that of Holy Scripture. The books, too, which in the present controversy meet with very extensive acceptance among those who must be considered as having the chief influence in the Society, I can only look upon as being wholly subversive of the gospel: whilst, at the same time, the publications and the preaching, which tend to promote the cause of the gospel, are as generally discouraged, and as much as possible put down.

"But, as if to place this matter beyond question, a publication which is directly levelled against Hicksism, and, by appropriate quotations from the Holy Scriptures, clearly shows its contradiction of gospel truth, is said by the generality of Friends, to be secretly aimed against their principles: thereby, as every reasonable and unprejudiced person must see, iden-tifying their principles with those of the Hicksites. The excellent author of the Beacon, (the publication to which I allude,) as a mark of their disapprobation of the work, has lately, it seems, been silenced for the present,' as a minister, by the committee of the Yearly Meeting, who were appointed to visit the Quarterly Meeting of which he is a member. But this mark appears to me to give an honourable distinction to the Christian man on whom it is placed, and at the same time fixes a stigma on

those who have dared to wound the cause of the gospel by such a stretch of authority: for they have not been able to lay their fingers on a single sentence in the Beacon' which they have ventured openly to condemn.

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"I, therefore, feel myself conscientiously bound to renounce a profession which I believe to be incurably hostile to the gospel: but at the same time that I request you no longer to consider me as a member of the Society, I can most truly say that my controversy is with prineiples, not with persons; neither do I presume to judge individuals: but my heart's desire and prayer to God is, that, for Jesus Christ's sake, every member of the Society may, by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, be enabled to lay hold on the word of the truth of the gospel: and thus by true repentance, and a scriptural faith in God, and in the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, may be made a partaker of that salvation which comes through him alone.

“Indeed, my beloved Friends, I cannot by any words express the affectionate and earnest solicitude I feel, that you may throw aside with holy indignation the mischievous traditions of men; and receive with child-like simplicity the truth, which God has so graciously and so clearly revealed in Holy Scripture. And let

me assure you, that notwithstanding the separation now made between us, which will prevent my voice from being again heard among you to proclaim the truth of the gospel, yet my prayers to God for you will continue to be put up in

secret.

"But allow me most solemnly to remind you, that the numerous and sufficient warnings you have had, not only by the plain statement of the truth, but by the incontrovertible evidence of the delusive nature of the principles you profess, must necessarily bring upon you an aggravated condemnation, if such warnings are disregarded. Look, I beseech you, with an intelligent and impartial eye to Ireland, to America, and though last, not least, to this country, for evidence of the destructive effects of these deadening principles. I entreat you, therefore, not to count me 'your enemy because I tell you the truth,' but believe me to be your faithful and affectionate friend,

"JOHN WILKINSON."

"Upper Clapton,

2nd of 2nd Month, 1836."

INTRODUCTION.

IF my information be correct, the letter addressed to me by Samuel Tuke is not to be considered as the production of that muchesteemed individual alone, but that several other influential members of your Society have given their assistance in drawing it up, and that it has also been revised by the meeting whose business it is to judge of publications that relate to the principles of the Society. It will, therefore, be more suitable for me to address the observations I have to make upon it to Friends generally, than to the talented writer whose name appears in the title-page of it.

I confess, it gives me a great deal of concern to find, that although it was my endeavour to guard the expressions in my letter of resignation of membership in the Society,* so as that no one might consider himself to be personally reflected on; yet that much offence has been taken from

* For the sake of conciseness, this will afterwards be referred to by the term, "My Letter."

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FulENDS' LIBRARY 142 N. 16TH ST., PHILADELPHIA,

the idea, that I had particular persons in view, I can truly say, this was not the case; and it must be recollected, that in my letter it is distinctly stated, that my controversy is with PRINCIPLES, not with persons. And if any expressions I have made use of seem to bear hard on individuals, who have for several years taken the most active part in the Society, I must acknowledge, it never entered my mind that these, in particular, would imagine themselves to be singled out by me; because, whatever has been performed by them as organs of the Society must be considered as done by the Society itself.

Nothing, certainly, but an imperative sense of duty would have induced me to make public my reasons for leaving the Society, for no one, I think, can love retirement or dislike publicity more than I do; but as hitherto there has appeared to me to be no proper disposition manifested by the Society to take warning by the very awful exhibitions of the effects of the unscriptural principles which are, as far as I can see, still exerting their full force, unchecked by any substantial public act of the Society; and as, by the full reception of these principles in which from four years of age I was educated, I have been placed in a situation as perilous as can well