in the world, He is sometimes in Holy Scripture siderable extent appreciate the grounds of our termed the Seed, his name is also called, Won-separation, and acknowledged the accordance of derful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Ever- many of our views with the purest state of the lasting Father, the Prince of Peace; upon whose Christian church. shoulders the government is laid; and of the in- The adherence to a profession of faith in very crease of his government there shall be no end.' nearly the words of Scripture, and the abandonIsaiah-ix. And it is most suitable to Christ's ment of certain terms of scholastic theology which low, humble, and suffering condition, to make had become as a sort of shibboleth of orthodoxy, use of such instruments as are most like Himself may probably have led persons attached to those in humility and lowliness of mind, although they expressions, to suspect a much greater deviation be but low and mean in the world's eye and es- from their own sentiments than actually existed. teem. God is pleased to make choice of low, It may be said of the early Friends, as Erasmus mean, and weak things, and of instruments con- observes of the primitive Christians, that they temptible in the eyes of the high and lofty ones were afraid to pronounce of God any thing but of this world, to confound the wisdom of the what was plainly expressed in the Sacred Writworld according to 1 Cor. i. He chose poor shep-ings; and it is worthy of observation, in the hisherds to divulge that great evangelical truth of Christ's birth; and certain women to preach that Gospel truth of his resurrection, (Luke ii. and xxiv.) and both from angelical testimony, as well as from their sight of Christ himself. Truth In conclusion I would observe, that the desire must not be rejected because of such instruments to give a full and fair view of the author's which God in his wisdom is pleased to employ opinions as expressed in his letters, may have in his work; nor the day of small things despis-led in some instances to unnecessary repetition; ed: from small beginnings of good matters, great things, glorious attainments and perfections, do spring. Glory, honor, and dominion, to our most gracious God, and to the Lamb on his throne, for ever and ever." These extracts from G. Whitehead's preface may serve as a sufficient illustration of G. Fox's sentiments on some points of Christian doctrine, in regard to which his soundness was so frequently impugned by his enemies, as the most ready mode of depreciating him in general esteem. It had been found in earlier times much easier to call a reformer Gnostic, or a Manichee, than to dispute his doctrine or condemn his life; and such is the effect of a bold assertion, that, though so often contradicted and disproved, the charge of denying the Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and of undervaluing his various offices, as our Mediator, Intercessor and Redeemer, has yet hardly lost its influence on our Christian brethren of other Societies. tory of the Church, how creeds became enlarged, and became less and less scriptural, as Christian piety decayed, and the simplicity of the faith was corrupted." but as the frequent recurrence of particular sentiments marks the high estimation which they hold in the writer's mind, it seemed needful for the purpose of exhibiting his views fairly, to give, to a considerable extent, the reiterations which were found in the original work. Whilst anxious to present in the following extracts, a fair specimen of the Epistles of George Fox, I have not thought it a departure from this principle to make a few alterations in the text, by the omission and occasional transposition of words in a sentence, where it did not in any degree alter the sense; by correcting some grammatical inaccuracies; and occasionally, by the alteration of an antiquated word. You must bow at the cross of Christ, which is the power of God, which since the apostles' Indeed, we must not be surprised, if, in the days the apostate Christians have lost; and theresteady maintenance of the principles which are fore they bow to a cross, a stick, a stone, a piece at the root of our separation from other religious of iron, a piece of wood. Now bowing to the communities, we are to a considerable extent cross of Christ, which is the power of God—that misunderstood, or even maligned. A people hold- strikes over the nature of fallen man; for whosoing so decidedly the spiritual character of Chris-ever bends and submits to the power of God tianity, and rejecting those outward rites which most deem either important or essential (though we fully maintain the truths which those rites profess to embody) must be obnoxious to much undeserved reproach. To some it appears that we are wilfully blind and unworthy of the name of Christians; whilst others judge us more gently and charitably, though very imperfectly estimating the real matter of our testimony. We believe, however, there are those among our Christian brethren of other communities, and that the number is increasing, who do to a con within, feels it to rise over him, and strike over the carnal part, and that part that turns into ungodliness, and all that is bad, and is a cross to it. So bow to the power of God. If all Christendom had done this, they had had a fellowship in this cross of Christ, which is a mystery. The worship of God is in the