"Bettor 
 
MINUTE /v 
 
 NOV 221917 
 
 COUNSEL AND ENCOURAGEMENT 
 
 ADDRESSED TO ITS MEMBERS, 
 
 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS, 
 
 HELD IN PHILADELPHIA, 
 
 Fourth month, 1867, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 WILLIA M II . PILE, P R I N TER, 
 No. 422 Walnut Street. 
 
 1867. 
 
MINUTE ( NOV 2 131 
 
 COUNSEL AND ENCOURAGEMENT 
 
 ADDRESSED TO ITS MEMBERS, 
 
 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS, 
 
 HELD IN PHILADELPHIA, 
 Fourth month, 1867. 
 
 WILLIAM H. PILE, PRINTER, 
 
MINUTE. 
 
 Having, at times during the several sittings 
 of the Yearly Meeting been favored with the 
 overshadowing of the blessed Head of the 
 Church, the hearts of many have been contrited 
 under a sense of that mercy which is both 
 ancient and new, and a deep felt religious con- 
 cern has been begotten on account of apparent 
 deficiencies, evidencing among many of our mem- 
 bers an undue pursuit of and attachment to the 
 things that pertain to this life only. There has 
 been felt to be cause for an humbling acknow- 
 ledgment that we, as a people, fall far short of a 
 full exemplification in life and conduct of that 
 holy religion which is designed to bring man out 
 of a state of nature wherein his treasures and 
 his enjoyments are of the earth, earthy, into the 
 
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 glorious liberty of the sons of God, whose dura- 
 ble riches are laid up in heaven, and whose de- 
 light is in communion with their Creator through 
 the aid of the Spirit of our holy Mediator in the 
 heart, and in obeying his divine law written 
 there. With this conviction, an earnest, affec- 
 tionate travail has been raised after a more per- 
 fect redemption from the spirit of the world, and 
 a more general devotion to that watchful, self- 
 denying life which is inseparable from a true 
 disciple of Christ. 
 
 We cannot doubt that the Lord has preserved 
 within the professing Church a noble band of 
 witnesses to the spirituality of the Gospel and 
 to the transforming power of his grace. These, 
 whatever their profession, and whether con- 
 spicuous in good works or more obscure, are the 
 true Israel of God, whose circumcision is that of 
 the heart, in the Spirit and not in the letter, 
 whose praise is not of men but of God. But 
 there is abundant evidence that a large portion 
 of those who claim the name of Christians, are 
 satisfied with an outside performance of rites 
 and ceremonies, and substitute obedience to the 
 moral law and works of their own righteousness, 
 for submission to the crucifying power of the 
 cross of Christ, and walking in that strait and 
 
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 narrow way in which alone is found the flock of 
 his companions. 
 
 Thus, there are influences operating in the 
 present day. both within and without the pale 
 of our Society, the tendency of which is to draw 
 the members from the simplicity and spirituality 
 of our Christian profession, and from a faithful 
 and consistent support of the principles and tes- 
 timonies of the gospel as always held by us, into 
 a nearer conformity to the religion, the worship, 
 and ways of the world. These influences are 
 apparent in the same disposition to shun the 
 daily self-denial and cross-bearing belonging to 
 the Christian; in the effort to reduce religion 
 very much to a formal and intellectual work, 
 which the unaided powers of man may originate 
 or promote; to smooth and widen the path to 
 salvation, so as to make it more easy and at- 
 tractive to the tastes and inclinations of the un- 
 regenerate mind; and to substitute works of a 
 benevolent or ostensibly religious character, for- 
 lowly watchful waiting, in silent introversion, at 
 the feet of Jesus, to be taught of Him, in whom 
 are hid all the treasures of wisdom and know- 
 ledge, and who only can savingly instruct in the 
 things which belong to the soul's peace. 
 
