¿ Truth Vindicated,'

he felt bound to caution his friends against it, more particularly as he had heard, with pain, that the first edition had been exhausted and that a second was called for. It was, in his opinion, a very pernicious work." Samuel Tuke, James Cropper, and several others in that meeting, expressed much dissatisfaction with the work; though others said that they could see nothing objectionable in it. It has been called a "Hicksite" volume.

Many Friends in England of latter time, have been awakened to a sense of their danger, and we believe that the works above mentioned have had a salutary effect in opening their eyes, to see the great deviations in many of their members from the simplicity of the Gospel. Several treatises have lately appeared, which form a pleasing contrast to the speculations in those we have been noticing. The writers have "not followed cunningly devised fables," but as said the Apostle, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and which our hands have handled, of the word of life." One cause which, we think, has contributed largely to bring about the declension so conspicuous is, that many among them have joined other professors in their favourite project of evangelizing the heathen nations and in spreading the Gospel, to accomplish which, they have united with hireling priests and others in Bible and other societies, having for their object, professedly, some religious or charitable purpose. The language addressed to Israel formerly, we think applicable to us of the present day. "The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." By mixing familiarly with the world we are in great danger of becoming leavened into its spirit, and hence our testimonies become lightly esteemed.

It is natural to inquire how the English Friends, aided as they were, by an inconsiderable number of our members here, at the early period of the difficulties, should eventually have succeeded in drawing off so many of the society.

We think a little reflection will solve the matter

satisfactorily. It is well known, that the ancestors of most of our members here, emigrated from England, after the rise of the society there; and it is natural that a degree of veneration should linger in the minds of many, for those who were not only brethren in religious profession, but also descendants from the same parent stock, who, amid grievous persecution maintained their faith with a firmness and integrity, that could not be shaken by all the suffering which envy could devise or malice could inflict. Independently of this, their principles lead them to look upon all men as children of one common father, as the offspring of the same Almighty beneficent Creator, equally the objects of his care, whether rich or poor, bond or free. Hence, through all the turmoils of political and civil commotion, for more than a century, a degree of Christian harmony and fellowship was maintained by Eriends unknown to other religious societies. This communion and fellowship were cherished and strengthened by frequent epistolary correspondence between the yearly meetings; and also, by a frequent interchange of religious visits of their ministers.

Although a high degree of deference and respect was felt by us for the counsel and advice of our transatlantic Friends, yet the very genius of our discipline has ever been based upon the most perfect liberty and equality of the members and no sooner was it discovered, that some among us, in conjunction with the English Friends, were seeking to introduce innovations upon the doctrines and usages of the society, than a determination was shown, by those who remained steadfast to original principles, to assert the rights which belong to every independent Christian community: such however, was the ascendency acquired by the "Evangelical" English Friends, over the minds of some of our members, that they were induced to resort to the most unjustifiable measures to accomplish their purposes.

Although our members generally, have been disposed to award to the Society in England, the deference and respect due to an elder brother, yet we had

hoped, that few of us felt such devotion to their opinions, and such confidence in their judgment, as to yield without inquiry, a ready acquiescence, to whatever they might think proper to advance, as improvements upon the ancient institutions of the society. This evident devotedness to the cause of the society in England, evinced by some of our members, undoubtedly gave rise to the following remarks of an eminent statesman, more than twenty years ago. "The theory of American Quakerism is a very obvious one. The mother society is in England. Its members are English by birth and residence, devoted to their own country, as good citizens ought to be. The Quakers of these states are colonies or filiations from the mother society, to whom that society sends its yearly lessons. On these the filiated societies model their opinions, their conduct, their passions and attachments."

Although these observations could not with propriety have been made as applicable to the great body of the society, yet the course since pursued by the Orthodox party, goes to show, that the strong discriminating mind of Jefferson, discovered at that day, in some of our members, a disposition which had escaped the notice of more superficial observers, and which has finally resulted in their withdrawal from those, who neither in their religious or political relations, were disposed to acknowledge allegiance to any foreign power.

That a strong bias still exists among those called Orthodox in favor of England, is evident from the following circumstance. In the bill which they filed against Friends in the Court of Chancery, in speaking of their yearly meeting, they say, that it "has always been and still is recognized by the ancient and PRIMARY yearly meeting in London." Although that yearly meeting was the first established, we are not disposed to award to it, "first in dignity, chief, principal." All the yearly meetings are upon an equality, none having pre-eminence over another. "One is your master, even Christ and all ye are brethren."

We shall touch upon one subject more, and then close this preface. The Orthodox have evinced the same want of candor, in endeavouring to make the impression that we are a new society, of which Elias Hicks was the founder, that has characterized all their proceedings against us. Although they often reiterate it, they know the imputation is utterly unfounded. We have embraced no new doctrines, adopted no new system of discipline or church government, neither have we ever been the followers of Elias Hicks, or any other man; though we conscientiously believe him to have been an eminent instrument in the Lord's hand, in calling Friends home to the ancient foundation-the revelation of the spirit of God, in the soul of man," For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

New York, 3mo. 1836.

ISAAC T. HOPPER.

THE

TRUTH VINDICATED.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

I WISH it to be distinctly understood, that the Society of Friends is in no way implicated in the views which I have thought it my duty to promulgate in the course of this work, any further than my own opinion relative to the fundamental principles upon which the Society appears to me to have been originally based, can be considered to implicate them. I have consulted with no human being upon the subject; and was not aware, until within these few weeks, that 66 any controversy" of the kind existed amongst the Society of Friends. One reason is, I have been out of the way of it and another, perhaps, may have operated, viz, that, knowing although "an angel from heaven were to preach any other gospel than the gospel of Christ," that it could not be of God, I am not much disposed to heed the wind of any or every doctrine, by which he who builds his house upon the "Rock of Ages" is continually liable to be assailed, in common with him who builds it on the sand. But whether we build upon that Rock or not, most certain it is that nothing can prevail against IT-the Rock itself. One may be of Paul-another of Cephas-and another of Apollos. One may own the Romish church-another, the Greek church-another, the Protestant church (so called.) One may follow Luther—another, Wesley and another, Fox. But what is the use of thus enumerating names and creeds? Throughout the whole of the habitable globe, the opinions o SOME MEN influence the opinions of OTHERS; an