which it is clearly stated that the conclusions of our meetings "have never been come to by a vote or the opinion of a majority; no question is ever taken by reference to numbers, or votes, or a majority, or any thing like that." "Where any difficulty occurs from a variety of opinions, or different views, time is given, in order to arrive at the proper sense of the meeting." In all the experience of the witness, "as clerk, one of three things has taken place, with general satisfaction to Friends. First, Friends submitting to the minute of the prevailing sense of the meeting, as taken by the clerk. Second, Postponing the matter for future consideration; or Third, By rejecting the proposition, whatever it might be, or dismissing it, and they have thus come together harmoniously and happily." It was contended that these principles were still correct, but that this report could not be adopted without entirely disregarding them.

About two hours were employed in earnest discussion; and notwithstanding the interest which was evidently taken in the question, the momentous principles involved, and the consequences which may be reasonably apprehended from the measure, there was much less excitement manifested than might have been anticipated.

Although a great number of voices were raised in opposition to the adoption of the report, yet a much greater number appeared in its favour. A minute was at length made by the clerk, stating that it was concluded it was best to adopt the report, and directing a copy to be presented to each of the bodies in New England, and that the matter should be left with them for their consideration. When this minute was read a large number of Friends expressed their dissent. The meeting having been in session between four and five hours, an adjournment was soon afterwards proposed and agreed to.

In the afternoon the report of the committee charged with the concern for the civilization and improvement of the Indian natives was read, from which it appears that the remnant of these once numerous tribes, now residing on the Allegany, to whom the care of this committee has been for several years chiefly confined, are gradually, though slowly, advancing in agricultural improvements, and that a disposition to encourage the education of their children, has been growing among them. A school house, at Cold Spring, has been recently erected at the expense of the state of New York; and one near Tunesassa, on the east side of the river, has been built by the natives, aided by an appropriation from the funds at the disposal of the committee. Two schools under the care of Friends have been kept up during great part of the year; and about forty native children have partaken of instruction in them.

Our friend, Ebenezer Worth, has continued his valuable services to these people; but the committee are very desirous of obtaining a suitably qualified man and his wife, to aid in the instruction of the women in domestic economy. The improvement of the native females appears essential to the advancement of the men.

The minute from our brethren of New York Yearly Meeting, respecting a conference at Baltimore,* was then taken into consideration. After a time of deliberation, it was concluded to decline taking part in the measure, and that our Friends of New York should be respectfully apprised of this conclusion.

On Sixth day, the 20th, two sessions were held, in which epistles to the Yearly Meetings of London, Dublin, New York, Baltimore, North Carolina, Ohio, and Indiana, were produced by the committee, read and adopted. After which the meeting closed in the usual manner.

For Friends' Review.

DIRECTIONS FOR CUTTING AND WHITENING
STRAW.

As the following directions may be useful to some friends in remote situations, I offer them for insertion.

On the evening of the same day, a short session was held, in which the reports respecting spirituous liquor were read. From them we find, that the number of our members who use this article as a drink, or supply it to their workmen for that purpose, has considerably diminished within a few years past; and in some quarters, it does not appear that any are now in this practice. Cut rye near the ground when the grain is in Quarterly and Monthly Meetings were again the milk; tie it in small bundles, cut off the advised to continue their labours for the extinc-heads, then dip it in boiling water; (if you cantion of this pernicious practice, and report the not dip it, pour boiling water over it, though result to the Yearly Meeting next year. dipping is best,) dry it in the sun thoroughly, An impressive testimony from Muncey Monthly taking it in at night, so that no dew falls upon Meeting, approved by Philadelphia Quarter, re-it. Cut out that part of the straw that is under specting our beloved friend, Mercy Ellis, was the husk, and tie it in small bundles to make read at the close of this session. It was heard with fine braid for nice bonnets. For coarse hats, the evident satisfaction, and directed to be recorded. whole length between the joints may be taken On Fifth day morning, meetings for worship and used. being held as usual, the Yearly Meeting did not convene until afternoon.

*

For an obituary respecting her, see Vol. I., p. 345, of this Review.

