From the Philadelphia YM book of discipline, 1806:
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                    MINISTERS AND ELDERS, AND
                MEETINGS OF MINISTERS AND ELDERS

     IT is our earnest desire, that both ministers and elders may
be as nursing fathers and mothers to those that are young in the
ministry, and with all care and diligence advise and admonish
them, and if they see occasion, reprove them in a tender and
Christian spirit, according to the rules of our discipline and
counsel of Friends in that respect; also exhort them frequently
to read the holy scriptures, and earnestly seek the mind of the
Spirit of truth, to open the mysteries thereof, that, abiding in
a simple and patient submission to the will of God, and keeping
down to the openings of divine love and life in themselves, they
may witness a gradual growth in their gifts, and be preserved
from extending their declarations further than they find the life
and power of truth to bear them up.--1723.
     And our advice to all our ministers is, that they be
frequent in reading the scriptures of the old and new testaments;
and if any in the course of their ministry, shall misapply, or
draw unsound inferences or wrong conclusions from the text, or
shall misbehave themselves in point of conduct or conversation,
let them be admonished in love and tenderness by the elders or
overseers where they live, and if they prove refractory and
refuse to acknowledge their faults, let them be further dealt
with, in the wisdom of truth, as the case may require.--1723.
     As the occasion of our religious meetings is solemn, a care
should ever be maintained to guard against any thing that would
tend to disorder or confusion therein.  When any think they have
aught against what is publicly delivered, they should speak to
the party privately and orderly; and if any shall oppose a
ministering Friend in his or her preaching or exhortation, or
keep on the hat or show any remarkable dislike to such when en-
gaged in prayer, let them be speedily admonished in such manner
as may be requisite, unless the person against whom the uneas-
iness is expressed has been disowned by a monthly meeting, or his
or her public appearances disapproved by the elders.--1719.
     This meeting agrees that each monthly meeting choose two or
more Friends of each sex to sit with the ministers, and they to-
gether to compose a meeting to be denominated a preparative meet-
ing of ministers and elders; taking care that the Friends chosen
for that service, be prudent, solid Friends, and that they do
carefully discharge the trust confided to them.--1740, 1755.
     When there is occasion for the appointment of one or more
elders in any meeting, the proposal of separating a committee to
consider the subject, should be first made in a monthly meeting,
and when there united with, a proper number of Friends should be
appointed; and in this committee, the names of the persons who
may be thought suitable, should be first mentioned, and, when
concurred with, reported to the monthly meeting, without consult-
ing the person or persons, or otherwise divulging it.  If, upon
due consideration, the nomination is approved, a minute should be
made, and a copy thereof forwarded to the quarterly meeting of
ministers and elders.
     When any Friend has frequently appeared in our religious
meetings as a minister, and the preparative meeting of ministers
and elders apprehends that it is seasonable the subject should
claim the attention of the monthly meeting for discipline, of
which the person is a member, they are at liberty to mention the
matter, therein, and if the monthly meeting after deliberate
consideration, should unite in believing that a gift in the
ministry has been committed to him or her, a minute expressive
thereof should be forwarded to the quarterly meeting of ministers
and elders, where, the case being solidly weighed, and the sense
of the monthly meeting concurred with, information thereof should
be sent to the preparative meeting of ministers and elders, of
which the party is to be a member.  And until the approbation of
the quarterly meeting of ministers and elders is obtained, no
such Friend is to be received as a minister, nor permitted to sit
in the meetings of ministers and elders, nor travel abroad as a
minister.  And no such approved minister is to appoint any
meeting out of the limits of the quarterly meeting to which he or
she belongs, without a certificate from the monthly meeting for
discipline or the concurrence thereof.--1806.
     It is the judgment of this meeting that when any Friend
appointed to the station of an elder believes him or herself
called to the ministry, and shall have appeared frequently in
that capacity in our public religious meetings, they should with-
draw from the meetings of ministers and elders.--1806.
