2. Forwardness.

1. Do not disgrace yourselves by seeking to be forward in the business or concerns of riper years, or by craving any particular duty, place, lot or privilege, which belongs to older people; if you are faithful and gain the love and good opinion of elders, deacons, brethren and sisters, you may depend you will be advanced and noticed, as far as will be for your good; but remember this, when you are advanced, noticed or praised, do not let your sense and feelings rise; keep yourselves low, and be encouraged in well doing.

3. Modesty.

1. No person can be truly pure in spirit, unless they are modest in feelings, thoughts, words and deeds. Immodesty, belongs only among the vulgar and vicious; the well bred are always modest.

2. The virtue of modesty should extend to all the private paths and lanes of life, as well as to the public walk; for whatever is habitual, is often practiced unconsciously. Thus, if one habituates himself to immodest actions when alone, or immodest thoughts, or feelings, these things become habitual; and it would undoubtedly burst forth in company, to the destruction of his good character.

3. Besides, the immodest have no promise of seeing God. Christ says, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; but the immodest, as before said, cannot be pure in heart, for "out of the abundance of

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the heart, the mouth speaketh;" out of the fullness thereof, the hand or foot is moved to act.

4. To point out all immodesty, would not only be a lengthy and tedious task, but would be immodest of itself; some general remarks only, can therefore be made.

5. All lustful, lascivious or wanton feelings, thoughts, words or actions, towards the opposite sex, are absolutely immodest. When in company, to be scratching the body is immodest.

6. All obscene or wanton stories are immodest. Wanton songs are extremely so. In short, if you would be modest keep a pure spirit; desire and cultivate purity alone; for purity is the teacher of modesty, and no immodest thing will the gospel of Christ abide.

4. Meekness and Humility.

1. Meekness and Humility, are essential qualifications in the character of every good Believer. Solomon says, The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor, is humility. Prov. xv. 33. The plain meaning of which is, that wisdom teacheth us the fear of the Lord; and that humility leads to honor. Remember the words of our Savior, Whosoever exalteth himself, shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. Luke, xiv. 11. Human nature wishes to be great; it is natural to man, to aim at self-exaltation, to seek after greatness, to be held in high estimation among mankind, and to be superior to his fellow mortals. But God will yet "stain the pride

of all flesh," and bring the haughtiness of man low, "and the Lord alone shall be exalted" said the prophet.

2. Therefore, let it be your labor to gain the spirit of humility and meekness. This spirit will prove a great treasure to your souls; it will yield you the "peaceable fruits of righteousness." "The fruits of this spirit, are love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance." So says the apostle Paul to the Galations. And he counsels his young disciple Timothy, to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. I. Timothy, vi. 2. And the apostle Peter, in writing to the young believers in his day, says, Ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder, be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace unto the humble.

5. Reconciliation.

1. Without reconciliation, no soul can be saved. People may name the name of Christ, may call themselves Christians, may profess to be followers of Christ, profess to be Believers, and live among Believers, yet, if they are not reconciled to the cross, and do not take it up cheerfully, they never can be saved.

2. Thus, young gospel friends, you may see the great importance of reconciliation. But you cannot be reconciled to God, unless you are reconciled to those in whom He manifests Himself to you, your Elders and superiors in the gospel, and to every crossing gift they have for you.

3. You may, perhaps, sometimes feel as though these crosses were against you, that your Elders do not love you, and lay these crosses upon you, to mar your comfort, and destroy your happiness. "But it is not so; they are laboring for your good, and these crosses, though they may feel grievous in the time present, are designed for your benefit, and if you are reconciled to them, and take them up cheerfully, you will finally feel thankful for them, and be convinced that they have been the means of promoting and increasing your happiness.

4. Those who are in possession of an unreconciled spirit, many times needlessly expose themselves to the reproach and censure of their companions; for, when reproved by their Elders for a fault, or faults, that spirit of unreconciliation will cause them to vent out their feelings to their companions, against those who have reproved them: in doing this, they often tell voluntarily, and without being asked, to this near friend, all that they were reproved for, and thus needlessly expose their faults to their companions: but Satan is a fool, and his subjects are also foolish.

5. Take warning then, beloved youth, when reproved by your Elders for a fault, to keep this admonition to yourselves, and indulge no feelings of unreconciliation; it shows weakness. Remember we read in the Scriptures of truth, "Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not?" "But if ye be without chastisement,

whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Heb., xii. 6, 7 & 8.

6. Resignation.

1. It is a matter of importance, that all learn to endure with patience, and calm resignation, all providential crosses, and unavoidable trials. Impatience, and fretful peevishness under crosses and trials, will never make them any easier to be borne, but the contrary. An impatient spirit, is an unhappy spirit. He who broods upon his unhappiness, only increases it, and makes himself still more unhappy. You ought never to mar your happiness, by your impatience. It is much better to consider that your situation is not so bad as it might be, that thousands and millions in the world, are in a much worse situation than you are. Turn your sense away from all such perplexing and distressing thoughts, and think what blessings you enjoy. Reckon up all your privileges and enjoyments, and think of them, instead of pondering upon your crosses and troubles, and learn to bless God for his goodness to you.

2. Think of the sufferings of Christ, the cruel mockings and scourgings which he endured, the painful and ignominious death he suffered upon the cross, in opening the way of salvation to a lost world. Think of the sufferings of the ancient prophets and apostles, and the sufferings of the righteous in every age. And think, also, of the sufferings and trials of Mother Ann, to maintain the integrity of her faith in her native country, and to plant the gospel in this land, that we, poor

lost souls, might find the way of salvation.