Quaker, sure?" As Thomas had hitherto neither received from others, nor assumed for himself this appellation, nor indeed as yet had seen whether he had so much unity with all their tenets as to justify him in adopting the name, he continued silent for a while, and attentive to the Spirit of Truth in his own mind, till clear in his understanding what reply to make; and then he said, "I must confess the truth-I am a Quaker."

This plain confession increased his own peace, but his acquaintance's perplexity and vexation, whose case appeared to himself thereby rendered desperate; so that in the height of his anger, he threatened to have Thomas fined and proceeded against with the utmost rigor, exclaiming, “What! must I lose my estate for your groundless notions and whims?" Thomas was not free from anxiety in consequence of this threat, under the prospect of probable fine and imprisonment; but after some time of silent meditation, he felt strength to resign himself to the divine disposal, and therein found his anxiety vanish, and his mind centre in serenity. The next morning, as he was going to the court-house to give his testimony, his acquaintance met him with a cheerful countenance, and in a very different disposition from the night before, and informed him that his adversary had yielded the cause, and they were agreed, to his satisfaction.

He continued diligently to attend the meetings of this people; where, in silent worship, his heart was frequently tendered and broken, and at times, likewise, under a powerful living ministry. Some years after he had joined Friends, he himself received a gift in the ministry; and he devoted much of the remainder of his life to travelling in the service of the gospel, on both sides of the Atlantic. Few of his contemporaries were more diligent, or more esteemed for their gospel labors; and the meetings which he visited were frequently attended by a numerous concourse of people of other professions.

He gave up his profession as an attorney, perceiving that the practice of the law, and being continually mixed up in the frequent suits and contests of worldly men, would disturb the peace and serenity of his mind, expose him to many temptations, and probably be the means of preventing his advancement in religious experience, and present an obstruction to the fulfilling of his religious duties.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE LABORS OF JOSEPH PIKE AND OTHERS IN IRELAND, FOR A REFORMATION FROM THE SPIRIT AND HABITS

OF THE WORLD.

THE well known testimony of the Society of Friends to

Christian simplicity, arose not from any desire for singularity or distinction from the rest of mankind; but was the necessary result of a clear view of the self-denial and redemption from the fashions and customs of a vain world, required of the followers of Christ. The most serious religious people, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, had from conscientious motives discarded the frivolous ornaments of attire which were very generally indulged in, and had adopted a plain, simple and useful style of dress. From among these, the Society of Friends in the beginning was chiefly gathered; and for a considerable time, it would appear that they were not greatly distinguished from them by their apparel. But their principles restrained them from following the changeable fashions of the world; and as others varied from time to time, their own continued adherence to the simple mode of dress into which they had been led, produced, in process of time, a

marked distinction between Friends and the rest of the community. Thus this Christian testimony arose into a more prominent point of view than, from the above circumstances, it had held when the members were recently gathered; though George Fox had at an early date declared against indulging in gay attire, and encouraged his friends to faithfulness in this respect.

This testimony to Christian simplicity was not confined to personal attire alone, but extended to the furniture of houses, and the general life and conversation; and for many years after the rise of the Society, a remarkable consistency of conduct was apparent among the members generally. Isaac Penington once challenged the production of a single instance among Friends, of one who was taken captive by the spirit of the world, and thereby led under the power of covetousness. But alas! this beautiful example of a whole society of people bearing with one accord in their bodies the marks of the dying of the Lord Jesus, of a crucifixion to the world and a deaf ear to its false allurements, gradually became clouded over. Temporal prosperity was the portion of many Friends, whose children, growing up in ease and affluence, began to despise the cross which their parents had faithfully borne. Little by little, things crept in among families, which the pure word of truth could not sanction; there was an eager pursuit of business, bringing great encumbrance upon the minds of some who might otherwise have been eminently serviceable in the church; and a luxurious tasty spirit got afloat, which craved to have household furniture, and even personal clothing, more delicate and showy than what pure Christian simplicity would have led into. Some faithful men and women in various places saw the inroads which the enemy was thus silently making in a camp, which had nobly withstood all the powers of persecution, and had held up, through evil report, a banner for the truth of God.

In Ireland particularly about the year 1692 was a standard raised against these inroads, and some advances were made towards a reformation. That eminent instrument for the gathering and preservation of the Society in this island, William Edmundson, with Joseph Pike and Samuel Randall, felt deeply concerned for the revival of ancient simplicity, and began to arouse their brethren to the necessity of a united effort for this very desirable object. They had, however, great difficulties to encounter. Many had gone out into extravagant furniture and apparel, to gratify the natural mind in things which the Divine Spirit in the beginning had led Friends to put away. Some from wearing dresses of plain colors, had got lighter ones; and others seeing these, had themselves gone a degree further, adding a small or a larger figure; until at length such vain fashionable colors and patterns were indulged in, and so excessively fine and superfluous furniture, that many could scarcely be recognized as belonging to the Society.

At length the attention of the Half-yearly Meeting in Dublin was called to the subject; and under a pressure of spirit it issued advice to the members, counselling them against these hurtful things, and exhorting to a faithful aniting together for solemn waiting in spirit on the Lord; to the right education of the children in godliness, industry, humility, and self-denial; and to a solid grave deportment, on all occasions, becoming the Christian. It was also recommended, that every Quarterly Meeting appoint clean-handed and faithful Friends, who had a true concern for a reformation, to inspect and visit every particular meeting, family, and person; and to advise, exhort, and admonish Friends to a compliance with the advices, as they found occasion.

Joseph Pike had returned to Cork from England, under a strong apprehension of duty to join hand and heart in the work of reformation. Being a young man, he had

felt much diffidence of his own fitness for undertaking such a work; it was very trying to him to have to appear as one of the foremost; and he often said in his heart, "Oh, that I could shelter myself under some worthy elders! then would I heartily assist them in spirit, and, as under their wing, do what little I could." But being appointed by his meeting with other Friends, to this weighty and arduous work, he heartily joined his brethren in first searching their own houses, and clearing themselves from marks of superfluity or luxury; so that they might with clean hands go to exhort their fellow-members to greater simplicity, and accordance with their holy profession. In doing this, they had to part with many things which the world esteemed lawful, but which they believed were standing in the way of entire conformity to the will of Him, who seeketh a people crucified to the spirit of the world and the gratifications of the carnal mind. Not that they placed religion barely in outward conformity and plainness. Far otherwise they were well aware that though we may outwardly conform in everything to which the Holy Scriptures direct us, or that may have been practised or advised by the worthy men who were instrumental in raising up this people in the beginning; yet if our hearts are not right in the sight of God; and we do not witness a grafting into the true Vine, and a growth in the holy Truth, all the external conformity and plainness in the world, though good in itself, will avail us nothing as to divine acceptance, but be as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. Yet they were equally convinced that true religion leads into a deep searching of heart and of the secret springs of action, and allows not of the fostering of those natural propensities which have a life in show and parade, in delicacy and superfluity; but leads us to deny ourselves, and by a holy and circumspect walking, to redeem the time, and to testify our heartfelt conviction, that "we have here