An epistle for true love, unity, and order in the Church of Christ against the spirit of discord, disorder and confusion &c. : recommended to friends in truth chiefly for the sake of the weak and unstable minded for information and encouragement in our Christian unity and society, held in the spirit of Christ both in faith and practice / by two servants of the Church according to our measures, Anne Whitehead, Mary Elson.

A true Information of our blessed Womens Meeting (for we are blessed, and the Lord hath blessed us, praised be that Ever∣lasting Arm of Power, that gathered us in the beginning to be a Meeting) betwixt three or four and twenty Years ago.

THus it was, after the Word of eternal Life and Salvation, and Light of Christ Jesus in the Conscience, had been preached in this City, for some time, many there were that received the Report, and was Convinced of it, many Poor as well as Rich; and oft-times Sickness and Weakness came upon many Poor Ones, and many Di∣stressed and troubled in mind, when the Judgment of the Lord were

upon them; and they would often-times desire the Servants of the Lord to come unto them, such that had a Word in season to speak to them: And our dear Friend George Fox, that man of God, for so he is, the Lord has made him a Blessing in his Hand to many, prais∣ed be the Lord forever, he was many times sent for to many that were Sick and Weak in this City, and when he came to behold their want of things needful for them, some scarcely Clothes to cover them, or food to eat, or any one to look to them in their Distresses and Wants: The consideration of it was weighty upon him, and he was moved of the Lord to advise to a Womans Meeting; and in order thereunto, he sent for such Women as he knew in this City; of which there are many living to this day, that can testifie to the same, who keep the Meeting in the Faith of that power that gathered us together; Blessed be the Lord forever who makes willing, and gives strength to answer his Requirings in all things. And when dear G. Fox declared unto us what the Lord had made known unto him by his power, That there should be a Womans Meeting, that so all the Sick, the Weak, the Widdows and the Fatherless, should be minded and looked after in there Distresses that so there should be no want amongst the Lords people, but that all Distressed ones should be minded and looked after: I can truly say, we had an answer of God in our hearts to his Testi∣mony, and my Soul was refreshed at that time, and my Heart tendred, with many more of my Sisters, in the sensible feeling of that everlast∣ing Life and power of the Lord, and his Universal Love that had moved in his dear Servant, to call us to this Work; and we joyned with him in the power of God in it: and so we appointed a Meeting, and after we had met for some time, we considered which way we should answer the Necessities; and it arose in the Hearts of some Friends, That we should have a conveniency, that so all the Faithful might offer as unto the Lord, not knowing what one another offers; that so from him they might expect their Reward; and it was concluded upon accordingly by the Meeting. And there were found among us some that were unwor∣thy, that we could not relieve out of that which was provided for the Faithful; and yet they were such that frequented our publick Mee∣tings, and looked unto us for Charity; and we could not send them empty away; So we considered, and had a Weekly Gathering for them, that it might be fulfilled, as it is written, Do good unto all, but especially to the Houshold of Faith. And after some time of our meeting together, there came two of the Brethren, from the Mens Meeting to us, when we were met together, expressing their Unity with us, and

also did declare the mind of the Mens Meeting, (viz.) That they would be ready to help and assist us in any thing we should desire of them for Truth's Service. And so in some time it was agreed upon, in the Unity of the Truth, that the Men Friends should pay the poor Friends Rents, and find them Coles, (such as we Relieve, that were faithful) and put out such poor Friends Children, as we should offer to them; And this has been done almost from the beginning of our Meeting to this Day; be∣sides many other Services that fall in by the way, that cannot be omit∣ted by us; And thus the Work of the Lord has been carried on and prospered by the Arm of his everlasting power, Magnified be his Name forever, who has found us worthy, and made us willing to answer whatsoever he requireth of us, according to the measure received of him. And this I do declare, that it was the same everlasting quickning power, that first vi∣sited us by the Spirit of Judgment and of Burning, and wrought in our inward parts mightily, even as the little Leaven in the three Mea∣sures of Meal, to purifie and to cleanse, purge out and put under all that was contrary to the Lord, and to make us Habitations fit to do his Will, that gathered us and made us a Meeting, and the same has been with us to this very day, blessed and magnified be his Name for∣ever.

