qurselves in the estimation of the more serious and thinking part. of the community, with the odious character of Hypocrites! Neither do I believe that we escape, at all times, the like censure from the more unthinking and irreligious part. And, let us remember, the sad effects of thus dissembling will not end here: for if this conduct be persisted in, we must expect to incur the wo pronounced by our blessed Lord: "Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (Matt. xxiii. 13.) For if every one that nameth the name of Christ is to depart from iniquity, is it not obligatory on the part of such as make the high and holy profession we do, to endeavour to attain to such a state of purity of conduct and converse amongst men ? (2 Tim. ii. 19.)

I believe our first friends were raised up as a people, to bear testimony to the sufficiency of this pure principle of light and life in all mankind, which would direct them the way to the heavenly Canaan, and strengthen them to walk therein. They confirmed the truth of their testimony by the general tenour of their conduct, giving ample proof to by-standers, that through submission to its holy appearance in their hearts and minds, they were mercifully redeemed from the world and its spirit; not only from its pleasures, but also from its treasures; and were enabled to count all things appertaining to this life but as dross, and as dung, so that they might win Christ. (Phil. iii. 8.) Hereby they became as an ensign to the nations; for the fame of them spread far and wide: they became instrumental in the Divine Hand to gather souls unto God, and had to proclaim the glad tidings of the Church being added unto daily.

But alas! my friends, how is the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed; how is the love of God, and that humility and self-denial so manifest in them, now by too many amongst us turned into the love of other things, such as gold and silver, and a desire to make an appearance of greatness in the world! That these sorrowful reverses have taken place in too general a way amongst us as a Society, let the reports brought up from Monthly to Quarterly Meetings testify, especially as to growth in the truth and convincement. For it is truly distressing to sit at the Monthly Meetings, when this query is answered, and observe the difficulty and embarrassment the active members feel

themselves under, to answer it so as to pass the Quarterly Meeting without remark; especially as respects the first part, of a growth in the truth, which I understand to imply an inquiry, what individual advancement we are making towards the kingdom of heaven. Yet notwithstanding these sifting seasons so frequently occur, (for such I find them to be to myself, and so I doubt not they prove to many others,) they are at times as when a man beholdeth his natural face in a glass," and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (Jam. i. 23, 24.) For want of abiding enough under these renewed visitations of the Great Head of the Church, how evident is it, that we soon forget again our many deformities, hereby adding sin to sin. Is not this too much our situation as a society at the present day? Are not Monthly Meetings and Quarterly Meetings going on from quarter to quarter, and from year to year, satisfying themselves with telling the same dismal tale, "we hope some among us witness a growth in the truth ?" Now if the ground of this hope (where meetings venture thus far to express themselves) were called for, I fear it would not be found in the general to be that well-grounded hope which gives victory over the world. At other times, "but little growth in the truth, and "some convincement,"-" but little convincement," or "no convincement appears among us!"

Do not these things, my friends! loudly call upon us, as a religious body making a high profession, to be willing, each one for himself, to enter timely into the closet of the heart, and seek for divine help to shut-to the door thereof against carnal reasoning, great natural acquirements, and love of the world; which, there is cause to fear, have overpowered the better judgment of many among us? Hereby, as we become willing to stand open to Divine conviction, we may be favoured, each one, to see in what manner and how far we may have contributed to this sorrowful declension; and timely amend our ways and our doings; seeing we are yet mercifully followed as a religious society, both immediately by the Great Head of the church, and instrumentally with line upon line, line upon line! O, how applicable is the language of the Most High, formerly uttered, to his dealings as respects our society!"How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah ? how shall I set thee as Zeboim ? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of