Brown Unio Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, hy in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. PREFATORY REMARKS. THERE are many thousands of the descendants of Friends in the United States and in Great Britain, who know very little of the true character or history of their forefathers as a church of Christ, and do not by any means realize the value of those pure principles of primitive Christianity, which the "people called Quakers," after a long night of darkness and apostasy, and the dawning of a better day, was raised up to revive in the view of the various denominations of professing Christians, and to testify to ages yet to come. A considerable proportion of these, doubtless, cherish a respect for the memory of their ancestors, and would willingly, if they could readily, know more than it has fallen to their lot to know, of the grounds of their remarkable conscientious position, for which they were made willing to suffer the loss of property, liberty, reputation, and all the usual comforts of life, and even life itself. The author of the following work has had this class very much in view in preparing a second edition; and should any among them be brought through its means to a deep and heartfelt appreciation of the gospel truths advocated by those servants of the Lord alluded to in its pages, so as not only to assent to the truth of their testimony, but to be made willing to be followers of them as they followed Christ, and thus, through the Lord's mercy in Christ Jesus, obtain the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls, he would be amply repaid for the little he may have contributed to so happy a result, CONTENTS. 59 |