     When any approved minister apprehends it to be his or her
duty to travel in truth's service out of the limits of their
quarterly meeting, he or she is to open their concern in the
monthly meeting to which they belong, and obtain a certificate or
minute (as the occasion may be) of its unity and concurrence,
directed to Friends within the parts proposed to be visited: And
it is advised, that when the service is accomplished, the said
meeting be informed thereof, and the certificate returned without
unnecessary delay.--1681, 1806.
     Agreed that when any Friend is religiously concerned to make
a general visit to the meetings of Friends or parts beyond the
limits of this yearly meeting, and has obtained a certificate for
that purpose from the monthly meeting of which he or she is a
member, that the concern be also laid before the respective quar-
terly meeting for its concurrence and indorsement, to be signed,
if for a man, by the clerk of the men's meeting only; but, if for
a woman, by the clerks of the men's and women's meetings.--1812
     The ministers and elders of each monthly meeting are to meet
once in three months at such time and place as the monthly
meeting may direct, in the capacity of a preparative meeting of
ministers and elders; when, after a time of solid retirement, the
queries addressed to such meetings are to be read and considered,
and distinct answers made to them in writing, which, when signed
by the clerk, are to be conveyed to the ensuing quarterly meeting
of ministers and elders by two or more Friends to be mentioned in
the report as representatives; but if, in the course of inquiry,
any deficiency has appeared, care should be taken that it be
remedied.--1721, 1806.
     And in the said quarterly meetings, the queries are also to
be read with the answers which are brought from their preparative
meetings, and the state of the members weightily considered, that
where occasion requires it, advice and counsel may be seasonably
extended; and once a year those answers comprised in a written
report and signed by the clerk, are to be forwarded to the yearly
meeting of ministers and elders, by four or more Friends
appointed as representatives: in this meeting the queries are
also to be read with the answers from the several quarters, and
the state of this part of the society being collected and
considered, advices adapted thereto, may, if requisite, be issued
to the subordinate meetings of like kind.  This meeting is to
appoint a suitable number of elders to take the oversight of the
meetings for worship held in Philadelphia during the time of the
yearly meeting.  And such ministers as propose to go in truth's
service beyond sea, after obtaining a certificate of the concur-
rence of the monthly meeting, indorsed by the respective quarter,
are to spread their concerns before the yearly meeting of
ministers and elders, and produce the said certificates; and, if
upon solid consideration, the same are united with, a certificate
thereof signed by the clerk should be granted.--1753, 1806.
     None of the said meetings of ministers and elders are in any
wise to interfere with the business of any meeting for disci-
pline, nor is the yearly meeting of ministers and elders to
suffer its adjournments to interfere with the sittings of the
yearly meeting for discipline.--1721, 1722.
     We tenderly recommend faithful Friends, and especially min-
isters and elders, to watch over the flock of Christ in their
respective places and stations, always approving themselves by
their pious examples in conversation and conduct, to be such as
faithfully and diligently walk up to the testimony of the blessed
truth whereunto the Lord hath gathered us in this his gospel
day.--1755.
     And if any acknowledged member of our meetings of ministers
and elders shall at any time be thought, by negligence,
unfaithfulness, or otherwise, to have lost his or her service in
that station, so as to become the subject of uneasiness and
burthensome (yet not so as to be under the care of a meeting of
discipline on that account or for misconduct) it is advised that
a timely and tender care be extended to such person according to
gospel order; first by the individuals concerned, and then by the
preparative meeting of ministers and elders to which he or she
may belong; should these labours prove unavailing, report of the
case should be made by that meeting to the quarterly meeting of
ministers and elders, and there a few Friends be deputed to
assist the said preparative meeting in a further extension of
labour with the party: If this also prove unavailing, and on
report thereof to the said quarterly meeting, it appears that the
said preparative meeting has fully discharged its duty to the
individual, the case should then be transmitted to the monthly
meeting for discipline of which the party is a member, and left
under its care; and he or she ought from that time to refrain
from attending any such select meetings until they shall be again
recommended or appointed as at first.--1806.
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Next week:  MODERATION AND TEMPERANCE

Licia Kuenning
Friends of Truth/Glenside Friends Meeting/Quaker Heritage Press