Spirit and in the Truth, that is the public worship which Christ set up. He preached it when He put down the worship at the mountain, and at Jerusalem, and said: "God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and truth and the hour is come, and now is, that the Father bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God, seeketh such to worship Him. Then the hour from whence they had received this gift, and to was, that worship was set up, above sixteen hun- the unity of the faith; which faith gives the vicdred years since, when He denied and put down tory, and brings to have access to God, and also the worship at the mountain and at Jerusalem, to a perfect man's state, and to the measure of where the forefathers worshipped. This is pub- the stature of the fulness of Christ. And thus lic, this is not a private worship, but brings every people followed them, and were glad that they man and woman to the Spirit of God in their would bring them to a perfect man's state, that own hearts, and Truth in their inward parts; in is, to the state of Adam and Eve before they which Spirit and Truth they must bow down, fell, for they were perfect then; and when he and come into it, if they be worshippers of God in had followed them, some twenty, some thirty, the Truth and in the Spirit. And this is the some more, some less years, then they told us standing worship that Christ preached upon the again, that they had hoped we would not look hill, where the forefathers had worshipped. And for perfection while we were upon the earth, on this worship is over the worship that was at Jeru- this side the grave, for we must carry a body of salem, and over the worship that was at the sin about us; and they hoped we would not look mountain; so by this must every man, every son for perfection, and would not hold the erroneous of Adam, and daughter, come to the Spirit in doctrine of perfection; and yet told us, as before, their own particulars, and Truth in themselves; that they would bring us to a perfect man's by which they must know God is a Spirit, and state: and so we looked that they would have fulwill be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth. filled their words; for we have given our money, To pray in the spirit, this was the public prayer and have spent our labor in following after them, set up among the Christians; the Temple was and hoped they would have brought us to the the public place of prayer among the Jews; but knowledge of the Son of God, and so to the unity to pray in the Spirit, which is the public prayer of the faith, and to a perfect man's state, to our set up by the apostles, every man, every woman, father and Adam and Eve's state before they fell. must come to the Spirit of God in their own-And now the scriptures that speak of sin and selves; for it will give them understanding and knowledge and give them instruction; it will help their infirmities; it will let them see their wants. So, in that must every son and daughter of Adam pray in the Spirit to God, who is a Spirit. And this is public, the Spirit of God in every man and woman to pray with unto God, who is a spirit; then in this Spirit have they fellowship and unity, and a bond of peace. One hath one set form, another another, that is particular; but the praying in the Spirit is general, by which every man and woman might see their necessities and wants, and turn to God, who is a Spirit, for help. For Christ the quickening Spirit, and the Spirit of the Lord within, is that which brings people to lift up their eyes to the Lord in Spirit and Truth, and to watch and pray, by which they know temptations; and the Spirit giveth them understanding, and wisdom and power to withstand them. Singing in the Spirit is public; but they that go from the Spirit of God within, they go into the particular singing, inventing this thing and that thing, and then one will do it, and another will do it, and so there is no true fellowship, bebecause it is not done in the Spirit; and there is no true fellowship in their worshipping, nor in their praying, because it is not done in the Spirit; for the true fellowship in singing, in praying, in worshipping of God, is in the Spirit of God. The teachers of the world (who called themselves ministers of Christ) told us that they had received a gift from Christ, who did ascend on high, and led captivity captive; and this gift was for the work of the ministry, and for the perfecting of the saints; and how that they were to imperfection, they bring to prove that we should not be perfect, against their own promises and words; and all the Scriptures that speak of perfection or overcoming, they tell us there must be a meaning put to them. And thus they deceive us, in not bringing us to the measure of the stature of Christ, who never fell, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven. Now of what value and price and worth, have they made the blood of Christ that cleanseth from sin and death; and yet told people that they would bring them to the knowledge of the Son of God, and to a perfect man, and now tell them they must not be perfect on the earth, but carry a body of sin about them to the grave? As much as to say, they must be in the state of their father Adam and their mother Eve in the fall, under the wrath, curse and woe, and must not come to the state they were in before they fell, to