DECLARATORY MINUTE BY THE YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS, HELD IN LONDON, IN THE YEAR 1829.

This Meeting has been introduced into a feeling of inuch sympathy and brotherly love for our brethren on the American Continent. We have heard, with deep concern and sorrow, of the close trials to which they have been subjected by the diffusion of anti-christian doctrines among them; and we consider it to be a duty to disclaim, and we hereby do disclaim, all connexion, as a religious society, with any Meetings for the purpose of worship, or discipline which have been established or which are upheld, by those who have embraced such anti-christian doctrines.

And in order to prevent any misapprehension as to our views, we feel ourselves called upon, at this time, to avow our belief in the inspiration and divine authority of the Old and New Testament.

We further believe, that the promise made after the transgression of our first parents, in the consequences of whose fall all the posterity of Adam are involved, a that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent; and the declaration unto Abraham, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," had a direct reference to the coming in the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. To Him, also, did the Prophet Isaiah bear testimony, when he declared, " Unto a Gen, iii. 15. b Gen. xxii. 18. e Isai. ix. 6, 7.

us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." And again, the same Prophet spoke of him when he said a Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted; but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." The same blessed Redeemer is emphatically denominated by the Prophet Jeremiah, "The LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.'

b

At that period, and in that miraculous manner, which God in his perfect wisdom saw fit, the promised Messiah appeared personally upon the earth, when "He took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham." He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Having finished the work which was given him to do, He gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God. He tasted death for every man. h" He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world." "We have redemption through

a Isai, liii, 4, 5. d Heb. iv. 15.

e

g

b Jerem. xxiii. 6.
f Eph. v. 2.
iCol, i. 14,

e John, xvii. 4.
h1 John, ii. 2.

c Heb. ii, 16. g Heb. ii. 9.

his blood, even the forgivness of sins." a He pass ed into the heavens; and b being the brightness of the glory of God, "and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" and ever liveth to make intercession for us.

e

dIt is by the Lord Jesus Christ that the world will be judged in righteousness. He is the Mediator of the new covenant; f" the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalites, or powers all things were created by him, and for him and he is before all things, and by him all things consist." g" In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily:" and to him did the Evangelist bear testimony when he said "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him, was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men." He " was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."

h

was in

a Heb. iv. 14. b Heb. i. 3. c Heb. vii. 25. d Acts, xvii. 31. e Heb. xii, 24. f Col. i, 15, 17. Col. ii. 9. b John, i. 1. 4, 9.

a

Our blessed Lord himself spoke of His perpetual dominion and power in his church, when He said "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life" and when describing the spiritual food which he bestoweth on the true believers, He declared, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." He spoke also of his saving grace, bestowed on those who come in faith unto Him, when he said "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life."

Our religious Society, from its earliest establishment to the present day, has received these most important doctrines of Holy Scripture in their plain and obvious acceptation; and we do not acknowledge as in fellowship with us, as a Christian Community, any body of religious professors which does not thus accept them, or which openly receives and accredits as Ministers, those who attempt to invalidate any of these doctrines which we esteem as essential parts of the Christian Religion.

It is the earnest desire of this Meeting, that all who profess our name, may so live, and so walk before God, as that they may know these sacred truths to be blessed to them individually. We

a John, x. 27, 28. b John vi. 35. c John iv. 14.

a

desire that, as the mere profession of sound Christian doctrine will not avail to the salvation of the soul, all may attain to a living efficacious faith, which, through the power of the Holy Ghost, bringeth forth fruit unto holiness; the end whereof is everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

ON WORSHIP, AND THE MINISTRY.

In common with almost all who profess the Christian name, the society of Friends are in the practice of assembling for the purpose of worship, on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, and it is also their practice to hold a meeting for worship on some other day about the middle of the week. The due observance of one day in seven as a day of rest, and a day more especially set apart for the purpose of public worship, and for other duties of a religious nature, they believe to be incumbent on a christian community, agreeably to the authority of Holy Scripture, and of incalculable importance in its results.

Except during the time of prayer, when they are all uncovered, the men do not take off their hats in their religious meeting, unless for their own convenience, the custom of doing so in places of worship, originated, no doubt, in a superstitious reverence for particular places; but the Friends

a Rom. vi, 22. b Rev. v. 13.