not to do it, is to forego his restoration to membership. This law
therefore of the Quakers is considered to be immoral, because it may
lead both to hypocrisy and falsehood."

I shall not take up much time in correcting the notions that have gone
abroad on this subject.

Of those who marry out of the society, it may be presumed that there are
some, who were never considered to be sound in the Quaker-principles,
and these are generally they who intermarry with the world. Now they,
who compose this class, generally live after their marriages, as happily
out of the society as when they were in it. Of course, these do not
repent of the change. And if they do not repent, they never sue for
restoration to membership. They cannot, therefore, incur any of the
charges in question. Nor can the society be blamed in this case, who, by
never asking them to become members, never entice them to any
objectionable repentance.

Of those again, who marry out of the society, there may be individuals,
so attached to its communion, that it was never imagined they would have
acted in this manner. Now of these, it may in general be said, that they
often bitterly repent. They find, soon or late, that the opposite
opinions and manners, to be found in their union, do not harmonize. And
here it may be observed, that it is very possible, that such persons may
say they repent without any crimination of their wives. A man, for
instance, may have found in his wife all the agreeableness of temper,
all the domestic virtue and knowledge, all the liberality of religious
opinion, which he had anticipated; but in consequence of the mixed
principles resulting from mixed marriages, or of other unforeseen
causes, he may be so alarmed about the unsteady disposition of his