They visit about, and form
new connections in the society, and are permitted the enjoyment of other
reasonable pleasures.
Such is the organization of the discipline or government of the
Quakers. Nor may it improperly be called a government, when we consider
that, besides all matters relating to the church, it takes cognizance of
the actions of Quakers to Quakers, and of these to their
fellow-citizens, and of these again to the state; in fact of all actions
of Quakers, if immoral in the eye of the society, us soon at they we
known. It gives out its prohibitions. It marks its crimes. It imposes
offices on its subjects. It culls them to disciplinary duties.[32]This
government however, notwithstanding its power, has, as I observed
before, no president or head, either permanent or temporary. There is no
first man through the whole society. Neither has it any badge of office,
or mace, or constables staff or sword. It may be observed also, that it
has no office of emolument, by which its hands can be strengthened,
neither minister, elder, [33]clerk, overseer, nor deputy, being paid;
and yet its administration is firmly conducted, and its laws better
obeyed, than laws by persons, under any other denomination or
government. The constant assemblage of the Quakers at their places of
worship, and their unwearied attendances at the monthly and quarterly
meetings, which they must often frequent at a great distance, to their
own personal inconvenience, and to the hindrance of their worldly
concerns, must be admitted, in part, as proofs of the last remark.
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