Also to
provide a requisite stock for the discharge of general expenses for
general services in the church, not needful to be here particularized.
{43b}
At these meetings any of the members of the churches may come, if they
please, and speak their minds freely, in the fear of God, to any matter;
but the mind of each quarterly meeting, therein represented, is chiefly
understood, as to particular cases, in the sense delivered by the persons
deputed, or chosen for that service by the said meeting.
During their yearly meeting, to which their other meetings refer in their
order, and naturally resolve themselves, care is taken by a select
number, for that service chosen by the general assembly, to draw up the
minutes {44} of the said meeting, upon the several matters that have been
under consideration therein, to the end that the respective quarterly and
monthly meetings may be informed of all proceedings; together with a
general exhortation to holiness, unity, and charity. Of all which
proceedings in yearly, monthly, and quarterly meetings, due record is
kept by some one appointed for that service, or that hath voluntarily
undertaken it. These meetings are opened and usually concluded in their
solemn waiting upon God, who is sometimes graciously pleased to answer
them with as signal evidences of his love and presence, as in any of
their meetings of worship.
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