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Life of Thomas Eddy

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be the only outward standard for determining thesoundness of their doctrines, and the truth of theirprinciples; whilst this modern preacher frequentlycalled in question their divine authority. Mr. Eddy, and other influential members of thesociety, took an active part in endeavouring to arrestthe progress, of what they considered heterodox opi-nions, and they always openly declared, that thedoctrines promulgated by the preacher before men-tioned, were contrary to the fundamental principlesof the society, and that therefore they could have no unity with him. Mr. Eddy was one of the warmestadvocates in favour of orthodox opinions, and one ofthe earliest to detect the heterodoxy of the new prin-ciples. Regardless of worldly consequences, he hadthe courage openly and honestly to avow his senti-ments, and thus became unpopular with those in the society, who took the opposite side; but this movedhim not—and he continued, through evil report andgood report, to show his marked disapprobation ofthose doctrines, until his death. No cause was so dear to his heart, as the interests of the society in which he was born and educated,and for which he always manifested the most ardentattachment; he, therefore, most deeply deplored the division of sentiment, upon what he considered vitalprinciples. The yearly meeting of Friends in England, whichmay be aptly termed the parent society, has officiallypronounced its condemnation of the novel doctrineswhich were promulgated here, and refuses to holdany intercourse with the Society in this country,which sanctions those doctrines. So far, therefore, as human authority goes, Mr.Eddy's opinions have been completely sustained;and although he did not live to witness the division in the Society which now exists, yet he clearly fore-saw, many years ago, that such must inevitably bethe result of the controversy.