guilty of such a dereliction of Quaker-principles, that they can be no
longer considered as sound or consistent members.

But independently of the violation of these principles, which the
Quakers take as the strongest ground for their conduct on such an
occasion, they think themselves warranted in disowning, from a
contemplation of the consequences, which have been known to result from
these marriages.

In the first place, disownment is held to be necessary, because it acts
as a check upon such marriages, and because, by acting as such a check,
it prevents the family-disputes and disagreements which might otherwise
arise; for such marriages have been found to be more productive of
uneasiness than of enjoyment. When two persons of different religious
principles, a Quaker for example, and a woman of the church, join in
marriage, it is almost impossible that they should not occasionally
differ. The subject of religion arises, and perhaps some little
altercation with it, as the Sunday comes. The one will not go to church,
and the other will not go to meeting. These disputes do not always die
with time. They arise, however, more or less, according to
circumstances. If neither of the parties set any value upon their
religious opinions, there will be but little occasion for dispute. If
both of them, on the other hand, are of a serious cast, much will depend
upon the liberality of their sentiments: but, generally speaking, it
falls to the lot of but few to be free from religious prejudices. And
here it may be observed, that points in religion also may occasionally
be suggested, which may bring with them the seeds of temporary
uneasiness. People of other religious denominations generally approach
nearer to one another in their respective creeds, than the Quakers to
either of them. Most christians agree, for example, in the use of