the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness. And yet, ask them for what end Christ came-they will say, to destroy the devil and his works. And then ask them, if the body of sin and death be not the devil's works and imperfection-they will say, yes; and so are in confusion. Christ came to destroy the devil and his works, they say, and yet they must carry them to the grave; and yet people are saved by Christ, they will say; but while you are upon earth, you must not be made free from sin. This is as much as if one should be in Turkey a slave, chained to a boat, and one should come to redeem him to go into his own country; but say the Turks-Thou art redeemed, but while thou art upon the earth, thou must not go out of Turkey, nor have the chain off thee. So it is said -You are redeemed, but must carry a body of, but, through the blessing of Him whom he desired to serve, a degree of prosperity, commensurate with his moderate wishes, afterwards attended his honest endeavors to provide for the wants of this life. When ability was thus granted him, he was solicitous to impart to the necessities of the poor, and to contribute towards the promotion of charitable and philanthropic objects, in proportion to the means committed to his trust. He took a lively interest in the cause of univer sal peace, the total extinction of the slave trade and slavery, the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and popular education. In the furtherance of these objects he willingly gave a portion of his time and money, and it might be truly said of him, that his heart was replete with love and good will to all mankind. He was often concerned to encourage others by a word of counsel, especially those in early life, earnestly recom mending them to endeavor to walk in that path which he had himself found to be a way of pleas antness and a path of peace. Between seven and eight years before his death he was affected with a severe attack of paralysis, which, in its advancing stages, gradually reduced his strength; yet, under this affiictive dispensation, he was preserved in patience, resignation, and even cheerfulness, and he persevered, as long as he was able, in meeting with his friends for public worship. This he deemed a high privilege, and it was his practice, for many years, to close his shop on the morning of the week-day meeting, in order to enable those of his assistants who were members of our religious Society to be present. As our dear friend approached the confines of time, gratitude for temporal and spiritual mercies was increasingly the prevalent feeling of his mind. He frequently adopted the language of the Psalmist, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name; bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits;" and as his weakAccount of WILLIAM CROSS, of Colchester, Eng-ness increased, he often expressed his thankfulland, who died the 24th of 1st month, 1853, aged about 73 years. G. F. This valued friend was concerned to remember his Creator in the days of his youth. There is reason to believe that this proved the means of his preservation from the gross evils of the world, and, as he advanced to manhood, being favored to experience the influence of Divine grace, and yielding to its renovating power, he grew in the knowledge of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He often referred with thankfulness to this period of his life, acknowledging how mercifully he had been kept from the paths of sin. He resided nearly all his time in his native town, and, as a dutiful son, he was for several years engaged in assisting his parents to provide for a numerous family. He afterwards entered into trade on his own account, in the prosecution of which he had to contend, in the first instance, with some difficulty and discouragement, ness to his heavenly Father, who had dealt so gently and mercifully with him, and who, he humbly believed, had listened to his feeble cry. He referred continually, with very tender feelings, to the boundless and unmerited goodness of his compassionate Redeemer, who had vouchsafed to grant him a full assurance of an admittance into his eternal kingdom of rest and peace. In the morning of the day on which he died, he attempted to give utterance, as he was wont to do, to expressions of gratitude and praise, but articulation failed; yet it was evident to those about him, that his mind continued to be staid upon God. His wife, to whom he had been happily united for thirty-six years, under a keen sense of bereavement, concludes a short account of the last hours of her beloved husband with this record, "I have the consolation of believing that my loss is his everlasting gain."