1827, but at that meeting the usual minute of adjournment was made, to meet at the usual time, and the meeting was held in pursuance of that adjournment, at the same time and place in the succeeding year, and the society has continued so to adjourn and meet from that time until the present. No order of that meeting was ever made to adjourn the meeting to Green and Cherry streets. The society consider themselves strictly bound by the adjournment to meet at the time and place to which the meeting is adjourned; and there has never been an instance, within my knowledge, where this rule has been departed from. In the year '97 and '98, particularly the year '98, the state of the city was such, from the prevalence of the fever, Pine street being then the regular place of holding the meeting, and that district being particularly exposed, there was considerable discussion among Friends whether an effort ought not to be made under the extreme and peculiar circumstances of the case, to convene at some other place; but it was considered irregular, that there was no authority to make the change, and the meeting assembled as usual. Some valuable individuals, subsequently deceased from the fever, which they took on that occasion-persons who came from the country to attend it. This meeting was held at that time in the fall of the year, in Ninth-month, before the change took place; the next year the time of meeting was changed to Fourth-month, and the place also changed to Keys' Alley the meeting did not get through with their business in Ninth-month, and adjourned to Twelfth-month, and held this extra session in the winter. This extra session or meeting was held by the regular order and adjournment of the meeting in Ninth-month-the adjournment was made on account of the prevalence of the fever.

Question by Mr. Sloan. State the circumstances which took place at the Yearly Meeting of 1827, and occasioned the separation which then took place.

Answer. The ground of the unhappy schism in the Society of Friends, is the difference of doctrine. There is a coincidence of views between those who have separated, and us, on this subject, as appears by one of their official documents, which is here made an exhibit. To forward the views of the seceders in relation to the introduction of new faith and doctrine, they brought forward various propositions for a change in the discipline of the society. The most important of those changes related to the appointment of elders, whose duty it is in the order of our society to watch over, and have a care of the ministry. Another proposition was to either do away with the representative body, called the meeting for sufferings, or change its organization; so, as I apprehend, to render it less efficient. These propositions, in a little varied form, were brought before the Yearly Meeting at different times. They were not adopted; these changes were not adopted-the leaders of the schism becoming impatient of restraint, prepared to make one great effort to overwhelm the society, and introduce their new faith and principles in the Yearly Meeting of 1827. The propositions I have mentioned were renewed upon that occasion in the Quarterly Meetings of Bucks and Abington, and were forwarded in their reports to the Yearly Meeting. In those two quarters, where the schismatics, separatists, or Hicksites, (for they must have some name,) had the ascendency, they doubled their representation from what it had ever been, within my knowledge, and as I believe from what it had ever been. The number of their representatives to the Yearly Meeting was double that which it had ever been be

fore. In the southern Quarterly Meeting, the smallest quarter in the Yearly Meeting, a proposition was also brought up of like tenor and import, and one-half or fifty per cent. was also added to their representation, they having always been theretofore represented in a greater proportion than other meetings. In addition to these measures, private meetings were held very generally through the Yearly Meeting by the Hicks' leaders of this schism, to induce the members to come into their views-to prepare their minds for the expected separation. John Comly, who is now clerk of the Hicksite meeting, told me that he had held about forty of those meetings, with a view to divide the society. I asked him, as this conversation was perfectly confidential, whether I was at liberty to say that it was for the purpose, and with the view to divide the society. He said I was at liberty to say so, and requested me to add, that he wished it to be done in a peaceable manner.

It was very generally reputed, that the leading men of the schism were making efforts throughout the Quarterly Meetings generally, calculated to bring about these changes in the discipline, or to effect the separation, which has since taken place. In this state things were when the Yearly Meeting of 1827 assembled. The meeting was opened, and the first morning passed with the usual routine of business. I was at the table, and John Comly was my assistant. As is usual at the close of the first sitting, the representatives were directed to remain together, to consider of a Friend to serve the meeting, as clerk, and also one to assist him. The old clerk always acts until there is a new one appointed. As the representatives nominate the clerk, we can see another object of the increase in the representation of Bucks and Abington, and the southern quarter, as it would give them an unusual and preponderating influence. They spread very generally, and it was a matter of common repute that it was their view to place at the table an impartial clerk, as they say. The only person they mentioned was John Comly, the same person who had held these numerous meetings to divide the society. This I speak of from general report, and not from my own. knowledge. I was not one of the representatives. John Comly is now, and has ever been by general repute, in unity with the separatists, and their most active leader. He is now clerk of their meeting. In the afternoon, after the meeting was organized, and a regular minute of opening made, John Cox, of Burlington, rose and stated that he had been directed by the representatives to inform the meeting, that they could not agree to propose any name as clerk. Several propositions were made in consequence of this state of things; none of them, however, were agreed to when an ancient Friend mentioned to the meeting that he had attended the Yearly Meeting for upwards of sixty years, and the custom had been, that "the old clerks continued until new names were brought forward and agreed to"-this is the substance, if not the very words. This proposition was opposed, but several who were known to be attached to the disturbers of our peace, (I can't term them seceders as yet, for they had not yet separated; I use the term with no other view than to designate them,) endeavoured to prevail on their friends, for they seemed to direct their discourse to them, to submit to the proposition, "for it might not be of so much consequence as you apprehend," said one man who was well known to be a leading man in this schism. There being a little pause, I simply made a minute, desiring the old clerks to continue to

