They are never seen at the theatres. They have neither routs, balls, nor music-meetings. They have neither expensive liveries nor equipages. Hence it must follow, that their out-goings, as far as their living is concerned, cannot in general be as great as those of others in a similar condition of life.

But if their inlets are greater than their outlets of money, when compared with those of other persons, a greater overplus of money beyond the expenses of living will be the constant result; or there will be a greater increasing accumulation of money upon the whole, than falls within the possession of others. Now a question arises here, founded on a knowledge of the infirmities of our nature. Are men likely in general, constituted as they are, to see the golden idol constantly rising in dimensions before them, and to refrain from worshipping it? or are they likely to see it without a corruption of their moral vision? It is observed by one of the Scriptural writers, "A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong, and a huckster shall not be

Ecclesiasticus xxvi. 29.

free

free from sin." And where is it that this old saying, except the mind be strongly fortified by religion, will not be found equally true in the present as in former times? The truth is, that the old maxim,

"Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit,"

is a just one. That is, it is true "that the coming in of money in an undue proportion begets the love of it;" that the love of money again leads to the getting of more; that the getting of more again generally increases the former love. And hence a round is kept up of circumstances and feelings, till a moneygetting spirit creeps into the character of him who is placed in a situation so unfortunate for the purity of his heart.

These then are the acting and the counteracting circumstances on both sides. Which of the two are likely to be predominant, we must conjecture. When men have become full grown Quakers, the latter will lose their power. But where they have not (and it is to be presumed that there are many in the Society who have not reached this stature, and many again who bear only the name of their profession,) they will frequently prevail.

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prevail. I own I fear that precepts, though there may be a general moral bias, will not always be found successful against those which are considered to be the most powerful of the temptations to which our nature is exposed. I own, when I consider that the Quakers, in consequence of their commercial and frugal habits, have greater pecuniary accumulations before their eyes than others in a similar condition of life; when I consider how few are able to bear these accumulations without moral injury to themselves; and that even the early Christians began to relax in their character when they began to be prosperous; I am of opinion that there is some foundation for the existence of such a spirit, though not to the extent insisted on by the world; or that there is in the Society, notwithstanding the many bright and amiable exceptions that are to be found in it, a greater eagerness after wealth than is consistent with its religious profession. And to this opinion I am inclined from another consideration, which cannot be overlooked in the present case. The Book of Extracts itself acknowledges the existence of such a spirit; for it characterizes

it under the name of "hastening to be rich," and it calls it "a growing evil."

I

But when I say that I so far accede to the opinion of the world, as to allow that the money-getting spirit may be fixed upon a part of the Society, I feel that I ought to make a proper distinction concerning it. must observe, that the money-getting spirit, wherever it may be chargeable upon Quakers, seldom belongs to that species which is called avarice. It is by no means incongruous to suppose, that there may be in the same person an unreasonable love of money, and yet a show of benevolence. The moneygetting spirit will have a different effect, as it operates upon different persons. Upon those who have been brought up in an ignorant and unfeeling manner, it will operate to make them hoard their substance, and to keep it exclusively to themselves. But it will not always hinder those who have been humanely educated, though it may lead them to unreasonable accumu lations, from dispensing a portion of their gains. In the first instance it is highly criminal, because it keeps the whole of its talent in a napkin. In the second, though

less

less criminal, it is greatly to be deplored, but more particularly in a Quaker, who, making a higher profession of Christianity than many others, ought to give to the world the example of a purer mind.

SECTION II.

Further observations on the subject of the former trait-practicable methods suggested for its extirpation-these methods not destructive, but promotive, of the temporal interests of the members of this Society-and consistent with the religion they profess.

As the Quakers appear to me, in consequence of their commercial and frugal habits, to be in danger of contracting a moneygetting spirit, and as this spirit is the worst feature that can exist in the Quaker-character, I shall allot a few pages to the further consideration of the subject, with a view to the prevention of such an evil,

That it is the worst feature that can exist in the character of the Society, I repeat. It is worse than a want of knowledge, or than superstition, because these relate to the understanding,