and were seeking a better way for themselves, many deeply interesting gatherings, of the two or three or more in private dwellings, cheered the hearts of the visitors, and those that had thus at so much labour been sought out by them.

In Holland a Friends' meeting was settled at Amsterdam, that continued into the present century, and Sewel, one of its members, has the reputation of having written the first, and to this day, most complete History of the Society during its earlier periods.

WEST INDIES.

The possession of the Islands of the West Indies, has been a source of much warlike contest between the European Powers, and our country had then acquired less territory there than now, at the time of Friends' first visit to them. In consequence, their labours were chiefly directed to Barbadoes, which is a small but fertile island, that has always been in possession of the English, who settled there in 1625, and made it not only open to free colonisation, but a strong military station, and a place whither its criminals were sent to share in plantation labour with negroes imported as slaves from Africa.

Much interest speedily attended their ministry amidst this miscellaneous population, and many of the chief persons in the island were to be seen amongst those gathered at the numerous and large meetings, held with the general inhabitants, and also amongst the black population.

This interest, however, developed into opposition, when it was found that adherents to Friends' views declined any share in military service, or rendering contributions in aid of warlike preparations, and fears also arose lest their efforts to religiously enlighten the slaves, might cause them to rise for freedom against the white population..

As usual in these cases, the chief instigators to the troubles that ensued, were to be found amongst the clericals of the island, whose own social habits appear to have been of a character in little accordance with their sacred calling, but having the ear of the Governor, it was easy for them to raise an alarm amongst the authorities, lest peace and safety should be endangered by these new doctrines, which they denounced as subversive of the fundamental truths of Christianity, and also of the principles of all good government.

Grievous as these charges undoubtedly were, and great as was the commotion they at first occasioned, such turned ultimately to an advantage, by giving Friends an opportunity of clearing away many misapprehensions, through being called upon by the Governor (a man like Sergius Paulus, of a prudent mind) to state distinctly their views, before he would take any official action for their suppression.

In consequence, George Fox (who was then in the island), with others, drew up a document, which is so able and comprehensive a statement of Friends' belief in the cardinal truths of the gospel, and full acceptance of Holy Scripture, as to have been referred to ever since

whenever their soundness in the Christian Faith may have been called in question.

It is too long to give here, and is the less needed, as our subject is rather with their points of diversity, than agreement with their fellow believers. It will be found in George Fox's Journal (a new edition of which in two volumes at 5s. is just issued), and also in the Society's Book of Christian Discipline.

By this and other means open persecution was held in check, and those who joined Friends settled into regular congregations, not only in Barbadoes but in the much larger island of Jamaica; so that to this day may be seen Meeting Houses or Burial Grounds in various parts of the West Indies, some in ruins, others converted into dwellings, whilst the descendants of such as once worshipped in them must be sought for amongst the populations of America. Thither so general an emigration set in, that it stripped these parts of Friends, who left on account of their conscientious objection to support war, and their conviction of the iniquity of obtaining a livelihood by means of slave labour.

NOTE. In connection with Dutch Friends it should not be forgotten how much they benefited by Steven Crisp's, of Colchester, frequent visits, for he was one of the clearest and most effective exponents of Friends' Doctrinals, and had learnt to speak German.

CHAPTER XIII.

FRIENDS IN AMERICA.

"The Seed in America shall be as the sand of the sea."-An utterance by Humphrey Norton, one of the first Friends who visited that great Continent.

THE

HE Society of Friends has largely developed in the United States, where it became divided, about sixty years ago, into two nearly equal communities, in consequence of diverse theological views, through the one having adopted an Unitarian basis, whilst the other retains the original views of the Society, and is the body with which English Friends have continued to be in correspondence.

This orthodox section consists at the present time of twelve Yearly Meetings, with a total of 84,000 members, increasing latterly at the rate of about 2,000 a year. Each of these Yearly Meetings, though independent in itself, maintains with the other a friendly correspondence, and most of them are marked by an active and influential zeal in various kinds of mission and philanthropic work.

Looking backwards, Friends' history in America presents itself under a two-fold aspect, each of which requires notice, being in one case the spread of Friends' principles amongst colonists of various religious persuasions already settled there, and in the other

a founding of an entirely new State by William Penn, under the name of Pennsylvania.

These English settlements along the Eastern coast of America were founded at various periods by associations for the ostensible purpose of trade and commerce, under charters obtained from successive sovereigns, ranging in date from James the First to George the Second. Such royal grants gave powers of self-government subject to the British Crown, and throughout the great political and religious disturbances of those reigns, these colonies became a general refuge for the defeated or persecuted of all kindsEnglish, Scotch, and Irish, with Huguenots from France, Waldenses, Swedes and Danes, Moravians and others.

With all this mixed character in the emigrants, each province acquired a character of its own, those in the South favouring Episcopalian and Royalist principles, whilst the Northern ones were Nonconformist as to religion, and Republican or Democratic in their politics.

Between these lay the territories granted to Lord Baltimore, who, though a Roman Catholic himself, declared "that he would not directly or indirectly molest any settler, professing to believe in Jesus Christ, for or in respect of his religion," and next to him were territories then in the hands of the Dutch, whose charter for what they called the New Netherlands, contained those principles of toleration for all forms of religion, that had contributed to Holland's greatness. It caused their city of New Amsterdam to acquire that