And I have a Word in my Heart to say unto yon all Back-sliders, Ob∣structers, Opposers, and such as countenance them secretly, of this our heavenly Order of Men and Womens Meetings, which the Lord by his power has set up, & hath given Wisdom according to true Knowledge, to act in the Church of Christ: you that have despised Dignities, and speak Evil of the servants of the Lord, such that faithfully have labour∣ed amongst us from the beginning, which the Lord hath found wor∣thy of double Honour, giving some of them odd Names; Alas poor people! what will become of you, except you Repent? Consider and see, whether some of you, could not once have plucked out your Eyes to have done them good? Oh what is the matter now! Has not the Serpent deceived you, and made you to eat of the forbidden Fruit, and let in the Spirit of Enmity that sows Dissention, and makes Division in the Heritage of God; I do say, the Lord's Controversie is with you, and your End will be Miserable, except you come to Repentance; which my Soul hath often desired for you: For I do well know, and the Lord hath sealed it upon my Heart, That that Spirit which hath opposed the blessed Unity and Order of Truth, in these our Men and Womens Meetings, shall never prosper, nor they who are in it, in∣wardly, to God, without Repentance; although outwardly they may

make never so great a shew with high Words and Notions. But saith the opposing Spirit, We are not against your Meetings in London; but we have no such need in the Countries. Doubtless Christ's Churches in the Countries are one and the same as in the Cities, of which he is Head of his Churches there as in London; and surely his Members have the same Office and Service in kind and quality, although it may be not so much in quantity, which is reasonable for the Impartial mind∣ed to consider.

And now, my Dear Friends and Sisters, in the blessed Truth of our God, you that have kept this our Meeting for many Years, and some of you from the first Day the Lord gathered us together, and made us a Meeting, I do believe that you with me can truly say, That we have felt the drawings of the Father's Love from time to time to this our Meeting, and his Blessing is amongst us; Insomuch as we dared not to suffer any of our own Occasions to hinder us from this our Service, to which the Lord hath called us, but many times have pressed through the croud of much Business; and many things that would have hin∣dred, but we dared not to give way unto it, but in faithfulness answer the Lord's Requirings: The Lord hath been with us of a truth from time to time, his Living Powerful Presence has been truly witnessed amongst us, to the refreshing of our immortal Souls; which is a true Confirmation to us, that the Lord owns us in this our Service. And I can truly say, I had true Breathings to the Lord in the behalf of our younger Women, as they come to be settled in the World amongst us, that they may be affected with the Work and Service of our Meet∣ing as truly as we have been, and are to this day, and that they may be Heirs of the Grace of God with us. And this I can truly say, I have felt the zeal of the Lord to arise in my Heart, sometimes in a Meeting, and sometimes upon my Bed against this wicked Spirit, that hath sought to lay waste and bring to nought our blessed Meeting and heavenly Society and Order, which hath been set up amongst us, and a true sence hath been upon me of our dear Friends up and down the Nation, of their great Tryal and Exercise that hath been upon them, because of this wicked dividing Spirit, and especially in my Native Country (viz.) Wiltshire. And this was the first moving cause in the Power of God in my Heart, to cast in my Mite as my Testimony to that everlasting Universal blessed Power, which the Lord hath made me a living Witness of, according to my measure: And this I can say, the more Opposition we have had against our Womens Meeting, the more we have increased in the Power of the Lord, and he hath blessed

our Endeavours and Services; and therefore Friends, be not discoura∣ged, but go on in the Work and Service of the Lord in his Power, to his Glory, who hath honoured his Daughters of Abraham and Sion, in his heavenly Work; and therefore we cannot but serve the Lord in our Generation, and be Valiant for his Truth upon Earth, and our desires are, that all our fellow Sisters in the Lords Truth may do the same every where throughout the whole Earth, where the Lord hath gathered them, so that all may live to the Praise and Glory of God, Amen.

And though we are Absent in the Body, yet Present in Spirit with all the Faithful, with the Spirit joying, and beholding your spiritual Order in the Spirit, and steadfastness of your Faith in Christ Jesus, the second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, in whom our Peace and Ress is.

Mary Elson.