To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies and Settlements, in New Holland, Van Diemens Land, South Africa, and elsewhere. At a Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, for the County of York, held at York, in Great Britain, the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth days of Twelfth Month, One thousand, eight hundred and thirty. Our dear friend James Backhouse has, at this time, stated an apprehension, which has long attended his mind, that it is required of him in the discharge of his duty, as a minister of the Gospel, to pay a religious visit to the Inhabitants of your parts, as described in the within Certificate, from the members of our Society, constituting the Monthly Meeting of York, expressive of their unity and concurrence with him in the same prospect. This meeting has had the proposal under its serious and deliberate consideration, and fully participating in the feeling of near unity and sympathy with our dear friend therein, hereby liberates him to pursue the service to which he believes himself called. Earnestly desiring that he may be preserved under the safe guidance, and protecting care of his Divine Lord and Master, and strengthened to be faithful to all his holy requirings, we humbly trust that his labours amongst you may be attended with the blessing of our Heavenly Father, and that, after having accomplished the work assigned, he may be restored to his family and friends in safety and peace. Signed in and on behalf of the aforesaid Meeting, LEONARD WEST, Clerk. At a Yearly Meeting of the Ministers and Elders, of the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, held in London, the 16th, 17th, and 28th of the 5th Month, 1831. Our dear friend James Backhouse, of the City of York, a minister of our religious Society, has stated to this meeting, that, for some years, an apprehension of religious duty has rested on his mind, to visit in the love of the Gospel, some of the Inhabitants of the British Colonies, of New Holland, Van Diemens Land, and South Africa. He produced a Certificate of York Monthly Meeting, also one from the Quarterly Meeting for that County, expressing the sympathy and unity of those meetings with him in his concern. The magnitude and importance of the engagement have claimed the solid consideration of this meeting; much Christian sympathy being felt and expressed with this our dear friend in the prospect before him, and this meeting feeling unity therewith, thinks it right to liberate him for the service. Under a sense of the awful responsibility of the engagement, we reverently commend him to the protecting care of Almighty God,earnestly desiring that he may, from day to day, abide in deep humility, watchfulness, and prayer, and be preserved in single dependence upon the leadings of the Holy Spirit; and may his Gospel labours be blessed to the spreading and exaltation of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Signed in and on behalf of the Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders, held in London, the 16th, 17th, and 28th of the 5th Month, 1831. WILLIAM ALLEN, Clerk. To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies in New Holland, Van Diemens Land, South Africa, and elsewhere, where these may come. The Religious Society of Friends, constituting the Monthly Meeting of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in Great Britain, send greeting: Our dear friend George Washington Walker having, in a solid manner, spread before this assembly, a religious concern which rests with weight upon his mind, to offer himself to go out as a companion to our dear friend James Backhouse, of the City of York, who is about to pay you a visit in Gospel love. These are to certify, that he, the said George Washington Walker, is a member in good esteem with us, the Society aforesaid; and that, in this, his arduous engagement, he has the near sympathy and cordial concurrence of this meeting; trusting that in surrendering himself to this service, he is moving under the direction of Him who is Lord of Heaven and Earth. We desire that these, our beloved Friends, may be preserved in the fear of God, daily walking in his counsel; that so their circumspect conduct, and their religious labours, may tend to the instruction and edification of those among whom their lot may be cast; that many may be brought to the knowledge of the Truth,-may be turned from darkness unto light,-from the power of Satan unto God; that receiving the remission of sins through the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord, and by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, they may become meet to be partakers of that eternal inheritance, which he hath prepared for them who truly love and fear Him. We commend these our beloved friends to the protection of the Lord God Omnipotent, through all the outward dangers, and the inward conflicts of spirit, which may be permitted to attend them; desiring that He may keep them in the way in which they should go, bless their labours for the honour of his name; and when their service is performed, be graciously pleased to permit them to return in peace. Under the feeling of a measure of that Love which desires that all men may be brought to the knowledge of the Truth as it is in Jesus, and be saved, we are your friends. Signed in and on behalf of our Monthly Meeting aforesaid, this 13th day of the 7th Month, 1831. Michael Watson George Unthank John Burt Joshua Ianson William Grimshaw Thomas Richardson, jun. John Hills John Brown George Baynes Edward Ford William Noble Solomon Chapman George Richardson Daniel Oliver Thomas Richardson Jonathan Priestman William Richardson Anthony Clapham Joshua Watson William Brown William Hotham APPENDIX. B. A CONCISE APOLOGY for the peculiarities of the SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, commonly called QUAKERS, in their language, costume, and manners. By JAMES BACKHOUSE. When any People adopt a style of Language, Costume, and Manners, differing from that of the community at large, it is reasonable to expect that they will appear singular, if not foolish, in the eyes of the uninformed. It is therefore incumbent on those who act in a manner at variance with common custom, to explain their reasons for so acting, in order that they may not be misunderstood. It is well known that the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, has adopted, in many points, practices very different from those of the Christian community in general; but their motives for doing so, it is apprehended, are little understood by many of their fellow Christians: and as the Quakers believe that they have scriptural grounds for these variations from common usage, it is a matter of some moment, that their views should be explained, in order that they may not be regarded as visionary, and that Christians of other denominations may consider how far they are called upon to act according to the same principles. Explanations of this kind have been copiously given in several treatises on the principles of Friends, already published; but as these treatises, from their size, are necessarily limited as to their circulation, the following reasons, in a more compendious form, are submitted to notice.* For further information on the principles of Friends, see Barclay's Apology;-Tuke's Principles;-Gurney on the Distinguishing views of Friends. One of the first peculiarities in the manners of a Quaker likely to arrest attention, is his disuse of Complimentary Modes of Address. These, it is presumed, originate in a disposition to gratify that principle in the human mind, which loves to be thought something of: and this principle, if examined into, will be found to have its root in pride, either of circumstances, character, or station in life. But as "the Lord knoweth the proud afar off;" and "hateth a proud look ;" and "will destroy the house of the proud;" and "every one proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;"§ and a proud heart is sin;" and "God resisteth the proud;"¶ it is inconsistent with that love which "worketh no ill to his neighbour ;"** and which it is the duty of Christians constantly to exercise, to cherish this pride. For this reason, the Quakers do not use those complimentary titles, and addresses, which, by exciting and fostering the pride of those to whom they are addressed, are calculated to produce feelings the very opposite to christian humility. The Society of Friends conceives the use of Complimentary titles to be clearly forbidden to Christians, by the exhortations of their great Lord and Master; "Be ye not called Rabbi; for one is your master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your Father upon earth; for one is your Father which is in heaven." And, in the following verse, the disciples are forbidden to desire such compliments ; "Neither be ye called Masters: for one is your Master, even Christ."†† The pride of the Scribes and Pharisees, in loving such compliments, and in seeking gratification in other ways, is further denounced by the Saviour; "But all their works, they do, to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi."‡‡ The injurious effect of a desire for worldly honour, is also pointed out by our Lord, in the following expressions: "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?"§§ It must be obvious to every considerate person, that in making a stand against any wrong practices, even where these merge by slight gradations into right ones, a line must be drawn somewhere, to commence from; and unless this line be drawn from the commencement of the evil, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to find another place • Psalm cxxxviii. 6. † Proverbs vi. 17. Ibid. xv. 25. James iv. 6. 1 Peter v. 5. .. Romans xiii. 10. Matthew xxiii. 5, 6, 7. § Ibid. xvi. 5. || Ibid. xxi. 4. ++ Matthew xxiii. 8, 9, 10. §§ John v. 44. |