12

serve the meeting; this minute, as soon as it was read, was opposed-I sat down, did not proceed with any business, let the discussion go on, and watched the event; there were many sentiments, pro and con, during which, efforts were made by persons who have since joined in the separation, to induce an acquiescence with the minute; at length all opposition ceased, John Comly was desired to come to the table, (he had taken his seat in another position,) he rose and came to the table, apparently in acquiescence with his appointment as assistant clerk. Until these things had taken place, that is, until he had taken his place at the table as assistant clerk, I transacted no business as clerk. We then proceeded with some of the usual business, and the meeting adjourned until the next morning; there was no difficulty, the meeting went on in their business as a united body. Next morning, after the meeting was regularly opened, John Comly rose and stated, that there were two irreconcilable parties, and that he could not conscientiously serve a meeting so circumstanced, as its organ, and proposed that the meeting should adjourn; when he sat down, I observed to him, "why, John, you have mentioned no time to adjourn to, and it would be a dissolution," supposing that he had made a mistake in not mentioning a time, and being willing his proposition should be attended to; of course I waited; there was a proposition before the meeting, and I could not go on until it was acted on; it met, however, with a very feeble support indeed. John was requested by several friends to submit to the appointment, and go on with the business. He took his seat, prepared to act, and the business did progress, he acting as usual, without making further objection on his part. There was no further difficulty occurred in the meeting, until the last sitting; they held, however, their private meetings, maturing their plans for a separation. I have this information from John Comly; we were not personally at variance, and had frequent conversations, in which he was frank and open, and spoke without reserve of these matters; he told me of the meetings that were held in private houses, and in Green street meeting house; I have this from John Comly; and it was also matter of general repute, that these meetings were held, and for that purpose. I mentioned to him my decided objection to all these plans of separation, but observed, if you have counted the cost, if you are determined on this measure, had you not better withdraw the propositions for a change, which I have before alluded to as coming from Bucks, Abington, and the southern quarter. He said he thought so too, united with me fully in that view, and said they had better be withdrawn, as it was not likely that they would ever be adopted, and would only occasion confusion and difficulty. The propositions, when again brought before the meeting, were withdrawn with common consent; there was no difficulty. As I have before mentioned, no other differences occurred until the last sitting. At the last sitting on Seventhday morning, a proposition was introduced from the women's meeting, to appoint a committee to visit the respective subordinate meetings for their strength and encouragement. To this there was a decided objection made; some Friends then in the meeting, and now attached to each of the parties, opposed it. The doubt of some was, that it had better not be decided at that time; with others there was a decided opposition to the measure. At this juncture, a Friend stated to the meeting of the out door proceedings, the private meetings, which I have ndeavoured to describe, and opened the whole subject; it appeared to

me evidently to create uneasiness and alarm on the part of those who had been concerned in these meetings; some of them called in question the accuracy of the statement that had been made, and seemed disposed to deny it; some did deny it; others, however, said that the general statement was accurate, and acknowledged it. The propriety of appointing a committee under such circumstances, appeared so very obvious, that the opposition in a great measure ceased for that time, after which there was a greater and more general expression of unity with the measure, than I have often, if ever, seen or heard. I had been watching the course of events as the clerk of the meeting, to know how to act, and when all opposition had ceased, and it was very apparent it was the sense of the meeting that the appointment should be made, I rose and stated to the meeting that I had had my doubts when this proposition was first brought in, whether it was expedient to adopt the proposition at that time, but that as the servant of the meeting, it being so manifestly its sense, I should now proceed to make the minute, and according made it, and united with them in their views, and a committee was appointed pursuant to the minute.

