The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

T THE.lERPPIMACK. I TR'E?;
time to time swept over them, threatening to obliterate the Friend
and his faith together.
Stoutly maintaining the principle of religious liberty, and steadily
and boldly, without fear or favor, displaying those outward and visi ble emblems by which, if in no other mannier, they may be known
and recognized of men; never propag,andists, and singiularly unat tractive and unfashionable in personal adornments, in their miode
and places of religious worship, and in the austerity of their moral
requirements, their theory has never been popular or their increase
rapid; their proselytes springing from the seed always sown by
persecution and violent and unreasoning denunciation rather than
from spontaneous attraction of the faith or the forms. Their theory
seems to be a combination of civil and religious government, a harmonious blending of Church and State, practical, economical, and
efficient. They do not believe in a hlireling, ministry; logically concluding, that if inspired with power they will also be with the duty,
as was the Saviour, to preach from the highways and byways and.
hill-tops without money and without price.
Litigation among the members meets with unqualified disapprobation, it being engaged in on pain of excommunication. Thus it will
be seen that lawyers and ministers among the Quakers raise cattle
and potatoes, or engage in some other productive employment. Peremptory regulations and provisions against the employment of paid
preachers they regard as not only a moral improvement;' but a bril*liant stroke of policy, obviating the necessity of harboring and
maintaining a big devil in their community, or employing persons at
larg,e salaries to battle him.
Our ancient testimony against an hireling ministry, or any contributions to the maintenance and support thereof, being founded on
examples and precepts of our Lord and his primitive followers and
disciples; it is the sense of this meeting that friends be careful to
support the same, by a faithful testimony against contributing towards
their salaries by tax or otherwise, and against the building or repairing their meeting-houses.
'Also this meeting doth advise that if any person professing the
truth among us and esteemed a Friend, shall refuse speedily to adjust
the difference, or refer it as before advised to (arbitration), complaint
be made of that person or persons unto the monthly meeting to which
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