Parents, &c. a humble obedience to the teachings of the Lord's Spirit; and, as they advance in years, to establish in them a to establish in them a firm belief in the allsufficiency of this holy guide. When precept and example are thus happily combined, they most effectually prepare the way for the adoption of those testimonies and practices in regard to speech, behaviour, and apparel, which accord with our views of Christian simplicity. These we believe to have their origin in that pure and perfect law of the Lord, from whence spring our more important views of Christian doctrine and practice. And we desire that none of our dear friends may be discouraged in contemplating that high standard of parental duty, which we are concerned to hold up. All should be endeavouring to perform their part with entire consistency; and if we are sincere in these attempts, we have abundant cause to believe that the blessing of the Most High will not be withheld. 1826. P. E.

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We affectionately exhort parents, and all who have the care of children and young persons, constantly to bear in remembrance the great value of a tender conscience; and to turn their attention to the secret instructions of Divine Grace, reproving for evil, and bringing peace for doing well. Be concerned, dear friends of this class, early to subject the wills of those entrusted to your charge; encourage them to fix their affections on things which are eternal; set before them the necessity of being converted from the evil of their own hearts, and kept clean from the sin which abounds in the world; impress them with a sense of the holiness and purity of God, and of his righteous law and whilst we would exhort you to continue to instruct them in the invaluable truths of the Bible, may you lead them to seek after the practical application of these precepts and doctrines under the influence of the Holy Spirit. By such a course of religious care and Christian instruction, carried on, in simple, humble dependence upon God, you will perform the great duty of bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 1830. P. E.

The reports which we have at this time received, of the state of our public schools have been satisfactory to us; we believe that they have been rendered a great blessing to our society. Our sympathy and esteem are peculiarly due to those who are conscientiously occupied in discharging the responsible duties attached to the care of youth. With the right fulfilment of your trust, dear friends, our hopes of a succeeding generation are intimately connected. Your calling is arduous, but of eminent utility; and one in which you have abundant opportunity to serve the Lord. You have especial need to seek for the wisdom which is from above; but if, through heavenly help, you have been made instrumental in establishing correct moral habits and sound religious principles, however limited your sphere, you may hope to partake of the blessing of those who turn many to righteousness. We are religiously concerned that our young people of every class, whilst they are receiving that education which will fit them for usefulness in after life, may continue to be trained up in the knowledge and love of the Holy Scriptures; and that they may, in humility and the fear of the Lord, examine for themselves the external evidences of the Christian religion. May they ever be preserved in that teachable, watchful, and tender state of mind in which they will be alive to the perceptible influence of the Holy Spirit, and in which the Lord will be pleased to grant them a right understanding of the way of life and salvation. 1833. P. E.

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School-mas

ters, &c.

PLAINNESS AND MODERATION.

It is much upon us to put friends in remembrance to keep to the ancient testimony, truth begat in our hearts in the beginning, against the spirit of this world; for which many have suffered cruel mockings, beating, stoning, &c. particularly as to the corrupt fashions, dealings, and language of the world, their over-reachings and vain jestings; that the cross of Christ in all things may be kept to, which preserves friends blameless, and honours the Lord's name and truth in the earth. 1675. W. E.

It is our tender and Christian advice that friends take care to keep to truth and plainness, in language, habit, deportment, and behaviour; that the simplicity of truth in these things may not wear out or be lost in our days, nor in those of our posterity; and to avoid pride and immodesty in apparel, and all vain and superfluous fashions of the world. 1691. P. E.

This meeting, under a deep sense that pride, and the vain customs and fashions of the world prevail over some of our profession, particularly in the excess of apparel and furniture, doth earnestly recommend, that all who make profession with us take care to be exemplary in what they wear, and what they use, so as to avoid the vain customs of the world, and all extravagancy in colour and fashion; and keep themselves, in respect thereof, spotless and blameless, adorning their profession in all modesty and sobriety: and that all parents be watchful over their children, and careful not to suffer them to get up into pride and excess, but keep them to that decent plainness which becomes the people of God; that their children may not be exposed to ruin by their parents' neglect. 1703. P. E.

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to Christian

self-denial.

Let all be examples to their children, in wisdom, moderation, and plainness in language and habit; and not examples only, but also Exhortations restrain them from any thing that might be to their hurt, either in- simplicity and wardly or outwardly neither providing for them costly and gaudy attire unbecoming godliness, nor letting them have money to gratify themselves therein. 1709. P. E.

We exhort all such as are professors of the truth, faithfully to obey the same, in keeping to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the several testimonies thereof; so that none may despise the day of small things, or turn aside from the plainness, simplicity, and life of the truth, into the words, ways, customs, and fashions of the world, which are vain, and will perish with the using; God having redeemed his people out of the same, through his righteous judgments in their inward parts: knowing, that whatsoever hath been condemned, and overturned thereby, is never to be built up again, by any who are lovers of the truth as it is in Jesus. 1712. P. E.

Advised, that all friends, both male and female, be careful that their adorning be that "of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of "God of great price;" even as the holy men and women of old, professing godliness, were adorned. O that our young men and women would follow their example! but to our great grief we find too many of our young men, instead of observing that gospel exhortation to be soberminded, have given way to lightness and vanity; the pernicious effects whereof have led them into pride, and such extravagances as those who are not of our profession observe, as marks of declension from our primitive plainness. And O that our young women, likewise, would cease from all unseemly and immodest appearance in their apparel! Certainly both males and females who take such undue measures, fly from the cross of Christ; and if they do not repent and return, they will thereby suffer great loss. 1715. W. E.

Forasmuch as a true Christian practice, and every branch of it, is

5

6

7

to Christian

Exhortations the fruit and effect of the inward sanctification of the heart, by the simplicity and Spirit of Christ, for which we are frequently to wait on him in all huself-denial. mility and lowliness of mind; we tenderly advise, that every thing

8

tending to obstruct, or divert the minds of children, or those of more advanced years, from this good exercise, may be carefully avoided and taken out of the way. And it being evident, that the glory and vanity of the world, and the pleasures and diversions of it, are of this nature and tendency; we therefore advise that all parents and masters, in the first place, be good examples to their children and families, in a humble and circumspect walking, and with all plainness of habit and speech; and also, that they be very careful not to indulge their children in the use and practice of things contrary thereunto. For we are sensible that, by such habits, of how little moment soever some may think them, the tender minds of children, while very young, being lifted up, and drawn aside from the simplicity of the truth, a foundation is early laid for those undue liberties, so justly complained of; for a love and delight in such things, imprudently indulged at first, grows up with them, and becomes strengthened more and more into confirmed habits; and thus some have become enemies to the cross of Christ, and forsaken and opposed the way of truth; which possibly might have been prevented by parents doing their duty, in being good examples, and not cherishing the seeds of vanity and folly in their children, but, on the contrary, prudently discouraging every appearance of evil in them: which necessary duty we earnestly recommend to their serious consideration and practice. 1735. P. E.

It is also our concern to exhort all friends, both men and women, to watch against the growing sin of pride, and to beware of adorning themselves in a manner disagreeable to the plainness and simplicity of the truth we make profession of. O that they would duly consider that reproof which the Lord, by the mouth of his prophet, pronounced against the haughty daughters of Zion, where he describes even the particularities of their dressings and ornaments, so displeasing to the Lord, and drawing down his judgments upon them!1

Isaiah, iii.