To Bleach or Whiten Straw. Take a barrel with one head out; take the bundles of straw you

This minute was published in Vol. I., p. 623, of this journal.

have cut and wet them with hot soap suds; tie |
them in the barrel as near the head that remains
in, as you can. Dig a hole in the ground a few
inches deep, a little larger than the barrel, put
some ashes in the middle of the barrel, then heat
some iron vessel, and put some coals upon the
ashes, and put the hot iron vessel upon the coals.
Put into the iron vessel two ounces of sulphur
(or brimstone) for every pound of straw. Set
the barrel with the straw in it over the iron ves-
sel, and heap up some dirt around it to make it
tight. Let it remain all night, and if it is not
as white as you want it, repeat the operation,
taking care to wet the straw every time you
smoke it, or the smoking will do no good. Old
straw, leghorn, or palm-leaf hats or bonnets may
be whitened in this way, if they are thoroughly
washed with a brush or sponge and soap suds be-
fore smoking. Straw must always be wet when
it is braided, to prevent its breaking. An inge-
nious person can learn to braid or plait straw by
taking a piece of old braid, and wet it, and pick
it to pieces, and then braid it again; short pieces
of braid may be obtained at the bonnet makers.
As the straw will soon be large enough to cut, I
hope every friend in the country who has a family
of children, will save some straw and try it. I
have heard of children who earned their clothes,
at four years of age, braiding straw. N.

Lord," to be esteemed a perfect and an upright man, in the true, scriptural sense of these terms? If a man who has attained to such a state, should be overtaken with a fault, being in the habit of watching over his own soul, he will quickly perceive his error, and humble himself before God, and in renewed repentance, will seek forgiveness through Christ, who offered himself on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins, and who is the "fountain set open for sin and for uncleanness." Thus his condition will be restored; and walking before God with increasing love and fear, he will become increasingly established in holiness. The man who has faith in the promise, "Ask and ye shall receive;" and who believes in the power of God to sanctify his believing children " wholly, in body, soul, and spirit," will not rest until he knows deliverance through Christ, both from the guilt and power of sin; until by the help of the Holy Spirit, he is enabled to take up the cross, deny himself, and follow Christ.

If such a man be called to leave this world, even in the meridian of life, he is found, with his treasure in heaven, and his heart there also. Far from being surprised or dismayed, he has lived under a sense of the uncertainty of time, and is sustained by that peace of God which passeth the understanding of man in his unregenerate state, and which keeps the hearts and minds of the righteous, through Jesus Christ. Such a one may have been closely attached to the nearest "Mark the perfect man, and behold the up-connections in life; but even these he is enabled right; for the end of that man is peace." From these words of the royal Psalmist, it is evident that there were, under the dispensation of the Law, men who were esteemed perfect and upright. And beyond all doubt, such men lived to the glory of God, and received the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls.

THE LAST DAYS OF THOMAS LEE TAYLOR.

And if, under "the Law, which was weak," and which in itself "made nothing perfect," there were men who were perfect and upright, much more may we expect to find such under the dispensation of the Gospel; respecting which the apostle Paul says, "God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Perfection is indeed the standard of attainment set before the Christian by his Lord and Master, whose command is, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect;' and it is a question of vast importance, how this state of perfection is to be attained. No man can claim it of works, for "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." But is not the man who, through "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," has received the forgiveness of sins; and who, in humble dependence upon God, seeks help from him day by day, to "perfect holiness in the fear of the

to commit resignedly unto the Lord; and he knows, that though he would willingly have cared for them longer, had this been in accordance with the divine will, yet, as regards himself, "to depart and to be with Christ is" indeed "far better."

Among numberless witnesses to the truth of these observations, was Thomas Lee Taylor, of Pontefract, in Yorkshire, who died at the age of forty-two, and to whose character and last hours the attention of the reader is here invited. He was born at Woodbridge, in Suffolk, in 1802, and was brought up in connexion with the Episcopal Church. While a young man, he became awakened to the importance of true religion, and to its spiritual and experimental character; and leaving the forms and ceremonies in which he had been educated, he sought to become one of those worshippers who "worship the Father in spirit and in truth." In this state of mind, after some search into the principles of other religious professors, he united himself with the Society of Friends, under the conviction, that their views of the Gospel were in true accordance with the New Testament.

