ful of its success. To God alone I owe what I have, and that more immediately in matters spiritual; and therefore to him alone, and the service of his truth, I dedicate whatever work he may bring forth in me, to whom alone the praise and honour appertain, whose truth needs not the patronage of worldly princes, his arm and power being that alone, by which it is propagated, established, and confirmed."

And further on he says, "Thou hast tasted of prosperity and adversity. Thou knowest what it is to be banished thy native country, to be overruled as well as to rule, and to sit upon the throne; and being oppressed, thou hast reason to know how hateful oppression is both to God and man. If after all these warnings and advertisements thou dost not turn unto the Lord with all thy heart, but forget Him, who remembered thee in distress, and give up thyself to follow lust and vanity, surely great will be thy condemnation."

And this courage to dare to say what they believe to be right, as it was an eminent feature in the character of the primitive, so it is unquestionably a trait in that of the modern

modern members. They use no flattery even in the presence of the King; and when the nation has addressed him in favour of new wars, they have sometimes had the courage to oppose the national voice on such an occasion, and to go before the same great personage, and in a respectful and dignified manner to deliver a religious petition against the shedding of human blood,

They have the courage also to dare to do, as well as to say, what they consider to be right.

It is recorded of the early Quakers, that in the times of the hottest persecution they stood to their testimony in the places appointed for their worship. They never assembled in private rooms, or held private conventicles, employing persons to watch at the doors to keep out spies and informers, or to prevent surprise from the magistrates; but they worshipped always in public, and with their doors open; nor when armed men were sent to dissolve their meetings did they ever fly; but, on the summons to break up and depart, they sat motionless; and, regardless of threats and blows, never left their devotions, but were obliged to be dragged

dragged out one by one from their places. And even where their meeting-houses were totally destroyed by the magistrates, they sometimes met the next meeting-day and worshipped publicly on the ruins, notwithstanding they knew that they were subject by so doing to fines, and scourges, and confinements, and banishments; and that, like many others of their members, who had been persecuted, they might die in prison.

This courage of the primitive members has descended, as far as circumstances will allow us to judge, to their posterity, or to those, who profess the same faith. For happily, on account of the superior knowledge, which has been diffused among us since those times, and on account of the progress of the benign influence of Christianity, both of which may be supposed to have produced among the members of our legislature a spirit of liberality in religion, neither the same trials, nor the same number of them, can be afforded for the courage of the modern Quakers, as were afforded for that of their predecessors. But as far as there are trials, the former exhibit courage proportioned to their weight. This has been already

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ready conspicuous in the bearing of their testimony, either in those cases where they run the hazard of suffering by opposing the customs of the world, or where, by refusing a compliance with legal demands, which they believe to be antichristian, they actually suffer. Nor are these sufferings often slight, when we consider that they may be made, even in these days of toleration, to consist of confinement, as the law now stands, for years, and it may happen even for life, in prison.

This feature of courage in life, which has been attached to the character of the Society, is the genuine offspring of the trait of "The bearing of their Testimony." For by their testimony it becomes their religion to suffer, rather than comply with many of the laws and customs of the land. But every time. they get through their sufferings, if they suffer conscientiously, they gain a victory, which gives them courage to look other sufferings in the face, and to bid defiance to other persecutions.

This feature is generated, again, by all those circumstances, which have been enumerated, as producing the quality of independence of

mind; and it is promoted, again, by the peculiar customs of the Society. For a Qua ker is a singular object among his countrymen. His dress, his language, and his customs mark him. One person looks at him, Another, perhaps, derides him. He must summon resolution, or he cannot stir out of doors and be comfortable. Resolution, once summoned, begets resolution again, till at length he acquires habits superior to the looks, and frowns, and ridicule of the world.

SECTION II.

The trait of courage includes alsa Courage in Death -this trait probable-from the lives which the Quakers lead-and from circumstances connected with their religious faith.

THIS quality of courage includes also Courage in Death; or it belongs to the character of the individuals of this community that they show great indifference with respect to death, or that they possess great intrepidity when sensible of the approach of it.

I shall do no more on this subject than state what may be the causes of this trait.

The