ART. I.-A Chronological Summary of events and circumstances connected with the origin and progress of the doctrine and practices of the Quakers.

A. D. 1809.

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A Catechism having been proposed, to be approved by the Yearly Meeting for the use of parents and children in our Society, the Meeting for Sufferings declines to produce to the Yearly Meeting an essay for one which had been submitted to its correction; lest that Meeting should, by such a publication, commit itself on points of doctrine.

The following Minutes would make it appear, that after having been years in hand, and repeatedly referred for consideration to different bodies of Friends, the project of a full doctrinal Manual of this kind, for the instruction of our youth in the principles of the Christian faith, had been given up as hopeless.

That the Society had not been without something of the kind for generations past, is within my own knowledge: who was taught at school, in the way of question and answer, out of a short Catechism, published, I think, by a minister of the Society, Abiah Darby. Perhaps the preference given to a small publication by John Kendall, which I shall annex, (See Art. iii.) was the real obstacle to the appearance of the one now before us. The rejected Catechism was, I apprehend, the work of my esteemed friend, John Bevans, some time Secretary of the Peace Society, and but lately deceased; though separated many years since from our Society.

VOL. V.

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YEARLY MEETING, 5 Mo. 30th, 1805. "The following minute from the Committee on Epistles, was brought in and read, viz.- Committee on Epistles. (a) The religious Education of our youth has been solidly considered by this Committee, under impressions of there being great remissness in our Society, in the important duty of early instruction in the principles of the Christian Religion; and we propose the subject to the consideration of the Yearly Meeting.'

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It is agreed to refer the said Minute to the next Yearly Meeting."

5 Mo. 28th, 1806. "On considering the Minute of last Yearly Meeting, concerning the duty of an early instruction of our youth in the principles and doctrines of the Christian Religion, this Meeting is impressed with a belief of the want of further care on that important subject; and therefore refers it to the solid attention of the Committee on Epistles.'

5th Mo. 30. "The following Proposal from the Committee on Epistles was brought in and read; to which this Meeting agrees, and requests the Meeting for Sufferings to take the necessary care therein.

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Committee on Epistles: On the subject of the early instruction of youth in the principles and doctrines of the Christian Religion, this Committee apprehends that, as a first step, a small work by way of question and answer, for the use of children at an early age, may be conducive of advantage both to parents and their offspring; and submits to the Yearly Meeting, whether the Meeting for Sufferings may not be suitably requested to procure an Essay on the approbation of the Yearly Meeting.'

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The Meeting for Sufferings in pursuance of these directions prepared, and brought in to the Yearly Meeting of 1807, the work entitled Early Christian Instruction,' (See Art. ii.) This was revised in the Committee on Epistles, adopted by the Yearly Meeting, printed under the care of the Meeting for Sufferings, and distributed to the families of Friends-as detailed in my last Number. But, the piece itself being avowedly but a first step' in this important concern, the Meeting for Sufferings kept the subject under its notice; and the deliberations of two years upon a Catechism in form, (of which we have not the particulars in any book of record of the Society,) resulted in the following Minute :

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS, 2 Mo. 3d, 1809. "The Committee on the Early Instruction of Youth in the Principles of Christianity, sent in a Report, which, with a small omission, is agreed to, and is as follows

"Committee of the Meeting for Sufferings, on the subject of the religious instruction of youth, the 20th of 1st month, 1809. This Committee has at different sittings, had under its revision a draught of a Catechism, to which it has given great attention, and proposed various corrections and amendments; but doubts whether it may be expedient for any work of this description, which enters very minutely into questions of doctrine, to be issued in the name of the Yearly Meeting.'

"Richard Phillips is desired to take a Copy of this Minute by way of Report to the Meeting for Sufferings." [The reading of which among the Meeting's Minutes, and its allowance by the Yearly Meeting, would be final.]

A. D.

The Committee of the Meeting for Sufferings, charged with the 1810. defence of the Society by the press makes a second Report to that Meeting.