In the year 1826, he settled at Pontefract, where he became well known as an industrious tradesman, remarkable for his meek and agreeable manners, for his conscientious integrity, and for his labours to promote the best welfare of his

fellow men.
He was regular in attending the,
meetings for divine worship of the Society to
which he had become united; and in these meet-
ings his deportment in waiting upon God in
silence, was remarkably reverent. As he grew
in grace, he became deeply concerned for the
spiritual welfare of his fellow-men, and especially
that of his fellow-professors; to the latter he
sometimes addressed a word of exhortation, not
only privately, but also in their religious assem-
blies, to their comfort and edification. He was
diligent likewise in giving religious counsel to his
neighbours; and such was the kindness of his
manner, and his consideration for the feelings of
others, that he generally secured their respectful
attention and their esteem. If he heard any
using profligate language, he would watch for
opportunities to expostulate with them, when
they were free from irritation, and he would often
accompany his expostulation with an appropriate
Tract.

friends, in the kingdom of heaven, and to be for ever singing praises to God and the Lamb!"

Speaking to a near relative, he said, that if he had leaned on his own strength he should have fallen; that divine aid alone had enabled him to stand; and he recommended his relative to devote a portion of each day to private retirement, for the purpose of communing with his own heart before the Lord; saying that he had himself derived much comfort and strength from this practice.

Notwithstanding the care he had manifested from early life, "to keep a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man," he many times, during his illness, expressed the deep sense he felt of his own unworthiness; and that it was alone through the merits and intercession of his dear Redeemer, that he hoped to be admitted to those glorious mansions, where no sin or sorrow can ever enter, that this hope was as an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast, and He appeared through life, to entertain a low which entereth into that within the vail; whither estimate of his own spiritual attainments, and the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made great distrust of himself. He several times re- an high-priest for ever. Very frequently he said, marked that, in an early stage of his Christian that it was no merit of his own, that it was all experience, the words of Scripture were power-grace,-free, unmerited grace,-by which he was fully impressed on his mind, "Let him that favoured with such clear evidence that all would thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall;" be well; repeating, and that during the progress of his religious course, this caution having been frequently revived, especially in seasons of retirement, it had been an incitement to watchfulness, and had led him to seek with increased earnestness for grace and preservation.

In the autumn of 1844, he took the small-pox, and though he had this disease mildly, it was succeeded by another, which in a few days terminated his valuable life. In the course of his illness, he spoke freely of his state and prospects; and from his remarks, the following are selected: "How wonderful the love and condescension of the Father, in providing a sacrifice available for all!" "What poor creatures we are! In so short a time, how much I am reduced! Wisely ordered no doubt!"-Being answered, "By Him who doeth all things well," he emphatically said, "Yes, by Him who doeth all things well. Pray for me. To a person who had been called in, he said, "However lightly we may, in time of health, esteem Christian principles, I find in this time of trial, inexpressible support and comfort from them, and earnestly recommend them to thee." The same morning, he inquired particularly, if it were thought that he would recover; and on being informed that his was a very critieal case, he sweetly replied, that whichever way it terminated, all would be well; but that, had it pleased the Almighty to prolong his life, he should have enjoyed being with his family and friends a few years longer. He also said to a friend, "I think the struggle will soon be over; but how delightful, to contemplate joining Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with dear Christian

"Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling." He strove with great earnestness, to impress upon his eldest son, the necessity there is for all to experience a change of heart, dwelling very particularly on the love of the Father, in sending his beloved Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He also alluded to the influence of the Holy Spirit; reproving for sin, and when obeyed, giving that peace, which cannot be felt while pursuing mere earthly pleasure.

might be collected for the purpose of taking leave
Early one morning, he requested the family
of them. He first addressed his young men;
after that his wife, sons, and other relatives, also
a friend who had attended upon him, each sepa-
rately, and in a very affectionate and impressive
manner. It would be difficult to portray the
sweet and solemn feeling that accompanied these
addresses, or the earnest solicitude which he
evinced, that all might be found faithful, and
humbly endeavouring, through divine grace, so to
live, that they might be prepared to meet again
in heaven. He then wished the 7th chapter of
Revelations might be read, and dwelt particu-
larly on the text which speaks of the white robes
of the glorified righteous. The 103d Psalm was
also read; and after a short address which could
not be distinctly understood, he concluded with
the lines of Cowper:

"To Jesus, the crown of my hope,
My soul is in haste to be gone;
O bear me, ye cherubim, up,
And waft me away to his throne!"