There was one other proposition made in the meeting, and that was to raise three thousand dollars, to aid our brethren in North Carolina, in removing out of that state many hundred coloured people; eight or nine hundred of them at least, who were under the care of the Carolina Yearly Meeting, and whose liberties were in jeopardy, unless they removed out of the state, by a law of that state. This sum it was proposed should be raised by the different Quarterly Meetings in the usual proportions. This was entirely united with-not a single dissenting voice-a great many expressing their views, and a minute was made directing the Quarterly Meetings to raise the money, and pay it to Ellis Yarnall, the Treasurer of the Yearly Meeting. There was no other business that I recollect on the last day of the sitting, but the reading of the minutes; during the last hour of the sitting, all the proceedings were read over, as is usual at the close of the meeting; no objections were made by any one to any part of the minutes, and the concluding minute was also read, adjourning the meeting until the next year, at the same time and place, if the Lord permit, or using such other expression as is usual on such occasions, with those who acknowledge the superintending care of a divine providence, to which minutes of adjournment no objection was made by any one.

The Quarterly Meetings that compose the Yearly Meeting, all assembled, and in conformity with the direction contained in the extract from the Yearly Meeting, raised their quotas of the three thousand dollars, and paid it to Ellis Yarnall, Treasurer of the Yearly Meeting.

Question by Mr. Sloan. Has it been customary for the Yearly Meeting to appoint committees to visit the subordinate meetings for their strength and encouragement?

Answer. It has, it is an ancient custom of the society.

During the discussion of the proposition to appoint said committee, there was no suggestion of a doubt of the right and the power of the Yearly Meeting to appoint such committee: the difference of opinion. was confined to the expediency of making the appointment at that time. I was appointed one of that committee. As a member of such committee I visited the quarter to which Burlington and Chesterfield Monthly Meetings belong. I was received as a committee from the Yearly

Meeting, and a minute was made in that meeting acknowledging us as such committee, and expressing satisfaction with our company. The visit I paid to that quarter was before the separation had taken place in the Chesterfield Monthly Meeting.

Question by Mr. Sloan. How long is it since the propositions for a change in the discipline of which you have spoken, were first introduced into the Yearly Meeting by their advocates?"

Answer. It was within a few years previous to the separation: I think not exceeding four years, as near as I can now recollect. No unpleasant discussions or difficulty ever occurred in our Yearly Meeting until these propositions were introduced, and they never failed to excite difficulty whenever they were brought forward in the meeting. There was, however, one occasion occurring in 1823, when another subject introduced into the Yearly Meeting, produced difficulty. It has been the custom of the society, whenever any of its doctrines or testimonies, as we express it, in works that are published, are misrepresented, to endeavour to induce the editors of those works to give the views that Friends hold in reference to the doctrines thus misrepresented: this is made, by its constitution, the duty of the Meeting for Sufferings. It is one that is not unfrequently exercised: I myself have known of two instances besides the one which occasioned the difficulty to which I have alluded: one occurred in a republication of "Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History:" Friends interfered, and the editor printed their own views on the subject. There was another instance in "Dobson's Encyclopedia:" there was misrepresentation under the article Quaker, or Friend; or, however, there was a misrepresentation, which the editor corrected in a subsequent volume. I am now coming to the third instance, which occasioned the difficulty to which I have alluded. I have a general knowledge of several other cases, but was instrumental only in the cases mentioned. In the year 1822, there was a discussion in a public paper published at Wilmington, Delaware, conducted under the signatures of Paul and Amicus; Paul attacking Friends, and Amicus speaking on their behalf; and in a manner, too, which showed that he was speaking for the society, clearly. After this discussion had progressed for a considerable time, Amicus avowed doctrines as parts of the christian faith, which we could not accord with; they appeared to us of a Socinian character at least; and these essays, which first appeared in a newspaper, being about to be reprinted in form of a book for a more extensive circulation, and a large subscription being filled for that purpose, it became the duty of the Meeting for Sufferings, in the regular, order of their proceedings, to notice the subject: and they did so notice it by appointing a committee: that committee pursued the usual course in such cases; they prepared a statement of what were the views of Friends on the points I have alluded to: I was of that committee: we concluded it would be best to use the language of approved writers of our society; and we accordingly did so, making use of our own terms no further than was necessary to connect the subjects; making extracts from various approved authors: we produced these extracts to the Meeting for Sufferings. The meeting united with the report of the committee, and made a minute on the subject. A Friend was desired to call on the editor at Wilmington, who was about to publish the essays above mentioned, who did call on him, and the editor engaged to publish the minute in his newspaper, but objected to publishing any thing on the subject in his book. He accord