[Footnote 30: Christ is supposed by the Quakers to be the head, under
whose guidance all their deliberations ought to take place.]
The state of the society having, by this time been ascertained, both in
the meetings of the women and of the men, from the written answers of
the different deputies, and from the reports of different committees,
and the [31]other business of the meeting having been nearly finished, a
committee, which had been previously chosen, meet to draw up a public
letter.
[Footnote 31: This may relate to the printing of books, to testimonies
concerning deceased ministers, addresses to the king, if thought
necessary, and the like.]
This letter usually comprehends three subjects: first, the state of the
society, in which the sufferings for tithes and other demands of the
church are included. This state, in all its different branches, the
committee ascertain by inspecting the answers, as brought by the
deputies before mentioned.
A second subject, comprehended in the letter, is advice to the society
for the regulation of their moral and civil conduct. This advice is
suggested partly from the same written answers, and partly by the
circumstances of the times. Are there, for instance, any vicious customs
creeping into the society, or any new dispositions among its members
contrary to the Quaker principles? The answers brought by the deputies
shew it, and advice is contained in the letter adapted to the case.
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