"God causes the inward life, says
Barclay, the more to abound when his children assemble themselves
diligently together, to wait upon him; so that as iron sharpeneth iron,
the seeing the faces of one another, when both are inwardly gathered
unto the life, giveth occasion for the life secretly to rise, and to
pass from vessel to vessel: and as many candles lighted and put in one
place, do greatly augment the light and make it more to shine forth, so
when many are gathered together into the same life, there is more of
the glory of God, and his power appears to the refreshment of each
individual; for that he partakes not only of the light and life raised
in himself, but in all the rest. And therefore Christ hath particularly
promised a blessing to such as assemble in his name, seeing he will be
in the midst of them." For these and other reasons, the Quakers think it
proper, that men should be drawn together to the public worship of God:
but if so, they must be drawn together at certain times. Now as one day
has never been, in the eyes of the Quakers, more desirable for such an
object than another, their ancestors chose the first day in the week,
because the Apostles had chosen it for the religious assembling of
themselves and their followers. And in addition to this, that more
frequent opportunities might be afforded them of bearing their outward
testimony publicly for God, and of enlarging the sphere of their
spiritual life, they appointed a meeting on one other day in the week in
most places, and two in some others, for the same purpose.
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