 Minds which have been favored with the pre- 
 
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 cious, tendering visitations of the Lord's Spirit, 
 have been turned from the vanities of the world 
 to seek the durable riches and righteousness of 
 heaven, and in inward, silent prostration to bear 
 the operation of the Spirit of judgment and burn- 
 ing, to purify from the pollution of sin, and to 
 create them new creatures in Christ Jesus, may, 
 it is to be feared, have had their attention 
 diverted from this indispensable work in them- 
 selves, to their serious injury, by being per- 
 suaded that it is necessary they should at once 
 become active in undertakings professedly de- 
 signed to promote the cause of religion ; while 
 some who may be a little further advanced, have 
 been dwarfed and withered by being urged into 
 performances to which the Master had not called 
 them; for which they had not undergone the 
 requisite preparation, and which were mainly 
 attributable to the unsanctified activity of the 
 natural will. 
 
 The awakened mind is readily influenced by 
 the desire to be doing something for Christ's 
 cause, and unless it watches diligently unto 
 prayer, in the Light of the Lord, the will of man 
 prompts this desire into unbidden activity ; takes 
 pleasure in it; gradually dims the spiritual vision, 
 and leads to the substitution of these formal ser- 
 
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 vices, for the patient abiding under the heart- 
 changing and crucifying work of the Holy Spirit in 
 the soul, which is in danger of settling down at 
 ease in them. We should ever bear in mind the 
 words of our dear Lord, "Without me ye can do 
 nothing;" and also that we are told such "as kin- 
 dle a fire, compass themselves about with sparks, 
 walk in the light of their fire, and in the sparks 
 that they have kindled, shall have this of the 
 Lord's hand; that they shall lie down in sorrow.' 
 
 In the feeling of Christian love and interest 
 for all our dear Friends, and especially for the 
 younger class, we tenderly desire that we may 
 all diligently watch against these plausible and 
 delusive tendencies, and strive to dwell much 
 inward with Christ Jesus, in reverent, silent re- 
 tirement from the many alluring voices that are 
 abroad, seeking above all to be taught of Him 
 who is the only saving Teacher, and who will 
 not fail to give true peace and rest to all who 
 come to Him, take His yoke upon them, and 
 learn of Him, who is meek and lowly of heart. 
 
 Thus, the work of sanctification will be carried 
 on; all the preparatory baptisms of the Holy 
 Spirit and of fire will be endured; and when the 
 period arrives in which the Lord sees meet that 
 any should engage in more public or active ser- 
 
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 vice, His call and command will be distinctly and 
 intelligibly heard, pointing out what, and when, 
 and where; and He will vouchsafe his own wis- 
 dom and strength to perform faithfully whatever 
 He requires, and cause His blessing to rest upon 
 it; and without these, all our efforts to advance 
 His cause must prove unavailing. 
 
 We would encourage the humble, diffident 
 children of our Heavenly Father, who are 
 brought under His preparing hand, to yield 
 themselves, in the unquestioning obedience of 
 faith, to the gentle movings of his Spirit, what- 
 ever service it may point to, remembering that 
 the gracious Shepherd of the sheep has declared 
 that, when He putteth forth his own, He goeth 
 before them, and they follow Him, for they know 
 his voice. And though you may deeply feel 
 your own weakness and unworthiness, and be 
 ready to tremble at the prospect of engaging in 
 his service; yet, as you keep humble, looking 
 singly to Him for help and direction, you will 
 thankfully experience the truth of His precious 
 words: "My grace is sufficient for thee — my 
 strength is made perfect in weakness." 
 
 In the progress of general improvement the 
 press has become a powerful agency for spread- 
 ing abroad a knowledge of the truths contained 
 
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 in the Holy Scriptures ; but it is not less con- 
 tinuously active in disseminating moral poison, 
 and also plausible views and speculations re- 
 specting the fundamental doctrines of the Chris- 
 tian religion, well calculated to bewilder and 
 mislead. Among the latter, are publications 
 both in periodicals and in other forms, incul- 
 cating, in some, boldlv and unreservedly, in 
 others more covertly and insidiously, the opinion 
 that all that is necessary to ensure salvation is 
 an intellectual belief — upon the authority of holy 
 Scripture, that Christ has paid the penalty for 
 our sins, and has covered our frailty and short- 
 comings with the robe of his righteousness ; 
 keeping altogether out of view the necessity of 
 repentance, the washing of regeneration, and 
 that saving faith in the Lamb of God who taketh 
 away the sin of the world, is the gift of the 
 Father to those whom He draws to his dear Son. 
 