(a) A body of Friends, separated by nomination in the Meeting, to prepare and revise the Epistles to be issued by it; and who have frequently discussed and brought in other subjects.

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS, 5 Mo. 4th, 1810. "Report of the Committee appointed in the 4th month, 1809, for promoting the sale and circulation of Friends', books, and for repelling attacks on the Society through the means of the press. The Committee has attended to the principal object of its appointment, by inspecting the periodical publications, and some others. In the course of the year since the Committee was appointed, there has occurred very little matter requiring its notice. An account of our Society has appeared in a new work, entitled The Religious World Displayed,' by Robert Adam, B. A., Oxford. Though on the whole favourable, a few inaccuracies were found in it; and a letter was addressed to the author, in order to their being corrected in a future edition. "Account of Expences incurred by the Committee for promoting the Sale and Circulation of Friends' books, &c. [Amount, £2. 2s. 6d. ] Signed on behalf of the Committee,

A. D.

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66 LUKE HOWARD."

Friends of the Quarterly Meeting of London and Middlesex being 1811. about to enlarge the school for Friends' children under their care,

the Yearly Meeting asserts its right of control over that Institution. YEARLY MEETING, 5th mo. 28th, 1811. "This meeting being informed, that Friends of London have agreed on a plan for extending the benefits of education in their school at Islington Road, beyond the bounds of their own Quarterly Meeting, thinks it needful to signify to the Quarterly Meeting of London and Middlesex, that while it approves the object of the said meeting, it reserves to itself the right of interfering by advice or otherwise, if the proposed extension shall in the judgment of this meeting in time to come require it."

About the year 1700, the Friends of London, desirous of providing for their Poor in the most comfortable manner, and procuring for the offspring of these an education in sobriety, industry, and religion, set on foot a general subscription, and raised the sum of 1,8887.; which enabled them to procure the lease of some premises in Clerkenwell, and to fit them up for the reception of those who were to be maintained and educated at the Society's expense. About 1715, by a second subscription, the sum of 4371. was added to the capital of this Institution-which was also increased by many generous bequests and donations from individuals.

Three shillings per week being paid by the Monthly Meeting (or a friend or relative of the party) with each poor or aged person, and one shilling per week with every child (besides forty shillings at admission, for clothing,) there were received from the commencement in 1701 to the year 1754, (the date of the account now cited) 246 ancient poor friends' and 577 children; the family now consisting of more than 100 persons, under the immediate care of a steward and stewardess, schoolmaster and schoolmistress, workmaster, and necessary servants; but subject to the control of a Committee of eighteen Friends, three out of each of the six Monthly Meetings of the city. 'And such has been the effect (the account says) of Friends' diligence and care in the management of this establishment, that as its advantages have been felt by many in the Society, so it has afforded matter of just commendation to persons of rank of other denominations. The aged people were partly employed in the house; the boys had their schooling in the morning, and in the afternoon were set to such work as

was suited to their strength, and brought some benefit to the house: the girls were taught reading, writing, useful needlework and housewifery. A third subscription of 4001, was agreed to be raised in aid of the capital of the House at this time. Account of Friends' School and Workhouse, Clerkenwell, 1754.

After thirty years more of management of the poor of London belonging to the Society on those premises, it was resolved to remove the house to a more airy and commodious situation. A piece of ground was taken of a public company, at a moderate rent, for a term of 148 years from Midsummer 1786; and a respectable (but not very commodious) building erected at the cost of about 5,500l., exclusive of some tenements for the aged Friends; whom it was now found expedient to separate from the children and their teachers. In 1811, the aged poor were restored to the care of Friends in their several Monthly Meetings; and the School was opened to the four Monthly Meetings belonging to the Quarterly Meeting, situate in the country: as also, under certain restrictions, to some neighbouring Quarterly Meetings: in consequence of which, the number of children in the house, which had gone down to thirty, was soon increased to above 100. The regulations in use at Ackworth, respecting the admission of Children into the school through agents, were adopted for this Institution; which now bore the name of Friends' School in Islington Road, under the care of the Quarterly Meeting of London and Middlesex.' Rules, 1817.

