concerned, to take eſpecial Care, in the Name of the Lord, and for his Truth's ſake, for the good Education and Order of Friends Children in God's holy Fear, in the Way of Truth, for their Prefervation out of the Snares of the Enemy, and Corruptions of the World. And alſo to fee that Schools and School-maſters, who are Faithful Friends, and well Qualified, be plac'd and encourag'd in all Counties, Cities, great Towns or Places, where there may be need. And that ſuch School-maſters (as much as may be) ſometimie Correſpond with one another, for their Help and Improvement in ſuch good and eafe Methods, as are moſt Agreeable to the Truth, and the Childrens Advantage and Benefit; and that Care be taken, that Poor Friends Children may freely partake of ſuch Education, in order to Apprenſiſhip.

Of schools, &c.

Of Marriages.

And that all Diligence, Care and Caution be had, that no Friend, or
Friends Children be Betrayed in Affection, or otherwife, nor Join in Marri-
age with thoſe, that are not of our Chriſtian Profefſion and Society, nor with-
out the Privity and Consent of Parents, Guardians or lawful Tutors intruſed
with them; nor with any near Kindred, contrary to the Law of God, and
wholesom Advice already given them; particularly by a Yearly Meetings E-
pistle 1675. and otherwife by the Faithful Servants of Chriſt.

Of Wills, &c.

And that Care be taken to Advife and Stir up all Friends, that have E-
states

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states to dispoſe of, to make due, timely, firm and lawful Settlement thereof by Will, or otherwife, to prevent future Trouble and Difcord, as heretofore adviſed: Making ſuch Wills in due time, will ſhorten no Man's Days: But the Omilſion or Delay thereof has prov'd very pernicious to many, and injurious to Truth.

And Friends, let thofe Juſt and Ancient Commands of God be obſerv'd, Againſt Tale-bearers, &c. viz. Lev. 19. 16. *Thou ſhalt not go up and down as a Tale-bearer among thy people:* And Exod. 23. 1. *Thou ſhalt not raiſe a falſe Report:* And Psa. 15. 3. *He that backbiteth not with his Tongue, nor doth evil to his Neighbour, nor taketh up a Reproach against his Neighbour, &c.* *Tis only ſuch Innocent ones, that ſhall abide in the Lord's Tabernacle, and dwell in his holy Hill; wherefore in the fear of the Lord ſtand againſt all Whisperers, Backbiters, Tale-bearers, Defaſhers and Slanderingers, and againſt all Whiſperings, Backbites, Tale-bearing, Reproaching and Slandering, and put a ſpeedy ſtop thereunto, as much as in you lyes; for ſuch Works of Darkneſs and Envy tends to Division and Difcord; and the Righteous Law of God goes againſt both the Authors, Fomenters, Receivers, and Encouragers thereof. See Prov. 11. 13. and 18. 8. and 26. 22. and 20. 19. and 26. 20. and alſo 2 Cor. 12. 20.

It's Adviſed for the Service of Truth, and ſome Eafe to Friends concern'd in the Printing, that it be recommended to each Monthly Meeting in the Counties, to take off two Books of a ſort, as they are newly Printed (under Two Shillings Six Pence price each) for one Year from this time; and one of a ſort to a Monthly Meeting, that is above that price, viz. ſuch good Books, as Truth and Friends allow and approve of: And that they be ſent into the Counties Quarterly, about two or three Weeks before the Quarter Day, by those Friends that Print them. And where Friends have occasion for a greater Number, they may ſend to the Printers for them, keeping one for each Quarterly Meeting.

The Friends of the Counties appointed to Inſpect the Accounts, report, Accounts, they have throughly viewed them, and find them truly ſtated, to their Satisfaction: And that they judge, there will be no want this Year.

Now Dear Friends and Brethren, as we are called and gathered by the Lord his Glorious Arm and Power, to be a People of one Heart and one Way, and to walk before him in true Love and Unity, in the peaceably Spirit of our bleſſed Lord Jesus Chriſt (who is our Life) our Strength and Safety ſtands therein, againſt the Enemy, the Son of Perdition, the Spirit of Antichriſt and Division, and againſt all the Evil Deſigns and Attempts thereof. Wherefore in the fame Spirit of Love and Unity keep, in Peace and Concord; and in Godly Fear and Humility be Watchful againſt the Enemies Attempts and Aſaults on all hands, which will be to the weakning and fruſtrating thereof. And all be faithful and humbly Thankful to our God for all his Mercies, and for the preſent Liberty, and bleſſed Opportunities we do Enjoy; whoſe refreshing Prefence, Power and Counſel, hath greatly attended this our Meeting as at other times. And hitherto the Lord has Helpt, Strengthened and Confirmed us to our mutual Comfort; to his Praife and Renown be it Conſeſs'd and Remembred. And to the Lord our God, and the Lamb that fitteth upon the Throne, be Glory, Honour and Dominion, for ever and ever.

For Love and
Unity.

And in the deep Sense of the Love of God, and Unity of his Bleſſed Spirit, this Conclusion: Meeting Concluded for this Year, with the wonted Agreement that this our Yearly Meeting be continued (if the Lord please) and that Friends of each County ſend at least Two Faithful Friends, to Attend the Service of Truth and Friends as formerly.

Signed in behalf of our Said Meeting, by

Benjamin Bealing.