-Annual Monitor. THE DOOCHOBORTZEE OF SOUTH RUSSIA. The history of this people is very interesting. They belong originally to the Cossacks of the Don. According to their own account, their history commences with three brothers, who, from their youth, devoted themselves to the reading of the Scriptures, and who became convinced that some of the practices of the Greek Church were not in accordance with the simplicity and spirituality of the gospel of Christ. They refused to cross themselves before the images of the saints, or to join in the "sacraments," and even denied that the Greek Church was a church of Christ, or that her priests were Christian pastors. They also had a conscientious objection to oaths, or to uncover themselves before those in authority. Like our early Friends, they were animated with a lively zeal in the propagation of their religious views, and like them also, they had to suffer severely for their faithfulness. Paul, who was not only a weak and fickle prince, but a tyrannical one also, revived the work of persecution towards these harmless and unof fending people. He construed their conduct in refusing to take oaths, and to uncover themselves before others, as rebellion against the state, and sent one hundred of the most active and zealous among them to the wild region of Kala, in Lapland, within the Arctic circle. Here, among the Finns, who could neither speak with them nor understand them, they were unable to make converts to their principles. The government, to effect their object more completely, seized all their books, and even their bibles, whilst their children were taken from them and sent to other parts to be educated in the religion of the Greek Church. These aggravated sufferings they bore with much Christian meekness and resignation. In this state they were continued until the time of the humane and enlightened Alexander. This excellent emperor, acting on the best policy of nations, recognised the rights of conscience, and allowed the poor Doochobortzee to return to the Don and the Crimea. Under Alexander their religious opinions were not inquired after-it was sufficient if they fulfilled the civil obligations of the state. In 1819, William Allen and Stephen Grellett travelled in Russia. Their visit was a memorable one, and undertaken with the hearty approval and encouragement of the Emperor. In the course of their religious engagement they met with this people, and their feelings were much interested on their behalf. The following report (as recorded in his life) was forwarded by William Allen to Alexander respecting them : They were first known as a sect about the year 1735, in the time of the Empress Anne, who appointed a commission to inquire into their tenets, and during her reign, and in that of Elizabeth her successor, they were unmolested. But during the cruel and unscrupulous administration of Catharina II., their dissent soon brought them under persecution, and numbers of them were banished to the distant and inhospitable regions of Siberia. Whilst in exile their numbers gradually decreased, and they became nearly extinct. The object of the Russian Government being thus apparently accomplished, the remaining exiles were allowed to return. Their religious zeal, however, had outlived their sufferings, and, undaunted by the past, they immediately "Our object in visiting the colonies was to began to advocate their principles with ardor, strengthen and encourage, if so permitted, any and their disciples increased rapidly. A few pious characters whom we might meet with, and years after their return, the three brothers died, particularly to acquire a correct knowledge of the and died in peace. The removal of these faith- religious sects here. During the few days in ful men, so far from discouraging the little com- which we stayed at Ekaterinoslav [on the Ďniemunity, seems rather to have quickened them in per] we became providentially acquainted with the propagation of their doctrines. Again the some pious poor people, one of whom, in the first eye of the Government was upon them. Official instance, inquired after us at our inn. Through investigations were made. The following, re-him we found out the rest, and had a conference corded in the archives of the Russian Empire, is the language of the Metropolitan of Petersburgh, to one of the governors, in 1798, during the reign of Paul:"This sect is known to me since 1768. Since I became archbishop of St. Petersburgh I have admonished some of the Don Kozaks, but they remained obstinate. Their obstinacy is founded on enthusiasm. All demonstration which is presented to them they despise; saying, that God is present in their souls, and He instructs them; how, then, shall they hearken to a man? They say that every one of them may be a prophet, or an apostle, and, therefore, are zealous promoters of their own sect. They make the sacraments consist only in a spiritual acceptance of them, and, therefore, reject infant baptism. Their origin is to be sought for among the Anabaptists or Quakers." with the whole of them together, our dear friend Contineas, and his worthy colleague, A. M. Fadéév, at different times acting as our interpreters. We learned from these good people, many of whom felt very near to us in Christian unity of spirit, that the persons who frequently go under the name of Duhobortzi, hold very different principles, and that, in reality, there are three sects of them. Those with whom we were conversing called themselves spiritual Christians. We put several questions to them, which they answered with great candor and simplicity, and as we afterwards found in conversing with another little body of them at Simferopol, that they also were of exactly the same sentiments as those at Ekaterinoslav, we shall briefly give the result of our inquiries. "They believe in the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures, in the deity of our Lord and Saviour, and in the influence of the Holy Spirit, as fully as any Christians whom we ever met with. They believe it their duty to abstain from all ceremonies, and think that the only acceptable worship is that which is performed