 We affectionately caution all our members 
 against receiving into their families or giving 
 currency to either books or papers calculated to 
 lower the standard of Christian morality, or 
 which advocate such erroneous doctrines, fully 
 believing the latter are calculated to minister to 
 the natural propensity to shun the cross and to 
 betray the soul into carnal security. 
 
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 The preciousness of our testimony to the pre- 
 rogative of the Head of the Church to dispense 
 to whomsoever He will, the gift of Gospel minis- 
 try, and against all ministry originating or per- 
 formed in the will and wisdom of man, has been 
 renewedly felt at this time ; having been revived 
 by accounts received that a few of our members 
 have not been sufficiently on their guard against 
 lowering its importance and retarding its spread. 
 Let us ever bear in remembrance, dear Friends, 
 that as it is only under the immediate influence 
 of the Holy Spirit that acceptable worship can 
 be performed, so it is alone, when by the trans- 
 forming power of his grace the Head of the 
 Church has prepared any for his service, and 
 bestowed a special gift therefor, that true gospel 
 ministry can be exercised; and this not in their 
 own time and way, but when and where He 
 freshly qualifies and appoints. Those who are 
 thus called and commissioned, as they wait on 
 their holy Leader, find they have nothing of 
 their own to glory in, for, at his command, and 
 as He gives the matter, a necessity is laid upon 
 them; yea, woe is unto them if they preach not 
 the gospel. Hence they are bound freely to 
 dispense that which they also have freely re- 
 ceived, looking for and accepting no other reward 
 
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 than that given by their Master for obeying his 
 commands. 
 
 Fallible man has no right to take this sacred 
 office on himself, unless called of God, and no 
 system of study, or learning, or prescribed form 
 of ordination, can confer the qualifications for 
 performing its solemn and responsible functions. 
 May all our members be incited to increased 
 watchfulness and care in reference to this pre- 
 cious testimony for which our worthy prede- 
 cessors suffered deeply, and which we believe is 
 still intimately connected with the welfare of our 
 Society. We would also encourage them to a 
 faithful attendance of all our religious meetings, 
 striving therein for ability to perform that wor- 
 ship which is in Spirit and in Truth. 
 
 Amid the discouragements and deficiencies 
 which are apparent in our beloved Society, we 
 are comforted in the evidences afforded, that the 
 Lord's love and life-giving presence are not with- 
 drawn; but that, in his long forbearing mercy, 
 He is waiting to bless us and to do us good. 
 Bowed under a grateful sense of his unmerited 
 goodness, we earnestly desire that our love and 
 obedience to Him may increase and abound; and 
 that, under the tendering and cementing influence 
 of this love, we may be banded together as breth- 
 
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 ren in a fervent engagement to encourage and 
 help one another in rallying to the pure spiritual 
 doctrines, and the precious testimonies of the 
 Gospel, which our religious Society was raised 
 up to proclaim afresh to the world, and in a 
 steadfast endeavor faithfully to live up to them. 
 Then, we believe, that He who gathered us to 
 be a people, will, in tender love and mercy, turn 
 his hand upon us, purely purge away our dross, 
 and take away all our tin; and will restore to 
 us judges as at the first, and counsellors as at 
 the beginning; and cause us to be called the city 
 of righteousness, the faithful city — even a city 
 set upon a hill that cannot be hid; that others, 
 seeing our good works, may glorify our Father 
 who is in heaven. 
 
 Extracted from the Minutes. 
 
 Joseph Scattergood, 
 Clerk to the Meeting this year. 
 
till 
 
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