181). Defects of the Church Government of the Quakers. > 399 
end that Herculeum, Heraclea, Hera- 
cleum, Herculaneum, &c. head-lands 
of Italy, will not be found in the sun, 
moon, nor stars. A, B. 
EE 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR 
SHALL be obliged, if you will have 
H the goodness to enquire, by means 
of your extensively circulated Magazine, 
the mode used by Mr. Nicholson, the 
artist, of laving or erasing the strong 
lights in water-coloured drawings. 
An early attention to this will much 
oblige, An AMATEUR. 
Exeter, March 16, 1811. 
P.S. If Ido not mistake, Mr. Nicholson 
had a premium awarded him by the Society 
ef Arts for this discovery, and of course the 
‘receipt is no secret. 
a 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
On the DEFEcTS in the CHURCH GOVERN- 
MENT of the QUAKERS. 
‘9 HAVE read with much pleasure the 
two letters of your correspondent, 
“* Common Sense,” on the self-anni- 
chilating spirit of ‘close corporations. 
Every public body, or religious society, 
gn which the superior officers, or rulers, 
‘are elected by the rulers themselves, 
-without the choice of the majority of the 
‘members at Jarge, might ‘derive much 
‘benefit, if they would read these letters 
at every general meeting, or public din- 
ner, as a part of the regular service of 
‘the day. 
The poet Akenside was much im- 
‘pressed with the pernicious effects of the 
‘self-elective system of the magistracy in 
‘Holland; on his return from Leyden, he 
vadverts to itin the following lines: 
** Ye too, the slow-eyed fathers of the land, 
“With whom dominion steals from hand to 
hand, 
Unown’d, undignified, by public choice, &c.”” 
The selfish torpor of the Dutch cha- 
-racter, which contributed to the debase- 
ment and the destruction of their state, 
may fairly be attributed to the self- 
elective system of their government. 
The pages of your Magazine have never 
been stained with illiberal abuse of any 
corporate body, or religious society ; but 
public bodies and sects, like individuals, 
- have “their easily besetting sins,” and 
-he who endeavours to point them out, 
_and to trace the causes which have led 
to them, and the means by which they 
‘may be remoyed, is a real friend to the 
best interests of those societies; éven if 
be may sometimes have to disclose un- 
pleasant truths, The members of the 
religious society, called Quakers, though 
in many respects highly commendable, 
are generally considered as being more 
strongly influenced by a desire of gain, 
and more attentive to their own per- 
sonal interests, than those of any other 
society, except the Jews. They are also 
supposed to possess, what in religious 
language is called, a “ narrow spirit,” in 
Judging of other societies; and if they do 
not prohibit, they certainly look with a 
jealous eye on science and literature, and 
on such of their members as are sus- 
pected of having a hankering after 
‘““hnman learning,” or what they call 
* the flesh-pots in Egypt,” 
Many of the best informed members 
of the society are ready to admit, that 
such are the “easily besetting sins of 
their community.” It would not, be dife 
ficult to trace the cause of these defects 
to their true source. They arise from - 
an imperfection in their form of church 
government, which produces the moral 
and intellectual poverty of close corpos 
rations, so well described by your cor- 
respondent ‘Common Sense.” It is 
erroneously believed, that the Quaker- 
form of church government is purely re- 
presentative, and that the deputies 
elected from the smaller districts, to'their 
quarterly meetings, and frum the latter 
to their general annual assembly, ‘held in. 
London, transact all the business of the 
society, and decide by a majority of 
voices. But the really-effective part of 
their government is exercised by the 
members of the ** Select Meetings.” The 
business of these meetings is transacted 
secretly ; the members ‘are elected by 
themselves, without any interference of 
the society at’ large; they are called, 
‘‘ Elders.” The acknowledged preachers 
are also members. Their appointment 
continues for life, unless some notorious 
inconsistency should require their expul- 
sion. It is the highest honour which the 
society can bestow. 
The degree of sanctity and authority 
which this appointment is supposed to 
confer, the awful mystery and secrecy of 
their transactions, and the title of Mi- 
nister, or Elder, which the members are 
invested with, give to these select meets 
ings the real government of the society. 
The common uninitiated members, form- 
ing the body of the society, kiow less of 
the particular business transacted jn these 
secret 
‘ 
