3. the term discipline the Friends understand "all those arrange ments and regulations which are instituted for the civil and religious benefit of a Chris tian church." The necessity for such discipline soon began to make itself felt, and the result was the institution of certain meetings or assemblies. These are four in number: the first, the preparative meetings; second, the monthly meetings; third, the quarterly meetings; and, fourth, the yearly meetings. The first are usually composed of the members in any given place, in which there are generally two or more Friends of each sex, whose duty is to act as overseers of the meeting, taking cognizance of births, mar riages, burials, removals, etc., the conduct of members, etc., and reporting thereon to the monthly meetings, to whom the executive department of the discipline is chiefly confided. The monthly meetings decide in cases of violation of discipline, and have the power of cutting off or disowning all who by their improper conduct, false doctrines, or other gross errors, bring reproach on the society, although the accused have the right of appeal to the quarterly meetings, and from these again to the yearly, whose decisions are final. The monthly meetings are also empowered to approve and acknowledge ministers, as well as to appoint "serious, discreet, and judicious Friends, who are not ministers, tenderly to encourage and help young ministers, and advise others, as they, in the wisdom of God, see occasion." They also execute a variety of other important duties. The quarterly meetings are composed of several monthly meetings, and exer cise a sort of general supervision over the latter, and from whom they receive reports, and to whom they give such advice and decisions as they think right. The yearly meet ing consists of select or representative members of the quarterly meetings. Its function is to consider generally the entire condition of the society in all its aspects. It receives
in writing answers to questions it has previously addressed to the subordinate meetings, deliberates upon them, and legislates accordingly. To it exchhively time legislative power belongs. Though thus constituted ssomewhat according to presbyterian order, yet any member of the society may attend and take part in the proceedings.
- Women have also a ,special sphere of discipline allotted to them: they inspect and relieve the wants of the poor of their own sex, take cognizance of proposals for mar riage, deal with female delinquents privately, and under certain restrictions may even do so officially, though in the " testimony of disownment " they have always the assist ance of members of the other sex.
The society of Friends, in the multitude of its regulations, has not forgotten the poor; charity in its narrower; as well as in its broader•senSe, has always been a beautiful lecture of its members. The care of the poor was one of the earliest evidences which Christianity afforded to the Gentiles of the superiority and divine character of its princi ples; and it is honorable to the society that a similar provision for those united to them in religious fellowship appears to have been one of the earliest occasions of their. meet ings for discipline. Nevertheless, in accordance with their ruling principle, that all Christian duty should be left for its fulfillment to the spontaneity of Christian love, and not performed under compulsion of any kind, the provision for the poor is purely voluntary; yet their liberality is proverbial throughout Britain and America.
Their number at present amounts, it is believed, to about 120,000 of which more than 90,000 belong to the United States. See Fox's .Sewel's History of the Quakers (1722); Gurney's Observations on• the Peculiarities of the Society of Friends (1824); Neale's _History of the Puritans.