\Vhen persecution ceased, the ardor of the So ciety somewhat cooled. Attention was paid more to the enforcement of church discipline, and to work within the membership, than to evangelistic labor; and the Society soon began to decline in numbers. During the past thirty years or more, with renewed activity in missionary and evangelis tic work, the Society has grown steadily in mem bership.
(4) Attitude Towards General Reforms. The Friends were among the very first to urge prison reform. It was the first denomination as a whole to see the iniquity of slavery, and before the end of the eighteenth century, not a Friend in Amer ica owned a slave. The Friends became the most earnest advocates of the general abolition of slavery, and, owing to this, three-fourths of their membership in the southern states emigrated to the then western states of Ohio and Indiana. Two thirds of the entire membership to-day are west of the Alleglianies. A lamentable division on doc trinal grounds took place in 1827-28; much the larger part held to evangelical views, though each body claims the name of Friends.
(5) Vitality. The existence of the Society for over two hundred and fifty years is the strongest proof of the vitality and practicability of its prin ciples. It is true that all which the early Friends hoped for has not been realized. but ranch of what was first reaffirmed or proclaimed by them has be come common property ; as, for instance, the privi 'cge of affirmation in the place of judicial oaths; the equality of woman in the church ; religious liberty, not simply toleration ; a practical belief in the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit.
(6) Denominational Independence. Friends have from their very constitution been unable to unite with others, except on the broadest grounds. It is difficult to see how a federal union with other bodies could he made, except upon a basis which would allow baptism and the supper to be reck oned as non-essential ; which would recognize the "recording" of ministers (both men and women) as equivalent to ordination ; and which would dis pense with a formal creed. A. C. T.