A. D. 1811.

Friends' School at Sidcot is furnished with a Library at the expense of the Society.

MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS, 7 Mo. 5th, 1811. "Wilson Birkbeck from the friends appointed, brought in a List of Books for the use of Sidcot School, which was read, and with some alteration agreed to, and is as follows." [Here follows a List, containing about 115 publications.]

1811. George the Third becoming incapacitated, a Regency is established under George Prince of Wales: Catholic Claims discussed : Bill for restraining Dissenting Ministers frustrated by Petitions. "The first subject of importance brought before the Regency parliament related to a measure adopted by the government in Ireland, respecting the Catholics of that country. This numerous class of subjects had long been intent upon the means of obtaining that restitution to the full right of citizens, which they considered as their due; and a plan was adopted (at least by the major part of them) of forming in Dublin a standing delegation, consisting of ten persons elected from each county, charged with the management of their affairs; not only for the purpose of petitioning, but for that of the redress of the general grievances under which they laboured."-Aikin, ii. 311.

This Meeting for Sufferings of that class of our Fellow-Christians, which could not, like our own, plead prescription for a century and a half, gave alarm to the Government: as looking like a renewal of the parliament for that country, (especially as it imitated all the forms of the House of Commons,) and it was accordingly followed by legal visitations, in order to put it down. The adroitness of the delegates, however, proved superior to the vigilance of Ministers; and successive petitions for the redress

of Catholic grievances were thus got up and presented, and negatived in Parliament mostly by large majorities, for some years.

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'Among the other parliamentary occurrences in this session, was a proposed change in the Act of Toleration. Lord Sidmouth, on May 9th, moved in the House of Lords for leave to bring in a Bill amending and explaining the Acts of Will. & Mary, and of the 17 Geo. 3, as far as they applied to Protestant dissenting ministers. In opening his purpose, it appeared to be that of diminishing the number of licensed non-conforming preachers of the lower class; who from their popularity, [how came they by it?-Ed.] were the most formidable rivals to the clergy of the Established Church. The provisions of his bill therefore went to render necessary such an apparatus of testimonials and recommendations for entitling an applicant to a licence for preaching, as would obviously exclude many of the most illiterate and disqualified; an object apparently favourable to the respectability of sects, as well as salutary to the cause of public instruction! The controul and restriction, however, authorized by it, appeared so adverse to the principles of toleration, that an alarm was excited, which produced a more universal union among the separatists (in opposition to the measure) than was ever before known; and petitions against it poured in so numerously, that, if it had any friends, they were deterred from appearing. The mover was left to contend with the storm alone, and a motion for deferring the second reading of the Bill passed without a division.”—Id. p. 322.

"Lord Castlereagh, however, on July 10th, 1812, brought in a Bill to the House of Commons for the purpose of repealing certain Acts, and amending others, relating to religious worship and assemblies, and to persons preaching or teaching therein; the object of which was, to remove doubts which had occurred in consequence of certain decisions at the Quarter Sessions, and to place the dissenters in the situation in which they practically stood, before such decisions. The Bill passed both Houses without opposition, and was regarded as a valuable security to the principle of Toleration.”Id. p. 360.

ART. II. Early Christian Instruction, in the form of a dialogue between a mother and a child, written at the desire of the Society of Friends.

PREFACE. It is hoped that this little manual will prove an assistant to such parents, and others concerned in the education of children, as desire to imbue their tender minds betimes with the principles of religion. The compiler is far from thinking it a complete system, even for a child; but is aware that the knowledge and experience of the parent will often be wanted, to supply deficiencies, which without an undue prolixity, seem unavoidable in so brief a compilation. It may be just further hinted, that if the child be able to read the questions, which are generally short, it will be best for the parent, or other instructor, to have in hand a duplicate of the Dialogue, and read the answer in an impressive manner.

Dear mother, I am sometimes uncomfortable. I want to be always comfortable and happy.—Then my dear, thou must take the way to be happy.