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.

ITS SOURCE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
they doth belong, and if after admonition he shall refuse so to refer
his case, that then the meeting do testify against such person, and
disown him to be of our society until he shall comply with the equal
methods and agreements of our society, and by such, his compliance
doth declare that he is for peace, and doth seek and desire it.
"We have, as a people, looked upon ourselves as well as tlhe
primitive Christians to be included in the notable prophecy of Isaiah
ii. 4:'They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning-hiooks, and learn to war no more.' *
It will be seen that war or bearing arms for any purpose is repu diated and forbidden, and, as consistency is claimed to be one of
their brightest jewels, they object to the payment of taxes for any
such purpose, but suffer them to be collected, owing to their non resistant principles. Such as are not self-sustaining are provided for
by the society, all funds being raised by voluntary subscription
consequently no poorhouses are maintained by them or among them,
and squalid poverty is even less frequent among them than immense
wealth, and both are rare. Government, temporal and spiritual,
so far as it does not conflict with the rightful authority and jurisdiction of the common law,- is defined and administered by representatives, male and female, who assemble in conventions knowu as
monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings, and public or Quaker
opinion is the sole official relied upon for the enforcement of the
decrees or recommendations of the law and gospel givers of the Quaker
sect.' In their dealings they are said to be scrupulously exact; the
impression seems to be that Quaker measure is more than just, it is
generous. This is believed to be a serious mistake; it is more than
they claim; if they are square even to the last pennyweight, no
more, no less, it is not only creditable to their sense of justice and
fair dealing, but places them conspicuous, in this regard, for imitation of seared and callous consciences, and the advantages of many
purchasers.
There are now about twenty meeting-houses in the State, and
though they do not increase in numbers and influence so rapidly as
some denominations, still they maintain the even tenor of their way,
and may in some respects serve as a profitable example to many
other of larger numbers, of more influence, and greater pretensions
* Discipline.
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