| Title: | Maryland's Quaker Church is Flourishing |
|---|---|
| ID | 1262 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Greer, Thomas/31 |
| Year | 1762 |
| Sender | Greer, Thomas |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | merchant |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Maryland, USA |
| Destination | |
| Recipient | |
| Recipient Gender | |
| Relationship | re Maryland's Quaker Church |
| Source | D1044/913: From the Correspondence of the Greer Family of Dungannon, County Tyrone, a Quaker Family. Deposited by the Late U. McG. Greer |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N.Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9909236 |
| Date | 23/05/1762 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 21:09:99. |
| Word Count | 622 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | From the Yearly Meeting, London, To the Yearly Meeting, Maryland. 23rd May 1762 A devotional letter expressing pleasure because of the news that the church in Maryland is flourishing; and the letter gives advice as to how the members of the Meeting should conduct themselves. There is a note attached to the original letter written in 1846 by Thomas Greer saying that the following epistle is in his grandfather's handwriting. The following Epistle is in my Grandfather's handwriting which I believe was adopted by the Yearly meeting from the traditional account yet that remains in the family which seems thus, when the document was read in the meeting a friend [remarked?] that the person who drew it up should accompany the Epistle to America. I have heard that my Grandfather had [d----ings?] to pay a religious visit to that country but which he did not [g---?] up to. Jly. [July?] 1846 5/23/1762 [23rd May 1762] From our Yearly Meeting held in London from the 23d of 5th Month to the [date missing] To the Next Yearly Meeting of Friends to be held for Maryland Dear Friends, Your Epistle bearing date from the 29th 5th Month to 2d of 6th Month 1761 was timely received and read in this our Annual assembly, and it affords matter of thankfullness [thankfulness?] to the Father of all our mercies to find thereby, that there are a Living Remnant preserved amongst you, who are concern'd [concerned?] for the restoration and Support of our Christian Testimony in its Several branches. These we Intrate [entreat?] in the Affection of Truth, to Stand fast in the Liberty of the Gospel, stedaly [steadily?] looking to our holy head for Wisdom & [and?] Strength, [-----edly?] to Qualifie [qualify?] for the Service of the day, and Ever bearing in mind the necessity of Our own hands being Kept Clean from the Polutions [pollutions?]; & [and?] Our Harts [hearts?] from the Love of this World, thus will ye increase in Strength, and your labour being Powerfully Supported by Example will not be in Vain, but will convey that reaching Language follow, Christ as ye have us for Examples. It affects our minds to observe that many amongst you have been carried away with the Love of this World, by which They have been Led into an indifferent lukewarm state of mind respecting the great concern of timely preparing for that which is to Come and that others are so heady and high minded to trample upon the Testimony of Truth in Violation of a good Conscience. For these we are Secretly pained, and Such we beseech to consider, that notwithstanding they may Shroud themselves under the name, or a Profession of that Everlasting Truth in which we have most Shurely [surely?] believed, yet the Allwise Searcher of hearts, ever remains a God of Knowledge and continues to Weigh the Actions of men in the Awfull [awful?] Ballance [balance?] of Righteous Judgement; and as His Statutes of old were Faithfullness [faithfulness?] and Truth, they will assuredly remain the same throughout all Generations; Let therefore the Careless and unfaithfull [unfaithful?] hear & [and?] Tremble, whilst yet it's day, least [lest?] His Righteous Judgement break forth and the night of Everlasting Sepparation [separation?] from him be their Portion. We Rejoice in the Account receiv'd [received?] of a Living concern stiring [stirring?], on the minds of Some of the Youth for the promotion of the one great Cause for whose Increase in number as well as growth and Stability in Divine Stature we travel in Spirit and these we intreat [entreat?] in the Bowels of our Heavenly Father's Love to Keep near in Spirit to that gratious [gracious?] hand that mercifully hath Visited with a manifestation of his Holy will, and Inclined to an Obedience thereto beloved Youth, Let this Season of Regard from on High Ever remain as an Obligation to devote the bloom of youth, the Prime of your Lives & [and?] Strength of your days to Love & [and?] Serve Him who hath called to Glory & [and?] Virtue. Thus strength will be added to your Strength and living Experiance [experience?] Evince that the Work of Righteousness Quietness and assurance for Ever. Dear Friends whether youth middle aged or advanced in years This our Yearly Meeting has been Large & [and?] Solemn & [and?] the many Weighty affairs that Came before us have been Transacted in [Trust/Truest?] Brotherly Love & [and?] Condesention [condescension?], and the Living Traveling [travelling?] Members of the body have been renewed by [?] Strengthen'd [strengthened?] in Faith and renewed in the Hope of that Salvation that through Christ our Lord Stands in Faith and Obedience. |
