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portance of the work, the apprehension of duty gradually and permanently settled on my mind, to make the attempt.

Though the arrangement of the subjects, and the manner of treating them, have been dictated by the views presented to my own mind, yet in the subjects themselves, I have endeavoured to keep to the acknowledged doctrines of the Society. And in compiling the following pages, I have made such extracts, from the writings of our early Friends, as seemed necessary to establish the position, that they held the principles laid down. And in taking these extracts I have consulted those parts of their writings, in which they make a statement of what they believe, rather than those in which they expose the errors of contrary opinions.

And here it may not be improper to remark, that many of the Essays which were published by the members of this Society, in the early periods of its history, were in direct and pointed controversy: and frequently in reply to effusions from the press, which have long since been consigned to merited oblivion. In these replies of our Friends, the object of the writer was frequently to expose the consequences of the opinions which they opposed. And as the publications thus opposed, and exposed, are now out of print, and generally forgotten, while the replies of our Friends are preserved, there is some possibility that their views and sentiments may not be gathered from such of their writings, without a knowledge of the causes which gave rise to them.

This remark will not apply exclusively to the writings of Friends; it will hold in relation to controversial works in general. And the more bold and animated the manner of the writer, the more occasion there will be to keep this particular distinction in view.

My intention, at first, was to compile a general history of the Society, embracing its doctrines, and discipline, together with biographical notices of individual members-which several divisions of the subject, I proposed to treat of separately. The doctrines stood first in my view, and having completed these, it seemed, for different reasons, best to publish this part, without waiting for the slow collection of materials, and the laborious arrangement of the historical and biographical parts. These remaining parts of the original design, are not abandoned, but whether either of them will ever be accomplished, remains with Him, at whose disposal are time, opportunity, and capacity, for every good word and work.

It is perhaps one of the laws of nature, that objects assume a degree of the shade, which belongs to the medium through which they are seen. And this is as true in the moral, as in the physical world. Hence, prejudice or prepossession cannot fail to cast a shade over any principle or performance that may be examined through them. But there is a principle, (the Spirit of Truth,) which can divest the mind of these, and enable us to see things as they really are. I solicit, therefore, a calm and candid perusal of the "Doctrines of Friends." And over and above all, I earnestly desire an increasing prevalence of the influence of that principle, which, independent of names or denominations, infuses into the hearts of the children of men, the feelings of gratitude and love to God, and of charity and love to each other.

ELISHA BATES.

Mountpleasant, 2d mo. 1825.

AT a MEETING FOR SUFFERINGS OF OHIO YEARLY MEETING, held by adjournments, from the 3d of the 9th month, to the 13th of the same, inclusive, 1824:

The writings of ELISHA BATES, on the Doctrines of Friends, were examined, and approved; and he left at liberty to publish them; and the clerk is directed to furnish him with an extract of this minute, and sign it on behalf of the Meeting. Extracted from the Minutes, by

JORDAN HARRISON, Clerk.

For the information of those not acquainted with the Society, the following brief explanation may not be altogether uninteresting:

"In order that the Yearly Meeting with its several branches might be properly represented during the recess thereof, a meeting has been instituted by the name of the "Meeting for Sufferings," which is to consist of twenty-six Friends appointed by the Yearly Meeting, and four by each Quarterly Meeting," [making forty-six in all.] "Approved ministers, and members of any other Meeting for Sufferings, may also be permitted to attend its sittings." Among other important duties confided to this Meeting, they are "to take the oversight and inspection of all writings proposed to be printed, relative to our religious principles or testimonies; and to promote or suppress the same, at their discretion."-Discipline of Ohio Yearly Meeting.

INDEX.

ADAM, created in the Divine Im-
age 1; his condition happy 2; Fall
3; this affects all men 34, 35.
Address to the Society of Friends
312; ministers 314; youth 316;
obscure members 318.
Apostles and Evangelists, their
credibility 154.
Atonement 310

Attributes of the Deity defended
39, 73.

Authenticity of the Scriptures 157.
Babylon 146.
Baptism 222.

Children not in the same state that
Adam was in before the fall 6,
7; See Infants.

Christ, the benefits of his coming
9, 10, 11, 12, 108; as extensive
as the effects of the fall 34, 35;
his Divinity 76; quotations from
primitive Friends 76 to 87; do.
from Scripture 88, 89; an object
of worship 89, 90; Redeemer,
Mediator, and Sacrifice 91;
pointed to by the law 92; evinced
by the apostle 93; his example
102; Redemption by him often
called in question 115; able to
deliver us 129; stands at the
door 179.
Conclusion 309; apology for the
manner of the work 310.
Convictions for sin, an evidence of
the possibility of avoiding it 74;
whence they proceed 180.
Cruelty (Note) 265.
Dancing 266.

