"This . . . has led into such departures as hired ministry, congregational singing, instrumental music, pre-arranged ‘prayer meetings’, testimony meetings & etc. … [We] are persuaded that such . . . can only tend to lead us farther and farther from the desired unity of faith and practice . . . "[Eastern Quarter Men, 1898]

Believing, as we do, that seeds have lately been sown within the borders of our Yearly Meeting which, if allowed to spring up and grow and flourish, will weaken the faith of many; and becloud the clear testimony which we as Friends bear to the headship of Christ over all things to his Church, and to the entire spirituality of the Christian Baptism and the supping with our Lord: We ask our approaching Quarterly Meeting to request our next Yearly Meeting to reiterate our views upon these important points [Rich Square Men, 1900].

The friends appointed at last meeting to hold a meeting at this place in reference to the proposed Uniform Discipline made the following report, which this meeting accepts:

We the committee appointed by the monthly meeting to hold a meeting for the purpose of considering the proposed Uniform Discipline met at Cedar Grove at 2 PM on 7^th month 14, 1900, and after due consideration this meeting is united in recommending to the yearly Meeting the non-adoption of said proposed Uniform Discipline [Rich Square Men, 1900].

The meeting appointed to be held at Cedar Grove the 16^th of this month was held according to appointment. After a time of solid waiting we entered upon the subject for which the meeting was appointed and after much expression we were mostly united in the belief that it is best to keep to the old Discipline. There were some who favored the adoption of the Uniform Discipline. The Clerks are directed to inform Piney Woods Monthly Meeting of Friends to be held 11 mo. 1, 1902, of this meeting’s decision in reference to the Uniform Discipline. [Rich Square Men, 10/18/1902]

To Piney Woods and Rich Square Monthly Meetings of friends –

Dear Friends –

As all the sessions of Eastern Quarterly Meeting which have been held since the adoption of the Uniform Discipline were considered by many of the constituents illegal and therefore incapacitated to transact business, it was thought best by many members of Rich Square Monthly Meeting to reassemble the Quarterly Meeting, held the 29^th, ultimus, and to conduct it according to the Discipline as adopted by North Carolina Yearly Meeting in 1893, which proposition was laid before a Religious Meeting for consideration and was unanimously united with. However the motive of this step was not merely to transact the business, which as before stated, many believed could not be legally done under two Disciplines, but also to inform the monthly meetings in a clear but loving manner, that we believe the time has fully come, when we must cease to go on as we have in the past; that is, endeavoring to hold our Quarterly meetings under two Disciplines. To every member of Eastern Quarterly meeting, who favors the adoption of the Uniform Discipline, we would say in tender love, that while it is in a sense of inexpressible sadness to us, that we cannot walk together and be agreed, yet we desire that every one may be fully persuaded in his own mind, may seek diligently to know the will of our Heavenly Father, and be faithful to his leadings. We crave this for our entire membership. By direction of Eastern Quarterly meeting of Friends reassembled at Rich Square, NC Northampton County 9 mo. 5, 1903, John G. Peele and Mattie C. Purvis clerks for the day. [Rich Square Men, 9/19/1903]

The following minute from the representatives setting forth the reasons for our meeting in a Yearly Meeting capacity at this time was read:

Having met in Yearly Meeting capacity, in the love of God, under a deep religious concern, that Friends in this and other sections, who are spiritually oppressed by the many changes that have taken place in the Society of Friends at large, and who desire to uphold and maintain the doctrines and practices of the Christian religion in accordance with Early Friends, may be free to do so.

We desire individual faithfulness to that waiting, spiritual worship wherein direct communion with the Father and with the Son, through the Holy Spirit, is to be known, and a fresh anointing given by Him for every work and service in His church, whether it be in preaching, prayer, or praise.

We rejoice in the priesthood of believers, there being no mediator of the new covenant, but our Lord, Christ Jesus, who "ever liveth at the right hand of God to make intercession for us." There is a freedom by Him from all forms and ceremonies, which as Friends have ever understood were fulfilled and abolished by the bringing in of that new and better covenant of grace.

We believe that no other than a free gospel ministry can fully accord with the teaching of our Lord and Savior, for Christ said to His Disciples when He sent them forth to preach the gospel, "Freely have ye received, freely give," and for His name’s sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles, and Paul told the Elders of the church at Ephesus that he coveted no man’s silver or gold or apparel, and his hands ministered to his necessities and those that were with him, saying "I have shewed you all things," how that so doing ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

We plead for that liberty of conscience in individual believers for which our Early Friends suffered severe persecution, and even martyrdom, and which has been of such great blessing to humanity.

We beseech our own members and all Friends everywhere that we "Let the same mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus." [NCYM(C) Men, 1904]

Dear Friends: We are now assembled in this place the fourth time in the capacity of a Yearly Meeting. A concern has spread over us to briefly set forth by way of explanation some of the reasons for our existence as a separate body.

We had borne with the spirit that had been at work for many years among us, introducing subversive changes, especially in our manner of worship, until the Uniform Discipline had been prepared and offered for our acceptance.

This Discipline was adopted by the body assembled at High Point, North Carolina, in a Yearly Meeting capacity, and was sent down, requiring all subordinate meetings to put it into practice.

It would have been a severe trial of submission to have adopted the minor changes, but there were changes involved, the importance of which were fundamental.

Among these was the submission of qualification for the ministry to a body over which the particular monthly meeting had no control.

Although this Uniform Discipline does not require of all those accepting it that our ancient manner of worship shall at once be abandoned; it opens a way for it and offers encouragement for the introduction of a new order of things as soon as it can be effected without apparent violence.

It offers no protest against the pastoral system which it is well known is rapidly gaining favor among those claiming to be Friends.

With the remnant of like faith from various parts of our State, and the body of Friends in this locality which included the larger part of the members of the original Rich Square Monthly Meeting, we are now holding North Carolina Yearly Meeting of Friends at Cedar Grove in Woodland, N. C. [NCYM(C) Men, 1907]