HISTORY OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS CALLED BY SOME THE FREE QUAKERS, IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.

APPENDIX NO. 2: THE MONTHLY MEETING OF FRIENDS, CALLED BY SOME THE FREE QUAKERS, (DISTINGUISHING US FROM THOSE OF OUR BRETHREN WHO HAVE DISOWNED US,) HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, THE 4TH DAY OF THE 6TH MONTH, 1781,)
Charles Wetherill

Wetherill, Charles. History of The Religious Society of Friends Called by Some The Free Quakers, in the City of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Printed for the Society, 1894, Number 3 of an edition limited to 800 copies, signed by Charles Wetherill.]

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TO OUR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN IN PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY AND ELSEWHERE:
Dear Friends.--Agreeable to the intimations given to you in our late "Address to those of the People called Quakers, who have been disowned for matters religious or civil," we have for some time past held two meetings for public worship on the first day of the week, and a meeting for conducting the business of the society, on the first second day of the week in each month. These meetings having afforded us great satisfaction, we shall continue them, with a firm hope that the blessing of heaven will, "as the dew of Hermon," descend in silence upon them.
In our deliberations on this subject we have been led to consider "That the Creator of man having bestowed upon individuals greater and less natural abilities and opportunities of improvement, a variety of sentiments respecting the duties which we owe to him necessarily arises among us, and it becomes essential to our happiness that we may perform those duties in that way which we think the most acceptable to him. And therefore when we contemplate the long and earnest contest which has been maintained, and the torrents of blood which, in other countries, have been shed in defence of this precious privilege, we cannot but acknowledge it to be a signal instance of the immediate care of a divine providence over the people of America, that he has in the present great revolution, thus far established among us governments under which no man, who acknowledges the being of a God, can be abridged of any civil right on account of his religious sentiments, while other nations, who see and lament their wretched situation, are yet groaning under a grievous bondage. But government established upon these liberal, just, and truly Christian principles, and wisely confined to the great objects of ascertaining and defending civil rights, in avoiding the possibility of wounding the conscience of any, must necessarily leave some cases unprovided for, which come properly under the care of religious societies. Hence we are not only left at liberty to act agreeably to our sentiments, but the necessity and obligation of establishing and supporting religious societies, are increased and strengthened.
We acknowledge the kindness of Providence in awakening us to a view of the deplorable situation in which we have been: disowned and rejected by those among whom we have been educated, and without a hope of being ever again united to them: separated and scattered abroad, as if we had been aliens in a strange land: the prospect of our situation has indeed humbled us: but that mercy which, "to an hair's breadth," covers the judgment seat of God, has preserved us, and induced us to confide that he will care for us. Being made sensible of the indispensable necessity of uniting together, we have cast our care upon God, and depending upon him for our support, conceive it to be a duty which we owe to ourselves, our children, and families, to establish and support among us public meetings for religious worship, to appoint stated meetings for conducting the affairs of the Society, upon principles as liberal and enlarged toward one another, as those adopted by the State are toward all, and paying a due regard to the principles of our forefathers, and the spirit of the wise regulations established by them, to fix upon such rules as may enable us to preserve decency and good order: and among other things, to agree upon and make known a decent form of marriage, which may at once secure the rights of parents and children: and a mode of forming and preserving records of marriages, births, and burials.
For these purposes an essay of discipline, founded on that of our ancestors, has been formed, and laid before the meeting for business. A good degree of unanimity of sentiments thereupon has appeared among us; but we have thought it proper to leave it open for further consideration, and thus to communicate to our friends what we are about to do, in order to avail ourselves of the advice and assistance of all who may kindly afford us their counsel. And we sincerely and earnestly desire that we may obtain and be guided by that "wisdom from above," which is sufficient to overcome every danger and difficulty which we may have to contend against, and finally unite us together, in a truly Christian fellowship, and in the bonds of peace. Signed by order of the Meeting,
                                    SAMUEL WETHERILL, JR., Clerk.
 
 

Next: Appendix 3, Another Epistle "To Those of our Brethren Who Have Disowned Us."