Days, &c. 250; names, origin 256.
Death of Christ, purchased the
seed of grace which is in all men
37, 91; foretold by the prophet
96; confirmed by the apostles
ib. ascribed to the love of God
97; greatest evidence of his love
98; was necessary 98, 99; plac-
ed us in a capacity to be saved
101; no Calvinistic doctrine in
this 104; not intended to per-
petuate sin 114; an inducement

tolove, gratitude, and obedience
114, 115.
Eden, garden of, 2.
Egypt 147.

Election and Reprobation 40,
conditional 48; of the Jews 50.
Eternal Life 67.

Example of Jesus Christ 183.
Fate 46.

Fathers, testimony to Immediate
Revelation 169.

Females, ministry of, 205; proved
from Scripture 208; and from
reason 209.
Foreknowledge 70.
Freedom of will 2, 3, 123.
Gaming 264, 265, 266.
God, Nature and Reason bear
testimony to his being and attri-
butes 24.

Good-will to men, an evidence of
the universality of the love of
God 73.

Grace afforded to all 33, 36, 121;
its first operation 119; the spirit
of reconciliation 121.
Harden, why 63.
Hardening 57, 62, 64.
Holiness enjoined 130.
Holy Spirit, its influence acknow-
ledged by different sects 177; its
power 180; danger of mistaking
it 181, 182; its operations ib.
effects 183.
Hunting 264.

Immediate Revelation 160; con-
tinued 161; testimony of the
Prophets ib. of Jesus Christ 163;
of the apostles 166; of the
Fathers 169; of the Reformers
171; of heathen philosophers

172.

Immortality of the soul 25.
Impossibilities not required 131.
Infants, their condition, 37.
Influences of the Holy Spirit, Im-

mediate Revelation 177; over-
looked 178.
Instructions to the disciples 198;
Prophet ib.

Isaac and Ishmael 56.

Jacob and Esau 53 to 56.

to Immediate Revelation 172;
against Oaths 276.

Jerusalem, description of, 150; Place of existence for the soul 26,

destruction of, 152.

Judas 61.

Justification 120, &c.

Kingdom of heaven, how to be re-
ceived 117.

Law, its types ended 223, 239; why

27.

Plan of Divine operations 70.
Prophecy, a character of the New
Dispensation 175; of the min-
istry 203; evidence of the au-
thenticity of the Scriptures 145.

some of these continued after-Providence, in human affairs 284,
wards 224, 246; not binding now
247; danger of continuing ib.
Law of nature 297.

Life and death set before us 33;
life human, short, 31; reflections
30, 31, 32.

Man, his original state 2, 3; by
nature far below that state 12;
his condition before the coming
of Christ ib. gradually instruct-
ed 13; in the fall has no merit
nor any thing to make atone-
ment with 121.

Meals, feelings at, 245.
Messiah 148.

Ministry 196; call, ib. and 200;
of the apostles 197, 198, 201, 204;|
their instructions 198; natural
and acquired abilities useful 201;
the wicked have no part in it
202; corrupt m. dangers of 212;
cautions 215; preparatory and
other exercises of the true m.
213; support 210; review 219.
See Females.
Miracles 157.

New Dispensation, superior to the
Law 176, 282; not changeable
179; its object 282.

298, 299, 300.
Recreations 263.

Redemption 9, 28; See Divinity
of Christ, Justification, &c.
Religion, its advantages 123, 185,
268; general character 184; not
gloomy 268; revealed religion
22.
Resurrection of the dead 25.
Rewards and Punishments 21, 28.
Sabbath, a type 251; practice of
Friends 253; extracts, ib.
Salutations, &c. 160.
Sanctification 114, 119.
Scriptures 132; not the only rule
133; their use acknowledged
135; extracts 138; style 142;
evidences of their Divine origin
143, &c.

Secret Will 40, 70.
Seed promised 5; seed of Grace
the purchase of Christ's death
37; the state it places us in, ib.
and 122.
Silence 118.
Supper 242.
Supplication, vocal 218.
Theatre 264, 267.

Toplady, quotations from, 40, 41,
71.

New Testament, acknowledged Transfiguration of Christ 229.

by a succession of writers
154.

Novels 270.

Ordain 65.

Oaths forbidden 273.

Perfection and perseverance 125.
Perseverance necessary 129.
Pennsylvania 299.
Pharaoh 62.

Philosophers' (heathen) testimony

Trinity 310.
War 279.

Washing of feet 243, 246.
Watchfulness 129.
Water a metaphor 238.
Worship 186; various modes 187;
rites 188 worship described by
Jesus Christ, ib.; apostles and
prophets 189, silent 190, public
and private 194, duty of, 195

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