QUA'KER.3, or FRIENDS, a religious Beet which made its first appearance in England during the protectorate of Crom well. Their founder was George Fox, a native of Drayton, in Leicestershire. Ile proposed but few articles of faith, insist ing chiefly on moral virtue, mutual char ity, the love of God, and a deep atten tion to the inward motions and secret ope rations of the spirit. lie required a plain simple worship, and a religion without ceremonies, making it a principal point to wait in profound silence the directions of the holy Spirit. Although at first the Quakers were guilty of some ext ravagan cies, these wore off, and they settled into regular holy, professing a great aus terity of behavior, a singular probity and uprightness in their dealings, a great frugality at their tables, and a remark able plainness and simplicity in their dress. Their system, or tenets, arc laid down by Robert Barclay (one of their members,) in a sensible, welt-written " apology," addressed to Charles H. Their principal doctrines are,—that God has given to all men, without exception, supernatural light, which being obeyed can save them ; and that this light is Christ, the true light, which lighteth every man that come th into the world :— that the Scriptures were indeed given by inspiration, and are preferable to all the other writings in the world; but that they are no more than secondary rules of faith and practice, in subordination to the light or spirit of God, which is the primary rule :—that immediate revelation has not ceased, a measure or the spirit being given to every one :—that all supersti tions and ceremonies in religion, of more human institution, ought to be laid aside :—that in civil society, the saluting one another by pulling off the hat, bend ing the bully, or other humiliating pos ture, should be and that the use of the singular pronoun thou when addressing one person, instead of the cus tomary you, should be strictly adhered to. They further laid it down as a solemn
obligation, not to take an oath, encourage war, engage in private contests, nor even carry weapons of defence.—The society is governed by its own code of discipline, which is enacted and supported by meet ings of four degrees, for discipline ; name ly, preparative, monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings. The preparative digest and prepare the business for the monthly meetings, in which the executive power is principally lodged, subject however to the revision and control of the quarterly meetings, which are subordinate and ac countable to it, and subject to its supervi sion and direction. Its authority is par amount, and it possesses the sole power to make or amend the discipline. There are at present ten yearly meetings, namely, London, Dublin, New England, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Indiana. The number of Quakers in the United States is about 150,000.