The settled meetings to be kept each
first-day. General Meetings, as a rule to be on some other day of the
week.
As any are brought in to the Truth new meetings
are to be arranged to suit the general convenience, without respect of
persons.
Persons ceasing to attend meetings are
to be spoken to. Persons who walk disorderly are to be spoken to in
private, then before two or three witnesses; then, if necessary, the
matter is to be reported to the Church. The Church is to reprove them for
their disorderly walking, and, if they do not reform, the case is to be
sent in writing “to some whom the Lord hath raised up in the power of the
Spirit of the Lord to be fathers, – His children to gather in the light”
so that the thing may be known to the body and be determined in the light.
Ministers to speak the word of the Lord
from the mouth of the Lord, without adding or diminishing. If anything is
spoken out of the light so that “the seed of God” comes to be burdened, it
is to be dealt with in private and not in the public meetings, “except
there be a special moving so to do.”
Collections to be made for the poor,
the relief of prisoners, and other necessary uses, the moneys to be
carefully accounted for, and applied as made known by the overseers in
each meeting.
Care to be taken “for the families and
goods of such as are called forth in the ministry, or are imprisoned for
the Truth’s sake; that no creature be lost for want of caretakers”
Intentions of marriage to be made known
to the Children of Light, especially those of the meeting where the
parties are members. The marriage to be solemnized in the fear of the
Lord, and before many witnesses, after the example of scripture, and a
record to be made in writing, to which the witnesses may subscribe their
names.
Every meeting to keep records of
births, and of burials of the dead that died in the Lord. Burials to be
conducted according to scripture, and not after customs of “heathen.”
Advice to husbands and wives, as in I
Pet. iii. 7. Advice to parents and children, as in Eph. vi. I, 4.
Advice to servants and masters, as in
Eph. vi. 5-9.
Care to be taken “that none who are
servants depart from their masters, but as they do see in the light: nor
any master put away his servant but by the like consent of the servant;
and if any master or servant do otherwise in their wills, it is to be
judged by Friends in the light.”
Needs of widows and fatherless to be
supplied: – such as can work and do not to be admonished, and if they
refuse to work, neither let them eat. The children of needy parents to be
put to honest employment.
Any called before outward powers of the
nation are to obey.
“That if any be called to serve the
Commonwealth in any public service which is for the public wealth and
good, that with cheerfulness it be undertaken and in faithfulness
discharged unto God, that therein patterns and examples in the thing that
is righteous ye may be to those that are without.”
Friends in callings and trades are to
be faithful and upright, and keep to yea and nay. Debts to be punctually
paid, that nothing they may owe to any man but love one to another.
None to speak evil of another, nor
grudge against another, nor put a stumbling-block in his brother’s way.
None to be busybodies in other’s
matters.
Christian moderation to be used towards
all men.
The elders made by the Holy Ghost are
to feed the flock, taking the oversight willingly, not as lords, but as
examples to the flock.
Dearly beloved
Friends, these things we do not lay upon you as a rule or form to walk by, but
that all, with the measure of light which is pure and holy, may be guided: and
so in the light walking and abiding, these may be fulfilled in the Spirit, not
from the letter, for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.