in spirit and in truth.' They collect their families two or three times a-day to hear the Scriptures read, and abstain from secular employment on the First-day of the week, called Sunday, considering it their duty to appropriate this day to religious exercises. Their marriages are performed with solemnity in their public meetings, and the parties promise to be faithful to each other during life. They believe that the only true baptism is that of Christ with the spirit, and that the water baptism of John is not now necessary; and they consider that the true communion is altogether of a spiritual nature, and make use of no outward ceremony. In their meetings for worship they sing psalms, and several of those who are esteemed by the rest as most pious, read to the others in turn. They have no appointed preachers, but any one who feels himself properly qualified by the Divine influence upon the mind, may expound and speak to edification; they, however, consider that it should never be done for hire, or from any worldly motive. "They believe that a true Christian can never harbor revenge, and they think it their duty rather to suffer wrong than to seek to avenge it; if any differences arise they are settled among themselves, and not brought to the tribunals. "Some among them are considered as elders, and though it does not appear that they are regularly appointed, yet those who are most eminent for their piety are regarded as such, and it is their duty, when any of the fraternity are ill, to visit them, and if able to do so, to offer them advice, or afford them comfort. No particular ceremony is observed at their burial, but they sing a psalm. "We are glad to find that they had established a form of discipline, so that if the moral conduct of any one does not correspond with his profession, he is tenderly exhorted, and much labor is bestowed upon him; but if they judge that he cannot be reclaimed, he is disunited from the society. With respect to the poor among them, they deem it their Christian duty to take care of and support one another. It appears that they have no instance among them of children acting irreverently towards their parents, and they are very careful to have them instructed in reading and writing. different lands, who have heard the voice of the true Shepherd, and are striving to follow him." Since the period of William Allen's visit, they have increased considerably. They for the most part occupy lands assigned to them by Alexander, on the then uncultivated but fertile steppes of South Russia on the Don and the Dnieper, where, by their industry, they have formed flourishing settlements. At the present time their numbers are stated to be about thirty thousand.-British Friend. Extracts from the Speech of Charles Sumner, on the Nebraska Bill, delivered 2d mo. 21, in the U. S. Senate. (Concluded from page 504.) But another argument is pressed, which seems most fallacious in its character. It is asserted that, inasmuch as the Territories were acquired by the common treasure, they are the common property of the whole Union; and therefore no citizen can be prevented from moving into them with his slaves, without an infringement of the equal rights and privileges which belong to him as a citizen of the United States. But it is admitted that the people of this very Territory, when organized as a State, may exclude slaves, and in this way abridge an asserted right founded on the common property in the Territory. Now if this can be done by the few thousand settlers who constitute the State Government, the whole argument founded on the acquisition of the Territories by a common treasure falls to the ground. But this argument proceeds on an assumption which cannot stand. It assumes that Slavery is a national institution, and that property in slaves is recognized by the Constitution of the United States. Nothing can be more false. By the judgment of the Supreme Court of the United States, and also by the principles of the common law, Slavery is a municipal institution, which derives its support exclusively from local municipal laws, and beyond the sphere of these laws it ceases to exist except so far as it may be preserved by the clause for the rendition of fugitives from labor. Madison thought it wrong to admit into the Constitution the idea that there can be property in man; and I rejoice to believe that no such idea can be found there. The constitution regards slaves always as "persons" with the rights of "persons," never as property. When it is said, therefore, that every citizen may enter the national domain with his property, it does not follow by any rule of logic or of law that be "In conversing with these dear people, both he may carry his slaves. On the contrary, he at Ekaterinoslav and Simferopol, we felt an un- can only carry that property which is admitted doubted evidence of the sincere piety of many to be such by the universal law of nature, written among them, and the concurrent testimony of all by God's own finger on the heart of man. who spoke of them, was so highly in favor of their excellent moral character, and quiet peaceable demeanor, that we could but feel deeply for them, as part of that little flock scattered through The prohibition of Slavery in the Territory of Nebraska stands on grounds of adamant, upheld by constant precedent and time honored compact. It is now in your power to overturn it; you may |